November 9, 2023

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

PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023

VOL. CXXXIX

NO. 27

Penn alum to City Hall

See how the DP captured Election Day on campus and in Philadelphia — IN PHOTOS Page 6 PHOTO BY ABHIRAM JUVVADI

Fels graduate Cherelle Parker elected first woman mayor of Philadelphia Ballot reciepts show that over 1,000 people voted on campus this year SOPHIA LEUNG, DIAMY WANG, AND PAIGE RAWISZER Staff Reporters

2016 Fels Institute of Government graduate Cherelle Parker won the Philadelphia mayoral election, becoming Philadelphia's 100th mayor and the first woman to serve as the city's mayor.

Parker, a former Philadelphia city councilmember and Pennsylvania state representative, faced Republican candidate David Oh and emerged as the winner with over 74% of the vote, according to the NBC News Decision Desk at time of publication with 93% of the vote accounted for. As people across the country voted in this year's general election on Nov. 7, Penn students and other community members casted their ballots on campus.

According to ballot receipts, approximately 1,158 people voted on campus on Nov. 7. About 274 people voted at the voting location while 884 people voted from Houston Hall. Out of those who voted on campus, 82.6% of voters casted their ballot for Parker and 13.1% voted for Oh. Students told The Daily Pennsylvanian that they appreciated how accessible the University made the voting process.

College junior Emilia Caya Blonkenfeld said that she was grateful that the on-campus voting process was straight-forward. She is a California resident, but decided to register in Philadelphia after arriving at Penn.

“I feel like my vote matters a lot more here in Pennsylvania than it does back home, and I wanted to make my vote matter,” Caya Blonkenfeld said.

College first year Matthew Barotz volunteered with Penn Leads the Vote, a nonpartisan political group. PLTV set up tables with merchandise outside the polling locations to encourage students to vote as they entered and exited the building. Barotz said he spent the day distributing voting information and asking people to tell their friends to vote in order to maximize voting on campus.

“Off-year election years don't usually get a lot of voting turnout, even though there's a lot of important elections this year,” Barotz said, referencing the State Supreme Court and City Council races in Philadelphia. “I thought it was really important to spread awareness about it on campus, especially because this is such an active campus, politically, and I really wanted to contribute to that.”

In addition to Parker's win, Democrats also had other victories down the ballot.

Democrat Dan McCaffery, a former Philadelphia prosecutor who sat on the statewide appellate court, was elected to an open seat on Pennsylvania's Supreme Court — increasing Democrat's majority to 5-2. Incumbent Democrat Jamie Gauthier secured a second term representing the 3rd District on the Philadelphia City Council.

Kendra Brooks and Nicolas O'Rourke, two candidates from the Working Families Party, both won See MAYOR, page 2 SEND STORY IDEAS TO NEWSTIP@THEDP.COM

FBI investigating after Penn staff receive antisemitic threats targeting Hillel, Lauder College House Penn’s Division of Public Safety found “no credible threat” after conducting safety sweeps of Hillel and Lauder on Monday BEN BINDAY AND HOPE SHERIDAN Senior Reporter and Staff Reporter

Multiple Penn staff members received antisemitic emails threatening violence against Jewish community members and naming Penn Hillel and Lauder College House, Penn President Liz Magill said Monday afternoon.

In a message to the University community, Magill wrote that the threats targeted the recipients' personal identities. Penn's Division of Public Safety was notified of the threats and conducted safety sweeps of Hillel and Lauder, finding "no credible threat at this time." It is unclear who sent the threats and when the emails were received, although Magill wrote that "a small number" of staff members reported receiving emails.

Penn Police and the FBI are conducting a joint investigation after Penn Police informed the FBI of a potential hate crime. Magill wrote that Penn Police will remain on site and increase its security presence throughout Penn in response to the threats. She also said that DPS is working with the FBI to identify those responsible for the emails and "ensure they are apprehended and punished to the fullest extent of the law."

"The perniciousness of antisemitic acts on our campus is causing deep hurt and fear for our Jewish students, faculty, and staff and shaking their sense of safety and belonging at Penn," Magill wrote, condemning the threats.

A statement from Hillel on Monday afternoon said that University administration contacted

PHOTO BY ABHIRAM JUVVADI

In October, the University committed extra funding to meet Penn Hillel’s increased security needs through the end of the 2024-25 school year.

Hillel immediately and increased security in and around the Hillel building. DPS — in consultation with the FBI — searched the Hillel building

multiple times, including with a bomb-sniffing See HILLEL, page 2

Magill pledges to regain trust of critical donors as students protest outside Board of Trustees meeting Outside the Inn at Penn, over 50 community members rallied in support of Palestinians and called for the removal of several Penn leaders NINA DILWORTH, NICOLE MURAVSKY, AND DIAMY WANG Senior Reporter and Staff Reporters

PHOTO BY ETHAN YOUNG

Penn President Liz Magill and Chair of Board of Trustees Scott Bok during the Board of Trustees meeting at the Inn at Penn on Nov. 3.

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President Liz Magill and Board of Trustees Chair Scott Bok pledged to regain the trust of critical alumni who are doubtful of their leadership and halting donations at a board meeting on Friday, while community members held a demonstration outside.

At the meeting, Magill and Bok addressed calls for their resignation, frustration among Penn’s Jewish community, and hateful rhetoric on campus in their most extensive remarks to date about the turmoil among alumni and donors.

“I have heard from some that I have not been as effective as I could have been or should have been," Magill told the trustees as part of an eight-minute speech. "This left room for doubt. Doubt about my convictions, what our university believes, and how Penn moves forward. I regret that, and I am listening."

Outside the Inn at Penn, where the meeting was held, over 50 Penn community members rallied in support of Palestine, calling for the removal of several members of the Penn Board of Trustees and the Wharton Board of Advisors, as well as the University's divestment from “destructive industries.”

To the trustees, Magill said she hoped that critical alumni will resume their engagement with Penn as the University makes progress on its goals.

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Wharton dean says Penn has duty to repair donor relationships after damage to reputation Wharton Dean Erika James says Penn has duty to repair donor relationships after damage to reputation HOPE SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Penn is responsible for restoring its reputation and mending relationships with donors who accused the University of tolerating antisemitism, Wharton Dean Erika James said on Nov. 7.

James spoke about the donor backlash at an event organized by the Economic Club of New York. Her remarks, first reported by Bloomberg, come after some members of Penn’s Jewish community criticized Penn for allowing speakers with antisemitic histories to deliver remarks at the Palestine Writes Literature Festival on campus, as well as Penn’s response to Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

“I don’t experience my colleagues, for example, within the University as antisemitic, but I recognize that many of the activities that are happening right now would lead to that impression,” James said at the event. “It’s our responsibility to repair those relationships.”

Penn has faced increasing scrutiny from major University donors and alumni who allege that the University’s response to antisemitism on campus is insufficient.

Much of the backlash is centered among alumni with ties to Wharton. After the Hamas attack on Israel, Apollo Global Management Inc. CEO and Wharton Board of Advisors Chair Marc Rowan recommended Penn change its leadership and has suggested to fellow donors that they withdraw any financial support until Magill steps down. Other longtime contributors to the University followed suit, including 1965 Wharton graduate Ronald Lauder and 1987 College graduate Jon M. Huntsman, whose father is the namesake of Huntsman Hall.

Jon Huntsman Sr. also funded the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business with a

$10 million gift. He donated $40 million in 1998, which at the time was the largest-ever gift given to a business school. As of 2014, Huntsman Sr. had donated at least $50 million to Wharton. Huntsman Sr. died in 2018.

Penn is forecasting Wharton to be the secondlargest recipient of donations across the University’s 12 schools in the fiscal year 2024, with Penn budgeting for around $59 million in gifts, compared to $94 million for the Perelman School of Medicine.

James said she has been working on repairing the reputation damage to the University that has resulted from the alumni scrutiny.

“It’s our responsibility to address the backlash from the donors,” James said.

She added that the concerns from donors came before the attacks in the Middle East.

“The thing that has been most difficult for Penn is that it has been for so long seen as a school that was very committed to Jewish students,” James said.

Wharton did not respond to a request for comment from James. Her statement comes after she held an all-hands Wharton faculty and staff meeting in late October to discuss recent acts of antisemitism on campus and the loss of some donors amidst the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

Wharton professor emeritus Morris A. Cohen attended the meeting and said that its main focus was discussing the rise of antisemitism on campus.

He also said that Wharton’s Chief Operating and Financial Officer Colleen O’Neill reassured professors that the school’s finances were secure. “[James] was basically a cheerleader,” Cohen added.

Another Wharton professor, who attended the

TRUSTEES, from FRONT PAGE "I will work tirelessly to regain that trust," she said.

Magill's remarks prompted a standing ovation and applause from trustees in the room.

Magill and Bok address campus divisions, antisemitism action plan Before Magill spoke, Bok addressed a proposal to oust him as chair written by two voting trustees and one emeritus trustee. He wrote in a statement that there was a poll fielded to trustees to gauge support of the proposal which failed. “[N]o trustee on our large board — apart from the two who signed the original letter — wished to pursue the proposal to replace the Chair," Magill reported to the trustees, according to Bok. A majority of Penn's emeritus trustees — who do not have the right to vote — conveyed to the secretary that they do not support the proposal as well, according to Bok. A trustee emeritus who was granted anonymity confirmed that a private vote was held last weekend.

Bok said that discussing the proposal to oust him was not added to the agenda of this Board of Trustees meeting “given the lack of any meaningful support for the consideration of the proposal.”

Addressing the trustees, Magill acknowledged her disappointment in some of the rhetoric at recent rallies on and off campus.

"There have been chants at rallies captured on video and widely circulated that glorified the terrorist atrocities of Hamas, that celebrate and praise the slaughter and kidnapping of innocent people, and that question Israel's very right to exist," she said.

Earlier this week, Magill announced a comprehensive antisemitism action plan that will focus on safety and security, education, and engagement.

As part of the plan, Penn will launch a new task force on antisemitism chaired by Mark Wolff, the Morton Amsterdam Dean of the School of Dental Medicine. The University also announced a presidential commission to address the "interconnectedness of antisemitism and other forms of hate" faced by Jewish, Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab communities.

Several students previously told The Daily Pennsylvanian that they commended this action plan, while some are waiting for more follow-through from the University or a stronger commitment to addressing Islamophobia on campus.

“We are all very supportive of the current administration,” trustee and 1986 College graduate Ted Schlein said when approached for comment by The Daily Pennsylvanian.

Trustee Joan Lau gave the Penn Alumni Report and said that there was a recent “impassioned conversation” with the alumni trustees who showed support for Magill’s new action plan and discussed free expression guidelines and “the complexities of how [free expression] can or should exist at Penn.”

Several other trustees declined the DP’s request for comment The proposal to replace Bok comes after weeks of criticism of him and Magill over the University's response to the Palestine Writes Literature Festival, the Israel-Hamas War, and antisemitism on campus. A movement for donors to "close their checkbooks" began when 1985 Wharton MBA graduate Marc Rowan called for the resignations of Bok and Magill.

Following Rowan's letter, other prominent donors halted their donations, including 1987 College graduate and former ambassador and governor Jon Huntsman Jr. and 1965 Wharton graduate Ronald Lauder.

In a statement provided to the DP on Oct. 11, 1979 College graduate and Vice Chair of the University Board of Trustees Julie Platt said that she had “full confidence” in Magill and Bok’s leadership. Platt added that the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees had “unanimously endorsed” the steps Penn has taken to respond to acts of antisemitism.

Student groups rally outside meeting Multiple student groups including Fossil Free Penn, Students for the Preservation of Chinatown, and Penn

Students Against the Occupation hosted a solidarity rally calling for the protection of Penn community members and divestment from “destructive industries.” Many speakers framed the conflict between Israel and Palestinians as representative of broader themes of settler colonialism, exploitation, climate justice, and legacies of anti-Black racism.

Several speakers and rally organizers were granted anonymity out of fear of personal safety.

One representative from FFP said that several Penn students wrote a letter to the Board of Trustees signed by members of the student groups, and planned to “attend the meeting and respectfully deliver it to them in person,” but were denied entry.

Although they arrived at 11:30 a.m., when the meeting was scheduled to begin, the representative told the DP that demonstrators were told that the meeting was full, and they were told to arrive earlier next time. The doors of the Inn at Penn were locked from the outside during the rally.

Trustees meetings are open to the public as long as they can be reasonably accommodated and attendees are only present for the purpose of observance, according to University policy.

“The trustees are here bankrolling Penn’s occupation of the Black Bottom, and they’re threatening to pull funding in defense of the imperialist Israeli occupation of Palestine,” one speaker said, expressing frustration that donors had not shown the same objection the displacement of Black people in University City or the harassment of Arab students on campus.

The protestors called on the University to remove David Adelman, CEO of Campus Apartments from the Penn Medicine Board of Trustees. They also called for Josh Harris’s removal from the Wharton Board of Advisors, and for David Blitzer’s removal from the Wharton Board of Advisors and the Penn Board of Trustees.

One speaker from FFP criticized Penn trustees Christopher Franklin, Kenneth Moelis, and Rowan for their allegedly exploitative business practices, accusing them of harming marginalized communities.

"Today, the harassment of Palestinians, Arab Muslims, and anti-Zionist Jewish students on campus is a direct result of lack of protection from the University," the speaker said.

Across the street, 1992 Wharton graduate Joseph Esses yelled over the protestors with a megaphone throughout the first portion of the rally, calling the idea of Palestinian liberation “a lie and a scam.”

“You are fake. You are driven by hate,” Esses said. “I’m not gonna let this happen. I want to send my kids here.”

The DP previously reported that multiple faculty members and students have received violent threats due to their involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstration on campus.

Students and other community members held signs saying “Penn Thrives on Genocide,” “Protect Palestinian students,” and “Ceasefire Now.” One Penn student and FFP organizer said they attended the rally because they believed climate justice and pro-Palestinian activism were “fundamentally connected.”

“The military industrial complex is one of the biggest polluters on the planet, and they are the ones who are propping up Israeli apartheid,” the student said.

Speakers at the rally also criticized Magill’s most recent statement announcing a University-wide action plan on Wednesday, calling it a “dangerous backsliding of academic freedom and freedom of speech.”

Multiple other rallies have taken place at Penn in solidarity with Palestine over the past few weeks on Oct. 16, Oct. 18, and Oct. 25. On Friday afternoon, over 300 community members and alumni marched down Locust Walk in solidarity with Israel.

In response to a request for comment from the DP about the two demonstrations on Friday and security measures, the Division of Public Safety wrote that "Public Safety was present for both events held today, ensuring the safety of participants and onlookers alike."

“Those in positions of leadership must not act as censors,” Magill said at the meeting. “Our duty is to ensure that our faculty and student scholars have freedom and security to pursue academic discourse unthreatened.”

PHOTO BY JESSE ZHANG

Dean of The Wharton School, Erika James, at the inauguration of President Liz Magill on Sept.

21, 2022.

meeting and was granted anonymity for fear of retaliation, said that its main focus was how to best protect Penn students amid the recent antisemitism on campus.

The professor also mentioned that O’Neill briefly mentioned the donors backing out and said that she was unconcerned about Wharton’s financial standing despite the loss of donors.

On Friday, President Liz Magill and Board of Trustees Chair Scott Bok pledged to regain the trust of critical alumni who are doubtful of their leadership and halting donations at a board meeting.

“I have heard from some that I have not been as effective as I could have been or should have been,” Magill told the trustees during an eight-minute speech. “This left room for doubt. Doubt about my convictions, what our university believes, and how Penn moves forward. I regret that, and I am listening.”

Magill has also announced a University-wide antisemitism action plan, through which Penn will launch a new task force on antisemitism chaired by Mark Wolff, the Morton Amsterdam Dean of the School of Dental Medicine. Penn also announced a presidential commission to address the “interconnectedness of antisemitism and other forms of hate” faced by Jewish, Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab communities.

On Monday, Magill said that the University and the FBI were investigating after a small number of Penn staff received “vile, disturbing, antisemitic emails” that threatened Penn’s Jewish community, including Penn Hillel and Lauder College House. Magill said that “no credible threat” had been found.

James said that the University is working with campus police to ensure the safety of all Penn students, staff, and faculty.

MAYOR, from FRONT PAGE seats on Philadelphia's City Council — taking control of seats that Republicans had held for over 70 years. These seats represent the city at-large and are effectively reserved for non-Democrats.

At Parker’s victory rally Tuesday night, a group of supporters wore merchandise from the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, a historically Black Greek organization founded by women dedicated to public service of which Parker is a member, a nod to her becoming the first Black woman elected to Philadelphia's highest office.

Delta Sigma Theta sorority member Karen Dunlop, a senior talent acquisition specialist at Penn, told the DP that the sorority is about "elevating ourselves but also elevating those that are disadvantaged and being there for those that can't be the voice for themselves."

"That's what Cherelle has been about her whole life," Dunlop said.

A primary focal point of both Parker's and Oh’s campaigns was public safety — an issue that both

candidates agreed on. Former Philadelphia mayor and 1979 Wharton graduate Michael Nutter described it as “virtually everyone’s No. 1 issue,” according to The New York Times.

Parker and Oh both agreed upon increasing police presence and community engagement. However, Parker is also a proponent of the controversial stopand-frisk tactic of policing. ”We are in the middle of a crisis, and we have to use every tool that we have to get illegal guns off the street,” she said about the policy.

In February, Parker said she wanted to set an example for other Penn alumni that they can use their Penn degrees to bring about real change.

“I would have never thought because of my humble beginnings that Penn would have been a part of my future," Parker said, "And we can all come together to do this. I will be a living example. When done well, we put our Penn credentials to work and we work hard to make life better for people.”

Senior Reporter Jonah Miller contributed reporting.

HILLEL, from FRONT PAGE dog unit.

The Hillel statement said that — after consultation with DPS and the Secure Communities Network of the Jewish Federation — the building will remain open and in use, adding that the situation is continuing to be monitored.

“All Jewish students deserve a learning environment that is safe and free from antisemitism and hate,” the Penn Hillel statement reads. “At Penn Hillel, our doors are open for anyone who needs a safe space to process, find comfort and community with other Jewish students and staff, learn about the war in Israel, or just show up and be here.”

In a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian, the FBI confirmed they were aware of the threats made to Penn's Jewish community and involved in the ongoing investigation.

"We take all threats seriously and are working closely with Penn Police and our law enforcement partners at every level to assess the situation, share information, and take appropriate investigative action," a spokesperson wrote. "We encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.

Nothing is more important than the safety of our communities and we will not tolerate violence motivated by hate and extremism."

These threats follow a number of antisemitic incidents on Penn’s campus that have occurred since the start of semester.

A vacant Campus Apartments property next to the Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi was vandalized with “All Jews R Nazis” last month. DPS has since launched an investigation into the antisemitic vandalism.

In addition, a spray-painted swastika — which has since been painted over — was discovered in a spray room on the fourth floor of Meyerson Hall in the Stuart Weitzman School of Design on the evening of Sept. 13, two days before the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Hillel was vandalized in September, during which an individual shouted antisemitic rhetoric while knocking over furniture in the lobby.

Following the vandalism at Meyerson and Hillel, Penn administrators condemned the incidents.

"They are an assault on our values and mission as an institution and have no place at Penn," the administrators wrote. "Sadly, incidents of hatred, including antisemitic rhetoric and acts that denigrate Jewish people, have become all too common."

The threats also come just over a week after a similar incident at Cornell University, where online posts threatened Jewish students and the school's

Center for Jewish Living. A Cornell student was later charged in connection with making antisemitic threats.

Lauder College House is named after the Lauder family, which includes 1965 Wharton graduate Ronald Lauder. Lauder is president of the World Jewish Congress, a global alliance of Jewish community groups and associations.

Last month, Lauder halted his donations to Penn, after writing to Magill that she was "forcing" him to reexamine his financial support "absent satisfactory measures to address antisemitism at the University."

Also in October, Penn committed extra funding to meet Hillel’s extra security needs through the end of the 2024-25 school year, the organization said in an email addressing concerns about the safety of Jewish students.

Hillel also submitted formal complaints to the University regarding the conduct of a proPalestinian rally held on campus, specifically addressing poster-tearing and some of the language used — which the email accused of violating the University’s Guidelines on Open Expression.

On Wednesday, Magill established a University-wide plan to combat antisemitism on campus.

While many commended the plan, some students told the DP that they wanted to see follow-through from the University or a stronger commitment to combatting Islamophobia on campus.

As part of the plan, DPS will conduct a review of existing safety and security message for all religious life centers, adding that there has been heightened security for Hillel, the Katz Center, Lubavitch House, campus spaces for Muslim worship, and the Christian Association since September.

A number of rallies, vigils, protests, and demonstrations in support of both Israel and Palestinians have been held on campus in the weeks since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Most recently, around 300 Penn community members and alumni rallied in support of Israel on Friday, emphasizing the strength of the Jewish community while also criticizing the Penn administration’s response to antisemitism on campus.

In response to their attendance at pro-Palestinian events, some attendees, including Penn faculty and students, have received threatening messages on social media and via email.

"My first and highest priority is the safety and security of our community," Magill wrote. "Threats of violence are not tolerated at Penn and will be met with swift and forceful action."

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How the ongoing donor backlash will affect Penn’s finances and academics The latest donors joining the backlash against University leadership include the namesake of the Stephen A. Levin Building and a co-founder of Penn Club of New York MAX ANNUNZIATA AND KATIE BARTLETT Staff Reporters

PHOTO BY ANDREA BARAJAS

SPEC Connaissance brought actors Victoria Justice and Josh Peck to Irvine Auditorium on Nov. 7, where they spoke to students about their experiences.

SPEC’s keynote series features Nickelodeon actors Victoria Justice and Josh Peck Justice and Peck spoke about the anxiety associated with being child actors NICHOLAS MAHARAJ Contributing Reporter

Victoria Justice and Josh Peck, two actors best known for their work on Nickelodeon, spoke at Penn about their careers as childhood actors, their current projects, and advice for Penn students.

Justice and Peck spoke at Irvine Auditorium on Nov. 7 as part of Penn’s Social Planning and Events Committee Connaissance, an organization dedicated to bringing keynote speakers to Penn.

Associate Director of the Platt Student Performing Arts House Megan Edelman moderated Justice and Peck’s conversation about their careers in the entertainment industry.

As attendees entered Irvine Auditorium, trivia and fun facts about Justice and Peck played on the screen before SPEC Connaissance leaders introduced the two actors.

Edelman began the conversation by asking about Justice and Peck’s early careers as child actors.

Justice explained she began modeling at age seven after being inspired by on-screen child actors to join the industry. Justice said she enjoyed acting because it was her creative outlet.

Peck, who was also inspired by his favorite

child actors, began participating in school plays and doing stand-up comedy when he was 11. Peck shared that he was insecure as a child, so he gravitated toward comedy because he could use it as a defense mechanism.

“If I could control the situation or the energy in the room by making fun of myself first before [someone else] could, then that was great,” he said.

After booking small commercials and his first movie, “Snow Day,” Peck ultimately landed a role on “The Amanda Show” and started his successful career as a Nickelodeon actor.

Justice and Peck also discussed their lives as public figures, both emphasizing the harmful impact of social media and cyberbullying.

“Sometimes we have these insecurities, and someone says something, and it invalidates our worst fears about ourselves,” Peck said. “It helps to have that armor that you can learn to acquire after you go through these moments [of hate].”

The pair offered advice for Penn students combating anxiety. When asked about overcoming her interview fears, Justice told the audience to try to be over prepared since it can help build confidence.

Being physically active has also helped her improve her mental health, Justice said.

Both Justice and Peck urged the audience to push themselves toward their goals and stay ambitious.

“There has never been a better time [to start creating content] because you don’t have to live on the coasts, and you don’t need to have an agent or manager,” Peck said. “If it’s compelling, it will find an audience.”

Justice also explained that she does not put pressure on herself when she feels uninspired. She recommended students take a step back from a project to enjoy life, where inspiration can naturally come.

“Switch up the environment, rent an Airbnb somewhere on the beach or the woods, go on a vacation, do something spontaneous, do something out of your comfort zone,” Justice said.

“Everything Everywhere All At Once” star Stephanie Hsu spoke at the Harrison Auditorium in the Penn Museum for SPEC’s spring 2023 speaker event.

PHOTO BY JEAN PARK

Penn's recent donor crisis will have uncertain financial and academic consequences on the longterm functioning of the University, multiple higher education experts told The Daily Pennsylvanian.

Frustrated with the University’s response to the Palestine Writes Literature Festival and the escalating violence between Israel and Hamas, dozens of Penn’s most prolific donors have announced their intent to cease financial contributions. While the drop in revenue is unlikely to affect the student experience in the short-term, experts said that the long-term financial and academic impacts of donor pressure are much less certain.

The donor backlash began with a letter by Wharton Board of Advisors Chair Marc Rowan. The latest longtime donors joining the backlash against University leadership include 1967 College graduate Stephen Levin — the namesake of the Stephen A. Levin Building — and 1960 College and Wharton graduate Lynne Tarnopol, who co-founded the Penn Club of New York.

1964 University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School graduate Henry Silverman wrote to Magill on Oct. 17 that he "100%" agreed with the point of view expressed by alumni like Rowan. In 1998, he gave $15 million to Penn Carey Law — the largest donation ever made to an American law school at the time, the majority of which was used to renovate Penn Carey Law’s original building.

Silverman also designated $5 million of his donation to start the Silverman-Rodin Scholars Program, helping fund tuition for five students at Penn Carey Law each year. Silverman previously served as chief operating officer of Apollo Global Management — a private equity firm owned by Rowan.

“Enclosed please find my contribution to the Penn Fund that accompanies my prior letter to Chair Bok and President Magill — indicating my disappointment and need for change in the Penn Leadership," Tarnopol wrote to Penn President Liz Magill on Oct. 29, attaching a $1.00 check in her name in an email obtained by the DP. Tarnopol is the widow of 1958 Wharton graduate Michael Tarnopol, the former vice chair of the Board of Trustees and former co-chair of Wharton’s Campaign for Sustained Leadership, described as "the most successful business school campaign in history." The couple founded the Penn Club of New York in 1994.

Following a $15 million donation from Levin, the Stephen A. Levin building opened in 2016 at 425 S. University Ave. as a home for behavioral and neurological sciences at Penn. Levin also backs the Stephen A. Levin Family Deanship of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Levin Family Dean’s Forum.

Uncertainty about the impact on student life Given the large amount of contributions that donors have already publicly withdrawn, some immediate financial pain is inevitable, according to Larissa Reece, a consultant at Ashley Rountree and Associates who works with nonprofits and universities. She added that it remains unclear how the loss of money will impact the student experience.

Philanthropists often prefer to have a say in how their contribution will directly affect the students and the University's operations. When an individual, foundation, or corporation gives money to a university, that money rarely comes unrestricted, according to Amanda Adolph, the chief of staff at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

For example, 1965 Wharton graduate Ronald Lauder, who recently halted his donations to Penn, donated funds specifically for the renovation of the Lauder Institute and the construction of Lauder College House.

PHOTO BY ABHIRAM JUVVADI

The DP interviewed professionals to understand the f inancial implications of Penn’s recent donor crisis.

When a donor withdraws that contribution, different programse could be impacted, Reece said.

However, since only 1.5% of Penn’s $14.4 billion annual revenue is associated with philanthropy, it appears unlikely that Penn would allow programs with specific funders to collapse suddenly, Reece said.

Still, fundraising is a “long-term proposition,” Adolph said, and there are reasons to believe that Penn might not emerge unscathed in the long run.

The overall financial impact remains unclear, even to the University.

“While we are closely monitoring for potential impact, at this early point in the fiscal year, we are unable to draw any conclusions," University spokesperson Ron Ozio wrote in a statement to the DP. Withdrawals from smaller donors and considering long-term effects Reece described the withdrawal of donations from high-profile donors as the “tip of the iceberg.”

“For every vocal donor who throws up their hands and walks away loudly, you're going to have a much larger number of smaller donors who also walk away,” she said.

At least 17 class presidents have sent letters to Magill, including Penn Fund board members, former trustees, and Penn Alumni leaders, according to emails obtained by the DP. If the donors who give substantially to the annual fund halt their funds, "that’s going to have a dent," Reece added.

She said that perhaps more threatening to Penn’s finances is the risk that numerous donors will quietly take Penn out of their wills. Estate gifts can be substantial, and their loss could impact Penn down the road, according to Reece.

Still, the fact that fundraising is built on long-term relationships can also be a reason to believe that Penn’s finances might recover, Adolph said. She expressed uncertainty that a single "societal issue or challenge" would have a long-term impact on fundraising.

“It’s too early to tell if the donors come back around,” Reece said.

Donor pressure and academic freedom As government funding of higher education has decreased since the 1980s, universities are increasingly reliant on philanthropy, Adolph said.

At the same time, she added that the expectation for leadership to speak out on current issues has grown, putting leaders in a “hard place" when donors disapprove of the University’s message.

She said Magill’s lack of interference with the Palestine Writes festival, despite the demands of donors, was an example of the Penn administration fulfilling its obligation “to stand up for the university's independence” and defend academic freedom.

The perception of independence from donor influence is essential for universities to fulfill their duty to serve the public good, according to Risa Lieberwitz, a labor and employment law professor at Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Donor money, she said, “should not come with strings attached.”

Still, the Penn chapter of the American Association of University Professors said that Penn administration’s response to the festival compromised the principles of academic freedom.

In light of donors’ recent attempt to oust Penn’s leadership, the setting of clearer limits between universities and donors has “definitely” become a topic of conversation at institutions, according to Adolph.

“Openness is a basic principle,” Lieberwitz said.

A new Tropical Smoothie Cafe location recently opened at 37th and Chestnut street on Oct. 25.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe opens location near Penn’s campus The restaurant is a national fast-casual food and beverage chain DAVID ZHANG Staff Reporter

Tropical Smoothie Cafe opened its first University City location on Oct. 25 in the ground floor of apartment building 3737 Chestnut.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe, located at 37th and Chestnut streets, is a national fast-casual food and beverage chain specializing in smoothies and health foods.

The University City location is the chain’s third in Philadelphia. The store opened its first location in Florida in 1993 and currently operates over 1,000 stores in the United States.

Paul Patel, a Tropical Smoothie Cafe staff member, said he is proud of the cafe’s commitment to health-conscious dining. He emphasized the cafe’s use of healthier alternative ingredients than what customers might typically expect, noting that the chain uses turbinado instead of regular sugar in

its smoothies.

“Whatever we are selling is healthy,” he said.

Patel highlighted the cafe’s best-selling products: Bahama Mama, a smoothie made up of strawberries, pineapple, coconut, and white chocolate, and Sunrise Sunset, made up of strawberries, pineapple, mango & orange juice. Other than smoothies, the cafe’s menu includes sandwiches, salads, wraps, and quesadillas.

Patel said that people should not mistake the cafe for only serving smoothies because of its name.

“We have salad, wraps, and flatbread too,” he said.

“The important thing is we are not about just smoothies.”

Graduate School of Education graduate student Ceani Beaden said that she had visited Tropical Smoothie Cafe three days in a row and appreciated that the food options are not too heavy.

“If I go to a food truck, I might not like it. But I always get the same experience here,” she said.

Wharton senior Eunice Chong said while she loves to support local businesses when possible, the perks of a national brand like Tropical Smoothie Cafe are also attractive to her.

“For example, if you sign up for their membership, you get a free large smoothie with any food purchase,” she said. “It’s definitely nice to have a new spot on campus. It’s a nice close destination where I could pick up a sandwich and a smoothie in the morning.”

Tropical Smoothie Cafe joins Playa Bowls and Gong Cha, which both opened in June, as new restaurant offerings in University City.

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4 OPINION

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023

Opinion

139th Year of Publication

THIS YEAR’S BOARD JESSE ZHANG President EMI TUYẾTNHI TRẦN Executive Editor IMRAN SIDDIQUI DP Editor-in-Chief LILIAN LIU Design Editor COLLIN WANG Design Editor JARED MITOVICH News Editor MOLLY COHEN News Editor SAYA DESAI Assignments Editor ALLYSON NELSON Copy Editor JULIA FISCHER Copy Editor ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL Photo Editor CAROLINE MAGDOLEN Opinion Editor KIRA WANG Social Media Editor CALEB CRAIN Sports Editor ALEXIS GARCIA Sports Editor GEORGE BOTROS Video Editor RIANE LUMER Podcast Editor MATTEO BUSTERNA Diversity & Inclusion Director JOSH TRENCHARD Business Manager GRACE DAI Analytics Director MADISON SMITH Marketing Manager KRISTEN LI Product Manager AKANKSHA TRIPATHY Consulting Manager ZAIN QURESHI Finance Manager

THIS ISSUE’S TEAM SOPHIA LIU Deputy Design Editor JOSEPHINE BUCCINI Deputy Design Editor ESTHER LIM Deputy Design Editor

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Why social media and Palestinian activism go hand in hand THE DAILY PHILADELPHIAN | Understanding why social media is the key to shedding light on suffering in Gaza Social media was and will continue to be a space for Palestinians to express their right to exist. This claim predates the more recent tragic events that unfolded throughout the past month, where online platforms such as TikTok provided Palestinians the ability to give an unfiltered view into their suffering.

With a land that lacks any legitimate army, democratically elected leaders, or control over fundamental resources such as water and electricity, the internet remains one tool to remind the global population that the Palestinian people will not disappear.

A bombing campaign that indiscriminately claims the lives of thousands of civilians has resulted in a mounting death toll that continues to rise without an immediate end in sight.

While some believe that the discourse surrounding the conflict should be held in person, face-to-face, this cannot be the sole platform for such conversations to take place. In fact, this would be a disservice to the activists and victims whose lifelines depend on our commitment to keeping their stories alive online. First-hand accounts from Gazan activists like Plestia Alaqad help us to understand that while the war is happening thousands of miles away from us, the rising number of victims are not just numbers. Alaqad documents the daily struggles and realities of so many innocent children, women, and men displaced by the never-ending violence they are forced to endure. These are people with stories just like us, who need us to ensure that even if they are killed, their testimonies and lives will not be reduced to just another number. When these stories are preserved on the internet, they can send an undeniable message for future generations to reflect on what the Palestinian people went through, much faster than facilitated dialogue confined to a college campus.

One key point that I do agree with is regarding the overwhelming presence of misinformation online that threatens to deter this from happening. Additionally, there exists blatantly racist and antiMuslim rhetoric weaponized by celebrities and notable personalities alike. In the last month alone, a number of celebrities including Justin Bieber and Jamie Lee

Curtis were responsible for using images of Palestine and Palestinian children in an attempt to garner support for Israel.

Subsequently, both individuals quickly deleted their posts, rather than taking the time to acknowledge the pain captured in those photos. Instead of trying to hide their mistakes from their millions of followers, they could have used this as an opportunity to clarify their intentions and educate themselves and their audience about the source of those images.

Amy Schumer is also responsible for using her influence to spread conspiracy theories about the conflict. In one of her posts, she indicated that Arab funding was being directed to universities. While in another, she posted a cartoon which made a number of claims, such as reducing Gazans to rapists. Racist commentary like this has and will continue to proliferate the internet, especially when fueled by top officials and kept circulating on a number of peoples’ feeds. Using thinly veiled language to claim one side is noble, while the other is shrouded in barbarism that must be corrected, makes a call to orientalism and colonial rhetoric of the 19th and 20th centuries.

I acknowledge that this misinformation is a valid and growing concern, especially with the rise of other innocent people in different regions of the world being wrongly targeted due to the horrific events in recent weeks. However, with nearly half of the Palestinian population under the age of 18, stifling their voices or the surrounding public dialogue among the international community effectively turns a blind eye to their oppression.

Although I don’t have all of the expertise on staying immune against misinformation, there are several strong defenses at our disposal. These include reporting posts that look questionable, pushing for more accountability from platform leaders on monitoring suspicious accounts that encourage hateful rhetoric, and searching for multiple news sources and publications to verify the accuracy of claims being made. We can also continue to hold our government leaders accountable in making sure that they address rising

PHOTO BY DEREK WONG

Columnist Hanadi Abdulkadir analyzes the impact of social media in highlighting Palestinian voices.

antisemitism and Islamophobia throughout the country, whether it is clearly outlining and condemning hate crimes on individuals, or meeting with religious leaders to determine better security measures on places of worship or cultural centers.

While many of us may continue to feel helpless in preventing the death and destruction perpetrated against thousands of people, we can continue to use social media as a medium to call out bigotry and push for our leaders to orchestrate a ceasefire for humanitarian aid in the region. It is up to us as users of the internet to not accept posts or stories circulating at face value, especially when we have the tools to dig deeper and learn more about their credibility.

Although social media has the power to become a weapon when used with ignorant or nefarious intentions, it also has the power to help people identify with the pain and systemic treatment of other groups like them. The internet is the place to amplify actions, such as boycotting companies that have implicitly taken sides

in the conflict, organizing peaceful protests on a large scale, or sharing the numbers of elected representatives to call and demand accountability. To write off social media as a forum for political discourse altogether would be to write off the efforts of those calling out for help an ocean away, especially when we are privileged enough to use social media to educate ourselves and others.

As technology progresses, social media will continue to play a monumental role in the development of social issues and the spread of effective ways to combat injustice. Moving forward, we can demand for more effective tools to combat the spread of misinformation and hatred while also recognizing that social media is not only a space for performative activism. To many, it can be a lifeline.

HANADI ABDULKADIR is a College sophomore studying international relations from Philadelphia. Her email is hanadia@sas.upenn.edu.

Advance Registration: DP opinion’s recommendations

YOMI ABDI Deputy Opinion Editor EMILY CHANG Deputy Opinion Editor VINAY KHOSLA Deputy Opinion Editor ABHIRAM JUVVADI News Photo Editor DEREK WONG Opinion Photo Editor KAMELIJA PATOSKA Sports Photo Editor DIAMY WANG Deputy Copy Editor MADDIE PASTORE Deputy Copy Editor CHARLOTTE BOTT Deputy Copy Editor LAURA SHIN Deputy Copy Editor WALKER CARNATHAN Deputy Sports Editor

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With the Advance Registration deadline just around the corner (Monday, Nov. 13 at 11:59 PM) here are some courses that the DP Opinion’s staff columnists recommend that every Penn student take before they graduate.

LETTER SUBMISSION 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.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Land on which the office of The Daily Pennsylvanian stands is a part of the homeland and territory of the LenniLenape people, known to the original Indigenous people as “Lenapehoking.” We affirm Indigenous sovereignty and will work to hold The Daily Pennsylvanian and the University of Pennsylvania more accountable to the needs of Native American and Indigenous people.

COMM 3230: “Contemporary Politics, Policy, and Journalism” Albert Hunt, R 1:45-4:44 p.m.

“This is my all-time favorite class at Penn — not only has it sharpened my understanding of the current media landscape and political environment, it has also solidified my desire to pursue journalism. Hunt is a renowned journalist with many accolades and entertaining tales of the industry, and he goes out of his way to give advice, assist with jobs, and stay connected post-grad. My enthusiasm for this course is evident as I’ve enrolled as both a student and a teaching assistant, and I plan to sit in for a third time this spring. The case studies, class debates, and prominent guest speakers will benefit every student in becoming well-informed citizens in today’s polarizing world.”

- Emily Chang, deputy opinion editor COMM 3950: “Communications and the American Presidency” David Eisenhower/Scott Reich, T 3:306:29 p.m.

“This is one of the most interesting and rewarding classes offered at Penn. The class is held once a week for three hours, and is offered every semester. It is taught

by David Eisenhower, who alone is reason enough to take the class, as his wealth of life experience and excitement for the

material makes every lecture something to look forward to. COMMS 3950 discusses how American presidents from George Washington to Joe Biden have used tools of communication, particularly in the form of presidential speeches to shape the culture, politics, and policy of the American civil society of their time. Along with participation and attendance, the only requirement for the class is an end-of-semester term paper in which students travel to presidential libraries and archives (across the country and the world) to do research! I went to Texas A&M University to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library for my paper!”

- Lexi Boccuzzi, opinion columnist HIST 1260: “Tolstoy’s War and Peace and the Age of Napoleon” Peter Holquist, MW 12:00-1:29 p.m.

HIST 5240: “The Rise and Fall of the Russian Empire, 1552-1917” Peter Holquist (not offered this term) “After almost three semesters at Penn, I find myself looking back to the first classroom I walked into as a Quaker. In my first-year fall, back when I was still a wide-eyed history major, I very nervously walked through the doors of the McNeil building to get to my first college class, HIST 5240.

Those nerves immediately turned to excitement when Holquist welcomed our class of 27 students with a great smile and blaring traditional Russian folk music to accompany it. Holquist kept up this excitement in this classroom for the duration of the semester, starting some lectures with clips of Russian movies, the playing

of different national songs, or pictures from his own time spent in Russia. Our class traveled through time, starting at Muscovite Russia, watching the mid-tier state rise from the Time of Troubles to become the grand Russian Empire, and following the imperial dynasty until the Bolshevik Revolution ended the class at the establishment of the Soviet Union.

The course clearly covered a large chunk of Russian history, which is intertwined with the histories of all the nations it absorbed, but Holquist and teaching assistant Griffin Creech made the complex topics easy to digest, interesting to read about, and invigorating to write about.

No other class in my academic career has kept me on my toes like this one did and I cannot recommend it enough. Though HIST 5240 will not be offered next semester, I highly encourage any and everyone to take it when offered or enroll in Holquist’s upcoming class, HIST 1260: ‘Tolstoy’s War and Peace and the Age of Napoleon,’ in the spring.”

- Sose Hovannisian, opinion columnist ENVS 1043: “Repairing the Planet: Tools for the Climate Emergency” Carlos Santana, TR 10:15-11:45 a.m.

“Climate change is the greatest threat facing humanity today, evoking a sense of helplessness and anxieties for our livelihoods in the face of inaction. Created by interim Perry World House Director Michael Weisberg, in this comprehensive course students examine the climate crisis through engaging philosophical and theoretical lenses, prompting students to investigate the complexities of solutions with an emphasis on ethical justice and interdisciplinary perspectives. Additionally, students hear from expert guest speakers with a range of careers in the vast field.

At the end of the semester, students form their own proposals for action by testing cross-sector climate solutions through the online simulator En-ROADS which enables users to examine the cascade of effects of policies for mitigation and adaptation. Although aware of the impending doom of climate change, it was through this course that I learned about the significance of global collaboration and common but differentiated responsibility. The course has influenced not only my life passions, but also fostered a stronger commitment to demanding reform.

It was empowering to engage in critical discourse regarding the issue’s intricacy alongside classmates. Whether you are seeking to fulfill your Natural Science Across the Disciplines requirement or not, this is a must-take course for a deeper

understanding of the most pressing issue of our lifetime.”

- Riane Lumer, opinion columnist and podcast editor HIST 2151: History of Baseball, 1840 to the Present Sarah Gronningsater, T 1:45-4:44 p.m.

HIST 1119: History of American Law to 1877 Sarah Gronningsater (not offered this term) “When I first entered the lecture hall for this course, I was surprised to hear an enthusiastic ‘Hi!’ from what I thought was another student behind me. It turns out it was Gronningsater, ready to immerse us into understanding the legal underpinnings of how the United States was formed and developed. Sitting amongst a vast multitude of students in Annenberg 111, one can reverberate with audiences from centuries past, eagerly listening to and engaging in discussion of law and society in colonial America. Through Gronningsater’s impassioned tone and visceral storytelling, each class is more than a recount of historical events or static narratives of American history but an in-depth exploration of the mechanisms of revolution and re-thinking embedded within legal calligraphy and choreography.

From exploring the parallels of Jay-Z’s ‘Magna Carta’ Beats-by-Dre sponsorship to studying the patterns and prose of partisanship, police power and property, we witness the establishment of the American constitutional system, and the complexities rising up to the late 19th century, including the issues of slavery, suffrage, and states’ rights. As someone who went to a French school my entire life, I am embarrassed to say I did not have the strongest background on U.S. history, so this course not only supplemented me with fundamental knowledge of how the United States was formed and sustained but pertinent details and unique lenses on legal scholarship and historiographical analyses on the land we walk on today. Nothing compares to the aha moments students get during our sessions, connecting the dots between historical landmarks in Philadelphia and even areas of Penn campus to the historical climate and movements that occurred through our vicinities. This spring, I would highly recommend taking HIST 2151: ‘History of Baseball, 1840 to the Present,’ being taught by Gronningsater, incorporating political and social tides in the United States to ‘America’s pastime’.”

- Noor Chafouk, opinion columnist

Being an African-American student at Penn is exhilarating … and exhausting KIYAH’S TAKE | African American representation matters Being an African-American student at Penn — that is, a student that is a descendant of Africans that were enslaved in the United States — is both exhilarating and exhausting. Although I’m sure many would agree, I am also sure that it may not make sense to others. I take pride in being a student at Penn, especially as a person who grew up in a severely underfunded public school system. I now have all the opportunities that I could only dream of a few years ago. There is a diverse range of programs and electives not found at other institutions and a vibrant campus life with hundreds of student organizations.

Since Penn is a predominantly white institution, I didn’t expect to see a substantial number of Black students on campus. However, what I didn’t expect was to rarely meet other African Americans.

One of the first events I attended as an undergraduate was hosted by some of Penn’s Black organizations. I was able to meet and befriend many other Black students, but I also noticed that many of the Black students at Penn were either first- or second-generation African and Caribbean immigrants.

I remember having a conversation months later with a friend, one of the only three African-American students I knew at Penn, and asking how many African-American students he knew himself. He replied, “Literally three, and you are one of them.”

It was at that moment that I realized that African Americans are significantly underrepresented at Penn and many other elite institutions, which demonstrates the failure of affirmative action to ensure

better representation for African-American students in collegiate spaces. Although African Americans were the intended beneficiaries of affirmative action, there are only a small number of AfricanAmerican students attending universities like Penn.

According to The Guardian, more than 40% of Black students in the Ivy League come from immigrant families. However, only roughly 21% of Black people are immigrants or are children of Black immigrants out of the 47.2 million Black people in the United States.

Affirmative action was supposed to be a solution to rectify the inequalities suffered by Black people as a result of racial discrimination. Even today, the aftermath of such discrimination can be seen when you examine the enrollment disparities at many institutions. According to The New York Times, the first-year enrollment of Black and Hispanic students hasn’t really changed since the 1980s.

Although Black students make up 15% of collegeage Americans, we make up only 9% of first years at Ivy League schools. Black students are still grossly underrepresented, and it becomes worse if you are African American.

This is what makes the organization Descendants of Afro Americans at Penn so important.

From what I have experienced, although Penn’s Black organizations welcome all Black students, many of the Black organizations at Penn are also African-dominated. Of course, getting to connect with people throughout the African diaspora has

DESIGN BY EMMI WU

been an invaluable experience for me. I have learned about languages I didn’t know existed, and I have been able to explore various types of food, art, and music. But I noticed that even within Penn’s Black spaces, which are already quite small, I am almost always the only African-American person present. Being a college student is stressful: You have a surplus of responsibilities, the weight of academic and financial pressures, and likely more. To feel

culturally secluded on top of all of that can be quite overwhelming. It is important for Penn to recognize that African-American students must have a space to embrace their heritage and to connect with people who share their culture.

KIYAH AKINS is a College sophomore studying biology from Philadelphia. Her email is rakiyah@sas.upenn.edu.

Do you love democracy? Then stop strategizing on Election Day. LEXI’S TAKE | Your vote isn’t something you can “maximize”

PHOTO BY JEAN PARK

Columnist Lexi Boccuzzi argues that voters should not work to maximize their votes and use the electoral process as intended.

Unlike much of The Daily Pennsylvanian’s readership, I did not find the title of the recent column “Do you love democracy? Then vote Republican.” very provocative. As many people know, I am the proud president of Penn’s College Republicans chapter. I do love democracy and often vote Republican!

What I did disagree with, however, was the premise in the text of the piece: that it is “democratic” to try and strategize with one’s vote. The argument is essentially that since the Democratic nominee for president in 2024 is guaranteed to be Joe Biden, registering to vote in the Republican primaries will ensure a say in who is on the other side of the presidential ballot. The author of the column, Spencer Gibbs, describes this as the “key to fighting polarization,” but in many ways, his argument is naive to the realities that underpin a deeply polarized system, and threatens the very “democracy” his argument is seeking to protect.

The foundational assumption of his column, that Biden has no serious challenger or no potential

to lose the Democratic nomination is for starters, overly simplistic. Rep. Dean Phillips (D - Minn.) has already come out to oppose the sitting President, so Democrats will have the opportunity to vote for him in the primaries. While Gibbs is right that traditionally incumbent presidents have not lost their party’s nomination, it is also unprecedented to have a nominee who will be 82 by his second inauguration and who initially suggested he would not run for a second term when he was first elected.

The president also has a historically low approval rating of 37%, including among his own party which has slipped to 75%. In recent polling, 63% of Democratic voters said they were subject to potentially changing their candidate choice in the primary election depending on events leading up to it. In my opinion, it would be deeply “democratic” to let members of the president’s party decide if, under these unprecedented conditions, they’d still like him to be their nominee.

For most Americans, as Gibbs’s nod to polarization

points out, votes are promised to the party line prior to even entering the ballot box, no matter who the candidate is. On the left, this is affectionately referred to with the saying, “Vote blue no matter who!” which can be seen on yard signs and t-shirts of canvassers. This is a sad state of affairs for many, like myself, who would prefer people vote based on candidates’ policy positions rather than simply partisan affiliation.

Nevertheless, the reality remains that many Americans will never vote for a Republican (or a Democrat) no matter who the candidate is. If that is the case for you, then you should not vote in a primary that does not match your party affiliation. Gibbs’s argument is potentially beneficial for a truly unaffiliated voter who can think of Republican primary choices that they’d vote for. For everyone else, if you are displeased with Biden but would never vote for a Republican, vote for Phillips, or write in a candidate.

All of that discussion is limited simply to the first line of your 2024 ballot … what about every other race?

In 2024, every member of the U.S. House of Representatives and 33 U.S. Senators will be up for re-election. Many of these races will be highly contentious in swing districts and states, but even more importantly for the subject of primaries, many of these candidates will be decided in competitive primaries. Particularly given recent disagreement in the Democratic base over the issue of support for Israel, many well-established progressive members have had challengers announce races against them. If you care about who represents you in Congress, as you should, stay registered in the party you most closely align with.

Gibbs’s argument suffers from a similar flaw as others which urge strategic voter registration.

Last year, I wrote a piece that encouraged people to register where they had the most ties rather than to contrive their Election Day to “make their vote count” in a swing state. The logic of “maximizing one’s vote” undermines the entire system of “representative democracy” by ranking elections by national importance rather than ensuring that each community’s interests are best reflected at every level of government.

Simply put, there is nothing “democratic” about strategizing with your vote. This thinking endangers the importance of state and local elections, which already have absurdly low voter participation in the United States. It also creates a slippery slope to situations like that which occurred in 2022, where the Democratic political machine backed far-right candidates in Republican primaries because they deemed them “easier to beat.” This “strategy” not only ran the risk of getting candidates whom Democrats deeply ideologically opposed elected, but it also served to distort the preferences of Republican primary voters.

So the real question remains: Do you love democracy? Then use the system the way it was designed. In a country with increasing ideological divides even within the respective parties in our twoparty system, we should all be a little less focused on strategizing and a little more focused on ensuring we can select candidates who align with our values to represent us at every level of government.

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

Statistically, you will not read this article THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | Please read past the title, past the noise, and past the words With every passing word, I lose you. Wave goodbye to your virtual, non-temporal neighbors who have already left. Au revoir, auf wiedersehen, adios! But for those of you who remain, let’s have a chat.

On Nov. 2, The Daily Pennsylvanian published an op-ed I wrote titled, “Do you love democracy? Then vote Republican.” The title of this piece was intentionally inflammatory to Penn’s majority left-leaning audience, while still fundamentally describing my argument. But why would I intentionally piss everyone off?

Let me first be clear about one thing: The article title was not clickbait. I genuinely want everyone voting Republican — in the 2024 presidential primaries. It is this distinction which you would only get from reading through the second sentence of the op-ed — undoubtedly a daunting task but surely much easier than the effort of writing me an email (which I will always eventually respond to) or arguing in a comment thread (which I will likely never see).

The reason I titled my article accordingly is because anger spreads content faster than joy. Furthermore, I was not afraid of people voting for Republican candidates straight-ticket in the general election from merely seeing the words “vote Republican” in my title. This is because political ideology is generally considered a complex contagion which requires far more significant exposure than a DP headline.

In other words, anger brought more attention which brought more reads which in theory leads to more of the action which I prescribe (i.e. voting Republican in the 2024 primary). Indeed, at the current time of writing according to DP analytics, that article is the most viewed

piece I have ever written.

To me, this phenomenon alone is horrifying — that to best share my argument and to convince more people, I must frustrate my peers. However, it is worsened still by just how implicitly trusted I am by you all, the ones who actually make it past the second sentence.

Google analytics has a statistic called a “bounce,” which represents people leaving the page without either reading another article on the website or, more importantly, checking any of the sources. For my articles, I am typically fortunate with a weighted-average bounce rate of around 35% after removing the article where I expressly left out citations (good on you for keeping me on my toes). For the DP’s top opinion coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict, though? That number jumps to over 60%, meaning nearly three out of five actual readers (not functionally illiterate commenters on social media) take opinion claims without looking at their citations.

This is striking. I and others have argued about an obligation not to spread misinformation from just reading headlines — an argument that seems even more obvious given the response to my previous work. But such high bounce rates, especially for articles with substantially more controversial content, mean the people like you and I, the ones who make it this far, perhaps need to have a new conception for what reading means entirely, especially for op-eds.

For starters, just telling people to read the article is no longer enough; they simply won’t do it. Expecting otherwise is folly. Secondly, when you actually read the article, you should at least check one source, if only to see its bias. It can be fast, a quick spot check, but reading

PHOTO BY DEREK WONG

Columnist Spencer Gibbs encourages readers to read past the first line to get the full picture of the article.

should not just mean knowing what was said without knowing how true those statements are. Most people will not even read the article (despite potentially still making claims about it), but without doing the work, your claims will equally be standing on air.

I know doing this might seem like a lot of effort, but it is equally important to normalize answering, “I don’t know enough to have an opinion,” on an issue. You can be sympathetic without picking a side. The substantial editing and citation process required to publish articles at the DP is a key factor in the paper’s success, but by truly reading an article, you become an ambassador of the ideas the writer conveys, regardless of if you are filled with refutations or compliments or both. This is a standard we all, myself included, should strive to

achieve.

I am forever grateful to those of you who read my work and the work of my colleagues — to those of you who have emailed me and with whom I have discussed ideas further. This kind of engagement spurs understanding and positive change of all kinds across the Penn community and beyond. But do not forget the statistics. Because statistically? Most people won’t even read this article at all.

SPENCER GIBBS is a College and Engineering junior studying philosophy, politics, and economics and systems engineering from Tallahassee, Fla. His email is sgibb25@upenn.edu.

6 NEWS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

In Photos: Penn voters flock to the polls for a historic mayoral election Students volunteers and voters showed up to the polls on campus, contributing to a historic result in the 2023 Philadelphia mayoral election ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL, MOLLY COHEN, AND JONAH MILLER Photo Editor and Senior Reporters

Despite being an off-year election, over 1,000 Penn students turned out to vote on Nov. 7 for what would become a historic Election Day for Philadelphia.

2016 Fels Institute of Government graduate Cherelle Parker was elected to serve as the city’s 100th mayor — and first female mayor — after receiving over three-quarters of the vote against

Republican candidate David Oh and over 82% of the vote at Penn. On campus, students volunteered at the polls, organized tabling events on Locust Walk, and cast their votes for mayoral and various down-ballot candidates.

The Daily Pennsylvanian photographers captured how the Penn community participated in Election Day, from the time polls opened early

PHOTO BY JEAN PARK

in the morning to the night when a new Penn alum was elected into the city’s highest office.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. on Tuesday at the ARCH building and Houston Hall, where volunteers with Penn Leads the Vote, a nonpartisan political organization, tabled outside.

College junior Ria Ellendula made cotton candy with PLTV on Locust Walk to incentivize students to vote in the off-year election.

“Down ballot races do not typically get a lot of voter turnout, but as college students, we have a lot of power to turn out in big quantities and make our opinions heard with our vote,” she said, adding that the Pennsylvanian Supreme Court race was especially important to her. Democrat Daniel McCaffery won the election, increasing Democrats’ majority to 5-2.

The polls closed at 8 p.m. across Pennsylvania,

PHOTO BY SYDNEY CURRAN

PHOTO BY CHENYAO LIU

with poll workers sealing up boxes and posting the ballot receipts outside the ARCH building and Houston Hall.

At the same time across the city, supporters of Parker began entering the auditorium at Sheet Metal Workers Local 19, many of whom were wearing orange campaign swag and waving the blue and yellow flag of Philadelphia.

After numerous speakers, Parker walked out

onto the stage at 9:42 p.m. to the songs “Where’s Da Party At?” by Doug E. Fresh, “Show Me What You Got” by JAY-Z, and “Ladies First” by Queen Latifah.

Parker’s first words to the audience as mayorelect were a call-and-response: “God is good,” she proclaimed, to which the audience responded, “all the time.” “All the time,” Parker responded, to which the audience echoed, “God is good.”

PHOTO BY ABHIRAM JUVVADI

PHOTO BY CHENYAO LIU

THEDP.COM | THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023

Advance Registration Guide Use this page to find articles including double count courses, advice from upperclassmen, and promoted courses. This page will be updated each semester ahead of advance registration.

NEWS 7

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

FOOTBALL, from BACK PAGE of attrition. On the offensive side, quarterback Jaden Craig made an impressive debut, finishing 13-18 in pass attempts for 264 yards, along with a touchdown, while adding 34 yards and another touchdown on the ground.

Throughout the season, the Quakers have demonstrated their prowess both offensively and defensively.

Hosley and sophomore wide receiver Jared Richardson have consistently made headlines with their remarkable performances. Hosley exudes confidence, stating, “We have been through harder things this summer,” and emphasizing the need for focus and readiness to face adversity.

On the defensive end, the Quakers center on the comeback of fifth-year senior defensive back Jaden Key. Despite sustaining a significant upper-body injury early in the season, Key’s determination and recovery allowed him to make a critical interception in the game against Cornell. Key attributed his recovery to “faith in God, family, and his support system” and, after receiving the green light, is ready to go full force ahead.

This weekend, the Quakers face immense pressure, but it’s nothing they can’t handle. This team knows

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

MBB, from BACK PAGE

A pack of Penn men’s cross country runners during the Haverford Invitational on Oct. 21, 2022.

Cross country eyes championshipqualifying finishes at NCAA Regionals this weekend The women’s squad looks to best last year’s success, as the men seek redemption NEEMA BADDAM Sports Reporter

Penn men’s and women’s cross country couldn’t NCAA Regionals last year with several top runners have had more different experiences at the NCAA being injured, including juniors Dylan Throop and Regionals last year, but both teams are back and Will Shaughnessy, which caused the overall perforhungry this year, hoping to secure several qualifying mance and motivation to take a hit. times for placements in the NCAA Championships This year, the Quakers are back and better than to follow. ever, with coach Steve Dolan highlighting Throop, Despite the rainy, cold day, the women’s team sophomore Sahil Dodda, and junior Luke Johnson fought for an impressive third-place finish last year. as the three lead runners of the group. No seniors Standout athletes included senior Maeve Stiles, who will be running with them at regionals, highlighting placed fourth in the 6k course with a championship- the uniquely young squad heading to Bethlehem, Pa. qualifying time; sophomore Lily Murphy, who “We all kind of got comfortable with a lot of high placed 16th; junior Bronwyn Patterson; and former mileage [over the summer] compared to last year,” captain Lizzy Bader.

Throop said. “I got up to 100 miles per week, and The Red and Blue have rode the highs of that per- then most of our guys were like mid-80s and maybe formance into this season. While associate coach got to kiss the 90s a little bit. We focused a lot on Matt Gosselin says the group is deeper and stronger that aerobic development, and everyone was just very than it’s ever been, he believes their best race of the happy and excited about their fitness.” season is yet to come. The Quakers’ disappointment Throop placed second at Heps and received with their fifth-place finish at the Ivy Heptagonal first-team All-Ivy recognition. As for Dodda and Championships on Oct. 28 has certainly contributed Johnson, after standout performances and unexpectto that belief. edly beating Dartmouth’s Albert Velikonja and Will “We ran the race to win it,” Stiles said. “In our Daley, they received second-team All-Ivy. Other pursuit of that, we ended up not hitting the mark, and team members that stepped up include freshman we put our all out there, and it hurt a lot. That last hill Rory Lieberman and junior Silas Ruth. that we ran up was hard, and we got passed, and a lot Despite all the varied trials and challenges leading of other teams ended up stepping up there.” up to this Friday, excitement is ramping up for both She emphasized the importance of viewing the teams as the days count down to the qualifying meet. setback as motivation and not a source of fear going On the men’s side, because of their depth, Throop into regionals, where the squad hopes to redeem expects difficulty in securing a top-two spot to themselves. qualify as a group to nationals but expects to qualify Heps was also an emotional race given that it was individually, as well as possibly Dodda and Johnson, the first race where all the senior members of the and a top-five finish for Penn.

Quakers women’s team stepped on the line together “We definitely have extremely high spirits,” in the past four years, due to varied injuries and set- Throop said. “Everyone’s been coming to practice backs, and Stiles plans to carry that emotion going even earlier than usual and stretching, you know, forward. doing every small thing that we can. Spirits have “Coming off of Heps, I think we’re really hungry never been higher, and it’s really exciting.” and motivated to see a full team race,” Gosselin said.

Meanwhile, Penn women’s cross country is going “I don’t want to put all of the emphasis on what the into the championship seeded second — the highest team result ends up being, but I don’t think they feel the team has been in many years. that the race at Heps was totally indicative of where “This year, there’s a lot more expectation and this team is at. We’ve really kind of looked at this almost knowledge of what we could achieve and meet and said, ‘This is where we want to be at our what we’re capable of,” Stiles said. “Last year, we felt The Newshot York Syndication best, and we want to try to take a real atTimes qualifylucky, Sales and it Corporation was just amazing to soak in any victory.

620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation ing for nationals as a team.’”

But this year, it’s like something that we feel like we Information 620For Eighth Avenue,Call: New 1-800-972-3550 York, N.Y. 10018 Men’s cross country had a less ideal experience at can claim and that it’s ours.”

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experience.”

The differences in this year’s Penn team were clear from the opening tip. Three Quakers made their first ca reer sta r t — junior forward Ed Holland, sophomore guard Cam Thrower, and freshman forward Tyler Perkins, who was recently named Blue Ribbon’s preseason Ivy League Newcomer of the Year. The trio replaces Max Martz, Lucas Monroe, and Jordan Dingle, a group that had become faces of the program during their time in the Red and Blue. The last game that did not feature Martz, Monroe, or Dingle was on March 16, 2019.

But it was not long before this year’s group made a mark of their own. All three new starters scored within the first five minutes, part of a 30-9 opening barrage that buried the Bloodhounds before they could blink. Penn converted 11 of its first 12 field goals, including five of the first six looks from the three-point line.

“When we’re passing the ball and we’re all moving around, we get good shots, and more than likely it’s gonna go,” Perkins said of the early run.

The parade of fresh faces continued to the bench unit, with freshmen forward Augustus Gerhart and sophomore transfer forward Johnnie Walter each seeing significant action.

Both players also got the Palestra crowd rocking during their first run at the historic arena, with Gerhart recording a tough and one for his first career basket and Walter jamming a thunderous fast break jam that gave the Quakers a 45-18 lead in the first half.

Despite John Jay’s not leveling up to the degree of talent the Red and Blue are slated to face for the rest of the season, Donahue says Monday’s effort typified the brand of basketball that Penn will look to employ throughout the 2023-24 campaign.

“I do,” Donahue said when asked if he thinks Penn will try to carry this style of play onward.

“I think we’re a pretty good offensive team in terms of having a lot of guys who score

how to confront adversity head-on and bounce back from it. The Ivy League Championship is within reach, and, as Key aptly concludes, “We want the Ivy League Championship, we cannot be timid. We must take what we want.”

The picks are in Members of the DP’s sports staff predict football’s ninth game of the season against Harvard.

Caleb Crain, Sports Editor Penn 28, Harvard 17 Walker Carnathan, Deputy Sports Editor Penn 28, Harvard 21 Griffin Bond, Sports Associate Harvard 31, Penn 24 Kristel Rambaud, Sports Reporter Penn 31, Harvard 28 Ethan Crawford, Sports Reporter Harvard 30, Penn 21

in different ways. Tyler’s a different type of scorer than we’ve had, he scores in different ways. Cam [Thrower]’s a very good shooter, and obviously Nick [Spinoso] and Augie [Gerhart] can score in the low post.”

The second half was less competition, more domination, as the Quakers continued to gel in all aspects of the game. In the end, the Red and Blue outshot, out-rebounded, and outworked the Bloodhounds. The Quakers recorded more assists, fewer turnovers, and most importantly, more points in a game that was never truly in question.

The ea rly contributions from this yea r’s freshman class are especially notable given Penn’s typical aversion to giving newcomers significant playing time. The last two freshmen classes averaged under 10 minutes per game, and Perkins’ start made him the first Penn freshman to start in a season opener since Dingle in 2019.

While the success of the new names was a welcome sight for Penn, it was not always supposed to be this way.

Last season, when the Qua kers fell to Princeton in the semifinals of Ivy League Tournament, the general attitude was one of continued optimism for what the group could still accomplish. At that point, Penn was set to return four of its five starters, including the team’s two All-Ivy selections in Dingle and Martz.

But when Dingle, last season’s Ivy League Player of the Year, transferred to St. John’s in May and Martz, an All-Ivy honorable mention, announced his medical retirement in September, Penn’s plans were suddenly thrown into f lux. The season was going to be different, different than any they’d had in recent memory, and different than Penn expected as recently as a few months ago.

But one game into the new journey, the Quakers are hoping it will be different for the better.

“I’m always looking at every team differently. But we thought we had four starters coming back from a team that lost in overtime in the championship game, essentially,” Donahue said. “That being said, I’m ready to turn the page completely now.”

For Release Friday, November 3, 2023

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Freshman guard Tyler Perkins plays defense on a John Jay player during the game on Nov. 6.

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SPORTS 9

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023

PHOTO BY ABHIRAM JUVVADI

Penn sprint football faced off against Navy on Nov. 3 for its final game of the season.

Sprint football’s season ends following 33-7 blowout to Navy A surprise onside kick recovery in the first half by the Midshipmen set the tone for the rest of the game CONOR SMITH Sports Reporter

On Friday night, the frigid weather and swirling winds synonymous with November football descended upon Franklin Field. Those conditions were fitting, as Penn sprint football froze up in its final game of the season.

Penn (2-4, 1-2 Ivy) were routed by Navy (6-1) 33-7 in their final outing of the season at home on Friday night. Navy’s offense excelled throughout the matchup, while Penn was stagnant from the kickoff. The Midshipmen will advance onto the CSFL Championship Game following their victory in Philadelphia.

The Quakers' first drive was over before it started, with a first-play fumble giving Navy the ball on Penn's 45-yard line. But the Quaker defense did not break when it was suddenly put into action. Following an explosive thirty-yard run by Navy’s running back Tyler Massena, Penn stood strong on the goal line. After four unsuccessful goal line rushing attempts, Navy turned the ball over on downs.

However, after this stop, the Quakers could not move the chains, and ended up punting the ball from the back of their own end zone and

once again gifting the Midshipmen with great field position. But Penn's defense would deliver once again, this time thanks to an interception and short return by freshman defensive back Josh Johnson.

“We were playing a cover-two, and I saw number two run an out route,” Johnson said of the interception. “So I jumped out and I was just like: It's coming my way, I gotta get this.”

Unfortunately, following another unproductive drive from the Quakers, the Midshipmen finally made them pay. After marching down

the field thanks to the arm of quarterback Brandon Atwood, he finished the drive himself.

Atwood powered his way past Penn’s defensive line on a quarterback sneak to score the game's first touchdown three minutes into the second quarter.

Following this, the Midshipmen were evidently unsatisfied with giving Penn’s offense a chance to see the field, as they opted for an onside kick, catching the Quakers off guard and allowing Navy’s Jonathan Swift to recover the ball. This seemed to further energize the Midshipmen, as they scored just two plays later on a touchdown pass from Atwood to Andrew Margiotta. Following a missed extra point, the game was now 13-0.

But the final 11 minutes of the first half resulted in zero points scored between the two teams. Both offenses were unable to progress the ball down the field, resulting in a series of quick drives and punts before each team went to the locker room for halftime.

This trend continued after the break, as the next score did not occur until there were just over five minutes left in the third quarter. This time, Navy’s defense stepped up. Recovering a Penn fumble, Navy’s David Niski returned the ball 38 yards for a touchdown, putting the Quakers down 19-0 after an unsuccessful two point attempt by the Midshipmen.

Unfortunately for the Penn fans in the cold, metal stands of Franklin Field, Navy kept its foot on the gas. Following the fumble, the Midshipmen scored 14 more unanswered points, to the delight of their fans who had made the trip and were chanting throughout the game.

The Quakers recorded their first points of the game during garbage time. With a 1:24 left to play, junior quarterback Ty Scherer threw a bullet to junior wide receiver Kyle Zeitlian for an eight-yard touchdown, which prevented a shutout. But shortly after, Penn’s onside kick attempt failed, and the Midshipmen kneeled out the game.

Although not the final outcome that the Quakers desired, the team appeared satisfied with their growth throughout the season. Players were seen hugging and exchanging laughs while walking off Franklin Field for the last time this season.

“I think that if you look at our team as a whole every week we got better,” coach Jerry McConnell said. “[These] kids just never quit — and they believed in themselves, and they worked hard. They just kept on working and working and working. And we didn’t get to where we wanted to go, but you see that the foundation was laid for a great year next year.”

Despite ending a year with a losing record, McConnell does not want that to tell the story of the team. Many players are freshmen and sophomores who have not had time to develop their technical and physical skills fully.

“The kids will start lifting and we’ll come back in January,” McConnell said. “And our focus is that we’re going to compete next year for a championship.”

Rowing ends successful fall seasons at Princeton Chase The Quakers received a pair of second-place finishes at the event ANTONIO MELONI AND EVAN STUBBS Sports Associate and Sports Reporter

On Sunday, Penn rowing traveled to Princeton, N.J. to close out their season at the Princeton Chase. Against a backdrop of picture-perfect skies and still-changing fall foliage, the Quakers competed against teams such as Princeton and Harvard on a three-mile stretch of Lake Carnegie.

The Navy Day Regatta, Penn's first competition of the year, saw the men’s crew walk away with first-place finishes in both the Heavyweight Collegiate Eights and the Lightweight Open Eights. Additionally, the women's team saw its A and B boats claim the top two spots for both Women's Eights divisions. Meanwhile, at the Head of the Schuylkill, men's rowing placed first in the Freshmen Coxed Four, the Championship Four, and the Club Championship Eight, while securing a second-place finish in the Championship Eights and fourth in the Freshman/ Novice Eights.

However, the highlight of the season came at this year’s Head of the Charles, the world’s largest and most important three-day rowing event. Penn returned from Boston with the coveted MacMahon Cup Points Trophy, a feat made possible by the Quakers’ 10th-place finish in the Charles’ Men’s Championship Eights, and a third-place finish in the women's Club Eights. This regatta brings together the most competitive teams from around the world, including the United States National Team, and is seen as a bellwether for measuring the depth and quality of a rowing program, so this year’s nine-spot improvement over the Quakers’ 20th-place finish in 2022 signifies remarkable year-over-year improvement.

“I’ve raced Head of the Charles — this was my fourth time now," men's heavyweight sophomore Cole Riedinger said. "I’ve never had a better piece.”

Senior heavyweight coxswain Sophie Borenstein agreed, calling the 10th-place result the program's best performance in decades. The crew's finish in the Men's Championship Eights also speaks to the adversity and grit of the team, as a key member of the men's Championship Eight boat had to miss the event due to sickness, according to men's heavyweight sophomore Tommy Schrieber.

And to close out their seasons, Penn would stay much closer to home than Boston, instead making the relatively short trip to central New Jersey. The Quakers secured second-place finishes in the Men’s Heavyweight 8+ and

SOCCER, from BACK PAGE team leaders in goals (eight) and assists (seven), respectively. Between the posts, Christoffersen looks to pick up his eighth shutout of the season.

“We’ve played Brown before, so we know a little bit more about them now than prior to that [Oct. 14] game,” Hewes said. “But I think we know what we

Women’s Open 8+ races. The Red and Blue managed to net these podium finishes despite a crowded field that included 38 boats for the men and 57 boats for the women.

The first women's race of the day came in the Open Eights division, where — in addition to its second-place finish — Penn had boats come in fourth, 14th, 27th, and 37th. Later in the day, in another women's race, the Quakers finished seventh overall, behind Princeton, who ended up winning four of the six women's divisions.

Looking forward, members of Penn rowing are boasting an optimistic attitude for what the future has in store.

Men's heavyweight senior Colin Rosser noted that with just five members of the men's heavyweight crew graduating in the spring, the team has the opportunity to capitalize on having a younger group of rowers who will look to keep the momentum going.

“We’ve got a great group of freshmen and sophomores,” Rosser said. “Based on this year’s results [as a whole] — the best in a long time, as far as I know — and the youth of our team, Penn is only going to keep getting faster.”

Program depth in the form of a broader athlete class will hopefully push the needle on Penn’s top-ranked boats.

Riedinger notes that it’s not just the top eight athletes who count, but the entire program.

“One thing that we talk about is every man counts," Riedinger said. "The fourth varsity’s speed really determines how fast the varsity will be on any given day. The fourth varsity pushes the three, the three pushes the two, two pushes the one.”

In the spirit of building a program with athlete depth, Riedinger and Schrieber both emphasized walk-on culture, relaying how unrecruited athletes joining the team bolsters the type of boat-on-boat motivation that pushes faster race times.

Ultimately, Penn men's rowing's bright future should make the spring season even more interesting, as the Quakers look to field an even faster crew. Look for a team coming out of winter with renewed vigor and energy. As articulated by heavyweight sophomore Lars Finlayson, “the winter is when times are made. You get faster in the winter season.”

Heading into the team's winter break — and with it chances to train, build chemistry, and strategize — it remains to be seen how much these fall performances by Penn will predict success at May's Ivy League Championships. have to do in order to beat them. We do film study on past games, and we’ve yet to do that. Once we do that Friday, I’m sure we’ll be a bit more keyed into specifics.”

Given the team’s recent success, especially at home, the team doesn’t plan to make any significant adjustments ahead of Friday’s 6:30 p.m. matchup. If Penn’s undefeated streak at home stands — one that dates back to Nov. 6, 2021 — the Quakers will advance to Sunday’s final, and face the victors of the Yale-Harvard semifinal.

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PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023

VOL. CXXXIX

CHAMPIONS

NO. 27

ON CHAMPIONS

PHOTO BY SYDNEY CURRAN

Penn men’s soccer won its last regular season game against Princeton on Nov. 4, guaranteeing at least a share of the Ivy League title for the second-straight year.

Men’s soccer seeks second-straight NCAA bid ahead of Friday’s Ivy Tournament semifinal As the top seed, the Quakers are hosting, and will face Brown at Cohen-Dunnings Champions Field at 6:30 p.m.

ALEXIS GARCIA Sports Editor

Back-to-back Ivy titles, but what about back-toback NCAA Tournament bids?

Penn men’s soccer (7-3-5, 4-1-2 Ivy) was crowned the regular season Ivy League Champions, fittingly on Dunning-Cohen Champions Field, after toppling Princeton (4-8-3, 1-4-2) last Saturday in a dominant 4-1 victory. The win earned Penn its second-straight Ivy conference title — a feat last accomplished by the program in 1971-72.

It hadn’t been long since the Quakers last upset the Tigers to hoist the Edwin Henry Parkhurst III trophy. The last time the two teams met, the Red and Blue powered to a 3-0 shutout, Ivy League Championship, and NCAA Tournament berth.

This time around, the latter won’t be as easy to come by.

The 2023 season brings an expanded playoff format in Ancient Eight soccer for the first time.

In the past, the team atop of the Ivy table automatically secured the conference’s NCAA berth. This year, the best four teams must make it through two more tests — in the name of the Inaugural Ivy League Men’s Soccer Tournament — before calling that bid theirs.

“We kind of knew going into last season that it was going to be the last year of the old format,” senior goalkeeper Nick Christoffersen said. “So we really wanted to end that season saying that we won the last old-school version of the Ivy League — and we were able to accomplish that which was amazing.

“Coming into this year, we made it our goal to host the Inaugural Ivy League Tournament, which we were able to accomplish against Princeton — we were really happy about that,” Christoffersen added. “It’s a really special moment for us to be able to win the last one and then also host the first one.”

Saturday’s win earned Penn the top seed and hosting rights for the conference tournament. With the field set, anticipation ramping up, and an advance to the national tournament on the line, the Quakers must halt their regular season celebrations to focus their attention on Friday’s semifinal matchup with fourth-seed Brown (5-4-7, 2-0-5).

The Bears enter the match fresh off a 0-0 draw with Yale (8-5-3, 3-1-3), boasting an 11-game unbeaten streak extending back to Sept. 16 — though

that stretch is riddled with scoreless draws like the one suffered to the Bulldogs, including one with Penn on Oct. 14. In fact, Brown’s only meet with defeat this season was a four-game losing skid that followed a 3-1 season-opening victory. But in these last 11 games, the Bears have been met with five 0-0 ties, a pair of 1-1 draws, and only one game ending in a margin greater than two goals.

Despite the team’s inability to find the back of the net this season, it’s not for lack of trying. Heading into Friday’s contest, Brown has outshot Penn on the season 185-160, though only boasting a .373 shot-on-goal percentage to the Red and Blue’s superior .488.

Defensively, the Red and Blue’s top priority will be silencing Brown’s top scorer Kojo Dadzie. The senior midfielder is four goals ahead of the next name on the stat sheet with seven — though he has yet to net his first assist of the season. Across the pitch, getting one past goalkeeper Hudson Blatteis may prove equally tricky, as the senior has only allowed two in the nine games he’s played in this year, maintaining a stellar .926 save percentage.

As for the Quakers, they’ll be rolling into the

Football travels to Harvard to face off against conferenceleading Crimson on Saturday

Division III John Jay was no match for the barrage of new Quaker contributors WALKER CARNATHAN Deputy Sports Editor

into success on the field.

On the other hand, Harvard has enjoyed its best start since 2016, fueled by strong individual performances and cohesive team execution on a weekly basis. In the team’s recent 38-24 victory against Columbia, senior safety Kaleb Moody stood out with two interceptions and a blocked punt that he returned for a touchdown.

This defensive tenacity poses a challenge for the Quakers’ offensive strategy, making this game a likely war

They say in sports, teamwork makes the dream work. If that’s true, Penn men’s basketball has notable cause to dream.

After an offseason full of roster turnover, the Red and Blue (1-0) opened the 2023-24 campaign on the right note, rolling Division III John Jay (0-1) 102-57 behind a full team effort that included big contributions from the team’s newcomers. While no Quaker scored more than 16, every player scored at least once, providing an early example of the balanced roster that the team hopes will carry them through the season ahead.

“We knew we had really only four guys who had really played college basketball,” coach Steve Donahue said. “So I thought it was really important, almost like a dress rehearsal … I thought we made good decisions on the offensive end, as the game went on I thought we guarded a little better. And all those things, for young kids who haven’t played, that’s good

See FOOTBALL, page 8

See MBB, page 8

ANSH JAKATIMATH Sports Reporter

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See SOCCER, page 9

Fresh faces fuel men’s basketball to 102-57 seasonopening victory

The Quakers battle for the top of the Ivy table following a stellar Homecoming showcase

Malachi Hosley, the Quakers’ very own Homecoming hero, delivered an outstanding performance this past Saturday. The freshman running back rushed for 261 yards, marking the third-highest single-game yardage in Penn football (6-2, 3-2 Ivy) history. The team dominated the Cornell Big Red (3-5, 2-3) with a final score of 23-8.

The victory has brought a sense of parity to the Ivy League standings that has been absent for much of this season. Currently, there is a four-way tie for second place after Harvard, with Dartmouth, Penn, Yale, and Princeton all vying for the title as the race approaches its final two weeks. However, Penn faces its most significant challenge this weekend when the team travels north to meet the top-seeded Harvard Crimson (7-1, 4-1), aiming to pull off an upset and make this already

semifinal matchup with a four-game winning streak — and adjusting to the postseason atmosphere should be no issue. Not only does Penn have the upper hand when it comes to postseason experience, with the team having captured a 3-0 NCAA triumph over Rutgers at home last year, but Christoffersen also noted how the Quakers approached the games late in the Ivy season as playoff previews.

“I think we’ve done a good job at making it difficult for teams to play [at Dunning-Cohen Champions Field], whether that’s imposing ourselves early, or even just the environment of playing in Penn Park,” senior midfielder Michael Hewes said. “Unlike what a lot of other programs have, we’re kind of in a park as the name implies.

I don’t really know if it’s the city skyline or just playing on the turf, if it has some effect on the teams we’re playing, but it’s been doing us well so far and I hope that can continue.”

Hewes and junior forward Stas Korzeniowski will be key players to keep an eye on as the current

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

Now-senior defensive lineman Joey Slackman attempts to block a pass from the Har vard quarterback during last season’s game on Nov. 12, 2022.

hotly contested race even more intriguing.

Building on the win, the primary goal is to maintain momentum. Coach Ray Priore emphasized that the team’s approach remains consistent throughout the season, regardless of the outcome.

“One day at a time, the focus is always on winning the moment,” Priore said. “We cannot think about Saturday, as Saturday will be here quick enough; we have to think about today, then the next day, then the next.”

While this mindset underscores humility and maturity, the challenge lies in translating this mental preparation

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