The COVID-19 outbreak has undoubtedly had an enormous impact on the Macquarie University community.

With many staff having already been through the stress of bushfires and severe weather events at the beginning of the year, COVID-19 is understandably creating further worry and uncertainty for many.

I know that staff are worried about their personal health and wellbeing, as well as that of their families and our students. I would like to reassure you that the health and safety of staff and students remains the absolute priority of the COVID Taskforce. We continue to work closely with NSW Health and other government bodies to ensure our decisions are informed by the best advice.

Please do keep checking the University’s COVID-19 information page so you are aware of our latest advice and information for staff, as circumstances can change quickly. The Vice-Chancellor will continue to inform staff and students of any significant updates via email.

The Executive team recognise that many Macquarie staff are going above and beyond to help our University negotiate this challenge and minimise the impact on our students. In particular, we acknowledge the significant efforts of academic and support staff who are working together to get courses online, and student-facing staff who are responding to a significant increase in enquiries. Their efforts are a true embodiment of our ‘students first’ ethos, and I would like to offer them my personal thanks.

Our Human Resources team have been responding to COVID-related enquiries from staff and you may have received some of the Frequently Asked Questions via your team leader. Speak to your manager if you have questions about the impact of COVID-19 on your own role or your team, and contact your HR representative if you have any questions not already covered in the FAQs.

If you are feeling overwhelmed or anxious about COVID-19, I would urge you to make use of our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), provided by Benestar.  All staff have access to six free sessions of professional counselling through the EAP, which can be completed either face-to-face or by phone. Live chat support is also available via the BenestarHub, where you will also find specific resources relating to COVID-19.

Over the past few weeks, I have been heartened by how our community has responded in coming together and supporting each other. This strong sense of community and support for one another is an enduring feature of our culture and serves us well in these uncertain and unusual times. I encourage you to continue to look out for each other, and to take care yourselves.