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April 6, 2000 NEWS BRIEFS More apps Again, applications to Penn are at an all-time high, with a record 18,803 students requesting admission to the Class of 2004. Applications from minorities overall and from specific minority groups also broke last year’s records. All four undergraduate schools reported increased applications, ranging from a 1.8 percent increase for Wharton to 7.7 percent for the College. As a result, the Undergraduate Admissions Office projects that only 23 percent of all applicants will be admitted to Penn. More bucks Penn’s tuition and fees for the 2000-2001 academic year have been set at $25,170, reflecting the smallest tuition hike in more than 30 years. The 3.9 percent increase from last year’s figure was announced on March 23. In addition, average room and board charges will rise 2 percent, to $7,826, bringing total student charges to $32,996, 3.4 percent over last year’s figure — also the smallest percentage increase in at least 30 years. Less crime Contrary to the impression left by this year’s Department of Education crime statistics report, crime in the Penn Police patrol area has dropped by one-third since 1996. Robberies and attempted robberies are down 64 percent, assaults 35 percent, burglaries 19 percent and thefts 31 percent. Vice President for Public Safety Thomas Seamon attributed the drop to “the increase in size and sophistication of the University Police, additional security officers on public patrol around the campus, the introduction of new security technology to campus buildings and the streets, and the efforts of the University and its neighbors to make University City a more attractive and livable neighborhood.” The higher DOE figures, which reflect new government requirements, compare apples to oranges by covering crimes in an area larger than the area covered in former years. The Penn Police statistics compare apples to apples.