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Message from the Executive Vice President in charge of Education and Student Affairs

On the Resumption of in-person Classes and Extracurricular Activities:
Message from the Executive Vice President in charge of Education and Student Affairs

Dear students:

Since the Japanese government lifted the emergency declaration on May 25, the University of Tokyo has been easing its designated activity restrictions index level in phases, down to Level 1 on June 15. Even though the government subsequently lifted its nationwide request to refrain from traveling across prefectural borders on June 19, we continued to maintain our activity restrictions index level at Level 1 in view of the spread of COVID-19 in Tokyo. However, now that our campuses have taken possible measures against COVID-19, we have decided to lower our restriction level to Level 0.5 starting July 13.

We therefore ask you to get ready to resume your activities, including moving (back) to the commuting area of the campus you will be attending as necessary, by checking the details below with regard to in-person classes and extracurricular activities permitted at Level 0.5. Please also take note of announcements made by the faculty or graduate school you are enrolled in.

Meanwhile, we will also give the utmost consideration to international students who currently live in a country or region from which entry or re-entry into Japan is still restricted and those who prefer not to travel to Tokyo due to infection concerns by providing complementary and alternative means of education including live streaming in-person classes online.

We may need to change the level set in our activity restrictions index in consideration of the extent of the spread of COVID-19, in which case we will notify you again.


1. Classes
 (1) S Semester
・Until the last day of classes in the S2 Term, classes will be given online in principle to ensure their continuity.
・However, with regard to the following classes, some faculties or graduate schools may decide to offer in-person classes on the premise that preventive measures against infection are taken. For specific information on classes, check announcements made by the faculty or graduate school you are enrolled in.
(a) Classes that are difficult to provide solely online, including exercise and practical classes and experiments. (These also include fieldwork and classes partially offered in person.)
(b) Classes that need to be conducted in person to qualify students to take a national examination.
(c) Research and thesis guidance for graduate students and final-year undergraduate students and research activities.

(2) A Semester and W Term
・In the A Semester (A1/A2 Terms), the University of Tokyo will continue its education and research activities while taking preventive measures against infection.
・As it is difficult to foresee the situation regarding the spread of coronavirus in the coming months, we inevitably need to resume in-person classes to a certain extent, although with some constraints. At the same time, we can also say that the online teaching conducted since April has opened our eyes to new forms of education, whose effects have been building up. For example, with online education, students are able to receive lectures without being constrained by “classes” in the physical sense, the faculty can harness a wider variety of teaching contents that suit the field they teach, and it is easier for students to proactively participate in classes. Instead of regarding the initiative as a temporary measure, we believe we should continue leveraging it as a positive asset we can tap into going forward.
・In consideration of the above, prioritizing the continuity of our students’ academic and research activities, we will resume in-person classes, taking into account the characteristics of each academic field, while continuing with online classes, especially for large-sized classes.
・Specific details will be announced by the faculties and graduate schools when they have been determined. We ask you to prepare for academic/research activities in the upcoming A Semester with the above in mind.

(3) Classes in AY2021 and onward
・As mentioned under (2), online classes can offer students strong educational benefits that in-person classes do not provide.
・Considerations are underway to offer online classes in AY2021 and onward in a well-planned manner.
・Specific details will be announced when they have been decided.

2. Extracurricular activities
Extracurricular activities have been completely prohibited since late March, with no foreseeable future plan, and students have spontaneously refrained from engaging in such activities. However, in consideration of our policy to resume classes as explained above, we have decided to allow extracurricular activities to be resumed as follows. We ask for your cooperation and understanding with regard to this matter.

In principle, extracurricular activities are prohibited until the last day of classes in the S2 Term, but can be resumed from the day after the said last day. (The official day on which activities can be resumed will be separately announced.)
When using a facility managed by the Student Support Group, Education and Student Support Department, please check our policy on the use of such facilities, which will be posted on the University of Tokyo website, etc.
When using a facility managed by a faculty or graduate school, please check the applicable faculty/graduate school website or contact the respective administration section for its policy on facility use.
Please note that activities may be completely or partially prohibited again depending on the spread of infection.

3. Self-healthcare management and preventive measures
・Students should observe their health conditions everyday by taking body temperature and they should take this report with them. We plan to provide a new system for health care. Further details will be announced later.
・We strongly recommend you use COCOA, the COVID-19 Contact App operated by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan.
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/cocoa_00138.html
・If you have any symptoms of cold such as fatigue, cough and sore throat, or an abnormal sense of taste or smell, stay home and rest quietly and call the faculty or graduate school you are enrolled in to seek direction.

4. Others
・Even if we decide to resume in-person classes, we understand that some students may have difficulties immediately moving (back) to the commuting areas of our campuses depending on the location of their current residence.
・The most important measure to take in preventing infection is to protect yourself from being infected. Therefore, we intend to continue to complement the learning environment we offer for such students.
・In light of the above, rest assured that we will provide online live streaming of classes we offer in person as well as personal consultation and guidance. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the faculty or graduate school you are enrolled in or the Student Counseling Center.


2020.7.15
OKUBO Tatsuya, Executive Vice President in charge of Education, Student Affairs

 
 

■Academic services:
Academic Affairs Group (E-mail: kyomu.adm(at)gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp)
■Extracurricular activities
Student Support Group (E-mail: gakuseishien.adm(at)@gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp)
Please replace (at) with @, the at symbol.
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