PITTSBURGH — Officials at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh are upset the school is mentioned in connection with a fictional gang rape by fraternity brothers in John Grisham's latest novel.

Grisham's "The Associate" deals with a character who attended the private Catholic college and was involved in a drunken group sex event in an off-campus apartment in 2003.

Duquesne University spokeswoman Rose Ravasio said it's unfortunate Grisham "chose to use our name and associate it with a fictional incident of this nature."

Grisham said he chose the school because he saw it once and has been to Pittsburgh for Steelers and Pirates games. The novel contains several other references to Pittsburgh.

STATE COLLEGE — The head of Penn State University has prepared faculty members for more bad budget news, raising the possibility of layoffs and saying vacant staff positions likely will remain unfilled.Addressing a Faculty Senate meeting, President Graham Spanier stressed spending cuts — not layoffs — were the preferred means of tightening purse-strings.The remarks came as Spanier prepared for Gov. Ed Rendell's 2009-10 budget proposal next week.The state has already cut Penn State's appropriation by 6 percent, or $21 million, this fiscal year, and the university expects that cut will become permanent in the next proposal.About 9 percent of Penn State's $4 billion budget comes from state funding.