University goes all out to get a 'hot school' image

If image is everything, then the University is on its way to having it all. "The sense is that Penn is a University whose time has come, and this sense is critical," University President Judith Rodin said at Thursday's External Affairs meeting with the University's Board of Trustees. And to insure that this does not change, the University has spent the last year searching for an Associate Vice President for Communications, a job Rodin described as "a unique position." She said the person selected will serve as a central spokesperson representing the University as well as serving as a key planner in the strategic policy of the University. This position has been vacant since last March, when Carol Farnsworth left the University upon being named Vice Chancellor for Communications at the University of Denver. Although the University has interviewed numerous applicants for the post, Rodin said they have yet to find the perfect candidate. Rodin said the position will be "a very welcome and needed addition to the University," although she said she believes the University's image has seen an improvement over the last year. "There is a real sense that Penn is a different place -- a place that is committed to good relationships with our neighbors both internally and externally," she said. And University Secretary Barbara Stevens agreed, saying that there has been a "solid increase in Penn's news coverage." Last year, the University ranked seventh in print news coverage of national universities, and fifth in broadcast coverage. University spokesperson Barbara Beck said this news coverage will increase dramatically with the 50th anniversary celebration of ENIAC, the world's first electronic computer, which will take place in February. So far, media ranging from Good Morning America to The New York Times have expressed a strong interest in the ENIAC celebration. "ENIAC is going to establish Penn as a leading University in the information age," Beck said. In order to further foster this relationship with the media, the University has to work on several areas -- including managing crises, communicating one message for all of the schools and increasing relevant media coverage to build public support for the University's mission, Stevens said. Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman agreed that attention has to be paid to the way the University controls crises before they "blow up in the press," like with the Water Buffalo incident two years ago. Rodin suggested that the root of the problem is the lack of communication between the individual schools and departments. "We have potential crises brewing?because this is such a decentralized environment that things can go on without anybody knowing," she said. And with these changes, the University will be well on its way towards an improved public perception. Committee Chairperson and University Trustee Leonard Lauder said that as the University gets "hotter," the media will pick up more of its news. "It is easier to sell a hot lipstick than one nobody wants," he said, drawing from his experience in the cosmetic business. This analogy captured Rodin's attention, prompting her to ask him, "Should I think of myself as a hot lipstick?" But Lauder was quick to explain himself. "No, think of the University as one," he responded. "We can discuss the other later."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.