Into the heart of darkness Nursing Professor Ann Burgess, whose research has probed the darkest recesses of crime, has recently won an international honor and the nod to help create a national resource center for rape victims. From Walnut Street to Wall Street Student spotlight: Undergrad digs dinosaur bones Staff Q&A:Yoga instructor Joan White serves as an inspiration for scores of West Philly residents Research: Plants to eat toxic waste Bigwig writers to share life and work Human testing review committee formed Internet access to change Snapshots: The survivors come out to study Santa's helpers Students hear tales of e-venture For What It's Worth: Street's legacy depends on bold moves Y2ZZZZZ: The Bug is a no-show Event Listings A King-size commemoration Editor's Pick What's on WXPN Readers' Best News Briefs Bookquick Quoted Recently Awards & Honors Appointments Campus Buzz

January 20, 2000 NEWS BRIEFS Shalala speaks Despite the lofty health care plans recently proposed by Democratic presidential candidates Al Gore and Bill Bradley, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala said, “We don’t have the politics for universal health care insurance.” She spoke in a health economics forum at Dunlop Auditorium Nov. 23. Shalala also addressed the Penn Health System’s financial troubles. While refusing to blame the government for the Health System’s deficit, she said that Washington must help maintain and finance academic health and research centers. Penn power Two Penn professors will be taking their academic expertise to the world of public policy. Wharton Professor of Real Estate and Finance Susan M. Wachter, Ph.D., was sworn in Dec. 2 as assistant secretary for policy development and research at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She will advise HUD on overall policy, research and regulation of housing financial institutions, as well as coordinating housing policy development and research . And the Federal Communications Commission has named David Farber, the Alfred Fitler Moore Professor of Telecommunications Systems, as its chief technologist, advising FCC policymakers on how best to handle new communications technologies. Applications soar The University received an all-time record 2,572 early-decision applications for the Class of 2004, an 18.8 percent increase over last year’s figure. Minority early-decision applications also reached an all-time high, rising 13 percent overall. Even the quality of applicants rose, with the average SAT score up seven points to 1356. The increases suggest many high school seniors are making Penn their first choice.