Welcome to Franklin’s Forum

A community of Penn alumni committed to academic excellence, the pursuit of truth, free expression, and governance focused on self-improvement.

Latest newsletters

Franklin’s Forum Issue 4: Following a Year of Upheaval, Penn Charts a New Course

Sep 19, 2025

Read for Part III of "Inside Penn: Two Years That Defined Our Campus" and overviews of the biggest alumni donation in Wharton history, a critique of Gov. Shapiro’s influence at Penn, Penn Med’s partnership in Dubai, the new Alexander fellowship at Penn Law, and an alumni gift to fund Jewish studies.

Franklin’s Forum Issue 3: Tents, Tensions, and a Campus in Flux

Sep 12, 2025

Read for Part II of Inside Penn: Two Years That Defined Our Campus, an analysis of Penn’s FIRE campus free speech rating of 231/257, and what to expect from both the new Faculty Senate Chair and Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.

Franklin’s Forum Issue 2: Rising Antisemitism and the Fall of Liz Magill

Sep 5, 2025

Part I of Inside Penn: Two Years That Defined Our Campus. A new strategic effort, Penn Forward, launched this week to guide Penn's future. Today's edition is the first installment of a series asking the question: how did we get here?

Franklin’s Forum Issue 1: Eroding Trust, Enduring Values — What’s at Stake for Penn

Aug 24, 2025

97% of university presidents are worried about loss of public confidence in higher education. What does that mean for Penn and its future?