Council Meeting Coverage	Print Issue
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At the January 28 Council meeting, the main focus was on the Pennovation Center and other activities at the Pennovation Works (formerly called the South Bank). Vice Provost for Research Dawn Bonnell introduced the topic, noting that in the past 18 months there has been a lot of innovation taking place ‘down the street’ and ‘across the river.’

Vice President for Facilities and Real Estate Services Anne Papageorge explained how the vision for the Pennovation Works supports the Penn Compact 2020: the facility provides an enabling element for the growth of Penn-sponsored innovation, with existing facilities providing methods to assist entrepreneurs with cost-effective space while exploring the business model for establishing an incubator/hub. There are currently five Penn schools and three centers using some of space there along with the Free Library and four start-ups. There is a Bon Apetit food truck there and a Penn shuttle.

Penn’s 23-acre site is within the Innovation District of the Lower Schuylkill Master Plan that seeks to convert some 3,700 acres of a former industrial district to mixed-use from the airport to Penn’s parcel.

The Pennovation Center is being created in a three-story existing building that is being renovated with large-scale spaces and high ceilings for labs, offices, a conference room, a multi-purpose space, co-working area, resource library and a café (Almanac November 4, 2014). There will be an on-demand shuttle service, enhanced pedestrian and bicycle connectivity between Pennovation Works and the Penn campus; internet service connection is also available.

Associate Vice Provost for Research John Swartley described the mission of the Penn Center for Innovation (PCI): it is intended “to be the leader in facilitating the translation and commercialization of research discoveries made at Penn into products, goods and services the improve the quality of life and generate socioeconomic impact.” He is the executive director of PCI, which he said is intended to be the broker of relationships between Penn faculty/staff/students and the private sector to advance technology. PCI is located on the second floor of the Pennovation Center.

UPS Foundation Professor Vijay Kumar from Penn Engineering described the exciting opportunities for innovation, research and development for groups such as the GRASP Lab which has been around since the 1980s but now has indoor and outdoor space at the Pennovation Works conducive to testing drones and quad rotors for search and rescue.

During the New Business segment of the meeting, several students on Council spoke about their concerns stemming from the lower graduation rate for Penn’s international students (73.9%) as compared to higher graduation rates for other Penn students including underrepresented minorities (84.6%). One of their goals is to have the University set aside an on-campus space designated support international students.

Vice President and Secretary Leslie Kruhly announced that there has been a schedule change and at the February Council meeting, in addition to the Open Forum, there will be an update on the findings and recommendations of the Task Force on Student Psychological Health and Welfare by Task Force co-chairs Dr. Anthony Rosatin and Dr. Rebecca Bushnell. Then, at the March meeting, there will be the update on implementation of recommendations of the Commission on Student Safety, Alcohol and Campus Life.