U.Trustees to discuss key issues

The University Board of Trustees, Penn's top decision-making body, will be meeting today and tomorrow for their spring set of meetings.

The board, along with several of Penn's high-level administrators, will be addressing several key issues including the University's new strategic plan and budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

"The Trustees will formally be adopting the Strategic Plan, which has been under discussion by the University community for the last year," University Secretary Leslie Kruhly said.

The new strategic plan -- a long-term series of goals geared toward the University's academic, financial and physical progress -- is loosely based around the 1995 Agenda for Excellence.

Drafted by University administrators and several subcommittees consisting of faculty, staff and students, the new plan focuses on the development of new research initiatives, building and retaining a world-class faculty. The plans also include expanding the Penn campus eastwards.

After University President Judith Rodin, Provost Robert Barchi and Executive Vice President John Fry presented the Trustees with a rough draft of the plan at the winter meeting, the Board has engaged in additional deliberations readying a final version of the plan to be approved during tomorrow's stated meeting.

These discussions will be coupled by a presentation about the School of Medicine's strategic planning process.

Led by Medical School Dean Arthur Rubenstein, administrators and faculty at the Med School have been developing a series of initiatives for Penn Medicine -- the Health System's governing body.

The Trustees "will also be given an update by Arthur Rubenstein about the strategic planning process for the School of Medicine," Kruhly said. "Since he arrived [at the University] he has been working with faculty and staff to chart the path for Penn Medicine."

During Friday's stated meeting, the Trustees will also approve the University and Health System's budgets for Fiscal Year 2003.

"This is the meeting at which the capital and operating budgets are approved for Fiscal Year 2003, so we have the authorization of the operating budget and capital plan for the University and Health System," Kruhly said.

Kruhly said that elections for the Chair and Vice Chairs of the Board, along with the Executive Committee, will also be held. Currently, James Riepe (Whar. '65) serves as the Chairman of the Board.

Several individual committee meetings will also take place during the next two days to discuss ongoing efforts in areas like the University's academic policy, facilities and neighborhood initiatives.

Outside of the scheduled committee meeting times, the Board will also gather at the Kimmell Center for Performing Arts in downtown Philadelphia for a dinner in honor of Fry and Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Virginia Clark.

"At our Thursday evening dinner the Trustees will be giving farewell toasts to John Fry and Ginny Clark -- it will be combination goodbye," Kruhly said.

Fry and Clark will be vacating their posts at Penn by the end of the summer to take positions elsewhere.

Fry has been appointed to be the President of Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., while Clark will become the Director of External Affairs at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

The full Board of Trustees, which is composed of 87 members, meets each fall, winter and spring for a series of committee meetings.

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