September 8, 2020 Volume 67 Issue 9

James Primosch, professor of music, has been appointed the Dr. Robert Weiss Professor of Music. Dr. Primosch is an internationally renowned composer whose vocal, instrumental, and electronic works have been performed throughout the U.S. and in Europe by such ensembles as the Chicago Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Collage, the New York New Music Ensemble, and the 21st Century Consort. A member of the Penn faculty since 1988, Dr. Primosch is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, most recently the 2020 Virgil Thomson Award for Vocal Music from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Organizations commissioning Dr. Primosch’s music include the Koussevitzky and Fromm Foundations, the Barlow Endowment, and the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. Recordings of 35 compositions by Dr. Primosch have been released on CD, including a recent release by the Grammy-winning chamber choir The Crossing. At Penn, Dr. Primosch has served as chair and undergraduate chair of the department of music.

George A. Weiss (W’65, HON’14) endowed this chair in memory of his father, Robert Weiss, who was both a research chemist and a concert pianist. George Weiss is a University of Pennsylvania Trustee Emeritus and a member of the Executive Committee of the Penn Medicine Board. He is a 1985 recipient of the Alumni Award of Merit, the University’s highest alumni honor. In 2014, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2010, he endowed four Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professorships, adding to his extensive philanthropic legacy of support for Penn’s highest priorities.

Tyshawn Sorey, who recently joined Penn as assistant professor of music, has been named Presidential Assistant Professor of Music. A renowned figure in the contemporary music scene, Dr. Sorey is a multi-instrumentalist and composer who occupies a unique space between the worlds of spontaneous and formal composition. He has released 13 critically acclaimed recordings as a composer and bandleader and received support for his creative projects from The Jerome Foundation and The Shifting Foundation. Dr. Sorey was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2017 and was a 2018 recipient of the United States Artists grant. He has received commissions of his work from JACK Quartet, Ojai Music Festival, International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), and others. Dr. Sorey has performed around the world with his own ensembles, as well as with artists such as John Zorn, Vijay Iyer, and Roscoe Mitchell. He was recently named Opera Philadelphia’s new Composer in Residence. Prior to coming to Penn, Dr. Sorey served as assistant professor of music at Wesleyan University.

Dr. Sorey received a BMusic in jazz studies and performance from William Paterson University, an MA in music composition from Wesleyan University, and a DMA in music composition from Columbia University. He cites Fred Lerdahl, George Lewis, and Anthony Braxton among his principal teachers.

The Presidential Professorships are five-year term chairs, awarded by University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann to outstanding scholars, whose appointments to the standing faculty are approved by the Provost, and who demonstrably contribute excellence and diversity to Penn’s inclusive community.

Harold Cole has been appointed the James Joo-Jin Kim Professor of Economics. Dr. Cole has been a faculty member at Penn since 2006 and was the lead editor of the International Economic Review (IER), co-published by Penn’s economics department and Osaka University, from 2011 to 2019. His research covers a broad range of macroeconomic topics using a combination of theory, quantitative, and statistical methods. Major topics in his research agenda include the Great Depression, efficient contracting models of firms’ financial structure and compensation, and incomplete asset markets and the impact of limited portfolio behavior. A Fellow of both the Econometric Society and the Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory, Dr. Cole has recently published two textbooks with Oxford University Press: Finance and Financial Intermediation: A Modern Treatment of Money, Credit, and Banking and Monetary and Fiscal Policy Through a DSGE Lens. In 2015, he was the recipient of Penn’s Kravis Prize, which honors outstanding undergraduate teaching in the department of economics.

James Joo-Jin Kim (W’59, G’61, GR’63) established this professorship in 2001 to support a preeminent scholar and teacher in the department of economics. Mr. Kim is a former member of the Penn Arts & Sciences’ Board of Overseers and Wharton’s Executive Board for Asia, and a former member of the Penn Alumni Council and Penn Alumni Board of Directors. He is a former Penn Trustee and currently serves as a Trustee Emeritus. He is a longtime supporter of scholarship initiatives at the University and of the Wharton School. Mr. Kim has been a longtime advocate and generous supporter of Korean Studies at Penn, now known as the James Joo-Jin Kim Program in Korean Studies.

Wei Guo, professor of biology in Penn’s School of Arts & Sciences, has been appointed Class of 1965 Term Professor of Biology. Dr. Guo is a leading expert in cell biology, with special emphasis on molecular mechanisms of exocytic trafficking. His pioneering work on extracellular vesicles significantly influenced the current understanding of cancer metastasis and immune suppression. He has an extensive publication record in some of the most prestigious journals in his field, and he serves on the editorial boards of journals such as Molecular Biology of the Cell and Cytoskeleton. Dr. Guo was chosen as a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences and a recipient of an American Heart Association Established Investigator Award. At Penn, Dr. Guo has served as a member of the Committee for Undergraduate Education and the University Council Committee on Diversity and Equality, among other roles.

The Class of 1965 Endowed Term Chair is one of five chairs established in 1990 in honor of the class’s 25th Reunion. The Class of 1965 endowed a chair for each of the four undergraduate schools and one in honor of the College for Women.

Holly Harner has been appointed the Afaf I. Meleis Director of the Center for Global Women’s Health (CGWH). She recently joined Penn Nursing as a practice professor of women’s health in the department of family and community health. Dr. Harner has a national reputation as a leading clinician, educator, and champion of women’s health, with a long-standing commitment to improving the health status of vulnerable women.

Dr. Harner has demonstrated excellence in her research, practice, teaching, and leadership at Boston College, Jefferson College, and, most recently LaSalle University. Her experience will also advance CGWH’s work both locally and globally including existing collaborations in West Philadelphia, West Virginia, India, Thailand and several Latin American countries, and lead to the development of new partnerships that will use a health equity framework focused on social justice as a foundational value.

“The Center for Global Women’s Health has a hand in every area of women’s health research—here in the U.S. and around the world— and I’m so pleased to welcome Dr. Holly Harner as the new Afaf I. Meleis Director of the Center,” said Dean Antonia Villarruel. “She brings her vast experience in public health, and women’s health specifically, to the role, and I’m confident that Dr. Harner’s leadership will further expand the Center’s work to value and empower women and girls through research, practice, and education.”

CGWH is an interdisciplinary collection of faculty and students who collaborate on women’s health scholarship, education, and clinical practice relevant to global issues. It conducts rigorous research and clinical scholarship to improve the health and well-being of girls and women of all ages. The Center examines and addresses how social and structural determinants of health influence the well-being of women and girls; and it provides mentorship for women’s health scientists and leaders locally, nationally, and globally.

The appointment took effect on July 1, 2020.

August 31, 2020

Over the past six months, Penn staff, faculty, and students have faced the formidable task of navigating life in a new and uncertain context. We thank every Penn faculty and staff member for your commitment and dedication to the work that is moving the University forward during one of the most challenging chapters in our history.

The global pandemic has changed the way we work, live, and learn, as many of us must adapt to working remotely while also balancing life at home. We are pleased to announce a new Penn COVID-19 Childcare Grant, starting September 15, that will offer up to $2,000 per household to eligible faculty, staff, and postdoctoral trainees for childcare expenses. We also offer a wide range of resources to help with such areas as finding caregivers, working from home, setting up home workspaces, starting a new school year, creating work/life balance, and building professional skills and professional development.

In this environment, it is more important than ever to maintain our health and wellness. Penn’s mindfulness, resilience, wellness workshops and webinars, and annual Be in the Know wellness campaign help you stay active, healthy, and engaged. The Employee Assistance Program also offers access for eligible staff and faculty and their families to free, confidential 24/7 counseling and referral services for personal and professional life issues.

We are enormously grateful to the essential faculty and staff who have worked on campus since day one of our public health crisis. As more faculty and staff return to onsite work, we encourage you to consult our Return to Campus Guide and learn more about PennOpen Pass, the daily symptom checker that is required of everyone on campus. Penn Transportation and Parking also provides up-to-date information about parking, permits, and a wide range of other transportation options.

All of these resources and initiatives are made possible by your tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to Penn. We thank you for your extraordinary work and will continue to keep you updated as the semester moves forward.

—Wendell Pritchett, Provost
—Craig Carnaroli, Executive Vice President
—Jack Heuer, Vice President for Human Resources
—Laura Perna, Vice Provost for Faculty

August 29, 2020

Dear Members of the Penn Community:

As we begin a new academic year, we at the Division of Public Safety wish to reiterate our support for a healthy and safe environment for you to study, work, research and live.

We all recognize that these are challenging times for our country, our city and our University. Between the continuing changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as recent crime trends and civil unrest in Philadelphia, we understand that this may be an upsetting and uncertain time for the Penn and University City communities. Be assured that the University considers your safety its utmost priority and has consistently maintained the normally high levels of Penn Police and Allied Security patrols to ensure the physical safety of our community.

As you may be aware, at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday night, August 25, a large group of people marched from Clark Park at 43rd & Baltimore Avenue to 40th and Chestnut Street. The group broke windows and painted graffiti along the 40th Street corridor causing extensive damage to several businesses, Penn buildings and a Penn Police vehicle. They also harassed University City neighbors on their way back to Clark Park, where they eventually dispersed. Penn Police and Allied Security were on site ensuring the physical safety of pedestrians and motorists in the area.

The Penn Police continue to work closely with the Philadelphia Police department, in order to receive information and support for any future potentially concerning or violent events occurring close to our campus, and the off-campus student housing area.

We encourage you to use all of the free services available to you and offer the below reminders:

• Use Walking Escort (https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/about/security-services/walking-escort/) to walk with you to any location between 30th Street and 43rd Streets, from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue 24/7; as well as west to 50th Street and north into Powelton from 10 a.m.-3 a.m.
• Use PennRides (https://cms.business-services.upenn.edu/transportation/coronavirusinformation.html) for free transportation to both the West Philadelphia and Center City areas.
• For a medical emergency, call (215) 573-3333 for the Alternative Response Unit (AR-1) (https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/about/fire-and-emergency-services/penn-alternative-response-unit-ar-1/) and Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) (https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/about/fire-and-emergency-services/medical-emergency-response-team/).
• If you see something, say something. Report suspicious behavior immediately to Penn Police at (215) 573-3333.

Also, if you have not done so, please take a moment to sign up for the UPennAlert System (https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/pennready/upennalert/), as well as the Penn Guardian App (https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/safety-initiatives/pennguardian/) which can help Public Safety locate you in an emergency. Remember that after receiving a UPennAlert, you can find additional information about the on-going emergency on the Public Safety website (https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/). Our website becomes a “Bulletin Board” with real time updates during an event or emergency, and is an excellent source of information to the entire Penn community and parents of students who are living in the University City area.

Most importantly, take care of yourself, whether by talking to a friend, colleague, family member or contacting Penn’s Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) (https://caps.wellness.upenn.edu/) or the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) (http://www.healthadvocate.com/upenn). You can also call Special Services (https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/about/special-services/) at (215) 898-6600 or the 24/7 Help Line (https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/safety-initiatives/help-line-215-898-help/). Remember Penn has a student Medical Amnesty (https://aod.wellness.upenn.edu/amnesty/) program that ensures students can request medical assistance for themselves or their friends.

The Division of Public Safety Team is wishing you a safe and productive semester!

—Maureen S. Rush, Vice President for Public Safety, Superintendent of Penn Police

Harold (Hal or Hask) Haskins, former director of Penn’s Tutoring Center and Student Development Support Planning who set out to increase admission of Black students at Penn and to create programs supporting them socially and academically, died August 5 from pneumonia. He was 85.

Mr. Haskins, who was with Penn for 34 years, was born and raised in West Philadelphia. He attended grade school in the heart of the Penn campus and graduated from West Philadelphia High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Temple University and a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Penn in 1975.

In the 1960s, Mr. Haskins became known for his work with street gangs, mostly in North Philly. In 1966, he received a small grant to produce a film. During his tenure as associate vice president for community development at Temple University Health Science Center in 1967, Mr. Haskins produced the film The Jungle, featuring teenage gang life, specifically members of the 12th and Oxford Gang in North Philadelphia. In 1968, this film won a film award at the Festival dei Popoli in Italy. The film was a catalyst for a number of gang members to return to high school to earn diplomas. Several of these gang members went on to earn degrees at regional universities. It was accepted into the Library of Congress in 2009 as part of a sociological study of teenagers in gangs. In 1969, ABC featured Mr. Haskins as an urban trailblazer in a documentary, Three Young Americans in Search of Survival.

Mr. Haskins joined Penn’s staff in 1974 as the assistant dean of students. A year later he became director of Support Services, a program that was often misunderstood as serving minority students only (Almanac October 14, 1975). The program was established to serve students with special academic needs: “stretch” courses, courses with “reteaching sessions” and traditional tutoring of newcomers by advanced students Mr. Haskins described the philosophy of the office as being based on the assumption that for all students new to University life, the academic and social pressures are often overwhelming. The first-year student, no matter what their racial background, is likely to have particular difficulties in making the most of what Penn has to offer. Mr. Haskins saw their major function to be an integrative one: informing the students of all the academic and social facilities the University provides.

He then served as director of the Tutoring Center for several years, and during that time spent a year as acting director of the Affirmative Action office, until Joann Mitchell was hired for the position. In 1989, he became director of the Student Academic Support Services Program, overseeing the pre-freshman program, Reading Improvement, Upward Bound, Veterans Upward Bound, Tutoring and PennCAP.

He became director of Student Development Support Planning in 1993 (Almanac July 13, 1993). He was responsible to the VPUL for program planning, pre-college development, and other functions related to improving the climate of support for students. A significant part of his responsibility was to identify patterns of unmet student needs that affect their success within the institution and to recommend systemic changes to anticipate and respond more effectively to those needs. He also worked toward developing ways to bring students, faculty, staff, and others together to resolve issues through dialogue and collaborative effort. While he was director of Student Development Support Planning, he was also executive consultant to the Wharton LEAD (leadership education and development) Program.

Mr. Haskins was a member of one of the 20 working University groups in the late 1980s for the University-wide Planning for the 21st Century (Almanac November 8, 1988). He was recognized with the MLK Community Education Award “for outstanding contributions to the advancement of education and educational opportunities in West Philadelphia” (Almanac January 30, 2007), and he received diversity research funding for “A Study to Examine the Impact of Existing Pre-college Programs to Increase the Pipeline” (Almanac January 29, 2008).

At the time of his 2007 MLK Service Award, he was recognized for tailoring programs to support underrepresented student populations, which include services to physically challenged, minority, educationally, and economically disadvantaged students; for obtaining significant financial resources to support development activities; and numerous other accomplishments. Those included LEAD Wharton Summer Business Institute fundraising development support; establishment of the Robert Aresty Scholarship Fund, Wharton Leadership in Education and Development (LEAD) Program; establishment of the W.E.B. DuBois House Scholarship Fund, the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Memorial Chair in Wharton, and the Constance E. Clayton Chair in Urban Education in GSE; and consulting with AAMBAA for the establishment of the Whitney M. Young Endowed Fellowship.

Mr. Haskins retired from Penn in 2007. “A great deal of Mr. Haskins’ work, from encouraging students’ academic growth to nurturing their leadership dexterities, is immeasurable,” the UPenn Black History Project wrote in 2013.

He is survived by his wife, Yvonne; daughter, Kristin Haskins Simms; and a grandson. Plans for a memorial event next spring during Penn’s alumni weekend will be announced at a later date.

Leslie Shinn, longtime undergraduate biochemistry and Vagelos life sciences program coordinator in the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, died unexpectedly on August 29. She was 67.

Ms. Shinn was born in Des Moines, Iowa. She received her MFA in creative writing from Warren Wilson College. She joined the staff at Penn in 1980 in the School of Engineering’s budget and administration department as a secretary, leaving in 1981 and returning again in 1997, this time to the chemistry department in the School of Arts and Sciences. She began as a secretary and moved up to an assistant, and then in 2005 to coordinator of the undergraduate biochemistry program and Vagelos life sciences program. She remained in that position for the remainder of her career. 

Ms. Shinn’s poetry collection Inside Spiders was the winner of the 2013 Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize in Poetry (Almanac July 16, 2013).

She is survived by her children, Hart and Lily.

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To Report A Death

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

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

The following is published in accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules. Among other purposes, the publication of SEC actions is intended to stimulate discussion among the constituencies and their representatives. Please communicate your comments to Patrick Walsh, executive assistant to the Senate Office, either by telephone at (215) 898-6943 or by email at senate@pobox.upenn.edu

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Actions

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Welcome and Introductions. After introductions, Faculty Senate Chair Kathleen Hall Jamieson welcomed the members of the Senate Executive Committee (SEC) and offered a brief review of the Senate and its structure. She indicated that the responsibility of SEC is to be the central mechanism for input and feedback between faculty and Penn leaders. She urged SEC members to serve as conduits for communication between the Standing Faculty and the Senate leadership. A full roster of SEC members is available on the Senate’s website (https://facultysenate.upenn.edu/). In particular, the “Tri-Chairs” including Kathleen Hall Jamieson (Chair), Bill Braham (Chair-Elect), and Steve Kimbrough (Past Chair) work in concert and arrive at decisions by consensus. 

Prof. Jamieson recapped the Faculty Senate Seminar Series and highlighted the utility of providing questions and comments to guest discussants in advance in order to enhance engagement between the discussant(s) and the faculty. This model was piloted with separate discussions between SEC and President Amy Gutmann (see SEC minutes of January 2020) and Provost Wendell Pritchett (see minutes of February 2020) on the topic of “engaged scholarship” and the role it plays in promotion and tenure discussions. From those discussions, it was agreed that SEC members should encourage their departments to clearly enunciate what role engaged scholarship should play in those decisions, if any. This model will continue throughout the year, including with President Gutmann at the next SEC meeting on October 14, 2020.

Support for Faculty Research and Teaching. Prof. Jamieson recognized the unique demands placed upon faculty to deliver a world-class Penn education in virtual space. Doing so will require faculty members to prioritize teaching to an even greater extent than in non-COVID times. This re-prioritization will entail trade-offs in time spent that would be otherwise devoted to research and service. Traditional faculty reward structures do not envision that teaching will be prioritized to the extent required now. As a result, the Tri-Chairs are emphasizing the need for Penn leaders to clearly communicate to all teaching faculty that expending additional time on teaching and in the process downplaying some other activities will not be penalized. At the same time, departments should work to ensure that junior faculty have the wherewithal to complete the teaching, research, and service required to reach the thresholds they need to meet under the extensions that are now available. 

Prof. Jamieson addressed concerns raised by faculty members this summer about ownership of instructional materials delivered online. “Guidance on Recording Classes” was announced from Vice Provosts Emanuel, Perna, and Winkelstein on September 3, 2020, the day following the SEC meeting.

Prof. Jamieson shared a summary of efforts being made by schools and by Penn Athletics: virtual backdrops to be used in Zoom in particular to be used by students to avoid disclosing any socioeconomic markers that might disadvantage them or their learning experiences. The summary will be shared with SEC to share with its constituents. The Tri-Chairs encourage all schools to make these Zoom options accessible and available.

Finally, Prof. Jamieson showed an example of a three-minute “wellness break” video produced by Penn Athletics for use during class breaks of multi-hour classes. The example includes a greeting by a student, a stretching routine by a Penn Athletics official, and a brief clip of a Penn women’s basketball game. Penn Athletics will release a new video weekly throughout the fall semester, and the Tri-Chairs are working to produce similar videos from other areas of the campus. 

Faculty Senate Select Committee on Rules Review. Prof. Jamieson announced the creation of an ad hoc committee that will systematically review the Faculty Senate Rules. SEC members will be invited to provide feedback on how the rules can be both reformed and modernized, and a meeting of the full Faculty Senate is planned for Spring 2021. Details will follow in due course.

Structure and Function of Senate Committees. Cross-committee liaisons are being informally arranged to preserve and share good ideas across committees. This year, for example, each of the standing Senate committees has a common charge: “Assess and evaluate ways to change University structures, practices, and biases (at the University, school, departmental, and individual levels) that perpetuate systemic racism as they apply to the committee’s general charge [and] facilitate the changes identified….”

Discussion and vote on draft Charges for Senate Standing Committees, 2020-2021. The specific charges of the Faculty Senate standing committees were reviewed and approved.

Update on CIRCE (Senate Select Committee on the Institutional Response to the Climate Emergency). Prof. Braham described CIRCE’s current projects, which are provided in greater detail in an article that appeared in Almanac on August 25, 2020. In addition, CIRCE will sponsor an event as part of Penn Climate Week: “How Faculty and Staff Can Reduce Their Carbon Footprint at Home.” This webinar is open to the public (registration required) and will be held on Friday, September 25, 2020, at 2 p.m. EDT.

Update on P4 (Senate Select Committee on Planning for Post-Pandemic Penn). Prof. Kimbrough described P4’s recent work.

Faculty Senate Seminar with Associate Provost and Chief Wellness Officer Benoit Dubé. All faculty were invited to this hourlong virtual Faculty Senate Seminar, the fourth in a series begun in the summer. The video from all four seminars are available for viewing “on demand” at https://provost.upenn.edu/senate/faculty-senate-seminar-series

On Monday, August 31, the University of Pennsylvania’s Class of 2024 Convocation was held virtually due to the COVID-19 global pandemic instead of under the late summer sky in Blanche Levy Park in front of College Hall. President Amy Gutmann accepted the baton—symbolizing the Class of 2024—from Dean of Admissions Eric Furda. Below are President Gutmann’s remarks to the more than 2,325 incoming students, including first-years and transfers. Provost Wendell Pritchett’s remarks to the students are on page 5.

To see the video of this virtual event, visit https://convocation.upenn.edu/

Mission-Driven Grit and a United Community

President Amy Gutmann

Dean Furda speaks and passes the baton off-screen. Cut to President Gutmann who reaches out to receive the baton.

Thank you, Dean Furda…

But instead gets handed a graduate’s mortarboard and tassel.

Wait! Too soon! 

She hands hat back off-screen, gets handed baton instead.

Perfect! The baton has been passed. Let’s get started with Convocation! 

Anything is possible with amazing Quakers like Dean Furda on your team. His latest and greatest accomplishment is—all of you! Welcome, great Class of 2024 and transfer students!

Your time at Penn comes at the most pivotal moment in your lifetime—and ours. We won’t downplay the challenges of this pandemic, but we remain extremely optimistic for the future. I can’t wait to welcome you to campus.  

Right now, your Class embarks on something never before attempted. There will be setbacks, yes. 

More remarkably, there will be great opportunities to do things differently, more creatively. 

This moment cries out for mission-driven grit and a united community. Yours will be the Class defined by both. And you will be in great company. 

Each year, some Penn seniors win our President’s Engagement Prizes for their world-changing projects.

Early last spring, Brendan Taliaferro seized the Prize for a program where volunteers would provide shelter for local homeless gay and transgender youth. COVID struck just before Brendan’s project was about to launch. Suddenly, the effort appeared doomed.

Grit and community are the hallmarks of a Penn education. So, Brendan pivoted with his team’s support. They are now partnering with local youth shelters and restaurants to get hot meals to young people in need. 

It’s a model of community caring that can be adopted widely—and it began in a historic pandemic.

So too begins your Penn education. Its contours will be defined by mission-driven grit and a united community. Grit and community can alter history. We saw this just last month, when the world lost Congressman John Lewis.

A champion of the Civil Rights Movement, John was the youngest speaker at the March on Washington. He lifted his voice for justice, for Black Americans, for the precious right to vote, for the beloved community. 

Decades later, he summed it all up like this: “If you come together with a mission, grounded with love and a sense of community, you can make the impossible possible.”

In 2012, Congressman Lewis joined our Penn family—now your family—as an honorary degree recipient. We honor his example. We learn from it. 

Determined in his devotion to mission and community, John moved a president and a nation. He inspired millions to embrace the better angels of our nature. He fought to enshrine the equal right to vote.

As we reaffirm, yes, Black Lives Matter—

As we confront this pandemic—

These shining examples call out to us: Stick to your mission. Stand with your beloved community.  

I know times seem dim right now. I know how that feels. I was a first-year like you when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated. Devoted to civil rights, I was horrified, devastated. The Vietnam War tore at our social fabric. Times felt dire then, too.

But, as John Lewis would say, this is not the time to dwell on setbacks. This is the time to step up. This is the time to unite, together.

This year especially, with a historic election, you possess real power to step up through the essential democratic right and responsibility to vote. 

 “The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society,” John Lewis wrote in his final words to us. “You must use it because it is not guaranteed.”

As we mark the 100th anniversary of the women’s right to vote in the United States, I recall vividly going with my mom to the voting booth. 

Her mom, my Bubba—holding me here [shows photo]—was an immigrant. She was the very first woman in my family to vote. 

I take tremendous pride in Penn Leads the Vote, our student leaders who get the vote out, and the civic engagement of all Penn students.

Together we are a long, proud, unbowed line of citizens, all united for a common mission. All the more so in this time of COVID, I urge you to take your place among them. Vote!

Marching forward together, with mission-driven grit, a community united, your Penn family can and will make the impossible possible.

You now march with us. With Penn purpose and pride. We couldn’t be happier or more excited that you’re here.

Welcome to your moment. Welcome to Penn!

Now we will hear from our wonderful Provost, Wendell Pritchett. 

Lift Us Up, Lead Us Forward

Provost Wendell Pritchett

Good evening. As Provost—Penn’s Chief Academic Officer—it’s my pleasure to welcome you to the Penn community.

Typically I might have said campus, but this year is anything, and everything, but typical. Wherever you are, know that you are a critical and valued member of our community.  And what will this year look like for the Penn community? If I told you I knew, I’d be lying—and you wouldn’t believe me anyway. Things are—and will be—different. Unpredictable seems fitting.

What I want to share with you tonight is not predictions, or even guesses, about the next few months. It’s some thoughts about where we are—as a University, as a nation—and how in the years to come your Penn experience can help move us forward.

This has been a tumultuous, upsetting, and at moments inspiring period for this country, and for people of color in particular. Our inequalities have been laid bare—often on video—including the outsized impact COVID continues to have on Black and brown people. Millions of people carry the weight of injustice.

Penn, too, is not immune from racism, and has historical ties to slavery and discredited medical practices like eugenics. We feel that weight. Without acknowledging and examining our difficult past, we cannot move beyond it. As co-chair of the Penn Slavery Project—an initiative started by students—this is an endeavor I take very seriously, and one I encourage you to explore while you’re here. 

Equally important, we’re examining our present: our statues and icons, our policing policies, and our naming conventions. We’ve been exploring issues of inequality through our Campaign for Community, and this year we’ll place even greater focus on them through many efforts, including our Year of Civic Engagement. Penn is not perfect. But our community strives to be better. 

Like Penn, our country can only make progress by understanding how and why we’ve arrived at this point. You’ve worked incredibly hard to get here, and are now among the fortunate few attending one of the world’s greatest universities—regardless of where you’re sitting. It’s up to you—and young people like you, no matter what they look like or where they come from—to push our nation forward. And to support one another on that journey.

How can a Penn education help you do that?

First, you’ll make intellectual and social connections here that will serve you well. The pandemic may mean it will take longer to build those ties, but I promise you it will happen, and these ties will last forever.  Second, the exposure to different viewpoints will shape your ideas, interests, and priorities. And the knowledge and insight you gain will be foundational to your future success. 

For a moment, I’d like to dwell on that word: what do we mean by success?

The last six months have reminded us something that we’ve always known: that individual achievement, while laudable, is not nearly enough. 

Darren Walker , President of the Ford Foundation—and someone who, by his own admission, began life in the bottom one percent and worked his way to the very top—noted recently that:

“No chief executive, investor or rich person wakes up in the morning, looks in the mirror, and says, ‘Today, I want to go out and create more inequality in America.’ And yet, all too often, that is exactly what happens.”

It’s not enough to just do well in America. 

We all must do the hard work of battling racism, injustice, and inequality, of healing our world.

I hope—I know—you will do the heavy lifting that your good fortune demands: You will lead, in word and deed. Real leadership, true leadership, means taking people where they may be reluctant to go: because it’s right, and because it’s just. And you’ll do this work not because it’s easy, but because it is very, very difficult. I urge you to envision how success looks not just for you, but for all members of our community and our country. 

Are we at a tipping point? I hope we are. I believe we are poised for something greater. And I know you will lift us, and lead us forward.

Members of the Class of 2024: Welcome to Penn. 

An Invocation in Honor of the Class of 2024

The Rev. Charles Lattimore Howard, University Chaplain and Vice President for Social Equity and Community

This year has been so difficult.

Many of us have had loved ones become ill or worse.

Or had family members lose jobs, or have felt the sting of racism and racist violence.

And while not a matter of life or death, but still disappointing, most of you didn’t get to have a proper graduation … and this isn’t how we had hoped your New Student Orientation would go.

2020 has been hard. Very hard. But perhaps—prayerfully—we’re about to begin a new chapter.

Life presents us these...liminal moments where we find ourselves standing in a threshold on the cusp of something new. 

We look back and celebrate or grieve what was left behind.

We look forward, perhaps with some trepidation, to what awaits us. 

I give thanks for the Class of 2024 who are in one of these “in between moments” in their academic careers and in their lives.

May this Class bravely process through the gates that stand before them for their personal transitions here at Penn—academically, socially, with student activities, athletically and more. 

But it seems that we are in a liminal season as a world too.

May these students help all of us crossover into the new, as well.

…To envision what a post-Covid society could and should look like.

May they help us turn the page on racism and all forms of hate.

And during their season here at the University of Pennsylvania may they know that they are not alone, that the entire faculty, staff, and administration are here to journey with them into the new…but we also need them to help us take steps forward as well.

Be their strength, protect them, give them wisdom, joy amidst the weight of the moment, a steadfast peace, and love enough to push back on hate and fear.

President Gutmann's Concluding Remarks

After the Provost’s Remarks, and the presentation of the Class of 2024 Flag, President Gutmann closed the program:

Thank you, Derek [Nhieu, Sophomore], Sam [Strickberger, Junior], and Lizzie [Youshaei, Senior] for your thoughts in transmitting the flag of the Class of 2024. It now joins the flags of previous classes at official University events and future alumni celebrations.

With the presentation of the Class of 2024 flag complete, it is now my honor and my privilege to officially declare the start of the 281st year of the University of Pennsylvania!

I want to thank all of the participants who joined us today, with a particular shout out to the Penn Band, Glee Club, The Inspiration, Penn Sirens, and The Shabbatones, who will now lead us in singing the Penn Anthem, “The Red and Blue.”

This is a very special Penn tradition that we normally do all together. 

I assure you, that opportunity will come again. So it’s best to start learning the words today! The lyrics to “The Red and Blue” are listed in the virtual program here on our Convocation website so—no excuses. Wherever you are—here on campus, across the country, and around the world—join in and sing along!

The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Pennsylvania has announced a fall 2020 digital season that comprises 13 presentations in dance, jazz, early music, and film. Adapting to the current reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, nine performances will be streamed live, in real time, from the Annenberg Center stage. Four recently released independent films will be shown virtually as well. The season opens October 1 with a live performance by dancer Caleb Teicher and beatboxer Chris Celiz.

The Annenberg Center’s live performances will be streamed using state of the art digital technology from the Prince and Zellerbach theatres, via Vimeo. The cameras and related technology to enable high quality live streaming was made possible through a gift from Paul R. Wiggin, a graduate of the Wharton School of Business and a member of the Annenberg Center’s Board of Overseers. The live presentations have been planned with the digital medium in mind. Each of the one-night-only performances will be shorter, will integrate live chat, and conclude with interactive discussions with the creators and performers. Livestreamed performances will be available online for ticket holders for 48 hours after the start time.

“The past six months, while challenging, also gave us an unexpected opportunity to explore new ways of presenting artists,” said Executive and Artistic Director Christopher Gruits. “We’re grateful to Paul for his generous gift. It has enabled us to access tools to innovate within the digital realm, not just offering virtual performing arts to our audiences but supporting artists at the same time.”

“We know that people are eager to experience live shows again,” Mr. Gruits continued, “and while we can’t gather as an audience just yet, we can offer some very exciting livestreamed presentations, with debut artists, new material, and audience interaction. Further, we’re excited to include four online film showings, presenting inclusive arts programming that promotes cross-cultural understanding while supporting independent film on campus and in West Philadelphia. We look forward to welcoming audiences into our new virtual space.”

Dance Livestreams

Dance performances kick off with the “king of old-school cool” (Dance Magazine) Caleb Teicher, who made a hugely successful Philadelphia debut at the Annenberg Center in 2018, joined by extraordinary beatboxer Chris Celiz (October 1). Critically acclaimed Pam Tanowitz Dance makes its highly anticipated Philadelphia debut (October 15). World-renowned and Philadelphia-grown PHILADANCO returns for an evening of solos and duets followed by discussion with legendary founder and Artistic and Executive Director Joan Myers Brown (October 29). Audience favorite Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, will feature six dancers in a program that previews a new work and gives a surprise world premiere (November 19). And the iconic Martha Graham Dance Company closes out the fall dance season with solos and duets from some of Ms. Graham’s signature works and a post-performance discussion with the dancers and company Artistic Director, Janet Eilber (December 10).

Jazz Livestreams

Three standout jazz artists will heat up the stage of the Prince Theatre: the Tivon Pennicott Duo, with the multiple Grammy Award–winning tenor sax player joined by drummer Kenneth Salters (October 22); pianist Sullivan Fortner makes his Annenberg Center debut (December 17); and rising star vocalist Veronica Swift makes her Annenberg Center debut as well (November 12).

Early Music Livestream

Continuing the Annenberg Center’s focus on early music, mezzo-soprano and Penn Department of Music Artist-in-Residence Meg Bragle, and lutenist Richard Stone, co-director of Philadelphia’s Tempesta di Mare, come together for an intimate meditation on music and solitude (November 15).

Film

The Annenberg Center’s new film programming has been curated to complement the performance programming. Four recently released independent films will be shown through an online platform: The Surrogate (October 2), Aviva (November 13), My Darling Vivian (November 20), and Two Beats One Soul (December 3).

Tickets

Livestream subscription packages are on sale now with discounted pricing. Single tickets are $25 for performance livestreams and $10 for films, and will go on sale Monday, September 14.

Visit the Annenberg Center’s Press Room for more information about these artists and performances, the full news release, and the full performance calendar at https://annenbergcenter.org/events/

Fitness and Learning

Morris Arboretum

Info: morrisarb.org/classes

11    Container Gardening; Eloise Gayer, Horticulturist; 10 a.m.; $10/members, $15/non-members.

16    Shade Gardening; Jenny Rose Carey, author and renowned gardener; 10 a.m.; $10/members, $15/non-members.

Talks

8     Leveraging Metabolic Pathways for Anti-Tumor Therapies; Mikhail Nikiforov, Wake Forest University; noon; virtual; to join: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/227215405, access code 227-215-405 (Wistar).
       Breaking News in Benjamin Rush History!; Stephen Fried, biographer; 1:30 p.m.; virtual; info: https://tinyurl.com/BenjaminRushHistory (Libraries).

9     Energy Economics & Finance Seminar; Susanna Berkouwer, Wharton; 4 p.m.; info: https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/ (Kleinman Center).

The Morris Arboretum invites participation in their 13th annual Scarecrow Design Contest. This year participants may create a scarecrow for the theme: Fairy Tale ‘Crows. Think back to your favorite fairy tales. Who was the character you liked or feared most?  It’s your chance to re-create a scarecrow version of a fairy tale character for display at the Arboretum. Could it be Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the beautiful Snow White or her evil Queen, or Ali Baba mouthing “Open Sesame,” or maybe it’s the brave Moana or the boisterous demigod, Maui? All fairy tale characters are welcome. All entries will be on display on Scarecrow Walk at Arboretum, October 3-November 1. Public voting on the best scarecrows will happen electronically, October 1-20, with winners announced after October 20.

Registration Deadline: September 25. Info and registration, visit morrisarb.org/scarecrows

Material Pick-up: Pick up your scarecrow frame, straw, burlap and twine at the Arboretum’s front gate during public hours.

Scarecrow Drop-off Dates (delivered to Bloomfield Farm at Morris Arboretum): Tuesday, September 29, Wednesday, September 30, and Thursday, October 1, 5-6:30 p.m. Have a name for your scarecrow ready at drop-off.

Scarecrow Pick-up Dates: Scarecrows will be ready to be picked up during public hours November 3-5. Scarecrows left after November 5 will be discarded.

Entry Fee: Members: $25, Non-Members: $30

Prizes
1st Prize: $250 Cash
2nd Prize: $100 Morris Arboretum gift card
3rd Prize: $75 Morris Arboretum gift card

On September 9, 6-7:30 p.m., a panel discussion will be held, hosted by the Penn Government and Politics Association and the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy. This virtual panel of experts and activists will discuss the recent activism for Penn to pay PILOTs (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) and, more broadly, the question of Penn’s responsibility to public education and community justice in Philadelphia.

The panelists include:

• Dennis Culhane, professor and Dana and Andrew Stone Chair in Social Policy, Penn School of Social Policy & Practice
• Rick Krajewski, candidate for Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 188th District, Penn Class of 2013
• Devan Spear, executive director of Philadelphia Jobs with Justice
• Sarah Min, Penn Community for Justice

Co-sponsored by Penn Democrats, GEAR UP at Penn, Penn AAPI Politics, and the SNF Paideia Program

To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/pennpilotstalk

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 24-30, 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 August 24-30, 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: 1 robbery was reported for August 24-30, 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

A strong password plays a critical role in securing both your work-related and personal accounts. Here are some pointers: 

Make it unguessable. It is important to create a complex password rather than a simple one, using a mixture of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters. The greater the length, the better.

• Avoid using common words, parts of the account username, or names/dates associated with you and your loved ones
• Try and create passwords that are meaningful to you but not easily guessable or discoverable by others. 
• Consider using a passphrase. A passphrase is long, and you can easily include upper- and lower-case letters, special characters, and numbers. Use a passphrase meaningful to you, e.g., “Walk my big dog daily @6am”

Add extra security. If your account supports additional security features, you should implement those features as well. When using your PennKey, Two-Step Verification should be turned on, and is mandatory for most PennKey accounts. Additionally, Schools and Centers may require Two-Step Verification for other accounts, such as email. Many other commercial accounts (such as Google/Gmail, Apple, Android, and Yahoo) support the use of an extra layer of verification as well.

Don’t recycle! The Office of Information Security recommends not reusing passwords between accounts; if one username/password combination is compromised, hackers often try reusing any username/passwords they acquire to see if they work elsewhere as well. In particular, your PennKey password should only be used for your PennKey account.

Get a vault. After you create a complex, unique password or a passphrase and have not reused it across multiple sites, you can also protect it by using a password “management system” or “vault” to store your passwords. Password management systems like LastPass (available for Penn faculty, staff, and students) are designed to store and also automatically generate complex passwords for you. 

PennKey password rules: https://pennkeysupport.upenn.edu/password-guidelines

How to construct secure, complex passwords: https://youtu.be/jeC_KzgPNk0

Two-Step Verification: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/two-step-verification-getting-started

LastPass: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/lastpass

This is a reminder that the Wage Equity Ordinance in Philadelphia goes into law on Tuesday, September 1, 2020. While the University was an early adopter of this practice, it is important to remind the HR community that it is now official and if any hiring manager or HR professional at the University asks about salary history, we could face litigation and fines. As an effort to bridge the pay equity gap, the ordinance prohibits employers in Philadelphia from asking job applicant for salary history. Applicants may choose to disclose their wage history voluntarily, but an employer cannot use that information in setting initial wages. Philadelphia employers may not retaliate against applicants who refuse to disclose their wage history in accordance with the Ordinance. This ban does not apply to applicants for internal transfer or promotion. 

We encourage you to share this important news with hiring managers and your colleagues if you are involved in the hiring process. If you have questions, please reach out to the Solution Center or the Talent Acquisition team. To learn more, see below:

https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/philadelphia-s-salary-history-ban-will-61955/

—Nicole Torsella Harris, Director, Talent Acquisition and Executive Recruitment

There are many podcasts involving people in the Penn community. Here are some new ones to subscribe to:

Case in Point; produced by the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, this podcast provides smart, informative conversations about the law, society, and culture. By bringing together top scholars with experts on politics, business, health, education, and science, Case in Point gives an in-depth look at how the law touches every part of our lives; https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/case-in-point/id969189587

No Stupid Questions; Stephen Dubner (co-author of the Freakonomics book series) and Angela Duckworth (Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor of Psychology and Senior Scientific Advisor of Penn’s Positive Psychology Center) really like to ask people questions, and came to believe there’s no such thing as a stupid one. So they made a podcast where they can ask each other as many “stupid questions” as they want; https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-stupid-questions/id1510056899

For a full list of Penn Podcasts, visit https://almanac.upenn.edu/at-penn-calendar

Almanac will publish weekly throughout the fall semester. For the complete publication schedule and deadlines, including the monthly AT PENN calendar deadlines, visit https://almanac.upenn.edu/publication-schedule-deadlines

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.