Penn appoints Mitchell as new vice president

University Vice Provost for Administration Joann Mitchell will serve as the next vice president and chief of staff for the University of Pennsylvania, officials there announced Thursday. She follows University Provost Amy Gutmann to the Philadelphia institution which Gutmann was tapped to lead as president this fall.

Beginning on July 1, when her appointment takes effect, Mitchell will report directly to Gutmann, help direct several offices in the president's center and serve as the president's spokesperson for important issues.

Before coming to the University in 1993, Mitchell was director for affirmative action at Penn for seven years.

Lori Doyle, Penn's vice president for communications, said Mitchell described her decision to leave as "bittersweet." After taking two weeks to weigh her options, she finally decided to take the position at Penn.

Mitchell said that while at the University she has had many opportunities to grow personally and make many friends, the move is a "really exciting and terrific opportunity," and she will "get to work with someone that I really like and admire."

According to Doyle, the decision to bring Mitchell to Penn was entirely Gutmann's.

Since the role of vice president and chief of staff is so closely tied to that of the president, these nominations are made exclusively by the president.

"I'm extremely torn," President Tilghman said of Mitchell's decision to leave the University. "I'm very sad that we're losing her to Penn. She's been an absolutely invaluable colleague to all of us in Nassau Hall for many years. We'll miss her enormously."

On the other hand, she added, "I'm very proud of her. I'm thrilled that she has this new challenge in front of her and I know she'll enjoy working with Amy Gutmann a great deal."

The search for Mitchell's replacement will begin immediately, Tilghman said. Since she only found out about the upcoming vacancy yesterday morning, she said it is too soon to speculate on a possible successor. However, she said the University would conisder candidate both inside and outside the University community.

Tilghman said the University community should be proud that other universities routinely select Princetonians as their leaders; however, she added that she hoped Gutmann wouldn't tap any additional community members, creating further vacancies to fill.

Despite the staffing changes in the provost's office, Tilghman does not expect any trouble when both Gutmann and Mitchell leave this summer.

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Provost designate Christopher Eisgruber '83 has already been sitting in on meetings and working closely with Gutmann in preparation for his future responsibilities, she said.

Nobody at Penn will be displaced by Mitchell's arrival because the position she is taking has already been vacant for some time. Pedro Ramos, the previous vice president and chief of staff, left Penn in January to become solicitor general for Philadelphia.

Mitchell came to the University as an associate provost and affirmative action officer 11 years ago. She held that post for eight years, after which she was promoted to her current position as vice provost for administration.