Across the country, 1,100 schools are heating up for Focus the Nation, a teach-in about global warming solutions. The Fox Leadership Program and the student group Campus Progress and the Penn Environmental Group are making an effort to join the discussion with an all-day conference today in Houston Hall.

Carbon Trading 101. It isn't listed in the spring course timetable - yet. In a few years, however, that may be a different story. In a speech yesterday presented by Penn's Institute for Environmental Studies, adjunct professor Andrew Huemmler discussed what he believes to be the next frontier in U.

Thanks to record-breaking investment and fundraising, Penn's endowment for the 2007 fiscal year reached an all-time high - a high that, for the first time in history, pushed Penn into the top 10 schools with the highest endowments in the country. Penn's $6.

Cornell is not used to being in this position. In fact, no one is besides Penn and Princeton. The Big Red (10-5, 2-0 Ivy) were picked to win the Ivy League by media members before the season began, and so far, their play has pretty much lived up to the hype.

Last Saturday night, in Columbia, S.C., presidential hopeful Barack Obama delivered a rousing victory speech following his triumph in the South Carolina Democratic primary. "This election is about the past versus the future," Obama told a throng of supporters.

On Tuesday night, The Lambda Alliance, the umbrella organization for campus groups serving the LGBT community, elected a new board. Wharton sophomore Dennie Zastrow, stepping up as chairperson, will use his term to push for policy changes at the University level and to further collaboration with the LGBT community both on campus and off.

I hate cheaters. I generally believe they belong in the lowest circles of the Inferno, chilling with Judas, Brutus and Cassius in Satan's mouth. But, unlike many professors at this fine institution, I'm realistic. Cheating exists everywhere, and Penn's no exception.

When do Penn students, staff and administration collaborate to promote a cause? Yesterday - at RecycleMania's latest event, the signing of the Recycling Pledge in Houston Hall. Students signed the pledge, which encourages them to take action by learning about recycling and waste reduction and lead by example.

Wednesday night at Ringe Courts played out more like a Disney movie than a squash match. And as they seem to do only in the movies, the underdog Quakers pulled out a seemingly miraculous 5-4 comeback win over undefeated No. 1 Princeton. It was a perfect setup: a heated rivalry pitting two undefeated squads against each other, a coach looking for his first win over his alma mater and an underdog looking to avenge last year's loss .

From 50 Cent to Eminem, hip-hop artists have been accused of inciting violence and sexism, but are they also trying to inspire? Last night at Houston Hall, the Race Dialogue Project held the event "Soulja Boys: Hip-hop, Violence, and the New Civil Rights" to address such a question.

One participant's aunt has terminal cancer. She has three more weeks to live. Another participant had leukemia at age three. Together they are working to find a cure for cancer. Colleges Against Cancer at Penn is sponsoring the fifth annual Relay for Life event.

Winning an Ivy League championship two consecutive years is a lofty goal, but the Penn women's tennis team plans to do just that. Mike Dowd, head coach since 1996, believes he has the unique combination of players to do it. "This is a special team," Dowd said.

Two years after the implementation of Operation Safe - Penn's $5-million safety initiative spurred after a student was shot on campus in 2006 - officials and students say safety is improving and measures to improve security are continuing. Started after then-Engineering sophomore Mari Oishi was hit in the thigh by a stray bullet near 38th and Walnut streets in January 2006, the security plan has added lighting and cameras, as well as increased the number and visibility of Penn Police and security guards.

Colleges across the country are rolling out new financial-aid initiatives and, at the same time, ramping up efforts to reach out to the students these policies will benefit. Mailings advertising bigger and better aid packages, admissions representatives traveling the country and private college-matching services are quickly gaining favor with selective institutions around the country.

Most students at Penn and other highly selective institutions are smart - at least book smart. Throughout high school, they received good grades and earned top test scores. Four years at an elite college or university is then supposed to accelerate their academic growth.

Some join them out of legitimate interest or for a heightened sense of community. Others just use them to get into the Quad. But whatever their ultimate purpose, several residential programs are changing at Penn. Residential programs "give a place like Fisher Hassenfeld, which is a house of about 500 students" a place "to feel more connected and a little more at home," said College Houses and Academic Services director Leslie Delauter.

Over the past couple of days, a rumor quickly spread that the University had selected Emeril Lagasse, celebrity chef, as commencement speaker. For a while, seniors probably wondered if their graduation speech would focus more on Cajun cooking than inspirational advice.