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A solvable insolvency
February 21Star Parker's address to the Tufts Community last night was a welcome addition to the campus discourse at a time when her topic, the Social Security System, is being fiercely debated across the nation. President Bush has proposed a plan that would radically reform the Social Security system that has existed since the New Deal, creating instead an opt-in system of private accounts with access restricted by the government. Parker's position was almost eloquent in its simplicity: the current social security system, as well as welfare and public schooling, are bad for poor Americans and should be left by the wayside. Doing this, however, would plunge this nation into levels of economic instability not seen since the Great Depression, ripping apart the very fabric of civil society and pulling the rug out from under poor Americans.
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Men's Track and Field | Williams outsprints Tufts at Div. III Champs
February 21Despite winning more individual events than Williams, the Jumbos took second place behind the returning champions this weekend at the New England Div. III Indoor Championships, hosted at Tufts. Tufts managed to rack up 108.5 points, but failed to keep pace with Williams, who earned 123. Rounding out the top of a meet that included 24 Div. III teams, Bates followed Tufts in third place with 77 points, and MIT finished fourth with 67. The Jumbos failed to earn many points in the sprinting events, and Williams jumped on the opportunity to gain an edge. Williams junior sprinter John Symanski dominated the short-distance events, winning both the 55-meter dash (6.44 seconds) and the 200-meter dash (22.06). A Williams relay team also won the 4x400 meter relay (3:23.96). "I think the events that really beat us were the 55 and 200," coach Connie Putnam said. "That was the primary chink in our armor, you might say. Marcus Boggis is a freshman, and he ran very well for an inexperienced freshman running the 55. But the truth of it is that Williams has a sprinter who is unparalleled in New England. [Symanski] is extremely fast and he just dominated in both of the events. They had three finalists in the 200 for a total of 16 points. That was unanswered by us." Sophomore Nate Cleveland scored four points by placing fifth in the 600-meter run (1:23.37). Junior Pat Mahoney finished second in the 800-meter run and earned eight points (1:55.61). Tufts made its presence known in the distance events, where senior Aaron Kaye won the 1,000-meter run (2:31.60), despite being unchallenged and having to set the pace ahead of the pack. Senior Nate Brigham took first in the 5,000-meter run (14:59.12), an event in which he has provisionally qualified for Nationals and holds the Tufts school indoor record. In the meet, a first place finish was awarded with 10 points. Sophomore Josh Kennedy placed second in the 5,000 and earned eight points (15:10.31). Junior Matt Fortin placed sixth in the 1,500-meter run and scored three (3:59.70). The Jumbos' distance medley relay (DMR) team, which comprised Kaye in the 1,200 leg, sophomore Dustin Virgilio in the 400, Mahoney running the 800 and senior Brian McNamara running the mile, won the event in a time of 10:22.70. The time was significantly slower than the school record time the team of Kaye, Mahoney and juniors Matt Fortin and Trevor Williams ran last week (10:01.33), but the win earned Tufts 10 points. The Ephs were right behind in second place (10:26.16). Sophomore Fred Jones scored more points for the Jumbos in the long jump and triple jump, both of which he won (7.24 meters and 14.33, respectively). "We gave it all we had, we just got beat, fair and square," Jones said. "It was kind of disappointing because we can beat [Williams], but everyone would have to have a good meet. It was tough, some guys had a great meet but not everyone did. We didn't all click at one time." Freshman Jeremy Arak placed fifth in the pentathlon and earned four points for the Jumbos. Arak also tied for third in the high jump (1.91), earning his team 5.5 points. Junior Seth LaPierre placed third in the pole vault, earning six points. Scoring five points, junior Matt Lacey placed fourth in the 3,000 (8:37.25). Sophomore Jamil Ludd finished fifth in the 55-meter hurdles (7.96), and Nate Thompson was eighth (8.07). Sophomore Ryan Byrne scored one point in the shot put with an eighth-place finish (14.23), but no other Jumbos scored in the weight throw or shot put. Tufts placed third in the 4x400 (3:24.53), but didn't fare as well in the 4x800, in which it finished eighth (8:12.35). "[Williams] out-talented us in one clearly-defined area of the meet," Putnam said regarding the Ephs' success in sprinting. "The rest of the way, we went head to head with them very, very well. Our guys did good jobs all day long." The distribution for the meet was skewed, especially in the sprinting events, and as a result the scales were tipped in Williams' favor. "Another thing that affected this meet was a lack of even distribution and other teams not taking their share of the scoring," Putnam said. "For example, Wheaton College didn't even show up, that's a team that does have good sprinters and would have offset Williams. If Wheaton was there, Williams would never have gotten four guys in the finals [for the 200]. They didn't take their appropriate points out of the meet." Despite placing first in fewer events than Tufts, the Ephs emerged victorious once again. In the past thirteen years, including 2005, Williams has won the Div. III Championships 10 times. "Williams has been a dominant force indoors New England for a long time," Putnam said. "It's always appropriate for us to be the primary challenger. We'll continue to play that role until we break through and beat them."
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Tufts life -- expectations vs. experience
February 21Are Tufts students disgruntled? Complaints regarding the lack of both school spirit and unbridled fun at Tufts are not without merit; however, I think that the whole issue has less to do with the strict constrictive administration and more to do with our own misguided expectations. What did you expect Tufts would be like before you enrolled? I expected the study- hard, party-hard mentality to be in full effect. The study-hard expectation was met: I am overworked at Tufts because I choose to take difficult courses and take on a demanding extracurricular load like most students here. However, I also anticipated a great range of parties on campus that would last until I found my pants the next morning. Instead, what I have found is a campus that shuts down at twelve-thirty every weekend. Who is to blame for our sub-par party scene? The administration? The cops? Honestly, I doubt that the Tufts brass is out to kill our fun, but they do need to be concerned with laws, liability and maintaining good relations with our neighbors. In my mind, most of our disappointment comes from us asking more of Tufts than it can possibly offer. Typically, when I think of college, I envision "Animal House" - nightly wild parties, Div. I sports teams and 80 degree weather. Obviously, Tufts is not "Animal House." Not even close. Tufts is considered to be a globally-oriented, intellectual institution that offers a challenging liberal arts curriculum. However, what about having a flourishing social life here? Did we ever really consider that when we chose Tufts? Did we simply assume that it would come with any college experience? In that sense, Tufts seems to be suffering from an identity crisis. Tufts was never considered to be a party school, nor is it populated with the nerdy, competitive or uptight students whom you hear about at other top-tier schools. So what are we? Six or seven years ago, Professor's Row supposedly glimmered until the wee hours of the morning with little police intervention and a plethora of fraternity and off-campus parties. And now? The scene has taken somewhat of a 180-degree turn. But can we complain? During my tour three years ago, I was told that the majority of students here frequently spend nights in Boston, which now I realize must have been an embellishment. My friend, who shall remain nameless, explains why: "They did not tell us we'd have to schlep through a [expletive] blizzard for 15 minutes because the shuttle's not running, wait for the goddamn train, take a 25 minute ride, and then figure out where the [expletive] we are in Boston." Again the identity crisis: are we really a city university? Considering the rumors I had heard from alumni about Professor's Row and the close proximity of Tufts to Boston, I was certain that the parties would never end. I was wrong. The social life here seems to predominantly revolve around on-campus activities, which I did not expect before I arrived here. Granted, ambitious students could technically commute to Boston and spend the night there - however, said night would be practically over by twelve. Other students could spend their Saturday nights waiting outside fraternity houses for an hour before getting let in and, soon after, getting evacuated. Either way, this is not the Tufts I expected. Or is it just not the college experience I expected? The reality at Tufts is that students are generally overworked, albeit amicable, and not overly competitive. What seems to be lacking is school spirit. The void left by a weak athletic program and devolving traditions has yet to be filled with something else we can get excited about. Boston is not right around the corner, unless you have a car, and let's not even talk about parking. There are occasionally some fun parties here that do last, but they are few and far between. Rather than being known for both its quality of life and academics, Tufts seems to be almost strictly focused on the academics, clubs, and activities. The social life here has been compromised at least partially because the university does not want our neighbors or the cops to launch a war against us. But what will happen if the rumors are true and the Greek system is abolished? Were these considerations of ours before we got here, when we were choosing schools? Did we allow ourselves to make the assumption that drinking laws and noise ordinances would become null in our fantasized college world? It is very easy to complain about the social life, or lack thereof, at our school. Believe me, I would like to see more parties here as much as anyone. However, with my criticism also comes the realization that my expectations were misguided and that the administration is not solely to blame. You will not see me jumping up and down whenever an outsider asks me about my experiences so far at Tufts. However, I am still proud to be afforded the opportunity to attend a top tier institution with many opportunities for spoiled students like myself to take advantage of, if only we search for them and do not expect too many wild parties. I envision three possible solutions to the social crisis we have here. First, school spirit is severely lacking, perhaps because we do not have Div. I sports teams (squash and sailing do not count). Therefore, we need something to fill that void. Second, the party scene here has been the primary cause of students' disappointment, so I propose that the university make a concerted effort to either reach out to fraternities or cultural organizations. Third, before we enroll, we should be honest about what the Tufts social scene is really like. If students would have known what they got into before they enrolled, they would certainly be less disappointed than many are.Elad Cohen is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major.
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Brian Wolly | Wolly and the Teev
February 21In the realm of horrible television catchphrases, "Is that your final answer?" ranks up there among the worst. Its parallel equivalent among the best catchphrases, however, has to be, "Survey says?" This speaks to the everlasting resilience of "Family Feud," as opposed to the country's short-lived obsession with "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" The "Mark Goodson Television Production" has been beamed into our homes intermittently during our lifetimes, and thanks to the Game Show Network (GSN), we can now watch those episodes we missed while we were just a twinkle in our parents' eyes. Sure, Ken Jennings has made "Jeopardy!" cool again, but there is nothing like the populist vibe undercutting that wondrous game show "Family Feud." "We asked 100 people," the host would always say before explaining how many of the "top answers" were on the board. This wasn't a show about remembering random trivia or knowing clich?©s (see "Wheel of Fortune"); this was a contest to see which family was most in sync with the American people. Two families, usually composed of cousins, in-laws, and grandparents, faced off to banjo-ridden hillbilly theme music. They'd be given a question, something along the lines of, "Name a place where you would meet your future spouse." Their eventual goal was to give all the "top-answers" before getting three wrong responses. If that happened, the other family would have a chance to steal. The point system always confused me. All I ever knew was that the family who won the last round, where point values were tripled, would move on to "fast money." Although Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak have dominated their respective game shows, "Family Feud" has been blessed with a quartet of hosts, each with their own distinctive styles. The debate over who was the best should always be a part of watching any episode of the "Feud," whether it be current or ancient. Richard Dawson was the first host when the show premiered in July of 1976. His numerous years on the many incarnations of "Match Game" served him well when he switched positions from panelist to host. On that trippy program, Dawson made wisecracks alongside the bizarre Charles Nelson Reilly and the throaty-voiced Brett Somers. With Gene Rayburn doing his best to define the stereotype of "creepy game show host," "Match Game" is a legendary program that deserves a column of its own. From the hideous set pieces to the clothes to the cultural references which now seem obscure, everything about the show screams the seventies As "Family Feud" host, Dawson made it his trademark to kiss every single female contestant on the lips. It is horrifying to watch in today's world of sexual harassment lawsuits, but the repulsion only adds to the appeal. Dawson would kiss 22 year-old daughters with the same gusto as he would lay his lips on 70 year-old grandmothers. So many of the questions have a charming dated quality to them, since these shows were taped long before the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the institutionalization of the personal computer. Dawson too, has that vintage appeal, reminding me of an older version of Quagmire from "Family Guy." The show took a short reprieve in 1985, only to come back three years later under the stewardship of stand-up comedian Ray Combs. Here was the poor man's Pat Sajak, but Combs brought a great new energy to the "Feud." His sharp wit and jovial personality made everyone feel at ease, a sharp contrast to the horny, abrasive Dawson. Combs could take a contestant's embarrassingly stupid answer and turn it into a running joke. Some episodes pitted a black family against a white family, but Ray would use that racial tension and spin it into exciting game show television. With ratings slipping in 1994, Combs was fired and Dawson was brought back for one season. Sadly, Combs committed suicide two years later by hanging himself. We're currently in the Third Age of "Family Feud," and it is by far the weakest. In 1999, we were "treated" to the distinctive voice and carriage of Louis Anderson as another stand-up comedian took the stage. He maintained the light-hearted atmosphere Combs left behind, but Anderson was too harsh on the audience's eyes and ears. I can still hear his grating, high-pitched voice and it makes me cringe. Three years later, Richard Karn took over the reins and "Family Feud" has never been worse off. Karn, known solely for playing Al Borland on "Home Improvement," is just as squeaky-clean as his fictional sidekick character. He's neither funny nor interesting. Karn's laugh is as fake as a porn star's breasts. He's a disaster to watch. Again, thanks to GSN, we get to enjoy the better years of the "Feud." I often wonder if 50 year-olds are flipping through the channels and catch themselves on old reruns of the show. They were on one thirty-minute game show thirty years ago and now they get to relive it thanks to cable. Family Feud was an amazing program. Survey says? Yes.
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I'm not on Facebook, thank you !
February 21It's hard to imagine the college world before theFacebook.com brought a new meaning to procrastination.
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Athletes of the Week
February 21Dan Martin, Men's Basketball The 6'8" center had the biggest game of his career Saturday in a huge win over Colby in the NESCAC Tournament opening round, keeping Tufts' season alive. Martin notched a team-high 26 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end. Martin got the Jumbos going immediately, grabbing two offensive rebounds on the first possession and converting on two free throws to get the offense rolling. He scored 13 of the team's first 28 points, finishing the first half with 15 points on 6-7 shooting. As the team came out of the locker room to light up Colby for 60 second-half points, Martin was consistent from the free throw line, hitting all seven of his frees, making him 10-11 on the day. He went 8-10 from the floor in the game. Martin also did a good job defensively, keeping Colby's leading scorer, sophomore Drew Cohen, in foul trouble and holding him to just 10 points. The junior is shooting .505 from the field this season and is averaging 9.1 points and 7.0 rebounds a game. The numbers are an improvement on the 8.0 points and 4.6 rebounds he averaged last year.Raquel Morgan, Women's Indoor Track & Field After spraining her ankle at the end of the cross country season, sophomore Raquel Morgan spent two months recovering and resting before starting competition for the indoor season. It didn't take her long to get back in the swing of things. At the New England Div. III Championships held at Smith this weekend, only her fourth meet of the indoor season, Morgan provisionally qualified for Nationals in the 5,000-meter run. Finishing behind only Amherst All-American Carter Hamill, Morgan ran the whole race with the lead pack before winning a sprint with Colby's Karina Johnson. Her time for the race was 17:52.16. Her performance this weekend was not her first strong one coming back from the injury. In her first meet back from the injury, at the Tufts Invitational III on Feb. 5, Morgan finished second in the 5,000, running a New England Div. I qualifying time of 18:18.34. The NCAA Championships are held at Illinois Wesleyan on Mar. 11-12.
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Marissa Beck | Eat this!
February 21My buddy Ian Schimmel coughed all over my math textbook and contaminated the pages with his germ-infested hands. (Mental note: Lysol on page 171.) The whole school is sick, he said. How could he have possibly avoided the Tuftonian influenza?
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Loi To | Social Entrepreneur
February 21Let me start off by saying, I have never been a huge fan of fraternities or sororities at Tufts. When I came as a freshman in the fall of 2002 the fraternity scene was the crux of social life, and frankly I did not enjoy it all that much. Yes, there were the memories of going onto Frat Row (Professor's Row for the fraternity-ignorant) with my Tilton floor and drinking, partying and just having a plain old "good time." However, the "fun times" soon faded and the mundane routine of trekking out into hoards of booze-seeking first-years looking for a keg full of Beast every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights quickly lost its luster. One day, when I was running past Professor's row, I thought to myself, "What is really the point of fraternities or sororities? Are they just school-sponsored places to party and get free beer?" After a little thinking and discussions with my roommate (a fraternity brother), Todd Sullivan (director of fraternity and sorority affairs), Rajit Kapur, (president of the Inter-Fraternity Council), and Alexis Liistro, (president of the Inter-Greek Council), I came up with a couple of conclusions. Greek life is a way for students to become more a part of a community. That community can center around 123, Sig Ep, DTD, Chi O, AOPi or any other of the myriad of fraternities or sororities on campus. However, the community can also revolve around your dormitory floor, your pre-orientation group or your sports team. What makes the Greek system different is its commitment to leadership and community service. Community service takes many forms. On one hand, community service can be considered in its broadest sense; as something that benefits the community generally. The weekend parties are a crucial aspect of the social scene of underclassmen and should not be done away with no matter how much a "tough guy" president tries to rid the campus of fraternity parties. Maybe underclassmen should have access to alternative forms of entertainment. Or perhaps there should be more school-sponsored social events. These are important questions that need to be addressed, but are beyond the scope of this column. On the other hand, the Greek community espouses supposed commitments to community service in a narrower sense; traditional forms of philanthropy and volunteerism such as raising money for cancer research or mentoring youth are several examples. It is in this area that I see great potential and opportunity for Greek life. Fraternities and sororities are great people mobilizers. On any given day a group of 15 brothers or sisters can be brought out to do something, be it in the form of hanging out at the house, cleaning up after a party or serving food in the local soup kitchen. The Greeks are currently doing many great things. They are developing basketball tournaments to raise money for leukemia research, raising money for the local Boys and Girls Club, and participating in several school-wide community service events such as Read by the River and Halloween on the Hill. However, I think the Greeks can do more with the multitude of resources currently available to them not only to benefit the community but also to benefit themselves. This concept might seem self-interested to many and somewhat wrong. But community service, like all relationships, must be jointly beneficial on some level for there to be a meaningful connection. If the Greeks do more in the Medford and Somerville communities, maybe their position with the City Councils and Mayors of each city will become more favorable. The social services these organizations give to the Tufts community (namely the parties) will have less of a chance of causing tension between Medford/Somerville residents and Tufts students. Direct contact between students and community members will help bridge the current gap in town and gown relations. Perhaps community members will be less prone to calling the authorities at the start of a party if local residents see that fraternities and sororities are having more of a positive impact on the community. Greek life will become more appealing in both the community service and party service sense, which will ultimately help the social scene, community relations, and the membership roles of the Greek community. If the Greek community uses its human resources more effectively, the administration, faculty, community residents and fellow students (Greek and non-Greek alike) will view Frat Row as a more complete center of social life for the Tufts community. Fraternity and sorority members should use the opportunities available to them to the fullest advantage for the sake of their individual chapters, the Tufts Community and Medford and Somerville.Loi To is a junior majoring in political science and Russian. He can be reached at loi.to@tufts.edu.
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By the Numbers | Something wrong within the ranks?
February 21According to a report released by the Miles Foundation last week, the enemy facing those soldiers fighting overseas is both external and internal: 307 servicepeople stationed in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, or Bahrain said that they've been sexually assaulted -- many by fellow military members. In this installment of "By the Numbers," the Daily looks at the history of sexual harassment and assault in the military.
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Theater Review | 'The Little Prince' is great as a book, not as an opera
February 21Ask any Tufts student studying French about their experiences in the Olin Center, and you'll probably hear the predictable complaints about memorizing verb conjugations and obscure past conditional subjunctive sentence formations. Mention "The Little Prince," however, and even the least enthusiastic Francophile will subject you to an effusion of nostalgic praise. Antoine de Saint-Exup?©ry's masterpiece is a children's book regularly enjoyed by adults (though they might not fully understand it.) It is also a symbol of national pride in its native France as well as an internationally-lauded story about remaining young-at-heart in a grown-up's world. Unfortunately, the operatic version presented by the Boston Lyric Opera, which plays through Feb. 27 at the Wang Center for the Performing Arts, falls short in its effort to convey Saint-Exup?©ry's innocent magic to the stage. Director Francesca Zambello, composer Rachel Portman, and librettist Nicholas Wright have put together a production that looks beautiful but ends up feeling excessively cheesy and, at times, even slightly irritating. Saint-Exup?©ry penned his book and accompanying illustrations a few short years before flying a doomed French Air Force mission that remains shrouded in mystery. On July 31, 1944, the author's plane disappeared from radar, and he was never heard from again. Since then, his story has been translated from French into over 100 languages, and its hero has been featured on French postage stamps and even on a few currently-circulating Euro bills. The story features a pilot who crash-lands in the Sahara and stumbles upon a young boy, the "Little Prince," who asks the pilot to draw him a picture of a sheep. The Prince lives on a small planet in danger of being taken over by Baobob trees, and a sheep is needed to eat the seedlings before they grow up and kill his friend, a delicate, beautiful, and very proud rose. After the initial encounter with the pilot, the two characters get taken on a journey by a flock of birds to different small planets where strange and interesting inhabitants, including a lamplighter, a drunkard, and geographer, engage him in bizarre discussions. Eventually, they arrive at planet Earth, where a fox teaches the Little Prince that love is the most important thing in life. And, if that doesn't make sense to you, you are obviously a grown-up, because according to the Little Prince, "this is something no grown-up can ever comprehend." The Little Prince is a characteristically simple tale that is simultaneously whimsical, abstract, and packed with enough philosophical musings to ponder over the course of a lifetime. And while the director's efforts to achieve the precarious balance between simplicity and profundity is evident, the result is a performance that falls somewhere in-between the extravagant absurdity of "Alice and Wonderland" and the preachy tackiness of "Peter Pan." Portman's modern-sounding modal score, the weakest aspect of the production, is not the strong, backbone of a piece of music that we are used to from classic operas. The music strives to let the story speak for itself, providing only the occasional lyrical push to move it along, and thus avoids showy extravagance. But, in doing so, the score lacks any memorable musical moments. The frequent lyrical gushes, cinematic-sounding filler (leftovers, perhaps, from Portman's film-scoring career) and obsessive flute and oboe solos become completely predictable, and towards the end, distractingly annoying. While the orchestral score backs away from a spotlight role, an added chorus of cute, pajama-clad children provides an impressive accompaniment, but the overall effect does not quite fit in with the simplicity of the story (how would all those kids fit on the tiny planets, anyway?) In fact, the kids' chorus ends up being exactly what the score attempts to avoid being - exaggerated, clich?©, and corny. The best part of the opera is the lead, the bleached blond little prince (Jeffrey Walter), whose command of the music and stage is remarkably confident, especially for such a young performer. Additionally, colorful characters light up the stage with exceptional performances throughout the story. Soprano Laura Choi Stuart (the rose) and baritone David Kravitz (the geographer) are the only two musicians who are a true delight to hear. Maria Bj??rnson, who died unexpectedly in December of 2002, designed a set and costumes that border on ingenious. The rose's costume, for example, features a bright, sparkly skirt that folds upward in order to mimic a closed flower's petals. The set, featuring a brightly colorful landscape behind a giant circular frame, complete with a full-sized airplane, looks as though it were taken straight out of the book. The only regret is that some aspects of the set, most notably in scenes when the little prince is traveling to different planets, are lost to those who have not read the book.
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Tufts Daily holding panels on media professions, ethics tomorrow
February 17The Tufts Daily is celebrating its 25th anniversary in style this weekend, inviting a number of Tufts alums and media professionals to speak on issues facing news media both at the University and beyond. There will be a series of panels taking place tomorrow in the Crane Room from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The panels will feature Tufts Daily alums who are currently in media-related positions, including NBC News President Neal Shapiro ('80) and New York Times reporter Patrick Healy ('93). The Tufts Daily was created as a four-page newspaper in 1980 under the direction of its first editor-in-chief, William Frechtman ('81). He thought that the campus "deserved timely communication of news and information." The newspaper was originally a Tufts Community Union (TCU)-funded organization, but by the 1990s it had weaned itself off of the TCU and expenses were paid for entirely by advertising revenue. According to current Daily Editor-in-Chief senior Mark Evitt, tomorrow's series of panels and discussions is the newspaper's attempt to give something back to the Tufts community. "The Daily is here because it is read and supported by the members of this University," he said. "I think that this event will allow students to discuss media issues as they relate to professional media and to Tufts, and I'm glad the Daily could be the one to facilitate it." Evitt said he is looksing forward to participating in the 2 p.m. panel discussing "The Evolving Role of Campus Newspapers," which will feature University Professor and former provost Sol Gittleman, and Ex College lecturer and former Tufts Observer Editor-in-chief Phil Primack ('71). Tomorrow will also feature the inaugural meeting of The Tufts Daily Alumni Council, an organization created by Daily alums to provide advice in the operation of the paper, facilitate communication about job and internship opportunities, and create social networks. The Council also allows associate membership to the Observer and Communications and Media Studies alumni. The day of events will be concluded with an alumni dinner in Alumni Lounge to celebrate the Daily's 25 years on the Hill. Current staff who plan on attending said they hope to learn a little bit about the history of the Daily and the role it can play in their post-Tufts future. "It's going to be interesting to see what alums have done with their Daily experience," current Managing Editor junior Jess Keiser said. "I can't imagine spending 30 hours a week in a small basement office for your entire college career can be good for you, but I guess I'll find out on Saturday." The panel on "Media and its Role in Politics," featuring Healy, will start at 10 a.m. tomorrow. "Are We Still the Good Guys? Beginning Journalism in a Post-Blair/Rathergate World," featuring Shapiro, will start at 1 p.m.
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West Hall to undergo exterior renovations throughout spring semester
February 17Popular uphill dormitory West Hall is slated to receive an exterior facelift, and an unused photography development lab will be removed from its basement in time for the building's new residents in the fall 2005 semester. The latest renovations are part of the administration's plan to improve the physical appearance of the campus, as well as the living conditions of the students. Facilities' Deferred Maintenance Program Manager Rudi Pizzi is the project manager of the construction. Pizzi said that the dorm's old age made it a primary candidate for external changes. "West Hall is very old. It goes back to the 1800s," Pizzi said. Pizzi, who was also responsible for planning the restoration of both Paige and Miner Halls during the fall 2004 semester, said that the dorm is in need of renovations in order for the University to preserve the building, instead of possibly destroying it later on. The University has hired Payton Construction to renovate the dorm. Past jobs at the University performed by the firm include an addition to the Eliot-Pearson building. Christopher Baryluck, a member of the Payton Construction team, has welcomed the assignment and said that his team is ready to "spruce the building up." The renovations will include replacing the bricks on the exterior, roofing work, and work around the windows. The team will also redo some of the parking and install new lighting fixtures in the rear of the dorm. The photo lab in the basement of West is slated to be removed. There are no plans to replace the lab, which has been used most recently by the Daily. Since it is illegal for workers to carry any sort of chemicals from one building to another without a license, an outside company that manages the University's waste will do the moving, said the University's Industrial Hygeine Technician Peter Nowak. Current West Hall resident and sophomore Rachel Leven said that renovations to the exterior are unnecessary. "It's an old building, but I like the way it looks," she said. While Leven enjoys the aesthetics of the gothic-style building, she said there are problems regarding the roof. "I'm glad they're fixing the roofing. I live on the fourth floor and there are squirrels in the roof that keep us up at night," Leven said. Nevertheless, Leven is more concerned with the interior of the building and believes that the University should be as well. "It needs a lot of work," she said, citing a recent e-mail warning residents of sagging floors. "I think they should gut the whole thing and start over." According to a talk given by University President Larry Bacow in the dorm last semester, the exterior renovations are one of the many things the University's administration would like to do with the $116 million dollars raised last year. This money is currently part of the University's endowment. "The bulk of the money [raised] is going towards the students and the faculty," Bacow said. As far as supporting the student body, Bacow hopes to "make dorms more livable." As part of this plan, Bacow said the administration also intends to eventually renovate the entire interior of West. He said, however, that the University "can't do that in three months." Restoring the interior is contingent upon providing adequate housing for students. "We need more dorms so that we can shut one dorm down for 15 months and fix it," Bacow said. Bacow said, however, that is not likely to occur soon, even with construction of the Sophia Gordon Hall slated to begin Sept. 2006. West, built in 1871, is as renowned for its old age as it is for being the starting point of many Naked Quad Run festivities. As a result of its social reputation as well as its proximity to many academic buildings, West is regarded as one of the more popular dormitories. Its rooms are generally filled within the early stages of the housing lottery process.
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Since 1985: Center of campus and the center of attention
February 17Believe it or not, no designated place for administrators, faculty and students to convene and socialize existed on the Hill until 1985. Thanks to the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate members, ground was broken in 1983 for the Elizabeth van Huysen Mayer Campus Center. "It was fascinating to watch it being built," said Dot McAveeney, who was working in the Tisch Library during the center's construction and now works in the Office of Student Activities, located in the campus center. In order to build the campus center, the Brown House - which was home to the ExCollege - was demolished, and the provost's house was moved. The idea was to create a campus center that tied together the campus's uphill and downhill areas. According to McAveeney, the location of the campus center is ideal. "This really is the center of campus," McAveeney said. "Staff and faculty all come here for lunch." Hotung Caf?© and The Rez have been around since the campus center opened. In a campus contest after the grand opening, Hotung was named "Ziggy's," but it was soon changed back to Hotung. The Rez is a student-run business, and has been controlled by Tufts Student Resources (TSR) from the beginning. There have been rumors around campus that Hotung used to be a bar for students. Those rumors, in fact, are true. "They did have a liquor license, and they sold beer for students and faculty to sit down, have a beer, and have an intellectual conversation," Nealley said. Serving alcohol did not prove profitable, however, so the caf?© has since stopped selling it. Currently, the campus center is filled to the brim with a slew of administrative offices. Among them is the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. Director Todd Sullivan said that the campus center is ideal for his office, since it "is truly the heartbeat of the Medford campus." The campus center also provides a venue where all of the members of Tufts' community can gather. "I appreciate being here to connect with colleagues and students daily," Sullivan said. Director of the Office of Student Activities Jodie Nealley said that the campus center has changed since its opening. "It used to be more library-like, and now we try to make it more oriented towards student life," she said. Hotung has also been renovated, Nealley said, to allow for more room for student social events. The patio is the newest part of the campus center, having been built only seven years ago. The main conference room upstairs is also a recent development - it was converted from a locker room for commuter students. McAveeney described the changes that have occurred since the opening of the campus center as positive ones. "The information booth is much more active now, there is more going on in Hotung, and the lounge is more active," she said. The original plans for the campus center included three phases of construction, only two of which have been completed. The third phase would include a large multi-purpose room and a faculty dining room, among other expansions. According to most students, the campus center meets their needs. "It seems to me that the students use the campus center as much as they can," senior Laura DePalma said. "I see that more people use it to study and socialize. People actually do use the facilities, as well as the other services that the campus center offers." As far as actually pulling the campus together, one student found the campus center to be ineffective. "I don't think the campus center physically serves the purpose of tying the campus together," sophomore Michael D. Ojunga-Andrew said, citing "how far it is located from most of the buildings and residence halls on the upper part of campus." Ojunga-Andrew also noted the lack of space for services not directly related to the offices. "I think it would be better utilized if there were more spaces related to student services, like mail services and lost and found," he said. Nealley specifically pointed out the possibility of having centralized mailboxes in the future. "Every student knows what a pain it is to change their address every year, so having a centralized mailbox system would help a lot," she said. Senior Giancarlo Boschetti feels that the center could better unite the campus if more activities took place there. "It would be more together if there were more social activities, more pool tables, more ping-pong tables, and maybe a computer caf?©," he said. Nealley said that the third phase of construction could include many of these options. "It is a University priority, and its time will come," Nealley said. "It's a matter of fundraising."
News
Provost unveils new plan to attract Ph.D students
February 17University Provost Jamshed Bharucha announced an initiative this week that will increase the average Ph.D. student stipend to make Tufts more competitive with its peer programs and to improve the quality of student life. "In some departments, we are significantly below the average of our peer institutions," Bharucha said. "We have strong programs, but you can't be competitive without offering the appropriate financial package." Publicized stipend statistics average both Ph.D and master's students' stipends together. Because the size of stipends varies from department to department, no concrete figures were available. Ph.D. stipends received first priority among graduate student support needs due to the market-driven nature of recruitment. Students often must pass up their first choice for a program if another institution can offer a better stipend. Strong Ph.D. students are a boon for attracting new faculty to Tufts. "Attracting great Ph.D. students is critical. In some fields it's tough to hire faculty if they don't feel they have access to the best Ph.D. students," Bharucha said. The $1 million allocated for the initiative will be distributed to the deans of Tufts' schools and colleges. The deans can then utilize the resources to strengthen or underpin the competitiveness of their programs. "It's going to vary field-by-field, and we will have to manage people's expectations in some areas," Bharucha said. "People will see an increase in some areas, in others they may not." Tufts has Ph.D. programs in Arts, Sciences and Engineering as well as at the Medical School, Dental School, Veterinary Schools and the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences. The Fletcher School and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy are also included in the initiative. University Vice Provost and Associate Dean of Engineering Vincent Manno will coordinate plans for each of the schools. "One of my responsibilities as associate provost is to help coordinate graduate education initiatives across the University," he said. Manno will help each school to formulate a plan to create stipend packages for each program. "The global goal that we're really shooting for is to recruit outstanding grad students," he said. Manno said this will require excellent research and offering competitive stipends. Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Ernst plans to consult with individual departments and hopes to have figures and information regarding the final stipend by late next week. As a result, the figures will be available for applicants to evaluate Tufts' stipend packages for the 2005-2006 academic year. While stipends between departments will vary, Ernst said, "We're trying to be more consistent relative to our comparison schools." According to Bharucha, the financial resources for the initiative do not represent any diversion from other programs. "We've made this a high priority and identified additional resources to support it," he said. "None of this comes at the expense of anything else." Bharucha said that the University is working hard to continue to identify new resources that will enable students to attend Tufts. "We are committed to additional financial support for undergraduate and graduate students, but we can only do one thing at a time," Bharucha said.
News
Inside the NBA | B-ball All-Star break rundown: Part 1
February 17With the season just about two-thirds finished, it's time to recognize some of the bright spots in what has been a very exciting season thus far. Here are "Inside the NBA's" predictions for this season's awards:MVP: Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns: Phoenix had a fairly talented team before this season began, centered around forward Shawn Marion, forward/center Amare Stoudemire, and guard Joe Johnson. But they lacked a true point guard until they signed Nash to a five-year, $60 million contract after he became a free agent. While they also added Quentin Richardson to the lineup in the offseason, they desperately needed a point guard. In Nash, they got all they were looking for and more. He has led an offense that is the most potent in the NBA, averaging almost 110 points per game. His ability to run the floor has allowed Phoenix to play with a smaller lineup in which Richardson plays as a small forward, while Shawn Marion becomes a power forward and Amare Stoudemire moves to center. This has worked to their advantage, as the Suns' fast break has resulted in many runaway victories. Nash averages 16.3 ppg to go along with a league-leading 11.3 apg, which is a full 2.5 assists per game ahead of anybody else. He also shoots 52 percent from the field, which is 12th in the league, and has 29 double-doubles. Also consider that in four games that Nash missed due to injury, the Suns averaged only 86 points, and lost every game. The Suns are currently tied with the San Antonio Spurs for best record in the league (41-12), and Nash is the primary reason behind the team's success. Despite his shortcomings on the defensive end, he has been the most valuable player on what might be the NBA's most improved team. As long as he stays healthy, the Suns are a threat to win the title. Honorable mention: Lebron James (Cleveland Cavaliers).Rookie-of-the-Year: Emeka Okafor, Charlotte Bobcats: Charlotte had the second pick in this year's draft after we had been forced to wait and see whether the Orlando Magic would take Okafor or high-school star Dwight Howard. The results for Okafor and Charlotte have thus far have been very encouraging. He leads all rookies in scoring and rebounding, with averages of 14.8 ppg and 11 rpg. He is also third in blocks per game, as he continues to improve his solid defensive skills from the college level. In Okafor, the Bobcats have a more mature player who immediately became the go-to guy not only for his team, but for the future of the franchise. Okafor has the potential to become a star in the league, and if he continues to progress at this rate, he will fulfill that potential. Once Okafor gets some more talent surrounding him, the Bobcats will be able to become more then just a developing expansion franchise. It seems like Charlotte, albeit indirectly, made the right choice with the former UConn standout. Honorable mention: Ben Gordon (Chicago Bulls), Howard.Coach of the Year Nate McMillan, Seattle Supersonics: Mike D'Antoni's Suns imported Nash in the offseason. Stan Van Gundy's Miami Heat got Shaquille O'Neal from the Lakers. In contrast, the Sonics made no major additions to their squad. However, they find themselves in third place in the stacked Western Conference, and McMillan is a major factor in the team's success. He has the Sonics playing as a team focused on their strengths, most notably their ability to dominate from the perimeter. With Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, they have two legitimate scoring threats at any given time, and McMillan has got them playing at the top of their games. The Sonics are second in the league in three-point percentage, and have three players (Allen, Lewis and Vladimir Radmanovic) who have shot at least 250 three-pointers. McMillan is in the last year of his contract, and is going to solicit lucrative offers from other teams if the team is able to keep playing at its current level. Honorable mention: Scott Skiles (Chicago Bulls), Mike Fratello (Memphis Grizzlies)Defensive Player of the Year: Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz: Kirilenko, a 6'9" forward, currently leads the league in blocks per game with an astonishing 3.71 rejections per contest. He also averages 1.46 steals per game, which is 25th in the league. His long arms, jumping ability and general quickness on the court make him a ball magnet. He excels in one-on-one defense as well as off-ball help and double team plays. After the Jazz got off to a solid 8-5 start, Kirilenko got injured against the Spurs. Despite his return a few weeks ago, the team has yet to recover. Regardless, AK-47 has officially staked his claim as one of the league's premier defenders. Honorable mention: Ben Wallace (Detroit Pistons)All-Star Game Prediction: All-Star games are almost always high-scoring affairs that involve lots of showing off and not too much defense. This one shouldn't be much different. Expect the Western Conference All-Stars to win a somewhat close game, with Kevin Garnett taking home his first All-Star MVP award. Check back next week for Part II of Inside the NBA's All-Star Break Report.
News
From Tufts to 'Tilt': Alum inspired by Hill
February 17While it may be urban legend that alum Hank Azaria based a couple of his "Simpsons" characters on fellow Tufts students, it is a definite fact that Worm, Edward Norton's character from Brian Koppelman's "Rounders," was inspired by a Jumbo. According to Koppelman, a Class of 1988 graduate, a student bookie who everyone knew as "Worm" served as the basis for the slimy poker player. "He was a great guy," said Koppelman, "but a guy who, while he was at school, never met a rule or regulation that he couldn't get around." As a student at Tufts, the successful screenwriter was an English major and was heavily involved with the drama department. He was also a TCU senator and prides himself on his coordination of the divestment protest. During Koppelman's college years, the university had a significant amount of money invested in South African interests. Since that country was still under apartheid, Koppelman headed a student boycott demanding that Tufts divest its money. It was at this protest that Koppelman found the "in" he needed to break into the entertainment business. "Someone told me there was this folk singer we should get to play at [the protest], and then that's when I went to see Tracy Chapman play." At this point, according to Koppelman's memory, he was a sophomore and Chapman, also a Tufts student, was a senior. After he graduated, he became involved in the well-known singer's emerging music career. Although he attended law school at night, following eight to nine years in the recording industry, Koppelman knew that he wanted to be a writer and more specifically, write movies. So Koppelman and high school friend David Levien, collaborating on a daily basis, co-wrote the script for the poker movie, "Rounders." Nightly games on Curtis St. during his senior year helped hone his knowledge of Texas Hold'em, enough so that the movie is thought of in the same vein as other great gambling flicks, such as "The Cincinnati Kid" and "The Color of Money." Among Koppelman's fonder memories at Tufts were those of his professors. "There were so many professors who were so terrific, who were challenging you and teaching you how to write." His favorites included English professors Lee Edelman ("a genius, a total genius") and Ronna Johnson ("the tops"). Koppelman also had distinct memories of history professor Gerald Gill poking fun at political scientists, something which Professor Gill still does to this day. Koppelman is currently involved in a show he co-created with Levien, the ESPN drama, "Tilt." He finds that his experiences in the Tufts drama department help him when working in intense environments. "Certainly, one of the ways in which I learned the language of communicating with actors and communicating with people on crew happened at Tufts," Koppelman said. The recent poker craze - the first ever Tufts Series of Poker was held on Sunday - is a good thing, Koppelman says. "It used to be that you could lose a lot of money playing cards, but now with all the tournaments, its only $10; it's a great way to spend time and train your game." Poker professionals have since become enamored with Koppelman's "Rounders." 2003 World Series of Poker champion Chris Moneymaker often credits the film with inspiring him to play the game professionally; Daniel Negraneau, one of the rising stars of poker, can recite every line from the movie. Koppelman's next project is inspired by the writing of one of his idols, David Mamet. Currently sketching out a prequel to the famed writer's "The Untouchables," Koppelman is very excited about the venture and is looking forward to working the Paramount project.
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Men's Track and Field | Tufts hopes to top 2004 finish in tournament
February 17Throughout the season, the goal of the men's track and field team was to qualify as many athletes as possible for the post-season meets. Individual performances were the focus and the team's overall scoring came second. But this weekend, when the Jumbos host the New England Div. III Championships, scoring points for the team will be on every athlete's mind. And the Jumbos shouldn't have trouble racking up points this year. "In this meet, we're looking for every guy to compete as hard as he can," coach Connie Putnam said. "Good competition will produce good times, heights, and distances, but this is more of a case where everyone's points will be crucial to the effort. The major look at this point is to try to have every guy score as high as he can in the standings, and get as many points as possible for the team. It's more of a team affair." The last time the Jumbos won the N.E. Div. III competition was 1991, under the guidance of Putnam, currently in his 21st year as head coach for Tufts. Now the numbers alone suggest that this could be the Jumbos' year. In 2000, Tufts placed sixth, in 2001, they placed fifth, in 2002, fourth, in 2003, third, and then second place in 2004. But it's more than just a trend in the numbers that makes Tufts a frontrunner for the Div. III title this year. The Jumbos have always struggled against a few other superior running programs, but thus far the team believes it holds the edge. "We're all excited about it," senior Nate Brigham said. "We'll have a good chance of winning the meet. We think we're pretty good and we should be able to squeak by Williams this year, which should be pretty nice." Last year, the Jumbos traveled to rival Williams for the championships, where the Ephs emerged victorious on their own turf and were crowned 2004 New England Div. III Championships. This season, the Jumbos have the luxury of competing at Tufts, and it's their opponents who will make the road trips. According to junior Matt Fortin, racing at home may make the difference for the Jumbos. "I think it does [make a difference]," Fortin said. "We'll be very comfortable with the venue, and I think the fans that come out will help. The familiarity of the area, and knowing our routing will be the same as it's basically been every meet, will be a big help." The Div. III championships are only for the athletes who pre-qualified for the events earlier in the season by hitting a certain time or height/distance (for the field events), so only the elite competitors will be representing their teams. Freshman Jeremy Arak will compete for Tufts in the pentathlon event, which is comprised of the 55 meter hurdles, long jump, shot put, high jump, and 1000 meter run. Arak is ranked fifth in N.E. Div. III for this event, an impressive feat for a freshman. He will also represent Tufts in the high jump. Sophomore standout Fred Jones will compete in the long jump and the triple jump, two events for which he holds the record in this season's N.E. Div. III (7.02 meters in the long jump and 14.61 in the triple jump). Freshman Kenneth Kang and senior Nate Thompson will also compete in the long jump and triple jump, and freshman Dan Marcy will join them for the triple jump. Junior Jason Galvin will represent the Jumbos in the weight throw and the shot put. Sophomore Ryan Byrne will also compete in the shot put event. Juniors Seth LaPierre and William Heitmann are entered in the pole vault event. Freshman Marcus Boggis is the only Jumbo sprinting in the 55 dash. Sophomore Jamil Ludd and Nate Thompson will take to the track forTufts in the 55 hurdles. Junior Trevor Williams is entered in the 400, and freshman Nathan Scott and Nate Cleveland will race the 600. Junior Patrick Mahoney will compete in the 800. Senior Aaron Kaye and Fortin will race the 1000. Fortin, who will also run the 1500, is ranked first in N.E. Div. III for the 1000 (2:30.68). Junior Matt Lacey and senior Michael Don will run the 3000. Sophomore Josh Kennedy and Brigham (currently in first in N.E. Div. III, 14:36.59) will race the 5000. Freshman Chris Kantos qualified for the 5000, but will not be able to run due to health issues. After making headlines by breaking the school record last weekend at Boston University's Valentine Invitational, the Distance Medley Relay team, comprised of Kaye, Fortin, Mahoney, and Williams, will compete in the DMR, where they currently are rated third for N.E. Div. III (10:01.33). Tufts also has one team entered in the 4x400 as well as the 4x800 relay. Although numerous schools will be represented this weekend, according to Putnam, the teams to beat are MIT, Bates, and especially last year's champion, Williams. MIT beat Tufts this year at a four-way meet at Bowdoin by a small point margin (184-163). "I'm cautiously optimistic," Putnam said. "I think we probably have a good of a chance to place in the top three as we ever had, and if the guys really compete, there's an offsides chance we could win this go."
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Campus Comment | Recent robbery raises some safety concerns at Tufts
February 17Students often say that the Tufts campus feels as if it is encased by a giant bubble of comfort, luxury and safety. The surrounding communities seem foreign to students, and whenever anything happens to disrupt that bubble, it's big news. Two weeks ago, the bubble around the Hill burst, and students were forced to realize that campus is not always a safe place to be. As many students know, two female students were robbed on Talbot Ave. late at night. Luckily, the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) happened to be patrolling the area and quickly apprehended the criminals. This incident notwithstanding, the campus crime rate has gone down in recent years, according to the crime statistics reports that administrators are required to file annually. In fact, two years ago Tufts received the Jeannie Cleary Campus Safety award, which honors schools that have gone above and beyond national safety requirements. According to one student, the award is well-deserved. "I do feel safe on campus, because I trust that the police do all that they can to keep us safe," sophomore Lau Kompel said. "Events like [this robbery] are bound to happen from time to time." But there are those students who disagree. "I never felt totally safe," freshman Kate Nicholson said. "I feel safer at home in New York City." TUPD announced that patrols would be enhanced in response to the incident. TUPD also offers an escort service for students who do not want to walk alone back to their dorms at night. Even the extra officers and the escort service around campus do not guarantee a feeling of safety for some. "At night, it's really empty around campus," Nicholson said. "In New York, there are people around, and I know I can just run into a building and be safe. Here, I know I can't run into dorms because I don't have access." In the case of the two students being robbed, TUPD needed only a brief chase to catch the offenders. Freshman Lauren Vasey said that in her experience, TUPD gets the job done quickly. "My friend had a knife pulled on her during first semester," she said. "TUPD got the guy who did it that night."
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Music Review | Body and soul shine on McKnight's latest release
February 17Beginning in 1992, Brian McKnight started speaking to the hearts of R&B listeners. Since then, he's never stopped. Gifted with a truly beautiful tenor voice that can reach into higher ranges, McKnight's singing began in church. His older brother Claude McKnight had a decorated career as a gospel singer, but Brian followed a path conflicting with the sanctity of gospel. Although religion remains a clear part of McKnight's life, his most popular songs deal with sex as much as romantic love. The duality between "holy" and secular love leaves its mark in different places on his new album, "Gemini." This album is McKnight's seventh studio release, and it carries the same qualities that have long sustained his career. He produces much of his own music and turns out honest song lyrics, making for a less formulaic album experience. Maturity and romance emerge as the dominant themes on "Gemini." "What We Do Here," the first single from the album, was released in late 2004. It emerged as a number-one single and earned McKnight a Grammy nomination for best male R&B vocal performance. Over twanging guitar riffs and a soft keyboard, McKnight sings to an imaginary groupie, reassuring her that their backstage encounter will remain private. The infectious hook in this track makes it an instant favorite for listeners. In the next track, "Every Time You Go Away," the instrumentation is made up of strings and grand piano, but the quality and tone of the music remain the same. The sincerity of McKnight's voice is a central focus of this track, and the lyrics are sensitive and honest: "Every time that I'm with you girl/Can't believe you share my world/But it's real/And every time that I hold you close to me/Forever's all that I can see." There are a few factors that interrupt the album's flow, as shown by the great cumulative effect of the first eight minutes and twenty-one seconds of "Gemini." McKnight has displayed an undeniable spirituality in his music, though it is not one that has proven overbearing in the past. His continuing success is based on his universal respect for love and the blessings it can bring. However, it is McKnight's struggle to remain connected to his religion that causes some disconnect on "Gemini." The last track, "Me & You," feels out of place on an album that is otherwise made up of love ballads. A professionally crafted beat along with calmly passionate vocals make it a poignant song, but the lyrics, which chronicle the death of Jesus Christ, are uncharacteristically heavy in comparison with the others. This track deserves a listen, but it feels drastically out of place. The hip-hop influence on a few of the tracks also disrupts the album. Master lyricist Talib Kewli appears on "She," inserting a rap verse that stands apart from the rest of the song, which is very true to McKnight's style. Rapper Juvenile and hip-hop artist Akon are carelessly thrown onto "Whatcha Gonna Do," which has a haphazard beat that has no grace or direction: this is only amplified by the sound of alarm clocks ringing in the background. Old School rapper Heavy D's shared production duty on "Grown Man Business" is slightly more successful. This is the only instance of hip-hop working to the advantage on the entire album, but it is not a sound that stays true to Brian McKnight's. The grown and sexy theme of the lyrics is borrowed from artists like Jay-Z and R. Kelly. "Grown Man Business" will get airplay, but it lacks the overall emotion of "Gemini." Pure R&B has been on the decline in recent years, and as a result has joined with hip-hop to become a new genre in music. In fact, the billboard charts now make no distinction between the two, as they share a single Hip-Hop/R&B chart. A crossover hit can bring great exposure by appealing to a much wider audience, and this may have been the impetus for McKnight's experimentation on "Gemini." Brian McKnight's struggle between remaining true to his music and the pressure to sell records is evident throughout "Gemini." The album swings from purity to commercialism, but overall it remains successful because of the artist's true talent.
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