Opinion
Guest Column by Marialena Mouaikel and Saskia Wright | The Lebanon explosion hit home
Rising College freshman, Iman Ezzeddine, recounts witnessing the explosion from her living room in Beirut.
Bridget Yu | When home is no longer a safe haven
Contrary to popular belief, violence isn’t always physical. It encompasses the emotional, mental, sexual, and physical realms.
Isami McCowan | Over-tourism threatens the future of travel
Since Penn is a school that focuses heavily on a variety of global experiences, it wouldn’t be surprising if the idle monotony of homebound quarantine reignited some students’ desire to resume traveling.
Editorial | RAs and GAs deserve respect and a fair contract. Penn is offering neither.
Penn needs to be honest and transparent with RAGAs, and compensate them commensurate with the invaluable, dangerous work they do.
Angelina Eimannsberger | Penn women, consider freezing your eggs
Harvested and stored eggs help women outsmart the impending loss of fertility that begins when we reach our mid-thirties.
Varun Saraswathula | The election is in three months, but you need to think about it now.
Even in states that are “solidly” red or blue, increased turnout can send a message of what public opinion really is, while abstentions embolden those in power to continue to ignore other voices.
Alfredo Praticò | David Cohen is Wrong
Cohen stands firmly by the position that Penn’s economic impact in Philadelphia and direct investments to certain public schools outweigh paying PILOTs.
Bridget Yu | OCD is not a personality quirk
Having OCD does not equate to perfectionism, cleanliness, tidiness, or prudence — despite widespread media portrayal and cultural notions.
Sophia DuRose | Community engagement is important at every level
It shouldn’t be uncommon to know your neighbors, and it shouldn’t be uncommon to extend kindness to everyone in your community.
Morgan Gilfond | Philadelphia schools still haven’t removed asbestos. They can’t tackle COVID-19.
Asbestos is a silicone mineral widely used as an insulator until it was banned in 1970 for emitting toxic fibers. Half a century later, predominantly Black and Brown public schools are still plagued by the harmful carcinogen.
Christine Kim | Token Sorority Women
Currently, the majority of our seven on-campus sororities have few to no Black members.
Stephanie Yoon | Penn's leaders are as confused as the rest of us with COVID-19
The dynamic and unpredictable nature of the virus creates an ever changing set of problems for the University to try and solve.
Pedro Saltos Montenegro | Living with my dad, a COVID-19 patient
Seeing my father suffer, cry, and fight the COVID-19 through a window is undoubtedly one of the most shocking memories I will have to carry with me forever.
Editorial | As questions arise about the fall, Penn should host a community-wide town hall
Peer institutions like Cornell, Emory, and Purdue already made attempts to answer student questions through virtual town halls, giving Penn a blueprint from which to work.
Bridget Yu | Don’t take a gap year during the pandemic
Don’t take a gap year out of fear or discomfort with the chaotic state of the world. It’s our new normal and will continue to be in the foreseeable future.
Lark Yan | Incoming first years, a gap year is in your best interest
Since incoming college first years are at a key transition stage of their lives, they should highly consider taking a gap semester given their inability to receive a complete college experience under present circumstances.
Guest Column by College Dean's Advisory Board | We need access to course syllabi now
Currently, Penn students mostly rely on Penn Course Review and word of mouth to make decisions on which classes to take.
Jessica Gooding | Professors, stop using microaggressions with students
Microaggressions are uncomfortable, harmful, and demeaning for students because they ultimately influence a student’s perception of their ability to excel, feel comfortable and be accepted within the Penn community.
Varun Saraswathula | Doctors are facing a silent mental health crisis — and they need help
Dr. Lorna Breen’s passing reignited a conversation surrounding well-being among physicians, but struggles with mental health often begin more than a decade before medicine itself.