Further easing of restrictions
The rules for remote working at home will be relaxed as of 8 June. In addition, the ETH Library will be open, student workplaces will be available once again on both campuses, and the ASVZ is opening its sports centres. Finally, catering facilities will also be stepped up to cope with increasing demand.
Given the positive course of the coronavirus pandemic in Switzerland, the ETH Executive Board has approved measures to further relax the restrictions imposed during emergency operations. These measures come into effect on 8 June and will increase the level of activity on the Zentrum and Hönggerberg campuses. However, ETH buildings will for the time being remain officially closed until 2 August.
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No general opening of buildings
"To ensure physical distancing rules and support contact tracing, ETH buildings will essentially remain closed and are only accessible to authorised personnel," says Ueli Weidmann, ETH Vice President and Head of the Covid-19 Taskforce. Only employees with a valid ETH card and corresponding code are authorised to enter the buildings. Card access also applies to those buildings which now allow controlled entry to specific user groups. "We are now creating around 1,000 student workplaces that can be booked via a reservation system. This is a fair, reliable, secure and if necessary traceable system. More places will be added soon, depending on how things develop," Weidmann says, describing the rationale behind the decision. In each case, access to the selected buildings will be through the main entrance, where the required authorisation will also be checked.
Gradual relaxation of rules on remote working
Technical and administrative staff, as well as ETH scientists not involved in experimental research in the laboratory, must continue to work remotely from home until 2 August at least. However, this can now be interpreted as general guidance, rather than a strict rule. "Our university is keenly aware of its social responsibility and wants to do its part in avoiding too much pressure on public transport," Weidmann comments. "The looser arrangement allows us to take into consideration the justified concerns of employees and organisational units. We know that many ETH members are finding it increasingly difficult to spend the entire week working from home, and their productivity is suffering as a result. We also know that management processes are more difficult."
In consultation with their supervisor, employees may therefore agree a full or partial return to their workplace. "However, this does not mean that supervisors are in principle entitled to bring back their teams to ETH," he stresses, unless their physical presence on site substantially facilitates internal processes and coordination within their unit. In this case, supervisors can require employees to come to work at least on occasion.
Organisational units where physical presence is necessary for operational reasons (e.g. customer desks, maintenance work) are not required to give reasons for on-site presence. If differences of opinion arise, the responsible member of the Executive Board makes the final decision for the administrative departments, whereas the respective department head has the final say for the academic departments.
Safety protocol required for room occupancy
In order to ensure adherence to rules on hygiene and physical distancing, all departments and research groups who regularly use their offices must draw up a written safety protocol. This may also include plans for room rotation and occupancy.
Room occupancy rules
- Every occupied workstation must have a designated office space of at least 10m² (e.g. two workplaces in a total office area of 26m²).
- A minimum distance of 2m must be maintained between the two occupied workplaces. If this gap cannot be maintained (e.g. workstations positioned close together), the workplaces must be repositioned or some kind of screening installed, such as partition walls or similar.
- Every office where there is more than one member of staff working at the same time should be ventilated for 5 to 10 minutes every hour.
Supervisors must inform their employees – and in the academic departments, the heads of department as well – about the safety protocol and are responsible for ensuring strict observation of rules on hygiene, physical distancing and ventilation.
Continuation of online meetings
To ensure all participants have equal access to meetings, these should generally be held online. Employees working on ETH campus must log in to the meetings through their workstation. The exception to this rule is gatherings which by nature can only be through physical attendance, such as building approvals or workshops.
Doctoral exams can be held with some or all of the members of the Examination Committee present.
Rules for using meeting rooms
- In the event that meeting rooms are used, each person must be assigned a minimum space of 4m². The maximum occupancy of all the meeting rooms that can be booked is clearly marked on their doors. Organisational units with their own meeting rooms are responsible for calculating the number of persons and marking the figure clearly on the door.
- Meetings should not last longer than two hours and the room must be ventilated for 5 to 10 minutes after the first hour.
- Those attending the meeting must clean all desk services at the start and end of each meeting.
- After every meeting, the room must remain empty for 30 minutes and be well ventilated by opening any windows.
- Organisational units with their own meeting rooms are responsible for ensuring these rules are followed.
Travel to work
To minimise the risk of exposure both to themselves and to others, ETH members are encouraged to travel to work by foot, bicycle, motorbike or car wherever possible. They should avoid using public transport, especially for long journeys and during rush hour. Anyone with a longer commute should therefore continue working remotely from home if possible, as long as operational circumstances permit.
Parking at ETH Zurich will continue to be free of charge up to 2 August 2020; the usual parking tariffs are likely to be reintroduced after that date.
Retreats and excursions
The Executive Board recommends avoiding any retreats requiring the physical presence of participants until 2 August at least. If, however, such retreats do go ahead, the rules governing the use of meeting rooms must be observed. For outside retreats and excursions, the rules on physical distancing and hygiene always must be strictly followed for all journeys. Any overnight stays are only permitted if single rooms are booked.
Business and private trips abroad
ETH follows the updated government rules regarding travel abroad. Business trips abroad are allowed to countries where Switzerland has opened its borders again to movement of persons. From 15 June these countries initially include Germany, Austria and France. Additional countries will follow. Anyone returning to ETH from abroad no longer needs to work from home for two weeks. The self-isolation rule no longer applies. The government's guidelines on measures for entry back into the country apply to private trips abroad as well.
Vocational training and childcare
Vocational training courses for apprentices can be held at ETH. Aptitude tests and taster courses as part of the career choice process are also possible, as long as the relevant rules on hygiene and physical distancing are followed.
The childcare offered by the kihz Foundation is now operating as normal. When bringing and collecting children, parents must observe the rules on physical distancing and hygiene. Now that schools are operating normally, kihz can also offer holiday programmes for childcare.
Student workplaces and access to buildings
The ban on access to ETH buildings for all students will no longer apply from 8 June. From this date, the university will offer students around 1,000 workplaces spread across six different buildings.
The workplaces must be reserved online through a central booking system. This arrangement is meant to ensure that no one travels needlessly to the campus. Students will receive a QR code for their reserved place which they must show to personnel at the main entrance to the respective building.
The allocation of student workplaces for the coming week will start tomorrow, Friday 5 June. More information on the allocation of student workplaces will be provided in an email to students and can also be found on the Student portal.
Student access to courses and laboratory workplaces
Courses for which students have been approved physical presence, as well as the exam preparation courses provided by student associations, will also take place in the buildings listed above.
Practicals in the ETH laboratories can be carried out as long as special precautions are observed. Details can be found in the Guidelines for practicals during the coronavirus. Professional internships abroad should be avoided, on the other hand.
The lecturers in charge of practicals are responsible for arranging access for students who are completing their practicals in the labs.
Students requiring lab spaces for their BSc, MSc or semester projects will receive access to the buildings concerned via their Legi card. The academic departments are responsible for authorising access.
Opening of the ETH library
Starting 8 June, the ETH Library will be offering virtually all its services on site. Students will be able to book one of the reduced number of study spaces in the ETH Library using the central reservation system. Additional information can be found on the ETH Library website.
Access to the Main Building is via the Rämistrasse entrance, all other entrances remain closed.
On entering the building, visitors must log in their name and check out again when leaving the building. The same rules apply for the Architecture and Civil Engineering Library in the HIL building on the Hönggerberg campus.
ASVZ opens sports facilities
ASVZ will be extending its offering from 8 June onwards by reopening its two sports centres on the ETH campus. It has drawn up a detailed safety protocol for this purpose. These measures include requiring all members to book a training slot online if they wish to use the gym facilities or take part in group exercise sessions. No changing rooms or showers will be available. More information on the facilities offered and the rules can be found on the external pageASVZ website.
Extension of catering facilities and shops
As the level of activity on both campuses increases, the range of catering facilities will also be continuously stepped up and adjusted to meet demand.
On the Zentrum campus, the Mensa Polyterrasse and Einstein & Zweistein in the MM building will reopen on 8 June 2020, as will the ETH Store there. The CaféBar in the Main Building is also open again. The faculty restaurant will initially be open to guests for two weeks on a trial basis. The facilities will start off with a reduced selection and restricted opening hours. The Foodtrailer ETZ will continue to operate as normal.
On 8 June the Coop and the ETH Store will reopen on the Hönggerberg campus, with reduced opening hours in each case. The range in Fusion coffee will be expanded. The Street Food stands and avec-Box will also be operating.
More detailed information can be found on the current gastronomy & retail range.
Decisions for the stage starting 3 August 2020
All decisions are based on current government guidelines. Future developments depend on the course of the pandemic and the corresponding decisions of the Federal Council, but also on the situation at the university. "The task force will continue to monitor the situation very closely and if necessary make suggestions to the Executive Board for specific changes to the applicable rules – hopefully a further relaxation," Ueli Weidmann says.
The Rector will issue separate information about planning for the Autumn Semester 2020.
FAQ
The new rules effective 8 June 2020 will be published on the Coronavirus website, where you will also find FAQs that are continuously updated. If you are unable to find answers to any questions you may have about the current rules in force at ETH, please contact the website managers by clicking on one of the topics below.