We write to provide an update regarding Governor Northam’s Forward Virginia phased re-opening plan and the University’s continued focus on ensuring the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff.

Governor Northam’s Forward Virginia Guidelines

Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 65, Phase Two of the Governor’s plan will go into effect today for most of Virginia, with the exception of the City of Richmond and the Northern Virginia Region. The Phase Two Forward Virginia Guidelines, Safer at Home, provide guidelines for all business sectors, including best practices for physical distancing, cleaning, and disinfection, as well as enhanced workplace safety. Executive Order 65 encourages institutions of higher education to continue remote learning where practical. Executive Order 65 does permit institutions of higher education to offer in-person classes and instruction, provided an institution complies with all applicable requirements under the "Guidelines for All Business Sectors."

The Impact to the University

The majority of our campus resides in the City of Richmond and, as a result, the University remains in Phase One of the Forward Virginia plan. At this time, the University will remain in the current modified operating status, with employees working remotely to the fullest extent possible. We recognize, however, that a number of you have responsibilities relating to essential functions, research, and facilitating remote learning that cannot be accomplished remotely. We also recognize that the nature of essential functions and critical research will evolve as we move through the summer and begin preparations for the fall. Individual division and department leaders will continue to determine how offices will be staffed and responsibilities fulfilled under the current modified operating status.

Resilience of Operations

As our community plans for a transition back to work and residential education on our campus, the health and safety of the campus community is our paramount concern. Promoting the health of the campus community will require a shared commitment from all of us as we modify the way we live, learn, and work.

The University is at work implementing the best practices identified in the Forward Virginia guidelines for Phase Two, as well as the current recommendations from the University’s Resilience of Operations Working Group, which is consulting with an infectious disease specialist and other physicians to identify a wide variety of complementary interventions designed to mitigate the campus risks associated with COVID-19, which, taken as a whole, will promote community health and safety. These include:

• A rigorous and phased Physical Distancing Framework
• Cleaning and disinfecting protocols consistent with CDC standards
• COVID-19 testing and contact tracing protocols
• Daily health and temperature screenings
• Classroom space configured to provide six feet of space between students and a larger buffer area between the faculty member and the students
• Plans and resources for isolation of students who test positive for COVID-19 and quarantine for close contacts
• Clinical protocols for treating COVID-19 and meeting student health care needs in the Student Health Center
• Plans designed to promote healthy building environments, including the enhancements to air handling systems

A Physical Distancing Framework has been developed for the University and will serve to guide our approach to gradually resuming operations on campus. A summary of the Physical Distancing Framework is available here, and the entire Framework can be viewed here.

The Physical Distancing Framework provides staged requirements for all key aspects of campus life. Color-coded from red to green, the framework allows physical distancing protocols to be relaxed as the situation improves. The implementation of the framework will correspond, generally, with the Forward Virginia phases, but we will move in a careful and deliberate manner through the stages of the framework based on the conditions and needs of our campus community.

We are finalizing the implementation of those measures needed to begin adjusting the University’s modified operating status and work within the Red Stage of the framework. We will notify the campus community when we commence the Red Stage and as we move through the subsequent stages of the framework.    

We appreciate your continued patience, support, and resilience as our campus community adjusts to the evolving circumstances presented by COVID-19.

Stay well,

David Hale
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Jeffrey Legro
Executive Vice President and Provost