Fall 2020 Operational Updates

Significant updates to the operations of VMI were communicated to cadets, families, faculty, staff, and the VMI community on October 15, 2020, and Gen. Peay’s full statement is available: Letter to the VMI Community, Oct. 15, 2020.

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, the Institute has been assessing the health of the Corps, current local and regional trends related to COVID-19, and best practices in higher education. VMI also recognizes that, in making these decisions, families need time to make the necessary travel arrangements for the return of their cadet(s).

Beginning Monday, Nov. 23, 2020, the remainder of the Fall 2020 semester will be conducted fully in an online environment, and details regarding this shift can be found below.

Communications from August-October, previously hosted on this page, are still available for reference. You may also download a copy of the entire Return to Post/Fall 2020 Operational Plan. This plan has been reviewed by the State Council of Higher Education and has been found to be compliant in containing the required components of the ‘Higher Education Reopening Guidance,’ which was developed in consultation with the Virginia Department of Health.

• FRAGMENTARY ORDER (FRAGO) #1 (Isolation and Quarantine Procedures) to OPLAN
• FRAGMENTARY ORDER (FRAGO) #2 (Off-Post Privileges) to OPLAN
• FRAGMENTARY ORDER (FRAGO) #3 (Thanksgiving Furlough/Terminus Fall 2020) to OPLAN

COVID-19 Information

The VMI Pandemic Task Force and Institute leadership continue to monitor the latest information regarding the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19). Increased cleaning and sanitizing protocols have been implemented across all aspects of cadet life, and leadership has identified key areas for social distancing enforcement to maintain safety throughout the course of physical training and activities required of all cadets. Full details regarding COVID-19 protocols, as well as case status, are located on the COVID-19 Info Portal.

Post & Building Access

To ensure the health and well-being of cadets, faculty and staff, and visitors to VMI and in keeping with state and CDC recommended protocols, the Institute has implemented policies for accessing post and the buildings therein. All post buildings will remain closed to the general public in order to prioritize cadet access while following social distancing guidelines. Tailgating on post is not authorized until further notice.

Access by the public to post buildings is by appointment only. Visitors should contact the VMI faculty or staff member with whom they have an appointment to gain access to a building. Any member of the community accessing buildings is required to follow VMI COVID-19 protocols which include social distancing and face coverings at all times while inside VMI buildings.

For Cadets

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Institute's decision to move instruction off-Post, VMI is issuing account credits to cadets representing a pro-rated amount of the Fall 2020 charges for Room, Board, Laundry, and Haircut Fees.  VMI calculated that most cadets should receive credit for these fees for 24% of the semester, totaling $1,250.  Cadets who remain at VMI through the end of the semester will only be credited a portion of the Laundry fee paid as other services (room, board, haircuts) will continue to be provided. 

Staff from Financial Aid, Comptroller’s, and Treasurer’s offices developed a methodology for calculating the funds payable to cadets, and for certain Institutional financial aid payable to the aid source.  This methodology balances the desire for equity and fairness while ensuring an administratively feasible process that can be accomplished within a reasonable timeframe.

Under this policy, Federal Title IV (Pell, SEOG, Loans) aid will not be proportionally adjusted, nor negatively impact the amount due back to the cadet.  This is in compliance with guidance provided by the Federal Department of Education.

State aid (VGAP) will be treated similar to Federal aid; it also will not be proportionally adjusted, nor will it negatively impact the amount due back to the cadet.  This is because the State aid cannot be used to fund room and board costs, and these costs constitute the majority of the amount of the credit.  This policy assumes that the State aid was used to fund other charges, primarily tuition, that were not refundable.

Other sources of aid will also be treated like Federal Aid and will not be proportionally adjusted within this policy:  This includes Outside Awards, ROTC Scholarships, Bristow, Kellam, Hagan, and National Guard assistance.

Institutional aid (primarily from the VMI Alumni Agencies, VMI’s endowment, and tuition revenues) will be proportionally adjusted to reflect the Institute's contribution toward the fall 2020 charges.  The portion of the credit amount deemed to have been paid by institutional aid will be returned to the aid source rather than being refunded to the cadet.

In Summary:

• Cadets who received no financial aid will receive the full $1,250 refund.
• Cadets whose aid came fully from non-Institutional sources (i.e. Federal Title IV, State, ROTC, Outside Awards, etc.) will also receive the full $1,250.
• Cadets who received Institutional aid that covered a portion of their charges will receive a refund reduced by the proportion of their charges that was covered by Institutional aid.
• Cadets whose charges were fully paid by Institutional aid (full athletic scholarships, etc.) will receive no refund; instead the full credit amount will be returned to the aid source.
• Refunds will be provided in the form of a check mailed to cadets’ home address.

You may also download a copy of the VMI Policy on Fall 2020 COVID-19 Related Refunds.

Cadet life continues to undergo a wide range of adjustments to schedule and location. Up-to-date, detailed information is available for all VMI cadets in the VMI Portal. Adjustments include, but are not limited to:

For Employees

The Office of Human Resources is the main point of contact for all potential exposure notifications and questions regarding return to post for all VMI employees. 

To uphold health and safety measures and limit risks, the physical Human Resources Office will remain closed, except for specific services outlined in the full plan, and will limit traffic by implementing appointment-only measures for other services needed by faculty, staff, or cadets. If any employee feels that he or she is in one of the identified high-risk categories, the Human Resources director will work with the employee to take particular care to reduce their risk of exposure while making sure they are able to perform their job duties, and that VMI complies with relevant laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Age Discrimination Employment Act.

All VMI employees will continue to follow plans and protocols while on post:

• All state employees will be asked to continually monitor their health for signs of COVID-19 symptoms. They should immediately report to their health care provider if symptoms manifest themselves.

Job-specific and location-specific information will be disseminated by individual supervisors. Support services, Preston Library, and other locations where employees normally interact with cadets face-to-face will have individual and specific precautionary measures put in place such as moving meetings and appointments online, installing plexiglass barriers, and limiting or eliminating seating areas.

Faculty, staff, and all employees are expected to maintain social distance and wear face coverings when in public or communal spaces. In most cases, building access will be restricted by badge access, so it is imperative that all employees keep their VMI ID on at all times and contact Human Resources with any new badge or lost badge requests.

For Parents & Families

Parents and families are encouraged to bookmark this page, connect with the Parents Council, and follow VMI's official Facebook page for timely updates and the event decisions, which will be posted in the table below.

Our mission remains the same, to educate young men and women and to mold them into honorable citizen-soldiers needed by the military, private enterprise, the commonwealth, and the nation. To accomplish this in a COVID-19 environment, we have made modifications to the delivery of the academic program while creating an environment in compliance with evolving public health guidance.

For the Community

At this time, VMI buildings and facilities on post are closed to the general public to allow for maximum social distancing. Please refer to Post & Building Access above for more specifics regarding events and appointments.

Off-site museums will follow their own protocols in regards to opening hours, capacity, etc. Please visit each museum's webpage for specific details. Athletic competitions and other events will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. The Institute calendar will have the most up-to-date information for the public regarding all athletic events. 

VMI Facility Status

VMI Event Cancellations & Status Updates

Previous communications, schedules, and notices are available.