This page provides information and advice for the St Catherine’s College community. We encourage you to check this frequently for updated information.

Updated 31 January 2021 AWST.

The Premier of WA has just held an emergency News Conference to announce a five day lockdown so the following actions apply from Sunday 31 January 6pm:

• If you were due to move into College tomorrow, 1 February 2021 or any time during this week to Friday, 5 February, do NOT arrive. Stay home and avoid the Perth metropolitan area.

• The Move-In day for Studio Rooms will now commence on Monday 7 February pending approval by the Premier’s office.

• We will continue to communicate with you as more information becomes available.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns.

We hope to see you soon.

As you are aware, there is currently a global outbreak of COVID-19 with a number of people in Australia, including Western Australia, having contracted the disease.

We understand that you will be interested in knowing more about the measures St Catherine’s College has in place to help prevent cases of COVID-19 and any other infectious illness within our community.

The situation is evolving rapidly and we want to ensure you that health management teams are in place at the College, across College Row and within each university to ensure a coordinated and systematic approach to health and wellbeing across our community. We are all working collaboratively and closely with the Department of Health and other relevant Government departments. The College has protocols and procedures in place for a scaled response to the threat. This includes admissions, service delivery and quarantine as required.

There are currently no reported cases of COVID-19 at St Catherine’s College or at the universities. However, the following are in place to safeguard our community and respond to an escalation in threat levels:

Government advice in this regard has changed this week and from Monday 1 June 2020, the following will apply: 

• Self-service will be re-instated with a regular change of serving utensils

• Opening times will revert to normal: 

  • Breakfast         7 – 9.30am and 8 -10am (weekends)

  • Lunch              12 – 2.00pm

  • Dinner              5.30 – 8pm

• Mugs and glasses will be used but use a new one for refills. No BYO KeepCups.

• Hand sanitiser at the door will remain

• Social distancing will remain

• Regular cleaning of the tables will remain

For international students, our advice is that the government is working towards allowing access to international students who have not been in Australia. For those who have been here but intend leaving for a holiday, you may have more difficulty returning, possibly incurring quarantine costs of up to $1500.

Please notify the College in writing of your intentions by contacting Jo Haynes.

For those residents who are graduating and possibly commencing postgraduate studies in Semester 1, 2021, we have made a special dispensation for you to continue renting your room even though you are not currently at university. Please discuss this with Jo Haynes.

There is much uncertainty about Semester 2 studies. Will the universities go back to face to face teaching or not? At the moment most universities are indicating that they will return as soon as they are given the go-ahead by the government and all want to be back face-to-face for Semester 2. Nothing beats place-based learning.

It is best to remain at College and make the most of the structure we have set up for you. Being with other young people in a focussed environment is proving to have great benefits for academic outcomes, mental health and social wellbeing.

The changing government regulations mean we are entering the next phase in dealing with this pandemic. The changes are a welcome sign that things may be cautiously returning to normal but we are echoing the same slow and steady approach as the WA government to ensure we keep our community safe and healthy as we head into a naturally stressful time of the year.

We continue to work with our whole community to minimise risk and work towards a safe reopening of our society.

As we move out of Phase 1 of the Government‘s 4 stage recovery plan, we are reminding all our students of the following:

From Monday 18 May we are in Phase 2 of the recovery plan:

Things that stay the same:

• Social distance of 1.5m is still required

• Increased hygiene protocols are still in place

Things you can now do:

• Go to an event or social function of up to 20 people

• Go out for a meal to a restaurant or cafe open for up to 20 people at a time

• Play non-contact sport or do activities in groups of 20

• Go to the swimming pool with a limit of 20 people at a time

• Some gyms are re-opening for classes and the use of free weights

• Travel across regional boundaries without a permit

• Spend time studying in the UWA‘s Reid library 24 hours a day! Other libraries are open from 7am until 5pm or 10pm   

Things you cannot do:

• There is still a ban on external guests from entering the College. This is because we must limit guests to 20. We will see a return to small seminars and workshops with some external presenters and members of Faculty, but this is under the strict control of the College. Some Bloom members will be back in small numbers working on start-ups and this too is strictly controlled

• Residents who have been away need to return during office hours to complete the temperature check and complete the Health Declaration form

• Parties and general noise will not be tolerated and fines will apply to enforce this (this is a time of academic focus and this regulation is in line with normal College practice). 

Phase 2 will be reviewed again by the Government in four weeks‘ time and the College will move in accordance with regulations and best practice.

All the universities in Perth are offering financial assistance to their students:.

UWA    
Curtin   
ECU     
Murdoch 
Notre Dame 

There is also government support for young people both living at home temporarily and those living away from home.

Restrictions are likely to change over the coming days and we have plans in place to de-escalate in a safe way. Many of the practices we have put in place will hopefully continue to benefit residents who have become used to the more stringent hygiene measures. The typical cold and flu outbreaks that are common at this time of the year are vastly reduced and we will continue to comply with all government regulations.

The State Government has developed an app for Interstate travel which may be of assistance to you. 

A dedicated team of staff will assist students if they are ill or have any health concerns, either physically or emotionally.
 
We are mindful that if a student falls ill, travelling home may not be the best solution if this could result in a household being quarantined or at-risk family members being exposed to the virus.

• Accessing appropriate medical services and support

• Transport, groceries and meals

• Communication with relevant authorities and loved ones

• Quarantine if required, either at the College or in a specially designated and serviced accommodation on the UWA campus

• Mental health and wellbeing

Regular reminders regarding hygiene and updates on new public measures will continue to be provided via social media platforms, the College Bulletin, one to one meetings between RAs and students, wing meetings, posters and announcements during mealtimes.

• Students experiencing any flu-like symptoms are not to enter common areas or the dining room. Contact information has been provided for appropriate staff at the College and University to register for assistance

• Additional hand sanitizers have been placed around the College including, dining room entry, toilets, lift entry points, reception, staff offices

• It is compulsory for all students, staff and guests to use the hand sanitizer provided before entering the dining room. The dining room monitor ensures compliance at the door

• Cutlery is individually wrapped in a protective sleeve

• Recyclable paper cups and dispensers will replace racked glassware

• Tables, benches and surfaces in the dining room are wiped down every half hour during meal service

• All door handles, lift buttons, bannisters, keyboards and hard surfaces in communal areas are wiped down regularly throughout the day

• Communal toilets are cleaned every two hours during the day

• Reception surfaces are wiped down between each student or guest visit

• All large sporting, social and cultural events will be postponed

• University online course material will be increased and the College academic support program will assist students keep abreast of their studies

• All food service will change from buffet to staff service

• Meal times will be extended and wings allocated a time for service to reduce the number of students in the dining room at any one time and increase social distancing

• Quarantine areas have been designated and protocols are in place should they be required

Students with existing medical conditions are encouraged to be extra vigilant in ensuring good hygiene and asked to speak to one of our team members or a GP if they have any particular concerns.
 
We continue to offer ongoing wellbeing, academic and pastoral support to all students, as we always do. We also have senior staff who live on campus and are available to assist students whenever needed.
 
We are working together as a College family to ensure the safety and wellbeing of each other and all those we love.

• There are NO confirmed cases of Covid-19 on campus or in College

• If you are an international student, you will not be sent home if cases break out on campus unless your home university of country recalls you (some countries have recalled their students as they intend to close their boarders).

• Any student who gets sick will most likely experience normal flu-like symptoms, you will be cared by for the College in a seperate area of the College or at another college set aside for this purpose, unless you wish to return home.

• We will not run out of food or cleaning supplies at the College. Most of our food is sourced locally, WA fresh and China is back at work – 70% of workers this week and 90% next week after a 50-day break.

• Continue to check your email

• Read information coming from you university

• Practice good, simple hygiene protocols

• Talk to your GP about filling extra prescriptions if you take medication

• Avoid gatherings

• Listen to your online lecturers now – don’t let them mount up and keep a good routine

• Attend tutorials, labs and workshops until otherwise advised – this is where you learn most

• Stay fit

• You know and love people who are in a high risk category, so think about how you can minimise the spread of the flu.

• Our job is to “flatten the curve” and slow down the spread of the virus. We’ve got this.

For those with concerns, contacts are as follows:

For Residential College students

Deputy Head of College:

ashleigh.benadretti@stcatherines.uwa.edu.au

For parents and partners

Head of College:

fiona.crowe@stcatherines.uwa.edu.au

• We are continually monitoring advice from the Australian and West Australian Departments of Health and other health authorities and daily reviewing our response to the outbreak as this situation evolves.

• We are communicating directly with students and others to provide specific instructions for students from each part of the College. This includes what to do if a student feels unwell, or notices someone else who looks unwell, and how to find the appropriate medical support.

• Dedicated staff are available to answer student questions and students are being constantly encouraged to practice good hygiene. Hand sanitiser and other hygiene products are readily available around the College and common areas are regularly cleaned.

• Staff and students are asked to reconsider the need to travel.

• We have action plans in place, should the situation escalate in Western Australia, including isolation procedures to ensure the virus is contained if a case presents within our community.

• Student health and wellbeing is at the forefront of everything we do, so rest assured, we will inform and support students through this process.

Good hygiene practices are essential to help reduce the spread of infectious disease. In line with advice from health authorities, we recommend:

• Regular hand washing with soap and warm water before and after eating, and after going to the toilet. Hand sanitiser is available at the door of the Dining Hall and all over the College.

• Covering coughs and sneezes, disposing of used tissues, and using alcohol-based hand sanitiser

• Avoiding contact with others, including touching, handshaking, kissing and hugging.

THE UNIVERSITIES ARE NOT CLOSED.  THE COLLEGE IS NOT CLOSING.

Uni work may be online but the staff are operating live and all the support of lecturers and tutors is still available. The College has not been formally shut by the Federal or State Government and is termed “A Place of Home“.

Each of our residents has a contract with us which means we will continue to provide for them and give them the best support possible. It also means they will not be homeless! 

We understand you are anxious about the future and their safety but you can be confident that we will take care of them through this pandemic. It is really important they stay motivated and not let a year of their studies slip away.

The universities are very concerned that students be reassured we all understand how disruptive this is and that this will be taken into account when examining and marking. 

If you do wish to return home for a period of time outside of normal term breaks, we ask that you consider the following:

• We are operating as usual with a full staff complement and all the supporting services

• We understand that things may be tough financially so we are trying to help in the short-term. Effective from today to Friday July 3, 2020 we will offer the following rebate.

  •  A 30% per week fee reduction on Single Rooms

  •  A 10 % per week fee reduction on Studio Rooms with a 7 meal package. All additional meal packages (14 meals or 21 meals) can also be cancelled immediately without penalty.

• If you would like to accept this offer, PLEASE use the following Paperform link to advise us of your departure and return dates, (without completing this form we are unable to apply your rebate).

• Once you leave the College, your key card will be cancelled. This ensures your room remains as you left it and that we have control over re-entry should any form of health check or quarantine become necessary. If you do pop back to pick something up or return from a break you will be issued with a new card.

PLEASE let us know if your son or daughter is leaving College, even for a day. This is VERY important. They can use this link to submit their absence.

• Employers will look favourably on students who continued their studies during this time

• You will be demonstrating resilience, ability to adapt and flexibility

• Stay productive and keep studying

• For regional students, Youth Allowance contributes more than unemployment benefits

• For international students, there will be greater incentives to study in Perth and more flexibility around visas if you have to overstay your current visa

• The new world of online delivery is going to benefit everyone

• Get involved in internships where you could potentially help a small business to stay active. Make a difference now to others and the world will open doors to you later