NEWPORT – Salve Regina University is now restricting travel for students for the Thanksgiving break in response to the growing surge of COVID-19 cases across Rhode Island and nationally.
Salve spokesperson Matthias Boxler said Monday in an email to Providence Business News that students were notified on Nov. 13 that they cannot return to campus or the city after the Thanksgiving break and must take their remaining classes online if they choose to leave the Newport-based campus or off-campus residences in Newport.
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Salve will remain open for in-person classes after Thanksgiving break, but students who live on campus or in Newport and want to take classes in person must remain local through the holiday break, Boxler said.
“We know this is disappointing to our students who hoped to return to campus, but these decisions are made with the latest information available, and with their health and safety in mind,” Boxler said.
Boxler said 553 students have notified Salve officials that they intend to go remote after Thanksgiving. Of those going remote, 421 live on campus. Wednesday is the deadline for students to let Salve know their Thanksgiving travel plans, Boxler said.
Salve is also offering asymptomatic testing on a first-come, first-serve basis to undergraduate students who are returning home at Thanksgiving break,” Boxler said.
Additionally, Salve’s spring semester start date has been adjusted. Classes will now resume on Jan. 19, 2021, and there will be no spring break week. Spring classes will still end April 23.
Brown University:
Brown University is switching to online-only classes a week earlier than originally scheduled in response to a rising number of confirmed coronavirus cases both in the community and on campus, President Christina Paxson said in a statement Tuesday.
Remote-only learning for all undergraduate and graduate classes will begin Wednesday, instead of Nov. 25, she said in a statement on the Ivy league school’s website.
“The safety of our community members and their families remains our top priority,” Paxson wrote. “With one week until Thanksgiving Break, and especially for members of our community who want to avoid carrying infection to their homes or wherever they may travel in and beyond Providence to be with family or friends, this is the time to be especially vigilant about following public health measures at all times.”
After Thanksgiving break, Brown’s fall term is scheduled to conclude with a weeklong remote reading period from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4, followed by a remote final exam period Dec. 7 to 11.
Residence halls will remain open until Dec. 12, including through Thanksgiving break, for students who wish to remain on campus.
Students won’t be allowed to leave for Thanksgiving and then return to campus.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette. Mark Pratt is a reporter for The Associated Press.
This story has been updated to include information on Brown University’s plans.
