The University of Rhode Island Releases Fall 2020 Reopening Plans

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI — The University of Rhode Island will reopen after Labor Day with classes beginning on Sept. 9, it announced in a statement Thursday. In-person classes will end before Thanksgiving Break — classes will be moved online after Thanksgiving, and finals will be administered online so that students do not return to campus after traveling for the holiday.

Some students who had planned to live on campus next year will not be able to do so, as the university has to cut its number of on-campus students by 1,800. Priority will be given to incoming freshmen, incoming transfer students, and out-of-state students who could not feasibly live at home and commute to class. The statement says that a "limited number" of spaces will be available for students with special needs, or those who have circumstances that make commuting impossible.

URI acknowledged that the new housing situation may present students who had expected to live on campus with challenges:

"While we know this is difficult, as a university community we have worked hard to offset the impact of these changes by creating a Transition Assistance Grant (see below) for those students who are displaced," the statement said. "A more detailed message was sent today to all students who were intending to live on campus for the fall."

The Transition Assistance Grant offers $1,500 in the fall and spring semesters for students who remain at URI and lost housing, as well as a 50-meal plan, and a free parking space for Fall 2020. The university said it is exploring more off-campus housing options, such as hotels, but encouraged students to seek their own housing, whether it be living at home or finding a private off-campus residence.

Those who do remain on campus will be required to purchase a meal plan, in preparation for any possible isolation or quarantine, the statement said. Meals at the university will be take-out only when students return to campus. URI said it is looking into inside dining options for small, distanced groups, as well as outdoor dining options.

Move-in will be stretched over one week, from an expected date of Aug. 29 to as late as Sept. 7, to avoid crowding. The university acknowledged that what it has laid out are plans that could change.

"Know that we are fully aware of and continue to monitor carefully the dynamic nature of this virus and the transmission patterns locally, nationally and globally," the statement said. "Our plans are designed to mitigate risk of infection and require the cooperation of the entire URI community. If virus conditions were to change, we are prepared to act accordingly."