March 1, 2016 Volume 62 Issue 25

Physicians, scientists and leaders from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and the global pharmaceutical company Novartis gathered recently to unveil the Novartis-Penn Center for Advanced Cellular Therapeutics (CACT). Located on Penn Medicine’s campus amidst both clinical care and laboratory facilities atop the Jordan Medical Education Center and South Pavilion Extension of the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicne, the CACT is poised to become an epicenter for research and early development of personalized cellular therapies for cancer, expanding on Penn’s groundbreaking research using Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) technology, which enables a patient’s own immune cells to be reprogrammed outside of the body and re-infused to hunt for and potentially destroy tumors.

“In only a few years, we have generated significant achievements that have moved the field of personalized cellular therapies forward, opening clinical trials to test these treatments not only for patients with blood cancers, but also those with solid tumors,” said Carl June, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy in the department of pathology & laboratory medicine and director of the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies in Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine. “The CACT will allow us to leverage this progress to develop and test new approaches more quickly and expand our ability to manufacture personalized cell therapies for a greater number of trials.”

The new facility is a marquee component of Penn’s translational science efforts to expedite the development of novel therapies for many types of disease. The collaboration with Novartis was announced in August 2012, when the two organizations entered an exclusive global research and licensing agreement to further study and commercialize novel CAR therapies. The $27 million CACT was constructed in part through a $20 million investment from Novartis, and will employ 100 highly specialized cell therapy professionals working across 6,300 square feet of “clean room” space for cell engineering and 23,610 square feet of laboratory and cell therapy manufacturing space with the capacity to manufacture cellular therapies for up to 400 patients per year (Almanac September 30, 2014).

“The opening of the Novartis-Penn Center for Advanced Cellular Therapeutics is a significant milestone in our collaboration with Penn,” said Mark C. Fishman, president of Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research. “It is our hope that discoveries will be made at this facility that could one day lead to new medicines to help cancer patients around the world.”

Frederick “Fritz” Steiner will be the next Dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Design, effective July 1.

The announcement was made last Thursday by Penn President Amy Gutmann and Provost Vincent Price.

Dr. Steiner, who will also be the Paley Professor at Penn, is an acclaimed scholar and teacher and a proven leader who presently serves as dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin. He holds two master’s degrees and a doctoral degree, in city and regional planning, from PennDesign, and he has also been a research scholar at the Penn Institute for Urban Research since 2013.

At UT Austin, where he holds the Henry M. Rockwell Chair in Architecture and has a courtesy appointment in the department of geography and the environment, Dr. Steiner leads a school with nearly 70 faculty and teaching staff and nearly 700 students across a variety of disciplines and professions, including architecture, community and regional planning, historic preservation, interior design, landscape architecture, sustainable design and urban design. During his 15-year tenure, the number of the School’s endowments has nearly doubled, a new Center for Sustainable Development and new degree programs in landscape architecture and interior design were created and the school’s buildings and physical plant were expanded and modernized.

Before moving to UT Austin as dean in 2001, Dr. Steiner served for 12 years at Arizona State University as director of the School of Planning and Landscape Architecture. While there, he led efforts to elevate the department to school status, developed a college-wide interdisciplinary doctoral program in environmental design and planning, won accreditation for degree programs in planning and landscape architecture and created an undergraduate program in landscape architecture.

He had earlier served as a faculty member and director of the Center for Built Environment Studies at the University of Colorado Denver and on the faculty of Washington State University.

A Fellow of both the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture, Dr. Steiner has written, edited or co-edited 17 books, including two editions of the widely used and frequently translated The Living Landscape: An Ecological Approach to Landscape Planning and influential edited volumes with and on Ian McHarg, the celebrated landscape architect and founder of Penn’s department of landscape architecture (Almanac March 20, 2001).

Dr. Steiner has been a visiting professor of landscape architecture at Tsinghua University in Beijing; a Fulbright-Hays Scholar at Wageningen University, the Netherlands; and a Rome Prize Fellow in Historic Preservation at the American Academy in Rome.

“I am excited and honored to return to Penn as dean of PennDesign,” Dr. Steiner said. “This is an exciting time for students, scholars and practitioners in architecture, city and regional planning, preservation, landscape architecture and the fine arts. As a PennDesign alumnus and a research scholar at the Penn Institute for Urban Research, I have a particular appreciation for the talented community of faculty, staff, students and alumni that is PennDesign. I look forward to working with all members of the PennDesign community, and with colleagues across campus and around the nation and the world, to bring PennDesign to even greater heights of success.”

“Fritz Steiner has a long and distinguished track record as a scholar, teacher and administrator,” President Gutmann said. “His work crosses traditional disciplinary and professional boundaries.

“Because of his deep and abiding connection to PennDesign, his appreciation of the School’s impressive history and his excitement to contribute to its bright and compelling future, we look forward to working with him as he collaborates with faculty, staff, students, overseers and alumni to build on PennDesign’s incredibly strong foundation.”

“Our selection of Fritz Steiner as the next dean of PennDesign successfully concludes a comprehensive global search to identify a successor to Marilyn Jordan Taylor, who is stepping down after serving as dean since 2008,” Provost Price said. “Under Marilyn’s leadership, PennDesign’s faculty and student body grew more interdisciplinary, eminent and diverse; new interdisciplinary teaching and research initiatives were created, including the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy; and the School’s facilities were modernized and upgraded.”

MaryFrances McCourt has been named Vice President for Finance and Treasurer at the University of Pennsylvania.

In her role, Ms. McCourt will lead Penn’s cash and short-term investment and capital financing strategies as well as oversee Penn’s financial functions. Ms. McCourt will also be responsible for the University’s multi-year financial planning efforts and will collaborate closely with Penn Medicine leadership on its growth and financial planning. She will directly manage the strategic and operational direction of a variety of functions, including the Comptroller’s Office, Financial Training, Global Support Services, Research Services, Risk Management and Insurance, Student Registration and Financial Services and the Treasurer’s Office.

In making the announcement, Penn Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli said, “MaryFrances brings superior financial management and leadership skills in the financial operations of a large complex institution of higher education. Penn will benefit in many ways from MaryFrances’ deep and diverse experience.”

Ms. McCourt is currently the senior vice president and chief financial officer at Indiana University and will join Penn on March 21.

Ms. McCourt has also served in financial-management positions for Agilysys, Inc., a diversified enterprise focused on technology and enterprise system solutions. She earned her bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Duke University and an MBA from Case Western University.

Ms. McCourt replaces Stephen D. Golding (Almanac January 15, 2008), who will retire in March after serving more than seven years in the role.

The University of Pennsylvania announced that it has authorized a $214 million financial-aid budget for 2016-2017—the largest in the University’s history—while increasing total undergraduate charges by 3.9 percent.

This represents the eighth consecutive year that Penn has kept its tuition growth under 4 percent. Since Amy Gutmann became Penn’s president in 2004, Penn’s financial-aid budget has now grown by 171 percent, averaging 8 percent per year, close to twice the average annual growth in total charges through FY17.

“Penn’s all-grant policy is one of our highest evergreen priorities,” said President Gutmann. “Since we first implemented the program in 2008, Penn has awarded nearly $1 billion in grants, providing access to Penn’s Ivy League education to exceptional young women and men with extraordinary promise from all backgrounds. Ensuring a Penn education while reducing the burden of debt for students from a range of social and economic circumstances is fundamental to Penn’s mission.

“Access to a high quality higher education is the single greatest gateway to economic opportunity. As the first in my family to attend college, I know the indelible, transformative impact that a college education can have. By eliminating financial barriers to be able to attend the University of Pennsylvania and by reducing the burden of debt, Penn’s all-grant program is making a Penn education possible for thousands of students and their families.”

Total undergraduate charges for 2016-2017—tuition, fees and room and board—will increase by 3.9 percent. Undergraduate tuition will increase to $45,556 from $43,838; room and board will increase to $14,536 from $13,990; and fees will increase to $5,908 from $5,698. Tuition and fees cover only 70 percent of the direct cost of delivering a Penn education.

As a result of Penn’s all-grant financial aid program, the average net cost for aided students to attend Penn today is almost $2,700 less than it was in 2005 in constant 2005 dollars.

Penn has substituted grants for loans in undergraduate financial aid packages since 2009. Next year, the average grant for students is estimated at $45,000. These grants do not require repayment.

This academic year, 46 percent of Penn’s undergraduate students received need-based grants from the University. Most undergraduates from families with incomes of less than $180,000 are receiving grant assistance, and the typical student with family income of less than $40,000 receives grant aid that covers full tuition and fees, and room and board.

With 10,400 undergraduates, Penn is the largest school in the nation to offer an all-grant financial aid program for undergraduates.

Penn’s all-grant financial aid initiative supports the University’s long-standing commitment to its need-blind admissions policy, which means students are accepted based on academic achievement, regardless of their ability to pay. The program has helped to reduce the number of Penn students borrowing. Today, nearly two-thirds of Penn undergraduates graduate debt free.

Penn’s all-grant program is aligned with the inclusion goals outlined in the Penn Compact 2020 Presidential Initiatives, which include a comprehensive effort to raise additional funding for the endowment to support undergraduate financial aid. In support of this initiative, President Gutmann announced the “Penn Impact 2020” plan, which includes a goal of raising one billion dollars for student financial aid from 2005 to 2020, comprised of a $600 million goal for undergraduate financial aid and a $400 million goal for graduate and professional student aid.

Additional information on undergraduate financial aid is available at www.sfs.upenn.edu

The Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships announces course development grants for Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 to promote Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) courses that integrate research, teaching, learning and service. Over 150 courses from a wide range of disciplines and Penn schools have linked Penn undergraduate and graduate students to work in the community. The grants support University faculty to develop new courses or adapt existing courses that combine research with school and community projects.

To see a list of the ABCS courses, visit https://www.nettercenter.upenn.edu/abcs-courses/current-courses

Grants will be for no more than $5,000 per project. These funds can be used to provide graduate and undergraduate support, course support and/or summer salary ($5,000 is inclusive of E.B. if taken as salary).

Funded by the Netter Center, course development grants facilitate faculty in developing new and substantially restructured undergraduate and graduate level courses that engage students in real-world problem-solving projects in conjunction with schools and community organizations located in West Philadelphia.

The following criteria will be used to evaluate proposals:  

1. Academic excellence

2. Integration of research, teaching and service

3. Partnership with schools, community groups, service agencies, etc.

4. Focus on Philadelphia, especially West Philadelphia

5. Evidence as to how the course activity will involve participation or interaction with the community as well as contribute to improving the community

6. Evidence as to how the course activity will engage undergraduate and/or graduate students in real-world problem-solving research opportunities

7. Potential for sustainability

Please format proposals as follows:

1. Cover page

    1.1 Name, title, department, school, mailing address

    1.2 Title of the proposal

    1.3 Total amount of funding you would like to receive

    1.4 100-word abstract of the proposal (include a description of how the course will involve interaction with the community and benefit the community)

2. A one-page biographical sketch of applicant

3. A two-to-four-page mini-proposal

4. Budget detailing how you intend to use the requested funding

Proposals for Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 courses should be submitted to the Netter Center for Community Partnerships by April 1, 2016. 

Please e-mail proposals to Janeé Franklin, ABCS coordinator, at janeef@pobox.upenn.edu

Three University of Pennsylvania deans have joined forces to improve the lives of Philadelphia youth and families through the Penn Futures Project (PFP). Penn Nursing Dean Antonia Villarruel, Social Policy & Practice (SP2) Dean John L. Jackson, Jr. and Graduate School of Education (GSE) Dean Pam Grossman announced that they are investing $30,000 to launch cross-school pilot projects aimed at working in partnership with communities to improve the lives of children and families. Vincent Price, provost of the University of Pennsylvania, agreed to match the contribution, making a total of $60,000 available for PFP work. The selected projects will focus on forging a partnership with a local high school for health sciences to prepare professionals who work with youth and support cross-professional and cross-sector collaboration, harnessing the power of cross-city agency data to create new solutions for children in poverty, and preparing practitioners to work with vulnerable LGBTQ youth.

The idea for the joint effort sprang from the common interests of three new deans joining Penn for the 2014-2015 academic year. The Nursing, SP2 and GSE deans quickly identified a common passion for improving the health and well-being of children and families. In the fall of 2015, these deans asked faculty members from across their schools to come together for a meeting to share the work they were doing in the community—over 50 Penn faculty attended. They were invited to find commonalities across schools, initiate cross-school collaborations and create high-impact funding proposals for the deans. Three of these proposals were chosen for inaugural grants.

“The challenges facing our community cannot be solved by any one discipline, school, health system or community,” said SP2 Dean Jackson, the Richard Perry University Professor. “It’s for this reason that we have partnered to work across Penn and across Philadelphia’s landscape of community organizations, local businesses, government agencies and other entities to develop innovative, multi-disciplinary solutions to some of the most pressing problems. I am excited to see the social change we can bring about by combining our energy, expertise and passion.”

“We are committed to finding ways to work with community members and other professionals to create greater opportunity for all of our children,” said GSE Dean Grossman. “The challenges facing our youth go well beyond the schoolhouse, and these projects represent a unique opportunity to leverage the collective wisdom of the Penn community and beyond to invest in children and communities. Cross-professional collaborations promise to better prepare GSE, SP2 and Nursing students to work together on behalf of children and families.”

“Health is shaped not only by genetics and behavior, but also by access to healthcare and opportunities for healthy choices, which are largely a function of socioeconomic factors, including neighborhood environments, income, education and social support,” said Penn Nursing Dean Villarruel. “We must address issues comprehensively by looking across these factors and investing in solutions that will make Philadelphia a healthier, safer and more equitable city for our youth.”

The 2016 Penn Futures Projects are:

Penn Graduate School Alliance for Field Practice with Kensington Health Sciences Academy (KHSA) brings the three Penn Futures Project schools (Nursing, GSE and SP2) together to develop a Penn Graduate School Alliance for Field Practice at KHSA, a Philadelphia health science public school located in one of America’s most under-served neighborhoods. Understanding that developing practitioners to serve the needs of a community in poverty requires the expertise of multiple disciplines, this collaboration aims to serve as an innovative model for a partnership between a university and an urban school district for the purpose of developing and supporting a “whole child/community” model of professional learning. 

Serving LGBTQ Youth and Families: Preparing the Next Generation of Social Workers, Teachers, School Counselors and Nurses—To better serve LGBTQ youth and their families—particularly transgender youth of color—there is a pressing need to expand training opportunities and curriculum content for the next generation of social workers, teachers, school counselors and nurses. Faculty, students and alumni from SP2, GSE and Nursing will work with partners from CHOP and The Attic Youth Center. Together, they will review classroom and field learning opportunities for Penn graduate students, with the intent of preparing the next generation of clinical and educational professionals to better serve this vulnerable population. The collaborators will propose—and, where possible, implement—changes in the content of existing courses and the creation of new courses. Field training options will be expanded, and LGBTQ youth will be directly engaged in their work.

A Penn Interdisciplinary Contribution to Data-based Decision-making in Philadelphia—The opportunities for Integrated Data Systems (IDSs), which can make government more efficient through cross-system collaboration, are just beginning to be understood. IDSs can link individual administrative records across public agencies to provide an unprecedented and nuanced snapshot of the effects of poverty on children’s lives—and how factors such as homelessness or low birth weight might impact their outcomes. Expanding on previous work, this project draws together researchers from GSE, SP2 and Nursing to support the City of Philadelphia’s integrated data system in the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Health and Opportunity. This project will look across City systems and agencies to identify young children who are high-cost service recipients—and create a model that can be used to improve service delivery and inform intervention building. This work holds great promise for Philadelphia’s children—and may be a role model for cities nationwide.

Each of the winning projects is expected to commence this spring.

The University of Pennsylvania recently released a report demonstrating a combined economic impact of the University and Penn Medicine of more than $14 billion on the state and citywide economy in fiscal year 2015.

The independent report, conducted by Econsult Solutions, Inc. of Philadelphia, shows that in fiscal year 2015, Penn contributed $14.3 billion yearly, or $39 million per day, to the economy of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and $10.8 billion, or $29.6 million per day, to the City of Philadelphia. According to the Econsult report, $1 out of every $20 in Philadelphia’s general fund and one out of every nine jobs in the Philadelphia economy are generated by Penn.

“The University of Pennsylvania and its Health System are an innovating force for good in Philadelphia, our region, society and the world: advancing creative knowledge, making impactful discoveries, sustaining health and educating great new leaders,” said Penn President Amy Gutmann. “As Philadelphia’s largest private employer, Penn provides 37,000 stable jobs with good wages and exceptional benefits. Penn powers key sectors of our regional economy while contributing in manifold ways to making Philadelphia a thriving and exciting place to live, work, study and visit.”

Using data from the University and Health System’s financial statements for fiscal year 2015, the report illustrates Penn’s role as a powerful economic engine in the region, especially as a major employer; campus developer of significant capital projects, research and innovation; and as a purchaser of goods and services.

Highlights of the report:

• Directly and indirectly, Penn generated 90,400 jobs in 2015. As the second-largest private employer in Pennsylvania, Penn directly employs 37,000 people. In addition, 53,400 individuals are indirectly employed through the construction-related industries, professional services, retail and manufacturing industries through Penn’s activities.

• Penn’s capital spending in new buildings and renovations, and that of third party private real estate development, was $932 million in the local economy for fiscal year 2015. This employed 10,300 Pennsylvanians in construction-related jobs. Of all on-campus construction jobs (for projects totaling $5 million or more), 35 percent employed minority- and women-owned businesses and 26 percent of all contracts went to minority- and women-owned businesses.

• In fiscal year 2015, Penn attracted $939 million in sponsored research funding from government grants and other sources stimulating job creation and spending in the local economy. As a preeminent research institution, Penn is consistently among the top five recipients of federally sponsored research dollars.

• The statewide impact of Penn’s purchasing of goods and services was $572 million in fiscal year 2015. Locally, $344 million of spending was with Philadelphia-based businesses, $122 million with West Philadelphia-based businesses.

• In fiscal year 2015, ancillary spending by Penn students, patients and visitors to campus was $279 million on local goods and services such as trips to restaurants, shops, collegiate athletic events and visits to cultural attractions. In addition to generating jobs, capital, operational and research dollars, Penn attracts private and public investment and development and bolsters the state and local tax base through wage tax, earned income, business, sales and use and real estate taxes generating $272 million in state taxes and $197 million in City taxes.

The report also details substantial support in West Philadelphia, where the University’s investment in neighborhood services includes supplementing municipal services such as safety, public space management, workforce development and homeownership programs, and retail development.

The University’s commitment to local engagement programs and its partnerships and programs providing services and support to public education in Philadelphia include an $800,000 contribution annually to the neighboring Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School, expertise from Penn’s Graduate School of Education and a $1 million dollar annual investment by Penn’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships providing initiatives such as tutoring and health and nutrition programs to public school children across Philadelphia.

The FY2015 Economic Impact Report paints a broad picture of the University’s wide-ranging and deep impact on the state, city and region’s economic development and prosperity.

The full report is available at http://www.evp.upenn.edu/pdf/Penn_Economic_Impact_Powering_PHL_PA.pdf

What is the IMPACT of Penn being a large and stable employer?

Penn is the largest private employer in the city and second in the state, generating a workforce impact from its more than 37,000 individuals directly employed. Additionally, there are over 53,400 indirectly employed from within the region. These people work within the supply chain of private companies servicing Penn with a range of necessary goods and services such as medical instruments, office supplies, maintenance, construction and food—to name a few—or in induced jobs needed to service these commercial enterprises.

• $6.4 billion in salaries and wages in

Pennsylvania

• $163 million in earned income tax revenue in Philadelphia

• $181 million in earned income tax revenue in Pennsylvania

What is the IMPACT of Penn’s purchasing of goods, supplies and services?

To maintain its wide-ranging operations, Penn is a large-scale purchaser of goods and services. Channeling purchasing capacity to minority and women business owners in West and Southwest Philadelphia, and across the entire city, has long been a commitment to fostering local engagement.

Driving the Philadelphia economy through socially responsible purchasing and procurement is the Supplier Diversity Program, which deepens Penn’s supply chain by including vendors in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania that directly infuse millions of dollars into the local economy.

• $572 million spent with Pennsylvania- based businesses

• $344 million spent with Philadelphia-based businesses

• $122 million spent with West

Philadelphia-based businesses

What is the IMPACT of Penn’s student and visitor spending?

Students, patients and visitors to Penn spend millions on local goods and services such as renting off-campus apartments, apparel, food and beverage, entertainment, books and supplies, as well as hotels, meetings, sporting and cultural events. A primary benefactor of this ancillary spending is the successful commercial district that Penn develops and manages, and the tax revenue it generates.

• $246 million spent by students

• $26 million spent by visitors 

• $7 million spent by visitors to

Penn hospitals

• 2,065 Philadelphia jobs paying

$74 million in wages 

• 2,465 Pennsylvania jobs paying

$85 million in wages

The following agenda is published in accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules. Any member of the standing faculty may attend SEC meetings and observe. Questions may be directed 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 Agenda

Wednesday, March 16, 2016, 3-5 p.m.

Meyerson Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library

1.    Approval of the Minutes of February 10, 2016 (1 minute)

2.    Chair’s Report (5 minutes)

3.    Past-Chair’s Report (5 minutes)

4.    Update from the Division of Public Safety and Superintendent of Penn Police (30 minutes)

    Discussion with Maureen Rush, Vice President of Public Safety

5.    Update from the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (30 minutes)

    Discussion with Dawn Bonnell, Vice Provost for Research

6.    New Business (15 minutes)

The University of Pennsylvania Trustees held their winter stated meeting and numerous committee meetings last week.

The Trustees passed memorial resolutions for two recently deceased trustees: Arlin Adams (Almanac January 12, 2016) and Walter G. Arader (Almanac February 2, 2016).

The previously approved resolution to elect Julie Beren Platt as a Charter Trustee was revised, to change the start date to January 1, 2016, instead of February 26, 2016.

The appointment of MaryFrances McCourt as vice president for finance and treasurer was approved. Penn President Amy Gutmann said she is thrilled that Ms. McCourt will be joining Penn later this month (see article).

President Gutmann announced that after a comprehensive global search, the new dean for PennDesign has been named (see article): Fritz Steiner, a Penn alumnus who the President said will be an excellent advocate for the students.

The President also cited the recently released report on Penn’s economic impact (see article) that demonstrates what an important anchor institution the University is to the city, region and state. She noted that Penn has named its 17th PIK Professor (Almanac February 2, 2016), Aviv Nevo, an expert in econometrics who will have appointments in SAS and Wharton.

There has been a record-breaking number of applicants for the Class of 2020, with more than 38,700 students applying; they have exhibited quality and diversity.

Numerous awards and scholarships have been won recently by Penn students, including Rhodes (Almanac November 24, 2015 and December 8, 2015); Mitchell (Almanac December 15, 2015); Gates Cambridge (Almanac February 23, 2016); and the Thouron (see article).

This year’s Commencement Speaker—Lin-Manuel Miranda—was described by President Gutmann as someone who takes a groundbreaking approach to performance and history. She cited the breadth and depth of achievements of the honorary degree recipients (Almanac January 19, 2016).

Provost Vince Price said that a search led by Anita L. Allen, vice provost for faculty, is underway to find a successor to Michael Rose, the managing director of the Annenberg Center, who will be retiring this summer after 18 years here (Almanac January 19, 2016).

Provost Price announced that the seven faculty members in the latest cohort of the Penn Fellows (Almanac January 12, 2016) are from five of Penn’s schools.

EVP Craig Carnaroli’s financial report for the six months ending December 31, 2015, showed that for the Consolidated University, the total net assets were $14.4 billion, an increase of $1.3 billion over the prior December, driven largely by the integration of Lancaster General Health into the University’s Health System, and strong operating performance, but $483 million below budget, primarily due to the downturn in the financial markets, which affected investments. For the academic component, total contributions—pledges and new gifts, operating and non-operating—totaled $172 million, an increase of $20 million from the prior fiscal year’s first six months. Year-to-date capital expenditures were $184 million, an increase of $60 million over the prior December and $2 million over budget. Meanwhile, the Health System’s capital expenditures decreased from $233 million to $214 million, a $19 million decrease.

The Penn Medicine report highlighted how they have contributed to the community in the past year. In FY2015, Penn Medicine contributed more than $500 million in free medical care, health screenings, vaccinations, mentoring, tutoring, training, coaching and teaching about nutrition. For information about Penn Medicine’s community outreach, see www.PennMedicine.org/community

Resolutions were passed to authorize tuition, fees and other student charges for academic year 2016-2017 (see article) and to authorize purchase of a research administration portal, $6.4 million. Also, resolutions were passed to authorize the joinder of the Lancaster General Hospital and Lancaster General Health as members of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and to authorize the restructuring of certain indebtedness pertaining to these entities.

Andrea Mitchell was appointed chair and Michael J. Price was appointed as vice chair of the Board of Overseers of SAS. Andrea J. Pollack was appointed to the GSE Board of Overseers. Alexandra S. Cudby and Kimberly L. Hirschman were appointed to the Libraries’ Board. Susan Frier Danilow and Joel M. Greenblatt were appointed to the Penn Medicine Board; Richard J. Green and Richard W. Vague were reappointed as term members to that Board. Pamela S. Kurland was appointed to the SP2 Board. The Board of Trustees for the Wistar Institute was also confirmed by Penn’s Trustees.

The Penn Professional Staff Assembly (PPSA) Board approved the appointment of an ad-hoc committee on Bylaws late last year. The Bylaws were posted for the general membership to review and vote on from January 25, 2016 to February 11, 2016. An electronic ballot was provided. A majority of voters approved the Bylaws revisions. Major changes occurred in the sections delineating responsibilities for the tri-chairs as well as the nominations and criteria for candidates sections. Below are the Bylaws that take effect on March 1, 2016.

—Emma Grigore, Past Chair, PPSA

—Lucia DiNapoli, Chair, PPSA

—Kuan Evans, Chair-elect, PPSA

Penn Professional Staff Assembly Bylaws

Revised Fall 2015

Effective March 1, 2016

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be Penn Professional Staff Assembly (PPSA).

Article II: Membership

Members of this organization shall all be employed by the University of Pennsylvania as monthly paid, exempt staff, excepting senior level administrators* and those individuals having primary academic appointments.

*Senior level administrative positions are defined as those employees assigned to a non-numerical grade category, known as “ungraded” (UNG).

Article III: Purpose

The purposes of this organization shall be to provide:

• A forum whereby opinions of members can be collected and expressed on issues facing the University and higher education and to act as liaison to express the views, opinions and concerns of the members to the senior administration.

• A mechanism for supplying staff perspectives and voting representatives to serve on all major University committees.

• Regularly scheduled Executive Board meetings whereby communication lines within the University can be fostered and maintained.

• Relevant information to its members regarding resources available within the University and the field of higher education enabling staff to remain current in the field and promoting professional development.

• Regular programming that connects the Penn community by providing a supportive network to assist the University in achieving its goals and objectives.

Article IV: Officers and Executive Committee

The officers shall consist of a Chair, a Past Chair and a Chair-elect. There shall be an Executive Board, consisting of the Chair, Past Chair, Chair-elect and eight (8) members-at-large. The Executive Board promotes representation of departments throughout the University. In addition to the functions described elsewhere in these Bylaws, the Executive Board shall be consulted by the officers for guidance in all matters on which action is indicated, or on which consultation with the senior administration of the University is contemplated. The Executive Board shall also nominate persons to serve on consultative committees. A quorum of the Executive Board shall be seven (7).

In response to the University’s request for additional staff members to serve on University committees, the officers will recruit new committee members.

Chair:

• Shall be the principal executive officer.

• Shall convene and preside over monthly Executive Board meetings.

• Shall (in consultation with the Chair-elect and Past Chair) prepare meeting agendas and any written public statements with regard to the Assembly’s activities. The Executive Board should also be consulted on all public statements.

• Shall (in consultation with the Executive Board) appoint new member(s) to advisory boards and ad hoc committees.

• Shall appoint a nominations committee each year to organize and conduct PPSA elections.

• Shall serve on University Council (UC) and the UC Steering Committee.

• Shall designate maintenance of the listserv and website to an Executive Board member or create a special non-voting position specifically for this function.

• Shall maintain a current membership list.

• Shall serve, along with the Chair-elect and Past Chair, on quarterly meetings with the EVP and VP of HR.

• Shall succeed the Past Chair after a one-year term.

Chair-elect:

• Shall be elected by the general body and serve for three years on the Executive Board—one year in each office—Chair-elect, Chair and Past Chair.

• Shall serve on University Council (UC) and the UC Steering Committee.

• Shall (in consultation with the Chair) prepare meeting agendas and any written public statements with regard to the Assembly’s activities. The Executive Board shall also be consulted on public statements.

• Shall, at the first meeting of the year, solicit one volunteer from the board to be recording secretary and one to serve as treasurer (if needed) and shall coordinate the responsibilities of these positions.

• Shall coordinate the efforts to hold the Employee Resource Fair each fall.

• Shall succeed the Chair after a one (1) year term.

• In the absence of the Chair or at his/her request, the Chair-elect shall substitute for the Chair when necessary.

Past Chair:

• Shall coordinate the appointment of PPSA representatives to all University Council committees and serve as liaison between representatives and the Executive Board.

• Shall serve as the PPSA representative on University Council’s Committee on Committees.

• Shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Chairs and Board.

Eight (8) Members-at-Large:

• Shall lead and serve on sub-committees to plan and execute events.

• Shall advise the officers on issues, concerns and opinions relevant to the membership.

• Shall vote on issues brought before the board.

• Shall serve for two (2) years, four (4) being elected each year. Members-at-large may run for a second two-year term, but may not serve more than four years total as a member-at-large.

Committee Representatives:

• Shall attend committee meetings.

• Shall provide committee reports to the PPSA board.

• Shall attend at least two board meetings per semester.

Article V: Elections

Section I: Nominations:

By March 1, the nominations committee chair shall circulate to the members a notice of the positions to be filled by election and an invitation to suggest candidates for those positions. The nominations committee shall select and secure acceptance of nomination of two or more candidates for each position to be filled by election.

If only one nomination is received for a position, the nominations committee chair shall solicit at least one more nomination. If one cannot be found, the one nomination will be put forward to the membership.

All nominees must submit the following:

• A personal statement not to exceed 250 words. The statement should focus on the nominee’s interest in the position.

• A resume.

• A letter of recommendation. This could be from the nominee’s supervisor or a colleague.

The nominations committee will screen and review all nominations and will submit to the membership all nominations for the nominees deemed qualified to run.

Nominations for the members-at-large positions will be screened on whether the nominee’s resume demonstrates commitment to leadership through service and whether the personal statement is in alignment with the PPSA’s goals.

Nominations for the Chair-elect position will be screened on the same criteria. In addition, nominees for the Chair-elect position must have at least five years of service to the University. Candidates for the Chair-elect position should have prior PPSA board or committee representative service. If no candidates emerge with PPSA board or committee representative service, the position may be open to the membership.

At the spring meeting, the nominations committee shall formally nominate its candidates for the respective positions.

Section II: Voting:

After the nominations have been presented at the final spring meeting, a vote of the membership shall be taken electronically. All positions are elected by a plurality voting system. There shall be no voting by proxy.

Article VI: Vacancies and Succession

If a vacancy occurs in the leadership of the board it shall be filled in the following manner. If the Chair-elect is unable to move into the Chair position, the current Chair may choose to remain in the position for another year. If the current Chair is unable to remain in the position, the Past Chair will be asked to serve as Chair and the board will elect a Chair-elect from amongst itself to succeed at the appropriate time, and the Chair, in consultation with the board, will appoint a former board member to serve as Past Chair.

If the Chair is unable to move into the Past Chair position, the current Past Chair may choose to remain in the position for another year. If the Past Chair is unable to remain in the position, the Chair, in consultation with the board will appoint a former board member to serve as Past Chair.

Whenever a vacancy occurs among the members-at-large of the Executive Board who do not serve ex-officio, the Executive Board shall appoint a successor, who shall serve until the final spring meeting, at which time a successor shall be elected for the balance of the unexpired term. If a first year member-at-large of the Executive Board chooses to run for Chair-elect they forfeit the remainder of their term, which must be filled by general body election.

Article VII: Meetings

The Executive Board shall hold monthly (September-June) meetings (minimum) open to any PPSA member to attend. The meeting times and locations shall be made public via the website and Almanac. The Executive Board will participate in a retreat in August of each year.

General body meetings shall be scheduled as deemed necessary, excepting for the annual spring meeting for the purpose of holding elections as provided by these Bylaws and for such other business as may come before the membership. The time and place of the annual spring meeting shall be subject to the approval of the Executive Board.

A general body meeting will be held in May of each year. At least one professional development meeting will be held during the year. A quorum of the assembly shall consist of thirty (30) members.

Article VIII: Amendments

Amendments to these Bylaws must be initiated by a letter signed by at least ten (10) members and submitted to the Chair and will be reviewed by the Chair, Chair-elect and Past Chair. The officers will present amendments to the board who may choose to refer the submission to the Bylaws Committee (see Article XI) for investigation or will vote on submitting the amendments to the membership for a vote. Amendments must be submitted to the membership at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting at which they are to be acted on. A majority vote is necessary for approval. Voting may be conducted electronically or in person.

Article IX: Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in Roberts’ Rules of Order shall govern meetings of this assembly in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.

Article X: Adoption

These Bylaws shall be adopted when approved by a two-third vote of the members present and voting at the organization meeting.

Article XI: Bylaws Committee

The Chair, in conjunction with the Chair-elect and the Past Chair, will appoint a Bylaws Committee Chair (BCC) at the beginning of their term. The BCC will convene a committee and review the Bylaws each fall. The committee will make recommendations for Bylaws revisions as needed and will present them to the board by the December meeting.

The Network Policy Committee, IT Roundtable and the Vice President for ISC wish to call your attention to a recently approved revision to Penn’s Computer Security Policy. This is a revision to a policy first approved on March 8, 2010. The purpose of the policy is to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of University data, and to protect Penn’s computing and network infrastructure.

The revisions to the Computer Security Policy introduce two new requirements: where applicable, Penn-owned computers are to be managed using an endpoint management solution selected and supported at the School or Center level, and servers with confidential data must be part of a logging program. Details relating to the associated tools and scope of these requirements, as well as timeframes for implementation and the process for appeals, are all described in the updated policy.

The principal changes are in Statement of Policy sections VIII.1.5 and VIII.3.10, VI. Definitions, and Best Practices IX.15. Other updates and edits have been made throughout the policy and review of the entire policy is encouraged. Section XI, References, has been updated to reflect the draft policy changes and to provide current references for other parts of the policy.

Faculty and staff may wish to contact their Local Support Provider (https://www.isc.upenn.edu/get-it-help) for assistance in meeting the requirements of this policy.

For other questions related to this policy, contact the Network Policy Committee at network-policy@isc.upenn.edu

The full text of the policy can be found online at http://www.upenn.edu/computing/group/npc/approved/20100308-computersecurity.html

Theodore Caputi, a junior studying economics at the Wharton School and mathematics at the College of Arts & Sciences at Penn, won the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (LDI) inaugural Undergraduate Health Services Research Prize. The prize, to be given annually, recognizes a student who has demonstrated a high level of interest and initiative in the area of health research services and health policy analysis. It includes mentoring by an LDI senior fellow, invitations to conferences and to to LDI’s research and policy seminars, and the potential to network throughout the year with some of the field’s leading experts.

Mr. Caputi, who researches substance abuse prevention, became a research assistant at Philadelphia’s Treatment Research Institute when he was in the 10th grade at Council Rock High School North in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Last year, he became a junior policy fellow at the University of Florida Drug Policy Institute. He is the winner of a 2014 Wharton Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) grant and has worked as a research assistant to faculty members at Wharton and Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine. He is an intern in the office of US Senator Patrick Toomey, and is the president and founder of the Penn Leadership Training Institute, a non-profit organization of Penn undergrads providing free leadership training to middle and high school students in West Philadelphia.

Five Penn seniors have received Thouron Awards to pursue graduate studies in the United Kingdom. The scholarship recipients are:

Peter Bryan of Vienna, Virginia, majoring in cognitive science and concentrating in neuroscience. He is applying to University College London for a master’s degree in computer science and machine learning.

Audrey Harnagel of Park City, Utah, majoring in biochemistry and philosophy. She is applying to the University of Cambridge for a master’s degree in history and philosophy of science and medicine.

Jade Huynh, from Whitehall, Pennsylvania, majoring in modern Middle Eastern studies. She is applying to the University of Oxford for a master’s degree in forced migration and refugee studies.

Angela Perfetti, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, majoring in modern Middle Eastern studies. She is applying to Durham University for a master’s degree in medical anthropology.

Emily Zhang, from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, majoring in bioengineering. She is applying to the University of Cambridge Institute of Biotechnology for a master’s degree in bioscience enterprise.

The Thouron Award, a graduate exchange program between Penn and British universities, aims to improve relations between the United States and the UK. Scholarship winners each receive tuition and stipends for one or two years, depending on the time required to earn a graduate degree. The Thouron Award was established and is supported by gifts from Sir John Thouron and the late Esther du Pont, Lady Thouron, of Unionville, Pennsylvania.

Three Penn alumni have also received Thouron Awards: Becky Sokolow, C’15; Maanvi Singh, C’15; and Elizabeth Thom, C’15.

Film

15 Muzaffarnagar eventually…; screening and Q&A with director Nakul Singh Sawhney; 5 p.m.; rm. 401, Fisher-Bennett Hall (Cinema Studies).

Talks

1 Immuno-Oncology: Past, Present, and Future; Axel Hoos, GlaxoSmithKline; 4 p.m.; The Wistar Institute; RSVP: http://tinyurl.com/hbwrp7u (Wistar).

7 From Planarians to Parasites: Stem Cells and the Developmental Plasticity in Flatworms; Phillip Newmark, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; noon; rm. 132, Hill Pavilion (Penn Vet).

15 The Begums of Bhopal: Three Generations of Advice to Women; Margrit Pernau, Max Planck Institute for Human Development; 4:30 p.m.; rm. 826, Williams Hall (South Asia Studies).

Dance Theatre of Harlem performs exceptional masterpieces around the world. They will be at Annenberg Center on March 3-5 including two Arts4Youth performances on March 3-4. The iconic company brings unprecedented relevance to classical ballet with cutting-edge new works and beloved masterpieces performed by some of the most beautiful and exceptionally trained dancers. For tickets: www.annenbergcenter.org/

For a limited time only, Penn Purchasing Services is offering assistance to help you list your surplus furniture, equipment and supplies on Ben’s Attic. This online exchange is an easy and sustainable way to find a new use for items that are no longer needed. If you have not participated in this program before, now is an ideal time to work with a Ben’s Attic representative to list your surplus items. The March Madness Surplus Frenzy promotion is in effect until Friday, March 18.

To sign up or obtain more information, please contact benattic@exchange.upenn.edu

Dear Penn Community,

Thank you so very much for all of your contributions to benefit our surrounding community. There are no words to adequately describe your generosity during the holiday season. Many benefited from your willingness to give. Here are examples of the various efforts: Thank you to President Gutmann for hosting her Annual Holiday Party where over 300 toys and gifts were donated. These toys along with many others were donated to Councilwoman Blackwell’s Annual Holiday Party for the Homeless.
Thank you to the following departments; they brought joy to families during the holidays by “adopting” them:

• Annenberg Public Policy Center coordinated by Ellen Iwamoto  

• Business Services coordinated by Tracy Hawkins

• Career Services coordinated by Jamie Grant

• College Houses & Academic Services coordinated by Nancy McCue

• Development & Alumni Relations coordinated by Maria Haring

• General Counsel coordinated by Helen Logan

• Joanna Hart and family coordinated by Joanna Hart

• LIFE Program coordinated by Cherry Sturdivant

• Netter Center for Community Partnerships coordinated by Linda Satchell

• Office of the Comptroller coordinated by Celestine Silverman

• Office of Gift Planning coordinated by Lorleen Finor-Maxwell

• Office of Government & Community Affairs coordinated by Linda Satchell

• Penn Center for Innovation coordinated by Kara Swift

• Penn Vector Care coordinated by Amy Onorato

• Research Services coordinated by Lauren Oshana

• Steven W. Atwood Veterinary Library coordinated by Karen Lane

• Theta Tau coordinated by Lauren Silberberg

• Thi Vuong Poerner and family coordinated by Thi Vuong Poerner

• Training & Development HR coordinated by Holly Marrone

• Transitional Medicine & Human Genetics coordinated by Barbara Bernhardt

• University Communications coordinated by Lauren Summers

• Undergraduate Financial Aid coordinated by Karen Hamilton

• University of Pennsylvania Libraries coordinated by Jeanne Shuttleworth 

• Weekly Paid Staff Assembly coordinated by Linda Satchell and Rosa Vargas

• Wharton School’s Business & Public Policy Department coordinated by Beth Moskat

• Wharton Marketing and Communications coordinated by Marcia Longworth

• Wharton School Dean’s Office coordinated by Jennifer O’Keefe

*Several departments adopted multiple families.

Special thanks to the Institute for Regenerative Medicine for the donation of gift cards that provided groceries for deserving families during the holidays.

Special thanks to the Department of Cell & Developmental Biology coordinated by Stephanie Yuhasz for their generous donation of gift cards that increased our capacity to adopt additional families. 

Thanks to Helen Logan and the Office of General Counsel for providing additional gifts to ensure that all the families referred to us were adopted.

Special thanks to Human Resources coordinated by Syreeta Gary, and others from across the University for their large donation to the Annual Coat Drive. We provided coats to: Outley House Homeless Shelter, United Way Coat Drive and various local families.
Special thanks to Business Services for their Annual Warm Me Up Drive that benefited many local families and the People’s Emergency Center.

Thank you to the entire University community for donating over 700 gifts and toys.
Thank you to the Dropsite Volunteers who collected all the toys/gifts and made it possible for us to respond to requests for donations from our neighbors:
Councilwoman Blackwell’s Annual Holiday Party for the Homeless, Earth’s Keepers, Parents Against Drugs, Youth Council, Achievability and People’s Emergency Center.

The following pantries benefited from the University’s Annual Food Drive:

People’s Emergency Center, Mount Vernon Manor CDC, Achievability and Outley House Homeless Shelter.

Thank you to all the special persons both named and unnamed for their kindness that made a remarkable difference in the lives of our neighbors.

Upcoming March Event: March 1-18 Change Drive

To benefit graduating high school students accepted at an accredited college or university. This is a non-tuition donation given to students to enable them to buy books and the many other items needed to make a home away from home. The program has been in existence for over 20 years and has made a difference in many students’ lives.  The following sites are available for your convenience to make your donation. Contact Isabel Mapp at sammapp@pobox.upenn.edu for additional information.

Reorganizing? Do you have furniture no longer needed by your department? Local nonprofits are in need of your items!

Had a conference? Do you have left-over bags, tee-shirts or tchotchkes? Need to empty out your storage space? Please donate them to Penn VIPS. We will put them to great use by donating them to community members and many of the students we work with, and we will also use them to say thank you to our many volunteers. Contact Isabel Mapp at sammapp@pobox.upenn.edu to donate your items.

—Isabel Mapp, Associate Director, Netter Center for Community Partnerships

Most everyone knows the importance of protecting their online passwords. But while best practices to secure these ‘crown jewels’ are plentiful (e.g., have complex passwords, maintain unique passwords for all your accounts, change your passwords regularly, etc.), they can also be hard to keep up with. Many find it difficult to remember multiple, complex passwords. The result: passwords that are relatively easy to guess, and that are reused for multiple accounts—even for accounts that contain sensitive information like banking or credit card data. Fortunately, there is a technical solution that can help: LastPass.

On February 10, the University introduced free use of LastPass’ Premium password management tool to all members of the Penn community. LastPass is a cloud-based, secure password vault that can be accessed whenever and wherever needed. With LastPass, you no longer have to remember all of your passwords, just the master password that unlocks your LastPass account. The software’s password generator creates complex passwords for you, and can periodically change them for you automatically without affecting daily use. LastPass includes plugins for web browsers that autofill your login information on websites you frequent, and a mobile app for iOS and Android access on-the-go.

When using LastPass, users are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the product’s available security tools to make the storage of their passwords as safe as possible. For example, your LastPass master password should be made long (a “pass phrase”) and complex by using various different types of characters, including different cases of letters, numbers and symbols or punctuation. Most importantly, you should never share your password with anyone, IT support included (contact ISC Security at security@isc.upenn.edu if anyone claiming to be a representative of the University asks you to share your password). It is also recommended that a form of multi-factor authentication be used, such as Google Authenticator or Duo Mobile, to add a second layer of security to your LastPass vault. If you are interested in using LastPass Premium, whether you are new to LastPass or already have an account, sign up at http://lastpass.com/upenn

Next week, during Spring Break (March 5-13), Almanac will not publish an issue. Breaking news, if any, will be posted online in Almanac Between Issues (ABI) and an Express Almanac will be sent out to subscribers.

Subscribe now to Express Almanac (www.upenn.edu/almanac/express.html) to receive each Tuesday’s issue in your inbox before it reaches your desk. Breaking news will be posted in the Almanac Between Issues section of the Almanac website and sent out to Express Almanac subscribers.