For its second annual symposium, the University Faculty Senate has chosen to focus on globalism— and to resurrect an important day in the University’s calendar. Until a decade ago, Jan. 17, otherwise known as Ben Franklin’s birthday, was celebrated on campus as Founders Day. A severe snowstorm canceled the event 10 years ago, and since then the date has gone by unnoticed.

The symposium, intended to revive the tradition of Founders Day, will actually take place the afternoon of Jan. 19 and will focus on “Changing the World? Penn Confronts Global Challenges.” Provost Ron Daniels will act as moderator and Faculty Senate Past-Chair and Nursing Professor Neville Strumpf anticipates “a robust discussion and debate ...on what globalism is and what can universities broadly do with regard to global agenda.”

On the panel will be English Professor Amy Kaplan; Kathleen Hall, an associate professor in the Graduate School of Education; Harvey Friedman, chief of Penn’s Division of Infectious Diseases; Nursing and Sociology Professor Linda Aiken; Devesh Kapur, associate professor of Political Science; Michael Useem, a management professor at Wharton; and John Jackson, associate professor of communications and anthropology.

The symposium will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Huntsman Hall Colloquium Room, with an elegant reception to follow.

For more information, go to www.upenn.edu/faculty_senate/ announcements.html.