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Jumbos capture second at New England Division III Championships

February 22

Williams lived up to their reputation as a league powerhouse last weekend, edging out Tufts for the New England Div. III Championship. Tufts finished second out of the field of 21 at Bowdoin College last Saturday. The Jumbos' 107.5 team points placed them behind only Williams, which accumulated 115.5 points. "The team ran superbly," coach Connie Putnam said. "There's almost nowhere you can find someone who had a disappointing performance." No Jumbo qualified in the 55 meter dash, while junior Ray Carre qualified but didn't run in the 200 or 400. "It was pretty obvious going in that if we spotted Williams all the points in the 55, 200, and 400, it was going to be tough to pull out a win," Putnam said. "But Ray probably wouldn't have scored in the 200 and if he had run the 400 he couldn't have run the 600." Instead, Carre won the 600 with a career best time of 1:22 flat, marking the third consecutive week that a Jumbo has broken the school record in that event. Freshman Nate Cleveland finished third with a 1:23.25, just four-hundredths of a second out of second. "Nate got nipped by an upperclassman," Putnam said. "It happens." Sophomore Pat Mahoney came in fifth in the 800, running a personal best 1:56.53. Putnam thought he was disadvantaged due to his placement in the slower of two heats, which he won. "All the guys in the faster heat were pushing each other," Putnam said. "Pat didn't have the benefit of that competition." Sophomore Matt Fortin scored in the 1000 with a fifth place finishing time of 2:32.58, while fellow classmate Kyle Doran just missed qualifying for NCAA's in the 1500 with a 3:58.48, good for third place. Sophomore Matt Lacey came in third in the 3000 with an 8:47.99 while fellow Jumbo junior Mike Don was right behind him in fourth with an 8:49.55. "If we had one race where I was hoping we could be a little better it was that one," Putnam said. "They still both had excellent times though." In the 5000, junior Nate Brigham put up the 12th fastest Div. III time in the nation on a flat track this year, running it in 14:44.47. Freshman Josh Kennedy provided support for Brigham's first place with a fifth place time of 15:14.06, ten seconds faster than his seed. "Fifteen-fourteen for a freshman is darn good," Putnam said. "Don't let anyone kid you. Taken together our 5k was nothing short of phenomenal." Junior Nate Thompson grabbed fourth in the 55 meter hurdles final with a season best 7.82, while freshman Jamil Ludd entered with the lowest seed but posted back-to-back career bests of 8:15 in the preliminary heat and 8:06 in the final to capture eighth place. Thompson also posted fourth in the long jump with a 6.59 meter jump, while freshman Fred Jones grabbed a second in the long jump and a first in the triple jump. His respective distances of 6.96 m and 14.28 m were both pr's. Sophomore Seth LaPierre tied for third in the pole vault with a season best 14-03.5 and just missed clearing 14-09. Junior Dan March finished seventh in the weight throw with a 15.9 meter throw. "March threw well but not great," Putnam said. "I think he was a little disappointed in his place." In the relays, the 4x400 squad grabbed fifth with a 3:23.87 while the 4x800 grabbed fourth overall, winning their heat by almost eight seconds with a time of 8:07.86. Putnam thought that the 4x800 team could have fared better but junior Aaron Kaye's opening stint was so good that freshmen Peter Orth, Dan Jones, and Dan Sullivan had little competition on their legs. The distance medley relay team also captured a fourth place, running in 10:30.25. The coach had also predicted faster times for his 4x400 and DMR teams, but thought they looked a little worn down. "When you compete as hard as we did, you get on the bus afterward and what can you say?" Putnam said. "Williams was a little better than us."

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News

So fine I really wanna make you mine

February 22

On Friday evening at 5:45 p.m. the Apple store at the CambridgeSide Galleria was packed with people. In one corner of the store, people pushed forward to peer over each others' shoulders while others flagged down the floor managers to ask what all the hoopla is all about. The answer: "The new iPod mini is being released at 6 p.m. tonight." At the stroke of six, the mini music player enjoyed a more magnanimous welcome to the world than most newborn children. Fanfare played over the store's music system as the minis were wheeled out from the back and customers eyed the cube-shaped boxes hungrily. Unfortunately for some, iPod minis were only available to those who had one already reserved by name -- or early-birds who were able to secure tickets. Mac fans have been abuzz over this latest addition to the Apple family. The most telling difference between the mini and its bigger brother is the mini's beautiful colors. The mini is available in five metallic hues: blue, pink and lime green for those who want to make a bold statement; silver and gold for those who want something a little more chic. After the striking colors, the most noticeable difference between the mini and the original iPod is its smaller size. The mini is a compact version of its bigger brother; it is smaller in both physical size and in storage capacity. At 3.6 ounces, nearly half and inch smaller in both dimensions and a hair slimmer, the player stores 4GB of songs -- far fewer than the original. Despite the smaller size, the mini comes equipped with all the same features as its counterpart. The player is almost as versatile as a PDA with features such as a clock, calendar, contact list, and various games. Like the full-sized iPod, it can also be used to store and transfer non-music files. The original iPod is available in 15GB, 20GB and 40GB models. Fans of the mini don't seem to be too put off by the music player's more limited capacity. "It depends on what you're looking for. My wife and daughter want a mini because it's small and cute," said Bob, one of the floor managers. "Storage capacity comes second in this case." This sentiment was echoed by customers in line. "I can't live without it, I can't work out without it, I've been waiting forever and ever!" iPod mini enthusiast Marie McRae said. "I first saw them at Macworld [product expo] and wanted to steal one, but then I thought that I should probably wait." While many customers walked out beaming with their minis cradled under their arm, others were not completely satisfied. "I actually made three reservations for the gold one: one under my name, one for my dog, one for my neighbor," McRae confides. "But I'm still stuck with the silver!" Silver is the default color of the player and the color most "walk-in" customers received. The Galleria store only received three machines in gold and already has an extensive waiting list for the shade. This time around, Apple is targeting consumers who do not place such heavy emphasis on storage space. "Even when we released the bigger iPod, there was a market for something smaller size-wise," said Greg, a floor manager. "There are people who simply don't need 15GB of space for songs." Indeed, the fact that some mini purchasers already have an original iPod speaks to the fact that the two music players have been developed with two different purposes in mind. While the larger iPod speaks to the tech-geek side of buyers, the mini quenches consumers' ever-present weakness for something super sleek and stylish. Compact technology comes at a cost, however. The price tag on the iPod mini may cause many to think twice about purchasing the player. At $249, it is only slightly less expensive than the 15GB iPod, even though the mini has a quarter the storage space of the larger iPod. The two-year AppleCare Protection Plan costs an additional $40. Ultimately, the choice between the full-sized iPod and the mini boils down to what function the customer places more value on. The iPod mini is now available at the Apple store at CambridgeSide Galleria for $249. Students and educators will receive a $20 discount with a valid student ID. Store representatives recommend calling in advance to request a hold.

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News

The Horrors of War come to the Balch Arena

February 22

"A Piece of My Heart", which continues its run at the Balch Arena Theater this weekend, is not for the weak hearted. The weighty script follows six idealistic women who volunteer to serve in Vietnam and fall into a world of death, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. This powerful dramatic presentation, written by Shirley Lauro, and directed by Drama and Dance Department professor Sheridan Thomas, combines elements of both experimental and classical theater. Exceptional direction from Thomas keeps the audience at the edge of its seat and the script's affecting themes inspire activism in the audience. "A Piece of My Heart" concerns itself with the idea that people are naively drawn into war with expectations of glory, but once stricken by its grim reality, become addicted to the sense of purpose that the war's horrors gives them. The play's na‹ve protagonists sign up to find glory in 'Nam and instead find unprecedented hardship and tragedy, only to return home as unappreciated "adrenaline junkies," searching for a connection to society. The women go to war for different reasons. The privileged Vassar graduate wants a little warm weather, and the activist army-nurse thinks she's going to be assigned to Hawaii. The production features freshman Kasey Collins as Martha, senior Lisa Birnbaum as Whitney, junior Stefanie Schussel as Sissy, sophomore Emi Norris as Leeann, freshman Jessica Bauman as Mary-Jo, and sophomore Jolanda Porter as Steele. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the show is to see the main characters fall into a cycle of self-destruction after the war as they seek refuge in booze, pot, and disreputable men. Fortunately, Thomas' production avoids falling into the theatrical trap of portraying tragedy as a poorly constructed over-dramatization. The production's creative set and lighting design enhance the play greatly, adding to its professional caliber. Especially powerful is the scene in which a soldier who is a "double amputee" takes center stage. The poignant image of a handsome young soldier seemingly hanging in the air leaves the women of "Piece" struggling to process the scene that is before them. Eerie lighting illuminating the soldier's bare body and outstretched arm suggests the profound search for inner purpose that is so often associated with justifying warfare. The production also boasts an excellent male cast. Each actor rises to the challenge of portraying multiple characters. Versatile performances were given by sophomore Nathan Todd, senior Taylor Shann, junior Nam Nguyen, and senior Jeffery Brea. The "men," as they are listed in the bulletin, take advantage of clever costume design to transform into several identities. A talented cast, combined with loud sound effects and bold lighting, sincerely conveys to the audience the chaos of life during wartime. The actresses deliver impressive authentic performances as they lose all inhibition and scream, cry, and laugh the war away. "A Piece of My Heart," shows itself to be a multifaceted production, equally capable of evoking laughter and tears. The play takes several unexpected turns, resulting in dialogue of race and gender equality and sexuality, which will shock (and perhaps provoke) even the most qualified viewer. "A Piece of My Heart," which will be playing throughout the weekend, is well worth viewing. It is a production with a purpose, and it deserves a sound audience to absorb the energy of its message.

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News

Tufts Loses to Williams in NESCAC Playoffs

February 22

Just moments after the final buzzer sounded on the Tufts women's basketball team's 73-52 loss to the Williams Ephs, senior tri-captain Maritsa Christoudias collapsed to the floor of Cousens gymnasium. Christoudias' actions seemed to symbolize the feelings of the rest of the team -- exhausted and distraught. The Jumbos were unable to overcome an energized Williams' team in the quarterfinals of the NESCAC playoffs on Saturday afternoon. "It's a very tough loss," Christoudias said. "We knew it was going to be our last game at home, but we weren't expecting it to be the last game of [the seniors'] careers." Tufts came flying out of the gates, building an 11-2 lead in the game's first five minutes in what was looking like a repeat of last weekend's contest. However, after that stretch, the Jumbos were unable to get into any offensive rhythm for the rest of the half and were forced to take ill-advised shots from around the court. Williams turned up its defense and was able to score the game's next ten points to take a 12-11 lead with just under 12 minutes left before intermission. "We came out playing great D and then we dropped off and let them back in it," sophomore guard Jessica Powers said. "At the time, coach was telling us to step up on defense and get into the passing lanes so we could get back on offense and execute." Despite their lack of rhythm, the Jumbos were able to stay close for the majority of the first half. But after a jumper by junior forward Allison Love brought Tufts to within two with six and a half minutes to play, the Ephs went on a 12-4 run to close out the half. The Ephs defensive intensity led to fluid offense and, led by Maggie Miller's 12 points, cruised into the locker room with a 36-26 lead. The Jumbos shot just 35 percent from the floor and committed an unusual 16 turnovers in the first. Only sophomore guard Jessica Powers seemed unfazed by the defensive pressure, scoring 16 of the Jumbos 26 points on six of nine shooting in the first 20 minutes. In the locker room, coach Carla Berube and senior tri-captains Christoudias, Erin Buckley and Kate Gluckman looked to motivate the team to come out strong in the second half. "Coach inspired us in the locker room, reminding us that we were only five baskets down, that it was practically a tie game," Powers said. "At that point nobody was thinking that we were out of the game by any means." However, Williams came out where it left off. Sophomore Colleen Hession drilled a long three-pointer to increase the Williams lead to 13, a lead that remained in double digits for the ten minutes of the second. The Ephs focused their defensive attention on Powers, crowding her and forcing her to pass off of her penetration instead of shooting. However, Powers' backcourt and classmate Julia Verplank came back in the second half after sitting out most of the first in foul trouble, taking some of the pressure off of Powers. "I had more shot opportunities in the first half," Powers said. "In the second half they were stopping me shooting which forced me to look for other players. It worked out because other people were able to contribute which was what we needed." With eleven minutes to go in the game and Williams up 16, the Jumbos began to creep back into the game. Junior Erin Connolly took an inbound pass from Powers on the far corner of the court and swished home a three pointer to cut the lead to 13. After the Jumbo defense forced a turnover, Connolly struck again, nailing one from the top of the key to bring Tufts to within ten. After lay-ups on subsequent plays by Connolly and Christoudias, both on pretty passes by Powers, the Jumbos were back within six points, energizing both the players and the home crowd. "It was a great run. Erin Connolly made some huge shots," Christoudias said. "Our defense got better during the run, every basket we got came off of a turnover." After a timeout by the Ephs, Tufts wasn't able to keep its streak going. "Everyone was really intense about playing hard because we were coming back," Powers said. "Coach just told us to keep building on the run, focusing on getting one basket at a time. Williams, however, came out of the timeout very composed and responded to the Tufts run by scoring 16 of the next 19 points, led by Miller, Hession, and senior co-captain Sarah Dickens. "They were getting into the middle on us and putting up shots that just seemed to fall, and we stopped scoring," Powers said. "Basketball is a game of runs and that was shown yesterday. They just happened to wind up with the last run." The scoring spree took the life out of the Jumbos, who still fought hard until the final buzzer. Powers led Tufts with 16 points despite going scoreless in the second half, and seven assists. Junior Allison Love added 11 points and nine rebounds. Miller scored 20 for the Ephs and Hession had 17. The Ephs join the undefeated Bowdoin College Polar Bears as the only teams to have defeated the Jumbos at home this season, avenging last weekend's loss to Tufts in Williamstown, 59-37. The loss marked the final game in the careers of seniors Christoudias, Gluckman, and Buckley. "We knew that the season was going to end with a loss, it just came earlier for us than we expected," Christoudias said. "They were so much more intense this time. We just weren't prepared for it. Last time it was the other way around, we were more intense. The roles were completely reversed this time."

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News

Fantasy Baseball

February 22

I'm sure everyone agrees that last weekend's trade of Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees was unprecedented on many levels. Yes, he's got the biggest contract and is the best player in baseball and he was traded, anyway. Yes, he was traded to the Yankees, who just got back from the World Series and who will now eclipse any other team's payroll by more than $50 million. Yes, the Yanks already have an All-Star shortstop, but they still went for A-Rod; and yes, the Yankees are now an undisputedly evil enterprise that has manifested itself like a cancer towards the ruination of baseball, and in turn, society. All of these things are true. But the second I stopped vomiting, it occurred to me-the A-Rod trade was also the biggest thing that could have happened for Fantasy Baseball this year. Yes, that's what I said, Fantasy Baseball. For those of you who don't know, fantasy sports are pretty much God's answer to the intellectual sports fan's plea for stimulation beyond PTI-and Fantasy Baseball, in my humble opinion, is the best of them all. In brief, as a fantasy manager in traditional leagues, you get to draft your own team out of the universe of real players (AL-only, NL-only, or the whole of baseball) and call them the "Down City Piledrivers" or "Boobs! Two O'Clock!" (These are team names from my current fantasy basketball league), and put them up against other teams controlled by other managers within your league. Basically, it's like getting a bunch of your friends together, lining up all the best players in baseball against the wall at the playground, and then picking teams. You get a limited number of picks, you keep your teams the whole season, and you build stats based upon what your players do each night to compete with the other teams. In most traditional leagues, you'll have to have a player for each position, some starters and relievers, plus a handful of reserves. The standard 5 x 5 rotisserie statistical categories are Runs, Home Runs, Stolen Bases, RBIs, and Batting Average for batters, and Wins, ERA, WHIP, Strike Outs, and Saves for pitchers. So the guy in your leagues who matches up the best when you add his rankings in all of the stat categories wins all the Mepos at the end of the season. If you still don't understand, e-mail me. If you have Nomar at short and he hits two homers tonight, then you add two hits, two runs, two homers, and at least two RBIs to your stats. What if you have Giambi and he sprains his pinky diving for a bunt and will be out for the season? Bummer dude, you need a new first baseman. Throughout the season, you can trade for players on other teams, you can talk trash, and you can drop slumping guys and pick up streaky no-names off the free agent list. You can try to load up on power and give up on your relief pitchers. You can do pretty much anything you want since you are the manager and this is your fantasy, after all. So now back to the A-Rod trade, which, I may remind you, also involved Alfonso Soriano (whom I no longer hate). Probably for the first time ever, the top two fantasy players are changing teams and probably positions. Previous to this trade, it was almost a given that A-Rod and Soriano would go 1-2 in every draft. Now, everything is out of whack. So let's take a look. First, the teams. A-Rod moves to a line-up padded with stars that will probably score over 1,000 runs, so that means he'll be driving in at least 150 RBIs, right? But Yankee stadium is no Arlington, especially for righties, and I expect that the rest of A-Rod's numbers will take a hit. In fact, over the past three years, Rodriguez has hit just 6 homers there, and batted a paltry .241. Also, the only right-handed Yankee to hit over 40 dings in a season was Joltin' Joe himself, and that was back in 1937. And steals? Like I will emphasize many times this spring, steals are often the X-factor that make a decent hitter a fantasy star. But do you think that the Yanks will be giving A-Rod the green light before Giambi, Sheffield, and Williams come to bat? I don't think so. As it is, A-Rod only swiped 17 last year. Expect that number to drop. What about Soriano? This guy has been a fantasy superstar the past two seasons, ranking in the top three each time, averaging 38 homers and 38 steals. But without the protection and the clout of the Yanks' line-up, you can't expect this guy to score 100 runs a season anymore. On the other hand, you can expect all of his other numbers to go up. Soriano hit .462 at Arlington Park last season, better than at any other stadium. On top of that, Soriano won't be batting lead-off anymore in Texas, so he'll have increased RBI opportunities, plus manager Buck Showalter will let him steal. And who says Soriano couldn't hit 50? The other major factor in this trade is position. When A-Rod was a shortstop, he stood slightly ahead of a crowd of other fantasy stars, which includes Derek Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra, Miguel Tejada, Edgar Renteria, and up-and-comer Orlando Cabrera. Now, Rodriguez will probably get moved to third base, where there is a depth of decency, but an utter lack of stars now that Albert Pujols is no longer eligible to fill the hot corner. This means that A-Rod has more value, since having him a third will give you a large advantage over all of the competitor's third basemen. For second baseman Soriano, he was distinguished along with Jeff Kent and Brett Boone from a junk heap of others. Now he will probably be moving to the outfield, where there are many other stars. However, in almost every fantasy league, players keep eligibility at the positions that they played regularly the previous season. So A-Rod can still be your shortstop and Soriano still your second baseman, which gives them both a flexibility that makes them even more valuable -- at least for this next year. Therefore, unless you're in a keeper league, I would draft Soriano ahead of A-Rod if given the opportunity. There, I said it. And I'm out of words for now...

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News

More people should be involved in policy making

February 19

When reading about the seeming dictator-like control imposed by Office of Residential Life and Learning Director Yolanda King and Dean of Students Bruce Reitman ("Controversy erupts over alcohol panel speakers" Feb. 18), I couldn't help my first reaction: How dare the University stifle the RAs' right to speak?! After some thought, I soon realized that this panel of seven RAs would certainly possess individuals who disagree with the University's alcohol policy. By allowing RAs to voice their dissenting opinions as employees of Tufts at a University-sponsored event, Tufts runs the risk of discrediting its own policy, its implementation, and the institution. In this vein, Dean Bruce Reitman's words, "it's not an appropriate thing to ask someone who is accepting salary to discuss the policy," reflect a rational, acceptable administrative response. However, the sheer concept that RAs are not permitted to participate in the panel is indicative of a deeper issue; Tufts University, like many organizations, has fallen victim to poor facilitative leadership in its policy-making and training. Were the University to actively involve all the policy stakeholders (e.g., those who make final decisions, those who implement it, those affected by it) when making the policy, Tufts would create a shared vision around it. This combined effort would create individuals and groups that are vested in the policy; they take ownership of it, are proud of its creation, and support it. Furthermore, prior to the solicitation of RA applicants, the Office of Residential Life and Learning must communicate not simply the text of the alcohol policy but also an accurate view of what the ramifications are in implementing the policy in our residence halls. RA applicants must specifically affirm their commitment to upholding this policy at the time of application. Tufts has failed to engage key stakeholders in policy development and to effectively communicate requirements to those who uphold the policy. Imagine a day when Tufts doesn't silence RA voices but instead encourages them. After all, a group of vested RAs that share a common vision is truly an army of supporters. Mitch Lunn LA '04

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News

Men's track and field gears up for big weekend at Bowdoin

February 19

Coach Connie Putnam expects harder efforts, faster times, and longer distances all around from the men's track and field team in the New England Division III Championships competition at Bowdoin tomorrow. "This is the culmination of our entire season," senior tri-captain Adrian Clarke said. "We've been preparing for this since we got here in September. This is our team championship and this is what all our efforts have been towards." Last year, Tufts finished third out of 22 teams behind MIT and Williams. This year, Putnam expects those two schools to once again be the crux of the competition, with Bowdoin and Bates also matching up as formidable opponents. "We're spoilers [to MIT and Williams]," Putnam said. "If they make any mistakes at all, we'll be there with a chance to capitalize." The Jumbos have already defeated both MIT and Bowdoin earlier this season at Bowdoin. The team enters the meet in high spirits. "Not to sound brash, but most of the teams we've faced aren't in our class," Putnam said. "Now we deal with the teams that are, and we deal with them in a championship setting, which was the season is all about." "Our mentality is: 'let's not worry about winning, let's run well in every event and let the winning take care of itself,'" Putnam said. "I feel like our guys are very, very ready, probably the most ready we've been for this race in years." No one will represent Tufts in the 55-, 200-, or the 400-meter dash on Saturday. No Jumbos qualified in the 55m, while junior Ray Carre qualified for the 400-m but will not be running because Putnam wants to save him for the 600-m, which he will run with freshman Nate Cleveland. "Cleveland and Carre are the number two and three seeds in the 600-, so we have a chance to get some major points there," Putnam explained. "The 400- and 600- [which are run back to back] are nearly impossible to double up on." Sophomore Pat Mahoney will represent the Jumbos in the 800m, while Tufts will attack the rest of the races in pairs. Sophomore Matt Fortin and freshman Scott Merrick will team up in the 1000m, sophomore Kyle Doran and junior Brian McNamara will try to conquer the 1500m, and sophomore Matt Lacey and junior Mike Don will run the 3000m. The junior Nate Brigham and freshman Josh Kennedy combination will tackle the 5000m while junior Nate Thompson and freshman Jamil Ludd will run the 55-meter hurdle. Senior Peter Bromka has qualified for the 3k and could possibly join Lacey and Don in that race, but he has been hampered by a hip flexor and tendonitis. In the field events, Thompson will join freshman Fred Jones in a potent 1-2 punch in the triple jump and long jump, while Evan Blaser will represent Tufts in the high jump. Freshman Ryan Byrne will compete in the shot put while sophomores Dan March and Jason Galvin qualified for the weight throw. The Jumbos will have the largest representation in the pole vault, with Clarke, sophomores Seth LaPierre and Will Heitmann, and freshman Justin Henneman all stepping onto the runway. "We all just need to put on a good show this weekend and hopefully score some points for the team," LaPierre said. The relay teams will also provide lots of opportunities to snatch points away from opponents, and the Jumbos will try to take advantage of them. The 4x400m relay team will consist of Carre, Mahoney, Cleveland, and sophomore Trevor Williams. The 4x800m will probably be run by junior Aaron Kaye and freshmen Dan Sullivan, Dan Jones, and Peter Orth. In the distance medley relay, McNamara will run the 1200m leg, Ludd will run the 400m, Fortin the 800m, and Doran will close with the 1600m.

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News

Jumbos cast gaze on Williams

February 19

A week removed from rewriting the names at the top of two events in the Tufts record books, the women's track and field team now turns sets sights on the next prize, tomorrow's New England Division III Championships. The Jumbos have never won the event and will face strong opposition from Williams, with Bowdoin, Bates, Mount Holyoke and Brandeis also posing threats. The Williams Ephs have been a recent Division III powerhouse, dominating the championship event with three titles in the last eight years, including two under current Tufts coach Kristen Morwick, then the Eph coach. But it will be no cakewalk for Williams, who will face a serious challenge at the MIT-hosted event from what has been a frequently locked and loaded Jumbo team this season. "We definitely could get a solid second and maybe try and beat Williams for first place," senior quad-captain Jess Trombly said. "It might be tough because we don't have people in every event, but we're going to try to go after them and maybe we can beat them." The Jumbos have over 70 qualifications in 22 Division III events, and while not every athlete will compete in every event for which she has qualified, it goes to show the depth of this Jumbos squad. "We're really deep this year," Trombly said. "In the past we had a couple of upperclassmen who were really good but this year the underclassmen have really proved themselves. We just have a lot of very strong people in every event, which is why I think we're better this year than any other." Morwick will make the most of those qualifications to score as highly as possible in every event and try to dethrone Williams. "A lot of it has to do with where I think they can score most," Morwick said. "We're just spying around and knowing what other people are putting their kids in around the league. We'll put people in the best position to be successful." At the same time, however, Tufts will also use tomorrow's meet to try to gain some last-minute national qualifying times -- with just three meets including Div. III's remaining until nationals, tomorrow's competitive field could spark some fast races. While this may jeopardize valuable team points, Morwick says the team is also looking beyond this weekend's results at the upcoming All-New England's at BU and ECAC's at Bowdoin. "For the most part we'll put people in events that we think they can score in," Morwick said. "The only reason that might change is if we're trying to go for a national qualifier, [and if] we can get a more competitive race and a faster time that we might not get later in the season. But we're not going to abuse our kids and go after [Div. III's] if we don't think it's [reachable]. We have goals beyond this weekend as well." Williams will prove tough, particularly in the throwing and jumping events. The Ephs have three competitors in the pole vault, an event in which Tufts is not represented, and has two high jumpers to challenge Tufts' duo of junior Sika Henry and freshman Sade Campbell. The shot put, though, is the event with the biggest Eph guns. Six Williams throwers are qualified in the shot, three of whom have hurls of over 12 meters. Tufts is represented by seniors Gwen Campbell (11.28m) and Jess Gauthier (11.19m), and juniors Katie Antle (11.16m) and Jessica Colby (10.70m). Gauthier (13.51m) is the lone Jumbo in the weight throw, facing two Ephs and two Bates throwers, including sophomore Kelly Godsey, who this season broke the school record with a throw of 17.88 meters. "Williams just has people in areas we don't," Morwick explained. "In the shot put they're going to score at least three places. We just get killed in some events where we're not quite close to them." But Campbell is not counting her teammates out just yet. "If any one of us has a really good day, we could definitely score really high," Campbell said. "One or several of us could just pull it out and make some huge additions to the team." The Jumbos are more than capable of doing some damage of their own on the track. The 4x400 team of Trombly, senior quad-captain Emily Bersin, Henry and sophomore Rachel Bloom is currently the top Division III foursome in the nation and broke the school record last weekend at BU. The women sit 11 seconds clear of Brandeis (4:04.83), the second fastest team, and will be looking for an automatic national qualification. Senior quad-captain Lauren Caputo will run the 3000, an event that is not in the national competition, but will also race in the distance medley relay. The DMR team missed national qualification last weekend by one second, and will try to qualify again tomorrow. Both the distance and sprint events are loaded with strong Tufts lineups. Trombly is qualified in seven individual events but will compete in the 55 hurdles, 800 and long jump, while freshman Sarah Crispin will run the 1000, an event she has also qualified for All-New England's in. Quad-captain Katie Higley will run the 600, one of four events for which she qualified, and sophomore Megan Sears is top seed in the pentathlon, one of three Jumbos in the event. While Morwick thinks it unlikely Tufts can upset Williams, she is not ready to concede yet. "If Williams had a horrible meet and we did unbelievably we could probably beat them, but chances are it's not going to happen," Morwick said. "It'll be a good meet, it always is, there are always some surprises. You never know."

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News

Why not try topping that pig's foot with some rose petal jam?

February 19

This is the second installment of a bi-weekly feature on specialty stores in the Boston area. This week, the Daily looks at specialty markets. Kotobukiya Given the high prices at sushi restaurants, it's no wonder that few people can afford to eat the delicacy regularly. With a little help from this Japanese specialty store, however, one can be dining on himachi and tako every night. Located in a Porter Exchange just down the street from Porter Square, the Kotobukiya market sells reasonably priced cuts of fish and octopus that are ready to be eaten upon slicing, right out of the package. Kotobukiya specializes in Japanese food imports, carrying everything from rice crackers and curry mixes to pickled fruit and Pocky. The imported products (which range from Japanese yogurt to frozen tempura) are fairly affordable, and the myriad of different brands means picky shoppers will have plenty of choices. Beyond fish, they have everything you'll need for a multi-course sushi dinner: rice, seaweed, soy sauce, salmon roe, and chopsticks are available for purchase. The case full of frozen tofu will delight health-food buffs and the ready-to-eat mochi ice-cream balls are the perfect on-the-run dessert. Sessa's Cold Cuts and Italian Specialties The small, cluttered store on Highland Avenue might not look like your stereotypical small-town market, but a quick step inside will make you think you're back in Tuscany. As its name might suggest, Sessa's Italian Specialties sells exclusively imported Italian products. For a store so located in Davis Square, their selection is extremely impressive. Everything from gnocchi to pasta can be purchased here, as well as imported fruit juices (which cover the more normal flavors to things like blood orange and peach), Italian cookies, and high-quality chocolate. If you're in the mood for pizza but don't feel up for Domino's, Sessa's not only sells the ingredients necessary to make your own authentic Italian pie, but also has all the pans and cooking materials you'll need. The prices here are a bit on the expensive side, but as everyone who has ever craved real European orange soda can tell you, the nagging desire for Italian aranciato knows no dollar limit. Items like flavored coffee syrups, Italian jams (selection varies from more normal varieties to gooseberry and banana, and as far as eggplant, rose petals, and chocolate cream), and frozen tiramisu are hard to find in the States, especially with a college student's limited free time. The market's close proximity means that students no longer need to live without satisfying their craving for real Tuscan bread. Sessa's also features a butchery sporting all sorts of Italian meats (including, of course, prosciutto), and they sell cheeses and olives as well as real brick torrone (an Italian dessert made of honey, almonds, and albumen which is sweeter -- and much harder to find -- when sold in blocks). It might not be Italy, but judging from the size of their selection, it has to be close to the next best thing. McKinnon's Choice Meat Market Even on a busy weekday afternoon, the aisles of McKinnon's Choice Meat Market in Davis Square are packed with anxious customers looking to pick up something for dinner. Though it offers a small selection of cheeses, olives, bread, and different kinds of fruit that might otherwise be difficult to find so close to Tufts, McKinnon's clearly targets those with more carnivorous tastes. The market is packed from wall to wall with all sorts of cuts of meat, ranging from various kinds of hot dogs and marinated sirloin steaks to tripe and appetizing-looking pigs' feet, and its attached deli slices cold cuts and various other sandwich necessities to order. All the meat is understandably fresh, with a butchery located in the back, and the prices are reasonable enough that having steak for dinner can become a weekly event.

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News

New trucks added to mail services, facilities fleets

February 19

Among the changes made on campus over winter break is the addition of several new vehicles to the Facilities and Mail Services Departments. Facilities have replaced two vans and two pick-up trucks with newer Ford and Dodge models since December, bringing their total number of vehicles to six. Meanwhile, the Mail Services Department received a 2004 Ford Freestar to replace "Big Blue," their 1996 GMC Safari. The new Facilities trucks and vans ranged between $16,000 and $18,000. Facilities uses their trucks to transport ground service personnel, such as landscapers and groundskeepers. The vans also act as trade vehicles for carpenters, electricians, and other professional workers while they complete jobs on campus. The four older vehicles were originally manufactured between 1989 and 1992. With repair costs for service trucks over five thousand dollars it became impractical to retain them. "The ones we replaced were getting very expensive to maintain," Said Ronald Esposito, Director of Facilities on the Medford campus. "After awhile, you're just throwing money away." Mail Services relies on four different trucks, which deliver large packages to the apartments and dorms on the Medford, Boston, and Grafton campuses. Over the course of eight years, Big Blue accumulated 77,000 miles on this route. By the end of last year, the doorframe was in need of serious repair, and the vehicle had windows on only one side, limiting driver visibility. Mail Services Supervisor Ron Drauschke and Support Services Manager Sheila Chisholm agree that the replacement truck is "a big step forward." The biggest improvement in the Freestar is its more accommodating structure, Drauschke said. "The sliding doors on both sides and the folding rear seats make loading and unloading much easier for the workers. And the windows allow much more visibility, making it safer to drive on campus." Funding for service vehicles is typically supplied by the University's general budget, but according to Director of University Facilities Robert Bertram, "the actual purchases and decisions are done at the campus level." New vehicles, regardless of cost, are considered capital expenses and are factored into the capital budget each year, along with proposed renovations and project funding. Once authorized, all such equipment purchases are dealt with through the Tufts Purchasing Department. The school generally obtains new vehicles every year, Esposito said. Their distribution to the different service groups is based upon departmental need. Many of the new service vehicles can be distinguished by their white exterior -- unlike the older trucks, Tufts has yet to paint them the school's traditional shade of blue.

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News

After abroad: students find return to Tufts challenging

February 19

While studying abroad requires difficult adjustments -- learning new languages, adjusting to new cuisines, and making new friends -- coming home is rarely any easier. Upon returning to the States, many students step into unfamiliar territory or "reverse culture shock." Senior Paul Kresser, who returned from Greece, found the transition difficult. "A lack of change at home was what made readjusting really hard," he said. "I had just experienced something incredible and came back to my home life where everything was predictable, and this was very hard to articulate -- what exactly had changed inside you -- to someone who hadn't ever left in the first place." The Tufts Office of Programs Abroad recognizes the stress that students may undergo as they reacquaint themselves with life in America as well as life at Tufts. In order to ease students into this readjustment process, the Study Abroad office holds academic advising sessions to troubleshoot any scheduling, credit transfer or registration concerns. A welcome back dinner and discussion is also held about a month after students return to Tufts. At this event, students are able to share stories and photographs from their various programs and experiences. A Counselor from the Counseling Center also attends the dinner in order to introduce students to the idea of reverse culture shock. "Everyone has experienced so much, and changed so much, that it's important to make that connection with others," Sheila Bayne, the Associate Dean of Study Abroad, said. "I noticed some conversations between students getting very deep and emotional." Junior Seth Keim attended this dinner after returning from Melbourne, Australia. "It was really nice to see a lot of new and familiar faces and to hear about everyone's semesters," Keim said. "It really helped to talk to friends who had also studied abroad because I was able to connect on some level with them, even if we weren't on the same program." Often upon their return, students can feel depressed and alienated from life on campus and their old friends. "When you come back from abroad you don't go back to who you were before you left," said Julie Jampel, Senior Staff Psychologist at the Counseling Center. "It involves a process of finding your place again, which sometimes can be extremely difficult." Senior Erica Hirsch agreed. "I never really did fully adjust to being back," she said. "I never wanted to remove myself from the experience, which I couldn't express properly to friends from home. I went from waking up to the skyline of Jerusalem to waking up in Somerville-it was not necessarily something I looked forward to." Hirsch feels so adamantly about her connection with Israel that she plans to move their after graduation. According to Jampel, the ability to surpass the possible feelings of depression, isolation and lack of motivation is something that comes with time. "Each person needs time to settle down," Jampel said. "You need to use your time as an opportunity to reevaluate what is important and what you want to be doing." According to many students, in order to conquer the restlessness of readjustment, it is helpful to get involved with extracurricular activities. "I had an easier adjustment than most because I came back to the swim team," senior Jamie Meyers said. "Returning to a sport was helpful because it threw me into a routine again." Another common reaction upon returning from abroad is a disappointment with American culture. "I began to question a lot of American values," said senior Melanie Yasner, who traveled to London last year. "I started to look at our role in the world very differently." "When I first got back, I just realized that the Greek culture excited and interested me a lot more than American culture," Kresser said. "I just liked it better over there-it was not as monotonous as [the U.S.]." Students and administration both agree that an integral part of making a smooth transition from abroad to Tufts is to make sure to remain familiar with the culture one leaves behind. "People seem to think that when you return from abroad, you leave your experience behind," Bayne said. "We encourage students to embrace their semesters or year abroad and make them parts of their lives here at Tufts." "I try to read The Economist-stay more up to date with the world," Yasner said. "I also try to stay in touch with my two roommates from London. I got very attached to my life there, so I do my best to integrate parts of my life in London to parts of my life at Tufts." Keim maintains a similar attitude. "I didn't realize how attached to the culture I had become," Keim.said "I wish I had more contact with Australians so I could keep in touch with them all the time. I know when Australian Rules Football season comes around I will be checking out the websites of Melbourne newspapers to keep up with the sport."

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News

Time for Kerry to take responsibility

February 19

"In a viewpoint published Wednesday ("Do Not Distort Kerry's 'Real Deal" Feb.18), the writers defend Senator John Kerry's record by offering the same disingenuous excuses Kerry employs. Kerry voted for the Patriot Act, but was disturbed by the way the Bush administration enforced it; Kerry voted for the No Child Left Behind Act, but was astounded by Bush's failure to fully fund it; Kerry voted for the Iraq war resolution, but was shocked at the way Bush conducted pre-war diplomacy. Does anyone else see the pattern? How much time does Senator Kerry need to figure out that President Bush might say one thing, and do the other? It's time for Senator Kerry to take responsibility for his votes in the US Senate." Adam Mueller LA '04

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News

News Briefs

February 19

Students and police in conflict : A new open container law in Somerville has lead student and Somerville police relations down the gutter. Two on-campus confrontations with law enforcement officers were discussed were discussed in depth at Monday's Senate meeting. Senator Randy Newsom said he witnessed Somerville officers "harassing and embarrassing" a student with an open beer can. The incident was part of a larger campus crackdown. "Last semester, as long as containers outdoors didn't say 'liquor' on the side, students weren't disturbed," Senator Harish Perkari said. Students are now being stopped for any suspicious beverages. The new police policy may have lead to heightened enforcement of all laws. Senator Norris Chavarria said a gathering at La Casa, the Latino house, last Saturday was broken up by the police for being too loud. Chavarria was written up for being a drunken nuisance, a description which was contradicted his recollection of the evening. "I'm discussing this incident with the school as a bias incident," he said. The new policy will likely have an impact on campus nightlife and parties. Not all students, however, see increased enforcement as a problem. "I think drinking on the street is bad," freshman Eli Hackel said. "If you're walking around bringing alcohol to the streets, that's where stuff can go bad. But cops took too aggressive a stance last semester." Two large NIH grants announced It has been a good week for grants, as three-quarters of a million dollars has been allotted to two causes at the University. Vet Professor Lisa Freedman received $100,000 a year for five years to attract students into biomedical research. Freedman and 13 other faculty members will develop programs teach students about research careers and allow them to participate in more research. The University was allotted $250,000 from a one-year grant to develop controls to protect human subjects in research. In collaboration with four regional hospitals that are affiliated with the university the grant will allow new education initiative and software programs. School officials also hope the grant will allow the use of human studies at studies at the Boston Health Sciences Campus. Tufts received a smaller grant last year with the same program Compiled by Daniel Lutz and Jon Schubin with additional information from "On the Record."

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News

AppleJam caters to smaller musical groups

February 19

AppleJam, a student group that brings lesser-know music to campus, has returned after a brief hiatus with a new goal to focus more on Tufts artists. AppleJam will help on-campus bands find spaces to practice and create opportunities for them to display their talents. "We're trying to work on something so we can have a huge concert with lots of Tufts bands -- we're really trying to promote Tufts talent," co-coorinator Loni Carp said. AppleJam will also collaborate with the Tufts Feminist Alliance for an event that will bring in local female artists as well as Tufts artists. Last spring, the group fell dormant and its budget was in danger of being cancelled. This fall, sophomores Carp and Karen Biedermann proposed the creation of an organization that would have the same aim of bringing lesser-known acts to Tufts. The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate saw the overlap between the two organizations, and Carp and Biedermann received permission to take over control of AppleJam and maintain its budget. Until the transition in leadership occured, the club was very informally organized; AppleJam members often personally knew members of bands and worked out verbal contracts with them. The concerts had a D.I.Y. feel to them, with acts bringing their own equipment and setting up themselves. Shows were scantily promoted on the Tufts campus (though organizers sometimes used Boston-area websites like justanotherscene.com). As a result, the shows were well-attended, but the audiences were not predominantly made up of Tufts students. According to sophomore David Buivid, a member since last year, the organization is "radically different now than it has been in the past." In the last four years, AppleJam has brought about 100 bands to play at various locations in and around Tufts, ranging from the Crane Room to the Arts Haus to the basements of off-campus houses. The groups were usually ones who were not well established at the time of their concert, though some like Ted Leo (who played in the Carmichael Lounge last spring) already had a credible reputation before coming to Tufts. Many bands began to grow in popularity after their Tufts shows, proving that AppleJam has a good sense of the up-and-coming. Since last year, the club has lost some of its impromptu dynamic. Buivid said that "Now there's more red tape to go through. It's going to be like Concert Board Junior." Shows cannot be planned on the fly anymore, which carries with it both positives and negatives aspects. AppleJam will not be able to put on as many concerts as it did in the past, but the shows will be better promoted on campus. Despite structural similarities to Concert Board, AppleJam is a much smaller organization, with only about 10-15 regular members. Because of its small size, the club can cater to the wants of individual members. Biedermann said that the variety of musical tastes within the club are a good cross-section for Tufts at large and will allow acts that appeal to everyone's tastes to appear on campus. While AppleJam has a reputation for focusing on underground rock acts, the new club will strive toward a balance of different genres. Its first event of the year was the Stephen Kellogg concert, an acoustic singer-songwriter and not the typical AppleJam artist. Biedermann said, however, that "the new AppleJam isn't about changing the type of music but integrating all genres of music." AppleJam's plans for other upcoming acts, including New York-based rock band Elefant and solo artist John Vanderslice, reflect the original indie bent of the club. For those interested in joining AppleJam, meetings are Monday nights at 9 in Barnum 114.

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News

Excursion to the Middle East

February 19

While most students were working, traveling, or sleeping, eleven Tufts students did something different with their winter break. The group, along with students from UMass-Amherest and Boston College, traveled to Israel and the West Bank for ten days in order to learn more about the conflict in the Middle East. The students involved are members of New Initiative for Middle East Peace (NIMEP). The group is a student "think-tank" and cultural outreach initiative, and their objective is to study the Middle East in a "progressive" way. "Traveling to any place is important, especially in an area of conflict," junior Rachel Brandenburg said. "You can read countless pages about the situation, but the only way to begin to truly understand what it's all about is to speak with people from multiple walks of life on all sides and spend some time in their societies." Though it was a difficult process, the University ultimately gave NIMEP their support "No other university [has allowed] students to go to Israel and the West Bank and receive this much support," junior Matan Chorev said. Before leaving for the Middle East, the group had to assemble an itinerary, raise appropriate funds, and receive permission from Tufts. But despite the extensive preparation participants all agree that the trip was well worth it. .During their time in the Middle East, the group met with experts, practitioners, and students from Israel and the West Bank, and visited many important places and sites. As well, the delegation participated in a two-day international symposium of academics aimed at finding a just solution to the conflict. "Being there, seeing a refugee camp, an Israeli settlement, the security Wall, and sites of recent suicide attacks with my own eyes, I gained a new appreciation for the complexity of the conflict," sophomore Negar Razavi said." Bir-Zeit University, an institution that is often described as a "hotbed of terrorist activity," also invited the students for a visit. During this meeting the students had an unprecedented opportunity to discuss internal Palestinian politics in a very frank manner. "I definitely learned a lot more about the Middle East conflict by [going there]. I now have a greater appreciation for the complexities of the conflict, and look at it the situation much more critically," Fenn said. "The actual experience was much more enriching than simply learning about the conflict from reading the news." Most shocking for many was their final day at the West Bank, when the students visited Yasir Arafat's compound in Ramallah. The students also received an invitation to meet with Arafat, but the group declined due to concerns that the students would be "used in ways that would make the University and founders uncomfortable." According to NIMEP, the ultimate goal of the trip was to gain a better understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict -- something that the students feel they achieved. "I think traveling to any place, speaking to people who live there can give you a better understanding of a place and its culture," Brandenburg said. "I'd do it again, even if there was five times as much work to be done," junior Lauren Fein said. "When I was meeting with the mayor in Hebron, meeting members of unrecognized Arab communities, or in Haifa spending New Years with university students in an Arab- Jewish dialogue group, all the pre-trip hassles seemed pretty trivial." Since the NIMEP trip came to a close, they have been working hard to impart everything they learned while on the trip to the Tufts' community. The group took some 2000 photographs and taped 30 hours of video, which will come together in a documentary that will debut at this year's EPIIC Symposium. Along with Elinevsky, Michael Fischer, an MIT professor, anthropologist, and expert in Middle Eastern issues, also went on the trip. NIMEP is a young group, initially started by five Tufts students in Feb. 2003. "We all shared frustrations with the tone of debate nationwide and in the media." Chorev said. These five students, like the current members of the group, were from diverse backgrounds and held different opinions regarding the conflict in the Middle East. Today, the members of NIMEP include people from a variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds including Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Lebanese/Palestinian, Iranian, Russian, and Israeli. "NIMEP has a different outlook, and a comprehensive vision of how one should study conflict," Chorev said. The idea for the trip to the West Bank materialized a year ago, following a meeting with two important Middle Eastern officials, Ami Ayalon and Sari Nusseibeh, the former head of the Israeli secret agency and the President of Al-Quds University. The duo emphasized that the group must travel to the region if they wanted to "better understand the complexities of the conflict." But most importantly for NIMEP, was that the Institute for Global Leadership was very supportive of their endeavors. The Directors of the Institute, Sherman Teichman and Heather Barry, were extremely instrumental in the realization of this trip. "This initiative could not have materialized without the support and nurturing of the Institute for Global Leadership," Chorev, a member of NIMEP and a participant in the trip, said. "Sherman Teichman and Heather Barry have facilitated our work and encouraged us to follow our imagination." When the NIMEP group members commenced their meetings last semester, they were very secretive, hoping to establish themselves before going public. But now that their trip was "a success", they want to share their knowledge and experiences with the Tufts community. "At the risk of sounding cliche, I would like to say that I feel extremely fortunate that I was able to be part of such a trip and to experience it with such intelligent, amazing individuals," Razavi said.

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News

Freshmen political interest rises

February 19

This year's freshman class may be discussing something other than alcohol for a change -- politics. A recent survey conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA's Graduate School of Education and Information found political interest among college students reversed a long decline. "The American Freshman: National Norms" survey found one-third of students said keeping updated on political affairs is "very important." This was a slight increase from last year and the first year without a decrease in thirty-five years. The study also found 22.5 percent of freshmen discuss politics on a frequent basis. This is an increase from the 19.4 percent in 2002 and it is the highest percentage since 1993. The recent resurgence of political interest has been attributed to several different factors. Tufts Republicans President Phillip Tsipman cited the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 as a contributing factor. He said Sept. 11 allowed people "to see that it's not just a process that is very removed in Washington D.C. but that it affects everyone." President of Tufts VOX (Voices for Choice) Judith Neufeld agreed that the events of Sept. 11 had contributed to heightened political awareness. Sept. 11 "awakened a desire for people to help others and learn more about politics and foreign policy," she said. Sept. 11 showed how important government and political policy was in context of everyday life, Neufield added. The study authors suggested the renewed political interest is partially attributable to how students desire to influence political structure. 20.1 percent of survey participants said this was a very important life goal. "College students don't feel disconnected from the world problems and they really do see a way of changing things through the political process," Tsipman said. He said one goal of the Tufts Republicans is to connect students to the political process and current issues. UCLA education professor and survey director Linda Sax said in spite of the recent resurgence, political awareness among students is still relatively low. She said irrelevant campaign issues, the negative tone of politics and being busy with other activities are the three reasons most frequently cited for lack of political participation. "[Students have] no time to worry about politics," Sax said. The future of student political consciousness is uncertain. Sax said that it is too early to tell whether the 2004 presidential election will further captivate students' attention. Tsipman predicted after the contentious selection in 2000 "a lot of interest has been generated in where the future of this country is headed." He added that the race this year is a "pretty close one" and that "everything is at stake." Tsipman said there is a difference between the mounting political sentiment at other campuses and the atmosphere at Tufts. "What's different is that you do have someone at Tufts University saying, 'Hey, I can do something about that,'" he said.

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News

Vagina Monolgues seek to put an end to violence against women

February 19

"The word itself makes some men uncomfortable," states Maude Lebowski in the Coen Brothers' 1998 hit, The Big Lebowski. "Vagina." The Dude replies, "Oh yeah?" "Yes. They don't like hearing it. And find it difficult to say," explains Maude. "Whereas, without batting an eye, a man will refer to his 'dick' or his 'rod' or his 'Johnson.'" Although the Lebowski's presentation may be a bit crude, it is exactly this fear and stigma associated with the female form that is tackled in Eve Ensler's acclaimed play, Vagina Monologues. The play, which has made a phenomenal impact on women's issues and theater since its unveiling in 1998, is set to open tonight in Cohen Auditorium and in colleges and theaters all around the country for its annual "V-Day" performance. The production is a compellation of monologues inspired by more than 200 interviews conducted by Ensler. The intent of the monologues is not only to tackle squeamish topics about vaginas, but is also aimed at putting an end to violence against women worldwide. Venues participating in V-Day -- a global movement to end violence against women and girls -- are asked to donate ten percent of money raised by the event to the organization's annual "Spotlight" cause, while the rest of the proceeds are given to a charity aimed at ending violence toward women of the organizer's choosing. Those involved in the project believes it serves as an artistic voice for many women who would have been otherwise forced to remain silent. The show's organizers feel the script offers a unifying intimacy among women with diverse ethnic, social, and geographical origins. "I wanted to convey a sense of comfort and intimacy throughout this play. I believe that The Vagina Monologues is about home," director Sarah Hecht said. "Every single monologue in the play refers to home either directly or in the abstract." For this production, Hecht took advantage of her artistic license and visually expressed her "home" theme by calling on inspiration from a work of art from the 70's called "The Dinner Party" by feminist artist Judy Chicago. The play's set imitates the piece's triangular table. On the table are place settings representing influential women throughout history, and each plate is an artistic representation of a vagina. "Chicago's work illustrates women from varying cultures, backgrounds, and centuries coming together to celebrate womanhood," Hecht explained. "Chicago said of her work, 'Men have 'The Last Supper,' women have dinner parties.'" Those involved in the V-Day organization believe that open discussion of the body is a means to go beyond just the physicality of what it means to be a woman. "This is a play about speaking through the body, not detaching from it," she said. "I tried to start with the physical connection, and move towards the words -- working from the inside out." This year's V-Day Spotlight charity focuses on the women of Juarez, Mexico, Tufts senior and Monologues producer Liz Shultz said. "In the past decade, over 300 women and girls have been killed or disappeared in Juarez, which is across the border from El Paso, Texas." Shultz expressed the gravity of the situation involving women in Juarez by explaining that "despite the fact that these murders have persisted over the past decade, there has not been significant progress in providing protection to the women of Juarez or in bringing the perpetrators to justice." With only ten percent of the show's proceeds going to women in Juarez, this year's Tufts production team -- which included Shultz, event organizer Zo‰ Hastings, and Hecht -- was faced with the decision of which local charity would receive the remaining donations. The group finally decided on the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC), a local charity offering hotline crisis counseling, adolescent and family services, support groups, medical advocacy and legal advocacy to victims in the Boston area. The organizers chose this particular charity, which served over 8,500 women, men and adolescents last year, because of trouble within the organization. Severe cuts in funding have "caused many centers around Massachusetts to curb their services dramatically or to close down all together," Shultz said. And while charitable contributions constitute a significant portion of V-Day's impact, the Vagina Monologues has more to offer than monetary donations. The magnitude of these ideas -- whether communicated through words, the body, or both -- will be expressed both by the script's poignancy as well as its humor. The event's organizers hope to extend the play's discussion by hosting an open forum this coming Monday at 7:30 in Barnum 104. For the forum , they want to offer an outlet to safely exchange ideas. And we are all mature college students here, so there shouldn't be any giggling... well, maybe a little. Hehe, vagina.

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News

Sheriff's speech focuses on drug problems

February 19

Drugs and drug-related crimes are an increasing problem in Massachusetts' Essex County, according to Sheriff Frank Cousins, Jr., who spoke at Tufts Wednesday night. Essex borders Middlesex County, where Tufts is located. Cousins' speech was entitled "Drugs, Crime, and the Death Penalty in Massachusetts." According to Cousins, 90 percent of the 1,600 criminals incarcerated in Essex County have drug or alcohol problems -- 70 percent of whom are in prison as a direct result of drug or alcohol offenses. In his speech, attended by about 25 students, he focused on the need for rehabilitating criminals. "I don't need an 18-year-old on a first offense in jail for possession of heroin," he said. "I need him in a community correction center getting an education and working." The Tufts Republicans were responsible for bringing Cousins to Tufts. "We brought Sheriff Cousins to campus because he is an example of a local Republican who has made politics work in an unpartisan state," Tufts Republicans Speaker Coordinator sophomore Kevin Johannsen said. Johannsen also pointed out that, as an African American, Cousins shows that "there is diversity in our party." Johannsen was pleased with the turnout. "I'd say it was a success," he said. Cousins cited heroin as a growing problem due to the drug's highly addictive nature and its inexpensive price tag. "I think that drugs are the number one public policy problem in the United States right now and drugs are worse than ever before in Essex County," Cousins said. "Drugs drive crime." Cousins said he has increased the use of Community Corrections Centers within the county. The three Essex County centers ensure "accountability for people on probation," he said. The centers are responsible for drug testing, education, work programs, and counseling for those on probation. Cousins is a supporter of "strict, long, hard sentences" for violent crime, "but those aren't the bulk of our crimes," he said. He cited the recent sentencing of serial killer Gary Sampson to death in Massachusetts as an example of someone who deserves the death penalty. He later clarified that "clearly [the death penalty] is not the cornerstone of why I'm in the criminal justice business." For nonviolent offenders, Cousins is a supporter of rehabilitation and efforts to help offenders function in society. "We try to educate them, get them a high school diploma, and try to help them reenter the community," he said. "I don't buy into [the idea] that someone coming out of a correctional facility can't work." During the question and answer session, topics included union and contract problems in the police force, same sex marriage, and gun control laws. "Massachusetts gun laws have done very, very little to reduce violent crime," Cousins said. Students responded to the event positively. "I thought he was very direct ... it was more about the issues than the party politic," senior Candace Gomez said. Graduate student Robert Chirwa found the speech "informative" and said, "It's nice to have access to a Republican state official." Cousins, who is from Newburyport, Mass., has been the Sheriff of Essex County since 1998. He served two terms as a state representative from 1992-1996. He was recently appointed to Governor Mitt Romney's Crime Commission and teaches at North Shore Community College. Cousins stressed the value of getting involved in local politics. "People think that the government is going to do everything for us ... Well, that's not going to happen." According to Cousins, education is the most important deterrent to crime. "We should be telling young people, 'Further your education,'" he said. "That's one of the things I don't hear enough today and that bothers me."

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News

Vet School's lack of disclosure a problem

February 19

I urge the Tufts Community to look more closely at the recent controversy concerning the needless slaughter of dogs on their campus. The article ("Grafton campus community deals with aftermath of controversial animal deaths" Feb. 9) does not adequately address the urgency of this frightening matter. What it fails to account for is simply Tufts' disturbing lack of disclosure to you, their students. Whether or not you agree with the experiments ethically is of course up to you. But how are you expected to make such a decision when the University, which incidentally prides itself on "love for animals" and "veterinary ethics," conceals its procedures from you? If the investigators had faith in their research and believed that theirs was not a gruesome project, why did they hide and ultimately cower from public acknowledgement Tufts Veterinary School is clear about the fact that these dogs were treated as humanely as possible. Personally, I would at once agree with their intentions and condemn what actually happened. I am inclined to think that pumping dogs full of pain medication to ease their anguish after having bones deliberately broken, only to destroy them in the end falls somewhere into the realm of needless suffering. Perhaps I am wrong and you disagree with me. But I am sure we can all agree that productive discussions will never occur as long as Tufts upholds its dishonorable silence. I encourage you to speak to experts, call the Vet school, ask why these animals needed to die. But please don't stop there. Speak with the students involved, engage with your parents, friends and professors about this issue. Be aware that those you may trust for objective facts will unintentionally lie to and mislead you. I am not asking for a miracle: an end to all unnecessary animal suffering. I merely would like to see an institution that prides itself on being the benchmark in ethical veterinary medicine stand up to its promise. Alexandra Singer G '03

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News

With playoff hope gone, Jumbos crush Plymouth State

February 19

Somebody forgot to tell the ice hockey team that it can't make the playoffs. The squad played like true contenders on Wednesday night, dismantling the Plymouth State Panthers 9-3 in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. The non-conference win elevated the Jumbos' overall record to 7-13-1 without improving their ninth place conference record of 3-12-1. Tufts was led once again by junior tri-captain Shawn Sullivan, who lit Plymouth State up for six points; netting two goals and handing out four assists to increase his team-leading assist total to 17 and point total to 29 on the season. Fellow tri-captain, senior Pat Byrne, chipped in with a goal and two assists, while junior John Hurd, sophomore Jack Thompson, and freshman Matt Dalton all notched a goal and an assist. Tufts also got goals from sophomores Matt McCarthy and Ken Cleary and freshman Brian Bailey. The Jumbos had a balanced scoring evening, putting in three goals in each of the three periods. Plymouth state notched all three of its goals on a power play in a 60 second span during the third period. "We played pretty well, but in reality the game was never in doubt," coach Brian Murphy said. "We had an eight goal lead in the third period, and we scored 50 seconds in. We took some stupid penalties in the third period that allowed them to score some goals, but we pretty much knew we had the win." The Jumbos will try to use the momentum from this victory when they play their final two home games of the 2003-2004 campaign at home this weekend. Tufts plays the Trinity Bantams and Wesleyan Cardinals, who are currently ranked third and seventh in the NESCAC, respectively. While the games have no meaning for Tufts from a playoff perspective, the Jumbos look to end the season on a high note with the prospect of three straight victories heading into next season. "We're looking at these games that if we win another game, we'll have won one more than we did last year, which would be a nice goal for us," Murphy said. "We're not looking to play the role of spoiler; we're just focused on what we have to do for ourselves." Overcoming either the Bantams or the Cardinals is not going to be easy for the Jumbos. Trinity is currently 10-5-1 in the NESCAC and has beaten the likes of Bowdoin, Williams, and Middlebury -- all teams that defeated Tufts. The Bantams have, however, lost to Amherst, a team that Tufts fought hard against and realistically could have beaten. Defeating Wesleyan is probably a more realistic goal for the Brown and Blue. The Cardinals sit at 6-7-3 in the conference, with two of their losses coming against Salem State and Connecticut College, both of whom Tufts beat earlier in the season. The Jumbos will need dominant performances from their offensive producers, Sullivan, Cleary, and junior Gino Rotondi. In addition, senior Ben Crapser will need to be at his best between the pipes for Tufts to record a W. To its credit, Tufts has been improving its play as the season has gone on. After starting the season losing seven of their first eight games, the Jumbos have picked up the slack and gone 6-6-1 in a stretch that included impressive wins against Conn. College and Salem State. "We're focused on playing the two teams we have to play this weekend," Murphy said. "Not making the playoffs is disappointing, but we've gotten better as the year [has gone by], and as a coach, you have to be happy about that."

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