Fontys open days are cancelled, update 56
The number of infections in our country is still rising. In the run-up to the press conference on 26 November, the Fontys central crisis team met on 25 November. Below are the most important decisions and points for attention.
Complicated times
These are complicated times. Whereas a few months ago we thought that corona was increasingly behind us, we are now once again in a crisis situation. This requires continuous adaptation to new measures and situations. The increasing number of infections also leads to concerns among students and staff, and increasingly to absences due to illness, infection or compulsory quarantine, or to the care for children who are at home due to infections and/or quarantine of classes and schools. This leads to a further increase in work pressure. In some places it is squeaking and creaking. The impact is great in some teams. We see that people are working very hard to solve this together. There is much appreciation for that.
Fontys open days are cancelled
One of the things we have worked hard on in recent weeks is the open days of 26, 27 and 28 November. The CCT has decided to cancel these days.
This decision was not taken lightly. After all, we know how important it is to introduce new students to Fontys, our teachers and fellow students. Based on the space offered to us by the government, we have given shape and content to the programme of the open days in an attractive and safe manner.
We take into account that during the press conference tomorrow evening, the cabinet will announce tightening the rules for education, events and/or meetings. Fontys takes its social responsibility and follows the measures taken by the government. The time of the announcement and the start of our open days makes it impossible to make any necessary adjustments. Therefore it has been decided to cancel the open days as a precaution. We would very much like to welcome our new students at another time.
Sounding board
Due to the current situation, the CCT has been scaled up again and it has also been decided to invite the sounding board groups for staff and students again, to serve as the CCT's sparring partner. The sounding board groups provide the CCT with input on current issues and questions from the organisation. The original participants are approached to see if they are willing and available again.
Although the formal consent or advice of the Central Participation Council (cmr) is not always required, the Executive Board attaches great importance to involving them in crisis management. As was the case a year and a half ago, in a meeting with the executive council, the cmr was asked if they would be prepared to consult with the cvb on an ad hoc and short-cycle basis, so that there would be short lines of communication between the cvb and the cmr. The cmr has responded positively to this request.
Working groups
One of the proposed measures for higher education is the introduction of the Corona Access Card. Despite extensive lobbying by the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences on behalf of all universities of applied sciences objecting to the introduction of this measure, the government has now sent a bill to the Lower House. The Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences (VH) has reacted to this proposal and Fontys has endorsed this reaction: https://www.fontys.nl/nieuws/voorstel-invoering-coronatoegangsbewijs-stelt-ons-voor-onmogelijke-opdracht/.
The bill will be debated in the Lower House on 30 November next. As stated above, Fontys has objections to the proposal for the introduction of the CTB in the form currently before the Dutch Lower House, but in the background we are making preparations for the possible mandatory introduction of the CTB. Three working groups are working on this:
Practical implementation
This working group is looking at how we can implement the actual control of the CTB.
Cohesion and welfare
The complexity, differences in opinions, perspectives and interests lead to questions in society and also at Fontys. This working group thinks about what we need to do together in order to stay connected
Education and testing
This working group examines the consequences of the introduction of the CTB for education.
Observance of basic rules
Just as in society, we also see at Fontys that not everyone adheres to the basic rules. In particular, the wearing of mouth masks when moving around is not always done. Let us continue to call each other to account for observing the rules. We realise that this sometimes leads to unpleasant situations.
Give each other space
From 24 November onwards, the one and a half metre distance measure applies again. However, education is exempt from this measure. So we do not have to return to the situation with maximum group sizes based on one and a half metres. The rule of 'a maximum of 75 people in a room' continues to apply to education. Our advice is: give each other space.