March 24, 2022

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA • FOUNDED 1885

PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

VOL. CXXXVIII

NO. 9

Lia Thomas makes history See page 6 to relive the action at the NCAA Championships PHOTO BY JESSE ZHANG

Penn community reports ‘very mixed feelings’ as mask-optional policy looms The University is planning to drop its mask mandate in classrooms on March 28 SAYA DESAI AND JASPER TAYLOR Senior Reporter and Staff Reporter

Cheat Codes, Flo Milli set to headline Spring Fling concert The concert will take place in Penn Park on April 8 at 8 p.m., followed by the Daytime Fling event on April 9 JONAH CHARLTON AND TORI SOUSA Senior Reporters

PHOTO BY KYLIE COOPER

Masking in classrooms continues to be required until March 28.

The Penn community voiced mixed feelings about the University’s changing COVID-19 policies, citing concerns about transmission of the virus in classrooms and fears of new and highly contagious variants.

On March 15, Penn announced that masking is now optional in indoor public spaces on campus, while masking in classrooms continues to be required until March 28. The University also removed its COVID-19 testing requirements for fully vaccinated individuals.

While some students are excited about a return to normalcy and have embraced the move away from masking, other students still have concerns for at-risk populations who are much more vulnerable to infection.

College sophomore Ellie McKeown, who is immunocompromised, said she is very worried about the classroom mask mandate being lifted on March 28. She explained that lifting the mask mandate in classrooms would highly increase her risk of infection and emphasized that this is a life-or-death situation for those with disabilities or who are immunocompromised.

“It’s a grievous injustice to all immunocompromised people, or people that are caring for the elderly or young,” McKeown said. “I think in the first place, the mask mandate should not have been lifted.”

McKeown said she thinks the University should allow professors and teaching assistants to institute their own mask mandates and that disabled students should

UPennAlerts double from 2019 to 2021 amid increase in robberies across Philadelphia The Division of Public Safety only sends out UPennAlerts for crimes when it determines it is necessary JARED MITOVICH Senior Reporter

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The Division of Public Safety issued a total of 67 UPennAlerts in 2021, up from 58 alerts in 2020 and 34 in 2019.

have the right to fully virtual learning through Disability Services.

“The only thing standing between me and the risk of hospitalization and, even in some circumstances possibly death, was the mask mandate,” McKeown said.

She added that she has communicated to her professors and the University that she must receive virtual accommodation. Most professors, McKeown said, have been understanding in accommodating her needs, providing online recordings for lectures and allowing her to submit in-class assignments online.

See MASKS, page 2

Penn issued twice as many UPennAlerts in 2021 as in 2019 — an increase driven in part by an uptick in alerts for robberies across University City.

In 2021, the Division of Public Safety issued a total of 67 UPennAlerts, up from 58 alerts in 2020 and 34 in 2019. Interim Vice President for Public Safety Kathleen Shields Anderson said the increase in UPennAlerts is not due to a conscious effort by DPS to send more alerts, although crime in Philadelphia has increased in the past two years. She said one factor may be that DPS started issuing alerts for weather-induced suspensions of University operations in the past five years.

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See ALERTS, page 3

Cheat Codes and Flo Milli will headline the first inperson Spring Fling concert since 2019 next month.

The concert is set to take place in Penn Park on April 8 at 8 p.m., followed by the Daytime Fling event the next day, on April 9. Penn’s Social Planning and Events Committee unveiled the concert lineup — along with the logo and theme for the Daytime Fling event — at a launch party event relocated from College Green to the ARCH building, which featured a number of giveaways.

There will also be a third “surprise guest” artist as the third performer.

Daytime Fling will carry a carnival theme — with the title “Revival of the Fling” — and will include various food vendors, giveaways, inflatables, games, and live performances by student groups and bands at Penn Park.

The Los Angeles-based DJ trio Cheat Codes is best known for their collaboration with Demi Lovato on the 2017 hit “No Promises.” The single was certified Platinum, and peaked at No. 6 on the American Top 40 chart.

Flo Milli, the Alabama-based rapper, is an up-andcoming star in the hip-hop genre. Her singles “Beef FloMix” and “In The Party” and her debut mixtape, “Ho, Why Is You Here?” earned her a nomination as Best New Artist at the 2020 BET Hip Hop Awards.

SPEC traditionally hosts the annual event each spring — recently in Penn Park, and previously in the Quad — but the event was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 and held online in 2021. The virtual, two-weekend 2021 Fling featured seven total artists, including Louis the Child and Chloe x Halle.

In its 47 in-person iterations, Spring Fling has hosted a number of big names, including Chance the Rapper, Kesha, Kygo, and Tiësto. In the most recent in-person event, in 2019, Miguel and J.I.D performed.

SPEC President Yaaseen Mahomed, a Wharton and Engineering junior, said he feels this Spring Fling performance will be especially important as it has not been held in person since 2019.

“All of SPEC is incredibly excited for Spring Fling this year after its two-year hiatus,” Mahomed said. “Being the 49th year of the tradition, we believe it’s one of the biggest highlights of the Penn social calendar and a chance to take part in something that has gone on for years.”

Mahomed said the SPEC concerts directors — including College senior Kayla Johnson, College senior Claire Marucci, and College junior Jeffrey Yu — and the SPEC Spring Fling directors — including Wharton sophomore Queenie Huang, Wharton senior Jane Huang, and Nursing senior Natalie Olender — have been instrumental in the planning process, as well as SPEC PopUp. Students can now purchase tickets for $30 to this year’s Fling concert online.

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2 NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

Penn student groups host QPenn, a weeklong event celebrating the LGBTQ community QPenn 2022 kicked off this Sunday, and the week will wrap up on Saturday with Queer Student Alliance’s drag show SEJAL SANGANI Staff Reporter

PHOTO BY VANESSA WEIR

Penn approves 2.9% tuition hike for 2022-2023 The Board of Trustees also instituted the largest financial aid increase in a decade JARED MITOVICH Senior Reporter

PHOTO BY JESSE ZHANG

Penn’s Board of Trustees approved a 2.9% tuition hike for the 2022-2023 academic year and the largest increase to the undergraduate financial aid budget in the last decade.

Administrators announced the 2022-2023 student charges at the Board of Trustees’ Committee on Budget and Finance meeting on March 3. Undergraduate tuition costs will total $81,340 next year, up from the $79,014 charged for the 2020-2021 academic year.

The increase will account for rising expenses due to inflation and support the University’s growing financial aid program, faculty and staff, and interdisciplinary academic offerings.

The 2.9% increase in tuition is slightly larger than the 2.8% increase the year before, which was the lowest year-to-year percentage increase in more than five decades. The University’s strong financial performance in the past year allowed for it to continue a more modest tuition hike compared to the average increase of around 3.9% over the past 10 years, Penn Today reported.

For the 2022-2023 academic year, Penn will charge $56,212 for tuition — up from the previous year’s $54,652. Room will rise from $11,358 to $11,754, and dining will rise from $5,946 to $6,134.

The 2022-2023 academic year will be the first time that undergraduate costs will total more than $80,000, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Undergraduate fees, which will rise from $7,058 to $7,240, cover the cost of student support services, technology services, and Penn Wellness services.

For the 2020-2021 academic year, fees also covered COVID-19 public health measures such as contact tracing and testing. Trevor Lewis, Penn’s vice president for budget planning & analysis, wrote in an emailed statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian that undergraduate fees will continue to partially fund COVID-19 public health measures for the 2022-2023 academic year.

The 2.9% tuition hike will be accompanied by an 11.1% increase in the aid budget from $259 million to $288 million, an increase not seen since before the Great Recession in 2010.

Currently, 44% of undergraduates currently receive

financial aid in the form of grants, a 2% decrease from 46% in 2021. These undergraduates are given an average of $60,506 in funding — over $4,000 more than next year’s cost of tuition.

“This 11.1% increase to the financial aid budget for FY23 is driven by our estimation that the percent of the undergraduate class receiving need-based grant aid will return to the higher end of the range from the past 10 years, which has been between 45% to 47%, up from 44% in FY22,” Lewis wrote.

He added that the Office of Budget Planning and Analysis is analyzing the financial aid awards for the current year to understand why the percentage of undergraduates receiving grant-based aid dropped to 44%.

“It was important to us that we continue to keep cost increases low while simultaneously bolstering our grant-based undergraduate financial aid program,” Senior Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli told Penn Today.

The above-average increase in financial aid funding comes after Penn and 15 other top universities were sued for allegedly colluding to limit financial aid. Former Penn spokesperson Stephen MacCarthy previously declined the DP’s request for a comment on the litigation.

At the Board of Trustees’ meeting on March 4, Carnaroli said that the University’s revenue for the three months period ending Sept. 30, 2021 totaled $3.5 billion, up 18.5% from a year ago, while net assets totaled $27.3 billion, an increase of 36% from the year prior. He attributed the increase to financial markets and the Power of Penn campaign launched by former Penn President Amy Gutmann.

Roughly one-third of Penn’s revenue is derived from undergraduate tuition and fees, according to Lewis.

Penn’s 2.9% tuition increase is on the lower end of its peer institutions that have approved their 2022-2023 tuition costs thus far. Princeton University and Brown University have both also approved a 2.9% tuition increase. The tuition hike at Cornell University ranges between 3.6% and 3.9% depending on the school, while Yale University’s total undergraduate charges will go up 3.8% next year.

QPenn, the University’s annual LGBTQ celebration week, is set to take place this week from March 20 to March 26 — with events such as an interfaith game night, ice skating, and a drag show.

Events are hosted by various LGBTQ student groups on campus. QPenn will be largely in person this year for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. There will also be a few hybrid events and one fully virtual event. “[QPenn] is a week for programming that’s specifically designed to uplift, amplify, [and] celebrate LGBTQ+ voices on campus,” College first year and head of the QPenn planning committee Xandro Xu said.

QPenn 2022 kicked off this Sunday with opening words and a mixer hosted in collaboration with FGLIQ, a club dedicated to queer students and alumni who are or were first-generation or lowincome students.

The week will wrap up on Saturday, March 26 with an exercise event at Pottruck Health and Fitness Center and Queer Student Alliance’s Drag Show.

QPenn has changed over the 35 years the event has taken place, according to LGBT Center Director Erin Cross. In 2015, the event staged same-sex weddings in Houston Hall prior to the Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in the United States.

For Cross, past highlights of QPenn have included Laverne Cox’s keynote speech and attending one of QPenn’s drag shows with her parents. Other events in past years have included talent shows and “Pride Games” held in collaboration with Penn’s athletics department, Cross said.

“QPenn is important to our community because it’s a week when you’re in the spotlight,” Cross said. “But more importantly, it’s a place where folks feel like they can belong, which is so key on a college campus.”

Both Xu and Cross emphasized that everyone is welcome at QPenn, regardless of whether or not they are part of the LGBTQ community.

“I would like to let the Penn community, our neighbors in West Philadelphia, [and] our neighbors across Philadelphia know that they’re welcome,” Cross said. “They always have a place they can belong at the LGBT Center and in the LGBTQ+ community.”

Xu also expressed that they hope QPenn can be a way for the entire LGBTQ community at Penn to unite.

“I really want QPenn to be that week for all of us to come together and to really celebrate,” he said.

“That community, and the heart of it, is really important for us to experience, to feel like we belong.”

MASKS, from front page

Other students were more optimistic in embracing the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.

“Overall, I really appreciate the move towards normalcy,” College sophomore Alexandra Shank said. “I especially appreciate being able to go to Pottruck and not having to work out in a mask.”

Shank added, however, that she was worried about a possible resurgence in cases. Scientists are currently monitoring the new and highly transmissible BA.2 subvariant of the Omicron variant.

“I worry about the subvariant. My opinion is, while rates are low, we might as well enjoy a return to normalcy as much as possible,” Shank said. “I currently don’t see any danger in getting rid of the mask mandate, and I’d like to take advantage of it while we can.”

Wharton junior and 2023 Class Board President Derek Nhieu stated that he has “very mixed feelings.” The removal of the mask mandate came just days after school resumed following spring break, which shocked Nhieu.

“For me, I’m more on the cautious side,” he said.

“But I think it is nice for the people who, you know, wanted more of a return to normalcy.”

Nhieu added that he thinks professors should be given the option to teach classes online if they are concerned about catching the virus.

Professor of English and President of the Penn

Market, Chestnut Streets to receive upgraded bike lanes The construction project begins as a part of a Philadelphia initiative to eliminate all traffic-related deaths by 2030 ANNA O’NIELL-DIETEL Staff Reporter

Market Street and Chestnut Street, two high traffic thoroughfares near campus, will undergo bicycle lane construction, a project which has garnered ongoing support from both the Penn community and administration.

Bike lanes on Market Street will be extended from 34th Street to 30th Street, and on Chestnut the repaving will include a new parking protected bike lane from 63rd Street to 45th Street.

This will establish an upgraded bike lane system that connects West Philadelphia and Center City.

The renovations, announced by the city in February, will contribute to Philadelphia’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate all traffic-related deaths by 2030. Accidents on both streets are among the highest in Philadelphia, among the 12% of city streets that contribute to 80% of all serious and fatal crashes.

Officials from Penn’s Division of Public Safety, which works closely with Philadelphia on bike lane construction near campus, have voiced their support for the proposed plans. Not only are bikers shielded from oncoming traffic, motor vehicles are provided clear instruction on where they can and can’t drive, according to Interim Vice President for DPS Kathleen Shields Anderson.

According to Anderson, the death of Drexel graduate Jamal Morris in a hit-and-run accident at 45th and Market streets acted as the impetus for much of the bike lane improvement efforts.

Morris’ parents and other Philadelphia residents formed Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadel-

chapter of the American Association of University Professors Chi-ming Yang wrote in an email to The Daily Pennsylvanian that she was concerned about the effects of lifting the mask mandate on vulnerable populations.

“All instructors should have the right to request masking in their own classrooms,” Yang wrote.

On March 16, AAUP–Penn released a statement to University administrators in response to the new COVID-19 guidelines which asked administrators a series of questions, including whether professors could institute their own masking guidelines and the possibility of offering online instruction.

“We ask that the University send a clear message to students that instructors are allowed to set their own classroom guidelines regarding mask-wearing,” Yang wrote.

Gwendolyn Beetham, the associate director of Penn’s program in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, said that she is “personally concerned, because [she is] the parent of a child who is not able to be vaccinated yet.”

Beetham echoed AAUP–Penn’s statement, saying that the University needs to clarify whether professors can require masking in their classes to protect themselves and vulnerable populations.

“I think we want to make [in-person learning] as accessible to every single person that is in that space,” Beetham said. phia, which has supported improvements in bike lanes across the city.

College first year and Philadelphia native Ryo Lindsey told The Daily Pennsylvanian that he biked almost everywhere he went in Center City while he was growing up, as his family did not own a car.

Lindsey was in a serious bike accident in 2020 in South Philadelphia when he cut through a parking lot because of a break in a bike path. He has since made an almost full recovery from the accident, but he had to undergo knee surgery for a dislocated tibia.

Lindsey voiced his support for the plans to repave Market and Chestnut, especially the protected bike lanes. He said he believes this will prevent the issue of Ubers idling in bike lanes and cars using them for parking and turning lanes.

Proposals for bike lanes historically have not always been guaranteed swift implementation.

Nearly two years ago, Philadelphia proposed plans to revamp Washington Avenue, slimming a busy five-lane street into one with two bike lanes and three lanes for cars.

However, the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability began reconsidering plans after concern rose in 2020 among Point Breeze residents who felt who unrepresented in planning, with some citing concerns over gentrification, a delay in emergency responses, and a lack of representation of the community in planning.

Under the new plan announced March 1, some lanes of Washington Avenue will have three lanes of traffic, with others having four or five.

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, an organization that works with the Department of Transportation and the Streets Department, was heavily involved in planning and introducing bike lanes on Washington Avenue.

“This [project] has been proposed for a very long time. The District Councilperson Jamie Gauthier is a planner and has been very supportive of extending the bike lanes for both ways,” John Boyle, the organization’s research director, said. “There has been a lot of community involvement — I am optimistic that this will go on without a hitch.”

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NEWS 3

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

El Taco restaurant, founded by two Penn alumni, opens second location on Spruce Street The restaurant hosts weekly Taco Tuesday deals, promotions for first responders and college students, and fundraiser programs SAYA DESAI Senior Reporter

Penn Campus Recreation faculty and staff dodgeball tournament returns from COVID-19 hiatus Faculty and staff will be competing in teams of 4 to 12 players at the Gimbel Gym at Pottruck Health & Fitness Center from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

LIAM UMBS Contributing Reporter

PHOTO BY CHASE SUTTON

PHOTO BY LILIANN ZOU

El Taco opened its second location on Penn’s campus on March 9.

The restaurant El Taco, founded by two Wharton School graduates, opened its second location at 3716 Spruce Street on Penn’s campus on March 9.

The restaurant was founded by 2000 College and Wharton graduate Alvaro Luna, his wife, Edna Luna, and their friend, 2000 Wharton graduate Brett Weinheimer. It is open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

El Taco serves Mexican-inspired dishes, including crispy tacos, quesadillas, and burrito bowls. It is also well known for its homemade guacamole and salsas, according to Shop Penn. The restaurant also hosts weekly Taco Tuesday deals, promotions for first responders and college students, and fundraiser programs.

“The entire El Taco team couldn’t be more excited about the reality of bringing [Edna Luna’s] amazing Mexican-inspired fare to the heart of Penn’s campus, on the same block as [Alvaro Luna] and I walked as Penn freshmen 25 years ago,”

Weinheimer told Shop Penn in November 2021.

El Taco has been operating at its first location on Drexel University’s campus since February 2018.

College first year Kaitlin Kramer said that she enjoyed her experience when she ate at the restaurant.

“The food was really good, and it was a fun, casual environment,” Kramer said.

El Taco is one of the newest restaurants to join Shop Penn, Penn’s retail district.

“Penn strives to bring a unique mix of dining options to the campus and surrounding neighborhood,” Ed Datz, Penn’s executive director of real estate, told Shop Penn. “El Taco is a popular locally owned staple here in University City, and we are excited that they have picked a location in the Shop Penn district for their next venture.”

Four more restaurants — Dig Inn, Raising Cane’s, Five Guys, and Amma’s South Indian Cuisine — are set to open new locations near Penn’s campus in the coming months.

Penn Campus Recreation will host its annual 6-on-6 dodgeball tournament for Penn faculty and staff on Thursday — for the first time since 2019 — in celebration of the 126th annual Penn Relays.

Faculty and staff will be competing in teams of 4 to 12 players at the Gimbel Gym at Pottruck Health and Fitness Center from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and family and friends are invited to watch. Teams will compete to win prizes including apparel and free Penn Relays tickets, and the winning team will be deemed “Campus Cup Champion.” All participants will receive a commemorative T-shirt.

The dodgeball tournament will be immediately followed by a Penn Relays Quizzo trivia contest, with questions on Penn’s history. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase at the event.

The dodgeball tournament is a part of the second annual Penn Relays Campus Cup Series, which is a collection of activities for Penn faculty and staff culminating in the main event of a campuswide field day challenge.

Rachel Howard, the coordinator of business development for Penn Athletics, wrote in a press release sent to The Daily Pennsylvanian that the Campus Cup presents a unique opportunity for faculty and staff to engage with each other and have fun.

“Campus Cup is an event that fosters a shared

experience and sense of community,” Howard said.

“After the last two years, it feels like we need these social gatherings more than ever.”

Tasks at the main Campus Cup challenge consist of a 4x100 meters race, a tug of war, shot put, a potato sack race, and a three-legged race. Teams participating in the dodgeball tournament and trivia contest will earn extra points toward the main event.

The first Campus Cup was held in 2019, but events for 2020 and 2021 were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s Campus Cup main event will be held on April 21 from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Franklin Field.

The Penn Relays is the oldest and largest relay event in the country and has been held annually since 1895.

However, the 2022 relays mark its return after a twoyear hiatus, since games in the previous two years were canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The relays bring participants from high schools, colleges, and track clubs from around the world and the event has featured future Olympic athletes every year. The 2022 relays will be held from April 28 to April 30 at Franklin Field.

“Campus Cup inspires healthy interaction and competition between schools and centers,” the press release stated.

ALERTS, from front page

Anderson said that the department only sends out UPennAlerts for crimes when it determines it is necessary.

“When a crime is actively in progress that we believe to be at a level of a potential UPennAlert, about 20 people within [DPS] will receive a conference call — it doesn’t matter what time of day or night it is,” Anderson said.

DPS is responsible for sending out UPennAlerts, notifications that are emailed and texted to the University community about situations that it says involve “an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on campus.” The alerts are supplemented by additional information and updates that DPS provides on its website.

The Daily Pennsylvanian Analytics Staff looked at the 174 total UPennAlerts issued between July 2018 and December 2021, pulling data from the campuswide email notifications to examine trends — ranging from the most common alert locations to the most frequent times they were issued. Anderson said that the trends reflected in the DP’s analysis were not surprising to DPS. The DP analysis also used data from the DPS 2021 Annual Security & Fire Safety Report, which includes data from 2019 and 2020, to compare the number of UPennAlerts to the total number of crimes recorded around Penn during that time. The annual DPS report complies with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security and Crime Statistics Act, which requires universities to disclose information about certain crimes that occur on or near campus.

“The purpose [of a UPennAlert] is to give enough people information that there is an ongoing safety concern, give them an action — such as ‘avoid the area’ — and to let them know they’re going to see police activity, what that situation is, and then direct them to our website for additional information,” Anderson told The Daily Pennsylvanian on Jan. 25.

The DP Analytics Staff categorized the UPennAlerts using both the Clery Act definitions, which encompass types such as “burglary” and “robbery,” and three additional categories: “All Clear” for notifications clarifying that normal activity may resume, “COVID-19” for alerts related to the pandemic, and “Other.”

In 2019, DPS issued eight UPennAlerts for robberies, a number which rose to 12 in both 2020 and 2021. Anderson said the DP’s breakdown of alerts reflects the increased number of robberies recorded overall in 2021 compared to 2020.

Thefts and robberies are by far the most common type of UPennAlerts issued for crime, composing about 1 in 5 alerts over the past three years. Other offenses composing a significant percentage of UPennAlerts include assault, which prompted 16 alerts, and burglary, which led to nine alerts from fall 2018 to 2021.

Civil unrest also contributed to the increase in

PHOTO BY DIEGO CARDENAS

alerts in 2020, with DPS issuing seven UPennAlerts about protests and civil unrest in 2020 — a year which saw nationwide demonstrations after Minneapolis police officers murdered George Floyd, a Black man. Of these seven alerts, four notified the community about citywide curfews that the City of Philadelphia instituted due to the civil unrest.

Anderson said that the vast majority of protesters were peaceful, but occasional instances of vandalization required DPS to notify the University community of “mass interruptions of services.”

Separately, DPS issued one alert about “increased police activity” in 2018 and two in 2021.

The most recent of this type of alert, which DPS issued Dec. 14 at 12:20 a.m., was related to a DPS report of “a complainant shot by unknown males” at the same location at 11:53 p.m. on Dec. 13. The Clery Crime Log categorizes the incident as an aggravated assault by handgun.

DPS issues around 60% of UPennAlerts during fall and winter months.

“Population density has an effect. Crime tends to increase in warmer months because more people are outside, and in colder months tends to drop because more people are inside,” Anderson said.

The opposite trend, however, is reflected in UPennAlerts, which Anderson said might be due to the University City population typically experiencing a significant drop in population density during summer months when many students are not on campus.

A slim majority, 51%, of UPennAlerts are issued during daylight hours — defined as after 7 a.m. and before 7 p.m. — while 1 in 10 UPennAlerts were issued between 8 p.m and 9 p.m.

Approximately 20% of UPennAlerts are related to offenses with a weapon, 60% of which are issued during nighttime, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

These trends mirror a study that found that more severe crimes are more likely to occur at night in big cities, even if overall, crimes are more likely to occur during the day.

As of March 23, DPS has issued eight UPennAlerts since the beginning of 2022 — on par with 2020 and significantly lower than the same date in 2021. However, Philadelphia is still currently experiencing record crime rates in 2022, with 109 recorded homicides.

Additionally, Black Philadelphians are disproportionately affected by both crime and police response. Amid record gun violence, Black

women are a growing share of the victims. In addition, arrest records show that Philadelphia police officers are less likely to arrest a murder suspect when the victim is a person of color. Only 33% of cases with Black murder victims lead to arrests, even though 82% of murder victims are Black.

Jack Starobin — a College sophomore, member of Police Free Penn, and former DP staffer — said that Penn does not do enough to prevent violent crime beyond its immediate vicinity. “[Penn] seems to turn a blind eye to the same crime and violence that’s worth sending out alerts to thousands of people on a daily basis when it happens just a few blocks further away,” Starobin said.

Overall, the west side of campus, which Anderson defined as the area between 40th and 43rd streets, sees more UPennAlerts issued for burglaries, which she said is not surprising because it is mostly residential. On the contrary, academic buildings are secured through Operation Building Safe, which requires students to swipe into buildings using their PennCard, making burglaries less common on campus itself. University City is one of the most heavily patrolled areas in Philadelphia, featuring six overlapping police patrols. Not all offenses that occur in the Penn Patrol Zone — which runs north to south from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and east to west from 30th to 43rd streets — result in a UPennAlert being issued.

According to Anderson, not all offenses warrant a UPennAlert. In some instances, she said, a suspect may already be in custody after committing a crime before it is necessary to issue an alert, or the police will speak to the complainant and determine that time has passed since the incident was dangerous.

From 2019 to 2020, DPS issued 55 UPennAlerts for offenses that must be recorded under the Clery Act, compared to 1,906 total offenses that were reported in the crime log. In other words, roughly 1 in every 35 offenses that occur in the Penn Patrol Zone prompt a UPennAlert — including 1 in 56 thefts and robberies, 1 in 25 assaults, 1 in 5 shootings, and 1 in 20 burglaries.

Anderson encouraged students to put their cellphone number in the UPennAlert system and utilize Penn Guardian, an app that allows Penn Police to view students’ locations when they call a Public Safety phone number in order to decrease response times.

To make the Penn community safer, Starobin said that the University needs to examine its relationship with the West Philadelphia community and ensure that Penn’s wealth and police force do not impose on the well-being of residents.

“The University’s presence contributes very much, as I understand it, to the kinds of circumstances and political and economic realities that contribute to violent crime in Philadelphia,” Starobin said.

4 OPINION

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

Opinion

138th Year of Publication

THIS YEAR’S BOARD ALESSANDRA PINTADO-URBANC President PIA SINGH Executive Editor JONAH CHARLTON DP Editor-in-Chief TYLER KLIEM Design Editor TORI SOUSA News Editor EMI TUYẾTNHI TRẦN News Editor DELANEY PARKS Assignments Editor SOPHIE APFEL Copy Editor JESSE ZHANG Photo Editor ASAAD MANZAR Opinion Editor PHOEBE LEUNG Social Media Editor MATTHEW FRANK Sports Editor ESTHER LIM Sports Editor KAVEEN HAROHALLI Video Editor NICOLE ZHAO Podcast Editor GREG FERREY Business Manager RAUNAQ SINGH Technology Manager ANVIT RAO Analytics Manager BAILEY CAMPBELL Marketing Manager SUNNY JANG Product Manager

Penn’s changing COVID-19 guidance: What comes next?

GUEST COLUMN | As students re-evaluate their decision to mask up, empathy remains more important than ever

C

hange is frequently daunting. Like many students at Penn, I distinctly remember the collective chaos that ensued throughout American educational institutions following the switch to virtual learning at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, students find themselves trapped in a similarly nerve-racking scenario: deciding whether to continue masking up in light of the University’s new mask-optional policy.

While I served as UCLA’s student body president at the start of the pandemic, Bruins understandably raised important concerns surrounding the uncertainty of their futures on campus, and how to best adapt to evolving public health guidance. Now, while serving as the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly’s wellness director at Penn, Quakers have similarly begun to take part in evaluations of their own decisions on whether to continue to mask up.

As is already apparent on campus, students will ultimately arrive at different conclusions as to whether to mask up. Students who are immunocompromised, are caretakers for vulnerable community members, or are understandably anxious about the changing guidance may continue to take important precautions even as the University rolls back some public health measures. Alternatively,

BECKY LEE Deputy Design Editor CALEB CRAIN Deputy Design Editor ALICE CHOI Deputy Design Editor AVA DOVE Deputy Copy Editor SOPHIE NADEL Deputy Copy Editor ALLYSON NELSON Deputy Copy Editor DEREK WONG Opinion Photo Editor ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL Sports Photo Editor LILIANN ZOU News Photo Editor TAJA MAZAJ Deputy Opinion Editor ANDREW YOON Deputy Opinion Editor VALERIE WANG Deputy Opinion Editor LEXI BOCCUZZI Deputy Opinion Editor CAROLINE MAGDOLEN Deputy Opinion Editor BRITTANY DARROW Copy Associate CAROLINE DONNELLY MORAN Copy Associate LEANNE WATTAR Copy Associate ABBY WEINSTEIN Copy Associate

Have your own opinion? Send your letter to the editor or guest column to letters@thedp.com.

Editorials represent the majority view of members of The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc. Editorial Board, which meets regularly to discuss issues relevant to Penn’s campus. Participants in these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on related topics.

PHOTO BY CHASE SUTTON

Whatever your choice may be, working together to support our collective health and well-being remains a priority even as COVID-19 cases presently reach a new low.

Quakers should persist in supporting fellow students who remain particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, or who simply wish to continue masking up. Students should also be receptive to others who may understandably be eager to return to some sense of normalcy after two years of vigilance and taking into consideration the current public health data available.

In the event that these two perspectives raise disagreements among students, those who elect not to mask should remain deferential to the health needs of others, and should err on the side of being cautious. In either case, our community’s willingness to continuously re-evaluate masking decisions in varying contexts remains more important than ever. This is especially true in light of the real likelihood of more waves and in contexts where students who otherwise may elect to unmask are with those who may still remain particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

Finally, the largely unspoken reality that has already revealed itself in the first few days of this new guidance is that some individuals on campus will undoubtedly develop broad assumptions about others depending on their decision to wear a mask. Specifically, assumptions about students who continue to

mask up despite the new guidance have the real potential to inadvertently target Penn community members that are most vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19.

Ultimately, Quakers know that this is not the first change in COVID-19 guidance, and it will undoubtedly not be the last. Distinctly, though, for many of us, masking represents an important symbol of our collective efforts to combat what has been a historically challenging two years of working to protect our communities. Because of this, the decision to take off or continue to wear a mask may be a deeply personal decision for many students on campus given each of our own lived experiences.

More than ever, the Penn community should work together to support our peers who may struggle with this change, and be willing to modify our own decisions in light of the changing health needs of those around us. If we can do this, we may find ourselves better able to adapt to change than we thought we could at the start of the pandemic.

ROBERT WATSON is a Penn Law and Graduate School of Education second year from Louisville, Ky. His email is rbwatson@pennlaw.upenn.edu.

OUTSPOKEN ON OCCASION | As Penn ushers in a new cohort of leaders, diversity and inclusion must remain key priorities t the beginning of this year, it was announced by the University of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees that Penn had found its new president, Liz Magill, who currently serves in the position of provost of the University of Virginia. Though current Interim Provost Beth Winkelstein is expected to hold her position during this transitional period, it is also likely that the University will shortly be in search of an individual to serve as provost in a more permanent fashion. This new recruitment provides Penn with a chance to make good on its promises to make Penn a more diverse and inclusive space for students and faculty.

In a conversation with the Office of Student Affairs, I asked, both as a student government leader as well as a general Penn student, what this presidential transition would mean for students and the Penn community as a whole. It was then I learned that we would not just be facing one transition, but in fact, two, with the hiring of a new provost set to occur in the near future. While the idea of two of the most senior leadership roles at Penn being transitioned was an initially daunting prospect, I was also struck by the rarity of the occasion, and the opportunity it presented for Penn to reform and revitalize its priorities and commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

While under President Gutmann’s tenure, the University did make significant strides toward diversity and equity, such as the creation of the Office of Social Equity and Community and hiring of Penn’s first chief diversity officer, the appointment of a person

of color as provost would allow us as a university to move one step closer to meeting these standards we have set for ourselves, especially in the face of a presidential transition which some have criticized as not being reflective enough in terms of diversity.

with these groups as well. They have been some of our most ardent supporters in initiatives and projects which seek to improve the experience of Penn students of diverse backgrounds, as they understand the unique sets of challenges facing these types of students at

PHOTO BY CHASE SUTTON

Choosing a person of color goes beyond just appearances though. Our lived experiences are a product of our unique cultures, surroundings, and communities with which we identify, and these qualities in turn inform how we act, serve, and lead. As the Undergraduate Assembly’s equity and inclusion director, I constantly find myself and my committee members working with the leaders of our Cultural Resource Centers and other administrative offices focused on misrepresented and underrepresented identities, often also as individuals who identify

an institution like Penn.

When I think of University leadership and the impact representation can have on students, I often find myself thinking of current Vice Provost for University Life, Mamta Accapadi, though most of us students simply know her as Mamta. The news of Accapadi’s appointment came only a few months after I had made the decision to attend Penn and allowed me to feel more secure in my decision.

Knowing that there would be an administrator at my school who not only looked like me but was a child of immigrants like myself

and also had a track record of championing diversity and multicultural education initiatives was an important part of my transition to university life. In conversations with Accapadi, her sincere passion for the diverse student body really comes through and is followed by action which is informed and aware, a direct result of who she is as an individual.

The importance of hiring diverse university leadership goes just beyond Penn, however. According to a 2019 American Council on Education study, of the 70% of male college presidents, only 12% were men of color. For the 30% of female college presidents, the figure for women of color was even lower: 5%. These numbers become far more illuminating in the context of the changing student population of American colleges and universities, which has jumped from 30% nonwhite to 45% in just the last two decades.

Having a diverse and representative group of administrators responsible for making significant decisions ensures that the needs of underrepresented students remain a priority and are embedded in a curriculum that is inclusive and multicultural. If Penn is sincere in its mission to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion on our campus, the selection of a new provost provides the university the fortuitous opening to do just that and make a lasting impact in the years to come.

ALEX EAPEN is a second year in the College from Elkridge, Md. His email is aeapen@sas.upenn.edu.

Dear High School Seniors J TO THE Z | What I learned in the ups and downs after college admission decisions Dear high school seniors,

A

LETTER SUBMISSION

some students who are fully vaccinated and boosted may feel that masking up is no longer necessary in certain spaces and contexts as Philadelphia’s COVID-19 daily case average remains low.

What we need in Penn’s next provost A

THIS ISSUE’S TEAM

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

lot of you will be opening your college decision letters soon. To start, congratulations on arriving here without losing your mind in the college application process (or maybe you did) — which is a feat in itself. The next few weeks and months could be a time filled with excitement, congratulations, and a sense of satisfaction for the hard work you’ve put in throughout high school, which I sincerely hope to be the case for you. Or it could be dominated by confusion, frustration, and anger.

Having been in your shoes two years ago, I want to share some of the things I learned and emotions I felt along the way as you begin your college matriculation journey.

Though it feels like an eternity ago, I distinctly remember what transpired on March 27, 2020, that year’s Ivy Day. An aspiring journalist, my dream school at the time was Northwestern University, which released its decision on Ivy Day as well.

As the hands on my clock inched toward 7 p.m., I popped my knuckles nervously, teeming with a bit of hope. As the emails began to come in, I opened them one by one in my bedroom. My parents waited eagerly in the living room, hoping to hear me cheer or scream out in excitement.

I didn’t cheer or scream. In fact, the whole experience was utterly anticlimactic. I was rejected by every single Ivy League university other than Penn, which had waitlisted me. I was also waitlisted

by Northwestern, a decision that flattened me and left me dazed. Otherwise, I was accepted to one other top-20 college and

waitlisted by another.

Other than sending follow-up letters to the three schools by whom I was waitlisted, there was not a lot to do in the following days. The COVID-19 pandemic was at its height globally, and I flew back to China as my high school in southern Pennsylvania was closed due to COVID-19. Without much opportunity to go outside, questions perfused my mind: What happened? Was my GPA not good enough, or did I not do enough extracurricular activities? Were my essays not convincing? Was I not good enough?

A lot of my focus was also spent getting to know the college that accepted me. Don’t get me wrong — it is a great college, I was very lucky to get accepted, and I looked forward to going there more and more as I got to know the school. Retrospectively, it was conceited to assume that things would go the way I wanted them to because let’s face it — the college admission process is hardly a formulaic math equation. There is a lot at play: luck, timing, and more factors excluding those on paper. All we can do is be our best and let things unfurl, knowing that acceptances and rejections are in no way holistic judgements of our character.

About one month later, I got off the waitlist at one university and received the same message from Penn three weeks after that. I ended up choosing to enroll at Penn.

In many ways, I am glad I went through two waitlists to get to Penn: It showed me that neither Penn nor any other university is everything. As I got to know the other two universities along the process, I realized they have so much to offer: programs,

classes, friends, and more. Though no two colleges have the exact same opportunities, at the end of the day, every one of them has plenty for us to explore and thrive in.

When I shared my story in the past, some have said, “It is easy for you to say that everything will work out for the best, you got into Penn!” They are right in that I was very lucky. Though in all honesty, I didn’t like Penn when I first visited — and I chose it very much under the sway of the fact that three of my best friends would be coming with me. Admittedly, the community and the school has grown on me in the last few months, and I could not imagine a college experience without the friends I have come to be so close with. I didn’t think Penn was the school for me, and though I will never find out whether I would have thrived more at other schools, I now firmly believe this is the community that is best for me. It is almost strange how puzzle pieces I thought wouldn’t fit together did at last.

The questions I asked about my own eligibility on paper and in life were never answered, nor will they ever be. However, I now know that the judge of those questions should not be college admissions officers or any outside players but myself. Moreover, just because we didn’t get accepted to our dream college doesn’t mean the process has failed; it takes unexpected routes to foster unexpected growth and discoveries. Through all of it, we can only trust that everything happens for a reason, and that regardless of where those decision letters take us, we will grow and discover, to our own surprises, new aspects of ourselves.

DESIGN BY ALICE CHOI

Best of luck on your next adventure, Jesse JESSE ZHANG is a College and Wharton sophomore studying Marketing and Communication from Shenzhen, China. He is the DP’s photo editor. His email is zhexi@wharton.upenn.edu.

THEDP.COM | THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

OPINION 5

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

Stop treating secondary education as a necessity LEXI’S TAKE | Defining success by a college degree is detrimental to our personal and financial futures

A

s we return back to our rigorous courses, busy schedules, and endless assignments postspring break, it is very easy to see our schooling at Penn as a burden rather than the privilege that it is.

For many of us, this is likely because we see college as a means to an end for our career goals — a stepping stone — rather than an opportunity for enrichment. In order for us to improve our overall relationship with education as well as the quality of our experience on campus, we need to stop seeing college as a determinant of success.

At many high schools around the country, the ever-present question at high school graduations is “Where are you going to college?” rather than “What will you be doing after graduation?” This culture often fails to acknowledge other alternatives which may be more fitting than college for financial, social, or professional reasons. Attending a high school where only 57% of students attended four-year colleges and 64% of students achieved less than 1000 on the SAT, I saw the implications of this approach first hand. Even in cases of students with lofty academic ambitions for whom college is a good fit, it often puts increasing pressure on the “where” of the university rather than on the “what” of their experiences.

This end-all-be-all approach to college admissions is often palpable at schools like Penn where students feel as if their life is defined by their time on campus, likely contributing to our collective mental health problem.

The perception of a college degree as a requirement is reflected in the increase in college enrollment by high school graduates over the last few decades. Around 69% of high school graduates now attend college; in 1960 this statistic was about 45%. While this increase may be encouraging for some people, the reality is that one in three students drop out before graduation, which makes the argument that college is a necessity and a good fit for everyone a bit lackluster.

This mentality has also contributed to our rampant student loan debt crisis. With college being viewed as an educational requirement for every graduating senior, the demand for a degree has become relatively inelastic, with universities being able to increase tuition to their current cost (see Penn’s $54,652 price tag). Students, then, often take out exorbitant loans to help cover the expense of tuition, and many end up failing to pay them back.

Many of these defaulters don’t even end up graduating from the colleges they took out loans to attend, with college dropouts being 100 times more likely to default on their loans.

For the remaining 31% of the population who choose not to attend college or even for those who choose to finance their degrees by more affordable means, there is reasonable pushback to loan

DESIGN BY ALICE CHOI

forgiveness programs like Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) recent proposal to President Joe Biden. It seems unreasonable that all taxpayers should bear the burden of a choice to attend college when many of them made a life and career while avoiding that financial burden. This is particularly problematic given households with above-median wealth owe the vast majority of student loan debt and that most debtors are primarily those who pursued professional graduate degrees.

For many, falling into student loan debt results from a failure to see other opportunities available to them. As a result of the stigma surrounding vocational school options over pursuing a bachelor’s degree, there has been a decrease in skilled trades workers, which has caused a shortage in plumbers, electricians, and the like. In 2017, just 8% of high school graduates were enrolled in vocationally oriented certificate programs, a product of the pro-college movement of the ‘70s and ‘80s. In spite of trades falling out of fashion, society is still in desperate need of people to fill these roles, many of which can offer high-paying positions with the opportunity for entrepreneurship. There have, as a

result, been efforts to reinvigorate trade programs around the country including J.M. Wright Technical School in my own town which was reopened in 2014 with state-of-the-art improvements.

Altering the perception around college education is also important to improving the college experience itself. With high-pressure college admissions, our lives can feel as though they are defined by our experiences at Penn and its peer institutions. Rather than seeing college as an opportunity to grow and learn about ourselves, our interests, and our peers, we regularly treat it as a toxic checklist that needs to be completed before we move our tassels.

There is no doubt that Penn has a high-stress climate that puts significant pressure on academic and professional achievements while lacking the mental health support to deal with those pressures.

However, this problem is often compounded by our failure as students to view our time on campus as an opportunity for growth rather than a determinant of our potential success.

By succumbing to the societal pressure to be defined by our degrees, we allow ourselves to be swept up in the feeling of obligation to participate

in activities that are not enriching, determine our self-worth based on our grades, and take classes that are not rewarding. In viewing college as a necessity for everyone rather than a preprofessional learning experience for only certain people, we are easily victim to underappreciating or growing jaded to the enrichment we are receiving.

College is not for everyone, and not every student should be expected to go to college after high school graduation. It is a privilege to spend four years of your life as a student, and it shouldn’t be the collective burden to finance that opportunity.

For those that do attend college, by approaching their experience with that perspective, they can take full advantage of their journey while similarly understanding that their life is not defined by where they go to school or what they achieve on paper during their time on campus.

LEXI BOCCUZZI is a College sophomore studying philosophy, politics, and economics from Stamford, Ct. Her email is boccuzzi@ thedp.com.

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6 NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

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NEWS 7

Lia Thomas makes history In the final chapter of a tumultuous season, transgender Penn women’s swimmer Lia Thomas traveled to Atlanta to compete in the NCAA National Championships.

From protests outside the arena to Thomas’ three races, relive all the action here.

BY DELANEY PARKS, EMI TUYẾTNHI TRẦN, AND ESTHER LIM PHOTOS BY JESSE ZHANG DESIGN BY TYLER KLIEM

March 17 Thomas wins 500-yard freestyle NCAA Championship title With the win, the Penn senior became the first-ever transgender woman to win an NCAA Division I title Penn women's swimmer Lia Thomas made history in the second day of competition by becoming the first transgender woman to win an NCAA Division I Championship title amid ample support, protests, and a media frenzy.

When Thomas' name was announced prior to the

500-yard freestyle final, there was palpable tension and relative quiet. As she swam, the stadium's seats — nearly sold out at $120 each — were packed with spectators.

"I try to ignore everything as much as I can. I try to just focus on my swimming and do what I need to

March 18 In 200-yard freestyle event, Thomas ties for fifth place On Friday, Thomas tied for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle event as the hectic weekend of media and protests continued.

March 19

Taylor Ruck, a four-time Olympic medalist who currently swims at Stanford University, out-touched Thomas by two seconds to win the 200-yard freestyle in 1:41.12

8th

Thomas takes eighth place in her final swim of historic season Yale University junior Iszac Henig, who is also transgender, finished fifth In the final race of her historic season, Thomas placed eighth in the 100-yard freestyle, an event that spotlighted transgender inclusion in sports.

After touching the wall in 48.18 seconds — achieving her third straight podium placement in three days — Thomas pulled herself out of the pool and headed to the podium with fellow trans athlete and Yale University junior Iszac Henig, who finished fifth. Both swimmers — who competed with "Let trans kids play" written on their arms — shared a hug and posed for photos, with Thomas flashing her signature peace sign.

"It was very important to me that I do it, and I was glad that Lia joined me in doing so," Henig told The Daily Pennsylvanian in an interview after the race.

"I think there's so many bills right now in so many

do to get ready for my races and just try to block out everything else," Thomas told ESPN directly after the race. "It means a lot to be here."

After the race, Mike Flynn, Georgia Tech’s assistant athletics director for communications and public relations, told members of the press that while all champions were told they would be required to participate in a press conference, Thomas “has declined to participate in the press conference.”

Thomas touched the wall in 4:33.24, marking her best time of the season and setting Penn's program record, which she broke earlier this season.

Though her time was still 9.18 seconds away from Olympian and Stanford University graduate

Katie Ledecky’s NCAA record, Thomas has drawn national attention for breaking Penn program and pool-specific records throughout a tumultuous season.

In December, Thomas broke the Penn record for the 500-yard freestyle at the Zippy Invitational, and a pool record in the same event at February’s Ivy League Championships. That weekend, she led the team to a historic third-place finish in the Ivy Championships, winning three individual events — the 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, and 500 freestyle.

Her preliminary time of 4:33.82 had previously been her personal best and the top-seeded time leading into the evening's finals.

— a pool record — while Thomas finished with a time of 1:43.40, tying with Riley Gaines of the University of Kentucky. Upon Ruck’s victory, the crowd, which included a large delegation from Stanford, roared in support — notably louder than the polite applause Thomas had received the day before in her 500-yard freestyle victory.

Stanford fans packed the stands for the race, waving red and white pom-poms and chanting in sync. Thomas’ friends and family, some holding trans flags, joined them in cheering — including Schuyler Bailar, the first openly trans swimmer to compete in NCAA Division I

swimming.

“Being able to be here for Lia means a lot to me because I was very alone during my process,” Bailar said. “While I had people who supported me, I didn't have anybody else to look to like, ‘You're also a transgender swimmer.’”

While Ruck was seeded No. 19 going into the meet, she placed first in the prelims for the event Friday morning.

She recently returned to swimming in 2021 after taking a two-year hiatus from the sport — impacted by her struggles with an eating disorder, which she opened up to The Globe and Mail about in December.

stronger.

"There are so many different things that are actually risking women's sports, you know, unequal pay and equal coverage from news networks. That's far more important to me than, you know, someone's birth gender," he said.

While Thomas failed to capture a second NCAA title in the 100-yard freestyle — which instead went to University of Virginia swimmer Gretchen Walsh, who earned a pool record — she ended up two places higher than her original seed.

Going into the preliminary event, Thomas had been seeded to place 10th — which would have landed her in the consolation heat rather than on the podium.

Friday morning, however, she achieved her top time of the season and entered the finals seeded fourth.

Throughout her NCAA Championship journey, Thomas has faced transphobic vitriol in both the media — from right-wing sources such as Fox News and Daily Mail — and in protests held by Save Women’s Sports and Concerned Women for America on Thursday afternoon outside the meet.

Despite this, several of Thomas’ competitors have

come out in support of her participation. Olympic medalist and University of Texas swimmer Erica Sullivan — who came third to Thomas when she became the first transgender woman to win an NCAA Division I Championship title — authored a Newsweek op-ed in support of her on Friday titled “Why I'm Proud to Support Trans Athletes like Lia Thomas.”

Sullivan wrote that as an LGBTQ athlete herself, she is frustrated that Thomas has been “unfairly targeted” for being a transgender woman.

“I feel incredibly grateful that coming out as gay never kept me from being able to participate in the sport I love,” she wrote. “All athletes—including transgender athletes—deserve to be respected and included, exactly as we are.”

Similarly, after Stanford University swimmer Taylor Ruck out-touched Thomas in the 200-yard freestyle final Friday evening, Ruck shook Thomas' hand.

"There's been chatter about Lia being here, but I just try to zone everything out," Ruck told ESPN in a post-race interview. "I was excited to be able to race someone who goes so fast.”

5th

Taylor Ruck, a four-time Olympic medalist, out-touched Thomas by two seconds to win the event

different states that bar trans people, trans women especially, from sports. And I think being able to speak out against that using this platform that I have is really powerful for me."

Thomas and Henig — who swims on the women’s team — have raced together before, most recently in the Ivy League Championships. Thomas bested him then to win the event, while he took second place.

"She's an incredible athlete, right?" Henig said.

"So [I have] a lot of respect for that. And she's also, like, a friend. And that's, you know, it's so fun to race your friends, it's fun to have someone to push you to go faster."

Henig added that the negativity some media outlets have directed toward trans athletes has been "tough," but navigating the season has made his friendships

1st

Groups protesting Thomas' participation met with counter-demonstrations Students at Georgia Tech said the protestors made them feel unsafe on a traditionally safe and inclusive campus Hours before transgender Penn swimmer Lia Thomas earned a historic victory at the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships, a vocal crowd gathered outside the aquatic facility — some in support of her and other trans athletes, and some to protest her participation.

Protestors from Concerned Women for America and Save Women’s Sports gathered on the lawn of the Georgia Tech McAuley Aquatic Center Thursday afternoon, holding up signs reading “#PennCheats” and “Save Women’s Sports” and loudly denouncing trans women in sports.

Ever since breaking records at the Zippy Invitational in December, Thomas has been at the center of a national debate surrounding transgender athletes.

By 12 p.m., protestors had assembled a podium and microphone for a roster of speakers — who proceeded to champion transphobic rhetoric.

Speaking in front of a small crowd of national and local media, the speakers and additional protestors on the sidelines alleged that transgender women participating in sports threaten women's

rights, and invalidated Thomas' gender identity by misgendering and deadnaming her.

A group of Georgia Tech students — some of whom were affiliated with campus groups, and some of whom happened upon the scene — said that the presence of the protestors in front of the NCAA venue made them feel uncomfortable on a traditionally safe and inclusive campus. They also denounced the transphobia of the protestors.

“What I see [are] grown adults coming to a college campus and bullying a woman who's trying to compete in the sport which they have no association with,” Georgia Tech student Tan Mush told The Daily Pennsylvanian. “Why are these people who are not qualified to talk about this coming to our campus and disturbing our peace?”

Avery Quick, a Georgia Tech student, said that she was just walking to class when she encountered the protest. Her frustration at the situation motivated her to counter several of the protestors' arguments — engaging in lengthy debates with them where she defended Thomas' right to swim.

"It's so f***ing annoying," Quick told the DP.

"We're proud to have the amazing center that we do — we always have swimmers come here for competitions. It sucks that it is not a safe place for her."

Quick added that homophobic and transphobic legislation currently in development — such as Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill that would ban classroom discussion of LGBTQ+ issues, and Georgia's “Save Girls Sports Act” which would ban transgender women from competing on women's sports teams — also upset her.

Students added that while they were open to respectful discourse on contentious topics, the behavior of some of the protestors and the manner in which the protest was conducted made them feel unsafe.

“We don't want to, like, necessarily curtail their freedoms. We just want to provide a counternarrative and, like, make a lot of people to know that real Georgia Tech students want to feel safe," Naiki Kaffezakis, the president of the Grad Pride organization at Georgia Tech, told the DP. Annabelle Rutledge, the national director of

Young Women for America, a Concerned Women for America subgroup, said she flew into Atlanta from Washington, D.C. to protest Thomas’ participation in the championship. She added that some of the protestors with Young Women America came in from Tennessee.

Just today, Concerned Women for America — a socially conservative, evangelical Christian organization — filed an official complaint against Penn under Title IX, alleging that it is “refusing to protect the rights of college female athletes.”

While individual protestors cycled out, scattered Save Women's Sports members were still present at 6:30 p.m. — countered by a larger group of counter-protesters waving small blue, white, and pink flags and playing Taylor Swift's song "Mean."

By then, Thomas had already become the first transgender woman to win an NCAA Division I Championship title in the 500-yard freestyle event with her fastest time of the season.

"I just wish these people would leave our campus," Quick said.

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

PHOTO BY CHASE SUTTON

With the introduction of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, Penn instated a vaccine mandate beginning April 2021, offering vaccine clinics for students and faculty.

IN PHOTOS:

The moments that defined the pandemic’s impact on life at Penn On March 11, 2020, former Penn President Amy Gutmann and former Provost Wendell Pritchett instructed students who were off campus for spring break not to return. Over the past two years, we have witnessed milestones such as the return of inperson instruction, being able to cheer our athletes on at the Palestra, and sharing a meal with friends at the

dining halls again. Through all the ups and downs, the Penn community has remained resilient and is now seeing a gradual transition to postpandemic life. To mark the two-year anniversary after students were sent home in March 2020, here’s a look back on the key moments that shaped the COVID-19 landscape at Penn.

PHOTO BY MAX MESTER

For the res t of the spring 2020 and f all 2020 s e m e s te r s , s t u d e n t s an d p rof e s s o r s s aw t h e transition to online school using Zoom and Canvas as the main mediums of course instruction.

PHOTO BY DIEGO CÁRDENAS

On March 15, 2022, Interim President Wendell Pritchett announced that the University will be dropping the mask mandate, signaling hope for post-pandemic life.

BY DEREK WONG

PHOTO BY MAX MESTER

Students were able to return to campus in spring 2021, after a declining trend of COVID-19 cases.

However, online instruction remained as the race for a vaccine continued.

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

The decline in COVID-19 cases allowed sports its glorious return at Franklin Field for the first time since 2019.

PHOTO BY JESSE ZHANG

The Omicron variant presented a roadblock, resulting in a virtual end to the 2021 fall semester. To combat against the new rise in cases, Penn instated a booster mandate for the Penn community in January 2022.

PHOTO BY SUKHAMNI KAUR

As cases declined in the summer of 2021, the incoming Class of 2025 was able to experience Penn traditions on campus as in-person instruction resumed for the first time since March 2020.

PHOTO BY CHASE SUTTON

In mid-March 2020, Penn students began moving out of the residential halls due to concerns of the newly emerging COVID-19 pandemic.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

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NEWS 9

10 SPORTS

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

How Penn rower Isak Žvegelj balances athletic career with popular YouTube channel The junior is also the son of an Olympic bronze medalist DEREK WONG Sports Reporter

As the son of an Olympic medalist, it isn’t too surprising that junior Isak Žvegelj has been continuing the family legacy in the sport by competing on Penn heavyweight rowing.

But when he’s not on the water, Žvegelj’s most notable attribute is his creativity, which he has been pursuing through his YouTube channel with over 4.7 million total views.

“I see creativity as a process of getting to know myself and as a process of self-expression,” Žvegelj said. “It makes me fulfilled that my ideas can actually have some impact.” Žvegelj has been uploading to YouTube for over 10 years. His most successful videos have been ones featuring Lego machine builds, one of which currently has over a million views.

“I have produced various types of videos in the past,” his channel description reads. “From candy machines, to paper guns, to short sketch movies.”

Recently, Žvegelj has been focusing more on voicing his thoughtful reflections. He began a podcast during the COVID-19 pandemic as an outlet to talk in his most honest self, which he produces in both English and Slovenian.

“I really recognize the idea of social media more, how it plays a big role in my life, and I found meaning sharing my ideas with the world,” Žvegelj said.

His topics have included reflections on his athletic journey so far, his goals for the future, and also a guest interview with his Olympian father.

“My dad inspired me definitely towards [my rowing] journey,” recounted Žvegelj. “I’ve been in sports for most of my life … but the one I ended up sticking with was rowing.”

His father, Denis Žvegelj, won bronze in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in coxless pair rowing. But his son has made great progress in his own right. In 2018, Isak Žvegelj competed in the World Rowing Junior Championships, placing fourth in the C final of the double sculls event. During the pandemic, Žvegelj kept practicing at home, and he made Team Slovenia for the Under-23 World Rowing Championships in 2021. He placed fourth in the C Final with his pairs partner, Aleksej Tratnik, and he even

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

Penn heavyweight rowing junior Isak Žvegelj’s YouTube video “Started a podcast!”

competed against his Penn teammates from the United States.

Competing at the international level came with levels of pressure, admitted the rower.

“You were selected … to represent your country, and the results you get speak for the country as well,” Žvegelj said. “It feels different than any smaller competition for sure, but I think it’s these types of competitions [that] is what makes a good athlete.”

Representing Slovenia internationally has been one of the highlights of Žvegelj’s rowing career, but he has been working through new challenges as an international student at Penn as well. Žvegelj initially noted the differences in culture between the United States and Slovenia

and has still been learning how to adjust to the United States. While the pandemic prevented Žvegelj from practicing with his Penn teammates, the rower has finally been racing down the Schuylkill River with the rest of the team this season, which he credits for helping him adjust to a new environment.

“Rowing helped me adjust,” Žvegelj said.

“The team of 40 guys has a really strong bond [and] that really just gets me right into the core of the culture. I recognize that the period when I’m here, the four-year period of studying [at Penn], is a unique opportunity, so I’m really taking that as a privilege to be here.”

But staying creative has been essential to Žvegelj as well in staying on top of his responsibilities.

“[My creative ventures] help me with mindfulness, being aware of the present moment, and being aware of the important stuff because sometimes the mind just gets full of tasks, and then you lose [track of] your priorities,” he reflected.

The rower concedes he’s not entirely sure what’s in store for the future. But with an impressive background and a planned summer research project with the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, Žvegelj is ready for whatever comes his way. He’s not counting out a possibility of competing in the 2028 Olympics, where he hopes he can further his rowing career to new heights far beyond the Schuylkill River.

In terms of the workload for the staffers, Ward explained that while things were slightly easier [turned] this week and we found out who exact- with fewer games being played, the pressure was ly was coming to our venue, we’ve been nonstop arguably much greater and there was still a lot since. Anybody who’s involved in this, they’re more to be done. pretty much involved in it the entire week and “You definitely don’t want to be the one to screw weekend. We’re gonna have staff members basi- up,” he said. “Our games, our Friday night games cally living at Wells Fargo Center starting all day at least, are on CBS. So, they’re not on truTV, or tomorrow through Sunday night.” they’re not on TBS, or there’s not other games to Ward and his team of roughly 25 staff members look through. Everybody’s going to be watching have been tasked with much of the grunt work for this game around the world, so you do not want to the event, which includes anything involving ac- fail catastrophically.” commodating the different teams’ needs.

Although that pressure (in addition to the pres“We work with the venue, we had guys down sure of doing right by the student-athletes particithere [Tuesday] setting up locker rooms, so our pri- pating) would rightfully cause worry, Ward sees it mary staff jobs are everything behind the scenes to as an opportunity for Penn to succeed behind the support the teams,” Ward said. “So between get- scenes. ting the teams in and through security, making sure “It’s not a nervous situation, it’s more of a pride their locker rooms are set and then turned over, get- thing,” he said. “And putting on a good show, ting them anything they need for a practice or for representing the city, representing our school and pregame warmups, managing their benches, those institution. You’re going to see ‘Hosted by the types of things.”

University of Pennsylvania’ on the scorer’s table.

Penn’s Director of Athletic Communications They’re very small, but you’re going to see two Mike Mahoney and his teamThe of New roughly exterPenn shield logos on the court floor.”

York40 Times Syndication Sales Corporation Corporation Themedia New York Times Syndication Sales nal volunteers will be managing for the event, Additionally, Penn is in the banner signage in 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call:Center 1-800-972-3550 which includes press conferences, For media creden-Call: City, where the advertisements note the Information 1-800-972-3550 Release Thursday, March4,17, 2022 For Release Friday,University’s March 2022 tials, and working with TV stations For Turner and CBS. involvement in the event. For those at-

tending the games at Wells Fargo Center, Penn will also have an ad in the game program.

While Ward has managed the Ivy League Basketball Tournament twice when it was at the Palestra, this event, he says, is “probably Ivy League on steroids,” though it still bears similarities to the Ivy Tournament and Penn Relays.

“This week is very reminiscent of Penn Relays week, where [Tuesday] felt like the Monday of Penn Relays where we were doing a little bit of setup, we’re finishing some of the administrative work, we’re kind of getting organized and ready to go,” he said. “And then starting tomorrow, it’s going to be a hands-on two days of setup. And then once we get into the games and the competition and the practices, we’re going to eclipse 80 hours this week, much like we do Penn Relays week.”

The University will receive an honorarium from the NCAA for hosting and staffing the event, which can reach up to $200,000 depending on if the games sell out, as well as budgeting and expenses.

Penn’s hosting March Madness is also a valuable opportunity to build experience in hosting large sporting events, which would benefit the athletics department as it looks to host more events in the Palestra.

“We’d love to be the permanent home of the Ivy League Tournament,” Ward said. “We’ve looked into hosting other conference tournaments. … I think there are some conferences that the Palestra would work well with. We considered hosting or putting [in] a bid last time for the women’s NCAA regional to host that at the Palestra, but at the time, we didn’t feel like we were equipped to do that based on that bid process. There might be [an] opportunity for us to bid on the NIT at some point in the future.

“It’s definitely a goal of mine to do as many events as we can. I think gaining this experience from hosting March Madness is going to be a huge kick to that, and it’s just going to drive that desire to host many more basketball events that we can do in the Palestra.”

BASEBALL, from page 12

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Lehigh, largely powered by a six-run sixth inning from the Quakers.

Senior shortstop Craig Larsen, who has starred throughout the winning streak, had an RBI single in the first game and then two more hits in the second contest to help secure the series win. Larsen also contributed his best performance in the final showdown of the weekend with three hits and two runs.

Additionally, on Wednesday, the infielder extended his current hitting streak to nine games and his RBI streak to an impressive six games.

“He got a really big hit yesterday to put us up.

It’s starting to carry over, and he’s seeing the ball a lot better,” head coach John Yurkow said of Larsen.

“Craig’s a pretty talented kid, so having him in the middle of the order — if he starts swinging the bat like that — it’ll really help us here down the stretch.”

Another standout player over the weekend was sophomore relief pitcher Danny Heintz, who, in the final game of the series, threw five consecutive strikeouts across a perfect 1.2 innings to help secure a series sweep for the Quakers.

“His last couple outings in the bullpen have been pretty impressive,” Yurkow said. “His strikeout numbers are starting to come up. … He’s starting to command his fastball better.”

One surprise over the weekend was the solid performance by Asa Wilson. The freshman catcher recorded his first career home run on Sunday and had a strong showing in the first game with two hits and a run. Against Lehigh, he topped his weekend performance, notching three hits, two runs, and two RBIs. “I think the biggest thing is continuing to try to limit self-inflicted mistakes, fielding the ball cleanly, limit[ing] freebies … cutting down on the strikeouts offensively,” Yurkow reflected. “It’s nice it’s starting to come around at an important time for us in the season.”

The Red and Blue will kick off Ivy League play with a weekend series against Columbia (6-10) starting this Saturday morning in New York.

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MARCH MADNESS, from page 12

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SPORTS 11

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022

From the pool to the boat: How Samy Morton went from Division I swimmer to Penn rower Morton swam at Tulane for two seasons until COVID-19 hit JIAYI LI Sports Reporter

Samy Morton’s first encounter with rowing was very much an accident.

“In high school I was a swimmer, but in my senior year, right before I graduated, my coach made us do a 2k race on the rowing machine just for swim training,” Morton said.

The 2k ergometer test introduced Morton, who is now a Penn women’s rowing junior, to an entirely new world.

“I did really well, and so he entered me into the Hong Kong indoor rowing champs, and then I broke the Hong Kong record.”

For the next two years, Morton never thought of rowing at the college level. She swam for Tulane University, a Division I team in New Orleans, until COVID-19 broke out.

“Then COVID happened and I took a gap year. I found this guy in Hong Kong who used to be on the Hong Kong [national] team,” Morton said. “He used to teach me a bit about rowing. So I was just kind of rowing with him. And then I rowed in New Orleans for a little bit.”

Morton’s record-breaking 2k score awarded her much attention from college rowing coaches, including Penn’s.

“I was not happy with swimming anymore and wanted something new,” Morton said. “And I knew there’s always a chance to try rowing. So I just reached out to a bunch of schools and [Penn was] the one I like[d] the most.”

Softball begins Ivy League play with 2-1 series loss to Columbia After losing by three runs in the first two contests, the Quakers pulled out a gutsy game three win ALEXIS GARCIA Sports Associate

Penn softball began Ivy League play against the Columbia Lions, losing both games of Saturday’s doubleheader before grabbing a crucial victory on Sunday, finishing 1-2 over the weekend.

“I think we were all super excited to get to prove ourselves again, but [there were] definitely some nerves,” freshman pitcher Payton Bean said.

Up until that point, Morton had no experience with serious rowing. In Hong Kong, where she grew up, sculling and lightweight rowing were more popular. As a result, she hardly set foot in competitive rowing. Penn marked the start of her serious rowing career.

Still, just one season was enough to demonstrate her talent in the sport. At the Head of the Charles Regatta last October, her boat finished seventh in the Women’s Championship Eights; a month later, she took first place with the Women’s Four in the Princeton Chase.

For the upcoming spring season, Morton expressed her high hopes.

“We got a good team,” Morton said. “A lot of freshmen are really strong. In fall, our first boat [was] half freshmen, only the coxswain [was] a senior. It’s good that we are doing so well. We’ll have that same boat for a whole other year. So we’ll definitely be getting big results.”

Currently, her biggest goal is to qualify for the NCAA Championships, which will happen after the end of the Ivy League season. Given the strong performance of her boat this past fall, she looks forward to entering the regatta that represents the nation’s highest level of college rowing.

After graduating from Penn in 2023, Morton plans to move to Australia, where she has citizenship, to further her rowing career at a higher level. Her first step would be the U23 national team, which races in the U23 World Championships that take place every summer.

“I’m already in contact with the Australian Federation. They are starting to know who I am,” Morton said. “It’s a good place to start. They are so nice, very supportive. I’ve been talking with them about moving back to Australia.”

Making it to the national team is the next step.

Though admitting its difficulty, Morton believes Preseason Ivy rankings placed Columbia (4-14, 2-1 Ivy) first and Penn (5-15, 1-2) second. That ranking was proven accurate when the Lions snatched the first two games, making game three all the more must-win for the Quakers.

Several stars emerged from Penn’s lineup; junior catcher Sarah Schneider and senior catcher Laurel McKelvey lifted Penn to a quick 6-0 lead in game one. With two runners on, McKelvey sent the second pitch of her at bat over the centerfield fence. Schneider stepped up with a centerfield home run of her own, each homer being the player’s first of the season.

But once Penn trailed, it couldn’t tame the Lions’ defense, and the visitors recorded a win of 11-8.

By the bottom of the fifth in game two, Columbia had shut out Penn and stacked a three-run advantage.

McKelvey’s pinch-hit line drive back up the middle brought home the runner on second and put the Quakers on the scoreboard, but it was Penn’s only offensive output as it ultimately fell 4-1.

Penn took control in game three.

“We just had a mindset of wanting to reset … after we didn’t get the wins that we wanted to,” Schneider said. “We really needed to come out strong and start scoring runs from the start, and I think we did a really

Junior Samy Morton (third from the left) with her teammates.

PHOTO FROM SAMY MORTON

that through hard work, there always stands a chance.

“After I graduate, I’ll probably move to Australia, train really hard, and try to get onto the national team, and hopefully see where it goes,” Morton said. “I mean, it’s optimistic of me, but if I keep improving at the rate I am, it could happen.

“Obviously the Olympic team is the ultimate goal.

Hopefully with moving back to Australia and getting into the national team system, once you are one of their athletes, they’ll consider you for a boat. So that’s my vision.”

But right now, all that she looks forward to is the spring season. Instead of the long 6,000-meter head races in the fall, the races will be held in short

2,000-meter courses, where all of the boats are released at the same time.

“I prefer 2k much better,” Morton said. “In head racing, you never see the other boats. But in 2k, they are right there. You can hear everything and much more.

I’m really excited for the 2k season.”

Notching top performances in her first-ever year of college rowing, Morton aims to build on her excellent records and bring the team to another level of competitiveness. With a young yet strong A-Boat lineup, the women’s rowing team is ready for its first race of the season, which will take place next Sunday in New Jersey.

It’ll be no accident this time, though, when Morton ends up in the boat.

good job on that — scoring almost every inning, it was great.”

Shooting for the fences had done more harm than good for the Red and Blue’s offense on Saturday, but aggressive baserunning and Columbia’s errors built Penn’s Sunday victory.

Penn scored first, then senior outfielder Emma Nedley made a sacrifice fly in the second inning, building the lead to 2-0. Next, pinch-runner Madison Bauerle advanced to third on a wild pitch. Smart baserunning quickly paid off as Bauerle scored on a single to left on the next pitch.

“Something we took away from yesterday was [that] we had a lot of pop-ups, and we were getting under the ball a little too much,” Schneider said.

“We know this field. We realized yesterday that they were making a lot of mistakes on ground balls, so we thought it would be a great idea to try and hit more balls into the ground.”

Schneider’s third home run of the season in the sixth inning sealed the Quakers’ 5-3 win.

From the mound, Bean continued her progressing output for Penn. In addition to five pitching appearances over spring break and a win against Delaware State earlier in the week, Bean pitched game two against the Lions.

“Coming in, I definitely didn’t expect to be pitching as much as I am,” Bean said. “But spring break was a great experience. It was a little shaky just because we were playing some really [high]-caliber teams. But I think it prepared the entire team perfectly for this.”

The return to Penn Park proved to have mixed results, but the Quakers are counting on teamwork to push the record forward.

“The biggest takeaway from this series is that if we play as a team, everyone’s beatable,” Bean said. “I think we can come out on top every time if we bring this energy and really just play as a team because our team energy is unmatched — I promise that.”

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The team cheers for junior center Sarah Schneider after she scores a home run during the third game against Columbia at Penn Park on March 20.

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NO. 9

‘Ivy League on steroids’: Penn to host March Madness at Wells Fargo Center Two Penn shield logos will be visible on the court during two Sweet 16 games and one Elite Eight matchup MATTHEW FRANK Sports Editor

While Penn didn’t make it to March Madness this year, the Red and Blue will still be involved when the Big Dance comes to Philadelphia this weekend.

The University will be hosting Friday’s Purdue vs. Saint Peter’s and UNC vs. UCLA games, as well as the Elite Eight contest between the winners of those two matchups. Each of the games will take place in Philadelphia at Wells Fargo Center.

In 2017, Penn, the Wells Fargo Center, and PHL Sports jointly put together a bid to host March Madness in Philadelphia this year, which was accepted.

After not “doing much for four or five years,” Scott Ward, Penn Athletics’ senior associate athletics director, chief operations officer, and current tournament manager, says that things have been all systems go on Penn’s end as of late.

“We started initial planning meetings with the NCAA last summer [with] our first call, where you start talking about tickets and marketing plans,” Ward said. “Tickets go on sale in the fall, and then throughout the year increasing [the] frequency of meetings as you get closer to the event. Once we See MARCH MADNESS, page 10

Penn baseball bumps winning streak to seven with weekend sweep, win over Lehigh The Quakers now sit at 12-5 on the season ASHIL SRIVASTAVA Sports Reporter

PHOTO BY KYLIE COOPER

Sophomore Zoe Shetty competes in the women’s 3000-meter event during Penn Challenge at Franklin Field on March 19.

Track and Field opens outdoor season with 12 wins Many Quakers, including senior Skyla Wilson, improved their times at the Penn Challenge, hosted at Franklin Field JOYCE DAVIS, ALEXIS GARCIA Sports Associates

After almost a month on break from competition, Penn track and field began its outdoor season at home by hosting the Penn Challenge this past weekend. Together, the Quakers made top finishes in 12 events, including a win in the women’s 4x400m relay.

Skyla Wilson — 100m, 11.8 Senior Skyla Wilson took first place in the 100-meter dash with freshman teammate Caia Gelli in third, only .01 seconds behind second-place Princeton. Wilson’s time moves her to sixth in Penn’s record book, extending her streak of hitting the record book for the fourth consecutive competition this season.

At the Ivy League Indoor Heptagonal Championships, Wilson set the program record in the 60-meter hurdles twice in the same weekend, by improving on her preliminaries time in the final to close the indoor season.

Heading into the outdoor season, the senior has the chance to expand her extensive list of accolades toward a chance at titles in end-of-season championships.

Caia Gelli — 200m, 23.95 Freshman Caia Gelli bested her own 200-meter personal record of 24.29 by finishing the race at 23.95 this weekend. The time earned her the win by finishing almost half a second ahead of teammate Wilson. Gelli also hit a personal record in the 100m, finishing third with a time of 12.05.

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Her win in the 200m is her first sub-24 time in the event this season.

Weston Wendt — 200m, 21.66 Senior Weston Wendt topped his own personal best of 21.79 in the 200m by finishing in 21.66 with Princeton on his heels just .08 seconds behind. Wendt has been consistently chipping away at his time in the 200 since January, when he finished with a time of 22.82 in the Penn 10-Team Select.

Jocelyn Niemiec — 400m, 55.91 Freshman Jocelyn Niemiec was another rookie to take first place in her event, with her time of 55.91 coming in front of four of her Penn teammates, who rounded out the top five. The time is her personal record and her first sub-55 time this season.

Emerson Douds — 400m, 48.16 Junior Emerson Douds took the win in the 400 meters after finishing in front of teammate junior Antaures Jackson by almost one second. Douds also ran in the 4x400m relay that finished second. His time is two seconds better than his performance at the Villanova Invitational in January, where he finished fourth at 50.88.

Elizabeth Bader — 2000m steeplechase, 7:02.74 Junior Elizabeth Bader came in first in the women’s 2000-meter steeplechase, besting two of her Penn teammates, Olivia Morganti and Chloe Hassman. Bader came out on top, running for an impressive 7:02.74, while Morganti and Hassman were close behind with times of 7:17.11 and 7:18.08, respectively, allowing Penn to have a clean sweep.

Maeve Stiles — 3000m, 9:38.31 Sophomore Maeve Stiles finished first with the only time under 10 minutes among her competitors, finishing 36 seconds ahead of Penn teammate Maggie Maier, who came in second place. Overall, Quakers took five of the

top seven spots in the 3000 meters. Stiles has never run a 3000 meters over 10 minutes in her time competing at Penn, with her personal best standing at her 9:24.47 set at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships.

Ray Sellaro — 3000m, 8:21.22 The Quakers claimed the top 10 finishes in the 3000m race, but senior Ray Sellaro crossed the finish first. Sellaro’s time of 8:21.22 barely earned him the top spot as three other Quakers closely followed just milliseconds later (8:21.29, 8:21.33, and 8:21.95).

Penn women’s ‘A’ team — 4x400m, 3:44.26 Penn’s ‘A’ team won the 4x400m relay, dominating the competition with a time of 3:44.26. Villanova ‘A’ bested Penn ‘B’ by about 17 milliseconds (3:53.18 and 3:53.35, respectively), disallowing a clean sweep for first, second, and third place. Penn ‘C’ did make it on the board, however, with a nice time of 3:57.57.

Marc Minichello — Javelin throw, 75.58m Senior Marc Minichello, who currently stands second all-time for Penn in javelin, threw 75.58 meters to claim the win. He produced the only distance over 70 meters among his competitors, with second-place Princeton throwing 67.96m.

Mayyi Mahama — Hammer throw, 61.03m Senior Mayyi Mahama snagged a first-place finish in women’s hammer throw after hurling a distance of 61.03m — nearly three whole meters ahead of the second-place finish and just 4.63 meters short of her personal best and program record.

James Rhoads — Pole vault, 5.30m Freshman James Rhoads had a winning 5.30-meter clearance in the men’s pole vault competition. His teammate Benedikt Sachta also made it onto the board, placing fourth with a clearance of 4.75m.

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PHOTO BY JULIA VAN LARE

Senior Joe Miller pitches against Wagner during the third game of the weekend at Meiklejohn Stadium on March 20.

The streak survives.

Penn baseball has won its last seven games and is showing no signs of slowing down. The Quakers (12-5) took on Wagner (2-16) for three games last weekend, and swept the series. The good times continued with a Wednesday afternoon victory against Lehigh (12-7).

The first game of the weekend was a high-scoring affair with Penn taking a 10-6 victory. In the second game, Penn won 5-3, and the final matchup was dominated by the Quakers 9-4.

On Wednesday afternoon at Meiklejohn Stadium, Penn continued the winning streak in a 16-6 rout of See BASEBALL, page 10

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