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, December 7, 2016

Chair’s Report. Faculty Senate Chair Laura Perna informed SEC members of the January meeting location and indicated that President Gutmann would be the meeting’s guest. She also indicated that the focus group on Non-Standing Faculty, which was postponed from November, will be held at that meeting.|

Past-Chair’s Report. Faculty Senate Past Chair Reed Pyeritz reported that the Academic Planning and Budget Committee and Capital Council met and that the Campaign for Community Steering Committee met on November 29. The Campaign for Community continues to review applications on a rolling basis.

Approval of Membership Roster for the Senate Ad Hoc Committee to Review the Academic Calendar. SEC members voted to approve the roster.

Selection of Chair for the 2017 Senate Nominating Committee. SEC members unanimously elected Susan Marguiles as chair from among that committee’s final roster.

Discussion and Vote: Selection of six members to serve on the Ad Hoc Consultative Committee for the Selection of a Provost. Professor Perna reminded the committee that the Faculty Handbook allows the Senate to select six persons from among its membership to serve on this committee. The Handbook indicates that, to the extent possible, the selected members should be diverse with respect to background characteristics and school representation. She noted that all SEC members and Senate Committee Chairs were invited to nominate themselves. A ballot was distributed in person and by email; the voting period remained open for 24 hours, until Thursday, December 8, at 5 p.m., at which point the final results were tallied and the names of the six nominees receiving the most votes were forwarded to the president.

Follow-up from November SEC Meeting. Professor Perna led a discussion of potential actions the Faculty Senate might take in the coming months to build on the statement passed at the November 16 SEC meeting (Almanac November 22) and the March of Solidarity. She reported that the Senate Committee on Faculty Development, Diversity, and Equity and the University Council Committee on Diversity and Equity have been discussing matters of campus and classroom climate. On December 2, the Faculty Senate and the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty co-sponsored a two-hour Diversity Forum during which participants discussed school-level practices for increasing faculty diversity and inclusion. SEC members shared information related to diversity and inclusion in their own schools and discussed possibilities for unconscious bias training and additional resources to improve teaching and advising, as well as other issues.

Panel Discussion: Current Mental Health Trends. Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush convened a panel of administrative leaders at Penn who are responsible for handling matters related to student mental health issues and sexual violence, assault and stalking. Panelists were William Alexander, director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS); Sharon Smith, director of Student Intervention Services; Deborah Harley, sexual violence investigative officer; Jessica Mertz, director of Student Sexual Violence Prevention and Education; and Patricia Brennan, director of Special Services in the Division of Public Safety.  The panelists briefed SEC on their roles at Penn and addressed SEC members’ questions.