Self-nominations from the University community are being sought for individuals to serve on an Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Divestment. University policy provides that an Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Divestment be established when a proposal to divest from the Penn endowment has been received by the Steering Committee of University Council, and found to be sufficiently substantive for further review. This Committee will consider whether a proposal submitted by Fossil Free Penn in October 2015 asking the University to divest from fossil fuel holdings meets the high standards of the Trustee guidelines for divestment. Please see http://www.upenn.edu/secretary/Divestment

GuidelinesandProceedures.pdf

Penn’s Trustees have sole responsibility for making investment decisions for the University.

Committee members must be able and willing to conduct a careful analysis of all sides of the issue, remain impartial and reach a decision only after completion of deliberations on the proposal. Committee members must be prepared to attend and participate in meetings for up to 12 months, beginning in March 2016. The Committee will be expected to submit its report, in writing, to the Trustees.

Faculty, students, staff and alumni may submit self-nominations for membership consideration. Please see http://www.upenn.edu/secretary/divestment.html  for more information on the Committee and to access the nomination form. Only self-nominations submitted via the online nomination form will be accepted. If you wish to be nominated as a representative of your constituency, please contact the Faculty Senate, Undergraduate Assembly or Graduate and Professional Student Assembly leadership directly.

The deadline for submission of nominations is January 22 at 5 p.m. The Chair of the Trustees will make the final determination on Committee membership, which will be comprised of 16 voting members. The Chair will also name the Committee’s chair. The Committee membership will be announced on February 26.

The Office of the University Secretary will provide administrative support to the Committee. If you have any questions, please email adhoccom@exchange.upenn.edu