EDITORIAL: Welcome Back

The 111th Board ofThe 111th Board ofEditors and ManagersThe 111th Board ofEditors and Managerswelcomes incomingThe 111th Board ofEditors and Managerswelcomes incomingfreshmen and returningThe 111th Board ofEditors and Managerswelcomes incomingfreshmen and returningupperclassmen to theThe 111th Board ofEditors and Managerswelcomes incomingfreshmen and returningupperclassmen to theUniversity.The 111th Board ofEditors and Managerswelcomes incomingfreshmen and returningupperclassmen to theUniversity.__________________________ The University has had a busy summer, one which may offer insight to events this semester. This summer, school officials brought a number of tumultuous controversies to a close. The fight to save Smith Hall from demolition ended when the building was razed on August 15. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court refused to hear the lengthy Mayor's Scholarship lawsuit ending the four-year conflict between the University and the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia. And the University agreed to pay Philadelphia $1.93 million for a Payment-In-Lieu-of-Taxes, resolving the PILOT issue after more than a year of fierce bargaining. The administration will also have a slightly different look when classes begin Sept. 6. Judicial Inquiry Officer Steven Blum stepped down from his position after only two years, arousing curiosity and suspicion among students and administrators. Director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Tricia Phaup resigned to pursue a career in private hospitals working with geriatric patients. Barry Cooperman will relinquish his position as vice provost for research after 13 years. Former Faculty Senate Chairperson Barbara Lowery was named associate provost, and Law and Economics Professor Michael Wachter became the new deputy provost. Vanderbilt University's Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Clint Davidson was selected to be the University's vice president for human resources. And current Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Thomas Seamon will soon become the University's managing director of the division of public safety, the first named during President Judith Rodin's tenure. Tragically, the University lost five members of its community this summer. Four students died in unrelated incidents and J. Presper Eckert -- one of the inventors of the world's first computer, ENIAC -- passed away at age 76. In athletics, former University guard Jerome Allen was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 49th pick in the National Basketball Association's 1995 college entry draft. The Daily Pennsylvanian hopes to continue this blanket coverage of the University this semester, and we want you to take an active part in our publication. Write letters to the editor or guest columns, alert us to upcoming events, call us if you feel neglected by our reporting, or even better, come and join us. We will continue to try our very best to inform our readers, provide intelligent insight, and provide a place for campus debate. We hope everyone has a great year. Welcome back.