STAFF EDITORIAL: Welcome (back) to Penn

Campus-wide construction, dean searches for three schools and a new alcohol policy are on our minds. All students, both old and new, will see a new campus this fall or, perhaps more aptly, a campus in progress. This is a transitional time for the University -- a time of construction and renovation, a year of dean searches and implementation of the new alcohol policy. And of all the changes underway, none are more noticeable than the construction areas scattered all around campus -- over a dozen separate sites spreading from the Schuylkill to 40th Street. To be sure, there is a frustration in being at Penn now rather than later, when buildings have opened and renovations have been completed. But don't forget that the services and buildings you benefit from were once construction sites -- and then-undergraduates faced the same inconveniences you now face. Changing the campus for the better takes time and it takes space. But there is also a sense of excitement in being here now, in watching change unfold. Of course, current students will reap the benefits of any number of newly finished projects this fall. The rest of Sansom Common will open, adding a hotel, three restaurants and several new stores to the campus. And the reopening of Irvine Auditorium is particularly noteworthy -- it will be the first opportunity for three-quarters of the undergraduate student body to set foot inside the landmark building. Of course, construction isn't the only thing going on at Penn. Perhaps most importantly, there's a new alcohol policy in place. In the main, Penn has attempted to increase the number of dry alternatives available to students, but those who are of age will again be able to drink at registered social events. The University has also promised to crack down on underage drinking, in part through an emphasis on trained monitors and stricter regulations on the availability of alcohol at parties. We will watch the administration's efforts with interest and would again remind all involved of the importance of personal responsibility and the limitations of rules and regulations. The lack of permanent deans for three of Penn's twelve schools -- Law, Wharton and Engineering -- is another important issue. We understand that dean searches are careful and deliberate processes, and rightly so. However, the Engineering School has been without permanent leadership for over a year and the need to find new deans for the Law and Wharton schools has been clear for almost as long. The appointment of interim deans for all three schools is a source of some concern, as well. Put simply, it is that much easier to push off making a final appointment with an interim dean in place. Furthermore, no matter how qualified an interim dean may be, the limitations inherent in the position make it an impossible job to do well. We hope Penn will move expeditiously to find qualified individuals for all three deanships in the immediate future. Other areas likely to be in the headlines include continuing efforts to revive the long-inadequate Political Science Department and to replace a slew of departed professors in the English Department. We will also watch continuing efforts to consolidate Penn's interdisciplinary strengths, and to develop the University's research infrastructure. And, of course, we've got football and basketball teams with Ivy League championships to defend and an exciting variety of other teams to watch. We hope today's issue serves you as an introduction to campus and a catalog of the summer's changes. And we hope you'll continue to turn to us over the course of the academic year for news and opinions on issues that concern you. For our part, we pledge to strive for accuracy in reporting, diligence in news gathering and insight in our coverage. We hope you'll return to page six over the course of the semester for the insights of our columnists and the views of the editorial board, which you'll find in this space throughout the year. Drop by our home on the Web -- http://dailypennsylvanian.com -- and look for our weekly arts and entertainment magazine, 34th Street. And by all means, write us when we do something you like or something you don't. After all, we're your voice.