Victoria University (VU) has developed detailed FAQs around the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on staff and students. We are taking decisive action to help keep the VU community safe, including following government recommendations, postponing events, and changing course delivery to enable remote learning.
Page last edited Monday 6 April 2020.
There have been some changes to the access to Library on-site collections and spaces.
However, students can still access the internet, PCs and printing facilities via a number of student spaces on campus including:
Strict social distancing is expected in these areas and will be monitored by Security.
During this time, please respect the need for social distancing and the job of Security as they ensure the health and safety of you and other students in our community.
There are currently no confirmed cases among VU students and staff.
VU has implemented a number of prevention strategies, which include:
We have established a campus-wide response plan in the event that anyone presents with symptoms of the condition.
If anyone, student or staff, has concerns about the health status of another person at the University, they should contact Security at the number below, who will arrange first aid assistance and follow appropriate protocols.
To report concerns on campus, call +61 3 9919 6666.
If anyone, student or staff, has concerns about the health status of another person at the University, they should contact Security at the number below, who will arrange first aid assistance and follow appropriate protocols.
Security can also help with queries about unsafe facilities or on-campus environments.
To report concerns on campus, call +61 3 9919 6666.
In order to mitigate risk, all high-contact VU Sport programs will cease from the close of standard operating hours on Friday 20 March until further notice.
This includes all activities apart from University teaching and research activities and specifically refers to:
Memberships and payments will be suspended until exercise classes and facilities resume operations.
Read more about the suspension of sport facilities and programs at VU.
VU Thrive has gone online, offering a range of remote sport and fitness programs for adults and kids.
The People & Culture team have created a Quick Reference Guide (PDF, 49 KB) (log in required if offsite) that outlines the different leave options for staff during this situation.
Please direct any questions to the corona response team.
Email: [email protected]
Most VU staff are encouraged to work from home with some staff required to work on campus to continue essential work which cannot be conducted off-campus.
VU activities are continuing to operate, remotely, where possible.
VU is committed to supporting its staff and ensuring the transition to a remote working arrangement is as smooth as possible. We have the following resources help you do this:
The University continues to put in place measures to support regular casual and sessional staff during this period.
See the new quick reference guide for casual and sessional staff (PDF, 34 KB, may require log in if working remotely) developed by the People & Culture team. Please have any initial discussions about individual situation with your manager.
Where no work is available for casual and sessional staff due to impacts caused by the current coronavirus epidemic, the University will consider a one-off support payment to ease financial hardship.
Details about this payment can be located on the People & Culture Intranet site.
Based on the limited information provided to date, Victoria University is not eligible for the Federal Government’s wage subsidy scheme announced on 30 March.
We will continue to review whether the University may qualify for government support as more details emerge.
Changes to school term dates present a range of considerations and challenges for some of our staff.
VU staff can work from home or remotely, with approval from their manager.
In light of the latest announcements by government, VU encourages staff to discuss options that best suit individual circumstances, including blending caring responsibilities with working from home, where appropriate.
If the staff member is at work, arrange for them to immediately self-isolate at home. Arrange a time to assess what measures can be implemented to assist the staff member, such as work from home arrangements.
If the staff member is not at work, advise them to self-isolate at home and to contact the Department of Health and Human Services for screening advice on 1800 675 398. Arrange a time to be able to assess what assistance can be made to the staff member, such as work from home.
People with cold or flu like symptoms should seek medical advice, stay at home until they are no longer a risk to themselves or others (no longer infectious) and rest. This will reduce the impact of other illnesses on our students and staff.
If you notice a person is unwell and needs immediate first aid attention, immediately contact Security on 6666 (+61 3 9919 6666) and request first aid informing them that you are concerned about coronavirus.
Where possible discretely move the person to an isolated area. Security have a protocol to deal with this, so contact security instead of contacting any first aid officer directly.
If you are not in a position to assist, you can refer the student to the Student Contact Centre. Students can send an enquiry via ASKVU, email, live chat or call us on +61 3 9919 6100.
If the student is onshore, you can also direct matters to the VUHQ Service Centres on each campus.
If you would like to speak to someone:
You can print, share and post the official prevention posters from the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services:
In the majority of instances, access required on campus will be as normal via your standard access card or fob. There should be no change to access your work areas. If you do have difficulty accessing your area, please contact Security on 9919 4999 for assistance.
If you have or intend to take home any office equipment or other VU assets, you must advise your manager and follow VU asset protocols to register the location of your assets to the VU Asset Management Office.
Read 'Using University IT equipment at home' under Staff work from home resources to find out which information is needed for the register.
Facilities Services will continue to provide a central point of contact for facilities service functions. However, the walk-up service desk in Building K at Footscray Park is now closed.
You may call or email, but note that in the current circumstances, response times may be longer than normal.
Contact the Service Desk:
Security and essential Facilities Services staff will continue to work on our campuses throughout this period to ensure that there is continuity of service delivered to the University.
We have redeployed a number of senior facilities staff to be available to resolve issues as they arise and to assist with the critical operational aspects of our services to support the VU community. Other facilities staff will be working remotely and will be contactable via email, telephone and WebEx.
As staff and student activity continues on campus at this time, albeit on a limited basis, facilities will maintain essential business-as-usual campus operations with increased provision of cleaning and security to ensure a safe and hygienic work place is maintained.
VU has suspended all international work-related travel. Based on the Australian Government travel advice, This is to reduce the risk to staff and students from the coronavirus outbreak that is spreading around the world.
VU has suspended all domestic work-related staff travel.
Any questions should be discussed with the trip sponsor (your manager/supervisor) and processed through the normal system process to find out what the next steps are.
VU has suspended all work-related travel for staff.
The concur intranet page has information provided by the University’s travel insurer Chubb on COVID-19 Claims responses (PDF, login required) and travel insurance exclusions (PDF, login required).
From 9pm Friday 20 March, non-residents and non-Australian citizens will not be granted entry into Australia. Australian citizens and residents are still entitled to enter Australia. For people in other visa categories, please seek advice from the Australian Government.
VU is following the requirements from the Australian or State Government.
Therefore, anyone returning from any international destination after 12.01am on 16 March 2020 needs to self-isolate after returning from international travel.
The self-isolation requirements are subject to change without notice by the Australian Government. Please check their website for the most current information.
Additional information source through the following means:
Victoria University is continuing to closely follow advice from the Australian and State Governments in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19). We encourage individuals to view these government sources for the latest and most up-to-date official information about coronavirus:
A dedicated Victorian Government email and hotline has been set up for international students.
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by a new virus. Symptoms range from a mild cough to pneumonia.
The most common symptoms reported include:
See Department of Health & Human Services for more information.
The University is continuing to closely monitor the situation around the continued spread of coronavirus and we are taking advice from the relevant authorities, including the Australian Government’s Department of Health and the World Health Organization.
We have convened an incident management team to ensure there is a coordinated and measured response across the University.
Decisive action by the leadership team includes:
We are continuing to update staff and students across our communications channels and responding to enquiries through our communications centre and through our dedicated email address [email protected].
If you do not have symptoms and would like to speak to someone, please get in touch via the contacts listed here.
If you do have symptoms, please contact your general practitioner before attending. When booking your appointment with your doctor, explain that you're coming for with COVID-19 symptoms. This will allow you to share your full travel history or contact risk and assist the practice to advise you of what you need to do.
You can access the student counselling services.
All of our regular channels of support remain open for students who need assistance:
You can access free confidential counselling support through VU’s Employee Assistance Program Provider Access EAP:
For the latest information in self-isolation restrictions for travellers and visitors refer to the Australian Department of Health.
If you are in isolation, you should restrict activities outside the home except for seeking medical care. You should not go to work, university, school or public areas and should not use public transportation, taxis or ride share services.
The Australian Department of Health has this advice for home isolation practices, including what to do if you begin to have symptoms while in isolation.
For the latest information in self-isolation restrictions for people who have come into contact with the virus, refer to the Australian Department of Health.
If you are in isolation, you should restrict activities outside the home except for seeking medical care. You should not go to work, university, school or public areas and should not use public transportation, taxis or ride share services.
The Australian Department of Health has this advice for home isolation practices, including what to do if you begin to have symptoms while in isolation.
VU will provide support where possible to any students or staff that are impacted by coronavirus.
To assist us, students and staff are able to voluntarily provide details of situations where they have had:
Reporting is voluntary. There is no obligation for students or staff to notify VU. This information will be used to assist VU to provide support to students and staff and assist VU working with the Department of Health and Human Services, if contact tracing is required.
Assist VU by voluntarily completing the coronavirus voluntary reporting webform, providing details of situations where you have had direct contact with a person who has a confirmed case of coronavirus, or have been tested for coronavirus (positive, negative or no result back yet).
