NTU Enforces New Measures for COVID-19 Response on Campus

In response to escalating COVID-19 concerns worldwide, NTU has introduced new measures to ensure campus safety. To enhance campus control, a sign reading “No entry for general visitors except for official University affairs (Prior appointment required)” should be placed at the main entrances of the campus. In addition, current access control for buildings on campus will be replaced with a smart digital control & tracking system. This system was developed by the Computer and Information Networking Center (C&INC), incorporating the smart device developed by the Department of Electrical Engineering for automatic forehead temperature checks, to prevent contraction, reduce labor and financial costs, and track access records. Using a faculty/staff/student ID card or an alumni card, the system can mark fever cases and share check results with other control points to track the footprints of specific cases on campus. This smart control & tracking system has been adopted in all classroom buildings starting from March 18, and will be applied to all buildings on campus next Monday (March 23).

Starting from next Monday (March 23), gatherings of 100 people or more will be suspended; gatherings of less than 100 should be conducted in accordance with related preventive measures. Until further notice, NTU Library has been closed to general visitors from February 24; the Sports Center and Gymnasium were also temporarily closed starting from March 17, but are still available to students, varsity teams, and visitors for official University affairs (by appointment). Sports memberships will be refunded or extended.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, NTU has also launched a digitalization plan for courses enrolled by 100 students or more (experiments, practicums, and hands-on courses not included), and will move these courses to distance learning on April 6. Courses enrolled by 60 students or more will move to distance learning on April 27. The Digital Learning Center of the Office of Academic Affairs has moved its TA training & certification online. TAs of courses with 100 or more enrollments should complete the online training and certification before March 20 (TAs of courses with 60 or more enrollments before April 10). Students are advised to confirm the exact starting dates of distance learning with the course-offering departments or instructors. When circumstances require it, all courses regardless of size may have to move to distance learning. Instructors and students alike may need to anticipate this move and plan ahead.

In compliance with updates from the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), all NTU students, faculty, and staff entering Taiwan on March 19 or later are indiscriminately subject to a 14-day home quarantine. Earlier in January, NTU has actively contacted exchange students staying in countries or areas of Travel Notice Level 2: Alert or above to confirm their willingness of early return. Till now, 51 exchange students have decided to return earlier, while 317 of all the 365 students remaining abroad are in countries or areas of Travel Notice Level 2. NTU has just sent an email of alert and concern to all the exchange students abroad, and will help those who wish to make early returns with enrollment, accommodation, registration, etc., according to updates and regulations released by the CECC.