THE University of Newcastle is preparing for the financial fallout of the coronavirus pandemic to stretch into next year, as international student recruitment fairs are postponed around the globe.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that "non-essential" mass gatherings of more than 500 people will be banned from Monday, but this doesn't include universities or schools.
The Newcastle Herald has previously reported UON could face a $30 million loss if the 1000 international students stuck in China at the start of semester didn't pay their annual $30,000 in fees.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning & Teaching, Professor Liz Burd, said more than 50 of these students have since completed their 14 day isolation period in a third country and arrived in Australia to resume classes. The census date is March 20.
UON is holding onto hope that the Chinese students studying online will be able to arrive around mid-semester break - spanning April 13 to 24 - and receive intensive support before exams start on July 13.
Professor Burd said if the students didn't arrive by then, they could continue studying online and take proctored exams, in which software monitors their desktop, webcam video and audio.
However she said the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Authority is only allowing international students to study online from overseas for semester and trimester one. "
If it extends beyond that, that's their call for what they wish to do at this period of time," she said.
"The government has rules that says that international students have to have a face-to-face experience because that's part of the qualification they receive."
International student fees aside, UON is already facing increased costs for enhanced cleaning; proctored exams; to keep some residences empty and provide extra tuition for when students arrive; and to hire casual staff if current staff become ill.
"There will be an impact, that's very clear," she said.
"As to whether that impact is one that's about not bringing the international students over that we would have hoped to have done, or whether the impact is in terms of the longer-time pipeline because a number of international admission fairs that would have been attended by our staff are no longer going to run.
"I suspect there could be a delay in students applying for the following year so that pipeline issue may be that there's a lean period of new international arrivals over a period of semester one or two for next year.
"We don't quite yet know where that's going to fall yet because of when the fairs will go ahead.
"We're keeping account of the costs but we are not yet reacting in terms of panic, simply because we've been very very careful over the years to make sure we're cautious about the money we spend and to make sure we don't go into debt... it's putting us in a better place than some others.
"Equally so is the diversity of the population we have."
Professor Burd said UON's "pandemic plan" comprises three stages, for cases in the Hunter; on campus; and if there is a large number on campus.
"In order to get ahead of ourselves we always try to plan two stages ahead," she said.
"We're upskilling some of the staff... to make sure if they had to work at home for a short period of isolation before a test result came in, for instance, how they could do that and still maintain business continuity."
She said while teaching and administration staff may be able to work from home, it could be more difficult for information technology staff who may only have access to systems when on campus.
She said UON would only close campuses on the advice of the Department of Health, saying students were more likely to feel confident and ask questions when face to face, instead of online.
"You'd have to balance the benefit that people are getting from the service against the risk we're posing by keeping that service open. That balance is different for the different types of services we offer."
She said the March 17 STEM Careers Expo in the Great Hall would be "converted to virtual".
National Tertiary Education Union Newcastle branch president Dr Emma Joel said the branch "acknowledges the difficult and constantly evolving environment COVID-19 presents to the University of Newcastle and the broader community".
"NTEU Newcastle Branch is working with the University of Newcastle to responsibly mitigate the risk of an outbreak, whilst minimising the impact on staff," Dr Joel said in a statement.
"NTEU Newcastle expects that no staff member will end up in a situation where they are unpaid due to exposure to COVID-19 as a result of illness or self-isolation.
"Our members have raised concerns with us about the potential for workload implications and we are monitoring the situation closely.
"However, in fairness, university management is also aware of the possibility of workload implications and has indicated to us that staff should do what is required to service students appropriately and resourcing will flow to meet demand.
"We certainly expect the university to honour this.
"As the situation is evolving, NTEU Newcastle is in constant communication with our membership and is currently surveying all University of Newcastle staff on how they are being impacted in the workplace.
"We expect, like others in the sector, that the university would, in the first instance, allow staff to work from home if they are impacted, directly or indirectly, by COVID-19.
"It is our view that where a staff member cannot carry out their role off-campus, the university should follow the lead taken by other NSW universities -particularly with regard to casual staff.
"Sydney University, Charles Sturt University, and Macquarie University have all acknowledged the outstanding and committed service that casual staff provide universities and that they are particularly vulnerable in the event of self-isolation or campus closures.
"In recognition of this, these universities have moved to ensure that casual staff will continue to be paid for rostered shifts during self-isolation or campus closures.
"We expect that our university will respond in a similar way; as they did following the recent extreme weather events."
Meanwhile a NSW Department of Education spokesperson said it would continue working with NSW Health and Australian government agencies to "ensure strategies are in place to address developments".
The department had already placed on hold all non-essential overseas travel.
"If a school needs to cease operations, procedures are in place to communicate with school communities," the spokesperson said.
"In addition, the department will make this information public.
"The department has a number of platforms in place for online learning and connectivity.
"The department is preparing to enable live streaming options for schools or groups of schools.
"Individual schools are well prepared to engage students in learning using online platforms and the department is preparing to enable access to a number of resources for schools to support learning."
The spokesperson said the department had also worked with NSW Health to put in place guidelines to minimise the risk of transmission.
Staff and families are being advised that if they are unwell with respiratory illness or flu-like systems they should remain home.
The spokesperson said resources have been given to teachers to help them explain coronavirus and good hygiene practices.
Schools are regularly and professionally cleaned and there are targeted cleaning programs where there have been confirmed cases.
Association of Independent Schools of NSW chief executive Dr Geoff Newcombe AM said the organisation was updating schools with NSW Health's latest advice.
"Each school has to interpret that advice in their own context, so they will respond differently."
Head of Newcastle Grammar School Erica Thomas said her school was following its staged pandemic plan.
"All teaching staff have been trained on delivering lessons remotely via a web platform," she said.
"Our plan includes increasing cleaning and this has been activated. All bathrooms are regularly checked and supplies replenished."
She said student leaders at the Hill campus have given presentations about hand washing and begun sanitising students' hands as they enter each day.
She said the school has sanitiser in staff rooms and key traffic areas.
It's evaluating each event and activity for risk, cancelled a year 12 excursion to Sydney on Friday and is reviewing whether to stagger assembly and lunch times.
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