August 27, 2019 Volume 66 Issue 2

Whenever first-time visitors come to campus, I introduce them to Penn by describing the University’s great natural advantage: everyone and everything is only a short walk away. By virtue of being so geographically compact, we at Penn are also naturally inclined to be intellectually connected. It’s not only natural, it’s also essential to our academic mission. With the bold goal of advancing knowledge for good, we have been building the infrastructure to ensure that crossing disciplines to discover new, eye-opening perspectives on the most profound problems is no more challenging than crossing Locust or Woodland Walk.

Over the past year, we have been advancing our connectivity on an even more ambitious scale with our far-flung alumni across the globe. Since it launched last spring, The Power of Penn campaign has given alumni, parents and friends new opportunities to engage with the University with events here on campus and abroad. On a rollout tour visiting cities across the US, in the UK, and in China, I was joined by a rotating cast of star Penn faculty from across schools and disciplines, delving into discussions that ranged across the many areas of knowledge and discovery that animate intellectual life on campus. Nearly 4,000 members of the extended Penn family joined us at these wonderfully successful events. Elsewhere, regional alumni clubs have sponsored nearly two dozen local events featuring notable Penn alumni speakers, bolstering connections between the University and local communities.

These connections that knit the greater Penn family to the ongoing work of the University serve to remind those at a geographical distance how the discovery, research and teaching underway here on campus have important repercussions all around the world. By the same token, they also serve as an important reminder to us in Philadelphia, underscoring just how much our work here on campus matters to others. Our intellectual passions give us purpose, but it is these connections—with our colleagues, our peers, and with others of the Penn family both near and far—that so often imbue a deep sense of meaningfulness and global community in what we do.

With the start of the new academic year, we are set to begin an entirely new effort focused on making new, deeper and more meaningful connections within our undergraduate student population, tying their studies and service to a more robustly engaged ideal of citizenship. We’re calling this effort Paideia, a term that references the ancient Greek ideal of “education of the whole person.” Our new Paideia program enables everyone receiving a Penn undergraduate degree to be fully prepared and engaged in the new, evolving, and sometimes daunting demands of twenty-first century citizenship. Built on foundational courses focused on wellness, service, and citizenship, Paideia will emphasize informed civil discourse and deliberation, incorporating activities that will connect Penn students with others from diverse local and global communities to focus on productively engaging across personal, cultural, and ideological divides.

We are tremendously grateful to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for generously supporting Paideia. Paideia will combine courses and co-curricular experiences that focus on bridging differences to find productive commonalities, an enormously important competency that enables students both to serve others and to thrive themselves. Many Penn students have told me how thrilled they are that we are emphasizing citizenship, service, and wellness in a specific Penn educational program open to students across all four of our undergraduate schools. They share my appreciation that fostering wellness, citizenship and service in educating the whole person at the university level has never been more important. Democracy and civil society depend upon free and robust dialogue across social, cultural, economic, and political divides. Paideia ultimately aims to provide as many Penn undergraduates as possible with the knowledge and skills, ethical frameworks, and experiences necessary to be informed, engaged and effective citizens. Among the many aims of a great university, none is more essential than fostering these lines of communication and the robust civil expression of divergent views.

—Amy Gutmann, President

Thomas Mallouk has been named Vagelos Professor in Energy Research. Dr. Mallouk came to Penn from Penn State, where he was the Evan Pugh University Professor of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Physics, and Engineering Science and Mechanics. He is a materials chemist who uses nanoscale assembly techniques to make complex materials for specific functions in solar and electrochemical energy conversion.

Dr. Mallouk has been recognized with many prestigious fellowships and awards for his groundbreaking work leading to fundamental advances in our understanding of materials chemistry and nanoscience, including several Penn State teaching awards and membership in the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The Vagelos Professorship in Energy Research was one of two established by P. Roy Vagelos, (C’50, PAR’90, HON’99) and Diana T. Vagelos (PAR’90).

Dr. Vagelos, a chemistry major who graduated from Penn in 1950 before going on to receive a medical degree from Columbia, is the retired chairman and CEO of Merck & Co. He currently serves as chairman of the board at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Vagelos served as chair of the University’s Board of Trustees from 1995 to 1999, and he is a former member of the Penn Arts & Sciences’ Board of Overseers and the founding chair of the Committee for Undergraduate Financial Aid. Diana T. Vagelos is a former overseer of the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

The Vageloses’ longtime support of Penn Arts & Sciences includes the Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology, the Vagelos Professorships in Energy Research, the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) and other science-related programs, undergraduate scholarships and endowed professorships. Their most recent gift—the largest in the School’s history—will create a new energy science and technology building to house researchers focused on energy science.

At the Trustees Executive Committee meeting held July 31, it was announced that the University has secured a $300 million  century bond at the lowest interest rate recorded for a domestic century bond.

On August 1, the University of Pennsylvania successfully priced $300 million in century bonds at a yield to maturity of 3.61%. This is the lowest interest rate ever achieved on a domestic century bond by either a corporate or non-profit issuer. Century bonds are a rare security with a final maturity in 100 years—in this case 2119—afforded only to the most select and highly-rated institutions. 

In 2012, Penn issued a then-record setting $300 million in century bonds at 4.74% to finance an ambitious slate of campus-wide sustainability initiatives.

Penn will use the newly borrowed funds to support capital projects defined within the University’s Capital Plan, including renovations of existing infrastructure, current capital projects such as New College House West and Wharton Academic Research Building and future capital projects.

Penn’s finance team seized this opportune moment in the markets to take advantage of historically low interest rates and overwhelming demand from investors. Morgan Stanley led the underwriting syndicate. Due to strong investor demand, the bonds were more than five times oversubscribed, leading to a 10 basis point reduction in the credit spread above the 30 Year Treasury from 125 to 115 basis points. 

Responding to the news, Penn’s Vice President for Finance and Treasurer MaryFrances McCourt said, “We are delighted with the tremendous investor interest and feel it is a testament to the longevity and financial strength of Penn.” 

The Trustees also approved  a resolution to approve the acquisition of interest in Hajoca Associates, under an agreement from 2003. The 3025 Walnut St. property had been controlled by Dranoff Properties, the third party developer who had  developed it. The building has a ground lease and contains WXPN and and World Cafe Live. Penn would acquire the building and refinance it in three years.

Vice Provost for Research Dawn Bonnell recently announced the appointment of Maureen O’Leary as executive director of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety, effective July 15. Dr. O’Leary had been director of environmental health and safety at Dartmouth College since 2013, in which position she provided strategic leadership and administrative oversight for all aspects of environmental health and safety. Prior to Dartmouth, she led the biosafety and biosecurity group at MRIGlobal, a non-profit research organization, working in particular on leading a team that provided  biosafety, lab design and training support for the Kazakhstan Central Reference Laboratory and Biological Threat Reduction Program.

Dr. O’Leary served as president of the American Biosafety Association 2016-2017, sits on numerous international safety and regulatory boards, and has taught in her areas of expertise at both Dartmouth and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She began her career at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and as a consultant on biosafety for academic, pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients. She earned an MBA and a PhD from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a BS in biology and biotechnology from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 

“Maureen’s broad experience across academia, industry and government in leading, implementing and managing safety programs makes her an outstanding leader for EHRS as it continues to be an essential partner to Penn’s faculty in their research pursuits,” said Vice Provost Bonnell. “I am delighted that she has joined Penn.”

Matthew Finucane, who served as executive director of environmental health and radiation safety for 37 years, retired in January 2019.

To the University Community:

The Office of Student Conduct and the Sexual Violence Investigative Officer are committed to preparing a report to the University community each summer that includes the nature of violations of University rules and regulations and the sanctions imposed. Once again, we are providing our report to the University community.

—Deborah Harley, Sexual Violence Investigative Officer

—Julie Nettleton, Director, Office of Student Conduct

*Mediation/Conflict Resolution Services for students were moved in August 2018 to the Restorative Practices at Penn Program.

That program includes a variety of restorative options for resolving case-related and non-case conflicts. See below for number of case and non-case participants.

**Group Cases include several individuals but are being counted as one respondent.

***Number of Case Investigations does not equal the number of respondents because some cases involve more than one type of misconduct.

****Number of Sanctions does not equal the number of respondents because some cases result in more than one type of sanction.

*****Unresolved can mean that a student is no longer a member of the Penn community, that the investigation is on-going, or that a determination has been made, but no agreement has been reached.

Ernestine Cooper, former employee of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine, died July 9 at Chestnut Hill Hospital. She was 95.

She was born in Asheville, North Carolina. After moving to South Philadelphia as a child, she attended Philadelphia public schools, graduating from South Philadelphia High School. Ms. Cooper began as a temporary employee in surgery at the Vet School in 1975, then moved that same year to the School of Engineering as a project budget assistant. In 1982, she returned to the Vet School as a fiscal coordinator, and she remained there until she retired in 1989.

Ms. Cooper is survived by her daughter, Joyce F. Matthews; grandson, Christopher B. Crawley; brother, John Sharp; cousin, Claudette Davis; and other relatives and friends.

Elin Danien (CGS ’82, G’89, GR’98), former staff member and volunteer at the Penn Museum and founder of the Bread Upon the Waters Scholarship Program, died February 19. She was 89.

Dr. Danien was born in New York City and began her college career later in life, graduating from Penn with a degree in anthropology in 1982 summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She went on to complete a master’s, and in 1998, a PhD in anthropology focused on the Penn Museum’s collection of Chama pottery.  

Dr. Danien originated the Office of Special Events at the Penn Museum and served as the events coordinator 1981-1989. She began the Museum’s annual Maya Weekend (1983-2013), an in-depth weekend of exploration featuring Maya scholars, epigraphers and educators. She cofounded their Pre-Columbian Society, a group of amateurs and professionals engaged in the study and understanding of the indigenous peoples of the Americas during the pre-Columbian era and today. Her research formed the core of a 2009 exhibition, Painted Metaphors: Pottery and Politics of the Ancient Maya. She was named the Penn Museum’s Volunteer of the Year in 2015.

In 1986, Dr. Danien founded Bread Upon the Waters, a scholarship program for women over the age of 30, enabling them to complete their undergraduate degrees at Penn on a part-time basis. The fund has supported more than 100 scholars.

In 2001, she was honored with the 2001 Service Award from CGS (Almanac July 17, 2001), and in 2008, she was awarded Penn’s Alumni Award of Merit (Almanac April 15, 2008).

She edited The World of Philip and Alexander, A Symposium on Greek Life and Times (1990) and with Robert Sharer, edited New Theories on the Ancient Maya, a collection of papers presented at the 1987 Maya Weekend conference (1992).She authored Guide to the Mesoamerican Gallery at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (2002), edited Maya Folktales from the Alta Verapaz (2005) and contributed to The Maya Vase Conservation Project (Lynn Grant, 2006).

Donations in her memory may be made to Bread Upon the Waters Scholarship Program at www.sas.upenn.edu/gifts/bread or by check made out to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania with “in memory of Elin Danien” on the memo line and mailed to: Laura Weber, SAS Advancement Office, 3600 Market Street, Suite 300, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Norman (“Norm”) Glickman (C’63, G’67, Gr’69), founder of the Urban Studies Program at Penn, died May 8. He was 76.

Dr. Glickman earned his BA, MA and PhD in economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He began his teaching career at Penn as a part-time lecturer in urban economics. He founded the Urban Studies Program and served as its director in the late 1960s until the early-1970s, when he was an assistant professor and later associate professor in city and regional planning. He was responsible for the overall administration and development of the interdisciplinary program concerning public policy analysis and the city, with the goal of connecting theory and practice. In 1976, he was awarded the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, and in 1977 he took on a secondary appointment as an associate professor of regional science. He became a full professor of regional science in 1982. He also served on the Community Relations Committee of the University Council and the Faculty Grievance Commission of the Faculty Senate.

He left Penn to become the Mike Hogg Professor of Urban Policy and Economics at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, a position he held 1983 to 1989. He spent the remainder of his career at Rutgers, where from 1989 to 2000, he directed the Rutgers University Center for Urban Policy Research.

During his career, Dr. Glickman authored numerous books, monographs and reports. He served as an advisor to US Department of Housing and Urban Development on national urban policy, was a member of New Jersey Governor James J. Florio’s Council on Job Opportunities, was a member of the City of Austin, Texas Economic Development Task Force for the Austin Comprehensive Plan and served as chair of the Economic Development Commission for the City of Austin, and served on the Vice President’s Task Force on Youth Employment as a principal analyst for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. He was the recipient of the President’s Award, the highest honor of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association, and he was awarded a Certificate of Special Achievement by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Dr. Glickman is survived by his wife, Elyse M. Pivnick (GCP’76); daughters, Katy Rose (C’08) (Joshua Ellis) and Madeline Claire (C’12)  (Shomik Sarkar); and sister, Marj Brown.

Harold (“Hal”) Prince (C’48, Hon’71), legendary Broadway producer, Tony Award winner and a longtime Annenberg Center board member and chair of its director’s advisory council, died July 31 after a brief illness. He was 91.

Mr. Prince was born in Manhattan and attended University of Pennsylvania, where he was an active member in Penn Players and led the founding of Penn’s radio station, WXPN.

He went on to produce and direct many of the most enduring musicals in theater history, and he won more Tony Awards (21) than anyone else.

Mr. Prince’s generosity in 1965 helped fund the construction of the Annenberg Center, and one of its three theatres bears his name. He received Penn’s Creative Spirit Award in 2015.

Mr. Prince is survived by his wife, Judy Chaplin; son, Charles; daughter, Daisy; and three grandchildren.

John Robert (“Bob”) Schrieffer, former Mary Amanda Wood Professor of Physics at the University of Pennsylvania and a 1972 Nobel Prize co-recipient for his team’s theory of superconductivity, died July 27 in his sleep in Tallahassee, Florida. He was 88.

Dr. Schrieffer was born in Oak Park, Illinois. After graduating from MIT in 1953 with a degree in physics, he went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to work toward earning his PhD. There, he worked with physicists John Bardeen and Leon Cooper to develop a theory of superconductivity. Their “BCS” theory was published in 1957 and is considered the first successful microscopic theory of superconductivity.

After finishing his dissertation, he held various positions nationally and internationally before joining the physics department at Penn in 1962. In 1964, he was named the Mary Amanda Wood Professor of Physics. He was also a member of Penn’s Laboratory for the Research on the Structure of Matter (LRSM). In 1968, Dr. Schrieffer received the Oliver E. Buckley Solid State Physics Prize, and he, with Dr. Cooper, also received the National Academy of Sciences’ Comstock Prize, an award given every five years. In 1972, Drs. Schrieffer, Bardeen and Cooper received the Nobel Prize for Physics (Almanac October 24, 1972).

While at Penn, he received an honorary doctor of science, was named a University Scholar, was elected into the American Philosophical Society, and served as an Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large of Cornell.

In 1980, Dr. Schrieffer left Penn to join the University of California, Santa Barbara (Almanac October 4, 1979), where he served as director of the Institute for Theoretical Physics in Santa Barbara, 1984-1989. In 1983 he was awarded the US National Medal of Science. He returned to Penn in 1985 to speak at LRSM’s 25th Anniversary Convocation.

In 1992, he joined the faculty at Florida State University and served as chief scientist of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee. In 2004, Dr. Schrieffer’s life took a turn when he was driving in California. His car, traveling at more than 100 mph, hit a van and killed one person and injured seven others. He was sentenced to two years in prison. He retired in 2006.

Dr. Schrieffer is survived by three children.

Richard (“Duke”) Schnolis (ENG’94 CGS’02), a programmer analyst in Penn’s School of Engineering, died July 14. He was 47.

Born and raised in South Chicago, Mr. Schnolis graduated from Penn Engineering in 1994 with a degree in computer science and a minor in music composition. Mr. Schnolis was an employee of SEAS since 1997, employed as an application developer in the computing and educational technology services department.

Mr. Schnolis is survived by his mother, Carol; brothers, Michael (Lynn), Marc (Kelly) and Danny (Katie); partner Sarah Lenz; wife, Linda DeCosta (separated); twin daughters Zoey and Amaya; and numerous uncles, aunts, and cousins; and nieces and nephews, Elizabeth, Emma, Grant, Connor and Gracie. A Celebration of Life will be held March 14 at the Woodlands Cemetery Mansion; follow www.caringbridge.org/visit/dukeschnolis for information.

To Report A Death

Almanac appreciates being informed of the deaths of current and former faculty and staff members, students and other members of the University community. Call (215) 898-5274 or email almanac@upenn.edu

However, notices of alumni deaths should be directed to the Alumni Records Office at Suite 300, 2929 Walnut St., (215) 898-8136 or email record@ben.dev.upenn.edu

As Chair of the Faculty Senate, I am privileged and delighted to welcome the Penn community to the 2019-2020 academic year. It is an honor to serve as an officer of the Senate along with my fellow Tri-Chairs Jennifer Pinto-Martin (Past Chair) and Kathleen Hall Jamieson (Chair-Elect). 

As it happens, the home schools of the Tri-Chairs are Nursing (Jennifer), Annenberg (Kathleen), and Wharton (Steve). Reflecting Penn’s long-standing commitment to shared governance, the Tri-Chairs, the President and the Provost meet frequently to discuss current and emerging issues. The administration—led by the President and the Provost, as well as Vice Provosts and other senior administrators—also consults with the faculty through the Senate Executive Committee (SEC) and other Faculty Senate-related committees. These discussions complement and are entwined with the ongoing discussions within the Senate.

I am very pleased to announce the launch of a revamped Faculty Senate website. The URL is www.upenn.edu/faculty_senate/ The site is new and very much a work in progress. It will continue to change and grow during the upcoming year and thereafter. Our aim is to create a portal that will prove valuable for communicating activities of the Faculty Senate as well as serve as a convenient and useful locus for all kinds of information of importance to the faculty and indeed the Penn community. We invite you to explore the site and provide us feedback and suggestions.  The information it presents about the role and functions of the Faculty Senate can serve as a good introduction to the Senate: www.upenn.edu/faculty_senate/about-faculty-senate.html

Engagement with ideas of the moment lies at the heart of the Faculty Senate’s work. The following are prominent among the issues that the Faculty Senate will be grappling with in the coming year:

Health, wellness, and wellbeing: These were the focus topics of last year’s special initiative of the Faculty Senate. In partnership with the administration, we shall continue to sustain this area of focus. For more information on this and other elements of the Faculty Senate’s “Engaging Ideas” program, see the faculty website at: www.upenn.edu/faculty_senate/engaging-ideas.html

Participation in honor societies: How might Penn further support the faculty in receiving admission to professional honor societies and the recognition that goes with it?

Ongoing development and deployment of online educational programs: How should they be integrated with the educational mission and other teaching modes at Penn?

Scholarly communication and open access: There is upheaval and controversy in the world of scholarly publishing. What should Penn’s stance be on the associated basket of issues?

Education for democracy: What should Penn be doing to educate its students regarding citizenship in modern democracies?

Associated Faculty and Academic Support Staff: The Faculty Senate comprises the Standing Faculty, about 2,700 individuals in all. There are in addition thousands of Associated Faculty and Academic Support Staff members, holding various titles including Professor of Practice, Adjunct Professor, and Lecturer. They make enormous contributions to Penn.  They are counted as faculty but are not members of the Standing Faculty. How should their interests and contributions be recognized? What rules should govern their relationship to Penn?

Climate change: How can the various disciplines and forms of expertise at Penn, both within and without climate science, contribute to meeting the challenges of global warming?

We welcome engagement, participation and feedback not only from the faculty but from the
entire Penn community. You may write to us anytime at senate@pobox.upenn.edu

—Steven Kimbrough, Faculty Senate Chair

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

3-5 p.m., College Hall, Room 205

1. Welcome and introductions 
2. Approval of the Minutes of May 15, 2019
3. Chair’s Report 
4. Past-Chair’s Report on Academic Planning & Budget, Capital Council, Trustees and Campaign for Community
5. Announcements 
6. Discussion and vote on the draft Charges for 2019-2020 Committees 
7. Discussion and recommendations for SEC’s agenda for 2019-2020 
8. Ad Hoc Committee on Scholarly Communications: Discussion with Constantia Constantinou, Vice Provost and Dean of Libraries, Jon Shaw, Associate Vice Provost and Deputy University Librarian, and Brigitte Weinsteiger, Associate University Librarian for Collections
9. New Business

In order to preserve the integrity of its academic standards and the degrees it grants, the University may exercise its right to revoke a previously conferred degree. Such action may be considered in a case where it is alleged, for example, that the degree has been obtained by fraud or other serious misconduct, such as plagiarism or research misconduct, while enrolled in the degree program. Although such issues arise only occasionally, a well-defined and agreed-upon process is helpful for all parties. This policy covers both those degrees recommended by the Graduate Council of the Faculties (Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts, and Master of Science) and those degrees recommended by the faculties of the Schools.

The policy was developed with all academic councils (Graduate Council of the Faculties, Council of Graduate Deans, Council of Professional Master’s Program Deans, Council of Undergraduate Deans), approved by the Council of Deans, and reviewed by the Academic Planning and Budget Committee and the Trustees Committee on Academic Policy.

The new policy has now been adopted and published in the Pennbook.

—Wendell E. Pritchett, Provost

I. Purpose

This policy outlines the process to be followed when a question arises as to whether a degree previously granted to a student should be revoked.

All degrees at the University of Pennsylvania are conferred by the President on behalf of the Trustees. Therefore, the authority to revoke a degree rests with the President of the University. The Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees are recommended by the Graduate Council of the Faculties, so that body has a role in the process for determining whether those degrees should be revoked. Other degrees are recommended by the faculty of a school at the University, so the faculty of that school have a role in the process. In all cases, the dean of the school that oversees the graduate group or recommends the degree has a key role in determining whether a degree should be revoked.

II. Statement of Policy

The University’s award of a degree constitutes its certification of student achievement. In order to preserve the integrity of its academic standards and the degrees it grants, the University may exercise its right to revoke a previously conferred degree. Such action may be considered in a case where it is alleged, for example, that the degree has been obtained by fraud or other serious misconduct, such as, but not limited to, providing false information on an application for admission, cheating on an examination, tampering with student records, plagiarism or research misconduct while enrolled in the degree program.

III. Process for the Revocation of Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts and Master of Science

A. Initiation

1.  Information that places into question the validity of a previously conferred Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts or Master of Science degree should be referred to the dean of the school that houses the graduate group in which the degree holder was enrolled.
2. Upon discovery or receipt of credible information that a graduate may have obtained a degree by fraud or other serious misconduct, the dean should initiate an investigation.

B. Investigation

1. The dean will appoint an investigative committee, composed of two or more faculty, to review the matter and recommend to the dean whether no further action should be taken, whether corrective action short of revocation is appropriate, or whether the degree should be revoked.
2. The graduate will be notified in writing of the investigation, the reason for the investigation, and the procedures to be followed during the investigation. In addition, the graduate will have an opportunity to provide information for the investigative committee to consider.
3. The investigative committee will submit a written summary of its findings and recommendations to the dean. A copy of the committee’s report will be provided to the graduate and the graduate may submit a response to it.
4. After reviewing the committee’s report and the graduate’s response (if any), the dean will decide whether to proceed toward a revocation of the degree, whether to obtain corrective action or whether to drop the matter. If the dean decides to pursue revocation of the degree, the matter must be referred to the Graduate Council of the Faculties for a hearing. The dean or his/her designate will also bring the matter to the attention of the Provost.

C. Hearing

1. The graduate may have an advisor, of his or her own choosing, during this process. (Throughout this policy, the term “process advisor” is used to refer to the graduate’s advisor for this process.)
2. The graduate should be provided written notice of the hearing at least one month in advance of the hearing. This notice should include information about the hearing process. Every effort should be made to schedule the hearing at a date and time when the graduate and his or her process advisor are able to attend in person or via teleconference. Upon a showing that the required notice was provided, the hearing may proceed in the absence of the graduate and/or his or her process advisor.
3. Members of the Graduate Council will receive the investigative report and supporting documentation in advance of the hearing. The graduate will be invited to submit information in advance of the hearing as well.
4. Both the graduate and the dean will be expected to identify witnesses and provide copies of any additional documents to be offered at the hearing at least one week prior to the hearing date. In the event that a witness is not able to attend the hearing, the witness may present information via teleconference or a signed written statement.
5. The dean (or designate) and the graduate will have an opportunity to present evidence and to question witnesses presented by the other party. Members of the Graduate Council may ask questions of any participant or witness. At the appropriate time, both the dean (or his/her designate) and the graduate may present opening and closing statements.
6. At the hearing, the graduate may be accompanied by a process advisor, who may be an attorney. If the graduate’s process advisor is an attorney, a representative of the Office of General Counsel may be invited to attend the hearing. A member of the investigative committee and the graduate group chair may attend the hearing as well. The graduate’s process advisor/attorney may provide counsel to the graduate during the hearing but (except as provided in paragraph 7 of this subsection) may not actively participate in the hearing. Likewise, the University’s counsel, if present, may not actively participate in the hearing.
7. The graduate is responsible for presenting his or her own case before the Graduate Council. However, when, in the Graduate Council’s discretion, the circumstances so warrant, the graduate’s process advisor may be permitted to address the Graduate Council or make a statement on the graduate’s behalf.
8. The rules of evidence applicable to legal proceedings do not apply to the hearing. Information, including hearsay, may be considered if it is relevant, not unduly repetitious and the sort of information on which responsible persons are accustomed to rely in the conduct of serious affairs.
9. Student members and ex officio members of the Graduate Council may be present at the hearing and the closed session. They may participate in the closed deliberations in the same way as other members of the Graduate Council; however, they may not participate in or be present for the vote.
10. At the conclusion of the hearing, the dean (or designate), the graduate and the process advisor, and all other guests will withdraw and the Graduate Council will deliberate in closed session and then vote on the question of revoking the degree. A two-thirds vote of those voting members present is required for revocation. The determination to revoke a degree must be supported by clear and convincing evidence.
11. The Graduate Council will issue a written decision. If the vote of the Graduate Council does not support revocation of the degree, the Graduate Council will so advise the dean and the matter will be dropped. If the vote supports revocation of the degree, the Graduate Council’s decision will be transmitted to the dean and the President, along with copies of all documents reviewed by the Graduate Council.
12. The Graduate Council will arrange for a verbatim recording of the hearing (but not the deliberation and voting phases). The recording and any transcription of it will become part of the record of the proceeding and will remain the property of the University.

IV. Process for the Revocation of Degrees Recommended by the Faculties of the Schools

A. Initiation

1. Information that places into question the validity of a degree should be referred to the dean of the school that houses the program in which the degree holder was enrolled.
2. Upon discovery or receipt of credible information that a graduate may have obtained a degree by fraud or other serious misconduct, the dean should initiate an investigation.
3. In cases, where there are two or more degrees housed in different schools and the validity of one or more the degrees is in question, the deans of the schools involved should confer and act in concert. In such cases, the word “dean” in the following sections shall mean the deans acting together.

B. Investigation

1. The dean will appoint an investigative committee, composed of 2 or more faculty, to review the matter and recommend to the dean whether no further action should be taken, whether corrective action short of revocation is appropriate, or whether the degree should be revoked.
2. The graduate will be notified in writing of the investigation, the reason for the investigation, and the procedures to be followed during the investigation. In addition, the graduate will have an opportunity to provide information for the investigative committee to consider.
3. The investigative committee will submit a written summary of its findings and recommendations to the dean. A copy of the committee’s report will be provided to the graduate and the graduate may submit a response to it.
4. After reviewing the committee’s report and the graduate’s response (if any), the dean will decide whether to proceed toward a revocation of the degree, whether to obtain corrective action or whether to drop the matter. If the dean decides to pursue revocation of the degree, the matter must be referred to the appropriate committee in the school, which shall convene a hearing. If no such committee exists or in cases of two or more degrees being investigated, the dean or deans should appoint a hearing committee consisting of a chair and at least three other members of the faculty of the school or schools. The dean (or designate) will also bring the matter to the attention of the Provost.

C. Hearing

1. The graduate may have an advisor, of his or her own choosing, during this process. (Throughout this policy, the term “process advisor” is used to refer to the graduate’s advisor for this process.)
2. The graduate should be provided written notice of the hearing at least one month in advance of the hearing. This notice should include information about the hearing process. Every effort should be made to schedule the hearing at a date and time when the graduate and his or her process advisor are able to attend in person or via teleconference. Upon a showing that the required notice was provided, the hearing may proceed in the absence of the graduate and/or his or her process advisor.
3. Members of the hearing committee will receive the investigative report and supporting documentation in advance of the hearing. The graduate will be invited to submit information in advance of the hearing as well.
4. Both the graduate and the dean will be expected to identify witnesses and provide copies of any additional documents to be offered at the hearing at least one week prior to the hearing date. In the event that a witness is not able to attend the hearing, the witness may present information via teleconference or a signed written statement.
5. The dean (or designate) and the graduate will have an opportunity to present evidence and to question witnesses presented by the other party. Members of the hearing committee may ask questions of any participant or witness. At the appropriate time, both the dean (or designate) and the graduate may present opening and closing statements.
6. At the hearing, the graduate may be accompanied by a process advisor, who may be an attorney. If the graduate’s process advisor is an attorney, a representative of the Office of General Counsel may be invited to attend the hearing. A member of the investigative committee and the vice or associate dean who oversees the graduate’s program may attend the hearing as well. The graduate’s process advisor/attorney may provide counsel to the graduate during the hearing but (except as provided in paragraph 7 of this subsection) may not actively participate in the hearing. Likewise, the University’s counsel, if present, may not actively participate in the hearing.
7. The graduate is responsible for presenting his or her own case before the hearing committee. However, when, in the hearing committee’s discretion, the circumstances so warrant, the graduate’s process advisor may be permitted to address the hearing committee or make a statement on the graduate’s behalf.
8. The rules of evidence applicable to legal proceedings do not apply to the hearing. Information, including hearsay, may be considered if it is relevant, not unduly repetitious and the sort of information on which responsible persons are accustomed to rely in the conduct of serious affairs.
9. If the hearing committee includes student members and ex officio members, they may be present at the hearing and the closed session and participate in the closed deliberations in the same way as other members of the hearing committee; however, they may not participate in or be present for the vote.
10. At the conclusion of the hearing, the dean (or designate), the graduate and the process advisor, and all other guests will withdraw and the hearing committee will deliberate in closed session and then vote on the question of revoking the degree. A two-thirds vote of those voting members present is required for revocation. The determination to revoke a degree must be supported by clear and convincing evidence.
11. The hearing committee will issue a written decision. If the vote of the hearing committee does not support revocation of the degree, the committee will so advise the dean and the matter will be dropped. If the vote supports revocation of the degree, the hearing committee’s decision will be transmitted to the dean and the President, along with copies of all documents reviewed by the hearing committee.
12. The hearing committee will arrange for a verbatim recording of the hearing (but not the deliberation and voting phases). The recording and any transcription of it will become part of the record of the proceeding and will remain the property of the University.

V. Appeal

1. If there is a vote in favor of revoking the degree, the graduate may appeal to the Provost within ten (10) days after notification of the hearing committee’s decision. The appeal must be written and state the specific grounds upon which it is based.
2. The grounds for an appeal are limited to the following points: a) that there was material and prejudicial procedural error in the conduct of the hearing; and b) that the result of the hearing was arbitrary or capricious.
3. Appellate review will be based solely on the record of the hearing (including written submissions and responses provided by the parties). When an appeal is received, the Provost will be provided with the full record.
4. After consideration of the appeal, the Provost will issue a written decision and provide copies of it to the graduate, the dean, and other appropriate parties. If the Provost finds sufficient basis, he or she may reverse the decision to revoke or remand the matter for further investigation and/or a new hearing.

VI. Revocation of the Degree

1. If the Provost denies the graduate’s appeal, or if an appeal is not submitted within the prescribed period, the decision to revoke will be referred to the President for final action. The President will formally revoke the degree or degrees and notify the Secretary of the University to write to the graduate informing him or her that the grant of the degree has been revoked and requesting that the diploma or diplomas be returned. The Secretary may also request that the graduate return any other University documents rendered inaccurate as a result of this process.
2. As necessary, the graduate’s official transcript and other relevant University documents will be corrected to reflect this action. In addition, the dissertation (or master’s/senior thesis) will be removed from the University Library and other scholarly repositories.
3. The President may publicize the matter to the extent that he or she, in his or her sole judgment, believes advisable. Further, the University reserves the right to notify relevant publications.

VII. Resolution Through Mutual Agreement

Nothing in this policy is intended to preclude the dean from informally resolving a matter with a graduate short of a hearing on mutually agreeable terms, including voluntary relinquishment of a degree.

The Policy on Secular and Religious Holidays guides instructors and students in those circumstances when significant observances occur during the period that classes are in session. Anyone with further questions or concerns is encouraged to contact the Office of the Chaplain, which serves as an important resource for all members of the Penn community. The Chaplain and Associate Chaplain can help if any student’s observance seems to conflict with academic expectations.

As a reminder, Jewish holidays begin at sunset. This year, Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on Sunday, September 29 and ends in the evening on Tuesday, October 1. Yom Kippur begins at sunset on Tuesday, October 8 and ends in the evening on Wednesday, October 9.

––Wendell E. Pritchett, Provost

1. The University recognizes/observes the following secular holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Thanksgiving and the day after, Labor Day and New Year’s Day.

2. The University also recognizes that there are several religious holidays that affect large numbers of University community members, including Christmas, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, the first two days of Passover and Good Friday. In consideration of their significance for many students, no examinations may be given and no assigned work may be required on these days. Students who observe these holidays will be given an opportunity to make up missed work in both laboratories and lecture courses. If an examination is given on the first class day after one of these holidays, it must not cover material introduced in class on that holiday.

Faculty should realize that Jewish holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the published date of the holiday. Late afternoon exams should be avoided on these days. Also, no examinations may be held on Saturdays or Sundays in the undergraduate schools unless they are also available on other days. Nor should seminars or other regular classes be scheduled on Saturdays or Sundays unless they are also available at other times.

3. The University recognizes that there are other holidays, both religious and secular, which are of importance to some individuals and groups on campus. Such occasions include, but are not limited to, Sukkot, the last two days of Passover, Shavuot, Shemini Atzerat and Simchat Torah, Chinese New Year, the Muslim New Year, Diwali, Navaratri, Rama Navami, Paryushan and the Islamic holidays Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha. Students who wish to observe such holidays must inform their instructors within the first two weeks of each semester of their intent to observe the holiday even when the exact date of the holiday will not be known until later so that alternative arrangements convenient to both students and faculty can be made at the earliest opportunity. Students who make such arrangements will not be required to attend classes or take examinations on the designated days, and faculty must provide reasonable opportunities for such students to make up missed work and examinations. For this reason it is desirable that faculty inform students of all examination dates at the start of each semester. Exceptions to the requirement of a make-up examination must be approved in advance by the undergraduate dean of the school in which the course is offered.

Editor’s Note: For the FY 2020 Recognized Holidays, see https://almanac.upenn.edu/articles/recognized-holidays-for-fiscal-year-2020

John Bassani, Richard H. and S. L. Gabel Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, has been awarded the 2019 Daniel C. Drucker Medal by the Applied Mechanics Division of the American Society Of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), a leading engineering organization that emphasizes cross-discipline collaboration and skill development.

Dr. Bassani has spent years studying plastic deformation and fracture from atomic-level properties to macroscopic continuum mechanics in a wide range of materials. The award announcement noted Dr. Bassani’s contributions to “the mechanics of materials in the areas of dislocation mechanics, crystal plasticity, texture evolution, creep fracture, interfacial fracture and grain boundaries through the use of innovative methods that link atomistic modeling, nonlinear continuum mechanics and computational mechanics.”

Among his many distinctions, Daniel C. Drucker was a former president of ASME, dean of engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a member of National Academies of Engineering and a recipient of the National Medal of Science. According to ASME, the Daniel C. Drucker Medal “is conferred in recognition of distinguished contributions to the field of applied mechanics and mechanical engineering through research, teaching and service to the community over a substantial period of time.”

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) has awarded two Penn engineers with The Grainger Foundation Frontiers of Engineering Grant for Advancement of Interdisciplinary Research. Lee Bassett, assistant professor in the department of electrical and systems engineering, and Andrew Tsourkas, professor in the department of bioengineering, will be using the $30,000 award to kick-start their research collaboration.

The NAE describes the Frontiers of Engineering program as one that “brings together outstanding early-career engineers from industry, academia, and government to discuss pioneering technical work and leading-edge research in various engineering fields and industry sectors. The goal is to facilitate interactions and exchange of techniques and approaches across fields and facilitate networking among the next generation of engineering leaders.”

Dr. Bassett’s and Dr. Tsourkas’s proposed research requires them to combine their different areas of expertise to push the state of the art in engineering. The pair plans to engineer a new class of nanoparticles that can sense and differentially react to particular chemicals in their biochemical environment. This new class of nanoparticles could allow scientists to better study cellular processes and could eventually have important applications in medicine, potentially allowing for more personalized diagnoses and targeted treatment of disease.

Twenty-one senior health-care leaders were chosen to join the Aspen Institute Health Innovators Fellowship’s fifth class and the program’s network of health-care entrepreneurs and innovators from across the United States. These leaders—including Penn Nursing’s José Bauermeister, Presidential Professor and director of the Penn Program on Sexuality, Technology & Action Research (PSTAR) —will embark on a two-year fellowship that will strengthen their leadership and challenge them to develop new approaches to improve the health and wellbeing of Americans.

Fellows from this class hail from all parts of the country and work across the health-care ecosystem, with expertise ranging from mental health and medicine to health care technology and venture capital. They represent business, nonprofit, and government organizations.

The Health Innovators Fellows will spend four weeks over the course of two years exploring their leadership, core values, desired legacies and vision for the health-care system. All Fellows commit to launching a leadership venture that will stretch and challenge them and have a positive and lasting impact on health care in the US. The Health Innovators Fellows join more than 3,000 other entrepreneurial leaders from over 60 countries to become members of the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN).

The Aspen Institute launched the fellowship in 2015 in partnership with Prisma Health, South Carolina’s largest not-for-profit healthcare system and an advocate for healthy-living initiatives across the state.

Dawn Bonnell, Penn’s vice provost for research and the Henry Robinson Towne Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, has been honored as one of three 2019 Distinguished Life Members of the American Ceramic Society (ACerS), an organization that strives to advance understanding of ceramics and other materials. The Distinguished Life Member award is the organization’s highest honor.

According to ACerS president Sylvia Johnson: “Every year the society honors outstanding members who have devoted their professional lives to advancing ceramic and glass science and have made significant contributions to their profession.”

Dr. Bonnell has been a member of ACerS for over 35 years and was recognized with a Distinguished Life Membership for her work on material properties. Dr. Bonnell researches how atoms’ behavior varies in different complex materials and how that variation can be capitalized on to design nanoscale devices. She will accept her award at ACerS’s Annual Honor and Awards banquet in September.

Alice Chen-Plotkin, associate professor of neurology at PSOM, received a 2019 Biomarkers Across Neurodegenerative Diseases (BAND) Program grant for $149,621 over two years for measuring different types of alpha-synuclein and tau oligomers in human-derived bio fluids from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

Yuk Yee Leung, research assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, received a 2019 BAND Program grant for $150,000 over two years to help fund research on inferring regulatory mechanisms of noncoding genetic variants in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.

Rising fourth-year student Marie-Elena Cronin (D’20) has been recognized for her community service activities as the recipient of the 2019 Dental Trade Alliance (DTA) Foundation/Benco Dental Scholarship. The award is one of 21 DTA Foundation scholarships presented annually to rising third- and fourth-year dental students nationwide, who along with academic excellence, have an established commitment to community service.

“Marie-Elena is so deserving of this recognition; she continues to be extremely committed to serving the community,” said Joan Gluch, chief of the Division of Community Oral Health.

Among Ms. Cronin’s community activities over the past two years, she has been particularly active with the Homeless Health Initiative (HHI) and the Philadelphia Oral Cancer 5K & Walk. HHI is a multidisciplinary program through Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) that provides free education and health services to children living in homeless shelters. Almost every Tuesday night, she has joined with other students and faculty to provide dental screenings and fluoride varnish applications to these children, along with instruction on oral hygiene.

“The most important part of our encounter is educating the children and their parents,” noted Ms. Cronin. “Our goal is to give these children the tools and knowledge to set up healthy oral hygiene habits at a formative age. By simply spending a few minutes with each child to educate them on the importance of taking care of their teeth through oral hygiene and diet, we can make a great impact on their lives.”

For the past two years, she has also served as executive director of the Philadelphia Oral Cancer 5K & Walk, a student organized event to build awareness of oral cancer and the importance of screening. This year, the event raised $20,000 to support oral cancer research and drew more than 300 runners and walkers.

“This year, we are very proud to have created the Penn Dental Oral Cancer Research Fund right here at Penn Dental Medicine to support oral cancer research and to help provide maxillofacial prostheses to oral cancer survivors,” added Ms. Cronin. “We are driven to work tirelessly each year by the oral cancer survivors and their families, who come out to support and participate in our race.”

As a DTA Foundation scholarship recipient, she will receive $5,000 in financial support.

Daniel Dempsey, chief of gastrointestinal surgery, assistant director of peri-operative services for the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and a professor of surgery, received the Strittmatter Award from the Philadelphia County Medical Society (PCMS). He officially accepted this award on June 29 at the Society’s President’s Installation and Awards Night. The Strittmatter Award, dating back to 1923 and considered the Society’s most prestigious award, is given to a PCMS physician who has made “the most valuable contributions to the healing arts.”

During their senior year, Penn Engineering students from all six of the school’s departments dedicate themselves to developing the pinnacle of their engineering education: their senior design project.

Through two mandatory classes taken in the fall and spring of their senior year, student teams work to pinpoint a real-world problem and spend the year trying to solve it. The process of identifying an issue, brainstorming solutions and engineering new technology requires students to consult with faculty advisors and other experts in the field to refine their project.

In the spring, each department holds their own competition to recognize the students’ achievements and to determine which teams from their department will move forward to the school-wide finals. On May 3, the final contenders gathered in Wu and Chen Auditorium in Levine Hall to pitch their projects to a panel of alumni judges who evaluated their engineering designs and their ability to communicate their projects’ capacity to make an impact.

The 1st place team, Project Kirigami ENV (MSE), Grey DeSimone and Emily Spencer, was advised by Shu Yang, professor, MSE.

Kirigami ENV is a specially engineered building envelope, which is a material applied to a building’s exterior to bolster insulation. It’s inspired by the Japanese art form kirigami, which is based on skillfully folding and cutting paper. The Kirigami Envelope expands and contracts semi-autonomously to aid with insulation, light management and water collection, promising significant reductions in the energy costs of buildings equipped with the technology.

The University of Pennsylvania made the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2019 list of healthiest employers in the “extra-large companies” category (5,000+ employees). Employers completed an online assessment and applicants received a Healthiest Employers Index (HEI), a 1-100 metric to measure their program. The six values used to judge each company were: vision, culture/engagement, learning, expertise, metrics and technology.

The article highlighted Penn’s Penn Healthy You and the Be in the Know campaign that encourages faculty and staff to not only ‘be in the know’ about key health indicators, but to also use what they know to take action for their wellbeing. There are over 30 qualifying bonus actions for the 2018-2019 campaign year, in four categories: Preventative Health, Wellness Activities, Physical Activity, and Online Programs. The campaign offers a 3 Steps for Success model, with onsite biometric screenings and an online health assessment and a variety of bonus actions.

Susan S. Ellenberg, Penn professor of biostatistics, medical ethics and health policy, received the 2019 Florence N. David Award from the Committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies, which includes the American Statistical Association, the Eastern North American Region International Biometric Society, the Western North American Region of the International Biometric Society, the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, and the Statistical Society of Canada. Named after Florence Nightingale David, an accomplished statistician and the first recipient of the Elizabeth L. Scott Award, this honor is given each year to a female statistician who serves as a role model to other women by her contributions to the profession through excellence in research, leadership of multidisciplinary collaborative groups, statistics education, or service to the professional societies. As part of this recognition, Dr. Ellenberg delivered the FN David Lecture at the Joint Statistical Meetings in Denver.

Nader Engheta, H. Nedwill Ramsey Professor in Electrical and Systems Engineering, Bioengineering and Materials Science and Engineering in Penn Engineering, has been inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE) as an International Fellow. The CAE comprises many of Canada’s most accomplished engineers and Dr. Engheta was among the five international fellows that were inducted this year.

The Academy’s President Eddy Isaacs remarked: “Over our past 32 years, Fellows of Academy have provided insights in the fields of education, infrastructure, and innovation, and we are expecting the new Fellows to expand upon these contributions to public policy considerably.”

Dr. Engheta was recognized “for his trailblazing contributions in engineering and physics of light-matter interaction in metamaterials.”

Dr. Engheta’s research interests span the fields of nanooptics and nanophotonics, metamaterials and plasmonics, and optical nanostructure modeling. He also has an ongoing collaboration with the University of Ottawa, and he has previously spoken at its annual Schawlow-Townes Symposium on Photonics.

Matthew Hartley, GSE’s associate dean of academic affairs, was nominated by Nazarbayev University’s Graduate School of Education for a national award in Kazakhstan. The award was presented at a meeting in Cambridge, England by Nazarbayev University GSE’s dean Aida Sagintayeva, “for contributions to the development of research (science) for the Republic of Kazakhstan” based on NU’s and Penn GSE’s joint research in education.

Dawn Mechanic-Hamilton, assistant professor of neuropsychology at PSOM and director of Cognitive Fitness Programs and Neuropsychological Services at the Penn Memory Center, received an Alzheimer’s Association Clinician Scientist Fellowship Program grant for $139,497 over two years for research and the development of a mobile cognitive assessment tool.

Gabor Egervari, postdoctoral researcher in cell and developmental biology, received an Alzheimer’s Association Research Fellowship (AARF) Program grant of $175,000 over three years for research on ACSS2 and the metabolic-epigenetic axis in Alzheimer’s disease.

Laura Wisse, postdoctoral fellow in radiology, received an AARF Program grant for $175,000 over three years for research on the etiology and progression of suspected non-Alzheimer’s pathophysiology.

The US Government Accountability Office appointed Amol Navathe, co-director of the Healthcare Transformation Institute and associate director of the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics at Penn, to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). Congress established MedPAC in 1997 to analyze access to care, cost and quality of care and other key issues affecting Medicare. MedPAC advises Congress on payments to providers in Medicare’s traditional fee-for-service programs and to health plans participating in the Medicare Advantage program. Dr. Navathe, assistant professor at Penn and staff physician at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, and his research group designs, tests and evaluates payment models for national insurers and state Blue Cross-Blue Shield plans. He also leads the American Hospital Association’s national bundled payment collaborative to disseminate evidence-based best practices. He received his MD from Penn Medicine and his PhD in health-care management and economics from Penn’s Wharton School.

Ravi Parikh, a fellow in Penn Medicine’s hematology-oncology department, received a 2019 Harry F. Bisel, MD, Endowed Young Investigator Award from the Conquer Cancer Foundation and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The $50,000 award will go toward Dr. Parikh’s research, “Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy in Patients with Poor Performance Status: Real-World Uptake and Effectiveness.” He accepted the award at the ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Robert H. Vonderheide, director of Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center, received a Stand Up to Cancer grant for his role as the leader of a Pancreatic Cancer Collective New Therapies Challenge Research Team. The team’s project is called “Antigenicity of mutant KRAS and impact on cancer evolution.” Their work will combine expertise in immunobiology and computational biology to analyze three unique, clinically curated datasets, including short- and long-term pancreatic cancer survivors, primary resected pancreatic cancers and mKRAS lung and colon cancers, to investigate how mKRAS immunogenicity may dictate outcomes. The two-year grant provides $225,000 for this research.

August 26th was the 99th anniversary of the 19th amendment becoming law. In recognition of the landmark event, the Annenberg Public Policy Center has released The 19th Amendment: A Woman’s Right to Vote, a new film in the Annenberg Classroom video series.

With the 19th Amendment’s centennial just a year away, Annenberg Classroom has released The 19th Amendment: A Woman’s Right to Vote, a video about women’s struggle to secure the right to vote and the amendment’s long journey to passage.

The Annenberg Classroom is a project of the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics, a nonprofit, nonpartisan program of Penn’s Annenberg Public Policy Center, in partnership with the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands. It provides resources for middle and high school students, and it features a library of more than 60 videos, including conversations with Supreme Court justices, interactive games, a guide to the Constitution and other resources.

The Annenberg Public Policy Center was established in 1993 to educate the public and policy makers about the media’s role in advancing public understanding of political, health and science issues at the local, state and federal levels.

Featuring Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Anthony Kennedy and other legal scholars, the new film traces the fight for equal rights. It begins with the emergence of the suffragist movement from the anti-slavery movement of the 1800s and progresses with the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, which adopted the “Declaration of Sentiments,” a set of resolutions written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

“Voting is the most basic right of a citizen,” Justice Ginsburg says in the film. “The most fundamental right and obligation is to participate in choosing the people who will make the laws of our country.”

Annenberg Classroom’s video about the more than 70-year struggle vividly depicts the roles of key figures such as Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul and Carrie Chapman Catt, and the surprising parts played by an obscure 24-year-old first-term Tennessee legislator named Harry T. Burn—and by Harry’s mother.

Ninety-nine years ago, on August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment, which met the constitutional requirement that an amendment be ratified by three-fourths of the states (following approval by Congress). The 19th Amendment became law eight days later, on August 26, a date now recognized nationwide as Women’s Equality Day.

Susan B. Anthony was arrested and indicted after voting in 1872. She argued unsuccessfully she had that right under the 14th Amendment. The film also follows key court cases such as Minor v. Happersett (1875), in which the nine justices of the Supreme Court, all men, ruled that the equal protection clause of the newly passed 14th Amendment—“No state shall deny to any person the equal protection of the laws”—did not guarantee women the right to vote.

The film is close-captioned and comes with a lesson plan. It is available free for streaming or downloading at annenbergclassroom.org/resource/the-19th-amendment-a-womans-right-to-vote/

The Civics Renewal Network, a consortium of nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations including the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the Newseum and Annenberg Classroom, offers a curated collection of resources for teaching the 19th Amendment.

For more information, visit annenbergclassroom.org

Download the September AT PENN calendar as a PDF or visit the online version at https://almanac.upenn.edu/at-penn-calendar/september-at-penn-2019

Professional and Personal Development

Open to faculty and staff. 

Register at http://knowledgelink.upenn.edu/

Psychology of Job Performance; 9/10; 12:30-1:30 p.m. Successfully overcoming performance issues in the workplace requires a basic understanding of how the human mind works. In this hour-long session, we will discuss how job performance intersects with concepts within the field of psychology, such as behavioral science and motivation. We will discuss how these concepts form a framework that can be used to diagnose performance issues and realize the most efficient and effective ways to overcome them.

Art of Effective Communication; 9/12; 12:30-1:30 p.m. The skill of effective communication is at the forefront of a successful work environment. We utilize these skills to keep projects on task, convey responsibilities, and work with individuals of all hierarchy levels and backgrounds. Learning to develop a personal communication plan, recognize different communication styles, and utilize tools to facilitate effective communication can help individuals to better their working relationship and project plans.

Creative Problem Solving; 9/12; 9 a.m.-noon, $75. While problems come in all shapes and sizes, knowing how to overcome them in a creative way can help find new solutions in various situations.  This program will identify roadblocks that prevent creative thinking, rediscover your creative ability, learn techniques to recognize and identify problems, and explore ways to manage creative people.

Assertiveness Skills; 9/18; 12:30-1:30 p.m. You may experience situations when you need to utilize assertiveness to complete a task, goal or project. In this class, we will identify personal blocks to assertiveness, identify both assertive and non-assertive language and behaviors,and learn ways to use assertiveness in everyday situations.

How to Nominate a Staff Member or Team for a Models of Excellence Award; 9/30; 3-4 p.m. Do you work with someone who shows special initiative or demonstrates outstanding leadership? Have you noticed that a colleague or team excels at fostering workplace collaboration or shows an especially deep commitment to service? If so, then recognize them as a Model of Excellence. The Selection Committee depends on the content of the nominations to make its decisions. Therefore, nominations submitted should be as detailed and descriptive as possible in order to convey a nominee’s exceptional performance. Be sure to attend this workshop and learn about how best to write your nomination.

Work-life Workshops

Open to faculty and staff. 

Register at www.hr.upenn.edu/registration

Introduction to the Mindfulness in the Workplace Program; 9/5 and 9/11; noon-1 p.m. This one-hour presentation will provide an introduction to the practice of mindfulness and how it can be utilized as a tool to manage stress in personal and professional settings. Attendance at one of the one-hour presentation sessions is required for acceptance into the eight-week Mindfulness in the Workplace program which begins in October.

Mindfulness; 9/10; 12:30-1:30 p.m. This monthly workshop will offer participants an opportunity to practice awareness activities adapted from Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. During the first part of our practice, we will begin with a guided meditation focusing on the breath. The second half of our session will focus our attention on a guided exploration of the body, bringing awareness to the different areas of the body and allowing ourselves to experience how each part feels, without trying to change anything. No experience necessary.

Positive Momentum: 4-Week Mindfulness Course; 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/17; 12:30-1:45 p.m. This 4-session mindfulness course offers participants an opportunity to practice calming and effective awareness activities adapted by Jennifer Schelter (Best of Philly, Radiant Retreat—your fullest gifts, self-care and creativity retreat). Sessions will begin with a brief guided meditation to feel present. Following this mediation, participants will experience a short journaling exercise to clarify your most cherished gifts or current goals (health, career, community, relationship, etc.). The group will also discuss how to apply mindful awareness to everyday life for greater ease, natural evolution, and self-development. The session will conclude with a simple body scan, visualization of successes and communal gratitude circle. No experience necessary. Participants must attend all four sessions to earn 30 Be in the Know Bonus Action Points. 

Stress Management; 9/24; 12:30-1:30 p.m. It is natural to become stressed when the demands on time and energy have become too great. This can happen both at home and at work, and can severely limit productivity and effectiveness. This workshop shows the physiological stages of stress development and its harmful effects on the body. It also addresses the defining symptoms and different sources of stress. This useful information is incorporated with helpful stress relievers and imagery techniques.

Thinking About Retirement; 9/25; 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Each concurrent Thinking About Retirement’s information session focuses on one of these topics: Retirement Plan Income, Social Security and Penn Benefits & Medicare. At Retirement Plan Income, a retirement plan counselor from Vanguard will discuss retirement plan distributions. At Social Security, a representative from the Social Security Administration will share valuable details about this program. At Penn Benefits & Medicare, representatives from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, along with Benefits Specialists from Human Resources, will explain your retirement healthcare options. Penn Benefits Specialists will also be available throughout the event to answer your questions about retirement savings, healthcare,and other aspects of retiree benefits for you and your dependents.

Guided Meditation; 9/27; noon-1 p.m. Practice mindful breathing that focuses your attention on the present moment with kindness, compassion,and awareness. Self-massage and gentle mindful movements that promote relaxation and reduce stress may also be included in the workshop. No experience necessary.

Investing 101 Workshop; 9/30; noon-1 p.m. Join our speaker, Albert Corrato, Jr., Certified Financial Planner Professional from Creative Financial Group, MassMutual, for this financial wellness learning opportunity. This workshop will provide a basic overview of investing that explains the difference between saving and investing, asset classes and investment styles, stocks and bonds and types of mutual funds.

Penn Healthy You Workshops

Open to faculty and staff. 

Register at www.hr.upenn.edu/registration

Gentle Yoga; 9/5 and 9/26; 11 a.m.-noon. Let your body reward itself with movement! Join us for this Gentle Yoga session and explore the natural movements of the spine with slow and fluid moving bends and soft twists. During this session, you will flow into modified sun salutations that loosen those tightened muscles and joints of the lower back, neck, shoulders and wrists. And as an added bonus, you’ll get a workout in the process. Mats and props will be provided.

Spinning; 9/11; 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Pedal your way to a fantastic workout indoors! With the use of stationary cycles, each class is led on a “virtual” outdoor road, complete with a variety of exercises. This class will give you an energizing, calorie-burning, fun workout and it is great for all fitness levels because you will always ride at a self-directed pace.

Wellness Walk; 9/13; noon-1 p.m. Our wellness walks encourage participants to increase their physical activity by stepping outside to pump up their heart rate by walking through Penn’s beautiful campus. What better way to get motivated and gain energy for the day! Meet the Center for Public Health Initiatives staff at noon in front of College Hall by the Ben Franklin statue. The walk will be approximately two-miles and we will inform you when we have reached the one-mile mark in the event that you need to exit the walk early. We hope you will be able to join us. Bring your water bottle and don’t forget to bring along a colleague and your sneakers!

Chair Yoga; 9/18; noon-1 p.m. Interested in trying yoga but don’t know where to start? Join us for a wonderful class of chair yoga. You get the same benefits of a regular yoga workout (like increased strength, flexibility and balance) but don’t have to master complex poses. Chair yoga can even better your breathing and teach you how to relax your mind and improve your wellbeing.

Healthy Aging: Eating to Stay Young Workshop; 9/19; noon-1 p.m. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans present a general outline for a healthy diet. But as you age, some foods may be better than others for staying healthy and reducing your chance of illness. This presentation includes the following topics: important nutrients to know, plans for healthy eating, healthy lifestyles, shopping tips and food safety. MyPlate for Older Adults highlights the unique nutritional and physical activity needs of people as they age. Join Patti Skahan, MS, RDN, LDN, for this workshop on smart food choices to promote healthy aging. 

Zumba; 9/20; noon-1 p.m. Perfect for everybody and every body! Each Zumba® class is designed to bring people together to burn calories. We take the “work” out of workout, by mixing low-intensity and high-intensity moves for an interval-style, calorie-burning dance fitness party. Once the Latin and World rhythms take over, you’ll see why Zumba® Fitness classes are often called an exercise in disguise.

—Division of Human Resources

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 August 12-18, 2019. View 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 for the dates of August 12-18, 2019.The University Police actively patrol from Market St to Baltimore and 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.

08/13/19     2:36 PM.                    3901 Walnut St                    Cellphone taken from restroom

08/14/19     6:24 AM                     3744 Spruce St                    Merchandise taken without payment/Arrest

08/14/19     8:48 AM                     140 S 36th St                       Currency taken from safe

08/14/19     4:14 PM                     3925 Walnut St                    Merchandise taken without payment/Arrest

08/15/19     3:04 PM                     4038 Sansom St                  Unsecured package taken from porch/Arrest

08/16/19     6:02 PM                     3925 Walnut St                    Merchandise taken without payment/Arrest

08/16/19     8:22 PM                     4006 Market St                    Cellphone taken from pocket

08/17/19.    8:45 AM                     4000 Delancey St                 Offender narcotics and FTA warrant/Arrest

08/17/19.    9:30 AM                     3925 Walnut St                    Merchandise taken without payment/Arrest

08/17/19     12:53 PM                   3925 Walnut St                    Merchandise taken without payment/Arrest

08/17/19.    6:40 PM                     51 N 39th St                         Unsecured wallet stolen

08/18/19     12:37 PM                   3916 Locust Walk                 Stained windows damaged by unknown person(s)

08/18/19     1:11 PM                     3925 Walnut St                     Merchandise taken without payment/Arrest

08/18/19     7:36 PM                     2929 Walnut St                    Unsecured cash stolen

08/18/19     10:25 PM                   3100 Walnut St                    Male punched in the face

08/18/19     10:50 PM                   3400 Spruce St                   Purse stolen from vehicle

18th District

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 1 incident (I robbery) were reported from August 12-18, 2019 by the 18th District covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

08/14/19.    7:58 AM.                    46th/Baltimore Ave              Robbery

This tip is based on the actual experience of a University staff member on international travel.

Last June, I took two weeks off to travel out of the US. Before my travel, I completed several tasks and made sure to print Two-Step Verification codes in the event I needed access to my Penn accounts. Rushing to leave the office to finish packing, I forgot the verification codes. 

During my trip, an urgent work matter surfaced. I tried to log into my Penn account and was faced with the requirement to enter a verification code. I realized that I had forgotten the verification codes and panicked. In desperation, I looked at my smartphone hoping the Duo Mobile app could generate a code without any cellular or Wi-Fi network connection. To my pleasant surprise it worked, and I was able to access my Penn account.  

This experience reminded me to pay attention to a few awareness tips concerning access to Penn accounts while traveling: 

• Download the Duo Mobile app for Two-Step Verification to access Penn accounts.  
• Keep my device operating systems up-to-date with the latest security updates. 
• Print a list of Two-Step Verification codes to carry during travel and don’t forget it!  
• Back up data in a secure location and avoid carrying sensitive data in case of damage or theft.  
• Be cautious accessing work or personal accounts containing sensitive data on a public network.  

I also found ISC’s Office of Information Security tips on Data Security on Foreign Travel very helpful: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/aware/practice/travel

For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts#One-Step-Ahead

The Office of the University Registrar and the Next Generation Student Systems (NGSS) program announced the release of the third edition of the University Catalog on May 28. The 2019-2020 Catalog builds on the previous versions by incorporating professional and certificate programs. The Catalog now includes a complete list of all programs at Penn for academic credit, courses at all levels of study, and important policies and resources. 

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 provides a listing, by subject, of course offerings across the campus at all levels of study. The Catalog also includes the Pennbook, a collection of University policies relating to student life, the Faculty Handbook and enhanced search functionality for academic programs. 

Since the launch of the first edition in 2017, the Catalog has received more than 1 million unique visitors from across the world, representing more than 200 countries. The site is designed for use on all devices, with more than 120,000 visitors accessing the site via a mobile device and 600,000 visitors using a desktop computer.

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 grateful to the many members of our community who worked collaboratively to create this Catalog.

—Margaret Kip, University Registrar

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

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

Did you know that you can download Penn’s Academic Calendar to your personal calendar? Visit www.upenn.edu/almanac/penn-academic-calendar and click on the “Add to Calendar” button. Then choose which semester you’d like to download­­—or download several semesters at once! The syncing option is compatible with Google, Exchange, Apple, Yahoo, and Outlook calendars, and even has a download option for other types of calendars.