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The seven wonders of the world of Colin Powell

August 31

In anticipation of what was made out to be the biggest event to happen on campus all semester, I bolted out of field hockey practice last Thursday, shed my mesh shorts and cleats in favor of regular clothes and sprinted to the Gantcher Center with my precious blue ticket in hand. Usually, I take a shower before my 7 o'clock class so that my classmates don't have to be subjected to the lingering smell of my goalie equipment, but this was a big deal. This was Colin Powell, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the mastermind behind Operation Desert Storm, the most successful American military campaign since the D-Day invasion in 1944. This was going to be incredible.Despite my arriving 45 minutes after the scheduled 4:30 start, I was right on time. President DiBiaggio had just begun introducing the afternoon's featured speaker. Eagerly settling down in my white plastic chair in the last row, I took out some paper and a pen to jot down notes. After all, this man was the head of the military for four years and he's scheduled to speak about the current situation in the Middle East. The combination of such political and military expertise and a significant, relevant, specific topic should make for a thought-provoking speech. Or so I thought. If you couldn't attend the event last Thursday because you had class, don't worry. For all of you who did not begin lining up outside the Info Booth at 8 am on Monday morning and thus found yourself without a ticket to the event of the year, fear not. I will now share with all you deprived souls the wisdom that was bestowed upon the crowd by General Powell: Colin Powell grew up in the South Bronx; Colin Powell has more awards than you or I or anyone else could possibly fathom; Colin Powell dutifully served his country in the armed forces for 35 years; Colin Powell was an important player in the US's Cold War victory over the USSR; Colin Powell now serves on the board of several philanthropic organizations; There is currently violence in the Middle East; Peace would be better than the aforementioned violence. Although it is probably useless to request a refund of the $75,000 paid to General Powell for sharing these enlightening revelations, I would like to ask for a refund of the 45 minutes of my life that was spent listening to this less than enthralling lecture. Foolish me for letting myself be persuaded to believe that one of the 20th century's most influential men would bother himself to actually say something of substance on a topic on which he undoubtedly has a certain amount of expertise. Perhaps the general did not want to say anything controversial publicly about a politically heated topic five days before a presidential election. If such is the case, why bother advertising a lecture on the current situation in the Middle East? Why not rename the lecture, "Vagaries and Self-Congratulations: An Over-Priced, Useless Lecture By Colin Powell?" In fact, why bother coming at all? Surely one of the leaders of the free world could put a Thursday afternoon to better use. If I wanted to hear an empty, vague, non-specific, dumbed-down speech, I could turn on a television news broadcast or listen to either major presidential candidate talk about nothing in front of a cheering, made-for-television group of supporters. But let me give credit where credit is due. The Tufts community of faculty, staff, administrators and students - past, present and future - owes a debt of gratitude to the Fares family and to the hundreds of other people who worked to bring a high-profile name to campus. Soon enough, all that will be remembered was that General Colin Powell spoke at Tufts University, formerly a relatively little-known liberals arts college in suburban Boston. To be honest, General Powell is a dynamic and engaging speaker. It's rare that one has the opportunity to see such a gifted orator in person. Similarly, it's rare that I find myself regretting attending a speech given by one of the key players in instrumenting the end of the Cold War. So what did I learn from General Colin Powell's lecture, "Management of Crisis and Change: The Middle East"? That I could have better used my time by taking a shower after field hockey practice. Dena Sloan is a senior majoring in International Relations and French.

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News

Popular show mixes music, comedy over the airwaves

August 31

Every Thursday night, juniors Jay Kahn, Chris Harte, and Matt Kulkin hang out and listen to music in the WMFO studio on the third floor of Curtis Hall. It's here - various rooms decorated with record jackets, stickers, and graffiti, and filled with CDs, records, speakers, microphones, and stereo equipment - where they broadcast their radio program, The Popychulo Show. Tufts Daily readers voted it Best WMFO radio show last year. Kahn and Harte started Popychulo their freshman year as an all punk and ska show. "I actually met Chris the first day of school in Lewis," Kahn said. They've been friends ever since. The show was Kahn's idea, and he went through the six-week WMFO training program to get it up and running. Kulkin joined the show last year. "I went down to hang out and see what it was all like," he said. Now he is Popychulo's unofficial manager. On the air, Kahn takes the role of Popy, Harte is Chulo, and Kulkin is El Jefe. Kahn, who hails from Arizona, explained the show's name. Popychulo is a "West Coast term for a devil of a pimp," he said, obviously proud of his West Coast heritage. When Kulkin joined the show, the original pimps dubbed him El Jefe (Spanish for "the boss") because he often organizes the show. "Jay runs the boards, Chris is the music guru. My specialty is prank calls, publicity, and bands," Kulkin said. More importantly, Kulkin acts a bridge between the technical and creative aspects of the show - he keeps it all together. True to their punk roots, Kahn, Harte, and Kulkin begin each installment of Popychulo with a sound clip of Howard Stern trashing the punk band NOFX and end the show with a NOFX song. Although Kahn and Harte envisioned the Popychulo Show as all punk and ska, the music they now broadcast is more mainstream. Although WMFO boasts a collection of 10,000 albums, Kahn, Harte, and Kulkin find it easier and more convenient to use their own CDs. "The selection of punk and ska at the station is limited," Kahn said. "I provide most of the music now," Harte added. Kahn also attributes the change from true punk and ska to more popular fare like No Doubt, Papa Roach, Green Day, and Blink182 to the show's increasing popularity. "We wanted to do more college-oriented rock," he said. In addition to broadcasting popular punk and ska-influenced music, the Popychulo guys discuss sports and politics, make prank phone calls, and sponsor a dating game. Amidst the presidential election excitement this past week, Popychulo kept a running total of the vote count in the swing state of Florida via CNN.com and debated the relative merits of the candidates. "We've changed from a democracy into an all-out war," Kulkin said. Tufts Community Union Senate president David Moon joined in the discussion via phone, commenting that Gore's projected win of the popular vote may "undermine Bush's presidency." During the course of their two-hour broadcast last Thursday, Popychulo also prank called a few people. Kulkin called the Suntique tanning salon in Medford, complaining that, during his last tanning session, his "package" fell out of his boxer shorts and is now strangely pigmented. Later, he called the China Sun Restaurant in Somerville and, to the bewilderment of the restaurant employee on the phone, attempted to order a pepperoni pizza, a calzone, a falafel wrap - any take-out food other than Chinese. Kulkin, with his slightly abusive sense of humor, has become Popychulo's master of prank calls. Another Popychulo standard is a dating game they call "Meet the Random Freshman." Each week, they select random phone numbers from the Collegiate Web campus directory and call people up with the hope that they'll participate in the game. They set up either three girls and a guy or three guys and a girl to battle it out for a date. The potential new couple is matched through a series of five questions about their idea of the perfect date, favorite vacation spot, style of dress, and concert, and the first thing they notice in a special someone. The winners - the two people with the most matches - are put on the guest list at Avalon. The Popychulo Show also hosts live bands from time to time. This week they're hoping to have The Miracle Orchestra, Bela Fleck, who will be performing at the Somerville Theater for four nights, or Reel Big Fish on the show. In addition, Kahn and Harte broadcast "the fastest two minutes in sports", and Harte gives a rundown of upcoming concerts in the Boston area. Although Kahn, Harte, and Kulkin send out a chill, relaxed vibe during the show, they have to deal with production problems throughout the broadcast. "You never know what's going to happen," said Harte. They try to perfect their timing and transitions between music and talk sections of the show to avoid broadcasting dead air. They also have to deal with the technical difficulties of working from an outdated studio. Most major radio stations today broadcast in a digital format, but WMFO still uses CDs and minidiscs. "We've been pushing WMFO to go digital," Kahn said. From time to time, the WMFO studios also suffer from a shortage of microphones and headsets. At one point during the show last week, Harte wondered, "Didn't there used to be three mics?" "That was last year," Kulkin responded. "The equipment is pretty old, but it runs fine. For what we do, it's fine," Kulkin said. According to Kulkin, he and the rest of the Popychulo crew aren't interested in becoming professional radio DJs; they just like to produce Popychulo for fun. However, broadcasting has always interested Kahn, who has television as well as radio experience. The Popychulo show is broadcast on Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. on WMFO (91.5 FM). Listeners can also hear it over the Internet at www.wmfo.org.

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News

The perfect internship

August 31

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.

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News

When good wears green

August 31

In recent weeks, I have found myself in a recurring debate with liberal-minded friends and acquaintances about the state of American democracy, and in particular, this season's presidential candidates. Generally, I am quite upfront with the admission that, in my humble opinion, the only candidate running for president that is not completely full of it is the Green Party's Ralph Nader. It is not the subtlest of arguments, I admit, but it usually gets their attention.

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News

Election 2000

August 31

Although Election Day has come and gone, the country is still waiting to find out who will be the next president. In a situation unprecedented in US history, the two major-party candidates are struggling for Florida's 25 unclaimed Electoral College votes, and two other states have yet to determine the winner in their elections. The votes in Florida hold the key to the White House, as neither candidate has the 270 votes necessary to win the presidency without them. Gore leads Bush in both the popular vote (49,222,339 to 48,999,459) and Electoral votes (255 to 246) at this point.The media called the Florida vote twice on election night, only to retract it a few hours later each time. Both candidates received almost comparable numbers at polls within the state, and controversy over ballots and recount procedure has caused the election to remain undetermined. At press time, the official count from Florida showed Texas Governor George W. Bush leading Vice President Al Gore by 388 votes. Absentee ballots, which can be received until Friday, still remain uncounted. Voters in four traditionally Democratic counties - Volusia, Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach -are undergoing recounts, but that process was challenged in court yesterday. Federal District Judge Donald Middlebrooks denied the Bush campaign's claim early Monday afternoon and said that the recount is constitutional and must continue. According to Florida state law, certified vote counts must be submitted to the state capital of Tallahasse by 5 p.m. today, which means that the recounts are supposed to end by that time. Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris said yesterday that she would enforce the mandate. However, it appears that legal battles will continue, as the Bush campaign hinted it will appeal Middlebrooks' ruling, and the Gore campaign will attempt to delay today's 5 p.m. deadline. Florida is not the only state in which the winner of the election has not been determined. New Mexico was originally awarded to Gore, but the state's five Electoral votes were then placed back into the undecided section when the race was deemed to close to call. Oregon, where residents vote entirely by absentee ballots, is still counting ballots to determine which candidate will receive the seven Electoral votes. No matter what happens with the two smaller states, whichever candidate wins in Florida will win the Electoral College vote in December, provided that all electors follow party line.

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News

Black Solidarity Day rally draws seventy students despite cold

August 31

In spite of the chilly fall weather, about 70 students, faculty, and administrators congregated on the campus center patio for a Black Solidarity Day rally Monday afternoon to promote awareness of African-American issues and to remind African Americans of their collective strength on the Tufts campus. The rally, which was organized by the Pan-African Alliance (PAA) and the African American Center, was one of a series of events intended to promote black unity on the eve of the presidential and congressional elections. The rally included brief speeches, poetry readings, and a performance by the a cappella group Essence. Although politics were not expressly discussed at the rally, there was an implicit understanding among attendees that blacks need to join together to demonstrate their collective political clout. "This time, more than ever, we must put away our differences and come together," said Jamila Moore, co-editor of Onyx, Tufts' African-American literary magazine. "We're all black, whether we're African, Caribbean or North-American," he said. Rally speaker Michael Fraser echoed the importance of community. "We need many things, but first we need 'we,'" he told the audience. "We can be as separate as fingers, but the same fist." Prior to the election, there was national concern - particularly among Democrats - that many African Americans would not vote in the election because they felt that neither Al Gore nor George W. Bush would address issues affecting blacks. Others thought their vote wouldn't make a substantial difference. However, in key states like Pennsylvania, blacks made up 10 percent of voters and were therefore partly responsible for swinging the state's 23 electoral votes to Gore. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other organizations held massive voting drives in communities such as North and West Philadelphia to ask seemingly indifferent blacks to "reconsider" their decision not to vote. The PAA did not officially endorse a particular presidential candidate because its "constituency has diverse opinions representative of both sides and the middle of the political spectrum," according to PAA literature. But the group hoped that the country's next president will support affirmative action efforts, direct US foreign aid to sub-Saharan Africa, curb race-based police brutality, and reform what it views as a biased criminal justice system.Some of the rally's speakers focused on black unity issues that relate specifically to Tufts. Carl Jackson, the PAA's political chair, criticized Tufts' sluggish response with regard to its nondiscrimination policy and the low retention of black faculty members. According to Jackson, eight black faculty members left Tufts this year and the University currently employs few tenured black professors. Eight directors of the African American Center have left in the past four years. "PAA has made a declaration to Vice President [of Arts, Sciences and Engineering] Mel Bernstein that we are in a state of emergency with regard to black faculty retention," he said. "We would like to see some results by the end of 2001." Jackson blamed a lack of colleague support, relatively low salaries, and lack of University resources for the "disproportionate" number of black faculty departures. However, senior Andrea Johnson, who also attended the rally, congratulated Tufts for its efforts to make racial inroads. "I think one of the great things Tufts University has done to build bridges is the Tufts-in-Ghana program," she said. "And obviously it needs help right now." But Junior Alwin Jones questioned the University's numerous study abroad programs in Europe, while only one is in a developing country. The rally concluded with ad hoc comments from students and faculty members who echoed speakers' concerns. Freshman Adwoa Asare-Kwakye said she came to support her culture as a black person. "I felt that being here showed how much I care about being black," she said. Senior Kim Levinson was also among those attending the rally. "I came to support black solidarity," she said. "I think it's important to support people, no matter what their race." Black Solidarity Day, initiated in 1969, has been celebrated at Tufts for more than ten years. The day was inspired by Day of Absence, a play written by Douglas Turner Ward that explores the potential social, political, and economic consequences of the disappearance of American blacks for one day. Although blacks traditionally do not attend school, spend money, or work on the holiday, some students at Tufts observed it by attending classes dressed in black.

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News

Trustees begin search for new president to replace DiBiaggio

August 31

When University President John DiBiaggio announced plans to resign last month, it kicked off a comprehensive, worldwide search process aiming to select a replacement by June 2002. The University Trustees, who are responsible for hiring and firing presidents, will meet early next month to begin this search. "The process is Trustee-driven, as it is at every university," said Provost Sol Gittleman. "The most important thing the Trustees do is select a president." While the Trustees are ultimately entrusted with picking the right candidate for the job, they will solicit input from all members of the Tufts community. "There is a tradition at Tufts that the process is open, comprehensive, and involves most, if not all, of the necessary constituents," said Vice President of Arts, Sciences, and Technology Mel Bernstein. A trustee screening committee including students, faculty members, and administrators will spearhead the search. The group will be formed sometime over the next two weeks and will soon begin gathering nominations and suggestions, collecting names, and creating a pool of hundreds of potential applicants. "They throw out a net and catch as many big fish as you can get," Gittleman said. He added that nominees usually include politicians, scientists, leading academics, and business people. While leadership ability, communication skills, and academic visibility are all important qualities for a university president, both Bernstein and Gittleman acknowledged that fundraising is one of the job's most important functions. "It's going to have to be somebody who enjoys raising money, because these days, that's what presidents do," Gittleman said. Bernstein agreed, citing the ability to raise funds as a skill "that you look for in all presidents." The screening committee will eventually employ an executive search, or "head hunting" firm, to narrow down the list of nominees to a smaller group of finalists. The firm will advertise in academic publications, such as The Chronicle of Higher Education, and solicit applications from all over the world. "Along with a search firm, the objective is to locate appropriate candidates, do a screening and recommend a group of candidates to the trustees," said Trustee Erwin Heller, who is organizing the search. Heller declined to comment on the specific qualities that will be important for the next Tufts president, but pointed out that the search would be a comprehensive, drawn-out process that will eventually narrow the slate down to three or four candidates. Once this happens, the Trustees will make the final selection. "A president is not about to be selected over the weekend," Heller said. There has also been much speculation about whether Bernstein might either seek the job in light of DiBiaggio's planned retirement, or leave for another university. The vice president denied rumors that he is applying for presidencies at other universities. "I've always wanted to be the point guard for the Knicks," Bernstein responded jokingly when asked if he had applied for any positions elsewhere. "I've always loved it here. I'm committed to this University." Gittleman dispelled hearsay of a different sort, as rumors have circulated that he will be leaving along with DiBiaggio. He said that he will allow the new president to decide if he should continue serving as provost. "If he wants me to stay, I'll stay," Gittleman said. "[Tufts] is where I'll finish out my career. I've had a terrific time with John DiBiaggio, he's been a terrific president and a terrific mentor for me. I serve at the pleasure of the President, and I will continue to serve. I've had a great run." Presidential searches are very frequent occurrences in the academic world, where the average tenure of a university president lasts only six or seven years. Of approximately 4,000 colleges and universities in the nation, it is estimated that just under 10 percent are conducting top administrative searches at any given time.

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News

Greatest hit album was an Immaculate return to real 'Music' of Madonna's past

August 31

If you find Madonna's latest single, "Music," as gravely disappointing as it unfortunately is, don't despair. The once-Material-Girl-now-40-plus-mother has been at the top of the Billboard charts for decades, and that in itself merits a great deal of respect, not to mention relief.

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News

Sky high housing prices bring student exasperation

August 31

In anticipation of moving off campus next year, junior Kim Starbuck and her friends have been searching for an off-campus six-bedroom house since classes began, with virtually no luck. So far, their efforts have turned up houses too expensive for their price range, which has caused "huge, huge stress" in Starbuck's life. "It's been really frustrating. All of [the houses] are ridiculously expensive," she said. On the other hand, last spring junior Rachel Richards signed the lease for the house she currently rents, which turned out to be a smart move on her part - her low lottery number would have forced her off campus. She found her house through word-of-mouth; it's close to campus and she admits that she pays a decent price, though many other students may not be so fortunate. "We pay the lowest amount that I have heard of in this area," Richards said, who pays under $500. "Had I not signed the lease early in spring semester [last year], I would have probably ended up living three or four miles away, paying $500 to $600 a month." The prices for off-campus housing have been steadily increasing in recent years, due in large part to the rising student demand. According to a survey conducted by the Office of Off-Campus Housing, the average rent per month per bedroom is $594. So far, Starbuck has found that most prices hover around $650 - an amount that is unacceptable and practically unfeasible for her and her potential housemates. "A lot of my housemates can't afford to pay $650 a month, as I can't, but we're left with no other option," she said. Though Richards isn't content with the appearance of her less-expensive house, she has decided to stick it out, due to limited choices. "Our house can't make the neighbors happy because it looks [bad], but we don't have a choice about it - we have to live here due to the cost and availability of off-campus housing," she said. Suzi Solomon, the coordinator of the Office of Off-Campus Housing, confirms the lack of available housing in the area. Her economic analysis is simple but still difficult to swallow. "There are fewer and fewer apartments available - one percent of apartments are vacant. There is very little supply and a lot of demand," she said. "When supply is down and demand goes up, prices will rise." One landlord, who wished to remain anonymous, contended that his prices have to counteract other expenses. "When you pay $400,000 for a house and $5,000 taxes and $700 to $800 every three months for the water bill, you have to charge in order to cover your expenses," he said. "Whatever other [landlords] charge, I charge the same thing, too," adding that he charges about $400 per person, per bedroom. The University's Director of Community Relations, Barbara Rubel, said that Tufts situation is not unique. In the current housing trend, rents are going up almost everywhere. "I think generally it's believed that we're enjoying a very strong economy and that has driven up prices. People who have services to sell capitalize on that," she said. "It's just a very desirable area to live in - if you know your economy, that makes it a seller's market." Rubel said that the elimination of rent control also drove up prices in the Boston area, which caused "a sort of ripple effect out of Cambridge" that increased rents. Landlords may feel that they can increase rents because students have demonstrated that they will pay. This works to the disadvantage of students who are not willing or cannot afford to pay high prices. "More people can afford to pay higher prices, which forces people who can't pay to leave the area," Solomon said. A junior who is currently paying $500 for her off-campus house recently discovered that staying in her house next year will cost her an extra $100 a month. Her landlord justified the rent increase by claiming that she must keep up with current prices. "[For rents] for college, it's too much," she said. "It's annoying - I wish I didn't have to pay, but if I move to a new place, it's going to be more expensive." Senior Mark Vitale, who lives off campus, agrees that landlords are well aware of the fact that many students can afford to pay the prices, no matter how unreasonable they may be. "I really feel that the prices we pay are absurd. Especially since we go to a school where the tuition is so high, landlords know that they can get whatever price they're asking for from the students around here," he said. According to Starbuck, the school also knows this, and takes advantage of the fact that its students can afford to pay the rents. "It's obvious that Tufts doesn't have enough housing for every senior, so at least some of us have to pay $650 a month, which is ridiculous," she said. "If all the landlords raise their rents, we're stuck with nothing else to do but pay it." One student who lives off campus contends that landlords also gain the upper hand since students are in competition with each other for housing. "It's like a bidding war" to find off-campus housing, the student said. "It works in the landlord's favor [that students] compete with each other to pay higher rents. Every person is trying to get an edge up on somebody." The student added that she did not find that the University was in any way helpful with her housing search. "I think Tufts is really poor in its efforts. Tufts has no way of really helping upperclassmen to get housing, even though they don't guarantee [on-campus housing]," she said, adding that even with the creation of the off-campus housing office, that "the places through Tufts are really expensive." According to some students, adding more on-campus housing might alleviate the demand and costs for off-campus houses. "I feel that if there was more on-campus housing, the prices wouldn't be as high because there wouldn't be as much demand," Richards said. One student also brought up the possibility of converting off-campus houses to on-campus housing facilities, since the University cannot expand into Medford or Somerville at this time. "[Tufts] could look into purchasing some off-campus housing and make those prices the same as on-campus housing," she said. In the meantime, Starbuck will have to keep searching. "We've found a couple [of houses] that are $400 to $450 a month, but they're in such high demand that we're not sure we can get them," she said. "We might have to pay $600 [a month], which is not cool." And although Richards can definitely find room for improvement with her temporary home, she also admits that her landlord has no incentive to clean it up. That is, if she and her roommates did move out, then "it would be no problem for him to get anyone else to live here," she said.

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News

TCF does not advocate self-loathing

August 31

To the Editor: The clarification of the Tufts nondiscrimination policy was a salutary achievement of the protestors in Bendetson, however incredible their methods may have been, as relevant concerns about the possibility for hate-groups on campus were addressed. The place of the Tufts Christian Fellowship (TCF) on campus is not affected, however. The TCF and its members on the Tufts campus do not advocate that those of homosexual or bisexual orientation should be "self-loathing," however, many posters may be put up to the contrary. All individuals must be accepting of themselves while trying to live by the Bible. A self-accepting homosexual could serve as an excellent leader, while not engaged in a homosexual relationship. One's identity is not, by nature, one's sexual acts. Does a virgin lack a sexual identity? Is a heterosexual suppressing his identity if he is not involved in a relationship? Obviously not. Trivializing an individual to such a level would be demeaning and insulting. One protester said, "[TCF] now essentially has to treat a lesbian who is running, or any other sexuality, with the same cadence that they would a heterosexual. Essentially, they have to adhere to the nondiscrimination policy." Exactly correct, and exactly what is in the TCF constitution. If a heterosexual were not reconciling sexual activities with the Bible, she would also not be an acceptable leader. At an undergraduate university, where, chances are, a student is not married. This means no sexual activity. This does not conclude that the orientation is wrong or must be changed, or that the individual cannot be self-accepting, but that behaviors should be Biblically focused. I thank the protestors for confirming that "self-loathing" will not be a requirement for leadership in any organization, but also remind the campus that it was never a required condition in TCF.Tina Marsh, LA '03

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News

Convenience, centralization at heart of student services center

August 31

It's a problem as old as Walnut Hill itself: You are trudging up Boston Avenue on your way back from the gym, and the hike up to the Academic Quad is just too much to handle. Where in the past students could do little more than grit their teeth and bear it, there is finally a real solution: enter Dowling Hall through the Police Department on level one, and take the elevator up to the student services center, where the Quad is only a footbridge away. But Dowling, which first opened its doors in early June, signals the completion of more than just an easier way uphill - the facility marks the culmination of a two-year effort by Tufts' administration to restructure student services on campus. Moving trucks were a familiar sight on campus this summer, as the academic and student life deans, Career Services, Student Employment, the Bursar's Office, Financial Aid, Study Abroad, and the Academic Resource Center relocated to the new facility. According to Dean of Academic Services and Student Affairs Kristine Dillon, consolidating the offices into one building not only creates a one-stop shop for student issues, but also facilitates interaction between the many different departments that are now housed in the same building. In addition to the shifting of offices, the old Financial Aid and Bursar's office, have been consolidated into Student Financial Services in order to streamline monetary issues into one office. For the rest of the offices, personnel have been trained to field a variety of questions in order to prevent students from being needlessly transferred from one office to another. Class teams will be implemented this fall to further organize student services. A new concept in advising, the teams match each year's class dean with a career services representative and a student affairs expert, and the three will work together to deal with issues that are specific to that class. Dowling also boasts a spacious Resource Library, where students can peruse written material pertaining to studying abroad, potential careers, internships, campus jobs, graduate school, and academic resources. The library will also be used for tutoring through the Academic Resource Center, and is staffed by counselors trained to help students use computer databases to find job listings and internship opportunities. The glue holding together Dowling's many offices is the centrally located student services desk and its staff of six professionals, trained to deal with a wide variety of student problems and concerns The airport-like design is "the heart of the place. It's extremely useful in making a students' visit to Dowling efficient and painless," said Dean of Students Bruce Reitman. However, because the move occurred over the summer, the student services staff has yet to be given a chance to test its expertise. Over the summer, the front desk received an average of 500 phone calls a day, and kept the wait time to 21 seconds. But the start of school means that the volume of student visits and phone calls will increase dramatically, and glitches could be discovered in the system. "I think as we get a lot more people here in person, that's bound to have an impact," Dillon said. "We're going to have some learning curve time. Since we haven't had prior experience, we don't know what will happen." Dillon emphasized that student feedback will be key to improving the new services setup. A suggestion box has been placed in the lobby of the building, and students will be able to give comments through the enhanced students services website. Already student and parent feedback has lead to one major change. When the building first opened, phone calls were directed to an automated voice answering system, but complaints about the confusing menu and lengthy hold times led to the abolishment of the arrangement. So far, the student response to the new facility has been positive. "It's a lot more efficient. [The information desk workers] seem very knowledgeable," junior Paul Lanks said. "The only drawback that I can foresee is that you might be transferred to a few different places." "The student services desk is amazing because you can do anything there," said junior Christine Lao, who has been working as a greeter at Dowling during the month of August. "All the forms you could ever possibly ask for are by the door - you walk in and they're there. Also, if you e-mail student services, they're aiming to get back within 48 hours." Junior Jonathan Perle, however, was not convinced that the construction of a new facility will cut down on the red tape he feels bogs down Tufts' student services. "The administration thinks that by co-locating the inefficiency, it is going to solve it," he said. In order to introduce students to the new building, each class team will be holding a reception in which they will describe how Dowling works and offer tours. Seniors are being invited to come this afternoon, juniors tomorrow, sophomores on Thursday, and freshmen on Friday.

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News

Jumbos top Bates in first round of NESCAC playoffs

August 31

With its 3-0 win over the Bates Bobcats yesterday afternoon, the Tufts women's soccer team became the first team ever to win a game in the NESCAC Tournament. The victory advances the Jumbos to the semi-final round of the newly formed tourney to face Bowdoin. The four remaining teams, Tufts, Middlebury, Bowdoin, and Williams, will battle it out this weekend to determine the sole NESCAC spot in the NCAA tournament. With the win, the Jumbos surpassed the two records they had tied in Saturday's 2-0 win over Williams. With the win, Tufts moved to 13-2 on the year, breaking the previous mark of 12, which was set by the 1998 team (12-3-2). Also, although she was only called upon to make one save, senior tri-captain Randee McArdle picked up her 21st career shutout, moving into sole possession of first place on the all-time list. "I'm really psyched that 'Tex' broke the record today," coach Martha Whiting said of her goalie. "I'm really excited for her, cause she's such a great person and such a great part of our team. If anyone was going to break the record, I'm glad it's her." "We played great today," McArdle said. "I obviously owe this record to my defense over the past three years. They've been awesome." Tufts started off dominating the play of the game, and it didn't take the Jumbos long to get on the scoreboard. Less than ten minutes after the opening whistle, junior midfielder Becky Mann drove the ball down the right side of the field. She sent the ball into the box, where it bounced around before arriving at the feet of sophomore Alle Sharlip. Sharlip flicked the ball to senior tri-captain Sara Yeatman, who popped the ball up and over a leaping Bobcat keeper and into the net. The Brown and Blue struck again less than four minutes later. The Jumbos moved the ball into the box, getting it to junior Lynn Cooper on the left side. She knocked it to Yeatman, who passed it on to Mann, who fired a shot past the goalie for her second goal of the year, giving Tufts an early 2-0 lead. "We came out really strong, which was one of our pre-game goals," McArdle said. "We wanted to score first and come out really well in the first half, and we did. And I think that just set the tone for the whole game." The Jumbos continued to pour on the offense, keeping the ball almost exclusively on Bates' side of the field. The Bobcats could only generate two scoring chances through the entire opening period. The first resulted in a cross that was cleared out by the defense, and the second in a shot that bounced off the top of the crossbar for a goal kick. By the time the buzzer signaled the end of the half, the Jumbos had put up 20 shots, compared to just one from Bates. "We did a great job of possessing the ball," Whiting said. "That was one of the things we really focused on for this game, because they're very quick. They like to set the pace by knocking the ball on and chasing after it. What we tried to do was just slow it down, try to possess, and play the ball around them. We did a really good job of that." Tufts added its third and final goal in the 37th minute, capitalizing on a corner kick. Junior Katie Kehrberger took the kick and fired it at the goal. It flew over the keeper, landing in front of Yeatman, who tapped her second score of the day into an open net. The goal was Yeatman's tenth on the year, lifting her team-leading point total to 23. "We usually come out pretty flat in the beginning," Yeatman said, "but today we scored three goals in the first half, and that was huge." The Bobcats picked things up in the second half, stepping up an offense that had been almost non-existent in the first half. For the 20 minutes of the period, the game went back and forth, with Bates finally seeming to match up well against the Jumbos. The increased intensity did not result in more production, however, as the Tufts defense was able to keep Bates from getting too far downfield. Eventually, the Jumbos rebounded and began to control play as they had in the first half. The defense allowed just five Bobcat shots on the day. "It might have been a subconscious letdown," Whiting said. "I really tried to stress at halftime to play like the score was 0-0 and don't let down, but sometimes, subconsciously, you can't help it. But I also think that they're a good team, and they got fired up to come out and really come after us in the second half. It was a combination of them coming out hard and us maybe slacking off a little bit, but we did pick it up a bit as the half went on. By the end, we were definitely controlling and getting more shots." Tufts will now move on to the semi-finals of the tournament, which will take place Saturday at Middlebury. The Jumbos will face off against a Bowdoin team that beat them 4-1 earlier this season, the team's worst loss since 1996. Bowdoin beat Colby 3-2 in the first round to advance. "We're playing great right now, so we're looking at this weekend with a positive attitude," McArdle said. "They're going to underrate us, and we have nothing to lose. We're quite a bit better [than the first time we played them]. That game, we had a lot of injuries, and a lot of our starters didn't play. It was just an off day for us. I couldn't think of a better situation to go into this game. I like being the underdog." Yeatman is also optimistic about her team's chances. "To come into the tournament beating a team 3-0 means something," she said. "I like playing [Bowdoin]. It's a big challenge - they play a lot differently than we do. But at least now we know that. We know that they're quick up front, and we know how to defend them." The winner of Saturday's game will play Sunday against the winner of Middlebury vs. Williams, the other semi-final game, which will also be played Saturday. Williams beat Amherst 1-0 yesterday, snapping a five-game losing streak in conference matches. Middlebury, the number-one team, received a bye in the first round. "We didn't even play our best, and we still played well enough to beat [Bates]," Whiting said. "From the time we played them the first time until now, we've improved a lot. [The tournament] is down to four teams, and I feel like we have just as good a shot as anyone to go all the way on Sunday, but we have Saturday to contend with first."

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News

Eil misunderstood views on homosexuality

August 31

To the Editor: In response to David Eil's Viewpoint ("A multifaceted faith," 10/26), an attack on my Viewpoint ("Clarifying Christianity," 10/24), I would like to first commend his increasingly unusual recognition that the nature of liberalism is tolerating minority views. I would also like to thank him for reiterating the fact that the Christian disdain of homosexuality is not based on fear or hatred, with some shameful exceptions, of course. Beyond this, however, Eil misunderstood much of my terminology, and passed off my arguments as very offensive, even to me. For example, he implies that I consider homosexuality a sin. I thought I was clear that only actions freely chosen could be sins. Homosexuality, like alcoholism, is a predisposition towards abuse of one's faculties, not a sin itself. He also implied that I expect homosexuals to deny their sexuality and that I disapprove of homosexual ordination. In fact, I want people to recognize their tendencies towards sinful behavior (which, incidentally, also includes the heterosexual tendency to have premarital sex) and seek to avoid those sins. And respectable denominations have always ordained homosexuals, as long as they hold themselves to the same moral standards as everyone else (i.e., no sex outside of marriage - or, in the case of Roman Catholic clergy, no sex at all). Eil then presumed that, if I were sterile, I would not then consider my sexuality as "meeting all the criteria for an unintended aspect of fallen nature." In fact, I would. Would Eil want me to think that it was God's will that I was sterile? To me, that would be cause for self-loathing. The point I have been trying to make is that traditional Christianity treats homosexuals the same as others, not differently. There is, as Eil explains, even within Christianity, disagreement as to whether homosexuality is a flaw, like sterility. Although I disagree with it, I can respect the reasonable position that says that a marriage-like homosexual relationship is morally sound. I would just implore the University not to discount the traditional position, which retains the worldwide and historical majority among Christians, as an evil and intolerable sentiment.Andrew Gould, LA '01

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News

Tennis slams its way to 9-1 campaign

August 31

The Tufts women's tennis team finished its fall season last weekend with a respectable 9-1 record and a third place finish in the New England Championships. The only two teams ahead of the Jumbos at the championships were Williams and Amherst, with the Lord Jeffs only topping them by two points. "We were pretty happy with finishing in third place," Junior Heather Rich said. "Third place is better than we did last year." Last year, Tufts finished fourth behind Williams, Amherst, and Trinity. Tufts was actually holding onto second place for almost the entire weekend of the New England Championships until the last day, when Amherst pulled ahead by a mere two points. The Jumbos accomplished this success with solid singles play all year long, and doubles play that struggled at times but still got the job done. Overall, Tufts gave up a total of only 18 matches compared to the 72 matches that they won. If one were to label a weakness for the team, it would have to be the inconsistency of the doubles play. Tufts swept the singles matches in many of this years' contests, only to give up one or two doubles matches. Because of the inconsistency, lineups were often switched. In fact, only two combinations of Jumbos played more than three matches together. Even with the apparent trouble with doubles, these three teams all had winning records. The first doubles team of Sophomore Katie Nordstrom and Junior Erika Lee finished the season with a 7-2 record. The second doubles team of freshman Barclay Gang and sophomore Emily Warshauer accumulated a 5-3 record. "Coach [Jim Watson] was switching some of the doubles teams all the way up until the last match," Rich said. "It was a tough season because we were switching a lot, but I think that we all handled it very well." Watson, who also coaches the men's tennis team at Tufts, tried seven different combinations of players in the third doubles spot, three different combinations in the second doubles spot, and two different combinations in the first doubles spot. This uncertainty in the doubles teams and subsequent less-than-perfect performances may have contributed somewhat to the Jumbos third place finish at the New England Championships. Tufts had three people in the top two finishers in singles play but did not have a doubles team in the top two finishers in any doubles spot. Singles play was the Jumbos strength all year long. Tufts only gave up nine out of the total 54 singles matches that they played. Not one Jumbo that played in a singles match had a losing record at the end of the year. Nordstrom, who played first singles most of the time ended her season with a 7-2 record. Lee who usually played second singles ended the season with an undefeated 9-0 record in singles. Gang, the third singles player for the Jumbos, accumulated a 6-2 singles record in her first fall season as a Jumbo. Sophomore Iffy Saeed was one of two players on the team with an undefeated singles record with an impressive 10-0 mark. The Jumbos' fifth singles player, Warshauer, ended her season with a respectable 7-3 singles record. Sophomore Rachel Hammerman and Rich, who each played sixth singles, had 5-1 records at the end of the season. Finally, senior Jen Lai ended her last fall season as a Jumbo with a 1-0 record in singles play. With a successful fall season behind them, the Jumbos are now looking toward a spring season which will end with the NCAA tournament. "We really pulled together this season," Rich said, "and we are really looking forward to the spring." The Jumbos goal for next spring is to beat Amherst, the team that was just out of their reach this past fall. To do this, however, Tufts is going to have to improve over the winter. "We really have to train hard and improve our tennis skills so that we can beat Amherst in the spring," Rich said The Jumbos are on their way to this goal after their successful fall season. "We are very confident as we enter the spring season because we had a great fall," Rich said. "Hopefully we'll carry that through to the spring." Whether they carry it through to the spring remains to be seen, but if the Jumbos continue playing they way they are, they will be a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming season.

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News

Community bids farewell to Rev. "Scotty" McLennan

August 31

Colleagues, students, and friends gathered to honor University Chaplain Reverend Scotty McLennan at a reception held in Ballou last Friday. After 16 years of service to the Tufts community, McLennan will become the dean of religious life at Stanford University at the beginning of next semester. Former athletic department director Rocky Carzo hosted the tribute, which consisted of a reception followed by a series of emotional, laudatory remarks from members of the estimated 100 people in attendance. After an hour of praise and applause, the guest of honor expressed his thanks for the opportunities Tufts afforded to him and his family. "The Tufts community has been really accepting... this University has a sense of informality and friendliness, a real sense of family" McLennan said. "The community empowered me and freed me to do what I love the most - to be a preacher." All those who spoke of him commended McLennan for the moral, ethical, and spiritual leadership that he lovingly bestowed upon the Tufts community. "Scotty has helped the entire University think about what it means to be a moral person on the deepest level," Associate Chaplain Rabbi Jeff Summit said. "Scotty has truly worked to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of those who founded this university," said Howard Hunter, the former chair of the comparative religion department. McLennan came to Tufts in 1984 after working as an attorney offering legal services to low-income individuals in Dorchester, Mass. Labeled the "Miracle of Medford" by Provost Sol Gittleman, McLennan actively encouraged the "cynical, disinterested, unspiritual" faculty, staff, and student body to consider issues of ethics, morality, and spirituality. According to Gittleman, he was extremely successful in his attempts to combat the anti-religious sentiment that pervaded Tufts during the 1970s. "People will go to any chaplain now in a way they never would have before," Gittleman said. McLennan nurtured a greater awareness of morality and spirituality for all aspects of campus life. Besides his traditional role as a preacher, he led the Chaplain's Table, a series of roundtable discussions focusing on topics from religion in the media to human rights. A Unitarian Universalist minister, McLennan advocated individuality and personal growth during the popular sessions. "It's not 'my way or the highway' with Scotty," said junior Douglass Hansen, a regular participant in chaplaincy events. "You can be yourself and do your own thing... Scotty really stresses personal fulfillment." McLennan also tried to communicate the importance of ethics as a lecturer at the Harvard Business School and as a professor in Tufts' department of comparative religion. His courses at Tufts, "Ethics through literature" and "Religion in international relations," focused on the roles that ethics play in society and called on students to question and understand their own moral standards. Professor Mohamed Mahmoud, the department chair, extolled the reverend's ability to touch students from different backgrounds and with a variety of personal philosophies. "There's a constant tension between different faiths. It's incredible how he bridges the gaps and relates to all the different faith communities," Mahmood said. "Whoever comes next is going to have a hell of a role to follow." Sophomore Oliver Wise elicited laughs from the crowd when he said that McLennan does not do much teaching in class. Wise explained that in lieu of lecturing on a topic, "he helps you find out what the lessons mean for themselves." In addition to his posts as a preacher and an academic, McLennan served as an advisor for the Leonard Carmichael Society as well as a counselor for individuals wrestling with personal issues. Summit described his colleague of 16 years as a thoroughly humble man who always made time to see students. He cited McLennan's academic accomplishments including degrees from Harvards Law and Divinity schools when declaring him "one of the smartest men I know." University President John DiBiaggio remarked that McLennan has been a tremendous leader for students - a role he played "out of the goodness of his heart, which is very big indeed." The celebration was mostly devoid of religious reference, with Catholic Associate Chaplain David O'Leary offering perhaps the only scriptural reference. Speaking of the biblical story in which Jacob displaces his hip after wrestling with an angel, O'Leary that Jacob forever walked with a limp after his metaphorical struggle with morality. "I will forever limp as a result of my encounter with Scotty McLennan," O'Leary said. Following his short remarks, McLennan led the audience in a group prayer.

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News

TCUJ rules TCF violated nondiscrimination policy

August 31

The Tufts Community Union Judiciary (TCUJ) ruled yesterday that Tufts Christian Fellowship's (TCF) exclusion of senior Julie Catalano from a leadership position because of her sexual orientation violated Tufts' non discrimination policy. The TCUJ found that TCF discriminated against Catalano by holding her to different standards than a heterosexual senior leader but allowed the group to remain a recognized student organization. In a complex, multi-tiered ruling, the TCUJ maintained that University policy allows groups to select leaders according to beliefs and recommended that Tufts rewrite its discrimination policy if it intends for it to cover acceptance of one's sexual orientation. "As long as their beliefs are held across racial, sexual, or religious boundaries, then it's all right. If the belief is applied equally to everyone, then it can be as morally corrupt as they want it to be, according to Tufts policy," TCUJ member Eric Krause said. TCUJ members maintained that ambiguous wording in Tufts' nondiscrimination policy is what prevented them from making a broader statement on the issue and maintained that they did not avoid making a controversial ruling. "I don't think we skirted around anything. I think if anything, Tufts policy is what's skirting around," TCUJ member Alison Clarke said. "I think if anything, this decision shows that Tufts needs to clarify its policy before someone else gets hurt." TCF was placed on probation until the end of this academic year. It must now revise its constitution to clarify the leader selection process and role of its national organization, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF). Any further violation during the probation period will result in automatic de-recognition of the group. The TCUJ did not stipulate exactly what TCF's new constitution must include, saying only that it must comply with University policy. According to Clarke, if TCF were to rewrite its constitution to say that students cannot be leaders if they believe that homosexuality is acceptable and apply that standard consistently, then it would not violate the nondiscrimination policy. "Tufts policy doesn't protect beliefs," TCUJ member Mike Ferenczy said. During the hearing, which was closed at Catalano's request, a former TCF leader testified that it did not matter to him whether Catalano practiced her sexual orientation. Despite not agreeing with TCF's stance on practicing homosexuality, this person was allowed to continue his leadership role in TCF. The TCUJ said that these statements were the foundation for their decision, as they show that the discrimination against Catalano was based not on her acceptance of homosexuality, but on her homosexual actions themselves. The TCUJ found that the discrimination occurred when TCF violated its own doctrine - that acceptance of homosexuality is not permissible - by allowing the accepting heterosexual leader to remain when Catalano, a practicing homosexual, was denied. "If the two had been treated the same way, it would have complied," Clarke said. Additionally, the TCUJ found that TCF advisor and Tufts affiliate chaplain Jody Chang was improperly involved in the exclusion of Catalano from a leadership position in the group. Catalano filed her complaint after Chang told her that TCF's national organization, IVCF, would not allow her to hold a leadership position. Because the charges were filed before the TCF became involved in the situation, the TCUJ said that the TCF's subsequent decision to deny Catalano a leadership position was influenced by media attention and other outside forces, and ruled unanimously that TCF did not intend to discriminate against her. "Sexual orientation is a really gray area of where it becomes belief and where it becomes orientation," Krause said. "This decision was definitely not cut and dry." These circumstances, coupled with the TCUJ's desire to maintain diversity on campus, led to a mitigated punishment. In the decision, the group states, "TCF is an important group that, in keeping with the spirit of Tufts University, deserves to remain on campus.... At this time, the TCUJ feels that de-recognition would have more negative repercussions than positive ones. It would be unfair to punish an active group of more than seventy members because of the actions of a few individuals, all of whom no longer represent TCF." However, both Catalano and members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered (LGBT) community feel that Tufts' policy is very straightforward, and they criticized the TCUJ for not taking a strong stance against discrimination. "I think it's a sad and limited interpretation of the anti-discrimination policy, and I think it opens up the campus to the danger of future discrimination," Catalano said. "TCF allowed me to lead as a lesbian as long as I was self-hating and praying to be straight. The Judiciary, in their decision, has just justified that." "Everybody thinks the policy is clear, and now because of this decision, the policy is going to become vague and able to be manipulated by groups at their will," said Tufts Transgendered Lesbian Gay Bisexual Collective (TTLGBC) co-coordinator Michael Lambert. "The implication is that the nondiscrimination policy is now negotiable when it needs to be absolute." Catalano said that she will not appeal the ruling and does not plan to take any further action on this issue. However, the LGBT community is not done fighting, and TTLGBC met late last night to discuss the plan what to do next. "We don't plan on taking this lying down. We believe that discrimination is extremely serious, and this ruling does not do justice to our community," Lambert said. "We're just waiting for the 'TCUJ is not safe' chalkings," Krause said TCF senior leader Jonathan Crowe, who presented the group's case along with Nicole Monnell, feels that the TCUJ erred in its interpretation of the leader's testimony but that the decision was fair nonetheless. "I think the substance of the ruling is in our favor. We were found innocent of the specific charge against us," he said. "It's clear the J misinterpreted the evidence but upheld religious freedom....This ruling has made it clear that religious groups have the right to use religious beliefs when selecting leaders." The ruling was the TCUJ's second attempt to reach a decision on the issue. It ruled last April to de-recognize TCF after finding that Catalano was discriminated against because of her sexual orientation. However, that ruling was vacated by Committee on Student Life, who said that the TCUJ followed improper procedure in the original hearing. Herzog, who is one of two TCUJ members to take part in both decisions, called that decision was a hasty one, saying that it was based on Catalano's welfare and not evidence of discrimination. TCUJ members emphasize that their decision was based strictly on Tufts policy as written and is in no way an endorsement of TCF's views on homosexuality. "Not a single one of us are personally condoning this. My personal beliefs do not hold true to this, but my role as a J member is to uphold Tufts policy, and right now Tufts policy isn't clear enough," Clarke said. "The unanimous decision on every single motion proves that we did the right thing." During preparations for the new hearing, a complaint was raised by TCF that TCUJ member Mike Ferenczy would not be impartial in his ruling because he lived with Catalano over the summer. However, the TCUJ voted unanimously not to recuse Ferenczy, saying that he had entered into the housing arrangement without being aware that he would be living with Catalano and that his friendship with her would not influence his decision. The full text of the ruling is posted on www.tuftslife.com.

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News

The Ladies Man' plays on

August 31

"Oooh, it's a lady." Leon Phelps, the Ladies Man, the self-proclaimed "Mother Teresa of boning," has hit the silver screen, with 'fro and bottle of Courvoisier intact. If you're even a casual fan of the recurring sketches on Saturday Night Live, then you're sure to crack up during Tim Meadows' first starring feature, The Ladies Man. The film follows Leon, host to a late-night, call-in radio show as he doles out valuable, experienced advice on loving ("have you considered the butt?") to his listeners. Leon is the archetypical player, bedding so many women that his lovers' husbands have formed a support group. Of course, everyone has it in for Leon, from irate listeners to the station manager. When he loses his job, he runs himself ragged in search of a new locale - while only one unknowing step ahead of an army of irate husbands. Don't expect an all-star cast or a groundbreaking script. SNL movies are known for their rehashed gags and cameos by cast members. At the same time, The Ladies Man is far better than you might expect - good enough that it even overcomes the stereotype of bad TV-to-movie adaptations. Tim Meadows never loses a beat. His impeccable voice and smile (and taste in clothes) as Leon Phelps is only more effective in theaters. Don't expect a fish-out-of-water player like in Austin Powers. This Ladies Man has lost none of his mojo, despite his outmoded style. He proves himself time and again as the story unfolds. Of course, even the Ladies Man needs a love (true love, that is) in his life, and his producer Julie (Karyn Parsons) is right there beside him. Leon may not realize it, but the audience certainly does - and spends the entire movie waiting for him to figure it out. You may not be here for the romance or the drama, but there's still the satisfaction to seeing everything turn out happily by the end. Easy way to get a cheap laugh: throw Billy Dee Williams into a movie, even if he's only a bartender. He's got such a distinct voice that the viewers wrinkle their brows immediately... and admit it, for many, he'll always be Lando Calrissian. Besides, Williams is a big enough name to lend the script a little credibility, even in so minor a role. SNL regular Will Ferrell makes his obligatory appearance, here as the head of the group out to catch the Ladies Man. Taking on an original character - rather than the head-bopping Steve Butabi from Roxbury - seems to have done something good for his screen presence. He's as funny as he usually is on the show, and more than a little creepy in character. Some people may wonder why Lorne Michaels keeps churning out Saturday Night Live spin-off flicks. After the poor critical buzz for A Night at the Roxbury and Superstar (not to mention the outdated Coneheads), it might seem like these are unprofitable ventures. Look at the big picture, though. Remember Wayne's World (and its sequel)? While hoping for another great success, the SNL producer can keep releasing duds until one pays off. Keep in mind that using TV actors and pre-existing characters (and eschewing nearly all special effects) gives these films an easy profit margin. This is not to put down the quality of The Ladies Man, however. Special effects would do nothing to enhance the movie, and the whole point of the venture is seeing Tim Meadows (one of SNL's best remnants), not some other actor who's never played Leon Phelps before. You're here hoping that he'll seduce everyone in sight or say something about doggie style. Assuming that is what you want, The Ladies Man delivers big time. Without repeating the same scripts and jokes from the sketches on SNL, the movie follows the right themes while taking Leon on an adventure of sorts. There are great comedic highlights, like Leon trying to keep a straight face as a nun describes her upcoming position in a mission - that is, her missionary position - and the "spontaneous" choreographed dances that erupt out of Will Ferrell's militia of jilted spouses. It would have been easy to just reuse popular lines from the show, but the trio of writers (which included star Tim Meadows) made an effort to keep the material fresh. Don't expect cinematic brilliance, of course. This is not meant to be a great film. You're going into a Saturday Night Live movie - and if you have trouble remembering that, the cast, script, and humor should help remind you. This is a flat-out comedy, and The Ladies Man pulls out every comedic trick you could think of to make it work. Whether it's the golden light and "Hallelujah" chorus when Leon opens his pants or a gross-out competition with pickled bar food, none of the writers or actors seem to have brought much shame with them here. It's certainly a sight tamer than There's Something About Mary, but to excellent effect: The Ladies Man rarely misses a punch. Despite the cheapness or outlandishness of its gags, few of them fall flat.

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News

Work study offers Tufts students range of options

August 31

During her afternoons, sophomore Tori Plotkin often finds herself playing with pre-schoolers as part of her work study job. Even though filing in an office is usually thought of as the standard student job, Tufts students find many exciting work study options available to them through the student employment office. Students who qualify for financial aid can take advantage of the work study program, an option in aid packages, rather than take out loans that they must pay back after college. Roughly 2,500 Tufts students qualified this year, according to Director of Student Employment Joanne Grande. It is still too early in the year to identify how many of those have selected to exercise the work study option, but Grande said a "good percentage" of them have chosen to do so. Plotkin chose to utilize the work study option. She works with four-year-olds at Jumpstart, a literacy program, for ten hours a week. Plotkin said it was more convenient for her to obtain a work study job than to look for another job, since the federal government pays part of the wages for work study students. However, Grande said that some students choose to forgo work study jobs and instead find other jobs that peak their interests. On campus, students often find it easier to obtain work study jobs since there are so many of them. "People prefer to hire work study rather than people on stipend," Plotkin said.The jobs available to students on work study are listed on the Office of Student Employment website, as well as in books at the Office of Student Employment. Last year, current sophomore Erin Loew went to the employment office and decided on a work study job at the admissions office without researching the other options on the list."I came in as a freshman and didn't know anything," Loew said.This year, though, Loew made a more informed decision about which work study job to take. She knew someone who had worked at Olin, and based on that person's description of the job, she thought it would be one that she would be interested in applying for. Grande explained that the jobs listed at the Office of Student Employment are basically available on a first-come first-serve basis. A variety of jobs are available on campus at Dining Services and various offices, as well as off-campus jobs that often involve community service.Seven percent of work study jobs offered must involve community service, according to federal government regulations. Grande said that the Office of Student Employment tries to find and approve jobs that "better the community." For example, Plotkin's job with Jumpstart is community based. The Jumpstart program targets children who might have weak reading and writing skills, problems socializing with other children, or difficulties with the English language. "It's something really rewarding. It's mixing community service with a job," Plotkin said. In the past Plotkin has done filing and other office work, but she wanted something different for her work study job. "I've done that stuff before. I'd rather do stuff where I feel more rewarded," Plotkin said. Loew's work study job, on the other hand, is on campus. Her duties at the Olin language lab involve distributing language tapes and delivering the equipment necessary for language instruction, such as tape players, to classrooms. The number of hours that students work depends on their individual need, as determined through the financial aid application process. Work study students are paid by check, just as they would at any other job. Students earnings are not simply deducted from tuition but are also used for other school-related costs, such as books. Plotkin said that she has a positive overall view of how Tufts has implemented the federal work study program. "I have friends who go to much larger schools where even with work study it's hard to get a job," she said. At Tufts, it is relatively easy for work study students to find jobs. However, non-work study students often run into problems when searching for jobs on campus. Many have found that work study students take almost all of the on-campus jobs. A few of the offices on campus, such as the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, only hire work study students. However, the Office of Student Employment keeps listings of non-work study jobs available on campus.

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News

Not your backyard barbeque

August 31

If you've got the cash to spend, or an executive expense account (ha!), Grill 23 & Bar is the perfect place to settle in for the night. Located just a few blocks from Newbury Street, it's a magnet for power suits, schmoozing, and brown-nosing. Perfect for a date if you're going for the whole impress-the-pants-off-her thing, Grill 23 serves award-winning food in a classic, elegant atmosphere without being overbearingly romantic. This restaurant is for the date you want to see again and again, not the date you want to forget ever happened. Think twice - it's an expensive mistake if you don't enjoy his or her company following the arrival of the appetizers. From the outside, the building is an austere gray slab of stone somewhat resembling a bank. No wonder, since the clientele probably all hail from the financial district. The glowing plate-glass windows, however, illuminate the street in contrast with the intimidating exterior, revealing lively diners, delicious plates, and animated conversations. The diner who steps into the foyer of Grill 23 is greeted by a gracious maitre'd. If you don't have a reservation, however, be prepared to be graciously turned away. Still, it's much classier than the "Please wait to be seated" signs at Friendly's. While waiting for your table to be prepared, mingle with the businessmen at the bar drinking martinis. Most of them are foreign, and you can bet they're in Boston on business and putting the meal on their expense account. And why not, after all? Grill 23 is renowned for serving some of Boston's best dry-aged beef as well as astounding seafood presentations. Executive Chef Jay Murray piles masses of shellfish onto silver platters of ice, creating the visual effect of a mountain of food rivaled only by the fresh fish markets in Paris. But we digress... we're still at the bar, salivating at the thought of Cedar Roasted Salmon or Prime, Dry-Aged Delmonico. When your coat is checked, your drink refilled, and your tummy growling, you are escorted to your table in the middle of a bustling, lively dining room. Looking out over the dining room is the kitchen - really the grill - where chefs and sous-chefs flurry around in white caps preparing delicious delectables. Set behind an open wall, diners are often interested in watching the goings-on of the orderly kitchen. The noise from the kitchen provides a comfortable level of background chatter, adding to the spirited atmosphere of the dining room. Once seated, the pampering begins and your date will start to be really impressed. A waiter comes to explain the menu, namely that it is seasonal and changes a little bit each week. He recommends certain dishes and mentions the specials, which are met with a chorus of growling stomachs. He leaves the diners to contemplate, and a wine steward arrives to help in the selection of a fine wine from Grill 23's award-winning list. If you have a favorite wine, they probably have it - but if you don't, the steward can suggest one to compliment your meal. Watch yourself, though - the food here may run the bill up to around $100, but with nice wine and port after your meal, you could wind up in the feed-a-small-army price range. The menu reflects the d?©cor: classical, with a modern twist. As an appetizer, the traditional Steak Tartare comes with an interesting tile bread and tomato confit. Seared Tuna arrives with Tzaziki, tomato water, and dill oil, adding a new-ish twist to an old favorite. But the appetizers are merely a prelude to the piece-de-resistance, the main courses. The seafood served at Grill 23 is truly the best available, prepared in masterful ways by culinary geniuses. Yes, it's very good. Apart from lobster, the Herb Crusted Tuna comes perfectly underdone and well seasoned for a light yet filling meal. One taste, and you'll wish you'd ordered the tuna instead of the Grill 23 Meatloaf, which says a lot. This is not your mother's leftover meatloaf - this is a sculpted cylinder of goodness served on a bed of caramelized onions. Other equally delicious choices include steaks of all shapes and sizes, Chicken Breast with provencal couscous, pattypan squash and goat cheese, and Rack of Lamb with marinated tomatoes, shoestring potatoes and arugula pesto. Though instinct and your taste buds will tell you to clean your plate, save room for dessert. The cr??me brulee, which comes with fresh fruit, whipped cream and a cookie, is perfectly caramelized on top and gooey inside. Indulge in something warm and sweet before venturing back into the cold night air. After dinner at Grill 23, your date will be snuggling with you in the cab or holding your hand on the sidewalk. Bellies full, senses satiated, and interests peaked, the happy couple will stroll off into the sunset with light hearts and lighter wallets.

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News

Zipping around the city in no time at all

August 31

Have you ever found yourself desperately in need of a car, but mom and dad wouldn't provide the funds and the rental companies weren't of any help? Well, now there's Zipcar - a privately owned company that offers affordable and easy access to cars for short-term periods round the clock, throughout the year. People in Europe have long been driving with time-share services like Zipcar. These companies are already in place in over 500 cities, and serve more than 70,000 members. Now, a similar service has come to Boston, a city that houses over 40,000 college students and countless young corporates. With over 15 locations in and around the Boston area, including the Osco at Davis Square, Zipcar is a fast-growing company that caters to the needs of young, car-less city dwellers, unsatisfied with public transportation and not willing or able to pay for a car of their own. Zipcar members can use cars at a rate that, if used 15 hours a month, will total up to about $1300 a year. A basic membership includes gas, insurance, maintenance, and parking with five relatively cheap payment components. Costs include a $25 non-refundable application fee, a $300 fully refundable insurance deposit, a $75 annual fee, an hourly rate that ranges from $4.50 to $7, and a mileage fee of $0.40 a mile. Zipcar works on a fairly simple system. First, members reserve the car of their choice for a desired length of time, with a minimum of one hour, up to two months in advance. Then, arrive at your designated pick-up location, unlock one of several brand new VW beetles, Golfs, Passat station wagons, pickup trucks, or minivans with a smart card, enter your pin number and drive away. After you're done just return the car to the place where you picked it up, in the condition you found it in, and simply walk away. Easy, right? Well, this is only possible if you're a member, and obtaining a membership as a college student may not be as easy or as convenient as it seems. A membership, available through an on-line application, is available to anyone over the age of 21 who complies with a few regulations - no more than two driving incidents (moving violations or accidents) in the past three years and no more than one in the past 18 months. Those with a California or international license must first get hard copies of their past driving records and submit them to Zipcar's insurance department before memberships can be considered. For drivers between the ages of 21 and 24, a couple more restrictions apply - you must either be in college or have graduated from college, and are not allowed to drive the car Friday, Saturday, or Sunday nights after 6 p.m.Though many people are already using Zipcars and praise their benefits, the limitations placed on younger members might make the service unattainable and even undesirable to the college crowd. Tufts sophomore Melody Wilson admits that the idea of a Zipcar is only mildly appealing. "The idea sounds great but the things they are doing to protect themselves from high insurance and accidents are the things that make them less appealing and more of a hassle for college students." The founders of Zipcar claim that their service reduces individual car usage by as much as 50 percent, and that each shared vehicle can replace four to eight privately owned vehicles. These statistics result in fewer greenhouse gas emissions, less congestion on the roadways, less need for parking, and even the replacement of old cars with new ones with better pollution controls. For more information, visit the website at www.zipcar.com.

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