Perceptions about body weight don't stop at the scales anymore. "Fat studies" is a growing interdisciplinary area of study at universities across the country, devoted to examining discrimination and stereotypes against the fat body and studying the collective experience of fat people in society.

Cornell learned this weekend that young talent could provide the team with a boost, but that its unseasoned core is not yet prepared to deliver a tournament championship. Looking for a chance to win its first in-season tournament since 1990, Cornell needed a catalyst in the semifinals of the William & Mary Tip-off Classic.

Course-management industry giant Blackboard faces what will likely be a critical legal challenge after a group of open-source advocates filed a formal request to have the company's 44 patents revoked. The open-source groups are alleging that the patents - which were awarded to Blackboard in January - would give the company a virtual monopoly on online learning technology by allowing Blackboard to use the patents to sue its competitors.

Since 2003, Arab militants, known as the Janjaweed, have murdered over 400,000 African Muslims in the Darfur region of western Sudan - and some say the Sudanese government has paved the way. Aaron Dorfman, director of Jewish education at the American Jewish World Service, described these atrocities before a group of about 50 people at the Kelly Writers House last evening.

International students of legal drinking age can't get in to many local bars, because they won't accept foreign IDs.

College junior Laura Paine and College sophomore Promise Sullivan will head the Civic House Associations Coalition, Civic House leaders announced last night. CHAC is responsible for providing educational workshops and funding for community service projects within the Philadelphia community.

According to Christopher Graveline, former Cpl. Charles Graner is a "truly an evil man." Graveline - a former military lawyer - presented a photo of Graner "grinning over a dead corpse," illustrating the Abu Ghraib prison atrocities to a crowd of over 50 people yesterday afternoon in the Nursing Education Building.

Electrical and Systems Engineering professor Nader Engheta was named one of Scientific American's top-fifty leaders in science and technology in the magazine's December issue. Engheta - who earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Tehran and his Ph.

The start of one chapter was the ending of another for the Penn women's fencing team. While the Quakers opened up their season last Saturday at Weightman Gym against Drew and Sacred Heart, Penn senior Jackie Schramm participated in her final meet with the Red and Blue.

With Penn and Villanova matched up more evenly than the cross-town rivals had been in years, this game was everything you could ask of a Big 5 contest. The result, though, spelled little but disappointment for the Quakers

Joey Rhoads had what it took to end her team's frustration against Villanova, but even that wasn't enough. Villanova downed Penn 57-50 yesterday afternoon at the Palestra. "When you lose by such a close margin, you think about all the little things you could have done throughout the game," the senior tri-captain said.

Wharton Dean Patrick Harker has been named the University of Delaware's next president, Delaware officials announced Friday.

One team looked like the experienced one Saturday night, and it wasn't the experienced one. While Villanova freshman Scottie Reynolds and sophomore reserve Shane Clark shone under pressure, the Quakers hardly played the role of the Big 5's most seasoned squad.

It was the meet they were looking forward to all semester, and both the Penn men's and women's swim teams lived up to expectations. The men's team bested four opponents to take the Kenyon Invitational title while the women took second at the championship format meet in Gambier, Ohio.

Youngest-ever dean will be leaving Wharton with enormous shoes to fill.

Once considered a top contender in the upcoming Philadelphia mayoral election, former City Controller Jonathan Saidel announced yesterday that he is abandoning his bid to become the city's next mayor. "As I thought about the race, what it would take to win and the impact it would have on my ability to earn a living and take care of my family, I realized that I could not be as committed to the race as I would need to be," Saidel said in a statement released to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Even after spending an entire childhood in California, I feel like a visitor in my parents' house during breaks.