COVID-19 Messages

Latest University-wide Messaging

Visit the William & Mary COVID-19 website for the latest university-wide messages.

VIMS Dean & Director's Messages

A single column table for formatting purposes.
Change to Mask Policy: March 1, 2022 Dear VIMS community, With the email yesterday from Amy Sebring, W&M COO, regarding a change in masking policy, and consistent with CDC guidance, we will be moving to a mask-optional policy in indoor spaces at VIMS, effective today, March 1. I recognize that emerging from the pandemic means different things to all of us, and that individual health and family circumstances make decisions about masking more complicated for some than others. I also recognize that individual decisions have community consequences, and we all share the responsibility for keeping our community safe. With that in mind, let’s continue to respect the variety of approaches that our colleagues will take in the weeks and months ahead. Because circumstances vary across indoor spaces on campus, our new mask-optional policy includes some caveats: Masks will continue to be required in classrooms and teaching labs. Masks may continue to be required by unit leaders and lab directors in certain circumstances (e.g., a PI may choose to require masks in their research space because of the close proximity of workers). We will, of course, continue to reevaluate policy decisions as guidance from CDC, the state, and William & Mary necessitates or circumstances change. Thanks for all that you’re doing to keep our community safe. D. Derek Aday Dean and Director
COVID-19: University-wide Information and Resources: January 18, 2022 Until further notice, masks are required in all public areas at VIMS and are optional for events conducted outside. Additional details regarding procedures in support of safely engaging in activities on campus can be found at Path Forward. If you test positive for COVID-19 or are identified as a close contact (regardless of vaccination status), please share that information via ReportCOVID.wm.edu. Completing this brief form puts you in touch with a case manager to help navigate work or study and initiates contact tracing. This applies to all students, faculty and staff members. The VIMS [[v\|emt,Emergency Management Team]] or [[v\|martinez,Joe Martinez]] also continue to be resources for questions related to COVID-19. As always, the VIMS Leadership Team welcomes your suggestions and expressions of concern as we work toward remaining resilient, productive, supportive, and one of the best marine science institutions in the world. Stay connected by visiting the VIMS COVID-19 website regularly. IMPORTANT NOTE: Record of your COVID-19 booster shots must be uploaded into the Kallaco portal TODAY, Jan. 18th. Boosters are required for all students, faculty and staff members for the spring semester. Visit the vaccinations page on the Path Forward website for more information.
COVID-19 Update: September 8, 2021 Greetings VIMS Community, I’m writing with a two-part message to address COVID-19 policy on campus and some general updates. First the updates: Management of the pandemic continues to be quite good at VIMS, with very few reported cases. Thanks to Joe Martinez for his ongoing efforts to manage process, policy and information flow, and to all of you for working to keep our campus and community safe. You may have heard about a recent uptick in cases on main campus. Although the numbers have increased recently, it’s important to know a few key details: These are mostly ‘break through’ infections of vaccinated students and none have required medical intervention. There is no evidence of spread through classrooms or research laboratories; rather, contact tracing indicates that infections are attributable to social gatherings without masks. William & Mary has a system in place that appears to be working effectively and includes quarantine and isolation procedures, testing, and contact tracing. As a reminder, the same four steps that have worked so far with COVID-19 appear to be the most effective mitigation strategies with the Delta variant, including vaccination, masking, ventilation, and distancing. To clarify a few policy issues for the VIMS campus: Classes: generally should be in person per William & Mary policy. Our classrooms on campus are at 50% capacity and should offer good opportunities for distancing even with the masking and vaccination requirements. General meetings on campus with VIMS personnel: should be at the discretion of participating members. Because we are working towards returning to in-person activities, in-person meetings are encouraged as long as participants are comfortable. We have plenty of meeting spaces on campus to allow distancing. Masks continue to be required when meeting in person and within indoor public spaces. Exams and defenses: should be at the discretion of the student, advisor and committee members, but with a preference for in-person events. We have a campus that is almost entirely vaccinated, a mask requirement, and sufficiently large meeting spaces to allow distancing. Current evidence indicates that in-person meetings among vaccinated and masked attendees are safe, and students benefit from the professional development aspect of in-person presentation and examination. However, this is not a mandate. Advisors and students should work together with individual committee members to determine whether to proceed in person, remotely, or as a hybrid event. Work-related meetings with external participants: can be safely held on campus as long as participants are vaccinated and masked (regardless of vaccine status). Meeting type (in person, remote, hybrid) is at the discretion of the organizer(s). General public / meetings off campus: Masking is encouraged for off-campus meetings, and please follow the guidance of the venue. And finally, a friendly reminder that all of us have a responsibility – on and off campus – to keep each other safe and healthy. Thanks again for all that you are doing to help us successfully manage this pandemic. D. Derek Aday Dean, School of Marine Science Director, Virginia Institute of Marine Science William & Mary
Important Message to the VIMS Community: January 19, 2021 Dear VIMS Community, The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) required in July 2020 that all higher education institutions in the Commonwealth submit a Reopening Plan for the fall semester, effective August 1 through December 31, 2020. Each plan was asked to address 26 specific areas for compliance ranging from physical distancing and face coverings to on-campus housing and dining services. Given that we are a non-residential campus, a number of the components were not applicable to VIMS. The VIMS reopening plan that we submitted to SCHEV was found to be compliant and was shared with the Virginia Department of Health by SCHEV. In the same timeframe we met with and shared our Reopening Plan with the Three Rivers Health District which encompasses a geographic area that includes VIMS. SCHEV has now asked all higher education institutions submit a revised Reopening Plan for the Spring Semester. This plan does not require SCHEV approval. For clarity, we have retained the same title as our previous submissions on June 12 and July 22, and updated the content as needed and modified the date. I have attached a copy of our plan which will be posted in the near future on the VIMS website. Please take time to read through the plan. Thank you for your continued cooperation and commitment to protecting yourself and family, protecting your colleagues and neighbors, and more generally protecting VIMS in all of your day-to-day activities. John T. Wells
SCHEV-Approved Reopening Plan: July 29, 2020 Dear VIMS Community, The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) has required that all higher education institutions in the Commonwealth submit a Reopening Plan for the fall semester, effective August 1 through December 31, 2020. Each plan was asked to address 26 specific areas for compliance ranging from physical distancing and face coverings to on-campus housing and dining services. Given that we are a non-residential campus, a number of the components were not applicable to VIMS. The VIMS reopening plan that we submitted to SCHEV was patterned after an earlier document titled *Plans for Phased Expansion of Campus Operations* that was released to the VIMS community on June 12. We have retained the same title and modified the date I am pleased to report that our reopening plan has been found by SCHEV to be compliant and has been shared with the Virginia Department of Health by SCHEV. Also, we recently met with and shared our reopening plan with the Three Rivers Health District which encompasses a geographic area that includes VIMS. I have attached a copy of our plan which will also be posted on the VIMS website. Please take the time to read through the plan. Thank you for your continued cooperation and commitment to protecting yourself and family, protecting your colleagues and neighbors, and more generally protecting VIMS in all of your day-to-day activities. John T. Wells
Important Document on Phased Expansion: June 12, 2020 Dear VIMS Community, The VIMS Emergency Management Team under the able direction of Joe Martinez, together with the VIMS Leadership Team, have been working over the past several weeks on a "Phased Expansion" document to address expanding our on-campus operations in the coming weeks to months. Governor Northam announced yesterday that reopening higher education in Virginia for the fall semester will require that each institution deliver a plan to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia by July 6. We anticipate that the attached document will serve as a basis for the formal plan from VIMS. However, because things remain fluid there could be modifications to the attached document. In the meantime, you should consider this plan to be in effect until further notice. Questions and comments can be sent to [[v\|EMT]]. I end by communicating the importance of protecting yourself and family, protecting your colleagues and neighbors, and more generally protecting VIMS in all of your day-to-day activities. Thank you for your continued cooperation and commitment to return to VIMS safely in due course. John T. Wells
Planning Ahead at VIMS: June 5, 2020 Dear VIMS Community, The VIMS Leadership Team together with the VIMS Emergency Management Team (VIMSEMT) have been actively engaged in planning for a gradual and safe expansion of on-campus operations at VIMS in the coming weeks to months. The path forward will not be business as usual, and my reason for writing is to give you a brief outline of what you can expect to see in the plan when it is finalized in the next week or so. But first, I want to take this opportunity to review our current operating procedures and to provide you with a summary of actions that will be forthcoming from Richmond. Effective today the majority of the Commonwealth will move into Phase Two of public health restrictions under Executive Order 65. Teleworking will continue whenever possible but there is an easing of certain restrictions, primarily as they relate to businesses but which will also have implications for VIMS. Discussions on this are underway. Still in effect is the definition of critical research (see message to VIMS Business on April 5 from Dr. Mark Luckenbach), and required approval for student engagement in critical research and training (see message to VIMS Business on April 13 and resent on May 28 from Dr. Linda Schaffner). Special note: please ensure that the boat basin remains locked at all times to keep out unauthorized traffic. The Governor has convened an Education Work Group that is developing a roadmap for Virginia schools, colleges, and universities for return to in-person learning in a safe, equitable, and responsible manner. The Work Group clearly recognizes the differences among institutions and campuses and that a one-size-fits-all approach is unreasonable. William & Mary has convened “Plan Ahead Squads” to aid in planning, and from these efforts anticipates release of a “direction of travel” document in the next week. The squads are addressing important campus issues ranging from how to de-densify and maintain a resilient campus to designing and maintaining a quality curriculum under the Coronavirus pandemic. The General Assembly tentatively plans to convene in late August to discuss the state budget. No additional word has been released on the potential for state budget cuts, and while we may not know more until late summer we continue to scrutinize expenditures of state funds and remind everyone that this is vitally important for our financial health should we face a significant budget reduction. The forthcoming VIMS plan for phased expansion of on-campus operations will follow President Rowe’s principles for reopening the William & Mary campus. They are Prioritize the health and safety of the entire campus community, Focus on creativity and flexibility, and Collaborate across the university and with other state universities. The VIMS plan will address the following: Overarching Considerations – meeting or exceeding all state and university guidelines for reducing risk, including developing specific work plans that fulfill all requirements for operations, research, and teaching. Business Operations – minimizing face-to-face meetings, protocols for masks, cleaning offices and labs, and VIMS-sponsored travel. Research Activities – offering specificity on indoor and outdoor research to address distancing challenges and innovative solutions, and also encompassing research vessel operations, and scientific diving. Teaching Activities – focusing on various scenarios for teaching during the fall semester that prioritize safety and high-quality learning, and take into consideration the importance of continuity of research as a critical component of educating and training of graduate students. Facilities Considerations – emphasizing signage, allowable occupancy of various spaces, cleaning high-traffic areas, and related topics. Training and Operational Protocol for Potential COVID-19 Contamination – offering resources for training videos and protocols for faculty, staff, and students to continue to self-monitor their symptoms with procedures for notifying VIMSEMT of suspected, presumed, or positive cases based on varying general ground rules. Finally, I end by communicating the importance of protecting yourself and family, protecting your colleagues and neighbors, and more generally protecting VIMS in all of your day-to-day activities. You have adapted to the immense challenges with distinction and creativity. Thank you for your individual and collective efforts. John T. Wells
State-Level Updates: May 1, 2020 Dear VIMS Community, We continue to carefully track developments at the state level resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and I write to share two relatively new pieces of news. The first is that the General Assembly reconvened last week for a one-day “veto session,” during which the Governor’s amendments to bills and his veto of any bills that passed during the regular session were voted on by the state House and Senate. Without going into detail, yet as expected, virtually all new funding from state general funds was unallocated by the General Assembly in response to a potential revenue shortfall. This includes higher education funding for faculty and staff salary actions, graduate financial aid, undergraduate student financial assistance as well as support for undergraduate enrollment growth. Institution-specific funding for a wide range of new initiatives in areas of education and research was also unallocated, including VIMS new funding for our fish surveys and aquatic diseases. The General Assembly is expected to reconvene in mid-to-late August when more information is available on the state’s economy and from updated revenue forecasts. It is not clear if there is a possibility that any of the unallocated general funds can be restored, nor is it clear whether or not anticipated budget reductions will be significant. Therefore, it is vitally important to be conservative in spending. The Leadership Team at VIMS receives weekly spending reports and scrutinizes them carefully. The second piece of news is that the Governor has put forward a blueprint for easing public health restrictions. The next phase, Phase I, has specific requirements for moving forward, and includes a glimpse of what Phase I will look like: https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/governor-of-virginia/pdf/Slide-Deck-4-24-2020-.pdf. While higher education is not specifically referenced in Phase I we anticipate that, when implemented, there could be a gradual easing of some of the requirements in the Governor’s Executive Order 55, issued on March 30. In anticipation of this, the VIMS Leadership Team, in collaboration with the VIMS Emergency Management Team, have begun discussions on how we plan to move into the summer months, probably still largely in a telework mode, but in preparation for the time when there will be more on-campus presence of faculty, staff and students. I caution that while some states are moving to return to “normal” as quickly as possible, it is likely that Virginia will take a much more conservative approach to reopening implementation I thank you for continuing to keep VIMS viable and as vibrant as possible in this unprecedented period in our 80-year history. As always, the VIMS Leadership Team welcomes your suggestions and expressions of concern (please send directly to Libby MacDonald at <ehmacd@vims.edu>) as we work toward remaining resilient, productive, supportive, and one of the best marine science institutions in the world. John T. Wells
Important Message re Temporary Closure of CBH: April 3, 2020 Dear VIMS Community, I write this morning to clarify that at this time there have not been any confirmed cases of COVID-19 among VIMS faculty, staff or students. The temporary closure of part of CBH was implemented following best practices and out of an abundance of caution. This action is the same as that taken at W&M under similar circumstances. VIMS is closed to the public but is open for conducting critical research, and employees are allowed on campus to pick up computers or other materials. Some staff who cannot readily or effectively telework may also be on campus. We have been working with W&M to develop guidelines defining critical research and are optimistic that they will agree to our recommendations. We do not yet have a timeline for that decision. In the meantime, we are limiting research activities, and faculty were notified of this on Tuesday by Mark Luckenbach. I have pasted below the relevant part of that message so that staff and students will also be informed of where we stand now. If you have any of the following that must get done within the next couple of days, and can do so while strictly adhering to the distancing requirement, you may do so. Maintenance of research animals and cultures (algae, microbial, or tissue) of special significance Critical maintenance of experiments currently underway Maintenance of lab equipment Urgent maintenance of field equipment or experiments Processing of highly valuable samples that would otherwise be lost I also take this opportunity to reiterate that technical staff and students are not required to work in labs or in the field if they do not feel safe doing so. Many accommodations can, and have been, implemented to create safe working conditions but, even so, there may be those who remain concerned. Students who are not comfortable with working arrangements should communicate directly with Linda Schaffner, research staff should communicate with Mark Luckenbach, and operations staff with Joe Martinez. They will speak with supervisors to obtain their input. I am in direct communication with Linda, Mark and Joe many times each day and will ensure that we update our policies and protocols as needed during this difficult and uncertain time. I end by saying that our operations staff have done a truly superb job of maintaining our facilities and keeping VIMS functional, so please thank them for a job well done if you happen to cross paths at VIMS. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. We will make every attempt to deliver consistent and timely messages to the VIMS community. John T. Wells
VIMS COVID-19 Update 4: March 25, 2020 Dear VIMS community, As you are well aware, we continue to be threatened by the rapid spread of the coronavirus. The directive from the Governor on Monday regarding public schools and businesses was a poignant reminder of how serious the situation has become. The challenge and our response to it is very fluid, and our goal is to continue to bring you the most up-to-date information with as much clarity as we can and as soon as we have it. There are several new developments that I want to share. First, W&M will announce an online Town Hall for staff, probably to be held early next week. They are exploring how best to ensure that it is readily accessible to all who wish to join in. Likewise, we will plan an online VIMS Town Hall meeting in the near future for all faculty, staff, and students. Please stay tuned. Second, we are asking that all employees who can telework do so. W&M and VIMS recognize that not everyone can telework and that unless or until there is a full shutdown there will be people on campus. Keeping as many people off campus will help to ensure that the people who must work on campus can adhere to distancing and other safety guidelines. There is concern that employees who can telework may run out of work to do in an off-campus setting. I encourage you to provide considerable flexibility in teleworking by allowing your employees to engage in training, learning, and other appropriate activities whenever possible. Third, it is very likely that the pace of research will be further curtailed by the end of the week based on directives from the Governor or President Rowe. Dennis Manos, Vice Provost for Research and Graduate/Professional Studies at W&M, has been charged by the Provost with ensuring that only essential research is being done on campus and that it is being done strictly following CDC and VDH guidelines. Mark Luckenbach and I have been in direct communication with Dennis, and he is fully aware of our challenges in conducting research. Principal investigators should consider postponing research that is not time-sensitive and, as many of you are already doing, to work when possible in shifts to avoid close contact. I realize that postponing some of your research could have financial implications. We are in the process of exploring policies by various funding agencies and believe that there will be flexibility. We will communicate directly with investigators once we know more. Also, please ensure that members of your research team are comfortable with your respective work situations. You should direct specific research-related questions and concerns to Mark Luckenbach or me. Fourth, some of us are becoming overwhelmed with email. We encourage everyone to turn to our COVID-19 webpage for official updates and archived information concerning the disease and the responses recommended by health experts at VDH, CDC, and WHO as opposed to posting large volumes of information on vims-business or vims-misc. Finally, in an email from President Rowe last Thursday, she called on us to check in on each other; to give encouragement, advice, and support; and to work together to see our way through this extraordinary challenge. Thank you for your cooperation as we tighten restrictions on building access, and for your dedication and spirit as we move forward together as a true community. I call your attention to W&M’s new virtual Wellness Center which has videos online for yoga, meditation, art therapy, and generally managing wellness during this stressful time. It’s a great resource. https://www.wm.edu/offices/wellness/virtual/index.php Together we will get through this, and in the meantime will remain a strong institution with great employees and students, and with a great future. I hope you stay safe and well. More will follow. John T. Wells
VIMS COVID-19 Update 3: March 16, 2020 Dear VIMS community, This brief message is to let you know that the VIMS Leadership Team and VIMS Emergency Management Team are in continuous communication with W&M regarding COVID-19. If you have not read the message from Sam Jones and Ginger Ambler at approximately 9:30 this morning, please read it. The situation is very fluid and our current plans for continuity of operations could change quickly. Two important updates that I want to pass along to you are: As per Sam and Ginger’s email, based on a directive from Governor Northam, offices at W&M and VIMS closed at noon today to the general public. At VIMS, for example, visitors will not be allowed in the Watermen’s Hall lobby or Gift Shop, nor can we accommodate any public meetings on campus. However, VIMS and W&M are still open, and we will be maintaining normal operations within the health and safety recommendations identified by the CDC, VDH, and posted on the W&M website for information on COVID-19. That said, faculty should be considering how to wind-down research should we face a broader shutdown. Telework is very strongly encouraged. If you are able to telework you should contact your supervisor. I am hereby delegating approval authority with regard to telework to my direct reports: Academic Studies (Linda Schaffner); Research and Advisory Services, including most Centers (Mark Luckenbach), Operations (Joe Martinez); Finance (DaNika Robinson); Advancement (Amy Fisher); Academic Departments (Department Chairs); Virginia Sea Grant (Troy Hartley), News and Media (Dave Malmquist); and CBNERR (Willy Reay). If you are unable to telework because of the nature of your job, please respect the need to ensure social distancing. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility during this difficult time. I will update you if things change and in the meantime I wish you all well. John T. Wells
VIMS COVID-19 Update 2: March 12, 2020 Dear VIMS Community, I trust that you read the message yesterday at approximately 5:00 p.m. from President Rowe and the message from Sam Jones at 11:00 a.m. today. If not, please read them. As the President mentioned we are in wholly new territory and should expect real sacrifices and unexpected challenges. The VIMS administration has received many questions and I respond below to this fluid situation as it applies to VIMS. A key goal in the President’s message is to maintain the university’s research and other operations. VIMS remains open and we intend to continue normal operations insofar as possible. I took part in email conversations yesterday prior to the President’s message that made it clear W&M understands the operations and structural differences between VIMS and main campus. In a meeting this morning with Provost Agouris, she confirmed that VIMS has delegated authority to use judgment in handling our research and advisory work. Having said that, there are still a number of modifications that need to be implemented. Events and Gatherings: Events and gatherings in VIMS facilities as well as off campus are suspended at least through April 3. Events include activities such as conferences, workshops, and participation on panels. Gatherings include social get-togethers, town-hall meetings, and other activities that include a large number of participants in a confined area. Small groups of individuals, for example lab meetings or ad-hoc gatherings, are acceptable provided they are essential to maintaining normal operations and there is an opportunity to join by Zoom. Social distancing is an important strategy and this is a good time to ensure that you are fluent in using Zoom. If you have any questions regarding events or gatherings, contact me for a decision. Students: Virtually all M.S. and Ph.D. students at VIMS are supported financially, most from grants and contracts. As such, our students are considered employees who will continue to be engaged in research and, in some cases, advisory services. I am currently involved in discussions at the university-level about graduate assistants, and things in this area are still evolving. For now, faculty who supervise students will still be able to meet with them in small groups (see above section). Travel: The President’s message indicates that both domestic and international travel is suspended. This is a gray area for us. Travel to events is obviously not permissible. However, travel associated with research and advisory services is permissible provided it is essential to maintaining normal operations, does not involve public transportation, and can be considered within commuting distance (e.g. Richmond, Norfolk, and potentially beyond if, again, it is essential to operations of your lab or more broadly to VIMS). Travel within commuting distance is not permissible if it is for the purpose of joining a large meeting of, say, agency personnel in Richmond. If you have previously scheduled travel, see the W&M policy on travel reimbursements. At this time there is no directive on self-isolation for those who have been traveling recently on university-sponsored work or personal leave. You should use discretion and follow CDC guidelines. If there are any questions regarding travel, please contact me for clarification and a decision. Vessels: VIMS will continue to operate its fleet of research vessels. This includes large vessels, the R/V Virginia, and vessels that may need to be trailered to off-campus locations for launching. If vessel crew members are unable to report for work, then vessel operations will cease. Telework: W&M is in active discussions about telework policies with regard to COVID-19. I do not have a timeframe for this to be communicated but once we know more we will pass the information along. We are all trying to navigate this difficult situation as best as we can. Things will go wrong; there will be bumps and uncertainty; and, I ask that you assume positive intent in how we are moving forward. More will be forthcoming, probably early next week, after a joint VIMS Emergency Management Team/VIMS Leadership Team meeting late tomorrow afternoon. Finally, if you are sick, please do not come to work. John T. Wells
VIMS COVID-19 Update 1: March 10, 2020 Dear VIMS community, I indicated in yesterday’s VIMS Digest that I would follow up today with more information regarding our plans for continuity of operations since the coronavirus has now made its way to Virginia (currently in northern Virginia only). First, let me assure you that we are working to maximize wellness on our campus, and paying close attention to CDC recommendations. Our precautionary actions include (1) increased attention to high traffic public areas by disinfecting hard surfaces such as door hardware, handrails, switches and other controls, and watercoolers; (2) installation of stands that provide hand sanitizers in high traffic building entrances that include Watermen’s Hall Lobby, Davis Hall lobby, CBH lobby, Andrews second floor hallway, Fisheries Science Laboratory at the Fort parking lot entrance, Facilities Management lobby, and other locations to be determined as we are able to obtain more sanitizer stands; and, (3) availability of disinfectant wipes in classroom and meeting rooms for wiping down frequently used surfaces. Second, ITNS is taking steps to ensure that faculty, staff and students are able to connect remotely to office computers via Remote Desktop should the need to work remotely arise. You can visit https://www.vims.edu/itns/vpn for instructions. ITNS staff are always expected to be able to work remotely so the best way to get help is by opening a service ticket at https://ithelp.vims.edu. Shortly, you will receive a survey from ITNS related to equipment and infrastructure services needed to work from home. We ask that you complete this survey in a timely manner. Third, Linda Schaffner is working with our department chairs, ITNS and faculty in planning how to continue to meet the instructional needs of our students should there be a disruption in workforce. There is a range of options for alternate methods of course delivery that include (1) self-study contingency plans, (2) use of recorded lectures from a previous year, (3) back up instructors, and (4) remote delivery through Zoom or Panopto. These plans will be finalized in the next day or two. Fourth, should there be a campus closure we will need to maintain research animals and live cultures. We are thus developing a database for this kind of critical research activity and ask that all investigators complete the attached form and send to Mark Luckenbach by March 16. This must be done even if you do not have critical research that must be maintained should there be a closure. Finally, we will make timely decisions should events need to be canceled. The VIMS Leadership Team and Emergency Management Team will continue to meet at least weekly, and you can expect further updates from Sam Jones, W&M Emergency Management Team chair. You can also obtain the most up-to-date information at www.wm.edu/coronavirus. Later this week or early next week I plan to send a template to all academic and administrative units at VIMS that will outline unit-specific information that we will ask you to provide to help us make management decisions. John T. Wells

VIMS-Specific Messaging

COO/COVID Director Joe Martinez

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COVID Update: August 9, 2022 Dear VIMS Community, You probably have seen the recent email from W&M COO Amy Sebring regarding COVID-19 Campus Plan Updates. In short, the University is moving forward under the consideration that COVID is one of the many illnesses our community manage on a daily basis. Reporting positive cases or close contacts is no longer required. Despite these revised protocols, COVID still exists amongst our campus community, and within the County and Region. We must remember to remain diligent and aware of our surroundings. With positivity rates continuing to be high in our region, contacting COVID is still a good possibility even though symptoms may be mild among the vaccinated. That said, Following these simple steps will continue to keep our campus community safe and minimize the number of positive cases; Stay home if you are not feeling well. Continue to frequently wash your hands Test if you suspect COVID. I can provide a test for those who need one (until supplies run out). Free COVID-19 testing kits may be obtained through the U.S. federal government as well as the Williamsburg Regional Library. Masking is always welcome anywhere at VIMS, and the last few years have clearly shown that masks dramatically reduce the spread of airborne infections, including COVID-19. If you do test positive, provide a courtesy notification to those who you may have been in close contact with. If you do test positive or are a close contact Visit the CDC’s Quarantine & Isolation Guide and Calculator for information. For positive cases - CDC calls for any COVID-19-positive person to isolate for at least five days and, For Close Contacts - Current vaccinated and boosted employees do not need to quarantine if they remain asymptomatic. I have said before how proud I am on how the overall VIMS community has responded to the COVID pandemic in the past two years. We had our share of cases, though minimal, while continuing to operate in performing our research, education, and advisory service activities with little to no impact. These successes was because of a complete team effort by the VIMS community. Now moving forward we must remain diligent and flexible. We will continue to partner with W&M and the Public Health Advisory Team in adapting operations if conditions require changes. I am happy to answer any questions. Joe VIMS COVID Director
Updates on COVID-19 protocols (VIMS): January 20, 2022 VIMS community, Earlier this week, W&M COO Amy Sebring issued updates on protocols related to vaccines, booster, and masks. These updates will also apply to the VIMS campus and our COVID protocols. Given the message below, I wanted to highlight and clarify some items: Employees who are unvaccinated and/or have received an exemption will no longer be required to take a weekly test through W&M. This goes into effect immediately. Students will continue to test weekly if they are unvaccinated and/or received an exemption. The Safety Office has procured KN95 masks for use by the VIMS community. These masks are to be worn voluntarily. Masks can be picked up at the front desk in the Facilities Building. Masks are required to be worn in all indoor public spaces. A portal is now open at: www.covidtests.gov to order 4 free rapid tests to be sent to your home. Its quick and easy for those who are interested. Also, reporting to ReportCOVID.wm.edu as a symptomatic person or someone who has come in close contact with a positive person will be sent a test from W&M. Im happy to answer any questions. Stay well, Joe
COVID update: January 12, 2022 VIMS Community, Happy New Year to you all and hope you had a restful holiday break. As we return to campus, new COVID cases continue to be on an accelerated rise due to the Omicron variant. With 700K new cases per day across the country, Omicron makes up 95% of the new cases. In Virginia, Omnicron was first reported in early December and is now the second leading variant of new cases and shortly will be the leader. Virginia has a 7-day average of daily new cases reported of over 17K with 57k new cases reported just yesterday. Here at VIMS we have also been impacted. We saw a 40% increase of new cases in the month of December and to date another 10% increase in January. The good news is that the VIMS campus, to my knowledge, has not had any community spread and all of our positive cases have resulted from contracting the virus off campus. Close contacts to VIMS faculty, staff, and students have been minimal. We should all be reminded of the Healthy Together commitment we share and to be diligent both on and off campus. That being said, I want to provide the following information to questions I have received: We will temporarily suspend in-person public programs until February 1st. Public programs scheduled for February or later may be planned and held in-person following VIMS COVID protocols. If conditions change another message will be sent. All Supervisors should remain flexible and to allow their staff the opportunity to telework for the month of January in an attempt to de-densify campus. New telework procedures, forms, etc. will be issued by HR later this month. Classes are scheduled to begin on January 26th. At this time, all classes are intended to be conducted in-person. Facilities will provide hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes in the classrooms for self-service cleaning. Classes have been scheduled within a classroom that will provide sufficient social distancing that has been previously implemented in earlier semesters. Linda Schaffner will be sending out an email to faculty and students with a few additional details for the start of the spring semester. Please be reminded that employees who have received their booster shot should upload their vaccine card into Kallaco. Those currently eligible to receive a booster shall do so by January 18th. Please keep in mind that if you test positive or are considered a close contact to report it to W&M at: https://reportcovid.wm.edu. Even if your close contact involves a non-VIMS individual and occurs off campus you should report. Working with the Safety Office, we have obtained a limited quantity of KN95 masks for distribution to members of the community on a first-come first-serve basis. Those who would like to wear a KN95 mask will do so on a voluntary basis. Masks will be available for pickup at the front desk in the Facilities Management Building. Please contact Eric Fidler if you have any questions. I am happy to answer any questions that you have or address any topic not mentioned above. Stay well, Joe Joseph Martinez \| Chief Operations Officer VIMS COVID Director
Announcing COVID-19 Booster Requirement and Updated Q&I Guidelines: January 3, 2022 VIMS Community, Happy New Year to you all and hope that you had some good time off. In case you have not seen the recent COVID policy changes that were issued by W&M COO Amy Sebring. I am distributing again to our community. These new policies will apply to VIMS. Please let me know if you have any questions. Also, if you have already gotten your booster shot, please don’t forget to upload your information into the Kallaco portal. Thanks, Joe Martinez VIMS Chief Operations Officer VIMS COVID Director
Vaccine Booster Shots: October 26, 2021 VIMS Community, Several of you have reached out to me stating that you have received your vaccine booster shot and what should be done with that information. I have confirmed that the Kallaco portal has been updated to accept booster shot information. W&M is requesting all faculty, staff, and students to update their Kallaco portal with their booster information when available. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks Joe
Weekly Mandatory Testing: August 20, 2021 VIMS Community, I have heard from several of you that you did not receive an email reminder from Healthy Together this week regarding your mandatory weekly testing requirement. Even though I was informed that a weekly email would be distributed to all of the faculty, staff, and students that are required to test, I’m afraid system glitches may and can occur. The responsibility to test falls on those individuals who are required to test. Anyone who is not fully vaccinated or has received an approved medical or religious exemption are required to test weekly. William & Mary has set up a self-service process to receive and take the test. Though I have not seen it, I heard and understand that a vending machine has been installed in the Sadler Center filled with the self-administered testing kits. By swiping your W&M ID card, a test will be disbursed. You can then complete the test and go mail it in the W&M post office also located in the Sadler Center. W&M has instituted this process to allow the flexibility for those individuals needing to test. You can go on your own as your schedule permits. So regardless of whether you receive an email reminder, if you know that you should test, then go to Sadler and take your test. I am still working with W&M to see if a test kit vending machine can be available at VIMS, more to come on this. Partially vaccinated individuals are required to test until achieving full vaccination status. Also, don’t forget to upload your vaccine card into the Kallaco portal. If you have problems, I am happy to assist if you would just send me your card or you can contact HealthyTogether@wm.edu. The VIMS community has done very well with only a few people being considered non-compliant though resulting with no one being placed on LWOP. Keep Up the Good Work!! Happy to answer any questions. Have a good weekend, Joe Martinez VIMS COVID Director A member of our VIMS community provided the following information that I thought would be worthy of sharing. While testing can be done as schedules permit, the Sadler Center is generally open from 9-5 on weekdays only. There is no access to the testing kits when the Sadler Center is closed. I just called and was told there are extended hours this weekend and next week, but an email message went out this morning outlining the testing requirement must be completed prior to 12pm on Fridays. Joe
Masking Policy for the Start of the Semster: August 9, 2021 VIMS Community, The below message and masking mandate for public indoor spaces will also apply to the VIMS Glouster Point, ESL, and Topping campuses. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks Joe Martinez VIMS COVID Director
Update: COVID-19 Vaccines Required for Fall: August 2, 2021 VIMS Community, I am hoping that you have seen the recent email below from Pres. Rowe. Last week, I was questioned whether the vaccine mandate would apply to the VIMS campus. The answer to that is YES. I am asking that Supervisors speak with your department staff to ensure that they have read the email and understand the expectations of the University. In my opinion, the expectations are clear but I would be happy to answer any questions that you or your staff may have. I have highlighted the pertinent points below. [highlighted points have been copied and pasted below for this webpage; please see W&M's "COVID-19 Messages to Employees" page for full message from July 29, 2021: Update: COVID-19 Vaccines Required for Fall] Joe Martinez VIMS COVID Director *As of July 29, 2021, the university is requiring vaccination for all students, faculty, and staff unless an express exemption applies.* *Updated COVID-19 vaccine requirements for W&M as of July 29, 2021* All students, faculty, and staff are required to record the first vaccination dose in the Kallaco portal on or before Tuesday, Aug. 10. The second or final dose is due on or before Friday, Sept. 17; *William & Mary will observe appropriate medical and religious exemptions. To file for an exemption by Aug. 10, visit Exemptions and Deferrals on Path Forward for instructions;* *Routine testing of those who are in the process of vaccination or exempted will continue as a condition of their participation in in-person activities.* *Employees verified fully vaccinated: 2,241 (75%) At VIMS we are tracking to about 80%* *Employees who do not record their vaccination or exemption will be placed on leave without pay and employment may be terminated.*
COVID Updates: July 12, 2021 VIMS Community, The purpose of this email is to provide a summary of the recent changes to our COVID protocols as announced by W&M. All of the items below apply to the VIMS campus. Please take time to read these and address questions to me. Travel Reinstated to Pre-Pandemic Travel Policy Summary Recognizing the improving public health data and increasing vaccination rates within the community, William & Mary will return to its pre-pandemic travel policy for official university travel with key caveats effective Monday, June 21, 2021. Full Description Consistent with CDC guidelines, unvaccinated employees traveling overnight on official business will be required to do the following: Test negative for COVID-19, 1-3 days prior to travel, Maintain appropriate public health protocols, including masking, distancing, and handwashing, Test 3-5 days after travel, and Self-quarantine for at least 7 days before returning to work in-person Unvaccinated employees traveling internationally will also be required to follow the same protocols AND those traveling internationally by air will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 3 days prior to arriving back in the U.S., along with following all national travel requirements of the foreign country or countries visited. For university authorized travel, William & Mary will provide for testing at the university's expense for the time being. Employees are advised to submit testing requests no less than five days ahead of scheduled travel and will be responsible for adhering to this return to work policy. Employees can request testing kits using this link: Unvaccinated Employees Testing Link Vaccinated employees are permitted to return to work immediately after travel. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Work Policy As mentioned in President Rowe’s message, dated May 19th: Phase II – June 6-July 15, 2021: campus open for employees / remote learning / phased opening to public Campus will be open for employees as needed and as appropriate to your work. You are welcome to use your offices! Phase III – July 16-September 1, 2021: begin to return to in-person Functional units that have been working fully or predominantly in a remote format will begin to return in person. Indoor mask policies will be announced, based on vaccination data. (See update on masks in section below) July 16: Employee Convocation celebrating staff and faculty, on campus in Williamsburg. Employees who have been working remotely generally should expect to shift their primary work location back to campus by September 1, 2021. (Communication with W&M indicates that teleworking cannot be done for personal convenience) Phase IV – Fall Semester 2021: Predominantly in-person / Decisions on functional work modes overseen by Cabinet members. We expect faculty to be on campus during the academic year and most courses will be offered in person or in a hybrid format. Mask requirements will be based on vaccination data, public health guidance, and prevalence of COVID-19. (See update on masks in section below) W&M programs that are exclusively remote will remain so, and we will continue to provide online opportunities for our international students and others as we expand our reach online. Cabinet members will oversee this period of flexible transition. The need for exceptions to these standards and expectations will continue to be recognized over the next 14-month transition period until June 30, 2022. Phase V: Spring Semester 2022. In person, with adaptations determined by Cabinet Recognizing that our understanding of how different modes of work best meet our institutional mission, we ask Cabinet members (VIMS Dean/Director) to develop and communicate their longer-term understanding to the president and their units or schools by January 15, 2022. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Masks Masks are no longer required to be worn while indoors and outdoors. Employees/students may continue and are welcome to wear masks at their own discretion regardless of vaccine status. All unvaccinated students, employees and visitors are encouraged to wear masks according to guidance provided by the governor of Virginia, the Virginia Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Masks covering the mouth and nose remain the single most effective mitigation strategy for unvaccinated individuals. Along the subject line, Facilities is in the process of replacing all of the original COVID signs with new “Masks Welcome” signs throughout all of the VIMS buildings. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vaccine Requirements and Prevalence Testing Requirements As a reminder, the university will require all faculty, staff and students to be vaccinated once the FDA moves from emergency use authorization to full approval. The timeline for full approval is unknown at this time. Those who receive a medical or religious exemption will be required to participate in the weekly testing program. It is strongly encouraged that unvaccinated individuals use this time to get vaccinated prior to the start of the weekly prevalence testing (see below). By using the [[healthytogether]] address, employees may request one of the exemptions. Beginning the week of July 19, in conjunction with the resumption of work on campus, the university will require all unvaccinated employees to be tested weekly. Testing will take place in the VCU Health Services Bldg. in Williamsburg (off of North Boundary St.). As we continue to review the public health data, vaccines remain the single most effective option for reducing the spread of COVID-19 and related variants. Testing remains an important tool for monitoring and reducing spread for those who remain unvaccinated. Testing results and data regarding vaccine prevalence will continue to inform decisions about the policies and practices necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campus. If You Are Fully Vaccinated You will not be contacted for weekly testing if you have submitted documentation of vaccination. As a reminder, if you have already been vaccinated but have not yet loaded your information in the Kallaco portal, please do so immediately. Kallaco is William & Mary’s COVID-19 logistics partner and the vehicle by which you provide confirmation of your vaccination status to the university. To provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, upload photos of the vaccination card you received when you were administered the vaccine. Kallaco Health & Technology has introduced the ability to upload proof in the Kallaco portal. If you have not activated your Kallaco account, choose “Forgot Password,” and do not use your W&M password. Do not create a new account. Visit the Record section in Kallaco and follow the prompts to upload a photo of your vaccination card. Complete this upload process for each vaccine dose on your card. If you are reporting a WHO-approved emergency use vaccine, please visit Kallaco in early July. The platform is building the capacity to accept WHO international vaccines. Find more on vaccines W&M accepts at Path Forward. If You Are Not Yet Fully Vaccinated William & Mary will contact you weekly with the time and location for your COVID-19 test. As noted, COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated employees remains an essential tool in reducing spread of the virus on campus. Therefore, if you do not complete your testing as required, you will be placed on leave without pay until the testing requirement has been completed. Employees who are out sick, have a work schedule conflict or on approved leave during their scheduled testing will be rescheduled. The employee will need to send an email to [[healthytogether]] claiming their reason to reschedule the testing appointment. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In person meetings In person meetings are now permitted within the various conference, meeting, and classrooms around campus. Room occupancy capacity signs are in the process of being removed. When conducting in person meeting, social distancing should be observed when possible and masks are welcome regardless of vaccine status. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Social Gathering Limits Social gathering events are permitted both indoors and outdoors. Capacity limits have been removed. In good practice, social distancing should be observed when possible and masks are welcomed regardless of vaccine status. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Building Access All VIMS Buildings have reopened to pre-pandemic operations (7am-6pm) with the exception of Clayton House. Although Clayton House does not have furniture, funds have now been committed and interior furnishing will be ordered shortly. Facilities will begin to clean Clayton (after being closed for nearly 1.5 years), then it will open as social gathering space. COVID protocols for Abrahamson House have been lifted and pre-pandemic policies for use as a visiting investigator facility will apply. VIMS will be open to the public but tour groups will be phased in over the between now and September 1st. Public outreach programs are phasing back in and will be operating as normal by September, with the exception of programs for youth audiences that are vaccine ineligible. People who are too young to be vaccinated will only be served via off campus programming for the indefinite future. Joseph Martinez \| Chief Operations Officer Virginia Institute of Marine Science
New Travel & Masking Policies: June 22, 2021 VIMS Community, William & Mary recently sent out 2 email announcements regarding the new travel and masking policies. THESE POLICIES WILL APPLY TO THE VIMS CAMPUS AND COVID PROTOCOLS. NEW MASKING POLICY: William & Mary will no longer require face masks indoors on any of its properties. Masks have been optional outdoors at W&M since May 17. William & Mary encourages all unvaccinated students, employees and visitors to wear masks according to guidance provided by the governor of Virginia, the Virginia Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. W&M continues to welcome masks on campus for anyone who chooses to wear one, regardless of their vaccination status. Masks remain an effective way to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and a host of other diseases, including colds and flu. We encourage all to be mindful of one another’s comfort levels as we emerge from this pandemic. NEW TRAVEL POLICY: Travel Reinstated to Pre-Pandemic Travel Policy - Recognizing the improving public health data and increasing vaccination rates within the community, effective Monday June 21, 2021, William & Mary will return to pre-pandemic travel policy for official university travel with key caveats. Please see Travel Website Announcements for details: https://www.wm.edu/of ... mic-travel-policy.php Travel Policy is updated to provide Unvaccinated Employees Protocol for Overnight Travel: https://www.wm.edu/of ... ravelpolicy/index.php Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, Joe Martinez VIMS COO and COVID Director
Revision to Vessel Response Plan (COVID Protocols): June 7, 2021 VIMS Community, *This policy revision applies specifically to the Vessel Response Plan, dated September 2, 2020 that pertain to users of our large vessel fleet.* We have made great progress in our campus wide vaccination program. To date, approximately 68.0% of our campus community has received at least one shot with many being fully vaccinated. The VIMS EMT has discuss the policy below and based on the large amount of vaccinated employees and students we are adjusting some restrictions to the VIMS Research Vessels (large) Fleet COVID-19 Policies and Procedures. This change goes into effect immediately. Planned for Phased Expansion of On-Campus Operations, dated January 18, 2021 – specifically the: Vessel Response Plan, Rev. 1.3.1, dated September 2, 2020 In-Port Mitigation, Section 1, item A reads: i. Permanent VIMS Employees - Prior to boarding the vessel for any purpose (mobilization, de-mobilization, cruise departure) a PCR test must be completed no more than seven days prior, accompanied with written documentation of a negative result. For those employees who regularly participate in cruises on a daily or monthly basis throughout the year, a PCR test will be required every 14 days in order to remain compliant with this policy and have access to the vessels. ii. External Vessel Users (non-VIMS employees) - Prior to boarding the vessel for any purpose (mobilization, de-mobilization, cruise departure) a PCR test must be completed no more than four days prior, accompanied with written documentation of a negative result. iii. Exceptions - Any exceptions to this policy will be addressed on a case by case basis and must be discussed with the Captain of the vessel and the Director of Marine Operations BEFORE the individual is allowed access to a vessel. Exceptions are not guaranteed and all vessel users should take appropriate actions necessary to ensure compliance with the testing requirements noted above. Will be replaced with: i. Full and Part-Time VIMS Employees - Prior to boarding the vessel for any purpose (mobilization, de-mobilization, cruise departure) one of the following conditions will need to be met: a. For those individuals who are fully vaccinated: will be exempt from the testing requirements describe below. Proof and validation of vaccination will be provided through the Kallaco database. Failure to provide proof will require the employee to follow the testing requirement below. It is the responsibility of the individual to upload their vaccine information into the Kallaco portal in ample time prior to the cruise departure. Full vaccination is achieved 2 weeks (14 days) from the date of the 2ndshot (Moderna or Pfizer) or after the 1st shot (Johnson & Johnson). b. For those individuals who are not fully vaccinated: a PCR test must be completed no more than four days prior, accompanied with written documentation of a negative result. The employee(s) will also be required to complete the pre-cruise screening document prior to boarding the vessel. ii. External Vessel Users (non-VIMS employees) - Prior to boarding the vessel for any purpose (mobilization, de-mobilization, cruise departure) one of the following conditions will need to be met: a. For those individuals who are fully vaccinated: will be exempt from the testing requirements describe below. Proof and validation of vaccination will be by sending a copy of the individual’s vaccine card to the Director of Marine Operations within 5 days of cruise departure. Failure to provide a valid vaccine card will require the individual to follow the testing requirement below. The vaccine card information will be disposed of at the completion of the cruise. Full vaccination is achieved 2 weeks (14 days) from the date of the 2nd shot (Moderna or Pfizer) or after the 1st shot (Johnson & Johnson). b. For those individuals who are not fully vaccinated: a PCR test must be completed no more than four days prior, accompanied with written documentation of a negative result. The individual(s) will also be required to complete the pre-cruise screening document prior to boarding the vessel. iii. Exceptions - Any exceptions to this policy will be addressed on a case by case basis and must be discussed with the Captain of the vessel and the Director of Marine Operations BEFORE the individual is allowed access to a vessel. Exceptions are not guaranteed and all vessel users should take appropriate actions necessary to ensure compliance with the testing requirements noted above. Please let me know if you have any questions. Stay safe & well, Joe Martinez VIMS COVID Director
Masking Policy at VIMS: May 27, 2021 VIMS Community, There have been several questions about the masking policy at VIMS since the new guidance released by the CDC, the Governor’s office, and W&M. In an email from W&M COO Amy Sebring, dated May 17, 2021 it highlighted the updates to the masking policy. Discussion among the VIMS EMT concluded that we will follow the same policy revisions as W&M at this time. I reiterate the following points: Faculty, Staff and Students will no longer required to wear masks outdoors. If you choose to continue to wear a mask outdoors you may do so. Unvaccinated individuals should still maintain physical distancing and masking measures consistent with CDC’s guidance. The VIMS community will continue to require to wear face masks indoors regardless of vaccination status. Although many individuals may be vaccinated (approx.. 68%), as a community, we are not yet fully vaccinated. We will continue to monitor vaccine rates on our campus and reevaluate this policy in the future. If you have been vaccinated, it is important to upload your vaccine card as proof into the Kallaco portal. VIMS is not prohibiting masks nor distancing. Students, faculty and staff should not feel rushed to abandon public health measures that have allowed us to study and work together. There is little downside to continuing to mask and distance. The VIMS administration will support you if you choose to continue to do so for your own comfort or for the protection of those who are unable to be vaccinated. Thanks, Joe Martinez VIMS COVID Director
Revision to Planned for Phased Expansion of On-Campus Operations, dated Jan 18,2021: May 10, 2021 VIMS Community, We have made great progress in our campus wide vaccination program. To date, approximately 66.2% of our campus community has received at least one shot with many being fully vaccinated. The VIMS EMT has discuss the policy below and based on the large amount of vaccinated employees and students we are relieving some restrictions to the capacity of people traveling in VIMS trucks and personal cars used for business. This change goes into effect immediately. Planned for Phased Expansion of On-Campus Operations, dated January 18, 2021 - Research Activities, Section 9 reads: D. Until further notice there will be no more than two people at a time authorized in a VIMS truck, each required to wear a mask. Travel to research sites in personal cars must also adhere to this density requirement. Thorough cleaning and disinfecting of all touched surfaces in VIMS vehicles, before and after use, is the responsibility of the users. Refueling of vehicles will remain the responsibility of the users. Will be replaced with: D. Until further notice there will be no more than four people at a time authorized in a VIMS truck AS LONG AS EVERYONE HAS BEEN FULLY VACCINATED, each will still be required to wear a mask. Travel to research sites in personal cars must also adhere to and comply with this density requirement and terms. Thorough cleaning and disinfecting of all touched surfaces in VIMS vehicles, before and after use, is the responsibility of the users. Refueling of vehicles will remain the responsibility of the users. Please let me know if you have any questions. Stay safe & well, Joe Martinez VIMS COVID Director
VIMS Vaccine Update : May 4, 2021 VIMS Community, I wanted to provide you with an update (as of May 3rd): VIMS Total Campus Population (faculty, staff, and students) = 430 Total Campus Population who have indicated that they have been vaccinated, at least one shot (as of May 3rd) = 270 (62.8%) Based on the VIMS survey (sent on Feb 19th): Total Responses received to the VIMS Vaccine Survey = 289 (67.2% of campus population) Total responses received from VIMSers who were interested in receiving a vaccine = 255 ( 88.2% of survey respondents) Total VIMSers vaccinated (at least one shot) who wanted a vaccine and responded to the survey = 209 (82.0% of survey respondents) As opportunities of receiving vaccinations are continuing, when you receive your first shot, continue to let me know so that I can keep my records up to date. Informing me that you have received your second shot is fine as well. Also, don’t forget to update your vaccine status within Banner and the Kallaco portal. As always, let me know if you have any further questions. Thanks, Joe Martinez VIMS COVID Director
HAVE YOU BEEN VACCINATED? : April 1, 2021 VIMS Community, I am attempting to update the results from the VIMS COVID-19 Vaccine survey performed on February 16th. Many of you have already offered and notified me that they have received (1st shot or fully) or were scheduled to receive a vaccine. To date, approx.. 15-20% of our campus community have or will be soon vaccinated. This email is to request from the faculty, staff, and student community who HAVE NOT already notified me and are willing to voluntarily offer this information to respond by letting me know that you have received a vaccine or are scheduled to receive a vaccine. Recently, I communicated with our local health district, Three Rivers, who informed me that I would be contacted soon to provide names for a vaccine appointment. Having an accurate list of who has already been vaccinated within our community will help me in coordinating with TRHD. As I mentioned before, TRHD considers VIMS as a major employer in the district and like other health districts are focusing to vaccinate this area. Also, TRHD just recently announced that they have moved into Phase 1c which makes all VIMS employees eligible to receive a vaccine. In addition, many of you have received emails from W&M for vaccine opportunities at Colonial Williamsburg or at CNU. This will continue. In advance, thanks for all who will respond to this request. To assist W&M with their vaccine scheduling coordination, all employees are encouraged to fill out a two-question survey through Banner Self-Service. Under the Personal Information tab, select Personal Information View/Update and click the update tab under COVID-19 Vaccination Information. Access the survey through Banner at: https://my.wm.edu Please let me know if there are any questions. Thanks, Joe Martinez VIMS COVID Director
VIMS COVID-19 Vaccine Survey: February 16, 2021 VIMS Community, Below you will find a link that will take you to the survey in order to gather information that will be forwarded to the Three Rivers Health District (TRHD) in our vaccine planning efforts. The survey will take less than 5 minutes to complete. Our current employee (faculty, staff, and students) population is approximately 430 people and I am hoping to receive a high percentage of responses. Completing the survey is not mandatory and is at your own discretion. Please complete the survey by Friday, February 19th. As a reminder, per the Governor’s direction, all employees of Institutes of Higher Education are considered in Phase 1C. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=2d28jI1YO06cHiNn298XQI-bqYMfH2dPp6-mCKq0NslUOFFXQzFXSEczSENHWEZWRk1OVFhSVVU4UC4u A couple of points: We encourage everyone, to explore every available avenue to receive a vaccine and take the first available opportunity. In responding that you have already been vaccinated, you will continue that process through the provider/location of where you received your 1st shot. Your name will not be forwarded to TRHD. If you get vaccinated after completing the survey and before receiving notification from TRHD, please notify me separately. In responding that you don’t intend to receive a vaccine, your name will not be forwarded to TRHD. If you change your mind after completing the survey please reach out to me separately. If you voluntarily indicate that you have an underlying medical condition, you will be placed in the Phase 1B grouping. If you have tested positive for COVID and you did notified the VIMS EMT, please complete the survey. I ask that you contact your medical provider to see if you should wait the recommended 90 days after testing positive. If you have tested positive for COVID and you did not notified the VIMS EMT, please complete the survey and notify me separately. Login using your VIMS ID and Password. You must be logged in with your VIMS account to fill out the form. If you receive an error saying "You don't have permission to view or respond to this form" it may be because you used your browser for Banner recently and it's remembering your W&M login. Here are a couple of things to try to fix that: Close your browser and reopen it, then open O365 (webmail) here: https://outlook.office365.com Login with your VIMS credentials (full email address and pwd), then click the link to the form. Or, try another browser (Safari, FireFox) and login to O365 as above. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, Joe Martinez VIMS COVID Director
COVID Update: February 8, 2021 VIMS Community, I am writing to highlight some information recently stated by W&M COO related to COVID protocols. The information is not specifically addressed in the VIMS Reopening Plan (January 18, 2021), however moving forward we will comply with the following: Travel University Sponsored All university sponsored travel related to research, education, and advisory services will be approved by Mark Luckenbach prior to initiating any travel authorization (Chrome River). Dr. Luckenbach will be required to approve the travel within Chrome River. All travel plans shall be submitted to Dr. Luckenbach in advance. Plans should include field work activities under pandemic condition protocols, mode of transportation, etc. Upon return from travel, all employees will be required to self-quarantine for 5-days. The quarantine requirement is exempted for those employees who are performing field research on VIMS vessels. Personnel Though the 5-day quarantine policy for University sponsored travel will not apply, we ask all VIMS employees to use good judgement when traveling and comply with all COVID protocols. Upon return from personnel travel, we would prefer those employees who have the availability to telework that they do so for 5 days. Return to Work Policy Employees who have tested positive or had been identified by VDH as a close contact, should have reported it to W&M at this link: https://reportcovid.wm.edu as well as the VIMS EMT (emt@vims.edu). W&M will assign a case manager to provide assistance to the employee At the conclusion of the isolation period, the W&M case manager will approve the employee to return to work. The employee must remain off campus until cleared to return by their assigned case manager, who may ask for documentation from a physician or health care provider. The employee shall provide the approval to their supervisor and the VIMS EMT. VIMS continues to having a low positive case count with a total of 10. This is due to your perseverance in following the protocols and the Healthy Together Community Commitment. Prevalence Testing Mandatory prevalence testing (PT) has started and will continue throughout the spring semester. If you are chosen for PT, please send a note to Joe Martinez. Vaccines are included in the list of names database going to the City as vaccines are available. The VIMS COVID Response Team will be messaging separately on their efforts working with the Three Rivers Health District which VIMS resides in. More information to come shortly. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, Joe Martinez VIMS COVID Director
Positive Test, VIMS Protocols: September 14, 2020 Dear VIMS community, As we approach the end of the 2nd week of prevalence testing and begin the 2nd round of required student testing, I am happy to report that we continue to have no positive cases of COVID on our campus. This recognition and result is because of each of you, your commitment to a shared responsibility mentality, continuing to telework where possible in order to keep the campus density population to a minimum, and following the protocols of the approved VIMS Phased Expansion of Campus Operations plan. I also wanted to further remind you all of the procedure to self-identify and notify the VIMS EMT in the event of a positive test result. You must still follow the VIMS protocol in addition to the instructions in the University’s message below. Our plan reads as follows: We have established a new email address: [[v\|emt,EMT@vims.edu]]. This email is available for anyone in our campus community to notify the VIMS EMT of a suspected, presumed, or positive case of COVID-19. For the purposes of privacy, this email will be restricted to the following members of the Emergency Management Team (John Wells, Mark Luckenbach, Linda Schaffner, and Joe Martinez). Once the email is received and reviewed, the relevant information will be forwarded to the VIMS Office of Safety and Environmental Programs, to contact directly the individual in question to obtain additional information via a questionnaire that has been developed. The responses to the questionnaire will aid in the creation of a response plan. The questionnaire includes: When were you last on campus? What buildings, offices, laboratories or other areas (including restrooms) did you frequent? Is your office/work area currently secured? What activities were performed while on campus (lab work?, microscopy?, data analysis?, field work?, etc.)? Please list any and all VIMS personnel that you’ve been in close contact with over the past 14 days. With the developed response plan, notifications to individuals and affected building areas will be communicated by the VIMS Office of Safety and Environmental Programs. Here are some general ground rules: If a VIMS faculty member, staff member, or student has been tested, either voluntarily or as directed by a health care provider, they are to remain off campus until the test result is provided, and to notify the VIMS EMT. This would not include the prevalence or the large vessel fleet testing programs. If a VIMS faculty member, staff member, or student was to test positive for the COVID19 virus, that individual will require a release from a medical provider before returning to work and campus. If a VIMS faculty member, staff member, or student is caring for someone who has tested positive or showing signs of COVID-19 they should remain off campus due to possible exposure. Impacted areas will be closed and access restricted immediately for a minimum of 72 hours before the Advanced Cleaning Team will commence with decontamination activities. Based on the response plan, impacted areas may include offices, labs, building floors or the entire building. The above protocols have been exercised and has work well to date. Thank you for your cooperation, keep up the good work, stay well, and have a great weekend. Joe Martinez, Chair, VIMS EM
COVID Update: August 11, 2020 Dear VIMS Community, As we approach the beginning of the fall semester and phased expansion of on-campus operations, I write to provide several updates and to reiterate important information that has been previously conveyed to you. Please read this and send questions and concerns directly to me. Joe Martinez, Chair, VIMS EMT Committee Wearing Face Masks Wearing face masks is paramount in the success of containing and not spreading the coronavirus on our campus. Recently there have been reports that VIMSers are violating our mask policy that was conveyed in the Phased Expansion Plan. This is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The Healthy Together Community Commitment (see the link below) identifies the disciplinary action that could result for non-compliance. Face Masks are mandatory and will be worn: By faculty, staff, students, contract workers, and other campus visitors In all public spaces (entryways, hallways, elevators, restrooms, etc.) By students and faculty moving in and out of classrooms, and during class (yes, they can lift the mask to take a sip of water) By staff in open work areas even if physical distancing can be maintained; employees who move throughout the interior of buildings to perform their work must wear masks at all time All members of the community are not required to wear masks outdoors, as long as social distancing is maintained. When outdoors, masks should be readily available to pull up if you come in contact with others. Revised Phased Expansion Plan (dated July 22nd) Dr. Wells sent out the revised VIMS expansion plan more than a week ago. You can find the collapsible version and other pertinent information on the VIMS COVID site. W&M Healthy Community Commitment All members of the W&M and VIMS campus community will be asked to affirm their commitment to shared actions to mitigate risk of spreading COVID-19, to show care and concern for others, and, thereby, to support the university’s ability to succeed during these most challenging of times. Affirmation of the Healthy Together Community Commitment is required for anyone who will be living, learning, and working on campus this fall. Students will have an opportunity to review and affirm the Healthy Together Community Commitment through the Personal Information Questionnaire. Employees will receive a copy of the Healthy Together Community Commitment along with their PPE kits, and they will be asked to affirm the commitment as part of the required on-line COVID-19 training that will be made available by Human Resources via Cornerstone. Technology Apps COVIDwise is a smart phone application developed by the Virginia Department of Health for COVID-19 exposure notification.The Governor has recommended that all Virginians download this app. W&M’s tool, called the Daily Health Check, will be part of its Healthy Together module available via the university’s mobile application and website. The module includes several features to help users account for healthy habits and monitor their physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The free and open-source tool complies with all legal and privacy requirements; it was designed for any and all universities in the Commonwealth easily to adapt to their systems. Participation will be enforced for all members of the community. Students and employees will get a daily prompt, followed by a push reminder if they have not completed a daily check within 48 hours. If the check is not completed within 72 hours, additional measures will be taken to ensure compliance—some of the individual's W&M IT services may be temporarily frozen until they confirm they have completed the necessary steps. Learn more here. COVID Testing for Students and Employees On August 7th, Sam Jones sent an email titled: Required COVID-19 Testing for Employees. VIMS will be part of and participate in this testing program. The testing program consists of required testing for students and for certain employees (whose work requires them to be in close contact with others) before returning to campus prevalence testing, and “At Will” (voluntary) testing for employees. To date and specific to VIMS, VIMS students are scheduled to receive their tests and should return them immediately. To my knowledge, no employee was contacted to be tested prior to returning to campus. Once the semester begins, W&M will be engaging in ongoing (prevalence) testing that allows W&M (incl. VIMS) to see trends of COVID-19 within the community. These tests consider cross-samples of both students (@ 5% population) and employees (@ 2% population) to understand the extent to which we are seeing positive cases, or trends, of COVID-19. To facilitate our testing program, William & Mary (incl. VIMS) through its agreement with VCU Health System has partnered with Kallaco, a national lab network, for integrated testing. The Kallaco platform provides a quick, centralized way to check test results. To prepare for the faculty and staff testing process, all faculty and staff members should visit the Kallaco portal and activate an account. Those who have already been tested will receive their test results through the portal. To activate your account, enter your William & Mary employee email address, click forgot password, and follow the on-screen instructions to reset your password. Please note, Kallaco does not offer single sign-on at this time, so you must create a password unique to the Kallaco platform. Do not use your William & Mary password. If you are identified as an employee who must complete a COVID-19 test either in conjunction with the return to campus or as part of the prevalence testing, you will be notified by your supervisor and advised to contact the VCU Health Center in Williamsburg. You will not be expected to quarantine based on your participation in the required testing, although you will be expected to isolate if you develop symptoms or test positive. Required tests will be conducted at the VCU Health System clinic at 332 N. Henry Street in Williamsburg and shared with the university. This allows the university to respond quickly to any positive test result. As a reminder, you must report to your supervisor if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 through your health care provider or other testing programs. COVID Testing for Vessel Users VIMS Leadership has recently approved updated COVID Policies and Procedures for the larger VIMS vessels which include the RV's Tidewater, Bay Eagle, and Virginia. The revised document is available online. The new document requires a cruise participant to test negative within 4 days prior to boarding the vessel. VIMS has been working with W&M and their partnership agreement with VCUHS to support our testing requirements. Here are some specifics: VCUHS Testing Site – located near the main campus at 332 N. Henry Street, Williamsburg It is the responsibility of the PI or the Chief Scientist to schedule the date the test needs to be taken, for all members of the scientific party, in order to comply with the revised Vessel COVID Policies and Procedures and dependent on the cruise departure schedule. You should included alternates to protect against unforeseen circumstances. Test results, through the Kallaco portal, will be emailed to the individual employee. You will need to show the Vessel Captain your results before boarding. Scheduling can be done by contacting [[\|kemazzitti,Kathleen Mazzitti]]. Please provide 7 days advance notice of date for test taking. VIMS has reserved a total of 100 test kits at the test site dedicated for VIMS use in support of our vessel research program. To prepare for the testing process, all vessel users (faculty and staff members) should visit the Kallaco portal and activate an account. Those who have already been tested will receive their test results through the portal. To activate your account, enter your William & Mary employee email address, click forgot password, and follow the on-screen instructions to reset your password. Please note, Kallaco does not offer single sign-on at this time, so you must create a password unique to the Kallaco platform. Do not use your William & Mary password. PPE Update Student and employee welcome kits - Kits will include; 2oz personnel hand sanitizer bottle, 2 face masks, package of hand sanitizer wipes, and an COVID educational brochure. The kits were delivered to VIMS on August 7th. The Office of Academic Studies will distribute the kits to the students. Distribution of kits to employees is still being developed. All VIMS employees (faculty and staff) are required to complete and sign their Employee Acknowledgement form and submit to their respective Business Manager or Administrative Department Head. Unit heads will provide their complete Department/Center forms to the D/D Office. The D/D office will forward all VIMS forms to Human Resources. Face shields – VIMS has purchased face shields to use as added protection. Face shields are not to replace the requirement of wearing a face masks. If you would like a face shield, you can submit a request to Facilities. Thermometers – Facilities has purchased a few point and shoot thermometers for quick use during the normal business day. They will be tethered to the hand sanitizer stations that are distributed throughout the campus. If the facility does not have a sanitizer station, contact Mark Brabham in Facilities and a central location will be coordinated with the occupants. Please do not remove thermometers from these locations. Abrahamson House The Abrahamson House on the VIMS campus may be used under certain stipulations as listed below. Use at any given time will be exclusive to a single group of up to 4 external visitors sponsored by a VIMS employee. This is on a First-Come/First-Serve basis. The occupant(s) will be responsible for all cleaning, disinfecting, and housekeeping during their period of residence. There is no need to have a COVID test done immediately before travel to VIMS, unless individuals choose to do so because they will be working in a lab/office. VIMS-sponsored individuals are to make the reservations through the normal process of the EMS system. Instructions from Bobbie Dorety will follow on how to obtain the keys on arrival in a touchless and safe manner. Prior to arrival, Facilities will provide an ample number of sheets, towels, bathroom accessories, etc. for the duration of the stay. No housekeeping support or house entry will occur during the entire period. If additional supplies are necessary, arrangements can be made to drop off on the porch by Facilities. Guest are responsible for taking out their own trash. A dumpster and a recycle bin are located behind the Seawater Lab. The gate is open Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Facilities will handle the disinfecting of the house on departure. Bobbie Dorety will add 4 days of non-occupancy to the end of the reservation to allow for cleaning by Facilities. Please ensure that the occupant(s) bring face masks when arriving on campus. If by chance they forget, let Facilities know and we can provide one. HVAC modification Facilities Management has adjusted building HVAC systems wherever possible, increasing the amount of outside air being introduced into the buildings. FM has also increased the level and/or frequency of replacement of air filtration as possible. At this time, all systems meet or exceed their applicable code requirements. We are following the guidance provided by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Condition Engineers (ASHRAE) and the CDC, and we are working to implement the measures that are determined to be most beneficial to the Institutes faculty, staff, and students. Contractor/Vendor COVID Procedures VIMS and W&M have partnered to establish COVID procedures for contractor and vendors working on our campuses. These are available online.
Phased Expansion Follow-up: June 18, 2020 VIMS Community, On June 12th, Dr. Wells distributed the VIMS Phased Expansion Plan to the Campus Community. If you haven’t done so already, be reminded to take a moment to read the plan as it explains how campus operations, under a new normal, will be conducted. Other Institute messages can be found on the Messages page on our COVID-19 website. We have also formatted the Plan (including References) for easy reference at https://www.vims.edu/intranet/emergency_info/phased_expansion/index.php This plan is now (since June 15th) in effect and will be until further communication is sent out. Our Plan’s main relevance to the Governor's Phase Two expansion (Executive Order 65) is in the area of research in that it no longer considers only critical research but now includes other research that can done if health and safety requirements are met. I would like to point out just a few important highlights of the plan: All employees will be required to wear masks when walking through campus buildings and public spaces, shared spaces, during in-person meetings, and when the 6-foot physical distancing requirement cannot be met. We expect our community will join together in following this requirement and to remember that wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing will communicate the importance of protecting yourself and family, protecting your colleagues and neighbors, and more generally protecting VIMS in all of your day-to-day activities. Research and Advisory Services sponsored travel is permitted after review and approval by the Associate Dean of Research and Advisory Services on a case-by-case basis. Clarification for out-of-state travel is currently being sought by VIMS Administration. All laboratory groups and VIMS Centers must develop a written set of procedures that clearly spell out how they will meet or exceed the guidelines in the Plan, submit that document to the Associate Dean of Research and Advisory Services, and make it available to all members of the lab group. In addition, efforts are underway to post maximum occupancy limit signs for all classrooms, shared conferences rooms, elevators, and gathering spaces. In some cases these rooms have been rearranged to comply with social distancing requirements. Please continue to use [[v\|EMT]] to send questions and to report a suspected, presumed, or positive COVID-19 case to the VIMS Emergency Management Team. We have created an FAQ webpage for those questions received and responded to. We will continue to update this page as additional questions are received. Continue to check the FAQ page for further updates. Everyone stay safe and healthy, Joe Martinez, Chair, VIMS Emergency Management Team

ITNS

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Imoportant: New Zoom Securty Setting & Your Classrooms: January 27, 2021 All, As we start the new semester, a couple of more details on Zoom security. There are three security options in Zoom Pro (login to https://cwm.zoom.us): Passwords - This adds characters to the Zoom url making the session less prone to dive-bombing. The advantage is the participants don't need to do anything but join. If you have meetings already scheduled with a password they should work without modification with the new release. Authentication - More secure but everyone needs to be logged in at cwm.zoom.us to join. Not good if you have guests outside of W&M. Wait room - Also more secure but inconvenient for large groups. The official W&M IT Zoom support pages are here: https://www.wm.edu/offices/it/services/videoconferencing/zoom/index.php If you need help don't hesitate to open an ITNS ticket at https://ithelp.vims.edu Happy first day-of-Spring SMS! Gary
ITNS COVID Update: August 20, 2020 All, As we start the new semester this is a reminder that ITNS continues to operate remotely as much as possible during the pandemic and until further notice. Here are highlights of how these changes affect providing support for you: ITNS suite is closed to non-ITNS personnel. ITNS Staff are working remotely as much as possible. Contact with ITNS is by appointment only for pick-up/drop-off. Use https://ithelp.vims.edu to make an appointment. Drop off/pickup table is outside the ITNS suite doors. Please clean keyboards, mice, etc. before and after dropping off. The best way to get help is to submit all incidents and requests through the ITNS ServiceDesk portal, http://ithelp.vims.edu. We will prioritize and respond accordingly. If you are unable to submit through the portal, contact us through the temporary ITNS remote support number at 804-684-7999. Keep in mind our teleworking hours are 8-5, M-F. This modified support model will require some additional patience and planning on your part. As we have advised previously, prepare ahead of time and don't wait until the last minute to request our help. Should you call the above number and we determine it is not an emergency you may be asked to wait or submit a ticket. The link to the ITNS Connect Remotely page that includes instructions for using VPN, Zoom, Remote Desktop, etc. is https://www.vims.edu/itns/remoteresources We wish you all well and look forward to seeing everyone again when things get back to normal. Best, Gary
ITNS Onsite Support Coverage - COVID-19: April 3, 2020 All, In response to the Governor's COVID-19 stay at home order, ITNS is reducing our onsite support. Effective Monday, April 6, ITNS staff will no longer keep regular hours in Davis Hall. We intend to handle trouble calls and other support requests remotely by teleworking. For requests that require contact, we will schedule a time to meet with you in order to pick-up or drop off items onsite on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 8 a.m. and noon. The best way to get help is to submit all incidents and requests through the ITNS ServiceDesk portal, http://ithelp.vims.edu. We will prioritize and respond accordingly. If you are unable to submit through the portal, contact us through the temporary ITNS remote support number at 804-684-7999. Keep in mind our teleworking hours are 8-5, M-F. This modified support model will require some additional patience and planning on your part. As we have advised previously, prepare ahead of time and don't wait until the last minute to request our help. Should you call the above number and we determine it is not an emergency you may be asked to wait or submit a ticket. Here is the link to the ITNS Connect Remotely page that includes instructions for using VPN, Zoom, Remote Desktop, etc.: https://www.vims.edu/itns/remoteresources We wish you all well and look forward to seeing everyone again when things get back to normal. Best, Gary Anderson
Tips for Success using Remote Desktop: March 27, 2020 All, Since using Remote Desktop can be resource intensive on the workstation/laptop where you are sitting, here are a few tips to improve your experience: Close as many applications and windows as you can if they are not needed. Turn off system sound. Avoid other graphic intensive programs, streaming, Zoom, etc. Use a hardwire connection to your router (not WiFi). Minimize the number of other devices on your local network, smartphones, video gamers, etc. Be aware that your local Internet may see congestion during peak times of mid to late afternoon. These items have been added to the ITNS Connect Remotely resource page. Gary Anderson - CIO & Director, Information Technology
VIMS ITNS Support: March 20, 2020 All, In order to minimize exposure and support the VIMS Community as we work through this emergency, beginning today ITNS is going to reduced onsite staff with the remainder working remotely. In addition, we will no longer take walk-in customers without an appointment and the ITNS suite doors in Davis Hall will remain locked. The best way for you to get support from ITNS is to open a ticket on our service portal: http://ithelp.vims.edu. The portal is now open for off campus access so remote users can request support without using the VPN. Alternatively you can dial our extensions, we have all forwarded our office phones to our remote phone. Please reserve dialing only for emergency situations needing help. With reduced onsite staff we will need to prioritize our tickets so you may be asked to wait or leave a voicemail. Opening a ticket on the portal puts you in a queue that we will address in the order they come in. Some tips and tricks for remote work can be found at https://www.vims.edu/itns/remoteresources. It's important to only use VPN when you need it since it is a finite resource and we want to keep it open and available. Please log off when you’ve finished your session. Thank-you for your patience as we work through this challenging time. Wishing all good luck and good health! Gary Gary Anderson - CIO & Director, Information Technology Virginia Institute of Marine Science 804-684-7080

Facilities

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VIMS Campus Access: July 15, 2020 All, The campus remains open for VIMS personnel to conduct business as described in the Phased Expansion Plan published on June 12, 2020. Please be reminded of the following as you come to campus: As described in the Plan, VIMS remains closed to the public and all facilities are locked. If you have a key and choose to use it to bypass any lock on campus, it is your responsibility to be sure it remains locked after you have passed through. The Boat Basin is locked 24/7 and it is the responsibility of the individual passing through to return the gate to its locked condition. Watermen’s Hall Visitor Center exterior doors remain unlocked during business hours due to code restrictions. For after-hours or weekend access, contact VIMS Security at ext. 7300 or 804-694-7300 to request access. The officer will request to review the individuals' W&M-issued identification card prior to providing access. All requirements of the Phased Expansion Plan will be adhered to regardless of the time of day, location, or individual. Please be aware of the following: After-hours or weekend access is restricted to VIMS personnel only. This includes all of campus buildings and grounds. VIMS beaches are included in this restriction. Spouse, dependents, and significant others of VIMS personnel will be allowed access and may remain on campus only when in the company of VIMS personnel. Anyone that is not considered immediate family will not be granted access. If you have any issues with access, please submit a work order or call FM at 7300. Thank you, Mark Brabham
VIMS COVID-19 Materials and Ordering Process Update: May 29, 2020 W&M has established a centralized staging warehouse of PPE equipment and materials that are related to the COVID-19 pandemic. VIMS has agreed to keep select materials on our campus which will be stored and distributed by VIMS FM. Standard PPE’s related to research tasks will continue to be the responsibility of the associated Center or Department. W&M is not fully stocked at this time as venders continue to be over ran with orders and are shipping as much as possible. Items that will be available include: Cloth Masks (limited 2 per VIMS staff member)The cloth masks are available for immediate delivery (options are shown in the attached). Personal -oz hand sanitizer dispensers Quart sized hand sanitizer containers for refilling the personal dispensers (awaiting delivery) 1 oz Sanitizer Dispensers and refill quarts will be available when additional sanitizer is delivered. Bottle pumps and pump dispensers have become very difficult to obtain. If you have an existing sanitizer container with a pump dispenser, please do not discard. Hand sanitizer will be provided to refill the container. You may provide any unwanted pump dispensers to VIMS FM for reuse. Disinfectant wipes (Currently sold out) Disinfectant wipes are in high demand and the market is struggling to keep up. VIMS has a very limited inventory and will supply them on an as needed basis. Alternate disinfecting materials are being procured as possible. Ordering process: Each Center or Departments responsible Business Manager will provide a consolidated count of those employees that would like to be provided two masks or personal hand sanitizer dispenser. Email this count and the single location to deliver them to tjtornari@vims.edu. VIMS FM personnel will deliver them as supplies are available. Mask options are shown in the attached file and can be delivered immediately. Dispensers will be delivered as sanitizer becomes available. As other opportunities are provided, we will send updates of their availabilities. Please also take note that the public hand sanitizing stations are available and we have added more. Following are the current locations. Davis Hall (First and Second floors) Watermen’s Hall (Lobby and Administrative Area) CBH (Lobby) Andrews Hall (Bottom Floor Lobby) FSL (Southeast Entrance) Boat Basin (Dive Locker) Thank you, Mark Brabham
Housekeeping Services Adjustment: March 27, 2020 Housekeeping will be reducing services throughout the campus until further notice. We will only be entering labs and offices on an as needed basis. Please place waste baskets in the hallway if you would like them to be emptied. We will continue to service public areas (hallways, lobbies, restrooms, breakrooms, etc.) and will continue to concentrate on high trafficked/touched areas. If you have any issues that require further detailing, please submit a work order at https://www.vims.edu/intranet/facilities_management/index.php or call FM at 7300. Thank you, Mark Brabham
Boat Basin Access Further Restricted: March 27, 2020 Beginning at close of business today the Boat Basin will remain locked until further notice. If you have a key and choose to use it to bypass any lock on campus, it is your responsibility to be sure the lock is secured after you have passed through. Thank you, Mark
Campus Wide Card Access Update: March 20, 2020 Beginning Monday (3/23), we will be expanding our lockdown practice. Watermen’s Hall will be the only building unlocked on a standard work day. All other facilities on campus will be locked and remain locked until further notice. If you have any issues with your current keys or card access, please submit a work order or call Facilities Management at extension #7300. If you need a key made for a specific building, please provide an approved key request form. The approved form can be emailed to [[v\|mrogers,Mark Rogers]] or [[v\|mbrabham,Mark Brabham]] for processing. We will send an email when the key is ready to schedule retrieval. Thank you, Mark Brabham
Campus Wide Card Access Schedule Change: March 17, 2020 All, Beginning this evening at 5PM, the card access controlled doors on campus will revert to a locked condition 24/7. Please remember to keep your ID cards on you at all times for access to those buildings and areas. This will be in effect until further notice. If you have any issues with access, please submit a work order at https://www.vims.edu/intranet/facilities_management/index.php or call FM at 7300. Thank you, Mark Brabham

Hargis Library

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Library COVID Update: August 21, 2020\ Hello everyone, For the fall semester, some details and operational items for you as we open up: Hours and Access Hours: The library will be open from 7am-5pm Monday-Friday for the fall semester. I will be on campus Tuesday and Thursdays, working remotely otherwise. Do get in touch by email for assistance or to have a zoom session. Entrance and Exit: Use the lower entrance that faces the York River to enter and exit the building. The entrance is located down the steps from the Watermen’s Hall flagpole, off the circle. Those needing the elevator should use a main floor entrance. Evening and Weekend Access: contact Security to access Waterman’s and the library. Visitors: For the health and safety of the campus community, only current VIMS students, faculty and staff may enter the library. While in the Library Face Coverings: As with all areas on campus, face coverings must be worn at all times in all areas of the library, including the study rooms. If you forget your mask, spare masks are available in the VIMS lobby at the reception desk. Physical Distancing: All individuals must maintain a physical distance of six feet from each other at all times. Food & Drink: Please eat outside the library to keep it as safe and sanitary as possible. The Galley is an option in bad weather. Drinks are permitted in secured containers, masks must be replaced immediately. Open study areas, study rooms, and public computers: Our open study areas are spaced to make sure desks and chairs are six feet apart. Please do not shift things closer. The study rooms are available, but the occupancy limits are 4 people per room and physical spacing requirement must be observed. You are required to wear your mask while in the study rooms and open study areas, even if you're alone. Restrooms: Use the restrooms adjacent to the library entrance. Cleaning Supplies: Cleaning supplies will be available in the library at the computer desk area. You should clean table tops, arm rests, computer keyboards and any other high touch surfaces before and after use to ensure your safety. Services Book Loans: Use the sign out sheets at the front desk when the library is not staffed; otherwise in person transactions (Tues/Thurs.) You can now return any items you had out on loan. Use the slot in the front desk to put items in the book drop. Intercampus Deliveries: On Thursdays. Request items from other campus libraries using the Request tab in the catalog. You must be signed in for this to show. You will be notified by Carol when your item has arrived. Click and Collect: You can still request items in the Hargis collection to be pulled and set up for pickup from the book cart at the entrance of the library. Use the Request tab in the catalog to set this up. Interlibrary Loans (ILL): for items not in our collections. ILL services continue to be available for items that can be provided digitally, you can still request articles and book chapters. New users must register first. Need a book? They will check to see if a digital copy is available, requests for physical items are not yet being handled. If you currently have an item on loan from ILL, please return it. Get in touch if you have any questions. Hope to see you on site or via Zoom! Carol
Summer Library Access: June 12, 2020 Hi everyone, Over the summer period Hargis Library will continue to be closed for daily use. In order to more fully support your research activities, and enable access to print resources from the university collections, pick-up of books will be available at Hargis Library on Thursdays from 1-4 pm starting June 18th. You will be able to request items from the VIMS and main campus libraries by using the REQUEST function in the catalog database. Simply log in to your library account at https://libraries.wm.edu, or from Hargis Library website -> renew books link & sign in, search the library catalog, select your item and click request. Select Hargis Library as the pickup location, or Swem, if that’s where you wish to pick-up items You will be notified by email when your items are ready Collect items: From Hargis Library front entrance – Thursdays 1-4 pm From Swem front lobby – Monday – Friday 10 - 2pm. Please observe distancing measures, wear a mask and bring your W&M ID Note that selecting Swem for a pickup location will not speed things up; Hargis books will only be transferred one day a week – on Thursdays. Any book returns should be placed in the book drop (slot under the counter) at the front desk. Also, if you need an article or book chapter scanned from the Hargis collection, please [[v\|coughlin,email me]] by noon on Wednesdays. Regards, Carol Coughlin
Connecting to Journals from off Campus: March 27, 2020 Hi all, In case you haven’t already set this up— Getting W&M Libraries Resources when using Google Scholar (eliminate the need to be on VPN): You can set Google Scholar up to automatically link to W&M Libraries databases for any articles we have access to. No need for VPN, just follow the steps shown here: https://guides.libraries.wm.edu/google-scholar/off-campus W&M ;Libraries have lots of digital materials available for you: W&M Libraries Resources to Support Teaching & Learning During the COVID-19 Outbreak : https://guides.libraries.wm.edu/remote Note the following areas: Free Resources from library vendorsChronicle of Higher Education Films on Demand JoVE ( Journal of Visualized Experiments) Kanopy Streaming Video Many COVID related resources Keep up to date with access to the New York Times \| Washington Post \| Wall Street Journal - info on making your accounts here https://guides.libraries.wm.edu/remote/newspapers LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) – video courses and tutorials. https://www.linkedin.com/checkpoint/enterprise/login/51086953?application=learning Renew Books Online: just log into Your Library Account or use the Quick Link from the Hargis website. You will see your active loans displayed on the Loans section. Look for the title you need to renew and click renew. You can also renew all your active loans by selecting Renew All. Please keep the library materials you have checked out until further notice. Keep well, Carol Coughlin
VIMS Library Update: March 20, 2020 In conjunction with W&M Libraries closures and social-distancing measures, Hargis Library is closed as of March 20th. Carol Coughlin will be working remotely; feel free to [[v\|coughlin,contact her by email]] for assistance or to plan a zoom session. Interlibrary Loan (ILL): for items not in our collections ILL services continue to be available for items that can be provided digitally, you can still request articles and book chapters. New users must register first Need a book? They will check to see if a digital copy is available, physical items will not be requested. If you currently have an item on loan from ILL, keep the book until further notice. Intercampus delivery is not available at this time If you have a book on loan from Hargis Library or other W&M Libraries, keep hold of it until further notice. All pending due dates have been pushed to May. For those working on the VIMS campus: If you have key access to the library, you may get a needed book. Be sure to fill out the loan form on the desk as usual practice. Make sure the library is locked when you depart; if you have problems, contact Security. If you need an article from one of the bound journals, make a request via ILL and they will send a .pdf copy to you. If you have questions about items, [[v\|coughlin,Email Carol Coughlin]]. Employee Checkout/Sign-in forms: [[v\|coughlin,Email Carol Coughlin]] for clearance/confirmation of sign-in Contribution numbers: [[v\|coughlin,Email Carol Coughlin]] W&M Libraries Resources to Support Teaching & Learning during the COVID-19 Outbreak : https://guides.libraries.wm.edu/remote Note these free resources from library vendors Chronicle of Higher Education Films on Demand JoVE ( Journal of Visualized Experiments) Kanopy Streaming Video Many COVID related resources Keep up to date with access to the New York Times \| Washington Post \| Wall Street Journal - info on making your accounts here https://guides.libraries.wm.edu/remote/newspapers LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) – video courses and tutorials. https://www.linkedin.com/checkpoint/enterprise/login/51086953?application=learning And for those new to ZOOM: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/learning-zoom/stay-connected-with-zoom-meetings?u=51086953

SMS

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Approval required for student research during COVID-19: May 28, 2020 Dear all, I am sending this email to remind everyone again that my approval is required before a graduate student may participate in critical research or training. My original email on this matter, dated April 13, 2020, is below. An email, submitted anonymously through the W&M COVID-19 FAQS website earlier this week, suggested that faculty at VIMS are forcing students to continue work as normal and that I am taking a lax approach to protecting student health and interests. The individual represented themselves as a VIMS graduate student and urged main campus administration to step in to investigate how the situation is being handled at VIMS. For background, the VIMS critical research guidelines were developed in close coordination with, and the full support of, W&M’s Vice Provost for Research & Graduate/Professional Studies, the top administrator for research activities at W&M and a member of President Rowe’s cabinet. My addendum was designed to add an extra protective layer of review for students. When I determine that plans for student research or training go beyond “will be working in the lab alone,” this review step allows us to require modifications that will improve the plan. As with all of the planning and review going on during this challenging time, VIMS administration, VIMS EMT and department chairs and center directors are working together to address questions that don’t have easy answers, and situations that require new solutions. Discussions with faculty advisors and students are important and integral parts of the process of tailoring solutions for individual student research and training scenarios. We can improve research safety for individuals and for the VIMS community overall, but only when we have the opportunity to engage. Best, Linda Schaffner
Addendum to Critical Research Guidelines: April 13, 2020 To VIMS faculty and students: This is an addendum to the Critical Research guidance memo Associate Dean of Research and Advisory Service Mark Luckenbach sent on April 5, 2020. Effective today, April 13, 2020: Continuation of graduate training that cannot be conducted at a later date and the initiation or continuation of experiments that are essential for meeting graduate student milestones must have the approval of the Associate Dean of Academic Studies. Approval is now also required for the initiation or continuation of field work for thesis or dissertation research. Faculty are responsible for seeking approval for graduate training. Students are responsible for seeking approval for the initiation or continuation of experiments or field research that are essential for meeting milestones. Requests should be sent directly to Linda Schaffner and should include a brief statement of the rationale for continuation of training or the initiation or continuation of experiments or field research, the names of students involved, and the inclusive dates for the activity. Linda Schaffner
Academic Studies Update for Students: March 18, 2020 Dear VIMS Students, With the university’s academic and business operations continuity plans evolving, we want to update you on our plans for day-to-day operations in the Office of Academic Studies. Your well-being and the well-being of our entire community is our greatest concern, and supporting you in these unusual circumstances is one of our highest priorities. Graduate Program Town Hall – Friday March 20, 2020 @ 2 pm The spring town hall scheduled for this Friday will be held via Zoom. Dean & Director Wells will join us, Joe Martinez will join in to provide updates on the general VIMS policies for security on campus and Academic Council Chair Mark Brush will attend to help answer any questions you may have about the academic program continuity plan. Information on how to connect will be sent before the meeting. If you would like to submit questions in advance of the Town Hall, please use this link. Office of Academic Studies Schedule - Staff Availability for March 17 to April 3 Office of Academic Studies (physical location) will be staffed on a reduced schedule effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020 through April 3, 2020. We will all be available by email and Jen Hay and John Griffin will be available by phone, 8 am - 5 pm on business days. Jen can be reached at 804-684-7106 and John can be reached at 804-684-7256. Cathy Cake will be in the office on a very limited schedule. We will all be available for face-to-face appointments via Zoom. If you would like an appointment, contact us via email to arrange a time. Exemption from in-person participation in defenses, comps, quals, etc. We are in the process of working out details for remote participation by students and committee members for pre-qualifying exams, comprehensive exams, qualifying exams, and thesis or dissertation defenses. It will take a little more time to generate a fully executable plan, but we hope to have a plan out by early next week. Forms and Signatures Virtually all of the School of Marine Science forms can be digitally signed and submitted electronically. Please remember that Adobe is the preferred platform and digital (e-signatures) are preferred when forms can be routed electronically to committee members. If you cannot e-sign the form, scanned forms with handwritten signatures will also be accepted. If you do not have immediate access to a scanner, you may initially submit a photo of your signed form via email but a scan or hard copy of the original form should be submitted as a follow up action. Please submit all forms directly to [[registrar]]. We urge you to keep copies of all forms for your own records. Research As of March 18^th, VIMS and W&M are still open, and we will be maintaining normal operations within the health and safety recommendations identified by the CDC, VDH, and posted on the W&M website for information on COVID-19. As noted by Dean & Director Wells in the email he sent to the VIMS community a few minutes ago, faculty should be considering how to wind-down research should we face a broader shutdown. It is important that you discuss with your advisor how best to fulfill your research assistantship obligations and also discuss with them a contingency plan for thesis or dissertation research plans should VIMS need to close. Teaching The move to remote instruction poses many challenges to anyone in a teaching role, including graduate students. TAs should work closely with their instructor of record to determine what their role will be. Both TAs and Teaching Fellows (those teaching their own course as instructor of record) should familiarize themselves with this online resource developed by the Studio for Teaching and Learning Innovation (STLI) that is intended to help you transition to remote instruction. If a TA has any questions or concerns, please contact Linda Schaffner for graduate courses, or John Graves for undergraduate courses (Teaching Fellows and TAs) Cancellations In accordance with the university’s decisions, university sponsored events are cancelled through April 3^rd. These cancellations include the GSA Café, Scientist Walks into a Bar, Grad Bash, and Diversity Week. We understand that this is disappointing but we appreciate your resilience and patience. Services Across Campus While W&M and VIMS remain open for normal business operations at this time, all offices are closed to the public as of March 18^th. The following support services are continuing: Health Center – William & Mary’s Health Center will remain open, but students are strongly encouraged to call 757-221-4386 for appointments. The Health Center’s hours and services can be found online though this link. Counseling Services – Dr. Haygood-Jackson will continue to meet with the VIMS community by offering her counseling services over the phone. Appointments can be scheduled by calling her confidential number: 757-367-9137. Dr. Haygood-Jackson will originate the calls at the start of your scheduled appointment time. W&M’s Counseling Center is not taking any in-person appointments but you can call 757-221-3620 for further information or support. The W&M Recreation Center is closed to all activity. We encourage you to get some sunshine and exercise closer to home. In addition, it is important that you keep up to date on information by reading emails from Sam Jones, President Rowe, Vice President Ginger Ambler/Student Affairs and VIMS Dean & Director John Wells. Academic Digest We will continue to update you on important information and upcoming deadlines for the School of Marine Science through the Academic Digest that is sent out on Tuesday mornings. Student Check-In Plan We encourage you to regularly check-in with lab mates and friends during this unusual time of social distancing and telework arrangements. In Academic Studies we are framing this disruption as a great opportunity to explore new ways to do our work and stay connected. We encourage you to think about ways you can stay connected with other students in your department or in smaller groups. If you have any questions or concerns, feel uncertain about how the unfolding events will affect your academic program, or feel isolated in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out to one of us in the Office of Academic Studies. Please take care of yourselves and each other. Linda, Jen, John and Cathy, Office of Academic Studies

Miscellaneous

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Temporary Personnel Actions: June 16, 2020 Dear Colleagues, We write to you today as the leadership of the Faculty, Staff, and Professional Assemblies to ensure clear communication and transparency to each employee at William & Mary during this time of uncertainty. Earlier today, the Board of Visitors (BOV) passed a resolution authorizing, if necessary, temporary personnel actions in the coming year. Prior to this resolution, the university had no existing policy on temporary actions like furloughs or salary reductions; the available personnel options were essentially limited to permanent actions such as layoffs. The BOV action provides additional, more flexible tools should they be required in FY21. A furlough is a temporary leave from work without pay. It can be granted intermittently (e.g., one day per week or month) or for a period of time over consecutive weeks or months. During a furlough, employees retain some benefits, most notably health and life insurance. A temporary salary reduction is a reduction in pay for a specified time period. President Rowe called Assembly leadership into these conversations in advance of this action and has committed to continue engaging with us throughout the year. We support the university having the tools to sustain our workforce to the extent possible and affirm the following principles that would guide action: William & Mary’s core learning mission will be preserved. If necessary, the university will look first to temporary actions (e.g., furloughs and salary reductions), not permanent ones (e.g., layoffs). Senior university leaders will be the first impacted. In university-wide actions, we will seek to protect our lowest-paid employees (e.g., those making less than $50,000 annually) to the extent possible. Temporary actions will not exceed 20% of a person's salary. As states open back up, it is important to remember that the full economic impact to higher education will not be fully realized until months from now. President Rowe and her Executive Leadership Team have committed to transparency as difficult decisions are made. We commit, as your elected representatives, to hear your voices and advocate for you, particularly in the coming year. We recognize you have received this message multiple times today, but we believe it’s important in these uncertain times that you know your Assembly is working hard for you. Signed, Thomas Ward, Faculty Assembly President David Armstrong, Faculty Assembly President-Elect Arielle Newby, Staff Assembly President Robin Hollenbeck, Staff Assembly Vice President Joe Wheeless, Professionals & Professional Faculty Assembly President Mariellynn Maurer, Professionals & Professional Faculty Assembly President-Elect Joe Wheeless, President Professionals & Professional Faculty Assembly William & Mary [[jwwheeless]] 757-221-3485 (call me directly – W&M line is being forwarded) Schedule a meeting or phone call with me using bookings and we will set up either a call OR a Zoom connection
Critical Research and Associated Risk: April 5, 2020 I appreciate the patience and cooperation that you have shown over the past few weeks as we have developed guidelines for how we can conduct our research under the changing pandemic conditions, especially under the Governor’s Executive Order 55 that was issued on March 30. Developed in coordination with W&M leadership, the following are the general guidelines for defining critical research activities. Critical research activities that may be performed on our campuses, aboard our vessels, and in the field must meet one or more of the criteria listed below. Maintenance of research animals and cultures (algae, microbial, or tissue) of special significance Continuity of valuable, time-sensitive information and products that supports VIMS advisory mandates to VA state agencies and industries Continuation of vitally important experiments and graduate training that cannot be conducted at a later date Maintenance of sensitive lab equipment Periodic maintenance of valuable field equipment and important sampling of ongoing field experiments Processing of highly valuable samples that would otherwise be lost Initiation of new experiments that cannot be conducted at a later time Research activities not permitted on VIMS campuses, aboard our vessels, or in the field while we are under a stay-at-home directive include: work that can be done from home, work solely for the purpose of meeting grant deliverables timelines [many granting agencies have already signaled liberal policies in this regard], and routine processing of preserved samples that are not urgent. This list of critical research activities expands the one provided by Dean and Director Wells in his April 3rd email to the VIMS community. The above is a list of attributes of critical research activities only, not a listing of which specific projects can go forward. If you have any questions about whether the work that you are proposing meets one or more of these criteria, [[luck, contact me to discuss your plans]]. All research activities must comply with the distancing requirements in the Governors order—maintaining a minimum of 6 feet distance between people at all times. An unfortunate consequence of this distancing requirement is that research aboard our large vessels (R/V Virginia, R/V Bay Eagle and R/V Tidewater) have been suspended until June 10. Additionally, we expect everyone to develop plans that go above and beyond these requirements (e.g., isolating individual work stations where possible, adopting extra cleaning efforts, etc.). While we have managed to achieve a rather liberal definition of “critical” research that should enable us to sustain our research and keep most graduate students on track to meet their milestones, this is not a green light to resume most of our research activities. We must be driven first and foremost by safety concerns. I trust that you will all be extra vigilant about meeting distancing requirements and making your activities as safe as possible for yourself and others in your research group. As Dean and Director Wells communicated on April 3rd, “technical staff and students are not required to work in labs or in the field if they do not feel safe doing so” and if needed should contact the appropriate person in the VIMS administration to discuss their concerns. There is a very important additional issue that we must consider here. It is likely that additional people at VIMS will show some symptoms over the next couple of months that cause them to either to self-isolate or to be instructed by their physician to isolate. There is also a growing likelihood that someone at VIMS will test positive for COVID-19. Under those circumstances any building on campus could be subject to our Operational Protocol for Potential COVID-19 Contamination, which calls for closing potentially impacted spaces for a minimum of 72 hours before sending in an Advanced Cleaning Team. Should there be a positive test, the VA Health Department would become involved, contacting others with exposure to this person and directing them to self-quarantine for 14 days. As recently seen in Chesapeake Bay Hall, even a suspected case can shut down a whole floor of a building for several days, impacting other programs and potentially resulting in the complete loss of animals, cultures, experiments and samples. This can be a big challenge for us to manage because once it goes to a potential contamination situation you do not have any avenue to appeal for access. The potentially affected spaces are closed for several days. The likelihood of these closures increases with the number of people that are in our buildings, not just your laboratory. To manage this challenge effectively, we must absolutely minimize the number of people who are in our buildings, the amount of time that they are there, and the places that they go. We must all expand our thinking beyond just the risk-benefit calculation for our immediate research group and think about our colleagues and the campus as a whole. A faculty member, staff member, or student may say that she/he feels perfectly safe working in the lab, but if that person later exhibits symptoms or tests positive, then we must shut down all or a part of the building for others for several days. Given that individuals can spread the virus before becoming symptomatic, we all need to be mindful that we could unwittingly be a vector. I encourage you to look carefully at the list above and not simply ask, “how much of my program can I keep active?” but also the more critical question, “what work can I possibly put on hold for the next couple of months?” If we all take this seriously by minimizing the number of people that come to our campuses at any time, minimizing the places that those people go, and all of us minimizing our exposure in our daily lives, we can get through this safely and maintain a reasonable level of productivity. Mark Luckenbach (download as pdf)
Status of News & Media Services: March 23, 2020 Dear all, During the coronavirus closure, the News & Media Services office will be available to complete requests for routine services as follows: Media Services (Printing, lamination, binding, graphic design, business cards, etc.) Sue Stein will be in the office 2 days a week for several hours to fulfill these requests. Otherwise, she will be working remotely from home. To promote social distancing, Sue will leave all completed work in the hallway outside of Suite 126 in Davis Hall so individuals can pick up their jobs at their convenience and not only when she is in the office. This week, Sue will be in the office on Monday from 1-5 pm, and on Thursday 10 am-3 pm. Please [[v\|sstein,email her]] with your printing needs, new design requests, and other work that she routinely does for you. Sue will email you when completed work is ready to pick up. Cascade Web Management We are close to filling our vacant webmaster position, but in the meantime I ask that you continue to contact me (Dave Malmquist) [[v\|davem,via email]] with any routine web additions or updates. I also encourage you to visit our COVID-19 web hub for updates and archived information regarding the VIMS response: https://www.vims.edu/intranet/emergency_info/index.php News & Social Media Please contact me if you have a story concerning how the coronavirus has impacted your research, or if you’d like to share any novel approaches to maintaining your research, educational, or advisory activities in ways that enhance physical and mental health, whether individually or for the broader VIMS community and our social-media audience. As always, please continue to inform me of any contacts you have with the media, concerning the coronavirus or otherwise. We wish you all well. David Malmquist, News & Media Director
VIMS OSP Support: March 19, 2020 Dear VIMS community, In accordance with directives from President Katherine Rowe and Dean John Wells, members of the Office of Sponsored Programs are expected, to the greatest extent possible, to work remotely and practice social distancing. Until further notice, you can reach any of us during regular business hours (8:00 am – 5:00 pm) using the contact information below. Connie Motley: motley@vims.edu or ext. 7027 Valerie Woodard: vwoodard@vims.edu or ext. 7003 Kimberly Johns: kjjohns@vims.edu or ext. 7026 Jim Gregory: jkgregory@vims.edu or ext. 7028 Adrienne Washington: arwashington@vims.edu or ext. 7798 Benita Debreaux: badebreaux@vims.edu or ext. 7029 Azizi Parker: acparker@vims.edu or ext. 7797 Central email: osp@vims.edu Thank you for your understanding and flexibility during this difficult time. I wish you all well. Connie M. Motley, Director of Sponsored Programs
Marine Science Day and Digital Outreach: March 19, 2020 Hello VIMS community As the situation with the COVID-19 outbreak continues to unfold and we all shift toward working from home and social distancing as our new normal, Advancement has been thinking differently about the modes of delivery for VIMS outreach programs. Not knowing when this outbreak may subside, we have canceled all in-person outreach programs on and off-campus through the end of May, and we are strengthening our digital outreach strategy overall through summer. I am writing to share what we have planned and to outline three ways to help. What’s coming up:Marine Science Day will move to a set of curated, online experiences presented in a day-long, digital event format. This Marine Science Day will be filled with online resources, livestreams, and recorded videos of lab tours, demonstrations, and talks. We are excited about the opportunities this creates for VIMS including: Reaching a different and wider audience unconstrained by geography Growing VIMS’ presence and visibility beyond our local and regional base Generating new content that can be used and re-used online for multiple purposes in the future Learning from this experiment in digital content delivery so that future Marine Science Days can always have both in-person and digital components We are currently working on the plan for Marine Science Day and will be providing more information soon. Over the next few weeks, Candice Vinson and I we will be reaching out to those of you that already signed up to host an exhibit or activity during MSD to talk about how we might present your information digitally. If you did not originally sign up to host an activity during MSD, but would now like to be involved in the digital format, please let us know. We are also beginning execution of a digital outreach strategy to carry us through the summer: We are converting some of our in-person events to online events – such as After Hours lectures and the Discovery Labs offered by CBNERR. We are developing content that can be delivered regularly via our social media platforms – such as Fast Talk Fridays, a series of recorded 5-min talks delivered via Facebook, and Virtual VIMS, a series of recorded laboratory tours or demonstrations that provide a behind the scenes look at VIMS. How you can help: VIMS has always excelled at welcoming the public into its labs through in-person tours and lectures. Now, we need your help identifying and creating content that will give the public a behind the scenes view into our work via videos of no more than 5 minutes. Do you have a fun way to demonstrate your research or a process that takes place in the marine environment? How do you feed your research animals or keep your algae cultures alive? Do you have videos of zooplankton or larval oysters swimming in a petri dish or on a slide? Do you have videos from previous research cruises or field studies? If you have an idea, but are not sure about it or how to provide it digitally, let us know and we can help you think it through. Keep an eye on VIMS’ social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn) over the next few weeks and like and share our content on your own social media channels. Often, this content will link back to the VIMS website or to another platform like YouTube so you can also send links out to people you think would be interested even if they are not on social media. This will greatly help expand our reach. Get started now: This morning, CBNERR posted a story time and demonstration on their Facebook page that highlighted the importance of wetlands. www.facebook.com/CBNERRV As we are working remotely, if you have questions or ideas please email them to Candice or me and we can set up a zoom session to talk about them more in-depth. Thank you all and take care! We look forward to your creative input. Sally Brooks, Outreach Coordinator

Latest University-wide Messaging

VIMS Dean & Director's Messages

Change to Mask Policy: March 1, 2022

COVID-19: University-wide Information and Resources: January 18, 2022

COVID-19 Update: September 8, 2021

Important Message to the VIMS Community: January 19, 2021

SCHEV-Approved Reopening Plan: July 29, 2020

Important Document on Phased Expansion: June 12, 2020

Planning Ahead at VIMS: June 5, 2020

State-Level Updates: May 1, 2020

Important Message re Temporary Closure of CBH: April 3, 2020

VIMS COVID-19 Update 4: March 25, 2020

VIMS COVID-19 Update 3: March 16, 2020

VIMS COVID-19 Update 2: March 12, 2020

VIMS COVID-19 Update 1: March 10, 2020

VIMS-Specific Messaging

COO/COVID Director Joe Martinez

COVID Update: August 9, 2022

Updates on COVID-19 protocols (VIMS): January 20, 2022

COVID update: January 12, 2022

Announcing COVID-19 Booster Requirement and Updated Q&I Guidelines: January 3, 2022

Vaccine Booster Shots: October 26, 2021

Weekly Mandatory Testing: August 20, 2021

Masking Policy for the Start of the Semster: August 9, 2021

Update: COVID-19 Vaccines Required for Fall: August 2, 2021

COVID Updates: July 12, 2021

Travel Reinstated to Pre-Pandemic Travel Policy

Return to Work Policy

Phase II – June 6-July 15, 2021: campus open for employees / remote learning / phased opening to public

Phase III – July 16-September 1, 2021: begin to return to in-person

Phase IV – Fall Semester 2021:

Phase V: Spring Semester 2022.

Masks

Vaccine Requirements and Prevalence Testing Requirements

If You Are Fully Vaccinated

If You Are Not Yet Fully Vaccinated

In person meetings

Social Gathering Limits

Building Access

New Travel & Masking Policies: June 22, 2021

Revision to Vessel Response Plan (COVID Protocols): June 7, 2021

Masking Policy at VIMS: May 27, 2021

Revision to Planned for Phased Expansion of On-Campus Operations, dated Jan 18,2021: May 10, 2021

VIMS Vaccine Update : May 4, 2021

HAVE YOU BEEN VACCINATED? : April 1, 2021

VIMS COVID-19 Vaccine Survey: February 16, 2021

COVID Update: February 8, 2021

Positive Test, VIMS Protocols: September 14, 2020

COVID Update: August 11, 2020

Revised Phased Expansion Plan (dated July 22nd)

W&M Healthy Community Commitment

Technology Apps

COVID Testing for Students and Employees

COVID Testing for Vessel Users

PPE Update

Abrahamson House

HVAC modification

Contractor/Vendor COVID Procedures

Phased Expansion Follow-up: June 18, 2020

ITNS

Imoportant: New Zoom Securty Setting & Your Classrooms: January 27, 2021

ITNS COVID Update: August 20, 2020

ITNS Onsite Support Coverage - COVID-19: April 3, 2020

Tips for Success using Remote Desktop: March 27, 2020

VIMS ITNS Support: March 20, 2020

Facilities

VIMS Campus Access: July 15, 2020

VIMS COVID-19 Materials and Ordering Process Update: May 29, 2020

Housekeeping Services Adjustment: March 27, 2020

Boat Basin Access Further Restricted: March 27, 2020

Campus Wide Card Access Update: March 20, 2020

Campus Wide Card Access Schedule Change: March 17, 2020

Hargis Library

Library COVID Update: August 21, 2020\

Hours and Access

While in the Library

Services

Summer Library Access: June 12, 2020

Connecting to Journals from off Campus: March 27, 2020

VIMS Library Update: March 20, 2020