A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff
Chief of Staff and Professor of History and American Studies Jeffrey W. McClurken
UMW Chief of Staff and Professor of History and American Studies Jeffrey McClurken has been appointed to the Board of Regents of the James Monroe Law Office Museum and Memorial Library by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Read more.
UMW Chief of Staff and Professor of History and American Studies Jeffrey W. McClurken and Professor of Historic Preservation Cristina Turdean of Fredericksburg have been appointed by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin to serve on the James Monroe Law Office – Museum and Memorial Library – Board of Regents. “Today I am announcing a new group of appointees to serve the citizens of Virginia by working in my administration and on boards throughout state government,” Gov. Youngkin said in the release. “I look forward to the great work these dedicated individuals will do for the commonwealth.”
UMW Museums Executive Director Scott Harris said the board “provides advice to the [UMW] Board of Visitors on the operation of the museum, on policy issues related to the museum, and on the best ways in which the museum can promote and publicize the life and accomplishments of President James Monroe.”
UMW’s Chief of Staff and Professor of History and American Studies Dr. Jeffrey W. McClurken
UMW Chief of Staff Jeffrey McClurken will join an eight-member panel for a discussion titled “Distill It: Getting to the Bottom of the Barrel and the Issues Facing Our Region’s Businesses,” hosted by the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce. The event, meant to uncover issues facing the region’s largest and most successful organizations, will take place at A. Smith Bowman Distillery on Sept. 14, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets – including a drink, appetizers, music and more – cost $30 for Chamber members and $45 for future member. Registration is required.
To all Faculty and Staff:
We made it through the first week of classes! It has been great to see students back on campus, classes starting up again, and all that comes with the start of the fall semester. Of course, it hasn’t been without its bumps and so we want to make sure everyone has the most up-to-date information. [Please read through to the end. There is lots of important information here.]
Jeff and Dave, on behalf of the Public Health Advisory Working Group
After a quiet summer, our campuses are ready to welcome new and returning students, and we are excited about the semester ahead. In recent weeks, we experienced the freedom and joy gained from highly effective vaccines. At the same time, our enthusiasm has been tempered by the news of a fourth surge of COVID-19 and the emergence of more transmissible and dangerous variants.
The good news is that with 18 months of experience we now have the knowledge and tools to minimize the risk while returning to many of the things that define the UMW experience. And our greatest tool is the high vaccination rates among our students and employees. This is the single most important thing we could all do together to return to the in-person activities that are characteristic of the UMW experience.
This summer, the COVID Implementation Team shifted to a Public Health Advisory Working Group, embedding the work of the group within the offices of Student Health, HR, and Public Safety, as well as our COVID Care team, with leadership from COVID Monitoring and Tracing Coordinator Dave Fleming. Throughout the summer, he has been leading the Public Health Advisory Working Group in preparing for the fall in conversations about vaccinations, testing, masking, and tracing. Jeff McClurken, as UMW’s COVID Director, has been working with the other Public Higher Education COVID Directors and statewide officials at the VDH and the Departments of Education, Labor, and Commerce and Trade to clarify expectations, options, and directions for the fall.
Today, we write to share some additional important updates about the fall semester and how we will approach together our return to campus. In doing so, we are informed by ongoing guidance from VDH and the CDC, partnerships with the local Rappahannock Area Health District and Mary Washington Healthcare. Further direction has come from Governor Northam’s announcement on August 5, recent CDC Guidance for IHEs and vaccinated people, along with careful attention to local COVID conditions in the Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Spotsylvania area.
While the full details of our plan are contained in the COVID-19 Preparedness Plan for 2021-2022 Academic Year, here are the key highlights (please note: The Cabinet and the Public Health Advisory Working Group will regularly re-evaluate these guidelines depending on university and local conditions and numbers):
We should also be taking sensible precautions for the next few weeks at least as we pay attention to current conditions. For example, utilizing Zoom and other technologies in the routine conduct of business is encouraged and will continue to be supported, especially when it avoids bringing large numbers of people together in-person when there is no direct discernable benefit. An approach that places a premium on in-person experiences (e.g. classes, office hours, and many other activities where being in the same space is uniquely valuable) can be balanced with virtual convenings where possible.
Similarly, for now, even with vaccines and masks, at a time when our region is one where there is substantial or high transmission of the virus, we should be sensible about large (over 150 people) indoor gatherings. This means holding large gatherings outdoors where possible. It also means promoting extra distancing by utilizing larger indoor spaces or taking advantage of streaming options for large gatherings that would typically involve congregation in auditoriums at or near capacity.
The steps outlined above offer us the best chance of resuming a high-quality in-person experience while mitigating the risks in a university community. Currently nearly 90% of our campus community has been fully vaccinated, but we are situated within a region for which the CDC reports substantial or high transmission of COVID-19 and relatively low vaccination rates. As conditions change, we anticipate regular re-evaluation of these modifications and adjusting accordingly throughout the semester and year.
Attached is UMW’s return to campus plan that includes these pieces (and it is linked to UMW’s COVID pages). Updates to the plan will be added to UMW’s COVID pages.
Dave Fleming & Jeff McClurken
Hello all,
We know that many of you have been following developments lately with news of variants and vaccinations as we look to the arrival of students back on campus shortly. Throughout the summer, Dave has been leading the Public Health Advisory Working Group in conversations about vaccinations, testing, masking, tracing, and preparing for the fall. Jeff has been working with the other Public Higher Education COVID Directors and statewide officials at the VDH, Departments of Education, Labor, and Commerce and Trade to clarify expectations, options, and directions for the fall. This message is part of an effort to update faculty and staff as we get closer to the start of the semester.
First, we want to acknowledge the fluidity of the current situation and note that we are working with state and local officials to make sure we have the most up-to-date information. That fluidity will mean that some of our fall plans will continue to be in flux, even once the semester starts. We will endeavor to provide regular updates along the way.
Second, we wanted to share the progress we’ve made so far with our vaccination rates for students and employees.
Third, a reminder that given local COVID conditions and the CDC’s recommendations, we are strongly recommending that vaccinated people wear masks indoors when social distancing isn’t possible. This is in addition to our ongoing requirement that unvaccinated people mask indoors. We are keeping a close eye on those conditions, and we are in conversations with the state and with other schools about potential modifications to those recommendations.
We hope to provide a full plan next week as we keep working on finalizing the vaccination status of our employees and students, continuing our partnership with the local health department and Mary Washington Healthcare, and watching closely the national and local situation.
There will be more of these updates as we move closer to the fall semester.
Best,
Jeff McClurken, Chief of Staff and COVID Director
Dave Fleming, Asst. Dean of Residence Life and COVID Monitoring and Tracing Coordinator
UMW’s Chief of Staff and Professor of History and American Studies Dr. Jeffrey W. McClurken
UMW Chief of Staff and Professor of History and American Studies Jeff McClurken, one of the University’s COVID co-coordinators, was interviewed on WJLA ABC-7 news about how the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine pause will impact efforts to get college students vaccinated before they return home for the summer.
“One of the things J&J offered as a one-dose vaccine is the ability at the end of the school year to go ahead and get students vaccinated, and then they could go home and not have to worry about a second dose,” said Jeffrey McClurken, who is co-coordinator of the COVID response at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg. “So, this certainly raises some logistical complications for us to try to figure out.” Read more.
A message from the COVID Co-Coordinators.
All UMW Faculty and Staff,
Thank you for your patience. We have great news. Our local health district (RAHD) is getting ready to move into phase 1c and so has just asked us for a list of all UMW employees who are willing to get the COVID Vaccine, something we strongly encourage. Please fill out the linked form even if you have already registered at vaccinate.virginia.gov, but not if you have already received one or two doses of the COVID vaccine. Note that this access to the vaccine is because of your employment at UMW and so RAHD will offer a vaccine even if you live in another health district.
Please fill the brief form out ASAP so that we can go ahead and share this information with the Rappahannock Area Health District.
Jeff and Tim
A message from the President’s Task Force.
Colleagues,
This is the fourth in a series of weekly messages from the COVID-19 Task Force. And while every week since the pandemic began has been difficult in its own way – from first learning about an abrupt pivot to remote instruction and telework and hearing challenging budget news, to our collective sadness about not being able to properly celebrate the accomplishments of our students – the Task Force pauses to acknowledge this especially painful week of violence and injustice in our community and across the nation. Yet, because higher education is both a force for social justice and a powerful antidote to individual and systemic racism and the anti-democratic impulse, we bring renewed determination to our efforts to return to campus this fall.
For the Task Force, the pace has quickened as the full-scope of fall planning comes into view. Our first attempt has undergone revision as we receive additional guidance from the Governor’s Office and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and consult with colleagues across the Commonwealth. Late last week, VDH released directions regarding testing and contact tracing. Contrary to the claim from some universities across the country that they will have large scale testing of all members of their community on reentry while using random sampling throughout the semester, VDH is urging institutions to focus scarce testing resources on symptomatic individuals and contacts of those who test positive. On Tuesday, Governor Northam introduced the Virginia Blueprint’s Phase II Guidance, which has many instructions for organizations and their operations and we are working to incorporate these best practices in our situation, even if the distinctive nature of a residential university like ours must be more restrictive than these phases. And, looking ahead to next week, we expect to receive additional guidance from the Governor’s Office and the state-wide education task force. Considering all of these inputs, we will then need to adapt UMW’s plan.
Also, you should know that we are planning for multiple scenarios, and striving to build a plan that is flexible and capable of adapting as circumstances change. As an example, we are modeling out different “COVID capacities” for our classrooms and learning spaces. We have seen estimates from other schools set the bar at 100 square feet/person while others have settled on 36 square feet/person. Our entire room inventory is being recalibrated and mapped to maximize opportunity for participation while minimizing the risk of transmission. We look to share those new capacities in the next week or two so that faculty and staff can continue the important work of reimagining the spaces in which we teach, learn, and work.
One thing is clear: The campus and the campus experience will be very different this fall. From an employee perspective:
For our students, things will also be different:
And therein lies our challenge. What we know about what matters most in college – connections with others and deep learning experiences – are in many ways in direct conflict with the plans we are putting in place to return to campus. How then can we maximize opportunities, connections, and experiences while prioritizing the health and safety of all members of our community? How then even as we put up plexiglass and develop protocols for separation can we are introduce new ways of gathering and interacting?
Harnessing our collective creativity and energy to adapt to what we know matters is the task ahead. It is the work of the next weeks, months, and indeed, the next year. So, as always, if you have thoughts, concerns, or questions, you may reach out to us or other members of the Task Force. (For previous messages, go to EagleEye.) At the same time, we also really want to hear your ideas for how we might meet the challenge before us.
Jeff McClurken and Tim O’Donnell
Members of the President’s Task Force
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