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Penn’s next move | Morning Newsletter

🐕 And pampering pets for the holidays

J. Larry Jameson, head of the University of Pennsylvania's hospital system and Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine attends a news conference at the University of Pennsylvania Oct. 2, 2023, after Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman were named winners of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
J. Larry Jameson, head of the University of Pennsylvania's hospital system and Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine attends a news conference at the University of Pennsylvania Oct. 2, 2023, after Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman were named winners of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    The Morning Newsletter

    Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

Happy Thursday. Wear layers today, the high will be in the low 40s.

It’s been a hectic and contentious few months for the University of Pennsylvania. It seems to have come to a head with president Liz Magill’s resignation last week.

Longtime medical school dean J. Larry Jameson is in place as the University of Pennsylvania’s interim president but the focus will soon pivot to finding a permanent replacement.

Our lead story explains what’s next.

— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Penn needs to find a new leader.

But when that process begins is anyone’s guess as the Ivy League university is still reeling from the Saturday resignations of both president Liz Magill and board chair Scott L. Bok.

What’s probable: If Penn conducts a national search, which usually takes a minimum of nine months, it’s highly likely Jameson would be in the role through 2024 and quite possibly even through the whole next academic year.

But first, the board of trustees likely would choose a new chair. The university has said that a recommendation for a permanent board chair is expected to be made to the board’s executive committee before the start of the spring semester in January.

Read on to learn more about what finding a new president entails.

What you should know today

  1. SEPTA transit police walked off the job Wednesday and are on strike after a final round of contract talks with SEPTA failed to produce an agreement.

  2. Most Philly politicians didn’t have much to say about Liz Magill’s resignation or University of Pennsylvania’s future.

  3. How Gov. Josh Shapiro’s condemnation of Liz Magill raised his national profile.

  4. Janitors for commercial office buildings in suburban Philadelphia and Delaware secured a new four-year contract on Saturday.

  5. A body found in a Harrowgate warehouse on Monday has been identified as 34-year-old Gino Hagenkotter, who escaped from a Philadelphia prison last month, police said Tuesday.

  6. If you’re anxious about money, financial therapy might be an option for you. We spoke to a local financial therapist on how it works and how it can help those who are struggling.

  7. A new report from Consumer Affairs, the national consumer research and advocacy platform, says Philadelphia has the nation’s highest grocery price hikes.

Everyone should get a gift for the holiday season, and that includes your pets.

Nearly 90% of U.S. pet parents spend more than usual on their furry friends during the holiday season, with 70% buying their pets gifts, according to a recent survey from personal finance company SoFi. This comes as overall pet spending has increased in recent years, fueled in part by a pandemic spike in animal ownership.

Personally, I’m thinking of getting my cat Poppy a new scratch post but that’s nothing compared to these other pet owners.

Meet the pet parents who shower their fur babies during the holidays with overnight hotel stays, custom photo shoots, and $100 or more in gifts.

🧠 Trivia time

Which player currently has the top-selling NFL jersey in the U.K?

A) Travis Kelce

B) Jason Kelce

C) Jalen Hurts

D) None of the above

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re...

✏️ Explaining: The breakdown on Marc Rowan, the billionaire Wharton graduate who led the campaign to pressure Penn’s leaders to resign.

🎄Listening to: The best of this year’s new Christmas music.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: 🍕

NOD THROWN

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to David L. Koller, who correctly guessed Wednesday’s answer: Jordan Mailata.

Photo of the day

Thanks for starting your morning with The Inquirer. 👋🏽