The President's Center
The mission of the President's Center is to support the President, the trustees, and the officers of the University; to assist the faculty, students, and staff in their teaching, research, and service activities; and to advance excellence at Penn. In addition to the President's Office, the President's Center includes the following units:
| Office
of the President |
The Office of the President provides administrative leadership and support for President Gutmann's initiatives. The Office aids in policy development and also plans and executes activities and events that support the Penn Compact which was first articulated by President Gutmann at her inauguration in 2004. Members of the staff represent her on a variety of University committees; advise her on policy matters; serve as liaisons between President Gutmann and members of the University community; and assist students, parents, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, members of the community, and others. |
| African-American
Resource Center |
The African-American Resource Center seeks to enhance the quality of life for African-American administrators, faculty, staff and students. The staff works to create a teaching and learning community that is harmonious and diverse. The services of AARC include information and referral, workshops, consultation, support groups, counseling, problem-solving, assistance with workplace concerns, advocacy, and co-sponsorship of events to promote dialogue on race and diversity issues. |
Almanac |
Almanac is Penn's journal of record, opinion, and news and has been published weekly during the academic year since 1971. Almanac publishes proposals; responses; policies and procedures; advance notices; agendas and summaries of meetings of governance bodies; notices that advise faculty and staff of their rights and benefits; and weekly and annual crime reports. Almanac also provides the University community with a forum for open expression, through its "Speaking Out" column. |
| Office
of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs |
The Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs provides central leadership and support for the University's efforts to achieve an educational and work environment that is diverse in race, ethnicity, interests, abilities, and perspectives. The Office will ensure the implementation of equal opportunity, affirmative action, and non-discrimination policies through education, training and active partnership with others on campus and the broader Philadelphia community. |
| Office
of the General Counsel |
The Office of the General Counsel represents the University as a corporate entity in legal matters. The Office handles all legal matters generated by the activities of the University, including its schools, departments, operating units and subsidiaries, and by initiating action to forestall problems and manage risks. All matters requiring legal action are to be referred to the Office of the General Counsel. |
| Office
of Government and Community Affairs |
The Office coordinates activities related to the University's interactions with its surrounding communities, the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the federal government. Such interactions include political, regulatory, and external funding issues affecting Penn as a leading research university and a key player in the greater Philadelphia area. The Office includes Community Relations, the Center for Community Partnerships, City and Commonwealth Relations, and Federal Relations. |
|
Office of
the Ombudsman Joan F. Goodman Michele Goldfarb |
The idea of an "ombudsman," defined as a person for all people, originated in Sweden in the 19th century. Penn's Office of the Ombudsman was established in 1971 to assist individuals in finding solutions to problems they might not have been able to resolve through traditional channels. The Ombudsman acts as a sounding board for concerns from members of the Penn community and as an impartial mediator of conflicts. The Office is accessible to all members of the University community with the exception of unionized workers and employees of the University's Health System. |
| Office
of the University Secretary |
The Office supports the University's governing bodies in furtherance of the long-term strategic interests of the University. The Office ensures the continuity of strong volunteer leadership of the University, manages Trustee Affairs, Overseer Affairs, and University Council. The office oversees key ceremonial programs including Commencement, Convocation, inaugurations, and the selection process for honorary degree recipients. The Office also issues diplomas, maintains custody of the University seal, and authorizes the use of Penn's name, trademarks and insignia. |
| University
Archives and Records Center |
The University Archives and Records Center is responsible for the orderly retention and disposition of all University records, active, inactive and historical. As the University's official repository, the Archives Center strives to ensure the preservation of historically significant documents and other materials that reflect the University's origins and development, and the activities and achievements of its officers, staff, faculty, students, alumni, and benefactors. The Records Center provides records retention and retrieval services that assist faculty and administrative staff in the ongoing operation of the University. |
| University
Communications |
University Communications' mission is to improve Penn's visibility in national and local news media by drawing on and promoting the resources and accomplishments of the University's faculty, staff, and students; promote and reinforce Penn's reputation as a national research university of the first rank, and as a place where scholars are actively engaged in applying theory to real-world problems; and provide quick and effective responses in crisis situations involving the University or those affiliated with it. The Office also oversees the central Penn website and the development of other specialty publications. |
| WXPN |
88.5 WXPN is the non-commercial public radio service of the University of Pennsylvania, and the premier public radio showcase for new music by the foremost recording artists, singers and songwriters of the era. WXPN’s signature program, World Café, is distributed on behalf of WXPN by Public Radio International to more than 150 public radio stations nationwide. It serves as a microcosm of the station’s programming culture, featuring a rich eclectic blend of contemporary rock, folk, alternative country, rhythm and blues, world beat, and jazz. |
Note: For those mailing from outside campus, the rest of each address should be: Philadelphia, PA 19104. The four digit intramural code in each entry is the second half of the zip code.