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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA • FOUNDED 1885

PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

VOL. CXXXIX

Is Penn changing its legacy admissions policy? C ’26

NO. 10

UC Townhomes developer, Philadelphia approach settlement Penn, Drexel, and other local institutions could contribute to a “services-based” fund to support UC Townhomes residents

C ’27

KATIE BARTLETT Staff Reporter

The DP found that the policy’s wording was refined during the Class of 2026 admissions cycle last year JARED MITOVICH Senior Reporter

Penn is refining its legacy admissions policy under Dean of Admissions Whitney Soule, according to interviews with 14 alumni, students, and college admissions experts. During the Class of 2026 admissions cycle last year, Penn Admissions updated its information webpage for first-year applicants, internet archives examined by The Daily Pennsylvanian indicate. Nearly every word on the webpage stayed the same — except for the paragraph about legacies. This change was so subtle that, when it was brought to the attention of multiple college consultants and admissions experts, they said that this was the first time they had heard about it. Penn’s longstanding definition of a legacy applicant — the child or grandchild of an alum — has not changed. However, Penn no longer implies that legacies should apply through the Early Decision Program to have the best shot

at getting in. In addition, Penn has phased out admissions information sessions specifically for legacy families.

apply ED. In response to a request for comment about whether the new webpage wording represents a formal policy change, Soule wrote to the DP that it is Penn Admissions’ practice to “recognize the legacy relationships among our applicants.” “Like the rest of our application processes that evolve over time, we continue to adapt and refine our approaches,” Soule wrote. “When I joined the office, I wanted to ensure that the information on our website — and across all of our communications — was as clear as possible, and that it accurately described our current process for recognizing the legacy relationships among our applicants.” Soule began her role in July 2021, and the Class of 2026 admissions cycle was her first

A subtle change in wording “Legacies who apply to Penn — like all applicants — receive thorough consideration in the application process,” the policy now reads. Under the previous wording — which admissions counselors have long used in the advice they give to families — Penn told legacy applicants that their status as a legacy would be given the “most consideration” during the Early Decision Program. 1986 Wharton graduate Laurie Weingarten, the president of One-Stop College Counseling and the parent of a Penn legacy graduate, said that Eric Furda, the previous dean of admissions, made it clear that applicants who wanted “any type of leg up” should

See LEGACY, page 6

A proposed settlement between the owners of the University City Townhomes and the City of Philadelphia would have Penn contribute resources to a fund for displaced tenants. IBID Associates, who own the UC Townhomes, and the City are close to reaching a settlement, multiple sources familiar with the negotiations told The Philadelphia Inquirer. IBID said they could not comment on the proposal under the terms of the negotiations. Both parties in the lawsuit held a settlement conference on March 17, according to the court docket. On March 2, a judge gave both IBID and the City until March 31 to complete discovery and until April 21 to make any motions for summary judgment. If approved, the settlement would require that IBID provide $3.5 million for displaced tenants, equivalent to $50,000 for each displaced family distributed by a nonprofit third party, according to the Inquirer. In addition, another fund to support tenants through services will be arranged. Penn, Drexel University, and other University City institutions would contribute to this fund. The settlement proposal would also give the city a half-acre of the land at 40th and Market streets to be used for future affordable housing. The rest of the property would remain under IBID’s jurisdiction for sale or future development. “The highest and best use of that land is as a laboratory research facility,” IBID spokesperson Kevin Feeley told The Daily Pennsylvanian in February, before the news of a potential settlement. “And our preference was to find a buyer who would be interested in building a residence there, so the impact on the residents would be minimal.” See SETTLEMENT, page 2

DESIGN BY LILIAN LIU

Vandalism at BioPond turns pond water red

Penn Med eliminates administrative jobs in reorganization effort The full reorganization plan will reduce “administrative overhead” by $40 million annually, according to an internal memo acquired by the DP

Penn is investigating the situation after the pond was encircled by caution tape around surrounding trees

MARGOT SCHNEIDER Staff Reporter

YASH RAJPAL Staff Reporter

Penn is investigating a case of vandalism at the BioPond this past weekend. The BioPond, located in James G. Kaskey Memorial Park behind the Quad, turned a reddish color as a result of the vandalism. According to the University crime log published by the Division of Public Safety, an instance of vandalism of private property was recorded at the BioPond at 2:47 p.m. on March 18. The case is still active. "There was vandalism at the BioPond over the weekend that is being investigated, and we are working with groups across campus to determine the best way to clean up the damage and mitigate environmental impact," Kaskey Park Greenhouse and Garden manager Kathryn Butler wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian. Facilities and Real Estate Services declined to comment. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and the Office of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety did not respond to multiple requests for comment by publication, and a request for comment was left with the University spokesperson. "Environmental Health & Radiation Safety also responded to examine the BioPond for the safety and well-being of both people and the vibrant animal and plant biodiversity," Vice President of Public Safety Kathleen Shields Anderson told the DP on Sunday. In addition to turning a reddish hue, the pond was encircled by caution tape wrapped around the surrounding trees. It remains unclear if the caution tape is part of the vandalism. Rocks in the pond were also stained red, and some red residue was

Penn Medicine announced the elimination of several administrative jobs as a part of an ongoing reorganization effort. In an internal memo obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian titled "Going Forward Together," CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System Kevin Mahoney shared that Penn Med would lay off a “small number of administrative positions which no longer align with our key objectives.” The full reorganization plan will reduce "administrative overhead" by $40 million annually, according to the memo. "The nation’s healthcare economy has been

See JOBS, page 3

PHOTO BY ABHIRAM JUVVADI

Penn’s BioPond, located in James G. Kaskey Memorial Park behind the Quad, on March 19.

evident on the sign. “If you have been wondering what is going on at the pond, there was some upsetting vandalism over the weekend that resulted in the discolored water, rocks, and other surrounding surfaces,” an Instagram story posted by the BioPond’s Instagram account read. The modern Kaskey Park first opened as a research garden in 1897. The park was named after the son of Richard and Jeanne Kaskey, who funded the upkeep and renovation of the pond, and it is also home to the Department of Biology greenhouse. It is located between a number of the Biology Laboratories and the Anatomy Chemistry Building of the School of Medicine. FRES will undertake an effort to repair and clean the pond after the incident, while also trying to identify the cause of the sudden color change.

THE FIRST ANNUAL HOWARD JAY REITER MEMORIAL LECTURE

PHOTO BY BAMELAK DUKI

Penn Medicine will be eliminating several administrative jobs amid ongoing reorganization efforts.

SPEAKER

Barak Medina Justice Haim H. Cohn Chair in Human Rights at the Faculty of Law of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Public Opinion and Constitutional Law SEND STORY IDEAS TO NEWSTIP@THEDP.COM

completely reshaped by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing monumental changes unlike anything we’ve seen in our lifetime," Mahoney wrote in the memo. "We have planned carefully to ensure that our 49,000person strong organization can withstand these turbulent market forces, but we are not immune to their impact." Mahoney told the DP in an interview that Penn Med, as with other national hospital systems, is currently facing macroeconomic pressure.

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