This first volume of May it Please the Court will cover the five cases from the first week of the October Sitting and some of the most entertaining excerpts from the oral arguments.
Sarah Mester | Alarmism is not analysis
Exploring the DP’s claim that Trump will deport students and defund Penn Photo Credit: ChatGPT By Sarah Mester Following the election, the Daily Pennsylvanian posted an article titled: Trump's proposals could deport students, remove federal funding from Penn, DP analysis finds. However, research into the actual policies in question reveals the support for both of these alarming claims to be misinformed and weak. The DP’s analysis relies on a misunderstood point from a Republican National Committee Platform Committee resolution, comments from one political rally, and Project 2025, which President-elect Trump has disavowed repeatedly. The argument that Trump is looking to…
A guide to the Sixers’ season: on-court, off court, and arena-sized issues
While star player Joel Embiid works to overcome an injury, the team’s plans for a new arena have transformed into a political controversy. Photo Credit: DALL-E By Ryan Wolff The Philadelphia 76ers are at a crossroads, grappling with challenges on and off the court that could shape the franchise's future. On one hand, the team faces scrutiny for its management of Joel Embiid, their injury-prone star and reigning NBA MVP, whose limited availability has sparked an NBA investigation and criticism from fans and pundits alike. On the other hand, the Sixers are embroiled in a heated debate over their proposed…
Emma McClure | Breakup at the polls: poor communication or a good dating practice?
(Not So) Hot Takes | A Sidechat poll about election related breakups underscores the complexities of navigating politics while dating. Photo Credit: Jennifer Mesa By Emma McClure In the weeks and months leading up to the recent election, the sad state of America has been on full display; we are a people divided, not united. A host of contentious issues were the subject of hot debate this election cycle, and media on both sides of the political aisle encouraged a growing divide. Eager to fan the flame, conservative hosts attacked Vice-President Harris’ connections to Willie Brown while liberal media threatened…
Emma McClure | Bring back paper notes
Digital note taking has taken over, and it’s time we go back to good old fashioned pen and paper.
Digging into Penn Dining: The Penn Dining and Bon Appétit partnership
Exploring Penn Dining’s “commitment to sustainability” with it’s outsourced food service company.
Penn Pro-Palestine groups hold ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Day’ protest
Protesters gathered on College Green and 34th Street, blocking traffic while reciting names and calling for action in Gaza.
Wesley Liu | Institutional neutrality benefits Penn, and so does disagreement
It is a public good for educational institutions like Penn to train the next generation of leaders to have thoughtful, respectful conversations. Penn’s ability to do so however, is up for debate.
Chloe Hunt | Why can’t Republicans accept climate change?
The GOP falls painfully short on environmental issues, at the expense of their electoral prospects and their constituents.
Abraham Franchetti | A story of Jewish resilience
One year after Oct 7, the Jewish people have done what they always have, survived and built a better future.
Introducing ‘May it Please the Court’
I know during the fall that most people look forward to the start of football season or the next school break or finishing that big paper that you have put off writing, but this year I have looked forward to something else entirely—the start of the Supreme Court term on October 7.
123 things every Penn student should do before they graduate
To help you make the most of your Penn experience, we have compiled a long list of things we think every student should do during their time in the City of Brotherly Love.
Sarah Mester | I welcome the quieting of Penn’s ‘institutional voice’
Although I do not think quieting Penn’s institutional voice will dampen all political controversy on campus—far from it—I believe the change will prevent unproductive conflict and, more significantly, marks a positive step in Penn’s reaffirmation of what it means to be a university.