Penn has opened faulty nominations for two new vice provost positions.
Credit: Savanna CohenPenn announced two new positions — the Vice Provost for the Arts and the Vice Provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action — to promote the University’s strategic framework.
The announcement came on Monday after former Penn President Liz Magill announced Penn's current operating strategic framework “In Principle and Practice: Penn's Focus on Tomorrow” in November 2023. The proposal established four core principles and five practices, as well as included plans to focus on interdisciplinary pursuits and to lead the University forward on current issues — including “the existential challenge of climate change.”
The Vice Provost for the Arts will be responsible for amplifying the work of Penn's arts leaders, practitioners, scholars, and students across the university and in Philadelphia. The position will be tasked with expanding opportunities for creating, exhibiting, studying, and researching the arts at Penn.
Strengthening and growing performing arts programs at institutions around campus — such as the Platt Student Performing Arts House, Kelly Writers House, and Penn Museum — will fall under the direction of this new role.
The broad charge of the Vice Provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action position will be to support Penn's leadership in addressing the climate crisis. This would include responsibilities such as implementing the campus-wide Climate and Sustainability Action Plan, leading academic programs in climate science and policy and enhancing education and training focused on climate mitigation and adaptation.
“The most tangible goal of this program is to reduce the temperature of the planet and to protect the planet’s inhabitants and ecosystem while we get there,” Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives David Asch told Penn Today.
Provost John Jackson Jr. also announced the creation of two consultative committees to fill the position. Each consists of a chair, five faculty members, and two students.
Vice Provost for Faculty Laura Perna will lead the search for the Vice Provost for the Arts. Faculty from the School of Arts and Sciences, Annenberg School for Communication, and Weitzman School of Design will join Perna in reviewing candidates.
The committee also includes Wharton junior and Undergraduate Assembly Vice President Michelle Chen, as well as School of Social Policy and Practice student and Graduate and Professional Student Assembly President Joelle Lingat.
The committee members for the Vice Provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action position will be led by Deputy Provost Beth Winkelstein. Weitzman School of Design, School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Arts and Sciences, and School of Veterinary Medicine faculty members will also sit on the committee.
College senior and Undergraduate Assembly President Ria Ellendula and GAPSA Chair of Research Student Council and SEAS Ph.D. student Ludwig Zhao will fill the two student representative seats.
Nominations of standing faculty members to the two new positions will be accepted by the Provost via email until Jun. 17, 2024.
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