June 5, 2020

Dear Graduate Students & Postdocs,

We are following up on Drexel University's Phase I research ramp-up plan scheduled to begin on Monday, June 8th as the City of Philadelphia moves into the "Yellow" phase of reopening.

What does this mean?

• DO NOT report to campus for research activity on Monday, June 8th unless you have already been approved and are scheduled to report.
• The Office of Research & Innovation in coordination with the academic units is overseeing a comprehensive review process to allow faculty, staff, postdocs and graduate students to conduct critical research on campus. Return to campus at this point is voluntary and all research activities that can be performed remotely should continue to be performed remotely.
• Students and postdocs who are identified as part of an approved research team will be contacted by their department chair/head.

We want to assure you of the following:

• As of today, 6/5/2020, no research activity has been finalized and approved for Phase I ramp up, although the review process has begun. Students and postdocs who are identified as part of an approved research team will be contacted by their department chair/head, not the research faculty member(s).
• Research faculty, working with their chairs, must go through a multi-faceted approval process. This includes everything from safety protocols to the utilization of research space to ensure safe distancing. You can view this comprehensive form here: Request For Return To Research Form All graduate students and postdocs will have access to approved plans that name them as personnel for the research space.
• The return to on-campus research during this phase is voluntary. Students and postdocs who are asked to return to campus to conduct research will be required to complete a Voluntary Participation Checklist form, which will begin by asking if the student/postdoc is comfortable returning to the research setting. It will also include a list of tasks that must be completed prior to returning such as COVID-19 training when available, review of specific plans and procedures related to the research space, safety, security and reporting protocol, etc. Faculty will be expected to work with students and postdocs as partners in the transition back to on campus research activity. Importantly, we continue to ask faculty to identify alternative tasks/roles whenever possible for those students or postdocs who are not comfortable returning to campus to conduct their respective research.
• In addition, we also want to assure each of you that this process to ramp-up research is one that is designed to ensure the safety and security of all. Drexel's priority is the safety and wellbeing of its community.

As a reminder, unless you are approved and scheduled to report, do not return to campus on Monday, June 8th. 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to your department chair/head or dean of research if you have any questions. 

Warm Regards,

Elisabeth J. Van Bockstaele, Ph.D. 
Senior Vice President for Graduate and Online Education 
Dean, Graduate College 

Aleister J. Saunders, Ph.D. 
Executive Vice Provost for Research and Innovation 

Maria T. Schultheis, Ph.D. 
Vice Provost of Research