For students
Aug. 17, 2020, marks the official start to the fall 2020 semester and the day we hope to be on campus together. We will get to that day and it will take each of us acting responsibly together to promote safety in our learning, work and living environment. We appreciate the input we have received from students, families, faculty and staff so far and it continues to help shape planning efforts. Returning to campus will be in phases and the plans follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state, city and VCU Health guidance. To be together means we are responsible together.
Student responsibilities
When we return, things will look and feel different as we take necessary steps to protect the well-being of our community. Before returning, you will need to complete the Return to Campus training and acknowledge the requirements and consequences. Students will sign attestation indicating training completion and personal compliance with safety protocols.
Here is what is expected of you:
- Monitor your health daily. Complete a daily health survey at dailyhealth.vcu.edu/. Testing will occur according to protocols.
- Wear a face covering or mask in common areas.
- Apply physical distance guidelines to all settings.
- Clean and disinfect personal and shared spaces before and after use. Cleaning supplies will be available in numerous locations.
- Report symptoms associated with COVID-19 to VCU Student Health Services. A call center hotline will be available later in the summer.
Following rules regarding face coverings or masks, cleaning and disinfecting, and physical distancing is required. Students will receive reminders for daily health monitoring. The dean of Student Affairs will be notified after repeated non-compliance. Refusal to comply with rules can include progressive disciplinary action up to and including suspension, based on the VCU Student Code of Conduct.
VCU Return to Campus plan
See additional details about VCU's strategy for reopening in our Return to Campus plan.
Changes to fall semester calendar
VCU's fall semester will now run from Aug. 17 to Nov. 24, with no fall break or reading days included. Final exams will be conducted remotely after the Thanksgiving holiday — from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4 for those on the MCV Campus, and from Nov. 30 to Dec. 7 for Monroe Park Campus students. Note: Health sciences and other students may be returning after Thanksgiving to resume their clinical placements and similar activities to which they are committed. This necessarily affects Commencement, originally scheduled for Dec. 12. We will evaluate guidance on larger gatherings over the next several months and explore how we will recognize the full Class of 2020. More information about the academic calendar will be shared later this summer.
These changes, based on recommendations from public health experts, are designed to reduce the amount of travel to and from campus, and to help avoid the height of flu season.
As a reminder, the 2020 summer sessions are remote (online) instruction. More information is available on the Summer Studies 2020 update webpage.
Additional details and information
How we interact with one another and conduct daily life on campus will change.
- VCU will offer in-person, in-person blended learning and exclusively online course offerings. On-campus courses may be smaller because of physical distancing requirements and some classes may require groups of students to alternate in-person attendance. In addition, more online courses will be available.
- VCU instructional spaces will be adjusted to promote 36 square feet of personal space for each individual.
- VCU common areas (VCU Libraries, Student Commons, Larrick Center, Cary Street Gym, etc.) will require physical distancing.
- VCU will provide resources to students to support your learning, health, safety and well-being.
- VCU will provide resources to faculty to support the blended learning experience, online learning and best practices.
- VCU will clean and disinfect facilities at an increased schedule with a focus on high-touch surfaces in common areas.
- GRTC will enhance daily cleaning, install sanitizer dispensers on all vehicles, redistribute buses to high-ridership local routes, require cloth face coverings or masks, among other changes.
- VCU will provide a temporary physical distancing shuttle, beginning in August.
- No large extracurricular or group gatherings will be hosted on campus.
Plans related to student services and activities will include changes to building operations, environmental adjustments and occupancy/capacity to promote appropriate physical distancing and programming. Some of these proposed changes include:
- Residential Life and Housing: logistics for phased move-in, COVID-19 guidelines for living with others
- University Student Health Services: on-site and telemedicine appointments
- University Student Counseling Services: on-site and telemental appointments
- Recreational Sports: adjusted hours for mid-day cleanings, no contact or team-based sports initially and continuation of eSports and virtual fitness options
- Student Commons and activities: modified hours, no large fall events
- Dining: take-out, mobile ordering and contactless payment options
- Libraries: modified hours for cleaning and disinfecting, and modified seating for physical distancing.
The revised Fall 2020 Schedule of Classes is now available and includes descriptions of the course modality (how the course will be taught: in-person, online, or a combination) for more than 8,200 course sections. In general, all courses with an enrollment of 50 or more students on the Monroe Park and MCV Campuses will be taught in a remote/online format.
Now is the time to check your fall schedule on eServices. Please be aware that how your classes will be taught as well as class meeting days and times may have changed. Please follow these four steps to help you better understand your schedule and how you can make changes.
Step 1: Watch this 4-minute video to learn how to quickly identify any modality or time changes to your schedule.
Step 2: Find answers to your questions on the new Keep on Learning website. New freshmen will find this guide particularly helpful.
Step 3: Reach out to your undergraduate academic advisor or graduate program director if you have questions about making changes to your schedule.
Step 4: Get prepped to Start Strong with our start-of-the-semester how-to-guide.
Additional online course fees have been waived for fall 2020 and spring 2021.
The additional online course fee that is normally assessed to online courses is being waived for the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters. Tuition and other fees are still being assessed at the standard rates. Calculate your tuition and fees using VCU’s online calculator and visit the MyTuition website for details about what your tuition charges cover, as well as answers to commonly asked questions surrounding student debt and paying for college.
Students living in VCU Housing will be required to participate in entry testing as well as complete a series of requirements prior to move-in. Students received an email from VCU Residential Life and Housing with instructions. Visit the VCU Housing website for more information.
As plans continue to be finalized, we will notify students via their VCU email address.
Residential Life and Housing is taking the following actions to prepare for the fall return to campus:
- Reviewing, updating and increasing cleaning protocols in the residence halls.
- Instituting a phased move-in schedule and asking students to sign up for move-in times.
- Providing hand sanitizer and reusable masks to all students.
- Providing hand sanitizer refill stations in all residence halls.
- Closing some common areas to assist with physical distancing guidelines.
- Updating the residence hall programming and floor meeting plans to include virtual options to maintain physical distancing.
- Updating residential access to only allow residents to have access to their assigned residence hall.
- Implementing a no guest policy where residents will not be permitted to host guests inside the residence halls.
The Honors College residence hall will be used by VCU Health System to house low acuity patients this academic year and will not be used as a residential facility. VCU Health System requires the use of the Honors College residence hall to accommodate an anticipated surge in patients at VCU Medical Center due to the COVID-19 pandemic. VCU Residential Life and Housing will communicate directly with impacted students regarding their housing assignments for the upcoming academic year.
All students will be required to complete training so they have a better understanding of the steps being taken by the university to ensure their health and safety, as well as an understanding of their expected contributions to the health, safety and success of our VCU community. Students will sign an attestation indicating training completion and personal compliance with safety protocols.
Currently, the training for students is only available for students who have been approved to return to campus prior to Aug. 1. The training will be available for all returning students July 15. New students will complete training as part of the New Student Orientation modules.
Once a student worker has been approved to return to campus, this information will be shared with the Division of Student Affairs. Next, the Division of Student Affairs will send the student an email regarding the Return to Campus Training that must be completed prior to their return to campus.
Completion of the training will be monitored via the Blackboard gradebook with follow up. If you have questions about access to the training or completion status, please email dsa@vcu.edu. Additional FAQs about training for students can be found at https://students.vcu.edu/rtc-student/.
- All research that is possible to be done remotely should continue remotely, including all seminars, group meetings, etc., and
- On-campus research activities transition to a maximum of 25 percent total personnel capacity in Phase II, 50 percent to 85 percent capacity in Phase III (based on the vice president of research and innovation's determination), and 100 percent capacity in Phase IV with physical distancing. Shift work can maintain this percentage while allowing more researchers to work.
Additionally, supporting materials related to the phased return to research are posted on the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation website at research.vcu.edu/covid-19/
Student success remains the core of the VCU mission and our goal is to provide resources to help new and returning students successfully navigate academic life. For example:
- Computer access scholarships
- "Are You Ready for Online Learning" module
- 24/7 student support for online and blended learning
- Keep on Learning website, including resources and academic for a strong semester
- Keep Pursuing Your Goals website, including resources related to academic and financial advising
- Early Alert Reporting and student self-referral
- Home network troubleshooting
Orientation is online for summer 2020. This page will be updated regularly as additional details about orientations become known.
- Student and family orientation: Orientation will consist of a series of modules released over the summer for students to complete at their own pace. There will also be three required virtual meetings and multiple opportunities for connecting with other students. We recognize the important role of families and are providing a virtual Family Orientation experience at no cost to families. Visit the Orientation website for details and the steps you need to take to sign up for Orientation.
- International student orientation: To ensure the safety of our students and that we are practicing social distancing, VCU's International Student Orientation will be held online this year. Beginning in mid-June, the Global Education Office will launch a series of online modules covering campus safety, health insurance, living in Richmond, getting involved on campus and more. Visit the Global Education Office website for more information.
During the phased return, VCU Student Affairs will continue to provide virtual offerings, including workshops, social connection opportunities and other events. Visit the Division of Student Affairs website for a full listing and calendar of virtual offerings.
Due to the continued risks associated with traveling abroad due to COVID-19, VCU has decided to cancel all study abroad programs through January 2021. This includes fall 2020 and winter break 2021 programs and applies to all study abroad types, including exchange, direct enroll, provider programs. This decision was made in light of the U.S. Department of State's current global health advisory level, which remains at Level 4: Do Not Travel. The Education Abroad office will continue to monitor travel advisory levels and make recommendations regarding spring 2021 programs. In the meantime, students are encouraged to visit the Keep on Studying Abroad website for ways they can maintain momentum in planning their study abroad experience.
University-sponsored international travel is suspended until further notice. This includes faculty, staff and students.
University-sponsored domestic travel out of state for clinical and research purposes is permissible upon approval. Students should work with their department to seek approval.
Members of the VCU community are encouraged to limit personal travel. We encourage students and employees to refer to the CDC and U.S. Department of State to be fully informed of potential health risks and travel restrictions that may be in place.
Fall 2020 parking sales
The online permit sale process to secure parking for fall 2020 will begin on Tuesday, June 30 on the MCV Campus and Tuesday, July 14 on the Monroe Park Campus.
MCV Campus parking sale: Due to demand, MCV Campus permits will be sold via a lottery system. Beginning at 9 a.m. on June 30, 2020, all students interested in purchasing an MCV Campus commuter permit can log in to https://apps.parking.vcu.edu/mcvwebsales to select your top parking preferences. The lottery will close at 4 p.m. on July 2, 2020.
Any unclaimed permits from the lottery will be sold online in a first come, first served manner at 9 a.m. on July 16, 2020. Additional information regarding this process can be found at https://parking.vcu.edu/parking/students/mcv-campus-sale/.
Monroe Park Campus parking sale: Monroe Park Campus commuter and residential/housing permits will be available for purchase online on a first come, first served basis. The Monroe Park Campus parking sale will take place on Tuesday, July 14 at 9 a.m.
Temporary parking options: In the event a semester-long parking permit does not meet your needs, daily/hourly parking is available at several parking facilities. Additionally, students may purchase a two-week permit for designated locations online at https://vcu.t2hosted.com/Account/Portal.
Riding GRTC: Students and employees can continue to utilize GRTC for essential travel. GRTC has taken additional safety measures to help ensure the well-being of drivers and passengers during COVID-19. Some of their most recent safety efforts include: implementing enhanced daily bus cleaning procedures, installing sanitizer dispensers on all vehicles, redistributing buses from low-ridership routes to high-ridership local routes to help promote physical distancing, disinfecting high-traffic areas periodically with Steriphene aerosol disinfectant and encouraging more frequent staff testing. GRTC also requires all passengers to wear face masks or nose and mouth coverings while riding. Passengers without masks may be asked to exit the bus. You can learn more about how GRTC is responding to COVID-19 at ridegrtc.com/news-initiatives/news-updates/grtc-and-covid-19-coronavirus.
Temporary physical distancing shuttle coming in August: In addition to GRTC, starting in August 2020 for the fall semester, VCU Parking and Transportation will operate a temporary physical distancing shuttle to support VCU community members with increased safety concerns. The shuttle will travel to Cabell Library, One Capitol Square and McGuire Hall, and physical distancing measures in addition to face mask requirements will be enforced. Additional information regarding this shuttle will be released later this summer.
We look forward to welcoming new and returning international students to campus this fall. To guide your return to campus, the Global Education Office has prepared a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers. This is a living document and will be updated as needed. Please be sure to check the FAQs often between now and the time you return to campus.
Navigating the anticipated stressors of daily life can often be challenging enough. When unexpected stressors emerge or when we are faced with uncertainty, it can be tough to know how to cope. Try out some of these tips and resources for health and wellness to see if they are a right fit for you.
If you have experienced COVID-19 related disruptions or other educational costs due to the disruption of VCU on-campus operations, you may be eligible for emergency relief funds. The VCU Federal Emergency Relief Fund is available for students to apply for aid under the CARES Act. In addition, the Virtual Student Services Center is now available 24/7 for students to ask questions and get information. Students who are not eligible for CARES Act funding may be eligible for emergency funding that is being offered through Student Affairs.
The university recognizes that some students who previously did not need Section 504 Academic Accommodations, and who have a qualifying condition or disability, may need support or assistance during the return to campus process. A modified approach for the temporary and more permanent need for accommodation has been developed and implemented to provide students with full access to programs and activities related to their academic majors. Because every case is different, student requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Please share your need for an accommodation with the Student Accessibility and Education Office, or for MCV Campus students, the Division for Academic Success, after you have worked directly with your faculty member.
There are hundreds of details involved in each of these measures and considerations. Your input is very helpful as we plan for the return. 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 gauges the sentiment of faculty, staff and students through a series of “pulse” surveys, which include short prompts or questions designed to provide a high-level snapshot of thoughts and feelings about a particular topic at a particular moment in time. Register with Climatext.