“All of us are eager to return to our campuses and see each other in person, but we also know that the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff come first. Much remains uncertain about the impact COVID-19 will have on us this fall, so in our plans, RCC recognizes that conditions will likely change throughout the semester,” said Rappahannock Community College President Shannon L. Kennedy.
RCC’s guiding principles include:
- A priority to the health, safety, and wellness – both physical and emotional – of students, faculty, staff, and the community.
- Following applicable Centers for Disease Control, Virginia Department of Health and local guidance.
- Following Virginia’s guidance on both easing and reinstating public health restrictions as the situation changes.
Fall 2020 instructional plans include:
- Classes beginning Aug. 24 and concluding on Dec. 11.
- All RCC courses will have an online presence to support students.
- The majority of RCC courses will be offered in one of its approved distance learning formats, with the majority online either as a course that can be accessed by students at any time or a course via Zoom where students will attend class at the same time with the instructor.
- Students attending courses that require the use of RCC facilities for hands-on instruction will return to a campus or another RCC site for the required training. Examples include Diesel, Engineering Technology, HVAC, Nursing, Science Labs, and Workforce Development (Machining, Welding, CDL).
- The Fall 2020 class schedule will be updated to reflect any changes in delivery modes and registered students will be notified.
- Computer labs and libraries will be open to limited numbers of student users to provide necessary services while maintaining appropriate social distancing.
- The majority of student services will continue to be delivered remotely.
- RCC will not conduct any campus events — for students, employees, or external organizations — until further notice due to the heightened risk associated with large gatherings.
- RCC will require a 14-day self-isolation period for individuals who have symptoms of the virus, have had direct exposure to someone testing positive for COVID-19, or have traveled to areas meeting CDC criteria for self-quarantine.
RCC will take these steps to support the health and wellness of our college community:
- Continuing to offer telework options for employees who can perform the essential functions of their jobs remotely, particularly employees with documented higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
- Requiring completion of “Return to Campus” training for all students and employees prior to returning to our campuses, centers, or sites.
- Requiring face coverings for all individuals on our campuses or sites while they are recommended by public health restrictions.
- Partnering with the Virginia Department of Health and local public health officials for contact tracing and testing referrals.
- Establishing a protocol to monitor health conditions to detect infection.
- Increasing cleaning and disinfection of high touch/high trafficked areas.
- Closing spaces for extended periods of time for deep cleaning as required.
“I trust everyone to promote and exhibit safe behaviors as decreasing the spread of the virus is a shared responsibility. We have an obligation to each other to help reduce the spread and stop any resurgence of COVID-19,” President Kennedy said.
