Student Life
Back to school, COVID-19 edition: Tips for first years to survive virtual college at Penn
To help Penn's new students navigate this uniquely challenging semester, The Daily Pennsylvanian asked upperclassmen and professors for advice about how to succeed in college amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Penn students create virtual platforms for club recruitment this fall
Clubs overseen by SAC will use the platform Penn Clubs while those overseen by The Wharton Council will use Virtual Event to recruit new members and host group meetings over Zoom.
Penn Student Government will contribute $250,000 to support Black student programming
$200,000 will go to Makuu: The Black Cultural Center, with $150,000 of this portion reserved for UMOJA and its coalition groups. The remaining $50,000 will go to the Center for Africana Studies at Penn.
International students hesitant to return to campus due to concerns about testing, move-in
International students are “encouraged, but not required” to receive a coronavirus test before returning to the United States.
Some RAs and GAs plan to quit after housing admin. silence their fall concerns in meeting
During a meeting with Deputy Provost Beth Winkelstein, RAGAs said they were given little opportunity to voice their concerns.
Williams Cafe, Benny’s Diner will be closed this fall as other student agencies move online
The University decided to shut down both Williams Cafe and Benny's Diner for the upcoming semester in an effort to keep the community healthy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Penn's fall 2020 academic, testing, and health plans, explained
What exactly will the fall semester look like and how will Penn administer testing throughout the semester? The Daily Pennsylvanian has answers to all of those questions and more — here is everything you need to know about Penn's fall semester plan.
With mosques closed, Muslim students celebrate Eid virtually
Muslim students at Penn who were unable to go to their local mosque and gather in person on Eid celebrated with virtual communal gatherings and prayer sessions.
Undergraduate students must self-administer COVID-19 saliva tests before arrival to campus
Penn is contracting with testing laboratory Genetworx for mail-away testing, Provost Wendell Pritchett and Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli wrote in an email sent to all undergraduates Tuesday morning. Testing kits will be sent to students' permanent addresses between Aug. 8 and Aug. 12.
Rising Wharton sophomore died July 25 in car accident
Rising Wharton sophomore Jerry Sun was killed in a car accident in Colorado on July 25, according to a email sent Monday morning to undergraduates by Associate Vice Provost for University Life Sharon Smith on behalf of Penn President Amy Gutmann and Provost Wendell Pritchett.
78% of surveyed Penn students will return to campus for mostly virtual fall semester
The DP surveyed undergraduates to gauge what students are planning to do for fall 2020 amid the pandemic. Though the vast majority of the nearly 1,000 respondents will return to campus in less than a month, they expressed a general distrust in the Student Campus Compact and mixed feelings about the fall semester.
Calls to abolish Greek life are sweeping the nation. Now, they’re growing louder at Penn.
Students involved in Greek life believe there is room for reform, while those calling for abolition disagree because of Greek life’s long history of alleged racism, classism, and sexism.
Penn will mail all domestic undergrads COVID-19 tests and hold nearly all classes online
While colleges across the nation are reversing their fall plans, the University continues to stand by its initial hybrid instruction model. The vast majority of undergraduate fall classes will be held online, the statement read, with very few in-person offerings.
Pottruck will reopen under a phased approach for fall 2020
As the reopening phases progress, Campus Recreation will increase hours, group exercise programming, services, and access to other indoor facilities such as squash, indoor tennis, and the Fox Fitness Center.
Students question enforcement of Campus Compact, call on Penn to allow safe socialization
Without strict oversight, students worry a surge in cases could occur, yet students fear strict oversight and individual reporting could create a divisive campus culture.
Students are expected to follow the Campus Compact this fall. Here’s what it means.
The Compact expects students to adhere to a set of public health and safety measures, including practicing strict physical distancing and using facial coverings for two weeks before returning to campus before classes start on Sept. 1.
‘The campus was dead’: Students who stayed at Penn last spring recount isolated experiences
Students unable to return home were able to fill out an online form requesting to remain on campus. Approximately 450 students received approvals, while thousands of other residents rapidly left campus en masse.
On the front lines of COVID-19: Penn student describes working as EMT in New York City
As an emergency medical technician in the Bronx, rising Wharton sophomore Stuart Harris likens his job to watching a “horror movie” — even months after the city survived its most devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to date.
‘A roller coaster month’: Intl. first-year students shaken once again by newest ICE policy
After receiving their schedules on Monday, international first years are worried that they won't be able to enter the U.S. without registering for in-person classes.