Trustees hold June meetings

After spending all day last Thursday in committee meetings that covered everything from budget and finance to student life, the University Board of Trustees spent their evening relaxing at a cocktail reception and dinner with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter in Irvine Auditorium.

But Friday morning was back to business as the Trustees sat down in the Hall of Flags for the final summer meeting of the University Trustees.

Notes for the meeting include

- The Trustees officially passed a wide range of resolutions, including 17 determined by the budget and finance committee that included the authorization of the fiscal year 2009 operating budget and capital plan and the authorization for a variety of construction and renovation projects on campus.

The new nanotechnology building, the Franklin Field Pavilion and renovations to the School of Arts and Sciences Music Building are among the projects accounted for in the new budget.

In the budget and finance committee meeting, Trustee John Clark stated that the 2008 academic budget looked "strong."

- In her remarks, University President Amy Gutmann reported that the "Making History" capital campaign had surpassed goals in almost every category for the fiscal year.

She extended her thanks to Anne and Jerome Fisher for the largest gift to the campaign to date - their $50 million donation toward the new translational research lab, again highlighting its importance in helping to make Penn a pioneer in "bench-to-bedside" medicine.

- In their reports to the Trustees, Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli and Executive Vice Dean of the Medical School Glen Gaulton announced that the Perelman Center for Advance Medicine - one of three buildings in the new biomedical complex - had just admitted its first patient.

- Gutmann announced Robert Ghrist as the seventh Penn Integrates Knowledge professor. (See page 3 for the article on this appointment.)

- Gutmann praised Interim Dean of Admissions Eric Kaplan for excelling during a tough year for Ivy League admissions following major changes in financial aid.

Per a resolution passed by the Trustees during the meeting, Kaplan - who reported that this year's applicant pool hit an all-time high of 22,934 applicants - will officially be replaced by Eric Furda on July 1.

- In a resolution presented by Gutmann, the Trustees appointed Jeffrey Cooper as Vice President for Government and Community Affairs. Cooper is a 1975 graduate of Penn Law. He served as executive deputy general counsel to Governor Ed Rendell and chief counsel for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

- In the academic policy committee meeting, it was announced that course evaluations will be available online in 2009.

- Provost Ron Daniels delivered the academic report, officially announcing Marilyn Jordan Taylor as the new dean of the School of Design.

- James Riepe was officially reelected to his position as chairman of the University Board of Trustees.

- Rachel Baye, Maggie McGrath and Lindsey Stull contributed reporting to this article.

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