Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Sunday, December 14, 2025
The Print Edition Print Subscription
Donate | About | Join Us
Advertise | Submit a Tip
Subscribe to our newsletters

Archives

The Setonian
News

Smith named NESCAC Player of the Year

May 22

Junior first baseman Katie Smith was awarded with NESCAC Softball's highest accolade last week when she was voted as the conference Player of the Year by conference coaches. Smith is the fourth straight Jumbo to win Player of the Year since the inception of the NESCAC tournament in 2001, following such big names as Lis Drake, Jen Mackey, and Randee McArdle. In addition, Smith was also selected to the NESCAC First Team and a New England Intercollegiate Softball Coaches Association (NEISCA) Honorable Mention. The native of Convent Station, N.J. absolutely tore up opposing pitching this season, leading both the Jumbos and the conference in hitting with a .414 average. She was second in hits (41), tied for second in runs batted in (23) with junior teammate Courtney Bongiolatti, second in home runs (4) to Bongiolatti (6), second in total bases (61) to Bongiolatti's 63, and tied for fourth in doubles (8). In addition, she played outstanding first base with just three errors in 270 chances for a .989 fielding percentage this year, good for tops on the Tufts squad. Joining Smith on the All-NESCAC First Team are Bongiolatti and senior tri-captain Deana Davidian. Bongiolatti, who hit .346 on the season and was also named a NEISCA Honorable Mention, led the NESCAC in home runs with six and total bases with 63 and was tied with Smith for second in RBIs with 23. Davidian, who was also named a NEISCA Second Team All Star, single handedly carried the Jumbos through a nine game winning streak that propelled them into the playoffs. She hit .365 on the season and led the league with 42 hits and 24 runs scored. She also was third in the league with 55 total bases. In addition, the second baseman made only four errors in 173 chances, giving her a fielding percentage of .977. Representing the Jumbos on the All-NESCAC Second team was senior tri-captain catcher Julie Fox. Fox started all 32 games at catcher this spring for a pitching staff that saw five different pitchers including one freshman. She didn't let that stop her at the plate, though, as she hit .340 with three home runs, good for third in the conference behind Smith and Bongiolatti, and 16 RBIs.-- Aman Gupta

The Setonian
News

Jumbos finish successful season, look towards Nationals

May 22

Second at the NESCAC Championship; second at the New England Div. III Championships; the ninth best program across all divisions in the region. Achievements like these are hard to come by, and have not been matched by many other Jumbo teams this year. But in her fourth year of coaching at Tufts, women's track coach Kristen Morwick has built a program of excellence, in which results such as these are beginning to be the norm rather than the exception. "It is my fourth year and I'm starting to see things turn around," Morwick said. "You start to see the results of what you have implemented and everyone is really invested in the program. A good atmosphere is created because everyone has the same goals and philosophy." All year long, the major goal for the team was to qualify and send as many competitors to Nationals as possible. That goal has been realized, as currently the team is preparing to send competitors to the national championships May 27 to May 29 in Millikin, Ill. And with 11 members of the team earning All-New England honors, as well as both the 4x400-meter and 4x800-meter relay teams, this looks to be one of the largest groups to make the trip in quite some time. Senior quad-captain Jess Trombly is qualified in the heptathlon (ranked 3rd), 400-meter hurdles (ranked 1st), 100 hurdles (ranked 26th) and is part of the 4x400 relay team that is ranked 8th. Sophomore Becca Ades is eighth and senior quad-captain Lauren Caputo is 14th for provisional marks in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, while junior Melissa Graveley and Sears have outside chances in the high jump and heptathlon "The fact that this will be the biggest group ever going to Nationals is pretty nice," Morwick said. "Just making it is a huge accomplishment." One group that has all-American potential is the 4x400 relay team of Trombly, fellow senior quad-captain Emily Bersin, junior Sika Henry, and sophomore Rachel Bloom. An experienced team at meets of this caliber - the team took second in the indoor national championships this past March - this group recorded the fifth fastest time in the nation for this season (3 minutes, 52.17 seconds) at New England's and broke a school record that had been standing since 1986. Morwick expects this group to place in the top five at the championship. Trombly, also a nationals veteran individually, has made her presence felt across the country at the meet as she recorded the then fastest time in the nation in the 400 hurdles. "Jess has a good chance to win whatever event we enter her in," Morwick said. Whatever happens in the future, this team as a whole has a lot to be proud of based on its strength and consistency of performance throughout the season. While the elusive NESCAC Championship was once again just out of reach (thanks to Williams College), through and through this is one of the best track and field teams Tufts has seen in years. Today, this team is graduating 12 of the reasons that it was so successful. "This is a great group of seniors," Morwick said. "They have great attitudes and they make huge contributions on the field. They will be dearly missed." With graduation, there will be holes to fill across the range of events. Though a multi-event athlete, Trombly's absence will be felt most in the hurdles. "Jess does everything for us," Morwick said. "She has incredible range and there won't be anyone coming through able to top her in the hurdles for quite some time." Caputo made her mark in the distance runs and has a shot to culminate her career at nationals in the steeplechase. "It is going to be tough to replace Caputo as she is one of our best distance runners," Morwick said. "She has shown such steady improvement and has such a great attitude." As for the fourth quad-captain, senior Katie Higley, Morwick characterized her as the "spirit of the team," pointing to her hard work and enthusiasm that will be greatly missed, as well as her contributions in the long sprints. The field unit also will be taking a hit in the loss of seniors Kate Gluckman, Jessica Gauthier and Gwen Campbell. Campbell currently holds the school record in the hammer throw, and all three athletes showed marked improvement this season, particularly Gauthier who recorded personal bests in almost every event she competed in. Though the Jumbos will take a hit from these losses, Morwick is confident that this team will continue to be successful. "Even though we are graduating significant seniors," Morwick said, "the younger group has already been stepping up and doing well. Ours is not a case of all-stars, but a well-rounded team."

The Setonian
News

The grades, they are a-changin'

May 22

As Tufts University has developed into a more prominent institution over its 151-year history, the strength of its students has only increased. But faculty say that Tufts' curriculum has grown to match its students, raising the bar. According to many faculty members who were once students at Tufts, the curriculum has become more rigid and demanding. "I would say the curriculum is more stringent and the caliber of student is much higher, and in that way, for the classes now, there's a much higher standard," said Joanne Barnett (LA '86), theater manager for the Department of Drama and Dance. Admissions statistics demonstrate this to be true: the average GPA and SAT scores of admitted students have risen steadily over the years. "The caliber of student is stronger than when I was a student, although I think it may be easier to get good grades now," said Pamela Goldberg (LA '77), director of entrepreneurial leadership. According to some, however, students' academic competence has not been the most significant change to the University. Biology Professor Ross Feldberg said, "I came 26 years ago and the students were very good then, and I still think they're very good. Even though the admissions office says everything is getting better and better, I think the students are very committed and very good. I don't see any big change over the years." Instead, many cite the curriculum as the most transformed aspect of the University. Disciplines and areas of study have diversified and grown over time. Tufts began with a set course of study that included only Greek, Latin, and Philosophy and no "electives;" in comparison, there are now over 100 areas of study. According to Assistant Archivist Anne Sauer (LA '91), "The diversity of subjects that was available was very limited when the University first started. The requirements used to be a lot stricter and there wasn't a lot of leeway. There was no study abroad, no internships, and no experiential learning." In 1896, the idea of a "major" was implemented, and students began to formally choose an area of concentration. "The University added a number of departments in the years leading up to that, and the diversification of courses began to expand and become much bigger, and a wide variety of courses were added," Sauer said. Though the curriculum has expanded, the University's core requirements have remained constant over the years. "There was the same core curriculum when I was a student, but I think there are more options in each core requirement now so people have more flexibility," Goldberg said. "I see that as a positive. I think that the core hasn't changed dramatically which has made it so that the expectations [of students] today are the same as they were 30 years ago." Although grading has changed significantly since the University's beginnings, when, according to Sauer, the grading "system was completely different," the grades themselves have remained constant in recent years. "At least in the sciences, there has not been a big difference," Feldberg said. "I've taught intro biology courses for years and years. I used to do it by hand and so I didn't keep track of the number of As, Bs, and Cs that I gave out, and now I do, but I don't think there's been a big change." "I would say that the workload now is probably more challenging than when I was a student," Goldberg added. "I think the expectations of students are greater because the quality of student is greater." "The caliber of students is just very strong today," Goldberg said. "And they have more choices. In terms of majors and disciplines, it's a richer environment now. There's a lot more happening on campus everyday than when I was a student."

The Setonian
News

Administration, faculty adjust to gay marriage

May 22

Like several other members of the Tufts community, English professor Jonathan Strong made the trip to his town hall last week to be among the first gay people in the country to get married. Last November, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) ruled that banning gay marriage was against the state constitution. The state began granting same-sex marriage licenses last Monday. The state legislature has approved a constitutional amendment curtailing gay marriages to civil unions, but the final decision will not go before state voters until Nov. 2006 at the earliest. Vermont began allowing civil unions for same-sex couples in 1999. Strong and his partner of 14 years, Scott Elledge, filled out the necessary paperwork on Monday in their hometown of Rockport, Mass., and were married by the town clerk Thursday, following a three-day waiting period. The waiting period is required for both heterosexual and homosexual couples, but a judege can waive the requirement for a fee. "It gives an emotional feeling of acceptance and protection," Strong said of his marriage. "There's a sense of being recognized by your community as a stable element." Last Monday, May 17, was the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the landmark civil rights case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that separate schools based on race were unequal. "History has shown us that separate but equal situations don't work," said Dona Yarbrough, the director of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Center. Speaking of the May 17 parallel, Yarbrough said, "Obviously that was done on purpose." Director of Drug and Alcohol Education Margot Abels married her partner in Lynn, Mass. Abels described gay marriage as "wonderful progress in equality and rights." She also said that she and her partner hope to start a family. "For the sake of those future children, it would be good if [the parents] were legally connected to each other," Abels said. On Saturday, May 8, Health Services conducted free blood tests for same-sex couples that are part of the Tufts community. Abels said that eight or nine couples that planned to marry, some from the Boston campus, attended the screening. The beginning of gay marriage in the state presents new challenges for insurance companies and human resources departments. For the past five years, Tufts has offered same-sex partner benefits, but unlike marriage benefits, same-sex benefits are taxable at the state and federal levels. "Many people don't take advantage of that because it can be more expensive," Yarbrough said. Benefits include health insurance and tuition discounts. According to Vice President of Human Resources Kathe Cronin, same-sex couples that decide to marry will receive the same benefits as heterosexual couples. Tufts will provide "as much benefits as we can under the law," she said. Since gay marriage is not allowed nationally, however, health care premiums and other benefits will still be subject to federal and possibly state taxes. "The state has not issued guidelines," she said. "As soon as we have word on how to handle that, then we'll be able to work with them." In what Cronin described as "a wait-and-see approach," the University has not yet decided whether to require same-sex couples to marry to continue receiving same-sex partner benefits. Strong previously received same-sex partner benefits. He said he will notify Human Resources of his marriage and will follow the University's advice on how to manage his benefits. Robyn Ochs, who teaches a class at the Experimental College (ExCollege), married her partner of eight years, Peg Preble. The couple has been registered as domestic partners in Cambridge since 1999, which allowed them hospital visitation rights in the city. The couple chose to get married in nearby Brookline. "We were impressed by their welcoming stance and proactive support of same-sex marriages," Ochs said. "I'm feeling so excited and so happy," she said as she waited in line to receive her marriage certificate. Ochs and Preble paid a $195 fee to have the waiting period waived. As an ExCollege professor, Ochs does not receive benefits from Tufts. She is a part-time employee of Harvard University, as a Technology and Communications Specialist, and she had received same-sex partner benefits since 1999. Ochs said she will no longer be taxed on the state level for her benefits from Harvard. Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has said the SJC decision only allows same-sex marriages for people who live in Massachusetts or intend to do so after their marriage. Three cities, however, including Somerville, have said they will grant licenses to out-of-state couples. Somerville Communications Director Mark Horan said all couples take an oath when they are issued a marriage license "that they know of no legal impediment to their marriage." Horan said the city would not be checking to make sure gay marriage is not banned in the couple's home state. "It's their responsibility to know what the laws are in their state," he said. For a same-sex couple to get married in Cambridge, however, they would have to live in Massachusetts or intend to after the marriage, Cambridge City Clerk Margaret Drury said. Somerville began offering same-sex marriage licenses on Monday after a welcome ceremony at 8:00 a.m. Cambridge held a reception with music and food at 10:30 p.m. on May 16 and allowed couples to take tickets. Ticket numbers were called and licenses were issued beginning at 12:01 a.m. on May 17. No gay marriages are expected to take place on campus over the summer. "There has been no one who has approached us," University Chaplain Rev. David O'Leary said. No marriages at all are scheduled at Hillel due to construction over the summer. Although Goddard Chapel lies in Medford, where out-of-state same-sex couples would not be allowed to marry, the marriage license would not have to come from the city of Medford. "Most ministers don't ask where a license comes from," O'Leary said. "As long as it comes from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, it counts."

The Setonian
News

Calling for an end to student dis-service at ResLife

May 22

Recent campus dialogue regarding the condition of the Office of Residential Life and Learning (ORLL) is an indispensable vehicle in the quest for positive operational and pedagogical development that is at the present time, flagrantly absent. As Tufts' proudest alumnus, and as a former professional staff member of the ORLL for more than five years, whose name has been cast about in this dialogue, I wish to welcome the entire Tufts community to this discussion based on a constructive and factual basis. Indeed, the sincerest and most comprehensive strategy for accomplishing such fundamental change is one that genuinely attempts to understand all stakeholders at Tufts, and our students are unquestionably qualified to participate at many - if not most - levels of the decision-making apparatus on the Hill - in their capacity as intellectual consumers. Dean of Students Bruce Reitman addressed some of the public discourse in a recent Tufts Daily Viewpoint ("Residential Life is on track," 04/28). Another article on April 29 ("Colleagues write in defense of King") was published, penned and/or signed by several student affairs administrators. Had I not spent the majority of the last eleven years living and working on the Tufts campus, I might have gleaned from these rebukes that the rabble had taken to mutiny without reason or warning. Reitman and his colleagues suggest that character assault and impropriety of venue are perfunctory resorts for students who disagree with the status quo at the ORLL. Open your mind to a much larger universe of players and actions to assemble for yourself a conclusion that will likely bring you to an alternative result. To commence, please understand that students and staff who contributed many cumulative years of brilliant service to the ORLL have been dismissed as well as pressured to resign their posts as a result of their efforts to bring attention to aspects of the Student Affairs Division at Tufts. Others' quality of life at Tufts were so decimated by the categorical refusal of intervention by senior administrators to ameliorate the deficiencies of their subordinates that an untimely exit from the campus was their sole healthy option. I am personally among the latter group of many individuals, and I am compelled to provide advocacy for all those whose overtures, regardless of their perceived intent, were actually initiated from a wish for goodwill and protection of their school. Be assured that no news article or opinion piece appeared in any publication of any provenance before years of pleading for corrective action occurred at nearly every hierarchical level at Tufts. Be assured that every student who has spoken with or without attribution has done so with the growing confidence that employment-based retribution will be meted out in response. Be assured that Resident Assistants (RAs) take their roles as peer advisors and community standards champions with a sense of purpose and personal accountability. The final point I wish to stipulate is that many of the purported notions thrust before your eyes by the above-referenced administrators are partial-truths and misinformation based on a lack of knowledge or even collegial familiarity of the structure, operation and personnel at the ORLL. There are no obvious tendencies toward guile on the part of said administrators; merely an unconsolidated cacophony of passionate employees who seek to support their bedraggled colleagues, just as I seek, through facts, to support those with whom I find agency and parity in preserving the integrity of Tufts' mission. Frustration must be the most salient emotion that has emanated from the criticism of the ORLL in recent weeks and months. Consider the extent to which student and professional employees have been frustrated that their latest, and, for some, their ultimate route before losing their jobs has been through unchallenged and universally-available print/Internet media. Indeed the type you now read shall be counted amongst the lot. Tufts has, through its deliberate unwillingness during the past four years to act with the best interests of student affairs in mind, lost more than nine professional staff and an undeterminable number of student staff to dysfunctional working conditions. While the personal toll on those now gone must not be understated, the price paid by the student body cannot be calculated. The relationship of trust that is forged by well-trained residential staff in loco parentis is a bellwether in determining the health and spirit of a residential college campus. Suffice it to say that given the attrition during the tenure of the last several classes, the injurious impact on the undergraduate community has been palpable. If the relationship between the residential staff and the student body at-large is the most precious bond within the mission of the ORLL, the relationship amongst the ORLL staff is imperceptibly subordinate to it. When optimally staffed, more than ninety staff members look to their superiors for their knowledge of, and confidence in, the articulate and unambiguous presentation of the theory and applicability of student development pedagogy, the operation of Tufts' infrastructure and service centers, and ample compassion to discern the nuances that sometimes blur the boundaries between interpersonal successes and challenges. Senior administrators have been derelict in providing the ORLL with the leadership and resources it must possess in order to propagate the tendrils of comprehensive student development on the campus. No living/learning community can be sensibly envisioned without first founding and cultivating the ground to receive its roots. Leadership of a robust residential program provides a significant supply of personal and professional satisfaction. As one of the de facto leaders at the ORLL during protracted periods of multiple fallow staff positions, I encountered from my colleagues a quotient of mettle and professionalism so capacious, that our over-compensation for those departed not only maintained every service and provision previously offered to students, but developed and enriched operational, logistical, pedagogical and programmatic components of the office. Printed claims to the contrary are dishonorably spurious. During the past two years such enrichment and growth was chilled, dismantled and when replaced, substituted with inferior alternatives. Change can be positive; however change is not a priori positive, and demands a commitment to collegial interaction, institutional research and industry best practices comparison. This combination has been absent, and the policies and procedures that precipitated in this absence are a discredit to the Tufts community. I terminated my employee relationship with Tufts University last October. This decision was professionally and personally undesirable. After much internal debate, I chose to cite health reasons as an unassailable, convenient reason to offer for my mid-year departure. The convenience was not meant for me, but for Tufts. I appreciated the administrators' acknowledgement of my love for this institution, and the topic at hand will never spoil my affection for the scholarship, personal growth and worldview from which I have benefited during my tenure. Tufts must redefine and reestablish its relationship with its own residential life mission. Place more high falutin' aspirations aside and reconnect with the fundamentals that support the vigor of the intellectual, physical, psychological, spiritual and social aspects of our students. Those who have contributed to this dialogue must continue to do so. You are stakeholders. Those of you who have been observing should remember that you, too, are stakeholders. Let's galvanize as a campus community to ensure that we enjoy every opportunity we might dream to exist that represents a plurality of positive gains for this wonderful school we respect and nurture.Dean J. Gendron (LA '96) is the former Assistant Director for Experimental Learning, Office of the Office of Residential Life and Learning.

The Setonian
News

Wu named Professor of the Year

May 2

The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate presented its annual TCU Professor of the Year award to American Studies professor Jean Wu on Friday. Wu received her award in a ceremony in the Remis Sculpture Court on Friday. About 50 of Wu's students and colleagues were in attendance. The award is given annually by the Senate's Education Committee, after students submit the nominations, but the final decision is made by the Education Committee. Junior Senator Alexei Wagner -- who was on the selection committee with sophomore Senators Kyra Jackivicz and Jason Bauer -- presented the award. "This year we received many, many nominations for this award and one person stood out," Wagner said. A senior lecturer in the American Studies Department, Wu teaches Race in America (AS11A), Asian America (AS91B), and Active Citizenship in an Urban Community (AS131), a conjunction between the University College and the American Studies department. In a speech to accept her award, Wu said, "I'm overwhelmed." Wu thanked her students. "Teaching is about forming relationships. There aren't good professors without good students," she said. "Your curiosity and your demands push us to be good professors." Many of the students who nominated Wu called her an "inspiration." Sophomore Lisa Wang took two classes with Wu. "Her class is that class you always hear about that changes your life," Wang said. "I nominated her because she's an incredible person who genuinely cares about her students and their progress as people, not just academic students." "Her presence on this campus and in my life is priceless. Never have I met another teacher as devoted to her students as Professor Wu is," sophomore Kimberly Sue said. "She deserves more than this award, but how do you re-pay a person for changing lives?" "Had I not taken her class at the time I did, and learned the lessons she teaches so well, it is safe to say, I would not have stayed at Tufts," Sue said. Junior Wen Cai was happy to see a non-tenured professor recognized for her abilities. "Often only tenured faculty get recognized for their work and part-time faculty at Tufts who carry most of the course load are forgotten," Cai said. "It is no surprise to me that her award came from the student body because that is exactly where she pours her heart into." In her classes, Wu aims "to have students examine systems of inequality," she said. Her nominators reflected this. "Throughout my freshman year... I endured many blatantly racist statements geared directly towards me and my Asian-ness. Prof. Wu... listened to me and took my experiences and showed me how to use those negative actions to become a social activist," Sue said. "Without her, I am sure I would have been silenced like so many others in our community."

The Setonian
News

University Administration Maliciously Targets Delta Tau Delta again

May 2

It has only been one year since Dean of Judiciary Affairs Veronica Carter, unfairly sentenced Delta Tau Delta to a semester of social probation. Dean Carter had "punished" the fraternity for the mistakes of its Senior 2003 graduating class, who, all being of legal drinking age, had a keg during senior week (and not during the academic year!). While Carter may have seen it fit to punish the fraternity, the result of this probation was a penalty suffered by those who had no way been involved with the infraction. Now, as the 2003-04 academic year come to a close, the good weather arrives, students are looking forward to a moment of fun before final exam time arrives... however, apparently fun is not allowed at Tufts and wrongful penalization is. For the second time within one year, Delta Tau Delta (DTD) again finds itself under malicious scrutiny by the University. On Thursday, April 29, the University administration and the Committee on Fraternities and Sororities Judiciary Board (CFS-J) unjustly sentenced Delta Tau Delta to a year of being a dry house for violations including possession of kegs. Why is this punishment so malicious? Why has the Dean of Students and CFS-J dropped the ball again? In February 2004, a Tufts first year student, whom the University has caught and named to DTD, created a fictitious and forged email, and attempted to frame and incriminate Delta Tau Delta by sending it to the Dean of Students office and The Tufts Daily. In the email, the student had falsely accused Delta Tau Delta of numerous Rush and University social violations, at the end of which he forged the name of a Delta Tau Delta brother as the sender. Shortly after the email was sent, Delta Tau Delta proved the email to be forged and believed the matter closed -- it was not. After the e-mail incident, the Dean of Students began to unfairly target the Fraternity and instructed the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) to conduct an investigation of Delta Tau Delta -- an investigation based on a forged email! With the investigation complete, the fraternity now finds itself again squashed by the anti-Greek administration here at Tufts. While the administration should have dropped the matter after the email was proved to be forged, it did not, and this is unacceptable. Rather than focusing on punishing the criminal who had attempted to frame Delta Tau Delta, the University chose to aid him in the accomplishment of his spiteful goals through punishing the fraternity -- the VICTIM. The administration was more concerned with attacking Delta Tau Delta than with ensuring that the irrational student who committed the real crime was penalized. Now, I am not trying to suggest that the fraternity was at no fault when it came to receiving this punishment, but the University should not have been investigating DTD in the first place. If DTD was to be investigated on the basis of a forged incriminating e-mail (i.e. for doing nothing wrong), why was not the rest of the Greek System investigated at the same time? Surely if DTD can be investigated for doing nothing wrong, shouldn't all other Greek organizations face the same malevolent scrutiny from the University? Investigation and punishment of Delta Tau Delta by the University predicated on an attempt to frame the fraternity, along with no attempt by the University to investigate other Greek organizations, clearly represents an act of malicious and biased targeting of Delta Tau Delta. The administration would find the same infractions of the social code at any fraternity, sorority, or student organization at Tufts on any given weekend. And yet, it only attacks Delta Tau Delta. The members of Delta Tau Delta, the Greek system, and the Tufts community should be outraged at the University administration's lack of judgment in this matter. The administration should be ashamed of this second unjust attack on Delta Tau Delta within one year. Now, Delta Tau Delta could appeal this decision to a university hearing, but it would be of little use to do so. Because Tufts is a private institution, it has the liberty to provide its own procedures and rules for hearings, and ignore codes of ethics and law which would apply in the United States legal system. Thus, while in any court, a forged e-mail would be dismissed as the basis of any investigation, Tufts can, however unethically, use the forgery as the basis to begin any penal process it desires. Furthermore, even if Delta Tau Delta were to go to an appellate hearing, our capability to be vindicated would be significantly hindered by the university's hearing guidelines. For instance, did you know that while Tufts reserves the right to use its lawyers to examine witnesses and present evidence against student organizations at a hearing, it only allows student groups to have a lawyer for consultation?! In other words, Tufts expects an undergraduate student to compete against a lawyer in presentation of arguments! How unfair and unethical does the University intend to be? This attack on Delta Tau Delta is not only another example of the administration's disdain for Delta Tau Delta, but also of how it intends to wear down the entire Greek system until it is exterminated. Moreover, by basing its investigation on a forged email and then punishing Delta Tau Delta, the administration has aided in the accomplishment of the forger's goal. The administration should be ashamed of its actions. I think we as the Tufts Community should thank the University for being unethical, inconsistent, and unjust when handling Greek System affairs. Because of its recklessness, fewer Greek houses will act as forums for social events. I would personally like to thank the administration for helping to destroy Tufts' social life and remind it that when fraternities were closed in fall 2003, calls to Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS) increased. As a final note, I urge all supporters, alumni, and parents of the Delta Tau Delta, the Greek system, and Tufts to call and complain to the Dean of Students office, or send letters of complaint to Dowling Hall. The $39,999 in tuition paid by Tufts' Students should not include the salaries of administrators who harass the Greek system, and then attempt blemish our college experiences -- we must let the school know this. Furthermore, this inconsistent and unjust 'hardball' that the administration plays must be stopped. It is time to show them that the Greek system and its supporters are strong and will not put up with such anti-Greek activity. Personally, having had my college experience attacked twice by the administration, I will never donate a cent of my earnings to Tufts. It is amazing that the Tufts administration wonders why the school's endowment is so small. Perhaps the University should stop creating discontented students, for discontented students become non-donating alumni.

The Setonian
News

Bates cuts Jumbos down to size, ends tournament hopes

May 2

The Bates Bobcats chose an opportune time to get the Jumbos off their backs for their first win against Tufts since 1991, a stretch during which they had lost 24 straight games to the Jumbos. Opportune for Bates, crushing for the postseason-hopeful Jumbos. Entering the weekend needing a sweep of the Bobcats (13-18, 6-6 NESCAC-East) to clinch the second and final NESCAC-East Division berth ahead of Bowdoin in this weekend's conference tournament, the Jumbos (18-13, 6-6 East) started promisingly Friday with a 6-1 win behind a complete game from senior co-captain Randy Newsom. But Tufts dropped Saturday's doubleheader opener 3-1, ending hopes of a fourth consecutive tournament appearance. Bates clinched the series with a 9-0 win in the rubber game. "We just didn't play well enough to win," coach John Casey said. "We played four innings Friday and that was enough to win, but then we didn't [do anything] Saturday." In his final collegiate start, Newsom (6-1, 3.20 ERA) limited Bates to a single unearned run on just four hits, striking out seven. The righty walked six but was aided by 13 groundouts, and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third to hold Bates scoreless through four. After allowing the unearned run, he kept the Bobcats leashed the rest of the way, limiting Bates to one hit over the final four frames while setting down the side on strikes in the eighth. "Randy's been our best pitcher for the last month," freshman starter Ben Simon said. "You can sense in the other dugout that they know they're not going to hit him. On Saturday they were all loud and chipper, but when Newsom pitched you couldn't hear a peep from their bench." The Jumbos left the bases jammed in the first, but, unlike the home team, were able to break through early against Bobcat starter Griffin Finan. Tufts got things going in the second, with four consecutive singles by freshman designated hitter John Rothermel, junior catcher Bob Kenny, freshman Brian Casey and senior co-captain and third baseman Adam Kacamburas, plating two. Rookie shortstop Kyle Backstrom then made it 3-0 with a two-out RBI single up the middle. Tufts extended its lead to 5-0 in a hitless fourth inning that featured two errors and a walk, and a fifth inning Kacamburas sac fly off Bates reliever Chris Gwozdz gave Tufts a 6-0 lead. Saturday's opener saw Simon (4-2, 2.01 ERA) go the distance for Tufts, surrendering just four hits in a hard luck loss. Tufts drew first blood, scratching out a lone run in the third on Brian Casey's leadoff single and steal and a Kacamburas RBI single. But Tufts left two men in scoring position that inning, and it was Bobcat junior Mike Kinsman's game from then on. The righty posted zeros the rest of the way in a seven-inning complete game effort, allowing just six hits to a Tufts offense that had scored 51 runs during the previous five games. The Jumbos also lost freshman first baseman Bryan McDavitt's big bat midway through the game to a hamstring injury that he first suffered last week. Simon put on his own show, keeping Bates to just one hit through four scoreless innings. But with runners on first and second and two outs in the fifth, senior catcher Matt Peterson doubled to tie the game. Simon appeared to work his way out of trouble by getting second baseman Adam Taranto to hit a grounder to short, but a Backstrom error allowed both Peterson and junior DH Nate Reid to come around with the go-ahead and insurance runs. "We were pressing a little too much at the plate and were a little tight in the field," Simon said. "I made some bad pitches in that inning. It was a tough game in general." Tufts put two on in the sixth and Brian Casey reached in the seventh, but Kinsman stranded the Jumbos both times, leaving the team's playoff hopes on second base along with Casey to end the game. Saturday afternoon's 9-0 blowout saw both junior starters, Jumbo Jeremy Davis (3-2, 4.66) and Bobcat John Ribas (4-4, 4.57), go the distance in the nine-inning affair. Davis started solidly, allowing two runs through five innings of work, but Bates broke the game open with a four-run outburst in the sixth. The righty didn't help his own cause by committing two errors that led to Bobcat runs. On the other side of the hill, meanwhile, Ribas kept the lackadaisical Jumbos off the scoreboard, working a five-hit shutout and allowing just one Jumbo to reach third base all game. Out of postseason contention, Tufts returned to campus yesterday for the home finale against the out-of-conference Babson Beavers (24-15), who had fallen 9-4 to Tufts last Tuesday. Sophomore Zak Smotherman (3-2, 2.97) worked on a no-hitter through five and a third innings before settling for an 8-3 win. "Zak pitched a very good game," John Casey said. "He's pitched very well for us, there's just the curse of playing two sports, [hockey and baseball]. It takes a while to get his pitch count up, but he's been doing well out there." Tufts closes out its 2004 campaign tonight at nationally fourth-ranked Eastern Connecticut (28-8), and will end the season with its first sub-20 win season since 1999.

The Setonian
News

A mission to de-murk the Mystic

May 2

The environmental business plan which won second-place in the Frigon Family Prize for Social Entrepreneurship will kick off this summer. Designed by University College scholar and environmental studies major Chelsea Bardot, the plan focuses on exploring environmental justice issues by engaging youth in watershed-related activities. Bardot and other participants in the program will lead focus groups of local kids who normally spend time playing by the river in the summer. "We want to ask the kids questions and see what perceptions they have of the river," Bardot said. "We also want to make sure that they know which parts of the river are hazardous for swimming during which times of the year." According to Bardot, dialogue with kids can sometimes be more effective than conversation with their parents. "Usually when you ask parents whether they are concerned about letting their children swim in potentially polluted water, their response is merely 'Oh they've been doing this for years,'" she said. Bardot's business plan won a $5,000 grant, which will be used to establish the three main components to the outreach program. The first involves encouraging the kids to examine the river and form a more personal relationship with it. The second incorporates education, teaching kids about the river, its history, the services it provides, and the environmental threats it faces. The final goal of the program is to engage kids in direct action. Some potential projects that would meet this objective include storm drain stenciling, planting buffer gardens, or participating in a river clean-up. "Water Watch does great things, but there is room for them to be more in touch with the community instead of being an autonomous organization at Tufts," Bardot said. "Last year I was working for [Tufts] Water Watch as an educator," she said. "This year, I worked with Water Watch through the Mystic River Watershed Collaborative, with the intent of helping Water Watch to realize its organizational goals within the context of the Mystic." "The Mystic River Watershed Collaborative is an amazing group of people," Bardot added. "I've learned more from them than from any class I've taken here at Tufts so far. They are truly committed people, a great pool of resources that we are very lucky to have." The Mystic River Watershed Collaborative is presently working on an application for the Carter Partnership Award, founded by Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter to recognize outstanding campus community partnerships. "This is a juncture for the collaborative," Bardot said. "We've been established for four years, and now it's time to think about the next four years, which should focus on more intensive community outreach." Bardot and the Collaborative were recently involved in the First Annual Mystic River Movers and Shakers Celebration, at which 50 activists, student, teachers, staff, and community members joined to eat, dance, and exchange information about the history of activism in relation to the Mystic. Bardot found the celebration to be highly inspiring. "As someone relatively new to the Mystic River community, I was sitting there and looking around, listening to stories of hard work required to get the Collaborative going and to get watershed issues recognized... and it was great just to see these people smiling and acknowledging one another and themselves for having done great work," she said. "At the same time, we were gearing up for all the work that is yet to be done."

The Setonian
News

Women's season ends at the hands of Williams

May 2

The women's tennis team's season ended Saturday morning at Williamstown, Mass. at the hands of NESCAC nemesis Williams in the NCAA Northeast Region championship. The Jumbos' 7-2 loss followed an easy 8-1 victory over Vassar Friday night in the opening round. The victory sends Williams on to the national quarterfinals at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. Tufts finished its season at 11-3, although individuals could be selected to play at Rhodes in the singles and doubles tournaments. This is the fourth straight season the Jumbos have reached the regional final, although three times in that span Williams has ended their season there. The Ephs earned the doubles point by sweeping all three matches. Steph Hall and Kate Troy topped junior Jen Lejb and freshman Jen Luten 8-5 at the first doubles, while Julie Mallory and Alex MacLennan beat senior captain Barclay Gang and junior Neda Pisheva 8-0 at the second spot and Caroline Wasserman and Brittany Binet won 8-2 over sophomores Becky Bram and Lisa Miller at the third slot. "It was disappointing for us to lose 8-0 because we beat them last time," Gang said. "They just came out aggressively and played very well and we didn't match them." In singles, Lejb fell 7-6 (2), 6-4 at number one to Hall, while Luten also lost a close match, 7-6 (4), 0-6, 1-0 (6) to Mallory right behind her at number two. "It was tough," Luten said. "We had a great Friday and a great season on the whole. Saturday just wasn't as good." Bram posted a 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (5) victory at number three over MacLennan and Miller won 6-2, 6-4 at number five over Wasserman to give the Jumbos their two points on the day. But Gang (6-1, 6-1) and freshman Kylyn Deary (6-0, 6-3) lost at the four and six spots to Troy and Binet, respectively. "On Saturday they stepped up and we didn't," Gang said. "We definitely thought we had a chance since we lost to them 5-4 last week." "Williams had a lot of answers," coach Jim Watson admitted. "We got down early in doubles and had to play catch-up." The Jumbos had more success against Vassar the previous day. Only Jen Lejb's retirement at the top spot kept the Jumbos from a perfect shutout win. Lejb had a virus and, once each of her Jumbo teammates had wrapped up their victories, retired to save herself for Saturday. Luten (6-2, 6-4), Bram (6-3, 6-1), Gang (6-0, 7-5), Miller (6-2, 6-2), and Deary (6-3, 6-1) all recorded straight set victories. "Everyone played very well on Friday," Gang said. "We were pumped up and we breezed through the match." "Vassar was a solid, scrappy team," Watson said. "But they lacked the firepower of Williams, and we were able to exploit the fact that we could attack them." At doubles, Lejb and Luten took out Vassar's Debbie Sharnak and Jessica Shofler 8-6 at number one, Gang and Pisheva won 8-4 over Kelly Graham and Katy Robinetter at number two, and Bram and Miller prevailed 8-3 over Anna Will and Robin Chu at the third slot. "When you wind up 11-4 and third in the best region in the nation, it's a satisfying season," Watson said. "We need to do some things to take that next step next year, but it was a rewarding season." "I'm sad for myself that it's over," said Gang, whose Jumbo career has come to a close. "But I'm excited for the girls for next year. They have a great team coming back."

The Setonian
News

The lady doth protest too much'

May 2

Shakespeare used the above quote to question the truthfulness of a character because her expressions of love for her husband were suspiciously vociferous. The repeated statements seemed hollow, and as it turns out, the character was indeed disloyal. The support 14 administrators recently expressed for the Office of Residential Life and Learning (ORLL) seems similarly dubious. It is natural for the administration to rally around the office's head, Yolanda King. But even if administrators want to publicly back their beleaguered colleague in Daily viewpoints, they should privately be concerned. Their published defenses simply do not square with the facts as we know them. The writers attempt to paint the whistleblowers as students who dislike changes in ORLL policies. Rather than "attempt to effect change," they claim, the disgruntled RAs prefer "character assassinations." This does not seem to be the case. Though the merits of the RAs' complaints are open to debate, the fact is they have become public only after attempts to make positive change failed. The students writing say they have met nothing but roadblocks throughout the year in their attempts to solve problems. Many RAs say they made no headway during one-on-one discussions and closed-door ORLL meetings over the past year. The complaints are not, as asserted by the administration, simple disagreements with ORLL policy. The office is accused of inconsistently applying standards, communicating poorly, and simply failing to get its act together after two years. The unproductive and inefficient environment is blamed on what many call Yolanda King's combative attitude. The mass exodus of ORLL administrators is perhaps the most telling sign. Dean of Students Bruce Reitman praised the deep "love of Tufts" displayed by Dean Gendron and Lorraine Toppi. But Reitman et al. dismiss their sudden departure as nothing more than organizational restructuring. Toppi left one week before the housing lottery she organized. The "health reasons" cited as Gendron's reason for leaving are widely believed to be a cover story. For people who loved Tufts so much, one can only imagine how unhappy they were to depart they way they did. Though the administration might have us believe otherwise, the nature and sheer volume of complaints suggests that the problem might rest less with the staff, and more with King. The situation has completely undermined the "consistency" administrators say King brought to the ORLL. It seems like RAs are increasingly disregarding many of the policies because of the problems they cause. It goes without saying that King has one of Tufts' most thankless jobs. Her charge is difficult and frequently she must adopt unpopular positions. But regardless of whether King's leadership decisions are right or wrong, she has failed to achieve the support of the very people charged with carrying out the ORLL's mission. This represents a shortcoming in a central aspect of her job and is worthy of investigation.

The Setonian
News

Men sweep Conn. College, take first playoff game

May 2

One round down, two to go. Tufts, the NESCAC's second seeded men's lacrosse team, knocked number seven seed Connecticut College out of the NESCAC playoffs on Sunday with a 9-7 victory on Kraft field. The Jumbos' win came on the heels of Saturday's 13-9 victory over the same Camels team. With that victory, Tufts finished its regular season with a 12-2 record (8-1 NESCAC) and ended in a tie for first place in the league with Middlebury. Rarely do two college lacrosse teams square off against one another twice in one weekend. However, Tufts took this anomaly in stride, notching the two wins and moving on to play third seeded Wesleyan at Middlebury next weekend. "It was weird," coach Mike Daly said of playing the same team in two days. "We've never really done that, but it just came down to two tough, physical teams slugging it out." Physical play dominated the game on Sunday as the two familiar teams played with playoff intensity. Tufts' defense came through in the clutch, shutting down a desperate Camel attack in the closing minutes. Senior leaders Jesse Miller, Charles Savicki and tri-captain Dave Richman anchored the defensive end in front of red-hot junior goalie Luke Chicco. "We played great team defense," junior attackman Bryan Griffin said. "We clamped down when we had to. Conn. gave us a lot of different looks and we had to make adjustments." "[Chicco] played fantastic and Miller, Savicki and Richman did a great job at playing our fundamental defensive scheme," Daly added. "It took a whole unit effort." On the offensive side, Griffin stood out as he has all season with his four goals and two assists. Freshman Mark Warner added two scores of his own while junior Devin Clarke, sophomore Michael Hughes and freshman Stephen Ginsburg each tallied goals as well. "The offense was frustrated at times," Griffin said. "But we just kept shooting, kept the foot on the gas pedal, and put the pressure on them." Tufts' attack had numerous good looks in the first half, especially in the second quarter. However, the team only converted four shots as many attempts were blocked by Camel junior goalie Topher Grossman who had ten of his 16 saves in the first half. Of Griffin's four goals on the day, two tallies came exactly one minute apart to put Tufts up 4-2 at the half. Griffin also built on his new Tufts single-season scoring record of 67 total points set Saturday. The All-American now is responsible for 73 points this year, despite being a main target in many teams' defensive schemes. "Bryan is a tough guy," Daly said. "He gets hurt and banged up, but he just keeps getting up." The Jumbos did not wait long to score after halftime as Clarke launched a shot as he fell forward on the right side to open the second half's scoring and put Tufts up by three, 5-2. The aggression picked up as time wore down with brutal hits across the midfield and relentless defense inside the box. Twelve penalties were called in the game, giving both teams pressure-filled man-up situations. Conn. College began to make a run in the fourth quarter. Tufts scored its final goal of the contest with 11:36 remaining. The Camels chipped their way back, holding the Jumbo attack and scoring goals of their own for the duration of the game. With Tufts' lead cut down to two, 9-7, and six minutes remaining on the clock, it looked as though Conn. College had momentum on its side. The Jumbos, however, would not give up a lead they held for the majority of the game. Though they committed several penalties that gave Conn. College some last minute possession advantages, the Jumbos held fast behind Chicco's solid goaltending to finalize the two goal victory. On Saturday, Tufts topped the Camels in Medford for its 12th and final win of the regular season. Griffin's one goal and two assists were enough to push him past the record-tying 64 points he accumulated last year to a new threshold of 67. The humble attackman, however, puts more importance in the team's future than to this personal accomplishment. "I was pretty happy with [the record]," Griffin said. "But I have a lot more team goals than individual. Making the NCAA's has always been a dream of mine for our team." Though it was Griffin who set the record, it was the seniors who were honored on Saturday for their years of hard work and dedication. Senior perennial back-up goalie Brian Atherton started the first NESCAC game of his career, making four saves and surrendering six goals in 30 minutes of work. Other seniors honored their parents for their many years of support with flowers. Tufts outscored the Camels 8-3 in the second half to erase an early 5-2 deficit and collect the 13-9 win. Sophomore Mike O'Brien led the way in goals scored, finding the back of the cage four times. The win tied Tufts for first place in the NESCAC and set up Sunday's rematch with Conn. College. The Jumbos will have until next weekend to prepare for the next round of the playoffs.

The Setonian
News

Freeman's Fantasy: There's always room for strategy

May 2

Happy last day of classes for all you undergrads out there, and congrats to the seniors for making it this far. It's been a good run. May has snuck up on us, and this, of course, also means that the baseball season is in full swing. So let's take some time to go over some fantasy strategy. The questions you should be asking yourself at the beginning of the week when you're setting your fantasy line-up are the following: Who is batting in Colorado this week? Who is pitching in Petco Park? Who's pitching against the lowly Expos or Devil Rays? What batters will be facing Oakland at home? These questions are good to be asking yourself when you've got decent hitters on your bench, and if you have extra pitchers. In terms of batting, obviously you want to play guys in Colorado, no questions asked. This week I benched Jeff Bagwell at 1B for Heep Sop Choi's two-game series in Coors, and I ended up plus two home runs and four RBIs (more on Heep Sop to come). Other serious hitters' parks are in Kansas City, Texas, and Houston, although this year Houston has solid pitching. The Rockies, Royals, and Giants boast this worst team ERA's so far this season. The Red Sox have the best. This should help you went you're deciding who to play in your utility spot or as your third outfielder. If we're talking pitching, the pitchers' parks belong to the Dodgers, the A's, and the Padres. You should start your pitchers there, unless, of course, they'll be going up against Mark Mulder, Barry Zito, or Tim Hudson of the Athletics. Steer clear of those guys. The worst batting team, by far, is Montreal, with Tampa Bay, the Mets, the Phillies, and the Pirates as the only teams to have scored less than 100 runs so far. You can look to pitch your second tier starters against those teams. The highest scoring teams so far are the Astros and, shock of all the shocks, the Tigers. Holster those pitchers against the Yankees, too. Another popular strategy for leagues where moves are unlimited is spot starting. Spot starting is when you pick up a pitcher just to play in a very favorable outing. I don't really agree with picking up a player just for one game -- in my mind, it sort of goes against the spirit of fantasy. And really, you should not be pitching guys who you wouldn't consider holding onto indefinitely. But hey, some like to live dangerously, so try spot starting at your own risk. In the upcoming week, no one is playing in Colorado or KC, but the Tigers are playing in Texas. Play Rondell White. Josh Beckett will be pitching in both L.A. and San Diego this week -- yowza! Also, I like Andy Pettite against Pittsburg and Atlanta coming up. So let's see what happened last week. Big boppers topping the fantasy value rankings were Steve Finley (8 H, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB), Juan Uribe (3 HR, 6 RBI, .542) and Heep Sop Choi (4 HR, 9 RBI). Finley is a streaky guy, but a fantasy star who you should definitely be playing every day. He had a ridiculous July last year. Uribe has been filling in at SS for Jose Valentin, but he has never impressed me before. Look for him to be moved to 2B when Valentin comes back, in which case he'd be definitely a decent fantasy player, hitting for some average, getting a little pop, and stealing a base every once in a while. Heep Sop Choi is my man. Of course, I say that because I picked him up for one of my teams last week, and he has obviously performed. But honestly, the kid is 25, he's got talent, he's got power, and he's hitting behind Mike Lowell and Miguel Cabrera. Grab him while you can. Others batters who had good weeks were Lowell, Brian Giles (I told you so), Carlos Delgado, Adrian Beltre (this guy is finally breaking out), Jason Varitek, and Ruben Sierra. Okay, let's take a write-in question:I'm in last place in my league overall and as dead last as possible in hitting. I just traded Vlad Guererro and Jake Peavy for Gary Sheffield and Derek Jeter. Do you think that was a good move?-- Parker I'd say that Parker made a fine trade. Guerrero was the cream of the crop of fantasy in 2002, but that was because he stole 40. I really don't expect him to be running much this year on Anaheim with Troy Glaus, Jose Guillen, and Garret Anderson batting behind him -- so far he has zero swipes. He's a great hitter, some would say the best in the game, but Sheffield on the Yankees will have pretty similar offensive numbers. The big difference is getting Jeter. Although Jeter is often overrated (and in a little slump so far), he's a top fantasy shortstop and he's batting first for what will probably be one of the best offensive lineups in history. Parker just got a major advantage at shortstop over most other teams, and he only gave up Peavy. I do like Peavy, especially because he's a strikeout guy and he pitches in Petco, but the Padres will not give him tons of run support so don't expect a lot of wins out of him. Even if Peavy really heats up, he'd still be, at best, a fantasy team's number three starter. I'll take a top position player for a second or third tier starter any day. Nice work, Parker. Alright, that's enough for now. Send me your write-in questions and maybe your name will show up in the commencement issue. Later.

The Setonian
News

DTD dry through May '05

May 2

Following a month-long investigation, the Delta Tau Delta (DTD) fraternity has accepted responsibility for three disciplinary charges and has agreed to be alcohol-free until the end of the 2004-05 school year. In discussions last Thursday and Friday with the judicial subcommittee of the Committee on Fraternities and Sororities (CFS-J), DTD admitted to providing alcohol to minors on multiple occasions, having kegs in the house, and committing drinking game violations. According to the negotiated settlement, DTD will be allowed "to hold meetings, to recruit new members, to hold social events, and to conduct rush, but all of these activities must be completely alcohol free." A fourth charge, involving rush violations, was dropped by the CFS-J. "It was not possible to make a decision on that," CFS-J Chair Barbara Rubel said. "We need to firm up some of the regulations on rush." DTD was on social probation this past fall semester, which prohibited the fraternity from holding social events. That punishment was to span for the entire 2003-04 school year but was shortened for good behavior. At last week's discussions, the fraternity was represented by DTD President Matt Senko and Treasurer Mahmoud Hatamleh. The executive board of the fraternity did not consult DTD's national organization prior to the settlement discussions, Senko said. "We made them aware of the situation, but they didn't really advise us what to do," he said. The CFS-J is comprised of Rubel, Judicial Affairs Officer Veronica Carter, Alumni Council representative Steve Chandler, Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) Captain Mark Keith, Director of Student Activities Jodie Nealley, and Director of Risk Management David Slater. The student members of the subcommittee are Tufts Community Union Senate representative Dave Baumwoll, Inter-Greek Council President Joe Bornstein, Panhellenic Council President Illena Elman, and Interfraternity Council President Joe Mead. The investigation, carried out by TUPD, was in response to an e-mail circulated in mid-February to The Tufts Daily and administrators by a student claiming to be a former DTD pledge. The e-mail included an invitation from DTD Rush Chair Ethan Schwartz encouraging potential rushees to a Beirut tournament with "a couple kegs." The sender of the e-mail also accused DTD brothers of pressuring a female freshman to retract her story to Tufts Emergency Medical Services that she had been drinking at DTD. Rubel said the three charges ultimately stemmed solely from the investigation and did not rely on the e-mail for evidence. DTD initially proposed its own settlement, which was turned down by the CFS-J as insufficient because of the fraternity's recent social probation. According to the final settlement, "the CFS-J felt that there was sufficient culpability to suspend the chapter's recognition at this time" but chose instead to propose a dry house. DTD accepted the CFS-J's counter-proposal. "What we were trying to avoid was total social probation," Senko said. The punishment runs until Commencement day in 2005, but the CFS-J agreed to evaluate DTD's compliance at the end of the Fall 2004 semester. "The result of that review could be an alteration, termination, or continuation of the sanction," the settlement read. The CFS-J ruling applies during the summer as well as during next school year. According to Senko, the fraternity plans on housing several summer residents. Because the fraternity's prior social probation was considered when the CFS-J made its decision, DTD's disciplinary record will not be considered again during next fall's review. "We took their recent probationary status into account," Rubel said. "We won't be looking back at that."

The Setonian
News

Community service award winners announced

May 2

Fourteen Tufts students received the President's Award for Citizenship and Public Service at a ceremony on Friday. The award is given by President Larry Bacow and the University College. According to University College Dean Rob Hollister, students were chosen for the award based on the "quality and extent of work" of their on- or off-campus projects. "These awards emphasize effort above and beyond what is expected," Hollister said. "We view this group of awardees as outstanding but representative of a much larger group of students working to do public service." Undergraduate winners included seniors Joshua Bauml, Sunindia Bhalla, Marissa Goldberg, Mitchell Lunn, Ifeyinwa Mora, and Christina Zahara. The eight graduate winners of the award were dental medicine student Leena Bitar, veterinary medicine students Sean Majoy, Emily Stuart, and Lourie Yelton, computer science student Daniel Heller, medical student Daniel Koo, child development student Cristina Mendoza, and Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy student Brandon Edward Miller. Students were recommended for the award by faculty, staff, and students. University College staff then reviewed these recommendations to create a list of more than 70 nominees, from whom President Bacow personally chose the 14 winners. "Among the award recipients, something special jumps out of their nomination -- a particularly difficult obstacle that had to be overcome, an impressive volunteer network that was built, the sheer impact of the program on other people or on a community problem, a wonderful example of leadership or selfless service," Bacow said. This is the sixth annual President's Award. The award was started in 1999 by former Tufts President John DiBiaggio to recognize the quality of community service work being done at Tufts.

The Setonian
News

Further expansion into the Medford community possible

May 2

The University is currently looking to buy the Lorin Low Dame School in Medford with hopes to use it as an administrative building. Tufts submitted one of many proposals to redevelop the building. According to Directory of Community Relations Barabra Rubel, several of the other plans proposed making condominiums or apartments out of the building. The building was originally used to house the Medford aldermanic chamber. "Walnut Hill [Properties and] Tufts submitted a proposal for use as an administrative office building," Rubel said. "The people who attended the first community meeting favored the administrative office use over residential use." Walnut Hill Properties is hired by the University to purchase properties for Tufts around the Medford/Somerville campus. A community meeting to discuss the proposed Tufts project was held last Thursday. The flyer for the meeting stressed in bold that "most importantly, the re-use will not be for student use," but also stated that "the consensus of [the] neighborhood [is] that an acceptable re-use of the Dame School complex is for administrative office space." As a follow-up to the meeting there will be a Request for Proposals, at which both the University and Walnut Hill will have to submit a specific plan including the price they are willing to pay for the building. Rubel stressed that "there are no guarantees at this point that Tufts will win the right to purchase the building," but she pointed out that Tufts already [has] a relationship with that neighborhood with the presence of the Eliot Pearson Childrens' School and Department of Early Childhood Development, and the construction of the Gantcher Center. If Tufts was to acquire the Dame School, "it would mean an extension of the neighborhood we already interact with regularly," Rubel said. The Dame School, located on George St., was named after Tufts alum and former Trustee Lorin Low Dame.

The Setonian
News

John Jenke and IR: We Deserve an Explanation

May 2

Assistant Director of the International Relations program John Jenke has been a legend on the Tufts campus for over a decade. His door was always open for students in need of advice or even a good, intellectual conversation about current events. With some 80-odd advisees, his ability to maneuver through the ever-changing IR major requirements was unparalleled. Many in the Tufts community believe that Jenke, was the heart and soul of the Tufts IR program -- this University's most popular major. In the past week, it appears that something has gone drastically wrong. In an e-mail sent to Tufts IR Core Faculty earlier this week, the IR Program stated that John Jenke was "leaving" the University. Since then, several sources have made me come to believe that the abrupt circumstances in which he left the University were less than fair and just. Jenke has been in his position as assistant director of the IR Program for the last 12 years. On occasion he has run the program virtually on his own, when there was no director or program administrator. The quality and visibility of the IR program goes beyond Tufts because of Jenke's efforts. I personally have known Jenke in an academic/professional context for almost four years. He has provided me with much-needed guidance in the production of Hemispheres, the Tufts student-run IR journal. While I am not one of his "official," advisees, he put time and effort into helping me wade through scholarship applications. He was one of the few faculty members who made themselves available as I tried to set up a thesis committee while studying abroad. Jenke is one of my true college mentors. He is the rare type of teacher and professional that goes above and beyond the basics of his job description. In doing so, Jenke has made the IR Program, and the University, a better place for all. I know that I am not alone in this sentiment, and I wish to present a collection of opinions from the IR community about his departure: As one Tufts IR Core Faculty member has written, "John's generosity and patience with thousands of IR majors is nothing short of notorious. For many of our majors, John's is the face of IR." As Rodrigo de Haro, a Tufts senior IR major and one of Jenke's advisees stated, "[Jenke's] help is one of my fondest memories of Tufts. I really hope [the administration] can reconsider this decision." Sadaf Gulamali, a senior and IR major who has worked in the IR department for four years said she was upset by the way the situation was handled. "Being there for four years, and just knowing him as a person, I can't imagine what he could have done wrong. The IR Program could not be what it is today without him." Senior Pritesh Gandhi, an IR and economics major said, "I think it's a loss to the Tufts community, to the institutional memory of the IR department. His leadership and dedication reached far beyond the IR Program. He doesn't just advise you about school, he advises you about life. The IR Program is understaffed and underfunded, but because of John Jenke it has been the number one IR Program in the country." As Tara Heumann, a senior IR major notes, "Students valued Jenke because of his intelligence and candor. He treated students like mature scholars and always maintained his professionalism." The University simply cannot afford to lose a person of Mr. Jenke's caliber for trivial or unjust reasons. If Mr. Jenke has been wrongfully dismissed, the Tufts community deserves to know about it. Indeed, we deserve the chance to be able to do something about it. Please send a printed letter to the president and the provost of Tufts demanding an open and public inquiry into the nature of Mr. Jenke's departure. The students and faculty of Tufts, who have benefited from Mr. Jenke's wisdom, vision, leadership and dedication for so long, deserve as much. Mr. Jenke himself, a man of integrity and character, who has done so much to improve this University as a whole, deserves at least as much.

The Setonian
News

Untucked: A brief history of haute

May 2

The foundation of haute couture rests on the luxury of original design and perfect fit. However, this industry represents far more than fine clothing. Ever since its initial conception, haute couture has been a symbol of privilege and prestige -- offering an exclusivity that only the wealthiest individuals could afford. Today, haute couture -- a French term which literally means "high dressmaking" -- occupies the highest tier of the fashion industry; attainable only by a select few, envied and copied by everyone else. Yet, behind the glamorous fa?§ade, there lies a carefully executed business strategy that successful designers have used to capitalize on consumers' fascination with status and recognition. The concept of haute couture as it is now known was created by Englishman Charles Fredrick Worth in the mid-1800s. Up until the time of Worth, fashion design was a collaboration between those buying the clothing and those constructing it. Wealthy ladies would purchase fine fabrics from prestigious textile manufactures and then bring the cloth to a seamstress. The seamstress would then fabricate the garment according to the lady's specifications. Trends were dictated by the Royal Court, where empresses and countesses would commission lavish gowns for various appearances. Worth changed all this by taking the position of the final authority in dress, regardless of his clients' wishes. Worth also changed the level of importance behind who constructed one's clothing. Previously, the position of seamstress or tailor, although respected, did not carry much prestige in privileged circles. As news of Worth's exceptional gowns spread, his name became synonymous with quality and refinement that only the highest levels of society could partake in. Thus, the first designer label was born. Worth cultivated this fashionable reputation by associating himself with newsworthy celebrities -- most notably Empress Eugenie of France. This strategy is still employed by couture houses today, as evidenced by the Oscar night "red carpet" parade. The fact that the richest and most glamorous people of the day were wearing what Worth told them to wear soon had elite women scrambling from across France, England, and America to purchase their own Worth gowns. He came to be seen as an artist in his own right, and, therefore, anything he said became a fashion trend. With his revolutionary approach to clothing design and construction, Worth set many standards for haute couture that have remained intact to this day. With his obsessive attention to detail and high standard of perfection, Worth's clothing required hours upon hours of skilled labor to create and, consequently, commanded a staggering price. The same holds true for contemporary couture fashion houses (although some critics argue that one pays mostly for an exclusive name). Today, one can expect to pay from $16,000 to about $20,000 for a woman's tailored suit and in excess of $60,000 for an evening gown. At such prices, it is not surprising that the current market for couture clothing is extremely specialized, to say the least. It is estimated that presently fewer than 1,000 women worldwide buy couture clothing regularly. This is not surprising when one considers that there are only 3,000 women in the world who posses the financial resources to purchase such items. The French haute couture industry reported in 1994 that the made-to-measure business represented only 6% of turnover in the big-name fashion world. Given these figures, one might question how these fashion houses are able to sustain any profit at all. The answer is pr??t-a-porter, or "ready to wear." Unlike couture garments, which are custom fitted to each client's body through multiple, painstaking fit sessions, pr??t-a-porter garments are mass-produced in standard sizes. Although these garments are still of a very high quality, they do not require the same time commitment needed for couture items. Consequently, pr??t-a-porter clothing is offered at a lower, but still prohibitively high cost -- making it out of reach for a large portion of the population. Nevertheless, the market for such items is much broader than the 1,000 or so women who partake in haute couture. One might wonder why fashion houses even bother with couture clothing lines at all when they bring such low returns. This is where the clever business strategy comes into play. Essentially, couture clothing is a marketing tool for the more profitable pr??t-a-porter industry. Without the extravagant, and often outrageous, couture shows to attract media attention, consumers might not be as infatuated with the mystique of designer labels. It is this mystique that couture houses depend upon to drive high international pr??t-a-porter and accessories sales to gain substantial profits. Thus, haute couture has as much to do with human psychology as it does fashion. The quest for perfection in dress speaks not only to the desire to be clothed in the most luxurious attire money can buy but also the urge to look better than anyone else. Haute couture embodies the romance, expense, and excess that is fashion.

The Setonian
News

Participation in Greek system rises this year

May 2

Although the Greek system has come under much scrutiny this past year, the Greek system has seen an enormous increase in the number of students pledging to fraternities and sororities. According to IGC Social Chair and Alpha Omega Pi sister Alexis Liistro, participation both in her house and in the Greek system as a whole has gone up by 50 percent this year. IGC Public Relations Chair and Alpha Phi sister Jessica Brauser, agreed that membership is on the upswing. "Membership was definitely up this year, and I know that our [Alpha Phi] numbers have been increasing over the past few years," Brauser said. Those who pledged this semester cite many different incentives, although a common sentiment was that Greek life is a great way to participate in social activities. Sophomore and recently initiated Theta Delta Chi (123) brother David Donotelli joined because he realized that being a member of a fraternity gave him many new social opportunities. "It's a great way to socialize and participate in campus events," he said. "I think from people I was friends with last year and pledged, seeing the friendships that they had, I just kind of wanted to be part of something else on campus, and to get more involved and meet new people," said sophomore Stephanie Reinhardt, who pledged Alpha Phi this semester. "I think pledging increased just because of the entire Greek scene first semester," freshman and Theta Delta Chi (123) brother Peter Maher said. "Freshmen coming in were expecting something different out of the whole college experience, and with all the regulations and [houses on] probation, that social life was stifled by the University." But Tufts fraternities and sororities have attempted to show the campus that they are not just places to party. During this past week's Greek Week, the Greek houses banded together to organize community service endeavors and activities for the entire campus. "We want to give back to the community, ultimately," Brauser said. "There's more to Greek life than just having parties and socializing -- every house has a charity organization." Through events like Mud Volleyball, Karaoke for Cardiac Care, Jar Wars, and a canned food drive, the IGC attempted to bring the campus together while giving back to charity. "Basically we wanted to increase the Greek presence on campus and we felt that come Spring Fling it would be a good time to bring both Greeks and non-Greeks together," Brauser said. "Mud volleyball was the kickoff, and we hope that over the next few years the participation level will go up." One of the Greek system's main focuses has been to bring "non-Greeks" into the Greek community, and get them involved in the events. "The goal is to show that the Greek system does stuff outside of Friday and Saturday nights," junior Christopher Valente, an Alpha Tao Omega brother and Vice President of the IGC said. "The participation was awesome from what we saw at all the activities. There was lot of non-Greek participation, which is what we were looking for." According to the IGC members, both Mud Volleyball and Karaoke for Cardiac Care had "good turnouts," with large numbers of non-Greeks showing up for both activities. Additionally, through Jar Wars, a competition among the different Greek houses to see who can raise the most money for their chosen charity, about $700 was raised. Although it is difficult to determine what effect the Greek System's recent efforts will have in the long run, the number of new members shows that the system will not die out. "It's a combination of things," Valente said about the increase in Greek membership. "Everyone is being more involved, which attracts more people to the Greek system, [and] we're getting a lot of help with the administration, who are really working with us to make sure the Greek system lasts a lot longer." "We're trying to improve the image of the Greek system," Brauser said, adding that "over the past few years, the system has taken some hits, and we are trying to improve our image and help each other out."

The Setonian
News

Men's track finishes fifth out of 25 at New England Division III Championships

May 2

The Jumbos continued a three-year trend of improvement Friday and Saturday, finishing fifth in the field of 25 teams at this year's New England Div. III championships. Home team Williams dominated the meet with a team score of 142.5 points, winning for the fourth consecutive year. The Ephs were followed by Bates with 70, MIT with 68, Springfield with 65.5, and Tufts with 59. Going into the meet, these five teams were expected to jockey for the top five positions. A close struggle for second place between Tufts, Bates, Springfield and MIT seemed inevitable considering the rivalries that exist amongst Tufts and all three teams. Close finishes have occurred between these teams throughout the season, highlighted by last week's NESCAC championships in which Tufts beat out Bates by one half of a point in order to secure second place. That finish was impressive for Tufts, but it took a toll on the team's energy and depth and affected the squad's strategy going into the New England Div. III's. Instead of focusing on a top team finish, the team went into the meet focused on improving individual times for next week's All New England Championships, a meet featuring the best competitors from Div. I, II, and III schools in New England. "I don't think we are disappointed because we went into this meet with a different mindset," junior Nate Brigham said. "We knew that last weekend was the big team meet and this weekend was another opportunity to improve our times for the All New England Championships. Of course we wanted to finish better as a team, but it's difficult to go full tilt every weekend." Tufts did witness several impressive individual performances this weekend. Senior Peter Bromka won the 10,000, providing Tufts with one of two of its first place finishes. Bromka won in a time of 32:53.67, a full 17 seconds in front of the nearest competitor. Meanwhile, NESCAC Rookie of the Year freshman Fred Jones dominated the jumps, winning the triple jump and finishing third in the long jump. Jones posted seasonal bests in each event as he led the Jumbos in total scoring with his 16 point contribution. "I think yesterday was the best I've felt all year," Jones said. "It will be difficult to duplicate, but hopefully I will continue to improve." In the sprints, junior Ray Carre qualified for the finals of the 200 meter dash, finishing eighth. Carre also finished fourth in the 400 with a time of 49.14 seconds, his best this season. Tufts did not score as highly as it often does in some of the distance events, due to a need to rest some of the team's distance runners after last weekend's grueling NESCAC's and in preparation for next week's All New England's. "A lot of distance guys didn't run in their best events because they were so tired from the week before," Jones said. "It was a different approach. We went very hard last week at NESCAC's and it took a toll on them and everybody." For instance, Brigham did not run in either of his two usual events, the 5,000-meter run or the 10,000. Instead, Brigham and sophomore Matt Lacey competed in the 1,500, using the shorter event as a tune-up for next week, when the pair will try to break the school record in the 5,000. Brigham is the current record holder. Freshman Josh Kennedy continued to perform well in the longer runs, finishing third in the 5,000, with junior Brian McNamara finishing strong in ninth. Senior tri-captain Peter Jurczynski finished fifth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, sophomore Seth LaPierre finished fifth in the pole vault, sophomore Trevor Williams finished tenth in the 400 meter hurdles, and junior Nate Thompson finished in sixth in the 110. Thompson had missed last weekend's NESCAC's with mononucleosis, making his season best time of 15.35 all the more impressive. Junior Dan March was the only Jumbo to score in the throwing events, heaving the hammer 170-01. The throw marked a personal record for March and netted a fourth place finish in the hammer throw. Tufts will send fourteen competitors to this weekend's All New England championships, held at Northeastern. Carre, Jones, Brigham, Lacey, Kennedy, Jurczynski, Thompson, Williams, LaPierre, and March will be there representing the Jumbos, as well as sophomore runners Pat Mahoney and Matt Fortin, freshman runner Nate Cleveland and sophomore discus thrower Brandon Udelhofen. "Obviously it would be really difficult for us to win as a team this weekend, going up against Div. I schools," Jones said. "But I definitely think that we're going to be refocused and will see a big improvement in times and distances."

Trending
The Tufts Daily Crossword with an image of a crossword puzzle
The Print Edition
Tufts Daily front page