Biography of Wendell Pritchett
Wendell E. Pritchett, a noted scholar in urban history and policy and an experienced government and university administrator, began his appointment as chancellor of Rutgers University–Camden on June 30, 2009.

Dr. Pritchett serves as chief executive officer of Rutgers–Camden, reporting directly to the Rutgers president. As a key member of the university’s leadership team as well as the principal spokesperson for the campus and the university in the region, he oversees approximately 1,000 employees and an annual budget of more than $50 million.

He is responsible for the daily administration of an institution that enrolls 6,100 students in 34 undergraduate programs and 17 graduate programs at the master’s and Ph.D. levels. In his role, Dr. Pritchett collaborates with organizations to promote the revitalization of Camden and advance the economic, social, and cultural development of southern New Jersey and the Delaware Valley.

Dr. Pritchett brings keen perspective on how Rutgers–Camden can become a critical partner in the advancement of the region. Among his academic initiatives, he will work toward advancing Rutgers’ commitment to civic engagement in ways that will help students to sharpen their skills while working with professors on programs that benefit Camden and the region.

Personal and Professional Background
Previous to his position as chancellor, Dr. Pritchett taught at the University of Pennsylvania law school from 2001-09. As associate dean at Penn Law during 2006-08, he focused on faculty development and improving the quality of experience for students.

At Penn, Dr. Pritchett was also a member of the faculty of the graduate programs of the School of Design and the history department in the School of Arts and Sciences, and he has led or participated in many university-wide initiatives. He is a founding member of the Penn Institute for Urban Research; was one of the principal investigators on a major federally funded project to examine racial disparities in the treatment of prostate cancer; and served for three years on the Provost’s Planning and Budget Committee, the primary advisory group to Penn’s chief academic officer.

During 2008, Dr. Pritchett served as deputy chief of staff and director of policy for Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. Among other initiatives, he was responsible for writing the city’s Five-Year Plan and Budget, reorganizing the city’s anti-poverty programs, and supervising the operations of the mayor’s office.

Previously, he had spent five years as assistant professor of history at Baruch College of the City University of New York. Earlier in his career, Dr. Pritchett served as director of district offices for Congressman Thomas M. Foglietta (D-PA) and as an attorney representing non-profit organizations in the development of affordable housing.

Dr. Pritchett, 46, resides in the University City section of Philadelphia with his wife, Anne Kringel, senior lecturer and legal writing director at the University of Pennsylvania law school, and their two children.

He received his B.A. from Brown University in 1986, his J.D. from Yale Law School in 1991, and his Ph.D. in history from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997.

Community Involvement
Over the past 15 years, Dr. Pritchett has held leadership positions in numerous non-profit organizations. He was board chair of Community Legal Services of Philadelphia during 2005-08 and helped expand the organization from an annual budget of $6 million to more than $10 million.

Through several positions as an attorney, as well as his current roles as president of the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation, vice chair of the Redevelopment Authority of Philadelphia, and member of the Pennsylvania State Planning Board, he has used his extensive experience in policy analysis and development to promote economic opportunity in the Philadelphia region. He is a member of the CEO Council for Growth initiative of Select Greater Philadelphia and co-chair of the World Class Greater Philadelphia initiative of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia. He also serves on the board of directors of the United Way of Camden County.

During 2007, Dr. Pritchett chaired the Urban Policy Task Force for U.S. Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

Publications
Dr. Pritchett has written two books and numerous articles on urban history and policy, particularly in the areas of housing, race relations, land use, and economic development. His first book, Brownsville, Brooklyn: Blacks, Jews, and the Changing Face of the Ghetto (University of Chicago Press, 2002), explores race relations and public policy in 20th century Brooklyn.

His most recent book, Robert Clifton Weaver and the American City: The Life and Times of an Urban Reformer (University of Chicago Press, 2008), is a biography of the first African American cabinet secretary, a leading thinker and practitioner of 20th century urban development.