UA 48th Annual Report 2020-2021

Annual Report
48th Session
2020-2021

The Undergraduate Assembly (UA) is
the elected, representative branch of
Penn Student Government, charged with
improving life for all students through
lobbying, representation, togetherness,
services, and funding.

Table of Contents
Purpose 2
Letter from the President 3
Platform Initiatives 5
Executive Reports 11
Communications Report 20
Academic Initiatives Project Highlights 21
Equity and Inclusion Project Highlights 25
Reopening and Response Project Highlights 30
Student and Campus Life Project Highlights 34
2020-2021 Cabinet Administrator Meetings 37
Contact Us 43
Project Report 47

The purpose of this report is to hold the
Undergraduate Assembly accountable to the
student body and to the promises that we as an
organization make in furthering our goals.
We are committed to working to improve the
student experience at Penn, and we welcome
any and all feedback that students wish to
provide.
2 | Purpose
Purpose

Letter from the President
Letter from the President | 3
Hi friends,
Serving as the President of the 48th Session of the Undergraduate Assembly under such
unprecedented circumstances has been one of the most difficult challenges that I have ever faced.
At the same time, though, this experience has been the greatest honor and privilege of my four
years here at Penn.
While many of the projects included in this Annual Report are long-term, I would like to
celebrate the progress that our members have made in advocating for change amidst a global
pandemic. These issues are often difficult to tackle, and the position is often thankless. It was
my priority this year to ensure that members of the UA understood that large-scale institutional
change does not happen overnight, and incremental progress is progress nonetheless. Whether
it was through increasing transparency around existing resources, advocating for critical policy
changes, or providing services to our peers, each hour of effort contributed to the larger goal of
making Penn a better institution for us all.
In our campaign, Mary and I promised to advocate for “A Penn You Can be Proud Of,” and in
this report, I highlight the progress we have made toward that goal. The foundation our platform
contained five pillars:
• Uncompromising Activism: We no longer made our demands palatable. We did not
hesitate to bring up difficult topics and push for change for mis- and underrepresented
populations.
• Effective Representation: We prioritized student voices, rather than pushed our own
agenda. We actively solicited feedback in order to champion the causes that you cared about.
• Improved Campus Climate: We worked to redefine what wellness meant in our current
moment. We communicated to administration the importance of implementing policies to
ensure that everyone on Penn’s campus felt supported regardless of race, citizenship, religion,
socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
• Increased Collaboration: We worked closely with student groups, continually uplifting
their efforts to administration, never co-opting existing movements or attempting to take
credit. We worked with the other branches of Penn Student government to allocate a record
amount of funding in ways that directly supported the Penn Community.
• Total Accountability: We held Penn accountable to students, the Philadelphia community,
and the environment. We also held students accountable to each other and held UA members
accountable to the promises they made to the student body.
This year, Mary and I led the UA with strategic empathy. We did not hesitate to be more critical
of administration, but, still, we worked with them to get our desired outcomes. This was a move
that we believe enabled us to make significant progress on the promises that we made above.
In elevating your voices in the spaces we were privileged enough to have a seat, we were able to
expand the concept of feasibility in the minds of administration and work with them to ultimately
attain these goals.

In addition to our leadership, we worked alongside some of the most passionate student leaders
on Penn’s campus, both on the UA and otherwise. We pushed our members to lead from a lens
of collaboration, uplifting marginalized voices and prioritizing work that aligned with that of our
peers. This led to the prioritization of projects that were high impact– and often high effort– but
ultimately led to high reward.
My mindset when assuming this role was that every minute not spent advocating on your be-
half was a minute I was failing you all as President. I aimed to serve you all to the best of my
ability, and, looking back, I believe I did that. As I reflect on this past year, I feel an immense
sense of pride in the collective accomplishment of the Undergraduate Assembly. I want to
give a huge thank you to the members of the 48th Session who, despite the incredibly difficult
circumstances, helped us become the greatest UA Session in Penn’s history (in my opinion :D).
I want to also thank the members of my Executive Board who worked countless hours to ensure
the UA ran smoothly. I look forward to seeing the outcomes of the exceptional leadership in the
years to come!
Lastly, I want to give a genuine thank you to the student body. Thank you for trusting us to
advocate on your behalf. Thank you for electing us into these positions. Without your support,
engagement, and criticism, we would not be able to grow as an organization each year.
For the last time as your President, I sincerely thank you for an absolutely wonderful experience.
Take care, be well, and enjoy the rest of your time at Penn!
With love,
Mercedes Owens
UA President 2020-2021
4 | Letter from the President

Platform Initiatives
This section serves to highlight the projects that most
closely align with the Presidential and Vice Presidential
platform Mercedes and Mary ran on this year.
5 | Platform Initiatives

Uncompromising Activism
Engagement Days
In the Fall 2020 semester, UA Communications Director, David
Jin, authored a Resolution concerning the lack of break days in the
2020-2021 academic year. This resolution provided administration
with context behind this concern, which cited the unusually large and
increasingly difficult course load, unprecedented financial hardships,
and health-related struggles students were facing as a result of the
pandemic.
After conducting in depth research, the Undergraduate Assembly, with support
from SCUE and other student leaders, resolved to demand the University of
Pennsylvania:
1. Recognize the declining mental health of Penn undergraduates
2. Institute two to five planned single-day breaks on Friday or Monday dispersed through-
out the spring semester
3. Encourage academic departments to consider further leniency in their assignments and
examinations
This advocacy resulted in the addition of three Engagement Days! In December 2020,
the University announced three additional break days for the spring semes-
ter: Friday, February 12; Tuesday, March 30; and Monday, April 12. Mercedes Owens (UA
President), Mary Sadallah (UA VP), and Carson Eckhard (SCUE Chair External) worked
with Dr. Gary Purpura in the Provost’s Office to ensure that these days served as an
opportunity to rest.
Platform Initiatives | 6
Extension of the Unlimited Pass/Fail Policy
One of the main topics of discussion in many of our administrator
meetings this semester has revolved around advocacy in favor of the
continuation of the Unlimited Pass/Fail Policy. The main sources of
administrative hesitation were concerns around academic progres-
sion and the transcript. While we acknowledged these concerns, we
believed that the potential impact of the negative mental health of the student body far
outweighed the impact of our academic performance during a global pandemic. Among the
many meetings with student advocates regarding this issue, Mercedes Owens (UA Presi-
dent) and Carson Eckhard (SCUE Chair External) presented several arguments in favor of
the policy during a meeting of the Council of Undergraduate Deans. The goal was to re-
mind them that while the effects of COVID are beyond our control, what we do have con-
trol over is the management of emotional reaction and related stressors. On December 17,
2020, the university announced that they will extend the policy to the Spring 2021
semester.

Effective Representation
Class of 2024 Wellness Survey + Forum
UA First Years Tristan Maslar, Pranav Tadikonda, and Nicholas
Kuo created a survey to gauge and address mental health concerns
of the Class of 2024. The data gathered from this survey aided in
the argument for the extension of the Pass/Fail Policy and allowed
UA Cabinet to discuss the Second Year Experience in meetings
with New Student Orientation and Penn Violence Prevention. In
addition, the first-year representatives on the UA created a com-
mittee within the UA to address the needs of the Class of 2024,
especially given the effects of the pandemic on their first year
experience. In order to elevate the voices of the Class of 2024, they
decided to hold an Open Forum and met weekly to organize it.
(more on page *)
Combating Food Insecurity: Grocery Delivery Pilot Program
Based on numerous conversations with members of the FGLI community, the UA is aware that
many students across campus face food insecurity in one way or another. Food insecurity has only
been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Understanding that the traditional use of direct
funding methods to support this population directly
impacts financial aid and has been deemed a violation of
federal funding guidelines, Mercedes Owens decided to
focus on developing a creative solution to this issue.
One idea in particular had support from both Penn First
Plus, Student Registration and Financial Services, and
the Office of Student Affairs: the idea of funding a
direct grocery delivery program to students (i.e. physical
groceries instead of direct methods like cash or a gift
card).
Logistically, she believed there could be a small pilot in
collaboration with a local businesses like Giordano’s for
students in Philadelphia who identify as food insecure. It is critical to note that at no point would
sensitive student data be handled by other students. Penn First Plus has offered to assist members
of SRFS with the more sensitive data, while student workers could aid with logistics. The program
launched on April 20, 2020 and ran through the final exam period. Up to 100 students were able
to sign up weekly to craft a custom grocery box that was later delivered to their door. The items
within the boxes were chosen by Marc Lo, Marcello Giordano, and Mercedes Owens. This system
will enable P1P to follow-up with the students who requested boxes with resources about address-
ing food insecurity. This would also allow Penn to gather concrete data at the root of the cause of
food insecurity on a campus with such robust resources.

Improved Campus Climate
Wellness Giveaways
With funding from SAC Reserve
fund, Penn Student Government
Steering voted to fund this
initiative. UA Vice President,
Mary Sadallah, with help from
UA members Nyair Locklear,
Chiadika Eleh, and Ashley Song
planned the logistics behind
the largest distribution in Penn
Student Government history.
They purchased thousands of
items in the hopes of boosting
morale and wellness on campus.
Designed to be a COVID specific
care package, they selected items
to foster engagement and positivity while social distancing.
Items included picnic blankets, frisbees, coloring books, masks,
lawn chairs, and other merchandise. These were distributed
to students throughout the Spring 2021 semester. The project
will likely be nonrecurring due to both its scale and its unique
COVID-specific nature.
Platform Initiatives | 8
Social Life and Inclusion Fund
Using the excess balance that has accumulated from the SAC Reserve Fund over the past
few years, UA President Mercedes Owens and UA Treasurer Nikhil Gupta decided to de-
velop a fund to address issues of social equity on campus. Students of diverse backgrounds
and identities have encountered barriers to immersing themselves in the social scene at
Penn. Many student organizations, and in particular non-intercultural
Greek organizations, are not as inclusive of students of different races,
ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations/gender identities, and income
levels. For example, while many exclusive organizations on campus
have historically been able to hold grandiose events at off-campus
locations in Philadelphia, students from marginalized communities
have lacked access to resources such as funding, space, and alumni
networks for such large-scale events. Further exacerbating this issue is
the limited expenses which campus funding sources can cover.
In Spring 2021, Penn Student Government Steering voted to allocate $150,000 from the
SAC Reserve Fund to the creation of a Social Life and Inclusion Fund to help address this
aspect of social inequity. The $150,000 allocation will be distributed over the course of
three years ($50,000 each academic year). The three years will give students and
administrators time to become familiar with the fund’s existence, gather data on its use,
and develop a funding method for its continuation. The fund will launch Fall 2021.

Increased Collaboration
Penn Student Government (PSG) Donations
PSG Steering is composed of the heads of the six branches of Penn Student Government. This
body has the power to allocate the funds located in the SAC Reserve. This year, the SAC Reserve
Fund accumulated an unprecedented excess balance, so the members of PSG Steerings decided
to allocate funds towards initiatives that would directly support the Penn community. This excess
amount is typical, and allocating this amount of funding is not common within PSG Steering;
however, Mary and Mercedes had a goal of continuing the momentum from the donation to the
Black community from Summer 2020. This goal was shared by the members of PSG Steering. The
following are the initiatives and amounts that PSG Steering decided to fund.
Total Reserve Amount $900,000.00
Initiative Funding Allocation
Wellness Care Packages $100,000.00
Grocery Delivery Pilot $150,000.00
CB22 International P Sweater Shipping Subsidies $18,600.00
Social Equity Fund Proposal $150,000.00
Endowed public service fellowship proposal $320,000.00
Donation to the AAPI Community (PAACH, APSC, ASAM) $100,000.00
Total Reserve Allocations $838,600.00

Total Accountability
UA Newsletter
In addition to holding administration more accountable this session, Mercedes and Mary had a
goal of holding themselves, and the entire UA body, more accountable as well. In collaboration
with the UA Communications Director, Mercedes created the foundation of a UA Newsletter.
The goal of this Newsletter, in addition to accountability, was to increase awareness of the UA’s
advocacy work and priorities over the course of the 48th session. They also used the newsletter to
distribute information from administrators, student groups, and peer institutions. This session,
we released a newsletter for November 2020 and February 2021, one before and after the Mid-
Session Report. There were 170 students signed up to receive this newsletter.
Relationship with Vice Provost for University Life (VPUL)
The relationship Mary and Mercedes have been able to form with the new VPUL, Dr. Accapadi,
is not a relationship that is typically formed. Mercedes and Mary met with VPUL Accapadi on a
bi-weekly basis, allowing Dr. Accapadi to more easily acclimate to Penn’s campus while direcly
hearing the concerns of the student body at the highest level. As the President and Vice President
of the UA, Mary and Mercedes serve as the liaisons between students and administration, and as
the Vice Provost of Univerisity Life, Dr. Accapadi serves as the liaison between administration
and students. Together they have established an incredibly powerful bridge that allows them to
be the most impactful in their respective positions and center the needs of Penn’s most vulnerable
communities from issues of mental health, food insecurity, academic inequality, and other issues.
Dr. Accapadi has expressed an immence desire to be immersed in the lives and needs of students.
The outcomes from this strategic partnership are a result of Mercedes, Mary, and Dr. Accapadi
supporting each other in the development and implementation of the following initiatives:
• The approval of the Grocery Delivery Pilot
• The development and upcoming implementation of identity-specific work groups
• The launch of a Cultural Resource Center program review
• The understanding that the 6B groups are individual bodies who each govern diverse
populations beneath the umbrella organization
• The prioritization of increased funding, staffing, space, and resources for Penn’s mis- and
under-represented populations
Mary and Mercedes expect to see this relationship continue in the future to ensure tangible
outcomes result from these initiatives.

Vice President’s Report
Mary Sadallah C’22
vp@pennua.org
The UA is chartered to represent the voices of students and student groups to the administration
and by virtue, building a bridge between these two entities. While the President is tasked with
representing students on campus, it is the responsibility of the Vice President to serve as
an advocate in addressing the concerns facing student groups on campus as well as facilitating
collaboration between these diverse groups. The Vice President aims to accomplish these charges
through coordinating and chairing UA Steering and leading the undergraduate delegation at Uni-
versity Council.
UA Steering
UA Steering is comprised of 40 of the largest, student umbrella organizations on campus. This co-
alition collaboratively represents almost all of the extracurricular involvements of undergraduates
at Penn, including student government, minority coalition groups, performing arts, policy/advo-
cacy groups, religious life, athletics, and health and wellness. UA Steering achieves its purpose in
three ways. First, it helps steer the agenda of the UA by bringing up the concerns that face various
constituencies. Second, it serves as a forum for these student leaders to voice their concerns di-
rectly to administrators who are invited to UA Steering. Finally, it serves as a space which fosters
collaboration between organizations working to address similar issues.
This year, UA Steering met bi-weekly to discuss some of the most pressing issues on campus. We
had four meetings in the fall and five meetings in the spring, in which we spoke about the follow-
ing topics at length: Penn’s reopening and Campus Compact compliance/enforcement; online
learning and the expanded pass/fail policy; promoting student wellness through time off and safe
socialization; and increasing cultural space for underrepresented/minority students. Other issues
discussed included access to menstrual products and gender neutral bathrooms; reforms to the
Department of Public Safety; and faculty diversity, hiring, and retention. Throughout the year,
we were joined by administrators who could inform and contextualize our discussions. These
included members of the Office of the Vice Provost for University Life, the Office of the Provost,
the Office of the Executive Vice President, and Wellness at Penn, as well as the four deans of the
undergraduate schools.
My chief priorities for UA Steering were to find common goals among Steering groups and collab-
orate in pursuit of them; amplify and further the current efforts of Steering groups; and conduct
teach-ins in which different Steering groups presented their work. I also navigated new relation-
ships with various activist organizations in our community. Early in the year, I observed that
many student groups were struggling to maintain operations and carry out their initiatives as a re-
sult of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. For this reason, UA Steering began to focus less on the
missions of individual groups and more on how to improve our collective experience as students
during this unique time.
Executive Reports | 11

I also received feedback that, as members of Advocacy Teams last year, many Steering groups
were prompted to work with groups that they already interacted with on a regular basis. For this
reason, I chose not to continue that arrangement, but rather, to connect groups with each other
based on shared initiatives that I noted in my 1-on-1 meetings. Since Steering groups preferred
to hear more about organizations that were dissimilar to them, I introduced a “Replicating Real
Life” segment into our meetings. At the beginning of UA Steering, I would place representatives
in randomized breakout rooms and prompt them to ask each other what they were currently
working on or concerned about. This was meant to mimic how in normal times, members of UA
Steering would casually chat with those around them before meetings began. I also re-introduced
teach-ins, which were ten to fifteen minute presentations in which representatives of UA Steering
groups could discuss problems facing their communities, share their expertise, and gain insight
from other representatives. Over the course of the year, we heard from Penn Wellness, Universi-
ty Honor Council, and the Medical Emergency Response Team, all to positive feedback from the
body of UA Steering.
University Council
University Council is the highest deliberative body at Penn and serves as a forum for students,
faculty, and staff to raise concerns and advise the senior administration regarding the current
state of affairs of the University. The undergraduate delegation has 16 seats on the Council.
This year’s mis- and/or underrepresented student group seat holders were:
Angela Ji/Kingsley Song, Asian Pacific Student Coalition
Hugo Leo, Assembly of International Students
Ana West, Consent Collaborative
Blake Rubenstein, Lambda Alliance
Gabriela Alvardo/Frances Paulino, Latinx Coalition
Aisha Irshad, Muslim Students’ Association
Jordy Atencia, Penn First
Vyshnavi Kosigishroff, Student Sustainability Association at Penn
Javier Cuadras, Student Veteran Association
Hadja Diallo, UMOJA
These ten delegates, along with three UA delegates who represent the UA Presidency, UA Vice
Presidency, and UA Speakership constituted the undergraduate delegation this year. Some of the
issues raised by the undergraduate delegation included: extending the expanded pass/fail policy
to the Spring 2021 semester; Campus Compact compliance/enforcement; supporting internation-
al students through online learning; the urgent need for climate action and fossil fuel divestment;
the mis-gendering of students in the classroom; and creating cultural space for underrepresent-
ed/minority students.
The UA is chartered to represent the voices of students and student groups to the administration
and by virtue, building a bridge between these two entities. While the President is tasked with
representing students on campus, it is the responsibility of the Vice President to serve as
an advocate in addressing the concerns facing student groups on campus as well as facilitating
collaboration between these diverse groups. The Vice President aims to accomplish these charges
through coordinating and chairing UA Steering and leading the undergraduate delegation at
University Council.
12 | Executive Reports

Continuing the tradition, the undergraduate delegation met before each University Council meet-
ing to discuss the meetings’ focus issues, agenda items, and any statements they would present.
Additionally, the representatives of University Council decided that they would like to support
one another in presenting statements this year. For example, at the December University Council
meeting, Frances (from the Latinx Coalition) presented a statement in support of extending the
pass/fail policy and explained how this would benefit her constituency. Then, Hugo (from the
Assembly of International Students), Aisha (from the Muslim Students’ Association), and Vysh
(from Student Sustainabilty Association at Penn) did the same. This was the delegates’ way of
emphasizing an important issue and relating it to different kinds of students, and they found it to
be quite effective. Overall, the undergraduate delegation did an impressive job representing their
respective groups and the student body. The efficiency and accountability of our body would not
have been possible without the tremendous support and coordinating efforts of Nathalie Marquez
and Sabria Henry-Hunter, who served as Vice Chairs of Nominations on the Nominations and
Elections Committee.
The UA also passed a bylaw amendment, introduced by Associate Member Allan Cate, which says
that the NEC should prioritize mis- and/or under-represented constituencies over representation
of the four undergraduate schools in their appointments to University Council. This came as a re-
sponse to UA-appointed school representatives having poor attendance at University Council and
rarely speaking on behalf of their schools.
Mary Sadallah C’22
vp@pennua.org

UA Report
Janice Owusu C’22 W’22
speaker@pennua.org
The Undergraduate Assembly began the 48th session by welcoming a group of driven new mem-
bers tasked with representing the undergraduate student body during a global pandemic. This
year, Janice lead the body with a few goals in mind: representation, equity, and community
building.
Representation
In the midst of a global pandemic and an online semester, there were many factors at play when
considering the internal structure of the UA. As Speaker, Janice served to set the expectation that
the members of the Undergraduate Assembly would do their best to adapt to the unprecedented
needs of the student body. By selecting Associate Members to serve on the body, she ensured that
the UA would serve as a representative voice for the student body.
In particular, it was Janice’s priority to ensure that the Class of 2024 had representation in the
absence of the Fall election cycle. In addtition, she encouraged Associate Members to tackle untra-
ditional project areas, ranging from issues of repatriation to elevating concerns from Student Dis-
ability Services. This allowed for a diversity of project work within the UA this session.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
As elected representatives of the undergraduate student body, it is imperative that the membership
of the UA is well-informed. Janice ensured that the members of the UA participated in more than
one training or discussion surrounding issues of Anti-Racism, Anti-Bias, and DEI topics.
Anti-Bias Discussion: During the UA Annual Retreat, there was an education component surround-
ing issues of anti-bias within the organization and beyond. As specified in the UA Bylaws, it is man-
datory to have a DEI discussion/training during our Annual Retreat. This discussion explored the
many ways we might express bias and how that bias could impact our roles as student leaders. In
addition, the body set community norms which included topics ranging from using “I” statements
to including pronouns in introductions. This training was required and attended by all UA mem-
bers.
Penn Anti-Violence Education (PAVE): During the Spring semester, the UA requested and attend-
ed a PAVE Training session. The training covered issues of identifying and intervening in instances
of interpersonal violence and bias. In addition, there was an overview of University resources and
engaging discussions among members of our body. Eighty percent of current UA members were in
attendance.
Community Building
This semester, creating a cohesive and safe community was crucial to the emotional wellness of
the body. The four UA committees met weekly which helped create smaller pockets of community.
Alongside this, Janice introduced additional social opportunities through gift exchanges, grab and
gos, and group walks. In addition, committee directors hosted fun joint committee meetings. These
various activities served as the pillars that built the internal sense of community this year.

2020-2021 Bylaw Amendments
Anti-Violence Amendment: This amendment was proposed by EI Director Kristen Ukeomah and UA
Speaker Janice Owusu. This amendment requires all Undergraduate Assembly members to undergo
DEI training during the education section of the UA Annual Retreat. This amendment also holds the
UA Speakers accountable to ensure this training occurs each session.
University Council Selection Amendment: Amending the University Council (UC) selection process
was proposed by NEC and UA member, Allan Cate. This amendment removed the requirement that
the four undergraduate schools be represented in the UC delegate selection process. The reasoning
behind this change was that fulfilling this requirement often came at the cost of other areas of repre-
sentations, namely in the cases of mis- and under-represented student groups.
UA Resolutions Passed by the 48th Session
Reclamation of Fall and Spring Break: This resolution called for the addition of break days in the
Spring semester following the removal of both the Fall and Spring Breaks during the 2020-2021
academic year. Authored by UA Communications Director, David Jin, this resolution demanded
that students be involved in decisions regarding the academic calendar and its associated break days
and academic deadlines. The resolution was sent to all four undergraduate deans, Provost Pritchett,
and President Gutmann. There were various meetings with administrators to create a solution for
the removed breaks. This resolution contributed to the creation of Engagement Days for the Spring
semester.
Despite the unprecedented nature of this year, the members of the 48th session were passionate, re-
silient, and able to think both critically and creatively in the hopes of representing the student body
in the most effective way possible. Thank you to the members of the 48th session for making this
year one of the best in UA history.
Janice Owusu C’22 W’22
speaker@pennua.org

Treasurer’s Report
Nikhil Gupta C’22 W’22
treasurer@pennua.org
Budget Committee:
Tari Clement W’21 (tariclem@wharton.upenn.edu)
Regan Mizrahi C’22 (rmizrahi@sas.upenn.edu)
The role of the UA Treasurer is to act as the chief financial officer of the University’s activities
fund that is derived from the General Fee. In addition, the UA Treasurer serves on the Student
Activities Council (SAC) to ensure the efficient allocation of student funds. The UA Treasurer is
the resident expert on University funding for student groups.
2021-2022 UA Annual Budget
This year during the Budget Season, the UA allocated $2,624,850.00, which was a 0% increase
from the figure from last year after a 5% cut was taken over the summer due to the outbreak of the
COVID-19 pandemic. The Student Activities Council (SAC) footed this decrease so that the other
entities funded by the budget had unchanged numbers. However, after the conclusion of the Bud-
get Season, the updated number was $2,700,970.00 - the increase went largely to SAC alongside
smaller increases for the UA internal and pre-orientation program scholarship budgets. The chart
below reflects the pre-increase allocation of $2,624,850.00.
$1,245,731.72 (-9.66%)
$1,109,055.94 (0%)
$53,050.00 (0%)
$45,100.00 (0%)
$9,250.00 (0%)
$11,813.34 (0%)
$18,840.00 (0%)
$18,700 (0%) $16,625.00 (0%)
$12,689 (0%)
$33,600.00 (0%)
$21,000.00 (0.00%)
$14,880.00 (0.00%)
$14,515.00 (0%)

Funding Steering Assembly
The Funding Steering Assembly (FSA) is composed of student representatives from various
funding boards on campus. Given the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic,
SAC and the other funding organizations adapted their guidelines to meet the different needs of
student groups. Most funding boards continued to meet consistently in the virtual environment,
and student groups sought funding through the Common Funding Application (CFA) for virtual
speaker events, cultural celebrations, art supplies, and other community-building activities. In
the spring semester, outdoor OSA-approved in-person events (such as grab-and-go pickups) were
also funded. The UA Treasurer also integrated feedback from the FSA into the creation of criteria
for the Social Life and Inclusion Fund, which is detailed separately in this Annual Report.
Contingency Fund
The Undergraduate Assembly Contingency Fund is the last-resort funding option for student
groups. When groups submit applications through the CFA, they have the option to request con-
sideration by the Budget Committee after all other sources have been exhausted. The Budget
Committee decided to add a flexibility addendum to the guidelines for granting funding due to the
restrictions on in-person events. Due to a decline in expenses incurred by campus organizations,
the funding boards have been able to meet student demand at higher levels than in years past -
the UA Contingency Fund is no exception.
Thanks to all of the student groups, administrators, and Budget Committee for a great year!
Nikhil Gupta C’22 W’22
treasurer@pennua.org

Secretary’s Report
Carson Sheumaker C’23 W’23
secretary@pennua.org
The UA Secretary is the manager of UA administrative business and services. Their role is to
keep track of UA meetings by taking attendance and minutes, acting as a liaison to Penn Labs,
and overseeing services such as Fall and Spring Airport Shuttles, Legal Services, and more.
Operations Committee
Jonah Schenk C23 (jrschenk@sas.upenn.edu)
Joan Dartey C23 (jdartey@sas.upenn.edu)
Josias Zongo C24 (josias@sas.upenn.edu)
The usual Airport Shuttles Committee was suspended this session due to the COVID-19
pandemic. It was replaced with the Operations Committee, tasked with aiding the secretary in his
role. The committee helped compile project lists, the mid-session report, and the annual report
for the UA.
Minutes
One of the Secretary’s main tasks is to keep a record of all meetings of the UA in the form of
detailed minutes. This academic year, detailed minutes were created for over 25 administrative
meetings, and over 20 general body meetings for the UA. These provide useful information to
future leaders on the UA for administrative stances during the 2020-2021 academic year and how
the situation has changed into the future.
Legal Services
Coordinator: Jennifer Richards C21 (rjenny@sas.upenn.edu)
The UA, in partnership with the Graduate and Professional
Student Assembly (GAPSA), provides general legal services for
Penn students. Penn students request the service and the legal
coordinator will connect them with an attorney. This academic
year, the attorney met with over thirteen students.
Penn Labs
Fall Directors:
Marta García Ferreiro (martagf@seas.upenn.edu)
Armaan Tobaccowalla (armaant@seas.upenn.edu)
Spring Directors:
Marta García Ferreiro (martagf@seas.upenn.edu)
Misty Liao (mistysl@wharton.upenn.edu)
Executive Reports| 18

Penn Labs
Penn Labs is a team of student software engineers, product designers, and business develop-
ers. Their ultimate goal is improving the Penn community. In addition to creating 100% free
high-quality products, they give back to the Penn community by providing educational resources
and technical support.
Here are some of the highlights from the year:
Hub@Penn
Hub@Penn is a place for the Penn community to
find and connect with support resources.
Hub@Penn lists over one hundred resources. It
is used as a quick way for new students to find
resources quickly and learn about ones they do
not already know.
Penn Clubs
Penn Clubs is meant to be your central source of
information about student organizations at the
University of Pennsylvania. You can keep dis-
covering new clubs throughout the year, not just
at the SAC Fair. Penn clubs Penn Clubs housed
many of the club recruitment processes online
this year including the annual SAC fair. This
innovation saved the university time and money by using a home grown resource to fix an
important problem. Over 750 clubs are listed on the Penn Clubs website.
OHO.io
OHQ.io is a website used for easy access to office hours. It has
predominantly been utilized by the engineering school, but is
branching out to the other schools. For the first semester this
year, it had over 2,700 users for 60 courses with over 32,000
questions asked. Marketing the service has been very
successful as use has grown exponentially.
Huge shout out to PennLabs, Operations Committee, and Legal Services Coordinator for a great
year!
Carson Sheumaker C’23 W’23
secretary@pennua.org

Communications Report
Fall: David Jin C’23 | Spring: Pranav Tadikonda C’24
communications@pennua.org
Communications Team
Thomas Kyong W’23 (tkyong@wharton.upenn.edu)
Caroline Li W’24 (cli24@wharton.upenn.edu)
Anish Welde C’21 (anishw@sas.upenn.edu)
During the 48th Session, the Communications Team dedicated its efforts to promoting awareness
of what the UA does through social media campaigns. This past year itself, the UA increased its
followers count on Instagram to over 700
followers, and it continues to stay active. Due to
the fact that everything this year has been virtual,
the Communications Team thought it was
extremely important to reach out to incoming
students at Penn, as well as current students who
are still unfamiliar with the UA and PSG in
general.
Traditionally, the Communications Team utilized
Facebook as the primary means of sharing
information and spreading publicity about
upcoming events. However, due to the clear higher
usage of Instagram over other social media
platforms, the Communications Team thought it
was best to use Instagram as the primary method
of publicity. This allowed other organizations’
liaisons and Instagram accounts to message us
about potential collaborations, joint hosting, and
other partnerships for the Penn student body.
Along with Treasurer Nikhil Gupta, the
Communications Team also worked on the Chinatown Bus Charter pilot, which offers free
transportation to and from Chinatown every Saturday. The Communications Team not only
designed the flier to promote the event, but also worked with PAACH and GAPSA to outline the
logistics of the bus service. Along with other UA members, the Communications Team
volunteered at the bus service, allowing for a COVID-safe program.
Lastly, graphic design has been a focus of the Communications Team. The team worked on
mastering the principles of Adobe and Canva, especially with the help of President Mercedes
Owens, who provided a strong outline through InDesign for the monthly newsletter.
Executive Reports| 20

Academic Initiatives
Tori Borlase C’22
Committee Director (ai@pennua.org)
The Academic Initiatives Committee (AI) is
devoted to enacting change within the academic
space at Penn. AI is using student insight to work
on projects that will have a long-lasting impact. The
three themes that the committee is focusing on this
year are (a) increasing transparency in
academic-related areas; (b) increasing the
availability of course policies and information for
students; and (c) bolstering the remote learning
environment. Don’t hesitate to contact AI’s
Committee Director Tori Borlase with any
questions or concerns at ai@pennua.org
21 | Academic Initiatives

Academic Know Your Rights Campaign
Tori Borlase C’22
In response to confusion surrounding Penn’s policies on midterms, finals scheduling, and other miscellaneous
concerns, Tori worked with numerous student organizations such as UHC, SCUE, and DAB to produce and
launch one centralized platform with relevant academic policies. This platform can be found on the UA
website under the Resources tab, and includes a course issue report, midterm policies, academic resources, and
solutions to common academic problems.
Climate Seminar
Tori Borlase C’22
After a year of working with groups such
as SSAP and the Faculty Senate, Tori
hosted and moderated a Climate Seminar
designed for students to be able to ask
administrators key questions about Penn’s
plan to address the Climate Crisis. Notable
topics included Penn’s role in the fossil fuel
industry, investment practices, sustainable
infrastructure, and Penn’s impact on the
Philadelphia community. The recording,
as well as written questions and answers,
can be found on the Seminars section of the
Faculty Senate website.
First-Year Forum
Amy Wu C’24, Xavier Shankle W’24, Ananya Singhal SEAS’24, Daniela Uribe C’24, Carmen-Kay Harrison
Montoya C’24, Josias Zongo C’24, Prabh Dhaliwal W’24, Shan Shan Liang W’24, Caroline Li W’24,
Nicholas Kuo SEAS’24, Pranav Tadikonda C’24, Tristan Maslar W’24, Ashley Song W’24, Chiadika Eleh
SEAS’24
The first-year representatives on the UA created a committee within the UA to address the needs of the Class
of 2024, especially against the backdrop of the pandemic affecting our first year. In order to elevate the voices
of the Class of 2024, they decided to hold an Open Forum and met weekly to organize it. They also reached out
to Katie Bonner from the Office of Student Affairs to promote the Open Forum. They created a survey to collect
input from the student body on what kinds of changes they wanted to see and at the Open Forum, addressed
student concerns as well as shared information about the projects we were currently working on. They
discussed the math initiative, dining, mental health reform, pass/fail, and more. The Open Forum was attended
by members of the Class of 2024 as well as by Penn Administration.
Increasing Transparency of Course Costs
Xavier Shankle W’24
Xavier worked on the first phase of a communication plan pushing for professors to be cognizant of the
cost of course materials and to make the costs of such material available as early as possible. Professors will
receive a list of the benefits of lowering course costs and a sample syllabus formatted in a way that helps
students better prepare financially for a semester. He consulted with professors and various admin to ensure
the language was effective, and he hopes the messages can be delivered to professors before the start of the
2021 fall semester. Additionally, Xavier worked with the administrators overseeing the roll-out of the new
course registration system to brainstorm ways to have the cost course materials available during course
registration and on the site. While implementation is still far out, Xavier hopes that scholars will be able to
plan their semester both financially and academically ahead of time in the future.
Academic Initiatives | 22

Excused Absence Flexibility for Athletes
Tori Borlase C’22
Many Penn athletes have to miss days of school due to traveling or competing. After students reached out
to Tori about concerns over receiving unexcused absences for sports competitions, she has discussed these
concerns with department chairs, and will be continuing to push for an open dialogue between athletes and
professors. In the future, Tori plans to coordinate a meeting with students affected by these strict attendance
policies and hopes to continue this project into the next school year.
Mandating PAVE Presentations for IFC Chapters
Allan Cate C’22
Allan began discussion with an IFC board member last fall to institute a bylaw requiring that all Interfraternity
Council chapters host a PAVE session each year. Through collaboration with Penn Violence Prevention
Associate Director Rae Chaloult and IFC President Kaden Stenger C’22, all fraternities are now required to
have 80% of their chapter attend a PAVE session each year, inclusive of all chapter members on the executive
board. Allan is a former member of a fraternity and is a current PAVE Educator and is eager to work with the
IFC and PAVE to sustain and improve their collaboration in future years.
Math Initiative
Amy Wu C’24, Ananya Singhal SEAS’24, Shan Shan Liang W’24, Xavier Shankle W’24, Chiadika Eleh
SEAS’24
This project sought to improve communication between students and the Penn Math Department. Amy,
Ananya, Shan Shan, Xavier, and Chiadika also worked to update transcripts to accurately reflect the material
taught in math courses (e.g. MATH114, although currently labelled as Calc II, teaches the content equivalent
to what, at most of Penn’s peer institutions, is labelled as Calc III). Their motivation behind this project was
because every student at Penn must fulfill a math requirement, which means that their experiences with math
courses is pivotal to the experience of Penn students. Most take math courses as freshmen and these courses
provide some of their first exposure to Penn. During the course of this project, they first conducted a survey and
analyzed the results to determine what issues were most important to Penn math students in terms of potential
restructuring of the course, etc. On the renaming courses side, we conducted research of how comparable math
courses are named at peer institutions (e.g. Stanford, MIT, other Ivies, etc.) With our findings in hand, they
then reached out to the Registrar’s Office, Career Services, and the math department. They met with Professor
DeTurck and spoke about student concerns and about updating the transcripts. Course names for students
who take the math courses in 2022 and beyond will be changed, with the introduction of the Next Generation
Student Systems (NGSS). Following the initial meeting, they also emailed Professor DeTurck about the
possibility of holding an Open Forum between professors in the math department and math students.
Midterm Dates and Drop Deadline Extension
Tori Borlase C’22, Janice Owusu C’22 W’22
Because many students do not have access to enough grades to make informed decisions about dropping
or changing a class to pass/fail grading by the deadline, Tori and Janice have talked with professors and
administrators to find a solution. After surveying students and professors to see when students typically
receive most of their grades back, Tori and Janice are working to extend deadlines for both pass/fail and drop
periods in order to ensure that professors have enough time to grade all students’ work.
Preparing For The Fall 2021 Semester
Ryan Bush C’22, Tori Borlase C’22, Thomas Kaupas C’22
Ryan, Tori, and Thomas have been meeting with various administrators across the University in order to
prepare for the Fall 2021 semester from an academics perspective and attempt to transition back to in-person
learning. They aimed to better understand the student experience from this past year of online/remote learning
in order to incorporate such feedback into suggestions for faculty and administration moving forward. This
is an ongoing project that will culminate with Penn Administration’s confirmation of the Fall 2021 schedule/
logistics surrounding in-person learning and the operations of the University, but from it, a number of projects
can and will emerge, such as in incorporating more resources surrounding mental health and wellness for
students on an ongoing basis once returning to the classroom.
23 | Academic Initiatives

More Tutors in Engineering
Sai Mamidala, SEAS’23
Sai worked on publicizing the tutoring program in engineering and encouraging more tutors to sign up for
engineering courses
Shaping the Future of Penn Career Services
Ryan Bush C’22
Ryan has been working directly with the directors and administrators of Penn’s Career Services office in
order to understand their priorities, and to assist with the distribution of office resources and information to
the student body more effectively. Specifically, he is looking to help contribute to the conversation of what
on-campus recruiting and the job search looks like in a post-COVID-19 world, gauging the shift to remote
work opportunities and presenting suggestions to be incorporated in the remote work outlook created by the
office. Additionally, he is working to facilitate a graduate-undergraduate mentorship program across Penn’s
schools to broaden opportunities to all different students and encourage mentorship in both an academic and
professional context. This is currently an ongoing project, one that shifts in conjunction with the needs of the
Career Services office.
Syllabus Accessibility
Tori Borlase C’22
Many classes in the College do not have their syllabi widely available on PennInTouch, and Tori has met with
professors and department chairs to try to convince them to post their information online early on in the
registration process. When registering for courses, students often need to rely on asking their peers what the
class was like rather than being able to see what the expected course content will be. In the future, she plans to
focus on ensuring the new platform for course registration contains syllabi with details about expected course
costs, grade breakdowns, and timelines.
Transfer Program Community for 2022-2023
Allan Cate C’22, Regan Mizrahi C’22, Carson Sheumaker C/W ‘23
Allan, Regan, and Carson worked with the Transfer Student Organization’s co-presidents, Alexandra Brauer
and Deepti Tantry, to organize a meeting with administrators from Penn Residential Services to discuss
creating a transfer student program community in on-campus housing. The UA members and TSO co-
presidents met with administration and discussed working together during Summer 2021 and the 21-22 school
year to coordinate the submission of a community proposal, based off of the desires of the transfer community
and other universities’ transfer community programs.
Physical Education Classes for Credit
Jennifer Richards, C’21, SAS’21
In conjunction with Penn Campus Recreation, we have been working on getting physical education classes
for credit. A summary of findings from a survey and the salience of the project was submitted to Chloe Cole.
They are really excited by the results and have the resources to do it since many of their exercise classes and
spaces go underutilized, but COVID definitely put a halt on things. Hopefully, a younger member of the UA
will be able to carry this project on once COVID is over.
Standardised Course Unit Extension Protocol
Kshitiz Garg W’22 ENG’22
Kshitiz has been working with WAB and Wharton Administration to push for a standardized form for Course
Unit extension. He met with various stakeholders and administrators to understand why the process to
request for CU extension is still inefficient. It seems that there’s some room for discussion required with
Wharton administrators to discuss what the form will look like, and whether it’ll affect the personalized
communication Wharton wants to ensure between its advisors and students. Kshitiz will be meeting with
more faculty and advisors earlier next year to brainstorm how the personalized communication can be
retained while still making the whole process efficient and justified for the students.
Academic Initiatives | 24

Equity and Inclusion
Kristen Ukeomah C’21
Committee Director (ei@pennua.org)
The Equity and Inclusion Committee (EI) addresses the
needs of mis- and underrepresented groups in the Penn
and greater Philadelphia community. This committee
works closely with constituents like the first-generation
low-income community, the 6B minority coalition, and
relevant administrators to identify and eliminate the
barriers that impede students from getting the most
out of their Penn experiences. Projects are often relat-
ed to accessibility, equity, and sensitivity. Reach out to
Kristen at ei@pennua.org with questions and
suggestions.
25 | Equity and Inclusion

Making Club Recruitment More Equitable
Prabh Dhaliwal W’24
Prabh has been working with members of SAC to make the club recruitment process at Penn as
equitable as it can be. Various implicit biases sway leaders’ decision making without their knowing,
preventing many underrepresented minorities from engaging with campus organizations they are
interested in and well-qualified to be a part of. Prabh, with the aid of SAC, is hoping to address
this university-wide issue through the administration of mandatory implicit bias training similar
to what Wharton Council has already put in place for organizations under their jurisdiction. The
mandatory training will likely be composed of various asynchronous modules and live sessions
where leaders have the opportunity to engage with trained implicit bias educators and apply what
they have learned. Prabh hopes to have this implemented by the beginning of the next recruitment
season.
Dismantling the Morton Collection
Josias Zongo C’24, Daniela Uribe C’24
Since the beginning of the session, Josias Zongo and Daniela Uribe have been working on
dismantling the Morton Collection and ensuring that its remains are repatriated in a timely and
respectful manner. In the fall, they met with Carson Eckhard from the Penn Slavery project and
Anthropology Professor Deborah Thomas, who have been advocating for its repatriation and have
background knowledge of the collection, its current uses, and its ties to racism. A committee has
been formed by the Penn Museum regarding the collection. Therefore, Josias and Daniela aimed
to better understand the committee’s intentions and progress. In the spring semester Josias
and Daniela made significant progress in creating consistent communication with key Morton
committee members. They met with Dr. Janet Monge, the keeper of the collection and Zhenia
Bemko who is also involved in the collection to discuss their role with the collection. Key takeaways
from this meeting were that the repatriation process has barely begun and there are significant
roadblocks to finding the descended communities. Internally, the museum is divided on these
subjects. They met with Dr. Paul Wolf-Mitchell who shared his expertise on the kinds of research
being done with the collection currently as well as what future repatriation could look like. Through
these meetings it became very clear that any undergraduate voice added to the conversation
about the skulls of formerly enslaved people should be a black voice. Finally, Josias and Daniela
met briefly with Dr. Chris Woods, the new museum director, and will meet with him again in
mid-April. Dr. Woods has shown interest in continuing the conversation about undergraduate
representation and the next step would be to get verbal commitment. Future areas of exploration
include transparency in how the museum is used for research and the inclusion of undergraduates
in conversations about reburial and repatriation, or more ethical research use, of the skulls from
other racial groups. Daniela and Josias anticipate this project will continue next year.
Equity and Inclusion | 26

Penn Dining Food Donation Program
Joel Olujide W’23 and Sarah Ramadan C’23
Joel and Sarah’s main goal was to ensure that all of Penn’s dining halls are donating to food insecurity
programs in Philadelphia. In the fall semester, we met with the head chef of 1920 Commons who
explained his role in the current food donation program, including his efforts to increase food source
sustainability. After this, we connected with head chefs of Penn’s retail dining locations to spearhead
their inclusion in the 1920 food donation program, and by doing so subsequently ensured that all of
the dining halls maximize their donation capacity in the future.
Pushing For Need-blind Admissions For Internationals
Josias Zongo C’24
This spring, Josias Zongo has been working on a project that would evaluate
the possibility for need-blind financial aid for international students at Penn. Penn currently practices
need-aware admissions for students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., Canada,
or Mexico, meaning that the applicants’ ability to pay is a factor when deciding whether or not to
accept them. Josias began this project because, as an international student, he believes that this policy
is unfair to the large majority of international students and may prevent adequate representation of
all socioeconomic groups within the international community at Penn.
Josias met with the director of ISSS, Dr. Rodolfo Altamirano, and the leadership of SFRS to
understand the rationale behind Penn’s current need-aware policy and any possibilities to re-evaluate
this policy moving forward. A hurdle that was raised by SFRS was Penn’s smaller endowment in
comparison to other ivy league institutions that are need-blind for internationals. However, SFRS has
been incrementally making steps towards admitting internationals from more diverse socioeconomic
backgrounds by increasing the aid package for internationals in recent years. Adopting a need-blind
policy for internationals will take some time, but Josias hopes to continue working with SFRS and
international student organizations on campus to continue pushing for this change during the next
UA session.
Reflections: The Year of Civic Engagement
Carmen-Kay Harrison Montoya C’24
Looking at Penn’s commitments in activism and community involvement, Carmen-Kay aimed
to facilitate honest dialogue between Penn staff, administration, alumni, and undergraduate
and graduate students in order to reflect on this year’s theme of Civic Engagement. Centering
on performative activism, staff diversity, philanthropy, and community education, Carmen-Kay
spearheaded a series of university-wide talks in conjunction with centers such as Civic House, the
Netter Center, Paideia Program, and Greenfield Intercultural Center.
In doing so, these talks designed series of dialogue that provoked Penn’s intentions and involvements
with the greater Philadelphia area, challenged students’ engagements with those around them, and
brainstormed how Penn may become more conscious of their efforts and the communities they affect
in their actions. Overall, these conversations stirred student involvement, gave space to converse over
the successes and pitfalls of the Year of Civic Engagement, and invoked a renewed sense of passion in
the student body for community involvement, selfless action, and societal consciousness.

Education on Anti-Racism, Anti-Bias, and Diversity
Alex Eapen C’24 and Mercedes Owens C’21
Alex and Mercedes have been working on designing and implementing a new part of NSO curriculum
that includes education on anti-racism, gender identity, socioeconomic status, and other biases. After
several conversations with offices like CHAS, VPUL, and NSOAI, the education will be a mandatory
component of the first-year experience, beginning with NSO and continuing through housing
communities. With the heightening of identity-based crimes nationally, and Penn’s setting within the
diverse West Philadelphia community, the importance of such a curriculum for incoming students
cannot be understated. Alex and Mercedes are working diligently with stakeholders to have some level
of education implemented as soon as with the Class of 2025 NSO. The proposal can be found here.
Resident Advisor Compensation
Ozi Amuzie C’22
As a resident advisor on campus, it is not guaranteed that one will be compensated fully in their
position. When an RA gets hired, in some circumstances, their financial aid is reallocated in such
a way that grants are reduced and they do not receive the net benefits of free room and board. In
addition to that, resident advisors are unable to hold work study jobs on campus, as their work study
allocation gets retracted upon being hired. Further, RAs receive only a partial mean plan averaging to
5 meals a week, without being guaranteed a kitchen space. Given these stipulations, being in the RA
position is not an equitable for students with limited resources. Ozi reached out to CHAS and RHS to
discuss increasing compensation for resident advisors in the coming years.
UA 6B Liaison
Daniela Uribe C’24
Daniela Uribe worked on a UA 6B Liaison project throughout the fall and spring semester. The Project
was mostly unsuccessful due to failure to make contact with many of the 6B groups. The partnership
with PAGE was very successful and produced important project work for both groups. The idea was
to streamline the line of communication between the UA Equity and Inclusion committee and the 6B
groups. Daniela will either continue to be the Liaison or give the responsibility to another UA member
next year should she not remain on the body.
Comprehensive Wellness Guide
Joan Dartey C’23
Joan is looking to expand the existing wellness guide to reflect the changes that have been made by
both campus partners and student organizations to support Penn affiliates during such unprecedented
times. She has contacted and made note of the changes in services that have been implemented by
the University departments in charge of offering students, staff, and faculty immediate help. Her next
course of action will be to contact the relevant wellness-focused student groups to determine what
support they’re offering Penn affiliates during this time. She is focused on distinguishing between
services offered on-campus and off-campus. After gathering the appropriate information, she plans
to update the existing wellness graphic, and hopes to disseminate the new wellness guide in the early
months of the spring ‘21 semester.
Equity and Inclusion | 28

Civic Engagement Town Hall
Carmen-Kay Harrison Montoya C’24
Carmen-Kay has been communicating with the directors of
Civic House to plan a university-wide town hall over the Year of
Civic Engagement, community service, and the identities and
intentions we bring to our service. Bringing in co-sponsors such
as the Greenfield Intercultural Center, Paideia Program, and
Netter Center, Carmen aims to hold an all-inclusive moderated
discussion and audience reflection on the steps one needs to take
before engaging in service for our underprivileged communities.
Focusing on intentions of service, time commitments, experiences
and identities, and the community’s needs, Carmen aims to raise
awareness on how collective identities and experiences can help
everyone selflessly and inclusively serve the greatest and truest
needs of Penn’s Philadelphia neighbors.
Increased Access to Online Publications for the Penn Community
David Garnick C’23
After realizing nearly all of his professors have assigned readings from the Philadelphia Inquirer, the
New York Times, and the Washington Post, David decided to initiate this project because students
do not have easy access to these required publications in some cases. This is not the case at our peer
institutions, and even at Penn Law, where students are given access to these publications freely.
Greater access to these publications would aid not only in academic engagement, but also for civic
engagement, allowing us to become active citizens who are knowledgeable about day-to-day current
events and dynamics in our globalized world. The goal of this project is to prompt Penn to give
access to these highly regarded publications in order to provide an inclusive and engaging academic
experience.
Career Services DEI Panel
Daniela Uribe C’24 and Mercedes Owens C’21
This semester, Daniela worked with Sharon Smith in
Career Services alongside Mercedes Owens to plan a DEI
Panel. On Monday, March 22nd, they co-hosted the panel.
Mercedes moderated a great conversation with Sherry
Coleman, a partner at Storbeck Search; Carita Marrow, the
senior Diversity & Inclusion Program Manager at Adobe;
and Luzerne McAllister, an Executive in Global Diversity
& Inclusion at PepsiCo. The conversation centered around
topics such as imposter syndrome and aspects of the
recruitment/interview process from the perspective of people
from underrepresented backgrounds. There were around
forty people in attendance at this event. This is only the first
of a series of events career services plans to co-host with the
UA around DEI related topics.

Reopening and
Response
Gabriela Montes C’23
Committee Director (rr@pennua.org)
The Reopening & Response Committee (R&R), which is
normally known as the Dining, Housing, and Transit
Committee, will address the changes brought on by
the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee will address
University communications, inadequate food options,
housing concerns, testing and test result reporting,
administrative office inefficiencies, and maintaining
services like Penn Rides. R&R will also focus on
encouraging measures like social distancing
and mask-wearing. Feel free to contact R&R
Committee Director Gabriela Montes with
any questions or concerns at
rr@pennua.org.
Reopening and Response | 30

Chinatown Bus Charter
Nikhil Gupta W’22 C’22 and Pranav Tadikonda C’24
Nikhil and Pranav have maintained close correspondence
with GAPSA (Graduate and Professional Student Association)
and PAACH (Pan-Asian American Cultural House) to pilot
a Chinatown Bus Charter. This charter will provide free
transportation from Penn’s campus to Chinatown in four-
hour periods every weekend, with buses departing Penn’s
campus every 30 minutes. Seeing the growing need for students
(especially in the international student community) to connect
to this Asian cultural epicenter, Nikhil and Pranav have been
organizing logistics alongside the relevant parties, getting
students sign up for volunteer shifts, and publicizing this free
service to all students.
COVID Educational Reform for Nursing Students
Yujiao Louisa Qiu N’23 W’23 and Nyair Locklear N’23
Louisa and Nyair have facilitated the communication between nursing students and the admins in
adjusting to the COVID environment. The exchanges were carried through forums and meetings with the
administrators, sharing feedback from the survey filled by nursing students across the years. The two hope
to promote a better learning environment in the coming fall semester. “
Dining Waste Initiative
Caroline Li W’24 and Shan Shan Liang W’24
Ever since the beginning of the spring semester, Caroline and Shan Shan noticed a large amount of waste
and plastic coming out of dining halls. Students threw away all of the pre-packaged containers and boxes,
and the trash room in the Quad reached shocking amounts of waste. It is worth noting that due to COVID,
waste levels were lower this year compared to previous years, but Caroline and Shan Shan thought that
this was the perfect opportunity for Penn to make long-term changes to their environmental footprint.
They started working with Penn Environmental Group to run a donation pilot program in the Quad. The 2
representatives also have other smaller goals and are still planning to reach out to more administration to
work out long-term goals.
Mental Health Advocacy for Class of 2024
Pranav Tadikonda C’24, Nicholas Kuo SEAS’24, and Tristan Maslar W’24
Pranav, Nick, and Tristan have compiled over 300 responses from the Class of 2024 regarding mental
health experiences from the first semester. Through comprehensive qualitative data analysis, they’ve
determined that there is a pertinent need for increased resources and publicity of available resources
to support students’ physical and mental health. Pranav, Nick, and Tristan plan to continue working on
this project through the rest of the semester and throughout the summer, with the fundamental goal of
reaching out to admin and speaking on behalf of the hundreds of first years that voiced their concerns and
spoke about their experiences.
Reclaiming of Breaks for the Spring
David Jin C’23
David authored the Resolution on the Reclaiming of Breaks for the Fall and Spring, which was passed
unanimously by the Undergraduate Assembly. Together with the Executive Board and Cabinet of the UA,
David attended a number of meetings with Administrators, including President Gutmann and Provost
Pritchett, to advocate for the addition of breaks during the fall and spring semesters upon the cancellation
of Fall Break and truncation of Spring Break. The University has agreed to add three additional days of
break during the spring semester.
31 | Reopening and Response

Career Services Newsletter
Regan Mizrahi C’22
Regan has been working with Barbara Hewitt to help career services compile a list of pre-professional
organizations that they can distribute opportunities to. He met to understand the functionality of their
newsletter more accurately, identify weakness with the current platform/algorithm, and is currently
working to find ways to promote the customization feature (among others) on Career Service’s weekly
newsletter for various student opportunities.
Employee Support and Benefits
Jonah Schenk C’23
Jonah has been working to find out about how Penn is supporting its employees throughout the pandemic.
Penn has a unique responsibility as the largest employer in all of Philadelphia. At the beginning of the
year, Penn was opaque about their employee’s futures: “While we truly wish that we could say with
certainty that there will be no furloughs or layoffs, there is, unfortunately, too much about the future
that we simply do not know.” Jonah has met with Penn Benefits Director Susan Sproat to get an in-depth
look at how Penn supports its employees through its benefits programs. Now, he hopes to work alongside
Caroline Li to get answers to questions of future furloughs or layoffs in the coming semester and beyond
and if so, how they’ll be supported through benefits/severance packages throughout the rest of the
pandemic.
Labor Equity
Caroline Li C’24
This project is intended to ensure that Penn’s response to the COVID changes in employment is equitable
for their employees. Areas of concern include adequate COVID protections (including sick leave and
hazard pay), stark differences in conditions for contracted dining workers, and the percentage of
furloughed workers who will be rehired for the spring. Contacts have been set up with the DP, union
representatives for the Teamsters, Bon Appetit’s dining worker union, Penn Business Services, and Penn
HR. Next steps include getting further questions answered by admin, and advocating for specific policy
changes prioritizing COVID protections.
Religious Holiday Policy
Caroline Li C’24
This project is to make getting time off for religious holidays easier. Areas of concern included the two
week period at the beginning of the semester when students are recommended to tell professors about
their intent to celebrate specific religious holidays, Jewish and Christian holidays being the only ones
given mandatory school-wide no homework and/or time off, student groups scheduling events on major
religious holidays, and raising student and professor awareness of the existing policy. Contacts have
been set up with both the administrator that manages the calendar holiday policy, the Chaplain’s Office,
and PRISM, Penn’s umbrella organization for religious groups. Next steps include potentially surveying
students about areas of concern, initiatives to inform students and teachers of the religious holidays
policy, and potentially revising the process that students go through to get time off from professors.
Freshmen Mental Health Awareness Project
Tristan Maslar W’24, Pranav Tadikonda C’24, and Nicholas Quo SEAS’24
These three are in the process of surveying the class of 2024 on mental health. They have been working
to increase marketing of overall health resources available at Penn. Their goal is to ensure that every
freshman knows exactly where and how to access Penn’s mental health resources, with an eventual mental
health guide.
Reopening and Response | 32

Daily Texting Mental Health Check-ins
Tristan Maslar W’24, Pranav Tadikonda C’24, and Nicholas Quo SEAS’24
Tristan, Pranav, and Nicholas have begun setting up work using the data from the survey project on a
texting service. Currently in the process of laying out the foundation, the service will be an optional sign
up for students of the University, and will send daily morning and evening texts asking the participant
how they are feeling on an overall scale. Based upon the response given by the user, using predetermined
numerical values, the service will respond giving resources fitting the participant’s need. The three hope to
have the service up during the beginning of the Spring ‘21 semester, and are looking right now for funding
options.
UA First-Year Committee
Tristan Maslar W’24
The collective of first-year students in the Undergraduate Assembly met up to establish a committee to
represent the Class of 2024 best in these troubling times. The goal of this committee is to be a voice of the
class to the administration, as well as to the rest of the UA. The committee meets regularly on Fridays and
is currently working on an open forum to ease the worries of their peers and show better transparency
to the rest of their class on the UA projects at hand. The group has already proved their contributions in
giving first-year voices to the UA on topics such as the pass/fail deadline and breaks.
Increasing Access to Mental Health Resources in SEAS
Akshitha Vijay SEAS’23
Akshitha has been working with SEAS Wellness and other wellness-oriented clubs to increase access
to mental wellness resources for the engineering student body. She collaborated with SEAS Wellness,
CAPSAB, and Penn Wellness to hold a university-wide Wellness Week Challenge, which had many
participants. Now, she will be working on introducing town halls, biweekly wellness workshops, and
alumni panels to promote wellness awareness and provide students with the resources to feel confident in
their wellness at Penn.
Expansion of Tutor Supply for High-Demand Courses
Hiba Hamid C’23
Hiba has been working with the Weingarten Center to address the problem of inadequate tutor supply
on campus for courses which present a high demand for tutoring services. She meets regularly with the
Associate Director of the Tutoring Center to discuss ways to increase the number of people who apply to
become tutors. She has been involved in the creation of several info-graphics to spread the word about
open tutoring positions for the 2021 spring semester, and has been actively engaged in creating long-term
solutions for the shortage as well.
Free Grammarly Premium
Jonah Schenk W’23
Jonah did research on similar undergraduate institutions that offered free Grammarly premium to its
student body. He then looked into why these fellow institutions prioritized this in their budget. After
speaking with members of the Marks Family Writing Center it was deemed that this project would not
be supported as the program was seen as an avenue for not learning basic grammar rules for students.
There was also a concern about Grammarly occasionally offering misleading suggestions which could be
confusing and misleading to both native and non-native speakers of a particular language.
33 | Reopening and Response

Student and Campus
Life
Sarthak Jain SEAS ‘22
Committee Director (scl@pennua.org)
The Student and Campus Life (SCL) Committee
prioritizes issues facing not only the student body,
but also student interaction with Penn’s campus. This
year, there will be an added focus on advocating for
students in the virtual environment. Examples of
initiatives include, but are not limited to, mental
wellness, extracurricular activities, political
engagement, sustainability, and student
interactions with faculty and administrators.
If you have any questions or concerns
pertaining to the student life of Penn
undergraduates, please do not hesitate
in cotacting the SCL Committee Director
Sarthak Jain at scl@pennua.org.
Student and Campus Life | 34

COVID Care Packages
Mary Sadallah C’22, Nyair Locklear N’23, Chiadika Eleh SEAS’24, and Ashley Song W’24
Mary, Nyair, Chiadika, and Ashley were allotted funds to purchase items which would boost Penn
student morale on campus. Designed to be a COVID specific care package, they selected items to
foster engagement and positivity while social distancing. Items included picnic blankets, frisbees,
coloring books, masks, and other merchandise. These were distributed to students throughout the
Spring ‘21 semester. The project will likely be nonrecurring due to its nature in response to the COVID
pandemic and the University’s current plans to be in-person come Fall ‘21.
Increasing Capacity and Availability of CAPS
Nyair Locklear N’23
Nyair worked this year with the CAPS and SHS advisory boards to address student wellness,
specifically in the online format. As it stands, students are not fully utilizing the resources available
through CAPS, despite many students raising concerns over issues within the scope of current
CAPS services. Her focus has been on resources and tools to direct students to wellness services, the
coordination of the various wellness groups on campus for Wellness Week, and also the hiring of
more population-specific CAPS professionals (i.e. men, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, etc). The reach of this
involvement was limited by the University wide hiring freeze that didn’t allow the rehiring of many
vacated CAPS positions for several months.
School of Nursing Admin-Student Communication
Nyair Locklear N’23
Nyair has been working with SON administration and student leaders to address student concerns
in the virtual semesters. She attended monthly nursing leadership meetings and brought agenda
items related to in-person clinicals, course policies, student wellness, clinical transportation
costs, and streamlined communication. The goal of this project was to facilitate more transparent
communication with administration and increase direct student voice in decision-making. She
encountered some difficulty working as a student government leader since the School of Nursing has
internal student governance (SNAP) which also worked to address similar concerns, but there is space
for more collaboration across student groups in the future.
Identity Inclusion
Jonathan Scotto C’22
Jonathan has been working within the Student and Campus Life committee, contacting NGSS, LGBT
Center, and other campus resources to discuss implementations regarding respecting student identity
through academic and social spaces at Penn. For NGSS, Jonathan is working towards a structural
implementation allowing for students to designate their name, name pronunciation, pronouns, and
gender on the new student software that will replace PennInTouch. For LGBTC and other CRCs,
Jonathan is working towards building a space for discussion between admin and students in order
to reach the goal of identity inclusion for underrepresented groups on campus. Jonathan is hoping
to have the relevant stakeholders at a meeting in January to ensure student voices and concerns are
taken into account with these structural changes. Overall, the fall semester was crucial in having the
foundational discussions within the UA Body, NGSS, and the LGBTC. In the spring semester, the goal
is to ensure not only the structural implementation through NGSS, but to also inform SAC-funded
student groups about identity inclusivity in their recruitment processes and day-to-day operations.
That hopefully will take form in an “Identity Inclusivity Guide” co-authored by CRCs on campus.
35 | Student and Campus Life

Socially-Distant Outdoor Spaces on Campus
Jonathan Scotto C’22
Jonathan has been working with the Student and Campus Life Committee, the UA President
(Mercedes Owens C’21 president@pennua.org), Office of Student Affairs (Katie Bonner hanlonkj@
upenn.edu), and Facilities and Real Estate Services (Mark Kocent mkocent@upenn.edu) in order
to discuss the implementation of socially-distant outdoor spaces with an completion date of March
2021 to the end of the spring 2021 semester. Jonathan hopes to bring student mental wellness and
physical health to the forefront of these conversations. Previously, the outdoor spaces constructed
on campus were not widely used and student concerns revolve around the issues of proper heating
systems, the production of student “spaces” versus “tents,” and the overall communication of these
spaces to students. As we approach the completion date of March 2021, Jonathan is eager to explore
creative solutions, such as creating remote CRC’s for students to come together on campus, creating
pop-up spaces, and/or fostering overall excitement regarding the initiative.
Improving the Club Recruitment Process
Chiadika Eleh SEAS’24 and Ashley Song W’24
Ashley and Chiadika have been working with several Penn clubs and students to address the
unnecessary stress that surrounds the university’s club recruitment environment. They both have
accumulated meetings with John Casey, one of the minds behind the PennClubs website, and
Wharton Council to discuss their streamlined application website. Ashley and Chiadika have also
met with Kayla Klein-Wolf, Penn’s Student Activities Council Communications Director to refine
current Club Recruitment Policies and target issues that are currently unaddressed and also spoke to
PennLabs about the possibility of a school-wide, streamlined application form.
Update of Job Opportunities Website
Makaeel Sheikh, C’23
Makaeel has been working on providing a more organized website for students to find remote job
opportunities as well as internships, volunteer work, and research.
Penn Global Expansion
Tari Clement, W’21
Tari has been in contact with Penn Global to understand student global engagement post-pandemic.
She has been advocating with Penn Global to expand their options for students at Penn, but also
recognizing that students may not be aware of their rights and opportunities to studies, research, or
work abroad. Therefore, she has been working on plans to educate the student body for their own
opportunities once unanimous travel is approved.
Recruiting Transparency
Tari Clement W’21
Tari and Anish reached out to Career Services and Wharton Student life about company lack of
transparency when they are recruiting. Students have had issues with companies claiming that they
sponsored international students but would be false. Companies would also advertise themselves
heavily at career fairs and not have any position openings. The project was to ensure best practices.”
Student and Campus Life | 36

2020-2021 Administrator
Meetings
The following is a list of the meetings that UA Exec and
Cabinet had with various administrators along with a
summary of what was discussed.
For clarity, UA Cabinet includes the Executive Board.
37 | Administrator Meetings

UA Cabinet
cabinet@pennua.org
Spring 2021
Committee on Manufacturer Responsibility
On Wednesday, January 13th, Joan Dartey, Sai Mamidala, and Mercedes Owens met
with Chris Bradie and Barbara Lea-Kruger from Business Services. They wanted to
clear up the miscommunication from last semester regarding Penn’s involvement in
forced labor. In summary, Penn was notified that one of their vendors could potentially
be linked to a textile company that was linked to forced labor, not through directly
supplying cotton and other fabric, but because the company using forced labor owned
the factory that Penn’s vendor uses. After receiving an ultimatum, Penn’s vendor
cut ties with the company that uses forced labor, so that situation was cleared up
over break. Additionally, the vendor in question has no ties to the golf team or Penn
athletics and has not sold any apparel in the bookstore in the past year.
New Student Orientation and Academic Initiatives (NSOAI)
On Friday, February 5th, UA Cabinet met with NSOAI leadership. They discussed the
creation of an education around Anti-racism, Indigenous Visibility, and Other Biases,
ways to integrate a mandatory introduction to the West Philadelphia Community
During NSO, and the continuation of PVP Circles and Extension to Transfer Students.
From this discussion, they will continue to work with College Houses and Academic
Services (CHAS), NSOAI, and Penn Admissions to curate content and hopefully get
something tangible approved for NSO 2021.
College Housing and Academic Services (CHAS)
On Wednesday, February 10th, UA Cabinet met with CHAS leadership. They discussed
the continuation of PVP consent circles, an education concerning anti-racism,
indigenous visibility, and other biases, and sustainability initiatives within college
housing. In general, they found some points of similarity in their list of priorities and
will continue to work with CHAS to ensure our project work continues to align.
Wellness Leadership
On Wednesday, February 17th, UA Cabinet met with wellness leadership. They
discussed enforcement of COVID testing requirements, Campus Health and UA
Communications Team collaborations, and costs associated with meals for students in
isolation and quarantine.
UA Cabinet Administrator Meetings
Administrator Meetings | 38

Student Registration and Financial Services (SRFS)
On Friday, February 19th, UA Cabinet met with SRFS leadership. They discussed the
logistics behind the grocery delivery program pilot, costs associated with meals for
students in isolation and quarantine, and need-blind admissions for international
students.
Facilities and Real Estate Services (FRES)
On Friday, February 19th, UA Cabinet met with FRES leadership. They discussed
transparency around long-term space planning, sustainability on Penn’s campus
(increased waste since first year arrival), socially distant outdoor spaces, and gender
neutral bathroom renovations.
Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
On Friday, February 26th, UA Cabinet met with the Center for Teaching and Learning.
They discussed ways to motivate and incentivise faculty to prioritize the student
experience when structuring their courses, the potential positive and negative impacts
from including captions on zoom lectures, the implementation of mandatory mid-
semester evaluations, and frameworks for bias training for faculty.
President Gutmann
On Monday, March 1st, UA Cabinet met with President Gutmann and Provost
Pritchett. They discussed the University’s plan to track the impact of the many changes
taking place in the Fall semester through UA feedback to Residential Services, Dining
Services, and the Provost’s Office. They talked about the Climate Town Hall which
will now be in collaboration with the Faculty Senate. They also talked about the
commitment to construct cultural spaces on campus which will ultimately result from
the VPUL program review and work groups. Lastly, they discussed sustainability of the
allocations of the SAC Reserve fund.
VPUL Cultural Resource Center Program Review Focus Group
On Friday, March 5th, a group of UA representatives attended this focus group.
The goal of the focus group was to give feedback on their personal interactions with
Penn’s CRCs and areas for improvement in terms of staffing, space, funding, and
programming within these communities. The external team will be meeting with 60
groups over the next few weeks and will compile a report of recommendations for the
university to implement in the coming years.
Vice Provost for University Life (VPUL)
On Wednesday, March 17th, UA Cabinet met with VPUL Accapadi. They discussed
updates related to the CRC Program Review, the implementation of identity-based
work groups and administrative accountability, faculty and staff anti-bias training, and
programming for the Fall 2021 semester.

Business Services
On Friday, March 19th, UA Cabinet met with Business Services. They talked about
the implementation of the two-year dining policy and possibilities for changes in that
space. They also had a focus group on Penn Transit and how the service could be better
publicized to and utilized by the Penn community.
Provost’s Office
On Friday, April 9th, Cabinet will meet with the Provost’s Office. They discussed
publicity and accountability regarding the CRC Program review; diversity within
faculty from the lens of recruitment, retention, and anti-bias training; and plans for the
Fall 2021 semester.
Fall 2020
Office of Social Equity and Community
On Wednesday, October 14th, Mercedes and Mary met with Rev. Chaz Howard, Vice
President of the Office of Social Equity and Community. The division is charged with
fostering communications around social justice initiatives separate from the work
done by Civic House and the Netter Center. They act as in-house consultants, helping
Penn understand how to better internally handle conversations about social equity
(policing, PILOTs, etc.) as well as educating on and elevating current initiatives
happening on campus. We discussed his goals for this year, as well as opportunities for
collaboration with the UA. Specifically, they discussed at length how to best implement
the mandatory Anti-Racism education.
Career Services
On Friday, October 16th, UA Cabinet met with Career Services. They had a productive
discussion on a range of topics including job security in the pandemic, diversity
in on campus recruiting, and the utilization of the peer career advising program.
Moving forward, the UA will help them distribute surveys and a guide on remote job
opportunities. Additionally, they hope to collaborate in offering genuine opportunities
to diverse job candidates in the form of a Diversity Conference.
Civic House
On Thursday, October 22nd, Mercedes, Mary, and UA first-year associate member,
Carmen Harrison Montoya, met with Dr. Beavers and Dr. Grossman from Civic
House. They discussed their shared goals of increasing genuine civic engagement and
decreasing performative activism. An opportunity for collaboration presented itself
in the form of a Town Hall on Civic Engagement that they hope to have in the spring
semester.

Penn First Plus
On Friday, October 30th, UA Cabinet met with the leadership of Penn First Plus. They
discussed potential solutions to address food insecurity, reduction and transparency
regarding course costs, housing and COVID support in the Spring semester, and more
centralized communications for the FGLI community.
Vice Provost for University Life (VPUL)
On Friday, October 30th, UA Cabinet met with VPUL, Dr. Mamta Accapadi. They
followed up on the topic of space for cultural houses, ways to encourage participation
in faculty and staff bias trainings, renovations to existing restrooms to include gender
neutral options, and tangible solutions-- not just programming-- to address the mental
health crisis and the impact of University communications.
International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)
On Friday, November 7th, UA Cabinet met with ISSS. They talked about ways to
support the international community and received a few suggestions from Dr.
Altamirano (Rudie) on how to be more involved in their advocacy efforts.
Business Services
On Friday, November 7th, UA Cabinet met with Business Services. They talked about
a variety of topics, including the housing exception form process and dining hall food
donations, but the topic they spent the most time on was the Penn Rides on Request
app. Moving forward, the UA will provide insight into how Penn Transit can optimize
their app to better support the behavior of Penn students.
Penn Violence Prevention (PVP)
On Wednesday, November 11th, UA Cabinet met with PVP. They discussed support and
resources for the freshman class in the Spring, mandatory PAVE training for all IFC
chapters, and how the UA can better support survivors. Moving forward, the UA hopes
to provide insight into the freshman perspective as PVP works to create a guide with
actionable resources.
Penn Wellness Leadership
On Tuesday, November 17th, UA Cabinet met with Wellness Leadership, including
Dr. Dubé. They discussed changes to testing capacity for the spring semester, including
expanded testing hours, additional testing locations, a switch to saliva testing, and the
reintroduction of email notifications for test results. They also talked about updates to
the COVID-19 dashboard, including publicizing violations to the campus compact and
tangible mental health initiatives looking toward the spring semester. An additional
meeting took place on Tuesday, December 8th. Mercedes, Mary, UA member Nyair
provided insight into decisions surrounding the Campus Compact for the Spring 2021
semester.

Executive Vice President’s Office (EVP)
On Wednesday, November 18th, UA Cabinet met with EVP Carnaroli. They discussed
Division of Public Safety reforms, spaces for cultural centers, renovations to gender
neutral restrooms, and the addition of socially distanced outdoor spaces. EVP Carnaroli
and AVP Sorrentino were receptive to our critical feedback and will be following up
with some of their main takeaways and developing action items based on our meeting
notes in order to improve as a division.
President Gutmann and Provost Pritchett
On Wednesday, November 18th, UA Cabinet met with President Gutmann and Provost
Pritchett. They followed up on spaces for cultural centers, substantive communications,
mental health in the absence of breaks, and how they can better value the student
voice. In terms of immediate positive response: the Provost’s office has moved to
include student leaders in some of the reopening decisions for the Spring semester,
they are seemingly open to continuing to collaborate with student leaders on non-
health related university communications, and they are allies in the fight to push
faculty to be more empathetic toward the current student experience, recognizing that
breaks will not be effective if the workload does not change as well. They would also
like for students to take more time to appreciate the positive changes on campus. They
UA will continue to push for action and support on their side.
Student Registration and Financial Services (SRFS)
On Friday, November 20th, UA Cabinet met with SRFS. They discussed the proposal
authored by Mercedes Owens to combat food insecurity and will have a follow-up
meeting to further discuss logistics of the program. Additionally, Thomas Kaupus
joined Cabinet at this meeting to highlight his project on transfer student financial aid.
Lastly, they discussed waiving course costs for Penn undergraduates applying to Penn
graduate programs which we learned would be more impactful to approach from the
lens of Admissions.
Faculty Senate
On Friday, November 20th, UA Exec met with the Faculty Senate. They learned about
current internal evaluations of racism which are outlined in the 2020-2021 report
from the Senate Committee on Faculty Development, Diversity, and Equity (SCFDDE).
Exec will also be updating PAGE in the hopes of developing a proposal for faculty bias
training that aligns with the current plans of the Senate. They also spent some time
discussing effective methods to motivate faculty members to be more accommodating
of student wellbeing as we look toward the Spring semester. Moving forward, the UA
will be talking with the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and working with the
Undergraduate Deans and Department Chairs to ensure student well-being is the focal
consideration.

Contact Us
UA Cabinet and UA Member Directory
43 | Contact Us

UA Cabinet
UA Executive Board
Mercedes Owens C21
President (president@pennua.org)
Mary Sadallah C22
Vice President (vp@pennua.org)
Janice Owusu W22 C22
Speaker (speaker@pennua.org)
Nikhil Gupta W22 C22
Treasurer (treasurer@pennua.org)
Carson Sheumaker W22 C23
Secretary (secretary@pennua.org)
The Executive Board can be reached at exec@pennua.org
UA Cabinet
Tori Borlase C22
Committee Director
(ai@pennua.org)
Gabriela Montes C23
Reopening & Response
(rr@pennua.org)
Kristen Ukeomah C21
Committee Director
(ei@pennua.org)
Sarthak Jain SEAS22
Student and Campus Life
Committee Director
(scl@pennua.org)
Jonathan Scotto C22
Speaker Pro Tempore
(spt@pennua.org)
Pranav Tadikonda C23
Communitications Director
(communications@pennua.org)
44 |UA Cabinet

UA Member Directory
Name Email Address Phone Number
Tori Borlase, Committee Director tborlase@sas.upenn.edu (919) 561-3863
Carson Sheumaker, Exec Liaison csheu@wharton.upenn.edu (615) 487-5858
Allan Cate allcate@sas.upenn.edu (808) 203-8824
Amy Wu amwu3@sas.upenn.edu (717) 856-1623
Ananya Singhal ananyasi@seas.upenn.edu +971 (559) 257-689
Jennifer Richards* Rjenny@sas.upenn.edu (917) 873-1426
Kshitiz Garg kshitizg@wharton.upenn.edu +91 (989) 633-2901
Ryan Bush ryanbush@sas.upenn.edu (954) 815-3705
Sai Mamidala mamidala@seas.upenn.edu (302) 438-4266
Thomas Kaupas kaupas@sas.upenn.edu (757) 615-9450
Tyler McCormick tymc@sas.upenn.edu
Thomas Kyong tkyong@sas.upenn.edu (72) 577-9909
Xavier Shankle xshankle@wharton.upenn.edu (678) 414-1739
Reopening and Response
Gaby Montes, Committee
Director
gmdo@sas.upenn.edu (832) 929-1633
Nikhil Gupta, Exec Liaison nikhilgu@wharton.upenn.edu (331) 330-5718
Akshitha Vijay akshv@seas.upenn.edu (916) 792-9467
Caroline Li cli24@wharton.upenn.edu (781) 600-7102
Shan Shan Liang shan9318@wharton.upenn.edu (423) 741-6660
Hiba Hamid hfhamid@sas.upenn.edu (952) 994-6409
Jonah Schenk jrschenk@sas.upenn.edu (773) 750-9233
Louisa Qiu yujiao@wharton.upenn.edu
Pranav Tadikonda tpranav@sas.upenn.edu (301) 569-3688
Regan Mizrahi*** rmizrahi@sas.upenn.edu (201) 364-5015
Tristan Maslar tmaslar@wharton.upenn.edu (618) 409-0051
Nicholas Kuo nickkuo@seas.upenn.edu (973) 727-5296
Alfredo Wolfermann alfredow@sas.upenn.edu (786) 564-8869
Kristen Ukeomah, Committee Director kukeomah@sas.upenn.edu (202) 812-5849
Mercedes Owens, Exec Liasion mowens9@sas.upenn.edu (731) 307-5503
Joan Dartey jdartey@sas.upenn.edu (267) 939-9975
Alex Eapen aeapen@sas.upenn.edu (443) 478-0505
Carmen-Kay Harrison Montoya harricar@sas.upenn.edu (281) 906-1848
UA Member Directory | 45

Ozi Amuzie oamuzie@sas.upenn.edu (510) 509-5833
David Garnick dgarnick@sas.upenn.edu (610) 717-6627
Joel Olujide jolujide@wharton.upenn.edu (240) 598-8211
Josias Zongo josias@sas.upenn.edu +233 57 887-4447
Neha Krishnaswamy nehakris@seas.upenn.edu (201) 774-7453
Oliver Stern ostern@sas.upenn.edu (305) 632-5011
Ralph Tamakloe tamralph@seas.upenn.edu (757) 318-8618
Sarah Ramadan sramadan@sas.upenn.edu (201) 620-0063
Prabh Dhaliwal prabhd@wharton.upenn.edu (412) 207-8739
Daniela Uribe dauribe@sas.upenn.edu (610) 715-5044
Student and Campus Life
Sarthak Jain, Committee Director sarthakj@seas.upenn.edu
Mary Sadallah, Exec Liaison sadallah@sas.upenn.edu (609) 742-7737
Ashley Song acss@wharton.upenn.edu (931) 572-8962
Isabella Hassett ihassett@sas.upenn.edu (561) 573-3313
Jonathan Scotto** jscotto@sas.upenn.edu (305) 773-5688
Makaeel Sheikh msheikh@sas.upenn.edu
Nyair Locklear nylock@nursing.upenn.edu (910) 691-8327
Tari Clement*** tariclem@wharton.upenn.edu (404) 337-8696
Chiadika Eleh chiadika@seas.upenn.edu (416) 949-6711
Thomas Consentino tcos02@sas.upenn.edu (412) 915-9746
46 | UA Member Directory
Legend
* Speaker Pro Tempore
** Legal Services Coordinator
*** Budget Committee

Project Report
The following is a digest of all of the projects that are
currently being pursued by UA members. For more
information on each project, feel free to contact the UA
members listed beside that project. If you have suggestions
for UA projects, let us know at pennua.org/suggestions.
UA Project Report | 47

UA 48th Annual Report 2020-2021

UA 48th Annual Report 2020-2021

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