A new term at Solent

Welcome to a new year at Solent – we hope you are excited to get stuck into your studies. We all know that things will be a little different this year but please be assured that we’re doing all we can to make your time as safe and enjoyable as possible.

Please read below for some important updates that you will need to be aware of this term:

• Covid-19 measures and procedures
• Campus information
• IT updates and processes
• Help and support

Covid-19 measures and procedures

If you are on a hybrid course and will be coming onto campus, you should complete this short SOL module to make sure that you are aware of the health and safety measures that have been put in place to keep you and others safe. It should only take a few minutes and you'll earn a badge to show that you've completed it! Your course teams will be checking on who has done the course and ideally it should be completed before you come onto campus.

If you have not yet seen it, Solent and the University of Southampton have released a joint student commitment for Covid-19, to help protect each other and our community. Please make sure you have read this so that you understand your responsibility.

Please see below the steps you should take if you have Covid-19 symptoms:

• If you have symptoms email covid.support@solent.ac.uk. If you are in halls, let the Residence Life team know. Government advice is that you should not travel home to your family if you have symptoms.
• You must self-isolate and get tested. If you live in our halls, the Residence Life team will advise your flatmates to self-isolate until your test results come through. If you live in private halls you must follow their procedures, but you and those you live with still need to self-isolate until you get results. (The same is true in privately rented accommodation.)
• If your test is negative, email covid.support@solent.ac.uk and you (and your flatmates) can come out of isolation. If your test is positive, email covid.support@solent.ac.uk. You will need to self-isolate for a total of 10 days. If you are in Private Halls you should inform them as per their procedures. If you live with other people, they will need to self-isolate for 14 days and if they should get tested if they have symptoms. 

You should remain in your halls or private accommodation, rather than travel home, if: you have symptoms, you have to isolate, there are additional restrictions imposed locally, or there is an outbreak on campus or in your accommodation.

Don’t forget to download the NHS Covid-19 app and check-in by using the QR codes around campus.

Campus information

In the interest of everyone’s safety, we are strongly advising that students only come onto campus if absolutely necessary, e.g.: for a seminar or to use the library.

If you do need to be on campus, you will need your campus card or a fob to access our buildings. Find out more here >

Key points for when you are on campus:

• Swipe your campus card on a Salto reader on a daily basis
• Wear a face covering when moving around campus
• Use the hand sanitiser provided when entering all buildings
• Adhere to the one-way systems and social distancing guidance

You can find out more on our website >

If you are exempt from wearing a face covering, you may choose to wear a sunflower lanyard. Please email access@solent.ac.uk to request one.

IT updates and processes

From the new academic year, there are a few changes you need to be aware of:

• You will be prompted to set up Multi Factor Authentication as part of your university sign-in process. Much like using online banking, this is to add an extra level of security to your account. You can find out more here >

• To enable social distanced learning, we have introduced Teams for teaching. This will be used for seminars and group working. You can find out more here >

If you are in need of IT equipment you may be eligible for our new Technology Bursary. Applications close Friday 9 October.

Help and support

Due to social distancing on campus, please note that the Student Hub and other support teams are not currently available for drop-in meetings. However, you can still contact them via phone or email as below:

• Student Hub: student.hub@solent.ac.uk / 023 8201 5200
• Funding team: student.funding@solent.ac.uk
• Therapy and mental health team: therapy.mh@solent.ac.uk
• Solent Futures: solent.futures@solent.ac.uk or chat on Facebook

You can find more about our student services on the portal.