We appreciate the input we have received from students, families, faculty and staff so far and it continues to help shape planning efforts. VCU's Return to Campus plan follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Virginia Department of Health, city and VCU Health guidance. Our commitment to each other allows us to be better together.
Masking: Masking indoors has been reinstated throughout the university and remains in effect for health system facilities. Studies show that masking effectively reduces the spread of viruses and, combined with COVID-19 vaccination, can greatly reduce the transmission of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommend indoor masking in areas with substantial community spread.
Vaccines: All VCU faculty and staff are required to report COVID-19 vaccination or, if applicable, submit requests for medical or religious exemptions by September 15. If you have already reported your vaccination, there is no action required on your part. Employees who are dually employed with VCU Health System must report vaccination to both the university and the health system (information about health system requirements can be found through the VCU Health System intranet). This decision aligns with Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s Executive Directive 18, which directs state employees, including university employees, to be vaccinated for COVID-19 (with allowances for medical and religious exemptions),
Faculty and staff who are vaccinated, and report their vaccination to VCU, are exempt from daily health checks, surveillance testing and quarantine requirements (unless symptomatic; note that vaccinated individuals should still be tested on days 3-5 after exposure to COVID-19 and wear a face mask indoors in public for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result). Entry Pass requirements will apply; however, your Entry Pass will default to a green check.
Safety guidelines for faculty and staff who are unvaccinated: must follow safety guidelines for their health and for the health of our community, including but not limited to:
For more information, see the vaccine FAQ for faculty and staff.
For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for VCU faculty and staff, visit the vaccine FAQ for employees.
VCU continues to offer on-campus vaccination opportunities by appointment. Employees can contact VCU Employee Health at (804) 828-0584 to schedule an appointment. To search all vaccination opportunities near you, visit vaccines.gov.
Fully vaccinated employees are eligible for exemptions to certain public health measures (daily health checks, surveillance testing, quarantine [unless symptomatic]). Employees are required to report their vaccine record to VCU through this form. Vaccinations will be verified.
Mandatory training for all managers and for employees seeking approval for a Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) is available in Talent@VCU. Summer workshops designed to support managers in making decisions about employee FWAs will launch in mid-June.
There are no longer physical distancing requirements or density restrictions in campus spaces. This is applicable to classes, events, meetings, research laboratories and gatherings. Facilities and signage will be updated over the summer to reflect this change. Masking indoors has been reinstated throughout the university and remains in effect for health system facilities.
Unvaccinated community members and visitors must follow CDC guidelines for indoor and outdoor activities.
VCU Vaccine Corps is dedicated to training and preparing VCU and VCU Health volunteers to staff VCU Health COVID-19 vaccine events. Volunteers can be VCU students, faculty, staff or VCU Health team members. VCU Vaccine Corps needs to fill a variety of roles, including greeters, traffic controllers, vaccinators and more. Learn more about how to get involved, visit vaccinecorps.vcu.edu.
Supplies are made available for free at vending machines throughout both campuses. For details, see the “Supplies” section on the Public Health Measures page.
With input from employees, constituency group leaders and leadership, VCU Human Resources developed guidelines for staff that outline a phased and flexible transition to supporting the in-person experience this fall.
This includes updated guidelines for continued flexible work arrangements and expectations for roles that support the in-person experience. Supervisors and employees should work together to explore options for flexible work arrangements including remote work, hybrid remote/on-campus work, compressed scheduling and job-sharing. Additional information about Flexible Work Arrangements is available on the VCU Human Resources website.
Review the timeline for more details about the phased approach to on-campus work.
Review the latest guidelines for personal travel as well as university-sponsored travel.
VCU Parking and Transportation offers several long-term and temporary parking accommodations for employees. View details at parking.vcu.edu/parking/faculty-and-staff.
Learn about the safety measures GRTC have put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On-site VCU day and overnight summer camps for non-enrolled minors are not permissible for summer 2021. Virtual programming may still be held. Updates about fall 2021 in-person youth programming will be available in June. Learn more at community.vcu.edu/mfyc/youth-safety.
There are hundreds of details involved in each of these measures and considerations. Your input is very helpful as we move forward. Climatext, a real-time data collection tool developed by VCU Information Technology and the Division for Inclusive Excellence, is part of the university’s proactive monitoring and response plan to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Climatext provides quick feedback to uncover trends and gain insights that the university can incorporate into decisions. In this new climate, tools like this help ensure we get the input we need in time to use it. Learn more about climate surveys and continue to share your ideas.