From the Deputy Provost, Chief Wellness Officer and VP for University Life: A Message to Graduate and Professional Students
February 2, 2021
We are writing, now that the Quiet Period has ended, to thank you for a safe and successful start of the semester and to reaffirm our shared commitments for the coming weeks and months.
TheStudent Campus Compactremains in effect, as does public health guidance fromPenn Caresand thePhiladelphia Department of Public Health, whichrequiresmasking, distancing, and handwashing. Students on and off campus must participate inscreening testingand enroll inPennOpen Pass, our daily symptom management tool.
For the health and safety of our campus and West Philadelphia communities, you must continue to maintain your household and/or study pods. You may not visit friends in other residences, host parties, or attend large gatherings. All reports of such violations will be investigated by theCampus Compact Review Panel, with the potential for individual and group sanctions. The core concept of the post-Quiet Period phase is more places, not more faces.
All personal, social, student government, and club activity taking place virtually must remain virtual. Seeing friends outdoors in small, masked, physically distanced groups and eating takeaway meals may continue, and we are pleased to be opening more opportunities to get food across campus in a careful and safe way.
We are beginning a process for student groups to request opportunities to host in-person events and meetings, indoors or outdoors. Only vetted, approved events will be allowed to take place in designated meeting rooms. The bar for approval will be set intentionally high, given the many steps necessary to ensure participants health and safety. To submit a request for an in-person activity (indoors or outdoors), please visit the Graduate Student Center website.
Athletics & Recreation
Graduate Study Space
Penn Libraries
Penn Dining
Perelman Quadrangle will support essential functions:
As a reminder, PhD and research masters degree students will havethree days offfrom classes and assignments in the coming weeks:
Professional students should check with your programs regarding plans for these days. If the days are available to you, we urge you to use them to rest and rechargerelax, unplug, and take part in the virtual events of thesethree Engagement Days.
Your decisions impact the lives and health of your classmates and our West Philadelphia neighbors. You are implored not to travel, and Penn will not provide COVID-19 testing documentation for travel this semester.
Thank you for your continued dedication to adhering to the public health guidance of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and the University. We are enormously grateful for your resilience and your commitment to keeping our community safe.
Beth A. Winkelstein, Deputy ProvostBenoit Dub, Associate Provost andChief Wellness OfficerMamta Motwani Accapadi, Vice Provost for University Life
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From the Deputy Provost, Chief Wellness Officer and VP for University Life: A Message to Graduate and Professional Students - UPENN Almanac
