Dear Families of the Brown Class of 2024,

We hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. Earlier today, President Christina Paxson informed the Brown community that in light of shifting public health conditions related to COVID-19, the University will be taking a phased approach to bringing back students for the fall semester. 

While these changes do not impact the plans for your incoming first-year student to begin their full-time studies during the spring semester and enroll remotely in one free course this fall, we wanted to keep you informed of the latest developments on campus.  

In the first phase, only a limited number of students will be permitted to return to campus before Labor Day. As a result, all undergraduate classes will be taught remotely from September 9 until the week of October 5. In the second phase, other students will be invited to return in late September provided that the public health situation has improved. As always, the safety and wellbeing of our students has been at the forefront of our decision-making process, which remains grounded in data and public health guidance. 

While we understand that this news is not what many students and families were hoping to hear, this phased approach further reduces the number of students on campus at the start of the term in the three-semester model announced July 7. The staggered arrival of students better positions Brown to manage quarantine and isolation for any students who test positive for COVID-19.

We invite you to read the details of this decision in the President’s message sent today to Brown students.

As we wrote in July, our goal is to provide you and your student with comprehensive information about the University’s plans so that you are able to make the best decisions for your circumstances. Please continue to reference the Healthy Brown website for the most up-to-date information about the start of the fall term.

We recognize that the uncertainty brought about by this public health crisis continues to be challenging and unsettling for many families, and we thank you for patience and flexibility. Despite these unprecedented circumstances, we look forward to the upcoming semester and seeing many of your students on campus once again. 

Sincerely,

Eric Estes
Vice President for Campus Life

Rashid Zia
Dean of the College