High illegal downloading rates and a whole network of young, powerless culprits to put the pressure on - for the Recording Industry Association of America, it seems that college students are the perfect criminals. The RIAA has pushed yet another onslaught of lawsuits against students over the last six months, with over 3,000 pre-litigation letters sent out to college campuses across the country.

Gas leaks, transformer malfunctions, electrical fires, oh my! While not exactly a trip through Oz, students living off-campus have recently had to deal with a different type of problem - a recent deluge of fires and power outages. After incidents on the 3900 block of Delancey Street and at 41st and Walnut streets, among others, gas, electrical and Division of Public Safety officials say they have solved the immediate problems surrounding those incidents.

After last year's craze over Spring Fling performer Ben Folds, Penn has decided to bring yet another Ben to campus. Ben Kweller is scheduled to headline the Social Planning and Events Committee's fall concert, officials announced today.

A lot has changed about U.S. News & World Report's college rankings since their simple beginning in 1983. But looking at today's top four schools, you wouldn't realize it. The very first ranking began with a single survey sent to university presidents asking them to pick what were, in their opinions, the five best schools in the country.

With on-campus recruiting right around the corner, Nursing students may have an easier time than other seniors in the job hunt. There is currently a national shortage of about 150,000 nurses in the country, and, by 2015, that figure is expected to reach about 700,000 as today's nurses reach retirement age.

Theft Sept. 5 - Three student laptops were taken an unsecured room in the New Chemistry building, located at 231 S. 34th St., at about 1:45 p.m. Sept. 5 - A male student reported that his secured vehicle had been broken into and his GPS system taken from Garage 40 at about 2:45 p.

Officially, Penn is a school where student and faculty loyalties lie with the Red and Blue. But for University administrators, going green is increasingly becoming an appealing alternative.

University officials are continuing to help the Penn community cope with the death of College sophomore Anne Ryan. At a Penn community gathering yesterday afternoon, about 15 administrators milled around Houston Hall's Bodek Lounge, nibbling at trays of fruit and cookies and waiting to help any students that needed them.

Members of the College Republicans, joined by other student volunteers, planted 2,977 flags out on College Green last night - one for each life lost in the attacks.

A fire occurred on the 3900 block of Delancey Street at about 12:30 a.m. yesterday, forcing residents of four houses on the block to be temporarily displaced and injuring one student.

The Undergraduate Assembly held its first meeting on Sunday night, taking care of internal business and implementing new ways of reaching out to the undergraduate community, especially freshmen. n Members passed a proposal to allow any member of the student body to speak to any issue or concern during a 10-minute Open Forum at every UA meeting.

Twenty-three national fraternities and sororities have joined a new hotline, 1-888-NOT-HAZE, designed to prevent hazing in fraternities and sororities. Callers are automatically forwarded to a voicemail, where they can leave messages reporting hazing either anonymously or with contact information.

A popular message board that once catered to Van Pelt bibliophiles is now offering an outlet to students bored, well, anywhere. The site, formerly Boredatvanpelt.com, was relaunched last Saturday night as Boredatpenn.net by creator Jonathon Pappas. The site now features specific forums, called "spaces," including ones for Nursing students or Penn juniors.

After over a year of allegedly stealing and swiping from colleges across the country, Curtis Perry White was finally brought down by West Philadelphia. White was apprehended by Philadelphia Police in his West Philadelphia apartment last Wednesday night after a year on the lam following burglaries at at least five colleges since February 2006.

As the University community mourns the death of College sophomore Anne Ryan, questions and concerns about meningococcal meningitis, the disease that claimed the 19-year-old's life, are circulating around campus.

When it comes to political donations, America's professors are schooling other industries. Penn, too, is taking the lead - and it's mostly Democrats who are benefiting. According to data released last month by the Center for Responsive Politics, the education industry has grown to be a major player in campaign finance.

Just as Penn students are graded on multiple exams, papers and participation, universities are also judged on a variety of factors. U.S. News & World Report puts out an annual ranking of the nation's universities and colleges in an effort to guide readers through the process of choosing which schools to consider.