Opinion Columns
Allison Santa-Cruz | Penn is neglecting mental health yet again
Columnist Allison Santa-Cruz argues that the recent merger between CAPS and Student Health services not only exemplifies the barriers of accessing Penn’s mental health services but also demonstrates that Penn's financial investments are prioritized elsewhere.
C.H. Henry | Spring Fling needs the Quad
Columnist C.H. Henry challenges the logistical future of Penn’s annual Spring Fling festival and explains how a return to the Quad is in its best interest.
Isabella Glassman | Penn’s leasing of The Radian hurts, not helps
Columnist Isabella Glassman contemplates how Penn’s decision to lease The Radian constructively displaces the current tenants while failing to build community.
Riane Lumer | Penn’s lack of composting stations is trashy
Columnist Riane Lumer urges Penn to follow other universities’ footsteps and adopt a compostable program to mitigate climate change.
Fiona Miller | What one million dollars tells us about Penn Student Government
Columnist Fiona Miller discusses what the recent Undergraduate Assembly vote reveals about Penn Student Government.
Benjamin McAvoy-Bickford | Beware a tsunami of acronyms and abbreviations
Columnist Benjamin McAvoy-Bickford considers whether Penn has become overly dependent on unintuitive language to communicate meaning.
Alex Baxter | The Queen’s death is cause for Penn to consider its own troubled past
Columnist Alex Baxter reflects on how the U.K. and Penn have opportunities to confront the crimes which define their establishments.
Riane Lumer | A look into the (Post-) COVID-19 University
Columnist Riane Lumer explores factors to look forward to given advancements in the pandemic, but also cautions a semi-return to normalcy.
Cathy Li | Studying toward a world with and for women
Columnist Cathy Li argues that taking a Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies class could transform student thinking.
Sam Zou | College rankings are a sham
Columnist Sam Zou argues that college rankings rarely hold cheating institutions accountable and consider factors irrelevant to educational quality.
Mia Vesely | How diversity is valued (or not) in Class of 2026 admissions
Columnist Mia Vesely examines why the class of 2026 is considered the most 'diverse' and what that claim really means.
Emily Chang | Virtual classes are still needed in a post-COVID-19 world
Columnist Emily Chang emphasizes the importance of learning from the past and reviving COVID-19 policies to improve current life.
Annie Bingle | How making your bed will change your life
Columnist Annie Bingle explores the unique benefits to making your bed each morning, and encourages you to do the same.
Vinay Khosla and Taja Mazaj | The futility of civic engagement at Penn
Columnists Vinay Khosla and Taja Mazaj argue Penn’s conception of civic engagement is intentionally disingenuous, and students must respond in kind with disruptive activism.
Lexi Boccuzzi | Protesting with a purpose: Analyzing the UC Townhomes movement
Columnist Lexi Boccuzzi examines the consequences for first years and the overall effectiveness of the Coalition to Save the UC Townhomes protest at the Class of 2026 Convocation.
Keshav Ramesh | From a progressive: Race-based affirmative action isn’t progressive
Columnist Keshav Ramesh argues that race-based affirmative action needs to be replaced with a system that instead takes socioeconomic status into account to truly guarantee racial and ethnic diversity.
Caroline Magdolen | Why I handwrite my notes on paper
Columnist Caroline Magdolen contemplates what is lost when students spend class time on electronic devices.
Sam Zou | Walled-off campus, integrated institution
Columnist Sam Zou argues that colleges create sealed-off campuses in an effort to preserve safety, student academic performance, and inequality in educational resources.
Lexi Boccuzzi | Wear your politics proudly at Penn
Columnist Lexi Boccuzzi argues that choosing not to engage in politics on campus because of the echo-chamber misconception will only stifle your experience and make those fears a reality.