WASHINGTON — The Selective Service System announced this morning that, under the jurisdiction of Congress and the president of the United States, the mandatory draft will be reinstated as of March 26, 2026. All men between the ages of 18 and 25 will be required to register and may be selected for service through a national lottery system based on date of birth.
Officials clarified shortly thereafter that undergraduate students enrolled in the Wharton School will be exempt from service, citing the need to protect “highly productive, highly necessary, highly established individuals whose development is extremely essential to the nation’s long-term economic trajectory.” The statement added that Wharton students are “already operating at peak productivity,” and that interrupting their professional pipelines would be “an unnecessary and, frankly, devastating loss.”
When asked if other academic divisions would receive similar exemptions, a spokesperson paused before responding, “Um, no, I don’t think so,” later adding that Wharton students “possess a level of expertise and finesse that would make them too vulnerable in a combat setting.” The Department of Defense has stated that these individuals will be encouraged to “keep doing what they do best,” though officials declined to specify what exactly Wharton students contribute to society.
In accordance with federal guidelines, additional exemptions have been granted to select individuals deemed essential to national morale, including Penn men’s basketball player TJ Power, Undergraduate Assembly President Nia Matthews, the squirrels on Locust Walk, and students who are NOT on “The Quaker Commitment”.
All remaining individuals are expected to report immediately. Under the Button is continuing to monitor for updates.
