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TASA lights up Cohen auditorium

March 7

The explosion of movement and color in TASA's "Rang De" drew two sold-out performances in Cohen Auditorium this weekend. Tufts Association of South Asians' (TASA) annual culture show was appropriately named: "rang de" means to "give color." "We wanted to name it something that captured the essence of the show, and 'Rang De' definitely did," TASA public relations officer sophomore Arun Brahmbhatt explained. Brahmbhatt was one of the show's six directors. "Plus it's springtime. Dreariness is going away, color is coming in." The fast pace and vibrant atmosphere of the show kept the audience on the edge of their seats, moving through ten high-energy dances, a fashion show, magic demonstration, traditional vocal piece, and several humorous sketches. "Many of us are first generation Americans, and so there's a big difference between parents and children," said Brahmbhatt. "We find it amusing. It's not meant to be offensive at all. It's colorful." The show daringly ventured into the art of cultural fusion. Borrowing aspects from Western pop culture as well as both traditional and popular South Asian culture, the production was able to create an effective and enlightening balance. TASA members opened a window to the vibrant culture of South Asia to the greater Tufts community through expressive music, dance, and humor. "Our goal for the show is to try to show the people of Tufts and our parents a little bit about our culture through dances and singing," said Senior Kavita Patel, president of the TASA executive board. "I think it was one hundred percent successful." "We wanted to show that South Asian culture encompasses all varieties of dance and that, although a lot of the stuff is very traditional, we are still in a modern age," explained sophomore Shail Ghaey, also a director. The audience was exposed to dance techniques ranging from modern hip-hop to very traditional bhangra and garba styles. Dance performances were separated by short skits prepared and performed by groups of eight actors. Each skit poked harmless fun at traditional South Asian culture, putting a tongue-in-cheek spin on everything from matrimonial personal ads and pick-up lines to a South Asian approach to telemarketers. The fashion show, which was set to En Vogue's "Free Your Mind," explored South Asia's current trends with a modern soundtrack and a professional red carpet. Bright color and flashy style showcased TASA's visual vibrancy. Another of the show's highlights included, "Magic and Mysterindia," a truly convincing magic demonstration by senior Salil Bhandari. The audience was amazed with a slight of hand and a baffling display of levitation. Perhaps the most remarkable quality of "Rang De" was its ability to incorporate so many aspects of a entire culture into a show that ran only two and a half hours. "Rang De" opened with an all-freshman dance and closed with an all senior number, an annual tradition of TASA's culture show. "Bhangra Pao," the second dance of the show, was open to any Tufts student interested in dancing. The diversity of the dancers and this all inclusive attitude greatly enhanced the overall experience. "I think one of the most important aspects of the show was the inclusion of non-South Asians," said Patel. "That's a whole other level of them learning about our culture." By far the most enjoyable part of "Rang De" was the obvious enthusiasm of all of its participants. A wonderful combination of color, music, and dance, this year's TASA culture show gave students an inside look at a truly rich culture

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News

Custodial Policy: An Open Letter to President Bacow

March 7

We are writing to you regarding the contract situation of the Tufts custodial staff on behalf of the Student Labor Action Movement and the Service Employees International Union Local 615. The Tufts Vision Statement states: "As an institution, we are committed to improving the human condition ... Beyond this commitment we will strive to be a model for society at large. We want to foster an attitude of 'giving back,' an understanding that active citizen participation is essential to freedom and democracy, and a desire to make the world a better place." Since being at Tufts, however, it has become apparent that this statement does not apply to the janitors. The administration has failed to acknowledge the work of our diligent custodial staff as worthy of dignity or respect. Most students are also guilty of this oversight. Very rarely do we think of the faceless few who keep our classrooms clean and our dormitories livable. Many of them do not speak our language and therefore we do not hear of their daily struggles. We don't know how many blankets it takes to keep warm in an unheated apartment in East Boston. We don't know about the trade-offs made like choosing between a visit to the doctor and dinner. We don't hear about the parent-teacher conferences missed because of their multiple jobs. Students are too busy living their own lives of schoolwork, papers and parties to notice. Beyond overlooking the inclusion of the custodial staff into the Tufts Community, the administration has chosen to systematically exploit and subjugate some of the most vulnerable members of our university community. Here's a condensed history of the status of our custodial staff. In an effort to save money, the university, under President John DiBiaggio, began outsourcing its custodial staff in 1994. Prior to that, our janitors were direct employees of the University, entitled to all the same benefits as other faculty members. The outsourcing firm, UNICCO, paid workers the same salaries, but the janitors lost most of their benefits, including healthcare coverage. In 1997, the Tufts administration decided to switch from UNICCO to ISS (which has since changed its name to OneSource) an outsourcing firm that provided services at a lower cost. (OneSource is the firm that is employed currently.) The University described their reasoning for making the change by saying that ISS would raise the "efficiency" of the custodial staff. This was code for the real reason -- ISS was cheaper because they paid the janitors less. Workers were offered their jobs under a new contract which gave them a 25 percent to 30 percent pay cut and a further reduction in benefits. This contract was approved by the union, but under very questionable circumstances. Tufts and ISS bussed in 150 new workers under police escort, and gave them union membership to skew the vote. Former workers who refused to accept the new contract were locked out of the meeting, which was guarded by TUPD. The current situation is rather dismal. As employees of OneSource, Tufts janitors do not receive any of the benefits of faculty members, cafeteria workers, or facilities personnel. As a result, Tufts janitors do not even earn enough money to constitute the living wage configured for the Boston area. Janitors do not receive compensation for sick days or snow days and part-time workers do not receive health benefits. On top of all this, Tufts janitors have no job security and can be fired should the University decide to switch outsourcing companies. Tufts established a contractual system, which allowed it to claim no responsibility for the custodians. Before 1994, the university had a direct contractual relationship with its janitors. Since it began outsourcing, however, Tufts has had one contract with the outsourcing firm, and the firm has had a separate contract with the janitors. Each time that the university is called upon to improve the wages or benefits packages of the janitors, the administration says that it cannot tell a firm how to run its business. But the fact is that Tufts is the client; and whatever the client says, goes. If the administration would commit to paying the janitors a certain wage and providing specific benefits, the outsourcing firm would have to abide by those stipulations. An example used by one of the union representatives is that if Tufts wanted the custodians to wear pointy hats, OneSource would have to make them do it. We are not asking for new uniforms, President Bacow. We're just asking that Tufts live up to its ideals and treat the custodians like the fellow community members that they are. After analyzing both sides of the situation, some people describe our cause as pitting a moral argument against an economic one. Two years ago, you yourself referred to the situation with the custodians as "an economic issue." I guess that's easy to say when your benefits package alone is more than twice what a custodian makes in a year. It seems that you have no idea (or have since forgotten) what it's like to actually live off of a salary that is so low. Living off an $11.45 per hour job can barely bring food to the table. Negotiations began this past week between OneSource and SEIU (in preparation for the negotiations later this year between Tufts and OneSource). The company put pressure on the unionized workers to not ask for too much, explaining that Tufts would reject the contract. "Too much," in this situation, includes sick days, boots for shoveling snow, and paid holidays -- things no one else in the Tufts community would be asked to go without. As students, we demand that the administration make a formal, long standing commitment to a fair contract with the custodial staff. Sick days are not too much. I urge you to take the concerns of the workers, the union and the members of the Student Labor Action Movement seriously. We are committed to this cause and will gladly fight for our custodians' rights. Sincerely, Ariana Flores Representative, Student Labor Action Movement Ariana Flores is a senior majoring in Political Science.

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News

Tufts' jolly good Fellows

March 7

To students who find literary criticism terrifying and consider semicolons torture devices, Tufts' two-credit English requirement, and the continuous paper writing that many courses involve, can be more than a bit intimidating. But all is not lost for such students; with a little aid from the Tufts Writing Fellows, even the most essay-wary students can turn out sharp papers. The Writing Fellows program, instituted in 1999, aims to help students with the quality of their writing and to facilitate the writing process in general. "The goal of the program is to help students become better writers by paying attention to the process of writing," senior Fellow Tom Chen said. Students who become Fellows come from various majors and backgrounds. To many students' surprise, the Writing Fellows program is not limited to English majors -- regardless of the topic, good writing is needed in every subject. Each fellow may have different reasons for applying to the program but many of them have one thing in common: they once needed help with their writing as well, and were inspired and motivated by the writing fellows who worked with them. "I had writing fellows in my Metaphysics class, during the spring of my junior year," senior fellow Jane Rutstein said. "My writing fellow was extremely helpful, and I began to ask and learn more about the program and its philosophy." Though the program was set up to benefit students, some are resistant to seeking help from one of their peers. "More students objected to the help five years ago when the program started, so now it is a mandatory session [for certain classes] that all students must attend," Nadia Medina, Director of the Writing Fellows, said. Fellows use various techniques when working with students. Chen, who has worked with the program for four semesters, likes to stress the importance of planning before writing the paper itself. "I think it is important to clarify the assignment and to discuss the students' ideas before turning to the actual writing," Chen said. Rutstein's sessions tend to focus on discussing the flow of papers. "I like the sessions to be a discussion with the writer about how someone else may understand what he or she has written," she said. "Sometimes, the writer and I alternate reading the paper aloud, so we can hear how the words flow and sound." Rustein thinks the program helps students look at their papers from a new perspective. "I hope that the student understands how his or her paper may be understood when read by an outside person," Rutstein said. Although many students would not seek a writing tutor, those who have used the program find it to be beneficial in constructing good papers. "I know how to better organize my papers so that they are more coherent and flow from point to point," sophomore Christina Cheung said. "It also allows me to go through my papers more thoroughly, rather than just writing a paper last minute and handing it in without reading through it once." Freshman Matthew Fiorello was required to meet with a fellow for his Philosophy of Religion class. "The session helped me organize my writing structure better to focus more on unifying my paper around a major concept" he said. In order to get honest feedback, Fellows distribute evaluations. "Mid-semester evaluations are given so that we can get an understanding of what students feel they want changed the most and we try to gear the program depending on the certain themes that come out of the evaluations" Medina said. It is not only the students who benefit from the sessions: most Fellows feel that they derive benefits (other than the $500 per semester stipend) from helping their classmates. "Being able to identify problems in other people's writing has allowed me to see my writing with a more critical eye," Rutstein said. "Since clear writing is crucial for almost any job, I think being able to adjust and improve my writing will be a great asset in the future." According to several fellows, the job is also enjoyable. "When a student that I'm working with realizes the real point of his thesis or something that he did not see before, it is really rewarding," Rutstein said.

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News

Celtics poor decisions have hurt their present and future

March 7

People make stupid decisions everyday in the NBA. Stephen Jackson turned down a big contract with the defending champion San Antonio Spurs to test the free agent market but he received no offers and had to sign with the Atlanta Hawks for less money. The Detroit Pistons passed on Carmelo Anthony for Darko (someone named Darko Darko). MJ came out of retirement one last time. People actually hired Isiah Thomas. Kobe Bryant went to that hotel room. The Portland Trailblazers practically invented the term "stupid decision." And the Boston Celtics drafted Kedrick Brown, Joe Forte, and Marcus Banks and traded for Vin Baker, Raef Lafrentz, Chris Mihm, Ricky Davis, and Chucky Atkins. That's a great team. Atkins and Banks at the point, Davis chucking from the two-spot, Brown at the three, Vin at the four, and Mihm inside, with Lafrentz on the injured list and Forte with no position. Right. Let's just say the Fleet Center box office has not seen an increased interest in playoff ticket requests in the last two weeks. The Celtics have made a lot of shaky moves over the last several years -- the Vin Baker trade sort of stands alone as the Statue of Liberty of stupid trades, a beacon of light and hope to those looking to sabotage their team with insane moves. But the last edition of Inside the NBA promised to take a closer look at some of the more recent crimes perpetrated by general manager Danny Ainge. Ethan Austin counted down most of these in his column last week. Ainge traded Eric Williams and Tony Battie for Davis. At the time of the trade, Boston was 12-12 while Cleveland was 6-17. Since the trade, the Celtics are 15-22 while the Cavaliers are 21-19. That's not a coincidence. Davis has been on good behavior and done his best, but you can't trade away hardworking veteran role players like Battie and Williams and expect to win in the NBA. Ainge claimed that he had to trade Antoine Walker because he wasn't going to re-sign at the end of the year. Yes, that's true, but so what? Let him walk. He wasn't that good and he certainly wasn't worth the type of dollar he was going to demand. But, Ainge said, then we won't get anything in return. Wrong. The Celtics would be getting (saving) the millions upon millions of dollars they are spending on Raef LaFrentz over the next four years. The players given up and received in these trades have ruined the Celtics' present. What has gone unnoticed is how the draft picks that Ainge has stockpiled will ruin their future. Ainge has acquired three draft picks in this year's draft and on the surface this seems like a good thing. Don't be fooled. The Celts' draft picks currently play out to the 11th, 23rd, and 24th picks. The only problem is that this is the weakest draft in years, with only Emeka Okafor, high schooler Dwight Howard, and maybe Jameer Nelson considered to be somewhat sure things. Also, first round draft picks get guaranteed three year contracts. So basically, for the next three years, the Celtics will be paying guaranteed money to not one, not two, but three players from the bottom end of a weak draft. Ainge could try to package those picks for one higher pick, except that no other GMs want more picks lower down in a bad draft. Plus, Ainge probably thinks this is a strong draft. Remember, this is the guy who essentially used Memphis' 13th pick in last year's draft to pick Marcus Banks. He probably thinks guys like Robert Swift or Julius Page would be steals. If Ainge is lucky, he'll find a team that has no picks in this year's draft. And if he's smart, he'll try to swap one or two of this year's picks for selections in a future draft. But don't bet on it.

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News

Perfecting Perfection

March 7

Mix a little bit of jazz with a dash of funk, a pinch rhythm and blues, and last but not least the illest of Jay-Z lyrics and you've got yourself one of the best rap albums to hit the streets. Kev Brown certainly had this in mind when he made his new, unreleased "Brown Album." On "The Brown Album" Brown takes Jay-Z's lyrics from the "Black Album" and puts them to jazz and blues beats, giving the music a more relaxed feel than the original album's raw and rugged touch. Jay-Z hasn't sounded like this since he performed with the Roots on MTV Unplugged -- and it's good. Although the "Brown Album" doesn't feature a band, the sound manages to maintain a "live-band" feel. This quality is definitely a result of sophisticated sampling and it avoids artificial drum machine beats mixed with sounds from a cheesy synthesizer. The high level of musicianship is evident throughout the album. Brown did an amazing job remaking the "Black Album" songs. The best song on "The Brown Album" is "99 Problems," a revamped single from the "Black Album." While the track was great to begin with, the Brown's remake is even better. His rendition is a jazz-rock-funk-rap fusion with a funky bass line groove. It is further enhanced by subtle hand drum beats and Latin sounding trumpets during the chorus. "The Brown Album" version of "Dirt Off Your Shoulder," also a single on the "Black Album," is equally innovative. The remix sounding nothing like the original. To bring it a little closer to home, the original version of "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" would be appropriate to listen to while belligerently getting down in the basement of a frat. Brown's version, on the other hand, would be better suited to play when maturely wooing a potential date. This mellowness carries through the entire album. "The Brown Album" is easy listening that isn't too intrusive. This album is a perfect compromise for those who have a hard time listening to traditional rap. Brown's sampling gives the songs an identifiable melody, an element not found in most rap songs. The music should be agreeable to just about anyone, even those with the most discriminating musical taste. Unfortunately, with a mere nine tracks (including an intro), "The Brown Album" does not contain all the songs from "The Black Album." However, despite this minor shortcoming, "The Brown Album" and its talented creator deserve recognition. Brown made an already great album even better.

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News

SLAM rally brings worker voices to administration

March 7

The Tisch Library steps and the academic quad became stomping ground for approximately 150 Tufts students, janitors and union workers who gathered for a SLAM rally on Friday. Reminiscent or a protest two years ago, the Tufts' Student Labor Action Movement (SLAM) headed a push for better wages and benefits for Tufts janitors. Several speakers offered thoughts on the process amid the sounds of a siren, noisemakers, and chants. "Tufts is confused -- they think that people who remove trash probably are trash," Irlanda Castillo said. "We are people -- we have rights, beliefs, values, [and] family." Castillo has worked on the University's janitorial staff for seven years. Students then led the demonstrators up the library steps and marched around the academic quad, chanting, "Tufts! Escucha! Estamos en la lucha!" (Tufts! Listen! We are in the fight!) The crowd stopped in front of Ballou Hall, in an effort to demand the attention of University administrators. After a brief speech, representatives were sent inside Ballou to deliver a petition to President Bacow with over 1,600 signatures in support of the cause. Bacow was in a conference call at the time and could not be reached for comment on the matter. "It's frankly ridiculous. They don't make a living wage for Boston," freshman Mickey Leibner said. "They have no sick days, no familial health coverage and no job security," senior Ariana Flores said. Negotiations for a contract renewal are currently underway with OneSource, an independent contractor to which Tufts outsources its janitorial staff. The renegotiation represents an opportunity to improve employee benefits which are widely perceived to be inadequate. Though OneSource sets the terms for the contract, Tufts has the final say in whether it is approved. Flores said that Tufts should "live up to its ideals and consider every member of its community. Regardless of their outsourcing they [should] pledge to maintain the wage and benefits packages." In addition, union organizer Roc?o Saenz noted that ten years ago, Tufts janitors received higher wages than they do now. Rich Venvetti, a janitor who has been employed by Boston University for 20 years, compared Tufts' situation with that of his own school. "BU cares about its employees", he said. "Tufts is so far behind it's pathetic." While thanking the assembled crowd for coming, Todis said she was "disappointed that not every student is here right now. As students, we're in a unique position to fight the administration on this issue." Other students had mixed feelings about the protest. "I've never been to a protest before [this one], and I thought they were totally unproductive. But I hold custodians in pretty high regard," freshman Alex Bezdek said. Union organizer Dan Nicolai said that some workers received calls from OneSource saying if "they came to the rally their jobs would be in jeopardy." He also spoke on behalf of Medford's state senator Charles Shannon who in a letter expressed his "extreme disappointment with OneSource." Shannon thought it below OneSource to "reap enormous profit by exploiting their workers" and urged them to come up with a more reasonable offer. The same struggle and protest occurred two years ago and benefits were not improved, senior Laura Todis, who spoke at the rally, said. "This shouldn't be an issue each time." After an hour, the march disbanded peacefully, but the demonstrators left the area with resounding cries of "we'll be back." The janitors are part of Somerville's chapter of the Service Employees International Union, which represents a wide variety of employees including nurses, teachers and janitors.

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News

Electronic add/drop system in development

March 7

After years of relying on a paper add/drop system, the administration has begun working to upgrade the procedure to the electronic age. In order to add or drop classes, the current system requires students to collect professors' signatures and turn the form in to the Student Services Office in Dowling Hall. Dean of Undergraduate Education James Glaser hopes to improve this time consuming process using available technology. "It's not an information technology issue -- the technology exists," Glaser said. "The problem lies in a policy issue. This is a much needed change for the students and the administration." Glaser said the switch would be part of a series of initiatives to improve administration processes, which have already deployed new methods of online registration and grading procedures. According to Director of Information Technologies and Libraries Paul Stanton, Tufts handles six to eight thousand add/drop requests per semester. Stanton said since the add/drop process plays an integral part in the University's function, making improvements to the system is particularly important. Glaser emphasized that no final plan has been developed. "Right now this is a nascent interest in doing something," Glaser said. "There is no game plan." Even though the idea is still tentative, students and faculty reaction was mostly in favor of the idea. "The idea of having an electronic add/drop system is good," psychology professor Joseph DeBold said. He said a new system could help students circumvent registration conflicts created by separate deadlines for adding and dropping courses. "Having add/drop online would be so much easier," junior Lexi Shuman said. "With an online system there is a lot less pressure to pick the exact classes you want. You know when classes open up because of drops, and you don't have to deal with the awkwardness of telling professors that you want to drop their classes." Freshman Daniel Katz agreed. "I think it'd be great. Anything that makes the add/drop process a little more painless and a lot faster sounds like a good plan," he said. There are some concerns with the new system, including whether students would exploit the new system by repeatedly changing classes. "I feel as though there might be a torrent of constantly changing schedules that would create an inconvenience for those who are hoping to get into a class and are relying on finding an open spot," junior Jennifer DeNardo said. DeBold said if every professor is expected to go online and approve students who want to add or drop a course, there could be problems. "Professors forget things sometimes and it is the student's life [that is affected], not the professor's," he said. Tufts Community Union (TCU) senators will be working to help make administrators aware of these concerns by using polls and other methods to assess public opinion of the new system. TCU sophomore senator Athena Bogis said the group will serve as a link between the administration and students. "Our role as senators and as students is to provide input on how they're going to make the system," she said. "The administration definitely wants input from students because [the changes will] primarily affect them." While no time table for execution of the change has been set up, those involved are confident changes will be made. "It's just an issue of brining everyone onboard," Bogis said. "Once we get the ball rolling it should be fine." "[The Senate] agrees with the Administration that add/drop process should be digitized to minimize costs and inefficiencies in the present system," TCU President Chike Aguh said, "We are still in talks with the administration about what the end product should look like." Stanton is also eager to begin the project. "We hope to implement [the changes] as soon as possible," Stanton said.

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News

Campus, community relay for cancer research

March 7

Sophomore David Baumwoll first decided to become involved in the fight against cancer when his best friend was diagnosed with the disease. Soon after, he founded a chapter of the Student Movement Against Cancer (SMAC) at his high school in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. This year, through SMAC, Baumwoll began the Tufts Relay for Life -- a chance to raise awareness and money for cancer research in the Tufts community. The Relay for Life is an 18-hour walk that will raise money for cancer while heightening awareness of the broad issues surrounding the disease. It will take place for the first time at Tufts on April 23, at 6 p.m., and will continue until noon the next day. "We hope that the Relay for Life will give the entire Tufts community the opportunity to share in an event that will essentially be a big party in the Gantcher Center while doing something meaningful at the same time," Baumwoll said. The walk consists of teams of 8 to 15 people, and each team must have at least one member of their team walking at all times. In the weeks leading up to the walk, participants will find sponsors to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Although the Relay is a new event, involvement and interest at Tufts is steadily growing. According to sophomore co-coordinator Craig Kelly, the Tufts chapter of Relay for Life is currently the number two grossing college relay in the nation, out of the approximately four hundred colleges that are participating. Already, 225 students are involved in the walk and coordinators hope to double that number by the time of the event. Students have decided to get involved with the Relay for Life for a variety of reasons. "I just hope to raise a lot of money for a good cause and if that helps people to get help or get cured of cancer, then I have accomplished something," junior Michelle Engleson said. Meg Bentley, a sophomore R.A. in Wren Hall, was attracted to the walk because she saw it as a chance to bond with her residents. "Spending time with people for almost twenty-four hours for one cause makes it more meaningful than spending an hour just fundraising," she said. Campus groups, including the Greek system, have taken a strong interest in the cause. "The Greek houses are all getting involved," Kelly said. "We currently have six Greek teams and have heard interest from multiple others." In addition, a number of athletic teams have expressed a desire to participate. Students that are not members of any group are encouraged to participate as well. Kelly said that "most teams consist purely of a group of friends committed to fighting cancer and having the time of their lives in the process." The coordinators also hope to broaden participation in the program to the communities of Medford and Somerville. Advertising in the area and raising awareness of the program outside of Tufts, however, has been one of the major obstacles in coordinating the Relay. "We expect only limited participation from [Medford and Somerville] this year," Kelly said. He is confident, however, that "as our reputation grows and more people in the surrounding communities hear about Relay, we are sure to have greater participation from them." Whatever future years may bring, students currently involved are excited and energized about the cause. "[Relay for Life] grants us the unique opportunity to both celebrate the living and honor those who have lost their battle with cancer," Baumwoll said. Meg Bentley shares his enthusiasm. "When you find a good cause you should fight for it; sometimes it's hard to fight the true, real causes," she said. For more information and to get involved go to www.acsevents.org/relay/matufts.

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News

Disliking Kerry politics

March 7

I'm not a John Kerry supporter, and I never have been. I don't really have any major conflict with any of his policies (at least not any more than I did with that of any other candidate). I'm not offended by his personality although I find him to be incredibly boring and bland. The fact that he's an "insider" doesn't really sway me in any particular direction. No, the real reason I've disliked John Kerry since the fall is because I can't stand the people I've met on this campus who represent him. Let's back up a bit. I came back to Tufts from a summer abroad with a fairly open mind, waiting to be convinced by a Democratic presidential nominee that he (or she) was the one for me. I soon joined the Howard Dean campaign, a candidate I generally supported, but not because of anything he was doing, but because I felt pushed towards him by Kerry supporters. I've talked about what it was that I don't like about the Students for Kerry in a previous column, as I put them amongst the group I refer to as "pre-politicians" (Get Up, Stand Up!, 11/10/2003). The essence of what I dislike in these students is that their passion lies for politics and the political process, not for public service or policy issues. This is reflected in the argument proffered by Kerry supporters from the get-go: "he is electable." The derivative of that argument was that Dean was not electable, and why support someone unless they are going to win, regardless of your beliefs. I strongly believe that one of the failures of contemporary American politics is the overwhelming attitude that, particularly on the left, we shouldn't even try for what it is we really want if it seems too difficult. People embroil this in the idealism versus pragmatism debate, but I think that that entire frame is part of the problem, a self-fulfilling prophecy. Why can't one be idealistic and pragmatic at the same time? The political ideology espoused by Howard Dean, or by any other Democratic candidate, is not irrational, wacko, or impossible. Our ideals should guide what we aim for in politics. When we abandon our ideals, we fail, because passionless agendas rarely produce useful policy. In my many interactions with Tufts' students involved with the Kerry campaign, I have been thoroughly impressed with the aplomb and polish with which they represent their candidate. Then I vomit. It's one thing to suggest that it's inappropriate for a candidate himself to display passion and shoot his mouth off, but for students to present the cleaned-up, P.R.-friendly image of a professional politico in casual conversation and in classrooms is disgusting. My dislike for John Kerry was only intensified by the disaster of a class I took last fall, "Governing in a Partisan Environment," co-taught by Jeanne Shaheen, former Governor of New Hampshire and current John Kerry Campaign Chair. To be honest with you, this class was so distressing that it led me to have to take the semester off from my major in political science. First off, the class was filled with pre-politicians, all seeking to get an in with "the Governor." So there was very little meaningful dialogue on the occasions when Shaheen led class, because no one wanted to criticize anything the Governor had said or done. As you may have guessed, I did, and if Shaheen gets a high-ranking appointment in a Kerry cabinet, the chances of me working in federal government in the next four years probably aren't so great. Shaheen presented a narrative of her years as Governor of New Hampshire, but with little critical insight, and absolutely no criticism of her own decisions. It was as if she were campaigning for election in the classroom: disingenuous, tempered, staged, reserved, and noncontroversial. At first I felt bad that I let my experience with people other than John Kerry color my feelings for him. But in presidential elections, you are not voting simply for a President and Vice President, but rather for an entire regime. And the people that a candidate surrounds himself with in the campaigning stage are fairly indicative of the people who he will surround himself with as President, either in appointed positions within the federal government or as influences outside the Executive. I am nauseated by the number of students who suddenly started wearing Kerry buttons when it became apparent he would win the Democratic nomination. These students may argue, "Well, I'm going to back anyone who wins the nomination....better than Bush!" But there's a difference between backing someone in the end and becoming a big supporter. I will vote for John Kerry in November, but you won't see me on the campaign trail, with a bumper sticker, or at a rally. My ideals are irrelevant at this point; I have no choice but to settle. Adam Pulver is a junior majoring in Political Science and Community Health. He can be reached at Pulver@tuftsdaily.com.

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News

Mixed results for Jumbos

March 7

There were no school records broken, and no improved national qualifying times. In a rather anti-climactic finish to the pre-nationals indoor season, the women's track and field team placed 15th out of 39 schools at the two-day ECAC Division III Championships at Bowdoin. Geneseo (N.Y.) claimed first with 65 points, ahead of Wheaton (60), New Jersey City (54) and Cortland (51.5). Tufts (22 points) did not head into the meet intending to make an impact on the team standings, but did have several individual objectives in mind including a school record and an improved national qualifying mark. However, the team fell short. "It was sort of anti-climactic," senior quad-captain Lauren Caputo said. "We had a mixed bag [of results]." Friday night's distance medley relay proved disappointing for Tufts. Caputo, sophomores Megan Sears and Rebecca Ades, and freshman Sarah Crispin qualified provisionally for nationals last weekend at the All-New England Championships at Boston University in 12:09.75, good for ninth in the nation. The Jumbos, who were aiming to improve that standing with a strong performance at Bowdoin, ran a 12:11.63, finishing fifth and scoring four team points. But the team dropped to at least 12th in the country, losing its opportunity for a position in next weekend's national event at the University of Wisconsin. "It was really sad. We all ran decently, we all just didn't have our best day," Caputo said. "We were just a little behind as compared to last weekend, just a little bit slower, but it adds up with each leg." On Saturday afternoon, the 4x800 meter relay team of senior quad-captain Katie Higley, junior Katie Sheedy, sophomore Daniela Fairchild and freshman Samantha Moland raced third behind Trinity (9:23.17) and Geneseo (9:37.64), clocking in at 9:38.33, the best time of the season for the Jumbos. However the time fell three seconds short of the school record of 9:35.05 for which the foursome was aiming. The record, held by Erin Giles, Tiffany Tobiassen, Cynthia Augat and Diane Hevehan, has stood for 12 years. "I think we all ran competitively," Moland said. "Everyone gave their best effort, and that's all you can ask." "Daniela and Sheedy ran out of their minds, they were awesome," Higley added. "Sam and I just had a kind of tough race." Earlier in the meet, Sheedy shaved over two seconds off her fastest time of the season in the 1000 meters, finishing 13th in 3:07.52. The 500 dash featured five Jumbo competitors, led by freshman Kate Makai (1:21.32), who finished fifth, just 0.18 seconds off her career best. Higley placed ninth with her best time of the season, 1:21.75, but fell short of her PR. Fellow senior Christine Hendrickson (1:23.03), sophomore Katie Gadkowski (1:23.21) and freshman Raquel Abrams (1:24.13) rounded out the Tufts field, finishing 14th, 15th and 19th respectively. "I was in one of the slower heats. I led the whole race, so it was tough, I didn't really have anyone pushing me the whole time and I ended up three hundredths of a second from eighth place." Higley said. "Kate Makai ran really well. We were all pretty psyched for her. She goes out so conservatively, but she is steady, whereas other people go out hard and die. She ran a really smart race." Freshmen Jillian Warner, MacKenzie Rawcliffe, Jessica Mactus and sophomore Molly Whittington teamed up to run fourth in the 4x200 relay in 1:51.38. The team notched five points in the event, placing behind New Jersey City (1:42.62), Cortland (1:46.74) and St. Lawrence (1:50.66). "The 4x200 did really well," Higley said. "We were all pretty impressed with how they ran, both their time and their place." Junior pentathlete Melissa Graveley recorded 2597 points between her five events to finish sixth, while senior Lauren Dunn (18:55.03) ran 13th in the 5000, finishing well off her fastest time of the season, 18:44.03. In the long jump, classmate Shushanna Mignott placed ninth with a 16-00.50 foot leap, short of her 17-02.25 foot high. "Shushanna had one really great jump that they called a foul," Higley said. "All of the coaches who were at the line said it definitely was not a foul, so that was unfortunate because she probably would have made it to the final." The team will now turn its attention to the outdoor season, which begins April 3. Those athletes not going to nationals this week will rest briefly before resuming their training regime, which will include a trip to compete in Tucson, Arizona over spring break. "We'll probably take a week off and next week start cross-training or running a little bit," Caputo said. "The team's going to Arizona for spring break, so we'll start training down there."

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News

Decorate your den

March 7

Style is more than fashionable clothing. So, this week, I'd like to take a break from clothes to discuss the ever important, yet often overlooked, topic of stylish living spaces. To most people, the phrase "interior decoration" brings to mind images of someone's mother matching floral wallpaper with carpet swatches. However, pleasing interiors needn't be meticulously coordinated and stuffy. Instead, think of your environment as an extension of your personal style. When first approaching any interior, one must ask, "What do I want from this space?" For many of us, one room must serve as a peaceful retreat, an efficient workspace, and a place to entertain friends. It may sound difficult to achieve a balance, and many people give up altogether. Don't listen to those who say that busy college students shouldn't worry about what their homes look like. The fact is, one's environment does subtly impact one's psyche. If your room is chaotic, dirty, and inefficient, you will soon start to feel the same way. Wouldn't you rather live in style and comfort? Here are a few guidelines to get you started. Conveniently, many of the rules that apply to fashion also apply to decoration; the most important rule being "Work with what you have." Sure, you may not live in a luxury penthouse, but even the crappiest dorm room can look decent if you approach it correctly. Say, for instance, your walls are brick. Instead of trying to cover up the walls with as many magazine clippings, posters, and photos you can find, make the brick look like an intentional design element. Find a wall hanging that picks up the beautiful rusty red tones of the brick or hang a series of black and white pictures for that "industrial-chic loft" look. The same is true of white walls. If you can't paint, create a whole color palette of off-whites, creams, and pale neutrals. The resulting look will be very clean, sleek, and restful. The second most important rule is to always keep things simple. An outfit can be ruined with too many accessories. Likewise, too much clutter can ruin a room. You may be wondering, "How do I find room for sleeping, working, and entertaining in a single space without it seeming cluttered?" First of all, hide as much as possible. Do not have your school supplies out in full view. Instead, put them in an attractive storage container. Remember that one larger container is far less visually chaotic than a bunch of tiny objects -- even if they take up the same amount of space. Generally, the more organized you are, the more you can store away. For example, you can fit an incredible amount of stuff under your bed as long as it is neatly stacked in easy-access storage bins. A controlled color palette is another way to avoid visual chaos. You don't have to be monochromatic, but limiting the number of dominant colors in bedding, artwork, etc. helps to unify a multi-purpose space. Always keep your color palette in mind when purchasing anything for your room. Light neutral tones are a safe bet, especially in smaller spaces, but don't shy away from bold colors altogether. Have fun with small accessories like throw pillows and lampshades. Lastly, don't forget a little luxury. Being a college student isn't an excuse for not allowing yourself to have a few nice things. It makes perfect sense to splurge on something like quality bedding since you use it every day. A beautiful, warm blanket is another item you'll use again and again. Also, don't underestimate the importance of good lighting. Invest in some real table lamps -- you know the kind with a base and a shade (not the plastic variety from the office supply store). Even little touches, like putting a frame around a poster, add a great deal of class to your space. Having quality, attractive objects in your room will make it seem like less like a temporary storage locker for all your schoolbooks and more like a real home. Using these simple guidelines, it's easy to create a home that you can't wait to return to after a hard day's work. Whether it is a miniscule dorm room or a spacious off-campus apartment, it should reflect the same taste and flare you express with your clothing. Most importantly, your home should make you feel good.

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News

Enemy and ally redefined once again

March 7

The Bush administration has perpetrated perhaps the most blatant and reprehensible criminal act in U. S. history: waging pre-emptive war on the basis of deliberately misconstrued evidence. As opponents of war have argued steadfastly since 2002, Saddam posed no imminent threat, had no WMDs, and maintained no alliances with terrorist groups like Al Qaeda. (On the other hand, and to our embarrassment, it turns out that Pakistan, one of our 'allies' in the so-called 'war on terror', provided North Korea and Iran with materials and blueprints for the development of nuclear weapons -- an irony that recalls the discovery that most of the Sept. 11 attackers came from our oil-rich trade partner, Saudi Arabia). But if Saddam can longer be considered a threat to us, it is now argued that he was a dictator who needed deposing on behalf of the Iraqi people. Unfortunately, in this crusade for the betterment of the Iraqi populace through regime change, some ten thousand Iraqi civilians have been killed (www.iraqbodycount.net). Indeed, U.S. armed forces' destructive power against Saddam's former subjects would garner the enthusiasm of the old tyrant himself. History does not, however, bear out American assertions that getting rid of Saddam and freeing the victims of his brutality was of primary importance. Less than two decades ago, both the U.S. and the U.K. supplied Saddam with the chemical weapons and backed his war with Iran -- America's preferred enemy at the time. Though no less brutal in the '80s, Saddam was then considered a useful U.S. ally against Iranian Islamic fundamentalism. Saddam has since been designated a war criminal. The White House remains just as cynical in its manipulation of moral concepts. In American parlance, the terms 'ally' and 'enemy' remain fluid, shifting from one to the other according to changing circumstances. In the course of the reputed global war on terror, we may have freed the Iraqis from the grip of a dictator (whom we once supported), but woe to the people of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. Their tyrannical rulers -- Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Islam Karimov, respectively -- are just as enthusiastic practitioners of torture and oppression as Saddam was. But ever since they became new U.S. allies by accommodating American military bases within their central Asian nations, their current crimes are tolerated like Saddam's were in the past. Once again, the White House has put its short-term aims before any concern for the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy. Such ad hoc alliances are as likely to backfire in the same way our support for the Afghani Islamists in their fight against the Soviets in the '80s created more problems in the decade which followed. True to American tendencies in foreign policy, our intervention in Iraq was never motivated by democratic or humanitarian ideals. It cannot even be justified on more selfish grounds - like stopping global terrorism. Bush claimed on Jan. 20 that "the world without Saddam Hussein's regime is a better and safer place." But the hostile occupation of a sovereign Arab country has fueled more hatred for the U.S. and provided the perfect environment for the emergence of terrorist activity within Iraq itself. Both Americans and Iraqis are at greater risk now. Even the head of the CIA, George Tenet, admitted on Feb 24 that the dangers have not diminished. War against Iraq has proven beneficial only to the richest, most influential members of the business elite. Having disabled or destroyed much of the resources and social infrastructure in Iraq, the U.S. military has afforded lucrative opportunities for corrupt American corporations like Halliburton and multinationals intent on privatizing the Iraqi public sector. The war on terror is not the focused response to a definite threat so much as a pretext for capitalism at its most rapacious. It is commerce at gunpoint. Like the inept and malignant Bush administration, we must reject the war on terror as morally and strategically bankrupt. Carl Martin is a junior majoring in English and a member of the Tufts Coalition to Oppose the War on Iraq (TCOWI).

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News

It's almost draft time

March 7

Alright fans, I've given my soliloquy on the A-Rod/ Alfonso Soriano deal, I've done my best to entice you to sign up for a league, so now let's get down to it. It's draft time. This week I'll be covering outfielders exclusively because this is the position with historically the most surprises. Outfielders, with the exception of Rodriquez and Soriano, will have the biggest numbers in fantasy. A major decision of yours, as a fantasy team owner, will be to what degree you will be willing to sacrifice raw numbers in your outfield for comparative advantages in your infield come draft time (my philosophy on drafting your infield to come next week). But for now, let's focus on them grass-picking outfielders. Those who top the list are no secret. Albert Pujols was the best-ranking fantasy player last year, and is on pace to be one of the greatest batters of all-time. Barry Bonds has shown no signs of slowing down, and will be a fantasy God this year like always (especially if you count OBP in your league). Manny Ramirez, despite being a club-house shmuck and nearly impossible to trade in real life, will no doubt be bank for your fantasy totals again this season. But beyond those choices, your outfielder picks will become a matter of style. Now, there are a lot of guys out there who can go yard, especially in this war-torn expansion era of baseball where pitchers who would have never gotten a shot fifteen years ago are getting called up every week. But in fantasy, there are three factors that make a decent power hitter a fantasy superstar: batting average (or on-base percentage, choose your pick), stolen bases, and line-up. Batting average is self-explanatory -- it is what separates Rafael Palmeiro (2003 Stats: 561 ABs, 38 HRs, 112 RBIs, 2 SBs, .260 AVG.; ESPN pre-season draft ranking: 103) from Manny Ramirez (569, 37, 104 , 2, .325; 9) -- and the better the average, the better the fantasy player. The best thing about average is that it is fairly predictable (ignore Bill Mueller). Look at three-year trends of players' batting and it's easy to see in what direction they might be headed. The same goes for stolen bases, only to a greater extent. There are fewer guys who can combine a lot of steals with dominance in another offensive category, making base stealers disproportionately valuable in fantasy. Carlos Beltran, as absurd as it is, should be a consistent first-round pick since he adds 41 stolen bases to his 102 runs, 26 HRs, 100, .307, while Chipper Jones, a real-life repeat All-Star, is pre-ranked 65 with last year's performance of 103, 27, 106, .305, and 2 SBs. And how did Carl Crawford sneak his way into last year's fantasy top 50? Well, despite his extreme mediocrity at the plate, he swiped 55 bases. At the same time, Bobby Abreu has just enough at each category (99, 20, 100, .300, 22) to make him a perennial top fantasy outfielder. But it will be the padded line-ups this year that will cause the biggest drops and climbs in player rankings, as many marquee players switched teams or had their clubs pick up added protection. Being in a good line-up means increased runs and RBI opportunities, as well being pitched around less. The biggest outfielder to switch teams was Vlad Guerrero, fantasy's top player in 2002, who joins a studded Angels cast of David Eckstein, Garret Anderson, Troy Glaus, and Jose Guillen. I was appalled to see that Yahoo! pre-ranked Vlad at #38, so for those of you reading this, please take advantage of your league members who have judged him based upon last year's injury-shortened season. On the same note, the addition of Guerrero makes Anderson's power even more potent. As it is, Anderson is underrated across the board. Also, recognize that Jay Gibbons used to be the only bat in Baltimore, but now he will be hitting behind three added superstars. Behind Guerrero, I almost hate to say it, but you have to give the nod to Gary Sheffield, who brings his power to the ridiculous Yankee line-up. Expect him to drive in 140. Other players of note: Brian Giles has fantasy star potential, but has been trapped in an injured oblivion on the Pirates. Look for him to outperform expectations in a San Diego line-up in front of Phil Nevin and Ryan Klesko. Sammy Sosa had a below-potential year in 2003, but the additions of Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez, plus the return of Corey Patterson (note: sleeper potential, played great before getting injured last year) should get his numbers up. Other star outfielders who should go in the first four rounds: Magglio Ordonez keeps getting better; Vernon Wells broke-out last year and will continue to produce; Lance Berkman, expect him to bounce back; Andruw Jones has his batting average on the rise; Juan Pierre, you can't ignore his steals and batting. Not as good as last year/washed-up: Preston Wilson, Larry Walker, Luis Gonzalez, Ichiro Suzuki, Jay Payton, Juan Gonzalez. Possible later round sleepers: Carlos Lee, Aubrey Huff, Miguel Cabrera, Austin Kearns, Jeromy Burnitz., Milton Bradley, Geoff Jenkins, and Jose Guillen.

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News

Buffer funding approvals worth expense, Senate says

March 7

The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate recently approved $12,070 in buffer funding to the Concert Board to bridge the gap between budgeted and projected costs of this year's Spring Fling. This approval follows the Senate's decision to grant Film Series an additional $8,400 for this semester's films and Lecture Series $1,500 to cover expenses for the upcoming Spike Lee lecture. According to TCU Treasurer Josh Belkin, the buffer fund expenditures will not significantly affect TCU finances, since the Treasury allots $70,000 each year for unforeseen expenses. Historically, $50,000 has been devoted to buffer funding, $10,000 to the new group fund, and $10,000 to the capital expenditures fund, which sponsors major one-time purchases. Belkin said, however, "there's nothing that says you can't split it up 60, 5, and 5." The amount of money that is reserved for buffer funding is arbitrary, Belkin said. Any remaining money in the account gets pooled into the general Treasury surplus at the end of the year. According to Belkin, a slightly greater amount of buffer funding has been used this year than previous years but the new group and capital expenditure portions have been relatively underused. The Senate's Allocations Board (ALBO) grants buffer funding to groups that want to put on unplanned events ALBO finds worthwhile. The buffer fund exists so that ALBO need not approve budget requests which including expensive events that are unlikely to be held. "It ties up all this wasted money," Belkin said. "When some amazing opportunity comes along, then the buffer fund kicks in when we're sure its going to happen." Groups are not supposed to count on receiving additional funds when they set their budgets, however. "We never count on being able to spend more money than we have," Lecture Series Co-Chair Jillian Rennie said. Lecture Series initially requested $3,500 in buffer funding and asked to charge $7 per ticket for the Spike Lee lecture. Belkin said, however, since the benefits of a lower ticket price would only go to the 600 students allowed to attend, ALBO only allotted $1,500 and requested that Lecture Series charge $10. "Those who directly received the benefit of going should bear a larger percentage of the event's total costs," he said. When ALBO approves groups' initial budgets, Belkin said, "we don't assume they're going to get the superstars." ALBO approved Lecture Series' request because "we knew it was going to sell out and we knew people would pay $10," he said. Concert Board is typically the largest recipient of TCU funding. Prior to the buffer funding request, this year's Spring Fling had a budget of $100,775.00 -- not including an expected $9,750 in ticket sales. Because inclement weather forced the cancellation of last year's Spring Fling, "we wanted to make [this year's] as big as possible," Concert Board Co-Chair Jason Slomovitz said. According to Slomovitz, "there are certain groups that pull the whole school together, but they would have nowhere to go" without buffer funding. Slomovitz's co-chair, Adam Drobnis, said when formulating the Concert Board budget, "we don't plan on buffer funding, but we take into account that we're probably going to ask for it." Since student organizations' budgets are approved during the spring of the previous school year, the projected expenses do not always reflect the priorities of the groups' current leadership. Film Series' budget went over this year in part because the group was showing more movies than it had in previous years. "The budget hadn't been updated in a while, so it was always going to be wrong," Film Series President David Kramer said. "It always covered three quarters of the year." Film Series' main expenses are movie costs, shipping, advertising, repairs, and paying the University for renovations to Barnum 008. In making next year's budget, Film Series focused its requests on movie costs. "If we have to buffer fund, it won't be for movies," Kramer said. All of the groups agreed that the current buffer funding system is effective. "If every group went in requesting an insane amount of money, there wouldn't be enough to go around," Kramer said.

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Mass. lawmakers consider meningitis vaccine bill

March 7

The Massachusetts legislature is considering a bill which will require college students to either take the vaccine for meningococcal meningitis or sign a waiver that acknowledges the choice not to be vaccinated. Dr. Margaret Higham, the medical director of Tufts Health Services, said that the Menomune vaccine "protects against two-thirds of the strands of the disease and has very few side effects. Tufts strongly recommends it, but does not require the vaccination." After a recent study came out and revealed that college freshmen living in dormitories are at an increased risk for the disease, doctors began to hand out more information about the vaccine to families, Higham said. "The situation in college is that people come from all over, live in very close quarters, hygiene may not be the greatest, they're pulling all-nighters, partying, studying, or whatever, and their immune system becomes compromised," she said. So far, only Connecticut and New Jersey have passed laws which mandate the vaccination for anyone entering college. The only way out of that requirement is if the student claims legitimate religious or medical reasons. Other states such as Maryland, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Virginia already require either the vaccination for all college students or the signing of a waiver saying that they have chosen not to take it. The main problem with having the vaccination required by universities and states is from the cost-benefit perspective. According to Higham, most colleges go through many years without having a single student with meningitis. It is not a common illness, and mainly because of that, she says, it is not a top priority for this country. With a cost of around $85 per shot and the fact that it is not on some health insurance plans, the vaccine is not necessarily very high on everyone's list of health priorities. "There are many other things that are far greater killers of more people that we could spend our money on and more effectively," Higham said. "I don't feel strongly that it needs to be required by law. That said, when my children go to college, they will get it because I want as much protection as they can get." According to Mike Kepferle, one of five directors of the National Meningitis Association (NMA), one of the main problems is education. "It's important that the college population knows what it looks like. A situation where roommates think someone has the flu and they just leave him alone to get through it. They won't realize he is in real trouble until much too late," he said. "Our whole purpose is to keep the awareness up. You get so much information when you or your child is entering college that you have to sort through what is important and worth your time," Kepferle said. "Often, colleges are not effective in presenting the information on meningitis in a way that will make people take it seriously." The disease itself has two different types, viral and bacterial, of which there are many different strands. The viral form is less serious, more treatable, and its victims usually recover without any problems. "The bacterial form is a much more severe illness," Higham said. "It actually has a death rate. It can have long term effects even with quick treatment -- that's why people worry about it." Meningococcal meningitis is one of the bacterial types of meningitis and has symptoms that can include headaches, pain behind the eyes, stiff neck, vomiting or fever. This hard-to-detect disease can kill its victims within hours. Most forms of the disease are very rare. Higham, during her four years at the University, has not seen a case of the virus at Tufts yet. "There was one time where we had a case of a blood infection by the bacteria that cause the disease, but that was it." Senior Samantha Resnik remembers this scare which Higham refers to from her first year at Tufts. "I would have never thought about [having the vaccination] but my doctor brought it up. And then, during my freshman year, when there was a meningitis scare, I was very relieved to know that I already had gotten the shot," she said. The disease affects about 3,000 people a year in the United States, and one-third of those cases turn out to be fatal. "We just need to educate people on how to prevent it and how to recognize it," Higam said. The NMA is a non-profit organization which focuses on raising awareness about the disease and vaccine for adolescents and young adults, the age when the disease is most preventable. As a group, the NMA participates in pushing through legislation, testifying in hearings, running public service campaigns, and talking to the media about the disease. The bill is pending in the Ways and Means Committee of the State Senate. Senate Bill 525 and 526 is sponsored by Senator Jack Hart, who was approached in 2003 by Nancy Springer, whose son lost his arms and legs from the disease.

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News

Online Add/Drop a no-brainer

March 7

Displaying its uncanny mastery of the obvious, the University has finally begun the process of implementing an online add/drop system. The shift from the current paper-based system has been technologically possible for years, but red-tape and a lack of organization slowed its progress. Dean of Undergraduate Education James Glaser is supporting changes to the process and the administration should make this "no-brainer" switch as soon as feasible. For both students and faculty, the current process is cumbersome and unnecessarily complicated given the readily available technology. A professor's signature is required to add or drop a class. At least in the case of dropping a class, there seems to be almost no justification for this requirement. It certainly does not help with a professor's record-keeping, as most simply sign the sheets without recording who dropped. In some cases, department secretaries or chairs end up signing the form without informing the professor. If all additions and drops were processed in real time online, the professors would always have an accurate record of who is in the class. Since there is a considerable lag in processing the paper forms, professors of medium to large courses must often spend the first few weeks taking head counts or having students sign in. If the lists were quickly integrated with Blackboard, a professor could send class emails with confidence that everybody was receiving them. For a student who already knows he or she is dropping the class, getting the signature can be awkward and time-consuming. Some professors are difficult to track down, and nobody wants to tell a professor that they are taking another course. In addition, a professor's approval (as evidenced by the signature) is unnecessary. No professor would ever bar a student from dropping a course, so it makes sense to save the instructor time and hassle and remove them from the process all together. Adding a course presents a thornier problem, and more careful consideration will be necessary. In some cases professors must decide whether to exceed the enrollment limits, and often must pick who from the waitlist will get a spot. Critics correctly point out that it might be problematic to rely on professors to go online and approve additions. Since this process would require a more active role on the professor's part, it is likely that some would be more responsive than others. The new system should address this issue, either by creatively working around it or extensive faculty education on what their responsibilities would be. Faculty members ought to support the change, even if it increases their role slightly, as it should make their record-keeping much easier. Requiring the signature of academic advisors also seems unnecessary, as their approval is usually perfunctory. Many advisors, flooded with add/drop requests at the beginning of the semester, simply sign the forms and hand them back. Perhaps the rules could be amended to require only seniors to get the add/drops approved, to ensure they remain on track to graduate. If and when the advising system is overhauled, these procedures could be revaluated. The new system could be prone to abuse by students who, given the newfound ease of add/drops, might excessively change classes. But such scenarios can easily be discouraged, perhaps by only allowing a certain number of changes to be made a semester. Changes after a certain date or in excess of the limit would have to be processed the old-fashioned way. In any case, student government and the administration should iron out the details of the system with due haste. While the issue is certainly not the most pressing problem on Tufts' agenda, the need for change is relatively obvious and the solution relatively simple.

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News

Bacow ratings up from previous poll

March 7

Student approval of President Larry Bacow has risen overall since last fall, though a large percentage of students seem to be indifferent to his role at the University, according to a recent Daily poll. In a survey conducted last Wednesday during the open block, The Tufts Daily polled 375 randomly selected undergraduate students. Polling stations were located at the Mayer Campus Center, the Carmichael and Dewick-MacPhie dining halls, Tisch Library and in Miller and Lewis dorms. Survey respondents were asked to rate a number of national and campus issues on a scale of one to five. The numbers corresponded respectively to a response of "strongly disagree," "somewhat disagree," "neither disagree nor agree," "somewhat agree" and "strongly agree." The survey has a margin of error of 4.4%. One question asked students to rate Bacow's job performance at Tufts. Thirty-eight percent said they approved of his job performance, 17 percent of those who approved said they did so strongly. Eighteen percent said they did not approve, six percent of whom strongly disapproved. Nevertheless, 45 percent said they neither approved nor disapproved of Bacow's performance and some students can see why this number was so high. "I believe that most students have no idea what President Bacow does or what initiatives he supports. Most students have no connection to him whatsoever," senior Matt Gasbarro said. "Bacow is a great president in terms of business and administration and I know he cares deeply for his students, but he comes across as impersonal." Last October's survey revealed that thirty-three percent of students approved of Bacow's job performance. The number of students strongly disapproving of his performance as University president has remained exactly the same. Two questions referred to student involvement at the University. One asked students to evaluate to what extent they take advantage of the academic opportunities outside of class offered at Tufts. Twenty-one percent said they did not while 61 percent said they did. The other question asked students how involved they are in campus extracurricular activities. Sixty-six percent of polled students feel that they are involved in such activities, 30 percent of whom feel they are strongly involved. Upperclassmen comprised the largest percentage of self-assessed students who are highly involved in extracurricular activities. Only 17 percent responded that they are not involved in non-academic activities. When asked to consider the statement "I am more politically active than last year," respondents' answers were strewn across the board. Eleven percent "strongly agreed" with the statement in regards to themselves while 12 percent "strongly disagreed". Thirty-seven percent were indifferent. Additionally, the poll asked surveyed students to select one of four choices as to who they would vote for if the Presidential elections were held that day -- "President Bush", "the Democratic candidate", "other" or an option designated "not sure". Sixty-seven percent said they would vote for the Democratic candidate while only ten percent claimed they would vote for the incumbent. In every single undergraduate class, there were more males than females who said they would vote for Bush and more females than males who said they would vote for the Democratic candidate. Twenty-two percent of those polled chose "other" or "not sure". Many students found these results to be predictable. "Not surprising," junior Rory Giffen said. "We are college students in the Boston area [studying] at a liberal college -- who would have thought?"

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News

Silent Bob strikes back!

March 7

Along with writers from M.I.T. and Northeastern, The Tufts Daily sat down with acclaimed writer/director Kevin Smith to talk about his new movie "Jersey Girl," selling-out, and Ben Affleck. Kevin Smith: I haven't been to Boston in two years. I love it here. I've got a special place for it in my heart since it was so kind to "Chasing Amy." Not to mention "Good Will Hunting," of course... You know, they showed "Good Will Hunting" to Mel Gibson. Mel Gibson was like, "I like the movie, but I want them to play grab-ass with each other." >Tufts Daily: "I like it, but I'd like to see more Christ." >KS: Exactly. Not nearly enough Christ for him. >TD: I really thought that you tried something different with "Jersey Girl," which is obviously scary, especially when you know how many people are going to be watching it. >KS: It's not even how many people are going to be watching it; it's the audience that you're used to. Suddenly turning around and saying, "Here's something that's real pussy soft." Thankfully, the fan base is what it is, and there are big fans of "Chasing Amy," meaning not all "Jay and Silent Bob" guys. But we know that its the 13, 14-year-old Jay and Bob guys you're going to lose. You have the older Jay and Bob guys who can go either way: "Hey I can watch something funny, or I can watch something more serious too." But you know the hardcore, younger ones, they're probably going to feel like I've turned my back on them. And they're the ones that are most vocal on the internet, leading the charges of "You're a f--king sell-out!" And I'm like, "Ugh. Come back in ten years and tell me if you still feel that way." >TD: You know, I found it interesting; you picked a direction here that was old-school, which reminded me of Frank Capra and Cary Grant. You sort of let the characters drive this movie instead of the plot. >KS: Yeah, it's about the characters really. What little plot there is, it's almost unimportant, or secondary to what they're saying, how they're relating to one another. It would have been a lot more Frank Capra-esque if I'd left in more of the speech at the town hall when Ben Affleck's character gets up. You could tell it was cut, right? There's no way in hell that the dude who writes dialogue didn't write a speech for that moment. And I did write a speech; Affleck hit it out of the park, delivered it perfectly, and it was my favorite scene in the movie -- really powerful stuff. Straight out of Frank Capra, very "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." And then we screened it with a test audience, and 18 out of 20 people said, "What the f--k was with that speech, I hated it. He's saying it's good to be a garbage man?" You want to jump out from behind the glass and start defending yourself, but you can't. There was even a guy there who said "Look, I am a garbage man, and even I didn't buy it." So I said, "Okay, it's gone." Sometimes I watch Affleck in films I didn't direct and it feels like they didn't ride him hard enough. It's like they say, "This is Ben Affleck, he's a big movie star, one or two takes and I'm good." You have to just ride him because he has it and he wants to do it, but if you don't ask for it, he might not think to give it to you right away. Stick in there: "One more, one more dude. There's a better reading in there." Because he'll get to it; he'll knock your socks off. TD: Carlin was so great in this movie. I really felt like all the actors just got behind this movie and gave great performances. That must make writing a lot easier when you have people that say, "Yeah, I totally see what you're going for here." >KS: Absolutely. It just makes you feel like they trust you on so many different levels, and that they take it seriously. The only difference between me and a first time director is that now people assume that I know what I'm doing, because I've made six movies. But I'm still the same person as I was when I made the first one, and that's still the same guy who's like, "I hope they don't see through this charade, that I'm not a director." I'm worried they'll be like, "Wait a second, you're just a phony. Phony!" So, when they put themselves in your hands you feel awesome: that they trust me and believe that I'm leading them in the right direction. Because you never know: you hope you're doing it right, and you hope you're leading them in the right direction. You look at bad movies and you wonder how that happened, because those dudes really thought that they were making a good movie. Maybe somewhere along the way they realized it wasn't good and had to finish it, but nobody sets out to make a piece of dogs**t. Everyone wants to make a really great movie that connects with the audience, whether it's on a personal level or just in mainstream entertainment, everyone wants to kind of do that. So every time up I wonder if I'm that guy this time, where I'll be making a movie and think it's really great, and then when all is said and done, it just turns out to be balls. So you always have that in the front of your mind when you're shooting a movie, whether the actors are going to sniff me out. Although I imagine that if Affleck smelled fear he would take over. He's the kind of guy that would say "F**k it-I'll lead the charge." You know, he's the dude that blew up the asteroid. So he's used to playing the hero.

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News

Jumbos head north for ECAC Division III Champs

March 4

It has been a busy three weeks for the women's track and field team. Two weekends ago the team scared track and field juggernaut Williams College at the New England Div. III Championships, held at MIT, by finishing just 20.5 points out of first place. Last weekend's competitive All-New England Championships at Boston University gave the Jumbos the opportunity to qualify nationally in two relays -- automatically in the 4x400 and provisionally in the distance medley relay (DMR) -- while breaking two school records and setting numerous PR's. So can we expect to see the same at the two-day ECAC Division III Championship meet at Bowdoin that starts today? In comparison to the last two meets, it's not likely, according to coach Kristen Morwick. "We're not doubling anyone up [in individual events]," Morwick said. "For some people it's just a last chance to get their best performance of season. It's really, really low-key. We're sending one group up Friday morning who'll come back Friday night, and another up Saturday." With the exception of those competing this weekend and the athletes heading to next weekend's Div. III Nationals at the University of Wisconsin, the majority of the team will be tapering their training and resting this weekend, with their indoor seasons finished. Outdoor track season begins competitively on April 3. The team's national number one 4x400 team is among those taking the weekend off, with nationals right around the corner. National competitors will depart for Wisconsin on Wednesday. Nineteen Jumbos will compete at the Bowdoin meet, including nine in individual events and three relay teams. Last year Tufts placed fifth overall in the ECAC's with 39 points, 6.5 points ahead of Williams, but the focus this year will be more on individual marks. The biggest two events of the meet will be Friday night's DMR and the 4x800 on Saturday. The DMR team of senior quad-captain Lauren Caputo, sophomores Megan Sears and Rebecca Ades, and freshman Sarah Crispin recorded a national provisional time of 12:09.75 last weekend, which currently ranks them ninth nationally and puts them in the field at nationals. However the women are looking to improve on that time to give them a higher ranking and take them off the DMR bubble. "We're ranked ninth right now, which would make it to nationals, but if another team runs faster we're out," Morwicksaid. "We'll run again and try to run a little faster." "I think we can, we all raced really well last weekend," Caputo said. "I think it'll be possible to take maybe four seconds off, being realistic about it. If we all run like we did last weekend, and have better handoffs, we could [do it]." In the final event of the ECAC Championships on Saturday, the 4x800 team of senior quad-captain Katie Higley, junior Katie Sheedy, sophomore Daniela Fairchild and freshman Samantha Moland will shoot for the school record of 9:35.05, held since 1992 by Erin Giles, Tiffany Tobiassen, Cynthia Augat and Diane Hevehan. The 4x800's fastest time this season is a 9:46.69, recorded at the New England Div. III's two weekends ago. "We were two seconds off the school record last year and we have three of the four people from last year returning [in myself, Sheedy and Fairchild]," Higley said. "That's our goal [the record], it will be tough to do but we're going to go for it." Higley will also be one of five Jumbos competing in the 500 meters on Saturday, joined by freshmen Kate Makai (1:21.14) and Kelly Abrams (1:24.94), senior Christine Hendrickson (1:22.43) and sophomore Katie Gadkowski (1:23.28). "Last year I PR'd in the event and ran really well," Higley said. "I have some injury issues now but it's the last race of my indoor career, so I'm going to go out for it and hopefully have a great race. Hopefully all the seniors will have great races." Sheedy, meanwhile, will also stretch her legs before the 4x800 in the 1000 on Saturday afternoon. She enters the race with at time of 3:09.82. Senior Lauren Dunn (18:44.03) will run the 5000 on Friday night, preceded by the 4x200 relay. The Jumbos will send freshmen Jillian Warner, Jessica Mactus and MacKenzie Rawcliffe, along with sophomore Molly Whittington, north for a chance to get in some sprinting action. Tufts' lone field representatives will be senior long jumper Shushanna Mignott (17-02.25 feet) and junior Melissa Graveley, who will compete in Friday's pentathlon, which includes the 55 meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800 meters. Despite the low-key nature of the meet, it will be a competitive one, providing Tufts with an opportunity to close an already highly successful indoor season on a high for those athletes not going to nationals.

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News

Law Day brings lawyers, students together

March 4

Members of the Tufts Lawyers Association (TLA) came back to campus yesterday for the second annual Law Day on the Hill. "We wanted to bring lawyers together to network and give back to Tufts," TLA founder and President George Hirsch (LA '74) said. The day began with a series of panel discussions, which according to TLA Vice President William Labovitz (A '90) were attended by between 40 and 70 students. The keynote address was given by Jeffrey Kindler (LA '77), the senior vice-president and general counsel for Pfizer Inc. Kinder concentrated on diversity in the legal profession. Kindler was one of 470 business general counsels who signed a statement in support of increased diversity in the law profession. "We must become a more inclusive group," Kindler said, "and reach out to the best and brightest minds, embracing diversity." Kindler said diversity not only improved morale at companies but also made for good business. "A workplace that reflects the world at large gives us a keen competitive advantage," he said. Affirmative action is necessary to counter the effects of networking among similar groups and racism in law, Kindler said. "It's easy to hire a friend of a friend, or someone who looks or talks like you do." Kindler attended Harvard Law School after graduating from Tufts. He later worked as a clerk for Supreme Court Justice William Brennan and as general counsel for the McDonald's Corporation. "I was at McDonald's trying to raise the country's cholesterol for six years," Kindler quipped. "Now, I work for Pfizer, whose best-selling drug is [cholesterol reducer] Lipitor." Kindler said he first became interested in the legal profession in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, where lawyers "restored the public's faith in public institutions." The need for establishing trust is even greater now, Kindler said. "There does not seem to be an institution in our society that is not embroiled in a crisis." Never have so many institutions "lost so much trust so quickly," he said. "Maybe it's a good opportunity for lawyers." "With a law degree," Kindler said, "there are no limits to the way you can contribute to strengthening our public institutions." Kindler told students that lawyers are not excluded from the day-to-day operations of a business. Pfizer's legal department is "integrated into the core of our business." The Young Lawyers Panel, the first of the day and moderated by former Wall Street Journal Supreme Court correspondent Stephen Wermiel (LA '72), addressed the transitions between college, law school, and practicing law. "I wanted to supplement my liberal arts education with something more tangible," panelist Gina Beck (LA '97) said. Beck is currently a student at the Washington College of Law at American University. "People had always told me that a law degree would give me a sense of flexibility, and that I didn't have to practice if I didn't want to," panelist Joshua Fox (A '98) said. Fox graduated from Harvard Law School and is now a practicing attorney. The panel was followed by a mock law school class led by President Larry Bacow. According to Debra Curtis (LA '90), Bacow was "a lot nicer" than most law school professors. Suffolk Law School Dean of Admissions Gail Ellis and Boston University School of Law Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Joan Horgan then answered students' questions about choosing and being admitted to law schools. Alumni also gave their views on how graduating undergraduates should choose a law school. "[Reputation] was part of it," Fox said. "But I knew that I wanted to be in Boston, and I didn't want to be away from my mom or the Red Sox, so I chose Harvard." "Location is important because if you know that you want to practice in a certain area after law school, you are more likely to make contacts in that city, and it will be easier to [get a job]," panelist George Hirsch (LA '74) said. Curtis said the TLA's increased experience and communication from students resulted in an improved program this year. "A lot of the changes we made this year we took from feedback," she said. One of these improvements was the addition of a talk given by younger lawyers, who Curtis said established "good connections" with the students. "We had a real full room," he said. The TLA is beginning a program led by member Amy Brownstein to mentor students interested in the law. While Labovitz said the program is "just getting off the ground," much of the groundwork of matching up lawyers and students of similar interest took place at yesterday's event.

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