October 26, 2023

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Penn Club of Israel disengages from University The Club’s board members cited admin. response to last month’s Palestine Writes festival as reasoning behind their decision VIDYA PANDIARAJU AND PAIGE RAWISZER Staff Reporters

billion.

"At a University built around [a] Franklin spirit, there are no better exemplars of these character traits than our Nobel laureates, Dr. Kati Karikó and Dr. Drew Weissman," Penn President Liz Magill said at a press conference the day the prize was named.

However, eight current and former colleagues of Karikó told The Daily Pennsylvanian that — over the course of three decades — the University repeatedly shunned Karikó and her research, despite its

The Penn Club of Israel announced that their regional branch is disengaging from the University, disconnecting around 700 graduates from Penn's alumni regional club network.

In a statement obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian on Oct. 24, former co-president of the Club and 1986 College graduate Dov Hoch pointed to both the University's response to the Palestine Writes Literature Festival and the University's lack of outreach to Penn alumni in Israel after the Hamas attack as reasoning behind their decision.

"Ben Franklin called America the New Jerusalem; Jerusalem is now calling out Ben’s legacy for balefully losing its moral compass," Hoch, a former member of the Penn Alumni Regional Clubs Advisory Board and former chair of the Penn Alumni International Clubs, wrote in the statement.

The Club was part of the Penn Alumni Regional Clubs network, which brings together graduates in specific locations. Clubs are located in over 125 locations around the world and coordinate opportunities for members to interact with their peers and stay connected to the University.

Hoch also expressed anger at Penn’s alleged lack of concern for Club members following Hamas’ attacks on Israel, writing in the Club's statement that "no one from Penn called" any of the board members.

A University spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

In the statement, which said it was "in agreement with and on behave [sic] of the Board of the Penn Club of Israel", Hoch wrote that their alumni members will effectively stop their public support of the University. The Club plans to continue its philanthropic efforts within the Israeli community and beyond.

“We are engaged with thousands of alumni who

See KARIKO, page 3

See PENN CLUB, page 7

PHOTO BY ABHIRAM JUVVADI

Penn Medicine organized a flash mob celebration on Oct. 2 for 2023 Nobel Prize winners Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman.

karikó’s uphill path to nobel Although Penn neglected her research, it has celebrated Karikó for her and Drew Weissman’s groundbreaking mRNA discovery BEN BINDAY Senior Reporter

Three weeks ago, Penn hosted a flash mob for Katalin Karikó after she won the 2023 Nobel Prize

in Medicine. But the celebration masked a tumultuous, decades-long relationship between Karikó and the University.

Karikó, an adjunct professor of neurosurgery at the Perelman School of Medicine, won the Nobel Prize in Medicine for her past research into mRNA technology alongside co-laureate and Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research at the Medical School Drew Weissman. Karikó and Weissman's research was critical for the development of the COVID-19 vaccines — from which Penn has earned around $1.2

Hundreds of pro-Israel rallygoers emphasize strength of Jewish community, criticize Penn administration

on campus.

Rally-goers gathered at the LOVE Statue at noon on Oct. 20 to hear speeches, prayers, and songs before marching on Locust Walk to continue the event outside Penn Hillel. Penn community members held Israeli flags, signs of citizens kidnapped by Hamas, and posters in support of Israel.

College junior Kevin Bina, an organizer of the rally, opened the event by stressing the rally's focus on building community.

"We are here today for prayers, unity, and action," Bina said. "I hope everyone learns something today and turns that into something beautiful moving forward."

College senior Eyal Yakoby also spoke at the rally, calling for "action from the administration, not words" to address antisemitism on campus.

“It is without question that our University, our community, has failed us,” Yakoby said. “It has alCommunity members accused Penn lowed hatred to reverberate throughout campus with administration of a lack of action amid an utter lack of shame." recent antisemitic rhetoric on campus A similar frustration was voiced by Wharton junior Jesse Behar at the rally. Behar said that Penn NINA DILWORTH, ANNALISA FANG, AND and its community members are guilty of enabling GRETTA MAGUIRE acts of “terrorism and antisemitism” through their Senior Reporter and Staff Reporters silence and lack of action.

"These blatant acts of antisemitism by students Around 400 Penn community members rallied and professors of this University have made it unsafe in support of Israel on Friday, emphasizing Jewish to be a Jewish student on campus," Behar said. unity while urging Penn to denounce pro-Hamas Students and professors have also voiced concern and antisemitic rhetoric that some allege is present about Palestinian students.

“The safety I genuinely worry the most about and what I would like to see the administration be really vocal about standing up for is the people who are organizing for Palestinian rights,” College senior and Penn Chavurah member Sam Cheever previously told the DP. In a speech at Wednesday's University Council meeting, Wharton sophomore and Muslim Students’ Association representative Mouctar Diarra said that the current environment has caused Muslim and Palestinian students to fear associating with identity and advocacy organizations at Penn and discussing the humanitarian crisis due to the concern that they will receive severe academic and career repercussions.

On Wednesday, Magill addressed the Penn community for a third time since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, warning that hate speech and violence are not tolerated amid recent rallies in solidarity with Israel and Palestine.

Despite accusing Penn administration of a lack of action amid recent antisemitic rhetoric on campus, some speakers and attendees at the rally stressed the importance of hope and community support as the conflict continues.

Wharton and Engineering junior Noah Rubin led the crowd in a Hebrew prayer for the safety of the Israel Defense Forces at the LOVE Statue after adPHOTO BY DEREK WONG mitting that he has had a difficult time praying and Penn community members rallied in support of has wondered where God is.

"One thing is certain, though: We, the Jewish Israel and marched on Locust Walk on Oct. 20, holding Israeli flags, signs of citizens kidnapped See ISRAEL, page 7

by Hamas, and posters.

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PHOTO BY ETHAN YOUNG

Around 200 Penn and Drexel community members participated in a national student walkout on both campuses on Oct. 25.

pressure from influential donors.

Demonstrators The demonstrators also sought to support Gaza amid continuing airstrikes and a mounting death toll challenge Penn, in the region. They called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and accused Penn, Drexel, the United States government, and the media of Drexel, and being complicit in the ongoing violence by endorsing pro-Israel language and failing to treat Palestinians intimidation as human beings. Rally-goers called on these institutions to “cut all ties with the Zionist entity" of Israel.

Ahmad Almallah, a Palestinian poet and artistefforts at national in-residence in the Creative Writing and English departments at Penn, read from an original poem pro-Palestine rally titled “A poem for Gaza, a poem for Palestine.”

Speakers from both Penn and Drexel discussed their administration’s response to the ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas VIDYA PANDIARAJU AND SOPHIA LEUNG Staff Reporters

Around 200 Penn and Drexel community members participated in a national student walkout in support of Palestine on Wednesday afternoon, where speakers pushed back against messaging from their universities, donors, and the media that, they say, neglect Palestinian narratives.

Beginning at the Drexel Dragon on 33rd and Market streets at noon on Oct. 25, rally-goers gave speeches and chanted before marching to the Split Button on Penn's campus. At least 10 individuals from both schools delivered speeches criticizing their administrations' response to the ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas, calling for both universities to "reject colonial narratives" amid

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Multiple speakers and demonstrators who spoke with The Daily Pennsylvanian were granted anonymity due to a fear of retaliation.

One demonstrator who was granted anonymity said that she had lost family and friends in Gaza as a result of the conflict, prompting her to attend the rally in solidarity.

“I’m here to be another voice for all of the Palestinian dreams and hopes that we’ve lost – not only [those] that we’ve lost, but the current Palestinians that are sacrificing and willing to do anything to live and be on this earth,” she said.

Speakers and attendees expressed concern about the potential doxxing of students and community members who express support for Palestinians.

“People are worried that they will lose their scholarships, their job offers, their grad school offers," another speaker said while speaking on Penn's campus.

Drexel graduate student Nada Abuasi, who is affiliated with Philadelphia Palestine Coalition, said that community members at Penn and Drexel are being more cautious about how they express their See PALESTINE, page 7 CONTACT US: 215-422-4640

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023

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PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

Antisemitic graffiti, which was covered by duct tape, was found at the vacant property next to the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity chapter house on Oct. 20.

found by members of AEPi around 11:30 fraternity,” while Campus Apartments is owned by campuswide show of support for Jewish students.

Penn investigating p.m.Theongraffiti, Oct. 20, read “The Jews R Nazis.” It has since David Adelman, the chair of the Philadelphia Holocaust In addition, a spray-painted swastika was discovered been covered with duct tape and AEPi has contacted the Remembrance Foundation. in a spray room on the fourth floor of Meyerson Hall in University’s Division of Public Safety to investigate.

There is no evidence confirmed by The Daily Penn- the Stuart Weitzman School of Design on the evening antisemitic “The police came over, looked at it, removed the tape sylvanian that the vandalism was targeted at AEPi or of Sept. 13, two days before the Jewish holiday of Rosh just to take a photo of the graffiti themselves, then put the Campus Apartments.

Hashanah. Weitzman Dean Frederick Steiner wrote in vandalism next tape back on and filed a report,” the AEPi president, who The spokesperson added that Campus Apartments an email to the Weitzman school community on Sept. 14 requested anonymity out of fear of personal safety, said. was prioritizing the wellbeing of its residents and Penn that DPS was investigating the incident and encouraged DPS wrote to the DP in a statement on Saturday that students, and “anything that threatens that will not be students with information to contact school administrato AEPi house as they will investigate the incident as “a potential hate tolerated.” tors. The swastika has since been painted over. crime.”

“It’s very disturbing to myself, the chapter, and the On Sept. 22, Penn administrators condemned the potential hate “Public Safety was contacted this morning regarding Jewish community at Penn. We are hoping that this all vandalism at Penn Hillel and the swastika discovered graffiti written on the door at 4044 Walnut Street. Penn ends peacefully and quickly as possible for all,” the AEPi at Meyerson Hall, pledging additional steps to protect Police responded, took a report, and are providing sup- president said.

Jewish students. crime port to the reporting parties. The reporting party stated The DP reached out to Penn Hillel for a comment in On Wednesday, President Liz Magill addressed the

The graffiti was found by fraternity members around 11:30 p.m. last Friday HOPE SHERIDAN AND PAIGE RAWISZER Staff Reporters

A vacant property run by Campus Apartments — next door to the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity chapter house at 4040 Walnut St. — was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti on Friday night.

that the writing was discovered last evening,” the statement read.

In response to a request for comment, a Campus Apartments spokesperson confirmed that its property at 4044 Walnut St. was vandalized.

“We take vandalism very seriously and do not condone any behaviors that stem from prejudice or hate,” the spokesperson wrote. “We appreciate Penn Police Department’s attention to this matter and will provide any help possible to aid in the investigation of this incident.”

AEPi describes itself as “the world’s Jewish college

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regards to the incident, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

The incident comes one month after an unknown individual vandalized the Hillel building ahead of a morning prayer service, knocking over “several pieces of furniture” and “shouting antisemitic obscenities about Jewish people,” according to a Hillel statement.

In response to the incident on Sept. 21, Hillel wrote that it had asked Penn to provide full time security in front of the Hillel building “beginning immediately.”

Penn’s statement came hours before Penn Hillel held a

Penn community for a third time since the start of the current violence between Israel and Hamas, warning that hate speech and violence are not tolerated amid recent rallies in solidarity with Israel and Palestine.

In an email sent on Tuesday, Penn Hillel Executive Director and Rabbi Gabe Greenberg addressed a pro-Palestine rally held on campus on Monday and highlighted DPS’s commitment to protecting Penn’s Jewish community. He shared that Penn has committed extra funding to meet Penn Hillel’s extra security needs through the end of the 2024-25 school year.

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NEWS 3

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023

KARIKO, from FRONT PAGE groundbreaking potential.

The colleagues told a story of a researcher whose work ethic helped her succeed against all odds — including doubtful administrators, language barriers, and a system that cuts costs by demoting researchers who fail to earn grant funding.

"We acknowledge and are grateful for the valuable contributions Dr. Karikó has made to science and to Penn throughout her time with the University," a University spokesperson wrote in a statement to the DP. In 1989, four years after she arrived in the United States, Karikó was appointed an adjunct professor at the Medical School. She worked on mRNA research under cardiologist Elliot Barnathan until his departure in 1997.

From the very beginning of her time at Penn, Karikó's research was overlooked by medical school executives, she wrote in her recently published memoir, "Breaking Through: My Life in Science." These executives included Jim Wilson, the director of Penn’s embattled Gene Therapy Program, and Judith Swain, chief of cardiovascular medicine. Wilson remains a member of Penn's faculty.

Wilson did not respond to a request for comment. “[Jim] Wilson never seemed interested in mRNA or my research," Karikó wrote. "He barely glanced my way; on the rare occasions he did, it always felt as if he were looking right through me."

After Karikó unsuccessfully appealed to Wilson for her research to be included in an upcoming grant, Swain requested that Karikó not attend similar meetings in the future — and asked Karikó to stop speaking to her Hungarian colleague in their native language.

"She told me 'people' were complaining about me, saying that I was too difficult," Karikó wrote of a time she was called to Swain's office.

During these early years, Karikó wrote that Penn prevented her from having access to basic lab supplies, such as deionized water. All of her grant applications for future research, directed at private and government agencies and the University Research Foundation, were also denied.

Five years into her tenure at Penn, Karikó was informed that she would not be promoted to the position of research associate professor, the typical stepping stone for researchers with her level of experience. In 1997, Barnathan, her supervisor, left the University, leaving Karikó without a clear path forward. "[I had] no grants, no funding, [and] no respect from anyone with any formal power,” she wrote.

After Barnathan left, Karikó was helped by a colleague, David Langer — now the chair of neurosurgery at New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital. Langer convinced the chair of Penn's neurosurgery department to hire Karikó as the department's senior head of research.

“If she wasn’t hired, there may not have been a COVID vaccine," Langer said.

Even at that early point in her career, Langer said he was confident that Karikó would make substantial strides in the field of mRNA. “She is incredibly hardworking, just insane,” Langer said. "And she’s a genius, so eventually she was going to solve this problem, whether with me or with someone else.”

Not long after, Karikó met Drew Weissman, her future research partner and co-Nobel Prize laureate, during a chance encounter at a copy machine. Karikó and Weissman began to cooperate on research into mRNA technology.

2001 College graduate David Scales — now an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine — worked in Karikó and Weissman’s lab as an undergraduate student at Penn. Scales said that he was surprised by the funding challenges faced by Karikó and other talented scientists.

“It was weird to me to see this idea that they’re only going to fund you for a short amount of time, and if you’re not able to get external grants, then they’re going to wash their hands with you and say good luck," he said.

In 1999, Sean Grady — now the chair of the neurosurgery department — arrived at Penn and immediately sought to revisit the department's existing allocation of resources.

“Not long after arriving, Sean sat me down,” Karikó wrote. “He observed that I’d had some publications in reputable, if small, journals. But, he said, he was under tremendous budgetary pressure and was concerned about my lack of funding.”

Over the following years, Grady repeatedly critiqued Karikó — paying minimal attention to her research in favor of the metrics used by Penn to evaluate her success, such as publication records, citations, and funding.

“Unless something changes, this isn’t going to go well," Grady told Karikó, according to her memoir.

Read the rest at thedp.com

DESIGN BY LILIAN LIU

Five alumni in Israel, West Bank share their experiences as violence continues in the region Alumni described the fear of the initial attacks and the ongoing violence while critiquing Western media coverage NINA DILWORTH, LARA COTA AND SINA SHAIKH

Senior Reporter and Staff Reporters

Penn alumni who were present in the region during Hamas’ attack on Israel and at the start of the ongoing violence reflected on their experiences in interviews with The Daily Pennsylvanian.

The DP spoke with six Penn community members, three of whom are currently in Israel and Palestine, and three who recently evacuated following the initial conflict. The alumni described the fear of the initial attacks and the ongoing violence while critiquing Western media coverage.

The day of Hamas’ attack The sounds of sirens in Tel Aviv, Israel, woke up 2021 College graduate and 2022 LPS graduate Maayan Waldman on the morning of Oct. 7. Waldman and her roommate were celebrating Simchat Torah and Shabbat, Judaism’s day of rest, during which technology use is restricted.

That day, Waldman’s roommate decided to check her phone. Realizing that Hamas was attacking Israel, the two stayed inside for safety.

After the holiday ended, Waldman and her roommate moved to Waldman’s sister’s apartment in Herzliya, Israel, which has a bomb shelter.

Drawn in by the city’s warm, vibrant, and active energy, Waldman moved to Tel Aviv in August 2022, where she currently works at a venture capital firm.

Given her connection to Israel, Waldman told the DP that the war has taken an emotional toll. In the past week, she attended the livestreamed funeral of her friend’s husband, a soldier who was killed in battle, and the funeral of an American soldier whose family moved to Israel.

“Everyone in Israel is family in a way,” she said.

“I’m one degree removed or less from every single person who was taken hostage or killed or tortured.”

2007 Wharton graduate Rick Fox, a rabbi and executive director of MEOR Penn, had a similar experience to Waldman. MEOR Penn Director of

All members of the University community are invited to bring topics for consideration to the UNIVERSITY COUNCIL

Programming Rebecca Klamen and Fox were both in Jerusalem during the attack before securing a flight home on Oct. 9.

“The morning of Simchat Torah and Shabbat, around 7 a.m., you could feel the ground shaking,” Fox said, adding, “My mother-in-law asked, ‘Are those rockets?’ and my father-in-law said, ‘No, that doesn’t sound like a rocket, that sounds like a war, that sounds like artillery.’ And then at 8 a.m., the siren went off.”

2022 Engineering graduate Shoshana Weintraub told the DP she first heard sirens while she was in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City in Jerusalem.

“It was in the middle of the dancing that traditionally marks the holiday, interrupting our joy and transforming into fear,” Weintraub, who immigrated to Israel nearly two months ago, wrote.

2023 College graduate Laila Shadid was teaching English on a Fulbright Scholarship in the West Bank of the Palestinian territories before the war began. On Oct. 15, the Fulbright Commission evacuated Shadid to Jordan, where she is currently staying in a hotel.

“There were moments where I feared for my own safety this past week,” Shadid said.

From her home in Bethlehem in the West Bank, she reported hearing “missiles fall and shake the ground, gunshots that were not far away from [her], and the constant hum of fighter jets in the sky above at all hours of the day.”

An Engineering graduate, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation, was present in Ramallah in the West Bank, her hometown, with her family during the attacks.

“We went to sleep on Friday and we woke up at 8 a.m. on Saturday with complete chaos. It wasn’t a situation where you knew beforehand that it would happen, it just happened really quickly,” she said, adding that the violence was not unprovoked.

The graduate described a positive experience growing up in Ramallah, but she said many experiences that seemed normal to her came as a surprise to her friends at Penn.

“If you’re a 20-year-old living in Gaza, you’ve probably been through at least five wars,” she said, describing a childhood of hearing F-16s and the explosions of bombs.

“We don’t get scared when we hear those sounds anymore, because we’ve just gone through it so many times,” she said. “That’s part of your reality.”

Finding hope amid violence Amid the violence, Waldman, Fox, and Klamen all said they found hope and support by relying on their communities.

Fox and Klamen continued their service and transformed the bomb shelter and synagogue into a “joyous” place of healing.

“People’s spirits were high, we were dancing, and when the sirens went off, we ran downstairs and we sang inside the bomb shelters,” Fox said.

Now, Waldman, Fox, and Klamen are all finding different ways to support their communities.

Waldman spends her days supporting her sisters, staying in touch with family members, and reaching out to those with loved ones in danger.

She and others have also been volunteering by supporting the elderly and working at supply drives to collect food and equipment for displaced families and Israeli soldiers. She is helping to collect video testimony from family members of victims, assisting children whose families have been displaced, and visiting Israel’s at-risk youth.

The Engineering graduate said she is volunteering to create care packages for Palestinians in Gaza. Although she does not personally know anyone there, she has experienced firsthand the grief of those who have lost loved ones in Gaza throughout the conflict.

“I’ve been seeing men that are 50 or 60 years old break down and cry because they get the news that someone from their family was killed,” she said.

Shadid said she was thankful that she was safe from the worst of the conflict in Gaza but that she worried for her friends and students if the situation worsens.

“I have the privilege of having an American passport, but it doesn’t make me any better than my Palestinian friends, any more worthy of leaving, of finding safety, of getting away from conflict and violence,” Shadid said.

Reactions to media coverage Shadid accused social media platforms of silencing and shadowbanning Palestinian voices, including her friends, telling the DP that a story she posted on Instagram only got seven views within five hours.

“This is an assault on truth,” Shadid said. “It is censorship of the truth, and it is censorship of facts that need to be shared in order to contextualize what is happening right now and also report on it accurately.”

Waldman said she was troubled by the misinformation surrounding the war, calling attempts to justify Hamas’ actions inexcusable.

“As a kid, I remember learning about the Holocaust and thinking to myself, ‘How could the world have not stopped it?’ and ‘How could the world have stood idly by?’” Waldman said. “This week, for the first time in my life, I actually understood how.”

Weintraub said she has been careful about how much — and what — news she allows herself to consume, specifically among American sources and social media.

For many Palestinians, the actions of Hamas are seen as resistance to an apartheid regime rather than terrorism, the Engineering graduate from the West Bank said. She said that it is frustrating to see Western media only focus on and justify the violence from the Israeli side.

“In general, Palestinian people aren’t pro-violence or pro-killing innocent civilians,” she said. “To them, it’s people resisting. It’s people that have been living in a cage, with no electricity, no water, basically nothing.”

She also felt censored while studying at Penn, where said Palestinian students were afraid of voicing their opinions for fear of retaliation.

“I really hope that people who are just following the trend and sharing on Instagram all these biased reports can actually look into the truth,” she said.

“That is all we ask for. We just hope people can listen to our story.”

Halloween is for isbeer Halloween for beer

OPEN FORUM Wednesday, November 29, 2023 4:00 p.m.

Hall of Flags, Houston Hall

A PennCard is required to attend University Council meetings PennCard holders who want to be assured of speaking at Open Forum must submit a request to the Office of the University Secretary (ucouncil@pobox.upenn.edu) by 10:00 a.m. on Friday, November 3, 2023, briefly indicating the subject of the intended remarks. Speakers’ statements are limited to three minutes and should be framed to present topics of general University interest and be directed to University Council as a body through the moderator, and not to an individual.

Those who have not submitted a timely request to the Office of the University Secretary will be permitted to speak at the discretion of the moderator of University Council if time remains after the registered speakers.

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

The Office of the University Secretary can be contacted at ucouncil@pobox.upenn.edu or 215-898-7005.

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4 OPINION

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023

Opinion

139th Year of Publication

THIS YEAR’S BOARD

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Editorial | Regarding the DP’s ongoing coverage

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 ESTHER LIM Deputy Design Editor SOPHIA LIU Deputy Design Editor WALKER CARNATHAN Deputy Sports Editor CHARLOTTE BOTT Deputy Copy Editor MADDIE PASTORE Deputy Copy Editor LAURA SHIN Deputy Copy Editor DIAMY WANG Deputy Copy Editor YOMI ABDI Deputy Opinion Editor EMILY CHANG Deputy Opinion Editor VINAY KHOSLA Deputy Opinion Editor

ILLUSTRATION BY BECKY LEE

Student newspapers capture student life through a distinct lens. No third party is better suited to uncover and report on the student perspective behind breaking events on campus than students themselves, particularly during times of controversy.

In light of renewed conversations about free speech spurred by the ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas, the nation has turned its eye toward college campuses. Faculty and administrative messages have been criticized for saying too much or nothing at all. Students have lost job offers for taking stances in opposition to their employers concerning the war. At Harvard and Columbia, students’ names and faces have been doxxed. Penn has made national headlines after donors halted sizable donations in protest over President Liz Magill’s actions.

Recognizing that tensions have heightened on campus, student newspapers such as The Daily Pennsylvanian have been diligently publishing breaking news affecting our campuses. At the DP, it is our responsibility to inform our campus community promptly, while keeping our coverage unbiased and accurate. The DP holds itself to the high standards that our audience expects, given our 140 years of service to the University community.

The DP is an independent newspaper — we receive no funding from Penn.

To readers, this might seem like an insignificant detail, but our financial independence represents our commitment

to unbiased journalism. We are beholden to no administration, donor, or any other funding source.

The Daily Pennsylvanian’s most important relationship is thus with our readers. With a stronger commitment than ever to reporting the truth, the Editorial Board writes this with the hope of increasing trust and transparency with our readers.

In a time when students get much of their news from social media, we are at higher risk of believing misinformation.

The spread of misinformation is particularly pertinent now, on campus: What was chanted at a rally? Who said what about Magill?

To prevent misinformation, everything we publish goes through several rounds of edits and revisions. For both our news and opinion content, there are at least three rounds of edits per article.

News reporters write with their assigned editors, after which articles go to one of the news editors. Opinion columnists and guest columnists similarly receive edits from both deputy editors and the opinion editor. News articles and opinion columns that are flagged as containing sensitive content are additionally reviewed by a combination of our editor-in-chief, our executive editor, or our diversity and inclusion director. For both news and opinion, a final round of edits is completed by our copy department, which provides grammatical corrections and checks for accuracy.

Behind every article and column we publish is a trove of discussions and edits surrounding intentionality and thoughtfulness. For example, our photo department made the decision to hide the faces of rally-goers in our coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict — given the recent doxxing of students on other campuses.

Our news department uses the preferred titles of quoted sources while taking steps to identify misinformation and diversify our reporting to encompass all experiences. And our opinion department, while dedicated to showcasing a variety of perspectives from both our staff and guest columnists, will not move forward with a column if the factual claims made in it are not supported by reputable sources.

This is in line with our editorial policies and ethics, which are a part of our community guide.

We are not perfect. We are committed to upholding journalistic ethics and standards, but no newspaper and no journalist is infallible. The Daily Pennsylvanian is a learning institution, and most of our student journalists join us with little to no reporting experience. And, like professional journalists, we all walk into the DP office with our own personal connections and biases and do our utmost to put them aside in the name of responsibly informing the Penn community.

We are students who are balancing our roles at the DP with our academic and personal lives. Nevertheless, we are always working to improve our approach

to sensitive coverage, especially given that our paper has not had this high a readership since the 9/11 attacks.

Now more than ever, it is crucial that we all engage actively with the news.

Though we have an active social media presence, the captions that accompany our posts are not the entirety of our reporting, and we encourage readers to read the full version of every article before engaging with it.

We invite all our readers to reach out to us directly through the many avenues we offer for engagement. You can send us news tips or pitch us ideas for coverage by emailing newstip@thedp.com, and report errors to us by contacting our executive editor at executiveeditor@thedp.com. If you would like to weigh in on the campus conversation, submit guest columns to letters@thedp.com.

All of us must maintain a critical eye towards what news we consume. We call on our readers across the Penn community to stay informed and vigilant and to hold us accountable for delivering unbiased and accurate reporting.

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.

Liz Magill, free speech, and hostile takeovers GUEST COLUMN | Penn and its “protectors”

DEREK WONG Opinion Photo Editor ABHIRAM JUVVADI News Photo Editor KAMELIJA PATOSKA Sports Photo Editor

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Not since the “Water Buffalo” incident in 1993 has the Penn campus been roiled by the kind of polarization we’ve seen over the past month. Penn’s commitment to free speech is once again in question, and once again there are calls for Penn’s president to step down. From the buildup to the Palestine Writes Literature Festival (PWLF), held from Sept. 22 to 24, to the series of rallies and marches in response to the Hamas massacres in Israel on Oct. 7 and the ensuing Israeli attack on Gaza, Penn students and faculty have been debating and arguing.

Some have stopped speaking to each other.

Fear and anger are in the air – along with shock, hurt, and mistrust.

Well before the PWLF convened in Irvine Auditorium, prominent Penn alumni and donors, along with national advocacy organizations, staked out their positions.

Over 4,000 alumni and supporters of Penn signed a petition urging President Liz Magill to “denounce” the PWLF’s “platforming of outright antisemitism.”

“While we embrace academic freedom and support the Festival’s stated goals of celebrating Palestinian literature, art, and culture,” the petitioners wrote, they asserted that Penn’s leadership needed to speak out more emphatically against “those who allow antisemitic beliefs to be couched in anti-Israel or anti-Zionist fig leaves.”

The problem with this position, of course, is that anti-Israel and anti-Zionist sentiment among Palestinians is anything but a fig leaf. Like it or not, it is real, pervasive, and comprehensible. The petitioners would like to imagine that they support “Palestinian literature, art, and culture,” but in fact, they don’t, because that literature, art, and culture are suffused with resentment against Zionism and the State of Israel, for reasons too obvious to require explanation.

Ronald Lauder, a 1965 Wharton graduate and one of Penn’s most prolific donors (full disclosure: from 2007 to 2017 I held a professorship that he endowed), went further than the petition, of which he is a signatory.

Two weeks before the PWLF, he paid a visit to Magill to urge her to cancel the festival.

Had the PWLF been canceled as Lauder urged, this would have done a disservice to Penn’s students, Jewish or otherwise.

Our students should be exposed to a range of viewpoints, including ones that trouble them, and learn to exercise their own judgment rather than simply dismiss disturbing points of view as “fig leaves,” as the alumni petition does.

I share the concerns about a handful of the more than one hundred speakers at the PWLF, especially Roger Waters, the co-founder of Pink Floyd known as a provocateur who, among other things, has broadcast images of a Star of David emblazoned on a pig (a well-known antisemitic trope) at his concerts. Waters is neither a practitioner of nor an authority on Palestinian literature, art, and culture (nor am I), and I question the decision of the festival’s organizers to include him on the roster of speakers. But canceling the entire festival, as Lauder requested, would have been an egregious insult to the academic freedom that the alumni petitioners claim to embrace and to Penn’s reputation as a world-class center of open and fearless research and teaching.

Most of the criticism leading up to the PWLF focused on past statements by Waters and several other invited speakers.

As for what was said at the festival itself, Lauder informed Magill in his open letter that “[he] had two people taking photos and two more who listened to the speakers who were, to no one’s surprise, both antisemitic and viscerally anti-Israel.” He did not provide any examples.

What was or was not said at the conference soon got lost, however, under the onslaught of images of the Hamas massacres in Israel, which took over 1,400 lives and resulted in over 200 Israelis being taken as hostages in Gaza. Marc Rowan, W’84, WG’85, chairman of the Board of Advisors of the Wharton School and a recent donor of $50 million to Wharton, seized the moment to express his thoughts in a recent op-ed, initially submitted to the DP. It was too late to demand that the PWLF be canceled, but

apparently not too early to insinuate that the festival had contributed to the massacres.

“It took less than two weeks,” Rowan announced (as if he had expected it would take somewhat longer), “to go from the Palestine Writes Literary Festival on UPenn’s campus to the barbaric slaughter and kidnapping of Israelis.” Without citing any sources, he accused one unnamed speaker of having “defended the necessity and propriety of substantial violence” and other “numerous” but similarly unnamed speakers of having “repeated various blood libels against the Jews.” His essay goes on to castigate President Magill for her “failure to condemn” the festival – a failure that, according to Rowan, “normalized and legitimized [...] the horrific attacks in Israel.”

Building on this outrageous accusation, he issues his final demand: Liz Magill should resign.

“Words and ideas matter,” Rowan would have us know. As a historian, I couldn’t agree more. I just wish he cared more about what words were actually spoken at the PWLF and how grotesque it is to promote the idea that the PWLF somehow contributed to the murder of 1,400 people.

Like the Penn alumni petitioners, Rowan claims to support academic freedom yet undermines it. He praises the “Chicago Principles” for their robust defense of free speech on campuses, without seeming to understand that canceling the PWLF would have constituted a direct violation of those principles. He laments Penn’s low ranking on the campus free speech index compiled by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), without seeming to realize that if Penn were to take his and Lauder’s advice, it would sink even lower.

In an Oct. 12 interview on CNBC with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Rowan repeatedly faulted Magill for her “lack of moral courage.” It does not seem to have occurred to him that defending the free exchange of ideas in a charged situation like the one we are experiencing at Penn also takes moral courage. I understand why the DP decided not to publish Rowan’s essay: No

fact-checker would have passed it. But all the same, I wish the DP had published it, so that everyone at Penn could see with their own eyes the sloppy, tendentious thinking behind calls for Liz Magill’s resignation.

Liz Magill should not resign. The timing and content of her various statements – concerning the PWLF, the atrocities committed

by Hamas, and the Israeli attacks on Gaza (which as of this writing have killed some 5,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, over three times the number of Israelis killed by Hamas on Oct. 7) – have not always been ideal. Indeed, it’s not only the pro-Israel critics who have been dissatisfied. Supporters of the Palestinian cause at Penn have attacked some of Magill’s statements as “cowardly, immoral, and dishonest” because they allegedly speak exclusively to a Jewish perspective on recent events.

But it is Ronald Lauder, Marc Rowan, Jon Huntsman, and others who are threatening to withhold millions of dollars of future donations, urging other alumni to do the same, and fueling the campaign to evict President Magill from College Hall.

The worst thing for Penn’s reputation as a great university and center of learning would be to succumb to such threats, or even to the lesser demand issued by Lauder that Penn faculty members “who were involved [in] or supported” the PWLF be barred from teaching in the Joseph H. Lauder Institute for Management and International Studies that he co-endowed.

Lauder and Rowan have been extraordinarily generous to Penn over the years, but no self-respecting university can allow its donors, no matter how wealthy or powerful, to engage in a hostile takeover designed to squelch free inquiry and open debate.

Read the full column on thedp.com.

BENJAMIN NATHANS is the Alan Charles Kors Endowed Term Associate Professor of History at Penn. His email is bnathans@history.upenn.edu.

THEDP.COM | THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

OPINION 5

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023

Care more about dismissal of charges, less about stolen Macbooks VESELY’S VISION | The presence of looting should not take away from the actual issue of police accountability Chances are you’ve heard about the looting taking place in Philadelphia over the past couple weeks, with over 20 stores such as Lululemon, Apple, and multiple Fine Wine locations being ransacked. But did you hear about the case that prompted that response?

On Aug. 14 during a traffic stop, officer Mark Dial fatally shot Eddie Irizarry through a rolled up driver’s side window. Irizarry had a small pocket knife in his hand, and was shot six times by Officer Dial at close range, according to bodycam footage.

The police initially stated that Irizarry had lunged at officers from outside of his vehicle, but then reformed their statement to say that he had been sitting in his vehicle and did not exit. A 22-minute bodycam video was released showing everything leading up to the shooting, confirming that Irizarry did not initiate any attack. Officer Dial was fired and charged with murder, simple assault, and other charges. The day the looting started, Dial had all charges against him dismissed, and was therefore allowed to walk free.

This unsettled many members of the community, and peaceful protests took place at City Hall. It’s important to distinguish peaceful protesters from looters, and I’d like to stress that the same people who were protesting peacefully were not the ones who took to the street and looted.

Historically, looting has been a powerful tool in drawing attention to inequities in America. It’s just as much a critique on capitalism and white supremacy as it is a wake up call for the rest of America.

As seen in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, looting was helpful in drawing eyes to the case. It also highlighted how desperate some people are for everyday items. They looted because they saw an opportunity to obtain things they normally couldn’t afford. While I won’t say that it is the right reaction,

I understand some of the motivations behind looting as a tool for social change and as a means to garner national attention.

However, I believe the looting in this case to be more opportunistic than based on deeper motives.

Some people saw Dial’s dismissal as a reason to take to the streets and loot, and didn’t bother to educate themselves on the case. Rather, they saw it as a way to use the tense atmosphere as an excuse to break the law.

I understand why people believe peaceful action is best. While looting can draw attention to a case, it can also give a case the wrong sort of attention.

Rather than focus on the officer and their actions, the gaze is instead shifted to community chaos.

People can use looters — however far removed from peaceful protesters — as a means to invalidate and discredit social movements by questioning their legitimacy and deeming them violent. I believe this isn’t the answer.

Focusing exclusively on looting takes away from the actual necessity for police reform and accountability. I’ve seen many posts on Sidechat and Instagram platforming videos of the looting to racialize the issue, and comment sections insisting that the looting is exclusively done by “Black people” populating the streets.

Not only is this kind of thinking absurd, but it also denigrates entire communities based on the actions of a small minority of people. The existence of officers who abuse their power and shoot and murder when it’s potentially unnecessary is much more unsafe than a couple closed business chains. When the first things to pop up on the internet are concerning the Fine Wine closures and not the actions taken by officers and their results, I see it as a failure to center on the bigger picture and arguably more worthwhile story.

PHOTO BY ABHIRAM JUVVADI

Columnist Mia Vesely argues against letting looting incidents detract from the dismissed case of a police shooting.

Focusing on the looting of several department stores rather than the multiple bullets which killed Irizarry through a rolled up window is not where the story should be — nor where it should stay. The issue of public safety is especially important for Penn students and families; however, in the interest of safety, the best thing you can do is be informed — informed as to what, and more importantly why, certain actions or crimes are taking place.

Rather than circulate videos of broken windows and stolen merchandise, let’s instead focus on the dismissal and what that means for Philadelphians and their relationship with the police. Let’s listen and attempt to better understand the political climate of the city in which we live.

As Penn students, it is our duty to know what’s happening in Philadelphia beyond the sensationalized and viral. Regardless of your opinions on the shooting or its legality, it is important to be informed. In an environment where the majority of undergraduate students are new to Philadelphia, you must make efforts to dive deeper than the sensationalized and immerse yourself in the cultural and political atmosphere of this city.

MIA VELSEY is a sophomore studying philosophy, politics and economics from Phoenix, Ariz. Her email is mvesely@upenn.sas.edu.

The how and why behind requesting access to your Penn admissions file JACK OUTSIDE THE BOX | An easy way to promote transparency at our university

PHOTO BY ROGER GE

Columnist Jack Lakis encourages Penn students to seek out information about their own admission files.

Unlike most Penn first years on the first day of class, I didn’t think about my dreaded 8:30 a.m. seminar. Rather, I coined Aug. 29 as the first day that I could request access to my file from Penn Admissions.

In 2015, Stanford University publicized a method for college students to access their admissions files by leveraging the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which legally requires universities to grant students access to their records. Since then, many institutions have adapted their processes of

sharing information with students. At Penn, there is a page on the admissions website dedicated to FERPA requests.

For me, the process was simple: I entered my information and began a waiting game. 34 days later, on Oct. 2, I received my file through Penn’s secured sharing website. The file contained a copy of my Common App, followed by my final high school transcript. The first page, though, held all the new content from the admissions office.

The top of the page said my name, College of

Arts and Sciences, 2023 regular decision, and admit. Then, in addition to my senior year course load and my ACT score, there were Penn’s four numeric ratings. The academic index rating aggregates applicants’ GPA and test scores, and was measured out of 240. Following that were the POK (pursuit of knowledge), C (contribution), and P (purpose) ratings, which were all scored out of 6.

These metrics were new for the Class of 2027, after Dean of Admissions Whitney Soule made some adjustments to the application.

Files also included a list of indicators, including “Legacy” and “First Generation,” among others.

With your file, Penn Admissions also provided a document that explained each metric in more detail.

All Penn students should take five minutes and submit a FERPA request. So far, everyone else that I’ve introduced the process to have been excited to fill out the online form. For students, the process of applying to college was mentally and emotionally taxing. Many still care about the work that got them accepted into a prestigious college. Just being curious to understand college admission decisions motivates students to look into their records.

Coming to Penn, I knew I wanted access to my file. So, during NSO, I made it a point to visit the admissions office’s visitor center to inquire about my request. The students working there provided me with the request link, but they also told me that “it would just give [me] numbers” and that “there was no real point” in submitting the request. Their statements made me significantly more curious to read what Penn had to say.

As you may have observed by now, I wasn’t provided much qualitative feedback. For the most

part, that was completely intentional. After FERPA requests became a popularized practice, Penn Admissions began to purposely limit most of their notes in an effort to maintain mystery around their process.

There was some truth to the students’ advice. In hindsight, written feedback would have been nice.

However, I do not regret reading my file. After going through the process myself, I can confidently say that it’s worthwhile.

Finding the information is easy. After a short online form, students really can learn so much. The action also reminds our admissions team that their actions impact the way our campus operates. Their decisions alter people’s lives. Many of us dedicated years of hard work to prepare our applications to Penn, and we deserve transparency from our university.

Some students neglect to look at their files in fear that they’d find low ratings. But, no matter what your file says, remember that you were given a place at Penn for a reason. The numeric rating system isn’t even a metric that admissions officers use to make ultimate decisions; rather, they are a simple way to make notes about an applicant.

Even if you have little interest in the admissions process, I still urge you to submit the form. At the very least, sending a FERPA request conveys a strong message to the admissions office: The information in an application is meaningful and tied to a real, living person.

JACK LAKIS is a College first year studying political science from Kennesaw, Ga. His email is jlakis@sas.upenn.edu.address

Fatphobia has no place in Penn culture ON STRATTON STREET | Discrimination against overweight individuals does not belong in society today I’ve always been overweight. I’ve spent most of my life trying to fit into normal pairs of jeans, squeezing through tiny doorways, and squashing myself to fit underneath the desks in classrooms.

In all honesty, while there’s a lot being done to embrace different styles of bodies, and there has been significant progress in recent years, there are some ideas that still act as a detriment to those that are heavier. From the actions of others, to the discrepancies in sizing for clothes and public spaces, society at large still has a ways to go to accept the increasing rate of overweight people.

I consider myself lucky; I’ve never been directly fat shamed, and most people are supportive of the journey I have undergone with my weight. But that doesn’t mean that I’m not subject to weird looks and glances at the gym because I sweat more, or if I decide to take my shirt off at the beach or the pool.

It also doesn’t exclude other people’s experiences.

I’ve overheard too many conversations from family, friends, and strangers talking about someone’s weight. A few weeks ago, someone even commented on Sidechat that “fat people deserve no pity.”

The only reason I mention that specific statement is that it’s wrong for all the right reasons. “Fat people” don’t deserve pity because we’re not asking for it. Most people misunderstand the day-to-day life of heavier people, as well as what causes us to be the way we are. There’s always going to be benefits and drawbacks to body types, but other people’s opinions should not be on that list.

And yes, while an imbalance of food intake and exercise is going to contribute to weight gain, there are a myriad of other factors that contribute as well: Genetics, thyroid conditions, and even stress and poor sleep can all contribute to a person’s weight.

Importantly, these factors are simply out of a person’s control. It’s not always about not wanting to

ILLUSTRATION BY EMMI WU

exercise or go on a diet; there are just too many factors controlling a person’s weight to simplify it in such ways.

So, sure, a lot of people don’t necessarily acknowledge the problems that lead to people gaining weight. But there’s also the matter of issues larger than just misinformation, in both society at large and here at Penn.

A lot of these problems circulate around things like clothing and spaces being designed for people of a smaller, or more “normal,” size. Clothes are some of the biggest culprits; I have yet to find a size that actually works for me in every way, from the time I was younger to now. For instance, pants are a nightmare. They’re usually too big in the waist, and yet too tight in other areas.

I previously mentioned lecture hall seats, but college campuses and public spaces in general are littered with size inconveniences. A project called

Fat on Campus showcases many of these issues including tiny bathroom stalls, seats with armrests, and tight spaces near desks and on public transportation.

In more ways than one, Penn tries to excuse itself from larger society. But it’s not exempt. In fact, Penn heightens and exemplifies more of these issues than the outside world. And a lot of it comes from not only the systems in place, but the people as well.

It isn’t just direct statements like the one I found on Sidechat. It can be anything from dirty looks to whispered comments; anything that can make someone feel like they’re less because they weigh more.

It’s hard enough to work up the courage and energy to help ourselves if we feel we need it. It’s even harder, though, when other people stand in the way of that help. Going to Pottruck already feels like a hard enough task. Imagine having to constantly deal with the worry that others will judge you for

trying to be better.

Society’s leaps in weight acceptance have been great, but some places still have some catching up to do. Penn and its community members who do not accept those who are heavier showcase a form of discrimination that is oftentimes less spoken about.

I’m not saying it’s ideal to be overweight; there is a litany of health problems associated with being heavier, including high blood pressure and heart disease. And yes, Penn does have dieticians to help those who want to lose weight, and that’s certainly a plus.

But that doesn’t excuse people or systems to treat those who are overweight, like me, like they’re any less of a person.

ANDREW STRATTON is a College junior studying political science and journalistic writing from Nanticoke, Pa. His email is ars1027@ sas.upenn.edu.

6 NEWS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023

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NEWS 7

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023

PENN CLUB, from FRONT PAGE

stopped donating to the University and are pivoting their support to both Jewish groups on campus and Israel-related activities," Hoch wrote. "We will continue to counsel prospective students and those accepted to Penn, albeit now with fervent bias against attending Penn."

Requests for comment were left with multiple of the Club's other board members. The DP has not currently verified all the claims in the Club's letter, which include motives behind the speakers at the Palestine Writes Literature Festival.

In the past, the Penn Club of Israel hosted Penn professors and alumni groups and helped organize the Penn-Wharton Israel Regatta.

In an interview with the DP, Hoch said that the decision to disengage from the University followed the Palestine Writes Literature Festival. He said that the Penn Club of Israel was dismayed that the University allowed the festival to take place as Yom Kippur began.

“If [the University wants] to put everything in the guise of academia and freedom of speech, don’t do it on a day where no one is capable of countering the speakers,” he said.

There is no evidence confirmed by the DP that any speakers at the Palestine Writes festival, which took place without incident, explicitly called for violence against Jewish people. Organizers of the festival did not respond to request for comment, but they previously told the DP that no antisemitic speakers were invited to the event.

On Sept. 22, the day the festival commenced, hundreds of students attended Penn Hillel's "Shabbat Together" event, which promoted Jewish unity following several antisemitic incidents on campus separate from the festival.

In a statement prior to the festival, President Liz Magill condemned antisemitism, while also emphasizing the University's commitment to the free exchange of ideas.

Magill has condemned antisemitism in three University messages since the violence between Israel and Hamas began, reiterating the University's steps

to combat antisemitism, and — more recently — she wrote that "all members of the Penn community" deserve to feel safe and respected.

Hoch said that the Club’s disassociation from Penn will not stop its philanthropic or cultural activities for Israeli graduates in Israel. Instead, it will cut off information, communication, and support for the University.

According to Hoch, databases cultivated by the Penn Club of Israel on the location and status of graduates will no longer be related to the University's administration, and the Club will also discourage potential students from applying to or attending the University. “[We are] offering advice against attending Penn," Hoch told the DP. "We are telling people not to attend Penn. We’re actually talking to alum who have children there and suggesting they leave."

He said that the Club's decision comes after multiple donors, specifically chair of the Wharton School's Board of Advisors Marc Rowan, expressed criticism of Penn's administration. Hoch said that members of the Club "don't agree with how the leadership is making decisions."

Some of Penn's most well-known donors have halted their financial support, including 1987 College graduate Jon Huntsman Jr. and 1965 Wharton graduate Ronald Lauder. Both Huntsman and Lauder accused the University of providing an unsatisfactory response to the ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas and last month's Palestine Writes festival — prompting their decisions to withhold or threaten to halt funds.

Hoch said the lack of response or support for Penn alumni in Israel following the attacks has damaged his relationship with the University.

He added that neither he nor the Board has received any professional communication from the administration, although he said they knew these individuals were located in Israel.

"We have great friendships and an education, but we don't want anything to do with [Penn]," Hoch said.

ISRAEL, from FRONT PAGE

people, have prayed for thousands of years, and we are still here today. And we will still be here tomorrow," Rubin said.

Attendees sang Hatikvah, Israel's national anthem, before walking to Hillel. The demonstrators sang songs as they marched and chanted, "Am Yisrael Chai."

Speaking outside Hillel, Wharton junior Sadie Waldbaum likened the unity of Penn’s Jewish community to the biblical story of Noah.

“We are the righteous of our generation, and we are ready to stand up for what we believe in,” she said.

Wharton senior Lawrence Froymovich said he came to the rally hoping for a “vision of peace and compromise.”

Yakoby told The Daily Pennsylvanian that the Jewish student body remains unified during a difficult time.

Last week, pro-Palestine community members held demonstrations on Oct. 16 and Oct. 18 at Penn where they showed solidarity with Palestine and criticized Magill's recent statements that have not acknowledged Palestinian students on campus. Both rallies were met with pro-Israel counter-demonstrations.

“I acknowledge, and we must acknowledge and support all members of the community, including

Palestinian students and faculty and staff, and we will do better," Magill said at Wednesday's University Council meeting.

Engineering first year Beni Romm said it made him happy to see the number and diversity of proud Jews and allies. He said that he felt the groups who participated in the pro-Palestine rally last week did "not adequately distinguish" between mourning the suffering of Palestinians — which he empathizes with — and support for the Palestinian resistance.

"I see their calls to resistance using the terms ‘Intifada’ and ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,’ a motivation to harm the civilians of the state of Israel and Jewish people," he said.

Some critics argue that the phrase, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" insinuates a desire to eliminate the state of Israel and its people, while proponents say that the line asserts the boundaries for the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

College junior Marc Fishkind said that he thought Friday's rally was a positive moment which allowed the Jewish community to unite.

Delegates from Penn’s Vice Provost of University Life and the Division for Public Safety were present, monitoring the rally to ensure compliance with Penn’s Guidelines on Open Expression.

PHOTO BY ABHIRAM JUVVADI

Penn Sustainability restocked their entire inventory of Green2Go boxes in response to the high rate of lost or damaged containers.

Penn restocks entire Green2Go inventory at the beginning of the school year Housekeeping told Penn Dining that they found boxes discarded in trash cans, lounges, and other areas FIONA HERZOG Contributing Reporter

Penn Sustainability observed a surge in damaged and lost Green2Go boxes at the start of the school year, leading to a restock of the entire inventory.

Green2Go boxes are provided to every oncampus resident once they move, according to the Penn Dining website. Students must return their Green2Go boxes at the end of each semester. Penn Dining also provides each student with a reusable utensil kit at the beginning of the academic year.

Despite participation in the Green2Go program, Penn Dining Operations Manager Thomas MacDonald told The Daily Pennsylvanian that students often neglect guidelines like rinsing

and returning the containers after meals. Housekeeping told Penn Dining that they found boxes discarded in trash cans, lounges, and other areas at the end of the 2022-23 school year, MacDonald said.

"We have to replace the boxes every year; we shouldn't really have to do that. When students take them and throw them away, they're really defeating the sustainability initiative of keeping trash out of landfills,” Barbara Lea-Kruger, director of communications and external relations said.

Launched in 2013, the Green2Go program responded to Penn Eco-Reps' concerns about disposable to-go box waste. The initiative, facilitated by a Green Fund application, offers reusable meal containers, reducing single-use plastics by over 171,000 units since its start.

Input from original Eco-Reps, Residential Hospitality student workers, and Dining Advisory Board members shaped the box choice and distribution method, Lea-Kruger said.

Lea-Kruger added that initially, students had to return their previous container before they could get a new one. However, students complained of inconvenience, so the program evolved to the current system of returning the boxes after the end of the semester, Lea-Kruger said.

Penn Sustainability stressed the importance of students providing suggestions to prevent the amount of boxes that need to be repurchased.

“If any students have any ideas on how to help with the program, we’re open, because we have changed this program a lot through trying to balance the convenience for students with sustainability,” Lea-Kruger said.

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PALESTINE, from FRONT PAGE

support for Palestinians in light of recent events.

“Folks have to censor what they say [and] have to not speak about certain things because they're afraid of how professors [will] react," she said.

"They’re afraid of how the administration will react. The reason this fear exists is because they’ve seen it happen to others."

Abuasi cited a truck that appeared on the streets around Harvard’s campus, featuring the names and faces of students allegedly affiliated with student groups that supported a statement on Hamas’ attack on Israel, according to the Harvard Crimson.

A similar truck appeared on Columbia's campus Wednesday.

Accuracy in Media, a conservative news media watchdog, sponsored the trucks. On Wednesday, a truck sponsored by the same organization and calling on Magill to resign appeared parked on Walnut Street.

While pro-Palestine supporters were rallying on Drexel’s campus, a counter-demonstrator holding an Israeli flag walked around the perimeter of the crowd.

Almost immediately, multiple Drexel police officers stood between the demonstrator and the protestors. The counter-demonstrator then entered a verbal altercation with a pro-Palestine rallygoer over an alleged voice recording of a member of Hamas “ecstatically” telling his mother he had killed 10 Jewish people.

The voice recording was published by the Israeli Defense Forces on X. As the rally-goers marched from Drexel's campus to the Split Button on Penn’s campus, the group chanted, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

Critics of this chant argue that it propagates

antisemitic beliefs and the desire to eliminate the state and people of Israel, whereas proponents say that the line outlines the boundaries of a desired independent Palestinian state.

While the demonstrators were chanting on Penn's campus, lawyer Ben Weinberger walked through the center of the ongoing demonstration and filmed the crowd as speeches continued. Rally-goers began to film Weinberger and followed him as he made his way through the protest. Weinberger then approached two Penn police officers.

"Do you have any comprehension of what you're saying?" Weinberger asked one of the rally-goers who followed him.

Weinberger posted his video of the rally to X, formerly known as Twitter, following the protest. “[This] is what antisemitism in America looks like," Weinberger claimed on X. "These people are openly calling for the elimination of Israel."

At least 10 Drexel and Philadelphia police officers were present as the demonstrators marched to the Split Button, where Penn Police and Open Expression observers were located.

The demonstration on Wednesday was the third rally in support of Palestine to take place at Penn this month. Previously, pro-Palestine community members held demonstrations on Oct. 16 and Oct. 18 at Penn where they showed solidarity with Palestine and criticized Magill's recent statements that have not acknowledged Palestinian students on campus. Both rallies were met with pro-Israel counter-demonstrations.

On Oct. 21, thousands of people gathered in Center City, calling for a ceasefire in the current conflict between Israel and Hamas and an end to Israeli occupation. The rally was organized by the Philadelphia Palestine Coalition.

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8 SPORTS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA TURNER

Junior Adrian Montemayor of Penn sprint football during last season’s matchup against Mansfield on Oct. 28, 2022.

Inside sprint football’s Adrian Montemayor’s journey from Monterrey, Mexico to Franklin Field The junior walked on to the team, and has shown with his versatility the ability to play multiple positions GRIFFIN BOND Sports Associate

RICHARDSON, from BACK PAGE

and middle school. But when he got to high school at the American Institute of Monterrey Preparatory School, he found that there was no team for him to join. Instead of giving up the sport, he played for another school in the area as an extended recruit player. As his high school days came to a close, Montemayor hoped to go to school in the United States, but never thought it was possible to play. That is, until he discovered Penn’s sprint football team.

“I first just wanted to apply to Penn because I was interested in the school. I wanted to apply to Wharton," he said. "I’m obviously not big enough to play football on the big team, but when I was applying I was just doing research on the school and I found out that Penn had sprint football, which I didn’t know anything about.”

Montemayor was never offered an official spot on the roster. Rather, he was treated as a preferred

OTT, from BACK PAGE

on the field. As the weeks go by, I’ve seen how opposing defensive coordinators are increasingly wary of number 18’s presence.

While Richardson has already etched his name in the Penn football record book, more importantly, he has already shown how valuable he is to Penn.

In the Quakers’ one loss this season, at home to Dartmouth, he recorded a grand total of two catches for 18 yards. In perhaps their closest win of the season — an overtime win vs. Georgetown — he didn’t get in the box score at all. This team will be determined

by Richardson, and if what we’ve seen so far is an indicator, Penn is destined for success.

Field] Championships in a couple of years and it's just going to be really great for the sport to have that on our campus.”

But hopes don’t end just there. The program also has eyes on potentially hosting the NCAA Championships sometime in the future.

The Ott Center will also dramatically shift how Penn track and field practices. Currently, distance runners tend to bear the elements and run outside all season long. The jumpers and sprinters spend parts of their time in the Air Structure, or the Bubble, at Penn Park. Some groups hit the weight room to focus on resistance training. The indoor facility will offer a centralized space for building team camaraderie CALEB CRAIN is a junior and current sports and cohesiveness, providing a place for the team The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation editor studying European history to York, assemble each afternoon — regardless of the The New Yorkstatistics Times Syndication Sales 620 and Eighth Avenue, New N.Y.Corporation 10018 from Los Angeles. All comments should beCall: forecast.

620For Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 Information 1-800-972-3550 ForRelease Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Thursday, October 26, 2023 directed to dpsports@thedp.com.

As a track and field enthusiast, Dolan eagerly For Release Friday, October 20, 2023 anticipates the broader impact the Ott Center will

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walk-on, meaning that if he was able to get into Penn, he would secure his spot on the team. Even after being accepted, though, the journey to becoming a starter did not start immediately. In his freshman year, he played sparsely, barely touching the field; adjusting to learning and playing in a different language was not easy.

“Coming in with English as my second language, it was definitely an adjustment. It was a challenge,” Montemayor said.

However, in the team's second to last game against Alderson Broaddus, an opportunity emerged that allowed Montemayor to showcase his versatility.

The Quakers’ starting punter went down, so Montemayor, who had only seen action on defense, stepped up into the role. He booted four balls in Penn's 38-7 victory and would punt again five more times in the final game of the season. have on Penn’s campus. Open hours will serve the University’s community members, local high schools, youth, masters, and fitness fans well.

“The alums from way back keep saying ‘I can't believe it's actually happening,’ ” Dolan added.

“We've been talking about this for a long time, and the time has come.”

In fact, it is said Penn track and field alumni that are making the project possible. The 200-meter track itself will be named to honor Penn alumna Adria Sheth and her husband Brian's contribution to the program. 1977 Wharton alumnus Jay Alix — former thrower for the Red and Blue — donated $17.5 million towards the field, which combined with the lead gift from David and Jane Ott — two track alumni who met at Penn — reign in this exciting era for the Quakers. Associate Athletic Director of Facilities Noah Gustkey encourages those interested in additional naming opportunities to contact Athletics Director of Development and Alumni Relations Jamie Rauscher for further details.

As for neighboring facilities, Gustkey confirmed that the Air Structure will not be impacted, expecting it to go up on an annual basis as usual.

The rebuilding of Rhodes Field is set to start soon, continuing though next spring, with full restoration anticipated for the start of preseason camps in the middle of next August.

The project will also connect the Ott Center and Rhodes Field through a variety of shared amenities, such as a bathroom facility and concession stand accessible from the outside soccer side and indoor track end. Gustkey doesn’t predict the opening of the Ott Center to impact Franklin Field’s open operation hours.

“It's an exciting time for Penn track and field, and what's fun is, now it seems real,” Dolan said. “You see the big beams going up and the building taking shape right before you. As you see the building going up, it becomes a new part of Penn’s skyline.”

BROWN, from BACK PAGE As good as Penn’s passing offense has been, their pass defense has been arguably just as adept.

The Quakers have allowed the second fewest passing yards of any Ivy League team, and senior defensive back Shiloh Means ranks fifth in the conference in passes defensed.

Regardless of whether the Red and Blue secondary can slow down the Bears or the offense is forced to keep pace, Priore is confident in the team’s ability to adapt.

“We play the game as it is, and we’ll see the ebb and flow of it,” Priore said. “Typically, you go in with mindsets of how you wanna play it, and that doesn’t always end up being the case …

What the other team gives you and doesn’t give you plays a big part … We have a pretty potent offense as well, and I think it’s gonna be a very good matchup.”

Priore’s confidence in the offense’s ability to produce is certainly not misplaced. Penn has scored at least 20 points in every game this season, and Sayin has not thrown for under 250 yards since the season-opener.

If you ask Richardson, that level of consistency is the result of an offense working in harmony.

“The line’s doing a great job, they’re giving [Sayin] time,” Richardson said. “[Sayin] is a great quarterback, he’s very accurate, so all of that, combined with great athletes on the outside, it’s just a culmination of great things.”

All those great things will be put to the test under the Friday night lights, when the Red and Blue will look to assert themselves as legitimate Ivy League contenders. And while they may not carry the same undefeated record they did a year ago, the Quakers’ confidence remains the same.

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In the most recent "Sports Illustrated" rankings of the top high school football teams, schools from Texas occupied three of the top 10 spots. The Lone Star State also has multiple high school stadiums costing over $50 million and 70 four-and-five star recruits in the class of 2024. Calling Texas the world capital of high school football would not be a ridiculous claim.

However, if you travel only 140 miles south of Texas to Monterrey, Mexico, you'll find a city buzzing with a similarly big football culture. “[Football] is actually pretty big down there in Mexico, in the city where I’m from," junior sprint football wide reciever Adrian Montemayor said. "We are very close to Texas, so there’s a big American influence there.”

Montemayor began his football journey at the age of seven, playing club throughout elementary

If the story ended here, people might still be impressed, but Montemayor wasn’t ready to quit. That offseason, he put in the work. Montemayor said that when he entered the program, he only weighed around 158 pounds, far below the 178-pound limit for sprint football.

“Back in Mexico, the lifting culture is pretty small compared to what we have here in America," he said.

Once he got to Penn, he started hitting the weights more than ever alongside his teammates. His hard work didn’t go unnoticed. According to coach Jerry McConnell, “he was committed to becoming the player that he is today.”

Montemayor’s offseason paid off immediately in the first game of 2022, once again against Alderson Broaddus. He recorded an interception and five tackles, while also punting and kicking the ball off. It was the first time that Montemayor had seen serious playing time as both a punter and as a safety. One game later, he hit his first career field goal.

“The biggest thing is the kids have confidence in him," McConnell said. "They believe that whenever he is going to punt or kick or play defense, that he’s going to get the job done.”

However, Montemayor’s versatility does take its toll.

“I would say the biggest challenge is usually staying strong with your kicks as the season progresses because with all the running and tackling and moving around and also trying to kick," Montemayor acknowledged. "My right leg usually gets pretty sore during the week.”

But if he was fatigued last year, it surely didn’t show. He finished the season with 32 total tackles, two interceptions, five pass breakups, a forced fumble, and fumble recovery. As a kicker, he went 4-4 on field goal attempts, while punting for a total of 1139 yards and another 621 on his kickoffs. His efforts earned him CSFL Special Teams Player of the Year and an All-CSFL honorable mention.

This season, Montemayor picked up right where he left off. In week one against Chestnut Hill College, he nailed a 22-yard field goal, forced a fumble, and recovered one as well. The value of his versatility showed up later that game when he recorded his first career blocked punt.

“Sometimes people make the mistake of aiming towards where the punter is, rather than where he’s going to be when he actually punts," he said.

"The punter usually gets the punt and then takes a couple of steps forward before he actually punts, so my aiming point was actually where I knew he was going to be punting from rather than where he was starting.”

His performance earned him his third career CSFL Special Teams Player of the Week award. It would not be his last, however, as he added another one last weekend in Penn’s win over Saint Thomas Aquinas.

With the accolades piling up, it would be remiss to forget where Montemayor’s journey began: From a freshman who struggled with adjusting to a new language to becoming Penn sprint football's "general on defense," as McConnell would put it.

“Coming from Mexico, it’s amazing that he came here and acclimated himself the way that he did. He is really a special young man,” McConnell added.

As the general, Montemayor will look to guide the 2-2 Quakers towards a CSFL South Division title with two games left in this season.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023

SPORTS 9

Senior goalkeeper Laurence Gladu instills Canadian charm with women’s soccer On and off the field, Gladu receives high praise from teammates and coaches MAYA ORENSTEIN Sports Reporter

Penn women's soccer senior goalkeeper Laurence Gladu from Longueuil, Canada has strong Canadian roots and an ever-present charm. Gladu boasts an impressive record and received an All-Ivy Honorable Mention the past two years.

Aside from posting an impressive .808 save percentage and 12 shutouts through her Penn career, her impact on the team goes far beyond her strong stats and accomplishments. Gladu’s coaches and teammates describe her as vibrant, competitive, understanding, supportive, and commanding. Gladu — fondly known as Glad by her teammates — is a designated hypewoman on the team. She is in charge of the “team vibe,” which includes controlling the music in the locker room, constantly making everyone smile, and leading the team with strong and consistent communication on the field.

“She carries herself with a high level of confidence.

The team feeds off of her and this trait,” coach Krissy Turner said. She also notes that Gladu has done a great job connecting with and embracing the freshman class this year. She appreciates Gladu’s desire to be her best and her strong passion for winning.

At a young age, Gladu started playing a variety of different sports. Growing up in Canada, she faced a lot of pressure to play hockey, but eventually decided to give it up to focus exclusively on soccer. She started out as a striker on her club team and accidentally stumbled upon her love for goalkeeping.

Her mom encouraged her new role as a goalie because she thought it was a good way for Gladu to get some of her energy out. Gladu always knew she wanted to play soccer at college in the United States. With the help of her

incredibly supportive parents and coaches, she traveled to showcases, ID Camps, and got in touch with college coaches. Gladu eventually decided to commit to Penn for its close-knit team community, pretty campus, and good location close to the city.

Gladu’s freshman year at Penn was during the COVID-19 pandemic so the team was unable to have a normal season. She says, “It was very weird coming on the team and meeting everyone with a mask, because you are kind of hidden.” However, she doesn’t think it was all bad, since “because of [COVID-19] we were only really able to hang out with each other, which definitely brought us closer as a team, especially my class.” Gladu thinks it was very important that they all had each other and were able to support each other during a tricky time.

One of these close relationships Gladu formed was with senior center-back Ginger Fontenot, Gladu’s roommate, who describes her as “the most understanding person I’ve ever met” and as someone who “has a great relationship with everyone on the team. A lot of people really look up to her.” Fontenot described Gladu as a strong communicator and always the first to congratulate her teammates, particularly the defense, when they make a good play.

Gladu says one of the most important things she has learned from being on the team the past four years is how to rely on others, even if you don’t know them super well.

She also notes how important it has been for her to invest time in relationships and develop trust with her teammates which allows them to create a really amazing team dynamic.

Although Gladu has developed close relationships with many of her teammates and describes her team and the

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

Senior outside hitter Emerson Flornes of Penn volleyball during last season’s matchup against Princeton on Oct. 21, 2022.

Volleyball’s Emerson Flornes taking on new roles to support team Despite suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Sept., Flornes remains committed to helping the team succeed MELISSA REDLICH Sports Reporter

Nothing will stop Emerson Flornes.

On the court, the Penn volleyball (3-15, 1-7 Ivy) outside hitter has always done a great job of controlling the net. As the heart and soul of the team, she is constantly invigorating her teammates — even when she’s not able to see game time. After suffering an ankle injury during the team's match against Villanova on Sept. 6, one that is predicted to keep her from playing the rest of her senior season, Flornes has been supporting her team like never before.

“Despite my injury, I am still trying to be a great captain and be emotional support for my teammates,” she said. “I also have been helping in providing strategy and giving direction to my team, and making sure I can still help in player development.”

Flornes, now team captain, has been playing as a middle blocker on Penn volleyball since her freshman year. Last season, Flornes played in 66 sets and appeared in 20 of Penn’s 24 matches.

Throughout, she led the Quakers with 45 blocks and executed 76 kills. Aside from her technical skill, Flornes has always been a confidant and a source of encouragement for her teammates.

“She is a fantastic leader and is very empathetic,

always being able to see outside of herself and help those around her,” coach Meredith Schamun said.

“My favorite thing about her is that she knows how to communicate with people, especially people with a different communication style. She has a way of understanding others and knowing what they need to hear and how to say it. Emerson has always been a teammate players can turn to and trust.”

Through support and guidance from her coaches, Emerson has succeeded in showcasing her leadership qualities on and off the court. Over her four years playing for the team, Flornes has not only improved in her volleyball skills, but also has learned a lot about herself as an individual.

“The biggest thing I have learned is to detach yourself from the outcome,” Flornes said. “I am kind of a perfectionist, so it is really easy for me to get process-oriented and get lost in the technique and criticism. One of my coaches told me, 'You need to detach yourself from the outcome and just focus on setting yourself up for success every single time. Through that, you begin to achieve the outcomes you want.' From that moment, I have played really free, allowing myself to be a positive teammate, hungry in matches that are especially

PHOTO BY SYDNEY CURRAN

Senior goalkeeper Laurence Gladu of Penn women’s soccer during the matchup against Yale on Sept. 30.

larger athlete community as “one big family,” she still misses her family back home in Canada.

“The hardest part of my experience at Penn has been being away from home," she said. "It’s not super fun not to be near my parents, and to come out of my room and not see my mom.” However, she is incredibly grateful for the family she has built here.

Gladu has had many incredible moments on the field at Penn, but her favorite moment came last year when the team played Brown. She says “Even though we didn’t get the result we were hoping for, the team had a great performance, and I saved a [penalty kick] from a very strong player in the league which felt great.” One thing Gladu has worked on a lot was improving her attitude and learning how to deal with making mistakes and getting scored on. She has learned how to reset and focus on getting the next one which has made her a stronger player

and person.

Now as a senior, Gladu is a leader on the team, especially among the goalkeepers. She describes this role as, “challenging because everyone looks up to you and you have the responsibility to be a good example, but a privilege to lead such an awesome team.”

Gladu is sad to think about moving on from the team following this season, but she has big plans ahead. Since she missed a season due to COVID-19, she has an extra year of eligibility which she hopes to use at a different university next year, maybe pursuing a master's degree.

After, she dreams of playing professional soccer or returning to Canada and attending medical school.

“I’m just going to see where life takes me and how soccer goes,” Gladu explains. However, she plans to take with her the lessons she’s learned and the strong connections she’s made at Penn wherever she goes.

tight, and always enjoy the game.”

From the first day she stepped on the volleyball court, Flornes has enjoyed every second. Despite being unable to play for much of her senior year, she has taken on other roles and continues to travel and attend practices with the team.

“There have been a lot of opportunities to both learn from others and impart my experience to others," she said. "What motivates me to come to practice is building and creating those intimate relationships with people and being able to influence others to lead us to our common goal.

It is truly being a part of something that is bigger than myself, and leaving a legacy in an amazing program.”

Both her coaches and teammates were heartbroken for her when she was injured. However, they have no doubt she will continue to be a positive influence and leader from the sidelines, as she has

already shown in games since her injury.

“She is such a team-forward person, and the team is so excited that she is still around and able to be such a presence for them,” Schamun said. “When we call time outs she is usually the person leading the huddles, even though she is not on the floor.

She does such a great job of reading the game and keeping her teammates up and calm, which I think is hard to measure and you don’t find very often.”

As Flornes looks back on her Penn career, she wishes that she could tell her freshman self many things. However, the piece of advice she feels is the most important is to be more relentless in the pursuit of what you want, and seize each and every opportunity.

“Even though she isn’t able to play with us right now, she is still very much in it,” senior defensive specialist/libero Julia Bradshaw said. “Emerson brings heart and passion.”

SPORTS

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PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023

VOL. CXXXIX

Ott Center on track

Jared Richardson’s rise shows football’s ceiling Crain | The sophomore wide receiver has come into his own this season, as last week’s game at Yale proves CALEB CRAIN Sports Editor

Jared Richardson is a problem ... for opposing defenses, defensive coordinators, and just about anyone else who tries to get in his way.

Last year, the wide receiver saw limited action in his freshman campaign, only appearing in four games and not catching a single pass. This season, he’s come on with a bang, and turned into one of the Quakers’ premier weapons.

This started early, with Richardson catching seven passes for 62 yards and a score in the season-opener against Colgate before exploding for 12 catches, 139 yards, and two touchdowns at Bucknell. After a quiet next few weeks, he was back at it last weekend at Yale, notching 17 receptions (a new program record), 191 yards (ninthmost in program history), and a touchdown as the Quakers tamed last year’s Ivy League champions.

If this rise sounds meteoric, that’s because it is. In current conference standings, Richardson, as a sophomore, leads the Ivy League in receptions, is second in total yards, and is tied for second in receiving touchdowns. All of this after not recording a single reception in Red in Blue prior to mid-September.

And here’s the thing: I don’t think he’s done yet.

After the Yale game, coach Ray Priore discussed how Richardson had never really played wide receiver before arriving at Penn. Instead, he was a quarterback and star basketball player at Bethlehem Catholic High School. As the season progresses, Richardson is still learning some of the technical aspects of playing the position, and that means that he still has room to grow as a receiver.

What can’t be denied is that Richardson has natural talent. As he told The Daily Pennsylvanian last month, following that game against Bucknell, “Football is in my DNA. My father and my brother both played ball, so I took after them.”

He also has, in the words of Priore, the ideal body type to excel at the wide receiver position. At six feet, two inches and 215 pounds, Richardson showcases a unique blend of strength and speed that make him hard to tackle in the open field and a legitimate threat in contestedcatch situations. Furthermore, his basketball background means that he can outjump opposing defensive backs on downfield throws and in the red zone.

Having seen Richardson play multiple games so far this year, I think the sky truly is the limit for him. He has everything it takes to be the best wideout to don the Red and Blue since Justin Watson. I’ve seen him catch passes on a wide variety of routes and starting positions

See RICHARDSON, page 8

NO. 25

PHOTO COURTESY OF NOAH GUTSKEY

The $69.35 million Ott Center will give Penn track and field its first ever indoor practice and competition facility.

The construction of Penn track and field’s new indoor home is on schedule to be completed next summer Penn Athletics announced the near $70 million project in March 2022 ALEXIS GARCIA Sports Editor

Calling all Penn track and field fans, mark your calendars — the Jane and David Ott Center for Track and Field is on schedule to be completed by Aug. 29, 2024.

Last March, Penn Athletics announced the construction of a $69.35 million, 73,000 gross square feet, state-of-the-art indoor track and field facility to be built on the southeast corner of Penn’s campus — nestled between Rhodes Field and the Hollenback Center. Today, the project’s progression can be seen driving on I-76 along the Schuylkill River.

“We're about a year plus into a 25-month schedule,” Senior Project Manager Mark Breitenbach said. “The steel is going up and it's probably 65% complete right now. I think in a couple of weeks and through the end of the year, we'll see the steel finish, the roof will get completed, and then the exterior skin around the building. That should all be finishing up by the end of the year — plus or minus a week or two.

“Then they'll actually go inside and begin excavation

for underground utilities and pour the slab," he continued. "Slab should also be done by the end of the year. Once that's done, we can begin, in earnest, finishing out the inside of the building. A lot is going on.”

Once completed, the Ott Center will give Penn track and field its first ever indoor practice and competition facility, and finally give all eight Ivy League schools a permanent home for their indoor track programs. Set to feature a banked track, long and high jump pits, a throwing area, and roughly 1000 spectator seats, the ultramodern facility will immensely benefit both the Quakers and larger Philadelphia community.

“I keep calling it a home because a basketball team goes to the gym and plays a game; that's their home,” coach Steve Dolan said. “We've never really had an indoor home for track and field where the whole team could gather and practice together.”

Though its main purpose is to serve as a training ground during stretches of unpleasant winter weather

and/or unexpected rain, its utilization as a host site for competitions is at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

Harsh, consistent rain beared down on Franklin Field on days two and three of the 127th running of Penn Relays in April 2023. Though conditions weren’t dangerous enough to halt certain field events — such as the pole vault — should that be the case in future years, the Ott Center would yield an invaluable alternative venue for contests and athlete warm ups.

“Franklin Field is such a great outdoor track and field venue, but we do compete a full indoor season, and the weather is difficult here in the wintertime,” Dolan said. “So for us to be able to train on a daily basis during the indoor season, it's going to be a really big deal. Then also there's hosting. We’re already applying to host the Ivy League [Heptagonal Indoor Track and

See OTT, page 8

Football seeks revenge against Brown in battle of high-flying offenses After a tough loss to the Bears in 2022, the Quakers are determined to make this matchup different WALKER CARNATHAN Deputy Sports Editor

PHOTO BY MICHAEL PALACIOS

Fifth-year senior running back Jonathan Mulatu scores his second touchdown against Brown during last season’s matchup on Oct. 29, 2022.

One year ago, Penn football traveled to Providence, R.I. armed with two things: an undefeated record, and supreme confidence. By the end of the weekend, the first was gone, and the second was severely shaken.

That was the reality after the Bears pulled off one of the most unexpected upsets of the 2022 Ivy League SEND STORY IDEAS TO DPSPORTS@THEDP.COM

season, downing the Quakers 34-31 and ending their dreams of a perfect season. But as they prepare to play Brown for the first time since that bitter defeat, the Red and Blue are prepared for payback.

“Yes. Yes we do,” sophomore wide receiver Jared Richardson said when asked if the team views

Friday’s matchup with the Bears as a revenge game.

“We’re home, so we have to take priority in this game.

This is a very important game – this is a playoff game for us … We have to come out firing on all cylinders.”

Penn will seek another critical Ivy League win when they host the Bears at Franklin Field on Friday

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at 7 p.m. The Quakers are currently entangled in a five-way knot atop the Ivy League, with four other teams also sitting at 2-1 in conference play. While every game is crucial, Friday’s matchup comes with an additional dash of motivation for the Quakers in light of last season’s defeat.

“Our kids understand what happened last year,” coach Ray Priore said. “We went up there, we played, we didn’t play smart. We let too many things get away from us, things that we had control over, and lost a very close game. But I think the kids are very, very focused right now, given what our season’s been so far.”

The Red and Blue have flown their way to 5-1 so far this season on the back of a prolific passing attack.

Junior quarterback Aidan Sayin ranks second in the Ivy League in passing yards, and is currently on pace to challenge the program record for a conference season. Sayin’s receiving corps is loaded with weapons, including Richardson, who also ranks in the Ivy in receiving yards and recently broke the program record for catches in a game with 17 against Yale last weekend.

But to this point in the season, the Quakers have not been the Ancient Eight’s most potent passing team. That honor belongs to the Bears, who, led by quarterback Jake Willcox, lead the conference in passing yards and attempts. Brown’s Wes Rockett also tops the receiving leaderboard with 588 yards through six games.

“They have very, very good, talented quarterbacks and receivers,” Priore said of Brown. “Their scheme is very, very good … but [Penn’s defensive backs] go against some pretty good receivers every day in practice, [and] they know how to defend against a good quarterback. I think they’re up for the task.”

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