Smoking banned in Wharton buildings
Those looking to smoke in Wharton buildings will have to look elsewhere, according to new regulations set forth by Wharton Dean Patrick Harker.
On July 1, Steinberg Hall-Dietrich Hall, Lauder-Fischer Hall, Vance Hall and the Colonial Penn Center all became smoke-free buildings.
The prior designated smoking areas in those buildings were removed at the discretion of Harker.
"Areas that had previously been set aside inside these buildings for smoking will no longer be available for that purpose," Harker said in a statement.
According to University policy, "smoking is not permitted in non-residential University buildings except in designated areas."
However, the policy states that "a building that is completely under the authority of a Dean, Vice President or Resource Center Director may be designated `smoke free' upon the written approval of the respective Dean, Vice President or Resource Center Director."
For Wharton smokers, smoking in areas outside the buildings will still be permitted.
-- Richard Mo New chief of healthcare quality named
The University of Pennsylvania Health System has named P.J. Brennan the new chief of healthcare quality and patient safety, effective immediately.
In this role, Brennan will lead the health system in initiatives seeking to bolster patients' satisfaction with the Health System.
According to William Ferniany, the Health System's senior vice president of administrative and network services, Brennan's new role will encompass three main areas -- clinical effectiveness, quality of care and patient safety.
Clinical effectiveness is, in essence, "making sure you get the right care at the right time, and at the right amount," according to Ferniany. "For example, it's like making sure you get the right tests taken, and you get the right test the first time."
The search for a new chief of healthcare quality and patient safety was an extensive one, attracting candidates from both inside and outside of the University.
"We did a national search, with internal and external candidates, and P.J. was the most qualified," Ferniany said. "He has an exceptional reputation in the Health System."
Brennan came to Penn in 1986 on a fellowship in infectious disease, and has held various positions throughout the Health System and the School of Medicine since then. He will continue to serve as a professor of medicine and an infectious disease specialist.
Brennan also works extensively in public health efforts, most notably tuberculosis and related conditions.
-- Alexis Gilbert
Part-time Penn faculty member tapped by mayor
A part-time member of the Penn faculty was recently appointed as the director of the Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development.
Deborah McColloch, who teaches a graduate seminar on housing policy in the City and Regional Planning Department, will be responsible for organizing Philadelphia's annual housing budget.
"I'm pleased that Deborah is continuing on our team; she brings a wealth of experience in Philadelphia using her new assignment," Mayor John Street said in a statement.
"Because she advanced through the ranks, she has an intimate knowledge of our city's unique housing needs. As both a longtime city resident and neighborhood expert, Deborah is a valuable asset to our Neighborhood Transformation Initiative," Street added.
Since 1994, McColloch had been OHCD's deputy director. She will take over for John Kromer, who resigned in June.
For her current post, McColloch will be responsible of managing more than $100 million in the housing budget, preparing federal and state funding applications and developing policy and program initiatives.
Prior to the deputy director assignment, McColloch was OHCD contract administrator, overseeing contracts with subrecipient agencies. Since joining OHCD in 1979, she has also worked as a neighborhood program coordinator and also worked for the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation.
A Penn alumna, she earned her Master's degree in city planning from Penn. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Ohio Wesleyan University, where she obtained her bachelor's degree, and on the Board of Directors of the Norris Square Neighborhood Project.
-- Richard Mo
