Alternative rock band Guster will open for Akon at this year's Spring Fling concert on April 17 in Franklin Field, the Social Planning and Events Committee announced today. "They have a similar vibe even though they're very different genres in music," said SPEC Concerts co-director and College junior Preston Hershorn, who anticipates that the line-up will bring a diverse crowd.

On March 13, three Penn students associated with the Student Labor Action Project returned early from spring break to attend their much-anticipated meeting with Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli and an executive from HEI, a hotel-management corporation with ties to the University.

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

Two teams, 36 innings. That's more than your typical meet-and-greet. Fortunately, familiarity seems to favor Penn's baseball team; after dropping its first game to Georgetown several weeks ago by a double digit margin, the team rebounded to win four of the remaining five games against the Hoyas.

Philly Diner and the University recently agreed to shorten the restaurant's hours of operation in response to a shooting that occurred outside the diner last month. The diner - located in a University-owned building at 3901 Walnut St. - will close at 2 a.

As admissions officers sift through applications this spring, some schools' choices may be more limited than they were last year. Many private colleges - especially top liberal arts schools - saw declines in application numbers this year, which admissions experts attribute to both the economic downturn and a natural fluctuation in the admissions cycle.

Walking 36 holes - nearly nine miles total - while carrying heavy clubs and still keeping a competitive attitude is a tough challenge, but Lisette Vitter is confident her team can handle it. "I think our team can do it, I think we're all very hard workers," the Penn women's golf captain said.

Villanova won the game but lost its luster. The Wildcats looked nothing like a No. 3 seed until the final ten minutes of its 80-67 first-round win over American at the Wachovia Center. They'll move on to face No. 6 UCLA in the NCAA Tournament's second round tomorrow, but uncertainty is now surrounding them like a cloud.

In September 2008, Classical Studies professor Campbell Grey went on paternity leave to welcome a new child into his family. The move was not unusual for a Penn professor, as the University has moved towards policies that acknowledge the ability of both mothers and fathers to take charge of early parenting.

History professor and Penn Civic Scholars Program faculty director Walter Licht has lived in West Philadelphia since 1977, when he began teaching at Penn. For Licht, living in the area offered city living with the perks of low prices and more space. "I am an urban person," said Licht, who grew up in Brooklyn.

The city's vital services will remain intact but not without tough cuts and revenue increases, Mayor Michael Nutter announced yesterday when he presented his five-year budget plan to the City Council. The city faces a $1.4-billion budget deficit owing largely to the global economic crisis manifested in falling business and real-estate tax revenues and losses in the city's pension fund.

On March 11, a state House committee approved House Bill 300, which, if passed in the Senate, will ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in Pennsylvania. The bill addresses discrimination in public spheres such as employment, housing, credit and public accommodations.

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

The Penn men's golf team cancelled its spring break tournament, participating in fundraising and exhibition events instead. Still, coach Scott Allen believes his team's break experience will help everyone be ready for the start of the spring season this weekend.

Penn men's golf conquered the wind, questions about their depth, and 19 other teams this weekend in Bethany Beach, Del., so it's certainly understandable that two teams managed to slip through their grasp. Minus their star senior Mike Blodgett, the Quakers used a strong collective effort to finish third among the 22 schools participating in the George Washington Invitational at Bear Trap Dunes.

Only15 games into its season, the Penn softball team already faces a must-win game if it hopes to preserve its chances of finishing with a winning overall record. For the streaky Quakers (4-11), this scenario is very familiar. Last year, after losing eight straight games about midway through the season, the Quakers responded with a dominant 7-0 victory over Villanova that allowed them to regain their confidence and finish strongly with an 8-4 record in their final 12 games.