Valerie Wang

Columnists Valerie Wang & Varun Saraswathula argue that Penn's treatment of Mackenzie Fierceton should remind students that our relationship with the university is more transactional than we might think.

In this week's opart, the opinion section takes a look at some other things that are 50-50 at Penn.

Penn announced Tuesday that it would require all sophomores from the Class of 2024 onward to purchase a dining plan in addition to living in on-campus housing. Ostensibly an attempt to encourage community building, many see it as something else.

After months of changed plans and doubts raised, Penn stands on the precipice of a major campus COVID-19 outbreak. But instead of blaming the students, the University must hold itself accountable for changing standards and implementing half-baked policies that were supposed to keep our campus safe.

By no means am I one to tell you not to follow your moral values, but just understand the repercussions of your actions: if not for yourself, then for your friends, family, and the future of our country. 

Re-opening campus, even in a hybrid format,, will undoubtedly be challenging, but for the sake of the emotional and educational quality of the students, it is a challenge Penn should be willing to face.