Opinion Columns
Lark Yan | The Lunar New Year as the 'Chinese' New Year: A display of cultural ignorance that harms
This Friday marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year, an important annual celebration in many Asian cultures. However, it denies the diversity of these cultures if all of these celebrations are called the Chinese New Year.
Emily Chang | Canceling COVID-19 testing was a disaster
Penn canceled COVID-19 testing last Monday and Tuesday, followed just days later with news of spiking case counts. Had the tests not been canceled, it is likely an outbreak could have been avoided.
Emily Chang | It’s time to bring back indoor dining
Penn's COVID-19 mitigation policies are driving students away from campus to avoid breaking regulations. One step Penn should take to keep students in line is reopening limited indoor dining.
Alex Eapen | Take your slacktivism to the next level
Political activism doesn't require voting — being involved in the other parts of activism is just as important.
Isabella Glassman | Greek Life: Rushing towards an outbreak
Penn's campus guidelines for COVID-19 mitigation, while well-intentioned, are not the most practical and likely won't have the impact they're intended to have.
Andy Yoon | First-year parties: Did we expect anything less?
Penn's student body is largely made up of outgoing students, so no one should be surprised that Penn's mitigation efforts seem to have little effect on some members of the community.
Jessica Gooding | Penn must hold the Trumps accountable
The Trump family has deep ties to the University. It is time Penn acknowledge this and hold them accountable for their term in the White House.
Caroline Magdolen | Penn’s not our babysitter; let’s act our age.
With many first years now back on campus, it's up to us to be mature and follow covid guidelines, or else endanger our surrounding communities and classes.
Matthew Liu | Stop falling for the allure of bipartisanship
Biden's long history of bipartisanship was touted as a virtue on the campaign trail. Wether or not it will actually serve the United States well is not a cut-and-dry decision.
Lexi Boccuzzi | The siege on free-speech social media
Trump's ban from Twitter brought elation to many of Penn's left-leaning advocacy group. But with the precedent the ban sets, they may actually be celebrating on unstable ground.
Agatha Advincula | Undergrad deans: we’re still in a global pandemic. That is our extenuating circumstance.
Little has changed since the pandemic began, so why are Penn's deans trying to shift the culture of the pass/fail option which gives students the flexibility to avoid pandemic-induced educational disruptions?
Isabella Glassman | Greek life: will you help or hurt our Covid count?
Penn's greek life community has the responsibility to set the tone for COVID-19 mitigation on campus.
Bruce Shen | Is the pandemic already over?
As college students return to campus, it may appear that young America is "over" the COVID-19 pandemic. While this shouldn't come at a surprise, it does make it more likely that long-term goals of society will be prolonged for short-term gain.
Jessica Gooding | Pass/Fail is Still Around, Don’t Overlook It as an Academic Tool
Penn was one of the few universities to keep the pass/fail grading option for the spring 2021 semester, a step in the right direction for grading equity and accessibility during the pandemic.
Alex Eapen | A Note From Those of Us Staying at Home This Spring
While the students on-campus may be the subject of the headlines, there is still a substantial number of students who will be learning from home, for health, personal, or other reasons. They, too, must be factored in as the semester progresses.
Andy Yoon | Schuyler: Free Speech is Not What You Think It Is
Schuyler’s interpretation of free speech, which skirts culpability through an allegiance to the Constitution, is in fact representative of a broad issue that we currently face with political dialogue: a distorted view of free speech.
Lexi Boccuzzi | Make your money green
Let’s put our money where our mouth is and make capitalism sustainable.
Varun Saraswathula | As 2020 ends, celebrate your resilience and vow to carry it forward
2020 has tested each of us, forcing us to build a strong will and resilient spirit. Don't lose that in 2021.