Tuesday Morning: Cuts for Penn Medicine graduate programs

Tuesday, February 25

Good morning, Penn.

Happy Tuesday! I hope you've enjoyed the warmer weather recently. Fingers crossed there are more above-40-degree days this week.

The Daily Pennsylvanian spoke with members of Penn's African-American Resource Center about the organization's mission, and several Penn faculty members expressed concerns over recent changes to the University's diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

But first, Perelman School of Medicine faculty were instructed to shrink their graduate admissions by about 35%, according to an email obtained by the DP.

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TODAY'S TOP STORY

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Penn Medicine graduate admissions cut by 35%

Faculty at the Perelman School of Medicine were instructed to reduce admissions for the fall 2025 Ph.D. cohort by approximately 35%, according to an email obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian.

In the Feb. 13 email sent by Penn Medicine Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Biomedical Graduate Studies Director Kelly Jordan-Sciutto to Penn Medicine graduate group chairs, admissions chairs, and coordinators, Jordan-Sciutto cited funding uncertainty as the reason for the change. The email noted that the school has admitted an average of 307 students in recent years, but this year it aims to admit 201 — a 35% reduction.

Across the program’s seven graduate groups, admissions rate reductions ranged from 32% to 39%.

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FIVE MORE BIG STORIES

Interim Penn President Larry Jameson reaffirmed the University's commitment to academic freedom, inclusion, and legal compliance in an email yesterday as he addressed its response to recent executive orders.

Several members of Penn’s faculty expressed concerns about recent changes to University policies concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The Ukrainian Student Association at Penn hosted a vigil outside College Hall yesterday evening in remembrance of lives lost in the Russia-Ukraine war.

The DP spoke with staff members of Penn's African-American Resource Center about their responsibilities and goals for the year.

Philadelphia Gas Works has continued ongoing work outside Harrison College House to repair a gas leak that first occurred in December 2024.

OPINION

Photo by Abhiram Juvvadi

SENIOR COLUMNIST MRITIKA SENTHIL questions the agenda behind Penn’s NIH funding crisis email and reduced graduate admission rates.

SPORTS

Continuing a legacy of dominance, Penn gymnastics went back-to-back by winning its second Ivy Classic in a row over the weekend.

In an impressive performance, Penn women's swimming and diving set three program records at this year's Ivy League Championships.

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TODAY IN DP HISTORY

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In 2020, the DP reported that Penn gymnastics captured its second-highest score in program history and claimed the Ivy Classic title. This weekend, the team clinched the Ivy title for the second year in a row while netting its season-best score.

TAKE A BREATHER

Click here to play today’s DP mini crossword, which was constructed by Camron Baldwin.

And click here to play today’s Password puzzle, which was constructed by Camron Baldwin.

FROM UNDER THE BUTTON

Sorority Hazing Takes Cruel Turn With Mandatory Consumption of Non-Diet Soda

Today's newsletter was copy edited by Ava Savino.

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