President's Center

The mission of the President's Center is to support the President, the trustees, and the officers of the University; to assist the faculty, students, and staff in their teaching, research, and service activities; and to advance excellence at Penn. In addition to the President's Office, the President's Center includes the following units:

A class of students seated beneath flowering cherry trees discussing academic course work.

Office of the President

The Office of the President provides administrative leadership and support for President Gutmann's initiatives. The Office aids in policy development and also plans and executes activities and events that support the Penn Compact which was first articulated by President Gutmann at her inauguration in 2004. Members of the staff represent her on a variety of University committees; advise her on policy matters; serve as liaisons between President Gutmann and members of the University community; and assist students, parents, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, members of the community, and others.

Amy Gutmann
President
1 College Hall, Rm 100/6380
215-898-7221
presweb@pobox.upenn.edu

Gregory S. Rost
Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff
1 College Hall, Rm 100/6380
215-573-9163
gregrost@upenn.edu

Joann Mitchell
Senior Vice President for Institutional Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer
1 College Hall, Rm 100/6380
215-573-9162
joannm@upenn.edu

African-American Resource Center

The African-American Resource Center seeks to enhance the quality of life for African-American administrators, faculty, staff and students. The staff works to create a teaching and learning community that is harmonious and diverse. The services of AARC include information and referral, workshops, consultation, support groups, counseling, problem-solving, assistance with workplace concerns, advocacy, and co-sponsorship of events to promote dialogue on race and diversity issues.

Valerie Dorsey Allen
Director
3643 Locust Walk/3199
215.898.0104
aarc@pobox.upenn.edu

Almanac

Almanac is Penn's journal of record, opinion, and news and has been published weekly during the academic year since 1971. Almanac publishes proposals; responses; policies and procedures; advance notices; agendas and summaries of meetings of governance bodies; notices that advise faculty and staff of their rights and benefits; and weekly and annual crime reports. Almanac also provides the University community with a forum for open expression, through its "Speaking Out" column.

Marguerite F. Miller
Editor
215.898.5274
Fax: 215.898.9137
millerm@upenn.edu

Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs

The Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs provides central leadership and support for the University's efforts to achieve an educational and work environment that is diverse in race, ethnicity, interests, abilities, and perspectives. The Office will ensure the implementation of equal opportunity, affirmative action, and non-discrimination policies through education, training and active partnership with others on campus and the broader Philadelphia community.

Sam Starks
Executive Director
Suite 421, Franklin Building
3451 Walnut Street/6205
215.898.6993 (Voice)
215.898.7803 (TDD)
oaaeop@pobox.upenn.edu

Office of General Counsel

The Office of the General Counsel represents the University as a corporate entity in legal matters. The Office handles all legal matters generated by the activities of the University, including its schools, departments, operating units and subsidiaries, and by initiating action to forestall problems and manage risks. All matters requiring legal action are to be referred to the Office of the General Counsel.

Wendy White
Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the University of Pennsylvania and University of Pennsylvania Health System
Suite 400, 2929 Walnut St./5099
215.746.5200
wendy.white@ogc.upenn.edu

Office of Institutional Research & Analysis

The Office of Institutional Research & Analysis (IR&A) provides statistical analyses integral to the University's strategic planning process. IR&A serves the executive administration, as well as the broader University community, through the provision of data and information about Penn and its peer institutions. IR&A also responds to information requests from a wide variety of external constituents, coordinates the submission of reports to external agencies and accrediting bodies, and participates in several higher education consortia on behalf of the University.

Stacey Lopez
Assistant Vice President
3401 Walnut Street, 352B/6106
215.573.5836
215.573.5839 (Fax)
IRAmail@pobox.upenn.edu

Office of Government and Community Affairs

The Office of Government and Community Affairs coordinates activities related to the University's interactions with its surrounding communities, the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the federal government. Such interactions include political, regulatory, and external funding issues affecting Penn as a leading research university and a key player in the greater Philadelphia area. The Office includes Community Relations, the Center for Community Partnerships, City and Commonwealth Relations, and Federal Relations.

Jeffrey Cooper
Vice President
3901 Walnut St., Suite 400/3682
215.898.1388
jeffcoop@upenn.edu

Office of Ombuds

The idea of an "ombudsman," defined as a person for all people, originated in Sweden in the 19th century. Penn's Office of the Ombuds was established in 1971 to assist individuals in finding solutions to problems they might not have been able to resolve through traditional channels. The Ombuds acts as a sounding board for concerns from members of the Penn community and as an impartial mediator of conflicts. The Office is accessible to all members of the University community with the exception of unionized workers and employees of the University's Health System.

113 Duhring/6273
215.898.8261

Jennifer Pinto-Martin
Ombuds
ombuds@pobox.upenn.edu

Marcia Martinez-Helfman
Associate Ombuds
ombuds@pobox.upenn.edu

Office of Social Equity & Community

The Office of Social Equity & Community is committed to leading programs and initiatives that promote and support communication, collaboration, research, and innovative programming within the Penn community that deepen awareness and help to advance the University’s mission of fostering social equity, diversity, and inclusion. Additionally, the Office focuses especially on bringing diverse groups of students, faculty, and staff together to build out and support the University’s culture of inclusive understanding and social impact while also working to help overcome historical and structural barriers to advancing that mission.

Rev. Charles (Chaz) Lattimore Howard
University Chaplain and Vice President
3417 Spruce St/4298
secinfo@sec.upenn.edu

Office of University Secretary

The Office of the University Secretary supports the University's governing bodies in furtherance of the long-term strategic interests of the University. The Office ensures the continuity of strong volunteer leadership of the University, manages Trustee Affairs, Boards of Advisors, and University Council. The office oversees key ceremonial programs including Commencement, Convocation, inaugurations, and the selection process for honorary degree recipients. The Office also issues diplomas, maintains custody of the University seal, and authorizes the use of Penn's name, trademarks and insignia.

Medha Narvekar
Vice President and University Secretary
1 College Hall, Rm 211/6303
215.898.7005
narvekar@upenn.edu

Office of University Communications

The mission of University Communications is to expand and enhance Penn's visibility in international, national and local news media, social media and other internet-based sites with the ultimate goal of promoting and protecting Penn’s reputation and standing. The office achieves this by highlighting the accomplishments of the University's faculty, staff, and students to myriad audiences across multiple platforms, while promoting and reinforcing Penn's reputation as a national research university of the first rank, and as a place where scholars are actively engaged in applying theory to real-world problems. The office also works to provide quick and effective responses in crisis situations involving the University and those affiliated with it.

The Office oversees the central Penn website; the Penn Today website; Penn’s social media sites on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, Flickr and Instagram; produces the electronic newswires Penn Today, Penn News Weekly and Penn News for Parents; and the development of other specialty publications such as Research at Penn. The office also has responsibility for WXPN, the non-commercial public radio service of the University of Pennsylvania.

Stephen MacCarthy
Vice President
3901 Walnut St., Suite 200/3682
215.898.8722
smaccar@upenn.edu

WXPN

88.5 WXPN is the non-commercial public radio service of the University of Pennsylvania, and the premier public radio showcase for new music by the foremost recording artists, singers and songwriters of the era. WXPN's signature program, World Café, is distributed on behalf of WXPN by Public Radio International to more than 150 public radio stations nationwide. It serves as a microcosm of the station's programming culture, featuring a rich eclectic blend of contemporary rock, folk, alternative country, rhythm and blues, world beat, and jazz.

Roger Lamay
General Manager
3025 Walnut Street/3402
215.898.6677
rlamay@xpnonline.net