Good morning, Penn.
I’m filling in for Vidya today. Happy Tuesday, and happy October! As we head towards fall break, I’m looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation — and, of course, Halloween season around the corner.
The Annenberg Public Policy Center released a documentary discussing the origins of the Eighth Amendment, and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office dropped charges against two individuals arrested at the pro-Palestinian encampment on College Green.
But first, the Palestine Writes Literature Festival hopes to return to Penn in 2026 — though Penn faculty say the festival would encounter a number of obstacles after a year of turmoil on campus.
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Photo by Anna Vazhaeparambil
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Palestine Writes Literature Festival hopes to return to Penn
The Palestine Writes Literature Festival hopes to hold its 2026 event at Penn, a festival spokesperson wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian.
The festival, most recently held on Penn’s campus in September 2023, is a celebration of Palestinian artists and writers. Controversy erupted in response to last year’s iteration of the festival, including calls for former Penn President Liz Magill to resign over her handling of alleged antisemitism during and after the festival. Magill resigned on Dec. 9, 2023.
The festival’s spokesperson wrote that the decision on whether to hold the festival at Penn again hinges on “the university’s tolerance for Palestinian humanity, for which it clearly has very little currently.” Several faculty spoke with the DP about why the festival would encounter a challenging environment, and new hurdles, if it seeks to come back.
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FIVE MORE BIG STORIES
 Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office recently dropped charges against two individuals arrested for antagonizing protesters during the Gaza Solidarity Encampment in April.
 The Annenberg Public Policy Center released a film titled “The Eighth Amendment: Cruel and Unusual Punishment” on Sept. 17.
 Penn Libraries has awarded its first Book Prize in Sustainability to Swedish author and bat scientist Johan Eklöf.
 The Susan T. Marx Distinguished Lecture Series hosted contemporary artist Elizabeth Turk last week at the Arthur Ross Gallery.
 Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a national student group with a newly formed chapter at Penn, is looking to build support across local communities for their climate activism efforts.
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Photo by Sadie Scott
COLUMNIST JULU NWAEZEAPU argues in favor of universities assuming neutral stances on political issues while contending that Penn must continue to protect historically disadvantaged students, even as it remains politically neutral.
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SPORTS
 Over the weekend, 12 Quakers were inducted into the Penn Athletics Hall of Fame.
 Penn women’s soccer fell flat in its Ivy League opener against Columbia.
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Photo by Julio Sosa
In 2018, the DP reported that University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School professor Amy Wax — known for her history of discriminatory remarks — had weighed in on sexual misconduct allegations against then-United States Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, calling them “stale.” Last week, Penn officially sanctioned Wax after over two years of controversial disciplinary proceedings, marking the first time in recent history a tenured professor has been sanctioned through the Faculty Senate.
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Click here to play today’s DP mini crossword, which was constructed by Doer He.
And click here to play today’s Password puzzle, which was constructed by Ethan Plague.
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FROM 34TH STREET MAGAZINE
As I get barked at by customers and management alike at the ice cream shop, I think about the concessions workers at the Philadelphia Sports Complex who make events like the SWEAT Tour possible and who recently went on strike demanding a living wage and human working conditions. Even if food and drinks at the Wells Fargo Center were off limits, Street staff still made the most of SWEAT. Read on to learn about staffers’ experiences with impulsive pre-concert bangs, waking up without a voice the next morning, and more.
Even though I’m from Philadelphia and worked as a tour guide in the city for a year, whenever people ask me about cool things to do in Philadelphia, I inevitably forget everything I’ve ever done here. Thankfully, I can now direct people to Street’s October events calendar whenever someone asks me for activity suggestions.
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Today's newsletter was copy edited by Garv Mehdiratta.
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