Calum Davey
Recent articles
Penn Dems bring civics to local students
Members of the Penn Democrats are looking west of campus to encourage civic engagement in high-school students. The group is two weeks into a pilot program that delivers interactive civics workshops in an after-school program at West Philadelphia's Sayre High School.
GSE student will join Dept. of Education
Glenn Cummings, a student in Penn Graduate School of Education, has been selected as deputy assistant secretary of education in the Obama administration. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan offered Cummings the assignment in the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, which will start on May 4.
College Republicans elects Peter Devine as chairman | Audio
Recently-elected Penn College Republicans chairman, Wharton junior Peter Devine, spoke to the Daily Pennsylvanian about his plans for the future of the minority political group on campus. Daily Pennsylvanian: How is the hand-over going? PD: I've been passed the baton pretty quickly - I took over on day one.
Psychiatry prof McLellan, Kalpen Modi selected to join Obama administration
Penn professors' involvement in the Obama administration didn't stop at the transition team, as evidenced by the announcement of several new appointments last week. Psychiatry professor Thomas McLellan will become the deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, according to a press release from the White House.
Reporter's Notebook | When City Council is in session
When Council chairwoman Anna Verna brings down her gavel, the Philadelphia City Council hearing is in session. Council hearings allow members to ask questions of the mayoral departments regarding the budget on which they will ultimately have the final vote.
Tweeting about politics
Tweet! - your U.S. Senator has a message. Students are following their favorite politicians' real-time thoughts on the social-networking site Twitter. Arizona Sen. John McCain, who admitted last year during the campaign to having never sent or received an e-mail, is now tweeting many times a day to his 341,720 followers.
College senior will work under Hillary Clinton in State Dept. next year
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton doesn't spend all her time chatting with interns - but College senior Rafaela Zuidema will still have a good chance of seeing her around the office this summer. Zuidema will start work in the State Department just one week after graduating, providing day-to-day support to Clinton in the Office of the Secretariat.
Nutter's budget proposal criticized
Mayor Michael Nutter's budget proposal - which faces criticism from the City's unions - will be scrutinized in City Council public hearings until mid-May. Proposed last week, the budget contains a "number of difficult choices," said Luke Butler, deputy press secretary to the Mayor, but the level of public engagement demonstrated that citizens will support the decisions.
Fels lecturer will manage stimulus funds
G. Edward DeSeve, senior lecturer at Penn's Fels School of Government, will manage the distribution of the $787 billion in federal stimulus funds in a new high-level advisory role. The White House announced his appointment yesterday as senior advisor to the Office of Management and Budget for Recovery Act Implementation, special advisor to President Barack Obama and assistant to Vice President Joe Biden.
Mayor Nutter unveils five-year budget plan | Interactive graphic
The city's vital services will remain intact but not without tough cuts and revenue increases, Mayor Michael Nutter announced yesterday when he presented his five-year budget plan to the City Council. The city faces a $1.4-billion budget deficit owing largely to the global economic crisis manifested in falling business and real-estate tax revenues and losses in the city's pension fund.
The 44th President | New office focuses on city issues
In the past, local politicians have tackled Philadelphia's problems - but President Barack Obama's newly created Office of Urban Affairs will take City issues to the federal level. The Office of Urban Affairs will bring "long-overdue attention to the urban areas where 80 percent of the American people live," said Obama on Feb.
Biden hosts first Middle Class Task force at Penn
Green is the new blue on Capitol Hill. On Friday afternoon, Vice President Joe Biden, six members of President Barack Obama's cabinet, Pennsylvania Sens. Arlen Specter and Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter were just some of the political figures gathered in Irvine Auditorium for the first meeting of the Middle Class Task Force.
Stimulus will not directly aid Philadelphia
The global economic crisis has left Philadelphia's City budget with a $1 billion deficit and President Barack Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will not step in to help. The stimulus plan will affect Philadelphia by cutting taxes, creating jobs and improving infrastructure, but according to city officials, direct fiscal assistance is not in the package.
Penn Project for Civic Engagement hosts last city budget workshop
With a billion-dollar budget gap to fill, city officials are asking West Philadelphian residents for help. Last night, The Penn Project for Civic Engagement hosted the fourth and final city-budget consultation forum in West Philadelphia. In line with the past meetings, more than 500 local residents attended to contribute to the budget decision-making that will soon start at City Hall.
Penn Dems endorse Williams for DA
Last night, the Penn Democrats endorsed Seth Williams for the Democratic nomination in the upcoming Philadelphia District Attorney election. The endorsement followed speeches by representatives of four of the five candidates and a short discussion among Penn Dems members.
Specter will discuss Obama administration, stimulus
U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) has had a busy couple of weeks in Washington and is making a stop at Penn to talk about it. Specter - who is one of the most senior members of the Senate, having served five consecutive terms since his election in 1980 - will address students and faculty at 3:30 p.
Prof reflects on Obama transition team position
Legal Studies and Business Ethics professor Kevin Werbach has recently returned from his position as the co-leader of the Federal Communications Commission review in President Barack Obama's transition team. He sat down with The Daily Pennsylvanian to discuss his role on the transition team.
News Brief | Philadelphia budget workshops to begin today | Interactive map
Tonight is the first of Mayor Michael Nutter's budget workshops, run in collaboration with Penn Project for Civic Engagement to help get public input on budget decisions. All Philadelphia residents are invited to attend. Nutter announced the Workshops Jan.
Cato Institute uses college newspapers to oppose stimulus package
When telling the President wasn't enough, the sponsors of a petition on the economy sent a message to the future leaders of the country instead. Yesterday, The Cato Institute, a Washington-based think tank, placed ads in 15 student newspapers across the United States, including The Daily Pennsylvanian.
News Brief | Philadelphia budget workshops to begin today
Tonight is the first of Mayor Michael Nutter's budget workshops, run in collaboration with Penn Project for Civic Engagement to help get public input on budget decisions. All Philadelphia residents are invited to attend. Nutter announced the Workshops Jan.
