The opening of the semester was delayed by two weeks due to the development of COVID-19, but as community infection and group infection slowed, the entire 1st semester was replaced with online classes, and majority of the students stayed at home. In particular, GIST’s regular board meeting, which was held on March 24, was replaced by online video conference for the first time ever in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to practice social distancing. An online video conference was held using ZOOM instead of meeting, which saved approximately KRW 3 million. Moreover, from this week, lunch time has been re-organized until the end of COVID-19. Students are to have lunch from 11:30 to 12:30 while others are to have lunch from 12:30 to 13:30 as a way to reduce the national spread of COVID-19. Besides, members of the campus are continuously informed on the daily guidelines through official letters and texts, such as wearing masks, maintaining more than 2m distance, not sitting face to face, using hand disinfectant, and wearing disposable gloves.

GIST Vice President for Academic Affairs Jong-In Song stated, “Although the GIST campus is different this Spring unlike previous years, there are positive aspects to it, such as reducing unnecessary outdoor activities and ensuring internal stability. For the time being, we will strive to overcome COVID-19 early by gathering our strengths until COVID-19 subsides at both home and abroad and to prepare a foundation for taking a new leap forward.” Also, GIST decided to give out flower pots as a small gift for students who weren’t able to fully enjoy the spring due to COVID-19. In addition, GIST plans to restrict campus access of visitors for the time being until COVID-19 subsides.

GIST strives to take measures according to our campus situation by creating an internal GIST manual in accordance with the national government’s guidelines. The GIST CV Contingency Committee has been created, headed by the Vice President with the participation of the Dean of the Office of General Affairs and administrative team managers in relevant areas to promptly respond to the rapidly changing conditions.

The Safety Team is responsible for repoting to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, informing the measures taken and managing those in self-isolation. The Planning Team is in charge of reporting to the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the General Affairs Team is in charge of managing the isolation facility, providing lunch boxes to those isolated, and implementing Work From Home for employees. The Student Team and Academic Support Team respond to students and manage isolation facility (T House), the Facility Operation Team conducts epidemics prevention, and the International Cooperation Team provides information to foreigners. The Information Operation Team manages the computer system services such as VPN for faculty members working from home. The PR Team introduces the situation of GIST to the media and each department and office measures temperatures according to the request of Safety Team and such. Every department cooperates and dedicates themselves to preventing COVID-19. I’d like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all of the members.

As the situation in Daegu, Gyeongbuk, deteriorated in February, we rented buses for our students in Daegu, Gyeongbuk, and Cheongdo regions under the assumption that the semester would open on time. The students were admitted in advance, and after a 2-week self-quarantine period in T House, we checked that they didn’t have symptoms and, after that, took measures so that they could continue normal campus life. During the isolation period, students received consolation letters and gift boxes from the President. Although the opening of semester was delayed even beyond the quarantine period, the students are taking online classes at GIST for safety.

As for assigning those who are subject to self-isolation, we created a standard that was a reinforced version of the government’s epidemics prevention guidelines. Members who were subject to 14-days isolation (CV 9) have to report to the Safety Team and begin 14-days of selfisolation. In cases where it is difficult for them to isolate at home, the International Collaboration Building is provided as a quarantine facility.

IMEDISON (Director Jong-seop Lee who is a 2008 alumnus of the GIST School of Life Sciences) donated 3,200 personal hand sanitizers to GIST, which were distributed to all members and departments to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Once again, thank you very much.