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Poker tournaments may raise gambling issues

January 24

The rise of poker tournaments as fundraisers for various student organizations has forced the Tufts administration to reevaluate some of its antiquated policies. According to state law, in which gambling is illegal, universities in Massachusetts are required to prohibit poker games played strictly for money. This has put universities in the difficult position of reconciling their rules with state law, and university policies are often be unclear. Many student groups on campus are organizing poker tournaments to raise money for their respective causes, in which an entry fee is charged and the proceeds go to charity. Because prizes are often awarded to the winners, however, the administration is faced with the issue of whether or not this constitutes gambling, and thus whether University policy on the subject is in accordance with state law. Office of Student Activities Director Jodie Nealley questioned the adequacy of Tufts' policies for dealing with these issues. "The only policy we have deals specifically with raffles," she said. In her nine years at Tufts, she said, poker tournaments were never a large issue, and the old policy had always been sufficient. The raffle policy stipulates how to conduct raffles as fundraisers. It states that if game costs money to play, awards prizes of more than twenty five dollars, and if it is strictly based on chance, then it qualifies as gambling and requires a gambling license. To avoid the controversy surrounding acquiring a license, organizations often award prizes worth twenty five dollars or less, or give free tickets in order to promote a cause or group. According to the policy, students need to "coordinate [their] efforts with the Office of Student Activities" if any of the three conditions are present. Yet, it is unclear how this policy applies to poker and other forms of fundraising. University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) administrators became involved with gambling issues at UPenn in November 2004. A UPenn fraternity decided to hold a poker tournament, where the ten dollar buy-in would go to charity, and winners would receive prizes instead of cash. The UPenn administration, however, shut down the tournament at the last minute, saying that because the prizes awarded were of higher value than the ten dollar buy in, playing in the tournament would be gambling. Tufts' own Zeta Psi fraternity has already held a poker tournament this year. "Our poker tournaments went like the ones at UPenn. We donated to the Haitian Hurricane Relief Fund and the Korrinna L. Denehey Education Fund," former president Sam Chavarria said. "Buy-ins were $15 and American Express gift certificates were awarded to the top three finishers." Zeta Psi is going to be holding another tournament in the near future to benefit the victims of the tsunami in Southeast Asia. President Josh Cohn said that the reason it is permitted is because no cash is awarded, and that nobody at the fraternity is making money off of the event. "There's no profit being made by anyone here, it's just going to great causes. It's great that there's been no controversy [like the one at UPenn]," he said. Cohn said that Zeta Psi chose poker over other fundraising options because of its popularity. "We know that people will come. We know that people play poker -- in the past year it's become so huge," he said. The tournaments were cleared by Head of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Todd Sullivan, who said his job was "making sure it wasn't gambling -- where students win actual money." The administration recognizes the benefits of such fundraising efforts, despite the means. "If these students want to raise money for an important cause, I want to help them with that," Sullivan said. Nealley, however, believes that the University's policies are inadequate. During the spring semester, she said, several meetings and seminars will be held to develop a comprehensive policy that will appear in the Pachyderm next year. Although neither Nealley nor Sullivan expressed concern that a controversy similar to what happened at UPenn would occur here, Nealley emphasized that nothing is certain until all the issues are examined at the meetings this spring.

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News

One Thousand White Women': an enjoyable what-if drama

January 24

What would have happened if in 1864, at the request of a prominent Cheyenne chief, the U.S. government had willfully bartered one thousand white women in exchange for one thousand of the tribe's best war ponies in hopes of integrating the two societies? That is exactly the premise for Jim Fergus' first novel, "One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd." Though the plot is, at a glance, far-fetched, Fergus found his inspiration in a real life event where a Cheyenne chief did in fact approach the U.S. government with a proposal to send one thousand white women onto Indian reservations as bartered wives, with the intention of producing an integrated and peaceful American generation. The request was of course shunned by the Grant administration, and as far as the history books are concerned, no women were ever taken from the bosom of white society. However, using personal narrative to fully transport the reader to his world of historical fiction, Fergus does a brilliant job of convincing the reader otherwise. Though the time and place are far removed from today's frame of reference, the novel's themes are relevant to any day or age. The book addresses the lengths to which one is willing to go for gender and racial equality, and even goes so far as to touch on the stigmas of the morally depraved and mentally unstable. From the ex-slave turned woman warrior, to the drunken natives at military bases and their courageous counterpart braves, topics that are constantly affecting society but have gone unspoken for centuries are non-confrontationally brought to light through intimate and lifelike fiction. The novel is presented as a series of personal diary entries written by the irreverent outcast, May Dodd. Birthed into a high society family in Chicago, May was cast aside when she left home to live with a man well below her social stature. After having two children out of wedlock, May's family sent her to an asylum in an attempt to salvage the family good name and reputation. May remained locked away until the day when an unorthodox ticket to freedom arrived at the asylum. The U.S. government was conducting an "experiment" in the form of a volunteer service where one thousand women would be sent to live on various Cheyenne reservations and marry tribal men. The women approached were often found in prison or insane asylums, while some were even former slaves. May jumps at the chance for adventure and freedom, with hopes of eventually being reunited with her family. The story details the experiences of May and her companions as they struggle to adapt and survive life on the reservation. The experiences and struggles are so lifelike that they are often mundane in their matter-of-factness. Activities such as cooking, bathing and keeping warm are often addressed; however May daringly discusses the carnal differences between "civilized" and "savage" cultures. The book examines love in all its forms - betrayal, lust, and greed - while restraining the melodrama to a bearable and often unnoticeable level. The book resists falling into farce because of the strength of its protagonist, May Dodd. Her first person accounts are candid, intelligent and honest. And her clever satire often applies not only to life in the nineteenth century but is readily applicable to goings-on in our own society. Fergus is also to be commended on his use of the female voice, as it would have been easy to rely on the superficial aspects of a female character instead of reaching inward for interesting insight. While the plot focuses on ideas that are hardly mainstream, "One Thousand White Women" gracefully weaves together different subjects and characters without being presumptuous or relying on stereotype. The ideas and themes are surprisingly familiar; so much so, in fact, that it is easy to lose yourself entirely in the story, altogether forgetting that President Grant never actually did solicit these women to go and live on the reservations.

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News

Vet School seeks grant to build biocontainment lab

January 24

In accordance with its plans to construct a Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL) on its Grafton campus, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine (TUSVM) has applied for a $20 million grant from the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the United States Public Health Service. NIAID requested applications for the building of five to eight RBLs for the purpose of examining possible agents of bioterror. The 30,000 sq. ft. lab would be classified as Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3), which the National Institutes of Health (NIH) classifies as "low community risk." There is no need for concern on the part of Grafton residents, according to Associate Dean of Administration and Finance for the Veterinary School Joseph McManus. At a Grafton Selectman's meeting, he announced that the risk to residents would be "negligible." "There are multiple layers of identity and access control for the building," McManus wrote in a flyer distributed to attendees of a Jan. 12 campus forum. "This RBL will be a purpose-built, standalone building designed specifically for worker and community safety. Access to the building will be strictly controlled," he wrote. BSL-3 labs are already located on the Tufts campus at the Medical School and at the Veterinary School in Building 20. A controversial bioterror lab to be built at Boston University will be classified as BSL-4. Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) labs are defined as having the greatest community risk. NIAID has made the study of zoonotic bioterror agents, or those that are transmissible from animals to humans, a priority, having already granted money to veterinary schools in Colorado, Missouri, Iowa, and Georgia to study "It makes sense for such labs to be at veterinary schools because most of the agents that will be studied are zoonotic," said Barbara Donato, assistant director of Public Relations at the Vet School. A Jan. 7 Chronicle of Higher Education reports that vet schools across the country are currently researching diseases from anthrax to tularemia, the animal disease that recently infected some researchers at a Boston University lab. The Tufts Vet School has already been at the forefront of bioterrorism research. It received a $25 million contract from the NIH to establish a Microbiology Research Unit that would study food and waterborne diseases. Director of Tufts' Division of Infectious Disease Saul Tzipori recently conducted research at the Vet School on Cryptosporidium hominis, a water-borne parasite which the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified as a potential bioterrorist agent. His work was published in the Oct. 28 issue of Nature. The RBL would be built on 30,000 sq. ft. of the 702,000 sq. ft. available in Grafton Science Park. Science Park is University-owned and is as yet undeveloped. It is within an Economic Target Area -- a zone intended to draw businesses which would foster job creation and economic growth within the host community. Even though the RBL would not be taxable, "it will be an important catalyst and magnet to bring private taxpaying companies to Grafton Science Park," McManus wrote. Any project at Science Park would have to be approved by the Grafton Planning Board. A representative of the Planning Board was unable to comment as the town is searching for a new full-time planner after the departure of the former planner, according to a receptionist at the town office.

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News

New Bright Eyes records are night and day

January 24

Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes began recording music at the age of 13, only to be deemed a boy genius shortly after. His band is now enjoying such a high level of success in the U.S. that Oberst released an interview CD to substitute for press interviews. He has recently been featured in Filter magazine, Rolling Stone, and even "All Things Considered" on NPR. All this exposure happened without the release of one Bright Eyes song on the radio. The band experienced great success with their last album, "Lifted or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear To The Ground," and released two new albums today. While lyrically Oberst may not be the modern-day Bob Dylan, as claimed in the pages of Rolling Stone, he has certainly energized both the indie rock and singer-songwriter scenes. The first album recorded, entitled "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning," has been repeatedly introduced by press as one of the greatest folk albums ever made. This acclaim appears to be the user-friendly term for what the album more closely resembles: the stuff of pure country. Only this country is juxtaposed with Oberst's quivering vocals and lyrical insights. This disc features guest appearances by Emmylou Harris and Jim James from My Morning Jacket. Song material ranges from that of social turmoil to good old personal drama. Oberst incorporates a protest march into "Old Soul Song" and writes in the anti-war vein in "Road to Joy:" "So when you're asked to fight a war that's over nothing/ its best to join the side that's gonna win/ and no one knows how all of this got started/but we're gonna make them goddamn certain how it's gonna end." Oberst comfortably slips into the more subdued and personal "Lua." Here there is a softness to the guitar and a relaxed melody that is reminiscent of the late Elliot Smith. He writes, "I've got a flask inside my pocket we can share it on the train/ If you promise to stay conscious I will try and do the same/ We might die from medication, but we sure killed all the pain/ But what was normally in the evening, by the morning seems insane." The second album Bright Eyes recorded, "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn" rips away from the usual acoustic guitar arrangement in favor of slightly creepier-than-usual lyrics and vocals immersed in a sea of electronic sound. With 1980's electronic drum and keyboard sounds, and cameos by musicians like Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the album takes indie-rock in a new direction, and is likely to draw attention from the techno savvy as well. The steel guitar and country song structures come together neatly on "Wide Awake," to form a more mature sound for Oberst, but it is in "Digital Ash" that he seems more at home. Here the utter chaos of his persona comes through. On "Digital Ash," songs like "Time Code" combine a church hymn with dramatic drum beats and sinister lyrics; while on "Take it Easy," the pop-storytelling of "Bowl of Oranges" is revisited, with help from bell and whip sound effects in the background. Though they are by no means the first indie band to break into the mainstream, Bright Eyes has remained distinct in their commitment to remain faithful to their hometown record label, Saddle Creek, despite offers from the largest labels in the country. On top of achieving commercial success, Conor Oberst has recently established a new label, Team Love. He also toured with Bruce Springsteen and REM on the Vote for Change tour. Proceeds from the sale of each of the new albums will benefit Amnesty International.

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News

Bush's free-falling madness

January 24

President Bush, in his second inaugural address, made no reference at all to Iraq. Nevertheless it was all about Iraq. Its simple theme - that the United States must promote "freedom" and "democracy" throughout the world in order to eliminate "terrorism" and ensure the continuation of freedom in this country - is intended to justify the attack and the costly, bloody occupation of Iraq. The war was initially justified as absolutely necessary to rid the world, and especially the threat to New York, of Saddam's weapons of mass destruction and to end the alleged long history of Iraq/al Qaeda ties. These excuses, rationally rejected all along by most governments and thinking people, have fallen apart. The war resulting from what the United Nations Secretary General matter-of-factly terms "illegal," and which the Vatican condemned as such from the outset, is now defended mainly as an effort to "liberate" the oppressed Iraqis. This, despite overwhelming evidence that life for most Iraqis is worse now than under Saddam; that truly democratic institutions cannot be established under an occupation that has provoked entirely predictable, legitimate resistance; and the occupiers' own polls indicating that the majority of Iraqis want the invaders out, now. Make no mistake. This ringing call for "freedom," in the context of the Iraqi disaster and relentless administration efforts to promote "regime change" in Iran, Syria and elsewhere, is really a call for the American people to endorse expansion of the U.S. imperial project in Muslim Southwest Asia. It is an effort to prettify that project, which includes permanent military bases, control of the flow of oil from the region, and general geopolitical advantage in the global chess game that has little to do with freedom or morality. "Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose," sang Janis Joplin. The word "free" is used/abused in lots of ways, and all through the Cold War it meant nothin' but pro-United States policy. The "Free World," which we were taught to imagine confronting the Communist menace, included Suharto's Indonesia, Mobutu's Zaire, Franco's Spain, Marcos' Philippines, Papadopolous' Greece, Pinochet's Chile, Salazar's Portugal, Selassi's Ethiopia, Duvalier's Haiti, Park's South Korea, Diem's South Vietnam, Rios Montt's Guatemala, Samoza's Nicaragua, Paraguay's Stroessner, Botha's South Africa and many, many more "free" countries. Now we are told that Afghanistan and Iraq are "free," and encouraged to expect that more nations will be freed by Emancipator Bush during his second term. There are many indications that the United States, perhaps in concert with Israel, will attack Syria and Iran. They include the passage of the Syria Responsibility Act, for which the administration lobbied heavily in an effort to get Congress behind "preemptive" action against Damascus; United States co-sponsorship of UN Security Council resolution 1559, which without naming Syria, demands its withdrawal of its military forces from Lebanon (even though these are deployed with Arab League approval and the resolution was not sought by Lebanon itself); official approval of Israel's strike against Syria in October 2003; administration rhetoric denouncing Syria as being "on the wrong side of history"; ongoing accusations of Syrian assistance to Baathist officials fleeing Iraq, involvement of Syrian banks in funding the Iraqi resistance, Syrian failure to stem the flow of resistance fighters across the Syrian-Iraqi border, and Syrian support for Hizbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other organizations regarded by the U.S. State Department as "terrorist." Reports of plans for U.S. missile strikes or cross-border raids are routinely leaked to the press. Iran, meanwhile, long vilified as a sponsor of Palestinian and Hezbollah terrorists, has been accused of "interfering" in Iraq (as though nobody else were doing so in Iran's next door neighbor), of supporting the Iraqi resistance, of funding Iraqi political parties, of infiltrating agents into Iraq, and (quite absurdly) of meaningful links to the passionately anti-Shiiteal Qaeda. It stands accused, too, of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, even though the International Atomic Energy Agency concludes there is no evidence for the charge. The IAEA's refusal to validate U.S. claims has led to Washington's (failed) efforts to force agency head Mohamed El Baradei to resign his post. The administration is infuriated that the IAEA has not issued a report that would prompt UNSC sanctions against Iran and legitimate U.S. actions to produce regime change. Vice President Cheney has recently stated that if "the Israelis became convinced the Iranians had significant nuclear capability ... the Israelis might well decide to act first, and let the rest of the world worry about cleaning up the diplomatic mess afterwards." This statement strikes some, including Zbigniew Brzezinski, as a green light for such an attack, part of a division of labor in a joint effort to remold the region. Is there any doubt as to whom Cheney thinks should "clean up?" But wait, you say. So bogged down and overextended in Iraq, how could Bush possibly contemplate a widening of the war? The question resembles that which many of us asked before the attack on Iraq. "Even if Saddam really has weapons of mass destruction, why would he use them against the U.S., knowing it would produce a horrific counterattack on his country?" "Because he is MAD," we were told. Well, actually, Saddam was not mad. Stupid and cruel, but not crazy. It would be crazy for this administration to pursue the neo-con scenario for empire building in what they call the "Greater Middle East," even if they might sell it to some, for a while, as a heroic crusade in support of democracy. But that does not mean they will not try it. There is, to use Shakespeare's phrase, a method in their madness, and some of the deluded crazies think they hear God's voice calling them to smite "Evil" and - even end it - during our time. They have an enthusiastic amen-choir in a section of the unthinking public. The watching sane, paying careful attention, should struggle to restrain them.Gary P. Leupp is a Professor of History in the School of Arts and Sciences.

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News

Alum is a 'Friend' to Fox

January 24

Matt Singerman (LA '88), now the executive producer of the Fox News morning program "Fox & Friends," is a poster child for success in the entertainment industry. Since his graduation from Tufts 15 years ago, Singerman has risen from serving as a production assistant on Maury Povich's former gossip program "A Current Affair" to executive producing the most-watched morning cable news program in the nation. The summer between his junior and senior years at Tufts, Singerman participated in an internship at "A Current Affair" that led to a subsequent job offer and eventual promotion. "I had never thought about TV before, but I loved it," Singerman said. Eight years later, he was offered a job at Fox News. According to Singerman, in a business as tough as television, the way to better ratings is originality. Instead of following in the footsteps of the ever popular NBC morning program, "The Today Show" - which the political science major says targets stereotypical "housewives" - Singerman produces "Fox & Friends" for the "politically-minded." "We're the anti-Today Show,'" Singerman said. "Our audience is interested in hard news and politics." As cable news viewership has risen, "Fox & Friends'" viewership has as well. Having been on the air for six years, the show is winning the ratings race against its competition, CNN's "American Morning" and MSNBC's "Imus in The Morning." The way Singerman triumphs - by throwing together three opinionated anchors and giving them free range to express their views - has drawn a loyal following of 1.2 million viewers at any given time during the three-hour show (and three to four million viewers total per day). In contrast, CNN draws about 753,000 at any given time during the day, and MSNBC about 364,000. In a typical Fox News style, the "Fox & Friends" anchors are candid and honest with their opinions. Rather than the "light" and "friendly" talk of "The Today Show," the three "Fox & Friends" co-hosts express what they think, no matter the consequences. But when Singerman is asked whether the ever-popular notion that Fox leans to the political right extends to his show, he is quick to skirt the issue. "We [at Fox News] are targeting an audience that is interested in politics," he said. "So sure, part of it is what our viewership is interested in, and part of it is to be different. We keep the show focused on the news." This nontraditional approach to morning news is what Singerman feels makes "Fox & Friends" distinctly different from its competitors - which, for the most part, follow the more conventional model of remaining impartial and detached from the news their hosts are reporting. "I've covered everything from the presidential deadlock to 9/11 to the war in Iraq to Michael Jackson," Singerman added. "When a story breaks, you've just got to run with it. You have to say, this is a life-changing event for the American people, so how are we going to convey that?" The show has attracted many distinguished guests over the years, including Secretary of State Colin Powell, First Lady Laura Bush, Representative Richard Gephardt, and Senator Trent Lott. On "Fox & Friends," discussions with such political heavyweights are coupled with candid banter among the anchors as well as straight news reports from Fox correspondents around the globe. By giving the anchors free range to express their opinions, Singerman said that he has created a show to which Fox's viewers can really relate. "People have to want to let you into their bedrooms in the morning, when they're still in bed and getting dressed, and that's a tough thing to get them to do," he said. But through hard work and his innovative approach to TV news, Singerman and the whole "Fox & Friends" team has managed to do just that. "TV is a tough business, especially TV news," he said. "You have to be ready to work 24/7. You can't have a nine-to-five mentality in TV." "If you don't like hard work, TV news is not for you," he added. This mentality has come in handy for Singerman over the past few months: he just became a father for the first time. "This job doesn't allow you a lot of sleep, but neither does a new baby," he said. A former writer for the Tufts Observer and a Theta Chi fraternity brother, Singerman knows it wasn't just long hours that helped him succeed. "A Tufts education is great for whatever business you get into," he said. "It didn't teach me anything about television, but it taught me how to write and think and just gave me a great education in general.""Fox & Friends" airs on Fox News every day from 6-9 a.m.

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News

Construction on new dorm, music building set to begin

January 24

The University and William Rawn and Associates will undertake two new construction projects in the coming year as a part of the new Master Plan for the expansion of on-campus facilities. In late May of this year, construction is slated to begin on a new music building, which will be located next to the Shirley and Alex Aidekman Arts Center on Talbot Ave. Also Sofia Gordon Hall, the new dormitory, which has been stalled in planning phases, will be built across the street from the music building, next to Stratton Hall. Construction by Rawn and Associates, which will begin in May, is expected to last through the Fall of 2006. While construction is underway, some of the areas on either side of Talbot Ave. will be blocked off. Tufts' Vice President of Operations John Roberto promised, however, that "the University will take whatever steps are necessary to preserve accessibility to the facilities." "A great deal of time and energy will go into planning to mitigate negative effects during construction," Johnston said. Construction is being planned to minimize disturbance to music classes and to ensure that the music library remains functional, according to Associate Professor of Music David Locke. "We do not anticipate any major disruption," he said. These projects are the first improvements to come out of the so-called Master Plan, -- a broad planning process agreed upon last year by the University and Rawn and Associates, the architecture firm hired by Tufts to work on the Master Plan. According to Doug Johnston, principal architect for the project from Rawn and Associates, the plan will "guide future development at Tufts and provide recommendations for improvements [to the campus]." Roberto described the plan as one that will "assess academic and research needs of the University for the next ten years." The music faculty has long wanted a new building and the department has been advocating for it for the last 15 years, according to Associate Professor of Music Janet Schmalfeldt. "Any plans that developed would simply fall apart," Schmalfeldt said. The Department of Music is currently located in the former Provost's House at 48 Professor's Row, and some music classes and activities are held in the basement of Aidekman. Schmalfeldt called this "a poor teaching environment." The new music building will have several uses. Primarily, it will house the music department and will include a 300-seat recital hall, practice and rehearsal rooms, improved classroom facilities to be shared with other departments, faculty offices, and teaching and studio space. The facility will also become home to the University's music library, currently in Aidekman. "This will be the home of the music department," Schmalfeldt said. Both Schmalfeldt and Locke believe that the creation of this facility will revive interest in the music department. "We are hoping to regain the faculty size that we had ten years ago. We are already searching for a new musicologist." Schmalfeldt said. Locke noted that the facility would allow for additional programs and courses to be created, and hoped that the accessibility of the facility would attract more people to the music department. "The facility will be open to any members of the Tufts community who want to practice the piano, or practice with an a cappella group, or rock band." he said. Sofia Gordon Hall will be a 125-student dormitory divided into suites. Roberto described the building as two towers that are connected on the first floor. The University's Planning Committee involved members of the Tufts community and the cities to review ideas for the project. Johnston stated that student organizations, faculty committees, representatives from the Provost's office, Facilities, Development, and the Alumni Council were all represented or active at one time or another. According to Roberto, the planning phase has gone smoothly and without much opposition. He said that the mayors of both Somerville and Medford saw a presentation of the construction plans for both Sofia Gordon Hall and the music building. "Both [mayors] have been very supportive of the designs we put forward, and there is no concern at the city level," Roberto said. Johnston also affirmed that "both communities will have further opportunities to provide input as the Master Plan evolves." There was, however, significant opposition from the Somerville Historic Preservation Committee regarding the construction of Sophia Gordon Hal. This resulted in the delayed granting of a building permit for the new dorm on Professor's Row, due to the planned destruction of a building of "historic value." The plans were altered to locate the building solely on Talbot Ave, which prevented the demolition of the disputed building. The building planning committee will soon advance a budget proposal to the Board of Trustees. Roberto reports that University Advancement has raised $13 to $14 million for the project. This figure, however, has not changed since last spring, when Roberto said the University would need to raise at least $16.5 million before ground could be broken. The Office of the Provost has estimated the total cost of the building to be around $25 million. Schmalfeldt believes that without the help of an anonymous donor, who gave $4 million to the cause several years ago, the University wouldn't have progressed to the current planning stages for the building. Sofia Gordon Hall and the new music building are the only projects that will begin construction this year. However, an anticipated third project is in what Roberto calls, "the programming phase, or very early stages [of planning]." This third project includes plans for a laboratory and also stems from the Master Plan. Roberto, however, stressed that little has been decided about this project yet, as planning committees are "only beginning to identify the uses [for the planned building.]"

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News

Coach Carter scores big

January 24

Before you brand this movie another clich?©d sports drama, let Coach Carter put you in the game. Set in urban northern California, Richmond High School is filled with troubled youths and a struggling basketball team. Coach Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) is offered the poor-paying and challenging job of reviving a former basketball powerhouse from its previous record of 4-22. Carter's history as a former all-American and Richmond alum holding the school's record in scoring and assists, quickly grabs the team's attention. Carter changes everything about the team, beginning with transforming the informal style of practice to grueling training sessions filled with hundreds of suicide runs and pushups. He makes each player sign a contract agreeing to maintain a 2.3 grade point average, attend every class, sit in the front row, and wear ties on game day. He also refers to his players as "young sirs" and requires that they show him, and each other, the same respect. The movie climaxes as the team plays fantastic basketball, winning more than twice as many games as the year before. Carter soon finds out that the players' success in the classroom is far from comparable with their achievements on the court. The coach places a chain on the door to the gym, locking out his players from practices and games. With the biggest game of the season only a week away, a town centered around its basketball team erupts. The film starts slowly, minimizing basketball and instead focusing on the lives of the players. Kenyon, played by Rob Brown ("Finding Forrester"), gets his girlfriend Kyra (Ashanti, in her big screen debut) pregnant and is torn by his responsibility to her and to his college basketball aspirations. Timo (Rick Gonzalez) is insecure, hostile and angry, constantly worried about living the rest of his life as a drug dealer. Junior (Nana Gbewonyo), the team's dominating center, can barely read an article describing his brilliant play. Suprsingly, the reason for this movie's success does not lie in the exciting and entertaining basketball scenes. Instead, "Carter's" focus on the lives of inner city kids moves this film out of the simple "sports movie" category and into the class of films which impart an important message. Carter urges his players to believe in themselves both on and off the court, even if their friends and family do not. Jackson aptly portrays Ken Carter as a charismatic and moral disciplinarian, as tough with his family as he is with his basketball players. As in most of his films, Jackson's character is gruff and angry. Ashanti certainly stands out from the group of pop stars who painfully try to cross over from music to movies. She does a nice job of illustrating the difficult choices for young women in her situation. Her relationship with Kenyon takes up exactly the right amount of space on screen and is far from the typical, sappy nonsense between a star athlete and his girlfriend. Other exceptional performances belong to Robert Ri'chard who plays Carter's son and Denise Dowse as the principal of the school. Ri'chard struggles to fit in with his poorer teammates after transferring from private school in order to play for his father. He shows terrific emotion throughout the movie and is very likeable. Dowse is the typical principal. She doesn't have enough money for anything, time to talk to Carter, or an interest in the boys' academic success. Having given up any hope for their academic future, she believes that they must be allowed to play no matter what. This movie is a terrific balance between "Dangerous Minds" and "The Mighty Ducks." It has the right amount of entertainment and excitement for a sports movie, yet it shows how important an adult figure can be in the lives of troubled youth. Director Thomas Carter (no relation) hammers home a little too hard the point that if the boys fail in school they fail in life. Yet it is a valid one, and is key to understanding what makes "Carter" a slam dunk.

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News

For one Tufts student, cashing in may have become a compulsion

January 24

In the new recurring feature "The secret life of ...," the Daily explores aspects of the Tufts experience that aren't advertised in admissions brochures. "Addicted to gambling?" he repeated, smiling broadly and sucking through his front teeth. "Well, I don't know about that. Let's just say if I had to stop, I'd be very disappointed." Some friends disagree. "I would definitely describe Matt as an addict," one said. While Matt - whose name has been changed to protect his identity - doesn't consider his behavior a problem, it clearly has become a habit. A senior, Matt plays poker three to four times a week either on campus or at the nearby Foxwoods Casino. Generally playing with anywhere from $20-$100 buy-ins, Matt has won as much as $3,000 in one game - and has lost as much as $1,500. "Obviously, I win the majority of the time," he said. "Otherwise I wouldn't keep playing." Matt is part of a growing trend on college campuses nationwide. According to a survey by Leisure magazine, 85 percent of college students report being involved in some form of gambling, while 23 percent report gambling on a weekly basis. According to a study by Harvard Medical School, about 627,000 college students are addicted to gambling. Although most students consider gambling to be a fun recreational activity, the growing trend has raised some concern. "When kids are playing every day of the week and risking money their parents give them for groceries, then it becomes a problem," said James Breville, a spokesperson for Gamblers Anonymous. Matt has regularly played poker for two years, but the game has only recently turned into a passion. "In the past year, I have gotten much more competitive," he said. Matt believes other Tufts students are equally enthusiastic. "Tufts is one of the biggest poker schools," he said. "People come from other schools just to play here - it's like a mecca for schools in the Boston area." Some students attribute the increase in the popularity of poker on campus to popular poker television shows. "I watched poker on TV today for an entire hour," another Tufts enthusiast said. "It's easy to get into, and then you just want to get a game going yourself." Although Matt admits to betting substantial sums of cash in poker, he denies participating in "irresponsible behavior." "I wouldn't bet money that I needed for rent or food or something," he said. He insists that his passion for gambling remains a recreational hobby, and is simply part of his general love of games and competition. "I've always been interested in competitive games," Matt said. "Poker is as basic a competition as you can get - your skills versus the skills of your opponent. If you can just quantify that skill, you can avoid all of the other external influences." One such external influence is the luck of the draw. "Because of the cards, not everyone can walk away a winner every time," Matt said. He still maintains that the main element of poker is skill. "It's a skill in that you can maximize each outcome so that you can profit more than the odds would dictate," he said. Other forms of gambling, however, involve less skill and more risk. One friend describes how Matt has gotten "carried away" at the casino: "He'll win big at the poker table, but then he gets cocky," the friend said. "I've seen him win $1,000 in poker, and then go and waste half of it on the roulette dials." Matt dismisses such criticism. "I just have a lot of fun," he said. For now, Matt says he has limited gambling to a hobby, but he is seriously considering playing poker professionally at some point in his life. Though he has already secured a corporate job, Matt still contemplates the opportunities gambling offers. "I was thinking of taking some time off to play poker," he said. "I say do it while you're young."

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News

Dining halls only facilities open after weekend's blizzard

January 24

Thirty-eight inches of snow later -- and the first dreaded Monday of the semester cancelled -- Carmichael and Dewick-MacPhie Dining Halls were the only Medford campus facilities open after the blizzard that struck Eastern Massachusetts over the weekend. When Carmichael Manager David Kelley heard news of the impending blizzard on Saturday, he and five other of the dining hall's staff members decided to spend the night in the cafeteria in order to be able to serve students brunch on Sunday morning. According to a Dewick employee, at least one person did the same in the downhill eatery. "We have to be here regardless of the weather -- this is our business," Kelley said. According to Kelley, Monday was the third time in the over 22 years that he has been at Tufts that the University has cancelled classes and shut down most of its facilities due to a snowstorm. The decision to shut down the Boston and Medford campuses was made by the Facilities Department. "A couple more people wanted to sleep-over but we encouraged them to go home," Brian Woytowich, a Dewick student manager said. "We did not want people to sleep uncomfortably and later not be able to work on Sunday." Kelley said Carmichael was running on third- and fourth-day rations to feed students and that delivery trucks had not been able to deliver yesterday morning due to the inclement weather. "We're just starting to run out [of food] but the delivery companies have confirmed that they will be in [Tuesday] morning," he said. According to figures kept by the dining halls' managers, 2,330 students ate Sunday brunch and 1,768 had dinner that night at one of the two eateries. The numbers for Dewick were typical of weekend turnouts but Carmichael serviced approximately 300 more students for both Sunday brunch and dinner than was projected. Monday's dining hall traffic was back to typical numbers for both the uphill and downhill dining halls. Frozen pipes in both Dewick and Carmichael led to no hot water for most of Monday and students had to use plastic and paper silverware because the porcelain dishes and metal silverware could not be properly sanitized. According to Mario Ciccariello, of Dewick's maintenance staff, a Tufts plumber had fixed two of the three frozen pipes by late yesterday afternoon. At press time, Carmichael still had no hot water, Kelley said. Having such alternative silverware and keeping rations are essential, Kelley says, in order to deal with such unanticipated crises. While the Boston and Medford campuses were shut down, the Grafton campus was open for classes as usual. The weekend snowstorm, which originated in the Midwestern states, has been called one of the five heaviest blizzards to hit the Northeast in the past century. Massachusetts was among the states hardest-hit by the blizzard. Gov. Mitt Romney has declared a "state of snow emergency" and has asked residents not to leave their homes and travel on icy roads unless absolutely necessary.

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Women's Basketball | Jumbos continue tailspin with more losses

January 24

Tufts continued its slide down the NESCAC ranks on Saturday, losing 68-59 to Middlebury at home. The loss was the team's sixth straight and its seventh in the last eight games. After taking an early lead, the Jumbos fell behind by seven with just over 11 minutes to go in the first half. Twice they managed to trim the lead to four before falling behind by 11, 33-22, at the break. Tufts took a 37-35 lead when senior co-captain Erin Connolly hit a three-pointer to cap a 15-2 run. But Middlebury responded with a 21-3 run of its own to give the Panthers a 56-40 advantage. The Jumbos got no closer than eight the rest of the way. Tufts struggled defensively despite forcing 25 turnovers, allowing Middlebury to shoot 46 percent from the floor and 41 percent from three-point range. "We had some defensive breakdowns," coach Carla Berube said. "We had trouble getting through their screens and giving up some open shots. We were letting them drive on us, and then when they missed we were giving up too many offensive rebounds." Junior guard Jessica Powers agreed with her coach's assessment. "We definitely could have played better defensively," Powers said. "We need to play for the entire 30 seconds. The consistency has to be there on every possession for the entire possession." Middlebury had 14 offensive rebounds, and a 46 to 32 total rebounding advantage. "There was a lack of intensity," Berube said. "We saw glimpses of it, but it was not there consistently. They hit some big shots, especially at the end of the shot clock that deflated us a little bit, but we've got to be a team that bounces back from that." Offensively the team was even less successful, shooting just 32 percent from the field. Powers, Connolly, and sophomore guard Valerie Krah, perhaps the team's three best perimeter shooters, were a combined eight for 36 from the field. "We didn't capitalize; we didn't execute offensively," Berube said. "We missed some easy, open shots. When we didn't execute, we had some rushed shots and some forced shots." Powers, who had 11 assists to go with her eight points, put the blame squarely on Tufts' offensive execution. "We were getting open shots, we just weren't finishing," Powers said. "We haven't been hitting our open shots. That's been our problem since the break. I don't think it was really the defense shutting us down." Coach Berube pointed to a combination of factors that stalled the offense. Turnovers on key possessions, forced shots, and added pressure on the offense due to the team's defensive struggles all contributed to the loss. "I hope we didn't run out of gas [in the second half]," Berube said. "I think we just had another letdown. We didn't stay consistent with our fire and our intensity, and that led to them pulling away." Senior co-captain Allison Love led the Jumbos with 16 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore Valerie Krah added 11 off the bench. Middlebury was led by Maryanne Verzosa's 17 points and Micaela McVary's 12 points and 15 rebounds. The loss to Middlebury came on the heels of the Tufts' closest and most heartbreaking game of the season as the Jumbos fell 63-60 to Williams at home. The game was the fifth straight win for the Ephs and as many back-to-back losses for Tufts. Ahead by as many as 14 in the first half, the Ephs trailed only twice, late in the game and not by more than two. Love's game-high 20 points was matched with 15 from Krah, but despite having the games two highest scorers, the Jumbos were unable to come away with the win as a desperation three-point shot by Krah fell short at the buzzer. The closeness of the game was reflected in the stat book. The Jumbos held a plus-four rebound margin, and had 17 turnovers to Williams' 19, and both teams nabbed 11 steals. The slight margin of victory for the Ephs came from 42.9 shooting percentage to the Jumbos' 36.1 and a the 22 points they received from the foul line, compared to only eight for the Tufts. With the losses to Middlebury and Williams, Tufts falls to 0-4 in the NESCAC, and 8-6 overall. The team is off until next Friday when it hosts Wesleyan for its third straight conference game. The Cardinals, led by NESCAC scoring leader junior Hannah Stubbs, are currently 14-1, 3-1 in league play, and look to be another tough game for a Jumbo squad looking to get their season back on track.

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News

BCS busts again

January 19

The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) has stumbled again, folks. The season ended with three undefeated teams in Div. I-A college football, two of them coming from major conferences. Yet only one national champion has been crowned. The Auburn Tigers, playing in the SEC, which many consider to be the toughest college football conference in the country, own the greatest claim to injustice. Going into the Nokia Sugar Bowl ranked third in the country, the Tigers defeated ninth-ranked Virginia Tech by a count of 16-13 in what proved to be a battle of two of the stingiest defenses in the country. Auburn controlled the game throughout, despite the close score at the end. Three Auburn field goals in the first half put the Tigers up 9-0 at halftime. Coach Tommy Tuberville's Tigers extended their lead by posting a quick touchdown in the third quarter as QB Jason Campbell connected with Devin Aromashodu for a five-yard score, putting Auburn up 16-0. The Tigers had the game wrapped up from there. Virginia Tech posted two meaningless scores late in the fourth quarter, making the game seem closer than it actually was. After the game, Tuberville was asked about being left out of the national title game. His response? "Neither [USC or Oklahoma] is better than us. We'll play them anytime, anywhere," he told ESPN.com. The rest of his team felt the same way. "People just don't understand how hard it is to go 13-0," Campbell said. "I'm not going to sit here and say we're No. 2 behind anybody." The other undefeated team left out of the title hunt was underrated Utah. The Utes posted a massive victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, capping off an undefeated season with a 35-7 victory. The Utah offense put up five scores, catalyzed by four from sensational QB Alex Smith, who also threw for 328 yards and no interceptions. The Utes' defense held the Panthers to a paltry seventeen rushing yards and one score. Despite a 12-0 season, the 35-7 win still wasn't enough to land the Utes higher than No. 5 in the BCS final standings. Unfortunately for Auburn, and to a lesser degree Utah, the only game that mattered in the eyes of the national title voters was the FedEx Orange Bowl, featuring No. 1 USC against No. 2 Oklahoma. The game wasn't even a contest, as USC blew out the Sooners 55-19. Trojan quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart threw an Orange Bowl-record five touchdown passes en route to securing the Trojans' second consecutive national title. Unsurprisingly, the USC players felt exactly like the Auburn players. "I think we proved tonight that we are the No. 1 team in the country without a doubt," Leinart said. "No doubt." So who is the true champion? We're left with three undefeated teams, but everyone responsible for the final polls seems to think that USC, without a question, is the best team in the country. Many, including "Inside College Football," think that Auburn and USC should be co-champions, just as occurred last year between LSU and USC. But then again, our opinion doesn't matter. Many people are calling for the implementation of an NFL-style eight or four-team playoff. But the BCS mittee issued a statement saying that a playoff system is not in the near future. Why not? BCS coordinator Kevin Weiberg said there was no interest from presidents and chancellors in such a system. As often is the case, the real answer probably lies in dollars and cents, as many speculate that changing to a playoff system would be less profitable for several parties at hand. But there is one thing for certain. With Leinart's recent announcement that he will return to USC for his senior season, the Trojans appear nearly impossible to beat next year. They return Leinart, all-purpose back and Heisman candidate Reggie Bush, who could be the best all-around player in college football, WR Steve Smith, and RB LenDale White. The Trojan men will be hunting for their third straight national title in 2005.

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Note aggravates Latino community, Somerville residents

January 19

An unauthorized, inflammatory note alleging to be from members of the Tufts Latino Men's Group heightened tensions between members of La Casa and neighbors shortly before the winter recess. The note warned the surrounding neighbors of a "loud" party at La Casa to be hosted by the Latino Men's Group after the Naked Quad Run, according to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman. La Casa, the Latino Culture House, is located on Whitfield Road. The note said that the party would run until 2 or 3 a.m. and requested that the neighbors "close their window" and not call the police "under any circumstances" but instead contact La Casa directly. The note also implied discrimination on the part of the Somerville Police Department (SPD) on the basis of race. The note included the name and contact information of Rafael Luciano, house manager of La Casa thus appearing to carry his endorsement. Reitman first received complaints from neighbors and their family members the following day about the letter, which "was worded in a way that was a cause for concern among the neighbors more than it was reassuring." "The letter raised more issues than it solved, Reitman said. "It's not something where the neighbors said, 'Oh what nice students.'" Neither the leadership of La Casa, nor the Latino Men's Group, however, had heard of the note and did not agree with or endorse its contents. "It was written by an individual that was part of the group but doesn't live at the house without showing it to anyone in the house or the group beforehand," Luciano said. "I saw the letter for the first time at [the Office of Residential Life and Learning], I told administration that I didn't know anything about it and it didn't involve anyone at the house," he said. According to Luciano, house residents "could not believe someone would write it and distribute it." when residents were informed about it at a meeting shortly after they were "upset." "The house was unhappy because it affected their relations with their neighbors, which had been fine all year," Reitman said. The issue was resolved shortly after both the Latino Men's group and members of La Casa wrote apologies to the neighbors regarding the incident and assured them that the groups did not agree with the views expressed in the letter. "It was resolved pretty easily," Reitman said. "It wasn't a disciplinary thing." The issue of racism as a factor in police enforcement of Tufts parties emerged during a dispute last February when Tufts and Somerville Police broke up a registered Feb. 13 La Casa party in a manner that many residents deemed more forceful than necessary. Some residents argued that race had contributed to the harsh enforcement. The La Casa party, however, coincided with the enactment of a new policy on open-container violations and joint efforts between the SPD and the Tufts University Police Department to crack down on noisy parties. According to SPD Officer Cabral, however, the La Casa incident represented a trend of tough enforcement across the board. "It's not about racism, it's about respect," Cabral told the Tufts Observer after the incident.

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Tufts suffers defeat in first meet after break

January 19

Coming back after winter break, the women's swimming team suffered a 178.5 to 117.5 loss at Wesleyan, its first defeat in three straight meets heading into the break. "They were gunning for us," said coach Nancy Bigelow. "We had beaten them the last few years, so they really wanted to get this one." There was more to it than Wesleyan's determination, though. The Jumbos had just returned late Friday night from a nine-day training session in the Dominican Republic. Tufts, along with other swim teams, headed down not only to train, but also to donate food and other supplies to aid the rough living situation in the D.R. "It went well and was a great experience," Bigelow said. "It was a fun trip, the swimmers worked very hard, and we were able to do something meaningful for people there." The trip took its toll, however. The swimmers only had one day back home before they had to turn around Sunday morning and head to Connecticut. Wesleyan, on the other hand, had returned from their training trip to California on Tuesday. They had a meet Wednesday and were back in the swing of things, rested and prepared for Sunday's meet. The Cardinals came out of the gate swimming at a torrid pace, winning the first seven events before Tufts posted a first place finisher. This put the Jumbos in a hole from which they were never able to recover. "We were in great shape," said Bigelow. "Unfortunately, we were just too tired to swim our best." In the end, Wesleyan won 12 of 16 events. Two of Tufts' victories came from junior Jessica Schwartz, who recently returned from a semester abroad. She made an immediate impact, winning off both the one meter board and the three meter board. "It is good to have Jessica back," said Bigelow. "She came on the trip and worked hard. She was definitely excited to get back out there." The Jumbos' biggest weakness this season has been that they have not had divers ready for competition. However, they now have Schwartz and sophomore Sarah Goldman. Sophomore Jessica Bollinger swam well in the 500 yard freestyle, posting a winning time of 5:25.02. She also placed second in the 1000 freestyle (11:05.81). Freshman Bianca Spinosa continued her strong swimming as she won the 100 fly with a time of 1:00.01. Unfortunately for Tufts, that was the last of the victories. Senior quad-captain Erica Weitz posted two second-place finishes, swimming a 2:18.00 in the 200 backstroke and tying Wesleyan swimmer Kate Krems in the 200 butterfly (2:17.52). Tufts fell to 3-2 on the season while the Cardinals, achieving their second consecutive victory, improved to 3-2. The Jumbos have a busy weekend coming up. On Saturday, the team will travel to Trinity for a meet. Sunday, they turn right around and swim against a tough MIT team that will be looking for revenge from last year. "We should be able to beat Trinity," said Bigelow. "They have some good swimmers, but we have a lot more depth. Sunday will be interesting. If we swim well, it will be a good meet. Last year I thought we had very little chance against MIT, but we ended up winning." As it gets closer to NESCAC championships, the swimmers are doing all they can to improve and get their times down. Each meet provides a test and lets them know how they stack up against the competition. "We are preparing very hard right now for the end of the year," said Bigelow. "So every race is good for the girls to improve their times."

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News

Campus goes up in smoke

January 19

Toking up, getting high, smoking the reefer: many students on Tufts' campus could list half a dozen euphemisms for smoking marijuana. They may be less familiar, however, with the risks associated with marijuana use. "People get drunk and smash cars and start fights in the street," senior Sara Brauner said. "People get stoned, eat a bag of Cheetos, and pass out on the couch. I don't really see the harm in that." Many members of the medical community disagree. A study released this month by British doctors connects marijuana use with increased rates of depression, psychosis and schizophrenia. The rising rates correspond with "acceptance of the drug and greater availability of stronger forms of it," according to the Royal College of General Practitioners. Doctors who participated in this study blame liberal pro-legalization groups for distracting citizens from the health threats of marijuana. "There is clear evidence that high levels of use, especially among teenagers who are physically and mentally still developing, carries with it the increased risk of psychosis and respiratory conditions such as asthma," said Dr. Clare Gerada of the College's Drug Misuse Unit. Director of Tufts Health Services Margaret Higham believes marijuana use on the Tufts campus to be prevalent. Frequently though, marijuana abuse is only addressed in conjunction with alcohol abuse cases. She believes these cases reflect a much "lower frequency than most likely occurs." "It hasn't been targeted as a specific intervention [at Health Services]," Higham said, "Not as much as alcohol." Higham stresses, however, the help that Health Services can provide. "We are happy to see students who feel they have a problem with it, and we do have resources here to help them with it." "I think because Tufts is a relatively dry campus, and because the alcohol policies are so tight, more students start smoking because there's just nothing else to do," sophomore Ethel Cohen said. "As someone underage, it's actually become much easier to get weed than alcohol." As a result of parties being broken up by 1 a.m., and having to pay fines for confiscated kegs, some Tufts students have begun to turn to marijuana as an alternative party option. According to senior Bryan Conti, who does not smoke marijuana, "Some kids just use [marijuana] as an alternative to drinking." Many organizations dedicated to the pursuit of legalizing marijuana and advocating the environmental benefits of the hemp plant would agree with students like Conti. For the 2003 Global March for Cannabis Liberation over 200 simultaneous marches took place around the country in an effort to legalize marijuana. Some protestors were glaucoma patients who use marijuana for medicinal purposes, while others were recreational users. "Marijuana can really only get you into so much trouble," senior Jim Kubisch said. "Aside from dramatic television commercials, you rarely hear about murders, crimes and tragedies associated with marijuana use - well, tragedies short of sleeping though your 10:30 am classes and eating your entire food budget in one night." Senior Valerie Wood agreed. "Why do you think Espressos' phone starts ringing off the hook at 11?" she said. "Pot smoking stimulates local business." Brauner agreed with many students' perceptions of the hazards of smoking marijuana. "They have a 'drunk tank' in jails for belligerent drunk people - no one's ever heard of a 'stoner tank' to house rowdy potheads," she said. "I mean, that's almost an oxymoron." Despite what students may believe, marijuana can be harmful. According to the New York Times, 10 to 14 percent of the population is prone to pot addiction. There are also adverse side effects related to marijuana use. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that short-term effects include dry mouth and/or throat, problems with memory and learning, distorted perception of sights, sounds, time and touch, trouble with thinking and problem-solving, loss of motor coordination, increased heart rate and anxiety. These effects are heightened when other drugs are mixed with marijuana. Some studies even indicate that persons under the influence of marijuana show the same lack of coordination on standard "drunk driver" tests as do people who have had too much to drink, disputing a commonly-held believe that driving high is not as serious as driving drunk. Long-term effects can include cancer. "Marijuana smoke contains some of the same cancer-causing compounds as tobacco, sometimes in higher concentrations. Someone who smokes one to three joints can produce the same lung damage and potential cancer risk as smoking five times as many cigarettes," according to the Greater Dallas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. What some might find most alarming is a statistic released this month by the British Medical Journal that smoking cannabis once or twice a week almost doubles one's risk of developing psychotic symptoms. The Tufts policy towards possession of marijuana is stringent. According to the Public Safety Annual Publication, any student caught in possession of illicit drugs - even if he or she no longer lives on campus - may be subject to any of the disciplinary action including a warning, probation, suspension, dismissal, and/or referral to appropriate governmental authorities for civil and criminal prosecution. The University may also require completion of a rehabilitation program in connection with a disciplinary matter. In addition, federal law states that penalties for those who are over 18 and distribute drugs to people under 21 within 1,000 feet of a college will receive a mandatory one-year prison sentence. Such harsh penalties don't seem to affect the drug's prevalence on campus though. "Maybe pot is a problem on campus, because if you asked me to get you a bag, I could most likely do it within the hour," one anonymous junior said. "I can't say that about any other drug at Tufts."

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Jumbos Defeat Wesleyan in wake of Florida Training Trip

January 19

Tufts continued their dual meet domination with a resounding 164-124 win over Wesleyan University last Sunday, improving their record to 5-1 under coach Adam Hoyt. Wesleyan has one of the finest swimming facilities in the NESCAC conference and the Jumbos took advantage of the opportunity by performing at a high level.

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An inaugural mess

January 19

Today the nation's political establishment gathers in Washington to celebrate President George W. Bush's inauguration, an event that, in a sense, marks the healthy functioning of American democracy. In dreary weather that might include snow, spectators from around the country will gather to watch Bush take the same oath that the 42 presidents before him have taken. Today's events, however, will not benefit the masses who reelected Bush in November, but rather will largely serve as a lavish celebration financed by corporate America for the benefit of bankers, businessmen, and lobbyists. To be fair, recent presidential inaugurations have been lavish affairs by rule, not by exception. The bipartisan consensus inside the Beltway seems to be that lavish celebrations are entirely appropriate for a moment that occurs once every fours years that celebrates the ascension of the person who is, in a sense, the most powerful officeholder in the world. While such luxury may have been appropriate in the past, the new year dawned in 2005 to find American troops in long-term deployments overseas and American workers on shaky financial ground at home. The forty million dollar inaugural festivities seem oddly out of place at a time when American soldiers are installing do-it-yourself "hillbilly armor" in combat zones. While families of those serving and sacrificing overseas have had to go to food pantries to feed themselves, corporations are making sure no expense is spared in fattening up Washington's finest. Granted, there will be an inaugural ball exclusively for military families, but of course the vast majority of those who serve on the front lines won't be anywhere near it. While a select few in the District toast to the promise of a brighter tomorrow, tens of thousands of American service people overseas are forced to deal with the harsh realities that face them today. The Commander in Chief ball is the lipstick on the inaugural pig: we should not forget what lurks behind the makeup. From the start of inaugural planning Bush and his team glibly brushed aside suggestions that the festivities be toned down at a time of war. After all, they seemed to be saying, it is the President's party, and he can do what he damn well pleases. This might be true, but none of us should forget that just because Bush can do something doesn't mean that he should do it. The vast majority of Americans should feel very uncomfortable that such an essential event in our democracy is being bankrolled by huge corporations that are allowed to give up to a quarter million dollars each. Something for nothing, as the saying goes, leaves you hell to pay. Bush's inauguration shows that this administration, entering its second term, is fully prepared to ignore the needs of the masses in order to cater to the desires of the privileged. That arrogance is an insult to democracy, justice, and most importantly, the American people.

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Jumbos fall to top-ranked teams and league opener over break

January 19

The women's basketball team finally got some competition. The winter break schedule, which included games against four nationally-ranked teams as well as Tufts' NESCAC opener, pit the Jumbos against some of the best Div. III has to offer. The team's 1-5 performance holds mixed meanings for the Jumbos' season. Close games against No. 3 Brandeis and No. 19 Emmanuel seemed to be positive signs, but both were coupled with a disappointing loss to unranked NESCAC foe Colby. A subsequent loss at the hands of top-ranked Bowdoin set the Jumbos back to 0-2 in league play as the team's previously spotless overall record now stands at 8-5. The team returned to campus on Dec. 31 to prepare for its first contest of the break as Southern Maine traveled to Medford for the Jumbos' first home game since the Jumbo Invitational tip-off tournament. Then ranked 14th nationally, the Huskies handed Tufts its first loss of the season, 86-64. Shooting 61.7 percent from the floor and rattling off a 22-7 run to close the first half, Southern Maine built an 18 point margin which would prove to be insurmountable as the Jumbos shot well below their season average of 47 percent and only two of 25 from beyond the arc. That game would set the tone for much of the break, but the team was able to briefly get back on track with a 68-59 win over Fitchburg State on January 8. Trailing by six at halftime, the Jumbos chipped away at the Falcons' lead, led by 12 second-half points from junior Jessica Powers. A pair of free throws from sophomore Taryn Miller-Stevens ignited the Jumbos, who scored the last 10 points of the game to overtake the Falcons. Powers' 16 points were matched by 13 from both senior co-captain Allison Love and sophomore Valerie Krah. However, the defining moment of the game, and much of the break, came not in the Jumbos' sprint to the finish, but in the first-half play that sent junior starter Julia Verplank to the ground with a knee injury. Verplank has been a solid player on both ends of the floor this season, leading the team in both rebounds (6.0 per game) and assists (3.5 per game), and directing the offense from the point guard position. "We were definitely a little out of sync without Julia running the point," Love said. "Jess [Powers] moved over to point guard and Taryn [Miller-Stevens] stepped up, but it definitely changed our game." The squad would have to play the rest of the break without Verplank, who has a partially torn ligament and hopes to return sometime next week. Next, on Jan. 13, the Jumbos faced Emmanuel. Despite playing without Verplank and Krah, who was out with the flu, and dismal offensive play from their other main offensive weapons. Powers and Love combined for only eight points on 3-27 shooting, the Jumbos clung to a 21-18 lead at halftime due to equally poor shooting from the Saints. The lead flip-flopped throughout the second half and the game came down to the final minutes, but Tufts missed its last 11 shots of the game and Emmanuel scored the final seven points to come away with a 54-47 win. Twelve points from senior co-captain Erin Connolly were not enough to augment only three from Powers, who usually averages nearly 12.5 per game. The Jumbos then headed to Maine to take on Colby for both teams' first conference game. Play was tight during the first half and the Jumbos headed to the locker room with a one-point lead. The Jumbos were again plagued by shooting troubles and turnovers. The squad connected on only a quarter of their attempts during the first half, giving the Mules a 10 point edge on points from 24 Tufts turnovers. With only five points each from Powers, Love, and Connolly, the Jumbos were just slightly edged by the Mules, 59-54, for their second loss of the season. On January 15, the Jumbos took on then-No. 1 Bowdoin, a consistently high-caliber squad. A solid first half for Tufts disintegrated during the second period as the Polar Bears set off on a 21-4 run, while holding the Jumbos to their worst shooting half this season at just 23.3 percent. Tufts left Bowdoin with a 62-48 loss. Tufts finished its winter break schedule at Cousens Gym on Tuesday against third-ranked Brandeis. After a stretch during which poor team shooting contributed to the teams' losses, the Jumbos shooting touch seemed to have returned against Brandeis as the Jumbos shot seven for 14 from three-point land to lead by four at the half. The Judges came alive in the second half though, taking the lead and extending it to as many as 13. Tufts cut the deficit to four on back-to-back-to-back three-pointers with just under two minutes remaining, but was unable to narrow the gap. Twenty-seven team fouls from the Jumbos translated into 20 points at the stripe for Brandeis. Tufts' winter break action was considerably more challenging than the team's December schedule. The competition was tougher and the stakes were higher as the Jumbos ventured into NESCAC territory and into the top 25. Citing the strength of schedule as well as injury and illness problems, Love commented on the team's difficulties. "Coming back from break, we knew we had a really hard stretch. These were some very talented teams. I think we're starting to get our rhythm back, though." Powers sensed the turnaround too. "We need to run our offense the whole way through and play the whole 40 minutes," she said. "We're getting open shots from our plays and we need to hit them, and I think we started to do that against Brandeis." The Jumbos will have a chance to turn their season around with a string of NESCAC games through the end of January. Tomorrow they will face Williams at home. The Ephs ended the Jumbos' 2003-2004 season in the first round of the NESCAC tournament.

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News

Despite dangerous times, Tufts keeps liberal abroad policies

January 19

Tufts students planning to study abroad in countries that may be unsafe will most likely find no opposition from the Office of Programs Abroad. "If a student is interested in traveling to a country with a travel warning from the State Department on it we tell them about it and tell them to be as informed as possible," said Janna Behrens, program and orientation coordinator for the Office of Programs Abroad. "We leave it up to the student and tell them to discuss it with their parents." Tufts retains a relatively liberal policy at a time when many schools are increasing restrictions on study abroad options. Harvard, for instance, announced a policy in the fall whereby they will not grant credit or funding for study abroad in the 26 countries under travel warnings from the U.S. State Department. Director of Programs Abroad Sheila Bayne emphasized, however, that the procedure of going abroad differs between Tufts and Harvard. Unlike Harvard, Tufts has its own programs that are run through the school itself. Currently, none of the countries in which these programs are held are under travel warning. If one came in effect, the program would close, Bayne said. As for programs not sponsored by Tufts: "It is really to that program that the student should look for guidance," said Bayne. To study abroad on a non-Tufts program, the student must sign a leave of absence from the University. While Harvard's decision to implement its policy on study abroad was mostly out of concern for liability, this is not a priority of the Programs Abroad office. "I guess anybody can sue anybody for anything," Bayne said. For Tufts, the importance lies with the academics of the program. "We try to steer students in the direction of reputable programs and won't prevent them from going on academically viable programs," she said. The office offers a list on its web site of programs that are academically reputable, Bayne says. This quality assures that "they too evaluate the safety [of the program]." Furthermore, it is against the policy of the Office of Programs Abroad to forbid students from traveling where they wish. According to Bayne, approval of a petition to study abroad pertains only to transfer of credit for the classes offered at the institution in question, and nothing else. Many students who intend to study abroad in these countries recognize the importance of educating themselves about that country. "Going abroad is a big decision, and people need to inform themselves before making it, in every sense," said sophomore Shoshana Grossman-Crist, who intends to study abroad in Kenya next year. Moreover, it can make the key difference in the safety of a student. "You shouldn't find yourself in a situation where you don't know how to handle yourself," sophomore Sara Gale said. The alternative is to know enough about the country to know what to do, she said. Self-education also will allow the student to get the most out of their study abroad. "The more a student knows about a culture and destination the better their experience will be," said Behrens. According to Gale, it is not the University's role to forbid students to go somewhere because of safety issues, saying that this could put it in the role of a parent. This will hold even if the safety situation in a country seriously decreases. "The responsibility for the decision mostly lies on the student," she said. Policies like Harvard's can be harmful to students who are interested in a specific region. "It's possible that a student can't get what they want, what really interests and drives them, because Tufts prohibits it, and that doesn't seem fair," said Grossman-Crist. "It's the student's education." For Grossman-Crist, her choice of program is integral to her college experience. "If Tufts didn't give me credit for studying in countries with travel warnings, I would have to compromise something important," she said.

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News

Jumbos struggle to gain foothold over break

January 19

There's some good news and there's some bad news. The good news is that the Tufts hockey team was able to beat Castleton State College in Vermont on Saturday 8-4 to improve its record to 5-7 overall, and 3-6 in NESCAC/ECAC play. The bad news is that this game was preceded by three Jumbo losses to open the New Year. In those games, all on the road, our icemen lost to Williams, Middlebury and Skidmore, respectively.

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