Newsletter December 2020

News and Deadlines

RIT Holiday Closure
Reminder that RIT will be closed starting at 2 p.m. on December 24 through January 1. Essential offices will remain open. For any emergencies, please contact Public Safety.

Welcome Home, Tigers Video
Thanks to those who shared the heartwarming videos and photos of your pets welcoming your Tigers home for break! You can see the video created by RIT’s communications team here.

Spring Move-In Information
Move-in dates for students living in RIT Housing is available on the RIT Housing website. Please review carefully as the date your student will move in will depend on whether or not they will have to quarantine upon arrival in New York and if they choose University Coordinated Quarantine or independent quarantine.

• Incoming students who choose University Coordinated Quarantine will move in on January 13, 2021
• Returning students who choose University Coordinated Quarantine will move in on January 17-18, 2021
• Any student that needs to pick up a key who don’t need to quarantine OR completes independent quarantine will move in on January 18, 2021
• Students returning to their fall housing assignment who do not need to quarantine should follow instructions on the RIT Housing website

Information about key pickup and housing assignments is available on the RIT Housing website.

Please be sure to review the New York State COVID-19 Travel Guidelines and note guidelines are subject to change.

RIT Master Plan
The RIT Master Plan is a special scholarship opportunity that covers 55% of graduate tuition at RIT, making earning a master's degree an affordable option. The tuition program extrends to more than 65 qualifying master's degree programs offered on the RIT campus as well as select online master's degrees. This opportunity is available to RIT students who anticipate graduating in December 2020, May 2021, and August 2021 and alumni who graduated in December 2019, May 2020, and August 2020. Learn more on the RIT Master Plan website. 

RIT Ready Updates

Spring Circulation Plan and Checklist
As we prepare for a safe and health re-population of campus in the spring, there are a few items that all students must complete. All students are required to complete the Spring Circulation Plan on the MyLife Portal (mylife.rit.edu), no matter their spring semester plans. This includes students who plan to be on co-op or are completing online coursework. By completing the Spring Circulation Plan, students are notifying RIT of their intended plans for the Spring 2021 Semester. Responses to the Spring Circulation Plan will determine the required action steps that students must complete before the start of the semester. 

Students will be assigned an RIT contact to support them through the process. The assigned staff member will be listed on the home screen of their MyLife Portal. Students are encouraged to reach out to this individual should they have any questions about the Spring Circulation Plan and associated requirements.

Learn more about the Spring Circulation Plan and detailed requirements at rit.edu/ready/spring-planning.

University Coordinated Quarantine
Students with an RIT housing assignment that are required to quarantine before circulating on campus in accordance with RIT and New York State COVID-19 Travel Guidelines may choose to quarantine on their own independently or participate in University Coordinated Quarantine.

The cost of University Coordinated Quarantine is $115 per night and includes:

• a private room
• 3 meals each day delivered to the student's room
• a COVID-19 test on the 4th day of stay

RIT’s arrangement with the local hotels are date specific. Neither early nor late arrivals will be permitted.

• Incoming new students: the hotel check-in date is Wednesday, January 13, 2021. 
• Returning students: the hotel check-in dates are Sunday, January 17 or Monday, January 18, 2021.

Students must apply for this option by January 3, 2021. Visit this website for details.

COVID-19 Fall Report Card
RIT successfully completed all 13 weeks of in-person instruction this fall without having to suspend or cancel classes due to coronavirus outbreaks. Despite having a large, active campus with students from many countries and all 50 states, RIT had a relatively low rate of infection and avoided major outbreaks. Read more about lessons learned this fall here.

Flu Vaccine Requirement
RIT is requiring all students, faculty, and staff who will be on campus for any reason receive a seasonal flu vaccination by the start of Spring Semester. Students must provide proof of having received the seasonal flu vaccine by submitting documentation to the Wellness Portal. Proof should include name, date, and documentation that it was a flu vaccine. Students with a medical or religious accommodation will be receiving a secure message through the health portal that we have a file of record.

Information and Updates

Academic Check-In
Now that the semester is over, it is the perfect time to check in with your student about how their courses went in the fall and what their plans are for spring semester. Here are some questions we recommend asking your student:

• What type of classes (virtual; in-person; hybrid) worked best for you this fall and why?
• What spring semester courses have you registered for?
• Have you checked in with your academic advisor about your schedule and progress towards your degree? What did you talk about?
• What study/time management methods worked for you this fall? What will you change for the spring?

If you hear any concerns from your student, please remind them of RIT academic-related resources, including their academic advisor and the Academic Success Center.

Final Grades
Final grades were due on December 11. Shortly after they are submitted by professors, students can view grades by logging into SIS. If students have questions about grades, please remember that RIT will be closed between December 25-January 1.

Deans’ List Notifications
The Fall 2020 Dean’s List will be processed on February 3, 2021. Students are notified in different ways depending on their college. University News sends releases to hometown papers (based on zip code) via My Merit Pages. Students who have opted out of My Merit Pages will not have a press release sent to their hometown newspaper.

College Restoration Program
The College Restoration Program (CRP) is an intensive, one-semester academic intervention program for students facing academic suspension and probation. For many students, CRP is the chance to acquire the skills needed to be successful at RIT. As a parent, you hope that your student will not have any academic challenges, but if so, CRP might be an option.

CRP staff work with students to set and accomplish goals, increase self-esteem, manage daily living, self-advocate, and live a healthy and balanced life. CRP does this through two specialty courses: Academic Strategies and Motivation and Wellness. They also include weekly mentoring for additional skill development. In addition, students take up to ten credits recommended by their current department. Students must receive a referral from their academic program. For additional information, please visit the College Restoration Program website.

FAFSA Reminder
While assisting your student with the 2021-22 FAFSA application, remember that you can begin the process after October 1 each year. We recommend transferring your 2019 federal tax return information to the FAFSA via IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) to streamline the process. Visit the Federal Student Aid or RIT’s Financial Aid and Scholarships website for more information. RIT students will receive financial aid award notifications beginning in mid-May assuming that all required documents have been submitted. 

Parent Poll
Each month, we ask parents to respond to our Parent Poll and provide feedback on a topic related to RIT, your student, and you. In November, we asked for what life skill you student needs the most guidance. Responses were split across all options, with relationship/social skills and financial management being slightly higher than the rest. Please take a moment to respond to our December question.