Opinion Columns
Matthew Liu | COVID-19 Vaccine Patent Protections and the Private Innovation Lie
Columnist Matthew Liu argues that profit-focused pharmaceutical companies undermine the humanitarian mission behind large-scale vaccination efforts that are needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jaden Cloobeck | Honoring a Jewish watermelon merchant and a Canadian frontiersman
For Father's Day, columnist Jaden Cloobeck goes into family archives to celebrate two of his ancestors from centuries past.
Neil Kapoor | Penn should create a climate school
Columnist Neil Kapoor argues that Penn should follow in the footsteps of peer institutions like Columbia and Stanford in creating a collaborative climate school, using its influence to combat one of the most emergent crises in modern history.
Jaden Cloobeck | Let’s end hazing, not rethink it
Columnist Jaden Cloobeck writes about hazing, and how Penn's New Student Orientation fails to adequately introduce the subject to incoming students.
Lark Yan | The recently passed Anti-Asian Hate Crime Act is like smoke and mirrors — it’s not enough
Columnist Lark Yan argues that the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which seeks to curtail anti-Asian violence, does little to address the systemic racism that many in the AAPI community regularly face.
Andy Yoon | College admissions needs a standardized testing requirement
Columnist Andy Yoon argues that standardized testing is an essential component of the college admissions process, and that students actually benefit from its presence.
Lexi Boccuzzi | An in-depth look at the possibility — and difficulty — of Supreme Court Reform
Columnist Lexi Boccuzzi writes about the United States Supreme Court and how reform, though widely called for, is exceptionally difficult to implement.
Matthew Liu | Watch out, pre-meds — COVID-19 probably won't lead to more jobs in health care
Columnist Matthew Liu argues that despite an increased need, the COVID-19 pandemic will likely not result in an increase in the availability of careers in health care.
Urooba Abid | Love your neighbors, and strangers too
Columnist and graduating senior Urooba Abid reflects on how she came to understand love and justice at Penn.
Jessica Gooding | Philadelphia needs Larry Krasner
Columnist Jessica Gooding argues ahead of Tuesday's Democratic Primary for Philadelphia District Attorney that Larry Krasner is the best candidate for a safer, more just, and more equitable city.
Jessica Gooding | My DP cords are closest to my heart
In her senior column, columnist Jessica Gooding reflects on how she has been able to find a platform for advocacy at Penn and through the DP.
Isabella Simonetti | Learning about compassion and the truth through the DP
In her senior column, former Daily Pennsylvanian president Isabella Simonetti looks back on her time at the DP and how it helped her learn about compassion and the truth through journalism.
Caroline Magdolen | We hit 200 million COVID-19 vaccinations. Now comes the hard part.
Columnist Caroline Magdolen urges Penn students to become vaccine ambassadors for their communities at home to help the U.S. reach herd immunity.
Isabella Glassman | Women’s issues don’t end when the news stops
Columnist Isabella Glassman argues that all of us need to be having conversations about women's issues, even when the news isn't covering them.
Emily Chang | Penn should extend the pass/fail policy for one more semester
Columnist Emily Chang argues that Penn should keep the pass/fail policy in effect for the 2021 fall semester.
Varun Saraswathula | Give your vaccinated friends a hug (Consensually, of course)
Columnist Varun Saraswathula digs into when vaccinated individuals are able to hug their friends again.
Taja Mazaj | Penn’s zero-emissions promise is meaningless
Columnist Taja Mazaj argues that Penn needs to be more assertive in combating climate change, saying that "milquetoast compromises won’t cut it" when the planet is at stake.
Lexi Boccuzzi | What is the future of American conservatism?
Columnist Lexi Boccuzzi examines the complex outlook of the Republican party and right-leaning youth in a post-Trump era.
Caroline Magdolen | Using random housing assignments to build a stronger community
Columnist Caroline Magdolen argues that Penn should move to a randomized College House sorting system to break down stereotypes associated with the different on-campus living options.