Penn in the News

Academic work is often solitary, but succeeding in the professoriate arguably requires social acumen. So is that why gay men and women are disproportionately represented among academics? A new study investigating the phenomenon of “occupational segregation” argues that certain jobs -- including that of professor -- are particularly appealing to gay men and lesbians for these reasons.

The Citadel has dismissed a cadet for one academic year and suspended two others for a semester for their role in an incident in which several cadets at the South Carolina school donned white pillowcases for a costumed event that many saw as evocative of the Ku Klux Klan. The punishment, reported Monday by the Post and Courier, concluded an investigation that began after the Dec. 9 incident was reported to the administration of the public military college. Images of white-hooded cadets circulated at the time on social media.

Peter Fader of the Wharton School talks about his research on customer centricity.

Joan Goodman of the Graduate School of Education defines “no excuses” charter schools.

Temple University's hotly anticipated new library is still two years away from completion, but renderings released Tuesday from the architecture firm leading the project are whetting appetites among many alumni and students. Snøhetta, the architecture firm building the library at 13th Street and Pollet Walk, called the design a "vibrant center for both students and the surrounding community. "The Temple University library will provide a new social and academic heart for the campus of 37,800 students," according to a statement on the firm's website.

Randall Bergen, an assistant to the president of Bethel University in Minnesota, was initially excited by the hype and promise of flipped classrooms, MOOCs, and hybrid courses. He hoped the innovations could reduce costs. But in reality, more technology has meant more spending for his university. And like many officials, that left him discouraged as the hype has worn off. One question in particular has stuck in his head: Do any tech innovations actually lower the cost of delivery in higher education?

Baylor University has had its fair share of administrative turnover in recent memory: two of its last three presidents were forced out after clashing with the faculty and the Board of Trustees over such issues as how to advance its strong academic reputation while remaining true to its Baptist roots. But the campus has been relatively united under President Kenneth Starr since he took over in 2010. That’s despite some initial misgivings among faculty members. Now the campus is again experiencing tumult.

Lord Jeffery Amherst, the colonial-era military commander who gave this town its name, will no longer represent the prestigious liberal arts college here. The trustees at Amherst College said on Tuesday that the institution would not use any references to Lord Jeffery, its unofficial mascot, in official communications or symbolism, and that it would find a new name for the Lord Jeffery Inn, a campus hotel owned by the college.

Florida State University agreed on Monday to pay $950,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a former student who accused the former Seminoles football star Jameis Winston of raping her in 2012. The settlement also commits Florida State to five years of sexual assault awareness programs and to the publishing of annual reports on those programs, although the university did not admit liability.

Olivia Mitchell of the Wharton School contributes her opinion on the most retirement-friendly places to live.