Opinion

Editorial | A practical solution

Universities around the country have long struggled with how to best meet the needs of minority groups. Case in point: the controversy over single-sex exercise facilities. While some religious groups have requested such spaces, Harvard's policy of shutting off an entire gym for female-only exercise is both unnecessary and unreasonable.

David Kanter | Closing the door on political activism

For far too long college students have avoided the political process, neglecting their right to vote. This theme is old and tired, but true. In 2004, only a bit more than 40 percent of 18-to-24-year olds voted in the presidential election. Nevertheless, as statistics start to roll in from yesterday's primaries in Texas and Ohio, the national media will remind us once more this election season that young Americans are finally voting.

Mara Gordon | Power of rhetoric

Last week, I went to my commencement. Or at least I'm pretending I did. It was everything I wanted in a great graduation speech. A famous, influential speaker. Inspiring rhetoric. I left with a sense that no matter what I set my mind to, I would be able to change the world.

Stephen Krewson | An age of unreading?

Walking into the Penn Bookstore yesterday, I smiled to see the Campus Bestseller display. A prominent stripe of Stephen Colbert's I Am America (And So Can You!) ran across it, three books wide and ten books in length. Below them, I spotted several copies of Susan Jacoby's just-released The Age of American Unreason.

Your Voice | Letters

Penn isn't biased To the Editor: I must admit that I don't fully understand David Back's comment on free speech. If his concern is that Penn is politically biased in its choice of high-profile speakers, I would remind him that Karl Rove, Bill Clinton and Senator John McCain have all spoken this academic year.

Class Board | Style or substance

'It Rhymes with Pumpkin!" "Getting down to business!" "The Asian Sensation!" With Student Government elections coming up, you are about to be bombarded with candidates' slogans. Chalked on the walk, hanging from trees, written on your friend's T-shirt, these catchy adages certainly vie for your eyes but also make it difficult to distinguish style from substance.

Opinion Art | Amira Fawcett

Amira Fawcett is an Engineering junior from Houston, TX. Her e-mail address is fawcett@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Editorial | Responsible development

It's time for Campus Inn to check in to its new home at 40th and Pine streets. Plans by developers to build an 11-story hotel at the corner of the two streets - on land leased to them by the University - have faced strong opposition from some community members.

Caroline Gammill | Transforming New Orleans

When Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, causing the failure of New Orleans' levees, I had no appreciation for the severity of the crisis. What do terms like mandatory evacuation, flood zone, storm surge and levee breach mean? What would they look like in your hometown? Coming from a place where streets are blanketed in snow instead of flooded with water, I couldn't picture any of these things.

Zachary Noyce | To text or not to text

Penn's Police can now send you text messages. On Friday, The Division of Public Safety conducted a comprehensive test of its new emergency alert system. Taking a page from PhillyCarShare's ComprehensiveFieldGuideAboutHowToNameThings, UPennAlert decided in its message that putting spaces between words just takes too long.

Opinion Art | Daniel Schwartz

Daniel Schwartz is a College sophomore from Decatur, Ga. His e-mail address is schwartz@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Your Voice | Letters

Unpaid internships can have benefits To the Editor: In response to recent columns on unpaid internships (most recently "Pay Me Please" by Zachary Noyce), let me make two points. First, while you will undoubtedly contribute to the work of your internship sponsor, recognize that they are investing considerable time and resources in you.

Kevin Kimura | Punch Bowl hullabaloo is misdirected

In the past few weeks, I have had the pleasure of hearing a wide array of feedback relating to the most recent issue of the Pennsylvania Punch Bowl Humor Magazine. As a member of Penn's large and diverse Asian American community and as an editor of Punch Bowl, however, I was concerned to hear that some people found the issue racist.

Christina Domenico | No special treatment

'Give credit where credit is due," the saying goes. We hear it in a number of arenas but for college students, it usually comes to mind when working on a paper. A dishonest education system benefits no one. We place mutual trust in each other not to copy, cheat or lie.

Opinion Art | Avery Lawrence

Avery Lawrence is a College senior from Charlottesville, Va. His e-mail address is lawrence@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Simeon McMillan | A fictional shortage

Last week, while you were indulging yourself for hours on JuicyCampus.com, the School of Engineering and Applied Science was wrapping up E-Week, its annual salute to problem sets, merciless grading curves and masochism in its purest form. Around the country, some used the week as an opportunity to draw attention to a familiar question - does the U.

Adam Goodman | Four more years for Gutmann?

For all of the uncertainty surrounding the presidential race this year, one thing's for sure: For better or for worse, George W. Bush will not be president come Jan. 20, 2009. In America (thank God), we have these pesky little things called "elections" and "term limits.

Opinion Art | Jennifer Lesser

Jennifer Lesser is a College sophomore from Minneapolis, MN. Her e-mail address is lesser@dailypennsylvanian.com.

David Lei | Getting it right

The writers and editors of The Daily Pennsylvanian must often strike a difficult balance between getting the scoop on a breaking news story and taking the time to get the facts right. On Tuesday, IvyGate, the "Ivy League blog," received a tip - seemingly sent from SPEC - claiming that Limp Bizkit was chosen to headline this year's Spring Fling Concert.

David Back | Free speech for some

Two weeks ago, Angela Davis gave the keynote address of PENN's Women's Week. I think that Angela Davis' career, including her invitation to this University, is a sign of something wrong on many American college campuses. I believe in freedom of speech. I believe that all people have the right to express their ideas, even if I find them offensive.