Commonwealth of Pennsylvania The Integration of Knowledge

An Interview with Dr. Amy Gutmann, President, University of Pennsylvania

EDITORS’ NOTE Prior to her ap- Penn focuses on an interdis- the penn compact is our strategic vision pointment as President of the ciplinary approach to education, to move penn from excellence to eminence University of Pennsylvania in July scholarship, and research. How through three key goals: to increase access; to of 2004, Amy Gutmann served as critical is that to the culture of integrate knowledge across disciplines; and to Provost at Princeton University, Penn, and can you give an over- implement knowledge in our engagement lo- where she was also the Laurance view of that as a differentiator? cally and globally. increasing access has guided S. Rockefeller University Professor our interdisciplinary focus is ab- us to the creation of the best fi nancial aid policy of Politics and Founding Director solutely critical to our competitive -- that penn has ever had, comparable to the very of the University Center for Human and comparative – advantage as a best universities in the world. any student with Values. In addition, she serves on the university. we’re among several uni- fi nancial need as a dependent undergraduate boards of the Carnegie Corporation versities that are considered academic here will get a fi nancial aid package that will of New York, The Vanguard Group, powerhouses, but among those, we meet his or her full need with no loans. the National Constitution Center, Amy Gutmann are the most interdisciplinary. i call integrating knowledge is the key to addressing and the Schuylkill River Development it the integration of knowledge. the important issues of the world, and by following that Corporation. She also serves on the FBI’s National reason it’s so important is that every major prob- principle, we are able to give a world-class educa- Security Higher Education Advisory Board. lem in the world requires a large tool box of tion to our students. engaging locally and globally Gutmann graduated magna cum laude from solutions. traditionally, that tool box contained allows penn to contribute a tremendous amount to Harvard-Radcliffe College and earned a mas- disciplines that were separated. but in today’s the city of philadelphia, the united states, and the ter’s degree in political science from the London complex world, you cannot use the tools of world. we don’t believe that we as a university, or School of Economics, as well as a doctorate in po- only one discipline to adequately solve signifi - any university, has a right to exist. we must prove litical science from Harvard University. cant problems. take our country’s health care ourselves deserving of the support we get by show- problem. it includes extending coverage to un- ing how much difference a penn education can INSTITUTION BRIEF The University of covered populations and controlling costs. in make in the world in which we live. Pennsylvania (Penn) is a private Ivy League order to wrap our minds and our public policies You are also heavily engaged in the re- university located in Philadelphia. Penn around this problem: we need economics, and sponsibility of the university and its people (www.upenn.edu) was America’s fi rst univer- we need a fi rm understanding of medicine, so- to the community. How critical is a program sity, founded by Benjamin Franklin, and is the ciology, nursing, and so much more. penn has like Penn Connects to the culture of Penn, and fourth-oldest institution of higher education in become masterful at bringing together experts how do you instill that within the university? the United States. It is noted for its schools of who are working on interdisciplinary teams and i’m very proud that we at penn are good business, law, and medicine, each of which was are educating our students while also coming neighbors to our local community and the city as the fi rst in North America, and also developed up with solutions to very complex problems. a whole. i’m also proud that because of the work the nation’s fi rst liberal arts curriculum. About this has made us the best at something that the we’ve done, we were recently presented with the 4,500 professors serve nearly 10,000 undergrad- world needs more than ever before. presidential award for general community service uate and 10,000 graduate and professional stu- So the role is much broader than what by the corporation for national and community dents. Penn is widely recognized as one of the takes place within the confi nes of the edu- service, which recognizes the depth and breadth world’s leading research universities and consis- cation on campus? of our community service courses. we also were tently ranks among the top 10 universities in the absolutely. our distinctive focus as a uni- recognized as “number one” in a good neighbor annual u.s. news & world report survey. versity is to pursue knowledge for the sake ranking among all colleges and universities in the of contributing to the problem-solving that the country because of the work our faculty and stu- How much of an impact did the eco- world needs. we begin locally with some of dents do to make west philadelphia fl ourish. our nomic downturn have on the University of the issues in our own neighborhood and we community engagement ranges from tutoring in Pennsylvania? extend as far as our partnerships with places local schools to running community health clinics we have fared extremely well in the down- in china, india, and africa. it’s not the classic and free dental clinics. turn, but only because we had a key strategic vision of an ivory tower; it is the classic vision penn connects, our campus plan, is another focus going into it and a solidly balanced bud- of our founder benjamin Franklin, who held way in which we are engaging locally. under the get. we have made cuts on things that are not that a university should teach all things use- plan we have broken ground to create, over the of the highest strategic priority in order to do ful and ornamental in order to prepare young next two years, a beautiful, 24-acre park we are two things: to drive forward our most important people to be good citizens of their country and calling penn park, which will provide sustainable initiatives, such as our building plans for the the world. recreational and green space, not only for the penn campus, which make a huge difference When you originally assumed this role, university but for all of philadelphia. our com- to philadelphia and penn alike; and to avoid a key part of your discussion and position- munity ties make penn stronger, and they make signifi cant layoffs. we have, in fact, been able ing was around The Penn Compact. Can philadelphia more vibrant. being a productive to continue to hire people to drive our mission you give an overview of that, and has it re- community leader has always been a key part of forward and stimulate the local economy. mained a key focus? the culture at penn.• volume 33, number 2 posted with permission. copyright © 2010 leaders magazine, inc. Leaders 129