Guest Columns
Guest Column |Reflections of a Penn community organizer, W‘67
On May 13, an article in the Daily Pennsylvanian discussed my intention to create a conversation over alumni weekend about President Trump’s association with the University, by wearing and offering pins that said “UPenn: Denounce Trump.” The online commentary mostly deplored my action, calling button bearers “snowflakes” and “adult children”. One said, “Most universities would be PROUD.” They deserve a response. As a 50 year student of administrative science, I felt that Penn needed a “system power move”. (Defn: a high leverage, small action that makes a difference; exemplar: Pussy Riot.) I wanted reiterate the demand made by many others that the University to take a stand on Trump.
Guest Column | Wharton faculty urge Congress and the Courts to defend the rule of law
President Trump appears to have an indifferent, if not downright disdainful, attitude to the rule of law.
Guest Statement | An open letter to legislators and others to support the rule of law
The economic system of free enterprise and our cherished democratic institutions depend on the certainty, stability, integrity, and legitimacy provided by the rule of law.
Guest Column by Jeremiah Keenan | (Un)fit arbiters of free speech
In last Wednesday’s paper Calvary Rogers argued in favor of increasing soft censorship in America and at Penn.
Guest Column by John Holloway and Paul Heaton | In defense of the Quattrone Center
The Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice is a nonpartisan, national research and policy hub producing and disseminating research designed to prevent errors in the criminal justice system.
Guest Column by Zach Rissman | The People’s Climate Movement and why it’s more about the “people” than the “climate”
On April 29th, as part of the People’s Climate Movement, over 100,000 people will gather to march in Washington DC to demonstrate widespread and overwhelming support for immediate and drastic climate action.
Guest Column by Ben Gargano | A call to my fellow members of the liberal echo chamber
Consider three individuals: a terrorist, whose indoctrination and violent actions result from a constant reminder throughout his upbringing of Western injustices and transgressions; a slavery apologist, who lives in the antebellum South, and validates his ideals by the norms and conventions of the time; an American who supports gun control, Keynesian economics, and a woman’s right to an abortion, but developed these beliefs solely through having friends and family affirm the “moral correctness” of these notions.
Guest Column by Blair Bowie | To John Legend: Make sure the reform is real
Penn Law recently announced that musician, activist, and Penn alum John Legend will join the advisory board of the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice.
Guest Column by Sonari Chidi | Unfinished business
If a person has not flung open the window of a campus building to angrily yell “YOU HATE ME!” at you, while you are still reeling from invitations to scheduled public lynchings of African American freshmen and marching peacefully to raise awareness, then welcome to the reality of race relations in the era of 45!
Guest Column by Zach Rissman | Behind closed doors: Sit-in negotiations and Penn’s blatant hypocrisy
The University of Pennsylvania, claiming to value collaboration and logic, acted extremely hypocritically throughout the negotiations during the Fossil Free Penn sit-in.
Guest Column by Vinayak Kumar | A Physics Perspective to Identity Politics
There is a lot of hot debate between the political left and right about social justice issues, and a particularly concentrated debate in higher education institutions.
Guest Column by Thomas Lee | Anti-intellectualism against divestment is dangerous
The exchange of ideas, through testing assumptions and addressing conflicting evidence, is the intellectual core of Penn’s academic mission.
Guest Column by Edward Jing and Makayla Reynolds | Michelle and Jay for UA
Serving as a liaison between the student body and Penn administrators, the UA has the unique ability to institute change that affects the entire undergraduate population.
Guest Statement by Michelle Xu and Jay Shah | Community, Campus Culture, Collaboration: Michelle and Jay for UA
We want to be your elected Undergraduate Assembly President and Vice President because we have a vision for Penn’s future, and we’re the ones to make it happen.
Guest Statement by Justin Hopkins and Calvary Rogers | Building bridges: Justin and Calvary for UA
Every year during the season of Penn Student Government elections, the student body is bombarded with signatures, platforms and the opportunity to elect a new President, Vice President and general body of the Undergraduate Assembly.
Guest Column by Karen Hamilton | Penn and diversity — another view
I am a Penn alumna, Penn parent, and Penn staff member. I was also a low-income student in the 1980s, which is why the recent story in the DP about the difficulty that some first-generation and low-income students have experienced during Spring Break caught my attention.
Guest Statement by 53 Penn Faculty Members | Statement of faculty support for GET-UP efforts
As faculty members of the University of Pennsylvania, we welcome efforts being made by GET-UP to unionize the graduate student workers (GSWs) in our university.
Guest Column by Joe Sageman | Activism through action: why I joined Teach for America
I scrolled through Penn’s career plans survey report: “Financial Analyst, Marketing Analyst, Finance Analyst, Analyst, Database Analyst,” read the first five results under the section for economics majors (really, you can go and look for yourself). A lump hardened in my throat.
Guest Column by Julia Lesko | Penn should reflect its value for open discourse
Benjamin Franklin argued for the importance of free discourse by noting “that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter.” Considering the administration’s opaque decision on fossil fuel divestment, Penn is not living up to its founder’s values.
