Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Prevention & Response

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 June 10.
• 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 June 10.
• All LFCC events, rentals and student activities are canceled through June 10, 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
• All individuals will be required to check in at the security desk.

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/

Events

• All LFCC events, rentals and student activities are canceled through June 10, 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 June 10. 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.

• 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.
• Nursing Applications – Notifications and acceptance letters to applicants for the LFCC ADN nursing program will be delayed for at least 30 days. It is anticipated that acceptance letters could go out by the end of April.
• Medical Laboratory Technology Applications – Applications for the Medical Laboratory Technology program are still being accepted and are due May 1, 2020. Mail all applications to: Lord Fairfax Community College, Attn: Health Professions Division, 173 Skirmisher Lane, Middletown, VA 22645. For applications, checklists, and further information, visit the Medical Laboratory Technology Program webpage (application located under the “Admissions Requirements” section).
• 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/
• 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
• All individuals will be required to check in at the security desk.
• 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, 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.

• 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 June 10.
• 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.
• 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.
• Telework Tool Kit – This toolkit has been designed to assist supervisors and employees in implementing temporary telework in response to COVID-19. The Telework Tool Kit can be found on the LFCC intranet via this link: https://intranet.lfcc.edu/forms-and-templates/office-of-human-resource-management/#telework-tool-kit
• The Instructional Technology Office will provide assistance, with instructional technologist Gannon Nordberg and instructional designer Erin Mills available to provide the necessary training and technology to move course content online.
• LFCC Continuity of Instruction Resource – Use the ITO Help Request Form if you have questions, need more information about how to create student engagement online, or would like additional assistance in Canvas.
• Faculty members are asked to post course plans in Canvas for each of their classes. They will receive additional communication from their deans approving course plans. Faculty members are asked to work with their deans to ensure all students are accommodated.
• We will continue to update the Employee FAQ section of the website as we learn new information about PHEL (Public Health Emergency Leave), unemployment benefits, workers’ compensation and short-term disability. The Office of Human Resources will also email updates to supervisors, as needed.
• 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, please let us know so that we may adequately clean campus areas and prepare a response.
• Faculty and Staff: Please contact JoAnn Ellwood, Associate Vice President of Human Resources 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.

• Effective March 23, 2020, LFCC Workforce Solutions Professional Development and Continuing Education will reschedule all ongoing and upcoming scheduled classes through June 10, 2020, and in some cases, move classes online. Our team is working expeditiously to reschedule classes and will be communicating directly to students via email messages and phone calls over the weeks ahead.

• All Adult Education classes have been moved to an online model, and students are being directly contacted by their instructors to coordinate these services.

• Consultants are available to answer business questions via telephone, email, or video meetings. Please email [email protected] or call 540-868-7094 with any questions or to make an appointment. Here is the latest link from the SBA on the SBA Disaster Relief Programs: https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/coronavirus-covid-19
• At this time, we do not have guidelines from the SBA on the relief program specifics. In order to help you prepare, please find below a list of items that were requirements after 9/11. Again, these are suggestions. As we get more information we will keep you posted.
• Here is the latest link from the SBA on the SBA Disaster Relief Programs: https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/coronavirus-covid-19
• Please visit https://lfsbdc.org/coronavirus for more information.

• All LFCC events, rentals and student activities are canceled through June 10, unless an event or activity can be conducted at a distance. 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. We are exploring alternate ways or dates to celebrate and honor our students, employees, donors, community leaders, and, most importantly, our graduates. Many of these events typically occur in April and May.
• Commencement: With guidance from the CDC, the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), the Chancellor of the VCCS and the community college presidents across Virginia have made the difficult decision to not hold May commencement ceremonies. For more information, please visit lfcc.edu/commencement.