Author: Kylie McGovern

Community meeting regarding recent crime in the area

News

Kylie McGovern, Editor 

Header Image: Contech

On Tuesday, April 26 there was a community meeting with public safety and Residence Life in Founders’ Hall for La Salle Apartments and St. Teresa Court Apartments residents. Over the weekend, an apartment was burglarized in La Salle Apartments, an on-campus residence hall for sophomores, juniors and seniors located on Olney and Chew Avenues. This meeting was led by Vice President of Student Development & Campus Life Gabrielle St. Léger, Ed.D., Assistant Vice President of Public Safety Dr. Amanda Guthorn, and Director of Residence Life TiRease Holmes. 10 students total attended this evening from both residential areas. 

Students voiced their concerns to Léger, Guthorn and Holmes about how safety in their apartments could be improved after the break-in this weekend. Public safety has video footage of the burglars boosting one another over the fence. Although the traditional residence halls in North Residence Halls and the St. Miguel townhouses have security guards, La Salle Apartments and St. Teresa Court Apartments do not. These buildings were not built in particular for university housing. La Salle acquired these properties, rather than originally building them like the other on-campus housing. Therefore, there is no security desk installed. Students at the meeting voiced that implementing a security desk and security officer in La Salle Apartments and St. Teresa Court Apartments would make them feel safer. La Salle Apartments and St. Teresa Court Apartments were designed for students to have more “independent living,” but the students impacted by the lack of security have wondered about the cost of their independent living. Students at the meeting also suggested improved lighting in their apartment areas since the buildings are somewhat separated from the rest of campus. Léger and Guthorn took this suggestion to heart and walked with students to see the areas that could be lit more properly. 

In addition to increased patrol and security at La Salle Apartments and St. Teresa Court Apartments, students living in those areas have expressed frustration in submitting maintenance requests that go unanswered. For example, students had explained that they had been frustrated after submitting multiple maintenance requests for both safety matters – like locks – to cosmetic issues, to heating issues during winter. Although safety is the main concern of both students and Léger, Guthorn and Holmes, students should also feel comfortable in their environments. 

At the end of the day, students at La Salle need to feel safe and heard. Students living on campus end up paying upwards of $10,000 a year for “room and board” at La Salle University, in addition to tuition and other fees. Dialogues like this one at the community meeting with residence life, public safety and students may bring about change.

The return of Philadelphia’s mask mandate 

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The return of Philadelphia’s mask mandate 

Kylie McGovern, Editor

Header Image: New York Times
Philadelphians wearing masks outside of City Hall

On Monday, April 11, Philadelphia announced that the indoor mask mandate would be reinstated beginning on April 18 because of rising COVID-19 cases which have risen more than 50 percent in 10 days. This rise is the threshold that the city’s guidelines call for people to wear masks indoors. Health officials believe the recent spike is being driven by the highly transmissible subvariant of omicron: BA.2. Spreading rapidly throughout Europe and Asia, BA.2 has become dominant in the U.S. and more specifically Philadelphia in recent weeks. Currently, Philadelphia averages 142 new cases per day. 

Masks will be required in all indoor public spaces, including schools and childcare settings, businesses, restaurants and government buildings. Once the mandate goes into effect, residents will be asked to report any business not complying with the mandate. The mask mandate is tied to the COVID-19 Response Levels, and as COVID cases rise in Philly, the Philadelphia Public Health Department wants to protect its most vulnerable residents and they believe wearing a mask around others is an easy way to do that. 

Before the update, Philadelphia was operating on Level One which means that two or more of the following are true: average new cases per day are less than 100, hospitalizations are less than 50 or cases have increased by less than 50 percent in the previous 10 days. There are no vaccine or testing requirements for establishments that serve food or drink in Level One. Within Level One, there is no expressed mask requirement except in schools, healthcare institutions, congregate settings and on public transportation. 

Since the city is transitioning into Level Two, two or more of the following are true: average new cases per day are less than 225, hospitalizations are less than 100 and cases have increased by more than 50 percent in the previous 10 days. With this new phase, the city will be requiring that citizens wear a mask when indoors in public places, but there is no expressed vaccine or testing requirement for places that serve food or drink. 

Health Commissioner Cheryl Bettigole said businesses can choose to be mask-free if they require all employees and visitors to prove they have been vaccinated. Bettigole believes that if the city failed to require masks now, “knowing that every previous wave of infections has been followed by a wave of hospitalizations, and then a wave of deaths, then it will be too late for many of our residents.” 

Although the national increase for COVID-19 is relatively low, about three percent, cases in northeastern cities like New York City and Washington, D.C., have been higher. Some colleges in the northeast, including Columbia, Georgetown and Johns Hopkins, have reinstated indoor mask mandates recently. La Salle University has yet to make a statement about mask requirements, but in the past, La Salle has followed suit with the city of Philadelphia’s guidelines. Some La Salle students are frustrated with the new city guidelines. Sophomore Enrique Carrasco says that the new guidelines are confusing because cases are not as high as they have been in the past when new mask mandates were instated. Senior criminal justice student Audrey Walker says she is “curious to see if the university will follow the city mandate since cases on campus are very low right now,” and senior psychology student Frankie Knoll is concerned about having to wear a mask at graduation if the mandate is put in place. “I think the new mask mandate can be frustrating for some people tired of wearing them, but I think it’s a good idea to protect Philly and get the numbers down,” said graduate student Sarah Lundquist.  In addition, sophomore David O’Brien hopes that La Salle maintains the current policy, rather than mandating masks again.

Explorathon raises over $31,000 to support B+ foundation

News

Kylie McGovern, Editor

Header Image: Explorathon members reveal their total for the event. Image courtesy of Savanna Carestio

On April 2, La Salle’s yearly Exploration event raised over $31,000 for The B+ Foundation which works to provide financial and emotional support to families of children with cancer nationwide while funding critical, cutting-edge childhood cancer research. B+ is constantly raising money on college campuses and at local events like 5K races, Golf Outings, corporate partnerships and dance marathons. Explorathon hosted their event in the Union Ballroom from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. and featured guest speakers, student talents, dancing, a rave and games. Fundraising and efforts for this event began last May and continued until the event concluded on Saturday night. 

Dance marathon fundraisers are especially popular at colleges in the area like Penn State University and Villanova University that benefit different charities. These events typically benefit organizations that fund pediatric cancer research and treatment. The B+ Foundation is the largest provider of financial assistance to families of kids with cancer in the U.S., helping nearly 3,000 families this year. In addition, B+ provided funding to over 150 critical childhood cancer research projects at top institutions globally. The top fundraising teams were the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority, the executive board for Explorathon, the Phi Mu sorority, the Elite Explorers team and La Salle Women’s Soccer. The top fundraising individuals were Kristin Frederick, Tehya Williams, Stasia Nguyen, Ashleigh Sieb and Cade. Various teams participated in this event including Greek life, athletics, academic clubs and more, uniting students throughout campus and various organizations to work together towards this cause. 

Many different students were on board for this event. Junior Melina Rallis worked as the morale coordinator for Explorathon. She explained that she works event planning. Rallis explained that she is the “hype man” for Explorathon. Rallis also expressed that it can take a lot of effort to get students involved with Explorathon because members of Greek life have their own philanthropies and college students are among the busiest of individuals. So, each team selects a team captain to communicate the information to and from the Explorathon executive board and their different teams. 

As for fundraising, Explorathon does fundraising all year like posting bingo boards on social media, sending emails and having fundraising nights at local restaurants. Rallis also spoke fondly  of the actual Explorathon event, saying “was a lot of fun and we had a ton of games. We played human hungry-hungry hippos, we had a lip sync battle, we made cards for some of the Be positive heroes.” Rallis also said that the event was effective for personal growth and accomplishment as feels “very accomplished after this all. Although we didn’t raise our goal we still raised $31,308 and I’m super proud of everyone who is involved who made this possible.”

Mellissa Olimpo, a junior communication student and executive director of Explorathon, said, “ It was a great day of dancing, having fun and raising money for the ‘Andrew McDonough Be Positive Foundation.’ Explorathon was able to raise $31,308.70, which means that 31 families are being helped because of Explorathon.” 

2020’s Explorathon raised over $22,000 for childhood cancer, and 2021’s Explorathon raised $39,000 for B+, helping out roughly 39 families through the participation of over 25 teams and organizations. While Explorathon did not hit their goal, they did succeed in helping the B+ foundation in their efforts to help those suffering from childhood cancer. Preparations have already begun for next year’s event, and more details will be shared on their Instagram page @lasalleexplorathon.

La Salle Gets $1 billion endowment | Foolegian

Foolegian, Satire

Kylie McGovern, editor

On April 1, anonymous donors consisting primarily of alumni donated an endowment of $1 billion. This generosity will benefit current La Salle students and the future generations of La Salle for many years to come. The university’s website explains that “A strong endowment allows La Salle University students, faculty and administrators to pursue initiatives and endeavors that enhance our ability to live our Lasallian mission.” 

Endowed funds are typically established in accordance with a donor’s interests such as a specific discipline, in a specific department or for use within a specific school or across the university. This endowment will go towards a few initiatives like the School of Arts and Sciences, hiring a celebrity chef for our dining services, reviving every sport cut in 2020 and increasing security. 

The Arts and Sciences Initiative will go towards a few different projects. The main pillar of this plan will be updating and renovating Hayman Hall, Holroyd Hall and College Hall to make them more similar to their business and health science counterparts. Although the blueprints are still in the works, the endowment will be making each of these previously mentioned buildings twice the size of Founders Hall and have even more unnecessary windows than it. This will require buying some of Central High’s land for the project. 

In addition, the Communication Center will be entirely rebuilt and moved from Timbuktu to a location on this continent. Also, each department in the School of Arts and Sciences will have their salaries raised to $1 million and receive investments in both Bitcoin and NFTs to reward them for their hard work that is oftentimes overlooked because they educate future teachers, writers, researchers, artists, ect., rather than future CEOs. In addition, this endowment will help connect current A&S students to the most elite and prestigious in their future fields so none of them ever have to hear the words “what do you do with a political science degree?” ever again.

Although the A&S initiative seemingly benefits a smaller group of students, other aspects of the endowment will go towards improving dining — something each student at La Salle can enjoy. The donations towards dining will work to hire a celebrity chef who will exclusively serve farm-to-table recipes that will combine classic home-cooked dishes and exotic dishes to the menu every day. You heard that right, no more chili on top of pasta. This position is likely to interest celebrity chefs from all over the globe, including Gordon Ramsey and Buddy Valastro. La Salle students will also be eating better because this endowment will allow the school to afford a third dining hall to give students more variety of mediocrity.

Similar to more dining variety, the athletics department will also be seeing more variety, as it will bring  back every single sport cut in 2020. The sports being added back are the men’s programs baseball, swimming and diving, tennis and water polo and the women’s programs softball, volleyball and tennis. These sports were originally cut due to budget issues, which no longer exist. In addition, rather than the mustard yellow La Salle shirts that are given to the first three students at every game, each fan will get one of those cool winter jackets that La Salle athletes get. Everyone on campus will match including NARPS, the originally cut teams and pre-existing jacket-wearing athletes.  

As students walk throughout campus in their new jackets, they will feel safer because the endowment will establish better security protocol. This endowment will fund a position with the exclusive duty of informing students about incidents on or near campus, so that they do not have to receive a citizen notification that reads “Man armed with scissors three feet away.” In addition, all security guards will be provided with adequate time off and caffeine so that they do not fall asleep on duty. Finally, the new endowment will hire alum William J. Burns, current director of the CIA, to be head of La Salle security. Overall, the endowment will improve life for many students at La Salle.  The School of Arts and Sciences, dining services, athletics and security will all likely see immense improvement because of these funds. In addition, these improvements will increase the longevity of the entire university for years to come. Or, maybe they’ll just blow the whole thing on the new head coach for men’s basketball.

Instagram infographic solves war in Ukraine | Foolegian

Foolegian, Satire

White Savior, Complex

Header Image: Vectordiary.com

There has been an ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine since 2014, but the conflict certainly escalated on February 24 when Russia invaded Ukraine. President Putin’s goal was to “demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine,” and originally Putin explained that “it is not our plan to occupy the Ukrainian territory. We do not intend to impose anything on anyone by force.” However, this narrative has changed since, as over 2 million Ukrainians have fled their homes to escape Russian military violence. But, this conflict has begun to improve because of the overwhelming amount of infographics being posted on Instagram. Hundreds of thousands of infographics began popping up on self-help blogs, influencer’s pages and businesses who came out in support of Ukraine.

Dictionary.com defines an infographic as “a visual presentation of information in the form of a chart, graph or other image accompanied by minimal text, intended to give an easily understood overview, often of a complex subject.” The infographic was created to help visualize data in an accessible way for the masses. William Playfair is credited as the first infographic creator, even if the term infographic was not created yet. However, in our modern context, oftentimes infographics are shared on Instagram via posts or stories. The infographic hashtag has 831k posts on Instagram. Infographics rose in popularity during the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020 and have been applied to pretty much every political and social movement since then — including the Russia-Ukraine war.

Pintrest

Infographics can be used to get more engagement by using eye-catching headlines, high-quality images, relevant slogans and understandable vocabulary. In addition to creating more traction for your posts and profile, posting infographics also has social benefits. Posting infographics can make a creators’ followers think they are #woke. Being woke is being alert to injustice in society. Wokeness is something praised in this day and age more than ever, and for good reason, if woke infographics can solve major world conflicts.

An infographic titled “What is really going on in Ukraine and how you can help” in bubble letters written in blue and yellow has been all over social media feeds. The creator of this infographic explains that the infographic was easy to create using Canva and reliable sites like Wikipedia, NewsPunch and Facebook to gather information about the war. The creator says, “I am so excited that my social media activism has made such an impact. I usually post around 17 infographics a week, but this is the first time one of the infographics I have posted had such an impact.” 

This infographic landed on Putin’s Instagram explore page and now he has been motivated to improve relations with Ukraine by sliding into Ukraine leader, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s, DMs. The two discussed the issues back and forth and ultimately decided that it was in both nations’ best interests to settle their differences, all because of an infographic, when Putin sent Zelenskyy a message that said “I think we could settle this issue without violence :).”

Canva

New leadership of board of trustees announced 

News

Kylie McGovern, Editor

Header Image: La Salle University

On March 14, La Salle University’s Board of Trustees announced that Ellen E. Reilly, ’83 has been elected as its new Chair. On July 1, Reilly will become the first woman to serve as the Board’s Chair in the University’s 159-year history. Reilly has served as President of La Salle’s Alumni Association and earned ex-officio Board membership in 2021. She explains that when she began at La Salle as a computer science student the institution was newly co-educational and now she is “humbled to have been elected as Chair of the University’s Board of Trustees …it’s a role I never dreamed of holding when I first got involved with our Alumni Association. I am honored and proud to work on behalf of the Board and our University.”

Reilly will replace William W. Matthews, III, Esq., ’90 as Chair of the Board of Trustees. Matthews announced the leadership changes in an email on March 14 to the University community. He has served as the Board’s Chair since July 2020, but he was elected to the Board in 2007 and his term concludes June 30. Matthews explains that Reilly “is prepared for this moment — and it’s an important one for the Board and La Salle University alike.” “Ellen’s pride in La Salle is unmatched,” said La Salle University Interim President Tim O’Shaughnessy, ’85. “She possesses a deep commitment to our University and wants what is best for our students and our community. For her, La Salle isn’t just her alma mater. It’s a family. It’s home. I am confident in the future direction of our Board under Ellen’s leadership.”

Reilly currently works as the head of healthcare and life sciences at a company called WHOOP, which is a company that debuted a novel wrist-worn device that continually tracks key biomarkers. Reilly’s career experience includes partnering with businesses to transform and simplify business processes and delivering bottom-line measurable benefits. Before her work at WHOOP, Reilly was vice president of global technology partnerships at I(IMS Health), Q (Quintiles), and VIA (by way of) IQVIA and vice president of the life sciences and healthcare industry at DocuSign.

At La Salle University, Reilly is a member of an advisory board for the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, in which she has recently worked on an initiative to create a scholarship recognizing Brother Gerald Fitzgerald, FSC. Especially relevant this week, Reilly and over a dozen other La Salle alumni created a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $200,000 as part of La Salle’s 2022 Day of Giving.

In addition to Reilly’s election, John K. Dugan, CPA, ’85, will serve as the board’s newest Vice-Chair. Dugan is an accounting alumnus who worked for 29 years at the PcW Accounting Network. He has served on the Board since 2019 while working on several committees. The Board has also approved three-year term renewals for Vice-Chair AmyLynn Flood, CPA, ’95; Brother Jack Curran, FSC, Ph.D.; and Joann M. Magnatta, ’77. Along with Dugan’s election as Vice Chair, these changes are effective July 1.

La Salle institutes new masking policy

News

Kylie McGovern, Editor

Header Image: La Salle

On March 2, Interim President Tim O’Shaughnessy responded to the recently revised city mask guidelines explaining that, although the Philadelphia Department of Public Health issued an adjustment to its indoor masking policy, La Salle’s COVID-19 response team reviewed these revised public health guidelines and waited to update the campus community regarding any potential policy changes. Until that new update, the current indoor masking policy remained in effect. O’Shaughnessy continued to encourage COVID-19 boosters and vaccines because they remain the greatest tools for reducing severe illness in our community and returning to a more active campus life.

On March 4, just days after  the original update, O’Shaughnessy wrote to the La Salle community again to announce that “beginning Monday, March 7, La Salle University will transition to recommending, but not requiring, that masks be worn indoors. Everyone must continue to carry an appropriate mask with them at all times.” This changing mask policy follows the guidance of federal and local health agencies and was decided with the counsel of La Salle’s COVID-19 response team. 

There are still circumstances where masks will be required like on the University shuttle, in clinical healthcare settings and in the COVID-19 testing center. In addition, masks are required to be held in the event that an individual asks others to be masked in their presence. If asked to mask up, it is recommended students follow the request.

During the upcoming spring break (March 12–20), La Salle will likely see a significant portion of our community travel away from campus. Therefore, masks will be required for the five-day period immediately following the University’s spring break, the week of March 21–25, as a preventative strategy. O’Shaughnessy does, however, explain that “masks have helped limit the spread of COVID-19. If necessary, we will not hesitate to reinstitute a mask mandate in the event that we experience significantly increased case counts on campus or in the region.” 

As for other universities in the area and their mask mandates, many of these schools are on spring break. But, Temple University’s Senior Director of Health Services, Mark Denys, explained that “out of an abundance of caution, the university will still require the use of masks inside buildings when we return to campus next week.” Furthermore, Saint Joseph’s University’s president Mark C. Reed, Ed.D., explained on March 2 that “Given declining numbers regionally and nationally, our very high community vaccination rate and updated guidance from the CDC, City of Philadelphia and Montgomery County, the University will no longer require masks be worn indoors in all shared or common spaces at all times. Beginning tomorrow, March 3, masks will be optional on campus.” Drexel University decided that “despite loosened local mask ordinances, Drexel’s indoor mask requirement will continue at least through the end of winter term (through March 19, 2022) while we assess community needs moving forward. Masks are also still required on public transit throughout Philadelphia.” 

In speaking to a few students about the new mask guidelines, the Collegian’s Managing Editor David O’Brien kept his response simple, saying, “I’m glad we don’t have to wear them anymore,” but junior biology student Luke Szyszkiewicz explained that he “doesn’t like how confusing the different rules are between different professors and the university.”The Collegian’s Editor-in-Chief Jake Eiseman says, “I think dropping the mask guidelines on campus is a positive move. It’s in accordance with the CDC’s and the city’s recommendations and cases have been low on campus for months now. Giving people the option to take the mask off should be seen as a good thing overall, but there are bound to be a few bad apples. Many people will continue to wear the mask regardless, and some will remove them when they feel it is safe, but some will never wear a mask again even when expressing symptoms, and that is my main concern.” 

Editor’s Note: Although I am personally excited that we no longer have to wear masks because our cases are quite low, I think that these conditions should only prevail with high vaccination rates and requirements. I think that taking away the masks is a good decision for now and likely the remainder of the semester, but I hope the university continues to closely moderate cases and surges so that the campus’s health remains a top priority.

St Joseph’s University new residence hall for students with autism

News

Kylie McGovern, Editor

On Feb. 25, fellow Philadelphia university and basketball rival, St. Joseph’s University, announced that it will be opening a residence hall for students with autism. St. Joseph’s, has the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support and plans to open its first residence hall specifically for students on the spectrum. This new residency will have a capacity of up to 17 student residents and a student adviser. This hall is called Saint Albert’s Hall and it will undergo $250,000 in renovations this summer. Most recently, Saint Albert’s Hall was used for COVID-19 housing. The new residence hall is meant to be for the first year or two, after which students will transition to other housing. The Kinney Center’s director Angus Murray explains that, “We came to the realization that the residence hall was a spot where a lot of our folks were struggling. Academically, they’re usually able to make the cut and succeed, but because of their social skills, they struggle in the residence halls. So we thought it might be helpful to have what we’re referring to as a longer runway as they transition from high school to college.” St. Joe’s is one of the first Philadelphia colleges to create a living option like this, but other colleges in the area like Drexel, Eastern, Rutgers and West Chester.The annual cost to live there is $12,000, but Angus Murray said St. Joe’s is seeking scholarship funding.

41 students are enrolled in Kinney’s ASPIRE (Autism Support Promoting Inclusive and Responsive Education) program and get help through the center. That number is growing and expected to reach 50 next year on the campus of nearly 6,800 undergraduate and graduate students and next year, enrollment will grow to more than 9,100 when St. Joe’s merges with the University of the Sciences.

The Kinney Center opened in 2009 when Paul Hondros, a St. Joe’s alumnus, was frustrated with the lack of services for his son and he became lead donor. Kinney employs 16 full-time staff members, nine graduate assistants and 125 part-time undergraduate students who provide services to children and adults of all ages. Students in the program are paired with peer mentors for the first two years and then eventually encouraged to become a mentor. Staff help them improve social skills, organize and manage time and prepare for careers. The center also has social events. ASPIRE students, who pay $8,000 for the services; take a full course load; participate in clubs, sports and activities and are in a variety of majors. They maintain an 84 percent six-year graduation rate, similar to St. Joe’s overall average. 

To design the new residence hall, St. Joseph’s is partnering with Thomas Jefferson University design students. Eighteen students and two professors from Jefferson’s College of Architecture and the Built Environment went inside the residence hall at St. Joe’s to take pictures and measurements, and to meet with Kinney staff.

Editor’s Note: Regardless of athletics riverlaries, I am happy to see different schools in Philadelphia working together to make living on campus and attending college a more accessible experience.  

Philadelphia homeless population’s possessions discarded 

News

Kylie McGovern, Editor 

Header Image: Philadelphia Inquirer

On Feb. 22, news was released that the day before the city of Philadelphia broke up two homeless encampments in Kensington this past summer. Villanova University professor Stephanie Sena, Villanova law student Delaney Keefe, and ACT-UP Philadelphia activist Jazmyn Henderson put Apple AirTags on belongings of eight of the encampments’ occupants. AirTags are tracking devices designed to act as a key finder to help people find personal objects. Soon after the encampments were broken up, the AirTags showed that four items were in a solid-waste facility in Conshohocken a few miles outside of Philadelphia. Advocates believe that this removal of belongings is a violation of constitutional rights for those experiencing homelessness. 

Keefe posted videos she shot on Aug. 18 that shows city workers pulling a couch out of a tent, and then destroying the tent. Greg Ramseyer, the owner of the tent, explained the tent was his property and he explained to police and city workers that the couch was not abandoned. In addition to Ramseyer’s couch, a black trunk, a plastic container of clothes and a backpack with a wallet and identification cards, which are considered extraordinarily difficult for people who are homeless to replace, were tracked in the waste facility in Conshohocken. 

The Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services’ website explains, “We will store personal belongings for free for at least 30 days” after a clear-out. A spokesperson for the city claims that any possessions collected at the encampment were stored at Prevention Point, a public health and social services nonprofit in Kensington. So, if something is thrown out, it is because the object was considered to be dangerous, abandoned or debris. “The city takes multiple steps to avoid disposing of anyone’s possessions, and offers storage,” the city’s spokesperson said. “For safety reasons, city staff do not go through individual bags.” The spokesperson added, “Individuals are encouraged to take their possessions with them and the city makes reasonable efforts to ensure that items that are clearly identifiable as personal property/personal belongings are not discarded.” However, the city has not addressed the data the AirTags picked up in Conshohocken. 

According to endhomelessness.org, in 2020 13,375 people were homeless in PA averaging about 10.4 homeless people per 10,000. However, the homeless population’s possessions being discarded is a widespread issue throughout urban areas throughout the US, not just Philadelphia. Similar situations have happened on the west coast in Phoenix and Los Angeles. In addition, this is a longstanding issue because, in 2012, a panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled, 2-1, that the personal possessions the homeless leave for a short time on city sidewalks may be taken only if the possessions pose an immediate threat to public safety or health or constitute criminal evidence. Nonetheless, these rules are up to interpretation–like in Philadelphia which may lead to possessions being discarded.