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Boston Jewish Film Festival manages to delight

November 20

For the past fifteen years, the Boston Jewish Film Festival has taken the city by storm. It was created in 1989 by filmmaker Michal Goldman to fill what she saw as a void of great Jewish films in Boston theaters. Goldman brought such cinematic gems as Promises, The Long Way Home, and Diane Keaton's 1995 film, Unstrung Heroes to this year's festival. But the festival, which ran from Nov. 6-16, also aimed to attract non-Jews. This year's lineup included films of many genres to please many tastes. The classic musical Fiddler on the Roof, was featured. In addition, the gay-themed army feature Yossi and Jagger, and Shalom Ireland, a documentary focusing on Ireland's little-known about Jewish population were shown. The festival itself is non-competitive and the films screened addressed many Jewish themes. Recently, the festival has begun to attract more media attention because of the showcased films' high quality. In 1999, it was recognized as one of the best film festivals in the country by the Boston Film Critics Association. Held primarily at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the festival also screened films at auxiliary locations around Boston, including the Harvard Film Archive and The Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline. The festival's well-chosen locations helped to expand its capability to reach a broad audience, successfully bringing international films to movie buffs all over the city. Upon entering the screening, each audience member was handed a booklet of academic essays about each of the films shown. In addition, the board of directors presented a speaker following every screening who either held a question-and-answer session or lead a formal discussion on a relevant topic. For instance, at Keaton's Unstrung Heroes screening, actor Maury Chaykin was available to answer the audience's questions regarding his personal preparation for his role in the film. Chaykin played a slightly eccentric man living with his even more eccentric brother, played by Michael Richards, in a claustrophobia-inducing apartment. Audience members were also curious about what it was like working with Seinfeld's Kramer (Richards), Diane Keaton as a director, as well as why Chaykin felt the film did not achieve great fame during its initial release. The audience was comprised mostly of an older clientele, who perhaps could relate to Unstrung Heroes on a different level than the scattered college students present. Set in the '50s, the film portrays Andie MacDowell and John Turturro as a married, completely secular Jewish couple with two young children living in suburban California. The crux of the film rests on Steven (Nathan Watts) the family's eldest child who decides to leave home when he discovers that his sickly mother is indeed dying of cancer. He lives with two crazy uncles (Chaykin and Richards), two conspiracy-obsessed middle-aged men. But through this Steven discovers his Jewish roots as well as the joy of living without caring what other people think. While living with his uncles, Steven learns to say blessings over food before eating and attends Hebrew school in order to learn important prayers and he prepares for his Bar Mitzvah. He also learns not to use public phones for too long as they may be tapped, to dress incognito so as to deter potential followers, and to collect rejected toys and balls in the streets so that he can add to the increasingly cluttered apartment. But this joyriding comes to an end when Richards' character decides to commit himself to a sanitarium. As a result, Steven returns to live at home with his father, younger sister and inevitably dying mother. The end is particularly affecting, as the failing MacDowell dies, leaving her children with her imaginative, unconventional, yet ultimately loving husband. Now, Steven and his father must learn to relate and learn to love one another while accepting the fact that their respective mother and wife is no longer alive. Unstrung Heroes is about family first, contemporary history next, and Jewish identity last. But these broad, sweeping films like Unstrung Heroes, while quiet upon release, are the works of art that make film festivals like the Boston Jewish Film Festival so outstanding. These small films have the ability to speak to many types of people, without the fake glitz of big Hollywood. In turn, these small festivals have the ability to promote these independent gems, helping them to live up to their fullest cinematic potential.

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News

Espresso's ends surcharge

November 20

Espresso Pizza's practice of charging 15 percent extra for using points ended last Saturday. The announcement was posted on the Senate web site Wednesday by Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senator Zach Landau, who was informed of the change by Director of Dining Services Patti Lee Klos, at a meeting earlier that day. Espresso's owner Anthony Salvato said he did not realize the surcharge violated the Meals on Points (MOPs) contract. "I'm not here to deceive students," he said. Salvato cited the costliness and inefficiency of the MOPs program as his main motivation for charging extra. "There is lengthy paperwork involved at the end of the day," he said. "And, it's costing us money." 40 percent of Espresso's business comes from points. Landau said "the problem is that there is a 30 or 40 day time lapse between when the restaurant receives the points and when Dining Services pays." Espresso's must also pay a 15 percent commission to Tufts on each points order. The combination of these regulations can lead to a cash flow shortage, Salvato said. According to the contract, a fixed surcharge for delivery is perfectly legal. Salvato said he was aware of this fee and thought it would also be permissible to apply the 15 percent surcharge. "I made the mistake of not reading the contract," he said. Salvato blames the omission on the intense demand for Espresso's addition to the MOPs program. "The students were driving us crazy about signing on," he said. "In that rush, I never thoroughly read the contract." He is adamant that his intentions were not to scam anyone. "I think I've been a pretty good neighbor to Medford and Somerville," he said, "and we've made a lot of friends in the Tufts community." He says that the prices on the menu he submitted to the school for use in the MOPs program included the added 15 percent. The surcharge was applied at the beginning of Sept. It did not come to light until mid-Oct., when Landau realized he was overcharged for an order he had placed. The Senate brought the issue to Klos' attention at their Oct. 29 meeting. Salvato said he received a call from a senator, who told him that he was in breach of the contract. He says he admitted to the surcharge, but did not take any action until he spoke with Klos last Friday. Landau said "the Senate is extremely grateful to [Klos] for all her work." Her involvement, he said, added credibility to the complaints of the Senate. At their meeting, Klos agreed to have Dining Services pay Espresso's twice instead of once each month. "I believe this will help," Salvato said. However, he said there was still room for improvement in the program. Salavto said he hopes to "fine tune [the agreement] to make everyone happier." "I know the students really want it," he said. He hopes to meet with the other vendors on MOPs - Pizzeria Roma, Wing Works, and Panda Palace, and later Klos, to talk about "changing the numbers a little." It is possible that these other businesses have experienced the windfall of Salvato's actions. The owner of Panda Palace says his business has increased 5 to 10 percent since the beginning of the year, which might be due to the surcharge. While the owners of the other two businesses have seen no such change, Rich Federico, general manager of Wing Works, thinks that "it makes us all look bad when one of us does something like this." To compensate for the lost points, Landau said the Senate, Klos and Espressos were considering having a weeklong 15 percent discount on points orders. If the plan came together, Landau said it would be well publicized and in the first part of next semester. Landau said offering refunds to overcharged students is "logistically not possible." Any correction would require Dining Services to individually sort through three to four thousand orders and send them to Espressos to refund students. Landau said the extra manpower by Dining Services would negate any money recouped from Espressos.

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News

Alumni association helping graduates with job search

November 20

Aside from helping students find internships, research opportunities, and jobs after graduation, Tufts Career Services has been improving its efforts to counsel and network with recent alumni "Over the last few years Tufts Career Services has seen an increasing demand from alumni for career assistance," said Director of Career Services, Jean Papalia. "Last year the staff of Career Services saw 380 alumni for individual appointments, an increase of 88 percent from two years prior." This increased demand is attributed mostly to the current job market, and "to media coverage about alumni seeking help from their alma maters," Papalia said. Although some positive economic reports have been published recently, the job market remains weak. Unemployment is at 5.8 percent in Massachusetts, while the National unemployment rate stands at six percent, or 8.8 million unemployed workers. In response, the Alumni Association and Career Services have taken action. Director of Alumni Relations Tim Brooks helps alumni looking for higher level employment opportunities. A new position of assistant director of Career Services was created this summer, with Leslie Warner filling the position. Warner's position was created by the Career Services committee of the Tufts University Alumni Association (TUAA), in conjunction with Tufts Career Services. With the hiring of Warner, the Tufts Alumni Career Services now offers a range of resources to help alumni in career transitions and, more generally, the management of their careers. "Warner brings more than ten years' experience designing and delivering career counseling services to a wide range of job seekers in many industries," Papalia said. "She fills a new position devoted exclusively to alumni career counseling." Warner is available to alumni for appointments, but in addition to these one-on-one career coaching sessions, Warner's job also includes expanding the Tufts Career Network, which is comprised of over 4,000 alumni who have volunteered to provide both students and alumni advice on career fields, job search, grad schools, relocation and more. Alumni with businesses can fill out a form alertering any job seeking alumni that the companies might be hiring. Brian McCarthy (LA '75) registered his Los Angeles law firm, Skadden Arps Slate Margher online. "I filled out an information sheet online last year," McCarthy said, "and have been happy to help out the alumni who have contacted me. I think it is a great system." Alumni Career Services is cosponsoring a speech on Dec 2 entitled "How to 'crack' a tough job market" for alumni and students having trouble finding a job. The speech will be cosponsored with the Association of Tufts Alumnae and Boston Tufts Alliance. This semester, Warner helped develop two networking and career programs specifically for alumni in Boston, and plans underway for similar spring programs in Boston, New York City, and Washington, DC. Warner hopes that her programs will expand the Tufts Career Network, and give help to the many alumni who are searching for a job or are undergoing a career transition.

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News

Programming Board seeks NQR funds

November 20

The Programming Board is asking student organizations for donations to help defray the cost of the Nighttime Quad Reception. "The Nighttime Quad Reception has never been done before. Therefore, it's not in anyone's budget," Programming Board Co-Chair Anita Sinha said. The Programming Board is responsible for planning the winter carnival on the academic and residential quads. The TCU Senate is working with administrators on precautions for the actual naked run. The majority of the event's expenses will be covered by the TCU's buffer fund. Tuesday evening the TCU Senate's Allocations Board approved the Programming Board's request for Buffer Funding. Sinha declined to say how much the group received, but it will not cover the entire costs of the event. TCU President Chike Aguh has personally taken responsibility for obtaining more funding for the carnival. TCU Treasurer Josh Belkin said Aguh is in the preliminary stages of raising funds from the administration. In addition, the Programming Board is seeking contributions from other student organizations. Wednesday evening the group sent out an e-mail requesting ten dollars from every student group. "We're seeking co-sponsorship to make up as much of the difference as possible," Sinha said. Several groups have already contributed including Lecture Series, Spirit Coalition, Class Councils and the Beezlebubs. If every group on campus contributed the suggested amount, sixteen hundred dollars would be raised. However, "We aren't working toward a goal," Sinha said. She said the e-mail was also sent out in part to get additional volunteers for the Naked Quad Run, an effort which is being spearheaded by TCU Senator Rafi Goldberg. The money will be needed to defray the various costs of putting on the carnival. "The biggest expense is going to be Facilities, since the whole concept of the event being outdoors necessitates their involvement," Sinha said. Facilities will be providing staging equipment, tables, and personnel at the carnival. The Programming Board must finalize the layout for the reception before it can receive a final cost from facilities, Sinha said. The Programming Board is in discussions with a Chinese food vendor and several bands to provide the evening's entertainment. Tufts musical groups The Residence and sQ! have agreed to play. The Board is finalizing a contract with the Boston-based cover group, the Swinging Johnsons. The Programming Board has no connection to the activities that typically take place on the first night of reading period. "If streaking were to happen on the evening of Dec. 9, I think the reception would be a nice prelude" Sinha said. The TCU Senate will be working on preparations for the Naked Quad Run, including preventing students from gathering in West Hall and setting up the course for the actual run. The Programming Board is the organization that coordinates all Class Councils, Lecture Series, Film Series, Concert Board, Entertainment Board, and Tufts University's Spirit Coalition.

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News

Cat in the Hat

November 20

I will not see you for a buck. I will not see you for a pickup truck. Buck, truck, what the f***. Good God, Mike Myers -- boy, did your movie suck. This Friday, Dr. Seuss returns to the silver screen with the former Austin Powers star (Myers) as the cat himself in the movie adaptation of the similarly-named book. Produced by Brian Grazer, who was also involved in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Cat in the Hat is a dreadful, immature, and horrendous attempt at making a ten-page-book into a full-length movie. Not that it is even all that long. Figure this: you're probably reading this review in your plus block which is 75 minutes long. This movie is shorter than your professor's lecture. At 73 minutes, this is by far one of the shortest "full-length" movies ever. What's worse is, given the expensive ticket prices -- many parents pay upwards of six or seven dollars for each of their offspring -- viewers deserve more than barely over an hour's worth of entertainment. Not that it is even all that entertaining. Granted, I'm a college student reviewing a kid's movie for a college newspaper, but as animated flicks of the past few years have shown, kid's movies can be fun for all ages. The resounding successes of "family" films like Finding Nemo this summer, or even Freaky Friday, also this summer, proved this to be the case. So why did Myers find it necessary to throw in flatulence jokes and many instances of obvious inferred profanity, all of which could be understood by any kid over five. Felines apparently don't believe in the art of subtlety. For those of you who lived through a dreary childhood, the very basic plot takes place on a rainy day, when two children, Sally (Dakota Fanning) and Conrad (Spencer Breslin), are left at home by their mother (Kelly Preston) in the hands of inept babysitter Mrs. Kwan. Enter The Cat (Myers), an off-the-wall, non-stop ball of uncontrollable energy. Myers' The Cat is excruciating to watch. Using an accent that combines his Linda Rondstadt impersonation with the Dr. Evil drawl, it's replete with the most irritating laugh this side of Woody Woodpecker. Seeing how the original story is barely more than eighty-lines long, it was impossible to flesh out the text into a full-length movie. So screenwriters Alec Berg, David Mandel, and Jeff Schaffer, threw in Alec Baldwin's character as a denture-wearing louse aiming to woo Mom and toss the kids into a military academy. They also added an awkward plotline about a mysterious chest that ends up turning the house into a real-life Salvador Dali painting. At least with the Grinch, there was a solid foundation for an interesting lesson about love and caring. There is no semblance of morality in the The Cat in the Hat, in the book or in the film. Nine-year-old Fanning is the sole shining light in the The Cat in the Hat. Continuing her string of great performances in I am Sam and Uptown Girls, Fanning has nailed down the perfect combination of cuteness and acting depth -- something that hasn't been seen in a child actor since Jodie Foster. As Sally, the bossy friend-less girl who "can't tolerate bossiness in others," Fanning shows a great transition to a girl who is "just right." Part of the love and allure of Dr. Seuss books was the pure silliness and imagination found within each and every turn of the page. While the gloriously vibrant colors do add a splash of children's literature to the otherwise dull film, the constant meta-character of the script is rather frustrating. On the rare occasion when Myers spoke directly to the camera in his Austin Powers movie, it was hilarious and in tone with the parodistic character of the spoof trilogy. In The Cat in the Hat, it's like a constant barrage of reminders saying, "This isn't a book, this is a movie! And a cheesy commercial one at that!" When Myers reminds the audience to go on the Cat in the Hat ride at Universal Studios Orlando, it is the final straw. We've been acclimated to commercialism in films, and the continuous product placement of Ford automobiles was bearable. But to blatantly toss in a pitch for an amusement ride? As Conrad says in the penultimate scene, "You don't know when enough is enough." Mike Myers could use some similar advice; his over-the-top performance ruins the Seuss classic that has entertained children readers for decades.

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News

You better shop around

November 20

Thanks to new rules to be implemented by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Monday, wireless cell phone customers will be able to switch carriers while retaining their cell phone number. The FCC legislation decrees that carriers will no longer be able to prevent a customer from switching to another carrier for any reason. Sophomore Mara Stahl believes the new regulations, which grant users portability, are excellent for cellular customers, many of whom are college students. "[Wireless carriers] have less of a monopoly in certain areas so there will be more competition, not only for rates, but for service as well," Stahl said. "It may give carriers incentive to expand their coverage and create a better service for a better value." When the new FCC rules are put into effect, those once hesitant to change providers will be able to substitute plans without the hassle of notifying everyone in their phonebook. The concern of losing her phone number was part of the reason Stahl, like many other students, refused to switch to another provider. "I've [been with] Verizon since seventh grade," Stahl said. "Not only did I really like Verizon, I didn't want to lose my number -- that was a really big deal." "If I were not happy, I would switch in a second now," Stahl added. "Before [the new rules], I wouldn't." Some 39 million people changed wireless services last year, when the luxury of a portable number was nonexistent The ability to switch services but keep the same cell number is expected to entice an additional 30 million people to exercise their newfound cellular liberty within the first year of its implementation, according to CNN.com. Customers interested in an exchange will be allowed to transfer their number by contacting the carrier to which they want to switch and providing their phone number, billing address, account number, and latest bill. Once the new carrier contacts the former one, the transfer is predicted to last only two and a half hours. Knowing that the new rule is going to make the already tough competition even fiercer, wireless carriers are preparing to up the ante, offering incentives such as free phones, minutes, or even a free month of service to keep current subscribers loyal and lure others in. Freedom is not necessarily free, however: according to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, the industry has already spent $1.2 billion in preparation for the transition to portability, a cost which is being subsidized by customers in the form of higher monthly fees. In addition, the FCC is permitting carriers to charge their customers a transfer fee, although some providers will most likely cover this cost as a way of attracting customers. Nevertheless, there is the factor of early termination fees, which can set consumers back as far as $200, if a contract is broken prior to its expiration date. For Stahl, a termination fee seems like a good reason not to rush into a carrier switch. "Since breaking contracts costs so much, I would wait until the contract was up unless I was completely dissatisfied," Stahl said. "It depends on whether the long-run benefit is greater than the short-run cost of it." Providers will be footing a few bills of their own. Since the FCC rules prohibit the denial of a transfer for any reason, customers will be able to leave a carrier regardless of outstanding charges or cancellation fees. Additionally, the new transfer system will involve technical difficulties. Each of the carriers involved in the swap has contracted a third-party vendor to handle the processing of the request, thus complicating matters even further. Once the trade is executed, the Number Portability Administration, a neutral, government-contracted agency, will receive notification of the transfer. Assuming that the kinks are smoothed out by Monday still leaves a possibility of human error: the entire process could be doomed from the start by one "typo" when the switch in enacted. Information provided to a store clerk must match up to a customer's billing records precisely; a forgotten middle initial can classify a switch request as "fallout," which needs to be handled by human customer service representatives. The new FCC rules also raise environmental concerns: if the new carrier does not offer a free phone as part of its bait, consumers should keep in mind that a new handset will be required, since carriers that use the same network technologies still employ different encryptions. What becomes of a subscriber's useless former handset? If cell phones are disposed of in normal trash collections, toxic substances, found in the circuit board, the liquid crystal display of the screen, and the battery could leak into the ground of landfills. Tufts Recycles is prepared, however. "We are actually working on a cell phone recycling/take back program right now," Tufts Recycling Coordinator Anja Kollmuss said. "The Tufts community will be able to just put their old cell phones into the battery recycling bins. The ones that still work will be donated; the ones that are broken will be recycled." "The most hazardous part of a cell phone is probably the battery, [which has] heavy metals," Kollmuss added. "Fortunately, there are good recycling programs in place for these batteries. The heavy metals are extracted from them and reused."

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News

Women's Cross Country: Caputo races at NCAA's tomorrow

November 20

Lauren Caputo was only a freshman the last time a Tufts woman ran in the national cross country meet. In 2000, she watched her team captain, Leslie Crofton (LA '01), represent the Jumbos at NCAA's by placing fifth and becoming an All-American. Now a senior tri-captain herself, Caputo will follow in Crofton's footsteps when she races against the country's fastest women tomorrow morning in the NCAA National Championship at Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana. "Everyone looked up to [Leslie] that year," Caputo said. "Now I have that chance to run well and represent the team, so it's really exciting." For the first time in her collegiate career, Caputo will be without any teammates when the gun goes off. She was the sole female Jumbo to qualify at last weekend's Div. III New England meet, where she placed 20th and earned All-New England honors in addition to the national berth. The familiar faces of several conference foes will be present, though, as five NESCAC schools -- Middlebury, Amherst, Williams, Trinity, and Bowdoin -- qualified their full seven-member squads for the meet. Williams is the defending national champion in the team competition, but Middlebury is the favorite going into tomorrow's meet. The Panthers won last weekend's NE Championships and were ranked first in the most recent Div. III coaches' poll. Wartburg College junior Missy Buttry won the individual title last year, and will look to defend her crown. According to Caputo, she is keeping her expectations realistic. "If I made top 35, which is All-American, I would be so excited," Caputo said. "But I really don't have many expectations. I'm just glad I get to run [at Nationals]." Caputo said she wishes that more of her teammates could be running alongside her in Indiana. "I feel like there should definitely be more Jumbos out there with me," she said. But while Caputo may be the only Tufts woman racing the 6K course, there will be plenty of Jumbos in the men's competition, where the Tufts seven is ranked seventh. Caputo said that the presence of the men's team could help her in her own preparation and race. "Their excitement is really great to be around," Caputo said. "I'm really glad they're going. The more Jumbos the better." There will in fact be far more Jumbos at Hanover College this weekend than just the eight who qualified for Nationals. Caputo estimated that about 30 fans from the men's and women's teams are driving to Indiana today and camping out -- all to cheer on the Tufts runners. "They're so awesome for driving all the way out there," Caputo said. "I think it'll definitely help us in the meet to have tons of fans screaming. The more support the better." Although tomorrow's race will be the last of Caputo's collegiate cross country career, she expressed no regrets. "It's pretty crazy," Caputo said. "It's my last meet, but it's a really great way to go out."

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News

Aidekman aglow with history

November 20

Even at an interdisciplinary university, one might think it rare to find both history and art galleries featured together. The Aidekman Gallery, currently housing two such diverse exhibits proves this assumption to be incorrect. Two collections, "Another Light on the Hill" and "Common Ground," are on display through Dec 14. By using first-person accounts, press clippings, and simple photographs to preserve their respective snapshots of history, these exhibits create an overall experience, to which the average visitor can relate. "Another Light on the Hill: A History of Black Undergraduate Students at Tufts" was previously on display in 1988 and 1999, but it has since been expanded upon for the new millennium. It traces African-American students at Tufts all the way back to the beginning of the twentieth century, when Forrester Washington of the class of 1909 became the first known black undergraduate to pass through the university's halls. Press clippings and athletic photographs make up the majority of the objects on display, with the collection serving as a history of the college as well as recognition of the students who attended it. Articles from the now defunct Tufts Weekly, elaborate covers from the alumni magazine Tuftonian, pictures of drama productions and sporting events, and any number of portraits of matriculating undergraduates trace the paths of the African-American students in a vivid snapshot of the past. A series of placards that describe the situation of black students for each twenty-year time period are also included alongside the collection. The anecdotes printed on them trace the first black undergraduates from the turn of the century and follow them over the course of the next 100 years, providing the necessary information needed to truly appreciate the rest of the pieces displayed on the walls. The real stories, it seems, are those included in the photographs and news articles, all of which help to bring the past alive in their quest to create a vibrant, tangible history of African American students at Tufts. The collection currently on display in the Slater Concourse Gallery, also in Aidekman, may have a different subject matter, but it too seeks to bring moments of the past to life. "Common Ground: Photographers on the Street" is a small anthology of just over twenty photographs that trace the phenomenon of street photography from the late 1960's and 1970's to the present day. The pictures here, rather than attempting to capture any pivotal, life-altering epiphanies, do their best to provide a simple portal into the everyday happenings of everyday people as they wander the streets of their respective cities. Nominally divided into two parts, the exhibit includes a few works from three Vietnam-era photographers juxtaposed with a larger collection of photographs by more contemporary artists. Lee Friedlander, Garry Winogrand, and Joel Meyerowitz capture phone booths and New Year's Eve kisses from thirty years ago, while their modern-day compatriots do the same for lazy afternoons spent on bleachers and graffiti-laden skateboard jumps. Roswell Angier provides a short study on women's winter coats; Sylvia Plachy studies motion and light in her photograph of swirling raindrops; and Melanie Einzig preserves the real-world aftermath of September 11 alongside a picture of wide-eyed New York City tourists. "Common Ground's" peek into the past is as intriguing as "Another Light on the Hill", albeit their pasts are surely different. Both exhibits attempt to bring history back to life through vivid mementos and real-world photographs, both offering their viewers something to contemplate. Whether it is the history of the African American student at Tufts or just a question of what New York City must have looked like thirty years ago, these two collections are notable simply for the effort they make in turning average, everyday history into something that every visitor can relate to.

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News

Men's Cross Country: Jumbos prepare for Division III National Championship Race

November 20

The men's cross country team will look to cap its most successful regular season ever with a strong finish at the NCAA Division III National Championship Race tomorrow in Hanover, Indiana. Junior Nate Brigham, freshman Josh Kennedy, junior Brian McNamara, senior co-captain Peter Bromka, and sophomores Kyle Doran, Matt Fortin, and Neil Orfield will race for the Jumbos. Last weekend, that same group of runners captured Tufts' first ever New England title at Southern Maine. Those seven, along with alternate sophomore Matt Lacey and coach Connie Putnam, flew out to Indiana yesterday morning. Many of their teammates drove out last night on a long road trip that will land them at Hanover College in time to cheer on their teammates. Last year, the team failed to qualify for nationals, but Brigham qualified individually and advanced. He finished 11th overall in the nation to earn All-American status. "It's really important to have a guy in your lineup who has been here before," Putnam said. "He knows how to run this kind of race." "I'm really excited to go back with all the guys," Brigham said. "If we run like we did [at the New England Championship], we should be able to get a top six finish." Such a finish would be a first for the Jumbos, who finished seventh in 1996. In 2001, the Jumbos qualified for nationals, but bombed in the race, finishing 23rd out of 24 teams. They will look for some redemption tomorrow. McNamara raced in that 2001 national race as a freshman, finishing 147th overall. After missing last season with a leg injury, he is as anxious as anyone to get back. "We're definitely excited," McNamara said. "We feel we definitely belong here." All year long, Tufts has won on the strength of close team running. That will be more crucial than ever tomorrow when the Jumbos find themselves in the midst of hundreds of unfamiliar runners. Putnam stressed the importance of closing the time between the Jumbos' first and seventh runners, and running with the proper balance of control and emotion. "Generally speaking, I want the guys to run smart, intelligent races, and hold off on the emotion until they need it, which hopefully would be as late as possible," Putnam said. "But if there's a time to let loose, it's nationals." Putnam expressed confidence that his Jumbos will be fresh and ready to go, mentally and physically. "I think they've trained enough so that they're strong enough to overpower other teams," he said. "But once the gun goes off it's out of my control."

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News

Football, men's cross country fill up All-NESCAC rosters

November 20

This fall, Tufts athletics has left an impression in the NESCAC, with 22 Jumbos athletes and two coaches being named to All-NESCAC teams. Athletes from every sport were represented with teams fielding as many as eight selections. Finishing 5-3 on the season, the football team boasted eight players selected to the All-NESCAC Team, the most in school history. Senior tri-captains Caleb Hudak and Justin Kelley, with classmates Mark Tilki and Marcellus Rolle were all named to the First Team. Senior tri-captain Reid Palmer and fellow fourth year Matt Keller earned spots on the NESCAC Second Team with juniors Rich Aronson and Kevin Holland. This was the third First Team selection for defensive lineman Hudak, the team's second leading tackler. "He's an outstanding player and an outstanding leader," coach Bill Samko said of his second-year captain. Tilki earned two First Team spots, one for his defensive play at cornerback, the other as a special teams returner. Leading the best pass defense in the NESCAC, Tilki picked off five passes, returning two for touchdowns to add to his 29 tackles on the year. Selected as the All-NESCAC returner for the third year in a row, Tilki was sixth in the nation in kickoff return average, with 31.2 yards per return with one touchdown. Tilki also fielded 19 punts to average 10.6 yards per return. "Tilki had a great year. He was a critical factor in many of our wins," Samko said. Palmer and Keller were third and fourth on the team in tackles respectively, and Palmer led the team with 36 solo tackles. "Keller had his best year by far," Samko said. After playing defensive line for his first two years at Tufts, Aronson made the switch to offense this year, and Samko expects even more out of him next year. "He's just starting to scratch the surface of what he can do," Samko said. In its best season ever, the Men's Cross Country team had five runners and its coach among the NESCAC elite. Coach Connie Putnam was recognized as NESCAC Coach of the year. In his 20th season as the Jumbos' head coach, Putnam turned the team around from a fifth place finish at last year's NESCAC's to its first ever NESCAC and New England titles. n addition to being the men's cross country team's only First Team selection, freshman Josh Kennedy was also Conference Rookie of the Year. He was Tufts' top finisher at the NESCAC Championships on November 1, finishing seventh. He also placed seventh at the ECAC Championships the next week, good for second on the team. That's pretty impressive winning rookie of the year," assistant coach Ethan Barron said. "He's been running really big races for us all season and really stepping up when it counts. He never gets fazed; he's a big meet runner." Finishing right behind Kennedy at NESCAC's were junior Nate Brigham, sophomore Kyle Doran, and junior Brian McNamara, in eighth, ninth, and tenth places. Sophomore Neil Orfield wasn't far back at 14th. "You couldn't ask for better sophomores than Neil Orfield and Kyle Doran," Barron said. "They show race experience beyond their years. They race with the confidence level of runners much older than themselves." Brigham earned his third All-NESCAC recognition in three years, having been named conference Rookie of the Year and to the Second Team in his freshman year, and a Second Team pick last season. "Brigham has been a strong frontrunner for us all season, he's been a great physical leader and a great role model to the younger guys," Barron said. "And Brian McNamara is one of the smartest runners I've ever come across. He really saved us in the NESCAC championship race." Barron stressed that the team's success does not come from their individual performances though. "They're winning because they run together," he said. "The reason we had five All-NESCAC runners is because they stick together and never let anyone slip behind. It speaks volumes about how Coach Putnam trains these guys. He really coaches them to not let anyone slip behind and it really comes out in the races." "The best thing to say about Connie is that when he sets a goal, he's going to work as hard as he can and do as much as he can to achieve that goal," Barron continued. "Winning NESCAC's is a goal he set over 20 years ago, and he has transformed Tufts into a program that has achieved that."

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Both squash teams look to continue success

November 20

The men's and women's squash teams achieved considerable success last year, and despite losses of top players for both teams, both groups expect to reach the same heights they rose to in 2002-2003. The men's team finished ranked 19th in the nation last year, but has large hurdles to overcome this season. The Jumbos lost three of their top four players from last year's roster - the team's top two players graduated, while the number four transferred. "It is tough losing so many good players, but we have a lot of other strong players who will keep us competitive," coach Doug Eng said. The men have a strong group of sophomores that will anchor the front of their lineup. Spencer Maxwell, Tom Keidel, Dan Karlin, and Pranav Tripathi are all second years who will play some of the top positions for Tufts. Eng also has a few newcomers who will contribute this season. Dave Linz is the top freshman, and should play somewhere around the seventh or eighth position. Junior Fernando Kriete joined the team this season, and will likely play the sixth or seventh position. "Our goal is to stay ranked in the top 20 teams in the nation," Eng said. "We don't play Stanford or Rochester, two tough teams from last year, so if we work real hard and beat who we should beat, we should do well and I think the guys will be happy." Co-captain Jordan Kolasinski is confident in the team's chances this season. "Our expectations are pretty high. This team has a lot of potential," Kolasinski said. "The schools above us are real solid, but I think we're going to do a good job defending our position." Kolasinski, who was 11-5 last season, will move up in the lineup this year where he will face stronger competition. Co-captain Jesse Goldberg also thinks the Jumbos will be strong this season. "We're looking to secure our position in the rankings and work towards eventually winning our division at nationals," Goldberg said. The Jumbos have also integrated a new fitness program into their practice regimen. The team has been working with Tufts trainers to create a conditioning program that should help to give it an edge against opponents. The Jumbos' first match of the season will take place Saturday when they play Brown, Connecticut College, and Williams at Harvard University. The men have modest expectations for the match. "Brown and Williams are two of the top ten schools in the nation, so it's going to be almost impossible to beat them, but we're looking to beat Connecticut College convincingly," Maxwell said. The women's team lost its top two players from last year as well, but feels it has more than enough depth to make up for that loss. The women's team was ranked 21st last year, and is looking to do even better this year. "Last year, a lot of things went wrong. We had a lot of nagging injuries," Eng said. "In order to succeed this year, we're going to need to stay healthy. That's the key." The arrival of some strong freshmen will help to give the Jumbos more depth than they had last year. Two of the team's top players will be freshmen Erica Adler and Julia Avrutin. Junior Nicole Arens and sophomore Joelle Polivy, agree that the team's depth is one of its strengths. "In squash, your number one player and your number nine player are equally important. So we will need our depth to be successful," Arens said. Arens is optimistic about the way she has been playing as well. "I feel like I'm playing a little better this year," Arens said. "I'm using the corners well, and I'm hitting the ball deeper. I think the team has a good chance against some of the schools we struggled against last year." The women will be led by tri-captains seniors Leigh Checchio and AJ Crane, and junior Eliza Drachman-Jones. The Lady Jumbos are also looking forward to their match with Connecticut College. "Last year we played Connecticut real close, so I think that will be a real good match," Polivy said.

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Custodial contracts up for negotiation

November 20

With only seven months left before Tufts' custodial contract expires, labor activists began meeting this week to discuss maintaining and increasing benefits for workers. The ultimate goal of the Student Labor Action Movement (SLAM) is to have the University agree to a minimum standard of wages and benefits workers will be paid. Though Tufts does not directly control such issues, it could demand any company meet certain minimums before signing a contract. SLAM members say they are concerned that if Tufts decides switch from its current provider, OneSource, the labor advances the group made in 2001 when the contract was last up for renewal will be lost. "Other firms will try to underbid OneSource," SLAM leader Ariana Flores said. "These firms will cut wages and benefits. The improvements that will have just gone into effect will be invalidated." But Tufts generally only negotiates over the fees a custodial service will charge the University to maintain its campuses. Issues such as benefits, wages, and job security are usually left to be negotiated between individual companies and the unions that represent custodians. The contract between workers and OneSource will also expire at the end of June, 2004. "All of the terms and conditions are up for discussion between the vendor and the union," Vice President of Operations John Roberto said. Roberto declined to comment on whether Tufts would renew the contract with OneSource or pursue other options. SLAM is arguing that all workers, including part-timers, should receive benefits such as health insurance. Currently, only full-time workers receive family health insurance - health insurance that will cover a worker's family as well as themselves. Of the approximately 200 OneSource employees who work at Tufts' three campuses, approximately half are considered part-time by OneSource. Part time workers are employed fewer than 29 hours per week. "We need health insurance for part-time employees, greater salaries, and more full time positions," first working shift steward Irlanda Castilla said. "We also need sick and personal days, and we also need to create job security." SLAM held a teach-in on Monday night to educate students about janitors' issues. Negotiations will not begin until the spring, so the group at this point is working to build awareness. About 35 people attended the teach-in, including undergraduate and graduate students, custodial staff, and faculty. Until 1994, custodians were direct employees of the University, when Tufts began to out-source all custodial work. The University entered a four-year contract with OneSource in 1997. SLAM was founded in the fall of 2001 while Tufts was renegotiating its contract with OneSource. The group also worked with the union to establish a new contract between OneSource and union. The group's mission was to "fight for the worker's right to fair salaries and benefits." "By and large, our efforts in 2001 did work," SLAM member and political science professor Gary McKissick said. The main goal of SLAM during the previous set of talks was to increase janitors' wages, and ultimately wages were raised from $8 to $11.45 an hour. The wages were increased over the three years of the contract - in January, wages for full-time workers will reach $11.45. Currently, they are at $10.80. Janitors at other universities in the Boston area are paid a higher amount than Tufts' staff. OneSource workers at Harvard are paid $12.35 an hour. M.I.T. and Boston University do not out-source their work, and janitors are paid $12.46 and $15.95 an hour, respectively. In the spring of last year, Harvard students protested and practiced civil disobedience to encourage the university to increase OneSource's wages there. "Some universities do pay more," Roberto said. Adding that "the cleaners at Tufts do have a better contract than what is considered to be the common market price." The Economic Policy Institute and Wider Opportunities for Women suggest a living wage standard of at least $12 per hour plus benefits for the Boston area. In 2001, relations between SLAM and the University were tenuous at best. SLAM held a protest in front of Ballou Hall, and often complained that Tufts did not meet with the group. Ultimately, however, an agreement was reached between OneSource and Tufts. Flores is confident this year the discussions will be much more civil. "The situation is different this time because we won last time and we have a lot more credibility," she said. "I like to think that there won't be so much so much of a difference of opinion." "At some level, Tufts is just another employer, but is that what we what Tufts to be? Is that how we expect an elite university to treat its people?" McKissick said.

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Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness speaks at Fletcher

November 20

Dr. David Chu, Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, spoke Wednesday about the challenges the army faces in maintaining its ranks. The goal of Chu's talk was to answer the question of how the army has been able to maintain large standing force since 1973, when the draft was eliminated and the military became a volunteer force. Chu said the large standing army was what made the US a "true world power." Chu spoke at Fletcher before an audience of about 25, including President Larry Bacow. He discussed a myriad of strategies the Department of Defense (DoD) has enacted to keep interest levels high in the armed forces, focusing largely on the financial packages to soldiers. A personal friend of Chu's, Bacow introduced the speaker as "someone who's changed Congress' analytic abilities" when considering military figures. Chu said the first ten years after the ending of the draft was not a successful time for recruitment. He attributed this to low benefits civilians received when joining the armed forces. Another problem for recruitment agents has been individuals' increased attention to higher education. Today, Chu said, around 70 percent of high school graduates go on to some form of college - a number that has increased significantly in the last thirty years. Until recently, serving in the military would have been incompatible with attending college, a fact that kept many potential soldiers from enlisting. "Today, we are actively seeking to reconcile military service with higher education," Chu said. He listed a series of new programs the DoD created, including the ability for students to get college credit for classes they take under military instructors. Numerous area schools participate in such a program based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Tufts students do not currently receive credit for courses Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets take at MIT, however, alumni are in negotiation with the University with an aim to change the school's policy. The ROTC program grants scholarships to students who enlist in the military after graduation from college. Students who enroll in the ROTC agree to five years of military service after graduation in exchange for scholarships that can exceed $100,000, depending on the university. While in school, students take military science classes and attend activities to prepare them for their service. More than half a million people have graduated from college through the program. Currently more than seventy-five percent of the army's officers come from Army ROTC. Chu said the DoD has made higher education and military service more compatible. "Pay increases within the military has attracted many people...and has also gotten large numbers to stay in the military," he said. He briefly outlined the financial program for soldiers, explaining that the physical paychecks they receive account for only 60 percent of their total compensation from the military. Their house and food expenditures are entirely tax-free, and their healthcare paid for by the government. "These changes have been enacted to heighten the quality, effectiveness and dedication of our armed forces," Chu said. Although he acknowledged that the burden on the men and women in the armed forces is great, Chu noted that "people are generally satisfied with the military way of life." The statistics he presented showed that 62 percent of those in active duty claimed to be satisfied, and that 58 percent of those in active duty today held a strong intent to stay in uniform. Chu maintained although the military made great strides in changing its image to accommodations the younger, education-seeking generation, the DoD still faces problems. "Although for a long time the DoD was at the head of the creation of new technology-that is no longer the case today. The civilian population has taken over that role," he said. These facts, according to Chu, have forced the military to rethink its definition of career length and involvement, so as to attract a larger variety of talent into the armed forces. Since being sworn in as Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness last June, Chu is considered to be the United State's highest ranking civilian Asian American.

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Rock and roll may be in trouble

November 19

Jersey born and bred, Saves the Day, will break into the Avalon on their headline tour this coming Friday. The band has had amazing success with their first big-label album, In Reverie, produced by Dream Works, and are embarking upon an American tour. They are currently hitting up the east coast, from Washington to Portland, and everywhere in between. Their music, slightly off kilter from their contemporaries, is less aggressive and more laid back than most alternative rock. It can be described as a hearty blend of old-school emo mixed with the chords of jam-punk, intermingled with the beats of pop. Reminiscent of Bands like Blink 182 and Simple Plan, Saves the Day, has similar catchy punk rhythms -- songs where the chorus repeats so many times that you can't help but be singing along by the end of the tune. Though their music may sound simplistic to the novel listener, Saves the Day boasts intricate melodies and complicated chords -- raw musical talent in a power chord driven genre. More importantly, Saves the Day knows how to play together. After all, they have been performing for 10 consecutive years. The group got their start when lead singer Chris Conley was 13. He and guitarist Dave Solaway would play off one another's riffs in Soleway's basement. They hit their first record deal during senior year of high school with Vagrant Records and have been making music ever since, becoming one of the most influential and cutting edge emo bands of the era. At the core of emo lies the catchy punk power chords, the repeated chorus's, the upbeat whiny tunes, the high falsetto voice, and the thread of minor tones. Ultimately, emo creates a different spin on the classic Beatle's rock and roll, becoming a very drum driven type of music. Saves the Day songs are filled with teenage angst and more often than not, the love-puppy theme creeps in, appropriately filtered through Conley's baby-face appearance that is perfect for the genre. While short in stature, and with stringy blond hair, Conley leads the group. His soft whining-voice echoes through the 4/4 driven rock beat and his lyrics are some of the great talent of this band. In 2001, Saves the Day released Stay Where You Are. The album flung Saves the Day onto the national scene, selling over 200,000 records and emerging in the top half of the Billboards' top 200. Their single 'At Your Funeral' received radio play beginning with Los Angeles's dominant KROQ and eventually landed Saves the Day their first music video on MTV, spurning there next hit single "Freakish." Since then, Saves the Day has been embarking on some heavy touring. Traveling with the likes of Greenday, Blink 182, Weezer, and fellow emo-group Dashboard Confessional, they have made trips to Europe and plan to head over to Japan by the beginning of next year. With each tour the band gains more fans and momentum. This time around, Saves the Day aims to promote their critically acclaimed album, In Reverie. In the midst of a pop-driven culture, Saves the Day puts on a good show that is slightly off the beaten path. They originated the old-fashioned way, together as young, inspired kids who wanted to make good music. With all four members in their early twenties, the young band has already been around for the past ten years. Who knew they were going to help define a new generation of Emo music? Including some of the more talented musicians on the emo scene, you won't be able to see a band that more vivaciously demonstrates the genre. Doors open at 5:00 this Friday at the Avalon and tickets are $18.50 through ticket master or can be purchased at the door. Saves the Day will share the stage with up and coming band, Taking Back Sunday.

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You won't want to stop the terror

November 19

There is more than one way to sell your soul to the devil - after seeing the literal method in last month's Faustus, Torn Ticket II will be showing a slightly more offbeat version. In the upcoming production of the musical Little Shop of Horrors, Seymour Krelborn makes an unsavory compromise with a blood thirsty plant in order to capture the heart of the woman he loves. Little Shop takes place in Mushnik's Skid Row florist shop during1960. Seymour Krelborn is a down on his luck orphan who works in the shop. He loves Audrey, his coworker, but she has a boyfriend, the abusive dentist Orin. When Mr. Mushnik, tired of "Skid Row" life, decides to close the shop, Seymour saves the day. He displays Audrey II, a weird Venus fly trap type plant that he found during a total eclipse of the sun. Audrey II proves to be a big draw, attracting tons of business to the florist shop. But all greatness comes at a price. Audrey II begins to wilt, and Seymour discovers that the plant needs human blood to survive. Seymour keeps Audrey II alive at first by slitting his own fingers, but as the plant grows, it begins to demand greater and greater sacrifices. Seymour is torn, but he believes that his newly blossoming relationship with Audrey (the human) is dependant on the fame and fortune he has gained through Audrey II. Seymour's capitulation to the singing, man-eating plant ultimately leads to his downfall. Audience members may be familiar with Little Shop from the 1986 Frank Oz film (with Rick Moranis and Steve Martin), but Torn Ticket's production is significantly different. Director Tali Paransky explained that the play is much darker than the movie, "... particularly the ending." Seymour actively controls his fate. "Seymour is the cause of his own demise, which makes the play substantially more interesting." Seymour's relationship with Audrey II explores how far people are willing to go to get what they want. As Paransky explains, the story "takes the Faustus tale and modernizes it and puts the absolute absurd into it." While the musical is a comedy on the surface, Paransky chose to emphasize the dark elements of the story. "There are two types of horrors in it. There are unworldly ones like an alien plant who eats people. Then there are real world horrors. Audrey is physically abused by her boyfriend. Seymour is verbally abused by Mr. Mushnick." Although the premise of the show is absurd, the character's emotional struggles are very real. The story's darkness is reflected in all facets of the production. "We are exploring themes of growth and decay in all aspects of the staging and costumes," explained costume designer Luke Brown. Visually, the show gets darker as Seymour's moral and psychological deterioration manifests. The actors' costumes change from vibrant colors to black and white. Audrey II grows as the play progresses, dominating both the set and the character's lives. Musically, the show is heavily rock-influenced. Tim Blake, pit director, finds that "Little Shop is a musical that everyone can enjoy, even people who don't like musicals. The music is fun and fast. People can really get into it. It's music that, for the pit, was a lot of fun to put together." Alan Menken's score includes such favorites as "Skid Row" and "Suddenly Seymour." The Balch Arena Theater is the perfect intimate venue for the show. The set includes not only the stage, but also the staircases leading down to it and one whole section of where the audience usually sits. According to Blake, the audience's proximity to the stage almost integrates it into the set. "You feel like a part of it," he said. One of the challenges of performing a musical in Balch is that an electronic orchestra can overpower the actors' voices, making it hard for the audience to understand the lyrics. To overcome this challenge, the cast is equipped with headset microphones. The cast of Little Shop has been rehearsing for the last two months in order to make the production pitch perfect. In spite of the dark elements of the show, they emphasize that it is actually a lot of fun. "The best part of the show is when various characters get eaten by a plant the size of a Geo Metro," says Alex Sherman, who plays Seymour. The carnivorous Audrey II seduces the audience with the promise of fame and fortune -- it is not your average Venus fly trap. Similarly, Little Shop is not your average musical -- it serves as an entertaining reminder that the devil comes in all shapes and sizes.

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Outgoing Somerville mayor honored at new park

November 19

Members of the Somerville community gathered last Sunday at the future site of Durrell Park to honor outgoing mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay's commitment to expanding open green spaces in the city during her term. The land where the park will be had been unused for many years before local residents encouraged discussion two years ago. The park, which is located near the Cambridge border on Beacon St, is expected to open in the summer of 2004. Somerville resident Faviana Olivier brought the idea for a children's garden to a meeting of the Somerville Conservation Commission after being upset at the condition of the neighborhood where she and her children live. The Commission, which is composed of volunteers and one full-time conservation agent, controls Somerville's Community Garden Program to improve Somerville's gardens. The park project faced many obstacles and was strongly challenged by the Somerville Public Works Department, which wanted to take control of the project and delay the completion date by a few years. "We almost lost the park," green space coordinator and conservation agent Anne Phelps said. "But luckily [Mayor Kelly Gay] supported us when we said we want to build a community garden." Members of the Commission went to different organizations, including the Historical Society and neighboring schools and buildings, in order to gauge community reactions to their plan. After creating a design that would serve the needs and wants of the community, the Commission took the plan to the Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) for funding. After a long process, the OHCD agreed to devote $25,000 in grants to the project. "That part of Somerville is still considered low income, a factor which contributed to the funding," Phelps said. Residents of the area said they were enthusiastic about a community garden and willing to contribute to the effort. Community members worked with chief landscape designer Leslie Breyton to develop a garden that would best serve neighborhood residents. The group included several special features, including garden beds wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs to allow disabled members of the community to easily access the garden. Phelps said the Commission was intent on building the garden as soon as possible. "People interested in creating the garden are mostly renters, who may not be here in a few years to wait for development," Phelps added. Aside from developing the basic layout of the garden, the Commission also came up with an organization system to ensure that the garden would be maintained by the community. Although the Commission will remain active in the garden maintenance, residents will assume the vital roles as park overseers. These volunteers will be in charge of assigning plots and maintaining communication with the Commission in case problems should arise. "They will make sure that people are good neighbors," Phelps said. The Commission has already approved the development of two more gardens in the Somerville area. The Commission hopes that Mayor-elect Joe Curtatone will be as supportive as Kelly Gay has been.

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News

Put ESPN in the penalty box

November 19

Tufts' gripe with ESPN may be new to students, but it is nothing new in the cable industry. As a matter of fact, Tufts is just joining the ranks of providers who are upset with the rates ESPN demands. Tufts Computing and Communications Services was most likely fully aware that students would be upset by the lack of ESPN. But the unpopular decision, in the end, places Tufts on the side of a much more powerful group. This month, James Robbins, the chairman of Cox Communications, the fourth-largest cable provider in the nation, verbally chided ESPN for charging exorbitantly high rates for its programming. If Cox Communications, with its paying costumer base of seven million subscribers, is protesting, one cannot fault Tufts University, with a customer base of just a few thousand, for not adding ESPN to the channel lineup. There is good news in the future for Tufts and for sports fans on campus not satisfied with Fox Sports or with NESN. When Comcast, the largest cable operator in the United States, was able to force Starz Encore, which operates 14 movie channels, to charge a lower price for its programming than it originally demanded, it possibly portended a change in the cable industry. As the cable industry aggregated into fewer providers with larger influence, programmers such as Discovery Channel, USA Networks, and Starz realized that they could not afford to be left out of the channel lineups of the nation's largest cable providers. As the cable industry continues to consolidate and power transfers from programmers to providers, it is likely we will see a decrease in the amounts companies like ESPN can charge for their programming. Most of the price negotiations have been kept behind closed doors. That is, until James Robbins spoke out against ESPN, a provider that banked on its popularity, variety of lineup, and quasi-monopoly on the national, 24-hour sports news information to maintain its cost. Tufts students who are upset by the lack of ESPN can do something to get it back on campus. ESPN, as proved by the Rush Limbaugh controversy, is acutely aware of public opinion. Previous outcries were directed at ESPN's higher management. So, send in your letters. Ask ESPN to provide a reasonably priced service to you, the customer and the fan. They can also hope that the power of cable providers like Cox Communications and Comcast will eventually force the programmer to reduce its prices.

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Jumbos set course for success

November 19

The men's swimming and diving team will enter Saturday's opening meet against Connecticut College with confidence -- a sentiment well deserved by this perennial Tufts sports success story. The Jumbos are coming off a third place NESCAC finish last February, in a season that saw them go 8-1 overall with two third place finishes at both of their invitational meets. Tufts also set four team records in 2002-2003. The previous season, Tufts posted a 9-1 overall mark and finished the year at the NCAA championships in Ada, Ohio. The Jumbos have suffered only three season losses in the past three years. Saturday's match, to be held at UMass Dartmouth in a strange three-team meet in which Tufts will only compete with Connecticut College, will hopefully serve as a stepping-stone for the Jumbos. Tufts is looking to post its seventh straight league win. The streak began after the Jumbos' 2001-2002 season loss to Williams. "It's a good way to start the season," sophomore Steve Ward said of the Connecticut College match-up. "We still have to work hard though, because there are still lots of good teams out there, especially Williams. They're always good." In recent history Williams has been the Jumbos' thorn, as Tufts has dropped its last three matches to the Ephs. The two swim teams did not face off directly last season. "Williams along with MIT are definitely going to be our hardest match-ups this year," sophomore swimmer Marc Katz said. "They're always just really good." Regardless of tough competition to come, the Jumbos certainly pose a formidable threat to whatever teams may come their way this year. A strong core of senior returning swimmers -- led by senior tri-captains Kaili Mauricio, Jamie Myers, and Greg Schmidt -- is in place to help guide last year's successful freshman and sophomore classes to veteran standing. In addition, this year's particularly tough and competitive freshman class will almost certainly contribute to the season's final result. "We have a ton of good freshmen," Ward said. "We're going to be a tough team this year, considering how we have a good group of people coming back plus this incoming [freshman] class." Mike Kinsella, Greg Bettencourt, and Sloan Harris, all members of the class of 2007, should play an important role this year for the Jumbos. Kinsella and Sloan both swim freestyle, with Bettencourt swimming both freestyle and fly. However, the freshmen are not the only ones with high merits entering the season. Those Jumbos coming back for return stints have set high goals for themselves based on their own past years at Tufts. Sophomore Brett Baker placed second last year overall in the 100 yard individual medley at the NESCAC's. At the same meet, Jon Godsey broke Tufts' team record in the 50 yard backstroke with a time of 24.16. Also at the NESCAC invitational, three of the Jumbo relay teams set school records; the 400 yard medley relay set the mark with a time of 3:30.00, the 200 yard freestyle relay nailed down a time of 1:25.24, and the 400 yard freestyle relay clocked in with 3:07.62. Senior Tyler Duckworth, who swam in nationals two years ago, and junior Seth Baron are also swimmers to watch. The divers decreased this year, due to the departure of two seniors. Junior Jono Perry and sophomore Todd Putnam will be diving for the Jumbos this season, along with graduate student Connell Cloyd. Cloyd, who began diving his junior year for the Jumbos, still has two years of athletic eligibility left.

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Campus landscaping walks line between innovation, preservation

November 19

The cut-down trees and new sidewalks in the uphill section of campus are just the first of many proposed changes to the campus landscape, but they will not considerably change the overall look and feel from the original landscaping plan. Dead trees in front of Packard Hall on the academic quad and Miller Hall on the residential quad were cut down. "That one in front of Miller was dead and had a big split in it," Grounds Supervisor John Vik said. "In front of Packard, that [tree] was just about dead as a doornail. It had very very few leaves on it." When a tree comes down on the Academic Quad at Tufts, it changes a landscape designed by the landscaping firm of Frederick Law Olmsted, who pioneered landscape architecture around the turn of the 20th century. Olmsted designed Central Park in New York City and the famed "Emerald Necklace" of parks around Boston. Olmsted's son, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., designed the grounds on the Tufts campus. Olmsted aimed to create a landscape that was inviting for student use. According to Tuftonia Magazine Olmsted's firm was hired in the 1920s by then-President John A. Cousens to improve the appearance of the campus. The most noticeable Olmsted additions to the campus included the Memorial Steps and the preservation of the President's Lawn, which Olmsted dictated should remain an unbuilt, tree-covered slope. "I think they've maintained it very well," Associate Professor of Art History Daniel Abramson said. "On the President's Lawn and Academic Quad in the six years I've been here, there've been no new plantings, no new paths," he said. Abramson also cited the recent restoration of the Memorial Steps as an example of Tufts' recognition of the historical value of its landscaping. When the University makes changes to the landscaping, it does so within the context of preservation of open space on campus. "There's always an attempt to preserve as much open space as possible," Executive Administrative Dean Wayne Bouchard said. "The challenge for us is preserving that space and at the same time finding creative ways to use the rest of the campus." The University is expanding on the recommendations of a Master Plan for development first created in the late 1980s. According to Bouchard, the University hopes to have the creation of a new master plan underway by the beginning of next semester. "They're just in the final stages of selecting a consultant who will work with us," Bouchard said. Bouchard said that the University's concerns include increasing the "residential experience" for both graduate and undergraduate students and bringing more research onto the Medford/Somerville campus, all while preserving open space. "There is a commitment to make this still feel like a green campus, not all concrete and parking lots," he said. The towns of Medford and Somerville will be included in the master planning efforts. "If our campus is not allowed to expand, which is always a challenge as the community around us is pretty saturated," Bouchard said, "that will put pressure on open space, but it is my sense that the University has been and continues to be committed to preserving as much of that as possible." Vik said not much will change on the oldest parts of campus, with the exception of some restoration. "We have long term plans to build new sidewalks around the quad. There won't be much reconfiguration of the landscape there," he said. "The curbs are actually parking bumpers used as curbs, and that's really not acceptable. Slowly, we've been digging that up and replacing it with six-by-18 inch granite curb." Vik said the trees recently cut down will be replaced. "I was noticing in front of Miller that there was a big hole," he said. Sophomore Erin Miller lives in a room formerly shaded by the tree. "I was trying to take a nap and the chainsaw woke me up," she said. "I hope they put another tree there soon, because without it the area around the [residential] quad looks far too empty." According to Vik, trees are usually replaced by donations. "When someone wants to donate a tree, that's where we'll put it. Lots of people like to donate trees," he said. "Usually it entails a donation to the University for scholarship," which would extend beyond the cost of the tree itself, Vik added.

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News

Jumbo swim team coach a Jumbo success

November 19

Heading into his 33rd year of leading the rock that has become the Jumbo swimming bunch, Coach Don Megerle knows a thing or two about success. 32 seasons alone should be enough to make Megerle a legend in the Jumbo athletic department. However, bringing the Jumbos 29 winning campaigns during his tenure, and amassing a 234-77 dual-meet record over that span, is something all to itself. The winner of 2002-2003 NESCAC swimming coach of the year honors, Megerle's name can be found in all nooks and crannies of NCAA swimming, in any division. He has organized the NCAA Division III Men's Nationals since 1975, the NCAA Division I Men's Nationals since 1980, and the NCAA Division III Women's Nationals since 1981. He is a six-time New England Coach of the Year (1979, 1989, 1991, 1994, 2000, 2003), recipient of the Paragon Award from the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1999, and was declared Tufts' first Master Coach that same year. From the diving side of the team, coach Brad Snodgrass returns for Tufts for his 16th season. Snodgrass, who also coaches at MIT and Northeastern, has three New England Coach of the Year awards over his 22 years of coaching diving. In his active diving years, Snodgrass dove for numerous stalwarts of the sport, including U.S. National Team coach Jim Stillson during his undergraduate days at Columbia. Although no formal statistics are kept, the eight combined New England Coach of the Year awards and numerous other accolades make the Megerle/Snodgrass combination one of the most successful in all of Division III athletics. in head-to-head match-ups.

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