Administration
Student leaders praise Penn's decision to hold 2021 pre-orientation programs in person
The five University Life pre-orientation programs were previously held virtually in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
David Cohen’s term as Board of Trustees chair comes to an end
Cohen — who served on the Board of Trustees for almost 12 years — will be replaced by 1981 College and Wharton graduate, 1984 Penn Law graduate, and investment banker Scott Bok.
Penn announces $94 million project to renovate graduate student dorm Sansom Place East
This summer, a variety of construction projects are underway, including on the Graduate School of Education, Pennovation Works, and the Class of 1949 Generational Bridge.
‘Very bittersweet’: Associate Director of La Casa Latina Kareli Lizarraga leaves Penn
2013 College graduate and Associate Director of La Casa Latina Kareli Lizarraga ended her position on June 30, making Director of La Casa Latina Krista Cortes the only remaining staff member.
Penn experts say Gutmann’s leadership, political savvy prepare her to be German ambassador
Experts said that Gutmann’s experience as Penn’s president could aid her in the role of ambassador to Germany and pointed out the historical precedent of college presidents who served as previous ambassadors.
Biden officially nominates Penn President Amy Gutmann as ambassador to Germany
Gutmann wrote that she will continue to serve as Penn's president until June 30, 2022, as she had previously planned, or whenever the U.S. Senate confirms her as the ambassador, which would likely accelerate her departure.
Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts rebrands to ‘Penn Live Arts’
The rebranding will give the center the opportunity to grow and expand programming beyond Penn's campus by holding upcoming performances at Morris Arboretum and the Church of the Holy Trinity.
Penn President Amy Gutmann to reportedly become the next U.S. ambassador to Germany
Gutman is the the longest serving president in Penn’s history. Her contract will end in 2022.
Penn to offer faculty, staff paid day off as thanks for ‘collaborative efforts’ amid pandemic
The administrators wrote that the paid day off given as a way to show appreciation for the cooperation, collaboration, and innovation that occurred among faculty and staff during the pandemic.
Penn Law students urge admin. to arrange meeting about student debt with Biden officials
A group of Penn Law students collectively wrote an open letter to refute Biden's argument that Ivy League students are undeserving of student debt relief.
More than 200 petition Penn to pay reparations to victims of Kligman’s prison experiments
The petition has five demands as part of the reparations process including a formal apology from Penn President Amy Gutmann to the victims and their families and financial reparations for those affected.
Republican lawmakers threaten to cut funding from Penn Vet due to COVID-19 vaccine requirement
Republican lawmakers are threatening to cut $32 million in funding from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine for requiring employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Penn students, community raise over $56,000 for 2021 graduate struck by car near campus
Dennis Ronel's accident prompted an outpouring of support from family, friends, and Penn alumni, and reignited criticisms of pedestrian safety on Penn's campus.
Penn’s Gene Therapy Program expands operations with lease from Discovery Labs
Penn's Gene Therapy Program signed a lease with Discovery Labs, a company that leases biopharma space for life science research, on May 25, significantly expanding its life science research capacity.
Penn reappoints Vijay Kumar as Engineering Dean through June 2027
“The world needs more engineers, and I am proud to be Dean of a school that graduates outstanding engineers who are poised to have a tremendous impact on the world,” Kumar wrote in an emailed statement to the DP.
Penn will require faculty, staff, postdocs to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Aug. 1
Penn is the fourth Ivy League institution — following Brown, Columbia, and Yale — to require that its employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Penn eases summer COVID-19 campus and travel restrictions, upholds testing requirements
The updated guidelines remove restrictions on Penn-affiliated travel, allow departments to host visitors on campus, and permit the use of on-campus spaces.
Ten Penn seniors receive $100,000 in funding for community and social impact projects
The prizes are awarded annually to graduating seniors to encourage them to design engagement projects that will make a positive difference in the world in their first year after college.
Penn’s required sophomore housing policy causes off-campus landlords to drop rent prices
Some off-campus housing locations are struggling to fill vacancies as Penn's policy requiring sophomores to live in campus housing takes effect for the 2021-2022 academic year.