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Penn to Build New College House Near 40th and Walnut Streets

The University of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees today approved the design for a new 250,000 sq. ft. residential building, New College House West. The building will become the second to be built specifically designed as a college house, Penn’s residential system that brings together undergraduates, faculty, staff and graduate students to form shared communities within the larger context of Penn's vibrant campus.

The new undergraduate college house will occupy a site bounded by Locust Walk, Walnut Street and 40th Street, adjacent to the West Philadelphia branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, which will remain open.

“This exciting project will serve as a new western gateway to campus,” said Penn President Amy Gutmann. “Since the College House system was introduced in 1998, it has become enormously successful, forming intellectually dynamic and supportive, shared communities within the larger Penn community. Life in a college house has come to define the undergraduate experience at Penn, providing learning and co-curricular opportunities outside of the conventional classroom.

“New College House West will enable more Penn students to participate in the College House system, and it will also give us the capacity and flexibility to continue renovating existing student housing.”

Designed by Philadelphia-based, internationally-renowned Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Architects, the firm that recently completed the New College House at Hill Field, the three-year 450-bed residence will house sophomores, juniors and seniors. With a mix of 6- and 5-bedroom two-bath suites and 4-, 3- and 2-bedroom one-bath suites, New College House West will also provide many programmatic common areas including study, living, seminar and music practice rooms.

Penn will continue its commitment to sustainable design, targeting LEED Silver certification for this project. The design introduces both a private courtyard for residents and green roofs and maintains public green spaces adjacent to Locust Walk, north of Harrison College House and east of Rodin College House, as well as the space near Gregory College House. These common green spaces are openly accessible to public pedestrian access and available as gathering spaces and for University and community events. During construction alternative spaces will be identified on Penn’s campus for hosting such events.

The $163-million project will begin construction in spring of 2018 and is expected to open for occupancy in fall of 2021.

Marybeth Gasman: Judy & Howard Berkowitz Professor in Education

Marybeth Gasman, a Penn GSE professor of higher education, has been named the Judy & Howard Berkowitz Professor in Education.

A noted education historian, Gasman’s areas of expertise include the history of American higher education, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), minority serving institutions (MSIs), African American leadership, and fundraising and philanthropy. Gasman is the founding director of the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions (Almanac January 21, 2014). The Center, which launched in 2014, works to amplify the contributions and support MSIs and those scholars interested in them. Dr. Gasman holds secondary appointments in History, Africana Studies, and the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Dr. Gasman has written or edited 22 books, and eight have won research awards, including Educating a Diverse Nation, published in 2015. She has written over 200 peer-reviewed articles, scholarly essays, and book chapters. In addition to her numerous academic publications, she is a regular contributor to The Chronicle of Higher EducationDiverseInside Higher Education, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. Her research has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street JournalTime, CNN, and on National Public Radio. An outspoken and prolific writer, Gasman has penned 350 opinion articles for the nation’s newspapers and magazines and is ranked by Education Week as one of the most influential education scholars in the nation. Last year, she was named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Education. 

“Marybeth Gasman is both passionate and highly productive – a wonderful combination in a scholar of her caliber,” said Penn GSE Dean Pam Grossman. “The reach and scale of her work on minority-serving institutions is unrivaled, and this endowed chair underscores GSE’s commitment to the impact of her work."

Dr. Gasman has raised over $22 million in grant funding to support her research and that of her students, mentees, and MSI partners.  In addition to her teaching and research duties, she serves on the board of trustees of The College Board as well as Paul Quinn College, a small, urban, HBCU in Dallas, Texas.

Dr. Gasman has received the University of Pennsylvania’s Provost Award for Distinguished Ph.D. Teaching and Mentoring (Almanac April 14, 2015) and served as the dissertation chair for nearly 65 doctoral students since she joined the university in 2003.

The Judy & Howard Berkowitz Chair was endowed in 1995 with a gift from Judy and Howard Berkowitz. This Chair was donated by the Berkowitz family in order to facilitate a study of ethnic relations, cultural pluralism, and diversity as they relate to education. The Chair was most recently held by Penn GSE’s Professor Stanton Wortham, who became dean of the Boston College Lynch School of Education in the summer of 2016.

The Netter Center for Community Partnerships: 25 Years of Making a Difference in the Community

In 1983 two important organizations were created: the West Philadelphia Partnership, a 501(c)(3), and the Office of Community-Oriented Policy Studies at Penn, the predecessor to the Penn Program for Public Service, established in 1988 in the School of Arts & Sciences. Then, in 1985, the seeds for academically based community services courses were planted when four undergraduate students proposed a summer job training corps for their honors seminar class at Penn. The project, known as the West Philadelphia Improvement Corps (WEPIC), became an after-school program at a local elementary school. Over the next five years, WEPIC grew, evolved and thrived, and the idea of the university-assisted community school was born.

In 1992, with these initiatives indicating the potential for success, the University announced a commitment to focus its resources and energy on the revitalization of West Philadelphia. The Center for Community Partnerships was formed to direct this large and important effort. The Center’s work has created a new vision for university-community relations. Each semester hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students go into West Philadelphia to teach and to learn. Working with faculty, they tackle critical community issues around the environment, health, the arts and education. Enduring democratic collaborations, now in place with public schools, community organizations and communities of faith, are generating new areas for mutual efforts.

In 2007, the Center was renamed the Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships in recognition of an extraordinarily generous commitment (Almanac October 2, 2007) from Barbara Netter, Penn parent (’83), and her late husband Edward Netter, Penn alumnus (C’53) and parent (’83).

The Mission of the Netter Center:

The Center is Penn’s primary vehicle for bringing to bear the broad range of human knowledge needed to solve the complex, comprehensive, and interconnected problems of the American city so that West Philadelphia, Philadelphia, the University itself, and society benefit. The Netter Center is based on three core propositions:

• Penn’s future and the future of West Philadelphia/Philadelphia are intertwined.

• Penn can make a significant contribution to improving the quality of life in West Philadelphia/Philadelphia.

• Penn can enhance its overall mission of advancing and transmitting knowledge by helping to improve the quality of life in West Philadelphia/Philadelphia.

The Netter Center, which is housed in the Office of Government and Community Affairs, works to achieve the following objectives:

• Improve the internal coordination and collaboration of all university-wide community service programs

• Develop democratic, mutually beneficial, mutually respectful partnerships between the University and the community 

• Create and strengthen local, national and international networks of institutions of higher education committed to engagement with their local communities.

Through the Netter Center, Penn engages in three types of activities: academically based community service (ABCS), direct traditional service, and community development. ABCS is at the core of the Center’s work. It is service rooted in and linked to teaching and/or research, and encompasses problem-oriented research and teaching, as well as service learning emphasizing student and faculty reflection. Approximately 200 ABCS courses have been developed to link Penn students to work in the community, with 60-65 offered each year. A steady increase in the number of ABCS has occurred since 1992 when only four were offered.

The Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a Conference on November 16-17, Higher Education-Community Partnerships for Democracy and Social Change, which has been the focus of the Center since founding director Ira Harkavy began the Center (Almanac July 14, 1992). 

Carnegie Grant for Perry World House: Building a New Hub for Penn's Growing International Activities

The University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House has been awarded a two-year $498,000 grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York for research and programming to impact critical emerging global policy issues.

Through this grant, Perry World House, Penn’s recently-launched global research and policy center, will work to bridge the gap between academia and the policy world around the most pressing issues in global affairs. 

“This is a remarkable opportunity to do the work that matters most in connecting academic research and insights to policy change,” said Michael Horowitz, principal investigator, associate director of Perry World House, and professor of political science. “The grant will support our work on emerging and complex global policy issue areas where academics have great research, insights, and roles to play.” 

The grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York enables Perry World House, through its Global Innovation Program, to create a series of multi-disciplinary workshops that connect academics and policymakers in several critical global policy areas; support policy-relevant research linked to each workshop; and create new media platforms – podcasts, video shorts, blogs, etc. – to disseminate findings from these workshops in ways that will generate faster and broader change. 

The Global Innovation Program is the vehicle through which Perry World House advances its research and policy agenda, bringing Penn’s academic knowledge to bear on major global policy challenges. The Global Innovation Program houses two inaugural research themes: Global Shifts: Urbanization, Migration, and Demography and the Future of the Global Order: Power, Technology, and Governance. In each theme, the Global Innovation Program convenes interdisciplinary dialogues that bring together the worlds of policy and academia to generate impactful research products that influence policymaking in global affairs. 

“We see ourselves as a catalytic force across the whole of the University of Pennsylvania,” said William Burke-White, Richard Perry Professor of Law and inaugural director of Perry World House. “This grant could not be timelier, both in terms of our role within Penn and the absolute need for a more synergistic relationship between the academic and policy worlds in the global policy realm.”

The Perry World House grant was one of 30 grants the board of Carnegie Corporation of New York approved under its International Program in its September 2017 quarterly meeting. 

For more information on Perry World House, please visit: https://global.upenn.edu/perryworldhouse   

Summary Annual Report for the University of Pennsylvania Basic Plan

This is a summary of the annual report of The University of Pennsylvania Basic Plan (Plan No. 028) sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania, EIN: 23-1352685, for the period January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016. This annual report has been filed with the Employee Benefits Security Administration, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

Basic Financial Statement

Benefits under the plan are provided through unallocated insurance contracts and a trust fund. Plan expenses were $19,598,831. These expenses included $7,475 in administrative expenses and $19,591,356 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries. A total of 23,052 persons were participants in or beneficiaries of the plan at the end of the plan year.

The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $813,770,105 as of December 31, 2016, compared to $721,672,541 as of January 1, 2016. During the plan year the plan experienced an increase in its net assets of $92,097,564. This increase includes net unrealized depreciation in the value of plan assets; that is, the difference between the value of the plan’s assets at the end of the plan year and the value of assets at the beginning of the plan year or the cost of assets acquired during the plan year. The plan had total income of $111,696,395, including employer contributions of $51,295,139, employee rollover contributions of $2,687,742, gains from investments of $57,702,479 and other income of $11,035. 

Your Rights to Additional Information

Under ERISA, you have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, upon request. The items listed below are included in that report for the University of Pennsylvania Basic Plan:

1. An accountant’s opinion;

2. Financial information;

3. Information on payments to service 

providers;

4. Assets held for investment;

5. Insurance information; and

6. Information regarding pooled 

separate accounts in which the plan 

participates.

To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of the Plan Administrator, c/o Joanne M. Blythe, Retirement Manager, University of Pennsylvania, 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 527A, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6228, (215) 898-9947. The charge to cover copying costs will be $5 for the full annual report or 25 cents per page for any part thereof.

You also have the right to receive from the Plan Administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both for the University of Pennsylvania Basic Plan. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the Plan Administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge.

You also have the legally protected right under ERISA to examine the annual reports in the offices of the Employer at the address for the Plan Administrator, above, and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, Room N-1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.

Summary Annual Report for the University of Pennsylvania Matching Plan

This is a summary of the annual report of The University of Pennsylvania Matching Plan (Plan No. 001) sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania, EIN: 23-1352685, for the period January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016. This annual report has been filed with the Employee Benefits Security Administration, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

Basic Financial Statement

Benefits under the plan are provided through unallocated insurance contracts and a trust fund. Plan expenses were $159,296,517. These expenses included $16,129 in administrative expenses and $159,280,388 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries. A total of 25,548 persons were participants in or beneficiaries of the plan at the end of the plan year.

The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $4,079,727,416 as of December 31, 2016, compared to $3,814,913,677 as of January 1, 2016. During the plan year the plan experienced an increase in its net assets of $264,813,739. This increase includes net unrealized depreciation in the value of plan assets; that is, the difference between the value of the plan’s assets at the end of the plan year and the value of assets at the beginning of the plan year or the cost of assets acquired during the plan year. The plan had total income of $424,110,256, including employer contributions of $62,359,199, employee contributions of $66,003,530, employee rollover contributions of $12,029,317, earnings from investments of $283,501,806 and other income of $216,404. 

Your Rights to Additional Information

Under ERISA, you have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, upon request. The items listed below are included in that report for the University of Pennsylvania Matching Plan:

1. An accountant’s opinion;

2. Financial information;

3. Information on payments to service 

providers;

4. Assets held for investment;

5. Insurance information; and

6. Information regarding pooled

 separate accounts in which the plan

 participates.    

To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of the Plan Administrator, c/o Joanne M. Blythe, Retirement Manager, University of Pennsylvania, 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 527A, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6228, (215) 898-9947. The charge to cover copying costs will be $5 for the full annual report or 25 cents per page for any part thereof.

You also have the right to receive from the Plan Administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both for the University of Pennsylvania Matching Plan. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the Plan Administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge.

You also have the legally protected right under ERISA to examine the annual reports in the offices of the Employer at the address for the Plan Administrator, above, and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, Room N-1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.

Summary Annual Report for the Supplemental Retirement Annuity Plan of the University of Pennsylvania

This is a summary of the annual report of The Supplemental Retirement Annuity Plan of the University of Pennsylvania (Plan No. 002) sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania, EIN: 23-1352685, for the period January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016. This annual report has been filed with the Employee Benefits Security Administration, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

Basic Financial Statement

Benefits under the plan are provided through unallocated insurance contracts and a trust fund. Plan expenses were $37,422,465. These expenses included $1,201 in administrative expenses and $37,421,264 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries. A total of 24,625 persons were participants in or beneficiaries of the plan at the end of the plan year.

The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $1,036,688,990 as of December 31, 2016, compared to $922,588,956 as of January 1, 2016. During the plan year the plan experienced an increase in its net assets of $114,100,034. This increase includes net unrealized depreciation in the value of plan assets; that is, the difference between the value of the plan’s assets at the end of the plan year and the value of assets at the beginning of the plan year or the cost of assets acquired during the plan year. The plan had total income of $151,522,499 including employee contributions of $47,480,662, employee rollover contributions of $32,348,437, gains from investments of $71,640,352 and other income of $53,048. 

Your Rights to Additional Information

Under ERISA, you have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, upon request. The items listed below are included in that report for the Supplemental Retirement Annuity Plan of the University of Pennsylvania:

1. An accountant’s opinion;

2. Financial information;

3. Information on payments to 

service providers;

4. Assets held for investment;

5. Insurance information; and

6. Information regarding pooled

separate accounts in which the plan

participates.

To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of the Plan Administrator, c/o Joanne M. Blythe, Retirement Manager, University of Pennsylvania, 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 527A, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6228, (215) 898-9947. The charge to cover copying costs will be $5 for the full annual report or 25 cents per page for any part thereof.

You also have the right to receive from the Plan Administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both for the Supplemental Retirement Annuity Plan of the University of Pennsylvania. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the Plan Administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge.

You also have the legally protected right under ERISA to examine the annual reports in the offices of the Employer at the address for the Plan Administrator, above, and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, Room N-1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.

Summary Annual Report for University of Health and Welfare Plan for Retirees and Disabled Employees

This is a summary of the annual report of the University of Pennsylvania Health and Welfare Plan for Retirees and Disabled Employees (Plan No. 530), sponsored by The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, EIN 23-1352685 for the period that began on January 1, 2016 and ended on December 31, 2016. The annual report has been filed with the Employee Benefits Security Administration as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Please note that not all employees are eligible to participate in the Plan. Please consult your Plan materials for specific eligibility information.

Retiree benefits were provided through a combination of self-insured payments from the University’s general assets, payments from a trust fund established to fund retiree benefits, and insurance contracts with third-party insurance companies.

Medical, Dental and Prescription Drug Benefits

Insurance Information

The Plan has contracts with Aetna Health, Inc., Keystone Health Plan East, Amerihealth and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company to pay medical and dental claims incurred under the terms of the contracts. The total premiums paid for the plan year ending December 31, 2016 were $1,094,156.

Basic Financial Information

The value of Plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the Plan, was $407,178,000 as of December 31, 2016, compared to $355,132,650 as of January 1, 2016. During the plan year the Plan experienced an increase in its net assets of $52,045,350. This increase includes net unrealized depreciation in the value of Plan assets; that is, the difference between the value of the Plan’s assets at the end of the year and the value of assets at the beginning of the year or the cost of assets acquired during the year. The Plan had total income of $71,830,495 including employee contributions of $6,494,623, employer contributions of $26,498,131 and gains from investments of $38,837,741.

Plan expenses were $19,785,145. These expenses included $2,389,250 in administrative expenses and $17,395,895 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries.

Life Insurance Benefits

The Plan has a contract with Aetna Life Insurance Company to pay life insurance claims incurred under the terms of the contract. The total premiums paid under this contract for the plan year ending December 31, 2016 were $494,995. 

Your Rights to Additional Information

You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, on request. The items listed below are included in that report:

1. An accountant’s opinion;

2. Financial information;

3. Information on payments to service 

providers;

4. Assets held for investment; and

5. Insurance information.

To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of the Plan Administrator, c/o Joanne M. Blythe, Retirement Manager, University of Pennsylvania, 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 527A, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6228, (215) 898-9947. The charge to cover copying costs will be $5 for the full annual report or 25 cents per page for any part thereof.

You also have the right to receive from the Plan Administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the Plan and accompanying notes, or a statement of income and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the Plan Administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge.

You also have the legally protected right under ERISA to examine the annual reports in the offices of the Employer at the address for the Plan Administrator, above, and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, Room N-1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.

Deaths

Yoji Kondo, Astronomy

Yoji Kondo, Astronomy

Yoji Kondo, Gr’61, a retired astrophysicist and science-fiction writer who worked at University of Pennsylvania in the 1970s and ’80s, died on October 9. He was 84.

Dr. Kondo was born and raised in Hitachi, Japan. He earned a bachelor’s from Tokyo University’s School of Foreign Studies in 1958 and a doctorate in astronomy from Penn.

With a postdoctoral fellowship from the National Academy of Sciences, he spent three years conducting research at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. In 1968, he became head of the astrophysics lab at the Johnson Space Center for the Apollo and Skylab missions. He directed the geosynchronous satellite observatory for 15 years. He served as president of the International Astronomical Union’s commissions on astronomy from space, close binary stars and variable stars. He worked as a NASA project scientist for the International Ultraviolet Explorer and for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer.

He was appointed an adjunct professor of astronomy at Penn in 1978, a position he held until 1987.

He also taught at the University of Houston, George Mason University, the Institute of Space & Astronautical Research in Japan, University of La Plata in Argentina and Catholic University of America.

Dr. Kondo wrote science fiction under the name Eric Kotani. He collaborated with author John Maddox Roberts on a popular sci-fi book series that included Island Worlds, Delta Pavonis and Legacy of Prometheus and wrote a novel for Simon & Schuster’s Stark Trek series titled Death of a Neutron Star. He helped establish the annual Robert Heinlein Award at the Balticon sci-fi convention.

He received the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement, the Federal Design Achievement Award and the National Space Club’s Science Award. He also received the Isaac Asimov Memorial Award from the Lunarians, the New York Science Fiction Society in 2003.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Ursula (Tutermann); daughters, Beatrice, Cynthia and Angela; brother, Akira; and three grandchildren.

 

Paul Soven, Physics

Paul Soven, former professor of physics at University of Pennsylvania, died on September 17. He was 77.

Dr. Soven was born in New York City and graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree from City College of New York in 1960, a master’s from University of Chicago in 1961 and a PhD from University of Chicago in 1965.

He joined Penn faculty in 1967 as assitant professor of physics. He became associate professor in 1971 and he became professor in 1976.

He was associate chair of graduate affairs from 1976-1979 and associate chair of undergraduate affairs from 1985-1989.

He was awarded an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship in 1970 and a Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1974.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Margot; sons, Joshua and Andrew; daughter, Ruth; and four grandchildren.

Paul Soven, Physics

Paul Soven, Physics

Paul Soven, former professor of physics at University of Pennsylvania, died on September 17. He was 77.

Dr. Soven was born in New York City and graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree from City College of New York in 1960, a master’s from University of Chicago in 1961 and a PhD from University of Chicago in 1965.

He joined Penn faculty in 1967 as assitant professor of physics. He became associate professor in 1971 and he became professor in 1976.

He was associate chair of graduate affairs from 1976-1979 and associate chair of undergraduate affairs from 1985-1989.

He was awarded an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship in 1970 and a Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1974.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Margot; sons, Joshua and Andrew; daughter, Ruth; and four grandchildren.

Governance

From the Senate Office: SEC Agenda

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, November 1, 2017

 

Chair’s Report. Faculty Senate Chair Santosh Venkatesh described plans for upcoming SEC meetings. He invited SEC members to provide input on which topics should be given time for plenary discussion at future SEC meetings this year. He then reported on the planning for the Teach-In, which will be held around campus during the week of March 19-22, 2018. Multiple planning groups are developing programming on topics in diverse areas including, but not limited to, the history of science, evolution, immigration, climate science, gun violence, vaccine research, symbolism, artificial intelligence, and the role of the university in the 21st century. A website is under development that should launch by early in the spring semester. Any faculty, students, and staff who wish to get involved with the planning effort are encouraged to contact the Senate office.

 

Past-Chair’s Report. On behalf of Faculty Senate Past Chair Laura Perna, Prof. Venkatesh informed the group that the Campaign for Community Steering Committee has scheduled a meeting for December 7. The Campus Conversation, hosted by President Amy Gutmann and Provost Wendell Pritchett on October 30, was exemplar of the kind of initiatives underway as part of the Campaign for Community. Faculty members are encouraged to provide feedback on the Campus Conversation and the Campaign itself by contacting the Senate office.

 

2018 Senate Nominating Committee. SEC members voted to adopt a membership slate for the 2018 Senate Nominating Committee. The slate is published in this issue of Almanac For Comment.

 

Update from the Office of the President. President Amy Gutmann delivered a progress report on accomplishments derived from the Penn Compact 2022. She described the accomplishments across three categories: Inclusion, Innovation, and Impact.

 

Update from the Office of Penn Global. Vice Provost for Global Initiatives Ezekiel Emanuel and Executive Director for Global Initiatives Amy Gadsden shared with SEC members the “Strategic Framework for Global Initiatives, 2018-2023,” building upon a recently concluded five-year strategic plan. Three pillars for global engagement were described: Educating global citizens by preparing students for an increasingly globalized society; Catalyzing transformative ideas by strengthening Penn as a global agenda setter; and Bringing the world to Penn (and Penn to the world) by promoting healthy, inspiring, and productive lives.

SENATE From the Senate Chair

TO:    Members of the Faculty Senate

FROM:        Santosh Venkatesh, Chair

SUBJECT:  Senate Nominating Committee 2018

 

1. In accordance with the requirements of the Faculty Senate Bylaws, notice is given to the Senate Membership of the Senate Executive Committee’s nine-member slate of nominees for the Nominating Committee for 2018. The Nominating Committee nominates candidates for election to the Offices of the Faculty Senate, to the At-Large and Assistant Professor positions on the Senate Executive Committee, to the Senate Committee on the Economic Status of the Faculty, and to the Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility. The nine nominees, all of whom have agreed to serve, are:

Cristina Bicchieri (S.J. Patterson Harvie Professor of Social Thought and Comparative Ethics)

Jere Behrman (William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Economics)

Toni Bowers (Professor of English)

Samantha Butts (Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania)

Margo Brooks Carthon (Associate Professor of Nursing)

Irma Elo (Professor of Sociology)

Johanna Greeson (Assistant Professor of Social Policy and Practice)

Michael McGarvey (Associate Professor of Neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania)

Laura Perna (James S. Riepe Professor of Education)

 

2. Pursuant to the Bylaws, additional nominations may be submitted by petition containing at least 25 signed names and the signed approval of the candidate. All such petitions must be received by November 21, 2017. If no additional nominations are received, the slate nominated by the Executive Committee will be declared elected. If additional nominations are received, a mail ballot will be distributed to the Faculty Senate membership. Please forward any nominations by petition via intramural mail to the Faculty Senate, Box 9 College Hall/6303. Please forward any questions to Patrick Walsh by email at senate@pobox.upenn.edu or by telephone at (215) 898-6943.

Trustees November Meeting Coverage

The University of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees held their fall meetings last week just prior to the start of Homecoming Weekend which included the Alumni Award of Merit Gala and the Penn vs Princeton football game (38-35).

During the Invocation at the Stated Meeting, Chaplain Charles (Chaz) Howard said that although this has been one of the more difficult semesters in recent memory with devastation at its worst due to natural disasters and the recent loss of four students, humanity at Penn is at its best, with students rising to the challenges.

The Trustees passed memorial resolutions for Richard P. Brown, Jr. who died May 29, and for Paul F. Miller, Jr., who died September 9 (Almanac September 19, 2017). They also passed resolutions of appreciation for the following trustees: Allan C. Bell, Judith L. Bollinger, David M. Brush, William W. M. Cheung, Joel M. Greenblatt as well as Andrea (Andie) Berry Laporte who was designated as an emerita trustee.

Two alumni trustees: Susanna E. Lachs and Mark B. Werner were elected term trustees for five-year terms.

President Amy Gutmann announced the New College House West (see page 1). She also mentioned that the Campus Conversation that took place at the Annenberg Center as part of the Campaign for Community had productive small breakout sessions after the panels and discussions. She said there will be follow-up conversations in the College Houses and elsewhere. 

Wendell Pritchett, who was attending his first Stated Meeting as Penn’s 30th Provost, said he was “humbled and honored” to be in his new role. He noted that PSOM’s department of medical ethics and health policy has introduced an initiative to address the rapidly changing health care landscape by advancing innovation among health care professionals worldwide through the online Master of Health Care Innovation.

EVP Craig Carnaroli gave the Financial Report for the first quarter of this fiscal year ending September 30. He reported that the Consolidated University’s total net assets were $16.5 billion, an increase of $1.7 billion over the prior year, driven largely by strong investment performance. Total revenue of $2.3 billion was $75 million, or 3.3% over prior year. Expenses of $2.3 billion were $32 million, or 1.4% over prior year. 

On the Academic side, total revenue was $2 million before factoring in the Vet School appropriation of $30.14 million ($8.5 million for this quarter)  which has finally been signed. Capital expenditures totaled $68 million, $18 million, or 21.1% below prior year. Operating and non-operating contributions totaled $436 million, consistent with the prior year.

On the Health System side, inpatient admissions were down and outpatient activity was mixed in high intensity services. 

The Trustees authorized the following:

• financing of certain capital projects and working capital for the Health System, up to $600 million with the issuance of new indebtedness. 

• the design and construction of an academic research building for Wharton and the replacement of substation 2 along with 3600 Woodland Walk improvements, $84.8 million. 

• Houston Hall Food Court renovations, $15.15 million 

• the design development phase of the New College House West, $8.5 million, 

• ownership by Penn’s affiliate, UCA, of the limited partner interest in the 3939 Chestnut Street building which had previously been approved.

Events

Controlled Substances Disposal Event: November 16

The Office of Environmental Health & Radiation Safety (EHRS) and the Office of Animal Welfare (OAW) will host an event to facilitate the disposal of registrants’ outdated and unwanted controlled substances.  The event is scheduled for November 16, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in conference room 104 Stellar-Chance Laboratories, PSOM. The event is free of charge but registration is required. You must register by submitting an electronic drug transfer form by November 10, 2017. Additional information about the event and transfer forms can be found at the EHRS website (www.ehrs.upenn.edu). Contact Jim Crumley (215) 746-5036 if you have questions.

Veterans Day Flag Raising: November 10

The Veterans at Penn Committee invites the Penn community to attend the Veterans Day Flag Raising Ceremony on College Green, Locust Walk on Veterans Day, Friday, November 10. It will start at 9:00 a.m. with Catherine Revak, US Army Veteran and SP2 doctoral student, giving opening remarks. The Presentation of Colors will be by the Penn Navy ROTC Honor Guard and Battalion, who will also lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Karis L. Stephen, a student in Platt Performing Arts, will perform “The Star Spangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful.”  The Rev. Charles Howard, University Chaplain, will give the invocation and Aronda Smith-Benson, an Army veteran and graduate student in SAS, will be the keynote speaker. The Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs, VPUL: Veteran Upward Bound Program and the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences are sponsoring this annual event. The rain location is the Franklin Room in Houston Hall. 

For more than two centuries, military veterans have been a part of the Penn community. For a brief history of veterans at Penn, see the Benchmarks article (Almanac November 11, 2014).   

Update: November AT PENN

FITNESS/LEARNING

14 Take the First Step in Furthering Your Education @ Penn; noon; Terrace Room, Claudia Cohen Hall; register: http://tinyurl.com/y83t9mv9! (PPSA).

15 Pedagogy Workshop on Sexual Violence Response; Jessica Mertz, sexual violence prevention;  and Litty Paxton, Penn Women’s Center; 1-2:30 p.m.; rm. 330. Fisher-Bennett Hall (English). 

TALKS

7    Advanced Imaging: Innovations in Diagnostic Capabilities; Kathryn Wulster, New Bolton Center; 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Alumni Hall, NBC; RSVP: beltb@vet.upenn.edu (Penn Vet).

8    Pravrajita and Grhastha: New Insights into the Origin of Dharmasastra; Patrick Olivelle, UT Austin; 4-6 p.m.; Class of ’58 Room, Van Pelt Library (South Asia Center).

9    China’s Economy, Its Currency and the State of the US-China Economic Relationship; Eswar Prasad, Cornell; 6 p.m.; rm. 110, Annenberg School (CSCC).

10   Labor’s Avant-Garde: Representing the Urban Proletariat and Collective Action in France from the First International to Revolutionary Syndicalism; Lindsay Grant, history of art; 3:30 p.m.; rm. 113, Jaffe Bldg. (History of Art).

14   Singular Perturbation Analysis of Drops in Acoustic Levitation Fields; Satwindar Sadhal, USC; 10:45 a.m.; Wu and Chen Auditorium, Levine Hall (MEAM).

       Development, Metabolism, and Endocrine Functions of Marrow Adipose Tissue; Ormond MacDougald, University of Michigan; 4 p.m.; rm. 12-146, Smilow Center (IDOM). \

 

AT PENN Deadlines 

The November AT PENN calendar is now online at www.almanac.upenn.edu The deadline for the December AT PENN calendar is November 7. 

Crimes

Weekly Crime Reports

The University of Pennsylvania Police Department Community Crime Report

About the Crime Report: Below are the Crimes Against Persons, Crimes Against Society and Crimes Against Property from the campus report for October 23-29, 2017. Reported were 19 incidents with 2 arrests (12 thefts, 2 assaults, 2 other offenses, 1 disorderly conduct, 1 fraud, and 1 liquor law). View prior weeks’ reports.—Eds.

10/24/17.   1:00 AM.   100 S 39th St.   Disorderly conduct/Arrest

10/24/17.   12:03 PM.   3601 Locust Walk.   Secured bike taken

10/24/17.   6:44 PM.   210 S 34th St.   Unattended backpack taken

10/25/17.   4:28 AM.   3400 Spruce St.   Complainant assaulted by known person

10/25/17.   12:57 PM.   3400 Civic Center Blvd.   Currency taken from envelope

10/25/17.   8:48 PM.   4000 Locust Walk.   Male wanted on warrant/new court date issued

10/26/17.   3:43 PM.   3701 Chestnut St.   Complainant scammed by computer company

10/26/17.   4:47 PM.   256 S 37th St.   Wallet taken

10/26/17.   8:06 PM.   215 S 33rd St.   Secured bike taken

10/27/17.   7:07 AM.   3400 Spruce St.   Male wanted on warrant/Arrest

10/27/17.   8:58 AM.   3400 Spruce St.   Secured bike taken

10/27/17.   10:51 AM.   3400 Spruce St.   Firearm taken from vehicle

10/27/17.   6:29 PM.   3335 Woodland Walk.   Unsecured bike taken

10/28/17.   2:00 AM.   3333 Walnut St.   Underage drinking/Arrest

10/28/17.   10:33 AM.   3800 Spruce St.   Secured bait bike taken

10/28/17.   4:16 PM.   3417 Spruce St.    Costumes and electronic equipment taken

10/29/17.   6:48 PM.   3700 Chestnut St.   Complainant kicked by unknown offender

10/29/17.   8:07 PM.   3820 Locust Walk.   Secured bike taken

10/29/17.   1:11 AM.   3744 Spruce St.   Unknown male took cigarettes without payment

 

18th District 

Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 11 incidents with 2 arrests (4 assaults, 3 domestic assaults, 2 robberies, 1 aggravated assault, and 1 rape) were reported between October 23-29, 2017 by the 18th District covering the Schuylkill River to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue.

10/23/17    11:34 AM    3600 Spruce St    Rape

10/24/17    9:56 AM    4326 Pine St    Robbery

10/24/17    11:56 AM    4437 Chestnut St    Aggravated Assault

10/25/17    3:23 AM    3400 Spruce St    Assault

10/25/17    11:03 AM    48th & Spruce Sts    Domestic Assault/Arrest

10/27/17    9:06 PM    44th & Sansom Sts    Assault

10/27/17    9:50 PM    46th & Market Sts    Assault

10/28/17    4:40 AM    4813 Locust St    Domestic Assault

10/28/17    5:44 AM    4832 Baltimore Ave    Robbery

10/29/17    7:29 PM    3720 Chestnut St    Assault

10/29/17    7:48 PM    221 Buckingham Pl    Domestic Assault/Arrest

Bulletins

Volunteer Opportunities

Dear Penn Community,

Thank you so very much for your continued generosity. The Netter Center recently piloted a new program, Penn Adopts a Classroom, with great results. Several departments and individuals have provided needed items to enhance the learning of students in our local schools, creating a transformation to a beautiful, colorful and welcoming space for future generations, created by Research Services and coordinated by Lauren Oshana. Teachers received items from their wish list as well as much needed general supplies. Additionally, the Annual School Supplies Drive benefitted schools in the area, and we were also able to respond to various request for the donations.   

The Netter Center also reincarnated a program from the past now called UACS Nights (University Assisted Community Schools Nights) where many volunteers with a variety of expertise teach a variety of classes to members of the surrounding community. Classes in career planning, Zumba, cardio-boxing, computers, first aid, and more are held at West Philadelphia High School on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. We invite you to share your expertise with others as well as to join us as we have fun and learn from each other. 

The holiday season is almost here. The Penn community has a huge impact during the holiday season on our surrounding community. We look forward to working with you again this year as we strive to make a difference in the lives of our deserving neighbors.

Below is a special opportunity to bring joy during the holidays. I look forward to working with you as we strive to be good neighbors.

We also encourage you to support the disaster relief efforts addressing the unprecedented number of catastrophic events being experienced in various parts of the country.

Thank you for all you do. 

—Isabel Sampson-Mapp, Associate Director, Netter Center for Community Partnerships

 

Holiday Food Drive Now through November 16: Let’s Take a Bite out of Hunger!

In the season of Thanks and Giving, please contribute to the Annual Food Drive at the University coordinated by Penn VIPS. We are collecting non-perishable foods (cans and boxed foods) as well as turkeys.

Donations will re-stock the pantry at Baring House and the People’s Emergency Shelter as well as help many deserving families in the area.

Please take donated items to one of our conveniently located drop sites listed below:

President’s Office.   100 College Hall.   Brenda Gonzalez.   898-0447

Provost Office.   353B 3401 Walnut      Susan Curran.   898-6841

Museum Reception Desk Near Kress Gallery     Bonnie Crosfield.   898-4001

Human Resources.   538A, 3401 Walnut Street.   Syreeta Gary.   898-6018

Van Pelt Library.    Cataloging & Metadata Dept.    Rachelle Nelson.   898-9048

Netter Center.   111 S. 38th St., 2nd floor.   Isabel Sampson-Mapp.   898-2020

ISC.   265C, 3401 Walnut St.   Maureen Goldsmith.   573-8771

Wharton    1000 SH-DH.   Jennifer O’Keefe.   898-1092

ISC.   203A Sansom West.    Kathie Ritchie.   573-3561

LIFE.   4508 Chestnut Street.   Cherry Sturdivant.   573-7202

Research Services.   P-221 Franklin Bldg.    Lauren Oshana.   573-6710

Student Health.    3535 Market/Suite 100.   Jay Effrece.   746-1010

Comptroller’s Office.   312 Franklin Building.   Celestine Silverman.   898-7593

FRES.   3101 Walnut Street.   Carole Mercaldo.   573-8795

AFCR.   I421 Curie Boulevard.   Joanne Gorman.   746-5550

Physics & Astronomy.   DRL 2E5.   Michelle Last.   898-5954

Nursing    3rd & 4th flr. mailroom, Fagin Hall.   Pat Adams.   573-1630

African American Res. Ctr.    3643 Locust Walk.   Colleen Winn.   898-0104

Development & Alumni Relations.   2929 Walnut, Suite 146.   Gretchen E. Ekeland.   898-3633

Internship Program

How often do we get the opportunity to make a significant difference in the life of a young resident of the West Philadelphia community in which Penn is located?

The Netter Center for Community Partnerships has developed an internship program for high school seniors from two West Philadelphia high schools. A student, at no cost to you, would work at your site at Penn for approximately four hours per week during the school day. In return, the student would receive critical exposure to a professional setting and help in developing the soft skills that employers value. The students would receive ongoing professional development from the Netter Center throughout the year, and a Netter staff member would visit the worksite on a regular basis to ensure a positive experience for both student and staff.  The program is scheduled to start in late October 2017 and to continue through May 2018.  

If you have any questions, or to RSVP, please email Theresa Simmonds at theresae@sas.upenn.edu  or call (215) 301-2656.  We look forward to hearing from you and hope that you will consider working with a student.

—Isabel Sampson-Mapp

One Step Ahead

Run Software Updates

When you buy a new smartphone, tablet, or computer, you likely take steps to physically protect the device with a screen protector, case or bag. These are all very good precautions to help ensure your device functions reliably over the course of its life. Just as you protect your device physically, you should also take steps to maintain the software that runs your device. Information security analysts and hackers discover vulnerabilities in software all the time. In response, vendors release software updates to address these vulnerabilities. You must keep up with these maintenance updates just as you use physical accessories to maintain and keep your device in its best shape.

Run software updates for your device! Steps can vary for different operating system versions, so check with your computing local support provider (LSP) or a search engine for specific steps, before trying these generic instructions:

iOS:

Tap Settings > General > Software Update to check for the latest iOS software update.

Android:

Tap Settings > About Device > Update to check for available updates to install.

Windows:

Windows 7 or Windows 8.1: 

Turn on the Automatic Updates feature so you can approve High Priority Updates that will appear on the right side of your Taskbar when they are available; or

Use the Tools > Windows Update feature from Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Windows 10: 

Windows 10 automatically checks for updates. To manually check:

Click the Start Button > Settings > Updates & Security > Windows Update.  

Check for updates to locate any available updates to install.

MacOS:

Set your Mac to automatically check for updates: from the Apple menu:

Select System Preferences>App Store > and make sure these are checked: 

Automatically check for updates, Install MacOS updates, Install system data files and security updates.

To manually check, from the Apple menu select App Store > Updates.

Make sure to regularly back up your data on your device. If you have any questions or concerns about installing updates, check with your LSP first. Don’t know who your LSP is? See: http://www.isc.upenn.edu/get-it-help

Penn's Way

Visit www.upenn.edu/pennsway for more information about the raffle and making a pledge. 

Entries must be received by 5 p.m. on the prior Friday for inclusion in a given week’s drawing. 

Penn’s Way 2018 Raffle

Week Five (Awarded October 31) 

Penn Business Services—Branded travel accessories (value $50): Griffin Anderson, Ophthalmology

Philadelphia Union—Two tickets (value $65): Weldon Blount, FRES

BioLegend—Goody bag with puzzle, water bottle, t-shirt & Starbucks gift card (value $60):  Brian Weiss, HUP

Thermo Fisher— Barnes & Noble gift card (value $50): Ting-Shan Chiu, HUP Corporate

Thermo Fisher— iTunes Gift Card—(value $50): Samuel Matej, Penn Medicine faculty

Penn Business Services—Fitbit (value $80): Todd Kirkes, HUP Corporate

GenScript—Lacie Porsche Mobile Drive - 1TB (value $100): Patrick Kennedy, CPUP

Grand Prize (Drawn November 28)

Penn Business Services—Grand Prize—iPad Pro Package (keyboard, cover, case, iTunes gift card) Value $1,000

Some Tips for Traveling More Safely

Remember: Fall back, Spring forward! On Sunday, November 5, Daylight Saving Time came to an end. This means we lose an hour of daylight just around the time most of us are heading home from work or school. 

Penn’s Division of Public Safety (DPS) wants to remind you of the  following tips on how to stay safe during your commute.

 

Public Transportation Safety Tips

Become familiar with the different bus and trolley routes and their schedules. SEPTA schedules and general information are available by visiting www.septa.com or calling (215) 580-7800.

If you travel underground, be aware of the emergency call boxes on the platform. These phones contact SEPTA Police. The phones operate much like the University’s Blue Light Phones. To operate the SEPTA Phone, push the button. A SEPTA operator will identify your transit stop and assist you immediately.

• Whenever possible, try to sit near the driver.

• In the subway station, stand back from the platform edge.

• Pay attention to your surroundings.

• Don’t become complacent while using your cell phone or other devices.

• Don’t fall asleep! Stay alert!

• Do not display your money.

• Keep your bag or purse closed, close to you, and in your line of view.

 

Off Peak Travel Tips

• Request a Walking Escort by calling (215) 573-WALK (9255). The security officer will wait with you until you board the train, bus or trolley.

• When using subways, especially during off-peak hours, stand near the SEPTA call box.

• In case of an emergency, there is a cashier’s booth staffed during hours of operation.

• If possible, travel with a companion(s).

 

Blue Light Phones

• If you observe a potential safety hazard, would like a Walking Escort or require the Division of Public Safety’s assistance, you can use one of more than 700 blue light emergency phones on campus and in the surrounding community. Blue light phones are located across campus in garages, on the street and on buildings, and in elevators. Just pick up the receiver or press the button. Map of emergency phone locations: https://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/about/security-technology/blue-light-ephones/

 

Safety Tips on the Street

• Do not display your smartphone when walking about. Keep it in your bag or pocket.

• Avoid using earphones when walking to ensure that you stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

• Stay in well-lit areas. Walk mid-point between curbs and buildings, away from alleys, entries and bushes. Stay near people.

• Avoid short cuts through parks, vacant lots and other low-occupancy places.

• Carry only necessary credit cards and money. Avoid using outdoor ATMs. Instead, look for banks that require entry into a lobby to use their ATM.

• If you must carry a purse or handbag, keep it close to your body. This will minimize the chances of theft. If your purse is taken, don’t fight. Turn it over and immediately call 911.

• Walk with someone whenever possible. Participate in buddy systems.

• Do not stop to give directions or other information to strangers. 

• Never hitchhike.

• If you believe you are being followed, call 911. Be alert and confident—making good eye contact may discourage the follower. Cross the street, change directions or vary your pace. If someone follows you in a car, record the license number and call 911 immediately.

• Have your key out and ready before you reach your car or door.

• Trust your instincts and use common sense.

 

Additional Services Available on Penn’s Campus

 

LUCY Loop

LUCY (Loop through University City) is a shuttle operating Monday through Friday, from 6:10 a.m. until 7 p.m., between 30th Street Station and University City. Managed by the University City District and operated by SEPTA, LUCY is a great way to ease your commute. Rides are free for holders of a valid PennCard. Schedule and route information is maintained by the University City District. For more information visit: www.universitycity.org/getting_around/lucy

Walking Escort            (215) 898-WALK (9255)

Uniformed Allied Universal Public Safety Officers provide walking escorts to all campus locations. Officers are dispatched by radio and will accompany you from one campus location to another, to your parked vehicle, to a Penn Transit Stop or to an on-campus SEPTA regional transit stop.

Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, between 30th to 43rd Streets and Market Street to Baltimore Avenue.

Escorts are also available from 10 a.m. until 3 a.m. between 30th & 50th streets and Spring Garden Street to Woodland Avenue via the University’s partnership with the University District Ambassador Program.

 

How to Request a Walking Escort:

Ask any Public Safety Officer on patrol or inside a building

Call (215) 898-WALK (9255) or 511 (from campus phone)

Use one of the many building and blue-light e-phones located on and off Penn’s Campus.

 

Riding Escort            (215) 898-RIDE (7433)

Penn Transit Services: (215) 898-RIDE (7433) Monday-Sunday, 6 p.m.-3 a.m. Limited on-call service, 3 a.m.-7 a.m. Business Services’ Penn Transit offers various transportation services that you can use for getting around University City or simply just getting to your car. For more information, visit www.upenn.edu/PennTransit

 

Penn Guardian

Penn Guardian is a free app that is available to all Penn community members. It was developed by the University’s safety partner Rave Guardian, a service utilized on college campuses across the country.

Registering is easy; search “Rave Guardian” in the App Store for iOS devices or Google Play for Android devices. You will be prompted to enter your name, phone number and Penn email address, which provides access to the University’s customized interface. Calls from a registered phone will allow Penn Police to determine your cell phone’s GPS location. This information will only be available to Penn Police if you call the PennComm Operations Center directly, either through the app or at (215) 573-3333.

The app also allows users to create a Smart911 profile, in which medical conditions, medications, allergies and disabilities can be included. This information can also be viewed at other Smart911-enabled emergency response centers across the country should you need to call them.

If a call is made to PennComm, and you are unable to speak—perhaps because of an allergic reaction—a call taker will send a text message to your phone. You can then communicate directly via text.

The app includes other features, including a confidential way to submit a tip to Penn Police—with a photo, if necessary —through a text message.

For more information, please visit the Penn Guardian website at www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/pennguardian

 

 

Important Numbers

University of Pennsylvania Police:    (215) 573-3333 or             511 from campus phone    

Philadelphia Police:     911    

SEPTA Police Hotline Emergency:     (215) 580-8111

     SEPTA Non-Emergency:     (215) 580-4487

CHOP Security:    (215) 590-5500

Philadelphia Poison Control Center:     (215) 386-2100

National Poison Control Center:     (800) 222-1222

Special Services:     (215) 898-4481

Victim Support & Sensitive Crime Reporting (24/7) 

    (215) 898-6600

     Victim Support Help Line:     (215) 898-HELP (4357)

The Division of Public Safety Headquarters is located at 

4040 Chestnut Street and is open 24/7/365

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