Tuesday Morning: Penn moves to dismiss Amy Wax lawsuit

Tuesday, March 18

Good morning, Penn.

Happy Tuesday! We’re only two days away from the official start of spring, and I can feel the new season upon us!

A federal judge sanctioned Penn professor Michael Mann’s legal team for presenting misleading information during his defamation trial, and the Penn Museum is currently undergoing the most extensive renovation in its history.

But first, Penn motioned to dismiss the racial discrimination lawsuit filed by University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School professor Amy Wax.

SHARE TODAY'S DP DAYBREAK

TODAY’S TOP STORY

Photo by Anna Vazhaeparambil

Penn requests dismissal of Amy Wax’s racial discrimination lawsuit

Last week, Penn moved to dismiss a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by Penn Carey Law professor Amy Wax.

Penn’s March 12 memorandum cited Wax’s history of “unprofessional and offensive comments in the media and the classroom,” along with her failure to provide a legal basis for her claims. The document also noted that none of Wax’s “allegations state a plausible claim for relief.”

Wax’s 53-page complaint — which she filed on Jan. 16 with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania — contended that the University’s speech policy broke several federal laws. The lawsuit also alleged that Penn violated Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibit racial discrimination by federal fund recipients and employers.

READ THE FULL STORY

FOUR MORE BIG STORIES

Penn professor Michael Mann’s legal team is currently facing sanctions from a District of Columbia judge for presenting misleading information during a defamation trial last year.

The Daily Pennsylvanian analyzed funding distributed to Penn in fiscal year 2024 using data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The Penn Museum is undergoing extensive renovations to its ancient Egypt and Nubia galleries.

Researchers from Penn’s School of Dental Medicine discovered that training the innate immune system may lead to increased bone loss in inflammatory conditions.

OPINION

Photo by Ellie Pirtle

COLUMNIST BEATRIZ BÁEZ discusses Penn students' tendency to put health on the back burner and the need to establish protocols to facilitate its prioritization.

SPORTS

Former Penn track and field star Isabella Whittaker set an American record as she won the NCAA Championship in the 400m.

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell slammed Penn for the recent firing of former Penn men’s basketball head coach Steve Donahue in an interview with the DP.

TODAY IN DP HISTORY

Photo by Eric Zeng

In 2014, an unexpected amendment was presented during the Undergraduate Assembly's annual budget meeting. This year, the UA approved a budget totaling over $3 million for student organizations in the 2025-26 academic year.

TAKE A BREATHER

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

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

FROM 34TH STREET MAGAZINE

The closure of Macy’s in Center City, set for this month, is not a shock as much as a bittersweet farewell. Department stores are on an exponential decline, now a relic of pre–online shopping, pre–COVID–19 suburbia. Style writer Jack Lamey pays tribute to the historic Wanamaker Macy’s, which housed August Gaul's famous Eagle statue. Meet me at the Eagle no more.

FROM UNDER THE BUTTON

You Just Failed Your Midterm: Five Comfort Meals to Boost Your Morale

Today's newsletter was copy edited by Ava Savino.

Subscribe to all of The Daily Pennsylvanian's newsletters to get today's biggest headlines in your inbox every weekday morning.

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.

DP Daybreak is published Monday through Friday. You can update which newsletters you receive or unsubscribe from all newsletters at any time.