VCUarts COVID-19 Information

Updates from the School of the Arts for Spring 2021

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Information for students and families

If you have additional questions, please email us at arts@vcu.edu or call 804-VCU-ARTS. We are here to help you prepare for the spring semester.

Resources for students

Keep on Learning
VCU has developed Keep on Learning, a website that provides students with resources and support for the transition to an online learning model. 

Virtual VCU
Many of the services VCU students rely on have moved to an online format temporarily, allowing them to continue to support students. Find the central list of these services and how to access them on the Virtual VCU page.

Discounted Adobe Licenses
Enrolled students can access Adobe Creative Cloud for 3 months for $15; 6 months for $30; or one year for $60. This license gives you access to all Adobe Creative Cloud applications, including Fonts, Portfolio, Spark Premium, and Behance.

More information is available at adobe.vcu.edu
Students can receive their licenses directly at: vcu.onthehub.com

Advising
Students may continue scheduling advising appointments through Navigate, which merges with Zoom to allow video appointments.

University Counseling Services
University Counseling Services is no longer scheduling in-person appointments to help contain the spread of the Covid-19. They are providing telehealth appointments to students who are located in Virginia at the time of service. To schedule a Referral and Assessment Meeting (RAM), contact the office at 828-6200, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m and 4:30 p.m. 

Keep on Being Well at VCU also provides information for students on dealing with this stressful time.

Food Access
Feed More’s Hunger Hotline connects folks in need of emergency food assistance to a local food pantry. You can also apply online for SNAP benefits (food stamps).

Unemployment
Virginians who were laid off due to Covid-19 can apply for unemployment benefits; the one-week waiting period to apply has been waived. Read the Q&A on claims related to Covid-19.

Emergency Funding for Students Impacted by COVID-19
If you have experienced COVID-19 related disruptions or other educational costs due to the disruption of VCU on-campus operations, you may be eligible for emergency relief funds. The VCU Federal Emergency Relief Fund is available for students to apply for aid under the CARES Act. In addition, the Virtual Student Services Center is now available 24/7 for students to ask questions and get information. Students who are not eligible for CARES Act funding may be eligible for emergency funding that is being offered through Student Affairs.

Academic instruction

While the university recently announced that all classes will begin virtually on Jan. 25, VCUarts has confirmed that these changes to spring classes do not apply to studio-based and practicum courses in the School of the Arts. Course modalities, as they appear in the schedule of classes, will be applied beginning Jan. 25.

Any changes to course modalities (how the course will be taught: in-person, online, or a combination) will be finalized by Jan. 21. This video shows how to check course modalities, instructor contacts, syllabi and more. Please contact your faculty members with further questions or concerns about course format. If you need to modify your schedule, please contact your undergraduate academic advisor or graduate program director.

Get ready to Start Strong with VCU’s start-of-the-semester how-to-guide.

VCU and VCUarts will work to keep all students on track for graduation. The Keep Pursuing Your Goals website includes resources related to academic and financial advising.

On-campus housing

Due to the health and safety precautions related to Covid-19, Residential Life and Housing has altered certain practices and policies. Please review the changes on the housing website.

All students who plan to live on campus this fall must test negative for Covid-19 before moving in. VCU will provide testing kits for students who plan to live on campus.

Building closures

VCU and VCUarts have implemented new safety protocols designed to protect your health while using on-campus facilities. University facilities will increase their cleaning schedule with a focus on high-touch surfaces in common areas, such as elevator buttons and handrails. And a task force is developing school-wide guidelines for cleaning equipment and technology in our classrooms and workshops.

Parking and transportation 

For updates on parking and transportation, including refunds, visit VCU Parking and Transportation’s COVID-19 page.

New and prospective students

All on-campus events are currently cancelled. In the meantime, explore our arts facilities online, take our virtual tour of the VCU campus and residence halls, and schedule a one-on-one phone or Zoom meeting with our admissions counselors.

Health and COVID-19

Your participation in new safety protocols is paramount to your personal health, and that of your friends, peers, and professors. We need every member of our community to follow guidelines related to wearing masks, disinfecting their spaces, washing their hands often, and maintaining physical distance. 

VCU will provide you with back-to-campus kits that include cloth face coverings, hand sanitizer, and other items to supplement those you may already have to help you stay healthy. Faculty and staff will find these kits in their workspaces, and students will pick them up from several locations across campus. Every member of our faculty and staff and every student must also complete online training related to safety protocols before returning to campus and then complete daily attestations of health once they have. Additionally, if you plan to live on campus this fall, you must test negative for Covid-19 before moving in. VCU will provide you with a testing kit. Non-residential students and employees will also be provided voluntary prevalence testing at no charge.

VCU Recreation Sports online resources
All Recreational Sports facilities have re-opened. They have also developed a menu of virtual programs to help our community stay fit, well and connected. These programs are free and available to anyone. Visit Recreational Sports’ Virtual Programming.

Vaccines

Need a vaccine? Learn how to get your shot at Vaccinate.Virginia.gov or call 1-877-VAX-IN-VA. 8am – 8pm. Language translation available, TTY users dial 7-1-1.

Travel

University-sponsored international travel is suspended until further notice. This includes faculty, staff and students. 

University-sponsored domestic travel out of state for clinical and research purposes is permissible upon approval. Students should work with their department to seek approval. 

Members of the VCU community are encouraged to limit personal travel. 

VCUarts Qatar

Nearly 30 classes will be taught in-person at VCUarts Qatar during the spring semester, and it will include more on-campus activities, such as critiques, small group discussions, and some studio work. Visit the VCUarts Qatar website for the latest COVID-19 operating updates.

International Students

The Global Education Office has prepared a list of frequently asked questions to guide international students’ return to campus. 

Staying informed

If you have further questions, please email COVID-19@vcu.edu or arts@vcu.edu.