You’ve been chair for about six months now. What are the main things you’ve learned?
Before becoming chair, I had a broad and deep Penn journey, with degrees from three schools and many volunteer leadership roles. Yet every day as chair, I understand better how this great University’s pieces fit together to position Penn for continued excellence. That is the biggest learning for me–understanding the whole, not just some of the parts–and it is very hard to acquire this knowledge other than by being in this seat.
For example, I recently visited both locations of our Veterinary school—in Philadelphia and at the New Bolton Center, an hour outside of the city. Penn Vet, one of the world’s best veterinary schools, excels in caring for animals and advancing research on a range of topics, such as bovine methane emissions and their impact on climate change, zoonotic diseases, and orthopedic surgery on racehorses. It also collaborates closely with our Medical and Engineering schools and other parts of Penn. None of my prior Penn roles exposed me to this amazing jewel in our crown.
Penn is a complicated place, and as chair, I see and learn how all these threads intertwine in ways I did not fully comprehend before.
What are you excited about for the fall as we transition into a new academic year?
In the United States, we live in a pluralistic society where people have diverse views, backgrounds, and ideas. Our universities contain, in some ways, our nation’s greatest heterogeneity. Penn exemplifies this: People from all different backgrounds and experiences are represented here, all within a compact urban campus where we live and work side by side.
This multiplicity isn’t easy to manage, and recent events have shown that we can’t take our harmony for granted—we must be more intentional. That is why, for instance, the recommendations from the Antisemitism Task Force and the Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community are so important.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find a public square today where people are doing anything other than shouting at each other. This is true everywhere, from X to our political institutions to Thanksgiving dinner with extended family.
Penn is trying to be a place where you can engage in a different way. We talk endlessly about civil discourse, but there aren’t many good proxies to look at. Penn is forging its own way.
In light of what I just said, what excites me most about the fall is that I sense a strong desire in the Penn community to recommit to finding our ‘overlapping consensus’—what John Rawls defined as agreement on the principles that allow us to live together harmoniously despite differing beliefs.
Is there anything about the Trustees you want the Penn community to know?
The etymology of ‘trustee’ indicates we are ‘entrusted,’ which for me means that we are neutral custodians charged with advancing the University’s mission.
As Trustees, we take that role very seriously. Every Trustee prioritizes Penn and brings candor and commitment. There is vigorous debate on every issue of consequence, which leads to better collective decisions.
It is important to note that we do not have an executive role. We provide fiduciary oversight, but our President, in partnership with our faculty, runs the University. Our most important task, then, is supporting our President.
We also bring an abiding sense for the long arc of our history. Trustees have overseen the university and its predecessor entities since 1749; our first ‘chair’—the title then was ‘president of the board of the trustees’—was Ben Franklin himself. We serve in a centuries-long lineage; we must think for the long term, not just the here and now.
Universities are tackling a range of issues tied to the current moment. What issues are most on your mind?
The list is very long, but one issue I can touch on is institutional neutrality. This intertwines with the idea of academic freedom, which is central to a great American university such as Penn. Certainly this is something many colleagues and universities are reflecting on, including Penn.
Another issue is the ‘BDS’ movement. President Jameson has commented on this and made Penn’s position extremely clear. Penn does not support divesting from, boycotting, or sanctioning Israel. It is against the law in Pennsylvania. In my view, it is anathema to academic freedom. It degrades Penn’s educational and research missions. And it opposes the idea of an ‘overlapping consensus.’
On that last point: Much of what I see in the public domain about BDS is about how it infringes on academic freedom. I agree with this objection. But I want to mention something I don’t believe has been sufficiently articulated. I feel strongly that the BDS movement demonizes Jewish and Israeli members of our community, whether intended or otherwise. This is simply unacceptable and suggests a lack of moral clarity.
This in no way diminishes the importance of passionate discussion, debate, and disagreement on Penn’s campus. The University welcomes those dialogues.
What would you like to leave us with?
I spoke earlier about our ‘overlapping consensus.’ Belonging to the Penn community demands respect for diverse perspectives and life experiences, a commitment to academic excellence and inquiry, and a desire to have a positive impact on our community and the world. Respect; excellence; impact—these are Penn’s north stars, and I’d want our community to know that.
And when I say the ‘Penn community,’ I mean that in the broadest sense. It includes our faculty, students, and staff on campus and our alumni, who are spread throughout the United States and the world.
Penn is an amazing place. It is a ‘civilizational artifact.’ But I believe Penn’s best years lie ahead. I am genuinely optimistic that Penn will rise to new heights in teaching and training, in research and discovery, and in modeling respectful discourse and debate.
Hurrah for the Red and Blue!
