Finally, Penn provided answers to the question that has plagued campus this semester. Who is that kid, and why is his picture hanging above Fisher-Bennett?

According to today’s DP article, conceptual artist Braco Dimitrijevic’s “Casual Passer-By” Series attempts to exploit the “fickleness of celebrity” and pose questions about today’s society. Subject and College Sophomore Michael Howard apparently gets questions all the time about why his picture resides in such a prominent spot.

But Maureen Rush and her friends at DPS should probably take a cue from Dimitrijevic.

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Penn students’ parents have varying levels of involvement in the college application process. Some make a long list and drag their offspring to each school; some, like mine, glance over a list of the student’s making, nod, and remark upon a few choices. My parents looked at the schools I was considering and immediately approved of most, but hesitated over Penn and Columbia.

“Philadelphia and New York are big cities — are you sure you’d feel comfortable and safe there?” they asked.

“Of course,” I answered. “I know I’m used to Oklahoma City’s general friendliness and safety, but no one would go to those schools if they were that dangerous, right?”

Apparently, I was covering my ears and humming to not hear what I knew — the crime rate in big cities is high, and the sexual assault rate in American colleges is a statistic often cited but seldom really contemplated.

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