Editorial | Meyerson's legacy

Internationalize the University.

Improve its financial standing so that necessary reforms can be enacted.

Facilitate coordination between the various graduate and undergraduate schools.

These were the goals, and some of the greatest successes, of former Penn President Martin Meyerson, who lost a battle with prostate cancer on Saturday.

As the University seeks to enhance its global presence as part of current Penn President Amy Gutmann's Penn Compact, it looks back on the foundations built by Meyerson over 25 years ago as he reached out to leading institutions across the world.

As interdisciplinary study becomes an ever greater focus in the classrooms, professors must remember Meyerson's success in uniting a disparate set of undergraduate and graduate schools and departments into the School of Arts and Sciences, and they must recall Meyerson as the first president who articulated the vision of "One University."

And as Penn sets to embark on a new capital campaign of which financial aid will be a key beneficiary, we must acknowledge the debt we owe Meyerson's administration for guiding the University through a difficult financial period that hit colleges nationwide.

Here in Philadelphia and elsewhere across the world of academia, Meyerson left a strong legacy that Penn continues to build on today.

The vision that he had for the University, and the challenges that he faced as president, still largely apply.

Even though many students may not have known him and may not recognize his name, his accomplishments had a direct impact on scholarly life at Penn today.

And they have a direct impact on Gutmann's plans for improving our University.

The best way to honor Meyerson would be for Gutmann to continue to build upon Meyerson's successes, strengthening Penn for years to come.

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