The Penn Compact is our vision to propel the University of Pennsylvania from excellence to eminence in all our core endeavors of teaching, research, and service. Three principles inform the Penn Compact: increasing access, integrating knowledge, and engaging locally and globally. Since 2004, when I was privileged to become Penn's eighth president, Penn’s teamwork and innovations in these areas have propelled the University's growth and served as examples to institutions all over the world.

Penn is alive with intellectual and physical change and possiblility. Our Penn Compact has created a significant impact and I invite you to share in the achievements of the last four years by downloading the Impact of the Penn Compact brochure.

Increasing Access:

We must make an excellent Penn education available to all outstanding students of talent and high potential who can benefit from and contribute to our University. In a democracy and at great universities, diversity and excellence go together. To keep them together, we must significantly boost scholarship aid to make Penn even more affordable to exceptional students from all backgrounds.

Integrating Knowledge:

The most challenging questions and problems of our time cannot be addressed by one discipline or profession. To comprehend our complex world, we must better integrate knowledge from different disciplines and professional perspectives in our research and teaching. Beginning with the recruitment of eminent scholars who will hold joint appointments in two schools and departments, Penn will achieve a truly successful partnership between arts and sciences and our professional schools that will benefit our students, our society, and our world.

Engaging Locally and Globally:

Through our collaborative engagement with communities all over the world, Penn is poised to advance the central values of democracy: life, liberty, opportunity, and mutual respect. As we prepare to expand Penn's campus to the east, we strengthen our ties with our neighbors and help drive economic and technological development throughout the City and Commonwealth. At the same time, we will share the fruits of our integrated knowledge wherever there is an opportunity for our students, faculty, and alumni to serve and to learn.

I invite every member of our extended Penn family and friends to unite behind the Penn Compact and contribute to our bold vision for moving our great University forward.