Dear students,
The volatile situation of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past few months has disrupted everyone's study and life. You may well feel frustrated; I can personally relate to this feeling. Because of the pandemic, although I changed my schedule numerous times I was still unable to reunite with my own family. This inevitably caused a lot of inconvenience to my work and personal life. Nevertheless, as I often say, the uncertainties in life are certainly troublesome, but they are also experiences that, if used well, can have a positive effect on our mind, will and vision.
I understand very well that you may have been upset by the current management of campus access during this unusual period of time. A few have even reacted impulsively without regard to personal safety. No matter what, I think we must put safety first and remain calm and rational.
On March 28, my colleagues and I communicated with about 40 student representatives from different grades and majors, as well as from the student bodies. They spoke enthusiastically at the meeting. After the meeting, the first Student Court was established. It will collect a wide range of opinions and suggestions from you about campus life. I will commit a part of my time to communicating with the Student Court to listen to everyone's voice, and make our communication channels smoother.
I understand that one of your main concerns is the approval to leave the campus. We will refine the rules and simplify the process to fully protect your needs for medical treatment and examinations off campus, and will keep you informed in time when the relevant system is optimized. There are also concerns about the access management of staff members. Since UIC does not have on-campus accommodation for staff members, from a practical point of view, we require them on a daily basis to commute directly between home and work, and to produce a negative nucleic acid certificate that is valid within 24 hours to enter the campus. We will ensure the effective implementation of such a policy whenever necessary. We hope to make teaching as stable and orderly as possible, and to minimize risk at the same time.
Another focus of your attention is the upcoming Reading Week. There will be no teaching schedule for the Reading Week, so you can make the best use of the time to rest and catch up with work. Each Division or Office will organize various voluntary activities, and you can freely choose to participate based on your availability and interest. Due to the uncertainty of the current pandemic situation, the management of campus access is still subject to dynamic adjustments according to the requirements of the local authorities. However, I sincerely advise you to minimize travel and mobility while the situation is still uncertain, and not to leave the campus or Zhuhai unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, in case of an unexpected outbreak, we will have to face the consequences of various tightened measures being imposed upon us, such as home quarantine, health monitoring and regular testing, etc., and bearing all the costs therefrom. This may also affect the progress of your study and may even bring potential health risks to your peers.
The current pandemic surge across the country is happening in multiple places at the same time, with some in an escalating situation. Local outbreaks have also been found on campuses in some areas. Zhuhai, as a port and border city, has close contact with Hong Kong and Macao, and due to the frequent mobility of people, sporadic COVID cases have been discovered from time to time. Moreover, the Omicron variant is insidious and highly transmissible. There have been many asymptomatic cases, posing a severe challenge to pandemic prevention and control. Since colleges and universities are densely populated places, once any positive case appears, it can be highly contagious and the consequences could be unimaginable. That is why the local authorities pay particular attention to the pandemic prevention efforts in colleges and universities. For the sake of our own health and the health of others, each one of us should take responsibility for pandemic prevention and control.
I would like to share with you that ever since the pandemic, I have been through hotel and home quarantine several times. But every time when I experienced the difficulties, I also enjoyed being alone, reading and writing. In the next few weeks, during these tough times, I shall make sure to stay on campus with you.
Since the founding of UIC, we have witnessed both its development and hardships. We have weathered many difficult times with the university, so I thank you for your understanding and support. You can always communicate with your teachers, or seek help from PGCC if you are experiencing any difficulty or are feeling upset. UIC will, together with other higher education institutions in Zhuhai, maintain active communication with the local authorities and make timely adjustments to relevant measures according to the pandemic situation as well as the relevant prevention and control requirements. Please remain patient as we face all these challenges and grow together.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Tang Tao
President of UIC
Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences
