September 28, 2023

RA unionization vote continues today in Houston Hall

RAs have cited a need for democratic representation and other grievances against the University as central reasons to unionize

JONAH MILLER Senior Reporter

Resident advisors and graduate resident advisors will vote Wednesday and Thursday on whether to unionize.

Over six months after a supermajority of RAs and graduate resident associates filed to unionize, a two-day election this week will determine whether the students will officially form a union. RAs have cited a need for democratic representation and other grievances against the University as central reasons to unionize ahead of the official election.

The vote will be held in the Golkin Room on the second floor of Houston Hall from noon to 9 p.m. A simple majority of votes in favor of unionizing will allow the vote to pass and continue a trend among peer universities including Columbia University, Barnard College, Wesleyan College, and Tufts University.

OPEIU Local 153 organizer Scott Williams, a 2016 graduate of Penn’s Graduate School of Education, told The Daily Pennsylvanian that despite there being many new RAs this academic year, there is a “robust organizing committee” conducting individual outreach in favor of unionization. RAs held a town hall on Sept. 20 about the union, as well as an FAQ session on Sept. 24.

“We’re literally talking to everyone — not just the people who are new and not just the people who are returning,” Williams said. “We’re literally doing everything we can to talk to every single RA and ask them, ‘What are the issues you want to change? How can we make this job better? How can we do that with a seat at the table?’”

Williams said that if a union is formed after the votes are tallied on Thursday, the next step would be for the RAs and the GRAs to nominate and elect a bargaining committee, which will be responsible for drafting proposals and collecting input from their peers.

"Everything is on the table," Williams added, when it comes to negotiating with the University. This could include retroactively changing existing contracts to meet union proposals, though he said that “it’s subject to negotiations.”

In response to a request for comment, University spokesperson Ron Ozio wrote “we encourage all RAs and GRAs to be as informed as possible and to vote on the significant issue of unionization.”

Previously, College House & Academic Services emailed a Frequently Asked Questions page to all RAs and GRAs that contains information about the unionization process. In an Aug. 14 Instagram post, United RAs at Penn wrote that this information contained "misinformation and misrepresentation of unionization and bargaining."

“These workers care about building a community, and they care about making this the best place for people to live, and that is why they’re unionizing — they want more resources, they want more support, and they want to make these communities stronger," Williams said.

College sophomore Omar Elsakhawy, a first-time RA in Fisher-Hassenfeld College House, told the DP that the ongoing unionization efforts did not affect his decision to become an RA, as he was already planning on applying due to the benefits that come with his position.

Penn Hillel emphasizes Jewish unity with ‘Shabbat Together’ event

The event was originally organized in response to the Palestine Writes Literature Festival

HOPE SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Hundreds of students packed Penn Hillel for "Shabbat Together," an event to promote Jewish unity following several antisemitic incidents on campus.

Penn Hillel invited both Jewish and non-Jewish students to join them to celebrate Jewish pride, unity, and togetherness, Penn Hillel Executive Director and Rabbi Gabe Greenberg explained in a letter to Hillel’s mailing list on Sept. 14.

In response to the Palestine Writes Literature

Palestine Writes festival speakers celebrate art and culture, push back against criticism

Irvine Auditorium’s stage was filled with demonstrations of Palestinian culture from Sept. 22 to Sept. 24

NINA DILWORTH AND MEHREEN SYED Senior Reporter and Staff Reporter

Writers and performers celebrated Palestinian art and culture while discussing their right to national independence at the Palestine Writes Literature Festival this weekend.

Irvine Auditorium was filled with demonstrations of Palestinian culture — speeches, dance numbers, and spoken word poetry — from Sept. 22 to Sept. 24. Almost all of the performers emphasized the deep ancestral roots of their culture, and called for Palestinian liberation from Israel while criticizing European legacies of settler colonialism.

Organizers said that the festival sold over 1,500 tickets and received interest from hundreds more, with their live stream of the opening night garnering over 1,000 views as of the time of publication. The participants included Penn students, faculty, and others — many of whom flew from all over the country to attend, according to Palestine Writes Executive Director Susan Abulhawa.

Huda Fakhreddine, a professor of Arabic literature at Penn and one of the event organizers, said that the festival goes beyond an ordinary celebration of cultural literature.

Penn condemns antisemitic acts

The statement from Penn administrators came the day after an unknown individual vandalized the Penn Hillel building and shouted ‘antisemitic obscenities’

JARED MITOVICH Senior Reporter

Penn administrators condemned the vandalism at Penn Hillel and a swastika discovered at Meyerson Hall, pledging additional steps to protect Jewish students.

The statement was emailed to the Penn community last Friday and was signed by Penn President Liz Magill, Provost John Jackson Jr., Senior Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli, and other top administrators. In the statement, Penn wrote that the incidents were "deeply unsettling" and that the Division of Public Safety was investigating both incidents, committing to increased security at Hillel and the Lubavitch House.

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

The University statement said that Penn is in

Festival, Hillel announced the “Shabbat Together” event as a way to promote unity on campus amid the controversy. The dinner portion of the event took place on Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m., the night of the festival’s opening, following services.

The festival has sparked outrage from Jewish groups on campus and nationwide, who allege that some of the event’s speakers have made antisemitic remarks in the past.

The planning of “Shabbat Together” came before an unknown individual shouted antisemitic obscenities and turned over furniture in Hillel on Sept. 21. Penn administrators later announced that a swastika was discovered on the fourth floor of Meyerson Hall.

Penn Hillel Co-Presidents and College juniors

Lauren Krasilovsky and Eitan Weinstein, Rabbi Gabe Greenberg, and 1963 Wharton graduate

Stuart Weitzman spoke during the event following Shabbat services. College junior Kevin Bina then led the audience in singing the Jewish hymn, “Hine Ma Tov," and College senior Eyal Yakoby spoke to attendees eating on the second floor of Hillel.

Krasilovsky and Weinstein emphasized the importance of togetherness following the two separate acts of antisemitism, including at Meyerson Hall, which is a part of the Weitzman School of Design.

“Despite how wonderful it is to be with one another as one, we all know that there is a palpable tension in the air this weekend, especially after yesterday’s horrible act of vandalism in this place

"active conversations" with community-based organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League. The Daily Pennsylvanian previously reported on Magill's correspondence with ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, where she outlined several steps the University is taking to respond to criticism of the Palestine Writes Literature Festival — including reviewing Penn's policies for external group event reservations.

Magill's letter to the ADL has sparked mixed responses from students on campus.

In their statement, Penn administrators said that the antisemitic incidents coincided with upcoming visits to campus by "controversial speakers."

"We also acknowledge the timing of these incidents is particularly difficult given the controversial speakers who will be participating in the event on our campus over the coming days," the University wrote. "It is our collective responsibility as a community to stand clearly and strongly

that so many of us call home,” Weinstein said in one copy of his remarks sent to a Hillel email list.

Despite a difficult week for Penn's Jewish community, Greenberg called on students to be proud of their Jewish identities on campus, no matter how they manifest that identity. During his speech, Weitzman spoke extensively

“This is not meant to be a gathering of polite or bored society,” Abulhawa, a Palestinian-American writer and human rights activist, said during the event. “It is meant to be an intersectional defiant space, where we can exist for a brief moment with agency and with our friends in our refusal to disappear, our refusal to forget or forgo our ancient past, and our refusal to accept the racist trope that pervades Western imaginations.”

Friday’s program included a dance number by the Freedom Dabka Group and "Love Letters & Defiance" — a series of spoken word readings from Dana Dajani, a Palestinian actress and writer, and Lorna Munro, a poet and member of the Wiradjuri and Gamilaroi Aboriginal groups of Australia.

A College sophomore, who requested anonymity for personal safety, said she attended "Love Letters & Defiance" and found the performance emotional because it told the story of a person who was born on Nakba, the day that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.

After reciting the poem, Dajani asked attendees to recite the names of their Palestinian ancestors who fled their homes.

“The performance itself was about the Palestinian struggle,” she said. “When I looked around the room, people were tearing up and crying."

In addition to the performances, the festival included an arts and photography exhibit, kids’ arts and crafts stations, a treasure hunt, and plant-based Palestinian food.

Friday's program ended with a panel titled "The Cost, Reward, & Urgency of Friendship," featuring Vietnamese-American writer Viet Thanh Nguyen, British journalist Gary Younge, and Pink Floyd cofounder Roger Waters.

Waters joined the panel virtually from a small room in the Philadelphia International Airport, though the organizers left a chair open for him on stage — along with another empty chair for journalist Gary Younge, who said that his visa was revoked

on how Jewish accomplishments have been fundamental to developments in health care, finance, science, and arts. He also stated that it was important for Jewish students to support Israel, drawing what he said were stark differences

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

PHOTO BY ETHAN YOUNG

Penn Hillel hosted a “Shabbat Together” event for both Jewish and non-Jewish students on Sept. 22.

Academic integrity violations for attaining an “unfair advantage over fellow students” increased seven-fold at Penn last school year — fueled in part by the unauthorized use of ChatGPT.

An analysis by The Daily Pennsylvanian of the Penn Center for Community Standards and Accountability’s annual disciplinary report for 2022-2023 shows that while this type of violation increased, the

overall number of academic integrity and student conduct violations both decreased compared to previous school years.

According to the report, the most common student conduct violations during the 2022-23 school year were disorderly conduct and failure to comply — each with 27 violations. The most common academic integrity violations were cheating, with 81 violations, and attaining an “unfair advantage over fellow students,” with 53 violations.

The DP found a 16% reduction in total violations from 2021-22 to 2022-23, aligning with trends from previous years. Since the 2020-21 academic year and the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a 55% decline in Code of Academic Integrity violations and a 54% decline in Code of Student Conduct violations.

The relatively high number of violations during 2020-21 was caused by increases in cheating, academic integrity infractions, and breaking the COVID-19 Student Compact.

Total academic integrity violations have returned to pre-pandemic levels with 209 cases during the 2022-23 school year. Meanwhile, student conduct violations are still higher than in previous years with 241 violations –approximately 1.5 times higher than the pre-pandemic 2018-19 academic year, which had 166 student conduct violations.

Cheating and “attaining an unfair advantage over

fellow students” were the two most common academic integrity violations in this year’s disciplinary report.

While there was a 33% decrease in cheating cases since last year, CSA investigated a sharp increase in allegations of attaining an “unfair advantage over fellow students,” rising from seven violations last year to 53 violations this year.

In an email to the DP, CSA Director Julie Nettleton wrote that “unfair advantage” allegations are broadly inclusive of a variety of cases.

She wrote that this year’s “unfair advantage” cases ranged from having unauthorized access to old computer science and nursing homework, having unauthorized access to other people’s papers, using ChatGPT or Chegg, lying about needing an extension, or accessing other people’s computers for homework answers or responses.

A single disciplinary incident can fall under multiple categories in the report. For instance, unauthorized use of ChatGPT can be seen as both an attempt to attain an unfair advantage and plagiarism, according to Nettleton.

The disciplinary report also cites 241 incidents of student conduct violations in the 2022-23 academic year. The most common violations deviate from the previous three years, which have consistently seen alcohol violations, hazing and sexual violence, and disorderly conduct as the most common.

Pablo Miguel Cerdera, the associate director of

Restorative Practices @ Penn — a branch of CSA that uses restorative practices to manage student violations — said that higher violation counts may be due to a group event where there are multiple cases, such as the large number of disciplinary cases following Fossil Free Penn’s Convocation protest in August 2022. Nettleton declined to comment on any specific cases. The most common disciplinary sanctions during the 2022-23 academic year for academic integrity violations were probation, reprimand, and academic support. For student conduct violations, the most common sanctions were essays, community service, and reprimand.

“One of the goals for institutionalizing Restorative Practices as part of the University’s disciplinary system was to create a system that prioritized accountability, healing and potential learning outcomes,” Nettleton wrote. Cerdera said that restorative justice moves away from enacting punitive measures. Instead, the process involves bringing all consensual parties together to decide what outcomes are appropriate and how those outcomes can help students be more successful moving forward.

While Restorative Practices @ Penn primarily handles Code of Student Conduction violations, they have worked with many campus partners and with the Center of Community Standards and Accountability to foster a restorative mindset across campus, Cerdera said.

PHOTO BY KYLIE COOPER

LI

Wharton first

Penn Student Government announced the results of the Class Board 2027 and Undergraduate Assembly elections on Monday night.

Wharton first year Steven Li won the class president seat with 269 votes — 22 more than runner-up College first year Musab Chummun. College first year Dhivya Sampath was elected as the Class of 2027’s executive vice president, receiving 268 votes, 23 more than the first runner-up, College first year Michael Tepperman.

Li, who is also a staffer for The Daily Pennsylvanian, said that his election felt “absolutely unreal,” adding that the election process was “brutal” as he recounted sleeping on the Quad steps the night before the campaigning period started to chalk his name on them.

"It was just super nice to meet a lot more people, get my name out there, and have a lot of fun," Li said.

The Class of 2027 elected College first year Mackenzie Hill as vice president of external affairs, College first year Nicholas Kwok as vice president of internal affairs, and Wharton first year Harjasan Singh as vice president of finance. College first years Isha Mankar and Natasha

Kobelsky were elected as the College class chairs, and Wharton first year Griffin Albaugh was elected Wharton class chair. Running unopposed, Engineering first year Shannon Dooley was elected as Engineering class chair, and Nursing first year Endy Huynh was elected Nursing class chair. College first years Mackenzie Hill, Musab Chummun, Michael Tepperman, Ben Woods, Moe Mansour, and Lucas Zhu and Wharton first years Meiyi Wang and Nia Matthews were elected to fill the eight new student representative seats on the UA. The first runner-up received 193 votes, with the lowest-voted winner receiving 206, according to PSG results.

Wharton sophomore Andrew Lu was elected as the UA new transfer representative, winning 24 votes — a one-vote victory over the first runner-up.

Engineering junior and Nominations & Elections Committee Chair Yousef Elyoussef said that voter turnout is gradually returning to pre-COVID-19 levels. According to Elyoussef, around 1,125 students voted in the election this year, compared to 930 last year. He said that the NEC’s goal is to increase the number of voters to half of a class size, given that a class size is typically around 2,500.

This election period also included two special elections — two seats were up for election for UA College representative, and one seat was open for UA Wharton representative. College sophomore and DP staffer Nicole Muravsky and College sophomore Hita Mohan were elected as College representatives. Wharton sophomore Cindy Zheng won the UA Wharton representative seat, winning five more votes than the runner-up.

Elyoussef said that the NEC aims to prioritize making the elections run as smoothly as possible.

“The most important thing to the NEC is that elections are fair and equitable among everyone that wants to run, as well as that they’re fun and that we provide students with voices and the ability to get on student government to change things they’re really passionate about,” Elyoussef said.

FESTIVAL , from FRONT PAGE

without cause on the day of his flight to Philadelphia.

After flying in from the United Kingdom, Waters said that he was informed that the University would not let him attend the event in person.

In response to a request for comment, a University spokesperson told The Daily Pennsylvanian that Penn asked "both the organizers and Mr. Waters' management to honor the understanding from the beginning that he would not be appearing in person."

The spokesperson went on to write that Penn was unable to accommodate Palestine Writes organizers' request because it "would have required significant changes to event coordination, as well as additional campus safety and security resources that were unavailable on such short notice."

Waters was one of the Palestine Writes's speakers who has received local and national backlash over past comments labeled as antisemitic by some. Waters addressed these accusations during his panel, saying it is not up to the public to speculate on his beliefs.

“There is not a single modicum of antisemitism anywhere in my heart,” he said. “I hate racism in all forms, and they can believe that or not. They try to suggest that I’m an antisemite simply because I support human rights for the Palestinian people.”

Organizations outside of Penn, like the Jewish Leadership Project, had trucks circling the festival area with signs that criticized Penn’s decision to include Waters as a speaker and denounced the festival as antisemitic.

Hilah Kohen, a Penn graduate student studying comparative literature and literary theory, learned about the festival through the Middle East Center and chose to volunteer, believing in the importance of serving as an Israeli-American and a Jewish person. They criticized

these national pro-Israel organizations for attacking the festival.

“They were claiming to act on my behalf as a Jewish and Israeli-American student,” Kohen said. “That’s unconscionable to me. It was an attempt to use me as a pawn to target the wonderful environment … just because of my identity.”

On Saturday and Sunday, events included story-time readings, seminars on Palestinian culture and clothing, and various panel discussions with novelists and creatives. The festival concluded Sunday at 1:30 p.m. after three full days of activities, performances, and speakers.

Throughout the weekend, multiple speakers criticized the University for its response to the backlash surrounding Palestine Writes.

During her opening remarks, Abulhawa said that antisemitism and anti-Israel criticism cannot be considered interchangeable. She said that Jewish organizations, hoping to shut down the festival, launched a campaign in which they “paraded digital billboards around campus, photos of us in sinister colors, and quotes out of context.”

According to organizers, Palestine Writes received an angry email on Saturday night, criticizing the festival and calling them slurs like “towelheads” and “sand n******.”

Despite this, Abulhawa said she considered the weekend a success and took pride in organizers' collective effort.

“People showed up for this festival from all over the country and all over the world,” Abulhawa said. “Our speakers showed up with brilliance, with eloquence, with impeccable scholarship, a beautiful creativity and historical accuracy, and, most of all, with dignity. And we are so inspired, so humbled.”

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

The Palestine Writes Literature Festival featured a dance performance by the Freedom Dabka Group on Sept. 22.

Fallacies of free speech: Exploring the dynamics and scope of protections in academic discourse

polarized perception of free speech is deteriorating the excellence of academia and American values

— a known white supremacist — twice to a class is an affront to the educational mission as a whole. He is not an academic controversialist whose work could question dominant notions; rather, he promotes contentious beliefs opposed to academic ethics, research, and ideals.

This goes hand-in-hand with the choice of Palestine Writes’ and Penn Against the Occupation’s endorsement of speakers — a dominant contention in the past few years is bringing voices to the marginalized and oppressed instead of letting white saviors take center stage. Where does the decision to bring in a non-Palestinian man who dressed as a Nazi come into play? Using what now can be considered white supremacist symbols such as this sort of uniform to defend apartheid is not only senseless, it’s contradictory. The choice of controversial speakers has, ironically, stripped Palestinians’ of the privilege to expose students to their culture and works, going against what was the original intent of the event.

The recent controversy surrounding Amy Wax intertwined with the global uproar over Palestinian Writes’ choice of speakers provokes a complex reevaluation of free speech within educational institutions. These are not merely a litmus test for ideological allegiances, but moments for serious reflection on the role of academic freedom in an increasingly interconnected and pluralistic world.

When Wax unfurls her words, there is no doubt a seethingly controversial, and what many consider an extremist sentiment. This has not only ignited feedback and debate in Penn extremities but has resounded nation-wide. The Harvard Crimson discussed the necessity for her to be removed from her position, representing the predominant narrative towards her words. Others have noted that she is adhering to the breaches of freedom of speech in academia since her opinions are protected under this premise.

Roger Waters and Mohammed El-Kurd, who both spoke at the Palestine Writes Literature Festival, have sprouted controversy and backlash in international circles. Waters’ decision to wear a Nazi-style uniform in his plight against fascism and the Israeli state raises concerns of antisemitism in the

Palestine-Israel conversation. El-Kurd’s impassioned rhetoric and cogent arguments have been labeled as 'extremist' by some quarters and 'truth-telling' by others as he recounts his experiences and contentions as a Palestinian activist.

However, there have been alleged antisemitic undertones in his writings, notably the allusion to the “blood libel trope” in his works which has marginalized and targeted Jews over the course of history. Although his criticism of the treatment of the Palestinians can hold merit, academic spaces must scrutinize even well-intended speakers for biases or harmful stereotypes that might seep into the discourse.

How about if we forget about the context of our polarized world, and particularly this situation itself, and focus on the history and foundation of freedom of speech as a whole?

The promotion of truth through freedom of speech has long been based on an epistemic argument — essentially, that free speech and open debate are not just principles, but practical means to arrive at knowledge and truth. This perspective particularly resonates in universities, where the ultimate goal is not just individual expression but collective enlightenment.

However, as scholars Alvin Goldman and James Cox point out, unrestricted

free speech may contradict those who promote freedom of speech and American values, and might not always yield the best outcomes for collective knowledge and protecting the unheard. The Constitution protects citizens from governmental interference in their speech, but it does not necessarily protect a professor from facing consequences at her place of employment, especially when that employment is at an educational institution shaping the minds of future leaders and speakers.

What is worth examining here is the academic infrastructure that either silences or amplifies these voices. Let’s think about “fighting words” — although Wax’s invocations do not adhere in absolute to its legal criteria, they are subject to scrutiny and potential institutional action. And while these inflammatory words may not directly incite imminent, lawless action, giving the space and honor to a white supremacist gives it life and prolongs its existence in our country.

Yes, academia needs controversial ideas to provoke thought, but it also demands rigorous scrutiny to filter out hate speech and prejudice. To assume that all and every form of speech must be protected assumes that we live in, and come from, a world devoid of historical systemic subjugation. Inviting Jared Taylor

How often will future empires think of America?

BRETT’S BIZ BITS| Evaluating the impact of aging politicians on America’s debt

I’ve been thinking about the Roman Empire. And not just because people keep asking me if I am. Maybe I’ve been reading too much Ray Dalio, listening to too much of the All-In Podcast, or watching too many elected officials transform into a food processor away from mashed potatoes — but I’m worried the American Empire will soon go the way of the Roman.

The average years of prior service in Congress has doubled over the last century; the median age of senators has increased by five and representatives by three over the past 15 years; Boomers currently make up 50% of Congress, and President Joe Biden is so old that he’s actually in the Silent Generation.

Our leaders are old. So what? You may argue that Americans are also the oldest that they have ever been, which is true, so it is only natural that our politicians should reflect this trend. And I would agree with you — it is natural. AARP politicians representing AARP Americans is natural, but a danger to our livelihoods. Like an earthquake, or a tsunami.

Old people are human and act in accordance with their interests — politicians more so. Not only are they not fundamentally incentivized to work for the long-term prosperity of the country, their voters aren’t either. People who qualify as Boomers or older currently make up roughly 40% of voters, and if you include Gen Xers who are less than 10 years away from receiving Social Security benefits, that percentage increases to nearly 70%.

No politicians are willing to cut Social Security because a majority of voters are receiving it.

If you’re wondering why Social Security is often called the “third rail of American politics,” this is the answer. If you’re wondering why Republicans, the party of fiscal responsibility, have blown out the budget worse than Democrats in the past two Republican administrations, this is why.

If we think of the United States government like a company, the impact of Boomers’ fiscal irresponsibility is as clear as their reading glasses. The government’s revenue from taxes was $3.97 trillion in 2023 while its current annualized interest expense is $970 billion, meaning that about

25% of the government’s revenue is going towards paying for our debt.

To put this in perspective, 0.9% of Apple’s revenue goes toward paying its debt. And unlike Apple, the U.S. government’s largest expenses are projected to increase significantly faster than GDP over the next 10 years. In fact, our health and social security spending are projected to grow 3.6% and 2% faster, respectively, than GDP over the next 10 years because of all the old farts we have to keep from pooping themselves.

The spending on these two services is growing so fast that it will equal the income the United States receives from taxes within the next 10 years. But keep in mind, these aren’t the only expenditures of the government — health care and social security currently account for about 37% of spending, how are we going to fund the other 63%?

If you still aren’t convinced, consider the interest payments on our debt. In 10 years, assuming the same annual growth

rate for debt from the previous 10 years (an extraordinarily conservative assumption), we will be paying $3.25 trillion per year in debt service payments assuming a 5% interest rate. With only three government expenditures — health care, Social Security, and debt service — we will be spending 165% more than our revenues on a yearly basis and 210% of our revenues including all other expenditures.

Okay, we’re done with the math. If our spending doesn’t change, the American Empire will go bankrupt within 10 years. That’s a tough pill to swallow, even for Boomers who have quite a bit of practice with pill swallowing. We are in this position because self-interested Boomers decided they could vote for themselves all the money. So the next time you see a grandfatherly figure with wire-frame glasses, stooped over, clutching his crossword in one hand and his morning coffee in the other — don’t hold the door. Thank him for ruining our country’s future.

We need Millennials and Gen-Zers who have a vested interest in America’s future

The crux of the matter is not just whether speakers have the right to express their opinions, but whether those opinions contribute positively to the collective knowledge base of the institution and its stakeholders — most importantly, the students.

More importantly, this isn't just about Penn. It’s about maintaining the credibility and integrity of academic institutions everywhere. Just like you wouldn’t invite a flat earther to a NASA convention, there should be no platform for spreading the diaspora of white nationalism or nativist groups, or any sort of flagrant hate speech. Without intellectual integrity, there is no refuge from ignorance.

I believe, and I hope many do, that there is breadth and opportunity to invite speakers who breach the boundaries of what some might consider woke culture and offer alternative viewpoints while maintaining a certain level of respect for intellectual vigor and the general livelihoods of other people. This means inviting more speakers who can adequately represent their political affiliation or call for human rights intervention whilst removing the propagation of reactionary rhetoric.

to show up on Election Day and demand answers. The Boomers’ self-interest created the “third-rail” of American politics, only the youth’s self-interest can destroy it.

When I think of the Roman Empire, I don’t think about the battle strategies, togas, or the mouse brain toothpaste. I think of the ruling empire 2,000 years from now.

I think of a young man, a citizen of that empire going to college and throwing on his VR sunglasses as he walks out of his dorm room. As the door closes behind him, a text message pops up in his glasses from his friend Melissa which made him chuckle because it has been a viral trend on social media for the past few weeks.

It reads: ”How often do you think of the American Empire?”

DESIGN BY DEREK WONG

PHOTO BY JESSE ZHANG

Columnist Brett Seaton argues that the older age demographic of Congress is being fiscally irresponsible with government spending.

NOOR CHAFOUK is a College junior studying economics and political science from Dallas. Her email is noorsid@sas.upenn.edu.

BRETT SEATON is a Wharton junior studying finance, real estate, and computer science from Manhattan, Kan. His email is bseaton@wharton. upenn.edu.

Why we’re voting to unionize

After the National Labor Relations Board ruled in August that resident advisors are employees of the University and therefore have a right to vote for a union, we felt validated — and knew it was time to organize leading up to the election. Connecting with our coworkers. Calling. Texting. Engaging in conversations over lunch or coffee. Educating our co-workers about their rights, calming concerns of retaliation, or that a union could lead to a loss of benefits (rumors and false concerns perpetuated by anti-union sentiments). To unionize is our right.

We’ve done the work, and the time to vote is finally here. And it’s time to vote yes to a union—it’s the only way we’ll ever get a say in the responsibilities of the RA job and the way we’re compensated for doing it.

Each August, RAs arrive on campus over a week before New Student Orientation for RA training—seven days of in-house preparation, event planning and College House-wide seminars and training. In the evenings, after training, we’re also expected to attend additional debrief meetings, decorate our halls, design bulletin boards, prepare for resident arrival, and plan beginning of the year events. With all of these expectations, we find ourselves staying up into the late hours of the night to get everything done. During this time, RAs don’t have time to finish their summer internships and summer jobs, or otherwise dedicate time to other projects and responsibilities. Being an RA becomes a full-time job — without pay. By the time first years arrive for NSO, we’re exhausted but expected to be at our best to welcome new students, all while balancing our own lives as students.

RAs are also campus security authorities, meaning that we are mandated reporters — both inside and outside of the College Houses — of violence or crime we see or are told about on campus, as well as to report other concerns brought to us by students. Even when we’re not on duty or at our College House, we are obliged to carry out these duties. There is no off time in the job of an RA.

We are essential but compensated for that nonstop job only with free living accommodations.

These are just a few of the burdens carried by RAs at Penn, immeasurable in hours and energy required of us to ensure the safety and well-being of students on this campus. Our jobs are essential to undergraduate life, but the way we’re treated and compensated in the current system without union representation doesn’t give us the proper recognition or compensation for that work.

But there’s no process to provide feedback on these conditions that are a source of frustration — like the ambiguity of some of our responsibilities as outlined in the appointment agreement, poor compensation for work, and in some cases, loss of financial aid. The only way to advocate for what we want is to form a union to represent us, to legally require Penn to give us a seat at the table in deciding the conditions of our jobs.

Here are just a few of the things we hope to advocate for in the process of renegotiating the RA contract if we win a majority vote to unionize: standardized working conditions (consistent accommodations across the houses, with private bathrooms accessible to RAs), increased say in designing trainings and in leadership within College Houses and Academic Services, a full meal plan, no impact of the RA job on financial aid packages. And most importantly, we want appropriate payment, especially to compensate for the unpaid time and labor we put in during training periods.

The reasons we want to unionize are different for all of us, but we come together around one common goal: the collective power to bargain. We deserve to bargain for a fair contract and compensation, both now and for future RAs at Penn. This union vote will not only fundamentally change our abilities as student workers to advocate for ourselves but also the future of the College House system at Penn, where the people at the heart of residential life on campus —t he event throwers, free food givers, late night listeners, shoulders

Thrifting is not the solution

to lean on — would be able to bargain for the fair pay and working conditions we deserve commensurate to the work that we do.

To RAs — vote! You can cast your ballot in the Golkin Room, located on the second floor of Houston Hall between noon and 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27 and Thursday, Sept. 28. This election is your opportunity to secure a legacy for all future RAs at Penn to have a seat at the table for deciding how they’re compensated and what it means to be an RA. Follow us @unitedrasatpenn on Instagram, feel free to DM the account with any questions and refer to this frequently asked questions document for extra information about the unionization process.

CHAT WITH CHLOE | Thrifting, the byproduct of consumer culture and fast fashion, is not as

with one of Bigfoot’s summer sandals, and I’m sure it will be hard to tell the difference. The overproduction of clothing results in colossal amounts of carbon emissions and waste. Around 80% of all clothing either goes straight to the landfill or is incinerated. Furthermore, it is estimated that while the lifespan of clothes has been cut in half, humans are buying 60% more clothes than ever before. As companies produce staggering amounts of clothes and carbon emissions, we consume more in shorter amounts of time.

Because of the detrimental environmental impact of fast fashion, it is clear why many of us are seeking more sustainable alternatives. In fact, nine in 10 Gen Z consumers believe companies have a responsibility to address environmental and social issues.

However, is thrifting really as sustainable as we think?

To friends and supporters — reach out to the RAs in your life. Ask how they are, how they feel about their jobs and if they feel they are supported and fairly compensated for their work. And encourage them to vote in

“We should definitely go thrifting together!” This is a line that I’ve heard a thousand times during small talk with strangers-turned-acquaintances at Penn. Young people see thrifting as a fun way to establish a unique sense of style while promoting environmental sustainability in an age of made-for-the-landfill clothing and trends.

However, with the end of Penn's Climate Week, it’s important for us to consider what sustainability really means, especially in an industry as dominant as fashion.

Although thrifting provides clothes with longer lifespans and is considered a lesser evil to fast fashion, it should not be viewed as the end-all to the issues of carbon emissions and waste in our traditional fashion industry.

Aided by social media influencers and internet trends, secondhand shopping has made a huge breakthrough in the youth fashion industry in the past few years, with the global secondhand market being expected to almost double by 2027 and reach $350 billion. Compare the fast fashion industry’s carbon footprint

An obligation of truth

From Depop resellers to “thrifting influencers,” social media is crowded with a glorification of the overconsumption of secondhand clothing. Social media stars post themselves at Goodwill every week loading up their carts with any sort-of ugly piece of clothing that they believe has potential. Following their lead, gaggles of people (myself included) dig through thrift racks sniffing for this potential, buying clothes that don’t fit just to tear them up at home with a pair of kitchen scissors, interesting purses that we all had to have but ended up never using, and bits and pieces of a Halloween costume left untouched, rotting in the back of the closet. Thrifting seems to be a win-win situation for the people walking out of thrift stores with their stuffed tote bags: now, they can both fulfill their consumerist desires while patting themselves on the back for avoiding fast fashion and saving the environment!

We have brought our fast-fashion mindset into thrift

THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE | You have a responsibility to not share incomplete or unchecked information

Last week, I was told that Hillel had been covered in swastikas by a student from the Palestine Writes Literature Festival, neo-Nazis were being supported by the school, dozens of swastikas were spray painted in the halls at the entrance of Meyerson, Liz Magill was directly supporting terrorists, Penn ranked number one in The Wall Street Journal’s top colleges list, and my economics exam scores had been released.

None of this information is true.

Hillel was vandalized, although not by a student nor with swastikas nor in connection to the festival, contrary to what a Fox News headline suggests. Penn explicitly condemned festival speakers with a “history of engaging in antisemitism.” A single swastika was found graffitied in the spray room of Meyerson Hall and was painted over.

The only source I can find alleging the support of terrorism is a guest column which states that “many'' festival speakers performed a host of potentially problematic actions, including supporting terrorism. However, this column was written with intentional ambiguity to attach all allegations to all speakers. Even if all true (which should not be granted given the majority of these actions were anti-Israel, not antisemitic), these allegations were tied to five of 119 speakers, far from the whole event which Magill and the broader Penn administration allowed to take place.

The Journal ranked Penn as doing the most to improve students’ financial futures but not number one overall. And my economics exam solutions were released, but exam scores still remain to be seen.

Do not take my word for a single claim that I just made. You have two options; read the citations or your own sources — not just the headlines but the actual, hopefully unbiased news pieces (like those written by The Daily Pennsylvanian) — or stop talking about the issue like you have any idea about what is going on.

Sidechat is not a source. Stop saying you were reading the news when you were actually just skimming headlines or perusing social media comments. I understand that it is difficult to stay informed about

issues as busy students. Most of us do not have time to parse through all of the DP’s abundant content — at time of writing, 15 different opinion and news articles were published on the Palestine Writes Literature Festival alone — not to mention numerous other publications’ reporting and their sources, for every single issue we care about. But at the same time, it is vital that we, as students and members of a broader community, recognize the extent of our knowledge and present that knowledge to others with that caveat fully disclosed.

When seeking accurate, objective information, one must review sources. The advice of an expert is only useful insofar as the expert’s field applies. Many of us in the future will only be experts in being generally competent, entering into fields like consulting at first with relatively limited experience and being valuable only through our ability to acquire and parse specific knowledge quickly.

This dynamic is no different from daily discussion.

Conversations with other intelligent students from a diverse background are exceedingly valuable, but only if you are talking about reality. You do not have to read everything about a topic, but know the extent of what you read and preface with that when talking with friends, especially about controversial issues. Ask the same courtesy of your peers.

And if you do not care about the potential harm for yourself, consider the direct harm of spreading unqualified, misleading blips for others. The central benefit of non-anonymized discussion is that it allows for the building of reputation and accountability, as Lexi Boccuzzi outlined in her recent column. If you spread misinformation to someone and they disseminate this further, they could potentially get called out and criticized. By not fact checking your information, you are directly harming the reputation of those who trust you.

The solution is simple: Outline the limitations of your knowledge or recognize you do not know enough about a topic to be sharing information about it at all.

While you do not have to be an expert to talk about something as complex as Israel-Palestine conflicts, think about the effect on others and recognize your obligation of truth to those around you. Consider whether you know enough about a topic to be sharing details — in my case, especially when those details concern my economics midterm.

shops. Shopping secondhand has become our justification for buying an excessive amount of unnecessary clothing items as we ignore our consumption habits. This negatively affects the low-income populations that use the thrift store for cheaper necessities such as winter coats and shoes. Just like many other areas in the world, thrifting in Philadelphia has become a gentrified space, with prices of clothes rising as wealthier people infiltrate thrift shops to buy clothes in excess. The low prices in thrift stores that used to cater towards lower-income populations now incentivize people with higher spending power to purchase items they may not even need.

Furthermore, the rise of thrifting is encouraging a cycle of donating untrendy pieces for a chance to revamp a wardrobe with more fast fashion items. The false sense of guiltlessness that results from donating unwanted clothes to Salvation Army or Goodwill tricks us into thinking that we can buy new clothes from retail shops without any environmental consequences.

It might be time for us to confront the hard fact that thrifting just may be the newborn baby of fast fashion and consumer culture, fed by the castoffs of overproduction and swaddled by quick-turning trends. However, shopping second-hand is still the lesser evil of the fashion industry. What we should do is thrift consciously and keep our overconsumption in check while making sure we are leaving necessities for lowerincome groups in the area.

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

sustainable as we think

PHOTO BY MOIRA CONNELL

Penn Closet, the University’s student-run thrift store, reopened last spring in Williams Hall.

CHLOE CHEN is a College first year studying economics and international relations from Vancouver, B.C. Her email is chloeec@sas. upenn.edu.

GUEST COLUMN | Penn’s resident advisors need a union

PHOTO BY NATHANIEL BABITTS

After filing to unionize, Penn residential advisors and graduate resident advisors organized a rally on March 31.

UNITED RAs AT PENN is a union of RAs and GRAs within the College Houses at Penn. They can be reached at unitedrasatpenn@gmail. com.

Multiple Penn trustees sign letter to Magill demanding stronger response to Palestine Writes uproar

Signatories include current and former trustees Robert Stavis, Andrew Heyer, and Marc Rowan, who is also chair of the Wharton Board of Advisors

DEDEEPYA GUTHIKONDA AND DIAMY WANG Senior Reporter and Staff Reporter

Multiple current members of Penn’s Board of Trustees signed an open letter to President Liz Magill calling on her to take additional steps to distance the University from the Palestine Writes Literature Festival.

The letter — which was obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian — was signed by more than 2,000 Penn alumni and University affiliates, who expressed “deep concerns” about the festival, which begins tomorrow. Signatories included numerous current and former members of the University Board of Trustees, members of boards across multiple Penn schools, and notable donors to the University.

Names of current trustees listed on the document include Robert Stavis, Andrew Heyer, and Marc Rowan, who is also chair of the Wharton Board of Advisors.

“The University of Pennsylvania should be doing all within its power to distance itself from the event’s antisemitic speakers, make clear that such antisemitism is wholly at odds with the university’s values, and take proactive steps to ensure that Jewish students, faculty, and staff are safe and welcome at Penn,” the signatories wrote to Magill.

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

The letter signed by trustees also called for Penn and

Law student groups reiterate demands for Penn to fire Amy Wax after white nationalist invite

The Black Law Students Association posted a statement on Instagram urging the administration again to terminate Wax

NICOLE MURAVSKY Staff Reporter

Law student affinity groups reiterated their demands for Penn to fire Amy Wax after she invited white nationalist Jared Taylor to return as a guest speaker in her class.

On Tuesday, the Black Law Students Association posted a statement on Instagram urging the administration again to terminate Wax in light of inviting Taylor — and because of her “racist, vile, and absurd messages about Black students at Penn and Black people at large.”

Taylor — the editor of American Renaissance, a publication that promotes eugenics — is scheduled to speak at Wax’s course LAW 9560: “Conservative and Political Legal Thought” on Nov. 28, according to a copy of the course syllabus obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian. Wax, a tenured professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, previously invited Taylor to her class in 2021.

"We urge Penn Carey Law to unambiguously and unequivocally uphold its commitment to a safe, inclusive, and forward-thinking educational environment by challenging its leadership to decisively reject any trace of bigotry within its corridors," BLSA wrote in the statement.

BLSA wrote that it was hypocritical for Penn Carey Law to continue to employ Wax as a tenured professor while claiming to be an institution “committed to realizing equality and justice within and beyond our walls” and championing Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander for being the first Black woman to have graduated from Penn Carey Law.

“The reluctance of the administration to decisively address Wax’s actions sends an unsettling message to Black students: that our safety, well-being, and sense of belonging are secondary,” the statement read.

BLSA first circulated a petition to have Wax fired in 2018. Since then Penn Carey Law has banned Wax from teaching 1L students — a year that is “important

academic departments who are affiliated with the festival to clarify how much they are supporting the event and the implementation of “mandatory antisemitism awareness training.”

One of the letter’s signatories, 1986 College graduate and Wharton Undergraduate Executive Board member Hope Taitz wrote in a statement to the DP that the letter was intended to “hold [Penn leadership] accountable” for addressing increasing antisemitic bigotry.

“I have been a loyal and active member of this university for 38 years,” Taitz wrote.

1992 Wharton graduate and Wharton Board of Directors member Jacqueline Reses told the DP that she found it “incredibly disappointing” that Penn has not been more “actively vocal” in standing up and speaking out against the antisemitism.

“First and foremost, Liz Magill should immediately have the event canceled and not support using the facilities of Penn to support what has become a forum for hate speech,” Reses said.

Reses said that she has not decided whether or not she will pause her donations.

“If I have the ability to support students in different types of programs, I would like to do that, even in the face of an administration that has clearly been hostile to the Jewish community,” Reses said.

Other notable signatories of the letter include Chair of the Wharton Board of Advisors Jeff Blau, former chair of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School Board of Overseers Paul Levy, Alumni Class Leadership Council President David Blatte, and former vice chair of Penn’s Board of Trustees William Mack.

“At a time when we are experiencing record levels of anti-Jewish hate across the country and an unprecedented surge of antisemitic incidents on U.S. college campuses, providing a platform for such extremely antisemitic voices will undermine the sense of security and belonging for Jewish students at UPenn and beyond,” the letter to Magill wrote.

Palestine Writes organizers and supporters have repeatedly disavowed any accusations of antisemitism. Still, some alumni donors told the DP that they are considering retracting or redirecting their donations to the University.

2001 Wharton graduate Beny Rubinstein, who is part of the leadership team of the Wharton Club of Israel, said he has been an active donor for over 20 years to the school, but he plans to repurpose his donations.

“I feel like the university is not standing up enough. And so I’d rather put my effort into places that will stand up,” 1992 College graduate Nina Bauer Shapiro said, referring to Penn Hillel.

RESPONSE, from FRONT PAGE

and influential in terms of dictating a lot of the kinds of the things that come in the pipeline,” BLSA Co-President Jared Turner told the DP.

Penn is yet to announce whether it will sanction Wax — four months after a faculty panel held disciplinary hearings and over 19 months since an investigation began. The University has alleged that Wax’s controversial conduct and claims have violated Penn's behavioral standards, naming Wax's invite of Taylor to her class as one such example.

"University policy provides that personnel matters and cases brought under the sanctions policy are confidential and public statements are prohibited until the proceedings have completed," a spokesperson for Penn Carey Law wrote in response to a request for comment from the DP. "As the process is still ongoing, the Law School is not able to comment at this time."

BLSA has been coordinating with student groups about whether to take additional steps, such as releasing additional joint or singular statements, holding a protest, or sticking to conversations and meetings. The group is also being supported by the Student Affairs Office and the Office of Equity & Inclusion.

“This is one [issue] that we feel is relevant to us, and one that we abhor,” Turner said on behalf of the BLSA executive board.

President of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association at Penn Carey Law Yuan Tao told the DP that APALSA also plans to publish a statement condemning Wax in response to Taylor being invited back to campus.

“Especially since [Penn Carey Law is] emphasizing the value of diversity and inclusion so much this year, it's quite shocking to allow a straight up white nationalist onto campus,” Tao said.

The National Asian Pacific American Law Student Association previously published two statements condemning Wax — one in 2021 and the other in 2022. Tao said that the Asian Pacific American community is “horrified” by Wax’s racist comments and that Taylor was invited to propagate such speech.

“[The comments] are completely antithetical to our mission as a cultural affinity group on campus while our whole point is to promote various cultures and ethnicities,” Tao said.

Students do not know about the status of Wax’s investigation — except that it is ongoing — or whether there have been any official repercussions for her, Tao said.

“The whole process has been fairly non-transparent … Even as a leader of an affinity group, we really don’t know what’s going on and what the timeline looks like," she said.

Penn Carey Law administrators approved of Wax’s request to have Taylor speak at her class in 2021 and also paid for his lunch at White Dog Café, Wax has previously alleged in legal filings. Members of the University community are protected from "official reprisal" for hosting "controversial speakers and events," according to Penn's interpretative guidelines for its open expression policy. Staff reporter Lara Cota contributed reporting.

against antisemitism."

The Palestine Writes Literature Festival, which began last Friday, was not named in the statement, but Penn community members — including multiple members of the University Board of Trustees — have pushed back against some of the festival's speakers for allegedly making antisemitic comments in the past. There is no evidence confirmed by the DP connecting either incident mentioned in the statement to the Palestine Writes festival.

In response to controversy surrounding the festival, Penn previously released a statement signed by Magill, Jackson, and School of Arts and Sciences

Dean Steven Fluharty on Sept. 12, saying that "we unequivocally — and emphatically — condemn antisemitism as antithetical to our institutional values."

The Sept. 22 statement came the day 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.

"When I walked into Hillel, I noticed that the lobby was completely trashed — one of the podiums was smashed, one of the tables was smashed. There was stuff everywhere," College junior Marc Fishkind said, who came to Hillel shortly after the incident. College first year Eyal Lubin said he had visited Hillel nearly every morning for services since the start of classes.

"To see our Hillel building completely vandalized by what looks to be a disgusting act of antisemitism on our campus was a complete shock," Lubin said.

In response to the incident, 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 will hold a campus-wide show of support for Jewish students.

"Penn Public Safety also initiated and is following all protocols for potential bias incidents on campus, and is continuing to provide additional support to the Hillel community following this

incident," DPS wrote to the DP. In addition, a spraypainted swastika was discovered in a spray room on the fourth floor of Meyerson Hall in the Stuart Weitzman School of Design on the evening of Sept. 13, two days before the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

Weitzman Dean Frederick Steiner wrote in an email to the Weitzman school community on Sept. 14 that DPS was investigating the incident and encouraged students with information to contact school administrators. The swastika has since been painted over.

"Hateful actions that promote violence and divisiveness are antithetical to our values and to our commitment to ensure that the Weitzman School is a 'safe space' for everyone," Steiner wrote. "I am appalled by this behavior, and I offer my profound condolences to anyone hurt by this action. I also want to acknowledge your frustration and anger, and to express my heartfelt support — as well as my condemnation of antisemitism of any kind."

Chabad Rabbi Levi Haskelevich told the DP that he invited Magill to come visit the Chabad House. He said that he learned of the swastika at Meyerson Hall from a student who witnessed the vandalism and reported it to school administration.

"It's good to know that the administration is responding and taking these things seriously," Haskelevich said. "Hopefully, by calling it out sooner, these things grow less likely to show their face."

Signatories of the letter also included Senior Vice President for Institutional Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer Joann Mitchell, University Chaplain and Vice President for Social Equity and Community Reverend Chaz Howard, and Vice Provost for University Life Karu Kozuma.

On Sept. 21, the DP reported that multiple members of the University's Board of Trustees had signed a letter calling on Magill to take a stronger response to protect Jewish students.

"We are unwavering in our commitment to ensuring our Jewish community feels safe and supported on our campus," administrators wrote.

RAs, from FRONT PAGE

“Obviously, though, the unionization efforts reminded everybody that the job existed and reminded people of how important the role was,” Elsakhawy said.

Elsakhawy told the DP he will be voting in favor of forming a union at the election this week.

“You do not need to have grievances against an institution to form a union, as it is an important facet of being an employee of any institution,” Elsakhawy said, adding that he believes a union will provide him with democratic representation.

In addition to increased bargaining abilities, Elsakhawy also cited a “poor dining plan" that he said amounts to two dining swipes each week, a lack of compensation besides free housing, and the inability to participate in work-study. Instead of the current plan, Elsakhawy called for something akin to the first-year dining plan, a program valued at $6,330 per academic year.

“The University has the resources to do more, and they’re not,” Elsakhawy said.

Despite receiving free housing, Elsakhawy told the

DP that “Penn has a very clever way of wringing the arms of low-income students behind their backs." He claimed that the University often labels jobs as "internships" or "student leadership opportunities," when “they are clearly jobs.”

College senior Conor Emery, a second-year RA in Harnwell College House, told the DP that the prospect of unionization made him “excited” to continue being an RA this academic year, adding that it would be an "opportunity for RAs to speak out about certain ways that we just haven’t been listened to in the past.”

Penn previously claimed that the RAs were not employees of the University but instead attempted to classify them as student leaders with an "educational relationship" to Penn since they are not on the payroll. However, in August, the National Labor Relations Board recognized Penn RAs and GRAs as employees, ordering an official union vote.

“This is one of the only ways that we can really make lasting change to better the position and make it so we can be better supporters of our residents,” Emery said.

HILLEL , from FRONT PAGE

between Jewish people and Palestinians.

While he acknowledged that antisemitism has shifted over time and is less overt than it was during his time at Penn, Weitzman said it now occurs in the form of campus visits from speakers like Roger Waters — who joined the Palestine Writes festival via Zoom hours before Shabbat. College sophomore Ethan Farber said that "Shabbat Together" was a testament to the strength of Penn's Jewish community.

“One thing that was said that really resonated with me was that no matter what, the one thing they can’t take away from us is our Jewish identity,” Farber said.

The controversy over Palestine Writes — combined with the antisemitic vandalism on campus — has also weighed personally on Farber, he said. Farber said that the event was happy, but he

"noticed a nervous air that [he] never really felt at Hillel before."

“Recently, I have felt a little less comfortable being a Jewish person on this campus," Farber said. "I have had to be more aware about safety. I’ve had to be cognizant of what I’m wearing when I’m in certain places and what I am talking about when I am out."

Another student attendee, who requested anonymity for fear of personal safety, said that he had never seen Hillel more packed. The first and second floors of Hillel were both full during the course of the event.

Ahead of the event, Penn President Liz Magill, alongside other administrators, pledged to take additional steps to combat antisemitism on campus and condemned recent antisemitic incidents on campus — including strengthened security measures at Penn Hillel and the Lubavitch House.

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

Law professor Amy Wax walks through Penn Carey Law School on April 17.

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

Resident advisors and graduate resident advisors are voting to unionize this week.

From Ivy champs to PLL champs: former Quakers Piper Bond and Matt McMahon celebrate Premier Lacrosse League title

The Archers Lacrosse Club defeated the Waterdogs 15-14 on Sunday

EVAN POWERS Sports Associate

If the names Piper Bond and Matt McMahon sound familiar solely based on their status as Quaker alumni, you might want to think again.

Sweet victory emerged for the Premier Lacrosse League Archers on Sunday evening — a victory that both Bond and McMahon just so happened to find themselves a part of. Tied 14-14 with 97 seconds to spare, the Archers scored the go-ahead point to secure their first championship in franchise history. The outcome of Sunday’s championship is another honor for Bond and McMahon, both of whom already possess sterling reputations from their times with the Red and Blue. Bond — 2023 alumnus and Baltimore native — had a short, but impressive career during his time as a Quaker. Although missing most of the 2020 and all of the 2021 seasons was a major setback for him, he nevertheless proved his worth during the 2022 and 2023 lacrosse campaigns.

In 2022, as captain, Bond was named first team All-Ivy along with being named third team USILA All-America. Furthermore, he was mentioned honorably in Inside Lacrosse’s Media All-America publication and led the Quakers to an Ivy League Championship — a title already familiar to Bond after his brief appearance in Penn’s Ivy championship win over Yale in 2019. Bond’s following season was even more remarkable, as evident by the double number of honors that he received. In addition to repeating as being named to first team All-Ivy along with receiving honorable mentions from USA Lacrosse and Inside Lacrosse, Bond was awarded the Class of 1915 Award for his exemplary efforts at promoting the University of Pennsylvania’s athletic spirits and traditions.

McMahon, a 2015 Wharton alumnus, had a full four-year career as a Quaker — reaching his peak in 2015 as team captain. That year, McMahon was one of the top 10 finalists for the Senior Class Award and received an Honorable Mention All-American distinction by the USILA. His prowess on the field was further recognized with First-Team All-Ivy and Second-Team ECAC All-Star honors. Before the season started, McMahon was also singled out as an Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-American Honorable Mention. Beyond his on-field achievements, McMahon was also commended for his exceptional academic performance, receiving the USILA Scholar All-America award.

While Bond and McMahon were not as active on the field during Sunday’s championship game, it’s perfectly safe to assume that their mere presence at Subaru Paek was still a contributing factor towards the Archers’ narrow 15-14 win over the Waterdogs. With many more seasons in the Premier League still ahead of them, this occurrence as a championship duo is likely the first step towards ever more legendary lacrosse careers.

SOCCER , from BACK PAGE

with her 300th win as a head coach early this season, and Turner hopes that there will be more to come.

In a full circle moment, it makes the moment even more magical knowing that the team she beat to secure her 300th win was the very team that first gave her the opportunity to dive into the world of head coaching.

“I think anytime you achieve a milestone, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on the past,” she said. “With me, the past is about coaching a tremendous group of young women over the years, getting the opportunity to work with a great staff, and just really having a network of people behind you that are always in your corner.”

for training in Drexel, but it can’t accommodate all of their needs. We also have plans to take care of some training in the West Philly YMCA.” Gustkey said.

Notably, Drexel also only has one pool for its varsity and recreational aquatic programs. The relocation would create two sets of varsity aquatics teams looking for similar practice times, underlining the Penn men’s and women’s swimming and diving need for two practice sites.

As for club aquatics programs, the arrangements are still being drawn up. “The plan is to have agreements in place where the teams will be able to practice, which will be communicated to the club teams hopefully later on this this year.” Associate Director of Facility Operations Colin Wells said.

As for members of the Penn community who utilize Sheerr Pool recreationally and are not affiliated with any club or varsity team, the original announcement of the renovations encourages those to contact Drexel Recreation for pool membership information.

However, some students are hesitant on how alternatives will be coordinated and whether it is worth the trek to Drexel for a dip in the pool.

“I started using the pool last semester as something fun to do, but I don’t like the pressure of a regular practice or the inability to decide if I want to go or not,” College sophomore Jacob Krassin, who uses the pool for recreational lap swimming, said. “Will we share with Drexel? Are we going to be able to walk in whenever we can or want like Pottruck? Depending on how far the alternative is, I might not be able to go.”

The renovations are currently in the early design phases, but there is confidence that the upgrades will be worth the year-long closure and alternative arrangements for many members of the Penn community.

“Although it’s going to be unfortunate that we have the close, sometimes that’s what’s required to make improvements,” Gustkey said. “It will be a little difficult for folks that have to relocate to swim, but when they get back to the facility, I think everyone is going to be appreciate it and be very pleased with the end results.”

DARTMOUTH, from BACK PAGE

Sayin, after only passing for 204 yards in this game last year, many coming on short throws, will look to test Dartmouth more vertically this year. Penn certainly hopes its offensive line’s stout performance last Saturday will continue to not only give Sayin ample time to read the field, but create holes for the Quaker backs to burst through against Dartmouth’s rush defense, which the Red and Blue struggled to do last year. On the other side of the ball, the Quakers will have to account for Dartmouth’s dual-quarterback system of Dylan Cadwallader and Nick Howard. Last fall, Penn’s defense did a great job of limiting Howard through the air but struggled to contain him on the ground. Since that game and going into this season, the Big Green have primarily used Howard as a runner while Cadwallader has taken on the role of being the primary thrower. Dartmouth’s true offensive strength lies in its ground attack.

Dartmouth will likely try to slow down the game and limit opportunities for Sayin and the rest of the offense on Saturday, but expect the Quakers’ FCS-leading run defense to be up to the challenge.

The picks are in

Caleb Crain, Sports Editor Penn 28, Dartmouth 10

Walker Carnathan, Deputy Sports Editor Penn 28, Dartmouth 14

Sean McKeown, Sports Associate Penn 32, Dartmouth 0

Griffin Bond, Sports Associate Penn 24, Dartmouth 21

Ansh Jakatimath, Sports Reporter Penn 35, Dartmouth 21

Solution to Previous Puzzle:

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA TURNER AND COURTESY OF MATT MCMAHON

Penn lacrosse alumni Piper Bond (top) and Matt McMahon (bottom) won a Premier Lacrosse title on Sept. 24 with the Archers Lacrosse Club.

15 questions with ... Jared Richardson, a Penn football sophomore

Richardson notched 12 catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns against Bucknell

HUMZA ASIF Sports Reporter

So far, sophomore wide receiver Jared Richardson has been having a breakout season. Despite not seeing much game action last year, he has quickly established himself as a favorite target for the Penn offense. The Daily Pennsylvanian sat down with Richardson to ask him 15 questions about his journey to Penn, his season so far, and predictions for the rest of the season.

1. Can you introduce yourself?

I’m Jared Richardson. I’m a sophomore studying health and societies, concentrating in health care

markets and finance, and I play wide receiver. I am a determined, hard-working, and persistent studentathlete with a high motor.

2. What motivated you to start playing football?

Football is in my DNA. My father and my brother both played ball, so I took after them. They both have made a monumental impact on my development as a football player.

3. What has been your most favorite memory playing football?

My favorite memory to date has to be beating

Princeton in a thriller last season.

4. What made you transition from being the starting quarterback in high school to a wide receiver at Penn?

I knew coming to Penn I would be converted to [wide receiver], and being a decent athlete I had no problem with that. Also, an Ivy League education is something that I’ve dreamed of, so attending Penn was my best option.

5. In your career so far, what is the most painful moment you recall?

My most painful moment playing football was tearing my labrum junior year of high school and having to miss half of the season.

6. During the game against Colgate, you had a breakout performance. Can you share what was on your mind as you prepared to run a drag route that ultimately resulted in a touchdown?

I knew that it was man to man coverage and I just thought if I out leveraged the guy defending me, it’s a touchdown. Once I cut to the corner of the end zone, I saw the ball in the air and reeled it in. It was a surreal moment for me.

7. While Colgate was a breakout game, this week against Bucknell, you absolutely carved the team's defense. Can you describe the chemistry and communication between you and your teammates that contributed to such a dominant performance?

I believe everything starts with the coaches and trickles down to the players. Schematically, [offensive coordinator Dan] Swanstrom is putting us in the best positions possible to make plays and we have great athletes all over the field. Right now, everything seems to be clicking for us.

8. What is your favorite route to run?

I love to run fade routes because many times it’s a one-on-one opportunity with a cornerback.

9. If you had the opportunity to play with any QB, either active or retired, who would you choose and why?

I would love to play with Patrick Mahomes because of how crafty he is and his ability to extend broken plays.

10. Are there any football players who you looked up to and tried to emulate your game after theirs?

While I was a quarterback, I tried to emulate Lamar Jackson’s style of play. Now, since I am playing receiver, I try to emulate Justin Jefferson and Stefon Diggs because of how smooth their route running is.

11. Are there any particular goals or milestones you're aiming for in your career?

Ultimately, it would be an honor to receive first team All-Ivy honors for my remaining three years at Penn, and I would love to break some of Justin Watson’s records.

12. How do you handle pressure and expectations, especially during moments when the going gets tough?

I just put my head down, tough it out, and I don’t let the outside noise affect me or the way I perform.

13. During the offseason or summer, which part of your game did you work on the most?

This offseason, I took priority in becoming a more polished route runner.

14. If you could give one piece of advice to young players aspiring to make it in football, what would it be?

I would tell young players aspiring to make it in football to just give it your all, be thankful you are in this position to play this sport, and give credit to those around you when it’s due.

15. How are you feeling about the Dartmouth matchup next week, and any score predictions?

I’m feeling great about this matchup, last year this game went to the wire, and this is our first Ivy League matchup so there will be hype surrounding this game. Score: 27-17, Quakers Win!

PHOTO

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

Sophomore Jared Richardson (left) extends to catch the ball while being pursued by sophomore David Okechukwu during a practice drill on Sept. 5.

Although this school year has just started, big changes set for next year are already being planned, including renovations to Sheerr Pool at Pottruck Health and Fitness Center.

The renovations were announced this past summer on July 10 via email to all Penn students and an announcement on the Penn Campus Recreation website. The construction

Football heads home to face Dartmouth in Ivy opener

The Quakers will be at Franklin Field for the first time this year after wins at Colgate and Bucknell

EASHWAR KANTEMNENI Sports Associate

Coming off an impressive 37-21 victory against Bucknell on Saturday, Penn football (2-0) will head back to Franklin Field for its home opener against Dartmouth (1-1) — marking the beginning of Ivy League play for the Quakers as well.

Last year when Penn played the Big Green, the team went into Hanover, N.H. on a Friday night as 11.5-point underdogs, but pulled off a thrilling 23-17 double-overtime victory. That win sent the Quakers into a higher gear for the rest of their impressive 2022 campaign, signaling their legitimacy to contend for the conference title to the rest of the Ancient Eight. This season, the Red and Blue hopes that Dartmouth will not just be a measuring stick for them, but rather another roadblock on their way to capturing an elusive Ivy League title.

Despite only two games into the season, Penn has put together its most complete performance of the season last week at Bucnkell, dominating the trenches on both sides of the ball. Penn put up 515 yards of total offense — led by junior quarterback Aidan Sayin’s three touchdowns and career-high 354 yards through the air — and a balanced rushing attack gaining over four yards per carry. Defensively, the Quakers held the Bison to a minuscule eight yards of total in rushing, largely thanks to the efforts of senior defensive tackle Joey Slackman. Although Penn’s secondary gave up three touchdowns without forcing any turnovers, much of the damage was done after the team had gained a comfortable lead.

A key area to watch on Saturday will be Penn’s receivers and passing game, ranking second in the Ivy League, against Dartmouth’s Ivy-leading pass defense, which has only allowed 182 yards and a 56.6% completion percentage by opposing quarterbacks this season. Sophomore receivers Jared Richardson — who hauled in an impressive 12 passes for 139 yards and two scores last week — and Alex Haight look to wreak havoc on the Big Green secondary.

See DARTMOUTH, page 8

SHUT DOWN SHEERR

Upcoming renovations to leave acquatics programs without a home

VALERI GUEVARRA Sports Reporter

will close the pool for the entirety of the 2024–25 school year.

“We thought it was time for some updating and improvements, including with the bulkhead, lighting, and gutters of the facility,” Associate Athletic Director of Facilities Noah Gustkey said. “Some of these things have been having maintenance issues over the last several

years.”

The renovations will start around early July 2024 and are planned to continue through June 2025, notably closing Sheerr Pool — home to Penn men’s and women’s swimming and diving — during the team’s season in the winter. Unlike other universities that have two pools, with one primarily for their varsity

teams and the other for recreational swim — essentially serving a backup pool when long-term renovations take place — Penn only has one pool for all of the school’s aquatic programs.

“We have plans to relocate the varsity teams

Women’s soccer coach Krissy Turner reached her 300th career win as a head coach on Sept.

Women’s soccer coach Krissy Turner reaches 300 career wins milestone

Turner reached the mark after the Quakers’ 1-0 victory against Lafayette earlier this month

VIVIAN YAO Sports Associate

From All-American team captain at the College of New Jersey to the head coach of Penn women’s soccer, Krissy Turner has had a long and successful career that she recently added on yet another major achievement to, notching her 300th career win as a head coach in a 1-0 battle against Lafayette on Sept. 7.

Turner started out her head coaching career at Lafayette when she was just 23. At the time, the position was not a full-time role, since there was very little investment into women’s soccer as a whole across the country. During that time frame, Turner was also coaching in the New Jersey State Girls Olympic Development Program. Despite the dismal compensation that coaching was bringing in, Turner was set on the educational process of being a coach.

“I think it was a great learning opportunity for me to be honest,” she reflected. “There wasn’t enormous expectations. The expectation was to make sure that these young women have high character, try to compete in some games and not mess it all up.”

After three years with Lafayette, Turner became a full-time head coach at Monmouth, where she would coach for the next 24 years of her career. During her time at Monmouth, she led the Hawks to win 10 conference regular-season championships and eight conference tournament championships in the Northeast Conference. Over that time, she guided the team to 282 wins.

To get to that level of success, Turner had to adjust her own mindset first. From someone who was a great player and always brought a strong “work hard” mindset to her craft, Turner had to acknowledge that not every player would be just like her. Instead, she would have to work around each player’s strengths and weaknesses in order to bring out their best. Communication became a huge key to her strategy as a coach, and has been one of her biggest aspects of growth throughout the course of her career.

“You have to challenge those players,” Turner said. “You have to help them improve, and then you also have to help them come together as a

team to work towards a common goal.”

Turner’s success at Monmouth also helped reaffirm her commitment to a career in coaching. During the early years at Lafayette, some doubts would always pop up regarding the sustainability of a career in coaching, especially in women’s soccer. Throughout her tenure at Lafayette, Turner was making just a few thousand dollars annually without many health benefits. However, being able to sign a long-term coaching contract with Monmouth helped her realize that coaching was, in fact, her calling in life.

After helping to mold Monmouth into a perennial contender, Turner was more than excited to move on to the next challenge in her life: building a successful program at Penn. With the Ivy League being one of the top women’s soccer conferences in the nation, Turner was never daunted by the fact that she might not be successful right off the bat; in fact, she welcomed the challenge. As a result, she was rewarded

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

Renovations to Sheerr Pool at Pottruck Health and Fitness Center will close the facility for the entirety of the 2024–25 school year.

PHOTO BY ANNA VAZHAEPARAMBIL

7.

See SHEERR , page 8