Andrew Hoffman, the dean of Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine, was reappointed for a second term through June 30, 2030.
Hoffman's reappointment as the Gilbert S. Kahn Dean was announced by Interim President Larry Jameson and Provost John Jackson on Sept. 12, and is pending approval by the Board of Trustees. The decision comes five months after the creation of a consultative review committee tasked with reviewing Hoffman’s first term.
Hoffman — whose initial appointment was set to end on June 30, 2025 — first assumed the role in 2018. Before coming to Penn, he was the director of the Regenerative Medicine Laboratory and professor of large animal internal medicine at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.
Hoffman is also former president of the Veterinary Comparative Research Society, a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, and a member of the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
The Consultative Review Committee, which was formed in March 2024, was tasked with assessing Hoffman’s leadership and identifying emerging challenges and opportunities for Penn Vet. Along with Hoffman, the committee also oversaw the reappointment processes for School of Dental Medicine Dean Mark Wolff — who was reappointed for a second term on Aug. 26.
The Committee to review Hoffman's reappointment was composed of six faculty members, two students, and one alumnus. Members of the committee considered enrollment, budget, and employment data, as well as conducted surveys to make the decision, according to the announcement.
The committee praised Hoffman’s leadership and emphasized his success in strengthening the School’s educational, clinical, and research initiatives, the announcement wrote. Highlights of his first term include the 2024 reaccreditation of Penn Vet, the expansion of the school's diversity and inclusion efforts, and the establishment of several interdisciplinary research programs. Hoffman’s tenure also saw significant increases in research funding and revenues from both federal and private sources.
Hoffman also oversaw the development of a redesigned school-wide curriculum, which is set to launch in fiscal year 2025. The new curriculum focuses on earlier clinical experience and enhanced surgical skills training, with an increased emphasis on professional identity and diversity.
Hoffman's reappointment comes after an eventful year for the school, which was thrust into the spotlight last fall after the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted to withhold more than $31 million in funding from the school in the wake of concerns over antisemitism on Penn’s campus. This marked the first time the school did not receive state funding since 1889.
In February, however, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro proceeded to allocate funding for Penn Vet in his fiscal year 2024-25 budget proposal.
“Dean Hoffman is an empathetic, visionary, and effective leader who will steer the School to continued success,” Jameson told Penn Today. “His first term has been marked by substantial enhancements to the educational, clinical, and research strengths of the Penn Vet community.”
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