Penn in the News

For months, University of California President Janet Napolitano had been hearing about problems with two of her chancellors, at UC Berkeley and UC Davis. What would Napolitano do? Rumors raged, but few expected she would support two resignations in quick succession — and leave the campuses without permanent leaders just days before the new school year starts. Then UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi stepped down last week, UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Napolitano called the sudden vacancies an opportunity for a new start.

Marybeth Gasman of the Graduate School of Education comments on the impact that the sitcom “A Different World” had on students applying to historically black colleges and universities.

At some halls of the University of Mississippi, there is a tradition of making dormitory rooms worthy of interior design magazines. That tradition went public Wednesday when photos of one room went viral -- and quite a debate followed. The room in question was of two new students at the university: Abby Bozeman and Lindy Goodson. They posted a photo of their new home on campus on Twitter, the photo spread there (with many admiring it, and others suggesting it was a bit too much).

Last week, a player for the University of Florida’s football team was cleared of responsibility for an alleged sexual assault against a female student. The woman he was accused of assaulting was not present; she boycotted the proceedings to protest the person the university chose to decide the case. The university appointed Jake Schickel, a former assistant state attorney, to decide whether the leading wide receiver should be punished for sexual misconduct.

The Scheie Eye Institute and Jean Bennett of the Perelman School of Medicine are mentioned for medical advances and treatment to end types of blindness.

Nader Engheta of the School of Engineering and Applied Science is interviewed about his field of research.

The University of Kentucky has sued its independent student newspaper, The Kentucky Kernel, in an attempt to shield information about the university’s investigation of a professor accused of sexual assault and harassment. The professor resigned without a hearing or finding of misconduct, raising questions about the tension between a university’s obligations to protect privacy and the need for public disclosure.

Emily Rubin of the Perelman School of Medicine blogs about studying what constitutes good treatment for critically ill hospital patients and what they fear.

Chris Mustazza of the School of Arts & Sciences talks about PennSound, an online audio archive project.

During the last academic year, dozens of college presidents faced a similar dilemma. Minority students were occupying administrative offices, marching across campuses, and demanding immediate action to combat what they saw as racial injustices. The atmosphere was tense, and campus leaders had little time to decide how to react. At least four of them — including two top administrators at the University of Missouri — eventually resigned. Some pledged to address activists’ demands, while a handful refused to respond directly.