Uni stocks up on masks for students returning to campus

“Students have been told that they may be required to wear a mask. But a final decision will be made closer to the start of the semester,” Professor Alexander said.

Like most universities, UTS will continue to deliver lectures and large classes online when its first semester starts on March 9. A spokeswoman said the university also expects more teaching and services on campus and up to half of all learning activities to be delivered face-to-face.

Macquarie University estimated at least half of its local students would attend classes on campus and masks would be provided for any classes that could not maintain physical distancing.

Lectures would continue to be offered online, and students would have the opportunity to choose between online or smaller classes including tutorials and seminars on campus.

“We continue to have a large number of continuing offshore international students and we will continue to offer them fully online units of study when such forms of delivery meet their course’s learning outcomes,” a spokeswoman for Macquarie said.

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Staff working in areas open to the public at Sydney University such as the Chau Chak Wing Museum and Seymour Centre are required to wear a mask. Staff in clinical, lab or research settings are already wearing masks.

A Sydney University spokeswoman said about 28,000 staff and students were on campus each week last year, about half the number in 2019.

“We expect the number of students coming on to campus to increase this year,” she said.

“We’re currently planning for most of our teaching to be in-person, however online learning will continue to be important for us in 2021 because lectures will mainly be offered remotely to meet physical distancing requirements and many students are likely to be offshore.

Western Sydney University said courses would be delivered as a mix of online teaching and face-to-face tutorials, workshops and classes on campus.

“Students will be encouraged to attend classes on campus where they are offered,” a Macquarie spokeswoman said.

“Face masks are strongly recommended where it is not possible to maintain 1.5 metre physical distancing. This may include some classes and labs, and in office spaces. The University is mandating the use of masks in some circumstances, such as in clinics on campus; and in medical, clinical practice and other classes.”

University of NSW engineering student Marcus Thomas, 18, said he was looking forward to attending more classes on campus after completing most of his course online in 2020.

He said lectures would continue to be streamed to students but more tutorials, laboratories and tutorials would be offered in person.

“I’ve opted to go in because I prefer the hands-on experience,” he said. “I’ll be going in for labs and tutorials two days a week.”

Emma Witts, 18, from Double Bay will start the first year of a bachelor of business degree at UTS and has chosen to attended campus two days a week. She said she wanted this year to be as “normal as possible” after completing the HSC last year under extraordinary circumstances.

“It’s my first year and I wanted to experience as normal as possible,” she said.

Australian Catholic University’s chief operating officer deputy vice-chancellor Stephen Weller said it is planning to have 60 per cent of students on campus to attend lectures, tutorials, simulation and laboratory classes, and other recreational activities.

“We are offering online, on-campus and hybrid or blended learning that will allow students on-campus and those online to come together virtually,” Dr Weller said.

“Many of our students have let us know that they miss the on-campus experience and we are planning to offer more on-campus activities to be available where possible.”