The Glasgow School of Art Director, Penny Macbeth, sent the following letter to all students yesterday.
Dear Student
As you will be aware, the number of people testing positive for Covid-19 in Scotland is rising sharply, especially in the student population. While the numbers vary by institution and residence, we have seen a significant increase in a number of cases in several parts of the country including in Glasgow.
The large majority of students have abided by physical distancing rules and avoided socialising with individuals outwith their ‘households’. Even so, there have been some breaches which we believe have helped to spread the virus within our institutions.
As new, tighter government rules come into force, I am asking you to avoid all socialising outside of your household. Above all, you must not hold parties or attend gatherings of more than six people. We would also strongly advise you to avoid all hospitality venues such as bars.
I appreciate that these restrictions are unwelcome – especially as you settle into art school life and establish new friendships. However, given the seriousness of the situation, we must take swift action to avoid a much worse outcome for ourselves and the wider community. Everyone has a role to play in stopping the further spread of the virus, with all the dreadful consequences this could bring.
In common with other Scottish Universities, the GSA will take a strict ‘Yellow Card / Red Card’ approach to breaches of student discipline that put students and others at risk. While we first want to advise and warn students about breaches of discipline, we will not hesitate to escalate this to disciplinary action, including potential suspension
If you have not already done so, I would ask you download the NHS Protect Scotland app
Finally, I appreciate that in these difficult times, we may all need support and advice at various points. Please do not hesitate to access our Support Services or ResLife Team if you feel we can be of help – we are all in this together, and are here for every member of the GSA community
Penny