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Editorial | Philadelphia needs a Department of Labor. Vote ‘yes’ on June 2.

(05/31/20 4:02pm)

If there is anything to be learned from this time of rampant unemployment and violent protests, it is that our lives are fragile and our institutions are fallible. The pandemic and police brutality against Black Americans highlights the need for policy that outlives political cycles — policy that has staying power even as the world becomes a world that we do not know. Furthermore, the global crisis has emphasized that our society relies deeply on the strength of its workers, and that the laws that protect them in return often fall short of their sacrifice. 

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/05/office-department-of-labor-philadelphia-kenney-primary-election

Editorial | Penn must provide on-campus housing for low-income students in the fall

(05/26/20 6:00pm)

University administrators released an email last week outlining four contingency plans for the fall semester, ranging from some in-person classes to a fully digital approach. The email stated that among other policies, the University is evaluating a plan to house fewer students in the College House system.

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/05/coronavirus-guarantee-on-campus-housing-penn-college

Editorial | Penn should introduce a preventative mental health care model

(05/19/20 9:07pm)

The novel coronavirus pandemic has taken an enormous toll on communities worldwide, both physically and mentally. While people are told to practice social distancing and celebrate events together yet apart, many are suffering from newfound or worsening mental health issues as a result. Penn's student population is far from immune to these conditions — nearly one in five college students have reported significant declines in their mental health as the pandemic progresses. The isolation experienced by many students of all backgrounds can lead to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and many other challenges. 

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/05/proactive-mental-health-caps-coronavirus-penn

Editorial | Completing Penn’s COVID-19 survey can create change on campus

(05/06/20 3:55am)

Penn’s administration often champions our campus’s diversity — students who come to Penn each have unique experiences and identities. This said, amid the current COVID-19 pandemic, different students are experiencing the pandemic in extremely different ways. Students have galvanized their voices throughout the online semester to ensure that Penn’s administration hears their point of view, successfully demanding a delayed in-person commencement for the Class of 2020, an extended pass/fail deadline, and payment for Penn’s contracted dining workers who were laid off from Bon Appétit Management Company. 

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/05/covid-pulse-survey-coronavirus-penn

Editorial | Penn should drop its standardized test requirement for next year’s applicants

(04/25/20 1:49am)

This past Wednesday, Cornell University announced that it will not be requiring prospective students to submit SAT or ACT scores in the 2020-2021 admissions cycle. While Cornell is the first Ivy League institution to introduce a test-optional policy, it follows recent decisions made by other universities in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic. In response to canceled tests, the University of California system, Case Western Reserve University, and others have announced they will not be requiring standardized test scores for next year’s applicants. 

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/04/sat-act-admissions-penn-standardized-test

Editorial | Summer classes give students a sense of purpose. Penn should cut their cost.

(04/17/20 1:41am)

Penn has recently canceled on-campus summer courses, shifting all coursework to a remote format amid the coronavirus outbreak. The University states that, despite this change, there will be no reduction in the cost of summer learning. The announcement, from an email to the entire Penn community, also detailed a tighter budget for the 2021 fiscal year, including a university-wide hiring freeze, restrictions on overtime work, and limited merit-based salary increases or mid-year salary adjustments. While tuition for summer session courses varies based on school, prices range from $4,564 to $7,092 per credit unit, plus an additional general fee. 

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/04/lower-summer-tuition-cost-corona-editorial

Editorial | With Quaker Days canceled, here are 10 things to consider about Penn.

(04/08/20 2:47am)

Penn is usually buzzing right now with admitted students decorated with lanyards, exploring campus. For many regular decision admits, visiting campus is influential in their choice of college. Due to the unprecedented effects of COVID-19, Quaker Days has been canceled.  Despite this, unlike many other universities, Penn has not pushed back the May 1 deadline to accept its offer of admission. While Penn is offering online materials and a virtual tour to the prospective Class of 2024, it is likely that many students will make their choice without a clear sense of what Penn is like. Here are ten points admitted students should consider before deciding whether to join us.

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/04/advice-prospective-students-quaker-days-2024-editorial

Editorial | Moving to online learning isn't easy. Here are 10 professors doing it right.

(03/27/20 6:00pm)

In this time of uncertainty and stress, schoolwork cannot be the first priority for many students or faculty. Penn has already allowed students to mark some or all of their classes as pass/fail if they so choose before April 13. Additional changes supported by some students include easing requirements for assignments and exams, extending deadlines, and finding creative ways to accommodate entire classes in virtual classrooms. Many faculty members have already instituted such policies. Here are 10 of our favorites. 

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/03/professors-move-online-learning-coronavirus-editorial

Editorial | Opt-in is not enough. We need universal pass/fail.

(03/22/20 10:53pm)

Provost Wendell Pritchett announced Friday that Penn is adopting a new grading policy which allows undergraduates to opt in to take any course pass/fail, including ones that fulfill major and general education requirements, without counting towards the total number of pass/fail courses a student may take over four years. While these changes are a positive step, they do not go far enough. In light of an unprecedented disruption to daily life and student coursework due to the coronavirus, Penn must switch immediately to a universal pass/fail policy. 

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/03/coronavirus-pass-fail-mandatory-class-penn-editorial

Editorial | Penn has a moral responsibility to compensate its contracted workers

(03/20/20 1:46am)

In the midst of a global pandemic, approximately 140 dining hall workers from Penn will be laid off starting March 31. The affected staff members are employed by Bon Appétit Management Company, Penn’s dining services provider. The decision to lay off workers was made by Compass Group, Bon Appétit’s parent company. After learning about Compass Group’s plans, the Student Labor Action Project started a petition for the workers to not lose their jobs that currently has approximately 5,300 signatures. College senior and SLAP member Erik Vargas also said SLAP plans to create a GoFundMe page for the laid off workers.

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/03/compensate-dining-hall-staff-coronavirus-editorial

Editorial | Penn's communication around off-campus housing ignores student autonomy

(03/16/20 9:46pm)

Penn students have been navigating a global pandemic over the course of the past few days, fighting for their safety with unclear guidelines from the University that have left students frustrated and afraid. While it is unreasonable to expect Penn to have all of the answers during an international crisis, administrators’ methods of pushing students off campus have been unacceptable. 

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/03/coronavirus-off-campus-housing-penn-editorial

Editorial | As coronavirus pushes classes online, let’s change Penn’s competitive culture

(03/14/20 1:15am)

While Penn’s response to the coronavirus outbreak lacked haste and clear details in execution, the time the administration took certainly shows an effort to make the most careful decisions. Amid other Ivy League institutions enacting many of the same precautions, and small to large scale shutdowns across the world, Penn’s decision should be taken seriously. 

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/03/editorial-coronavirus-rethink-work-selfcare

Editorial | As Ivies cave to coronavirus fear, Penn must announce its next steps

(03/10/20 10:07pm)

The coronavirus outbreak has hit Philadelphia. Peer institutions have moved to remote classes, but Penn has not announced whether courses will continue to meet in-person after spring break. Penn students, particularly those who hail from other countries or low-income backgrounds, deserve answers about how this will affect University life. 

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/03/coronavirus-ivy-league-international-low-income-students-upenn-philadelphia

Editorial | Students should not be penalized for sick days as coronavirus spreads

(03/05/20 2:52am)

Earlier this week, Penn suspended University travel to several countries affected by the coronavirus outbreak, including China, South Korea, Iran, and Italy. Since coronavirus was declared an international public health emergency by the World Health Organization in January, concerns have been picking up around Penn. 

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/03/coronavirus-sick-leave-days-absence-illness

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