The Financial Aid Office will continue to assist students with navigating the process of applying for need-based financial assistance from Rhode Island College, Federal grants and loans, or the Federal Work Study program. For more information about applying for financial assistance visit the Financial Aid website, or to speak with the Financial Aid Office please email financialaid@ric.edu.

Each student has their own financial aid counselor that will help them navigate through the financial aid process. Please call the Financial Aid Office (401) 456-8033 or email financialaid@ric.edu and we will direct you to your financial aid counselor.

Yes, there are a limited number of Federal Work Study positions available during the pandemic, both on campus and remote. Federal Work Study is a part-time employment program based upon financial need. A work-study award is paid biweekly at an hourly rate, based on hours worked. Eligibility is determined by the Office of Student Financial Aid, using information from the FAFSA. The Career development Center assists work-study students with job placement on or off campus. While work-study students receive priority for job placement, the College cannot guarantee placement in a position. For more information, contact the Office of Financial Aid at (401) 456-8033 or financialaid@ric.edu.

We know that many of our students rely upon work-study programs to support their educational needs. We are asking each supervisor to communicate with students to discuss plans regarding students’ return to campus. All work-study positions are posted on Handshake and will indicate if they are will be on-campus, hybrid or remote. There will be a range of offerings. Connect with the Career Development Center if you have a work-study award and would like to find a job.

You can continue to meet with your academic advisor to discuss your academic plan and course registration. Advising appointments may be conducted by email, phone and/or video conference depending on instructions from your advisor. Check your RIC email frequently and follow the guidelines provided by your advisor.

Appointments must be made prior to meeting. Contact your academic advisor to schedule an advising appointment. If you do not know who your advisor is or you do not see one listed, contact the Department Chair for your major.

If you are an exploring major, make your advising appointment with your academic advisor using Starfish. The advising team in the OASIS (Office of Academic Support Information Services) is available and open for virtual appointments.

If you have any questions or concerns about advising, contact Chris DaCosta, director of academic advising, at cdacosta@ric.edu or reach out to the advising team in the OASIS at 401-456-8083 or by email at oasis@ric.edu.

Tutoring services are available to students for subject tutoring, study skills, math and writing. Appointments can be made through RIC’s WC Online.

The Writing Center continues to host e-Tutoring sessions. You can make appointments, upload writing for review and a writing specialist will provide feedback within 48 hours of the appointment time.

The Math Learning Center and Tutorial Services will also host virtual tutoring appointments with you. If you are seeking assistance with study skills and online/remote learning, you can make an appointment with the Office of Academic Advising Academic Development team.

The Math Placement Exam will be hosted online by appointment. Email Megan DiBonaventura at mdibonaventura@ric.edu to schedule a testing time. Information will be emailed to the students who are registered for the test the morning of test day.

To make any tutoring appointment, please log on to RIC’s WC Online. You can also check on Smarthinking for additional online tutoring options.

For additional questions, please contact the following:
Jayne Nightingale, Tutorial Services at jnightingale@ric.edu
Megan Di Bonaventura, Math Learning Center at mdibonaventura@ric.edu
Clarissa Walker, PhD, Writing Center at cwalker@ric.edu.
You may also call the OASIS at 401-456-8083.

We will continue to have on-campus housing, but at a greatly reduced capacity. Space in residential housing is also necessary for those students for whom housing and food insecurity are also threats to their health and wellbeing.

Residential Life and Housing is requiring all students to present a negative COVID test result before returning to the residence halls this spring. It is also highly encouraged that students receive a flu vaccination. Resident students will also be required to get on-campus COVID testing weekly. Students may be asked to isolate or quarantine pending results.

Students residing on campus will be required to participate in the asymptomatic testing program. The housing department will work to communicate this information to residential students.

Students living on campus will have the opportunity to participate in virtual and in-person programs that promote a sense of belonging and support overall wellbeing.

For the 2020-21 academic year, we have had to drastically cut our occupancy in the residence halls by about 50%. Every student will be assigned a single room, and will share a toilet, sink and shower with just one other person in their suite. We will monitor the guidance and information regarding Fall 2021 will be forthcoming.

Absolutely. Please complete the Housing Selection Form we sent you indicating your desire to remain living on campus. In that form are questions about your preferences. Our Assistant Director of Housing Operations, Pete Gibb, will work one on one with you to try to meet your requests as much as possible and ensure that you are happy with your assignment. We know this is not how housing assignments usually go, and we want to help you as much as possible.

We will be spreading move-in days out to occur over the course of one week to ensure proper social distancing. You will be able to sign up for a time to move in your belongings. Residential students will be required to go through a precheck-in process. The housing department will submit information to residential students expounding on this process. Please note: You will only be allowed 2 guests to help you move in. Masks will be required.

Unfortunately, no outside guests will be able to visit the residence halls this semester. Only residents may visit each other within the residence halls. We do, however, want to limit a lot of movement, so we will be asking you to share who you expect to visit frequently in the Housing Selection Form to try to house several students in “cluster” whenever possible.

We want to limit the amount of people entering your private space. Housekeeping and facilities staff will be entering suites on a limited and as needed basis only. Therefore, we will be requiring students to clean their own bathrooms. It is recommended that students sanitize the toilet and sink area between each use. Students will be responsible for upholding cleanliness standards within their living spaces. RIC will educate and inform students on appropriate cleaning protocols within their assigned spaces to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Regular health and safety checks will be conducted by staff members.

Social distancing will be expected as much as possible. Common areas will have limited occupancy, and lounges may have a reduced seating capacity. Laundry rooms and elevators will also have occupancy limits. There will also be an increased level of cleaning in the common areas including stairwell banisters, elevator buttons, door knobs, etc.

Health Services MUST be contacted should any of the following symptoms occur (even if the symptoms are mild); cough, fever, shortness of breath, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, runny nose, stuffy nose, sore throat, headache, nausea or vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea, or recent loss of taste or smell. (If there is a pre-existing condition that may impact a student’s ability to report symptoms or that may cause similar symptoms, or that may cause similar symptoms, a request with supporting medical documentation to the Reasonable Housing Accommodations Committee through the Disability Services Center utilizing the form on their website). Students may be required to go into quarantine or self-isolate.

Students must comply with any orders to quarantine or self-isolate for a period of time as determined by the Rhode Island Department of Health in coordination with RIC Health Services. During isolation/quarantine, a student will be asked to remain in their own suite or moved to a different suite (unless in an emergency situation) in order to prevent transmission to others, and the student will be asked not to have any contact with others. The student will be asked to monitor for symptoms and perform temperature checks at least twice daily and to contact Health Services if symptoms occur or change. Residents who are required to quarantine or self-isolate will have the ability to order meals using the Anchor Dining Mobile App and these meals will be delivered to the Resident.

Students may be asked to monitor temperature, have their temperature taken, be tested for COVID-19, or asked to self-isolate as a result of contract tracing, direct exposure, or mitigation.

You will need to agree to abide by these practices and sign a COVID-19 Compliance, Liability Waiver, and Assumption of the Risk waiver. It is important to note that failure to abide by these practices may result in a breach of your housing contract and/or be considered a violation of the student code of conduct. We hope you understand that by putting these practices in place, the College is seeking to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus but cannot guarantee a risk-free environment. The form can be found on this webpage.

We have tried to be as upfront as possible with the changes and expectations for fall housing. At this time, these are our expectations. As this is a fluid situation, we will continue to monitor the situation and should we need to, will make additional changes for your safety and well-being.

Dining Services will be available for the Spring 2021 Semester and all services will be provided in accordance with the most current RIDOH and RI Department of Commerce Guidelines. Dining Services has tested processes in place to support all guest food service needs including those for Residents who are required to Isolate, Quarantine, or Shelter in Place.

Even though we may not all be together on campus, events are still happening. All students – including those who live off-campus and transfer students – are encouraged to participate. Check out a listing of them on the Student Activities event webpage.

We have approximately 70 student clubs and organizations that cover a variety of interests including academic, social, and media organizations. Check out our Student Organization Directory to see what we have. Feel free to reach out to the groups directly or fill out this form and we can help you get connected. Don’t see something you’re interested in? Contact Mike Giacalone in Student Activities and we can help you get one started.

The RIC Counseling Center cares about the mental and physical well-being of our students and College community. While the Counseling Center remains open, students are encouraged to contact (401) 456-8094 to schedule a virtual appointment. After business hours, students seeking to connect may contact the HOPE line at (401) 456-HOPE (4673).

For emergencies, please call 9-1-1

RI Department of Health public line: (401) 222-8022.

If you are ill or believe you might have COVID-19, please contact your healthcare provider or RIC Health Services. Please do not go directly to a healthcare facility without first calling a healthcare provider unless you are experiencing a medical emergency.

If you have questions about COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and the Rhode Island Department of Health have a number of resources. If you have questions after hours, please call 211.

You have options. You can call the 24/7 Rhode Island College HOPE line: 401-456-HOPE (4673). The HOPE line is in addition to the RIC counseling center and has been established to provide continuous support to our campus community. Please note that if you are in need of immediate support, please dial 911 and proceed to your local emergency room.

You can also call the RIC Counseling Center to make a tele-psych appointment with a licensed provider at 401-456-8094. Please leave a voice mail, including your name, phone number and best times to reach you. Someone will be in touch shortly during business hours.

Please call RIC Health Services at (401) 456-8055 to make an appointment. Health Services offers tele-medicine as well as in-person appointments. Please call before arriving. Please note that if you are in need of immediate support, dial 911 and proceed to your local emergency room.

For COVID related matters, if you are a residential student please contact RIC Health Services. If you are a commuter student it is requested that you contact your PCP.

Yes, please call for an appointment (401) 456-8055.

For COVID related matters, if you are a residential student please contact RIC Health Services. If you are a commuter student it is requested that you contact your PCP.

Residential students are asked to contact RIC Health Services (401) 456-8055 to have your questions answered. Even with mild symptoms, it is important to get tested in order to keep our community members safe. Thank you for reaching out to us!!

Students seeking support should contact Learning for Life for details and may apply using the Student Emergency Funds online form. The Economic Crisis Response Team will work expeditiously to ensure a timely response to students. Preference is given to unforeseen financial circumstances impacting basic needs (housing, food, access to technology) during the Coronavirus response.

For more information about Spring 2021 or Summer 2021, visit the Records Office website, or to speak with the Records Office via email: records@ric.edu. Also, the Records Office is open for virtual appointments.

Employees out of work due to a mandatory quarantine period as a result of traveling on work-related business are eligible for paid administrative leave. Non-work-related exposure resulting in mandatory quarantine will be covered by available leave options including:

1. Sick leave
2. Family Sick Leave
3. Annual leave (vacation)
4. Personal Days
5. Compensatory time
6. Leave without pay
7. Medical leave without pay

Employees who are sick and exhaust all available accrued time may request advance sick time in accordance with applicable personnel policy or bargaining agreement rules.

Employees who exhaust all accrued time and advance sick time, may wish to explore sick bank options.

Employees who have been advised to self-quarantine and for whom a telework arrangement is not an option, may discharge accrued vacation, compensatory time, and personal time or take a leave without pay. All such situations must be discussed with the employee’s immediate supervisor and the Director of Human Resources before they can be approved.

Additional guidance will be provided regarding leave procedures for employees who contract COVID-19 or are exposed to the virus.

A teleworking arrangement allows an employee to perform the essential functions of their job from an alternate work location. Please learn more about teleworking at RIC.

Employees must have been in their current positions for at least six (6) months, demonstrate satisfactory performance, have no record of discipline within the past twelve (12) months and demonstrate self-motivation, self-discipline, an ability to work independently and meet or exceed deadlines. Job duties that require independent work, infrequent office-based face-to-face interaction and have defined tasks are typically best suited for telework. It is recommended you discuss the suitability of teleworking with your supervisor.

The teleworking restrictions for new employees have been temporarily waived. Employees who have been in their current position for less than six (6) months can also apply. Please discuss with your supervisor to determine if teleworking is suitable for you.

An approved work site other than the employee’s principal office/work station location where official RIC business is performed. Such locations may include, but are not limited to, employee’s homes or satellite offices.

Applications are currently being accepted.

A telework arrangement may not begin prior to completing and receiving express approval by the appropriate administrators (Director, AVP or VP and Director of HR) via the appropriately completed “Teleworking Request Form” and “Teleworking Agreement.”

The length of the teleworking arrangement is temporary and will be approved for the length of time indicated on the “Teleworking Agreement,” but in any case may not continue for more than 12 months.

Yes. Teleworking is not an entitlement or employee right. Teleworking arrangements are approved on a case-by-case basis. Employees on a teleworking arrangement are required to adhere to all terms and conditions of the Teleworking Policy and all state and RIC policies, practices, rules and procedures, as if the employee is working on-site at RIC. Further, employee participation is voluntary; therefore, the employee, director or authorized official may terminate the teleworking arrangement at any time and for any reason, with or without cause, with advance notice where feasible.

Employees are responsible for providing and maintaining their own workspace furniture, equipment, telephone lines and internet services, including all expenses related thereto.

Employees that wish to be considered for teleworking must complete and submit a formal request using the “Teleworking Request Form” and “Teleworking Agreement.” The completed forms are submitted to your direct supervisor for review. Your supervisor will coordinate the review of the formal request with the appropriate RIC administrators and HR.

The “Teleworking Policy,” “Teleworking Request Form” and “Teleworking Agreement” are available on the Office of Human Resources Web site.

Yes. Please share with your supervisor any upcoming travel plans or travel to impacted areas within the last 14 days. Currently, all college-sponsored international travel has been suspended until further notice. For domestic travel, all travelers should monitor updates in the areas for which you are traveling.

All college-related non-essential domestic travel by employees is suspended. Please consult with your supervisor and funding provider to determine whether your college-related employee domestic travel is essential. We urge you to consider alternative methods, such as teleconferencing.

Please check with the CDC for the latest travel information.

We want to reiterate that all college-sponsored international travel has been suspended until further notice, subject to changes based on new information or guidance. Exceptions to this policy can be directed to the vice president for academic affairs/provost, regarding faculty travel, or the vice president for administration and finance, regarding staff travel.

For full details on health and safety protocols that have been implemented to create and maintain a healthy campus community, please refer to the Fall 2020 plan

Following guidance from the CDC, the college is recommending a number of mitigating activities each of us can take to minimize community transmission of COVID-19 and to promote a healthy campus environment:

1. Create habits and reminders to avoid touching your face and cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze (and immediately dispose of the tissue).
2. Wash your hands often with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds, and if soap and water are not available use 60-95% alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
4. Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched, such as doorknobs, tables, desks and handrails.
5. Limit food sharing.
6. Stop handshaking and use other non-contact methods of greeting.
7. Maintain distance (approximately six feet or two meters).
8. Increase ventilation by opening windows or adjusting air conditioning.
9. Use teleconferencing and videoconferencing for meetings when possible. If not, hold meetings in open, well-ventilated spaces.
10. Stay home from work and school when you feel sick.

Our mental health is as important as our physical health. As this situation progresses, we know that anxiety, fear and concern are also increasing. There are a number of resources available to support overall health and well-being during this time.