Politics
‘We cannot let this go unchecked’: Penn community honors victims of mass shootings at vigil
The vigil was organized by Penn Democrats, the Pan-Asian American Community House, the Spiritual and Religious Life Center, and Amnesty International at Penn, and featured City Councilmember and Penn alumna Jamie Gauthier along with a number of community leaders.
GW law professor discusses impact of Trump’s lies on public perception of first amendment
The Thursday talk, titled "A Right to Lie? Presidents, Other Liars, and the First Amendment," was part of the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy's "Free Speech Battles" faculty workshop series.
Penn received 389% more foreign donations in 2019 than in 2018, DP analysis finds
Penn attributed the increase to the addition of an international development department to The Power of Penn, the University’s most ambitious fundraising campaign which ran for the first time in the fiscal year 2019.
A voter’s guide to the May 2021 Pennsylvania primary
Voters will cast their decision for local races, and for new judges to Pennsylvania’s three statewide appellate courts — some of the highest positions in state government that will affect policy for years to come.
Human rights activist discusses pandemic’s impact on refugee women at Perry World House event
Wai Wai Nu identified how displaced women have overcome pandemic-related challenges, and offered recommendations for improving refugee and internally displaced women's access to dignified work, health care, and housing.
Penn experts pose solutions to Philadelphia’s pandemic-fueled gentrification
Penn-affiliated experts believe that the city has seen a more gradual form of gentrification through increased housing prices and new development — making access to affordable housing even more difficult for residents.
Perelman School of Medicine professor Kevin Baumlin joins race for Pa. Senate seat
Baumlin, who is the chair of Pennsylvania Hospital's Emergency Medicine Department, co-founded a nonprofit that recruits experts in various fields to produce articles on topics such as education, gun violence, and infrastructure.
Local activists pressure city to address UN report alleging undue force by Phila. police
The city has yet to respond to inquiries by the United Nations — which were based upon testimonies from Penn community members — regarding allegations of excessive use of force by the Philadelphia Police Department during the Black Lives Matter protests last year.
Linguist Noam Chomsky talks power of grassroots activism at student-organized event
The event, called “Conformity, Propaganda, and the Fight for a Left Future with Noam Chomsky” was co-hosted by Penn Justice Democrats and Penn Against the Occupation, and garnered over 115 attendees.
One year after graduating, this Penn alum took his political ambitions to the White House
2020 Huntsman graduate Jay Vaingankar, who is now working as a Staff Assistant to the Director of Management and Administration, was previously a student organizer for Bernie Sanders for President and Penn for Bernie.
Former Republican congressman says GOP must distance itself from Trump at virtual event
Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) offered a critique of congressional Republicans and discussed his predictions for the future of the GOP.
Students support Biden’s Title IX rules, seek more campus sexual assault prevention measures
Biden recently ordered an expansive review of existing Title IX regulations on sex and gender discrimination and violence in schools, prompting members of Penn’s anti-violence groups to call for further support for sexual assault survivors at the University.
Penn Dems, Penn Justice Dems endorse Krasner for Philadelphia DA in upcoming primary
Board members of Penn Dems and Penn Justice Dems said they supported Krasner because of his commitment to criminal justice reform and track record of holding police officers accountable.
Local policymakers and Penn alumni discuss progressive policy change at virtual event
Helen Gym and Rick Krajewski addressed progressive causes such as supporting a Green New Deal, divestment from the fossil fuel industry, and the disproportionate effect that the policing system has on communities of color.
Former Pa. Secretary of Health Rachel Levine confirmed to federal post
The United States Senate confirmed Rachel Levine as the nation’s assistant secretary for health at the United States Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday.
Prof., alum reignite calls to investigate Trump SAT cheating allegations post presidency
Wharton professor Eric W. Orts and Penn alumnus Stephen Sheller, a prominent Philadelphia lawyer, penned an open letter on Feb. 18 requesting that the University begin an investigation of the former president’s alleged fraud.
Biden’s reluctance to cancel debt for Ivy Leaguers is a ‘direct insult,’ FGLI students say
President Joe Biden said that he does not support canceling loan debt for "people who have gone to Harvard and Yale and Penn" at a February town hall, sparking backlash from first-generation, low-income students.
Wharton graduate and climate activist Jessica Haller runs for New York City Council
1997 Wharton graduate Jessica Haller, who grew up in the Bronx, is running as a Democrat to represent the 11th District in the New York City Council in a special election held on March 23.
Penn virologists outline how COVID-19 can help the world prepare for future pandemics
The panelists blasted the Trump administration for mishandling the early stages of the pandemic and emphasized the importance of access to reliable health information.