The Board of Trustees met on Thursday at the Inn at Penn for the winter full board meeting. The Daily Pennsylvanian took a look at the main points of the meeting.
Ad Hoc Committee on
Diversity/Academic Policy Committee:
Several issues surrounding faculty recruitment were discussed. President Amy Gutmann and Vice Provost for Faculty Anita Allen stressed the importance of hiring faculty from within our own system, alluding to hiring students as future professors. Both Gutmann and Allen believed that hiring from within the University could address the issue of faculty diversity while retaining the stellar students as promising faculty members.
As a regulated nursing program, there are rules that the School of Nursing must follow. By 2025, nurse anesthetists will not be certified without a doctoral degree. Dean of the Nursing School Afaf Meleis announced that the school would begin its transition from a master’s program to a doctorate program. The Doctorate in Nursing Program will be the first in Pennsylvania and the first among Ivy League institutions.
Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Stephen Fluharty introduced a new initiative under the School of Liberal and Professional Studies for the development of a Master of Chemical Science Degree. As the demand for advanced science credentials increases, the program would serve those who are currently employed and seeking additional training.
Creation of a master’s program would also help the University strengthen relations with chemical science companies such as Johnson & Johnson.
Facilities and Campus Planning Committee:
The committee approved the creation of the Jordan Medical Education Center that is set to be completed by January 2015. The Center will be connected to the Smilow Center for Translational Research.
The committee also discussed the South Bank Master Plan for the Pennovation Center. Development principles will focus on entrepreneurship, creation and innovation and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and partnerships.
As part of the developing the design for the center, there will be a particular effort to connect the Center to Penn, the Schuylkill River and the city of Philadelphia in general. “This is a place where we can do lots of things at a lower cost than we can do it on our main campus,” Gutmann said.
Budget and Finance Committee:
Vice President of Budget and Management Analysis Bonnie Gibson gave an overview of the University’s finances to the committee.
She noted that two-thirds of all students who received financial aid received grants of $35,000 or more, while one-third of aided students received grants of $50,000 or more.
The tuition for the 2014-2015 academic year was announced to be $61,132, and Gibson pointed out that Penn remained at a consistent average among its peer schools in tuition increase.
Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli presented 10 resolutions for renovations to be included in the University budget. These included building renovations in Steinberg-Dietrich Hall , Huntsman Hall classrooms and group study rooms and continued renovation of Gregory College House.
Carnaroli noted that final renovations of Gregory would complete the renovations for University residence halls past 38th Street.
Staff writers Victoria Moffitt and Jill Golub contributed reporting.
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