By SHANNON O. WELLS
Spring brings many predictable yet welcome things. From an academic and Pitt-centric standpoint, among those is the chancellor’s opportunity to make the case before the Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee for funding to support an in-state tuition discount for Commonwealth residents.
Chancellor Joan Gabel shared the significance of the annual ritual during her report to Senate Council at its March 26 meeting held in Posvar Hall.
“I recently testified before the Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee earlier this month in support of our annual appropriations request from the commonwealth,” she said, calling the in-state discount a “big part of our partnership with the commonwealth.”
“This is also the first full year that we have the Performance-Based Funding Council in place,” she added. “So, for the first time we were actively advocating for our base funding into just general operations and then also performance-based funding.”
Pitt’s Chief Financial Officer Dwayne Pinkney and his counterparts from the Penn State and Temple partnered with lawmakers and others to develop the funding formula.
“We don’t have any indication yet what is likely to be the outcome,” Gabel noted, “but we are eagerly hoping for good news from Harrisburg.”
In other news, Gabel said she was in Los Angeles and San Francisco earlier in March taking part in events with the Alumni Association and Pitt’s fundraising entities as a buildup for the public phase of the comprehensive fundraising campaign planned for this fall.
The events were “a nice way for us to bring our communities together,” she said. “I hope you are as happy as I am to hear that the two events together had over 600 people in attendance, which was great. … It very nice to see that far away, that everyone still feels very connected to the University.”
‘Iconic’ commencement
Gabel said it’s “amazing to say we’re actively getting ready” for spring commencement. “We look forward to celebrating our graduates” at the university-wide ceremony on 3:30 p.m. May 3, at 3:30 p.m., at Acrisure Stadium on Pittsburgh’s North Shore.
The commencement speaker is Pitt Chancellor Emeritus Mark Nordenberg, who will retire at the end of the year. She noted that Nordenberg has served the University in various capacities for nearly five decades. “He’s iconic … I think is a way to capture all of his contributions.”
Moving on to share faculty and staff accolades, Gabel offered “shout-outs” to Susan Orr, director of communications and media at Pitt’s School of Computing and Information, who was named the 2026 Pearl of Hope award recipient by Sojourner House and Sojourner House Moms.
Other shout-outs went to Pitt volleyball team member Olivia Babcock, who was named a finalist for the AAU Sullivan Award, which honors the most outstanding collegiate, Olympic, or similarly elite athlete in the U.S.
Also, Mike Holland, senior vice chancellor for science policy and research strategies, was elected chair of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology.
President’s report
Senate Council President Kris Kanthak relayed some “bittersweet” Senate Council leadership news. Vice President Julia Meade, “who has become a dear friend and valued colleague of our year of service together,” is leaving the University.
“This is bad news for us, but wonderful news for the children of West Virginia, who are getting a kind, caring, level-headed doctor,” Kanthak said.
John Stoner, faculty member in the Department of History, has agreed to serve the remainder of Mead’s term as Senate vice president. “As you know, John is a committed, hardworking, longstanding friend of the Senate who is currently serving as co-chair of Educational Policies (committee).”
Barring an objection, Kanthak said Stoner would assume the new role on May 5.
“Thanks to Julia for her service, and to John for his continued service,” she said.
Kanthak also related news from Senate committees:
The Governmental Relations Committee had a “cordial and productive meeting” with U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-16th District, which includes Butler County) on March 23.
Kanthak praised the Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination Advocacy Committee for its “hard work in a variety of areas, including on the Lactation and Pregnancy Accommodation Task Force and creation of a new “Interruption of Curricular Equilibrium” ICE Training.
The Senate Bylaws Committee is working through the grievance policies and other policy changes related to collective bargaining agreements for represented faculty and the effects of the CBAs on unrepresented faculty.
Senate Research is examining the Academic Visitors Policy (see related story) as well as changes in training requirements and NIH funding policies.
Staff Council report
Sarah McMullen, project management office director in University Communications and Marketing, delivered the monthly Staff Council report.
She started by extending a “sincere thanks in gratitude” to Chancellor Gabel, Provost Joe McCarthy, Chief Financial Officer Dwayne Pinkney and James Gallaher, vice chancellor for Human Resources, for a March 17 meeting. McMullen described it as a “great and robust discussion” about shared governance.
“We’re thankful for that open dialogue and for being with you all at least a couple times of year with your very busy schedules,” she said.
McMullen also highlighted the new administrative AI Community of Practice for staff who are interested in learning together. Open to all staff, the community provides opportunities to network with peers and “create a space for conversation across departments and responsibility centers around the use of artificial intelligence, practical knowledge-sharing, tips, templates and lessons learned. And … create a community that grows with us as technology and our needs evolve.”
On behalf of Staff Council, McMullen thanked Victoria Lancaster, assistant vice chancellor for operational excellence in the Office of the Executive Senior Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations, for spearheading the effort, “and including staff as an innovative and influential member in the AI space.”
McMullen recognized and thanked the Staff Council Operations Committee for its initiative to organize coffee and doughnuts for the Pitt Grounds crew on March 5. She called it a “thank you from the entire campus community for the hard work they do, especially (during) recent snow events (and) really going above and beyond to make sure the campus is safe.”
On March 16, Staff Council rolled out a new way to recognize and celebrate accomplishments of Pitt’s staff, including professional achievements, service and leadership. Forms to report individual and group activity accomplishments outside the workplace can be submitted on the Staff Council website.
Submissions are shared with the Office of the Chancellor and the publications Pittwire and the University Times. “Staff Council, obviously, will share your kudos as well. We’re starting to see them roll in,” she said.
In upcoming events, McMullen said Pitt Day at Kennywood will take place on June 27, and the next Staff Council general meeting will be April 15. “Everyone is welcome to attend any of our events.”
Shannon O. Wells is a writer for the University Times. Reach him at shannonw@pitt.edu.
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