When the University of Pennsylvania Trustees met June 16-17 they passed a memorial resolution for David M. Silfen (Almanac December 8, 2015), whose memorial was held after the meetings. They re-elected David L. Cohen as chair and Andrea Mitchell as vice chair for another year. They also elected the following trustees to be on the executive committee with Mr. Cohen and Ms. Mitchell: Lee Spelman Doty, Perry Golkin, James H. Greene, Amy Gutmann (ex officio), Janet Haas, Andrew R. Heyer, Robert M. Levy, Marc F. McMorris, Julie Beren Platt, Andrew S. Rachleff and Ann Reese.

The following were elected to serve on the investment board: Mr. Cohen (ex officio), Scott L. Bok, Judith Bollinger, Perry Golkin, Dr. Gutmann (ex officio), Robert S. Kapito, Mr. Levy (chair); Mr. McMorris and Mr. Rachleff (vice chair).

Marc Rowan was elected for a five-year term as a term trustee. A resolution of appreciation for Raymond Ch’ien was approved. Resolutions of appreciation for Gilbert F.  Casellas and Mark O. Winkelman and designation as emeritus trustees for both of them was approved.

A resolution of appreciation for Marilyn Jordan Taylor who had been PennDesign’s dean since 2008 was passed and then one to appoint Frederick Steiner as the school’s new dean was also approved.

President Amy Gutmann mentioned Penn’s 10th Presidential Professor (see page 1). Dr. Gutmann said that Alumni Weekend drew an unprecedented turnout of some 12,000 alumni and guests. She also expressed appreciation for Eric Furda’s leadership of Undergraduate Admissions, which had nearly 39,000 applicants for the Class of 2020, nine percent of whom were admitted.

In recognition of Afaf Meleis’s extraordinary leadership as dean of Penn Nursing from 2002-2014, she was designated dean emerita.

The Bylaws of PennPraxis, established in 2001 as a not-for-profit 501(c)3 affiliate of PennDesign, were amended to keep pace with its expanded mission.

The School of Arts & Sciences will establish the ranks of lecturer in critical writing and senior lecturer in critical writing.

The trustees authorized the FY2017 operating budget of $2.990 billion for the University, the capital plan of $228.4 million as well as the health system’s budget and capital plan of $745.9 million. Other resolutions paved the way for a joint venture by Lancaster General Hospital and a freestanding behavioral health hospital; a Chester County Hospital procedural platform and a new patient pavilion at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.  They also approved the Next Generation Student System Pennant Aid and Pennant Records, $51.85 million, and the Museum Garage 7 repairs, $9.3 million.

The trustees previewed Perry World House, which Provost Vincent Price called Penn’s centerpiece for globally oriented gatherings.