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(11/28/95 10:00am)
In the past two months, University officials have fired more than 20 employees in an effort to streamline the central administration. And officials in charge of the restructuring project said they have been very successful in finding new jobs for the dismissed workers. But some remaining staff members said they are concerned that when the program is in full force, jobs for fired employees will not come as easily. Both administrators and other employees said until restructuring progresses further, it will be impossible to determine the success of the efforts to find the fired workers new jobs. Assistant Vice President of Human Resources Phyllis Lewis said the aggressive placement programs have relocated fired employees both within and outside the University. She added that she was not certain how many positions have been eliminated, or where those employees have been relocated. Human Resources will issue a report next week that will examine the first two months of restructuring in detail. Lewis said the primary goal in dealing with employees who were fired as a result of restructuring is to find them another job within the University. But A-3 Assembly Chairperson Karen Wheeler, whose group represents employees paid hourly, said her constituents are concerned that it may be difficult to find another job within the University, the administration's efforts notwithstanding. "We don't want to feel as though the worker displaced though administrative restructuring is basically left out in the cold," Wheeler said. As restructuring progresses and more positions are eliminated, the placement program may not be as successful as it is now, Lewis added. But she said the University has hired a placement firm specifically to find A-3's jobs outside of the University if internal jobs cannot be found. She added that it is simply too early in the process to evaluate whether there will be problems with the placement programs. "There is lots of puzzlement about how all this is going to work out," Lewis said. "We don't have enough experience for people to have information on which to base their judgments. It's tough to tell where the actual points of anxiety are going to be." University employees said that at this stage, they have little reason to doubt that the administration has their interests in mind. "They haven't done anything significant yet in terms of phasing out positions that we can really judge," said Ira Winston, chairperson of the Penn Professional Staff Assembly. "[Executive Vice President] John Fry was saying all the right things. What can you do but sort of take the man at his word?"
(11/21/95 10:00am)
Five years after the University began exploring a new relationship with its Army and Navy ROTC programs, negotiations with the Pentagon are nearing completion, according to Provost Stanley Chodorow. University Council has voted that the Pentagon's restrictions on homosexual behavior are in conflict with the University's non-discrimination policy. Chodorow said the U.S. Department of Defense is currently considering some internal revisions to the Reserve Officers' Training Corps' programs' relationships with colleges and universities, and that the University's negotiations are helping to settle some issues of concern within the Pentagon. He added that he expects "to be at the point of decision fairly soon." But he refused to provide specific details about the final resolution reached between the University and the Pentagon. The current deliberations are the latest in a long series of attempts by the University to change the way it interacts with the Defense Department in light of the military's policies toward homosexuals. Openly homosexual citizens are barred from the Armed Forces, and therefore also from ROTC. But the Pentagon no longer requires military personnel to disclose their sexual orientation, under a policy known as "don't ask, don't tell." In 1990, Council called for the University to sever all ties with ROTC by 1993. The Faculty Senate passed a similar resolution in 1991. But then-University President Sheldon Hackney never followed these recommendations. In 1994, acting on the report of the Committee to Review the Status of ROTC at Penn, Council adopted a resolution calling for the University to pursue an "arms-length" agreement with the Pentagon. Former Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson, who chaired the committee, said in 1994 that such an arrangement would mean students would receive no credit for ROTC courses and the University would no longer provide funds or office space for ROTC instructors and staff. Currently, ROTC participants earn credit for their military coursework and ROTC teachers are considered professors at the University. Chodorow said he has been considering several options for ROTC. Possibilities discussed in the past include a regional ROTC program for colleges and universities in the Delaware Valley or withdrawing financial support and official recognition from the program at the University while continuing to allow students to participate in it. But Council's resolution specified that simply severing ties with ROTC is not an acceptable option. Chodorow said the current negotiations are going well but the bureaucracy of the Defense Department has held up progress. "The Pentagon does not move quickly on such matters, and the officials there cannot be expected to jump at a new model," he said. "The services are naturally cautious about change." Lt. Col. Theodore Majer, director of the University's Army ROTC program, said he has not been involved in negotiations on a new arrangement. He said he does not know when the discussions will be concluded. And students in ROTC said they are also waiting for information from the Pentagon or the University administration. Engineering senior Brian Holland, a cadet in the Army ROTC program, said he has not heard an update on the situation since the beginning of the semester. He added that the University's attempt to distance itself from ROTC does not bother him. "I don't have too much of a strong feeling, and I understand the [University's] point," he said. "But I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the program, and I'm glad I've been able to do it."
(11/17/95 10:00am)
Between 600 and 800 people who had been given the honorary designation of "associate trustee" had their titles revoked at the last Board of Trustees meeting, according to Elsie Sterling Howard, a trustee and president of the General Alumni Society. And this change has caused members of three groups of Associate Alumni Trustees to reexamine their groups' purposes and functions. For most associate trustees, the elimination of the title was meaningless because they already had other designations to denote their affiliation with the University, according to University Secretary Barbara Stevens. But members of the three alumni groups -- based in Boston, Los Angeles and Washington -- had no other title to signify their involvement, Stevens said. University administrators were quick to point out that the elimination of the title did not mean the elimination of the groups. "They are wonderful organizations, and there was never any effort to do away with the organizations," University President Judith Rodin said, adding that the Board of Trustees has been very pleased by the work the associate alumni groups have performed. According to Howard, the presidents of the three groups have been meeting to select a new name in light of the trustees' action and to draft a new mission statement which would clarify the associate trustees groups' exact duties and responsibilities. Because there are also alumni clubs in the Boston, L.A. and Washington areas, there must be something to distinguish the associate trustees from the rest of the University alumni living near them, Howard added. The first of three Associate Alumni Trustees groups was founded in Boston in 1985, according to interim Alumni Relations Director Martha Stachitas. The other two were modeled after the Boston group, and all three were instrumental in raising alumni contributions during the Campaign for Penn, the five-year capital drive that generated $1.36 billion in donations before it ended last year. Stevens said an investigation of the title by the Trustees' Governance Committee found it was "creating a lot of confusion" due to the sheer number of people who held the title. She added that the designation did not reflect anything about the person's actual responsibilities. But Stachitas said the name elimination came as a surprise to members of the three alumni groups. And Jerry Nussdorf, president of the Mid-Atlantic Associate Alumni Trustees, said he questioned the rationale behind the trustees' decision. He added that he had not yet informed members of his group about the decision. Because of their involvement in the Campaign for Penn, the groups have always had a strong focus on development activities. To be a member of any of the three groups, alumni must donate $1,000 annually, Howard said. Members are also expected to be active in fundraising efforts and alumni functions, such as interviewing prospective students. But now, without the Campaign for Penn as a primary focus, the associate alumni groups are trying to determine what the proper balance is between development and alumni activities, Rodin said. Stachitas said the groups will continue to be involved in alumni relations activities, admissions committees and fundraising. Howard did not want to divulge anything about the mission statement of the groups formerly known as Associate Alumni Trustees before members approved it. She said she expects it to be released next week. Rodin and Howard both said they do not expect associate trustees to unanimously support the elimination of their titles. "There are some people who are quite unhappy that they will not have the title anymore, and there are others who do not care at all," Rodin said. Stachitas said due to University policy, she could not release the names of any members of the groups. As a result, none could be reached for comment.
(11/17/95 10:00am)
Rodin says U. loses $1 million daily With the prospect of a quick end to the federal government shutdown looking bleak, administrators are now saying that the University could be adversely affected by the budget struggle. Republican leaders in Congress offered a new proposal for temporary spending last Wednesday, but President Clinton rejected it before it was passed, calling the proposal too restrictive. Clinton told CBS News last week that he would not sign a spending bill he finds unacceptable, "even if [the shutdown] is 90 days, 120 days, or 180 days." While University administrators emphasized that they do not expect catastrophic effects from the shutdown, they are preparing for some fallout. Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman said earlier this week the shutdown would not specifically impact the University. However, that estimate was based on the assumption that the budget problem would be resolved during this week. And University President Judith Rodin said the University spends an average of $1 million in federal funds daily -- funds that might not be available if the shutdown lasts much longer. "If it's a long and drawn-out affair, it would clearly start to affect us," Rodin said. Rodin said the administration has issued a freeze on large equipment purchases for the duration of the government shutdown. "We want to be sure we can cover those purchases with government funds," she explained. Associate Vice President for Policy Planning David Morse said the current shutdown may not be the end of the budget battle -- and that if it continues into 1996, student aid for next semester could be jeopardized. Morse predicted that this week's shutdown will end within the next five to seven days, and that the government will be able to resume operations until December. But he added that the more troubling question is how Congress and Clinton deal with the budget in December. If there is not a final budget in place for fiscal year 1996 by then, another temporary spending bill will be necessary. Although it would only cover government expenses for a few months, Morse said there is a chance such a bill would temporarily reduce funding for student aid. Executive Director of Sponsored Programs Anthony Merritt said there could be a problem if annual research grants cannot be renewed because government offices are closed. "If a renewal grant does not come in we would potentially not be able to continue spending money on the project," he said. And interim Vice Provost for Research Ralph Amado said prospective recipients of new grants could feel the shutdown the most. "Suppose you were just submitting the grant or you hadn't finished getting your grant set," he said. "Then you're really hurt because it just hasn't gone through." But Merritt said most grants contain a provision allowing recipients to spend their awards for 90 days without actually receiving the funds. When the budget impasse is resolved, the government would pay for grant-related expenses incurred during the shutdown. In the end, the effect on the University will be determined by how quickly a final budget is in place. "I think an optimistic scenario would say that we're not going to know until very close to Christmas what the shape of the budget is going to be," he said. "If there's a final resolution in December the impact on the University is likely to be minimal. If it goes beyond Christmas there could be some real problems." The Associated Press contributed to this article.
(11/14/95 10:00am)
The federal government's potential shutdown this morning will not immediately affect the entire University, according to Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman. Nonessential federal services and offices may be closed until Congress and President Clinton reach a temporary agreement for emergency spending prior to an established budget for fiscal year 1996. Scheman said the shutdown will only slightly affect some areas of the University during the short time the government is expected to remain closed. She added that a solution to the budget problem will probably be found before the University as a whole runs into specific problems due to lack of federal funds -- and that if there is no solution, the fallout would extend far beyond campus limits. "I find it hard to believe [the shutdown] would last more than a week," she said. "If it lasts to the point where it would affect the University, the effects on the University would be lost in the catastrophic effect on the U.S. Horrible effects on the University are nothing compared to airports closing." Political Science Professor Marissa Martino Golden said the potentially dangerous side effects of the shutdown would worsen the longer the government remained closed. Tomorrow, the government faces a deadline for paying approximately $25 million in interest on the national debt. Without a temporary budget agreement, the country will default on its loans -- a completely unprecedented event. While Golden refused to predict the likelihood of that happening, she said that several factors in the current budget stalemate worry her. "There's really an impasse because Congress has no incentive to back down, and for Clinton to sign [a temporary funding] bill would be to sign for things that he strongly opposes," she said. "There's really not anyone who's in a position to compromise." Golden said voters are unlikely to hold Congress accountable for the budget fight because there are so many members involved, whereas Clinton is easily portrayed as having single-handedly shut down the government. "Clinton loses either way," she said. "If he compromises, he'll be accused of selling out, and if he holds steadfast, he'll be accused of bringing government to a halt. That's what's troubling -- he's in a no-win situation." Today's potential shutdown would encompass only government services that have been deemed nonessential. Vital functions such as national defense, air traffic control and the Postal Service will continue to operate. But national parks and monuments -- including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell in Center City -- would be closed, along with Internal Revenue Service hotlines, passport offices and regional offices of many federal agencies. A total of about 800,000 workers -- 40 percent of the federal workforce nationwide -- may be sent home from work this afternoon. Scheman explained that while some people at the University could be affected by even a short shutdown, large groups like student aid recipients will remain untouched. She added that it is difficult to predict the specific short-term effects of the shutdown on the University since federal money comes in at different times. Golden said the shutdown should not cause tremendous worry. "At least in the short term, it's really not a big deal," she said. "Most of the services that will be impacted are the ones that have symbolic meaning rather than substantive meaning." Golden also said many federal employees would remain at work despite the shutdown so as not to get behind in work because, historically, offices have not stayed closed for long. The Associated Press contributed to this article.
(11/10/95 10:00am)
U. officials praise efforts at religious harmony When Interim Chaplain Frederic Guyott came to the University in August, his goal was to work together with religious groups on campus to bridge differences among Penn's diverse student body. And after his first two months on the job, University officials and religious leaders agree that Guyott is off to a good start. "He only joined us fairly recently, but I already see a wonderful set of programming initiatives developing," Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said. McCoullum said the entire University community -- students, faculty and staff -- would benefit immensely if campus religious organizations were more closely tied together. The Rev. Beverly Dale, executive director of the Christian Association, said Guyott has been actively working to branch the differences among various Christian groups at Penn. "There's a heck of a lot of groups on campus who are out to save your soul," Dale said. "[Guyott] sees the chaplain's office as the place where these groups can be held accountable to the goals of the University." Dale added that she especially appreciates Guyott's efforts to bring together liberal and conservative Christians. She said before Guyott's tenure began, there had been "only small progress" in that area. Hiller Director Jeremy Brochin said the University administration must define the chaplain's role more clearly. And he said that much of the responsibility for interfaith communication lies with the individual groups. Annenberg graduate student Sarah Sayeed, Muslim Student Association representative to the Graduate Interschool Activities Council, said Guyott has greatly increased Islamic involvement in campus religious life. "It's a great beginning," she said. "I've had the opportunity to meet people from other religious groups and add my voice to the discussion, and also work on trying to make a place for religion and spirituality in general at Penn." According to McCoullum, Guyott has tackled serious issues like increasing community involvement in religious life. As an example of Guyott's activities, she said he has been planning a non-denominational Thanksgiving dinner for students who cannot go home for break.
(11/10/95 10:00am)
Princeton University received a $100 million donation yesterday from Hong Kong architect and developer Gordon Wu, a 1958 Princeton graduate. The donation was given to commemorate Princeton's 250th anniversary in 1996, and will pay for initiatives to strengthen Princeton's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, according to a statement released by the school. The gift is the largest in Princeton's history, and among the top five largest donations to any school in the history of American higher education. In 1993, University Trustee Walter Annenberg broke national records with a $120 million donation to both Penn and the University of Southern California. And in 1994, the historian Sir Harold Acton gave New York University a package valued at $125 million. Acton's gift now ranks as the largest one ever. Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Virginia Clark said that while Wu's gift has no direct bearing on Penn, such donations have a positive effect on higher education in general. "I think it's great when anyone chooses to give such a significant amount of money to a school," she said. "The more gifts and donations that are given to institutions of higher education, the better off America is going to be." And Princeton administrators said they were ecstatic over Wu's generosity. "This is an absolutely extraordinary gift from an absolutely extraordinary man," Princeton President Harold Shapiro said in a statement. "It will dramatically strengthen our Engineering School and have a major impact on the overall quality of Princeton for years to come. For all the students, faculty, staff and alumni who will benefit from this gift, I want to express our deepest thanks." The donation consists of $65 million in cash -- to be paid between now and the year 2000 -- and $35 million in matching grants, according to a Princeton statement. Wu said as an undergraduate, he benefited from alumni contributions, and he views his gift as his repayment to Princeton. "The generosity of earlier generations of donors made it possible for me to attend Princeton as a young student from Hong Kong," he said in a statement. "I have always wanted to do all I could to assure that students in the future will have the same opportunities I had to learn at a university that remains second to none in its commitment to teaching." In the past, Wu has donated over $12 million in separate gifts, including endowments of professorships, classroom buildings and dining halls, according to the statement. Two of his four children also attended Princeton. According to a Princeton statement, the gift will go toward reengineering Princeton's science curriculum, constructing new laboratories and computer labs and endowing scholarships. Clark said the focus of Wu's gift is reminiscent of Penn Board of Trustees Chairperson Roy Vagelos's recent $10 million donation to construct the P. Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories of the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. "Institutions are very fortunate to have people like Harry Wu, Walter Annenberg, Roy Vagelos and Ronald Perelman," she said. The Associated Press contributed to this article.
(11/09/95 10:00am)
Approximately 20 University employees have been fired as part of administrative restructuring, according to Executive Vice President John Fry. No replacements will be hired for their positions. Fry would not specify which jobs in particular are being cut. But he explained that the number of positions vacated over the past two years that will remain unfilled is significantly higher than the number of actual layoffs. Although Fry would not provide a specific number, he estimated that the total is "in the hundreds." Administrative restructuring efforts began last month after Fry revealed his reengineering plans to the University Council at its October meeting. Since then, Fry has reviewed several departments in the University administration to look for redundancy or inefficiency. The 20 positions that will be eliminated are being phased out because they are not crucial to the mission of the University, according to Fry. He said there will be more layoffs over the next three years as administrative restructuring continues. "We are just beginning the process," he said. "We don't want to do everything at once like AT&T; or IBM because that's sort of a corporate method. The number [of layoffs] will be growing over time." Clint Davidson, the new vice president for human resources who took office five days ago, also said the pace of restructuring will pick up once all the plans for reengineering are finalized. "I don't know that any decisions have been made," he said. "I don't know anything about numbers or positions. It's all still in the planning stage." Another part of restructuring will entail determining which vacated positions get filled, Fry said. "We're beginning to evaluate open positions more carefully," he said. "All new openings have to go through me personally. It's my way of slowing down the pace of hiring." By examining vacant positions before filling them, the administrative restructuring team may be able to eliminate many of the unnecessary jobs at the University, Fry said. He said future layoffs will be targeted at all levels of the University -- not just support staff or professional staff. "We're not targeting any particular class," he said. "We're just trying to eliminate work that doesn't add value. What really matters is to get the work out of the system." Fry said he expects to see layoffs distributed fairly evenly between grade A-1 professional workers and grade A-3 support staff. A-3 Assembly Chairperson Karen Wheeler, an administrative assistant for the Center for Community Partnerships, could not be reached for comment. And Penn Professional Staff Assembly Chairperson Ira Winston, who directs computing for the Engineering School, said he did not know how his constituents would be affected by the restructuring. Fry said he has tried to set up a system to ease fired University employees out of their jobs. He said he established a coordinator in his office to try to shift employees from one part of the University to another -- rather than firing them outright. "We have 30 days for in-placement," he said. "We are trying to find them positions within the institution for which they are qualified. If within 30 days that hasn't worked, we go to out-placement." Fry added that two workers have already been relocated to different sections of the University administration under the in-placement program. The University is also working with two outside firms specializing in placing laid-off workers in new jobs, Fry said. He added that the University is also providing resume consultants and performing job searches for former employees. "We care about our people and we're trying to do the right thing in a bad situation," he said.
(11/02/95 10:00am)
Changing conditions in the outside world pose the largest challenge to Penn in the near future, University President Judith Rodin said at her annual "State of the University" report at yesterday's meeting of the University Council. Rodin's report to Council -- which included statements from other senior administrators -- centered around the University's strengths, the obstacles posed by government that stand in the way of further improvements over the next few years and the ways in which the administration is working to overcome them. "Many indices testify to the excellence of our university," she said. "And Penn is really poised for even greater achievements. But I am concerned that the extent to which any institution can fully realize its potential is in part influenced by the environment in which we operate." Rodin said one of the biggest problems facing the University is the limited availability of government funding. She said Republican cuts in federal appropriations to research and student aid will force the University to become more self-sufficient and to build stronger relationships with both city and state governments. Vice President for Government, Community and Public Relations Carol Scheman also gave a detailed report on the current state of the University's public funds. Scheman said Rodin and Board of Trustees Chairperson Roy Vagelos have been lobbying Congress and the Clinton administration to maintain or increase the current level of funding for research and student aid. "For the moment, research universities have fared reasonably well relative to other federal programs," Scheman said. "But the federal deficit is real. We as a nation have to reduce spending, and the size and scope of government programs will change." Legislation pending in Congress would increase allocations to the National Institutes of Health, the University's largest federal research subsidizer, according to Scheman. But other national science institutions will receive less money next year, which will mean less grant money for the University. Scheman added that uncertainty in Washington about when a budget for next year will be completed -- and what that budget will look like when it is finished -- makes predictions for specific federal appropriations to the University very difficult. But she said the University will definitely be affected -- no matter what the outcome. "We're not going to see the same kind of growth that universities like Penn have thrived on in the future," she said. "There will be some real and painful cuts." Scheman also reported on University efforts to gain more Pennsylvania state funding, and service and economic development projects in West Philadelphia. After Scheman's report, Public Safety Managing Director Thomas Seamon outlined a plan to improve security at the University. "The University Police must adopt a service orientation regarding all who live on, work at and visit this campus and its surrounding area, and treat all those people as valued customers," he said. Seamon said he plans to develop new ways to patrol campus with an increasing emphasis on technology such as closed-circuit television cameras and alarm systems. He said he will also raise the professional standards for University Police officers through increased training, better facilities and a closer relationship with the Philadelphia Police Department. University Secretary Barbara Stevens also reported on the University's goals for increased communication. "It's no secret that we live in an intense media market that can impact our ability to do the work we do here," she said. "We need to communicate to the public the truly extraordinary nature of this place." Stevens said the University will focus on promoting the research conducted here, the characteristics that differentiate Penn from other universities, attracting the best students and faculty to Penn and getting public support for the work done here. Also at yesterday's meeting, Provost Stanley Chodorow reported on the progress of implementing the recommendations of the Provost's Council on Undergraduate Education and presented preliminary plans for the Perelman Quadrangle. Because of time limitations on the meeting, Chodorow's report on the Perelman Quad was cut short. Council moderator William Harris, an associate Political Science professor, said Council would discuss the Perelman Quad at its next meeting.
(10/31/95 10:00am)
With revisions to the proposed Student Judicial Charter nearing completion, student leaders said they are confident the next draft released by the administration will better reflect student concerns than the highly criticized draft released last month. Provost Stanley Chodorow published the first draft for a revised disciplinary charter in September. Many students and faculty said at the time that the original draft placed too much power within the judicial system in the administration's hands. The Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate is due to release its comments on Chodorow's draft November 8, Chodorow said. He added that he will release his next proposal shortly after that. College senior Wilton Levine, who chaired a committee originally charged with revising the University's judicial code, said his committee recently met with Chodorow to discuss the next draft. "The impression I got was that a lot of the issues [the committee] raised were going to be addressed and hopefully corrected," Levine said. "I'm generally pleased by the progress on revisions, and I'm interested to see how the final draft turns out." Levine's committee sharply criticized the draft Chodorow released in late September, saying the administration ignored student concerns in writing the document. But Levine said Chodorow took student feedback on the draft very seriously while revising the judicial system proposal. "He reviewed every concern, recommendation, or question that was submitted," Levine said. "We created categories of concern, and the issues that came up most frequently were given the most attention. If a lot of people have a concern on one issue, you focus on that issue." Chodorow said last week that the charter has "evolved quite a bit" since it was first published -- partially as a result of student comments. More than 30 concerns raised by students and faculty members were organized into four major categories by Chodorow and Levine's committee, Levine said. These categories were the roles of the provost, advisor, and Office of Student Conduct within the judicial system, and a miscellaneous category, according to Levine. The Undergraduate Assembly also released a proposal for four major changes to Chodorow's draft early this month. UA member and College sophomore Tal Golomb, who organized the UA's response to the draft, said the body would wait until Chodorow releases his next draft before taking any further action. "We're obviously concerned about what the results will be, but we're waiting for the next stage," he said. "I believe he understands the UA proposal." Golomb added that one of his main concerns with Chodorow's document was the lack of student input during its creation. He said Chodorow did not completely consider student opinion with the first draft, and that he expects the second draft to follow in that pattern. Both Levine and Golomb said they expected the new draft to be released by Thanksgiving. Once the draft is published, it requires approval by the deans of the four undergraduate schools.
(10/26/95 9:00am)
Officials say projected loss is no cause for alarm University administrators are attempting to close a projected $2 million deficit in the budget for the current fiscal year. Executive Vice President John Fry reported on the budget projections at last Friday's meeting of the Board of Trustees. According to the University's top financial officers, the projected shortfall is no cause for concern. Vice President for Finance Stephen Golding said the budget deficit is the result of a change in the Pennsylvania state legislature's appropriations to the University. The state allocated $35 million to the University for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996. But out of the state appropriations, $20.7 million went to the School of Veterinary Medicine. Only $9.5 million was allocated toward the general instruction budget at the University. Golding said this year's budget was drafted with the expectation that $2 million of the $20.7 million that went to the Vet School would go towards general instruction -- and that the $2 million shift accounts for the budget problems. Vice President for Government, Community and Public Relations Carol Scheman said the University asked the legislature to increase the Vet School's allocation. "[The shift in funds] was not unexpected, and it was not unintended," she said. "Our first priority was funding for the Vet School." Scheman said the University had asked the legislature for $49.8 million this year. In the past, the University has only requested $35 million. Scheman said the additional funding was intended to go to the Vet School, while the general instruction budget was to remain constant. But the legislature refused to allocate more than $35 million to the University, and instead shifted funds within the total University appropriation to the Vet School. Scheman said the University hopes eventually to receive enough state funding for the Vet School to lower tuition for in-state students, because it is the only veterinary school in Pennsylvania. She added that the University must deal with the probability that state funding will continue to be limited. "I don't believe there's going to be significant increases in public funding, and institutions are going to have to make strategic choices of where limited funds are going to go," she said. University President Judith Rodin said the increasing size of the University's operating budget also contributed to some long-range financial problems. Rodin said the budget -- and the risk of a deficit -- is growing each year, and the University must seek to restrain its costs in order to prevent future shortfalls. She added that the current administrative restructuring project should alleviate some of the pressure on the budget. "Every year of restructuring will have an incremental effect on reducing the budget," she said. "All the dollars we take out will start to generate more revenue and lower the budget base each year. But we've got to start now to realize the magnitude of savings that we're planning to achieve." For the time being, Golding said the University will be able to find an additional $2 million so that at the end of the fiscal year in June 1996, the University will break even. Some of the options under consideration include reallocating dollars within the general instruction budget, reducing expenses for the year or generating additional revenues, Golding said. "We will end up balanced," he added.
(10/23/95 9:00am)
Executive Vice President John Fry reported a projected University deficit of more than $2 million for the current fiscal year at the University Board of Trustees' annual fall meeting Friday. In addition, the Board heard reports from its constituent committees and from other top administrators. The deficit results from the shift of Pennsylvania state legislature funds from the University as a whole to the School of Veterinary Medicine, according to Fry. "Rest assured, we have plans in the works for closing that deficit," he said. Also at the meeting, the Trustees approved several resolutions pertaining to spending and operations, including the naming of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories of the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. University President Judith Rodin said in her report that she was very pleased with the way the academic year has begun. "There have been so many positive notes," she said, citing the University's top rankings for both undergraduate and graduate studies and the appointment of several new administrators as high points. She added that searches for some vacant positions -- such as a new communications director and a new executive director for resource planning and budgeting -- would be completed "in the near future." Rodin also said that Public Safety Managing Director Thomas Seamon and Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman have been working with Philadelphia officials to reduce traffic speeds at the intersection of 34th and Walnut streets. She said University Police officers who have monitored traffic at that corner recently have timed some cars traveling as fast as 65 to 70 miles per hour along 34th Street. Rodin also presented a resolution to name Phase One of the IAST after Trustees Chairperson Roy Vagelos and his wife, Diana. "Philanthropists and humanists, Roy and Diana Vagelos are among the principal visionaries of IAST, which, as part of the University's great interdisciplinary community, has untold potential for advancing knowledge and improving the human condition," Rodin said in her introduction to the resolution, which was approved unanimously. Provost Stanley Chodorow then asked for and received approval for the Graduate School of Education to appoint "practice professors" who would advise Education students in finding jobs and other practical issues related to their studies. The Trustees also unanimously approved resolutions to allocate money for remodeling of the Chemistry Building and the Medical School's Anatomy-Chemistry Building, construction of the Annenberg Public Policy Center and resolutions of appreciation to four former trustees.
(10/19/95 9:00am)
Funds to subsidize laboratories Board of Trustees Chairperson Roy Vagelos will donate $10 million toward construction of the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, he confirmed last night. The IAST laboratories will be renamed the Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories of the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology following approval by the Board of Trustees, according to a Trustees agenda obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 1:45 p.m. tomorrow, and the Trustees are expected to approve the renaming at their meeting at 2:45 p.m. Vagelos's donation supplements approximately $27 million in funds from the United States Air Force. The Vagelos Laboratories will consist of a "center of excellence" in engineering and chemical engineering, and the new Institute for Medicine and Engineering, University President Judith Rodin said last night. The research conducted in the Vagelos Laboratories will range from "understanding of biological functions to bioengineering approaches to human injury and aging," Rodin added. The IAST will allow all the University's scientific branches to work together, she said. "The critical thing is that [the IAST] will have researchers from the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and the Medical School -- all leaders in their fields -- who will be collaborating on cutting-edge research," Rodin said. "It emphasizes Penn's strength in interdisciplinary research, and Penn's commitment to science and engineering." Vagelos said his donation was spurred by a long interest in scientific research that began when he was a chemistry major at the University. "My wife Diana and I thought that since I had such an interest in [research] throughout my career, and wanted to do things at the University, this would be a good place to start," he said. "I'm delighted and ecstatic that the University is going ahead with [the project] at this time." Rodin said about half of the Air Force funds will go toward the Vagelos Laboratories, which compose Phase One of the IAST construction. The other half will go toward Phase Two, which will focus on cognitive and computer science. Vagelos's donation comes at a critical time for the University, which has recently been trying to formulate a plan to pay for scientific research, according to Rodin. And Vagelos said in a time of cutbacks in federal funding of university research, any advantage Penn can muster will help guarantee it future research funds. "In the future, there will be fewer large research universities that can power the kind of research that is required for the 21st century," he said. "Not every university is going to be able to afford it. What is left in the federal pie is going to be competed for." He said the IAST and the Vagelos Laboratories will allow the University to attract the best faculty and students, leading to better research and more funding from outside sources. The IAST will also bolster crucial physical facilities for the University's researchers, Vagelos said. He added the newest scientific research building on campus was constructed over 20 years ago. "A research university can't produce the best work with outdated laboratories or equipment any more than it could with poorly trained scientists," Rodin said. Vagelos was chief executive officer of Merck & Co. -- the world's largest pharmaceuticals manufacturer -- for nine years before his retirement in 1994. Upon Vagelos's retirement from Merck, the corporation endowed a chair in the Chemistry Department in his name. Rodin said Vagelos's donation, coupled with the Merck endowment, marks the continuation of his long commitment to science at the University. "He sees his role as both intellectually and financially supporting, feeding and encouraging science and engineering at Penn," Rodin said. The IAST will be built on the former site of Smith Hall at 34th and Locust streets. Rodin said she could not estimate when the construction will be completed.
(10/12/95 9:00am)
Almost a year after the University announced a massive administrative restructuring program, plans and goals were discussed at length at yesterday's University Council meeting. Executive Vice President John Fry, who will lead the administrative restructuring strategy, presented the first in a series of regular reports to Council on the progress of the project. He said he expects all the restructuring efforts to be finished within three years. Council also heard a report from University President Judith Rodin on the mail delivery problems which have been plaguing students who live in the Quadrangle this year. Rodin said she and Vice President of Business Services Steven Murray have been meeting with post office authorities and postal inspectors in an effort to find the postal workers responsible for University mail being delayed, opened or lost. And she announced that last weekend, a postal worker was arrested for his alleged involvement in the University's problems. But Charles McManus, the leader of the postal inspection team working on the problem, denied that any arrest was made, calling Rodin's report "totally erroneous." "No arrests have been made," he said. "It is a total rumor. We have narrowed it down a little bit, but I don't know of any arrests this service has made over the weekend." Postal Police officers said last night they could not confirm Rodin's report. The second half of the Council meeting was devoted to Fry's presentation of the process and goals of administrative restructuring. He began his report by discussing the reasons the University has embarked on the reengineering process. Fry said massive restructuring is usually associated with universities in financial difficulty. But he explained that Penn's restructuring project was motivated by a desire to improve an already strong institution. The basic goals of restructuring are to maintain control of costs and to ensure that the maximum amount of money is invested in academic-related matters, he said. In order to maximize what he called "mission-relevant" expenditures, the University must examine each office for unnecessary costs or positions, Fry said. He said restructuring will seek to reduce the overall costs of administration, both centrally and among the University's 12 schools. According to Fry, 70 percent of administrative costs arise from school-based offices, not central ones. Part of restructuring will also focus on generating more University revenue, Fry added. By aggressive management of the University's funds, more money becomes available to spend on academic programs. He also said the administration will make an effort to provide more friendly service and to create better communication between University staff and students. By the end of Fry's report, little time remained for members of Council to ask questions. But Karen Wheeler, president of the A-3 Assembly, said her constituents were concerned that they might not know when staff dismissals arising from restructuring would begin. Fry said he will take the interests of University employees into consideration when planning staff cutbacks. But he said there definitely will be layoffs. "You'll never come in here and pick up the Daily Pennsylvanian and find out that hundreds of jobs have been eliminated," he said. "No one wants to tell people they're going to lose their jobs, but you can't bury your head in the sand and pretend it's not going to happen." Also at yesterday's meeting, Council voted to distribute its minutes and agendas over electronic mail and the World Wide Web. A Council home page will be designed so that minutes can be posted for review by the University community. Council also approved preliminary agendas for its remaining meetings this year and charged its committees with specific issues to investigate.
(10/10/95 9:00am)
Between his graduation from the College in 1971 and his appointment this year by Provost Stanley Chodorow, Interim Chaplain Frederic Guyott has been a stock trader, an international banking consultant and a minister to a church only six blocks from the heart of campus. Now, back at the University after a 28-year absence, Guyott, an Episcopalian minister, plans to revolutionize the office of the chaplain. After former Chaplain Stanley Johnson announced his retirement last year, Chodorow and University President Judith Rodin appointed a committee to analyze the chaplain's role. The committee, chaired by Social Work Professor Jane Lowe, recommended that the University continue to have a chaplain in office. But it also advocated revisions in the chaplain's purpose and practices that would keep the position relevant into the 21st century. Guyott said that under the report's guidelines, his primary responsibility is to serve the spiritual needs of the Penn community -- whatever those needs may be. But Guyott's "faith journey" to his present position commenced only after a lengthy period without religion that began while he was still an undergraduate. "At Penn in 1969, it was my first time away from home," Guyott said. "There were so many exciting things besides studies. There were friends, dating, alcohol and parties. I stopped going to church." Although he was raised in a religious home, Guyott said the distractions of his freshman year at the University combined with his frustration with organized religion led him away from God. "I spent seven years in a spiritual wilderness," he said. But Guyott said he thinks his brush with religious disillusionment gave him a special understanding of potential problems students may face. "These days, people tend to leave the church in their youth," he said. "I've had that experience. It gives me the opportunity to learn where people are at when they are struggling with religion." Guyott lived in Washington for several years after graduating from the University. Bankrupt and unemployed, he stayed with some friends from college while he endured what he called the "real low point" of his life. At the request of one of his hosts, Guyott began attending Episcopalian services at the National Cathedral in Washington. Although he had not been raised as an Episcopalian, the prayers at the service were familiar to him and the minister's sermon moved him. "It was a very deep experience," he said. "It said to me, 'God loves me.' It was calling me to come back to a relationship with God." From that point on, Guyott said he got back into a spiritual life, and his religious beliefs deepened. Shortly afterward, Guyott moved back to Philadelphia and became a stock options trader on the floor of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange. At the same time, he also joined a small church in Center City and became active in the congregation. The juxtaposition between the tense, combative world of the stock exchange and the peaceful life Guyott's church advocated began to confuse him during the 1980s, he said. Finally, Guyott decided he had been called to the ministry by God, and in 1991, he entered the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass. After an exhaustive education in the seminary, Guyott was ordained an Episcopal minister and was given a position at the Church of St. Andrew and St. Monica, at 36th and Bering streets in West Philadelphia. While there, Guyott became active in the University's Christian Association because of his church's proximity to campus. Through his involvement at the Association, Guyott met Johnson. When Johnson's retirement was announced, Guyott applied for the interim position. But the duties of the chaplain have been revised as a result of the committee's report so that the job is quite different from when Johnson held it. There is also one more immediately noticeable difference between the two chaplains. While Johnson rarely wore the black shirt and white collar that distinguishes a minister from his congregation, Guyott said he intends to wear the collar at all times to remind members of the community that he is always "on duty." "It's saying, 'I am here to help you. This is who I am,' " he said. "It's not comfortable at all. But it raises the presence of the office." In other ways, though, the chaplain's job is similar now to the way it was when Johnson started his term 34 years ago. Although Guyott -- like Johnson -- is an Episcopalian, the chaplain must serve the campus without regard to denomination. Guyott said this does not bother him. "Though I am deeply Christian, I am able to respect other people's different ways of seeking a connection with a divine presence," he said. "My responsibility is to do whatever I can to encourage people to be on a spiritual journey." Guyott said he will counsel students of any religion who come to him seeking to find what they believe. He added that he refers those students who are not Episcopalian to the appropriate clergy on campus. Along the same lines, Guyott said he will try to unify the many religious organizations on campus in order to advance the goal of a more spiritual community. To do so, Guyott must promote tolerance and facilitate dialogue across religious boundaries, he said. But he said he does not see the University's tremendous spiritual diversity as an obstacle in his path. "The rainbow of faces is exciting," he said. "It's a wonderful reflection of this world." He added that he thinks his arrival back at the University as chaplain, after so many years in Philadelphia, is no mere coincidence. "I believe it's the leading of the Holy Spirit that I was put here," he said.
(10/06/95 9:00am)
The First Amendment Task Force issued its suggestions for a revised judicial charter Tuesday. The student free speech group advocated many changes to the draft released for comment three weeks ago by Provost Stanley Chodorow. The Task Force proposal consists of 33 changes to Chodorow's draft. It was written by Task Force President and College senior Eric Tienou, College senior and Daily Pennsylvanian columnist Mike Nadel and College junior Chris Kirby, who is not a member of the Task Force. Tienou said he intends to meet with Chodorow to discuss the draft when the provost returns October 10 from a trip to Italy. The Task Force has also sent copies of its proposed amendments to members of the University Council, Faculty Senate and Undergraduate Assembly, as well as to College senior Wilton Levine, who chaired a student committee that advised Chodorow on the proposal. Members of the UA also proposed amendments to the charter at their meeting late last month. Tienou said the Task Force had four major points to address with the revisions. One flaw that the group identified in Chodorow's draft was that while the administration is involved in the judicial system, the provost is not directly responsible for enough of the process. "We want to ultimately make the provost accountable for the whole system," Tienou said. "Just the provost, not his designee." Ironically, much of the criticism from students and faculty of Chodorow's draft has centered around the provost's active role in the proposed system. But Tienou said by shifting the administrative responsibility from the provost's subordinates to the provost, the system's integrity will be more easily maintained. Another area of concern for the Task Force was reducing the adversarial nature of the charter proposal, Tienou said. To that end, the group proposed that students who are accused of disciplinary violations should be allowed to let their advisors speak for them during disciplinary hearings. "The provost's draft did not allow advisors to speak at hearings except for a brief closing statement," Nadel said in his footnote to the proposed change. "No student should be required to defend himself against a University prosecutor -- likely an attorney -- without help. This change is absolutely critical." The draft would also allow students' advisors to serve as attorneys. This differs from Chodorow's proposal. Other changes to the system would allow for more student involvement in overseeing the judicial process. The Task Force was formed in September 1993 by former UA representative Dan Schorr, a 1994 College graduate. Nadel and Tienou were among the group's founding members. Since its inception, the Task Force has been active in judicial reform. Last spring Schorr pledged to release a draft for a new judicial charter shortly after Chodorow presented his first proposal to University Council. But this week's revision represents the first proposal authored by the Task Force.
(10/03/95 9:00am)
To teach, or not to teach -- that is the question. For University President Judith Rodin, the answer is not right now, according to Jodi Sarkisian, Rodin's executive assistant. But for Provost Stanley Chodorow, the answer is yes -- in fact, he will be involved in teaching two classes next spring, according to Executive Assistant to the Provost Linda Koons. His class will be a History honors seminar entitled "The Origins of Constitutionalism," according to Undergraduate History Chairperson Bruce Kuklick. He added that Chodorow's interests lie in medieval law. "What he's going to do is talk about the notion of the constitution as being the organic form of law which limits the power of the state," Kuklick said. The class will have 15 openings, divided between students in the General Honors program and junior or senior History majors, according to Kuklick. Kuklick added that the class's focus will be timely in today's academic community. "The notion of constitutionalism is a big-ticket item," he said. "With the collapse of the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe, people are interested in the role of the state and how state power is circumscribed. The class will be a look at the historical origins of that question." Chodorow is in Italy and could not be reached for comment about the class. Rodin, who is considered part of the Psychology Department faculty, will not teach any classes this school year. According to University spokesperson Barbara Beck, Rodin's decision stems from the heavy demands on her schedule. "There are other things on her list of priorities to take care of before she teaches -- but she wants to teach," Beck said. "She will be teaching soon." Beck added that Rodin likes to teach, but wants to have enough time to be a quality professor. "It takes an incredible amount of preparation to teach," Beck said. "She wants to be able to have the time to devote to that kind of preparation for the kinds of lectures that she's well known for." Rodin was a psychology professor at Yale University for 19 years, before eventually becoming Yale's provost in 1992. And she was one of two finalists to head the National Institutes of Health under President Clinton. Rodin's respect for the University faculty is motivated by her knowledge of the amount of time professors devote to their classes, Beck added. Rodin is not alone among Ivy League university presidents in staying out of the classroom this year. According to the newspaper staffs at the other seven Ivy League institutions, only the presidents of Princeton and Harvard universities teach courses. But former University President Sheldon Hackney taught several classes in the History Department during his tenure, and is still a full member of the faculty. Kuklick said his department is honored that Chodorow will be working with them. "He's the provost, and he wants to teach a course for us," he said. "We're delighted. No one has questioned him on what he's going to do, but I'm assuming that like most faculty, he's devised a syllabus and will be ordering books."
(10/02/95 9:00am)
After last year's focus on improving undergraduate education at the University, the Board of Trustees is looking forward to devoting much of its energy this year to scientific research, according to Board of Trustees Chairperson Roy Vagelos. Vagelos said the National Research Council's annual rankings -- which placed 15 of the University's graduate departments in the top 10 nationwide -- provided an excellent starting point from which to launch a drive to improve all aspects of the University's scientific research programs. And beginning in late October with the groundbreaking ceremony for the Institute for Advanced Science and Technology on the former site of Smith Hall, the University will be refurbishing old science facilities and formulating plans to construct new ones, Vagelos added. "The University is in position to move forward aggressively to support very nice progress being made in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and in the School of Arts and Sciences' Chemistry department," he said. "[The University] is flexing its muscles. Muscles need more space." Vagelos said the trustees will support major initiatives this year to expand the physical space devoted to science on campus, including the IAST. "We have great leadership already in place," he said. "We need to support them with additional people and facilities." He added that most of the University's physical research facilities are more than 20 years old and can no longer support the quality of research that University faculty members and graduate students are capable of pursuing. Vagelos said the trustees have asked University President Judith Rodin for long-term campus real estate planning so the University can improve its research infrastructure as soon as possible. Rodin said her administration has been active in such long-range planning since her inauguration. She pointed to projects such as the Perelman Quadrangle as the first step in a continuing process of campus development. She added that the trustees could probably expect a master plan from the administration some time next spring. University Secretary Barbara Stevens -- whose office acts as liaison between the administration and the trustees -- said the board expects the IAST to act as a springboard for scientific efforts at the University. She said the groundbreaking ceremony for the IAST will be held during the trustees' annual fall meeting. "It provides an important opportunity to talk about the sciences at Penn," she said. "Science is very important to the future of the University. The trustees' interest in science is very focused on interdisciplinary efforts among all the major sciences at Penn." Vagelos's concerns with science did not first begin with his appointment as a trustee in 1988. He served as chief executive officer of Merck & Co. -- the world's largest pharmaceutical manufacturer -- from 1985 until November 1994. He said this year's focus on science will directly complement last year's work on undergraduate education at the University. "The quality of graduate programs immediately reflects onto the undergraduate experience," he said. "Science and engineering ought to be an integral part of that experience. Graduate students have good experience in areas that go hand in hand with undergraduate education."
(09/27/95 9:00am)
Former Interim University President Claire Fagin earned more than $300,000 during her one-year tenure at the helm of the school, making her the highest-paid university president in the Ivy League that year, according to a survey published in this week's Chronicle of Higher Education. In 1993-94, the University paid Fagin $315,200 in salary and $31,719 in benefits. Current University President Judith Rodin earned approximately $350,000 in 1994-95, but it is not clear whether or not that figure includes benefits. The second-highest paid university president in the Ivy League in the 1993 fiscal year was Dartmouth College President James Freedman, who earned $285,416 plus a $22,309 benefit package. Rodin declined to comment on Fagin's salary last night. Fagin, who is now emeritus dean of the School of Nursing, said it is not strange that she was paid more than other Ivy League presidents while she was interim president. "Whatever they paid me would have to have been in keeping with whatever the president's salary is at Penn," she said. Former University President Sheldon Hackney, who retired prior to Fagin's tenure in 1993, was the second-highest paid university president in the country during his last year in office, according to a 1994 Chronicle report. He earned $676,574 that year, including a bonus and benefit. Fagin said she did not know what comprised her benefits package. According to University tax forms filed with the Internal Revenue Service, most other employees' benefit packages came to about $20,000. According to University spokesperson Barbara Beck, the standard benefits package that every University employee receives includes health care, life insurance and a dental plan. Beck said she also did not know what additional benefits the president receives, or if Rodin's $350,000 salary includes the cost of her benefit plan. She added she did not find it unusual that the University pays its presidents better than its Ivy League peers. "I don't think [Rodin's] salary is out of line compared to others in the Ivy League, but I'm not going to compare her to what other presidents make," Beck said. "They all do their jobs differently and they all see their responsibilities as being very different." She pointed out that Boston University President John Silber is notorious for being the best-paid university president in the nation. In 1993, he was paid $400,000 and received a $164,020 benefits package. "Why is [Rodin] getting paid less than somebody who might be leading a not as well-known university as Penn?" Beck asked. "The argument could be put both ways." Last spring, Rodin faced criticism from members of the Pennsylvania legislature for her salary. "I work very hard for it," she responded then. "The responsibility of a $2 billion corporation is on my shoulders." The president is almost never the highest-paid member of the University faculty. In the 1993-94 fiscal year, Urology Professor Alan Wein earned $979,000, more than any other University employee. But Rodin's salary does not take into account the value of her official residence, Eisenlohr Hall. The University provides the mansion and its staff to its presidents for the duration of their terms in office. The 25-room house was renovated last fall when Rodin moved in, at a cost of $727,350. English Professor Paul Korshin said while he does not begrudge Rodin her salary, he objects to the additional bonuses the University president receives, such as Eisenlohr. "I don't think the actual salary would bother anyone," he said. "The only place you could actually pay attention is not the salaries but the additions. That's where controversy tends to erupt with presidencies."
(09/27/95 9:00am)
Members of the University's faculty are among the best paid in the nation. According to a study published in this week's Chronicle of Higher Education, the University is ranked 10th among research institutions in total salary paid to its faculty. And tax documents obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian reveal that several faculty members earn higher salaries than even the top University administrators. The highest-paid faculty member here is Urology Professor Alan Wein, who earned $979,000 in the 1993 fiscal year. Wein also received $20,500 in benefits from the University. He was the University's highest-paid employee in the 1992 fiscal year as well, earning more than $1 million. The other highest-paid University professors were also affiliated with the School of Medicine. Surgery Professor William Potsic took home $737,105 in 1993, along with a $20,500 benefits plan. Several other Medical School professors earned more than $600,000. And William Kelley, dean of the Medical School and chief executive officer of the Medical Center, earned more than $630,000 between his salary, benefits and expense account. In contrast, former Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson made $190,000 during his term of office, along with $22,789 in benefits and a $6,000 expense account. But Medical Center spokesperson Lori Doyle, said it is not at all unusual for medical faculty to earn more than other professors or administrators. "They're doctors," she said. "Their income is from seeing patients and doing surgery. It's not as if they only teach and do research. They also take care of patients."
