EVP Newsletter

Winter 2023

News from Across the Division

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Special Video Message from Craig

Penn and the Community

Locust Walk Lights Up!

FRES recently collaborated with the Undergraduate Assembly and Class Boards on a tree lighting ceremony where 700+ students enjoyed the festivities and participated in a countdown to the lights turning on. This event looks to be an annual tradition for years to come.

Click on the photo to see a spectacular video of Locust Walk, lights and all!

X "Marks" the Historical Marker at the Palestra

A ceremony was held on December 3 to unveil a historical marker outside the Palestra, honoring the historical significance of Penn's "Cathedral of College Basketball." For years, the Palestra has hosted Big 5 college matchups and some of the most storied rivalries in Philadelphia sports.

Fun fact: The Palestra has hosted more games, visiting teams, and NCAA tournaments than any other venue in college basketball history!

DPS Fall 2022 Commendation Ceremony

DPS held its Fall 2022 Commendation Ceremony on November 22 and highlighted great accomplishments by our own Public Safety members and community partners. DPS VP Kathleen Shields Anderson led the ceremony, opened with an Invocation by University Chaplain Charles Howard. I was very happy to attend and proud to speak about the great partnerships DPS fosters with the local community.

Catering@Penn Holds Successful Debut Event!

Penn Procurement Services, in collaboration with the Association of Business Administrators, hosted a “Catering@Penn” tasting event in October. It showcased 29 catering companies, including 20 that hold at least one diversity classification and 12 that are based in Philadelphia (nine in West Philadelphia).

Click here to learn more and view the event photo gallery.

ISC: The Next Generation

I was glad to speak at the ISC: The Next Generation staff meeting (December 7 at the Sheraton) with 200+ team members to celebrate the past two years and look toward the future!

In other ISC-related news, the department recently launched the new PennKey Self-Service Password Reset process, focused on improving user experience.

To learn more, click here.

Craig's List

Penn Transit Services has welcomed the first full-size electric vehicles to its fleet! Introduced during Climate Week, the four vehicles run entirely on electric-charged batteries and will save 52 metric tons of carbon emissions each year. Learn more about this exciting sustainability announcement here.
Penn's 2022 Green Purchasing Awards recognized the work of Danielle Cavalcanto (Associate Director – Interiors with the Perelman School of Medicine) and the Division of Finance’s Disbursements Department. Click here to learn more about how they're helping make our campus a more sustainable place.
DPS is honored to be recognized in the 2022 Security Magazine Benchmark Report . The Security Benchmark Report provides security leaders across all sectors and organizations with valuable data that they can use to compare their programs with others.
Riders of Penn Transit's on-request shuttle services now have a new app, PennTransit Mobile, to access the University’s free fixed-route and on-demand service. For more information, and to learn about which enhancements are being offered to riders, click here.
Since Penn partnered with PeopleJoy in September to assist University employees with their student loan debt, 512 employees have signed agreements with the PSLF administrator for a potential of $40 million in student loan forgiveness. Just days before the PSLF program’s limited waiver expired in October, nine Human Resources staff members volunteered to work 48 hours of overtime to process relevant forms. Thanks as always to our hardworking staff!
Users will be able to enjoy a more robust inbox experience by managing tasks according to their personal preferences and finding items more easily. Visit the Workday website for a 60-second video preview and information on a January 11 webinar demonstration.
Here's the latest news on the Pennant suite of applications: Pennant Accounts, Pennant Records, and Pennant Aid. With these, it's easier than ever to manage essential academic and business processes.
Penn has now begun purchasing carbon offsets for its air travel emissions, as part of its plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2042. The offsets purchased through the Travel Sustainability Fund is supported by a Climate Impact Offset charge (CLIO) applied to Penn's schools and centers that make travel-related purchases.

Craig's Tips

Time to Give Your Retirement Plan a Tune-Up...

Since we're at the beginning of a new year, you may be thinking about your future financial goals and retirement savings. Penn is here to help you improve your retirement plan with brand new cost-saving changes. Effective January 1, 2023, Penn’s non-matching contributions to the Basic Plan increased by 1%. If you’re eligible for the Basic Plan, Penn makes non-matching contributions for you based on your age.

Learn more here.

Take the Bare Naked Trees Tour

at Morris Arboretum!

Join an experienced guide on January 14 and 28 at 11AM for a new tour to explore the beauty of “bare naked trees” in winter. Without their leaves, deciduous trees reveal a variety of interesting shapes and sculptures. The tour, free with admission, provides a unique perspective of the trees as we enjoy the beauty of the winter garden.

Click here for more information.