THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA • FOUNDED 1885
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2026
VOL. CXLII
NO. 24
Students scramble after abrupt China study abroad cancellation
Penn to expand Title IX capacity Penn President Larry Jameson’s announcement came in the wake of a lawsuit filed by a former Cornell University student alleging she was gang raped
In August, the University notified students they could no longer attend the program in light of new federal regulations
JAMES WAN Senior Reporter
Penn President Larry Jameson reaffirmed the University’s commitment to preventing sexual violence at a University Council meeting on Wednesday. Jameson’s Oct. 14 comments came in the wake of a lawsuit filed by a former Cornell University student alleging she was gang raped for nearly seven hours on the school’s campus in 2024. The case has renewed national discussions about sexual violence and drawn outrage on college campuses across the country. The University’s approach to preventing sexual harassment and assault is “unwavering,” Jameson said during the meeting. Penn plans to expand its education and awareness efforts and increase its Title IX capacity, he added. Jameson referred to the recent launch of the Center for Civil Rights, which consolidated the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, the Office of the Associate Vice President for Equity & Title IX, and the Office of Religious and Ethnic Interests under a single entity. Penn announced CCR’s leadership last month, appointing Michele Rovinsky-Mayer to continue her work leading the University’s Title IX efforts. “Everyone at Penn has the right to be safe, respected, and heard, and we condemn sexual misconduct and violence in all forms,” Jameson wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian. “As part of our ongoing commitment to doing better, we are strengthening our approach to prevention through expanded education and awareness efforts, additional Title IX capacity, and the work of our Center for Civil Rights.” The center aims to “strengthen our approach to prevention,” keep policies up to date, and “foster allyship,” Jameson said at the Oct. 14 meeting. “Our policies and resources matter, and the culture we build together matters just as much,” Jameson wrote to the DP. “This is an area where Penn can be a national model of excellence, and that will require all of us to continue this work with urgency, transparency, and accountability.” That goal, to position Penn as a leader in eliminating sexual harassment and violence, recalls a call to action Jameson made ahead of the annual Take Back the Night march in April. See TITLE IX, page 2
AMY LIAO Senior Reporter
two faculty members. The letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian, argues that although that structure meets the minimum requirements set by the Statutes of the Trustees, “a more generous interpretation of those guidelines is needed at this current moment.” Penn’s standard presidential search process is
College of Arts and Sciences senior Alexis Bienstock had envisioned spending this semester thousands of miles away from Penn. With her flights booked and her visa paperwork in order, Bienstock was set to study abroad at Fudan University in Shanghai. But when classes began, she found herself stuck in Philadelphia. On July 23, the federal government updated Section 1286 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act — a list of foreign institutions engaging in activities of concern — to include Fudan. The Department of Defense had determined that the institution posed high national security risks and was likely to misappropriate funds granted to American research projects. To comply with the new regulation, Penn ended its Fudan undergraduate study abroad program. On Aug. 5, just over two weeks before the start of the fall semester, accepted students were asked to consider alternatives. A Penn Abroad spokesperson wrote in a statement that the University “may reassess” the program cancelation “should new information or direction become available.” “Any undergraduate students intending to study abroad at Fudan University were contacted by Penn Abroad directly to discuss alternative options that will allow them to continue to pursue their academic and professional goals,” they wrote. In response to requests for clarification, the spokesperson declined to comment further. Students were given the chance to speak with Penn Abroad staff and College advisers about the change, according to an internal email reviewed by The Daily Pennsylvanian. Because other Penn partnerships in China remain unaffected, the office asked students to consider switching. “I did not know that what happened was even a possibility,” Bienstock said in an interview. “I was also confused why it applied to me. I was an undergraduate studying abroad — I wasn’t conducting top-secret research.” Penn Abroad offered to defer her plans to the spring, she said, but Bienstock did not want to spend her final
See SEARCH, page 3
See CHINA, page 2
CONNIE ZHAO | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
On Oct. 9, Penn’s Faculty Senate expressed concern over the composition of the search committee in a letter to University Board of Trustees Chair Ramanan Raghavendran.
Faculty Senate expresses ‘grave concern’ over presidential search In a letter to the University Board of Trustees chair, the Faculty Senate tri-chairs urged more diverse representation on the search committee ALEX DASH Senior Reporter
The committee leading the search for Penn’s next president fails to reflect the diversity of the University community, according to a complaint lodged by Penn’s Faculty Senate. On Oct. 9, the Senate tri-chairs addressed their “grave concern” over the composition of the search committee in a letter to University Board of Trustees Chair Ramanan Raghavendran. Announced last week, the committee consists of seven trustees and
Kelly Writers House offers a different Penn Dems hosts Shapiro ahead of kind of college recruitment Election Day A targeted recruitment program looks to attract high school students who ‘might not otherwise find Penn’
The Oct. 11 event drew roughly 100 attendees and featured a discussion with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro about the state’s role in the midterms
IMANI GASKIN Staff Reporter
MARA FLORES Staff Reporter
Division I athletes aren’t the only students who are recruited for Penn. Each year, Kelly Writers House expands the pipeline to the University through concentrated efforts to connect with and admit talented high school writers. Associate Director of Recruitment for the Creative Writing Program Jamie-Lee Josselyn manages the institution’s official recruitment program — which takes her to various high schools in an effort to encourage skilled writers to apply to Penn. According to Josselyn, it is “important for creative students to know from the jump that the university they attend cares about them as creative students, writers, and artists.” In an interview, she explained that she looks for students who “might not otherwise find Penn” or who may have been unaware of the University’s writing community and creative offerings. Josselyn, a 2005 College graduate, began working as an assistant to Al Filreis, KWH’s associate faculty director, upon graduation. Initially, Filreis managed the center’s recruitment through correspondence with interested students. In 2012, Josselyn took on and transformed the role, explaining that it “made sense” to “be more proactive than reactive in our efforts finding students.” She now visits certain high school programs that she believes KWH “should be connected to.” She also hosts the Summer Workshop for Young Writers, a 10-day residential program for high school students who want to explore a creative Penn education. College first year Adley Hill was one of them. When she first imagined her college education, Penn was not in consideration. She highlighted Josselyn’s visit to her high school, which changed her perspective on the University as a place where she could pursue her interest in creative writing. Since arriving on campus, Hill has explored an “underground and underappreciated culture of arts” at Penn. NEWS Penn’s mandatory reporting policy is one way the University’s approach to sexual misconduct differs from peer institutions
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“I never would’ve envisioned myself at an Ivy League school,” she reflected. Hill credited her decision to come to Penn to her interactions with Josselyn and time spent at the summer workshop. She added that for those not already involved with KWH through its email list or website, promotion isn’t very “in-your-face” — but expressed that the limited advertising made the program feel “more intimate.” Josselyn emphasized the impact her support carries during the college admissions process. “I can answer questions that students have as they’re going through the application process, then I communicate with admissions to let them know who I’ve been in touch with,” she said. According to Hill, about five or six of the 15 people in her summer program cohort are now enrolled students at Penn. After students are admitted to the University, Josselyn continues her correspondence with them. “We can make sure they get involved and have all the support and information they need to hit the ground running,” she added. College first year Marlen Flores-Jimenez highlighted the help she received during the admissions process. Josselyn reviewed and left feedback on her personal statement — which is a required part of the Common App admissions platform. “I’m not the kind of person who loves over-thetop support, but I think words of encouragement mean a lot to me,” Flores-Jimenez said. “I don’t think she knows how much her words meant to me at that moment.” The Creative Writing Recruitment Program also aims to inform first-generation and low-income students about campus opportunities — including what Josselyn called the University’s “great financial aid.” She added that she attempts to help students settle See RECRUIT, page 3
NEWS Penn released a University-specific financial aid calculator for prospective students Wednesday
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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro visited Penn’s campus on Sunday for a meet-and-greet ahead of the November midterm elections. Hosted by the Penn Democrats, the Oct. 11 event drew roughly 100 attendees and featured a discussion from Shapiro about Pennsylvania’s role in the midterms, along with his policy priorities. Shapiro is running for reelection against Republican nominee
and Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity. In his remarks, Shapiro spoke about the importance of achieving a Democratic trifecta — a Democratic governor, as well as majorities in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and State Senate — in the upcoming elections. That combination has not occurred in the state since 1992, he See SHAPIRO, page 3
KENNY CHEN | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Shapiro speaks at Penn on Oct. 11.
OPINION The Daily Pennsylvanian Editorial Board argues the consolidation of Penn’s civil rights offices fails to support students
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2026
THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM
News
How Penn’s sexual violence resources stack up against peers Many University policies and resources fall short of those offered by peer institutions, according to The Daily Pennsylvanian’s analysis AIDAN SHAUGHNESSY Senior Reporter
Penn President Larry Jameson has repeatedly touted the University’s commitment to becoming a “national model of excellence” in preventing campus sexual violence. But many of Penn’s policies and resources fall short of those offered by peer institutions, according to a Daily Pennsylvanian analysis. Last month, a former Cornell University student filed a civil lawsuit alleging she was drugged and sexually assaulted by seven members of Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024. The university’s response has drawn widespread accusations that Cornell administrators mishandled the case. The suit has incited national conversations about how sexual violence is handled on college campuses, bringing institutional policies — including those in place at Penn — under renewed scrutiny. In a 2024 survey, 16.7% of Penn undergraduates identifying as women and 6.1% identifying as men reported experiencing nonconsensual sexual contact during their time on campus. The same report found that of the 7.5% of undergraduate women who reported experiencing nonconsensual penetration, over three-quarters chose not to contact a program or resource on campus about the experience. Respondents predominantly stated that they “could handle it” themselves and “did not think it was serious enough” to merit contacting a third party. Only half of all respondents reported that they felt as though it was “very or extremely likely that campus officials would take the report seriously.” Penn’s Title IX office, which oversees sexual misconduct complaints, was recently consolidated under a new Center for Civil Rights this June. At a Sept. 9 University Council meeting, students raised concerns about a lack of transparency surrounding the office and its implications for survivor protections. In response to a request for comment, a University spokesperson referred the DP to Penn’s publicly available crime reporting and sexual misconduct resources. The spokesperson declined to comment further. During an Oct. 14 meeting of the University Council, Jameson skirted around the Cornell incident but pledged to expand education and awareness efforts and to increase Title IX capacity. In an open forum following his remarks, student leaders expressed concerns about the efficacy of the University’s approach to sexual violence on Penn’s campus. A review by the DP found that Penn’s sexual misconduct resources, faculty training requirements, and around-theclock student support differ from those of its Ivy League peers. Reporting requirements Most Penn professors, teaching assistants, and academic advisors are not required to make an official report when a student tells them about sexual misconduct they’ve experienced. That responsibility falls to a designated group of “Required Reporters” — employees who work in offices not explicitly identified as confidential. Under Penn’s current policies, these employees are the only ones mandated to report disclosures to the Office of the Associate Vice President for Equity & Title IX.
TITLE IX, from front page “Even one incident is one too many,” Jameson wrote at the time. Penn Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention pushed for more details regarding the new center at last month’s University Council meeting. Since then, members of CCR and other administrators have met with the group — alongside the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Undergraduate Assembly — according to the secretary of the University Council. Representatives from several student organizations
CHINA, from front page semester away from campus. Visa processing delays also ruled out a transfer to another Penn Abroad program in China. Bienstock considered taking a leave of absence from Penn to independently study at Fudan, but doing so would prevent her from completing her East Asian Languages and Civilizations minor. Her options as a result were “not particularly appealing.” Penn Abroad also warned Bienstock that studying at Fudan could complicate future federal background checks. “The risk of being excluded from a job I potentially want wasn’t worth it,” she decided. Bienstock said she wished Penn offered “more clarity” about the last-minute change. “I understand that they might not necessarily have the information, but I was presented with this very difficult cost-benefit analysis because the cost was unclear,” she said. One College junior, who requested anonymity due to fear of retribution, had plans to study abroad at Fudan during the upcoming spring semester, but decided to switch his application to a different program. In an interview, the student described the situation
At Penn, the list of offices and individuals required to make official reports includes the Division of Human Resources; deans, vice deans, associate deans, or assistant deans in each of the 12 schools; vice, associate, or assistant provosts; and the Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics. The University’s approach to reporting sexual misconduct has narrowed over the past decade. In 2016, the DP reported that Penn’s Office of General Counsel concluded that all faculty were responsible for reporting sexual violence. Three years later, Penn consolidated its sexual misconduct rules into one policy and one intake office. According to a Penn Violence Prevention webpage, the reporting process changed again on Aug. 14, 2020 — the day new federal Title IX regulations took effect. In 2026, the American Association of University Professors argued that instructors will struggle to “share their knowledge and research with students if they are unable to ensure privacy.” In contrast, Harvard University, Columbia University, and Princeton University obligate nearly all faculty to report sexual misconduct. At Harvard, all faculty and staff — including proctors, tutors, course staff, resident deans, and student employees — are “required to promptly share” incidents of sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct with a Title IX Resource Coordinator “unless otherwise designated as a confidential resource.” Columbia faculty and staff also have a responsibility under University policy to report gender-based misconduct involving undergraduate and graduate students “immediately.” Princeton has the same obligation for all nonconfidential employees. Like Penn, Cornell and Brown University limit required reporters. Cornell’s list includes deans, athletic staff, and faculty and staff advisors, while Brown designates department chairs, directors of undergraduate studies, coaches, and deans. Brown also strongly encourages other faculty, staff, and students to “confer with the individual harmed” before making a disclosure. Faculty and student training Unlike some peer institutions, Penn does not require all faculty to complete sexual misconduct training. The University’s training module, titled “Preventing and Addressing Sexual Misconduct at Penn,” is offered to faculty and staff. A previous webpage for Penn’s Title IX office described the training as a refresher that “can be revisited in its entirety or referred to as needed.” According to the sexual misconduct policy, faculty who sit on hearing panels for misconduct cases are required to complete the training. Under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, all colleges must provide prevention and awareness programs on sexual violence to new employees and students. Penn Violence Prevention runs much of the University’s programming for students. During New Student Orientation, PVP’s hourlong “Consent Circles” sessions equip incoming first-year students with tools to discuss and practice consent while learning about the resources available at Penn. The online program “Thrive at Penn” also covers consent and sexual misconduct resources, and is accessible on Canvas for all
incoming students. According to PVP’s webpage, all fraternity and sorority members must complete sexual violence prevention education both as new members and annually with their chapter. Chapters at Penn that fail to meet this requirement may be subject to sanctions and fines. At many of Penn’s peer universities, training is mandatory and often recurring for all students and employees. Harvard has required all faculty, staff, and students to complete an online Title IX training since 2018. Columbia also requires new employees to complete an online course on their reporting duties, though like Penn, new students are only required to complete a 60-minute antidiscrimination training once. According to Princeton’s policy, faculty, staff, and second-year graduate students must complete a 45-minute program within 30 days of getting hired and renew it every three years. Cornell implements the same requirement for faculty, staff, and student employees, but instead mandates renewal every year. Incoming undergraduate and graduate students at Princeton are also given “mandatory” sexual violence prevention training, with additional required training for certain leadership roles on campus, such as residential college advisors. Columbia and Cornell are unique in that New York law requires employers in the state to provide sexual harassment prevention training every year. While Cornell also requires training for students, the school has recognized the shortcomings of its online course in the aftermath of the 2024 incident. In March, a task force formed over the University’s alleged 2024 assault recommended in-person programming at new student orientation and sexual-health content in first-year advising classes, which were implemented this fall. Confidential support At Columbia, Princeton, Harvard, and Brown, students can reach a 24/7 confidential hotline dedicated to sexual and relationship violence. At Penn, there is no such resource. The only 24/7 confidential option named in the University’s sexual misconduct policy is Special Services, a Division of Public Safety department that supports community members who have experienced any type of crime,
not just sexual misconduct. The line does, however, provide transportation and accompaniment to the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center. Outside the policy, Penn widely advertises the HELP Line, a 24/7 line answered by DPS professionals trained in mental health referrals. Originally launched in 2014 as a mental health resource, the line’s stated purpose is simply for information and referrals. Penn’s other confidential support offices for survivors are available during business hours, including PVP and the Penn Women’s Center on Locust Walk, which provides confidential crisis and counseling. Student Health and Counseling — which houses a confidential Sexual Trauma Treatment and Outreach and Prevention team — offers an after-hours counselor line, but serves general mental health needs rather than sexual violence specifically. At other universities, 24/7 lines are often run by offices dedicated to sexual violence. In many cases, they are kept separate from the institution’s Title IX office. Columbia’s Sexual Violence Response, a department of Columbia Health, has advocates available 24/7. Princeton similarly operates a Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising, Resources and Education office, which is independent of the Title IX office. Harvard’s team, also called SHARE, also runs an around-the-clock confidential hotline, as does Brown’s BWell Health Promotion office. Cornell offers a 24/7 confidential line at Cornell Health as well as an off-campus advocacy center hotline. Reporting at Penn is primarily done through the CCR’s main form, which requires a PennKey upon submission, or by calling 215-P-COMPLY. The line covers all policy or legal violations, from misuse of funds to sexual misconduct. It takes reports but provides no counseling or advocacy services. Through 215-P-COMPLY’s online portal, anonymous reports can be submitted via a confidential password that allows for communication with the Title IX office without revealing personal information. Princeton and Brown also route anonymous reports through general compliance hotlines. Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell, on the other hand, accept anonymous reports through online forms dedicated to Title IX concerns.
KAREEM AL-AREFI | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
College Hall on Sept. 24.
continued to discuss the University’s Title IX policies at Wednesday’s open forum session. College senior and UA President Musab Chummun argued that “Title IX needs reform,” adding that it is “not enough to do the bare minimum required by law.” At the open forum, Chummun also connected the issue to his broader criticism of Penn’s governance approach. The University, he said, has a “pervasive, defining, and all-encompassing” problem of following “directives as boxes to check off.” In a message to the University community last month, the UA condemned Cornell’s response to the incident and announced the formation of a committee aimed at improving Penn’s existing policies. “This tragic event reflects a broader reality across higher education, and Penn is no exception,”
Chummun wrote in a Sept. 28 email to undergraduates. “As a community, it is important that we stand by survivors and hold perpetrators accountable.” A representative from the Penn Association for Gender Equity argued that the Cornell lawsuit “raised hard questions about whether Title IX offices are serving their purpose.” The University’s Title IX office has insufficient resources, according to the student. “Our institution is only at the forefront of change if there is a safe model for us to follow,” the representative said, adding that “verbal commitment has never and will never suffice.” Penn for Immigrant Rights also emphasized how changes around Title IX heavily affect undocumented survivors, calling for “culturally competent
support” to bolster “a sense of security in this country.” An ASAP representative described the current “unease, sadness, and frustration” on campus. They highlighted the importance of upholding a “daily fight” for survivors. “What happens when the news settles down?” the spokesperson asked. “Do not just let this be another passing headline.” One member of the United Minorities Council referenced a 1983 gang rape case involving Penn’s Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. “What makes Penn different from Cornell?” they asked. “Sexual misconduct is not an abstract concern.” Senior reporter Kathryn Ye contributed reporting.
as “unfortunate” and a “somewhat unforeseen” consequence of a “geopolitical conflict started by the administration in power.” “Had there been some kind of warning or someone watching out for what regions might be at risk, any note might have persuaded me to pursue a different program to begin with,” he said while acknowledging the unpredictability of the circumstances. He transferred his application to the National University of Singapore, stating that he did not want to choose another university in China — or even Hong Kong — given the risk. Singapore, he said, was “something that I’m just as excited for, but with a little bit more safety.” Despite his disappointment, the student said he understood the security concerns and considered them “reasonable,” but added that students lose a “cultural aspect” of learning when these opportunities are taken away. “When the only information that you get about a country or place is from within your own country without seeing it firsthand, it just creates an environment for unhealthy competition and it’s easy to hate something that you don’t know,” he said. “But I think that it’s important to explore cultures firsthand precisely for that reason, because perspective helps you resolve conflict and work productively.” 2026 College graduate Avia Weber — who studied abroad at Fudan in the fall of 2024 — said that despite
the tense state of United States-China relations at the time, she does not remember any “fear mongering” or “red flags” during pre-departure training. Weber said she was surprised by Fudan’s addition to the Pentagon’s list given its status as a civilian university. Other institutions previously affected under Section 1286, she said, had largely been military affiliated. “Given that our government is very unpredictable at the moment, I understand why Penn canceled it, and I don’t think Penn would have done it out of the blue if they didn’t have to,” she added. The Defense Department first published its Section 1286 list in 2023 to identify foreign institutions that could pose a risk to U.S.-funded research. Early inclusions were largely Chinese military institutions, such as the Air Force Engineering University and Army Medical University. The list expanded in July to include 88 Chinese institutions — among them Fudan — and now names 130 institutions across China, Russia, and Iran. Beginning in fiscal year 2026, the Pentagon is barred from funding research collaborations with any of them. 2025 College graduate Filip Manjevic, who studied abroad at Fudan in the fall of 2024, said studying in China during the final few months of former President and Benjamin Franklin Presidential Practice professor Joe Biden’s term felt “very normal” and “wasn’t controversial at all.” Now, he said in an interview, Americans studying in China may face “a bad rep” because of 1968 Wharton graduate and President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. “In the future, people will be more judged if they say that they’re from the U.S.,” he said, adding that American students may need to be “more cautious” and refrain from discussing politics. “Because it’s just very dependent on administration, I hope to see that after these four years, it will go back to normal.” Students can still study in Shanghai through the Council on International Education Exchange and in Beijing through China Educational Tours or Middlebury. Students at the Wharton School also have the option of studying abroad at Peking University and Tsinghua University in Beijing. The University introduced a program in Taiwan through CIEE Taipei in 2019, but that program no longer exists. “I’m a firm believer that if we want to improve our relations with these regions and countries, we need people on the ground,” Weber said. “I think study abroad and student exchange is the most important because it goes back to the individual levels of humanity and treating people like people rather than professionals.” Her parting advice to future students: “Remember
your core values and just know that those are transferable to any location no matter what.” “Penn people are very resilient,” Weber added. “Just make the most of where you end up and being flexible is most important.” Paul Goldin, who serves as the interim chair of the East Asian Languages and Civilizations Department, said he learned about the update “second or thirdhand.” He thinks Penn Abroad should have informed the department directly, but he does not blame the University for the larger decision — nor would he have objected to it. Like Weber, Goldin said he was surprised by Fudan’s inclusion on the Section 1286 list. Penn’s relationship with the university is humanities-focused and does not involve national security, he said. Goldin said U.S.-China relations now carry greater economic and political significance than they did in the 1990s, which has consequences for both American students who want to study in China and for Chinese students who want to study in the United States. “The best-case scenario would be finding areas of shared interest and trying to capitalize on that, rather than aiming for something that would be extremely unlikely, which would be that the United States and China become allies,” he said. Goldin added that he avoids offering student political guidance because “the sands shift so quickly that any political advice we give might be obsolete soon after.” Students, he added, are largely responsible for navigating these decisions themselves. Melvin Lee, director of the Chinese Language Program, said he was informed of Penn Abroad’s decision in August. He does not expect the restrictions to significantly affect Chinese language enrollment at Penn, because only a “very small percentage” of students in the program study abroad. Lee said he is more concerned about graduate students, particularly those who travel to China for extended periods to conduct research. According to him, Chinese Language Program faculty will continue recommending established programs in China and will also encourage students to consider alternative options if unexpected restrictions disrupt their plans. For Bienstock, who is set to graduate by the end of the academic year, it is already too late. Taking Chinese classes at Penn, she said, “will not make up for the experience of being on the ground.” “I just found it very ironic,” she concluded. “It really undermines partnerships going forward and discourages what I came to Penn to do — intellectual exploration and meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures.”
CHINATOPIX VIA AP
The campus of Fudan University in Shanghai in 2017.
THEDP.COM | THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2026
NEWS 3
Penn releases cost calculator for prospective students Unlike generic formulas used across higher education, Penn’s tool is specific and customizable JAMES WAN Senior Reporter
Penn released a new cost calculator for prospective students on Wednesday, providing estimates tailored to the University’s financial aid policies. Unlike generic formulas used across higher education, Penn’s tool is specific and customizable, offering students a more precise estimate of their cost of attendance. The University launched a beta version of the cost calculator on Oct. 14 and plans to refine it in the coming months. Dean of Admissions Whitney Soule acknowledged that “looking at a sticker price” can be “intimidating” during a Tuesday event accompanying the launch. “Even when it’s usually contextualized that that might not be what you pay and it’s worth looking further, it can still be really intimidating for families to see the cost of education and just feel that the environment might not be for them,” she said. In March, the University Board of Trustees voted to approve a 3.9% increase in undergraduate tuition, bringing the total cost of tuition, fees, room, and board to $94,582 for the 2026-27 academic year. Since 2016, cost of attendance has outpaced the average rate of inflation. According to Soule, the calculator will not only provide “a better experience for families,” but also help attract the “very best talent.” Executive Vice President Mark Dingfield said that existing net price calculators, which the Department of Education requires universities to make publicly available, “don’t use their institution’s own specific aid policies.” The cost calculator, he said, uses “Penn’s specific financial aid methodology.” “This tool was developed in-house by people here at Penn,” Dingfield added. “This was a collective program that brought together folks from financial aid, admissions, our technology group, and even our colleagues from Penn Medicine who brought some of their user experience development work.” The tool’s website displays profiles of eight sample households with varying financial and family backgrounds, allowing users to see how similar users would pay without entering their own data. For an individualized estimate, families can upload their Form 1040 — the personal federal income tax return document — or manually enter
SHAPIRO, from front page said. Shapiro also spoke about the responsibility party leaders have to “show up” and mobilize young voters before Election Day on Nov. 3. “You’ve got an ability to change the makeup of the Congress of the United States right here in Pennsylvania, but we can’t take young people’s votes for granted,” Shapiro said in a post-event interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian. “We’ve gotta show up, look you in the eye, ask you for it, and help you realize your power, and that’s what I hope people took away from the conversation today.” Shapiro said that during recent visits to college campuses, he has noticed an “infectious” sense of
SEARCH, from front page carried out by two groups, both of which are convened by the Trustees chair. The first, a consultative committee, which solicits community input to recommend desirable qualities for a Penn president. A search committee then finds, interviews, and recommends candidates. The statutes mandate that the search committee includes a maximum of eight members in addition to the Trustees chair, with at least two trustees and at least two faculty members. There is no requirement for student representation. “A Presidential Search Committee that better represents both faculty and students would be more likely to establish the foundation of trust required for the success of the incoming President,” the tri-chairs wrote in the message. Raghavendran wrote in a statement that the composition of the search committee “was developed in accordance with the University’s Statutes and Standing Resolutions.” “I am grateful to all who have contributed to this important process and confident that the Search Committee will conduct a rigorous, thoughtful, and successful search,” he added. Raghavendran declined further requests for comment. College senior and Undergraduate Assembly President Musab Chummun, who served on the consultative committee but was not tapped for the search committee, wrote in a statement that the process of selecting a president “must include student input at each step.” “It is important for students to be involved at every step of the process, especially with a decision that will affect the entire campus for years,” Chummun wrote. “While the committee composition is not violating any bylaws, it can still be improved.” Chummun added that he is working to draft “bylaw changes to codify a student seat on future Search committees.” “Trustees and the two faculty members cannot speak for the vast identities that make up our student body,” College junior and University Council member Alondra Santos-Godinez wrote in a statement. College senior and University Council member Rodrigo Jara noted the presence of students on the Consultative Committee but asked why students were not included in the “part of the process that is actually working with the consideration and the selection of candidates.” Adam Ziada, a graduate student at the Perelman School of Medicine and the President of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, was the only other student member on the consultative committee. “We aren’t just students who attend and leave after 4 years; we are and become members of a greater community, and I think that needs to be emphasized more,” Jara wrote in a statement. “As individuals of this community, we experience the consequences of decisions made by university leadership.” “There are still valuable opportunities to incorporate student perspectives throughout the search,” according to University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School student and University Council member Roman Bahadursingh. “In particular, I hope the committee will proactively consider the needs and interests of the students whose educational experiences will ultimately be shaped by the next president’s leadership,”
financial information. Users are also asked to provide household characteristics, parent assets, and other details. “Because we are asking families to upload something as sensitive as 1040, I’m sure you can imagine that privacy and security have been a major consideration throughout this build,” Soule said. “We have spent plenty of time working through that, and we’ve gone through several reviews with our privacy and security partners, and we have secured the verification that this tool is compliant with the very strict security standards that Penn has.” After submitting their information, families can see a first-year cost of attendance breakdown — divided into Penn’s grant, the family’s payment, and work-study. Families with more complex circumstances may receive “less precise” results from the calculator and are encouraged to speak with Penn’s financial aid team, Soule said. As of now, the resource is not designed for international students. Every cost estimate is coupled with a “why this number” explanation, which outlines “in plain language how factors like income and assets influence the estimate,” according to Student Registration and Financial Services Associate Vice President Mariana Valdes-Fauli. “This has consistently been one of the most wellreceived features in all the user testing that we did,” Valdes-Fauli said. “Families and counselors have really appreciated having more visibility into our process that can otherwise feel opaque.” The tool also features a four-year projection of attendance cost, accounting for expected annual growth in the cost of attendance, parent income growth, and other factors. Users can also see how a sibling entering college or summer internship income would affect their projection. Families can save their estimate and share it with others by creating an account on the website. While calculating their estimated cost, users can direct questions to a chatbot, according to Valdes-Fauli. “We’ll also track questions the chatbot can’t answer, helping us identify information gaps and continuously improve the calculator and supporting
resources after launch,” she said. Valdes-Fauli highlighted that the website also has “a dedicated back-end experience for financial aid staff that gives counselors greater visibility into estimates.” “This means that conversations can start from a shared understanding of a family’s circumstance,” she said. “The result is a more informed, personalized experience for families with counselors better equipped to provide relevant guidance and answer questions efficiently.” In an email to the University community on Wednesday, Dingfield, Penn President Larry Jameson, and Provost John Jackson Jr. said the calculator “is the first in a broad range of Penn Forward initiatives that, in addition to building trust, will enable bold discovery and extend Penn’s geographic
optimism among young voters. “There’s a belief in your skillset, a belief in your big brains and what you’re learning, that you’re going to be able to go out and use that for good in the world,” he told the DP. If reelected, Shapiro said he would begin the next legislative session by signing a bill to raise the Commonwealth’s minimum wage to $15 per hour and fully fund SEPTA and mass transit entities across the state. He also highlighted the need to increase affordable housing and codify rights for women to receive safe and legal abortions in Pennsylvania. “This is the kind of stuff we can do if we work together,” Shapiro said. During the event, Shapiro emphasized how Penn students can encourage civic engagement among other young people in Pennsylvania. “There will be a time in your life when someone
asks you, ‘When you were at the University of Pennsylvania, in the swingiest state in the entire country, what did you do?’” Shapiro asked the audience. “Did you get involved?” Shapiro announced his bid for reelection in January, during a Philadelphia rally. During his first term, Shapiro criticized Penn’s response to allegations of campus antisemitism on multiple occasions. In December 2023, the governor expressed concerns over then-Penn President Liz Magill’s congressional testimony about the University’s governance at the time. Shapiro helped shape Penn’s response to the controversy, including invoking a long-dormant state statute to appoint an observer to the University Board of Trustees. This January, he released a book in which he wrote that he “flatly” would not apologize for past statements about pro-Palestinian protesters at Penn.
Bahadursingh wrote. “Students have a unique relationship with the University, and their experiences and priorities should be a meaningful consideration as the process moves forward.” The Faculty Senate tri-chairs’ letter also voiced concern over the gender imbalance on the search committee, which includes only two women, both of whom are trustees. Due to membership limitations, the letter suggested that one of the trustees on the committee could step aside or become a non-voting member to make room for a female faculty member. The tri-chairs argued that the committee should better “reflect our faculty, which is composed of approximately 50% women.” The Senate Executive Committee voted 36-1 to send the letter, with one abstention, according to an email circulated among members. The group will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss how to proceed, according to one SEC member who requested anonymity for fear of retribution. “The composition of the Committee is particularly important considering the most recent presidential selection, which was made without the oversight of any committee or any faculty input,” the letter read. When Larry Jameson was named Penn’s 10th president in March 2025 after serving in an interim capacity, the Board of Trustees elected not to follow normal search procedures after consulting University and faculty leadership, citing “the pressing need for continuity.” The two-committee presidential search process was established in 2009, driven by “a need for a more targeted, confidential, stream-lined search process.” Previously, all search activities were housed under a single consultative committee. The 2003 consultative committee that led to the selection of former Penn President Amy Gutmann consisted of eight faculty, nine trustees, and four students. Only one complete search — which resulted in the selection of former Penn President Liz Magill — has occurred since the current system was established. While the members of the 2021 consultative committee were listed online, the composition of that cycle’s search committee was not publicly disclosed. That committee also only had two faculty representatives, according to one former member. But unlike the current iteration, the committee that went on to nominate Magill had four female participants. According to the Executive Committee of Penn’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, the 2009 changes constitute an “end run around shared governance.” “Given the central importance of Penn’s President in defining our university climate and in charting Penn’s course in these highly dynamic times, we find this failure to meaningfully include faculty and students in the search process unacceptable,” the Executive Committee wrote. “Penn can and must do better.” They added that a new president should “not want to join a campus that sees the search process as illegitimate.” One member of the Faculty Senate — who also requested anonymity for fear of retribution — told the DP that SEC is looking for ways to give faculty a greater role in the search process. “We recognize that it’s difficult once a process has been initiated to make radical alterations to it, but is there something that is possible as a way to enhance engagement with the faculty?” they said. The member added that another “part of the dialogue” is to determine whether there is cause to “reconsider” the structure of future search committees and “think about what the right way to represent the school is in the selection of a president.”
reach.” The University-wide Penn Forward framework was announced by Jameson in September 2025. The Penn Quaker Commitment, one of the nine initiatives that emerged from the framework in April, aimed to simplify costs and provide “clear, predictable pricing.” The Quaker Commitment was introduced in the 2025-26 academic year and covers at least full tuition for students whose families have a total income below $200,000. The University does not consider private home equity when determining financial aid eligibility. Financial aid has continued to expand this year, including through a May donation for middle-income families and endowed undergraduate scholarships announced last month.
CATHERINE FAN | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
The Penn Cost Calculator was launched on Oct. 14.
RECRUIT, from front page into life at Penn and establish themselves among the KWH community. Both Hill and Flores-Jimenez currently hold work-study positions at KWH and stay involved in events. “Penn will always have a reputation for being a preprofessional place,” she said. “KWH ensures that creative students have a home here as well, and that students who want to have professional writing and writing-related careers can get support and preparation too.” Josselyn acknowledged that KWH has “been fortunate” to launch its “efforts in a unique way.” She credited “great colleagues in admissions who’ve been very supportive of our work over all these years.”
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4 OPINION
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Editorial | One office can’t protect our rights Last month, Penn’s new Center for Civil Rights became fully operational. The center, absorbing the individual offices that previously handled Title VI and Title IX, is now the central resource for all matters relating to religious, racial, and gender discrimination on campus. Penn has presented this merger as an investment in centralized reporting measures and support options. But the CCR is also undoubtedly a response to increased federal scrutiny of our University policies, and its creation raises questions about the administration’s commitment to mitigating harm in a way that truly supports students. In contrast to its typical usage as a response mechanism for sexual misconduct, Penn’s relationship with Title IX has long been defined by a debate on athletic participation. The Trump administration has repeatedly weaponized the policy in service of the president’s anti-trans agenda, finding Penn in violation based on 2022 College graduate Lia Thomas’ participation on the swim team. Our University has also gained national attention due to federal accusations of antisemitism, the initial slew of which triggered Penn to create a Title VI office in the first place. It’s clear from these controversies that the connection between Title VI and Title IX is not so much their mutual concern with civil rights as national indictments of our University’s enforcement of them. The creation of the CCR, which will “partner closely”
with Penn’s Office of General Counsel, is another obvious attempt to shield the University from legal threats of the Trump administration. If the intention was genuinely to increase accountability in all civil rights violations, the University would not dilute the specialized focus of each issue by consolidating them. All forms of discrimination certainly have intersections, but their periodic overlap absolutely does not necessitate a unified complaint process. The administration has argued that this change will reduce confusion by providing community members with a “single point of contact” for civil rights concerns. But while filing any sort of complaint is definitely an overwhelming process, the idea that a joint civil rights office addresses this concern relies on a fundamental misunderstanding of the issue. Penn’s problem with segmentation was never an issue of two completely separate legal processes operating in different offices. In actuality, ambiguity is far more common in relation to more general resources like Special Services or Restorative Practices, which are defined not by the type of complaint they address but by their method of resolution. With this in mind, increasing clarity in student resources should be done through unique resource centers for specific issues. These would have staff with appropriate expertise who can counsel community members on options for counseling and
confidential interventions, as well as their right to formally report. Contrary to Penn’s advertising of the CCR, a legal office should never be the starting point for a student to begin processing an act of violence or discrimination. Many universities have initiated similar projects already by creating sexual assault response centers that serve as a true single point of contact for survivors. These are places where students can receive explanations of resources, ongoing counseling, referrals to medical care or law enforcement, and connections to the reporting process if they so choose. If Penn really wanted to ease the resource confusion it claims to be so concerned about, it would create more centers, not destroy them. If this merger is ineffective as a source of individualized support, it is even less so as an approach to cultural reform. While the CCR is allegedly dedicated to “prevention, education, and training,” this unified approach to transforming our University culture makes little sense for such a broad range of topics. A single training curriculum for religious discrimination and sexual assault is insulting to both issues, failing to treat each with the individualized care it deserves. Each matter becomes a module to click through on a nondiscrimination Canvas page instead of a genuine dialogue about how these issues impact the lives of our community in deeply personal ways.
At Penn, there already exist resources and initiatives that assist community members in events of discrimination and other misconduct. From Penn Violence Prevention to the Spiritual and Religious Life Center, there is no shortage of community-based support options. Real dedication to antidiscrimination and student safety is investment in the bottom-up initiatives of these organizations, not the promotion of a legal office as the primary source of advocacy and prevention. It is disingenuous for Penn to present this merger as an investment in community support when it is truly an investment in its own legal protection. Make no mistake: This is another layer of bureaucracy framed as a unified approach. The endless addition of new links in the chain of command does not streamline the reporting process. It only moves University leadership farther from the victims of discrimination and violence it claims to support. Editorials represent the majority view of members of The Daily Pennsylvanian Editorial Board who meet regularly to discuss issues relevant to the Penn community. This body is led by Opinion Editor Ingrid Holmquist and operates independently from the newsroom. Questions or comments should be directed to letters@thedp.com.
Where are Penn’s third places? CONTRIBUTION | Penn needs more places where students have nowhere to be
LETTER SUBMISSION Have your own opinion? Send your letter to the editor or guest column to letters@thedp.com. Editorials represent the majority view of members of The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc. Editorial Board, which meets regularly to discuss issues relevant to Penn’s campus. Participants in these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on related topics.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Land on which the office of The Daily Pennsylvanian stands is a part of the homeland and territory of the LenniLenape people, known to the original Indigenous people as “Lenapehoking.” We affirm Indigenous sovereignty and will work to hold The Daily Pennsylvanian and the University of Pennsylvania more accountable to the needs of Native American and Indigenous people.
CONNIE ZHAO | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Contributor Luna Bouhairi argues that Penn needs more spaces where students can form casual connections.
Penn has no shortage of places to spend time. Students can study in Van Pelt-Dietrich Library, exercise at Pottruck Health and Fitness Center, grab coffee at one of the many cafes around campus, eat at Houston Market, stroll along Locust Walk, or sit outside on College Green. These spaces might seem like obvious examples of third places, a term used to describe spaces outside of home and school or work where people can gather and socialize. Research has found that these informal spaces can help people form relationships outside of more structured settings. But a cafe filled with students working on laptops or a gym full of people wearing headphones does not necessarily encourage social interaction or create a sense of community. Penn’s problem is not a lack of physical places to gather, but a lack of places designed for gathering itself. Creating or repurposing more spaces designed around casual interaction, rather than studying, working, eating, or
simply passing through, would give students more opportunities to feel more connected to campus and each other. One reason these spaces matter is that they create opportunities for what sociologists call weak ties. These are the casual relationships we have with people we recognize but may not know particularly well. Stanford sociologist Mark Granovetter introduced the concept in 1973, arguing that these connections can make a large community feel more familiar because you begin to recognize the people around you as part of your everyday environment. At a university with more than 10,000 undergraduate students, those relationships can make the campus feel much smaller. Seeing the same person, exchanging a few words, or recognizing a familiar face can make Penn feel less anonymous, even if the interaction never develops into a close friendship. Weak ties are difficult to plan: you cannot schedule a familiar face into your week the
way you can schedule a club meeting or dinner with a friend. They happen because people repeatedly occupy the same spaces, and a third place gives those encounters somewhere to happen. Third places can also introduce students to people outside the circles they already have. At Penn, many relationships naturally develop through College Houses, classes, clubs, and other organizations. These spaces bring people together for a clear reason, whether they live together, study the same subject, or share the same activity or interest. A space’s unique characteristics make the relationships formed within them valuable, but it can also mean that students spend much of their time around people they already have something in common with. Third places can also create room for spontaneity in one’s social life. As midterms roll around, college has quickly become a cycle of plans — planning for classes, meetings, assignments, and events. As a result, even
making time for friends can start to feel like another item on a schedule. There is nothing wrong with planning time together, but not every interaction should require effort by arranging it in advance. Penn does not need to build an entirely new campus to make this possible. The University could start by repurposing spaces it already has. That could mean replacing some traditional desk-style seating with couches, movable chairs, and larger communal tables, creating more indoor lounges where students can talk without worrying about disturbing people who are studying, and adding covered outdoor seating that can be used beyond the warmer months. Other universities have already experimented with making existing spaces more conducive to this kind of interaction. Princeton, for example, has flexible seating in its art museum, which is open to students and is accessible beyond typical museum hours. Similarly, Brown renovated its quad last year, which created new gathering areas and landscaping — notably a tiered layout amphitheater — designed to encourage students to spend time there. It is important to note that most of Penn’s college houses do have lounges and study group spots, which do, to some capacity, allow for social interactions. However, these spaces aren’t genuine third places. Third places should be accessible beyond a specific residential community and separate from the routines of home and work, yet, college house lounges are tied to residential buildings, meaning access can be limited for students who do not live there or cannot enter at all times. Their proximity to students’ living spaces can also make them feel like extensions of the dorm rather than shared spaces where students from across campus can casually interact. One month into my time at Penn, most of the people I’ve met have come from a class, club, or my dorm. As much as I care for those friendships, I wonder how many people I would know if I had more chances to cross paths with people I never would have thought to look for. LUNA BOUHAIRI is a College first year studying law and society from Irvine, Calif. Her email is lunabou@sas. upenn.edu.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2026
THEDP.COM | THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN
OPINION 5
Greek life may go, but the problem won’t M’S MANIFESTO | Patriarchal solidarity goes beyond Greek letters The “Cornell 7” case has caused a wave of outrage across the country, and rightfully so. People are asking themselves why we keep letting gender-based violence happen, wondering how we should address a system that keeps failing women. This recent case has reopened a longstanding conversation about whether greek life should be banned. Some argue that fraternities foster an environment where sexual assault is normalized, encouraging a damaging lifestyle of abuse, substance misuse, and transgressions. However, banning greek life falls short as an approach to address gender-based violence. Granted, the elimination of greek life might provide some temporary relief and a feeling that universities have finally done something concrete to protect the student body. Yet, what this solution fails to address is that the brotherhood that protects rapists and sexual offenders is just one facet of a violent culture that goes far beyond a fraternity house. With or without greek life, women will still face sexual violence and cases like Cornell’s Jane Doe won’t simply disappear. The Cornell case is not a one-off; we are dealing with a systemic issue. In all areas of life, men have been taught to protect each other and uphold each other’s bad behavior. This “brotherhood” has a name: patriarchal solidarity. The term refers to alliances and unspoken rules that protect perpetrators of violence from accountability. We can see this in our day-to-day life: Every year, 74% of rape cases remain unresolved, and in the 26% of cases that move forward, there is no guarantee that a perpetrator will be held accountable. These statistics speak to a system that is built to make the process of obtaining help more challenging for victims and protect their abusers instead. The very process of filing a claim is exhausting, revictimizing, and complex — what is known as institutional revictimization. At Penn, sexual assault survivors find that spaces such as the Penn Women’s Center and LGBT Center are often understaffed due to
lack of funding (but clearly not lack of cash flow), which makes the process harder to navigate and more grueling. Let’s make it even simpler. This brotherhood locks into place every time a man makes a sexist joke and his friends laugh. It’s when men objectify women on social media, and no one calls them out — like the 50 boys that remained silent in the group chat that announced Jane Doe’s assault. Psychology research has looked into how and why patriarchal solidarity operates, finding that men are more drawn to defend the status quo the more they believe gender roles are fixed. In the experiment, exposing men to essays that defended the idea that gender roles were “meant to be” made the subjects more likely to excuse and defend each other. It’s not about fraternities, it’s about a broader structure that reinforces sexism and affects how men act way before they even step foot on a college campus. Banning greek life doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of this problem. What happens when college is over and our days of wearing Greek letters are long gone? 38% of women experience sexual harassment in the workplace, but 70% of these experiences are never even reported. So, even if greek life is banned, who’s to say the problem will go away? Will that stop perpetrators from hosting parties and spiking women’s drinks? Will it stop male bystanders from looking the other way when their friends do something awful? Having an environment without greek life does not mean that we have successfully created an environment where women are protected and feel safe enough to share when they have experienced sexual assault. Look beyond America: Globally, 1 in 3 women experience sexual violence at least once in their life. Greek life might be a staple of the American college experience, but it’s still not enough to claim that it will serve as a long-lasting solution to gender-based violence. If the problem was as easy as getting rid of fraternities, women in other countries — where greek life is not a
HANNAH LAZAR | DP FILE PHOTO Senior columnist Mariana Martinez argues that sexual violence is rooted in structural, patriarchal bonds rather than institutions like greek life.
thing — would be facing lower odds of sexual violence. Our focus should not be on getting rid of the brotherhoods on campus, but rather on tackling the deeper patriarchal connections between men that prevent them from holding each other accountable for their crimes. Universities need to shift the focus away from shallow solutions and punishments — like writing an essay — and develop concrete policies and penalties where sexual assaulters are punished harshly instead of merely
excused. Only when there are streamlined, actionable reforms to protect victims instead of perpetrators will the patriarchal brotherhood finally weaken.
girlies” method works like a charm, allowing gay men to slip into parties among their hordes of women. This utility shifts the power dynamic in favor of the gays, making them powerful allies for otherwise uninterested straight men. Straight men can also use gay men to meet more women without the fear of them stealing the girls’ attention. However, this social capital only applies to getting into parties, as it vanishes the second you are in one. Fraternity parties are not about dancing or meeting people; they are opportunities for straight men to meet women with fewer obstacles. In this context, gay men are often forced into a managerial role for their female friends. They are in charge of headcounts, finding the next place to go, and making sure their girls don’t vomit, as if they were Kris Jenner “mom-aging” her Kardashians. Some especially Type A gay guys love this role, but those who don’t are left to awkwardly stand near their girls and pray for an excuse to leave. While gays can find each other at fraternities, it’s akin to parents chatting on the park bench as their kids go wild on the swing set. Needless to say, it’s not the most
inclusive environment. Although this symbiotic relationship may work out for many gay men, it leaves other members of the queer community stuck in the metaphorical line outside the fraternity house. At Penn, queer people aren’t naturally woven into the social world; they are forced to play a supporting role. Penn’s culture wasn’t made by or for gay people, and yet some of us have found a way to thrive within it. I’m not saying there is one way to be gay at Penn but rather that there is a notable lack of diverse queer expression, especially compared to other college campuses. College is often thought to provide queer people with a chance to reinvent themselves and find their community. While this may be a Herculean task at Penn, it’s all the more reason to keep trying to find your people, and eventually, you will.
MARIANA MARTINEZ is a College senior studying political science and economics from Bogotá, Colombia. Her email is marmari@sas.upenn.edu.
Penn is gay, in the straightest way CONTRIBUTION | Gayness has never felt less queer When you walk through Penn’s campus, it isn’t rare to see gay people. While our presence is far less felt here than at places like Wesleyan University and Bryn Mawr College, gay people are an undeniable part of Penn’s culture. However, the LGBTQ+ community here often feels far overrepresented by the G. If you were to park yourself on Locust Walk and watch for gay people, 90% of your sightings would be flamboyant gay men surrounded by women. Unless your gaydar is impressively fine-tuned, different types of queer people will be much harder to spot than on other college campuses. While this data is far from objective, it’s fair to say that Penn has a buttoned-up approach to queerness — especially when it comes to gay men — making our presence here feel quite straight. But what’s at the root of this queerness crisis? One hypothesis is that Penn makes it hard for the gays to find each other. When strolling about Penn’s notoriously stress-free and fun-loving club fair, you may notice a stark lack of queer clubs. Even on the day centered on “affinity groups,” there were virtually no
LGBTQ+ groups to be found — believe me, I looked. Most queer clubs on campus are mission-based and combined with other specific identities, unlike Penn’s other more social groups. Without a social context to find each other, many gay guys are forced to fall back on an old classic: “gay guy with his girlies.” This scientific phenomenon tends to have a strict limit of one gay man per group of girls, although in rare instances there can be two. This social structure gives the gay guy a role to play in heteronormative society that can actually work in his favor — if he plays it right. One of the most common sources of fun in Penn’s campus society is Greek life. Along with being sweaty and crowded, fraternity parties are famous for their confusing rules of exclusivity. The logic used by many fraternity bouncers — if you can even call them that — revolves around maximizing the ratio of women to men. This imbalance makes it nearly impossible for a group of men to gain entry to a fraternity without relying on women to even out their ratio. While this may be a problem for straight men, it is a blessing for gay ones. The aforementioned “gay guy with his
INDY WINK is a College first year studying communications from Philadelphia. His email is iwink@sas.upenn.edu.
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6 SPORTS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2026
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Sports
Annual Red and Blue Scrimmage showcases Penn basketball Expectations are high for the season, with hope that new banners will be raised in the Palestra’s rafters this spring JAVIER ST. REMY AND DANIEL OBSTGARTEN Deputy Sports Editor and Staff Reporter
Players and coaches alike know what a special year this is for Penn basketball, as the Palestra celebrates its 100th anniversary. Expectations are high for the season, with hope that the Palestra will get to see new banners raised to its rafters this spring. That quest started last Saturday with the annual Red and Blue Scrimmage. The women’s team got off to a quick start, with veterans providing a significant force on the court, most notably returning senior guard Mataya Gayle and junior forward Katie Collins. This dynamic duo, the team’s top two scorers last season, led the Red to a commanding win over the Blue, marking the official start of Gayle’s last season. “I’m proud. … I feel really ready, and I just want to give it all I have in my last year,” Gayle said. The squad also looks poised to introduce some new faces, including freshman guard Rachel Thatcher, who tied Gayle for the Red team high in points during the scrimmage. Yet between the veterans and the rookies, coach Mike McLaughlin views his team as ready for the season’s grind. “They’re competitive and determined,” McLaughlin said. “The competitive piece has so many layers to it — you have to compete in practice, when you walk in, on the court. You want to be really good; they want to be good.” The Quakers are looking to rebound from a season in which they finished fifth in the Ivy League standings, just one game behind Brown for Ivy Madness qualification. McLaughlin emphasized, “It’s not been our talking point. You reset after each year. We want to end up there, then we will.” They look to start their trek to that final destination at the Palestra on Tuesday, Nov. 3, where the Quakers open the season against the Swarthmore Garnet. The men’s scrimmage was an uber-competitive, high-scoring affair with several early lead changes. This 2026-27 edition of the reigning Ivy champions features multiple new faces who looked ready to contribute right away. Junior guard and Notre Dame transfer Sir Mohammed led all scorers with his 32-point, 12-rebound outing, securing the win for the Blue. Many returners also had big days, with senior forward Augustus Gerhart, sophomore center Dalton Scantlebury, and junior guard AJ Levine all recording double-doubles. With this blend of experienced players and newcomers, coach Fran McCaffery trusts that his veterans will help ease the new additions’ transition into the system.
SOCCER, from back page home with just over 10 minutes to go, giving Cornell a 4-3 lead. Penn never found anything close to an answer. Their best chance was on a free kick from about 25 yards out, but the Big Red defense handled the attempted pass easily.
RACHEL NA | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Penn women’s basketball scrimmages on Oct. 10.
“We have a lot of returners, which is good for the young guys that come in to have those guys to help mentor them, along with the coaching staff, and they pick stuff up pretty quickly,” McCaffery said. Sophomore guard Jay Jones played a major role in the Quakers’ 9-2 stretch in the last 11 games of the 2025-26 season, during which his minutes per game doubled in comparison to the previous 16 games he played. Jones is confident in the combination of McCaffery’s coaching style with the talent on this year’s roster. “We got a lot of new guys this year. They’re all buying in,” Jones said. “I mean, I feel like we got a bunch of
talented dudes, so it’s like the way coach Fran coaches, like [it] could be anybody’s night any given day.” Senior forward TJ Power notably did not suit up for the preseason scrimmage. Last March, Power’s 44point performance sent the Quakers to the Big Dance in an upset overtime victory over Yale in the Ivy Madness championship game. He has the same expectations this season after last season’s success. “Our expectations internally are the same, and that’s to get the most out of this group as possible,” Power said. “Externally, people are really expecting big things out of us, which is a good foundation.”
Last season, Penn men’s basketball impressed, winning the Ivy tournament after preseason polls projected it would finish seventh in the conference. Going into his second year at the helm, McCaffery makes it clear that success is the standard. “We have an expectation for how this program is going to be: successful. So that doesn’t change no matter what,” McCaffery said. The Penn men will open their season in a March Madness rematch against Illinois in Champaign, Ill., on Thursday, Nov. 5, before making their home debut on Monday, Nov. 9, against Howard.
Cornell would add an insurance goal with two minutes left, and the Quakers would leave Berman Field with their first loss in Ivy play.
lesson and move forward.” The lesson was taught and promptly received by Penn’s backline, which stood strong against a resilient Drexel attack in a 1-0 shutout victory for Penn on Tuesday evening at Vidas Field. Falcon III had a rebound performance with five saves (four of which were in the second half), and Niehenke’s first collegiate goal would prove to be the game-winner. The game also marked the first time Penn men’s soccer has won the Battle of 33rd Street since 2021. Unlike their last game, this first half did not open with speed, but rather intense physicality that helped the game live up to its nickname. Drexel had a little offensive pressure around the midway point of the first 45 minutes, with two corner kicks in succession, but Falcon III turned away both headers and kept the game scoreless. The half was heavy on shots, but very few found their way on target as the teams struggled toward a scoreless halftime. The opening of the second half was again marked by slow, physical gameplay that saw no statistic of any kind marked for the first 10 minutes of play. However, the box score also cannot capture the immense physical toll that the game was taking on those playing it. The first excitement of the half came 11 minutes in, as
Falcon III made a diving save on a low shot coming off of a quick near-breakaway. Penn promptly turned up the field, setting up their presence in the box quickly. The ball would squirt free to Niehenke, who booted a powerful shot into the back of the net to give Penn a 1-0 lead. The Dragons were seemingly ignited by this goal, and forced the Quakers to play on their heels. Drexel forced three corner kicks over the next two minutes, but Falcon III and the Penn defense held strong to keep their one-goal lead intact. After that initial post-goal flurry of activity, the game would again lull into a slower, physical game. It would remain as such until the final whistle blew, marking a Penn victory in an impressive rebound performance. “At this stage of the season, it’s important to create perspective for the players … that there’s only so much time left. The season goes quickly, and if we don’t take advantage of every opportunity, … the season can sometimes just fall out. At the moment, we still have a fair amount of opportunities in front of us,” Gill said. The Quakers will look to pick up a much-desired Ivy win in their next game on Saturday, Oct. 17 in a showdown with the Brown Bears (5-4-2, 0-2-1 Ivy) at Rhodes Field.
Quakers survive Dragons’ heat Following their second-half thrashing at the hands of Cornell, Dahlen and the Quakers knew they needed a quick turnaround for the Battle of 33rd Street. “We’ve got to show that we’re not going to let that past game affect us too much,” Dahlen said. “We’re going to take that as a
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FOOTBALL, from back page Teodecki, found Page in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. But how the tables turned. After Siqueiros-Lasky’s strong start, Penn’s defense forced Howard into punting with back-toback sacks. On the next drive, Penn fumbled on the snap, and Howard capitalized with a 30-yard touchdown. The momentum did not fall there: As soon as Penn got possession again, it threw an interception to Howard defensive back Ben Chandler IV. Despite the penalty yardage, the Quakers held firm in the red zone to force a 20-yard field goal in the final three seconds of the half. The Quakers would head into the locker room down 17-10, but leading in third-down conversion rates and passing completion percentages. The third quarter would be defined by one pesky, recurring side character: penalties. A strip-sack fumble six by senior linebacker Joey Holliday was overturned, and a face-mask penalty culminated in a 34-yard field goal by the Bison to put them up 20-10. To cap it all off, an exhilarating 43-yard return from Drayton was nullified by way of another penalty. The key moment in this quarter came from a failed fourthand-one conversion from the Quakers offense, but the Red and Blue defense came up with clutch stops of their own to get the ball back by the start of the fourth quarter. Howard went cold, and with Siqueiros-Lasky’s veteran leadership, magic was made by the Red and Blue in the fourth quarter. Starting at their own 13, the Quakers traversed 87 yards and finished with Siqueiros-Lasky catching a touchdown thrown by sophomore receiver Isaac Lee to close the difference. “It was fun,” Siqueiros-Lasky said. “I didn’t get to practice that play this week, but it was called, and it’s like, ‘You know what? All right, let’s go.’” With a chance to finally take the lead for the first time since early second quarter, Howard’s defense awakened slightly to force a field goal, which Penn missed. “Next unit up, defense needs to go and get us a
ALUMNI, from back page entertaining,” Noll said. “When the outside media recognizes what you see in the locker room every day, you’re kind of like, ‘Huh, yeah, maybe the Ivies are where football first started.’” Noll would go on to become more familiar with the national media as an offensive lineman for the St. Louis Rams, Dallas Cowboys, and Detroit Lions, becoming one of a handful of Quakers to ink an NFL contract in the early 2000s. “I think either the 2002 or 2003 Penn football team might have run the table and won a [national] championship if they were eligible for the playoffs because those teams were loaded,” 1983 Wharton graduate and former Penn quarterback Gary Vura said. 2007 Wharton graduate Sean Estrada joined the offensive line in 2004 as the Quakers were coming off an undefeated season and a 16-game win streak. Even though Estrada couldn’t see himself “doing anything else” since he started playing tackle football in sixth grade, he thought professional football was firmly off the table when he began his collegiate career. An Orange, Calif., native, Estrada wasn’t your typical Ivy League recruit. He was drawn to Penn because of the “pedigree of the guys” and pronounced presence of Quakers offensive linemen on the national level. He figured he could become an elite college football player at a program that regularly sent big guys to the big leagues. Fast-forward to 2007. Estrada earned first team All-Ivy honors on a squad that ranked in the top three in the country for the fewest sacks given up across the entire division. The San Francisco 49ers were knocking on his door, and Estrada answered. Although his time as a player in the NFL was relatively short, Estrada quickly transitioned into a management role, working for the NFL Management Council shortly after graduating from law school in 2014. Despite the demands of the position, Estrada made a point to come down multiple times a season to support Penn football from the sidelines and as a mentor on a more personal level. “Back when I used to know the coaches a lot, they’d be like, ‘Hey, can you talk to this one player [be]cause he reminds me a lot of you and we want to unlock this part about him,’” Estrada said. Estrada isn’t an anomaly. Penn football alumni emphasize the importance of coming back to support the program by offering rousing pregame pep talks, pledging continued financial support, or simply attending the annual Homecoming game.
CALEB HOPKINS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Sophomore running back Tommy Lafayette receives a handoff from Siqueiros-Lasky on Oct. 10.
stop. You don’t have the ability to feel sorry for yourself in this game,” Santos said. Not to be discouraged, Penn’s defense stepped up to force another punt from Howard. Karson had all the pressure with three minutes left, but remained calm, leading the team up the field and
finishing with a 13-yard touchdown to Lee. A clutch interception by sophomore defensive back Ezra Fearon put the finishing touches on a truly magical comeback. With their first home victory secured — breaking Penn’s two-game losing streak — the Quakers
now move with confidence into their next home game against Columbia on Oct. 16. “We’ll take a deep dive into Columbia … they’re playing at an elite level right now,” Santos said. “We will continue to build upon the momentum that we garner today.”
Alumni in the Greater Philadelphia area and surrounding cities can participate in Penn football’s mentorship program. Although the program was ostensibly created to provide professional development opportunities, alumni involved in the program stress the importance of providing a base level of support for Ivy League studentathletes beyond the gridiron. “They gave me California kids [be]cause I knew what they were going through training from sunny Southern California to their first winters in Philadelphia,” Estrada said. “[We’d] just talk about stuff, stuff they don’t want to talk to the coaches or their parents about, just kind of the experience or problems or whatever.” This kind of support and involvement is what draws people into the program. It’s a key part of a “Penn kind of football” and a major reason why the program is able to keep going strong after 150 seasons. The spirit of support is fostered over a student-athlete’s four years at Penn, encouraging them to give back when they become alumni. The Penn football advisory board plays a vital role in maintaining the vast alumni network’s involvement with the program. Led by 2005 Wharton graduate and former defensive end Robert “Bobby” Fallon, the board champions fundraising efforts and supports current studentathletes with mentorship opportunities. The football advisory board is currently working in conjunction with the Penn Champions Club’s 1876 Society to recruit at least 150 new donors to ring in Penn football’s 150th season. The effort hopes to bring the donor total to 500 while keeping Penn football on track to meet its annual fundraising goal. Career development support is also an important part of the advisory board’s efforts. Current student-athletes have the opportunity to work closely with alumni across a variety of sectors to lock down critical internships while focusing on school and training. “I always knew I wanted to play professionally. I didn’t know what that looked like at the time — it really depends on how your career goes in college, especially at the Ivy League level,” 2025 Wharton graduate and current Columbus Aviators quarterback Aidan Sayin said. “They’ve [alumni] always been great though at just giving you anything you need, whether that’s professional football or an internship in the summer.” The board isn’t just focused on the current student-athlete experience — it also emphasizes the importance of “getting people together,” according to 2006 College graduate and former defensive back/running back Kelechukwu Okere. “There’s regular community events,” Okere said. “For our championship years, they’ll do five- and 10-year reunion events.” At the 2026 Homecoming game in just under a month, you can expect to see a biblical plague of Penn football players descend on the aptly named
Locust Walk, celebrating the Ivy League championship teams from 1986 and 2016. Former players don’t just come back for the big events, though. Take it from 1990 College graduate Bryan Keys, a two-time MVP, Penn Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, and first team All-American running back. “Whatever I can do, I would come back, and when they had recruits in, I would actually go and talk to the recruits and try to encourage them to come to Penn as well,” Keys said back in September. “A couple of years ago, I was able to come and give a pregame speech to the team. I’m going to be there October the 10th, and hopefully I’ll get an opportunity to speak to the team there as well.” It’s unclear whether Keys’ presence in the stands contributed to the Quakers’ last-minute victory over Howard last Saturday. But no matter rain, sleet, or snow, no matter the odds or the outcome, Penn football alumni will show up and show out for their alma mater, even if it means traveling far beyond Franklin Field.
The Kansas City contingent of Penn football fans took to the streets three times when 2018 Wharton graduate Justin Watson won a Super Bowl as a wide receiver with the Kansas City Chiefs. Former teammates and supporters of 2012 Wharton graduate Greg van Roten can catch the Greyhound or Amtrak out of 30th Street Station to watch the former Ivy League champion suit up for the New England Patriots. Perhaps no person feels the support more than 2004 College graduate and current Atlanta Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski. “I have a very tight-knit group of former Quakers that I hear from quite a bit via text,” Stefanski said. “I feel the love certainly from the brethren of the times that I played. I really do. I get text messages from former coaches, former players, former trainers that we’ve had over the years, so the bond is very strong.” “I was shaped by Franklin Field and that program,” Stefanski added. “I owe a lot of who I am today to how I was impacted in the years I was there.”
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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA • FOUNDED 1885
PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2026
VOL. CXLII
NO. 24
Penn football makes fourthquarter comeback against Howard in 24-20 thriller The Friends and Family Day victory marked the first matchup between the two schools JUSTIN LEE, EARL COKER, AND GRANT HAN Senior Reporter, Sports Associate, and Staff Reporter
On a day that saw crowds of family and friends come back to campus, Penn football made sure it was worth celebrating. Penn (2-2, 0-1 Ivy) came back in the fourth quarter to defeat the Howard Bison (2-4) in a 24-20 victory that marks the first-ever matchup between the two teams. Heavy penalties on both sides defined the game, with the Quakers ultimately giving up 72 yards — just two yards higher than their total rushing yards. The game was defined by a first-half knee injury to Penn’s starting freshman quarterback Miles Teodecki, who had just put up an explosive 41-yard scramble to the end zone. “He hurt his knee. We’re gonna go get an MRI right now. We do not know the scope or the magnitude of it right now,” Penn football coach Rick Santos said. Backup junior quarterback Karson SiqueirosLasky took the snap for the first time this season, finishing the game with 226 yards at 66% completion. Siqueiros-Lasky also notched his first collegiate touchdown pass, but he was always ready for the moment. “Honestly, I didn’t feel that nervous. [I] feel like I’ve been ready for the moment. I was excited,” Siqueiros-Lasky said. “[This] wouldn’t have been possible without our defense playing lights out.” Penn’s first drive wasn’t fruitful, as a promising run game quickly stalled before a false start penalty forced a quick opening-drive punt. On the other side of the ball, Howard quickly strung together a series of smooth plays, backed by quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins’ calm pocket presence. A pivotal play on fourth and goal at the Quaker’s one-yard line led to Scroggins rushing in the end zone for the first score of the game. The momentum soon shifted in the Red and Blue’s favor. An impressive 41-yard kick return from senior kick returner Jayden Drayton put the Quakers in prime field position to score, and a 30-yard dime from Teodecki to freshman wide receiver Mason Page set up a 20-yard field goal. The Quakers followed up that scoring drive with an impressive defensive display that forced a Bison three-and-out. A missed Quaker field goal was soon followed by Teodecki’s game-ending injury. On the following play, Siqueiros-Lasky, coming on for the injured See FOOTBALL, page 7
AKSHAY GUPTA | DESIGN ASSOCIATE
From the NFL to Franklin Field and beyond, Penn football alumni support runs strong Quakers alumni efforts go beyond the gridiron with the Penn football advisory board and a strong support network ELLIE CLARK Sports Editor
It’s hard to nail down the peaks of Penn football’s storied history, but 2004 Wharton graduate and former NFL player Ben Noll has an answer: when college football analyst Lee Corso sported Benjamin Franklin headgear on national television. Somewhere between the dominant championship runs of the 1980s and the sensational moments of the modern era lies Penn football’s appearance on ESPN’s “College GameDay” on Nov. 16, 2002. It was a landmark moment for the Ivy League and the broader NCAA Division I-AA, known as the Football Championship Subdivision today. “GameDay’s” appearance at the Quakers’ Homecoming game in the midst of an undefeated conference season roused a silent collective
of Penn football fans to mobilize on Franklin Field that quiet Saturday morning. After all, the legendary television program had never before focused on an FCS school, let alone an Ivy. The Red and Blue garnered national attention as they embarked on a “Cinderella season,” as then-coach Al Bagnoli said in a 2002 article in The Daily Pennsylvanian. Despite going 8-1 the previous year, the Quakers were selected to finish fourth in the conference in the 2002 season after graduating a strong squad of starters. Perhaps echoing the 1982 Ivy League championship squad, the Quakers wouldn’t settle for a middle-of-the-road conference record, setting their sights on defying the odds and winning the conference. It came down to the wire, the season
depending on one game: a Homecoming contest against Harvard, which had handed the Quakers their only loss in the 2001 season one year earlier. With the eyes of the nation on them, the Quakers were ready. They steamrolled past the Crimson, 44-9, securing a share of the Ivy League title they would go on to secure the following week with a win against Cornell. Twenty-four years later, Noll — who played for Penn that day — views the game a little differently, focusing less on the moment and more on everything before and after. “Ryan Fitzpatrick was the quarterback of that [Harvard] team. I got a chance to play with him on the [St. Louis] Rams, so that was also See ALUMNI, page 7
Penn men’s basketball ranks first in Ivy League preseason polls
Penn men’s soccer splits two-game road trip against Cornell, Drexel
The team jumped six spots in the poll after placing seventh for the 2025-26 season preseason rankings
After a loss in Ithaca, the Quakers rebounded to outlast Drexel in the Battle of 33rd Street
EARL COKER AND ELANA MASER Sports Associates
DANIEL OBSTGARTEN Staff Reporter
This season, the odds say Penn men’s basketball will repeat as Ivy champions. Coming off an Ivy Madness championship and the team’s first March Madness appearance in eight years, men’s basketball is ranked first in the Ivy League preseason poll for the 2026-27 season. The Quakers jumped six spots after being picked seventh in the 2025-26 preseason poll. With the returning leadership of star player and senior forward TJ Power, who averaged 16.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game last season, the Quakers are projected to be the team to beat in the Ivy League this season. Power is a pillar of the team, not only for his scoring, but due to his clutch-time ability. In the championship game against Yale, the senior scored 44 points on 53% shooting, which allowed Penn to win in overtime against a team that was the favorite from the start of the season. While Penn is backed by an outstanding performance last season, Harvard and Yale are no names to be completely wiped off the table. Harvard’s first-place votes come from the return of its star shooting guard Robert Hinton, who averaged 16.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season. Hinton is joined by forward Thomas Batties II, giving Harvard a strong returning duo. Batties averaged 12.3
points per game, providing offensive power for the Crimson. Yale earned only two first-place votes, a fall from greatness for the Bulldogs. Yale lost its key power forward, Nick Townsend, who led the team in scoring and put up 17 points in last season’s Ivy League championship game. The Bulldogs did retain two excellent guards in Trevor Mullin and Riley Fox, allowing them to stay high in the rankings. Penn surpassed the other Ivies’ first-place votes by a wide margin, with 11 votes. Penn pushed Yale from its previous spot of unanimous preseason poll winner in 2025 after beating the Bulldogs in the Ivy Madness tournament last season. Harvard follows Penn with seven first-place votes, Yale received two, and Princeton one. Even though Cornell played in Ivy Madness last year and held a better record than Princeton, the Big Red still did not receive any first-place votes and were 15 points behind Princeton’s total poll result of 97 points. Similarly, Brown, which had the worst in-conference record of the Ivies last season, is ranked above Dartmouth by 12 points. This season’s Ivy Madness tournament will be hosted at the Palestra from March 12-14 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Cathedral of College Basketball.
CORA JIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Men’s basketball players during the Red and Blue Scrimmage on Oct. 10. SEND STORY IDEAS TO DPSPORTS@THEDP.COM
Often, the best memory for athletes to have is a very short one. Penn men’s soccer knows this better than anyone. The Quakers (5-2-3, 1-1-1 Ivy) suffered a 5-3 defeat on Saturday afternoon to No. 17 Cornell (7-3, 3-0 Ivy). Just over 72 hours later, Penn took the short trip to Drexel and outlasted the Dragons (5-6-2, 2-3-1 Coastal) in a gutsy 1-0 shutout victory. The Quakers had four different goal scorers across the two games, punctuated by senior defender Joaquin Niehenke’s 58th-minute goal — the first of his collegiate career — against Drexel. The Quakers currently sit in a three-way tie for third place in the Ivy League, alongside Princeton and Dartmouth. Penn has already defeated the Big Green by a score of 1-0, and will close their season by visiting Princeton in what is shaping up to be a monumental matchup. “We want to really try to do everything we possibly can to extend our season. We feel like the talent in this group is there. It would be a shame if we’re thinking that we can’t do more,” coach Brian Gill said, reflecting on his team’s season thus far. Penn collapses against Cornell By looking at only the final score, one would likely never guess that Penn led 2-0 at halftime in their Saturday afternoon showdown against Cornell. “We knew that [Cornell] was going to come out with their own response, and so we wanted to handle that,” junior forward Romeo Dahlen said. Handle it, they did not. The Big Red opened the floodgates on their home turf, pouring on five goals in the second half and ultimately taking down the Quakers 5-3 in a stunning turn of events. The five Cornell tallies mark the highest goal total the Quakers have surrendered since Gill took over coaching duties for the 2018 season. “They’re a highly threatening attacking team, and they started to put balls into dangerous areas,” Gill said of the Big Red. “They wound up making the plays … and they got the better of us.” The two squads wasted no time getting the tempo set, with each side recording three shots apiece by the match’s 10th minute. The back-and-forth affair was nearly on the verge of settling down before a 30th-minute offsides from Cornell got Penn attacking up the field. Penn maintained possession in the offensive half for nearly five minutes and was rewarded with a penalty kick opportunity when senior midfielder Jack-Ryan Jeremiah was taken down in the box. Jeremiah picked his spot on Cornell goalkeeper Filip Versterre, converting the 35th-minute penalty kick and giving
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Penn a 1-0 lead. With the first-half lead, the Quakers did not take their foot off the gas. Less than two minutes later, junior midfielder Michael Howard had a golden opportunity in the box that Versterre just barely deflected into the crossbar and out of play. On the ensuing corner, junior forward Marco Bottene sent a powerful header on net that was again deflected out for a corner. On Penn’s third try, Bottene tapped a heel pass to Howard, who fired it into the net to give Penn a 2-0 lead that they would take into the half. “[In the first half] we had some really fun moments and some high-level play, and they were rewarded for their efforts with two really good goals,” Gill said. The second half would not be as rewarding. Cornell came out of the half buzzing, and quickly turned the tide on the Quakers. A sustained spell of offensive pressure from the Big Red resulted in a partial breakaway shot that rang off the crossbar. Yet, senior goalkeeper Phillip Falcon III could do nothing but watch as the rebound was tapped into the net to put Cornell on the board in the 55th minute. The game was tied two minutes later, as Cornell forward Blake Donahue would force a shot surrounded by six Quakers defenders that grazed Falcon III’s fingertips and sailed into the top left corner. And then, Donahue would give Cornell the lead just four minutes later on a shot to the bottom right, capping off a run of three Cornell goals in six minutes and 20 seconds. “I think some of the plays that resulted in goals against us, maybe we could have affected the play a little and didn’t need to result in goals, but on the day it didn’t go our way,” Gill said. The Quakers, suddenly down a goal, were not to be counted out quite yet. Merely three minutes after falling behind, a quickly formed offensive play would see Dahlen net his much-awaited first goal of the season. The shot, which just barely curved around a defender and Versterre’s outstretched hands, tied the game back up at 3-3. “Obviously it felt really good to get that goal,” Dahlen explained, “The ball sat up really nicely for me … it was kind of instinctual to just go for the shot there.” Dahlen’s goal stopped the bleeding temporarily, but it couldn’t provide a further spark to Penn’s gameplay on either side of the ball. Cornell took control for the rest of the game, preventing Penn from registering another shot on goal. The Big Red were content dribbling the ball around for the better part of 15 minutes, until an ill-timed foul by Penn set them up at the top of the box. The shot was lasered See SOCCER, page 6
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