Cambridge UCU (CUCU) have launched an open letter, addressed to Vice Chancellor Stephen Toope, demanding that the University ‘Keep Cambridge Safe’ as students begin to return to Cambridge.

The University is asked to “step up and play its part” as Cambridge faces “the possibility of a second wave which could lead to an even greater loss of life unless measures are put in place immediately to protect the health and safety of the public.”

The open letter, which has been signed by over 140 individuals and groups such as Cambridge Defend Education and Keep Our NHS Public, says that although “Cambridge has so far managed to avoid the worst of the pandemic...we, as local residents, are concerned that the movement of students into our community will see a sudden escalation of cases, leading to a public health emergency”.

It goes on to express concern that “the University and its constituent colleges have not adequately consulted the wider community over how to minimise the potential for community-wide outbreaks or how to respond in a timely manner to university- or college-based outbreaks to prevent the need for a localised lockdown.”

The open letter also drew attention to “reports from staff unions that health and safety procedures remain inadequate, haphazardly and partially developed, and lacking transparency, and that rigorous health and safety procedures recommended by Independent SAGE have not been developed uniformly across the University.”

Independent SAGE raised concerns at the end of August over the mass migration of students to universities across the UK which will potentially heighten health risks in both the local communities and the universities themselves. 

These concerns, the open letter argues, were echoed by the Government’s official SAGE report which suggested that students returning home at the end of term may spread the virus back into vulnerable groups. Since those reports were published, cases across the UK have only increased.

In light of these worries the ‘Keep Cambridge Safe’ initiative demands that the University and its colleges “immediately implement the recommendations developed by Independent SAGE, including moving all teaching that does not require practical or lab work to remote online learning, and implementing a rigorous and mandatory testing system for all staff and students on arrival in Cambridge.”

Furthermore, the letter demands that the University “make publicly available all risk assessments and local contingency plans for how a local outbreak will be controlled and contained and plans for protecting the wider community from potential spread of the virus outside of University and college grounds.”

Beyond that the University was asked to ensure that all college accommodation is COVID-secure” and to “publish regular and publicly available statistics on case numbers as they occur.”

The open letter forms part of the wider #SafetyFirst campaign, launched on Friday 18th September, calling on the University to move all teaching online wherever possible. 

CUCU cite the rise in Covid-19 cases and hospital admissions as evidence in support of their campaign. They also point to the example of universities which have opened and already gone into lockdown due to Covid-19 outbreaks, including Manchester where over 1700 students have been told to self-isolate. As a result of these recent Covid-spikes, 57% of residents in university towns think the influx of students will contribute to further lockdown measures being imposed.

When contacted for comment a University spokesperson said: “The University, Colleges and student representatives have spent the summer months putting in place Stay Safe measures designed to keep everyone in our community as safe as possible from the start of the coming term.”

The spokesperson continued: “The guidance has been tested and refined in consultation with hundreds of students and staff. The University would like this collaborative dialogue to continue as these measures are updated in line with the latest public health and government guidance for Higher Education Institutions.”