At the December 5 University Council meeting, Vice President and University Secretary Leslie Kruhly reported that the problem mentioned previously concerning mold in some dorms has been resolved and the impacted students are back in their rooms.

Provost Wendell Pritchett introduced the focus topic for the meeting, New Directions in the Arts, followed by a discussion led by Vice Provost for Faculty Anita Allen. She said Penn stands for innovation in the arts and described how the arts are essential to teaching and learning as well as spurring social justice. She then introduced Christopher A. Gruits, Annenberg Center for the Performing Art’s executive & artistic director, who came to Penn in 2016 (Almanac August 23, 2016) and John McInerney, director of The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation. He came to Penn in 2017 (Almanac May 23, 2017).     

Mr. Gruits talked about how the Annenberg Center not only has public programming in its three theatres but also devotes space and resources to numerous student performing arts groups that practice and perform there. The Annenberg Center is also involved with Penn’s theatre arts program as well as music, cinema & media, along with humanities. Mr. Gruits stressed that the Center engages with students in many ways, including making tickets affordable at $10 at all times, providing free rehearsal space and access to world-class artists, as well as hiring many students. Annenberg Center also interacts with various schools and centers at Penn and engages the Philadelphia community. The programming is often innovative, featuring contemporary and cutting-edge music, dance and theatre productions.

Mr. McInerney spoke about the ways the new program uses the catalytic grant from Keith and Kathy Sachs (Almanac October 18, 2016). He said that the premise is that the arts at Penn are valued and embraced as a creative catalyst—driving innovation, inspiration and inclusion. There are three main areas of focus: teaching, making and presenting. They fund new arts classes and freshman seminars; they fund visiting artists, as well as creative projects by staff and faculty. They also support exhibitions, performances, lectures, workshops and student engagement. Grants have been provided for students, groups and departments. They have also facilitated a new class that took students to the Barnes Foundation.

President Amy Gutmann summarized the discussion by adding that “there is an intense interest in making the arts flourish at Penn.”

There was then the fall Open Forum with brief presentations by six speakers. The first person to present concerns was Zach Rissman (C’19) who passionately discussed the University’s impact on climate change and human rights through its investments in coal and tar sands companies. He said that this was his seventh consecutive Open Forum where he has spoken on this topic. He was accompanied by a room full of supporters who stood up while he spoke and held signs reading “You are Our Voice” as he asked why Penn vehemently opposes divestment. There were then additional speakers who raised topics including research as an elective, free access to tampons, second- year experience in the Greek houses and graduate student support in economics.