The Social Planning and Events Committee will unveil plans today for Spring Fling 2009 - scheduled for Apr. 17-18 - by officially announcing the theme and annual t-shirt design contest. The theme, "Some Flings Never Get Old," intends to evoke a taste of nostalgia through wordplay, explained College junior and SPEC Fling Co-Director Amber Calloway.

Recently, Georgia state Senator Seth Harp caused an uproar in the community of higher education by proposing that two of the state's historically black colleges be merged with predominantly white ones. Specifically, his resolution stipulates that Savannah State University and Albany State University (both historically black public schools) be merged with the predominantly white colleges, Armstrong Atlantic State University and Darton College, respectively.

Amira Fawcett is an Engineering senior from Houston. Her e-mail address is fawcett@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Penn's overall endowment had the largest percentage drop in market value among the top 20 funded universities in the 2008 fiscal year. Between July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008, it lost 6.1 percent of its value, or $401.9 million, falling to $6.2 billion from $6.

The presidential election might be over, but that doesn't mean Penn's on-campus political groups are taking it easy this semester. Despite shifting their focus off Washington politics, Penn Democrats and Penn College Republicans are both intent on staying active on campus.

"Poetry is what gets lost in translation," Robert Frost once mused. But ever since Alastair Reid "fell for" the Spanish language, he has sought not only to preserve the essence of the original works in his translations, but also to enhance them. Reid, a renowned Scottish writer and translator, gave a lecture last night called "Mysteries of Translation" in Claudia Cohen Hall as part of the Penn Humanities Forum.

Of the many provisions in the economic-stimulus plan recently passed by the House of Representatives and currently being deliberated in the Senate, a few in particular - increases in federal student-aid programs, extra assistance for researchers and funding for campus infrastructure - are designed to assist students and schools, and for those we should be grateful.

Streak ended - two words that the Penn women's swimming team would not like to see in the recap of its meet with La Salle tonight. The Explorers (5-3) will be trying to do something they haven't in five years -- beat Penn - when the two teams meet at La Salle's Kirk Pool.

Bob Klein was overcome with emotion after the conclusion of the final college sporting event that will ever take place at the Wachovia Spectrum. The Penn club hockey coach took his sweet old time leaving the ice, intent on soaking in every moment of the historic day.

It's not every day the university president stops you to chat about your plans for the night, but students at Johns Hopkins University hope to experience just that as current Penn Provost Ron Daniels takes the helm after three-and-a-half years at Penn. On March 2, Daniels will officially succeed current Hopkins President Bill Brody, who after a 12-year term will become president of the Salk Institute.

Almost exactly two years after 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's untimely death in January 2007, his brother Nicanor placed 10th at his debut race at Gulfstream Park near Hollywood, Fla., Saturday. But two years later, Barbaro still has a positive legacy, said Dean Richardson, the surgeon who treated the thoroughbred.

When in Philadelphia, eat as the Romans eat. Capogiro Gelateria will be opening on the ground floor of the Radian early this April despite some initial "problems," according to Capogiro chef and owner Stephanie Reitano. Although she did not elaborate on the difficulties the company has been having, she specified that this restaurant will be different from Capogiro's other locations.

Many students participate in research studies to earn money or course credit. Others simply help out their parents. Child development researchers often study their surroundings - including their own children - in their work. Communication professor Deborah Linebarger was featured in The New York Times when she involved three of her four children in her child development studies.

As a freshman who couldn't find Greek Lady with her NSO-issued map, there was one landmark that was easy to find: the LOVE statue. My peer adviser, as well as many others, instructed the 12 of us to meet in front of the sculpture, which we all remembered from tours and brochures - a near-miracle, considering that it was only days after we arrived on campus.

The Greek culture at Penn is one rich in history but replete with stereotypes. And one of those, unfortunately, is an image of intolerance. Whether substantiated or not, the belief that the Greek community is unwelcoming, specifically to gays, is a problem in and of itself.

Janice Dow is a College sophomore from Los Angeles. Her e-mail address is dow@dailypennsylvanian.com

Punxsutawney Phil may have just decreed that six more weeks are left in the winter season, but Penn wrestling coach Rob Eiter sees things a little differently. Eiter knows that both he and his Quakers (8-5, 3-1 EIWA) are capable of keeping their season rolling well into the seventh week after the famous groundhog's February 2 prediction.