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Philadelphia School Board President and Penn alumnus Pedro Ramos has been named University vice president and chief of staff, effective in January.

Ramos will leave his job as a partner with Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, one of Philadelphia's top law practices, to take the new post.

Ramos replaces Steve Schutt, who left the University last June after six years of service to become president of Lake Forest College in Illinois. Like Ramos, Schutt is a Penn alumnus with a law degree.

"It felt like being asked to join a gold-medal Olympic team," Ramos said.

University President Judith Rodin said that although she has not worked in depth with Ramos before, he was highly esteemed by Penn administrators who had worked with him more extensively. She added that selecting someone who is already familiar with Penn will shave some time off the learning curve.

"We really felt that somebody in this position ought to have knowledge of Philadelphia," Rodin said. "I found in Steve Schutt that I was served well and the University was served well by having somebody who had graduated from Penn and also had some legal training."

During his nine years at Ballard Spahr, Ramos has focused much of his time on advising colleges and large non-profit organizations. He has also served three one-year terms as vice president of the Philadelphia School Board and is in his second year as president.

His experience with the Philadelphia school system may prove to be important at a time when privatization of some area public schools is being heavily debated. Some local universities may be asked to play a role in revamping the city's ailing public schools, which are underperforming and deep in debt.

Ramos said he has no plans to step down from his position on the school board when he moves to Penn full time next year.

"I expect to continue to help the mayor negotiate an agreement with the governor that is in the best interest of the school district," Ramos said.

Many administrators who have worked with Ramos in the past believe that the dedication he has shown to the school board will make him a good fit for the position. Vice President for Budget and Management Analysis Michael Masch, who serves on the school board with Ramos, said that Ramos' patience and good judgement make him an effective leader.

"It is not at all surprising that President Rodin singled Pedro out to be her chief of staff," Masch said. "He is a role model of what citizenship and leadership are all about."

The 36-year old Ramos graduated from Penn in 1987 and received his law degree from the University of Michigan in 1992. He spent some time working in Penn's human resources department early in his professional career.

Ramos is also a community activist, serving on the boards of Congreso de Latinos Unidos and Philadelphia Futures, a non-profit organization that helps economically disadvantaged teenagers prepare for college.

As chief of staff, Ramos will play a large role in the everyday operations and decision-making of the higher-level administration. He said he believes his college and professional experience will serve him well.

"I've got a pretty good general feel for the University," Ramos said. "Certainly this is a very central leadership role on President Rodin's team, and there's a lot to learn. It's going to be important to be able to manage a big range of issues."

During Schutt's tenure, the chief of staff position was significantly expanded, leaving Schutt heavily involved with the Agenda for Excellence. He also had a significant hand in the development of the Penn-assisted public school, which first opened its doors to the kindergarten and first-grade classes in September after significant construction delays and contention over eligibility to attend the school.

"I think Steve redefined that role at the University, and he certainly left some big shoes to fill," Ramos said.

Although the position has been vacant since June, the University did not publicly post the job until last month. Rodin said that although other people were interviewed for the position, Ramos was the major candidate in the search.

Since Schutt's departure, the various roles of the chief of staff's job have been divided among other administrators. Offices that would normally report to the chief of staff have instead reported to University Secretary Leslie Kruhly.

Geoff Cromarty, staff at the President's office, has acted as the director of Rodin's internal office staff. Communications Director Lori Doyle and Vice President and General Counsel Wendy White took over Penn's crisis management team during the interim period.

Rodin said that the addition of Ramos to the administration will help ease the day-to-day burden on her and her staff.

Since Schutt left, the administrative structure "wasn't as adaptive as it could be," Rodin said. "While we all got it done, and I think it has been a terrific semester, I have felt personally a lot of additional pressure."

Provost Robert Barchi said he believes Ramos will play an integral part in helping Penn interface with community and citywide groups.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for the work that he's done for the school board and for Philadelphia," Barchi said. "He will be an integral part of a small group of leaders who affect how this place moves on a day-to-day basis."

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