Category: News

The Board of Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania announced that they had voted to extend J. Larry Jameson’s term to June 30, 2027.

The University of Pennsylvania has issued new guidance to support students, faculty, and staff affected by recent immigration and travel policy changes.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard eight cases during the December Sitting and ten cases during the January Sitting—including Tik Tok v. Garland, which was added on an expedited schedule to be heard before the sitting was scheduled to begin. The February Sitting started on February 24, but this edition will provide a highlight of the cases heard during the December and January Sittings and, as always, provide some humorous exchanges from oral argument. 

Last night, President Donald Trump addressed Congress in his first State of the Union address in his second term as president. He delivered a lengthy, impassioned speech before a joint session of Congress. At 1 hour and 40 minutes, the speech set a new record.

During the Spring 2024 semester, financial aid recipients at Penn and other major universities, including Yale, Columbia, and MIT, received notice of a proposed settlement in a class action lawsuit against their institutions for violation of antitrust laws that resulted in unfairly low financial aid awards.

Late Monday afternoon on January 17 a pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protest of around 100 people marched the length of campus on Walnut Street, disrupting traffic and prompting a heavy policy presence.

A special weather statement was issued by the NOAA warning of a strong approaching cold front containing wind gusts of up to 60 mph that advised the public to “consider seeking shelter inside a building”. A high wind warning issued earlier in the afternoon remains in effect until Monday at 6:00 pm.

Penn announced a suspension of normal operations via text and email on February 12 for the Friday Eagles Victory Parade.

Recent events may present unique challenges to many applicants. Hiring freezes in federal agencies pose a potential threat to Penn in Washington applicants hoping to intern at the Department of Justice, State Department, Department of Commerce, and other federal agencies.

President Trump’s Executive Office of the President announced on January 27 that “Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance” with “financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal” being specifically called out.