A Series of Virtual Forums for Penn Faculty Faculty Senate Seminar Series
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To increase our understanding of the challenges facing Penn in this fraught time and to provide a venue in which faculty questions and concerns can be voiced and addressed, the Tri-Chairs of the Faculty Senate have initiated a Seminar Series with University leaders.
Questions are accepted in advance, by email to senate@pobox.upenn.edu, or anonymously by using this form.
Recordings will be posted on this site for later viewing.
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
4:00-5:00pm ET
It is the policy of the University of Pennsylvania “to maintain and encourage freedom of inquiry, discourse, teaching, research, and publication and to protect any member of the academic staff against influences, from within or without the University, which would restrict him or her in the exercise of these freedoms in his or her area of scholarly interest.” This includes when “speaking or writing as an individual.” With this freedom, however, comes responsibilities as well: “As a person of learning and a member of an educational institution, the teacher should remember that the public may judge the profession and the institution by his/her utterances. Hence the teacher should at all times show respect for the opinions of others and should indicate when he or she is not speaking for the institution.”
A recent poll by the Pew Research Center found that only half of all Americans believe that colleges and universities are having a positive effect on the way things are going in the country, with nearly 60% of Republicans believing that colleges and universities are having a negative effect. In addition, nearly three quarters of Republicans believe that professors are inappropriately bringing their political and social views into the classroom, while less than a third of Democrats are concerned that students are being protected from views that they might find offensive. In this era of unprecedented ideological and partisan divides, and greater awareness of historic inequities and injustices based on race, ethnicity and gender, the principle and practice of academic freedom have increasingly been challenged across the nation through legislation, the censuring and firing of professors, and challenges raised by students, politicians, donors, and others.
Join us in a discussion about how Penn faculty – and Penn as an institution – should navigate and protect the rights and responsibilities associated with academic freedom in these contentious times.
Facilitator:
- Michael X. Delli Carpini, Oscar Gandy Professor of Communication & Democracy, and Faculty Director of the SNF Paideia Program
Discussants:
- Sigal Ben-Porath, Professor of Education, and author of Free Speech on Campus
- Carolyn Marvin, Frances Yates Professor Emeritus of Communication, and instructor of the course, The History and Theory of Freedom of Expression
Wednesday, September 1, 2021
4:00-5:00pm ET
Webinar Video
Memo from Vice Provost for Faculty (Rcvd Sept. 9, 2021)
Second Memo from Vice Provost for Faculty (Rcvd Sept. 22, 2021)
Chat Record from Webinar
Questions Shared with Presenters Prior to Webinar
Background:
- (August 23, 2021) Faculty Senate Return-to-Campus Updates
- (August 27, 2021) Memo Addressing Fall 2021 Concerns Related to In-Person Instruction
All faculty and staff were invited to this webinar, in which senior decision-makers addressed your questions on returning to the academic campus for the Fall 2021 semester. Panelists included:
- Benoit Dubé, Associate Provost and Chief Wellness Officer
- Jack Heuer, Vice President for Human Resources
- Anne Papageorge, Vice President for Facilities and Real Estate Services
- Laura Perna, Vice Provost for Faculty
We are compiling remaining questions and requesting written replies. Those replies will be shared with all registrants as soon as they become available.
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
4:00-5:00pm ET
Webinar Recording available on Climate Week website
Part of Penn Climate Week 2021: A discussion with representatives from the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Guest Panelists:
- Koko Warner, Head of the Environmental Migration, Social Vulnerability and Adaptation Section, UNU-EHS
- Zinta Zommers, Programme Management Officer, UNDRR
Moderated by Michael Weisberg, Professor and Chair of Philosophy, Senior Faculty Fellow and Director of Post Graduate Programs at Perry World House
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
4:00-5:00pm ET
in partnership with the Center for Teaching and Learning
Archival materials forthcoming
Faculty are always reviewing and revising their approach to teaching, but the events of the last two years have intensified that process, especially with the sudden transition to virtual teaching and then back to the in-person classroom. As a result, more faculty spent more time considering their pedagogical goals and methods, while they also explored a host of new tools and techniques.
In this Faculty Senate Seminar we will explore the broad theme of how we improve as teachers. To get at this, we will hear from three colleagues on how they have changed their teaching practices over time, and dive into two questions. One, what did we learn from the last year and half of teaching? Two, how do we know when we want to make changes and if those innovations succeed?
Scroll down for archives of the twelve Faculty Senate Seminars held during the inaugural year of the Series, between June 2020 and May 2021.
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT
Maureen Rush, Vice President for Public Safety and Superintendent of Penn Police, speaks to the tragic death of George Floyd and 21st Century Policing at Penn.
Thursday, June 25, 2020
9:00-10:00 a.m. EDT
Click here for seminar video and written responses to remaining questions.
(PennKey authentication is required.)
Craig Carnaroli, Executive Vice President, and Trevor Lewis, Vice President for Management and Budget, address “Penn’s Endowment, Academic Budget, and the COVID-19 Impacts.”
After explaining Penn’s academic budget and endowment, the principles underlying endowment spending, and the financial impact of COVID-19 in both the current and next fiscal years, our guests respond to questions prioritized by the moderators.
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
10:00-11:00 a.m. EDT
Jack Heuer, Vice President for Human Resources, Susan Sproat, Executive Director for Benefits, and R. Joy Azikiwe, Executive Director for Human Resources and Chief of Staff, address questions related to human resources and benefits.
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
4:00-5:00 p.m. EDT
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Seminar Video
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Written Responses to Remaining Questions
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Slides from Dr. Dubé's presentation can be found here.
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"Coping with COVID-19," referenced in the presentation, can be found here.
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"Note to Parents and Guardians during COVID," referenced in the presentation, can be found here.
Dr. Benoit Dubé, Associate Provost and Chief Wellness Officer, addresses ways we can come together and protect the health and wellbeing of the Penn Community during these challenging times. After the discussion, Dr. Dubé responds to questions prioritized by the moderators.
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
4:00-5:00 p.m. EST
Provost Wendell Pritchett addresses educational challenges Penn and higher education are facing and responds to questions posed by faculty.
Wednesday, December 9, 2020
4:00-5:30 p.m. EST
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Recording of Town Hall
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Slide Presentation
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Written Responses to Remaining Questions (added Dec. 21, 2020)
This virtual Town Hall addresses common questions as we prepare for a unique spring semester. Panelists include:
- Mark Dingfield, PhD – Associate Provost for Finance and Planning
- Benoit Dubé, MD – Chief Wellness Officer and Associate Provost
- Jennifer Pinto-Martin, PhD, MPH – Viola MacInnes/Independence Professor of Nursing and Executive Director, Center for Public Health Initiatives
- Jeffrey Rowland, MA – Executive Director for Staff and Labor Relations, Division of Human Resources
- Harvey Rubin, MD, PhD – Professor of Medicine
For updated information, visit coronavirus.upenn.edu and follow @COVIDPenn on Instagram and Twitter.
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
4:00-5:00 p.m. EST
This special virtual workshop focused on public art, portraits, and iconography on the campus open to all members of the Penn faculty. The workshop was facilitated by leaders of the Penn Center for Public Art and Space:
- Ken Lum, Marilyn Jordan Taylor Presidential Professor, Chair of Fine Arts
- Paul Farber, Senior Research Scholar
On March 17, 2021, four School Deans - Steve Fluharty (SAS), Erika James (Wharton), Larry Jameson (PSOM), and Andy Hoffman (Vet Medicine) - joined the Senate Executive Committee for a discussion on climate and sustainability efforts taking place within their schools.
The recording of that 75-minute discussion is available on this linked page.
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
4:00-5:30 p.m. EDT
Seminar Video
Written Responses to Remaining Questions
- University Council Presentation from March 24, 2021
- University Council Presentation from March 24, 2021 - Environmental Innovations Initiative
- Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0 (2019)
- Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0 FY20 Update (2020)
Co-sponsored by the Undergraduate Assembly, our guests during this 90-minute Seminar addressed questions submitted in advance on topics related to University investment policy and availability of “green” investment options for faculty and staff retirement plans; efforts to measure and reduce the carbon footprint of the portfolio; plans to reduce carbon-producing travel and to conventionalize carbon-free food consumption and a plastic-free Penn; and greening existing buildings and ensuring that to the extent possible new buildings are powered by renewables. Panelists include:
- Craig Carnaroli – Executive Vice President
- Peter Ammon – Chief Investment Officer
- Anne Papageorge – Vice President for Facilities and Real Estate Services
- Marie Witt – Vice President, Business Services
Wednesday, May 12, 2021
4:30-5:30 p.m. EDT
Craig Carnaroli, Executive Vice President, and Trevor Lewis, Vice President, Budget Planning & Analysis, offer an update on Penn’s Academic Budget and COVID-19 Impacts on Academic Year 20/21 and an outlook for Academic Year 21/22.
As a follow-up to the Seminar held June 25, 2020, our guests explain Penn’s academic budget and the financial impact of COVID-19 in both the current and next fiscal years. They will then respond to questions prioritized by the moderators.
