Opinion-Columns
Chloe Chen | The Penn Museum should be free for all Philadelphians
Columnist Chloe Chen suggests that the Penn Museum’s admission fees belie a greater issue of educational gatekeeping to produce intellectual elites.
Andrew Stratton | Fatphobia has no place in Penn culture
Columnist Andrew Stratton explains the problem with fatphobia and why it’s still an issue today.
Franklin Li | Ben Franklin’s personal flaws should not diminish his achievements
Columnist Franklin Li believes that we should not be overly critical of Benjamin Franklin for not always acting in accordance with present-day moral standards.
Jack Lakis | The how and why behind requesting access to your Penn admissions file
Columnist Jack Lakis argues that all undergraduates should do their part to encourage transparency in admissions.
Mia Vesely | Care more about dismissal of charges, less about stolen Macbooks
Columnist Mia Vesely urges people to focus less on sensationalized looting and more on political action and its impact.
Cathy Li | What’s the ROI of learning that?
Columnist Cathy Li examines what it means to study the liberal arts at institutions that prioritize immediate return on investment.
Julu Nwaezeapu | Penn’s silent enemy: Confronting the white-collar monster
Columnist Julu Nwaezeapu illuminates how white-collar crime violently impacts economically-marginalized communities and warns Penn students to beware of their proximity to corporate greed.
Lexi Boccuzzi | Antisemitism shrouded in activism?
Columnist Lexi Boccuzzi calls upon non-Jewish students to become more vocal critics of instances of antisemitism disguised as activism.
Allison Santa-Cruz | Social media is no place for real political discourse
Columnist Allison Santa-Cruz asserts that social media, while potentially a platform for discussing global issues, often fosters dehumanization, polarization, and misinformation. She advocates instead for more meaningful face-to-face interactions and a balanced approach to activism.
Reflections on the ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas
Members of the Penn community share out their thoughts and perspectives on the ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas, Penn's response to the conflict, and its impact on campus life and discourse.
Sose Hovannisian | How I got Penn to listen to me, and my mother tongue
Columnist Sose Hovannisian describes the process of petitioning for a new language course with a persuadable and willing Penn.
Jack Lakis | The path to a prestigious education
Columnist Jack Lakis explores the implications of how a small number of high schools dominate American educational opportunities.
Zara Tena | The urgent need for younger voices in politics
Columnist Zara Tena explores the need for elderly leaders to step down, and allow a new generation of politicians to step in.
Akiva Berkowitz | Israel under attack: What do you stand for?
Columnist Akiva Berkowitz addresses the recent terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel, explains why we all should rally behind Israel, and considers how students can try to make a difference.
Izzy Feinfeld | Penn needs to end applications for clubs
Columnist Izzy Feinfeld calls on clubs at Penn to have a more open application process and prioritize building community.
Sangitha Aiyer | Philadelphia's public school libraries are severely underfunded. Penn can help.
Columnist Sangitha Aiyer calls for Penn to assist in combating the chronic underfunding of Philadelphia’s public school libraries.
Gladys Smith | Penn Admissions’ relationship with Philly applicants
Columnist Gladys Smith discusses whether Penn is truly giving back to the greater Philadelphia area through its current distribution of attention amongst local high schools.
Akiva Berkowitz | Penn 101: One class to unite them all
Columnist Akiva Berkowitz calls for a "Penn 101" introductory course to foster class-wide unity.
Clever Earth | Inside the pressure cooker mind of a pre-med: The case for mandatory health sessions
Columnist Clever Earth proposes the implementation of mandatory mental health sessions to address the detrimental impact of Penn’s pre-med culture on student wellbeing.