Despite recent discussion nationwide about allowing licensed students to carry concealed weapons on campus, Penn does not plan on changing its existing policy. The University is "absolutely not" looking into revisiting its policy, which prohibits faculty, staff and students from carrying weapons or firearms on campus or in any Penn building, said Vice President of Public Safety Maureen Rush.

Crime rates for February saw a 26-percent increase from this month last year with year-to-date total crime up 12 percent from 2007. The main cause is an increase in general theft, which rose from 35 incidents in February 2007 to 55 in 2008, despite the Division of Public Safety's ongoing theft-awareness campaign.

Penn Electrical and Systems Engineering professor Nader Engheta received one of Penn Engineering's top honors on Wednesday. Engheta, who has been named one of the 50 most important leaders in science and technology in America by Scientific American magazine, was presented with the Heilmeier Faculty Award for Excellence in Research.

A Dental student was held captive in his apartment by armed robbers for about 12 hours earlier this week. One man, Justin Sheppard, 25, of Havertown, has been arrested in connection with the incident.

International students coming to the U.S. not only have to adjust to a new cultural, social and educational environment, but also to a more Americanized writing style. In an attempt to ease this transition, the Center for Programs in Contemporary Writing started the Global English course last semester.

An unknown driver assaulted a Penn Police officer with his vehicle Wednesday afternoon, Division of Public Safety officials said. While directing traffic on the 3100 block of South Street, the Penn Police officer observed a vehicle accelerating around the corner at a high rate of speed.

One of Penn's most popular student organizations may be in jeopardy following the School District of Philadelphia's proposed implementation of stricter volunteer policies. The West Philadelphia Tutoring Project partners with local schools to provide one-on-one tutoring and mentoring opportunities with over 300 Penn students.

Philadelphia natives today have experienced their fair share of pride and pain - with regard to their city and their baseball team. Yesterday, author Mitchell Nathanson shared his ideas about the baseball team in front of a small crowd at the Penn Bookstore.

2:00pm - March 12th, 2008 Hillary Clinton kicked off six weeks of political attention for Philadelphia with a rally yesterday evening at Temple University. Before a cheering crowd of 3,000 to 4,000 supporters Hillary delivered a campaign speech that was decidedly short on mentions of her chief rival, Barack Obama, but big on populist promises to help the working class.

The Penn Environmental Group had extra special plans for the last night before spring break. Environmental activists Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger presented a lecture on new ways of approaching the issue of global warming last night in Huntsman Hall.

Former Wharton professor Scott Ward, currently serving a federal prison sentence for child pornography, is facing new charges for allegedly transporting and shipping child pornography and lying to authorities. Ward, 56, allegedly shipped images of himself engaged in sexual activity with a 16-year-old boy, according to an indictment filed today by U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan.

For years, scientists have been devising ways to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy - the most common and serious form of the disease - without actually replacing the mutated gene that causes it. That approach may soon pay off, as researchers start testing the most promising of such techniques.

It's the biggest concert of the biggest party of the year at Penn - and Ludacris and Gym Class Heroes will headline it. The Social Planning and Events Committee announced Monday that the rapper and indie hip-hop band will take the stage at this year's Spring Fling concert at 8 p.m.

While some students complain that the administration may be hard to reach, on Friday afternoon Penn officials did all they could to get in touch with every individual on campus. The Division of Public Safety conducted its first University-wide test of the UPennAlert emergency-notification system, which is meant to reach students, faculty and staff through text messages, e-mails and cell-phone calls in the case of emergency situations.

The Faculty Senate Executive Committee decided yesterday not to recommend a policy requiring prospective faculty members to disclose previous criminal convictions. The committee also said it does not support a self-disclosure policy elsewhere in the University, according to a statement.

College sophomore Lisa Schlesinger sat down in Houston Hall yesterday to an unusual occurrence. Rather than studying or eating lunch, Schlesinger was pampered with a fresh coat of light-pink nail polish. Get a manicure and support the fight against breast cancer - that was the message behind yesterday's "Manicure for the Cure" event, held on the first floor of Houston Hall.

Yesterday's preliminary hearing scheduled for Joseph Cho, the former Penn Law student facing charges of attempted murder, has been postponed until April 2. Judge Frank Bailey issued another continuance yesterday, as Cho's attorney Peter Bowers was unable to attend the hearing for the second time.