According to General Motors executive Larry Burns, it may take "changing the DNA" of cars to solve the environmental problems of the automobile industry. Burns, GM's vice president of research & development and strategic panning, discussed goals for the future of GM and the automobile industry yesterday evening before an audience of a few dozen Engineering students and professors at Levine Hall.

Next year, stipends for graduate students in the School of Arts and Sciences will increase from $18,000 to $18,300. But some students are saying that this increase is too small, and that the University should be doing more to fund graduate education. Members of Graduate Employees Together -University of Pennsylvania, a graduate student group that advocates for teaching and research assistants, say the $300 increase is not enough to match inflation and projected cost of living increases in Philadelphia.

Two sexual assaults occurred last week on campus for which the attackers will not be prosecuted, and Division of Public Safety officials say these cases show the dilemma they often face in proceeding with incidents of sexual assault. In both incidents, the victim knew her attacker and reported the crime to Penn Police but ultimately decided not to prosecute.

Rare poetry recordings of Ezra Pound are now available for download on PennSound, the University-wide archive of Mp3 poetry sound files. Files from Pound - an acclaimed poet - include previously unknown recordings that were made between 1962 and 1972. On the site, his work is complemented by a detailed essay by Richard Sieburth, an acclaimed translator and author.

When you've got a problem in Philadelphia, who you gonna call? Why, Bob Brady, of course. This mayoral candidate has made a career out of bringing people together and ending disputes between competing groups, first as the local Democratic Party chairman and then as the congressman representing Pennsylvania's first congressional district.

If you are reading this article with blurred vision, chances are you've already embraced the Spring Fling spirits. And, not surprisingly, you're not alone. About 1,750 guest passes were sold this year - a bit of a drop from last year's sale of 1,800. But a range of changes to this year's Fling promises just as good of a time.

There may be more than a few people you shouldn't offer a beer to this weekend. In response to the increased number of students on and around campus this weekend, Penn Police will similarly raise the number of officers on the streets, said Capt. Gerald Leddy, special events coordinator at Penn's Division of Public Safety.

What sells out even faster than Ben Folds tickets? Last night's Penn Alumni Club of Philadelphia event, which, with a private tour of famed French restaurant Lacroix, a three-course dinner and an intimate discussion with Psychology professor Paul Rozin, sold out in fewer than 24 hours.

Weather is always a concern for the outdoor Spring Fling, and this year is no different: There is a 30 percent chance of rain on Saturday and temperatures ranging in the low 50s all weekend.

One of the University's own, Nutter graduated from the Wharton School in 1979 and held a position on City Council from 1991 to 2006.

The Recording Industry Association of America sent 17 pre-litigation letters, which threaten to sue recipients for copyright infringement, to Penn yesterday in the hopes that the University will forward them on to students and staff members.

Through his defense lawyers, Economics professor Rafael Robb pled not guilty yet again at his arraignment at Montgomery County Courthouse yesterday morning.

Four assaults, including three against security officials, and one robbery hit on or near campus since last Friday, marking a week with an unusually large amount of violent crime. Two Penn Police officers were assaulted early Tuesday morning, and a store security guard at Fresh Grocer was assaulted Saturday afternoon.

Sitting on a blanket next to a large "Call to Your Conscience: Save Darfur" banner, College sophomore Elliot Gordon relaxed yesterday with some friends on College Green. "It's nice just hanging out," he said, sprawled out on the grass. "It's more than just yelling at people on the walk, and a surprisingly large number of people [walk by and] drop a dollar.

Critics say his arrogance and defensiveness make him resemble Mayor John Street, but mayoral candidate Chaka Fattah argues that he's passionate about improving the lives of voters.

One hundred and twenty-three speakers are gathering today to conclude the year-long celebration in honor of Wharton's 125th anniversary. This year's two-day conference, taking place at the Philadelphia Convention Center, is the biggest event in the business school's history, Wharton Associate Dean Steve Oliveira said.

Did you enter the lottery for the last remaining tickets to Ben Folds and Third Eye Blind, and still miss out? Hope may not be lost - yet. An anonymously student-created Web site, www.pennbenfoldstickets.com, is providing tickets for the Spring Fling headliner concert tomorrow night.