No. 17 December 13, 1979

No. 17 December 13, 1979

THURSDAY I 13 DECEMBER 1979 Published by the University of Pennsylvania English Named Director of University Press The Trustees ofthe University of Pennsyl- vania Press announced Monday the ap- pointment of Maurice English as director of the Press. English has been serving as interim director since October. The new director is a publisher and an author. He served as managing editor and senior editor of the University of Chicago Press from 1961-1969. Coming to Philadel- phia, he became the first director of the Temple University Press, a position he held until 1976. He also founded the Pulvinar Press. English's published writings include two collections of his own poems, Midnight in the Century and Salvaging of Roots, and two plays, The Saints in Illinois and Choosing the God. He also translated the works of another distinguished poet, Select- ed Poems of Eugene Montale. A graduate of Harvard College, English began his career as a journalist, working in Europe and the United States. From 1953- 1957, he was editor and publisher of the Chicago Magazine. He has been a member of the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania Press since 1978 and will continue as trustee as well as director. Trustees Name Presidential Search Members In its last meeting of the calendar year the Kravis, in particular, were expected, given in recent years that the endowment had not trustees executive board last week an- their roles in the Faculty Senate. been effectively managed. nounced that the consultative presidential Miller said that letters will be going out in Neff, a partner in Wellington Manage- search committee had been organized and several weeks to all members of the Universi- ment Company, of Valley Forge, said in a that its work would begin early in January. ty community and to alumni asking that they public statement this week that he has the The committee includes four faculty forward names of potential University "desire, wish, and motivation" to upgrade members, as provided for in the search presidential candidates to the office of the the performance of the endowment fund. guidelines set up by the executive board in secretary of the corporation. The letters will If the trustees okay Neffs appointment October. They are: Fay Ajzenberg-Selove, be signed by Miller. next month, as they likely will, Neff will also professor of physics; Robert Austrian, "What we want to do is prompt everyone then become a trustee and will sit on that professor and chairperson of research to give us their thoughts on the kind of body's executive board. medicine; Paul Bender, professor oflaw and individual they think should be leading this Neff received his B.B.A. degree from the chairperson-elect of the Faculty Senate; and University in the years ahead," Miller said. (continued on page 3) Irving Kravis, professor of economics and a Also at last week's session, the executive former chairperson of the Faculty Senate. board announced that it had approved the Paul Miller, chairperson of the trustees, naming of John Neff, a financial manage- said this week that he was pleased with the ment expert, to head the University's " Associate Provost Benjamin Shen elabo- composition of the committee and that, in investment board. Neff, if approved at the rates on remarks he made at last week's his opinion, there were "no surprises"among full trustees meeting in January, would thus University Council meeting, page 2. the names submitted to him by the faculty take on the responsibility of trying to " University Council members-and council and student contingents. He said that the improve the performance of Pennsylvania's committee members-are listed in For the nominations of Paul Bender and Irving $130 million endowment. It has been argued Record, page 6-9. THE FORUM Academic Planning for the 1980s By Benjamin Shen than some of our straitened peer institutions. a university rife with internecine conflicts. The opportunities are limitless. The only Finally, we should be encouraged by the With a balanced budget and with a fund- requisite is that we be better prepared than fact that the very same efforts we make to see raising campaign soon drawing to a success- others. This will not be easy to doandmay be the University through the hardships of the ful close, the University of Pennsylvania now beyond our grasp, but with our balanced 1980s will also reward us with a definite finds itself, at the threshold ofa new decade, budget and our fund campaign, we already strengthening of our academic programs. in a better financial state than most of its have a headstart. Even though the University as a whole may peer institutions. While this provides a good Planning for the next decade should begin not grow larger in the next decade, it stands a foundation on which to plan for the future, at thedepartment and school level, wherethe good chance of becoming still better. we cannot afford to be for the academic needs and are best complacent, options per- Shen, the Reese W. Flower 1980s will almost be a far more ceived. A few of our 14 schools are already Benjamin certainly Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, difficult decade for us than the 1970s. making comprehensive plans that will be has served as associate provost of the The economic pressures that plagued updated from year to year. The remaining University since September. Thisarticle isan American universities in the 1970s are likely schools expect to do the same. But school extension of his remarks made last week to continue unabated. Energy costs, for one, plans alone are not enough. We also need academic for as a before the budget session of the University will probably riseinexorably. The Common- planning the University A adviser to the U. S. whole, and it is in Council. former wealth subsidy, so vital to our solvency, may University-wide planning Senate Committee, Shen to far behind On that we are weakest and where a dealof Budget currently continue lag inflation. top great chairs a national on the of all this, national trends will work needs to be done. panel federal population University-wide research and development budget for the reduce the number of plans should coordinate and integrate the high-school graduates American Associationfor the Advancement by some 20 percent over the next decade, plans of the individual schools (and other ofScience. especially in the Northeast; and these trends units of the University) and incorporate the will not reverse themselves until the 1990s. concerns and priorities of the University as a Also reduced will be the percentage ofhigh- whole. school graduates who go on to college, Academic planning is a cooperate en- especially in the face ofa shortageofcollege- deavor in which the administration must Mortgages Not Available age youth in the labor force. take the lead and bear the responsibility for All this will translate into reduced tuition final decisions, but it does not have a George W. Pepper, associate treasurer, income. The consensus is that pressures of monopoly on wisdom. Faculty and students has announced that, as a result of high this kind will close some of the weaker should take an active part in academic interest rates, the Philadelphia Saving Fund institutions across the nation and put the planning, for example through the Society will not grant mortgages to faculty major private universities to their severest University-wide Educational Planning and staff under the University's guaranteed academic and fiscal test since the Great Committee. Individual faculty members, in mortgage program until after June 30, 1980. Depression. It may be that a university like particular, should be encouraged to take a "Should rates decrease significantly be- ours will be affected less and later, but we strong interest in the future course of the fore then," said Pepper, "it is possible that will certainly not be spared all of the institution to which they are devoting their this restriction will be cancelled, in which difficulties. Our objective for the next few life's work. The rich talent in planning and case an announcement will be made." years, therefore, should be to make every analysis within the university community possible academic and fiscal preparation in should he utilized whenever possible. anticipation of the obstacles ahead, in the Academic plans should not just follow the hope that the University will go through the lines of least resistance; they should admit 1980s unscathed and invigorated. creative departures from past patterns. The In the coming years we expect to start hard-earned fruits of the current fund- Almanac making fiscally sound academic plans that raising campaign should be utilized to their take into account the favorable and fullest benefit and with the utmost care. Our likely The unfavorable The 1980s will be news magazine of the University of contingencies. needs in the next decade will be so great that Pennsylvania, published weekly in Philadelphia so unpredictable that we should make sure fund-raising efforts can hardly be relaxed throughout the academic year, monthly during June. July. and that everything we do is done by design and even after the current campaign is complet- August not bydefault. No sudden trauma should be ed. Faculty salaries cannot long lag behind Editor CABLE NEUHAUS allowed to us. We need to know in inflation without our Assistant Editor C. ANNE VITULLO surprise seriously affecting Editorial Assistant ELIZABETH ENGL advance what to do in the academic sector if, academic vitality. Nor can tuition be long Work-Study Assistant VIOLETTE PHILLIPS say, our freshman applicant pool should held above inflation without reducing Designers CAROL ROESCH LOMBARDI, 5, if ROBIN RYAN drop by 10, or 20 percent, or our energy Pennsylvania to a university of the rich.

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