Draping red and blue banners soared alongside a larger-than-life toothbrush, congratulatory balloons and, of course, students' spirits at Penn's commencement ceremonies - held on what University President Amy Gutmann repeatedly called "a perfect day."

With preliminary results for the Class of 2011 in, another new record could be in store.

As student debt looms for some soon-to-be graduates, government agencies are stepping in to offer relief. A number of federal employers have programs that relieve student debt up to $10,000 a year for six years, and the program has been steadily expanding over the past five years.

Burglary May 5 - A female student, 18, reported that she left her room in Hill College House unsecured and returned to find her laptop, value unknown, stolen by an unknown suspect. Theft May 5 - An unknown suspect was observed by security cameras inside RadioShack removing merchandise without payment at about 1:25 p.

As Penn prepares to expand eastward, officials are taking care of some on-campus housecleaning first. The University will complete a spate of renovation and construction projects this summer across campus in order to minimize disruption during the school year, said Frank Daly, Penn's managing director of design and construction.

College senior Jenn Rineer has spent the last four years benefitting from the Philadelphia community, and now she's preparing to return the favor. Rineer is one of four graduating Penn seniors to receive a year-long fellowship to live and work in the city as part of the up-and-coming Philly Fellows program.

Rodin to receive two honorary degrees Former University President Judith Rodin is slated to receive two honorary degrees over the next few weeks: One at Dartmouth College and one at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. In addition to taking home an honorary degree from USP, she will address the school's 186th graduating class on May 23 at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts.

Philadelphia's political elite have largely written off Penn students' influence on the upcoming city elections - and they may be right, at least if past elections are any indication. An analysis of voter turnout in the 27th Ward, the section of the city that includes students who live on campus, shows that Penn students turn out in exceedingly low numbers for elections similar to the one next week.

The mother of a female student was robbed of her purse by three juveniles last Friday near the intersection of 36th Street and Locust Walk, Division of Public Safety officials said. The mother, her husband and the student were sitting on a bench on Locust Walk at about 8:55 p.

Former U.S. Cabinet member James Baker will deliver the keynote address at the University's 251st Commencement ceremony on Monday.

Montgomery County Judge Paul Tressler ruled on Monday to delay the trial from May 7 to November due to case-related evidence that is currently undergoing forensic analysis.

Total crime in the Penn Police patrol zone this semester was up 1 percent compared to last year's spring semester, Division of Public Safety officials said. This spring, 256 crimes occurred, three more than last year's 253. Total crime for the month of April is down slightly, with 74 crimes last month compared to 75 during April 2006.

"Nutter Butters" sure had a good reason to get their groove on Tuesday night - even if their dance moves were a little awkward. Before a screaming crowd of around 300 of them at the Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel in Center City, former Councilman Michael Nutter declared victory in a contentious five-way Democratic primary that virtually guarantees him a spot as Philadelphia's next mayor.

After this semester, running out of ink to record grades in bubble charts will no longer be a problem for Penn professors. For the first time at Penn, professors were able to submit final grades online. College faculty were made aware of the switch over the course of the spring semester through e-mails from their respective departments and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Graduate students in the School of Arts and Sciences will receive stipends next year of $18,300 - an increase from the current $18,000, but the lowest figure in the Ivy League. And graduate student groups are none too happy.

Former Wharton professor Scott Ward was sentenced to 15 years in prison yesterday and was also levied a $17, 500 fine. Held without bail since an Aug. 27 arrest, Ward pled guilty on February 20 to producing child pornography for importation into the United States.

On Spruce Street, behold a clash of the salad titans. Located just a few steps away from each other, Saladworks and Gia Pronto may feature similar menus, but their cultures are vastly different. Saladworks is simple and efficient, one of dozens of franchises in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area.