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(04/01/01 12:00am)
While the drug Mifeprex (also known as RU-486) won its first battle in September when it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a new stream of controversy has sprung up over its use at universities. Many college health service centers, including Tufts', do not have the full-range facilities mandated by the FDA for distribution of the drug, and have opted to direct students seeking to terminate a pregnancy to outside sources. The FDA's restrictions on the drug's distribution reflect the health complications that sometimes accompany medically induced abortions. The pill is not available through a regular prescription, and its usage requires up to three doctor visits _ two for distribution and one follow-up. The procedure has two phases: The first step lowers the patient's progesterone levels to stop embryonic growth. Next, the uterus contracts, essentially forcing a miscarriage. RU-486 can only be administered in the first five weeks following a woman's last menstrual period, and most campus health providers say they lack the costly ultrasound equipment that is necessary to determine an exact date of conception. "I think it was pretty tough getting it past the FDA," Tufts Health Services Medical Director Margaret Higham said. Tufts will offer the drug on campus because the Health Services facility does not meet even the most minimal of the FDA's requirements. "We don't have ultrasound or gynecology," Higham said. "We will refer students to outside sources for surgical or medical termination." Instead, Health Services will refer students to the Planned Parenthood Clinic in Boston for medically induced abortions in the same way that it currently refers students seeking surgical abortions. Tufts will continue to provide counseling to pregnant students. "Our responsibility is to help them understand their choices, and to work with them as they evaluate their choice within the parameters of their own belief system," Higham said. "We then direct our patients to the best source of care to carry out the treatments they choose." Members of the Tufts community who frequently advocate women's rights on campus say that Health Services made the right decision, given the resources it offers. Others aren't sure that Tufts should even consider distributing the drug, claiming it promotes unprotected sex. "While I support RU-486 100 percent, I am weary of its distribution in the college sense," Tufts Feminist Alliance co-chair Abby Moffat said. "If a college student were to get pregnant, the means by which she could receive a medical abortion are out there _ but to offer it so close to home could easily appear an encouragement for unsafe sex." Harvard University opted not to offer Mifeprex through its health services, though its facilities do meet some of the FDA's specifications. According to Harvard officials, there have been documented cases when the pill was ineffective, forcing practitioners to perform emergency surgical abortion procedures. The FDA does not require that surgeons be available where RU-486 is distributed, but employees at Harvard's health services said that the doctor who dispenses RU-486 should, if necessary, be the one to perform the surgical abortion. Professional abortion counselors say that political, rather than medical, reasons may be behind colleges' hesitancy toward distributing the drug. "There are a lot of politics around the drug being available," said Shateia Whitney, a counselor from Daybreak Pregnancy Resource Center. "[Offering it] forces a school or university to take a political stand, and maybe they're trying not to do that." Harvard's decision sparked disagreement among various segments of the university. An editorial last week in the Harvard Crimson, a student newspaper, argued against the school's judgement. "The benefits of RU-486 lie in its flexibility and privacy, but the restrictions on its distribution limit what the community can gain from the new drug," the paper wrote. "A reversal of Harvard's decision not to offer RU-486 in Holyoke Center would grant students additional privacy and one more avenue through which they can choose to have an abortion." Barrett said she understands why Harvard students are upset about the unavailability of the drug on campus, if in fact, the lack of surgical abortion services is the reason why the university is holding back. "I would be upset, too _ I see no reason not to offer it if they could. To make them go to outside clinics would be difficult." Yale University has long offered surgical abortions on campus, though it has never advertised the procedure. In the near future, Yale will begin dispensing RU-486 at its campus health center. But most college campuses will likely follow policies similar to those at Tufts and Harvard and refer students to local Planned Parenthood clinics. "I can see why a university wouldn't want to offer yet; they may just not feel comfortable," Whitney said. "It's wise for them to be cautious _ when they refer they're not taking full responsibility" for medical complications. Most campuses offer the "morning-after pill" as an emergency contraceptive, which Higham joked "should be over the counter." Whitney said she anticipates that more campuses will soon offer RU-486 through their health centers. "The drug is still very new, maybe they're saying 'no' for now, but they're also saying 'wait'." Though Tufts will not offer Mifeprex on campus, Higham said she is curious to observe its lasting effects. "It's a good alternative," she said. "I'm interested to see how it plays out medically."
(04/01/01 12:00am)
A year after the University implemented drastic changes to the alcohol policy, there is little evidence that it has had a significant impact on students' drinking habits. The number of students needing medical attention because of intoxication and the number disciplined for drinking violations have remained relatively stationary over the last year, although Tufts no longer fines students who require a TEMS visit. Tufts will review the policy again over the summer. The new alcohol policy has not affected student behavior because many at Tufts pay little attention to the disciplinary consequences of drinking, according to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman. "It's not clear to me that any change in policy has much influence on people's drinking patterns. I think it's a more peer attitude about drinking that changes, rather than policy," he said. One major change to the policy was the elimination of the $50 fine, which was thought to discourage students from calling Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS). But calls to the student paramedics have not risen this year. Armand Mickune-Santos, coordinator of the Alcohol and Drug Education Program, counsels those who have received TEMS assistance, and has also not seen an increase in clients. "For me, the work remains the same. I work with students who are required to meet with me as a result of being hospitalized for alcohol poisoning - those numbers have remained the same," he said. "I don't think the fine is useful, but I don't agree with the changes that they made. I do recognize the need to change the policy, but it's a stupid policy overall," one resident assistant said. "I don't really think [the policy] stops people from calling TEMS." A female sophomore, whose friends called TEMS for her one night, said she was never hospitalized and so didn't deserve disciplinary action. "It's really a pain in the ass. I've had to see the alcohol guy (Mickune-Santos), I've had to go see [Assistant Dean of Judicial Affairs] Veronica Carter, I'm on probation," she said. After her experience, the sophomore said she is less inclined to call TEMS for her friends. "People know the police are going to come with TEMS. Students should be able to call and not feel they're going to get punished," she said. "I'd be more hesitant to call." But Mickune-Santos has not heard any complaints during his counseling sessions. "Students that I work with aren't students who necessarily feel that the policy is a result of how they ended up in my office," he said. Representatives from TEMS defend their response procedure. "As students and as a student organization, we must all abide by the rules set forth by the administration," said Jessica Cintolo, executive director of TEMS. "TEMS has continued to deliver care to the Tufts Community in accordance with the high standards of our organization and the regulations of the state." The Dean of Students Office does not know if additional changes will be made to the policy after the summer review. "I'm certainly open. I think what we want is something people think is meaningful," Reitman said. "It has to be legal. There's not an option to do something that's not within the constraints of the law." The one place where the modified alcohol policy did have an effect was the Greek system, as those on disciplinary probation could not accept bids this year. "One difference pointed out to our office is that the [Greek] system designs eligibility on rush," Reitman said, so some pledges were excluded. Earlier this year, the Inter-Greek Council (IGC) decided to amend these rules to allow students on level one disciplinary probation to pledge, effective next year. But it will still prohibit pledging for those on academic probation. The alcohol policy, revised at the beginning of the fall semester by the Dean of Students Office, employs three levels of disciplinary probation instead of the previously imposed fines. The first offense results in level one disciplinary probation, a drug/alcohol consultation, and residence hall probation for one year. The second offense results in level two disciplinary probation for a year, another consultation, parental notification, and placement on deferred residential separation, meaning that any further residential life policy violation would result in the loss of campus housing. The third violation results in mandatory medical leave for one year. Carter deals with all disciplinary action involving illegal drinking.
(04/01/01 12:00am)
I don't think MTV will be filming its Spring Break special from Detroit any time soon. Far from the tropical destinations of many Jumbos, Motown seems like a strange place to choose to spend a week traditionally viewed as a mass exodus from the Northeast to sunnier locations. As a participant in LCS' Volunteer Vacations, I gave up my time on the beach for an entirely different experience. With a group of eleven amazing Tufts students, I volunteered with an organization called Save Our Sons and Daughters (SOSAD) for a week. SOSAD was founded by several parents in Detroit who lost their children to the gun violence that ravages this poverty-stricken city. These mothers and fathers have dedicated their lives to healing the wounds of the city that buries more than one hundred slain children a year and trying to prevent more heartbreaking losses. With SOSAD, we ventured into four Detroit-area schools armed with lessons about peace and conflict resolution. (As we crossed the border from Canada into Detroit, the customs officer recommended we bring pistols when we went to the schools. Talk about a friendly welcome.) For the twelve of us, "inner city schools" were something we had only seen on TV and in the movies - we really had no idea what to expect. The schools themselves varied in pedagogical theory and overall quality. But they had one thing in common: They were full of children who are trying to learn to read and write just like their suburban counterparts. "Inner city schools" has become such a political buzzword that an urban war zone full of thugs and drug dealers has become the mental picture for middle class America. But just like everywhere we went to school, art work adorns the hallways, recess is still everyone's favorite subject, and kids want to grow up to be athletes, actors, doctors, and astronauts. After a week in the schools, this Viewpoint could easily turn into a tirade about guns in this country. No right to bear arms should mean that seven-year-olds should go to sleep with a lullaby of gunshots outside their windows. I think no matter what side of the gun control debate you find yourself on, everyone can agree that guns and children don't mix. In the fourteen classes I spoke to, nearly every student, starting as young as first grade, agreed that they very easily could get a hold of a gun. Many knew where guns were located in their houses or where to get them elsewhere. Over 80 percent knew someone who had been shot and many had lost their brothers, sisters, parents, and cousins to senseless violence. Guns aren't the only problem in the area, either. The week we were there, the team from SOSAD was counseling three children who had watched their father slit their mother's throat. After hearing such traumatic stories, it is so easy to get frustrated and want to do nothing more than walk away. But through the course of the week there were so many moments that gave me hope. It was amazing what a difference a good teacher made in those classrooms. Where it was obvious that the teacher cared the students were attentive, engaged, and excited. One teacher at the most depressing school said that new teachers were informed of an unofficial school policy: "help the ones you can." It is horrifying to me that people are ready to deem a first grader a lost cause. Education is the only thing that is going to help break the endless cycle of poverty and violence. Somewhere along the way our generation lost the idea that teaching is the noblest profession. Between college loan debts and a driving force to make money as an investment banker or corporate lawyer, a paltry $30,000 making houses out of Popsicle sticks or teaching 5th graders the Gettysburg Address is not our definition of success. At some point we stopped measuring success by the impact you have on the world and started counting dollar bills instead. Studies have shown that our generation measures money as a symbol of success far more than any before us. And it is not our fault; we were raised in the eighties where we were taught overindulgence and the importance of the fast car and the big house. But it isn't too late to change all that. As we enter the work force in the next few years we can go in with a new attitude. Teach for America and other AmericaCorps programs give graduating students an opportunity to play a real role in improving the community before they move on to graduate school or "real world" jobs. We need to work to erase the stigma that there is something undesirable about being a teacher. Teaching a child to read is one of the greatest impacts one human being can have on the world. Somehow negotiating a merger seems frivolous in comparison. Unless bright motivated students like the ones Tufts produces every year take the charge to change things, kids like the ones I encountered in Detroit will be written off in a continuing circle of drugs, poverty, and violence. I know that the work I did in one week is simply not enough. These kids need positive reinforcement everyday, not only when a group of college students show up for a class period. We need to make these children aware of the opportunities available to them, not only the obstacles they will have to overcome. My spring break opened my eyes to a reality that I could only imagine before. I know it will affect the decisions I make about my future when I start my job hunt next year. And for those of you still currently unemployed with 50 days left until graduation -don't discount Popsicle stick houses. They are more satisfying than consulting any day.Erin Ross is a junior majoring in political science. She is a member of the Leonard Carmichael Society.
(04/01/01 12:00am)
Though The Wall Street Journal omitted Tufts from its list of "New Ivies," the University has received high marks in other magazines that rank American colleges and universities. <I>The Princeton Review recently released a revised version of its guide, The Best 331 Colleges, and Tufts received high rankings in an array of student life and academic categories. But The Wall St. Journal's March 30 edition featured an article called "The New Safeties," which excluded Tufts from a list of schools the Journal considers to be "New Ivies." The Journal article was meant to showcase "schools that were new to the level of national attention," according to its author, Elizabeth Bernstein. The institutions featured were those that used to be considered safety schools for Ivy-league hopefuls and are now increasingly difficult to get into. "In startling numbers, kids who only a few years ago had a fighting chance for the Ivies aren't even getting wait-listed at what used to be considered second-tier schools," reads the article. These second-tier schools, dubbed the "New Ivies" by the Journal, were Williams College, Pomona College, Duke University, Georgetown University, John Hopkins University, New York University, University of Notre Dame, Vassar College, Swarthmore College, and Northwestern. Tufts was excluded from the list of rising premier schools, although its acceptance rate last year was lower than seven of the ten schools listed. The reason Tufts was left out, Bernstein said, is that it has been in the national spotlight for quite some time and is not considered a "rising star" like the other schools. "What we really did was talk to dozens of guidance counselors, students, and parents, to find out what their opinions were," Bernstein said. Tufts "came up as having always been at that level." While The Wall Street Journal article failed to mention Tufts' prominence, The Princeton Review recently released a set of rankings that speaks highly of the University. The guide starts from the premise that all 331 schools listed are high-quality schools with quality educational programs. The Princeton Review then surveys thousands of college students, and, based on their feedback, compiles rankings in 64 categories ranging from which school has the best professors, and which the best parties. Tufts placed among the top 20 schools in the nation in nine categories, including number two in "things to do on campus," number three in the percentage of students who say their professors "bring material to life," number eight in "professors make themselves available," and number nine in general student happiness. The two negative aspects of life at Tufts were "town-gown relations are strained" and "little class/race interaction," in which Tufts ranked sixth and seventh, respectively. Academic-wise, Tufts scored an 89 out of 100. Mary Beth Kravets, president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and a guidance counselor at a suburban Chicago public high school, said that Tufts is viewed as a prestigious school by high school students across the country. Tufts "has a very good reputation and kids would love to go there, but they know they're competing for very few spots," she said. "Whether it's Cleveland, Chicago, or Madison, it doesn't matter. It's very hard for these students to compete for spots." Indeed, the Review rated Tufts "Mega Selective" and gave it a 96 out of 100 selectivity rating. Tufts acceptance rate dropped to 20 percent this year, continuing the trend of declining admission rates that has been evident across the country for the past few years. Faced with soaring numbers of college-bound high school students, many traditionally less-selective schools are raising their standards and accepting higher-caliber students, and traditionally selective schools are becoming ultra-selective. "There's a trickle-down effect," Kravets said. "What used to be safety now becomes harder to get into. Even with the state schools, they all increased their admissions criteria this year." Nevertheless, the NACAC warns parents and students not to put too much faith in "best of" lists and college rankings. These lists, the website reports, "are often the result of questionable research." The Tufts Admissions Office also cautions prospective students against relying solely on rankings to reveal the characteristics of a school. Dean of Admissions David Cuttino said he is concerned that surveys are often unable to accurately reflect the quality of an institution. The NACAC website argues that the lists are not always based on relevant indicators. One factor that can be skewed is reliance on the average class rank that schools are able to recruit. Colleges that draw from lesser-quality high schools will only accept the top-ranked students, while colleges that draw from competitive high schools will accept more students outside the top ten percent, making them appear to have a less-qualified student body. "There is a changing landscape of colleges out there. I think students havea good handle on it... but I don't think parents do. I think they look back to schools they would have like to have gone to," said Bernstein. "Our message is that there are a lot of good schools out there."
(04/01/01 12:00am)
The recent LGBT versus Anyone struggles have been depressing. It's as frustrating as hearing Jews saying there's not enough coverage about their religious/ethnic group being killed in the Holocaust. I know it's controversial to even be mentioning either, but let me explain my reaction. First, I will not deny that both gays and Jews have been oppressed for ages. Their struggle to be recognized as normal members of society is an extremely important fight. I will join the fight of any minority group to help it gain the representation it deserves. But when these groups become politically active on a scale where they begin to ostracize themselves by forcing the mentality of being the oppressed, it becomes sickening. Wasn't the fight in the first place about equality? Now these groups have "super-equal" status and separate themselves further from society. Supporters get scared away because suddenly it becomes a critical issue that "they don't know how it feels." Everyone is secretly making fun of this "super-equal" minority, while they can't say anything approaching criticism in public because of an overly politically correct society. And furthermore, they hurt other minorities who are looking for equality, partly because the status quo fears another "super-equal" group, and partly because the status quo is too busy apologizing to this new "superior" minority to be able to give other minorities the attention they deserve. And this mentality makes us all sick. I don't want friends or even myself to be tempted to make fun of the LGBT community and its struggles. But I'm fed up with the University and its double standard. How can the University say that painting the cannon during the day and chalking the pavement overnight are not equal forms of free speech? How can it apologize profusely to LGBT students for washing off their chalk "by accident," while calling the whitewashed cannon justice? I know that the University has rules against student expression that is negative and hurtful towards other students, but there is definitely a double standard. Unfortunately, there are many instances of chalked messages without taste or respect that never get any attention from the University deans or Facilities. For example, on National Coming-Out Day, there was a message in front of Bush Hall saying, "Lesbians Like Bush." And the campaign by the Tufts Poetry Society called "Giving Sex Back to the Community" was postered all around the library. And I'm not even going to go into the issue of censoring University-sponsored magazines such as The Primary Source or the Zamboni that have no respect for anyone and will intentionally insult a specific group or individual. So what am I getting at? What, exactly, is my problem, you may ask. I have two issues: First, freedom of speech being held at a double standard. Second, this LGBT issue has been blown out of proportion. I don't want to blame the LGBT community for fighting for equality and the opportunity to foster a sense of community for its members. And I certainly want to make it clear that I am not anti-gay. I love homosexuals, I love heterosexuals, I love bisexuals; they are all just ordinary people like myself, as far as I'm concerned. I also know that if I accuse the University or one of its deans of promoting a double standard, I will run into a bunch of legal bull about how it wasn't the University that erased the messages, but an independent person or group, etc. So, fine. Blame wasn't my original intent. I just feel that the argument between the LGBT community, the University, and everyone in between needed to be addressed by a student who doesn't want to get involved in the mess, but would like to comment that both groups are setting themselves up for ridicule. Tufts University seems like it's going through a sexuality/identity crisis and needs to set itself up for a visit at the Counseling Center. The LGBT community may be in need of an anger management class. And everyone, I feel, has the need for a little more love in their hearts. Marta Selinger is a freshman majoring in political science.
(09/01/00 12:00am)
The alcohol-induced death of University of Michigan sophomore Byong Soo Kim last week propelled the issue of college binge drinking into the national spotlight. The incident, like the tragic death of MIT student Scott Krueger in 1997, caused Tufts and other US universities to reconsider preventative measures on their own campuses to avoid a similar tragedy. Kim, an engineering student, died last Monday morning after spending the weekend in a coma. He celebrated his 21st birthday with 20 shots of scotch whiskey in ten minutes last Friday night, but passed out before he could take the ceremonial 21st. Friends called an ambulance after they discovered that Kim wasn't breathing, and he was revived and taken to the hospital with a blood alcohol level approaching .39 percent. In the wake of Kim's death, Tufts' Alcohol and Health Education Coordinator Armand Mickune-Santos said that the likelihood that an alcohol-related death could occur at Tufts is high. In the Krueger case, the close proximity of MIT and the $6 million settlement paid to his parents made Tufts administrators more conscious of liability issues. The heightened awareness is widely considered a primary cause for the diminution of Tufts' party scene. While Kim's death is not likely to have as significant of an effect, it still raises concerns. "If there's one thing that I hope they can take away from this is that it can happen to them, that they're not invincible. I believe that's how people get in trouble. They don't believe that they can be a statistic, that it can happen to them," Mickune-Santos said. According to Santos, about 60 Tufts students per year are taken to the hospital to be treated for binge drinking. About 17 percent of the phone calls that Tufts Emergency Medical Services receives are alcohol-related, said to Executive Director Brett Sylvia, and approximately half of those students are taken to the hospital. Both the University of Michigan and Tufts have alcohol education programs in place, but Santos said that students fail to consider the risk of their actions when deciding whether to drink. "I'd like to say that education and awareness will make a difference, but my guess is that those students who have died over the years have had education," he said. " I would think that everyone involved knows what happens to your body and your mind when you drink too much, yet people continue to die from drinking alcohol." Santos heads several programs to make students more aware of the dangers of drinking, such as discussions in residence halls and counseling and assessment services. He recently began a program to train students as peer educators to advise students on alcohol use, and the group of eight students is working to create a marketing campaign about social norms on campus. The administration also recently formed a social policy task force to discuss ways to provide students with additional social outlets. Ideas that have been raised thus far include increasing programming, extending the hours of campus venues such as Hotung Caf?© and Brown and Brew, and providing a shuttle bus from the Tufts campus to downtown Boston. "I do think that if we do better the programming that's going on on campus and also give people more access to the city, it would give them more stuff to do that they're allowed to do," said Tufts Community Union Senator Raji Iyer, who has been working with the administration on the issue of social policy. Santos said that despite education efforts, students continue to binge drink because they receive mixed messages about alcohol. "The philosophy is that you work really hard, you need to celebrate, so lots of people abuse alcohol in that way," he said. "I think as a result of the alcohol abuse, there certainly is all the other health issues we have on campus regarding sexual assault, violence, vandalism... the majority of those incidents are alcohol related," he said. Students say that while incidents such as Kim's death may cause administrators to worry, they do not feel vulnerable to the problems of drinking. "It's a small percentage of people that it happens to, and therefore I think it can't happen to me," said freshman Jonathan Parker. Freshman Julie Jackson said that it is difficult to resist drinking at parties when everyone else is drinking, and that students rarely consider the risks. "A lot of people think they're immune to it. For some people, [Kim's death] might open their eyes and they'll stop for a weekend, but people aren't going to stop drinking because of one incident," she said.
(09/01/00 12:00am)
This past summer, senior Samantha Minc provided on-site health care to inner-city Boston residents in need. Minc's experience, an internship through the Community Health program that awarded credit, is just one example of the many opportunities open to students. Minc's internship grew out of her interest in the medical profession. During the summer she worked with The Family Van, a traveling community clinic that was housed in a Winnebago. Minc's experience was extremely hands-on. As a licensed EMT in Massachusetts, she was able to interact immediately with the patients who visited the van. Each day at work, Minc visited two sites in Boston where she, along with the other Family Van workers, provided basic health services such as blood pressure screenings, and HIV and pregnancy testing and counseling. In addition, they offered a sympathetic ear to the patients. The Family Van also offered assistance in the form of emergency diapers and formula as part of a healthy babies program for low-income families. Minc liked her internship so much that she decided to continue volunteering with the Family Van throughout the school year. Her experience also confirmed her decision to go into the field of medicine. Soon after her arrival at Tufts, Minc found herself disenchanted with the idea of med school. After completing her internship, though, her opinion changed. "[Working with The Family Van] reconnected me with the reason why I wanted to go into medicine: to interact with and care for people," she said. Internships are not limited to the medical field, of course. Senior Charlie Needelman also has an internship that provides him with hands-on experience at Cisco's software division. As a computer science major, he puts his knowledge to practical use at the internship, where he mainly does programming. "In a lot of internships students get stuck doing legwork, but I was lucky with this one and got to do what I wanted to," Needelman said. He was also able to secure a job with the company when he graduates. This is one of the best benefits that internships can offer - getting your foot in the door can certainly ease the transition to the job market. Although some student interns inevitably end up making copies and answering phones all day, it is not a hard task to steer clear of these "grunt work" internships. Students can research potential internships through Career Services, where staff members can provide advice about interning opportunities. There is a extensive variety of resources are available at Career Services, most notably their career resource library which houses several internship bibles and lists internships throughout the country as well as overseas. The Career Services website - careers.tufts.edu - provides several links to Internet resources for internships, including the site interncenter.com. Andrea Casey, Assistant Director for Internships at Career Services, also suggests that students take advantage of the career advisory network, which allows students to network with Tufts alums. When searching for internships, students can take advantage of other sources besides Career Services. Many departments have resources available for students who wish to get an internship in their particular area. Departments often have contact with alumni as well, and this can help in the search. Students can also go out on their own in search of the perfect internship. Over the summer, sophomore Anna Sommer did independent research and checked Internet listings for internship opportunities. She was able to find an internship for the current semester at Environmental Futures, a consulting company that works with clients in the energy business, such as power companies and people who which to build power plants or build renewable technologies. Sommer must complete an internship to fulfill a requirement for her Environmental Studies major. For her internship, she does issue-specific research for the company on different environmental topics. She has found work to be a great learning environment. "It's definitely a worthwhile experience," Sommer said. "I've learned so much." Although Sommer receives Tufts credit for her internship, there are many non-credit internship possibilities as well. There is also an option to complete an internship for an academic transcript notation, but without credit. Internships supplement the educational experience by providing students with hands-on experience in a working environment and teaching them about their chosen field. They can even help students narrow down career choices. "Internships provide an opportunity to experience all sorts of different fields and industries," Casey said. She said that many students take on internships in different areas as a dry run, usually to see if a particular field is something they might want to continue in the future. Casey stressed that it's never too early to start looking for an internship. Some companies have deadlines for their positions, so students should research their options well beforehand. "I think it's best to start early so you're making the best choice for yourself and for the employer as well," Casey said.
(09/01/00 12:00am)
> In addition to tuition and housing, students are faced with numerous fines and fees throughout the year - either to access certain University services or as penalties for damages and misbehavior. Students have long complained about the financial burden caused by these fees, and the administration has responded by removing many of them this semester. However, numerous departments ranging from Residential Life to the Dean of Students Office continue to charge students anywhere from $100 to $400 each year for many services and infractions. One of the highest fees students pay every year goes to Health Services. The money, which was $464 this year, allows students an unlimited number of visits to Health Services or the Counseling Center each year, and to receive primary care, over-the-counter medicine, nutrition advising, counseling and gynecological care. The health services feel also pays for three visits to a psychiatrist, but students must pay for subsequent appointments as well as dermatologist and orthopedic visits and lab requirements. The health services fee has increased consistently at rate of 3.9 percent for the last few years, as has the overall University tuition. Director Michelle Bowdler explained that while not every student uses $464 worth of services each year, the charge is necessary because it provides the operating budget for the department. "Students receive more valuable treatment and attention from the fee," she said. It allows Health Services to streamline its processes and advance computer programming, which in turn improves the efficiency of the department. Besides the student activities fee, the Health Services fee is the only large fine that is imposed on all students. Several major fines were eliminated this semester, as most felt that they were unfair and a burden for financially-strapped students. Residential Life changed its policy of fining everyone with a key to the building for damage that occurred within it after students became angered over several incidents in Wren Hall last spring. Dorm residents were vocal about the unfairness of mass fines after they were fined after a pinball machine was destroyed and a fire extinguisher was misused. For the most part, students have been pleased with the abolition of group fines in residence halls. "The mass fining made a lot of people unhappy," Assistant Director for Staff and Judicial Programs Robert Clark said. Acting Director of Residential Life Lorraine Toppi said that the policy was revised so that "students' experience at Tufts could be more enjoyable." Under the new policy, no one is fined when a culprit for damages remains anonymous and students are rewarded for revealing information about the incident. The University, therefore, is left to cover the cost of such occurrences, which means that every student is paying for it through tuition. Another change occurred in the alcohol policy this semester, as the administration abolished the fine for violations and instead mandated that students be placed on probation. Previously, students were fined $50 for their first offense, and the fine increased with each additional infraction. Students have expressed widespread satisfaction with these changes. Senior Jackie Brot and her housemates were each charged with a $100 fine for a noise violation at an off-campus party last year. They had to meet with the Dean of Students to discuss the matter. "This party did not concern the University at all, and they shouldn't have gotten involved," she said. Brot and other students feel that the new policy is fairer, as the monetary fine was arbitrary and students were sometimes able to talk their way out of the punishment. Then there are some fines that students bring upon themselves and accept as part of collegiate life, such as those imposed by Dining Services and Tisch Library. The Library imposes a 25 cent fine a day for overdue books, and the money goes to the general Arts, Sciences, & Engineering operating budget. Dining Services often assesses a five-dollar fee to students who wish to gain entrance to the dining halls without their ID cards. However, that fee is subjective and the staff is advised to use their own judgement when applying it. This charge goes to the Senior Fund, which is a division of Financial Aid. Director of Dining Services Patti Lee said that a deterrent fine is necessary because as much as $2,000 can be stored in students' ID cards. "We want to know that it's you [as you enter the dining hall]," she said. Students who change or cancel their meal plans after the three-week grace period at the beginning of the semester are also charged a fee that goes to recover costs and pay the dining staff. There is also a fine if students are caught stealing or damaging utensils or property of Dining Services. This charge starts at $50 and can increase depending on the offense. Lee said that such instances are rare and fining often does not take place. She recalled one incident where a student stole dishes and silverware from one of the dining halls to make dinner for his girlfriend. "We would have gladly loaned it to him if only he had asked," said Lee. Parking is one example of how students are charged for services they use, as students must pay a fee each semester to obtain a parking decal. If cars are not parked in the few designated places or if they do not display proper permits, drivers face another fine from the Department of Public Safety. The type of parking ticket given out varies depending on where the violation occurs and how many times the vehicle has previously been ticketed. Visitors to the campus are also expected to pay five dollars a day for parking in visitor spaces at the University's new parking garage.
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A new course will be offered next semester in an effort to heighten awareness of a problem endemic to college campuses across the country - rape and sexual assault. Entitled "Rape Crisis Counselor Certification Training," it will attempt to help students deal with this issue by certifying them in rape counseling. The class is being offered by the Women's Center through the physical education department. It will be the regular certification program for rape counseling, and will be taught by instructors from the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC). Students enrolled in the course will meet for three hours once a week and will learn about rape trauma syndrome, counseling techniques, issues concerning adolescence, and information about the medical and legal systems. "One of our goals is to increase awareness of rape and sexual assault on campus and this is a way to do that," Women's Center Director Peggy Barrett said. The class is part of a larger effort by the Women's Center to address the issue of rape and sexual assault, and a future goal is to establish a 24-hour student-run beeper system next fall. The plan is to form a response team that will take calls from students who have been raped or sexually assaulted. Barrett described the hotline as "a source of information where [students] will get a chance to ask questions in a non-judgmental, confidential place." Once they reach the hotline, callers would have access to information about rape and sexual assault, including what symptoms they may be experiencing, taking disciplinary action against the offender, and preserving medical evidence of the assault. In addition to medical and legal advice, callers would receive emotional support and would be directed to other resources that may be of help, such as the Tufts Counseling Center. "[The students who run the hotline] would provide advocacy for the students," said Barrett, "and part of that advocacy will be linking the callers up with whatever services they want or need." The establishment of a student-response team is contingent upon completion of next semester's course, as students who are certified to deal with rape and sexual assault would run the team. The course seems to be of interest to students, as its maximum capacity of 25 students was filled during registration. However, Barrett said that she does not know how many of the registered students are seniors, which would mean that they would not be on campus in the fall to participate in the hotline. Barrett said that this potential new service is not meant to compete with current counseling services offered to the Tufts community, such as the Ears for Peers hotline or the Counseling Center. Rather, the rape and sexual assault hotline would work in conjunction with these services and refer callers there if necessary. "What we're hearing from students is that they may be more likely to call a service that has rape or sexual assault in its description," said Barrett. "We're aiming at the calls we're not getting, rather than the ones that are coming in." Barrett said that she thinks there are, in fact, many cases when a hotline like this may be helpful, as according to the FBI, 70 percent of rapes go unreported. Students who registered for the course said they did so because they share this concern. "Over the last few years," sophomore Melissa Carson said, "I know that there have been unreported rapes on campus and it disturbs me that they've gone unreported... I just feel like it's something that's common on college campuses." Carson decided to enroll in the course because she felt that it was an important program to support, and will consider working on the proposed hotline. The rape certification course was made possible by a large grant that the Women's Center received last fall from the Department of Justice's Violence Against Women Grant Office. The grant will allow the Women's Center to bring instructors from BARCC onto the Medford campus. The new course is one of several changes implemented at the Women's Center, as it recently moved back into its house at 55 Talbot Avenue after being temporarily relocated for renovations. The facility, which was once shared with the Latino Center, is now devoted entirely to the Women's Center. Barrett said that the physical expansion of the Women's Center will allow it to expand the services it offers. "The Women's Center is going to be a place where students can find many resources," she said. "Anything we can think of will be there." The Center will offer information about health, sports, and internships, and it also maintains contact with the Boston area to keep students informed of events and jobs.
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When David Schaer sued Brandeis University for denying him a fair hearing before the school's judicial board, ten area colleges filed briefs in Brandeis' defense. Tufts was among them. In late September, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled against Schaer, and convicted him of sexual misconduct. Tufts officials breathed a collective sigh of relief at first news of the decision. If successful, Schaer's case would have called into question the very foundation of Tufts' form of justice: specifically, the right of a private institution to conduct hearings and mete out punishments when students are accused of criminal charges. "It was a victory for us," said Veronica Carter, Tufts' associate dean of students and the head of judicial affairs. Schaer was convicted of "unwanted sexual activity" after a former girlfriend filed charges against him with the university. According to the plaintiff, who was admittedly inebriated at the time of the incident, Schaer engaged in forced intercourse with her while she slept. He denied the charges, arguing at the hearing that the sex was consensual. When the verdict came down, Schaer found himself banned from campus for the summer, on disciplinary probation, and ordered to undergo counseling. The subsequent lawsuit initially concerned the technicalities of the Brandeis judicial system. Were the school's own rules followed by the disciplinary board of four students and two faculty members? The Supreme Court's ruling, however, has set broad guidelines for all private universities in its jurisdiction. The 3-2 majority opinion ruled that "a university is not required to adhere to standards of due process guaranteed to criminal defendants." That decision, written by Justice Ruth Abrams, allows university administrators to construct unique standards of justice, which may or may not reflect the norms of the American criminal justice system. The laws of the Commonwealth have long supported this precedent, only permitting student appeals of university disciplinary findings in cases where the school's own rules were applied in an "arbitrary or capricious" manner. It is rare that the university procedures themselves come under scrutiny, and the recent ruling further strengthened the hand of academic judicial officers. "The ruling says that private schools have the right to create their own judicial systems," Dean of Students Bruce Reitman said. "[Tufts] made a decision way back that we have a moral obligation to pursue [criminal-level] cases. It's probably nice that the Court affirmed that right." But critics of the power of collegiate judiciaries, both at Tufts and throughout Massachusetts, argue against the latitude afforded to universities in their ever-evolving establishment of a disciplinary structure. Accusations range from a pro-victim bias to amateur hearings to overly ambiguous statutes. Daniel Lewis (LA, '00), a former member of the Tufts Community Union Judiciary (TCUJ), sat on a sexual assault case last year and emerged highly skeptical of Tufts' justice. Since then, he has been active in efforts to defend civil liberties on college campuses. "The system has its problems," Lewis said. "When dealing with real crimes, I don't think the University has the wherewithal to handle these cases. It's better to leave it to real police." On the Tufts campus, Lewis argued, there is an inherent bias towards the victim that can potentially taint the objectivity of collegiate judicial panels. "At Tufts, being accused is step one to being guilty," he said.Schaer was not alone in his lawsuit, which named seven Brandeis administrators as defendants in addition to the university. The Massachusetts chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union filed an amicus (friend-of-the-court) brief on Schaer's behalf. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), an organization that has been highly critical of Tufts in the past, filed one as well.For attorney Harvey Silverglate, FIRE's vice president and co-founder, universities throughout the nation do not protect the rights of accused students. "We don't happen to know any university that has a system that is adequate to the task," Silverglate said. "We do have a suggestion for how to deal with this problem. If there is a charge against a student where it constitutes serious criminal conduct, the university would be better off letting the criminal justice system take its course and letting the student judiciary follow-up. "I haven't found anyone on any campus who is professional about this. They pride themselves on the fact that these proceedings are not legal proceedings," he said.Reitman disagrees. When addressing the topic, he cited a situation in which a student accused of rape was permitted to remain on campus. There was no university intervention prior to the findings of the criminal court and raped again before his conviction and sentencing. "What do you do with a person when you're waiting for the court for a year and half?" he asked. His answer: "To the best of your ability, you go forward with the procedure." Reitman has much confidence in the procedure. Since 1987, there have been 26 student-to-student rape charges filed with the Tufts administration. Thirteen times, the accused student voluntarily left Tufts. One quarter of the cases were resolved in formal mediation and only about six ever reached the hearing stage. Of those, the guilty to not-guilty ratio is exactly even. That last statistic, Reitman said, "hopefully demonstrates that there's some fairness." According to Reitman, approximately 40 percent of cases are appealed, but the student almost always objects to the severity of the punishment rather than any procedural improprieties. "I think it is very professional. It's very well organized," said Jessica Branco (LA, '00), former co-chair of the TCUJ. Branco, who was in charge of the TCUJ when the Tufts Christian Fellowship controversy broke last year, sat on three disciplinary panels during her time at Tufts, including the case Lewis characterized as unjust. "I do believe that justice was served [in that case]," she said. "I think it's a very effective judicial system for the University to have in place." The state Supreme Court seems to agree with Branco. In fact, its ruling almost takes for granted the ability of college administrators to create disciplinary procedures that do not resemble criminal law, but nonetheless maintain appropriate levels of fairness. Carter spoke with a Brandeis attorney about the case after the Court handed down the Brandeis decision, and has since modified Tufts procedures to eliminate any legalistic terminology that would give students the false impression that University due process mirrors state criminal justice. "We update the booklet every summer," she said. "We did try to change our wording after the case."
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Woburn resident Joe Viglione has filed disciplinary charges with the Dean of Students office against two Tufts students for "defamation of character" and "infliction of emotional distress," the latest development in an ongoing legal battle following an incident at the WMFO radio station this summer. The two seniors, Music Director Levi Novey and Program Director David Dougan, are both members of the station's executive board. Viglione, who is also suing Dougan for $2,000 in damages in Woburn small claims court, was a volunteer DJ on the station until he was fired on July 1 by Dougan , Novey, and WMFO General Manager Michael Dupuy. "I'm charging them with every single aspect of what they've done wrong, from being unprofessional to throwing me off the property," Viglione said yesterday. In an Oct. 16 letter to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman and Dean of Judicial Affairs Veronica Carter, Viglione accused the two students of numerous offenses, including holding double standards and failing to follow due process. "It was malicious, it was done with premeditation, and it is a total abuse of power," said Viglione of a July 2 e-mail from Dougan that notified him of his dismissal. According to Reitman, both students have been informed of the charges being pressed against them, and the University will attempt to resolve the conflict within its own judicial system. "We will provide all of the due process we can," he said. "It's not clear to me whether there is wrong doing here or not. That is not my role. My role is to facilitate the process that will make the determination as to whether there is validity to [Viglione's] argument." Dupuy called the charges "ridiculous" and stood by the board's original decision to dismiss Viglione for "impeding the operations of the station" after the incident, which occurred in the WMFO studio last June. "No one is at fault here," he said. "We went as closely as we possibly could as to the policies laid out in our constitution. In that sense, I don't think we did anything wrong." While Reitman declined to comment on the specifics of the legal proceedings, he acknowledged that his office "is involved in the adjudication of the case," and added that Tufts provides legal counsel for all students who are charged with non-criminal offenses all relate to their capacities as leaders in campus groups. Viglione has accused the University of "dragging its feet" on the issue, misleading him on his options, and withholding his police report for an unreasonable period of time. In a letter last week to Nathan Gantcher, chairman of the University Board of Trustees, he called for the WMFO executive board to be abolished and for Tufts to turn over items which he plans to use as evidence in court. It is unclear exactly what procedure Tufts' disciplinary system will follow in the adjudication of the case, though it will most likely be heard by some sort of student-administrative judiciary committee. According to a report filed by the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD), the dispute erupted on June 22 while Viglione was preparing music for his show, Joe Vig's Pop Explosion. Both Viglione and June Weintraub, another WMFO community DJ, wished to use the same recording studio, which Viglione claims to have reserved according to procedure. Alleging that the quarrel made her feel uncomfortable, Weintraub phoned the TUPD and accused Viglione of "verbally assaulting" her. "She said I needed to leave immediately because she needed to use not only my studio, but another studio as well," Viglione said. "Finally, when she realized that I wasn't going to relinquish the room, and that she had not signed into the room, she phoned the Tufts police." According to the police report, Weintraub "did not respond to the officer's suggestion [that she use a different studio], and then left the area without further incident." The TUPD left Viglione in possession of the room. Weintraub was contacted yesterday, but declined to comment. As a result of the conflict, Dupuy, Novey, and Dougan decided to suspend both DJs from their shows for the rest the summer. While Viglione is still denied access to the station, Dupuy acknowledged that Weintraub is still a member of WMFO, although she does not currently host a show. The case has attracted the attention of national media outlets, and Viglione received a letter from the television program Judge Judy requesting that he and Dougan attempt to mediate the problem on television. CourtTV has also expressed interest in the case. The radio station, which is owned by Tufts, integrates both Tufts students and community members into their programming. Dupuy, who serves as the station's general manager, values this combination of talents. "They are a huge asset in terms of programming," he said of the community DJs, who are usually older than the students and have worked at WMFO for a much longer period of time. These DJs also help to provide continuity and to smooth the rough transitions caused by the rapid turnover of student employees.
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At the end of September, the FDA approved Mifeprex (also known as mifepristone, and before that as RU486) for termination of early pregnancy. It is the only FDA approved non-surgical option for ending early pregnancy. The arrival of Mifeprex has heightened the furor between the Right to Life movement, and the Right to Choose movement. I would like to provide the medical viewpoint. Mifeprex works by blocking progesterone, a hormone necessary for the uterus to support a developing pregnancy. The lining of the uterus softens without adequate progesterone, and begins to break down. This process takes several days. A second medication, misoprostol, causes the uterus to contract, expelling the lining and terminating the pregnancy. Mifeprex can be used only in the very early stages of pregnancy, up to 49 days after the beginning of a woman's last period, or no later than 3 weeks after missing her period. Mifeprex is 92 percent to 95 percent effective in terminating the pregnancy. Mifeprex is licensed for use only by physicians with expertise in evaluating the age of a pregnancy, who have ready access to ultrasound testing, and who are experienced in treating pregnancy complications such as miscarriages. It will primarily be used by gynecologists, and not by primary care physicians. It is not available by prescription from a pharmacy. It must be ordered from the drug company, and used in the specialist's office, clinic or hospital. Women receiving Mifeprex make three visits to the specialist over a two-week period. During the first visit, a woman receives detailed counseling about the use and side effects of the process, the age of the pregnancy is confirmed, and the dose of Mifeprex is given. Two days later she returns, and takes misoprostol. The final visit, approximately 12 days later, is vital to ensure that the pregnancy has ended, since that can only be determined with testing and examination. Bleeding and cramping are a normal part of the process, and should be expected. The bleeding and cramping are typically worse than that experienced with a normal menstrual period, and are most intense in the first three days after receiving Mifeprex. Bleeding typically lasts nine to 16 days. On rare occasions, bleeding can be so severe that treatment in an emergency room is needed. Nausea, headache and vomiting are fairly common side effects. A few women who take Mifeprex will need a surgical procedure, known as a D&C, to end the pregnancy or to stop heavy bleeding. Choosing to terminate a pregnancy is a very personal and difficult choice for any woman. No woman takes this choice lightly. At Tufts Health Service, our mission is to meet the medical needs of a very diverse community. Our students come from many different cultures and religions, from many walks of life, and with a wide range of family and personal beliefs. Our goal is to provide them with information about their medical condition, and the range of treatment options available. They need to know about risks, benefits, side effects, and long-term consequences of all the possibilities. Our responsibility is to help them understand their choices, and to work with them as they evaluate their choices within the parameters of their own belief system. We then direct our patients to the best source of care, to carry out the treatments they chose. Those sources might include abortion providers, counselors, or agencies that provide support to pregnant young women to help them continue a pregnancy. We are not seeking approval to use Mifeprex at Health Service since we do not provide the range of gynecologic services on site that are needed for that level of medical care. We will certainly be providing information about Mifeprex for women who chose early pregnancy termination. Mifeprex is a non-invasive option for ending early pregnancy. It is taken orally, avoiding surgery or anesthesia in most cases. In the discussion of pregnancy termination, it is vitally important to focus on pregnancy prevention. We would all like to see the number of abortions decrease. A very important way to achieve this goal is to improve our services to women wanting to prevent pregnancy. There are many options available to young women to prevent pregnancy. Birth control pills, birth control shots, and condoms and spermicide are the most popular methods for university-age women. Even with the best plans and intentions, these methods can fail. A back up option in this situation deserves much greater publicity: emergency contraception, or the "morning after pill." Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECP for short) are ordinary birth control pills taken in special doses within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse to prevent pregnancy. They reduce the chance of getting pregnant by 75% to 85%. ECPs have been available and approved by the FDA for a number of years, although many women do not have adequate information about them. The sooner ECPs are taken after intercourse, the more effective they are. ECPs prevent pregnancy by one of three mechanisms: 1) temporarily stopping eggs from being released from the ovary, or 2) by stopping fertilization, or 3) by stopping a fertilized egg from attaching to the womb. ECPs can make some women feel nauseous or even vomit. Taking anti-nausea medication before ECPs usually prevents this, and some of the newer ECPs are much less likely to cause stomach upset. Widespread use of ECP has the potential to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions in this country. Every woman of childbearing age should know about Emergency Contraception pills. At Health Service, we are committed to providing sensitive and respectful care for the whole range of women's reproductive and sexual health needs. Depending on a woman's situation and desires, this may involve gynecologic examinations, information about sexually transmitted diseases, treatment for infections, pregnancy prevention options including ECPs, and sometimes counseling about pregnancy termination. As health providers, we always welcome a variety of options to help patients deal with their medical needs. Dr. Margaret Higham is the Medical Director of Tufts University Student Health Service.
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A committee of students, faculty, and administrators will assemble in the coming weeks in order to select a candidate to become the permanent Associate Dean of Students at Tufts. The University, which began soliciting applications for the position over the summer, will begin reviewing the documents as soon as the search committee has been formed. Lisa Smith-McQueenie has been serving as Associate Dean of Students in an interim capacity since then-Acting Dean of Students Bruce Reitman was promoted last year, but University policy dictates that a nationwide search must precede any deanship appointment. While sources indicate that the committee already has a good idea of the qualities and skills that it is seeking, it will solicit input from a variety of sources before making a decision. According to Reitman, the school needs "someone who is flexible in a day to day routine, because, in that position, you can be working on one type of emergency one day and a different type the next." The Pachyderm, Tufts' student handbook, says as a part of student services, the associate dean should be in tune with student feelings and issues. "The Dean of Students Office is the primary advocate for students on campus. It is the students' central contact on campus for any and all ideas or suggestions," the booklet states. One goal for the selection process is to find someone who has a background working in a dean of students office or student services operations. A candidate also should have a degree in higher education administration. Significant experience is important, Reitman noted, because the job of Associate Dean is rather varied. The Associate Dean is involved in judicial, medical, and committee work, as well as being responsible for the Residential Life offices. He or she is also designated as a member of the class team for graduate students, and helps supervise the various departments within the Dean of Students office, including the Alcohol and Health Education, Counseling Center, Office of Residential Life, as well as all the cultural centers. "It's a lot of general work of student life," Reitman said. "[The Dean of Students office wants] someone who has experience working with students in a variety of ways." He jokingly added that they want "someone who has some good ideas about social life. Clearly we need that." With the Dean of Students office move to Dowling Hall this year, student services have already experienced quite a few changes. With the proximity of all the offices in Dowling, the new associate dean will now be able to effectively collaborate and work with the other departments. The positions in the student services department are slightly different now than when they were in Ballou Hall, according to Reitman. He stressed that due to this alteration, "It's more important than ever to find someone who is a collaborative colleague and interested in working with all of the people in Dowling Hall." The vacancy in the associate dean's position is the end result of administrative juggling, which kicked off when Bobbie Knabble retired as the school's dean of students two years ago. Then Associate Dean of Students Reitman formally left the position last spring when he became the new dean. To fill the role in preparation for the search, Tufts then appointed Smith-McQueenie as Acting Associate Dean.
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Leaders of Tufts Christian Fellowship (TCF) are planning to appeal the Tufts Community Union Judiciary's (TCUJ) recent decision to de-recognize the group based on allegations that it discriminated against a homosexual student. The TCF Senior Leaders, who plan to submit their appeal to the Committee on Student Life (CSL) during the next few days, are seeking professional legal counsel on the matter.
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Antonia Hernandez, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) will be today's guest speaker to the Community Forum on Leadership for Active Citizenship. The class, taught by Tufts President John DiBiaggio, Dean of the Graduate Schools Rob Hollister, and Director of the Lincoln Filene Center Badi Foster, has brought numerous distinguished speakers to campus.
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Tufts students will have an opportunity to make charitable donations of their meals today at Dewick and Carmichael dining halls to benefit a Medford charity. The event, known as a Cause Dinner, will benefit RESPOND, an organization that counsels battered women, the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate Services Committee announced last week. Students will be able to donate $2 per meal, or as many points as they wish, according to Senate Services Committee Chair Erin Ross.
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Acting Dean of Students Bruce Reitman recently disseminated information on a survey pertaining to Tufts' Health Services and Counseling Center. The survey, which is being conducted by a group called the Beckly Consulting Team, is part of an initiative on the part of these two campus organizations to ensure that they are best serving the needs of the students.
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The Tufts Balch Arena Theater will be kicking off the 1999-2000 season with Love for Love, a play by William Congreve, directed by Tufts' Artist-in-Residence, Anthony Cornish. A comedy of manners, wits, scheming, wheeling, and dealing, the play centers around the young Valentine, who is down-and-out, broke, and living in a poorhouse, after having spent every last penny trying to win the love of the beautiful Angelica. Badgered by his cruel father who attempts to take away his rightful inheritance, and pestered by various unplanned events which interfere with his plans, Valentine can resort only to his wits to finagle his way out of poverty and secure his fortune, while artfully conspiring in order to gain his Angelica. Surprisingly applicable to the '90s, Love for Love touches on themes which have persevered from 17th century Great Britain, when the play takes place, until today - the pursuit of love, money, or both, and the sticky moral issues which inevitably follow. One can even liken Congreve's era to modern America. Where big business and banks once ran a wealthy English nation, today America leads with a corporate capitalist culture. Where a promiscuous monarch once ruled a country, today's America is led by an indiscriminate President. Moreover, Congreve is well known as one of the best writers in the genre of the classic restoration comedy. After Puritan England shut down theaters due to their questionable social mores, restoration drama assaulted stuffy social conventions with quite a vengeance. Thus, Love for Love not only promises to deliver a comedy of wits, but an intellectual questioning of puritan values - a modern assault on the likes of Kenneth Starr and the independent counsel. The producers of the play have gone to great lengths to create an authentic rendition of 17th century Great Britain. Actresses will be donned in era-costumes, complete with corsets, wigs, and trailing dresses; actors will be in wigs as well. Additionally, research into specific mannerisms will be used to re-create an accurate portrayal of the time period, along with music and dance. So go for the witty dialogue, go for the costumes, go for the attack on puritanism. In any case, as Assistant Director David Hatkoff says, "It's funny and it's sexy. " It's a good time out at the theatre, conveniently located on campus. Tickets for students with Tufts ID are $5, and $8 for those without. The show begins at 8 p.m. and runs from Thursday, Oct. 28th through Saturday, Oct. 30th, and Thursday, Nov. 4th through Saturday, Nov. 6th. For more information, contact the Balch Arena Theater Box Office at 627-3493.
