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12-17-2020-winter-at-penn-max-mester

Key moments from past Januaries reflect the starts of the last four years.

Credit: Max Mester

January at Penn: bitterly cold and inevitably eventful. The Daily Pennsylvanian compiled some key moments from past Januarys to paint a picture of Penn's campus at the start of the last four years.

January 2021

Four years ago, former President and Benjamin Franklin Professor of Presidential Practice Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States. Several Penn graduates were tapped to serve in leadership roles within his new administration.

In 2021, former President and 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump was also impeached for the second time in light of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The University’s response to his impeachment frustrated many students and faculty members. 

Some Penn alumni even urged the University to revoke Trump's degree. Amid these national events, a group of students, feeling disillusioned with Penn Hillel, formed a progressive Jewish group to promote inclusivity. 2021 was also when Penn, like the rest of the world, grappled with a national pandemic. 

As Penn experts discussed how to ethically distribute vaccines during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Perelman School of Medicine gave vaccine priority to academic staff, a move that defied city rules that placed higher education employees in a later phase of distribution.

January 2022

Penn began the 2022 spring semester by issuing several COVID-19 mitigation measures, including two weeks of virtual learning and a new masking requirement that mandated either double-masking or the use of a KN95 or N95 mask. Despite these precautions, over 1,400 students petitioned for Penn to revoke its COVID-19 booster vaccination mandate, citing the University's almost 100% vaccination rate and record-high positivity rates. 

Liz Magill was also announced as Penn's ninth president in 2022, succeeding Amy Gutmann, who had been recently confirmed as the 13th ambassador of the United States to Germany. The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School found itself at the center of controversy when its dean, Theodore Ruger, announced sanctions against professor Amy Wax, citing her "cumulative and increasing" promotion of white supremacy. 

The controversy extended beyond campus, with the Philadelphia City Council condemning Wax for making generalizations that they deemed "a betrayal of the prestigious platform granted to faculty of an Ivy-League university."

January 2023

In early 2023, the Students for the Preservation of Chinatown coalition made an effort to focus on Penn's ties to the proposed 76ers stadium. The group organized interest meetings and information sessions to educate Philadelphia students about how real estate developments could threaten communities across the city. 

The ongoing controversy surrounding Amy Wax also continued to unfold in 2023. Eight faculty members from various Penn schools were tasked with deciding Wax's future at the University, and the DP examined the Faculty Handbook to explain why Wax cannot be easily fired. Wax also filed a grievance against Penn Carey Law dean Theodore Ruger.

On another note, former Penn President Liz Magill reflected on her first year in office during an exclusive interview with the DP. The interview covered Magill's first semester at Penn and her vision for the University's future, takeaways from which included goals to continue efforts to become a carbon-zero University, expand Penn's relationship with the West Philadelphia community, and search for successors to departing administrators.

January 2024

Last year, conversations on Penn's campus centered around issues of free speech and political activism after the Faculty Senate passed a unanimous resolution in support of open expression and academic freedom. 

Campus organization Penn Faculty for Justice in Palestine hosted protests in solidarity with civilians in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, including a demonstration at College Hall. Meanwhile, dozens of faculty members joined a solidarity mission to Israel. 

The three-day trip aimed to offer "friendship and support" to Israel and was organized independently from the University. Beyond Penn, a second House committee announced plans to probe Penn's response to antisemitism, challenging the University's tax-exempt status. The House Committee on Ways and Means asserted that Penn leadership had failed to comply with the anti-discrimination laws required for tax exemptions.

January 2024 also saw Penn professors taking an active role in local urban development issues. Penn faculty spearheaded a public design workshop to reimagine the site of the proposed Philadelphia 76ers arena near Chinatown. 

January 2025

The start of 2025 has already seen significant legal and political developments. On Jan. 20, 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump was sworn in for his second presidential term, promising changes under an America-first agenda. The inauguration sparked discussions among Penn professors about the potential impact of Trump’s agenda on environmental policy. 

National attention continued to focus on Penn when a congressional report on antisemitism called for increased oversight into Penn, stemming from an investigation initiated by Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson last April. 

Penn is also likely to face ongoing congressional scrutiny as the new U.S. House education chair, who has been outspoken about campus antisemitism, begins his tenure. 

This year, Amy Wax filed a lawsuit against the University, accusing its speech policy of racial discrimination. The legal action follows years of controversy surrounding Wax's public statements and teaching practices. 

The Philadelphia 76ers also made a pivot in their arena plans this month, abandoning the controversial project near Chinatown in favor of a new partnership with Comcast Spectacor to build an arena in South Philadelphia.