Richard Bland College Students Return to a Safe & Secure Campus

To safeguard student and employee safety, Richard Bland College of William & Mary will be welcoming fewer students to campus for the start of the fall academic semester that begins Monday, August 24. Some students have opted for remote instruction, and faculty have aligned course offerings to accommodate them. Other students will return to campus for in-seat classes. Roughly 200 students, about half of the normal residential population, begin move-in through a phased process on Thursday and Friday.

The cornerstone of RBC’s campus reopening plan is Statesman Safe & Secure, which was developed in consultation which the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). The plan has been reviewed by the State Council of Higher Education (SCHEV) and found compliant with the required components of the “Higher Education Reopening Guidance.”

The Statesman Safe & Secure report can be accessed here

“While campus life will be decidedly different this fall due to the pandemic, RBC remains committed to its educational mission and to delivering an exceptional student experience,” says President Debbie L. Sydow. “Richard Bland’s Safe & Secure reopening plan is designed to safeguard the health and safety of every member of the community.”

This fall, fifty-seven percent (a 10 percent increase from the 2019-20 academic year) of RBC’s incoming honor students are members of the Promise Scholars program, a joint initiative between Richard Bland College and William & Mary. The Promise Scholars program is designed to provide high-ability, Pell-eligible, Virginia students the opportunity to earn an associate degree at RBC and then transfer to William & Mary to complete a baccalaureate degree with little to no debt. This is the third year for this innovative program.