COVID-19 Pandemic

In March 2020, as novel coronavirus spread across the globe, Brown made the difficult decision to transition students from in-person to remote learning. Almost all undergraduates left the residence halls, completing the 2019-20 academic year from a distance — marking the first time the University had suspended all in-person instruction since the Revolutionary War — and the Class of 2020 celebrated its graduation with a virtual ceremony. To protect the health and safety of its community, Brown welcomed students back to campus in phases in Fall 2020. Navigating a reduced-density campus, students, faculty and staff wore masks, practiced social distancing and participated in regular COVID-19 testing. By late 2021, Brown had achieved near-universal levels of COVID-19 vaccination, boosting the safety of the entire campus. In May 2022, the University hosted a one-of-a-kind Commencement and Reunion Weekend, celebrating Class of 2022 graduates and Class of 2020 graduates who missed their in-person Commencement due to the pandemic.