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December 2, 1999 NEWS BRIEFS Smoke signals Most lectures are given without a peep from the audience. David Kessler, dean of the Yale School of Medicine and former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, who ought to be a character in the film “The Insider,” didn’t want it that way. Instead of delivering a speech on “The Tobacco Wars” in College Hall Nov. 11, Kessler assigned roles to audience members, who gave an impromptu re-enactment of the FDA’s attempt to regulate the tobacco industry. Kessler, who contends “no other public health issue is more important,” said the regulation problems lie in the classification of nicotine as a drug, a point the Supreme Court will rule on next June. A better idea Ford Motor Company had a better idea of what to do with $2 million — donate it to the University. Part of the money — $1.5 million — represents one of the largest single grants to the Wharton School from a publicly traded company. The remaining $500,000 will go to the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Both schools will use a portion of the money for minority fellowships. The first installment of the contribution, which was received last month, continues a 40-year relationship between Ford and the University. TA prizes There is a new incentive for teaching assistants to devote time and effort to their students — money. The University recently announced that $500 scholarships will be awarded annually to 10 outstanding TAs. This prize differs from most other TA prizes in that it will be awarded on the basis of undergraduate ratings, instead of relying on professor recommendations. TAs in all Penn schools and courses are eligible for the prize. This year’s awards will be personally funded by President Rodin; in the future the Graduate Student Activities Council will look for alternative sources of funding.