Fall Return to the Banks

April 2, 2021

Dear Scarlet Knights,

As President Holloway announced last week, Rutgers is preparing for a full return to campus for Fall 2021, with robust plans to protect the safety and health of our students, faculty, staff, and host communities.

Our safe return is predicated on the vaccination of students, accessibility of vaccinations for faculty and staff, a strong COVID-19 testing program, social distancing, mask wearing, and cleaning protocols in place. Our classrooms, student housing, and in-person events and activities will be occupied to the capacity levels allowed by state and federal guidelines and our community’s adherence to health and safety protocols. Of course, our return-to-campus plans may need to change based on factors like the progress of the pandemic and guidance from governmental authorities.

While the administration is planning for a safe return to Rutgers, we encourage you to begin planning as well. Many of the answers to your questions can be found on our Coronavirus website. Below you will find information on housing and registration to help in planning your return to campus this fall.

• Academics
  For Fall 2021, the large majority of course sections will offer in-person instruction. There will also be some offerings delivered remotely/online, depending on the specific course and school. Students should check with their academic programs' course scheduling module to determine their course of study for the fall.
  
  To allow for greater spacing between students in Fall 2021, classrooms have been assigned reduced capacities of their usual number of seats, depending on room size and configuration, in accordance with public health guidelines. Student study spaces, including library study spaces, will also operate at reduced capacity to allow for distancing.
• Course Registration
  Pre-Registration for the Fall 2021 semester begins on Monday, April 19 at 9:00 a.m. and continues through Tuesday, April 27. Registration continues online through Tuesday, August 31, 2021. Find more information on registering for classes.
• On-Campus Housing
  The undergraduate housing application for the fall is now open. Continuing students who would like to live on campus for 2021-2022 are required to apply for a Housing Selection number by April 19, 2021. View the application and timeline. Residence Life will also be sending an email with more detail about the application process.
  
  Graduate student housing is available and information from Residence Life is forthcoming.
• Off-Campus Housing and Living Support
  Students planning to live off-campus are encouraged to contact the Office of Off-Campus Living and Community Partnerships. In addition to connecting you with local community partners reflective of your interests and needs, they also prepare students for life off campus by assisting with the housing search, including educational workshops focused on legal issues, safety, security, and respect.
• One Stop Student Services Center
  One Stop Student Services Center on the Busch campus is on track to open this fall. This center will allow you to easily manage the non-academic, educational business side of student life, and will remove many of the barriers involved in navigating multiple offices across Rutgers–New Brunswick. It represents a single point of service integrating the areas of financial aid, student accounts, and registration.

Over the coming weeks Student Affairs will share additional details about what the transition will look like for students, including information on how to register for vaccinations, plan on-campus programs for your organizations and clubs, engage in Greek life, and other activities that encompass the collegiate experience.

Finally, as your Chancellor, a Rutgers parent, and an alumnus, I want to thank you and your families for your commitment to a Rutgers education. Your resilience during a difficult chapter in our 254-year history has been inspiring. I am confident that our community will continue to navigate the pandemic, and I look forward to a Fall semester much closer to normal for our campus with the strongest commitment to the safety and wellbeing of all our students, faculty, and staff.

Sincerely,

Christopher J. Molloy, Ph.D.
Chancellor, Rutgers–New Brunswick