Archives

News

Coupe likely transferring after this year

April 27

Coach Bob Sheldon along with junior co-captains of next season's men's basketball team, Eric Mack and Deyvehn East, have confirmed that sophomore center Craig Coupe is likely transferring from Tufts University after this year. Although Coupe declined to comment on the situation for reasons of privacy, East said the team learned about Coupe's decision about two or three weeks ago. Sheldon says Coupe's decision is based on a combination of financial means, Coupe's desire to pursue his intended major of business -- which Tufts does not offer -- and also his dream of being a Div. I basketball player. While Coupe has not selected a college to attend next year, Sheldon confirmed that he has applied to Div. I schools in hopes to play basketball on that level and a couple of Div. III "safety schools" that have business programs. If Coupe decides to attend a Div. I school next year, he cannot play basketball next season due to NCAA rules of transfer. However, if those plans do not come to fruition, Coupe will be able to play next season at any Div. III institution. An All-NESCAC second team performer this season, Coupe averaged 13.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. Coupe was also named NESCAC freshman of the year in the 2001-2002 season after averaging 11.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. Due to his production over his freshman and sophomore seasons at Tufts, sophomore forward Reggie Stovell believes Coupe's presence will be missed on the court. "Nobody can guard Craig," Stovell said. "His loss is going to be big even though we have horses coming back next year. Craig was an all-league performer; he was key to the team. He's a pretty lax and hardworking dude. He's going to be missed." Although Coupe only played two seasons as a Jumbo, he does hold a couple of Tufts all-time records. He currently sits fifth on the single season rebounding list after his average of 11.4 rebounds this season. Coupe's name appears twice at second and fifth on the single season blocks Tufts all-time list with his freshman season average of 2.2 and last season's average of 1.8. He is also third on the Tufts career list of blocked shots -- a stat that people started recorded in the 1984-85 season -- with 100 in 50 games. "Coupe's meant a lot to the team," Sheldon said. "He's been our best big man to date and our go-to man inside. He was a big part of our team, but not irreplaceable." Sheldon feels the combination of freshmen Blaine Lay and Dan Martin can step up to fill the void in the offense and defense Coupe provided. Sheldon is also hopeful that a 6'7'' recruit decides to attend Tufts next season to aid his basketball team. He admits that the loss of Coupe combined with the graduation of first team All-NESCAC selection, senior Mike McGlynn, changes the dynamics of the offense a little. Next year's team may not have an immediate go-to guy, forcing the squad to move the ball around more, opening the game up for more players to score. "Next year we will have changes in tempo, more fast breaks, and pressure defense," Mack said. "Martin and Lay could step in as center. Blaine is one of the best post defenders in the league, but Coupe's departure will really hurt our depth." In addition to possible depth concerns, Stovell believed Coupe could have been a great center on the Div. III level, citing that Coupe is generally two inches taller than most opposing centers and could have scored 20 points and grabbed ten rebounds next year. Since Coupe's departure is probable, but not set in stone, Sheldon says his team is focusing on next season by developing team bonding and chemistry. Even with Coupe, a two-year starter, planning on transferring combined with the departure of three players -- junior Phil Barlow, who was NESCAC freshman of the year in the 2000-2001 season, and seniors Kyle Van Natta and Lee Neugebauer, who started 20 and seven games in the 2001-2002 season respectively -- Sheldon believes there is no problem with basketball program retaining players. "They are isolated incidents that just happened at the same time," Sheldon said. Coupe's decision is even more isolated than the other three players, who still remain at Tufts because according to Sheldon and athletic director Bill Gehling, Coupe's main reason for transferring is to play Div. I basketball. Even though a couple starters have decided not to rejoin the basketball team in the last couple of years, Gehling sticks by and is very happy with his basketball coach. "Coach Sheldon has been with the program a long time. I see the number of guys who have left in the year or two as an aberration," Gehling said. "If I saw a trend that occurred again and again it would be a concern, but this is not what I've seen." The basketball program flourished four seasons ago under Sheldon, when the team went 21-6 with an ECAC championship. But Mack believes the squad's 39-35 record over the last three years, including two consecutive sub-.500 seasons in the last two years have contributed to the some players opting to leave the program. "I think people are leaving because we are not winning," Mack said. "We are supposed to win." Regardless of the rhyme or reason for Coupe's likely choice of transferring, Sheldon, Gehling, and Mack all agree that the team must focus on developing other players to step up and contribute to next year's team. "Craig's absence will mean playing time for other guys," Gehling said. "Hopefully they will make the most of it."

---

News

Hofstadter speaks at Tufts

April 27

A series of three lectures hosted by the Tufts Center for Cognitive Studies began on Wednesday with a lecture by Douglas Hofstadter, a Pulitzer Prize recipient and professor of Cognitive Science at Indiana University. The lecture, entitled "The Surrealistic Curvature of Semantic Space around a Neutron Star," centered around the concept of using the English language to describe a hypothetical civilization on a neutron star. The topic has been written about by physicist and science-fiction writer Robert L Forward in his novel, Dragon's Egg. Hofstadter explained the use of the English language in terms of Forward's book. "The novel vividly presents an image of such microscopic beings, but in order to do so, it necessarily uses the homey, familiar medium of the English language to project the reader into this extraordinarily alien world," Hofstadter wrote in a synopsis of the lecture. As Hofstadter spoke, he continued to question the semantics used by Forward, asking the audience to think about a list of words and consider their validity in another civilization. "What legitimacy is there to using a word like 'air' when discussing a civilization on a neutron star," Hofstadter said. "I just wanted you to think about the validity of these words in this strange atmosphere." The lecture series was jointly planned by Hofstadter and Daniel C. Dennett, who is a philosophy professor at the Fletcher School and the director of the Center for Cognitive Studies. The two are personal friends, and have also collaborated on a book, The Mind's I, published in 1985. The Center for Cognitive Studies is a research unit within the Philosophy department which studies "the capacity to think, perceive, imagine, understand, and believe," according to the Tufts Course Bulletin's description of Cognitive Science. After a brief opening introduction by Dennett, Hofstadter spoke of his past work with Dennett. "I thought I would bring out some things in this talk that have to do with our collaboration," Hofstadter said. The lecture drew a crowd of well over 50 students and staff to Eaton Hall. "I would say [the lectures are for] students as much as professors," Dennett said. "Doug is famous for making his work accessible to a wide audience."

---

News

Women squeak by Colby for second place finish at NESCACs

April 27

The goal that the women's track and field team set heading into Williamstown, Massachusetts was to place second at the NESCAC Championship meet. While the weather did not cooperate, the Jumbos did, as they reached their goal and took the number two spot for the second year in a row. They did so by running with individuals breaking both school and personal records along the way. Spreading its namesake as an athletic juggernaut, Williams came out on top with a convincing 226 points. This time last year, the Jumbos squeaked by Colby to claim second in a tight contest, however that was not the case this year, as the White Mules fell 40.5 points behind a Tufts squad that racked up 150 points. "Overall, it was a really good team effort, with people scoring all around the board and doing well," coach Kristen Morwick said. "I had us getting 135 points going into the meet and we outperformed that, and that's just something that doesn't happen." Huge points were amassed in the sprints, an area that the Jumbos knew they would be strong in going into the weekend. Freshman Rachel Bloom had a PR in the 200 dash with her time of 25.85, which put her second overall. Bloom also took second in the 100 dash, crossing the line in 12.78. Senior Myriam Claudio followed Bloom in both of the races, taking third in the 100 (13.12) and fifth in the 200 (26.71). Claudio also broke her own school record when she vaulted to third in the pole vault at a height of 10' 6". The 400 race saw three Jumbos score points. Junior Jessica Trombly came in second in 57.64, freshman Katie Gadkowski secured fourth with a time of 1:00.35, and junior Katie Higley snuck in at seventh (1:01.18). Gadkowski also contributed points in the 200 with her eighth place finish in 27.28. Trombly took top honors in the 100 hurdles, winning in a time of 14.96. Freshman Melissa Graveley also scored in the event, taking seventh in 16.97. In other hurdles successes, junior Emily Bersin sped to first in the 400 hurdles in 1:05.03. Bersin was leading for most of the race, but late in the race she ran into a hurdle, relinquishing the top spot. Even in the relay realm, the sprints performed remarkably well taking first place in the 4x100. Comprised of Claudio, Bloom, sophomore Ayako Sawanobori, and Trombly, the 4x100 team won the event in a blistering time of 48.89. Not only did the time qualify the team for Nationals, but it also broke the school record. The field events also garnered points for the team in both the jumps and throws. Graveley leapt to a mark of 5' 4.25" in the high jump to clinch second. Joining Graveley was sophomore Sika Henry who met a height of 5' 0.25" to get fifth. Through adverse weather conditions, Trombly snagged second with a jump of 17' 1.25", while graduate student Sarah Leistikow made a jump of 15' 9.5", good for seventh. "In some events where people really needed to do well, people stepped up. They [Graveley and Henry] both pulled it out in the high jumps," Morwick said. "In some other events it was tough, the long jump and discus were seriously affected by the weather." Lashing rain early in the morning inhibited long discus throws, but the Jumbos were still able to get three into the scoring eight. Junior Kate Gluckman was the top Jumbo in the discus coming in third with a lob of 121' 9". Fellow junior Gwen Campbell was two places behind with her toss of 118' 7", while sophomore Katie Antle took seventh with a mark of 115' 9". Though she was one place out of scoring points, sophomore Jessica Colby broke the school record in the hammer throw (134' 3"). Another school record was broken by senior Mary Nodine in the 3000 steeplechase. Nodine's time of 11:27.49 brought her out on top and also gave her a National qualifying time. Competing in the event for the second time, junior Lauren Caputo was one spot behind Nodine in a 15-second PR of 11:37.01. With the contributions of these and other Jumbos, the squad was able to accomplish a goal of retaining second place in the NESCAC. As the culmination of the spring season, the NESCAC Championships mark an unofficial end to the track season for the team. What remains is for individuals to make their mark further in the postseason and try for Nationals. "As the biggest meet of the spring season, NESCAC is what we shoot for during the spring season," Morwick said. "Right now all that's left is for individuals to perform in Div. III NE, Div. I NE, and ECACs. Trombly will go to Nationals, and I think that with more chances left this season there are others that could join her."

---

News

Baseball clinches playoff berth with sweep at Colby

April 27

The baseball team secured a spot in the upcoming NESCAC tournament with a three game series sweep over the Colby White Mules last weekend. The team's conference season came to an end as the Jumbos prepare for two more out of conference match-ups before beginning the tournament begins. Senior pitcher Jon Lee continued his excellence this season in winning his eighth game of the year. With the victory, Lee tied the all-time Tufts career record for wins with 28 originally set by Bud Niles in 1950. The righty is now 8-2 on the year and 28-6 in his four year stint as a Jumbo. "Jon Lee is one of the best pitchers I've ever played with," junior pitcher Randy Newsom said. "Every time we need a big game, that kid steps up." Saturday's doubleheader was highlighted by two complete game pitching performances by Lee in game one and Newsom in the nightcap. Newsom, now 4-1 on the season, threw for nine strong innings and gave up five runs. "I got good defense," Newsom said. "It was a pretty good team win and a pretty good team weekend." The offense, led by senior tri-captain centerfielder Evan Zupancic, produced 11 runs to seal the victory for Newsom. Zupancic went 3-4 in the game and scored five of the 11 Jumbo runs. "Zupancic has been hot," senior left fielder Jon Herbert said. "He had a terrific weekend and really helped carry us." Though two of the three games in the series were won by substantial margins, game one of the doubleheader was much closer. Tufts scored four runs early in the contest with the help of an adjusted batting order that was put to use on Friday and continued through the weekend. Coach John Casey moved Evan Zupancic into the leadoff spot and had Herbert move down in the lineup. "I had been batting first or second," Herbert said. "I had been struggling so the coach dropped me down to see some better pitches." Newsom added that having Zupancic leading off tends to get things started. "Evan is an on-base machine," Newsom said. "I love having him there. He has some power and he sets the table really well." The Mules tied it up in the fourth, but the Jumbos would come back to take the lead for good in the fifth. Herbert knocked in the game winning run with a double to right-centerfield. Sophomore first baseman John McBride had two doubles in the game and fellow second year second baseman Frank Dinucci had three hits. In the first game against Colby on Friday, the Jumbos won in decisive fashion 15-5. Senior tri-captain Dave Martin earned the win and Zupancic went 5-6 with three runs and an RBI. Tufts took an early lead in the second inning when junior third baseman Adam Kacamburas worked the count to force a walk with the bases loaded. Junior DH Greg Hickey followed Kacamburas with an RBI single. In the sixth inning, the Jumbos went on an offensive stampede scoring six runs on four hits and two walks. The inning was highlighted by Herbert's grand slam homerun. "I knew that the bases were loaded and that it was a new pitcher," Herbert said. "He would be anxious to throw some strikes. I was looking for one right down the middle." Senior tri-captain shortstop Brian Shapiro roped a two run single to complete the Tufts attack in the sixth. "Our offense got sparked," Herbert said. "Once we get going as a team, we can really keep it rolling sometimes." Martin was unscathed for the first seven innings giving up just one un-earned run in the bottom of the fifth. In the eighth, however, the Mules had four straight hits including a two run single by catcher Eric Roy. Colby scored three runs before Tufts went to the bullpen. "[Martin's] pitch count was up there," Newsom said. "He was pitching really well, but they were taking a lot of pitches." Senior Mike Byron came on in relief for Martin. He surrendered an RBI single before retiring the side, but did manage to keep the Jumbos safely ahead of Colby. Tufts added a run in the ninth inning to increase to its lead to 15-5. Newsom came in to work the bottom of the ninth. He retired the Mules in order with two strike outs and a grounder back to the pitcher's mound. Tufts was scheduled to make up a doubleheader at home against Wesleyan on Saturday. However, Wesleyan was rained out on Saturday when it was scheduled to play a NESCAC West league opponent. Since the league game was more important for playoff standings, the Wesleyan/Tufts games were cancelled and will not be made up. Tufts will square off today at home against reining Div III national champion Eastern Connecticut College. "We need to get rolling now," Newsom said. "We're just going to play them hard. If we play our game, and we play well, I think we'll have a shot." @keywords:baseball#colby#lee

---

News

Film Series to show porn tonight

April 27

Film Series will be showing pornographic movies this week in their last screening of the year. The decision to show porn drew some concern from the student body, but the Student Activities Office has said it is permissible. Although the content of the Film Series selections could possibly be considered offensive, "no special permission was required" to show the films and "no objections have been filed," according to Assistant Director of Student Activities Ed Cabellon. The films will be funded out of the Film Series' regular budget, which is drawn from the student activities fee. In an e-mail to group members, members of Film Series said that the porn they show is mostly either "lighthearted or completely over the top" and were therefore completely appropriate for the weekend of Spring Fling. The films' content will be "ranging from the tasteful and artsy to something for the more serious porn lover," according to the Film Series e-mail. One of the scheduled films is Flesh Gordon, a 1974 spoof of Flash Gordon. The plot revolves around the "evil Emperor Wang" and his "sex rays." Although the e-mail did not specify titles, it said that Film Series would also show "something a little more ... serious." Preliminary plans called for showing midget porn as the second feature, with bestiality as a backup. No members of Film Series would speak to the Daily on the record. Students have had mixed reactions to groups' plans to show porn. One student called it "completely disgusting." Another student, who also declined to be identified, was more concerned with the films' particular genre. "I have no problem with porn, but I think midget porn and bestiality is taking it a little too far." Other students have expressed interest in attending, however. "It's obvious that they aren't trying to offend anyone," one anonymous freshman said. "I think it's hilarious and I'll definitely be there." Another student agreed, adding, "Everyone likes porn. They're just responding to what people want." Tonight's event seems to have been in the works for a while. The Film Series' e-mail referred to its "long tradition of showing porn," and the group's website includes a poll in which several students requested that porn be screened. The screening will be tonight, Monday, April 28 in Barnum 008 at 10:00 PM. The showing is free. One Film Series member said, "We hope a lot of people come. It should be a good time."

---

News

The Real Cancun?

April 27

In the real Cancun I was hounded by the Mexican police for urinating in the bushes and emerged from the situation fifteen hundred pesos poorer. I spent wads of cash on coronas after waiting in lines that reached halfway across the peninsula to get into sweaty nightclubs. Cancun just didn't seem to be the rowdy oasis it had been cracked up to be. That was, until I walked onto the set of The Real Cancun, the creators of The Real World's cinematic account of a week in the Mexican spring break destination. The cameras were rolling at the Baccara Hotel as five of my buddies and I strolled up to the front door with sophomore Amber Madison, a cast member in the reality film. With the flick of a wrist, we signed release forms and gained entrance to a world where the tequila flowed non-stop and apparently so did the cameras as I discovered last Friday night at the film's opening. Sitting in the "crowd" of eight at the Assembly Square Theater, five of whom being our spring break crew hoping to catch a glimpse of ourselves on the big screen, I thought of an appropriate title change for the film. Is Nothing Sacred? would have been more fitting as there appeared to be nothing "real" about the behavior resulting from sticking cameras in people's faces and flooding them with copious amounts of free alcohol. I entered the movie theater thinking how great it would've been to be a cast member in the film, and exited thanking God that I wasn't. The newfound porn star status that cast member Jeremy received after viewers watched him fornicate with multiple girls through the eyes of the ever-rolling camera in his bedroom just didn't seem appealing to me. True, there were blankets shielding my virginal eyes from all the bedroom forays, but I wouldn't have wanted half the English-speaking world (or maybe just the fifty other people that saw the film) to see my hip thrusts -- covered or uncovered. Despite the omnipresence of Girls Gone Wild-esque moments in the film, viewers were presented with some story line and at least one memorable character arc. Cast member Alan was miraculously transformed from self-proclaimed milk drinker to tequila guzzler during the week's events. But come on, we've seen innocent teenagers succumb to peer pressure on after-school specials on Lifetime since middle school, so was that really even a twist? Or how about the part where Sarah walks in on Matt having sex in the shower and Matt punches a hole in a closet door when she won't talk to him - just one of the many budding relationships stifled by the alpha male tendencies induced by alcohol, cameras, and the raunchiness that is Cancun. Without that Jose Cuervo and those little sliced up limes, without those earphoned cameramen panning in and out of conversations, and without the two words, spring and break echoing off every surface, the cast members would've been left with nothing but a nice view. Once the swim up bar stopped serving and the helicopters with their cameramen flew off into the night, the reality of my experience on the set of The Real Cancun set in. There were no more girls playing tonsil hockey with one another, the guys breathed easier, literally, because their abs were no longer in a constant flex, and the hangover headaches started to kick in. But back in the US, from my seat on the aisle in the middle of the theater on Friday night, I was able to relive those moments and relish in the utter absurdity of the experience, and I guess that is what spring break is all about.

---

---

News

A welcome 'Blackout'

April 27

They're back. One of Boston's best contributions to the music, The Dropkick Murphys, have come back with a new album, Blackout. While their sound is different (it is lighter and clearer) in this newest effort, it is in no way disappointing. The band has kept everything essential about their Celtic-laced punk and left everything that muddled their music. With a heavy Southie influence, the Dropkick Murphys are more serious than the Ramones, more fun than Crass, and more intelligible than Anti-Flag. Yet they have managed to keep the pop out of their punk. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the real deal. If you are curious to what real modern punk sounds like, start with the Dropkick Murphys. The album opens with "Walk Away," which sounds surprisingly like Jimmy Eat World. Thankfully, the Dropkick Murphys quickly find their edge by the second verse. The song attacks a deadbeat dad, saying spitefully, "But you ain't got the heart to finish what you started." "Worker's Song" shows the Murphys' Clash roots with its eloquent diatribe on the position of the working class. With a pounding chorus of "We're the first ones to starve / We're the first to die / the first ones in line for that pie in the sky," juxtaposed with a surprisingly-pleasing bagpipe. "Outcast," a classic punk rebellion ballad defiantly asks, "If I break the law can the law break me?" It is followed by one of the more heavily Irish songs, "The Black Velvet," which goes with another classic punk theme: picking up a woman in a bar. The fifth track, "Gonna Be a Blackout Tonight," features unpublished lyrics from legendary folk musician Woodie Guthrie. The group was offered the song by Guthrie's daughter, Nora. The Dropkick Murphys take up the mantle in stellar form, portraying Guthrie's militaristic world of air raids and military police with pounding guitars and fierce drums. Its first measures are jarring air raid sirens, followed by equally jarring vocals that give a forboding air. After hearing "Gonna Be a Blackout Tonight," one understand how screaming became so popular. When done properly, as in this case, screaming can effectively convey an emotion or a mood. CKY, Finch and other haplessly-popular screamo bands, please take note. The refreshingly tranquil "World Full of Hate" follows with a muted accordion and acoustic guitar. The singer seems oddly content with the adversarial nature of his current relationships: "Toe to toe friends or foe I don't know / and I wouldn't change a thing." This is the only song where I'm unsure of the message, but the music was enjoyable nonetheless. The comic "The Dirty Glass" is a loud fight between a couple in a bar, complete with interfering friends who toss in less-than-helpful comments. The song, which features a strong female vocalist, reveals the foibles of both people in the pair. The final song, "Kiss Me I'm Shitfaced," makes fun of that sketchy guy at the bar (or club or party) who thinks he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. The singer spends the entire song listing his favorable and improbable qualities. He finally comes clean at the end of the song, as the music changes from an Irish drinking song to an enthusiastic rock song. On the whole, Blackout is a great album -- fun without being pointless, and while the sound of the Dropkick Murphys may have changed a bit, they are still putting out quality music.

---

News

Greek system tries to improve community ties

April 27

While recent incidents have spotlighted problems within the Greek system, many feel that the fraternity's contributions have been overshadowed by bad publicity. Fraternity presidents claim that recent allegations, which temporarily closed two fraternities and a sorority, put the system in a worse light than it deserves. In response, the Greek System is trying to emphasize their community outreach and charitable activities. "The Greek system has gotten a lot of bad publicity recently," Alpha Phi President Alyssa Unger said, "but I think it's a case of people hearing the bad things but not the good." In an effort to publicize community outreach, the Inter Greek Council (IGC) is in the process of publishing a Greek newsletter. The newsletter will include an article from each house highlighting recent community events. Each fraternity has a "philanthropic chair," which is responsible for coordinating charitable events. Although they have increased their public relations, fraternity presidents said they have not changed what charity they do. "We haven't changed our efforts, but times are tough and we're under scrutiny," Theta Chi President Andrew Laskowski said. Laskowski said there was an increased emphasis from the IGC on "promoting our name better," in light of recent events. Sigma Nu began a new program with local elementary school where brothers work with children with mental disabilities. The program has been a "great success" according to President Joe Cerra, and already has a waiting list. Sigma Nu received a letter of appreciation from the school district commending the program. Last Friday, Theta Delta Chi (123) and LCS Cancer Outreach sponsored a three-on-three basketball tournament where proceeds benefited the Jimmy Fund. After the tournament there was a barbeque at 123, and t-shirts were also sold for the event to help raise funds. The t-shirts are still being sold by LCS for $10 each. Alpha Phi held a club night first semester where a club was rented out and the sorority arranged for bus transportation for students. All proceeds, along with additional funds from the sorority, were donated to cardiac charities. Alpha Phi also co-sponsored a haunted house on Halloween for local charity and rented Hotung for an evening to hold a dance and collected cans for a local food pantry. Greeks also hold events which promote community awareness, but not specific charitable activities. Yesterday the IGC held "Mudstock 2003," a mud volleyball tournament on the residential quad where Greeks played against teams from other campus activities. The event was also held in the fall, and featured free food and music was provided for the whole campus. The IGC also has funds to co-sponsor events, which it calls, "one of the best ways to improve relations" with the community at large. Greek members also see personal benefits for charitable events. "I think that charity is important for everyone to do... its sometimes easier for us to do it when we have the group of people," Unger said. Dean of Students Bruce Reitman praised the efforts of the Greek system, noting that they constitute the second largest charitable group after the Leonard Carmichael Society. Still, Reitman criticized the Greek Life for "straying" from its original focus on community, charity, and academics. He called this semester "a period of reflection" and a time where the Greek system should "refocus on those goals which were the origins of these organizations and the principles on which they were founded," Reitman said. Fraternity leaders in the past have expressed confusion at expectations from the administration, and the circumstances that lead the disciplinary action. Reitman expressed hope for an improved relationship next semester. The administration is looking to make an offer within a week for a new Director of the Office of Greek Life. "We hope the mentoring that the office can provide can help in the focus of the system back to its [original] values," Reitman said. Unger said the new position would clarify expectations from the school. "After this semester the main thing I'd like to make sure is we aren't seen as being against the school but a part of it." The new director would also be responsible for ensuring accountability among the Greek system. Two finalists are being considered which were selected from a pool of over 150 applicants. The new director would ideally start by June 1, and be fully operational by the start of next semester. Reitman hoped that the new director will be able to refocus on the positive aspects of the Greek system. "Frankly, I am glad if these issues were going to happen, I'm glad they happened before this new person came in, so the first thing they had to do wasn't disciplinary," he said.

---

News

Ditching the hill

April 27

With the end of the year looming, housing for next year is at the forefront of most students' minds. Thinking of getting out of the dorms? Here, in three steps, are the secrets to off-campus success. (And the true story of a survivor.) 1. Prioritize. First, think about the person with whom you want to live. This will play a key role in determining not only which houses will be appropriate, but also the in-home dynamics. Not all good friends make good roommates. Be sure that you assess compatibility. Who's responsible, who will forget to pay rent and buy toilet paper? Could you live with a techno DJ who spins late into the night (as I have)? Is hygiene a major concern for you? These are all questions you must ask yourself before committing to live with other people. Once you have decided with whom you think you could live, you have to decide if it is a priority to live with all of them. Trying to find a house to accommodate eight people will be much more challenging than finding a three-bedroom apartment. Accordingly, you may be faced with having to choose between a beautiful place for four and a decidedly less pleasant domicile with rooms aplenty. (This came up in my own apartment search. I'll get to the outcome a little later.) Location is also an issue. If distance from campus, access to the T, or proximity to Espresso's is at the top of your priority list, you will likely have to sacrifice size and quality. And let us not forget rent. There are few gems out there: you get what you pay for -- and usually less. Get some idea from the start as to what is most important to you, and adjust from there. 2. Be prepared. Living off campus is like living in limbo. It's not the dorms, thank goodness, but it sure as hell ain't home. Make sure you are ready to take responsibility for things you've probably never had to worry about -- and to live in squalor while you're doing it. Of chief importance is that you realize that electricity, heat, and a phone are not a tenant's inalienable rights. In fact, they'll be alienated whenever possible. I highly recommend putting different people's names on each of the bills. It's too easy to ignore second and third notices when they're addressed to someone else. Provided that your electricity hasn't been cut off and your lights are still on, it will be easy to see how quickly your house goes from livable to downright foul. Remember those dust bunnies under your bed on campus? Well, in Medford and Somerville, many of the bunnies have been in residence since the turn of the last century. You will need a broom. You will need a mop. You will need an iron constitution. And remember the basics: extra flushes will not take care of stains in the toilet, and curdled milk is not homemade cheese. While we're on the topic: your diet will suffer, of that you can be assured. Canned goods, frozen meals, and order-in will form the skeleton of your nutritional intake. Believe it or not, you may find yourself thinking of Dewick rubbed chicken as a delicacy. It's okay if you find yourself outside the dining hall begging freshmen for extra meals; it happens to the best of us. 3. Be prepared and keep an open mind. Here, I'd like to share some of my off-campus experience. I live on what I like to call the "ass side" of campus. Yes, up and over the hill, past Boston Ave., on the wrong side of the tracks. (It may just be the commuter rail, but the tracks indeed lie between my house and Tufts.) I live with eight other people, and we occupy both apartments of a dilapidated two-family house. During my sophomore year, we found a gorgeous apartment, newly refurbished, mere blocks from campus and Davis Square, but there wouldn't have been room for us all. So we turned it down and signed the lease for the sadly lopsided clapboard construction that has been my loving home for two years. The house is sheathed in chipping brown and blue paint (Go Jumbos!) and sways in the wind. Literally. Our landlord, Bernard I. Green, or, as we call him, "Biggie," who grew up in the house, recently passed away at the age of 96. His son Bernard J. ("BJ," or "Little Biggie") has taken over operations. He plans on renovating, starting with the replacement of any broken doors. Translation: all the doors. What would be a back yard is a sea of gravel, reined over by T.A. Exteriors ("T & A," to us), a small construction company run out of a shed behind our house. We've never really seen them do work, but they do drink a lot of beer and smoke pot in their truck. To their credit, they did replace our falling front porch. They didn't tell us they were doing it, though, and on the first day of the project several of us almost died leaving for class. Last but not least, there's Dougie. Dougie is a long-time Medford local who spends most of his days hobbling around our house. He takes out our trash on garbage day, and in return we give him our redeemables. From what we can tell, though, he doesn't actually redeem them, he just piles them in bags and barrels in the yard. He has also, over the years, created other major collections. Notable was the one associated with his plans to start a bicycle rental on Martha's Vineyard: hundreds of broken bike parts pilfered from street corners and dump sites spanning the width of our house, stacked to the windows. Most recently, Dougie has had three old cars towed into our driveway for "restoration." Apparently "restoration" means "removal by the new landlord." All of the things that make my living situation an example of the worst case scenario are also the things I will remember most fondly in the future. I've grown quite comfortable and content in my crumbling hovel. As to the less attractive points: I consider them character. And my roommates, well, I consider them my best friends. Still. And for all the stresses that close quarters cause, if I had it to do over, I'd do it the same. Take my advice, and some day you could have a happy home and an eccentric old man of your very own.

---

News

A personal look at eating disorders

April 27

The answer to the question, when is someone with an eating disorder "ready" for treatment? is just as elusive for those suffering from the disorder from as it is for any observer. When asked this, sophomore Mandy (not her real name) throws her head back and chuckles. "You're clearly asking the wrong person," Mandy said. Having lived with a combination of anorexia and bulimia for nearly four years, she is not unfamiliar with therapy. "I've been in and out of therapy ever since my high school dean found out and told my parents," she said. "I even tried talking to someone here [at Tufts], but it never worked." There are many reasons for why people actively choose to continue their disordered eating. Often, a person with an eating disorder is cognizant of the consequences of their actions. "Just like a druggie knows what they're doing is harming their bodies -- they just think that the rewards are worth the cost," Mandy said. "I know what I'm doing... I just think that the price I pay is worth keeping the weight off." "Besides, the little nagging voice in the back of my mind saying 'tomorrow, worry about the consequences tomorrow' doesn't help either," she added. Guilt and fear are further reasons for why people with eating disorders are reluctant to see help says Mandy. "I felt really, really horrible for my parents," she said. "It's hard enough on them for them to know that their daughter does something as unnatural as throwing up what she eats. Now they have to pay over a hundred bucks per therapy session?" Mandy decided that she would "figure things out" on her own time instead of attending the costly therapy sessions. "...at least, I won't be going back [to therapy] till I'm ready to commit myself to making changes," she said. "At least then, the money's being put to good use." Living en masse at college may actually give people like Mandy more privacy than expected. "It's easy to make up excuses about late lunches or eating with someone else or even having too much work to do -- it's all believable so no one can really question where you were at dinner time," Mandy said. Living in a dorm also serves to take the scrutiny and attention off any one person. For example, the same single bathrooms in dorms that give students the privacy to throw up when they're drunk also give people with bulimic tendencies to purge in complete secrecy as often as they want, no questions asked. In reality, between getting lost in the crowd during meal times and hiding amongst all the fitness gurus at the gym, it's just as easy to under eat and over exercise as it is to overeat and be a lazy bum -- it just takes a lot more self-control and planning. But this lifestyle is just the 'now' lifestyle. What happens when tomorrow finally comes and consequences must finally be faced? "I try not to think about that," Mandy admits. "Hopefully, a light will switch on in my head and I'll have a sudden desire to recover before anything serious happens. Perhaps I'm being fatalistic, but I wonder what it would take to set me back on the right track."

---

News

Margaret Cho In Concert

April 27

Ornate Bronze plated columns. Large, vaulted ceilings with chandeliers. Statues of Greek gods overlooking the audience. And a woman on the stage, screeching about the plasticity of female genitalia when describing Thailand's red light district. This was a view of Margaret Cho's Revolution tour at the Boston Symphony Orchestra last Friday. Seemingly out of place among the classically beautiful hall, Cho managed to deliver a funny performance, but fell short of hilarity. The opening comic was Bruce Daniels. Speaking in a deep monotone, he addressed standard comedian fare, such as racial differences and homosexuality. The set was unimpressive due to his long pauses between jokes. Another factor was his unchanging voice; he did not use it to his advantage like comics such as Steven Wright, but instead used been-told-before material with no interesting inflection. Once Daniels' brief set was over, Cho took the stage dressed in high heels, a frilly red dress and a flower in her hair. She immediately kicked off her shoes, took off the wig with flowers, and proceeded to talk. This set the tone for her blunt style of comedy. Her subjects ranged from current events to family disputes to scatological humor. She spoke about every subject bluntly and honestly, reinforcing her fearless, anything-goes reputation. Cho had some great pieces in her act. Her face could twist into all sorts of contorted expressions, as if it was made directly from Jim Carrey's skin. This unusual ability added to the comedy and served as the punchline for many of her jokes. Aside from the face, her stand-up routine was solid. Her material on childbirth provided many genuine laughs. The best moment of the night was when Cho vividly described herself battling with a bowel movement while stuck in L.A. traffic. Despite the high point of the show, Cho's act failed to be as funny as it could have been. Her act consisted of a pretty funny joke, a pause, a funny face, and a pause. Repeat this process for two hours. The pauses destroyed any sense of rhythm to her act, making her jokes funny, but not uproarious. Also, Cho interspersed her stand up act with serious talk about her life. Cho described her battle with eating disorders, her mentally deteriorating grandmother, and her broken relationship with her father. During these bits, there were long bouts of respectful and dramatic silence from the audience. The silence was appropriate and Cho provided some interesting insight into her life. Although it interrupted the humor of the show, it kept her jokes in perspective, and she struck an excellent balance of interspersing gravity with humorous outbursts. This brought the entire act to a higher level, where comedy and serious problems met. Cho was very adept at playing to her audience. She has a large fan base of gays and lesbians, and when she would make mention of homosexuality, the crowd would roar with approval. By the same token, the audience seemed to over enjoy her stand-up, laughing riotously at even mildly funny throwaway jokes. The greater theme of her act was one of uniting all minorities. She spoke out against racism and homophobia and called for the unheard people to gather together. Her Revolution tour is about a social revolution, and an end to racially motivated violence. The message did seem a bit out of place when next to all of Cho's toilet humor, but nonetheless, it was an important message. At the end of her performance, Cho said, "People say 'Don't go there.' Well, I live there. I have to go there," and that for her "silence is non-existence." There was potential for tear-inducing hilarity in her act, so let's hope Cho stays there and never stops speaking.

---

News

Why Red Sox fans owe Clemens respect

April 27

I have just about had it with the embittered sports writers for the Daily bashing the Yankees, especially Roger Clemens, on a regular basis, and the trash-talking has to stop now. I can no longer brush off the dirty looks that I get as I traverse the campus proudly in my midnight blue Clemens jersey. It is about time somebody spoke out on behalf of the Rocket, and I accept that responsibility willingly and with great pride. For the record, Roger Clemens is not a traitor. After the 1996 season, the then general manager of the Red Sox, Dan Duquette, whom Red Sox fans can attest to loving ever so dearly, told the Rocket that he was washed up. I believe the exact words used were "in the twilight of his career." He then offered Roger a contract that could only be described as insulting. Things in Beantown were bad, and between the Red Sox management and the Boston media, Clemens was sincerely uncomfortable with the Sox. All Red Sox fans know in their heart that Duquette was at least equally as responsible for Clemens' departure as the Rocket himself -- just look at how things were handled only two years later with then-superstar Mo Vaughn. During the 1996, Red Sox players complained about Duquette on nearly a daily basis. Sox fans are lucky that Larry Lucchino and the new Sox ownership team had the sense to fire Duquette last year. Naturally, Clemens accepted the deal offered him by a team that would appreciate his talents fully, the Toronto Blue Jays, and worked with all of his might to make the shortsighted Duquette sorry that he'd ever let him go. Since leaving the Red Sox in '96, The Rocket has gone 103-40, won three Cy Young Awards, two of those coming off of Triple-Crown winning seasons, set a new record for best record to start a season by a starting pitcher (20-1 in 2001) and assured his position as a first-ballot hall of famer... so much for being washed up. Clemens belongs with the Yankees, because he has a winning attitude. When he heads to the mound, Clemens is intensely competitive, and any opposing batter can attest to the fire that the soon-to-be 41 year old still has in his eyes. Every year when the Yankees open their season, they have but one goal in mind -- to win it all. They are not stuck with their heads in the sand (or the water, for that matter), like the self-defeating Red Sox, who continue to dredge Willis Pond in Sudbury for a piano that Babe Ruth submerged there back in 1918. Mark my words: in the end, the Red Sox will still be losers, only losers with a very old, very wet piano. Even the most devoted of Red Sox fans have to acknowledge that few pitchers in history have accomplished as much as The Rocket. He holds a record six Cy Young awards, one league MVP, two World Series Championship rings, and is on the verge of winning his 300th game, and notching his 4000th strikeout. They don't build pitchers like Clemens anymore. No, not even the 5'11", 170 pound Pedro Martinez, who the Red Sox, suspiciously enough, are very hesitant to sign to a long term deal past next season. As of yesterday, Clemens is 4-0 with a 2.12 ERA, and is only three wins away from the big number 300 (which, incidentally, he will probably be the last pitcher, excluding Greg Maddux, to reach), so it would be silly for any Red Sox fan to still argue that he is over the hill. The only reason this season will be his last is because he wants to spend more time with his family and watch his kids grow up -- is that the mark of a good man or what? Sure, his personal record may be a little spotty, he may not be the nicest man to ever play the game, but he is certainly no Barry Bonds when it comes to the media, and he truly loves and appreciates his fans. What it all comes down to, however, is that Clemens is simply the best of his generation, and one of the best to ever play the game. Knowing that this is his final year, Red Sox fans need to suck it up, and just admire Clemens for the athlete that he is. As he continues to collect accolades and reach the milestones during his last year -- the true "twilight of his career"-- try to look past the bitterness, and give him the credit he deserves as he rides off gloriously into the sunset. Craig A Convissar is a freshman who has yet to declare a major.

---

News

The continuing misadventures of ELBO

April 27

You can take the player out of Tufts, but you can't take the Tufts out of the player. I must admit, as I continue the search for a job almost a year after graduation, every so often I take a peek at the Daily online. And every so often I see a story on my favorite Tuftstonia topic: the Elections Board! "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I wonder why no one ever says the opposite of that. Well, I am going to do it. So mark your calendars, for this is going to be known in the annals of history as the date someone finally had the courage to say: "If it's broke, damn it, fix it!" So with that being said, the powers that be need to look around and realize the small group of commandos notoriously known as ELBO, for one reason or the other, has been operating in crisis-malfunction stage for the past fives years (maybe even longer). History is not on side of any naysayers out there who think that ELBO has done a good job in recently conducting three presidential nominations to yield a total of three candidates (This seemingly unconstitutional occurrence may be explained by a not so outlandish theory that ELBO simply got confused and referred to the newly proposed Constitution. How did I know that? I read it. Remember, I am unemployed.) And I think the only way to fix the problem is by analyzing the historical record: The Ballot Stuffing Incident Part I. During the Harris and "other guy" (I can't remember his name) presidential election of 1999, ELBO had contracted an unnamed fraternity (I can't say who because they supply my, uh, cheap magazine subscriptions) to operate the ballot boxes. So what happened? More stuffing than a turkey!!! The improprieties were so bad that an entire new election had to be ordered, which meant that Harris and "other guy" had to run all over again. The ELBO Doesn't Want to Do It Incident. During the Harris administration's (the "other guy" lost) in-house elections, ELBO, for some reason, decided that they didn't have to do their constitutionally-mandated job of conducting the in-house election. That meant Harris did it by himself, and of course, a few days later sensible people made ELBO do the election the right way. The ELBO Secret Agent Scandal. During the Moon and Poe presidential election of 2000, an ELBO member was accused of chalking for one of the candidates (something I hear happened during the current election). A complaint was made and that ELBO member was grudgingly kicked off. The Ballot Stuffing Incident Part II. During the Greenberg and Shelton election of 2001, ELBO had contracted a group of individuals (with a striking similarity to the entire group of individuals comprising the Coalition) to operate the ballot boxes. This time around, numerous allegations arose that individuals, as well as ballot operators, were stuffing ballots in support of the Culture Rep Amendment. I'm not sure how this one really played out. I just know people were mad. The ELBO Missing in Action Incident. Not even Chuck Norris could have saved this ELBO. During the freshman elections of 2001, ELBO had "contracted" with an online company to conduct freshman elections. However, a day before the election, ELBO told various student government folks that the "deal" for the online elections might have been made in la-la land. When Election Day came around, ELBO members left the campus and were nowhere to be found. Consequently, no freshmen were elected. Under public pressure, ELBO impeached one of its members and then most of the remaining remembers voluntarily resigned. Why they impeached one of their members first, don't ask me. The "What is the Constitution Good For?" Incident. During this year's election, it seems ELBO has taken the approach of doing whatever it wants, including campaigning for one the candidates. Even more stunning is the fact that ELBO has defied Tufts Community Union Judiciary (TCUJ) recommendations for election timelines. The TCUJ recommended having the third nomination meeting on Wednesday and the election on Monday. Defying all reason and logic, ELBO opted to have the nomination meeting on a Tuesday and the presidential election on Thursday. They must have got confused again. Who know what will happen next? ELBO might decide to join in this year's election and run for president! Not too surprising considering one ELBO member is helping out one of the candidates this time around. Conclusion. In all seriousness, there needs to be a major initiative to clean up ELBO. The incidents I listed are but only a small slice of the trials and tribulations I have witnessed. I would challenge the TCU to come up with a better system. And besides, if the powers that be decide it might be a good idea to hire someone from the outside to conduct the entire election process -- I know one guy who would be interested in having a job. Ben Nadel is a graduate of the Tufts School of Engineering, Class of 2002.

---

News

Newsom's decision forces debate over student government procedures

April 27

Randy Newsom's decision to rescind his nomination to run for Tufts Community Union (TCU) President ignited a controversy over how student government could apply its rules to a situation not accounted for in the constitution. Attempts by members of student government to determine what course of action would be in students' "best interest" upset others who feel student government should not presume that it can make such a determination. In an election where the candidates spoke about many of the same issues, one area of disagreement was how student government should respond to situations where there are no clear rules. Chike Aguh feels that student government can bend or change rules if they are not adequate for dealing with a situation. "Students' welfare supercedes the constitution. That's why we had reform this semester," Aguh said. "When the rules and the students welfare go up against each other, the rules have to change." This mindset is similar to that of the TCU Judiciary (TCUJ) when it ruled that the Senate had to redo half of its nominations meeting after a complaint that the nomination of Aguh was not fair. Despite the fact that Mead and Aguh were nominated on the same ballot and there is no precedent for ignoring only half a motion, the TCUJ found that the literal aspects of the situation could be ignored in favor of an approach that upheld the "spirit of the constitution." Mead, however, disagreed with this approach because it relies too much on personal interpretation of what is appropriate in a given situation. "Doing what's written in the constitution is what's in the best interest for the student," he said. "There are arguments all of the time about what is best for the students. That's why we have guidelines." While some in Senate criticized ELBO for holding new nominations following Newsom's resignation, members of ELBO say that there is nothing they could have done differently, given the unprecedented character of the situation. "We were never the cause of anything. We were reacting to what was given to us, and I think we acted with integrity and decisiveness," ELBO public relations chair Vinda Rao said. Now that they have had time to reevaluate the situation, some student government leaders say that controversy was unavoidable once Newsom decided to rescind his nomination. The only way the situation could have been avoided would have been for Newsom to inform the entire Senate at the same time of his decision to rescind his nomination. Because he waited to inform the Senate, a complaint was filed and the TCUJ ruled that the second nominations meeting had to be redone. Such events could have been avoided with earlier notice, leaders said. When Newsom decided to drop out, if ELBO had decided to let the election be uncontested, there likely would have been complaints filed about that decision as well, said former Senate Historian Alison Clarke. "ELBO has to ensure fair elections. That in a lot of people's minds wouldn't have been fair," she said. "There obviously were people who would have run if Randy wasn't running, as we saw." Even though members of student government have spent much of the last ten days arguing over this issue, history shows that the controversy is likely to fade as quickly as it began. Two years ago, when complaints about voter fraud marred the election of Eric Greenberg as TCU President, students had largely forgotten about the controversy by the time they returned to school in September. Aguh also hopes that outreach efforts to incoming freshmen can help them. Student Activities Director Jodie Nealley, who serves as the advisor to TCU government, agreed that previous controversies quickly fall out of students' memories. "In any organization, a situation like this makes them stronger, because it makes them examine and actually read their rules. It's the challenges to organizations that really make them grow," she said. Aguh remains concerned that the controversy reinforced students' negative stereotypes of Senate. "The only way we can get over this is for the Senate to do its work," he said. "We have to work to get their faith back." Nealley says the discussion among the Senate, TCUJ, and ELBO last weekend was actually a demonstration of the student government system working. People voiced opinions, came together to make decisions, and went to the proper bodies to appeal those decisions until a correct course of action could be decided on. "That's what those bodies are there for. As an advisor, I think it's working, and people are working it out," she said.

---

News

Women's basketball wins in close finish

April 26

The women's basketball team squeaked out arguably its biggest win of the season this past Saturday afternoon, 66-59 versus NESCAC rival Bates. It was the first time Tufts had beaten the Bobcats since 1995. The win, which was the Jumbos' third straight, improved the team's overall record to 12-2 on the season and 2-1 in league play. As in several recent matches, Tufts started off the first half a bit flat-footed, allowing two Bates baskets and nearly five minutes to pass before scoring a single point. However, the team took the lead 6-4 at 14:43 and did not trail for the rest of the game thanks to a characteristically strong defense. "Defense is the name of the game and is why we won," coach Carla Berube said. Bates helped the Jumbos' effort throughout the first frame with poor shooting and mental mistakes. The Bobcats' fast-break style offense failed to capitalize in the Jumbo zone after several steals and the defense committed many sloppy fouls throughout. The first half mainly saw Bates playing catch-up and Tufts just barely holding on to the lead. With ten minutes remaining, the Bobcats looked as if they might take control after cutting Tufts' lead to one at 12-11. However, junior Erin Buckley's strong presence under both hoops helped keep Bates down. Buckley had 20 points and 14 rebounds along with two steals and four blocked shots over the course of the game. "I don't really know what happened today. I just stepped it up and tried to make a statement in the NESCAC," Buckley said. The Bobcats simply could not keep Buckley covered. She seemed to always be open and in the right position. "Buck came up big tonight," Berube said. "She has a distinct height advantage and played great on both ends. Lately the way she's been practicing, playing and giving the effort, I knew she would have a game like this." Even though Buckley provided a strong presence in the center, Tufts' lead was still in jeopardy throughout the second quarter. Missed shots and overthrown cross-court passes hurt the Jumbo attack and allowed Bates to remain in the game going into the break, with the score 35-27. After intermission, Tufts again took some time to warm up. Bates intercepted two long passes, but was only able to convert one into two points. Tufts also had trouble with its lay-ups and deep shots, and the Jumbos did not put points on the board until nearly five minutes had elapsed. Sophomore Erin Connolly hit a three pointer with 15:22 remaining that woke the team up. The Jumbos began to bring down more rebounds and turn Bates' mistakes into points. Tufts maintained about a five point margin over the Bobcats for the majority of the half. One of the key players for Bates was senior captain Carla Flaherty. After averaging 19.5 points per game last week and shooting 57 percent from the field, she was a force the Jumbos had to take into consideration. "We finally got a hand up in Flaherty's face," Berube said. "That made it really hard on their offense." Even after providing a spark in the second half, sealing the deal at the end of the game once again proved to be a challenge for Tufts. Bates rallied back from a 59-51 deficit with 2:15 remaining to tie the Jumbos at 59. It seemed as if momentum had shifted to the Bobcats and the Jumbos were struggling to hang on. After a quick time out with 1:50 left in the game, Tufts freshman Jessica Powers and Julia Verplank teamed up to put the Bobcats away for good. Powers came out and immediately nailed a three-pointer to give the Jumbos a three-point lead. On the ensuing play, Verplank stripped the ball from a Bates guard and dribbled the in for an easy lay-up. Just seconds later, Verplank had another steal in which she drew a foul and made the resulting two shots to finalize the score at 66-59. "Jess hit a big shot in the corner, Julia got some key steals, and we really got in their passing lanes," Berube said. "We were confident we were going to pull through. We knew we didn't want what happened last Saturday against Wesleyan." With the win, Tufts is tied with Colby and Middlebury for fourth place in the NESCAC with a 2-1 league record. "This game was so important to us. Bates destroyed us last year and averages 78 points a game," Buckley said. "Now we have confidence going in to our upcoming games." The squad will be in action again on Tuesday at home against non-league opponent, Clark College. It will also match up with NESCAC rival Amherst on Friday.

---

News

University reaches agreement with fraternities, sororities

April 24

The University has suspended one sorority's right to hold social events and disqualified the pledges of two fraternities, the office announced yesterday. Alpha Phi will be placed on social probation, which prohibits the sorority from holding any social functions in the house until Dec. 1. The Committee on Fraternities and Sororities launched an investigation and closed the sorority temporarily after two inebriated pledges landed in police custody earlier this semester after attending a sorority event. On the same night, two other pledges were treated by Tufts Emergency Medical Services for intoxication. The punishment was worked out between the national chapter of Alpha Phi and the Dean of Students' Office. Alpha Phi, which was sent a letter detailing the decision, had no comment yesterday. The four pledges involved in the incidents will be required to work with the administrators to create a "Sober Sisters" program which will train student and Greek houses which hold events off campus. In addition, Alpha Phi will not be allowed to host next fall's "Club Night." The letter also reinforced the campus policy outlawing any fraternity or sorority from collecting funds for alcoholic beverages. After another investigation of two fraternities, the Dean of Students disqualified five Delta Tau Delta (DTD) and 11 Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep) pledges. According to one of the fraternity's members, the Dean of Students Office found that Sig Ep brought in new pledges after the official rush week had ended. The University would not reveal the reason for disqualifying the DTD pledges. The affected students will now be unable to pledge until Fall 2003. The three houses will also be required to attend a weekly meeting with the new director of Greek life and Director of Student Affairs Ed Cabellon to discuss how the houses can meet the goals of their national charter. The Dean of Students is currently evaluating candidates for the director of Greek Life position and plans on filling the position by June 1.

---

News

In a campaign of similar issues, leadership styles differentiate candidates

April 24

Tufts Community Union presidential candidate Joe Mead defines the "essence of leadership" by quoting Abraham Lincoln: "A good leader will take people where they want to be. A great leader will take them where they ought to be." The sophomore from Baltimore, MD holds these words as a standard by which to model his work in student government. If elected as TCU president, Mead hopes to be as strong, vocal leader who sets a tone of "blue-collar work ethic" for the Senate. "I always like to lead by example. Whoever is in charge of an organization needs to work the hardest and be there at every point," he said. "The Senate needs someone who's willing to do the grunt work." This vision of the role of a TCU president differs greatly from the last three presidents, who have all lead by depending on help from subcommittees. Though Mead can spout off a variety of issues and projects he would like to see the Senate work on, much of his vision involves improving the efficiency and productivity of the governing body. Too many good ideas come up at the beginning of the year and get lost, and the amount of time it takes senators to complete projects is too long, he said. A reason for this, he says, is that new senators don't receive enough guidance and resources to accomplish projects. Mead proposes to give more project management training to senators if elected. He would also try to organize meetings better to make them more efficient and would encourage other senators to be more goal-oriented by writing down expectations for what senators are supposed to do. "The other senators are great, and they're committed, but they have to be given the tools to complete what they want to do," he said. "There's an element of organization missing from the Senate." Though he has only been on the Senate for a year, Mead says his coursework and other activities have helped him develop the leadership skills necessary for the job. A psychology major and English minor, Mead is taking a class this semester on working in organizations and reads books about leadership on his own time. He is the treasurer of the Inter-Greek Council, a Delta Tau Delta executive board member, and a member of the lacrosse team. He was also served on the Senate's Public Relations Committee and the Allocations Board. Like his opponent Randy Newsom, outreach to students is the main plank of Mead's platform. He wants to emphasize the need for the Senate to get out of the campus center and do outreach in places where students are, like the dining halls. He would like to see more of the ideas for Senate projects come from people outside the Senate. "We keep trying to do the right thing in the wrong way," he said. "It's our responsibility to go to them and find out what their issues are." Mead describes the rest of his platform, which includes improving communication between the administration and the Greek system, passing the constituency-based bylaw, asking administrators and trustees to improve financial aid, and adding more restaurants and other business to the Merchant on Points program, is just an initial list of what he sees as student needs so far. Newsom has also talked about many of these projects, but Mead thinks his action-oriented leadership style would make him better suited to accomplish them. "I like to make sure every step of a project is able to be completed and is completed," he said. "If I'm not working, I'm not happy." That aspect of his personality is what drew him to the Senate in the first place. After freshman year, Mead felt he wasn't doing enough on campus and joined the Senate because he saw it as a way to be active in the community. "I think that I can make an extreme positive difference in student life at Tufts," he said.

---

News

HYPE

April 24

This Sunday night Tufts audiences will have the opportunity to see one of Tufts most unique performance groups: HYPE - the Tufts mime troupe. However, you won't find any white-faced performers trapped inside of "boxes" in this troupe. HYPE shows consist of a series of skits set to music; there are no props and no sounds other than the music, almost like music videos. "For the past four years HYPE has been a fantastic creative outlet for me. It is something that is unique and special," HYPE member Sarah Kauderer says of her experience in the troupe. This could be because the HYPE performance experience is "so different from your average performance," reflects troupe member Chris Bonewitz, since the art of "mime makes the audience an active participant in the creation of the art." "HYPE is like nothing you would ever expect," says Moira Murphy-Cairns, another member of the troupe. "I get the biggest kick out of bringing someone to their first HYPE show and then seeing them afterwards and hearing their reactions." With skits ranging from hysterically funny to bitterly sad, the spring HYPE show continues to push the traditional miming boundaries through their work. An evening with the members of HYPE is not to be missed. -- Jennifer Gerson HYPE's spring show is this Sunday at 9 pm in Cohen Auditorium. TURBO will be the opening act. Tickets are $2 and may be purchased at the Box Office.

---

News

Ultimate frisbee wins Boston Sectionals in front of home crowd

April 24

The Tufts E-Men can officially call themselves Boston's best collegiate ultimate frisbee team after winning last weekend's sectionals championship held at Tufts' very own Cousens Fields. The E-Men did so in dramatic fashion as Tufts trailed Harvard at the half, but later pulled together to clinch a 15-10 victory. Junior Ariel Santos led the Tufts offense in the second half of the finals, assisting on four of the team's eight goals. Senior Simon Kates also had an impressive goal, "skying" over two opposing defenders to catch the frisbee and land safely in the end zone. The E-Men defense turned in a strong second half as well, allowing only two Harvard goals. Seniors Ian Schneider and Josh Weisstuch, junior captain Matt Abbrecht, and speedy freshman Rob Spies all made important defensive plays and helped to hold the Crimson offense at bay. Abbrecht called the championship game the highlight of the team's weekend. "We've struggled to beat Harvard in the past, and lost to them in a nail-biter a couple of weekends ago," Abbrecht said. "Sunday, we came out in the second half and took the first three points and never looked back from there." According to junior deep Zach Geller, Harvard is a traditional rival, and this made the E-Men's victory especially sweet. "We never want to lose to them," Geller said. "We take out the hate stick against Harvard." Team members also said they were pleased with the fan turnout for their games. "It was great to see so many people out for the game," Geller said. "It was really exciting to see everyone getting into the game and enjoying it and cheering for us," In the tournament, Boston area teams competed for the title and four spots in the upcoming regional championships, to be held at UMass-Amherst next weekend, and the top three or four teams of regionals earn berths to the National Championships in Austin, Texas. Tufts has attended Nationals the last three years. On Saturday, the E-Men dominated their first contest, beating Boston University's B-team 13-0. The squad followed that victory with an exciting match-up against rival MIT's A team, a game which was attended by President Larry Bacow and his wife Adele. The couple's Tufts spirit was tested as they watched the E-Men compete against their son Jay's team. According to Geller, the Bacows are regular spectators at E-Men games. "I think that Larry cheers for us and Adele for them," Geller said, "He's a fan of ours." At halftime of the MIT game, Tufts led the Engineers by a slim 7-6 margin. The turning point of the game came in the second half when Abbrecht made "an impressive lay-out D block." In that play, Abbrecht dove superman-style in front of the player he was defending, snatching the frisbee, and gaining possession for his team. The game ended with Tufts winning 13-11. Tufts enjoyed two more victories on Saturday, handily defeating BC 13-2 and shutting out the Harvard B-team 13-0. During those games, younger players saw more time on1 the field. "Games where we're ahead are a good opportunity to get them in and playing key roles where they can really get a chance to shine, to handle the disc more, and be big players," Abbrecht said. In Sunday's semi-finals, the E-Men faced off against BU. In the first half, Santos assisted on six of the seven Tufts goals. By the end, Tufts walked away with a satisfying 13-7 victory, which set them up for the face-off against top seed, Harvard, in the finals. Tufts' second team, the "B-Men," also saw action at the sectional tournament this weekend. The B-Men continued their dominance of B-teams all over the country, finishing 7th in the section. The squad opened the tournament with a win over Wentworth Institute of Technology's A team. After being down 7-5 at the half, the B-Men went on second half tear, outscoring Wentworth 8-1 to take the victory, 13-8. After dropping its next contest to Brandeis A, 13-5, the team of almost all freshman and sophomores came out and dominated MIT B, 13-4. In their final game on the first day, the B-men came out and gave Harvard's A team a run for their money but ended up falling 13-6. The B-Men came out on Sunday with one last shot to keep their shot at regionals alive. A five point win over BU's A team would prolong the B-Men's shot at regionals, but the squad ended up falling 13-2, ending its chance to advance. In its final game of the tournament, the B-Men got revenge on BU, routed its B team 13-3. Although the team did not qualify for regionals, the B-Men can proudly say that they are one of the best B teams in the nation. "This year they really came together as a team and played with a lot of pride," Abbrecht said. "They played with a lot of heart and beat a lot of good teams." During the A-team's finals match against Harvard, several B-men sat on the sidelines still wearing their cleats. "They knew that when they took their cleats off, the season was not over," Abbrecht said. While the B-Men may be done with competition for the year, the E-Men look to carry their season all the way to next month's Nationals. In just over a week, they will face stiff competition at the regional tournament, from such powerhouses as Brown, UMass, and Williams. "We'd like to win regionals," Abbrecht said. "There are some pretty good teams out there but we've been working hard and it's been our goal all season -- so I think it's pretty achievable."

---

News

Loss to Amherst drops women's lacrosse from playoff contention

April 24

All season long, the women's lacrosse team never entered halftime facing a deficit of more than one goal. That changed Wednesday afternoon against the #3 team in the nation. The Amherst Lord Jeffs (11-1, 7-1) overwhelmed the Jumbos early and often at Kraft Field, jumping out to a 7-0 first half lead en route to a 13-6 victory. The loss dropped Tufts to 5-6 overall (1-6, NESCAC), and eliminated them from playoff contention. With only one game remaining, the Jumbos are in danger of finishing below .500 for the first time in 24 years. Amherst came into the game riding a six game winning streak, and they weren't missing any beats early. They were able to control both the ball and the tempo in the first half, holding possession on offense for the majority of the time. "Our defense was working hard, fronting cutters," senior co-captain Kathy Kenney said. "But Amherst was really patient, and they managed to get inside our defense." Senior co-captain Ari Kristan admitted that the Lord Jeffs were able to put pressure on her in goal. "They had good, accurate shooters," Kristan said. "They were able to get inside eight meters to get good shots, which is something other teams couldn't do, and that was a key to their success." Amherst was able to convert these high percentage shots, getting two goals apiece in the first half from junior Liz Martin and senior Mary Kate Allen on the way to a 7-0 lead. Meanwhile, Tufts was unable to get into its rhythm on offense, as Lord Jeff keeper Brooke Diamond faced only three shot attempts in her first half shutout. "We have a hard time playing against a man-to-man zone," junior attack Willow Hagge said. "They pushed us away from the goal, made us take outside shots, and we rushed some things. We weren't patient enough." "When you give up some early goals, it can be hard to get on track because you want to get the quick goal," coach Carol Rappoli said. "We took some low percentage shots that we shouldn't have, but that's what happens with a young attack." It took the young attack 42 minutes to score, finally getting on the board on freshman Dena Miller's goal at 17:57 in the second half. By then the Lord Jeffs had tacked on four second half goals, stretching Tufts' deficit to eleven on Martin's third goal of the contest. However, Tufts was able to gleam some positive light from the end of the game. "I was happy with how we played at the end," Kenney said. "We never rolled over and gave them the game. We fought back and played hard." Miller's goal marked the first of two she would score, and she also added three assists in Tufts' late second half spurt. Hagge, junior Lauren Peach, freshman Ryan Killeen, and sophomore Jen Griffin also tacked on scores over the last fifteen minutes for the Jumbos. Coach Rappoli was also pleased with Tufts' performance at the end of the game. "Tufts' future was out there, and it looked good," she said. However, the spark came too little and too late for the Jumbos. "Up until halftime we thought we could get back into it, because in lacrosse four or five goals is not impossible to come back from," Kristan said. "If we had turned things around earlier or gotten some goals earlier, it could have been a different story." Tufts, which was ranked 20th in the nation coming into the game, finishes up its season on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Kraft Field against Connecticut College.

---