NOVA As a State Agency

If you’ve ever attended one of my office hours via Zoom or in person, you’ll know that at least once per session I remind everyone that NOVA is part of the VCCS, which is a state agency. In practice, this means that we are bound by and draw our own policy-making authority from the VCCS and the Commonwealth of Virginia (except where federal law, policy and regulation takes precedence).

The impact of our status as a state agency has been clear during the pandemic. Executive Orders and Directives from both Governor Northam and Governor Youngkin; guidance, rules and regulations from the Department of Human Resource Management and the Department of Labor and Industry; and requirements and authority from VCCS have governed and continue to govern our COVID-related actions at NOVA.

As is always the case with a change in administration, executive orders and directives issued by a new governor supersede those of the prior administration, and Governor Youngkin has issued a number of Executive Orders and Directives since taking office, including some related to the pandemic.

To this point, a number of you have asked about the status of the VCCS indoor face covering requirement, which draws its authority—in part—from regulations established by the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) as a response to COVID.

There has been no change to date: the VCCS requirement is still in place, and face coverings are still required inside all of NOVA’s buildings regardless of an individual’s vaccination status.

When any executive order/directive or change in state regulation impacts VCCS/NOVA, I will keep you informed.