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Love in the classroom?

August 31

Have you ever wondered about the secret lives of your professors? Who are they beyond the boundaries of the classroom? What happens when they stop lecturing and morph into real people? A.R. Gurney's The Love Course - this semester's first minor production from student organization Pen, Paint, and Pretzels - explores this very phenomenon within the context of a course on the literature of love. The cast of four is comprised of two professors and two students who become immersed in the worlds of Tristan and Isolde and Wuthering Heights to the point of redefining the limits of public and private life, as well as the meaning of love. "This play explores a part of class that you'd never think about," says director Jennifer Bien, a junior whose involvement with 3Ps includes last fall's Wait Until Dark. "It makes you wonder about what goes on behind the scenes." The audience witnesses outbursts between both the professors and the two students - clearly lovers - that one would not normally expect within the classroom. References to literature are merely veiled expressions of raw emotion, achieving a dramatic yet comical effect that forms the core of this play. According to Bien, the ultimate goal of 3Ps is "to put on theatre for the sake of theatre," an objective that is clearly achieved with The Love Course. Despite a limited budget and various time constraints, the cast succeeds in putting on a play that makes the audience think a little deeper about love and its manifestations without forsaking any of the humor that is inevitably involved in matters of the heart. Three of the four actors in The Love Course are freshmen - and talented freshmen at that. Chris Tadros plays Professor Burgess, a lecturer who is giving up his love for the Renaissance for a cushy administrative position at the university. His counterpart, Professor Carroway (Sarah Hecht), has been denied tenure and forced into accepting a position lecturing at Mount Holyoke College. They are both the epitome of academic, bookish professors who have become just a little too interested in their scholarly specialties. Unpredictable and animated both as lecturers and lovers, Tadros and Hecht are the perfect pair, playing off each other's idiosyncrasies for the entire length of the play. Their incessant banter is humorous and insightful, making them a pleasure to watch. Jessica Schauer plays Sally, the perfect student who reads every book cover to cover and idolizes her professors. Like Professors Burgess and Carroway, she is also guilty of becoming overly involved in the literature. She unfalteringly bears her romantic soul to both the audience and her lover Mike, played by sophomore Drew Shelton. Initially "expendable," Mike becomes an integral part of the development of Sally's character, and an indispensable member of the class.The Love Course is well worth the walk to the Balch Arena Theatre. It's the perfect study break, falling right in the midst of the rush before finals. It's thirty free minutes of literature, love, and laughs that are bound to make you appreciate 3Ps in a whole new way.

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News

Reflecting on my years at Tufts

August 31

Part of the job of the University Chaplain is to be a prophet. Just over sixteen years ago I preached my first sermon in Tufts' Goddard Chapel. On Wednesday of this week I preached my last sermon from the same pulpit. In both cases I used a scriptural text from the Hebrew prophet Isaiah. In brief it says: "Seek justice, rescue the oppressed." On that day in September of 1984 I spoke about establishing an ever more just and loving human community at Tufts, as well as relating effectively through social service and action to the larger world beyond Tufts. A lot has happened in this last decade and a half that has been very exciting. We now have national recognition that was unimagined back then. We are getting better and better students each year and our academic excellence keeps transcending. There are spectacular new buildings and resources and programs. Fund-raising has been terrific. Wonderful people have been working their hearts out for this institution and the world beyond - often far beyond the call of duty - in all parts of the University on all of our campuses. I am very grateful to have had the privilege of working here in these times. What about that prophetic voice, though? Despite all of our successes, what could be said about Tufts now in the spirit of Isaiah? First, I think we should be working very hard to get back to the needs-blind admissions standard we abandoned in the early 1990's. Robert Reich, the former Secretary of Labor, wrote in last September's Chronicle of Higher Education that "almost all the increase in the proportion if 18-24 year olds in post secondary institutions in recent years is attributable to children from middle and upper income families... less than 30 percent of children from families in the bottom quarter [of income are] enrolled in post secondary education - a percentage that has been dropping since 1993, even as college enrollments among more affluent students have been rising." Tufts is part of this trend. I believe, along with Reich, that the rush toward selectivity and exclusivity in higher education, without adequate financial aid to support the needy, is exactly the wrong direction to take for a society that is already becoming less equal, where the income gap between the top and bottom ten percent of earners is wider now than at any time since the 1920s, according to the US Census Bureau. I have some hope that Tufts' stated commitment to increase financial aid dramatically will lead back toward needs-blind admissions and creative recruiting of low-income student rather than simply toward competition with other colleges to raise offers for a known pool of high school stars. Another prophetic challenge to Tufts is directed to students here now, especially to those students - rich, poor, and in-between - who are most concerned about social inequality: Seek justice, not just charity. As advisor to the Leonard Carmichael Society, I have written and spoken to its members and leaders about the UCLA surveys which show that incoming freshmen nationwide are more interested in community service now than at any time since the surveys began in the 1960s, but disturbingly, that same research shows that students these days have the lowest political awareness ever. That means they don't understand the social and institutional conditions that lie behind the poverty, hunger, homelessness, malnutrition, faltering public education, and other problems that the Leonard Carmichael Society addresses. There's a real danger that current LCS volunteers are largely treating symptoms without looking at causes. I must say that I've been thrilled to see the upsurge in student political activism on campus this semester, from rallies on the library roof to the actions taking in and around the admissions building last week by nondiscrimination advocates. I was particularly impressed to see how well TSAD had done its homework in the 14-page press packet it distributed. Another target for prophetic challenge is the trend toward seeing higher education solely as a business. I've been a lecturer at the Harvard Business School for the last decade, and I certainly don't have anything against business per se. Yet, it's dangerous when we begin to apply a pure bottom-line business model to all of our public institutions in all that they do, including universities, social service organizations, hospitals, and churches, not to mention government. Of course non-profits should be held as strictly accountable for the money they raise and spend as for-profits are, and there are many functions within such institutions - like accounting - which need to follow traditional business principles. But students are not just consumers and faculty and staff are not just selling services. To be a community of scholars advancing knowledge together requires a kind of freedom of inquiry on the one hand and a mutual respect on the other which are quite different from the normal business environment. And universities are not just training students to be productive economic units in the workforce, but also to be good parents in families, effective citizens in a body politic, aesthetically sensitive people who appreciate culture, and even spiritually aware participants in communities of faith and interfaith dialogue. There's much more to say about the prophetic challenge to the Tufts of the 21st century - like how to claim to be a family, as we do, in an era of outsourcing long-tern employees, and how to invest our endowment portfolio consonant with the core values of the University. Yet, I was taught in Preaching 101 that three points are enough, and I'll assume that's true for a swan-song, too. So, I leave you with my hopes and dreams for a Tufts equally accessible to rich and poor, a Tufts promoting global citizenship which is justice-oriented rather than charity-oriented, and a Tufts which remembers to be business-like where appropriate but crystal-clear that it's not a business. I've loved my years here. I thank you for each and every one of those years and I wish you each true fulfillment.Reverend Scotty McLennan is University Chaplain of Tufts.

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News

Senior and sophomore Dickersons are force on football squad

August 31

With just under three years and 75 pounds separating them, the Dickerson brothers made a huge impact on the Tufts football team this year. Everett, a 220-pound senior, played a pivotal role in the Jumbos defensive line this season, while Andy, a 295-pound sophomore, brought size and skill to an inexperienced offensive line. The Wilmington, DE natives never planned on playing on the same collegiate team, but fate clearly stepped in. "I had never heard of Tufts before Everett applied," Andy said. "I decided to go there because it was a good school academically, and I would have a chance to do different sports. I was definitely going to play football no matter where I went." Everett was thrilled when he heard that his younger sibling would be joining him, and suiting up in a Jumbo football uniform as well. "I was totally psyched when I found out he was coming to Tufts," Everett said. "We have always been each other's biggest supporter, and I love having him here." When Andy joined the team, it was actually a relief for Everett, then a junior, because he had spent his entire sophomore year sidelined with an injury. Having an honest opinion from someone who knew his style of play better than anyone else on the field gave Everett an added confidence boost. "I came back junior year and I was a stranger to most of the team, and I was having trouble on defense," Everett said. "He would tell me what I was doing wrong. It's good to have someone who has the same goals as you out on the field." Both Dickerson brothers began their football careers eight years ago. For Everett, it was his freshman year in high school. "I wasn't going to play, but football was really big at my high school," Everett said. "I was one of the bigger kids on the team, so I played [defensive] line." The elder brother also was on his school's wrestling and track teams, and was joined by his younger brother in all three of the sports two years later. "The fact that Everett played football had an effect," Andy said, "but it was always something that I wanted to do. I kind of followed him, but it made sense that I played those sports. Again, I would say it was mostly a coincidence, but he had a little factor." While in high school the duo dominated, both playing on the defensive line, often side-by-side, culminating in a conference championship Everett's senior year. It wasn't until college, though, that the two had to line up against each other, on the opposite sides of the ball during practice. "When we are playing, he's definitely my brother," Everett said. "Sometimes it's hard for me to go up against him. He knows that I'm worth my salt, though. We play good, controlled football. We only practice against each other so it's all for learning anyway. I know he can take it, and he's got the same attitude about me." Andy tries to take a less personal approach. "I try to see him as a regular player when we are lining up," he said. "You just have to go out and do whatever you have to." The Dickerson brothers helped their Jumbos jump out to a 2-1 record early in the season. But as the Jumbos' luck turned, so did Andy's ankle, and he was sidelined for a few games midway through the season. He returned and played well in the final game of the season, which may also have been the last time the brothers would suit up together. "He is a warrior," Everett said. "He'll play through pain, but not injury. I don't see it as the last time we will be side-by-side in competition though. I've got two more years to see him play." The two may actually have another season together as Jumbos, though, as Everett is considering going to graduate school at Tufts. Because he missed his entire sophomore season due to injury, he still has another year of eligibility left. While it may be a bit of a long shot at this point, Everett may also join his younger brother on the track and field team, where Andy competes in the weight throw, hammer throw, and discus. The Dickersons, while unique off the field, both bring a similar level of intensity while playing the game they love. Through the time they have experienced playing together, they have also acquired respect for each other. "I wouldn't say he looks up to me," Everett said. "At this point in our lives we can look at each other as equals because he's not a kid anymore. I've been through more at Tufts, but he also brings a lot to the table. We have two totally different groups of friends, but if I ever need him he's there."

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News

Standing proud for Bush

August 31

Are you proud of who you are voting for on Tuesday? Most of us have seen some of the politically active students on campus. You know, those people who wouldn't be seen without campaign stickers on their book bags and who would gladly skip a class to stand on a street corner in Boston rallying support for their candidate. But not all Tufts students seem so enthusiastic about the election. It seems the slogan of choice these past few weeks has been "choosing between the lesser of two evils." Why, at a college like Tufts, where the students pride themselves on being some of the most intellectual in the country, is it so popular to claim complete apathy about the election? When you step into the voting booth you are using your judgment, your intelligence, and your values to pick the candidate who will best represent you and your desires. What is wrong with being proud of your decision? The apathy about the campaign on the Tufts campus seems to come more from Bush voters than any others. It has been my experience that Tufts students who plan on voting for Bush are ashamed to tell people who they are voting for or to stand up for what they believe in. It is possible that some may feel intimidated by showing support for a candidate who the minority of students here on campus back. I know several students who have been insulted for wearing Bush campaign shirts and stickers. Many students simply want to fit in. And on a liberal campus such as Tufts, this may mean keeping one's mouth shut when it comes to the election. We laugh in Dewick at the anti-Bush jokes, and we don't raise our hand in classes to defend conservative ideas. I don't claim to be any better. After being constantly bothered by people stopping by to offer negative comments on the McCain campaign paraphernalia on my door last March, I decided this year not to show any sign of who I support in the election. It's partially because I don't what the annoyance of always having to defend my political beliefs to a usually uninformed hall-mate, but also because I don't want people to judge me negatively by which political party I support. What I failed to realize earlier this year is that your political beliefs are part of you, part of your values, and part of who you are. They should not be suppressed or denied, just as any part of yourself should not be suppressed because you are concerned about what some freshman down the hall thinks of you. Of all the things we will do this month, voting should be one that we are most proud of. It's a chance for us to stop complaining about government, to evaluate the system, make an educated decision, and do something about it by changing who controls the country. As for me and the other Bush supporters who are too concerned about image to openly admit who they support in the election, it's time to be proud. You don't have to personally like George W. Bush or think he is the best possible man in the country who could be president. But when you vote for George W. Bush, you are not simply voting for a name and a personality. You are voting for principles and for a plan to reform government. A vote for Bush is not a vote for the man you like better, but for less government, keeping more of your hard-earned money, improving the nation's schools and education system, and restoring dignity to the office of president. When you vote your values, your principles, and your future, you should never be embarrassed or ashamed. Although you may feel like a minority on the Tufts campus, millions of Americans will be voting your way on Tuesday. Be proud of who you are, be proud of who you want to represent you. You don't have to tell everyone who you voted for or put that "W. 2000" sticker on your car, but feel good about what you did for yourself and for your country.Meghan Sweeney is a junior majoring in Chemical Engineering. She is the president of Tufts Republicans.

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News

Rosters change, little else will in Pacific

August 31

The NBA's Pacific division was won by the Los Angeles Lakers last year, as they finished a remarkable 67-15 and dominated the Western Conference en route to winning the title. Their closest competitors in the Pacific were the Portland Trail Blazers, who finished a distant eight games behind. This season should be a very fun one to watch in the Pacific, as Portland and L.A. will battle for the division and ultimately the NBA crown. Portland made some key acquisitions in the off-season in obtaining power forward Shawn Kemp and All-Star forward Dale Davis. Look for the remaining five teams to all battle for the remaining six slots in the Western Conference playoff bracket. Take it to the bank: The division will be won by either the Lakers or the Blazers. The Lakers, coming off their first NBA championship in 12 years, are stacked. They have one of the most prolific tandems in NBA history in Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal and with the addition of Isaiah Rider, they look to once again put a stranglehold on the Pacific and the rest of the NBA. The rest of the Pacific will just have to wait until Shaq retires to challenge the Lakers again. The Blazers are the only team that has any hope of stealing the Lakers' spotlight. In the off-season, Portland added two All-Stars to what already was the deepest team in the NBA. The squad now has five one-time NBA All-Stars, including Scottie Pippen and Steve Smith, and two of the most dominant big men in the game in Kemp and Davis. This team of big names will be the only legitimate challenger in the Pacific to the one-two punch of Kobe and Shaq. Still, look for the Lakers to once again take the division and ultimately the NBA crown. Fearless Predictions: The new-look Sonics will struggle. The Seattle SuperSonics suffered from a second consecutive mediocre season last year. Under the leadership of superstar point guard Gary Payton, the Sonics got the sixth seed in the Western Conference but stumbled against the pick and roll of the Utah Jazz in the first round as they lost a tough 3-2 series. This year's version of the Sonics will, like usual, place all their hopes in the hands of the "Glove", Gary Payton, an All-Star and Olympic gold medallist. Payton's incredible defense and passing, however, will not help the Sonics up front. Seattle has a big-name frontcourt with two former All-Stars in center Patrick Ewing and forward Vin Baker. However, don't expect much from this overrated duo. Ewing still has a consistent jump shot when he's open but his legs and his ego will ultimately hurt Seattle. Baker is a young, athletic player but his lack of tenacity and well-documented emotional problems will serve as a detriment to this relatively young Sonic team. Look for the Sonics to be a big disappointment and fight for the eighth seed in the playoffs. Clueless: How will the young Clippers fare? This year's mystery in the Pacific Division is the Los Angeles Clippers. Arguably the worst professional sports franchise in history, the Clippers are at the cellar of the Pacific nearly every year. Poor draft choices, combined with the burden of sharing a media market with the Lakers, has created a notoriously bad image for the Clipper organization. However, this year it seems conceivable that the Clippers could battle for the last playoff spot. The Clips are a very young team filled with potential. Lamar Odom, last year's rookie sensation from the University of Rhode Island, should be ready to step up and become a star. Michael Olowokandi, in his third season out of the University of Pacific, should get better and use his 7'0 frame to be a powerful inside force for the Clippers. Then there is the big question mark, Darius Miles. Miles was taken as the 3rd overall pick in this years NBA draft straight out of high school. He has been said by some to be second only to Kobe Bryant in terms of talent for someone who bypassed college. His ability to step up in his rookie season is, like the Los Angeles Clippers' season, very much up in the air. Young guns to be tested: Darius Miles. The Clippers desperately need the 19-year old guard to step up and play like a proven veteran for them to have any chance at a postseason run. Mark Jackson. His team, the Golden State Warriors, is one of both veterans and unproven young talent. They will rest much of their hopes on Jackson, a rookie out of Temple University. He is an impressive physical specimen weighing in at 270 pounds and standing at 6'10". Much of Golden State's hopes of being a 500 club will be resting on his burly shoulders. Old legs to be retested: Arvydas Sabonis. Sabonis, the Trail Blazers' center, who suffers from chronic back problems, is a vital part of the Blazer team. He provides leadership, excellent passing for a big man, and a flawless outside touch. Patrick Ewing. While the setting may have changed for Ewing, the hopes that he will graciously take a back seat have not. Just like in New York, where Ewing was expected to let Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell carry the offense and take care of defense and rebounding, he will have to be a passenger on the Gary Payton express if he and the Sonics want to come flying to the top of the Pacific. Vlade Divac. Like Sabonis, the Kings' center will have to stay free from injury and continue to complement young stars like Chris Webber with his leadership and unselfish play. If he can do that, Sacramento may have a chance to get over the Game Five hump - in each of the last two years, the Kings have taken a heavily favored opponent to the brink of elimination, only to be sent home early. Honey, grab the duffel, we're moving: The off-season was a very busy time for the Pacific, as three teams made trades involving past NBA All-Stars and potential superstars. The Blazers received Davis from the Indiana Pacers for Joe Kliene and Jermaine O'Neal. The move adds a very strong inside presence to a team that was lacking in power down low. Kemp is also a new member of the Blazers, as he was traded from Cleveland in a three-way deal involving the Miami Heat. Miami received power forward Brian Grant from the Blazers, and Cleveland got Chris Gatling and Clarence Weatherspoon. Kemp, who supposedly reported to training camp in the best shape of his life, looks to add even more power to an amazingly deep Portland team. The Lakers traded former All-Star Glen Rice and Travis Knight to the Knicks in a four-team trade also involving the Sonics and the Phoenix Suns. They received Horace Grant and Greg Foster in return. Grant will give the Lakers a nice complement inside to Shaq, and Foster will provide an emergency backup. The Lakers also acquired former UNLV standout Rider as a free agent. Rider played in Minneapolis, Portland and Atlanta before signing with the Lakers. Rider essentially replaces Rice as a third scoring option for the Lakers. Also involved in that four-team trade was Ewing, who at the age of 38 is going to try to resurrect his career in Seattle. For 15 seasons, Ewing tried to win a ring in New York and will now take his talents, which include outside shooting and rebounding, to the Sonics to try to complement Vin Baker's athleticism up front.

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News

Breaking it down: an election saga timeline

August 31

As the Dec. 18 Electoral College vote quickly approaches, the campaigns of George W. Bush and Al Gore seem ready to fight down to the wire. Although the last three weeks provided ample drama, the nation is still without a chief executive to serve as the 43rd American president. - Nov. 7-8: As ballots pour in and the media reports the results, the election is one of the tightest in history. Following a Bush lead in early hours of the vote count, networks call Florida for Gore based on exit poll results. Hours later, the Florida number appears much closer than previously believed, and anxious voters watch as the networks take the prized 25 votes away from Gore. At about 2:15 a.m., in what may long be known as one of the most significant media gaffes of all time, media groups declare George W. Bush the next president. However, by the time morning rolls around, most stations and newspapers retract their earlier statement. A few morning papers, however, including the New York Post, publish early editions with headlines such as "Bush Wins!" In Florida, Bush leads by 1,210 out of 6 million votes, and the tight race triggers calls for a recount. Oregon and New Mexico also remain too close to call. - Nov. 9-14: New Mexico slips away from Gore as a recount for part of the state gets underway, and Oregon continues to count votes. A Florida court rules that Republican Secretary of State Katherine Harris can reject hand counted ballots as long as she does not do so "arbitrarily." On the 14th, Harris certifies the election results and declares Bush the winner. She says that she will consider the results of hand counts as long as counties wishing to extend their deadlines can show a valid reason. - Nov. 15-17: One day after Harris certifies the state vote, she says no county has provided an adequate reason to require further recounts. On the 16th, the Florida Supreme Court decides the hand recounts may continue. But the next day, a judge decides that Harris's certified vote totals - including absentee ballots, but without many of the still continuing recount results - are adequate. - Nov. 20-23: The Florida Supreme Court hears arguments and decides that hand-counted results completed by Nov. 26 in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Broward Counties must be included in the vote totals. On the 23rd, Miami-Dade election officials decide not to complete their hand count, citing an inability to complete the count by the Sunday deadline. - Nov. 26-27: With partially complete results from most hand counts, Harris officially certifies Bush the winner of the 25 Florida electoral votes. The Gore campaign promises to challenge the certification in court, and Gore makes a public address asking the nation to stick by him. The Bush campaign convinces the US Supreme Court to hear the case against the Florida Supreme Court's decision to allow the hand-counts to continue and include the results in the total. - Nov. 28-29: The Clinton transition team says the election results remain uncertain and, as a result, withholds money from Bush's transition team. The Bush campaign solicits private money to finance the transition. The Florida state legislature considers the possibility of a Palm Beach County revote. - Nov. 30: 1.1 million ballots from South Florida are sent by guarded rental truck to Tallahassee so the Florida Supreme Court can examine the ballots and consider Gore's request to count the 14,000 disputed ballots. The decision on whether or not to count all 1.1 million ballots may not come until Saturday. The Florida State legislature issues a recommendation that a special session be called to pick the state's 25 electors. Gore's lawyers file papers with the US Supreme Court to challenge the right of the Florida state legislature to choose its own electors. The Florida Supreme Court has received letters from voters asking for a recount in Palm Beach County, and has yet to decide if it will take up the case. Janet Reno speaks with NAACP's Kwesi Mfume about the NAACP's possible lawsuit regarding voting irregularities and a number of African Americans who were turned away from voting locations. Meanwhile, Bush has moved ahead with plans to assume the presidency, and met with Colin Powell at his ranch in Crawford, Texas today. Bush said that the meeting was working on "getting our team in place."

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News

Too little, too late for new films

August 31

Now that the weather has gone from Indian summer to blustery fall, indoor activities are becoming all the more appealing. You know what we're getting at - movies, movies, movies. Sadly, being the fall, the options keep getting slimmer and slimmer each week. If you can't bear watching something older, check out this week's sparse new releases (only two?) or just throw in the towel and rent something at West Coast Video.Charlie's Angels Director: Joseph McGinty and Mc G Starring: Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, Bill Murray, Sam Rockwell Growing up, few of us escaped reruns of the popular television series Charlie's Angels. This Friday, the '70s sensation will be making a comeback as a big-screen, modern-day adaptation of the classic we're all familiar with. For example, the Angels - Dylan (Drew Barrymore), Natalie (Cameron Diaz), and Alex (Lucy Liu) - are no longer referred to as "little girls," but rather as "women". They have also laid down their guns and focus more on girl power and martial arts when taking on the bad guys. Despite this, the movie version does not lose the sultry, seductive elements that made Charlie's Angels a television classic. They're still sexy, they're still out to save the world from insidious evildoers, and it's still tacky as hell. We guarantee that you already know what Charlie's Angels is about. If you've got a thing for Drew Barrymore, though, it will be a worthwhile couple of hours.The Legend of Bagger Vance Director: Robert Redford Starring: Matt Damon, Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Bruce McGill Like golf movies? Remember Tin Cup? Of course not. Not since Happy Gilmore has there been one really worth watching on the famous sport. Robert Redford is trying to turn this trend around with The Legend of Bagger Vance - helped in no small part by its all-star cast. War hero Rannulph Junuh (Matt Damon) is competing for the golf championship in 1930s Georgia. However, he can't make it on his own meager talents. His caddy, Bagger Vance (Will Smith), knows the secret to the perfect swing, and is pushing Rannulph along with it. Expect "greatness" similar to that of The Horse Whisperer, Slums of Beverly Hills, or other Redford-produced marvels. The man can act, he can direct, but he can't always pick a winning film. Bottom line: If Bob Barker isn't in this golf movie, we're not going.

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News

Pre-med students must work hard to make the grade

August 31

You know them. You see them, bent over books, highlighters in hand, every time you walk through the reading room at Tisch. The circles underneath their eyes get progressively darker as the semester goes on, and the mere mention of "orgo" strikes intense fear in them. They are Tufts' pre-med students, and they are tired. Yet, they are also volunteering their time at hospitals and leading the Tufts community in extra-curricular activities. Pre-med students are everywhere, not just in their chemistry labs or holed up in their rooms studying. Being a pre-med at Tufts is difficult, but it's also rewarding. Sophomores Pete Shungu and Melissa Lichte are just beginning their journey into the medical profession. Although both expressed enthusiasm for the pre-med program at Tufts, they have their concerns about this increasingly popular and increasingly difficult field of study. "I know that Tufts has a good pre-med program, but it's also one of the hardest programs in the country," Shungu said. No specific major exists for pre-med students at Tufts, like most selective schools. Students fulfill an extensive list of requirements in preparation for medical school, but choose any concentration they please. Many stay traditional, with biology and chemistry majors, but more and more are opting to broaden their horizons - and their resumes. "I don't think that I'm going to major in one of the sciences, because I've heard that med schools are looking for more well rounded individuals," Shungu said. Lichte has decided against convention as well. "I'm majoring in philosophy because I really enjoy it and, once I go to med school, I won't have time to concentrate on it," she said. According to the Health Professions Handbook, a guide for all Tufts students interested in the medical field, applicants who majored in non-sciences and still fared well in pre-med requirements are more interesting to admissions officers than biology majors. Carol Baffi-Dugan, Tufts' Health Professions Advisor, agrees that medical schools are looking for more diversity in their applicants. "They want thinkers - people who are excited by what they are studying," she said. "You don't major in pre-med. You major in something you love and something that excites you." The pre-med requirements include two semesters each of chemistry, biology, calculus, physics, and English. In addition, students must endure the dreaded two-semester organic chemistry requirement, known simply as "orgo." "The pre-med classes are designed to be hard. They're designed to be intimidating. They're structured to make you question whether you really want to go to med school, because now it's such a popular option," Lichte said. "The intro bio and chem classes are supposed to be 'weed-out' classes. You have to be prepared to not do as well as you hoped," Shungu agreed. Of all people, Baffi-Dugan understands the pressures of the pre-med program. She offered advice for students who feel overwhelmed. "There are some things that you can do to make your life more reasonable," she said. "First, you need to have the academic skills necessary. Some people have it before they come here and some have to develop it. Some students don't study effectively or manage their time well." "The other thing is you have to keep a balance in your life," Baffi-Dugan continued. "You have to manage your time so that you aren't studying all the time." Pre-med students are well aware that medical schools expect little short of perfection from their applicants. The serious candidate must balance a solid GPA - the average GPA for a medical school applicant is 3.5-, with clinical experience. Tufts' Medical School, which US News and World Report ranked 36th in the nation, accepted only 7.6 percent of their applicants in 1999. "A little better than one in three applicants get in nationally, but at Tufts, about three in four of our students get in," Baffi-Dugan said. She emphasized that students shouldn't be discouraged by the standards that medical schools set for their applicants. "There is room for mistake. You shouldn't close the door on medicine if you get a C." With such high demands, it seems natural that pre-med students would need a little support from each other. The Tufts Pre-medical Society offers just that - a community of highly motivated individuals connected by a common goal. In addition to a sense of community, the society offers assistance in the application process as well as community and volunteer opportunities. Senior Anna Zelfond, co-president of the society, sang its praises. "I've always seen [the society] as an opportunity for people who are doing something pretty difficult to come together and provide resources for each other," she said. Although pre-med students are notoriously competitive, Zelfond hasn't encountered any adversity at Tufts. "There's this stigma on campus that pre-med is really cutthroat and competitive," Zelfond said. "I've never seen it that way." Nor has Baffi-Dugan. "I think there's something of a disservice done to Pre-med students by the general population that regards them as grade-grabbing, cutthroat students. I don't think that's true," she said. "It's a conclusion that people jump to when they hear what you are doing. I hate that stereotype. I think it's unfortunate that these kids get that reputation." Another misconception centers on students' fears that they won't be able to take advantage of the opportunities that Tufts offers. Many worry that studying abroad will cause major inconveniences in completing the pre-med program. "I think I want to study abroad next year, so that'll make it harder to fulfill the requirements. Pre-med students who want to study abroad end up in school during the summer," Shungu said. For Lichte, who plans on studying in England next year, this semester is particularly difficult. "The fact that I want to study abroad next year meant that I had to take a really hard science course load this semester," she said. "Doing chem problem sets every Thursday night really puts a damper on my social life." Yet studying abroad as a pre-med student isn't impossible, according to Zelfond. She went abroad last spring as a second-semester junior. "Going abroad was something really important to me, so I went," she said. "It takes planning, but it's not impossible." The time of day that the required classes are offered is another consideration for medical school hopefuls. "If you're not a morning person, basically you're screwed, because all the required classes are early in the morning," Shungu warned. "I think that they try to find every way possible to torture pre-med students. As if the material weren't hard enough, they have to have the classes at a time of day that you can't even begin to understand what they're saying. I had a chem test last week that started at 7:30 a.m.!" In facing the rigorous demands of a difficult undergraduate program, followed by several more years of medical school, students must have the drive to keep going. With the promise of long days and nights ahead, students weigh whether it's worth the effort. "Well, the money," Shungu said, shrugging. "And my dad's a doctor, too. I like it better than doing something like being a lawyer, because you get to help people more." Lichte admitted that she has doubts about her future plans. "I've idealized the profession since I was a little girl, and I've always been excited about the abstract idea of helping people," she said. "But as I learn more and more about the time and effort it takes to be a doctor, I'm starting to question it more." Zelfond wouldn't discourage any student from pursuing medical school. "I've had so many good experiences being pre-med on campus," the seasoned senior said. "It's been fun because I've made sure not to make this my whole life."

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News

Students seek to make money off the Hill

August 31

Whether they're looking to earn a little cash or dip their toe into the professional world, some students spend a considerable amount of time at their jobs. For the next three weeks, we will explore the world of work in the fields of off-campus and on-campus jobs, as well as internships.

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News

Hockey team remains undefeated with fifth victory

August 31

The ice hockey team continues to dominate its competition, with the latest proof Saturday night's 8-1 win at Stonehill. The blowout marked the Jumbos' second consecutive successful journey to Bridgewater, MA in a week, and improved them to a 3-0 ECAC record, and an impressive 5-0 mark overall. Tufts' offensive juggernaut showed itself again, as it erased a 1-0 first period deficit to scorch the nets 8 consecutive times. v Sophomore Mike Carceo showcased his scoring prowess by netting two goals and two assists. No other Jumbo had a multiple goal game, but senior tri-captains Natan Obed, Dan Mahoney, and Scott Hayes, as well as sophomore Rob LaQuaglia and freshmen Pat Byrne and Tim Schatz all tallied single goals for Tufts. In opinion of blue-line anchor Mahoney, this widespread scoring attack is a big reason behind Tufts' fast start. "We have a lot of good forwards - a lot of guys who can put the puck in the net" he said. "At this point, everyone is so disciplined. Everyone knows their role and where they fit in on the ice. We're following the systems in the defensive zone and up front and that is opening up a lot of opportunities." Saturday night, coach Brian Murphy used a game plan similar to the one that worked so well in the Jumbos' 7-4 win on Nov. 25th, the first Stonehill game. "We played pretty well without making the mistakes we made in earlier games," Murphy said. "We had a tape to work with, but we basically too the same approach." Mahoney agreed. "We didn't try anything different. We were shocked when we fell behind 1-0 early, but we knew we'd be alright if we did our jobs." Even more encouraging than the Jumbos' offensive output was their improved play in the defensive zone, an area of play that has plagued Tufts thus far this season. Mahoney, a blue-line all league and New England selection last year, saw this as a sign of things to come. "The defensive sloppiness is getting a lot better. We had some early breakdowns Saturday, but we tightened it up quickly. It was our best defensive game of the year," he said. If the lack of defensive sharpness has been an unpleasant surprise for the brown and blue, the offensive production of freshman Pat Byrne represents is just the opposite; he, along with Carceo, leads the team with seven goals apiece. "Pat Byrne can score," coach Murphy remarked. "He's scoring a lot. He has a lot of potential, and also a lot to work on, but he has a great hands and good sense around the net." "Byrne's been really consistent this year. He's a great addition," Mahoney said. "Playing on a line with [Obed] and Jason [Boudrow], two proven scorers, has helped him a lot, but he knows what to do around the net." While Byrne's production is surprising teammates and opponents alike, the offensive prowess of junior Boudrow astonishes no one. Boudrow is most likely the league's finest forward, and his play through the team's first five games has only accentuated that point. He leads the ECAC in scoring with an amazing 5 goals and 13 assists in only 5 games. He is averaging 3.6 points per game, a full point and a half better than his nearest competition. "We expected this much from [Boudrow]. His production is not a surprise to anyone," Murphy said of his star forward. "This is a kid who led the league in scoring as a freshman, we knew he'd put up this type of production." With production coming from veterans and rookies alike, the focus falls upon Wednesday's competition, Salve Regina. Though the Jumbos already boast a punishing 7-2 win against the school earlier this year, coach Murphy knows the game will not be a pushover."Salve Regina is not an opponent to be taken lightly. They won at New Hampshire College on Saturday and are playing good hockey." While their true tests will most likely come after winter break when Tufts plays a series of perennial ECAC powerhouses, the Jumbos' early season play has certainly elevated their status in the league to elite. As the old sports saying goes, "You can only beat who you play." The men's ice hockey team is beating everyone they play, and beating them convincingly.

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News

Dispatch shows crowd that they are princes of Dewick

August 31

Homecoming weekend activities officially began on Wednesday evening with Tufts' annual Fall Rock show. This year's event brought locally-acclaimed Dispatch, as well as Philadelphian funksters Princes Of Babylon, to the Dewick stage. Although many Tufts students are not familiar with the bands, all 350 tickets for the show were sold. Over the course of the day, Dewick underwent its transformation from college eatery to concert venue. A carpeted stage was constructed over the dining hall's tiny wooden platform, and Dispatch's road crew erected bars of colored stage lights. A towering drum kit and racks of guitars completed the musical decor. At 8:30 p.m., the doors opened and a few early concertgoers rushed inside - mostly fleeing the pouring rain - eager to get things started. Princes of Babylon took the stage at nine. The quintet - which contains members of G. Love's band - churned out a mixture of smooth, fretless bass, jazz guitar, and interlaced drum and congo beats. Three of the members sang, harmonizing their rapped lyrics beautifully (if unintelligibly). The bassist doubled as a human beat-box. The percussionist, considerably older and larger than the rest of the band, wore a "Superpimp" t-shirt, which provided a strange form of diversion for some intoxicated members of the crowd. By the end of the Princes' set, many in attendance were grooving along with the band, and the auditorium had filled with concertgoers anxious to see the show's headliners. Dispatch took the stage just after ten to a sellout crowd of rowdy fans who appeared to know every word to every song. "Watering Hole" set the pace for the night. On this particular tune, Pete Heimbold showed off on the electric bass, Chad Urmston sang and broke a string on his Les Paul, and Brad Corrigan's strong drumming audibly resembled that of today's finest jam bands. The talent didn't stop there. Heimbold and Urmston traded guitar and bass regularly, and Heimbold's searing guitar tore through the eardrums of the fortunate ones standing in the front few rows. All three members shared vocal duties, whether harmonizing beautifully or singing alone. After an hour and a half of electric rock songs, the band traded its electric guitars for acoustics and played a beautiful rendition of "Walk With You," perhaps the band's most recognized ballad. After escaping from behind the drums, Corrigan doubled on acoustic guitar and harmonica, playing delicate solos and melodies that accompanied Heimbold's vocals and rhythm guitar. Urmston provided the rhythm, playing percussion on a set of congas. Just before midnight, the scheduled end to the set, Urmston and Heimbold strapped on their electric guitars and Corrigan climbed behind the drum set to play "The General," Dispatch's signature composition and a cult classic in college circles. When the band announced the pending midnight finish, a student security worker climbed up to a large wall clock, and set it back fifteen minutes. The band members cheered and the audience exploded. But, at midnight, Dispatch left the stage. The Tufts crowd, however, had plans of its own. They cheered for an encore, despite the discouraging arrival of the house lights. The crowd simply refused to leave. Within seconds, Corrigan emerged from the stage door, with his hand to his ear. Immediately, the other two members appeared and launched into "Bats in the Belfry." As the band's manager paced back and forth in front of the stage, shaking his head at the smiling band members, Dispatch played on. Corrigan played a phenomenal drum solo, kicking off a ten-minute percussive jam. Heimbold picked up a pair of drumsticks and joined Corrigan, while Urmston strapped on his conga. By the time the band finally left the stage, it was 12:15 a.m. Outside, the mesmerized crowd, still humming the music, didn't seem to mind the freezing rain. Dispatch definitely gave the audience its four dollars' worth.

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News

Dems, GOP hardly birds of the same feather

August 31

It is undeniable that many citizens, notably young ones, feel disenchanted by politics, a belief not completely unfounded. Nevertheless, it has become difficult to keep track of the number of times young people claim that there is no reason to vote because the two candidates and their parties are identical. This is simply not true. At first glance, the two major parties appear quite similar. However, as soon as one looks at the party platforms in greater detail, the similarities nearly vanish, and differences emerge everywhere. 

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News

Ideology and Identity

August 31

"Acceptance of identity." Eight months of debate over one of the most controversial issues with which our nation is wrestling seems to have boiled down into these three words. I have great respect for the principles of diversity and acceptance for which TSAD has long argued and the determination with which they have fought, but I have been saddened by how narrowly these principles have been applied throughout this controversy. We all agree that this University should seek to promote a diverse student community where all individuals, identities, and beliefs are accepted and ideally respected. TSAD has taken this principle and applied it very forcefully to individuals and identities, but acceptance of beliefs has been curiously absent from their arguments and demands. They have used very principled arguments, but when met with principled arguments defending rights to religion and belief, they have been quick to turn to legalistic arguments of what University policy prohibits and protects. This argument follows along the lines of: "Universal acceptance of all identities! Change the policy... Freedom of religion, yes, but you have to conform your views to comply with the (infallible) policy." Recognition is the price paid by those who refuse to surrender their differing views. But recognize this: religion is an identity. Religion has come to mean little to many people. Religion has been relegated to a set of beliefs, a set of ceremonies, a set of rules. At this University, the religion department speaks of it as if it were various collections of archaic views barely surviving from the past - various cultures struggling to attach meaning to their lives. From this perspective, people believe only because they were taught to believe, they want to believe, or they need to believe, not because there is any knowable "truth." Belief in "freedom of religion" has become a charitable act of an "enlightened" world to protect an endangered species. But religion lives on. Faith lives on. Because true faith is an identity, and one that stems not from within individuals, but from a true and real God who desires to reveal Himself to a world that has turned its back on Him. I know myself - I see the many ways I have followed this path of rejection, but I know a God who sees a vision of me free from this sinfulness and longs to conform me to that reality. This is not theology for me; this is a deep reality that has transformed my life and being. This is my identity: one who is in need of forgiveness and transformation from God, worthy of neither, but forgiven and in the process of renewal. I submit every facet of who I am to the Creator in whose image I am made, and to whose will I seek to conform my life. Nothing within me - no part of my identity - holds the answer for the fulfilling life and security of person I seek, only the identity I have been given by a God who knows me better than I know myself. This is the identity I have embraced, and the identity around which TCF was formed and continues to gather. As an evangelical Christian group, we believe this identity can be understood through a holistic understanding of the Bible and application of its teaching to our lives. We believe scripture presents a consistent view of God, though naturally a complex one, and that our intellectual knowledge of Him is confirmed by our spiritual experience through a relationship with Him. These beliefs about self and identity differ fundamentally from the views TSAD carried to Bendetson demanding the Tufts Administration affirm (which they did, but not to the exclusion of other beliefs). I believe accepting my identity means accepting the identity God desires to give me, not embracing an inherent quality of myself. I acknowledge those qualities and in doing so I accept them as realities, but I do not embrace them as good or right unless they are consistent with the identity God desires to form in me. I believe this is similar to the process most people use to analyze themselves: the difference is only in the notions of "good" and "right" used in that process of introspection and the source of those notions. And it is here that the source of the conflict lies... What is "good"? What is "right"? Who determines that? How do we know? Can we determine standards that are applicable to everyone or must this be decided by each individual for him or herself? Notice that each of these questions will be answered with belief. People can argue and disagree on whether homosexuality fits into the category of a positive identity or one which should be struggled against, but true diversity requires that both opinions be accepted. Clearly people have strong feelings on this subject and I respect their views, but they must understand that they are views and not unquestionable facts of reality. Professor Jonathan Strong and others have argued that one's inherent qualities or identity is not a belief or a value, but a truth about oneself, which should be embraced and lived out. Again, I respect this view but disagree with it. Our disagreement highlights the unfortunate dilemma of a postmodern world and a pluralistic society: even the belief that something is "not a matter of belief, but universally true" is itself a belief. It may be a true belief, but in the absence of unanimous agreement, it is not one that should be enforced by a democratic society or a university claiming to uphold tolerance and diversity. I want to make one more thing clear: despite accusations, TCF does not believe that anyone is "inferior". We believe all people are created equal and loved equally by God. However, this does not mean that all of their actions and beliefs are in accordance with His will or equally valued in His sight. We thus return again to the distinction between orientation or identity, and belief and practice. I have been wrestling with the reality that this distinction is offensive to many people, confusing to others, and perhaps foreign to most. Nevertheless it is what I believe and what TCF believes. I do not ask that every person or every student organization agree with these beliefs or even respect them. I ask only that there be a place at Tufts for me and for those who share my beliefs and my identity. And at least an attempt at understanding my beliefs, and accepting and respecting who I am. Jonathan Crowe is a senior majoring in international relations. He is a senior leader of TCF.

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News

James Michael on brink of stardom

August 31

James Michael may not be a familiar name just yet, but chances are that this gritty-voiced songwriter will be the talk of the town in coming months. Bringing a wide range of artistic experiences to his first solo album, Inhale, Michael is poised for success.

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News

Jumbos trample the Bison 9-2

August 31

Nichols College became the latest victim of Tufts' offensive juggernaut on Saturday night. The Jumbos destroyed the Bison 9-2, improving their record to an unblemished 7-0, and entered winter recess with their best record in 13 seasons. Nichols entered the game in the cellar, a lowly 0-5 in conference play, although they had only been outscored by a total of seven points in these five games. In fact, goalkeeper Adam Gray and forward Jason Finioa were recently awarded with conference player and goalkeeper of the week. These factors did not concern the Jumbos in the least though, as they steamrolled their competition for a full three periods. Sophomore Tim Havern found net first, three minutes into the game, and classmate Mike Carceo added a pair of goals to close out the first period. Jason Boudrow continued his stellar junior campaign, fueling the offense with two goals and a pair of assists, and senior tri-captain Dan Mahoney, an all-league and all-region defenseman, also netted two, including a shorthanded tally late in the game which brought the Jumbo lead to 9-1. "The whole game we were swarming their net. Most of the game was played in their defensive zone. They took a lot of penalties and we were able to score," senior defenseman Justin Picone said. Senior tri-captain Natan Obed also spoke of the offense's success. "We have some really good scorers on our team. Nichols has a poor defense and we just tried to exploit that." Also getting in on the scoring barrage were senior tri-captain Scott Hayes, who netted a goal and three assists on the night, and sophomore Rob LaQuaglia, who also had a goal and three assists. LaQuaglia and Carceo, who individually had five points on the night, have been making a huge impact on the team in their sophomore campaigns, currently seventh and tenth, respectively, in scoring in the league. "Our freshmen from last year have improved significantly," Picone said. "Crapser is also playing really well, and our defense as a whole is one of the better ones in the league. That is the difference between us and the teams we've played so far this year." Yet the success comes amidst questions. Some question the Jumbos' shaky play in the defensive zone. Others question whether Ben Crapser will ever show growing pains and mental lapses inexperienced players often make. But the biggest question shadowing Tufts after their torrid start is their easy schedule. It remains to be seen how this team will react to playing the league's and the region's toughest teams. "The team is looking forward to the second semester because we will get to see what are made of. There is a good chance that we will end up at the top of the league, and we want to see how we stack up against some of our tougher opponents," Obed said. Picone agreed. "When you play teams you're better than, you don't play as well. You play down to their level. Once we start playing the better teams we'll get used to playing at a higher level." Do the Jumbos wish their wins came against more battle-tested teams? The answer is a resounding yes. However, a team can only beat the teams it plays, and Tufts has not just beaten every team, it has pummeled them. Tufts has scored 51 goals in seven games while surrendering only 15, leading the league in both categories. Boudrow is leading the league in scoring, averaging just under four points a game, as well as topping the ECAC Northeast in assists, goals, and power play points. When opponents key on Boudrow, his linemates have stepped up. Obed has seven goals and Pat Byrne, a freshman with great sense around the net, has eight goals, which is the highest goal total for a freshman in the league. Despite these numbers, the team is trying not to get overconfident. "I think it's important to be confident," Obed said. "The minute we become overconfident is when we are losing games, and we still think that we are the best. I think confidence is really important to winning games, though." Tufts finished up its fall semester on fire, and the three-week vacation from the ice may actually be the only thing that can cool the Jumbos off. "It's always difficult to come back after having three weeks off," Obed said. "It's like a different season. Hopefully we will be able to come back and pick up where we left off." The Jumbos enter the three-week hiatus with success behind them and uncertainty ahead. Luckily, Tufts won't have to wait long into the second semester for their toughest challenge of the season. Wesleyan, the Jumbos' first NESCAC opponent, a team that defeated Tufts 7-4 in Middletown last year, is the first game of the new-year. Perhaps then the Jumbos can start receiving the respect around the league they seem to feel they deserve.

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News

The Observer' becomes Tufts' weekend newspaper of record

August 31

The Observer

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News

Failed professor search eliminates Hindi/Urdu

August 31

Members of the South Asian Political Action Committee (SAPAC) are frustrated with the Experimental College's failure to continue the Hindi/Urdu language program that was over-enrolled in its inaugural year. Robyn Gittleman, director of the Experimental College, said that Tufts could not find a professor to teach the course. In the ranks of the disappointed are students who completed Hindi/Urdu I and II last year and now cannot continue with their studies, and those who planned to begin studying this semester. "I was told that I could use Hindi/Urdu I, II, and III as my cultural requirement. Now they are telling me I need to take three new language courses, and I don't have time for that," said Vidushi Gupta, a SAPAC member. Hindi is the primary language of Hindus in India and Urdu the most spoken language for the Muslims in neighboring Pakistan. While there are many languages spoken by South Asians at Tufts, SAPAC felt Hindi-Urdu would interest the broadest segment of the South Asian community. Sucharita Kuchibhotla, the head of SAPAC, stressed how much time and effort it took to get Hindu/Urdu I and II courses implemented last year. "It's always a struggle," she said. "There's a lot of bureaucracy." Kuchibhotla said that by not offering the program this year, Tufts is depriving students of an important academic resource and forcing SAPAC to take a step backwards in its ultimate efforts to earn a place for South Asian languages in the Olin Center. Following discussions with administrators, SAPAC leaders believed that sufficient student interest in the courses last year would guarantee funds for Hindi/Urdu I and III this semester. Both SAPAC and Gittleman agree that the program was a huge success - so popular, in fact, that teachers had to turn students away from the classes. "There was so much interest last year that they had to cut freshmen. I really wanted to take it this year," SAPAC member Himanshu Verma said. "I'm outraged." Gittleman noted this week that there was only a select number of people who would have been eligible to take Hindi/Urdu III, as many of the students who took the elementary courses have since graduated or are studying abroad. Despite those limitations, she said the Ex College did try to replace Sumil Sharma, the visiting lecturer who taught the two-semester course last year, but was unable to make the necessary hire. "I did try to find somebody," Gittleman said. "It's not always easy to find someone to teach when it's not a full time position, and it's not just getting a native speaker, but a professional." Gittleman insists that the main issue was not funding but identifying an appropriate professor. She plans to meet with SAPAC to discuss the program's future. Members of SAPAC said that the Ex College did not make them aware of the problems with the classes, and the possibility that they would not be offered this semester. Gittleman, in defending her program, pointed out that the list of courses accepted for this semester was posted on the Internet during the summer. In a meeting last night, members of SAPAC expressed great frustration regarding the suspension of Hindu/Urdu language classes and vowed to fight for their reinstatement. "We just want to let the community know how disappointed we are because we fought so hard for this," Nadia Samadani said. "We've already fought for this once and it's ridiculous that we have to go through it again," said Ayesha Siddiqui at last night's SAPAC meeting. Founded in 1998 by a small group of students after a forum for South Asians, SAPAC lobbies for courses and professors at Tufts that will better reflect the South Asian culture. "Our mission is to get more recognition and more attention to the growing importance of South Asia," Kuchibhotla said. "Ten years ago we were just a handful of students on campus. Now we are the largest ethnic group on campus."

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News

A sexist degree debacle

August 31

What is Jackson College? Have any of you heard of Jackson College? Has any student in recent memory applied for admission to Jackson College? Almost half of the student body at Tufts University will receive their degrees from Jackson College. And do you know why? It's because they are Women. Jackson College is a legal entity of Tufts University. The title of the undergraduate division of the university remains the College of Liberal Arts and Jackson College, yet the literature never refers to this fact. Nowhere in the bulletin, the website, or in the Pachyderm is there a reference to Jackson College as a part of the Liberal Arts program. To find any reference of Jackson College you would have to search the archives. The Arts and Sciences administration decided that it would be politically incorrect to make reference to the fact that female students are summarily assigned to Jackson College. Yet Jackson College is going to be written on our diploma, the most significant document we receive from Tufts University. Cornelia Jackson was a feminist who fought for the rights of women to attend quality higher educational institutions. When Tufts University conceded women the right to attend at the university, they were admitted under a separate yet equal program named after Ms. Jackson. The founding philosophy was to "remove the disabilities of women" in obtaining a college degree. Eventually, the idea of separate but equal education at Tufts was dissolved but for some reason in the early '60s, to "honor" Ms Jackson's contribution to women's education, the practice of awarding degrees to females in the liberal arts program from Jackson College was reinstated. According to the various powers that be, the only reason for this practice to continue is tradition, a tradition that does not honor Ms. Jackson's legacy. Women have fought for equal rights since Revolutionary times. Ms. Jackson would probably be appalled that a distinction between the sexes was still being made at this university. It is a clear violation of both federal and state law to award a degree that contains language whose inclusion is solely based on the gender of the recipient. Never would this practice have continued for so long if the criteria was race, ethnicity, or religion. The apathy of the faculty, administration, and student body to this practice is a disgrace. You only have to look at any legislative body in session to see the detrimental effects of this apathy. In a society where females make up half the population, we are woefully under represented in positions of power. And to say it doesn't matter or to perpetuate a tradition that erodes our right to be treated the same is also a disgrace. Quick, name the three most powerful women in the United States? If it takes you more than thirty seconds to answer then you must agree with me. Change is needed and society changes with one person at a time and one seemingly small issue at a time. Please join me in fighting this injustice. Larissa Johnson is a senior majoring in sociology and English.

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News

Bag your blood

August 31

"I can't donate blood - I need all the blood I have." I think a Tufts football player told me that one last year, as a response to my imploring him to sign up to be a blood donor at the winter blood drive. That wasn't the first time I had heard that excuse, and I'm sure it won't be my last. It's sad to be in my position sometimes, watching people squirm when I ask them to donate blood. You can see the guilt in their eyes as they try to form excuses, and I listen as they say something like, "I'm afraid of needles" or "I have a friend that fainted once, so I'm not interested." Then, without fail, they make a mad dash past my table into Dewick. To anyone who has ever given me an excuse like those above: your selfishness will soon be exposed. Here are some facts: New England is currently in the midst of the worst blood shortage in eight years. The demand for blood rises (demand for this past July was 2.4 percent above that of July 1999, while August's demand was 14 percent greater than August 1999) as the crop of willing blood donors dwindles (over the past three years, one million fewer people have donated blood). When you or I donate a pint of blood, that blood is separated into several parts. Surgically speaking, red blood cells are the most important (they carry oxygen throughout the body), which are used during heart transplants, tumor removals, anemia treatment, and on victims of automobile accidents, cancer patients, and for much more. Platelets, which are responsible for blood clotting, are crucial for hemophiliacs, open-heart surgery cases, leukemia therapy, and bone marrow transplants. Plasma, which maintains blood pressure and carries important enzymes and nutrients, is used for liver transplants, and aneurysm and burn victims. One pint of blood can help save the lives of five babies born prematurely. To that football player from earlier: you have 10-12 pints of blood in your body. When you donate only one of those, your body regenerates the missing fluids in 48 to 72 hours. Did you say that the needle hurts? Well, about 95 percent of people that live to the age of 72 will need a blood transfusion at some time in their life, yet only 5 percent of the eligible population donates blood. To translate those numbers locally, at the last blood drive in April, 150 units were collected, out of 5,145 possible students on the Medford campus. That means that only 2.9 percent of our socially-conscious campus donates blood! Indeed, to factor in those people ineligible to give, the number is probably raised to the pitifully small 5 percent national average. On a campus that boasts of its community service participation, the turnout at our blood drives is poor. I hope that you don't simply ignore the blood drive when it comes around next week. Although I know how easy it is to just brush it off and say, "I have no time," both you and I know that simply isn't true. Not to be able to make time to save a life is the ultimate manifestation of selfishness. To find out if you meet the eligibility requirements, visit www.newenglandblood.org. To those of you who have signed up to donate at our Fall Blood Drive, make sure your experience is a positive one by getting a good night's rest and eating a satisfactory meal beforehand. And to the rest of you, stop with the weak excuses, and I'll never have to watch you squirm and look away again.

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News

This week's rapid-fire reviews

August 31

Nate Borofsky

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