After hearing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama speak to area volunteers last night, students involved in his campaign say they are, to use a popular Obama slogan, "fired up, ready to go." The event, held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, had several thousand Philadelphia volunteers for the campaign in attendance.

Congress may have awarded a record of nearly $2.25 billion in earmarked funds to academic institutions this fiscal year, but Penn will only see about $160,000 from the controversial grants. However, the University said it is not concerned by that small sum.

Yesterday, School of Arts and Sciences administration and officials in the Asian American Studies program met to discuss revisions to the proposed budget for the 2008-2009 academic year. The previously proposed ASAM budget would have been lower than those of past years, prompting an outcry by students and faculty alike that resulted in yesterday's talks.

At the AFL-CIO convention in Center City yesterday, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama made his case to the working class, largely through responses to parts of Hillary Clinton's speech there the previous day. Obama addressed Clinton's economic proposals - and her jokes - while still maintaining his characteristic campaign theme of change.

If like many a Penn student, your weekend ritual begins with communion from a shot glass and ends on your knees at the porcelain alter of your toilet, I've got news for you - you just might need Jesus. But even if he isn't your "homeboy", as per the gospel of Urban Outfitters, there's nothing wrong with engaging someone in a polite dialogue on religious issues.

In the fifth inning of yesterday's nightcap against Saint Joseph's, Penn's seemingly-safe 6-1 lead appeared to be slipping away. Paul Cusick walked two in the top of the frame and allowed the Hawks to pull within three runs before he stranded the bases loaded.

As many students observed in New Orleans this spring break, professor John DiIulio encourages students to learn outside of the classroom. DiIulio, one of Penn's foremost political scientists and director of the Fox Leadership Program, spoke yesterday alongside Graduate School of Education professor John Puckett to students in Houston's Hall of Flags as part of Education Week - an annual series of events organized by the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education.

Jennifer Lesser is a College sophomore from Minneapolis, MN. Her e-mail address is lesser@dailypennsylvanian.com.

The lawyer for Joseph Cho, the former Penn Law student facing charges of attempted murder, has requested that Cho undergo another psychiatric evaluation to determine if he is fit to stand trial. Cho was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing yesterday, but it was postponed after Peter Bowers, Cho's attorney, asked for the mental-health evaluation, according to Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Melissa Francis.

What's in a name? A lot, professors say - in a course name, at least. As Advance Registration draws to a close, professors acknowledge that an eye-catching course title can make a big difference in enrollment - both in the number and types of students who end up taking it.

Watching Jessie Lupardus dominate hitters now, it's hard to imagine that just four months ago they were dominating her. "I gave up five earned runs, a lot of hits, and it was really a wake-up call," Lupardus said of her first fall exhibition game. "In the offseason I worked my butt off, and being able to come out and show that I am the anchor of the staff is something that is really important to me.

Ivy League-educated professionals can't always afford to serve in public sector positions. Harvard Law School's recent move to provide a tuition-free third year to students who pledge to spend the next five years working in public service has drawn new attention to this issue, but Penn Law's Public Interest Loan Repayment Assistance Program provides similar benefits with less commitment.

Lorenzo Buffa is like a lot of young people in West Philadelphia. He wears skinny jeans and carries a messenger bag; he takes art classes and does face painting for kids to earn a living. And of course, he doesn't have health insurance. I've written columns before about what it's like to be a twenty-something without insurance.

For thousands of Americans, the current credit crisis is a nightmare of potential home foreclosures and job layoffs. For Wall Street, it is a market tsunami of complex mortgage investment losses. But for Penn professors, the crisis is an extra opportunity to bring real-life financial examples to the classroom, where students are showing renewed interest in the current economic situation.

Alicia Puglionesi is a College junior from Havertown, Pa. Her e-mail address is puglionesi@dailypennsylvanian.com.

The typical "American-dream" family - complete with pet, SUV and soccer-mom - has in recent decades given way to an increasing number of divorced and single-parent families. As a result, colleges like Penn may have to rethink traditional formulas in financial aid and admissions.

Polls for the 2008-2009 student government elections closed yesterday afternoon after record voter turnout, but results will not be announced until two violations filed yesterday are settled by the Nominations and Elections Committee. Both charges were filed regarding the Class of 2011 Class Board and Undergraduate Assembly races.