Despite severe financial losses, the School of Veterinary Medicine is working to achieve a “new normal,” according to Dean Joan Hendricks. Its budget was cut by $13 million in 2009.

After a steep drop that reflected the financial crisis last year, Penn’s endowment has shown significant improvement for Fiscal Year 2010 with a 12.6-percent return on investment.

Alumnae Rosemary Mazanet and Andrea Mitchell enhance University fundraising efforts as the newest additions to the Making History Campaign.

As the economic recession persists, Penn is devoting more of its budget to financial aid

Penn President Amy Gutmann saw a 4-percent increase in base pay last year, although her salary will be frozen in FY10.

A new component of the 990 form asks the University to list its top service expenditures, which for Penn were education and research, followed by health care. The updated form is meant to increase transparency.

Endowment investments have returned 13.7 percent as of the close of the second quarter of FY2010 and are "ahead of the benchmark” according to Executive VP Craig Carnaroli.

Total charges to undergraduates for the 2010-11 school year will rise to $51,944 from $49,986 this year. The 3.9 percent increase is the second-smallest ever behind last year's 3.8 percent rise.

Although Yale University, Brown University and Dartmouth College have announced potential budget cutbacks in the past week, Penn has not announced any new plans.

The Penn Fund, which receives annual donations from seniors and alumni, is 13.4 percent ahead of where it was at this point last year.

As Penn and peer institutions have continued to battle the tough economic climate this fall, the University “continues to track well” toward the effort to reduce spending by $58 million by June 30, 2010.

Donations to named scholarships are no exception to an overall decline in giving in the tough economy. But this does not necessarily mean Penn will fall short in meeting financial need.

Despite the economic turmoil, Penn’s endowment — valued at $5.6 billion as of Sept. 30 — has remained stable. Still, administrators say they are aware of the challenging road ahead.

Getting a donor’s name on a Penn building isn’t any easier now than it was a few years ago, contrary to recent reports.

The School of Nursing’s fundraising campaign is on its way to reaching its conclusion and its $75 million target. The campaign has already raised $69 million for projects in the school.

Since President Barack Obama’s stimulus package was passed, the University has received more than $163 million in research funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.