Guest Columns
Artur Vllahiu | You should think about death more often
Guest columnist Artur Vllahiu writes about how death doesn't need to be a source of fear. Citing different existentialist philosophers, Vllahiu makes the case for how thinking about death can actually make us feel better.
Penn Leads the Vote | Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 26th amendment — vote this fall
Penn Leads the Vote encourages students to vote on the 50th anniversary of the passage of the 26th amendment: the amendment that granted Americans 18 and older the right to vote.
Andrew Dunn | A letter from a recovering achievement addict
Guest columnist and 2012 Wharton graduate Andrew Murray Dunn writes about the folly of achievement culture and blind pursuit of the rat race.
Maisy Sylvan | The Philadelphia Zoo is open for the summer — don’t go
Guest columnist Maisy Sylvan argues that despite being popular attractions, zoos are immoral in their violation of animal wellbeing and that we should avoid them. She offers animal-friendly alternatives to frequent during the summer as we decide on post-pandemic plans.
Brian Peterson | Juneteenth and Critical Race Theory — a tale of two suppressions
In a guest column for Juneteenth, Brian Peterson, the director of Makuu, writes about the history of Juneteenth, and how critical race theory can help us understand the nuance behind emancipation.
Hiba H., Karishma L. & Mark R. | Penn needs to face dermatologist Albert Kligman's legacy
In a guest column for Juneteenth, three undergraduate students write about the troubled history of Albert Kligman, a Penn dermatologist who performed experiments on a primarily Black incarcerated population in the mid-20th century. They call on Penn to apologize and honor those who were harmed.
Zonía Moore | Penn Medicine can do better for the people that it has failed
In a guest column, Zonía Moore, a medical student, writes about the ways that structural racism is embedded into the health care system, and the ways Penn Medicine can combat it.
Five Graduate Students | Penn students and employees deserve better transgender health care coverage
In a guest column, five graduate students write about the difficulty of accessing adequate transgender health care coverage through the Penn Student Insurance Plan (PSIP), featuring the story of one anonymous woman.
Jay Rosner | Penn should discard the SAT and ACT
In a response to Andy Yoon, guest columnist Jay Rosner writes about how standardized testing, which exacerbates disparities in higher education, has no place in our current college admissions process.
Penn Glee Club | After 159 years, changing our tune
In a guest column, Penn Glee Club writes about how, after 159 years, they have become fully gender-inclusive after a historic merger with Penn Sirens.
Declan Cambey | As Philadelphia reopens this summer, get out and explore
In a guest column, Declan Cambey argues that the summer is an excellent chance for Penn students to get outside and truly explore the city of Philadelphia.
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.
GET-UP | According to Penn, graduate student labor doesn't matter
GET-UP argues that the University's vaccination policy unfairly deprioritizies graduate students.
Penn Leads the Vote | Finals are coming, so join your fellow Quakers and vote by mail
Penn Leads the Vote encourages Penn students to vote by mail in the upcoming election to ensure their voices are heard.
AAUP-Penn | Penn must return human remains and repay the Africa family
AAUP-Penn argues that Penn must return human remains and repay the Africa family for holding and displaying the bones of at least one victim of the MOVE bombing.
Department of Africana Studies | Action is 36 years overdue in holding the remains of MOVE bombing victims
Penn's Department of Africana Studies argues that Penn must "do more than simply appoint two members to investigate the use of these remains" and calls for "a complete inventory and physical accounting of ... collections held by the Museum".
Vyshnavi Kosigishroff & Eric Orts | Why does Penn lag on climate divestment?
Vyshnavi Kosigishroff and Eric Orts argue that the University's trustees must stand up against conflicts of interest and help change Penn's stance on the climate crisis.
AAUP–Penn | Best practices for course stopping times under the new schedule
In the absence of formal guidelines, AAUP–Penn proposes best practices on the length of instructional periods.
Fossil Free Penn | Penn’s new ‘net-zero’ climate goal is deceptive and ignores years of student activism
Two members of Fossil Free Penn write that the University's net-zero plan actually does little to combat climate change.