December 8, 2020 Volume 67 Issue 21

Mackenzie Fierceton, a University of Pennsylvania May graduate who is currently completing her master’s degree at Penn, has been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship for graduate study at the University of Oxford.

Ms. Fierceton earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the College of Arts & Sciences and is currently completing her clinical master’s in social work degree after submatriculating into the School of Social Policy & Practice program in 2018.

“We are extremely proud of Penn’s newest Rhodes Scholar. Committed to research and advocacy to make a positive impact in the world, Mackenzie is so deserving of this prestigious opportunity to build upon her Penn education and experience,” said Penn President Amy Gutmann. “As a first-generation low-income student and a former foster youth, Mackenzie is passionate about championing young people in those communities through her academic, professional, and personal endeavors, dedicating herself to a life of public service.”

The Rhodes is highly competitive and one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world. The scholarships provide all expenses for as long as four years of study at Oxford in England.

Ms. Fierceton is one of the 32 American Rhodes Scholars chosen to represent the United States. According to the Rhodes Trust, this year more than 2,300 American students began the application process; 953 were endorsed by 288 different colleges and universities; and 238 applicants from 86 colleges and universities reached the final stage of the competition.

As a former foster youth, and queer first-generation low-income student, Ms. Fierceton works to uplift the voices of her communities through her academic, professional, and personal pursuits, including her capstone thesis on the foster care-to-prison pipeline and her youth-centered community organizing work.

Ms. Fierceton is a Civic Scholar and has served as a leader within the Civic House community throughout her Penn career with a commitment to civic engagement, social justice, and service. Outside of Penn, she is a policy fellow for Philadelphia City Council member Helen Gym, and she is a volunteer birth doula with the Philadelphia Alliance for Labor Support.

At Oxford, Ms. Fierceton plans to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy degree in social policy. Upon returning to Philadelphia, she intends to continue her career in public service.

Ms. Fierceton applied for the Rhodes Scholarship with assistance from Penn’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. The award brings the number of Penn Rhodes Scholars to 31 since the Scholarship’s creation in 1902.

Sonal Khullar has joined Penn’s history of art department as the W. Norman Brown Associate Professor of South Asian Studies. Dr. Khullar came to Penn from the University of Washington, where she was an associate professor of art history. Her research, which focuses on the art of South Asia from the 18th century onward, has been supported by grants and fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies, the American Institute of Indian Studies, the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, and the Japan Foundation. 

Dr. Khullar’s first book, Worldly Affiliations: Artistic Practice, National Identity, and Modernism in India, 1930-1990, received the Bernard S. Cohn Prize of the Association for Asian Studies and the Millard Meiss Publication Award and Meiss/Mellon Author’s Book Award of the College Art Association. Her second book, The Art of Dislocation: Conflict and Collaboration in Contemporary Art from South Asia, is under contract with University of California Press. She is editing a volume, From Kitabkhana [Library] to Karkhana [Workshop]: The Arts of the Book in South Asia, under contract with the University of Washington Press. 

The W. Norman Brown Professorship in South Asian Studies was established anonymously in 1981 in honor of the late Penn Professor W. Norman Brown. Dr. Brown advanced the study of the South Asian subcontinent throughout his career. Founder of the first academic department of South Asian Studies (which was at Penn), he spent the early part of his life in India and was a leading scholar of that region.

Yoichiro Mori, who recently joined Penn as a professor of mathematics and biology, has been appointed Calabi-Simons Professor in Mathematics and Biology, effective July 1, 2020. An expert in mathematical physiology and biophysics, as well as applied and numerical analysis, Dr. Mori is an internationally recognized leader in the application of mathematics to important problems in biology and biophysics. After completing medical school at the University of Tokyo, he obtained a PhD in mathematics from New York University. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia and a professor at the University of Minnesota for 11 years before joining Penn in 2019 as a visiting professor. He is the recipient of several distinguished fellowships and awards, including the Leslie Fox Prize in Numerical Analysis, the McKnight Land-Grant Professorship, and the Sloan Foundation Fellowship.

The Calabi-Simons Professorship in Mathematics and Biology was established jointly by The Simons Foundation and Eugenio and Giuliana Calabi to recruit a faculty member to hold a joint appointment between the departments of biology and mathematics. Eugenio Calabi is a visionary mathematician whose work has had profound implications beyond his own field of complex differential geometry. Dr. Calabi has been on the faculty in Penn’s Department of Mathematics since 1964 and is the Thomas A. Scott Professor of Mathematics Emeritus. In 2014, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Sciences from the University of Pennsylvania (Almanac February 18, 2014). The Simons Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in 1994 by Jim and Marilyn Simons. The foundation’s mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences, and it sponsors a range of programs that aim to promote a deeper understanding of our world.

December 3, 2020

A Message to Penn Undergraduates

We hope that all of you enjoyed your holiday last week, even in the face of current circumstances. It is invaluable to take time off to recharge, maintain our wellness, and do our best work at Penn. In that context, we have heard your concerns about creating a shorter Spring Break in 2021 due to the pandemic. We are grateful for all the constructive engagement that has helped us find a better way forward for the spring semester. 

We are very pleased to let you know that, working closely with our deans and student leaders, we will now plan three additional days with no classes in the spring semester: Friday, February 12; Tuesday, March 30; and Monday, April 12. These three days also will have neither course assessments nor asynchronous classes. They will offer self-directed activities that advance our community, both to engage with Philadelphia for our Year of Civic Engagement and to explore opportunities and faculty expertise at Penn, including asynchronous preceptorials and other events with campus organizations. 

This schedule—including the two days of Spring Break on Wednesday, March 10 and Thursday, March 11—preserves five weekdays off in the spring semester, while spreading them across the term to provide consistent breaks and still discourage travel during the pandemic. This also will help us reaffirm our Penn and Philadelphia communities at a time when we need these connections more than ever. In the new semester, we will follow up with more details about these activities and initiatives.

We look forward to coming together in January for a better year ahead, and we wish you all the best for the closing weeks of the fall semester. 

—Amy Gutmann, President
—Wendell Pritchett, Provost

December 3, 2020

A Message to the Penn Community

As we prepare for the Spring semester, we would like to thank the University community for your ongoing efforts and dedication to supporting our COVID-19 response. We all share the responsibility of creating a healthy, safe environment, and testing is a critical part of that response.

In that context, we would like to share some important news about the University’s new saliva-based screening test. Starting Monday, December 7, we are inviting students, faculty, staff, and post-docs who are enrolled in the Fall testing program and are still living in the Philadelphia area to experience Penn’s new saliva-based screening test for the remainder of the Fall. This FDA-approved test is as effective as the current nasal tests while being easier and less invasive, and it will allow us to ramp up our testing capacity as we prepare to welcome more students for the Spring semester.

Screening testing will now be by appointment only; the nature of this test does not allow us to do walk-in screenings. Testing if you are asymptomatic will only be available if you are currently enrolled in the Fall screening program. Using PennOpen Pass will continue to help those who need testing based on symptoms or a notification of exposure to COVID-19.

As we navigate this pandemic, we must continue to be vigilant about wearing facial coverings, remaining physically distant, and washing our hands frequently. We encourage all students who have not returned home to do so now, as traveling during non-peak holiday times will be safer. Thank you for your partnership as we work together to reduce the risks to ourselves and our communities.

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

Among the Weitzman School’s latest efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion within their community and the design professions, the School has established the Julian Abele Fellowship in Architecture, which will be given annually to a graduate architecture student or students once the fund is fully endowed. The Fellowship is named for the first Black architect to graduate from Penn.

“Julian’s extraordinary design talent is on full display in some of 20th-century America’s most prestigious buildings, and, as a family, we are so pleased that the Weitzman School is recognizing his remarkable contributions,” said Peter D. Cook, the great-grand-nephew of Mr. Abele, a graduate of Columbia University’s architecture program, and a design principal at HGA architects in Washington, D.C. “As of 2019, based on AIA membership, Black architects made up less than three percent of the profession. This initiative will, hopefully, inspire increased diversity in the profession while honoring Julian’s legacy.”

Born in 1881, Julian F. Abele, B.Arch’1902, was recruited—and quickly promoted to be chief designer—by famed Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer, but for much of the 20th century his achievements were under-recognized. Among the iconic buildings Mr. Abele designed or helped to design are the Widener Memorial Library at Harvard University, the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He also contributed to the design of Irvine Auditorium—often cited by visitors and alumni as their favorite interior space on campus, along with the Fisher Fine Arts Library, designed by Frank Furness—and other buildings on Penn’s campus. Mr. Abele provided original drawings for the design of Duke University’s campuses in Durham, North Carolina, though the school did not begin admitting Black students until the early 1960s. Mr. Abele was never able to visit the campus, and Duke officials did not formally acknowledge his role in designing it for decades. Mr. Abele died at home in Philadelphia in 1950.

In recent decades, both Philadelphia and Duke have paid tribute to Mr. Abele. In 1984, he was honored by the City of Philadelphia for the design of the Central Library and, shortly thereafter, for his contribution to the design of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Historical markers were placed at each site. In 1987, through the efforts of Mr. Abele’s great-great-niece, Susan Cook, then a student there, Duke University installed a commissioned portrait of Mr. Abele in the lobby of the Allen Building (the University’s main administration building). In 2016, Duke’s leadership hosted a daylong ceremony attended by trustees, faculty, and Mr. Abele’s family to dedicate the University’s central West Campus quad the “Abele Quad.” (A quotation on the bronze marker reads, “If you seek his monument, look around.”)

Reflecting on these honors, Julian Abele’s son, Julian Abele Jr., says, “Dad was not around to receive any [of them], but I’m sure that no honor would be greater than any he might receive from his alma mater.”

The Weitzman School has received a $25,000 gift from a lead donor to establish the Fund, and is seeking to raise an additional $50,000 in gifts and multi-year commitments to be eligible for a $25,000 Weitzman Fellowship Match. A minimum of $100,000 is needed to establish an endowed fellowship fund at the School. The School hopes to go beyond the minimum amount to add greater value and a larger fellowship amount for perpetuity. 

When it comes to awarding the new fellowship, consideration will be given to the applicant’s socioeconomic and educational background, status as a member of an under-represented minority group, and commitment to ensuring diverse voices in the field of architecture so as to enhance the experience of students in the graduate architecture programs and advance its mission.

Visit the Penn Giving page to contribute to the Julian Abele Endowed Fellowship Fund.

To discuss opportunities for giving, contact Jeff Snyder, the Weitzman School’s Assistant Dean for Development and Alumni Relations, at (215) 898-8738, or  jsnyder2@design.upenn.edu.

The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School announced on November 12 that its Future of the Profession Initiative (FPI) will partner with Access to Justice Tech Fellows (A2J Tech Fellows), a nonprofit organization that develops summer fellowships for law students seeking to leverage technology to create equitable legal access for low-income and marginalized populations. A2J Tech Fellow’s Founder and Executive Director, Miguel Willis, will serve as FPI’s inaugural Innovator in Residence.

The new affiliation will expand summer professional development opportunities available to Penn Law students and will support the growth of partnerships among A2J Tech Fellows, the Law School, and community partners who serve the public interest. The A2J Tech Fellows Program pairs law students with legal services organizations to develop projects that support the use of technology, data, and design thinking to bridge the justice gap in America. The program also promotes greater equity and inclusion within the legal profession through the cultivation of future leaders whose lived experiences can inspire law students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.

In his new role as Innovator in Residence with FPI, Mr. Willis will work closely with FPI leadership and colleagues around the Law School to educate new lawyers about the American access to justice crisis and the power of technology to better connect more individuals and small businesses with the legal system. Through mentorship, teaching, and continued leadership of the A2J Tech Fellows fellowship program, Mr. Willis will work collaboratively to build upon the Law School’s focus on developing novel solutions to the growing problems that pervade the legal services ecosystem while developing a new generation of leaders from a variety of backgrounds.

“We are delighted to welcome Miguel to the Penn Law School community,” said Ted Ruger, Dean of Penn Law. “In his brief legal career, Miguel has already forged a leadership role that demonstrates that new approaches to durable problems can create real impact. We are thrilled he will be able to continue growing his work through his role with FPI while introducing our students the emerging career opportunities and social justice solutions a rapidly changing legal landscape invites.”

“I am deeply honored to assume this exciting new role and am enthusiastic that A2J Tech Fellows will call Penn Law home,” said Mr. Willis. “Affirming the importance of legal innovation, access to justice, and race equity, this new role and partnership will create opportunities for future lawyers to develop more innovative and effective ways to address our nation’s justice gap.”

Immediately prior to joining FPI, Mr. Willis served as the Law School Admissions Council’s (LSAC) inaugural Presidential Innovation Fellow.

“Miguel’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to justice drove many exciting initiatives during his time with us,” said LSAC President and CEO Kellye Testy. “We are delighted that our incubator program was successful in helping Miguel’s young organization advance its important work and that A2J Tech Fellows has now found its home at Penn Law. Through this fitting new partnership, we know Miguel will continue the charge for closing the nation’s justice gap, and we look forward to the wonderful strides he and his new colleagues will make together.”

Mr. Willis earned a BA in political science from Howard University. While completing his undergraduate degree, Mr. Willis worked with the Department of Justice’s Office of Immigration Litigation. He is a 2017 graduate of the Seattle University School of Law, where he founded A2J Tech Fellows and co-created CaseBooker, a textbook marketplace app for law students. During law school, he served as President of the Black Law Student Association and on the National Black Law Student Association National Board. Mr. Willis was recognized as the 2016 National Jurist Law Student of the Year. His entrepreneurial spirit, drive to innovate, and commitment to diversity and access to justice earned him the ABA’s designation as one of 2018’s Legal Rebels.

“We’re proud to have been an early supporter of Miguel’s innovative program,” said Seattle University School of Law Dean Annette Clark. “This is exactly the kind of values-driven leadership we love to see in our alumni, and we applaud Miguel as he continues to change the legal industry—and legal education—for the better.”

Penn Law School launched FPI in October 2019 in recognition of the rapidly changing landscape that defines the modern legal profession. FPI’s mission is to “teach, lead, and transform” by educating law students about the dynamic forces shaping the future of the profession, leading profession-wide conversations about innovation and attracting creative thinkers to the law school to transform the way legal services are delivered.

The Behavior Change for Good Initiative (BCFG) at the Wharton School and School of Arts and Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania has partnered with Walmart to conduct the largest-ever communication research study aimed at increasing flu vaccinations during the Fall 2020 flu season. The results of the study will be well-timed to assist with encouraging COVID-19 vaccinations.

As Penn Professors Katy Milkman, Mitesh Patel, and Angela Duckworth noted in their recent USA Today op-ed about the American COVID-19 response, “In the war to establish herd immunity, developing a vaccine is only half the battle. We also need behavior change techniques to encourage an unprecedented number of Americans to choose vaccination when the time comes.” 

The BCFG-Walmart study focuses on closing what behavioral scientists call the intention-action gap. 

“We focused on giving people an extra nudge to do something they already intended to do so it wouldn’t slip through the cracks. Sometimes that’s just a timely reminder, but it can also include a dose of encouragement when the task at hand feels arduous and easy to put off indefinitely. Past research suggests that we fail to act on anywhere from a third to two thirds of our intentions, particularly when it comes to our health,” said Katy Milkman, Wharton professor and BCFG Co-Director.

The goal is to learn how scientifically-informed messages can help increase vaccinations at scale. When a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, these learnings can then be deployed to help motivate people to receive the vaccine and combat the spread of the virus. 

BCFG’s interdisciplinary team of scientific experts designed 22 distinct text messaging strategies to encourage flu vaccination among hundreds of thousands of Walmart pharmacy customers who had agreed to receive messages from their pharmacy. These 22 communication strategies were then evaluated simultaneously in a massive A/B test in September 2020 to determine which were most effective at increasing flu shot uptake overall, as well as which were most effective among different sub-populations. 

Some text messages prompted people to text “I will get a flu shot” to their pharmacy — a commitment to spur future action. Others took a more jovial approach to motivating vaccination by sharing a joke about flu season. Still other texts asked people to encourage others to get flu shots by passing along a motivational message that could easily be copied and pasted. Each of these messaging techniques was designed to provide the last needed boost for getting vaccinated. 

BCFG will rapidly analyze the results of this A/B test and share the most effective communication strategies in early 2021 to ensure healthcare providers around the world can benefit from these insights. 

“I am incredibly excited about the potential of this project to advance knowledge and save lives,” said Angela Duckworth, Penn and Wharton Professor and BCFG Co-Director.

“Walmart is well-prepared for flu season, and we want to better learn how to encourage our customers to get vaccines to keep themselves, their families and their communities safe,” said Michelle LeClerc, Walmart Pharmacist. “Providing access to immunizations and effective communication of the importance of getting a flu shot is another way we can help people live better.” 

Walmart took many steps in 2020 to make it easier than ever for customers to get a flu shot. Walmart also launched a digital scheduler so customers could pre-book an appointment for a flu shot at any one of their 4,700+ pharmacies and hosted twice-weekly “fast flu” events to encourage customers to get flu shots during their regular shopping trips. Walmart has also ensured its 1.5 million associates have access to flu shots with no out-of-pocket costs, regardless of their insurance status.

Water infrastructure is often a stark physical manifestation of the deep systemic racial and social inequities with which our country continues to struggle. Over the course of American history, the biases that resulted in these inequities have at times been unconscious, but often all too intentional.  

Less resourced communities face increasing threats to their water security. Flooding, rising sea levels, and drought not only threaten people’s homes, but also their lives and the environment they rely on. This is true despite the fact that there are few public services more fundamental to public health and safety, community social and economic sustainability, and climate resilience. Communities facing deep systemic inequities also grapple with aging infrastructure and limited financial and technical capacity to maintain and improve existing systems, let alone move toward a more integrated water management approach. Many of the poorest municipalities in the country–whether in riverine or coastal environments, have long recognized flooding as a “fact of life.” This comes at great economic and social cost. Initial underinvestment in flood protection or stormwater management infrastructure begets ongoing commercial and social disinvestment as those with the resources to do so seek “higher ground.”   

The personal and societal cost of these issues would be an ongoing national tragedy even without the spectre of climate change. But the problem is increasingly compounded by the effects of climate change, which in many parts of the country already include intense precipitation, increased storm surge, tidal flooding, and sewage backups.

These problems are not limited to large metropolitan centers. There are many small cities and towns, often in the shadow of larger metropolitan areas, where complex social factors and governance issues are at play, and where there is diminishing community capacity to manage these water related challenges. Elected officials and managers responsible for water management in these communities often want to do more but are stuck bouncing from crisis to crisis. While deeply committed to their communities, they may lack the time, knowledge, expertise or funding to get ahead of their communities’ water management challenges.   

With the generous support of the Kresge Foundation, and in partnership with WaterNow Alliance (“WNA”), the Water Center is working to generate a thoughtful, objective, straight-talking guide for local elected and appointed decision makers to help navigate the dizzying array of resource options for water related technical assistance and funding. The guide, which will be hosted alongside WNA’s Tap Into Resilience Toolkit, is specifically designed for local managers, board members, and elected officials responsible for local stormwater management systems in under-resourced urban areas, and is designed to be relevant to such decision makers across the U.S. 

While a single resource cannot solve all issues, the guide can serve as the first in a series of resources targeted to addressing critically important water issues in overlooked communities across the country. 

Visit https://watercenter.sas.upenn.edu/research/projects/ to learn more about the projects that are underway at the Water Center. 

The Penn COVID-19 Community Archiving Project seeks to document the experiences of the University of Pennsylvania community of faculty, students, administrators, staff, researchers, alumni, and others during the COVID-19 outbreak and pandemic. Our goal is to collect as many diverse voices and experiences as possible so that future historians, students and scholars, doctors and scientists, public policy and health experts, University administrators, and others will be able to understand and learn how our community reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic and how we were able to respond and help support the broader world. 

At this point we have received a poem from a Penn Medicine doctor, an alum sent a photo of her summer wedding while wearing masks, students have submitted journal entries, the Penn Band has shared documents showing their plans for their virtual performances at Commencement.

The Penn COVID-19 Community Archiving Project has been created by the University Archives and Records Center of the University of Pennsylvania to document and preserve the Penn community’s direct experience of this event. We hope to learn about your recent and daily experience on campus, in the lab, in the field, at home or elsewhere. The Penn Community Archive is a means to collect and record what you witnessed and experienced and how we responded to this crisis.

Faculty: What was it like to suddenly shift to remote instruction and learning? How has this had an impact on your research and other academic work? Tell us how you have adapted to this change in your work and in fostering your relationships with colleagues and your students.

Staff: What is the experience of suddenly and abruptly moving to remote work? What are you doing to support your colleagues and others at the University? What ingenious ways have you found to continue with regular University business in this time?

Students: Tell us what it’s like to be the first group of Penn students dealing with a pandemic in 100 years. How are you sustaining your studies and your relationships during this period of social distancing and self-quarantine?

Alumni and Others: Are you an essential employee who is holding everything together right now? Are you at home juggling caring for your kids with working remotely? How has life changed for you? What has your experience been in your communities—how have things changed?

To do this project, we need your help. We would like to collect the materials you are creating right now that document this time and submit them to this project for archiving and future research. Some examples of items that could be included in the Penn Community Archive are:

• a sign or art you or someone else in your community created 
• screen shots of your social media posts 
• videos or recordings of events, classes, workouts, original spoken words, and music shared online during this time 
• photographs of the campus, your home/work-space, or scenes from around your community that illustrate changes in society taken during this time  
• captures of classroom work or lectures you have given online 
• homeschool schedules or other daily routines for parents working from home 
• your own journal entries (written, audio, or video) documenting your experience

Submissions may be in the form of digital photographs, text files, PDFs, spreadsheets, presentations, audio files, or video files. Please submit materials using the Penn COVID-19 Community Archiving Project Submission Form. If you are submitting electronic materials with the form, please note that only one electronic file can be submitted per form.  If you have multiple files, please contact us.

We have compiled some frequently asked questions, and we are happy to answer any other questions you might have about the project or your submissions. Please contact us with any questions.

Please note that we have some restrictions regarding personally identifiable health information. You can find out more about this under the question “Is there anything I should avoid documenting?” on our FAQ page.

This site was inspired by the Harvard University Archive’s groundbreaking COVID-19 Community Archiving Project.

—Jim Duffin, Acting University Archivist

Mitchell (Mitch) Brunick, a former security guard at the Perelman School of Medicine, died on May 28. He was 62.

Mr. Brunick joined PSOM’s staff in 1998 as a security guard. In 2000, he was promoted to a supervisor, and in 2002, became a temporary staff member in the division of safety and security, a position he held until he left Penn in 2006.

“Mitch was a man of integrity and empathy," said Darren Johnson, Director of PSOM Safety and Security. "His presence is missed daily.”

Mr. Brunick is survived by his wife, Lorraine Robinson; his children, Jasper Robinson (Tara), La’Toya Robinson, Mitchell Brunick, William Robinson, Nichell Brunick (Arnell), Davon Brunick, and Asia Robinson; several grandchildren; his father, Donald McCauley; and his siblings, Donald McCauley, Gary McCauley and Debbie Censky (Rick).

Louise Reid Coursey, a former employee at Penn Libraries, died on October 6. She was 87.

Ms. Coursey was born in Ardmore, PA. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Barber Scotia College in Concord, North Carolina, and a master’s degree in library sciences from Villanova University. She joined Penn’s staff in 1955 as a librarian at Penn’s Biddle Law Library. In 1970, she took a position at Penn’s Dental Library, and six years later, she moved to the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library. In 1993, she led an effort to collect some 1,500 books for inclusion in Van Pelt’s African-American Studies Seminar Room (Almanac March 23, 1993). A member of Penn’s 25-Year Club, Ms. Coursey retired in 1998 after a career of over 42 years at Penn. Among students at Penn, she was fondly known as “The Duchess.”

Ms. Coursey was active in her community. She served on several committees of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Ardmore, helping found the church’s influential Lay Organization and spearheading efforts to rebuild the church after it was damaged in a 1973 fire. “Sister Coursey was well known, well-loved and well-respected locally and abroad,” said her family in a tribute. “She loved her family (biological and church) and friends and was a true source of strength and information.”

Contributions in Ms. Coursey’s memory may be made to the Bethel AME Church of Ardmore.

Nabil Farhat, professor emeritus in the department of electrical and systems engineering, passed away on November 3 at his home in West Mt. Airy. He was 87.

Born in Palestine in 1933, Dr. Farhat received a BS in electrical engineering from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology in 1957. He went on to receive an MS in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee in 1959 and a PhD from Penn’s Moore School of Electrical Engineering (now part of the School of Engineering and Applied Science) in 1963. While a student at Penn, he was a Graduate Research Fellow at the Moore School.

In 1964, Dr. Farhat joined the faculty at the Moore School as an assistant professor of electrical engineering. Soon after joining the school, he was appointed the Head of the Electro-Optics and Photonic Neuroengineering Laboratory. In 1973, he was appointed the Alfred G. and Meta A. Ennis Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Moore School (Almanac December 4, 1973). In 1976, he was promoted to a full professor. He held this position until 2013, when he retired and took emeritus status.

While at Penn, Dr. Farhat’s work was widely acknowledged. In 1970, he received a Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, and the same year his research won an award from the RCA Corporation. Dr. Farhat was elected a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and The Optical Society (OSA) and was a member of the Electromagnetics Academy and the Mahoney Institute of Neurological Sciences.

He was a widely-cited and respected expert in optoelectronics and photonics, lecturing and publishing prolifically and serving on the boards of several scholarly journals. In the early 1980s, he was one of the first scientists to work on optical realization of neural networks, including developing an innovative system of three-dimensional imaging radar that allowed researchers to see distant objects in three dimensions (Almanac May 22, 1980).

Most recently, his research focused on the qualitative theory of nonlinear dynamics, bifurcation and chaos, and its application to the modeling and understanding of cortical dynamics in the brain.

Dr. Farhat is survived by his wife, Joan English Farhat; his brother, Amir Farhat; his sister, Malaka Safadi (Bassam); nephews, Rami Safadi and Andrew English; nieces, Reema Safadi and Alice English; and great nephews, Ryyan and Sam Safadi.

The memorial service was private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Linda Hatfield, associate professor of evidence-based practice in Penn Nursing, died on November 20 after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 66.

Born in Tacoma, Washington, Dr. Hatfield held several clinical positions at hospitals in Florida, Idaho, and Massachusetts as a young adult. In 1975, she provided medical assistance to children being evacuated from Vietnam to the United States during Operation Babylift. She earned a BS in nursing science from Penn State University in 1985, graduating with distinction. Twelve years later, she received an MA, also in nursing science and from Penn State. After graduating, she served as a specialist at hospitals in Hershey, Camp Hill, and Reading, Pennsylvania. In 2006, she received a PhD in nursing science from Penn State. Her doctoral dissertation received the International Research Dissertation Award from the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.

Dr. Hatfield conducted post-doctoral research on Molecular Human Genetics as a National Institutes of Health fellow at Georgetown University. During this same period (2006-2008), she served as an assistant professor of nursing at Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development.

In 2008, Dr. Hatfield joined Penn Nursing’s faculty as a lecturer in behavioral and health science. A year later, she moved to Nursing’s department of family and community health as a lecturer and research associate. Later in 2009, Dr. Hatfield was promoted to assistant professor C-E (clinician-educator) in family and community health. She held this position until 2018, when she became an associate professor C-E in the same department. In 2016, she also became a senior fellow of Penn Nursing’s Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research.

Also in 2008, Dr. Hatfield was named the director of research and evidence based practice at Pennsylvania Hospital. In this position, she developed the infrastructure for nurses to conduct and disseminate research and evidence-based practices. This increased functionality helped Pennsylvania Hospital to be designated a Magnet in 2015. She conducted research that changed scientific perceptions about the extent to which babies feel pain while they are receiving immunizations. Through the NIH-designated Center of Excellence in Pain Education, she assisted in the development of a module for pain management in sickle cell disease and provides guidance on pediatric pain curricula. She lectured widely and published many papers and book chapters related to this research.

While at Penn, Dr. Hatfield received several awards, including the Young Investigator Travel Award from the American Pain Society in 2008 and 2009. From Penn Nursing, she was awarded the inaugural (2013) Marilyn Stringer Academic Practice Award and the 2014 Dean’s Award for Exemplary Professional Practice (Almanac May 6, 2014). In 2017, she was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, a position that reflected the influence of her research on American health policy (Almanac October 17, 2017). In addition, Dr. Hatfield was the first lady of Thaddeus Stevens College in Lancaster, PA, from 2016 to 2020.

Dr. Hatfield is survived by her husband, William Griscom; her children, Jonathan Lady (Ellen) and Lauren Hillsberg; her sister, Suzanne Shore; her brother, Richard; and her mother.

The memorial service will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Dr. Hatfield’s honor to Hospice & Community Care of Lancaster, PA, or the Lancaster General Health Foundation.

Marjorie Jeffcoat, an emeritus professor of periodontics and former dean of Penn’s School of Dental Medicine, died on November 21. She was 69.

Dr. Jeffcoat received an SB (bachelor of science) in 1972 from MIT and a DMD certification of periodontology in 1980 from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. From 1978 to 1988, she served as an associate professor at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, where she also served on a number of clinical and academic committees. In 1988, Dr. Jeffcoat moved to the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry, where she was assistant dean of research and professor and chair of the department of periodontics. At Alabama, she also held the James Rosen Endowed Chair of Dental Research, served as interim chair for the department of oral biology, and was a member of more than a dozen committees and task forces.

In 2003, Dr. Jeffcoat came to Penn, where she was named dean of the School of Dental Medicine (Almanac February 11, 2003). That same year, she also became a professor in Penn Dental’s department of periodontics. During her time as dean, Dr. Jeffcoat brought Penn Dental’s graduate scores and ranks on regional examinations to all-time highs, recruited several noteworthy faculty members, and reversed school debt and broadened the School’s research portfolio during an economic recession. She stepped down as dean in 2008 (Almanac July 15, 2008), but continued to serve on Penn Dental’s faculty until her retirement in 2016, when she took emeritus status.

In addition to her tenure at Penn, Dr. Jeffcoat served as president of the American Association for Dental Research (1995-1996), the International Association for Dental Research (2000-2001), and the Academy of Osseointegration (2004-2005). She was a member of the National Institutes of Health-NIDCR Advisory Committee for Research on Women’s Health. She served on the editorial boards of several scholarly journals, including as editor-in-chief of the Journal of The American Dental Association from 2001 to 2004, and on numerous advisory committees and commissions at the state, national and international levels.

During her career, Dr. Jeffcoat received many awards, including the prestigious Clinical Research Award and Gies Award from the American Academy of Periodontology. She also received the President’s Achievement Award from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. While at Penn, she was awarded the Surgeon General David Satcher Keynote Lecturer Award from the Commissioned Officers Association (Almanac September 27, 2005). She also was elected a fellow of the International College of Dentists (Almanac October 25, 2005). 

Dr. Jeffcoat is survived by her husband, Robert. Plans for a memorial will be announced at a later date.

At the virtual December 2 Council meeting, Senior Vice Provost for Research Dawn Bonnell provided an update on the research that was impacted by COVID-19 throughout the year.Some research was initially ramped down in the spring, while some continued remotely, and essential research continued. Penn has received $16 million in federal funding for such research. Throughout the various phases of Penn’s resumption of research, she said that health and safety have been the highest priority. During the fall semester, there has been an expansion of some research with social distancing in place. Penn has established policies for post-docs’ term limits to be extended and opened Penn’s post-doc program to Penn graduates. She also noted that some of the vaccines being developed for COVID-19 began at Penn over a decade ago. 

Deputy Provost Beth Winkelstein provided an update on innovative teaching and learning that has taken place this year, due in part to the efforts of the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Penn Libraries, which have enabled the University to offer more than 9,700 sections of classes online this fall up from more than 5,600 in the spring. She also noted that financial support in the form of technology grants has been provided to nearly 1,000 graduate and professional students and additional support has been provided through emergency funds such as the President’s PhD Initiative. The Year of Civic Engagement includes a year-long preceptorial series, open to the public, on Racism and Anti-Racism in Contemporary America, organized by the Paideia Program, the Office of the Vice President for Social Equity and Community, the Office of the Provost, the Andrea Mitchell Center, Civic House, and New Student Orientation and Academic Initiatives.  One webinar session will be held tonight, December 8, at 5 p.m.. Panelists will focus on Health and Wellness Disparities; register at https://upenn.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Kik3RreZTUOCrHVHXJa5nA

During the Open Forum portion of the meeting, there were several presenters, including students and faculty, who raised concerns about various issues including classes and work on Election Day; the challenges of meeting tenure and promotion criteria while dealing with COVID-19 caused childcare responsibilities; extending funding for graduate students; meeting the needs of transfer students; free speech on campus; Penn Police conduct and funding; extending the Pass/Fail option for the spring semester; and climate action.

The Division of Public Safety is committed to enhancing the quality of life for the campus community by integrating the best practices of public and private policing with state-of-the-art technology. A critical component of a comprehensive security plan using state-of-the-art technology is Closed Circuit Television (CCTV).

As prescribed by the University Policy “Closed Circuit Television Monitoring and Recording of Public Areas for Safety and Security Purposes” (Almanac April 29, 2008), the locations of all outside CCTV cameras monitored by Public Safety are to be published semi-annually in Almanac.

The locations and descriptions of these cameras can also be found on the Division of Public Safety website: https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/about/security-technology/closed-circuit-television-cctv/

The following existing cameras meet those criteria:

University of Pennsylvania Cameras

39th St. & Baltimore Ave. (Vet School, Hill Pavilion)
40th St. & Baltimore Ave.
41st St. & Baltimore Ave.
42nd St. & Baltimore Ave.
43rd St. & Baltimore Ave.
31st & Chestnut Sts. (Left Bank)
33rd & Chestnut Sts.
34th & Chestnut Sts.
36th & Chestnut Sts.
38th & Chestnut Sts.
40th & Chestnut Sts.
4040 Chestnut St. (front)
41st & Chestnut Sts.
43rd & Chestnut Sts.
46th & Chestnut Sts.
Steve Murray Way & Chestnut St.
38th St. & Hamilton Walk
36th St. & Locust Walk
37th St. & Locust Walk (1&2)
38th St. & Locust Walk
39th St. & Locust Walk
40th St. & Locust Walk
41st & Locust Sts.
42nd & Locust Sts.
43rd & Locust Sts.
39th & Ludlow Sts.
40th & Ludlow Sts.
34th & Market Sts.
36th & Market Sts.
38th & Market Sts.
40th & Market Sts.
40th & Pine Sts.
41st & Pine Sts.
42nd & Pine Sts.
36th & Sansom Sts. (Franklin Bldg.)
38th & Sansom Sts.
39th & Sansom Sts.
4040 Sansom St. (rear)
Steve Murray Way & Sansom Sts.
33rd St. & Smith Walk
34th & Spruce Sts.
36th & Spruce Sts.
37th & Spruce Sts.
38th & Spruce Sts.
39th & Spruce Sts.
40th & Spruce Sts.
41st & Spruce Sts.
42nd & Spruce Sts.
43rd & Spruce Sts.
31st & Walnut Sts. (Left Bank)
33rd & Walnut Sts.
34th & Walnut Sts.
36th & Walnut Sts.
37th & Walnut Sts.
38th & Walnut Sts.
39th & Walnut Sts.
40th & Walnut Sts.
41st & Walnut Sts.
43rd & Walnut Sts.
4119 Walnut St.
100 Block of S. 37th St.
Blockley Hall (bike racks 1-8)
Blockley Hall (roof)
BRB II (loading dock–exterior)
BRB II (roof–rear and front)
Caster Building (rear entrance)
Caster Building (bike racks 1&2)
Chemistry Building (bike racks 1-4)
CineMark
College Green (1&2)
College Green (lower)
College Hall (exterior basement)
CRB (roof)
CRB-Stemmler Hall (main entrance)
CRB-Stemmler Bridge (interior)
CRB-Stemmler Bridge (main entrance hall)
English House (Law School bike rack)
Fels Institute of Government
Fisher-Bennett Hall (overseeing Levine Bldg.)
Franklin Field
Garage 40 (rooftop)
Generational Bridge (1&2)
Gregory College House (bike rack)
GSE on Plaza 1
GSE on Plaza 62
Harnwell College House
Harrison College House (1&2)
Hayden Hall (east door & west door)
Hilton (Homewood Suites–1&2)
Hollenback (lower level rear parking)
Hollenback (rooftop)
Houston Hall/Penn Commons
Irving & Preston Sts.
Jerome Fisher (main entrance)
John Morgan Building (Hamilton Walk)
Jon M. Huntsman Hall (NE corner)
Kane Park (Spruce Street Plaza)
Law School (Sansom St.)
Left Bank (loading dock)
Levy Dental (loading dock)
Meyerson Hall (bike racks 1&2)
Mod 7 (north)
Mod 7 (southeast)
Mod 7 (west)
Museum (33rd St.–exterior)
Museum (Kress entrance–exterior)
Museum (Kress entrance–interior)
Museum (loading dock–exterior)
Museum (upper loading dock–exterior)
Museum (Warden Garden–main entrance)
Museum (Stoner Courtyard–lower courtyard)
Osler Circle Courtyard
Palestra (1&2)
Pennovation Works
Pennovation Works (gate)
Pottruck (bike racks 1&2)
Public Safety Annex Building (2-5)
Richards Labs (rear door)
Ringe Squash Court Parking
Rodin College House (bike rack)
Schattner (coffee shop)
Schattner (bike rack)
SEAS (courtyard)
Shoemaker Green (1-8)
Singh Center (courtyard)
Singh Center (east loading dock)
Singh Center (Nano roof terrace north)
Singh Center (nitrogen loading dock)
Singh Center (roof terrace south)
Singh Center (west loading dock)
St. Leonard’s Court (roof, rear)
Solomon Labs (1-4)
Steinberg Conference Center
Steinberg Hall-Dietrich Hall (Joe’s Café)
Steinberg Hall-Dietrich Hall (trolley)
Stellar-Chance Labs (loading dock)
Stellar-Chance Labs (main entrance)
Stellar-Chance Labs (roof–rear)
Stellar-Chance Labs (roof–front)
Tandem Accelerator Laboratory
Translational Research Labs, 30th St. (lower level South)
Translational Research Labs, 30th St. (lower level North)
Translational Research Labs, 31st St.
Translational Research Labs, 31st St. (upper level)
Van Pelt-Dietrich Library (Button)
Van Pelt-Dietrich Library (Ben Statue)
Van Pelt-Dietrich Library (Mark’s Café 1&2)
Van Pelt Manor (bike rack)
VHUP (bike rack)
VHUP (dog walk 1&2)
Weiss Info Commons (front door)
Weiss Info Commons (rear door)
Wharton EMBA (loading dock)
Williams Hall (bike racks 1-3)
WXPN/World Café Live
WXPN/World Café Live (SW side–lower level)
1920 Commons (38th & Spruce rooftop)

Penn Park

Field 1
Field 1 (bike rack)
Field 2
Field 2 (bike rack)
Field 2 (NE corner)
Field 2 (SW corner)
Field 2 (north bike rack)
Field 4 (South Street Bridge)
Lower 30th & Walnut Sts. (1&2)
Paley Bridge (1&2)
Paley Bridge (entrance walkway)
Paley Bridge (walkway to Penn Park)
Parking Lot (SW corner)
Parking Lot (NE corner)
Penn Park (NE corner)
Penn Park (north)
Penn Park (plaza)
Penn Park Drive (entrance)
River Field
Ropes Course
Ropes Course Maintenance Bldgs.
Softball Stadium (bike racks 1&2)
Softball Stadium (men’s restroom)
Softball Stadium (women’s restroom)
Tennis Center
Tennis Center (Field 4)
Tennis Center (Field 4 walkway)
Tennis Center (transit stop)
Utility shed
Walnut St. Bridge (pedestrian walkway)
Walnut St. Bridge (upper)
Weave Bridge (Bower Field)
Weave Bridge (east)
Weave Bridge (Hollenback)
Weave Bridge (Penn Park ramp)

Penn Medicine Cameras
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

34th St. Pedestrian Bridge
Dulles Bldg. (bike racks-Spruce St.)
Emergency Department (driveway 1-4)
Gates Bldg. (fire exit door-Spruce St.)
Maloney Bldg. (entrance–36th & Spruce Sts.)
Miller Plaza (adjacent to Stemmler)
Penn Tower/HUP Bridge/Civic Center
Penn Tower Bridge (hospital side)
Ravdin Bldg. (driveway–Civic Center Blvd.)
Rhoads Bldg. (1st floor–Hamilton Walk)
Rhoads Bldg. (1st floor–patio)
Rhoads Bldg. (basement–dock ramp)
Rhoads Bldg. (loading docks 1&2)
Rhoads Bldg. (loading dock ramp)
Rhoads/Stemmler bike rack
Spruce St. between 34th & 36th Sts. (facing east)
Spruce St. between 34th & 36th Sts. (facing west)
Spruce St. (Maloney entrance & morgue driveway)
Spruce St. (morgue, Maloney Ground –36th St.)
Spruce St. (west fire tower door)
White Bldg. courtyard
White Bldg. (entrance–Spruce St.)

Perelman and Smilow

3600 CCB-Ll01 (NW Corner E/W)
3600 CCB-Ll01 (NW Side E/W)
3600 CCB-Ll01 (SW Corner E/W; entrance to Lot 51)
3600 CCB-Ll01 (SW Side E/W; loading Dock)
3600 CCB-L1 (NE Entrance)
Civic Center Blvd. at East Service Dr.
Convention Ave & Health Science Dr.
East Service Dr. & Health Sciences Dr.
Health Sciences Dr. (outside loading dock–1& 2)
Perelman (front door)
Perelman (loading dock)
Perelman Parking garage entrance (Health Sciences Dr.)
PCAM staff entrance (Convention Ave.)

Penn Presbyterian Medical Center

3910 Bldg. (entrance)
3910 Bldg. (loading dock)
3910 Bldg. (parking lot)
Advanced Care Canopy (bench)
Advanced Care Canopy (ED 1&2)
Advanced Care Canopy (Trauma 1-4)
Cupp Lobby (entrance)
Garage (front & side)
Heart and Vascular Pavilion (front entrance)
Heart and Vascular Pavilion (rear entrance)
Helipad
Mutch Bldg. (roof)
Powelton Ave.
Powelton Ave. (dock)
Powelton Lot
Scheie Eye Institute (north door)
Wright/Saunders Bldg. (main entrance)
38th St. (Healing Garden)
38th St. (Advanced Care Building)

3930 Chestnut Street

Front Main Entrance
Loading Dock Entrance
Patio Seating Area
Parking Lot Bike Rack
Parking Lot (Front)
Parking Lot (Rear)

Please join Penn’s Faculty Senate for a special Town Hall discussion, open to all members of the Penn community. Register at https://tinyurl.com/penn-covid-spring-21.

All members of the Penn community may participate in the event, which takes place on December 9 at 4 p.m. Registrants will receive an email containing access information before the session.

The Virtual Town Hall is part of the Faculty Senate Seminar Series. Complete archive here: https://provost.upenn.edu/senate/faculty-senate-seminar-series

This Virtual Town Hall is open to all members of the Penn campus community, including faculty, staff, and students. Common questions will be addressed as we prepare for a unique spring semester. Panelists include:

• Mark Dingfield, Associate Provost for Finance and Planning
• Benoit Dubé, Chief Wellness Officer and Associate Provost
• Jennifer Pinto-Martin, Viola MacInnes/Independence Professor of Nursing and Executive Director, Center for Public Health Initiatives
• Jeffrey Rowland, Executive Director for Staff and Labor Relations, Division of Human Resources
• Harvey Rubin, Professor of Medicine

Films

9    ALL IN: The Fight for Democracy; includes discussion with editor Nancy Novack; noon; Zoom meeting; register: https://tinyurl.com/all-in-dec-9 (Cinema Studies).
      Documentary History Project for Youth; annual digital media production workshop for local middle and high school students; 6 p.m.; Zoom meeting; register: https://tinyurl.com/ica-dec-9 (ICA, Scribe Video Center).

Fitness & Learning

9    Admissions Webinar for High School Students; 5 p.m.; online event; register: https://key.admissions.upenn.edu/portal/visit-nursing (Nursing). Weekly through March 24, 2021.
11    Master in Law Program Info Session; noon; Zoom meeting; register: https://tinyurl.com/master-law-dec-11 (Penn Law).

Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF)
Info & register: https://www.curf.upenn.edu/curf-events
9    Penn’s Global Research & Internship Program Info Session; 1 p.m.

Readings & Signings

9    What’s Your Story; Rebecca Walker; 7 p.m.; YouTube stream; join: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dT7qyI2D8U (GSWS).

Special Events

14    December Graduation Recognition Event; recognize December graduates of Penn Nursing; 3 p.m.; online event; info: https://www.nursing.upenn.edu/calendar/ (Nursing).

Talks

8    Toward Geometric Foundations for Arithmetic Field Theories; Clark Barwick, University of Edinburgh; 4:30 p.m.; online event; info: https://www.math.upenn.edu/events/ (Math).
       Fels and the 2020 Election: Conducting Elections Amidst a Pandemic; panel of speakers; 5 p.m.; Zoom meeting; register: https://www.fels.upenn.edu/events/fels-and-the-2020-election (Fels Institute).
10    Special Briefing: Working with the CARES Act and What May Come Next; panel of speakers; 11 a.m.; online event; register: https://tinyurl.com/cares-act-dec-10 (Penn IUR).
       The Role of Explicit Regularization in Overparameterized Neural Networks; Rayadurgam Srikant, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; 11 a.m.; Zoom meeting; info: jbatter@seas.upenn.edu (ESE).
       Leveraging JPOD’s Resources at the Pennovation Center; Stephen Pitt, JLABS; noon; online event; register: https://tinyurl.com/pitt-talk-dec-10 (PCI).
       Visualizing the Inner Life of Cells with Super-Resolution Microscopy; Melike Lakadamyali, PSOM; 4 p.m.; Zoom meeting; join: https://tinyurl.com/lakadamyali-talk-dec-10 (Biology).
       Genus Integration, Abelianization and Differential Characters; Ivan Contreras Palacios, Amherst; 4:30 p.m.; Zoom meeting; join: https://upenn.zoom.us/j/91890239234 (Math).
11    Abolition Democracy and Media: A Scholar-Activist Roundtable; panel of speakers; 3 p.m.; Zoom meeting; register: https://tinyurl.com/asc-panel-dec-11 (ASC).
       Ethics, COVID-19, and Caring for Children; panel of speakers; 4 p.m.; online event; register: https://tinyurl.com/ethics-covid-dec-11 (Medical Ethics & Health Policy).
14    Population Aging: On the Future of a Delusion; Herbert Smith, sociology; noon; Zoom meeting; register: https://tinyurl.com/smith-talk-dec-14 (PSC).

Penn Dental
Info & register: https://www.dental.upenn.edu/
15    The Dark Side of Dentistry; Kyle Stanley, cosmetic dentist; 6:30 p.m.

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AT PENN Deadlines

The December AT PENN calendar is now online. The January AT PENN calendar will be available on December 15.

Submit events for weekly December and January calendar updates at almanac@upenn.edu.

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 November 23-30, 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 November 23-30, 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 (2 assaults and 2 robberies) with 2 arrests were reported for November 23-30, 2020 by the 18th District, covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

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

As 2020 comes to a close (finally!), consider adding some routine password maintenance to your end-of-year To-Do list. There is debate in the information security community about the value of frequent password changes, especially if your passwords are unique, long and complex. However, there are still a few things you can check:

Are you using a password manager yet? Not only do password managers safely store your passwords and autofill them into websites, but they can also help you create new, complex passwords if you have accounts using weak or old ones. They can also make sure none of your passwords for various sites are duplicates. Password duplication can render multiple accounts vulnerable to abuse if a reused password is ever stolen or compromised. LastPass Premium, a popular password manager, is available to all eligible and active members of the Penn community. Learn more here: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/lastpass

Make sure you opt-in and use two-factor authentication on as many accounts that offer it, especially for sites that contain sensitive information like banking. Double-check your settings. If you need more information about Two-Step Verification for Penn accounts, you can find it here: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/two-step-verification-getting-started

Finally, go ahead and throw out all those passwords written on sticky notes under your keyboard and breathe a sigh of relief that your digital life is ready for the new year.

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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 Payroll Office strongly encourages you to elect turning off printing and mailing of paper W-2 forms in Workday@Penn. Doing so will help avoid delays or errors in receiving your year-end tax documents by the U.S. postal service. Change the printing election to electronic before December 31, 2020 so your paper W-2 for the current tax year will not be mailed to the home address indicated in Workday.

For assistance in turning off printing and mailing of your W-2, access the following:

• Watch a short video for a step-by-step demonstration, or
• Follow the simple steps in the Self Service: Access to W-2, W-4, and State Reciprocal Forms (pdf) tip sheet

Your 2020 W-2 will be available electronically in Workday@Penn in early 2021. Online statements require Internet access and Adobe Reader to view and print tax documents. If you submitted your consent last year for electronic access only, the consent remains valid for all future tax years or until you revoke your consent. If you do not submit your consent, the Payroll Office will arrange U.S. postal mailing of a paper copy of your year-end form to the home address indicated in Workday, although you will still be able to access the electronic version.

Additional Information

• Starting with tax year 2019, W-2s are available in Workday, however, Workday will not display Box D Control Numbers.
• If you need Control Numbers to import to an electronic tax preparation service, please view your W-2 through the University’s tax information management vendor, ADP W-2 Services.
• ADP displays the current year and prior two years. At this date, your W-2 for tax years 2019, 2018 and 2017 are available on the ADP website. Once the 2020 W-2 is made available early in 2021, the 2017 form will be removed from ADP.
• For copies of W-2 for tax years earlier than those available in Workday or ADP, please contact the Penn Employee Solution Center at (215) 898-7372 or hcmsolutioncenter@upenn.edu.

The December AT PENN calendar is now online. The January AT PENN calendar will be available on December 15.

Submit events for weekly December and January calendar updates at almanac@upenn.edu. Deadlines are Monday for the following Tuesday’s issue.

The last issue of the semester is December 15. The first issue of the spring semester will be January 19, 2021, but there will be an Almanac Between Issues on January 12, 2021.

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.