Archives

News

Coffin to replace Cuttino as admissions dean

September 9

Promising to raise the bar on who Tufts selects, Lee Coffin will take over as Dean of Undergraduate Admissions beginning this October. He will be replacing David Cuttino who retired last spring after 17 years. Currently Dean of Admissions at Milton Academy in Milton, MA, he has Coffin has worked at Connecticut College, Trinity College, and Harvard. Susan Ernst, who led the search committee, wanted someone who "shares our vision of moving towards need-blind admissions." She elaborated, "We were looking for a record -- a proven record of dealing with challenges and exceeding them" Tufts' largest long-term goal in terms of admissions is becoming a need-blind institution. This was one of the reasons Coffin was so interested in joining Tufts. "I don't know of another school that is going back to need blind," Coffin said. "The fact that Tufts has the fortitude to say that this is a value that we support and identify is excellent. We need to identify additional resources so the admissions office can admit people [for whom] Tufts will be a powerful experience." Tufts continues to stress admissions selectivity as an important quality of the University. Coffin said that while Tufts only admits about 25 percent of the applicants, its yield rate - the number of students who actually attend Tufts - is also low. "The yield on accepted students is lower than it should be," he said. "You can be seen as too selective - the accepted students don't go because they also got into Harvard and Yale, and the students who do want to attend Tufts and would be a good fit aren't admitted." Though Coffin officially begins work next month, he has been on campus several times and has met with the admissions staff. He plans to formulate a five-year plan after discussing admissions goals with President Lawrence Bacow. As part of that plan, Coffin will look more closely at which students are applying to Tufts, and from which secondary schools they are applying. He will then travel to those feeder schools to find out exactly what they like about Tufts, and what they don't. Coffin said his goal is to articulate Tufts' position between larger universities and small liberal arts colleges. "Tufts is positioned in between two unique peer groups," Coffin said. "It is a smaller university that competes with Harvard and Duke. At same time, Tufts shares the applicant pool with small liberal arts colleges. This paradox I find really interesting - this is what is distinctive about Tufts." Although Coffin may be tweaking admissions at Tufts, the Supreme Court rulings on affirmative action will not play a large role in those changes. However, Coffin said that the admissions department needs to be constantly re-evaluating what diversity means. "Diversity is redefining itself," he said. "We see a lot of biracial students coming in. The definition of diversity has to be elastic. Admissions has to be thoughtful and creative in how we admit students." The national search that ended with the selection of Coffin began with Tufts advertising both internally and in the higher education press. Tufts also hired a search firm to seek out people, such as Coffin, who might be interested in the job. "The candidates we were looking for are not usually reading the want ads," Ernst said. Ultimately, a small group of candidates was invited to come on campus and meet with the search committee. Ernst said she was confident in Tufts' decision. "I think he will be an excellent manager, team player, and leader," she said. "I'm just really excited about working with him." Coffin said he too is excited. "Tufts is educating for the global century," he said. "A nice tagline, but it spoke to me about the students who should be going to college in the 21 century."

---

News

Large number of Tufts students volunteer for Kerry

September 9

Flanked by local and state officials against the backdrop of historic Faneuil Hall, Senator John Kerry, D-Mass., told an ecstatic crowd of supporters he would seek the democratic presidential nomination last week. The crowd, which included Tufts students, heard the senator speak on issues directed mainly towards the working-class crowd. While Kerry has garnered much support in his home state, recent polls show that elsewhere he trails the leading Democratic candidate, Howard Dean, by as much as 20 points. Undeterred by national polls, a group of Tufts students have rallied behind Kerry by promoting him on campus and off. Tufts Democrats member Jenna Dreyer currently leads the Tufts chapter of Students for Kerry (SFK). While SFK has only 20 student members, they believe more students will grow as the campaigns develop, according to Tufts senior and Kerry campaign intern Elizabeth Richardson. "With thousands of students across Massachusetts that are actively volunteering for John Kerry's campaign, we are confident as students return to campus, our organization will grow," she said. While SFK has been actively involved with the Kerry campaign, some students have noticed a lack of support for other democratic candidates. According to Dreyer, the Tufts Democrats do not support any one candidate more than the other. They will not specifically endorse someone until after the primaries have passed and there is only one candidate. "Some of the Students for Kerry members are active in Tufts Democrats, while others are new to politics," Richardson said. "[SFK] is a separate organization from any that currently exists at Tufts." Although there are no other groups promoting other candidates, with similar visibility to SFK, Scott Merrick, a freshman, is trying to bring together Howard Dean supporters and plan Dean related events. Merrick said without the Tufts Democrats' support on campus, SFK would not be as large as it is. "There has been a total lack in support for any candidate other than Kerry. If the Dems were really not supporting just one candidate, wouldn't there be more groups devoted to each candidate?" Merrick asked. Richardson countered that SFK is more visible on campus because they work harder to connect to students on a grass roots level. Merrick said that Kerry has not been the most effective at leading a grassroots campaign aimed towards students. "Dean has garnered much support from many student groups across the country as a vital part of the Dean campaign." He could not understand why Tufts was not a part of that student movement. According to Richardson, there is no doubt that students are key to the Kerry campaign because of Kerry's Bostonian roots. "When you are a Senator from a state where the capital city holds a 20% student population, when students talk, you listen." notes Richardson. "Students are for Kerry, because Kerry is for students -- with the record to prove it." At the rally before Faneuil Hall, Kerry made no remarks directed towards students, but used most of his speech to criticize President Bush's record on tax cuts and health care. Regardless of the candidate's home states, Richardson noted that Tufts' proximity to New Hampshire, the first state with a primary, will make students a vital part of the process. Students provide the "energy, imagination, and idealism necessary for any successful Presidential campaign," says Richardson. With the presidential primaries soon approaching, according to Merrick, SFK will promote Kerry harder, but he hoped to see a similar surge in support for Dean.

---

News

Do majors matter?

September 9

The act of choosing one's major is a defining moment in any college student's life. Isolating that academic interest which will occupy a significant amount of time in and out of class is difficult enough, without considering the pressures of the looming post-graduation job market. Many students feel that they must consider whether a given major will provide them with enough flexibility to choose from a wide variety of careers, or whether they will be pigeon-holed into one industry. Furthermore, is it better to choose a major based on pure intellectual curiosity, or is that type of decision impractical in today's world? In making this decision, practicality and intellectual leanings often share the stage. Depending on post-graduate plans, the undergraduate major may be a preliminary step. For those attending business school, an economics major may make the most sense: "I chose [Economics] because I am both interested in the material and feel that I learn practical information in my courses... I will most likely attend business school and I feel economics is the closest material to what I would encounter in business," senior Jessica Tubman, an Economics major and Entrepreneurship minor, said. But many have their doubts about how much one's major truly leads to their career path. "Majors do not necessarily define nor determine an individual's career path," Assistant Director of Career Services Donna Milmore said. Tubman agrees, "In terms of a future career, I think one's major is mostly irrelevant. While some people are confident of their future career paths, I feel it takes others a few years, sometimes many, to really decide which career they will choose," she said. Senior and pre-veterinary student Shelly Kamath said that although she is majoring in Biology in preparation for veterinary school, she does not think a specific major is essential for their chosen career. "I do not think a major is as important as the skills and knowledge you take with you after graduation," she said. For students intending to further their education after graduation, says Kamath, specific career training is often considered less important than pursuing a major of particular personal interest. "A major is not as important for people whose future career paths don't correlate to a specific major at Tufts, and [for] people planning to go to medical, veterinary, dental, or law school," she said. International Relations (IR) -- which graduated its first student in 1978 -- is today one of the University's most popular majors, in part because of the various disciplines it involves. "I wanted something that combined different interests of mine into one major," junior and International Relations major Bilen Seyoum said. "I wanted something that interested me, so I would do well in it." Alumnus Dr. John de Jong, A'78/V'85, was the first IR major in the University's history, and also helped to establish the program. Double majoring in Bio-Psych and IR, he pursued post graduate education in virtually ever foreseeable direction. De Jong applied and was accepted to business, medical, law, and veterinary school. Spending a year at law school, he finally graduated from Tufts Veterinary Program in 1985. He cites his story, a Bio-Psych/IR major who ended up a veterinarian (and the first person to graduate both Tufts undergrad and Tufts Veterinary School) as a great example of how a major is not all important when one has a liberal arts education. "Without question, having a major can put you toward a given career. But it does not entirely define or limit you," de Jong said. "A Tufts degree... and a little confidence will get you anywhere you need to go." To many students, the liberal arts education is far more important than the individual major. "I think most people in general see a major as a definition of what you want to be and what you want to do, but I don't agree," said junior Shasta Jean-Mary, who is an English major and a Communications and Media Studies minor. "I feel like if I do not want to be in publishing, I can do absolutely anything with an English major... Some people put too much stock into what the major is." Donna Milmore, Assistant Director of Career Services, attests that in many cases, a student's major and future career are not related at all: "There is not always a direct link between an individual's academic studies and their career," she said. "The skills you develop at Tufts -- research, writing, critical thinking -- appeal to all employers, regardless of industry." The Tufts Career Network, an online database containing a list of alumni and their fields as well as their majors, shows that many Tufts graduates pursue fields that are not strictly related to their major. Alumna Christina Jordan, a Sociology and Child Development major who graduated in 1998 and now works for Project Bread-Walk for Hunger as the Community Initiatives Director, encourages students to choose a major based on personal, academic, and intellectual interests. "My majors were based entirely on intellectual curiosity," Jordan said. "I think that people should choose jobs that they will be happy working in and that they feel passionately about. I feel that choosing a major based on curiosity and interest is the way to accomplish that goal." "The job market is always changing and people in our generation are predicted to have many jobs throughout their career," she added. "I think it would be hard to pick a major based on the job market now because a few years down the road, there is no guarantee that the job market will be the same or even similar to what it is now." Additionally, many majors, especially in liberal arts, are not tied to one specific career. "I think most Tufts students just want the liberal arts education. I know people who've graduated [from Tufts] in a certain major, who are doing jobs that have nothing to do with that major," Seyoum said. "Many people don't allow their major to determine what they do with their lives." Alumni agree that a liberal arts education at Tufts incorporates room to change careers and focuses in the future. "The liberal arts requirements at Tufts are important because they encourage you to explore areas you wouldn't necessarily choose on your own," Jordan said. However, Jordan added "they are flexible enough to allow you to pick classes within those areas that interest you. Flexibility and the ability to learn something new or to gain a range of skills are crucial in this ever-changing job market. I think choosing a major is very important ... but I do not think that employers are necessarily looking to hire people who majored in a specific area and not in another." Careers and majors, though sometimes linked closely, are often distinct entities. "My majors did not prepare me for a specific career, but they did prepare me for all of the jobs I have had by giving me important background knowledge and by helping me to develop the way I look at the world," Jordan said. "My majors allowed me to take classes that I was really interested in."

---

News

Paid printing not unreasonable

September 9

To the annoyance of many students, the University began to charge students for printing this summer because of the rising costs associated with providing the service for free. Students of economics call the concept the "tragedy of the commons," but it does not take an economics degree to know people will abuse anything that is offered for free. The consumption of $80,000 worth of toner and paper in just five days at the end of last semester was a scandalous waste of resources. Now that printing is no longer free, students will surely be more careful about what they print, which will benefit the University, the environment, and students. University and library funds are better spent on books and other academic resources than frivolous printing. To be sure, not all printing is frivolous. With the administration urging professors to obtain permission before distributing photocopied articles, an increasing number are using the web to deliver material to their students. Students, in turn, often print the material before they read it. Many arguments against the pay-for-printing policy cite this trend. But students must consider fee-based printing in context. Tufts is one of the last schools in the area to force students to pay for printing, and increased use of online resources will likely reduce the amount of money students spend on photocopied packets that often include articles many never read. The University is also offering 100 pages of free printing so that students with modest printing needs will not incur extra fees, at least not this semester. The University's resources are clearly limited and no student can expect to receive an education here without paying for some extras. The pay-per-print policy is needed to curb printing volume and defray costs.

---

News

Women's Soccer blows out Gordon in home opener

September 9

Last year, the women's soccer team surrendered only three shots in its opening game of the season against the Gordon Scots. Two of those three shots skirted into the goal, while none of Tufts' eight chances made it past the keeper as Gordon pulled off the biggest upset of its season, 2-0. This year however, things turned out differently. Gordon once again had just three shots, but this time the Jumbos tallied 39 shots en route to their 7-0 thrashing of the Scots in their home opener yesterday at Kraft Field. "Today's win was a nice way to start the season," senior co-captain Jess Lovitz said. "We played well together as a team, and scoring seven goals certainly gives us a confidence boost for games to come." "Last year, we possessed the ball a lot like we did today, but we did not attack nearly as much as we should have," Whiting said. "I was very excited with what I saw today, the girls attacked hard and played very well." The Jumbos continuous pressure kept the ball in the Gordon zone for the majority of the game. The Scots didn't advance the ball past midfield until 15 minutes into the game. Tufts' struck first with 23:05 left in the first when senior forward Jessica Trombly sent a low centering cross to sophomore midfielder Lydia Claudio, who blasted it past a diving goalie into the left corner of the net for the Jumbos first goal of the season. The ensuing score came just six minutes later when Trombly sent a cross field pass to junior midfielder Becky Greenstein, who blew past her defender and sent a shot that snuck past the goal line giving Tufts a 2-0 advantage with 17:05 left in the first. Senior Becca Doigan continued the onslaught just three minutes later, weaving in and out of three Gordon defenders, sending the ball past the goalie, but off the post. But, persistence paid off as she drilled the rebound into the back of the net to give Tufts a three goal lead. Tufts' defense finally saw some action with 3:55 left in the first frame. Gordon brought the ball into the Tufts' zone and sent a weak roller right at junior goalie Meg McCourt, who easily gobbled it up and put Tufts' back on the offensive. On the ensuing possession, the Jumbos made it 4-0 as Doigan decomposed the Scots' defense yet again, and in similar fashion to her previous score, nailed the ball off the post and tapped it in herself in front of a diving Gordon goalie. Tufts came out in the second half with much of the same intensity, keeping the ball on the offensive side for the majority of the half. The Jumbos notched yet another score just ten minutes into the period when sophomore midfielder Lindsay Garmirian fought hard through her defender and sent a centering cross to junior forward Jen Baldwin, who was standing wide open ten yards from the net. Baldwin settled the ball and drilled it at the left post past a diving Scots' goalie for Tufts' fifth goal of the game. Just five minutes later, Baldwin dropped a pass to sophomore forward Sarah Callaghan who, from 25 yards out, sent a laser off the keeper's fingertips to put Tufts up 6-0. Six minutes after Callaghan's goal Tufts struck again. Junior midfielder Sarah Gelb got control of the ball off a header, slipped by her defender and sent a strong left footed shot top shelf to put the icing on the cake for the Jumbos. "It felt good to start scoring goals earlier in the season because last year it took us longer to get going," Callaghan said. "We know we have things to work on but today was definitely a positive start to our season." The Jumbos did not let up at any point in the second half, as McCourt faced no shots on goal and did not touch the ball once. After Gelb's goal, Whiting inserted her first year players to get them experience in collegiate level games. Even backup goalie Annie Ross saw 12 minutes of action, and while she faced no shots on goal, gained experience that could prove valuable in the future. "We're pretty fortunate to have this big group of girls, and we're a very deep team," Whiting said. "We got to play everyone today, which was great because you never know what situation will arise in which you will have to put in a new player, so any experience is valuable." The Jumbos defense, though rarely tested, remained solid throughout the game. Led by Lovitz and fellow senior co-captain Abby Herzberg, the defense was flawless in keeping Gordon senior tri-captain Lindsay Benson, who led the nation in scoring last year with 40 goals, off the board and allowed just four shots on goal. In addition to giving all the freshmen a chance to play, the mediocre opposition also allowed the Jumbos to try their returning players at new positions. Former right fullback, junior Alina Schmidt played the entire first half at defensive center midfielder, a position occupied by junior Catherine Benidict last season. Benedict, along with Lovitz, patrolled the defense at the sweeper position, played last season by All-American senior captain Cara Glassanos. In addition, Whiting tried Trombly at outside midfielder for the latter part of the first half.

---

News

A reflection of the summer music scene

September 9

Live Music In the midst of the return of Lollapalooza, hip-hop package tours, and overpriced reunion's, the summer of 2003 turned out to be an average one. There were some good shows by classic artists. Bruce Springsteen did two stadium shows, while Aerosmith and KISS did a fun double bill which rocked, but also reminded us (all too vividly) that they are products of the 70's. The highlight of the summer was the Sex Pistols, who kicked off their limited 2003 tour at the FleetBoston Pavilion and tore through material from their Never Mind The Bollock's disc along with assorted singles. They were gone from the stage in a little over 60 minutes. Short set, but definitely sweet -- and long enough to remind everyone in attendance that the Sex Pistols are still the kings of punk. Pearl Jam played a trio of nights at the Tweeter Center and in a Grateful Dead-style move, did not repeat the same songs twice during its run. Another highlight was a free show at City Hall Plaza put on by Tufts alumni Guster. The show attracted around 40,000 -- not bad for the still up-and-coming smart-pop trio. There were also, however, too many disappointments (e.g. Lollapalooza, White Stripes re-scheduling and too many Avril wannabes). Lollapalooza made its first appearance since 1997 and was headlined by the regrouped 80's/90's fathers of alternative, Jane's Addiction. Save for Jane's set closing triumph, Lollapalooza was a shell of its former self. In an example of how far this once-lauded festival has fallen, Jackass moron Steve O, who was to be the headliner on the second stage, was a no show, and consequently was the big story the day of the event. An unexpected treat this summer was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tour that stopped at the North Shore Music Theater and featured a "founding father" double bill with kings of Rock 'n Roll piano, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. Maybe it was keyboard envy, but the two did their best to upstage each other and show that, even though they are approaching their silver anniversary in entertainment, they have not lost their chops. Lewis, however, could work a little on his stage presence and onstage banter. CD Releases The summer's live concert scene was only average and the new CD releases did no better. One time critic's darling Liz Phair took a media beating with her eponymous fourth release -- a solid pop record but not the product her former critic friends were hoping she had crafted after an almost five year absence. R&B chanteuse Monica, who has also been absent from the scene for a bit, came back strong with, After the Storm, which debuted at number one. Though it did not maintain that ranking for long, it is full of smooth soul and hip-hop tracks perfect for summer nights. While she did not have the numbers of Beyonce or Ashanti, Monica's product was by far the best. Though Beyonce may have had the song of the summer with "Crazy in Love," the rest of her CD was flat, as was Ashanti's Chapter 2. "Rock With U" is a nice slow jam, but the rest sounds like Janet Jackson rejects (speaking of Janet, did Ashanti look just a tad like a young Miss Jackson in her beach romping video for Rock With U, or was it just me?). Newcomer Lumidee's Almost Famous CD was an unexpected debut smash thanks in part to the spry "Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh)." Techno queen Becky Baeling also scored with her dance laden Becstasy. The title may be lame, but it has the highest quality dance tunes -- not a bad cut on the CD -- and a relief from the claptrap pop-techno we have been suffering with for the past few years. What ever did happen to the Vengaboyz?

---

---

News

Changes to fair are well received

September 9

Since Monday, the patio of the Mayer Campus Center has resembled an open air market: Tables line the patio as students use treats, music, and greetings to entice passersby, essentially acting as vendors hawking their wares: student activities. According to Assistant Director of the Office of Student Activities Ed Cabellon, Tufts University has 160 student organizations, including both University funded and non-funded organizations. Of these, approximately 140 student groups participated in this year's Student Activities Fair. This was the first year that the fair was split into three days with cultural, social programming, and media organizations on Monday, religious, performance and arts, and community service organizations yesterday, and pre-professional, political and community organizations, as well as student government today, the last day of the fair. The new format was in response to organizations' evaluations of the event each year, says Cabellon. "For the last four years, it's always been on one day, and as people know space is premium here. It's been really crowded," he said. "Many groups felt that they were not getting the exposure they really wanted." He added that the renovations to the patio gave additional space for the event and that the fair is shorter in length from 11-2 p.m. instead of 10-3 p.m. Changes to the activities fair were well received among student organizations. junior Mahmoud Hatamleh, a member of the Scuba Club, felt that breaking the event into three days was helpful in giving the group, which is only in its second year, the exposure it needs. "I think it's a good idea to break it into three days because that way you get a chance to see more clubs," he said. "We weren't part of [the activities fair] last year, so this really helps us out." Despite the changes, some students still found the event to be somewhat congested. "It is a little overwhelming," sophomore Lisa Miller said. "But today isn't as crowded as yesterday, [then] you couldn't even see all that was offered." Others found that the event was clear in getting its message across -- "I never realized how much there was to do on campus," sophomore Katie Gadkowski said. "[The fair] really does get you involved and makes you aware of what you can do here."

---

News

First NFL Weekend Full of Embarrassments

September 9

While that first full Sunday of NFL games always appears appetizing when we look at the schedule, it can take on nightmarish qualities before the Doritos in the bowl are even half finished. The start of the 2003 season was no different. We cannot be sure of anything more than that half the NFL is 1-0 and the other half is 0-1, but the fashion in which some squads went about their business deserves a second look. Embarrassment is the last thing a team wants coming out of Week One. And yet, there are at least five teams that are redder in the face than the other losers from the weekend. The New England Patriots put forth the most putrid performance of the bunch. With Lawyer Milloy and the Buffalo Bills lining up across from them, the offense appeared haunted all day by the possibility that Buffalo may know what was coming next. Tom Brady had his worst day as a professional, and I am sure Bill Belichick would not put this on his career highlight tape either. The 31-0 shellacking was the Pats worst opening loss ever, and the first time they had been shut out since Bill Parcells' first year, 1993. In San Francisco, a 49ers team that many expected to be on the skids silenced the naysayers, at least for the moment, as they took the hammer to the visiting Chicago Bears, 49-7. Kordell Stewart again showed his ability to bring his "F" game when the spotlight shines brightly as it does on opening day. His 21.9 passer rating was only slightly better than Tom Brady's 20.4 and the Broncos' Jake Plummer's 21.7. Speaking of Plummer, his team still laid a good sized 30-10 whooping on the same old Cincinnati Bengals despite his three picks and all around ugly day. Such is the manner in which the Bungles operate, though. Who cares if the other quarterback is playing like garbage? With Cincinnati, factors that are in their favor (the new Marvin Lewis regime, playing at home, dope new all-black uniforms, a quarterback on an off day) will never make a bit of difference. Their quarterback, Jon Kitna, will still throw a shovel pass from his own five yard line into the arms of a waiting linebacker who gallops into the end zone. They will still let Clinton Portis run roughshod through them for 120 yards. For a sure thing, count on death, taxes and the ineptitude of the Bengals. The Philadelphia Eagles opened the Monday Night Football season and their new stadium in the same way they closed out their old stadium...by allowing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to collectively punch them and their fans in the gut. While their 17-0 loss carries none of the weight last January's NFC Championship drubbing does, it does call into question Donovan McNabb's passing accuracy and their defensive front seven, which looks a bit disoriented without Hugh Douglas and Shawn Barber. The "shock of the week that may not be so shocking upon closer inspection" was the Houston Texans' dismantling of the perennially contending Miami Dolphins. Not only did the Fins, and more specifically spot starter Jay Fiedler, allow the Texans to pick off two passes, but the mostly porous Houston D also held Ricky Williams to 69 yards on 15 rushes. True, Miami was not completely dominated by the Texans, thus they weren't embarrassed in the manner the Pats or Bears were. But on the heels of a season where they improbably missed the playoffs, also on a last second field goal, and with a defense that added Junior Seau and Sammy Knight, these types of losses can hardly be tolerated. While Miami usually starts hot and finishes soft, their season now depends on them reversing their trend, seeing as this beginning was nothing short of yucky. Panic should not be setting in yet, though, for any of these five teams. Last season, the Buccaneers, Steelers and Jets all lost the first game and went on to win their divisions. But a loss seems to take more steam away from a team than a win adds. One More Thing: Only four men ran for 100 yards on Sunday, while a whopping 11 players caught 100 yards worth of balls. While coaches always preach about running the ball to set up the offense, teams such as the Raiders have set the new trend: short passes to set up even longer passes.

---

News

Tufts completes transformation of Capen St. school

September 9

A joint effort between Tufts and its associated real estate holding company, Walnut Hill Properties, has culminated in the renovation of Medford's Hillside School building. Its classrooms, corridors, and offices now house twelve apartments for professors and low income families. Nine of the 12 apartments will be used to house junior faculty recently recruited by Tufts. Faculty members will have their rent subsidized for up to three years, to give them time to adjust to their new community. "This is a great opportunity for new faculty as they transition to Tufts and for them to live within walking distance to campus with other faculty," said University spokeswoman Siobhan Houton. She worked closely with the community and press on the project. Boston's soaring housing prices have been a growing concern for area universities eager to attract talented young professors. Tufts is one of the first universities in the region to try to solve this problem. Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn said the plan "is a model for others to follow." Many of the professors living in the apartment building agreed that the housing program gave the University an advantage over other prospective employers. The remaining three units have been reserved for affordable housing, which will be provided by the City of Medford for residents who qualify. Walnut Hill purchased the Capen Street school building, for $801,852 in 2001. The city of Medford placed several restrictions on the development site. Major limitations included the reservation of three units for affordable housing, the building be smoke free, no student housing be included, and no street parking for tenants. The idea behind the project was to preserve the building and the historic articles within it as much as possible, while preparing the structure to take on a new function. Local residents agreed that the building needed the change, but they worried that the building might lose its character or history. Walnut Hill, however, said it strove to preserve the seventy-five year old building's charm and integrity from the very beginning of planning the renovation. "The strategy was to use as much of the existing facility [as possible] with minimal demolition," Houton said. "This included keeping the old wood flooring where the school chairs were bolted to the floor." In addition, the original plaster walls were maintained, the school's cloak rooms were transformed into storage spaces, and almost all of the units have an original chalkboard. While the building maintains much of its original fittings and structure, it required modernization. There were several changes made to the building addressing comfort, safety, and environmental considerations. New ceilings had to be constructed to comply with State codes and the principal's office now houses an elevator. The building was designed with ecology in mind. A new synthetic rubber roof replaced the old one. The developers said the roof will prevent heat from being trapped in the building. The renovation process also made use of several renewable materials including old newspapers, which were used to create a cellulose insulation system between the floors to increase acoustic separation and reduce vibration. Other environmental issues addressed include the storm drainage process, which allows the water to disperse within the subsoil rather than overflow into adjacent surroundings, and recycling, for which a room was constructed in the building. According to Houton, the responses toward the renovations have all been positive. Both city officials and community members seem satisfied with the buildings new use and its preservation. McGlynn commented, "I haven't heard any negative feedback, only positive." Barbara and Lois Burns attended the school when it first opened in 1928 and later went on to attend Tufts University. Lois later returned to teach at the school for over thirty five years. "I think it's marvelous," Barbara told The Medford Transcript, "It was a wreck, a menace to the neighborhood. The grounds were in terrible shape." McGlynn is especially pleased with the advantages Tufts faculty will bring to the community. He said, "Children of the community will have role models as their neighbors, Tufts professors."

---

News

Abdominal workouts do not have to be monotonous

September 9

I've been working out for a while, and my ab workouts have become boring. Do you have any suggestions for ab exercises besides the standard crunches and sit-ups? -- Gracy G. Abdominal work is an important part of any exercise regimen. Not only does a tight, defined stomach have aesthetic and sex appeal, but a strong set of abs helps stabilize your torso and prevent injury. Since the abdominal muscles can be trained more frequently than other muscle groups, boredom is common when exercising. Below are a few of my favorite ab exercises that I haven't seen many people doing in the gym. Bench crunches -- Find a flat bench and lie down on it so your legs are hanging off the end. Your butt should be about half on the bench, half off. Place your hands on either side of your head. Look directly up at the ceiling, and keep your eyes fixed in that position throughout the movement. Keep your lower back flat against the bench-do not arch. With your legs slightly bent, bring them up until your thighs make roughly a right angle with your torso. At the same time, crunch up (making sure not to pull on your neck or head with your arms, and keeping your eyes focused on the ceiling). Exhale as you crunch up and inhale as you let yourself back down. On the eccentric portion of the movement (the lowering phase), do not let your feet touch the ground. Repeat the movement until you can't lift your legs anymore. At this point, bring your hands down underneath you, holding on to the sides of the bench. Continue to lift your legs, but stop doing the crunches. This simple movement will really isolate the lower abdominals and also work the hip flexors. The combined leg lifts and crunches will hit both the upper and lower abdominals, and the leg lifts at the end will really emphasize the burn in the lowers, which are commonly the most difficult to bring out. Swiss ball twists -- For this exercise, you will need a medicine ball and a Swiss ball. Sitting on the Swiss ball in front of a mirror, hold the medicine ball in front of you with your arms extended. Tighten your abs and start twisting side to side, concentrating on only moving your torso. Keep your feet firmly planted on the ground. As you reach the point in each twist where you turn back the other way, focus on generating torque with your upper body. In other words, with each twist, pretend you're hitting a baseball or a tennis ball. This attempt to generate force with the oblique muscles will intensify the movement, as well as increase torso stability. Concentrate on flexing your abs throughout the entire movement. It is also important not to use too heavy a weight for this exercise. Doing so will increase the likelihood of pulling a muscle. Use a weight that is light enough to hold easily in front of you for the entire exercise; in other words, if your shoulders are getting tired during the exercise, the weight is probably too heavy. Cable crunches drop sets -- This exercise is slightly more common, but adding the aspect of drop setting to it will add an extra dimension to the burn. On the cable stack machine, attach the rope to one side. Set the pin to a weight you can handle relatively easily for fifteen reps. Kneel and hold the rope behind your head, with your elbows pointing down to the ground. Lean forward so your upper body is parallel with the ground and your thighs are at a right angle with your torso. Crunch down slowly, bringing your elbows to your knees. With the same weight, do 20 reps. After the 20th, immediately drop the weight by 25 percent. Do another 20 reps. After you are finished with that weight, drop the weight another 25 percent, and do 20 more repetitions. This combination of three quick sets is short and intense, and perfect for spicing up your ab workout. Ab work may be the most tedious of all the training aspects, but it does not have to be so boring. By utilizing a multitude of abdominal exercises, you can continually keep your workouts fresh and beneficial, and you will be able to avoid the exasperation of doing 15 minutes of boring ab exercises at the end of your workout. Questions go to fitness@tuftsdaily.com.

---

News

From neon to Warhol, Boston arts sure to please

September 7

One of the best things about living so close to one of the nation's major cities is the vibrant gallery and museum scene that comes along with it. Here's a quick look at some of the exhibits and art shows that will be gracing Boston over the next month. The AIGA BONE Show: This exhibition, sponsored by the American Institute of Graphic Arts, features submissions and winners from this year's "Best of New England" graphic design contest. Hyped as revealing "the future of design and communication in New England," the BONE Show has everything from product packaging and sticker-decorated storefronts to bluegrass CD covers and website graphics, all beautifully functioning as some sort of advertisement. Where: Bakalar Gallery, M.I.T. When: Through September 14 Cost: Free New England Neon: Powered on since April 12, this shockingly bright exhibit will finally dim its lights for the last time later this month. New England Neon chronicles the history of the bright signs that have long illuminated neighborhoods in Boston. The exhibition follows the history of neon light from its first appearance in 1910 at an art show in Paris, through its introduction in the United States in 1923, and includes light-up pieces that date all the way up to the 1970s. The signs are all drawn from a local collection, so there's even a chance you might spot your grandparents' favorite Boston diner in the exhibit. Where: National Heritage Museum When: Through September 14 Cost: Free Thomas Gainsborough, 1727-1788: This touring exhibition features over one hundred works of art by one of England's greatest artists. Thomas Gainsborough may be most famous for his portraits of the English nobility, but the collection also features his lesser known landscapes and drawings, as well as some of his more popular pieces. As the exhibit moves elsewhere in a grand tour across the nation, this may be your last chance to see so many fine examples of Gainsborough's art. Where: Museum of Fine Arts When: Through September 14 Cost: $20 general admission, $18 students South Enders 2: You can't live in Boston for long without visiting its vibrant South End, and this exhibition seeks to capture the spirit of one of New England's most artistic neighborhoods. Featuring works of arts produced solely by South End artists, "South Enders" covers a wide variety of media and brings the flavor of Boston life to paint and canvas. Where: Boston Center for the Arts When: Through September 26 Cost: Free An Architecture of Memory: Eight Jewish Argentinean Artists: Architecture is but an example of how art can penetrate our daily lives, and in this collection, eight different artists show their work to reflect on their unique heritage as Argentinean Jews. Featuring methods varying from painting to sculptures, "An Architect of Memory" spans the decades in its reflection on the conditions of Jews in Argentina. On September 17, the gallery is hosting a free "Director's Walkthrough," with refreshments provided. Where: Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center, Starr Gallery When: September 7 through November 17 Cost: Free Splat, Boom, Pow! The Influence of Cartoons in Contemporary Art: For many, it is hard to imagine growing up in a world without Doonesbury or Dilbert. The affect that cartoons have had on our perspective in modern society is almost indescribable. Splat, Boom, Pow! traces the development of this art form and its roots as a political device, following such artists as Roy Lichtenstein, Elizabeth Murray, Takashi Murahami, and Andy Warhol in their quest to define some sort of national identity through their work. Cartoons are often assumed to be "just for kids," and this exhibition seeks to refute this presumption, and exemplify that their effect on our day-to-day lives and ingrained beliefs has never been more palpable. Where: Institute of Contemporary Art When: September 17 through January 4 Cost: $7 general admission, $5 for students; free on Thursdays.

---

News

American League pennant races heating up

September 7

With seven of its 14 teams fighting tooth and nail for the final playoff berths in the American League, there is no short supply of intense, riveting games as we trudge through September. With less than a month remaining, the fine line between contenders and pretenders will become more defined. As far as teams losing their juice late in the season is concerned, public enemy number one are the Kansas City Royals. From the early stages of their hot start this season, we have been hearing the skeptics explain to us how this small market club cannot possibly compete until the end. And now those skeptics appear to be correct. In the end, it comes down to pitching. This team can acquire all the Kevin Appiers and Graeme Lloyds it wants, but in today's big league baseball, a team needs at least three All-Star caliber guys to stay in it for the long haul. If the Royals somehow squeeze into the playoffs, Tony Pena should still be up for Manager of the Year. Another squad that is slowly allowing their season to slip away is the often forgotten but never imitated Seattle Mariners. Since the All-Star break, the M's have seen their dominance slowly recede to mere solid baseball. In their last eleven games, they have been facing the cupcakes in their schedule (the Orioles and the Devil Rays in home and home series). Their 6-5 record in these games is hardly anything to marvel at. There have been some glaring factors that have contributed to Seattle's recent mediocrity. Ichiro, once an MVP candidate, has cooled off considerably as of late. He has dropped from the top of the league batting leaders to fifth, and his decline has shown no signs of letting up. John Olerud has been off his game as well, with an average (.274) well below his career mark. Edgar Martinez (.296) has appeared rather human as well. While 40-year old starting pitcher Jamie Moyer is still chugging along (17-7, 3.55 ERA), one-time studs Gil Meche, Joel Pineiro and Ryan Franklin have seen their good fortune go the other way as of late. This, combined with a bullpen that lost Jeff Nelson and didn't gain anyone else of any value, leaves question marks across the board. But this past weekend, the only subplot in the AL races that held much water was the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox series in the Bronx. With New Englanders still feeling the hangover from the Patriots' Lawyer Milloy decision, the Red Sox' winning ways were a welcome sight. For once, the Sox are not the ones completely breaking Boston fans' collective hearts. But let's not jump to any conclusions. As much turmoil as there has been around Manny's antics and Pedro's love for crying over spilled milk, the rest of this Sox team contains enough character guys (Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller, David Ortiz) who have been able to have career years while also boosting club morale. Last year, there were too many "clubhouse/character" guys who couldn't produce consistently (Tony Clark, Carlos Baerga, Rey Sanchez). With the Yankees supposedly swirling (at least according to their owner), there is no better time than now for our hometown team to put the ghosts of September's past behind them and treat this as a new year. While the Sox have the lineup, the fact that their bullpen has shown up lately has been a tremendous boost. The most promising part has been that they have finally been able to protect the leads Pedro has left them with. Pedro is making a case for himself for the Cy Young Award with the manner he has been going about his business. To lead the league in ERA (2.48) and strikeouts (178) is no small task, especially considering he missed five starts midseason. His pouty yet competitive attitude aside, the spark he lights under a ball club is unparalleled in the big leagues.

---

News

No team is safe

September 7

With less than two minutes left in the game and the majority of the football field ahead, Florida needed a miracle. Down five points to Miami, either Gator head coach Ron Zook had tremendous faith in a freshman or was just a rotten coach. Nevertheless, freshman quarterback Chris Leak was in it to win. Many were shocked by Zook's decision to play Leak in such a situation, especially since sophomore Ingle Martin, who played well throughout the game, was available. Still, Leak looked impressive, at least for a minute. He completed one pass to a receiver on a fade pattern. Next, he threw the same ball for a second completion and got the Gators in position for the upset. An experienced quarterback might vary his passing options to lead his team to victory. A freshman might throw the same pattern and get intercepted. And Leak, a freshman, threw an interception to end the threat and seal the 38-33 loss. The Hurricanes fighting off the underdog was not an aberration because many other ranked teams such as Oklahoma, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Colorado narrowly escaped upsets, while North Carolina State, Virginia, Auburn, Purdue, and Penn State failed to live up to their rankings. These slips by supposedly good teams either mean there is an extreme case of the early season blues going around or Division IA football is finally experiencing parity. Wake Forest is not a bad team. It strolled into Chestnut Hill last weekend and beat a quality ball club, Boston College. However, regardless of the home field advantage, the Deacons were not supposed to deliver the 11th-ranked N.C. State Wolfpack a gift-wrapped 38-24 loss. In the same fashion, Boston College thumped Penn State and Virginia was treated to a 31-7 romping at South Carolina. While these underdogs are quality football teams, they should not be winning these games. If there really is parity this year, the college football fan is in for some roller coaster rides. Miami may not win the Big East, Florida State could have trouble pulling out an ACC crown, and every other major conference championship is up for grabs. Maybe this weekend was a trick to get college football fans dreaming that a perennially weak program has all of a sudden put together a strong team, or maybe it's true. San Diego State played a flawed game, but still almost defeated Ohio State 16-13. In addition to the possible shift of power in any given division, parity could also mean some tremendous battles for Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bids. After watching some of the "elite" teams play on Saturday, it does not appear any team will go undefeated. Also, injuries have plagued a couple of teams. Virginia was forced to play at South Carolina without star quarterback Matt Schaub, and started freshman quarterback Anthony Martinez instead. This did not prove to be a good move. Like Leak, who was learning on the job, Martinez was forced into a starting roll, but could not hold down the fort. In-state rival Virginia Tech also fell victim to the injury bug, as preseason All-American running back Kevin Jones was maliciously hit out of bounds and driven into a concrete wall. Jones hurt both of his hands, although not seriously. The Hokies won their game, so it seems they got a better deal than the University of Virginia. But, do be on the lookout for parity this season. Perennial champions may not dominate like they have in the past.

---

News

Wild Card and Central Division Races Heat Up

September 7

Though the San Francisco Giants and the Atlanta Braves already clinched their respective divisions, many hotly contested pennant races mean lots of action remains. With Oct. 1 right around the corner, seven teams are still vying for two playoff spots for the National League Central Division and wild card spots. Entering Sunday morning, the Philadelphia Phillies lead the long list of wild card hopefuls with the Florida Marlins, LA Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Montreal Expos all within 7 games of the leader. All of the NL East and West teams have their eyes securely fixed on the wild card, but all three NL Central teams in the wild card race are also within reach of the Central title. Although the Phillies remain atop the wildcard standings, there is turmoil in the city of brotherly love. Manager Larry Bowa is on the verge of being fired after every game. Pat Burrell, a player hailed as the city's next Mike Schmidt, is in the midst of an awful offensive season. And closer Jose Mesa seems like he is Byung-Hyun Kim pitching against the Yankees every night. In fact, Mesa has lost his closing duties to "All-Star" Mike Williams, who was acquired via a midseason trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Williams should provide some stability at the back of the bullpen with Mesa becoming an Armando Benitez-like set-up man. The NL Central is still a three-team race with Houston at the top of the pile at the start of Sunday, one game ahead of the Cubs and two games ahead of the ailing Cardinals. St. Louis and Chicago wrapped up a four-day, five game series this week that was full of enough action for an entire season. The Cubs took four of five from the Cards, but suffered a string of ejections and suspensions in the process. Both outfielder Moises Alou and reliever Antonio Alfonseca were thrown out of the September 2nd game, and Sammy Sosa and pitching coach Larry Rothchild were ejected from the Sept. 4 game. Alfonseca has since been suspended for assaulting the third base umpire with his massive stomach. In the fourth game of the series, managers Tony LaRussa and Dusty Baker were each seen screaming at each other across the field after the Cardinals retaliated by planking a Cubs pitcher at bat. While the Cardinals have one of the best offenses in the national league -- highlighted by the trio of Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen -- their pitching has been shaky. Ace Matt Morris having been on the DL for a large part of the season. Now that Morris is back and the Cards have traded for the New York Yankees' former six million dollar pitcher Sterling Hitchcock, they might have just enough in the tank to win the division. Not to be outdone, Astros' ace Roy Oswalt is returning Monday from two extended stints on the DL. He should give the team two or three all-star starts in its playoff push. Despite the return of Oswalt, the Astros have by far the toughest remaining schedule of the three Central division teams. They face six games against the Cards, three against the already playoff-bound San Francisco Giants, and three against the spoiler Colorado Rockies. Pitching reigns supreme in the playoff hopes of these three teams and with the duo of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood and the emergence of Carlos Zambrano over the last two months, the Cubs seem to be the frontrunner to win the division. After a four game series in Puerto Rico against the Expos, the Cubs have their remaining 16 games against the cellar-dwelling Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Mets. Look for the Cubs to use this easy schedule to springboard into the playoffs atop the Central division. On a lighter note, former Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman and right fielder Randall Simon was fined $432 in the case of the "sausage race beating." Simon jokingly hit a teenage girl dressed up as a sausage in the daily race featuring a Polish sausage, an Italian sausage, a hotdog and a bratwurst. The girl was not hurt despite a few minor scrapes and Simon, now with the Cubs, apologized for the incident.

---

News

New med school dean brings experience, controversy

September 7

Dr. Michael Rosenblatt, a Harvard Medical School professor, will assume his new role as Dean of Tufts School of Medicine On Nov. 1. His responsibilities will also include overseeing the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences. The Tufts administration eagerly welcomed the new dean in an e-mail sent out to students over the summer. "[Rosenblatt] will be a strong academic and intellectual leader who will work with us to take the medical school to the next level," announced President Bacow. As Dean, Rosenblatt has aspirations to advance Tufts' Medical School to its fullest potential. Rosenblatt plans to examine each of the key areas in which the medical school is active -- education, research, and clinical medicine -- by assessing the strengths of and building upon each of those areas. He said he will "take these strengths and find where we can make our most important contributions in medicine." According to Rosenblatt, these goals can only be achieved through a collaborative effort. "I want to involve as many people as I can in the process. Hopefully by receiving input, we can decide how to implement our top priorities for the Tufts community and society at large." Though Tufts is readily awaiting the new dean's arrival, his hiring did include some controversy. In his most recent position as President of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center -- one of Harvard's teaching hospitals --, the hospital suffered from financial difficulties which eventually led to his resignation. Rosenblatt explained that the hospital's poor financial status was due to the huge operating losses and massive deficits from which the hospital was already suffering at the time of his takeover. Despite those problems, Rosenblatt said his team was able to mitigate the situation and "turn over the hospital to the next leadership team in a much better condition." Though Rosenblatt could not find a pharmaceutical company to partner with Beth Israel, the search continued after his resignation. Shortly after Rosenblatt left, Robert Melzer, former interim chief executive of Beth Israel, told The Boston Herald, "He's done an excellent job under very difficult circumstances." In Bacow's opinion, the financial catastrophe did not taint Rosenblatt's respectable record. Bacow told TheBoston Globe, "It's a very different skill set to run a major hospital than to be an effective dean of a medical school." Due to Rosenblatt's extensive contributions to Boston's medical community, he is no stranger to Tufts Medical School faculty. In the past, Rosenblatt has trained with, worked with, and even taught a number of his future colleagues at Tufts. Another of Rosenblatt's priorities is to improve collaboration with Tufts' teaching hospitals. "Teaching hospitals are our partners, their success is our success, we share a common mission," he explained. During his eight years at Merck, a pharmaceutical company, Rosenblatt co-led a development team for the osteoporosis drug FOSAMAX and directed worldwide drug discovery efforts in molecular biology, bone biology, calcium metabolism, virology, cancer research, and cardiovascular research. Through these projects, Rosenblatt said he "learned how effective people can be when they work as a team towards a common goal." He later joined the Harvard faculty, serving as director of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Faculty Dean and Senior Vice President for Academic Programs at CareGroup (the parent company of Beth Israel), and President of Beth Israel. Through these positions, Rosenblatt realized the significance of finding innovative ways to educate students despite the enormous pressures of "in the field" training. "I have learned a great deal from all of my job experiences," Rosenblatt said. Rosenblatt is currently chief of the bone and mineral research division of Beth Israel Deaconess and is anxious to begin at Tufts. Dr. Rosenblatt will also relocate his research lab in bone and mineral metabolism to Tufts. "This is an extraordinarily exciting time for biomedical sciences because modern technologies are ready to be translated to benefit human relations." Rosenblatt said he is eager to get to work in November. "I'm really thrilled with the opportunity to join the faculty at Tufts and serve in a leadership role. I think there is tremendous quality at Tufts Medical School and I really like the spirit of the place. I am really looking forward to working together with the highly talented and wonderful people there," he said.

---

News

File-sharing has reshaped cultural horizons

September 7

In this, the Daily's final installment on the issue of file-sharing, we weigh the advantages and disadvantages of various legal alternatives and discuss the effects of file-sharing on American community and culture. Through increased vigilance, the recording industry has achieved its goal of reducing illegal file-sharing; however, it cannot reverse the impact file sharing has had on music and youth culture. Students have been among the first to complain about the RIAA's recent crackdowns on file-sharing, seeing it as a monolithic industry against the individual consumer. "It seems stupid for the RIAA not to embrace these new technologies and take advantage of things like IMusic [Apple's pay-per-download music service] and to bully instead," senior and musician Nico Juber said. "It's a little ridiculous for the RIAA to start slapping students with subpoenas," Juber added. "Are these the people they want to be getting in trouble? If people we know are getting sued for thousands of dollars, it's not exactly going to make us want to go out and buy CDs!" Though Juber admits that the RIAA is getting its anti-piracy message across -- "I'm scared out of my mind to download anything," she said -- she feels that a less combative strategy would have been more effective. Instead of promoting legal, convenient, and affordable alternatives to programs like Kazaa, the RIAA, she says, "is just sort of bullying." Even though they may not be heavily promoted, there are some new legal versions of file-sharing associate professor of Sociology Henry Rubin points out. "New forms of file-sharing like [IMusic], Apple's newest contribution, are a good compromise between the file-sharing public and the music/movie industry," he said. Rubin predicts, however, that "[paid file-sharing servers] won't be very successful in a market where free file-sharing is still possible and the norm." He added that "students will, or already do, see the immense potential of file-sharing and other web technologies, much more readily than their elders. They take for granted the availability of the software and the files." The college demographic, therefore, may already be too "advanced" in their expectations to view record companies' legal digital music offerings -- such as BuyMusic and Streamwaves -- as pioneering, or even worthwhile. Many students, however, have given legal music services a chance. "I'm a Mac user, and IMusic is amazing," Juber said. Juber did not always rely on IMusic, however: "We were pretty young when [file-sharing] first came out, and it really didn't seem like there was anything illegal about it," she said. "I didn't think of it as 'stealing music'... it honestly hadn't occurred to me that it was something they could come and take me away for." Once Juber realized that downloading copyrighted music files was, technically, stealing, she began using legal alternatives. Now, Juber says she would only download a song from Kazaa if she could not find it otherwise. The demise of free file-sharing programs affects more than just listeners' wallets: free file-sharing programs have created a sense of community and solidarity among downloaders. This sense of community was brought into sharp relief when the RIAA recently sued 19 year old Jesse Jordan for several million dollars. Jordan, a college freshman who had developed and run a Napster-style network from his computer, settled with the RIAA in court for $12,000. After hearing about Jordan's situation, however, numerous strangers began to donate money on Jordan's behalf through an online PayPal account. As reported in Rolling Stone, those contributions amounted to enough to cover the legal expenses incurred upon Jordan by the RIAA's lawsuit. The file-sharing community's cohesive support of Jordan illustrates the strength of the interpersonal bonds formed as a result of file-sharing networks. The implications of the development of file-sharing communities, then, extend beyond the entertainment realm: "Communities formed around art can lead to other forms of community which are so necessary for maintaining a democratic society," Rubin said. "This is something that we truly do not have in our alienated lives be they urban or rural or otherwise." "In my opinion, the file-sharing movement is a perfect example of the way that new media are providing opportunities for creativity and community," Rubin said, adding that "many file-sharing programs have chat rooms or the equivalent which allow people to form communities around music, movies and related topics." File-sharing has also facilitated and regenerated community interest in live music, providing fans with a forum to interact based on shared concert sounds and experiences. "A lot of live music has been dying out -- the music scene is boring right now," graduate student and musician Kate McDonnell said. "[File-sharing] can provide incentive for people to come to concerts. The more that I think about it, it's a good thing... At the end of the day, because of the internet [and file sharing], more people are actually coming out to watch concerts." The interest generated in the live music scene is evidence that file-sharing has the potential to fan rather than dim listeners' fervor. Whether the record industry can channel that fervor into profit through paid file-sharing servers remains to be seen. "[Students] understand that the industry wants to maintain control over the distribution of music/movies," Rubin said. "But they see [file-sharing] for what it is: an unstoppable trend with revolutionary potential for changing the horizons within which we produce and consume art."

---

News

Tufts comes up short in first meet of season

September 7

Football might be a game of inches, but yesterday's men's cross country meet was a game of hundredths seconds. Unfortunately for Tufts, it was a Bentley Falcons runner that edged out a Jumbo, allowing the Falcons to nip Tufts by a single point in Saturday's annual Hayseed Classic. In its first race of the year, Tufts (34) succumbed only to Bentley (33), one of the region's top Div. II programs. The Jumbos easily defeated Wheaton College (108), Merrimack College (135), Fitchburg State (144), Rhode Island College (156), Assumption College (169), St. Joseph's (180), and University of New England (245) in placing second at its own Grafton Course. Tufts' best chance to win the meet came at the eleven and twelve spots, where Jumbo junior Mike Don made up significant ground over the second half of the race and turned on the burners down the stretch to gain steadily on Bentley's Marty Van Buren over the final yards. However, Van Buren crossed the finish line in 27:44.96, just ahead of Don at 27:45.36, giving Bentley the advantage it needed. Bentley's Ryan Agnew blew away the field, finishing in 25:56, almost thirty seconds ahead of the second place finisher. Junior Nate Brigham led the way for Tufts and finished in fourth overall with a time of 26:39. But he wasn't alone. Right behind Brigham in the fifth, sixth, and seventh overall positions were three more Jumbos. Junior Neil Orfield finished strong with a 26:46, freshman Josh Kennedy ran an impressive 26:51 in his first collegiate race, and sophomore Matt Lacey pounded out a 26:56. The fact that Tufts' top four runners finished consecutively was part of a trend of Tufts managing to keep its runners together in packs. Although their times didn't officially contribute to the Jumbos score, freshman Daniel Jones, freshman Justin Chung, junior Brian MacNamara, senior James Lamoreaux, freshman Peter Orth, senior Peter Jurcynzski, and senior Dave Hennessey hung together and occupied the 14th through 20th spots overall. "We were trying to run a controlled race," coach Connie Putnam said. "We thought we could sneak by Bentley, but you can't play games with a good DII school like that." "The pace Bentley set today was a little fast," senior co-captain Jon Rosen said. "Being that it's a hot day and we ran so many freshmen, we weren't quite ready to keep up with their top guys." Still, Tufts was happy with the result considering that several top runners didn't compete. Among those watching from the side were Rosen, fellow co-captain Peter Bromka and fellow top ten runners senior Ian Joseph, sophomore Kyle Doran, and sophomore Mike Cummings. "I'm confident if we had our full squad we would have handled them pretty easily" Rosen said. "We're not resting guys to be ungentlemanly," Putnam said. "But we can't run everyone every race. Guys need to rest." Among those who could use the rest is Lacey, who faded at the end of the race and appeared drained afterwards. Still, Putnam pointed out, he finished in the top ten out of 100 runners. "He just can't run 100 miles a week and try to be a significant factor in a race that weekend," Putnam said. "That's too much work for a sophomore." Lacey was able to hang up front with Brigham for the majority of the race. By contrast, Orfield and Don were Jumbos who seemed to pick up steam as the race advanced. "We ran a really good fourth mile, with Mike and Neil really setting a nice pace," Putnam said. "If Brian MacNamara and Don had raced together a little better, maybe it could have been a different story."

---

News

Women's Cross Country takes second in season opener

September 7

The women's cross country team opened up its 2003 season with a second place finish on Saturday by hosting the annual Hayseed Classic at the Farm Course in Grafton. The race brought together seven Division III colleges from the area and was the first opportunity this year for competitors to stretch their legs in competition. "This is our first home meet every year and it's usually less competitive for us," senior co-captain Lauren Dunn said. "We don't really gear up for this race. We race in uniform and it is official but really it is more of a training race for us. It's a good chance to see where we are at." The Jumbos have traditionally fared well in this race, however this year it was Wheaton College's turn to dominate, snatching the first and second place spots at the finish line. Senior co-captain Lauren Caputo was the first to cross the line for the Brown and Blue, taking fifth place overall with a time of 20:01.67. She was 46 seconds behind the top finisher Kim Spence of Wheaton. Keeping pace with Caputo was sophomore Becca Ades who came in seventh place overall (20:18.87). "I thought it was a good first race," Ades said. "It was nice to be out on our home course. It was a good starting point." The results of this race are reminiscent of last season with Caputo and Ades being the top two runners on the squad. In last year's NESCAC championship, it was Caputo and Ades racing into 19th and 29th place, respectively that paved the way for the Jumbo's seventh place finish in that meet last November. Dunn rounded out the top five for Tufts with her ninth place finish (20:30.99). Junior Emily Pfiel finished 13th (20:51.28), and freshman Sarah Crispin took 20th place (21:11.46). Pfiel's standout performance was her first for Tufts since her 2002 surgery. The race was a good opportunity for all returning runners who had been on hiatus -- due to being injured or abroad -- to ascertain their fitness and speed. "We appear to have a range of fitness levels right now," Dunn said. "We have more speed this year and we are really happy with both the quality of our returning runners and the excitement of the new runners to the team." One thing that stood out for the team in this race was the tight pack of the next five runners to finish the race for the Jumbos. Only 30 seconds after freshman Jennifer Torpey crossed the line in 32nd place, senior Katie Mason came in at 39th. The Jumbos are going to work on strengthening this pack and getting people to work together during this season. "We will be getting faster as we get deeper into the season," Ades said. "Some of us went conservative in the first mile. We didn't go into it with the complete race mentality." Though Wheaton clearly dominated the race - taking four of the top ten spots -- the Jumbos can take satisfaction in edging out Bates, the only other NESCAC team at the Farm Course. The Bobcats came in fifth place in the NESCAC championships last year, however they were a step behind the Jumbos on Saturday, finishing third. Katherine Creswell was the top runner for Bates on Saturday, coming in tenth (20:38.82) behind Caputo, Ades, and Dunn. "Bates ran really well last year so it was nice to beat them even though we knew they didn't have everyone on their team running," Dunn said. "I think Bates will be a beatable team this year but they are looking like they will run well this season. "This was a good opportunity to see what they have and it certainly helped our team to gain some confidence," he continued. "I think we will surprise a lot of the teams in the NESCAC this year."

---

News

Glaser takes over Inouye's position

September 7

Former Political Science Department Chair James Glaser will be taking over Dean Inouye's position as Dean of the Colleges starting this week. The turnover comes with a host of administrative changes and restructuring, and a change in the definition of the job. Glaser's new title is Dean of Undergraduate Education. While Inouye held the position, it was titled Dean of the Colleges and was a part-time position. Glaser will be taking over full time and will have the same responsibilities and title of Inouye's predecessors with the addition of implementing the Task Force Report. Glaser was a member of the Task Force on the Undergraduate Experience for the past two years, which according to Dean of Arts & Sciences Susan Ernst is a "fantastic plus." Inouye also served on the Task Force. Glaser considers the implementation of the Task Force to be the most exciting aspect of his job. It is a "change, not maintaining the status quo," he said. "It's movement towards the bigger and better." Glaser is particularly enthusiastic about implementing a four-year writing program and the plans to build a caf?© in Tisch, to be called the Library Caf?©. Though he remains conscious of the amount of money it would require to turn Tufts over to a Residential College system, he considers the idea "an exciting possibility." Starting next May, the University will put one of the Task Force's proposals to use during Commencement Ceremonies. Tufts will use a two-part ceremony, one including the entire class and then a second "more friendly and meaningful ceremony with the separate departments," meant to create a "more intimate setting." The changes in the Commencement Ceremonies are representative of the greater institutional change suggested by the Task Force. Glaser described this as "building and creating experiences and attaching people to the community." Glaser said that some of the administrative changes surrounding his position took place because they made sense bureaucratically. Previously Inouye didn't supervise the Class Deans or Academic Services. Ernst emphasized the need for the change. "Academic programs need to be reporting to academic deans," she said. Inouye stepped down as Dean of Colleges late last year partially because he felt that he could not fully execute the job as only a part time position. He recommended, and Ernst supported a decision to make the position full-time. Inouye has returned full-time to the Japanese Department, where he is, among other projects, co-teaching a class entitled "East-West Perspectives on Fascism: Germany and Japan." The change in position title and increased status indicates a return to historical norms, for what was once a more influential position before Inouye's tenure. Glaser was chosen for this position over the summer after a brief search. An e-mail was sent to students and faculty asking for their suggestions for the new position. Ernst preferred that the new dean come from Tufts. "Within Arts and Sciences, I feel we have a great deal of internal talent," she said. "When possible, I would like to make those types of promotions internally. We didn't consider doing a national search." Despite being a full-time dean, Glaser will continue several activities in the political science department. This semester, Glaser will teach "Introduction to American Politics" He is also hopeful about continuing his research on race, ethnicity and class in electoral politics, and writing a book which will be about "political solutions to racial problems." "I'm in the middle of a big project, I'm not going to abandon that," he said. Though Glaser said he was excited about the new position, it will be a change for him. "I've been happy here for 13 years," Glaser said. He called the new post an "opportunity to work with the dynamic, exciting administration". Glaser is originally from St. Louis but he spent much of his time before Tufts on the West Coast. He earned his BA from Stanford and his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. The new chair of the Political Science Department will be Vickie Sullivan, currently an associate Professor who specializes in political theory.

---

News

Student groups gear up for fall season

September 7

For Tufts students with a flair for the dramatic, the next two weeks will be filled with auditions and general interest meetings for student-run performing arts organizations. Trying to keep track of when, where and what auditions are for, can be a difficult (and frankly) rather exhausting process. In the next week and a half, two of Tufts' largest student performance organizations will be having auditions for a total of three full-length productions. Pen Paint and Pretzels (3Ps), which presents straight (non-musical) plays, and Torn Ticket II, which is the organization dedicated to the performance of musical theatre, each stage a major production each semester as well as a series of smaller shows. Both organizations will be hosting auditions for their major production during this week. Ring Round the Moon, the 3Ps fall major production, examines mystery, intrigue, deception, and perhaps true love all in one tumultuous evening filled with mistaken identity and crazy swing dancing. Auditions will be held tonight and tomorrow. To audition, prepare a two- to three- minute serio-comedic monologue (which does not have to be memorized, though memorization is suggested) and sign up on the callboard next to the Balch Arena Theater. Is musical theater what you're looking for? In that case, an audition for Torn Ticket II's Little Shop of Horrors may be in your future. Set against the backdrop of the early 1960s, the classic tale of a blood-thirsty plant and his owner, the show has left audiences humming for years. Little Shop has great character roles for both men and women as well as contagiously catchy songs that give many actors the chance to shine. Auditions will be held this Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. To audition students can sign up on the callboard next to the Balch Arena Theater and prepare a song and monologue. For freshmen interested in getting to know other members of the class of 2007, the 3Ps freshman show is a phenomenal chance to do so. The show is completely acted, designed, and produced by freshmen. This year, the show is the stage-adaptation of the beloved movie Clue. This play will be great for anyone interested in a highly comedic theatrical experience. Auditions will be held Monday the 15 and Tuesday the 16. To sign-up and for additional information, go to the callboard next to the Arena. If scripted theater isn't your first choice, Cheap Sox, Tufts improv comedy troupe and Traveling Treasure Trunk, Tufts semi-improvisational children's theater troupe, will be holding auditions as well. Both these troupes perform numerous times throughout the year and for a variety of different audiences both off- and on- campus. No experience is necessary and no preparation is needed to audition -- just sign-up on the callboard. Cheap Sox will be holding auditions this Thursday and Friday. Traveling Treasure Trunk will be holding auditions September 13 and 14. If you are a dancer, you may have already realized that there is a bevy of student organized dance opportunities at Tufts. Look out for Tufts' audition-only dance company Sarabande, that will be holding auditions soon. Tufts Dance Collective and Spirit of Color, two organizations in which anyone who wants to participate may join, will also be holding their respective general interest meetings within the next two weeks. If the thought has ever passed your mind that you would like to be on stage, this is the time to take action. The next two weeks are filled with great opportunities to get involved in performing arts organizations on campus. For more information on both performing and technical involvement in the arts, be sure to 3Ps' meetings, as 3Ps is the umbrella organization for the performing arts at Tufts. 3Ps holds weekly meetings during the open block (11:50 a.m.) every Monday in the Balch Arena Theater.

---