VILLANOVA, Pa., Feb. 23 - Penn's 10-6 win over Villanova Friday looked more like a pick-up lacrosse game than a collegiate one. For the preseason-No. 12 Quakers, that was just fine. In a game decided more by battles for ground balls than by offense, Penn was happy to grind out the physical war and return from snow-covered Villanova Stadium with a well-earned win in its season opener.

Once again, the Rotunda is pursuing its stated goal of being a "catalyst for social change" by promoting arts and culture. Acoustic Philly - a group of Philadelphia-based professional musicians - performed this past Saturday night in front of a welcoming and intimate crowd, comprised mostly of friends and family members It was the second year the group had performed at the 4014 Walnut St.

Who knew that the Penn men's and women's fencing teams would throw in a late entry to this year's Oscars? The Cambridge, Mass. blockbuster that was the Ivy League Round Robin No. 2 had it all: tension, drama and a nailbiting finish. The setup to this weekend's match could not have been more exciting.

Philadelphia's Independence Mall is getting a face lift, with a bit of a Jewish flair. Serving as the region's central museum for Jewish history since its opening in 1976, the National Museum of American Jewish History is preparing to move into a brand-new, $100 million facility at 5th and Market streets by 2010.

Andrew Porter will take the helm as dean of Penn's Graduate School of Education this summer, University President Amy Gutmann announced at Friday's meeting of the Board of Trustees. Porter will come to Philadelphia from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

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

Creative workouts with friends and dormmates can be a nice alternative to the solo-oriented Pottruck.

HANOVER, N.H. As Darren Smith's second patented three-pointer from the right corner struck nylon, it looked like Penn had yet another Ivy road blowout in the bag. Five minutes in, the Quakers were up 17-5 against Dartmouth Saturday night after blowing out Harvard in a game that was over by halftime.

Natural threats To the Editor: I was very, very disappointed to read Geology Professor Giegengack's interview replies about the state of the planet's environment ("Inconvenient Truth with a 'political' slant," DP, 2/12/07). His remarks, which concluded that alarm over the environment is a political myth, were unfortunate, to say the least.

23Delta Zeta sorority members at DePauw University asked to leave; this included all overweight and minority members. Source: The New York Times

Gutmann aide gets married over weekend Leah Popowich, associate director at the Office of the University President, was married Saturday night to Penn alumnus Andrew Hohns, The New York Times reported yesterday. Popowich is the main contact between students and the president's office, on call 24 hours a day for 'DP' reporters' incessant questions.

For Penn's security guards, small steps of improvement may now be the best option. After a setback involving union support in September, campus groups are now focused on workers' rights, with the controversial prospect of unionization seen as a step in the distant future.

HANOVER, N.H., Feb. 24 - Introducing: "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," written by Glen Miller and his Penn squad. The first team to show up was the dominant Quakers who have ran through the Ivy League this year, blowing out opponents by nearly 15 points a game.

Breaking six school records would seem to be a good way for the Penn men's swimming team to shake up the standings. Yet for it and the rest of the Ivy League, things remained very much the same. Despite the new records, the Quakers could not improve on last year's mark as they finished eighth out of nine teams at this weekend's EISL championships.

If you left early, you may have thought the women's lacrosse team's season was in trouble. If you arrived late, you would have seen just how dominant the Quakers can be. After a slow start, No. 20 Penn (1-0) exploded in the second half, ending the game on a 7-0 run to dominate Drexel (0-1), 12-4.

Penn's endowment is close to reaching $6 billion, officials announced Friday as the University's Board of Trustees wrapped up its winter meetings. The University's endowment as of Dec. 31 was $5.923 billion, up $610 million since June 2006. And financial updates were just one item on the agenda as trustees gathered to hear updates from top University officials and trustee committee chairmen at the board's full meeting on Friday.

While it may be more convenient to volunteer close to campus, students are needed throughout the city. As an Alpha Phi Omega brother, I'm required to do at least 20 hours of community service a semester. It's relatively easy to accomplish, considering the opportunities we have around our campus - soup kitchens at Penn churches, Pennevelopes, work-study tutoring jobs in West Philadelphia, the list goes on.