October 7, 2025

To the URI Community,

We are writing to share several important updates to our coastal and ocean engagement and extension programs at the University of Rhode Island. These changes are designed to strengthen collaboration, amplify impact, and honor the legacy of these extraordinary units.

Bringing the Coastal Institute and Rhode Island Sea Grant into the Graduate School of Oceanography

We are pleased to announce that both the URI Coastal Institute and Rhode Island Sea Grant are now formally part of the Graduate School of Oceanography. While this structural change is relatively small—both units will now report to the dean of GSO—the benefits are significant. 

This new alignment will foster deeper collaboration among coastal and ocean experts at URI. We are committed to making sure this ecosystem is broadly inclusive of URI faculty, staff, and students, creating new opportunities for innovation, engagement, and applied research across URI’s schools and colleges.

Transition of the Coastal Resources Center

As part of this restructuring, the Coastal Resources Center will conclude operations as a standalone unit, but its important work will continue. The international CRC program will now be housed within the Coastal Institute, while the domestic CRC program will move to Rhode Island Sea Grant.

We want to take this moment to celebrate the Coastal Resources Center’s extraordinary legacy. For more than 50 years, CRC has been a global leader in connecting science to policy and practice, working alongside communities in Rhode Island and throughout the world. Its impact on lives, ecosystems, and natural resources has been profound and enduring. Its spirit and influence will continue through the work of its dedicated staff and partners within their new homes.

Looking Ahead

We are grateful to the teams and individuals who dedicated their time and talents to guide this transition.

We are confident these changes will strengthen URI’s ability to serve Rhode Island, the nation, and the world. By bringing together the expertise of the Coastal Institute, Rhode Island Sea Grant, and the Coastal Resources Center into two units in a single college, we will integrate and amplify URI’s reach, from Narragansett Bay to the poles and everywhere in between.

With appreciation,

Bethany Jenkins
Vice President for Research and Economic Development

Steven D’Hondt
Interim Dean
Graduate School of Oceanography

Elin Torell
Director
Coastal Institute

Tracey Dalton
Director
Rhode Island Sea Grant