When University President Amy Gutmann opened the school year, she said that she would begin to put her plans into action this semester.
In the first few weeks of her sophomore year as president, Gutmann laid out her strategy for making the Penn Compact -- her three-pronged program for the University's future -- a reality.
"The second year is where you need to execute," Penn Trustee David Cohen said earlier this year. Gutmann must "be able to maintain the goodwill and the credibility [she] created through a strong first year."
Increasing financial aid was a major tenet of the Compact, and by at least one account -- a $14 million donation for student scholarships -- major donors are rallying to the cause.
At a Nov. 10 scholarship dinner, Penn Trustee George Weiss gave the University a surprise gift -- a check for $14 million. Gutmann said another donor whom she could not yet identify has since given $500,000 for the same cause.
"It's really the greatest leadership gift that George Weiss could possibly give," Gutmann said at the time. "It is a ringing endorsement of how important financial aid is."
But some of Gutmann's other initiatives -- ranging from improving the University's international influence to creating interdisciplinary study opportunities -- have indefinite due dates.
At the beginning of the semester, Gutmann said improving Penn's international status was one of her highest priorities. She quickly launched a committee that would brainstorm ideas for achieving that goal.
The committee's report is due this month.
Gutmann also charged the Campus Development Planning Committee -- headed by Provost Ron Daniels and Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli -- with creating a new University master plan by the end of the academic year, including a design for the 24 acres east of campus that Penn will acquire from the U.S. Postal Service in 2007.
Although she said developing the postal lands would likely be a defining element of her presidency, Gutmann added that fundraising could not yet begin in earnest until plans are fully developed.
"I'm not going to be fundraising for details that have not yet been decided," she said.
Although Gutmann said she wants to see many of her goals realized in her second year, she also added that delegating the responsibility for those goals was half of the battle.
