Spring Semester 2021 Schedule (Changes, Etc.)
This Office of the Registrar webpage addresses specific topics and areas of change in preparation for Spring Semester 2021. These include the revised and updated Spring 2021 course schedule, the revised and updated Spring 2021 academic calendar, registration, classroom assignments, and classroom utilization, etc.
A history of Rice's academic changes due to COVID-19 can be viewed on the History of Academic Changes Due to Rice's COVID-19 Response page.
Table of Contents
- Overview of Messaging
- Academic Calendar
- Course Schedule
- Classroom Assignments
- Technology in Classrooms
Overview of Messaging
Academic Restart Committee (ARC), Provost, and President Messages
The Academic Restart Committee (ARC) and Provost DesRoches have provided guidelines for the academic activities at Rice. The emails that have thus far been sent to the community addressing these guidelines are linked below. (Some messages from last summer and fall are included below as newer messaging builds upon these messages.)
- "Dual Delivery for Fall 2020 - ARC" (6/10/2020) - Explains what "dual delivery" is for courses in Fall 2020 (and by extension, Spring 2021) and references offices where training and resources for dual delivery are available.
- "Information About Dual Delivery for Fall 2020 - Provost" (6/10/2020) - Outlines steps needed to be able to teach in dual delivery mode in Fall 2020 (and by extension, Spring 2021) to meet requirements of Rice Policy 846.
- "Additional ARC Guidelines for Fall 2020" (6/17/2020) - Outlines, in specific detail with reasoning, many of the decisions regarding Fall 2020 noted on this page.
- "Required Training for Fully Online Courses for the Fall" (6/18/2020) - Explains the requirements for teaching a fully online course and what trainings must be completed. Also includes information about training opportunities.
- "Suggested Strategies for Large Classes" (6/18/2020) - Provides options and ideas for instructors teaching classes with enrollments of 26 - 99 on how to include significant in person experience. (Note: this document references the enrollment figure of 50 - 99, but this was changed to "greater than 25" in subsequent guidelines.)
- "ARC Message on Maximum Class Size Change and Guidelines for Exemptions to In-Person Course Delivery for Fall 2020" (6/29/2020) - Updated guidance on maximum class sizes for Fall 2020 with all courses with enrollments 26 or greater being moved online.
- "Online / Face-to-Face / Dual Delivery Definition Clarification" (7/13/2020) - Clarification on the definitions of "online," "face-to-face," and "dual delivery" sent by ARC.
- (New) Fall 2020 Course Schedule (Update/Extension) (7/15/2020) - Description of change to definition of "online" in Policy 846; extension for instructors/departments/schools to further adjust courses to be "online."
- "Syllabus Resources" (7/27/2020) - Provides additional information for faculty to make changes to their course syllabus in light of courses being offered in multiple modalities.
- Guidelines for Course Shopping, Special Registration, and Field Based Activities (8/6/2020) - Provides guidance for instructors regarding how to successfully allow course shopping, special registration, and academic field based activities for students.
- Fall 2020 ARC Update (10/16/2020) - Update on the Fall 2020 semester, including independent study days and what assignments may be due, final exams, and class recordings.
- Message from President Leebron (10/21/2020) - Update on the Fall 2020 semester and Spring 2021 plans.
- Maximum In Person Class Size for Spring 2021 Courses (11/6/2020) - Announces maximum in person class meeting size increase to 40 students for Spring 2021 courses.
- Exceptions for Dual Delivery in the Spring (11/11/2020) - Explains the process by which an instructor can request an exception to the dual delivery requirement; the process mirrors the Fall 2020 process.
- Face-to-Face Versus Online Courses (12/7/2020) - Clarifies what a "face-to-face" course is in light of dual delivery and international students.
- "ARC Message for Spring 2021 Semester" (1/4/2021) - Contains a summary of Spring 2021 items, including dual delivery, Sprinkle Days, international student issues, academic accommodations, syllabi, and final exams.
- "Message Regarding Spring Semester Plans" (1/8/2021) - Summary of changes to the Spring 2021 semester given changing situation in Houston and Harris County. With regards to academic instruction, the semester will begin with all classes being delivered online only with specific exceptions granted by the Provost. Additional information to follow on how to obtain an exception.
- "Exemption to Online Start for Individual Study Course" (1/22/2021) - Makes all "individual study courses where students and instructors meet one-on-one" exempted from the online-only start requirement requirement. These courses include independent research courses, directed reading courses or other courses where students and instructors meet individually, and they may begin in person on January 25, 2021.
- "Making Up Lost Instruction" (2/18/2021) - Provides guidance to instructors on how to make up lost instructional time due to the February winter weather event.
Office of the Registrar Messages to Department Schedulers Regarding Spring 2021
The Office of the Registrar (OTR) has sent the following emails to departmental schedulers about the Spring 2021 schedule:
- CourseLeaf CLSS: Spring 2021 Open (8/10/2020) - Announcement that Spring 2021 is open for scheduling along with original deadlines.
- CourseLeaf CLSS: Spring 2021 Update for Online Course Requests (9/1/2020) - Courses wishing to go online for Spring 2021 will follow the same process as Fall 2020 in that changes may be submitted directly through CLSS and not be required to go through CIM first.
- CourseLeaf CLSS: Deadline Change (8/31/2020) - Announcement of change in initial deadline to give departments more time.
- CourseLeaf CLSS: Spring 2021 Delayed Open (9/22/2020) - Announcement that opening of CLSS for second round of scheduling was delayed.
- CourseLeaf CLSS: Spring 2021 Open (9/25/2020) - Announcement that Spring 2021 is open for scheduling after initial deadline.
- CourseLeaf CLSS: Spring 2021 Registration Date Changes (9/30/2020) - Information pertaining the the change in registration for students, pushing back Spring 2021 registration to the end of November and into December.
- CourseLeaf CLSS: Locked for Maintenance 10/15 and 10/16 (10/12/2020 and 10/16/2016) - Announcement that CLSS would be closed for maintenance on 10/15 and 10/16.
- CourseLeaf CLSS: Spring 2021 Deadline on Friday (10/26/2020) - Announcement of "final" department deadline of 10/30 for Spring 2021 scheduling, although some changes can be made after that date.
- CourseLeaf CLSS: Spring 2021 Open and Published (11/9/2020) - Announcement that scheduling has reopened for Spring 2021 along with important upcoming dates and the maximum size of in person class meetings.
- CourseLeaf CLSS: Spring 2021 Updates/Information (1/6/2021) - Provides updates on the Spring 2021 schedule, including when classroom assignments are expected to be posted, dual delivery information, and syllabi posting requirements.
- CourseLeaf CLSS: Spring 2021 Classrooms Posted (1/12/2021) - Announcement that classrooms for Spring 2021 have been posted.
- Important Spring 2021 Scheduling Information (1/22/2021) - Information regarding the creation of departmental 238/677 courses that will be offered face-to-face and on campus starting January 25, 2021.
- CourseLeaf CLSS: Spring 2021 Group Research/Internship Identification (2/2/2021) - Reminder for departments to appropriately identify any group research/internship courses in the Spring 2021 schedule.
Academic Calendar
The following decisions have been made regarding the Spring 2021 academic calendar:
- The Course Schedule will be published no later than Thursday, November 12, 2020.
- The Course Request Period will run Thursday, November 12, through Friday, December 4, 2020.
- Instruction will begin on Monday, January 25, 2021.
- The following "breaks" have been cancelled:
- Spring Recess
- Spring Break
- The following days are designated as "Sprinkle Days," on which there are no scheduled classes:
- Wednesday, February 17, 2021
- Monday, March 1, 2021
- Tuesday, March 16, 2021
- Friday, March 26, 2021
- Thursday, April 8, 2021
- The Last Day of Classes and the End of Instruction is Friday, April 30, 2021
- Study Days are Saturday, May 1, 2021, through Tuesday, May 4, 2021
- Final Examinations will be held Wednesday May 5, 2021, through Wednesday May 12, 2021
- Convocation will be held Friday, May 14, 2021, and Commencement will be held Saturday, May 15, 2021
- Drop deadline has been extended. See Motion for Spring 2021 Academic Relief Accommodation (1/27/2021) for details.
FAQs about the Academic Calendar
- Why is the semester starting several weeks later than normal?
-
The semester is starting several weeks later than normal out of the following concerns:
- There is uncertainty about the future of COVID-19 cases as winter approaches; starting later provides an opportunity to get past any potential spikes and allows additional time to make changes to instructional materials.
- Students, faculty, and staff have been under significant stress over the past summer and fall; this allows for some rest and breathing room for the Rice community.
- What is a "Sprinkle Day"?
-
In lieu of the week-long spring break, Rice is implementing five individual weekdays without instruction for the wellbeing of the Rice Community. The phrase "Sprinkle Day" comes from the fact they are "sprinkled" throughout the semester and not all at one time.
- I heard from President Leebron's message on 1/8/2021 that the semester will begin with all courses online except for some exceptions. How do I get an exception to have my class meet in person on campus?
-
Details regarding how exceptions will be processed are currently being worked out by the Academic Restart Committee (ARC); further guidance is anticipated to come from the Provost during the week of 1/10/2021.
Course Schedule
As a result of the changes to the academic calendar, and in particular, the starting of classes later than normal and compressing the spring semester, important contact time in classes would have been reduced. Combining this with the need to address new classroom space issues caused by physical distancing, it became clear that a number of changes needed to be made. The following measures are being put in place:
- The standard time blocks have been reconfigured in order to provide a sufficiently large space and time to operate under the Rice physical distancing guidelines. The daily schedule will include 20 minutes in between meeting times in order to accommodate potentially longer walking distances between classes, allow for less congestion in halls and entrances/exits, and the sanitization of the immediate learning or teaching space by the students/instructor.
- Class durations for most courses will be increased by 5 minutes per class in order to meet contact time requirements for Spring. This is already reflected in the new standard time blocks.
- Courses with enrollment of 41 or greater as of Monday, December 14, 2020, will default to being offered online only; however, a number of instructors have expressed a desire to accommodate these larger classes and still preserve a significant in-person experience. For these courses, the instructor should make a request to their chair to offer the course in a dual delivery format utilizing a plan that caps individual in-person class meetings at 40 persons. If the chair agrees with the plan, and additionally has approval of the dean, the request should be forwarded to the Provost, who will then advise the Registrar. Such requests should be made as soon as possible.
- Many dual delivery guidelines were put in place for Fall 2020, and they will continue to be the general operating principles; however, individual faculty will decide exactly how to deal with their specific course for dual delivery. Some of the suggestions may be useful for those teaching courses with smaller enrollments; however, teaching multiple sections of courses with 40 or fewer students which requires additional classroom resources will not be permitted.
- Other than large classes that are moved only online, all courses normally assigned a room will be assigned a room so students can gather even if the instructor is present remotely in order to better facilitate student interactions.
What the Office of the Registrar (OTR) has Done
To assist in the new, updated Spring 2021 guideline implementation, the OTR has:
- Created new standard time blocks for Spring 2021. These are available here.
- Attempted to project the enrollment of Spring 2021 registration, to the course section level, for each and every course section. (To create this “projected enrollment” value, the OTR used various sources, and most specifically historical data from previous semesters, to begin analyzing possible room assignments earlier than normal.)
What Departments and Schools Need to Do
- Review scheduling emails and deadlines (listed above and in emails to department schedulers) and submit appropriate changes by the deadlines.
- Work with instructors to identify courses with enrollment of 41 or more students that may have opportunities to use alternative meetings so that in-person instruction can occur. As noted above, if a department chair agrees with the plan, and it has the approval of the dean, the request should be forwarded to the Provost, who will then advise the Registrar. Such requests should be made as soon as possible.
Courses Moving to Fully Online
Courses with enrollments of 41 or more on December 14, 2020, are, by guidance from the ARC, to be offered online.
If the actual or projected enrollment of a course is 41 or more, and the instructor desires to keep a significant in-person experience, the instructor should make a request to their chair to offer the course in dual format utilizing a plan that caps individual in-person class meetings at 40 persons. If the chair agrees with the plan, and it has the approval of the dean, the request should then be forwarded to the Provost, who will then advise the Registrar. Such requests should be made as soon as possible.
Otherwise, for all courses with enrollments of 41 or more as of December 14, 2020, OTR will change the instructional method for the course to "Online" and send notification to Rice Online that this has occurred.
Courses with enrollment of 40 or fewer students are expected to be delivered in-person with a dual delivery component. If for some reason a course with 40 or fewer students desires and is approved to move fully online, the department/instructor should attempt to make the change in CLSS like normal scheduling changes. If this is not possible due to registration or because students have "requested" the course during the Course Request Period then email Justin Schilke, Sr. Associate Registrar, and include:
- Course subject code
- Course number
- Section number
- CRN
- Whether or not a classroom is still needed for students to meet in or if the class will be fully online
Courses Exempt from Dual Delivery (Face-to-Face Only)
A small number of courses have received approval to be offered only face-to-face/in person. To have this designation, such a request will need to be routed through the department chair and school dean. This information will then need to be sent to the Provost who will inform the Registrar of approval. Information on this was contained in Exceptions for Dual Delivery in the Spring (11/11/2020) sent to deans. (In some of the courses below, remote students may enroll but are required to be synchronously available for the course. Please contact the course instructor if you are a remote student wishing to take one of these courses.) Those courses will appear below once they are approved.
- ANTH 362 001 (CRN: 22437) - ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD TECHNIQUES
- ARTS 225 002 (CRN: 22240) - BEGINNING DRAWING
- ARTS 225 003 (CRN: 24144) - BEGINNING DRAWING
- ARTS 400 001 (CRN: 22337) - SPECIAL PROB IN STUDIO ART III
- ASTR 230 001 (CRN: 20005) - ASTRONOMY LAB
- BIOE 484 001 (CRN: 20305) - BIOPHOTONICS INSTRUMENTATION
- BIOE 512 001 (CRN: 20456) - BIOPHOTONICS INSTRUMENTATION
- BIOS 204 901 (CRN: 23270) - COMMUNITY GARDEN
- BIOS 211 001 (CRN: 23271) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 211 002 (CRN: 23272) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 211 003 (CRN: 23273) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 211 004 (CRN: 23274) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 211 005 (CRN: 23275) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 211 006 (CRN: 23276) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 211 007 (CRN: 23277) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 211 008 (CRN: 23278) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 211 009 (CRN: 23279) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 211 010 (CRN: 23280) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 211 011 (CRN: 23281) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 212 001 (CRN: 23282) - EXPERIMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE
- BIOS 212 002 (CRN: 23283) - EXPERIMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE
- BIOS 212 003 (CRN: 23284) - EXPERIMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE
- BIOS 212 004 (CRN: 23285) - EXPERIMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE
- BIOS 311 001 (CRN: 23353) - ADV EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 311 002 (CRN: 23354) - ADV EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES
- BIOS 337 001 (CRN: 23364) - FIELD BIRD BIOLOGY LAB
- BIOS 535 001 (CRN: 23434) - PRACT X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
- CAAM 378 001 (CRN: 22995) - INTRO TO OR AND OPTIMIZATION
- CHEM 124 001 (CRN: 20250) - GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
- CHEM 124 002 (CRN: 20041) - GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
- CHEM 124 003 (CRN: 20042) - GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
- CHEM 124 004 (CRN: 20040) - GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
- CHEM 124 005 (CRN: 20237) - GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
- CHEM 124 006 (CRN: 24049) - GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
- CHEM 124 007 (CRN: 24050) - GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
- CHEM 124 008 (CRN: 24051) - GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
- CHEM 124 009 (CRN: 24052) - GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
- CHEM 124 010 (CRN: 24053) - GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
- CHEM 124 011 (CRN: 24054) - GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
- CHEM 124 012 (CRN: 24055) - GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
- CHEM 215 001 (CRN: 21677) - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB
- CHEM 215 002 (CRN: 20044) - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB
- CHEM 215 003 (CRN: 20045) - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB
- CHEM 215 004 (CRN: 20046) - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB
- CHEM 215 005 (CRN: 24000) - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB
- CHEM 215 006 (CRN: 24001) - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB
- CHEM 215 007 (CRN: 24002) - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB
- CHEM 215 008 (CRN: 24003) - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB
- CHEM 215 009 (CRN: 24004) - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB
- CHEM 215 010 (CRN: 24645) - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB
- CHEM 365 001 (CRN: 20634) - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB
- CHEM 368 001 (CRN: 20670) - CHEMICAL MEASUREMENT LAB
- CHEM 368 002 (CRN: 20645) - CHEMICAL MEASUREMENT LAB
- FOTO 205 001 (CRN: 22231) - INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY
- FOTO 310 001 (CRN: 24233) - INTERMEDIATE DIGITAL PHOTO
- EMSP 281 0F1 (CRN: 20656) - EMT-B INTRO TO EMERGENCY CARE
- FWIS 115 001 (CRN: 23740) - EXPLORING BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
- GERM 142 001 (CRN: 20825) - FIRST YEAR GERMAN II
- MECH 340 001 (CRN: 20053) - INDUSTRIAL PROCESS LAB
- MECH 340 002 (CRN: 20254) - INDUSTRIAL PROCESS LAB
- MECH 340 003 (CRN: 20054) - INDUSTRIAL PROCESS LAB
- MSNE 408 001 (CRN: 20641) - CAPSTONE DESIGN PROJECT II
- MECH 340 004 (CRN: 20255) - INDUSTRIAL PROCESS LAB
- PHYS 231 001 (CRN: 21773) - ELEMENTARY PHYSICS LAB
- PHYS 332 001 (CRN: 20203) - JUNIOR PHYSICS LAB II
- SPAN 264 002 (CRN: 21825) - SECOND YEAR SPANISH II
- THEA 102 001 (CRN: 21871) - INTRODUCTION TO ACTING
- THEA 304 001 (CRN: 24071) - COSTUME DESIGN
Please note that while these courses were approved to be offered face-to-face/in person only, departments may choose to move them to dual delivery.
Courses Allowed to be In-Person Starting January 25, 2021
In President Leebron's "Message Regarding Spring Semester Plans" (1/8/2021), it was indicated that the semester will begin with all classes being delivered online only with specific exceptions granted by the Provost until mid-February. Those courses will appear below once they are approved and may meet in person beginning January 25, 2021. If a course has received approval for a later in person start, it is noted below as well.
- All courses numbered 238 or 677 with a section number of 009
- All independent study and research courses that are designated as face-to-face
- ANTH 362 001 (CRN: 22437) - ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD TECHNIQUES
- ARCH 345 001 (CRN: 20452) - FOUNDATIONS IN ARCH I
- ARCH 645 001 (CRN: 20452) - FOUNDATIONS IN ARCH I
- ARTS 225 002 (CRN: 22240) - BEGINNING DRAWING
- ARTS 225 003 (CRN: 24144) - BEGINNING DRAWING
- ARTS 400 001 (CRN: 22337) - SPECIAL PROB IN STUDIO ART III
- ASTR 230 001 (CRN: 20005) - ASTRONOMY LAB
- BIOE 484 001 (CRN: 20305) - BIOPHOTONICS INSTRUMENTATION
- BIOE 512 001 (CRN: 20456) - BIOPHOTONICS INSTRUMENTATION
- BIOS 201 001 (CRN: 23268) - INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I
- BIOS 204 901 (CRN: 23270) - COMMUNITY GARDEN
- BIOS 211 001 (CRN: 23271) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 211 002 (CRN: 23272) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 211 003 (CRN: 23273) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 211 004 (CRN: 23274) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 211 005 (CRN: 23275) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 211 006 (CRN: 23276) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 211 007 (CRN: 23277) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 211 008 (CRN: 23278) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 211 009 (CRN: 23279) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 211 010 (CRN: 23280) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 211 011 (CRN: 23281) - EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 212 001 (CRN: 23282) - EXPERIMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 212 002 (CRN: 23283) - EXPERIMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 212 003 (CRN: 23284) - EXPERIMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 212 004 (CRN: 23285) - EXPERIMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 311 001 (CRN: 23353) - ADV EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- BIOS 311 002 (CRN: 23354) - ADV EXPERIMENTAL BIOSCIENCES (In Person Begins 2/8/2021)
- CAAM 378 001 (CRN: 22995) - INTRO TO OR AND OPTIMIZATION
- COMP 665 002 (CRN: 24176) - DATA VISUALIZATION
- ECON 239 001 (CRN: 20241) - LAW AND ECONOMICS
- ECON 604 001 (CRN: 20906) - ENERGY ECONOMICS II
- ELEC 220 001 (CRN: 21996) - FUND COMPUTER ENGINEERING
- ELEC 220 002 (CRN: 21997) - FUND COMPUTER ENGINEERING
- ELEC 571 0021 (CRN: 22210) - IMAGING AT THE NANOSCALE
- ENGI 300 001 (CRN: 20473) -ENGINEERING DESIGN WORKSHOP
- FOTO 205 001 (CRN: 22231) - INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY
- FOTO 310 001 (CRN: 24233) - INTERMEDIATE DIGITAL PHOTO
- FWIS 145 001 (CRN: 24190) - FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
- FWIS 188 001 (CRN: 21877) - ENG DESIGN & COMMUNICATION
- GERM 142 001 (CRN: 20825) - FIRST YEAR GERMAN II
- HART 345 001 (CRN: 20451) - FOUNDATIONS IN ARCH I
- HART 645 001 (CRN: 20453) - FOUNDATIONS IN ARCH I
- MECH 200 001 (CRN: 20049) - CLASSICAL THERMODYNAMICS (Check with instructor prior to attending)
- MECH 340 001 (CRN: 20053) - INDUSTRIAL PROCESS LAB
- MECH 340 002 (CRN: 20254) - INDUSTRIAL PROCESS LAB
- MECH 340 003 (CRN: 20054) - INDUSTRIAL PROCESS LAB
- MECH 340 004 (CRN: 20255) - INDUSTRIAL PROCESS LAB
- MECH 488 001 (CRN: 23790) - DESIGN OF MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS
- MECH 503 001 (CRN: 21866) - COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN
- MECH 588 001 (CRN: 23791) - DESIGN OF MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS
- MSNE 408 001 (CRN: 20641) - CAPSTONE DESIGN PROJECT II
- MUSI 338 001 (CRN: 20117) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 003 (CRN: 20477) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 004 (CRN: 20478) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 005 (CRN: 20479) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 007 (CRN: 20481) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 008 (CRN: 20482) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 009 (CRN: 20483) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 010 (CRN: 20484) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 011 (CRN: 20485) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 012 (CRN: 20486) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 013 (CRN: 20487) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 014 (CRN: 20488) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 015 (CRN: 20519) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 016 (CRN: 20520) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 018 (CRN: 20522) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 020 (CRN: 20524) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 022 (CRN: 20526) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 023 (CRN: 20527) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 025 (CRN: 21715) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 338 026 (CRN: 22383) - CHAMBER MUSIC - UG
- MUSI 401 004 (CRN: 20805) - COMPOSITION FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 401 007 (CRN: 20755) - COMPOSITION FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 453 001 (CRN: 20691) - OBOE FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 455 001 (CRN: 20143) - CLARINET FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 457 001 (CRN: 20692) - BASSOON FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 461 001 (CRN: 20693) - HORN FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 463 001 (CRN: 20760) - TRUMPET FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 463 002 (CRN: 20761) - TRUMPET FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 465 001 (CRN: 21792) - TROMBONE FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 467 001 (CRN: 20667) - TUBA FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 471 002 (CRN: 21213) - PERCUSSION FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 473 001 (CRN: 20695) - VOICE FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 473 002 (CRN: 20790) - VOICE FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 473 003 (CRN: 23801) - VOICE FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 481 001 (CRN: 20696) - PIANO FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 483 001 (CRN: 20740) - ORGAN FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 487 001 (CRN: 20697) - HARP FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 491 002 (CRN: 20797) - VIOLIN FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 491 003 (CRN: 20798) - VIOLIN FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 493 001 (CRN: 20729) - VIOLA FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 493 002 (CRN: 20783) - VIOLA FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 495 001 (CRN: 20698) - VIOLONCELLO FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 495 002 (CRN: 20782) - VIOLONCELLO FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 495 003 (CRN: 21643) - VIOLONCELLO FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 497 001 (CRN: 20699) - DOUBLE BASS FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 497 002 (CRN: 20781) - DOUBLE BASS FOR MAJORS
- MUSI 571 001 (CRN: 20708) - VOCAL COACHING
- MUSI 571 002 (CRN: 20791) - VOCAL COACHING
- MUSI 571 003 (CRN: 20792) - VOCAL COACHING
- MUSI 601 004 (CRN: 20795) - COMPOSITN FOR MAJORS ADV&GRAD
- MUSI 601 007 (CRN: 20757) - COMPOSITN FOR MAJORS ADV&GRAD
- MUSI 636 001 (CRN: 20366) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 003 (CRN: 20490) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 004 (CRN: 20491) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 005 (CRN: 20492) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 007 (CRN: 20494) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 008 (CRN: 20495) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 009 (CRN: 20496) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 010 (CRN: 20497) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 011 (CRN: 20498) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 012 (CRN: 20499) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 013 (CRN: 20500) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 014 (CRN: 20501) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 015 (CRN: 20502) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 016 (CRN: 20503) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 018 (CRN: 20505) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 020 (CRN: 20507) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 022 (CRN: 20509) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 023 (CRN: 20510) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 025 (CRN: 20682) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 636 026 (CRN: 21716) - ADVANCED CHAMBER MUSIC
- MUSI 653 001 (CRN: 20712) - OBOE FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 655 001 (CRN: 20713) - CLARINET FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 656 001 (CRN: 20714) - BASSOON FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 661 001 (CRN: 20715) - HORN FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 663 001 (CRN: 20716) - TRUMPET FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 663 002 (CRN: 20758) - TRUMPET FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 665 001 (CRN: 20717) - TROMBONE FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 667 001 (CRN: 20718) - TUBA FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 671 001 (CRN: 21212) - PERCUSSION FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 673 001 (CRN: 20719) - VOICE FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 673 002 (CRN: 20780) - VOICE FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 673 003 (CRN: 23816) - VOICE FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 681 001 (CRN: 20720) - PIANO FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 683 001 (CRN: 20739) - ORGAN FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 687 001 (CRN: 20721) - HARP FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 689 001 (CRN: 20722) - PIANO CHAMBER MUSIC&ACCOMP MAJ
- MUSI 689 002 (CRN: 20759) - PIANO CHAMBER MUSIC&ACCOMP MAJ
- MUSI 690 001 (CRN: 22580) - IND INST COACH-STR QTET MAJ
- MUSI 690 002 (CRN: 22581) - IND INST COACH-STR QTET MAJ
- MUSI 690 003 (CRN: 22582) - IND INST COACH-STR QTET MAJ
- MUSI 691 002 (CRN: 20785) - VIOLIN FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 691 003 (CRN: 20786) - VIOLIN FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 693 001 (CRN: 20723) - VIOLA FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 693 002 (CRN: 20779) - VIOLA FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 695 001 (CRN: 20724) - VIOLONCELLO FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 695 002 (CRN: 20788) - VIOLONCELLO FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 695 003 (CRN: 20789) - VIOLONCELLO FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 697 001 (CRN: 20725) - DOUBLE BASS FOR MAJORS-ADV
- MUSI 697 002 (CRN: 20778) - DOUBLE BASS FOR MAJORS-ADV
- PHYS 102 S03 (CRN: 24915) - ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM W/ LAB
- PHYS 332 001 (CRN: 20203) - JUNIOR PHYSICS LAB II (In Person Begins 2/5/2021)
- SPAN 264 002 (CRN: 21825) - SECOND YEAR SPANISH II
- STAT 519 003 (CRN: 22318) - STATISTICAL INFERENCE
- THEA 102 001 (CRN: 21871) - INTRODUCTION TO ACTING
- THEA 304 001 (CRN: 24071) - COSTUME DESIGN
Course Syllabi
In January 2012, Rice's Faculty Senate approved a student-initiated motion regarding syllabus standards and the required distributing of course syllabus information. Syllabi are normally required to be uploaded by the first day of classes. Uploading a syllabus will enable students to successfully "shop" for courses during the ADD/DROP period, and this is especially important for Spring 2021 because students will not have the same course "shopping" experience as they have had in the past. All students, even those not registered for the course, are able to view a syllabus that has been posted/archived within ESTHER.
Additional information regarding course syllabi can be found on the Course Syllabus page.
FAQs about the Course Schedule
- If a course had 45 students enrolled on December 14, 2020, but it only has 35 students enrolled as of January 15, will it meet in person or be online?
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Enrollment as of December 14, 2020, will be used by OTR to determine whether a course will move to be offered online. OTR will not be re-reviewing enrollments after this date. If changes need to be made, they should either be submitted in CLSS (if possible) or emailed to Justin Schilke, Sr. Associate Registrar.
- How do I cancel a section?
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A department scheduler may cancel a course in CourseLeaf CLSS by performing the following steps:
- Drop the maximum enrollment to the original section to zero.
- Contact the students to drop the course.
- If the students haven't dropped within a few days, contact us at registrar@rice.edu, and we'll administratively remove them.
- Cancel the original section of the course once all students have dropped by going in to CLSS and setting "Status = Cancelled" and submitting through workflow.
- Must a course have more than 40 students to have an alternate attendance arrangement (e.g., half the students attend on Tuesday in person and the other half attend on Thursday in person)?
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While courses with enrollment greater than 40 would normally be required to make alternate attendance plans to meet in person, courses with enrollments below 41 may do so as well. It is imperative that these decisions are relayed to OTR, however, because that will drive and assist classroom assignments.
- I am teaching a course that has fewer than 41 students, but I would like it to be online only. What do I need to do?
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Courses with enrollment of 40 or fewer students are expected to be delivered in-person with a dual delivery component. If for some reason a course with enrollment of 40 or fewer students desires and is approved to move fully online, the department/instructor should attempt to make the change in CLSS like normal scheduling changes. If this is not possible due to registration or because students have "requested" the course during the Course Request Period then email Justin Schilke, Sr. Associate Registrar, and include:
- Course subject code
- Course number
- Section number
- CRN
- Whether or not a classroom is still needed for students to meet in or if the class will be fully online
Classroom Assignments
The OTR is in the process of assigning classrooms for Spring 2021 using projected enrollments for previous semesters until actual enrollment data for Spring 2021 is available. This process is significantly more challenging due to the reduced classroom capacities caused by physical distancing requirements. Because of this, it is extremely important that departments and schools review the course schedule information to i.) determine for each course whether an OTR-Scheduled or Department-Scheduled Room is needed and ii.) confirm whether the projected enrollment value is accurate. Failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in the OTR being unable to find a suitable classroom for the course.
FAQs about Classroom Assignments
- When will room assignments be released?
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The process of assigning classrooms is a long and tedious process. The OTR uses an electronic system "optimizer" tool but then manually reviews and adjusts based on other known variables. Our goal is to release classroom assignments in mid-January, approximately 1 to 2 weeks before the first day of classes.
- What if the classroom I am assigned will not work for me or my class?
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The supply of classrooms is severely limited due to physical distancing requirements and available technology. If your assigned classroom poses a significant problem, please email registrar@rice.edu and explain the issue and what you think can be done to rectify it. We will make every attempt to satisfy your need, but please keep in mind that it is possible that the assigned room may be the only option available.
- If a course is being held online only, will an instructor teaching online be assigned a room?
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Generally, no, a room will not be assigned. Should a room be needed for the instructor to give the presentation, use classroom technology, utilize a whiteboard, please email registrar@rice.edu, and we will find an appropriate room for what is needed from the available spaces.
- Are the rooms going to be cleaned between classes? Who will be going to clean them?
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While classrooms will be cleaned more frequently than normal by custodial staff, it is not possible for them to clean each room between classes. Rice will provide disinfectant wipes in each classroom to wipe down surfaces before the start of class and has extended the passing time between classes to 20 minutes in order to allow for this.
Additional information regarding cleaning and disinfectant procedures can be viewed in the message sent to the campus community by VP for Administration and Chair of the Crisis Management Advisory Committee Kevin Kirby.
- How do I know how many students can fit into a room?
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The OTR and FE&P have determined the COVID-19 occupancy limits of the OTR-scheduled rooms, so you will not need to worry about these.
For any departmentally-scheduled rooms, you may contact Pat Dwyer, Executive Director for Space Management (pdwyer@rice.edu), for assistance in determining occupancy limits in those spaces.
- In order to apply social distancing in classrooms, it will not be possible to use most of the chairs in each room. Will the unusable chairs be removed? In rooms with movable furniture, how will we know where chairs are supposed to be located in order to remain in compliance with social distancing measures?
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To aid in maintaining social distancing restrictions, as well as to avoid having to pay to store several thousands of chairs, chairs will remain in classrooms wherever possible. Chairs that are not to be used will be marked as such. In rooms with movable chairs, the floor will be marked in order for everyone to know where the acceptable chairs need to be located.
Technology in Classrooms
The OTR is working with the Office of Information Technology (OIT) to properly equip classrooms with the technology needed for dual delivery. OIT is maintaining a Wiki page documenting the progress of the equipping of classrooms, and those can be viewed here.
Questions about classroom technology should be directed to teaching@rice.edu.
Please keep in mind that FERPA applies in this dual delivery setting. Please be sure to review information regarding FERPA and the FERPA FAQs prior to teaching in this dual delivery mode.