April 3, 2003

• Let's admit it
  ...we are all a bit mystified by the college admissions process. Dean of Admissions Lee Stetson took time out from delivering the news to the Class of 2007 to explain how his staff "sculpts" an incoming class.

• A look at bias against caring
• Americans filled with spirit, survey finds
• $10m gift to turn research into drugs

• Research: A cosmic Krispy Kreme? Good question
• Student Spotlight: SEAL dives into new career in business
• Staff Q&A: Anita Mastroieni's pet works like a dog to comfort graduate students and hospital patients

• Ask Benny: A tiny little tax returns from hiatus
• HR classes add polish to your professional and home life
• Kill a watt, save a buck
• We have questions, you have answers—and could win a prize
• A guide to changes for Open Enrollment
• Out and About: Our spin on the Web
  

• Event Listings
• Editor's Pick: A moviegoer's feast
• Conference Call
• People's Choice: Dear graduates...

• News Briefs
• Bookquick from the University Press
• Quoted recently
• At Work with...Ray Bonikowski
• Campus Buzz

Office of University Communications home page

A top performer

Contrary to the national trend of declining charitable gifts to colleges and universities, Penn experienced significant growth in charitable donations, from $286 million in 2001 to $320 million in 2002. This breaks the previous record of $288 million in 2000, according to Development and Alumni Relations. Penn ranks among the top five universities in the nation in annual fundraising. Other universities have not been so fortunate. In a report issued by USA Today, for the first time in 15 years, giving has dropped across the nation by 1.2 percent, or about $30 billion. The greatest drop in donations comes from alumni giving, which was surpassed by foundation support for the first time in 25 years.

No snooze, you lose

Sleeping less than six hours every night may result in a “sleep debt” that could have significant, adverse effects on cognitive abilities, according to research conducted at the School of Medicine. Hans P.A. Van Dongen and David F. Dinges served as principal investigators for the study, which monitored the effects of sleep deprivation on a group of subjects over a two-week period. The set of subjects that slept only four hours a night suffered lapses in their ability to react, resulting in performance that matched subjects who were sleepless for 88 hours.

It’s now Ryan VHUP

The University Trustees have approved the renaming of the Veterinary Hospital to the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. The renaming honors the late Matthew J. Ryan, speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, for his 40 years of service in the House. Ryan has been a strong advocate for the school, securing funding and recognizing its role in benefiting Pennsylvania agriculture, the state’s largest industry. The Veterinary School, the only one in the state, is one of the nation’s largest and most advanced. Ryan VHUP treats more than 27,000 patients yearly, including 11,000 through emergency services.