Covid-19: less than 1 in 4 staff feel safe returning to campus

As well as financial concerns I believe some universities, including my own which is highly rated for 'student experience' are running scared of student feedback. So additional classes are being laid on as a window-dressing exercise. Staff well-being is well down the list. UCU have recently drafted letters for members to send to their institutions but in reality individuals are powerless. It isn't helped by notions held by some colleagues that education is in some way a vocation, we have a 'responsibility to the students'. That's an individual choice but plays into the hands of the University. It's a job. It's not A+E. We are not key workers. Face to face teaching is not essential. There are other ways in which the job can be delivered. Employees, which is all we are at the end of the day have a right to feel safe and to be safe at work.

My university is doing its best in a difficult situation: my main concern about returning is that as well as being a bit on the ancient side & with underlying health issues (& a shielding husband) I am mobility impaired and cannot climb stairs. I know my building well and rely on taking the shortest route using lifts to get wherever I need to go... and cannot get ANY information as to how their one-way systems are laid out so as to pre-plan. Given that I'm generally physically exhausted and in pain on a normal busy day, I don't know how I'll cope with the revised layout. Fortunately my head of department is understanding and has given me online work only for this semester so I don't have to come in.