Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Friday, April 3, 2026
The Print Edition Print Subscription
Donate | About | Join Us
Advertise | Submit a Tip
Subscribe to our newsletters

Archives

The Setonian
News

Obligatory joke number 1

October 13

It has begun! I tried to warn you all. I really did. "The end of the world is near," I said. "Get ready, it won't be long now," I said. I even tried to give you free bumper stickers and reading material! But you all just laughed at me. Now, though... I have proof. This is a time of miracles and monsters roaming the earth. And to top it off, he has returned from the future to save us all. Oh, yes. Ahnold: The Govahnator!!! (Oh, come on. I'm a columnist. There are certain jokes every columnist in America has to make. This is one of them.) Yes, folks, in case you've been hiding under a rock for the past six months, you know by now the California has a new leader. Everyone has some opinion on the subject -- after all, it's one of the more ridiculous things to happen to politics since Dick Cheney named himself Vice President! But personally, I don't see what the big deal is. Let's face facts. There are some very positive things that can come out of Arnold being the Govnah. Firstly, having Arnold as governor can only do wonders for our international relations programs. Who DOESN'T love Arnold? He's an action star throughout the western world, a sex symbol in the middle east, and he is SO big in Japan right now. If anyone ever tried to mess with the U.S., we can just send Governor Arnold over there to "Terminate" them. Plus, he's already working on improving our relations with the small European country of Georgia. For indeed, according to the BBC, in the small province of Imareti, the people have been clamoring to name a Mountain after the famous star of "Kindergarten Cop." Temur Shashiashvili (try saying THAT one twice in a row), Imereti's presidential representative, has said that "the decision to rename a mountain had been taken two years earlier and an invitation had been issued for Mr. Schwarzenegger to visit." Now, while the actor's health problems and busy schedule kept him from visiting the tiny country no one has ever heard of, I see no reason why a quick European trip can't be arranged these days. It would be worth it just to see Arnold standing next to his massive mound. Achem. Secondly, Arnold's salary from Terminator 3 could very easily pay for the state budget crisis that California has found itself in. Plus, he has connections to the Kennedy family. If he ever finds himself in a tight spot he can just get Teddy to create some embarrassing little family crisis to distract everyone. I'd kill to be in on THAT conversation.... "Now, look, Teddy. I need you to do this. Just pretend that you killed another secretary. Do it for Cal-i-for-nee-a." "Arnold, I don't think I can really do that for you...." "Well... will you do it for a cheeseburger?" "Make it two and we have a deal." "HASTA LA VISTA, BIZNATCH!" Thirdly, as long as Ahnold is around, California will never have a problem with masked vigilantes, something that London has been having a problem with. For indeed, the home of Fair Britainia has been taken over by the illegal activities of the one, the only... ANGLE-GRINDER MAN! Yes, according to the International Herald Tribune, Angle Grinder Man has been running around London for well over four months, railing against the system by using his buzz saw to cut off "boots" from illegally parked cars. For those Anglo-challenged amongst us, "boots" are put on cars that are illegally parked and cost roughly 150 pounds to be removed. He swirls around in a golden cape, golden pantaloons (because pants simply aren't HEROIC enough) and a blue mask to hide his identity. While Angle-Grinder Man has become something of a local celebrity among the populace, he has also become a terror to the local authorities. Although he has avoided the Jolly Ole' Cop Brigade, there have been several close encounters where our hero has escaped mainly through "dumb luck." However, if Ahnold goes over to London as a diplomatic favor to Her Majesty, the masked vigilante will most likely end up sleeping with the fish 'n chips. That's what it comes down to, really. A vote for Ahnold was a vote for safety. As long as he is running the glorious Accented Republic of California, no one will have to worry about robots, aliens, the Devil, secret government conspiracies, or Gray Davis' oddly shaped head. So rejoice and relax, all ye who are terrified! The apocalypse may be near, but as long as Ahnold is around we should be pretty well entertained. And remember... ALL HAIL AHNOLD!

The Setonian
News

Hairspray brings down the Colonial Theater

October 13

Few musicals can claim the sheer wit, jubilance, and joy present in the national tour of Hairspray. Modeled after the hit 1988 film by John Waters, the play takes place in segregated Baltimore in 1962: a time of big dreams, big dance moves, and even bigger hair. This musical has the chops to be the definitive contemporary piece of its genre, as it follows the squeals of protagonist Tracy Turnblad while she tries to shimmy her way to stardom in the form of local TV dance show, "The Corny Collins Show"(pun intended). Fun, funny, and with enough class to poke fun at itself, if you see one theatrical event in Boston this fall -- make it Broadway in Boston's Hairspray. Perhaps John Waters was simply inspired by the zaniness inherent in satire and decided to devote himself to exploring its full, zany potential, or he saw Hair, and felt a mane musical name-game challenge coming on. But, unlike Hair, Hairspray's depth far exceeds its seemingly frivolous title. While coyly tackling the serious racial issues in the historically turbulent city of Baltimore, Hairspray takes on a fantastical character at some points, like when one of the show's characters uses a bottle of the titular hairspray as a makeshift blowtorch to bust out of prison. It's hot. Mostly, it's hot because the show's romantic leads are so darn convincing. Carly Jibson as Tracy glows theatrical magic. She's giddy, jolly, and so lovable you want to jump on stage and gleefully shriek with her when hunky Link Lark, as played exuberantly by Austin Miller, accidentally touches her arm. Likewise, five minutes and a fantastical song later, you want to cry with her when Link's girlfriend Amber Von Tussle, saucily played by Jordan Ballard, interrupts their moment, making fun of Tracy's extra body mass in the process. Amber along with her mother Velma, a producer and power maven for the "Corny Collins Show," together create the perfect villainesses. For while actress Susan Cella could easily have made Velma into the typical evil stereotype, she truly embraced Velma for the type of racist and nepotistic woman that likely lived in a segregated city that the audience could love to hate. As musicals go, rarely can they redefine the traditional villain. What's better is when they redefine our hearts. From its anything but sleepy opening number, "Good morning, Baltimore," until its final unstoppable "You Can't Stop the Beat" Hairspray takes on this mission with open arms. Another way of putting it: its bubble gum goodness is infectious. The tremendously inventive set aids this operation as well, using all the colors of the rainbow as well as the occasional polka dot. If the performances weren't so spectacular in themselves, the set's sheer energy could easily overpower the show. From jungle gyms to carnival like sight gags, watching this story unfold could not be more fun. The set and novelty lights work together with Tracy's latest crazy adventure to create a most affable aura: the kind that refuses to believe that there can be bad in the world. When thinking about the Hairspray the movie, there is often one luscious character that immediately comes to mind: Tracy's mom, Edna, played in the film by the large and lovely cross-dresser Divine. The play respects this choice, via Hollywood Squares' Bruce Vilanch as the darling Edna -- and the laughs just roll off of him. Between making spontaneous yet relevant off the cuff comments (when wearing an all red ensemble he remarked about all he lacked were "red socks") and his jubilant comedic timing, Vilanch's performance is impeccable. Frankly, the timing of Hairspray's arrival onto the theatrical scene was fairly flawless itself. Stylistically very different than last year's big tours, the only show Hairspray could possibly be compared to is The Producers, 2001's opening ticket office success. True, while it was a tough campaign to follow (The Producers won 12 Tonys to Hairspray's 8), there's some sparkle in both shows that make them stand out amongst the present musical flock. Both Billy Joel's empathetic Vietnam love affair ballet Movin' Out and ABBA-driven musical Mamma Mia!, rely on their story's catchy music to propel their play's action, without the levity of Hairspray's interracial drama to propel the plot. Perhaps that is what Hairspray embodies most, it is a cockeyed optimist of a show. And, it is proud of it.

The Setonian
News

Feminists rebut IWF

October 13

Recently, a group called "SheThinks.org," a project of the Independent Women's Forum, bought space in the Tufts Daily in an attempt to promote an anti-feminist agenda. If you look at their website you will find that their writers are so good at using "spin" that they practically had us thinking that Title IX, a federal act that was responsible for assuring that girls be provided with an equal opportunity to engage in organized sports as boys, was somehow discriminating to boys instead of creating a level playing field! In their recent advertisement they positioned themselves at the Truthsayers, and some un-named "radical feminists" as those promoting myths in order to promote an anti-male agenda. It was obvious that their goal was to persuade us that all "radical feminists" were the same and that all of us were liars. It also implied that we like to bash men, and that our desire to see gender equality promoted as a standard in male-female relationships was somehow bad and dishonest. They then came out with their list of "myths" that these un-named Radical feminists are promoting. Most of the information does not include any sources, so that any intelligent person (such as most of us here at Tufts) would immediately question their veracity. Some DO have sources, but are spun in such a way that the truth is hard to find. For example, the facts that supposedly debunk Myth #1 start by saying that the study by Ms. Magazine is fallacious. What makes the study fallacious? That IWF says so? The next study mentions that the researcher was handpicked by Gloria Steinem. So what? The implication here is that anyone handpicked by Gloria Steinem must be a dishonest researcher. Then, we are told that 73 percent of the young women she counted as rape victims were not aware they had been raped. So what? When girls are on a date, they are often made to feel as if they are responsible for controlling the extent to which sex occurs. When sex gets out of control, they can feel like it was their mistake -- even if they said, "no." The truth is, sometimes girls just don't know how to say "no." But in order to judge the statement made by Ms. Steinem, what we really need to know is how the researchers defined "rape." As students, our desire is to become critical thinkers -- to look at statements like these in such a way that we can see what more we need to know in order to seek the truth. One of the great problems in American society is that those who have the most access to the media and create the best "sound bites" are those whose words get perceived as truth. When people fail to think critically and simply consume what they are told, then whoever has the money to pay for advertisements can control the minds of the nation. This is a grave danger in a democracy. As young "radical feminists," our desire is to help change the world into a place where peace, justice, and equality flourish. We would like to see more women in places of power -- not because we want to dominate and control, but because we'd like to have our chance at eradicating poverty, violence, and discrimination. As the IWF website says, when young girls received equal opportunities to play sports, the result was that many boys lost some of their opportunities. Sadly, this is true. We are not happy that boys lost some of their opportunities. But when resources are limited, sometimes these things happen. As women advance, it could mean that some men are displaced. That is what equality means. We look for the greater good in all things, and believe that equal opportunity is more important than saving all the opportunities for boys and men. If She Thinks puts more paid advertisements in our paper, let's hope that they do not treat us like idiots who cannot tell where the spin is. Give us all the research you base your propaganda on, and let us make up our own minds. Lisa Gabbai and Anjuli Fahlberg are sophomores who have not yet declared majors.

The Setonian
News

Despite top-notch campus facilities, some students still opt for private gyms

October 13

The popularity of on-campus athletic facilities such as Cousens Gym and the Gantcher Center might be driving some to off-campus offerings. Citing issues of less crowding and more convenience, some students are patronizing local commercial gyms. "Because I live off campus, it would take more time for me to walk to and from Cousens then to drive to and from the gym," sophomore Sarah Samuelson said. "I didn't go to an independent gym last year, but now that I have a car, it's just easier." In addition to increased convenience, students also choose to attend off-campus gyms because of the crowding and lack of space in Cousens. According to Fitness Center attendant Mike Pimentel, close to or exceeding 1000 people a day attend Cousens. "[At the commercial gym], I never have to wait in line," sophomore Mona Green said. "To get a good workout, I need to feel motivated, which I can't on a machine for an hour with people constantly harassing me to get off." Tufts facilities staffers admit that the lack of space in Cousens Gym can make working out difficult. "The biggest drawback [to the Tufts facilities] is that everyone in college is on the same timetable, so at certain times it gets crowded," Assistant Athletics Director John Casey said. "At commercial gyms, it gets crowded too, but there, people are on a multitude of different schedules." Pimentel agreed: "Students are happy with equipment overall," he said. "What we have here you'd find in any commercial gym. They're less happy with the amount of space - it does tend to get crowded in there." Space constraints aside, Tufts' athletic facilities offer up-to-date machines, well-trained support staffers, and services that many students are unaware of. "Among our peer institutions, we have one of the best athletic facilities," Pimentel said. "We're pretty up there, absolutely," Casey concurred. "We have the latest equipment; plus, we have a lot of people there that are very helpful." Tufts' athletic facilities also compare favorably to those of many independent gyms: "Very few commercial gyms offer a pool, two indoor tracks, [and] indoor tennis and basketball courts," Pimentel said. The equipment available at Tufts also rivals that at commercial gyms. "Over the last few years, we've made a concerted effort to bring in newer equipment," Pimentel said. "We've purchased new elliptical trainers that everyone's really enthusiastic about. There's also an additional one and a stairmaster in Gantcher. [We've also purchased] a circuit of Cybex machines, new Arc trainers, and four new recumbent bikes. We're always looking to upgrade, but the overall square footage makes those things hard." Though many students don't know it, Tufts' athletic facilities offer many of the same "luxuries" - such as saunas and personal trainers -- as commercial gyms. "We participate heavily in the Tufts Longitudinal Health Study," Pimentel said. "We also have a Performance Program that we started last year, with a staff of university-trained personal trainers. It's a really integrated program - a lot of cross-referencing with Health Services and the Nutrition School." Pimentel described the Performance Program, which is subsidized by the University health plan: "Students get five free visits with a personal trainer. The first two are interviews, and the next three are one-one-one sessions," Pimental said. "It's a program that's really pretty unique to Tufts." Tufts' facilities staffers are also willing to accommodate requests made by students: "If students want to work out in small groups with friends, we can accommodate that," Pimentel said. Paying every month for a gym membership when such equipment and programs are free on Tufts' campus strikes some students as unnecessary. "I think it's ridiculous to go to a gym off campus," sophomore Nila Mitra said. "It's such a waste of money because you not only have to pay for the membership, but for the transportation to and from, even if it is just gas." Sophmore Anjuli Singh agreed with Mitra. "I go to Cousens every other day," Singh said. "I mean, granted, it isn't the easiest place on campus to get to, but once you're there, it's fine. There might be a little bit of a wait for a machine, but honestly, it gets the job done." Other students, however, still prefer to make the trek (and fork over the cash) to commercial gyms, which offer such perks as on-call masseuses and whirlpools. "The gym I belong to has much nicer equipment," Green said. Along with several friends, Green - who has a car on campus - has a membership at Healthworks Fitness Center in Porter Square. Sophomore Livia Stefanini is also a Healthworks member. "Last year, I never got anything done when I worked out in Cousens," Stefanini said. "I like to alternate classes, and at Healthworks, all of the classes are included in the monthly membership fee." For some, the idea of spending close to $60 a month to go to a commercial gym just isn't worth it, especially when there are free facilities right on campus. For those students, Cousens Gym and the Gantcher Center are more than adequate. To those students belonging to off-campus commercial gyms, however, the membership price is worth it. "I go to the gym five times a week, and devote about two hours each day for my work out," Samuelson said. "Because I spend so much time there, it's worth the price." Patrice Taddonio contributed to this report.

The Setonian
News

Tufts wins 1-0 in penalty strokes

October 13

The Jumbo defense held fast and its offense was clutch, sparking the field hockey team to an important 1-0 NESCAC victory in strokes over visiting Trinity College on Saturday in Medford. After going 70 minutes of regulation and two 15 minute periods of overtime without scoring, Tufts out-shot the Bantams 3-2 in penalty strokes to push its league record back above .500, to 3-2. Jumbo shooters freshman Lizzy Oxler, junior Jayme Heller, and sophomore Therese Coresello netted the three Jumbo strokes, sending them past the Bantams tough senior goalkeeper Gwen Gillespie. Gillespie had 12 saves on the day. For the Jumbos, freshman goalkeeper Marilyn Duffy-Cabana earned her first win, coming in for the shootout. Fellow freshman goaltender Angela Rappoli played for the Jumbos in regulation, without allowing a goal. The important win came on a day filled with quirks, including a late referee delaying the start of the game for 20 minutes, Air Force jets buzzing the field en route to Fenway Park, the scoreboard breaking at half-time, and a rowdy Trinity fan trying to disrupt the Jumbos during the penalty strokes, who promptly got an earful from Tufts coach Carol Rappoli. "That was just bush league," Rappoli said. "Here we have amateur athletics at its finest, in one of the best games all season, and he has to come and try to take away from these players. There's no class in that." The fan was standing along with 50 or so onlookers during the shoot-out, when he blurted out an obscenity during Jumbo scoring-leader Lea Napolitano's shot. The rest of the crowd had been silent out of courtesy to the players. None of the oddities, however, could take away from the Jumbo victory. "This win was huge. I have to be honest, we would have had an uphill struggle if we had lost today," Rappoli said. "We played with so much energy. Because we won, it probably gets us into the [post-season] tournament." Again without senior co-captain midfielder Willow Hagge due to injury, Tufts set the tone in the first few minutes with its tough defense halting a Trinity offensive drive. Heller, freshman midfielder Stacey Watkins, and senior co-captain defender Kelly Sarson all had multiple defensive stops which highlighted a day of coordinated team-play on the part of the Jumbos. Angela Rappoli saved what did slip through the defense. With 13:25 left in the first half, two low-altitude Air Force F-15s whizzed over Huskins Field on their way to Fenway Park, slowing play and sending a few players' eyes upwards. The Bantams, trying to take advantage of the opportunity, slipped through the Jumbo right side and into the scoring circle, shooting on Rappoli who made a leaping grab to her left to save the goal. It turned out to be one of Trinity's last credible offensive opportunities. "We ended up having more shots, and more opportunities," junior midfielder Beth Van Kampen said. "We actually played a very offensive game." The Jumbo attack featured handy stick-work by junior midfielder Dana Panzer, who along with Watkins, Napolitano, and freshman forward Tracey Rittenour put enough pressure on the Bantams defense to wear them out, and set up the Jumbo victory on strokes. "We were confident going into the penalty strokes," Panzer said. "They were more tired than us." After the 100 minutes of scoreless play, Panzer began the shoot-out, glancing a well-hit shot off the metal bar atop the goal. Trinity couldn't respond following a diving save by Duffy-Cabana, setting the table for Oxler who sank her shot midway up through the left side. "I always go for the same spot," Oxler said. "We practice [the shoot-out] each day for at least five minutes, and I'm usually pretty consistent with that one spot." After the incident with the fan and strokes tied at 1-1 with two shooters left, Heller flicked her shot through the left side and Corsello followed suit in the same location, giving Tufts its three goals and sending it home victorious after Trinity miss-hit its final shot. "I was ready to score," Corsello said. "I just wanted to get the ball in the net."

The Setonian
News

Students uninformed about scheduled server maintenance

October 13

When students tried to use the Internet or e-mail early Friday morning, they found that their web access had been inexplicably cut off. The outage Friday morning was, in fact, scheduled network maintenance, and though administrators say the time was approved, many students were adversely affected. The server maintenance started at midnight and ended at approximately 4 a.m., with rolling blackouts for different servers. During this time students had trouble with access to the internet or e-mail, and were often completely restricted from any access at all. Two years ago a project determined that 50% of network failure could be prevented by "a routine maintenance window". A committee including representatives from AS&E determined that the best times for the server maintenance were early Friday morning from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. and early Sunday morning from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. "The maintenance windows are for university-wide systems like e-mail and the network," Director of University IT Support Services Kathleen Cummings said. "We have communicated via post-service to all faculty and staff about the windows." Students are not informed in advance about the outages, even though Tufts employees are told. "We generally do not make contact directly with students; historically that has been done through AS&E (Arts, Sciences, and Engineering)," Cummings said. Many students were irritated and surprised by the unannounced planned network outage. "The Sunday morning time makes sense, however Thursday night doesn't," sophomore Samuel Ronfard said. "Classes are still held Fridays and [the maintenance window] is right in the middle of study time." Senior Rachel Androphy was in the process of completing medical school applications when the network went offline. "I was trying to work on [applications] online and it was extremely difficult to complete them." After running to two different computer labs and trying to figure out what happened, Androphy gave up. "It really messed up my plans," she said. Many other students were also preparing for midterm exams on Friday. According to Cummings, employee resources dictate when server maintenance can be performed. "We were also sensitive to the fact that we do not have the resources to hire engineers to work shifts. The folks who do maintenance till 2:00 a.m. are the same engineers who must report to work in the morning," she said. Students have suggested posting an announcement about network maintenance on TuftsLife.com or sending informatory e-mails to students' Tufts accounts. Previously, server maintenance was done sporadically, which according to Cummings, was insufficient to keep the network from failing unexpectedly. Libraries and AS&E requested that the maintenance be held off during exam weeks.

The Setonian
News

Universities try different strategies to cope with growing technology problems

October 13

Vulnerabilities in Microsoft software, beginning-of-the-year jitters and student apathy have been the main causes of technology troubles around universities in the region this fall. Kathleen Cummings, Director of University Information Technology (IT) Support Services at Tufts described the recent "Blaster" worm by likening the Windows operating system to a house. "Microsoft built this house, and one of the windows of the second floor wasn't locked." To combat the worm, Tufts Computing and Communications Services (TCCS) distributed update CDs and put up posters and fliers to inform students in the beginning of the year. TCCS also set up a Group Policy Project (GPO) to patch Microsoft machines. A GPO is applied at the back end through the Local Area Network (LAN). The GPO restricts anyone on the LAN from traveling to insecure sites. "It's a type of border control," Cummings said. Because students are not connected to the LAN, GPO did not impact students. The GPO was lifted after 36 hours even though it was not certain that every computer on campus was patched. The Security Advisory believed, however, that adequate security measures had been taken at the time. "You want to be secure, but you don't want to cripple the [University's] business," Cummings said. Thanks to these measures, no serious damage was done to the Tufts system by the "Blaster" worm. The worm enters computers through an unlocked port and enables outside users to "own" other people's computers to send spam mail, to get passwords, or simply to know that they could break in. According to Kevin Davis, Coordinator of Residential Computers at Harvard, dealing with the "Blaster" worm and other similar IT problems is difficult because academic institutions need to keep the system running continuously for research. Harvard has a policy against sending e-mails to the entire student body, faculty and staff, making it difficult to alert users of problems with the system. To inform the community of the virus, Harvard's IT department used posters, websites and fliers, while local e-mail lists in dorms were encouraged. Also, a downloadable tool to patch computers was effective, Davis said. Jim Stone, Director of Consulting Services for IT at Boston University, said the "Blaster" worm caused difficulties "mostly due to Microsoft vulnerabilities." To maintain security in their resident system with 12,000 independent student users, BU's IT department requires students to register their computers once a semester through an online procedure. This registration process enables the school to scan computers, and infected or vulnerable computers are quarantined in what they call "net jail." Computers in "net jail" are brought to a webpage where users can clean their machines, after which they can register back into the system. While the registration system has existed for several years, the online scanning is new this year. "It was a reaction to the situation and belief that the effort was going to be very beneficial. We wanted a mechanism generic enough for future use," Stone said. Tufts' Coral e-mail server had a series of hardware failures that caused interruptions this year, one of which lasted for six hours. Cummings said that hardware and software companies are struggling in the bad economy and in many technology companies, Quality Assurance (QA) areas have suffered to save money. Cummings said the need to maintain security can also take time and resources away from keeping up with their regular services. "When you are on the other side of the services, you don't realize what's going on in the back of the room. It's literally an attack -- we are trying to fight the war and keep the services running at the same time," Cummings said. Christine Kittle, Head of the Information Technology Service (ITS) department at Tisch Library, said Internet Explorer vulnerabilities caused a minimal interruption for one day, making some data unavailable to library staff, but not for Tisch's public computers. "I think the campus is handling world-wide problems pretty well in comparison to other Universities," Kittle said. TCCS is working on projects to improve computing services on campus, such as creating a new web infrastructure, providing more storage space for the faculty and implementing remote desktop management. Due to limited resources, these projects are pushed back when security incidents occur. Tufts' technology problems this year came during the university's debate over whether to bring back the position of Technology Dean. The Technology Dean "would be someone focusing more on academic technology, it would not impact other areas such as cable TV or the telephone," said Executive Administrative Dean Wayne Bouchard. Four years ago, all of the schools within the University decided there should a new approach to technology issues on campus. The School of Arts and Sciences spent $5 million at the time for a desktop support equipment replacement plan and classroom support. He said the task at hand now is to decide on the right approach to provide support for research and teaching on a similar level of support as that for desktops. "We're looking at specific faculty responses now. The academic deans will be coming up with a strategic plan for our technology agenda," Bouchard said. Having a Technology Dean is just one of the options for the next strategic step. "We're open to finding ways that'll allow us to be the most responsible to the faculty's needs now," Bouchard said. "I think it's fair to say we're achieving significant progress here, but it's still not good enough. It's more of a resource issue than lack of effort," he added. Cummings, Davis and Stone all said that the IT departments at their universities were particularly busy this year. According to Cummings, the demand for service is always increasing because technology is becoming more and more central in students' lives. According to Davis, beginnings of academic years are usually trying times for IT departments. He said the changing technological environment and increasing demand for new services forced an adjustment period. Stone added that, because changes are not always predictable, "you just have to be prepared to react." No matter how much effort universities may put in to improve the technology situation on campus, the responsibility ultimately falls on the individual, Stone said. "All of this is avoidable -- you can take care of your own machine. Not everybody takes the time. Running antivirus programs and updates would've made a huge difference," he said. Money should not be an excuse for neglecting individual computer maintenance, Stone said. "At BU, we have site licensing for free antivirus software." Davis agreed. "Individuals are ultimately responsible for their computer security."

The Setonian
News

SoBe beverage founder dispenses advice

October 9

John Bello (LA '68), a co-founder of South Beach Beverages, urged students to take advantage of their luck and take risks at a talk on Wednesday afternoon. The mantra has served Bello well: the company he founded in 1996, known as SoBe, now sells 40 million cases of health drinks each year; in 2001, it was bought out by PepsiCo for $370 million. Bello, the first speaker in a new series designed to highlight the achievements of Tufts graduates, attributed the success of SoBe to a combination of good timing and innovation. He explained that drinks like SoBe had been around since the '60s and '70s, but consumers at the time were more interested in sodas. But attitudes about health and food gradually changed. "It has now become a popular trend to walk around with a bottle of water and walk out of a health store with $400 worth of vitamins," Bello said. In such an environment, "healthy" drinks like SoBe thrive. But Bello said his company's success was not by chance. He explained that creative packaging and unusual flavors attracted customers' attention and separated SoBe from other beverage companies such as Snapple and Fuze. An "aggressive, fun, playfully irrelevant attitude" also helped, he added. Bello, whose first sales job was selling hotdogs at baseball games, was also persistent. "You gotta show up," he said. "And we showed up every day." One of the most essential elements in getting a business started, he said, was putting himself into the marketplace. He related anecdotes of taking cross-country road trips for sampling tests and instances when he was banned from stores because of his aggressive promotional tactics. "He made it seem like such things were really possible," sophomore Timothy Singer said. "You just have to know how to go out there like he did and push people around." Before founding SoBe, Bello worked for 14 years at National Football League Properties, the marketing arm of the NFL. His other experiences include working for Pepsi-Cola in marketing and General Foods in strategic planning. He was also product director for Keds footwear. Currently, he is president of JoNa Ventures, an early stage investment and strategic management company he founded with his wife, Nancy (Nelson) Bello (J '69). In 2001, Ernst & Young named Bello National Entrepreneur of the Year in the Consumer Products category. Following the talk, Bello attended a reception with students and faculty. At the reception, Entrepreneurial Leadership Program Director Pamela Goldberg announced the Tufts Entrepreneurial Network. The program is intended to assist aspiring entrepreneurs by establishing a network of alumni and faculty to connect students with the business world. More than 100 students and faculty gathered to hear Bello speak. His speech was the first in the Lyon & Bendheim Alumni Lecture Series, which will bring one alumni lecturer to campus each semester for the next three years. Future speakers are to be selected by students.

The Setonian
News

Performer Rose Hill turns her battle with cancer into artistic expression

October 9

Tisch Library might not be the place where one would expect to find an exposition on cancer, or a personal art show for that matter. But a Tufts student recently brought the dangerous disease to the forefront. On Wednesday, Oct 8, Junior Rose Hill presented her performance art piece entitled "Brief: A Military History of My War on Cancer." Hill, who is a member of the combined degree program with Tufts and the Museum of Fine Arts, began her one-woman show alone and straight-faced, wearing a camouflage hat with army-green clothes. During her half-hour performance, she told the history of her battle with cancer. She played the part of a commander describing her "troops" in their fight against the enemy -- cancer. During the performance, she addressed the experience of her six-year battle with cancer using military terminology. As she stood next to a blown-up picture of a body, sectioned off as if it were a map of enemy territory replete with lines of latitude and longitude, she chronologically mapped out her "three conflicts." She related the cancerous cells' location and the ways in which they were "dealt with" through medical treatments as "military combat." Despite twice thinking that she had overcome her cancer, Hill is currently in her third battle. Her performance was inspiring and impressive, as she took her pain and turned it into an artistic expression that should provide hope for other people who battle cancer, or suffer any kind of illness. Hill says that her inspiration for this piece was that she "always struggled with the terminology around cancer." Using military expressions "gives people a language to distance them from the physicality" of cancer. She related this to be the reason why military commanders use such broad terminology when describing touchy situations. Instead of saying ten thousand people were injured today, they will say that there were some casualties. At the end of the performance, there was a question and answer session. When asked what advice she would give to other cancer sufferers in a similar situation, Hill stated that one should "utilize whatever technology and resources are available at the time. Make the best decisions [one] can. An aggressive approach is often the best way." Her firm approach to dealing with cancer, and her constant optimism were inspirational. She deals not only with the daily pressures of college life, but of having to worry about her health constantly. After the show, student Angelica Lundquist stated that she thought that Rose's approach to talking about cancer was a "different way to talk" about it. She said that the performance was "pretty impressive. Lots of questions were able to be asked because of the terminology that Rose Hill used to talk about cancer." She found Hill to be "very brave." Hill's battle may be ongoing, but her performance at Tisch helped to communicate the struggle that victims of cancer must go every day. With the help of her performance skills and her courage in voicing her experiences, perhaps the Tufts community will be made a little more aware of the ongoing battle survivors wage against this deadly disease.

The Setonian
News

Curriculum changes for Asian and Latin-American Studies proposed

October 9

Tufts' faculty body will vote next Wednesday on whether classes in Asian American and Latino American Studies may fulfill the second half of the language and culture requirement. The proposal, which was drafted by the Curriculum Committee with input from members of the TCU Senate, is part of ongoing attempts for curricular reform at Tufts. "We're going to lobby very hard to encourage faculty members to pass this resolution," said Senator and co-chair of Tufts' Culture, Ethnicity, and Community Affairs Committee Rafi Goldberg. "Should the measure pass, I believe it will go into effect immediately." Part of that challenge will be addressed next Wednesday. "The proposal [about Latino and Asian American Studies] was put aside and ignored for three years," said TCU Latino representative Noris Chavarria. "Now we're finally having the initiative put to a vote. Students need to petition, to lobby towards the Academic Review Board to cause change." "It's basically a matter of consistency," said Chavarria. "Now that we have these courses, they should count towards the requirement -- especially since Native American and African American Studies courses already do." "It's pretty simple from a student perspective, a matter of equity and parity," agreed Asian American Curriculum Transformation (AACT) member Thomas Chen. New Dean of Colleges James Glaser said that he has been "introduced to dozens of different curricular projects" in his first month on the job. "I don't have any plans to pursue [curriculum transformation] at this point, but it's not out of principal," Glaser said. "I just haven't studied the issues yet." Curriculum change at Tufts can be proposed and initiated by any interest group involving students, faculty, or administrators. For example, an initiative a few years ago to create Women's Studies major had strong student input, including a TCU Senate resolution. Similarly, the Latino and Asian American student groups plan to lobby to hire more positions in Latino and Asian American Studies programs, with a long-term goal of establishing actual minors and even majors in these fields at Tufts. "That would be ideal, but I don't know how soon it's going to happen," Chavarria said. "We do have enough courses [for it]." Past attempts at curricular reform in Asian and Latino American Studies have been unsuccessful. In the spring of 2003, plans to hire an Asian American Literature professor failed due to differences between the involved parties, the English and American Studies departments. "It will continue to be an uphill battle to have Asian American Studies, and other fields that challenge the racism inherent in American society and education, recognized at Tufts," AACT member Cecilia Chen wrote in a June editorial for the Asian American Movement e-zine. "However, we are ready for that challenge." This year, the Asian American Literature class is being taught by an adjunct professor, and there are currently no plans to hire a full-time position. Tufts has only three courses in Asian American Studies, all of which are taught by untenured, part-time faculty.

The Setonian
News

Natural History Becomes Art at Aidekman

October 9

Where can you go to see a stuffed polar bear, a pair of rusting eyeglasses, and a photograph of a mummified head all in one place? Venture no further than the newest collection on display at the Aidekman Arts Center, located down the street from the campus center. Titled Two Rooms, the exhibit features the work of artist Rosamond Purcell, who first made a name for herself as a photographer working for various natural history museums. It is clear upon entering the exhibit, however, that Purcell considers herself a scientist as much as an artist, and the pieces on display here communicate her love for the natural world as well as the eye for detail that helped her to make a successful career out of photographing scientific curiosities. The two rooms which provide the title of the display are sculptural installations, first assembled in Purcell's studio and later recreated in various museum exhibits. The first chamber is a duplication of a scientific collection owned by Olaus Worm, a seventeenth-century academic who was versed in everything from medicine and history to philosophy and theology. The pieces in his assemblage were preserved for all time in a black-and-white engraving, and Purcell has gone to tremendous lengths to find mates for them in the here and now. Her life-size recreation is nearly identical to the room shown in the engraving, and it is a fascinating experience to be able to look back and forth from the 1655 picture and the modern display. Worm's collection, as it is reproduced here, is as fascinating today as it must have been in antiquity. Labeled boxes of shells are stacked on the shelves, a rack of arrows lines the wall, while a collection of elk and deer horns hang next to the stuffed head of a gazelle. Preserved lizards, rays, and armadillos are mounted on the walls; fish and birds hang down from the ceiling; a tiny model of a human skeleton, no bigger than a foot tall, is displayed prominently in the back. The assortment of pieces on display are clearly scientific in nature, but there is little doubt to their artistic worth, as they attract the eye and capture the mind as well as any great painting or more typical sculpture. On the opposite side of the gallery is the second room of the Two Rooms, a reassembled version of Purcell's own studio, which in many ways mirrors its seventeenth century counterpart. Here, the pieces lining the walls are not medieval scientific curiosities but rather what under normal circumstances would have been junk, waste found mostly in the area of a junkyard up in Owls Head, Maine and then recycled here by the artist. The walls are lined with metal and painted in cool colors, purples and greens and rusty reds that seem to create a soothing environment. Shelves of ratty books rest back against them, and also on display are trays of historical archaeological finds from the junkyard itself. There are cases upon cases of once-discarded treasures, ranging from a mirror frame and a rusted lock to a mummified cat and mouse and what appears to be the skull of a two-headed canine. In the corner a lone, broken bowling pin rests on a shelf, and on the opposite side of the room is a chair made out of wood and a gigantic, ancient vertebrate. The similarities between the dual exhibits are striking, even upon first glance. Both Worm and Purcell were collectors, fascinated by the world around them, and both brought their love for science and their need to understand nature into a distinctively physical form. The two rooms communicate their passion in the most obvious manner possible. The displays also make it clear that even though the world has changed, that we have grown as a society and gained a greater understanding of the world around us, the scientific curiosities of Worm's day still exist and can be found, albeit in a slightly altered form. Flying fish have given way to a decaying rubber horse head, but to one who knows just where to look, nature can be just as fascinating in this day and age as it was four hundred years ago. And Purcell seems to understand that as well as anyone. The most fascinating aspect of her work is the way she manages to blend art and science until the one becomes indistinguishable from the other. The archaeological finds and modern day curiosities of her own studio have been displayed in such a way that they can be called nothing but a work of art, even as the masterpiece that is Worm's collection is clearly, at its heart, a scientific catalogue. Also on display is a collection of Purcell's better known photography work. From here, one gets the sense that the artist is a collector of all sorts of intangible curiosities, refusing to be restricted to the physical type on display in her studio, as each photograph is accompanied by a short story either involving the circumstances in which it was taken or the background of the pictured object. Purcell relates with equal enthusiasm her adventures traveling around the world to track down an ivory model of an eye as she does the tale of a hunter who managed to collect six rare butterflies, only to meet his unfortunate end at the hands of cannibals, and the background on her work here makes each piece all the more fascinating. One might leave the exhibit wondering if Purcell's work is better suited to an art gallery or a natural history museum, but in either case, it is clear that her eye for detail is what makes her so valuable both as an artist and a naturalist. More than anything, Purcell is able to appreciate the smaller things about the world around us, which gives her the ability to take a rotting copy of Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum and use her camera lens to turn it into a work of art. Her skills allow her to blur the distinction between art and science, which helps those who happen across her work to appreciate the world around them a little bit more. "Two Rooms" is on display at the Aidekman Arts Center, located across from the campus center on Talbot Avenue. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 to 8 p.m.

The Setonian
News

Jumbos need to move up in NESCAC standings

October 9

The Tufts men's soccer team will be looking to leapfrog Trinity in the standings when they clash at Kraft Field on Saturday. The Jumbos are seventh in NESCAC with a 1-2-1 record in conference. The Bantams, meanwhile, are tied for the fifth spot with a record of 2-2-1. Neither team has a very explosive offense which will most likely mean a tight game that comes down to the closing minutes. The Jumbos are coming off an offensive outburst this week, where they notched three goals against a hot Salva Regina squad. They will be looking for that same type of productivity on Saturday. The key to the productivity is a variety of offensive weapons. While the Jumbos do not have one outstanding goal scorer, they have a variety of players who can finish with consistency. The game against Salva Regina is a perfect example. Three different players scored goals. For two of those players, sophomore Ben Castellot and freshman Jon Glass, their goals were their first on the varsity level. Only two players, senior quad-captain Mike Blea and sophomore Todd Gilbert, have more than one goal for the season, with 3 and 2 respectively. The Jumbo defense should however have a decided advantage against a Trinity offense that can be described as anemic at best. The Bantams are especially feeling the offensive loss of perennial All-New England striker Morgan Sandell, who finished with 10 goals and 8 assists last year. Trinity is averaging a paltry one goal per game so far, and has been shut out four times already. Two of these shutouts came from NESCAC opponents. In the Bantams' 3-2 win over Connecticut College on Saturday, they netted their first goals in four games. The fact that the game is at home is another reason why this match-up is so important. The Jumbos home record is an unimpressive 1-2-1, with their one win coming against a non-conference opponent, Endicott. Even in their victory against Endicott though, the Jumbos did not play up to their potential, as senior quad-captain Brian Mikel admitted after the game. "We played down to their level," Mikel said. "We were a much better team but we didn't show it." This game is a must win if the Jumbos want a winning record at home this year. Tufts has only one more home game left this year. It comes against NESCAC powerhouse Middlebury, which will probably prove a much tougher matchup than the one with Trinity. Strangely enough, thus far they have fared much better away from what have proven to be the unfriendly confines of Kraft Field. This could serve the Jumbos well as the rest of their games will be played away from Tufts. While both teams are coming off 3-2 victories, the Bantams will have three more days of rest than the Jumbos. As Tufts is now in the grueling middle portion of its season, the excitement of the early season has faded away. The rising number of games could presumably wear down the team. However, associate coach Andy Nelson feels that while this may be the case for most teams, in fact it will play to the Jumbos' favor. "The work ethic of this team is really what keeps it together," Nelson said. "Everyone on the team has a very good attitude. Our conditioning is excellent and we are very rarely outworked." In the two teams' meeting last year the Jumbos came away with an emotional overtime victory by the score of 3-2. Gilbert was the hero with two goals, including the winner in overtime. Most players from both squads will remember that game as neither team graduated a large portion of their team.

The Setonian
News

Tufts artist does it all

October 9

"I believe certain artists have this charisma," remarked freshman musician Christopher Hope, "this talent that's undeniable." Talent and charisma may be all Big Cris looks for in another musician, but there's no doubt that this dynamic artist expects much more from himself. Hope is looking to take the Tufts music scene by storm with his commanding presence, his own rap CD, his new radio show, and a powerful message to send to the community. A true renaissance man, self titled artist "Big Cris" mentions poetry, the spoken word, music, and classic literature among his many passions, along with his own solo rap album, Big Cris: Something BIG is Coming. In an effort to combine these interests and accomplishments, he is currently involved in organizing and hosting his own on-campus hip hop radio show. The WMFO 91.5FM program, which will air later in the month, has been appropriately dubbed, "The Big Cris Show." During the two hour slot, Hope plans on spending the first half drawing the audience in by focusing on already popular and mostly mainstream hip hop and rap acts. However, that's just the hook. Hope will devote his second hour on the air to lesser known underground artists hailing from the Tufts campus, as well as the greater Boston area. This portion of the show will be designed to showcase unknown talent as well as to host a weekly guest. In addition to providing a media outlet for musical unknowns, Hope plans to use this opportunity to promote his own rap music and is looking to "lock down the audio-video sensory theaters of Tufts." Hope purposely left the door open for the radio show to take any direction he chooses, and he has already spoken to TUTV about producing a "visual interpretation of the radio show." Hope gained experience in both radio and television when he spent a year off auditing classes at Brandeis University. Utilizing campus resources, he was able to create a radio show and accompanying TV program, which were similar to his current undertakings here at Tufts. Hope used the radio show as a foundation for a "mock reality" TV program where real cameras and "fake" cameras alike trailed Hope and his radio show partner around campus. The reality TV crew spent time following the events (most of which were not reality) of Hope's "supposed" life as the show blurred the lines between reality and imaginary. This concept may seem a little too complex for your average Tufts viewer. But not to worry, Hope is willing to try something different. "I'm thinking of doing something a little less confusing," Hope said in regards to his plans for a future program on TUTV. What that is, he isn't quite sure. But that isn't an obstacle for Big Cris as long as he is in control and is able to convey his message to a willing audience. Aiming to cater to every possible listener and viewer, Hope called his anticipated campus media monopoly a "multi-media conglomerate." Striving to be an artist, DJ, and television star all neatly packaged into one, Hope comments, "What better way to get your name out there than by controlling your media outlet?" Hope's mission to get his name out and to apparently run the world is driven by a strong desire to show a society misconstrued by media presentation that art and the mind are more powerful than violence and embedded societal labels. As an artist, Hope seeks to deface certain social stigmas and stereotypes and emphasizes the importance of knowing the history and implications behind pop culture. "Rap started with political intentions," Hope said, referring to the genre's origins before "the media got hold of it." With musical influences ranging from Mozart to Nigerian artists Fela Kuti and Ali Kahn, Hope's own hip hop music, as well as his artistic ventures, is about more than catchy beats and clever rhymes. "Young, Black, and Dangerous," a song featured on Hope's album, epitomizes his goal of showing society the power of passionate art in lieu of violence and deeply embedded social caricatures. His lyrics, like "not a victim of the system," fight against the media's "vicious" depiction of hip hop culture and the violence strongly associated with it. "I've got something for everybody," says Hope. And who can say that he doesn't considering that he has practically every artistic venue covered? There's no doubt that the Tufts community should keep its eyes, ears, and mind open as Christopher Hope attempts to break in, take control, and revolutionize the campus' artistic outlets. However, you probably won't have to try too hard to notice him; believe me, this artist makes himself heard.

The Setonian
News

Hadassah Lieberman speaks at Fletcher

October 9

Hadassah Lieberman, who spoke at Tufts Wednesday, was the first speaker in the newly organized Global Women series. Wife of Senator Joseph Lieberman, she spoke of both her husband's campaign for the presidency in 2004, women's increasingly important role in the world, the characteristics of good leadership, and her personal experiences with family and politics. She spoke to a crowd of mostly graduate students in Wednesday's address. In her address to the audience, Lieberman offered indirect criticism of President Bush's economic policy, especially regarding this year's tax cut, and insisted that her husband would focus on improving the economy to benefit working families. Lieberman outlined her personal vision of presidential leadership. "We need to be led by integrity. We need a president we can trust. You have to know how to run the economy, and you have to apply the lessons of leadership," she said. Lieberman repeatedly referred to her husband as an "independent-minded" democrat. In addition to campaigning, Lieberman also shared personal anecdotes about her family life. "The hardest challenge in my life has always been the balance between public and private life," she said. "I'm giving up so many parts of my personal life to help my husband. Sometimes I did it all, sometimes I couldn't do it all, and sometimes I just cried. But we have a mutual dream." Regarding gender roles in the US, Lieberman said, "The role of women has always been a difficult one. I'm a product of the 70s, and it's so encouraging to see women here together breaking down the barriers in a man's world." The Global Women series has set forth the following three-tiered mission: 1) to provide a forum for the Fletcher community to connect with female role models and their increasing role in policy making; 2) to learn skills in areas such as leadership and communication through workshops and trainings; and 3) to reach out to the wider community, specifically interacting with disadvantaged and marginalized women. "We consider ourselves an initiative, not a student club, because we want Global Women's mission to become ingrained in the culture of Fletcher," said director of Global Women Rebecca Kinyon. "We want to see its mission embraced by faculty and staff as well as students, so that ultimately curriculum, hiring, and fields of study will reflect an increasing awareness of gender issues." Fellow Global Women founding member and Fletcher student Alexandra Moller added after Lieberman's address, "It's a great sign of things to come that we have such an esteemed woman as our first speaker." Moller was quite happy with the event's outcome. "It was just what I had hoped for. The speech had some really good energy," she said. "She [Lieberman] seemed like she felt open and relaxed. I just hope people got a sense of what a down-to-earth person she is, and that she and Joe are doing this for the right reasons." Mrs. Lieberman visited four universities in the greater Boston area on Wednesday, including Tufts, Brandeis University, Boston College Law School, and Harvard University.

The Setonian
News

Tufts looks to halt two-game NESCAC losing streak against Trinity

October 9

The women's soccer team has not lost three straight NESCAC games in over five years, and it has no intentions of breaking that streak any time soon. After losing to Bates and Bowdoin over the past two weekends, the sixth place Jumbos look to come out strong tomorrow against the Trinity Bantams, who currently sit in a logjam with four other teams in a tie for second place. Last season, the Jumbos dominated the Bantams on a rainy, muddy Saturday in Hartford, and Tufts looks to emulate such a performance tomorrow. "I think it is important for us to come out strong against Trinity," junior Sarah Gelb said. "Although we beat them last year, they are playing pretty well against some tough teams and we can't afford to underestimate them." The Jumbos will look to their strikers, junior Jen Baldwin and senior Jess Trombly, for offensive support, as they have so often in the past. Despite switching back and forth between midfield and striker, Baldwin did what she does best in Wednesday's 5-2 win over Brandeis, notching two goals and an assist. She now has a team-leading 16 points on the season. Trombly also had a goal and an assist, upping her point total to 12, good for second best. "I think both Jen and Jess are both amazing players who add a lot of speed and skill to our offense," Gelb said. "They work really well together to create a lot of scoring opportunities for us as a team." Tufts will also look to sophomore Sarah Callaghan, whose goal against Brandeis gave her seven points on the year (3G, 1A), and senior Becca Doigan for offense, especially when Baldwin and Trombly move to the midfield. The biggest concern for Tufts this weekend will most likely be its depleted midfield. The Jumbos have been trying numerous combinations in the midfield due to the quitting of junior Lindsey Wolejko and sophomore Michelle Gauvin, and injuries to sophomores Lindsay Garmirian and Lydia Claudio. In addition, defensive center midfielder Alina Schmidt took a shot to her knee against Brandeis on Tuesday and is questionable for the game. While Garmirian will most likely see action this weekend after sitting out against Brandeis, the team has still been forced to make a lot of changes and try out new formations in the middle. Coach Martha Whiting's most recent and effective change thus far has been playing Baldwin at center midfielder and alternating Trombly between forward and midfield, while starting Callaghan at forward in Baldwin's spot. "We've definitely had our share of obstacles in the midfield and are still trying to find the right combination of people to fill the positions," Gelb said. "But the important thing is that we have complete confidence that every player on the team can play in any position and do a good job." The Jumbos' defense and keeper Meg McCourt will need to be on top of their game for Tufts to be successful, as Trinity has scored 18 goals this season in just eight games played. The backline will be especially wary of senior captain Kate Salottolo, the NESCAC player of the week two weeks ago, who leads the team with five goals scored, and junior forward Nicole Mauger, who leads all Bantams with an unruly eight assists already on the year. In practice, Tufts isn't doing anything out of the ordinary, but the squad will certainly focus on the same things that it has all season: keeping high intensity start to finish and scoring goals. "I think we are focusing on all aspects of our game, moving together as a group, communicating, finishing shots and our intensity," junior Becky Greenstein said. "We have really good chemistry as a team and all want the best for each other, and as long as we play together and with heart we should be fine." Kickoff for the game is at 11 a.m. Saturday morning at Kraft Field.

The Setonian
News

Democratic campaign managers come to Tufts

October 9

The campaign managers of six of the Democratic presidential hopefuls gathered at Tufts yesterday to promote political discussion and activism. The panel included members of the presidential campaigns of Dennis Kucinich, Howard Dean, John Edwards, Richard Gephardt, John Kerry and Joseph Lieberman. A representative from Bob Graham's campaign was also present, even though Graham announced Monday that he would no longer run. Panelists encouraged students to take part in the New Hampshire campaigns. New Hampshire's Democratic presidential primary -- the first in the nation -- is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 27. Although the state is small, candidates focus significant effort there with the hope that a victory in New Hampshire will help them secure their party's nomination. Kucinich volunteer Terry O'Brien said New Hampshire's diverse population made campaigning there remarkable. "New Hampshire is an amazing experience," he said. "We really encourage you to just go up there and check it out." Colin Van Ostern, who works as the press secretary for Edwards' New Hampshire campaign, said interactions with politicians are unscripted in that state. "There is something incredibly important about New Hampshire," he said. "It would be a real shame for our democracy to lose that." Former New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen, who is teaching a class at the Experimental College, helped organize the panel to introduce students to the processes of political activism. She also moderated the discussion. Shaheen, who was recently named the national chair of Kerry's campaign, said she hoped students would become more involved in the political process after hearing the panelists' insights. Students asked the panelists about the strength of the party in the upcoming elections. Van Ostern explained that the Democrats lacked a strong party leader during the 2000 presidential election. An audience member asked if the plethora of democratic candidates indicated a lack discipline. Van Ostern stressed that the Party needs to augment its base by standing behind a strong leader and a sending a unified message. "This is not a question of discipline. It is a question of leadership," he said. "We're really looking for a leader right now." Panelists suggested Arnold Schwarzenegger's victory in the California recall election suggested a need for more attention to public opinion. "The Democratic Party needs to become a party that doesn't just tell people what they believe," O'Brien said. "It needs to listen to what the people want." Michael King, Dean's New Hampshire political advisor, referred to "a powerful force out there of people who are actively seeking change." The Democratic Party should listen to these individuals and motivate people to get involved, he said. Mary Smith, a junior and University College Scholar, organized the panel as part of a yearlong project through the University College (formerly known as the University College of Citizenship and Public Service) to increase political awareness. "We wanted to get more students talking about politics because [they] can be a great mobilizing source [for political change]," Smith said. The event allowed panelists to recruit support for their campaigns, while also offering students a chance to learn more about the candidates, Smith said. Panelists also learned more about students' concerns. About 80 students attended the event in Cabot auditorium. "This just provides further evidence of how strong [Tufts students'] interest in citizenship and politics really is," Dean of the University College Robert Hollister said. The latest poll results suggest that Dean is the front-running Democrat in New Hampshire. The poll by American Research Group of Manchester, NH, showed former Vermont Governor Dean. He leads Massachusetts Sen. Kerry, 29 percent to 19 percent. The remaining candidates, including newcomer Wesley Clark, were in the single digits. Undecided voters represented 29 percent of those polled. Dean held a ten-point lead over Kerry in the group's September poll. Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri and Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut received six percent support, Clark five percent and Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina three percent. Carol Moseley Braun and Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio were at one percent and Al Sharpton zero percent. While nine in ten in the poll said they were aware of Clark, almost half of the sample said they don't know enough about him to form an opinion. Clark, the retired Army general, was at two percent in the September poll. Almost two-thirds in the poll, 63 percent, had favorable opinions of Dean and Kerry. The poll of 600 Democrats and independents who say they are likely to vote in the Democratic primary was conducted Oct. 5-8 and had a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points. The Associated Press contributed to this article.

The Setonian
News

Jumbos square off against Trinity in battle of unbeatens

October 9

Coming off a 26-7 victory over the Bowdoin Polar Bears in last Saturday's homecoming game, the Tufts University football team is riding high with a three game winning streak. This weekend the team faces its biggest test of the season in a home game against defending NESCAC co-champs Trinity College. The teams find themselves tied atop the NESCAC standings with identical 3-0 records. The game is an even tougher one for the Jumbos as they may be playing without their top two running backs, juniors Steve Cincotta and Matt McMillan, who were both injured in the game against Bowdoin. Cincotta, Tufts' leading rusher this season, sprained his ankle in the third quarter of last Saturday's game and did not return. X-rays on the ankle came back negative, and he is listed as day-to-day. McMillan suffered a more serious injury, dislocating his shoulder. He will not suit up this weekend and may not play again this season. The injury is especially frustrating for McMillan because he returned this season from a broken foot, and had been playing well. Should Cincotta not be able to play, Tufts will turn to sophomore full back Steve Lombardi and freshman Brian Cammuso. Offensive coordinator Mike Daly expressed confidence in both of the players. "Lombardi can play tailback if necessary. He took over in the fourth quarter against Bowdoin, and had two of the biggest plays of the game," Daly said. "We have a lot of confidence in him as a runner. I think he still considers himself a tail back." Lombardi gained 50 yards against Bowdoin after Cincotta and McMillan went down with injuries. On the Jumbos' last scoring drive, he ran for 45 yards. The offense faces a stiff challenge from Trinity, whose defense is surrendering just 4.3 points per game. The Trinity defense stops the run especially well and has given up only 68 rushing yards per game. However, Daly was confident in his unit's running game. "It's a key for us to run the ball," Daly said. "And I think we can run the ball against Trinity. We still want to keep it mixed up [between the run and the pass], but we want to start by running." The Jumbos also want to keep the receivers involved in the offense. Senior Tim Mack, senior Matt Cerne, and junior Kevin Holland must get the ball as much as possible, according to Daly. The trio hadn't had many touches in the first two games. However, they broke out against Bowdoin with a combined 10 catches for 143 yards, with Holland scoring a touchdown. Additionally, Mack had a 33 yard run on an end-around. "We track touches by offensive players, and we want Mack, Cerne, and Holland to get at least 5 touches a game each," said Daly. "In the early games we were being conservative, but we know we need those guys to get the ball a lot." On the defensive side of the ball, the team faces similarly stiff competition. Trinity has been moving the ball effectively so far this year, especially on the ground. They boast two running backs, Tom Pierandri and Drew Finkeldey, who each average over 100 yards rushing per game. Trinity is coming off a 45-7 demoliton of Hamilton in which they scored 45 points and gained 438 yards. "They're definitely two of the best running backs in the leagues," Tufts' defensive coordinator John Walsh said. "They're the best we've seen so far this year and they compliment each other well. [Pierandri] is a big, strong bruising back, and [Finkeldey] has major speed." Trinity also throws deep ten times a game, making them an even more dangerous offensive unit. The Jumbos will try to counter by taking away the run and making the Bantams one-dimensional. "They're going to get yardage no matter who they play," Walsh said. "We just want to force them to make long drives to score, to not give up any big plays." Besides the implications the game has for the NESCAC standings, the game is made even bigger by last year's result when the two teams met. Trinity won by only one point, 13-12, and the game has been on the minds of the Tufts' players and coaches since. Walsh was adamant about how much the game means to the team. "This is a huge game for us," Walsh said. "There's a big difference between 3-1 and 4-0 in this league. We've been 3-0 the last couple of years, now it's time for us to take the next step." Daly played down the game's importance somewhat, citing the fact that it's only one game in the season and he doesn't want his players to be "too up for it." "There's no question it's a big game, but in this league they're all big games," Daly said. "I want the guys to realize that all games count as one, and whichever one we're playing is the most important game."

The Setonian
News

Exchange Teaching Assistants?

October 9

Even for the most adventurous undergraduates, spending a year in a foreign country can be as intimidating as it is exciting. But spending a year in a foreign country, as both an undergraduate and a teacher, would seem to kick the intimidation factor up a few notches. But for Marion Fabing, a French exchange student who is spending the equivalent of her senior year here at Tufts, inhabiting the dual roles of teacher and student is far more satisfying than it is frightening. "I'd spent time in the States during high school," said Fabing, who attends the University La Sorbonne Nouvelle in France. "I wanted to come back and check out the American college life." Faber is one of several undergraduate exchange students who serve as a Teaching Assistants (TAs) in the University's language departments during their tenure at Tufts. "We have a few undergraduate TAs who lead discussion groups for our foreign language classes," French Language Coordinator Emese Soos said of the University's Romance Languages Department. "These students are native speakers of one of the languages we teach -- French, Italian, Spanish." "Basically, we're looking for leaders," Spanish Language Coordinator Marta Rosso-O'Laughlin said. Although undergraduate TAs are rare in the Spanish department, only two graduate student TAs were hired this semester, allowing undergraduates to fill the remaining positions. "We don't usually employ undergraduate students [as TAs]...," Rosso-O'Laughlin said. "More of our TAs are exchange students from Madrid or Chile who have completed their degree in their native countries." One TA who did acquire a teaching assistant position in the Spanish department is Mario Santos-Sousa, a student at the Autonomous University of Madrid who is spending his senior year at Tufts. Santos-Souza leads eight 40-minute conversation groups per week and is a native speaker of Spanish-- a requirement in order to be a TA in the Spanish Department. Fabing, like Santos-Sousa, also leads eight 40-minute conversation groups per week. She became interested in working as a teaching assistant overseas during her studies in France. "At my school, La Sorbonne Nouvelle, I went to see what [overseas French TA] positions were available," she said. "There were two - one at Tufts, and one at Middlebury. I applied for both, though I really wanted Tufts!" The process of becoming a foreign language TA is very competitive. Faber competed for the Tufts position with two other students just at her university. Sara D'Armayan, another undergraduate French teaching assistant, also competed with three other students at her university. In addition to their roles as TAs, both students also serve as French Exchange Instructors. In that capacity, Fabing and D'Armayan help to organize events within the French Department and communicate with their fellow French exchange students. The responsibilities held by each language department's TAs are similar. "In French [classes], the TAs are expected to discuss the news in French with students, who are supposed to have listened to French news via television or the Internet," Soos said. Similar discussions occur in Spanish conversation groups. "The main issue is to make [the students] speak in Spanish," Santos-Sousa said. "[The students] don't like debates because they have to talk a lot!" "The main goal is to improve their oral skills," Fabing concurred. "English is not allowed." Fabing knows the value of participating in conversation groups with native language-speakers firsthand. While she studied in France, her own interactions with native English speakers were very helpful in developing her command of the English language. "I hope that a lot more universities [have conversation groups]," Faber said. "I studied English in France, and we had native [English] speakers from England, Scotland, and sometimes the United States at La Sorbonne." According to Fabing, her interactions with those native English-speakers were invaluable. In fact, she wished she'd had the opportunity to have more of them: "It really wasn't enough," she said. In addition to providing exchange students with a valuable experience -- and Tufts students with the chance to engage in dialogue with native speakers of the languages they are studying --, serving as a TA provides exchange students with financial benefits. "I'm an exchange student, so I don't pay Tufts' tuition," Fabing said. "Unlike a lot of other exchange students, though, since I teach I actually get paid!" But acquiring a job as an exchange student is often extremely difficult. The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) restricts exchange students' from most off-campus work opportunities. With few exceptions, the BCIS does not grant any off-campus work permission within an exchange student's first academic year in the U.S. The BCIS, does, however, allow some exchange students to pursue part-time on-campus employment (20 hours or less per week) during the semester. During the summer, students are permitted to work full-time as long as their jobs involve scholarships, fellowships, or assistantships. Before seeking employment of any sort, exchange students must consult with the University's International Center. Fabing is most grateful for the chance to serve as a TA, though, simply for the experience of teaching. "I've thought about becoming a teacher," she said. "I'm not sure yet, but becoming a TA gives me an idea of what being a teacher would be like." For Santos-Sousa, the best part of being a TA is also the experience he's gained. "[The time commitment] is worth it," he said, adding that the students he teaches - all eighty of them - "are good kids." "The foreign assistance program, giving us the opportunity to study here and to live like real American college students, is wonderful," Fabing added. "I'm very grateful." Yet there is one aspect of being TAs that both Santos-Souza and Fabing are still in the process of mastering: remembering all of their students' names. "Finally, they're starting to stick in my head," Faber said, smiling.

The Setonian
News

Parasite colony shuts down Carpenter House showers

October 9

Showers in Carpenter House have been closed for almost a week because of infestations of nematode worms. The worms have been present in the second floor showers since early summer. Students made requests to the Facilities Department, but work began only in the last few weeks. Initially facilities attempted to clean the showers before attempting extermination. It was not until the fourth visit that a plumber came and determined that complete tile renovation was required. Work is scheduled to be completed and the showers should be reopened by Sunday. Facilities became involved only after many requests. "I called every day several times a day," Resident Assistant Page Davis said. Davis said she first discovered the parasites in the shower around three weeks ago. "I woke up to take an early shower and Anna the cleaning lady pointed the worms out to me." Nematodes develop in the tepid water that collects overnight in shower stalls. According to Davis, there is a problem with ventilation in the female bathrooms. "They don't come up unless there's stagnant water, the cleaning lady gets them out but there's bound to be still water," said Carpenter resident Sarah Lim. Before the showers were closed, students wore sandals to avoid contact with water. "I was reluctant to use them" Lim said. The showers on the second floor were the only showers for the 24 women in the building. During the repairs, residents have used the male showers on the first and third floor or showered in other resident halls. Davis said that this hasn't been a problem as "everyone has different schedules". Chris Lintz, a first floor resident said that the girls using the men's showers "has not really been an issue. In fact, our showers are almost too gross. They have worms up there and then come down here and say 'no way' and go to the third floor." Students have commented on the atrocious nature of the infested showers. "It's absolutely disgusting," Davis said. Though students are disgusted by it, Associate Professor Jeffery Griffiths of the Tufts Medical School said "most nematode worms are non-pathogenic to humans." The nematode worms must infect the right type of animal for it to be harmful to that organism. There are over 12,000 types of nematode worms. Certain species can cause rashes and intestinal problems to humans. Facilities declined to comment on the problem. Lintz was concerned that Facilities made no concerted effort to make students aware of the problem. Residents learned of the situation through word of mouth, and the only information facilities posted was a sign closing the showers for repairs.

The Setonian
News

Students could lose Pell Grant money

September 18

The U.S. Senate has passed legislation to safeguard the way the Federal Government determines eligibility for Pell Grants, which help finance the college educations of the nation's neediest students. The bill now awaits a conference committee to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions. An amendment to an appropriations bill passed 51-44 last Wednesday. It strikes down regulations set forth on May 30 by the Department of Education that would have changed the eligibility formula and reduced the number of students who could receive Pell Grants. But since the House of Representatives did not address the issue in its separate version of the appropriations bill, the Senate's changes will now go before a conference committee, where discrepancies between House and Senate bills are resolved. The final bill will be voted on in October. If the committee rejects the changes and the new regulations are adopted, the federal government would begin using a formula that lowers the amount families can deduct in state and local taxes, thus increasing their discretionary income on paper. The Department of Education estimated that 84,000 students nationwide could lose Pell Grant money under the new formula, saving the Federal Government $270 million a year. The amendment passed in the Senate last week was penned by Sen. Jon Corzine, D-N.J. According to Darius Goore, a spokesman for the Senator, total aid shrinkage would be much larger, since other non-governmental aid institutions use the same formula to determine aid. "A lot of kids have indicated that they won't be able to finish college if that aid gets cut," Goore said. "If you think about 80,000 kids who don't get Pell Grants, where are those people going to go? They're going to get added to the unemployment rolls." About ten percent of Tufts students receive a Pell Grant, which account for three percent of total aid money. The maximum award is $4,050 per student, and the amount depends on the cost of the institution, full- or part-time status, and the number of semesters the student plans to attend. "We're not expecting to see any major changes up or down in the number of grants they receive," said Director of Financial Aid Patricia Reilly. "It would not impact diversity in any way." The change would likely have a greater effect on students attending less expensive public universities and community colleges. At the University of Massachusetts -- Boston, the maximum award covers more than half of annual tuition and fees. "We used to get greater than 50 percent in grants from federal aid, and now it's greater than 50 percent in loans," Judy Keyes, UMASS Boston's Director of Financial services, said. Many schools with substantial resources, such as Harvard, plan to make up for any reduction in federal funds. Thomas Mortensen, a senior scholar at the Pell Institute, said that more and more students are taking on debt to pay for their education. Students are also likely to make up the difference by taking on more hours at work, he noted. "One thing we observed in the '90s that bothers me a great deal was rising numbers of students working full time. That's a recipe for disaster." "When Bush was campaigning, he had all sorts of great ideas about increasing the grant, but now all [he seems] to be able to do is freeze it," Mortenson said. "We're stuck with a frozen grant while college costs are rising."

Trending
The Tufts Daily Crossword with an image of a crossword puzzle
The Print Edition
Tufts Daily front page