Quakers are ‘fighting,’ but not for admission

Although Penn lists Quakerism as an option on its religious surveys, other faiths such as Judaism and Catholicism likely have a greater ideological influence due to their larger numbers on campus and in the surrounding community.

What's in the 'Quaker' name?

Many students go through their years at Penn without realizing that the University is, in fact, not a Quaker institution, nor did it ever have any religious ties to Quakerism.

Price announced as provost

As the first interim provost in the University’s history chosen to permanently fill the position, Vincent Price already made his mark last Thursday when Penn President Amy Gutmann announced his selection — but he’s not taking any chances on missing a beat.

Price announced as provost

We all have our to-do lists, and incoming Provost Vincent Price is no different. As the first interim provost in the University's history chosen to permanently fill the position, Price already made his mark last Thursday when Penn President Amy Gutmann announced his selection - but he's not taking any chances on missing a beat.

University selects Vincent Price as next provost

The search for Penn's next provost is over: Vincent Price will take the reins as the University's 29th provost beginning July 1, Penn President Amy Gutmann announced this afternoon. Price is currently interim provost of Penn and a professor of communication in the Annenberg School.

University selects Vincent Price as next provost

The search for Penn's next provost is over: Vincent Price will take the reins as the University's 29th provost beginning July 1, Penn President Amy Gutmann announced this afternoon. Price is currently interim provost of Penn and a professor of communication in the Annenberg School.

Online syllabi count at 187, but hundreds more to go

Though this year's crop of graduating seniors will never have the chance to experience the fruits of the Online Syllabi Initiative, students remaining at Penn now have more information at their fingertips to help them select classes. The proposal, initially begun in 2005 by the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education, created a centralized repository system through which faculty members from each of Penn's 12 schools can upload current and past course syllabi during the advance-registration period.

For thesis-writers, end of year signals cramming and celebrations

College senior Hannah Marcus knew she had something when she stumbled across 2,200 pages of a medieval manuscript in Bologna, Italy, that nobody had ever really written about or even read. So she decided to. The history major and religious studies minor turned the 16th century manuscript about the cross of Christ by Renaissance scientist Ulisse Aldrovandi into her senior thesis project - and now has 111 pages of her own on the topic.

Penn faculty will receive small salary increase despite economy | Interactive graph

As the fiscal year wraps up and next year's budget guidelines are finalized, Penn salaries will take a hit from the economy, though not one as severe as the blow some peer schools face. Penn released its guidelines for 2009-2010 faculty and staff pay increases in last week's Almanac.

Feb. capital campaign earnings highest among $1B-plus campaigns | Interactive graph

Of the 32 U.S. universities in the middle of capital campaigns of at least $1 billion, Penn gained the most in February with $26.1 million in new gifts and pledges. Though this is not the most Penn has received in a single month - that record belongs to June 2007, when the school took in $129 million just before the Making History capital campaign entered its public-fundraising phase - the number is strong given the current economy.

Emerald Initiative asks college presidents to call for reduced marijuana-use penalties

A recent proposal is weighing the value of pot in more than just grams. A new proposal called the Emerald Initiative calls on college and university presidents to consider reducing penalties for marijuana use as a way to lower alcohol abuse. Drafted by the nonprofit Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, the proposal claims that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol to users and to society and advocates that colleges punish for marijuana use no more than for alcohol use.

February capital campaign gains highest among colleges with $1B-plus campaigns

Of the 32 U.S. universities in the middle of capital campaigns of at least $1 billion, Penn gained the most in February with $26.1 million in new gifts and pledges. Though this is not the most Penn has received in a single month - that record belongs to June 2007, when the school took in $129 million just before the Making History capital campaign entered its public fundraising phase - the number is strong given the current economy.

Need-blind may become less 'blind'

As the economy worsens, many schools committed to disregarding candidates' financial conditions when considering their applications are using creative methods to admit more students who can afford tuition while still adhering to their need-blind policies. Some colleges are accepting more international, transfer or waitlisted students, whose applications are not evaluated on a need-blind basis at some otherwise-need-blind institutions.

*Akon pulls out of Fling concert

Hip-hop singer-songwriter and producer Akon has pulled out of this year's Spring Fling Concert, announced Penn's Social Planning and Events Committee last night. Due to the proximity of the event, alternative rock band Guster, originally scheduled to open for Akon, will take to the stage solo on April 17 at Franklin Field.

Move-out deadline extended by 5 hours

Students can take a little longer to clean out their rooms after finals next month. The move-out deadline for undergraduates living in on-campus housing has been extended five hours until 5 p.m. on May 13. Graduating seniors and students who receive housing extensions from Housing and Conference Services will be allowed to remain past the deadline.

Big Brothers Big Sisters program donors visit campus

While other groups on campus have seen recent pullbacks in spending and drops in funding, Penn's Big Brothers Big Sisters program is growing more robustly than ever. The five-year-old organization received its largest number of applicants this semester, bringing up its "matches" between Bigs and Littles to 300 so far this spring, according to Penn student director and College senior Eileen McKeown.

Despite economy, work study safe

Though work-study jobs at Penn are facing a potential budget decrease next year, funds from President Obama's stimulus package are expected to help keep the number of available jobs steady. There has been no significant change this academic year in the number of work-study jobs or students employed, according to Student Employment Office manager John Rudolph.

Guster to open for Akon at Fling

Alternative rock band Guster will open for Akon at this year's Spring Fling concert on April 17 in Franklin Field, the Social Planning and Events Committee announced today. "They have a similar vibe even though they're very different genres in music," said SPEC Concerts co-director and College junior Preston Hershorn, who anticipates that the line-up will bring a diverse crowd.

Mid-year aid requests see no 'sharp rise' | Interactive graphic

The families of Penn students seem to be financially stable relative to this year's unpredictable economy. Midyear undergraduate requests for additional financial aid increased to about 90 cases this academic year compared to 60 last year, but that difference is not the "sharp rise" the University had been expecting, according to Student Financial Aid director Bill Schilling.

Penn's capital campaign pushes forward despite economy

Despite shifts in the economy, Penn continues to push ahead with its capital campaign, to date raising $2.3 billion - or 66 percent - of its $3.5 billion, seven-year Making History campaign goal. However, the school is seeing increased slowdowns in giving and expects that trend to persist until the economy picks itself up again.