Please continue observing the masking and social distancing protocols on campus. Thank you for helping us keep the campus community safe.
COVID-19 Updates
We can safely return to full capacity in-person instructing beginning Tuesday, September 7. All graduate courses with enrollments of 65 persons or fewer will meet in their assigned classrooms. Undergraduate courses with enrollments of 50 or fewer will also meet in person. All other courses will be delivered online.
Additional Details About August Update
- We will finish out classes on campus through the weekend. No changes to the schedule or protocols.
- Starting Monday, August 23, all graduate courses will be hybrid through September 3.
- Classes will take place as previously scheduled. (There will be no delay as mentioned in the email from the provost, which is focused primarily on undergrads.)
- Our undergrad business students will begin online classes on Wednesday, August 25.
- All events from August 23 through September 3 should either be virtual or cancelled.
- Also starting Monday, staff should work remotely unless otherwise directed by their supervisor.
- Faculty and staff with private offices may use them if they choose to do so.
We appreciate our community’s care and consideration for all students, faculty and staff. We’ve done this before. We can do it again.
Frequently Asked Questions
As we try to keep everyone updated, you're reminded to follow the university’s safety guidelines and do your part by wearing face coverings inside and outside of buildings, standing 6 feet apart and washing your hands. Testing is required for all students on campus.
The asks we're making are meant to keep each other healthy and preserve the option of on-campus learning. Small sacrifices in the big picture of this pandemic.
Thank you for doing your part by being positive, respectful and patient with each other.
Thank you for your steadfast cooperation, patience and support as we navigate the protocols to keep everyone safe and healthy. What got us to this point will get us through this.
Peter Rodriguez
Dean, Jones Graduate School of Business
Rice Business New Travel Guidelines
In keeping with the CDC’s recommendation to avoid nonessential travel and Rice’s guidance against domestic and international travel, Rice Business made the decision to cancel all school-sponsored travel, in the fall of 2020 such as career treks (Week on Wall Street, Seattle, Silicon Valley) and the travel component of international academic courses. This included Global Field Experiences and Global Offsite Electives.
Rice Business relied on many entities to make this decision, including the CDC, International SOS (ISOS) and U.S. Department of State, Rice University Crisis Management Advisory Committee and student leadership. The considerations include exit and entry bans for many countries, quarantine requirements and strained health systems. Our number one priority is the health and safety of our students, staff, faculty, our international partners and our community at large. We will continue to monitor the global pandemic and state of affairs and will re-evaluate new university sponsored travel opportunities as things develop.