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Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Prevention & Response

This page was last updated on February 18, 2021 @ 9:44 am. Latest updates include Campus Events and LFCC’s Return to Campus Plan.

This page will keep the LFCC community informed about the latest developments concerning COVID – 19. Please check back for future updates.

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LFCC’s Return to Campus

LFCC’s Return to Campus Plan

The health and safety of the LFCC community is our highest priority. We are closely monitoring guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and other experts to ensure our return to in-person operations are done in accordance with the latest guidance.

Our “Lord Fairfax Community College Return to Campus Plan” can be found here. Updates will be posted to this page as they occur.

COVID-19 and Returning to Campus Training

This training presentation is designed to be a resource to students, faculty, and staff as we return to campus. The training covers the following topics:

  • What is COVID-19?
  • How to Protect Yourself and Others?
  • How to Monitor for Sypmtoms?
  • How to Use and Wear Face Coverings?
  • How to Prevent Stigma?
  • When Students, Faculty, and Staff should report an illness?

Download the Training PDF File

Previous Updates

Update – June 8, 2020
Summer / Fall Classes

Gov. Ralph Northam’s Executive Order 65 is in effect. While LFCC will continue to offer remote learning, we can now resume limited in-person instruction, including practical training, which had been disrupted this past spring. These classes comply with safety and physical distancing requirements. Our fall semester classes will be primarily online and will continue to offer quality real-time interaction with instructors. Certain practical courses will be on campus, following safety and physical distancing standards.

Access to Campus Buildings Extended

LFCC Students, faculty and staff may now access campus buildings during regularly posted hours found here.

CARES Act Grants

The CARES Act includes a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) to provide emergency student grants. You may be eligible for emergency student grands through the CARES Act’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). Learn more about HEERF Resources.

Face Masks / Coverings Required

Face coverings are required in classrooms and public spaces when social distancing (six feet of separation) cannot be continually maintained for more than 10 minutes.

Update – April 15, 2020
Student Grade Survey

Please complete the “Student Grade Survey” for each of your Spring 2020 courses so you can let your professor know which grading scale you prefer. You must log into each of your courses in Canvas and complete the survey by Monday, May 4 at 11:59 p.m.

Update – April 4, 2020
Student Access to Campus Buildings: Monday-Friday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

For the purposes of facilitating remote learning, students are permitted access to campus for the following reasons:

  • To gain access to a computer and/or WiFi to complete online services. Students must maintain social distancing standards of 6 feet and sanitize work spaces before and after use with disinfectant wipes. Access to computer labs and buildings is only permitted for LFCC students, faculty and staff.
  • To pick up library books or other learning materials requested by the student when advance arrangements have been made.
  • To return class assignments, papers, projects, or other communication at the request of faculty.
Employee Access to Campus Buildings: Monday-Friday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Short visits of one hour or less for work-related activity by employees don’t require prior approval between the hours of 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., but employees are asked to check in with campus police upon arrival.
  • Employees coming to campus to work for more than one hour should have prior approval from their supervisor.
  • Employees needing access to campus outside of the current operating hours of 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. should have prior approval from their supervisor, and have such notification sent to campus police by email or phone.
  • Other requests for access not mentioned above may be sent to Chief Jay Roy by email at [email protected]
  • Middletown Campus and Luray-Page County Center: [email protected] or call 540-868-7233 / 540-868-7114
  • Fauquier Campus and Vint Hill Site: [email protected] or call 540-351-1555
Update – March 27, 2020
Grading Policy

The Virginia Community College System is adopting an emergency grading policy for all Spring 2020 classes that end after April 6. Students who wish to receive a traditional earned letter grade may request one from their instructor; however, all others will receive a pass/no pass grade. Read VCCS Chancellor Glenn DuBois’s letter explaining the policy here: https://www.vccs.edu/vccsblog_post/emergency-grading-policy-for-vccs-spring-2020-classes/

Classes Will Remain Online
  • Classes will remain online for the duration of the spring semester. Students in certain health professions programs with labs or clinicals will receive updates and guidance from their instructors.
  • Since summer and fall registration begins in the coming weeks, the College is planning for the Summer Class Schedule to be all online. Federal and state authorities have advised higher education leaders that social distancing requirements are likely to continue into the summer months. As a result, it is safer to plan for online instruction for summer. Should these restrictions be lifted, we can always add late-starting on-site classes.
  • The testing center will be closed. The only exception is for a limited number of students who will be contacted directly by their program coordinators to schedule tests by appointment only.
  • The library will be closed, but resources are available online through their article databases, eBook collections, and streaming video. If assistance is needed during this time, the library staff can be contacted through text, email, or live chat, using the Contact Us box on the library’s website: lfcc.edu/library. Faculty and students can make library loans remotely with pick up at the security desk.
  • The campus bookstores will be closed; however, Follett’s online store remains open with free ground shipping and free e-books where available for affected students: lfcc.edu/bookstore
Update – March 20, 2020

As the community spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) virus has continued and the number of cases in Virginia has continued to rise, we are forced to make additional changes to our schedule and operations. The following will become effective Monday, March 23, 2020.

Classes Will Remain Online
  • Classes will remain online for the duration of the spring semester. Students in certain health professions programs with labs or clinicals will receive updates and guidance from their instructors.
  • Since summer and fall registration begins in the coming weeks, the College is planning for the Summer Class Schedule to be all online. Federal and state authorities have advised higher education leaders that social distancing requirements are likely to continue into the summer months. As a result, it is safer to plan for online instruction for summer. Should these restrictions be lifted, we can always add late-starting on-site classes.
Campus Operations
  • Effective Monday, March 23, all operations – with limited exceptions, such as student services, campus police and facilities – will be conducted remotely using technology or alternative means. Remote operations will continue at least through August 23.
  • Employees who have been approved to telework must request permission from their supervisor before returning to campus. Brief visits to complete mission-critical work will be allowed on an as-needed basis. While our campuses are not closed, staffing is limited to essential personnel only.
  • The testing center will be closed. The only exception is for a limited number of students who will be contacted directly by their program coordinators to schedule tests by appointment only.
  • The library will be closed, but resources are available online through their article databases, eBook collections, and streaming video. If assistance is needed during this time, the library staff can be contacted through text, email, or live chat, using the Contact Us box on the library’s website: lfcc.edu/library. Faculty and students can make library loans remotely with pick up at the security desk.
  • The campus bookstores will be closed; however, Follett’s online store remains open with free ground shipping and free e-books where available for affected students: lfcc.edu/bookstore
  • At the Middletown Campus, Subway and the Fitness Center will remain closed through August 23.
  • All in-person LFCC events, rentals and student activities are canceled through August 23, unless an event or activity can be conducted at a distance.
  • We are aware that some students may need access to wi-fi or a computer for online courses. Others may stop in with questions about enrolling for summer or fall classes. Lastly, there may be occasions when faculty or staff need to access their offices. To accommodate these needs, the following buildings will be open Monday – Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. for limited student or employee access:
    • Middletown Campus – Fairfax Hall (enter at the Toxopeus Welcome Center)
    • Fauquier Campus – Wolk Hall
    • Luray-Page County Center
Student Services and Resources
Events
  • All in-person LFCC events, rentals and student activities are canceled through August 23, unless an event or activity can be conducted at a distance.
Employees
  • As mentioned previously, all employee operations – except for limited student support and services such as campus police and facilities – will be conducted remotely through August 23. Occasionally, certain employees will be called to campus for specific, mission critical tasks, but we expect this will be rare.
  • Employees who have been approved to telework must request permission from their supervisor before returning to campus. Please stay home, stay safe, and keep others safe.
  • Departments have done an excellent job planning and coordinating telework agreements. Please note that full-time and part-time employees may be assigned professional development duties as part of their remote work.
  • As we learn new information about PHEL (Public Health Emergency Leave), unemployment benefits, workers’ compensation and short-term disability, we will provide updates. The Office of Human Resources will also email updates to supervisors, as needed.

Resources and General Information

Lord Fairfax Community College is closely monitoring the situation with the VCCS, the VA Dept. of Health and the CDC to ensure we are taking appropriate precautions.

Please click on the links below to view LFCC’s coronavirus response to these affected areas:

Students
  • Professors will use LFCC email and notifications within Canvas to share details about their classes. Students should check LFCC email and Canvas frequently. Course instructions will also be posted in Canvas. For those who haven’t taken online courses before, there is a self-paced tutorial that explains how to use Canvas to complete online coursework. This tutorial is located on the Canvas dashboard and titled “Building with Canvas.“
  • The testing center will be closed. The only exception is for a limited number of students who will be contacted directly by their program coordinators to schedule tests by appointment only.
  • The library will be closed, but resources are available online through their article databases, eBook collections, and streaming video. If assistance is needed during this time, the library staff can be contacted through text, email, or live chat, using the Contact Us box on the library’s website: lfcc.edu/library. Faculty and students can make library loans remotely with pick up at the security desk.
  • The campus bookstores will be closed; however, Follett’s online store remains open with free ground shipping and free e-books where available for affected students: lfcc.edu/bookstore
  • More information about student services and resources is available here: https://lfcc.edu/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-prevention-response/coronavirus-student-services/
  • LFCC Students, faculty and staff may now access campus buildings during regularly posted hours found here.
  • COVID-19 Testing Notice: LFCC’s priority during the COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) pandemic is to maintain the health and safety of our students, employees and community. If you believe you may have contracted the virus and are being tested, or a member of your household is being tested, and you have been on one of our campuses within the past two weeks, please let us know so that we may adequately clean campus areas and prepare a response.
    • Students: Please contact Caroline Wood, Associate Vice President of Academic and Student Support at [email protected] for additional guidance.
    • If you had close contact with a person ill with COVID-19, the Virginia Department of Health recommends that you stay at home for 14 days after the last time you saw the person and practice social distancing. Please follow the guidance of your medical provider and the VDH.

Student FAQs

General Questions
Do I need to take a Placement Test?

Because we are unable to administer the Virginia Placement Test, the Virginia Community College System has waived the requirement for placement testing for the foreseeable future. As a result the college is using different processes to provide students with math and English placement.

  • If you are dual-enrolling, please speak with your career coach or the dual-enrollment office about placement measures.
  • If you have graduated high school within the past five years and have an overall high school GPA of 2.7 or greater, you will be able to use your high school GPA for placement.
  • If you have taken the ACT, SAT, or GED within the past five years, you may be able to use your scores for placement.
  • Those who have already taken a college-level English or math course may be eligible for English or math placement waivers.
  • If none of the above apply to you, you will need to go through the direct placement process to determine your math and English placement. Upon enrolling, your enrollment specialist will put you in touch with our direct placement specialist.
What happens in regard to my dual-enrollment classes and grades?
Will the Library, Fitness Center, Subway, and the Bookstore be open?
  • The library will be closed, but resources are available online through their article databases, eBook collections, and streaming video. If assistance is needed during this time, the library staff can be contacted through text, email, or live chat, using the Contact Us box on the library’s website: lfcc.edu/library. Faculty and students can make library loans remotely with pick up at the security desk.
  • The campus bookstores will be closed; however, Follett’s online store remains open with free ground shipping and free e-books where available for affected students: lfcc.edu/bookstore
  • At the Middletown Campus, Subway and the Fitness Center will remain closed through August 23.

Technology Services Questions
If I don’t have a college laptop, or if I do not have a computer at home, will the college provide one?
  • The college does not have any laptops to lend students.
If I don’t have Internet access at home, will the college provide a hot spot?
  • The college does not have hotspots to lend students. Comcast is offering free internet service for 60 days for new customers for its Internet Essentials package, as a response to the Coronavirus. Please see this link: https://www.internetessentials.com/
Can we come to campus to access Wi-Fi?
Will the Internet become overloaded with everyone working from home?
  • There may be slowdowns from time to time, but the internet providers are working on increasing capacity and speed. If it is slow, you may need to try connecting at a later time. If you do not have an internet connection at home, see if there are special arrangements from one of the internet providers during the emergency. Keeping attachment size smaller, avoiding long real-time sessions, and posting material so students can access them when they can
    connect will help.

Faculty and Staff
  • All operations – with limited exceptions, will be conducted remotely using technology or alternative means.
  • Staying home or self-isolating when appropriate: Notify your supervisor and stay/go home in the following scenarios:
    • You are ill/not feeling well
    • You have had recent close contact with a person with COVID-19
    • You have tested positive for COVID-19 or have any COVID-19 symptoms as noted on the CDC website.
  • Symptom and Illness Reporting: Regardless of whether on-site or working remote, if you are experiencing any symptoms as noted on the CDC website, you must contact Human Resources within 24 hours. This information enables our leadership to monitor health conditions and is part of our return to campus plan.
    • Please contact JoAnn Ellwood, Associate Vice President of Human Resources at [email protected] for additional guidance.

Employee FAQs

General Questions
What are the expectations for those teleworking?
  • At a high-level, job expectation remains the same. Teleworking simply means that employees are performing the core responsibilities of their job from a remote location instead of on campus. The specific deliverables and/or work responsibilities assigned may be different from what typically would be done from campus, as not all job duties can easily transition to remote work. An employee’s supervisor will have provided expectations and will remain in continued communication throughout the telework arrangement. Employees should let their supervisor know if they are uncertain about what to do, or have questions related to work assignments.
What should an employee do if they overhear or are concerned an individual on campus may be contagious or is caring for or living with someone who is contagious?
  • Please report these through our Coronavirus Inquiry Form below or directly to the LFCC Police Department at 540-868-SAFE (7233). Do not confront others with regard to their health status or the health status of a family member. Faculty and Staff of LFCC, please remember HIPAA and FERPA regulations remain in effect.

What should an employee do if they are sick, or a family member is sick?
  • If an employee or an immediate family member are sick, the employee should stay home, seek medical attention, and notify their supervisor through normal processes. Our goal is to keep illness out of the workplace. Supervisors, in consultation with Human Resources, will advise you on next steps. Whenever an employee is displaying symptoms of communicable diseases at the workplace, the College may send the employee home and require the use of leave. The employee is required to provide a release from the medical provider to return to the workplace.

Benefits Questions

What COVID-19 related benefits may be available to employees?
Does our Commonwealth medical insurance plan offer any options for virtual care?
  • Yes, for information regarding online doctor’s visits available through the Commonwealth Health plans, please follow this link: https://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/employeebenefits/health-benefits/online-doctor-visit.
  • Virtual care services can be used in place of seeing a physician in-person for minor medical conditions and cost less than emergency room or urgent care visits. Virtual care services can be a good option when you need to limit exposure to the public and free up emergency room resources for true emergencies.
I am very worried and fearful about COVID-19 and the potential impacts to me and my family. What resources does the Commonwealth have available to assist employees dealing with stress?
Travel Questions
What is the guidance regarding employees who are scheduled to travel?
  • No work-related travel should be scheduled at this time.
  • In addition, if travel is already scheduled, please contact the conference vendor for information regarding cancellation or postponement. The employee is responsible for contacting hotel, airline, and/or rental car vendors to attempt to arrange a refund of charges as appropriate.
  • Employees who plan personal travel are encouraged to review the Virginia Department of Health guidance on recommendations for travelers.
Technology Services Questions
If I don’t have a college laptop, or if I do not have a computer at home, will the college provide one?
  • The college has laptops for loan, please work with your supervisor to facilitate this request.
If I don’t have Internet access at home, will the college provide a hot spot?
  • The college does not currently have any hotspots to lend staff/faculty. We have ordered a limited number but have been informed by the Virginia Information Technology Agency (VITA) that the order cannot be filled at this time due to supply constraints. Comcast is offering free internet service for 60 days for new customers for its Internet Essentials package, as a response to the Coronavirus. Please see this link: https://www.internetessentials.com/
Do I need VPN software installed to telework?
  • VPN is only needed if there is a need to access local college shared drives (Not SharePoint/OneDrive, Perceptive Content/ImageNow, or other special software). Contact the Information Technology Services Help Desk for installation or questions.
How do I connect my home printer or printer/scanner to my college laptop?
  • You should not need to create paper or scan any materials while working from home. Information for the College and things you receive from students will all be sent to you electronically. No one will be submitting a paper or sending it through the post office.
Will the Internet become overloaded with everyone working from home?
  • There may be slowdowns from time to time, but the internet providers are working on increasing capacity and speed. If it is slow, you may need to try connecting at a later time. If you do not have an internet connection at home, see if there are special arrangements from one of the internet providers during the emergency. Keeping attachment size smaller, avoiding long real-time sessions, and posting material so students can access them when they can
    connect will help.

LFCC Workforce Solutions Professional Development and Continuing Education
Adult Education Classes
  • All Adult Education classes have been moved to an online model, and students are being directly contacted by their instructors to coordinate these services.
Small Business Development Center
Events
  • Due to recent local cases, and in keeping with the Governor’s measures, LFCC will be limiting internal non-instructional events and activities on campus to 25 people or less. Some events may need to be modified or postponed.
  • External-organization instructional-event requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
  • The college will continue to monitor and heed recommendations from the CDC and the Virginia Department of Health and will update this policy as the situation warrants. If you have questions regarding a previously scheduled event, please contact the coordinator of the event.

Student Services and Resources

More information about student services and resources is available here: https://lfcc.edu/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-prevention-response/coronavirus-student-services/

Resources and General Information

Lord Fairfax Community College is closely monitoring the situation with the VCCS, the VA Dept. of Health and the CDC to ensure we are taking appropriate precautions.

There are several steps you can take to ensure you remain as healthy as possible:

Stay informed: US Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Practice preventative care: Prevention (CDC)

Please be assured that the health and safety of our employees and students are paramount. LFCC’s Continuity of Operations Emergency Team is monitoring daily developments with COVID-19, and has taken the following proactive measures:

  • Instituted increased cleaning measures for all high-touch and high-traffic areas of our campuses.
  • Set up additional hand sanitizer stations in high-traffic areas.
  • Established vendor contacts and procedures for enhanced cleaning as part of our contingency planning.

Resources

Have a Question or Concern?

Do you have a specific question about LFCC’s response to the coronavirus? Before submitting your question, please be sure to check our Students or Faculty and Staff sections above as your answer may have already been provided. Please use the form below and a member of our staff will respond as soon as possible.

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