COVID-19 response: Tuesday 24 March 2020

Awanuiārangi suspends all teaching (including online) until Thursday 23 April, all campuses to remain closed until then

Urgent message from Professor Wiremu Doherty, Chief Executive of Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi

Given the country’s move to COVID-19 Alert Level 4 (complete shutdown of all non-essential services) as of 11.59pm on Wednesday 25 March, Awanuiārangi will be implementing further measures to respond to the COVID-19 situation.

What this means is that as of today, Tuesday 24 March:

1. All teaching and delivery of Awanuiārangi programmes will be suspended for four weeks until Thursday 23 April.
   • There will be no teaching on campus or online. Deadlines for assessments are postponed until further notice.
   • The only exceptions will be our PhD and Professional Doctorate programmes – these will continue as they primarily involve independent learning and research.
   • Following the four-week period, we will take a look at the academic year and adjust it to fit our teaching and learning requirements for our programmes.

2. We are closing all our campuses for four weeks, through to Thursday 23 April.
   • All kaimahi and tauira are to stay home, and work from home during the next four weeks (if this is possible): no-one is permitted on campus.

3. We ask all kaimahi and tauira to use this week to focus only on sorting out their personal affairs – you do not need to work this week. We want our kaimahi and taiura to feel supported and do what they need to do to ensure they are prepared for the precautions they need to take over the next four weeks.
4. From next week, our Management Team will regroup online with our kaimahi to find the best way forward for online delivery and to understand what the current opportunities and limitations are to move our programmes online.
5. From Thursday 23 April, we intend to start delivering classes online, where this is possible. We will keep kaimahi and tauira updated on this and whether timeframes need to change, following an assessment of our capabilities for online teaching, and official Government advice on COVID-19.
6. We urge tauira to please stay enrolled. Study link payments of allowances and loans will continue as normal. Please get in touch with us (using the email shown below) if you encounter any difficulties or have any questions.
7. If kaimahi and taiura haven’t already, make sure you have provided us with your current mobile number and email. We need to be able to contact you if there is any COVID-19-related emergency, especially if we need to contact trace. Email us at ssc@wananga.ac.nz (tauira) and COVID-19@wananga.ac.nz (kaimahi).

The health, safety and wellbeing of our kaimahi and tauira is our number one priority. It is important that you look after your mental health. Read the tips on the Government ‘Unite against COVID-19’ website for best ways to manage your mental health during this time: https://covid19.govt.nz/help-and-advice/for-everyone/looking-after-your-mental-health/

The COVID-19 situation is changing rapidly. This is a completely different environment we find ourselves in and we ask that everyone takes the time they need to adjust to the new ‘normal’ over the next four weeks. Most importantly, take all the necessary precautions and stay safe.

Further updates will be communicated to tauira and kaimahi as these are available. Please continue to check your emails and follow the Awanuiārangi website and Facebook page for all the latest Awanuiārangi-related updates. 

For comprehensive Government information and to be aware of all the precautions our people need to take as we move to Alert Level 4, visit the Official ‘Unite against Covid-19’ Government website: https://covid19.govt.nz/

Stay safe, stay home, and take the right precautions. He waka eke noa.

Professor Wiremu Doherty

Chief Executive Officer

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