Covid-19 message from CEO 5 February 2021

Latest update from Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi

Tēnā koutou,

I hope you all enjoyed a safe and relaxing holiday break with whānau and friends and have returned to work re-energised for the year ahead.

I have prepared a short new year video message to all kaimahi and tauira, I encourage you to check it out here.

In addition, below are some key points to be aware of as we kick off a new year at Awanuiārangi. 

Since my return to work, I have been reflecting on how lucky we have been able to enjoy a relatively “normal” summer so far, without needing to shift Alert Levels. I certainly hope 2021 will be the year where the world can recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as shown by the dire COVID-19 situation in many parts of the world, and the case in Northland recently, we are certainly not out of the woods. The risk of shifting Alert Levels, and another lockdown is still out there — therefore, we need to prepare ourselves for ‘when it happens’ not ‘if it happens’. In this regard, we must not get complacent, and we need to remain prepared.

So, I encourage you all to have a ‘refresh’ read of what the different Government Alert Levels mean here, as well as what these mean for Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, on our comprehensive FAQ page here. For those who are new to Awanuiārangi, it is important that you read and understand our protocols, when it comes to COVID-19. These protocols have been prepared to ensure the health and safety of tauira, staff and our wider community.

I have outlined below some key protocols that remain in place at Awanuiārangi during Alert Level 1.

• Continue using ‘track and trace’ methods, and signing in at reception remains compulsory: using the Tablet, free EVA QR code system, or manually AND scanning the NZ COVID-tracer QR code.
• Health and Safety practices: there is no need for physical distancing. However, if you are sick you need to stay home. If you have cold or flu symptoms, call your Doctor or Healthline and get tested. While there is no need to wear a mask at Alert Level 1, please do continue to use them if you are using public transport; wash and dry your hands regularly; keep safe.
• Visitors: Under Alert Level 1 external visitors are allowed on campus, but they do need to sign in at reception first and foremost. Please forward any external requests to use Tāmaki and Whāngarei facilities to Rachel Wetere (for Tāmaki) or Janeen Te Tuhi (for Whāngarei). Under Alert Level 2, visitors to our campuses need prior approval from me, as CEO.
• Programme Delivery: Normal operations – including all onsite operations – continue. Online delivery remains for our Whangārei campus.
• Noho: Under Alert levels 1 and 2, Noho can be held kanohi ki te kanohi. If these programmes need to be postponed for any reason, kaiako are to keep their tauira informed. If kaiako are running a noho during Alert Level 2, please contact Moira Loach (Moira.Loach@wananga.ac.nz) for guidance on protocols and a health and safety template to use.
• Marae-based delivery: Delivery will proceed under Alert Level 1, at the discretion of our Marae communities. If there is a shift to Alert Levels, kanohi ki te kanohi delivery will be reassessed at that point.
• Graduation: We are still planning for graduation to go ahead this year, provided Aotearoa stays in Alert Level 1. Further details will follow shortly. If Aotearoa, or individual regions, move up Alert Levels, graduation may need to be postponed as we have whānau who come from all over the country for this big event and it may not be practical to hold graduation.

Again, I urge you to please remain vigilant and act responsibly when it comes to ensuring your health and safety, and that of your whānau and our communities. 

Please contact our COVID-19 Response Team at COVID-19@wananga.ac.nz if you have any pātai not covered off above or in our FAQs.

Thank you for your great work and continued support whānau.

Professor Wiremu Doherty

Chief Executive Officer