From Botswana to the postal lands, Penn scholars and students are exploring the world and making an impact

A letter from 'DP' Executive Editor, Shawn Safvi

The Kelly Writers house chose a number of respected writers and artists as Writers House Fellows for the sprting semester, according to a University press release. Art Spiegelman, Lynne Sharon Schwartz and Jerome Rothenberg will all visit campus as part of the program.

Joanne Tong is a Wharton senior from Manila, Philippines. She can be reached at tong@dailypennsylvanian.com

Friends and neighbors of Ellen Robb have installed a garden gazebo in her honor outside of Roberts Elementary School in Wayne, Pa. Robb, who was found bludgeoned to death in her Wayne home last December, was an active volunteer at the school, and had a daughter who attended the school as well.

67.7Percent of Pennsylvania students who scored proficient or above on their reading exams this year. Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer

The Quakers knew the injuries would come and that they wouldn't be pleasant. But for a team with no seniors, a disabled list that had grown three regulars deep by sunset on the first day of preseason has been a tricky hole to fill. Women's soccer coach Darren Ambrose detailed on Tuesday the offseason ailments of Allison Rosenbloom (chronic illness, which caused her to retire) Allyson Gordon (anterior cruciate ligament), and Marisa Stock (second ACL) that meant they would be out for the forseeable future.

Herbert Levine, Economics professor at Penn from 1960 to 2006, died in June, succumbing to complications from leg surgery after battling prostate cancer for the past 15 years. He was 78. Receiving his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard University, Levine specialized in Soviet economics.

For a program that has won 12 Ivy League championships in the last 25 years, two consecutive losing seasons has the distinct feel of a slump.

Diplomats don't have to be politicians, but being a president helps. Penn President Amy Gutmann took a trip to Botswana this summer to visit the University of Botswana, which Penn has partnered with for the past six years. On her trip, Gutmann met with the president of the university, the president of Botswana and the U.

In the wake of the shootings at Virginia Tech last April, Penn's Division of Public Safety announced Monday that it has implemented a new emergency notification system. The system, called PennAlert, includes the ability for DPS officials to send text-message alerts in the event of an emergency.

Frank DeSimone, the lawyer for Rafael Robb, the Economics professor who will face trial this fall in connection with the death of Ellen, his wife, wants to bar expert testimony from court that claims murder was likely a personal attack.

When told about the University's newest e-mail service, College junior Max Glass looked a little puzzled. "Penn Live?" he asked. "What is that?" Glass isn't alone in his confusion. Penn Live, the Microsoft-run e-mail server that will eventually completely replace the oft-maligned Webmail server for School of Arts and Sciences and Wharton students, was released to students this summer.

Martin Meyerson, Penn's sixth president, died of prostate cancer June 2 at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. He was 84. Meyerson, who served as president from 1970 to 1981, saw Penn through a severe fiscal crisis and set about uniting a sometimes fractious faculty and student body.

Following a large-scale, six-month search that ended in late June, Penn President Amy Gutmann and Provost Ron Daniels announced that Thomas Robertson will become the dean of the Wharton School.

A bold statement that this is the "best talent" she's ever had came from thirteenth-year field hockey coach Val Cloud, who has coached 33 All-Ivy selections and the 2005 champions. Despite the lofty goal of climbing back to the top of the Ancient Eight, Cloud was quick to point out that a title is far from an easy task.

In an abrupt turn, Dean of Admissions Lee Stetson has announced that he has resigned from his post, effective immediately. He has been replaced on an interim basis by Eric Kaplan, who served as the Dean of Admissions at Lehigh University from 2003 to 2006.