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

PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

VOL. CXL

Wharton club applications extended as Penn, student leaders cite miscommunication

NO. 20

‘INEQUITABLE AND

UNFAIR’

This year, prospective members and club leaders faced unexpected delays to the Wharton club application timeline, disrupting various clubs and students’ plans JAMIE KIM Staff Reporter

Every fall, thousands of first-year students arrive on Penn’s campus hoping to join the school’s exclusive clubs — and get swept into information sessions, club fairs, and coffee chats within weeks of arriving. Many of these students apply for clubs governed by the Wharton Council, the student organization that oversees the standardized club recruitment timeline and application process for Wharton clubs. This year, however, prospective members and club leaders faced unexpected delays to that timeline, disrupting various clubs and students’ plans. The applications, which were set to open on Aug. 30 and close on Sept. 13, were delayed one week to now open on Sept. 6 and close on Sept. 20. The centralized application uses the PennClubs platform and gives students two weeks to submit written applications. Wharton Council Co-chair and Wharton junior Yiru Ma told The Daily Pennsylvanian that the standardized Wharton club application was created in 2020 to relieve students of additional uncertainty and anxiety by standardizing the timeline, duration, and length of all applications to Wharton-recognized clubs. Wharton Council announced on Sept. 1, one day after applications were set to open, that the process would be delayed, adding that all applicants would still have two full weeks to write and submit applications after their opening. Similar communications were sent through email lists, club leaders, and other social media. “Due to a miscommunication between several parties, some active clubs are currently not listed on PennClubs, awaiting action from Penn administration, and unable to fully access the application portal,” the announcement read. In typical years, club leaders submit updates to their PennClubs pages and applications that make them relevant for each recruitment year and are approved by Penn administrators before the Wharton clubs’ centralized application process begins, according to Ma. In previous years, Penn’s Office of Student Affairs has approved all updates in accordance with the recruitment timeline, she added. Wharton junior Alyssa Shah, Wharton Council’s club recruitment chair, said that the delay was caused by miscommunication between several parties, including OSA. See CLUB, page 6

CHENYAO LIU AND ETHAN YOUNG | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER AND STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Penn workers accuse University of union-busting tactics Some union members say Penn has used scare language and other strategies in an effort to suppress a wave of campus labor organization EMILY SCOLNICK Senior Reporter

Members of several Penn-affiliated unions are accusing the administration of utilizing union-busting tactics to suppress their efforts amid a historic wave of labor organization on campus. Over the past few years, many groups of campus workers have started unionization efforts or officially formed unions. In that time, the University has ramped up what several union members have described as anti-union messaging aimed to suppress campus labor organization. “For many years, the University has had productive relationships with the multiple unions that represent University staff members and expects that it will have similar relationships with the newly formed unions,” a University spokesperson wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian. “Our expectation is that both the University and the

unions will engage productively and in good faith during collective bargaining and if any issues arise.” But representatives from several campus unions told the DP that Penn has used scare language, reduced financial aid awards, and made it difficult to schedule bargaining sessions — complicating those groups’ efforts to organize and reach beneficial agreements, even as they say they are working to counteract the University’s messaging. Accusations of ‘a steady stream of union-busting’ Several union members told the DP that Penn has been using certain language in an effort to suppress an unprecedented wave of campus labor organization. On Aug. 27 — the first day of classes — 56 residential advisors, all members of United RAs at Penn, received emails

from Penn’s financial aid office notifying them that their financial aid awards would be reduced to reflect “the value of the compensation” awarded to these student workers in the union contract, according to a statement from a union representative. The contract, which was ratified in June and represented one of the first RA union contracts in the country, increased RAs’ meal plans, granted them larger stipends, and increased rights and support for any grievance, arbitration, or disciplinary processes. The agreement also explicitly stated that there were no limits on holding multiple campus jobs — a clause that some graduate residential advisors accused the University of violating in August. See UNION, page 7

Jack Schlossberg visits campus to promote voter registration, support Harris Schlossberg rose to prominence in the past year for his political commentary and comedic videos on social media THEO GREENFIELD Staff Reporter

Jack Schlossberg, a Vogue political correspondent and the sole grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, visited Penn on Monday to urge students to register to vote and support Vice President Kamala Harris. Schlossberg met a crowd of about 50 Penn students in front of the ARCH on Locust Walk, where he took selfies and recorded videos for his social media pages while urging students to vote for Harris, the Democratic nominee for the presidency. He rose to prominence in the past year for his political commentary and comedic videos on social media. Schlossberg’s team got in touch with Penn Democrats to let them know about his arrival, College junior and Penn Dems President Ellie Goluboff-Schragger told The Daily Pennsylvanian. She said the club — which is planning to table on Locust Walk from Sept. 16-20 to register voters — presented the opportunity to meet him as a surprise in the Penn Dems GroupMe. “I want Pennsylvanians to register to vote and then to actually vote,” Schlossberg said to the DP. “Get at least one friend — but maybe five friends — to also go with you to the polls, because you got to have friends.” Students who attended the event praised Schlossberg for his ability to connect with members of Generation Z. He interacted with the members of the crowd and made a video for the Penn Dems TikTok while present. “He has a really large inf luence, [so] like a lot of people, especially our generation, know of him,” College junior Mariah Wright-Moses said. “So I think seeing him here also enforces SEND STORY IDEAS TO NEWSTIP@THEDP.COM

a lot of people to start registering to vote.” Hadley Duvall, a reproductive freedom and abortion rights activist who spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, accompanied Schlossberg on his visit. Duvall, who hails from Kentucky, survived a pregnancy from sexual assault as a minor and came to prominence after appearing in a television campaign ad for now-Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. She was also in Philadelphia to stump for Harris on Sunday with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. “It’s so important to vote all the way down the ballot, not just the presidential ticket. There are girls and women out here that are not safe,” Duvall told the DP. “If Donald Trump is to get into office, he will make sure none of us are safe.” Schlossberg spoke at the 2024 DNC and endorsed Harris. In April, he, along with other members of the Kennedy family, endorsed President Joe Biden — then the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee — at a Philadelphia event, despite the independent campaign of their relative, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In August, Kennedy Jr. dropped out of the race and endorsed 1968 Wharton graduate and former President Donald Trump. As a swing state worth 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania is expected to play a critical role in this year’s presidential election cycle. “Pennsylvania is the key to this election,” Schlossberg told the DP. “Young people are always the key to electing great leaders that we can be proud of.”

JEAN PARK | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Jack Schlossberg, a political correspondent for Vogue and President John F. Kennedy’s grandson, visited Penn on Sept. 16.

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