Monday, Mar 8, 2021
A letter from President Dell'Omo and Provost Fredeen
Dear Rider University community,
We are writing to share with you our vision for a more dynamic and engaging campus experience for the upcoming academic year beginning this fall. We are cautiously optimistic that we will resume extensive in-person teaching, residential housing and on-campus activities and events for the 2021-22 academic year while we also continue to abide by federal and state COVID-19 regulations and prioritize the health and well-being of our campus community.
Academic courses that were offered in-person prior to the pandemic are expected to be offered in-person this fall. Courses that were offered online prior to the pandemic will continue to be available online. At this time, we do not anticipate that courses will be offered in hybrid or remote formats. We are also preparing to support greater numbers of residential students and on-campus activities and events while we continue requiring the use of face masks, and advance and surveillance testing as needed. If required, we will enforce other health and safety protocols.
Of course, this vision is contingent on federal and state regulations and the status of the pandemic between now and the fall. That said, we remain optimistic for a return to more normal campus operations given the continued roll out of the vaccine and the reduction in COVID-19 cases in the state and across the nation.
Additional details are forthcoming. In the meantime, we wanted to highlight the following important information:
Summer and Fall Course Registration
Summer 2021: The Enhanced Course Roster (ECR) for summer courses is now live. Registration will begin on March 22. Summer courses will primarily be delivered online/remotely, with select courses offered in person.
Fall 2021: The Enhanced Course Roster (ECR) for fall courses will be published on March 29. Registration for returning students will begin on April 12. New students will receive their course schedule during summer orientation. Because we anticipate a return to in-person instruction, the fall ECR will not include course modalities, except for those courses that are typically offered online as part of an online program.
You will hear from your academic Dean’s office shortly with additional information.
Campus Housing
The residential room selection timeline will be adjusted to align with fall course selection, as we know students and families have important issues to consider in planning for the upcoming academic year. COVID-19 protocols will continue to be implemented in residence halls this fall, including enhanced cleaning and sanitation, expectations for distancing and mask-wearing, required COVID-19 testing, and some form of an abridged guest policy. Details regarding the residential room selection process including the deadline for housing deposits, room type availability, room selection timeline, and on-campus dining will be shared shortly.
Return to Work
Employees will soon receive information from Human Resources regarding return to campus work plans, which we expect will be implemented gradually over the next several months and beyond.
Further Planning in the Months Ahead
There are many across the University who are working diligently to plan for the upcoming academic year. This work is informed, in part, by the current prevailing opinions regarding public health and by our students, nearly 700 of whom participated in a recent survey, the results of which are providing important information and feedback.
We are grateful for everyone’s support and efforts. We would especially like to thank the COVID-19 Implementation Team, a group of administrators and deans who have been charged with overseeing this work since last spring. They have spent long hours managing every aspect of our campus planning and operations, and we appreciate their leadership navigating all issues related to the pandemic.
We hope today’s announcement provides a very high level overview and expectations for our return to campus, but we know you most likely have many more questions yet to be answered. We ask for your patience as we work through the myriad of details required to make this transition a smooth one. We will do our best to keep you apprised of information as it becomes available both via email and on our Resolved and Ready website.
We ask everyone to continue being vigilant and to do your part in preventing the spread of coronavirus. Wear a mask, stay six feet apart, wash your hands often, attend to travel guidelines, and get vaccinated if and when you are able.
With everyone’s help, we know we can welcome everyone back to our campus safely and soon.
Sincerely,
Gregory G. Dell’Omo, Ph.D.
President
DonnaJean Fredeen, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs