The fall 2021 semester marks the beginning of the University's new block schedule format, which created standardized class start times and eliminated the possibility of back-to-back classes.

After having adapted their instruction methods for the last year and a half, many of these professors said those changes are here to stay — at least for now.

Penn currently has a positivity rate of 1.11%, a vaccination rate of 97% among faculty and undergraduates, and no classroom transmission has been found.

Christopher Woods sat down with The Daily Pennsylvanian to discuss his goals and how the Museum will address widespread criticism — including towards the Museum's "unethical possession" of the Morton Cranial Collection and its handling of MOVE bombing remains — under his tenure.

Travel to seven countries resumed after Penn suspended study abroad programs in spring 2020 due to global travel restrictions and health risks. 

While students have eagerly awaited a return to in-person campus life, some are also feeling a sense of anxiety associated with in-person interactions.

Some professors assumed that only in-person classes were canceled and planned to hold class on Zoom before receiving further communication from administrators that no classes could be held.

Undergraduate courses are set to be primarily delivered in person with limited exceptions, remaining in line with administrators' original plans announced in April.

Students can join various FGLI-oriented clubs and take advantage of academic resources.

The Daily Pennsylvanian reached out to Penn students and faculty for advice on how incoming first years, transfer students, and sophomores can succeed in their first in-person semester.

Professor of Medicine Drew Weissman — whose research allowed for the development of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine — was named the inaugural Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research.

Students generally expressed that while they are looking forward to the switch to in-person learning in the fall, they will miss the flexibility of online courses.

A total of 80% of students enrolled in on-campus programs and 84% of faculty and staff have reported being fully vaccinated. The University expects the community vaccination rate to reach 90% by September. 

Dache’s research focuses on how historical challenges and racial demographics influence access to higher education in places such as Havana, Cuba; Cape Town, South Africa; Ferguson, Missouri; and Rochester, New York.

Initially, Penn Vet solely tracked the cases of sickness and death, but they are now focused on finding the underlying source of the illness, the Centre Daily Times reported.

In spring 2021, WUAC hosted a case competition where teams designed a proposal to present to a panel of industry experts, including Harry Partridge, NASA’s Ames Center Chief Technologist.

The researchers found that no particular demographic was more impacted by the effects of online learning and that certain learning techniques were more effective.