As prescription stimulant use rises on college campuses, some neuroscientists think academia is entering an age of widespread drug-induced brain enhancement. "An era of doping is probably looming in the culture, and academia is going to be a part of that," said Anjan Chatterjee, an associate professor of neurology at Penn.
Despite concerns, PennforJesus proud to evangelize next week
Jesus Week, an annual Penn celebration that begins on Sunday, will look a little different this year. The week-long event, organized by PennforJesus and now in its 13th year, will focus more on engaging non-Christians at Penn than it ever has before. And while not everyone is entirely comfortable with this year's proposed evangelism efforts, PennforJesus says its main goal is to raise awareness, not to convert the campus.
News Brief: ISC says "wait and see" before upgrading Vista
Penn's Information Systems and Computing staff is recommending a "wait-and-see" approach to updating to Vista's first service pack. ISC advocated a similar approach when the Windows program itself was first released last year. The service pack - which was released about a week ago - is mostly a compatibility, reliability and performance upgrade.
Lights, camera, Penn: Festival comes to Philly
There won't be a huge "Hollywood" sign or sun-kissed celebrities, but movie magic comes to Philadelphia tonight for the third annual Greater Philadelphia Student Film Festival. And when the silver screen flickers on at the University of the Arts at 7 p.m.
Despite concerns, PennforJesus proud to evangelize next week
Jesus Week, an annual Penn celebration that begins on Sunday, will look a little different this year. The week-long event, organized by PennforJesus and now in its 13th year, will focus more on engaging non-Christians at Penn than it ever has before. And while not everyone is entirely comfortable with this year's proposed evangelism efforts, PennforJesus says its main goal is to raise awareness, not to convert the campus.
News Brief: ISC says "wait and see" before upgrading Vista
Penn's Information Systems and Computing staff is recommending a "wait-and-see" approach to updating to Vista's first service pack. ISC advocated a similar approach when the Windows program itself was first released last year. The service pack - which was released about a week ago - is mostly a compatibility, reliability and performance upgrade.
To hold hands or not to hold hands
They've been together for two years, but they still can't hold hands in public. Kate, a College sophomore, began dating Dan, a University of Charleston sophomore, while still in high school. Still together, their biggest relationship issue isn't that they are long distance - it's that they are a secret.
Planned partnership under fire
Penn officials have wanted to collaborate with University City High School for some time now, but many community members who attended a public forum last night say Penn's help is not welcome. At the forum, held to share plans with the community about renovations, Philadelphia School District leaders officially said they have been in discussion with Penn and Drexel for the past two years about the possibility of a partnership with University City High once it is renovated.
What's in a name? A lot, say profs, alums
Last week's announcement that Logan Hall will be renamed Claudia Cohen Hall has raised a few eyebrows. Penn faculty and students expressed surprise that historic buildings such as Logan Hall could be renamed after donors. Logan Hall, named after one of Penn's founding trustees, will be renamed this summer after Claudia Cohen, an entertainment journalist and a 1972 College of Women graduate who passed away last summer.
Pre-law verdict: money matters
Doctors do it for love, while lawyers do it for money - at least according to a recent survey of almost 1,000 pre-law and pre-medical students. Kaplan, the test-prep company, conducted a survey asking 914 students what role earning power played in their choice to pursue a career in either law or medicine.
Two juniors awarded Truman scholarship
One student is fighting for civil rights via economic justice. Another wants to change the face of foreign policy. And now both have the support of the prestigious Truman Scholarship - awarded to juniors who show leadership potential and are committed to careers in public service - to help them realize their aspirations.
If you only have a vague idea of the location and politics of Sierra Leone outside of what was presented in the movie Blood Diamond, you're not alone. But there's a lot more to this small West African country than Hollywood drama depicts. Last night, the International Relations program hosted Ishmael Beah, a former child soldier from Sierra Leone and author of the highly acclaimed book A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.
Stress and college may seem like an obvious matrimony. But the rates at which college students nationwide regularly experience stress are higher than one might expect. A recent study conducted by The Associated Press and mtvU found that 80 percent of 2000 university students polled reported experiencing stress on a daily basis.
Another U. City campus expands
Upcoming development projects associated with Penn, including the $500 million Cira Center South towers, will be changing the face of University City for years to come. But Penn isn't the only institution changing the landscape west of the Schuylkill. This month, Drexel University announced that it will commit more than $400 million to the construction of 11 projects that will be completed by 2013.
With 2,400 new voters on campus, students gear up for primary
Pennsylvanians - and Penn students - aren't waiting until the fall to voice their views on who should be the country's next president. While final numbers are not yet available from the Pennsylvania State Department, it appears that voter registration has increased dramatically this year leading up to the state's April 22 primary.
Tuition rise on par with increases at peer schools
While the cost of attending Penn will rise next year, the jump is relatively small when compared to other institutions. Penn's overall tuition increase of 4.4 percent for the 2008-2009 school year is slightly below the average increase at several peer institutions and well below last year's national average at four-year private schools.
Wharton reaches out to women
Wharton is joining forces with investment bank Goldman Sachs for a unique philanthropic mission. Goldman Sachs' global initiative, '10,000 Women,' will provide short-term business education programs over the next five years to provide approximately 10,000 women in developing countries with the skills to become successful entrepreneurs.
A ruling in plain English: Geno's sign OK
Geno's Steaks owner Joey Vento never thought eight words would cause such a fuss. But the ruckus, raised over a sign at his ordering window that reads, "This is America. When ordering, please speak English," has finally ended. Thirty-one months after Vento first put the sign up, and nearly two years after the City of Philadelphia filed a "complaint of bias" against him because of it, Philadelphia's Commission for Human Relations ruled that the sign is not discriminatory.
From Facebook groups to YouTube videos, technology has undoubtedly changed the way presidential campaigns communicate. But new modes of communication aren't exclusive to campaigns - political groups on Penn's campus, and at other schools as well, have also revolutionized their efforts.
So far, presidential candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties have debated issues ranging from the war in Iraq to the economy. But these aren't the only issues facing the future president - one group argues that scientific issues, such as global warming and science and math education, should also be discussed.









