UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA Tuesday April 24, 2012 Volume 58 Number 31 www.upenn.edu/almanac School of Arts & Sciences Teaching Awards Penn to Host Access to Entire Dr. Rebecca W. Bushnell, dean of the School of Arts & Sciences, and Dr. Dennis DeTurck, USC Shoah Foundation Institute dean of the College, announce the following recipients of the School’s 2012 teaching awards, to Archive of Holocaust Survivors be presented on Wednesday, April 25 at an awards reception that is open to the University com- The University of Pennsylvania has become munity. The reception will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. in rm. 200, College Hall. the first university in Pennsylvania with access to the USC Shoah Foundation Institute’s entire Ira H. Abrams Memorial Award for the freshman physics sequence, for which she Visual History Archive (VHA) that contains Distinguished Teaching has, in the words of a colleague, “studied and nearly 52,000 video testimonies of survivors This year’s recipients of SAS’s highest perfected each aspect of the classroom experi- and other witnesses of the Holocaust in 32 lan- teaching honor are ence.” Another fac- guages and from 56 countries. Dr. Mirjam Cvetic, ulty member writes Penn President Amy Gutmann, who was moved the Fay R. and Eu- that, “Her students by the Institute’s work, hosted a special event yes- gene L. Langberg profusely praise the terday in the lobby of the Annenberg Center to of- Professor of Phys- passion she brings ficially launch access to the collection. ics, and Dr. Don- to physics and the Penn’s partnership with the Shoah Foun- ald Ringe, the Ed- amazing degree to dation Institute is supported by the joint ef- mund J. and Louise which she is able to forts of the Annenberg School for Communica- W. Kahn Endowed connect her own re- tion, Penn Libraries and Penn’s Division of In- Term Professor of search interests to formation Systems and Computing. Linguistics. Creat- the freshman level.” “This partnership between the University ed in 1983, the Ira Dr. Ringe’s lec- of Pennsylvania and USC’s Shoah Foundation H. Abrams Award tures on historical Institute provides an unparalleled resource for recognizes teaching linguistics are, in the scholarly exploration across many disciplines, Mirjam Cvetic that is intellectual- Donald Ringe words of one stu- and I am proud we are able to offer the Philadel- ly challenging and dent, “the kind of phia community access to the entire collection,” exceptionally coherent and honors faculty who experience one does not readily forget.” A col- said President Gutmann. “I have seen and expe- embody high standards of integrity and fairness, league observes that, “No one could take a class rienced first-hand the impact that these person- have a strong commitment to learning, and are with Don and come away unaware of the rich- al testimonies can have. They are a poignant re- open to new ideas. ness and complexity of language and language minder that we must stand together against ha- Dr. Cvetic is also the recipient of a Lind- history, nor of the importance of this unique hu- tred and intolerance of any kind.” back Award this year (Almanac April 10, 2012). man product.” Dr. Gutmann’s father fled Nazi Germany She is perhaps best known for her teaching in (continued on page 4) in 1934, eventually emigrating to the United States, where she was born. “My father’s jour- School of Nursing Teaching Awards ney has been one of the most important influ- Dean’s Award for Exemplary Citizenship Dean’s Award for Exemplary Teaching ences in my life, and I feel a strong personal Claire M. Fagin Associate Pro- connection to the value of these educational op- Leadership Professor fessor Dr. Cynthia portunities made available by the Shoah Foun- in Nursing, professor A. Connolly was se- dation Institute.” of sociology, and di- lected for the Dean’s “Survivors’ memories are the authoritative rector of the Center Award for Exem- source for information on the Holocaust, and for Health Outcomes plary Teaching for the value of audiovisual testimony to other ar- and Policy Research, her passion and in- eas of research has been demonstrated at uni- Dr. Linda Aiken was novative teaching versities around the world where the Institute’s selected for the inau- style. Dr. Connolly Visual History Archive has enhanced 275 aca- gural Dean’s Award was praised for her demic courses in a wide range of disciplines,” for Exemplary Citi- ability to effectively Dr. Stephen D. Smith, executive director of the zenship for her more convey knowledge USC Shoah Foundation Institute, said. “By part- than 25 years of ser- based on lived expe- nering with the Institute to bring the Visual His- vice to Penn Nursing riences as well as a tory Archive to Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania has demonstrated its commitment through her ground- Linda Aiken strong theory base. breaking program of “Dr. Connolly is to scholarship guided by the highest humanitar- research with a global reach. Dr. Aiken is instru- the ‘ultimate’ men- Cynthia Connolly ian principles.” mental in fostering innovative educational pro- tor for students and (continued on page 2) grams such as the current Hillman Scholars Pro- a driving force for excellence in nursing edu- gram and for being a voiced leader for nursing cation,” one student wrote. “Dr. Connolly’s real IN THIS ISSUE and quality healthcare. “Perhaps the best aspect passion, besides history, is undergraduate edu- 2 Council: Coverage of April Meeting; Trustees’ May Meetings; Penn to Offer Online Courses via Coursera of Dr. Aiken’s mentorship is that she provides cation. It is a rare time that she doesn’t have a 3 Death; Commencement Invitation; us with the resources and opportunities to work student in her office,” one colleague wrote. “She Global Sustainability Debate; collaboratively within the School of Nursing and is that kind of teacher who includes students in Parking’s New Ticketing System 5 Honors & Other Things across the University,” a doctoral student wrote. her work and gives them substantive ways to 8 Antiquing to Save Lives “Each year, Dr. Aiken ensures that all doctoral contribute to the larger project. She has pub- 9 28th Philadelphia International Children’s Festival students are able to attend the Academy Health lished with students and has been generous be- 10 HR: Recognized Holidays; Long-term Care Conference. Not only is this a vibrant and stim- yond a doubt in terms of giving them primary Insurance; One Step Ahead: Security & Privacy Tip ulating experience for budding researchers, but author.” 11 Update; CrimeStats; Penn Tree Program we are able to see how our research fits into the 12 School Graduation Ceremonies health services research agenda.” (continued on page 4) Pullout: May AT PENN ALMANAC April 24, 2012 www.upenn.edu/almanac 1 Council Meeting Coverage Trustees’ Meetings At the April 18 University Council meet- ty and Equity was summarized by co-chair A meeting of the Budget & Finance ing, President Amy Gutmann described a new Dr. Judy Shea who said it was a relatively qui- Committee and a meeting of the Exec- venture that she said was an historic announce- et, calm and productive. She suggested that all utive Committee of the Trustees will be ment: Penn will be collaborating with other uni- search committee members should attend work- held on Thursday, May 10, 2012 in the versities to provide free web-based education shops on unconscious bias. Class of ’49 Auditorium in Houston Hall. through Coursera, an online platform (see be- The Committee on Facilities Report was Meeting schedules and locations are as low). She said that some faculty have volun- summarized by committee chair Dr. Michael follows: teered to teach in this new environment which McGarvey. He discussed the lactation spaces 9:30 to 11 a.m. will allow Penn to reach out to potential stu- on campus and recommended an increase in the Budget & Finance Committee dents, alumni and the general public. number of such rooms open to the University Class of ’49 Auditorium The majority of that meeting, the last of the community, faculty, staff, students and visitors. semester, was spent summarizing the reports by The Committee on Personnel Benefits Re- 1:30 to 2 p.m. the Council Committees, they will be published port was summarized by Dr. David Pope, com- Meeting of the Executive Committee in next week’s Almanac. President Gutmann mittee chair. He said his committee dealt with Class of ’49 Auditorium said the committees “have done a laudatory issues of fairness and accessibility of tuition job.” benefits for Penn employees who wish to take Shoah Foundation VHA The Committee on Academic and Relat- courses here. He noted that LPS has an open (continued from page 1) ed Affairs Report was summarized by commit- enrollment policy for the summer term cours- The Visual History Archive is available for re- tee member Dr. Steven Kimbrough. He said that es which is a viable way for people to “dip their search to the Penn community and to users not af- they focused on two issues: academic integrity toes in the academic waters.” filiated with Penn. Access to the Visual History Ar- and undergraduate research. Dr. Kimbrough said Chair of Steering, Dr. Camille Charles pre- chive is available from any computer on campus. that academic integrity is a shared responsibility sented the report of the Committee on Commit- See http://guides.library.upenn.edu/vha Comput- and concern of students and faculty. He encour- tees. She said that this year, each committee has ers and headphones are available in the Van Pelt- aged increased communication between faculty had a relevant high-level administrator attend Dietrich Library Center.