Also, Jonathan Epstein was officially appointed to lead Penn Medicine after serving in an interim capacity since 2023.
Wednesday, February 12
Good morning, Penn.
Happy Wednesday! As a flurry of news comes in, there’s “snow” stopping the latest updates. Let me take you through today’s top stories.
Jonathan Epstein was appointed executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and dean of the Perelman School of Medicine after serving in an interim capacity, and the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education officially released its 2025 white paper at an event on Monday.
But first, Penn researchers expressed uncertainty about their future work after the NIH announced changes to their funding policies that limit indirect costs.
On Feb. 7, the National Institutes of Health implemented a funding cut that would cost Penn $240 million. While a judge temporarily halted the changes following a lawsuit brought by Penn and 12 other universities against the NIH, University researchers say the future of their work remains uncertain.
The Feb. 10 lawsuit alleged that the funding cut, a 15% cap on indirect costs — which provide funding for overhead research costs such as lab spaces and support staff — was a “flagrantly unlawful action” that would “devastate medical research at America’s universities.” Penn medical practitioners and researchers expressed similar sentiments and warned of severe consequences for future of the University’s research programs.
“The cuts announced by NIH would reduce federal funding to Penn by nearly a quarter of a billion dollars per year and have a profoundly negative impact on Penn’s research enterprise,” a University spokesperson wrote to The Daily Pennsylvanian.
In a University-wide email, Interim Penn President Larry Jameson addressed the impact that a Feb. 7 directive from the NIH, which capped “indirect costs” at 15%, would have on research at Penn. Prior to this cut, Penn’s agreed-upon rate for indirect costs was 62.5% of the basic grant value.
Jameson also said that there would be a $240 million reduction in annual federal funding to Penn as a result of the funding cut and claimed that Penn’s “highly impactful research mission” will be severely harmed as a result.
Penn joined 12 other universities nationwide on Monday as a co-plaintiff in a lawsuit against the NIH, seeking to challenge the change to the cost policies in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
FIVE MORE BIG STORIES
Jonathan Epstein was appointed executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and dean of the Perelman School of Medicine on Feb. 11.
The Division of Public Safety Advisory Board’s Ad Hoc Committee on Search Warrant Execution concluded that Penn Police followed all legal guidelines when searching an off-campus residence belonging to student activists.
SCUE officially released its 2025 white paper, which is structured around five major topics including academics, DEI, and wellness, at a launch event on Monday.
A new ad hoc consultative committee has been appointed to aid the search for the University’s vice provost of education.
Seven faculty members at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School were ranked in the top 100 Legal Scholars of 2024, a list created by researchers at George Mason University.
COLUMNIST ELO ESALOMI examines Penn’s inconsistent AI policies and calls for standardized guidelines that reflect AI’s growing role in education.
SPORTS
The United States Department of Education sent a letter to the NCAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations urging them to reallocate titles and awards earned by transgender athletes.
Katie Collins has gone from dominating New Jersey to dominating the Ivy League. Read here about Penn women's basketball's brightest star.
TODAY IN DP HISTORY
Photo by Son Nguyen
In 2020, the DP reported on student reactions to the announcement that Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie would deliver that year’s 2020 Commencement address, making her the first Black woman to deliver the address since 1978. This past week, various cultural groups at Penn organized events, such as a mural event, to celebrate Black History Month.
TAKE A BREATHER
Click here to play today’s DP mini crossword, which was constructed by Clarice Wang.
And click here to play today’s Password puzzle, which was constructed by Nira Goyal.
Are you enjoying DP Daybreak? Please share any ideas or concerns with us by emailing The Daily Pennsylvanian's Editor-in-Chief Emily Scolnick at scolnick@thedp.com.
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