U. appoints Conn as new dep. provost

Provost Robert Barchi appointed English Professor Peter Conn to serve as his chief adviser. Provost Robert Barchi yesterday named English Professor Peter Conn as the University's new deputy provost, an important administrative position which has remained vacant for about a year and a half. Sources indicated Tuesday that Barchi planned to appoint Conn, who is also the chairperson of the Faculty Senate and former dean of the College, to the post. Barchi officially confirmed the appointment yesterday. "I am extremely pleased to announce that Dr. Peter Conn has accepted my invitation to become the new deputy provost," Barchi said. Barchi lauded Conn, 56, for his academic achievements and his multi-faceted involvement in University programs. "Peter is a distinguished scholar, a world-renowned author? and an outstanding University citizen," Barchi said. The deputy provost works closely with the provost on campus-wide issues and serves as representative for the provost on issues that deal with both undergraduate education and with resources centers, like the Institute of Contemporary Art, Barchi said. Conn said yesterday that he was "attracted to the job description" of the position, which he noted emphasizes the "educational mission" of the University. Conn arrived at Penn as an English instructor in 1967. During his tenure at the University, the 57-year old professor has at times served as College dean, a post he occupied in the early 1980s; former faculty master of Hill College House and Community House; chairperson of both the American Civilization and English graduate groups; and, most recently, he has served as the chairperson on the Faculty Senate. Although he intends to remain as the faculty director to the Civic House, Conn said he will step down from his role as chairperson of the Faculty Senate. "I guarantee you that the work that I have in mind will keep someone occupied virtually full time," Barchi said Tuesday. Past-chair John Keene, a professor of City and Regional Planning, will serve at the helm of the Faculty Senate until January, when Chair-elect Larry Gross, a Communications professor, will take office. "Other chairs are meeting today to organize an orderly transition," Conn said yesterday. Neither Gross nor Keene could be reached for comment. In addition, Conn said he would continue to teach English at Penn, including English 401, a course that offers undergraduates the chance to be teaching assistants University City High School. Barchi also praised Conn's distinguished career, during which he has received the prestigious Lindback, Mortarboard and Ira Abrams awards for teaching. He has also written numerous books, including the 1996 Pearl S. Buck -- A Cultural Biography, which was named as a New York Times Notable Book selection. Former English Department Chairperson Wendy Steiner said she was pleased for her colleague, who she said she has known for 20 years. "I can't imagine anything better [for Conn]," Steiner said. A search committee, consisting of administrators, faculty members and two students, considered a list of about 35 nominees before recommending a list of four candidates to the provost. There is no specified number of years that a deputy provost must serve, as the length of the term is usually determined by the provost. Former Interim Provost and Law School Professor Michael Wachter, who first served as the deputy provost from July 1995 to January 1998 under then-provost Stanley Chodorow, was the University's most recent deputy provost.