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Two cultures added to foreign language requirement

February 25

The Tufts faculty passed a temporary proposal yesterday which will revise the foreign language, culture, and world civilization parts of the Arts and Sciences foundation requirements to include two new cultures. The proposal consists of two phases. The first phase will allow courses in Asian-American and Latino/Latina studies to count toward the foreign culture requirement. The second phase will create a committee, composed of faculty and students, to permanently revise the wording of the culture requirement. The new addition will state that Latino/Latina and Asian American do qualify as foreign cultures. The movement to accept Asian-American and Latino/Latina studies as foreign cultures started three years ago, and yesterday was the first time the A&S faculty has voted on changes to this foundation requirement since the 1969-1970 academic year. If the committee's proposal fails to pass a faculty vote by the fall semester of 2006, the foreign language and culture part of the foreign language requirement will return to the earlier version. "For 35 years there had only been small changes to the option. Many new courses had come into existence and what we're teaching has changed, and the student population has changed." Jack Ridge, chair of the A&S Curricula Committee, said. Not everyone is pleased about the changes. The Asian studies department is among those that disagree with the new proposal. "We are concerned with these changes and we don't want Asian-Americans to be studied as a foreign culture," said Asian Studies Program Director Sing-Chen Lydia Francis. "We don't want to look at Asian cultures only through domestic eyes. The original intention is for students to learn about a foreign culture. "Ultimately this change does not serve the educational purpose and creates a greater inconsistency," Francis said. But Ridge thinks that the school is now moving towards more consistent requirements. "We're being inconsistent with certain culture areas. The new requirements will alleviate these things." Ridge said. Francis said that she is eager for the proposal's Phase Two so that faculty students can discuss what she called the "fundamental issues." "We definitely should reconsider what it means to teach and learn a foreign language," Francis said. But until 2006, Ridge feels the temporary inclusion of the two new cultures in the foreign language and culture requirement was a compromise of many views. "We tried to meet with everyone who might have opposition to iron out middle ground or a proposal that would address anyone's concerns. Whatever requirements, not everyone will be happy, [but we hope to] create something almost all people will consider livable," he said. Faculty and students submitted proposals before the vote to encourage changes to what they considered inconsistencies within the requirements and their enforcement. The new Continued Language Study and Culture Option states that a foreign culture is defined as having non-English speaking origins. Anglo-American, British Anglo-Irish and Anglo-Australian cultures do not qualify, but Aboriginal Australian, Celtic, and African-American, for example, do to the degree that they are discrete from the Anglo-American tradition. This wording states that the courses are "devoted to the study of a single culture-area not native to the student."

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News

Vet school funding approved by state

February 25

The Tufts School Veterinary Medicine gained gubernatorial financial support last month, allowing the school to breath easier about their financial worries for at least another year. Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's budget for fiscal year 2005 contains $3 million in funding for the Vet School. After repeated requests Romney's press office did return repeated calls asking for comments on why the governor restored the school's funding after trying to eliminate them last year. Romney's decision was overturned by the Senate Ways and Means Committee last spring. Associate Dean Administration and Finance Joseph McManus had no comment as to whether the school would be lobbying for additional state funds. "We are pleased that Governor Romney included Tufts Veterinary School in his fiscal year 2005 budget," he said in a statement. In the statement, he praised Romney for recognizing "the necessity of state funding to operate the Commonwealth's only veterinary school and securing continued access to a veterinary medical education for Massachusetts citizens." The Vet School's public funding has been declining for several years. After receiving $5.3 million in fiscal year 2002, the school received $3.6 million in FY2003 under former governor Jane Swift. $3 million has been allocated to both the FY2004 and FY2005 budgets. Similar cuts have occurred in other states. The governor of Illinois has proposed eliminating a $2 million veterinary research grant at the University of Illinois. The University of California at Davis (UC Davis) has faced several straight years of budget cuts, including the loss last year of planned extension of a kidney replacement program. UC Davis Communications Representative Lynn Narlesky said that while cuts are expected during times of state budget deficiencies, a school can never completely gauge their impact. "While we're never really prepared for a shrinking budget, school and university officials do a fair amount of planning to try to mitigate the impacts," she said. UC Davis now receives only 23 percent of its budget from the state, compared to 50 percent fifteen years ago. In response, the school has increased efforts to raise monies from private sources in addition to trimming services. "We are fortunate that so many people care about animal health," Narlesky said, "and that our school faculty and staff have been able to step up to the challenges of tighter budgets." The same trend is seen at the Tufts Vet School, which now receives only 16 percent of its budget from Massachusetts. The national average has government funding accounting for 26 to 36 percent of a vet school's budget. The Vet School relies on private donations, including those from community and alumni supporters, to maintain dozens of programs at the school such as fulfilling the Large and Small Animal Hospitals' equipment wish-lists, training for the Pet Loss Support Hotline, and acquisitions at the Webster Family Library. One of these sources is the Travis Fund, which offers $50 to $300 dollar subsidy for otherwise healthy dogs in need of treatment their owners cannot afford. "There's already more demand for the program than we can fulfill," Office of Development Official Besti Sterns said. "The Travis Fund is an 'expendable fund'; as money is raised, it is spent," Office of Development Official Shelley Rodman said. The Travis Fund has no endowment, leading the continual turnover in monies. Declining state monies for the Vet School comes at a time when the school has been mired in controversy surrounding recent research. Six dogs were euthanized in January as part of a bone-density experiment, eliciting outcry from animal rights activists and some Grafton town residents and alumni. While Rodman said there had not been a change in giving since the controversy occurred, second-year class co-President Alisha Weissman said the negative publicity could have adverse effects on donations. A decrease in donations would have dire consequences, she said. "Hundreds of dogs might not be able to be saved," Weissman said. "They might have to be euthanized because they can't afford treatment." Last year, Romney proposed cutting all state funding for the veterinary school. The Vet School launched an initiative to restore the monies, requesting students and supporters to petition state legislators. Officials argued the school deserved state funding because of its care for the Massachusetts police dog and horse units. Tufts is the only veterinary school in New England and one of just 28 in the country. Eventually, $3 million was restored to the state's budget by the Senate Ways and Means Committee and signed into law by Romney in June 2003. Massachusetts legislators reduced spending in the past two years to close multi-billion dollar budget deficits. Funding to thousands of social programs and local governments have been reduced or eliminated during the budget crisis.

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News

It just doesn't make cents

February 25

So I'm going to a Celtics game on Friday. Think it'll be worth it? Well let's look at it objectively. The Celtics, since Jim O'Brien was smart enough to jump ship 12 games ago, have won a whopping total of one game - a 30 point fluke lambasting of the 76ers. The 11 C's losses in this time span have included a hard fought 20 point loss to the 16-40 Chicago Bulls, an oh-so-close four point loss to those wily Atlanta Hawks, who have been making noise in the Central Division with their impressive 19-38 mark, and a pair of losses to the powerhouse L.A. Clippers, who are tearing up the west with a 24-31 record. Danny "Change" has loaded up the Green with immensely diverse scoring threats, including Paul Pierce, Ricky Davis, and well, nobody else really. But he has gotten rid of the dead weight of old, like Antoine Walker (he never really did anything except score 20 points a game, grab eight rebounds or so, fire up the team when it needed to be fired up -- you know, the kind of stuff that really ruins a team's chemistry), Eric Williams (who also was just entirely expendable - who needs veteran leadership and hard work anyway? Look at the terrible things it's done in Cleveland this season), and Tony Battie (I mean, who needs a classy guy like Battie when you can get a stud like Chris Mihm instead?) So I'm gonna spend $15-$20 to sit in the rafters of the Fleet Center, dish out another 10 bucks for a pretzel, and sell my car to buy a Sprite. I'm getting screwed. They may as well be shoving that soda right up my... nevermind. This deal wouldn't be worth it if you threw in free courtside tickets, a limo to and from the game, and complementary massages by Sports Illustrated swimsuit models in between quarters. This is just plain old depressing. I've watched one of the most fun teams in the league for the past two seasons turn into joke. And not even a funny joke like the Cavs used to be. This joke just hurts. A lot. What happened to my Celtics? Why did Danny Ainge have to kill them? I just want them back. I was having so much fun for a couple of seasons there. I say we tie Danny Ainge to a raft, float him out into the middle of the ocean, and then just quietly have everybody from last season come back. We don't have to tell anybody. It will be fine. No one will notice. Who's with me? I gave Danny the benefit of the doubt back when he traded Antoine. I figured the market was bad, Antoine's kind of a quirky player, not a lot of demand, we got the best deal we could (and who doesn't love Jiri Welsch?) But then he deals Williams and Battie for Ricky Davis. And even Jim O'Brien, who is a certified basketball wizard, thinks this deal is so bad that he has to quit. This should tell you something. This year's team is an embarrassment to watch. It really tells you something about an NBA franchise when Walter McCarty is averaging 23.1 minutes a game. This is just sick. Stick Walter on any team in the west and how many minutes do you think he plays? One, maybe two a week? Hell, forget the west. Put Walter on the Saskatchewan junior all-star team and how many minutes do you think he plays? I don't care what Tommy Heinsohn says, Walter sucks. I hate Walter. There I said it. I hate Walter. I used to love Walter, just like everybody else, back when he was that awkward-looking doofus who played like five minutes a game and somehow always managed to hit the ugliest looking three in the history of the world. And everyone loved it 'cause we could scream "Waltah!!" like the drunken idiots we were. Problem is, nobody actually wanted Walter to get more than those five funny minutes a game. But then he starts whining and bitching about how he doesn't play enough (because Jim O'Brien actually had a brain that worked and realized that this man should not be seeing more than ten minutes in any game ever) and Danny Ainge decides it's probably a good idea to get rid of everybody on the team except Walter. Genius. And how exactly is this building for the future? I thought the idea behind building a team was to dump salary and get good, young talent. Not pick up a whole bunch of dead weight that you pay half of your team's payroll to. Like Raef LaFrentz. That deal sure worked out well. Here's how it works: we pick up the remaining four years on LaFrentz' five year, 69 million dollar deal, and he starts one game. Beautiful. And let's not even talk about Vin Baker. (Yes, it's true that I picked Vin Baker to make the all-star game at the beginning of the season. Yes, I am stupid, and no, I don't have any clue what I'm talking about.) We do, of course, have the overwhelming force that is Mark Blount. If there ever was a guy who got into the NBA based on height alone, it was Manut Bol. But if there was another guy, it was Mark Blount. Seriously. Look at this guy. But of course, the Celtics are an equal opportunity employer, meaning you can get minutes even if you're terrible. So Mark Blount is currently averaging over 27 minutes a game. This isn't a joke. So what can be done? Short of assassinating Danny Ainge, very little, except exactly what I'm doing here. Pissing and moaning. So this Bud's for you, Danny. Maybe if you're lucky, when the season's over you can deal Paul Pierce to the Pistons for Rasheed Wallace, you know, to build for the future. God, I love this game.

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News

Leave marriage decision to states

February 25

If we believe what President Bush said on Tuesday, the government has reason to be concerned about marriage between two men or two women because it will weaken "the good influence of society." It is hard to understand how granting rights to a specific group of citizens will weaken the good influence of the tolerant American society. As a matter of fact, historically it has been the opposite that has strengthened American society. Until the Supreme Court struck down anti-miscegenation laws in 1967, 16 states still made marriage between people of different races illegal. Is American society any worse off because we now permit people of any skin color to marry? Will America be worse off because we permit people of any sexual orientation to marry? President Bush said "the voice of the people must be heard," but the voice of the people is undecided. According to the Gallup polling organization, 51 percent of Americans join President Bush in believing that an amendment to ban gay marriage is necessary. Forty-five percent of Americans oppose this amendment. This is not a decisive majority. At one point in American history, the percentages supporting anti-miscegenation laws were quite similar. Does this mean that it was right to make it illegal for a person with black skin to marry a person with white skin? Although he referred to former President Bill Clinton in the first sentence of the speech on Tuesday, President Bush is not at all on the same page as his democratic predecessor, or even in the same book. President Clinton signed a bill known as the Defense of Marriage Act, introduced by Senator Bob Barr (R-GA). This bill states that a marriage in one state does not have to be recognized in another, and it loosely defines "marriage" for the purpose of determining federal benefits. So far it has been ratified by 38 states. Senator Bob Barr stated his opposition to any federal interference in the specific definition of marriage in an Aug. 21, 2003 opinion in the Washington Post. "Marriage is a quintessential state issue," he said. By attempting to rigidly define marriage from the national level, President Bush will be acting exactly like the "activist judges" he denounced Tuesday, but from the other side of the spectrum. The cultural debates that Americans deal with today should not be decided by the federal government. If the government should interfere at any level, let the states decide. The President should focus on winning the peace in Iraq, balancing the budget, maintaining and improving our public school system, and supporting our aging population.

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News

Rockin' for Research comes home tonight

February 25

What do the Amalgamates, Beelzebubs, Jackson Jills, Beats, and one John Dimsdale have in common, besides rhythm? They will all be performing in Goddard Chapel at 9 p.m. tonight in the annual Rockin' for Research concert. The annual cancer benefit concert was organized this year by sophomores Mari Pullen, Erin Poth, and Dave Baumwoll, the chairpersons of the Leonard Carmichael Society's Cancer Outreach Program. The group is asking for a $5 donation at the door and hopes to raise over $4000 to donate to this year's benefit organization, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. In the past, the annual concert has only included a cappella groups, but Pullen, Poth, and Baumwoll decided to change that this year by extending an invitation to other performers around campus. "We wanted to draw a larger audience," Poth said. "All the a cappella concerts have a cappella groups, so we wanted to branch out as a change of pace." Included in the program for the first time are the Beats, Tufts' percussive performance ensemble, and John Dimsdale, a sophomore pianist from San Diego who will perform a piece he wrote specifically for the benefit concert along with a few other selections. All the proceeds from this year's show will go to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a cancer hospital in Boston which is dedicated to researching the disease. The institute, which was founded in 1947, has made several significant steps in the fight against cancer in the past and runs various Boston-based outreach programs to increase awareness of the potential threat of the disease. In the past, proceeds from the concert have been donated to different locally-based cancer care or research charities, but Karb had worked at the Dana-Farber Institute over the past summer, and was aware that it was in need of money to fund different research projects. "We originally were trying to pick an organization that had something to do with Boston," Pullen said. "It's more immediate because the funds are going to something in the greater Boston area, rather than someplace more general. They need the money for research, so we thought it would be a good cause for our concert." All three coordinators originally got involved with the program because cancer had had some form of impact on all of their lives, and they have worked this semester to increase the organization's visibility around campus. The concert is not the Cancer Outreach Program's only benefit. The group organized a football tournament in the fall that benefited the Make a Wish Foundation, and is planning a basketball tournament on March 14 that will include participants from 14 other schools around Boston in order to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. They have also decided to sponsor the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life for the first time this year. "I think people have become a lot more aware," Poth said. "We're definitely one of the more visible groups in the LCS at this point in time, and we're trying to branch out and do different things -- not only things that raise money, but things that can get a large group of people involved."

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News

Can't We All Just Get Along?

February 25

Everyday I pick up the Daily and there are at least a few people who are pissed off and complaining. One article is about how a certain group of Jumbos are fed up with how liberal Tufts is, and how something needs to be done to restore some morals around here. The article to the left of it is about how another group feels like the administration is suffocating them, and how the Tufts community as a whole is too conservative in their views on sexuality, or art, or whatever the topic du jour may be. The administration is ticked off at the fraternity system, and visa versa. Today I read two different pieces that detailed the newest campus outrage: the word "c**t", being written in chalk on the sidewalk. We can't say that any and every thing is appropriate "chalking vocabulary" because that could certainly lead to situations that actually warrant an upheaval, but seriously, can you all please just lighten up? Now, I've learned a thing or two about a thing or two in my three years on the Hill, and I have a feeling that the problem is that many of you don't even know how to "lighten up" because often Tufts seems more uptight than...well, we won't go there. Here's my advice: the next time you see "c**t" written on the ground, either 1) Go see The Vagina Monologues. 2) Giggle like a school-girl (like me). 3) Be slightly offended, and let it SLIIIIIIDE. It's a dirty word, not something that we need to take to the authorities. Maybe if students spent less time protesting menial things like this, we could turn our attention to other issues, like the fact that the most hopping place on campus on the weekend is the library, or the fact that there's an entire class of freshmen who haven't really had a "college party" yet. I understand that we're supposed to be "preparing to take over the world" as college students or whatever clich‚ one wants to use... but we don't need to do it all the time. Lighten up, and the next time you feel like protesting something insignificant, go crack open a beer. Tufts wouldn't let you know it, but at other places college is actually allowed to be fun. William Elder LA '04

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News

Casey looks to continue winning ways

February 25

When John Casey returned to the dugout in 1984 for the first time since graduating from Tufts in 1980, he piloted his team to an 11-9 record, good enough for a 4-4 Greater Boston League record and a third place finish. Over the next three seasons, Casey's teams went a combined 23-38 (.377), a far cry from the dominant squads he pitched for during his own college career and helped lead to three straight ECAC Division II-III Tournament appearances. Now, entering what will be his 21st season as head coach of the baseball program, Casey has established himself as the most successful coach in the 134-year history of Tufts baseball. His managerial record stands at 341-232-3, a winning percentage of .595, ahead of Ken Nash, who guided the Jumbos to a 212-148-2 record between 1921-1941 (.588 winning percentage). This season will also tie Casey with Nash for the longest tenure as Tufts' coach. Casey's prominence also extends to NESCAC competition. He holds the fourth-highest winning percentage amongst active NESCAC coaches, and his 21-year tenure is second-most to Amherst's Bill Thurston, who enters his 39th year at the Lord Jeff's helm. During that time, Casey has coached his teams to NCAA tournament berths in 1995 and 2002, four ECAC titles (1989, 1994, 1996 and 1997), and nine 20-win seasons, including a Tufts single-season record of 27 in 2002. But for all the success, what exactly is so appealing about the Tufts baseball program? "I love the kids here, they play hard; it matters to them," Casey said. "Obviously it's got to be something worthwhile to still stay interested in it, and feel like it had value for them." Casey also feels his time as coach has been rewarding in other ways as well. "I lost weight, I'm making a comeback!" Casey joked. "It keeps you young, man. Better than a real job. I've been ducking and hiding for 20 years and nobody's gotten me in a suit yet, so that's a victory." "But you enjoy working with the guys; they're doing everything they can to be successful." Despite the success he has had on the Tufts diamond, Casey stresses that it's not just about winning. "Winning's nice, it makes it a lot easier," Casey said. "But I tell my guys it's not life and death. Sometimes it's close and that's good, because that means that they've put a lot into it, and that's what you're trying to teach them." Casey expects his players to give it their all on the field; but at the same time take advantage of what Tufts has to offer off the field in addition. "I have a real problem with people who say 'you're a good athlete, therefore you're not smart.' Or 'if you're smart, you're not a good athlete'," Casey said. "No one's figured that out. Why can't you do both well? [This] place can do a lot for you, and I think that's what's important." Helping Casey with the team are four assistant coaches. Mike Caravella oversees pitching, football head coach Bill Samko is in charge of catchers, Bob Clarke handles the outfield, and Jamie Pinzino, who played third base for the 1995 NCAA Tournament team, is the infield assistant. "They're just as important as I am," Casey said of his coaching staff. "We always tell everyone that no one is better than anybody else and everyone's equal on this team. They do just as much as I do, and a lot more. I'm the one you yell at if we lose, that's about it." But with any luck, and a whole horde of talent to work with, there shouldn't be too much to yell about. And as for the youthfulness that coaching brings, can we expect to see Casey pinch running any time soon? "I see myself being able to get out of the way of line drives now," Casey grinned. "Step behind the screen so I'm less of a target."

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News

The cost of individualism

February 25

After reading the first few pages of an essay by Kolontai (who she is is not important at the moment), I began to think about the reference she makes to the inevitable sense of loneliness that one feels in modern society. This loneliness was felt by people of her time and is still felt now. You've heard her idea before; something along the lines of how someone can feel lonely even surrounded by good friends, in a room full of people, and living in a crowded, booming metropolis. (I'm not talking about generalized depression per se.) One of the most recent incarnations of this notion of loneliness tinged with despondence that lies at the heart of things, beneath the layers of constructs influenced by social conventions and personal convictions, and a dose of urban ennui (stop being so jaded you spoiled brat...I'm only half-kidding), was Sofia Coppola's "Lost in Translation." (I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and recommend it, but don't take my word for it. Listen to the critics and the Academy who've also sung its praises.) Where does this subtle but weighty feeling come from? (Admittedly, perhaps part of it is the unsuccessful search for the "meaning to life.") One answer came indirectly from that essay. It was startlingly obvious, yet I feel as though I never looked at the situation in such a way. Why are people mystified by this sense of loneliness while they simultaneously emphasize the individual in every way? Of course that cold sense of loneliness is an implied price to be paid for the desire to be individualized, distinguishing yourself from others and becoming self absorbed in ego. There's no mystery to it. It comes from the pervasive ideology of the individual over the collective, which is especially pertinent to westerners. Perhaps in realization of this we should not be so unequivocal and uncompromising about the individual and instead encourage more of a sense of community and compassion as people who are sharing time during a common period of the human experience. We should avoid both extremes; absolute isolation and complete monotony and dilution of the individual in the populous, treated as nothing but a single entity. Our efforts should lie somewhere in between where there is a healthy sense of self coupled with a sense of context in society that is practiced, not simply thought of abstractly but manifest in some effort to encourage a sense of togetherness, be it community service, participating in a social cause (minus the condescension that a person who is better off tends to carry with them), or simply bringing people together. While this runs the risk of sounding incredibly idealistic and completely unfeasible, it is definitely possible and it is conceivably the people who manage to strike a balance between the two that struggle the least against a perceived inner void. To expect to fill this perceived void with one person places a lot of pressure on the other person. This is perhaps why people are almost always (okay, we'll say a lot of the time, for the sake of optimism) ultimately disappointed and left unfulfilled by their intimate, monogamous relationships; partners (for the lack of a better word) place an unrealistic or at least terribly hard task to fulfill on each other's shoulders. It is oftentimes too unwieldy a weight to place on one person: "here, take all my love, just don't disappoint me, ever mkay?" While obviously during people's lives they involve themselves in a spectrum of relationships that reward them in different ways, both emotionally and physically, they will sometimes choose to devote all of themselves to a single relationship, neglecting others, further promoting a sense of individualism. If this relationship fails, for the individualistically minded person this is a crisis and a moral failure. Had there been less of a sense of the relationship being all-or-none, and less deviation from the wider circle of relationships that are fulfilling in different capacities, perhaps the unrealistic expectation from one relationship that came to disappoint would not have been there in the first place. While I'm not necessarily advocating free love and orgies abound, there may be merit in being less slavish to arbitrary social conventions of Christian monogamy (that have propagated themselves into other religious and physical territory and rendered beyond recognition in some ways, but the influence remains) that extend the exclusivist and often lonely path of individualism.. While obviously I'm not advocating the idea that we drown every individual in a sea of collective social interests, whatever those may be, perhaps there is some reason in the seemingly extremist rhymes of people in history. We can't be too quick to judge the mentalities of people before us, because ultimately in the context of their time there was enough self-righteousness to convince them that what they believed was incontrovertible truism. We can't assume an arrogant position wherein we believe we are supremely enlightened and have surpassed all those before and those who shall come to pass. The next generations would just as quickly look back on us and snicker as they say to themselves "What were they thinking?" Just think about that, a time when many of the ideas we believe are absolute maxims will evoke the same emotions in the next generation that you get when you see yourself in an old photo, where maybe a trend or two found themselves glaring through the picture, making their transience all the more obvious. Beware cocky "progressive" thinkers of the 21st century, your creed may be worth a grand sum of nil tomorrow, so keep your mind open today. (This trite message bears repeating; so if it has made you on some level, however superficial, think about your own perspectives and maybe sobered you out of your delusions of grandeur, then perhaps you can save me the chastisement and use the energy you would've wasted on it to help someone out. Thanks.) Lloyd Chebaclo is a sophomore and has not yet declared a major.

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News

Captains have big shoes to fill

February 25

The loss of a dominant player is never easy for any team. But when that player provided both senior leadership and could almost guarantee a victory every time he stepped on the mound, the task becomes a lot harder. So the story of the Tufts baseball team is even more extreme. After the graduation of record-setting pitcher Jon Lee, as well as homerun king Evan Zupancic and standouts Dave Martin and Brian Shapiro, the ball club will look to senior co-captains Randy Newsom and Adam Kacamburas to fill the leadership gap as well as their shoes. Fortunately for the Jumbos, these two are no lightweights themselves. Newsom was one of the most dominant pitchers in the NESCAC last year, leading the league with an ERA of 2.15 and being named to the 3rd Team All-New England. Yet due to Lee's departure and the graduation of number two pitcher Martin, Newsom will have to step into the role of ace. "Newsom's as good as there is in this league, but he's got to go up against their best now," coach John Casey said. "It was a nice advantage having Newsom throwing the third game [of a series last season], because he was by far better than anyone else's three." "There's a lot of pressure on Randy right now," freshman Aaron Narva added. "He has to be huge for us." Kacamburas is looking to confirm his status as a bona fide offensive threat. After a career-high batting average of .321 last year and an on base percentage of .481, the Jumbos are expecting a big year from their third baseman. "Kac was by far our best guy on base, his on base percentage was obscene," Casey said. "He's got to be a catalyst." A former defensive back for the football team, senior Drew Blewett should provide speed and defensive stability in the outfield. Relief pitcher Dave Frew and infielder Nick Palange round out the Jumbos' graduating class. However, the talent gap created by the departed players should be filled in part by a very strong group of freshmen. Tennessee native John Rothermel should contribute significantly in the outfield, and freshmen pitchers Narva and Ben Simon should see considerable time on the mound. "Based upon the pure numbers alone, a lot of freshmen should be stepping up, although Rothermel looks particularly steady, and Narva has been working very hard," Newsom said. Though last year's senior class may be impossible to replace, with the large amount of freshmen, and the talent and leadership of Newsom, Kacamburas and their fellow seniors, the Jumbos may have the skill to come close.

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News

Survivor favorites return for All-star season

February 25

Cue the tribal music, light the tikki torches, and get ready to vote: "Survivor" is back. For the fourth straight year, the CBS reality staple has returned to television screens across the nation, as the host of diehard, desperate, willing-to-eat-worms-if-it-means-they-last-another-three-days, faceless contestants trying to outwit, outplay, and outlast each other in a grand quest for $1 million. The latest version, entitled "Survivor 8: All Stars," brings a few changes to the show's original format. There are eighteen contestants instead of the usual sixteen, and as the season's title suggests, all of them are returnees from previous seasons. This not only delighted the show's devoted fans -- past fan favorites returned with a second chance to compete for the $1 million prize -- but allowed the producers to pick and choose their favorite contestants in order to create a recipe for maximum drama (which will, of course, ultimately result in the highest possible ratings). The show's first season premiered in the summer months of 2000, when the antics of crusty ex-SEAL operative Rudy Bosche, straight-talking truck driver Susan Hawke, and the extremely naked and outspokenly gay evil villain extraordinaire Richard Hatch captured the attention of the nation. The contestants lied, cheated, and manipulated their way to the grand prize of $1 million. The first Survivor created a faddish phenomenon like no other reality television show since, bringing in soaring ratings and transforming sayings like "The tribe has spoken!" from cheesy catch phrases into common vernacular. Though the ratings understandably dropped off, the premise remained popular through its next seven installments. Gone are the boring sheep of yesteryear. This season's installment aims to avoid the disappointment of the initially outgoing type-As who immediately turned into someone else's pawn as soon as the spotlight came on, thereby failing to contribute to the drama that is the show's lifeblood. Returnees have been chosen for their memorable antics (like Hatch, who has thus far continued where he last left off-- in his birthday suit and refusing to put on anything more than a kilt while on the island), their popularity (fan-favorite Bosche, tattooed surfer dad Lex van den Berghe, and wily businesswoman Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien), or their potential for drama (outspoken Hawke, manipulative "Boston" Rob Mariano, and drama queen Shii Ann Huang). Noticeably absent, though, are a few familiar faces -- porn-star-turned-Survivor-winner Brian Heidik was either passed over or turned down because he insisted on a hefty contract, depending on one's sources. And resentment seems to be running equally high among the contestants who were not selected, with at least one former Survivor claiming the ability to pass along hints of what is to come on his website. The show so far has more or less lived up to its hype. Backstabbing started as early as the first episode, when Hatch caught his female tribemates conspiring to form an all-girls alliance. Former winner Tina Wesson was also voted off, her fellow islanders resenting her previous victory and high-running emotions. The next few episodes saw the departure of the 76-year-old Bosche, who hurt his ankle over the course of one of the show's challenges; previous victor Jenna Morasca, who turned in the towel after angsting over her mother's cancer; and most recently, funny Rob Cesternino, who was voted off when he failed to weasel his way into the dominate alliance. Viewers have witnessed conspiracy, drama, and the start of what may become a promising romance. With the competition just starting to get hot, more backstabbing is inevitably on the horizon. Rumors abound among the show's extensive Internet "spoiling" community as to how the game is going to pan out. The predictions range from the accurate (online sleuths successfully nailed Morasca's departure from the show weeks ago) to the ridiculous (according to some sources, Hatch supposedly smuggled some matches onto the island by hiding them in an unreachable crevice). For some viewers, spoiling the surprise by guessing who will be voted off when ahead of time is half the fun, and supposed "boot lists" have already begun ravaging the Web. Whether or not these gossipers end up ruining the surprise ending, the ride is what will be worth the fun. "Survivor's" draw has always been that of a guilty pleasure, allowing us to see our fellow "average" Americans at their worst as we whisper to each other over whether or not we'd make the same decisions. I wonder, if given the chance, who wouldn't spend all of their time wearing only a kilt?

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News

Keeping the Faith

February 25

When sophomores Sarah Feldberg and Steve Hoghe met, they seemed like an unlikely couple: she was a liberal Jewish girl from nearby Newton and he was a conservative Catholic boy from Albany, New York. After 13 months of dating, however, they are still going strong, and their religious differences have rarely been a problem. "[Religion] is not an everyday presence in our lives," Feldberg said. "So it's been fine. But my parents think it's funny that I found one of the only Republican Catholics at Tufts." For many students, however, interfaith dating -- much less marriage -- is just not an option. While some come from households where being involved with someone of a different faith is considered unacceptable, others simply identify on a deeper level with someone of their own faith. "Religion is my backbone, and I want whomever I marry and my kids to share that with me. If you share a religion, you share ideals and you share that faith," one female sophomore, who is a conservative Hindu, said. She, however, wished to remain anonymous, for fear that her boyfriend, who does not share her religion, would be offended by her comments. While many students are willing to date people of other religions, once marriage comes into the picture as relationships become serious in college the religion of a significant other becomes more of an issue. "The issue is not interfaith dating," says University Jewish Chaplain Rabbi Jeffrey Summit. "The issue is when [people] marry and build a family together, they need to think through very carefully what kinds of traditions they want to bring into that family and pass on to their children." Hoghe agreed. "I have no objections to incorporating other religions [into my life], but I'm pretty insistent that Catholicism plays a role in my kids' lives." Other students feel that that the faith of the person they are dating does not affect their own faith. "I've dated people who aren't Christian, it doesn't matter to me because [no matter what], my own faith isn't going to waiver," sophomore Sheena Harris said. For some, however, religion goes beyond the god they worship. Religion is a way of life that effects holidays, dietary restrictions, and when, where, and how one prays. "Ideally I want to marry a Hindu," sophomore Reena Desai said. "But [it is not just a matter of religion], it is also due to culture being intertwined with it." "Hinduism is very cultural; it's a way of living," Desai said. Junior and Hillel Shabbat Chair Alexis Gerber has a similar view regarding her own religion. "I don't date people who aren't Jewish, out of respect for them," she said. "That's something that is difficult to explain to people but my own religious tradition is very important to me and my getting involved with someone else who didn't share it would necessitate that they'd have to compromise their own religious beliefs." A student's decision to date only within his or her religion is becoming increasingly difficult, however, as religious diversity continues to grow in the United States. According to the City University of New York's "American Religious Identification Survey," the number of Muslims increased 109 percent from 1990 to 2001. Similarly, the number of Hindus has increased by 237 percent. The number of Christians, including Protestants and Catholics, however, has only increased by five percent during that same time frame. But while Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity have grown in numbers over the past decade, the number of Jews in the United States has decreased by 13 percent. Many attribute this to the high rate of interfaith marriage for Jews. "I would say that for many Jews, who are committed to the continuation of the Jewish people, they understand that the family is the primary location to carry on traditions from one generation to the next," Summit said. "Many Jewish parents feel very strongly that they want their children to have Jewish families and the best chance is when both partners are Jewish," Rabbi Summit said. "My last boyfriend was agnostic, and I dated a Mormon once. My dad was [really angry]," Harris said. "But he ultimately realized that if the guy is good at heart, and if his beliefs don't shake mine, then it's okay." Harris admits that the situation might be different when it comes to marriage. "If I were to be in a relationship where my parents could see me possibly getting married to the guy, I'm sure they'd be very concerned if he weren't Christian," Harris said. University Chaplain David O'Leary said that interfaith relationships don't have to end in disaster. "If both religions can be respected, and the couple is willing to compromise, interfaith relationships often work out," he said. "We've seen many successful interfaith unions occur in this very chapel".

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News

Another blow to an already weak social life

February 25

As a junior in the School of Engineering, I will simply present the facts and my interpretation of their significance. I will let you analyze the matter, and decide how it pertains to you personally, and to our community as a whole. On Feb. 13, 2004, the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) hosted an registered, alcohol-free party at Milne House, a house that is affiliated with the University. Each member of the association was assigned door-duty times in order to maintain orderly conduct within the surrounding environment. Following the University's social protocol and registering the party meant that the house would become subject to a patrol car constantly patrolling the area starting at 10 p.m. At one point in the night, a Somerville police officer approached a member of the Association and repeatedly told the member in a threatening manner that the party better be a registered party and that no one better be serving alcohol to minors. Knowing that we were following all of the Tufts' regulations, the member described the situation to the officer and the officer drove away. As is the norm, around 1:38 a.m. a platoon of cars rushed the house, and a legion of officers approached the house manager, who was standing outside, and ordered her to shut the music off and to end the party. Apparently, some neighbors had called in to complain and the party had to be shut down. However, even before the house manager had an opportunity to alert the DJ, the officers were all already in the house, rudely ordering everyone to leave. They approached the DJ, a junior here, and commanded him to turn off the music. As soon as the music was off, in an attempt to keep the already fading desire to socialize alive, the DJ took the opportunity to announce that there was another party going on at Hotung until 3 a.m. The DJ's announcement for some reason infuriated the Somerville police officer, and in a childishly illogical way, the officer began to threaten the student's equipment and even went so far as to use physical force to pull the student away from his equipment. After having his hat knocked off and being publicly humiliated, the student repeatedly asked the officer to let him go but the officer refused. When the officer finally did let the student go, he allowed him to return to his equipment and begin packing his things. After a brief meeting by the ALAS e-board and residents of the house, we decided to file a complaint to Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) and Somerville PD on how the situation was handled by the officers. After a couple of phone calls that went nowhere, we decided to go down to the TUPD police station at around 2:30 a.m. Unfortunately, the officer that broke up the party was the one working the desk, so he suggested that we file a complaint another day to another officer. When we asked if the reason he declined to write the report was because he would be bias, the officer refused to answer any more questions and told us to report it to the Somerville PD. So after getting directions from the officer to the Somerville police station, we went down there at around 3:15 a.m. and met with Lieutenant Cabral. The police report that was filed contained the exaggerated statements. There were claims that there were 150 to175 people in Milne House (which is physically impossible), that there were students on the front porch with open containers, that there were beer cans all over the floor, and that those working the door were intoxicated. Most of our conversation with Lt. Cabral was spent talking about alcohol and crowd rowdiness -- neither topic really pertaining to the situation at hand -- but we also learned of some new developments that I feel should have been presented to the Tufts community prior to the incident. According to Lt. Cabral, a new "task force" of Tufts and Somerville officers was established Feb. 13, 2004 -- the night of the party. Their sole objective is to crack down on the dramatic increase in social activity in the form of under-age drinking and disturbance of the peace seen on the Tufts campus over the last couple years. The actions taken by the cops the night of the ALAS party are part of a "tactic" that is -- and will continue to be -- used in order for the cops to accomplish their mission. He went so far as to suggest that we be thankful for how the situation had been handled because they could have instead easily driven up in two vans, and arrested everyone in the house for disorderly conduct.In a mocking tone, Lt. Cabral explained to us how ineffective it would be if the cops nicely went up to someone and made demands in a polite way. When asked why physical force was necessary, Lt. Cabral simply informed us that there was a student was using a P.A. system to entice the crowd. One of us made the mistake of using the no-no word -- "racism" -- and at this point, Lt. Cabral abruptly ended the meeting, stating that the issue at hand is not about racism but about respect. Ironically, those words ended up being the most pertinent thing out of his mouth all night. Now why are we making this an issue? As Lt. Cabral correctly stated, no one was really injured. As I explained to Lt. Cabral, 90 percent of the parties I attend at Tufts end up being broken up. At that time, I simply go home, sober up, and go to bed. The reason we are upset is not because the party was broken up but because of the way the officers chose to handle the situation. We feel that we do not need to wait until someone gets seriously injured before we begin to analyze how officers respond to certain situations. Somerville PD is simply not adept in dealing with college students. Officers should not use physical force unless the person presents a danger to the officer, himself, or others. Unfortunately, TUPD is incapable of dealing with us on its own, and so must have the assistance of Somerville PD to deal with the hardships of breaking up a college party. If this new "task force" exists as Lt. Cabral stated, Tufts University should have informed the Tufts community about these drastic changes in security measures on campus. As a university with an already dismal party scene, we must ask ourselves: How are these new Gestapo tactics going to affect our social lives at Tufts? I think the answer is obvious. On that note, I will end my piece with a message from Lt. Cabral of the Somerville PD: from now on, those involved in any sort of social activity that creates a disturbance of the peace will be arrested by the bus-load. Christian Capellan is a junior majoring in computer science.

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News

New president to be elected next month

February 25

While political talk has centered on the United States presidential election, Tufts students will soon be selecting their own president -- for the TCU. The end of the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate term is six weeks away and elections will be held in late March. At Sunday's meeting the Senate discussed success over the year, and plans for the future. At present, no senators have stepped forward to run for president. Although Senator Joe Mead ran last year, he gave no indication that he was planning to run again. Social issues have been at the forefront of current TCU Senate president Chike Aguh's agenda this academic term. According to Aguh, straightening out social life on campus was the central goal for the year. "Social life is really coming to a head right now. It is something the Senate really has to take care of," Aguh said. "Three of our most popular fraternities were shut down [last semester]. That was something I did not foresee." In addition, dealing with the administration's new alcohol policy was challenging for the Senate, and proved to be a disappointing endeavor. "The alcohol policy came out of left field," Aguh said. "No one saw it coming. "Whether you agree with it or not, it was handled poorly." Tufts relationship with Somerville in regard to nightlife on- and off-campus has also been a subject of concern. Aguh stressed the need to come to an understanding with Tufts' neighbors. "When I was a freshman we never saw Somerville police on campus," Aguh said. "We have to set up what's expected of all." Senators agree with Aguh's emphasis on the campus social situation. "Social policy will continue to be a huge issue. We need to take some stronger steps forward in bringing together the administration and the average student," Mead said. The Senate is making efforts to hold a meeting before the end of the semester between students and campus leaders. The meeting plans to include Greek leaders, administrators, police, Senators and students. According to Mead, the meeting will discuss the problem of "police not being allies, [but] being enemies." These issues will continue to be of concern for future Senate bodies. "The Senate started up things it can't finish," Aguh said. "Things will carry over." Many younger Senators will remain involved. "This Senate has been able to stick together despite past Senates being divided," Mead said. Older Senators perceive a stable Senate body to be beneficial to facilitating continuity of goals from year to year. Senator Rafi Goldberg attributed the heightened cohesion to new additions to the Senate's structure. "Last September, the Senate lacked some of the supportive infrastructure that it has today, including outreach bylaws, surveys, and the Progress Tracker," he said. Many Senators consider the increased cohesion as the greatest accomplishment this year. Goldberg foresees an even better climate in the future. "We spent a lot of time making the Senate work better this year, and it's going to pay off in a big way next year because we'll be able to move forward more quickly," he said.

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News

Beads, beads, beads

February 25

"Show us your chest! We'll give you these beads!" Wow. It's hard to imagine how this line of logic makes any sense in the world that we live in today, but for some reason, in a crazy place called New Orleans during a crazy time called Mardi Gras, you can see all the chest you want for the low, low price of... plastic beads. If you haven't been to a Mardi Gras celebration before, you might think that the beads are just some decorative thing. Or that people just wear them for fun. Well I'm here to report back to you (sad students who were stuck in the cold this past Mardi Gras weekend) that these beads are not worn just for fun. Beads are the very currency that fuels a bubble-economy of nudity, alcohol, and... well... nudity. Let's backtrack for a minute here and realize that Mardi Gras has not always been the "Girls Gone Wild" material that it is today. According to local sources, Mardi Gras has roots in the concept of "inversion." Apparently the tradition of the festival is that the rich would parade throughout the city, throwing out money to the poor. This is still seen today in the "family-friendly" parades featuring floats and marching bands. The floats are beautifully decorated and are riding on them are white guys wearing masks. These drunks represent the "rich people" of the traditional Mardi Gras. They throw beads -- "money" -- to the fans at the parade -- "poor people." This setup puts a ridiculous premium on beads. These things are objectively worthless -- granted, some are more elaborately decorated than others -- yet thousands of people in their right minds line up to do anything to get them. Meanwhile, the bead economy here is really controlled entirely by these drunk white guys, so the beads are getting disproportionately thrown out to drunken white girls with shapely bodies. Anyway, after each float comes a marching band. If you enjoyed the film "Drumline," then you would surely enjoy a Mardi Gras parade, which is more like "Get The Hell Out of the Way Before This Trombone Hits You In The Head." The parade-watchers all crowd onto the parade route for the beads, and are all then forcibly pushed back in order to avoid being impaled by drum sticks and sousaphones. So each marching band is staffed with Large Persons whose only job is to push people out of the way. The bands are really impressive and it's easy to see that the high school kids in them love the attention. Well, they might be loving it for the first hour, but I'm sure they've had enough after finishing the eight mile parade route. They sadly don't have the luxury of getting wasted on a moving float -- instead they are underage and have to blow their brains out on a baritone on foot all night long. These floats and marching bands of the family-friendly parades are an amazing cultural spectacle rivaled only by the extremely family-unfriendly scene downtown during Mardi Gras. Rack up some beads at the uptown G-rated parades before heading to Bourbon Street because the plastic bead is mighty strong currency when you're downtown. The Bourbon Street scene needs alcohol like a fat kid needs cake -- borrowing and altering a 50 Cent lyric. If you catch the Bourbon Street scene before 1:00 a.m. when the alcohol has not yet sufficiently diffused into the livers of all crazy people in attendance, then there will not be much to see. However, after all of those Hurricanes and Hand Grenades drinks have made their way to the decision-making centers of the brain, the Bourbon Street scene basically becomes a beads-for-breasts trade market. From afar this makes no sense. But when in the middle of it, it is pathetically natural. You know the setup because you've seen commercials for "Girls Gone Wild": men drunkenly roaming the streets with their necks permanently craned up to balconies that are filled with women who are just a beads-throw away from lifting their shirts. Packs of men just wander around trying to make eye contact with unsuspecting targets up above and do anything to get the millisecond reward of a flash. "Doing anything" usually includes throwing beads up to the balconies but is more likely to include the chanting of vulgar demands. The truth is that this transaction is not far from the usual college party scene. Most college male idiots are wandering around basically willing to offer up whatever "beads" they have in exchange for momentary pleasure. Whether these "beads" are paying for dinner, dancing for a night, or putting up with hours of small talk, all is in the great hope for a flash of something special at the end of the night. Mardi Gras is certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is worth the trip. Whether you're in it for the beads, the Hand Grenades, the breasts, or the twisted parallels to real life, go out and grab yourself a ticket to New Orleans next February. You'll fly down with excitement and anticipation and return with a sore neck and a suitcase full of now-worthless plastic beads.

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News

Debunking the mystery of psychology studies

February 25

Walking up the library steps, through the campus center tunnel, or into the psychology building, students see a familiar sight -- posters seeking test subjects for experiments. Phrases like "Earn $20" or "Voulez-vous gagner $30?" intrigue those students always looking for an easy buck. But, what do they mean? Will people in white lab coats hook you up with electrodes like an old episode of "The Twilight Zone," or lock you in a room for hours while you stare at inkblots? Professor Joseph Debold, head of the psychology department, quickly dispels the mystery. He explained that "individual faculty members and their graduate students" lead the studies performed at Tufts, although not all the posters seen around campus are for Tufts-led studies. Students should have no qualms about participating in these studies, even if they are obscurely titled. Every study using humans as subjects performed at Tufts must pass through an internal review board to ensure it is ethically sound before researchers can even begin advertising. It is unknown, however, if other studies advertised on campus have gone through the same review. The studies themselves come in many different varieties -- the broadest division being between paid and voluntary studies. Freshman Rebecca Katz participated in psych experiments for her intro class. "I had to do three tests for Introduction to Psychology," Katz said. "They weren't paid but it wasn't a big deal. Some were supposed to last an hour, but only lasted a half hour." She said that participating in the experiments was also a good way to learn how experiments are conducted. According to psychology professor Richard Chechile, participating in psychology studies is beneficial to everyone academically -- helping faculty and grad students with their research and providing a firsthand experience for potential psychology majors. "From an educational perspective it is a valuable experience [for students] to participate," he said. "Often the memory of this experience has more lasting value [than classroom work]." Psychology experiments often employ deception of the subject to obtain viable results. When deception is used, however, it purpose is considered for all studies. "If there is any deception that needs to be used, it needs to be justified" before the study is approved, psychology professor Richard Chechile said. In addition, participants must give a signature of informed consent. "With human subjects, we have to go through a review process, Chechile said. "Virtually everyone has to be certified in a training program for knowledge of ethics and an understanding of issues involved." Paid studies provide a student with more than just an academic experience: they are an easy way to make money. Some studies pay 15 dollars an hour, but with compensation often comes a more involved experiment. Sophomore Christine Ash participated in a study that analyzed the brainwaves of people learning a second language. She said the compensation she received wasn't worth the experience. "For me personally I wouldn't do it again even if I was paid -- it was not a comfortable two hours," Ash said. "I had to wear a cap -- kind of like one you wear when you go swimming to keep your hair dry -- that had a lot of different electrodes and wires attached to it. I sat and looked at a computer screen showing different words in English or French and another computer read my brainwaves using the electrodes on the cap." Debold said that the psychology department is concerned about other organizations advertising on campus that haven't necessarily gone through a review board. Tufts' review board would like each advertisement to prove the experiment being run is ethically sound. The money for psychology studies generally comes from grants. If more money is needed, "researchers must convince someone like the National Institutes of Health that the goals of the study and the methods of the study are worth supporting," Debold said. Equipment for the study makes up most of the budget, but paying human subjects is also included.

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News

Jumbos look to veterans to lead offense

February 25

Despite the loss of key veteran bats, the Tufts baseball team looks to continue to win in the NESCAC this year. To do so, the offense will have to depend on the efforts of returning juniors and seniors as well as an abundance of young talent. The offense started slowly last season, but the team hit well enough down the stretch to finish batting .287, contributing to an impressive 21-10 record and a NESCAC tournament berth. However, the Jumbos were quickly knocked out of the tournament, after consecutive 5-1 and 6-0 losses to Amherst and Williams. Tufts now finds itself without many of the driving forces behind last year's offensive production. Centerfielder Evan Zupancic, shortstop Brian Shapiro, and leftfielder Jon Herbert all graduated in 2003. All were dangerous at the plate, most notably Zupancic, who became Tufts' new career home run king with 22 last season. The Jumbos also lose 2003 All-New England Third Team DH Greg Hickey, who would have been a senior on this year's team. Hickey was a major offensive catalyst last year, leading the team in batting average (.394), hits (43), and RBI (31). Hickey is not attending Tufts this semester for unknown reasons, but should return next season. Nonetheless, coach John Casey remains confident about the team's offensive potential, drawing comparisons between this year's young team and the young team of 2000, which featured several freshmen and finished strongly with a record of 26-12. "We've been hitting the ball fairly well," Casey said. "But like a young team sometimes we look bad, and sometimes we look real good, so we'll try to get some level of consistency." One person Casey may look for to provide that offensive consistency will be senior co-captain Adam Kacamburas. The third baseman hit .321 for the Jumbos last year and maintained a staggering .481 on base percentage. "I'd like to see Kac and [speedy sophomore Greg] Chertok at the top of the order," Casey said. "Kac gets on and makes you pitch and Chertok can run. We can do some stuff there." Kacamburas acknowledges the need for this year's veterans to provide offensive strength. "We graduated a lot of talent last year and are going to have to pick up a lot of slack," Kacamburas said. "It's definitely going to be on the older guys to step it up and fill that void." Junior second baseman Frank Dinucci agreed. "We've lost some guys who put the ball over the fence for us," Dinucci said. "We've got to be smart and aggressive on the bases, maybe bunt a lot or play a National League type of baseball if we have to." Other returning starters who are expected to produce at the plate include junior first baseman John McBride, junior catcher Bob Kenny, sophomore outfielder Matt Clement, and infielders junior Dave Bishop and senior Nick Palange. In addition, Casey cites freshman depth as being an important characteristic of this season's offense and expects to see a lot of changes in the lineup during the early part of the season. The team faces its first test on March 19 when it kicks off an eight game southern road trip at Lynchburg College in Virginia. "We're not shying away, we're going to go play them, and we're going to find out," Casey said. "I don't even care who wins, I care if we play competitively. So either way, it's going to give us some great experience and give us a sense of how well we're going to fly."

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News

The Lush heads home

February 25

Think about it. College is the only time in your life when you can walk up to a stranger's house, knock on their door, and say, "Hey, I heard you guys got two kegs?" and be pointed downstairs to the basement, where there are, in fact, two kegs. So in honor of college house parties (and the fact that I didn't get to a bar this weekend), I have compiled a list of five party essentials besides the requisite cups n' kegs: 1. Music -- Often overlooked, music is super important in keeping party people happy. What kind of party is it if you're not screaming while trying to talk to the person next to you? And what else would fill in awkward pauses in conversation? Whether you have someone being "DJ" playing CD's burned the night before, or just playing Winamp on repeat-- try to keep the music current. No one wants to hear the stuff you downloaded on Napster freshman year. 2. Games -- Some people don't go to parties to socialize, but to compete in an Olympics-like competition of drinking games. Flip cup, quarters, Beirut (also known as beer pong, and a version of it is called Panama) - these games involve skill (some, not much), luck, and a good tolerance for cheap beer. Technically, these games shouldn't exist on this campus, according to the Pachyderm. But this is a school where we work hard, play hard, right? Maybe make that work hard, play harder -- I mean, have you ever tried having a conversation with a boy playing Beirut? You can't. They're so focused it's like they have blinders on. But only at Tufts will you see a Beirut table like the one I saw on Bromfield a few weekends ago. It actually had the keg tap going through a hole in the table for easy-to- reach refills, a plastic gutter to catch the runoff and drain into a bucket, and a squeegee to clear the table when you were done. (Obviously, this was a house of engineers.) Another game in itself is consuming the beverages: How many ways can you drink a Keystone Light? Shotgun, waterfalls, keg stand, funnel... it makes you wonder who thought of these things in the first place. Let's have someone who can't even stand straight hold me upside down while I suck beer through a metal nozzle and cling to the barrel to hold myself up. It almost sounds like a circus trick. But remember, it's all fun and games until someone gets dropped (trust me on this). 3. Theme -- Although it exacerbates the "what am I going to wear" question, themes give people a chance to dress up ( whether it's Kelly Kapowski [from SBTB] on 80's Night or a Greek god for a Toga party) and be someone else. And for some reason, no matter how creative or unoriginal the theme is, the theme always ends up becoming: how can we get girls in skimpy outfits? Fun theme parties that I've been to: early 90's (complete with cordless phones as cell phones Zack Morris-style), cowboys and school girls, New Year's (a cute idea, since we aren't on campus to celebrate it together; we also counted down the new year at least four times), Mardi Gras, stoplight party (wear green if you're single, red if you're taken, and yellow, if you're in limbo), pimps and hos, leap year, around the world... And only in college will people throw parties celebrating Leap Year... or a Wednesday. 4. Creative drinks -- There are certain drinks that never make it to the bar menu after college. Maybe it's because we're a less picky crowd. An ice louge (the coldness kills the germs, right?), jello shots (my absolute favorite), and Jungle Juice (isn't everyone warned against this one before going to college?) don't go over so well with people who actually have to pay for their drinks. 5. Your friends and the randoms -- At the risk of sounding like a Hallmark card, where would we be without our friends -- the drunk dialers, the "moms," the friends that cut you off, the friends that pour you another, the lushes, well-intentioned cock-blockers, friends with benefits, the ones that hold your hair back, Beirut partners, and more. Without these people in our (social) lives, a decorated basement in Medford would be just that, and our nights would be a lot less crazy and a lot less fun. And what about the random characters at college parties that don't exist at the bars? The townie that "swears" he's in your intro to psych class, the random dude wearing a backpack, the girls who love dancing, the guy who decides to go streaking, and those new people you meet who prove that even after almost four years at a small liberal arts college you still don't know everyone. These random people may annoy or amuse, but after college you won't be able to look them up in the online directory or freshman facebook.

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News

Baseball kicks off 2004 campaign seeking fifth consecutive 20-win season

February 25

It's 32 degrees outside, it hurts to walk to class, and there are no signs that it will stop anytime soon. But just under two weeks ago, the first signs of spring began, even if you didn't see it. The Tufts baseball season will be soon upon us, and since the middle of this month, the team has been hard at work, hidden within the depths of the athletics complex. Coming off a 21-10 season, in which the team started slowly offensively, but was carried by dominating pitching until the offense found its groove, Tufts will face challenges this year. The Jumbos lost several key members of last year's lineup and rotation, including pitching powerhouses Jon Lee and Dave Martin, along with offensive catalysts, centerfielder Evan Zupancic and shortstop Brian Shapiro, among others. In their place, the team has a large freshman contingent that will look to fill the gaps, along with many returners who will be called upon to step it up. The team is heavily weighted on the young side, with 16 freshmen, ten sophomores, six juniors and five seniors on the 2004 roster. Tufts has momentum on its side, however. The Jumbos have four consecutive 20-win seasons to its credit, and is only two years removed from a school-record 27-win season in 2002, a year in which the team won the NESCAC title and made its second NCAA tournament appearance in eight years. Last year, despite early offensive woes, the team reached the NESCAC playoffs but quickly returned home after back-to-back 5-1 and 6-0 losses at the hands of Amherst and Williams. Senior co-captains, pitcher Randy Newsom and on-base machine and third baseman Adam Kacamburas will spearhead the team this season -- which starts on March 19 when the squad embarks on a ten-game southern road trip through Virginia and North Carolina before returning north after spring break. The Jumbos' home opener is a doubleheader on Saturday, April 3 against Wesleyan. By then it really will be spring. --By Jesse Gerner

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News

Veterans to carry young pitching staff

February 25

With its first game just three weeks away against Lynchburg College in Virginia, the baseball team is sizing up its defensive strengths and weaknesses, especially on its pitching staff. Last season, Tufts had one of the top pitching staffs in the NESCAC. The Jumbos led the league in earned run average at 3.43, finished tied for second in wins with 21, and ranked fourth in total strikeouts with 164. This season, however, the Jumbos will not have their key senior pitchers from last season, namely Jon Lee, Dave Martin, Mike Byron, and closer Brian Shapiro. With seven freshman and sophomore pitchers, this season's staff lacks much of the experience the Jumbos had last year. Although Tufts has a young pitching core, coaches and players are counting on veteran players to lead the team and take the pressure off of the younger players. Leading the way will be senior co-captain Randy Newsom, classmate Dave Frew, juniors Jeremy Davis and Jeff Volinski, and sophomore Erik Johanson. Coach John Casey acknowledges the loss of some key pitchers from last season, but has high expectations of his current veteran pitchers and their ability to carry their younger counterparts. "You always have to replace guys...It's all relative," Casey said. "I don't feel bad about our pitching staff. We've got some young arms, but they're good. I think we'll be fine. Newsom's as good as there is in this league, but he's got to go up against [opposing teams'] best now. Davis is ready to go, he's throwing well [too]." The players also hold high expectations of themselves. Newsom, who led the team in ERA last season (2.15), feels that the high standards set by the last year's veterans are still intact. "It's not good enough to be good, we want to be great," Newsom said. "The veteran pitchers from last season instilled this winning attitude in our staff and we expect to carry on this attitude throughout the season. I'd like to win the NESCAC tournament." Davis feels the team's strength is in its pitching staff and its leadership, which he believes will rub off on all the players. "The strongest part of the team is pitching," Davis said. "We have high expectations, and our veteran leadership will anchor the team and make the younger pitchers feel comfortable in tight situations." According to Newsom, the young pitchers are very talented and can contribute to the team if they continue to work hard. With the support of the veteran players, the young guns should have no problem being comfortable in game situations. Newsom is also confident in the experience of his veteran peers, who he believes have made great improvements on their games in the off-season. "Davis and Johanson have made huge improvements since last season," Newsom said. "Frew and Volinski have also made improvements, and have stepped up in big situations in tight games to carry the team. If they continue to play well, we will do some damage in the league." In terms of catching, Casey has a few options. Junior Bob Kenny will return as starting catcher. Sophomore Josh Ludmer, who was backup last season is hurt and will not play immediately, but classmate Ben Chang, a transfer from Ohio Wesleyan, and freshman Chris Decembrele could both see some time. According to Newsom and Davis, Tufts' first series against Lynchburg in Virginia will reveal a lot about the pitching staff and serve as a basis for what they have to work on throughout the season.

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News

In the poker game of the NHL, some teams can't handle the swings

February 25

As a college student always eager to procrastinate, Texas hold 'em has become my time-wasting activity of choice. As a result, I tend to find poker parallels in much of the world around me, including the NHL. So, what better way to relate the league's recent news and notes than to quote the best poker movie ever made, "Rounders." So, in honor of poker greats Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and Howard Lederer, along with Matt Damon, Ed Norton and John Malkovich (with the purposeful exclusion of Gretchen Mol), here's Inside the NHL, "Rounders" Edition. "Some people, pros even, won't play No-Limit. They can't handle the swings." Like no-limit hold 'em, fortunes in the NHL can change considerably from game to game, and from week to week. This season, the unpredictable and inconsistent St. Louis Blues have exemplified this league tenet. The constant ups and downs seem to have become too much for general manager Larry Pleau, who fired coach Joel Quenneville on Tuesday and replaced him with assistant Mike Kitchen. The Blues have definitely been playing "on tilt" lately, winning only four out of their last 16 games. Once the league's "chip leader," the Blues have become "short-stacked," a collapse that has been well documented by ESPN's Power Rankings. Eight weeks ago, St. Louis had reached the top position, but since that pinnacle, the team has slipped to 17th. Its latest loss, a last-second overtime heartbreaker to the lowly Chicago Blackhawks (46 points), was the end of the line for Quenneville, who won coach of the year in 2000 and is the franchise's winningest coach. The move was probably made to give the players a much-needed reminder that not making the playoffs is unacceptable. With 21 games remaining, the Blues (67 points) are currently two points shy of the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators for the eighth and final playoff spot. Those of you off-campus can see how the team responds to their new "hand" tonight against the Colorado Avalanche (80 points) on ESPN. "I learned it from you, Mike. You always told me that this was the rule -- rule No. 1 -- throw in your cards when you know you can't win. Fold the hand." Poker is all about making calculated choices -- knowing when to bet, when to call, and when to fold your hand. On Tuesday, the Phoenix Coyotes (58 points) decided that taking their chances on the next hand made more sense than hanging on to their current one, firing Coach Bob Francis and replacing him with assistant Rick Bowness. Like Quenneville, Francis is a coach of the year award recipient, winning the honor in 2002 when he led the unheralded Coyotes to a surprising playoff berth. This year though, the bright spots have been few and far between. One such highlight, however, was goalie Brian Boucher's five straight shut-outs over winter break. The streak set an NHL record for consecutive minutes of scoreless goalie-work. The team also opened a new arena this season, though their home record there is a disappointing 4-8-2-2. Eleven points out of the playoffs and last in the Pacific Division, the odds that the Coyotes make the playoffs are probably less than catching both runners to make your flush. "You can't lose what you don't put in the middle ... but you can't win much, either." You can only check to the raiser so often. Eventually, both in poker and in the NHL, you have to make a move if you expect to start building a chip stack. Last week, the Nashville Predators (69 points) were out of the playoffs and struggling to score. After taking a risk and trading for right-winger Steve Sullivan from the Blackhawks, however, the team has turned it around. Sullivan had an astounding ten points in his first three games. The move by GM David Poile can probably be compared to Mike McDermott's great lay-down in his final showdown with Teddy KGB ("f**k you lay that down for?"). The payoff: a good chance for the franchise's first ever playoff berth. "Nyet! Nyet! No more!" That was the last of my chips. Take it down.

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