UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA Tuesday May 22, 2007 Volume 53 Number 34 www.upenn.edu/almanac Law School Teaching Awards School of Dental Medicine Teaching Awards Voted by Penn Members of the Penn Dental Medicine faculty were recognized for Law students, Da- their outstanding work as instructors at the Senior Farewell 2007, held on vid Rudovsky re- May 8 at the Ritz-Carlton. Presented by the Penn Dental Medicine Alum- ceived his fourth ni Society, the event celebrates the Class of 2007’s passage from students Harvey Levin Me- to colleagues. Each year, members of the graduating class vote for the morial Award for awardees. This year’s recipients included the following: Teaching Excel- The Senior Outstanding Teaching Award–presented to a faculty member lence. One student’s who has gone beyond the scope of his/her responsibilities to significantly evaluation exempli- impact the class’s education at Penn Dental Medicine. This year’s recipient fies why Professor of the Senior Outstanding Teaching Award is Dr. Arthur Kuperstein, lecturer Rudovsky won this of oral medicine. Dr. Kuperstein has been with the School since 2002, cur- award. “Rudovksy rently serving as a clinical instructor for third- and fourth-year students. He has dedicated his is also course director and lecturer of the School’s radiology courses. Last life to this field and year, Dr. Kuperstein received the Joseph L.T. Appleton Award. David Rudovsky his interest is pal- Arthur Kuperstein (continued on page 4) pable which makes this class exciting. As an advocate … he is also Two SAS Professors to Endowed Chairs adept at challenging students to think indepen- dently and question the law as it stands.” Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Class of 1965 Term Professor Professor Rudovksy holds a B.A. from Professor of Mathematics Dr. Jamal J. Elias Queens College and a LL.B. from New York Dr. David Har- has been named the University. He has been a senior fellow since bater has been Class of 1965 Term 1987 and is nationally known as a leading civil named the Chris- Professor in the rights and criminal defense attorney. topher H. Browne School of Arts and Professor Rudovsky has written widely in Distinguished Pro- Sciences. Dr. Elias, the civil liberties/civil rights area and has con- fessor of Mathemat- who comes to Penn tributed both scholarly articles and litigation re- ics. Dr. Harbater fo- from Amherst Col- lated books for practicing lawyers and judges. cuses on algebraic lege, is a member Professor Rudovksy takes his litigation experi- geometry and num- of the department ence into the classroom where he integrates doc- ber theory in his re- of religious studies, trine and practice, giving his students a compre- search, particularly where he also serves hensive understanding of legal principles and the area of Galois as the undergraduate their role and application in the courts. theory. His work in- chair, and is a 2006- (continued on page 3) volves the study of 2007 Center for Ad- symmetry, which vanced Judaic Stud- has applications in Jamal Elias ies Fellow. He spe- School of Design Teaching Awards many fields, includ- cializes primarily in Sufi thought in Iran, Turkey, The School of ing physics, chem- David Harbater Central and South Asia. He is the author of three Design has award- istry, and cryptogra- books and co-author of another, and is working on ed the 2007 G. Hol- phy, among others. In 1995 he received the pres- two new ones: On Wings of Diesel examines truck mes Perkins Award tigious Frank Nelson Cole Prize in Algebra from decoration in Pakistan, and the tentatively-titled for Distinguished the American Mathematical Society, awarded ap- A’isha’s Pillow: Religious Art and Perception in Teaching to Frank proximately once every five years. Dr. Harbat- Islam focuses on issues of art and the phenomenol- Matero, chair of er was awarded the Lindback Award for Distin- ogy of perception in Islamic contexts. Dr. Elias has the historic pres- guished Teaching in 1995, and has received fel- been awarded fellowships from the Council of the ervation program. lowships from the American Mathematical Soci- American Overseas Research Centers and the Na- His teaching and ety, the National Science Foundation and the Al- tional Endowment for the Humanities, among oth- field projects are fred P. Sloan Foundation. In the spring, he will ers. He received his Ph.D. from Yale University. routinely praised visit Tel Aviv University to give a series of lec- This chair is one of five created in 1990 by the by historic preser- tures on his research as their 2007 Sackler Lec- Class of 1965. This 25th Reunion class gift funded vation students and turer. He received his Ph.D. from the Massachu- a chair for each of the four undergraduate schools alumni, many of setts Institute of Technology. and one in honor of the College for Women. Frank Matero whom chose Penn This chair is one of five Browne Distin- IN THIS ISSUE for the opportu- guished Professorships created by a $10 million 2 Trustee Coverage and Open Meetings; Report of the nity to work with him. Professor Matero regu- gift from Christopher Browne, C ’69, to recog- Consultative Committee for Selection of GSE Dean larly generates enough projects so each histor- 3 GSE Assoc. Dean Stepping Down; Mr. Wilbur to PCMI nize faculty members who have achieved an ex- 4 Postdoc Stipend Levels; Death: Ms. King; Director of ic preservation student has the opportunity to traordinary reputation for scholarly contributions HR Libraries; Submissions for Burrison Gallery get involved in conservation projects that ad- and who have demonstrated great distinction in 5 Boards: PPSA, WPSA, University Club; Honors vance their knowledge. The list of such proj- 7 P2P Website; New Stationary Ordering System teaching and intellectual integrity. Mr. Browne, 8 Year-End Council Reports ects over recent years is truly astounding and a Penn Trustee since 1991, has served on the 12 For Comment: Social Security Number Policy has included, among many others, the Ayyu- School of Arts and Sciences Board of Overseers 13 Finding New Funding Opportunities: SPIN Plus bid wall in Cairo, the Second Bank in Philadel- 14 HR Programs; One Step Ahead; Directory Listings since 1982, and became chair in 1999. He also 15 Pre-Tax Expense Account; Update; Crimes; Classifieds phia, St. Louis I Cemetery in New Orleans, the chairs the University Committee on Undergradu- 16 Commencement 2007 Images New York World’s Fair site in Queens, and ar- ate Financial Aid and serves on the Penn Alumni Pullouts: Summer AT PENN; (continued on page 3) Commencement 2007; Board of Directors. Senate Committee Reports ALMANAC May 22, 2007 www.upenn.edu/almanac Coverage of May 10 Trustees’ Meetings Trustees’ Open Meetings in June At the May 10 Stated Meeting of the Ex- more women than men in the School of Medi- The full Board of Trustees of the Universi- ecutive Committee of Penn’s Trustees, Presi- cine’s graduating class, with 98% staying in ac- ty of Pennsylvania will meet on June 14 & 15, dent Amy Gutmann reported on the recent Ivy ademia and 30% staying at Penn for their resi- 2007. All meetings will be held at Houston Hall. League Championships won by Penn teams, the dency. Members of the University community may Class of 2011 which had a ten percent increase In the Budget & Finance Committee Re- register their interest in attending with Julie So- in applicants and the quick resolution to the Ci- port, Mr. John Clark mentioned the presentation bel, [email protected] or (215) 898-7005 tiBank loan situation which has resulted in re- the committee had been given on Procurement by June 4. imbursing Penn students (Almanac April 10, and Purchasing by Vice President of Business Thursday, June 4 2007). President Gutmann said that the inaugu- Services Marie Witt and Director of Purchas- 10:15–11:45 a.m. ral ‘GradFest’ was a “resounding success” (Al- ing Services Ralph Maier. They described how Facilities & Campus Planning Committee manac April 10, 2007). Penn saves money by collaborating with oth- 2:15–3:45 p.m. Provost Ron Daniels reported that Dr. Arthur er universities to improve its purchasing power Neighborhood Initiatives Committee Rubenstein has received two significant awards and by entering strategic contracts with suppli- (see Honors, page 6). ers. They also described the Penn Marketplace Student Life Committee EVP Craig Carnaroli’s Financial Report for and the new Procure-to-Pay (P2P) project to 4–5:30 p.m. the nine months ending March 31, 2007, showed streamline the University’s business and finan- Academic Policy Committee “strong gains” with the Consolidated Universi- cial processes (see page 7). Budget & Finance Committee ty (Academic and Health System) reporting a Budget & Finance presented four resolu- External Affairs Committee 13.2% increase in total net assets, with a 39.1% tions, which the Trustees passed: increase in net assets from operating activities • to repair and refurbish the historic wrought Friday, June 5 and the total endowment value as of March 31 iron fence around the Quadrangle ($1.9 mil- 10:45–11:45 a.m. was $6.195 billion, a 19.9% increase over June lion); Stated Meeting of the Trustees 30, 2006. He also reported that the Health Sys- • to lease 24,600 square feet of space for tem component has had an increase in admis- ten years at 3535 Market Street, for the reloca- sions, total unrestricted net assets increased, ex- tion and expansion of Student Health Services More Than A Decade On Web cess of revenues over expenses from operations ($10.4 million); Almanac issues—in a searchable PDF was higher than the prior year, and the days- • to renew the lease for five years at 711 Lan- format—are now available from the fol- cash-on-hand went from 159 to 181.