Federal Relations

With both the end of this fiscal year and the elections looming in the near future, much important business remains unfinished in Washington. The House and the Senate have each passed several of their spending bills, but no measures have been agreed upon by both bodies and sent on to President Bush. Because the new fiscal year technically begins on Tuesday, October 1, Congress will have to pass continuing resolutions (CRs). These continuing resolutions will maintain funding levels at this year's levels, to keep the government running.

Two other important pieces of legislation are on the Congressional calendar--the bill to authorize the Department of Defense, and the measure to create the Department of Homeland Security. The timeline for these items remain up-in-the-air, as legislators prepare to adjourn on October 11 for three weeks of campaigning.

We are monitoring the situation in Washington, and will keep the Penn community updated as things develop further.

National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace

The Bush Administration recently released the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, a report aimed at squelching internet terrorist attacks. A draft version was released for a 60 day public comment period on September 18th at Stanford University, and was followed by the first Town Hall Meeting to discuss the report.

Penn will host a Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, October 3, which will be open to the Penn and area business community. A full copy of the report can be found at www.securecyberspace.gov and comments can be submitted to feedback@cybersecurity.gov by November 18, 2002. A summary of the report and sections specifically aimed at higher education institutions follows.

The report states that the security of cyberspace depends vitally on all owners of the nation's cyber infrastructure. The Strategy is designed to empower each person and each organization to do its part through six major tools:

• Awareness and Information, providing information to increase awareness about the vulnerability of America's cyber infrastructure and information to help individuals and organizations make cyberspace more secure.
  
• Technology and Tools, identifying the need for increased cybersecurity-related research, including a program of federally funded research including near-term, mid-term, and long-term information technology (IT) security research.
  
• Training and Education, addressing the gap between the need for qualified IT professionals and America's ability to train and develop these workers. This includes expanding the Federal Cyber Corps scholarship-for-service programs at state universities to private institutions.
  
• Roles and Partnerships, recognizing that all Americans have a role to play in cybersecurity and identifying market mechanisms for stimulating sustained actions to secure cyberspace. This includes encouraging colleges and universities to establish collaborative information sharing and analysis centers to deal with cyber attacks and vulnerabilities, model guidelines for Chief Information Officers, best practices for IT security, and model user awareness programs and materials.
  
• Federal Leadership, making federal cyberspace security a model for the nation.
  
• Coordination and Crisis Management, identifying a need for a comprehensive national analysis and warning capability.

The report contains a section specifically geared toward institutions of higher education, which was prepared by several higher education associations that deal specifically with IT issues.

The report states that higher education institutions--including universities, four-year colleges, and community colleges--have set goals to protect sensitive information, and to prevent systems from being used for attacks. To achieve these goals, higher education institutions will make IT security a priority, revise existing institutional policies and improve existing security tools, and improve security for future research and education networks. Colleges and universities will work to improve collaboration among institutions, and with government and industry, and to integrate campus efforts with national efforts to strengthen critical infrastructure.

According to the report, recent experience has shown that many campus networks are vulnerable to hackers, because higher education institutions possess vast amounts of computing power and because they allow relatively open access to resources. Colleges and universities also hold much information about students and staff that is either private or confidential, and sensitive information such as medical or student records.

Because of this risk, and due to the risk of attacks on third parties through university IT systems, higher education institutions must consider the broad implications of cybersecurity. This requires striking a balance between maintaining privacy and preventing attacks while also providing an environment where students can learn and research can be conducted.

Through IT-related higher education associations, some institutions have adopted a 5-point Framework for Action that commits to giving cybersecurity a high priority and adopting policies and measures that will increase system security.

The report makes the following recommendations:

• Each college and university should consider establishing a point-of-contact, reachable at all times, to Internet service providers and law enforcement officials in the event that the school's IT systems are discovered to be launching cyber attacks.
• Colleges and universities should consider establishing together: (a) one or more information sharing and analysis centers (ISACs) to deal with cyber attacks and vulnerabilities; (b) model guidelines empowering Chief Information Officers (CIOs) to address cybersecurity; (c) one or more set of best practices for IT security; and, (d) model user awareness programs and materials.

Information Systems and Computing staff and the Office of Government, Community and Public Affairs are working to analyze the impact this report will have on Penn.

Commonwealth Relations

FY 03 Commonwealth Appropriation

On June 28, the Pennsylvania House and Senate gave final approval to House Bill 2495, Penn's FY 2002-03 Commonwealth appropriation. The bill was subsequently signed into law by the Governor as Act 37A of 2002. HB 2495 provides a total of $45,206,000 in funding to the University, an increase of $1,728,000, or 4.0%, over the amount authorized in the prior fiscal year. The $45.2 million appropriation represents a $4.9 million increase over the funding level recommended by Governor Schweiker in his proposed budget. Penn was the only major higher education institution to receive an increase in this budget--Penn State, University of Pittsburgh, and Temple all were reduced by 3.7 percent. In light of the very difficult fiscal situation in the Commonwealth ($1.2 billion budget deficit), this was a very positive result for the University.

HB 2495 provides $38,445,000 in funding for the Veterinary School, an increase of 5.0 percent. Other appropriations include $4,034,000 for the Medical School (level funding); $1,600,000 for Cardiovascular Studies (2.0% decrease); $891,000 for the Dental Clinics (5.0% decrease); and $236,000 for the University Museum (4.8% decrease) (see chart below).

The General Assembly also approved a General Appropriation bill (SB 5) which includes several significant University appropriations. SB 5 restored $17 million in funding for the Community Access Fund under the Department of Public Welfare. This program had been proposed to be eliminated under Governor Schweiker's budget. The Fund was developed several years ago following the approval of welfare reform legislation to help compensate hospitals for charitable care being provided. With the federal match, Penn's three urban hospitals (HUP, Presbyterian and Pennsylvania) are expected to receive approximately $5 million through this program.

Finally, SB 5 restored funding for the Regional Cancer Institutes, which the Governor had proposed to cut by 22.5%. Of the total funding of $2,000,000, Penn's Cancer Center will receive $600,000.

University of Pennsylvania--Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:
History of Non-Preferred Appropriation

(in thousands of dollars)

¹ Includes $132,000 appropriated through separate non-preferred appropriation.
² Appropriated through separate non-preferred appropriation.
³ Appropriated through PA Historic and Museum Commission (not part of submission to PDE).
⁴ Note: Amount authorized by HB 1201. Does not reflect 3% freeze announced 1/18/02.

(as of 7/1/02)

City and Community Relations

Philadelphia College Festival

Penn was a sponsor of the Philadelphia College Festival Kick-off event. The Festival was held during the week of September 21-28, 2002 and included a variety of student-oriented events and promotions for each day of the week. The purpose of the Philadelphia College Festival is to bring Philadelphia's college and university students together to experience what Philadelphia offers as a place to live and work during school and after graduation. The Festival is a signature event to welcome students to the City and region and to elevate the image of Philadelphia in the eyes of students and young professionals. Students are given, early in the fall, the tools to create a positive bond with Philadelphia's social, professional and community fabric.

The kickoff festival was held on the Parkway and featured a number of area businesses, civic organizations, and universities and colleges. Other colleges and universities supporting the event include: Temple, Drexel, LaSalle, University of the Sciences, Bryn Mawr, St. Joe's, Community College of Philadelphia, Peirce College, Villanova, Delaware County Community College, and Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. More than 20,000 college students attended the events throughout the day. One of the Festival's events, the Young Involved Philadelphia Philly 101: Introduction to Philadelphia's Civic and Political Life, was held in Huntsman Hall on September 26.

Penn's support of this event came from the Vice Provost for University Life, Business Services, Executive Vice President's Office, and the Office of Government, Community and Public Affairs. Penn has been a longtime top sponsor of the annual City of Philadelphia College Festival, which entered its 3rd year.

Campus Philly

Recognizing that these efforts must continue year-round, the City of Philadelphia Commerce Department, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Penn, Temple, Philadelphia University, and St. Joes, undertook an effort in 2000 to design a medium to promote all of Philadelphia's numerous assets to college students year-round and foster cross campus interaction. It implemented Campus Philly an initiative linking college students across the Philadelphia region. The organization includes representatives working with student governments, and a team of writers, promoters and leaders dedicated to blending campus life with local life. The institutions supporting this initiative have since grown. Jon Herrmann, a Penn alumni from the class of 2000 manages the project. The Office of Government, Community and Public Affairs sits on the advisory board along with members from Philadelphia University, Temple University, and the City of Philadelphia. Campus Philly's initiatives include:

• Www.campusphilly.org, a year-round web site and resource for students to learn about the region's social, professional and community events. It includes discounts targeted to students, article features, online discussion, and group mailing lists. It is designed and written by and for students.
  
• The Campus Philly discount sticker is a collaborative initiative developing with regional colleges and universities. The program will give students regular access to discounts at cultural and retail outlets, events at college campuses and in the region, or to other promotions organized for the student community. The various discounts will be offered exclusively through www.campusphilly.org.
  
• Campus Philly Special Event Promotion to students across the region. For example, Campus Philly coordinated a special event for college students in conjunction with the NBA All-Star Game last February, and also over the summer in conjunction with the X-Games. Other opportunities will exist through its relationship with the City of Philadelphia and the numerous public events held throughout the year.
  
• The Campus Philly leadership program engages students to take leadership in working with area businesses, institutions and governments to encourage student civic participation, as well as to develop programs and policies that affect the quality of life for area college students and graduates. Current efforts include: inter-campus event planning, a research and proposal strategy to improve student access to public transportation, and an initiative to encourage student entrepreneurship.

--Carol R. Scheman, Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs

  Almanac, Vol. 49, No. 6, October 1, 2002