Dear Graduate Students,

We hope that you are doing well as the summer begins.

As you read in President Christina H. Paxson’s message on April 6, Brown is planning to return to the traditional two-semester academic calendar and mostly in-person operations beginning in Fall 2021. Only a portion of the curriculum will be available in hybrid or fully online form. Students who are taking courses and/or serving as a Teaching Assistant, Teaching Fellow, Research Assistant, or Proctor will be expected to participate in-person, with limited exemptions for students who are unable to do so due to health concerns, travel or visa restrictions, or financial hardship.

If you cannot participate in-person this fall because of health concerns or disability, travel or visa restrictions, or financial hardship, you must submit a request for an exceptional circumstances exemption no later than 8:00 a.m. EST on Monday, June 7, via UFunds. Submitting a request form will be the only guaranteed opportunity to request an exemption to study remotely for exceptional circumstances for the Fall 2021 semester.

PHD and MFA students unable to study in-person should apply for an exemption through UFunds, using the form “Petition for Remote Status, Fall 2021 - PhD and MFA,” which can be found under “Graduate Student Administrative Forms.” All other master’s students who are unable to study in-person should apply using the “Petition for Remote Status, Fall 2021 - Master’s (excluding MFA)” form, which is also in UFunds under “Graduate Student Administrative Forms.” Please note that this exemption process is only for continuing students. Newly matriculating students will be contacted separately.

We recognize that advanced doctoral students sometimes use fellowship semesters to conduct research elsewhere. We expect this to be the case in Fall 2021. For this reason, doctoral students who are neither enrolled in coursework nor serving as Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows, Research Assistants, or Proctors do not need to complete the application for an exemption. Similarly, some Research Assistantships or Proctorships do not involve being active here at Brown, such as an RAship being completed in a lab away from Providence. Students appointed on RAships or Proctorships that would not normally involve being active on campus do not need to apply for an exemption.

We recognize that the dynamic nature of travel restrictions and visa delays means that some students will not yet know when or whether they will be able to arrive on campus. PhD and master’s students who are uncertain at this time should submit a request for an exemption and describe the relevant circumstances. Requests for exemptions due to health concerns or disability will be evaluated by Student Accessibility Services (SAS). Students may be contacted to discuss the circumstances described in their request.

Students will receive notification of the status of their request by June 15. Further information about the exceptional circumstances exemption request follows below in the form of Frequently Asked Questions; please read the information carefully.

If you have questions, PhD and MFA students should write to Graduate_School@brown.edu. Master’s students (other than MFA) should write to spsmasters@brown.edu.

I wish you a healthy and productive summer.

Sincerely,

Andrew G. Campbell
Dean of the Graduate School

FAQs Regarding Exemption for Remote Study in Fall 2021 for Exceptional Circumstances 

Will graduate students be expected to return to in-person study for the Fall 2021 semester?
Students who are taking courses and/or serving as a Teaching Assistant, Teaching Fellow, Research Assistant, or Proctor will be expected to participate in-person. Brown is planning to return to the traditional two-semester academic calendar and mostly in-person operations beginning with the Fall 2021 semester. Only a portion of the curriculum will be available in hybrid or fully online form.

What are the criteria for graduate students to receive an exemption from the requirement to study in-person at Brown?
Students who cannot participate in-person in Fall 2021 because of health concerns or disability, travel or visa restrictions, or financial hardship may request an exceptional circumstances exemption no later than 8:00 a.m. EST on Monday, June 7, via UFunds.

I am not sure if I will need to study or teach remotely in the Fall. Should I submit a request?
Yes, if you believe that there are exceptional circumstances that may prevent your in-person participation in courses or service as a TA, TA II, RA, or proctor this fall, you should submit a request for an exemption. This request form will be the only guaranteed opportunity to request an exemption to study remotely for exceptional circumstances for the Fall 2021 semester.

I am an advanced doctoral student, have completed my coursework, and will be on a fellowship appointment (not a TAship, RAship, or Proctorship). I plan to be conducting research away from campus. Do I need to apply for an exemption?
No. The exemption application process applies only to continuing students who will be enrolled in courses and/or appointed as TAs, TA IIs,TFs, RAs, or proctors. Please keep in mind that your research plans may need to be approved by the Resuming Research Committee and/or the Global Travel Risk Advisory Committee. International research travel must also be registered through Travelsafe. Please regularly consult the Healthy Brown website for updates to the travel policies. These may change between now and your dates of travel.

What if my RA or proctorship appointment does not normally involve being on campus?
If you are not enrolled in courses and your RAship or proctorship would not normally involve activity on campus —such as an RAship that is being completed through research in an archive or lab away from Brown — you are not required to petition for an exemption to the on-campus requirement.

I have spoken with my instructor(s) and department, and they have said it is okay for me to participate remotely. Do I still need to apply for an exemption?
Yes. Requests for exemptions must go through the petition process in UFunds.

When will I know which classes will be offered in hybrid or fully online form?
The subset of classes that will be offered in a hybrid or fully online format will be known in mid-June, but these should not have any bearing on the need for an exemption. The request to study remotely should be independent of the course offerings. By submitting a request to study remotely, you are indicating that there are exceptional circumstances that may prevent your participating in courses or fulfilling other responsibilities associated with your appointment or course of study in-person. After approval to study remotely, you will have an opportunity to request a personal leave of absence if the course offerings do not meet your academic goals.

What happens if I do not receive approval for remote study in the fall?
If you are not approved, you have the option to participate in person or to request a personal leave of absence. Requests for reconsideration will be reviewed by the Dean of the Graduate School or the Dean’s designee.

If students can’t easily get access to the vaccine where they are residing — in the U.S. or abroad — can they get vaccinated upon arrival at Brown?
Students who are unable to access an authorized COVID-19 vaccine prior to arrival in the fall, including international students, will be able to get vaccinated in the State of Rhode Island where they will be living and studying. There will be additional information over the summer from University Health Services regarding the implementation of Browns’ vaccination requirements for students, including the process for requesting an exemption for medical or religious reasons. For current information on vaccination requirements, see the Healthy Brown website.

What if my plans change after I am approved for remote study and I want to study in Providence?
Students who have been approved to be remote but subsequently wish to change from remote to in-person participation for the fall should contact their Director of Graduate Study and Program Administrator as soon as possible.

What if my circumstances change after the June 7 deadline?
It may not be possible to review requests to be remote that are submitted after June 7. If your circumstances do change, please email your Director of Graduate Study and Program Administrator, as well as Graduate_School@brown.edu (for PhD and MFA students) or spsmasters@brown.edu (all other Master’s students). 

Who should I contact if I have more questions?
PhD and MFA students should write to Graduate_School@brown.edu. Master’s students (other than MFA) should write to spsmasters@brown.edu.