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Social Responsibility Advisory Committee

General Charge
The Penn Social Responsibility Advisory Committee (“Penn SRAC”) shall advise the University Trustees and make recommendations to the Trustee Proxy Voting Subcommittee of the Executive Committee concerning decisions on Proxy Voting.  A Resolution to Establish Procedures for Proxy Voting was passed by the Executive Committee on May 15, 2003. The work of the committee is guided by the Statement on Responsibility Concerning Endowment Securities adopted by the Board of Trustees.

 

Specific Duties
Penn SRAC shall be advisory to the Trustee Proxy Voting Subcommittee and the President, with the following functions:

  1. Consider proposals from the University community regarding specific proxy voting, first determining whether or not there is an allegation of substantial social or environmental injury;

  2. Make clear and concise recommendations to the Trustee Proxy Voting Subcommittee, together with factual findings and analysis, for its consideration on how to vote proxies;

  3. Respond to specific requests from the Trustee Proxy Voting Subcommittee or President.

Membership
Penn SRAC shall consist of twelve voting members including:

  • Four faculty members nominated by the Faculty Senate;

  • Four students (two graduates and two undergraduates) nominated by the Undergraduate Assembly (one student), the Nominations and Elections Committee (one student), GAPSA (two students);

  • Two alumni representatives appointed by the President;

  • Two staff members appointed by the President.

The chair of Penn SRAC will be selected by the President.
All terms will be for one year, with the possibility of reappointment.

 

Meetings
Penn SRAC shall meet on call of the chair and no less than twice during the academic year.  At the chair's discretion, the Committee may also conduct business via conference call.

 

Guiding Principles

As a general rule, when the University has adopted a position through word or deed, SRAC will use the established position as a guideline in formulating its recommendation.  For example, SRAC will recommend the support of proxies seeking same sex partner benefits since it is the position of the University to provide such benefits.

When University policies do not provide guidance, the committee will be guided by the ethical and moral position of the Penn community, publically disclosed positions of peer institutions, the arguments made by both the proponents and the company, the past actions of the company, and the financial and competitive implications of the proposal.

Based upon this the committee recommended specific guidelines for the following social issues:

  • Animal Testing

  • Animal Welfare

  • Banking Issue

  • Board Diversity

  • Charitable Contributions

  • EEO-Sexual Orientation

  • Executive Pay and Social Issues

  • Global Climate Change

  • Global Labor Standards

  • Health Care

  • Human Rights

  • Internet Censorship and Repression

  • MacBride Principles

  • Political Contributions

  • Product Safety

  • Sustainability Reporting

 

Founding Committee Members

Betsy Bailey, Professor, Wharton School, Business and Public Policy
Arthur Caplan, Professor, School of Medicine, Medical Ethics
Helen Davies, Professor, School of Medicine, Microbiology
Jerry Porter (chair), Professor, School of Arts and Sciences, Mathematics
Lolita K. Jackson SEAS ‘89
Seth Lehr, W’78, WG ‘83
William Dunworth, Director, Wharton Executive Education
Marie Witt, Associate Vice President, Business Services
Ryan Burg, GAPSA representative
Helen Murphy, GSAC representative
Farrah, Freis, NEC representative
Brendan Darrow, UA representative

 

Committee Membership 2009-10 (in progress)

Brianne Blakey, NEC representative
Neil Braun, C'74, Alumni representative
Pat D’Antonio, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
Karen Detlefsen, Associate Professor, School of Arts and Sciences
Lolita K. Jackson SEAS ‘89, Alumni representative
Jason Karlawish, Associate Professor, School of Medicine
John Kayne, UA representative
Douglas Lynch, Vice Dean, Graduate School of Education
Katherina Rosqueta, Executive Director, Center for High Impact Philanthropy
Yoram (Jerry) Wind (chair), Professor, Wharton School, Marketing

Upon written request, the University will release the social issues related to proxy voting and whether these issues were supported or rejected. The University will not release the holdings related to these votes.

 

Charge to the Social Responsibility Advisory Committee

 

University of Pennsylvania Statement of Responsibility Concerning Endowment Securities

 

Trustee Resolution to Establish Procedures for Proxy Voting

 

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