Few students utilize indoor dining at dining halls amid COVID-19 concerns

There are generally “less than a dozen students” in the dining halls every day, many of whom go to eat breakfast, Penn Business Services Director of Communications and External Relations Barbara Lea-Kruger wrote in an email to The Daily Pennsylvanian.

Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming Quad and Stouffer renovations

Renovations will include more single-use bathrooms in the Quad, the removal of sinks from Quad bedrooms, and new elevators in both buildings.

Penn responds to fraudulent green PennOpen Passes with new daily code

Chief Wellness Officer Benoit Dubé and Chief Operating Officer for Wellness Services Erika Gross confirmed that students had been creating fake green PennOpen Passes to access campus buildings when they did not actually meet the required criteria to enter that building. 

Class of 2024 blindsided by new dining plan requirement, calling it a ‘blatant cash grab’

Hundreds have taken to a Change.org petition to voice dissatisfaction with the policy. A petition calling for the cancellation of the policy garnered more than 400 signatures as of the evening of Feb. 16.

Penn will require sophomores to purchase dining plans beginning fall 2021

The change is intended to complement Penn's Second Year Experience program, which requires sophomores to live in on-campus housing starting in fall 2021.

Williams Cafe and Benny’s Diner will remain closed for the spring semester

Other Penn Student Agencies businesses, like Penn Closet, Quaker Corner, Special Deliveries, Penn Student Design, Compass Marketing, PSA Bartending, and Penn Lens will continue to operate virtually this semester as they did in the fall.

Dissatisfied with virtual learning, some students take the spring semester off

Some students who had previously taken a gap semester in the fall opted to turn their time off into a full gap year to pursue extracurricular hobbies and internships.

With the spring semester days away, here’s what you need to know about housing and dining

As more than 3,000 undergraduate students move in to their on-campus residences, here's everything you need to know about changes to housing and dining this spring.

Penn transitions to remote learning

Engagement Prize winners raise nearly $20,000 to expand improv program across Phila. schools

Two Wharton graduates raised nearly $20,000 in a virtual fundraiser for their 2020 President’s Engagement Prize-winning project, The Unscripted Project, with the goal of expanding their youth improv theatre program. 

Here's how Philadelphia's new COVID-19 restrictions will affect on-campus services

On Monday, the city of Philadelphia announced new COVID-19 restrictions closing indoor dining, gyms, and museums, as well as banning private indoor gatherings like weddings, funerals, and parties

As the pandemic rages on, Class of 2021 holds out hope for in-person commencement in May

The Class of 2020 and 2021 are scheduled to hold Commencement ceremonies on campus in May. But as COVID-19 continues to devastate the country, seniors are beginning to worry if the traditional ceremonies will be safe or feasible.

Here's how Penn graduates running for office did on Election Day

They span across six states and the majority are running for seats in the United States House of Representatives. Nine are incumbents, while seven are running for the first time. 

RAGAs are worried about lack of COVID-19 testing enforcement on campus

Penn offers weekly COVID-19 testing that is mandatory for students, faculty, post-doctoral trainees, and staff that are living in on-campus housing or are on campus for “at least eight hours every week and whose activities are done in a congregate setting that involves at least 10 people.” 

Philadelphia sues Pa. for better gun control after 47% increase in shooting victims

While most Penn professors and student leaders recognized the need for stricter gun control in the city, some questioned the lawsuit's ultimate effectiveness on the issue.

'Sheer hypocrisy': Professors, Penn Dems express concern over Barrett's election year nomination

They were especially frustrated with the perceived hypocrisy of the Republican Senators who blocked former President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee in March 2016, stating that the winner of the upcoming election should decide who chooses the nominee.

COVID-19 pandemic leads to approx. 300% increase in gap years for incoming Penn students

Dean of Admissions Eric Furda said he does not expect the gap year increase to have a “significant impact on the selectivity or opportunity” during the upcoming admission cycle. 

CAFSA says Penn’s compliance with latest Title IX policy is ‘extremely unethical’

The new regulations now allow different third party advisors, who may be attorneys, to cross-examine students involved in the complaint, and they make the definition of "sexual assault" more narrow and subjective.

Penn’s insurance requirement and costs frustrate students living away from campus

SHS requires all full-time students to submit a waiver to opt-out of PSIP by Aug. 31 each year, or they will automatically enroll them in the plan.

Students grapple with reduced financial aid packages and re-evaluation delays amid pandemic

Some students who submitted aid re-evaluation forms did not receive their re-evaluated package before the fall tuition bill's Aug. 30 deadline, and consequently could not pay for the semester on time.