April 11, 2013
Board of Governors names Kenneth M. Jarin Chairman Emeritus
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
Harrisburg – The Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE)
today conferred the status of Chairman Emeritus upon Kenneth M. Jarin, who served
as Board chair from July 2005 to June 2011.
The Board also named former Board member C.R. “Chuck” Pennoni Governor Emeritus. Pennoni
served on the Board for nearly a decade before resigning in December 2012.
“Ken Jarin and Chuck Pennoni contributed enormously to the success of PASSHE and our
universities during their tenures on the Board of Governors,” said Board Chairman
Guido M. Pichini. “Both are true leaders who always put the best interests of students
first. They are well deserving of this honor.”
Emeritus status can be granted by the Board of Governors on individuals who, while
on the Board, displayed “an exemplary record of service through demonstrated commitments
of time, talent and resources” and “documented leadership in advancing the mission
of the State System of Higher Education in its service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”
A partner in the law firm Ballard Spahr, which has offices in 13 cities in the United
States, including Philadelphia, Mr. Jarin of Newtown was appointed to the Board of
Governors in April 2005 by then-Gov. Edward G. Rendell. He was elected Board chairman
in July 2005 and was re-elected by his fellow Board members to five additional one-year
terms.
During Mr. Jarin’s tenure as chair, the Board hired five university presidents, as
well as former Chancellor Dr. John C. Cavanaugh. PASSHE also became one of the first
public university systems in the United States to participate in the Voluntary System
of Accountability, a national program designed to provide the public – especially
prospective students and their families – detailed information about the universities
and how they operate, and adopted major revisions to its nationally recognized performance
funding program to place a greater emphasis on student advancement and success.
PASSHE universities also introduced their first Professional Science Master’s programs
and the State System set its all-time enrollment record during the time Mr. Jarin
served as Board chair. The universities maintained their status as the lowest-cost
four-year universities in the Commonwealth while increasing significantly the number
of academic programs accredited by professional organizations nationally.
Mr. Pennoni of Bryn Mawr is chairman of the board of Pennoni Associates Inc. of Philadelphia,
a firm he founded in 1966, and served as interim president of Drexel University. He
was appointed to the Board of Governors in 2003, also by Gov. Rendell, and served
several terms as Board vice chair.
As chair of the Board’s Finance, Administration and Facilities Committee, Mr. Pennoni was instrumental in the development of several key initiatives involving practices such as strategic sourcing and collaborative purchasing, which resulted in significant cost savings for the entire State System, including all of the universities. His knowledge, experience and expertise strengthened PASSHE’s investment management policies to help ensure the greatest possible return, especially during the nation’s historic economic downtown.
As chair of the Board’s Finance, Administration and Facilities Committee, Mr. Pennoni was instrumental in the development of several key initiatives involving practices such as strategic sourcing and collaborative purchasing, which resulted in significant cost savings for the entire State System, including all of the universities. His knowledge, experience and expertise strengthened PASSHE’s investment management policies to help ensure the greatest possible return, especially during the nation’s historic economic downtown.
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher
education in the Commonwealth, with about 115,000 students. The 14 PASSHE universities
offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. About 500,000
PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.
The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg,
Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery
Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. PASSHE also operates branch campuses
in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including
the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and the Philadelphia Multi University Center
in Philadelphia.