The following message was sent to the Drexel community on March 11.
Dear Students and Colleagues,
We continue to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus and are taking precautions consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. The campus remains open, but the following measures are being taken:
Final Exams
- After consultation with deans and other academic leaders, we have decided to conduct next week’s quarter final exams online, rather than in classroom settings.
- Students will receive further information from their professors as the specifics for each exam are finalized. (Semester programs will receive a communication directly from their school official.) Any students who have concerns about access to the online exam should coordinate with their professor or college to make alternative arrangements.
- Students who are eligible to receive accommodations for a documented disability through the Office of Disability Resources (ODR) should contact ODR with any questions or concerns regarding testing accommodations for final exams.
- Students who are unable to travel home may stay in the residence halls and utilize dining facilities during finals week or over spring break.
- Details about IT support services and resources will be sent to faculty later today.
University Campus Operations
- Decisions are still being made about how the spring quarter term will be addressed. We will have an update for you later this week.As of now, the campus remains open.
- Administrative and research activities will continue, and the library, dining and recreational facilities remain open.
Events
In making decisions about events, we are keeping in mind the following factors: the size of an event, the opportunity for social distancing, the ease of moving an event online and whether attendance is required or voluntary. In line with that:
- Smaller on-campus gatherings of students, faculty and professional staff should continue as usual.However, large events (with plans for more than 100 attendees) that can’t be moved online are being postponed or cancelled.
- All non-academic events of any size hosted primarily for individuals from outside of Drexel are cancelled.
- Intercollegiate athletic events are being held as scheduled and we will continue to monitor each competition closely.
Details on all the precautionary measures enacted thus far can be found on the Drexel coronavirus website. We will continue to share regular updates. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we deal with this complex and evolving situation.
Sincerely,
John Fry
President
Paul E. Jensen
Interim Nina Henderson Provost