Update: Examinations & Work   [14.05.20]

Effective immediately, the University is returning to "limited attendance". Staff should still work from home if it is just as possible to work at home as it is on-site. Make-up exams from the winter semester will start on 2 June. Very large exams will probably not be possible until much later. Teaching will remain digital, but further exceptions are possible on-campus in individual cases upon request. In the Hohenheim Gardens, individuals and groups of up to 5 people are welcome, but they must not belong to more than 2 households. A mouth and nose cover is only necessary in the park if the minimum distance cannot be maintained.

 

There will be no return to normality on campus until at least the end of the semester. The motto remains: Avoid gatherings as best you can. However, the University intends to use the available leeway to slightly relax the rules resulting from the new state coronavirus ordinance of 9 May.

In its meeting on 6 May, the Senate of the University of Hohenheim also adopted Corona statutes that supplement the examination regulations and admission regulations of the degree programs - thus creating the legal basis for the current exemptions in teaching, see below.

The Online Courier has summarized the most important innovations:

Update examinations

Status quo: Due to the strict hygiene rules for the University, examinations are still the greatest organizational challenge. In addition to the examinations of the summer semester, examinations from the second examination period of the winter semester must also be made up for. Until now, however, only individual examinations could take place due to the corona situation.

 

Update:

• From now on, examinations and exams in small groups of max. 5 people (including examiners) are possible.
• The first group examinations can take place from 2 June. The make-up exams from the winter semester will be carried out first.
• Due to the hygiene measures, the examination places are limited: Initially, smaller and later medium-sized make-up exams will take place. Larger examinations are currently a logistical problem: When they can take place is still unclear.
• Students will be informed about the exact date at least 14 days before each exam.
• Registrations and cancellations are - as always - possible up to 7 days before the exam. However, for the purposes of room planning, the University needs reliable participant numbers at an early stage, and late registrations may not be considered due to lack of space (see Background).
• For upcoming examinations in the current summer semester, the following applies: Exam dates can also be set outside the examination periods in order to create more flexibility.
• The form of the module examinations can be changed after consultation with the Dean of Studies (e.g. term paper instead of exam, poster instead of presentation, etc.), changes must be announced electronically at least 3 weeks in advance.
• Deadlines for orientation, intermediate, and final examinations are automatically extended by one semester.
• The University' general hygiene policy is currently being revised. All necessary information for examination administrators and participants will follow shortly.

Background: Since many people come together during examinations, hygiene measures are essential: squares are therefore set up at a distance of 2 m from each other, cordons regulate paths, surfaces must be disinfected, etc. Additional volunteers are being hired and trained to help with implementing the measures.

This poses great logistical challenges for the University. Considerably more rooms than usual are needed, but not all lecture halls meet the necessary requirements. From 2 June, 6 lecture halls with a total of 134 examination spots will initially be available, but not all of them can be used for the same examination at the same time. Further lecture halls are expected to be ready for use by 15 June. It is therefore still uncertain when larger examinations can take place.

It is important for spatial planning to be able to estimate how many students actually want to take a make-up exam. In order to obtain reliable figures for examination planning, the Examinations Office has sent all students a circular email asking them to register or cancel their registration for all outstanding examinations of the previous winter semester by 13 May. If no cancellation is made, existing registrations will remain in effect. Later registrations and cancellations are possible up to 7 days before the exam. If there are too few places available despite the planning buffer, late registrations may not be considered.

A more comprehensive update on the subject of examinations will follow shortly.

Update: Work On-Campus & Park

Status quo: On 18 March, the University largely discontinued its on-campus work. This means that working from home has been the rule since then, buildings have been closed, teaching has gone digital. Since mid-April, preparations for the resumption of on-site work have been underway in stages: Since 4 May, for example, classroom teaching in small groups (max. 5 people) has again been possible, in accordance with the hygiene policy. The state's Corona Ordinance governs the University's policies in this regard.

Update:

• Effective immediately, the University is once again taking up "limited attendance". This means that working from home should continue to be practiced when it is just as possible to work at home as it is on-site. If working from home poses a problem, however, work on site is now also permitted again. The framework working hours of 5 a.m. -  10 p.m. will remain in place until further notice.
• The following applies to work on site: The hygiene policy must be observed. The maximum number of people per room depends on the conditions on site, but no more than 5 people. The director of the facility is responsible for this. The Occupational Health and Safety Department provides advice.
• If an infection is suspected, the Occupational Health and Safety Department should be informed immediately in order to identify infection chains and initiate disinfection measures.
• Buildings will remain closed to the public, doors must continue to be locked during the day. Access for students etc. must be organized by a responsible person.
• Apart from very small groups (see above), teaching continues to be digital. In exceptional cases, however, courses with more than 5 people may take place in the future if there is no online alternative and the hygiene policy can be implemented on site. An application must be made to the President's Office.
• Committee meetings with more than 5 persons are also possible on request as face-to-face events.
• In the Hohenheim Gardens, individuals and groups of up to 5 people are welcome, although they may not belong to more than 2 households. A mouth and nose cover is only necessary if the minimum distance of 1.5 m cannot be maintained with a high number of visitors. Arrows on the paths help to reduce encounters.
• Since 8 May, the library has once again been operating with limited access (more...)
• An update for museums and offers from sports & music will follow shortly.
• Continuing education courses, public events, and guided tours are cancelled for the entire semester or will take place online.
• The work-from-home regulation applies until 30 September if the coronavirus situation does not change significantly. Applications will be automatically extended until then. The Human Resources Department must be notified of any changes. For further information for employees on release opportunities, leave, etc., see "Kurz gemeldet" from the Human Resources Department (11 May)

Update: Important documents and legal basis

All applicable requirements and exemptions for teaching in the current summer semester are summarized in a guideline document that is updated continuously. The latest amendment was adopted at the President's Office meeting on 12 May:

• Corona Guidelines for Studying and Teaching

In order for the guidelines to be implemented, it is also necessary for legal reasons to supplement the examination regulations and the admission regulations for a limited period of time. In its session on 6 May, the Senate adopted "Corona Statutes". The statutes are particularly relevant for all persons involved in the organization of examinations, admissions procedures, and doctoral studies. Among other things, it also contains deadlines for certificates, certificates, examinations, theses, etc:

• Corona Statutes (German)

The central hygiene policy governs which concrete hygiene measures must be observed during meetings on campus. The individual institutions are requested to interpret the possible courses of action according to the conditions on site. The respective director of the facility is responsible for implementation and instruction. In parallel with the planned relaxation of the University's restrictions on work conditions, the hygiene policy will be supplemented by specific regulations. An update for the "Examinations" section is planned for the near future:

• Central Hygiene Policy

The scope of action for the University is defined by the state's Corona Ordinance. This is constantly being adapted according to the current course of infection in Baden-Württemberg and political agreements at the federal level. The latest version has been in effect since 9 May:

• State Corona Ordinance (9 May)

The University provides information on current changes in the Newsticker and in the FAQs on the Corona information page. Questions are possible at: corona-fragen@uni-hohenheim.de

Text: Leonhardmair / Translation: Neudorfer