Dear colleagues,
Winter semester 2022/2023 at Leibniz University Hannover has started. All the best for the new semester! Once again, it will be a challenging semester in view of the current external conditions and I would like to use this opportunity to address the two issues that concern us most: COVID-19 and the energy crisis.
COVID-19
Please note that this semester will take place on campus, just like in past semesters. At the start of the semester, testing or wearing face masks will not be mandatory and compliance with the 3G rule will not be monitored. Neither the laws governing prevention of infection nor the regulations to prevent the infection and spread of the coronavirus issued by the State of Lower Saxony currently provide a basis for implementing these measures but, due to the low number of infections, we are in a fortunate position to start the semester without those measures, at least at the moment. Nevertheless, I would like to urge all of you to wear face masks if sufficient distance and ventilation cannot be ensured in situations where many people gather in one room. Regular testing protects yourself and your colleagues as well as students. The Presidential Board will monitor the situation carefully, react immediately and provide information accordingly if measures at LUH need to be tightened again. Finally, I would like to point out that the agreement on working from home and telecommuting applies for all members of staff. In case of any queries regarding the coronavirus pandemic, please send an email to corona@uni-hannover.de.
Energy crisis
Drastically increasing energy prices and the threat of an insufficient supply of energy are a great concern for all of us, also in view of fulfilling our duties here at LUH. Even though politicians will intervene with the announced relief measures and considerable financial effort, every single one of us needs to contribute. Therefore, I would like to thank all faculties and central academic facilities that have already submitted proposals for saving energy. The Presidential Board will approach faculties and other facilities individually in order to discuss potential measures for saving energy in a timely manner.
Moreover, I wish to express my gratitude for any ideas and suggestions that have been submitted to us. Thank you for your dedication. Please keep in mind that we cannot answer all of you queries right away and that some ideas cannot be reviewed or implemented immediately. Some things that might seem appropriate to all of us might not be feasible in terms of infrastructure. Please rest assured that the Green Office team, the Buildings Management Department, Communications and Marketing as well as other responsible members of staff are working vigorously behind the scenes in order to handle this issue.
Please also check our FAQ section on the energy crisis at https://www.uni-hannover.de/de/universitaet/aktuelles/energiesparen for any updates and implement our campaign visual “Be SMART – Do more with less” on your websites. https://www.uni-hannover.de/fileadmin/luh/images/webredaktion/aktuell/be-smart_16x9.jpg
Moreover, I would like to point out two individual measures:
Members of staff can borrow measuring devices in order to gain an overview of energy consumption in their workplace / office (see FAQ section 1.3). In addition, if outdated and inefficient refrigerators and devices are replaced, funding amounting to up to 100% of the purchase price is available (see FAQ section 1.3.2).
In case of any further queries or suggestions, please do not hesitate to send an email to energiesparen@uni-hannover.de and help to ensure that your university gets through this winter in good shape.
In spite of all challenges, I wish all of us a successful winter semester! Please feel free to join our welcome event for new students on 10 October, which will be available via a YouTube live stream: https://www.uni-hannover.de/erstsemesterbegruessung/
Yours sincerely,
Prof. Dr. Volker Epping
President
