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 15, 2017

Chair’s Report. Faculty Senate Chair Laura Perna informed SEC members that several faculty leaders at peer universities nationwide are in discussion to coordinate a national teach-in on Friday, March 24. She invited input as to how that event might be conceptualized and implemented and offered to keep SEC members informed on its progress.

Past-Chair’s Report. Faculty Senate Past Chair Reed Pyeritz reported that the Campaign for Community continues to accept and review applications for funding related to on-campus events that promote understanding of key issues that may appear to be difficult or intractable.

Update from the Provost. Provost Vincent Price discussed the “Message to the Penn Community Regarding Immigration from Amy Gutmann” issued on January 30, 2017. He noted that administrators have been working directly with individuals from the affected countries and with the international community more broadly at Penn. International Student Support Services (ISSS) offers free consultations to affected students and the Law School operates legal clinics for affected parties. Penn recently co-filed with other institutions an amicus brief opposing the executive order (EO) on immigration (see here). Administrators are also considering how to address the needs of affected individuals during spring break and summer. In response to a question about the financial impact of the EO to Penn, he remarked that, although financially the impact is minimal, the global value of Penn (and other universities) is negatively affected. He also explained that Penn only cooperates with requests from immigration officers when they produce warrants or subpoenas that require doing so.

Provost Price invited SEC members to visit the new spaces in Van Pelt-Dietrich Library that co-locate the offices of the Online Learning Initiative, Center for Learning Analytics, and Center for Teaching and Learning with the Library’s Teaching, Research, & Learning Services office, Vitale Media Labs and Collaborative Classrooms. He noted that SEAS will be piloting a micro-master’s program in robotics, in which participants can take four non-credit, online courses at minimal cost and transfer the credits earned if they apply and are admitted to the full master’s program. He informed SEC members that the “Inclusion Report” documenting outcomes from the five-year Action Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence will soon be published and that the Plan will be renewed for another cycle. When asked about whether the Senate should issue position statements on politically related issues, he indicated that endorsing official statements lends strength to such statements. He also cautioned that the group should only adopt a position following reasoned consideration of all faculty perspectives on a given matter.

Provost Price concluded by thanking SEC members for their leadership and engagement and expressed his appreciation for the consultation that the Senate provides to University leaders. SEC members thanked him, in turn, for his service to Penn and the Senate and offered him a round of applause. (Provost Price served numerous Senate roles during his time on the Annenberg faculty, including Faculty Senate Chair in 2006-2007.)

2017 Senate Committee on Committees. SEC members voted for members of the 2017 Senate Committee on Committees.

Political Advocacy at Penn. Jeffrey Cooper, Vice President in the Office of Government and Community Relations (OGCA) and Dawn Maglicco Deitch, OGCA Executive Director, described ways that faculty members can engage in advocacy with federal and state governmental representatives as individual citizens, Penn faculty members and a collective. They shared a list of contact information for federal, state and local representatives and encouraged individuals to make personalized contact as the representative’s constituent with his/her local offices and in-person for the greatest impact. When making contact, the individual should state that they live in the representative’s district, describe the issue they support and thank the representative for something (e.g., their role in public service, a recent specific action). Individuals should frame issues as specifically as possible and in their own words (rather than using a form letter). They asked that advocacy on behalf of Penn be reported to OGCA and invited faculty members to contact OGCA directly with further questions. OGCA seeks faculty who are willing to visit—with OGCA staff—federal and staff representatives to advocate for particular issues. Particularly important now is advocating for continued research funding for the humanities and social sciences.

Review of Statements on Immigration Policy. SEC members unanimously voted to endorse the “Message to the Penn Community Regarding Immigration from Amy Gutmann” (Almanac February 7, 2017). A majority of SEC members present voted to endorse the “Academics Against Immigration Executive Order” open letter that has been signed by more than 31,000 individual US faculty members.

Discussion of Senate Strategies in View of Uncertain Impacts of Federal and State Political Climates. Following discussion, SEC members who were present and chose to cast votes unanimously voted to establish an “Ad Hoc Committee on Government Engagement,” which will propose to SEC ways that the Senate can engage in advocacy on federal and state policy issues. The committee will be chaired by a SEC member and comprised of Standing Faculty members with diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Faculty members may nominate themselves or colleagues by emailing the Senate office.