SENATE: From the Senate Office |
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February 16, 2016, Volume 62, No. 23 |
The following is published in accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules. Among other purposes, the publication of SEC actions is intended to stimulate discussion among the constituencies and their representatives. Please communicate your comments to Patrick Walsh, executive assistant to the Senate Office, either by telephone at (215) 898-6943 or by email at senate@pobox.upenn.edu
Faculty Senate Executive Committee Actions
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Chair’s Report. Faculty Senate Chair Reed Pyeritz reported that the annual Faculty Senate Symposium is scheduled for April 6, at 4 p.m., in Houston Hall’s Hall of Flags; the topic is the role of faculty in the evolution of the research university. Presidents from three major research universities have committed to participate thus far. Dr. Pyeritz also informed SEC that revised policies on sexual violence and assault will be available for review next month. He announced that Penn Libraries have engaged a PR firm to understand how best to communicate to the University community about the services it offers; he asked for SEC member input on this matter by email.
Past-Chair’s Report. Faculty Senate Past Chair Claire Finkelstein reported that the Academic Planning and Budget Committee held a meeting on February 9 and the Capital Council held one on February 10. She gave an update on the Campaign for Community (C4C), informing SEC members that the Faculty Senate’s co-sponsored event, “A Conversation About Race and Respect in the Classroom” on January 27, was well received. The C4C Steering Committee continues to solicit proposals for the current academic year and recommends that SEC members encourage their constituencies to submit proposals. The Senate Office can advise faculty seeking to develop proposals. Interested faculty members should contact the Senate Office.
Update from the Office of the President. President Amy Gutmann reported on progress toward the three pillars (Inclusion, Innovation, Impact) of the Penn Compact 2020. US Vice President Joe Biden chose Penn as the home of the “Cancer Moonshot” research program that President Obama recently announced in his State of the Union address; it received a warm reception from both major political parties and speaks to the strength of Penn faculty and multidisciplinary engagement. The Penn Museum has opened its Golden Age of King Midas exhibit that represents 65 years of excavation by Penn archaeologists in Turkey. President Gutmann will embark on a ten-city “Our Penn” tour of the US, Asia and the UK in which she will convene panels with students in front of alumni, parents and Penn friends to highlight the current Penn student experience. The Action Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence has invested $157 million over the past four years; a report will be released next year that describes the progress made toward the Plan’s goals. The Faculty Council on Access and Academic Support has worked for the past eight years to increase access for underrepresented students in STEM fields; it has recently facilitated the introduction of Structured Active In-class Learning (SAIL) environments for classes that engage students in blended learning and improved teaching. First generation and low-income-family students are also being tracked by the Financial Aid office to ensure they have the support they need; a multi-campus student group, FirstGen, is facilitating this effort. The Penn Center for Innovation (PCI) has a model that aids faculty members in bringing new discoveries into the marketplace; President Gutmann encouraged SEC members to engage with PCI in proposing innovative, cross-school ideas worthy of further research and faculty support.
Update from the Office of Information and Systems Computing. Tom Murphy, University chief information officer, provided SEC members with an update on the O365 common email and calendar initiative, which involves all schools and centers except PSOM. Primary benefits include access to contacts from a single Global Address list, viewing of free/busy information on all calendars, one terabyte of personal data storage on OneDrive for Business and free Office 365 ProPlus usage on five devices (available for faculty download this month). Mr. Murphy also discussed the continuing work on Next Generation Student Services initiatives, the development of the Penn Research Administration Gestalt of Management Applications (PRAGMA), a Human Capital Management Process program, and information security initiatives including development of a University-wide firewall. He emphasized the importance of transparency and faculty oversight on defining the firewall’s initial settings, which are intended to prevent harmful attacks to University technology and not to censor users’ freedom of expression or research. He noted that a “Transparency and Accountability Program” will soon be launched within established University policies to allow for proactive management of Penn’s computing environments and that more information is forthcoming.
Faculty Wellness Ambassador Program. In May 2015, SEC approved a Mental Health and Welfare Pilot program, which aims to help educate faculty on the handling of student mental health issues, thereby improving the response of faculty to students experiencing psychological distress. The program will soon begin its pilot phase and is seeking participation from faculty members who are willing to undergo a one-day training and serve as a resource on mental health issues in their schools or departments. SEC members were asked to nominate colleagues who can serve effectively in this role.
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