Presented by The Daily Pennsylvanian
The Undergraduate Assembly is the elected, representative branch of student government at Penn, charged with improving life for all students through funding, services, and advocacy. The highest authority is the President of the student body, followed by the Vice President. The UA Vice President oversees UA Steering, a group of influential student groups on campus that meet to discuss issues pertaining to student life.
The purpose of the four Class Boards is to provide social programming that instills a sense of class and school spirit, unity and pride, and breaks through social barriers. Each class popularly elects a president, executive vice president, vice president for internal affairs, vice president for external affairs, vice president for finance, and class chairs.
1) Community Building - Bringing students together for safe social interactions
2) Culture of acceptance - Foster a culture that acknowledges penn face and weaken its effect on campus
3) Equity - increase access to social events for the FGLI community
4) Philanthropy- Raise money for great causes chosen by the community during our social events and leave a positive impact on the community
1) Unity: This is my top priority. We have faced so many obstacles to build community and a sense of togetherness, and I want to help overcome that.
2) In-person events: This will help foster unity and class spirit. As we transition next fall, I want to host as many events in-person as possible.
3) Inclusion: Unity is not possible without including everyone. I want to ensure that no one is left behind and everyone feels welcome in everything we do.
4) Social justice: With the recent events, it is up to us to fight for equality and equal treatment. As one of the country’s leading institutions, we can lead this effort.
5) Transparency: In every interaction, I want all of you to be aware of what is happening and why. I will send monthly updates and host open discussions to do so.
6) Resources: Educational resources and advising advocacy is important, including extending the pass/fail deadline and helping better pre-major advising. Supporting everyone academically is essential, especially at an institution like Penn.
1) Host events to raise money for our class
2) Promote student initiatives to Penn Administration and Alumni
3) Work with Penn Student Government to improve Penn Dining
4) Vibe
1) Canceling Penn Face – Actively combat the campus norm that is Penn Face and promote an authentic/healthy environment.
2) Recreating The Freshmen Year Experience – Plan an in-person NSO week for the class of 2024 to get back the time and experiences we lost to the pandemic.
3) Improved Dining Experience – Abolish the “second year dining experience” and provide more options for vegan/vegetarian/halal/kosher students and more at our dining halls.
4) School Unity – Connect and unify the student body through various events promoting intra school interaction.
5) Equity and Inclusion – Advocate for need-blind admissions for international students and mandated implicit bias training for club leaders coordinating recruitment.
1) FGLI inclusion → I'll be graduating with student loan debt. First and foremost, I want to increase affordability and social inclusion for FGLI students, pushing for more representative class events.
2) Service-oriented merch → I love design. I want to use it for good. I want to partner with West Philadelphia grassroots groups and co-design merch, donating profits to these community-builders.
3) Inter-college mega-events → Swarthmore, Villanova, Temple, Princeton. I want to extend our Penn pride and work with other Philadelphia-area colleges, creating adrenaline-pumping, high-fun, and far-reaching competitions, celebrations, and events.
4) Commitment to DEI → Penn's decision to host commencement on Shavuot speaks volumes. I want to coordinate events that consider our unique identities, demands, and necessities and celebrate our differences.
5) Culture of positivity → I want us to conquer Penn Face. An everyday class event, I want to design personalized support messages, encourage Locust Walk "free hugs" campaigns, and more.
6) Engagement with future classes → I believe it's our duty to guide future classes. I want to create programming that invigorates incoming first-years, deepening their four-year outlook and our own.
1) Becoming Emotionally Well: As barely matriculated Quakers, we are hurting. I’m advocating for complete reform of student wellness, which starts by making mental health resources more effective and accessible.
2) Unifying Creators: When we work together, incredible things happen. I’m committed to starting the 24 Power Collective, a platform for students to share opportunities and create projects while feeling supported!
3) Intentional Community Building: We have had to reimagine college this year. I’m committed to running social events (with really cool merch!) that help us to thoughtfully connect and grow together!
4) Leveraging Connections: While we can’t change the history, we can change the culture. We must commit to advocating for the payment of PILOTS, real civic engagement, and spaces for connection.
5) Developing Sustainability: We need to collectively support Philadelphians by cutting down on waste, using the excess amount of swipes we have mindfully, and upcycling resources through a conscious thrifting initiative.
6) Stopping Student Exploitation: The Sophomore Dining Plan is completely disrespectful of our ability to do what college is for—exploring and adulting! I will advocate for better functionality and flexibility.
1) West Philadelphia: We need to support the West Philadelphia community by pushing for adequate PILOTs, expanded community engagement, and proper recognition for the service workers keeping campus clean and safe.
2) Class Spirit: We can’t just simply move-on from losing our Freshman year. As soon as it’s safe, I will fight to get back the celebrations (and free merch!) we’ve earned.
3) Student Voice: Penn administration has time-and-time again disregarded students’ best interests. I will always prioritize our voices and challenge admin when we are not being heard.
4) Dining: The Sophomore dining plan is outrageous and it must be removed. I will also push for dining dollars to have more functionality, such as at Honeygrow or Franklin’s Table.
5) Wellness: Penn must re-evaluate student wellness. Students need real mental health days (not a Spring Break replacement), including election day, and professors must recognize when students are being overworked.
6) Class Board Culture: Many upperclassmen have expressed concerns to me about Class Board being unhelpful for students. Class Board must instill class spirit, but also lobby for change that matters.
1) Canceling Penn Face – Actively combat the campus norm that is Penn Face and promote an authentic/ healthy environment.
2) Recreating The Freshmen Year Experience – Plan an in-person NSO week for the class of 2024 to get back the time and experiences we lost to the pandemic.
3) Communicate: You can’t take advantage of opportunities that you don’t know about. I’ll make sure that conversations outside and inside the university are concisely conveyed to the class of 2023.
4) Improved Dining Experience – Abolish the “second year dining experience” and provide more options for vegan/vegetarian/halal/kosher students and more at our dining halls.
5) School Unity – Connect and unify the student body through various events promoting intra school interaction.
6) Equity and Inclusion – Advocate for need-blind admissions for international students and mandated implicit bias training for club leaders coordinating recruitment.
1) Community Cohesion: Create a sense of community across all the schools and programs at UPenn to overcome the barriers and obstacles that were caused by the pandemic.
2) Mental Health: Implement various initiatives that promote mental and general wellness for students.
3) Philanthropy: Ensure that no social issue that concerns the wellness of the student body or community goes unaddressed.
4) Cultural Inclusion: Foster a community where diverse backgrounds and perspectives are fully taken into account and sought to be understood.
5) Accommodations: Advocate for the compensation of lost experiences and time and work to recreate new experiences in the future.
6)
1) Plan our own form of NSO geared towards sophomores only to orient ourselves with the school and meet as many sophomores as possible before classes start
2) Work with the 2025 class board to plan and expand Penn traditions, like Cram and Jam, that we missed this past year
3) Work with Philly restaurants, vendors, and performers to create an event to “explore” Philly in one place with free food and entertainment
4) Increase access to mental health resources and plan events centered on decreasing stress and spreading awareness about mental health issues
5) Collaborate with other clubs to plan events and activities that are co-sponsored and geared towards all different types of people and interests
6) And of course, increase class unity and community by talking and working with students to create opportunities to meet and get to know everyone in our class
1) Planning events and bringing the social traditions of your college experience back to life
2) Taking the initiative to form relationships with external sources to help make our future events as exciting as possible
3) Large focus on building a sense of community given the virtual nature of our freshman year
4) Making sure your voices are heard, as Class Board is an organization solely based off of you and your needs
5) Maintaining a sense of transparency when it comes to what is going on within Class Board and taking suggestions from the student body
1) Community- I really want to make up for our COVID freshman year with more free food, free merch, and free events than you can imagine.
2) Mental Health- The pandemic has revealed the gap in mental health programs that Penn offers, and I’ll advocate for more mental health resources and peer-to-peer support.
3) Sustainability- You’ll never catch me without my reusable blue bag, but I’m still concerned about the overwhelming plastic and waste on campus, which I’m working with Penn Environmental Group to change.
4) Penn Math- I’ve been working with the Penn math department to improve communication/feedback between students and professors.
5) Dining- No one wants to be forced to eat on the dining plan. Enough said.
1) Wellbeing Above All - We shouldn’t laugh about getting no sleep because of homework or think about Penn as a means to a career. We prioritize wellbeing before addressing other issues.
2) Shifting the Culture - Consider this a second prong: mental health and open conversations should be at the forefront of Penn education—not thrown on the backburner. We need to listen.
3) Elevating Voices - All Penn students should feel heard. I will amplify the voices of minority groups—whether they be racial, socioeconomic, sexual, or otherwise. Imposter syndrome should not be the norm.
4) Engagement - Say it with me: WE HAVE AN EFFECT ON OUR COMMUNITY. We need to do our part in uplifting Philadelphia by paying PILOTS and being conscious of our impact.
5) Listening - We must listen to the needs of others, but Penn administrators also must listen to us. Let’s get rid of the second-year Dining Plan and implement more student breaks.
6) Making Up - No one is happy about our far-less-than-ideal first year at Penn. Through my planning experience on the First Year Committee, I will keep fostering our class’ student body.
1) Community Cohesion: We want to promote social interactions and unify student body in safe environments
2) Mental Health: We want to prioritize workshops that raise awareness about mental
3) Fundraising: We want to combine fun social events with charity fundraisers so that we can support social causes while having fun
4) FGLI Outreach: We want to listen to the experiences of our FGLI peers and take their feedback and incorporate it into our inclusive social events
1) Mental Health: Attending a prestigious university doesn’t have to make you miserable. I will fight for a serious reevaluation and expansion of the mental health resources currently available to us.
2) Transparency: We deserve to know when decisions are made regarding our Penn experience!! I will work to ensure admin makes decisions about dining and breaks with us, not for us.
3) Spirit: This year has flown by without fun traditions to counteract academics. As soon as it’s safe, I will organize events--with food and merch!!--to reclaim the year we’ve lost.
4) ASAM program: Admin’s contributions to the Asian community on campus have been seriously lacking. I promise to advocate for the retention and expansion of the ASAM program.
5) West Philadelphia: We have the power to support our new West Philly community beyond simple Instagram story bingo boards--through the payment of PILOTs, community service projects, and political advocacy.
6) Communication: Student government representatives are just that: representatives for your voice and ideas!! I promise to constantly communicate with you guys, keeping you informed and involved in conversations with administration.
1) Reinvent old Penn traditions to create Penn pride
2) Organize and oversee the progress of meetings so we can create events that the Penn 24’ class deserves
3) Host events that connect Penn to the Philly community
4) Use my position to create a sense of belonging and community for my fellow peers
1) 24 Hour Waffle House - I know that every single person reading this has found themself thinking "Waffle House would smack right now" at 4 in the morning. Let's make that a possibility.
2) Canceling Penn Face – Like I always say, keep it real. Let's actively combat the campus norm that is Penn Face and promote an authentic/ healthy environment.
3) Recreating The Freshmen Year Experience – Brennan Huff and Dale Doback never lost their dinosaur, so why should we? AsPlan an in-person NSO week for the class of 2024 to get back the time and experiences we lost to the pandemic.
4) Improved Dining Experience – Abolish the “second year dining experience” because, as much as we love our cooks (shoutout Hill Dining Hall staff), we need our food freedom (and we don't like Penn taking our money).
5) School Unity – Everybody likes to have fun, so let's connect and unify the student body through various events promoting intra school interaction.
6) Equity and Inclusion – Advocate for need-blind admissions for international students and mandated implicit bias training for club leaders coordinating recruitment.
1) I believe that more activities should be hosted for students with an international background, especially students hailing from similar locations.
2) Especially with the ongoing pandemic, I believe a stronger focus should be placed on the mental health of students.
3) I believe that Penn hasn't given back to the community it exists in. For this reason, I want to host fundraisers for different organizations in Philadelphia.
4) I believe that Penn needs to cut down on its plastic waste, which includes switching to biodegradable utensils.
5) I want to work on planning events for sophomores to also participate in a version of NSO.
1) I will develop more budget transparency for Class Board’s expenses and revenue streams so that members of the Class of 2024 know how funds are being allocated.
2) I will seek additional funding for Class Board’s traditions and initiatives by seeking corporate sponsorships and donations in order to help make Class Board events engaging and worthwhile.
3) I will diligently plan initiatives to provide additional revenue streams for Class Board, such as selling merchandise designed by members of the Class of 2024.
4) In order to maximize UA’s monetary allocation, I will create a diligent yearly budget to fund more creative initiatives such as contests, art showcases, and business start-up showcases.
5) I will promote the financial stability of Class Board by saving money for more in-person events in future semesters, keeping long-term goals in mind for our class.
6) I will promote and budget for philanthropic initiatives and events allowing our class to collectively engage in social impact, sustainability, and causes that are meaningful to our class.
1) I aim to foster class unity, and nothing brings people together more than shared love of food. I cannot wait for you to see the Food Truck Days we’ve planned!
2) Despite our virtual setting, we must continue our Penn traditions, and that means I will do everything possible to have the best U-Night for us sophomore!
3) Penn is about collaboration, and I’ve worked with our First Year Class Committee since the first semester. I promise to remain committed to our organization and to you!
4) Class Board is centered around YOU! Any events or activities that you want to see will be considered, and I aim to represent your interests.
1) Becoming a Class of One. While GrpoupMe helps with answering questions and recognizing names, this isn’t a college experience. We need class spirit and opportunities to meet people outside subgroups.
2) Prioritizing Mental Health. CAPS and Reach-a-Peer-Hotline are wonderful resources. Penn needs to work towards the destigmatization of mental health. Administration should recognize burnout and alleviate stress, not cause it.
3) Experieincing the Social Ivy. From NSO to Spring Fling, safety-permitted, the Class of 2024 deserves a break. Free merch, sports and concert tickets, and special events coming your way.
4) No More Exploitation. The sophomore dining plan and on-campus mandate goes against public opinion at the worst possible time. Fighting this and preventing future for-profit decisions will be a priority.
5) Civic Engagement, For Real. Penn gentrifies West Philadlephia. Penn donated the bare minimum to PILOTs. Making easily-accessible initiatives to tutor, donate, and protest helps us reverse the damage.
6) Security & Safety. There are new stories of harassment on Locust Walk every week. Penn should prevent the same offenders from approaching different students. We need report systems and better intervention.
1) AAPI Mental Health
2) Bettering food options for those with restrictions
3) College Class Unity
4) Event and Traditions Promotion
1) Community Cohesion: -Unify our class through frequent social events. -Meet and connect with each other via social programming.
2) Mental Health: -Promote mental health and wellbeing across campus. -Get a class therapy dog. -Create opportunities for support groups to help one another.
3) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: -Make sure every student's voice is heard. -Ensure that anyone/anything that conflicts with these three goals gets addressed and handled appropriately.
4) Philanthropy: -Give back to the West Philly community. -Hold fundraisers for important causes. -Provide more service opportunities and work with Civic House.
5) Social Justice: -Provide a means for open and engaging discussion regarding societal problems. -Address issues in the West Philly community and abroad.
6) School Spirit: -Promote school pride and spirit through merch and Penn traditions.
1) Community Cohesion: foster a lively, united community through a surplus of inventive social events
2) Mental Health Outreach: combat Penn Face by listening, empathizing, and providing fruitful mental health resources
3) Fundraising: fundraise at events in order to support social causes and organizations based in the West Philadelphia area and across the country
4) Social Justice: recognize and amplify the voices of marginalized communities within the student body and the surrounding Philadelphia area
1) The first goal is reclaiming NSO. I will work to ensure that there will be a week of NSO for our Class of 2024.
2) The second goal is voicing the inputs of Penn Engineering Class of 2024 students for our class events.
3) The third goal is providing more opportunities for free Penn Merch. This includes more in-person events (according to COVID guidelines next year) where free Penn Merch is present.
4) The fourth goal is encouraging Penn Engineering student participation in our class events. I will ensure events are clearly advertised to Penn Engineering Class of 2024 students.
5) The fifth goal is to facilitate collaboration between UA and Class Board to encourage the distribution of mental health resources to our class, as well as wellness events.
6) The sixth goal is to ensure that the Class of 2024 gets to participate in the classic Penn traditions, even those we lost.
1) Community: In light of the engineering student population being global in this unprecedented virtual semester, everyone has developed a very different definition of what it means to be a Penngineer. I believe I have the agency to arise to the occasion and foster a cohesive community in the fall.
2) Culture: Engineering courses are notoriously difficult, and I want to relieve some of the pressure placed on us. I strive to eliminate all breakdowns caused by a cold call in next semester’s CIS classes.
3) Curves: Have you ever been told to check in with a professor to get an idea about how you’re doing in their class? As the SEAS Class Chair, I would forbid the answer “you’ll find out later.” Under my leadership, more curve information will be available to engineering students earlier in the semester.
4) Charity: SEAS students are provided with many opportunities to give back to underserved schools with STEM-oriented students in West Philly, but much of this is achieved through the semi-selective club-joining process. I plan to organize SEAS-wide philanthropic STEM education events to allow each Penngineer to make an impact on the community and also connections within the Penn network.
1) Equity & diversity: Lift up and listen to BIPOC voices on campus, as well as bringing female and LGBTQA+ representation to the table. Penn should be a safe and welcoming community for all.
2) Mental health: Open up the conversation surrounding mental health at Penn and the School of Nursing. Disseminate CAPS information and create new initiatives to promote mental wellness.
3) Rebuild Penn's social community in the new normal: Organize Penn traditions—from both sophomore and freshman year—to make up for lost time. Unite the four schools as one Penn.
4) Transparency: Hold the Penn administration accountable to its students and the community of West Philadelphia. Establish and facilitate an open line of communication. Advocate for PILOTs.
5) Inclusivity: The SON is and always has been an integral part of Penn. I will ensure that nursing students are not only included, but also recognized and celebrated on campus.
1) Community Cohesion -- lasting friendships --bringing students together --safe, social interactions.
2) Mental Health -- advocate for students --destigmatize seeking out help --promote mental health resources and services.
3) Philanthropy --serve the greater community --fundraising with fun and inclusive events —support social causes --advocate for justice
4) Transparency --open administrative decision making --student involvement --student voices are heard and incorporated
5) Inclusivity --fostering a welcoming school environment --promoting inclusivity in school events and daily student life —Penn should feel like home
1) Canceling Penn Face – Actively combat the campus norm that is Penn Face and promote an authentic/ healthy environment.
2) Recreating The Freshmen Year Experience – Plan an in-person NSO week for the class of 2024 to get back the time and experiences we lost to the pandemic.
3) Improved Dining Experience – Abolish the “second year dining experience” and provide more options for vegan/vegetarian/halal/kosher students and more at our dining halls.
4) School Unity – Connect and unify the student body through various events promoting intra school interaction.
5) Equity and Inclusion – Advocate for need-blind admissions for international students and mandated implicit bias training for club leaders coordinating recruitment.
1) Addressing mental health, I will be utilizing data I have collected throughout the last semester to encourage more conversations to admin about the mental health concerns of the student body.
2) With many feeling lost communal ties due to covid, a large initiative I will undergo will be for events, as allowable as possible, to reconnect with and meet people.
3) Looking directly towards my potential responsibilities as Wharton Class Chair, I will fight for the traditions and key events that the Class of 2024 lost.
4) With internships and the job market in shambles, I will work to connect the two positions to market common and unknown Penn resources in helping students with these fields.
5) In specific regards to the Class of 2024, I have been and will continue to fight for exceptions to the rule requiring second year dining and housing.
1) Community: Creating an inclusive community and eliminate Penn Face.
2) Mental Health: Combatting the mental health crisis by providing students proper resources.
3) Philanthropy: Donating money to social causes that are imperative and striking in the Philadelphia community.
4) PILOT's: Advocate for Penn to give back more money to the West Philadelphia community as its education system is impacted due to PILOT's.
5) Food and Dining: Work with business services in order to provide a better selection of restaurants and usage of dining dollars.
1) Improve Club Recruitment Process
2) Working closely with mental health and wellness groups for easily accessible resources for all students.
3) Hosting events both in person and virtually in the upcoming semester
4) Class merch giveaways and selling quarter zips