One lawmaker said that Penn “has made a cowardly move” in “rushing to heed dog-whistle demands from a feckless federal leadership.”

Also, Interim Penn President Larry Jameson addressed the University's approach to responding to recent federal actions in an email yesterday.

The center continues advocacy efforts dating back to the 1970s and is currently led by Director Valerie Dorsey Allen, Associate Director Darin Toliver, and staff assistant Colleen Winn. 

One professor told The Daily Pennsylvanian he finds it “troubling how quickly Penn has seemingly surrendered to the Trump administration’s bullying.”

The email noted that the school has admitted an average of 307 students in recent years, but this year plans to admit 201 — a 35% reduction.

In a Feb. 24 email, Jameson wrote that Penn is closely monitoring changes to federal actions and reaffirmed the University's commitment to academic freedom, inclusion, and legal compliance.

Harrison residents received the initial notification of a gas leak on Dec. 17, 2024, and were informed of continual investigations in early February.

Attendees of the vigil included Penn students, faculty, and Temple University students — some who had a personal connection to the war, and others who showed up in support.

Also, several Penn groups called on University administrators to reaffirm their commitment to undocumented and international community members.

As Penn quietly rolls back policies, programs, and initiatives it once championed, The Daily Pennsylvanian compiled the changes the University's schools have made to their DEI websites so far.

“In this moment, it is imperative that university leadership offer unequivocal reassurance and a concrete commitment to protecting those most vulnerable,” the letter read. 

Four Penn professors were named on a list of 126 other fellows who together make up "the most promising early-career scientists working today."

In a Feb. 23 email, Kallberg said that the “difficult” decision to reduce graduate program admissions rates by one-third was a “necessary cost-saving measure.”

Perna was first appointed to the position in 2020 and has furthered a number of initiatives including “new websites, interactive dashboards, and e-newsletters catering to faculty needs and interests.”

This is the third year MERT has offered this program and the largest to date, with 697 attendees.

Professors expressed concerns about the future of federal funding for DEI-related research and a lack of institutional support for their work from Penn.

Penn notified department chairs that it will cut admissions across graduate programs — a decision faculty members say will force them to rescind offers from newly-accepted students.