Teaching online and all efforts made to minimise disruption

Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector of the University of Iceland, sent the following announcment to University staff and students today following the water damage that occurred last night

"It is clear that significant damage has occurred in many University of Iceland buildings due to a major water leak last night, but all efforts are being made to minimise disruption to operations. The following is what we know after our work last night and this morning:

• All teaching which would otherwise have taken place in the University Centre and Gimli will now be online. 
• The ground floor in Gimli will be unusable for several months and the same applies to the lecture hall on the ground floor of the University Centre. 
• Services from the School of Social Sciences Office will only be accessible online or over the phone for the rest of the week.
• Efforts are being made to find appropriate facilities for the School of Social Sciences Office and for on-campus teaching due to take place in spaces that are now unusable due to water damage. 
• The University Centre Service Desk will be open during office hours. However, people are encouraged to access services online as far as possible. 
• Háma and the University Bookstore in the University Centre are closed today but will reopen tomorrow. 
• The Student Cellar is closed but will reopen on Saturday. 
• Staff working in the buildings that sustained water damage – the University Centre, Gimli, Lögberg, Árnagarður and the Main Building – should contact their managers to discuss arrangements for working today and the rest of the week. 

Above all, I am feeling grateful to the many people, both our staff and the Fire Department, who worked extremely hard last night in difficult circumstances to minimise the damage  

I would also like to thank students and staff at the University for your resilience and solidarity. 

Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector"