On Wednesday, State Representative of the Arlington and West Medford District Jim Marzilli spoke to the Water Watch club about future of environmental preservation.
The first step in predicting who will be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday night may be a bit of trivia.
Befuddled by the final frontier of the female anatomy? In the dark about "down there?" Have no fear, "The Vagina Monologues" are here! This Friday marks the return of Eve Ensler's infamous and Obie Award-winning play, a celebration of the female body's Bermuda Triangle. Having caused quite a sensation since its 1998 debut, "Monolgoues" has inspired V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls that has raised more than $25 million during its seven-year existence. In support of this goal, all venues performing the play donate 10 percent of their proceeds to a specific "spotlight" cause, while the rest of the proceeds go to women's charities of the organizer's choosing. At Tufts, the production of the play runs in conjunction with Vulvapalooza, a combination fair and information session that publicizes issues of women's health and violence against women. Events held during Vulvapalooza include a game of "Vagina Jeopardy" and a live performance by an all-woman band. Vulvapalooza will take place at 6:30 on both nights in the sculpture court. According to the national V-Day organization, the 2005 spotlight cause is for the women of Iraq, who have been profoundly affected by the chaos brought on by the regime change. There have been reports of an increase in sexual violence, keeping many women from pursuing already limited employment and educational opportunities. Efforts aimed at political representation for women have also been threatened. The swearing-in of Najaf's first female judge was postponed, and one of the four women members of the interim cabinet has been assassinated. Another member survived an attempt on her life that resulted instead in the deaths of three of her bodyguards. Funds raised will go to help effect change for Iraqi women in both public and private arenas. This year, Tufts has chosen to donate the remaining 90 percent of the proceeds to two local charities. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center provides free services to survivors of rape and sexual assault. It is the second oldest organization in the country of its kind, and served 8,500 residents in just the last year. The second benefactor, the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, operates New England's only multilingual emergency shelter, runs a round-the-clock hotline, and provides comprehensive support services for women and their families. "The Vagina Monologues" serves an important purpose outside of its extensive charitable endeavors. By turns hilarious, poignant, and political, the play's potency ultimately lies in the fact that these are the words of real women. The monologues are the product of more than two hundred interviews that Ensler conducted herself, and the result includes the diverse voices of an old woman, a Bosnian rape victim, a six-year-old girl and many others. They range in subject matter covering everything from first loves to the frustrations of tampon insertion, and are anywhere from humorous to tragic in tone. Director and senior Christina Hanson said of the production, "Every woman can relate to something in every one of the stories. I wanted the production to evoke that shared experience." Louise Wood, head organizer of the event, said, "For me, being in the show brought me words and the empowerment to act... every woman deserves that gift." Hanson displayed a similar level of enthusiasm. "[It's] a reclamation of our position as women... it's such a powerful experience to talk about your vagina without blushing," she said. Her vision was to focus on this "every woman" aspect, and the large cast of 19 women exudes an amazing sense of collective energy. As has been true in the past, many of the actresses in this play will be making their theater debuts. Assistant Director Kasey Collins has high hopes that "everyone who comes to experience 'The Vagina Monologues' leaves feeling more free to live inside her beautiful body." In its fifth year running here at Tufts, the show has indeed known on-campus controversy. There have been reports that some of the posters, featuring an artistic representation of a vagina, were torn down. Judy Neufeld, a producer of "Monologues," said that, "people seem to be very uncomfortable with the word 'vagina.'" Nevertheless, most students comfortably accept the posters that seem ubiquitous on campus. "I appreciate them challenging conventions," junior Russell Sargent said, "People should expect that here." Challenging conventions is exactly what those involved with Vagina Monologues are looking to do. The show is a complex work that deals with complicated issues and is designed to spark dialogue, not to serve as an all-encompassing manifesto for feminism. To follow up the show, a discussion-based event, The Vagina Dialogues, will be held Monday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 in Alumnae Lounge. There, those who saw the show will be able to discuss their reactions. Those who haven't seen the show - men and women alike - can experience the play for themselves and form their own opinions, while remembering that many believe that being born a woman is a liability. Rape, incest, genital mutilation, and physical abuse are realities for millions, and sexual pleasure - especially female sexual pleasure - remains a largely unspeakable subject. Ensler, however, screams about it, and while the end effect may be a little shocking or even offensive to some, the aim of establishing an open dialogue about sexuality will surely be met.
Super Bowl Sunday means two things to most of us this year: another home team in a championship bout, and an awesome excuse to party.
The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate invited members from the administration and the Tufts Community Union Judiciary (TCUJ) to a New Year reception last Friday in the Cabot Center.
As university study abroad guidance trends head toward one-on-one coaching services, students and administrators agree Tufts does not have a need for such programs.
You Boston fans are spoiled. There, I said it.
The biggest Sunday of the year (more so than Easter) is just two days away, and while Pats and Eagles fans alike are prepping themselves for the big game, it's also time to think about what you will do during the game. That's right, during.
"Keys, ID and cell phone - check!" These are often the thoughts going through a college student's mind as he or she leaves the dorm room. Cell phones have become a large part of college culture, and students are using them for more than just making calls: many of them have begun to rely heavily on text messaging.
When will American producers learn that the original is always superior to a reproduction? History has proven that, for the most part, when the brains behind American television try to import a series from another country, the results are usually less than spectacular. The Food Network, apparently unaware of this, went ahead and created an American version of the Japanese cult classic, "Iron Chef." Not surprisingly, this new version pales in comparison to its predecessor. From the very first beat of the show, it is clear that the American spin-off is lacking something that made the original version so compelling. To "Iron Chef America's" credit, it has not departed from the successful format of the original. In each installment, one of a cadre of iron chefs is chosen to compete against a challenger in an hour long cook-off. The catch is that there is a surprise ingredient that must be present in each dish of the multi-course meals, and such ingredients can range from corn to bamboo shoots. Since it kept the same format, one might imagine that the show would be equally as entertaining as the old episodes that one can still catch at 3 a.m. on any given weeknight. However, that assumption would be wrong, and something tells me that the producers made the same mistake. In deciding to just throw challengers out on the floor to play by the same old rules, they were hoping that the magic of the Japanese classic would simply recreate itself. Sadly, they were mistaken. Unfortunately, we find out the hard way that there's more to "Iron Chef" than a simple food showdown. What seems to be absent in this new incarnation is the sense of camp, the delight in foolishness that made the original so special. When an Iron Chef lost a competition in the Japanese version, you really thought that he might be beheaded for such failure. Now it just seems like an exhibition. Also missing, and perhaps critically, is the back-story of the challenger that typically appeared in the first fifteen minutes of the prototype. This montage of pictures and film is vital for informing the viewer about the challenger, and it really makes it seem like something is at stake. This personal touch is sorely missed on "Iron Chef America" where anonymous challengers compete for an obscure prize that has little real significance. Another disturbing change is the usurpation of the revered Kitchen Stadium Emperor by his alleged nephew, a disheartening loss that undercuts the show's melodramatic pageantry. The Emperor, one of the truly great emcees of our generation, had been a totally laughable figure whose humor derived from the fact that he always tried to appear unnecessarily serious and ceremonial, contributing to an absurdly amusing tension. His nephew, the Chairman, on the other hand struggles to remain as stoic as his so-called uncle. Perhaps the greatest lesson, one we should have learned from the American edition of FX's "Most Extreme Challenge," is that shows are just plain funnier when dubbed from Japanese into English. Without the dubbing, and the feeling that the announcers could just be making anything up to pass for legitimate translation, the show is rather ordinary. Alton Brown, host of Food Network's "Good Eats" is the play-by-play man for the update, and while he is extremely knowledgeable and frequently ingratiating, he doesn't really get the job done. He needs another person to play off of, and when he doesn't have one, there are just long periods of very uncomfortable silence. Also, Brown sounds like one of the Sklar Brothers, the hosts of "Cheap Seats" on ESPN Classic, a show where two guys watch and ridicule lame sports like lawnmower racing. Perhaps that's just what "Iron Chef America" needs: someone who realizes how ridiculous it is. The judges could also use a dose of such ridiculousness. In the battle between Iron Chef Mario Batali and Challenger Roberto Trevino, the cast of judges were, for the most part, rather dull. This is certainly another problem for "Iron Chef America" and perhaps an aspect that the show's creators simply didn't give enough thought to. In the original "Iron Chef," the judges weren't all related to the culinary arts, but instead were often actresses and actors. There is no need to seek out judges who are exceedingly knowledgeable about food, just to find people who are entertaining. For instance, in an "Iron Chef America" special last year, "The Soprano's" Vincent Pastore, better known as Big Pussy, was one of the judges, and his comments on pasta were certainly more entertaining than anything voiced by the judges of Batali vs. Trevino. Granted, there is still excitement to be found in "Iron Chef America." It is the "24" of cooking shows, and if one really appreciates the creation of five terrific meals in sixty minutes, it is still quite enjoyable. However, if one is looking for the campy dramedy of the original "Iron Chef," the Yankee reinvention just doesn't deliver.
As students have seen, the winter weather can certainly hinder regular campus life. With few streets successfully plowed and many students unaccustomed to winter driving, the roads have become obstacle courses - that is, if one can even get the car out. How ready were Tufts students for the most recent burdensome blizzard?
We've seen scenarios such as these so many times, I guess we should already know the outcome. One need only look at your prohibitive favorite, the defending champion New England Patriots, to know that the best team on paper can often end up being nothing more than paper tigers. Pats-Rams three years ago, Giants-Bills in '91, Jets-Colts in '69.
As a former Vagina cast member I was thrilled to see that V-Day lives on at Tufts. Every year around this time, I think about the incredible experience I had being a part of the events surrounding V-Day. The women (and men) who are a part of V-Day are to be congratulated and celebrated for continuing to provide a safe, entertaining, and open forum to talk about sex and related issues. I'm happy to see that the events have been expanded to include a Sex Fair. Its success is evident in the examples given in Wednesday's viewpoint (Mulitple Opportunities for Sexual Discourse, Feb. 2) and I hope that this year's Fair is even better and continues to faciliate dialogue on campus.
Critically acclaimed playwright, activist and actress Anna Deavere Smith will be at Tufts this Monday, Feb. 7 to accept the 2005 Weston Howland, Jr. Award for Civic Leadership.
Universities' ability to augment their revenues by licensing patents from faculty research has sparked new discussion about the tension between teaching and research responsibilities. Balancing quality teaching with institutional pressure to publish research is nothing new to the University faculty. As former University Provost, professor Sol Gittleman is familiar with the process that professors go through to receive patents. He does not think that Tufts professors need this added pressure to encourage them in their research. "We want to encourage them to come up with ideas, but they are ambitious and want to do it themselves as well," he said. Private patent attorney J. Mark Smith agrees that professors face some pressures. "It used to be 'publish or perish,' now it can also be 'patent or perish,'" he said. Chemistry professor David Walt acknowledged the notion that research professors like to see their work used in a commercial way. "Faculty tend to have an eye towards the commercialization of their ideas," he said. Gittleman has noticed the recent surge in research disclosures in American universities. "Over the last 20 years or so, [the patent process] has turned into a whole new enterprise," he said. According to David Kaplan, professor of biomedical engineering, all faculty members in the University are required to spend 40 percent of their effort on teaching, 40 percent on research, and 20 percent on community service, but added that some professors may spend extra time on research. Particularly in the sciences, patents are gaining new prominence - and ideas that are successfully patented have become an important source of revenue for universities. "The university sees the economic benefit of patents. It has a business arm too," Smith said. According to Vice Provost Peggy Newell, the majority of patents come from the life sciences and chemistry departments as well as the School of Engineering. At Tufts, if a professor submits a research disclosure of patent potential, the worth of the disclosure is determined in a three-person dialogue including the professor who made the disclosure, an administrator and a patent attorney. If a professor's patent is licensed by a business, any income received is divvied up. 40 percent goes to the investigating professor who originally made the disclosure, 20 percent is given to the professor's department, while 20 percent goes to the professor's school and 20 percent to Tufts' general fund. Since 1999, Tufts has earned $10,557,822 from the licensing of patents to private businesses, according to a survey by the Association of University Technology Managers. The year-to-year income, however, is unsteady. In 2003, the most recent year that numbers are available, Tufts only earned $738,331 from licensing. In contrast New York University reaped the most of the universities surveyed, earning more than $85 million. A significant amount of Tufts' recent licensing income has come from a company called Illumina. In 1998, Illumina became interested in basing a business on innovations that Walt had discovered, in the field of gene analysis. These discoveries, which had been previously patented, were eventually licensed to Illumina. A federal law known as The Bayh-Dole Act requires that if a university makes money from licensing a patented disclosure that was discovered with the help of federal research grants, some of the money must be reinvested in the research. Newell said, however, that Tufts' research programs do not depend on licensing income. "The vast majority of our research budget comes from federal grants," she said. The Association of University Technology Managers survey ranked the patent and research output of 159 colleges and universities. Tufts ranked 66th in the number of patents applied for, and 71st in number of patents that were issued to the University by the government. Tufts successfully received 13 of 48 patents for which its faculty applied. "We are in [the rankings] but we are still lacking in entrepreneurial [ventures]," Gittleman said, referring to the fact that Tufts has only had four start-up companies based on patented products since 1999, the most recent one having opened in 2001. MIT, on the other hand, helped form 15 start-up companies in 2003 alone. The University's rankings are relatively low when compared to those of neighboring Harvard and MIT. Harvard was granted 59 patents, ranking ninth, while MIT came in third with 152 patents. Dartmouth College, like Tufts, was granted 13 patents. David Kaplan, with the help of senior Jia Huang and graduate student Cheryl Wong, has recently submitted a research disclosure, involving bio-material and tissue engineering, to the University. Both Green and Kaplan see extensive benefits in patenting through Tufts. "It's important to be innovative," said Green. "We want to maximize our use to community, and our commercial revenue." Kaplan said that research disclosures eventually lead to new technologies and benefit the university, the faculty and the students. Wong agreed. "As a grad student who just wants to learn certain techniques and develop from them, this process is very rewarding for me," she said.
Look no further than the Eli Manning carnival to know that the sports media tends to overestimate the importance of pedigree when a new player of famous stock arrives on the scene. But in the case of Tufts freshman Greg O'Connell, a closer look at the gene pool might reveal a thing or two about why a first-year player is third on the hockey team in scoring and was a starting defensive midfielder for the soccer team. Greg's father, Mike O'Connell, is the current general manager and vice president of the Boston Bruins. He is also a fifteen-year veteran of the NHL and holds an honored place in the pages of Boston sports history. The elder O'Connell played most of his career in Boston, where he amassed three straight 50-plus point seasons and was a member of the All-Star team in 1984. He also set a club record for Boston defensemen by scoring a goal in seven straight games in the 1983-84 season. He finished an 860 game career in 1990 with a total of 439 points. "Growing up in Boston, such a hockey rich town, it was definitely a different kind of childhood," Greg says. "I was always looked at as Mike's son." "It could be hard sometimes in that aspect, because my brother and I were always expected to do more," he added, referring to his 17 year-old brother, Matt. "But [my father] never pressed upon me anything like 'you've got to do this or that' or anything. He's just always been there." Growing up in an NHL family was a unique experience, and one that led to a childhood in which hockey was not just a sport, but a part of life. "Dad would bring us in to the rink a lot, and we'd skate around before the team went in," Greg said. "We went on road trips, met a lot of the players." "All the guys were really nice, but I guess they had to be when you're the boss's son and all," he joked. Athletics is something of a family tradition for the O'Connell's, as both of Greg's uncles played college hockey. Tim O'Connell held the scoring record at the University of Vermont until it was recently broken by Martin St. Louis, a current member of the Tampa Bay Lightning and last year's NHL scoring leader. Greg's grandfather played in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns, and so it seemed only natural that Greg ended up in the world of sports. "My dad's career definitely influenced me. My father and his brothers excelled so well in sports. I guess it's kind of in my blood. Not necessarily on my mother's side, but I guess dad makes up for that," he added with a laugh. In the face of those Shaq-sized shoes to fill, Greg has managed to avoid feeling too much pressure to live up to his family's athletic careers. One way in which he's accomplished this is his soccer career, which began shortly after he put on his first pair of skates. "I felt like I had to do a lot. But that's what's great about soccer. They never played soccer, so I never felt any pressure or anything with that." At Tufts, Greg played defensive center midfielder this year for the soccer team, playing in 11 games and starting in 10. Although the Cohasett, MA native scored a goal on the season from a position not noted for its scoring opportunities, his real value was as a solid defensive anchor. Greg's soccer skills may also be benefiting him in the current hockey season, in which the freshman has already amassed 19 points on eight goals and 11 assists. Eleven of the points have come in conference play, tying senior Jason Boudrow for the team lead in that category. "He's adjusted really well [to collegiate hockey]," hockey coach Brian Murphy said. "Soccer is a sport that can really help. European [hockey] players all play soccer. You see it all the time in their skills, kicking pucks off their feet, moving well in traffic. I think you see some of that in Greg." "My father says all the European [pros] are out there juggling before every game," Greg said. "So I guess it does help in some situations, being able to use your feet well." Greg's just happy to be able to continue his career as a two-sport athlete. "I don't know how it would be if I didn't play two sports," he said. "I've been doing it my whole life." Multi-sport college athletes have diminished in recent years, but some standouts have remained at Tufts and other Div. III schools. "I think one of the attractive things about Div. III sports is that athletes can have an opportunity to play multiple sports," Tufts Athletic Director Bill Gehling said. "At the Div. I level, you're not allowed to do that." Currently, though, the focus for the freshman is all hockey, all the time. After an impressive and eye-opening five game unbeaten streak which included games against nationally ranked Colby and Bowdoin and eight O'Connell points, the Jumbos have lost two straight to Southern Maine and Salem St. In order to make a playoff run, the team will need to get back on track soon, and this weekend's upcoming games against UMass-Boston and Babson will provide an opportunity. Despite O'Connell's increasingly important role in the team's offense, the grounded freshman claims to be unfazed by the pressure. "Like any freshman, you're glad to be able to help the team and be as productive as you possibly can," O'Connell said. "The pressure comes as a sophomore or a junior when you need to show it wasn't a fluke." And while DNA doesn't always tell the whole truth, statistics never lie, and the numbers point towards a continued successful Tufts career for O'Connell.
Drugs confiscated in dorm The Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) caught an unidentified number of Tufts students smoking marijuana in a Lewis Hall dorm room on the morning of Friday, Jan. 28 at 2:24 a.m. The smell of marijuana alerted the authorities, prompting TUPD officials to enter the room. The students admitted using the substance and officers confiscated it. A report was subsequently filed with the Dean's office as well as with the University's detective's office.Questionable behavior at weekend dance On the night of Friday, Jan. 28 at 11:52 p.m., Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) arrested a Tufts student for disorderly conduct at the Gantcher Center. At the time of the incident, the student was attending the campus-wide dance, Winter Bash. The case is still under investigation. Sergeant McConaghy said that no other similar reported incidents occurred at the Winter Bash. Student relieves himself on Professors Row A Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) officer found a male, identified as a Tufts student, urinating on Professors Row on the morning of Friday, Jan. 28 at 12:48 a.m. The officer gave the student a verbal warning and told him that a report would be filed with the Dean's office. Sergeant Rich McConaghy of TUPD said that while students may often urinate in public, they are rarely caught by the police. "Students may urinate outside, but usually not in front of a police-marked unit," McConaghy said.-- Compiled by Mark Pesavento
Full name: Jessica Lynn PowersNickname(s): Bodiqua, JP, Jpow, boot-e-licious, j. simpson Birthdate: New Year's Eve 1983Zodiac sign: CapricornHometown: Massapequa, home of the Chiefs, Jerry Seinfeld, and Joey Buttafuco.Favorite athlete: Who else but Carla Berube? She's pimp.Favorite Tufts athlete: Ariel Samuelson - she is just so good at soccer that she scores for both teams. So I heard that the reason for the supposed "renovation" of Nick's Pizzeria was to prepare us for the unveiling of the "Powers Lunch," a full meal named after the closest thing Tufts has to Taurasi. OK, I made that up, but anyone stopping by Nick's in the next week please lobby for it. And if they aren't biting, try Jay's Deli. I'm sure Arthur and Perry will be all ears. Seriously, though, Jess Powers has those kind of skills that make you say "Mmmmmm." Passing, rebounding, and yeah, she's been known to shoot a little. I caught up with the junior guard at the local day care center, where she was picking up her boyfriend. Naturally, Seven Questions ensued ...1) I hear you and Erin Connolly played against each other in the same league in high school? So who has bragging rights to this day?It is true that my team, the Massapequa Chiefs, won five out of six meetings with Erin's Syosset Braves. But when it comes to individual bragging rights, every Jumbo knows that Erin's "free throw percentage" has always been better than mine. 2) Could you tell me why some random defensive end/baseball center fielder asked that I not put him in these questions? Well I didn't know [Jess' boo] Chris [Decembrele] requested not to be mentioned in association with me. But now that I know, anyone interested in a single 5'9" brunette on the girls basketball team with long legs and big brown eyes?? Inquire within. 3) Let's say I'm making the "Jess Powers Story." Who plays you?I think the most fitting actress for me would be Demi Moore. We both have a tendency to rob the cradle and go for younger guys. 4) The Tufts home crowds: Cousens Crazies or Ghost town?What home crowds? The only person I ever see at the games is Quinn Kelley, always dressed to impress. We can smell his cologne from the court. However, he usually looks lost without his partner [hockey player and 7 Questions alum] Matt McCarthy right by his side.5) Since you are in the Tufts Daily so often, how do you find time to do any work between reading all of your press clippings?We all know the only reason I'm in the Daily so much is because I have "special arrangements" with the sports editors. You know what I'm talking about Timmy. What most people don't know is that I have a crack team of engineering students who do all of my work for me. I'm told they fight over who gets to do my Econ problem sets. 6) You're a New Yorker, Yankees fan, yada yada yada ... Who will you be pulling for in this Super Bowl between the two "baby New Yorks"? The Boston/New York rivalry was in full effect at 24 Tesla last semester. Maybe, just maybe, if the Pats win and I cheer for them, my housemates, Ariel Samuelson and Emily Kolovson, who just this year miraculously became baseball fans, will give my fellow New Yorker Liza Blumenthal and me a spot back on the couch.7) OK, so you knew a question like this was coming: If Austin Powers is the International Man of Mystery, is there something about Jess Powers that we may not know?Despite what everyone thinks....I am NOT Jewish. Yes, I do live with three Jewish housemates, I do have brown hair and I am from Long Island....but I'm sorry Ben Simon's mom....I am NOT Jewish.-by Tim Whelan
Being on the road is not the ideal situation for any team trying to rebuild its confidence and regain momentum. The Tufts hockey team will have to face off with that challenge this weekend when they go on the road for two games. The Jumbos have the odds stacked against them, as they are 4-6 on the road this year so far. Two of those road game losses came with a one-goal margin. Last weekend, the Jumbos once again dipped below .500 on the season, falling to a record of 8-9-1. Tufts was defeated at home by Southern Maine, 5-2, and by Salem State, 3-1. This weekend, the team aims to regain the momentum they found a few weeks ago during a five-game unbeaten streak. The Jumbos will not have to go far to face their opponent when they meet up with UMass-Boston on Friday night, and on Saturday they will take another short drive to Wellesley to face Babson. Last year the Jumbos split with these two teams, pulling out a close 6-5 win over UMass-Boston while falling 5-1 against Babson. Both games last season took place at Malden Arena on Tufts home ice. Junior Matt McCarthy was the key factor in last year's win over UMass-Boston, scoring two goals and notching one assist. McCarthy leads the Jumbos in scoring this year with 13 goals and seven assists. The Deacons are coming into this year's game having not won in their past seven contests. They have an overall record of 2-14-1 and have yet to win a conference game. The Jumbos will have to play with a strong offense and be the aggressor against UMass-Boston on Friday night. Freshman Buddy Johnson, the Deacon goalie, was named the ECAC East Rookie of the Week. Johnson was named the league's top rookie after stopping a season-high 40 shots in 59:36 of action in the Deacons' 2-1 loss at Middlebury College, the nation's No. 5 team as ranked by USCHO.com. Aggressive net-crashing and a high shot count will be important if the Jumbos are to put the puck past the rookie. On Saturday night, the Jumbos will face the No. 14 team in the nation when they take on the 11-4-3 Beavers. "We are going to need to play three very full periods both games and we'll be fine," McCarthy said. In addition, the Jumbos will be facing a stingy goalie for the second night in a row. Babson junior Craig Weiner has been named the ECAC East Goalie of the Week after stopping 60 of the 62 shots that he faced this past weekend. Last year the Beavers dominated Tufts as they squelched five Tufts power-play opportunities, including three in the final period. The lone goal for the Jumbos last year was scored by sophomore Matt Dalton in the first period. This was the only time the Jumbos had the lead in the game, with a score of 1-0. Tufts only has six remaining games to earn a berth in the NESCAC tournament. "Every game we have left will affect our seed [in the tournament] if we get one and that [seed] is crucial to who we play in the playoffs," McCarthy said. "Connecticut College and Wesleyan are only two games behind us in the standings and Hamilton College is only a few ahead. If we play the way we know we can we'll make the playoffs."
The Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS) teamed up with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Center and the Dean of Students Office last night to put on an awareness panel centered on the current screening policy for blood in American blood banks. The panel featured such organizations as the Red Cross and AIDS Action Committee. Of discussion was the conflict between the University's anti-discrimination policy and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations that certain persons are precluded from ever donating blood due to their assessed high risk of possessing the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The persons deferred from donating blood by the FDA rules include men who have slept with other men after 1977, those who have used a needle to take drugs without a prescription, those who have been diagnosed with hemophilia, or those who have taken drugs or money in exchange for sex. The panel focused on the issue of gays donating blood. Last semester, senior Matthew Pohl and the co-presidents of LCS came to an agreement in December allowing Red Cross blood drives to continue on campus, under provisions that there are increased local and national education efforts about the potentially discriminatory policy. Charlene Galarneau, a Tufts lecturer in community health, argued that putting all gay men together was too exclusive. "A person with exposure to hepatitis or a recipient of a tattoo is only deferred from donating blood for one year," Galarneau said. "Exposure to malaria means deferment of three years. But what they are saying is that these [gay] men are deferred for life." "Donor selection removes 97 percent of risk of contracting HIV," New England's Chief Medical Officer for Red Cross Richard Benjamin said. "It's not a gay issue; it's much bigger than that." Selection, he said, is based on at-risk behavior, not sexual orientation. "One of the main misconceptions is that heterosexual sex is safe," Galarneau said. Benjamin requested that panel attendees consider both sides of a blood donation. "I don't believe the rights of donors supersede the rights of recipients," he said. Sophie Godley, the Director of Prevention on the AIDS Action Committee, was concerned about the FDA's apparent placement of the issue of gays and blood onto the backburner. The Blood Products Advisory Council is in charge of all rules relating to this issue, but when it came down to a vote, the tally came up seven-to-six in favor of keeping the status quo over reducing deferment to five years. "[I'm] concerned about the unintended consequences [of changing the policy]," said Dr. Richard Olans, Director of Infectious Diseases and Director of Microbiology at Hallmark Health. "It may be somewhat discriminatory in who can donate, but this system is not discriminatory in who receives blood." Olans also worried that if certain screenings were dropped, then the issue would become "so much chaff to be used as a political issue." The panelists agreed on one key point: They stated that the blood supply is much lower than it should be if America is to keep up citizen health. "If half the [gay] men who are turned away could give blood, then we would not have a blood shortage," Benjamin said. According to the panelists, the overall blood supply is only two days ahead of what any given hospital needs for transfusions and operations. Contrary to popular opinion, Benjamin asserted, blood is only good for 42 days. Six weeks after collection, any unused blood is useless to doctors. Some of the panelists' complaints with the Red Cross were its passive attitude Rather than bringing these issues to the fore, they hide behind FDA regulations and do nothing to challenge them. "Imagine if the Red Cross led the way," Godley said.
