April 7, 2023
To Our URI Community,
Earlier this year, the State of Rhode Island announced that it will explore new opportunities for the Shepard Building in Providence, including a possible sale of the building. Given this decision by the state, the University will relocate URI offices and personnel presently in the Shepard Building to new locations over the summer months.
URI has, for many decades, maintained a strong and visible presence in Providence. We are committed to continuing that tradition and to providing education, research, and service opportunities in Providence that serve and benefit all Rhode Islanders.
Our work to identify and align appropriate space and programmatic offerings is ongoing. During this interim period, some programs and offices will relocate within Providence, while others will relocate to the Kingston Campus. Deans are working directly with impacted faculty and staff on relocation plans, and department chairs will communicate any changes to fall semester class meeting locations.
The University’s presence and work at the Rhode Island Nursing Education Center in Providence is not impacted by the Shepard Building decision.
While we recognize and regret the inconvenience this transition period will create for faculty and staff whose offices will be relocated, we remain optimistic about the possible opportunities this will create for URI to expand its reach and impact for the benefit of all Ocean State residents.
The University’s move from the Shepard Building provides us a moment to reimagine our presence and our programs in Providence. This work is consistent with our new strategic plan, which has at its heart a reinvigorated commitment to the state of Rhode Island and a priority to invest in modern facilities and improve administrative and financial practices to power the university of the future.
We will continue to work collaboratively with our state and Providence partners to ensure Rhode Island’s flagship university has a robust and contributing presence in the state’s capital city.
Sincerely,
Marc Parlange
President
Barbara Wolfe
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs