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Police 'cracking down' on off-campus shenanigans

September 26

As part of its effort to step up law enforcement in neighborhoods around Tufts, the Somerville Police Department arrested two Tufts students early Sunday morning. According to the police report, juniors Nathan Cleveland and Ciaran O'Donovan were stopped by two police officers while walking with open cans of Natural Light Beer on Curtis Avenue. The police officers were sitting in an unmarked car on Curtis Avenue when the students passed. The officers took the beers and arrested the students at 12:26 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 25. Cleveland, 20, and O'Donovan, 21, were released on bail soon after they were taken to the police station. They were due in Somerville City Court Monday morning. Neither student could be reached for comment. "Somerville police are cracking down," Somerville Police Chief Robert Bradley said, "until we get peace and tranquility up there." The department allotted additional officers to the Tufts area in response to increasing complaints from residents, Somerville Police Lieutenant Paul Upton said. Nearly all of the complaints are related to Tufts students. "They are exhibiting very rowdy, drunken, disorderly behavior in the neighborhoods," Upton said. Patrols have been increased on weekends. "Whenever we have a problem, we dedicate more resources to that area," Upton said. "Right now, this is where the problems are." Upton could not release details of the new deployments. The Somerville Police Department has received numerous calls and e-mails from neighbors of Tufts students living off campus. One neighbor on Curtis Avenue waited until the fifth straight night of all-night parties to contact the police. "This isn't just 'I'm so drunk I don't know what I'm doing,'" the e-mail said. "This is inflicting rage on inanimate objects, causing destruction, and loving it." The neighbor reported students urinating in public, throwing dishes, and setting furniture on fire in the street. "Most cops don't want to arrest people for this stuff," Upton said. While someone is being arrested, there is one less police car patrolling the neighborhood. The number of complaints forced the department to step up arrests, though. Bradley said students living off-campus are lucky when they are reported to the Tufts University Police Department. "Tufts police are a lot nicer than we're going to be," he said. The increased enforcement comes as Somerville and TUPD prepare for national crime prevention month in October. TUPD will post displays around campus and increase publicity of its services. Most of the department's crime reports are for personal property theft, such as laptop computers.

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News

Inside the NL | Veterans, young stars propel Atlanta into October

September 26

In a crucial series this weekend, the Atlanta Braves swept three straight games at home against the Florida Marlins, virtually guaranteeing the Braves their 14th consecutive division title. Starting pitchers John Smoltz, John Thomson and Jorge Sosa dominated the Marlins' bats as the Braves widened their lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East to five games. Smoltz has been the ace of the pitching rotation as well as the veteran leader in the clubhouse. He heads into the season's final week with a 14-7 record and 3.06 ERA. Smoltz, who will make his final regular-season start tomorrow night, is the only Brave to play in all 14 division-winning seasons. The other leader of the Braves' rotation has been Tim Hudson, who was acquired last December in a trade with the Oakland Athletics. Hudson has excelled in his NL debut, going 13-9 with a 3.48 ERA. One of the biggest surprises for Atlanta has been Sosa, especially down the stretch, where he has won his last four starts and is 6-1 in his last seven. Thomson and Horacio Ramirez round out one of the league's best rotations, with Chris Reitsma and Kyle Farnsworth leading the Braves' strong bullpen. On the offensive side, the Braves are led by centerfielder Andruw Jones, who is having a career year at the plate. Jones hit his 51st home run of the season on Saturday, comfortably leading the major league in homers and finishing the weekend with 128 runs batted in. Despite an injury-plagued first half of the season, third baseman Chipper Jones has returned and had a strong summer, belting 20 home runs of his own. Middle infielders Marcus Giles and Rafael Furcal, both former All-Stars, are turning in solid seasons as well. But for the Braves, the biggest surprise has been 21-year-old Jeff Francoeur, a product of the local Atlanta high school system, who hit the major leagues with a bang on July 7 and hasn't looked back. In two and a half months, Francoeur has hit 13 home runs and has been batting consistently over .300. Hopes are high in Atlanta, where Jones vies for an MVP, Francoeur fights for Rookie of the Year honors, and the Braves are cruising to another title in the NL East. However, in 13 straight playoff appearances, the Braves have just one World Series ring, and the pressure is on this year's team to lead a return to glory. While it appears likely that the Braves will start the first round of the playoffs with the home-field advantage, their opponent has yet to be determined. The Houston Astros currently lead the wild card race in the NL; if they hold on, they should be headed for Atlanta. However, Philadelphia is still alive and well in the wild card standings. If they overtake Houston, the Phillies will open the playoffs on the road, facing the league's best team, the St. Louis Cardinals. The Phillies, while not likely to come back and win the East, have been on a recent tear. Led by shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who extended his hitting streak to 30 games over the weekend, the Phils are gunning for the Astros as they look to make their first postseason appearance since their pennant-winning run in 1993. The wild card race could come down to the season's final weekend, as the Phillies play the Washington Nationals on the road, and the Astros host the Chicago Cubs. Both opponents are former wild card contenders, and now that they are both out of the race, it will be interesting to see who will step into the role of playoff spoiler.

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News

Jumbos repeat first place finish

September 26

Under clear blue skies and through a cool fall breeze, the men's cross country team was victorious for the first time this season, taking first place in the annual Jumbo Invitational for the second consecutive year on Saturday. Tufts dominated the other six competing schools, finishing the meet with a total score of 45 points, 19 ahead of its nearest competitor, fellow NESCAC rival Wesleyan. MIT (75) finished third, and Amherst (90) followed close behind in fourth. Bentley (110) closed out the top five while NESCAC foe Bates (135) placed sixth and Springfield (175) rounded off the competition with a seventh-place finish. Traditionally, a whole herd of Jumbos run at the home course. Saturday was no exception as coach Ethan Barron sent out 20 runners. For the third consecutive week, senior co-captain Matt Lacey led the way for the Jumbos, finishing first for the team and second overall with a time of 25:41. "Lacey is just a great leader both on and off the course," Barron said. "He and [senior co-captain] Matt Fortin have done a great job in providing leadership and inspiration for the rest of the team. Lacey is just the kind of guy who goes out and executes the race strategies that we come up with." The rest of the team also performed well, with all five scorers finishing in the top 15 in total points. After finishing tenth overall two weeks ago at UMass-Dartmouth, junior Josh Kennedy (25:43) again showed he is on track, finishing right on Lacey's heels in third place. "I feel great," he said. "I definitely feel in good shape and I feel like I am running as well as I did last year. My plan was to go steady the first two miles and then start to speed up and pass people the last three." Fortin (26:27) and senior Kyle Doran (26:29) finished 13th and 14th, respectively, while junior Justin Chung (26:32) rounded out the Tufts top five, finishing 16th overall. While the Jumbos had to deal with rough weather last week, they were treated to a beautiful day at Grafton as the bright sun and cool weather made for perfect running conditions. "It was definitely a gorgeous day to run," Barron said. "I mean, you can't get better than 60 degrees and sunny." But Barron believed that the weather served to compensate for Grafton's challenging course. "The course at Grafton is definitely more difficult than the one at Dartmouth," he said. "We tend to see times slow down by about 60 to 90 seconds." While the course might have been more difficult, it did not alter the squad's racing strategy as the Jumbos continue to ease into performing at their maximum potential. "We are still easing them in slightly," Barron said. "I want to have them running at their best by the All-New England Championships since those involve Div. I schools. We just want them running steady the first few miles and then passing people and finishing the race strong. The good thing is the team is running together and working well with each other." Kennedy agreed that his coach's strategy is the way to go. "At first we were running steady the first three miles, and then we moved to running steady for two and a half, and now we are down to two miles. We are definitely starting to pick up the pace," he said. Before looking towards All-New England's, however, the Jumbos must shift their focus on a visit this weekend to Keene State. The meet will provide a chance for redemption as the Owls edged the Jumbos at Umass-Dartmouth. Barron should have all his top runners available with the exception of sophomore Chris Kantos, who sat out the Jumbo Invitational and is unlikely to race this weekend due to injury. "You never want to rush an injury because a setback is the worst thing that could happen," Barron said. "When Chris comes back, we want him to come back for good. We have no expectations for him and are simply going to let him come back when his is full and ready to. He put in a lot of good work this summer and I know that he won't lose his fitness just because he missed ten days of running." As Tufts runners continue to increase the tempo as the season wears on, Barron expects only better and better results. "If people think this is the best Tufts can do, they've got another thing coming to them," he said.

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News

Where are you?

September 25

Students may or may not have noticed its absence from Dewick and Carmichael tables and the floors of campus restrooms. It has not been spotted in mass quantities in trash cans or in the laps of students in Cohen Auditorium. There is something missing so far at Tufts this semester - The Primary Source, with the exception of its Matriculation issue - appears to have gone on hiatus. The absence of the Source, arguably the second-most influential campus magazine, behind the Observer, is disturbing. For conservative students, the lack of Source publications is clearly harmful. People in general draw comfort from seeing their own opinions reinforced in print, and when the echo chamber goes silent, the effect on the psyche of the average conservative student, oppressed and degraded as he already is, cannot be exaggerated. The harm is not limited to conservative students. The Source is a fun and informative way to follow right-wing politics and ideology. Its awkward and obviously contrived attempts to shock readers with politically incorrect humor are sure to amuse. For instance, the cover of its first issue, equating campus ethnic populations with different types of fruit, was visually cute and humorous for its failure to deliver the obviously intended stifled laughter and musings at just how off-the-wall and refreshing right-wingers are. All the while, this stunt cover communicated a key point of the agenda of the Source editors: affirmative action and attempts to create a diverse student body are silly and indeed dangerous. Tufts students are busy, and many do not have the time nor the stomach to watch the requisite amount of Fox News in order to be well-versed in the right-wing talking points du jour. To this end, the Source is a great way to ingest Ken Mehlman's latest memos over a lunch of soggy broccoli pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches and subtly flavored water at Dewick. Republican positions and responses to the latest nationally controversial issues are treated in the short, easy to read format of the five paragraph essay. With the Source evidently on vacation, this valuable service has been discontinued and many Tufts students are unaware of the GOP's latest spin on President Bush's management of meteorological disasters, or the mounting death toll in Iraq, or Bill Frist's apparent foray into the world of insider trading. Another valuable service provided by the Source stems from its mission to monitor and publicize instances of Academic Tyranny, thus granting disgruntled students the opportunity to gain some measure of revenge for that C they received last semester by accusing the professor of liberal bias. This is a very important function performed by the Tufts journal of conservative thought, allowing students to protect their dignity and self-esteem. The Source propagates the idea that the campus establishment would like to suppress or even ban the right-wing publication. This view could not be further from the truth. The Source is an amusing window into the conservative world which should give itself a pat on the back for being useful and mildly funny at the same time. Its next release is eagerly anticipated, and should not be further delayed.

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News

Volleyball | Tufts spikes triple victory

September 25

After losing a heartbreaking match and junior Kelli Harrison to injury in the second round of the MIT Invitational, the Jumbos recovered to win their next two matches, finishing the weekend at 3-1, and earning a fifth-place finish in the tournament. The team defeated NESCAC rival Williams 3-0 on Saturday afternoon to grab the championship in the tournament's gold bracket and leave on a positive note. "Overall, I thought we played with a lot of heart and we gave a lot of energy," senior co-captain Courtney Evans said. "I thought we did a great job." The Jumbos edged Williams for the second time already this season, having beaten the Ephs in the final of the Williams Invitational, 3-1. This time, the Jumbos stumbled at the outset against the Ephs, falling behind 18-11 in the first game before recovering to claim the game 30-28. They went on to win the next two games, 30-25 and 30-27, to sweep the match. "Our assistant coach, Lauren [Knight], said before the game that beating a team once doesn't mean anything," Evans said. "Beating a team twice shows that you're better than them." The match's close scores were indicative of a tournament that turned out tight scores all weekend, as ten of Tufts' 16 games were decided by five points or fewer. The Jumbos were 8-2 in those close contests. "It's stressful [to play in those close games], but you can't play safely because that's not going to win the game," said freshman Kaitlin O'Reilly, who was named to the all-tournament team. "You just have got to play your hardest and go all out." On Saturday morning, the team paved the way for the match with Williams by defeating Wellesley 3-1. After winning the first two matches 30-25 and 30-22, the Jumbos stumbled, losing 30-23, before closing out the match with a 30-26 victory. Thompson was impressed with the team's ability to rebound from its loss to Coast Guard that had ended very late on Friday. "For us to bounce back from an emotional defeat like the Coast Guard one and beat a team like Wellesley, that's great," Thompson said. The Jumbos were playing without starting outside hitters Harrison and sophomore Kay Lutostanski, who suffered a minor injury late Friday night. Tufts hosted two matches on Friday, beating Muhlenberg College 3-1 before dropping a tense five-game match to the Coast Guard Academy. Against Coast Guard, one of just four teams to get the better of the Jumbos last season, Tufts ran out to a quick lead, scoring the first five points and grabbing an 18-5 edge en route to a 30-21 first game victory. After a spike by sophomore Katie Wysham made it 7-2 in the second game, the Bears woke up, catching the Jumbos at 13 before taking a 20-16 lead. The Jumbos kept it interesting, pulling to within one at 26-25, but Coast Guard closed out the match with a 4-1 run. Tufts held the lead for almost the entire third game after rebounding from a 2-0 deficit. Coast Guard finished strong however, turning a 25-23 deficit into a 30-27 win. It appeared that Coast Guard's momentum would carry over as the Bears ran out to an 8-1 lead in the fourth game. With the Jumbos trailing 24-16, and the chances of victory looking slim, Tufts stormed back to tie the game at 28-28 on a Harrison spike. Tufts pulled out the game with kills by senior co-captain April Gerry and Harrison to force a fifth game. "I think it was our drive [that fueled the comeback]," O'Reilly said. "We realized we wanted it. You have to play one point at a time. That's what allows you to come from [nine] points down, like we did against Coast Guard." The Jumbos appeared to be in good shape in the fifth game, holding a 9-7 lead, but Coast Guard scored eight in a row to claim the game and the match. The evening was marred by a tense moment when Harrison went down right in front of the Tufts bench with Coast Guard leading 12-9. On a ball in the back corner of the court, Harrison's legs got tangled up with those of freshman libero Natalie Goldstein and Harrison fell face-first on the floor. The team watched as Harrison rolled on the ground in pain. While she was helped off and replaced on the court by sophomore Stephanie Viola, the Jumbos lost their momentum and saw the match slip away. Harrison will have what is believed to be a left quad injury examined tomorrow. While the extent of the injury is unknown, Thompson expects her main offensive threat back within a week or two. The team opened the tournament sluggishly against Muhlenberg, falling behind 9-2 en route to a 30-26 loss. After starting the second game tied 7-7, the Jumbos went on a 23-7 run to tie up the match at two games apiece. "I thought we got off to a close start, but I was really proud of how we stepped it up," Thompson said. "We picked up the pace of our game and we started to minimize errors as we went along, and I think that's a huge part of our success there towards the end." Following a tight 30-27 victory, the Jumbos found themselves locked up in another tough match, down 28-27. After the Mules coughed up momentum with a service error and Wysham gave Tufts the lead with a block, freshman Maya Ripecky iced the match with an ace. After an emotional weekend, Tufts will prepare this week to host the second-ever Tufts Invitational this Friday at Cousens Gym.

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News

Sydne Summer | How To...

September 25

As the chilly fall air rises and the warmth of summer fades, it's painful to part with that hard-earned bronzed look. I know I'm saddened as I watch my tan lines slowly disappear into my pallid skin. I reminisce about those laborious days sitting by the pool with the goal of achieving a Jennifer Lopez-like glow before returning to school. I wish I could fly home to Los Angeles and let the sun shower me with kisses. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of borrowing a jet to whisk me away to the heat. So, I've come up with another solution: faking it. The celebrities do it, so why can't I? I prefer to use a self-tanner lotion: Neutrogena's Build-a-Tan has worked wonders. But I've explored other options as well. I hope this column provides all the possibilities on how to keep that summer tan. UV tan How: UV Tans replicate the sun in an indoor setting. Using mostly UVA light, in additional to minimal amounts of UVB, the bulbs increase the melanin activity in your skin, darkening the outer layer. Good: Tanning beds produce faster results than outdoor tanning. In addition, you can monitor intensity levels and control the darkness of your tan. Bad: Although it's less probable than with outdoor tanning, there is the possibility of burning indoors. Furthermore, the American Academy of Dermatology proclaims UV tans to be just as detrimental to your skin's health as natural tans. Length: Similar to natural tanning, the duration of the tan depends on your skin. If you already have a dark base from previous days in the sun, your tan will tend to last longer. Price: Ranges from $5 to $30 per session depending on intensity levels, times and packages. My view: I have gone to various tanning salons, and I think that UV tanning is terrific - but only in moderation. Before spring break, for example, my friends and I bought a package of five sessions to develop a base tan before departing for Jamaica. Since we gave our winter-white skin a taste of color, we developed a brown hue instead of a painfully red burn during our vacation. While occasional visits are fine, I don't think you should tan routinely. Skin cancer is increasing among our generation, and UV tanning is just as harmful as laying out on the beach. Spray tan How: Spray tans create a mist with the active ingredient dishydroxyacetone (DHA). According to the American Academy of Dermatology, DHA reacts with skin's dead cells, causing color change. Clients stand in a booth as the mist is quickly sprayed over the body. Good: Unlike UV and natural tanning, spray tans eliminate sunburn and there is no evidence that they cause skin cancer. They are also extremely fast, with most sessions lasting only 60 seconds. Bad: Sometimes spray tans can cause skin to look artificially orange. If not applied properly, they can leave streaks on the body and will wash off if the skin gets wet within 12 hours of application. Length: Usually lasts five to seven days. Price: Ranges from $10 to $50 depending on location and package options. My view: Spray tans are perfect for special events. If you have to attend a wedding in Miami during the winter and don't want to be known as the albino, a spray tan is a safe and effective option. Since it usually lasts less than a week, however, it does not pay to do continuously unless you have a limitless bankroll to spend. I don't recommend this option if you tend to have problems with anxiety. When I had my first spray tan, I thought I was going to have a heart attack as I tried to hold my breath while the cold spray blasted my body. It can be a scary experience. Airbrush tan How: Works the same way as spray tans, but is applied by hand instead of a machine. A salon staff member will use an airbrush to spread the tanner over the entire body. Good: Does not cause sunburn or known skin cancer. Eliminates streaks and splotches with careful application. Bad: Can be very costly, and like spray tans, will get ruined with immediate water contact. Length: Usually lasts between three and seven days. Price: Ranges from $35 to $100 per session depending on location and packages. My view: Like spray tans, airbrush tanning makes sense for unique occasions. Even though it is more expensive, I prefer this option because of the process. I favor slower application over a harsh, quick spray. Self-tanner lotions How: Like spray and airbrush tans, most tanning lotions use DHA to actively interact with the skin, producing a darker appearance when applied to it. Good: Does not hurt skin and can easily be purchased at your local drugstore, mall or even online. Usually less expensive than other options and allows you to control application. Bad: If applied improperly, can leave streaks, splotches or unnatural looking color. Sometimes the lotions have a foul smell and may leave marks on clothing. Length: Can last anywhere between five to seven days. Price: Ranges from $4 to $125 depending on brand. My view: Out of all the alternatives, this is my personal favorite. Self-tanners no longer turn the skin orange, and with all the options out there, one will definitely work for you. Experiment with different brands to find which mousse, lotion or gel fits your individual skin. After practicing, application with your favorite brand will be a breeze. Where to go At Sun Kissed, located at 735 Broadway, a single UV tan is $7 and five are $25. XTreme Tanning in Davis Square offers both UV and spray tans: there are four levels of UV tanning ranging from eight to 15 minute sessions and priced from $4.50 to $15.99, and with the current special, a spray tan is $11.99 per session. Cititan, on Newbury Street, offers single sessions of UV tanning for $11. Ten visits (or one month of unlimited visits) costs $55 with a student ID. Cititan also offers CitiMIST airbrush tanning, which is $40 for one session and $180 for six. What to use Neutrogena Build-a-Tan, which costs about $10 in drugstores, is my personal favorite. Every application is very subtle, allowing you to control desired darkness. I apply the lotion once a week to keep from looking ghostly. If I want a darker tone, I add additional applications. Clinique Self-Sun Body Quick Bronze Self-Tanner costs $15.50 at most department stores. I recommend this brand for those with fair skin tones who fear the fake-tan look. The lotion gives just enough tint to provide a subtle, natural-looking glow. If you have darker skin, however, the tanner is not very effective. St. Tropez products are claimed by many magazines, such as Allure, to be the top self-tanners. They should only be used by those with medium to dark complexions. The mousse - which is $33 at Sephora - is very easy to apply, and as long as you're not fair-skinned, it will deliver a fabulous bronze.

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News

Tuftslife.com not worried by carpool site competition

September 25

With gas prices hovering just under three dollars a gallon, drivers are looking for any way to cut the costs of their commute. TuftsLife.com has a ride board feature, which lets students request or offer rides from Tufts to any city. A new national Web site, RideCheck.com, launched in March, gives students another option when looking for a way to get home. RideCheck lets people find and offer rides in the U.S. and Canada. RideCheck CEO Clyde Mitchell said between 5,000 and 10,000 rides have been posted since the site began. The Web site recently doubled its server capacity to handle up to 50,000 ride postings per day. "We got a lot of use over the summer, and so we wanted to expand," Mitchell said. A search Sunday showed no rides offered during the next three months between Boston, New York City and Washington, D.C., or between Los Angeles and San Francisco. There were 11 rides available each way between Toronto and Montreal. He said college students make up the majority of the site's postings. "They're more Internet savvy," he said. "They're probably more interested in saving money than the general population." Mitchell said he expects retirees to use the site in the future. The TuftsLife.com ride board - begun in 2002 and for use by Tufts students only - does not track the number of postings, according to senior Rajit Kapur, the site's chief relations officer. Six students are now requesting rides on TuftsLife.com, but there are no students offering rides. Neither RideCheck or the TuftsLife.com ride board charge people to post ride offers or requests. RideCheck requires users to register to see posting details and make posts. There is a section on the registration form specifically for college students. "If we do start charging, it'll be on the order of $2 or so," Mitchell said. RideCheck recommends the driver and passenger split the cost of gas and tolls. TuftsLife.com does not expect to add a fee. "There are no plans to charge for Ride Board services," Kapur said. The RideCheck postings are more detailed than those on TuftsLife.com. RideCheck lets users rate drivers and passengers, and the site has a feature to continuously search for rides to a certain destination. Prospective passengers can also search for female or male drivers. "You can search for same-sex rides, as a woman might be uncomfortable going with a guy," Mitchell said. The only information on the TuftsLife.com ride board is the person's name, contact information and destination. All of the posted rides on TuftsLife.com are displayed on the main page, so prospective drivers and passengers can see the person's gender. TuftsLife.com does not plan to expand the ride board, Kapur said. He said there is no competition with RideCheck. "If they can offer a better solution than we can, then that helps everyone." RideCheck is also more detailed in its warnings to prospective drivers and passengers and in its terms of service. According to the Web site, criminals can take advantage of the service. "We urge people to meet before they go on the trip, to confirm their license information, and even to take a digital picture [of the other person]," Mitchell said. He suggested sending the person's picture and information to friends as a safety check. If the site's warnings are followed, he said, riders and passengers will be less anonymous. "I think this is far safer than getting on a bus, or far safer than the bathroom at a bus terminal, because of all the witnesses," Mitchell said. TuftsLife.com's ride board only includes the warning: "TuftsLife.com strongly encourages the use of good judgement (sic) when offering rides to or accepting rides from others." Daniel Moscoe, a philosophy graduate student, requested a ride to Rochester, N.Y. for Thanksgiving on TuftsLife.com's ride board earlier this year, but he did not get a response. "I actually ended up buying a plane ticket," he said. Freshman Jessica Snow said she found the TuftsLife.com ride board while she was browsing the Web site. She posted that she was looking for a ride to northern Virginia over winter break. "I posted just to see if I could get something, but if I don't it won't be the end of the world - I'll just buy a plane ticket," she said. Neither Moscoe nor Snow said they had heard of RideCheck.com. Mitchell created RideCheck.com from his experiences as an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the 1970s, when he used the school's ride board - a plywood plank where students posted their ride offers and requests. "This takes that concept and adds security and convenience," he said. Mitchell said that since students at any school can use RideCheck, it increases the odds they will find a ride. "If someone is going from Tufts to New Jersey once a week, maybe someone from M.I.T., Harvard or B.U. is going, too," he said.

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News

A bus of a different color

September 25

The shuttle service to Davis Square - provided by Joseph's Limousine Company - now uses a newer, smaller bus, painted blue and with the University name. The changes were requested by the University. "[We wanted to] dress up the bus so it was more associated with Tufts," Tufts University Police Department Captain Mark Keith said. Three Joseph's buses operate on the route, which has stops at the campus center, Carmichael Hall and the F.W. Olin Center. The new bus has seats upholstered from the Budget car rental company. It was specifically chosen for the route. The smaller bus is more appropriate for the narrow streets and heavy traffic in Davis Square, Keith said. A Joseph's Limousine Company representative said a second, older bus will serve as a backup for the new one once it passes inspections. A third bus, with a capacity of 25 people, runs during peak hours, so a bus is available every 15 minutes. The shuttle stops on Holland St. across from the Somerville Theater. The University does not pay the square's businesses for the bus stop. "Where the Joey stop is, is a loading zone for Davis businesses and it is a courtesy that they allow us to use it," Keith said. The Davis Square shuttle service was started by undergraduate students about 20 years ago. They drove students in minivans for a small price.

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News

City run-walk 'shapes up' kids' health

September 25

Local residents watched a Tai Chi demonstration and three-year-olds ran the 100-yard dash Sunday at the second annual "Shape Up Somerville" five kilometer run-walk. The event - run through the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy's program for Somerville children - included the five kilometer run-walk, a 1.5 mile race for children 9 to 14 years old, and a 100-yard dash for 3-to 8-year-olds. Dr. Michael Coffey, of Family Medicine at Ball Square, created the event last year. "I was interested in having an event that would get my patients up and moving," he said. The number of participants in the five kilometer run-walk went up this year to 159 from 133 last year. The event was held at Trum Field on Broadway. About 50 red-shirted volunteers - some of them Tufts students - managed the event. The event included a performance by a hip-hop and gymnastics group, Jamnymnastics, a yoga class for children, O2 Yoga, and other outdoor games. The run-walk is part of the Friedman School's "Shape Up Somerville: Eat Smart. Play Hard." program, which was founded by professor Christina Economos in 2002. The program helps Somerville schools improve the nutritional quality of the food available to children. One study with the Somerville School Food Service Department had children at ten elementary schools taste-test a specific fruit and vegetable each month and vote on whether or not to add it to the cafeteria menu. "Shape Up Somerville" bought schools new kitchen equipment and trained cafeteria workers in nutrition and how to prepare vegetarian and healthful meals. Another of the program's initiatives - called "Cool Moves" - trained teachers to incorporate physical activities into their classrooms. "Shape Up Somerville's" after school program frequently takes children to a local organic farm in Concord.

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News

A dispatch from hell: Tufts alumnus tells of Katrina horror

September 25

"Some people had flashlights and lights that we use during surgery," Dr. Barry Cukor said. Other than that, "the entire hospital was black." Cukor, a 1993 Tufts graduate, is in the first year of his gastroenterology fellowship and was working at the Tulane University Medical Center when Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans, La. Along with the other doctors at the hospital, he spent six days working around the clock to keep the patients - and himself - alive. The entire first floor of the hospital flooded on Tuesday, Aug. 30, and the building lost power. Backup generators lasted only 12 hours, after which the building plunged into darkness. In addition to its other patients, the hospital was treating 60 people in critical condition who had transferred from the Superdome earlier that day. "Once secondary generators failed, people using oxygen tanks had to be fed oxygen by doctors using manual pumps," Cukor said. Doctors had to work around the clock, pumping oxygen to keep patients alive until rescue airlifts began the next day. Once the airlifts began, so did the shootings. "Guys were taking shots at helicopters from other buildings," Cukor said. "I could hear shots going off while loading the patients." The hospital had its own police force armed with semi-automatic weapons. The police protected doctors and patients while they were loaded onto military evacuation helicopters and prevented people from breaking into the hospital. Cukor said people tried to steal the hospital's medicine and use the hospital for shelter. "They were trying to shoot their way in and so the cops starting shooting back," he said. "People were pissed because other people were getting taken out by helicopters, leaving them stranded," Cukor said. "They had no reason to shoot at us. When there is no order people do crazy things." The first patients to be evacuated were those in the most critical condition, followed by the women and children, the rest of the patients and finally, the family members of the patients - many of whom were in the hospital when the hurricane hit. Helicopters landed on the roof of the hospital parking garage, which was connected to the rest of the hospital by a third-floor bridge. Portable generators were placed on the roof to power lamps to direct the helicopters. The airlifts continued until Friday, Sept. 2, when the last of the doctors and police left. The last night before he was evacuated, Cukor slept on the cement floor of the parking garage. An oil refinery exploded about 50 miles west of the hospital. The doctors did not know the cause of the explosion, but Cukor said it "lit up the sky." The doctors, Cukor said, woke many times during the last night. "We heard gun shots all around," he said. "We wouldn't look out over the cement barrier of the garage, though, because you never knew what was going to happen." During the few days he was stuck in the hospital, Cukor said, the most difficult tasks were the simplest. "The worst part of the experience was the heat and the lack of running water," he said. The temperature ranged from 100 to 110 degrees, and the plumbing system did not work. "We couldn't take showers or use the toilets for several days. It felt incredibly disgusting," he said. "We were told not to flush because the sewer system had been totally compromised and would have run into the streets, making the already toxic flood waters even worse." By the time the airlifts of the patients began, food supplies were scarce. Peanut butter and crackers were the only meals. "Four or five patients died before airlifting - who knows what happened afterwards?" Cukor said. "Lots of patients died because they didn't get the attention they needed."

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News

Arts Briefs

September 25

Make the Haus your homeIf you find the Indie section of Hollywood Express to be too daunting, the Tufts Arts Haus has taken the guesswork out for you with the Arts Haus Film Series. Junior Haus resident Alex Bayne said the series will feature a mix of "indie, little-known, and foreign films" and "favorite movies of the residents." Bayne will organize the event throughout the semester and the entire Haus will be involved in selecting films to screen. "Each week," says Bayne, "a different resident of the Haus chooses a non-mainstream film that has meaning for them." The Arts Haus Film Series debuted last week with Akira Kurosawa's "Dreams," (1990), which will be followed this week by Jim Jarmusch's "Coffee and Cigarettes" (2003). While the series existed last year in an informal way, residents of the Arts Haus have decided this year to advertise the event to the entire Tufts community. The semester's line-up, when finalized, will appear both on Tuftslife.com and on a currently under-construction Web site. To add ambiance to the screenings, which are presently shown on the Haus' common room television, Bayne says: "We're looking into getting a projector and creating a more theatre-style setting for the films." Be it by projected image or VCR, the series takes place in the living room of 37 Sawyer Avenue every Wednesday night at 8 p.m.

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News

Theater Review | Wit takes the stage in Stoppard's award-winning play 'Real Thing'

September 25

Few plays manage to be both funny and depressingly philosophical at once, but Tom Stoppard succeeds at both in his Tony Award-winning "The Real Thing." The play provides a visual into the lives of four characters so petty and silly that one can't help but laugh at them. As these characters, the artists and intellectuals of their time, search for love, it becomes ever clearer that nothing can fill the depravity that slowly takes over their lives. The show focuses on Henry (Rufus Collins), a playwright whose marriage dissolves due to the affair he is having with one of his actors' wives. Henry is described by the script as "amiable but can take care of himself." His wife Charlotte (Meg Gibson), on the other hand, is "less amiable and can take even better care of herself." The opening scene of the show is a selection from one of Henry's plays, in which Charlotte and Henry's lover's husband, Max (Matthew Boston), are the primary actors. In the selection, Charlotte plays an adulterous wife whose snooping husband, Max, discovers her secret. The rest of the show imitates this play-within-a-play irony. Rounding out the foursome of disloyal partners is Annie (Kate Nowlin), Henry's lover and Max's wife, described as "very much like the woman Charlotte has ceased to be." "The Real Thing" is frequently cited as Stoppard's most autobiographical play - many believe the character of Henry represents the bard. Perhaps like Stoppard, Henry labors to write plays of great philosophical meaning. He finds himself unable to write love truthfully, and one can only wonder if the lack of meaningful love in his own life has something to do with this. This dilemma is mirrored brilliantly in the play; the pop music that Henry is drawn to serves as the transition between scenes. Lyrics from songs like "I'm a Believer" by the Monkeys and "You've Lost that Loving Feeling" by The Righteous Brothers reflect themes of the play and demonstrate that Henry is not quite as profound as he would like to be. Indeed, Henry is a sort of anti-hero that Collins just barely pulls off. A bit one-dimensional, he yells to demonstrate a change in emotion when more subtle means would be more effective. As a result, he comes across as being somewhat flat, but manages to convey Henry's complex character nonetheless. Kate Nowlin, on the other hand, struggles with the subtly her role requires. In the second act, Annie and Henry have married, and it is clear that two years of marriage have turned her into a woman more like Charlotte. She is cynical and disillusioned, in sharp contrast to the first act - this dichotomy proves difficult for Nowlin to pull off. Max's place onstage is fleeting, which is a shame. He is an affable man who interacts well with others in the play. As Annie admits to her affair, the whole theater fills with Boston's quiet intensity. He is extraordinary, sinking into a pitiful state of pathetic fury while maintaining a skilled restraint. Annie stares at the husband she is abandoning and the best she can say is, "I'm awfully sorry, Max." This line is indicative of the mood of the entire play: soft irony at the trivialities of these lives. Charlotte is another player whose time onstage is regrettably short. She is the perfect representation of skepticism and disenchantment with the world around her. Without Gibson's fine performance, the contrast Annie presents and her eventual transformation into a Charlotte-character would be incomplete. Beyond the performances, the set is magnificent; grand and smart, it serves as the ideal backdrop to the mayhem on stage. Accolades go to the scenic designer Kris Stone for her imaginative creations. The Huntington Theatre was a superb setting for Stoppard's play. A certain refinement is all that is lacking. The real cleverness of the play, however, is its quiet cynicism, although many times the actors are too extravagant to do justice to the subtlety of the script. Even so, the play is wildly enjoyable, both thoughtful and laugh-out-loud hilarious. With "The Real Thing," the Huntington Theatre Company continues its tradition as one of Boston's leading professional theatre groups, leaving the audience thoughtful, amused and completely satisfied.

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News

Alex Sherman | Retrospective

September 25

In September of fourteen-hundred and ninety two, Columbus made landfall on what is now a popular tourist destination, known for its warm waters, sunny beaches and general awesomeness. He did not land in Boston. Had he landed in Boston harbor in September and remained through February before sailing again to Lisbon, the stories he would have brought back might have stayed the colonizing fleets of Europe, and the new world would have been left relatively alone. As it was, he landed in the present-day Bahamas, and who doesn't like a beach? As a direct result, we now find ourselves here. I'm speaking about the weather. Columbus had sunny with a high of 80; we got stuck with crappy and a chance of depressing. Case in point, I have a real problem with Boston weather, and it's to the point that I question what people were thinking when they decided to live here. OK, first, a little personal history. I'm from Denver, Colorado, and for those of you who failed geography, that's in the middle of the country. I'm not west enough to be part of the West coast, and don't you dare associate me with the midwest. We have our own timezone, and if that's the only thing I can cling to for regional identity, then so be it. No, we do not ride in covered wagons, and no, we do not fight the Arapaho on skis. Denver is a completely normal place and to top it off, it's beautiful. It usually has cool days all year round, sixties to seventies, and when there is bad weather, it's an awe-inspiring thunderstorm or a serene blizzard. Imagine my surprise when I came to our fair city of Boston. The city woos you with some terrific colors for the first three weeks of fall, and then, BLAM, the winter hits you like a hand-of-god right hook sheathed in ice. While the temperature drops, it never drops low enough for a decent and constant snow. So the rain falls in torrential, biblical downpours and each drop is chilled to the point of freezing. In terms of semantics, one could safely say "winter" is synonymous with "absolute and total misery." And winter does not go quietly, much like Leonardo DiCaprio in the end of "Titanic." He could have just let go, drowned and saved us all a lot of pain and suffering. So could winter, but instead, it hangs around and keeps vomiting sub-zero rain all over the coast until late May. Then summer rolls around, and the temperature ratchets up sixty degrees in mere days. The wind decides to take a vacation, the rain god puts on headphones and zones out, and the humidity gets so intense that it's prudent to set aside two sets of clothes and three sets of underwear just to ensure decency for the entire day. Overshare. My bad. So why? Why are we here? Why is there a major metropolitan area here, or anywhere on the East Coast? After much deliberation, I can only come up with one tenuous answer: The Brits. The English were the first to pick out the East Coast to set up shop, and, knowing London, maybe the weather reminded them of home. That or they were just trying to get in on the rampant carving up of new territory, and in that time, beggars couldn't be choosers. The Spaniards and the Portuguese had the resort areas tied down, and the French had staked out Middle America. So the Brits got Canada (save Quebec), and the godforsaken East Coast. I can't imagine what George Washington must have thought, during the Revolutionary War, when winter descended on his broken and underfed army at Valley Forge. Did he, for one second, give pause to the idea of seizing the East Coast for himself? Might he have wondered if the New England winter was worth fighting and dying for? Did he consider taking his army west and south and setting up shop somewhere across the Mississippi where it was warmer? Maybe the more realistic question is why did I come out to the East Coast? West is the best, as they say, and the mountains are practically non-existent here. The humidity makes me sweat from places I didn't think could excrete fluids. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure why I'm here. Your next question is, "Did I really just read this entire rant for there not to be a unifying point at the end?" I'll say this: the disclaimer is at the end of the article for no other reason than that I didn't want to turn you away early. And for that, I can only apologize. Disclaimer: This article/viewpoint has no unifying point. It is stream of consciousness and may not make sense. Reader discretion is advised.Alex Sherman is a senior majoring in architectural studies. He can be reached via e-mail at alex.sherman@tufts.edu.

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News

Bring on the bread: the death of low-carb diets

September 25

To drop the "freshman 15," many college students have, at some point, jumped on the diet bandwagon. Atkins was the rage in 2004, as students tried to cut carbohydrates to drop pounds. Just a year later, however, the diet has fallen out of fashion, and Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. has filed for bankruptcy. When the low-carb trend was peaking, Tufts incorporated low-carb breads and wraps into the dining halls. There was also a significant decrease in bread and baked goods consumption on-campus, Dining Services Nutrition and Marketing Specialist Julie Lampie said. "We estimated at least a ten percent decline," she said. Even as the University added foods to accommodate dieters, Lampie was skeptical about whether the trend would last. "Since I did believe, and correctly so, that the Atkins and similar diets would be short-lived, we did not make any changes in our menus," she said. Bread consumption this year has returned to previous levels. Lampie said this mirrors consumption nationwide. Now that the low-carb diet has gone the way of the cabbage, low-fat and other diet trends of the past, experts are weighing in on why it failed. Some said it was too restrictive to follow long-term. "People tire very quickly of being told what they can and can't do, like being told you can't have bread, pasta and pizza," Marcia Mogelonsky, a senior marketing analyst at Mintel International, told the Monterey Herald. Tufts Economics Professor Lynne Pepall has another theory on the downward spiral of the Atkins brand. "This industry has a lot of misleading and misinforming tactics which makes it difficult to have a brand with any credibility," said Pepall, who has studied branding. She cited a recent lawsuit against Kentucky Fried Chicken for marketing their products as "low-carb" as an example. The primary reason for Atkins' trouble, Pepall said, is competition. "Other companies can produce a cheaper product and there is no way to protect [Atkins] - anyone can come up with a version of Atkins," she said. The Atkins Nutritionals Corporation filed for bankruptcy this past July, owing lenders an estimated $300 million dollars. The diet was created in 1981, but found its recent widespread popularity after Dr. Atkins published a second edition, "The New Diet Revolution." Alice Lichtenstein, senior scientist at Tufts' Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, said that the popularity of Atkins was a result of the idea that people could eat as much "low-carb" food as they wanted. "It sounded great! People could eat all the forbidden foods and lose weight," said Lichtenstein. The Atkins Diet allowed substantial meat portions. Lichtenstein said the diet was based on the idea that lowering carbohydrate levels would force the body to burn fat. For many students who attempted to adhere to low-carb diets during the trend's popularity, cutting out entire food categories proved to be difficult in the long run. "For the first two weeks, I was moody and hungry," said junior Amy Helms, who followed the South Beach Diet, a low-carb diet similar to Atkins. "I did it for three months until I basically decided it wasn't worth it." A typical day in the life of Helms' diet plan looked like this: breakfast was eggs with vegetables and Canadian bacon. A mid-morning snack followed, which usually consisted of celery and low-fat Laughing Cow cheese. Lunch was often a lettuce wrap filled with tomato, cheese and dipping sauces. Apples and peanut butter were common afternoon snacks, and a chicken breast or pork chop with vegetables was a usual dinner. The downside to this diet regime, according to Helms, was portion size. "I was always hungry," she said. Lichtenstein, co-author of "Strong Women, Strong Hearts," along with Director of Tufts' John Hancock Center on Physical Activity and Aging Miriam Nelson, said the true secret to weight loss is cutting calories. "There is no magic formula or combination," she said. "People need to make fundamental changes - they don't have to be drastic." But Lichtenstein said the desire to believe in easy fixes is strong. "The public got snookered again," she said. "And they will wait for the next easy fix to come."

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CD Review | Super Furry Animals 'Kraft' an album of highs and lows

September 25

If Super Furry Animals' name was any indication of their music, they would probably be forced to occupy that vast musical wasteland known only as "children's music." But on their seventh LP, "Love Kraft," Super Furry Animals (SFA) make music decidedly more mature than that. SFA synthesizes some of the best aspects of late-'60s and early-'70s pop and rock, while adding their own modern touch. From the opening sound effect of a diver splashing into a pool to the final piano outro, SFA show that they can still deliver pristine pop-rock. To paraphrase Ron Burgundy, Super Furry Animals are kind of a big deal - in Britain, that is. Here in America, however, SFA are front-runners for the Robbie Williams Award for British superstars who fail to break into the American mainstream. This is a shame, because there are probably many music fans who would like SFA but have not had the chance to hear them. Fans of classic and progressive rock alike, who have gotten sick of listening to the same records for the last thirty years, would find that SFA provides a new, modern twist to this style. At their best, SFA recall a mix of late '60s Beach Boys and "Dark Side of The Moon"-era Pink Floyd; this band is not afraid to harmonize. After the boy band craze of several years ago, "harmonizing" is often equated with five guys in matching jumpsuits and generous amounts of hair gel singing an unbelievably cheesy song, most likely about their love for a girl or a promise they made to this aforementioned girl. To be fair, the Super Furry Animals' harmonizing is not in the same category as these boy bands. SFA are closer to Brian Wilson and Big Star than the Backstreet Boys. Songs such as "The Horn" and "Cloudberries" are classic power-pop. They are soft-yet-catchy melodies that are definitely a soundtrack to the last warm nights of summer. Another highlight of this album is its immaculate production. This record is amazingly clear - you can hear each instrument ring, resonate and reverberate (the three Rs they don't teach in elementary school). Clocking in at almost seven minutes, "Zoom!," the album opener, has the Furries seemingly utilizing every instrument they could get their hands on. Opening with vintage keyboards that owe much to classic rock staples like Pink Floyd and Steely Dan, the song builds to a climax with an orchestra and chorus. In between, there's some pretty righteous guitar playing and drumming. As many artists can tell you, production can only go so far. If a song is boring to start with, it's going to be boring no matter what studio tricks you try to play. That problem plagues the middle third of "Love Kraft." "Lazer Beam," the first single, seems to be an exercise in electronic experimentation recorded solely so SFA can say they are still cutting-edge. Why this was chosen as the first single over much more deserving songs like "Zoom!" or the ballad "Walk You Home" is questionable to say the least. The instrumental "Oi Fango" has some promising hooks, but never gets off the ground. "Back on a Roll" is an unremarkable pop tune not unlike many of the songs populating Paul McCartney's solo career. These less-than-stellar songs could be a sign that the band is running out of ideas. While creative and inspired on other parts of the record, they sound like they are idling on auto-pilot at times. They previously recorded six straight albums that were critically lauded and "Love Kraft" makes a seventh, but no band can go forever like this. Then again, every group has to record a few clunkers. Though it's less than perfect, "Love Kraft" is a solid album. At the very least, it is good enough that SFA can put off recording their cash-in collaboration with Raffi or The Wiggles for at least a few more years.

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News

Football | Strong defensive effort leads vengeful day on the gridiron

September 25

Tufts avenged last season's opening week embarrassment, defeating Wesleyan 16-6 in a defensive showdown on Saturday. Key defensive play coupled with a second-half offensive burst propelled the Jumbos past a 6-0 halftime deficit, and started the young season off on the right foot. "We've had a bulls-eye on [Wesleyan] since that game [last season]," sophomore linebacker Adam Arsenault said. "We've been gearing towards them all summer. Everybody was gearing towards them, coaches included. Last year I don't know if we were ready or not, but coaches made sure we were ready this year." The 14-point offensive run was initiated by an interception from senior defensive end Sean Mullin on Wesleyan's first possession in the second half. The interception gave Tufts key field position on the Cardinals' 23-yard line. The Jumbos capitalized as senior quarterback Casey D'Annolfo finished with a five-yard touchdown run. The Jumbos also picked up ground on special teams when junior Josh Haynes recovered a fumble forced by senior captain Patrick Magoon during a Wesleyan punt return. Tufts delivered again with a 12-yard touchdown throw from D'Annolfo to junior Steve Menty, putting the Jumbos up 14-6 with under three minutes left in the third quarter. Wesleyan could not overcome the deficit and Tufts capped off the game with a safety, courtesy of a sack from sophomore Steve Albertine. "I thought we played real hard; the effort level was terrific," coach Bill Samko said. "That was the deciding factor in the end. We physically wore them down in the second half, which comes down to conditioning." Offensively, Tufts got off to a sluggish start, as D'Annolfo threw an interception on the first drive of the game and the team finished the half scoreless. Tufts finished the day on offense with 195 total yards, with D'Annolfo going ten for 29 for 95 yards and two interceptions. Tufts rushed for 100 total yards with senior running back Scott Lombardi responsible for 70. Menty caught five balls for 56 yards and a touchdown. Samko attributed the low offensive output to Wesleyan's defense. "People defend you in certain ways, and they had eight to nine guys down in the box and you've got to do what you've got to do," Samko said. "We still threw the ball 29 times. I didn't think [D'Annolfo] threw a really good ball [on the first drive], but you know some of it was the patterns and their coverage." It was the Tufts defense that was the star of this game, allowing only six points and 138 total yards-only 24 on the ground-and nabbing two interceptions. The defense held the Cardinals at bay in the second half, giving up only 47 total yards and giving the offense a chance to find its rhythm. "Our defense is looking top-notch right now," Arsenault said. "To play for our defense, you have to be adamant about everything. Our defense is going to turn some heads, and lay some big hitting down on offenses this year." Magoon and Arsenault anchored the defensive effort with eight tackles each, while junior defensive end Chris Decembrele turned in six tackles and forced a fumble. Arsenault and Mullin contributed an interception apiece. "Their quarterback broke the pocket, and I went to the flat," Mullin said of his interception, the first of his career. "I think the ball got tipped, because it was kind of like a wounded-duck throw. I didn't really believe it as it happened. I just wanted to make sure I caught it." The Jumbos will look to carry their success to Bates next weekend, when they travel to Lewistown, Maine to take on the Bobcats in their second NESCAC match-up of the season. Last season, Tufts came away with a 14-12 win on Homecoming against Bates. The Bobcats are coming off a 47-0 loss against Trinity College over the weekend, and will be looking to regain their balance in league action.

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News

In the land of gers, a future doctor emerges

September 25

Senior Sheena Harris negates stereotypes. The Dallas native is not your typical big, tall, blonde, Texas cheerleader. Her small stature (she's barely five feet tall) masks her huge ambition and place on campus. She runs a magazine and plans one of the biggest campus events of the year - all while preparing for life as a doctor. The self-proclaimed "science nerd," who is pre-med and a bio-psychology major, is very creative. She loves to read and write, and she is the editor-in-chief of the University's only poetry magazine, Optimus Prime. Harris became involved with the magazine by submitting her own poems, and eventually "started helping with layouts and moved up to editor-in-chief," she says. "It's a great little magazine - I love it." Harris is also an avid music lover and is co-chair of Concert Board for the second semester in a row. "It was intimidating at first because we have such an enormous budget and such an enormous responsibility to provide for the Tufts student body," she says of planning Spring Fling and other musical events on campus. "But it's really rewarding," she says. "It's especially interesting right now because I feel like our peers are becoming more involved with the music scene than ever before, in that they're really starting to explore outside the mainstream." In preparation for the future, the ambitious senior spent six weeks this summer in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, working at several hospitals. "I had always wanted to visit Mongolia because I heard a lot about it when I was younger," Harris said. "My grandfather used to do business there, so when I was looking at programs of where to go, it seemed like it was a good opportunity, because I would never get a chance to go there again." Harris flew to Mongolia in June, with zero knowledge of the native language, and moved in with a local family. "The [family] did not speak any English and I really didn't speak any Mongolian when I got there, but it made me learn Mongolian at least to a very rudimentary level," Harris says. She began work at a few different hospitals in the capital, shadowing and assisting doctors. "I was working at a general hospital and in the maternity ward, and I did a variety of things in the hospital - whether it was helping out with menial tasks during operations or generally shadowing different surgeons," Harris says. She gave the doctors and nurses English lessons. "They were very eager to learn English and happy to have someone to converse with," she says. Harris was shocked at the poor conditions of the hospitals. There was a general lack of proper equipment and materials, and their practices differed greatly from those performed in Western hospitals. "It was a good experience, but harrowing, seeing the lack of equipment and some of the techniques that would never occur in the West," Harris says. Besides aiding in delivering newborn babies in the maternity ward, Harris often watched doctors perform surgery. "I got to see a lobotomy on the left lung - seeing the fact that they were performing this really intricate operation in such primitive settings was so surreal," she says. The adventures are not over for Harris. "I want to take a year off before med school and continue the type of work I did in Mongolia. It was such an invaluable experience," Harris says. "I want to travel and explore new places, but to continue working and learning at the same time."

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News

Somerville, state look to trim fat with new health legislation

September 23

Some Massachusetts legislators want the state to join California in regulating the nutritional value of the food available in public schools. The Massachusetts State House of Representatives is currently considering House Bill 1457, which would increase nutrition standards across the state. The bill would replace sodas in vending machines with low-fat milk, juice or water, and make fresh fruits and vegetables more readily available in school cafeterias. The bill also has a provision to monitor the food sold at bake sales. Massachusetts is among many other states looking to tackle the nationwide obesity problem by focusing on school food. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed into law two similar public school bills: one will ban the sale of junk food by 2007 and the other will ban the sale of soda by 2009. "We have a problem in Somerville, as well as in the state and the nation, with more and more children becoming overweight," Somerville School Committee member Roberta Bauer said. Bauer, who represents Ward 3, asked the committee to endorse the bill under consideration by the state legislature. "In Somerville, the percentage of children overweight or at risk of being overweight is greater than in the state as a whole," she said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 percent of Massachusetts high school students are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. Tufts has been combating the problem in Somerville for the past three years through a program called "Shape Up Somerville: Eat Smart. Play Smart." The program was created in 2002 by Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy Professor Christina Economos. The goal of the program is to promote healthy eating and exercise for community children enrolled in first through third grades. "Shape Up Somerville" is organizing a five kilometer run/walk on Sunday, Sept. 25 at Trum Field in Somerville. The program also addresses how to make healthy food more appealing to school children, according to Friedman School Professor Parke Wilde. Researchers studied how much time and money it takes to educate food service workers in school cafeterias about preparing fresh fruits and vegetables. "One of the things that the team here at the Friedman School did in Somerville was to give a lot of thought to the practical process," Wilde said. "Shape Up Somerville" has already had an impact in the community. "Some of the Somerville schools have really embraced the idea of the kids to be more active," Cummings School Principal Thelma Davis said. "Teachers are also encouraging healthy eating." The Cummings School is a magnet school for math, science, and the environment for kindergarten through eighth grade. Davis said childhood obesity is a national problem, but she felt the proposed law may not be the best way to address the issue. "I'm not sure how I feel about the government getting involved in adding something else for the schools to have to deal with," she said. She said she would not specifically endorse the proposed law, but she stressed the importance of schools in shaping children's diets. "We do see the kids a majority of the day, so it is a good place for them to be educated," Davis said. Bauer said she is confident that "this proposal at the State House [is] another mechanism that would help us help our kids be healthier." The Somerville School Committee has yet to endorse the State House bill. Some committee members have voiced concern that legislation would give the government unnecessary controls over what foods schools can and cannot have available. "In an effort to help others pass it, I thought it would be helpful to have the Somerville committee endorse the measure," Bauer said.

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News

How Tufts helps 'helicopter parents' land

September 22

A generation ago, students were sent a letter of acceptance, a plethora of forms and a room assignment. They were then shipped off to school (without e-mail or cell phones), leaving their parents in the dark about the next proceedings. The experience of today's generation has drastically changed. With new technologies, children are just a phone call away. A parent can immediately contact their child the minute he or she steps off the plane, checks into the dorms, or finishes a language placement exam. To alleviate the need for constant communication, Tufts instituted the Parents Program. Through the program, parents have a Web site designed specifically for them, answering frequently asked questions and providing upcoming events and deadlines. A new feature of the Parents Program is a gift sent during the summer to help alleviate the stress of college preparation. The Parents Program, directed by Jessica Papatolicas, sends parents a tool to aid them and their child with organization. The Captio College Case, designed by Susan Rothstein (J '71), contains an introductory letter, a guideline for students featuring helpful tips, and checklists for all necessary items, documents and deadlines. Students are then advised to keep information and documents in the appropriate sections of the binder and bring it with them to school. Instead of frantically searching through their duffels for a prescription, students are then able to look at the tab marked health, where they or their parents placed the paper over the summer. Once at Tufts, freshmen are assigned to two Orientation Leaders, allowing students to rely on fellow classmates for help rather than calling mom every time a problem arises. These leaders, usually upperclassmen, serve to guide freshmen along initial college difficulties such as registration, dorm setup and social events. The leaders continue their relations with the students even after orientation ends. Senior Ann Riley, a 2005 Orientation Leader, planned a pizza party for her group after the first week of classes. She bonded with her freshmen during orientation and wanted to see how their lives were progressing. "They would call me about everything from Internet problems to what classes they should take" Riley said. "I really connected with them and felt like I was a major help in their stressful first weeks." Dean of First-Year Students Jean Herbert said that most students respond positively to the program. One transfer student told her that he felt "'well-taken-care-of at Tufts,'" she said. Freshman Casey Strong was kept so busy her first weeks of school that she avoided the desire to continuously speak to her parents. "Our time was really planned out because of orientation," Strong said. "We were too distracted to be homesick." Not wanting to cut off contact between parents and students, the Parents Program sponsors Parents Weekend in an effort to make parents feel a part of "the Tufts family." The activities will be presented free-of-charge the weekend of Oct. 14.

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News

Unlike other schools, helicopter parents pass over the Hill

September 22

This year, during University President Lawrence Bacow's matriculation speech, tears of anxiety streamed down the cheeks of several parents on the Hill. "Please be kind," Bacow advised the Class of 2009. "Talk to your parents." Hugs were exchanged and students rushed off to begin a new year of freedom and independence. Though saddened by the inevitable release of their children, the majority of parents parted and returned home, awaiting their child's call. For the most part, Tufts parents trust their children's readiness to attend college. Sophomore Sam Adelman's father, for example, believed his son "was ready to live alone his freshman year." "As Sam told us," his mother added, "'More than ready!'" There have been various exceptions throughout the years, but nothing close to the problem of over-anxious parents that other schools increasingly face: "helicopter parenting." Helicopter parents - parents who hover over their children's lives - have become a major concern for many universities. At the University of Vermont, for example, students are employed to work as "parent bouncers," diverting parents who try to attend registration. At Northeastern University, parents are specifically instructed to avoid calling their children, waiting until the students call home themselves. According to Director of Tufts' Parents Program Jessica Papatolicas, though parent involvement has increased over the years at Tufts, the school does not encounter many "helicopter parents." She said she believes Tufts has stayed clear of the overprotective parent phenomena seen at other universities because of the school's size and the type of students that attend. "I don't think that the problem [of "helicopter parents"] occurs so much on our campus," Papatolicas said. "Tufts attracts a very entrepreneurial, independent student body, and our students tend to proceed with registration, move-in day, living issues abroad and other procedures on their own." Jean Herbert, Dean of First-Year students and transfers, agreed. "Our students are pretty mature and sophisticated," she said. "They're used to having independence." But that's not to say that Tufts students haven't experienced instances of overprotective parenting. "I even saw some parents after move-in day going to activities with their kids," said junior Robert Kim, who aided students moving into Wren. "There were parents who said 'I'm not leaving till 'X-Y-Z' are done for my child,'" said senior Frances Dixon, who worked with Residential Life to help students move into Metcalf. While some parents complained about Internet setup, others were concerned with lack of air-conditioning during the summer heat. Students, however, were relatively complaint-free. "It wasn't the students who had problems," Dixon said. "It was the parents!" Sophomore Kate Neptune's father agreed that "helicopter parenting" is more the fault of parents than students. "It's more about parental anxiety," he said. According to CNN, the problem of "helicopter parents" may stem from generational differences. Since many Baby Boomers did not have a close bond with their parents, they try to compensate by forming an unprecedented tightness with their own children. "This is a group of parents who have been more involved in their children's development since in utero than any generation in American history," Helen Johnson, author of the guide for college parents "Don't Tell Me What to Do, Just Send Money," told CNN.com. Constant student-parent contact has further increased with the proliferation of cell phones. During sophomore Emily Cole's first year at Tufts, she said she sometimes found herself speaking to her parents on a daily basis. "I wasn't on the phone rather than meeting people," Cole said. "But it was nice to talk to my mom." Freshman Indra Ong, on the other hand, said she doesn't feel the constant need to call home every time she is worried or stressed. "I've only called to check in, and that's probably what I'll do the rest of the year," Ong said. "I'm really independent so I don't really have to call my parents every day." While Papatolicas agreed that cell phone usage increases contact between students and parents, she has encountered many parents who "self-monitor." Instead of calling to check in every day, parents restrict their calls to once a week. Papatolicas recommends that parents email their children instead of calling constantly to avoid problems of hectic schedules and time-zone differences. Though Neptune's father was "a little nervous" when his daughter was a freshman, he applied the self-monitoring method and waited for her to call home. If he wanted to contact Kate, he followed Papatolicas' suggestion, believing e-mail to be less invasive than using a cell phone. He could not even fathom calling his daughter every day. "That just seems crazy to me," he said. "If you're too protective, you give [students] reasons to doubt themselves." To strengthen students' confidence, Tufts tries to allow enough freedom for self-discovery and maturation. When Herbert receives calls from concerned parents regarding their children's academic problems, she contacts the students directly. That is not to say that parents should refrain from speaking with their children. "There are advantages to closer contact between parents and their students during the college years," said Papatolicas, listing benefits such as support for both parties during a transitional time. "However, part of the college experience is learning to handle responsibilities and situations, not to mention time and resources on your own," she said. "And all students should have the opportunity and flexibility to do so."

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