McCoullum watches over quality of University life

Her responsibilities involve a number or departments ranging from the Office os Student Life, Activities and Facilitis to Residential Living. McCoullum has served as acting VPUL since January of 1994 and officially filled the permanent position in September 1995. She is the first African American woman in the Ivy League to hold the position. As acting VPUL, McCoullum focused on the PENNCAP tutoring and Upward Bound programs. She also became very involved with the search for a new student center, wich has evolved into the Perelman Quadrangle, and has began preliminary construction. Controversy ensued during her tenure when several residential security guards were found asleep at their posts. McCoullum took swift action by firing McGinn Security Service -- the firm through which the guards were employed. Since then, Spectaguard has takien over those responsibilities, along with other security duties across campus. Last year, she devoted herself to making "tangible changes" in the lives of University students. Working with a committee of Undergraduate Assembly members, McCoullum launched a wide range of small quality-of-life projects -- from a late-night diner in Stouffer Commons to a new television in the Hall of Flags in Houston Hall. She also played a pivotal role in the development of the new "residential community" system of on-campus housing, and has worked closely with Vice President for Business Services Steve Murray to integrate dining and other services into the dorms. McCoullum is widely known for her enthusiastic and comforting nature and her constant interaction with students. It's rare that she doesn't greet students she knows -- or even those she doesn't know -- with big hugs in the middle of campus. McCoullum's daughter, Ena, has just completed her third year at Penn's Medical School. She also has a son named David, who is a graduate student in engineering at Penn.