March 17, 2020 Volume 66 Issue 26

Our highest priority is the overall well-being of the Penn community. The COVID-19 virus has created an extraordinary public health situation requiring unprecedented measures to reduce transmission and maintain a safe campus and workplace for faculty, students, staff, patients and visitors.

Public health experts advise social distancing for containing the spread of this virus. As a result, we are depopulating the campus for the remainder of the semester by transitioning to virtual teaching and dramatically reducing the number of students residing in the College Houses. We continually monitor the international and domestic spread of the COVID-19 virus and are in constant contact with public health officials for making proactive decisions to minimize the potential spread of the virus. As such, we are writing to you today with important guidance about University operations: 

We are recommending remote work for employees.

Effective Monday, March 16, the University is strongly encouraging remote work and asking that supervisors begin planning immediately, in consultation with School and Center senior leadership, to support this. Those employees whose job functions do not allow them to work remotely, including temporary employees, should work with their supervisors to develop additional duties they can complete off-site. At this time, no University paid employee will be put in an unpaid status. We anticipate this modification to normal operation will be in effect at least until March 31, 2020, and subject to possible extension. We will continue to provide guidance and updates to the University community.

Supervisors who approve remote work should meet with their employees to develop a workplan. As the workplans are developed, consider the following questions:

• How will we support faculty who may be teaching virtually?
• Which duties and responsibilities have due dates within the next few weeks?
• If working remotely, 
  • Does the employee have access to the technology and equipment needed to do their duties and responsibilities?
  • Can the employee undertake special projects or trainings via LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com)?
• What are the duties and responsibilities that cannot be completed if campus operations are suspended?

To support the employee, you may wish to verify that:

• Calls can be forwarded to home or cell phone devices and they have appropriate access to emails and calendars
• Teleconferencing software is downloaded to be able to hold and attend meetings as necessary
• Applications and files can be accessed remotely

Additional tools and guidelines can be found at ISC’s remote work tools website at or The Center for Resources and Strategies for Teaching Remotely at https://www.ctl.upenn.edu/resources-and-strategies-teaching-remotely

Supervisors should consult with Staff and Labor Relations for University employees covered by collective bargaining agreements.

We are further restricting University-related travel, including all visitors.

Effective immediately and until further notice, we are prohibiting all University-related travel without exception. This includes both outbound domestic and international travel, as well as for all visitors coming to campus. Recruiting of faculty and staff must be done remotely. Please follow the process below for interviewing staff candidates:

• Use an alternative to on-campus interviews. Online options include: BlueJeans, Zoom or Skype. For candidates who do not have access to a computer with a camera, consider using BlueJeans or a conference line to conduct the interview by phone.
• Allow flexibility if candidates need to reschedule. During this time, hiring managers may need to accommodate candidate schedules so as not to exclude any applicant from consideration due to circumstances beyond their control. 

All events must be cancelled or postponed. We are revising the limit to the number of people who can congregate from 100 to 25. Gatherings of greater than 25 people are prohibited.

• No University events can be held through the remainder of the Spring semester.
• We are also prohibiting internal meetings of 25 people or more. The use of conferencing technology is strongly encouraged for all meetings.

Be mindful of coronavirus phishing scam information.

Cyber criminals are taking advantage of this high-profile event to try to steal passwords and financial information by using deceptive “phishing” emails and impostor websites. You can protect yourself from these scams by carefully reviewing email and webpage addresses to confirm they are trusted sources. If you receive a suspicious message, please check in with your local IT support or forward it to phishing@upenn.edu for review.

We are grateful for all you are doing to support Penn during a tumultuous time which is rapidly changing. We appreciate everyone for the measures taken to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus through social distancing, frequent handwashing, other sanitary precautions, or self-isolation, while continuing to ably perform their duties.  These are exceptionally stressful times, and we ask you to continually support each other. We will continue to update the community consistent with the evolution of this dynamic situation.

­—Wendell E. Pritchett, Provost

—Craig R. Carnaroli, Executive Vice President

Our world is now confronted with a rapidly changing and unprecedented global emergency. This is not the experience that anyone wanted for this semester, and our hearts go out to all of you at this difficult moment. We are also enormously grateful to every member of the Penn community for your partnership and your patience. We are all in this together, and we cannot do it without you.

We are deeply committed to the safety and health of our students, faculty, postdocs, staff, patients and visitors. That is why we announced our intentions yesterday to move as many people as possible off campus as quickly as possible and to complete the semester with virtual classes.

This is no small undertaking, with thousands of variables. We know that these changes are extremely disruptive. Yet we must do our part, in this worldwide emergency, to help mitigate the spread of the virus.

Amid the turmoil of this change, please know that we will work with you to make this transition as smooth as possible under the circumstances. The situation is fluid, so we don’t have all the answers, and some of the answers may change as the situation changes. We ask for your patience and are committed to keeping you consistently updated throughout the process.

Below are some key questions and answers that we hope will help clarify where things stand. Of important note, we are moving the deadline for Move-Out from Sunday, March 15, to Tuesday, March 17. We also encourage you to check for updates on our central university website, which has a FAQ that will be updated regularly: https://coronavirus.upenn.edu/students-families/student-faq

What is the deadline to move out of University housing? 

While we originally announced Sunday, March 15, we have now extended that deadline to Tuesday, March 17 at 8 p.m.

Why are you moving students out of their rooms and off campus so quickly? 

The COVID-19 virus is readily spread through close human contact, which is a fact of life in a university environment, whether in classrooms, dining halls or at University events. Eliminating large gatherings and creating social distancing are important steps to help prevent the spread of the virus. To achieve this, we want as few people on campus as possible. The risk of keeping people on campus in close quarters is far greater than sending them home.

Will I be able to graduate? 

Absolutely yes. Classes and examinations will move to a virtual platform effective March 23. If you expect to graduate this year, provided you complete and pass your coursework as you would under normal circumstances, it will have no impact on your graduation date. Details on class instruction will be provided to students directly by the respective Schools.

Will there be Commencement? 

As of this date, it is impossible to know whether we will be able to hold Commencement this year, which is currently scheduled for Monday, May 18, 2020 at Franklin Field. As soon as we are able to make that determination we will advise the Penn community. 

I went out of town for Spring Break and I want to get belongings out of my room. What should I do? 

Students living in University housing who are currently out of town should not return to campus. Penn Residential Services, working with the Division of Public Safety, the College Houses, Greek and other University housing, will secure your belongings until it becomes safe for you to return to campus to retrieve them.

We recognize that there may be items of particular importance to you (e.g. laptops, course materials and personal effects). If you have a genuine emergency that requires access to your room, please email living@upenn.edu with the following in the subject line: Retrieval followed by the name of the College House (for example, Retrieval Lauder College House) in which you are living and include an explanation of the item you require and the extenuating circumstances. 

Please note that the University’s security policies do not allow parents, family or friends to enter the College Houses without the student.

I didn’t leave for Spring Break and am currently in University housing. What must I do? 

If you remained on campus during Spring Break, you are required to Move-Out of your College House, Samson Place or Greek housing by 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 17. Residential Services staff will be available to assist with check out, provide carts and answer questions about other moving related needs. Parents, friends, guests and others may assist you during Move-Out but you will need to be available to sign them into your College House. After 8 p.m. on Tuesday, you will no longer be able to access your room and your residential building. Additional information about the Move-Out process will be available at your College House Information Center.

It is impossible for me to return home at this time. What can I do?

We understand that some of you are unable to travel home for personal reasons or because you live in an area that is under travel restrictions. With that in mind, we are requiring anyone who feels they need to remain in University housing for the rest of the semester to fill out a short application. You can access the application at www.upenn.edu/rhsportal You must complete the form by noon on March 14. We will respond to your request within 24 hours.

If you are approved to remain on campus, Residential Services will provide you with additional information relative to the operation of the College Houses during this period. Security will remain in place and dining facilities will remain open, but on a more limited basis.

I’m an international student. What should I do?

International students from Level 3 countries who are living in University housing will be permitted to stay on campus. All other international students living in University housing must plan to return home unless there are special circumstances that necessitate that they remain on campus. All students requesting permission to remain in University housing must fill out the application. Please know that International Student and Scholar Services is here to assist you. Contact https://global.upenn.edu/isss

Will I get a refund on my housing or dining fees? 

With respect to a refund of University College House housing and dining fees paid this semester, the University expects to issue a pro rata refund or offer a credit for future housing or dining meal plan. An application process will be announced later this semester. We appreciate your patience as we develop the process and guidelines.

I am a graduate student. How will I complete my labs? 

Guidance on completion of labs and other non-classroom academic activities for graduate and professional students will be provided by each school. PhD students who are on dissertation status or have completed their coursework are being advised separately in consultation with their graduate deans and the Vice Provost for Education, as we recognize individual research is different from classroom education.

Will the library and other Penn operations be available to me? 

Yes. The Penn Libraries have taken extensive steps to help students with research and other library needs. You can get full information by contacting Penn Libraries directly at https://www.library.upenn.edu

Will support services still be available? 

Student support services such as CAPS will continue to be open for students on campus, and those off campus will be able to utilize virtual tools to maintain a continuum of care. Please contact CAPS by phone at (215) 898-7021.

For students living on campus, will dining be available? 

Limited dining options will be open for the remainder of the semester. For more information see https://cms.business-services.upenn.edu/dining/

I am a student receiving financial aid. How do I manage this financially? 

We know this transition is all the more challenging for many of our Penn First Plus students. Please be assured that the University will help you through this difficult time. There are answers to many of the questions around financial support and contact information at the Student FAQ under the heading of Finance/Financial Aid/Work-Study. The FAQ can be found at https://coronavirus.upenn.edu/students-families/student-faq

We know that these are just some of the questions that may have come up since yesterday’s announcement. There will be many more. Penn’s faculty and staff are working diligently to address the many issues involved in this transition. 

We will continue to keep you updated as new information is available and urge you to check back to the coronavirus website regularly at https://coronavirus.upenn.edu

Please keep in mind that the steps we are taking are for the fullest protection of the health and safety of the entire Penn community. We enormously appreciate your cooperation and goodwill as we continue to do everything we can to ensure the well-being of the Penn community.

—Amy Gutmann, President

­—Wendell E. Pritchett, Provost

In the face of the urgent public health crisis caused by COVID-19, the University of Pennsylvania is instituting new measures to protect the health and safety of our community, as well as to maintain the capability of our health system. All researchers should immediately prepare to discontinue all non-essential on-campus research activities on or before March 17. Our research efforts to combat COVID-19 will continue, and they represent an example of the very limited essential research that should continue.

The deans of the Schools have been consulted in the development of these decisions. They understand the diversity of activities that constitute our research enterprise and are aware of the impact of these decisions on those activities. Our peer institutions are taking similar measures, as we all recognize the importance of minimizing the spread of COVID-19.

Beginning March 18, access to labs will be limited to essential personnel who perform critical procedures or processes that require regular attention to maintain the long-term viability of the laboratory, reagents, animals, and equipment. Please provide your divisional/departmental business offices with an updated list of essential personnel and contact information by March 17.

Access should be coordinated so that these functions are maintained using the fewest number of essential personnel. The most stringent social distancing should be practiced. Frequent handwashing and disinfectant cleaning protocols should be implemented in the labs. Anyone who is ill should remain at home.

Be assured that our staff in Environmental Health and Radiation Safety and University Laboratory Animal Resources, who are defined as essential personnel, have robust continuity programs to support the campus during this time. Additionally, the units of the Office of Vice Provost for Research, including the Institutional Review Board and the Office of Research Services, will be fully functional using remote protocols.

We understand how disruptive these events are for your scholarly work and training activities. We encourage you to use this time creatively to network remotely, analyze data, write research papers and reviews, and prepare grants. We also recognize the stress caused by this disruption, and we are prepared to work with the academic affairs and human resources groups in your schools to minimize the impact on professional advancement. Funding and institutional support for staff, students, and postdocs should continue as usual, even though personnel are off campus. We will update guidance on these and other issues on a regular basis: https://research.upenn.edu/resources/coronavirus/

We are grateful for your cooperation in helping to keep our community safe, as we work together to do our part to confront this global crisis.

—Wendell Pritchett, Provost

—J. Larry Jameson, Executive Vice President for the Health System

—Dawn Bonnell, Vice Provost for Research

Things change fast. Even just a few months ago, most of us, who aren’t virologists, microbiologists or veterinarians, had probably never heard of coronaviruses. Yet recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised that it’s not a question of whether the outbreak of a coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 (and its associated disease, COVID-19) would spread in US communities, but when—and we should be prepared for potential disruptions in our daily lives as a result. The number of confirmed cases in the US has been rising steadily in the last few days.

But this change didn’t come out of nowhere. Even though this particular viral strain only recently emerged as a new human disease, coronaviruses have been around for a very long time. Likewise, Susan Weiss, professor of microbiology at the Perelman School of Medicine, is newly quite busy launching research projects to help respond to the threat of the novel coronavirus—but coronaviruses generally have been a major focus of her research for four decades.

Before 2003, there were only two known coronaviruses that infect humans, both of which are causes of the common cold, but not fatal disease. Dr. Weiss noted that the earliest-known coronaviruses also included several viruses that caused disease in other animals including pigs, cows, cats and birds, so scientists have focused on developing vaccines for those diseases over many years. And quite a lot of research, including Dr. Weiss’s own since 1980, has focused on murine (mouse) coronaviruses. It’s thanks to mice—and the usefulness as a model to help find treatments for various diseases—that we know a fair amount about the underlying biology of coronaviruses today. Since 1949, when murine coronavirus (also called mouse hepatitis virus) was first isolated, scientists have studied it in the lab, particularly some of its common strains that infect the liver and brain. Dr. Weiss’s lab uses the mouse coronavirus to study the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms of how infection leads to illness in diseases including acute viral encephalitis, multiple sclerosis, and virus-induced hepatitis.

Coronaviruses first became better known among non-scientists in early 2003 thanks to the virus family’s first famous human disease: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The agent, called SARS-CoV, started to cause illness in southern China before spreading to North America, South America, Europe and Asia.

“It was really scary because there was a high mortality rate, but compared to what’s going on now, it was fairly contained and small,” Dr. Weiss said. Ultimately SARS dissipated within about eight months. Since 2004 there have been no more known cases. But SARS was a warning shot—more viruses like it could be out there, on the verge of transforming into strains that cause serious human illness. Based on analyses of the SARS virus and searches for related genetic sequences in the environment where it emerged, scientists determined that the human virus evolved from a bat coronavirus that infected a civet, from which it mutated again and jumped to humans.

“After SARS, people started looking for human coronaviruses, and two others were identified,” Dr. Weiss said. These new strains caused some more severe symptoms than a typical cold but were still rarely fatal.

Nearly a decade after SARS, MERS or Middle East Respiratory coronavirus (MERS-CoV), began causing illness primarily in the Arabian Peninsula in 2012, and was later found to have evolved from another bat coronavirus that had infected dromedary camels. MERS had an even higher fatality rate than SARS but it didn’t spread as far. Camels remain a reservoir of the disease to this day and new human infections continue to be detected.

Now that the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is sweeping the globe, the scientific community is springing into action to understand and fight it. Dr. Weiss’s lab, which already had been at work on MERS-CoV for over five years, is now beginning studies of the human antiviral immune response to SARS-CoV-2, as well as partnering with collaborators at Colorado State University to study the mechanisms of infection and immune responses in live bats and bat cells.

As a longtime epicenter of coronavirus research, Dr. Weiss’s lab has also helped to train scientists now working jumping into the fray all over the world. Alumni from her lab are at work on the development of vaccines, public health preparedness and additional scientific studies of the virus to make it possible to manipulate the viral genome.

Even if this coronavirus outbreak seems sudden to most of us, for Dr. Weiss, it’s an object lesson in why the slow and steady work of scientific discovery really matters, including on niche topics: “The many years of research by the early group of coronavirologists on mouse hepatitis virus and veterinary pathogens taught us an enormous amount about the coronaviruses and prepared us for understanding these lethal human pathogens that would emerge from zoonotic hosts,” she said. As a result of that previous knowledge, she said, the cause of SARS was quickly identified and genetically sequenced soon after people became sick, and it happened even faster yet with MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. “It is gratifying to see how those years of research and mentoring can aid during health crises. One lesson to be learned is that it is crucial to support basic research that may not seem to have immediate impact on human health.”

Thank you to all of you who have followed our guidance regarding remote work and engaging in good and healthy practices both in and out of the Penn environment. We are writing today to clarify Penn’s guidance in the context of the recent announcements from federal, state and city officials.

With the approval of school/center leadership, only staff who perform critical procedures or processes and are therefore essential to University operations should be coming onsite, and those staff are expected to practice social distancing and take other recommended precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19. Today’s announcement does not preclude personnel essential for University operations from coming to campus.

For those designated as essential and working on campus during this time period, recommendations precautions can be found by referring to the Workplace and Home Precautions.

Consistent with today’s developments, the University of Pennsylvania is reinforcing the guidance issued on Friday regarding remote work until at least March 31, 2020. All staff who can work remotely are expected to do so.  We recognize that not all employees are able to work remotely. At this time, no University paid employee will be put in an unpaid status.

Finally, the University is revising its recommendation regarding gatherings of up to 25 people. Consistent with federal guidelines, in-person gatherings should be limited to 10 people. 

Additional tools and guidelines can be found at:

For Faculty: The Center for Resources and Strategies for Teaching Remotely

For Staff: ISC’s remote work tools website

Supervisors should consult with Staff and Labor Relations for University employees covered by collective bargaining agreements.

Best,

—Wendell E. Pritchett, Provost

—Craig R. Carnaroli, Executive Vice President

Dear faculty and staff:

I recently informed Penn undergraduate, graduate, and professional students that three of our undergraduate students have tested positive for COVID-19. All had traveled internationally during Spring Break and were very forthcoming about details of their itinerary, allowing us to conduct a thorough contact investigation.

The COVID-19 outbreak is unprecedented and is impacting all of our lives – both on and off campus. I want to again assure you that the University remains committed to the health and safety of its campus during these challenging times.

While we take necessary and drastic measures to mitigate the spread of this infection, let us also remember that empathy, love and kindness are also contagious. Let us remember to treat each other with compassion and respect.

—Dr. Benoit Dubé, Associate Provost and Chief Wellness Officer

Provost Wendell Pritchett announced the appointment of Laura Perna as vice provost for faculty, beginning July 1, 2020. 

Dr. Perna is GSE Centennial Presidential Professor in the Graduate School of Education, where she is also chair of the higher education division and executive director of the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy. She has taught at Penn since 2005, following six years teaching at the University of Maryland at College Park, and she has served in a wide range of leadership roles at Penn, including chair of the Faculty Senate, chair of the Faculty Senate Committee on the Economic Status of the Faculty, and member of the University-wide Provost’s Academic Planning and Budget Committee. Outside Penn, among many other leadership roles, she served as president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education and vice president of the Postsecondary Education Division of the American Educational Research Association, and she was named to the National Academy of Education in 2019. 

“Laura Perna’s extraordinary accomplishments and her lifelong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion in higher education make her an ideal leader for our faculty initiatives in the years ahead,” said Provost Pritchett. “She will build on the invaluable work of Anita Allen, who, as vice provost for faculty since 2013, has immeasurably advanced our progress in these essential areas. I am deeply grateful to the consultative committee whose judicious and insightful work helped to produce this outstanding result: Chair Risa Lavizzo-Mourey and committee members Eugenie Birch, Zachary Ives, Kelly Jordan-Sciutto and Timothy Rommen.” 

Dr. Perna’s pioneering research focuses on identifying public policies and institutional practices that improve college access, affordability and success, especially for low-income, first-generation and non-traditional students. Her research has also made important contributions to the study of gender and racial differences in faculty outcomes, including salary, rank and tenure. A widely recognized expert, she has testified to the US Congress and Pennsylvania Public Higher Education Funding Commission and is a member of the Gates Commission on the Value of Postsecondary Education. She has published more than 100 books and scholarly papers; she has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, among others; and she was included in the 2020 RHSU Edu-Scholar ranking of the most influential US scholars shaping educational practice and policy. She began her career as a Penn undergraduate—earning both a BA magna cum laude in psychology from CAS and a BS magna cum laude in economics from Wharton. She went on to earn an MPP and PhD from the University of Michigan. In 2010, she received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching (Almanac April 20, 2010), Penn’s highest University-wide teaching honor. 

As the campus leader with broad oversight of faculty affairs across the University, the vice provost for faculty reports directly to the Provost and is a member of his senior leadership team for academic and strategic planning. The vice provost oversees faculty life and the academic personnel process at Penn, including faculty recruitment, retention, development and retirement; appointments, tenure and promotions; enhancement of faculty diversity and equity; and resolution of individual faculty issues, including grievances. The vice provost coordinates the Provost’s Staff Conference and works closely with the deans and chairs of Penn’s 12 Schools, as well as the Faculty Senate, vice president for human resources, Ombuds Office, Affirmative Action Office, diversity search advisors and PASEF.

Penn Engineering recently announced that Camillo Jose Taylor has been named the Raymond S. Markowitz President’s Distinguished Professor. This honor recognizes Dr. Taylor’s outstanding research contributions to the fields of robotics and computer vision, as well as his many contributions as a member of the Penn Engineering faculty.

Dr. Taylor is a professor in the department of computer and information science at the School of Engineering and Applied Science. He holds a PhD in electrical engineering and a master’s in computer engineering from Yale University. He is the recipient of several awards, most notably the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching (Almanac April 10, 2012) and the National Science Foundation CAREER award. He currently serves as deputy director of Penn’s GRASP Laboratory and as director of the master’s program in robotics.

Dr. Taylor’s research on computer vision focuses on recovering 3-D models from 2-D images, and it has led to commercially deployed techniques for recovering architectural models. He has also developed algorithms for recovering the posture of articulated figures, such as humans from photographs and video footage. His current research includes work on self-localizing embedded smart camera systems and their applications to problems such as automated surveying systems, ad-hoc surveillance systems, three-dimensional reconstruction and mobile robot localization. 

The Raymond S. Markowitz President’s Distinguished Professorship was established by Amy Markowitz Stavis (W’84) and Robert M. Stavis (EAS’84, W’84) in honor of Mrs. Stavis’s father, Raymond S. Markowitz.

Beth Linker, associate professor of history and sociology of science, has been appointed the Samuel H. Preston Endowed Term Associate Professor in the Social Sciences. Dr. Linker’s research is focused on the history of science and medicine, the body, gender, health policy and disability. She is the author of War’s Waste: Rehabilitation in World War I America and Civil Disabilities: Citizenship, Membership, and Belonging (co-edited with Nancy Hirschmann, Stanley I. Sheerr Term Professor in the Social Sciences). 

Dr. Linker’s work has received support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies and the National Institutes of Health. At Penn, she has served as graduate chair of the department of the history and sociology of science and as a member of the Penn Arts & Sciences Committee on Undergraduate Education. Dr. Linker is also a core faulty member of Penn’s program in gender, sexuality and women’s studies. She received the University’s highest teaching honor, the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, in 2017 (Almanac March 28, 2017). She is currently finishing her next book, Slouch: The Rise and Fall of American Posture.

The Samuel H. Preston Endowed Term Chair in the Social Sciences was established in 2004 by the Penn Arts & Sciences Board of Overseers to honor Dr. Preston’s service as dean.

Each year, US News & World Report ranks graduate and professional schools in business, medicine, education, law, engineering and nursing. Five of Penn’s Schools are in the top 10 list. Those in the top 35 are below; for more, see US News’ website: www.usnews.com 

This is a summary of the annual report of The University of Pennsylvania Health & Welfare Program, Plan No. 503, sponsored by The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, EIN 23-1352685, for the period that began on July 1, 2018 and ended on June 30, 2019. This annual report has been filed with the Employee Benefits Security Administration, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). Please note that not all employees are eligible to participate in all of the benefits available under the Plan. Please consult your Plan materials for specific eligibility
information.

Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental and Long-Term Disability Benefits

The University of Pennsylvania has committed itself to pay certain medical and prescription drug claims, dental benefits and long-term disability benefits incurred under the terms of the Plan on a self-insured basis. In addition, the Plan has a contract with CIGNA Health and Life Insurance Company to pay certain medical claims incurred under the terms of the contract. The total premiums paid for the plan year ending June 30, 2019 to CIGNA were $42,216. The Plan also has a contract with Standard Insurance Company to pay certain long-term disability benefits incurred under the terms of the contract. The total premiums paid to Standard Insurance Company for the plan year ending June 30, 2019 were $1,267,146.

Vision Benefits

The Plan has contracts with Davis Vision Plan and Vision Service Plan to pay vision claims incurred under the terms of the contract. The total premiums paid under these contracts for the plan year ending June 30, 2019 to Davis Vision Plan were $699,738 and to Vision Service Plan were $583,126. 

Life Insurance Benefits

The Plan has a contract with Aetna Life Insurance Company to pay life insurance, dependent life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance claims incurred under the terms of the contract. The total premiums paid under this contract for the plan year ending June 30, 2019 were $7,735,369. 

Long Term Care Benefits

The Plan has contracts with John Hancock Life Insurance Company and Genworth Life Insurance Company to pay long term care claims incurred under the terms of the contracts. The total premiums paid under these contracts for the plan year ending June 30, 2019 to John Hancock Life Insurance Co. were $1,336,483 and to Genworth Life Insurance Co. were $888,734. 

Your Right to Additional Information

You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, on request. Insurance information is included in this annual report. The items listed below are included in that report:

1. financial information and information on payments to service providers; and
2. insurance information including sales commissions paid by insurance carriers.

To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of the Plan Administrator, c/o Joanne M. Blythe, Retirement Manager, University of Pennsylvania, 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 527A, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6228, (215) 898-9947. The charge to cover copying costs will be $5. for the full annual report or 25 cents per page for any part thereof.

You also have the legally protected right under ERISA to examine the annual report in the offices of the Employer at the address for the Plan Administrator, above, and at the US Department of Labor in Washington, DC, or to obtain a copy from the US Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, Room N-1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, US Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210. 

—Division of Human Resources

Henry J. Abraham (Gr’52), former professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, died February 26 in Charlottesville, Virginia. He was 98.

Dr. Abraham was born in Offenbach am Main, Germany, attended elementary schools there and the initial stages of high school in Frankfurt am Main. He completed an apprenticeship as a printer and then when he was 15, his mother sent him to the United States. He completed high school in Pittsburgh. In 1939 he was joined by his parents and brother, Otto. He worked as a stock clerk for May Stern & Co., then a bookkeeper for a scrap iron firm.

In 1942, he was drafted by the US Army, and he became a US citizen in 1943. He served in England, Belgium, Holland, France and Germany, initially as an interrogator of enemy prisoners of war and ultimately as a member of the 6889th Berlin Documents Center, which had a direct line to the US Supreme Court Justice Jackson’s office at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials. He was discharged in the spring of 1946.

Dr. Abraham received his undergraduate degree from Kenyon College in political science in 1948, his MA in public law and government from Columbia University in 1949, and his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1952.

He joined the faculty at Penn as an assistant professor of political science soon after and was later promoted to associate professor. While at Penn, he was awarded one of the first Faculty Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (Almanac October 1959), he earned a Fulbright Lectureship to Aarhus University in Denmark, and he was selected as a Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar. He also served on various committees at Penn, including as chair of the Faculty Senate (then “University Senate”), 1971-1972.

In 1972, he and his family left Philadelphia for the University of Virginia, where he became a chaired professor in government and foreign affairs. He remained there until his retirement in 1997. He received numerous awards and honors, including the University of Virginia’s highest award, the Thomas Jefferson Award; the first Lifetime Achievement Award of the Organized Section on Law and Courts of the American Political Science Association; and several honorary degrees. 

Dr. Abraham was a prolific author, including writing 13 books, concentrating on the nature of the judicial process in general and the US Supreme Court in particular. The agencies of the US Department of State used his services as a lecturer throughout the world. He received several grants and fellowships from, among others, the Rockefeller Foundation, the American Historical Foundation, the American Political Science Association, the National Science Foundation, the American Philosophical Society and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Dr. Abraham is survived by his wife, Mildred Kosches Abraham (G’54); their sons Philip (Janet) and Peter (Anne); and grandchildren Benjamin, Lauren, Marnie and Liesel. 

Sister Therese (Teresita) Hinnegan, former lecturer in Penn’s School of Nursing, died February 10 in Philadelphia. She was 92.

Born in McKinley, Pennsylvania, Sister Teresita graduated from St. Hubert’s High School in Philadelphia before entering the Medical Mission Sisters in 1948. She became a registered nurse at St. Francis College and then began 14 years of missionary work in Bangladesh. In addition to becoming a registered midwife at Holy Family Hospital (HFH) in Dhaka, SisterTeresita served as nursing supervisor for six years and held several administrative positions at St. Michael Hospital. 

Sister Teresita returned to the United States in 1969. She served as her Society’s Eastern District supervisor, helped her sister, a single mother of two, and worked as a nurse-midwife in a Philadelphia community center. Both experiences allowed Sister Teresita to see how women were impacted by bureaucratic dysfunction, which inspired her to study social work at Temple University, where she earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work administration. She served as administrator of St. Vincent’s Hospital, where she introduced a nurse-midwifery program, and she later spent several years as a nurse-midwife at the Southeast Philadelphia Neighborhood Health Center, before becoming director of nurse-midwifery at Dover General Hospital in New Jersey.

Sister Teresita, who became the first nurse-midwife to deliver a baby in Pennsylvania Hospital in 1974, was later appointed to the mayor’s task force in Philadelphia and used her position to successfully advocate for more nurse-midwives in Philadelphia health centers. Sister Teresita joined two other activists in starting the Maternity Care Coalition, using empirical evidence to address the high infant mortality rate and lack of accessible services for pregnant women in Philadelphia.

In 1982, Sister Teresita joined Penn’s faculty as a lecturer at the School of Nursing, where she taught for 20 years. She established the Nurse-Midwifery Distance Learning Training Program for the recruitment and training of certified nurse-midwives in underserved areas of rural Pennsylvania. She also taught a course called Public Policy and Access to Health Care for the Poor.

Kimberly K. Trout, assistant professor of Women’s Health, director of the nurse-midwifery track and former student of Sister Teresita, remarked that “Sister Teresita inspired her students to have a passion for caring for the poor. She continually emphasized that there should be no distinction between those whom society renders as the ‘deserving poor’ or the ‘undeserving poor.’ Teresita let us know that we are called simply to serve, not to judge.”

She retired from Penn in 2002 and went on to open the Center for the Empowerment of Women and Girls in Philadelphia and co-found Dawn’s Place, a safe home for trafficked and exploited women, in 2007.

Sister Teresita was given the Award of Excellence from the American College of Nurse-Midwives in 1994 and an honorary of doctor of medical science from Villanova in 2009. She was a member of an advisory committee studying the problem of human trafficking in Pennsylvania. In 2013, she became the first religious sister to offer the opening invocation at a session of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, an honor
usually reserved for ordained clergy members.

Sister Teresita spent the final years of her life producing an unfinished documentary on the role of harmful cultural norms in influencing the devaluation of women and girls and was actively involved in advocacy work in the fight against human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.

James Liang, former professor of Oriental studies in the School of Arts & Sciences, died at his home in Iowa City on January 30. He was 83.

Dr. Liang was born in Hubei, China, and his family moved many times after his birth due to several wars. When he was 13, he was separated from them, and he walked for a month through the winter—enduring starvation, shootings and hungry wolves—before he found them in Tianjin. They eventually settled in Taiwan in 1948. Dr. Liang had early experience as a liaison officer in the Nationalist Chinese Army.

Dr. Liang completed his studies at National Taiwan Normal University. In 1961, he traveled to America to complete his PhD in linguistics at Penn. In 1963, he was hired as a professor of Oriental studies (which became the department of Asian and Middle Eastern studies in 1992) in the School of Arts & Sciences. 

He left Penn in 1976 to move to the Netherlands for a position at Leiden University, where he reorganized the Chinese language program and was also named prorector for international affairs for the university’s collaborations with institutions in China and Taiwan. Dr. Liang retired in 2006, moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, and then to Iowa City, Iowa.

Dr. Liang is survived by his wife, Cynthia; children Mark, Karin and Eric; grandchildren Jordan, Jennifer, Jackson, Jamie, Ryan, Julian, Maya and Luca; and siblings Xiao Yu (Helen), Chao Min, Xiao Jia and Chao Jun (Robert).

--

To Report A Death

Almanac appreciates being informed of the deaths of current and former faculty and staff members, students and other members of the University community. Call (215) 898-5274 or email almanac@upenn.edu

The PPSA Board is proposing revisions to the PPSA bylaws. These revisions, as well as the current bylaws as they stand now are available online at https://ppsa.upenn.edu/events/ppsa-bylaws-revision/ for review. A ballot to consider them for approval will be sent to the membership on April 6. The ballot will remain open until April 13. Members are requested to review the current bylaws and the proposed revisions to inform their decision.

Penn is supportive of faculty and staff in their academic pursuits and strives to make improvements to the Tuition Benefit program to best serve their development needs. The University recently approved an amendment to the Tuition Assistance for Faculty and Staff policy, changing the timeframe in which newly-hired faculty and staff can begin using the tuition benefit. 

Effective July 2, 2020, Penn will institute a six-month waiting period for newly-hired faculty and staff to use the tuition benefit for themselves. Rather than becoming eligible for the benefit immediately upon hire, new faculty and staff will qualify for tuition assistance six months after their start dates. 

This policy update is intended to give faculty and staff a better balance of work and academic pursuits, as well as adequate time to focus on their new position, get acclimated to their role and to complete their introductory period. It also brings Penn’s tuition assistance for faculty and staff in greater alignment with peer institutions’ tuition benefit programs, and with the University’s tuition benefit plans for dependents and spouses. 

Under the revised policy, the end date of the waiting period is the staff member’s tuition eligibility date. The tuition eligibility date determines the term for which the staff member can begin requesting tuition benefits. Keep in mind that if the tuition eligibility date comes after the first day of classes for a term, you cannot receive tuition benefits until the start of the following term. 

For examples of how the waiting period will work, see the chart below: 

If you have questions about the policy, please call the Penn Employee Solution Center at
(215) 898-7372 or email tuition@hr.upenn.edu

—Division of Human Resources

Fitness and Learning

Liberal and Professional Studies

Info: www.upenn.edu/lps-events

18   Organizational Dynamics Virtual Information Session; 6 p.m.

AT PENN Deadlines 

The deadline for the weekly Update is the Monday prior to the week of the issue’s publication. If you have any events for April, please email almanac@upenn.edu as soon as possible.

Those who were planning to attend an event in the coming weeks are encouraged to call or email the sponsor of the event to verify that it’s still scheduled. It is recommended that meetings or events of 25 people or more be cancelled or postponed through the end of the spring semester. 

To see event cancellations of which we have been notified, visit https://almanac.upenn.edu/at-penn-calendar

The University of Pennsylvania Police Department Community Crime Report

Below are the Crimes Against Persons, Crimes Against Society and Crimes Against Property from the campus report for March 2-8, 2020. View prior weeks' reports. —Ed.

This summary is prepared by the Division of Public Safety and includes all criminal incidents reported and made known to the University Police Department for the dates of March 2-8, 2020. The University Police actively patrol from Market St to Baltimore and from the Schuylkill River to 43rd St in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police. In this effort to provide you with a thorough and accurate report on public safety concerns, we hope that your increased awareness will lessen the opportunity for crime. For any concerns or suggestions regarding this report, please call the Division of Public Safety at (215) 898-4482.

03/03/20      5:14 AM        3411 Chestnut St        Unsecured bike taken

03/03/20      9:34 AM        4000 Walnut St           Confidential sex offense 

03/03/20      12:07 PM      3700 Walnut St           Secured bike taken

03/03/20      3:05 PM        3500 Market St           Offender struck complainant with object causing puncture wound

03/04/20      3:19 PM        3601 Spruce St           Secured bike taken

03/04/20      9:37 PM        51 N 39th St               Offender attempted to choke complainant

03/05/20      10:28 AM      4062 Irving St             Unsecured bike taken

03/05/20      2:23 PM        4101 Sansom St         Employee took several items from warehouse

03/06/20      11:49 AM      3701 Market St           Complainant assaulted by boyfriend

03/06/20      3:02 PM        3701 Walnut St           Unsecured cell phones stolen

03/08/20      1:39 AM       699 Hollenback Dr      Public drunkenness-Disorderly Conduct/Arrest

03/08/20      4:46 PM       3717 Chestnut St       Secured bike taken

18th District

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 4 incidents (1 assault, 1 domestic assault, 1 purse snatch and 1 rape) were reported for March 2-8, 2020 by the 18th District covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

03/03/20      9:34 AM       4000 Walnut St              Rape

03/03/20      12:44  PM    36th & Sansom Sts        Assault

03/04/20      2:45 PM       3401 Civic Center Blvd  Domestic Assault 

03/04/20      8:11 PM       4300 Locust St               Purse Snatch

Libraries Access and Support

The Penn Libraries is following the University’s guidance to protect the health and well-being of our community while continuing to support teaching, research, and learning. As this unprecedented challenge evolves, we are actively working to develop service continuity plans that ensure support for our users.

To learn about Libraries Hours, Books and Collections, Classes and Canvas, Events and Meetings, Talk with a Librarian, and other information, visit www.library.upenn.edu/blogs/libraries-news/covid-19-libraries-policies-and-information

Annenberg Center

The Annenberg Center is postponing or cancelling the following events: The White Lama, Danú, The Crossing with Maya Beiser, SFJazz Collective, Trinity Irish Dance Company, and Daedalus Quartet, as well as all public facing guest events and Penn student performances until April 15. If a performance is postponed, ticket holders will be automatically transferred into the new date. Contact the box office (215) 898-3900) for more information.

If a performance is cancelled, or if patrons cannot make the new date of a postponed performance, the following options are available:

• tickets may be exchanged into a future performance at no additional charge;
• patrons may receive a credit on account for the value of the tickets;
• patrons may donate the value of their tickets as a much appreciated gift to the Annenberg Center’s Annual Fund; or
• patrons may request a refund.

The Annenberg Center will continue to follow the University’s guidelines and will follow up as the situation develops. Visit www.annenbergcenter.org

Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA)

To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and in accordance with University of Pennsylvania guidelines, ICA is now temporarily closed to the public until further notice. All public events taking place at the museum through April 17 have been canceled. ICA staff will have remote office hours Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., also until further notice. You may experience some delays with publication orders and archival requests. We thank you in advance for your patience.

ICA’s priority is to protect and support our visitors, staff, and artists, and we believe that we must do all that we can to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our community, which at this time calls for us to minimize gatherings and activity in our galleries and public spaces. We look forward to being in touch again soon to announce when we’ll be able to welcome you back to the Museum. 

We will continue to monitor the situation on a daily basis and keep you informed of any changes to our current policies. Please check our website and follow us on social media for the most up-to-date information on our evolving response to this critical health crisis. 

For more about the university’s COVID-19 response plan, visit https://coronavirus.upenn.edu/ To reach an ICA staff member please email us at hello@ica.upenn.edu

—John McInerney, ICA Interim Daniel W. Dietrich, II Director

Campus Rec Facilities

Effective Monday, March 16, all Campus Recreation facilities and programs will be suspended until further notice. Visit https://recreation.upenn.edu/sports/2020/3/9/covid-19.aspx for the latest updates.

Due to the coronavirus public health threat, the decision was made to cancel the 2020 Penn Relays. 

Morris Arboretum

In response to the unprecedented public health crisis related to Coronavirus (COVID-19), The Morris Arboretum will close to the public as of March 14, 2020. Please know that this decision was made after careful deliberation and that our priority is to do all we can to ensure the safety and well being of our staff, volunteers, and visitors. Information pertaining to public health is rapidly evolving and, as such, it is not yet known when we will reopen. We will be vigilant in our efforts to keep our website up-to-date and we will communicate directly to members and class registrants via email with the latest details.

The following information is provided in anticipation of some of the questions you may have relative to the following categories:

Individuals who have registered for a class: It is our intention to provide a refund to individuals who have registered for a class that occurs during this temporary closure. We are working as quickly as possible to process your refunds in the manner in which you paid. If you have questions, please contact education@morrisarboretum.org

Annual Membership: We appreciate your patience at this time. We know that early spring is the most natural time to come out to the Arboretum for a walk in the gardens to enjoy the fresh air, but maintaining public health must be our priority. We look forward to seeing you in the gardens just as soon as we are reassured that it is safe for all of our visitors to return. We will keep you updated on any developments, but in the meantime, if you have any questions about your membership, please contact members@morrisarboretum.org

Planned Events: Any individuals that have planned events will receive outreach directly from a staff member to discuss your options. We will continue to update the community as soon as information is available and is consistent with the evolution of this dynamic situation. Questions may be directed to info@morrisarboretum.org

Resources: Center for Disease Control (CDC): cdc.gov/coronavirus
University of Pennsylvania’s dedicated Coronavirus website: coronavirus.upenn.edu

We appreciate your understanding during these challenging times and we thank you for your support. Please stay connected with us through Facebook, Instagram, and our website, http://www.morrisarboretum.org/ 

—Morris Arboretum

Arthur Ross Gallery

Following the University of Pennsylvania’s response to the Coronavirus, the Arthur Ross Gallery has taken steps to prevent the spread of the illness. This includes canceling public programs through April 24. Please note the following revisions to our schedule: 

March 20, Object(ive), canceled

March 23, Angelica Maier lecture, canceled

March 13, 20, 27, Yoga with Anisha, canceled

Re-materialize Opening Reception postponed until April 25

At the present time, the Arthur Ross Gallery is closed for the next two to four weeks. Please check our website, arthurrossgallery.org for up-to-date information. Thank you for your continued support.

—Arthur Ross Gallery

Penn Museum

We prioritize the health and well-being of our guests, volunteers, and staff. Due to ongoing public health concerns related to COVID-19, the Penn Museum has decided to close to the public as of 5 p.m. March 13. We expect the closure to last until April 17 but will be monitoring the situation closely and adjusting as needed.

All public events through April 17 have been postponed or cancelled. We are looking into livestreaming some events and activities through social media and will send more information soon.

We know that in this unprecedented time, it can be helpful to consider our shared human story across the world and through millennia. We encourage you to explore our online resources—including recordings of Great Lectures, archival films, and collections highlights—at www.penn.museum/collections

For all updates and additional information, please refer to www.penn.museum/alert If you have any questions regarding events or programs, please contact Public Engagement at (215) 898-2680 or events@pennmuseum.org If you are a member and have questions about your membership, please contact the Membership Office at (215) 898-5093 or membership@pennmuseum.org

We are thankful to have you as a friend of the Museum. When this time has passed, we look forward to welcoming you back to our galleries and events once more. In the meantime, I join my colleagues in hoping you stay safe and well.  one many upcoming events. Check our penn.museum website regularly for updates.

—Penn Museum 

World Café Live

In response to recent developments concerning the spread of COVID-19, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our doors through the end of the month. As always, our number one priority is the safety and well-being of our guests, artists, and staff. Since city officials have recommended there be no gatherings of more than 250 people, World Cafe Live will be closed to the public through March 31.

We’re working hard to reschedule all affected events. It’s a challenging task, but we don’t want you to miss out on any of the awesome music we had planned. We’re looking forward to an even more exciting spring and summer, when we can once again open our doors and welcome you in for some much needed release.

Information about specific shows can be found online. Over the next few days, our guest services team will reach out to ticket buyers with your options. All current tickets will be valid for rescheduled shows. If a show is postponed with a date TBD, we ask that you please hold onto your tickets until a new date is announced, at which time you can choose to keep them or request a refund. Refunds will be available at point of purchase.

This situation is changing faster than any of us could have imagined, and we will respond accordingly. We expect there to be more postponed shows into April, as artists are figuring out their tour and travel plans. Please be patient with us during this time—we’ll keep you posted as we receive updates. 

We’ll be honest—this is a big blow for our staff. These are the folks who make WCL what it is—the people who take your ticket, serve your meal, pour your beer, mix the music, and more. They are losing money they count on. With our doors closed, we won’t have the funds to pay some of our staff. For hourly workers especially, even two weeks is a long time.

This is also a big blow for World Cafe Live as an organization. We depend on our full slate of concerts, events, and dining.

We’re asking for your help. We’ve created an emergency fund to provide financial support for our team members who are losing critical income during this time, and to help us so we’ll be able to reopen our doors and be here for them—and you—as soon as we’re able. We hope you will consider making a donation to this fund. visit https://tinyurl.com/taodue6 to donate. World Cafe Live is a nonprofit. You will receive a tax receipt for your generous donation.

—World Café Live

Penn Parking Services is pleased to announce that additional electric vehicle charging stations are now available on campus. These new spaces are located at Penn Museum Garage and Walnut 38 Garage.

This initiative is in alignment with Penn’s ongoing sustainable transportation and commuting efforts. Partial funding support was received from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s rebate program and in cooperation with the University of Pennsylvania Hospital System. Continued expansion is planned for later this fiscal year at Walnut 40 Garage.  

For a complete listing of electric vehicle charging stations at Penn, visit www.upenn.edu/parking

Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy

Sometimes you may wish to share information electronically with others at Penn that is too sensitive or confidential to send via email or messaging applications, which are inherently insecure. PennKey holders with active faculty, staff, or student affiliations have multiple options available.

Secure Share

How it works: When users upload, download  and store files via Secure Share, those files are encrypted in transit and in storage. Secure Share ensures those files reach only the intended recipient(s), sending e-mail notifications when the files are available for retrieval. Files are automatically deleted after they are retrieved; files that aren’t retrieved within 30 days are deleted from the system.

When to use it: Secure Share is Penn’s preferred method of transferring protected health information (PHI), financial information, Social Security Numbers, and other highly sensitive information. Secure Share should not be used as a document storage mechanism, but rather a safe alternative to file-exchange methods for static documents.

Penn+Box 

How it works: Penn+Box is a cloud-based collaboration service for securely managing and sharing files and folders both within the Penn community and also with external collaborators. Users can access, create, manage, and distribute content across various device types and operating systems. Penn+Box also ensures that University data and intellectual property are securely protected.

When to use it: For a longer-term platform for your files, consider Penn+Box. Files uploaded to Penn+Box are not removed unless intentionally deleted by a user. Penn+Box also has collaboration and versioning features, allowing document owners to dynamically update both content and also collaborator permissions as documents and groups evolve over time.

Pro Tips

Check with your Local Support Provider for help with using these services in accordance with your School or Center’s guidelines. Also be sure to actively review your downloaded local files when using these secure sharing tools in order to guard against inadvertent storage of sensitive information on your local device.

Learn more about the Secure Share service: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/secure-share

Learn more about the Penn+Box service: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/pennbox

For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts#One-Step-Ahead

Penn Transit is providing new service options to help members of the Penn Community with their grocery shopping needs. This service expansion will assist students, faculty and staff until Acme Markets opens at 40th and Walnut streets. 

The following options are available: 

• South Square Market, 2221 South Street–Penn Bus East has a designated stop at 22nd and South Streets.
• Supremo Food Market, 4301 Walnut Street—Penn Bus West will stop at a new designated stop at 44th and Walnut Streets.
• Mariposa Food Co-op, 4824 Baltimore Avenue—Penn Bus West has added a newly designated stop at 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue.
• Trader Joe’s, 2121 Market Street—The Grocery Shuttle Pilot Program continues to provide direct transportation from Penn’s campus to Trader Joe’s on Thursday and Saturday evenings from 6:30 p.m. (first pick-up at Franklin’s Table) to 9:55 p.m. (last pick-up at Trader Joe’s). 

During this period of transition, Penn Bus West will no longer stop at the Schattner Building and passengers can pick up the route at designated transit stops at either 40th and Walnut Streets, 40th and Spruce Streets, or the Quad. Passengers can continue to access Penn Bus East at the Schattner transit stop. 

Grocery shopping options within walking distance include: 

Gourmet Grocer is in 1920 Commons in the heart of Penn’s campus.

Heirloom Market, at 34th and Chestnut Streets, is located adjacent to campus. 

For more info and details about Penn Bus, visit www.upenn.edu/PennTransit/grocerytransit

In order to reduce foot traffic to the office, the Payroll Office is instituting the practice of mailing paychecks and pay cards to individuals receiving these methods of payment. Effective with the March 13, 2020 pay date, the Payroll Office will begin the mailing of paychecks and pay cards.

Complete Onboarding Tasks–If you are a new employee who has not completed all of your onboarding tasks, you will receive a paycheck even if you have elected to have your pay direct deposited into your bank account. For step-by-step guidance on completing your assigned onboarding tasks in Workday, refer to the Self Service: Onboarding in Workday for New Hires tip sheet.

Direct Deposit—You are strongly encouraged to sign up for Direct Deposit of your pay into your bank account. By signing up for direct deposit, you avoid delays in receiving your pay caused by mailing of paychecks and pay cards. For instructions on how to sign up for direct deposit in Workday refer to the Self-Service: Manage Pay Elections tip sheet.

Verify and update your mailing address–If you are receiving your payment as a live check, you must verify that your mailing address in Workday is correct and update if necessary to ensure your paycheck or pay card is sent to the correct address. For instructions on how to update your address in Workday, refer to the Self Service: Modify Your Personal Information tip sheet. 

This change only affects individuals who receive a paper check or who will be receiving a new pay card. If you are already receiving your pay by direct deposit or have already received your pay on a pay card, there will be no impact to how you receive your pay.  

If you need a replacement pay card, please contact the Penn Employee Solution Center immediately to request a new pay card. They are available to help with your HR/payroll questions. Knowledgeable Solution Center specialists are available Monday-Friday, during business hours, to answer questions. Call (215) 898-7372 or email hcmsolutioncenter@upenn.edu

—Payroll Office

This edition of Almanac is digital-only. No issues were printed to distribute across campus because of COVID-19.

Dear Penn Commuters:

In light of the University’s work-from-home guidelines, along with rapidly changing information related to the unprecedented COVID-19 public health emergency, Penn Parking is amending its previous announcement regarding its Temporary Occasional Parking Program.

These changes are being made as a means of accommodating the University community’s essential personnel that must travel to campus.

Effective Tuesday, March 17, the following temporary daily rates are in effect at these Penn Parking lots and garages:

Garages:

- Chestnut 34 - a flat rate of $6/day

- Walnut 38 - a flat rate of $6/day

- Walnut 40 - a flat rate of $6/day

- Penn Museum - a flat rate of $6/day after 8 a.m.

Lots:

- Penn Park - a flat rate of $4/day

- Ludlow - $5/day after 2:30 p.m.

- Palestra - $5/day after 2:30 p.m.

- Penn Law Lot - $5/day after 2:30 p.m.

To view campus locations of the Penn Parking facilities, please visit our Parking Map.

Important Note to those who previously purchased Occasional Parking Passes:

We want to acknowledge all those commuters who have already purchased daily occasional parking tickets—especially those who came during the extremely busy hours late last week. Please know that you may still use these tickets at the designated parking facility listed on your pass.  In addition, if you would like the flexibility to park at a different facility, please remember that you are welcome to refund your allotment of temporary occasional parking passes at any time, up to June 15.  It is our goal to be as accommodating as possible and we appreciate your patience during this challenging time.

The Penn Transportation and Parking Office, located at 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 447A, is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. If you have any questions, please visit http://www.upenn.edu/parking or call 215-898-8667.