Dear Undergraduate Students,

I hope this message finds you healthy and well as we approach a critical moment in the fall term. With Halloween on Saturday and Election Day 2020 next Tuesday — both arriving at a moment when COVID-19 cases are rising locally and nationally — I write with some important reminders.

We continue to appreciate the efforts of the vast majority of students to carefully follow public health guidelines — especially wearing masks, washing hands, socially distancing whenever possible, observing gathering size limits and participating in testing. Your hard work has enabled Brown to progressively create opportunities for more in-person resources, spaces and programs consistent with the COVID-19 Campus Safety Policy.

At the same time, the number of concerns reported to the University about alleged violations of health and safety protocols has increased in recent weeks, and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards is reviewing and acting upon an increasing number of conduct cases. In a number of recent instances, Brown has — in order to ensure the well-being of the entire community — issued immediate suspensions that separate students from their Brown activities, including their coursework, pending their full conduct processes.

I want to clearly communicate that sustaining the on-campus experience at Brown will only remain possible through the vigilance and care of every member of our community in making the health protocols a part of daily life. Any actions that disregard the protocols that we have all agreed upon and signed a commitment to follow threaten the health and safety of the community, hinder our ability to support a residential learning experience this fall and could have implications for Brown’s ability to bring students back to campus for the spring term. As President Paxson wrote yesterday, the University is planning to welcome a larger number of students on campus next semester, and this is contingent on the public health situation on campus and elsewhere.

I want to remind you of several very important requirements.

• First, if you have essential travel out of state, please remember that you are expected to contact Student Support Services before you travel for guidance and support. We want to be a resource to ensure community safety. Non-essential travel out of state is not allowed. 
• Second, if you leave the Providence area for the upcoming Thanksgiving break, the requirement is that you will not return to campus or to the Providence area and will finish the semester remotely.
• Third, you need to be vigilant about gathering size limits and respect your pod (a stable group of five people or less, or the number of their immediate room, suite or apartment mates – as a general rule keep your number of close contacts as low as possible), especially with Halloween this weekend. A number of recent suspensions have been the result of intentional violations of gathering size limitations.

I want to offer one more essential reminder. If you test positive for COVID-19 in the two weeks before the Thanksgiving break or are exposed to someone who tests positive, you will be required to isolate or quarantine and will not be allowed to travel. We absolutely want students who choose to leave for Thanksgiving to spend time with family and friends to have that opportunity. However, risky behavior that violates public health guidelines during this period could also endanger family at home if you return for the holidays. In short, please continue to think about not just your own health and safety, but also the health and safety of those around you. Let’s make healthy choices together.

If you have questions about any of these requirements, reach out to Student Support Services or Health Services. We also know this is a busy time with midterms and the upcoming election. Please continue to remember we are here to support you. If you need general personal support, deans in Student Support Services are an excellent place to start. Our colleagues in The College are available to provide academic support. Next week, the community, cultural and identity centers will have Open Hours for individual support and Community Hours to bring students together. Counseling and Psychological Services and the University Chaplains are important support resources as well.

Thank you again for all of your efforts to keep your community safe and healthy. Please continue follow public health guidelines, and remember that we are here to support you at any point you might need guidance — so don't hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,

Eric Estes
Vice President for Campus Life