EVP Newsletter Summer 2022 News from Across the Division

Message from Craig I hope when you receive this newsletter, you and your loved ones are healthy and beginning to enjoy the summer season. While for most people the official start of summer is Memorial Day, for me, there is nothing like attending the Morris Arboretum Moonlight and Roses annual event. Visualize a cool, early summer evening with “beverages” in the rose garden followed by dinner and great music...but don’t worry! I leave before the dancing begins! (No viral TikTok videos circulating of me showing off my moves!) Which leads to the question...how to enjoy these wonderful summer months? Recently, I learned that the most asked question on Google in 2022 was “what to watch.” While I won’t give advice on what to do this summer, I can tell you what not to do — “watch.” Summer is a great time to get engaged — attend concerts, read books, enjoy the outdoors, you name it. Having endured the isolating effects of the pandemic for the past 2+ years, it is time to reconnect with family, friends, and colleagues (and yes — with deference to our public health colleagues — in a safe, responsible manner.) I recently attended the ISC end-of-year picnic, and it was a blast – so many people reconnecting, including some of our recently retired colleagues who never really got a chance to say goodbye in person. Despite our current challenges, we live in a great City and region with so many fun and unique things to do. So, if you want to google a topic, try “fun things to do in Philly this weekend” (or University City, Bucks County, Lancaster, South Jersey, you pick!) Send me some photos or notes of what you are doing or engaging in this summer to [email protected]. We will include some of them in our next newsletter. Hope to see you around campus this summer! Be sure to say hello! Craig PS - A HUGE THANK YOU for all of your HARD WORK and DEDICATION to the University this past year! We all contribute to the mission in some way, and you make the work rewarding and fun!

Penn and the Community

Penn Supplier Diversity Forum and Expo Returns for an In-Person Event! Over 230 Penn Buyers and Suppliers assembled at this year’s Supplier Diversity Forum & Expo on June 16 at the Annenberg Center. (Another 70 participants joined online.) Over 30 Penn suppliers were featured at the Expo.

Craig and Penn Procurement's Mark Mills with the panel speakers. From left to right: Donna Allie, Founder, President & CEO: Team Clean, Inc.; Ken Anderson, Vice President, Civic Affairs: The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia; Joy De Jesús, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Finance and Internal Operations/CFO: Penn's Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics.

Honoring the Penn Cares Team On June 22, the Penn Commitment to Excellence Award was presented to the cross‑campus Penn Cares  team, who helped keep the campus safely open since the COVID-19 outbreak while administering more than 800,000 COVID-19 tests.

Flavors of Summer On July 6, Craig helped scoop chocolate, vanilla, and coffee ice cream at lunchtime with President Magill for members of Penn's community, putting big smiles on lots of faces that afternoon!

The crowd gathers... Taking orders...

Lining up to meet the President... President Magill and the Quaker teaming up...

The Penn Employee Solution Center consistently responds to staff and faculty questions about leave, payroll, HR policies and procedures, and many other topics. The Keeping Up With HR podcast describes a typical day in this busy hub while also highlighting the HR Mentoring Pilot Program and two of its participants. "Be in the Know" Brings Back On-Campus Biometric Screenings. Penn’s faculty and staff wellness campaign started on July 1 and features more ways to complete your biometric screening and subsequently earn rewards. The University has successfully introduced the Pennant suite of applications and transitioned to a modernized student information system. Read about the achievements, as well as ongoing deployments through the end of 2022, on the NGSS website. Staff will be able to conveniently log their performance reviews in Workday in Fiscal Year 2023. Features include optional check-ins between managers and their direct reports, goals managed both inside and outside the performance review cycle, and competencies customized according to job profile and management level, Workday performance management is a forerunner to exciting talent management functionalities being rolled out throughout FY2023. The FY23 Budget Book is now available. This annual publication provides dynamic revenue and expense data for the upcoming fiscal year representing School/Center priorities as well as the University’s priorities. Contact the Budget Office for additional information or to arrange an orientation or training session for your team. In addition, The FY2023 Budget Calendar is now available here.

Penn and Longfellow Real Estate recently announced a strategic partnership to develop a state-of-the-art life science facility inside the Pennovation Works ecosystem. Click here to learn more about the value of this investment for the University, the city of Philadelphia, and the region. Also, the 2022 Pennovation Accelerator cohort launched for the fifth summer, with a group of 10 startups representing a variety of industries across consumer products, health tech, and robotics.

In addition, this summer will bring several weeks of the Works hosting both the Penn Vet Working Dogs Canine Handler Academy for teens as well as the Penn Praxis Designed to Thrive educational program for underserved youth. Public Safety supported the Annual PAL Gala event on June 13, and the DPS Team “Are We There Yet?” is set to participate in the annual Ben to the Shore charity bike ride.

Leadership Updates

Appointment of Kathleen Shields Anderson as Vice President for Public Safety  Congratulations to Kathleen Shields Anderson, our newly appointed Vice President of Public Safety! As mentioned in Craig's original statement, “Kathleen clearly emerged as the right leader for Penn’s Division of Public Safety." Kathleen joined Penn in 2012 as Executive Director of Operations and Chief of Staff and also served as the Interim Vice President of Public Safety before her official appointment. Fun fact: Kathleen is the first non-sworn leader of the Division of Public Safety since its formation in the mid-1990s! Appointment of Jen Bieter as Director, Fiscal Operations Office of the Executive Vice President   Jen Bieter is joining the EVP Office as the new Director of Fiscal Operations, beginning July 18. As the Director, Jen will play a key role in planning, managing, and analyzing all financial aspects of the EVP Center. We welcome her into Penn’s ranks after a decade with the School District of Philadelphia in various roles, including her most recent stint as its Deputy CFO, Budget & Planning. Please join us in welcoming Jen onboard!

Congratulations and Great Job to the EVP Division Grads! Paul Guercio, Public Safety, earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Safety Administration from Neumann University. John Macri, Residential and Hospitality Services, earned his Master of Science Degree in Social Policy from Penn’s School of Social Policy and Practice. Danielle Pettyjohn, Public Safety, earned her Master of Arts Degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management from Rosemont College. Ambika Singh, Penn Home Ownership Services, earned her Master of Public Administration Degree from Penn’s Fells Institute of Government. Tom Waters, Public Safety, earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Craig's Tip It is the summer season, and you are encouraged to get out of the office, unwind, and spend time with your friends and family. Consider catching up on your much-needed R&R at the Morris Arboretum. The new seasonal exhibit, Summer of Swings, runs through September 5. Visitors of all ages can experience the Arboretum in a totally new way—perched on one of 10 swings placed strategically across 92 acres. Play on the swings, try some cool physics experiments, and just have fun! Sustainability Think about biking instead of driving or taking public transportation. There are special incentives for benefits-eligible staff and faculty who choose to commute on a bike. Penn Sustainability has released a new video that explains how biking to campus can benefit your health, your wallet, and the environment. Penn Sustainability also champions several initiatives within our Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0; view their videos on utilities, travel, and their urban farm on their YouTube channel. Safety Precautions DPS offers safety presentations, self-defense courses, and emergency procedures training to the Penn Community; groups may request presentations via the form on their website. Click here to learn more.

Student Services Center Celebrating  Pride and Juneteenth!

Visitors to the Student Services Center in the Franklin Building during June were welcomed with striking Pride and Juneteenth displays. There were rainbow flag giveaways and a rainbow heart made of sticky notes where people could write down names of LGBTQ+ icons (real or fictional).

For Juneteenth, we used the Center to share the holiday's important history.

  Have suggestions or topics you would like to see covered in future newsletters? Email Cindy Paul; [email protected]. 

Visit the EVP Newsletter Archives