In a textbook industry strained by persistent debates over rising prices, many students' cure for high costs may also be a cause. The used book market is booming, but publishers say it is draining their profits and driving up prices. Cash-strapped students, who spend about $900 on books each year, want lower bills while publishers want to maintain profit in a changing marketplace - a tug-of-war that represents one of many challenges in an industry that is frust

Two people attempted to rob a man at gunpoint on the 4100 block of Walnut Street on Aug. 26 at about 7:15 p.m., according Penn and Philadelphia police. Penn Division of Public Safety spokeswoman Stef Cella said the 44-year-old complainant, a man unaffiliated with the University, was approached by the two suspects in a building lobby.

I spent a few hours at the Student Activities Fair yesterday talking to new students about Penn and The Daily Pennsylvanian. It was exciting to be back in the thick of things and to look forward to the new academic year. This semester, in particular, we'll be seeing a lot of changes.

Wharton professor Thomas Dunfee - a pioneer in the field of business ethics - passed away on June 22 due to complications from cancer. He was 66. Dunfee was chairman of Wharton's Legal Studies and Business Ethics department He left behind his wife of 40 years, three children and six grandchildren.

Some low-income students will have a new way to apply to Penn this fall. Penn will partner with QuestBridge - a non-profit program that links low-income students with scholarship opportunities at top colleges - for the first time this year. Through the QuestBridge National College Match, high-achieving, low-income high-school seniors are offered admission and full four-year scholarship grants

Those who knew Engineering sophomore Michael Sheahan, who died in an automobile accident last Monday, say they will remember him as both an ambitious student and a caring friend and son. "What really made him special was that even though he was so brilliant, you wouldn't know it because … he was such a down-to-earth person," said College sophomore Liz Grant, one of Sheahan's friends.

The psychiatric records of former Economics professor Rafael Robb and his murdered wife, Ellen, were released to both prosecutors and Robb's defense at

Penn will increase its presence in West Philadelphia this fall with the introduction of two more after-school tutoring programs. The Community School Student Partnerships, a student-run group that provides after-school activities at several nearby West Philadelphia schools, is expanding its work to two more elementary schools this fall.

Last year, Rhodes Field was plagued by maintenance issues. To fix the problem, the Athletic Department did more than repair Penn's soccer field - it completely changed the grass. The Bluegrass that served as the playing surface since Rhodes opened in 2002 was eliminated in June, and Riviera Bermuda grass was planted in its place.

When the Republican National Committee called Ashley Gunn out of the blue two weeks ago to speak at its convention, the Wharton junior said she was stunned. With young people getting more involved than ever in politics this election year, the Repu

After standing in line in 85-degree heat for several hours, Alex Roman was finally able to rest comfortably in her Radian apartment on Sunday night. Roman, a College sophomore, said she had "a horrible move in experience," a sentiment echoed by many others who moved into the new 14-story apartment complex at 39th and Walnut Streets.

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Pass by Nick and Kevin Unger on the street and you might think: "twins." After a few minutes of listening to their back-and-forth banter, you may be convinced. The two are brothers, not twins, but they've been nearly inseparable for the past 18 years. Growing up in Milwaukee, Wis.

The Delta Upsilon fraternity relocated its chapter house late this summer in response to University concerns that the property did not meet its standards for safety and quality of life. With Penn's assistance, the brothers moved from 4035 Walnut St. to a vacant University-owned site at 3829 Walnut St.

Gas prices aren't the only costs that are skyrocketing. Nationwide, the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted that food prices would increase by 4.5 to 5.5 percent this year due to the rising cost of fuel and ethanol and unpredictable weather patterns in crop-growing nations.

The Philadelphia Police Department is adding to its arsenal of crime-fighting techniques. For the first time in the department's history a select group of officers will carry tasers on duty as part of a new public-safety initiative, the Philadelphia Crisis Intervention Team.