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October 24, 2005 | First priority is to care for Americans

October 23

Dear Editor: As a legal immigrant, I wish to respond to your article, "Undocumented students live in Massachusetts without benefits" (Friday, Oct. 21, 2005). There are well over 30 millions poor Americans of all racial background who are not yet living the American Dream. Many American students cannot afford college or have to take out student loans. Is it responsible to subsidize illegal alien students who have no legal right to be in this country with reduced tuition at the expense of our own native underprivileged? Open border advocates claim that those illegal youngsters' parents pay taxes. However, last December, Barron's reported that the underground economy in this country was fueled largely by "the nation's swelling ranks of low-wage illegal immigrants" and would "soon pass $1 trillion."Even if their low-skilled illegal alien parents pay taxes, the revenues they generate are not sufficient to offset the cost of educating their grade school children -- at an average of over $7,000 per child per year -- let alone the cost of other infrastructure. The United States' priority is care first for Americans. Sincerely, Yeh Ling-Ling Executive Director Diversity Alliance for a Sustainable America Oakland, CA 94612

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News

Menotti's 'Consul' full of aspirations

October 23

Opera is officially the Debby Downer of the theater industry. Actually, it's more like the bastard lovechild of Debby Downer and Jack Kevorkian. It's sad. It's sadistic. But it's brilliant, and the reason is this: of all the forms of live entertainment, opera reaches the highest pitch of emotion, and it finds the truest - and sometimes darkest - corners of humanity. In many ways, opera is often expected to end here, and that's fine. Opera is, in its essence, a vehicle to express what cannot be said and what can only be felt. But Gian Carlo Menotti's "The Consul" achieves more. His Pulitzer-prize winning work, staged by Opera Boston at the Cutler Majestic Theater, conveys absolute tragedy, but also surprisingly and convincingly it also demonstrates the necessity of having aspirations. "The Consul" is set in an unnamed and oppressive country, but one can assume that it represents the totalitarian regimes throughout Europe in the mid-20th century. Solemn and powerful freedom fighter John Sorel (Anton Belov) is on the run from the secret police. His only chance to live is to immediately flee his own country, leaving behind his wife, baby and mother. Before leaving, John instructs his wife, Magda (Joanna Porackava), to go to the other country's consulate to acquire a visa. Unfortunately, because Magda is not a citizen, she cannot get the necessary paperwork, and despite her dying baby and sick mother, the cold, bureaucratic consulate is unmoved. It is here that Menotti demonstrates the tension between human passion and human indifference. The consulate itself is eerily reminiscent of the DMV - there are long lines, unhappy faces, and behind the desk is a lifeless, exacting secretary. Magda pleads desperately with the consulate secretary (Mary Ann Stuart), but this Nurse Rachet-type bureaucrat, who hardly looks up from her domineeringly tall desk, says simply, "Your name is a number, your story a case, your need a request." The paradox of this secretary is that she essentially represents the "freer" of the two countries and the less oppressive of the two governments. In many ways, Menotti's play, written in 1950, is a postmodern look at human toil and frustration. Magda wants nothing more than to love her husband and care for her family, but arbitrary and incidental borders - not greed, hatred or jealousy - are what shatter her dreams. She is therefore left lost, a foreigner in her own country. Menotti highlights this loss of place and self with a collection of dream sequences that point out the absurdity of trying to govern human interaction. At one point, a magician (Frank Kelley), also seeking a visa at the consulate, hypnotizes everyone in the room in an attempt to prove his identity. As the hopeful emigrants comically waltz around the consulate waiting room, the secretary yells "Stop, this is no way to act in a consulate!" - as though artificial happiness is any less noble than actual depravity. Again and again, the secretary tells Magda she cannot get a visa and can certainly not see the consul. Eventually, after slowly worsening in condition, Magda's baby dies, as does Magda's mother. All she has left in her life is her husband - she hopes - and the consulate that separates them. Within all of this, Menotti somehow injects a palpable sense of optimism. At the peak of her frustration (and at the crescendo of the opera), Magda cries out, "One day neither ink nor seal will cage us," referring to the insufferable and tragic bureaucracy of the embassy. What's surprising is that such determination and hope still exist within Magda, but what's shocking is that it has an effect. After hearing her plea, the once-Draconian secretary finally allows Magda to see the consul. But, of course, this is just a glimpse of hope. In Menotti's demonstration of situational irony, the audience must watch in agony as Magda excitedly prepares to meet the consul, unaware that a government agent (who had tailed her to the embassy) is speaking to the consul right now, explaining Magda's and John's situation. Magda is ignorant of this fact until she sees the agent (Daniel Cole) and realizes there is no hope. Magda's ensuing suicide presents a thought-provoking episode. Ironically, the consulate secretary calls Magda to warn her that the government agent is coming to her house to arrest her as she is sticking her head in a gas oven. Too asphyxiated to answer the phone, she never hears the warning. Even if Magda had answered the phone there would still have been no escape; either way, she would have died. The masterful Menotti, one must assume, made no mistake here. For many people in the world, he suggests, life is without better options but not necessarily without hope.

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News

October 24, 2005 | Zamboni makes social issues harder to solve

October 23

Dear Editor, As a member of SSARA (Student Sexual Assault Response Assistance), I am disappointed that this opportunity for discussion over the right and responsibility of free speech has turned into a diplomatic mud-slinging. In addition to the articles in last Thursday's issue, I refer to the numerous posts on your message boards -- ranging from critiques of Samelson's viewpoint, questionings of her character and assertions that rape is not beyond comedy to voicings of support. I agree with Samelson's criticism that the Zamboni's crass humor, however intentioned, reinforces stereotypes that make social issues harder to solve, whether these be sexual or not. For example, in its recent edition, the Zamboni also satirizes the misconception that oral sex does not constitute a "sex act" by suggestions that sexual favors be used to get out of class and score higher on the GMATs. Similarly, another article portrays foreigners as undereducated, chauvinistic farmers and American culture as little more than weight obsession and gambling addiction. While people often fall back on humor to deal with difficult social and political topics, these comments and those made about STDs, masturbation, cheating and Wren Hall catastrophically flooding are among those displaying a level of insensitivity many find offensive. The Zamboni must be aware that often their material's humor depends on gross exaggeration and thus satire of the bigotry and misunderstanding that represent some of the basest aspects of human behavior. Some people don't appreciate such humor and will inevitably voice their opinion when they perceive their right to a tolerant community threatened -- as Samelson did -- under the same right to free speech as the Zamboni. On a final note, I would like to thank Ashley Samelson, Julie Nogee, Katherine Peck and the Tufts Daily editors for their support of SSARA and its mission to provide resources for survivors of sexual assault and relationship violence and promote Tufts' awareness of these complex issues. However, please don't insinuate that, by satirically publishing stereotypes justifying sexual assault, the Zamboni brings positive attention to SSARA. Instead, they make it harder for survivors, counselors and activists to overcome those stereotypes in their attempts to heal, help and raise awareness. Caitlin McDowell Sophomore

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News

Theron proves even miners have class (action)

October 23

Susan B. Anthony has her head on a quarter, Sandra Day O'Connor served on the Supreme Court of the United States for 24 years, and those Seneca Falls chicks have a whole month of women's history. So what did Lois Jenson get after her 22-year crusade for women's equality in the workplace? The right to bust her butt in the mines of Northern Minnesota's Iron Range. Jenson's tale comes to the big screen this fall in the form of "North Country," a gut-wrenching, based-on-a-true-story drama that follows the fictitious Josie Aimes (Charlize Theron) and the events leading up to the first class-action sexual harassment lawsuit in U. S. history. The film opens with Josie returning home to her parents' house with her two children in tow, the battle-scarred refugees of Josie's struggle against abusive male partners. When Josie takes a job at the mine where her father works, she sees that she is far from breaking the vicious cycle of sexual violence that has always haunted her. The mines are rife with unchecked sexual harassment, and Josie must risk her reputation, her family, and even her life to reverse these injustices. With her Academy Award (for 2003's "Monster") still fresh, Theron took on the role of Josie with a clear intention to make a second bid for Oscar gold. The challenge is formidable: in her public life, Josie Aimes is a bold trailblazer, but inside, she's a mess. Raped by her high school teacher at 16, Josie suffered the stigma of teenage motherhood and physical abuse at the hands of her second child's father. At the mines, she learns that sexual harassment means more than pubic hair on a Coke can: the small minority of female workers find themselves victims of insults, threats, sexual assault and cruelly nauseating practical jokes, often involving human excretions. Theron manages the inner conflict admirably, although she sometimes develops a flat effect that is puzzling in its impassiveness. For a woman who is experiencing as much turmoil as Josie, Theron is often stone-faced and monotone. She is much more convincing in scenes that require intense passion. It will be interesting to see if the Academy will still be as smitten with her come this winter. The real star of the film is Frances McDormand, whose third nomination for Best Supporting Actress is in the bag. Based on Jenson's co-worker Pat Kosmach, McDormand's character, Glory, was the first female miner in American history. When Josie starts causing a stir, Glory is instrumental in persuading other frightened women to rally around Josie's cry. Director Niki Caro told the Daily she courted McDormand for the role of Glory, because she needed someone who wouldn't sentimentalize the character. In the midst of Josie's equal rights quest, Glory begins to succumb to the ravages of Lou Gehrig's disease, but never she loses her edge. True to her calling, McDormand is just as rough and tough as the real Kosmach, appearing in court hooked up to an IV, using her electronic larynx to berate those who tried to patronize her and facing certain death with a bold dignity. Although Hollywood heavyweight Sissy Spacek is grossly underused as Josie's mom Alice, the supporting cast excellently fleshes out the story. Most notable among these are Woody Harrelson as Aimes' wishy-washy lawyer and Richard Jenkins as Hank Aimes, the father who is surprisingly unwilling to support Josie's stance. Director Niki Caro proved her worth as a storyteller with 2002's critically acclaimed "Whale Rider," and her work in "North Country" is just as masterful. The film is startlingly profound; shot on location in the dead of a Minnesota winter and in the bowels of a real mine, the movie packs a breathtaking visual punch that mimics the impact and import of Josie's onscreen battle and Jenson's real-life crusade. Caro has the rare ability to juxtapose such broad, sweeping vistas with intimate depictions of her characters' innermost moments. Whether she's capturing Josie's awe and wonderment upon stepping into the gargantuan mines for the first time or showing the same woman's private breakdowns, Caro does so with insight and skill. Unfortunately, despite Caro's savvy as a storyteller, the tale isn't so tightly woven. Screenwriter Michael Seitzman, the man responsible for adapting Clara Bingham's book "Class Action," isn't as adept at the big picture-small picture balancing act as his director. Seitzman's use of fictitious names for the characters and the admonition that the movie is merely "inspired by" actual events makes us doubt the veracity of the story. This is a genuine shame - most of the atrocities depicted in the film actually happened. Jenson's court battle lasted from 1979 to 1991, but "North Country" only shows a small segment of that saga, focusing instead on the more detailed account of the pre-trial happenings. While it would obviously be impossible and unnecessary to condense 22 years of legal mumbo-jumbo into a single film, it would have been nice to have the results of the trial incorporated into "North Country" with more than just a black-screen, text-only epithet. After all, if Lois Jenson isn't going to get her head on a coin any time soon, it's the least they could do.

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News

October 24, 2005 | Humane population control program needed on a national level

October 23

Dear Editor, The fact that we're still dispassionately and matter-of-factly explaining the differences between "kill" and "no-kill" shelters is in itself an extension of the monstrous, humanity-diminishing societal failure we're guilty of toward our dogs and cats, which is like a tragically huge void in human development. The aggregate financial and emotional cost due to our societal failure to have produced a sensible humane population control program (surely an achievable objective) for animal companions is incalculable. There are so many accompanying horrors that the public is appallingly ignorant of concerning this overpopulation that aren't even remotely alluded to in your article, such as parts of this country lacking in formalized animal sheltering where animals are gassed, shot, drowned and not ever given any chance for adoption. Consider also the deprived lives of dogs and cats even in the best of shelters; the deterioration they experience from lengthy lives in cages, the fact that we'll never adopt our way out of this overpopulation, the common misidentification of breeds, which frequently condemns animals to death, the almost impossible ability to honestly evaluate and assess animals in even good shelter conditions due to their frequently confused, frightened, state of mind, which can often also condemn animals to death. With all due respect to your article ("Issue of 'kill' and 'no-kill' shelters not so clear-cut," Oct. 18, 2005), at the least, perhaps you should consider researching and printing an article on why we consistently fail to produce a humane population control program on a national level. Depending on voluntary compliance to spay and neuter is insufficient. As unlikely as it may seem, it would appear that we could use an amendment to the Constitution to establish mandatory spaying and neutering on a national level, instead of depending on local and state governments for this type of legislation, notwithstanding powerful vested interests and pet industry lobbying groups who would fight this tooth and nail. One thing for sure, if ever there was a place for "thinking outside the box" it's here. Joseph Pastore Animal RescueTransport Driver New York City

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News

A play of the people, by the people, for the college student

October 23

Although every Bare Bodkin show is entirely produced by students, the troupe's first play of the year, "Untitled By Jack," is about students as well - a topic we can all easily relate to. "Untitled By Jack" follows Jack (freshman Jeremy Price), an aspiring artist trying to decide between theater and film, and his four friends, from the summer before college to the winter before graduation. Through a mixture of fantasy and reality scenes, Jack narrates key events to the audience, leading them through that tumultuous four-year period. Each of the five characters, from shy-girl-turned-sorority-sister Violet (sophomore Elizabeth Harelik) to alcoholic-womanizer-turned-faithful-Christian-turned-alcoholic-womanizer Boyd (sophomore Josh Wolf), struggles in his or her own way to find out who they are, what they want and how to get there. The play is both written and directed by Scott Malia, currently pursuing his PhD in Drama at Tufts after completing his undergraduate studies at Emerson. Malia wrote the play seven years ago over the course of a year and used it for his master's thesis. "I started off thinking it was going to be more autobiographical than it ended up," Malia said. "The characters are autobiographical, but the events are fictional." As so many college students do, all of the figures in "Untitled" have an issue with identity. "Jack is unsure of himself, awkward with girls, and blows everything out of proportion," Price said. "He also has no idea what he wants to do with his future." Harelik, who plays Violet, describes her character as "not very confident or sure of who she is for a long time." While the quarter-life crisis is not necessarily a new concept, "Untitled By Jack" approaches it in a new way. "It's a different style of play than people usually do," said Harelik. Instead of staying in one or two locations during Jack's four years of college, the setting is constantly moving around. Also, the production is not staged in an actual theater, but in the friendlier confines of Alumnae Lounge, which, according to Harelik, "makes [the actors] be more creative." The play is entirely focused on the trials and tribulations of college students, and it's full of relevant personal and social ideas to think about, taking an honest look at what it's like to go through this awkward stage of life. As the five main characters have to deal with everyday dilemmas of love, sex, family, individuality, religion and friendship, their struggles will ring true with much of the audience. "There is a lot there for people to identify with," Malia said. The contemporary concepts of the play are echoed in Malia's realistic dialogue. The show is not afraid to be crude; in fact, it specializes in "your mom" jokes. A polar opposite from Shakespearian prose, the characters in "Untitled By Jack" speak as naturally as your best friends. The play manages to find a balance between comedy and tragedy; serious concepts are given proper respect, but there are several laugh-out-loud moments as well. "[Being in college] is usually trivialized. This play takes it more seriously, but is also very funny," said Malia. Because the director of the play is also the author, Malia has allowed the script to undergo some minor changes since production began. Having the writer on hand to guide development means that, as Price says, "you don't always have to be faithful to the original script." Now, with opening night just around the corner, Malia does acknowledge that the show has rough edges, but instead of trying to hide from that fact, he and his cast are "trying to embrace it." Rough edges and all, "Untitled By Jack" is a chance to watch people face familiar problems in an unusual (and hopefully entertaining) way.

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News

Sydne Summer | How to...

October 23

Some people may favor Christmas presents, Thanksgiving turkey or Easter baskets over costumes and candy. But Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. When I was a little girl, I had a chest full of boas, gloves, tiaras and wigs. Whenever I had a play date, my friends and I would magically transform into princesses, angels and brides. I still have the dress-up box stored in my basement. This summer, I even tried on my second-grade French maid costume. Though it fit surprisingly well, it's probably a bit too short to wear next weekend.

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News

If hung out to dry by laundry service, just take the bags off campus

October 23

A year and a half after opening, one off-campus business has yet to take Tufts Student Resources to the cleaners. Tufts Student Resources provides students with on-campus laundry and dry-cleaning service. It competes with the Clean 'N Brite II, located on Boston Avenue. Student complaints of the on-campus service encouraged Clean 'N Brite founders to open the business, co-founder Judith Koor said. Koor and her partner, Paul Martin, opened another location in Melrose, Mass. five years ago. "We had heard that a lot of the kids were unhappy with the service at school, and we decided that we could do better," Koor said. She said students complained about lost or stained clothes. Tufts Student Resources' financial manager for the laundry service, sophomore Julie Cohen, said the loss of customers to the Clean 'N Brite has been minimal. The group sends students' laundry to a different off-campus Laundromat to do the work. Tufts Students Resources is a student-run company that offers a variety of services, including aerobics, microfidge and safe rentals, and running the Rez Caf?© ©n the campus center. According to Cohen, Tufts Student Resources has done about 720 loads of laundry during the first six weeks of this semester. There have been three complaints of lost clothing, she said. "We work really closely with the laundromat we send the clothes to," Cohen said. "If someone loses something, it's pretty easy for us to recover it." Koor said about 40 Tufts students use the Clean 'N Brite service. This is about one third of the students using Tufts Student Resources, Cohen said. Part of the on-campus service's loss may be due to price. As part of a back-to-campus special, Clean 'N Brite offered 29 weeks of service for $360. There is also a $190 per semester option. Customers fill a laundry bag with 15 lbs. of clothing each week. Dry cleaning is also available for no extra charge. The Tufts Student Resources service charges $395 for a full year with a 15 lb. bag or $285 for a 10 lb. bag. A shirt service is also provided: $150 for five shirts per week, $110 for three, or $85 for two. For students who do not sign up for a package, ?  ¬a carte dry-cleaning is available. The company charges $8 for a two piece suit and $6 for a fleece jacket, among other items. Clean 'N Brite is a welcome addition, sophomore Phillip Cherry, who uses the Tufts Student Resources service, said. "I'm happy with the laundry, but I like options," he said. "It's good to have another service available." Convenience may also affect students' decisions. Customers of Tufts Student Resources must bring their clothes to one of two drop-off locations. Students who live uphill leave their bags at Carmichael Hall on Mondays and downhill students go to Hodgdon on Wednesdays. Clothes are washed at the Circle Laundry in Somerville. Clean 'N Brite employees pick up students' laundry from their dorm rooms at a specified time. They can also call to arrange a better pick-up time. "I want our service to be as homey as possible," Koor said. "I'm a mother and I want the kids to know that somebody will always be in to help them." Both services return the clothes to students' dorms the next day.

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News

Football | Jumbos head to Williamstown wanting a win that will stop two game slide

October 20

The time has come for the football team to buckle down. With the first half of the season behind them, the Jumbos currently sit at 2-2. The two disappointing losses in their last two games have forced the team to focus on playing better, cleaner football. The squad will have an opportunity to make concrete progress toward this goal and to turn its season around when it travels to Williamstown to take on Williams College at 1:30 on Saturday. "We try not to let one game affect another, but [the players] are frustrated and they want to win," coach Bill Samko said. "Defense, the kicking game, and mistake-free offense are what win games in this league, and we haven't been doing all of those." The matchup will pit the only two 2-2 teams in the NESCAC, and thus be a crucial stepping stone to finishing the season with a winning record. After Saturday, the team's remaining schedule will not be easy, as games remain against Amherst and at Colby, both of whom are currently 3-1. Williams has one of the most potent passing offenses in the NESCAC and will pose a challenge to the Jumbos' defensive secondary. "We're going to stick to what we've been doing [on defense]," Samko said. "We can't do much in preparing a lot for a different team every week just because of time, but we've made a few minor adjustments." The defense has been nothing short of phenomenal all season long. Consistency and execution have made the Jumbo defense one of the best in the league. The Jumbos have not allowed more than ten points all season, and rank among the top in most NESCAC defensive statistical categories. But defense alone does not win regular season games. When the defense has created the crucial interception, caused the big fumble, or blocked the key field goal, the Jumbos haven't been able to capitalize on offense. "We do need to do a better job as an offense, and it is my job to put our players in a position to be successful," offensive coordinator Michael Daly said. "We've had chances in every game but haven't capitalized due to a breakdown in fundamentals. We are confident in what we are doing and nobody is panicking." In their last two losses, the Jumbos have put up a total of eight points on the scoreboard. Turnovers, penalties and an inability to convert on third and fourth down have plagued the offense. "We need to score more points on the board; it's not rocket science," Samko said. "There's a thin line between winning and losing in this game, and when you don't execute on plays when it counts, you're not going to win games." Senior quarterback Casey D'Annolfo, who struggled in his last game, going 10-24 for 131 yards and four interceptions, needs to have a better game in order for Tufts to come away with a win. "I'm sure [D'Annolfo] wants to have a few of those throws back [against Trinity]," Samko said. "But anytime you throw the ball a lot in this game, there's a good chance you're going to get picked off. We were forced to throw a lot in that game, and the [weather] conditions weren't great either." Although poor playing conditions may have hampered D'Annolfo against Trinity, the senior signal-caller wants to make improvements in the upcoming game. "Against Trinity I wasn't making my reads," D'Annolfo said. "Williams runs a similar defense as Trinity so we're not doing a lot different on offense. In practice, I've been working on making quicker reads, getting the ball out of my hands faster, and trying to get the ball to the outside of the field."

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News

Undocumented students live in Massachusetts without benefits

October 20

The children of some undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts are not able to attend school because they are denied in-state tuition prices. That was the claim of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) at a speech on campus Thursday in front of 20 students. Two representatives from the organization spoke about the problems faced by undocumented high school students and about their ongoing efforts to change the situation. Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney vetoed legislation last year that would have allowed reduced tuition for undocumented students. Texas, California, Utah, Washington, New York, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas and New Mexico have all passed similar legislation. MIRA estimates 400 undocumented high school students each year are unable to attend college because of the prohibitive cost of out-of-state tuition. The group is now leading a push for a two-thirds majority in the Massachusetts state house necessary to override the veto. Without documentation proving legal residence in the state, the cost of community college can rise from $3,000 to $10,000 per year, and going to a state school costs as much as $20,000. Students also encounter barriers when they try to apply to college without social security numbers. The MIRA representatives were careful to point out that "undocumented" does not necessarily mean "illegal." When lower tuition is not available, the students have few options. "What are you supposed to do?" MIRA representativa Carlos Saavedra said. "Work at McDonalds for $6.25 an hour when you're the most talented kid in the school?" Although undocumented students do not qualify for in-state tuition at Massachusetts schools, their parents still pay taxes to the IRS and are tagged with tax identification numbers. MIRA is organizing a rally at the state house on Tuesday to pressure legislators. They want 400 protestors to fill the grand staircase to represent each student that is unable to complete their education every year. "We have to have something for these students right now, because federal immigration reform is going to take years," Saavedra said. He urged current college students to see this as a pressing social issue and to stand up and fight, calling the problems faced by immigrants "a new generation of segregation." "Immigrants are the engine of this country," he said. Saavedra said fear is one of the biggest obstacles facing undocumented students. "A lot of them are scared. They're scared that if they speak up they'll get arrested." The event was sponsored by the University College of Citizenship and Public Service.

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News

Latino Month is in full swing

October 20

Tonight at 8 p.m. Aidekman Arts Center's Alumnae Lounge will be transformed into something far more stimulating than the room's name suggests. The Poetry Cafe will take place there this evening, with performances of poetry, music, and dance by student performers from Tufts and other nearby schools. The event is sponsored by the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS), in conjunction with Tufts' black literary magazine, Onyx. Many of the acts in the Poetry Cafe have already signed up, but the event also encourages an open-mic aspect, according to ALAS President Marisol Rodriguez. Two of the acts are from other schools in the area, and Rodriguez has made an active effort to invite non-Tufts students to all of the Latino Heritage Month events. Rodriguez emphasized that these events are open to non-Latino students as well. "I think that anyone from whatever culture can enjoy these events and learn from them. You can enjoy music, you can enjoy poetry," she said. The Poetry Cafe is only one of many events taking place this month as part of ALAS and the Tufts University Latino Center's Latino Heritage Month. Next up, Dr. Jose Gutierrez is scheduled to lecture on Monday. Gutierrez, an activist since the mid-1960s and founder of several of the Chicano movement's key organizations, will be discussing "Chicanos Yesterday, Latinos Today: Paradigms of Power." For the gaming types, the center is hosting a Hollywood Squares game show on Thursday in Hotung Cafe. The contestants will be Latino students and faculty members, and the questions will be Latino-related. If the game show doesn't prove wild enough, students can party the following night at "Latinos Take Over Hotung," a student club-sponsored spin on the weekly Club Hotung. The party, including salsa lessons for the first hour, will be sponsored by ALAS and La Salsa, Tufts' Latin dance group. It will feature both a DJ and live music provided by Sabor Picante, a Cuban-Dominican musical group. Rounding out the month's activities, on Nov. 1 Claudia Acevedo will lead a discussion of "Gender-based Violence and Sexual Identity in Guatemala." Acevedo's work in Guatemala centers on women's rights; in 1999, she co-founded LESBIRADAS, the only public lesbian group in her country. In addition to the future events, the Latino Center has already hosted a variety of Heritage Month-related functions. "Our events have been really successful. People have definitely been coming out to show support," Rodriguez said. "It hasn't just been Latinos - it's been mixed, students from different ethnicities and whatnot, different groups." A party in Dewick, hosted by ALAS and the Latino frat Lambda Upsilon Lambda Inc., kicked off the month's events on Oct. 2. The official opening reception took place on Oct. 5, with a Spanish guitarist and Latino food. The following Tuesday, more Latino food in the form of pupusas, maduros, arroz, frijoles and carne asada was served in the campus center. Later in the week, a panel of biracial Latino students talked about their experiences both at Tufts and elsewhere in terms of their mixed race. Most recently, Yerba Buena performed in Hotung Cafe on Tuesday. A music group from the New York City area, the group focuses on Puerto Rican and Caribbean styles of music, including bomba, plena and musica jibara. "People came out, dancing and really enjoying themselves. There was music that is not a mainstream type of music, so it was really great to see people getting into it," Rodriguez said. "The stuff that we do for Latino Heritage month, specifically the groups that we bring, is something that we think about a year in advance, and so it's really rewarding to organize these events and see them happen."

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News

Anti-apartheid activist Kathrada tells of experience

October 20

Students filled the Rabb Room in Lincoln Filene Hall last night to listen to Ahmed Kathrada talk about his autobiography, "Memoirs." Kathrada's discussion was entitled "From Prison to Parliament: The First Ten Years of the New South Africa." Barbara Hogan, a South African Parliament member who spent ten years in prison for protesting apartheid, also spoke. As a child growing up in a rural neighborhood, Kathrada's friends were separated from each other by segregated schools. While attending an Indian school in Johannesburg, Katharda wondered why he could not go to school with his friends. Years later, he joined the political party known as the African National Congress (ANC). As a member, he participated in demonstrations alongside Nelson Mandela. Formed in 1912, the ANC quietly protested against the racial hierarchy in South Africa, which consisted of whites at the top, followed by Indians, coloreds and blacks. In 1960, the ruling apartheid party made the ANC illegal. In his response, Mandela mobilized, recruited and trained people to bomb European establishments. Kathrada said that "care was made so no one was harmed" and that the bombs destroyed property only. In 1964, Mandela and Kathrada, along with six others - five black and one white - were accused of treason and sentenced to life in prison. Kathrada said that the U.S. and Britain accused them as being terrorists. "Military aid was only given by socialist countries," he said. Apartheid was part of prison life as well. The racial hierarchy dictated how much food one received. Blacks also had to wear trousers that were too small for them. The rationale used by the apartheid government was that "all blacks [should be treated like] boys or girls." Kathrada attributed the success of the anti-apartheid movement in large part to the boycott of South African investment by universities. These demonstrations led to government sanctions which gradually mitigated the severity of apartheid. "Our aim was to force the enemy to the negotiating table because we knew that every struggle ... ended at the negotiating table," Kathrada said. According to Kathrada, Mandela came out of prison after 26 years of being incarcerated, and the ANC was simultaneously gaining momentum. "[Mandela was] without bitterness, without hatred, without anger and with a message of unity for building a new South Africa," Kathrada said. In 1994, Kathrada was elected to South African Parliament where he served one term of five years. During the question-and-answer session, Hogan discussed conflict management and how people respond to different situations. "If people feel there's not going be a place for them in the future, they're going fight to the death," she said. Hogan rounded out the evening with a talk about her experience as a white fighting against apartheid. "Whites were kept very separate," she said. Additionally, Hogan said that whites occasionally chose to ignore the injustice blacks faced. The liberation movement gave Hogan and others in the area a community where Hogan and her fellow white activists "became brothers and sisters, comrades ... insulated against the larger white community."

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News

Iraq photos convey despair, hope

October 20

A Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist shared his experiences and images from a year in a war zone. Jim MacMillan was a member of the Associated Press team that received the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography this year. He spoke Thursday evening to 40 people at the Remis Sculpture Court in the Aidekman Arts Center. MacMillan returned in May from a yearlong stint as a photographer and photo editor in Iraq. The 1988 Tufts/Museum School graduate spent time embedded with different units around the country. "It really felt like fate - I had no idea what I was getting into," he said. MacMillan went through a fraction of the 12,000 images he shot while in the country, and took time to explain the stories behind the photos. He showed images ranging from an Iraqi soldier and a US Marine "playing soccer with their guns" to Iraqi citizens collecting charred remains of bodies to be properly buried. The assignment was not easy. "It's a hardcore insurgent war - there's combat everyday," MacMillan said. "But I thought about the great war photographers, and I can't imagine how they did what they did in World War II and Vietnam." MacMillian first close-up encounter with the insurgency came when he traveled to Najaf in summer 2004. The city was the center of an insurgent uprising by the al-Mahdi Army of al-Sadr, a group of Shiite Muslims opposed to American occupation. "Najaf was where I started reporting for real," he said. The temperature in Najaf reached 135 degrees. To stay hydrated, McMillan drank 12 liters of water each day. He showed a photo of soldiers on their "rest cycle"- even though they were on break, they had their weapons within arms' reach. The soldiers slept on the cardboard boxes that held shipments of water. "Sometimes they really pamper journalists - I was one of the first to get a cardboard box," MacMillan said. MacMillian was driving in Najaf when the military vehicle he was traveling in drove over a car bomb. He was later told that he was seated directly above the car bomb - but MacMillian was unharmed. "I think I was unconscious, or in shock," he said. He remembered seeing soldiers covering their mouths to avoid gas inhalation. "We were gushing fuel, but luckily the vehicle did not explode," he said. He had other close calls while in Iraq. His platoon once took 100 mortar shells in one night. Another time a rocket-propelled grenade launcher came in through the window while he was sleeping. At least fourteen people MacMillan knew well have since died. "By far the worst part of the assignment is the people you lose," he said. MacMillan showed the entire Pulitzer Prize-winning AP portfolio, which contained 20 photos - three of them his - by 11 photographers. "This portfolio is just like Iraq, as I saw it ... they really nailed it when they edited it," he said. The portfolio included an image shot by Khalid Mohammed of the four charred bodies of American contractors in Fallujah. The images caused a stir when they appeared on the front pages of American newspapers in March 2004. Another image in the portfolio showed a wooden coffin and its occupant - the body of an 18-month old Iraqi boy killed by U.S. forces. "Iraq is being underplayed in American newspapers," MacMillan said. "Reporting is being done, but I'm not sure why it's not getting to the public." He said audiences are either "fatigued by repetitive images" or there has been a "collective decision" to push aside the reality of the war. Though many of the images shown Thursday evening were horrifying, others contained hints of hope. One depicted thousands of Shiites marching peacefully to protest for peace in Najaf - a march that was successful. For his work, MacMillan received this year's Bayeux Prize in journalism, awarded annually to the best combat photographer. One year in a war zone, he said, took its toll. "It took me a month [once I was back here] to stop doing 360's and checking rooftops when I got out of cars," he said, as he showed a photo of soldiers scanning the skies. MacMillian now works for the Philadelphia Daily News. He was on campus assisting Exposure, the photojournalism program run in cooperation with the Institute for Global Leadership.Bryan Pyror contributed to this article

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World Series Preview | After blowing through LDS, LCS, Chicago four wins from historic year

October 20

How did the Chicago White Sox get here? One of their best hitters, and a franchise mainstay, Frank Thomas, played in only 34 games this year, none after late July. Chicago's closer, 32 year-old Dustin Hermanson, hadn't had an ERA in sniffing range of three since 1998. They play in the same division as the Minnesota Twins, whom many penciled in as AL Central Champions before the season even began, and the Cleveland Indians, whom many predicted would snatch that title from the Sox as they sputtered to the finish line near season's end. On top of that, the White Sox had to face the powerful Boston Red Sox in the ALDS and had to recover from a surprising loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Game One of the ALCS. But the Sox survived without Thomas. Hermanson (34 saves, 2.04 ERA) was just fine. The Twins never brought it like they were supposed to and the Indians brought it a little too late. And the White Sox, much like their opponents in the other dugout, the Houston Astros, have thrived in the postseason thanks to stellar defense, strong pitching from both the starters and the bullpen, and some timely hits. (Also, they received a little help from the umpires.) To be sure, the White Sox roll into the World Series with a starting rotation coming off one of the finest four-game runs in postseason history. In that span, hurlers Mark Buehrle, John Garland, Freddy Garcia and Jose Contreras managed to string together four complete games, all for wins. In fact, in the final three games of the series, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen did not make a single substitution from his starting lineup, with all of his offensive starters and starting pitchers playing all 27 innings. When they go to Houston, the White Sox's lineup will get weaker with the loss of DH Carl Everett's bat and his refusal to believe in dinosaurs. Although it's not exactly reminiscent of Toronto having to sit season batting champion John Olerud in the 1993 Series, Everett does provide protection for big gun Konerko. Of course, the beauty of the White Sox lineup is that they don't need to rely on one big gun, thanks to a lineup that has been solid from one to nine. Chicago actually smashed more home runs this season than the Red Sox, thanks to nine players contributing at least 12. Throw in clutch postseason hitting from the bottom of the order, and that should be enough for the Sox. After allowing an amazing average of less than three runs per game in eight postseason contests with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Boston Red Sox, the Astros' offense will be far and away the easiest lineup the Chicago pitching staff encounters this October. The bullpen, headlined by Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez and rookie flame-thrower Bobby Jenks, hasn't allowed a run yet in the postseason. It might take seven games, but in the end, the terms "1917" and the "Black Sox" should find their place alongside "1918", "the Babe", and all those other ghosts of the past that disappear in the shadow of a World Series trophy.-Ben Hoffman and Andrew Spera

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World Series Preview | Directions: Clemens. Pettitte. Oswalt. Repeat.

October 20

You shouldn't write off the Houston Astros. Remember May 24. That was the day they hit rock bottom. Normally stellar closer Brad Lidge blew a gem by Roger Clemens with two wild pitches and two walks in 2/3 of an inning, and the Astros lost to the Chicago Cubs 4-2, dropping to 2-21 on the road and 15-30 overall. Since then the Astros are 81-36. Then, there was Game Four of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves. Down 6-1 in the eighth inning, Lance Berkman hit a grand slam to bring the Astros within one run, and then, with the team down to its final out in the bottom of the ninth, Brad Ausmus - he of just three home runs in 387 regular season at-bats - delivered a long ball to tie the game. Nine extra innings later, the Astros were back in the NLCS thanks to Chris Burke's 18th inning homer. Finally, in Game Five of the NLCS, the Astros were one strike away from advancing to the World Series before super-slugger Albert Pujols stunned the crown in Houston with a game-winning home run, sending the series back to St. Louis and prompting everyone to say that Houston was a dead man walking. But Roy Oswalt showed he had plenty of life left with seven innings of three-hit ball in Game Six, and now Houston makes its first World Series appearance in franchise history. It's ironic that after four division titles and four straight first-round playoff exits between 1997 and 2001, the current wild card edition of the Astros is better equipped for playoff success. Forgive us while we repeat what every other media outlet in America has already said: the pitching trio of Clemens, Andy Pettitte, and Oswalt is a perfect postseason formula for success. Manager Phil Garner would do well to stick to those three as starters and keep Brandon Backe (4.76 ERA, 1.46 WHIP) ready for long relief. So far this postseason, Backe has started twice, allowing six runs in 11 innings. Of course, Garner can always turn things over to a bullpen that, while not quite as dominant as Chicago's, is still pretty darn good with Dan Wheeler and Chad Qualls setting up Lidge. What Houston doesn't quite have now are the bashers, thanks to the demise of Jeff Bagwell and a shoddy first half by Lance Berkman. If Morgan Ensberg hadn't broken out his first prime-time season (36 HR, 101 RBI, .945 OPS), the Astros would be out on the ranch right now and Philadelphia would have a playoff team for the first time in 12 years. But that's the great thing about the postseason - once you get there, Ausmus and Burke (.248 BA, 5 HR) can be heroes. Besides, you don't really need big-time sluggers when you have the arms the Astros do, or when you play in MinuteMaid Park, which is as cozy as a night cuddled up by a crackling fireplace. A perfect scenario for the Astros: Chi-town manager Ozzie Guillen loses his cool like Tony La Russa did, Houston's Big Three and bullpen shut down the White Sox bats, and they get a few more clutch hits. Just when their backs are up against the wall and you're counting them out again, Houston will have a shot to bring home its first title. -Ben Hoffman

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TV Review | If you see Run's House, don't walk this way

October 20

MTV is following in its own footsteps this fall by introducing yet another reality show about someone tangentially related to the popular music of today. "Run's House" chronicles the domestic life of Joseph Simmons, aka Reverend Run, frontman of '80s rap group Run-DMC. In the premiere episode, which aired last week, Simmons diffuses his quarrelling sons Russy and Diggy while planning a graduation party for daughter Angela. She and Simmons debate throughout the episode about the magnitude of the affair; she imagines a massive bash with a celebrity DJ and iPods as party favors, while he leans towards a gathering among a few friends more akin to a backyard barbeque. Though Simmons eventually wins out, he awards Angela a brand new Mercedes-Benz at the end of the festivities for being such a good sport. One would expect MTV, the network that effectively invented the reality genre with "The Real World," to produce reality shows with a certain amount of polish. Think again. The network has hit a low with "Run's House;" stripping away the glossy veneer of well made-up "reality" stars and perfected camera angles, there is no worthwhile content remaining. While other reality shows of late have made strides in presenting at least the appearance of authenticity (VH1's "Breaking Bonaduce" comes to mind), "Run's House" takes a big step in the opposite direction. Some scenes seem so meticulously scripted one can't help but wonder where the cue cards are hidden. In this way, "Run's House" manages to capture the worst of two television genres. It is a sitcom without any comedy writers, and a reality show that details events unworthy of being filmed. This is "The Osbournes" without the dysfunctional family members and parade of obscenities. And while a preaching, loving patriarch may be successful at raising his family, watching him do so simply doesn't make for entertaining television. The few actual humorous moments "Run's House" are buoyed, expectedly, by Simmons himself. Reacting to a suggestion to have his daughter's graduation party designed by Christopher Pierre, Simmons snaps, "Even that name sounds expensive!" Unfortunately, the comedic elements suffer from the same lack of authenticity as the rest of the show. Was that quip really delivered on the spot, or poured over for hours by a team of writers? The biggest flaw of the show, however, is surprisingly hard to notice; hardly anything actually happens in the first episode. MTV does a great job of glossing over this fact by sewing together bits and pieces of footage so that the show is one continuous stream of family discussions and banter. However, at the end of the episode, the only thing accomplished is the debate leading up to and execution of Angela's graduation party. While in a more zany or outright offensive family this might entail a half-hour's worth of entertaining highs and lows, this one drones on about party favors and the size of the guest list. The most dramatic moment is when Angela breaks down while preparing for her party (her father won't agree to the $20,000 of celebratory fireworks she had wanted to arrange). Yet it's not the number of digits in the Simmons family bank account that makes "Run's House" intolerable. Rather, it is the fact that aside from the flaunting of money, there appears to be nothing that goes on in this family that doesn't go on in any run-of-the-mill, relatively stable American family. To many viewers, the show will seem more blandly wholesome than their own upbringings. When a reality show is less engaging than reality itself, it's time to change the channel.

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News

No-kill shelters are a bad idea

October 20

Dear Editor: Thank you for reporting on the problems associated with limited-admission animal shelters ("Issue of 'kill' and 'no-kill' shelters not so clear-cut," 10/18/05). PETA applauds shelters which, in the face of horrendous companion animal overpopulation, make the heartbreaking - but compassionate - decision to euthanize animals rather than turn them away. Because many "no-kill," or limited-admission, facilities turn animals away when there is no room, animals are often abandoned, left at the mercy of traffic, starvation, or cruel people - fates far worse than a painless injection of sodium pentobarbital administered by trained, caring shelter staff. Those who aren't turned away are held indefinitely. They are often caged for months or years, becoming more withdrawn, "unhousebroken," and antisocial day after day, giving them even less hope of being adopted. With the six to eight million dogs and cats who enter U.S. shelters each year, the solution isn't "no-kill," but rather "no-birth," a goal we can reach by pushing for mandatory spay/neuter legislation. Please visit HelpingAnimals.com for more information and to download or order a free brochure on getting such legislation passed in your community.Lindsay Pollard-PostStaff WriterPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

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Campus Comment | Green Line extension receives the green light from students

October 20

Fifteen years ago, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and the state of Massachusetts set out its plans for the Big Dig. Among them was a proposal to extend the Green Line of the 'T' into the Medford Hillside area, partly to alleviate the increased traffic and air pollution caused by the growing populations of Medford and Somerville. The agreement stated that the line would be extended by 2011, but in early 2005 the cities of Medford and Somerville sued the state for the funds to begin construction. The MBTA had just announced service cuts because of a $16 million budget deficit, though, and postponed the Green Line extension project - expected to cost in excess of $375 million. But in May, the project finally got off the ground after the funding became available. University Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel told the Daily in March that "the good news we have about the Green Line right now is that when the 'T' did all their modeling, they determined that extending the service to Medford makes sense." Rubel added, though, that "the work that's been done so far does not say that it will happen, where it will happen or how it will happen." One of the several suggested locations for the 'T' stop is on the Tufts campus - most likely at the intersection of Boston Ave. and College Ave. For Tufts students, a 'T' stop so close to campus would most likely be a popular one. "I think it would be a pretty universal reaction - everyone would think it's great," senior Spencer Maxwell said. Davis Square and the corner suggested by the MBTA are not too far apart, though, and Maxwell wondered about how reasonable it would be to build a second stop so nearby. "I'd be surprised if they actually do it, because it would be so close to Davis," he said. "It would make more sense to put it closer to Medford Square. If I were the MBTA, that's what I would do." Although the walk to Davis Square usually isn't a bad one, in inclement weather students find it can be quite a different story. "It would be great for people without cars, especially, because no one wants to walk to Davis in ten-degree weather or in pouring rain," junior Peter Hugick said. "It'd be amazing to have a stop right there because it's no fun walking to Davis Square when the weather is bad," junior Allie Watt agreed. But some students did express concern that a 'T' stop on campus would have its downfalls. "One drawback would be that more non-students would be coming on to campus," Maxwell said. "That can really be a problem with parties and things like that." Hugick disagreed: "If people are going to come to Tufts, they're going to come to Tufts, and a new 'T' stop probably won't change that much," he said. "I think it would bring a lot more people to the area, but I think it's a good thing to have a busier campus," Watt said. "It would promote Tufts a lot more, and it would help the area businesses out a lot, too." The lack of a campus 'T' stop may enforce Tufts' inferiority complex: Harvard, MIT, Boston College and Northeastern all have their own stops - and Boston University has two. So why doesn't the Hill have one yet? Sophomore Lauren Basile offered her personal opinion: "Tufts was built on a farmland, so they built roads around that," she said. "And obviously, no one is going to build a 'T' stop on a farm."

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The 20-year-old virgin: Not as rare on campus as you may think

October 20

According to the most recent National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, which was conducted in 2000, a quarter of women and nearly a third of men lose their virginity before the age of 16 - which is the legal age of consent in Massachusetts and many other states. The survey, which is administered every ten years, also found that the average age of first-time sex had dropped to 16 - the lowest level on record. According to Sociology Professor John Conklin, the trend of losing one's virginity at a younger age is partially rooted in the feminist movement that began in the 1960s and pushed for gender equality. "People started to believe that women should get pleasure from sex just like men always did," Conklin said. "There was a willingness to experiment sexually instead of just getting married." The first FDA-approved birth control pill was put on the market in 1960. The first truly effective birth control method, the pill was perfected in terms of the strength of doses by the 1980s. This allowed for a separation of sexual activity from pregnancy - and, ultimately, marriage. Because of the feeling of sexual freedom, "people were getting married at an older age," Conklin said. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau support Conklin's observation: in 1970, 20.8 was the median age at which women entered their first marriage. But by 2003, that median age had risen to 25.3. "These extra years that people were remaining single made pre-marital sex much more probable," Conklin said. "This led to the idea that if people weren't waiting until marriage to have sex, they might as well experiment with sex at younger ages." Regardless of the trend to become sexually active at a high-school age, many college students still choose to remain celibate. Reasons range from not having the opportunity to "lose it" to religious convictions to the fear of contracting sexually transmitted diseases - and college virgins do indeed exist. "We certainly see students who are virgins, so it's not rare," said Margaret Higham, medical director of Tufts University Health Service. In a small community, students who choose to go against the norm by remaining celibate could end up ostracized by fellow students. But, "I haven't run across students with social anxiety about [being a virgin]," Higham said. Luanne Grossman, senior staff psychologist at Tufts University's Counseling Center, hasn't seen any such cases, either. "I'm not aware of any students coming to the Counseling Center because they want to remain virgins and are having difficulty withstanding social pressures to the contrary," she said. Every interviewed student, however, commented that college males certainly have pressure on them to lose their virginity - much more so than college females. "If a guy is a virgin, it is against his masculinity, while if a girl is a virgin, it is never construed as against her womanhood," sophomore Kyle Sinick said. There is no doubt that the college atmosphere pressures some students to experiment sexually. "Every year, we hear from students who hope that being at college would allow them to have certain sexual experiences," Grossman said. "Students who reach their senior year and have not had some sexual experiences can feel they are 'behind' developmentally." But virginity is not the only scale of sexual experience for those students. "For some, this [desire for sexual experiences] takes the form of wanting to lose their virginity before graduation, but for others, it's more about having some significant or intimate relationship during these years," Grossman said. Some students feel that the media has bombarded teenagers with so much sexuality that they feel obligated to become sexually active. "I think that we're definitely influenced by the media to be more sexually open," freshman Austin Hsiao said. "We face movies like 'American Pie' and 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin,' where being a virgin is considered a bad thing that should be corrected as soon as possible." Other students, however, feel that films like "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and the "American Pie" series reflect, rather than affect, their audience's sexual attitudes. "The media isn't responsible for how sex is more frequently discussed today than in the past," Sinick said. "The media only reflects the desires of the people it caters to."

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Time to call in the Board of Health?

October 19

Running water, peeling walls, broken locks, rusty pipes: these are just a few of the issues facing Tufts students living in off-campus housing. "Our bathrooms are disgusting. At the beginning of the year, they had black mold, which is very dangerous, and they just caulked it. I mean, it's still gross but there's no black mold," said junior Dominique de Ledebur, who lives in a house off of Boston Avenue. These types of problems, combined with the condition of Medford and Somerville-area houses, often lead to poor landlord-student relations. According to Tufts' Off-Campus Housing Resource Center, since 2002, the average price of a three-bedroom apartment or house in the Medford/Somerville area has risen from an average of $1,300 to $2,000 per month to $1,500 to $2,100 per month. Similarly, a four-bedroom house, which went for about $2,000 to $2,400 per month three years ago, can now cost up to $3,000 per month. According to Off-Campus Housing Resource Center Coordinator Donna Rodriguez, price is dependent on several factors. "First of all, if you look a year in advance, the houses are going to be a little more expensive, because the landlords know those are the students who are eager to find housing, when they are looking in November for a place in September," she said. "Landlords will ask $700 instead of $600 [per student] because they know the system," she added. "The later students begin looking, the better the prices will be and the more landlords will negotiate." Rodriguez added that houses in Somerville "tend to be a little more expensive than Medford." Houses close to campus are always the most expensive. While some landlords simply do not care for their houses, others blame students for treating their properties poorly. "It's a two-sided problem," Rodriguez said. "Students are not maintaining properties, and also landlords are not following up on how students are living inside their properties." Disagreements between tenant and landlord, though, are not left for the student to resolve alone. "Students should know they can come to [the Off Campus Housing Resource Center]," Rodriguez said. "Students who aren't aware that we're here are the ones who end up struggling because they don't know what their rights are." According to landlord Ann Driscoll, who lives above the apartment she has rented to students, careful selection and renovations can prevent conflict. This is a different ethos from many landlords who rarely check on their properties. "The difference is that we live in the house," Driscoll said. "And that makes a difference because we're fairly selective about who we are renting to. They have to know it's certainly not a party house. It's very nice, and we keep it nice." But when landlords do not live in a student's house, parties are often an issue. Some students complain about the initial appearance of their apartments but landlords often note that student parties can "trash" the houses into disrepair. The Off-Campus Housing Web site states that after students move in, "complaints about unresponsive landlords - who do not respond to repeated phone calls or letters - should be made to the local Board of Health." "Basically, if the landlord doesn't maintain their property, the Health Department gets called and they come and it becomes a fight," Rodriguez said. According to Rodriguez, once the Health Department is called, a landlord usually has about 30 days to repair the damage, unless it is an emergency, in which case the time allowed is only 24 hours. If repairs are not made, it results in the house being "condemned" by the Medford or Somerville Board of Health. According to senior Jon Dimsdale, Board of Health inspectors came to inspect his house on Bromfield Road. "It wasn't quite condemned, but it should have been," he said. "Our porch was unstable according to the inspectors. It took our landlord a while, but she finally had some guys tear it down, and then replace it with a new porch and a horrible roof." Rodriguez is familiar with similar cases. "In one house that students were living in, hand railings were so loose on a stair case that it was a safety violation but the students had left so many belongings on the porch that it became a fire hazard - so it was a two sided problem. Both parties are usually at fault." Rodriguez said, however, that landlords sometimes do not keep their properties up to par: "Landlords should be up to date on how students are living in their houses, because it's their property, and their responsibility," she added. "Once students move off campus they are tenants, not students, and they need to know their rights," Rodriguez said. "And if [the Off Campus Housing Resource Center] can't help them directly, we can definitely let them know where they can receive help."

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