The first meeting of the semester of the University Council was held on September 10, 2025, in Houston Hall’s Hall of Flags.

Penn President J. Larry Jameson welcomed those in attendance. He introduced the new University Council moderator, associate professor of neurology at the Perelman School of Medicine Michael McGarvey.

President Jameson emphasized his desire to receive input and ideas from members of council and the larger Penn community that will help the University of Pennsylvania become the best it can be. He discussed Penn Forward (Almanac September 9, 2025), which he called an important strategic planning initiative during a time of constant change. Working groups of students, faculty, and staff have begun meeting and will conclude their work around the end of the fall semester. The implementation stage is set to begin in the spring semester.

Kathleen Brown, the David Boies Professor of History, chair of the University Council Steering Committee and chair of the Faculty Senate, asked for feedback on the charges put forth for the University Council committees and on this year’s focus issues topics. The topics will be presented at future University Council meetings.

This year’s focus topic issues are:

• Penn Dining
• AI as a Disruptive Technology to Pedagogy and Student Learning
• Penn Washington
• Penn Libraries

Hearing no comments about the focus issue topics, Lizann Boyle Rode, associate vice president and associate University secretary, addressed the topics brought up by the six speakers during new business at the April University Council meeting.

During the new business portion of this meeting, speakers:

• Offered ideas about how to increase the representation of transfer student perspectives around campus.
• Described upcoming activities at La Casa Latina in September and October (additional information can be found at https://ulife.vpul.upenn.edu/calendar/host/La-Casa-Latina/20).
• Conveyed concern regarding the September 8 U.S. Supreme Court decision that lifted an order prohibiting government agents from making indiscriminate immigration-related stops in Los Angeles and how it might impact members of the Penn community.
• Noted concerns regarding transportation on and around campus as a result of budget cuts to SEPTA.

The next meeting of the University Council will be held on October 22, 2025.