THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2018 VOL. CXXXIV NO. 3
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
FOUNDED 1885
U. unlikely to shift policies on marijuana The University’s policy must be consistent with federal law, as aspects of life at Penn rely on federal funding MAX COHEN Staff Reporter
The past month has brought a whirlwind of activity in laws surrounding the sale and consumption of marijuana: the state of Vermont passed a recreational marijuana bill, Attorney General Jeff Sessions allowed federal prosecutors to crack down on state marijuana programs, and Pennsylvania announced plans to open its first medical marijuana dispensary in late January. But amid this atmosphere of change, Penn’s policies towards marijuana remain constant. According to Director for the Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Program Initiatives Noelle Melartin, Penn’s campus follows federal laws on marijuana in order to maintain federal funding. So unless marijuana becomes legal in accordance to federal law, it will continue to be a banned substance at Penn. As outlined on the Vice Provost for University Life website, Penn follows the national Controlled Substances Act passed in 1970. The law states that distributing small amounts of marijuana could lead to a year in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. If distribution takes place on a college campus or within 1,000 feet of a campus, the penalties could double. Penalties could double or triple if the dis-
tribution is to a person under the age of 21. Penn also has a specific University Alcohol and Drug Policy that includes expulsion as a possible consequence for violating the antidrug campus policy, despite the fact that marijuana is decriminalized in Philadelphia. “While there is a big variety of what’s happening across the country [with marijuana laws] in different states, institutions like universities fall under federal law,” Melartin said. “Certain things that are very central to the life of a university, such as financial aid and grant funding for research come from federal funding.” As a University, Penn falls subject to the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989 that decrees that schools who violate federal law with regards to drugs are at risk of losing federal funding. However, Inside Higher Ed reported that this threat to funding has never been formally implemented. Federal law currently classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance, according to Marcel BonnMiller, a Penn assistant professor of Psychology in Psychiatry. Bonn-Miller’s research specializes in the potential for cannabis to be used as a treatment for individuals SEE POT PAGE 6
Penn Figure Skating Club in need of University funding SAC rejected the club’s request for funding CLAIRE SLINEY Staff Reporter
For almost two years, the Penn Figure Skating Club has fought to receive University funding. Time and time again, it has been turned away. The Penn Figure Skating Club, comprised of almost 40 active members, is in a difficult position compared to most other clubs on campus. Although the skating club is recognized by the Student Activities Council, it cannot receive SAC funding. According to the SAC website, “earning SAC recognition provides groups with access to SAC funding as well as a budget code and bank account in [the Office of Student
Affairs].” However, because the skating club is recognized as both a recreational and competing activity, it has to receive its funding from the Sports Club Council — a subdivision of Penn Recreation — rather than from SAC. In other words, SAC cannot provide funding for the club. Sports clubs that are part of the SCC allow their members to hold practices several times a week, as well as to compete against surrounding schools in designated leagues and tournaments, according to its website. In a Nov. 25 email from SAC Vice Chair and New Group Recognition Director and College and Wharton senior Nikita Sood to Figure Skating Club President SEE SAC PAGE 2
ALANA SHUKOVSKY | DESIGN EDITOR ANANYA CHANDRA | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Five of the respondents alleged sexual harrassment at Penn KATIE STEELE & MICHEL LIU Contributing Reporter & Assignments Editor
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new public survey on sexual harassment in higher education has pointed towards a range of alleged incidents at Penn. One respondent said their Penn professor hugged her and caressed her neck even when she tried to break free; another wrote that “in a sick moment, [their professor]
stuck his tongue inside [her] mouth.” Karen Kelsky, a former anthropology professor at the University of Oregon and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign started this survey on Nov. 30, inviting victims of harassment to share their stories, Philly Voice reported. As of Jan. 16, over 2,300 responses were filed in the rapidly-growing spreadsheet that calls on anonymous respondents to describe incidents of sexual harassment that they have faced within the realm of academia and high-
er education. Five entries of sexual harassment allegedly were perpetrated by Penn colleagues, mentors, and faculty members. Four of the respondents were graduate students at the time of the incident, while one was an adjunct lecturer. All the respondents said their alleged harassers were male. On Dec. 7, an adjunct lecturer described an incident with a tenured dissertation adviser who made an unwantSEE SURVEY PAGE 3
Wharton alumna launched startup to help students with financial aid The startup has worked with 200,000 families NAOMI ELEGANT Staff Reporter
When College junior Kenneth Lac was applying to college, he had to fill out all his financial aid applications himself — his parents, firstgeneration immigrants, did not speak enough English to be able to complete the forms. When his mother lost her job at the start of last semester, Lac had to renegotiate his financial aid by himself, a process he described as “a struggle” that made tasks like buying textbooks for class and applying for study abroad programs extremely complicated. “Life is on hold when money is on hold,” Lac said. In launching her startup Frank, 2013 Wharton graduate Charlie Javice set out to help people exactly like Lac.
OPINION | Taking a Break from Social Media
“We use our phones to avoid making eye contact with people on Locust Walk, in line at a grocery store, and in the elevator.” -Jay Shah PAGE 4
SPORTS | Great Expectations
After returning all but two gymnasts from last season, Penn gymnastics sets the bar high on its goals for the year BACKPAGE
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Founded in 2016, Javice’s company is a 20-person startup that aims to reduce student debt by advocating for better initial financial aid, rather than saddling college graduates with large student loans. Javice said Frank has saved an average of $7,000 in tuition for each student who has used the service. Since its launch, Frank has worked with over 200,000 families, according to the website. Frank seeks to minimize the cost of college in two ways — assisting with the “difficult” federal financial aid application process and negotiating with college financial aid offices to get more aid for students. Javice founded Frank to make higher education more affordable after her own struggles renegotiating financial aid at Penn. “The concept of the American Dream is really dead if
you look at student debt,” Javice said. “I grew up in a household where my parents were always very much saying ‘If you love what you do you will become something and be someone if you work hard enough at it’, and that just isn’t true for most of America because of student debt.” Any student applying for financial aid begins by filling out a FAFSA application, and Frank helps those students in a manner similar to how TurboTax helps people file their taxes. The company also offers an aid appeal service that helps students renegotiate their aid packages, with “the lowest tuition guaranteed.” “You should never accept the first aid offer that you get,” said Javice, who described her “frustrating” experience dealing with her own financial aid. As an undergraduate at Penn, Javice undertook
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an appeal for better financial aid and learned how time consuming the process can be for families. The “back and forth” with Penn’s financial aid office to negotiate for more aid, though ultimately successful, took a semester, and happened every year with every new aid award. “It’s grueling, it’s emotional,” Javice said, adding that her mother was “in tears” during several phone conversations with the financial aid office. “That doesn’t help the administrator get the information out of you,” Javice said. “We work with you and make sure they get someone professional on the other side.” According to Director of Communications in the Division of Finance Paul Richards, though, Penn Student Financial Services has never worked SEE STARTUP PAGE 2
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