COVID-19 Update

March 18, 2021

Dear TPC Students,

As President of Albion College and one member of the extended learning community of which you are also a part, one of the things that I hope we are all conscious of during this time of remarkable uncertainty is that rapidly evolving circumstances often require complex decisions to be made with limited, changing or imperfect information. As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to rapidly evolve, I am proud of your willingness to swiftly adapt to the changing circumstances – and I hope you are, too.

It is difficult to predict what decisions on the national and state levels will be made in the coming days or, as this situation has demonstrated, even hours.

Many students have chosen to depart Philadelphia for their permanent residences. And, many remain in Philadelphia. Listening to the tenor of conversations at the national and state levels suggests that it is possible that a shelter-in-place order may soon be made. Again, the timing of this potential announcement is difficult to predict.

If you are in Philadelphia but plan to depart in the coming days, I encourage you to expedite your departure and to take all of your belongings with you as if a return to Philadelphia may not be possible. It is possible that if a shelter-in-place order comes that travel restrictions will be implemented, making travel home no longer an option.

If you are intending to stay in Philadelphia, know that TPC will remain open but minimally staffed for the time being. Please, recognize that there could come a time in the near future when TPC is required to close and be unable to provide an appropriate level of services. For now, we will do everything possible to ensure that your basic needs and your ability to continue your studies will be secured. Since we cannot predict the severity of the outbreak in Philadelphia, or for that matter in any place around the country, we cannot guarantee we will have the supplies or capacity to provide necessary medical care.

If you are uncertain which choice is best for you, I encourage you to discuss with your family or the people you rely on most, consider the severity of the current outbreak at home, and determine where your learning can be best supported, especially under the remote learning format to which we have transitioned.

This is a complex decision that must be made with imperfect information and on a person-by-person basis. Our mission remains unchanged – and that is to provide you an exemplary experiential learning opportunity (even under especially uncertain circumstances).

We would very much like to thank those students who have worked so diligently with their site supervisors and faculty advisors to make arrangements that safeguard their health and well-being by following federal, state, and local recommendations. As you make your decisions regarding whether or not to leave Philadelphia, please, continue to work closely with the faculty and staff at TPC so that final meetings with faculty and supervisors can be managed appropriately and internship credit earned.

TPC and Albion College will work to the best of our abilities with students, site supervisors, and home campuses to ensure that the semester can be completed successfully with students earning appropriate credit for their experience in Philadelphia.

Students are also responsible for communicating decisions regarding leaving Philadelphia with their home campuses, landlords, and property managers. Students continue to be responsible for the terms of their leases and tuition payments, including the appropriate cleaning and moving out of their apartments.

We ask all students to stay informed of the situation in Philadelphia by texting COVIDPHL to 888-777 to receive text updates. Students can also call the city’s 24/7 helpline to speak with a health care professional at 1-800-722-7112. We also encourage students to stay informed on updates through the City’s Covid Response website.

If you need technological support for your courses, please contact the Albion College Helpdesk helpdesk@albion.edu or the IT helpdesk at your home campus.

If you have any questions regarding your internship and/or credit earned for it, please work with your faculty advisor.

If you have any general questions regarding the Center and its operations, please contact the main TPC account, admin@tpc.edu.

If your parents or family members have concerns, please contact John Woell, Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Academic Affairs at Albion College, jwoell@albion.edu.

Wishing you all health and safety.

Sincerely,
Mauri Ditzler
President
Albion College