Tuesday, Mar 10, 2020
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
We continue to closely monitor the rapidly evolving worldwide outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and in close partnership with local and state health officials.
Classes this week
We write to confirm that classes will continue to be held this week as scheduled. While there are confirmed cases of coronavirus in New Jersey, we do not have confirmed cases among students, faculty or staff on either campus.
Extending spring break an additional week
We are extending spring break for an additional week through March 27. This will allow us more time for our continued planning and preparations as we work to ensure continuity of our classes and operations, to the extent possible, should we have to cancel in-person classes in order to mitigate transmission of the virus. Deans, faculty and the Teaching and Learning Center, for instance, are preparing a number of technology-based and other solutions should we have to rely on remote instruction for a period of time. And we continue our cleaning and disinfecting protocols in all buildings across both campuses.
We will continue to be in touch with you throughout the next week and beyond with additional information so that you remain informed and can prepare accordingly. We cannot stress enough the importance of keeping up with your Rider email. That is the official means of communication by which we will keep you updated regarding coronavirus and whether or not students will return to campus following extended spring break. We will also keep our website updated at www.rider.edu/coronavirus.
How students can prepare this week
Please be sure to take home whatever you need from your on-campus residence (books, notes, laptop, etc.) just in case you have to continue your academic requirements remotely. Please also take advantage of spring break to talk with your family about this information, what you need to consider should you not return to campus following spring break or should you have to return home if in-person classes are canceled later in the spring semester.
In the event that we determine the need to cancel in-person classes at some point during the semester, we will ask students to continue their academic requirements remotely (if possible). There is also the chance, given how quickly the situation is evolving, that we will ask students not to return to campus following spring break. Please know that in either case, international and other resident students who cannot return home will be able to remain on campus with food, maintenance, Public Safety and other services provided.
Should you have any questions, please contact the Dean of Students Office at 609-896-5101 or send an email to [email protected].
How faculty and staff can prepare this week
While spring break has been extended a week, the University remains open. Division heads and deans will be in touch with you to communicate additional division-specific information and to discuss how you will continue operating over the next several weeks. Please check out www.rider.edu/oitconnect for information about preparing to work remotely should that become necessary. Additionally, the Teaching and Learning Center has created a robust site, www.rider.edu/keeplearning, for faculty to prepare for remote instruction. Please direct any questions you have to your supervisor or dean.
If you are traveling during spring break
As a reminder, we ask that students and faculty contact their academic dean this week if you are traveling during spring break to any country with a CDC Level 3 travel health warning: China, Iran, Italy and South Korea. Staff should contact their supervisors. You will not be allowed to return to either campus after traveling to these countries until you have self-isolated for 14 days upon your return to the U.S. and you are symptom-free. Deans will work with students and their faculty to help support students’ academic work while they are self-isolated.
You can contact your academic deans as follows:
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: 609-896-5155
- Norm Brodsky College of Business: 609-896-5170
- College of Continuing Studies: 609-896-5033
- College of Education and Human Services: 609-896-5048
- Westminster Choir College: 609-921-7100 ext. 8206
- School of Fine and Performing Arts: 609-896-5168
As you are aware, Rider has already suspended all outbound university-sponsored travel to countries with a CDC Level 3 travel health warning. Effective immediately and until further notice, we are also suspending all non-essential domestic and international university-sponsored air travel. For those of you with planned trips in the next few weeks, please contact the individual in charge of your trip or the Center for International Education. We also strongly encourage you to reconsider any personal domestic air travel you may be considering in the weeks ahead.
We know this is a challenging situation for all of us, and that disruptions and inconveniences will likely result because of this outbreak. Of utmost importance is the safety and welfare of all members of our University community. We also remain committed to continuing instruction to the extent possible so that you may complete your academic requirements this semester. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we keep abreast of this rapidly changing situation and adjust our plans and actions accordingly. We are a resilient community and we will get through this.
We will be in touch next week, if not before, with additional information. In the meantime, stay well, be smart and have a good spring break!