Director of Sustainability for Philadelphia Mark Alan Hughes presented a lecture on the city government's new plan for environmentally responsible change yesterday at the Chemistry Building. Hughes elaborated the steps needed to become more sustainable through internal bureaucracy changes and current action items.

The Rethinking Student Aid panel, an independent group of the country's top financial-aid and higher-education experts, has released a proposal to simplify the federal financial-aid system. Proponents hope the plan - which was in the works for two years - will make college more accessible for low- and moderate-income students.

Meg Ryan closed her eyes, tilted her head back and moaned, "Oh god, oh god." She appeared to be experiencing an orgasm - but unknown to most men, she was faking it. Sex educators Dorian Solot and Marshall Miller presented this clip from When Harry Met Sally to introduce issues regarding female sexuality in their program "I

With the recent appointment of Harbir Singh to the newly created position of Vice Dean for Global Initiatives, Wharton is moving toward the internationally focused school that Dean Thomas Robertson outlined last fall. This new appointment comes at a time when Wharton has been adding a more international perspective to its programs and needed someone to take the lead, officials said.

While the excitement surrounding the upcoming presidential election may distract some student's attention away from the local candidates on the ballot, this excitement may end up affecting the outcome of these races. "We are expecting a huge turnout and when this happens, a lot of funny things can happen," said Zachary Stalberg, president and CEO of the Committee of Seventy, a non-partisan organization for efficient and ethical politics around Philadelphia.

Through increased communication and coordination with the city's colleges and universities, Mayor Michael Nutter is making crime prevention a larger focus within Philadelphia. While both the Philadelphia Police and Penn's Division of Public Safety say the two police forces have long collaborated, new channels of communication between the city and the University have been opened by the Nutter administration.

Burglary: Sept. 15 - A male student, 19, reported that someone entered his residence on the 4000 block of Walnut Street through an open window and stole a laptop at about 8 p.m. Theft: Sept. 18 - A man, 45, and woman, 39, both unaffiliated with the University, reported that someone broke into their vehicles, parked at the Penn Tower Hotel and stole loose change and other items at about 2 p.

Since voting for the 2012 Class Board and Undergraduate Assembly representatives began Monday night, candidates have been going all out in an attempt to garner votes. Each fall, freshman candidates for student government listen to their fellow new students' concerns and then plaster the campus with posters promising to improve campus food, extend dining hours and put air conditioning in Hill College House.

Penn is continuing its efforts to maintain its status as a pioneer on the final frontier - the human brain. The University announced the creation of five new Penn Integrates Knowledge professorships related to the field of neuroscience last week. The move will expand the PIK program beyond its original goal of 18 professors and bolster Penn's growing neuroscience programs.

Bouncers demanding IDs. Bartenders checking for wristbands. Spaces that are off-limits. This may be the scene freshmen will face at the average fraternity party during next year's New Student Orientation. On Sunday night, the Undergraduate Assembly passed a proposal put forth by the InterFraternity Council to repeal Penn's ban on registered fraternity parties during NSO.

New changes to plans for the imminent reconstruction of the South Street Bridge include fewer vehicle lanes, a lower speed limit and wider pedestrian and bicycle lanes. The City of Philadelphia has already sent the original plan out to contractors to solicit bids for the project but will release an addendum with these new revisions, according to Marcia Wilkof, Democratic leader of the 30th Ward and Jim Campbell, president of the South Street Bridge Coalition.

Tell me a joke. Or a funny story. Actually, what's your favorite food truck on campus? These questions may not seem out of the ordinary to the average person, but when they appear in the middle of an On-Campus Recruiting interview this week, students may be thrown for a loop.

The InterFraternity Council wants the University to allow registered parties during New Student Orientation, and the Undergraduate Assembly is backing its efforts. At its third meeting of the semester, the UA took up its first new item of business: the NSO Fraternity Safety Proposal, authored by IFC president and College senior David Ashkenazi and UA member and College sophomore Alec Webley.

The most tumultuous year in the financial markets in recent memory led Penn's endowment to shrink by 3.9 percent over the past year. As of June 30, the close of the fiscal year, the endowment was valued at $6.3 billion. And while the decline poses a setback to the University's endowment, officials are not terribly worried about the longterm prospects of financial growth.

Come fall 2009, University City will likely see a more aesthetically pleasing, pedestrian-accessible Market Street. Several organizations in the area, including the PennPraxis-affiliated Friends of 40th Street , have developed a plan to revitalize the Market Street corridor from 34th to 41st streets.

Mill Creek Farm is not much different from any other farm. Patches of okra, cherry tomatoes, eggplant and more than 50 other crops rotate with the season. The smell of basil permeates the air, chirping crickets are the closest thing to noise and the greenness of the crops can blind y

Republican presidential nominee John McCain used a rally in Media, Pa. yesterday to discuss the economy and introduce the region to his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. While McCain has made several campaign appearances in the Philadelphia area, the rally, held on the steps of the Delaware County Courthouse, was Palin's first stop in the area since being tapped as McCain's vice-presidential pick in late August.