NOVA News You Can Use
As promised, each month I’ll provide short updates on questions/topics raised by the NOVA community. Many thanks to those at the college who have helped me answer your questions. Look for a link to the anonymous question portal in the Daily Flyer about a week before each “NOVA News You Can Use.” The next update will be in January, so I tried to squeeze in as much as I could this go round.
December Holidays
Several of you asked about rumors you’ve heard regarding either Governor Northam, DHRM, or the VCCS adding days to the approved holiday list for the winter break. We checked and unfortunately did not find any changes. If there are additions, HR will immediately inform all employees. NOVA’s 2020 holiday list can be found here.
CARES Act Employee Stipends are Taxable
In awarding the CARES Act Employee Stipends, VCCS has identified these dollars as taxable under the IRS Employer’s Tax Guide; they are classified as “other compensation.” The stipend will show up on a separate line on employees’ tax stubs.
Concerns About Academic Integrity
Academic integrity at NOVA is addressed through Policy 224 and its corresponding procedure. Allegations of cheating are treated the same regardless of whether they occur on-campus or remotely. The first step for faculty alleging violations is to file an Academic Integrity Violation Reporting Form. NOVA’s policy and procedure ensure due process, and students who are alleged to have committed a violation are advised and provided with the opportunity to submit information related to the incident.
On a related topic, a growing number of NOVA students (and some faculty) have expressed concerns with the proctoring methods available during remote instruction. They are not alone: issues with the technologies used for remote proctoring have been widely reported in the national media and recently reached a level that a number of U.S. Senators have weighed in. The rapid and unexpected shift to remote instruction during the pandemic left all institutions and instructors looking for the best solutions available at the moment, but upon reflection, some of these products may have had unintended impacts on our students. The provosts recently advanced a proposal for proctoring in spring 2021, so look for more information this week.
Summer Planning
NOVA is in the beginning stages of planning for summer. All information at hand today suggests that a vaccine for COVID-19 is not likely to reach the general public until later in 2021, so at this moment, it appears that summer will be much like fall and spring: hands-on courses and a small number of others on our campuses and the remainder delivered remotely. If state or CDC guidance changes before we launch the summer schedule, we will also change our plans.
VCCS policy requires that the president develop the summer pay plan with faculty input each year, and as I did last year, I will ask the College Senate to recommend faculty representatives for this discussion (which will likely occur in late January). The summer 2020 faculty pay plan was a temporary change to NOVA’s traditional summer pay plan in response to the financial and enrollment uncertainties posed by the pandemic. It’s worth stating, though, that faculty assignments are always subject to the availability of courses in the schedule and student enrollment.
Working Groups on Topics of Interest
I have convened two working groups and asked that they provide recommendations to me by February 26, 2021 on the topics of interest below. These groups have begun working, so if you have questions, please contact the listed chairs.
Academic Administration: The academic reorganization completed prior to my arrival at NOVA has resulted in greater clarity around academic program pathways, and it has created a significant academic administrative structure of more than 50 individuals. Yet, the college continues to receive requests from departments and deans for reassigned time for faculty to take on academic administrative tasks as well as requests for additional administrative positions. So, Provosts Molly Lynch and Annette Haggray and interim CAO Sheri Robertson are co-chairing and convening a representative working group of deans, associate deans, and teaching faculty to provide me with recommendations related to NOVA’s academic administrative structure, including a consideration of cost implications.
Teleworking: A number of individuals have asked about their positions being considered for telework on a permanent basis after the pandemic. So, VP Ina Dimkova and AVP Charlotte Calobrisi are co-chairing and convening a representative working group, including individuals from the PSC and other stakeholder bodies, to provide me with recommendations on positions that should be classified as qualifying for telework; remote workforce training and supports that should be provided to employees in these roles and remote workforce management training and supports that should be provided to supervisors of these employees. The focus is on the ability of the position itself to continue in a telework status no matter who is in the role.