November 3, 2022

Students face club membership reviews after Homecoming game protest

Nearly 75 students rushed Franklin Field during the Homecoming football game in support of FFP’s demands for the University

SOPHIA LEUNG Staff Reporter

Students involved with Fossil Free Penn who recently stormed Franklin Field during the Homecoming foot ball game have faced threats of suspension from student groups for their participation in the protest.

On Oct. 22, nearly 75 students rushed Franklin Field during the football game in support of FFP’s demands for Penn: a public commitment toward preserving the Uni versity City Townhomes, complete divestment from fossil fuels, and making payments in lieu of taxes — or PILOTs — to Philadelphia public schools. After an hour on the field, 19 students were detained by police officers.

Until recently, College sophomore and FFP coordina tor Sabirah Mahmud played the clarinet for Penn Band — which represents the University at various athletics games and other campus events. However, since her in volvement in the FFP demonstration, she has received communication from Penn Band on Oct. 24 that her membership status is now “under review” because of her “involvement and the disruptive activities during the homecoming game.” She said that she is prohibited from attending any practices or performances with the Penn Band until further notice.

College junior and FFP coordinator Katie Francis, a piccolo player in Penn Band, was also told via email that her participation in the protest has put her membership status under review.

Penn Band’s director, Greer Cheeseman, declined a request for comment, citing that he wanted to “honor the integrity of the membership review process.” Mahmud clarified that she believes this pushback is not necessarily coming from members of the Penn Band, but from Penn administrators, since the band is expected to represent the University at various events.

University spokesperson Ron Ozio did not respond im mediately to a request for comment.

Previously, the University released a statement saying that “any student believed to have been involved in dis rupting and delaying today’s football game will be referred to the Office of Community Standards and Ac countability,” according to an email sent to The Daily Pennsylvanian by Ozio.

Other students said that they decided against joining the protest for fear of similar extracurricular suspensions.

One Penn athlete, who requested anonymity fearing retribution from their team, said that they intended to support FFP on the field until they began to hear conver sations from their teammates and coaches implying that they could face suspension from the team if they partici pated.

“There was a feeling on the team that the protests didn’t represent Penn in the way that they wanted us to be repre sented,” the Penn athlete said.

According to a statement from the Division of Recre ation and Intercollegiate Athletics, “The university-wide Center for Community Standards and Accountability conducts a confidential process intended to resolve viola tions of the Code of Student Conduct. Penn Athletics is not part of that process and does not determine any of its potential outcomes.”

Elon at Penn

Former classmates, girlfriend of Elon Musk reflect on his time at Penn

SOPHIA POWELL Staff Reporter

Elon Musk has made history as the world’s rich est man, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, and most recently the new owner of Twitter, Inc. Thirty years ago, however, he was just another student at Penn.

Musk graduated from the College and Wharton in 1997 with a dual degree in economics and phys ics. That same year, he started a Ph.D. program in materials sciences at Stanford University, drop ping out just after two days later to begin his first start-up company, according to Fortune. The Daily Pennsylvanian spoke to several of Musk’s former classmates to learn more about his time at Penn, his budding entrepreneurial spirit, and his present successes.

Though now known as a tech mogul with a con troversial social media presence, at Penn, Musk was a teaching assistant for a computer science course and a resident advisor in the Quad where he met his college girlfriend of two years.

In September, Elon Musk’s former girlfriend, Jennifer Gwynne, auctioned off a variety of items relating to their relationship and Musk’s time at Penn. According to RR Auction, a Boston-based auction house, the collection sold for a total of $165,265. Memorabilia from their college rela tionship included 18 photos of Musk as a college student at Penn, a signed birthday card, a 14-karat gold necklace, and a signed dollar bill.

The couple met and started dating during Gwyn ne’s junior year and Musk’s senior year. They were both RAs in Graduate Hall, now a part of Riepe College House. Among the mementos auctioned off by Gwynne are photos that depict a young Musk in Penn dorm rooms, on trips to Niagara Falls, and on the Quadrangle green.

Gwynne specifically remembered his room being on the third floor and the second room in the hallway. She described Musk as a relaxed RA.

“As long as you were not doing anything to get him in trouble, he was chill,” she said, adding that he often tried to give his first-year residents “lati tude.”

Gwynne said she was inspired to auction off memorabilia from her and Musk’s relationship this past December when she saw the success of another auction by one of Musk’s former students when he was a TA.

“A fellow classmate had sold a test paper where

Eye optical illusions. Wong said he and Musk were “two introverted kids who hung out a lot, studied together in the Provost’s Tower library, and some times [Van Pelt] to mix it up.”

Gwynne said that their usual Saturday night routine was going out to eat. They frequented a Chinese restaurant called Beijing, the Smokey Joe’s bar — though neither were big drinkers — and White Dog Cafe if they wanted something fancier. Gwynne recounted going to see “Pulp Fiction” in theaters together.

Gwynne shared a story of Musk befriending one of the cafeteria workers at 1920 Commons, an Ethiopian immigrant. He was opening his own Ethiopian restaurant in West Philadelphia, and Musk was one of his first customers. Gwynne said she believes the two men connected because Musk “respected the entrepreneurial spirit.”

Stanton also shared a story in which Musk per formed a card trick while hanging out in the Class of 1938 Lounge.

“He would take a deck of cards and would have someone else shuffle and place the deck facedown, one by one turn over the deck of cards so he could see them, go through the whole deck, turn it back over and then tell you what every card in the deck was,” Stanton said. “He was accurate every time I saw him do it.”

Biden, Obama to campaign for Pa. Democrats in Phila. this weekend

The two will campaign for Senate candidate Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Josh Shapiro on Nov. 5

RACHEL MILLER Staff Reporter

President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama will come to Philadelphia on Saturday, Nov. 5, ahead of the midterm elections on Nov. 8.

Biden and Obama will speak at a campaign event for Democratic nominee for Senate Lt. Gov. John Fetter man and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Josh Shapiro. The exact time and location of the event have yet to be announced.

Former President Donald Trump will also be rallying on Nov. 5 in southwest Pennsylvania — sup porting Republican Senate candidate Mehmet Oz and Republican gubernatorial candidate State Sen. Doug Mastriano.

With the United States Senate currently split 50-50, eyes across the nation are turned to Pennsylvania’s upcoming election that may determine the balance of power in the federal legislature. POLITICO reported that the race between Fetterman and Oz is considered a “toss-up.”

Fetterman is recovering from a stroke, leading some voters to question his ability to lead. Oz, on the other hand, has been questioned about his state residency, with many considering him a resident of New Jersey.

Shapiro, however, is likely to win the gubernatorial election over Mastriano, according to POLITICO.

The governor’s race in Pennsylvania could decide the future of abortion and voting laws in the state. While Shapiro pledges to continue protecting Pennsyl vanians’ access to abortion, Mastriano has repeatedly voiced that he is an ardent supporter of anti-abortion legislation.

The DNC announced the visit on Monday and has yet to provide any specifics other than the visit being to Philadelphia. Obama is also planning to rally alongside Fetterman in Pittsburgh on Saturday morning before making the trip to Philadelphia.

Second phase of ARCH renovations underway

MATTEO BUSTERNA Senior Reporter

Following the grand reopening of the Arts, Re search, and Culture House this fall, the building is undergoing a second phase of renovations to en hance space for the cultural resource centers and minority groups at Penn.

The Penn community has provided feedback on

PHOTO FROM RR AUCTION

The DP spoke to several of Musk’s former classmates to learn more about Musk’s time at Penn and current success

PHOTO BY MICHAEL PALACIOS

Nineteen members of the Homecoming protest were arrested on Oct. 22, 2022.

This second phase of renovations includes the creation of a dedicated space for Natives at Penn and multiple study lounges

PHOTO BY ROGER GE

Banner outside of ARCH, on Sept. 21, 2022, detailing renovation work.

is that “if you think about your childhood home, you can remember what everything was. I just imagine as I am turning the cards over, walking through the house and placing the cards in individual locations, and when I turn the cards back over, I image where I placed everything in the house.”

Wong said that Musk did not enjoy participating in some of the typical non-academic aspects of col lege culture.

One time, he “dragged” Musk out to Cavanaugh’s

Rittenhouse to watch a basketball game between Penn and the University of Michigan. Penn won the game, and while everyone else rushed outside cel ebrating and cheering in the street, Musk stood off to the side “observing and taking it all in.”

Gwynne said he was an introverted and focused student who always intended to leave the East Coast to join the tech boom on the West Coast.

“His mind was elsewhere, focused on getting out of college and becoming what he is now. His general attitude was, ‘I’m going to check all these boxes at Penn, a great school, so that I could get out to Silicon Valley before I miss it,’” Gwynne said.

Thus, she said she was not surprised by the news that has come out about his character and work ethic — good and bad.

“Every time I see him scoff at something, I’m like, oh yeah, ‘That’s Elon,’” Gwynne said. “He followed the rules he needed to to get through Penn, and then he went on to break those rules because he didn’t believe in them.”

Even while at Penn, Musk foreshadowed his am bitions to further his education and get involved in electric car technology. Stanton said he remembers Musk telling him that he wanted to go to Stanford to “figure out a way to build a better battery.”

“I distinctly remember him talking about electric cars. But in the mid-90s, talking about electric cars seemed magical, like not really going to happen. But it did,” Gwynne said.

Gwynne said Musk’s time at Penn played a part in shaping the person who would become a titan in the

business and tech world.

“I know Elon enjoyed Penn. He had a tumultu ous childhood. Penn was a great time where Elon could incubate his vision. It obviously had amazing resources and people, but it also allowed him to be comfortable and be happy, which allowed him to go on and do what he did,” Gwynne said.

Wong said that while he did not doubt that Musk would become successful, it has been “unreal” to see him become the wealthiest man in the world.

“Is it surprising that he is the richest man in the world? Anyone would be surprised. Surprising that he would be successful? No,” Wong said. “However, it is kind of surreal seeing him be a friend whom I used to play DOOM with to moving stock markets with a single tweet. It is an amazing journey.”

the newly redesigned ARCH building dedicated to cultural centers and minority groups on campus. The second phase of renovations follows years of student advocacy driven by members of the 7B minority co alition and months of planning.

Administrators and students part of the ARCH steering committee told The Daily Pennsylvanian that there are new updates to the structural and operational functions of the redesigned building, including carving out a physical space for Natives at Penn.

In this new phase, NAP will be incorporated into the ARCH building while continuing to exist in a space in the Greenfield Intercultural Center.

Discussions are currently held to decide where NAP should be housed in the ARCH building, ac cording to Associate Vice Provost for University

Life Will Atkins. One location under consideration for this, which is currently being used by NAP, is on the ground level adjacent to the other cultural centers part of the Pan-Asian American Community House.

Prior to his sudden departure in September, former PAACH Director Peter Van Do had offered for NAP to occupy space that was at the time occu pied by PAACH, according to Atkins.

“Initially, the plan was for Natives at Penn to have the space in the garden [ground] level. Now, how that’s being actualized, that’s a different conversa tion that we’re having with the students, and we may readjust and realign some of those ideas,” Atkins said.

In a statement to the DP, NAP’s board wrote that “NAP is grateful to PAACH for giving us space so that we can be included among the other cultural re source centers and student groups.”

It also highlighted the group’s efforts to increase native and indigenous visibility on campus and inter action with other minority coalitions at Penn. To this end, NAP kicked off Native Heritage Month with a

mixer held on Nov. 1, inviting members of the 7B cultural coalition groups.

“We hope to continue furthering our relationships with the other student groups and cultural resource centers that are located in ARCH,” the board wrote.

Students can also expect the transformation of the front desk area on the first floor of ARCH into a re source library with books and more space dedicated to students.

On the same floor, renovations will separate ARCH rooms 108 and 109 so that the two rooms can be used for different events simultaneously. Cur rently, students need to go through ARCH 108 in order to access ARCH 109.

Although there are kitchens and kitchenettes lo cated throughout the building, student members of the steering committee expressed their desire for a larger community kitchen.

“[Administators and students] are trying to look at food access that connects to the center and program in some way,” Assistant Vice Provost for Strategic Planning and Operations Laurie Hall said.

All

College sophomore and Internal Chair of the Latinx Coalition Elizabeth Ramos, who is a part of one of three sub-groups in the steering committee, said she went back to her constituency to consult on how space in ARCH should be utilized. She empha sized the students’ role in the committee to listen “to our communities to survey what the best use of the space is.”

Hall said that the prioritization of minority stu dent groups for use of ARCH building facilities has proven effective and that there was a noticeable change in the demographic that hosts events in the ARCH space. Affiliates of the cultural resource cen ters and Penn’s main minority coalition represented 90% of the events in the ARCH building versus 60% of events without the model, according to Hall.

Hall and Atkins said that they encourage students to continue to provide feedback about the ARCH building to the University Life team.

“[This] phase is to continue to understand the feel of the space and to be able to make it feel like home,” Atkins said.

OPEN FORUM

Wednesday, November

Individuals

2022

statements should be framed to present policy issues and be directed to University Council as a body through the moderator, and not to an individual.

Those who have not so informed the Office of the University Secretary will be permitted to speak at the discretion of the moderator of University Council and in the event that time remains after the scheduled speakers.

For the meeting format, please consult the University Council website at https://secretary.upenn.edu/univ-council/open-forum.

ucouncil@pobox.upenn.edu

PHOTO BY JESSE ZHANG

Opinion

Here’s how the University can better support Philadelphia’s public schools

NO NAME IN THE STREET | The University’s support of the Penn Alexander School is not an adequate substitute for the money we owe Philadelphia’s public schools

The University of Pennsylvania is the seventh-richest institution of higher education in the country. In 2021, its en dowment was valued at $20.5 billion.

And yet, Penn — like other universities nationwide — is listed as a nonprofit or ganization. This allows for Penn — the largest private landowner in Philadelphia — to legally pay zero property taxes to local governments.

Here’s the problem: The School District of Philadelphia largely relies on funding from property taxes to support its students and families. Therefore, our failure to con tribute property taxes to the community directly and negatively impacts Phila delphia public schools. Penn has faced pressure to engage in Payments in Lieu of Taxes agreements for years, but the Uni versity consistently cites its support for partnership schools, like the Penn Alexan der School, as sufficient contribution to the city and its failing education system.

The simple fact is this: Penn’s partner ship with local elementary schools is an inadequate substitute for the very real money we owe the City of Philadelphia.

Before understanding why Penn Alexan der does not relieve us from giving our fair share to the district, we must first recount what the partnership school is and why it was created in the first place.

Penn Alexander began as an experiment among the University, the School Dis trict of Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers back in 2001. The school’s development was part of a West Philadelphia initiative to invest in the com munity, as a means of curbing crime. Since its conception, Penn has pumped almost $700,000 annually into its partnership academy. Now, it’s one of the top middle schools in Philadelphia with a student population that performs well above the citywide average.

However, at Comegys Elementary, just 1.5 miles south, students face a different reality. There, proficiency in reading and

math falls well below standard perfor mance levels, with only 17% of students scoring above proficiency in reading and 5% scoring above proficiency in math.

The core difference between these institutions is not location, nor the socio economic makeup of the student body: It’s funding. The success at Penn Alexander is the result of a steady, robust stream of capi tal. The vast discrepancy in performance at both schools parallels deeper injustices across the entire school district.

Without intervention, the current fund ing crisis only stands to become worse.

In 2020, it was estimated that Pennsylva nia school districts were underfunded by $4.6 billion. In other words, Pennsylvania schools would need almost 5 billion ad ditional dollars to ensure that all enrolled students were performing at proficiency in reading and math. The case of Pennsylva nia’s failing education system is so extreme that in 2014, a lawsuit was filed against the commonwealth, arguing that Pennsylvania schools were so poorly served they violated the Constitution. In Philadelphia, funding shortfalls per student are among the most extreme in the state.

But the current failings of Philadelphia’s school district point to a deeper ques tion: How can we as a university close the chasm in educational opportunity in the city we inhabit? How can we ensure that every child receives the schooling that they deserve — one which enriches their love of knowledge, which motivates them to pursue a brighter future?

One solution is to distribute the money we delegate for partnership schools, like Penn Alexander, more evenly among the entire district. Many public schools — in cluding Comegys — receive non-monetary support from the University, in the form of after-school programs and teacher train ing. But imagine how much more these students could achieve, if provided with the financial resources needed to excel aca demically. Funding doesn’t have to be an

abstract idea. The provision of finances can mean greater access to computers, nurses, music classes, librarians, and tutors — all things that would safeguard a student’s chance at success.

Though it’s true that Penn must fulfill its greater commitment to Philadelphia, PILOTs aren’t necessarily the answer. Yes, lack of financial backing is a huge issue among the School District of Philadelphia. But so is leadership. We cannot simply pour money into local government and hope that the funds are distributed fairly among the education sector. Instead, Penn should adopt a funding model that finan cially supports entire districts, with extra weight toward the most under-resourced. If we manage to replicate our successes at Penn Alexander, Philadelphia could see

unprecedented bounds in achievement, among students of all ethnic groups and financial backgrounds.

Perhaps then, we will live in the kind of Philadelphia where a student’s access to proper education is not decided by the borders surrounding her neighborhood, nor by the economic means of her family. The kind of city where knowledge serves as a springboard for social action, for imple menting real and visceral change.

JULU NWAEZEAPU is a College sophomore studying behavioral and computational neuroscience from Chicago. Her email is julunwae@sas. upenn.edu.

Quit ‘quiet quitting’

T his summer, ‘quiet quitting’ took the internet by storm. TikTok and media outlets were abuzz with talk about the of ficial resignation from hustle culture.

A pledge to do the bare minimum. No more above and beyond. In at 9 and out by 5. The rise in quiet quitting comes in parallel to workers’ growing frustration with low salaries and unhealthy work cultures. Although meant for the work force, a recent survey shows college students have embraced the phenom enon, too. More than half of students say they put less effort into their schoolwork in order to preserve their mental health.

Our generation has made great prog ress in destigmatizing mental health. Thirty years ago, mental health would not have been a valid reason for taking time off of work or missing school. Now, bosses and professors are becoming more accommodating of mental health needs.

I understand that stress and burnout can cause mental health issues. That’s not what I’m talking about. The issue is that mental health has been added to the laundry list of reasons that are gen erally accepted but difficult to prove for

excused absences or late assignments: sickness, family emergencies, etc.

Mental health is not and should not be an excuse for everything. By taking ad vantage of this seemingly unconditional acceptance of mental health, a disservice is done to those who actually struggle. School can be difficult. That is a given, but lowering your effort is not the solution. Clubs centered around wellness and mental health awareness do impor tant work. But that shouldn’t come at the expense of success or the hard work required to achieve it. Too often the nar rative is that you sacrifice your mental health by working too hard, so the logical alternative is to work less hard as a form of self-care. The key is finding balance. Which is, of course, easier said than done. Time management, increasing ef ficiency, and not overextending yourself with commitments are ways to find that balance.

Perhaps Penn’s unofficial motto can offer some guidance: Work hard, play hard. When it’s time to work, you give your full effort. When it’s time to play, you focus on only that.

Besides, there are benefits to working hard and going beyond the bare mini mum. For one, you learn and understand more if you take the time to complete optional readings or practice problems.

And it’s pretty obvious to professors when you put in that extra effort, which means a potential recommendation letter in the future or maybe the opportunity to work on research.

In fact, quiet quitting has actually backfired in the workplace with the emergence of quiet firing. Bosses give employees less work and responsibili ties because they associate their minimal effort with minimal potential.

Penn students chase after prestigious jobs in banking and consulting, coming with hefty hours and compensations. If you quiet quit now, the transition to the workplace will be especially challeng ing.

When you quiet quit at work, you are grinding for someone else who may not appreciate your work or compensate you well. But if you quiet quit in col lege, you are quitting on you and your own future. This is the time when you

acquire lifelong skills and knowledge. If you quiet quit now, you are only hurting yourself.

This is especially true at a school like Penn. After all, the admissions office says, “Penn is a place that’s known for firsts. For greats. For sparking revolu tionary ideas. For Ivy League prestige and Philly spirit. And for nurturing in novative thinkers who see that the way things are isn’t the way things have to be.”

Quiet quitting is seeing and accepting that the way things are is the way things have to be. It certainly doesn’t produce firsts or greats because the bare mini mum can only yield results that others have reached before.

As revolutionary as quiet quitting may seem for your mental health, you will never be revolutionary if you choose to do so.

YOMI ABDI is a Wharton sophomore studying finance from Chicago. Her email is yomiabdi@wharton.upenn. edu.

PHOTO BY JESSE ZHANG

QUIRKY QUAKER | Working hard and prioritizing mental health aren’t mutually exclusive

DESIGN BY TYLER KLIEM

Doug Mastriano is a danger to democracy

DELVING DEEPER | A victory for Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano this November would threaten democracy in Pennsylvania

On Nov. 8, 2022, voters across the state will head to the polls to elect the next governor of Pennsylvania, and it all comes down to two major candidates. One is Josh Shapiro, a lawyer who cur rently serves as Pennsylvania’s attorney general and is the Democratic Party nominee. The Republican Party nominee is Doug Mastriano, a retired military officer who currently represents Pennsylvania’s 33rd District in the State Senate.

governor.

This potential disenfranchisement of Pennsyl vania voters could have major ramifications for the 2024 presidential election, in which Mastriano would have power over the 20 electors representing Pennsylvania in the electoral college. He could aim to give the governor and state legislature complete power over the creation of a new election commis sion, while taking away all authority over elections

Mastriano’s brand is representative of a growing trend of Christian nationalism and white supremacy that has seeped into local, state, and national races across the country this year. He has openly attacked discussions about racial and ethnic identity in Penn sylvania schools, directly targeting teachers, school administrators, and other educators by accusing them of teaching critical race theory. Mastriano has committed to slashing public education funding by

an extremist, antisemitic social networking service home to far-right QAnon conspiracy theorists, neoNazis, and white supremacists, among others. This makes his candidacy and a potential governorship an imminent danger to Pennsylvanians.

Mastriano has touted incredibly homophobic policies, such as preventing transgender individuals from using public bathrooms and encouraging the practice of conversion therapy. He has also openly spoken out against same-sex marriage and the abil ity of same-sex couples to adopt children, and has attacked educators for promoting LGBTQ-inclusive education for students.

Keeping all of this in mind, it is worth noting that the most recent polls put Democratic nominee Sha piro at six to 12 points ahead of Mastriano, placing him in a comfortable position to win the governor’s office just a few weeks out from the election. Shap iro is running on a platform promising to veto bills restricting abortion, expand telehealth services while fighting rising drug prices, provide financial incentives for solar projects and electric vehicles, invest in mental health initiatives and ban conver sion therapy, expand mail-in voting and automatic voter registration, and commit to raising the mini mum wage to $15 an hour, among other policies.

However, an electoral upset can still occur, and so it is more important than ever that we do what ever we can to ensure that Mastriano does not win the governorship. Whether you, as a Penn student, identify as moderate, liberal, conservative, progres sive, libertarian, or don’t identify with any specific political ideology, I’m sure nearly all of us can agree that candidates like Doug Mastriano are a danger to our country’s democratic institutions, and so we must work together to prevent such extremists from assuming positions of political power.

For one, Mastriano played a role in the insur rection against the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, by coordinating bus rides for Trump support ers to the protests and traveling to Washington, D.C. himself. Later, he was issued a subpoena by the U.S. House Select Committee on the Jan. 6 Attack, but was not charged by the Department of Justice for his efforts to assist protestors in storming the Capitol. Mastriano has repeatedly continued to contest the results of the 2020 presidential election, threatening to repeal mail-in ballots while forcing all Pennsyl vanians to re-register to vote if he were to be elected

from the secretary of state. Mastriano has already gone so far as to propose a resolution weeks after the 2020 election that would reserve the power to appoint presidential electors for Pennsylvania to the state legislature, which is majority Republican. So, in the event he becomes governor and his preferred presidential candidate does not win the 2024 general election in Pennsylvania, his secretary of state, state legislature (which is expected to retain a Republi can majority), and new election commission could refuse to certify electoral votes, endangering de mocracy in the country’s fifth-most populous state.

We need to redefine our idea of classics

From Homer’s “Iliad” to Virgil’s “Aeneid,” the clas sics have long been regarded as a cornerstone of higher education. They represent some of the most influential works in history, and it’s no surprise that they’re still studied to this day. At Penn, the De partment of Classical Studies has been part of the University for over two centuries. and was founded by Reverend William Smith, a man that Ben Franklin hand-picked to be provost, in 1751.

However, when scrolling through a classics sylla bus or reading list, it’s clear that the origins of these great works are incredibly homogenous. Every single author is either Greek or Roman. Therefore, in the modern day, we must re-examine the way we define the field of classics.

Our current understanding of classics is by defi nition Western-focused, functioning as the study of Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman periods. As such, classics departments at universities place a heavy em phasis on these cultures. At Penn, the classical studies major requires core courses in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, and can be satisfied by solely taking courses on Greek and Roman classics. The depart ment even states that its aim is to study “ancient Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman worlds.”

There’s nothing wrong with teaching and learning Greek and Roman classics; a lot can be gained from

the works of Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero. Through reading Western classics, we can understand more about our present and the ideas that shaped philoso phers’ perceptions of the world and continue to shape ours. This year, I took an ancient philosophy class at Penn and thoroughly enjoyed reading the works of Western classicists, authors who changed the way I consider various modern topics.

Rather, the problem is that the term “classics” im plies that all ancient texts are encompassed by two cultures, those of the Greeks and Romans. This is not only untrue, but also an extremely harmful miscon ception. Where are the ancient Asian, African, and South American texts in the field of Classics?

By excluding non-Western cultures from classi cal studies, we are ignoring the plethora of regions that boast rich historical contributions. Chinese clas sics, for instance, represent the culture of one of the most powerful countries in our modern world. Con fucius’ “Four Books and Five Classics,” arguably the most influential text in East Asian history, is an excellent portrayal of ancient philosophy and poli tics. Books like Luo Guangzho’s “Romance of the Three Kingdoms,” Vyasa’s “Mahabharata,” and Fer dowsi’s “Shahnameh” fit the standard definition of classics; they are ancient texts that have been read and reread for centuries. Admittedly, Penn does provide

over $10,000 per student, which is projected to po tentially cut 118,000 jobs in public schools across the state.

He has also repeatedly called for policies that outlaw abortion with no exceptions (including to save the mother’s life), while charging those who go through an abortion as murder on religious grounds — threatening women’s reproductive rights across the state while supporting the end of the principle of separation of church and state. And what’s more, Mastriano has publicly posted Islamophobic con tent on social media and has financial ties to Gab,

So, if you are eligible and registered to vote in Pennsylvania, please do so on Nov. 8, because the last thing we need is turning an insurrectionist who has openly embraced Christian nationalism and white supremacy into the most powerful person in the state.

KESHAV RAMESH is a Wharton and College sophomore studying finance, statistics, and international studies in the Huntsman Pro gram from South Windsor, Conn. His email address is keshmesh@wharton.upenn.edu.

opportunities to study these texts, through the depart ments of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, South Asia Studies, and Spanish and Portuguese. However, they have yet to be encompassed by general classics curricula purely because their place of origin lies outside the West.

I grew up in Asia and spent years learning about Eastern classics. They are texts that taught me how to live in a multicultural world, one where ancient ideas affect today’s world news. Coming to Penn, a place where Western classics are predominantly taught, it’s shocking to see students lose the opportunity to edu cate themselves on histories and cultures from around the globe. While Penn is located in the United States, a Western country, it markets itself as an institution dedicated to building “strong connections within the global community.”

Furthermore, another issue arises when we con sider the connotation of the word “classics.” It is derived from the Latin “classicus,” which refers to someone who belongs to the “highest property class.” Classics are generally seen as worthwhile and well-established; they are of high quality and have long-lasting value. Therefore, it’s highly concerning that we’ve limited such an honorable title to just the Western region of the world. Why have non-Western texts lost out on such a respected distinction?

The first step is to alter our definition of “clas sics.” Rather than be composed of purely Greek and Roman texts, we must expand the field to encompass works of non-Western authors, too. This begins at in fluential universities, such as our own. Penn boasts an extremely culturally diverse student body. In the Class of 2026, students from 84 nations outside of the United States are represented, many of whom are from non-Western countries, such as China, India, and Brazil. Penn is proudly home to multiple organi zations dedicated to supporting international students, namely International Student & Scholar Services and the Assembly of International Students.

It is at a place like this that change can begin. Penn must take steps to expand its Classical Studies De partment beyond Western classics. I’d like to see a curriculum that includes the works of Asian, African, and South American authors, in conjunction with Greek and Roman. This way, Penn can follow through on its promise to create a community “that reflects the diversity of the world we live in.”

SANGITHA AIYER is a College first year from Singapore. Her email is saiyer@sas.upenn. edu.

DESIGN BY JOJO BUCCINI

THE AIYER ASSESSMENT | The Classics field should encompass the works of non-Western authors

PHOTO BY SAVANNA COHEN

Gubernatorial

Shapiro talks importance of Gen Z civic engagement at Clark Park rally

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro spoke to Penn students about his gubernatorial cam paign at an event near campus over the weekend.

More than 75 students gathered in Clark Park on Oct. 29 to listen to Shapiro speak at the event about the importance of the upcoming midterm elections and his focus on more restrictive gun legislation, ac cessible election reforms, and securing reproductive rights. The event, which was marketed as a "Darty for Democracy," was co-hosted by Penn Students for Shapiro and Penn Democrats.

Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts introduced Shapiro at the event. She thanked all of the students in attendance for “playing an important role in democracy.” Watts encouraged students to continue their efforts ahead of the election.

“Every text you send, every door you knock on, every call you make between now and Election Day makes a difference,” Watts said during the event.

“Our safety, our rights, our freedoms are all on the ballot on November 8th. You have the power to make a difference and the responsibility to do this work.”

Shapiro entered the event by running toward the crowd, who greeted him with a wave of cheers and applause. He began by thanking the students in at tendance for their participation in democracy and

support in the upcoming election, specifically for helping “lead the way on two of the most impor tant issues of our time,” which he said were climate change and gun laws.

Shapiro continued by outlining the fundamental aspects of his campaign.

“We are going to work together to protect our fundamental freedoms, most especially a woman’s right to choose. Your right to vote is going to be pro tected," Shapiro said to the crowd. "You all are doing the work necessary to ensure that happens.”

He also assured students that their voices will be heard if he is elected.

“Gen Z is going to be at the table. You’re not just at the table helping me get elected, you’re going to be at the table when it comes time to govern,” he said.

Shapiro also expressed his gratitude for the Penn Students for Shapiro chapter which has amassed over 60 members since the start of the semester, led by College senior Annie Hait and College sopho more Sam Singer.

College sophomore and Penn Dems member Mi chael Marcus said that while this isn’t a national election, the gubernatorial election in Pennsylvania is important because “the political atmosphere in Pennsylvania can influence the fate of the rest of the

country.”

“In a state like Pennsylvania where the legislature is majority conservative, filled with state legislators who are in favor of reducing reproductive rights, I think it’s so important to have a governor like Josh Shapiro who would fight to defend those rights,” Marcus told The Daily Pennsylvanian.

College senior and Students for Shapiro member Henry Katz said that he came to the event to sup port Shapiro, as he agrees with Shapiro on protecting women’s rights, voter integrity, and addressing cli mate change. Katz emphasized that he hopes his peers understand the importance of this election.

“The Pennsylvania governor has a lot of power over the state and can make a lot of quick changes that will impact our lives as students,” Katz said.

Shapiro concluded the event by thanking the students again and encouraging them to keep advo cating for causes they believe in.

“You got a powerful, powerful voice, and we need you to use it,” Shapiro said at the event. “And from the bottom of my heart, I just want to tell you how unbelievably grateful I am for all of your help. And together, we're going to defend our democracy, pro tect our freedoms, and get a whole lot of work done together.”

play featuring

debate

Contributing Reporter

Students in Penn’s Front Row Theatre Company and Quadramics Theatre Company are producing “Dry Land” — a play that features an abortion scene — and cited the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade and the current political climate as motiva tion.

The play was written by Ruby Rae Spiegel and centers around two high schoolers in Florida at tempting to find a way to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, foiled by regulations and a hostile environment and attitudes toward abortion. The production will run until Nov. 4 at Houston Hall.

College senior Cassie Hartmann, who is the co-director of the show, said that she proposed putting on “Dry Land” at the end of May after it became clear in the leaked draft decision that the U.S. Supreme Court would soon overturn Roe v. Wade.

“I love theater, and I love doing theater that has a message and a purpose. I’d been looking for shows that could speak to one of the most pressing political issues at the time, and I really fell in love with this one,” she said.

College sophomore Ariana Frias, who is a pro ducer and head of publicity for the show, echoed

“I especially think that this is such a topi cal show, given our current political climate and what’s going on with our government and the media. It’s such an important time to tell this story,” Frias said.

College sophomore Lucy Gale, also a co-di rector of the show, spoke about the "challenging" nature of putting on the show.

“For instance, scene seven, where the abortion takes place, was challenging, because we wanted to be graphic and show the dangers of unsafe abortions without medical help, but since it was also in front of a live audience, the limit of what we could do was technically challenging,” Gale said.

Hartmann echoed this sentiment, adding that “it was definitely hard to navigate the more in tense scenes of the show in a respectful way for both the actors and the audience.”

Frias said that she handles the logistical work behind the production and works on supporting the directors, the cast, and the crew to make sure everybody is in a safe environment and that the

production runs smoothly.

“Especially in a show like “Dry Land,” it’s a huge priority to us that actors feel comfortable in this space,” she said.

“Dry Land” battles against the claims that abor tion is only acceptable for certain exceptions, such as cases of rape or incest, according to Hartmann.

“Amy’s just a girl who happened to have sex with her boyfriend and she also deserves a safe and shame-free abortion,” she said.

For Gale, this show fulfills what she’s been looking for in a play due to the nature of the rela tionship between both female characters.

“What’s special about “Dry Land” is the rela tionship between Amy and Ester, which is really, really complex, and the depth of the characters,” Gale said. “I think that a lot of times in enter tainment, women and female relationships in particular are portrayed as very surface-level, and fit into a stereotype, like mean or nerdy,” she added.

Several students have recently expressed to The Daily Pennsylvanian that the reversal of Roe v. Wade has been a major motivator to vote in the Nov. 8 midterm elections.

the

PHOTO BY ABHIRAM JUVVADI

PHOTO FROM FRONT ROW THEATRE CO.

Hartmann in emphasizing the current political rel evance of the show.

Penn President Liz Magill likely to announce new provost in spring

Members of the 7B and activist groups said that they want to see greater transparency in the new provost’s administration

ELIZABETH MEISENZAHL Staff Reporter

Penn administrators said that the University is on track to appoint a new provost in the spring of 2023.

The Consultative Committee for the Selection of a Provost is currently working on a timeline that will allow Penn President Liz Magill to announce a new provost in the spring, Penn Medicine Dean and chair of the com mittee Larry Jameson wrote in an email to The Daily Pennsylvanian. Members of the 7B minority coalition and activist groups told The DP that they want to see greater transparency in the new provost’s administration, as well as more openness to student demands.

The provost is the head of academic life at Penn, as well as research and student life, according to the online job listing for the position. The new provost will oversee Penn’s 12 schools, the deans of each school, all faculty, as well as the Vice Provost for University Life, among other departments. Beth Winkelstein has acted as interim provost since July 2021, when former Provost and Interim President Wendell Pritchett took a medical leave of ab sence from the University.

Members of the 7B groups have been able to provide input on the process through Undergraduate Assem bly steering meetings and sessions for general student feedback, according to College senior and Asian Pacific Student Coalition Chair Jeffrey Yu. However, he is unsure how much these members’ insights will be taken into con sideration in the final selection.

Associate Provost for Communications Leo Charney directed the DP to Jameson for comment.

Both Yu and College senior and Latinx Coalition Exter nal Chair Camila Irabien said they hope the new provost will focus on transparency with students.

“Penn historically has a reputation of not really re sponding to student demands or responding to incidents that happen on campus,” Yu said. “They keep things secret, and we really want to change that culture.”

College and Engineering senior and Fossil Free Penn coordinator Emma Glasser said they hope the next provost will lead an office that is more open to hearing students’ demands.

“University leadership should be actively caring for students, faculty, staff and our community that Penn sits in,” Glasser said. “The administration has been intimidat ing and suppressing our group’s voices and message. We really want a provost who doesn’t follow this.”

FFP recently ended its encampment on College Green on Oct. 22. The group demanded that Penn commit to preserving the University City Townhomes, divest the endowment from fossil fuels, and make payments in lieu of taxes to Philadelphia public schools. During the en campment, which lasted 39 days, FFP members received communications from top Penn administrators, including Winkelstein, asking them to leave College Green in ex change for a meeting.

Students have faced disciplinary consequences and ar rests for previous protests, including the disruption of the homecoming football game.

Yu said that although ASPC and the other 7B groups most directly work with Interim Vice Provost Tamara Greenfield King and Associate Vice Provost for Student Life William Atkins, he hopes the new provost will take action when King and Atkins bring up student concerns to them.

Following several decades of activism by the 7B groups, the University reopened the Arts, Research, and Culture House as a home to the 7B and cultural resource centers in September. Renovations of the center will con tinue through the spring.

Yu said that while the new provost will work with the 7B groups to implement the ongoing ARCH renovations and expansion of the cultural resource centers, the process is mostly insulated from changes in leadership.

“There was already a promise there, and we’re looking to hold the University accountable to those promises and move forward with that,” Yu said.

Yu said ASPC and the 7B will continue to push for the provost to fully fund and staff the cultural resource cen ters. The director of the Pan-Asian American Community House, Peter Van Do, left Penn in September, and has not yet been replaced.

Irabian added that working with administrators on an interim basis in the meantime has changed how the Latinx Coalition approaches meeting and negotiating with ad ministration.

“You sometimes have to be aware, like, maybe you shouldn’t spend as many resources trying to get them to change their minds or do things for you because in the end, you’re going to have to be talking to another person anyway,” Irabien said.

Engineering sophomore wins UA special election, receiving one vote

Two students were elected to the Undergraduate Assembly and Class Board 2026 Tuesday night

ALLYSON NELSON Staff Reporter

Penn Student Government announced that two stu dents have been elected to the Undergraduate Assembly and Class Board 2026 via special election on Tuesday night.

Engineering sophomore Chandler Cheung was the sole candidate for the UA Engineering representative position, receiving a single vote to secure one of three open seats. College first year Kevin Yang will serve as the College class chair for the 2026 Class Board, winning the vacant position amid a field of four total candidates with 74 votes, according to PSG.

The election was held to fill vacant positions within PSG. The Class Board 2026 College class chair was left vacant after only one candidate ran for the two avail able positions in September’s general election for Class Board 2026 and UA representative seats.

“The Engineering seats have been open since the end of last semester. I believe it was due to not enough engineers running in the spring election,” En gineering sophomore and Nominations & Elections

Committee Vice Chair of Elections Yousef Elyoussef said. “Although Wharton and Engineering have similar undergraduate student sizes, it has proven to be a lot more difficult to motivate Engineering students to run for UA the past couple of years.”

This year, 189 students voted in the special election, a considerable drop from the 236 votes cast in last fall’s UA special election. The NEC has historically struggled with voter turnout in special elections, as all three spe cial elections held during the 2020-21 academic year had fewer than 25 votes cast in each election.

“Although we heavily advertise on our social medias and through word of mouth, our candidates usually make up a lot of the outreach when it comes to voting. In elections such as the fall, you have 30+ candidates asking students to vote,” Elyoussef said. “This election there was only one contested position with four candi dates, a normal amount of candidates running for the position, but not a normal amount of candidates in gen eral. This leading to a lower turnout when compared to the fall and spring.”

Special elections have become more common in recent years, often filling vacant positions created by resignations and seats not filled in general elections.

Last year, four students were elected to the UA in a spe cial election due to UA members stepping down from their positions. A special election has been held every year for the past four years, according to the NEC web site.

According to Elyoussef, NEC is working to have all Engineering seats filled by the spring, although another special election next fall is a possibility.

PSG held its general election for all positions in April, when College and Wharton senior Carson Sheumaker and College junior Alex Eapen were elected president and vice president of the UA, respectively. The election also saw Wharton senior Derek Nhieu, Wharton and Engineering junior Toyosi Abu, and College sopho more Will Krasnow re-elected as presidents of Class Board 2023, Class Board 2024, and Class Board 2025, respectively.

PHOTO BY JESSE ZHANG Beth Winklestein, interim provost since July 2021.

PHOTO BY IPEK OBEK

Penn cross country junior Phoebe White is a self-driven runner, student, and person, but she is also one part of a reliable pack of fellow runners.

At the Quakers’ first meet of the season, White notched the second-best finish among her team mates, finishing 21st out of 99, and since then has proved several strong races.

Having run alongside many others her whole life, White serves as a dependable leader for the Red and Blue, though she attributes much of her success and motivation to her teammates.

Running runs in White’s family. With two run ners for parents, White found athletic success in youth soccer as being “the fast one.” Moving into a rigorous and storied high school program that was nationally competitive, she was inspired by running beside high school runners at the highest level in the country as a freshman.

“That really got me into the sport and I was just kind of hooked,” White said. “NCAA running, at the highest level, is basically preprofessional. It’s been really cool to be in some of the same meets as girls who are going pro in the next year or two.”

Now, White carries that sentiment into her career as a Quaker.

White is driven by being on a team with other runners who, like her, “want to achieve athletic excellence while also being at such an academi cally rigorous school.”

Associate head coach Matt Gosselin described White as “disciplined,” “high-achieving,” and having “a good understanding of her sport.”

Though she already came to Penn with self-mo tivation, he noted her development of “maturity

and flexibility” as standout qualities, main taining her high expectations for herself while simultaneously rolling with the punches.

As a mid-distance runner, White’s contribu tions to the Quakers’ competitive success this year have been huge, according to Gosselin. He envisions her as an integral piece of one of the track season relays, either the distance medley or Penn’s traditionally successful 4x800.

This year, White has run with what she calls a pack: a group of the same four runners who run together for every workout. In races, they strive to execute exactly the same as in practice. White labels having “constants around [her]” as one of the contributing factors to her recent success.

Though she may be a pack runner, that does not devalue her strong individual leadership qualities.

“She’s not afraid to lead by action,” Gosselin said. “She will be the person to lead workouts and she will be the person to push workouts along.”

White’s leadership and confidence have shifted and grown. Rather than letting her nerves get the best of her as she did in past seasons, she now fo cuses on visualizing her race process along with the feelings that come with each stage of the race. Identifying when she needs to be more urgent on the track helps her feel more in control.

The Quakers see her this way, too. Gosselin notes that her teammates see her as a dependable, steady teammate who “has a pretty good pulse of what’s going on … the team relies on her to be steady and disciplined.”

Based on the way she describes her commu nity of runners, it’s no surprise that they know exactly what to expect from White. She describes the team as very close with an unmatched level of support for one another, which is crucial in such individual and mental sports.

Day in and day out, White shows up to “work hard,” “[suffer],” and “bond” with her pack.

Based on her and Gosselin’s commentary, one can deduce that it’s a two-way street: Her pack feels the same way about her.

wrote off Brown (3-4, 1-3 Ivy) as an easy opponent and lost because they did not take them seriously, that was simply not the case. Brown is a deceivingly good football team that presented a legitimately tough matchup for the Quakers — the team knew this going in and so did I, which is why I correctly predicted a three-point loss for Penn three days before the game.

Brown’s pass-first offense with a good quarterback at the helm was simply something the Quakers had not seen so far this season, so they were understand ably flustered in the first half. Penn’s defensive backs struggled to cover and make open-field tackles in the first quarter, allowing Brown junior quarterback Jake Willcox to start a remarkable 14-15 through the air.

Willcox then exited the game with no apparent injury, and everyone in the press box thought that he had pulled a George Costanza and decided to leave on a high note. It turned out that he had a finger injury, but that didn’t matter because Brown’s backup, senior Aidan Gilman, played in his place and looked almost as good, finishing with 245 passing yards and two touchdowns.

While it’s not encouraging that Brown’s backup looked like the best passer in the Ivy League against Penn, what should make the Quakers feel better is that Brown coach James Perry noted postgame that Gilman nearly won the starting job this season.

What should make them feel even better is how the defense stepped up against Gilman in the second half. Facing a 24-7 halftime deficit, Penn mostly shut down Brown’s aerial attack, thanks in large part to a fero cious pass rush — the best I’ve personally ever seen from an Ivy League team in three years of covering the conference.

Perry agreed, calling Penn’s defensive line the best in the entire FCS.

While it took a half to get adjusted, the Red and Blue proved in this game that they can defend against a good passing team, and while they would have loved to win, this experience will be invaluable against key upcoming opponents like Princeton, which averages 265.6 passing yards per game.

Penn’s offense also improved in the second half — not that it had much of a chance to get a rhythm in the first — taking advantage of all of the opportunities and good field position that Brown gave it, although it would have been nice to have seen some more long, sustained drives. While the last, potentially gamewinning drive fell short, it could have easily been extended if not for a questionable non-targeting call to senior running back Jonathan Mulatu.

The team still isn’t perfect, but it could have easily won this game by double-digits if just two or three plays went differently.

Overall, though it would have been nice to get the win versus Brown, Penn can still claim the Ivy League Championship if it wins its final three games of the season.

That is why — assuming the Quakers beat Cornell next week, which I think they will — I am urging all Penn students who were into this team at one point to remain passionate and attend the Quakers’ final home game versus Harvard in two weeks.

This is Penn’s best season in a while, and you can feel it on campus. For once, people are talking about the team, posting about them on Sidechat, and some even skipped Homecoming darties to make the trek to Franklin Field.

To anyone who has complained that we’re not a “football school,” show up on Nov. 12. Fossil Free Penn won’t be disrupting this one. And if Penn beats Harvard, make the trip to Princeton for the de facto Ivy title, or watch it from home. This year’s team is one you won’t want to miss.

PHOTO BY KYLIE COOPER

Now-junior Phoebe White competes in the women’s 800-meter run during the Penn Challenge at Franklin Field on March 19.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL PALACIOS

Freshman defensive back Francesco Barone tackles Brown punter Michael Walsh during the away game at Richard Gouse Field on Oct. 29.

are a little bit different.”

Despite this novel scheme, Cornell has struggled to find success. On the ground, where Wang also leads the team with 373 net yards this year, the Big Red averages under four yards per carry and under 150 yards per game. The aerial attack hasn’t fared much better, recording only nine passing touch downs and just over 180 yards per game.

This week, that offense will confront a Quaker

SOCCER , from back page

of us here with all our families here and we all really love spending time together. So I think that’s a really unique thing about this group of seniors.”

A tone of pride and true admiration for each other was shared among these seven athletes, as they all cited how much they will miss being to gether as a team when this season comes to an end.

Senior midfielder/defender Miranda Farman felt bittersweet about the final game at home.

“This team is incredibly close this year,” Farman said. “Whether it be that you live with people that are three years younger than you, the relationships that have been built this year are unmatched.”

While these soon-to-be graduates have various different plans after graduation, with some head ing into banking, getting their masters, or going to graduate school, they spent this Senior Day honoring the connections they’ve made through out their Penn soccer careers.

Not only did they emphasize their closeness as a class, but also their appreciation for the efforts of the underclassman players to make this day as special as possible.

“I just think the underclassmen really made it special for us,” Farman said. “They obviously put in a lot of work, and it shows how much they care about our class and how much we all mean to each other, which is really nice.”

The Quakers’ Senior Day celebration allowed the senior class to reflect on the strong friend ships they’ve made throughout their Penn soccer careers, and how they will be keeping these friendships near and dear to their hearts as they enter the next chapter of their lives.

“I think that outside of the soccer part, we have all built really special relationships that we’ll have for the rest of our lives,” senior forward Ella Wright said. “We’re going to have those friends forever, so it’s been really special.”

The Quakers head to Princeton next weekend for the final game of regular season play. Stream the game on ESPN+ to watch the Quakers finish the regular season.

defense near the top of the conference in many key metrics. The unit ranks second in the Ivy League with only 17.1 points and 302.9 yards allowed per game. Against the run, a preseason priority of de fensive coordinator Bob Benson, the Quakers have surrendered just a shade over 80 yards per game, and the pass defense has surrendered only six touch downs, while intercepting opposing passers five times.

On the other side of the ball, the Quakers should match up well against a Big Red defense giving up nearly 30 points and almost 375 yards per game.

So far this season, Penn has relied on its passing attack, led by sophomore quarterback Aidan Sayin.

Penn currently ranks in the top three of the Ivy League in pass yards per game, passing touchdowns, and completion percentage.

But while the passing offense has been robust, it could be even more crucial for Penn this weekend.

Senior halfback Trey Flowers, who rumbled to 336 net rushing yards on nearly five yards per carry in the first four weeks of the season, has been sidelined from the past few games with a lower-body injury.

Priore said that Flowers was a likely game-time de cision, declining to elaborate further.

Possibly without its leading rusher, Penn will have to rely on fundamentals in order to defeat the Big Red.

“I think our game plan this week is just to just expose their weaknesses,” he said. “I feel like … in past times [Penn played Cornell], they played a lot of man.”

Despite being dealt the season’s first loss last week, Starkey explained that the team is focused on what lies ahead.

“Obviously, [losing] leaves a salty taste in your mouth, but you can’t do anything but move forward,” he said. “We still are fighting to get to that main goal, which is … beating Cornell.”

The Quakers will take on the Cornell Big Red this Saturday at 1 p.m. at Schoellkopf Field in Ithaca, NY. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

last, and resulted in his usage increase even with Flowers in the lineup.

“Trey’s definitely good with the mental role, and he’s been helping me gain confidence, and that’s really the biggest thing: helping me trust the blocks,” Mulatu said.

Behind Flowers on the depth chart, Mulatu had primarily served as a change-of-pace back this season, accounting for at least eight carries in three of Penn’s first four games. After spending time in the starting role and having some success,

though, it wouldn’t be a stretch to expect Mu latu’s usage to increase from what it was early on in the season.

“That’s something we’ll have to cross once we get there, but for right now, the best teams have more than one back,” Sims said. “And if you have two good backs, then you’re very fortunate … If we get Trey back, which would be a big boost to the offense, Jonny’s role and his mindset shouldn’t change.

“He needs to still think that he’s the guy and go out and execute and show everybody that he can still do it.”

Following Saturday’s career-best outing, the confidence to go out and “think that he’s the guy” might not be too big an ask.

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PHOTO BY MICHAEL PALACIOS

Senior running back Jonathan Mulatu looks to run the ball down the field during the away game against Brown at Richard Gouse Field on Oct. 29.

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA TURNER

Senior midfielder Sizzy Lawton dribbles the ball down the field during the game against Fairleigh Dickinson on Oct. 8.

Football looks to rebound

season

Last week, the Brown Bears dealt Penn football its first loss of the season. But whether that game is just a blip or a harbinger of things to come will depend on this Saturday’s road matchup against Cornell.

Penn football (6-1, 3-1 Ivy) will head to upstate New York to take on the Big Red (4-3, 1-3 Ivy) over the weekend. While Cornell has been near the bottom of the Ivy standings for much of the year, this game is still a crucial test for Penn as it looks to stay near the top of the table heading into clashes against Harvard and at Princeton to close out the season.

Standing in Penn’s way is a Cornell team that has ranked near the bottom of the Ancient Eight in most key metrics this year. The Big Red rank second to last in both points per game scored (22.3) and points per game allowed (28.1). Beyond just points, Cornell has allowed more rushing yards than it has compiled in all but one Ivy game this season, and has been out-gained through the air in each of its first four conference games as well.

Despite this, Penn coach Ray Priore is planning not to take chances on the Big Red.

“They’re a good, physical football team,” he said. “On defense … they have good strength to defend the run well.”

Senior wide receiver Rory Starkey Jr. echoed that sentiment, noting that factors beyond strategy could be a crucial factor against Cornell.

“I think it’ll be one of those games where we have to out hit them,” he said. “Be more physical [and] bring our strength and power.”

Schematically, the Big Red offense is different from almost everything the Quakers have faced so far this season. According to Priore, Cornell puts sophomore quarterback Jameson Wang under center for many plays, something that few other college football teams do. This strategy, as opposed to a shotgun-based scheme favored by Penn and most of its opponents thus far this season, leads to different play concepts being run.

“They’re more of a pro style approach,” Priore said. “So the delivery of the play is a little bit differ ent, and how on defense your linebackers hit seams

See CORNELL , page 11

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Leaving for Rhode Island on Friday, Penn football missed most of the “Halloweekend” festivities this year, but it still got a chance to show off its costumes against Brown in the first half of Saturday’s game — Penn apparently dressed as a high school football team.

Jokes aside, while the first half of the game was a disaster, the resiliency that Penn displayed in the second half should keep all eyes on the team for the final three games of the season. Despite the 34-31 loss, the Red and Blue showed that they’re still Ivy League champion material.

While it would be easy to assume that the Quakers

Farman, Sara Readinger, Peyton Raun, Emily Pringle, Sizzy Lawton, Ella Wright, and Lucy Kellog. While the Quakers ultimately lost to the Bears, giving up a goal in the 27th minute, they left it all on the field.

was the run game, led by senior running back Jonathan Mulatu.

In the past three weeks, Mulatu has had to step up as the lead back for the Quakers, with senior starter Trey Flowers out with a lower body injury. In his first game as starter, the Spring field, Va. native carried the ball 19 times, and in the second, Mulatu amassed 80 total yards and the game-winning touchdown. On Saturday, though, he had what was easily the best game of his career.

Mulatu accounted for over half of Penn’s 368 yards of offense against Brown after running for a career-high 154 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to 32 yards receiving.

“I thought he trusted himself and was making full-speed decisions, ended up breaking some tackles and getting some really good looks, and the offensive line did a great job blocking for him,” running backs coach David Sims said.

In particular, Mulatu had his biggest play of the day late in the third quarter with the Quak ers trailing by seven. Lined up in the shotgun,

sophomore quarterback Aidan Sayin handed the ball off to Mulatu, who quickly found a gap just to the right of the offensive line, charged through two Brown defenders, and was off to the races for a Penn touchdown.

“I saw a light box,” Mulatu said. “We were in a zone play, and I saw a crease and I saw two de fenders, so I just tried to split them.”

The run worked thanks to Mulatu’s instant read of the defense and immediate subsequent decision, something he and Sims had worked ex tensively on improving throughout the summer and as of late.

“Oftentimes, I think too much when I play, and he’s [Sims] been trying to help me think less and trust my reads,” Mulatu said.

Mulatu’s “mental game” as a whole is an area he’s keyed in on his training, with his confidence and making speedy reads being at the forefront. Sims noted that Mulatu’s mental growth was the biggest change in his game from this season to

taking two corners of their own, but couldn’t find the back of the net. In the 27th minute, the Bears connected off of Sheyenne Allen’s free-kick just beyond the goal box. Ava Seelenfreud capitalized on Allen’s kick, heading the ball into the back of the net.

The immense team spirit of Penn women’s soccer was apparent to all fans in attendance on its Senior Day, as the Quakers (3-5-7, 0-4-2 Ivy) faced the Brown Bears (11-2-2, 5-0-1 Ivy) to a 1-0 defeat.

With a packed cheering section populated by family and friends from all over the country, the Quakers honored seven seniors: Miranda

Senior midfielder Sara Readinger found junior midfielder Paige Kenton, who then distributed the ball wide to senior defender Emily Pringle, controlling play for the first 10 minutes of the match. This passing pattern proved successful, as the Quakers sent a ball deep into the Bear’s 18, though keeper Bella Schopp was quick to pick it up. In the 13th minute, Penn continued this offensive momentum but failed to connect on a corner kick.

The Bears then built up their own momentum,

Penn kept its heads high and energy up, es pecially after junior goalkeeper Laurence Gladu saved a penalty kick in the 37th minute of the match. Gladu stopped the low penalty shot, elic iting cheers and praise from a rowdy Quaker fan section. The Quakers ended the first half down one to the Bears.

Starting off the second half of play, the Quak ers took a corner kick that resulted in a shot by sophomore forward Katerina Peroulas. A foul

on sophomore Isobel Glass in the 49th minute of play kept the Quakers in the Bears’ defensive third, taking two subsequent corners to no avail. Gladu came up with four saves in the match, aided by the tactful defensive work of Pringle and Raun.

The Quakers’ seven seniors were celebrated this match day by family and friends, as the fan section saw nearly 500 people in attendance.

Raun spoke on how special it was to have so many supporters come out for their Senior Day.

“I’m from California. So it’s really nice to have my whole family here, including my broth ers,” Raun said. “We have a really special group

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Not enough went right for Penn football in its first loss of the season on Saturday at Brown, but one aspect that flourished

PHOTO BY MICHAEL PALACIOS

Senior running back Jonathan Mulatu just before scoring his second touchdown of the game against Brown at Richard Gouse Field on Oct. 29.