Dear Students,
I write today to let you know about a couple of items related to the start of the spring semester. Last week, the chair of the Academic Restart Committee (ARC) and I sent a message to course instructors that included information about students traveling back to campus.
In that message, which can be found here, it was noted that the delayed start to in-person instruction will likely result in many students having to travel on a weekday. Instructors were notified that such travel should be treated as an excused absence. There are a few other details in the message that you may find useful, related to a small number of courses that will be approved to start in person on Jan. 25.
Finally, I also want to make you aware that at their Jan. 27 meeting, members of the Faculty Senate will consider academic accommodations similar to those put in place last fall that allows for a late drop of courses after grades are posted. Such late drop courses will be noted on a transcript as “NG” (no grade). The Faculty Senate speaker will share the text of the proposed accommodation with the Student Association president when it is finalized.
For more information about the pandemic, go to the Return to Rice website at https://coronavirus.rice.edu/. In addition, an archive of all COVID-19 related communications are available here.
Kind regards,
Reginald DesRoches, Provost
Visit Return to Rice to read additional COVID-19 related communications.