The DOU is now the Division of Student Life and Undergraduate Education.
Read the announcement from the Provost's Office here.
Please visit our new website for the most up-to-date information.
Issue No. 49 — Fall 2025
Newsletter Home
A Message From Dean Gorman
Dear Rice Parents and Families,
As we begin another exciting year at Rice, I want to share a heartfelt welcome to our Class of 2029 Rice parents. One of the great joys of my role is greeting our newest Owls during matriculation, watching them explore a range of academic opportunities and seeing them form new connections through their residential colleges. The students’ energy and enthusiasm breathe new life into campus and remind us why these residential communities are at the heart of the Rice experience.
Recently, Rice announced an exciting milestone for our residential college system: the naming of our 12th residential college, Chao College. While the college will formally open in fall 2026, we are already in the important first phase of its creation. Over the coming year, we will recruit upperclass students to join its inaugural community, form its first college government and constitution, and begin to shape the traditions and culture that will define Chao College for generations.
Rice’s residential college system is one of the university’s most defining features — a place where students live, learn and form connections that last a lifetime. As our student body continues to grow, Chao College will ensure that we offer the same excellent, personalized experience that defines a Rice education, while enriching our campus culture and honoring the vision and generosity of the Chao family.
Looking ahead, I hope to see many of you at Families Weekend on October 3-4. This well-attended event is always a special opportunity to connect with other Rice parents, hear from Rice leaders and faculty, and socialize on and around campus. This event and several others are highlighted on a new Parents & Families website, which now includes expanded resources, an FAQ and stories. I hope that you’ll bookmark the website and check out the many ways you can stay involved with the Rice community throughout the year.
Sending my best wishes,
Bridget Gorman, Dean of Undergraduates