Brown continues to value the contributions that the University's domestic and international visiting and exchange programs bring to our academic community. Informed by current public health guidelines and the University’s recently announced planning for the academic year 2021-22, Brown has made policy updates related to visiting and exchange undergraduate, graduate and medical student programs that will enable the resumption of in-person enrollment next fall. We are sharing this update now to provide adequate time for offices and departments to begin recruitment and/or admission efforts related to programs that will once again welcome these visitors as of Aug. 1. Below this update, we’ve also included a reminder about the guidance that remains in place for visiting faculty, visiting research fellows and postdoctoral fellows.

Update on exchange and visiting students

Non-degree visiting undergraduate, graduate and medical students (domestic and international) will be permitted to attend classes that meet in-person as of Aug. 1, 2021. Non-degree, visiting undergraduate, graduate and medical students (domestic and international) should seek admission through the appropriate offices. To continue to safeguard the health and safety of all community members, all admitted non-degree students on campus will be required to comply with Brown and Rhode Island’s public health guidance and commit to following Brown’s COVID-19 campus safety policies and protocols (see notice: https://healthy.brown.edu/life-campus). Students are required to sign a commitment (see notice: https://healthy.brown.edu/prevention/commitment/student) that they will follow required public health practices, and that they understand that disregard of public health practices is a conduct violation that could result in removal from campus.

(Note: The current restriction prohibiting in-person class attendance by exchange and visiting students, which will change on Aug. 1 as described above, does not apply to the following programs, some of which may have enrolled students attending classes in-person already: the Brown-Tougaloo Partnership, undergraduate cross-registration programs with Wheaton College and RISD, graduate cross-registration programs with Harvard University and RISD, The Graduate School Exchange Scholar Program, or participants in the Employee Education Program or those approved for essential research.)

Continuing guidance for visiting faculty, visiting research fellows and postdoctoral fellows

For visiting faculty, visiting research fellows and postdoctoral fellows, the current guidance will remain in place for the summer 2021 term. As a reminder, requests for essential on-campus research by visiting and adjunct faculty, visiting research fellows, postdoctoral scholars, and other individuals required for/involved in essential research must continue to be submitted by the department chair/center director to the Research Continuity Committee in the Office of the Vice President for Research via the process outlined on the Resuming Research web page (see notice: https://www.brown.edu/research/conducting-research-brown/resuming-research).

In addition, requests for non-essential, non-research visiting and adjunct faculty, visiting research fellows, and postdoctoral scholars should continue to follow the current process (see notice: https://healthy.brown.edu/updates/brown-community-update-visitors-policy). The Provost will review all exemption requests and determine whether they should be approved. While we are excited about the prospect of welcoming visitors through our domestic and international visiting and exchange programs as of Aug. 1, please be aware that Brown may need to make adjustments to these guidelines if public health guidance changes. The University will continue to monitor the evolving circumstances and will provide further guidance and updates to visitors as more information becomes available.

Sincerely,

Asabe Poloma

Assistant Provost