Archives

News

In defense of 'The School for Scandal'

November 7

Dear Editor: Benjamin Hilb's "In and of 'The School for Scandal'" (November 3) contains several statements which foster misperceptions about the Department of Drama and Dance and its productions. First, Hilb's assumption that The School for Scandal (the faculty-directed show that concluded its run in the Arena on Saturday night) required an "egregious expense of money" is simply wrong. We have limited resources for each production and allocate them wisely. It is a credit to the skill of our faculty and student designers that they are able to create such wonderfully effective work (costumes, set, lighting, sound), notwithstanding the budget constraints within which they operate. Second, while I regret that the theater may have smelled of paint on the night Hilb saw the show, I want to remind him that the Arena is a multi-purpose space. In addition to being the only theater on campus, it serves as a classroom and a venue for university events. It also is the place where we finish our sets. We have a scene shop where much of the preliminary set construction takes place, but final scene painting happens once the set is in position in the theater. Given everything else that happens in the theater, it is not always possible to finish a set well before a show is scheduled to open. Third, we present a variety of productions - classical as well as contemporary - each year. We offer shows from different historical periods and cultures for the benefit of our audiences and our students. In addition to The School for Scandal, we are staging The Fifth of July (an American drama first produced in 1981) and Heads or Tails? (a new Chinese play in its English-language world premiere at Tufts). I believe that Sheriden Thomas, who directed this 18th-century British comedy, made a compelling case for its relevance in her program essay. We are proud of the work we do and invite members of the Tufts community to join us for the remainder of our 2005-2006 season.Barbara W. Grossman Chair, Department of Drama and Dance

---

News

Athlete Feature | Complementary styles make for strong friends and strong leaders

November 7

From Jordan and Pippen to Montana and Rice to Maris and Mantle, the sports world is full of dynamic duos - players whose individual skills and on-field chemistry have led their teams, whose leadership has carried them, and whose journey together has defined them. Without the dunk, the perfect spiral or the pinstripes, seniors Jeanne Grabowski and Lea Napolitano have played just this role for Tufts field hockey. Four-year starters and co-captains during their junior and senior seasons, the two have formed a stable core around which the Jumbos have built a solid program in recent years. The pair has started every game they have played in a Jumbo uniform, with Napolitano anchoring the team's offense and defense at center midfield and Grabowski just next door at right mid. The two are neighbors on and off the field (they share upstairs and downstairs apartments of the same house along with teammates Therese Corsello and Erika Goodwin), and the two relationships have been mutually reinforcing, cultivating both the friendship and the on-field chemistry that played such a large role in their leadership styles. In addition to sharing the midfield, and now a house, the two are both community health majors (Napolitano's second major is English and Grabowski's is American Studies). The outward similarities end quickly, though, as Grabowski's quick laugh and witty candor immediately stand out against Napolitano's calmer presence. It is exactly these differences that have been a source of strength on and off and field, and the relaxed, comfortable back-and-forth between them reveals the deeper bond they've developed. "We've gotten so much closer over the four years," Grabowski said. "We've seen each other evolve, which is really cool. I think we work well together - we joke that Lea takes care of the girls and I'm the enforcer." "I'm the mom and Jeanne's the dad," Napolitano continued. "Calling her the enforcer sounds like a negative thing; she's really the motivator. When the freshmen first come in, she's the more intimidating one, but I think that's good. There's a good balance." Teammates highlighted the pair's complementary personalities and leadership styles. "They bring together exactly the type of leadership you'd want," junior Stacey Watkins said. "Together, they're the perfect leaders. Jeanne is a big communicator on the field, and I wouldn't say that Lea's a softie, because she's not, but she definitely has a more nurturing nature. Part of our strength on the field was communication and meshing as a team, and they really made that happen." Sophomore Meghan Becque put it a little more concisely. "Jeanne is the one that will beat somebody up for you, and Lea is the one that will pick you up off the ground," she said. Grabowski latched onto field hockey in seventh grade, and while she drifted in and out of basketball and soccer during high school, field hockey remained her primary sport. As the youngest of three children, the Pleasantville, NY native found her competitive spirit early on. "I have two older brothers that used to beat me up all the time," she said with a laugh. "I think they helped to give me my aggressive edge for field hockey." Napolitano's involvement in the sport started slightly later in life when, after playing soccer through most of her childhood, she picked up field hockey during her freshman year in high school in Waltham, Mass. The sport is something of a family tradition for Napolitano, as her older sister played at both Merrimack and UMass-Amherst and her younger sister is currently on the team at the University of New Hampshire. Napolitano acknowledged the influence that athletics had on her development. "I've acquired a good work ethic," she said. "[Playing sports] taught me how to challenge myself. It's hard to tell what I would have been without it, because I don't know what its like not to be on a team." During high school, both Napolitano and Grabowski were recruited by then-coach Carol Rappoli. "She called me and said 'Do you want to be a Jumbo?' and I said 'Sure,' and that was that," Grabowski said. "Between field hockey and the community health program and Carol, I was set." Napolitano's college search started a little differently than her teammate's, but ended in the same place. "My junior year, I was looking at a bunch of Div. I schools because I was really gung-ho about playing field hockey in college," she said. "But by senior year, I was kind of burned out and started looking at Div. III schools. Carol called and I came and visited and I loved Tufts." The two found positions on the field immediately, earning the center and right midfield spots that they held through their senior seasons. They became quick friends, a bond which resurfaced even stronger when the two were chosen as tri-captains in their junior season, along with then-senior Dana Panzer. "They're really mature, as players and as people, and they know what it's all about," McDavitt said. "They're very disciplined, and they took their jobs as seriously as I hoped they would. They came back fit, focused, and wanted to win, and they were on my page in terms of getting the team to work together and getting everyone to do what they needed to do." Watkins talked about what influenced her vote for the rising juniors over the team's other three seniors for the tri-captaincy in 2004. "It was their presence on the field; the way they're able to play their game," she said. "Even though they weren't seniors, their personas on the field made them seem older, and they really knew how to pump the team up." The two would make an impact separately and together throughout their four years on the field. Napolitano finished her career with 16 goals and 13 assists, and Grabowski totaled five goals and 11 assists. But even these stats inadequately cover a job extremely well done - the midfield position has both an offensive and defensive component, and the often unenviable task of fusing the two, and Grabowski and Napolitano in tandem anchored a strong-stick side for the Jumbos. "They complement each other, work off each other, and bring different attributes to the game," McDavitt said. "They're just on the same page." While the two will leave the Hill in May, they will leave a legacy for younger players - a love of the game, a desire to win, and a clear concept of team that will last long after #11 and #17 have gone. Becque, whose freshman year warm-up partner was then-junior Napolitano, will take much away from the quiet leadership she observed as she steps up as an upperclassman. "I watched the way she played - serious, but motivational and positive at the same time," Becque said. "I really look up to her and the way she dealt with her leadership role. They're big shoes to fill." Watkins, a junior who will attempt just that task in the 2006 season, recognized the ways in which the dynamic between the two inspired both an awareness of team and an individual dedication directed to that end. "They have something special in that they're really good friends," Watkins said. "When one's down, the other can pick her up. They feed off each other to make us push each other harder. As a player, to see something like that makes you want to do better, to try harder, not just for yourself but for them, too, because they're working so hard for you." Grabowski and Napolitano talked about their plans for the future with slight apprehension and nostalgia. "I'll miss being on a team," Napolitano said. "I'll never experience that again. I'll always find a place to play field hockey, but I don't think I'll ever have that same relationship with people on a team again. It's a really neat feeling to be an integral part of something." "There's nothing like the relationships you form in-season," Grabowski added. "I've seen these girls more than I've seen my family in the past four years." When asked what she'll miss most, Grabowski didn't hesitate. "Saturday night team bonding at 347 [Boston Ave.]," she said, pausing for a moment. "And long bus rides."

---

News

Men's Cross Country | Second seven race to ninth place at ECACs, can't three-peat

November 7

Despite high expectations and a previously-impressive track record, the men's cross country team was unable to achieve its goal of winning the ECAC championships this past weekend. Tufts (267) finished ninth out of the field of 38 competitors and, more importantly, was unable to match the runners of five other NESCAC rivals. After being overmatched in last week's NESCAC championships, Williams College responded with a first place finish at ECACs, finishing with a total of 46 points. Fellow NESCAC foes Bates (71), Middlebury (224), Wesleyan (231), and Amherst (256) finished second, fifth, seventh, and eighth, respectively. The low finish meant the Jumbos missed out on a chance to win their third straight ECAC title. Despite the surprisingly low result, the Jumbos were still content with their performance as five of the seven competing runners recorded career-best finishes. Sophomore Anyenda Inyagwa highlighted that group, finishing 13th overall with a time of 26:18. The sophomore's time was 1:10 faster than his previous record and coach Ethan Barron could not stress his happiness about Inyagwa's performance enough. "Anyenda's performance was absolutely awesome," Barron said. "He surpassed anyone's expectations and really ran a great race out there." Senior co-captain Matt Lacey was also excited with his teammate's time. "It's always great to see a teammate do exceptionally well," Lacey said. "When a person goes above and beyond the best they can do, it's really something special." The rest of the team also faired well. Sophomore Dave Sorensen (26:33) finished 28th overall, junior Peter Goransson (27:08) finished 61st and junior Chad Uy (27:27), sophomore Skye Isard (27:41), and freshmen Andrew Lee (28:45) finished 80th, 90th, and 154th respectively. Junior Nate Cleveland rounded out the pack finishing 182nd with a time of 29:47. Each of the top five of the second seven runners ran personal records on Saturday, with Goransson cutting 40 seconds off his top time in an 8k. Barron believed this race brought several pluses, but also a few negatives. "This race definitely had its up's and down's," Barron said. "Some of our competitors ran their number one teams, but also the race went a bit faster than we expected. It wasn't the ultimate team finish, but we still performed well. We took a few bumps and Cleveland took an elbow to the chest. Still, I'm pleased with the individual performances." While the Jumbos' second seven definitely showed their potential, the focus shifts back to the first seven as the New England Div. III Championships take place in less than a week. Up against some of the stiffest competition in the region, the importance of the race is evident as a top five finish would guarantee an invitation to the NCAA national race. "We have faced all the teams there and matched up well against them," Barron said. "We won't change our strategy because it has worked all year. This is the time where no matter what bruises or bumps you have, you still run. Our top seven runners are going to be out there and they are all going to put everything on the line." The team is confident and all members agree that while the Jumbo frontrunners are the leaders of the team, it is the third through seventh runners that make the Jumbos superior to other competitors. "Williams has very talented one and two runners, but then the rest always have to work a little harder," Barron said. "Our one and two runners are amazing, but the remainder of the team stacks up well against others." His senior co-captain agreed. "Our depth is definitely our strength," Lacey added. "And as the races get more important, [depth does as well]." The Jumbos are confident going into next weekend's race and the team is expecting nothing less than a victory. "Our goal is to win," Barron said. "You don't go into a race hoping for second. We're going to try hard and I think we can come out on top."

---

News

Correction: Tuesday, November 8, 2005

November 7

In the article "Trustees ask how to sell Tufts" in Monday Nov. 7's Daily, the dean of the School of Dental Medicine was incorrectly identified as a woman. The dean, Lonnie Norris, is a man.

---

News

Grads to moms and dads: 'We'll be back'

November 7

Parents sending kids off to college should hold off on renovating that newly-spare bedroom: the majority of students will be heading back home after graduation, according to a recent MonsterTrak survey. These "boomerang" children are now the norm, according to an Oct. 15 article in the Washington Post that said 60 percent of 2005 graduates planned on moving back home after graduation. And Census Bureau data indicates that "in 2003, 50 percent of all 18- to 24-year-olds and 27 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds were living with their parents." Tufts students are no exception to this trend. Laura DePalma (LA '05) is currently living at home in New Jersey while she works and saves money for graduate school. "A lot of my friends who have graduated recently live at home - one is a med student at Tufts and is still living at home," DePalma said. According to the Post article, the increase in students returning home after college may be due to the reduced stigma associated with living at home: it has become more socially acceptable than in decades past to move back in with parents. But while reduced stigma may be one component, the major reason many college graduates move in with their parents is money. "I took time off from more schooling because of finances and the fact that I didn't feel quite ready to go to school again," DePalma said. "So I decided to live at home because it was convenient and cheap. I'm saving money for school this way." "We all think in a similar manner," DePalma added of her friends who are also living at home post-graduation. "It saves money, you don't cook your own food, etc...I think that's the appeal of living at home." Shasta Jean-Mary (LA '05) is having a similar experience. Jean-Mary moved back to her Hillside, New Jersey home after graduation in May and now works in New York City. "Although I do contribute money to pay some bills, I am saving a lot more money than I could have if I lived elsewhere," Jean-Mary said. For some students, moving home provides time to look for work and apartments. "We moved here two days after graduation, [so] we didn't have time to look for jobs," Liz Baxter (LA '05) said. Baxter and her boyfriend, who also graduated from Tufts in May, have temporarily moved in with her parents in Minnesota - and she describes the experience thus far as "like a big sleepover." "It was logistics, and it was time to save some money," Baxter said of her reasons for moving home. Baxter and her boyfriend plan on moving into their own apartment within the month. Many recent graduates agreed that living at home can have many fringe benefits. "The benefits - which did weigh heavily into my decision of living at home - are the free food, home cooking, no rent, free cable, free phone, free laundry, etc.," DePalma said. Baxter also cited home cooking as a plus. "We both definitely gained weight since we've been here from eating my parents' cooking," she said. But even though moving back home can have its benefits, it constitutes a drastic change from living independently at college. Child Development Professor and Department Chair Fred Rothbaum said that moving back home can be "a big adjustment." "When you're home for a few days, you start falling back into old patterns," Rothbaum said. "I think it's much harder [when you're home for longer]: you tend to regress when you're put back in a situation associated with a much younger age. Your only model for [living at home] is [from] when you were younger." Recent graduates' experiences are in line with Rothbaum's observation. "It was really difficult when I first moved back, because I wanted to grow and explore more than I had in college," Jean-Mary said. Parents of boomerang kids must also adjust to changes - not only the changes in their routines, but also the changes in their children. "People tend to ignore how much development goes from 17 to 22," Rothbaum said. "It's enormous - psychologically, emotionally, behaviorally. I think parents see that and respond differently, and I think children see their parents in a whole new light." "My parents treated me as if I had not been away for four years," Jean-Mary said. "In college, you don't go out until 11 p.m. At home, I was still trying to be back by midnight so my parents wouldn't worry." "It's not that they set a curfew, but while I was living under their roof, I felt as if I shouldn't try to act the same way I did in school," Jean-Marie added. "It's difficult to feel independent and like a young adult when you're living at home, enjoying free meals and laundry." "[Parents] treat you like a kid again and you don't have your own personal space, so the main disadvantage is that you're not really independent anymore," DePalma agreed. "You feel almost trapped. So I figure once I have some extra money that I can spare on rent, I'm moving out." DePalma had originally planned on living at home for two years and then heading to graduate school. "But I really don't like living at home, so I think I'm going to move in with a friend of mine as soon as I can," she said. "The funny thing is, you think it's going to be amazing to be home and have all of those things to your advantage," she added. "But after about a month, you want to move out immediately."

---

News

The Somerville of Now

November 7

Today's elections in Somerville bring many voters to the polls pondering whether they are for the old or for the new. Davis Square and the surrounding Ward 6 are the ultimate battleground, as a relatively new transplant has challenged the long-running pothole fixer. Davis Square represents the changes that have occurred in Somerville over the past two decades and for surrounding residents, it is a battle caricatured as hipsters against families. Jack Connolly has been a pillar of Davis Square society over the past two decades, both in his role as Ward 6 Alderman and as a partner at the insurance agency Wedgwood-Crane & Connolly. His challenger, Rebekah Gewirtz, represents the younger, edgier side of Davis Square. This alleged conflict of generations has polarized the electorate into believing they are voting for the new or the old. The question that this election should decide is: who should represent Ward 6 in the present? The candidates' range of experience is a clear, distinguishing factor. In his time as alderman, Connolly has gained a solid reputation as both a long-term resident with a future invested in Somerville, but as an official capable of accomplishing change. In an attempt to bring a progressive agenda to Davis Square Gewirtz has called for increased public transportation to both Ball and Assembly Squares in addition to the nebulous concept of smart development. Connolly has been active in the development of Davis Square and Somerville over a period of significant change. He has taken Davis Square from what used to be an afterthought outskirt, to a bustling hub that bears closer resemblance to the East Village. Many of Connolly's experiences lie in development arena. One of his major accomplishments was to help negotiate with the MBTA as part of the Davis Square Task Force to allow only one home to be torn down instead of the proposed 60 upon installation of the Red Line. He has demonstrated proficiency in tackling the challenges that will face Somerville after the race. Bridging the gap between the older Somerville residents who may find nostalgia in the Somerville Theatre and the trendy crowd of Someday Cafe will be critical for the continued vitality of Ward 6. But Connolly should be wary of the public consensus on many issues. Recently drawing criticism for being overenthusiastic about development projects, he will have to remember that his constituency has changed. It is no longer a quaint area of families, but a younger generation more concerned about liquor laws than education funding has moved in. With respect to Gewirtz, it is encouraging to see a younger generation becoming involved in Somerville politics, but the issues facing Ward 6 today are more suited to an experienced politician. Davis Square faces adjustments and decisions which will require the knowledge and experience of a long time resident, who can remain flexible and open. Davis Square will continue to change over the coming years as the hip yuppie crowd begins to look for places to settle down. It is up to the neighbors of Davis Square to retain both the cultural and intellectual diversity the crowd brings - qualities that have rejuvenated Davis Square over the years.

---

---

News

Inside the NFL | Watch out for Brooks Bollinger

November 7

When New York Jets coach Herm Edwards was asked about the likelihood of a 2-6 football team making the playoffs, he reminded reporters that the Jets came back from a 2-5 record to make the playoffs two years ago. With the Jets struggling all year to find an identity, New York might have found the missing piece to the puzzle for the second half of the season in Brooks Bollinger. Bollinger was awful in his first start, forcing the Jets to ring up former starting quarterback Vinny Testaverde, who had been getting used to watching football games on the couch. On Sunday, however, the Jets' offense could not do much of anything in the first half against the San Diego Chargers scoring just one touchdown on a bomb to tight-end Chris Baker. With the Chargers cruising 28-10 in the third quarter, Edwards changed things up and inserted Bollinger into the lineup. Although New York still went on to lose the game, Bollinger sparked the team's impotent offense helping orchestrate a solid comeback. Bollinger was the Jets' third string quarterback at the beginning of the year behind Chad Pennington and Jay Fiedler. When the vertically-challenged Bollinger entered the game on Sunday, the Chargers upped their blitz frequency and kept their hands in the air while rushing the quarterback to try and take advantage of the new QB's stature. With San Diego blitzing more, Bollinger was able to use his speed to get outside the pocket and burn the Chargers on a number of plays, accruing a 103.3 quarterback rating on the day. Down 31-26 at the end of the fourth quarter, the Jets, on San Diego's three yard line, were in prime position to take the lead and earn a comeback victory over the Chargers. Even with a dominant running back like Curtis Martin, however, New York still decided to throw the ball three straight times in an attempt to exploit a weak San Diego secondary without cornerback Sammy Davis. Bollinger's height, however, factored in on a crucial third and goal play. San Diego defensive end Jamal Williams was able to knock down a Bollinger pass with receivers open in the end zone. On fourth down, Bollinger threw a fade route to wide receiver Justin McCareins that was dropped erasing the Jets' chance for the upset. Philadelphia Eagles wide-receiver Terrell Owens has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is impossible to have on a team without causing controversy. There is no question that if TO could not survive Andy Reid than there is probably no coach in football that will tolerate him. Reid, Edwards, and Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy are probably the three biggest players' coaches in football. Reid gave Owens every chance in the world, but a fight with Hugh Douglas, the Eagles' ambassador, and refusing to mention Donovan McNabb in his media apology are probably the straws that broke the camel's back. It was not that long ago that the Green Bay Packers, under the tenure of hall of fame candidate Ron Wolf, were churning out 12, 13, and 14-win seasons. But the Packers are now 1-6 and have a starting running back named Samko Gado. The biggest question for the Packers is why they chose to give coach Mike Sherman a contract extension. Green Bay's offense suffers from poor play just as much as bad coaching. They have never been forced to control future hall-of-famer Brett Favre, but the aging QB's accuracy has declined tremendously in recent years making those plays that used to be SportsCenter highlights now interceptions. It has not helped that the Packers lost Javon Walker, their best wide receiver, for the season and fields a defense that allowed Pittsburgh Steeler backup quarterback Charlie Batch to look like pro-bowler.

---

News

A wonderful time at Halloween on the Hill

November 7

Dear Editor: Our kids, Emma, 7, and Gavin, 5, went to "Halloween on the Hill" last Saturday, Oct. 29th and had a monstrously good time! The cookie decorating, haunted house, and enthusiasm of all the students in costume made it a really memorable day for all the little ghosts and goblins who attended. Over the past few years the kids have also gone to "Read by the River", learned to swim by taking lessons taught by the swim team, toured the Tisch library, and the whole family has rooted for the Jumbos at many baseball games. These have all been wonderful opportunities for kids to learn and to see what they have to look forward to when they go to college. As neighbors to the university we are most grateful for your generosity in sharing your time, talents and campus. Tufts students really are exceptional in their dedication to their community.Patrick and Susan Bibbins Somerville

---

News

Women's Cross Country | Tufts' second seven take No. 2 behind surprise Amherst squad

November 7

Tufts stormed the beach on Saturday taking second place in the ECAC Championships at the ocean-side Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, Conn. The finish was the highest ever for the Tufts women in ECACs, as the Jumbos customarily race their second seven runners in order to rest their top seven women for this upcoming weekend's Div. III New England Regionals. "It was a great meet for us and we almost pulled it off versus a very tough Amherst team," coach Kristen Morwick said. Junior Samantha Moland (22:53) and freshman Morgan Medders (23:04) both earned All-ECAC honors for their performances, with Moland taking ninth and Medders following in 11th. It's been three weeks since Moland has raced for the Jumbos because of health issues, but she was not affected by her downtime. "It was amazing after having such a rollercoaster season, but I was ready for it," Moland said. For Medders, it was only her second 6k as a collegiate runner. In last weekend's 5k, Medders was the first women's collegiate finisher in the open race. "She's just been improving throughout the end of the season," junior tri-captain Jenny Torpey said. "She definitely stepped it up." "I know she's been coming up slowly all season, but just like all the freshmen, they've just constantly been improving and very quietly sneaking up into the top positions," sophomore Laura Walls said. "I'm not surprised. She works very hard in practice." Towards the end of the race, a coach from Williams instructed one of his runners to stay matched with Walls, looking to break the race open down the stretch. The move backfired, as Walls stepped on the gas and passed the Eph runner. "It was more just that I just wanted to prove the Williams coach wrong," Walls said. Senior Arielle Aaronson (23:14) took 16th and freshman Susan Allegretti (23:21) was right behind her in 18th. Walls rounded out the Jumbos' scoring by sprinting the last few hundred meters to take 19th (23:22). "There were just outstanding races by Moland, Medders, and Laura Walls, who passed at least 10 people in the last 200 meters," Morwick said. "I was happy," Walls said. "I haven't shown a lot of improvement from freshman year so this is a big personal record. I was happy it came during the championship race when it counted." Torpey (22:45) and sophomore Anna Shih (22:46) took 33rd and 34th for the Jumbos. The two were the fastest sixth and seventh team finishers of any team at the meet. Throughout the week, Tufts prepared to beat Williams, who was assumed to have the most depth and the strongest team coming into this weekend. But the bigger threat turned out to be Amherst as the Lord Jeffs took first and beat the Jumbos by two points, finishing the day with 71 to Tufts' 73. Amherst raced a member of its top seven in the race, which may have given the Jeffs the victory. "If we had put anyone from our top seven in there - [freshman Katie] Rizzolo, [sophomore Katy] O'Brien, [junior Sarah] Crispin, [freshman Evelyn] Sharkey - we'd have won by 20 or more points," Morwick said. Every single member of the ECAC team achieved a personal record. "Overall, we were really proud of our performance," Torpey said. "Two points isn't really that much. They have a really strong team, too. I think it would have been nice to win but on the day, it was a really good performance." Teammates cheered the Jumbos throughout the race as the top seven Tufts runners as many team members travelled to Connecticut to motivate the participants. "The girls who weren't racing were cheering all along the race," Moland said. "They were around every corner. That made a big difference and it definitely helped us out." The ECAC runners will return the favor next weekend as Tufts travels out to Springfield college to compete for one of the top five spots for Nationals next week at the New England Regionals.

---

News

Inside College Football | A few sure things but some BCS bids are still up for the taking

November 7

As the third-ranked team in the BCS standings despite an 8-0 record and two impressive wins over top-25 teams, No. 3 Virginia Tech was hoping that a win over No. 5 Miami could change its fortunes and put it in the Rose Bowl picture. Instead, the Hurricanes rolled into Blacksburg, Va. and destroyed the Hokies, blowing Virginia Tech right out of the national title picture. Miami's defense dominated the game, holding the Hokies to just 167 yards of total offense, recording six sacks, forcing six turnovers and scoring a touchdown to lead the Hurricanes to a 27-7 road victory. The upset dropped the Hokies to No. 8 in the AP rankings and vaulted the Hurricanes into the national title picture at No. 3 in the AP. Virginia Tech entered the game with plenty of momentum, having just knocked off No. 13 Boston College 30-10. The Hokies were counting on the hot play of quarterback Marcus Vick to propel them into national title contention with a convincing win over a highly-ranked team. As it turned out, Vick was no match for a Miami defense that had him running for his life all game. The Miami pass rush sacked Vick six times and forced two interceptions and four lost fumbles. Late in the third quarter, with Vick in his own endzone, the Miami pass rush flushed Vick out of the pocket and forced a fumble that was recovered in the endzone by Kareem Brown to give Miami a commanding 27-0 lead. At that point, the Hokies had little chance of coming back into the game and were just looking for a score to avoid their first shutout since 1995. The game was another notch in the belt for a Miami defense that has given up just 83 points in eight games. That includes 30 allowed in week two against No. 20 Clemson. If it weren't for a 10-7 opening week loss to Florida State, the Hurricanes would be undefeated and right in the thick of the national championship race. They still could find themselves playing the Seminoles once again, this time for the ACC Championship. Regardless, if either USC or Texas falters, Miami would be in the running with the Alabama Crimson Tide for an invitation to the Rose Bowl. After flattening Stanford 51-21 this week, USC will face three tough games to end its season. Next week, the Trojans will travel to Memorial Stadium to take on a California team that just lost an overtime heartbreaker to No. 11 Oregon. After that, they will host No. 20 Fresno State and No. 14 UCLA, which just dropped its first game of the season, a 52-14 shocker to Arizona. The way USC's offense has played the last two years, it would be a surprise if the Trojans lost any of those games. Like the Trojans, Texas appears destined for a trip to Pasadena. This week, Texas routed overmatched Baylor, 62-0. With a schedule that includes Kansas, Texas A&M and possibly Colorado in the Big 12 Championship Game, the Longhorns should be able to walk into the Rose Bowl, barring an upset. With Texas, USC and Miami seemingly having locked up BCS bids, a slew of other teams are left jockeying for the remaining top bowl berths. Alabama, with its perfect record, is the front-runner for the SEC bid, but will not have an easy time beating No. 5 LSU, No. 15 Auburn and possibly No. 9 Georgia in the SEC Championship game. In the Big Ten, No. 6 Penn State seems to have wrapped things up this weekend with a convincing 35-14 win over then-No. 14 Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions will travel to Michigan State next weekend to take on a reeling Spartans team. In the Big East, West Virginia has the edge on the bid with a 4-0 conference record and no games left against ranked teams. Because the BCS added another bowl this year, that leaves four at-large bids for the taking. These bids could be gobbled up by SEC also-rans as well as Independent Notre Dame.

---

News

A voyage to India for the well heeled, decision-makers

November 7

The Board of Trustees meeting this weekend was cut short because many of its members had to go on a University trip to India. The trip - held in conjunction with two alumni travel programs - is in part to attend a meeting of the International Board of Overseers. About 80 people are taking part in the combined trip, including University President Lawrence Bacow and Provost and Senior Vice President Jamshed Bharucha. The group will meet with local alumni, cultural figures and members of the government. Participants will speak to author Jairam Ramesh and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Tufts alumni Davinder Brar, the chairman of GVK Biosciences, Bollywood actress Amisha Patel, Ashok Misra, the director of the Indian Institute of Technology, and United Nations Under Secretary General for Communication and Public Information Shashi Tharoor will also speak to the group. Before he left, Bharucha said the trip could lead to research opportunities for students and faculty. A small medical school and dental school, he said, could provide Tufts medical and dental students opportunities to practice in different environments. "We'll be signing some agreements with different organizations," he said. Bharucha also said the trip may result in study abroad programs for students. He emphasized the need to open up relationships in India, as well as strengthening Tufts' international profile. The trustees and administrators, as well as alumni on the Tufts in the World program, left over the weekend and will return Friday. Alumni participating in the Tufts Travel-Learn program left Monday and stay until Nov. 20. They have more time for sightseeing, including the Taj Mahal and Emperor Akbar's Agra Fort. All three groups will fly into Mumbai and fly back from New Delhi. According to Bharucha, the returns of the trip outweigh the costs. Last November's Tufts in the World trip to Mexico City, he said, led to the Mexican government paying half the tuition of Mexican PhD students at Tufts. The connections with institutions and alumni in the area will also help the University raise money, he said. Under the auspices of the Board of Trustees, there are several boards of overseers, which have no authority but make policy recommendations to the University and help raise money. There are overseers for each school in the University, one for athletics, and one called the International Board of Overseers. The International Board of Overseers encourages international students to apply to Tufts, looks for financial aid for international students, and promotes the University's reputation abroad, according to Trustees Secretary Linda Dixon said. The group meets twice a year, each time in a different country. Last spring's meeting was in Mexico. Next year's Tufts in the World trip will take place in China. At a lunch for trustees who did not go to India on Saturday, trustee Alfred Tauber said his work kept him from going to India. Tauber is a professor at Boston University, and his wife is also an academic. "We really have to change our lifestyle," he said. -- Brian Loeb contributed to this article.

---

News

Somerville votes today

November 7

Somerville may be a solidly Democratic town, but there is still a lot to fight for in today's city elections. Voters will decide on the makeup of the Board of Aldermen, and in some wards, they will also chose a school board representative. The Board of Aldermen is the legislative branch of Somerville's government. It is made up of one representative from each of the seven wards and four at-large aldermen. Elections for the Board of Aldermen are held every two years. Today there are contested elections for aldermen in four wards, including Ward 6, which touches the Tufts campus and includes Davis Square. This is the first contested election for current Ward 6 Alderman Jack Connolly since 1997. He has been on the Board for 22 years. "For me, the real issue is my experience," Connolly said. Connolly's opponent is Rebekah Gewirtz, who is running in her first election. Gewirtz is the vice-chair of the Ward 6 Democratic City Committee and was the co-founder and former chair of the Progressive Democrats of Somerville, a community activist group. "What I'm trying to work on is bringing people together," she said. According to Gewirtz's Web site, her priorities public school funding, affordable housing and creating a Green Line stop in Ball Square and an Orange Line stop in Assembly Square. "I'm running because I think our local government can do better," Gewirtz said. She has lived in Ward 6 for four years. Connolly said the race would come down to the basic issues such as the responsiveness of the government and communication with the constituency. "People ... want to be sure that their elected officials are responsive and that they get things done," he said. "That is my forte." He said the Davis Square area has improved during his time in office. "Davis Square was really a ghost town," he said of the time he entered politics. "There was not a lot of diversity in the city. People didn't even really talk to Tufts students." According to a Nov. 3 article in the Somerville Journal, Connolly has raised more than $28,000 and spent more than $19,000. Gewirtz has raised almost $26,000 and spent about $9,000. Ward 7 Alderman Robert Trane is running unopposed for reelection. Ward 7 also encompasses part of the Tufts campus. Seven candidates are on the ballot for the four at-large seats. The incumbents are Bruce Desmond, Denise Provost, Dennis Sullivan and Bill White. All are running for reelection. Tufts alumnus Marty Martinez (LA '01) is running for one of the at-large seats. He lost the Nov. 2003 election for Ward 7 alderman to incumbent Robert Trane. The other candidates for the at-large seats are Stephen Glines and Kimberly Foster Hirsh. For the Somerville School Committee, both the Ward 6 and 7 seats are contested. Ward 6's seat, left open by Carolyn Taylor, will be given to either Jim Thomas or Paul Bockelman. Ward 7 incumbent Mary Jo Rossetti will face Herby Duverne. Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone is also on the ballot. He is running for reelection in an uncontested race. Some Tufts students are helping the candidates. The Tufts Democrats have encouraged residents to vote and put flyers on house doors for Ward 5 school board candidate Mark Niedergang. The group has a policy of not endorsing any candidates, but students will help any candidate who asks. According to Kayt Norris, who is in charge of local internships and community involvement for the Tufts Democrats, about 40 students signed up to help three different candidates. In addition to Niedergang's campaign, Tufts Democrats are also working with Gewirtz and Provost.

---

News

The patriots' response

November 7

We would like to respond to the Nov. 1 Viewpoint by Gregory Dimitriadis and Teitur Torkelsson. It is true that the U.S. Flag Code is not law - it is more like suggested guidelines. Beyond that, there are many things wrong with what they said. For example, the bandana worn by Miss Starr was not an American flag, but of another design using similar stars and stripes.

---

News

Sara Franklin | Oh My!: Sex Straight-Up

November 7

The population is divided. Arguments ensue, opinions change, alliances are made and broken. I'm referring, of course, to the debate between cheese and oral sex. Haven't you heard the buzz? Sitting around the dorm talking nonsense, as is often the chosen activity of tired and overworked sophomores, my friend Erica asked me a question which has thus altered the course of my life: if forced to choose one, which would I rather give up indefinitely, cheese or oral sex? I couldn't help but put aside my massive term paper in order to sit and ponder such a deep and probing query. After copious amounts of questioning on my hall and among my lovely VOXers, we came up with some important points to help you make up your mind. Yes, I know we can have both. But as your situation may be like mine and many others, in that one or the other isn't available at just this moment, just imagine if you had to choose. The general trend is that people eat cheese much more often than they have oral sex. With careful scheduling and the right partner this could all change. If I had someone around to pleasure me orally whenever I wanted, I would give up cheese faster than you can say fettuccini alfredo. Some people have very severe allergies to cheese. While I've heard of people who are "allergic" to and have had negative experiences with oral sex, I have yet to hear of anyone who flat out can't deal with it. Health-wise, oral pleasure is much better for the body. Orgasms are proven to relieve stress, and the caloric intake that comes from oral pleasure is much lower than that which comes from eating cheese. More oral sex would lead to a healthier world. Oral pleasure is vegan-friendly, although swallowing is questionable. While a good cheese is easier to find than good oral sex, we don't deserve to eat good cheese if we can't appreciate it. If given the right oral pleasure, most people would be more than adequately appreciative. On the other hand, oral sex is just one means of reaching that magical end. In giving up oral sex, you lose only one of those means. There are several other ways that partners can please each other (or that you can please yourself), whereas cheese... well, let's just say those commercials commanding us to "behold the power of cheese" didn't come from nowhere. If you have a craving for cheese, you can usually find some way to satisfy it. Most people have a cheese or cheese product in their fridge or cabinet (Hellooo, Easy Mac) or are in a position to find some. Oral sex is on a regular basis is much more difficult to find. If anyone out there has more oral sex than cheese, you'd better be lactose intolerant or I hate you. For most people, cutting cheese out of their diet (yes all cheese, every cheese - cream cheese, cheesecake, pizza, brie and crackers) involves depriving themselves of a much larger part of life than if they were to cut out oral sex. Social functions rarely involve fellatio or cunnilingus, whereas if you brought an extremely fancy cheese to a party, people would crowd around you. Spending a lot on cheese is considered classy, whereas spending any money on oral sex is considered just plain dirty. When choosing a cheese, you generally know what to expect from the name of the cheese. If by some chance you encounter a bad cheese, you can simply spit it out and choose another. If only oral sex were so simple. It's considered fine dining if there is mold on your cheese, but very poor hygiene if there is mold on your person. My very torn friend, Sarah LaRue, brought up this final point. It's not a bad idea to ask a professor to go for pizza; it lets them know that you are proactive and interested in furthering your academic life. It is a terrible idea to propose oral pleasure. It lets them know you are a dirty ho. What is the purpose of this argument, you ask? I kind of missed that part of the assignment, but it brought hours of conversation to VOX meetings and various other friends. If you wish to point out the utter cheesiness of these comparisons and ultimate insignificance of this column, just point at the text and chuckle. It's that easy.Sara Franklin is a sophomore majoring history. She can be reached via e-mail at Sara.Franklin@tufts.edu.

---

News

No, it's not actually the year 2008 already

November 7

The average channel surfer may have mistaken Sunday's episode of NBC's "The West Wing" for a real political debate. But anyone who has seen "M.A.S.H" or "NYPD Blue" would quickly realize that Alan Alda and Jimmy Smits have not yet abandoned their acting careers to pursue political ones. In what may have been an attempt to boost lagging ratings, this episode of "The West Wing," now in its seventh season, was broadcasted live. The entire episode featured a debate between Republican presidential nominee Arnold Vinick (Alda) and Democratic candidate Matthew Santos (Smits), one of whom will eventually take the spot of incumbent president Jed Bartlett (Martin Sheen). Half the appeal to a live show is the hope that an actor will forget his lines, start hysterically laughing, fall over or otherwise mess up. Producers of "The West Wing" chose a good venue for using the rarely-done live drama gimmick. This episode being a presidential debate, going live didn't seem at all contrived. Other than the fumbling of a couple of words here and there, Alda and Smits flawlessly portrayed their dueling characters. While this episode of "The West Wing," which had two separate live versions for the East and West coasts, did not provide much in the way of bloopers, the simple filming style and the knowledge of the live broadcast gave the show an accordingly real life feel. So too did the perfectly replicated presidential debate set and the moderation by an actual news anchor, Forrest Sawyer. Anyone listening to the debate between Santos and Vinick, however, would note that these were some of the only similarities between a real presidential debate and this scripted one. This was due to the frankness with which of each of the candidates discussed important national issues. Both characters reflected on health care, reliance on foreign oil, and the death penalty with a candor that nearly every real political debate lacks. From the get go it was clear that this would be a debate heavy on the drama and light on the realism. Citing fellow Republican Abraham Lincoln as inspiration, Vinick starts the episode by requesting to have "real debate" as opposed to a time-monitored one in which candidates cannot directly address one another. The freedom such a debate allows just makes it far too likely that candidates will make campaign-damning blunders. But one must remember that this is a drama; it would have been a rather dull one had writers decided to stick with the standard debate format. Indeed, at times Vinick and Santos seemed almost ready to pounce on one another. Their rivalry was palpable and their discussion heated, making for darn good debate drama. Much less successful than the interaction between Vinick and Santos were Ellen DeGeneres' minute long interludes, which eventually became clear as a means for American Express to buy some advertising time. DeGeneres started out sitting on what is presumably "The West Wing" set, discussing the rarity of live drama. After a few mildly amusing jokes, she unexpectedly segued into the virtues of the phenomenal Blue card. This provided not only a confusing moment (what does Ellen have to do with "The West Wing" or American Express?) but an uncomfortable one to boot. More importantly, the question remains: who won the debate? Vinick gets serious points for requesting a nontraditional rule-less debate, but Santos' idealistic, well-articulated hopes for the future of the nation (putting the entire country on Medicare) coupled with his American dream life story make him highly sympathetic. Either way, the honesty and openness with which each candidate expressed his beliefs should make viewers wish either of them could really run for president, for a day when everything that reaches the public doesn't seem processed by media sound bites.

---

News

After forum, freshmen run for Lee's Senate seat

November 7

Seven freshmen got up on stage at Hotung Cafe Monday to voice their opinions of the major issues facing the student body, but they were often hard to hear over the usual weekday crowd ordering food. The freshmen are running for the open spot on the Tufts Community Union Senate. The spot was vacated by Andrew Lee, who resigned Oct. 24 because of the time commitment. The election is today. Four of the candidates - Kris Coombs, Constantin Sabet D'Acre, Greg Meiselbach and Matt Shapanka - ran and lost in the fall general election. Elton Sykes, Daniel Hartman and Matt LaPolice have not run before. The candidates introduced themselves and briefly explained their platforms. They were then asked questions by current senators. Issues frequently raised by the students included increasing the hours of operation of the Carmichael, Dewick-MacPhie and Hodgdon dining facilities, simplifying the points system and improving student ID cards. Elton said he walked around campus prior to the forum asking students what their greatest concern was, and repeatedly heard complaints about the dining hall hours and the condition of dorm bathrooms. LaPolice also talked about later dining hall hours - an issue he said was the most important. Both Coombs and Sykes mentioned problems with student ID cards. Simplification of the points system was Elton's primary concern. Coombs and Meiselbach both brought up the issues of managing finances. Coombs said proper funding for clubs - especially non-profit groups - would be the first thing he would bring up if he could speak to the Board of Trustees. Shapanka advocated two projects he is already working on as a walk-on - a non-elected, non-voting member - on the Senate's administration and budget committee. The first is to make the book list for courses available at the time of registration, and the second is to implement a GPS to track the movement of the shuttle to Davis Square. He also said the most important issue is need-blind admissions. Senator Rafi Goldberg, a senior, agreed. "I definitely agree it's the first priority," he said. "I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who didn't." Sabet D'acre - raising an issue not touched on by the other candidates - said the most important issue was breaking down cultural and ethnic barriers in the student body and organizing intercultural events. He was also the only candidate to mention the increasing wireless connectivity on campus. "The only place you really have wireless is Tisch, and that's rather sad," he said.

---

News

After years of renting, crew gets a place of its own

November 6

For the first time in Tufts' history, crew can look forward to rowing out of its own boathouse on the Malden River this spring. "This is the first time that the program will have a permanent home to call our own, and gives us an amazing facility to train and race out of," said Anna Lindgren-Streicher, the novice women's crew coach. The boathouse's construction will not just benefit Tufts' crew . "Adding a boathouse to a park [shows] real-estate commitment," said Gary Caldwell, the Tufts Director of Rowing and women's crew team coach. "This project is an example of partnership between private organizations, municipalities and universities. It's a win-win-win situation." Construction on the new boathouse started two months ago and is scheduled to be completed by February 2006. Despite some minor set-backs and problems with the long-term lease, "the boathouse has gone very much on plan," Caldwell said. "We've been on a timeline. We're all very pleased with the progress." "It's been a six-year process, and not always 100 percent smooth. Trying to gain approval has not been easy," Tufts Athletic Director Bill Gehling said. For the past four years, Tufts' crew team has been using a 40 foot by 80 foot framed tent as a temporary boathouse. It has no heat or running water. "It's a temporary situation, so it's okay," Caldwell said. "It does its job." The crew program started in the 1980s. For its first 15 years the program rented racks in the Harvard Boathouse on the Charles River. Two factors forced the change, Gehling said. The crew program was growing in popularity. At the same time, Harvard was no longer happy renting space. "Using the Harvard boathouse felt like squatting on someone else's space," senior and women's crew captain Daniela Fairchild said. According to Barbara Rubel of Tufts' Office of Community Relations, the state does not allow new boathouses to be built on the Charles River, so Tufts' crew team searched for a new home. The opportunity to move off the Charles came in the summer of 1999 when developers from the city of Malden approached him about using Malden River as a rowing site. The boathouse construction is part of a larger project known as River's Edge. Once named TeleCom City, River's Edge is a technology development project of Medford, Malden and Everett. It is a tri-city collaboration to develop the banks of the Malden River. Caldwell moved the varsity team to the 200-yard-wide river in the fall of 1999, where they "rowed for six weeks, and loved it," he said. After some compromising, Caldwell was able to agree with the landlord of the site in May 2001 on a 20-year usage of Malden as a Tufts crew rowing site, but the lease was never finalized. The team moved into a temporary facility. The boathouse does not enjoy universal popularity with officials and residents in the host community. The city legislatures were not consulted on the boathouse, and it is now under construction, the residential program of the project remains stalled. "It's like slow motion," Medford Councilor William Carr told the Malden Observer last month. "I cannot convince anyone in the city that this is going to work." Medford councilor, Robert Maiocco, told the Observer the same thing. "I think it is a bad deal," he said. "Is it in the best interest of the taxpayers? No." Regardless, the project is finally coming together. The new boathouse will be a two-story structure, approximately 9,000 square feet in space. It will provide storage for the boats, bathrooms, showers, lockers and a multi-purpose room. Senior John Papp, men's crew co-captain, said the completed structure will also have air-conditioned workout rooms with rowing machines, a banquet room and offices. "A boathouse is as critical to a crew team as an ice hockey rink is to an ice hockey team," Papp said. The entire Tufts crew team looks forward to the new boathouse arrival. "It's a big deal since crew never got a lot of attention," said freshman Casey Conway, member of the women's novice team. "The boathouse is kind of like a sign of recognition for crew." Fairchild said that having a boathouse would provide for better competition: "There would be less stress, and nobody would have to stand out in the cold." "We're all incredibly excited about the boathouse. It's being designed by the best boathouse architects in the country, and it's a real home for the Tufts team," senior and crew team member Mark Roberts said. "It's something to be proud of. When parents and alumni come, they're going to see a beautiful boathouse instead of a tent."

---

News

Why Epstein really walked

November 6

Since the Boston Red Sox were purchased by John Henry's group back in 2002, they have been a model organization - that is until General Manager Theo Epstein's resignation last Monday. And although this has been the biggest baseball story all week, no real answers have surfaced to explain the parting of ways. ESPN's Peter Gammons has claimed Epstein was tired of the rock-star status his job entails. The Boston Globe's Dan Shaugnessy has tried to absolve himself after his column in last Sunday's paper reportedly provoked anger from the now-former GM. The Boston Herald centered more on Epstein's relationship with his boss, Red Sox President Larry Lucchino. So what really happened? Since Epstein, Lucchino, and Henry aren't really spilling the beans, we're just going to have to do some old-fashioned speculation (based on facts, of course). This whole mess actually seems pretty easy to piece together. The guess here is that Theo would have been happy to come back, but he wasn't pining to come back. In the end he was getting tired of Lucchino leaking things to the press and decided he couldn't trust him. The idea that Epstein was sick and tired of his high profile in Boston doesn't follow with the fact that he asked for a contract extension during spring training last year. Also, this wasn't a case of Sox management begging Theo to re-sign and him constantly stonewalling them; Epstein was active in the process and all sorts of different salary figures were thrown around by both sides. The former GM danced around questions all afternoon at last Wednesday's press conference, but he made one thing very clear: he was not burned out. The evidence suggests Epstein was neither sick of his job nor so tired of his celebrity status that he wanted out of Boston. Sure, Epstein may have found a few parts of his job to be excessively taxing, but many signs pointed to him being willing to go re-sign with the Sox until... The infamous Dan Shaugnessy column! Shaugnessy's article, while praising Epstein at times, had far more glowing things to say about Lucchino. Consider this excerpt: "Let's start with Theo being a 'baseball guy' while Larry is a lawyer with a lofty title (CEO). Granted, Epstein is a student of the game, but it's a mistake to say he knows more about baseball than Lucchino or anyone else in the Red Sox baseball operation. Theo is 31 years old and did not play baseball past high school. He spent four years at Yale and three years at law school. That hardly leaves time for much more than rotisserie league scouting ... Lucchino was a good high school baseball player and made it to the NCAA Final Four with Princeton's basketball team. He came to baseball as an executive in 1979, when Theo was 5 years old." Now, Theo probably didn't cry himself to sleep after reading this, as some in the media have suggested. But what may very well have heavily factored into his decision to leave is this passage: "Lucchino-bashers, and they are a legion, maintain that he repeatedly has undermined Theo and on occasion killed deals made by Epstein and the minions. There was one, for sure. When Theo's assistant Josh Byrnes (hired by Arizona as GM Friday) made a deal with Colorado, Epstein thought he had a better deal with another club and requested that Lucchino fall on the sword and invoke the ownership approval clause to kill the Rockies deal. Accustomed to people hating him, Lucchino took the fall, killing the deal and saving Epstein." That quote by Shaugnessy is a vastly new interpretation of the Colorado trade. When Epstein read those lines on Sunday, he must have known they could come only from Larry Lucchino or one of his top assistants. Not only that, Epstein surely realized the only purpose of such a leak was to embarrass him and portray his boss in a better light. These types of leaks forced Epstein to think twice about the people he would be working under for the next three or so years. Epstein has a law degree and anyone who follows the Red Sox knows he speaks very, very carefully. And so his quote at a press conference last Wednesday carries that much more weight, clarifying that his relationship with Lucchino was a major factor in his decision to leave. "There was a process leading up to the decision during which we really turned the microscope on ourselves and the organization and relationships," Epstein said at that press conference. "To do this job you have to believe in every aspect of the job...You have to believe in the people you work with." Epstein was careful not to criticize his boss openly because he owes much of his success to Lucchino. So Epstein decided to take the high road and not point the finger explicitly at the Red Sox President. While Epstein's resignation may only add to the negative light shed on Lucchino by the media, which portrays him as a meddler and a George Steinbrenner-esque figure, the prevailing wisdom surround Lucchino is not accurate. Don't forget that Lucchino had great success with both the Baltimore Orioles and the San Diego Padres. And if you think he wasn't a major part of Boston's success to this point, you're fooling yourself. Lucchino is a brilliant individual and in general a very effective CEO, but in this situation he overplayed his hand severely, and it will cost the Boston Red Sox dearly. Whether Boston can find a GM who can shepherd the team through what will prove to be a challenging next few years remains to be seen. But it's almost certain that the team will not find a replacement to match Epstein's unique combination of quantitative ability, scouting instinct, and ability to communicate with the players and the media.

---

News

Volleyball Analysis | Youth not to blame

November 6

When the Jumbos and the Colby Mules locked heads on Sunday for the NESCAC Championship, little separated the team on the court. In fact, while the Mules swept the match, all three games were settled by a total of eight points. The one thing that did separate the two teams, however, was the level of experience. While the Jumbos only had three upperclassmen and two seniors dressing for the match, the Mules boasted a roster that included four seniors and two juniors. Playing in a possible season-ending match, the senior Mules had all the more reason to play their best. Senior Caitlin Cleaver finished the match with 15 kills and 25 digs, and her classmates had big games as Kaitlin Adams and Mariah Daly had 10 kills apiece and Megan Devlin racked up 31 digs and eight kills. "It was an advantage for Colby," senior co-captain Courtney Evans said of the age gap. "Having that court experience gives you the mental toughness to bounce back when you make mistakes." While each game was tight all the way, that mental toughness came through and the Mules were able to finish strong each time to win. The experience of the Mules contrasted with the inexperience of the Jumbos, who at times had four freshmen on the court. But this assumed inexperience was not apparent in the play of the team's freshmen. Caitlin Dealy and Maya Ripecky led the team with 25 and 24 digs respectively, and Natalie Goldstein did her part with 19. Setter Kaitlin O'Reilly also contributed 40 assists. The freshmen turned in solid play throughout the tournament. In the team's second round match with Trinity, Dealy was third on the team with 10 kills. She took her sets from O'Reilly, who piled up 48 assists in the effort. On defense, Goldstein led the team with 29 digs, and together the freshmen combined for 97 of the team's 135 digs in the match. In the opening match of the tournament against Amherst, the first postseason opportunity for the young Jumbos, O'Reilly put up big assist numbers with 45 in just three games. Indicative of the quality of her sets, the team hit for a .341 percentage. Dealy tied for the team lead with 14 kills and two aces in the match, and Goldstein had 15 digs. Ripecky did not play in the match. "[The freshmen] played great," Evans said. "They definitely stepped up to the challenge. They didn't know what to expect. Every team stepped up in the tournament and the freshmen were right there with us." The freshmen have been asked to play a big role all season. "They played like it was any other game," sophomore Katie Wysham said. "All season, they've been huge and this weekend was no different." In a pressure situation, the freshmen relied on the composure that has allowed them to perform all season. "Our freshmen are phenomenally composed," coach Cora Thompson said. "They're competitors. They don't get too high and they don't get too low. They may be freshmen, but they don't play like it." Still, despite the play of the freshmen, experience does make a difference in a potentially season-ending situation. "Those four seniors were swinging for their careers and that's something that I don't think that freshmen can understand," Thompson said. Although the Jumbos will likely only have two seniors next season, the six freshmen and four sophomores on this season's roster will return in 2006 knowing what it feels like to lose a league championship. With the added experience, that's a feeling they may not have to go through again.

---

News

Trustees ask how to sell Tufts

November 6

The Board of Trustees had its first meeting of the academic year this weekend. The Board met behind closed doors for wide-ranging discussions on the University's future. The Board met as a whole Friday morning, divided into committees in the afternoon, then reconvened Saturday morning. During the Friday morning session, the trustees met new Dean of Arts and Sciences Robert Sternberg for the first time. Sternberg's presentation, "A vision for Arts and Sciences: The leaders of tomorrow through a Tufts education today" incorporated his research in the fields of multiple intelligences and leadership. The next day the Board split into its three main committees: academic affairs, administration and finance, and university advancement. In the academic affairs committee, trustees heard a presentation on the open courseware initiative from Associate Provost Mary Lee and Nancy Wilson, the director and associate dean of the University College of Citizenship and Public Service. Open courseware is an initiative by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to post course material free online for people in other countries, specifically underdeveloped ones, to access. Tufts has signed onto the program. The trustees were impressed. "I don't recall any critical comments," trustee Alfred Tauber (LA '69, M '73) said. "We think it's the right way to go." Open courseware requires a university to have confident faculty and be confident in its academic standards, Tauber said. "It puts Tufts academically in the international limelight." The academic affairs committee also met with the School of Arts and Sciences' tenure and promotions committee. They discussed standardizing and increasing the flexibility of the tenure process. Professors currently undergo tenure revue in their seventh year at the University. The trustees discussed options for professors who have children during their first six years. "They shouldn't be penalized for having kids," said senior Cho Ling, one of the three Tufts Community Union (TCU) representatives to the Board. Ling sits on the academic affairs committee, and he is allowed to ask questions and participate in discussion. Another change to the tenure process trustees discussed was providing an option for a break in the six years to allow faculty to pursue research. This is a priority, Tauber said, because "the University is pushing faculty to be more research-committed." The third issue the committee addressed was the University's retention of female faculty members. Attrition of female professors at Tufts is not higher than at competitor schools, Tauber said. "Tufts is not doing any worse," he said. "The question is: Can we do better?" Tauber mentioned the number of women in administrative positions at Tufts. The deans of the School of Engineering, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Dental Medicine and the Sackler School of Biomedical Sciences, three University vice presidents, the vice provost, the associate provost, the senior assistant provost and the assistant provost are all female. "The administrative hierarchy is pretty well divided," he said. Ling asked the final question during the discussion on female professors. He said the issue of female faculty was important, but "What about faculty of color?" According to Ling, the trustees said retention of minority faculty was an important issue to address, but that it would require a separate and much longer session. As part of Ling's position, he is required to make a proposal to his committee at the spring Board meeting. He plans to focus on reform of the international relations program. He plans to propose either creating a College of International Affairs or putting the undergraduate international relations program in the Fletcher School. "When you leave tufts after four years, you graduate with a degree from either Fletcher or the College of International Affairs," he said. Within the new international affairs program, Ling said, students would be able to choose from several concentrations. Ling said his plan was not affected by last weekend's Board meeting. "It's solidifying a lot," he said. It will also include proposed reforms to the foreign languages departments and the study abroad program and the creation of an international research and scholarship office.Administration and Finance The Administration and Finance Committee heard a preliminary report on the University's budget, Trustees Secretary Linda Dixon said. Senior Laura Fruitman, the TCU representative to the committee, said the discussions were confidential. The committee was also scheduled to hear a presentation by Public and Environmental Safety Director John King. King was asked by University President Lawrence Bacow to prepare a disaster response plan for the school in light of Hurricane Katrina. Ellen Zane, who became the CEO of the Tufts-New England Medical Center two years ago, gave the committee an update on the measures she has put into place to make the hospital financially stable. Tufts-New England Medical Center is associated with the Tufts School of Medicine. The committee also heard a presentation by Vice President of Operations John Roberto on authorizing funding for the continued construction at the Fletcher School, the parking garage next to South Hall, the bio-safety laboratory at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and the restoration of laboratories near the School of Medicine. Fruitman's proposal to her committee will focus on Phase III of the campus center, she said. The campus center would be expanded in the direction of the Women's Center. Office space for student groups, space for student activities and mailboxes would be added, Fruitman said, to make the campus center more of a focal point for students. "This is something that the student body really needs," she said. "It gives students here a sense of unification." She said the expansion, which would relocate the Women's Center to the site where one of the student groups currently resides, would help attract prospective students and donations to the University. Several trustees did not think Phase III should be a priority for the University. "Academic programs, faculty salaries, expansion of facilities must take higher priority," Tauber said. "That's the heart of the institution. I think the student body would understand." Trustee Brian Golden (LA '61, M '65), a member of the academic affairs committee, agreed. "Housing is the highest priority right now," he said. Golden lived in Carmichael Hall soon after it was built, when the majority of Tufts students were commuters. Golden lives in Gloucester and retired last year from his orthopedic surgery practice in Medford, where he grew up. "There was no dormitory problem," he said. "New York students were like foreign exchange students." Sharon Halverson (LA '65), another member of the academic affairs committee, said other projects will take precedence to Phase III construction. "It is on the list," she said, "but it isn't a top priority." Ling said he advocated the proposal in his committee.University Advancement The university advancement committee got a preview of Saturday's presentation by Vice President for University Relations Mary Jeka and Mark Neustadt, an outside marketing consultant hired by the University. According to Executive Director of Communications Julie Pierce, Neustadt has been studying the University's communications and branding strategy for nine months. His work has involved a review of the University's current programs and focus groups on possible changes. Golden, Halverson and trustee emerita Sheila McDermott all said they had thought the University's logo was the seal, the downward-facing bird and book. The truth is the logo is simply the letters T-U-F-T-S. After serving two, five-year terms on the Board, trustees can be asked to serve as emeritus members. McDermott was on the board from 1991-2000. At last weekend's meeting, the Board confirmed Joyce Barsam and Monty Haymon as trustees emeritus. Thomas Winkler and Pierre Omidyar were also re-elected for their second five-year terms. Neustadt's presentation focused on standardizing the presentation of the logo and the University's colors. University apparel and publications carry the logo in varying fonts, and there are no set shades of brown and blue. There were no concrete proposals up for discussion. Halverson said donations to the University can help supplement its marketing strategy. Last week's $100 million donation from Pierre and Pam Omidyar through microfinance projects "fits the mission of engaged citizenship," she said. The university advancement committee's student representative, senior Dave Baumwoll, said he asked the presenters and the trustees the target of the unified marketing strategy. "A lot of students are concerned about how Tufts is marketed to employers," he said. The trustees said the student representatives were active in the discussions, and they felt they got an accurate assessment of the student body's priorities. "We're listening to what the student leaders believe," McDermott said. The students were "honest in their appraisals, sometimes quite ambitious," she said. "I tried to be as vocal as possible," Baumwoll said. "It's absolutely essential that the student voice is there.

---