Dear Leavetakers, 

We hope that you are doing well. You are receiving this message because you have submitted a request to return from leave in Spring 2021 or a future term via ASK. (This message contains important information about returning in Spring 2021; if you requested to return from leave in a later term, please disregard this message.)

As you read in President Paxson’s message on Oct. 29, Brown has developed plans to welcome students from each undergraduate class back to campus in the spring term and has established principles to define which options are available to students. 

The first principle is that all currently enrolled students will have the option to maintain their fall location of study. All students studying remotely or returning from personal leaves may request to live on campus in Brown-owned or Brown-leased housing. However, in the event that more students request to live on campus than space permits, we will use a lottery with preferences in the following order:

1. Juniors who are currently studying remotely
2. Sophomores who are currently studying remotely
3. Seniors who are currently taking a personal leave
4. Juniors who are currently taking a personal leave
5. Sophomores who are currently taking a personal leave

All undergraduate students planning to enroll in Spring 2021 need to provide their intended location of study no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 8, via the Location of Study Form. Please consult the detailed housing information posted on Healthy.Brown.edu. A chart located there provides an at-a-glance view of the location of study options. Your form will display the options that are available to you based on factors such as your class year or permanent address. If you requested to return in Spring 2021 and would like to extend your personal leave, please log into ASK and delete your return request by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8. (If you already requested to return in a later term, please disregard this message.)

If you delete your return request for Spring 2021, please remember that the deadline to request a return from leave for Summer 2021 is January 4, 2021, and the deadline to request a return from leave in Fall 2021 is April 1, 2021. (For planning purposes, please note that course options in the summer may be more limited and will be targeted primarily toward first-year and sophomore students. Preliminary, provisional lists of courses for the spring and summer terms are accessible at Courses@Brown; departments are continuing to add courses for both terms.)

Many students who are currently studying remotely or are on leave have requested an assessment of the likelihood of receiving on-campus housing. The most important factor in such an assessment is the demand for on-campus housing among those students who are guaranteed on-campus housing if they request it. This information will not be known until after all students have submitted their Location of Study Forms on Nov. 8. 

As you work through your various decisions and planning, please know that there are many resources and people who are here to support you. Academic advising deans in the College are available to provide support around your circumstances, but please know that they cannot make exceptions to the housing assignment process or guarantee a particular accommodation. If you have general questions about the return from leave process, click here to make an appointment with an academic advising dean. If you have specific questions about the Location of Study Form, please email spring2021@brown.edu or call 401-863-3500. We hope that the remainder of the semester goes well for you. 

Sincerely,

Eric Estes
Vice President for Campus Life

Rashid Zia
Dean of the College