disability – Penn Disorientation Guide

A Case of Institutional Failure: Penn’s Response to COVID-19

A white girl in a mask and a winter jacket stands at a table in one of the COVID testing tents on Penn's campus.

For many, the pandemic was a breaking point: watching those with power and wealth profit while everyday people lost their jobs and their lives spurred many into radical action. Had the people leading our institutions taken the right steps to save lives instead of protecting their reputations and profits, thousands of lives could have been saved. Penn is no exception, and activists and community members have had to fight fiercely to hold the University accountable.

A Case of Institutional Failure: Penn’s Response to COVID-19

Over the past three years, the COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the globe. So much loss could have been avoided if the people leading our institutions took the right steps to save lives instead of protecting their reputations and profits. Penn is no exception.

“Just trying not to get sued”: Student Experiences with Weingarten

Disabled students at the University of Pennsylvania describe Weingarten and the way they treat students saying, “It feels like they’re just trying not to get sued because of an ADA violation.” What a way to sum up a resource center supposedly meant to take care of hundreds of Penn students!

Physical Inaccessibility at Penn

A lone masked man with black short hair and a blue coat and sneakers walks down the steps outside the Weitzman School of Design toward 34th St.

Although Penn’s historical buildings are not exempt from adhering to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, they only need to be made accessible by the bare minimum of standards. This access often hinders students from engaging in social contexts as they cannot easily commute throughout the largest dormitory for Freshmen housing.