Officials to OK global proposals

The University's top leaders are slated to give their approval today to five recommendations on how Penn can improve its international image.

University President Amy Gutmann and Provost Ron Daniels will release their official response to the five recommendations presented to them in February by the Task Force on Global Engagement.

The recommendations include new programs and scholarships designed to improve Penn's global image and internationalize campus by drawing world leaders, scholars and students to the University.

"We have essentially decided to endorse all of them," Daniels said of the proposals. "In the end, we thought that each of these projects touched a different aspiration within the University ... and were not inclined to cherry-pick from the recommendations."

He added, however, that the University doesn't yet have funds in place for some of these proposals and finding those funds will be a priority.

The initiatives include the creation of 25 to 30 new Penn World Scholarships for applicants from developing countries and the Penn Global Initiatives Fund, which will pay for short-term, internationally oriented student and faculty projects.

The other proposals involve bringing world leaders to speak at Penn, hiring international scholars to teach collaboratively with Penn faculty for two-week periods and increasing the number of programs for Penn students traveling abroad.

Global engagement is a major aspect of Gutmann's plans for Penn.

However, the implementation of the five proposals will be challenging, administrators say.

"There is still going to be challenges for us in terms of being able to find the funds necessary for implementation," Daniels said.

Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli said that "seed money" from the University's operating budget will be used to get the programs off the ground and that he hopes to secure permanent funding from Penn's capital campaign next year.

"When President Gutmann has been traveling, these themes have resonated with our international alumni," Carnaroli said. "So we are hopeful that when the campaign launches off this will be the perfect opportunity" to raise funds for the projects.

Members of the task force said the adoption of all five of the recommendations didn't come as a surprise.

Assistant Provost for International Affairs JoAnn McCarthy, who sat on the task force, said that she was impressed with the level of commitment she has seen from the University.

"I think they went beyond [expectations] in some respects and put their energy and support behind" the initiatives, McCarthy said.

Carnaroli said that there is strong University support for the initiatives because administrators see the programs as a way to bridge cultural divides.

"Universities have a role to play at this critical time where barriers are being erected between cultures," Carnaroli said.

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