On June 26, Philadelphia's citizens finally got what they'd been waiting for: Mayor Michael Nutter endorsed PennPraxis's recommendations for clearing and greening the Delaware waterfront. Community leaders gathered at Independence Seaport Museum to hear the announcement.

Wharton Computing performed a major upgrade to the school's e-mail server last month by switching to Microsoft Exchange 2007, which offers more space, advanced security and other new features to Wharton students. The upgrade is a response to "student requests for more e-mail storage space," according to the Wharton Computing Web site.

Ajay Nair, an associate dean from Columbia University, took over on July 1 as the new Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs. He is replacing Therese Conn, who will retire from the University as of Sept. 30. Nair returns to Penn after serving as the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Columbia College and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science.

For nearly 20 years, drug companies sold contraceptives to college and low-income health clinics at deeply discounted rates. But a provision of the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act, which took effect in 2006, excluded the centers from low-price eligibility. The law's "sudden and unexpected" impact sent birth control prices soaring nationwide, said Penn's Women's Health Director Deborah Mathis.

Last month, Penn received two three-year contract extensions to continue managing Henry C. Lea and Alexander Wilson schools, despite the Philadelphia School District's decision to seize six schools from outside managers. "The decision was made on a case-by-case basis," Director of Philadelphia Public School's Accountability Office Michael Shlesinger said.

Penn researchers might be soaring into uncharted territory with new research that brings them a step closer to a vaccine against the avian flu. Sixth-year Pharmacology Ph.D. candidate Dominick Laddy recently won the Maria Hillerman Award for his research of a vaccine that will hopefully prevent multiple strains of the flu, including avian.

With all the attention that gun control has garnered in recent months, it's no wonder that Philadelphia is renewing its efforts to reform and enforce its gun policies. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey announced the start of a 30-day moratorium on reporting lost or stolen guns yesterday in an effort to begin enforcing one of the gun control measures passed in April.

The announcement that Logan Hall would be changing its name to Claudia Cohen Hall first appeared in The Daily Pennsylvanian on March 19. Now almost four months later, the signs of the building have been changed to feature the name of the famous entertainment journalist, and they are attracting widespread media attention following a New York Times article on Sunday.

Last Saturday, Penn mourned the death of Bruce Montgomery, 44-year Penn Glee Club director and long-time member of the Penn community. Montgomery - or "Monty", as many called him - retired in 2000 after 50 years of service to the University. He was an active participant in the Glee Club, Penn Singers, Mask and Wig, Penn Band and other Penn performing arts groups, even after his retirement, right up until his death at the age of 81.

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but there is such a thing as free admission. At least at Penn's Institute of Contemporary Art, that is, where a donation from '88 Wharton alumnus Glenn Fuhrman will eliminate admission costs for the next five years, beginning July 1.

The Kelly Writers House announced the 2008-2009 House Fellows last week. Robert Coover, Joan Didion and Mary Gordon will visit the Writers House in spring 2009 to speak to Writing House Fellows seminar students - who prepare for fellows' arrival by reading their works over a month before they arrive - and deliver readings to students.

After spending all day last Thursday in committee meetings that covered everything from budget and finance to student life, the University Board of Trustees spent their evening relaxing at a cocktail reception and dinner with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter in Irvine Auditorium.

If robots really are the way of the future, then Penn is lucky to have Professor Robert Ghrist on board for next semester. Ghrist, an applied mathematician who specializes in topology - the study of abstract spaces and shapes - was recently appointed as the Andrea Mitchell University Professor and the seventh Penn Integrates Knowledge faculty member.

Philadelphia Police have arrested two suspects in relation to a fatal shooting that took place early Sunday morning on the 3900 block of Market St. Tyree Musier and Jonte Slater, both 22, were arrested Sunday afternoon and charged with murder and related charges, Philadelphia Police Sgt.

The Lubavitch House has been a center for Jewish life at the University since 1980. However, recent picketing efforts by Philadelphia union workers have disrupted the House's $2.8 million expansion project. For the past two weeks, picketers from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 98, have protested the use of non-union workers on the project, disrupting house activities, as well as residential life.

While to the average college student taking the SATs may just be a painful memory, for current high school juniors the experience may become considerably less stressful. Beginning in March 2009, students will be allowed to choose which of their SAT scores colleges see, the College Board announced last week.

A shot was fired in the McDonald's on 40th and Walnut streets the evening of June 28. Though no one was injured, two men were arrested and charged in connection with the incident. At about 5:30 p.m., police say that a male customer got into an argument with a McDonald's employee.