TMU Adopts Countermeasures to Prevent the Spread of Infection With the New Type of Coronavirus

DECISION

No. 147/18^th March 2020

– On the grounds of art. 213 paragraph (13) and art. 287 paragraph (2) of Law no. 1/2011 of the National Education, with the subsequent modifications and completions;

– According to the Decree no. 195/16.03.2020 of the President of Romania regarding the establishment of a state of emergency on the territory of Romania;

– According to the address no. 8725/17.03.2020 of the Minister of Education and Research;

– Based on art. 96 paragraph (1), letter h) from Titu Maiorescu University’s Charter

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OF TITU MAIORESCU UNIVERSITY FROM BUCHAREST

DECIDES:

Art. 1.(1) Titu Maiorescu University is suspending face-to-face teaching activities until the state of emergency ceases.

              (2) During the period mentioned in paragraph (1), the professors will also carry out other activities provided in the job description such as scientific research, coordination of Bachelor and dissertation theses, preparation of teaching materials and their transmission to students, etc.

Art. 2. Regarding the teaching activities, the following measures will be taken:

1. During the entire period when the university is closed, due to the declaration of state of emergency, the professors have the obligation to carry out teaching activities (courses, tutorial classes) by using the means of electronic communication. The faculties will undertake initiatives to encourage the teaching staff to carry out the teaching activities through online conferences and through the provision of student handbooks/ practical papers, assessment tests and other necessary elements.

2. Between 19^th-30^th March 2020, the course coordinators and professors who provide tutorial classes, laboratory/practical work activities will review, update and complete the teaching materials (student handbooks, cases, tests, case studies, online resources, etc.). ). These will be sent to all full-time and distance learning students.

3. The teaching materials will be transmitted periodically until the resumption of the face-to-face teaching activities, using online communication methods – email, Facebook groups etc. Each professor will decide how often the materials will be sent, with the purpose of an active participation of the students and maintaining the quality of education.

4. The management of each faculty appoints tenured professors who will support the professors in order to carry out the online and offline activities through electronic means of distance communication (it might be the coordinator of the distance education, where appropriate).

5. Starting with April 2020, the updated teaching materials will be uploaded to the new e-learning platform – Teams (Microsoft) by the person in charge of online courses, with the support of the IT Department. The working procedure will be communicated by the end of March, so that the system will be operational during April.

6. Practical activities (clinical traineeships, practical work/laboratory activities, etc.) that cannot be carried out by online means of communication will be rescheduled starting with the first day when the face-to-face teaching activities will recommence.

7. Each professor will write a monthly report with the activities that will be submitted to the Head of Department and to the Dean of the faculty.

8. For the faculties that do not have distance learning programs, it is recommended to respect the principles of elaboration of the teaching materials for distance learning education, for the disciplines related to the second semester. The guide for the elaboration of distance learning student handbooks is attached to this Decision.

9. The professors whose teaching workload is fully provided in the first semester remain involved in the other activities in the job description.

Art. 3. Regarding the activities carried out by the students, the following measures will be taken:

1. The students are obliged to keep in touch with the head of the year and the professors and to respond to the requests transmitted by means of online communication.

2. Students have the obligation to participate in online activities (courses, tutorial classes recorded by professors or testing activities) or offline, by electronic communication.

3. Students living in the University’s dormitories are obliged to comply with the provisions imposed by the state of emergency regarding the maintenance of social distance. The access of foreign persons in the dormitories and the organization of meetings with more than 10 persons are strictly forbidden.

4. The residents and students of the Faculty of Medicine will be informed about the measures adopted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs – the Department for Emergency Situations regarding their involvement in the health system in the current epidemiological context.

Art. 4. Regarding the activities carried out by the auxiliary and non-teaching staff, the following measures will be taken:

         1. All the organizational and functional structures continue their activity, both by working in rotation and by means of remote communication (telephone, email);

         2. The Management of the structure will ensure the operative connection with the employees and with the Management of the University.

Art. 5. The provisions of the present decision may be supplemented with other elements related to the evolution of the state of emergency.

Art. 6. The Executive Management of the University, the Deans of the faculties, the Head of Departments as well as the Management of the organizational and functional structures will comply with this Decision, including transmitting to the professors, students and employees the above measures and monitoring their implementation.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

In the context of the measures adopted at the national level to reduce the risks of spreading the infection with the new Coronavirus, Titu Maiorescu University temporarily suspends, during the period 11^th-22^nd March 2020, the direct didactic activities.

The decision adopted on Tuesday, 10^th March 2020, by the TMU Senate as a preventive measure, implies the temporary suspension of all direct academic activities, as well as other activities carried out within the University, which involve crowds of people (conferences, lectures, workshops, round tables, sports competitions, etc. scheduled for the next period).

According to the Decision of the TMU management, the study subject holders will ensure the transmission of the course support documentation to the students. The administrative, secretarial and research activities of the University will be carried out without open to the public hours.

The decision was adopted in the context of the preventive measures already applied at the university level regarding informing the TMU community and ensuring hygiene standards, as well as in the context of the risk of spread of Coronavirus SARS-COV-2 infection and as per the Decision regarding the approval of some additional measures to combat the new Coronavirus which has been adopted on Monday by the National Committee for Special Emergency Situations (Decision no. 6 from 9^th March 2020).