Dear Members of the Brown Community,

With the spring term fully underway, we are looking ahead to the transition from this semester to the Summer 2021 term and the excitement of a new academic year that starts in the fall. We encourage you to read this communication closely, as it provides a summary of planning that affects all students, faculty and staff.

It has been nearly a year since the University community joined together, guided by scientific evidence and public health expertise, to respond to the global COVID-19 pandemic by making substantial adjustments to nearly every dimension of academic and campus life. These efforts -- from the most minor to the monumental -- have ensured that students, faculty and staff could continue to live, study and work at Brown in ways that protected their health while fulfilling their academic goals and professional obligations.

As we plan for the summer and the 2021-22 academic year, we continue to be inspired by the persistence, innovation, creativity and support you give each other every day.

What follows is information about:

• The end of spring semester classes and planning for student departures
• Reminders about operations for the Summer 2021 academic term
• Planning for Fall 2021 and the 2021-22 academic year
• Workplace expectations and planning for the employee transition to more on-site operations

With public health considerations and campus safety central to our ongoing planning, the University expects to bring our community back together for mostly in-person operations in Fall 2021, while Spring 2021 and Summer 2021 continue in their current hybrid mode. We are planning for Brown to return to a traditional two-semester model for the 2021-22 academic year, inviting all graduate, undergraduate and medical students to enroll in-person. We are also planning for a fully online Wintersession.

Our planning assumes widespread access to effective COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. prior to the next academic year, and our approach to teaching, research, residential life and campus operations will be based on many of the lessons we have learned during the past year. Brown is committed to building upon the advances we have made in how we deliver our world-class education using online technologies as we also ensure that students unable to be on campus have access to course materials. We will draw on these innovations and online tools in teaching, learning and program delivery that continue to serve our community well during hybrid and remote operations.

We will also continue to emphasize the importance of remaining flexible in our planning based on evolving health data, guidance and science. While this letter offers a summary of planning, we will share further details with the community as planning continues in the coming months.

END OF SPRING SEMESTER CLASSES AND PLANNING FOR STUDENT DEPARTURES

As the spring semester continues, we want to remind all students, faculty and staff that we remain very much in the midst of a pandemic, and continued vigilance and adherence to health protocols through the end of the term remains critically important for fulfilling our hopes to transition to more in-person opportunities. This includes Commencement ceremonies for graduating students.

With the omission of spring break, in-person class meetings conclude on Thursday, April 8. As we did in the Fall 2020 semester, the University is giving undergraduate students the option to depart campus any time after April 8, and take part in remote Reading Period and final exams away from campus. The residence halls and Brown-leased off-campus properties will close for the spring semester at noon on Saturday, April 24, and only graduating seniors or students with permission will remain in residence. We will continue to provide housing to on-campus undergraduates for whom travel away from campus during this time is not an option.

Undergraduate students will receive a communication during the week of March 22 requesting information about their end-of-semester plans. This information will be due March 31. Receiving this information is essential for the COVID-19 testing program, and to work with students for whom leaving between semesters may be a hardship.

Please note these dates:

• March 31: Deadline for students enrolled in Spring 2021 classes to report end-of-semester plans
• April 9-10: No classes. Spring weekend for students
• April 12-17: Remote Reading Period
• April 19-23: Remote final exams
• April 24: End of Spring 2021 housing agreement / Last day to move out of University-owned and Brown-leased housing (with the exception of graduating seniors and those with permission to remain)
• April 23-30: Virtual Senior Week
• May 1-2: Commencement ceremonies
• May 3: End of Spring 2021 housing agreement for graduating seniors

OPERATIONS FOR SUMMER 2021

The de-densified, three-semester model in place this 2020-21 academic year includes a summer term, which, for undergraduates, is designed primarily for first-year students. Some sophomores, juniors and seniors are also eligible to enroll in the summer term, and the dean of the College has communicated directly with these students regarding the deadline of today, March 1, 2021, to share their enrollment plans with the College.

Undergraduates eligible for summer enrollment will receive a link during the week of March 8 to submit their Summer Location of Study by Monday, March 22. On-campus housing will open on Sunday, May 9, for undergraduates who will be living on campus for the summer. The Office of Residential Life will not be able to confirm if students will maintain their current housing assignment over the summer until after the Location of Study deadline. 

We estimate that approximately 2,500 undergraduate students will be authorized to be on campus in the summer, in addition to many graduate students -- many in research labs -- and roughly 350 medical students. There will also be in-person Summer Pre-College Programs, though the numbers of participants will be smaller than in previous years, and they will be robustly staffed and follow highly structured schedules.

For Students Enrolling in Summer 2021:

Students and offices and departments supporting academic and residential life should note the following dates:

• March 1: Deadline for undergraduate students eligible to enroll in Summer 2021 to indicate enrollment plans
• March 16-19: Preregistration period
• March 22: Deadline for undergraduate students eligible to enroll in Summer 2021 to provide Location of Study information (on-campus, remote, commuter, etc.)
• May 9-11: Residence halls open. Quiet Period begins
• May 12: First day of remote classes and remote shopping period
• May 19: First day of hybrid in-person classes of 19 or fewer students (public health conditions permitting)
• June 1: Summer hours begin for employees through Friday, Aug. 13
• June 20: Start of Pre-College Session 2A (first in-person session; ends July 3)
• July 11: Start of Pre-College Session 3A (second in-person session; ends July 31)
• July 30: Last day of summer classes
• Aug. 2: Remote Reading Period begins
• Aug. 9-13: Remote final exams

For Faculty and Staff:

For employees, the current guidance for teaching, research, campus activities and business operations will remain in place for the Summer 2021 term.

While there are many reasons for optimism given the projected availability of coronavirus vaccines and treatments, based on what we know and current guidance from federal and state health experts, our current operational mode of COVID-19 testing and employees working on campus in accordance with Return to Campus Plans will continue until mid-August.

We are pleased to share that summer hours have been approved from Tuesday, June 1, through Friday, Aug. 13, for departments to implement based on operational needs. (See: https://www.brown.edu/about/administration/human-resources/benefits/absence/summer-hours-and-winter-break)

We also recognize that employees have worked very hard this year, and many have deferred vacations and time off. We encourage managers to work with employees to ensure they schedule and take well-deserved vacation time. The University does not have a policy allowing banking or deferral of vacation time. Taking vacation is important for the overall well-being of all of those who do so much every day in support of Brown, and taking time away from work is an essential component of operational excellence.

For Students and Employees:

All who live, work and study at Brown should note the summer operations in the following areas:

-- Research: Current density limits, COVID-19 safety protocols and other general parameters will continue in research labs during the summer, as described on the Resuming Research web page. (See https://www.brown.edu/research/conducting-research-brown/resuming-research)

-- Courses: Academic courses will be offered online and in hybrid format, with in-person classes of 19 or fewer students. Approximately 230 courses are available in Banner, with approximately 55% online, and 45% hybrid.

-- Remote option: Students, faculty and teaching assistants will continue to have the option to engage in teaching and learning remotely. International students on F-1 visa status who entered the U.S. after March 9, 2020 (including transfer or change of educational level students), are required to take at least one in-person or hybrid course and attend the in-person components throughout the entire term (see notice on SEVP guidance: https://www.brown.edu/global/faq).

-- Housing: Residential housing for students in Brown-owned and Brown-leased housing will remain single occupancy. Communal kitchens will remain closed unless public health conditions and state guidance permit reopening.

-- Dining: Dining services will continue to be “grab and go,” unless public health conditions permit otherwise.

-- Library: University libraries will continue to meet critical student and faculty needs following the same policies and practices of the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 terms. Undergraduate, graduate and medical students can reserve study space seating using the LibCal Seat Booking tool (see https://libcal.brown.edu/).

-- Testing: The University plans to continue the COVID-19 testing program for all faculty, staff, undergraduate, graduate and medical students authorized to be on campus.

-- Health protocols: All health protocols will remain in place, including mask-wearing, social distancing and frequent hand-washing.

-- Visitors: Visitor restrictions currently in place will extend through the summer term. (See: https://healthy.brown.edu/updates/brown-community-update-visitors-policy)

-- Travel: Travel restrictions for all University-sponsored international and domestic travel will continue until further notice, extending through the Summer 2021 semester. Faculty, staff and graduate students can request exemptions for essential travel. (See: https://healthy.brown.edu/prevention/travel-policies)

PLANNING FOR FALL 2021 AND THE 2021-22 ACADEMIC YEAR

As noted above, we understand that much can change in the coming months, but we are planning for Brown to return to the two-semester, in-person model in which all graduate students, medical students and undergraduate students will be invited to pursue their research and education in-person. We will also plan for a fully online Wintersession. The academic calendar is on the Registrar’s website with all key dates:

https://www.brown.edu/about/administration/registrar/academic-calendar-upcoming

We approach this return to our two-semester model guided by Brown’s commitment to the values of engaging as a residential academic community in which faculty, students and staff interact in-person in a number of ways within and beyond the classroom. At the same time, we will seek to advance new approaches to education and business operations that promote access and inclusion.

In our planning for 2021-22, we are developing approaches that allow flexibility in a number of areas.

Teaching & Learning:

Even as we plan to be together as an educational community, we recognize that having widespread access to effective vaccines is essential for faculty, staff and students to return to campus. Health concerns, travel restrictions or other hardships may continue to limit access to campus for many members of our community. Therefore, it is essential that we plan for online and hybrid courses to ensure there are options for individuals for whom attending in-person courses or activities is not possible. We will ask faculty to prepare to make all course materials available in an online or hybrid format, and we recommend working with the University Library to ensure course materials are available online.

In the coming weeks, we will collaborate with academic department chairs and others on further details about course planning for fall. In addition, there will be processes in place for students to apply to study remotely should circumstances warrant it, and for faculty, teaching assistants and instructors to request the option of teaching and engaging remotely due to health concerns or other personal circumstances. We will provide more information about these processes in the coming months.

Campus Density in Offices, Academic Spaces and Student Residences:

In the context of current health conditions, we anticipate being able to have greater campus density — in offices, classrooms, labs, offices, residence halls and dining facilities — and returning to the six-semester housing requirement for undergraduate students. As always, we will be guided by policies and restrictions in place from the Rhode Island Department of Health and other agencies. If public health conditions prompt us to make modifications, we will communicate any necessary adjustments.

WORKPLACE EXPECTATIONS

We know that employees are eager to learn about the University’s workplace plans, and when and under what conditions employees will return to work fully on-site. As noted above, for the Spring 2021 and Summer 2021 terms, the policies that ask all employees who are able to work remotely to continue to do so remain in place. This will continue until mid-August and allows for a de-densified campus for employees carrying various essential on-site work designations. Employees can check their work designations in Workday.

In the next couple of days, we will communicate with all faculty and staff regarding the careful planning that is currently underway for the transition back to mostly on-site operations. A steering committee has been formed to draw on lessons from the last year and how they may be applied when considering future hybrid/remote work opportunities.

We continue to prioritize the health and safety of members of our community, and will only call for in-person work activities and teaching and learning when it can be done safely, such as in the de-densified model we are currently following that includes a robust COVID-19 testing program. Factors we will consider moving forward include widespread access to effective vaccines, guidance regarding ongoing testing, and workplace conditions that promote health and wellness (i.e., space configurations, etc.).

In addition, we appreciate that many employees look forward to the return to campus, while others have experienced this time of remote work as allowing more flexibility and enhancing work/life balance. We understand that some may have concerns about implications for childcare, elder care or other responsibilities that have intensified during the pandemic. We are sensitive to the needs and interests of our employees, and will be cognizant of these factors in our planning to be together again as a community.

We know that there will be many questions after reading this letter, and new questions will emerge over the next several weeks and months. Given the evolving public health landscape and range of related and dynamic factors, from vaccines to coronavirus variants, we are providing as much information as possible to guide planning in the year ahead. We look forward to being able to offer greater clarity and specificity in the coming weeks about the 2021-22 academic year.

Once again, we offer our thanks for all of the time and deep commitment that has been required to continue to study, work, teach, learn and care for yourselves and one another over the past year. Brown is a remarkable community, and we cannot overstate our deep and sincere gratitude for the combined efforts of staff, faculty and students during this time, and for the support of families, alumni and friends.

We appreciate the collegiality and cooperation of the entire community at this critical time, and very much look forward to a future in which we can gather, safely, together.

Sincerely,

Richard M. Locke
Provost

Barbara Chernow
Executive Vice President for Finance & Administration