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Viewpoint | Silence in the face of Ignorance

April 12

Yesterday, I was sitting in class when my professor said the word faggot. Actually, to be precise, he said "faggy," not in a quote, not explicitly to be ironic, or to make a point, but presumably to be funny. He does this sometimes - he uses bawdy language to keep the class engaged in the lecture topic. But this time was different. He wasn't calling a political leader a "ruthless old bastard" or an outdated novel a "piece of horse manure." He said "faggy." He used a slur. I was outraged. Outraged because my professor committed a verbal hate crime in the middle of lecture, but more so because no one else seemed to mind, or even notice. I don't intend to disclose the name of the professor who made this comment. In the first place, it isn't a good idea to publicly chastise a person who has control over your grade, but also, good people make mistakes and they should have the opportunity to learn from them. My problem isn't with my professor, but with an atmosphere, an institution and a society that can take such comments complacently. I don't think, or at least I would not like to believe, that my professor is homophobic. At the very least, if he is homophobic, I would hope that he wouldn't let his personal prejudices get in the way of his teaching and wouldn't make such comments in class in order to intimidate homosexual students. What is most troubling is that my professor said this word without considering its connotations and that nobody reacted to set him straight. Explicit homophobia is no longer a point of contention. It is widely accepted on Tufts' campus that it isn't okay for a professor to actively discriminate against a student on the basis of sexual identity. Were he to do so, he would be publicly condemned and his job would be in jeopardy. But the mentality that leads us to use and ignore the use of hateful slurs is ultimately the same mentality that allows people to act on them. This has long been the standard for other minority groups, so why is it not so for homosexuals? The word "faggot," like any other slur, carries with it a legacy of ignorance, hatred and oppression and does not belong in our classrooms, at least not to be use flippantly. Think what the reaction would have been had the slur been racial rather than sexual, if it had been a word I can't use in this article because it would be unprintable. People would have been outraged. Rallies would have been held, mass e-mails sent, investigations conducted. Instead we do nothing. Our homophobia is so institutionalized that we don't even realize when it is occurring. Even if the use of the word (faggot) is not meant to intimidate homosexual students, it does. It degrades them and it degrades me. It makes learning uncomfortable in an environment where the only thing a student should be judged for is his mind. It insults my intelligence when my professor attempts to hold my attention by using a slur, and frankly, if anything, it is distracting. I spent the whole class wondering. "Why didn't anyone say anything?" "Why didn't I?" By and large, the people I have met at Tufts have been smart people with good hearts, but we need the courage of our convictions. Hatred is never okay, and we shouldn't stand for it. We came here to learn and to question. If there is one time in our lives when we shouldn't just accept things, a time to be idealistic and to hold ourselves to a higher standard, then that time is now. We can't have "safe space" stickers on our classroom doors and turn a blind eye when hate and ignorance take place within their walls. We owe it to ourselves as an intellectual community to practice what we preach, and to get it right 100 percent of the time. I hope I never hear something like that from a professor again, but if I do, I can guarantee you I'm going to stand up and say something.Nancy Leeds is a junior majoring in international relations and Russian.

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News

Holocaust survivor speaks at Hillel

April 12

Auschwitz, Birkenau and Bergen-Belsen survivor Mira Gold recounted her experiences to a crowd of about 75 students at Hillel last night in a presentation entitled "Never Again: A Holocaust Survivor Speaks." Gold, a Slovakian, was taken from her family on March 27, 1942 at the age of 16 to work at the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. "They told us we were just there to work and that we'd be back," Gold said. "They didn't take married women, only young girls." In an ominous case of foreshadowing, Gold said she recalls how her father had told her he was positive she would return, but that the rest of her family's future seemed more dubious to him. Unfortunately, Gold's father's concern proved completely accurate. While incarcerated in concentration camps, Gold would lose all seven of her siblings and both of her parents by the end of World War II in 1945. "When I left, it was the last time I saw my family," Gold said. The experience began when Gold and around a thousand other young girls were rounded up and placed into cattle cars. Although ultimately it would be revealed that Auschwitz was located only five hours away from her hometown in Slovakia, Gold said that the Nazis moved the train around for two or three days, so as to disorient its passengers and dissuade escape. Compared to the Birkenau concentration camp - also located in Poland - Gold said that Auschwitz "was not so horrible" because of its relatively clean facilities. "It was built for soldiers, so it had toilets and running water," Gold said. She worked largely as a street-cleaner and brick mover, carrying three or four bricks at a time across a distance of about a half kilometer. "The work was not a pleasure, but it wasn't real work. They were just trying to keep us down," Gold said. Gold stayed at Auschwitz for about six months, until the autumn, when she and other young girls were transported to Birkenau, which Gold described as "really, really horrible." "There was no water... there was nothing but muck," she said. "[The living conditions] were really unbelievable... I can't even describe it. We worked all day with muck up to our dresses, and were afraid to take our wet clothes of at night [for fear that they would be stolen]." Gold said Birkenau's toilet system, called the "latrine," was little more than a large cement pit around which the women crouched. "I can't tell you how many girls fell in and that was the end for them," she said. In addition to the unbearable living conditions, Gold said that food rations often consisted of a small piece of bread for the entire day. Occasionally, prisoners were also afforded a piece of cheese or salami to accompany their bread, as well as tea, which Gold said was like as "black water." Gold said she survived her three and a half year ordeal largely through hope and a positive attitude. "I kept hoping the war was ending soon and we'd all get to go home," she said. "I would tell myself, 'No, I'm not going to die. I have to see the end of this - how it turns out.'" "I don't know why, but I was lucky," Gold said. "I had good looks and good jobs." Mostly, however, Gold said she attributed her survival skills to her ability to seem happy and jovial. "If you were down, the S.S. hated you," she said. "But when you're up and singing and smiling, everybody loves you. I was always singing, and for three years, I never shed a tear. I was beaten up and even then didn't cry," Gold said. At Birkenau, Gold worked several jobs. As a hairdresser, she was responsible for shaving women's heads. The greatest boon of this position was her access to water, which, in the face of such aqueous scarcity, she used to bathe herself. "It was much better than working in the fields or with the gas," Gold said. Another job Gold held at Birkenau was cleaning out the luggage of those who had been gassed in the nearby chambers. "It was a very good group to work [because] we'd find food and tea in the suitcases," she said. Gold said that there was an air of constant fear and uncertainty that pervaded life in the concentration camps. "One night my girl friend who bunked with me had to go the bathroom. When she was out there, they took her away simply because they had one open spot in the gas chamber and used her to fill it. There were a lot of episodes like that," Gold said. Once again transported, Gold said she found herself in the German concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen, where she worked at a factory outside the camp. She said that during their marches to the factory, S.S. guards would randomly shoot at women and discard their bodies. On those marches, "there were sick and dead people everywhere, and the rats were just running all over them," she said. One aspect essential for survival, Gold said, was "to make friends everywhere." With the friends she made in the camps, Gold said they could trade food items at night. In Bergen-Belsen, Gold said she even befriended an S.S. guard who sent her to the hospital when she became gravely ill. Once in the hospital, Gold said she found herself face-to-face with one of the most notorious figures of the Nazi's concentration camp system: Dr. Josef Mengele. "When I was in the hospital, Dr. Mengele came for a visit. He stopped at my bed and said [to an attendant], 'Tell me, what kind of princess lies here.'" Gold said she was subsequently warned by her physician that she had to "disappear" because Mengele had been eyeing her for experimentation. Still ill, Gold was forced to leave the hospital and return to work. Despite the atrocities that Gold encountered within the walls of the concentration camps, it would prove to be her newly found freedom that was "the worst thing of the whole experience," Gold said. "I came back and there was no one. I couldn't find anyone," she said. "I kept hoping that maybe one member of my family would come home. When I would see others reunited with their brothers and sisters, I would get so jealous." Ultimately, Gold said, the key to survival was to "[believe] in something. You have to believe in yourself," she said. Gold is the grandmother of Tufts senior Daniel Gold. The lecture was sponsored by Hillel.

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News

Portrait of the Artist| Alan Cohen

April 12

Whether it be taking out a "drummer wanted" ad or forming a rock group in your prep school classroom, the beginnings of a successful band can come in many forms. For Tufts senior Alan Cohen, however, the road to success in the music industry is more calculated than the average dumb-luck "Behind the Music" success story. After several years of working in 'the business,' Cohen can say from experience that success in music is about more than being a great musician. "To start a career in the music industry, you have to know the politics of it," he said. Cohen, who has recorded an album with his band, Family Junction, and is currently working on a solo project, started early in the day-to-day workings of the music industry. In high school, bored by the mass-produced pop sounds he heard on the radio, Cohen discovered the independent music scene and, in particular, the now-defunct group Dispatch. Following their shows at fraternities, clubs, and bars in the New York-New Jersey area, Cohen soon became a core member of the group's fan base and even formed friendships with the members of the band. During Cohen's freshman year at Tufts, Dispatch opened an office in Porter Square, and they asked Cohen to join them as an intern. While promoting the group's Northeast tour, Cohen picked up valuable lessons that would help to fuel his own music career. As Cohen said, "[The music industry] is more about forming relationships with people. [It] works pretty informally." Despite the informality of the industry network, Cohen has managed to capitalize on every opportunity, yielding him some profitable experiences. During his freshman year at Tufts, thanks to a friendship formed through connections with Dispatch, Cohen was asked to perform at The House of Blues in Cambridge. Not wanting to perform his act alone, Cohen called on some old friends he met during his childhood summers at camp in the Poconos. The group of friends gathered together just a few days before their performance, but despite their minimal preparation time, the group managed to pull together what they felt was a promising show. "I think we all thought we sounded better than we imagined we would, so that kind of started the whole band thing," Cohen said. From that point on, as a working musician as well as a member of the music industry, Cohen embarked on his two-pronged approach to gaining success in music. Today, he continues to develop expertise on the business end while developing his own work as an artist. "I think the best way to attack it is from both sides," he said. Eventually, Cohen would like to play a managerial role in the industry as well as perform actively as a musician, and he is counting on his insider's experience to propel him and his band to success. "I have definitely used what I have learned working with Dispatch and Guster [where he now works in online merchandise sales] to help my band," Cohen said. "Other bands, while they have to worry about writing songs, they also have to learn to book shows, meet the right people, everything all at once. We don't have to worry so much about that." While Cohen continues to develop his networking savvy, he hasn't forgotten the importance of the music. As a singer, songwriter, bassist, and guitarist, Cohen draws on a variety of musical inspirations. Cohen recalled, "When I was little, maybe four, I would have my parents put on Janis Joplin or the Beach Boys, stuff that little kids don't usually listen to." Today, Cohen cites Duke Ellington as one of his main inspirations, due to Ellington's approach to music and composing. "He didn't limit himself. All his songs are all over the spectrum; he let his creative juices flow," Cohen said. In his own music, Cohen tries to use a similar approach, aiming to create something unique each time he plays, whether alone or with his band. He said, "A lot of bands get caught up in the mentality of 'their sound.' It's very limiting. We're doing the opposite of that, because if you don't set limitations, you can go anywhere."

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News

James Gerber | Through the Smokescreen

April 12

It was around 12:00 p.m., and I had just returned from my morning classes. As I settled into my desk chair to check on next semester's courses, I turned on the TV behind me to CNN. "Breaking News," beamed a foreign voice from over my shoulder. The headline had its desired effect; I turned to the TV, expecting something worthy of stealing my attention away from next year's course offerings. The reporter explained that an unidentified man carrying two briefcases had been seen walking to the steps of the Capitol, where he stopped and stood, seemingly glued in place. Minutes later, the man's suspicious activity was noticed by police, and he was tackled from behind by members of a SWAT team. I was then treated to a video of the event, a scene which featured two SWAT officers removing the man from the Capitol. What struck me the most was how the man was treated; he was dragged face down, legs sagging, knees scraping, at an astonishingly quick pace. "That must've hurt," commented my roommate. "Well, that will teach him to never stop moving when near the nation's Capitol," I remarked. For some reason unbeknownst to me, I continued to watch CNN. The next segment of "Breaking News" concerned a hostage situation in my home state of New Jersey. A 28-year-old man had abducted his girlfriend and their infant daughter and was surrounded by police outside a housing development some 50 miles west of Newark. By the time the network had switched to their on-site reporter, my interest had waned beyond repair, and I quickly turned off the TV. What happened to CNN, I wondered. Has it always been filled with unimportant, superficial stories? Back in high school, I used to occasionally watch CNN, fitting it in between reruns of "The Simpsons" and "Sports center." CNN, along with my daily dose of NBC Nightly News at the dinner table, was my main source of news. In those days, the network had educational value; informing its viewers about various political or economic issues facing the country, along with the occasional filler that accompanies any 24/7 news channel. Nowadays, despite important battles over everything from Social Security to the war in Iraq, the news is clustered with reports of kidnappings, potential terrorists and various other stories that scare the American public. The other leads that dominate news networks are inevitably "human interest" pieces about celebrities and their troubles with the law (see Martha Stewart and Michael Jackson). Parents often complain about violence in TV shows and movies aired by the various channels. However, kids don't need to watch an episode of "24" to get their daily intake of blood and shootouts. All they have to do is watch some CNN, where they'll find an ample supply of real-life violence, which, I believe, has a far greater impact than any tale of fiction ever could. In college, I've turned to online and printed media as my main sources of news, the former often providing more revealing coverage than the latter. This is partly a result of schedule constraints; I just don't have the time to watch NBC Nightly News every evening like I used to. However, it is also a reflection of my general disillusionment with the mainstream media. I understand that news is a business. Networks have to report the stories that sell, and violence sells like no other. Yet the news profession also carries with it certain responsibilities. Mainstream media is often referred to as the fourth branch of government, a description that demonstrates the importance of news in the public sphere. It is crucial for the media to live up to this label, to resume its place as a consistent source of news and commentary, and to be revive the public's confidence in this once honorable profession.James Gerber is a freshman who has not yet declared a major. He can be reached via e-mail at james.gerber@tufts.edu.

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News

Medford Square revitalization still in the planning process

April 12

Medford City Hall will hold an open meeting tonight for the public to hear and discuss a new and "final" proposal for revitalizing Medford Square.

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News

Inside the NBA

April 12

The rookies involved in the 2004 NBA Draft pool were seen as a relatively weak group when compared to the star-studded draft class of the year before that produced stars Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade, among others. Few people expected any of the rookies beyond the first few picks in the draft to have any immediate and significant impact on their new squads. However, several rookies have silenced their doubters and become important parts of their teams' success. One of the most unheralded rookies picked in the lottery was Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia 76ers. His athletic ability was recognized, but many thought his game did not extend much beyond his athleticism. However, he is the only Sixer to start every game this season and has emerged as a pleasant surprise in a somewhat disappointing season for the team. Iguodala has averaged 8.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in 32 minutes per game, as well as an impressive 1.68 steals per contest. He has combined with Allen Iverson to form a formidable defensive tandem in the Philly backcourt, and his versatility at both ends of the floor should make him a fixture in the Sixers' lineup in the future. While Ben Gordon gets the most credit for boosting the Chicago Bulls in their breakout season, the impact of two of his rookie teammates, Luol Deng and Chris Duhon, on the success of the "Baby Bulls" cannot be disregarded. Deng and Duhon, who were teammates at Duke for a season before they were drafted, were reunited when Chicago acquired Deng on draft day from the Phoenix Suns. In just over 27 minutes a game, Deng is averaging 11.7 points and 5.3 rebounds a game, while Duhon is second on the team in assists and steals as the sidekick for Kirk Hinrich. Speaking of steals, Duhon was just that in the draft. He slipped to the 38th overall pick on concerns mainly about his scoring ability. Now, the rookie trio has been a key ingredient of the turnaround in Chicago this season. Jameer Nelson was the 2003 AP National Player of the Year in his senior season at St. Joseph's. However, his lack of size and fast-break speed caused him to fall out of the lottery to the 20th pick, where he was selected by the Denver Nuggets and then traded to the Orlando Magic. Nelson has carried over his penetration ability and range to the professional level, and in the past several weeks has gotten a chance to prove himself with the trade of Cuttino Mobley and injury to Grant Hill. He has responded by averaging 15 points, five assists and four rebounds since late February, seemingly proving his ability at the next level in the process. While some of the aforementioned players were good pickups in the draft, the player who appears to be the best steal of the draft is Trevor Ariza of the New York Knicks, who didn't go until the 43rd pick. General Manager Isiah Thomas, who has made several dubious moves in his tenure with the team, seems to have found significant potential with Ariza. Ariza, who made the leap to the pros after only one year of college ball at UCLA, surprised many scouts who found it foolish that he opted against staying in college at least one more year to improve his draft stock. Ariza has the size and athletic ability to make it in the pros, and his basketball skills have been surprisingly solid since he began playing with the Knicks. He will only continue to get better, and is still a few months shy of his 20th birthday, which will give him that much more time to fine-tune his game. Currently, New York only has Ariza signed for this season, and it would be a serious surprise if Isiah Thomas didn't reward the youngster with an extension and the opportunity to develop alongside the tandem of Jamal Crawford and Stephon Marbury. After the high level of talent contained in the 2003 NBA Draft, a major letdown was expected for the skill level of this year's rookies. However, while the talent has not been quite as good, the high-profile picks such as Emeka Okafor, Dwight Howard and Gordon have lived up to their billing, while several of the other later draft picks have surprised many with their emergence right out of the gate. The 2004 NBA Draft was deeper than originally thought, and it looks to have produced several legitimate players poised to make contributions throughout their careers.

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News

Goldstone discusses future of international justice

April 12

South African Justice Richard J. Goldstone engaged both Tufts and Fletcher students and professors last night in a discussion about the future of international criminal justice and the potential for the United States to play a role in it. "My optimism for the future of international criminal justice flows from the very short history of international criminal law, which of course is only about 60 years old," he said. Goldstone then detailed the history of international criminal justice to its origins in the Nuremberg Trials following World War II. "It was the tremendous legacy of Nuremberg that gave birth to international criminal justice," he said. "And throughout the development of international criminal justice, it was the United States of America that was responsible for its development and growth." Goldstone's own career experience has also contributed to the development and growth of international criminal justice. In his legal career, Goldstone has taken on the role of judge, professor and international consultant, but is best known for his years of service as the former Chief Prosecutor for the United Nations (U.N.) International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. "The law has had to keep being updated because people hadn't before contemplated crimes of a massive nature," Goldstone said. He listed the idea of international rights conventions and universal jurisdiction as additional elements that were for a long time. "Unthinkable ... yet here it was, happening," he said. In 1993, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) set up the first ever international criminal court in Yugoslavia (ICTY), a move that Goldstone said was "a huge spur" for international law. Again, Goldstone said he credits the United States for enabling this endeavor and the Rwandan tribunal (ICTR) a year later. "Without U.S. financial clout, the ICTY and ICTR would never have got going," he said. But the crux of his speech, and subject which seemed to engage most of the audience's interest, was how the lessons and legacy of the recent past may be successfully applied in Sudan's Darfur region. Goldstone began this discussion by addressing the International Criminal Court (ICC). "During the Clinton administration, it's fair to say the United States perspective was that the International Criminal Court was a good idea for the rest of the world, but not for us," Goldstone said. But this changed under the Bush administration, which unsigned the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in 2002, with a letter of notice drafted by John Bolton, President George W. Bush's current nominee for ambassador to the U.N. "Bolton said that sending that letter - unsigning - was the happiest day of his life," Goldstone said. "From a legal point of view, it was appropriate for the Bush administration to give public notice that it was no longer going to recognize the signature to the International Criminal Court," he said. "Obviously I'm highly critical of that step being taken. But not of how it was done." Currently, there are 139 signatories to the Rome Statute of the ICC, and 90 countries have ratified it. There have been four cases presented to the ICC, all of which come from Africa. Fletcher student Jane Kembabazi asked whether the reason for this geographical concentration spoke of some weakness in African judicial systems. "I would like to think it's a credit to the Africa leaders' concern," Goldstone said. "It's a recognition by them that their courts and authorities can't handle it," he said, "and that admission is much to their credit." Goldstone also said that he would recommend the African Union (AU) consult with the ICC, especially in the case of Darfur, in order to extend the reach of the trials. "The ICC can put very few people on trial, and they're going to go for leaders," he said. The AU, however, could encourage and sponsor courts in the Sudan, or Nigeria, to prosecute other, less high-profile criminals. "Trials should be held nearer to Darfur than the Hague," he said. "I think it would be unfortunate if these trials were held in Europe." While the United States has remained a persistent objector to the ICC, it nonetheless decided against employing its veto over that issue in UNSC debates over Darfur, and abstained from the vote instead. "Darfur really created the biggest diplomatic, foreign policy and legal dilemma for the Untied States," Goldstone said. Goldstone said he supports the United States, especially Colin Powell, for the "courageous step" in declaring Darfur to be genocide, and declared himself "optimistic that one day in the not too distant future," the United States will choose to participate in the international criminal justice system again. He said that serious efforts should be made to bring the United States back into the fold. "In my view, [U.S. concerns] should be dealt with sympathetically, because in my view, it's worth getting the United States on board," he said. "It's my hope that the United States will again lead the international community by its values, and not only by its power." Goldstone's lecture took place in the ASEAN auditorium in the Fletcher School.

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News

Jon Schubin | Hongkers

April 12

Hong Kong has one of the highest concentrations of 7-11s in the world. There is hardly a position in downtown Hong Kong where one cannot find the "7" logo. Most places, two, three or even four are visible. This past fall and winter, all of these locations were offering a little something extra with every purchase: Hello Kitty magnets. The campaign was called "30 Years of Cute," and it sent the Hong Kong community into a frenzy. In my residence, some floors traded pieces with other floors. Others desperately went after the "rare" pieces, trying to complete their collection through unnecessary purchases of chocolate and fish balls. One friend of mine stole a key piece from another's refrigerator. Japan's Sanrio Corporation must have been thrilled. The 7-11 campaign has ended now, and Japan is being represented in a far different light these days in the media. The South China Morning Post, along with the Chinese press, has breathlessly reported a series of riots and protests in the mainland against Japan. These protests started as a reaction to Japan's desire for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. They have morphed into a discussion of Japanese textbooks' inadequate representation of World War II crimes, a set of disputed islands near Taiwan and a sense that the Japanese never properly apologized for invading a half-century ago. Whatever the reason, it is an undeniable fact that public opinion about Japan on mainland China is low. I narrowly missed some of the riots in the cities of Shanghai and Guangzhou last week, although people I met expressed their disgust with Japan. "We need to watch out for Japan - Japan not so good," one man told me. What was not so clear to me was how the Hong Kong people felt about the Japanese. Cultural exports, from Hello Kitty to high fashion, remain highly influential in Hong Kong. The Japanese-owned Sogo department store is frequently full of affluent shoppers snapping up the latest Japanese products. The South China Morning Post devoted its two lead stories to the issue yesterday, with one large headline declaring that anti-Japanese protests were spreading to Hong Kong. I decided to take a tour around Hong Kong's central region to assess the real impact. There were worrying signs at the Park-n-Shop supermarket, where the Asahi beer was moved into a far corner. The Japanese brewery is one of the main targets of people calling for a boycott on Japanese products. No one at the supermarket knew anything about the placement of the cans. Next stop was the Sony store, which was empty. But then again, so were the golf shop next door and the sound equipment store on the other side. The two Japanese restaurants I passed both looked rather vacant, although each had a smattering of Cantonese clientele. I tried to make conversation with a couple of locals about the issue, but either I was not understood or this simply was not a polite topic. Finding any facts proved to be difficult. For a perspective outside of the increasingly pro-Beijing media, the only place that I have been able to turn these past few days has been my classes. There it becomes apparent that the majority of students, at least, have a reasonable perspective on the scenario. Unlike the hordes of protesters that burn Japanese flags and throw rocks at consulates, students in Hong Kong seem to have given both sides of the argument view ample consideration. They are concerned about Japan's limited apologies for its actions during World War II, but also show a refreshing pragmatism. "It would be impossible for us to completely boycott Japanese goods," one student said. "We need them." Perhaps the most sagacious of all views came from a professor of mine who teaches a class on foreign policy entitled "China and the World." Diverging from the planned lecture, he told the class that he was a strong proponent of Japanese participation on the Security Council. He said that Japan's increased involvement in international organizations ultimately was better for both countries. These wise opinions have assuaged my fears about Hong Kong. Underneath the scary headline about protests "spreading" to Hong Kong, the body of the article indicated that actions would be limited to a letter-writing campaign and educating students on the true history of World War II. No riots were planned. Although there certainly is anti-Japanese sentiment in Hong Kong, it seems to be more tempered than that on the mainland. Perhaps it is the city's long connection with Japanese culture. Perhaps the people in Hong Kong are not as upset as people on the mainland. Whatever the reason, I'm glad Hong Kong is not responding like the mainland. My Hello Kitty magnet collection is safe for now.

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News

Make Medford Square better

April 12

The revitalization of Medford Square is an important step for the city of Medford to be taking to become an attraction in its own right, instead of always deferring to Davis Square or Boston. Tufts should find a way to engage itself with the plans put forth by City Hall to further strengthen community relations during an important time for Medford. Thus far, some Urban and Environmental Planning (UEP) students have been involved in the early stages of the project. The UEP department should continue to work with Sasaki, Inc, the consulting firm handling the project for Medford. Continued involvement on the project will show Medford that Tufts wants to take a vested interest in the future of our surrounding community. This could be initiated by a Senior Week service project that would see seniors painting the Medford performance shell and planting gardens along the Mystic River. The University should use this event as a springboard to initiate other projects to aid with the revitalization of Medford Square and other parts of the city. Most Tufts students couldn't even describe where Medford Square is, let alone know what it has to offer. Adding plazas, outdoor cafes and a riverside park would all make Medford Square an attractive alternative to Davis. Tufts students flock to Davis because it has a T stop, but Medford Square isn't much farther away from campus. Although already served by both the 94 and 96 buses from Tufts campus, Medford Square could easily come onto the student radar if the Green Line is ever extended into Medford. Medford has an unnecessary stereotype among Tufts students as being cramped and grimy. Its revitalization could turn around students' perception of the town we inhabit. Davis Square only recently became thought of as a funky place for college-age students to hang out. Such a transformation is entirely possible for Medford Square as well. If Tufts could work with Medford on this process from the initial stages, it could significantly help town-gown relations. Medford wants to attract young professionals to the area, what better to attract them than a bustling college atmosphere? It's done wonders for towns like Cambridge and Austin, which have transformed simply from college towns to major economic players. A closer relationship between Tufts and Medford could help both parties involved, and students would enjoy a rejuvenated Medford Square.

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Top ten reasons the Daily Sports Department should get rings

April 12

We be jealous up in here. We want rings man, and lots of 'em. We're not talking about that decoder ring from the Cracker Jack box, either. We want hand-delivered rings by Larry Bacow as he strolls down a red carpet. How else will the half-baked half witty half funny department we know as SPORTS be recognized? That's what I thought ... Here are the top ten reasons we, Daily Sports, should receive rings. (Gimme dat bling, son!)10. They would be fun to look at as we type all friggin' day!9. What better way to show that our last place finish in the Drunk Hunt didn't bother us than to celebrate it?8. If RemDawg and Orsillo get them, where's the love for editor and NESN employee Jesse Gerner?7. When we decide to give some tough guy from Arts a knuckle sandwich, now he'll really know what hit him.6. It'll definitely be worth more than our paychecks ... oh yah, that's right ...5. Two words ... pawn shop4. It's good practice for Dave Pomerantz to propose to Liz Hoffman3. If we ever had our room/office raided, whoever raids us would be pretty impressed by stray rings hanging around, no?2. We used to hang out under the mango tree with Pedro Martinez1. The ceremony would be a great way to welcome back Aman "I stepped in a load of" Gupta, Andrew "Bronze, not" Silver, Kristy Cunningham "And cheese" and Ben "Wax on, Wax" Hoffman.-- by Tim Whelan

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Alex Bloom | Philly Phodder

April 11

Springtime means a lot of things to a lot of people. It's a time for flowers to bloom (no pun intended). It's a time for life to reawaken from a long winter slumber. It's a time for groundskeepers to line the baseball diamond for the start of a new season. But this year, it's also been a time to argue over who is taking what steroids and whose head is bigger. It's been a time to stand idly by and watch a lackluster NBA with stars who fight with their fans, stars who fight with their teammates, and stars who fight with their injuries, but not many stars who are willing to fight for a title. In the City of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia), it means the start of playoff hockey. As the temperature gradually warms up, the Philadelphia Flyers hit the ice every year as the stakes heat up in a tense hockey season. Every single game is a battle, from the opening face-off to the final buzzer, and almost all are instant classics. But there's no hockey this season. There are only greedy players and stingy owners who caused a lockout that canceled the whole season. We don't know when the game will be back. Admittedly, I am not a huge hockey fan. But with what we've had to watch unfold this winter and spring, I would much rather be watching some hockey than not, even if it meant watching the Bruins. So I talked it over with some buddies of mine and I came up with a solution for how to handle the NHL's cancelled season. Without hockey, we're stuck watching pathetic sports like golf, auto-racing, tennis, figure skating, and the WNBA. I propose that we stop lying to ourselves by claiming that these sports are fun to watch. They're just boring. So why don't we "hockeyfy" them? I mean that we should introduce elements of hockey into the games. In soccer, from now on, the final two defenders and the goalie must have blue streaks painted on the front and back of their jerseys to signify offsides penalties. As for golf, Tiger hit a fantastic shot on Sunday to put away Chris DiMarco in the Masters. But I'll bet he would have missed if Vijay Singh had been allowed to cross-check him. We could introduce mandatory Happy Gilmore-style putters to all golfers. Cross-checking and slashing would be allowed, but there's a stroke penalty, with two strokes imposed for drawing blood. Also, caddies would dress like hockey coaches with slicked back hair and fancy suits and clipboards in tow. No more green jackets. The winner will get free dental surgery. As for figure skating, we know that Michelle Kwan can turn a beautiful triple axle. But what if she had a time limit, like a power play? I propose that each skater gets 1:30 to for their routine, and then an enforcer, like Scott Stevens, is allowed to roam the ice. "Kwan goes up for the double...and ooohhh...she's hammered by Stevens. What a hit! That's not going to help her final score." The enforcer gets 1:30 to do damage, which should end those ties and questionable judges' scores. And in the rare case of a tie, there will be a skate off, with each skater doing their act at the same time. Checking is encouraged. In tennis, I'd put a net behind each athlete. When an opponent serves, he'll aim for the net, and if he gets a goal on the ace, he goes up by two (0-0 would become 30-0). Also, Sami Kapinen and Martin St. Louis, the faster skaters in the NHL, will be the ball boys since they are currently unemployed. In doubles tennis, you can have a team of four and change the line on the fly. If you argue with the referee or double fault, the other team goes on the power play. And the winner at events like Wimbledon will get Lord Stanley's Cup instead of some useless plate. Maria Sharapova might need some help lifting it, but I bet Serena Williams can offer her manly figure to help out. In auto-racing, if an opponent cuts you off, you can challenge him to a brawl during a pit stop. The loser has to spend three laps in the penalty circle. Hockeyfying the WNBA would mean sounding buzzers and sirens for each basket, since there are so few, and shortening the game to three periods to save time since women's basketball is so dull. Boxers must wear hockey jerseys during matches and gloves will only be worn to start each round, and then immediately dropped once the bell sounds. The Tour de France will become the Tour de Canada, completely on ice. Let's see Lance win his seventh straight now. And finally, since ESPN televises the national spelling bee, let's hockeyfy that too. Spellers will spell the names of foreign hockey players. "Your word is Nikolai Khabibulin." "Can you use that in a sentence?" "Nikolai Khabibulin, the Tampa Bay Lightning's goalie, is known as the Philly Killer, or Joe Carter in parts of Philadelphia." Other eligible names are Janne Niinimaa of the Islanders, Joni Pitkanen of the Flyers, and Daniel Tjarnqvist of the Thrashers. One more stipulation for these sports: everybody needs to attempt a hockey beard at least once a season ... even the women. I've always wondered what Michelle Kwan would look like with facial hair. Whether you realize it or not, you miss hockey. And whether you realize it or not, a lot of the other sports out there are as exciting as watching paint dry. But they don't have to be. Let's bring hockey back in style.Alex Bloom is a freshman who has not yet declared a major. He can be reached at alexander.bloom@tufts.edu.

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News

Marissa Beck | Eat This!

April 11

Cookie Monster recently decided to do something about his cookie-eating vice and become healthy. What a makeover from the uncontrollable cookie slob he had been previously. And no, he did not join Weight Watchers or do the Atkins. Instead, through his signature song, he learned that "A Cookie is a Sometimes Food." What brought me satisfaction is that he hasn't renounced eating cookies entirely. "We are not putting him on a diet," Cookie's spokesman from the Sesame Workshop said in a press release. "And we would never take the position of no sugar. We're teaching him moderation." Okay, so now he only eats ONE. A cookie every once in a while is certainly not so terrible. But C isn't just for cookie; "Sesame Street" has added that C is for carrot, too. C is for Crazies, come on, get real - isn't this a Carton of Crap? Maybe not. Although I don't believe that a-three-year-old is going to binge on cookies after hearing Mr. C Monster sing about them, it is a giant step that "Sesame Street" is introducing healthy habits and nutritional information to children of such a young age, especially considering the high level of childhood obesity. But before we even begin to discuss the health aspects of Cookie Monster's sudden turnaround, let's see what is actually happening inside of that hairy blue body. Now that he only eats cookies "some of the time," he's rid himself of the constant insulin spike to his blood-glucose levels. Insulin is released by the pancreas in response to increased levels of sugar in the blood. It helps move glucose (sugar) from the blood to muscles and other tissues so that the body can use it for energy. When we eat cookies, which are high in sugar, the pancreas reacts by releasing insulin to help absorb all of the glucose from the food. This is called an "insulin spike," which is actually normal and how the body reacts to food. So if it's normal, then what's wrong with eating cookies? Nothing. No one is telling Cookie Monster or you to stop eating cookies, but Mr. C Monster is a lot healthier because he isn't overindulging like he used to. Now, he enjoys the pleasure just once in a while. The problems arise when we overload our system and eat sugary foods like cookies too much. The scenario: it's 10:30 p.m. You're studying in the library for an exam the next day. Unfortunately, you still have a lot to absorb. So you anticipate staying up for at least another three hours, and decide that a bag of M&M's and fuzzy peaches will do the trick. Refined foods like these aren't the best choice in a diet, because they replace nutrient-dense foods, are low in fiber, and usually are high in calories. Some people might be able to work very well with this sugar high - like a crazed and energized focusing machine. But for the rest, there are much better options for late-night studying - options that won't turn you into a gorilla set loose in Tisch. Then what should you eat for late night studying if you're hungry? And when CAN you have your cookies? Plan ahead. Eat smaller meals throughout the day, about every three to four hours is best. "Grazing" is the way I like to think about it. If I'm going to be more active one day, then I'll just graze in larger portions. If you keep your meals at regular intervals you'll most likely never be very hungry, and chances are you won't need to eat late at night. But it isn't always easy to plan in advance. Therefore, if you truly are hungry at a late hour, a decent snack to have while studying is one that will provide a lasting feeling of fullness without causing such a huge rise in blood-glucose levels. Such foods include those that have fiber in them, such as complex carbohydrates (examples are brown rice, whole wheat breads and oatmeal), or beans, eggs, nuts, legumes and certain fruits. If you do choose to eat a refined carbohydrate, fat and protein actually slow down absorption, so the spike won't be as high as you'd think, if you eat other foods with it. If you're going to have your "sometimes cookie," following a workout is the most ideal time: your body will most efficiently use this refined food as energy post-workout. But the best post-workout food will have a combination of protein and carbohydrate, such as a bit of cottage cheese, fruit and nuts, or a sports drink or energy bar. Maybe that's the real secret - Cookie can still eat his cookies because he does a little time on the treadmill! In general, the best advice is to consume whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean proteins and dairy over the course of the day - perhaps with an occasional cookie. This is why Mr. C Monster has resolved to stow away his box and help himself to a taste of ONE. C is for Control your Cookie Cravings! That's good enough for me.Senior Marissa Beck, an English and art history major, works with the Strong Women program as an assistant manager and personal trainer for the Tufts Personalized Performance Program. She can be reached at Marissa.Beck@tufts.edu. This column is written in conjunction with Emily Bergeron, R.D., the editor of the Daily's Balance section.

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TUTV steps up to the plate after makeover

April 11

Long-claiming to be in the building stages of development, Tufts University Television (TUTV) has come into its own. With just four weeks left in the semester, TUTV has completed its self-imposed makeover process begun nearly three years ago, though the road to get there has been long, winding, and full of potholes. As a student-run organization, TUTV faces specific execution problems that do not normally have to be dealt with in real-world broadcasting settings. "The hardest thing [about students running a TV station] is getting people to contribute man hours to production, camerawork, editing, etc.," said Luke Yu, TUTV's current Public Relations Director and next year's president. One other trouble is that TUTV's unusually high percentage of work-study staffers creates a distinct division between work-study and executive board members. This division hindered the station's creative flow, a separation that Work Studies Manager, sophomore Veronica Adamson, is hoping to improve for next year. But even after TUTV got students to commit to developing and producing shows, the station's equipment needed to be updated to avoid the archaic and unnecessarily long process of double dubbing between digital and analog formats. In the past, members had to convert content from a computer to a digital format, and then from the digital to a video cassette for broadcast. The past academic year, TUTV received $11,008 from the TCU budget. Much of this was to cover the expenses of their new equipment. This included a digital broadcasting system, the product of two and a half years of research and development on the part of senior George Rausch, TUTV's current president. The new system proved to be both a blessing and a curse, however, and it initially contributed to the station's headaches. "It took awhile to get used to the new setup because new technology always confuses people," said Steven Schaffert, TUTV's Technology Director. "I did anticipate a period of training and figuring things out," Rausch said. "I knew things would work, but figuring out exactly how things would work was a problem [fall] semester." Once the new system was in place, startup glitches eclipsed its effectiveness. "Our other big problem was broadcasting to dorms on ResNet [Channel 23]," Rausch said. "At the beginning of the year, there was a problem with transmission." As a result, when students plugged in their television sets to the dorms' cable jacks on Sept. 1, their TVs skipped right over TUTV's Channel 23 as the machines cycled through the local stations. Unless the set was then unplugged and reinstalled later in the year, Channel 23 remained perpetually missing from each student's station list. According to Rausch, TUTV's problems are now over. "Everything has been accomplished," he said. "There were problems in the beginning, but it works." One effort to build interest for the new equipment was TUTV's recent decision to open its Wednesday meetings up to the general student body to make the station more accessible. "Before we were operating in Xandau up on a mountain and nobody knew what we did," Rausch said. Now, however, students and faculty alike can participate actively and easily in TUTV, and Rausch is pleased with the result. "People are excited about what we're doing. They see that we're organized now; people see now that, 'If I'm part of this organization, it will mean something instead of just throwing away my time.'" Yu said TUTV's goal is to build more programming on the foundation set this year. "We're going to use what [Rausch] has put in place and what we've learned how to do, but my big thing for next year is programming." In that spirit, this season will feature the debut of seven new episodes from a mixture of new and returning shows, including "Anything Eni" about an Albanian student adjusting to life in the United States, the playfully sarcastic "Haters," a guide to area nightlife called "New England Radar," and "TuftsSpot," a political show featuring documentary footage. Of course, there will be fresh new episodes of "Jumbo Lovematch." A major objective is boosting on-campus coverage, a goal made more viable by the recent construction of an inter-campus broadcasting system. "We can increase our level of content with live broadcasts from anywhere on the Medford-Somerville campus, the Boston campus or the Grafton campus," Rausch said.

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News

Community members talk about substance abuse

April 11

Members of the Tufts community gathered last night for a town meeting-style discussion about the results of the 2004 Alcohol & Drug Use and Freshmen First Week Experience Surveys, which were released in February.

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New album 'Guero' brings back the Beck of old

April 11

You can always recognize a person from our 'Nintendo' generation because a) we believe that any electronic gadget can be fixed by either hitting it hard on the side or blowing into it, and b) because we know Beck Hansen is a loser, baby, not some cool, funky, genre-defying Californian. Before Beck became the coolest hipster around, he defined a generation of grunge slackers with "Loser." But now, he presents a huge challenge to critics everywhere, as his music continues to defy categorization. Beck seems to alternate between fun, silly and funky albums rife with hip-hop and funk influences, and truly deep and heartfelt ones, that more closely resemble Bjork albums in their intensity, passion and melancholy. His new album, "Guero," is more similar to "Mellow Gold" (1994) and "Odelay" (1996) than it is to his 2002 release, "Sea Change," which he supposedly wrote following a gut-wrenching breakup with a long-standing girlfriend. "Guero" contains a handful of extremely catchy songs, most notably "Girl," which bears a striking resemblance to Outkast's "Hey Ya!" It will make even the stiffest person start dancing as Beck substitutes the words "Hey Ya!" with "My summer girl." The word "guero," Mexican slang for a blonde person, and the song "Que Onda Guero" (after which the album was named) is to Los Angeles what Will Smith's "Welcome to Miami" is to the Florida metropolis. You can almost imagine Beck sitting outside at a taco stand with a tape recorder as he describes: "Rancheras on cheap guitars abuelitas with/ Plastic bags walking to church with their/ Spanish candles dirty boracho says 'qu?© putas?/Andelay joto, your popsicles melting.'" But the cherry on top is the Mexican voice in the background with a really stereotypical accent saying a range of funny things about popsicles. Beck's music is obviously influenced by his upbringing. Born in Los Angeles in 1970, he grew up amid the diversity of the city. His mother was part of the Andy Warhol scene, and even appeared in one of Warhol's films, while his father was a conductor and string arranger. Beck dropped out of high school in tenth grade and was a street musician for a while before he was discovered in New York. The song "Loser," which came out in 1994 made him an instant superstar and got him a record deal. Since then, Beck has experimented with hip-hop, funk, country, electronica and every possible variety of rock, making him one of the most unique rock stars around today. "Guero," while most easily categorized as a throwback to the days of "Odelay," also contains some truly heartfelt, honest songs, reminiscent of "Sea Change." The song "Broken Drum" is the most beautiful song on the album. Beck drops the rap and sings in his gently melodic, soothing voice about a woman he misses. The last verse, in which he softly sings, "I'll never forget you" is haunting and disturbing, but also humble and sweet. What makes Beck so unique is that he can put a song like "Broken Drum" on the same album as a song like "Hell Yes," which could almost be a Busta Rhymes sample. On "Hell Yes," Beck returns to his classic white-boy rapping, but reminds us that he is not run-of-the-mill in the first line, with the words, "Looking for my place/On assembly lines." Clearly Beck is not an interchangeable part; he occupies a space all his own. Beck's ability to be so eclectic has always been what sets him apart from other artists, and he takes this even further on his new album. Its strength lies in mixing the honesty of "Sea Change" with the funk of "Odelay." Beck, now a husband and father in his 30s, has with "Guero" returned to the aesthetic pop, rock, funk, hip-hop, electro mix of "Odelay," while cleaning up the sound - discarding facetious wackiness and paring the lyrics down to the essential, with good results.

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Brian Wolly | Wolly and the Teev

April 11

Last fall, Cornfield Electronics came out with what they felt was an innovative and necessary invention, the TV-B-Gone. Print and television media from across the country, from The Weekly Standard to the New York Times to the CBS Evening News, discussed the brilliance of this miniature one-button universal remote. I think all of it is a load of crap. To those unfamiliar with the most overpriced amalgam of plastic and electronics since the Tamogatchi, the TV-B-Gone is a trapezoidal device, about the size of one's palm, which with the push of a button, will turn off "virtually any television." That's right, for the low, low price of $14.99, consumers from across the nation can enjoy a television-free world. The genesis of the TV-B-Gone came out of Cornfield Electronics' idea that, and I quote from tvbgone.com, "rarely is technology used for anything useful." I won't even attempt to debate the merits of that argument; the thought that the vast majority of technological innovations are not "useful" is ludicrous. It's this lofty, holier-than-thou attitude toward the modern age, television especially, that strikes at the heart of my dislike for the TV-B-Gone From what I've read on the product's website, the invention - from the Luddite-inspired brain of Mitch Altman - is designed for use in doctor's offices, bars or laundromats. All are places where televisions are in use to entertain idle visitors. Yet Altman, and those who choose to purchase his product, do not want to be entertained by the idiot box. Instead of asking the proprietor of the institution (the secretary, the bartender, the Laundromat owner,) TV-B-Gone owners simply press their magic button and any television within a few yards should shut off. I understand that some people don't like television, and don't want to be bombarded by melodramatic soap operas or contrived talk shows while they sit in a stuffy doctor's office. But the presupposition that any one person's choice of entertainment is more important than anyone else's bothers me. Sure, maybe no one will throw a fit if the television screen is dark and only shows a blurred reflection. But perhaps someone really wanted to find out if the kid on "Dr. Phil" exhibited nine of the ten characteristics of a serial killer. Using the TV-B-Gone evokes a similar, albeit less severe, reaction to the Parents Television Council trying to banish "indecent" programming off the airwaves. Both involve imposing one person's definition of entertainment on a larger audience. At least the PTC is loud and proud about their hatred for modern television. TV-B-Gone users exhibit the snooty, self-absorbed personality that seems all too common in today's culture. One invention rapidly increasing in popularity blocks all cell phones from operating within a close proximity of the device. Another simple plastic creation, the KneeDefender, prevents passengers on an airplane from reclining their seat at the expense of the leg room of the person behind them. All of these have the implicit message of, "I want my privacy, but I'm too much of a chicken to tell you so." And I think that is what bothers me the most about the TV-B-Gone, not the fact that some people don't want to watch television; I get that, and I wish I had their will power. It would be so simple to ask the bartender or the fellow patrons in the laundromat to turn off the television. It hurts no one to ask the cell phone chatter in Starbucks to take his conversation outside. Request that the flier in front of you, who probably paid just as much for his plane ticket, not recline his seat. Yes, it is easier to just use your simple machine and hide behind the blanket of anonymity, but in reality it is cowardly and anti-social. Indeed, the whole concept behind the invention is its secrecy. "Aha!" says the TV-B-Gone user. "The television is off, and you should be thanking me that your lives are free from the evil cathode ray tube!" People may use it so they can read their magazine in silence, but they're lying if they don't admit to a small ego trip when they press that little black button. Lastly, the TV-B-Gone reminded me of a prank my middle-school friend Greg Wyatt pulled back in Mrs. Cuff's sixth-grade English class. We had a substitute teacher that day and were engaging in the time-honored activity of substitute teaching-watching a boring video. Greg had one of those watches that had technology similar to that of TV-B-Gone; it could operate a television. On a couple occasions, Greg turned the power off of the television, much to the frustration of the confused sub. After she sent a couple of quick evil-eyes in our direction, Greg discontinued the trickery out of fear. But it brought me to thinking that if grade-school kids anywhere ever got a hold of the power of the palm-sized TV-B-Gone, the device would eventually join the "banned objects" list filled with relics of the past, including of course, the Tamogatchi.Brian Wolly is a senior majoring in history. He can be reached via e-mail at brian.wolly@tufts.edu.

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News

Men's Tennis | Jumbos stop losing streak cold after Colby win

April 11

After extending its losing streak to four matches with its 7-0 loss to the Bowdoin Polar Bears on Friday, the men's tennis team knew it was crunch time. With three starters sidelined due to injuries, including senior co-captain and No. 1 singles and doubles player Rifat Perahya, and their match against Colby less than 15 hours away, the Jumbos did not appear to be in good shape heading into their match against the Mules on Saturday. But the Jumbos shook off Friday's loss, halting their losing streak with a 5-2 victory over Colby in their best singles match performance of the season. The win helped Tufts finish a three-match, three-day road trip that junior Paul Roberts referred to as "just plain brutal." The Jumbos started the stint off on Thursday with a 4-3 loss to MIT. Tufts was the favorite heading into the match, but MIT did not give the Jumbos any easy points and engineered a victory. "It was a tough loss for two reasons," Roberts said. "Anytime you lose a match 4-3 you are always going to hang your head and think 'if I had only done this.' Also it's always tough to lose a game when you feel you are the better team on paper." The loss, however, marked the return of senior co-captain Adam Yates. Yates did not have time to get his feet wet, as he played MIT's No.1 seed, one of the best players in the country. "It felt great to be back." Yates said. "I did not really expect to win that match since it was my first time back and I was playing against the number one player in the country." Yates's leg injury prevented him from competing for more then two consecutive days. However, despite losing his MIT and Bowdoin matches, he noticed improvement between the two. "My first serve percentage is getting much better along with the top-spin on my forehand," Yates said. "I played a heavy ball out there." Yates' teammates do not underestimate his contributions, even when he unable to play. "There is no question Adam has played the role of assistant coach this season," Roberts said. "His leadership has been tremendous." On Friday, the Jumbos extended all but two matches against Bowdoin beyond the minimum two sets, but could not close out any of them with a win. "We believed we were going to go out and beat Colby." Perahya said. "On the other hand, we had no confidence when it came to the Bowdoin match. The correlation speaks for itself." Perahya had an MRI yesterday, but the results were not available as of press time. "The doctors told me I have something torn in my knee," Perahya said. "They're just not sure what." After the Bowdoin loss, the Jumbos commented on the composure of their coach Jim Watson. Reflecting his veteran presence, Watson did not panic and, following his lead, neither did his players. "He told us to try and get some sleep," Roberts said. "And he had a way of telling us we needed to beat Colby if we wanted to make regionals, but somehow even after his talk, we still didn't feel nervous." The Jumbos were able to use the early morning wind to their advantage against Colby and entered the match with the strategy of making Colby hit one extra shot every play. The move marked a departure from the Jumbos normal strategy of being aggressive and trying to put your opponent away as early as possible. The wind, however, demanded such a change. "Due to the wind, we were trying not to make the mistake," sophomore Sean McCooey said. "We wanted them to hit the extra shot whenever possible." According to players, McCooey filled a leadership role for the Jumbos over their road trip. "Sean has been an excellent example for our whole team." Perahya said. "Sometimes he is playing in matches when the outcome is already decided. However, he still plays his heart out and his sense of self-pride is something that rubs off on the rest of the guys."

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Loi To | The Social Entrepreneur

April 11

It is that time of year again: finals are approaching, seniors are scrambling to find answers to the dreaded question, "What are you going to do next year?" and students are beginning to wear their beach flip flops to class. I know it is hard with the beautiful weather and the school year coming to a close for many people to focus. However, mid-April is crunch time for thousands of people who have put in months and months of training and focus into their work. The great state of Massachusetts, with its storied past and histories, has come up with some unique holidays to suit the wonderful traditions of the Bay State. One such tradition that gives most college students a much-needed three day weekend before finals is Patriot's Day, Massachusetts' excuse for clearing the streets during the Boston Marathon. My first experience with the Boston Marathon occurred during my first year of college. I had nothing better to do with myself on that much-beloved mid-April day, so I decided to volunteer handing out water to runners. After relishing in the fact that volunteering for the marathon garnered me a free jacket, hat, and all the yellow Gatorade I could drink, I was amazed by the marathon experience. I was perfectly placed at mile ten to see the race develop from the almost superhuman Kenyan contingent's blistering five minute mile pace, to the casual, unofficial, marathon runner's walk. The spectacle of the marathon rekindled my fervor for running. As an athlete who competed in high school cross country and track, running had been an everyday part of my life for the four years prior to coming to Tufts. I ran religiously every day but stopped when I came to college. The college school work, the jobs, and the activities got in the way of my running. I ran every now and then but was not as consistent as in my high school years. I decided not to run track at Tufts in an effort to avoid dealing with the commitment and stress of being a part of a varsity sports team. However, I had come to miss the competition and thrill of running on that mid-April day of my freshmen year. After six hours of spilling garbage cans full of Gatorade, pouring dozens of gallons of bottled water, and witnessing an incredible athletic feat, I decided to make one of my goals before leaving college to run the Boston Marathon. To my delight, in the fall of my sophomore year, I discovered an opportunity to run the Boston Marathon without having to run an insanely fast qualifying time. Tufts, with John Hancock financial (one of the biggest sponsors of the Boston Marathon), had made a handful of Boston Marathon numbers available to Tufts students, alumni, faculty, staff, administrators and friends. I was thrilled to hear of the opportunity and jumped at the chance to run the marathon. I trained for months, keeping close tabs on my weekly mileage and diet, and reading all the "How to run a marathon" books that I could find. All the training and hard work finally paid off last year when I completed my first Boston Marathon in almost 100 degree weather. I did not really have control of my legs and I was in intense pain the week after the marathon, but all of it was worth it. I had completed one of the things I wanted to do before I graduated college. So fast-forward to today, when it is about a week until the marathon and I am running it again. "Why?" you might add. Am I a masochist who enjoys the pain of running 26.2 grueling, hilly miles in the suburbs of Boston? Or am I just a college student with nothing better to do? I must say that it is a little bit of both, with an added element of Tufts school spirit. Next Monday, Tufts will have a strong contingent of close to 200 students, faculty and alumni running with Tufts singlets in order to support the nutrition and fitness programs at our University. Each runner has pledged to raise $1,000-$2,500 in order to take part in the President's Marathon Challenge. Months of training and fundraising for this dedicated group of individuals will culminate in anywhere from three to six hours of running next Monday. The President's Marathon Challenge is one of the best examples of school spirit at Tufts; with students, faculty, staff and alumni coming together with the common goals of running a crazy amount of miles in one day, raising money for Tufts, and having a good time. Next Monday, when you are trying to figure out what to do on your day off, maybe take some time to go into Boston and support the Tufts marathon runners. You will witness a great Boston tradition, wonderful school spirit and amazing athletic performance.Loi To is a junior majoring in political science and Russian. He can be reached at loi.to@tufts.edu.

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Tufts minority students' grad rates lag behind those of peer institutions

April 11

A recent report released by the Education Trust highlights a disparity between the graduation rates of whites and underrepresented minorities at colleges across the country, including Tufts. According to the report, nationally 67 percent of white students graduate within six years while only 46 percent of African Americans and 47 percent of Latinos do the same. At Tufts, all students graduate at a higher rate than the national average and the gap between whites and minorities is considerably smaller, at 12.2 percentage points. Tufts' graduation rate for white students is 91.1 percent, while underrepresented minorities graduate at a rate of 79.7 percent. Despite being smaller than the national average, the disparity at Tufts is larger than that of its similar institutions. Tufts has the second-largest gap out of all NESCAC division schools; only Bates College has a larger disparity. Williams College, by contrast, has a gap of only 2.2 percentage points, and Amherst College has a gap of only 2.9 percentage points. The Administration is aware of the gap but Dean of Undergraduate Education James Glaser said that the disparity is not something the administration is focusing on in particular. "There is faculty interest and formal faculty discussion about student performances, but it's not directed to this particular problem," he said. Nonetheless, Glaser said that the gap "is not something that's okay," adding that "we want it to go away." "There are many gaps out there - we know that those gaps exist, and it's our job to educate every student who comes here," Glaser said. There are no efforts aimed specifically at helping underrepresented minority students. "You have to approach the problem individual by individual," Glaser said. Struggling students are directed to the Academic Resource Center and the Counseling Center. Julie Jampel, a senior staff psychologist at the Counseling Center, said the Center works to help minority students. "We do especially try to reach out to foreign students and minority students, because they are less likely to come in," Jampel said. Although there are no large-scale programs devoted to students of color, "the counseling does have a cultural perspective," Jampel said. "We have minority staff who are always available to meet with someone who would like to meet with [a staffer of] a similar minority." Associate Psychology Professor Keith Maddox suggests that a minority-focused approach may be more useful in closing the gap. "A lot of [the gap's cause] has to do with some of the unique characteristics of being a student of color," said Maddox, whose research focuses on issues of race, education and prejudice. "You need to have programs that are focused specifically on that, because those characteristics and those problems are unique to those students and not to others. Having a general program isn't enough because it doesn't help to deal with any of those specific problems." Those problems, Maddox said, include being comfortable at a University where the majority of students are white, and possibly not having enough faculty members with whom to identify. "It's just helpful to be able to see people in [faculty] positions that look like you, that might be a little bit more understanding of presenting the information in ways more similar to the ways you view the world," Maddox said. Maddox believes that Tufts' culture houses play an important role in helping students of color to feel more comfortable. "The culture houses represent an opportunity for minority students to have a haven where you know that there are going to be people there who have similar experiences that you have, and know what it's like to be in an environment where you are a minority," he said. Despite repeated requests for comment, representatives from the Africana Center and Latino Center were unavailable at press time. Problems can occur when culturally specific organizations become a source of alienation. According to Maddox, this can happen if "people who are outside of those culture houses don't feel like they can take advantage of them as well. What would be ideal is if white students, or students of a majority, felt comfortable going into culture houses and interacting." Maddox acknowledged that this is a difficult equilibrium to reach: "It's a delicate balance," he said. "You have to have [culture-specific programs] for people to feel comfortable, but you also have to have programs that are going to encourage people to move across boundaries." The Education Trust report highlighted a number of universities that had made increasing minority graduation rates a priority. The chancellor for the University of Georgia, Thomas Meredith, developed a five-year strategy committed to increasing the graduation rate, including the creation of a Graduation Rate Taskforce to evaluate strategies and practices for accomplishing their goal. Tufts, however, is not planning any changes in response to the report's publication. "We do our best to provide the opportunities, resources, guidance and nurturing for all students," Glaser said.

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News

Viewpoint | International students: take another look

April 11

Hello, my name is Laura and I am an international student. You might think that I go clubbing all the time and spend lots of money, or that I smoke, dress in black Gucci or drive a BMW. You might also think that I never go to class and that I am just not interested. You may believe these, or any one of a number of similar stereotypes that seem to be indelibly associated with the words "international student" to be true. However, I urge you to take another look at international student community at Tufts. You just might be surprised. There are 392 undergraduate international students at Tufts that come from such diverse places as China and Costa Rica; Jamaica and Jordan; Taiwan and Turkey. We represent 68 different countries and nations. It is surprising to me that such a diverse group is often lumped into such a narrow stereotypical category. International students at Tufts are a vibrant group of individuals who are involved in both campus life and student organizations. International students have particularly distinguished themselves in their community service contributions to charitable organizations and events. In addition, international students are known for organizing numerous cultural awareness events and celebrations. We are particularly renowned for those that display our foods and dancing. Recent examples of community service and charitable events include the UNICEF booth, staffed by International Club members at this past weekend's Kid's Day event. Throughout this semester, the Thai Club's effort, through the organization of the Tsunami Relief Fund, has raised about $13,000 through the sale of T-shirts and raffle tickets. This semester has also seen the foundation of the International Club's "Medford Schools Project," - an initiative that aims to get Tufts international students to come and talk to local children about their respective countries. On the cultural front, the weekend before last saw the second annual Culture Fest, held in the campus center. The well-attended event showcased Tufts' diversity, with food and performances representing the different cultural groups on the Tufts campus, many of whose members are international students. This past week the ASA (Arab Students' Association) held a lunchtime patio event outside the campus center, which exhibited Arab culture. The International Club also held its annual Parade of Nations event this semester, which is an evening of cultural dancing and fashion. International students are also members of "Pangea," Tufts' global awareness initiative which is active in raising money for the conflict-torn Darfur region of Sudan, and setting up an internship program to send Tufts students to Uganda to work with refugees. Many international students also take part in the EPIIC (Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship) and TILIP (Tufts Institute for Leadership and International Perspective) programs. International students are all over campus, sitting next to you in class. Get to know us. The International Club is a cultural, not a political organization, that is open to all Tufts students. You do not have to be international in order to be interested in other parts of the world. We invite you to come join us.Laura Reed is a junior majoring in international relations and environmental studies. She is an international student from Australia.

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