March 25, 2020

As the global crisis around the coronavirus outbreak continues to evolve, we must continue to evaluate our business practices and adapt to the rapidly changing environment. Unfortunately, with a majority of business operations around the world shifting to remote work models, the opportunity for cyber attacks and hacking greatly increases. Specifically, government agencies, including the United States Secret Service, have warned the banking industry of the potential for cyber-enabled financial crimes. The University’s P-Card program could be vulnerable to these risks.

Out of an abundance of caution at this time, Drexel will be suspending its P-Card program until further notice, effective Friday, March 27. Recognizing that there are critical areas of business operations and research activity that are continuing, select cards directly related to that work will remain active. Many of these cardholders are aware of this action already, and Procurement Services will notify all additional cardholders that have been identified by close of business Friday, March 27.

Now that Drexel’s operations are predominantly off-campus, with all travel prohibited, most critical purchasing needs can be accommodated through our Smart Source system. Please remember that all expenses, regardless of purchase method, must be approved by a supervisor or financial administrator before purchase.

Please know how much your understanding and cooperation are appreciated as we work diligently to mitigate as much risk as possible for our University.