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Thoughts while contemplating the meaning of life

April 7

Hehehe. Pssst. Come a little closer. Don't tell anybody, but we have Curt Schilling. And Keith Foulke. And they're really really good. And I'm afraid if I say it too loud I might blink, and it won't be true. Even though most of us were fully prepared to accept the fact that the 2004 Red Sox were destined to become the first team in the history of baseball to go 0-162 after they lost the season opener, Schilling comes in on Tuesday, throws 109 pitches, gives up a few hits and a run, and leaves the Orioles scratching their heads after six innings. Sure, we said, but the Sox got through six innings plenty of times last season, it was always those last three that were really tricky. And we resigned ourselves to the fact that Keith Foulke was set to be the biggest waste of $24 million since... well, something else that cost $24 million. But then he comes in the ninth and gets the save with nine pitches. Nine! That's not even his shoe size! This is terrific! I have to say, I was more than a little disappointed by Jim Nantz's performance during this year's Final Four. Where were the sappy, cheesy, heartache stories that we're used to? Sure there were a few, but I just don't think that Jim was working hard enough. Or maybe he just didn't have very good material. Remember back in the good old days when he had Juan Dixon? Those were some great games. Every jump shot Juan made was clearly a direct result of the time when he was four years old and his brother put a Band-Aid on his scraped knee. Where have you gone Jim Nantz? Is it possible that working with Billy Packer has finally just sucked all of those creative, annoying juices that were always so perfect to make fun of right out of you? (Billy Packer could be an entire column by himself, but that's for another day.) I miss the Jim Nantz glory days. But never fear, the Masters is on CBS this weekend, and with any luck we'll be able to get some choice Nantz morsels. I can't wait. For those of you waiting in suspense, I went to Jackson Hole over spring break to test out my theory that eastern skiers are superior to western skiers in every way, shape, and form, and all I have to say is: I told ya so. Maybe all the good skiers were just way out in the backcountry somewhere, but the people I saw sure didn't impress me too much. One thing the skiers at Jackson Hole were good at though was buying expensive equipment. EVERYBODY had great stuff. So if you define how good a skier is by how expensive his skis are, then I guess western skiers kick ass. I feel it's high time I produce this list. The top five sports movies of all time, in no particular order are as follows: Rudy, Bull Durham, Hoosiers, The Sandlot, and Rocky IV. Others receiving honorable mention: Rocky I, Rocky II, and Rocky III, Field of Dreams, Caddyshack, Tin Cup, Aspen Extreme, and the Karate Kid. This is certainly debatable. Among the worst sports movies of all time are: Rocky V, Mighty Ducks 3, Rookie of the Year, Angels in the Outfield, Space Jam, and all of the other Karate Kid movies besides the first one. This is not debatable. My fantasy drafts could have gone better. Namely, I could have not picked Mark Prior in the second round when he isn't even gonna pitch at all until at least May. Stupid stupid stupid. But I have to say, my pickup of Jay Gibbons in like the 15th round was more than admirable. The fact that a 100 RBI guy could slip that far is pretty amazing, especially when you consider the lineup that he's in this year. Also of note was a late Sidney Ponson pickup. Yes, I'm turning orange. You may not know it, but the University of Maine is on the verge of taking over the world. Or at least the Fleet Center. The Frozen Four starts today with a UMaine-BC semifinal matchup, and I don't have tickets. Apparently the Frozen Four is a pretty hot item. Balcony seats were going for a few hundred apiece on EBay a few days ago. But lucky for you, the games are nationally televised. So don your Garth Snow jerseys everyone! The Black Bears are going dancing! Has there ever been more of a Major League situation in real life sports than this year's Boston Celtics? Just like Rachel Phelps of the fictional 1989 Cleveland Indians, Danny Ainge wants nothing more than for the Celtics to miss the playoffs. That would get him a better draft pick. But those pesky Celtics keep managing to win just enough games to hang on to that last spot in the east. I just hope they don't have a cardboard cutout of Danny Ainge in the locker room that they peal a piece of clothing off of after every win.

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News

Tribute to the biggest lush I know

April 7

I wasn't supposed to go out last Friday. See, there's this pesky thing in May -- I hate when it's mentioned or referring to it by name, so I call it the G-word. And the paradox is, even though I absolutely detest the G-word and all that it entails (the end of three day weekends, spring breaks, and friends living no more than a hill away), I have to do it, and so that involves some homework .BUT, one of my best friends from abroad came to Tufts for an impromptu visit, and if he could make it all the way from Skidmore College, the least I could do is have a few drinks (read: chuck the homework out the window because it's not gonna happen) with him and the Madrid clan. Jon is, after all, the biggest lush I know. Jon meets more boys I do, smiles a lot sober and even more when he's drunk, and makes every night into an adventure, whether it's in Paris, Madrid, or Medford. The guy's got more crazy drunken stories than any frat guy on this campus, and when you're hanging out with him, you just don't know what might happen or where you'll end up. Case in point: on our weekend trip to Paris, where he dragged me (well, more like brought me -- I never have to be dragged to any bar anywhere) to all the city's gay bars, we ran into Brits doing somersaults in the streets. They weren't gymnasts, but were pretending to be Wiley Kit and Wiley Cat from the cartoon ThunderCats. (In retrospect, I'm not sure why we didn't run away.) Soon after our English introductions, the feline Brits invited us to their flat for some beers and even some political discussion with other European drifters. Besides being part of a little Model U.N., it was one of my most random and fun nights abroad. On this night in Medford, we started off with some beverages at 6 Liberty, then made our way to Underbones, a Gangstas- and '40s-themed party in West, another theme party at the Arts House, and came home laughing at 4 a.m. The night was the exact opposite of my original intentions -- stay home and work -- but I have no regrets. Adventure seems to follow Jon from the moment he puts on his leather jacket. (This jacket, by the way, tells part of the tale. No matter how inebriated Jon gets and no matter what drunken girl he's lent it to or what region of Spain he's left it in, he always gets it back. Yep, he's that kind of lucky drunk). And hey, he can even make a Friday night at Tufts fun. Jon also makes an excellent wingman. The boy can chat up anybody -- the bouncer, the bartender, random passersby on the street. He has a friendly effervescence that isn't over the top, and he gets along with practically everybody -- key lush ingredients in my book, because how can you be life of the party if you don't enjoy life? I remember one night when a bunch of us went to a club in Madrid called The Ministry of Sound, and Jon and I teamed up to meet some chicos. Turns out, we weren't what los chicos were looking for, although maybe it was just our line -- "Tienes fuego?" (got a light?) -- because no one had a lighter in the whole club even though practically the entire country smokes. But we had fun trying and that's really the point. Yet, what I appreciate most about Jon, besides his drunken antics, is his playful silliness. We act like kindergarteners together -- well, if kindergarteners liked sangria. In Paris, we ran around the Eiffel Tower like five-year-olds (no, seriously we did, we called it our Victory Lap) and took cheesy photos by all the monuments. When you're preoccupied in silliness, there's no time to worry about things like the G-word. It's refreshing. So, who is the biggest lush you know? And what does he or she do to bring the best partier out of you? We all need a Jon in our lives. He doesn't have to be a cute gay guy from Lexington, MA, but he or she will always remind you to lighten up, pour you another drink, and convince you to go out when -- c'mon, face it -- you should. This is a tribute to the friends that create the uncontrollable laughter and unexpected nights that make for memorable stories later -- in other words, here's to the people who bring out the lush in all of us.

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News

Men's track finishes third out of four teams at Springfield

April 7

In track and field there is a balance that exists between the individual and the team, and this was clearly seen on Saturday as the Tufts men's track team opened up its season at Springfield College. Tufts finished third out of a small field of four teams. Springfield College won the quad meet, compiling 216 points, followed by Bates with 206, Tufts with 184, and Southern Maine with 68. While the team may not have won the meet, it qualified several individual competitors for national competition. This, claims coach Connie Putnam, was the team's primary goal entering Saturday's meet. "We were not going into this meet trying to set up guys to beat Springfield College or Bates," Putnam said. "With a short qualifying season of only three weeks, we were going into this one looking for people to get early season qualifying times." Along with the short qualifying season, the rainy weather was a factor in Putnam's strategy, which included keeping All-American freshman Fred Jones out of the triple jump and long jump. "Unless the weather was really excellent, we were planning on keeping him out of those events." Putnam said. "He had gotten a knee pinch [earlier that day] in the 4x100 relay, and we're letting him train through." The Jumbos did succeed in their goal of qualifying competitors for national competition. Junior Ray Carre, the team's top sprinter qualified in both the 200 and the 400 meter dashes, finishing second in the 400 at the meet. A slew of distance runners qualified for Division III nationals in the 1500, including junior Nate Brigham, sophomores Matt Fortin and Matt Lacey, and junior Brian McNamara. The group finished second through fifth at the meet. Brigham is the Tufts record holder in the 10,000, which he did not run in on Saturday. Still recovering from a long indoor season which stretched through the NCAA championships, Brigham will first run the 10,000 at the Penn Relays on April 22. Nonetheless, a Jumbo did dominate the 10,000. Freshman Josh Kennedy cruised through the 10,000 with a time of 32:23.10, winning the race and qualifying for nationals. Coach Putnam was impressed with the young distance runner's performance. "He has stood up and made himself be counted," Putnam said. "He's pretty close to the most talented athlete we brought in this year. He is very relaxed at the 10,000, and easily qualified for nationals." Putnam hopes that Kennedy's season may even surpass Division III nationals. "If he runs a great time towards the end of the season, I can see him qualifying for NCAA's [including Divisions I, II, and III]. If not, he'll be darn close, which you never see with freshmen," Putnam said. In the 110 hurdles, junior Nate Thompson qualified for nationals, winning the meet handily. In the 400 hurdles, sophomore Trevor Williams came in second, also qualifying for nationals. Senior tri-captain Peter Jurczynski won the 3000 steeplechase by almost a full minute with a time of 9:45.00 en route to a national qualification. Jurczynski echoed Coach Putnam's remarks on the short qualifying season. "It makes us have to be real efficient," the captain said. "Guys may want to qualify in multiple events, and to do that, we need to focus and not waste time. So far we've really been good about that." In the field, sophomore Seth LaPierre performed strongly in the pole vault despite a strong wind, usually a difficult factor for vaulters. He finished second and qualified for nationals. Sophomore Brandon Udelhofen won the discus, qualifying for nationals. Junior Dan March also did well at the hammer throw, missing a qualifying distance by a hair, as did sophomore Jason Galvin in the discus. Putnam plans on using a similar strategy for earning qualifying times for as many individual competitors as possible in this Saturday's quad meet at MIT, and he thinks his squad is starting to come into top form. "I'm thrilled right now," Putnam said. "The guys are coming in mornings to work out, watching tape, really putting in the extra time."

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News

Somerville Police caught between student and resident pressures

April 7

Life as a Somerville resident near a campus of 4,100 often rowdy college students is not without a few problems. "I remember one Saturday night when I physically could not drive up my street because 60 or 70 drunk kids had overflowed from a house party into the street," one Tufts neighbor said, on the condition of anonymity. Conversations with neighbors around the Tufts area reflect the precarious position Somerville Police Department officers find themselves in. Officers must try to keep neighborhoods quiet and orderly, while still allowing some kind of social activity among University students. Tensions between neighbors boiled over earlier this year, when permanent residents demanded a crackdown. "Some of my friends told me that they have been unable to get to sleep until three or four in the morning because of these parties. These people have kids in elementary school, and obviously something had to be done about that," the same Somerville resident said. Somerville Ward Seven Alderman Bob Trane is approaching the situation with a degree of pessimism. "Unfortunately, the remedy to this situation must go into law enforcement mode," he said. "If this problem isn't solved, we're just going to have to make more arrests." An additional police car was assigned to patrol the area around Tufts during the weekends. The assigned officer, however, SPD Sergeant Stephen Carrabino, does not see his job as strictly adhering to the will of permanent residents. "My role here is not to arrest," Carrabino said. "I'm here to educate, and try to get students to see the other side's perspective." Since he began patrolling the streets adjacent to Tufts last semester, Carrabino said that he has witnessed highly inappropriate behavior similar to what residents describe. "On a given night, I can easily see five individual cases of open container violations in a two and a half hour time frame. I've also seen students urinating on private property and right on Curtis Avenue," he said. "Oftentimes I feel that students aren't always aware of policies such as open container laws, and if I catch violations, I try to explain the situation to them." Nevertheless, he holds a more optimistic view of the situation than Trane does. Carrabino said that whenever he approached Tufts students, he was treated politely and with respect, and has always acted in kind. "People who think that this is an 'us versus them' situation are mistaken," Carrabino said. "Tufts is as much a part of the Somerville community as any other place here." Students have complained this semester that Somerville police officers have used unnecessarily rude and belittling language. But Carrabino said some people have a misguided notion of how the SPD operates. "We do not drive around until we see a loud party and immediately break it up. I was once in college too, and I want students to have a good time." "Unfortunately, we are obligated to respond to neighbors' complaints, but I always try to resolve the issue with as few problems as possible. If I have to arrest someone, I will, but it's always the last thing I want to do." Carrabino contrasted the Somerville policy with the Amherst Police Department, which operates with a "zero-tolerance policy." He said a given weekend might see upwards of 40 arrests per night in the town of Amherst. At Tufts, there have been fewer than a dozen arrests all year for open container violations. Carrabino attributes the root cause of the problem to be a breakdown in communication between Tufts students and their neighbors. He is not alone in believing that Tufts and Somerville are taking steps in the right direction to solve this problem. "I really have less and less reason to complain lately ... I've had a lot less problems with Tufts kids this semester than I did last. Hopefully they're starting to realize that some people have to get up before noon to go to work the next day," another neighbor said on condition of anonymity. There have been some signs of action on campus. On March 28, Carrabino held a discussion with the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate to answer any questions about alcohol on campus. "I was pleased with what [Carrabino] had to say," TCU Senator Rafi Goldberg said. "Carrabino wisely pointed out that students who live off campus have both the same rights and the same responsibilities as every other resident of the neighborhood, and that he goes out of his way to avoid unfairly targeting students." Senator Jeff Katzin said that Tufts has made serious efforts outside of the Senate forum, as well. Katzin cited a letter sent out to all off-campus residents, signed by Dean Reitman, TCU President Chike Aguh and Public Safety Director John King, that clarified policies of Somerville, Medford, and Massachusetts state law regarding noise violations and alcohol issues. Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel was present at the March 28 Senate meeting, and said it was a positive step in improving the relationship with neighbors. "It's obvious that students understand that this is a legitimate problem, and a number of students have expressed a willingness to partake in an ongoing dialogue to work this situation out," she said. In the meantime, students and neighbors are going to have to get along as best they can. "As the weather gets nicer and the semester winds down, students are going to want to relax and party," Rubel said. "They're just going to have to be sensitive to the fact that their actions might unwittingly affect a larger scope of people than their immediate party." TCU Senator Randy Newsom said that only a mutual tolerance will result in acceptable living circumstances for both parties. "As students, we need to be respectful of the neighbors. And as for the Somerville residents, they need to realize that Tufts is valuable to the community," he said. "Tufts brings lots of money, lots of opportunity, and neither Tufts nor Somerville can exist as well as they have without each other. It's a mutually beneficial relationship and both sides need to realize that and work from that point."

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News

Sick and tired of spam

April 7

Log in to your e-mail on an average day and you're likely to see a variety of messages. Finding that message from Mom, or that important e-mail from a professor can be much harder when inboxes are overwhelmed with messages promising "Easy $$$," "Bigger Breasts Guaranteed," or "Rapid Weight Loss." This junk e-mail, known as spam, has recently gone from a minor annoyance to a large concern for students and lawmakers alike. Spam, whose name is derived from the infamous luncheon meat, is generally accepted to mean a solicitous e-mail sent out in huge quantities to anonymous recipients. Spam is often sent under deceiving subject headers. In other instances, the header can be strikingly graphic, even bordering on pornographic. The concern over the spread of spam has prompted government action. Last December, President Bush signed into law a bill known as the "CAN-SPAM Act of 2003." This act requires senders of these mass e-mail messages to clearly identify themselves and to give recipients the option to remove themselves from the list. The law also prohibits the use of deceptive subject lines and authorizes the Federal Trade Commission to publish a "Do-not e-mail" registry. Similar laws have been in effect for telemarketers, but the government is now targeting their Internet equivalent. The effectiveness of the new legislation, however, is in question. A survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project in March found that 24 percent of people feel that they are receiving more spam e-mail than before the law went into effect on Jan 1. The increase in spam is also having an impact on the way people view e-mail, as 63 percent of the respondents said that the amount of spam they receive makes them less trusting of e-mail. Tufts students expressed similar frustrations about the amount of junk mail clogging their inboxes and agreed spam is a problem. Many students recognize that certain online behaviors can increase the amount of junk mail they receive, however. These students said that being careful about where you post your e-mail address may help curb the problem. "If you use your Tufts e-mail and post it online or to register on Amazon, eBay, fantasy sports, or online catalogs ... your e-mail is going to end up on a mailing list you didn't sign up for", junior Timothy Ho said. Blaney added that paying attention to online forms can be another way to decrease spam. "Make sure to check all the boxes that say 'I would not like to receive any mail from them or their partners in the future," he said. It is possible, however, to continue on-line shopping and fantasy sports -- without all the junk mail baggage. Junior Dan Blaney had one suggestion that has proven successful for him thus far. "I have a separate Hotmail account at Hotmail that I use for my e-mail address whenever I am suspicious of the website I am giving it to." A separate e-mail account reserved specifically for questionable web sites and impersonal notifications is not uncommon -- particularly now that SPAM has such an unavoidable presence in e-mail inboxes. Senior Tara Bannon has another e-mail account, keeping her Tufts' account clean. "I do have a second account", Bannon said. "I never give [my Tufts] address out online". For those students who want to continue to use their Tufts and personal e-mail accounts, Tufts Computing and Communications Services (TCCS) endorses the use of a 3rd party downloadable program called Mozilla 1.6. The software is completely compatible with Tufts' Webmail and allows students to keep their multiple e-mail addresses and consolidate them into a single inbox. "Mozilla software has automated SPAM filters that learn based upon your own criteria and behavior", Bart Decrem, a Mozilla developer, said. "The filters get smarter and smarter as you use them". Mozilla allows for faster Internet access and e-mail management. Decrem recommended their newest program, Thunderbird 0.5, for those students who just want the e-mail portion of the program. TCCS endorses Mozilla on their website, stating that it "offers excellent junk mail filtering capabilities ... the Support Advisory Team (SAT) has approved Mozilla as the primary custom client for the Trumpeter e-mail system". One alternative to a 3rd party program is to "use an e-mail address which forwards, so that your e-mail address can be changed periodically", TCCS staffer Andrew Gordon said. "That will stop the spam". Many free e-mail providers, such as Yahoo!Mail, have responded to the spam influx by offering to send "Bulk Mail" to a separate folder. This system is not foolproof however, and spam frequently slips through their filters.

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News

While you're abroad, the entire population of Miami and Boston will be massacred

April 7

Nearly a million people, the same amount of people that populate the cities of Miami and Boston combined, were killed as a result of genocide ten years ago to this date. In 1994, the international community, despite its knowledge of the Rwandan genocide, allowed 800,000 people to die. The U.N. General Assembly swore, in 1994 that they would "never again," allow genocide. Genocide, defined as the purposeful and systematic extermination of a national, racial or political, or cultural group, was committed in Rwanda yet the international community stood by watching. Was it because Rwanda was in Africa, and thus didn't count as a "real" genocide? Rwanda does count, so why was the recognized genocide allowed to continue when the international community has sworn to prevent it? What exactly had they meant when they said "never again"? Let's first take a look at a brief history of Rwanda, so that we can better assess the negligence of international community. Occupied by Belgium, during the colonial period, Rwandans were separated into three ethnic groups. The Belgians, who governed Rwanda during the colonial period, decided to entrust a minority group called the Tutsi, whom they viewed as "more white looking" (and therefore more intelligent and trustworthy), with a privileged position in society. The Tutsi, unlike the other two groups, were offered a western education, and thus held all positions of authority in Rwanda. In 1960, the Hutu group rebelled against the Tutsi leadership, frustrated by the more then a century of living as second-class citizens. Through the leadership of several presidents, the Hutu gained power and privilege, but Rwanda was not at rest. In 1990 a Tutsi-led rebel army called the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), invaded Rwanda and tried to take back power. A three-year civil war ensued, and ended in a cease-fire, and the signing of the Arusha Accord which mandated a Transitional Government (where political leadership was to be shared by the Hutu and Tutsi). The Arusha Accord, however, satisfied neither group's interests, and Rwanda's political problems continued. In 1993 The U.N. Security Council authorized the Rwanda mission (UNAMIR) to assist in implementing the Arusha Accord. In November of that year, UNAMIR forces arrived in Rwanda. Soon after his arrival, General Dallaire, commander of the UNAMIR forces, would become aware of a detailed plan by Hutu extremists to exterminate the Tutsi's. Dallaire sent an urgent message to the U.N. reporting the extremists' plan, along with his own plan to confiscate Hutu militia arms caches, but was told not to get involved. A month later, in February, a series of violence broke out, which assassinated targeted members of both parties in southern Rwanda and Kigali, it's capital. At this same time, Hutu extremists begin to compile death lists, create anti-Tutsi propaganda, and import tens of thousands of machetes. On April 6, the Hutu Rwandan President Habyarimara's plane was shot down, giving Hutu extremists the spark they needed to begin the genocide. Torn apart by group identity, normal people murdered their sleeping neighbors, children killed their teachers, and safety checkpoints turned into slaughter points. Radio broadcasts announced the names and locations of those to be murdered; yet even if a Tutsi or political moderate heard their name read, they had no escape. The United States did not want to enter into another Somalia-like situation, and insisted that the killings were the result of a civil war. It refused to get involved, and did not organize one high-level meeting in Washington, even though it was a recognized genocide occurring in Rwanda! Despite Dallaire's request for more troops, UNAMIR ordered the withdrawal of almost all the U.N. troops. With only 270 troops Dallaire's brave men would attempt to protect fortresses of Tutsi people even though they often stood unarmed, starving, and exhausted. The Rwandan Patriotic Front was able to overthrow Hutu extremists in mid-July, however 800,000 people had already been murdered. Today, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), tries suspected perpetrators of the genocide, but the genocide has been largely forgotten. Samantha Powers, author of "A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide (2003)," believes that there is progress being made as a result of the genocide, but stated in a panel discussion at Harvard last week, that if this conflict were to reoccur, it would produce the same results. Although there was recently a conference held by the Swedish government to discuss exactly what was meant by "never again," in the 1948 Genocide Convention, only sixty states attended, and the United States sent a relatively low-level delegation. Do you consider genocide a low-level concern? Rwanda is in the past, but genocide is not gone forever. It is crucial that the general population is able to recognize genocide, and stand united against it! Wednesday, April 7, was National Rwanda Day. By spreading the knowledge of Rwanda, you can prevent it from happening again. The following is a great website that the BBC put together about Rwanda. Hope to see you there: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/africa/2004/rwanda/default.stm "The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand." --Frank Herbert Veronica Adamson is a freshman with an undeclared major.

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News

Rappoli steps down as head field hockey coach, will stay on as assistant

April 7

For the second time in a week, the Tufts Human Resources webpage contains a listing for a head coaching position. Unlike the first advertisement, however, this one is genuine. Longtime field-hockey coach Carol Rappoli is stepping down from her position as head coach of the team, and will take the role of assistant coach. Next fall would have marked Rappoli's 20th consecutive season at the helm of the Jumbos. The move comes following a 5-10 fall season, after which certain players expressed frustration with Rappoli's coaching style. According to Athletic Director Bill Gehling, the decision to take a lesser part with the field hockey team was Rappoli's choice, explaining that it will allow her to focus more time on leading the women's lacrosse team, which currently stands at 4-2. Rappoli will remain in her current position as head coach for lacrosse. "Carol and I had discussed the possibility of her being head coach for just one sport, back over three years ago," Gehling said. "The new job was in the making after an evaluation of our staffing assignments. Most teams in our league have two separate coaches for both women's lacrosse and field hockey, and Carol expressed interest in just coaching lacrosse." Sophomore field hockey co-captain Lea Napolitano, who led the Jumbos in scoring in 2003, understands Rappoli's situation. "This has been something [Rappoli] has been talking about for a while, giving herself more time and allowing herself to focus more on lacrosse," Napolitano said. "This isn't a spontaneous thing. It's difficult recruiting for two sports, and everything else that goes with having to organize and run two completely different programs." Player concerns, however, may also have weighed on the timing of Rappoli's stepping-down. Sources close to the team say there was noticeable discontent between certain players and Rappoli over the course of the 2003 season, and at one point some of those players held a meeting to discuss a year-end course of action with the their head coach, including looking into the possibility of a replacement. Senior co-captains Kelly Sarson and Willow Hagge, and senior goalkeeper Julie Jackson attended a private meeting with Gehling following the season to discuss team issues, and at least part of the meeting was dedicated to voicing discontent with Rappoli. Gehling was also presented with a list of implicating actions and quotes about the coach, which were written by a few members of the team and intended to make a case against her. "[Rappoli's] communication skills were lacking, and [in the meeting] we told Gehling what we needed to say," Jackson said. Jackson maintains this isn't the first time members of the field hockey team have been disenfranchised with their coach. "I know we're not the first senior class to go into Gehling's office [to discuss Rappoli]," Jackson said. Rappoli was unavailable for an interview by press time, but Gehling insists it's normal for him to hold meetings with senior players, and he says he does so regularly with all of the Jumbo athletic teams every season in order to get student-athlete feedback. And while the meetings are meant to provide a forum for discussion, they do not go so far as to dictate athletic policy at the administrative level. "The meeting had no bearing on this decision whatsoever," Gehling said. "She hasn't left the program, and I anticipate that Carol, with her great knowledge of the sport and years of experience, will be a wonderful asset to the new coach and program." The search for a new head coach has already begun, with the application deadline being in the end of April 2004. Assistant coach Colette Gaudet has been named as a possible applicant for the position, but the candidate pool is expected to be numerous and highly competitive. Gehling has informed the players that he wants to have a new head coach named by May 10.

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News

UConn dominates Div. I basketball, Tufts has upper hand in intramurals

April 7

Over the last few days, the University of Connecticut has managed to win both the Men's and Women's NCAA Division I Basketball titles. Each squad was forced to beat the best of the best, the top teams in the country. Duke, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech all fell victim to the Huskies. However, one school in particular has retained its perfect, unbeaten record against UConn: the Tufts University Jumbos. The Huskies dodged the Jumbos this season, refusing to take the court against our starting five. This fact will no doubt forever tarnish UConn's "national" title claims. Like Barry Bonds' rejection of steroid testing, the Huskies will now be left with an asterisk next to their achievements. UConn's faux pas raises an important question: in what other areas does Tufts rival its NESCAC and national collegiate rivals? In any such debate, intramural sports must be discussed at length. This spring season, Jumbo squads will compete for intramural fame and fortune in flag football, tennis, volleyball, soccer, basketball, field hockey, and, of course, badminton; a veritable horde of competitive teams. How, then, do the intramural programs at other schools compare to our own? First of all we must look at our pitiful NESCAC rivals. Wesleyan, competing in UConn's shadow, doesn't offer its athletes teams in flag football or field hockey. Our snowy neighbor to the north, Bowdoin, only offers its students softball, squash and basketball. Advantage: Tufts. "We don't have time to play sports," says Bowdoin freshman Samuel Donovan. "We're too busy hunting and preparing for the bitter winter months." Clearly, our NESCAC "rivals" do not present an adequate challenge to our intramural dominance. We must extend our view. Locally there are a number of schools whose intramural programs may be comparable. At Harvard, the intramural program boasts teams in many of our same sports, as well as hockey, ultimate frisbee, and table tennis. Brown, situated in the important state of Rhode Island, also has teams in those areas, adding a horseshoes squad. Yale manages to field teams in billiards and golf, as well. Yet while these programs are impressive, do not forget perhaps the most essential aspect of any intramural competition: the mascot. None of these schools present a mascot that even challenges our jumbo elephant; Jumbo would easily stomp out both a Brown Bear and a Yale Bulldog, while Harvard's Crimson is a meager color, not an animal. Advantage: Tufts. "We try our best, but ultimately we know we're just fooling ourselves; Tufts is the Tiger Woods of intramural competition," admits Brown University sophomore Julia Rappaport. Again, our search for a suitable competitor must be widened. State schools, boasting student populations around ten times the size of Tufts, offer a significant challenge. Ohio State offers a litany of sports, including walleyball, sand volleyball, dodge ball, and bench press. At Arizona State, one can compete on teams in John Madden football, water polo, and floor hockey. At Six Flags Amusement Park... excuse me; at Florida State teams contend in Go-Cart racing, mini-golf, and street hockey. Finally at devious UConn teams compete in just about every sport imaginable; from pie eating races to wiffleball. Although these schools seem to hold a competitive edge over Tufts in the scope of their intramural competition, there may be a hidden variable. Some charge that state schools, desperate to overtake the Jumbo juggernaut, have begun recruiting intramural athletes from around the country with elaborate recruiting parties. "Florida State flew me down," explains sophomore three on three basketball stud Michael Ott. "They took me and some guys out to dinner and ordered us all the bread and complimentary beverages we could handle. But I told them, 'I'm all Jumbo.'" Advantage: Push. Try as they might, Tufts University's intramural program cannot be ignored or bought away with souvenir cups. Our student athletes are here to stay. The Huskies had better cherish their latest varsity championships because if the playing field is evened and Tufts is allowed to compete against other schools in intramurals, it will be the Jumbos all over the headlines, not the Huskies.

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News

To shop and to work: the re-making of Assembly Square

April 7

For those of you who are familiar with the Assembly Square Mall located in northeastern Somerville, you may believe that the installation of a proposed Ikea furniture superstore would be a huge improvement on the current and nearly deserted building. However, members of the Somerville community who are a part of the Somerville Living Wage Committee (SLWC) disagree. The SLWC argue that plans to renovate the Assembly Square area should focus on creating good jobs for the residents of Somerville, which is something that an Ikea would not accomplish. If you have ever seen the Assembly Square Mall it was probably as you drove past it to get to Home Depot, Circuit City, or Loews movie theatre, and like many people, you probably ignored it because the only main stores are a Kmart and a Building 19. Or maybe the boarded up windows of empty stores caught your eye. But Assembly Square, right in Tufts' backyard, was not always this rundown and actually has a long and rich history. During the 17th century the marsh and wetland area of the Mystic River that Assembly Square lies on was a place for the transport of people and goods. This trading led to the expansion of the region's economy as well as its population. By the early 1800s there were ten shipyards, and development continued when two railroads were installed in the middle of the 19th century. The construction of the McGrath Highway in 1925 marked the beginning of Somerville as an industrial city, which continued when the Ford Motor Company built a plant in Assembly Square in 1926. Over the next thirty years, Assembly Square was one of the largest sources of employment in the region, but this changed soon after when in 1958 the Ford Assembly Plant closed due to a change in Ford's manufacturing strategies, and as a result hundreds of jobs were lost. Finally, in 1980 the "Assembly Square Urban Revitalization Plan" was able to turn the abandoned site into an area with a retail mall, restaurants, a hotel, and an office building (Office of Housing and Community Development, www.ci.somerville.ma.us). As a lifelong resident of Medford it was after this revitalization that I experienced the Assembly Square Mall, when there was a Jordan Marsh department store there, and many people actually shopped there. However, over the years the mall has deteriorated as good stores have left and new ones never replaced them. The Office of Housing and Community Development of Somerville makes quite the understatement when they claim that the area has had little development since the early 1990s and that Assembly Square is not living up to its potential. To remedy this problem former Mayor of Somerville Dorothy Kelly Gay teamed up with the Office of Housing and Community Development and the Somerville Redevelopment Authority in an attempt to revitalize Assembly Square. According to the Somerville Journal (3/4/04), current Mayor Joe Curtatone is continuing with the plans, and is presently close to signing a deal with developers called the Assembly Square Limited Partnership that would lead to the development of 340,000 square feet of residential, retail and office space in Assembly Square over the next six years. For city officials, this has not been a smooth undertaking, especially due to challenge from some Somerville residents. Mary Jo Connelly of the SLWC said on the group's website "believes that creating good jobs for Somerville residents must be a major goal of the plan for developing the Assembly Square site". The SLWC explains that Somerville does not have enough jobs for its residents in comparison to Boston and Cambridge as Somerville has approximately 22,000 jobs for 45,000 working adult residents. This organization in Somerville realizes the problems that many city residents face concerning income and job availability, and because of this the SLWC wants the city's government to "take up the challenge of creating more of the kind of jobs we desperately need in Somerville: decent paying jobs that are within the reach of most Somerville residents," says Connelly. This committee provides statistics on its website to explain why Somerville needs good jobs for its people: 31 percent of the households in Somerville earn less than the average of $27,648 that it takes to live in the city without some kind of assistance. Only one-third of the residents of Somerville are working in any kind of professional, managerial or administrative position. And, only one-third of Somerville adults have any kind of college degree and one-quarter do not have a high school diploma, according to Connelly. With such statistics it is easier to see the necessity for jobs that people can work without having an advanced degree, but that also have benefits and give career opportunities. With jobs like these Somerville residents may support their families and have a chance at creating a better life for themselves. These types of opportunities will not come along with the installation of an Ikea, which will pay the majority of its workers under ten dollars per hour and lack benefits. Many Somerville residents simply want to see a quick resolution to the Assembly Square problem and fail to understand the long term affects that development of Assembly Square will have on the community. It is important for Somerville and the people of the Somerville community to realize that new development in Assembly Square is a great opportunity to improve the space while simultaneously benefiting the community. Rachel Sliman is a junior majoring in sociology and women's studies.

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News

Typographical error led to false advertisement

April 7

Sometimes, the answer is just as simple as the problem. The typographical error that indicated Tufts was looking to hire a new head women's basketball coach to replace Carla Berube could have been cleared up by one, simple thing: a phone call. "It was an innocent mistake," Athletic Director Bill Gehling said. "The one thing that surprised me was that nobody tried to contact the one person that would know for certain whether it was a mistake or not: me. If it all happened again, I hope that I would be contacted sooner." The advertisement was intended to be for a new head field hockey coach. According to Gehling, the Athletic Department used the same template for this advertisement that they had used in finding a new Women's Basketball coach three years ago. There was a typographical error on the document sent to both Tufts' Human Relations department and the NCAA, and Gehling admitted that the Athletic Department was at fault. Tufts received no complaints from the NCAA because there was only the one typographical error and the advertisement was listed under "Field Hockey," not "Basketball" on the NCAA website. Berube found out about the misprint on Sunday morning, when she received a call in New Orleans from her assistant coach, Jackie Desmarias. "My initial response was 'that's not true,'" Berube said. "I knew there was a field hockey opening and they must have been referring to that." Berube promptly called the secretaries in the Athletic Office, Desmarias, and a few of her players just to "let them know I wasn't leaving. Little did I know there was mayhem [on campus]." Gehling appeared just as shocked as Berube at how quickly news spread of the advertisement. "I was extremely surprised at how quickly a firestorm had happened," he said.

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News

Exhibit offers unique opportunity to mingle with different kids of artists

April 7

Opening today at the Aidekman Art Center is the latest in the Tufts University Gallery's annual series of art thesis exhibitions. The collection features the work of graduating candidates in Tufts' joint masters program with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibit, which will be on display through April 28, showcases the photography, paintings, and sculptures of nine artists, all of whom will be attending tonight's opening reception in the gallery from 5 to 8 p.m. The artwork on display ranges across the visual and thematic spectrum, from oversized paintings to colorful photographs to a gigantic wall decorated with white and pink candy hearts (in lieu of wallpaper) surrounding a cabinet full of jars of marshmallow goo. The entryway to the exhibit is lined with vivid photographs taken by professor Amy Montali. Montali teaches Photography 001 at Tufts and says that she shoots her work with an eye for movement, using tropes of moving images to create stills. Much of Montali's work is influenced by her experiences in film and theater. Working with dancers and moving images, she finds that she often has to shoot photographs spontaneously. "My work is playing around with a psychological narrative, specifically how it looks when it's photographed," Montali said. "Photography is a subject as well." Sue Yang has taught at the Museum of Fine Arts for nine years. Her chosen focus is digital photography, blown up in gigantic prints on glass and plastic to make the works appear ethereal. "When I was a child, I loved watching the smoke rising from the incense lamps at the Buddhist temple," Yang said. "I try to make it more mystical, so the material is more floating and transparent." All of Yang's artwork relates to her own journey through life. The lotus blossom, one of the symbols of Buddhism, is common throughout her work, and many of the pieces reflect a gradual enlightenment as the subjects move from east to west. One corner of the exhibit looks far more like it belongs in a comfortable den than an art gallery; two oversized couches face walls lined with photographs, as atmospheric music creates a feeling of familiarity. These photographs were taken by Sara Seinberg, who uses the music to lend ambiance to her work. "I'm looking at photography as a cinematic representation of music," she said. "If this is a film, then the songs are the soundtrack." Some of the songs are what Seinberg was listening to when she created the various pieces on display; some simply reminds her of the subjects. Next to one of the couches is a shelf filled with snow globes, each of which represents one of the places where the photographs were taken. Seinberg's work is entirely natural, with no added lights or staged subjects. "If something's in the way on a kitchen table, I won't move it," she said. "I have to pay a lot of attention to lighting because I don't set anything up. I only use flash. But I'm shooting my life. I definitely play with things like angles, but they have to be representative of moments that happened." The side wall of the gallery is covered with gigantic paintings, each of which contains the image of an enormous industrial tower. "I use the towers as a symbol of power, a symbol of institution," artist Nathan Lewis said. "The symbol of power is something we try to serve or protect or resist or destroy." His artwork is vivid and colorful, and the individual pieces are all interrelated, although the artist says that they don't make up "a strict series." Rather, they all use the same image in a different context. In one, a man is depicted building the tower, creating an interesting interplay as a tree is chopped up and destroyed to create something else. In another, a piece described by Lewis as "Oedipal," a man boxes with an image of his father. A gigantic baseball scene depicts a religious war as hurlers vie with hitters. Each team tries to protect its own tower, the visual representation of their respective institutions, while they attempt to destroy the tower of their opponent. One of the artist's most powerful paintings depicts a tower floating in an ocean, with drowning figures of men and woman struggling to grab hold in the waters around it. "It represents a biblical flood," Lewis explained, describing the work's allusion to religion. "The institution there is unstable, but it's still the most stable thing there is." The other masters' candidates who have work on display experiment with narrative photography and paintings in a variety of different mediums. Each individual presents his or her own unique take on the world, and the colorful prints capture off-kilter looks at society and culture. Rare as it is to view so many different types of works at once, the exhibition provides the perfect opportunity to visit with all sorts of talented artists.

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News

We're screwed

April 7

I had the pleasure of being home for the first half of this week to be with my family to celebrate Passover. Among other such inexplicable Passover traditions as reclining, dipping twice, and eating bitter herbs and matzah, I also of course completed the duty of Spending Time with Grandma. Just by the numbers, my Grandma is a pretty amazing piece of work. She is 91 years old. For gravity, I'll spell that out: ninety-one years old. Instead of telling you who was president when she was born or talking about what wars she's lived through or how she was around before Tupperware, I'll just say that she was practically born a century ago. Will that suffice? But Grandma Frances is with it. She likes to talk about how she's losing her marbles, or how you can't deny Mother Nature, but really, there is still plenty of light up in the proverbial attic. She's sharp enough to remind my mom to take something off the stove when it's been there too long, shrewd enough to diss on how boring the Seder was at our friends' house, and hip enough to wear high heel boots that she has from when they weren't retro, but new. Grandma is also mentally coherent enough to talk about how much things have changed, and this topic of conversation is always interesting. It was the point of the day when everyone else in the house was busy and I sort of ended up solo with Grandma in the living room. We covered the usual bases like how I don't know what I'll do next year, explaining what the hell ultimate Frisbee is, and how yes, Grandma, I'm still single. After going through the cycle of Standard Topics, I decided to branch out to the rest of the family. I figured there might be some news from my cousin, Jessie, who is my age. "So, Grandma. What's up with Jessie?" Bingo! "I'll tell you what's going on with Jessie. She just moved in with her boyfriend. She's living with the guy and she's only twenty-three! I mean what the hell else is she supposed to do? Her mother just moved in with her new boyfriend -- so what's Jessie to do? And her father -- he's always having a new girlfriend practically every week! He's doing what he needs to be satisfied." "Wow. So. Jessie moved in with her boyfriend." "Let me tell you something. In my time, people didn't go around just moving in with each other. If you wanted to sleep together, you got married! That's what people did. Of course, the same things were going on then that are going on now, but at least it wasn't in everyone's face. At least there was some wool over the eyes. But now -- there are just no morals. "Jessie went down to visit her mother in Carolina, and brought the boyfriend. It's a small apartment. There's only the one bedroom, but a pull-out couch and a sofa. So you'd think that Jessie would sleep on the pull-out couch and the boy on the sofa? No! They both slept on the pull-out couch. Together. In her mother's house!" "Well, Grandma. Maybe they just went to sleep." "Yeah, right. They just went to sleep. If they just wanted to go to sleep, they would have slept separately. I tell ya. That's just disgusting. In her mother's house. People have always been doing this kind of stuff, but not in everyone's face. It's just horrible." I was left speechless after this. After all, I too have had my share of sleepovers to girlfriends' parents' houses, and we've been able to sleep in the same bed. Actually, it was me who was initially uncomfortable with it, but I've come around. But in many ways, my Grandma is right. Whether or not things have gotten worse, they've certainly changed. So what's going to happen when we all have kids? Our kids will be teenagers in the 2030s. The world won't even look the same anymore. If my grandma is losing it now over people sleeping together in the basement, I can't imagine what our kids will be doing. Are my kids going to be borrowing the keys to my flying car for prom on the moon? Sending a hologram of themselves back home so they can stay out till all hours of the night? Using their brain-implanted cell phones to tell me lies about where they're sleeping? Well, I'm sure they'll be doing all of those things, but the things that will cause the real hypertension will be the same things that are doing it for Grandma Frances. Being home with family gives me time that may seem like a chore at first, but there's always something to learn ... and be scared about.

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News

Don't ask, don't tell

April 7

I have an idea. Let's make some exceptions to the anti-discrimination policy of Tufts University. We'll begin by awarding academic credit to ROTC cadets from Tufts who, by their own accord, participate in a comprehensive military program open to all able-bodied students (provided they abstain from "homosexual conduct"). Sure, it might disregard Tufts' core institutional values, but who really cares? All that stands between this group and the academic credit it "deserves" is a horde of homos with gripes about don't ask, don't tell. But discrimination is acceptable in matters of convenience such as this! Does it matter that cadets are eligible to receive up to $92,000 in tuition-paid scholarships simply by taking a few specific courses that "everyone else" must pay for? Does this fact merit any discussion, especially since certain qualified Tufts students are prohibited from these scholarships unless they renounce their identities? Nah. ROTC cadets from Tufts are really the ones being punished! While the above statement may seem outrageous, it reflects the voice of the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate through a recent resolution urging Tufts faculty to accept ROTC credits from Tufts cadets training at MIT. The resolution refuses to acknowledge the issues of equal opportunity and access that LGBT students face when they are denied participation in ROTC. The fourth line item declares: "WHEREAS, these courses are open to any and all students regardless of race, gender, religion, and/or sexual orientation..." As a gay man, I could theoretically enroll in the same courses. However, assuming the Tufts faculty agrees with the TCU Senate and decides to accept credits from ROTC, equal opportunity disappears. The ROTC website states it clearly: "One of the best ways to improve your chances of winning a three- or two-year scholarship is to participate in Army ROTC classes before applying for a scholarship." The meaning of one academic credit in this case significantly increases access to Tufts University for an ROTC cadet, but not for me -- a gay man who may happen to qualify despite my sexual orientation. This scenario endorses an unacceptable "separate but equal" treatment of cadets versus LGBT students. What if I suddenly became unable to finance my education? ROTC is not an option, even if I take the same courses. History is littered with examples of discriminatory policies that beget economic insecurity. Despite this, many ROTC cadets respond by asserting that they had no control over such a reprehensible policy, so "Why should we be punished?" No one is denying that ROTC cadets put forth a great deal of effort to partake in extra classes and physical training. In the end, however, this issue is more about principle than punishment. If Tufts faculty ever awarded credit to any course taken as part of ROTC, the anti-discrimination policy would ring hollow: "It is the policy of the University not to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation... in the administration of its scholarship and loan programs..." When the very same academic credit elevates one group of students to a higher level of active citizenship and public service above another qualified group, the core mission of this university is compromised. Thus, when the TCU Senate released its resolution to the student body, it also released its credibility into the wind. Through a colossal failure of leadership and inability to communicate with its committees, the TCU Senate marginalized the LGBT community. It comes down to this: Some senators knew more than others well before the vote, and those senators neglected to communicate with leaders of the LGBT community from within and outside of the TCU Senate. This inability to communicate contributed to the adoption of this resolution. David Taylor's actions are unbecoming of someone who purports to stand for America and the democratic principles it espouses. He ignored (or was ignorant of) the initiation of talks among ROTC cadets in Tufts Joint Operations (TJO), TTLGBC, and Emerge. Any fledging trust established between TJO and LGBT community leaders nearly evaporated due to his actions. His claim that the Tufts anti-discrimination policy is discriminatory against students who participate in a program that is, by its nature, discriminatory, is patently absurd. If Tufts "hated" ROTC cadets so much, it would not accept ROTC scholarships. Yet, if Tufts took this position, it could risk losing federally funded research and construction grants. I attended the TCU Senate meeting, being asked to do so at the last minute. I left before it ended, simply because senators amending the resolution did not acknowledge "don't ask, don't tell," or the scholarship money that ROTC cadets receive. Why debate a resolution that does not acknowledge my inequality? In the meantime, Taylor used the meeting to weave together flimsy theories regarding the transfer of economics/business courses that ROTC cadets take (Tufts may not have equivalent departments or courses). Not a shred of tangible information was presented. His blanket statements about "fairness" and distaste for "don't ask, don't tell," were insufficient. Taylor may favor LGBT rights, but there is no place for his sentiment in the military. Nonetheless, the efforts of TJO in meeting with representatives of TTLGBC and Emerge are welcomed, and discussions amongst the groups will hopefully add to a mutual understanding of LGBT issues within the military. If there is any disagreement, even with the philosophy espoused in this viewpoint, let's talk about it! Taylor is also welcome to contribute to any future meetings, if he feels so inclined. In the end, the Tufts community should work toward some type agreement using informed opinions and by learning from the history of ROTC/LGBT issues at Tufts. The TCU Senate's reckless approval of this resolution was a slap in the face to many in the LGBT community. We deserve better. Matthew Pohl is a junior majoring in political science and Middle Eastern studies. He is a co-coordinator of Emerge, an LGBT political organization at Tufts.

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News

New dean of Nutrition School will begin term in July

April 7

The Board of Trustees announced yesterday that Dr. Eileen Kennedy will undertake the role of Dean of the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Kennedy will begin her term July 1. "I am thrilled to be joining the Friedman School because its greatest strength is in the diversity of its curriculum and research," Kennedy said in a press release. "The challenges we face in a world of abundant food and the loss of health that comes from both over-consumption and under-consumption of food call for nutrition leaders who can work across the entire spectrum of nutrition represented here at Tufts." Kennedy brings experience from her extensive academic, governmental, and policy background, Kennedy has been involved with research and teaching roles at Columbia, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, and Tufts. "Professor Kennedy's career is a terrific match for the Friedman School, and her work illustrates the founding principle of the school -- to embrace nutrition from the science to the policy," University Provost Jamshed Bharucha said in the release. Current Friedman School dean and international and national nutrition policy specialist Dr. Irwin Rosenberg explained that the responsibility of the job is to act as the chief academic officer of the Friedman School, and ultimately the chief operating officer of the enterprise. "The dean has to not only lead in activity of faculty and students but also project the qualities and image of the school externally in such as way as to continue to attract finest faculty, students, and fiscal support," he said in the release. Rosenberg, who will be ending his ten year career as dean, will continue at the Friedman School in a research and teaching role. Rosenberg expressed his confidence in Kennedy's capacity to lead. "I was very pleased and excited by the choice," Rosenberg said. "I've known Dr. Kennedy for a long time, and I have great respect for her abilities as a leader and for her vision in the field of nutrition." Kennedy acted as deputy undersecretary and then acting undersecretary in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Her position helped to coordinate policy and research among agencies on nutritional and environmental issues and dealt with a budget of $2.2 billion. During her time there, she also worked to develop the "Healthy Eating Index," a key tool for nutrition researchers around the world. Her policy experience includes involvement with United Nations, the National Academy of Sciences, the White House National Science and Technology Council, the White House Biotechnology Subcommittee, the Surgeon General's Task Force on Health Disparities and many other organizations. Kennedy was also president of the Global Nutrition Institute and global executive director of the International Life Sciences Institute, and co-chaired the National Nutrition Summit in 1999-2000. A registered dietician, Kennedy holds an undergraduate degree from Hunter College and Masters' degrees from Pennsylvania State University and Harvard University as well as a Doctorate of Science in Nutrition from the Harvard School of Public Health. "The trustees were very pleased with the appointment and they were very happy to approve it," Secretary of the Office of the Trustees Linda Dixon said. Dr. Kennedy is the fourth woman to join the upper ranks of Tufts administration: the Dean of the Sackler School, Engineering School, School of Arts and Sciences, and the CEO of Tufts-New England Medical Center are all women. The appointment ends the search committee's year-long hunt for a new dean of the Friedman School. The search committee was led by Dr. Robert Russell. The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy is one of only a few schools to grant a degree in Nutrition Policy as well as Nutrition Science, and is well-known for its emphasis on the application of nutritional research to national and international policymaking.

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News

Rocky Horror' is over the top with glam rock

April 7

Theatergoers will be transported from Cohen Auditorium to the late 1970s world of glam-rock at this weekend's production of Torn Ticket II's (TTII) "Rocky Horror Show." The rock-influenced musical is the stylish and fun story of a clean cut young couple, played by sophomores Greg Fujita and Julia Arazi, who stumble into the lair of a transvestite mad scientist. They quickly become embroiled in the sordid goings on at the mansion. Audiences may already be familiar with the "Rocky Horror Show" from the 1975 movie starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick. The film has become a cult favorite, but TTII's production, though it shares many elements with the movie, is unique and highly entertaining in its own right. Director Jennifer Gerson, her production staff, and the cast have succeeded in making the show their own by creating a highly stylized rock and roll universe in which the story takes place. This sensibility is reflected in all aspects of the production. "This is a show that's a love letter to rock and roll more than anything," Gerson said. The set, which is reminiscent of last semester's stylized "Dr Faustus," recalls a punkish, glam rock night club. The costumes are similarly inspired and "reflect the period musically by mimicking the visual construction of era stars," Gerson said. Sophomore costume designer Heather Tomarkin demands attention in her designs as cast members (both male and female) are clad glittery wigs, corsets, fishnets and high heels. Though glitter and hairspray abound, the show's rock and roll influence isn't limited to the visual element. The pit is more like a rock and roll band than a traditional musical orchestra, and senior Tim Nelson leads the band as the production's musical director. Although the show is more rock influenced than most musical theater productions, like any good spectacle, "Rocky" is saturated with dancing. The show's team of senior choreographers, made up by Daphne McCurdy, Meghan Hammer, and Kelani Hawkes, decided to stick with the production's glam-inspired aesthetic theme that is reflected in the over-the-top costumes. As such, much of the movement in the dances is heavily influenced by early '80s rock groups such as Blondie and David Bowie. The show's choreography, which is certain to be one of the production's most enjoyable aspects, posed some unique challenges. "I learned to dance in three and a half inch gold sparkly heels," junior Jackie Mantica said, who plays a phantom in the show. The cast has been rehearsing since the beginning of the semester and has become remarkably accustomed to the physical challenges presented by dancing in such spectacular costumes. The show's unique element of audience participation is one of "Rocky's" highlights. At various intervals during the script, theatergoers are encouraged to interact with the characters and action on stage. The nature of the show encourages the audience to become much more than mere spectators. "We are all about audience participation," Gerson said. "You can't throw things at stage, but a list of callbacks will be in the program for the audience to refer to, and an introduction course will be given by the narrator at the beginning of the show." Aside from their own lines, audience members have plenty of surprises to look forward to. "The floor show is the most exciting number," Manica said. "I can't tell you any more, because it would give away the surprise, but watch for it -- it's hot." And while we can't disclose all the surprises, there's little doubt that TTII's "Rocky Horror Show" has all of the elements of a must see. "It's easily the craziest show that I've ever been a part of," junior Armen Nercessian (Eddie/Dr Scott ) said. "There are transvestites, aliens, mad scientists, and omniscient narrators. 'Rocky' has it all."

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News

Shedding the suit: the era of the 'smart-casual' professor

April 7

Going to the first day of classes, Tufts students are likely to find their professors wearing a variety of styles of clothing -- ranging from suits and ties to jeans and sweaters. Students at Tufts have gone from mandatory skirts for women and jackets for men in the 1950s to jeans and ultra-casual sweats today, and faculty styles have also changed. One of the biggest differences in faculty style is the clothing worn by female professors. Women of years gone by were often expected to wear skirts -- pants were not allowed. Barbara Grossman, chair of the department of Drama and Dance, encountered this earlier in her career. Before her days as a doctorate student at Tufts and later a professor, Grossman worked to change the dress code at the Brookline middle school where she taught, petitioning the administration to allow female faculty members to wear pants. "I led a sort of populist movement [to change the dress code]" Grossman said, "but I'm not a clothing suffragette." While it is now acceptable for women to wear pants while teaching, other changes have led to a more casual atmosphere among professors, a change which has prompted mixed reactions. Proximity and high visibility make faculty members the most accessible examples of professional attire to students, and some say they serve as role models for students later on when they enter the job market. "The professors are dressing down now, today everybody is dressing down," alumna Elaine Kasparian J'58, said. "But how do you then turn that around when you have to look professional? There is that problem, how do you surmount that? Who do you use as a role model?" Many students find that their professors dress appropriately. "The majority of my professors dress in what is likely business casual; khakis or slacks and a polo shirt or sweater," sophomore Mike Carolan said. Other students see more of a variety of faculty dress styles. Sophomore Jose Vazquez sees professor dress ranging from "straight out of a J. Crew catalog to fairly casual to formal." Clothing affects how a person is perceived, and professors are no exception to this rule. "The professors that dress professional -- suit and tie -- give students the impression that they mean business," Vazquez said. Casual dress, however, does not mean that professors are necessarily taken less seriously. Students often identify with professors who "dress down". "As for my professors in casual dress, they're generally more approachable," Vazquez said, "and their personalities usually indicate that." Of course fashion is neither the only nor the most important measure of a professor. Teaching style, personality, and a number of other factors affect student opinion. "I like to think that in drama and dance we are very accessible and approachable," Grossman said. "I don't think clothing is an equalizer -- the relationship comes out of the work you do together. I certainly never felt intimidated [by professors in more formal attire]." "Whether a person is approachable has less to do with what they wear and more with their demeanor and rapport; how they treat others," English Professor 0said. "A professor can be in a formal suit, yet come across as warm and caring through facial expression and tone of voice." "The professor's personality and attitude in the classroom are more of determining factors than the actual clothing worn," Carolan said. "The professors I've had who wear jeans to class have been some of my least favorites." The classroom atmosphere is important, but professors' dress codes may not be central to it. "It seems to me that being comfortable and at ease as an instructor helps put the students at ease," classics professor Peter Manuelian said. "If that is achieved with formal attire or casual dress, so be it. As long as the University is generally well represented, I see no harm in flexibility." According to many professors and students, early in the semester snap judgments about professors can be based on small amounts of information like clothing, but becomes less of an issue as the semester goes on. "When I meet my first year students in the fall, we discuss identity construction and how people are read," Talusan said. "I ask what their expectations and assumptions are about what someone who teaches college should look like, and the image does not look like me. As an Asian American woman who is often mistaken for a student, I dress more formally to compensate in the first few weeks of the semester. Once we know each other better, the shortcut of assessing who I am by what I wear doesn't matter so much." Some departments, however, may be more casual than others. The drama and dance department, according to Grossman, is at times more casual due to the nature of the instructors' work. "A lot of people dress pretty informally in our department," Grossman said, choosing "jeans for painting sets or hanging lights."

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News

Seven Questions with Meredith Harris

April 7

Full name: Meredith J. Harris Nickname: Alien Hometown: Ridgewood, NJ Birth date: 8/3/83 Zodiac sign: Leo Favorite athlete: Jen Adams Usually 7 Questions is constructed to be somewhat funny, but sometimes it is necessary to ask serious questions pertinent to one's sport. Enter women's lacrosse sophomore midfielder Meredith Harris -- a serious lacrosse player with a funny side, but one who is willing to answer the tough questions. On the field, Harris plays both offense and defense, and apparently gets really annoyed if you call her a ball hog. She has started all six games for the Jumbos and has scored nine goals on only 21 shots. She also has dished out three assists to give her a total of 12 points, third best on the team. Currently at 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the NESCAC, the team is on its make-or-break stretch of games with all NESCAC opponents in its next six games, starting today at Middlebury. I caught up to Harris cleaning her cleats and defogging her goggles, so naturally 7 Questions followed. 1. Last year, your team started off hot and then struggled in NESCAC play, how does the team plan to avoid that this year? There were a few problems on the team last year, both personal and communal. While we had a lot of talent, we did not play together that well. This year we have a great team dynamic so I don't see us having the same sort of problems. If anything, the fact that we're a young team might have an impact on the games, but I think it is something we can overcome. >2. Are there any funny stories from the team's spring break trip in Florida, if so, can you tell me one? The entertainment: "Majestic Rhythms" and "The Fabulous life"... 3. So far, you have nine goals, but only have three assists, what's up with some passing? This question is stupid. Anyone who plays with me knows I don't drive to goal very much. >4. Why did women's lacrosse players start wearing those futuristic looking goggles and do they interfere with field vision? We started to wear them because in the final tournament this year and next year it will be required that all NESCAC players wear them. Carol thought we should get used to playing with them. At first they were very distracting for everyone that was not used to wearing goggles, but the more you wear them, the less they interfere with your vision. They make peripheral vision harder than before, but if they protect your eyes, then the obstruction is worth it. >5. Has there been much of a change in the lacrosse program since your coach Carol Rappoli decided to focus on just lacrosse instead of field hockey? I don't think we'll see the full impact of the decision until next fall because that's the season where her time availability will be different than in previous seasons. The only other change is the new approach that Carol is taking towards her players, and it's a great change. She's been great this season and I'm not sure if it's because of the decision, but it's been a really positive change for our team in general. >6. You are only a sophomore and your team is relatively young, how does that age affect your team? Having a young team can definitely be hard simply because they have not had the experience some of the older players have acquired through the years in the program. As far as our team is concerned, the underclassmen have been amazing and every day gets better and better. It's amazing and really exciting for the future success of the team. 7. What game do you look forward to the most and why? Well, I was excited to play Trinity because that was one of the saddest losses of the season last year since the first half we were leading by two or three points. But now that we've played that game, (and won!), I'd have to say Middlebury just because they're the best in the league, which is a great challenge. We have a lot of talent on our team and I think if we play our top game, it will be a good match.

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News

Jumbos train through meet at Trinity

April 7

After a lengthy break following the indoor season, the women's track and field team returned to action, this time outdoors, on Saturday at the Bantam Invitational Meet at fellow NESCAC competitor and host, Trinity. While no team placement was awarded at the informal meet, it was an opportunity for the athletes to ease back into the competitive atmosphere. Even thought it's April, and the outdoor season is supposed to be well-underway, the weather felt like winter and did not provide the spring-like conditions ideal for outdoor events. Wind, rain, and cold had a negative impact on individual performances and made for a rough reentry into competition. "It was a pretty miserable day at Trinity," coach Kristin Morwick said. "Given the weather, and the meet running considerably later than normal, the performances were pretty standard for this time of year." For the Jumbos, the highest individual placements were found in the field events. In the shot put, senior Kate Gluckman earned one of Tufts' two first place finishes on the day. Her victory came off of a throw of 12.01 meters and beat out second place finisher Lily Zepeda of Coast Guard's throw by .28. Gluckman threw about a half meter further than she did at the Springfield Invitational last year, which also occurred on the first weekend of April. Fellow senior Jessica Gauthier placed fifth in the event with a 10.81 throw, edging out junior Jessica Colby's sixth place throw of 10.80. "I threw a personal best, around 40 feet, in Arizona, so my goal for this meet was to get close to that, which I sort of did," Gluckman said. According to Gluckman, the weather was a hindering factor in performance, particularly since the entire team had just spent time in 90 degree Arizona. "It was really hard to stay warm, particularly in a non aerobic sport like throwing," Gluckman said. "[But] I'm confident right now because I am throwing where I need to be at this point in the season." Gluckman and Zepeda would battle again in the discus, but the results were not the same. Zepeda took first this time around, with a throw of 36.32 meters while Gluckman's throw of 34.72 fell to third place behind Leah Sullivan of Springfield's 35.30. Gauthier took sixth place, hurling for a distance of 32.08, and was also Tufts' top finisher in the hammer throw, finishing fifth with a 36.67 throw. Tufts' only other first place finish on the day came from junior Sika Henry, who took the high jump over second place finisher Sarah Bengston of Trinity with a leap of 1.57 meters. Henry, one of the Jumbos' top jumpers, is in a position to consistently contribute points in this event, as she did in the indoor New England Div. III championships this past February, where she tied for third place with a jump of 3.75. Henry was also the top Tufts performer in the 800 on Saturday, taking sixth place in 2:22.92. In track events, Tufts had its strongest showings in the sprints and long distance runs. Sophomore Rachel Bloom had her strongest performance in the 100, taking second place with a time of 12.90, .25 seconds off of the first place time set by Anike Orimogonje of the University of Hartford. Orimogonje also bested Bloom by almost a second in the 200m dash, as Bloom took fourth in 26.76s, also finishing behind two competitors from New Jersey City. Moving from seconds to minutes, a pair of Jumbos earned a pair of third places in the both the 1500 and the 10,000. Unfortunately, each runner was bested by a rival from Trinity. Freshman Sarah Crispin took third place in 1500 with a time of 4:48.93, a few seconds behind winner Mary Proulx (4:42.32 unaffiliated) and second place Kristin Miner of Trinity (4:43.19). Senior Lauren Dunn took third in the 10,000 (39:19.69), about a minute off Trinity's Kristina Depeau's mark of 8:16.84. The overall tone for this meet was not as high pressure as it will be at the end of April when the championships begin. Currently, the team is training hard through the meets, which puts a limit on performance. "Most of our meets right now are rather informal considering the fact that we are training through them," Gluckman said. "However, they are still important because we can use them to qualify for championships." At the invitational, the Jumbos got a taste of four other NESCAC teams (Trinity, Amherst, Wesleyan, and Connecticut College), and the only team to compete across the board with the Jumbos at this early stage in the season was the Bantams. Notably absent was returning NESCAC champion Williams. It is one of the team's goals this year to take first place at NESCAC's, which will be held at Trinity on April 24, and Williams will be the team to beat in order to do so.

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News

DNC is boon to students

April 7

Tufts students living and working in the Boston metropolitan area this summer will experience three days of excitement and annoyance during the Democratic National Convention. From July 26 to 29, the city will be mobbed with politicians, delegates, and political activists. It will be a potent brew for anyone interested in politics. This convention promises to be an exciting one. President Bush provokes so much antipathy in liberals that opposition groups unprecedented in size have come into existence, such as moveon.org. It has the potential to rival the infamous 1968 Chicago Democratic National Convention, though hopefully unmarred by violence. Locals trying to continue their everyday routine during the convention will have to deal with extraordinary and irritating security measures. Commuters will have the biggest headaches. The U.S. Secret Service has ordered that I-93 through the city and North Station be closed during the convention. A Boston Globe survey shows that 57 percent of Bostonians think that the convention will provide benefits for the city of Boston that will far outweigh these irritations. Not surprisingly, the percentage of Democrats who are willing to make sacrifices is far greater than the number of Republicans who think it is worth the sacrifice. These closures will bring traffic into Somerville. Mayor Joe Curtatone has voiced legitimate concerns that Somerville will become the "entry point" to Boston, and the traffic will stop circulation. Tufts students will have to deal with this traffic, especially if they plan on using I-93 or head towards the city. They will benefit from the event because in many ways it will be an intensive three-day class in electoral politics; going to stand outside of the Fleet Center will be a field trip from which they will come back loaded with pamphlets and flyers. It will be an exciting time for Boston. An urban renewal has already commenced in Boston. The Big Dig has provided the city with a recognizable landmark in the Zakim Bridge and will reconnect downtown with the North End. National media attention will focus on the city and reveal its newfound dynamism. Three days of disrupted transportation and crowded sidewalks is a small price to pay for the thrill of politics and the promotion of Boston.

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News

Senate elections proceed largely uncontested

April 7

Seats in next year's Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate will be largely uncontested; only members of the class of 2007 are running opposed. In the election for positions on the TCU Judiciary (TCUJ), eight candidates are running for seven spots. The three candidates for the Committee on Students Life (CSL) positions are running uncontested, as well as Senators in the classes of 2005 and 2006. "Nothing special about this one," Elections Board (ELBO) member Abby Lillianfeld said. Similar to the fall semester, the bulk of Senate positions will be held by underclassmen. Running uncontested for their seats, the three candidates for class of 2005 are Joe Mead, Jennifer Alexis Smith, and Alexei Wagner. The minimal number of seniors in next year's Senate will result in more positions for next year's junior and senior classes. Seven students in the class of 2006 are running unopposed for seven positions. The seven members of the class of 2006 are Dave Baumwoll, Athena Bogis, Shaun Glassman, Rafi Goldberg, Ed Kalafarski, Jeffrey Katzin, and Jose Vazquez. In the election for the class of 2007 seats, 13 candidates will vie for 11 positions. Andrew Caplan, Jess Feinberg, Brody Hale, Zach Landau, Evan Lichtenstein, Harish Perkari, and Simon Sassenberg will be hoping for re-election, while Charlie Bonello, Juan Escobar, John Loof, Aaron Miller, Neil Padover, and Adrienne van Nieuwenhuizen will be running for their first senate term. In the fall 2003 election, 28 freshman vied for nine spots. Sassenberg expressed discontent with the lack of excitement for the election process. "Senate does things that directly affect the student population, such as printing information on the back of student IDs and the wireless campus center," he said. "So if students take advantage of Senate projects, then why don't they vote?" As a result, some candidates have worked to encourage the student population to vote. "After we've gotten signatures we visit people in dorms, going door to door," Perkari said. The incumbent Senators banded together during the Candidates Forum, held last night at Hotung Caf‚. They pointed to their successes this year and their ability to work together. "We got [stuff] done this year," Perkari said. "We have seven incumbent Senators and seven of your votes should be for them." "The learning curve is high in the Senate," senior Senator Josh Belkin said. "Incumbent Senators won't spend three months next year trying to figure everything out." The new faces in the class of 2007 race emphasized the need for alternative, unique viewpoints. "I've been looking for ways to distinguish myself," Miller said. When asked how he could help with budgeting, he said "I'm cheap." "It's unfair that engineers aren't well represented in the Senate," Loof said. "It makes the school very much oriented towards liberal arts. We have a lot of speakers come such as ambassadors, but we haven't spent money on such speakers as Nobel winners in math and science." The TCU Judiciary candidates are Talisa Anderson, Shaharris Beh, Nicholas Boyd, Danny Pateiro, Melissa Peters, Jake Resnicow, Jordana Starr, and Zeleka Yeraswork. One subject under hot debate among Judiciary candidates is the issue of the Judiciary being invisible on campus. "I feel like the students don't know what the J is," Resnicow said. "It's important that you know we're the student advocates. We're there for you." All candidates, in both the Judiciary and the Senate, stated their main intentions for running as wanting to support their school. "It's a chance to prove my commitment to the student body," Yeraswork said.

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