The following message was sent to the Drexel community on March 20.
Dear Students and Colleagues,
As we chart a course through this extraordinary and challenging time together, we have been heartened at every turn by the understanding, cooperation and support from so many people in the Drexel community. We are deeply thankful to our students — and their families — and Drexel faculty, professional staff and other employees for pulling together under such trying and fluid circumstances.
Consider all that the Drexel community has achieved in just the last two weeks:
- Completing the winter term, with final exams successfully conducted online;
- Conducting a campus move-out by midnight tonight on short notice to comply with Gov. Tom Wolf’s Thursday afternoon order to shutdown most businesses and schools in Pennsylvania, while still providing emergency campus housing for those students who cannot return to their homes and allowing students with pre-existing travel arrangements for this weekend or early next week to stay until that time;
- Raising approximately $125,000 to aid with students’ emergency expenses;
- Launching detailed plans to teach all courses remotely in the spring term, utilizing a wide range of online techniques to engage and challenge students in their coursework;
- Putting protocols in place to continue our research activities, including critical work related to COVID-19 coronavirus; and,
- Deploying the vast majority of professional staff remotely as of this week, while physically securing the campus going forward utilizing only essential personnel.
Even so, we know this is a very difficult and stressful time. Most of all, our hearts go out to those who have been sickened in this pandemic, and their families.
It is so important to find ways to cope with the uncertainties we face: Connect with friends and colleagues. Take breaks from social and news media. Plan a routine for our day. And share with loved ones our concerns and feelings. Taking care of ourselves is essential for each of us, and it also will make the Drexel community that much stronger.
As always, please continue to check Drexel’s Response to Coronavirus website for updates, and utilize the CDC's prevention tips. And Drexel Service Center representatives are available 24/7 at 215.703.2335 for general questions.
Even as we are being buffeted by the daily challenges of this pandemic, we should take heart from what we are doing as a University to safeguard our community and to fulfill Drexel’s mission of teaching, research and service.
Please take care of yourselves, and each other, in the days and weeks ahead.
Sincerely,
John Fry
President
Helen Y. Bowman
Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer
Paul E. Jensen
Interim Nina Henderson Provost