Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Tuesday, April 7, 2026
The Print Edition Print Subscription
Donate | About | Join Us
Advertise | Submit a Tip
Subscribe to our newsletters

Archives

The Setonian
News

One for the team

April 12

Quick, name the first thing you think of when you think of sports in Colorado. If your response involved rape, you're not alone. Since last summer, about the only headlines coming out of the Centennial State have involved either the ongoing Kobe Bryant saga or the litany of rape accusations against University of Colorado football players. But no longer. Thanks to the University of Denver (DU), Coloradans finally have something to cheer about -- an NCAA hockey title. That's right, if you haven't heard yet, the Pioneers took out the University of Maine Saturday night 1-0 at the Fleet Center here in Boston for their first title since 1969. The last minute of the game was probably the most exciting thing on ice since Tanya Harding's bodyguard took a lead pipe to Nancy Kerrigan's knee. With 2:09 to play, the Pioneers were called for hooking, and with 1:34 left, they lost another man for closing his hand on the puck. Then, with about a minute to go, the Black Bears pulled their goalie. So for about a minute, DU goalie Adam Berkhoel faced a six-on-three disadvantage - not exactly what you practice on a daily basis. But Berkhoel was on - he saved two slap shots by Maine's leading scorer Colin Shields in that last minute, and he was named the Frozen Four's MVP. So thank you, DU. Maybe now Colorado will get some respect. Maybe now Colorado will get its due. And oh, does Colorado have dues to collect. For one, Carmelo Anthony is the Rookie of the Year, no doubt. The kid has carried the Nuggs this whole year, including a dominating performance in Saturday's OT win over the Blazers. Whether the Nuggets make the playoffs or not shouldn't even matter. Last year at this time, they had about as many wins on the court as Jayson "I was just cleaning my gun" Williams has prayers in the court room. Meanwhile, the Cavs are out. Out! Bron Bron couldn't even keep his team in playoff contention until the final three weeks of the season. I mean sure, he did score more points than Melo, and his Nike commercials are way better than Melo's. But he had Paul Silas to work with. If Paul Silas had been put in charge of the career of the girl who played Kimmy on "Full House," you would have never even heard for those freakin' Olsen twins. And what did Melo have? Jeff Bzdelik - a guy with more consonants in his name than a Swedish microbrew. And another thing, the Avs are getting no respect. They're without Paul Kariya, and they're up 2-1 on the Dallas Stars. Without Paul Kariya! This is the same guy who, with a little help from a guy named Jean-Sebastien Giguere, took the Ducks to the finals last year. Don't forget, the Avs were the team who got sucker-punched into intensive care during a blow-out win over Jon Graham's heartless Canucks last month. They're going all the way this year - you know why? - because the Red Wings suck. Since about the only thing on the NFL radar these days is a right breast that's had a few too many cosmetic surgeries, I thought it would be appropriate to bring up the Broncos and their off-season moves. They got Champ Bailey and John Lynch. I repeat, they got Champ Bailey and John Lynch. For the past, I don't know, however long it's been since the Broncos had Steve Atwater, their defense has been about as solid as the scrambled eggs at Dewick. And losing Clinton Portis in the process was no problem. Mike Shanahan could take a Gonzaga basketball player and make him a Pro Bowl running back. Yes, Ed McCaffrey will be missed. Yes, Deltha O'Neal's hip-hop show on KS107.5 will be missed. But does anyone seriously question who's going to win next season's Raiders games? Man, that felt good. I haven't thought about non-rape-related Colorado sports in months. And I owe it all to Condoleezza Rice's alma mater, DU -- the best mile-high scandal-free school in the country. By this point in the column, I can't even think straight because the amount of matzah in my veins has eclipsed the amount of blood, so I either end it here or pass out in an unleavened haze. Oh yeah, big ups to Lefty on the green jacket. Dude was due, and he was money in the clutch. Raiders suck.

The Setonian
News

Education Briefs

April 12

Princeton devises new strategy to battle grade inflation To fight against the 30-year trend of increasingly high grades in American universities, Princeton might begin rationing the number of A's that can be distributed during a semester. Princeton faculty will vote later this month on a system that will limit the A-, A, and A+ grades to no more than 35 percent of the school's total grades. A's have been awarded 46 percent of the time in the last several years at Princeton, and despite the administration urging faculty to crack down on grade inflation, those numbers have continued to rise. Grade inflation is a problem for many colleges. After being criticized several years ago for allowing 90 percent of its students to graduate with honors, Harvard cut back on its honor degrees. It has not, however, ordered faculty to lower or limit grades. TSU president defends actions After state auditors examined Tennessee State University (TSU) president James Hefner's recent expenditures, a few Super Bowl tickets have been causing an uproar. The auditors charge that Hefner used his position to obtain the tickets at the expense of the state school. The audit released last week by the state comptroller's office found that Aramark Corp. -- the school's food service company, headed by chairman and chief executive Joe Neubauer (E '63) -- had picked up Hefner's $200 tab to attend the 2001 Super Bowl in Tampa, Fla. Hefner tried to cover up the free tickets by saying he had reimbursed Aramark for the tickets, but then changed his story several times after being confronted. In the face of criticism, including calls for his resignation, Hefner denied the wrongdoing alleged by the state auditors. "For now, let me just say I deeply regret if anything I have done has cast this office or TSU in unflattering light," he said. Risqu‚ poster campaign meets administrative acclaim at Bowdoin Students on Bowdoin's Brunswick, Maine campus awoke recently to more than just budding trees. Plastered all over campus were pictures of naked Bowdoin female students of all body types. Only their bodies were displayed, as the pictures had been shot from the neck down. This campaign -- the work of a Bowdoin women's group -- attempted to address body image issues with a technique sure to draw attention and dialogue. Dean of Student Affairs Craig Bradley said he supported the group's actions as an effective means to help students stop obsessing about their bodies, a position the school's administration strongly supports. Bowdoin is not the only school seeking to diminish an unhealthy perfectionist attitude that pervades its student body. Colleges across the country are devoting ever-increasing time and energy to ensure undergraduates' personal growth and emotional well-being. This ranges from everything including free counseling, massages, free distribution of New Age music and even dogs to cuddle with during exam period. -- Compiled by Patrick Gordon from the New York Times and CNN.com.

The Setonian
News

No slowing of tuition cost increases in near future

April 12

One decade from now, could Tufts really be worth an annual $62,100 fee? If current trends continue as they have been for previous years, future bills will make today's pale in comparison. While Tufts' reputation as a premier institution of higher education continues to grow, the school already has a solid distinction as one of the most expensive schools in the nation. There is no indication that tuition growth will slow any time soon either. The University's price tag will increase by another 4.5 percent next year, according to Executive Administrative Dean Wayne Bouchard. With an expected total cost of attendance of just under $40,000 next year, it comes as little surprise that since 2001 Tufts has consistently graced the country's "Most Expensive Colleges" lists, on par with five of the eight Ivy League institutions. Next year's tuition increase follows a decade-old trend which has seen Tufts' tuition steadily increase between four and five percent each year. Bouchard attributes the increase to the fact that 80 to 90 percent of Tufts' annual undergraduate budget is reliant on tuition inflow. With a modest university endowment of only $600 million, Tufts administration has no choice but to match tuition costs to increasing living costs such as energy, healthcare and competitive faculty salaries. Those unavoidable increases are natural, and for a school like Tufts, the only option is to continue tuition increases to cover those costs. "It's probably necessary to raise tuition," says economics professor George Norman. "Tufts is continually trying to strike a balance between costs and tuition, and obviously costs and inflation continue to rise." Because a price tag as hefty as Tufts' may preclude many qualified but underprivileged students from attending, the school is dependent on financial aid to make up the difference. Director of Financial Aid Patricia Reilly said 48 percent of Tufts students benefit from financial aid in one form or another. The school's neediest students are required to pay an annual tuition of around $1,500, and the aid program covers the rest of the bill. Approximately $41.2 million dollars of the total $49 million Tufts spent on financial aid in 2003-04 was largely collected from student tuition. Using tuition money for financial aid is necessary to keep Tufts from becoming "a school of rich white kids," Bouchard said. Despite the school's efforts to ease the tuition's burden from middle and lower class students, "I have no doubt that costs are deterring underprivileged kids from applying to or attending Tufts," Bouchard said. Director of Admissions Lee Coffin said the demographic most likely to be hurt by Tufts' tuition would be the middle class. "Obviously, the wealthy don't need to worry too much about this tuition. And the very underprivileged [those whose families make $50,000 or less each year] enjoy large financial aid packages. Ultimately, the middle class students and their families need to make a decision," Coffin said. He added that despite costs, Tufts has enjoyed its fourth consecutive record-breaking applicant pool increase. "While of course $40,000 is a zone of expensiveness that would hurt many people, so many still see the value of a good education," Coffin said. Coffin agreed with Bouchard that tuition may deter students from applying, but said the exact impact is difficult to measure. "It's so hard to know how many people are truly deterred by tuition costs because they are largely an invisible group. Generally, people would pull out of the application process due to cost before even applying, so we have no real way of knowing how many people that includes," Coffin said. Judging from the application statistics for the last four years, however, "the tuition increases and costs have certainly not been a detriment. A challenge, perhaps," Coffin said. While the cost of a Tufts education has not stopped growing, Bouchard said that eventually the school will become less reliant on tuition as its principle budgetary pillar, possibly resulting in a slower annual tuition increase. Bouchard said Capital Campaigns -- challenges set forth by the Tufts president to raise endowment funds -- paint a very promising financial future for Tufts. President Bacow's last campaign was called "Tufts Tomorrow." It was launched in 1995 and ended in 2002, raising over $600 million for the school and what Bouchard called "the most pressing projects." These included building renovations and an increasingly high caliber of faculty. Bouchard said that Bacow is slated to announce an even more ambitious campaign sometime in the next year with a goal of raising about $1 billion over the next decade. If this goal is achieved, Bouchard said that "such substantial resources would allow us to, among other things, become need-blind." Being need-blind, or admitting students with no regard to financial status, is a privilege that some of the wealthiest schools in the nation already enjoy. Harvard is the country's richest university with an endowment of about $19.3 billion in 2003. This year, Harvard announced that all families making less than around $45,000 would not need to pay for their children's Harvard education at all. Although Harvard also continues to increase its tuition at a rate comparable to Tufts' -- a 5.15 percent increase was announced for the 2004-2005 school year -- such comprehensive financial aid is a model Tufts both ultimately seeks to emulate and currently competes with. "Basically it's a resource issue," Bouchard said. "It's hard to compete against when we try to attract the nation's top students, but the important thing to remember is that we do." "We're doing our utmost with what resources we have to compete with the best and wealthiest schools throughout the country, and I think it's fair to say that we're doing rather well," Bouchard said.

The Setonian
News

Baumwoll, Mead race for TCU Senate presidency

April 12

The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate nominated two of its members for president last night, officially beginning this year's presidential race. The two nominees are junior Joe Mead and sophomore Dave Baumwoll. Members of the Senate nominated Baumwoll and Mead, and the nominations were quickly seconded. Freshman senator Simon Sassenberg lightheartedly attempted to nominate ex-president Chike Aguh. However, Aguh did not run this past week for another term in the TCU Senate, although he did oversee the nomination meeting. Senators also gave each candidate the required two-third majority vote of confidence. "The vote of confidence is really a formality," Aguh said to senators. "Please write down both names, so that we can have an election. Those are good for democracy, I've been told." After nominations, each candidate gave a short speech to introduce their platforms. Mead and Baumwoll both addressed what they thought would a key issue this year -- eliminating the "nickel and diming" on campus. By this, the senators referred to small fees the average student incurs throughout the year, from pay-for-printing to fees students pay to get their transcripts. Mead also discussed relations with Somerville, lack of administrative accountability, connections between the Senate and the rest of the Tufts student body, and the fob system as presidential projects for next year if elected. Mead unsuccessfully campaigned against Aguh for the office last year, but lost with 40 percent of the vote. Baumwoll unveiled a three-part plan for next year known as ACT. The acronym stands for Advocate solutions, Celebrate diversity, and Take pride in Tufts. Under the plan he hopes to attain such goals as "moving the Senate out into the community" and increasing diversity in faculty and curricula. In introducing their positions, both candidates emphasized the importance for the student body to vote on more than a platform. "A platform is only as good as the person behind it," Mead said. Baumwoll agreed, noting that "platforms are important as a guiding light but experience is what really matters." Both presidential candidates had positions on the Senate's Executive Board last year. After losing his bid for president of the TCU last year, Mead served as vice-president. Mead said his work as vice-president focused on ensuring Senate sub-committees ran smoothly. During the 2003-2004 Senate term Baumwoll acted as Senate parliamentarian. As part of the role, he attended and contributed to both TCU Senate and Judiciary meetings. Apart from their Executive Board positions, both candidates worked on committees within the Senate. Mead worked on Public Relations and Baumwoll worked on Administration and Budget Committee and the Web Surveyors Committee. The atmosphere of the meeting was buzzing as the candidates and the Senate body seemed ready for competition. "What I want to challenge the student body to answer, is not choosing which platform to vote for, but choosing which candidate is more committed and experienced," Mead said. The meeting was the first of the new Senate's term, and recently elected senators Aaron Miller, Neil Padover, Adrienne van Nieuwenhuizen, and Juan Escobar attended. The Senate nominations meeting took place in Eaton Hall.

The Setonian
News

Tufts downs Bates and UNH, stomped by Wesleyan

April 12

On a picturesque day with perfect rowing conditions, both the first and second boats won exciting races but lost to NESCAC rival Wesleyan. With a few changes in personnel, Tufts looked like it might row at a faster count and be better prepared to take on Wesleyan, a team whose heavyweight boat is ranked fifth in New England. Freshman Tim Pineau, who sat in the first boat against BC and Trinity last week, switched into the stroke position to steady the second boat, and junior captain Robert Goldstein was moved into the first boat for the Jumbos. Despite the changes, however, Wesleyan still managed to get the best of the Jumbos. The day couldn't have started any better for the first varsity squad. With the calm waters and slight crosswinds not posing a problem, the team managed to come from behind and defeat the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in a close-fought race. The two crews started the race evenly, and UNH pulled ahead at about the 600 meter mark. UNH maintained a sizable lead until the 1500 mark, but once the Jumbos crossed that point, they picked up their pace and started to gain water. Tufts pulled even with about 100 meters to go, and by the time the boats crossed the 2000 meter finish line, Tufts had its first lead of the race, and an impressive victory. "We were really pleased about that comeback," Goldstein said. "It really shows a lot about our crew to be able to pull from behind after being down so much. We now know what we are capable of." Tufts drew an unfortunate starting time for its second contest, and within twenty minutes of beating UNH was back on the water for its race against its NESCAC foe. Wesleyan jumped out to a quick lead, and maintained it throughout the race, without much competition. The Jumbos looked tired, and, without much gas left in their tanks, lost by over ten seconds. Wesleyan, which had barely been tested in its first race, easily outstroked the Jumbos, and Tufts was handed its second conference loss in two weeks. "[Wesleyan] raced against Bates first, and just coasted the whole way," freshman Ben Tarshis said. "It didn't even look like they were trying [in their first race]." "We just didn't have anything left," Goldstein said. "We put it all on the line against UNH, but we know we'll get another shot at Wesleyan." The story was somewhat similar for the men's second boat, which suffered a tough loss to an undefeated Wesleyan two boat in their first outing, and then crushed Bates an hour later. Wesleyan jumped ahead at the start, and when Tufts tried to make its move, the Cardinals proved too much for the surging Jumbos. "We got off to a very poor start against Wesleyan, and then got closer, but when we tried to inch up at the end, they just pulled away," junior Andrew Mueller said. "This week's race was a lot less technically sound than last week's, although it should tighten up when we stop moving people [in between boats]." Against Bates, the Jumbos looked much more composed, and finally started the race well. With a large lead after only a few minutes, Tufts maintained a steady stroke count and easily cruised to a half minute victory. However, the huge margin was not enough to overshadow the fact that the crew team had just lost to Wesleyan in yet another close race. "A race like that is a real confidence booster, but we really need to start winning the close ones," Pineau said. "Losing by a seat is almost worse than losing by a minute, because we know that kind of race should have been ours. We could have won it." The third boat was the only one that was undefeated on Saturday. It handily outstroked a freshman team from UNH, and destroyed a combination team from UNH and Bates.

The Setonian
News

Is our housing lottery sexist?

April 11

Is our housing lottery sexist? The answer in short: yes or no, you can decide for yourself. But I am still appalled, weeks after having experienced firsthand the repercussions of a housing lottery that not only sucked in general for all rising juniors, but disproportionately so for the female half. While I linger on ResLife's waiting list, I can not help but wonder how it is allowed that some students with lottery numbers well below the "Most likely to be placed on the wait list" and "Not likely to be assigned on-campus housing" categories were still more able to get housing than other students with the top "Most likely to have options" numbers -- solely by virtue of being male, or so it seems. Yet I discovered from talking to current juniors and seniors that this apparently has played out the same way year after year. It seems more female seniors opt for on-campus housing each year, which leaves next-to-nothing -- or just nothing like this year's case -- by the time female juniors are next in line to choose. Though it was not news to them, it was definitely the first time I had heard of anything like this, and if I am at all representative of Tufts students in general, I would guess that many still do not know that this stuff goes down. Likewise, I am incredulous as to how it is possible that no one else seems to have noticed this phenomenon seriously enough to question and demand that something gets done about it. I suppose one factor is it is just too easy for the University to overlook since it only happens to a new wave of unsuspecting students who continually shrug it off each time as something that personally will not plague them again. However, I can not help but suspect that had this happened around the hot issue of race, more voices would have been raised immediately, loud and clear. But because this hints at the less visible symptoms of institutionalized sexism, it is somehow more acceptable to let it go without further investigation. I realize that housing is a difficult situation every year and that ResLife does make efforts to help rising juniors, efforts that should not go unrecognized. An example was the early release of lottery numbers last semester so juniors, presumably in the "not likely to be assigned on-campus housing" range, could have more time to start the usually stress-laden search for off-campus housing sooner. But changes in policy always come with inadvertent outcomes. The implication for releasing numbers early reinforces the pervasive myth that if a student is lucky enough to be assigned a high lottery number, then s/he would have less need to start the search and should instead be rest assured that on-campus housing will indeed be likely. What I am suggesting then is that ResLife and the University should also find ways to deal with this de facto discrepancy which results when only certain students are being shut out of housing because of a system that allocates on-campus rooms by sex. Additionally, I would like to see a formal investigation on why more females prefer living on-campus so the University can either rule out or appropriately address factors, such as concerns over personal safety of living off-campus, that typically affect more females than males. Even if the University were to do nothing to change, I hope this at least serves as a heads-up to current and future underclasswomen of what they are up against for future housing lotteries. Perhaps after having read this, they will not have to be as shocked next spring, as I was a couple weeks ago, when they find themselves anxiously waiting over an hour at Cousens Gym only to find nothing left because they are female. Karen Lin is a sophomore majoring in Engineering Psychology and Community Health.

The Setonian
News

Wholly Unsatisfying

April 11

Nothing about the sequel to "The Whole Nine Yards" is new. A perfect example of the phenomenon of spring sequels that should not exist but often do anyway, this movie careens through its scenes with no explanation. Even a "surprise" ending fails to add suspense to a story that just doesn't work. "The Whole Ten Yards," however, certainly lives up to its title in one respect: from fart jokes to dentistry to Hungarian mobsters, this film cashes in on every cheap gag possible. Bruce Willis in an apron! Clappers! Foul-mouthed girl scouts! Pregnancies! Full-frontal nudity! Oh, wait -- that was in the first one. But while the first was surprisingly fun, the second is just tired. As a sequel to 2000's "The Whole Nine Yards", a funny if slightly hackneyed "the-mob-is-funny movie," this second installment fails miserably. While the cast played the first with a wink and a smile, enjoying the absurdity of a Hungarian mobster comedy set in Montreal. In the sequel, even the actors seem to sense there is no excuse for the film's existence. The opening montage goes from 1960's Chicago to Mexico to California to another place in California all in the first 10 minutes. The film plays almost like a series of sketches, as if director Howard Deutch had no attention span, and instead decided to rely on unfunny and annoying stunt after stunt. The film progresses clumsily and sloppily -- as if the plot was decided after shooting the film. The stilted scenes seem slapped together in the editing room like ragged pieces of an old jigsaw puzzle -- and it's a bad fit. The action goes down something like this: Oz (Matthew Perry) and Cynthia (Natasha Henstridge) are a wealthy Californian couple with a big house, nice cars, a couple MK-47s and various other artillery. Jimmy "the Tulip" (Bruce Willis) and Jill (Amanda Peet) are a wealthy couple in Mexico with the same possessions. When Lazlo (Kevin Pollak), Hungarian mob boss and father of Yanni, the hit of the last movie, gets out of jail, he goes vigilante to avenge the death of his favored son which the afformentioned four are responsible for. This allows for some shooting, smacking around, the presence of stupid mobsters, and explosions. Pollak, who played Yanni in the first film, reprises his Hungarian every-mobster character with painful enthusiasm. His performance is so exaggerated it's embarrassing to watch. Shouting, hacking, and mumbling his lines in a weak parody of Marlin Brando's godfather, his fellas have no choice but to camp it up similarly. The mobsters are all buffoons, ridiculously so, and their comedy relies on punches, guns, and stupidity. The trigger-happy Amanda Peet, as former dental assistant turned hit woman Jill, is unable to actually kill anyone; her targets fall victim to death by spaghetti, nasty falls, and various other slapstick misfortunes. Despite her character and the plot, she manages to turn in the better performance of the film. Natasha Henstridge, as Cynthia, the token hot wife of the flick, has switched from one leading man to the other and remains uninteresting. Bruce Willis's character, Jimmy "the Tulip" Tudeski, reaches heights unprecedented in the last movie: a one-night stand with Perry, drunken confessions of childhood bedwetting, deep emotional attachment to a chicken named Blanche. Blanche is accidentally killed by Perry in his Porsche. Naturally, this spurs yet another breakdown from Willis. He blubbers ludicrously throughout this movie in an attempt to force the laughs that just aren't there. The movie might have been redeemable had it made any sense at all. It's difficult to find the motivation of any of the characters at any point in the film. Though the ending is happy (of course), it doesn't really matter. As they've set themselves up so nicely since the last film, there isn't really anything that they can possibly want. The payoff is cheap and the acting is strained. "The Whole Ten Yards" is just another premature, stupid summer sequel.

The Setonian
News

New Clothes, Same Great Personality

April 11

What do you do when bad style happens to good people? Everyone knows a person or two who isn't living up to their full fashion potential. With all the makeover television shows these days, one can't help wanting to transform his friends with a little friendly style guidance. This, of course, is far easier said than done. For most folks, being told that they need help with their appearance is not a terribly pleasant experience. Therefore, one must be sure of their intentions, have a clear game plan, and, above all, not trample all over his or her friends' emotions. Before attempting to stage a fashion intervention, there are some important questions you must ask. What will your friend gain from a new look? Remember that not everyone has to share your sense of style. Don't try to make someone into another Gap clone. You don't have to be trendy to be stylish. Your friends aren't going to gain a whole lot by you barging in and completely obliterating their sense of self by making them look like people they aren't. Always keep your friend's personality and lifestyle first in mind. He may look great in trousers and a dress shirt, but why should a student look "business professional" every day in class? So, when is it appropriate to offer a few helpful fashion tips? Only give advice if A: you feel you can truly improve this person's quality of life, and B: this person cares enough about the way they look to appreciate an improved appearance. Let's face it; some people just don't give a thought to their clothes, hair, etc. I would say that this is a very small minority, because most of us feel more confident when we know we look nice. Here's a perfect example: you have a friend who is intelligent and charming but never gets a second look because her hair covers her face and her clothes are so ill-fitting that you can't tell that there's a person underneath all the fabric. She thinks she looks fine, but her messy exterior doesn't do justice to her put-together personality. Give her a face-framing new hair style and some clothes that show off her curves, and, before you know it, she'll look wonder why she never realized that she could look so good! It's so empowering to finally realize that, yes, you can pull off that shirt you never thought you'd wear. Yet, how does one go about giving their friends that added confidence without seeming like a jerk? The best approach is that of the "mutual makeover." Never let it seem like you are the style god who reigns over your pitiable subjects. It's important to recognize that there are probably things about yourself that could use a little help. Suggest a joint trip to the salon or beauty counter for some professional advice. A trained hairstylist or makeup artist will know much more about what it takes to accentuate the positive and minimize the negative. Yet, don't feel like you have to do everything they say just because they seem in-the-know. Never let someone pressure you into a look that you or your friend is not comfortable with just because it is the "latest thing." The same approach can be taken towards shopping for clothes. Don't go around telling your friend exactly what to try on. Discuss fits and colors that will look great on them, so they know what to look for. Make sure you are letting your friend have the opportunity to comment on the things you pick out, as well. Be particularly careful in the dressing room. When faced with the age old question, "Does my butt look big in this," keep this mindset: it's always the garment that doesn't look good, not the body underneath. Say specifically how the garment doesn't fit correctly with something like, "It pulls here," or "it bunches there." Avoid implying that the person's body is the problem. As long as you can place the blame on the piece of clothing, you should be safe. If a difficult decision must be made, defer to the opinion of the salesperson. Finally, remember that a makeover is not supposed to cover up the person with a carefully constructed fa‡ade. Instead, it should let the person's natural assets shine. It's all about making people feel good about themselves!

The Setonian
News

You're fired...or maybe you should be

April 11

I do not think that anyone in administrative or student government leadership at Tufts has bad intentions. I truly believe that President Bacow, the deans and provost, and Senate members want to do things that make this campus better. But coming up with ideas to make things better is the easiest part of leadership. The hard thing is deciding what is most in need of being made better, and determining which projects are most worthy of the limited financial and political resources available. This is a task that the institutions on this campus have failed at this year. The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate started off this year on a foul note, with last spring's confusion about the election of a TCU president, an election whose ethical questionability can still be seen in the illegal chalking "Vote Chike" on a column outside the Campus Center. TCU President Chike Aguh summarized what he saw as the organ's achievements this year: "The biggest triumph of this body is that it's about projects and not about ego." ("Senate recaps its last year with Aguh", April 6) Well, perhaps someday the Senate will be about meeting students' needs. Projects themselves are completely about ego, as I know anytime I have criticized a project it has been taken as a personal attack on the Senator involved. Personal issues have much too great a place in our Senate, as several senators hold leadership positions in other organizations that they fund, and have other political obligations, too. This conflict of interest cannot be allowed to continue, but since many true student leaders at Tufts would rather clip their toenails than get involved in the egotistical nonsense of the Senate, elections will continue uncontested and nothing will ever change. I argue that the Senate accomplished very little this year. Notable exceptions include Fall Fest, and...oh wait, nothing, because every other project the Senate claims as an accomplishment has had a negligible impact on student life. The entire methodology the Senate uses in determining policy priorities is flawed, as it comes up with projects and then asks students if they are in favor of them. Well, gee, most students are not against any expanded services. There is nothing to be opposed to about a Boston shuttle or extra internet. But are these high on the list of student priorities? No. Students care far more about our inadequate and incompetent housing system and staff, and the shameful physical state of many of our facilities, than transportation on the weekend to an area with largely-21+ clubs that can be relatively easily accessed anyway. But working on those issues are harder and would confront administrative opposition, so the Senate will keep to the 'nice' stuff, avoiding engaging in any real dialogue with students and administrators. Perhaps my favorite quote of a senator in recent memory comes from easily re-elected 2007 senator Simon Sassenberg. In commenting on his disappointment for the lack of student fervor for the demagogues of the TCU, he said, "Senate does things that directly affect the student population, such as printing information on the back of student IDs and the wireless campus center. So if students take advantage of Senate projects, then why don't they vote?" Well, personally, I could not vote for the TCU Senate this year, as only three rising seniors ran for the seven class spots. And have you ever stared at the back of your ID card, longing for it to share information with you? Like the Senate, the administration also is pursuing priorities and goals unrelated to actual student concerns and needs. Apparently, the newest oppressed population on campus is graduate students, who are "overshadowed" by the undergraduate school ("Graduate school works to draw attention to GSAS", April 6) Well, duh. I came to Tufts, as did many of us, because of its supposed commitment to undergraduates. And as I begin to look at graduate schools, I am looking at places that are more focused on their graduate population. Tufts' undergraduate nature has never been a hidden secret. Yes, we have some great graduate programs, but the lifeblood of this school is its undergraduates, and it should continue to be so. The same goes for changes implemented in commencement, supposedly coming from the Undergraduate Task Force, which collected its "data" by collecting random anecdotal information. Tufts is an undergraduate, liberal arts-based institution. Students develop relationships across the school, both with faculty and other students. To end our time here divided by something that represented less than one-third of our academic life here, and little or none of our social life, is absurd. And to do this while our Office of Residential Life and Learning is in shambles (Dean Reitman and Yolanda King have both refused to comment to me about this issue,) and the important major construction projects are on hold due to a greedy city is irresponsible. Even our cultural centers have become unresponsive to student needs, focusing on activism, scholarship, and greater issues in society, growing less and less concerned about the psychosocial needs of the student constituencies on this campus. I find it ironic that the entire Dean of Students bureaucracy has absolutely no accountability to students, and some major tragedy will probably have to occur before any change or re-evaluation occurs. ELBO member Abby Lillianfeld expressed my feelings about the student and administrative leadership and the job they did this year quite well: "Nothing special about this one." ("TCU elections proceed largely uncontested," April 8) senators and administrators can have their projects until the cows come home, but until their priorities match those of the student body, they will be failures in my book. Adam Pulver is a junior majoring in political science and community health. He can be reached at pulver@tuftsdaily.com.

The Setonian
News

It's still the beginning

April 11

Well fantasy-fanatics, we've had one full week of baseball and you're team looks terrible, right? Or your team looks amazing and you're going to stay in first place forever, no questions asked. This is obviously not true, since the season just started, and everything is upside down. I mean really, as of Saturday, the Tigers were the best team in baseball and the Mariners were the worst. You've got to be kidding me. I discussed with some competitors what would be the right amount of time to be taking your league standings seriously, and we decided, after some argument and a spilled bottle of Gatorade, that it's somewhere between three and four weeks. That's right, you've got at least three weeks before you can take any stock in those standings -- it won't do you any good to get too worried or too excited. But then again, it's never too early to trash talk. So what can you do to get your fantasy team some advantages? My advice is to rock the waiver wire for some cheap gains, and be conservative with your players who you're not sure about. Like I wrote last week, if you drafted a starter that you think will be a sleeper but is actually pretty unproven, then bench him until you're sure. Or if you're waiting for Adam Dunn to replicate last year's powerful start, I'd say let him sit on your bench for at least a week until he shows signs of sweetness. Regarding the waiver wire, you can always use a spot on your roster for small gains. Especially in terms of closers, it doesn't hurt to guess on a guy who you think might pick up a save or two. Closers really can't do that much to hurt you since they pitch so few innings. But, if they do get the opportunity to close, and get five saves for you over the next month, that will make a difference for your team. Jose Mesa got one save early last week and owners were clamoring to pick him up for that very reason -- even though the guy is a notorious loser, he's worth the risk. Some no-name closers to pick up if no one else has are Matt Herges, Corey Leskanic, Danny Kolb or Aquilino Lopez. The same goes for steals, although playing those scrappy, speedy guys may hurt you in terms of batting average. Still not much. Tony Womack came out of nowhere and stole three in one game? Pick him up, see what happens. I'm predicting now that outside of Juan Pierre, there will be few steals to go around this season. And remember -- topping your league in steals will get you the same amount of points as topping your league in any other category. If you don't have a superstar to fill your utility spot, take a chance on a speedy waiver pick-up. Names that come to mind are Dave Roberts, Brian Roberts, Jeff DaVanon, and Christian Guzman. So let's talk news, shall we? A lot of injuries out there, most notably the recent addition of Andy Pettitte and Jason Schmidt to the DL. They're both on the 15-day, so move them to the Injured Reserve and open up a spot on your roster for someone else. Two catchers who were regarded as sleepers -- Matt LeCroy and Joe Mauer -- also are out. It's a sad day when your catcher gets injured and you have to check the waivers for the pathetic next best guy. And for those Mark Prior owners out there -- well, it sucks to be you. In about a month you're going to get sick of seeing "DL" next to Prior's name on your roster, and you'll see a trade that's trying to get him cheap and really consider it. DON'T BITE. The kid will come back, the kid will be good. And if you trade away your first or second pick in the draft just because he was injured for half the season, you'll hate yourself in morning. Other surprises this week: well, Ken Griffey Jr. owners are probably feeling psyched with his two jacks so far, and gloating involving the words, "he's back!" is probably present on most or your message boards. Gloat all you want, he'll be injured soon enough. Another big question mark for drafters was Javy Lopez, since many considered last year's season a fluke. He's looking pretty darn good so far, but I'm not gonna make my judgement yet. The opposite goes for Pat Burrell -- after a terrible season last year, he's now appears to be hitting. Don't hold your breath. On the upside, Jeff Bagwell isn't slowing down any time soon, Miguel Cabrera picked up where he left on in last year's playoffs and Marcus Giles is tearing it up. Richard Hidalgo is batting higher than he ever did in high school, Magglio Ordonez is on his way to (I'm predicting) an MVP season, and Adrian Beltre may actually be worth holding onto this season. Oh, and did anyone see Freddy Garcia's 7 K, no runs outing the other night? Okay, I'm now going to take the opportunity to field a question that was sent into me before the season: Dear Freeman's Fantasy, Someone has just offered me Marcus Giles, Edgar Renteria, and Josh Beckett for Jeff Kent, Miguel Tejada, and my extra 3B Dmitri Young. Should I bite? Gooch Well, I e-mailed Gooch back to check out the rest of his team, and it turns out the kid has Bagwell, Morgan Ensberg, Reggie Sanders, Luis Gonzalez, and Jose Guillen -- all guys with likely 30+ homerun potentials. Oh yeah, plus Bonds. So it looks like he can afford to lose the HR differential of Kent and Tejada. But what Gooch doesn't have is steals, and Giles and Renteria would bring those on. On the other hand, Giles is relatively unproven, and though Kent and Tejada both had off seasons last year, let's remember that they also have both won MVP awards in the past three years. Good second-halves last year suggest that Jeff and Miguel could return to superstar form. The X-factor is Beckett, who is unproven but highly-touted based upon his post-season performance in 2003. Injuries have hampered him during the regular season, but he has potential for stardom. His ERA has always been pretty low, and I like his K/BB ratio. What this trade comes down to is that Gooch would be getting the stats that he needs -- steals and batting average -- while taking a loss in power, which Gooch has. Even though Kent and Tejada may be more valuable than Giles and Renteria overall, they are not more valuable for Gooch's team. Plus, he's getting a potentially top starter for a bench player in Young. I say: go for it. A lot of guys won't give up good players because they are "too valuable," but if they are not the most valuable for you team, you don't need 'em. Okay, that's all for now. Write in your fantasy questions to elliot.freeman@tufts.edu. Happy baseball season.

The Setonian
News

Finance dean leaves for position at Museum of Science

April 11

After 23 years at the University, Executive Administrative Dean Wayne Bouchard will be leaving Tufts at the end of the semester to take over as the Chief Operating Officer at the Museum of Science in Boston. During his time at Tufts, Bouchard worked for several different schools and offices. He initially came to Tufts as a Grant Accountant, and, he said, "the opportunities kept coming, I kept getting approached." Bouchard then worked for the School of Veterinary Medicine in Grafton. "The work they do, the faculty, and the quality of research is incredible," he said of his time there. Finally, in 1990 he moved to the Medford/Somerville campus to fill the Director of Administration and Finance position. Bouchard called his experiences at Tufts "an absolutely magical ride." "What makes this place amazing is the kind of people who work here," he said. "In 23 years I have seen us make the jump from a regional liberal arts college to a university with a national reputation." As the administrator responsible for the Arts, Sciences and Engineering budget, Bouchard has seen a number of improvements over the course of his 14 years in his current position. "Every year there has been a balanced budget and a continual improvement in facilities," he said. Bouchard cited the construction of the Olin Center and the Gantcher Family Sports and Convocation Center, and the additions to Tisch Library as examples of recent improvements to the University. Dean of Academic Affairs for Arts and Sciences Kevin Dunn said he approved of Bouchard's handling of the school's finances. "He has a complete grasp of the financial picture of Arts, Sciences and Engineering, and has been able to steer the budget through lean years as well as prosperous ones, always with a humane sense of what we're trying to accomplish at Tufts," he said. Dunn added that in terms of tuition, "we have dropped from one of the most expensive relative to our competitors." One of the unfinished projects Bouchard has been working on is the drive to make admissions need-blind. "It's a shame not to allow the most qualified students to come to Tufts because of lack of financial aid," he said. "We have come a long way, and this is not an unrealizable goal," he said. "I am encouraged that the [University] president has made this such a priority." Bouchard is also optimistic about the future for the University under the leadership of President Larry Bacow and Provost Jamshed Bharucha. "They recognize the great things we have done, but they view this as a foundation for going to the next level," Bouchard said. "They are gearing up to raise the bar again." Bouchard said he appreciated the experience of working for different schools within the University. "I particularly enjoyed getting involved in discussion because I could make connections between several schools and help solve problems," he said. Bouchard said he is proud of helping to make administrators feel like part of the Tufts community. "Though the faculty and students are often talked about as the most important part of a university, I have enjoyed helping the staff to feel empowered," he said. Dunn said he admires Bouchard's ability to lighten the mood on any subject. "He also has a wicked sense of humor, so that I always look forward to walking down the hall to discuss an issue with him," Dunn said. Former Dean of Engineering Ioannis Miaoulis left at the end of last school year to become the president of the Boston Museum of Science.

The Setonian
News

Rocky' fuses tradition and vision in glam production

April 11

It's never easy to remake a classic. With a show that has such an established cult following as "The Rocky Horror Show," it is difficult to balance nostalgia with artistic reinterpretation. This past weekend sophomore director Jennifer Gerson succeeded in infusing the show with her own unique spin while remaining true to the spirit of the original production. Through a mix of '70s glam rock extravagance and '50s B-movie kitsch, Torn Ticket II's "Rocky Horror," presented in Cohen Auditorium, was an entertaining night of fishnets and stilettos, supported by strong design and driven by a talented cast. Following along with the show's glam rock concept, the stage was outfitted in a "steel mill meets David Bowie" set by freshman designer Melinda Cross. Making use of the limited space, "Rocky" was not bogged down with hundreds of set changes. The minimalist approach gave the show a streamlined look and allowed the crew to focus on the show's other technical aspects. One of the often overlooked challenges of staging a musical is the decision of where to place the pit orchestra, or in this case the rock band. "Tiny Tim and the Half-Nelsons" were literally front and center, and even in costume. Pit director, senior Tim Nelson had a running dialogue with the actors, providing much more than accompaniment. The musicians' unusual role kept with the interactive nature of the show. Senior choreographers Daphne McCurdy and Megan Hammer constructed creative dances for "Rocky" that were reminiscent of Madonna's "Erotica" videos. Each dance number had energy to spare, a commendable feat considering most the cast was outfitted in heels and corsets for the majority of the show. Through scenes ranging from onstage sex acts "hidden" by a scrim to the "Time Warp," "Rocky" kept the pace silly enough to appease administrative censors while maintaining a sense of its inherent sexiness. The task of capitalizing on the show's inherent sex appeal was tackled by sophomore costume designers Heather Tamarkin and Joanna Troy. Working with Gerson's glam rock theme, they created a series of scantily clad and saucy pieces. The pair impressively succeeded in individualizing each character's costume while unifying the overall look of the whole ensemble. Surrounded by a cool set, rockin' band, assorted dance numbers, and fashionable costumes, the performers could have been swallowed by the show's glamorous presentation. The talented and diverse cast, however, managed to shine through and carry the production while the design elements served as support. Sophomores Greg Fujita and Julia Arazi were excellent as the betrothed Brad Majors and Janet Weiss. Their befuddled wonderment upon stepping into a castle of freaky folks, as well as their descent into a world of sensual experimentation, was a humorous m‚lange of morals gone awry. Junior Mike La Fazia was a statuesque Frank 'N' Furter, parading across stage in what looked to be 5-inch platform heels. Aside from a pair of legs that would make a supermodel jealous, La Fazia's best asset was his stellar tenor voice as he rocked Boy George-esque numbers and soul ballads alike. Junior Andrew Beattie took an interesting turn as Rocky, the golden, Adonis-like creation of Frank 'N' Furter. Beattie was the embodiment of the "male bimbo" in his turn as the androgynous playboy. He physically resembled a less Herculean version of Rocky. Beattie delivered the vocal punch and na‹ve comic energy necessary to pull off the role. Senior Taylor Shann, the omniscient narrator, and junior Armen Nercessian, the delivery boy Eddie and the scientist Dr. Scott, were well matched to their roles. Shann had a fuddy duddy effervescence that was best showcased in his interactions with the audience before the show began and right after the intermission. He was also most amusing in a duet with Brad wherein they take shots of whiskey and lament Brad's relationship with Janet. Nercessian's turns as the punk Eddie and Dr. Scott showcased his comic muscle and panache for peculiar eastern European accents. The best characterizations were Frank 'N' Furter's trio of luscious vampire/alien servants: senior Kalani Hawks as the top-notch tapper Columbia, sophomore Emi Norris as the coquettishly charismatic Magenta, and sophomore Kirigin Elstad as the sinisterly sexy Riff Raff. The most versatile actors of the evening proved to be the four Phantoms. Not just mere members of the ensemble, they played everything from radiators and doors to Brad and Janet's broken down car in the best site gag of the show. The matter of audience participation was also difficult to balance in this production. Although a sheet of sample responses was included in the program, only a fraction chose to participate. There were also a handful of people who knew every single line and interjected at inopportune times, which occasionally threw off the actors. Frank: "It wasn't all bad was it?" Audience: "It wasn't all Brad either!" No it wasn't all Brad. TTII's spring major was a fun night of theater that deserved a larger audience than bought tickets. The dynamic design elements complimented the strong ensemble concept and had many dancing the "Time Warp" all the way home.

The Setonian
News

School's out and so is your stuff

April 11

As the semester winds to a close, students prepare to spend their summers in places both near and far. And the part of the moving-out process that so many students dread -- the packing -- is nearly upon us. Figuring out where to put this stuff, and how to get it there, is a quandary for any student. The problem of where to store possessions for the summer is a larger issue for students who live far from Tufts. Claire Freierman, a sophomore from New York, had the ideal situation last May, with family in the Boston area. "I took most of my stuff home, but certain things like bedding, etc. I stored with my uncle who lives in Cambridge," she said. Many students have to find alternative solutions for summer storage. "When I was a freshman, I went home for the summer and since I wasn't going to take all my stuff back to Ohio, I put it with TSR [Tufts Student Resources]," senior Melissa Frankel said. TSR's Summer Storage is a popular option for students who need to store their belongings over the summer. Offered in conjunction with Campus Storage and Shipping, the service allows students to store their belongings without ever leaving campus. The service offers free boxes and free delivery in the fall of up to five boxes. Sophomore Jessica Schwartz used TSR to store her stuff last summer. She liked the service and is planning on using it again this summer. "They were very nice and helpful," she said. "I arranged for early pickup and it went fine." Using TSR does not, however, make the entire moving-out process hassle-free. "TSR was good because it was on campus," Frankel said. "But it was difficult to get your stuff to the trailer, especially if you don't have a car." Schwartz is dreading carrying her boxes to the storage drop-off this May. "Last year I was in Miller so the trailer was not so far away," she explained. "This year, in Hill, it will be impossible carrying boxes to the drop-off truck." Sophomore Andy De Luca used Collegeboxes.com to store his belongings last summer. "Compared to other alternatives, like renting out one of those garage rooms over by Mystic Ave., I'd say it's a pretty fair deal -- much more expensive for the amount of storage space you get but more convenient," he said. "I just set a time and place whenever I wanted over the summer and they delivered," De Luca explained. Though the process is easy, it does come with a price. "They come to your door to return the boxes, but it is 40 bucks a box which could come to cost you a lot," De Luca said. Despite the hassle and the price, storing belongings with TSR or another similar company is sometimes unavoidable. "Those of us who live far away hope that we have friends who lives close by that will let us store stuff at their house," Frankel said. "Otherwise you just suck it up and use TSR. I guess you could rent U-Haul space or something like that, but that has its own challenges and problems." Renting space in a U-Haul storage facility is another option for Tufts students as there are U-Haul facilities in both Medford and Somerville. If they use this option, however, students must have a car to drive their belongings to the facility. In addition, for those students who do not wish to store their boxes with TSR, the Office of Off-Campus Housing website offers a list of area storage and moving companies. Students who are moving into off-campus housing for either the summer or the upcoming school year also face problems when the dorms close. Many leases begin June 1 and, as the dorms close for non-seniors on May 15, this creates a two-week long period of homelessness. Some students negotiate with the current residents and share housing during this two-week period, moving in before the new lease begins. Sophomore Rachel Diskin is planning to move into her new apartment when the dorms close. "I spoke to the people who currently live in the house and agreed to live in one of the spare rooms," Diskin said. "It's only for two weeks and it will be good to move my stuff in." This idea, while solving that two-week gap problem, brings with it additional challenges. Diskin does not know the people she will be living with for the two weeks. "There are a few other people who are doing what I'm doing, and living with people who are already there," she said. "But most people know the people they're living with." The option is not readily available for most students -- there aren't many spare rooms in off-campus apartments. Thus most students are forced to find alternate solutions. "Last year, I managed to get an apartment that let me put my stuff in their basement," Frankel said. "But there was so much stuff in there that when I moved in, some of my things got lost."

The Setonian
News

Online network created by Harvard students flourishes

April 11

A new online social network for college students is growing quickly, but has yet to expand to the Tufts campus. TheFacebook.com has 38,327 registered users and an average of 1,000 new registration requests daily, and the growth of the online network is surprising even to its founders. "We've all been blown away by the response from Harvard, and as time goes by, to all the schools that we expanded to," said Chris Hughes, founding member and press relations manager for theFacebook.com. "We realized pretty quickly that this could be big," Hughes said. The site, which resembles the popular online social network Friendster.com, enables students within a university community to create personal profiles that may include their contact information, class schedules, and a variety of other personal details. Hughes called the site a "collaborative effort" between friends who grew tired of waiting for an official facebook promised by the university. Since its inception at Harvard University in February, theFacebook.com has expanded to 12 universities. Its network now includes Columbia University, Stanford University, Yale University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, the University of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University, New York University, Brown University and Princeton University. Hughes said it was "just a matter of time" before the site expanded to more universities, depending on the capacity of the site's servers to handle new school networks. "It's a fun project which a lot of people seem to enjoy," Hughes said. The popularity of theFacebook.com sparked tongue-in-cheek social commentary at participating universities. In a March 11 editorial, Harvard's daily undergraduate paper, The Crimson, called the site's expansion "manifest destiny." Meanwhile a March 5 Stanford Daily article said students were skipping classes, ignoring work and "spending hours in front of their computers in utter fascination." Kim Truong, a graduate student at Harvard's Graduate School of Education, said that the site might have social drawbacks. "I heard from undergraduate students that they have been feeling stressed out due to theFacebook.com, because they have to add all of their activities," she said. "I think they might feel pressured to have long lists of activities, quotes, and an overall presentable profile." Truong added, "I personally think it's fun and not supposed to be taken seriously." Tufts students have shown some interest in the website. "This kind of online social network is positive for a university community because it helps students to reach out to their peers in a less intimidating way," Tufts senior Joey Rhyu said. "People who are more reserved about introducing themselves to people in real life can use this manner of communication to break [social] boundaries. I would use it, especially for help with school work," he said. While senior Teri Wing called the online facebook sites "creepy," because of the nature of other social networking sites, which often include racy content. "I feel like people would show off more than they normally do on such sites. If I just need to send an e-mail, I don't necessarily want to know what the other person wants people to think," she said. "Think of Friendster -- people put up some weird stuff -- and being young, much of it's sexual, which I don't really need to know about my classmates." Senior Alper Tonguc agreed. "I guess the people that I care about are the people I talk to, and I guess I'm just not interested in reading random people's profiles." According to Hughes, theFacebook.com is not a dating service or a way to meet strangers, but "an extension of real-life interaction, so it's use not as much to meet random people, but to foster friendships and relationships with these people you knew previously. It's a way to bring tangentially connected people together." The site offers detailed privacy settings that could, for example, allow a student to make her class schedule available only to friends, or restrict contact information to students living in her dormitory. Even with the privacy settings, Wing said she would probably not make use of such a site. "I don't think that it would give me information about my friends that I wouldn't be able to get from them otherwise," she said.

The Setonian
News

Successive Senates hear fewer national issue resolutions

April 11

The role of national issues in the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate came up for debate last week for the first time in over two years, in light of a proposed Academic Bill of Rights. The Academic Bill of Rights, proposed by Students for Intellectual Diversity, an off-shoot of the Tufts Republicans, asks the University to disregard political and ideological beliefs when making hiring, firing, tenure and grading decisions. The resolution is based largely on a similar proposal by conservative critic David Horowitz currently being debated in the U.S. House of Representatives and on several other college campuses. The Senate's executive board chose not to bring the resolution to the full Senate for a debate because it did not fit the TCU Constitution's constraints of "the needs and interests of the TCU" for Senate consideration. A subsequent vote by the Senate upheld the executive board's decision. "Taking up issues of national importance would be a violation of the TCU Constitution," TCU President Chike Aguh said. The decision to not hear the proposal is the latest example of a recent trend of the Senate to shy away from issues of national importance. The last time a national issue came before the Senate was during the 2001-02 school year, when a resolution called for the Senate to weigh in on the TCU's view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That year's Senate chose not to hear the resolution for the same reason as this year's Senate. "We are elected on our views on Tufts matters," Aguh said. "We can't stick the TCU's name on something of national importance." According to Senate log-books, however, the Senate has over the past two decades passed numerous resolutions on several national issues. In September 1996, the Senate passed a resolution recommending "that the governing boards of Tufts University and all departments therein adopt policies prohibiting the purchase of goods and services from PepsiCo International" because of Pepsi's refusal to withdraw from Burma. The resolution also called for the University administrators to "promote human rights and democracy in Burma and call on corporations to withdraw from Burma." In March 1995 -- in probably the most analogous scenario to last week's Academic Bill of Rights proposal -- the Senate passed a resolution supporting the creation of a task force on student rights. "The issues that the task force will investigate shall include, but not be limited to: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of association, freedom of religion, privacy, nondiscrimination, due process and the students' role in the decision-making process at the University," the resolution read. Despite Aguh's insistence that matters on the national scene are beyond the bounds of the TCU Constitution, this 1995 task force used the University of Connecticut at Storrs's Student Bill of Rights as a model. Though the task force was given $250 in funding and ordered to report to the administration, faculty and student body by Jan. 1, 1996, there are no further records in the Senate log-books of the task force on student rights or of any report. In Feb. 1994, the Senate passed a resolution recommending the University not reinvest in South Africa until democracy was established. This followed previous Senate calls for complete divestment from Apartheid South Africa. During the 1985-86 school year, after two senators were not allowed into the Board of Trustees meeting to discuss divestment from South Africa, the Senate sponsored a boycott of dining halls, initiated a letter-writing campaign and pushed students to turn in their University IDs out of protest. In March 1992, the Senate voted to recommend the University end its association with the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program by 1998 because of the U.S. military's ban on gays and lesbians. The TCU Judiciary (TCUJ), however, said the Senate had overstepped its constitutional boundaries and voided the 1992 resolution. The Students for Intellectual Diversity have the option of appealing the current Senate's decision to the TCUJ. During the 1990-1991 school year, the Senate voted to urge the University to divest nearly $2 million from Hydro-Quebec because of environmental damage caused by one of the company's power plants. Several factors may account for the refusal of recent Senates to bring national issues up for debate. According to 1997-98 TCU President Andrea Friedman, "there are no standards for rule on how we interpret the TCU Constitution." She said this allows for each successive Senate to redefine the limits of consideration. Aguh said the two TCU presidents prior to him, Eric Greenberg and Melissa Carson, interpreted the limits the same way he did. The short institutional memory of the Senate may be caused by the relatively quick turnover rate for senators. "A student's history is recent," Director of Student Activities Jodie Nealley said. "It's whatever precedent is most recent." Nealley, who has advised the Senate since the fall of 1998, added that "very few people have any interest in the archives." Another reason for the Senate's lack of action on national matters may be that senators feel a resolution will have no effect on the administration or national politics. When the boycott of Pepsi was being debated, Friedman said, some senators said that "the Senate isn't going to change national policy." She said, however, "people looking at the Apartheid model said, 'That isn't true.'" Speaking of last week's resolution, Friedman said if current senators believe in the merits of the Academic Bill of Rights, a resolution could strengthen the cause on the national scene. Nealley said in light of the fear of "crying-wolf," the Senate rarely passes resolutions that are unlikely to be acted upon by the administration. "The Senate is very picky on what they bring up the Hill," she said. "They have to believe that the resolution they pass represents their constituents," Nealley said. Friedman explained that the trend away from national issues is not a result of "big-picture strategic planning." Instead, she described it as "a natural evolution" in line with sentiments across the country.

The Setonian
News

TCU Senate to extend Boston shuttle next year

April 11

The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate announced on March 30 that it will extend the contract of the new "Discover Boston" bus service throughout the entire 2004-2005 academic year. Citing widespread student support and large numbers of riders, the Senate renewed its contract with Vocell Bus Company, who runs the service from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. "The feedback we've gotten has been overwhelmingly positive, and it's a great option for students going into or out of Boston," TCU Treasurer Josh Belkin said. According to Belkin and Project Manager Jeff Katzin, the later buses tend to be the most full, which is attributed to students entering Boston later in the evening, and the lack of availability of public transportation after the T stops running at 1 a.m. "What we really want to see is that those last two runs are full," Katzin said. "What is most important is that we bring [students] back home safely." The bus, free with a Tufts ID Card, departs the Mayer Campus Center hourly, stopping at 25 past the hour at the Boylston T stop and 35 past the hour at the Kenmore Square stop, both on the Green Line. The last bus leaves Kenmore Square at 2:35 a.m. The shuttle will cost a total of $16,800 for the entire year, half of which will be provided by the University, as allocated by Executive Dean of Students Wayne Bouchard. The Senate, which is responsible for the remaining $8,400, is still working to secure contributions from the various groups on campus, according to Katzin. Katzin said funding for this semester's shuttle comes from a wide range of administrators and student organizations, including Health Services, the Office of Public Safety, the Provost's Office, Hillel, the TCU Judiciary and the Office of Student Activities. Recently the Office of Student Activities discovered that it might not be able to provide any funding for the shuttle. "Presently the money I was hoping to give to the shuttle is being allocated to something else," Director of Student Activities Jodie Nealley said. "If I can reallocate that money to the shuttle of course I will." "I think the bus to Boston is a big success," Nealley added. "It's good for the students to have a safe, reliable and frequent way to get downtown and back safely and it's a bargain for everyone."

The Setonian
News

City Briefs

April 11

Departure of health director may cause problems for task forces Somerville Director of Health Jack Vondras will be leaving the city for a job in Gloucester next week. His resignation comes at a very inopportune time, as two recent high school suicides have made the endeavors by both the suicide and the OxyContin workgroups set up in February by Mayor Joe Curtatone even more salient. Vondras was leading both task forces. The groups have been holding public forums and generally attempting to raise awareness about OxyContin abuse and suicide in Somerville. Upon Vondras' departure, Karen Hacker of Somerville Teen Connection -- an adolescent health clinic located in Somerville High School -- will head the suicide task force. Vicente Sanabria of Somerville Cares About Prevention will take over leadership of the OxyContin group. Vondras is heartened by the increased community involvement around the issue. "I'm getting a lot of calls in my office of 'How can I help?'" he told The Somerville Journal. "We've got people asking questions -- the right questions." Somerville police arrest 'kingpin' of heroin sales Cops seized $250,000 worth of heroin in a bust earlier this month at the Somerville Ave. Burger King. They arrested Somerville resident Eric Delgado, who was charged with trafficking heroin and is being held on $100,000 bail. He was labeled a "source supplier" of heroin by the Somerville Police Department (SPD), and his arrest will "put a huge dent in the heroin sales in Somerville," SPD spokesman Paul Trant told The Somerville Journal. The investigation around Delgado began in March and culminated in the staged drug sale that allowed police to find and arrest him. Mayor Joe Curtatone called it a "big arrest." It also reflects well upon Curtatone's efforts to improve Somerville law enforcement. In March, he hired former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger to evaluate the police department's management. Harshbarger was also asked to conduct a study specifically on SPD's treatment of the OxyContin and heroin problems in Somerville. "We are committed to doing whatever it takes to address the drug and suicide crisis among our young people," Curtatone said in a press release. "We will not shy away from it -- we'll address it head on with both improved treatment and counseling and beefed up law enforcement." Seemingly mild winter leaves Boston suburbs with huge debts Towns north of Boston are still feeling the effects of the December snowstorm that marked the advent of winter. "It was a mild winter, but that first storm cost us dearly," Domenic Fermano, city controller for Malden, told The Boston Globe. "It depleted our funds. Wiped them out. We've got a deficit of $122,700 for snow removal, and a deficit of $93,500 for sand and salt." Although this winter's total snowfall was below average, many towns are still finding themselves in debt. Many of them allocated minimal amounts of money to snow removal in order to keep money for other expenses. In fact, most municipalities keep these budgets constant year to year since the weather is so difficult to predict. While they seem to have been particularly hard-hit this year, some suburbs have applied for money from federal disaster funds in order to alleviate some of their problems. Even with this aid, however, many communities like Lynn, Salem and Malden expect to find themselves in debt. -- Compiled by Zosia Sztykowski from The Somerville Journal and The Boston Globe.

The Setonian
News

Trinity sweeps Tufts in three-game series

April 11

It didn't have to end this way. Down by two games in a three game series, Tufts baseball powered back Saturday afternoon to nearly close the weekend with a win over defending NESCAC champion Trinity. Instead, a three-run homer in the top of the eighth ended any chance at revenge for the struggling Jumbos, and settled the game at 12-11, and the series at 3-0, Trinity. Friday afternoon, Trinity prevailed, 4-3, and Saturday morning, 4-1. Tufts has now fallen to 10-9, and 0-3 in the NESCAC East. Game three was by far the wildest of the dismal series for the Jumbos, with Tufts taking substantial leads three times and the Bantams consistently charging back into contention. In the bottom of the second inning, Tufts gained a 3-0 advantage off RBI doubles from junior Jeff Volinski and sophomore Jim O'Leary, followed by an RBI base hit from freshman Brian Casey. Trinity brought it to 3-2 in the top of the fourth, and pulled ahead 5-2 in the fifth. Tufts answered with a six-run explosion in the bottom of that inning, with RBIs from sophomore Robert Kenny and freshmen Bryan McDavitt and Chris Decemberle. The Jumbos also benefited from smart base running, including a steal by lead-off man Casey, a throwing error by the Bantams, and two wild pitches that allowed runs in. "We had some great at bats and capitalized on mistakes that Trinity made," senior co-captain Adam Kacamburas said. "We knew if we put pressure on their defense we could take advantage of them." O'Leary had the most impressive at-bat of the bottom-of-the-fifth rally, as he forced Trinity pitcher Kyle Cox to throw almost a dozen pitches and made way for two unearned runs to cross the plate during his at bat. "Two runs were able to score simply because [O'Leary] worked really hard in that at bat," Kacamburas said. The Bantams caught up to Tufts and made it 9-9 in the top of the sixth, a tumultuous half-inning that saw Tufts coach John Casey ejected from the game after a highly questionable call by the home plate umpire. With runners on second and third and two outs, Trinity junior Rob O'Leary smacked one to the far corner of right field and Tufts' Clement raced for the catch. From much of the field, as well as the press box, the view of Clement was obscured by trees and batting cages, but he appeared to emerge back into view with the ball in glove and motioning that he had made the catch. According to the officials, though, Clement did not make the catch, the play was ruled an error, and two Bantam runners scored on the hit. "Clement caught the ball and the umpire blew it and said he didn't catch it," Kacamburas said. "It's very frustrating, but we can only control our performance. We put ourselves in a position to win those games, despite the umpires, and we just didn't come through. We need to take care of what's in our control." Senior co-captain Randy Newsom echoed Kacamburas, expressing disappointment in the call but insisting it was no excuse for the loss. "The biggest grievance is that neither umpire watched it," Newsom said. "But I don't think the umps cost us the game. You should never put yourself in a position where the umps can cost you the outcome, but we did." When Clement caught a fly ball to finally close out the top of the sixth, Tufts initially appeared to recover its lead as Clement took revenge with an RBI single down the right field line, to pull ahead 10-9. Kenny then doubled and drove Decemberle home in the 7th inning, putting the Jumbos up 11-9. Trinity junior Jeff Natale reversed the lead for good when he launched a three-run homer over the left-center field wall and made it 12-11. Tufts got one runner on base in each of their last at-bats, but stranded both men. "It wasn't nearly as much a question of getting on base as scoring," Newsom said. "That's our number one thing, we need to start putting people away. When we have people down, we just need to keep them down." Newsom said that Tufts could have and should have beaten the Bantams. "I don't think it's a talent thing at all," Newsom said. "Those were mental losses." Kacamburas agreed that throughout the series, Tufts had the chance to take a victory. "I felt like we battled for all three games but just didn't make the plays, or get the hits, when we needed to," Kacamburas said. There were missed opportunities, some which could have turned the tables in Tufts' favor, this weekend. There was, however, strength and versatility to be found in individual performances. Volinski, typically a pitcher, played strong left field for Tufts in game three, with skilled fielding, a strong arm, and a production at bat and on base. Backstrom, typically a DH this season, gave a good showing at shortstop in game three, and Casey moved from leftfield to second base for part two of the doubleheader. The entire infield adjusted well following some reshuffling due to the injury of senior Nick Palange during a fielding collision in game one. Palange, who leads Tufts' with two home runs, had established himself this season as a regular starter at second base and one of Tufts' top hitters (.372 batting average). He suffered a sprained knee ligament and according to the athletic trainers may be out for a few weeks, though he said he aims to return to the diamond as soon as next weekend. Newsom (4.64 ERA) started game one for the Jumbos, going 7.1 innings, and was followed up by scoreless relief efforts from Volinski and senior Dave Frew. Offensively, Decemberle contributed a powerful triple to center field and later scored, and Kacamburas had an RBI single, both in the seventh. McDavitt reached base and scored on fielding errors, but the Bantams weren't the only ones with a bit of sloppiness, as Tufts pitchers hit a combined seven batters in game one, and several more in the remainder of the series. Newsom said that "little mistakes" -- like a bad pitch, an error, or a stranded base runner -- all need to be eliminated if Tufts is going to advance to the post-season. "We'll all take the blame, but its just a few little mistakes. One pitch can send the game into a complete tailspin," Newsom said. "We need to make plays when they're right there for us. But I have confidence in this team, I don't think we're done."

The Setonian
News

Wild Trinity series produces less than impressive baseball

April 11

You should expect some tough competition against one of the best teams in the NESCAC, especially one ranked 14th in the nation with a 16-3 record. But it wasn't just tough, it was ugly, and in the end the Jumbos were downed in three straight games by the Trinity Bantams (19-3), a series that Tufts (10-9) would probably like to forget. Targeted Man In a three-game series that, in some respect, resembled a Red Sox-Devil Rays anger management class, Tufts pitchers hit six Trinity batters 12 times -- including five plunks of Bantams' leading hitter, junior second baseman Jeff Natale -- while Trinity plunked Tufts hitters twice. For his part, Natale, who might be among the NESCAC's better offensive players with a .480 average, two homers, 23 RBI and a .720 slugging percentage, was not completely innocent. After reaching base on a single in the seventh inning in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, a wild pick off throw by Tufts reliever Dave Frew sent freshman first baseman Bryan McDavitt sprawling over Natale. In the tangle of bodies, Natale jumped up, grabbed McDavitt's legs and pulled them away to try to reach second base. The Bantam runner was called out on base runner's interference, adding to bad blood that was clearly evident in Friday's game, when he was hit three times. In the second inning of Saturday's game two, Natale further enraged the Jumbo dugout when on a routine double play ball hit by Tufts sophomore Matt Clement, senior co-captain Adam Kacamburas slid into second base and was promptly kicked -- and spiked -- in the arm by Natale. Natale, naturally, was hit by Jumbo starter Jeremy Davis on his next trip to the plate. But in the end it was Natale who won out, making the most of the chances he received to actually swing at the ball. The Hamden, Connecticut native went 2-2 with a run scored in Saturday's opener, then capped it off in game two with a two-run double in Trinity's controversial four-run sixth inning, and the eventual game-winning three-run homer to left field off Frew, who again pitched in relief. Johnny Damon-esque The weekend did not start pleasantly for Tufts, as Friday's series opener was but two thirds of an inning old when Jumbos' senior second baseman Nick Palange and freshman center fielder Chris Decembrele both scrambled for a shallow fly ball hit by Bantam DH Rob O'Leary. With both players calling for the ball, neither backed off and collided in shallow centerfield. Decembrele was shaken up but remained in the game, but Palange, who has been off to a stellar start (.372 BA, 2 HR), left the game with pulled tendons in his knee and will be out indefinitely. The injury forced coach John Casey to make some defensive adjustments in the series, with junior Frank Dinucci subbing for Palange on Friday and getting the start in game one Saturday. In the series finale, freshman Kyle Backstrom, who has served primarily at DH this year, moved to shortstop, junior Jeff Volinski, who has split time between pitching and the outfield, started in leftfield, while freshman left fielder Brian Casey moved to second base. Making their cases Amongst the ugliness of Saturday's finale were some bright spots. Sophomore Jim O'Leary, who entered the game with just two at bats off the bench, started his first game of the season hitting seventh as DH. The move was a good one for the 6-4, 220-pounder, who laced a RBI double in the second, then two at bats later followed with a ten pitch battle against Trinity reliever Kyle Cox that included two runs scored on a passed ball and wild pitch. O'Leary then fouled off four two-strike pitches to keep himself alive before finally drawing a walk. In the same game Volinski made a nice diving catch in left on a drive by Trinity's Angel Resto with two on and no outs in the sixth to record the first out for Frew, who had just entered the game. Volinski also had a double, a walk and single. You're outta here! Just when you thought it couldn't have gotten any wilder, it did. In Trinity's sixth in the series finale Rob O'Leary lofted a flyball deep down the rightfield line with two on. Jumbo RF Matt Clement appeared to make the inning-ending catch to help Frew escape trouble, but confusion arose over the play with the umpires claiming Clement had either missed or dropped the ball. Two runs scored, allowing Trinity to tie the score 9-9. The umpiring decision brought Casey quickly from the Tufts dugout. After a heated, expletive-filled dialogue with the home plate umpire that lasted several minutes, during which Casey had to be restrained by the second ump, Casey and his brother, who was also a member of the dugout during the Saturday twinbill, were ejected from the game. To their credit, the Jumbos regrouped after the half-inning, led by Kacamburas, and came out firing in the bottom half. But Natale's blast silenced the Jumbos for good.

The Setonian
News

Does Europe have capable leadership?

April 11

Everyone felt injured for the hundreds of innocent victims of the terrorist attack of al Qaeda in Spain. And everybody was worried because Europe is now included in the field of conflict of Islamic terrorism and the antiterrorist alliance established after America's initiative after the horrific and bloody attack of al Qaeda at the twin towers in New York. While the problem was lying away from the Europeans, they had the "luxury" and the "excuse" to put the issue aside and leave the Americans to experiment and play the game of global domination as the European partners sided with or against the war in Iraq, depending on their interests. Spain, the first victim of Islamic terrorism in Europe, wanted to accede into the club of great powers and have the support of President Bush and the United States in gaining a greater influence in Latin America and in Europe. Because of that perception, the Spanish voters had decided, a day before their elections, to congratulate Aznar's policies and bring his party to power -- even without his leadership. It is difficult to detect whether the surprise in the elections -- the victory of the Socialist Party -- is due primarily to the correlation of Aznar's policies and the terrorist attack, or his effort to attribute the attack to the Basques to avoid his party's loss. What is important is that in the Spanish elections, the al Qaeda issue was voted on! The attack in New York offered George W. Bush an excuse to promote through war the strategic plans of the United States in Eurasia and the Middle East. The attack of al Qaeda in Madrid proved that Europe has no leadership capable of handling such a crucial period of time in the confrontation of terrorism with antiterrorism. The fact that the European leaders had not realized that the military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq would not close, but rather enlarge the cycle of terrorism, could be forgiven. However, the spasmodic reactions after Madrid are historically incomprehensible and politically irresponsible and dangerous. Osama bin Laden must be extremely satisfied seeing Europe mobilizing NATO forces as if it was about to be militarily attacked from a great power and encouraging panic among European citizens. Should Europe stay out of this and not take additional measures of protection? Of course not! Every member-state separately and the European Union collectively are obliged to reinforce policing measures and encourage multilateral cooperation. The mobilization of NATO as a shield of protection for the Olympic Games in Athens this coming summer and the policing of the North African countries serve the American strategy; they do not prevent new terrorist attacks, because al Qaeda has proven that it has the means to discover those gaps that provide it with the potential to strike hard, cause shock, and appear as equal to an omnipotent America and NATO. Europe does not "play" with terrorism to promote geopolitical interests. The question is therefore justified, why did they not decide to touch upon and investigate the reasons that cause terrorism and confront -- even alone -- the issue at its source? European history in the Arab World is full of examples: from the battle of Gallipoli during World War I, to the fiasco of De Gaulle in Algeria with half a million people dead. The moral of the story through this short reference to European history -- with more examples recorded in the recent American history -- is that had we not tried to "liberate" the Arab countries and "democratize" the Muslim peoples, they, and us, would have been better off. The pain was not gain, however. It is sad to see leaders and peoples trying to justify their support to the American policy or remind the world that they belonged to the opposite camp to be excluded from a possible attack by al Qaeda. I do not think that there is a single European citizen that would desire to live under the threat or the fear that one day he/she could lose his/her life, or be disfigured by a terrorist attack. Moreover, no European citizen wants to live in a police-ridden state and feel unprotected. Citizens cannot be happy with the thought alone that they have to spend the rest of their lives under the pressure of terrorism and the antiterrorist "everyday life." The problem is political and only with the cooperation of the Muslim countries can we solve it. We have humiliated them enough. We have exploited them more than they can handle. Let's make them equal interlocutors and allow them to choose their own way of government, their own way of living, and their own way of managing their human and natural resources. Does Europe have a leadership capable of handling such a great challenge, or is the attachment to the United States still prevalent? Theofanis Exadaktylos is a senior majoring in International Relations.

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