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Restored Robbins House: Celebrating Collaborative M&T Spirit

caption: From left to right: M&T Director Gad Allon, Penn Engineering Dean Vijay Kumar, President Amy Gutmann, Larry Robbins and Wharton Dean Geoffrey Garrett in front of the Larry Robbins House.

President Amy Gutmann dedicated the newly renovated and restored Robbins House—home to the Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology (M&T)—during an April 17 dedication ceremony honoring Larry Robbins, ENG’92, W’92 and the House’s designers.

President Gutmann said that the building celebrates a program that was interdisciplinary—collaborative—long before it was “the vogue,” and is one that continues to attract and cultivate great talent.  

“I’m so happy to be here when we ceremoniously open the doors to the new home of the M&T Program, because as we all know—and some of the people who went to Penn with me here today know—Penn opened so many doors for us,” said Mr. Robbins, a 1992 M&T alumnus and lead donor for the $9.8 million renovation project (Almanac July 15, 2014).

The 7,120-square-foot building, at 3537 Locust Walk, was originally constructed in the late 19th century as a home. Its subsequent transformation in the late 1920s for use by a fraternity was enlivened by adding its current Tudor-style façade. The building functionally has served as a meeting ground for students from M&T and other departments in recent years. It was selected for renovations in 2014 as an M&T-specific workspace, and construction began in May 2016. Doors reopened in August 2017. New York-based architecture firm Studio Joseph, led by Penn alumna Wendy Joseph, C’77, designed the new building (Almanac April 3, 2018), which has been expanded to approximately 8,000 square feet. 

“This is an incredibly intellectually vibrant environment that draws the best and brightest from around the world,” President Gutmann said. “It encourages incredible expertise, and our students are incredibly hardworking, and the program rewards innovative thinking. To put it simply, it fosters greatness.”

Among the building’s interior changes are a new conference room facing Locust Walk, work lounges on the first and second floors, a first-floor reception area, several offices and private third-floor rooms that buffet a large space that alternates as workspace and event space. 

caption: The north  façade of the renovated Robbins House.

The exterior’s most recognizable transformations, meanwhile, include the curtain wall installed on the north façade of the building that creates a contemporary protrusion aesthetic, and an expanse of panel windows along its rear. This contemporary north façade is a contrast to the restored south façade along Locust Walk, with an entrance that is designed to be transparent—onlookers can see through each end of the building, from the glass entranceway through the back windows. An estimated one-third of the original building was preserved.

University Architect David Hollenberg emphasizes that a major effort was made to preserve as much of the building as possible—even as design hurdles along the way required more to be taken out than originally intended. Much of the building’s 1920s exterior façade was maintained, including its limestone on the south and west walls, all of which was retained and cleaned. On the interiors at the southern end of the project, surviving features such as ornamental window paneling and the shell of a fireplace and chimney were conserved. 

“There’s a pejorative term out there in the field called a ‘façadectomy,’ a treatment in which literally all you keep is the façade, and we don’t like to do those at Penn, especially at this prominent location,” Mr. Hollenberg said of the preservation effort. “All of us felt it was important for the historic part of the building to turn the corner and keep not just the south façade, but portions of the façade that made their way from Locust Walk into the entrance, and that’s what you see out there with the ornamental brick and limestone that defines the pathway to the entrance.” 

Ms. Joseph notably integrated a “scissor stair,” more typically used for egress in high-rise construction, to allow the building’s narrow space to breathe. Rooms are designed to bring in outdoor light—going as far as to add corner windows on the second and third floors, in addition to skylights on the third—and become increasingly more intimate from floor to floor. The transparency of the building, three-dimensional design principles and natural light are meant to enhance the collaborative nature of the space’s use. 

“It’s cramming a lot of ideas into a very small space,” Mr. Hollenberg said. “There’s a lot of architectural thought going on here so as to not make it look overworked and fussy. It’s very clean, and there’s a lot of care with every square foot that Wendy exercised to make it look as simple and clean as possible. 

“The notion of recalling Penn’s residential history, a lot of the buildings that line Locust Walk, it’s the notion that instead of it being ‘The Larry Robbins Hall,’ or ‘Center,’ there’s something more welcoming about the word ‘House’ that goes with the diminutive character of the building,” Mr. Hollenberg said. “The same logic is what led to calling Perry World House what it is—there’s almost an explicit intent to recall those two historic renovations with frankly contemporary pieces at each end of Locust Walk, that speak to each other through their names.”

Gad Allon, director of the M&T program, the Jeffrey A. Keswin Professor and professor of operations, information and decisions, notes the symbolism of the building being halfway between Wharton and Penn Engineering, offering a home base to students between classes. Since it opened in August, he said, students have often used it to do homework, socialize and take advantage of the building’s newly incorporated audio-visual technology—screens, discussion boards, plus cameras, speakers and microphones for Skype—to host meetings. 

“It’s not very different from what WeWork would look like; it operates like a co-working space,” Dr. Allon said. “There’s a coffee space downstairs, snacks, it’s very much trying to capture a startup mentality. A place where people can come work [together].”

School of Arts and Sciences 2018 Teaching Awards

Steven J. Fluharty, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, and Paul Sniegowski, dean of the College, announce the following recipients of the School’s 2018 teaching awards, to be presented on Thursday, April 26 at an awards reception that is open to the University community. The reception will take place 4-6 p.m. in 200 College Hall. 

Ira H. Abrams Memorial Award for Distinguished Teaching

caption: Peter Holquistcaption: Gwendolyn ShawThis year’s recipients of SAS’s highest teaching honor are Peter Holquist, Ronald S. Lauder Endowed Term Associate Professor of History, and Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, associate professor of history of art. Created in 1983, the Ira H. Abrams Award recognizes teaching that is intellectually challenging and exceptionally coherent and honors faculty who embody high standards of integrity and fairness, have a strong commitment to learning and are open to new ideas.

Dr. Holquist has earned a reputation as a vibrant lecturer who captivates students in his classes. In describing the combination of rigor and enthusiasm that he inspires, a student explains that “signing up for Professor Holquist’s courses means committing to a semester of reading more and reading more carefully than in any other class, to a semester of being challenged to be better than one might think they’re capable of.” A colleague notes, “Dr. Holquist is simply the model of a devoted teacher—lively and engaging, demanding and inspiring and always available to his students.”

Dr. Shaw’s approach to teaching is open, experimentally minded, and reflects “a fabulous sense of the fun of learning about art,” according to her colleagues. For many years she has pushed her departmental teaching culture into new areas of global and object-oriented learning, earning “unparalleled devotion” from her students, including one who reflected after travelling to Cuba as part of Dr. Shaw’s Art History 384 course, “The very foundation of her teaching is challenging the preexisting conceptions of her students.”

Dennis M. DeTurck Award for Innovation in Teaching

caption: Philip NelsonThis award, newly named after former College Dean and Robert A. Fox Leadership Professor Dennis DeTurck, recognizes exceptional creativity and innovation in instruction. The 2018 recipient is Philip Nelson, professor of physics and astronomy. Motivated by a deep commitment to innovative teaching, Dr.Nelson puts extensive work into making challenging subjects such as biophysics accessible to the widest possible group of students while still retaining depth and mathematical rigor.

One student sums up the power of Dr. Nelson’s approach: “His greatest ability is demonstrating the relationship of concepts to context in an engaging and curiosity-inspiring manner, melding what to some students is relatively bland material into intriguing real-life stories.”

Dean’s Award for Mentorship of Undergraduate Research

caption: Meredith TammingaThis award recognizes faculty members who have excelled in nurturing undergraduate students’ desires and abilities to conduct meaningful research. This year, SAS honors Meredith Tamminga, assistant professor of linguistics, who is known as a dedicated and supportive mentor who provides research experiences that start with basic methodologies and allow students to grow into their full academic potential by taking on responsibility in independent research projects. Her close guidance and collegial approach prompted one student to say, “It often felt like we were two colleagues working together.”

Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by an Assistant Professor

caption: Daniel SingerThis award recognizes a member of the junior faculty who demonstrates unusual promise as an educator. The 2018 recipient is Daniel Singer, assistant professor of philosophy.  Dr. Singer is highly lauded by faculty and students for his talents as a dynamic lecturer, his ability to make difficult material accessible and stimulate interest in philosophy, and his accessibility and commitment to students.

Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by Affiliated Faculty

caption: Meghan Crniccaption: Jami FisherMeghan Crnic, lecturer and undergraduate research coordinator in the department of history and sociology of science, and Jami Fisher, lecturer in the department of linguistics, are the recipients of this award, which recognizes the contributions to undergraduate education made by the School’s non-standing faculty.

Dr. Crnic’s students rave about her ability to connect with them, “including shy students and those less confident about their projects,” says one, while another explains that she is “brilliant, engaging, a fantastic seminar leader, respects all of her students and overall creates an atmosphere where everyone loves and wants to learn together as a group.”

Dr. Fisher is, in the words of a colleague, “the creative mind behind a flourishing and well-respected American Sign Language program.” She works tirelessly to provide a stimulating and cohesive experience for Penn students “to learn about and engage with another world [deaf culture] that is hiding in plain sight.”

College of Liberal and Professional Studies Award for Distinguished Teaching in Undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate Programs

caption: Julie Nishimura-JensenJulie Nishimura-Jensen, lecturer and director of the Post-Baccalaureate Program in Classical Studies, is the recipient of this award, which recognizes outstanding teaching in LPS’s undergraduate and post-baccalaureate programs. According to the classical studies undergraduate chair James Ker, “Julie’s post-baccalaureate seminars in Latin and Greek have been transformative for entire cohorts of students due to her well-honed pedagogy…she is a master language teacher.”

College of Liberal and Professional Studies Award for Distinguished Teaching in Professional Graduate Programs

caption: Charline RussoThe recipient of the LPS Award for Distinguished Teaching in Professional Graduate Programs, is Charline S. Russo, a lecturer in the organizational dynamics program. Students particularly praise Dr. Russo’s ability to engage the learner in a way that helps them to connect the theory she is teaching to how it could be useful in their lives. One writes, “It seems as though Charline has a story, an article or a friend that she can connect to any topic you might throw her way. Her ability to match the right content to the right people is incredible.”

Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by Graduate Students

This award recognizes graduate students for teaching that is intellectually rigorous and has a considerable impact on undergraduate students. This year’s awardees are:

Chelsea Chamberlain, History

Tomas Elliott, Comparative Literature and Literary Theory

Danielle Hanley, Political Science

Wesley Hanson, Classical Studies

Jeffrey Katzin, History of Art

Clare Mullaney, English

Stan Najmr, Chemistry

Sudev Sheth, South Asia Regional Studies and History

Zachary Smith, Political Science

Margaret Strair, German

Ben Evans: Associate Vice President, Risk Management & Insurance, Division of Finance

caption: Ben EvansBen Evans has been promoted to associate vice president, Risk Management & Insurance, effective April 1. Penn’s Vice President, Finance and Treasurer MaryFrances McCourt said, “After nearly a decade of tremendous service to Penn, Ben is truly deserving of this recognition. His unending commitment to identifying and minimizing risk at an institution with the complexity of Penn makes him an integral member of our leadership team, and I am excited for his continued positive impact.”

Mr. Evans has spent nearly his entire career in the field of higher education risk management and insurance. He became Penn’s executive director of Risk Management & Insurance in 2008 after spending 10 years at Temple University in a similar role. As associate vice president, Mr. Evans will focus his efforts on high-level leadership and oversight of the University’s risk management and insurance needs, with an increased focus on the University Health System. He will also maintain responsibility for certain lines of insurance that he is passionate about, including cyber liability, fine arts insurance, medical professional liability, trustees and officers liability, the student-athlete injury program and construction-related liability.

During his almost 10 years at Penn, Mr. Evans has led the Risk Management & Insurance department through a period of continuous growth, building strong internal and external partnerships and expertise in the areas of workers’ compensation and international risk management. His accomplishments over the past decade have been vast. He has negotiated leading-edge deals with Quaker Insurance Company, a Penn-owned subsidiary, and led the negotiations for favorable insurance programs for areas of increased liability. Over the course of his tenure, property insurance premiums have remained the same while total insurable values have increased by 60%. The fine arts insurance limit has increased by 400% while the premium has only doubled, and the deductible has decreased to $0. In addition, since 2012, Penn has paid 12 cents for every dollar of billed medical expenses in its student-athlete injury insurance program, compared to a benchmarked average of 23 cents on the dollar.

Mr. Evans served as the president of the Pinnacle Consortium of Higher Education from October 2014 to June 2017, and under his leadership the operations of Genesis Insurance Company, Ltd., were merged into Pinnacle Consortium of Higher Education. He also co-authored an article on Mission Continuity for the 2016 University Risk Management and Insurance Association Journal and speaks nationally and internationally at numerous industry conferences and seminars.

His accomplishments have been recognized: Mr. Evans was the 2017 Risk & Insurance Management Society (RIMS) Risk Manager of the Year Honorable Mention Recipient and the First Quarter 2017 AIG Client of the Quarter. He also sits on the AIG Higher Education Advisory Board and the International SOS Advisory Council. He demonstrates his service to the Penn community as a recipient of the Models of Excellence Award and participant in the Leadership@Penn Program.

Ms. McCourt added, “Ben is a wonderful Penn ambassador, serving on the leadership councils of external organizations, presenting at conferences and seminars and building partnerships across the risk management and insurance industries. He is a true champion for the University who has delivered impactful results. I am proud to have Ben on my team.”

Kelly McLaughlin: Director of the Carey JD/MBA Program

caption: Kelly McLaughlinKelly McLaughlin, who had previously been a member of the Wharton admissions team since last June, was recently named director of the Carey JD/MBA Program.

An alumna of the University of Virginia, Ms. McLaughlin gained experience in consulting for Accenture and Deloitte before completing her master’s of education at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education and serving as Assistant Director of JD Admissions at Harvard Law School.

The three-year accelerated joint JD/MBA degree program, which launched in 2009 (Almanac September 23, 2008) and was renamed The Francis J. & Wm. Polk Carey JD/MBA Program in 2015 (Almanac March 24, 2015), leverages the resources of Penn Law and Wharton to prepare students to serve as leaders at the intersection of business and law.

Second Phase of University Catalog on NGSS

The Office of the University Registrar and the Next Generation Student Systems (NGSS) program are proud to announce the planned release of the second phase of the University Catalog in May. In addition to a revised course listing and updated information about undergraduate programs and policies, the 2018-2019 Catalog will include a complete list of graduate programs and policies at the PhD and research masters level.

Presented in a mobile-friendly display, the Catalog is a searchable, secure site that offers prospective and current students, as well as other members of the Penn community and the general public, information about academic opportunities and degree programs at Penn. The Catalog has replaced the online Course Register and provides a listing, by subject, of course offerings across the campus at all levels of education. 

 Many people contributed time and effort to this project. We would like to thank the core team, including staff members from the Office of the University Registrar, Office of the Provost and the NGSS Project Team. We are also grateful to the many members of our graduate groups and programs who worked collaboratively to create this Catalog.

 The Catalog can be found at https://catalog.upenn.edu

 We welcome your thoughts and feedback about the Catalog at catalog@lists.upenn.edu

      —Margaret Kip, Acting University Registrar

     —Rob Nelson, Executive Director for Education and Academic Planning, Office of the Provost

     —Matthew Sessa, Executive Director, Student Registration and Financial Services

From the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee: University of Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan 2.0 Executive Summary

Five Years of Progress

Five years since the launch of the University’s first Climate Action Plan, Penn looks back on a remarkable and steadily deepening array of accomplishments and forward to a path of continual improvement in its ecological performance. In 2007, as the first Ivy League signatory to the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, the University began the process of creating and executing a vision of environmental sustainability at Penn.

In 2009, the launch of the Climate Action Plan set concrete goals and began the formal process of integrating sustainability into coursework, community, campus planning and design and campus operations. Significant progress has been made and accelerating momentum established. Below is a review of the main objectives by the numbers:

  • Bolstering the Curriculum—Penn now offers over 170 courses focused on and related to sustainability, and the Integrating Sustainability Across the Curriculum program added 22 faculty and 12 students who have collaborated to infuse principles of sustainability into 21 courses.
  • Reducing Our Carbon—Penn achieved an 18% reduction in its carbon emissions from FY 2007 to FY2014 and also achieved a 6.6% reduction in normalized energy consumption.
  • Growing Greener—As a major research university, Penn meets its mission of teaching and research with new facilities. But the Climate Action Plan focuses that growth to be more sustainable, resulting in six new buildings achieving LEED Gold Certification, and more than 27 new acres of green space.
  • Minimizing Waste—Penn recycles nearly 26% of its waste, including traditional recycling, composting and e-waste, and educates our community about the importance of decision making in what products they consume. Penn’s continued reduction of landfill waste by almost 10% provides a more complete picture of waste minimization on campus.
  • Commuting with Fewer Emissions—50% of Penn commuters now use public transit, walk or bike. Our community has witnessed an increase in people using alternative transit by nearly 10% playing to our strength as a dense campus easy to traverse by foot or bike and well connected by public transit.
  • Engaging the Penn Community—Penn’s Green Fund made 49 grants to faculty, students and staff totaling over $1 million over the last five years, and whose ideas are enhancing our campus’ environmental sustainability. Three hundred and fifty students and more than 100 staff have volunteered as Eco-Reps over the past five years, championing sustainable actions in offices, College Houses, student organizations and athletic teams.

While implementing the initiatives explicitly identified in the Climate Action Plan has been rewarding for the faculty, staff and students who helped create it, the unanticipated outcomes, programs and projects that have evolved through heightened exchange have often been even more profound and exciting. Not only have students, faculty and staff eagerly embraced the initiatives we have undertaken, they have also responded by creating new programs at a rate that was impossible to predict, including:

  • PennGreen: Upperclass students who wanted to provide a sustainability-themed preorientation program created PennGreen, which in 2014 welcomed its fifth class of freshmen to Penn with a whirlwind of tours, meetings, dialogues and lectures by local experts in environmentalism.
  • Move-In Green: Staff in College Housing and Academic Services and Residential Services were essential to the implementation of Move-In Green, Penn’s signature New Student Orientation student volunteer opportunity.
  • School and Center Sustainability Coordinators: A role not foreseen in the 2009 Plan, seven Schools and Centers are now meeting monthly, sharing their enthusiasm and best practices and implementing projects across campus.
  • Penn Green Fund: The success of the Penn Green Fund has exceeded expectations, with funding awarded to College Houses, Greek Houses, Athletics and Recreation, the Morris Arboretum and the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, among many more.
  • The Century Bond Program: The Century Bond Program is investing in energy efficiency in campus buildings at an unprecedented scale, demonstrating Penn’s commitment to bringing sustainability to the heart of its planning operations.

Development & Format of Climate Action Plan 2.0

Developing a new five year plan, Climate Action Plan 2.0, is an exciting opportunity that builds on such successes, institutionalizes organic change and uses the experience learned from past challenges to better frame new goals and strategies. One of the most ambitious elements of Climate Action Plan 2.0 is the expansion of the Plan’s geography, from the core academic campus to more fully capture the range of environmental leadership across the University’s entire built assets. By including the University of Pennsylvania Health System, the Morris Arboretum, the New Bolton Center and the University’s leased space and real estate portfolio, Climate Action Plan 2.0 reflects an expanded approach to environmental stewardship and highlights important work accomplished, underway and planned for the future.

The recommendations included throughout Climate Action Plan 2.0 were formalized by the respective Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee (ESAC) Subcommittees, building upon five years of collective experience implementing the initial plan. ESAC Subcommittees are organized by topic area: Academics, Utilities & Operations, Physical Environment, Transportation, Waste Minimization & Recycling and Outreach & Engagement.

This Climate Action Plan 2.0 document is organized by the above subcommittee initiatives, with each section including a Mission, Five Year Summary and Recommendations.

Climate Action Plan 2.0 Recommendations at a Glance

The recommendations included in Climate Action Plan 2.0 build upon those outlined in the original Climate Action Plan and achievements of the past five years. The carbon and energy goals in Climate Action Plan 2.0 align with the long-term goal of carbon neutrality by 2042 and include the following:

Academics–Expand opportunities for teaching, learning and researching sustainability among students, staff and faculty.

  • Create a Faculty Working Group on Sustainability to provide outreach and support to faculty interested in researching and teaching sustainability.
  • Promote existing sustainability programs and classes to Penn’s undergraduate and graduate student body.
  • Create a Speaker Series / Symposium dedicated to sustainability.

Utilities & Operations–Promote and adopt best practices in energy management, design and maintenance to improve efficiency and reduce Penn’s carbon footprint.

  • Achieve Total Carbon Reduction in Buildings (absolute)
    • 7% reduction by 2019 in comparison to the FY14 baseline
    • 18% reduction by 2042 in comparison to the FY14 baseline
  • Achieve Energy Reduction in Buildings (absolute)
    • 10% reduction by 2019 in comparison to the FY14 baseline
    • 27% by 2042 in comparison to the FY14 baseline
  • Recommission the top 20% of the buildings that have the highest energy use every five years and complete a deep energy retrofit by 2042. The remaining 80% of buildings will be recommissioned on a 10 year basis.
  • Develop an energy reduction plan for all building renovation projects, including basic energy benchmarking for all buildings and energy modeling and analysis of alternatives for major renovations.

Physical Environment—Create and maintain a sustainable campus by increasing green space, decreasing building energy consumption and increasing education and awareness of sustainable design.

  • Continue to pursue LEED Silver Certification for all new construction, with focus on “Penn plus” credits, those that are identified as critical to Penn’s environmental initiatives.
  • Implement the Green Guidelines for Renovations to provide direction on Penn’s renovation work on modest sized projects, as defined in the Guidelines. Significant renovations that satisfy criteria identified in the Guidelines, including exceeding $1 million, are recommended to pursue LEED Silver Level under the Commercial Interiors (CI) protocol.
  • Develop an Ecological Landscape Stewardship Plan that, through pilot projects, examines how to minimize chemical use, promote biological diversity and incorporate best practices from the Sustainable SITES pilot on Shoemaker Green.
  • Extend the Plan’s geography from the core academic campus, to more fully reflect the full range of the University’s built assets, to include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Morris Arboretum, the New Bolton Center and Penn’s leased space and real estate projects.

Waste Minimization & Recycling—Improve Penn’s environmental performance by minimizing solid waste through community education, strategic purchasing, appropriate infrastructure and proper disposal, strengthened by relevant and accurate metrics.

  • Increase recycling rate, currently approximately 24%, to 30% by 2019 and continue to reduce overall municipal solid waste.
  • Implement the Solid Waste Management Plan, including the creation and implementation of a data reporting tool to track waste diversion metrics and improve composting operations on campus.
  • Increase participation in and awareness of sustainable purchasing options and recognize green purchasing champions.
  • Increase the number of zero waste events and expand composting on campus.

Transportation—Emphasize and plan a quality pedestrian campus environment, encourage use of bicycling and public transportation for commuting and provide safe, efficient local transportation services for the University community.

  • Create a centralized online resource for bicyclers on campus, including bicycle rack maps, the University Bike Policy, bike lane maps, etc.
  • Continue to replace older bicycle racks with University standard bike racks.
  • Expand the number of bike repair stations on campus.

Outreach & Engagement—Build a culture of sustainability that informs all constituents of University life.

  • Work with School and Center senior leadership to encourage and expand Sustainability Coordinator roles within all Schools and Centers at Penn.
  • Sustain a vibrant Student Eco-Reps program in College Houses, Greek chapters and Athletics that fosters a culture of sustainability among students on campus.
  • Maintain a dynamic Faculty/Staff Eco-Rep program as an active and accurate source of sustainability information.

Leadership & Awards

Since the launch of the 2009 Climate Action Plan, the University of Pennsylvania has been repeatedly recognized by both internal and external audiences for the University’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

Princeton Review

The University of Pennsylvania has annually been highlighted in The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges since 2010. This guide profiles institutions of higher education in the U.S. and Canada which exhibit a commitment to sustainability in both the academic arena and university operations. The guide has highlighted Penn Park, the Green Fund and the Student Eco-Reps program over the past five years.

Tree Campus USA

The University of Pennsylvania earned 2013 Tree Campus USA® designation, awarded by the Arbor Day Foundation. This marks the fifth year in a row that Penn has received this designation. Tree Campus USA® is a national program created in 2008 to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. Penn achieved the title by having an active Tree Advisory Committee, a Campus Tree Care Plan, and finance and personnel resources allocated for the Tree Care Plan.

Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System

In May 2014, Penn submitted its first application to STARS—the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Ratings System—and received a Silver rating. STARS is a self-reporting framework of sustainability metrics specifically developed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) for college and university campuses. STARS’ standard categories and transparent scoring metrics allow for easy assessment of the University’s performance and future opportunities. Although the STARS ratings last for three years, Penn will update its submission every two years so that content remains relevant and progress can be regularly measured against these defined standards.

EPA Green Power Award

The University of Pennsylvania finished in first place in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s nationwide College and University Green Power Challenge. EPA defines green power as electricity produced from solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydroelectric sources, and this program recognizes colleges and universities that purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), which are created through the generation of green power.

EPA began its Green Power Challenge for higher education institutions in 2006, and the University of Pennsylvania has been the Ivy League winner every year since. Penn took top honors nationally in 2013 by purchasing more than 200 million kWh of wind power—more green power than any of the 75 other competing schools.

As part of EPA’s Green Power Partnership, more than 1,400 organizations are purchasing more than 26 billion kWh of green power annually, avoiding carbon pollution equal to that created by the electricity use of more than 2.8 million American homes. The partnership provides quarterly updated lists of partners using green power in several other categories including K-12 schools, technology and telecommunications, and local government, among others.

Green Purchasing Award

A Special Recognition Award from Office Depot was presented to Penn at the GreenBuild Conference & Expo on November 22, 2013 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, recognizing Penn as an institution that proactively seeks out products with environmental attributes. Office Depot’s Special Recognition Awards are based on specific aspects of a customer’s purchasing program or leadership in greening. For 2013, the University of Pennsylvania was one of 28 organizations selected out of 17,000 Office Depot customers.

Best Work Places for Commuters

The National Center for Transit Research has named Penn among the Best Workplaces for Commuters for two years in a row, in acknowledgement of the University’s integrated approach to commuting options, which includes discounts for public transit commuters, van and carpooling programs and support of cycling on campus.

International Sustainable Campus Network

Penn has been a member of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN), which is a part of the Global University Leaders Forum, since 2010. In 2014, Penn’s Integrating Sustainability Across the Curriculum program was included as one of the ISCN’s case studies for the World Economic Forum.

With Climate Action Plan 2.0 as the blueprint, Penn now embarks on another five years of environmental leadership guided by long-term vision and commitment from senior leadership, students, staff and faculty. There is still more to do. We are excited about the next five years of engagement with the Penn community and look forward to our journey together.

Gold Level in STARS

The University of Pennsylvania has completed its STARS survey for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and has received a Gold Rating for its 2017 submission, according to the University’s Sustainability Office. The STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System) survey is a comprehensive benchmarking system developed and overseen by AASHE, and is used by more than 800 colleges and universities on six continents to evaluate their environmental performance.

“A Gold Rating in STARS for Penn is particularly satisfying since environmental sustainability is a priority for our President, Amy Gutmann, who signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment in  2007, the  first  Ivy  League  president  to  do  so,” said Penn  Facilities  &  Real Estate Services Vice President Anne Papageorge. “Penn’s Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee has transformed the sustainability initiatives on this campus since 2007, and in particular since the 2014 launch of our Climate Action Plan 2.0.” The Climate Action Plan is the university’s roadmap for environmental sustainability, and version 2.0 established new goals for expanded educational opportunities for students, enriched support for faculty research, teaching and collaboration and campus performance.

STARS is a transparent, point-based system with categories spanning all aspects of Penn’s academics, operations and administration. The 2017 submission used FY17 data and was assembled by the Penn Sustainability Office, with input from multiple sources across the university. There are 91 credit areas in STARS. Penn earned an exceptionally high number of points in five categories: Coordination and Planning, Diversity and Affordability, Transportation, Campus Engagement and Innovation.

The innovation credits are reserved for new, extraordinary, unique or uncommon outcomes, policies and practices that address sustainability challenges and are not covered elsewhere in the STARS survey. Penn submitted for all four available credits, including the category of Arboretum Status. Penn’s main campus was designated as an arboretum last year (Almanac April 18, 2017)  under the international ArbNet certification program, and joins a select group of urban campuses recognized for exceptional tree collections, maintenance, and landscape stewardship. Only 23 universities, six of which are urban, have earned such designation.

Penn previously received a silver STARS ranking for its May 2014 submission (Almanac October 28, 2014).

Deaths

Barbara Bush: Penn’s 1990 Commencement Speaker

Former First Lady Barbara Bush, wife of President George H.W. Bush and mother of President George W. Bush, died on April 17, 2018. She was 92. The First Lady was the 1990 Commencement Speaker at Penn; she also received an Honorary Degree from the University at that time (Almanac April 24, 1990).

Louis A. Girifalco: SEAS

caption: Louis GirifalcoLouis Girifalco, University Professor of Materials Science emeritus at Penn Engineering and a beloved member of the Penn community, died in Bala Cynwyd, on April 15. He was 90.

Vijay Kumar, Nemirovsky Family Dean, Penn Engineering, wrote, “Lou was a devoted faculty member in MSE. He was an exceptional researcher and scholar and dedicated teacher and mentor. He was well-known throughout Penn Engineering and Penn for his exceptional service and love of this University. Lou was truly one-of-a-kind and will be missed.”

After obtaining a BS in chemistry from Rutgers in 1950, Dr. Girifalco earned his MS and then his PhD in applied science, both degrees from the University of Cincinnati. He worked as a research chemist for du Pont and was head of the Solid State Physics Section at the Lewis Research Center NASA Flight Propulsion Laboratory before coming to Penn in 1961.

Dr. Girifalco began his career at the University as an associate professor of metallurgical engineering, later becoming a full professor of metallurgy and materials science. He wrote 93 refereed papers in solid-state physics and materials science as well as several books. He was a member of such professional societies as the American Physical Society, The American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society for Metals, the Materials Research Society, and Sigma Xi. Dr. Girifalco was also an Honorary Trustee and served as chairman of the Board of Associated Universities, Inc., which was responsible for the operation of Brookhaven National Laboratories and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

Dr. Girifalco also held numerous administrative roles at Penn, including director of the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter, 1967-1969; chair of the department of metallurgy and materials science, 1972-1974; associate dean for SEAS, 1975-1979; vice provost for research, 1979-1981; and acting provost in 1981. The University Research Foundation was designed during his tenure as vice provost. He also served in numerous other leadership roles, including Special Advisor to the President for Industry Relations, chair of the Committee on Open Expression, chair of the Senate Committee on Administration, and PASEF Program Chair. He was also a member of various committees: the Council Committee on Research, the Senate Nominating Committee, the 1987 Provost’s Search Committee, the Senate Committee on Faculty, the Steering Committee and the Council Committee on Honorary Degrees. Dr. Girifalco also served on the search committee that selected Eduardo Glandt as dean of SEAS in 1998.

In 1981, the Board of Trustees designated Dr. Girifalco as a University Professor, and he earned emeritus status in 2012. Dr. Girifalco was awarded an honorary degree doctor of science from Hahnemann University in 1996 for his research on how alloys are formed and how materials behave; for “bringing together scientists and helping us understand the process of change;” and his contributions, which began at an early age when his doctoral thesis on the physical chemistry of physics became a standard text in the theory of interfaces.

Dr. Girifalco was an avid writer. In addition to his scientific articles and books, he published books for a general audience on gravity, the game of craps, and a memoir, Never Turn Left: Voices from the Second Generation.

He is survived by his wife, Catherine; children, Sandra (Sam); Anthony (Renee); John (Mary); Robert; Dori (John) Malloy; Theresa (Tony) Spagnoletti; and Stephen; his brother, Salvatore (Lynne); and sister, Dorothy DeStephano; 14 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Dr. Girifalco’s name would be appreciated:  3401 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104. Visit: https://give.chop.edu

Governance

From the Senate Office: SEC Agenda

Pursuant to the Faculty Senate Rules, formal notification to members may be accomplished by publication in Almanac. The following is published under that rule.

TO:             Members of the Faculty Senate

FROM:       Jere Behrman, Chair, Nominating Committee

SUBJECT:  Senate Nominations 2018-2019

1. In accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules, official notice is given of the Senate Nominating Committee’s slate of nominees for the incoming Senate Officers. The nominees, all of whom have indicated their willingness to serve, are:

Chair-elect: 

  • Steven Kimbrough (Wharton/Operations, Information and Decisions)

Secretary-elect:

  • Carmen Guerra (PSOM/Medicine)

At-large Members of the Senate Executive Committee to serve a 3-year term beginning upon election:

  • Chao Guo (Social Policy and Practice)
  • Jianghong Liu (Nursing)
  • Guillermo Ordonez (SAS/Economics)
  • Melissa Wilde (SAS/Sociology)

At-large Members of the Senate Executive Committee to serve a 1-year partial term beginning upon election in order to fill a vacancy:

  • Michael McGarvey (PSOM/Neurology)

Assistant Professor Members of the Senate Executive Committee to serve a 2-year term beginning upon election:

  • Amy Castro Baker (Social Policy & Practice)

Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility to serve a 3-year term beginning upon election:

  • David Eng (SAS/English)
  • Toorjo Ghose (Social Policy and Practice)
  • Jon Merz (PSOM/Medical Ethics and Health Policy)

Senate Committee on Economic Status of the Faculty to serve a 3-year term beginning upon election:

  • Pamela Sankar (PSOM/Medical Ethics and Health Policy)

2. Again in accordance with the Senate Rules, you are invited to submit additional nominations, which shall be accomplished via petitions containing at least 25 valid names and the signed approval of the candidate. All such petitions must be received no later than 14 days subsequent to the circulation of the nominees of the Nominating Committee. Petitions must be received by mail at the Faculty Senate, Box 9 College Hall / 6303, or by hand at the Faculty Senate Office, Duhring Wing Room 109, by 5 p.m., Monday, May 7.

3. Under the same provision of the Senate Rules, if no additional nominations are received, the slate nominated by the Nominating Committee will be declared elected.

State of the University: Coverage of the Budget Presentation

In accordance with the University Council Bylaws, a spring Council meeting includes “extended reports by the President, the Provost and other administrators covering budgets and plans for the next academic year.” The remarks below were adapted from the presentation given on April 18.

Trevor Lewis, Vice President for Budget and Management Analysis

I will be reviewing the FY18 current year budget with you today. The FY19 budget is still being developed and will be presented to the Trustees for approval in June. In addition, I will discuss our undergraduate total charges and student aid for FY19.

We do five-year budget planning and use the Penn Compact as the basis for our planning priorities. Thematically, our priorities are focused on student and academic support, reinvestment and renewal in transformational projects, tuition and student aid, diversifying revenue sources and other priorities which include providing competitive compensation and employee benefits and providing efficient central services.

Our operating budget has $3.65 billion in revenue and $3.68 billion in expense.

There are multiple components of revenue, with the two largest being tuition and fees and sponsored programs. Tuition and fees represent our largest revenue source at $1.31 billion or 36%. This category includes undergraduate, graduate, professional and other tuition. The other primary source of revenue is sponsored programs at $966 million or 26%. The remaining 38% is broken down into five components that include endowment income, operating gifts, other income (mostly sales and services), Health System transfers and support for the Vet School from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Our expenses total $3.68 billion and fall into four categories: compensation, which includes salaries and employee benefits, represents $1.96 billion or 53% of total. Current expense makes up 25% of our expenses, with capital transactions and student aid both accounting for 11% each. This slide shows how the University spends its money while the next slide shows which parts of the institution are doing that spending.

School spending represents $2.52 billion or 68% of the total. The next largest component is the spending by administrative centers at $492 million or 13%. The latter includes central service and compliance units such as the Division of Public Safety, VPUL, Finance, HR, Information Systems and Computing. The cost of space is $181 million, but more than three quarters of space costs are charged to the Schools. If we showed those costs under the Schools instead, then School spending would account for 72% of the total.   

When you look at only School costs, three Schools represent 74% of the total—the Perelman School accounts for 38%, the School of Arts and Sciences for 19% and Wharton for 17%.

Beyond looking at our expenses by School or Center, our investments in student success are of primary importance. Our operating budget supports student safety and security, student health and wellbeing, student services, activities and facilities, infrastructure and academic programming.

Switching to undergraduate tuition and aid, it is important to recognize that tuition is an important financial driver. Our total charges are $68,600 in FY18 and growth has been relatively stable and under 4% per year since FY10. Our FY18 student aid budget is $224 million, an increase of 4.7%, ensuring that we can provide fully grant-based aid packages to those qualifying for need. You should note that since FY09 our median aid award has increased by 71% while our total charges have increased by 43%, demonstrating our commitment to inclusion and access.

Relative to our peers, Penn’s total charges are in the middle of the pack. In addition, our total charges are within $1,200 of eight peer schools.

For FY19, the Trustees have approved a 3.8% increase to undergraduate total charges, which includes tuition, fees and room and board, to $71,200. Room and board charges are based on the average standard freshman room and the freshman meal plan. Over the past 10 years, Penn’s annual increase in total charges has been below 4% and has been in the middle of the peer group, never the highest or the lowest.

The 3.8% increase in tuition for FY19 generates net incremental revenue of $18.9 million. Net of $5.9 million in financial aid will produce $12.9 million of net tuition revenue to the Schools. The Clinical Fee increase of 7.3% is in support of student health and wellness initiatives.

Returning to the FY18 budget, total financial aid is budgeted at $495 million, or 4.9% higher than FY17, with a 4.7% increase in undergraduate aid, a 4.9% increase in graduate and professional aid and a 5.7% increase in graduate stipends.

Since all grant aid packages were introduced, the number of undergraduate financial aid award recipients has increased substantially. The share of our enrolled students receiving aid peaked in FY14 at 47.4% or 4,650 students, up 8.7% over FY09. In the most recent four years, the share receiving aid has declined slightly to around 46%.   

Over the last four years, our financial aid program has enabled students from families with incomes at or below the U.S. median to receive an average award that exceeds total charges. In addition, over the past 10 years, there has been a 38% increase in the number of enrolled students coming from families with income at or below the U.S. median.

Our undergraduate financial aid budget is supported primarily by two sources—the tuition discount, which accounts for 62%, and endowment income, which accounts for 23%. The remaining portion is covered by grants (including Pell) and other internal funds. The undergraduate aid budget is projected to increase to $237 million for FY19, up 5.25% compared to FY18. Since FY08, the financial aid budget has had an average growth rate of 8%—over twice the growth rate of total charges.

In FY17, the last completed fiscal year, we had over 3,000 PhD students across nine different schools. Almost all of our PhD students are fully funded for four to five years. Full funding includes tuition, fees, health insurance and a stipend. Beginning in FY18, fees provide for access to Penn’s fitness facilities. For an SAS humanities PhD student entering in the fall of 2017, the standard five-year funding package is worth over $350,000 in constant FY18 dollars.

PhD tuition and the research masters tuition are increasing at the same rate as undergraduate tuition. Professional tuition is set by the Schools based on their specific needs and markets.

The distribution of PhD students and expense by school and category for FY17, shows that SAS has the largest number of PhD students, and the largest expenditures, roughly $75 million in FY17.

That concludes my presentation.

Policies

OF RECORD: Penn Research Facilities

Policy on Non-Affiliates Visiting Penn Research Facilities

For the purpose of this policy, non-affiliates are people who are not University of Pennsylvania faculty, staff, graduate or professional students or post-doctoral/clinical trainees. Non-affiliates include all elementary, high school and undergraduate students. The principal investigator/supervisor of the entity is responsible for assuring that all non-affiliates in his/her facility are appropriately supervised and comply with the requirements of this policy. Please note that this policy addresses only people visiting labs. For students and other non-affiliates actively participating in labs, see below for the “Policy on Undergraduate Students, High School Students and Non-affiliates Participating in Research in Penn Research Facilities.”

Requirements for visitors to Penn laboratories:

  • Visitors must be approved by the principal investigator/supervisor.
  • Visitors must be accompanied by a laboratory staff member.
  • Visitors must sign in with security staff (in buildings with manned security stations).
  • Visitors must wear proper laboratory attire: long pants, closed-toed shoes, lab coats and eye protection.
  • Visitors must not be permitted to handle or be exposed to hazardous chemicals, biological agents, radioactive materials or animals.
  • Foreign national visitors/non-affiliates must not be given access to export controlled equipment or materials without appropriate eligibility screening.

Summer Research: Policy on Undergraduate Students, High School Students and Non-Affiliates Participating in Research in Penn Facilities

During the summer many students and people unaffiliated with Penn participate in research in University laboratories. To provide for their safety and to ensure compliance with applicable regulations, the University established the “Policy on Undergraduate Students, High School Students and Non-affiliates Participating in Research in Penn Research Facilities” (Almanac April 25, 2017).

In summary, Principal Investigators are responsible for assuring that all students and non-affiliates working in their laboratories are appropriately trained, supervised and comply with the requirements of the Policy. Programs for high school students must comply with requirements described in the Vice Provost of University Life’s current year’s “Special Summer Programs Protocols.” A consent signature sheet must be submitted to the Principal Investigator/Sponsor with signatures from both the high school student and parents.

High school students and undergraduates must attend laboratory safety training offered by the Office of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety (EHRS). Students must register for a class at http://www.ehrs.upenn.edu/resources/training/hsugform.html Check the EHRS website http://www.ehrs.upenn.edu/training/dates/ for training schedules or contact EHRS at (215) 898-4453 to schedule a program for a particular group.

Proper attire (long pants, closed-toed shoes, lab coat and safety glasses) must be worn when working the laboratory.

Please contact EHRS ehrs@ehrs.upenn.edu or call (215) 898-4453 for additional information.

Honors

2018 Penn Arts and Sciences Dean’s Scholars

Penn Arts and Sciences has named 20 students from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS), and the Graduate Division as Dean’s Scholars. This honor is presented annually to students who exhibit exceptional academic performance and intellectual promise.

College of Arts and Sciences

Madeleine (Maddie) Andrews, Biology

Alexis Ciambotti, Classical Studies and Political Science

Christopher D’Urso, International Relations

Adnan (Zikri) Jaafar, International Studies and Business

Claudia Kassner, Ancient History and Classical Studies

Ivana Kohut, Anthropology

Tiberiu Mihaila, Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Physics

Helena von Nagy, Political Science and Theatre Arts

Jimin Yoon, Biophysics and Chemistry

LPS—Undergraduate Program

Emily Walters, Mathematics

Professional Master’s Programs

John Miller, Master of Environmental Studies

Graduate Division – Doctoral Programs

Benjamin Chin, Psychology

Allauren Forbes, Philosophy

Sumiko Hatakeyama, History and Sociology of Science

Shichun (Asminet) Ling, Criminology

Esteban Andres Paduro Williamson, Mathematics

Gabriel Raeburn, Religious Studies and History

Rovel Sequeira, English

Lacey Wade, Linguistics

Sarah Wolf, Chemistry

James Brister Society Awards

The University of Pennsylvania’s James Brister Society, a diverse group of Penn alumni who support and promote the University’s efforts to attract, encourage and maintain a culturally diverse community of faculty, students, administrators, staff and volunteers, recently hosted its annual Student and Faculty Leadership Awards ceremony.

The following awardees were honored:

Antonia M. Villarruel, professor and Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing; Senior Fellow, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics: Dr. Gloria Twine Chisum Award for Distinguished Faculty.

Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, vice provost for university life: Staff Leadership Award

Meghana Nallajerla, C’18: Student Leadership Award

Maya Thompson, D’18 GR’18: Graduate Student Leadership Award

Ramón Garcia Gomez, C’18: Association of Latino Alumni’s Student Leadership Award

Keturah N. Peters, NU’18: Association of Native Alumni’s Student Leadership Award

Samiza Palmer, C’18: Black Alumni Society’s Student Leadership Award

David Thai, C’18: Asian Alumni Network’s Student Leadership Award

Sean Collins, C’18: Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alumni Association’s Student Leadership Award

Glenda Goodman: ACLS Fellowship, IAS Membership

caption: Glenda GoodmanGlenda Goodman, assistant professor in the music department in Penn’s School of Arts and Sciences, was recently awarded a $40,000 fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). She was also recently awarded a 2018-2019 membership at the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study, which supports fundamental research in the sciences and humanities.

On leave, Dr. Goodman will work on her second book, which investigates musical mediation in colonial encounters between Native Americans and Europeans in New England. Her first book is on the material and social history of amateur music-making after the American Revolution. 

Anea Moore, Stephen Damianos: Truman Scholars

Two Penn juniors, Anea Moore and Stephen Damianos, have been awarded Harry S. Truman Scholarships, a merit-based award of as much as $30,000 that supports college students who plan to pursue careers in government or public service and who wish to attend graduate or professional school in order to help prepare. They are among 59 Truman Scholars selected this year from among 756 candidates nominated by 311 colleges and universities. College juniors are considered eligible applicants for Truman Scholarships if they are U.S. citizens and “change agents” with a desire to improve the ways in which government agencies, non-profit organizations or educational institutions serve the public.

Ms. Moore, who is majoring in sociology and urban studies with a concentration in law and a minor in Africana studies, plans to pursue a JD along with graduate degrees in education and public policy. She is a first-generation, low-income (FGLI) student who has been an advocate for the Penn First community on campus. She also serves as the assistant family-engagement coordinator at Lea Elementary School in West Philadelphia.

Mr. Damianos is studying political science and communication and plans to pursue a JD with a focus on immigration law after he graduates in 2019. He is the president and founder of Penn Undergraduates for Refugee Empowerment, an organization that empowers refugees with transferable skills needed to succeed as active citizens. He has conducted research on the rising levels of incivility in politics and the judicial considerations in immigrant-bond proceedings. In addition, he has worked with the United Nations’ “Together” campaign, mobilizing university students for refugee advocacy.

Ms. Moore and Mr. Damianos will receive their awards in a ceremony at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri, on May 27.

Martin Seligman: Honorary Degree

Martin Seligman, Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology and director of Penn’s Positive Psychology Center, received an honorary doctor of science degree, honoris causa, from the University of Buckingham. It is his seventh honorary doctorate. Dr. Seligman’s specific research areas are positive psychology, optimism, learned helplessness, depression and creativity.

Julian Siggers: Man of the Moment

caption: Julian SiggersJulian Siggers, Williams Director of the Penn Museum, was recently named one of the “Men of the Moment: 5 Men Shaping the Future of Philly Right Now” by Philadelphia Style magazine. The magazine highlighted the recent unveiling of the new Middle East Galleries, as well as the completion of the Penn Museum’s $21 million transformation planned to debut in fall 2019. The story also called attention to Mr. Siggers’ launch of the Center for Analysis of Archaeological Material, the only one of its kind in the country (Almanac September 30, 2014), as well as the Unpacking the Past program that brought 6,000 seventh graders to the museum last year for free (Almanac October 28, 2014).

Eric Stoopler: AAOM President

caption: Eric StooplerEric Stoopler, associate professor of oral medicine and director of the Postdoctoral Oral Medicine Program at Penn Dental Medicine, has recently been named president of the American Academy of Oral Medicine (AAOM) for 2018-2019.

Dr. Stoopler has been an active member of the AAOM Executive Committee since 2012, serving as Assistant Secretary (2012-2013), Secretary (2013-2015), Vice President (2015-2017) and President-Elect (2017-2018). He also serves on the AAOM Board of Trustees and has led several committees, serving as Chairman of the Membership Committee (2010-2013), Program Directors Committee (2013-2015), Corporate Sponsorship Committee (2016-2017), and the Honorary Awards and Fellowship Committee (2017-2018).

AAOM’s Executive Committee is responsible for the general decision-making regarding the Academy’s programs, while the Board of Trustees sets the strategic plan and provides oversight to ensure that the organization’s goals are met. Founded in 1945, the AAOM strives to advance excellence in patient care, education and research in the field of oral medicine and to increase professional and public awareness of the specialty.

Features

Exploring An Ongoing Human Story in Penn Museum’s New  Middle East Galleries

caption: Queen Puabi’s burial adornments, circa 2450 BCE, can be seen in their full splendor at the Penn Museum’s Middle East Galleries.  Puabi’s adornments include a headdress consisting of more than 12 meters of gold ribbon along with beads of lapis lazuli and carnelian.

Founded in 1887, the Penn Museum sent the first United States archaeological expedition to the Middle East—to the ancient Mesopotamian site of Nippur in what was then the Ottoman Empire. More than 130 years and hundreds of international expeditions later, the Museum remains a world leader in Near Eastern archaeology, with a collection of more than 100,000 artifacts; a leading collection of cuneiform tablets bearing early literary, historical, and economic texts; strong Islamic period ethnographic and literary collections; and a rich archive of historic documents, field notes and photographs—as well as ongoing research projects in the region.

The Penn Museum taps into that collection and research expertise in the new Middle East Galleries—a suite of galleries that invites the visitor to travel on a remarkable 10,000-year human journey, from life in the earliest villages and towns to increasingly complex cities. Nearly 1,200 objects from the Museum’s collections—including such world-renowned treasures as the crowning jewelry of a Sumerian queen from 4,500 years ago, the famed “Ram-in-the-Thicket” statuette and one of the oldest known wine vessels in the world—are on view. Large-scale video projections, made-to-scale models, illustrator’s renderings of scenes from the reconstructed past, smaller interactive stations and touchable reproductions provide diverse avenues to explore the collections and the stories they tell.

Set in 6,000 square feet of recently renovated gallery space, the Middle East Galleries are the first of the Museum’s upcoming signature galleries, a key feature of a Building Transformation campaign. The goal: to transform the way that visitors experience the rich legacies of world cultures, providing a compelling interpretative context to better understand past civilizations and the ways they impact our lives today. Project information is online at penn.museum/transformation

“It is especially fitting that we begin our Signature Gallery transformations with these new galleries. The story of how ancient Mesopotamian societies gave rise to the world’s first cities—cities not so very different from Philadelphia, America’s first World Heritage City—is one that we are uniquely qualified to tell,” said Julian Siggers, the Penn Museum Williams Director. “Urbanization and globalization continue apace today. With this signature exhibition, we are exploring how and why we got to where we are.”

“What’s remarkable about this story: By 2700 BCE, about 80% of Mesopotamians lived in cities. Today, 81% of U.S. citizens live in cities. What can we learn from the past?” noted Dan Rahimi, executive director of galleries, who worked with a team of 10 curators on the gallery development.

A Journey Through Time

The Middle East Galleries explore the Penn Museum’s collections from the broad region between the Mediterranean Sea and the highlands of Afghanistan, from the Black Sea to the Arabian Peninsula, emphasizing diverse settlement sites now found in the contemporary countries of Iraq and Iran. Beginning with a more than 4,000-year-old human footprint discovered on an ancient mud brick used in construction at the royal city of Ur, the exhibition will follow the expressly human journey through millennia—from village life in early settlements, to larger towns, to complex, multifaceted cities and their relationships with neighboring cities, emerging empires and far-flung trade regions around the world.

The story is told through archaeological sites in the region excavated by Penn’s researchers: chief among them, Tepe Gawra (Iraq), Tepe Hissar (Iran), Ur (Iraq), Hasanlu (Iran), Nippur (Iraq) and the Islamic city of Rayy (Iran). Current research projects in the region are featured. From very early farming settlements to the end of the Ottoman Empire, the Middle East Galleries will trace the rise of cities and urbanization.

Along the way, several key themes shape the evolving story, then as they do today: how landscape and environment affect settlement; trade and exchange; organization and diversification; technologies; and shared systems of religion and belief. 

Some of the earliest artifacts in the exhibition are grindstones, hoes and stone tools used for agriculture. From a house excavated at Hajji Firuz Tepe, circa 5400 BCE, in the highlands of Iran, six large clay jars were found with residue inside them; later chemical analysis confirmed that the jars each held about 2.5 gallons of wine—at the time, the earliest wine jars yet discovered.

Another of the early sites excavated by the Penn Museum between 1927 and 1938, Tepe Gawra, provides a unique view of how people lived and developed before cities. A catastrophic fire in a battle circa 4400 BCE destroyed a two-story home dubbed the “White Building”—and provided archaeologists with a rich view of extended family life in this small town. A house model and interactive station will provide visitors with an opportunity to see where objects were uncovered—including cooking pots, spindle whorls for weaving and a child’s rattle—and what they tell about life before cities. Grave excavations unearthed gold ornaments, lapis lazuli beads and stone vessels—all indications of increasing trade and growing wealth.

After 4000 BCE, settlement patterns began to change in southern Mesopotamia; diverse people speaking multiple languages, with increasing work specializations, came together to organize economic and social life, with laws, regulated trade, armies and centers of worship. Early cities were born. From 1919 to 1938, Penn archaeologists led excavations to Tell Fara (ancient Shuruppak), Tell al-Ubaid, Kafajah (ancient Tutub) and Tell el-Muqayayr (ancient Ur). Early city artifacts appear in the archaeological record: temple offerings and gifts for the gods, clay tools (before metal), cylinder seals and sealings to protect property, and increasingly diverse pottery. The highland towns of Tepe Hissar and Tureng Tepe on the Iranian plateau, excavated in 1931 and again in 1976, rich in metal ores and strategically located on the east-west trade route, prospered as a region-wide network of trade emerged.

Ur: The Great City

The Penn Museum/British Museum joint excavations to the Mesopotamian city of Ur, led by Leonard Woolley from 1922 to 1934, unearthed spectacular royal graves—including the tomb of the Queen Puabi, circa 2450 BCE.  By the Third Dynasty of Ur 350 years later, kings were building the first monumental ziggurats. Bustling with more than 20,000 inhabitants, Ur had all the features of a city—a central administration, legal codes, monumental buildings, districts, suburbs, industry, a global trade network, art, music and literature. Visitors will be able to “meet” some of Ur’s citizens—including a merchant, a priest and a stone cutter, at an interactive station.

caption: Close up of the “Ram-in-the- Thicket,” one of the most famous objects from the royal Cemetery at Ur is made of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, copper, shell, red limestone, and bitumen (ca 2450 BCE), is on view in the Middle East Galleries. The statuette, one of two excavated by the joint Penn Museum/British Museum expedition (the other resides in the British Museum), would have supported a tray.

The dramatic tomb excavations at Ur form the visual centerpiece of the Middle East Galleries. On display from the intact tomb of Queen Puabi is an elaborate headdress and cape of gold and silver, carnelian and lapis lazuli, as well as bowls, cups and jars of silver and gold for the Queen’s funerary feast. Other highlights from the excavation include a Bull-Headed lyre—one of the earliest musical instruments in the world—and the famous “Ram-in-the-Thicket” sculpture—once part of a piece of royal furniture.

Six men and 68 women, royal attendants, were found in an extensive grave, dubbed “the Great Death Pit” by the excavator. It is believed they were bludgeoned to death and set to join their queen in the afterlife.

Penn Museum’s early excavations at Nippur uncovered thousands of clay tablets inscribed in cuneiform writing—and samples of early texts, including school practice texts that have preserved the most important collection of Sumerian literature in the world, offer insight into the ancient culture. A tablet containing part of the epic tale of Gilgamesh, divination tablets and a tablet with the earliest known medical “prescriptions” will be on display.

The World of Cities

caption: In the center of the new Middle East Galleries, (above) is  a monumental relief of Assyrian Winged Genie from the Palace of Ashur-Nasir-Pal II, Nimrud, Iraq, 883-859 BCE. It is among the more than 1,200 ancient artifacts on display.

In a world with cities now firmly established, the final gallery considers the role of neighboring nomads, on the one hand, and the increasing complexities of urban life with the rise of competing empires. Penn Museum excavated the town of Hasanlu in Iran between 1956 and 1974. Located between the warring empires of the Assyrians and the Urartu, Hasanlu kept peace through careful diplomacy—until it was attacked and destroyed in a single day around 800 BCE. The fire that destroyed the city also preserved it for archaeologists.

A large and dramatic slipper coffin, used for burials of Parthian city dwellers at Nippur about 2,000 years ago, draws the visitors deeper into the gallery and later in time. Penn Museum excavations at Nippur, a center for both production and trade, revealed a nearly 6,000-year period of settlement, becoming part of the Parthian Empire about 2,000 years ago, and eventually part of the later Sasanian Empire. Protective incantation bowls with bound demons drawn on them and inscriptions in Aramaic and Hebrew, once buried at the entrance to houses, are among the artifacts preserved from this time in Nippur. A later story of long urban settlement is told about the Rayy Plain on the rich Iranian plateau, where human activity has continued from pre-city times to the present day. Penn Museum excavations at Rayy in the 1930s uncovered materials from all periods, including the Islamic, first under the Umayyads, reaching a height of prosperity in the 11th century. Objects of daily life, from a set of cooking vessels to pharmacy jars, document life in the city.

A display of Islamic period manuscripts, including folios from an illustrated copy of the beloved Khamsa written by Nizami, and an illuminated Qur’an, speak to the importance of religious and literary manuscript work. Glazed ceramics and stonepaste ware from the Ottoman period—influenced by the growing international interest in Chinese blue and white porcelain—exhibit high craftsmanship. Textiles of exceptional complexity were produced in the Ottoman Empire period as well, and rotating materials in this last gallery provide visitors with a chance to see rare samples of these delicate materials, products of urban craftsmanship and innovation.

The curatorial team of 10 scholars for the new galleries includes, from the Museum’s Near East Section, Richard Zettler, associate curator-in-charge; Holly Pittman, curator; Renata Holod, curator; Brian Spooner, curator; and Lauren Ristvet, Dyson Associate Curator; and Brad Hafford, project manager, Woolley’s Ur: A Virtual Vision. From the Babylonian Section, Steve Tinney, associate curator-in-charge and curatorial coordinator for the gallery project; Grant Frame, associate curator; and Philip Jones, curator-keeper. And from the Museum’s associated scholars, Naomi Miller, consulting scholar. Exhibition design is by Haley Sharpe Design, Leicester, U.K. Exhibition interpretation is led by Tim Gardom Associates, London, U.K.

caption: In Sumer, temples were thought to be the place where the heavens met the earth. On view (above) at the Penn Museum Middle East Galleries are materials excavated from the temple at Tell al ‘Ubaid in modern-day Iraq (temple objects circa 2400 BCE).

AT PENN

Events

Update: April AT PENN

Talks

26 Race & Sports; Kenneth Shropshire, legal studies and  business ethics; Collin D. Williams, Jr., Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality; 5:30 p.m.; rm. 270, Jon M. Huntsman Hall; register: https://tinyurl.com/y9xc3jea (Africana Studies, Wharton Sports Business Initiative).

On Stage

27 West Philly Swingers Presents “Planet Swing;” 6 p.m.; Prince Theatre, Annenberg Center; tickets: $12/door, $10/Locust Walk, $8/groups of 6+ (West Philly Swingers). Also April 28, 9 p.m.

     Penny Loafers Presents “Flour Power”; a night of music with songs by Penn alumnus John Legend, Ella Eyre, Ed Sheeran and many more; 9 p.m.; Prince Theatre, Annenberg Center; $10 (Penny Loafers). Also April 28, 6 p.m.

Special Events

28 Dogs and Barks Tour; the tour will showcase many dogwood tree species; 11 a.m.; Morris Arboretum; free with admission (Arboretum).

AT PENN Deadlines

The May AT PENN calendar is online. The deadline for the Summer AT PENN calendar is May 15.

60-Second Lecture Series

For those who didn’t get out to hear the recent 60-Second Lectures earlier this month, or the previous ones in the fall, it is not too late to listen.

A 60-Second Lectures Archive can be found on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/channels/60seclec The channel boasts an archive of 168 videos.

The last 60-Second Lecture of the spring semester is slated for noon on Wednesday, April 25 at the base of the Benjamin Franklin statue, College Hall. Eric Schelter, assistant professor of chemistry, will discuss Scarcity and Sustainability: The Future of Rare, Precious, and Critical Metals. In the case of inclement weather,  the rain location is at the Bistro, Houston Hall.

Jazz Epistles to Perform at the Annenberg Center

caption: Abdullah Ibrahim and Keyon Harrold

Celebrate the music and legacy of the Jazz Epistles on Sunday, April 29 in the Zellerbach Theatre, Annenberg Center. Featuring original member and pianist Abdullah Ibrahim and special guest trumpeter Keyon Harrold, they explore the sounds and impact of the Jazz Epistles, South Africa’s earliest and most influential jazz bebop band. The performance will include music from the seminal Jazz Epistles recording as well as hits from Ibrahim’s illustrious career.

This performance originally featured South African music legend Hugh Masekela, who passed away in January. Mr. Masekela graced the Zellerbach Theatre stage many times, just as recently as February 2015. Each sold-out performance featured his joyful spirit and spectacular blend of South African traditions and jazz, inspiring generations of dedicated fans.

Controlled Substances Disposal: May 7

The Office of Environmental Health & Radiation Safety (EHRS) and the Office of Animal Welfare (OAW) will host an event to facilitate the disposal of registrants’ outdated and unwanted controlled substances.  The event is scheduled for May 7,  9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in conference room 104 Stellar-Chance, PSOM. The event is free of charge but registration is required. You must register by submitting an electronic drug transfer form by May 2.  Additional information about the event and transfer forms can be found at the EHRS website (www.ehrs.upenn.edu). Contact Jim Crumley at (215) 746-5036 if you have questions.

Morris Arboretum Celebrates Arbor Day, Announces Extended Hours

caption: Branch out as a naturalist and dig into learning about trees at Morris Arboretum’s Arbor Day Family Day. Pictured here during this event in 2013, Arboretum volunteer Howard Goldstein explained to Scouts the Hardiness Zone Map of the United Sates, which is a guide to determine the best area for successful plant growth.

Branch out as a naturalist and dig into learning about trees at Morris Arboretum’s “Arbor Day Family Day” on Saturday, April 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  At five stations throughout the garden, visitors may expand their knowledge of trees while participating in challenging, fun activities.

Visitors may design a tree house, make a “tree map” with five different types of trees, create a street landscape with trees, shadow an arborist to learn what’s involved in caring for trees and learn how to “read” the life of a tree.

Also on site Saturday will be Master Cabinetmaker, Karl F. Newman, demonstrating green woodworking techniques.

This event, open to all visitors, is included with garden admission and also provides 6th, 7th and 8th grade Girl Scouts the opportunity to earn their Trees badge. Girl Scouts wanting to earn the Trees badge must register through Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, www.gsep.org

Starting in May, Morris Arboretum will have extended hours. If you’re up with the sun, start your day with an early morning visit. The garden opens at 8 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through September.

May is a great month for watching our feathered friends on their return flights north, so get out your binoculars and come early while the sun is low and bird activity is high.

But these openings are not for birders only!  Members, non-members, walkers, amateur photographers and everyone in between are invited to find the shining dew on more than 12,000 labeled plants in the Arboretum’s living collection.

Morris Arboretum is a 92-acre horticultural display garden that features a spectacular collection of mature trees in a beautiful and colorful landscape. The official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, effective 1988, Morris Arboretum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and accredited by the American Association of Museums. For more information, visit: www.morrisarboretum.org

Crimes

Weekly Crime Reports

The University of Pennsylvania Police Department Community Crime Report

Below are the Crimes Against Persons, Crimes Against Society and Crimes Against Property from the campus report for April 9-15, 2018View prior weeks' reports—Ed.

This summary is prepared by the Division of Public Safety and includes all criminal incidents reported and made known to the University Police Department between the dates of April 9-15, 2018. The University Police actively patrol from Market St to Baltimore from the Schuylkill River to 43rd St in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police. In this effort to provide you with a thorough and accurate report on public safety concerns, we hope that your increased awareness will lessen the opportunity for crime. For any concerns or suggestions regarding this report, please call the Division of Public Safety at (215) 898-4482.

04/10/18         2:00 PM           3900 Chestnut St        Confidential Sex Offense

04/11/18         10:19 AM        3925 Walnut St            Merchandise taken without payment/Arrest

04/11/18         10:49 AM        3700 Walnut St            Currency taken from cash box

04/11/18         11:02 AM        3925 Walnut St            Unsecured bike taken from bike rack

04/12/18         12:19 AM        100 S 36th St               Male wanted on warrant/Arrest

04/12/18         5:03 AM          3802 Chestnut St         Unauthorized male in building/Arrest

04/12/18         12:33 PM         3600 Sansom St          Unauthorized male in building cited

04/12/18         3:31 PM           401 S 41st St               Unsecured package taken

04/12/18         3:45 PM           3900 Sansom St          Citation issued for underage drinking

04/12/18         8:00 PM           4000 Spruce St            Citation issued for underage drinking

04/12/18         8:43 PM           4039 Chestnut St         Unsecured package taken from lobby

04/12/18         8:46 PM           4039 Chestnut St         Unsecured packages taken

04/12/18         8:47 PM           4039 Chestnut St         Unsecured package taken from lobby

04/12/18         9:30 PM           243 41st St                   Citation issued for underage drinking

04/12/18         9:30 PM           4000 Irving St               Citation issued for underage drinking

04/12/18         11:45 PM         243 41st St                  Citation issued for underage drinking

04/12/18         11:45 PM         243 41st St                  Citation issued for underage drinking

04/13/18         12:05 AM        243 41st St                   Citation issued for underage drinking

04/13/18         2:06 AM          3820 Locust Walk         Complainant defrauded out of money

04/13/18         9:37 AM          3939 Chestnut St          Male wanted on warrant/Arrest

04/13/18         4:20 PM           4000 Spruce St            Citation issued for underage drinking

04/13/18         4:50 PM           4300 Walnut St            Citation issued for underage drinking

04/13/18         9:35 PM           4050 Spruce St            Underage drinking/Arrest

04/13/18         10:18 PM         3900 Walnut St            Complainant robbed by unknown male with gun

04/14/18         9:34 AM          4201 Walnut St             Various products taken without payment

04/14/18         12:25 PM         4100 Spruce St            Citation issued for underage drinking

04/14/18         12:50 PM         4100 Irving St              Citation issued for underage drinking

04/14/18         12:53 PM         4100 Irving St              Citation issued for underage drinking

04/14/18         1:20 PM           3946 Delancey St        Citation issued for underage drinking

04/14/18         4:25 PM           3601 Locust Walk        Headphones taken while unattended

04/14/18         6:00 PM           4100 Spruce St            Citation issued for underage drinking

04/14/18         7:23 PM           4000 Spruce St            Underage drinking/Arrest

04/15/18         2:11 AM          210 S 40th St                Phone taken from purse

04/15/18         3:26 AM          100 S 40th St                Intoxicated male/Arrest

04/15/18         5:48 AM          405 40th St                   Unknown male damaged door to residence

04/15/18         4:41 PM           55 S 34th St                 Sunglasses taken from vehicle

04/15/18         5:52 PM           51 N 39th St                 Unsecured handbag taken from patient room

18th District

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 6 incidents (1 assault, 1 rape, 2 domestic assaults, and 2 robberies) were reported between April 2-8, 2018 by the 18th District covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

04/09/18         6:31 PM           46th & Market St             Robbery

04/09/18         11:54 PM         4438 Chestnut St            Assault

04/10/18         2:00 PM           3900 Chestnut St            Rape

04/10/18         7:30 PM           3401 Civic Center Blvd   Domestic Assault

04/12/18         2:38 PM           4938 Chestnut St            Domestic Assault

04/13/18         10:09 PM         46th & Market Sts           Robbery

Bulletins

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