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Welcome Back From the President: Grit and Community Will See Penn Through

caption: Amy GutmannWelcome to a new academic year at Penn, one unlike any we have embarked on before. In my recent Convocation remarks to the great Class of 2024 and transfer students, I reflected on what makes and keeps the Penn family strong, especially in such challenging times. Penn’s strength flows from the mission-driven grit we all share and the united community we all love. 

In the months since March, when we made the enormously difficult but vital decision to empty campus to save lives, the Penn family stepped up and moved as one. The call to remain almost entirely remote for the Fall 2020 semester was also heart-wrenching, perhaps even more so because all of us had worked so hard, and with such optimism, to bring our community safely together again on campus. But even as this pandemic requires us to make such hard decisions, my confidence in our collective ability to deliver a world-class Penn education, to engage in world-changing Penn research and life-saving Penn care, has never been stronger. My confidence—and my hope—are inspired and reaffirmed daily by Penn’s incomparable faculty and staff.

In 1936, in the depths of the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt came here to Penn to deliver his now-famous address for the Democratic National Convention. “To some generations, much is given,” he said on Franklin Field. “Of other generations, much is expected. This generation has a rendezvous with destiny.”

This truth applies not only to our recent graduates and all Penn students. It applies to each and every member of Penn’s faculty and staff. Much has been and will be expected of us as we weather this pandemic. Yet it is critical to remember that, with grit and community, the Penn family will persevere and turn the challenges of this moment into our rendezvous with destiny. I have never been prouder to be Penn’s president and a member of this incredible University.

We are enormously grateful to Penn Medicine’s doctors, nurses, staff, and first responders. They have met this pandemic magnificently, caring for and keeping safe our campus, city, and region. Penn research currently underway holds great promise for treating COVID-19 patients. And from public advocacy to data-driven policy proposals, Penn leaders across all of our Schools have stepped up to help meet the needs of vulnerable individuals and communities, saving countless lives far beyond our hospitals.

At the same time, so many Penn family members have stood up, spoken out, and marched for an end to systemic racial injustice. The largest mass movement for racial justice in generations comes amid the pandemic, sparked by the horrific killing of George Floyd—following those of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others. The pandemic itself exacts a disproportionate toll from Black, Hispanic, Native, and low-income Americans, who are being hospitalized and dying at a staggering two to five times the rate of their peers. In confronting and combating these historic wrongs, the action Penn takes—such as the White Coats for Black Lives demonstration that filled Franklin Field this summer—also reaffirms my hope and Penn pride.

It feels like only moments ago that we and the world said our final goodbyes to Civil Rights champion and 2012 Penn Honorary Degree recipient Congressman John Lewis. We mourn an American hero, and we revere an extraordinary legacy. We will always honor and seek to emulate the rallying cries he sounded so courageously throughout his life. Stick to your mission. Stand with your beloved community. The Penn family exemplifies his message. It is that same spirit of grit and devotion to one another that will see our University through these times, undiminished and united.

Thank you all and welcome to another academic year full of promise at Penn.

—Amy Gutmann, President

$1.5 Million to SAS for Jin K. Lee Presidential Professorship

caption: Jennifer Tod Lee and Jin LeeJin K. Lee (C’92) and Jennifer Tod Lee, have endowed a Presidential Professorship with a gift of $1.5 million, including matching funds. The Jin K. Lee Presidential Professorship will be held by a faculty member in Penn Arts & Sciences with a preference for a scholar in the fields of science, technology, or mathematics.

Presidential Professorships are awarded to exceptional scholars, at any rank. Selected on the basis of their achievements, with an emphasis on enhancing the diversity of Penn’s faculty, Presidential Professors enrich the academic community and bring new perspectives to our students and faculty.

“The strength of our faculty is the foundation for Penn’s excellence in research and teaching,” said Penn President Amy Gutmann. “We are enormously grateful to Jin and Jennifer for their exceptional generosity in support of our sustained efforts to build the diverse, preeminent faculty so critical for preparing our students to lead in a global society. The Jin K. Lee Presidential Professorship will have a significant impact on teaching and learning for generations to come.”

“I am honored to create a professorship at my alma mater,” said Mr. Lee. “My parents are immigrants to this great country and although they were unable to attend college, their dream was for me to have the opportunity to learn at a place like the University of Pennsylvania. As I approach my 30th reunion, I wanted to do something to honor my parents, and support the institution that gave me the tools I needed to succeed.”

Steven J. Fluharty, Dean and Thomas S. Gates Jr. Professor of Psychology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, said, “Jin and Jennifer’s gift supports one of our highest priorities in the Power of Penn Arts & Sciences Campaign. I’m thankful for their partnership and eagerly await an appointee who will contribute to our reputation for excellence in the natural sciences.”

Mr. Lee graduated from Penn in 1992 with a degree in economics and works as an equity portfolio manager at the Capital Group. He is a former member of the Undergraduate Financial Aid Leadership Council and Southern California Regional Advisory Board. His previous Penn philanthropy includes the Jin Kyu Lee Scholarship and the Lee Family Scholarship. 

Report of the Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility 2019-2020 Academic Year

I would like to thank Steven O. Kimbrough, professor of operations, information and decisions, The Wharton School, for his leadership this past year as chair of the Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility. I also thank all Committee members for their participation and thoughtful contributions.

The Committee’s report for 2019-2020 is below.

—Medha Narvekar, Vice President and University Secretary

The following report for the 2019-2020 academic year was sent to Medha Narvekar, Vice President and University Secretary from Dr. Kimbrough, chair of the Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility (CMR), in accordance with the effectiveness of monitoring; review the state of compliance of the apparel licensees and review any alleged violations of the Code.

The Code of Workplace Conduct for the Penn Licensed Product Manufacturers is attached hereto below and published OF RECORD.

Report of the Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility 2019-2020 Academic Year

It is my pleasure to report on the deliberations of the Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility during the 2019-2020 academic year. 

Code Compliance

As of June 2020, 133 of 134 licensees were reviewed and found to be in compliance with the Code. One licensee did not respond to our questionnaire, and consequently, was not renewed for 2020-2021.

Revisions to the Code

As part of the Committee’s annual review of the Code to evaluate its effectiveness, the 2018-2019 Committee recommended revisions to Section VII. Monitoring and Oversight - B. Decision-Making, C. Meeting Schedule and D. Responsibilities – 3 Reviewing the State of Compliance. The 2019-2020 Committee voted and approved the following revisions to the Code.  

B. Decision-Making
A simple majority of the Committee (not including ex-officio members) must be present either by telephone or in person for a vote to take place. Only members who are present may vote, and decisions will pass by majority of members present and voting.

C. Meeting Schedule
The Committee will meet no fewer than once each semester, with additional meetings to be scheduled as necessary in the determination of the Committee chair, in the chair’s discretion.

D. Responsibilities
3. Reviewing the State of Compliance
Licensees will be reviewed on an annual basis.

I would like to express my appreciation to all the Committee Members for their work on the Committee.

—Steven Kimbrough, Chair; Professor OPIM

Members of the Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility 2019-2020

Steven Kimbrough (Chair), Wharton
Mark Stern, Social Policy & Practice
Kathleen Hall, Graduate School of Education
Jon Shaw, PPSA
Samantha Shea, Undergraduate Assembly
Jessica Kim, Civic House
Serena Bian, Civic House
Benjamin Turchin, GAPSA

Ex Officio members
Lizann Boyle Rode, Office of the University Secretary
Christopher Bradie, Business Services
Sean Burke, Office of the General Counsel
Jessie Burns, Office of the Provost
Leah Popowich, Office of the President

Response

Dear Steve:

Thank you for forwarding your report on the work of the Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility in 2019-2020. I commend you and the committee for your thorough review of Penn’s licensees and careful work in ensuring that Penn’s licensees are aligned with the University’s goals.

Also please accept my thanks for your significant contributions of time and talent during your time as chair of the committee. I look forward to your continued counsel as chair in the coming year.

—Medha Narvekar, Vice President and University Secretary

Related: Of Record: Code of Workplace Conduct for Penn Licensed Product Manufacturers

Deaths

Frank Johnston, SAS and Netter Center

caption: Frank JohnstonFrancis E. (Frank) Johnston, emeritus professor of anthropology in the School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, died August 20 in Springfield, Pennsylvania, due to complications from Alzheimer’s. He was 89.

Dr. Johnston was born in Paris, Kentucky, and attended Paris High School before enrolling at the University of Kentucky. He left college and enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1953. He became a naval aviator and flight instructor. He earned a National Defense Service Medal and was honorably discharged in 1958 with the rank of first lieutenant.

While he was at the University of Kentucky, Dr. Johnston took a class from Charles Snow, a biological anthropologist who inspired him to pursue anthropology. After leaving the Marine Corps, Dr. Johnston returned to the university and earned a BA and then MSc degree, studying the Archaic period Native American burials from the site of Indian Knoll, KY.

Building on this, Dr. Johnston’s interests turned to the use of skeletal analysis to study growth and development in living people, and he entered the anthropology department at the University of Pennsylvania to work with Wilton Krogman, professor of physical anthropology (1947-1971) and founder of the Philadelphia Center for Research in Child Growth, which became the W.M. Krogman Center for Research in Child Growth and Development. Dr. Johnston received his PhD at Penn in 1962 after completing a study of the ways in which skeletal analysis could be used to measure and assess the growth, and therefore the health, of children in Philadelphia.

He then joined Penn as an assistant professor of anthropology that year. He was also a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Child Health, University of London from 1966 to 1967 and the Institute of Cancer Research in Philadelphia from 1967 to 1968. He left Penn in 1968 to become an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Texas at Austin, and in 1971 he moved to Temple University, where he was a professor of anthropology until 1973.

Dr. Johnston returned to Penn’s anthropology department in 1973, where he remained for the rest of professional life. He served as department chair from 1982 to 1994. Dr. Johnston’s research focused on the growth and development of children, particularly how culture affected their nutritional status and so their health. He did research in many places throughout Latin America, especially Guatemala, but also in Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and Cuba. He was also involved in the study of the health effects of modernization in Papua New Guinea.

His teaching incorporated service learning, particularly with Penn’s Netter Center, where he served as a co-chair of its Faculty Advisory Board for 20 years. In 1991, Dr. Johnston founded the Netter Center’s Urban Nutrition Initiative (now the Agatston Urban Nutrition Initiative, AUNI) with student leaders based on a course he taught and went on to be its faculty director. Under his leadership, AUNI became the largest and most comprehensive Netter Center program, involving 12 to 15 academically based community service (ABCS) courses annually, and operating nutrition and health programs, including fruit stands and school gardens, currently in 16 Philadelphia schools, serving more than 6,000 students. His ABCS courses and related research projects and writing made significant contributions to the fields of engaged scholarship, participatory action research, and public interest anthropology, as well as university-community projects across the United States and around the world.

Dr. Johnston was also part of a faculty delegation that went to Complutense Universidad de Madrid to develop collaborative opportunities (Almanac January 12, 1993). He was a member of Penn’s Medical School Council on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and the Council’s Special Task Force on improving the health status of the West Philadelphia community.

He was given a Research Foundation Award in 1996 for “Physical Growth and Mental Development of Guatemala City School Children” and another in 1999 for “Nutrition, Physical Growth, and Health of Children from Abruzzo, Italy—Feasibility Study.” He became an emeritus professor in 2000 and retired in 2016.

Outside of Penn, Dr. Johnston was an overseas fellow of Churchill College, University of Cambridge; visiting fellow at University College, London; and visiting professor at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

He served as a president of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists and was editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Human Biology, and the American Journal of Human Biology. He served as consultant to the National Academy of Sciences, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the World Health Organization, and the Pan American Health Organization.

His many honors included: the award of the American Society of Scientific Publishers for editing the best issue of a scientific journal published that year in the US; author of the best article appearing that year in the Journal of Adolescent Medicine; Honorable Mention for the Ernest A. Lynton Award for Faculty Professional Service, given by the New England Resource Center for Higher Education; and the Charles Darwin Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (Almanac May 13, 2003). In 2002, Barbara and G. Frederick Roll established a permanent academic chair of anthropology in Dr. Johnston’s honor, the Francis E. Johnston Term Professor of Anthropology.

Dr. Johnston wrote 15 books and over 160 articles. His last book, Knowledge for Social Change (written with a number of co-authors) was published in 2017. Using history, social theory, and case studies, the book argues that we should fundamentally rethink research universities, using the knowledge they produce to enact social change and help create and sustain democratically engaged colleges and universities for the public good.

Dr. Johnston is survived by his wife, Patricia and three children and three grandchildren. Due to the COVID pandemic, a private funeral service for his immediate family is being held.

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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

Policies

Of Record: Code of Workplace Conduct for Penn Licensed Product Manufacturers

Penn’s policy of the Code of Workplace Conduct for Penn Licensed Product Manufacturers was originally published in Almanac on March 28, 2000. This revised policy supersedes previous versions.

—Medha Narvekar, Vice President and University Secretary

I. Introduction

With a view to stimulating economic growth and development, raising living standards, meeting staffing requirements and overcoming unemployment and underemployment, the University of Pennsylvania has adopted this Code of Workplace Conduct (the Code) to promote full, productive and freely-chosen employment.
The University of Pennsylvania expects its licensees to conduct their business in a manner consistent with this Code, and to follow workplace standards that adhere to this Code. The Code is subject to amendment to reflect any subsequently developed standards by the University.

II. Notice

This Code shall apply to all trademark licensees of the University of Pennsylvania. Throughout this Code the term “licensee” shall include all persons or entities that have entered a written licensing agreement with the University to manufacture products bearing the name, trademarks and/or images of the University. Additionally, this Code shall apply to all of the licensee’s contractors. Throughout this Code the term “contractor” shall include each contractor, subcontractor, vendor, or manufacturer that is engaged in a manufacturing process that results in a finished product for the consumer. “Manufacturing process” shall include assembly and packaging.

As a condition of being permitted to produce and/or sell licensed products bearing the name, trademarks and/or images of the University, each licensee must comply with this Code and ensure that its contractors comply with this Code. All licensees and contractors are required to adhere to this Code, however, no licensee or contractor may represent that they have been certified as being in compliance with this Code.

III. Standards

University licensees and their contractors must operate workplaces that adhere to the following minimum standards and practices:

A. Legal Compliance
University licensees and their contractors must comply, at a minimum, with all applicable legal requirements of the country in which products are manufactured. Where this Code and the applicable laws of the country of manufacture conflict or differ, the higher standard shall prevail. Such compliance shall include compliance with all applicable environmental laws.

B. Ethical Principles
Licensees shall commit to conducting their business according to a set of ethical standards that include, but are not limited to, honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, and respect for the unique intrinsic value of each human being.

C. Environmental Compliance
Licensees and their subcontractors will be committed to the protection of the local environment, including their factories and their surroundings. They will protect residential areas around their factories, disposing of garbage and waste in such a way so as not to endanger the safety and health of nearby areas.

D. Employment Standards
1. Wages and Benefits
Licensees and their contractors must provide wages and benefits which comply with all applicable laws and regulations and which match or exceed the local prevailing wages and benefits in the relevant industry, whichever provides greater wages and benefits. The University is strongly committed to the employees of licensees receiving a “living wage”.

2. Hours of Work
   a. Except in extraordinary circumstances, or as required by business necessity, employees shall not be required to work (regardless of location) more than the lesser of:
    i. forty eight (48) hours per week and twelve (12) hours of overtime; or
    ii. the limits on the regular and overtime hours allowed by the law of the country
    iii. In addition to their compensation for regular hours of work, employees shall be compensated for overtime hours at such a premium rate as is legally required in that country, but not less than at a rate equal to their regular hourly compensation rate.
   b. Employees shall be entitled to at least one day off in every seven (7) day period.

3. Homework
The employer must ensure that work not done at the place of manufacture is performed in a manner safe for the employee and any persons who may be in the surrounding vicinity.

4. Child Labor
Licensees and their subcontractors shall not employ any person younger than 15 (or 14 where the law of the country of manufacture allows) or younger than the age for completing compulsory education in the country of manufacture where such age is higher than 15. Young workers will not be forced to work overtime hours that would prevent them from attending school. Licensees agree to work with governmental, human rights and non-governmental organizations as determined by the University and licensee to minimize the negative impact on any child released from employment as a result of enforcement of this code.

5. Forced Labor
Licensees and their subcontractors shall not use any forced labor, whether in the form of prison labor, indentured labor, bonded labor or otherwise.

6. Harassment or Abuse
Licensees and their subcontractors shall treat every employee with respect and dignity. Licensees and their subcontractors will not subject any employee to any physical, sexual, psychological or verbal harassment or abuse.

7. Nondiscrimination
Licensees and their subcontractors will not subject any person to any discrimination in employment, including hiring, salary, benefits, advancement, discipline, termination or retirement, on the basis of gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, nationality, political opinion or political affiliation, union involvement, or social or ethnic origin.  Because, historically, the overwhelming majority of workers in light industry are women, assuring and safeguarding women’s rights is of particular importance for all parties.
   a. Women workers will receive equal remuneration for comparable work, including benefits, equal treatment, equal evaluation of the quality of their work, and equal opportunity to fill all positions as male workers.
   b. Pregnancy tests will not be a condition of employment, nor will they be demanded of employees. Workers will not be forced or pressured to use contraception.
   c. Women who take maternity leave will not, because of the maternity leave, face dismissal or threat of dismissal, loss of seniority or reduction of wages. Licensees must permit women returning from maternity leave to return to their prior position or comparable position at least at their prior wage rate and benefits. Local laws and regulations, or the prevailing practice in the relevant industry, whichever is greater, shall determine appropriate length of maternity leave.
   d. Licensees and their subcontractors shall provide, to the extent required by applicable law and regulations, or the local prevailing practice in the relevant industry, whichever is greater, services and accommodations to pregnant women, including but not limited to access to legally required health care provided by the employer, government or other provider.

8. Health and Safety
Licensees and their contractors must provide workers with a safe and healthy work environment free from recognized hazards and must, at a minimum, comply with local and national health and safety laws. If residential facilities are provided to workers, they must be safe and healthy facilities. Workers will not be exposed to conditions that may endanger their reproductive health without their informed consent.

9. Freedom of Association
Licensees and their contractors shall recognize freedom of association and collective bargaining with bargaining representatives of their own choice. No employee shall be subject to harassment, intimidation or retaliation as a result of his or her efforts to freely associate or bargain collectively.

IV. Compliance

Prior to the date of annual renewal of a license agreement, the licensee shall be required to provide the following to the University, as set forth in the license agreement.

A. The Company names, owners and/or officers, and addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and the nature of the business association of all the licensees’ contractors and manufacturing plants which are involved in the manufacturing process of items which bear, or will bear, the name, trademarks and/or images of the University;

B. Written assurances that it and its contractors adhere to this Code (except that in the initial phase-in period, licensee must provide such written assurances within six months of receipt of this Code); and

C. A summary of the steps taken, and/or difficulties encountered, during the preceding year in implementing and enforcing this Code at each site.

Licensees and/or their contractors are responsible for conducting regular inspections of each facility at which University products are manufactured to ensure workplaces are free from recognized hazards as established in consensus standards as well as hazards as defined by local law.

V. Remediation

If the University determines that any licensee or contractor has failed to remedy a violation of this Code, the University reserves the right to terminate its relationship with any licensee in accordance with the terms set forth in the licensee agreement.

VI. Public Disclosure

A. The company names, owners, and/or officers, addresses, and nature of the business association, including the steps performed in the manufacturing process, of all the licensees’ contractors and manufacturing plants which are involved in the manufacturing process of items which bear, or will bear, the name, trademarks and/or images of the University shall be made public information.

B. The Licensee shall be required to supply each year a list of all factory locations referred to in paragraph A above, and all locations Licensee anticipates will be used during the term of the License. Any additions or deletions to this list shall be reported to the University within two months of the effective date of such addition or deletion.

VII. Monitoring and Oversight

The President will establish a Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility (“the Committee”) on the implementation of the University’s Code of Conduct.

A. Composition and Selection
1. Voting Members
   a. Three members of the University faculty selected by the President in consultation with the Chair of the Faculty Senate, one of whom will chair the Committee.
   b. Four members of the student body, including two representatives chosen by the Civic House, and one undergraduate and one graduate student, to be chosen by the Undergraduate Assembly (UA) and the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA), respectively.
   c. One representative of University staff selected by the Penn Professional Staff Assembly (PPSA) and the Weekly-Paid Professional Staff Assembly (WPPSA) respectively.

2. Ex-Officio Members (non-voting)
   a. Representative of Business Services
   b. Representative of the Office of the President
   c. Representative the Office of the Provost
   d. Member of the Office of the General Counsel
   e. Representative of the Office of the University Secretary

An administrative staff person and a work-study Intern will staff the Committee. The Intern will be appointed by the Committee, and paid by the President’s Office. The administrative staff person will be appointed by the President’s Office.

The division of responsibilities will be as follows:

1. Staff Person
The administrative staff person will act as a liaison between the Committee and the Office of the President to ensure timely implementation of all decisions of the Committee. The staff person will also send out notices for committee meetings to ensure maximum participation, and work closely with the Intern to coordinate all committee-related administrative tasks.

2. Intern
The Intern will to the best of his/her abilities research the University’s licensees in order to recognize violations of the Code. This responsibility will include the compilation of a list of licensees and the maintenance of any relevant records necessary to enforce the Code, including information received from monitoring organizations about licensees for consideration by the Committee. The Intern will also actively work on developing mechanisms with other campuses who have signed Codes of Conduct to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Codes.

B. Decision-Making
A simple majority of the Committee (not including ex-officio members) must be present either by telephone or in person for a vote to take place. Only members who are present may vote, and decisions will pass by majority of members present and voting.

C. Meeting Schedule
The Committee will meet no fewer than once each semester, with additional meetings to be scheduled as necessary in the determination of the Committee chair, in the chair’s discretion.

D. Responsibilities
1. Reviewing the Code of Conduct
The Committee will review the code annually to evaluate its effectiveness. Amendments to the code must be submitted to the committee for its approval.

2. Review Effectiveness of Monitoring
The Committee will review, at least annually, the effectiveness of the organization(s) conducting monitoring to ensure compliance with this Code and take appropriate steps to ensure effective monitoring.

3. Reviewing the State of Compliance
Licensees will be reviewed on an annual basis.

4. Reviewing Violations
The Committee will review any alleged violations of the University’s code of conduct including consulting with monitoring organizations, such as the Fair Labor Association (FLA), and the Workers Rights Consortium (WRC), and determine whether they constitute violations. Based on this judgment, the Committee will recommend an appropriate course of action to the Trademark Licensing Unit. At the same time, should Trademark Licensing Unit identify any alleged violations, the department will consult with the Committee on an appropriate course of action.

E. Public Accountability
1. The Office of the Secretary will publish the University’s Code of Conduct annually and amendments as necessary in Almanac.

2. The Trademark Licensing Unit will make available to any interested persons information regarding licensees’ working conditions, monitoring reports, and other relevant materials.

3. The Committee will work with other schools and interested organizations to improve responsible business practices in the manufacture of licensed University products.

F. Seeking and Rewarding Responsible Business Practices
1. The Committee will work with the Trademark Licensing Unit to seek out manufacturers that have instituted proactive measures to insure the responsible production of goods and give them preference by encouraging the University to consider doing business with them, taking into consideration competitive price, quality, and style.

2. Through the efforts of the Committee in seeking out manufacturers with demonstrated responsible business practices, the University commits itself to giving preference to those with responsible monitoring policies, particularly manufacturers that agree to sign disclosure agreements with the University, taking into account competitive price, quality, and style. Representatives of departments responsible for purchasing University products will keep in regular contact with the Committee.

Related: Report of the Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility 2019-2020 Academic Year

Honors

Linda Aiken: Nursing Living Legend

caption: Linda AikenThe American Academy of Nursing has named Linda Aiken, the Claire M. Fagin Leadership Professor in Nursing, director of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research (CHOPR), professor of sociology in Penn’s School of Arts & Sciences, and senior fellow in the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, a Living Legend. The official designation will be made at the Academy’s Transforming Health, Driving Policy conference next month. This is the Academy’s highest honor and is bestowed upon a person who has made significant contributions to nursing and health care over the course of their career.

Dr. Aiken is a renowned researcher and advocate whose pioneering work has transformed nursing by demonstrating the value of baccalaureate education on garnering improved patient outcomes, the impact of safe nurse staffing on saving lives while reducing costs, and the need for positive clinical working environments to improve nurse retention. These areas of focus led to the origination of the Magnet Recognition Program during her tenure as President of the Academy from 1979 to 1980. Magnet status, now known as the Magnet Recognition Program under the American Nurses Association Enterprise, continues to recognize organizations for nursing excellence and improved patient outcomes.

“Dr. Aiken’s impact on health outcomes and policy research cannot be understated. Her research has provided the evidence base that that has led to fundamental change in health policy and nursing practice,” said Penn Nursing Dean Antonia Villarruel. “She is a recognized leader at the local, state, national, and international levels and has had a hand in improving outcomes for millions of patients worldwide.”

Philip Rea: Oxford Honorary DSc

Philip A. Rea, professor of biology and the Rebecka and Arie Belldegrun Distinguished Director of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Program in Life Sciences & Management (LSM), was awarded a higher doctorate, Doctor of Science (DSc), by his alma mater, the University of Oxford, in July.

The doctor of science, one of five higher doctorates that the University of Oxford awards each year, was granted to Dr. Rea in honor and celebration of his long and productive career as a biochemist and his dedication and devotion to teaching, science-communication, and mentorship. Dr. Rea’s research career focused primarily on membrane biology and heavy metal detoxification, and he has now transitioned to focus primarily on pedagogy and science education. In 2006, he was named an inaugural co-director of the LSM program at Penn, an undergraduate dual-degree program administered jointly between Penn’s College of Arts & Sciences and the Wharton School. In 2018, Dr. Rea published a book with Mark Pauly and Lawton Burns, Managing Discovery in the Life Sciences: Harnessing Creativity to Drive Biomedical Innovation, which explores the science and management behind marketable biomedical breakthroughs.

Features

First Woman Voter Initiative: Honoring Those Who Voted First

caption: The day after the police announced that future picket attendees would be arrested and sentenced, Alice Paul led a picket line with a banner reading “The time has come to conquer or submit for there is but one choice— we have made it.” Ms. Paul was sentenced to six months in prison.

100 years later: With other notable leaders across America, Penn President Amy Gutmann helped launch historic, personal tribute campaign to commemorate women’s suffrage. See the video at www.firstwomanvoter.com/

On August 21, a new, virtual campaign marking the centennial of women’s suffrage kicked off, encouraging women across the U.S. to share their stories of the first woman voter in their families, or a woman who most influenced them to vote. Launching with tributes from Penn President Amy Gutmann, as well as all four living former First Ladies and other women leaders in a wide variety of fields, the First Woman Voter initiative was created in response to the many canceled centennial celebrations due to COVID-19.

President Gutmann shares her first memory of the voting booth, going with her mother, Beatrice, in 1960. President Gutmann’s mother and grandmother, Eva, who came to the U.S. as an immigrant and was the first woman in her family to vote, led the way for President Gutmann. Now, as Penn’s president, Dr. Gutmann notes the honor of mentoring the nation’s newest voters, the young people who she says will undoubtedly lead us to a better tomorrow.

caption: Nurses marching to show support of the suffrage movement in Washington, D.C., in 1913. Photo courtesy Library of Congress

“I am deeply inspired by students who today are increasing turnout across the country,” President Gutmann said. “When I am shoulder to shoulder with them, the future feels so full of promise.”

The bipartisan, pro bono First Woman Voter campaign, along with national women’s organizations, such as the National Women’s History Museum, the League of Women Voters, and When We All Vote, celebrates the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. Women share stories with unique and personal short tributes. The first woman voter might be a great-grandmother who gained the right in 1920. She might be a grandmother or great aunt who first was empowered to vote after the Voting Rights Act of 1965. She might be an immigrant mother who voted for the first time in a recent election. She, herself, may be the first woman voter, and if so, she can tell the story of the woman who inspired her to exercise that right.

In her message, President Gutmann also explained the importance of continuing “the good fight,” never ceasing “until every citizen has equal access to vote, no matter their gender, race, or income. Restrictions on the right to vote threaten our democracy. We must set it free, and together, we can. In honor of the first voters in our lives and the latest, let’s all get out the vote.”

Additional women who shared their personal First Woman Voter stories for the campaign kickoff include Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Robin Roberts of Good Morning America, Journalist Megyn Kelly, Lynda Bird Johnson Robb, former secretaries of state Condoleezza Rice and Madeleine Albright, Brown University President Christina Paxson, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, Cindy McCain, Arianna Huffington, CBS’ journalist Norah O’Donnell, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and National Geographic CEO Jill Tiefenthaler, among others.

caption: Amy Gutmann poses with student leaders of Penn Leads the Vote in a pre-pandemic photo.

Research

Research & Innovation

As on-campus research resumes, bringing research back online is not as simple as picking things up where they were left in the spring. It requires strategic planning, flexibility, and an understanding that shutdowns and travel restrictions are beyond the control of researchers and will likely have lasting impacts on their work.

Field Surveys on Hold

Paul Schmidt and his lab are interested in how insect populations adapt to seasonal weather patterns and climate change. The group regularly samples fruit flies, both at nearby sites in rural Pennsylvania as well as from international locations and has also been running a mesocosm experiment at Pennovation Works since 2014. Because the work is inherently seasonal, Dr. Schmidt says it’s possible that they could lose an entire calendar year’s worth of work. While the group hopes to run a reduced version of the experiment over the summer to maintain continuity, resuming field work won’t be easy. In Pennsylvania, Dr. Schmidt typically reaches out to owners of organic, pick-your-own orchards to get permission to sample. “You rely on that personal interface with people, and I don’t know what these places are going to look like now,” he said. “Research-wise, that’s going to be the biggest thing for us: navigating all these modifications and what the new normal is going to look like.”

Katie Barott’s work on coral reef resilience includes both lab experiments and fieldwork in Hawaii. Each summer, her group travels to the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Coral spawning events only occur during full moons in the months of June and July, so there is only a narrow window to collect data. When they miss it, they have to wait a whole year. Her team also had the opportunity last fall to collect samples during a coral bleaching event. They were hoping to track the reef’s recovery over time to learn how heat stress impacts coral reproduction, but now they will be missing several crucial time points. For Dr. Barott, it’s both disappointing and a missed scientific opportunity for a climate-change driven event.

caption: As part of ongoing work at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, Penn researchers are involved with the maintenance and operation of the TRT, which is located within the inner detector. Photograph courtesy of CERN.

Collaborations Face Delays

Many experimental physics and astronomical observatories work on a large scale. Because these projects are interwoven with numerous collaborators and institutions worldwide, delays to a single component can have a huge impact.

I. Joseph Kroll, Elliot Lipeles, Evelyn Thomson, and Hugh Williams are collaborators on ATLAS, one of two general purpose experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a 27 kilometer-long particle accelerator at CERN. Penn researchers play a crucial role in the maintenance and operation of a key component of the ATLAS detector known as the Transition Radiation Tracker (TRT). This shutdown period is an important time for key maintenance and upgrades, and being unable to work in the lab or to send their team members to CERN has been challenging.

“Being onsite and having experience working with the TRT is important for knowledge transfer, and that’s not possible right now,” said Dr. Kroll. “The science is going to get done, it just might take longer than anticipated.” 

Joshua Klein and his group are part of the SNO+ collaboration, which studies subatomic particles called neutrinos at an underground facility called SNOLAB. Right before SNOLAB was shut down, the team was in the middle of filling the 40-foot wide acrylic vessel with 800 tons of scintillator. Now, it’s likely that, between the shutdown and the time required to get things running again, the project will face up to a six-month delay.

Dr. Klein and Chris Mauger also work on projects at Fermilab, a particle physics and accelerator laboratory near Chicago. With a skeleton crew in place, active equipment could be rebooted as needed, but work by outside researchers had to be halted. The group was able to shift its focus to design and data analysis, but Dr. Klein noted that “now we’re getting to that point where we’re really going to need people physically in the lab.”

Since 2016, Mark Devlin has been leading efforts to build the Simons Observatory, a $40 million astronomy facility in Northern Chile. A massive collaborative effort involving research groups from around the world, Dr. Devlin’s group is responsible for assembling the largest cryogenic camera ever built. Dr. Devlin’s group shifted to advanced project planning and were able to get hundreds of parts designed and manufactured. “We had a whole Gantt chart of things to do up through the end of the year, and we moved a lot of those forward,” he explained. “We’re ready to hit the ground running when things turn back on.” Still, Simons Observatory’s timeline still faces major delays because so many components from across the world have to be interface. “Everybody impacts everybody else, and the chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” 

With tractors, earth movers, and cement trucks in place at the site in March, the shutdown was also an abrupt shock to the observatory’s construction. The extreme weather in this region could cause further delays. 

Archaeological Conservation on Pause

Brian Rose at the Penn Museum has been leading efforts to excavate and conserve Gordion, the ancient capital of Phrygia in west central Turkey. Now with the travel restrictions, his group’s research efforts are likely to be set back by a full year. “As long as it’s only set back by a year, it’s not the end of the world, but you never know what’s going to happen,” said Dr. Rose.

Adapting and Accepting Uncertainty

As an experimental biologist, Dr. Schmidt understands the frustrations of losing momentum and is working with group members to develop detailed plans and realistic goals for the coming months. 

Dr. Devlin is also no stranger to the frustration of lost momentum: The Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (BLAST) project had major delays due to equipment malfunctions and bad weather. His advice is to “Just roll with it.” “If you sweat all that small stuff, you can’t make progress. You can sit there and work nine times as hard and get 10% done, or you can say that it won’t all get done but I’ll be in better shape when this all opens up,” he said.

Dr. Klein, as both the PI of his group and as the graduate chair of the department of physics and astronomy, is proud of how students have adapted—whether it’s taking materials to work on at home or learning new skills. “I tell the students that it’s OK to find yourself doing nothing because you have to process all of this. At the same time, it’s good to find things that you otherwise might not get time to do,” said Dr. Klein.

Dr. Rose’s first summer in Turkey took place during the 1980 military coup, and he and his team were also working at Gordion during the attempted coup in July of 2016. These situations showed him the importance of being adaptable. 

Dr. Barott, despite her group’s disappointments in missing out on field work, is encouraged to see the lab maintain a sense of community, with virtual tea times and celebrating awards received by her group members. She tells her group members to work on maintaining a sense of purpose and to keep moving forward. “We’re at the whim of the world.” 

—Adapted from a June 16, 2020, story by Erica K. Brockmeier in Penn Today. Read the full text at https://tinyurl.com/pennresearchincovid

caption: The SNOLAB Project may face a 6-month delay. Photograph courtesy of SNOLAB.

Events

The Race to a COVID-19 Vaccine

A COVID-19 vaccine could bring an end to the pandemic as we know it. But how realistic is this? Join Perry World House’s Director Michael Horowitz in discussion with Penn Medicine’s Dr. Paul Offit today at noon to hear about recent developments in vaccine technology; Dr. Offit’s perspectives on a reasonable timeframe for its deployment; and how countries, universities, and private industry are collaborating—and competing—as the world races towards a vaccine.

Register now: https://tinyurl.com/COVID19VaccineTalk

Morris Arboretum’s Fall Line-up for Classes

Morris Arboretum has more than 30 classes planned for fall. Attendees can learn from experts and stay safe by participating online, plus two outdoor birding trips.

With many people spending more time at home, Horticulture and Landscape Design classes are a great way to learn new techniques to improve your garden. Here are a few classes offered this fall:

  • Container Gardening: an excellent option for those who have limited yard space, want to spice up their deck, roof or patio, or who don’t want the hassle of a full-on garden.
  • Shade Gardening with Jenny Rose Carey: shade is one of the most common garden situations homeowner’s have, and with the right plant knowledge, you can triumph over challenging areas and learn to embrace shade as an opportunity instead of an obstacle.
  • How to Design and Plan Your Home Landscape: through proper design and planning, you can create a livable landscape that looks beautiful all year.

For parents and caregivers looking for ways to engage kids at home, Morris Arboretum offers kids’ classes:

  • Nature Art for Kids: a virtual exploration of art with organic materials that explores every-day nature and incorporates the findings into fun art projects using a variety of media.
  • Native Pennsylvania Animals (with live animals): you don’t have to go to another country or even a zoo to see exciting animals—we have them right here in our own backyards! In this program, you’ll meet animals from right here in our own state of Pennsylvania and learn why they are worthy of some hometown pride.
  • Raptors (with live birds); Briar Bush Nature Center give us an up-close look at some beautiful and highly adapted birds. Whether you call them “raptors” or “birds of prey,” this group of birds is made for power and predation.

There are landscape professional classes too:

  • Maintaining and Enhancing Tree Health: This two-session, on-line class is for tree care professionals and interested homeowners/property managers looking to expand their knowledge about the biological and structural components of trees and how these components interact with each other and their surroundings.
  • Trees and the Law: Learn about the legal aspects of tree care in the urban and suburban environment including trespass and liability concerns as well the arborist’s and homeowner’s duty to take care of trees.

For bird lovers, there are outdoor birding trips, one to John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge and the other to Norristown Farm Park.

All classes are listed at morrisarb.org/classes Register online or call (215) 247-5777, ext. 125.

caption: Container Gardening is just one of many  Morris Arboretum classes offered this fall online. Containers are great for big impact in a limited space and garden accents. There are endless possibilities for container gardening from herbs and vegetables to succulents, to ornamental displays for all seasons.

Crimes

Weekly Crime Reports

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 August 17-23, 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 August 17-23, 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.

08/19/20

8:53 AM

4100 Market St

Industrial fans (3) taken from testing site

08/19/20

11:30 AM

4000 Pine St

Currency taken from vehicle

08/19/20

1:49 PM

209 S. 33rd St

Secured bike taken from bike rack

08/20/20

9:52 AM

3912 Market St

Physical dispute between domestic partners

08/21/20

6:56 AM

3401 Walnut St

Rooms vandalized

08/21/20

1:29 PM

4108 Spruce St

Items taken from apartment

08/21/20

3:25 PM

51 N. 39th St

Unsecured items taken from purse

08/23/20

9:52 PM

300 S. 40th St

Complainant assaulted by ex-boyfriend/Arrest

 

18th District

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 5 incidents (4 domestic assaults and 1 robbery) with 2 arrests were reported for August 17-23, 2020 by the 18th District, covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

08/17/20

3:39 AM

4702 Chestnut St

Domestic Assault

08/17/20

3:38 PM

4513 Larchwood Ave

Robbery/Arrest

08/17/20

4:55 PM

801 S. 47th St

Domestic Assault

08/20/20

9:52 AM

3912 Market St

Domestic Assault

08/23/20

10:10 PM

S. 40th & Spruce Sts

Domestic Assault/Arrest

Bulletins

FactCheck.org Roundup

Leading up to Election Day on Tuesday, November 3, Almanac will run a bi-weekly FactCheck.org roundup. Here are some of the latest stories:

"Video: FactChecking Trump’s Big Speech" (August 28, 2020) This video reviews five false, misleading or exaggerated claims from President Donald Trump’s acceptance speech on August 27 at the Republican National Convention. 

https://tinyurl.com/TrumpRNCSpeech

“Trump, Hahn Mischaracterize Data on COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma” (August 26, 2020) In a press briefing the eve before the RNC, President Trump falsely said that convalescent plasma had been “proven to reduce mortality by 35%,” even though the therapy has not yet been shown to be effective for COVID-19.

https://tinyurl.com/ConvalescentPlasma

“Trump Touts Misleading and Flawed Excess Mortality Statistic” (August 24, 2020) On six separate occasions, President Trump has claimed that Europe’s excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic is 33% to 40% higher than America’s. But that’s only possible when cherry-picking numbers or ignoring Europe’s larger population. 

https://tinyurl.com/TrumpExcessMortalityStat

“Trump’s Talking Points” (August 24, 2020) A compendium of the president’s factual distortions that were anticipated talking points for the convention. 

https://tinyurl.com/TrumpTalkingPoints

“New ‘Plandemic’ Video Peddles Misinformation, Conspiracies” (August 21, 2020) The second part of “Plandemic”—a documentary-style video that presents a sweeping conspiracy theory about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, patents and vaccines—landed on August 18, spinning together many of the falsehoods about the disease, plus some new misleading claims. 

https://tinyurl.com/NewPlandemicVideo

“Video: FactChecking the Democratic National Convention” (August 21, 2020) This video reviews some of the statements that were fact-checked during the DNC, which ended August 20 with former Vice President Joe Biden accepting his party’s nomination for president. 

https://tinyurl.com/DemNationalConvention

“Biden’s Greatest Hits” (August 17, 2020) A compendium of the top false and misleading claims by the Democratic presidential candidate. 

https://tinyurl.com/BidenGreatestHits

“Trump Campaign Exaggerates Potential for Mail-In Voting Fraud After Election” (August 14, 2020) The Trump campaign claims there’s a potential for “massive fraud” in Nevada because the Postal Service doesn’t postmark the state’s prepaid return ballot envelopes. That’s false. USPS policy is to postmark all ballots. 

https://tinyurl.com/MailVotingFraud

Important Information for Penn Commuters

SEPTA has notified the University that its magnetic-stripe paper passes are being retired. The September monthly passes will be the last transit fare paper products distributed by mail. 

Commuters who currently receive a monthly paper pass mailed through Health Equity/WageWorks must transition to a SEPTA Key Card no later than Thursday, September 10 to have their October commuter benefits continue uninterrupted. Once the account is transitioned, any future passes will be loaded electronically on to the SEPTA Key Card. 

Converting to the SEPTA Key reloadable transit fare card requires a three-step process:

Instructions from SEPTA and Health Equity/WageWorks to guide you through the process are found at https://cms.business-services.upenn.edu/transportation/permits-passes/commuter-passes/septa-compass.html

Please know that the SEPTA Key and Commuter Pass Programs are managed by SEPTA and Health Equity/WageWorks, respectively. If you have any questions about the outlined SEPTA Key card registration process, please contact SEPTA directly at 1-855-56-SEPTA (1-855-567-3782) or Health Equity/WageWorks at 1-877-924-3967 and follow the prompts.

Please Share Almanac

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.

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