Letter to students with information for the new semester

Dear students,
the beginning of the academic year is approaching and to this day we have promised you details about the form of study in the winter semester of the academic year 2020/2021, so we do so. It must be said that BUT will always follow the regulations or measures of the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Education. Therefore, if any new regulations from these institutions arrive in the coming days, we will inform you about them and these will always be strictly observed at BUT. We will also take into account the epidemiological situation in the Brno-City district, so that in the event of a worsening of the situation, changes in teaching may also occur. Unfortunately, this needs to be taken into account in this academic year. Below you will find a brief overview of the measures at BUT, but always follow the current information on the website of your faculty or department where you are studying, or in your information system.

• Persons who have symptoms of viral disease (e.g. fever, cough, shortness of breath, sudden loss of taste and smell, etc.) are still prohibited to enter the BUT buildings. And it does not concern only covid-19, but any bad cold or other infectious diseases.
• As in the spring months, students are required to electronically confirm a declaration on honour in the information system that they do not have these symptoms on a daily basis before entering the BUT buildings.
• If a student has any symptoms and is therefore unable to attend classes, he/she must immediately apologize from the classes (the specific form of apology is determined by the individual faculties and departments).
• If you have been directly imposed a quarantine or isolation in connection with covid-19, inform the study department of your faculty or department immediately so that we can take appropriate measures.
• If your health condition places you in the so-called risk group, inform the study department of your faculty or department in the first week of the academic year and provide the appropriate doctor's certificate so that the necessary measures can be taken in time.
• If a situation arises that prevents the participation of a larger number of students while teaching (quarantine, extraordinary measures of the Ministry, teaching is led by an employee included in the so-called risk group, etc.), teaching can be adequately adjusted or transferred to a distance form. This is always decided by the management of the faculty or the given department. Details can be found in the information system or on the website of your faculty or department.
• In common areas, always keep a distance of at least 2 meters from other people.
• When entering the BUT buildings and after using the toilets, please use the hand disinfection available here. Remember the obligation to wear a mask in all indoor areas. In the teaching itself, follow the teachers' instructions regarding other hygienic measures.
• If you need to solve something in the study department, use telephone and e-mail communication primarily. E.g. Confirmation of study can be easily obtained electronically in the BUT IS. A personal visit is possible only after a prior telephone appointment.
• If you are accommodated in the BUT halls of residence and quarantine or isolation has been imposed on you, report it immediately to the email address karantena@vutbr.cz. It is then forbidden to visit quarantined persons. Individual receptions then record all visits to BUT halls of residence. If you are coming from a country where there is a reporting obligation to RHS SMR, you must prove that you have fulfilled this obligation at the halls of residence reception. Masks are still mandatory in the Czech Republic in all indoor areas, i.e. also in halls of residence and canteens (except during the consumption of food). Please disinfect your hands when entering catering facilities.

As is clear from this letter, this year's academic year will probably not be completely standard, however, our ambition is to keep full-time teaching as much as possible and allow you to successfully complete the beginning academic year. We believe that you understand and will follow the extraordinary measures, with regard to the health of yourself and your classmates and teachers. Our joint efforts depend on the personal responsibility of each of us. I firmly believe that you are aware of the seriousness of the situation. Our goal is definitely not to restrict you more than necessary. But these measures are needed so that we can manage everything together. Thank you.

Petr Štěpánek
Rector of BUT

• Risk factors that can lead to a very serious course of COVID-19 even the death of patients
• Decision no. 6/2020 in Relation to the Development of the Crisis Situation in the Spread of COVID-19 Disease caused by the new Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2