A Message to Rhode Island College Students; Fall 2020 Semester; Course Schedules; Tuition & Fees
August 6, 2020
Dear RIC Students,
Rhode Island College students continue to make me and the entire college community incredibly proud. I see and read about your determination, resilience and perseverance in the face of these unprecedented challenges as well as receive messages about the difficulties you are facing.
I know the last several months have been extremely difficult for many of you, particularly as you make plans for attending RIC this fall. I want to start by thanking all of you for your patience as we navigate the uncertainty of teaching and learning as well as running a college campus during the current health crisis.
Updated Schedules
As of yesterday, August 5, students can log into MyRIC to view updated schedules, including the form each class will take (online, in-person). While the majority of the college’s 2,500+ fall course offerings have been updated, we continue to make changes daily. We encourage you to check your schedule often for possible additional changes. If you have questions about your schedule, please contact the Office of Academic Support and Information Services (OASIS) at 401-456-8083 or
OASIS@ric.edu.
Tuition & Fees
As many students and families know, Rhode Island College is among the most affordable four-year degrees in the Northeast. With nearly 40 percent of graduates having no debt after graduation, the exceptional RIC education is a true hallmark of a high-value college degree.
Even so, I fully understand how many students and their families are facing economic challenges right now. Despite the college needing to maintain critical support operations, we must also make necessary adjustments to support students during the current health and economic challenges facing the state and our RIC community.
As a result, the college will be reducing several student fees for the 2020 fall semester. (We will determine if these fees need to be reduced for the spring semester at a later date.)
The following fees have been adjusted for the fall 2020 semester:
- Fine Arts fee has been eliminated
- Athletics fee has been reduced 75 percent
- Approved 2020-2021 fee increases for Donovan Dining and the Student Union will not be implemented. The college will administer last year’s 2019-2020 fee.
Other fees remain in place to maintain the critical supports and services provided on campus, whether face-to-face or online, as well as ensuring upkeep of our campus facilities. These supports are a vital lifeline for many of our students who do not have an appropriate learning environment at home and need those services. These fees also pay for the operations needed to keep these supports available to students who might otherwise not be able to continue their studies.
The 2020-2021 approved tuition was necessary due to the fixed costs associated with instruction and student services that will not change in a remote environment.
Additional information and a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to tuition and fees for the fall 2020 semester can be found on the college’s website: http://www.ric.edu/covid19/Pages/FAQs.aspx.
Health Services
Student Health Services will continue to operate and provide essential supports and health services to all Rhode Island College students throughout the academic year. Student Health Services operates Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. For additional information and for access to after-hours and weekend services, please visit:
http://www.ric.edu/healthservices/.
Services provided at the
Counseling Center are offered to all students whether they are living on or off campus. The Counseling Center is performing all student visits remotely via telehealth services. The Counseling Center is now providing sessions such as “drop-in” video-group for any RIC student who wishes to connect with others and process experiences. For additional information, please visit:
http://www.ric.edu/counseling-center/.
Together We Are Anchor Strong.
As president, my top priority is ensuring that you are able to continue your education in a safe, healthy and academically rigorous environment. Your patience and determination during these uncertain times are an inspiration to me. While I wish we could have provided students additional savings this fall semester, please know that our faculty and staff have been working hard throughout the summer to ensure that the fall 2020 semester is a rich and fulfilling educational experience for all students. The changes brought forth by this pandemic have been numerous, difficult and unpredictable, but we are making every effort to ensure that Rhode Island College still continues to provide a high-quality education.
Updates on the fall 2020 semester will continue in the days and weeks leading up to our reopening. In the meantime, please reach out with questions, comments and concerns at
stayinformed@ric.edu. As we approach the start of a new academic year, I will continue to update you on our plans for reopening so that you know what to expect when classes resume on
Monday, August 31.
Please visit the college website to learn more about what things will be like at Rhode Island College this fall. http://www.ric.edu/COVID19/.
Be well. Stay healthy. Best wishes as you begin or continue your academic journey at Rhode Island College. Thank you!
Yours in education,
Frank D. Sánchez
President
