Campus & Community

When you’re shopping for gifts this holiday season, consider picking up something extra and donating it to the annual gift and toy drive, run by Penn Volunteers In Public Service (Penn VIPS). The drive runs from Dec.

Penn VIPS is sponsoring the “Adopt-a-Family” program, in which departments, offices, and centers around the University “adopt” a deserving family for the holidays. The program is usually done in lieu of departmental gift exchanges. The department treats the assigned family to presents, and sometimes a holiday dinner.

This month, the Penn Libraries are running Food for Fines, an annual food drive and fine amnesty program that is now in its fourth year. Patrons can donate non-perishable goods and help knock some money off of any overdue book fines. For each food item donated, $1 will be credited toward a patron’s account, up to a maximum of $20.

In the history of Penn, Alice Emerson is the only person to hold the title of Dean of Students. Emerson came to Penn in 1966 as the Acting Dean of Women, and two months later, she was named Dean of Women. Emerson was also an assistant professor of political science.

Dear Benny,While walking down Walnut Street, I’ve often noticed the ice rink situated on the southern side near 32nd Street. I was wondering—is the rink available for public use? With the holidays nearing, I’m getting in the mood to bundle up and skate a few laps.—An Aspiring Michelle Kwan

Students, particularly grade schoolchildren, are absolutely overjoyed with snow days and the “staycation” they bring from classwork, pop quizzes, and homework. Adults may not share the same sense of glee, as they know that, snow or no snow, office work must still be completed. 

In some of Penn’s dining halls, the food is all-you-can-eat. It’s almost too easy for diners to have eyes bigger than their stomachs, piling on any dish that looks appealing, then tossing the leftovers away at the end of their meal.

At Penn, crossing disciplines is a celebrated endeavor. Indeed, President Amy Gutmann’s Penn Compact 2020 underscores the importance of integrating knowledge as a means toward achieving innovation and discovery.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) receives around 50,000 grant applications each year, disbursing more than $7 billion in research funds. Only one in five projects receive awards, but the winners are not judged solely on the scientific merits of their proposed research. Applicants must also show how their work will improve society.

Five years on the heels of the University’s wildly successful Climate Action Plan, Penn recently announced its intention to embark on an even more ambitious venture: Climate Ac