The World of the University of Pennsylvania

Here is the front page of today's Daily Pennsylvanian
I was going to work and picked up the student newspaper of this
fine Ivy League University.

U. adds transgender insurance
In the next academic year the Penn Student Insurance Plan will begin offering a new benefit for transgender students — it will cover the cost of the gender confirmation process.In the next academic year, the Penn Student Insurance Plan will begin offering a new benefit for transgender students — it will cover the cost of the gender confirmation process, also known as gender reassignment or transition.

The benefit covers triadic treatment, the term used for the three-step process of gender confirmation. Triadic treatment consists of psychotherapy, estrogen or testosterone hormone treatment and sex reassignment surgery, which involves the changing of genitals.

The benefit covers the costs of surgery for up to $50,000. According to a research report by the organization Transgender At Work, the cost of male-to-female surgery can average around $20,000.

The initiative was introduced by the previous Lambda Alliance board, chaired by College senior and Daily Pennsylvanian columnist Dennie Zastrow.


Penn preserves tough pot policy


Philadelphia’s District Attorney recently proposed a new policy that would decrease the criminal grading for possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Philadelphia’s District Attorney recently proposed a new policy that would decrease the criminal grading for possession of small amounts of marijuana.The DA’s proposal would downgrade possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana from a misdemeanor to a summary offense. This lower grading would mean a possible fine for possession, but the offense would not be included in a criminal record.
The University’s policy on marijuana use, however, will remain unchanged, according to Director of Alcohol and Other Drug Program Initiatives Julie Lyzinski. The University Alcohol and Drug Policy states that first-time violators can face jail time or fines for “possession or distribution of a small amount of marijuana or hashish.”