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From classroom to newsroom

October 16

Where can you shoot and edit your own news stories, address such issues as media ethics and public policy change, and hear from filmmakers, commentators, and critics, all in two-plus blocks a week? The answer is the ExCollege's new course "Producing TV Programs for Social Change," taught by Professor Roberta Oster-Sachs. Oster-Sachs is an Emmy award winning news producer who has worked for networks such as CBS, NBC, and ABC. The course is the result of a collaboration between the Communications and Media Studies (CMS) program and the University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS). "We are very fortunate to be able to have someone with such stellar professional credentials as Roberta Oster-Sachs teaching at Tufts," CMS Director Julie Dobrow said. "She brings fantastic background in the field, along with a commitment for social justice and activism that is infectious. The combination is incredibly engaging." An important feature of the course is its impressive list of guest speakers. Nine guest speakers have been scheduled for the course this semester. "Through our amazing variety of guest lecturers, all whom have sparked social change through the media, we are reminded each week how this tool really does have the power to educate the public and influence lawmakers to seek social justice," senior Nina Yadava said. The guest lecturers also provide students with an example of civic responsibility. "Talking with some of the best professionals in the media industry has been incredibly informative, but most importantly, inspiring," senior Melanie Kahn said. From documentary filmmakers to television producers and others, a long list of highly accomplished individuals have visited the class. Recently, Geraldine Moriba-Meadows, a Dateline producer, came to discuss her segments on affirmative action and the custody rights of battered women. Oster-Sachs pointed to Moriba-Meadows as an example of someone using the medium of television to affect public policy change. "Few people in the television industry get to produce stories for social change," Oster-Sachs said. "In the midst of ratings mania, [Moriba-Meadows] was able to pull herself out and produce programs that make a difference, and literally affect public policy." Another innovative aspect of the class is its structure. Based on her own newsroom experience, Oster-Sachs has turned the classroom into a newsroom. Students have responded positively to the innovative setup. "The environment of this class is great and the newsroom setting really works. Sitting around a table, calling your professor/producer by her first name, and understanding that the classes are discussions, not lectures, creates a very comfortable atmosphere in which we have no fear of voicing our honest opinions," Yadava said. Students value the newsroom setup as an introduction into the realities of the television field. "The newsroom dynamic....allows the students to understand the amount of work that is put into even the most minute details of television," senior Tyler Duckworth said. Additionally, students create their own film pieces throughout the semester, working in teams and covering a variety of socially relevant issues. "Students will develop very important skills, work collaboratively in a team, and learn how they can channel this important communications medium for advocacy of social issues," Dobrow said. This semester's teams are covering such issues as Rape Crisis Centers, Education Budget cuts, Modern Slavery and Mystic River pollution. "All [the topics] are a bit heavy for first-time filmmakers, yet I am amazed at how quickly we have all picked up the camera techniques, editing and general production responsibilities," Duckworth said. The comprehensive approach, combining discussion, hands-on filming and editing, and social advocacy, appeals to students. "I think this class offers an amazing hands-on opportunity to create television that has the potential to educate, inspire, and eventually change social issues that warrant our immediate attention," Yadava said. "I wanted to take the class because it is one of the few classes that Tufts offers (in the communications subject area) that is practical instead of just theoretical...In this class we research, shoot, edit and write all of our own stories. We are actually 'doing' instead of just being lectured on how...to do it," Kahn said. Students in the class agree that Oster-Sachs' experience and dedication to societal concerns creates an incredible learning environment. "Working with Roberta is an amazing opportunity to not only work with an established producer, but work with someone who wants to see a new generation of producers who are aware of social issues," Duckworth said. "[Professor Oster-Sachs] has worked in the industry and has real experience that she can share with us," Kahn said. "For many of us in the class who are already in our senior year, the last minute practical media experience is extremely valuable." The high demand for the course outstripped the class capacity, as only fifteen students were permitted to enroll. "This is the first semester the course has been offered. Over 40 people applied for 15 spots," Dobrow said. "The course will be given again in the spring," Dobrow added. "We are working now to find ways to endow this wonderful program and keep it at Tufts." "Professor Oster-Sachs' course is the embodiment of this belief that the media can be a strong tool for advocacy and can be used effectively to bring about social change," Dobrow said.

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News

A difficult dual role

October 16

Becoming a Resident Advisor (RA) at Tufts is a position that has many benefits, but it also comes with much responsibility. RAs are asked to maintain order among stressed out, overworked 18 to 21 year-olds who are in the process of adapting to college life. Maintaining this authority can be difficult, especially when RAs are the same age as or younger than residents whom they are supposed to advise. That difficulty can become even more pronounced when friendships with residents enter the picture: since RAs are meant to serve as disciplinarians as well as confidants, RA-resident friendships can often blur the lines between the two roles and hinder the necessary power an RA must have over a resident. "It's hard to maintain a professional relationship with people you live with," said junior Giulia Lang, a Hodgdon RA with residents who are seniors. "It is difficult not to become friends with neighbors [like any other resident]." "Sometimes you are tempted to cross the line where you converse and act in a manner that is completely friendship oriented," Lang said. "However, the RA must step back and remember that they are there as an RA and a friend." Lang added that she has maintained the amount of distance necessary to be professional. RAs like Lang who are younger than their residents are put in a particularly difficult situation. They are encouraged throughout RA training to get to know their residents well. Doing this not only makes their job more pleasurable, but is a good way to get residents involved in dorm activities. Having personal relationships with one's residents also has its drawbacks, however. If an RA is friends with his or her residents, it may be hard for him or her to discipline those residents, enforce the rules, or even hold a meeting to discuss behavioral problems. "I think it is possible [for RAs to both enforce the rules and be friends with their residents], but very difficult depending on both parties," sophomore Kristen Shinkawa said. "It's really hard because the RA has a responsibility that doesn't usually go over well with the students. It usually makes the kids mad if they get in trouble. Since [RAs] need to take on an adult role, it's difficult to create a friendship." Shinkawa cited a recent example of the problematic dynamic between RAs who are friends with their residents. "My friends' RA drinks with the kids in their room on the weekend," Shinkawa said. "When the RA saw them the next day in the hall with a beer in their hands, he wrote them up." Sophomore Daniel Sauerstrom, an RA in Lewis, has had no problems with his residents because of age. "I have four seniors, two juniors, and a number of sophomores on my hall," Sauerstrom said. "But there has not been an incident where I have felt that my age has hurt my ability to be an RA." Sophomore RAs are not trained to deal specifically with age-related problems. "We are told that it is important to maintain an RA-student relationship, but no; there is no specific age-related training for RAs," Sauerstrom. "It is difficult to maintain the distance expected of you." Making the RA-friend dynamic work is also difficult from the resident point of view. "Oh yeah, it's difficult for students, because you are friends with [RAs] and respect them, so you never want to put them in a bad position," sophomore Chris Lintz said. "But for the most part is all works out, just as long as you aren't irrational or stupid." According to Sauerstrom, in some ways his younger age can serve as an advantage when dealing with freshman and other sophomores. "They know that I've just been through this," Sauerstrom said. "It makes our interactions closer." Senior Andrew Hara, who was an RA in Tilton his sophomore year and is now an RA in Hill, claims that age is irrelevant when it comes to the ability to be a good RA. In both experiences, Hara felt that he was able to fulfill his responsibilities as an RA. "I know that certain students might have a problem accepting younger students as an authority,"Hara said. "But your age or your year doesn't matter much, being a resource -- which is your job as an RA, to be a resource -- isn't contingent on being older than your residents. When you are a sophomore, you still have experience at Tufts." Many Tufts students share Hara's opinion. "I wouldn't have a problem [respecting the authority of a younger RA] as long as they were intelligent and responsible," Lintz said. Sophomore Samantha Kumar agreed. "It is more important how they carry themselves [than how old they are]," Kumar said of younger RAs. "I think in college age isn't too much of a factor," Shinkawa said. Patrice Taddonio contributed to this report.

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News

Team absorbs loss, falls to 3-3

October 16

Despite a strong Tufts comeback in the second half, the field hockey came out on the losing end of 3-2 decision against Wesleyan on Wednesday afternoon. The loss at Wesleyan dropped the team's NESCAC record to an even 3-3. After being down 2-0 early in the second half, the Jumbo offense overcame its deficit and tied the game with 18:41 left in regulation. The Cardinals persisted, however and with 3:38 remaining, centered a rebounding shot and put it in the net for the final score of the game. Sophomore midfielder Erika Goodwin and freshman forward Tracy Rittenour scored both of the Jumbo goals, with sophomores midfielder Jeanne Grabowski and forward Lea Napolitano each notching assists. Rittenour's goal was the first of her collegiate career. Rittenour's play on offense has been vital over the past few games for the Jumbos. She has narrowly missed goals in each of the last three games, although she has three assists on the season. In Thursday's 1-0 victory in strokes over Trinity, she maintained ball control for Tufts on offense for much of the game, giving the defense valuable time to rest. Finding the back of the net in Wednesday's loss was bittersweet for Rittenour. "I've really put a lot of pressure on myself, I'm glad to get it out of the way," Rittenour said. "Unfortunately, though, we didn't get the win. All these NESCAC games are just so tough." The usually unyielding Jumbo defense seemed to give some slack before finally hunkering down in the final 25 minutes of play. It allowed a Wesleyan goal in the first half, and one at the start of the second. "I think we were caught off-guard, we weren't playing our best," Rittenour said. "Those two weren't very good goals." Coach Carol Rappoli agreed, explaining that the Jumbos didn't emerge like the team that had just won a grueling 1-0 victory over Trinity in strokes on Saturday. "We didn't start the game with the same intensity that we finished it with," Rappoli said. "In our league that is very important. Our first half was just not played at the level we should be playing at." On the brighter side for the Jumbos, senior co-captain midfielder Willow Hagge returned to the field after missing time with a persistent back injury. Hagge had been hurt, playing off an on through the injury, for over two weeks. Wesleyan, in winning its second straight and improving its league record to 2-4, stopped Tufts from going two games over .500 in league play. Tufts sits in a tie with Colby for fifth place. Next up for Tufts is a Saturday afternoon game against Williams, which is no pushover. The Ephs have a 7-2 overall record, are 4-1 in the league, and find themselves in a tie with Bowdoin for third place. They boast one of the league's most powerful offenses, scoring, on average, over three goals a game. Their 29 season goals over nine games more than double Tufts' 13 goals in 10 contests this year. The Ephs' defense is also stingy, allowing only 13 scores all season. "We have our report, and we'll work the rest of this week on how we can beat them," Rappoli said. "They have that prolific offense, obviously we will need to slow it down." While the task is challenging, Tufts has its fair share of reasons to look forward to Saturday's game at Williams. For one, Tufts has yet to lose back to back NESCAC games this year. Secondly, the Jumbos also have a strong defense, which held offensive powerhouse Amherst to one goal, and has a shutout which stood up through regulation and both overtime periods against Trinity. "We have a good defense, we saw that on Saturday (against Trinity)," Rappoli said. "There can't be any questions. (The defense) has to come out and play hard right from the beginning." Tufts also has a documented tendency to play well on weekend games, while faltering on the midweek contests. The Jumbos are 3-2 on weekends, yet 1-4 during the week. "I don't know why we've had problems with the midweek games," Rittenour said. "It's not like we're not used to them, because in high school we only played midweek games." Williams has won two in a row against the Jumbos, after the Jumbos won the contests in 1999 and 2000 in overtime.

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News

Tongue of a Bird' debuts in Somerville

October 16

The art of creation can sometimes be a search for meaning. Sometimes -- in the best cases -- the artist's quest is one we as readers or viewers can empathize with. But in Ellen McLaughlin's play, Tongue of a Bird, it feels like she was searching for too many things at once. The play leaves the audience... searching. While Ellen McLaughlin's play Tongue of a Bird receives a beautiful staging at the Theatre Cooperative in Somerville, the text ultimately leads the audience down too many fragmentary paths. Searches-and-rescues, both metaphorical and actual, dominate the storyline of McLaughlin's play. The show opens after twelve-year old Charlotte (Alexandra Lewis) has been kidnapped in the local mountains and her mother Dessa (Kim Anton) is hiring a pilot to find her. The pilot she hires, Maxine (Korrine Hertz), is confronted with a personal search-and-rescue mission of her own, as she tries to discover the reason for her mother's suicide while she lives with her grandmother, Zofia (Maureen Adduci). The script, or at least three-quarters of it, is divided into neat little scenes that have clearly defined beginnings, middles and ends, however, the storyline itself often branches off in too many directions. For example, the pilot's dead mother Evie (Eve Passeltiner) appears to Maxine in dreams over the course of the play, always dressed as Amelia Earhart, but by the time the two characters finally resolve their conflict, it is hard to even care about their revelations since so many other subplots and ideas have been introduced over the course of the production. The relationship between Maxine and Dessa is the most human to develop in the play. After that bond is broken, the feeling that the play could end there is evoked -- yet it continues to go on about the relationship between the Maxine and her mother's ghost. In the last scene, they launch into these lengthy speeches which the audience ends up tuning out, since most of the emotion between the characters is being conveyed by the actors' physical attitudes and gestures, instead of the words themselves. In some ways, this play is aptly titled Tongue of a Bird since the characters communicate more through the tones of their chirping voices and swooping actions than through the actual dialogue. The lighting design of Thomas M.J. Callahan also made the mistaken decision to go to blackout between every scene. With this type of play, the constant blackouts do more to kill the flow and rhythm of the story than they help to denote the end of a scene, which is always made very clear by breaks in the dialogue. The designers should have given playgoers more credit in their ability to suspend disbelief, especially when the production is staged in a small theater that relies so much on the audience's perceived intimacy with the actors. The production design makes much better use of the play's unique format. The set is subdivided and none of the set pieces ever move from their original spots. Once one understands what each space represents (i.e. which characters inhabit it and where it is in reality), the consistency of the design gives the entire stage a physical and metaphorical unity that ties the whole show together. Despite the setbacks of the script and lighting, the actors and the director manage to put up a pretty impressive production. The director, Lesley Chapman, has composed a show with a specific feeling. She has a great understanding of how people communicate underneath and aside from what they are saying. Each of the characters has a very clear, well-defined way of interacting with every single other personage in the play, and these developed relationships manage to transcend even the most irritating and lengthy bits of McLaughlin's dialogue. The actors themselves do well to transcend the limitations of the script. Hertz as Maxine manages to take the audience with her on her journey by creating a character with many levels and many relatable qualities. Anton portrays the role of the kidnapped girls' mother with a finesse and power, and somehow knows exactly how to portray the two extremes of hysteria, both the comic and the tragic. Most impressive, perhaps, is Aducci, who pulls off her role as Maxine's grandmother with a built-in tension and old-folk frankness resembling so many first generation American immigrants. The play is important because it presents the lives of several women who might not otherwise make it onto the stage. Yet somehow the search for their identities becomes more than muddled throughout the play, and if not for the lovely aesthetics of human connection that this performance produces, one might have been searching for an exit before the curtain fell.

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News

New licensing requirement puts pressure on other med schools

October 16

Beginning next fall, a new portion of the exam used to certify doctors will test candidates' ability to communicate with patients. The United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) will test doctors through an assessment of interactions between the student and a standardized patient during an interview. In response, many medical schools are introducing courses to teach students these skills. The Tufts School of Medicine is one of the few schools that already offer such a course that teaches these skills. Dr. Jonathan Schindelheim is the course director of Interviewing and the Doctor-Patient Relationship, a required class for first years that he has taught for over 20 years. "Tufts has always been focused on building good clinicians, and doctor-patient relations skills are essential to this," said Schindelheim. The mass movement towards better communication began in 1995, when two organizations that accredit medical schools started requiring instruction in this area. Since then, approximately 12 schools, including Tufts, Harvard, Brown, and Northwestern have pushed clinical skills with students. Good communications skills among doctors "change a culture of blame to a culture of safety," explained John Fromson of the Massachusetts Compassionate Care Coalition. He said that most errors leading to malpractice suits are due to poor communication. However, according to Schindelheim, the class cannot be the sole component of a student's education in clinical skills. "The skills must be developed, and then they must be practiced," he said. Research seems to support the idea that these classes are effective. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) indicated a five-percent increase in performance on a standardized test on communication skills after taking a class on doctor-patient relations. Although the change is relatively small, Madge Kaplan, a journalist for National Public Radio who recently hosted a program addressing the topic of doctor-patient relations, believes it is still worthwhile to teach communication skills. "I think the evidence is clear that patients really want better interactions," she said. But a recent opposing article in JAMA questioned the development of doctor-patient relations classes. The article claimed that there is no standardization of the curriculum or of the amount of time spent teaching the skills. Kaplan disagrees. "I really think from my research that the whole effort seems to have been very carefully conceived," she said. Kaplan has noticed that some institutions, like Tufts, have "really gone the extra distance, wanting to put more resources into this sort of education." There is, however, concern that students might abandon the skills learned once they become practitioners. Jim Hayes is a member of Match-Up Interfaith Volunteers, a program that helps the elderly lead active lives who has often accompanied patients on their appointments with doctors. He wonders whether even the new portion of USLME, given during the fourth year of medical school, will be an accurate indicator of how doctors will behave in practice. "If the student knows they are being evaluated on a certain day, naturally they will be polite," Hayes said. "But what happens when they're actually in practice and the pressures of the hospital set in?" Other critics take issue with the clinical skills examination itself. Dr. Stephen Lurie, who wrote an editorial in JAMA on the topic, believes that the skills can be taught. He does not, however, agree with the idea that they can be measured. "The idea that communication is a single thing, that you have it or you don't, is simplistic," he said. "There is no widespread agreement about what communication is and hence how it can be tested." But according to Hayes, who runs a workshop to help the elderly communicate more effectively with their doctors, the responsibility for better relationships does not fall solely on the doctors. "It's the patient's responsibility to check the doctor sometimes," he said. "The relationship should be an equal partnership between two intelligent adults. There is 100 percent responsibility on both sides." Fromson blames some of the lack of communication on the fact that doctors now are required to see more patients in less time. "Doctors don't purposely cut out simple considerations," he said, "but it just happens in a stressful situation. We have to work really hard to reestablish that deeper connection doctors should have with patients."

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News

New level in Tisch to be opened to the public

October 16

A section of Tisch Library used to store old periodicals will soon be opened to the public. The University plans to spend more than $200,000 to finish the lowest floor of the library, level G, increasing the library's finished space by 116,000 square feet and adding to the building's existing stock of study spaces. The floor has been unfinished since construction of Tisch was completed in 1996. Because level G is closed to the public, anyone who wants to consult a periodical stored there must complete paperwork and wait one to two days for the material, which cannot be removed from the building. "We always consulted faculty members as to which periodicals and journals could be moved down to level G," Michalak explained. "However, over the past few years, the volume of requests for these items located in level G reached around a thousand per year, and faculty members started asking if we could open it to the public." Although library administrators agreed that the idea was a good one, there was no funding for the project until alumnus JoAnn Wellner (J '63) challenged her class to match her $100,000 gift to the library at her 40th reunion earlier this year. Classmates met the challenge. The cost of the project has not yet been determined, and any funding deficit will be financed by Arts, Sciences & Engineering, the library's operating budget, and savings. A local foundation is financing the installation of 10,000 feet of compact shelving. According to Michalak, the added space will increase the library's capacity from 800,000 to one million volumes. "This gives us a good amount of growth space," she said. Director of Administration Paul Stanton expects the project to be completed within four to six months, pending approval from the City of Somerville. "We're all very anxious for the change," said Stanton. "I think the patrons will be happy, and the library will no longer have to assign staff members to go and retrieve [materials on level G]." Stanton, along with a group of circulation desk employees and bibliographers, are currently discussing details of the project, including making room for additional study spaces. After Tisch was completed in 1996, rooms on level G were occupied by programmers, financial, human and payroll systems, and most recently, career services.

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News

Interpol bursts onto music scene

October 16

After having enthralled the underground scene for years, Interpol, with its dark, expansive sound and haunting vocals are at last sliding into the limelight. Their summer 2002 debut album, Turn on the Bright Lights, features dizzying instrumentals and nonsensical lyrics, covering rejection and devotion in their expansive rendition of '80s style rock. Interpol may sometimes be mistakenly labeled as 'four blokes from the States attempting to emulate Joy Division' (a short-lived but very influential post-punk band), but they are truly emerging as their own unique force. While both bands prefer glum and moody expression to the energized frustration of punk, Interpol draws on more classic rock influences, citing among their inspirations the band Morrissey. The likes of the Doors, the Smiths, and Zeppelin are also readily apparent on its debut album. The opening to Interpol's "Say Hello to the Angels" may prompt some to yell out the Doors' "C'mon, c'mon now, touch me, babe," but instead Banks croons, "I want your silent parts/The parts the birds love/I know there's such a place." Turn on the Bright Lights kicks off with a mellow untitled introduction, then flows into the head bopping and foot-tapping tune of "Obstacle 1." After hearing the opening licks to the first song, you're hooked and have no choice but to be transfixed for the next forty minutes by the beautiful, beautiful noise that is Interpol. One of the album's more powerful tracks, "Hands Away", stands out as largely because of the lyrics. Lead singer Paul Banks laments, "Ohhhhh, what happened..." as updated synth pop sounds build in the background around a lone guitar twang. Another highlight is the short instrumental break in "Say Hello to the Angels," where the song's focus cuts away to a guitar solo before bringing back the keyboard and a touch of percussion. Sometimes, though, the group's emphasis on rock leads to weaker lyrics. In the expansive "NYC", ethereal vocals of their lead singer, Banks, end up being mostly indecipherable lyrics. The Interpol boys are the relatively new darlings of Matador, an indie label which also features Guided by Voices, Belle and Sebastian, and Yo La Tengo. After signing with Matador, Interpol was whisked away to recording studios in Connecticut to produce their debut EP. Since they received the recording and mixing talents of Peter Katis (Mercury Rev) and Gareth Jones (Clinic), Interpol shares sound elements with these other up and coming bands. These four, spiffy Interpol-istic lads definitely know how to put on quite a live show as well as inventive recordings. Their image of dressing in shirt and ties, with the "I-have-not-bothered-to-wash-my-hair-in-two-days-'do-but-yet-fully-coordinated-my-outfit-with-my-fellow-band-members style" works well for them. In terms of their performances, the stage is filled with movement and between the aggressive stroking of the guitarist, the strumming of the new-wave base, and their animated vocalist, their shows are electric. Point? Do not miss out on this innovative new sound -- get thee to a record store, or at least to Kazaa, to be spellbound by the glory of these four talented New Yorkers. Interpol will be performing tonight with Elefant and The Occasion at Avalon in Boston.

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News

Report indicates increase in minority enrollment

October 16

The American Council on Education (ACE) released a study which found that the number of minority students attending college has doubled over the past 20 years. The "Minorities in Higher Education Status Report" indicated that collegiate minority enrollment jumped from almost 2 million in the 1980-1981 school year to 4.3 million students in 2000-2001. This was the ACE's twentieth annual report on this issue. "The goal is to put together in one place a report on higher education, where one can see what is the overall composition," said Dr. Eugene Anderson, Research Associate for the Office of Minorities in Higher Education (OMHE). "It's intended for use by all levels on campus [including] administrators making policy and students doing research." The report studied all American high school graduates between ages 18 and 24. The United States Department of Education found that 15.3 million students sat in college classrooms in 2000-2001. Nearly 2.3 million minorities were in 4-year institutions, and almost 2.1 million enrolled in 2-year colleges. "While the Minorities in Higher Education Report shows increases in the college participation and degree-attainment rates of African-American and Hispanic students, it also reveals persisting gaps and disparities in educational access, opportunity, and attainment between members of these groups and their white counterparts," ACE President David Ward said. The report found 40 percent of African Americans and 34 percent of Hispanics attended college classes in 2000-2001. Forty-six percent of whites between 18 and 24 attended college classes the same year. The disparity between races enrolled in higher education was much larger in 1980-1981, yet the study found minority enrollment still lagging behind. Yet at Tufts, diversity goals reach beyond race considerations. According to Margery Davies, Director of Office of Diversity Education and Development, "Race and ethnicity are definitely factors, but we would also consider nationality, geographic region, religious background, and to as much of an extent as we can, socioeconomic status." "We [the Office of Diversity] don't really directly work with the admissions office, but with regards to diversity Tufts considers all of these factors," said Davies. For students, a focus on diversity is one of the more attractive features of Tufts. "It's a good thing because there's more diversity in schools," said first-year student Sarah Choi, "I wanted to go to college to meet people from different cultures and different backgrounds to develop myself culturally." Tufts enrollment in a similar time span doesn't mirror the study's findings. While the number of Asian-American and Hispanic students has increased by hundreds of students between 1978 and 1998, African-American enrollment has remained the same. The OMHE also released race-specific statistics. Between the 1980-1981 and 2000-2001 school years, black enrollment has increased 56 percent to 1.7 million. Hispanic and Asian-American enrollment both tripled, to 1.5 million and 1 million respectively. African-American females had the most dramatic jump over the twenty years. In 1980-1981 only 24 percent took college courses while the number skyrocketed to 42 percent in 2000-2001. The gender gap within African-Americans is the largest of all races. African American women enrolled in schools at a rate nearly double that of their male counterparts. The percentage of minority college students (28 percent) is actually higher than the overall percentage (23 percent) of minorities in the United States. According to the OMHE website, the study collected data from varied sources including the Bureau of the Census, National Opinion Research Center, National Collegiate Athletic Association, US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, and National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. The "Minorities in Higher Education Status Report" includes over 50 patterns such as high school completion rates, college enrollment figures, and college participation rates in relation to race, ethnicity and gender. "The report consists of 31 tables and text that explains trends that one sees, but there's no hypothesizing," said Dr. Anderson.

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News

The Curse Continues

October 16

Just when you thought the Curse of the Billy Goat had ended, the Chicago Cubs found another way to lose in the postseason, this time to the underdog Florida Marlins. Despite losing Game Five to send the series back to Chicago, the Cubs reentered the Windy City with a 3 games to 2 lead and Mark Prior and Kerry Wood slated to pitch. Even the most pessimistic Cubs fan felt good about their chances with those two pitchers on the mound. Yet, even the Cubs' two all-star pitchers were ultimately unable to ward off 95 years of postseason misery. In game six, with the game and the series seemingly wrapped up, the Cubbies surrendered a 3-0 lead with their ace on the mound. Although Mark Prior was responsible for several of the eight runs in that inning, the collapse was by no means his fault. Supposed Cubs superfan, Steve Bartman, slightly interfered with Cubs leftfielder Moises Alou as he went over to the leftfield stands to catch a foul ball. After the missed opportunity, Moises went ballistic and the Cubs proceeded to lose all of their composure. With the help and an error by Alex Gonzalez, the Marlins went on to score eight runs in the top of the eighth, to win 8-3. Cubs fans later pelted and pushed Bartman as he exited the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. But Cubs fans should blame no one other than the Cubs for their eighth inning meltdown. Their team had more than enough chances to get out of that inning without as much damage, and the fan interference was slight at best. Alou might not have even had a chance on the ball because it was trailing away into the stands. Regardless, the Cubs still had another game with Kerry Wood on the mound to get to the World Series. The Cubs seemed destined to win game seven with a 5-3 lead going into the middle innings. But, even with a Kerry Wood homerun that almost went out of Wrigley, the lead was not enough to hold up. Marlins ace Josh Beckett came into the game in the fifth and proceeded to shut down the Cubs lineup. The Fish later took a 9-5 lead in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach. Throughout the series, Josh Beckett proved that he is one of the premier young pitchers in all of baseball. His dominance in his game one and five starts and in his game seven relief appearance, have forever made him an enemy of the South side of Chicago. Fox analyst Steve Lyons even said that Beckett was refused a reservation at a Chicago restaurant upon giving his name. The Marlins now move on to the World Series where they will face the winner of the ALCS Game Seven match up between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Florida doesn't seem to hold an advantage over either club in pitching or hitting, but they didn't hold any in both of the series they have already won. No one in their right mind would pick this team to win the World Series no matter the opponent, but the Marlins will definitely make it interesting.

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News

TILIP plans international symposium in Hong Kong next year

October 16

Despite a lingering threat of SARS, the Tufts Institute for Leadership and International Prospective (TILIP), will continue its Chinese cultural exchange. Now in its sixth year, the TILIP program intensively explores multidisciplinary international issues from a Chinese perspective. Stage one of the program typically takes place in China, where 26 students, 13 from Tufts and 13 from China, take internships in Hong Kong for six weeks. Stage two occurs during wintertime, when Chinese students travel to the United States for three days of lecture and debate held at Tufts. The 2003-2004 TILIP participants were announced in February, around the time when the SARS epidemic began to cast "a shadow of a doubt" on the program's security, program director Sherman Teichman said. "In March... the threat was more eminent" says Vera Yip, Director of the Hong Kong TILIP program at Hong Kong University. "At HKU, classes were suspended, cyberspace learning was set up. Students were allowed to remain in the dormitory if they chose to. All the buildings were sanitized with diluted chlorine at least three times a day." After careful consideration, Tufts staff decided to relocate the summer program to New York City and host the winter events in Hong Kong. There were some concerns about the effect of the move. "The Tufts students would miss out on the culture exchange of the work environment and community. Though the exchange with the Chinese students would remain the same, the cost to operate the program would increase, [and the difficulty of] securing enough internships for the students," said Yip. "We had to be cautious, but wanted not to do what many other institutions did, which was turn off the lights" said Teichman. "Though under duress, it was exhilarating after a while. We like scoring on busted plays. We like making things happen." The threat of SARS still remains, but the winter symposium has been timed to try to avoid the cycle of the disease. The upcoming event "is predicated on SARS," says Teichman, "But uncertainty is the nature of life". "We were kind of bummed out that we didn't get to go to Hong Kong," says Raja Taunk, a senior who participated in this summer's internship exchange. "You missed out on immersing yourself in the culture. But it actually worked out quite well." "The Chinese students were so much more excited [than we were] about mundane parts of American culture," recalls Angela Lee, another senior and 2003 TILIP participant. "They stopped and were mesmerized by street performers and baseball games." Lee interned with the Asia Society, an organization that works to educate Americans about Asian cultures. With her Chinese partner, Lee worked on a proposal to establish international urban high schools with an interdisciplinary Asian focus. Taunk worked for American Express in the global business partnerships area, benchmarking and developing a screensaver for use inside the company. "Very few of the internships were actually Asian-related," says Lee, "but you were paired with an Asian partner that you worked with in a business setting, getting a different perspective on how they see the world." The TILIP students also hosted a speaker series which included Tufts alumnus and real estate entrepreneur Charles S. Cohen and Dr. Abiodun Williams, Director for Strategic Planning in the UN Office of the Secretary General. "Our perceptions of events taking place in China, largely created by the US media, were many times contradictory to the opinion of the Chinese students," TILIP senior Meena Sharma said. "The Chinese perception of America and reactions to what they saw and heard while here was also interesting." The 26 TILIP students are preparing for the international symposium to be held in Hong Kong, a collaborative effort to develop the questions of debate and discussion of China's role in the world. The continuing connection with their Chinese peers "went beyond work-related stuff," said Taunk. "We knew what's going on in each others' lives." "Students are participating, not only in cross-cultural exchange, but are building relationships," Assistant Director of TILIP Heather Barry said. "We're seeing future international leaders."

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How to go Greek

October 15

It is something members insist you have to be a part of to understand: the Greek system. Rush is their chance to show perspective pledges just why they love their respective houses and convince them to join. Though it might seem intimidating, members say rush is just a chance to get to know people and have a good time. Gathering information is the first step in learning about the Greek system. The Dean of Students' Office will put out a brochure at the beginning of next year detailing the many different houses on campus, according to Inter-Greek Council President Jess Grasso. Senior Dani Holmes, who serves as Pan-Hellenic Council vice-president for recruitment, explained how prospective sorority sisters can get involved this semester. "We are going to have two sets of information sessions this semester for interested girls, one at the end of October and one at the end of November," she said. "That way they can meet members of the sororities in an informal setting." Official recruitment for Greek organizations begins with rush. Rush differs in format between sororities and fraternities. Sorority rush is run as a system, whereas fraternity rush is run by the individual houses. Prospective male pledges are only required to attend the events at the fraternities they find interesting. Sophomore Steve Leibowitz, Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) brother, explained that a male student can rush as many or as few houses as he likes. "The rush period consisted of four different events which provided me with time to meet and interact with brothers in the fraternity," Leibowitz said. "In my mind, the most important part was just talking to as many brothers as I could and seeing whether or not I would enjoy being a part in what they themselves valued about being in the AEPi fraternity." Sororities begin with Pan-Hellenic day, in which all sisters and rushees come to talk about sorority life in general in a neutral setting. "It's completely non-house related," Grasso said. "We're just there to talk about the recruitment process and how the next few days will go." After Pan-Hellenic day, the next days consist of rotating parties, including a theme party in which everyone involved gets to display her creativity. The last night is a preference party which requires an invitation from the sorority. Sisters describe the goal of rush as a good way to get to know sisters. "You basically just get to know some of the girls in each house, see if you'd feel comfortable there, and get to know what each house is about," sophomore and Alpha Phi sister Jess Schwartz said. Most brothers and sisters emphasized participating in rush, even if one was ambivalent about the process. "While everyone might not become Greek, it's a great thing to check out," Holmes said. "Because I know I wasn't thinking that I was the typical sorority girl, but I went through the system and here I am. Seventy percent of the people inside the Greek system never thought they would be here." Grasso also encouraged students to participate in rush. "It's non-exclusive, completely non-binding," she said. "You can come and decide you don't like it and not join." The Greek website lists the eligibility requirements for recruitment. Students must have completed at least one college semester either at Tufts or another school. There is also an academic requirement of at least a cumulative 2.50 GPA (2.30 for engineers). Otherwise achieve these GPAs in their most recently completed semester with a normal four-course load. In addition, students must not be on academic or disciplinary warning or probation. If these requirements are fulfilled and a student attends all scheduled recruitment events, he or she is guaranteed a bid from at least one of the social Greek organizations on campus, according to the Pachyderm. Once students have decided which house they would like to join, pledging is the next step in the recruitment process. "The pledging process is pretty different for each individual house, but the whole mentality is the same," Grasso said. "Nothing is ever mandatory for a pledge." Alcohol is forbidden during rush by Tufts and the national Greek organizations. Due to some conflicts last year during the pledge process, Grasso believes the University will be particularly sensitive regarding these rules this spring. "Even though technically there isn't supposed to be hazing you can never be sure," Grasso said, "so the University will probably be stricter, especially with the new alcohol policy." Holmes described the goal of the pledge period as "a time for the new members to meet the sisters and learn the values the sorority stands for. Throughout the six week period, the girls are going through lessons to learn more about the sorority itself and the girls themselves, until they have enough knowledge to become sisters." The same is true for fraternities. "It was a way to become familiar with the fraternity and its ideals, get to know the brothers in it, and develop the indestructible bonds of brotherhood with my pledge class and the others," Leibowitz said. Grasso emphasized the philanthropic goals of the system. She believed that Greek organization's main purpose was performing community service. "The goal of Greek life at Tufts, contrary to popular belief, really is philanthropy," she said. Holmes agreed that philanthropy was a big part of the Greek system. "Every house has to do a certain number of hours of community service and most houses go over. It's a great way to give back to the community," she said. Recruitment can provide an opportunity to meet other students. "It is a great way to meet people who are also looking to meet people," Samuelson said. "You are opening yourself up to being friends with people who are looking to be friends with you." Leibowitz shared the same sentiment. "I have met some special guys who I know I will be friends with forever," he said. "We are people that share common values, interests, and experiences." Those involved in Greek life encourage all Tufts students to try out the Greek System. "I met a lot of people with so many different backgrounds," Grasso said. "I certainly encourage women and men on campus to give it a try. They don't know what they are missing." On the Web: http://ase.tufts.edu/greek

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Men's and women's crew teams earn two sixth-place finishes

October 15

While many of the Tufts teams had home games this weekend, the men's and women's crew teams hit the road for the New Hampshire Championship Regatta, a three-mile Head Race on the Merrimack River. On the men's side, the Tufts first varsity boat finished sixth with a time of 14:58.25. The second Jumbo boat finished a close eighth with a time of 15:15.97, less than one second in front of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy's first crew (15:16.75). Tufts' leading boat finished 52.97 seconds off of the first place finisher MIT, who swept the race with a time of 14:23.00. The first varsity boat rowed well in warm ups, according to freshman Benjy Tarshis, and entered the race feeling confident. "We had a pretty solid race," Benjy Tarshis said. "Because it's the fall season and people change boats, it was only the second race that we had been rowing together, so we did really well." Because the starts are staggered by 10-15 second intervals, a boat has to focus on catching the team ahead of them. The Holy Cross team, which finished second overall, passed many boats and was Tufts' main concern throughout the race. "They kept chasing us the whole race," Tarshis said. "Though they didn't pass us, they caught up to us." With a number of strong members, the men's crew team looks to finish up the rest of the season positively. The Head of the Charles, held this coming weekend, is the next race on the Jumbos' schedule. The event is the biggest regatta for the crew team during the fall season. Since they are racing against non-NESCAC schools, the team can count on facing some of the best crews from all over the country. Although the boat crews have not yet been decided, the team is looking forward to this weekend. "I have never done [the Head of the Charles] before," Tarshis said. "I am only a freshman, so I am really excited to race in it." In the women's competition, Colby rowed away the race in a time of 16:14.33. Following suit from the men's team, the Tufts varsity "A" boat placed the highest of the three Tufts boats finishing sixth out of 25 in a time of 16:51.39, just 1.23 seconds behind the University of Vermont (16:50.16). The "A" boat got off to an excellent start, setting the tone for the rest of its race. "Going into the race, we knew what we had to do," senior Beth Grosart said. "We knew what we had to do, and we did it." Early on in the race, the "A" boat set its goal to pass the UNH boat. By the end of the race, Tufts had managed to pick up enough slack to surpass UNH by 25.33 seconds. At the same event last year, the "A" boat achieved medaling honors. This year however, it fell a few places short. "There were a lot of new crews there that hadn't been there last year," Grosart said. "Although we were hoping to medal, we weren't at all disappointed with ourselves." The women will compete along with the men in the Head of the Charles this weekend. Tufts also sent several novice crews to compete in the novice/junior/master event, which featured both college novice crews and high school boats. The men's novice finished fourth with a time of 15:26.90, behind two crews from St. John's High School and one boat from Shrewsbury High School. Two women's novice boats finished second and 28th in 17:21.98 and 20:11.47 respectively. Both men's and women's crews can be seen this weekend on the Charles River against crews from around the nation.

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The dangers of a crackdown on fun

October 15

I enjoyed my social life as freshman at this University immensely. I looked forward to every weekend as an opportunity to enjoy the peak of my life and take a break from the rigor of the Tufts academic environment. However, this year, my sophomore year, each weekend brings more boredom, and subsequently, anger and frustration. The University's stiffer and stricter attitude towards alcohol, social life, and the Greek System has turned a campus which once entertained a vibrant social life into a campus which sends its students elsewhere to find entertainment. First, a premise: Drinking is inevitable on a college campus. College-aged students, as most adults, want the option of alcohol at their social events. Now, I am not suggesting that the University condone underage drinking -- it is illegal. However, the new policy regarding consequences for being caught with alcohol only exacerbates the dangers of drinking. How? Whereas in the past a Resident Assistant (RA) had the option of using his or her own discretion when deciding how to deal with resident drinking, he or she now must submit the names of the resident in violation to the Office of Residential Life & Learning. The University argues that this is, in fact, a liberalization of the previous policy, as no probation will result for a minor first offense. However, the fact is that in the mind of the student, there is very little difference between being "written up" and having one's name "written down." Consequently, giving less choice to the RA's has now pushed drinking, which is inevitable, further behind closed doors and into secrecy. How much safer is the University's policy making the lives of students if it forces them to fear their RAs who could aid them in the event of an alcohol emergency? And, while on the topic of RAs, does the University not understand the importance of the relationship between an RA and his or her residents? The RA is a resident's first contact in the event of a crisis or emergency. Yet, the policy forcing RAs to submit written documentation of all residential violations creates a rift between resident and RA. How can a resident find trust and seek aid from a person who is now required by the University to be a disciplinarian? Secondly, the administration, though it denies such a fact, is cracking down hard on the Greek system -- for even minor offenses -- and this affects us all, not just Greek members. The Greek system and its fraternities have always been forums for social events for underclassmen. Yet the University, under the leadership of Dean of Judicial affairs Veronica Carter, has placed a number of such forums on social probation. This means that such fraternities can no longer offer social life to the campus in the form of parties and gatherings -- with or without the presence of alcohol. The effects of this are dangerous. Whereas students could once find the parties and gatherings they desired by walking down to Professors Row, they are now forced off-campus to upperclassmen's houses and to other universities. Does the University not see the problem with such a result? Forcing students off campus to seek the parties which they desire removes them from the safety of the Tufts campus where they can be protected by the Tufts community and the Tufts University Police Department. Tufts has no jurisdiction off university property. Would the University prefer to have students who have been drinking on campus, under its supervision, or drunken students wandering the streets of Medford and Somerville at night!? Moreover, does the University prefer students walking back to their dorms from on campus locations after a gathering, or drunken students piling into a car at 3 a.m. and driving back? Furthermore, Greek events provided a central location at which students could gather. Having a majority of students in one location makes the job of ensuring their safety much easier. Yet, with students breaking up into groups and traveling off campus, it has now become much more difficult and impractical to protect their safety. It would be unfair of me not to state that the Greek system has made some mistakes which have required disciplinary action. However, the University is aggressively hunting for any offense for which to shut-down a fraternity or slap it on probation. Do all offenses warrant the same disciplinary action? Do the events which left one fraternity's brother in the hospital warrant the same probation for another, whose graduating seniors, all of whom were of legal drinking age, had kegs during senior week (and not during the regular academic year)? Looking at the present state of the Greek system, with so many houses on probation for offenses of differing severity, it is clear that the University would express no regret should the Greek System dissolve away. Furthermore, the probation imposed on many of the Greek system's members portrays an image of a disorganized, dilapidated association to incoming students. This decreases interest in the system, and subsequently decreases new membership, and will eventually cause the closure of Greek houses due to lack of membership. Thus, while the administration may not be directly closing Greek houses, it is indeed spraying a weed killer, and indirectly establishing their downfall. In addition, the probation imposed on many Greek houses hurts the morale of many Greek members. Greek houses on this campus do more than throw social events. Many houses are active in supporting community service. Last year, Delts sent brothers to Somerville schools through the "adopt a school" program. It also held a booth at Hillel's "Read by the River" -- an event sponsored by Alpha Epsilon Pi. Yet, with brothers concerned about the future of their own organizations at Tufts, such giving to the community is likely to become a secondary issue. Finally, the morale of the University's students is being hurt by this crackdown on social life. What relief from the academic rigors of the week can the student look forward to if the University closes down traditional forums for weekend social gatherings and breaks up the remaining ones at 12:30 a.m.? Students are bored and frustrated on the weekends. The University needs to revise and relax its new policies. This crackdown on traditional social life has created more dangers than it has reduced. Moreover, such a lack of social life on campus is certain to frustrate underclassmen and, eventually, decrease the University's student retention rate considerably. This is not MIT, Mr. Bacow. This is Tufts. Jonathan Alpert is a sophomore who has not declared a major.

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Jumbos get decisive win at Wesleyan

October 15

The women's soccer team ended a three game slide in conference play on Tuesday in Middletown, Conn. with a 2-1 victory over the Wesleyan Cardinals. The win puts the Jumbos back on track in the NESCAC, giving them a 7-3 overall record and a 3-3 league mark heading into Saturday's bout with the Williams Ephs. "It felt good to finally win in the NESCAC again," junior Becky Greenstein said. "Hopefully, this win will be the start to our new winning streak." The 2-1 score, however, was really not indicative of the overall atmosphere of the match. While the Jumbos did not play their best soccer, they dominated the Cardinals in all aspects of the game, most notably out-shooting Wesleyan 22-2. Tufts junior keeper Meg McCourt was not pressed to make even one save in the entire 90 minutes of play. The Jumbos came out strong in the opening minutes, something they have failed to do over the past two weeks. Tufts got a quick goal just 2:30 into the game, setting the tone of the contest and giving the Jumbos the early upper hand. "The early goal was really important for us, because all too often we've been waiting for the other team to score to pick up the intensity and start playing," sophomore Sarah Callaghan said. The goal came on a set play designed in practice the day before the game. Greenstein took a short corner to Callaghan, who dribbled it up the line and drew a defender. She sent a pass back to Greenstein, waiting to her right, just 15 yards from the net. Greenstein then bent a perfect shot from a tough angle past Wesleyan keeper Jenny Hipscher and into the back of the net. "We had been a little inconsistent on offensive corner kicks, so we designed this play to give us another option," coach Martha Whiting said. "Becky and Sarah executed it perfectly, even better than in we did in practice. Becky has a great shot, and when she puts her head down, she can really rip it." The Jumbos worked hard throughout the rest of the first half, keeping possession of the ball and controlling the tempo of play. Callaghan spent the entire frame patrolling the midfield in the center. "Sarah does a great job of distributing the ball in the center," Whiting said. "She gets her head up and moves the ball quickly. She is a really smart player and did a really nice job. This is not the last time this season that you will see Sarah Callaghan in the middle." Despite controlling the game, the Jumbos suffered a defensive lapse 28:10 into the first frame. Wesleyan took advantage. Cardinal striker Natalie Cohen sent a ball into the Tufts zone from about 30 yards out. The Jumbo defenders swarmed the ball, but were unable to clear. Wesleyan forward Sarah Hopkins was waiting in the box, and quickly took possession of the ball and drilled a shot past McCourt to knot things up at one. "Wesleyan is a very scrappy, hardworking team," Whiting said. "They always play the good teams tough, and I must give them credit. They played hard and had spurts where they played really nice things." That's the way the first half would end, with the score deadlocked at one apiece. Knowing that they could not leave Wesleyan with anything but a win, the Jumbos came out firing to start the second half. After playing the first forty-five minutes as a center midfielder, Callaghan started the second half at her normal position, left forward, a change that immediately paid dividends. Reigning NESCAC player of the week, junior Jen Baldwin, took the ball down to the end line, beat a few defenders, and slotted it to Callaghan, who was looming six yards away from the goal line. The sophomore quickly gained possession and sent the ball into the back of the net giving Tufts the lead for good. The Tufts defense clamped down after Callaghan's goal and did not allow a single shot past the backline for the rest of the game. As the final buzzer sounded, the Jumbos walked off the field victorious, 2-1. "Overall, we controlled the tone of the game," Whiting said. "But I wish we had scored a few more goals. But hey, we scored more than they did which is all that counts." The Jumbos look to ride the momentum of this victory into Saturday's battle at in Williamstown, Mass. against arch rival Williams, who currently sits tied with four other teams for first place in the conference.

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News

Putting rock in Half Nelson

October 15

Rock is a pretty general category when it comes to music. From Elvis to Cold Play and everything in between, it seems like anyone can say that they really "rock out." And yet there remains some universal and unchallenged understanding of what, exactly, is rock music. When asked what kind of music he played, Erik Nelson of the group The Half Nelson simply replied: "We play rock." After being hounded for another, more specific answer, Nelson's brother and lead guitarist Brett Nelson -- who is also a sophomore at Tufts -- couldn't disagree. Rock it is. The Half Nelsons (a clever pun), a four member group consisting of brothers Erik and Brett Nelson, Harvard sophomore Blake Stone, and Harvard grad Andrew Price, are following in the footsteps of countless groups before them as they aspire to inspire with the timeless and yet constantly evolving "philosophy of rock." The band draws on classic and not-so-classic influences including Led Zepplin, The Beatles, Pearl Jam, The Strokes and a few more modern contributions. Lead singer Erik Nelson said the band as prescribed to the "philosophy of old school rock while incorporating some of the newer ideas of modern rock." While the guys are unable to verbally describe their sound, the undertones of the unchanging attitude of rock and roll can be heard on the group's recently released and untitled demo CD. Rebellion, angst, cynicism, and a general dissatisfaction with society's prescribed norms resonate through solid guitar rifts and aching vocals. A balance between vivid lyrics and an infectious tempo pulse through the demo's featured song, "Inside Out," as Nelson emphatically belts, "Everything I can't forget smolders like a cigarette. I gotta get over it, yeah." Though the younger Nelson, Brett, describes the group as "not really a party band" and explains that the music probably doesn't induce dancing "in the usual sense," you can't help but let the sound of The Half Nelsons seep into your movements as you involuntarily tap your feet and sway to the pulse of the music. But while members claim that the Half Nelson's rhythms are not your typical "party" music, this is not your ideal campus coffee house study music, either. With a sound that is specifically un-pop, the Half Nelsons are aiming to stray from venues featuring dance party techno gigs or mellow jazz grooves. A band that is "ragged" around the edges, the Half Nelsons are seeking an audience that is not offended or shy in the presence of a "loud rock band." And the band does not want to feel like they should censor themselves for a venue. "Rock shows go over better in certain places, I think," said Brett Nelson. Despite the group's claim to not being a "noise" band, the notion of censorship leaves few campus venues that really cater to the Nelson's sound. Thanks to their permissive nature, frat houses seem to be an acceptable campus scene where audiences generally are not afraid to let go and loud music does not feel particularly intrusive. But with limited university options catering to the Nelsons' character, the group is directing energy toward off-campus ventures. Although the band hopes to develop a reliable college fan base and has played at Harvard and Tufts, outside in Harvard Square last spring, and at Theta Chi's Battle of the Bands, it has also sent out the demo in hopes of playing the city's clubs. "We're kinda in it for real at this point," said sophomore Nelson. "This is pretty much the plan for my life anyways." And with encouragement from big names including the former chief executive of Warner Bros. along with the founder of Music Magazine, the elusive dream of succeeding in the music world may not be that far-fetched. With only half the band members currently enrolled in university (and only one at Tufts University), the musicians are "trying real hard to stop being a half-serious college band," according Nelson. Despite the band's big hopes, the group continues to forge forward with small steps. Focusing and relying on the band's solid cohesiveness, high energy, a promising demo, and upbeat music, for the moment members just want to enjoy a "good live rock show," according to Nelson. And as for a more specific description of the Nelsons' music? Well, maybe categorizing the sound remains futile. Price, the drummer, remarked that after every time he listens to the band's demo, "it just sounds like no music I've ever heard." "Maybe we're just so original that I can't categorize us," he said.

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Dean admitted in Engineering Academy

October 15

Dean of Engineering Linda Abriola was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) on Sunday. The society is an honorary club for those who have made significant contributions to the study and practice of engineering. She was recognized for her work on ground water combination and restoration. Abriola was one of only four women inducted in a class of 77. She is one of only 16 female deans of engineering nationwide. Prior to Tufts, Abriola served as the Director of Environmental and Water Resources Engineering in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. - Jonathan Schubin

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Tufts outperforms expectations in New England Championships

October 15

It was Tufts' best performance at New Englands since the team finished 11th in 1995. In what Coach Kristen Morwick called, "a breakthrough performance," the women's cross country team took 12th place at the New England Championships at Franklin Park in Boston on Saturday. Brown University earned 105 points to win the 41 team race. The meet was Tufts' first championship event of the year, and the Jumbos competed against teams from Divisions I, II, and III. Tufts' top runner, senior tri-captain Lauren Caputo, finished 21st overall with a time of 18:27. The time was a personal best by almost 30 seconds as she finished with All-New England Honors, the first Jumbo ever to do so. "It was so great," Caputo said. "A lot of Division I teams were there, and that makes it that much better. It's a really good feeling." Sophomore Rebecca Ades finished second for the Jumbos and 55th overall, while senior tri-captain Lauren Dunn was Tufts' third finisher, pulling in at 72nd place. Junior Emily Pfiel took 121st out of the 287 runners, and freshman Sarah Crispin finished two seconds and four places behind her with a time of 19:36. The times were personal bests for each of the runners. Amherst senior Aly Venti won the race with a time of 17:44. "The race, for many athletes on the team, was the best meet to date, not only of this season, but in their Tufts cross country careers," Morwick said. "We were gearing up for this meet," Caputo said. "We talked about the meet the day before at practice. We had more preparation for this meet than any other and it really showed." Tufts finished sixth out of the nine NESCAC teams in the race. Trinity and Middlebury tied for second place overall with 130 points each. Fellow NESCAC rivals Amherst, Williams, and Wesleyan finished fifth, sixth and eleventh overall, while Bates, Colby, and Connecticut College followed Tufts, placing 20th, 21st, and 32nd respectively. "Women's running in New England has exploded. It's so competitive," Morwick said of the meet and the fact that New England gets more spots for National's than any other region (five team spots, nine individual spots). Morwick also noted that Division III and the NESCAC competitors outperformed most of the Division I and II teams at the meet. Division III schools made up six of the top 12 spots at the meet. "Division III in general dominated this meet," Morwick said. "The top teams in NESCAC are going to win nationals." The Jumbos' performance bumped them up to sixth in the New England Division III coaches' poll and sixth in the NESCAC. This is up two spots from last week, and is the highest ranking Tufts has achieved this year in the 66 team poll. Still, Morwick thinks that the team could move even further up in the NESCAC. "I think Wesleyan is a beatable team," Morwick said of 5th-ranked Cardinals. "We are trying to be top 5 in New England, and this week we have been closer than we've been in the past few years. It's a realistic shot." The team will travel north next week to compete in the Maine Invitational. The course for the meet will be the same as for the Division III Regional Championships, in which Tufts will compete in the middle of November. After that, the Jumbos won't race for the rest of the month in order to prepare for the NESCAC Championships at Middlebury on Nov. 1.

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A STEP Act backward

October 15

Survival and competition requires the ability to differentiate the "good" from the "bad." Profit-maximizing firms install rigorous hiring processes to ensure the most suitable employees for open positions, and universities operate a specialized admissions process to distinguish between students of different calibers. Governments (assuming they are rational) also put selection mechanisms in place for both domestic and international purposes. On the foreign side, mechanisms applied in the immigration process establish a criteria that decides who enters the homeland and who does not. These mechanisms, however, are neither complete nor perfect. They do not always successfully distinguish the "good" from the "bad," the bystander from the participant, the boon from the threat, and in the context of immigration process -- a terrorist from a person with citizenship from a terrorist-supporting state. Going back to the examples -- a firm might incur costs for employing an unproductive employee and universities could admit under-qualified students who misuse or underutilize academic resources. The fatality of poor selection process in governance, unfortunately, befell the United States on Sept. 11, 2001 -- immigration selection processes had failed to identify incoming terrorists and their activities within the United States. The response was a preemptive strategy -- the USA Patriot Act, the Homeland Security Department, Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), and many new processes. More recently, Congressman Gresham Barrett, R-SC, has introduced the Stop Terrorist Entry Program (the STEP Act), which would prevent individuals from terrorist-designated states from entering the United States. The Act would also require current non-immigrant visitors and students from those nations to leave the United States within 60 days. Basically, if the bill is passed, Iranian, North Korean and Syrian students at Tufts would be forced to leave the United States. According to Congressman Gresham, "as we continue our war on terror, we must ensure others never step foot on our soil or gain access to our citizens and all that our nation holds dear, as well as make sure those who are already here are identified and dealt with accordingly." A "STEP Act" response in the analogous scenarios would imply that firms should stop hiring new employees and universities should never admit under-qualified students. In this context, the Act sounds nonsensical. It neither solves the immediate immigration selection problem efficiently, nor does it address the larger issue at hand -- the war on terrorism and the US aspiration to win the "hearts and minds" of the Arab and Muslim world. Proponents of such bills think that by keeping out Iranians, Syrians, and other citizens of "terrorist supporting states," they sustain safety and preempt any possible aggressions against Americans. However, they are utterly fallacious in their reasoning. Unfortunately, fear and insecurity following the events of Sept. 11, 2001 has induced many policymakers to opt for some irrational solutions that will prove detrimental in the long run to US interests in international affairs. The US has responded differently in the past to similar circumstances. For example, immediately after World War II, Senator J. William Fulbright pushed for the Fulbright Program as a step toward building international cooperation. Since then, the program has provided more than 255,000 participants with the opportunity to observe each others' political, economic and cultural institutions, exchange ideas, and embark on joint ventures to increase the general welfare of the world's inhabitants. This may sound utterly idealistic, but I believe that security and economic prosperity in the 21st century depends on increasing the capacity of people to think and work on a global and intercultural basis. One way to increase our capacity is precisely through initiatives such as the Fulbright Program and other academic and professional exchanges. These programs strengthen the ability of future leaders to think and act on a cooperative basis, and more importantly, prepare a new generation of global citizens. Unfortunately, the STEP Act is precisely the barrier to such grassroots improvements in US international affairs. Perhaps rather than denying entry to the US, state agencies should invest some time and energy into improving the actual immigration selection process. It is tedious and challenging, but surely better than deporting all student nationals of terrorist supporting states. Bills such as the STEP Act signal an emerging isolationist mentality which cannot effectively address the deep-rooted issues of 9/11. It is something that Congressmen and US politicians need to keep in mind before fence-mending the US borders. Sara Mohammadi is a graduate student studying Economics.

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News

A home away from home

October 15

For the University's commuter students, the distance between home and campus creates a divide greater than the twenty minute drive: a barrier between students and the mainstream campus social life. Students who commute to Tufts are required to reside at home with their parents, according to Veronica Carter, the Coordinator of the Commuter Program. Without the benefit of a dorm the center for undergraduate commuter life at Hillside House is a focal point for all commuters. Located at 32 Dearborn Road, the Hillside House offers an on-campus residence for students who live at home. The 15-room house is equipped with cooking, studying, and recreational facilities and is available for use whenever school is in session. Though the economic benefits of being a commuter are unparalleled, commuter students are quick to point out some of the difficulties in being a commuter student. "I think your college experience is very different than that of other students if you live at home with your family," senior commuter student Sonia Sorabella said. Junior Joshua Kersting experienced firsthand the difficulties of being a commuting freshman. "If you commute your first year, those friendships that everyone makes the first few months in the dorms aren't ever formed for commuters," he said. "It means you know less people than most from the beginning." Sorabella agreed that meeting other students is a difficulty that commuter students face. "Personally, I feel that it is extremely difficult and that commuters are often isolated," Sorabella said. "By not living on campus, we miss the dorm experience, and do not meet as many people. It is also much more difficult for us to take part in groups and clubs that meet late at night because of the commute involved." The difficulties of being a commuter student extend beyond simply meeting others. "Some events are late in the evening or night and that makes it a pain to stay for because you know you will be getting in the house late," senior Sabine Jean-Louis said. "I actually have felt like I have lost touch with some of my friends because I no longer stay at Tufts overnight. It's the little things, like going to the Campus Center in our PJ's for a late night snack, or sitting up in each other's rooms until the break of day, that really bonded us," Jean-Louis said. Sorabella points out that commuters "are constantly involved in family life and have family ties and responsibilities that most college students on campus don't have." Sorabella is a co-manager of the center for undergraduate commuter life and said that Hillside House greatly benefits commuters. "It allows commuters to be at home, cook meals, shower, invite friends over to study, and watch television," Sorabella said. "The Hillside House is the only place commuters have to go between classes, to study, or to meet other students that are having the same difficulties they are." Sophomore Steven Boutrus utilizes the Hillside House and believes it to be "an excellent resource where commuting students can stay overnight if necessary or hang out or prepare meals. I think the Hillside House provides a better service than most colleges offer commuters." Alumni who were commuter students remember their experiences as commuters and how the Hillside House affected their experiences. "The program was very disjointed; students didn't feel like a part of Tufts' life as a commuter," Alan MacDougall (LA '65), the President of Tufts Alumni Relations, said remembering the semester he attended Tufts as a commuting student. "For those students that took advantage of the Hillside House, it was a very good experience," MacDougall said. "There weren't many organized events, but it fulfilled the role of a fraternity for commuting students." Dr. John Martin (EN '65) agrees that the Hillside House "was, in many ways, a frat house. There were intramural leagues and parties on weekend nights. There were twelve beds available and students could stay for three consecutive nights. It was in a sense a home away from home. It meant that every student had a home on-campus, whether or not it was in a dorm." Another resource for commuting students is the Off-Hill Council. Founded in 1963, the council coordinates academic, athletic, and other special activities for commuting and residence students alike. "It is an organization through TCU that all commuters belong to," Sorabella explained. "The organization holds events, goes to shows, and has group parties and meetings." Over the years, the number of commuting students has significantly declined. Sorabella estimated that there have been only ten new freshmen commuting students in both the class of 2006 and 2007. "In years past, the commuter population of each class was close to 100," Sorabella said. "Currently there are very few commuting students and [they] make up a miniscule percentage of the Tufts community." Although more students commuted to Tufts in previous years, few made use of the house. "Not many commuting students took advantage of the Hillside House," MacDougall recollected. Women were especially underrepresented in the house in the past. "At the time I attended Tufts, only male commuting students could stay overnight, so relatively few women took advantage of the Hillside House," Martin recalled. "Probably no more than ten percent of the students that utilized the house were women." Today, however, almost all commuting students participate in the available programs. "Almost 100 percent of the commuting students use these programs," Kersting said. "It's just that it's not a lot of students." However, this does offer the benefit of a tight-knit commuter community. "We all know each other and pretty much everyone uses the Hillside House in one fashion or another and all have participated in the Council as well as group functions," Kersting said. "I make good use of all commuter-offered programs." Sorabella commends the program and hopes that more students will make use of it in the future. "The few students who use the house love it," she said. "I wish more of the Tufts community knew about the house and that more commuters would use it."

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News

TUPD certified by state police commission

October 15

Last Friday, the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) became the 14th police force in the state to receive certification from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission. The Commission, established in 1996 by the Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety, is responsible for setting standards for the police profession throughout the state. The 151 standards promote officer and public safety, address risk management issues, and encourage operational efficiency throughout the department. "It is a very prestigious accomplishment," said Donna Taylor Mooers, executive director of the Commission. "Certification symbolizes the department's desire and commitment to meet standards that have been established not only for the profession but by the profession." TUPD began a focused effort to meet these standards last April. Public Safety Director John King developed an accreditation team, composed of captains, sergeants, and, in some cases, police officers, to help review the department's policies. "With our existing policies, we were in pretty good shape," said Ronald Brevard, administrative captain of the Tufts police and manager of the accreditation team. "We didn't have to do as much work as other [police] departments." Certification, however, was still a long and tedious undertaking. "It's a pretty intense process," King said. "It's very labor intensive." Once the Tufts police presented their attempts to meet certification standards, three assessors from the Commission reviewed them over a period of two days. These assessors interviewed TUPD members and evaluated the department's policies and procedures. The final decision to grant certification was voted on at the Commission's monthly meeting last Friday. The Commission certified three additional departments after approving the TUPD, creating a total of 17 certified police departments throughout Massachusetts. Mount Holyoke is the only university department in the state that was certified before Tufts. King feels that this certification is extremely important for Tufts. "It helps students, faculty and staff feel safe on campus," he said. "But also, it makes a statement to parents and prospective students. It is the kind of thing people will look toward to rate the safety at a university." Mooers agreed that certification is beneficial for the image of the department. "The certification process provides a norm for an agency to judge its performance," she said. "It provides a basis to correct deficiencies before they become public problems." Tufts' certification will last for three years, during which the department will be required to maintain the 151 standards. King hopes that within a year, the department will achieve accreditation, the highest honor granted by the Commission. To become accredited, departments must comply with 60 additional standards. "We're on the track," King said. "We're focused and I just want to keep the accreditation team and managers active in order to achieve this milestone within the next 12 months." Both King and Brevard believe that the certification and accreditation process is important for any police department to attempt. "It's a very prestigious thing," said Brevard. "I think it's beneficial to the Tufts community."

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