When Tufts went dim on Friday, upperclassmen got a serious case of déjà vu. But this time, the university says it was better equipped to help students make their way through the darkness.
This semester's first installment of the unique Haskell 240s Lecture Series attracted over 100 students on Wednesday night, with presentations offering a comedic perspective on coffee, insomnia, bras and duct tape, among other topics. The lecture series emerged as the brainchild of five suite mates in the fall of 2008 and has since attracted a large following of Tufts students. Founded by sophomores Jay Farber, Mikey Bernstein, Alex Lyon, Quinault Childs and Steven Halstead when they lived together in the Haskell 240s suite their freshman year, the lecture series gives students an opportunity to deliver presentations on humorous topics that starkly contrast with run-of-the-mill student panels and speaker presentations. "I don't think you can find another student organization at Tufts that does what we do," Farber said. "It's an opportunity to practice public speaking in a fun, low-pressure setting." The founders explained that the lecture series evolved through everyday conversations within their suite. The first designated lecture, which took place in the Haskell 240s common room itself, focused on the clogged toilets in the suite and featured a laptop projection on a hanging bed sheet. The lecture series has since grown from its humble beginnings. It gradually moved beyond presentations by the original founding members and now features guest speakers. Students have lectured on over 20 topics since the series began last semester, often incorporating two or three presentations in one night. Past presentations have included how to remove bras, what not to do on Parents Weekend and how to spread disease. In prior lectures, students also added a choreographed dance to their lecture. Sophomore Emma Holliday, who attended Wednesday's presentation as well as several last year, said the lectures are a welcomed study break. "It's not really that they're experts at all, just funny guys willing to get in front of a group of people … willing to laugh at themselves and have a good time," she said. The surge in attendance over the last year prompted the founders to elevate the lecture series to a new level by moving it to bigger, more official venues. Their final lecture last semester, held as a black-tie event in Barnum Auditorium, attracted between 150 and 200 students clad in suits and ties. The sophomores are strongly committed to the series' traditionally comedic theme. They want to create a light-hearted, open forum where "students can present to students," Bernstein said. "It's a good way to kick back and have some fun and have a little break in the middle of the week," Farber said. The founders hope to reach more of the Tufts student body in future lectures, as well as attract their most sought-after guest, University President Lawrence Bacow. The leaders maintain a Facebook.com group in which they post all upcoming presentations. They hope to present two or three lectures per semester. Although the Haskell 240s Lecture Series is not currently an official student organization, the founders are seeking official recognition from the Tufts Community Union Senate, which would give them access to possible funding for a lecture hall space. Ellen Kan and Alexandra Bogus contributed reporting to this article.
Senior Dan Casey insists that students who make time this weekend for Major: Undecided's super-topical show, "Major: Undecided Doesn't Care If Your Roommate Is There," should expect to receive more than just an hour of hilarity. "If people take anything away from our show, it should be a newfound confidence that they can have sex in front of their roommates, their parents or anyone else who might try to infringe upon their constitutional rights," joked Casey, the president of the student comedy troupe. "In short, people will leave our show and finally understand what is meant by the Light on the Hill." The Saturday evening show's title refers to the media sensation surrounding Tufts' new policy disallowing sexual activity in dorm rooms while roommates are present. Casey said the performance will be an exciting premiere of fresh content. "This is our first show of the semester, consisting of brand-new, never-before-seen, student-written, student-performed, student-produced sketch comedy," Casey said. He and other veterans will be joined by freshman players, who will entertain after weeks of writing, sketch selection, auditioning and rehearsals. "Like perhaps every other comedian in America, we'll be making a biting, topical joke at Tufts' expense. Well, that, and naming our show ‘Major: Undecided Publicly Slanders Your Parents' might alienate some of our Parents Weekend visitors," Casey said humorously, referring to the fact that the show will coincide with Tufts' annual Parents Weekend. The show will consist of nine sketches, covering topics ranging from whistles for special occasions to crustacean-themed reality shows. Casey hopes that the show will not only provide a much-needed laugh to many students, but will also be an eye-opening experience. "Major: Undecided Doesn't Care If Your Roomate Is There" takes the Cabot Auditorium stage at 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday and is free. More information can be found at ase.tufts.edu/majorundecided or at twitter.com/majorundecided.
Tufts' first legal journal, Common Law, is scheduled to hit campus next semester in the hopes of giving undergraduate students a better understanding of the world of law. The students who founded the journal believe it will give college communities an often-missing perspective on legal issues. "A journal like ours doesn't exist, period, for undergraduate schools," associate editor Raymond Shehadeh, a junior, said. Journal editors plan to include academic articles from a variety of fields. Staff writers, all of whom will be undergraduates, will contribute the majority of articles, though undergraduate and graduate students not involved in the journal's publication will also be able to submit. Junior Catherine Kim, who serves as co-editor-in-chief, said that Common Law will allow staff members interested in pursuing legal careers to develop their researching, writing and critical thinking skills. "It helps people who want to go to law school, because you get a chance to write and edit," she said. "Writing skills are really important in law." Common Law also plans to include law school profiles and Law School Admission Test tips for students who will apply to law school. Kim and junior Tony Carucci, co-editors-in-chief of Common Law, came up with idea for the journal last spring. They aim to publish their first issue in March and hope to continue publishing annually. "For this year, our target audience is the students at Tufts who are interested in going to law school [or] who are thinking about going to law school and aren't sure yet," Kim said. Common Law's publication is subject to a budget approval by the Allocations Board (ALBO), followed by a Tufts Community Union Senate vote to finalize the budget. The editors project an annual budget between $2,000 and $3,000. They submitted their request for funding on Oct. 9 and are currently awaiting the Board's decision. Kim said the staff spoke with pre-law advisors at Tufts and examined law journals in preparation for Common Law's first issue. She cited the Dartmouth Law Journal and the Harvard College Law Journal as two sources of inspiration. Senior Duncan Pickard, public editor of the Media Advocacy Board, which includes all student media organizations at Tufts, said that students heading on-campus publications should consider alternatives to publishing in print to avoid draining funds from the ALBO. "Publications, while they're very important, can require a disproportionately larger amount of money than most student groups," he said. "It's long overdue to think about how we're funding new groups as funds diminish." The public editor serves to offer an impartial and often critical perspective on campus publications. Pickard was president of the TCU Senate last year, but emphasized that his opinions did not represent the views of the Senate. Pickard suggested that publications consider moving online. "All written media outlets have online content," Pickard said. "To be competitive, modern publications have to be on the Web. There's no question about it." Kim said that Common Law will be published in print, but the journal will also have online content. "It's definitely easier to be online in terms of finance," she said. Pickard said that budding publications could benefit from teaming up with more established print media as a way to cut costs. "I think that it's possible that some new publications could think more creatively about the way they publish," Pickard said. "If you really just want to publish in print — and that's fine, and totally understandable — then look to partner with other print organizations that are on campus." Associate editor Kennedy Kearney-Fischer, a senior, said that a print publication offers a value for writers that cannot be matched online. "I think there's something very special for a student to see their work in print and to realize, ‘Hey, this is something I can actually accomplish,'" she said. "There's something a bit more formal about having it in print." Kim said the editors hope to distribute Common Law issues to other schools in the Northeast. Shehadeh said he hopes Common Law will address issues that excite students. "I'm hoping that people will really get engaged with these articles," he said. "I'm really hoping that somehow Common Law can stand out."
Rivalry games in college football often do not live up to the hype. And in the case of the Red River Rivalry between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns, it looked like that might be proven right this year. But with the return of last year's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, this year's game does promise to be one to remember. And though this game might be lacking the luster of last year's contest, which featured two undefeated, top-five squads, there will still be plenty at stake when the two teams meet once again tomorrow in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. A win by the third-ranked Longhorns could help put to bed any idea that the Alabama Crimson Tide deserve the No. 2 spot in the polls, whereas No. 20 Oklahoma could vault up the rankings by upsetting its rival. Oklahoma's big threat at quarterback ensures that what was already a marquee game will also feature two of college football's biggest names: Bradford and Texas gunslinger Colt McCoy. Bradford, who suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder in the Sooners' first game of the season versus the BYU Cougars, was back to being his old self during his return last week against the Baylor Bears. Instead of taking time to shake off the rust from not having played since Sept. 5, the quarterback threw for 389 yards and a touchdown. With Bradford at the helm, the Sooners' chances should be much improved against a Texas defense that at times has looked susceptible to tough passing attacks like the Texas Tech Red Raiders'. This is an important game for Bradford, but the ramifications for McCoy loom even larger. The runner-up in the Heisman race last year, McCoy has struggled at times this season and is on pace to deliver numbers that are well under his marks from last year's campaign. Thanks to some subpar competition, however, the Longhorns have still managed to rack up the points thus far, coming into Saturday averaging an NCAA-leading 47.2 points a game. However, McCoy and Texas will be facing no pushover defense this weekend; Oklahoma has let up just 8.4 points a game. Texas' defense is also playing at a high level, allowing only 235 yards a game. Though the quarterbacks are the headliners, it is the two defenses that might steal the show. Though the Sooners are 3-2, this will be a dangerous game for the highly ranked Texas team. Beside the energy from one of the best rivalries in college football, Oklahoma will draw on the added motivation of trying to avenge a 45-35 loss last season that knocked the Sooners from the number one ranking. But Texas will also be hungry to prove that the BCS rankings committed a major mistake when they vaulted the Sooners into the national title game last year despite the Longhorns' head-to-head victory against them. Texas fans are still smarting from being leapfrogged by a Sooners team that went on to lose to the Florida Gators in the championship, and they would love nothing more than to prove their lofty status by walloping their conference brethren. In addition to featuring two of the best teams in the NCAA and arguably the two best quarterbacks in college football, this is also a matchup of two of the most respected coaches in the game. The head-to-head record favors Sooners coach Bob Stoops over Texas' Mack Brown, six-to-four. Still, although he has led his team to seven BCS bowl appearances, he has a reputation of faltering in big games. Brown, on the other hand, seems to get his team to play its best in the spotlight, and his Longhorns have won three of the last four meetings between the two teams. There is always something on the line in the Red River Shootout line, and with this year's many storylines, Saturday's duel will be no different. Whoever emerges victorious this weekend could get the inside edge on gaining the top spot in the Big 12 South and a likely date with a BCS game at the end of the season.
Pizza, pasta and Hodgdon muffins are often among the first to go when beginning a weight-loss diet. However, think again before you congratulate yourself for having only a cup of coffee for breakfast for the third day in a row. An unbalanced diet affects more than just your body weight.
Candidates in the race for the U.S. Senate seat vacated following Edward Kennedy's death have been taking advantage of the enthusiasm of college students to aid the momentum of their campaigns leading up to the Dec. 8 party primaries.
The Daily caught up with director Michael Moore to discuss his latest film "Capitalism: A Love Story," which delivers a stinging critique of America's economic system and corporate practices.
Students have until the end of the day tomorrow to turn remaining funds on old print cards into JumboCash.
On Sunday, Nov. 1, the day after Halloween — a day when you might wake up still wearing your costume — Tufts students, faculty and community members will gather at Tufts' Ellis Oval/Dussault track to run the Race4Rwanda 5K, which benefits Agahozo Shalom Youth Village (ASYV). They will run, walk, jog and show off their outfits in the costume contest. The first 200 people who register will walk away with some sweet, free T-shirts. And all participants will be invited to attend an after party to learn more about Rwanda.
Two weeks ago, a girl asked me on a date. Or at least I thought she did. She texted me asking, "Dinner soon?"
After a three-hour drive south from the rough terrain of the countryside, we arrived in San Salvador. Before I left the States, I expected that the wealth distribution in El Salvador would be incredibly unequal. In hindsight, I realize that I judged the rich of poor countries as being inherently evil.
In honor of Spike Jonze's film adaptation of Maurice Sendak's "Where The Wild Things Are" (1963), which graces movie screens and our lives with its presence this Friday, The Tufts Daily Arts Department came up with ten places we want to journey to that are comparable to the world of the Wild Things. 10. Camelot: We want the knights and the princesses and the dragons (Were there dragons in Camelot? Well, now there are.) Chivalry may be dead here in the 21st century, but in Camelot you'd be dead without chivalry. 9. Oz: Living in the Emerald City wouldn't be half bad, especially now that the Wicked Witch is dead. Just watch out for lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my! 8. Salvador Dali's Mind: Ever seen "Persistence of Memory" (1931), or for that matter, anything Dali ever painted? So many strange, surreal objects. So odd. So colorful. In fact, we're pretty sure that an adventure inside Dali's brain would be roughly equivalent to a hefty dose of LSD. "Whoa, dude ... those clocks are huge!" 7. Neverland: Peter Pan got it right when he refused to grow up. Who wouldn't want to live in a world of magic fairies and pirates? Jobs? The "real world"? Who needs ‘em? 6. Paris: The only real place on our list — that's because it's like an artsy wonderland in real life where we can stroll down avenues and traipse through parks. We could spend the whole day in museums and cinemas and boutiques. Even the graveyards are artsy; Jim Morrison happens to be buried in the city of love. 5. Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory: We want to go down the chocolate river (without getting sucked into the pipes), eat all the ridiculous candy, take a ride on Wonka's trippy boat and then soar in the glass elevator all the way through the roof. We're trading Tufts classes for Oompa Loompa Songs and Dances 101. 4. The Forest Moon of Endor With The Ewoks: Though some Star Wars die-hards think that the teddy-bear-like Ewoks ruined "Return of the Jedi" (1983), we would love to go to Endor solely to cuddle with them. They're the cutest infestation ever! Oh, Ewoks, we just want to snuggle with you in one of your primitive tree-houses. 3. The Matrix: If there is no spoon there can't be any prison shanks, so that's a plus. If we could fly, do Kung Fu and wear those cool pleather jackets, we wouldn't even care if we were nothing but robot chow. 2. Hogwarts: As if we aren't already muttering "Wingardium Leviosa" under our breaths during chem lab. Move, Bunsen burner, move! If only Emma Watson had come to Tufts instead of Brown. 1. Not the Daily Office: There are no windows down here. They keep us chained to the desks and they flog us for laughing, smiling or thinking about happiness. One time we thought about unicorns frolicking. We learned our lesson that day. Anywhere but here, please!
Counseling and Mental Health Service (CMHS) is implementing this year a federally-funded suicide prevention program at Tufts, but its efforts remain in the dark, and many students continue to be unfamiliar with the university's counseling resources.
The Beelzebubs have resolved the issues holding up their pending appearance on the NBC reality television show "The Sing-Off."
Tufts' Greek community may be lacking a director, but its fraternities have made it through rush season smoothly — and eyes are now turning toward how to carry out the former director's goal of reinventing the community's image on campus.
This is the first in a two-part series on free activities, items, food and events available to Tufts students.
