Guest Columns

Guest Column by ASAP Chair Kara Hardie | The effect of Kavanaugh’s confirmation on survivors

The survivor’s fears of not being believed or, worse, being blamed for the trauma they endured are overwhelmingly common and overwhelmingly devastating feelings experienced after sexual assault. 

IFC VP Brian Schmitt | Barring sophomores from chapter houses threatens campus safety and Greek life's future

By taking away the things that are good about Greek life, the school will create a truly broken and toxic system.

Guest Column from Penn Leads the Vote | Democracy is only great when its citizens participate

Not only is it our right, but it is our duty to be civically engaged.

Guest Column by Zach Rissman | It's time to divest

The time is long overdue for Penn to divest from coal and tar sands companies.

Guest Column by student leaders Michael Krone and Kevin Myers | A letter to student groups on club recruitment

There are many organizations on campus that could have completely open membership if they changed their mindsets.

Guest Column by student leaders Michael Krone and Kevin Myers | A letter to new students on club recruitment

With numerous exclusive clubs on campus, the majority of applicants are rejected from their desired organization.

Guest Column by Celeste Marcus | Penn says, 'Make money, not history'

If some of us graduate with a commitment to humanistic values and a respect for other cultures, it is despite Penn’s ethos, not because of it.

Guest Column by President Amy Gutmann | Better bonds, stronger community

It’s good to have you back and to welcome you to another exciting year at Penn!

Guest Column by Samantha Stein | Won't you be my (good) neighbor?

It is our responsibility to help mitigate the cycle of poverty in West Philadelphia by being invested community members.

Guest Column by CAPS Deputy Executive Director Meeta Kumar

Please remember that reaching out to CAPS — for yourself or a friend — is a sign of strength!

Guest Column by Leila Ashtaryeh | Elon Musk: uniquely driven entrepreneur or just another Wharton grad?

Like many Penn students, Musk is hyper-competitive and accustomed to winning. When faced with a loss, we tend to impulsively take matters into our own hands in an attempt to recover, just as Musk did with his most recent Twitter escapade. 

Guest Column by Araya Baker | Reflecting on Penn and the AIDS epidemic

They remember the way in which the epidemic coincided with the emergence of gayborhoods in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, leading the media to perpetuate the misconception that HIV/AIDS was a “gay disease.” They remember friends who spent months and years hospitalized, without a single visit from relatives who abandoned them. They remember checking the obituary section of local and national newspapers quite regularly.

Guest Column by Jamie Gobreski | My #MeToo moment during Fling

I’m angry that I don’t get to feel safe walking down my own campus, that, in that moment, I had to worry if I would get home safely.

Guest Column by Kenan Saleh | Professors, stop requiring expensive course materials

Professors frequently require the purchase of expensive textbooks and online course materials for students taking their class. This is a financial burden that disproportionately affects low-income students and significantly disadvantages those who are not able to afford them.

Guest Column by Ajjit Narayanan | Israeli apartheid: real, brutal, and deadly

As a state, Israel is open to the same critical lens as other nations, and as residents of the United States, the Israeli military’s largest financial supporter, we have a unique obligation to scrutinize its unjust policies. 

Guest Column by Carl-Emmanuel Fulghieri | In defiance of ‘dialogue’: responding to Ariela Stein’s pro-Israel column

Ariela Stein’s column last week displays less an earnest desire to understand than a show of power, demanding parameters of discourse when her side already dominates effective speech.

Guest Statement by Jessica Lim | Open letter to the Class of 2019 on why I'm running for president

I am running for President because I’ve decided it is time that women get recognized for the work we’re doing. I’ve decided it is time that all of Class Board’s efforts, and the organizations we’ve partnered with, are acknowledged.

Guest Column by Ariela Stein | Penn Students for Justice in Palestine touts myth of apartheid during Passover

This event does not promote the mutual respect needed to have a productive conversation on achieving peace in the region. 

Guest Statement by Robert J. Klopf III | Robert for UA President and Community

I am Robert John Klopf III and I am running for President of Undergraduate Assembly not because I care about the UA, but because I love Penn.

Guest Statement by Michael Krone and Jordan Andrews | For a better Penn: Michael and Jordan for UA

We want you to elect us as your Undergraduate Assembly President and Vice President because we are the most passionate and most qualified candidates, and we will work hard for a better Penn.