Trustee Committees

RoleCommitteesTrusteesGoverning Documents

Committees of the Board of Trustees

Oversight

Exercises all Trustee powers and authority, except actions the Statutes require be taken at a Stated or special meeting, or actions prohibited by law.

Chair: Board Chair (ex officio)

Oversees Board quality and governance — composition, orientation, mentoring, succession planning, self-assessment — and leads Trustee nominations.

Liaison: Vice President and University Secretary

Oversees executive compensation and reviews actual or perceived conflict-of-interest transactions involving Trustees and statutory officers, per the Board's Conflict of Interest Policy.

Liaisons: Executive Vice President, Vice President for Human Resources

 

Operations

Oversees financial stewardship and capital allocation for the University and the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) — budgets, financial planning, debt, and facilities investment — to ensure long-term financial stability.

Liaison: Executive Vice President

Oversees financial statement integrity, independent auditor performance, internal audit/compliance/privacy functions, regulatory compliance, and the University's risk management process.

Liaisons: Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Vice President, Audit, Compliance and Privacy

Provides oversight and strategic guidance on Penn's external standing — communications, brand/reputation, government and community relations, and alumni/donor engagement.

Liaisons: Vice President, Development and Alumni Relations, Vice President, Communications, Vice President, Government and Community Affairs

Mission

Supports Penn's academic mission — student education, pedagogical innovation, and curricular development — to prepare graduates for purposeful leadership.

Liaison: Provost

Advises on Penn's long-range strategic positioning — new markets, learners, and innovation — to expand the University's footprint while reinforcing its core missions.

Liaisons: Provost, Executive Vice President

Advises on Penn's research enterprise — basic and applied research, organizational support models, and commercialization — to maximize innovation and impact.

Liaisons: Provost, Executive Vice President

Boards and committees with authority delegated by the Trustees

Delegated Boards

Integrated governance structure overseeing Penn Medicine's academic, research, and clinical operations (Perelman School of Medicine and UPHS); ultimate fiduciary authority rests with the University Trustees. More information can be found here. Membership not limited to voting Trustees. 

Liaison: Executive Vice President of the University for the Health System and Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine

Has sole responsibility for managing and overseeing the University's investment assets (AIF and ERISA Trusts), setting investment strategy and asset allocation, with execution delegated to and monitored at the Office of Investments. Membership not limited to voting Trustees.

Liaison: Chief Investment Officer

Delegated Committees

High-level volunteer leadership group advancing enterprise-wide fundraising strategy and alumni/donor engagement, in partnership with DAR leadership and select Trustees. Membership not limited to voting Trustees.

Liaison: Vice President, Development and Alumni Relations

Reviews nominations and recommends the annual honorary degree slate to the President, at the President's behest. Membership not limited to voting Trustees.

Liaison: Vice President and University Secretary

Alumni Boards

The Penn Alumni Board supports and provides counsel on alumni engagement programming and fosters the relationship between Penn and its global alumni community of hundreds of thousands across the United States and the world.

Liaison: Vice President, Development and Alumni Relations

Address
Office of the University Secretary 
1 College Hall, Room 211
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6303

Phone
Phone (215) 898-7005
Fax (215) 898-0103

Contact Us
Office of the University Secretary

Location
Campus Map