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CAPS Funding Increase Revealed to Be April Fools' Joke

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Photo by Megan Jones / The Daily Pennsylvanian

President Amy Gutmann announced Monday that the funding increase for Counseling and Psychological Services was in fact the administration’s April Fools’ Day prank this year.

In an email to the entire university, Gutmann revealed that the widely-praised funding increase was a hoax, while making fun of Penn students’ gullibility.

“You suckers had no freakin’ clue we were messing with you,” she wrote in her email. “Honestly, I thought you guys were smart, but after believing that BS I’m really not so sure anymore.”

The prank was generally well-received across campus.

“Yeah, that was actually hilarious, telling us they cared about mental health,” said Wharton sophomore Allison Rutherford. “I legitimately thought I was going to get proper treatment. When I realized they were lying, and CAPS will only allow my condition to worsen, I burst out laughing. That’s a top-tier prank.”

CAPS director William Alexander said that while he was caught off guard by the announcement that CAPS would not receive additional funding, he did see the humor in it.

“I was kind of excited to hire new staff and provide more resources to treat Penn students,” he said. “But yeah, that was totally unrealistic.”

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