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, April 13, 2016

Chair’s Report. Faculty Senate Chair Reed Pyeritz reported that the May meeting of the Senate will include reports from each of the Senate committees, and the written versions will be made available in advance and also published in Almanac. He noted that plans for an all-faculty mailing of an informational brochure that details how faculty members can assist students in distress have been accelerated in response to the student suicide that occurred earlier in the week. He said that last week,  the Senate Symposium included three university presidents discussing the role of faculty in governance and evolution of the modern university. He reported that members of 21 SEC constituencies will receive a call for nominations for future SEC members and later will receive ballots for voting upon those nominees.

Past-Chair’s Report. Faculty Senate Past-Chair Claire Finkelstein did not offer a report.

Ballot–2016 Senate Committee on Committees. The ballot was deferred until the May 2016 SEC meeting.

Update from the Office of the Executive Vice President. Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli described the status of the Penn Connects campus master plan. The third phase of the plan began in 2016 and will continue to 2030. Core space priorities include research and student life space.  A renovated building on 36th and Walnut will house the political science and economics departments, and in May the Hill College House (which was designed by Saarinen) will go offline for 15 months for renovation. In fall 2017, both Hill and New College Houses will be available for student use, adding a net total of more than 300 beds to campus residence areas. Penn’s Century Bond program floated a 100-year taxable bond valued at almost $300 million; a part of it was placed in the endowment so that future generations will be able to repay it. The bond is helping to finance new lighting and HVAC systems that will make buildings more energy friendly and reduce labor time for frequent repairs. Five million dollars in energy costs were saved last year compared to the year in which Penn Connects started; the goal is to save $14 million annually. In response to questions, Mr. Carnaroli referred SEC members to the FY15 Penn Economic Impact Report.

Update from the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty. Vice Provost for Faculty Anita Allen reported that initial findings from the 2015-2016 Faculty Climate Survey are available, and more analysis will be done on the data over the summer. The respondent pool of 69% of all Standing Faculty and 48% of all Associated Faculty is representative with respect to rank, gender and ethnicity. Respondents were surveyed on atmosphere, workload, mentoring, promotion/tenure, sabbatical, hiring/retention and culture/climate. Overall results will be posted to the Provost’s website later this year, and deans will receive hard copies of more detailed data. The Faculty Senate will undertake a review of the data during the next academic year.