October 6, 2020 Volume 67 Issue 13

The Robert and Jane Toll Foundation, founded by Robert Toll (L’66) and Jane Toll (GSE’66), has made a $50 million gift to the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School to dramatically expand the Toll Public Interest Scholars and Fellows Program, doubling the number of public interest graduates in the coming decade through a combination of full and partial tuition scholarships.

The Toll Foundation’s $50 million gift is the largest gift in history devoted entirely to the training and support of public interest lawyers, and among the ten largest gifts ever to a law school in the United States. This transformative gift comes at an unprecedented time in history, when lawyers working for a more just and fair system are desperately needed. Beginning in the 2021 academic year, the Toll gift will be implemented to support the tuition and programming for students working towards the crucial goals of public service. This will place the Law School in the unique position to catalyze its unwavering commitment to put service and justice into action in ways that have never before been possible, through recruiting, enrolling, and empowering the next generation of advocates.

“We are profoundly grateful for this spectacularly transformational gift from Bob and Jane that builds on their previous support of the Law School and will ultimately enable us to double the number of public interest graduates in the future,” said Penn President Amy Gutmann. “The timing could not be more important, as our country acknowledges how inadequately our criminal justice system and other institutions have responded to the country’s long history of racism and inequality. The Tolls’ visionary philanthropy firmly places Penn Carey Law in a preeminent position to support a new generation of leaders to do the substantial work required for serious reform.”

As the world continues to grapple with a global pandemic that has exposed deep inequality, the U.S. finds itself in the midst of facing and correcting the deep racial inequities present through its society. This gift will enable the Law School at Penn to widen the gateways to service for students who will change the world for the better through their careers in the public interest. By increasing the number of Toll Public Interest Scholars and Fellows, the Law School can exponentially increase the capacity of its global public interest community to fight the most significant legal battles of the time while expanding access to justice.

“A gift of this magnitude, in this current moment, creates a significant opportunity to expand on the long-standing commitment of the Law School to educate, train and launch the advocates needed to fight the injustices of our world today,” said Ted Ruger, Dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law. “These scholarships will make public interest careers accessible to a broader pool of students, many of whom are from underrepresented backgrounds. The Tolls’ generosity truly supercharges the Law School’s ability to create meaningful change in the future of our communities.”

Robert Toll, the co-founder of the American luxury homebuilder company Toll Brothers, Inc., and his wife, Jane, have previously committed philanthropic efforts to the Law School and its public interest programming. Their most recent gift expands upon a $3 million donation made in 2018 to create and launch the Toll Public Service Corps, which includes Toll Scholars and Fellows, while also establishing Alumni Impact Awards and funding additional financial and career support for alumni through loan forgiveness and the existing Toll Loan Repayment and Assistance Program (TolLRAP).

Additionally, in 2006, the Tolls gifted $10 million to the Law School’s public interest program, which resulted in its renaming to the Toll Public Interest Center (TPIC). Originally founded in 1989, the public service program at the Law School rendered it among the first institutions to require all students to complete 70 hours of public service before graduation. In 2000, Penn Carey Law was the first law school to receive the ABA’s Pro Bono Publico Award. The Tolls’ donation in 2006 resulted in significant expansion for the program, and helped TPIC grow into an exceptional hub for public service at Penn. TPIC now facilitates a wide array of pro bono and public service opportunities that focus on impactful service, personal enrichment, and professional skill development, including the promise that each graduating class dedicates approximately 30,000 hours of pro bono legal service.

“Our goal is to greatly increase the number of students entering careers in public interest,” said Mr. Toll. “It’s my hope that this opportunity leads to even more tangible, positive change from future Law School graduates.”

The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School was established in 1850. Since that time, the Law School has been at the forefront of legal education. Today the hallmarks of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School experience are a cross-disciplinary, globally-focused legal education, and vibrant, collegial community. The Law School prepares graduates to navigate an increasingly complex world as leaders and influential decision-makers in the law and related fields.

The Robert and Jane Toll Foundation was founded by Mr. and Mrs. Toll and focuses primarily on supporting projects which are dedicated to education and promoting racial and financial equity. Mr. Toll is the Executive Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Toll Brothers, Inc. and has been a member of the Law School’s Board of Overseers since 1992. He is a former member of the Penn Board of Trustees and currently serves on the board of directors of Seeds of Peace and the Metropolitan Opera. Mrs. Toll also serves on the board of directors of Seeds of Peace and Say Yes to Education.

The University of Pennsylvania’s Tangen Hall—slated to be completed in November— will be home to a variety of entrepreneurship-focused programs when it opens in January. These include Tangen the Venture Lab, a new Penn-wide hub for entrepreneurship and innovation; the Design Studio, a facility for design and prototyping that will be accessible to all Penn students; the Integrated Product Design master’s program, jointly run by Penn Engineering, the Weitzman School of Design, and the Wharton School; and the Weiss Tech House.

To support Penn Engineering’s role in these programs, Penn Engineering has created two new leadership positions. 

Mark Yim, the Asa Whitney Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the GRASP Laboratory, will serve as the inaugural faculty director for the Design Studio. Dr. Yim will be responsible for the creation of the Design Studio, which will include programming for student and maker spaces that will be used by students across campus. 

Jeffrey Babin, practice professor and associate director of Engineering Entrepreneurship, will serve as the inaugural Penn Engineering faculty director for Venture Lab. Dr. Babin will lead the development of co-curricular and extra-curricular technological innovation programming, and work with Karl Ulrich, Wharton’s vice dean of entrepreneurship and innovation, and Trang Pham, the executive director of Venture Lab, to support a range of programs in technology driven entrepreneurship, including the Berkman Opportunity Fund, Miller Innovation Fellowship, Venture Initiation Program, and the Weiss Tech House.  

October 1, 2020

We are enormously grateful to our students, faculty and staff for the outstanding start to the fall semester. Our Penn community has risen to the challenge of these unusual circumstances, finding new ways of learning, working, and talking together in an online environment as we navigate through this worldwide pandemic. 

Looking ahead to the spring semester, the University continues to closely monitor developments related to the pandemic. We are regularly consulting with city, state, and federal agencies as well as our world-class health system in assessing options through multiple committees and working groups. Although we will be back in touch with you by mid-November with more comprehensive details about our plans for the spring, we write today to share with you several important changes to our calendar to facilitate planning for students and families.  

The spring semester will start one week later, on January 20. If we are able to welcome students to campus, move-in would be on or about January 10. To provide a maximum amount of time for scheduling, we are also moving Advance Registration for the spring semester to November 30-December 7. This change will enable our students and faculty to have as much information as possible, before the last day of classes, when making decisions about spring term courses. Exams will end on December 22 as previously scheduled. Despite the later start to the spring semester, we will be able to preserve a shortened spring break on March 10-11, held on a Wednesday and Thursday to discourage travel during the pandemic. Professional programs may deviate from this schedule. 

The limited number of students on campus this fall has allowed us to set up testing and tracing systems that have operated effectively. The responsible behavior of the vast majority of our students living both on and off campus has led to a low positivity rate consistently below 2% (the World Health Organization recommends positivity rates remain below 5%). You can see the most current data at our Coronavirus Dashboard. To be able to bring all students back to campus in the spring, we would need the capacity to do regular testing on a very wide scale. Penn Medicine is working hard to help us build that capacity. But massive testing alone will not be enough to allow a successful return to campus. Students must adhere to the Student Campus Compact, which requires a disciplined respect for physical distancing, facial coverings, and limited group gatherings. We urge all students and families to be familiar with its requirements. 

To help us learn more, in real time, about how we can continue to enhance and optimize our student experiences during this challenging time, we also plan to launch a Student Survey in mid-October. This survey will include every undergraduate, graduate, and professional student. Students, please look for an email this month with your personal and confidential survey link. 

As we continue to work on plans for the spring, please know how much we appreciate your extraordinary commitment to our educational mission. We will keep you updated as events move forward and we are able to make final decisions regarding the spring semester.

—Amy Gutmann, President
—Wendell Pritchett, Provost
—Craig Carnaroli, Executive Vice President

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a shortage of polling place workers.  We have observed the nationwide effort to encourage citizens to serve as polling place workers on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2020. This is especially active in Philadelphia County, where the recruitment and training of nearly 4,500 volunteers is in process.

Service as a polling place worker generally requires active voter registration, advance preparation and training, and a commitment to 15 hours of work on Election Day. 

We announce a one-time initiative to offer administrative time off to regular staff members who serve as certified polling place workers on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, so that they may fulfill this important civic obligation during a difficult time without change in status or loss of pay. Serving as a nonpartisan, officially appointed polling place worker is a matter of public record. For this one-time initiative staff members must use the Request Time Off process in Workday before Friday, October 30.  The type of time off requested should be “Jury Duty Time Off.” Staff members who intend to participate in the program should obtain supervisory approval in advance and be prepared to verify their service to their supervisors.

Staff members who intend to serve in other nonpartisan volunteer positions, in paid or volunteer partisan positions, or as campaign workers, early-voting processors, mail-in ballot counters, polling place watchers, or Ward/Committee assignees should arrange for the use of Paid Time Off in the usual way. 

As always, we encourage supervisors to extend flexibility to staff in order to allow time to vote on Election Day. In Pennsylvania, polling places open at 7 a.m. and lines close at 8 p.m. 

—Amy Gutmann, President
—Wendell Pritchett, Provost
—Craig Carnaroli, Executive Vice President

September 30, 2020

We are grateful for and proud of your extraordinary work in sustaining Penn’s educational mission in the first weeks of this semester. We also know that faculty members continue to face professional and personal challenges resulting from the ongoing pandemic. 

We are writing today to let you know that the deadline to participate in the special faculty retirement incentive plan, which we announced last month, has been extended to November 30. The announcement (with the new deadline) is included below. As before, we encourage you to discuss your personal situation with your dean or chair and to consult the experienced counselors in HR. 

Thank you on behalf of our students and our entire Penn community. We will keep you updated as plans move forward this fall. 

—Wendell Pritchett, Provost
—Laura Perna, Vice Provost for Faculty

The University of Pennsylvania announced a special one-time faculty retirement incentive plan (Special Incentive Plan). While the Special Incentive Plan is similar in some respects to Penn’s long-standing Faculty Income Allowance Program (FIAP), it is a separate program and is only being offered for a short and specific period of time. Like FIAP, the Special Incentive Plan is available to standing faculty and standing faculty clinician-educators. Faculty members who elect to participate in the Special Incentive Plan will receive 200% of their academic base salary or 200% of the average academic base salary for full professors in the faculty member’s School, whichever is higher, but not exceeding 200% of the faculty member’s total salary. This amount will be paid in equal monthly installments over the two-year period following the faculty member’s retirement date. In addition, eligibility for the Special Incentive Plan is open to all faculty members over the age of 60 (or who will turn 60 on or before June 30, 2021), provided they have 10 or more years of full-time continuous service as a standing faculty member (including standing faculty clinician-educators) and meet the “Rule of 75” (the combination of a faculty member’s age and full-time continuous service as a standing faculty member equals or exceeds 75) as of June 30, 2021. It is important to note that the Special Incentive Plan is being offered not only to faculty members who are eligible for FIAP but also to standing faculty and standing faculty clinician-educators over the age of 69 who are no longer eligible to participate in FIAP.

Participation in the Special Incentive Plan must be elected between August 1, 2020 and November 30, 2020, and a faculty member’s retirement date must be no later than June 30, 2021. Any eligible faculty member who has retired or is scheduled to retire between March 1, 2020 and August 1, 2020 will also receive the enhanced benefit if it is more than they would have received under FIAP. Please note that, as Special Incentive Plan benefits are funded from the benefits pool, they do not impact funding for other academic priorities on campus.

If you have questions, you can learn more about the Special Incentive Plan benefits in the detailed brochure from Human Resources, and you can contact Jennifer Salwach at HRbenefits@upenn.edu. 

Renee C. Fox, Annenberg Professor Emerita of the Social Sciences, Emerita Senior Fellow of the Center for Bioethics, and professor emerita of sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, died September 23 from leukemia. She was 92. 

Dr. Fox, a medical sociologist whose teaching and research focused on sociology of medicine, medical research, medical education, and medical ethics, carried out firsthand, participant observation-based studies in the United States, Continental Europe, Central Africa, and the People’s Republic of China.

Dr. Fox graduated summa cum laude from Smith College in 1949 and earned a PhD in sociology from Radcliffe College, now part of Harvard University, in 1954. She went on to become a member of the Columbia University Bureau of Applied Social Research, and then taught for 12 years at Barnard College before spending two years as a visiting lecturer in the department of social relations at Harvard. She also spent one year as a visiting professor at the University of Oxford.

She joined the sociology department at Penn as a full professor in 1969. She served as the chair of the sociology department from 1972 to 1978. Ultimately, she held joint secondary appointments in the Perelman School of Medicine’s departments of psychiatry and medicine, in Wharton, and in the School of Nursing.

In 1998, she became the Annenberg Professor Emerita of the Social Sciences (Almanac June 16, 1998). Dr. Fox was also an Emerita Senior Fellow of the Center for Bioethics. The annual Renee C. Fox Lecture in Medicine was established in her honor.

Dr. Fox received numerous teaching awards, including the E. Harris Harbison Gifted Teaching Award of the Danforth Foundation, and a Lindback Foundation Award for Teaching from Penn (Almanac April 4, 1989).

Her books examined topics including attitude formation among medical students, training for uncertainty, organ transplants, and bioethics. She was an elected member of numerous scientific organizations, including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the Academy of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. She was a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and an Honorary Member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She was also a recipient of the American Sociological Association’s Leo G. Reeder Award for Distinguished Contributions to Medical Sociology as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities. She held 11 honorary degrees, and in 1995, the Belgian Government named her Chevalier of the Order of Leopold II.

She is survived by her sister, Rosa Fox Gellert (Robert); sister-in-law, Geraldine Z. Fox; nieces and nephews, Yvonne G. Lerew, David B. Spohngellert (Leine), Nicholas P. Gellert (Tamara), Paul K. Gellert (Rinta), Mindy Fox, and Susan Hallenbeck (Brian); great-nieces; great-nephews; and devoted caregivers, including Alzie Henry and Keyonia Renton.

The department of sociology together with the department of medical ethics and health policy at Penn are in the early stages of planning a memorial remembrance ceremony. Details will be shared as soon as they are available.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania for the Endowment of the Renee C. Fox Lectureship in Medicine, Culture and Society.

Sandi Herman, health and wellness educator at Student Health Service at the University of Pennsylvania, passed away unexpectedly September 12. She was 65.

Ms. Herman was born in Philadelphia. She received a BA from Temple University and an MSW from St. Joseph’s University. She was a health educator for more than 30 years, developing an expertise in holistic approaches to stress reduction. Working as a longtime temporary employee at Student Health Service, she provided smoking cessation counseling and workshops to help individuals and groups. She taught countless members of the Penn community—students, faculty, and staff—about guided imagery, self-massage, and mindful movement.

Ms. Herman helped thousands of students over the years find ways to tame stress and practice self-care. She had an especially devoted following for her guided meditation sessions. Some doctoral students practiced mindfulness with her for the entire seven years they were on campus researching and writing their dissertations.

“Sandi was such a pleasant, upbeat, positive energy in our office,” noted Vanessa Stoloff, medical director of Student Health Service. “After every single interaction I had with her, both personally and professionally, I left feeling a little bit better. She had that effect on me, all of the staff at SHS, and most of all, Penn students, who were so lucky to have access to her counseling. She will be dearly missed.”

Ms. Herman also maintained a private consulting practice with individuals and organizations, where she shared her varied methods for increasing calm and balance in facing life’s many challenges.

“Sandi was ahead of her time, using a holistic approach to wellness,” noted Ashlee Halbritter, director of Campus Health, the public health arm of SHS. “Her insight into student experiences was invaluable—both to her as a wellness educator, but also to me in developing wellness programming. She always wore a smile and had a great go-with-the-flow spirit.”

Ms. Herman is survived by her husband, Don Krobokin.

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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

The following agenda is published in accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules. Any member of the standing faculty may attend SEC meetings and observe. Questions may be directed to Patrick Walsh, executive assistant to the Senate Office, either by telephone at (215) 898-6943 or by email at senate@pobox.upenn.edu.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
3-5 p.m. EDT

1. Finalize the Minutes of September 2, 2020
2. Chair’s Report
3. Past Chair’s Report
4. Nominations sought for the 2020-2021 Senate Nominating Committee
5. Update from the Office of the President
   • Discussion with President Amy Gutmann
6. Update from the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
   • Discussion with CTL Executive Director Bruce Lenthall
7. Faculty Senate Select Committee on Rules Review (S2R2)
8. New Business

Whereas President Amy Gutmann and Provost Wendell Pritchett have signaled the importance of civic engagement by designating the 2020-2021 academic year as the Year of Civic Engagement; 

Whereas the University of Pennsylvania has inaugurated many programs and initiatives to encourage civic education and engagement, including without limitation the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy, Civic House, and the Paideia Program, as well as the long-standing Political Science Department;

Whereas there is a need for citizens to serve in election-related roles on Election Day (Tuesday, November 3, 2020), an activity whose importance is heightened by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic;

Whereas the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Leads the Vote program encourages voting; 

Whereas both the freedom to vote and protection of the right to vote lie at the core of all modern democracies and are core values of the University of Pennsylvania; and

Whereas technology offers the option to allow Penn students to listen to class lectures and otherwise to make up work in the case of important events such as religious or secular holidays; 

Therefore, be it resolved, that:

We, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee of the University of Pennsylvania, shall encourage all faculty who teach courses on Election Day to make the same accommodations for students who may wish to participate in forms of electoral engagement or in some other election-related activities as would be made under the Policy on Secular and Religious Holidays;

We shall make available class recordings, add office hours, and otherwise provide alternative delivery of material to ensure that students who may miss class on Election Day are not disadvantaged or otherwise penalized academically; and

We call on University leadership to include Election Day in its list of Secular and Religious Holidays.

Initiated: Eric Orts (Senate Executive Committee representative, Guardsmark Professor, Professor of Legal Studies & Business Ethics, Professor of Management) and Emily Snow (Wharton MBA ’21, GSE ’21).

Endorsed: Faculty Senate Tri-Chairs [September 16, 2020] 

Endorsed: Faculty Senate Executive Committee [October 1, 2020]

Faculty Senate Executive Committee (SEC) 2020-2021

Officers
Chair: Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Annenberg    
Chair-Elect: William Braham, Weitzman Design    
Past Chair: Steven Kimbrough, Wharton    
Secretary-Elect: Catherine McDonald, Nursing
Secretary: Alison Buttenheim, Nursing
Past Secretary: Carmen Guerra, PSOM/Medicine

At-Large Representatives
Aletha Akers, PSOM/Pediatrics
Gad Allon, Wharton
Lee Bassett, SEAS/ESE
Mary Regina Boland, PSOM/Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Informatics
Donita Brady, PSOM/Cancer Biology
Carolyn Cannuscio, PSOM/Family Medicine
Chao Guo, Social Policy and Practice
Jianghong Liu, Nursing
Rose Nolen-Walston, Vet
Guillermo Ordonez, SAS/Economics
Emily Steiner, SAS/English
Melissa Wilde, SAS/Sociology

Assistant Professor Representatives
Firooz Aflatouni, SEAS/ESE
Dennis Flores, Nursing
Cesar de la Fuente, PSOM/Psychiatry
    
PASEF Representative
Martin Pring, PSOM/Physiology

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Constituency Representatives
Damon Centola, Annenberg
Anne Berg, SAS/History        
Jairo Moreno, SAS/Music        
Ted Chinburg, SAS/Mathematics    
Wei Guo, SAS/Biology    
Joseph Subotnik, SAS/Chemistry
Kathryn Hellerstein, SAS/Germanic Lang./Lit.
Jeremy Greenwood, SAS/Economics    
VACANT, SAS/English        
Robin Clark, SAS/Linguistics    
David Spafford, SAS/EALC    
Mirjam Cvetic, SAS/Physics & Astronomy
Julia Lynch, SAS/Political Science    
Geoffrey Goodwin, SAS/Psychology
Chenoa Flippen, SAS/Sociology    
Geelsu Hwang, Dental        
Janine Remillard, GSE        
Chinedum Osuji, SEAS/CBE    
Mark Allen, SEAS/ESE
VACANT, Weitzman Design
Eric Feldman, Law
John Holmes, PSOM/Biostatistics
Jacob Gutsche, PSOM/Anesthesiology
Desmond Oathes, PSOM/Psychiatry
Pedro Gonzalez-Alegre, PSOM/Neurology
Kenneth Margulies, PSOM/Medicine
Ryan Greysen, PSOM/Medicine
Rebecka Peebles, PSOM/Pediatrics
Lewis Kaplan, PSOM/Surgery
Lea Ann Matura, Nursing
Ezekiel Dixon-Román, Social Policy &Practice
De’Broski Herbert, Vet
Dipti Pitta, Vet
Eric Clemons, Wharton
Eric Orts, Wharton
VACANT, Wharton

The Senate Committee on the Economic Status of the Faculty (SCESF)
Shawn Bird, PSOM/Neurology
Jennifer Blouin, Wharton
Peter Cappelli, Wharton, Chair
Eric Clemons, Wharton
Dennis Culhane, Social Policy and Practice
Graciela Gonzalez Hernandez, PSOM/Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics
Iourii Manovskii, SAS/Economics
Melissa Sanchez, SAS/Economics
Ex-Officio:
William Braham, Weitzman Design, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Annenberg, Faculty Senate Chair
Steven Kimbrough, Wharton, Faculty Senate Past Chair

The Senate Committee on Faculty Development, Diversity, and Equity (SCFDDE)
Hydar Ali, Dental Medicine
Antonella Cianferoni, PSOM/Pediatrics
Nelson Flores, GSE
Jorge Gálvez, PSOM/Anesthesiology & Critical Care, Chair
Daniel Gillion, SAS/Political Science
Carmen Guerra, PSOM/Medicine
Junhyong Kim, SAS/Biology
Meghan Lane-Fall, PSOM/Anesthesiology & Critical Care
Ken Lum, Weitzman Design
Amy Sepinwall, Wharton
Ex-Officio:
William Braham, Weitzman Design, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Annenberg, Faculty Senate Chair
Jorge Santiago-Aviles, PASEF non-voting member

The Senate Committee on Faculty and the Administration (SCOA)
Ryan Baker, GSE
Joel Bennett, PSOM/Medicine
Peter Kuriloff, GSE
Vera Krymskaya, PSOM/Medicine, Chair
Errol Lord, SAS/Philosophy
Steven Messe, PSOM/Neurology
Kevin Platt, SAS/Russian and East European Studies
Ex-Officio:
William Braham, Weitzman Design, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Annenberg, Faculty Senate Chair
Marshall Meyer, Wharton, PASEF non-voting member

The Senate Committee on Faculty and the Academic Mission (SCOF)
Ariana Chao, Nursing
Eric Clemons, Wharton
Chenoa Flippen, SAS/Sociology
Ani Nenkova, SEAS/CIS, Chair
Alexander Reiter, Vet
Bruce Shenker, Dental
Julia Ticona, Annenberg
Ex-Officio:
Roger Allen, SAS/NELC, PASEF non-voting member
William Braham, Weitzman Design, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Annenberg, Faculty Senate Chair

The Senate Committee on Students and Educational Policy (SCSEP)
Huda Fakhreddine, SAS/NELC
Sara Jaffee, SAS/Psychology
Carol Muller, SAS/Music, Chair
Marilyn Schapira, PSOM/Medicine
Mindy Schuster, PSOM/Medicine
Krystal Strong, GSE
Alan Strudler, Wharton
Ex-Officio:
William Braham, Weitzman Design, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Annenberg, Faculty Senate Chair
Anita Summers, Wharton, PASEF non-voting member

The Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility (SCAFR)
Geoffrey Aguirre, PSOM/Neurology
Sigal Ben-Porath, GSE
David Eng, SAS/English
Nader Engheta, SEAS/ESE
Chris Feudtner, PSOM/Pediatrics
Toorjo Ghose, Social Policy and Practice
Christopher Marcinkoski, Weitzman Design
Raina Merchant, PSOM/Emergency Medicine, Chair
Jon Merz, PSOM/Medical Ethics and Health Policy
Ex-Officio:
William Braham, Weitzman Design, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect

The Senate Committee on Publication Policy for Almanac
no chair selected
Sunday Akintoye, Dental
Christine Bradway, Nursing
Daniel Cohen, SAS/Sociology
Al Filreis, SAS/English
Cary Mazer, SAS/English
Martin Pring, PSOM/Physiology
Ex-Officio:
William Braham, Weitzman Design, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect

Faculty Grievance Commission
Chair: Mitchell Berman, Law
Chair-Elect: Santosh Venkatesh, SEAS/ESE
Past Chair: Connie Ulrich, Nursing

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee shall consist of the president of the University, the provost, the chair, the chair-elect and the past chair of the Faculty Senate, the chair of the Undergraduate Assembly, the chair of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, the chair of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly, and the chair of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly. Drawn from the Council membership there shall be in addition four faculty members, one graduate/professional student, and one undergraduate student elected by the respective governing bodies, as well as one additional member of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly and one additional member of the Weekly-Paid Penn Professional Staff Assembly, each elected by their representative assemblies. The chair of the Faculty Senate shall be the chair of the Steering Committee. In the absence of the chair, or at the request of the chair, the chair-elect shall serve as chair of the Steering Committee. The Council moderator will be an official observer at meetings of the Steering Committee. The secretary of the Council shall serve as secretary of the Steering Committee. Members of the Steering Committee may attend the meetings of Council committees.

—Council Bylaws

Members of Steering Committee

William Braham, Chair Elect    
César de la Fuente    
Kelly Diaz    
Ezekiel Dixon-Román    
Mariel Featherstone    
Kris Forrest    
Maureen Goldsmith
Ryan Greysen
Amy Gutmann
John Holmes
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Chair
Steven Kimbrough, Past Chair
Mercedes Owens
Wendell Pritchett
Mary Sadallah
Patrick Walsh
Paul Welfer

Members of Council

Faculty: Forty-five members of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate shall ensure that each faculty is represented and that at least three assistant professors serve on the Council. The members of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee who are members of the Council shall otherwise be chosen in accordance with the rules of the Faculty Senate.

One full-time lecturer and one full-time member of the research faculty are to be selected to serve two-year terms by vote facilitated by the Office of the Secretary in consultation with the Steering Committee of the full-time lecturers and research faculty, respectively, from a slate consisting of the five lecturers and the five members of the research faculty receiving the largest number of nominations by lecturers and members of the research faculty. If the Steering Committee receives fewer than five nominations for either group, additional nominations shall be solicited from the constituency representatives of the Senate Executive Committee.

Administrative Officers and Staff: Eleven administrative officers, including the president, the provost, and nine members of the administration to be appointed annually by the president, at least five of whom shall be deans of faculties.

Two elected representatives of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly. One elected representative of the Librarians Assembly. Two elected representatives of the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly.

Students: Fifteen graduate and professional students elected as members of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly. The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly shall ensure that, to the extent possible, each school is represented. The members of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly who are members of the Council shall otherwise be chosen in accordance with the rules of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly.

Fifteen undergraduate students elected as members of the Undergraduate Assembly. The Undergraduate Assembly shall ensure that, to the extent possible, each undergraduate school is represented. The members of the Undergraduate Assembly who are members of the Council shall otherwise be chosen in accordance with the rules of the Undergraduate Assembly.

One elected representative of the United Minorities Council.

—Council Bylaws

Elected by the Faculty At-Large
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Chair
Steven Kimbrough, Past Chair
William Braham, Chair Elect
Alison Buttenheim, Secretary
Catherine McDonald, Secretary Elect

PASEF Representative
Martin Pring

Elected by Faculty Constituency
Mark Allen
Anne Berg
Damon Centola
Robin Clark
Eric Clemons
Mirjam Cvetic
Ezekiel Dixon-Román
Eric Feldman
Chenoa Flippen
Pedro Gonzalez-Alegre
Geoffrey Goodwin
Jeremy Greenwood
Ryan Greysen
Wei Guo
Jacob Gutsche
Kathryn Hellerstein
De’Broski Herbert
John Holmes
Geelsu Hwang
Lewis Kaplan
Julia Lynch
Kenneth Margulies
Lea Ann Matura
Jairo Moreno
Desmond Oathes
Eric Orts
Chinedum Osuji
Rebecka Peebles
Janine Remillard
David Spafford
Joseph Subotnik
TBD: 5

Assistant Professor Representatives
Firooz Aflatouni
César de la Fuente
Dennis Flores    

Lecturers and Research Faculty Members
Research Faculty Representative: Lubica Rauova, term expires May 2021
Lecturer Representative; Lillyrose Veneziano Broccia, term expires May 2021

Members of the Administration
Mamta Motwani Accapadi
William Gipson
Pam Grossman
Amy Gutmann
Charles Howard
John Jackson
Vijay Kumar
Wendell Pritchett
Ted Ruger
Maureen Rush
Fritz Steiner

Graduate/Professional Students
Jason Andrechak
Alexander Darling
Kelly Diaz, GAPSA President
Breanna Gray
Xin Li
Aamia Malik
Anna Neuman, GAPSA Executive Vice President
Taylor Odle
Jal Panchal, GAPSA Professional Council Chair
Ben Paren
Pascal Rathle
Eric Sun
Christian Tabedzki
Paul Welfer
TBD: 1

Undergraduate Students
Jordy Atencia, Penn First
Hadja Diallo, UMOJA
Aisha Irshad, Muslim Students’ Association
Vyshnavi Kosigishroff, Student Sustain Assoc at Penn
Hugo Leo, Assembly of International Students
Mercedes Owens, UA President
Frances Paulino, Latinx Coalition
Blake Rubenstein, LAMBDA Alliance
Mary Sadallah, UA Vice President
Kai Song, Asian Pacific Student Coalition
Ana West, Consent Collaborative
TBD—UA Speaker
TBD: 4
    
United Minorities Council
TBD    

Penn Professional Staff Assembly
Kris Forrest, Chair
Patrick Walsh, Chair-Elect

Weekly-Paid Penn Professional Assembly
Mariel Featherstone, Chair
Maureen Goldsmith, Secretary

Librarians’ Assembly
Anna Levine    

ROTC Representative
Colonel Matthew C. Culbertson, USMC*

Secretary of University Council
Lizann Boyle Rode*

Parliamentarian
Lauren Steinfeld*    

Moderator
Melissa Wilde*

*Indicates a non-voting participant.

For more information regarding University Council, including Status Reports and Resolutions, see the Council website: https://secretary.upenn.edu/univ-council

Academic & Related Affairs
Chairs: Julie Fairman, Nursing (fall)
Kris Laudanski, PSOM (spring)
Liaison: Leo Charney
Staff: Jessie Burns
Faculty:
Montserrat Anguera, Vet
Nancy Hirschmann, SAS
Jessa Lingel, ASC
Janice Madden, SAS
Dan Raff, Wharton
Graduate Students:
Pascal Rathle
Christian Tabedzki
Undergraduate Students: 2 TBD
PPSA:
Lucia DiNapoli
Rashmi Kumar
WPPSA:
Elisabeth Colella
Donna Crawley

Campus & Community Life
Chair: Sara Jacoby, Nursing
Liaisons: Tamara Greenfield King
Tony Sorrentino
Staff: Emily Hobbs
Faculty:  
Francesca Rusello Ammon, Weitzman Design
Sigal Barsade, Wharton
Delphine Dahan, SAS
Nancy Hodgson, Nursing
David Hoffman, Law
Graduate Students:
Aalok Thakkar
1 TBD
Undergraduate Students: 2 TBD
PPSA:
Traci Chupik
Laurie Hall
WPPSA:
Mariel Featherstone
Laura Naden

Diversity & Equity
Chair: Ben Garcia, PSOM
Liaison: Sam Starks
Staff: Kuan Evans
Faculty:  
DaCarla Albright, PSOM
Kathleen Hall, GSE
Sarah J. Jackson, ASC
Jennifer Punt, Vet
Eric Schelter, SAS
Flavia Vitale, PSOM
Graduate Students:  
Jason Andrechak
Catherine Zhang
Undergraduate Students: 2 TBD
PPSA:
Rebecca Stuhr
1 TBD
WPPSA:  
Dana Allison
Tiffany Perkins

Facilities
Chair: Michael McGarvey, PSOM
Liaison: Mark Kocent
Staff: Taylor Berkowitz
Faculty:  
Paulo Arratia, SEAS
Cary Coglianese, Law
Erick Guerra, Weitzman Design
Michael May, Vet
Claire Mitchell, PSOM
Graduate Students:
Alex Chen
Jacob Pollicove
Undergraduate Students: 2 TBD
PPSA:
Katherine Primus
Natalie Walker
WPPSA:  
Cynthia DiLoretto
Jennifer Vatza

Personnel Benefits
Chair: Tanja Kral, Nursing
Liaisons:
Jack Heuer
Susan Sproat
Staff: Melissa Brown
Faculty:  
Janice Bellace, Wharton
Markus Blatz, Dental
Paula Henthorn, Vet
Julia Lynch, SAS
Olivia Mitchell, Wharton  
PPSA:
Valerie Morgan
Bryan Wilkinson
Miriam Wright
WPPSA:  
Darlene Jackson
Rhonda Kirlew
Rosa Vargas
Ex-Officio: Laura Perna

Committee on Committees
Chair: William Braham, Weitzman Design
Staff:
Katherine Kruger
Patrick Walsh
Faculty:
César de la Fuente, PSOM
Ezekiel Dixon-Román, SP2
S. Ryan Greysen, PSOM
John Holmes, PSOM
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, ASC
Steven Kimbrough, Wharton
Graduate Student: Kelly Diaz
Undergraduate Student: 1 TBD
PPSA: Patrick Walsh
WPPSA: Mariel Featherstone

Dear Colleagues:

Penn’s Way, our workplace charitable giving campaign at Penn, is a way for us to be there for the Penn community, and together we can make a difference for those in need. We are pleased to say that Penn’s Way is recognized as one of the most generous workplace giving campaigns in the region. Our campaign theme, Caring for Our Community, draws attention to the generosity and thoughtfulness that embodies Penn, and is so needed during these difficult times.

Collectively, our donations continue to make a broad and immediate impact on our community and the vulnerable populations we serve. Because of the unique circumstances of this year, we have elected not to set a goal, but rather to ask our Penn community to give, if they can, what they can; to give from the heart.

The Penn’s Way Campaign runs from October 5 through November 27. Please join us in supporting our region by making your tax-deductible gift now. By making a gift to Penn’s Way using the Penn’s Way website at http://pennsway.upenn.edu to enter your pledge online, you will be supporting your chosen organizations in a secure, quick and convenient way.

The website also offers valuable information on our three partner organizations, Penn Medicine, United Way, and Philadelphia Alliance for Change. All three organizations, under the Penn’s Way umbrella, utilize their expertise to confront the ever increasing challenges facing our community.

Through our Penn’s Way Campaign we can help build stronger neighborhoods, improve the quality of life, and provide options for healthier living for all people in our region. We hope to have your continued support for the Penn’s Way campaign this year.

—Maureen Rush, Vice President for Public Safety, Penn’s Way Co-Chair
—Patricia G. Sullivan, Chief Quality Officer, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Penn’s Way Co-Chair
—William Braham, Professor, Stuart Weitzman School of Design, Penn’s Way Faculty Advisor
—Peter Quinn, Vice Dean for Professional Services, Senior Vice President University of Pennsylvania Health System, Penn’s Way Faculty Advisor

A short video featuring Maureen Rush (above) and Pat Sullivan (below) talking about Penn’s Way and how this year is very different from previous years’ campaigns can be viewed at this link: https://upenn.box.com/s/7l634sqktook4dyc30xi3i3s8anjjna2

Conferences

9    Power, Politics, and Pediatrics: Assessing the Impact of Governance on Global Child Health; 12th Annual CHOP Pediatric Global Health Virtual Conference; 11 a.m.-3:15 p.m.; register: https://chop.cloud-cme.com/course/courseoverview?P=0&EID=1101 (CHOP, Nursing).

Fitness and Learning

7    Fostering College Success in Pennsylvania; session on improving higher education access and success for students who have experienced foster care; 10 a.m.; info: https://www.sp2.upenn.edu/sp2-events/2020-10/ (SP2).

Readings and Signings

Psychology
   For a full listing of book clubs in October, visit https://psychology.sas.upenn.edu/calendar/

Special Events

6    Honoring Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; discussion with several Penn Law professors; 4:30 p.m.; Zoom event; join: https://tinyurl.com/penn-law-rbg (Penn Law).

8    Penn Virtual Employee Resource Fair; access to information on the vast and varied campus resources and services available to staff and faculty; info: https://www.upenn.edu/erf/ (PPSA). Through October 9.

11    Queer Quizzo; celebration of National Coming Out Day; 10:30 a.m.; tickets: $10; https://www.penn.museum/calendar/567/queer-quizzo (Penn Museum).

Talks

7    Laughing in the Face of Death: The Comedic Force of Isabelle Huppert in La Cérémonie; Karen Redrobe, history of art; noon; Zoom meeting; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/91846842646 (History of Art).
    In Search Of: Failed Supernovae; Chris Kochanek, Ohio State; 2 p.m.; online event; info: https://www.physics.upenn.edu/events/ (Physics & Astronomy).
    Farm of the Future—II. Designing Places of Demonstration; Scott Erdy, and Sierra Bainbridge, architects; 2 p.m.; online event; register: https://tinyurl.com/vet-erdy-bainbridge (Penn Vet).
    The Toponym of "Good Governance": Racialization and Street (Re)naming in Post-Apartheid South Africa; Wale Adebanwi, Oxford; 4 p.m.; online event; info: https://africana.sas.upenn.edu/events (Africana Studies).

    Topple: The Reckoning and Re-Imagining of Contemporary Monuments; Paul Farber, Monument Lab; 6 p.m.; online event; tickets: $5; https://www.penn.museum/calendar/540/topple (Penn Museum).
8    Children’s Time Use in Routine Housework in US, 1997-2014; Kai Feng, Penn PSC; 9 a.m.; Zoom meeting; info: https://sociology.sas.upenn.edu/events/ (Sociology).
    Peptide Gels to Guide Tissue Growth; Vivek Kumar, NJ Institute of Technology; noon; BlueJeans meeting; info: https://www.dental.upenn.edu/news-events/events/ (Dental).
9    Race, Social Justice, and Social Media; Benjamin Todd Jealous, People for the American Way; Sarah Jackson, Annenberg; noon; virtual event; info: https://www.asc.upenn.edu/news-events/events (ASC).
    Changes in the Deep Gulf of Mexico and Connections to the Labrador Sea–Insights from the CIGOM Program; Rainer Amon, Texas A&M; 3 p.m.; Zoom meeting; join: https://tinyurl.com/amon-talk (Earth & Environmental Studies).
    Out of Culture and Preservation, a Racial and Economic Justice Movement; Brent Leggs, African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund; 3 p.m.; Zoom meeting; register: https://tinyurl.com/leggs-talk (Historic Preservation).
12     Manipulating Macrophage Signaling—How Macrophages Measure ‘Eat Me’ and ‘Don’t Eat Me’ Signals; Meghan Morrissey, UC Santa Barbara; noon; online event; info: manu@seas.upenn.edu (PSOC).
13    Between a Rock and Hard Place: Securing the Future of Independent News; Mark Thompson, New York Times; 5 p.m.; online event; register: https://tinyurl.com/thompson-annenberg-talk (ASC and Andrea Mitchell Center).
    Excellence in Restorative Dentistry Lecture Series; Joseph Kan, Loma Linda University; 5 p.m.; BlueJeans meeting; register: https://primetime.bluejeans.com/a2m/register/quyxduwy (Dental).

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AT PENN Deadlines

The deadline for the November AT PENN calendar is October 12. It will be published on October 27.

The deadline to submit your October events to be featured in the next Update is the Monday prior.

View the full list of October AT PENN events which will be updated throughout the month.

Join President Amy Gutmann and Michael Delli Carpini, Oscar H. Gandy Professor of Communication & Democracy at the Annenberg School for Communication, along with a panel of distinguished guests, at the 2020 David and Lyn Silfen University Forum, Civil Discourse in Uncivil Times. The forum will be held on Tuesday, October 13, 3-4:30 p.m. online via Zoom.

For more information and to register, visit https://silfenforum.upenn.edu/.

The Penn-Wharton Conference on Race and Economics will be hosted virtually on October 16 in honor of the upcoming 100th anniversary of Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander’s receipt of her PhD in economics from the Penn economics department.

The goal of the conference is twofold: to promote current academic research by Black economists with an emphasis on topics of race in the United States, and to host panel discussions on racial inclusion in the profession and questions about how economics studies issues of race as a discipline.

At 2:15 p.m., William Darity, the Samuel DuBois Cook Distinguished Professor of Public Policy at Duke University, and author of From Here to Equality, will deliver the keynote address.

Please visit the conference webpage to register, see the full agenda, and download the featured papers.

University of Pennsylvania Police Department Crime Report

Below are the Crimes Against Persons, Crimes Against Society and Crimes Against Property from the campus report for September 21-27, 2020. 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 September 21-27, 2020. 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.

18th District

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 4 crimes against persons (3 assaults and 1 aggravated assault) were reported for September 21-27, 2020 by the 18th District, covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

Now that we have entered the fall season, it is time to get a flu vaccination. The University is committed to helping faculty and staff prepare for the 2020-2021 flu season and is providing information on how and where you can get a free flu shot.

Health professionals have indicated that getting a flu shot this year is more important than ever as a way to help protect you, your family, and your community from the flu, and also preserve health care resources needed to continue fighting COVID-19. Using your medical insurance card, you can get a flu vaccine at in-network locations such as your doctor’s office, Urgent Care center, or pharmacy. Penn encourages you to consider one of the following options:

• Student Health Service: SHS will offer its annual Flu Vaccine Clinic in Houston Hall, Bodek Lounge from Monday, October 12 through Friday, October 16. The hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday. The walk-in clinics are free to faculty and staff. You do not need to register in advance, but you will need to bring your PennCard and be ready to show a “cleared” PennOpen Pass result on the day of your visit.
• CVS pharmacy: Effective October 1, 2020, faculty and staff enrolled in one of Penn’s health plans can get a flu shot at their local CVS pharmacy with no copay using their CVS Caremark card.
• Primary Care Physician: Through your health insurance plan, you can get a flu vaccine at your doctor’s office or other in-network flu shot provider. In accordance with the Affordable Care Act, flu vaccines are considered preventative services, so you will not have a copay.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, everyone six months and older should get a flu vaccine by the end of October. For more information about the upcoming flu season, visit www.cdc.gov/flu.

Thank you for sharing in our collective responsibility to protect ourselves and each other from the flu.

—The Division of Human Resources

Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Security, Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy

Every October Penn’s Office of Information Security (OIS) celebrates National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. In previous years, OIS has offered on-campus training and awareness events on key information security topics, including training events for Penn staff members and a movie night for students at a local theater where members of OIS spoke to students for half an hour before the start of a newly released movie about the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and the University Copyright Policy.

This year, most Penn students, faculty, and staff are learning, teaching, and working remotely, which makes hosting on-campus events a challenge. Yet this very challenge is resulting in new, creative ways of engaging the campus community in a discussion around three information security topics: phishing, securing home computing devices used at home, DMCA and copyright.

• Faculty and staff can enter a contest for the best 100-word personal story about phishing or securing computing devices at home. The contest is limited to 100 submissions, out of which ten short stories will be selected as finalists to receive awards.
• OIS is also offering a one-month subscription to a streaming movie service to the first 100 students that respond to a short questionnaire about DMCA.
• For IT staff, OIS brought SANS Institute, the world-renowned information security training institution, to deliver a five-day course on Cloud Security  Architecture and Operations. It was delivered live online allowing IT staff to interact with the content, ask questions, and learn from one another’s experiences.

Visit www.isc.upenn.edu/security/ncsam2020 to learn more about a range of interesting and enjoyable events aimed at heightening your digital security in our ever-changing world.

Almanac will publish weekly through the rest of the fall 2020 semester, with the exception of December 1, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving break. Submissions are due Mondays for the next Tuesday's issue.

This edition of Almanac is digital-only. Please distribute to your colleagues and encourage them to subscribe to receive the E-Almanac by visiting https://almanac.upenn.edu/express-almanac The email will include links to the newly posted material. 

No issues were printed to distribute across campus because of COVID-19. Almanac is distributed electronically each Tuesday.