Matt Burnard

Violent crime has dropped significantly since Drexel University unveiled its new police department, according to Drexel's Senior Associate Vice President for Public Safety Domenic Ceccanecchio. New manpower and state-of-the-art technology means Drexel now has a public safety program comprable to that of Penn and Temple University, and University safety officials say the developments are positive for the area.

The candle light, the raven perched on a shoulder and the rickety wooden furniture were reminiscent of a genuine speakeasy. But despite the shady atmosphere and colorful characters, the scene was not set in prohibition-era America, but rather a "spookeasy," a Halloween-themed event hosted by Kelly Writers House.

"Yes, al Qaeda is an Islamic organization," affirmed Imam Zaid Shakir to a group in Logan Hall on Tuesday night, "in the sense that it is an organization associated with Muslims." But Shakir was anxious to divert the audience's attention to "the very real question of whether such an organization actually exists, or whether the U.