Trustee committee ends pres. search

The University held an official press conference yesterday to announce the formal nomination of Amy Gutmann as Penn's eighth president.

Emphasizing her strong academic background and desire to continue learning, the current Princeton University provost and former candidate for the Harvard University presidency took center stage yesterday in her first official presentation to the University community.

"I could not be more honored than to accept the nomination of being president of the University of Pennsylvania," Gutmann said.

"My education is now five decades in the making, and it's clearly just about to begin. I'm greatly looking forward to living on this beautiful campus, which my husband and I will, come July, call home."

Gutmann was presented by James Riepe, chairman of the University Board of Trustees, who called her a "distinguished scholar and an excellent administrator."

"We have observed over [the University's] long history -- and especially over the last 10 years -- that leadership does in fact make a difference," Riepe said. "I feel certain we've identified an able administrator and a compelling leader in our first choice."

As if Gutmann needed to be reminded of Penn's recent successes and the enormous goodwill toward her predecessor, outgoing President Judith Rodin spoke briefly, welcoming the nominee and highlighting the achievements of her own 10-year career.

The distinction between the old and new presidents rapidly became clear.

In contrast to Rodin's evident strategies, Gutmann said that she did not yet have a strategic vision of what her priorities would be for her tenure as president.

"I am happy to tell you all of my particular priorities -- about a year from now, when I actually have been Penn's president for some time and have [had] the opportunity to educate myself, at and by, Penn," the 54-year-old political scientist said in her seven-minute speech.

She did stress, however, that her commitment to academics and equal opportunity in higher education would be unwavering.

"I know my principles even if I don't know my priorities for Penn yet," she said. "One of my principles is equal educational opportunity ... and that internally, Penn's financial aid policy becomes ever more robust."

"One of my highest priorities, because my principles just dictate that, is to do as much fundraising as I possibly can to make sure Penn's need-blind decisions and need-based financial aid policy is one that we should be as proud as possible of."

Some members of the Penn community, however, have been critical of Gutmann because of her lack of fundraising experience. Many have said that the career academic does not have the fundraising prowess to continue Rodin's record of impressive achievements.

Gutmann has been at Princeton for the last 28 years -- where she has been both a professor and administrator -- but critics say she has never had to deal with funding issues like Penn's. Princeton's endowment is approximately $8 billion -- $5 billion more than Penn's -- but the small New Jersey university's size barely approaches Penn's.

But for now, Gutmann is putting the negatives aside and is focusing on the learning curve, which she says will be "steep."

She met with Philadelphia Mayor John Street yesterday afternoon, and said she would be meeting with the deans of all of Penn's schools as soon as possible, noting that she still "has a day job."

The official announcement brings to an end the secretive search process that has continued over the last four months.

However, yesterday's official press conference did not come as a surprise to many. Riepe sent an e-mail Wednesday night addressed to the entire Penn community announcing Gutmann's selection for the presidency.

Gutmann -- who will be the second consecutive female chief executive at Penn -- is now the official nominee for the presidency. She has been selected by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, and the full board will have an official vote on her nomination at a meeting on Feb. 20.

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