Exceeding expectations has been a familiar theme for the seniors on the women's squash team. When they started as freshmen, they joined a team that was coming off a 5-7 season and was an afterthought in Ivy League competition. Over their four-year careers, the squad compiled a combined 44-10 record (20-9 Ivy) and emerged as one of the most formidable threats in the nation.

As the new semester began, many students encountered unfamiliar white signs at the dining halls and vending machines telling them that products prepared with peanut butter have been removed. Since January, nationwide recalls on peanut products have been made as the Food and Drug Administration alerted the public to a salmonella outbreak - and Penn is following suit.

The Greater Philadelphia Film Office's "problem-solver" shared her experience with students interested in the entertainment business on Friday. The Fox Leadership prorram hosted Sharon Pinkenson, executive director of the Film Office, at Leadership Hall.

Amid the current economic crisis, many public budgets are facing cuts. Pennsylvania's is no exception. In the proposed Pennsylvania budget for next year, Gov. Ed Rendell will reduce funding to Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine by 10 percent, or almost $4 million.

One small step for the Undergraduate Assembly has paved the way for greater campus beauty as the group passed its "Stair Beautification" proposal Sunday night. The project, which aims to tackle unattractive stairwells and promote physical activity in Claire Fagin Hall and the high-rise college houses, was passed unanimously.

The opportunities to meet and listen to people whose day-to-day work helps change the world are abundant at Penn. Last night was no exception, as New York Times reporter and Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas Kristof spoke in Huntsman's Ambani Auditorium. His lecture, which covered both journalistic and moral topics, was received by a crowd that filled the auditorium and overflowed into an auxiliary room in Huntsman where students watched via live video feed.

Last week, the Undergraduate Assembly passed its Bike Safety Proposal in hopes of establishing a more bike-friendly campus. This aim, however, reaches beyond just keeping bicyclists and pedestrians safe. The group hopes the initiative will increase the odds that a Philadelphia bike-sharing system comes to University City, a goal many students support - as evidenced by the "Just Ride Me" Facebook group, which had 740 members as of yesterday.

It's that time of the year again. I have the dubious honor of penning my second annual "Penn is rebuilding and will not compete for the league title" column. And this second rebuilding season has brought with it a unique challenge that needs to be addressed.

Wrestling absolutely demolished the Crimson and Bears, winning 35-12 and 34-6, respectively.

Penn fencer Zane Grodman accomplished an amazing feat yesterday. The freshman foil defeated Columbia's All-American Kurt Getz in 30 seconds by a score of 5-0. "He set an incredible tone for the match," coach Dave Micahnik said. "We went on to defeat Columbia for the first time in the last 10 years.

Over winter break, I spent hours and hours poring over the registrar's Web site to find that elusive double whammy: that course that fulfills multiple requirements and has an easy course rating and a high professor rating. I finally found the gem that is "Introduction to the Koran," which fills Cross Cultural Analysis and Sector IV, interdisciplinary humanities and social sciences - perfect.

The men's tennis team does not typically travel very far for its matches, but it made an exception to face a talented team in No. 23 Miami. "I know the coach there and they are a very good team," coach Nik DeVore said. "We just couldn't pass up an opportunity to play there.

Daniel Schwartz is an College sophomore from Decatur, Ga. His e-mail address is dschwartz@dailypennsylvanian.com.

The importance of beating Cornell tomorrow night is crystal clear. Figuring out how is a much trickier proposition, or at least it has been for the Ivy League opponents Cornell has faced so far. The first-place Big Red (14-6, 4-0 Ivy) have comfortably beaten Yale, Brown and Columbia (twice), and during their current nine-game win streak have compiled an average margin of victory of 22.

Not a single member of the Penn women's tennis program is old enough to rent a car from most companies. Although that may cause travel obstacles, it may be a good thing for the Quakers. The relative youth of the coaching staff - both interim coach Sara Schiffman and assistant Erin Katims are under 25 years old - could provide a necessary boost for the Penn women's tennis squad as it seeks to rebound from a 7-0 loss to Old Dominion and land its first victory of the season this weekend against Virginia Commonwealth and Richmond.

Izzy and Zoe's, the Jewish deli-style restaurant on S. 40th Street, is no longer in business. Because the restaurant's owners did not fulfill their lease obligations, Penn - the landlord for the space - took action, according to University officials. "Intermittent closings" were a primary breach of the obligations, according to Ed Datz, executive director of Real Estate at Penn Facilities and Real Estate Services.

After last year's discontinuation of the popular Broadway production, Rent is back for a national tour featuring members of its original cast - performing this weekend right here in Philadelphia. The tour began early this January in Cleveland, Ohio, and the production will run until Sunday at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.