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Three strikes and you may be out

March 24

I am a product of the Greek System at Tufts. I became a brother in 1954. For the past seven or eight years I have had and continue to have the pleasure and privilege of serving as the chapter advisor/mentor to a fraternity that has had a presence on the Tufts Campus since 1941. For someone such as myself who is committed to supporting the Greek System at Tufts it is indeed most disturbing to read about the fraternity/sorority transgressions that haven taken place within the past three weeks. There is absolutely no excuse for such flagrant, immature, irresponsible behavior that places people in harms way. The reality is that drinking is a way of life on the college campus. Social scientists can theorize until they are "blue in the face." It is not going to change. That is the way it is and I have no doubt that it will continue. Administrators can rant/rave about and bemoan such behavior. It is not going to change no matter what kind of socially-responsible policy the University tries to develop, implement and enforce. I truly believe that membership in a fraternity and/or sorority is an important part of the Undergraduate experience. Reflecting on my own time as an undergraduate, members of the Greek System were looked upon as campus leaders characterized by the achievement of academic excellence, the embodiment of Tufts spirit, conformity to socially accepted norms of behavior and worthy of community-wide respect. Sure they participated in their share of campus hijinks, but never in a way that placed people in harms way. Yes, some carried paddles but only as a sign of authority not as instrument of torture and/or hazing. They were looked up to as role models whose behavior and demeanor was to be emulated. To be a member of a fraternity and/or sorority at that time was something to be proud of. Yes, I know that the social mores and attitudes of that time in my own personal history no longer exist today. The "Age of Innocence" has long disappeared from this campus as well as campuses everywhere. I do not think that today's college students, as a group, are any more intelligent, brighter, or smarter than we were in the 1950s. They are, however, a more socially enlightened group with a much broader view of the geopolitical situation then was the case with my contemporaries. Their technological erudition is beyond question and if used properly can be a source of great empowerment. It is therefore most unfortunate that the unacceptable, flagrant, irresponsible behavior associated with the Zeta Psi, Alpha Phi, and Delta Upsilon incidents of the past three weeks may be the beginning of the end of the Greek System at Tufts. The criminal justice system in some states employs the three strikes and you are out principle which, in essence, means if you are found guilty of three felonious acts against society then you will be remanded to prison and society will "throw away the key"... exit the offender. In a sense, the Greek System at Tufts has just struck out three times. This naturally begs the question as to why have a Greek System on the Tufts Campus. There are some within the Tufts Community who, no doubt, will say: "Enough is enough. Get rid of them. Who needs them. All they do is provide venues for binge drinking and other activities involving alcohol abuse. They serve no useful purpose." My own wife continues to lambaste me regarding my support of the Greek System. She says to me: "For years now you have been advising/mentoring these young men. Nothing has changed. They still perpetrate acts of irresponsible, immature behavior. Why not stop beating your head against the wall and recognize that this childish behavior, on their part, is part and parcel of the Rites of Passage. In the years that follow they will grow up, develop careers, marry, raise a family, and become responsible members of the global society." I must admit that the events of the past three weeks have given me pause and cause me to reflect on the sagacious wisdom of the woman who has been my life mate for over 43 years. She is absolutely right. Nonetheless, when it comes to dealing with the great issues in my life I have always proceeded in a manner akin to Don Quixote, the Cervantes character who tilted at wind mills. To my way of thinking Quixote was someone who believed passionately in the moral certitude of his convictions and thus was willing to tackle even the most obdurate obstacles, acknowledging that he might not succeed but nevertheless, was willing to "go the distance" for the greater good as he saw it. It has been and continues to be my Quixotic mission to encourage members of the Greek System in general and my own young brethren in particular to "step up to the plate" and change the manner in which the Greek System is perceived by members of the Tufts Community. The members of the Greek System have it within their power to control their destiny as far as their continuing to remain a viable entity on the Tufts Campus. They should not, repeat, should not permit such behavior as we have seen on this campus during these past three weeks to continue given that such repetition will ultimately bring about the demise of the Greek System at Tufts. The current members of the Greek System "owe it" to the generations that have proceeded them and to those that will follow them to leave in tact a system that has in the past provided opportunities, and I pray will do so in the future, for: (A) The development of leadership skills, (B) That promote a sense of brotherhood/sisterhood whereby individuals are bound together by a sense of fraternal/sororital love and as such, are committed to each others welfare, (C) That recognizes the worth of each individual, (D) That promotes harmony amongst its members, (E) That stresses the rights of others and respect for property, (F) That respects authority and acts in a law-abiding manner, (G) That does not permit, sanction nor countenance any activity that places others (brothers, sisters, or pledges) in harms way and (H) That promotes good citizenship and positive, effective interaction with all members of the larger, diverse community typical of today's college campus. There you have it. Members of the Greek System it is up to you. It is literally in your hands. Sink or swim. It is high time for a sea change on this campus. Time passes by ever so quickly. Think about it a few short months ago you were beginning your fall semester. Now there is less than nine weeks until the end of the academic year. I am constantly amazed that when I talk with seniors they often lament at not having taken advantage of all that college life has to offer both in terms of academic options as well as extracurricular activity. It goes without saying that your primary purpose in attending college and committing yourself to an intense four year period of study is the achievement of academic excellence so as to prepare you to make the most of your potential in whatever field of endeavor you choose. I submit that in addition to academic acclaim, your membership and participation in a fraternity or sorority is also an important adjunct to your growth, your maturity and the development of your character. I challenge the members of the Greek System to abandon their wanton ways of "self-destruction" and conduct themselves in a forthright, responsible manner that earns the respect and admiration of all members of the Tufts Community and brings honor to both themselves and they organizations that they represent. Benjamen Cohen (LA '57) is an advisor for Alpha Epsilon Pi.

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News

Dirty breaks

March 24

In the midst of spring break, you may have forgotten about the spring part. Sure, we're back to the grind of papers and exams, but winter is officially over. Spring is so much better than winter. The days get longer, the snow melts, we start to remember how sun feels, and love is in the air. Which takes on a different meaning if you were just in Cancun, or Panama City, or Fort Lauderdale, or any other meat-market-MTV-suntan destination, for that matter. Because spring and love and fun don't work the same way there as they do here, and people will do things that they never would in Medford or Somerville or any "real" place. These vacation traps apparently exist in some void zone wherein there are no laws, no standards, and no histories. Going there doesn't just mean taking a vacation from being in Boston. It's taking a vacation from being yourself. Don't imagine that I'm going to bemoan the entire culture of collegiate spring break. Yes, I think most of the students found in these places are loudmouthed tools, but that's not the point. Until we can come up with some standard litmus test that determines whether or not a given 19-year old will stagger around on a Mexican bus with a gigantic beer in his hand, yelling at the bus driver and relying on the crush of people to keep him upright, I guess we have to let everyone go on vacation and hope that things sort themselves out. And debauchery or no, I can't claim that even the more Dionysian spring breaks are bad. I came back from Cancun two days ago. No, I do not overlook the simple pleasures of seeing a 17-year old girl, drunk on tequila, dance in a cage with a guy four years her senior. I mean, that's fantastic. Why bother going somewhere different unless you're going to see different things there? Makes me wonder why the people who don't go out and see these things (read: older people) want to go to Cancun at all. Ruins of some sort, perhaps. Or duty-free vanilla smuggling. But while I'm in favor of people going a little crazy and being a little obscene (read: pole-dancing) and maybe drinking in a controlled, responsible environment (read: open bar), I can tell that most vacationers don't think about the image they present to the rest of the world. These tanned, blond-tipped, alcohol-lubricated revelers go beyond being brazen and shameless. They make me embarrassed for them. I believe in living your own life and not worrying too much about what other people think, but that isn't what these people are up to. I believe in going to new places and experiencing new things, but that isn't it either. These are people who are so hopped up on image -- on the image seen and appreciated by their tiny demographic slice -- that they pursue it to the benefit of nothing else and simply tune out the rest of the world. Guess what? You're not in some magical world, populated only by those of your background within a year of your own age. These drunken titans in Cancun are surrounded by Mexicans, children, older Americans, grandparents, you name it. You wonder why so many foreigners think Americans are ignorant, obnoxious buffoons? The reason is the drunk kid stumbling by the pool, the guy on the bus who can only yell "ANDALE" at the bus driver, the girl who complains loudly about the heat and the quality of the water while fanning her fine, bikini-clad self. If this is all you see -- or all you notice -- of Americans, you can't help but hate us. I was born here, and it makes me hate us a little bit. And what about the older people? The adults on their own vacations who see you living it up? Sure, they can forgive -- "I was just like that at his age" -- but it only serves to inflate the image that people have of our generation as a bunch of spoiled, irresponsible slobs. After seeing a broader face of the American student population, I don't respect us much, either. I guess I thought better of us. Maybe I'm being silly. Maybe kids can just be kids and everyone can forgive them for it because they'll change as they get older. Maybe they're perfectly diligent and respectful during the rest of the year. I'm willing to forgive that. But what if they don't change? I can tell you that kids did not party like this when our parents were in college, and everybody (including high school students) seems to get in on it now. Hell, I did. I'm making myself out like a Puritan here, which is wrong, but I think there's a balance to strike between having fun and having a place in the real world. Drunken wastrels have no place; a college student who cuts loose once in a while does. Even when you're getting wrecked, there has to be some voice in the back of your head that reminds you who you are and where you're going. There has to be some larger priority. Forgive the moralizing, but while there isn't anything wrong with having fun, you have to reach a point in time when you decide to come down off of the high of being young and pretty and reckless. This sort of vacation is the highlight of some people's years. What does that say about the rest of the year? Do they not care? Is this really all they want? I hope that most students at Tufts reach that point by the time they graduate, and I hope that everyone gets there eventually. And hey, when you do? You can pat yourself on the back because I was wrong about you. You turned out fine. But when I look some of these guys in the eye and try to see what exactly is going on in there, I don't see any thought at all. I see them loving it and wanting nothing more. I see them not wanting to change. I see them planning the rest of their lives around public spectacles like these. Youth is grand. But it doesn't last forever, and when it's over, you'd better have already started down some other track. If you don't care about other people's respect now, I'm not sure when you plan on starting to.

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News

Moratorium should have been re-thought

March 23

The TCOWI-planned moratorium on classes has received mixed reviews since the concept was first announced. Many students have supported the idea, noting that it would give the entire campus the opportunity to educate each other and to engage in thoughtful discussion about the situation in Iraq. Others have opposed the plan, citing the responsibility of faculty to do their jobs in the traditional sense by conducting their classes as scheduled. Despite disagreements about the idea of a moratorium, one thing has always remained clear: if the moratorium were to be effective, it would have to be immediate. Yes, the moratorium was planned as a type of "alternative" education, and an opportunity for debate, but it was also a dramatic statement of sorts. Canceling or leaving classes the day of or the day following the start of the war would have been a clear indication that the war had created an immediate change in the status quo. Participants in a moratorium the day of or the day after the start of the war would have been making a clear statement of opposition to US policy by effectively changing the course of their daily lives as immediately as possible. Since the US began military action in Iraq during spring break, the idea of a moratorium no longer holds most of its potential to be an effective response to US policy. Most if not all members of the Tufts community have dealt with the war in some form already, either by keeping up with the news or discussing the situation with family and friends. Spring break was not "business as usual" this year for anyone. Therefore, to come back and be presented with a moratorium on the first day of classes after a week away is counterproductive. Many students have already examined the war outside of the classroom. Now is the time to examine the war in the classroom. Certainly it would be beneficial for students to come together in some form in response to what has taken to place _ to honor the memories of those who have already lost their lives, to pray for the families of US soldiers _ but canceling classes is irrelevant to this goal. An event of this nature could, for example, take place as a night vigil, without interrupting the academic pursuits of the entire campus. If faculty members feel that it is appropriate and productive, it would be advisable to spend class sessions today and perhaps tomorrow analyzing US actions and engaging in constructive, thoughtful discourse. But, leaving class today would be counterproductive to the academic goals of the Tufts community, and as an anti-war effort, will have very little impact given the timing of the event relative to the onset of the war.

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News

Warm weather worries

March 23

Sure, some students spent Spring Break in warm tropical destinations, but even those who remained in Boston enjoyed a day or two of 60 degree-plus temperatures. With such tempting glimpses of warmer weather to come, many people are suffering from serious bouts of "spring fever." Picnics, sun block, and barbecue grills are not far away, and there's no better way to celebrate the end of such a rough winter than with outdoor gatherings and springtime food. No one wants to worry about getting sick after winter's cold and flu season is over, but you can get sick quite easily at this season's outdoor barbecues and picnics. If you're not careful, you could be feeling more "under the weather" than you did in the January flu season! In addition to behaving health consciously at picnics on the lawn, you should also do so when packing a lunch. During winter, you might have been able to get away with taking a yogurt from the refrigerator at 8 a.m. and not eating it until 3 p.m. This is not safe, however, because with the warmer weather temperatures, cold foods spoil extremely quickly. If you decide to throw a barbecue or picnic with your friends some evening, take into account the fact that food safety begins with your trip to the grocery store. Be sure to shop for refrigerated items such as dairy, meats, and eggs last so that they stay cold. Once back home, store refrigerated items in the fridge immediately: room temperatures (between 40 and 140 degrees) are within the food safety "danger zone." Between these temperatures, bacteria can grow and multiply to levels that cause sickness. Therefore, it is important to keep foods cold and out of the "danger zone" for as long as possible before you set up the picnic buffet. When leaving the grocery store or embarking towards your picnic destination, make sure meat items are packed separately so that their juices do not drip onto other foods such as apples or strawberries. Also when leaving, be sure to put perishables into the body of the car, not the trunk, where temperatures are much higher. If you are traveling for more than 30 minutes away, use a cooler. Surround foods with ice or ice packs, taking care to place meats on the bottom to prevent them from dripping onto other foods and beverages. When you arrive at your destination, be sure to clean all surfaces and utensils with hot, soapy water, if possible. Picnic sites have been out of commission for the winter and dirt and you'll need to get rid of the dirt and grime. Be sure to bring along a pack of disposable towelettes (such as Clorox wipes) for picnic surfaces and a hand sanitizer to clean your hands before preparing or touching foods. Once the site is ready, make sure to wash all the vegetables and fruits. For this reason, plan on packing a water jug in the car, as many picnic sites do not provide running water. With these initial preparations over with, you should be ready to begin making the meal. If space is limited and surface areas have to be used for multiple tasks, be sure to prepare foods in a safe order. For example, slice tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese before making the hamburgers, that way the raw meat will not contaminate the produce and dairy items. For your own convenience, it also may be helpful to designate tasks. Have one person put out the breads, chips, and snack items while the other slices the hamburger or sandwich toppings. Then get the meat out of the cooler and prepare the items for the grill. Once items have been cooked, they are still not necessarily safe to eat. Before taking a huge, hungry bite out of your hamburger or chicken, cut the meat to check and see if it is done. Although it is more accurate to check for meat readiness with a food thermometer, if you don't have one, just cut open the meat at the center to make sure there is no pink and that the juices run clear. As you are enjoying yourself at the picnic, keep your eye out to make sure that you throw out perishable foods that sit out for longer than two hours (or one hour if directly in the sun.) In addition, keep in mind that typical picnic items such as egg salads, coleslaw, potato salads, chicken, hamburgers, and cookie dough all carry the risk of salmonella, E.coli, and other bacteria. (Contrary to popular belief, mayonnaise-based salads tend to resist bacterial growth longer due to mayonnaise's acidity.) A spring or summer picnic is no fun without games such as Frisbee or softball. If you partake in these activities, be sure to wash your hands before touching (or eating!) any foods. By doing so, you'll help to prevent the introduction of germs from the dirt and game equipment to your food. So are you ready to get outside and enjoy the nicer weather? By doing a little planning, keeping raw foods separate from cooked items, washing hands, and keeping areas clean, you can fully enjoy every minute of the springtime weather. Following these procedures will greatly lessen your threat of contracting a foodborne illness. One last tip to keep in mind when you're tossing the Frisbee and the grill is sizzling : "when in doubt, throw it out!"

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News

Senators silent on Greek problems

March 23

When students perceived a police crackdown on fraternities in the fall of 2000, Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate Vice President Eric Greenberg rushed to organize a protest rally on the President's Lawn. Greenberg, who was also the Senate representative to the Committee on Fraternities and Sororities (CFS), later worked with administrators to create initiatives that would assuage their concerns about liability for problems at fraternity parties. They set up a program where fraternities would have detail officers at their parties and police would let the parties stay open. They also expanded programming at Hotung and organized a bus to Boston on the weekends to provide students with options other than the frats. But with three fraternities on temporary shutdown this semester, the TCU Senate has had little to say on the matter. Senators expect concerns over the Greek system to be raised during the upcoming presidential race, but no one plans to take on the issue this semester. "It's out of our hands, at least for the time being," said Dave Baumwoll, a freshman senator who also sits on the CFS. "I don't think there's anything pro-active we can do right now because things are pending." There are many reasons for the difference in response, and it in no way has to do with the Senate's perception of what issues are important to students right now. It is often said in politics that timing is everything, and in this case, timing is a major factor shaping the Senate's response. The Greek issue came onto most senators' horizons right before spring break, and with only one meeting left this semester, they had little time to act. By the time hearings are held for the cases of the houses that are closed, the Senate will have stopped meeting for the semester. But more than timing, the Senate cannot act until it learns the facts of the situation. In 2000, what was happening was clear -- Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) was shutting down parties early in the night, and two fraternity presidents were being taken to court by the University for serving alcohol to minors. Administrators were also clear in explaining the concerns that had motivated this action -- Tufts feared that it would be held liable for injuries incurred by students at frat parties after MIT settled a lawsuit for $6 million over a student death. This year, details of the shutdowns have been hard to come by. "Part of the reason [the Senate is waiting to act] is that we don't know what the administration is going to do," Senate Vice President Andrew Potts said. "It's too new right now -- we wouldn't know what to say." Complicating the situation is the fact the Baumwoll only recently began serving as the Senate liaison to the CFS and has spent much of the last month of meetings getting to know the position. Former TCU President Melissa Carson, who was on the Senate two years ago when it faced the crackdown, was the liaison until she resigned from the post in February. Though both crackdowns were motivated by liability concerns, the situation is different now that these concerns are stemming from the Tufts campus. Students were angry in the fall of 2000 is that they thought the crackdown was arbitrary, given that the incident that motivated it occurred on a different campus and that two fraternities were singled out for serving to minors. But this spring, Zeta Psi, Alpha Phi, and Delta Upsilon were all temporarily shut down in response to hazing violations. Because of this, students have responded more with concern and worry than with anger, which means there are less calls for immediate action. When Senate does resume in the fall, senators say they are committed to tackling the Greek issue. Senator Randy Newsom, a candidate for TCU president, thinks that the key to solving the situation will be changing the relationship between the administration and the Greek system. "The only interaction should not be discipline," he said. "There needs to be more help from the administration to help the different houses. It could be a great system here." That the administration does not interact much with fraternities and sororities outside of discipline is something that administrators have recognized in the last year as well. Plans were announced over a year ago to create an Office of Greek Life, and an office director may be hired by the end of the semester, according to Baumwoll, who is on the search committee for the position. That the search has gone ahead despite uncertainty over the future of the Greek system is a sign of the administration's resolve to fix the problem, Baumwoll said. "I don't think they'd invest this much time and energy into a solution if they didn't think it had a chance," he said.

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News

Fees become new area of contention in UMass struggle

March 23

In the ongoing battle between the governor's office and the University of Massachusetts, trustees of the university earlier this month approved a $1,000 fee increase for Massachusetts residents and twice that for out of state students for the next academic year. In last week's disclosure of further details on his higher education reform plans, Governor Mitt Romney criticized the "fee abuse," which he said would be a central issue in the ongoing debate concerning the fate of UMass. The fee increase ranges from just over 15 percent at the Amherst campus to nearly 20 percent at Dartmouth. Bill Wright of the President's Office at UMass defended this increase saying that in the past four to five years there has been no increase and the fees "needed to be collected anyway." However, TheBoston Globe quoted a Romney official saying, "The state colleges have abused students and the fee system for years, putting higher charges on the backs of students instead of cutting their own costs." Since 1989 there has been a 453 percent increase in fees. By collecting fees instead of raising tuition, schools are able to remain more independent because all the revenue from fees stays with the university. In the current tuition-based program, the government collects and distributes money to all the schools. Under Romney's tuition based plan, however, the entire revenue would remain with each restructured campus. President William M. Bulger, whose position is one of the major targets proposed for elimination in Romney's cuts, is trying to alleviate pressure from the recent budget cuts. However, the university's move also helps ween them off state funding. In the same meeting in which fee hikes were approved, Bulger and trustees proposed a strategy, which would cut $40 million from the $440 million budget. Wright commented that this is "in reaction to the $3 billion in state cuts" but would not say whether it is intended to improve the efficiency and self-sufficiency of each university. The fees that students are charged are in addition to the flat tuition cost and are used to cover extracurricular activities, technology, and other activities on campus. While fees vary among campuses, the tuition cost is the same throughout the system. According to Romney's education chief Peter Nessen, the reportedly poor performance of the president's office and the fee system is only a part of the problems with the UMass system. There have been low graduation rates and little accountability to tax payers, he said. Romney has encountered considerable opposition in his vast restructuring of the state university system. TheNew York Times quoted an anonymous state representative as saying "Romney is not going to get his plan done on eliminating Bulger and reorganizing UMass." One aide to Bulger claimed in a Times article that Romney is deftly campaigning against Bulger to set him up "as the poster child for the Legislature's unwillingness to let politics as usual die in this state." Romney's proposed plan includes consolidating several of the UMass and community colleges into seven regional schools. The president's office would also be eliminated in an effort to save nearly $150 million. UMass Amherst would also be spun off to create a premier research institution more like UNC Chapel Hill or UVA. Fees in the next academic year will range from $6,129 at Lowell to $7,482 at Amherst.

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News

Devine and Pitko finish in top eight at Nationals

March 23

The indoor track and field season came to a triumphant close a week ago with the Division III NCAA's at DePauw University in Greencastle, IN. Two athletes represented the Jumbos in the men's competition, with senior tri-captains Greg Devine and Bryan Pitko competing in the 55-meter hurdles. Devine (7.60 seconds) placed fifth, while Pitko (7.79) finished eighth. Both athletes were named All-Americans for the second consecutive year. Pitko ran sixth at last year's indoor NCAA's at Ohio Northern University and received All-American honors. Devine earned his honors outdoors, starring nationally in both the 110 and 400 meter hurdles and winning both events at the NESCAC Championships. "I can't complain, I set a goal of becoming an All-American indoors at the start of the season," Devine said. "Friday was a tougher race, and I guess I let it down a little on Saturday because you're in the final eight, and you know you're an All-American." Coach Connie Putnam agreed, pointing out the difficulty in remaining focused on the finals after a successful run in the qualifying event. "Once you qualify for the NCAA's, the hardest thing to do is qualify for the finals," Putnam said. "To take two guys out and have both make the finals is a very big accomplishment, and both went ahead and scored." Devine led the field in qualifying, posting a time of 7.57 seconds. The time was just 0.01 seconds off his recent school record of 7.56, set four weeks ago at the New England Division III Championships at MIT. Pitko qualified with a season best time of 7.63, also matching his previous career best and the former school record. The final featured what Putnam described as a slow start, with the field reacting slowly to the starting gun. However Sophomore Basil Steele of the University of Dubuque in Iowa won the race in 7.50, setting a new DePauw track center record. Steele matched Pitko's qualifying time in the preliminary round. "They would both argue that it wasn't as good a race as possible," Putnam said. "Greg especially felt he got a slow start. He had a very hard chest cold, and his [recurring] groin injury was not 100 percent. Bryan also had some minor nagging injuries, but they ran really well. Steele was the one lucky guy who got away exactly in time with the gun, he came out smooth and is a very good hurdler." The meet signified the end of the pair's indoor careers. While battling each other for the school record in the hurdles this season, Devine and Pitko joined with fellow senior tri-captain Adam Sharp to lead the team to a third place finish at the Div. III's. It was the team's best result since coming second in 1996 when the event took place at Brandeis. The indoor team also finished 14th out of 31 teams at the All-New England's and fifth of 44 at the ECAC's thanks to strong performances on both the track and in the field. With the outdoor season beginning this weekend at Northeastern, the team will look to continue the success achieved indoors this winter. The outdoor season is a much more condensed one, with just four regular meets before championship competition begins with the NESCAC's at Trinity College on the last weekend of April. "Obviously we'd like to do as well as we can," Putnam said. "The Northeastern meet is a very relaxed, open meet, and we'll get everyone back into a race, just get them more comfortable." Devine agreed, hoping to build upon the recent achievements to strengthen the team's presence at the outdoor Nationals. "My goal is to go and repeat last year's [performance] as an All-American in hurdles," Devine said. "But also we'll try to get some more guys out there. The two coaches and Bryan and I had a great time out there, but we were saying we need to motivate some more guys, to light some fires under them."

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News

Nationals not as fruitful for women's track

March 23

A contingent of the women's track and field team comprised of four Jumbos made the trip to the NCAA Div. III Indoor Championships on Mar 14-15. While the athletes took part in the qualifying rounds on Friday, none was unable to advance to the final heats on Saturday. Though extenuating circumstances prevented the Jumbos from making their mark in the finals, the fact that only half of those competing had had experience in the Nationals arena was also a contributing factor. Juniors Jessica Trombly and Emily Bersin had both competed in Nationals before, Bersin just once during her freshman year in the 4x400 meter relay. For sophomore Sika Henry and freshman Rachel Bloom, the journey to DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana was their first foray into competition on a national level. The four teamed to compete in an ill-fated 4x400m relay race. Even though the squad ran a season best of 3:55.68 in the second heat, it wasn't enough to make the finals. Within the heat, Henry led off against three All-Americans in the 400, and the fastest team in the heat -- Wheaton College -- also emerged as the winners in the finals. In the end, the squad ended up two tenths of a second off the qualifying time necessary to move on to the finals, and finished just 0.07 seconds off the school record. "We don't have some of the pure sprinting power some of the teams had, but we have fitness and endurance and would have been able to bounce back better in the finals better than others did," coach Kristen Morwick said. "It was tough missing the finals by so little, but they should be satisfied with having made it so far this year and having had such a great season." Trombly also took part in the open 400, an event she had excelled in throughout the season. However, the lack of true competition she had throughout the season seemed to have an effect on her once she came to compete at Nationals. The race was a messy one and Trombly did not get the results she was hoping for. In the opening portion of the race Trombly was pushed out by junior Sheri Kelleher of Hartwick College and subsequently boxed in at a pivotal point. At one point Trombly came to a dead stop and made a move to lane three in attempt to make up for a frustrating start. However the move wasn't enough as she ended up missing out on the finals heat by about seven hundredths of a second. "She's never had to race anyone that good, she's usually out in the lead at the get-go. Having had no real competition she's never had an opportunity to run against faster people to prepare her for a Nationals experience," Morwick said. "She had to make four different moves in a race where you can only really make one. It's one of those things that just happens sometimes." Following this last competition of the indoor season, the four joined the rest of the team on a trek to South Carolina for a spring break training trip. Housed at Coastal Carolina University, the squad also competed in an invitational meet hosted at the school. The break gave the team a chance to come together after an indoor post-season apart and gave a preemptive start to the outdoor season. The invitational resulted in some outstanding and promising performances by a variety of Jumbos taking advantage of the Carolina sun. While the days leading up to the meet were somewhat downcast and cool, the day of the meet brought out an almost unbearably hot weather. The heat made it tougher for the long distance runners who had to compete in lengthy races in a beating sun. "It was a great trip, with the meet being the nicest day which made it rough for distance runners but provided pretty decent conditions for sprinters and jumpers," senior tri-captain Lauren Tormey said. "We got in a lot of good training and had fun. It helped people get to know each other, and it was nice to get some training in some warm weather we won't likely be running in again any time soon." Amongst two school records that were broken on the trip was in the steeplechase race. Going into the event, senior Mary Nodine possessed the record, but in the course of the day both she and senior Danielle Perrin broke that record. Nodine finished the race in about 11:40, while Perrin did so in 11:38 to claim a new school record. Freshman Elyse Archila also took part in the steeplechase, finishing in about 12:39. The throwers also made their mark in South Carolina, with a number of Jumbos breaking the school record in the hammer throw. Set at a mark of 120', the record was shattered by junior co-captain Jessica Gauthier, who launched the hammer 132'. Sophomores Katie Antle and Jessica Colby also threw past the prior hammer mark with their throws of 125' and 124', respectively. As a member of the women's basketball team, junior Kate Gluckman was absent from the indoor roster, but has made an impression with her outdoor abilities. In the discus, Gluckman made the finals with a toss of about 117'. The fact that the throwers competed with such positive results is all the more promising given that they worked out four times a day over break and had a fatiguing week. Other events that produced favorable results were the 200 and 400, with multiple Jumbos putting forth their best foot as the outdoor season gets under way. The short outdoor season will commence this weekend with the Husky Invite at Northeastern University. Owing to the performances churned out in South Carolina, many Jumbos have qualified through Div III standards, putting them in good standing for the start of the season. "It was a good trip considering the weather and we had some really good performances. We have a bunch of people who made the Div. III qualifying marks which is great for this point in the season," Morwick said.

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News

Anthropology class opens exhibit this week

March 23

A semester of study and documentation of the history of movie theaters in Somerville will culminate on Friday when an exhibit entitled "Lost Theaters of Somerville" opens at the Somerville Museum. Sixty years ago, Somerville was the home of 14 movie theaters. However, the Somerville Theater in Davis Square is the only of the original 14 theaters that is still in operation today. The exhibit includes the findings from research and final projects completed by Tufts students in the Anthropology class "Theatres of Community and the Social Production of Space" taught by Tufts professor David Guss. Projects include an architectural model of a theater, a CD sound collage of music and oral history of the Teele Square Theater, and a movie created by former class member Stephen Lukac, depicting the history of the Strand Theater and other Union Square theaters. Though the exhibit's opening represents a culmination of sorts, Guss said, "I feel like [the process] will never end. People are anxious to share their experiences." He also believes that with the exhibit's new visibility, more people will come forward with their own stories. A major component of the class was to collect oral histories from current and former residents of Somerville whose lives were affected by the old movie theaters. Lukac, who graduated last spring, said that he "spoke with some very unique people." Guss was also astounded by the "receptivity and passion of the people who we spoke with." Guss' hypothesis was that the "nabes," or neighborhood theaters, were second only to church in terms of community importance. "They were central in giving people a sense of community and place," he said. Movie theaters had much more cultural importance at their peak in the 1940s. It was common for people to go to the movies two or three times a week. Many people got their news at the movies, both on the news reel and from the local gossip. Many of the Somerville theaters closed because of the decline of nabes, from 1946-1956. This decline was due to many different factors, including a change in families, the baby boom, the rise of multiplexes and the suburbanization of American culture. Due to the "changing streetscape," as Guss called it, the theaters today now have varying functions, including luxury condominiums, warehouses, and a rock-climbing gym. Three of the former theater buildings are not even in existence today. Guss first became interested in this project when he attended a paper show a few years ago. He met a man who was selling pictures of theaters in eastern Massachusetts, and he bought a picture of the Broadway Theater. His interest in public anthropology and the issues of place and identity piqued his curiosity. He then went back the next year and bought pictures of the other 13 theaters in Somerville. "It was a way of looking at the neighborhood," he said. "Instead of focusing on historical sites, I looked at memory sites." Memory sites are places where emotional events took place within a person's lifetime, in contrast to historical sites, where those events were mostly in the past. Lukac says the most interesting aspect of working on this project is learning about Somerville. "As a Tufts student, I only knew Teele Square, Ball Square and Davis Square. I liked the unique people I met, and not only did we talk about the theaters, but we talked about life in general." Work on the exhibit began last spring through collaboration between ten Tufts students and ten Somerville High School students, and has continued this spring as well. The class has received funding from the University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS). The class project is divided into five parts: the exhibition, the oral histories gathered by students, one lecture on the movie-going experience, another lecture entitled "The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of the Neighborhood Theater," and an upcoming book about the Somerville theaters. Guss plans to continue to study the theme of public anthropology next year by co-teaching a course with the Architectural Studies program director Professor Daniel Abramson about architecture on college campuses and how the colleges present themselves to the community. The Somerville Theater is on the Historical Register and therefore is a protected space. Each of these theaters was the center of the surrounding neighborhood, providing a space for socializing and public entertainment.

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News

Bringing Down the House' actually drags it down

March 23

Bringing Down the House has its moments, and they are hilarious, as advertised. Unfortunately, these moments pop up far too infrequently amidst a sea of racial cliches and rehashed humor that dot the film's predictable story line. While House features an all-star cast and all of them shine brightly, they are not quite bright enough to illuminate dim writing. Steve Martin revives his uptight WASP-y white guy shtick, which has been perfected over the years, as Peter Sanderson, a corporate lawyer who spends more time with his mahogany desk than with his kids. He is dull and dry and does little more than rake in large amounts of money and find conservative things to spend it on, much to the chagrin of his wife (Jean Smart), who left him for the aforementioned reasons. Peter then finds himself in an internet chat room where he finds himself smitten over a mysterious female stranger who goes by the alias "lawyergirl." However, rather than an Ivy League-educated intellectual, she turns out to be Charlene Morton, an escaped convict, aptly played by Queen Latifah. Upon meeting up, Charlene weasels Peter into helping her on her quest to clear her name, and in order to do so, she must live with him for a while. Of course, Charlene must keep on the "down low" in order not to arouse the suspicions of Peter's clients, some of whom hold some racial biases usually attributed to old white crusty people. So Charlene ends up masquerading as Peter's maid and nanny. A fair amount of hilarity ensues from this premise, as Peter learns that not everyone from the hood is clueless about jurisprudence and Charlene learns that Peter really is as exceedingly lame as he appears. Needless to say she loosens him up and even ends up on a date with him where Peter (Martin) breaks out his trademark white guy dance moves after Charlene (Latifah) coerces him out on the floor. Martin and Latifah's chemistry is highly tangible as they shake things up. The pair then travels back to Peter's house where Charlene tries to teach Peter to talk dirty. This is one of the films funnier moments, however it quickly degrades into a fit of sexual tension with a sight gag where the two are caught on top of each other on the couch by the kids. Of course they were just talking... However, the comedic highlights of the film all belong to Eugene Levy, who plays Howie Rosenthal, Martin's partner who happens to have a thing for large African-American women. Needless to say, Howie becomes smitten with Charlene at first sight, and attempts to seduce her throughout the film with his impressive command of street language, which is hilariously delivered with a proper corporate affect. The film reaches a climax as Peter attempts to infiltrate an extremely ghetto club in an attempt to catch Charlene's ex-boyfriend, whom he believes set her up. In a scene that parodies Bullworth, Peter dons street garb, picks up a boom box, and swaggers his way into the crowd of baggy pants and gold chains. Peter even takes to the dance floor voluntarily, and provides a burst of comedy. Needless to say, after some rigmarole with gun toting thugs, the day is saved, and Charlene is no longer on America's Most Wanted. The next logical step seems to be for Peter and Charlene to ride off into a romantic sunset to live a happy life together, but the movie defies this natural inclination. Instead, Peter ends up back with his ex-wife, thanks to the reawakening to life that Charlene has given him. This just seems wrong. It's as if Rocky was knocked out by Apollo Creed in Round Eight, and after waking up in the hospital realized he needed to change his life around and decided to run off with Adrienne and become a school teacher. While that says something about boxing, it doesn't change the fact that Rocky would suck with that ending Bringing Down theHouse spends an entire film showing how two completely different people can overcome race and class prejudice to be happy with each other and develop some serious chemistry, and then throws it out the window. Granted it seems as if Peter and Charlene will still be friends, and Howie seems like he will get what he wants, but the audience does not.

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News

Beauty of the Rain' masked by machinery

March 23

It's dangerous to think about an artist's work in terms of her life, but Dar Williams's new album, Beauty of the Rain, makes it hard to forget her recent and long-awaited marriage. After albums of songs reaching and straining for higher truth, this album seems a giant breath of relief. Dar, as she is known by her fans, is a folk singer who began in the Northampton coffee house scene in the mid-1990s. Her older albums, such as End of the Summer and The Honesty Room, featured a turmoil of post-adolescent ironies, and we came to know her voice by a Shakira-like undulation that matched this turmoil. The tunes of Beauty of the Rain, while not her best, allow the full quality of Dar's voice to be heard, unbroken by impatient scales. "The One Who Knows" and "The Beauty of the Rain", which are the closest we come on the album to the preferable Dar-and-the-guitar, hold the strength of her vocals against the honest poetry that only she can create. Alison Krauss, one of the honey-rock sirens from the soundtrack of Oh Brother Where Art Thou?, sings harmony on "The One Who Knows" and the cover of The Band's "Whispering Pines", a wise choice because her sweet voice complements Dar's depth without distracting from it. I can hold out for the slightly more chaotic arrangements of "Closer to Me" and "Your Fire Your Soul" because they too are quality Dar lyrics, but others have so much synthesizer and unconventional back-up vocals that they distract from the real song. "The Mercy of the Fallen", an inspiring, forgiving, tender song that reaches out to what the liner notes call "the roadside Buddhas," could start the album off invitingly if it didn't give a thorough lesson in electric appreciation. "I Saw a Bird Fly Away" is fun, but rather un-profound. Although John Popper's bit of back-up vocals and harmonica toward the end is lovely, there are so many instruments and vocals coming at the listener, that by the time he starts, one doesn't appreciate his contribution to the song as a whole. If you're going to feature John Popper on your album, why not do away with the synthesizers and let him secure his wild improvisation around the core of the piece? It sounded as if he had been accidentally recorded from the next room. A highlight of this album is the liner notes -- below each set of lyrics are a couple sentences about its arrangement, its inspiration, or its purpose. Dar also includes where the song was begun and finished (Canada, the UK, and the Museum of Natural History to name a few). The best songs are not necessarily those that pop out after a single listen of the album. "Farewell to the Old Me", declares the second song, and the refrain "The world's not falling apart / because of me" take much less responsibility than the spoken word of past songs like "Mortal City." If you're looking for a holistic inspiration, I'd still go with "End of the Summer," but I must say that the chorus of "The Beauty of the Rain" is still haunting me. To quote a phrase, the album is worth listening to. The very wind is in her voice.

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News

Wildcats survive scare and Nicholas hits shocker

March 23

In a NCAA Tournament weekend that saw the Cincinnati Bearcats coach and radio announcer, and another team's mascot get ejected, there weren't as many upsets as in past years. However, there was not a lack of suspense as many of the top teams were sent to the brink of elimination, including the number one seeded Arizona Wildcats, the number two seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the defending national champion Maryland Terrapins. While CBS claimed the first day of the tournament on Thursday was full of great finishes and shocking upsets, there were no real upsets. The first day's biggest anomaly came with the Tulsa Golden Hurricane's 84-71 victory over the fourth seeded Dayton and the Central Michigan Chippewas' 79-73 win over the sixth seeded Creighton Blue Jays. In most cases a 4-13 or a 6-11 upset is a pretty big deal, but not with these teams. Though Creighton was hailed as the media's mid-major darling all year long, it wasn't made for the tournament. No one really expects Creighton to win the national title. In the case of the Dayton v. Tulsa game, Dayton has to go down in the books as the worst four seed in tournament history. Dayton should have been lower then a four and Tulsa should have been higher than a 13. Both of these picks were two of the most common upsets picked by bracket junkies around the nation. After a rather dull first day (by NCAA upset tradition), the second day was marked by two mid-major upsets and one shot that will go down in tournament lore. The first mid-major team to pull an upset was the Utah Utes over the Oregon Ducks of the Pac-10, by a score of 60-58. Oregon trailed all game long, even by as many as 15 at one point, but was able to crawl back to tie the game with less than a minute left. After Utah's Nick Jacobson sank two free throws with 14.4 seconds left, Oregon's James Davis missed two three pointers with time running down. Though technically a mid-major upset, after all these years of tournament dominance and with past stars like Keith Van Horn, Andre Miller, and Michael Doleac, Utah really shouldn't be viewed as a mid-major anymore. In the South Region on Friday night, 6th seed Maryland won a thriller over the 11th seeded UNC Wilmington Seahawks, 75-73. With five seconds remaining and down by one point, Maryland guard Drew Nicholas drove the length of the court and launched a fade away three pointer as time expired. The swish shot, which continued the Terrapins' attempt to defend last year's national championship, will surely go down in tournament history with Christian Laettner's "shot heard round the world" and Tyus Edny's full court drive -- even more memorable if Maryland moves onto truly defending their national title at the Final Four. The first, and only real upset of the first round occurred in the East Region in the 5-12 game. Butler's Bulldogs defeated the Mississippi St. Bulldogs 47-46 as mid-major Butler vindicated its at-large selection to the tournament, snubbed last year after it was left out of the NCAA tournament even with 25 wins. The selection committee was not going to make the same mistake twice, so despite not winning their conference tournament, the Butler Bulldogs were given an at-large bid over some of the mediocre major conference teams. In one of the best games of the tournament to date, Arizona defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs 96-95 in double overtime to move into the Sweet Sixteen. In a classic back and forth game, both teams traded leads throughout the finals two minutes of regulation and both overtimes. Gonzaga's Blake Stepp had the chance to make a leaner to win the game with two seconds left, but he laid it up just a little too hard. Despite the loss, Gonzaga proved once again that it can run with the big boys even after it loses its best players to graduation year after year. The second round Midwest Region bout between the Marquette Golden Eagles and the Missouri Tigers finished as another of the tournament's top battles thus far. Marquette won 101-92 in overtime in a game where Dwayne Wade and Travis Deiner combined for 50 points. Additionally, the Eagles hit all eleven of their shots in overtime including going 3-3 from behind the arc and 6-6 from the free throw line. Overall, the tournament has gone relatively according to seeding through the first two rounds. There were only eight lower seeded winners in the first round, with five of those eight wins coming in either closely matched 8-9 or 7-10 games, which are basically toss-ups. No number one, two, or three seeds were upset in the first round. Even the Big East and Big Ten, two conferences that many thought were weak this year, were a combined 9-0 after the first round.

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News

The funny papers

March 23

Most good books have their moments of comedy -- whether from a wacky character or a funny situation. Nowadays a trend has been creeping into modern writing, where jokes aren't a part of the book -- the book itself is the joke. Satire and parody are making a return to literature. The same genres that brought you Forbidden Broadway, Hot Shots (Part I and Deux) and the songs of Weird Al Yankovich have come to the written word. Since a goal of the Daily Arts Department is to keep our readers abreast of all things new in the arts world, we would be remiss if we did not highlight this literary trend. To this end here are reviews of a literary satire and parody currently on the shelves: The Hipster Handbook Are you cool? Probably not, but there is hope offered in the slim blue volume that is The Hipster Handbook. Filled with drawings and clocking in at fewer than 200 pages, this book is a quick, funny read, perfect for a coffee table or to chuckle over with friends before class. In case you were wondering, a hipster is "one who possesses the tastes, social attitudes and opinions deemed cool by the cool," as defined by the helpful glossary of slang in the first chapter. Other great definitions include "boggle" for vomit; "deck" for cool, and "flavorless" for heterosexual. The book also provides a guide to the various species of hipster complete with habits, identifying characteristics and sample illustrations. The book has a tone of patient superiority as it guides the reader through the wiles of the hipster subculture. While it seems to patronize the un-indoctrinated, the people truly getting skewered are the hipsters themselves. The author, Robert Lanham, makes sure to inform the reader, "Underneath all that individualism, hipsters conform like anybody else." And: "Hipsters never admit to being hipsters. They are too cool to broach the subject." However, the most important thing to know about this book is: IT IS A JOKE! This is key, because if you do not understand this, The Hipster Handbook will seem elitist and divisive, and you'll probably be pretty mad at the end. There are some scary moments when it seems Lanham is being serious, but rest assured they will pass and the satire in the book will once again shine through. Lanham is not going to hit you over the head with hyperbole. What works is that the author makes all these assertions with a straight face and relies on the common sense of the reader to see the humor. When you get the joke it's really, really funny. The Satanic Nurses Less Candide and more Naked Gun on the satire scale, The Satanic Nurses is a literary episode of Saturday Night Live -- some of the jokes are brilliant, some fall flat and some are just mind boggling (for various reasons not excluding stupidity). Nothing is sacred to author J.B. Miller, who assaults Hemingway, Mamet, and Kerouac as well as a slew of others with his pen. The trick of this book is you have to be fairly well read. While many will understand the parodies of writers like those mentioned above, most people only have a cursory knowledge of modern writers. So while the parody of Tolkein may be a hit, the Irvine Welsh (author of Trainspotting) parody may not. Moreover, some parodies expect too much of the reader. The Samuel Beckett parody is entirely in French without translation. WHY?! The J.D. Salinger expects you to know about the writer's reclusiveness and the plot of Franny and Zooey. Other parodies expect you to know a lot about the authors themselves as well. Finally, some of the parodies are just dumb. In the Nabakov parody, Colita succeeds in being gross and creepy (although some may say the same about the original) and the Terry McMillan parody was just not funny. It's 2003, who does Clinton jokes any more? Where The Satanic Nurses succeeds it does with a flourish; where it fails, it fails miserably. Read it if it's on a coffee table but don't make a point to seek it out.

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News

Moratorium to take place today

March 23

Professors, students, and staff who disagree with the US action in Iraq will engage in an all day moratorium on classes today, in order to express their opinions. The event, which has been planned by the Tufts Coalition Opposing War in Iraq (TCOWI), was supposed to take place on the day after the war began, but had to be postponed due to Spring Break. "No business as usual today and until the war ends," read a draft of a leaflet that TCOWI will be handing out today. The day's activities -- beginning with a 9:30 a.m. open mic at Hillel -- are intended to educate the campus on their views and reasons for disagreeing with the war. Other activities will include a march around campus at noon, stopping for a rally in the campus center, which will attempt to raise awareness of the moratorium and attract participants. After that there will be a panel at Hillel and second one at Goddard Chapel later in the afternoon. A rally will be held outside of Goddard in between the two panels. The panel's participants will include a variety of students and professors. Moderators will ensure that discussions do not turn into "ranting back and forth," in the words of one planner. "Baseline respect is very important." Apart from these discussions, John McDonald, head of the Music Department, will be giving a musical performance following the last panel. It is uncertain how many people will actually be participating in the moratorium. Although 600 people signed the TCOWI statement, the moratorium itself has had fewer signatories. Physics professor Gary Goldstein, a TCOWI member, pointed out that it is more difficult to take direct action, also citing less publicity as a possible reason for relative lack of support. Goldstein estimated that 30 professors will be taking some sort of action, either discussing the war in their courses or not holding class. Despite a letter earlier this semester from Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Ernst, in which she reminded professors of their "responsibilities," Goldstein said that it is doubtful that the administration will respond to any of these actions. However, he felt that the "veiled threats" serve as a deterrent to non-tenured and part-time professors. Planners are being careful with the wording of their statements, in an effort to avoid alienating people who are undecided or have different reasons for opposing war. Goldstein emphasized that "many different perspectives" will be presented. Colleges across the country have had or are planning events similar to those taking place at Tufts. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education many professors dedicated their classes to discussions on the war last week, while at Columbia University 30 professors have scheduled a teach-in for this week. University of Michigan's Center for Research on Learning and Teaching posted guidelines for instructors intending to lead discussions on their websites. They highlight that "it is important to allow students to express these differences without fear of ridicule or attack, while also encouraging disagreement." Separately from the TCOWI events, Tufts Amnesty International will hold a candlelight vigil at 10 p.m. on the Academic Quad, in order to show solidarity with the Iraqi people and "reaffirm our commitment to human rights during this time of war."

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News

STOMP' promotes universality of rhythm in high-energy evening of performance

March 13

It's like Doug Funny "Bangin' on a Trashcan," but not. It's like Grandpa playing spoons on his knee, but not. It is exactly what you would expect, but like nothing you have seen. Combine household objects, a talented cast of musicians with chemistry degrees, water, sand, and a stage, and there is STOMP. STOMP's credo is the universality of rhythm -- according to founders Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, lyrics and melodies divide cultures while the rhythms of everyday life bring people together. Using water jugs, brooms, and paint scrapers, the cast recreates the pace of the street and calls attention to the stimulation of our senses that we often overlook. Of the objects used by the performers, few gave a melodic tone. Tic-tacs, tin buckets, water jugs, lighters, newspapers, garbage cans and lids, paint scrappers, basketballs, and kitchen sinks provided diverse and ample material for the performers to drum, strum, tap, scratch, and beat. The first performer starts the act by sweeping the stage, eventually realizing she is being watched. Unfazed, she begins to beat rhythms on the stage with the broom, and as a call to arms, the rest of the cast trickles in, layering patterns of sound onto the one the sweeper has begun. Also, the same performer establishes a clapping call-and-response pattern that is used throughout the show. Most "scenes" were performed by only three or four performers, exploring different facets of sounds and rhythms. Larger scenes performed by the entire group usually focused on one instrument at a time. "Poles" was the loudest scene, involving the cast performing the same rhythm in unison, and had a more tribal element to it. However, none of the scenes are meant to be political propaganda or a social commentary. Above all, the show stresses the tension between the complexity and simplicity of sound. The cast members had opportunities to develop characters and demonstrate individual skills. In "Newspaper," the nerdy performer tries to read a newspaper in peace, but he is joined by other performers one by one, each of them reading their newspaper and making character-specific sounds. The final performer sits, and as the rest of the groups' noise amplifies, he turns his newspaper into Heidi braids, a hat, a boat, a pterodactyl, antagonizing the nerd. While a few of the scenes take a narrative shape; they are interspersed between seemingly more free form acts such as drumming on cans while bungeed to the ceiling. "Busking," or trying to grab passersby's attention, originated in the booth theaters set up in village fairs of the Middle Ages. The show's creators modernized the practice and performed with a group of "buskers" in Brighton, England in the early 1990s. Elements of busking appear on the Boston stage, as the entire show is a conversation with the audience. A few blocks from the Boylston T-stop, the Stuart Street Playhouse is the perfect venue for STOMP. Tucked under a parking garage, the theater lobby attempts to bring the street inside, although the stark contrast between the theater district on Tremont Street and the more inner-city premise of the show do not aptly correlate. However, the sense that one is going underground into the netherworld of the urban jungle allows for complete immersion in the STOMP experience. Inside the actual theater, street signs, bicycle parts, a pink baby stroller, and a weed whacker hang from sections of barbed wire fencing mounted on the walls, reinforcing the unity of diversity. All in all, the STOMP experience must not be missed. The student rush rate of $25 is satisfactory for the caliber and uniqueness of the performance. The liveliness and talent of the performers themselves leave one energized and intrigued, if not anxious to get home to bang a broom against the bedpost.

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News

Four Jumbos head to Nationals to close indoor track season

March 13

With the arrival of the NCAA Div. III Track and Field Championships at DePauw University this weekend, the indoor season has come to an official close for most of the women's track and field team. Four Jumbos made the trek to Greencastle, Indiana and will compete today in preliminary heats. As the team's top performer throughout the season, junior Jessica Trombly is the only Jumbo that is competing in an individual event at Nationals. Trombly will square off against 15 other entrants in the 400 meter dash today. Trombly is seeded third with a time of 56.47 seconds. About two hours after that race Trombly will join sophomore Sika Henry, freshman Rachel Bloom, and classmate Emily Bersin to take part in the 4x400 relay. With a seed time one tenth of a second slower than the automatic National qualifying time of 3:56.00, the squad is seeded eighth out of nine teams. The fact that Tufts has representatives at the NCAA meet is a testament to the success of the season. Those returning to the squad trained productively and were able to come back with a renewed energy, only to be bolstered by a strong freshman class who made an immediate impact. "One of the reasons we had such a great season is because we have such a versatile team," tri-captain Lauren Tormey said. "We have a lot of depth in a lot of areas and a fair number of talented freshmen." One such freshman is Bloom, who came onto the squad with different aspirations than those she is currently pursuing. Bloom is a sprinter by nature and thus was reluctant to run the longer 400 race, never mind a leg of the 4x400 relay. After some prodding by coach Kristen Morwick, however, she was convinced to take part in the event and has emerged as a pivotal part of a relay team that progressed to Nationals. Scoring close to 40 points in many meets, Trombly was also a key factor in the team's accomplishments indoors. Though Trombly accounted for a large block of points, it was the contributions of others that made the Jumbos more than a team with a superstar. In the sprints and mid-distances, sophomores Claudia Clarke and Katie Sheedy and junior Katie Higley emerged to help lead the team. Henry faired well in the jumps as well as the relay and the trio of throwers -- sophomore Katie Antle, junior Gwen Campbell and junior tri-captain Jessica Gauthier -- showed constant improvement every week. In an event that does not usually garner much attention, given the fact that it spans many events, sophomore Melissa Graveley faired well in the pentathlon. While competing in the high jump for the pentathlon at ECACs, Graveley made a tremendous leap of 5'4.25." Not only did she record a PR of more than two inches, but she also jumped close to the National provisional qualifying mark -- ending up a mere .25" off the standard. "She was converted into a multi-eventer last year and has steadily improved, clearly making her mark in New England and the ECAC not only as one of the top high jumpers, but also as a multi-event athlete," Morwick said. The team was more than happy with its performance this season as it achieved an unprecedented second place team finish at NESCACs, finishing behind perennial powerhouse Williams College. And in an interesting twist, Tufts ended up fifth overall at ECACs, one spot ahead of Williams, in a meet where the team wasn't expecting to place exceptionally well. Many of those who contributed in the indoor season will have a chance to do the same outdoors as the outdoor season gets underway. In preparation for the season, those runners not competing in Nationals are gearing up for a Spring Break training trip to South Carolina. The warmer climate will benefit the Jumbos and help bond a squad that has become slightly scattered since the start of postseason action that doesn't include everyone on the team. The team will compete in an invitational on Saturday, Mar. 22 while in South Carolina. "It'll be good for intense training, to get in a hard week of training," Tormey said. "Some people's seasons ended around the Division III Championship meet, so now we have a chance to bring everyone back together and bond."

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News

Women's ultimate frisbee team to face tough competition over break

March 13

The women's ultimate frisbee team (E-Wo) will be heading down to Georgia for Spring Break, where they will try to show their stuff in two of the spring season's most competitive ultimate tournaments. College Terminus, in Atlanta, will feature 2001 Women's College National Champions University of Georgia, as well as other highly touted teams such as Duke, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan. College Southerns, taking place in Statesboro over the second weekend of break, also will also boast some of the nation's top teams. "We're just looking to maintain our flow and gain some experience," senior captain Annemarie Braun said. The E-Wo enter this season having lost six starters to graduation last spring. Further, in the fall season, three of the team's four juniors were abroad. Becca Adler, Gabe Eklund, and Birgit Unfried have returned, but last year's stand-out Britton Goodale will not be returning to the States and the E-Wo until next year. "We're really rebuilding this year," former captain Amanda Sommers said. "We have to feel out our new dynamic and see who's going to step it up." The E-Wo will be looking for underclassmen to play new roles, especially the freshmen, who now have some playing experience. "We have a lot of really excited freshmen who have a serious athletic attitude," Sommers said. Players looking to break out are sophomores Bernie Diaz and Emily Kaplan, as well as freshmen Julia Hallman and Becky Firesheets. "Bernie will be a solid handler for us," Braun said. "These tournaments will be a great opportunity for the [younger players] to gel as a team." Another possible contributor this spring will be Eklund, who has been known to make some of the sickest cuts on the East Coast. "Gabe will motivate everyone else because she's really really ridiculously hard-core," Kaplan said. The E-Wo are looking to start this spring season on the right foot, getting their first chance to play outdoors at Terminus. While West Coast and Southern area teams have been practicing in the natural elements all year round, northeast teams, like the E-Wo, will require some time to adjust their throws to windy conditions and get used to playing on regulation outdoor fields. Team cohesion will be a major goal for the women, who have had some trouble with attendance at practice during the winter term. Playing ultimate is certainly a large commitment, as the E-Wo practice three times a week and will travel to tournaments most weekends in the spring. Still, after a lot of hard work indoors, the E-Wo are ready to play. "We can't wait to just get out there, get comfortable with our throws, and make some sweet plays," Kaplan said. The E-Wo have already scrimmaged MIT and Wellesley this season, putting forth good defensive showings in both matches. Terminus and College Southerns will give the E-Wo a good chance to gauge where they stand in the Northeast and the nation. "MIT looks like the team to beat," Braun said of the E-Wo's historical rival. A big difference for the E-Wo this spring could also be the addition of two new coaches, Sangwha Hong and Alicia Kersten. Both hail from Boston area club teams and will bring lots of experience and guidance to the E-Wo. "They've been awesome for us -- really helping us focus on the things we need to work on," Braun said.

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News

Engineering school entices undergrads to spend another year at Tufts

March 13

Although many students enjoy their undergraduate experience here, few could be convinced to stay for an extra year. But when the school offers half-price tuition for a fifth year and the opportunity to walk away with an engineering degree? For some students, it is an appealing option. For the second year, the engineering school has experienced a demand for its "Tufts-Plus" initiative, which offers University engineering students a minimum of a 50 percent discount on tuition for a fifth year if the students pursue their graduate studies at Tufts. "[Students participating in the program] just liked Tufts enough to stay," said David Friedman, a fifth year student in the program about to receive his masters. "If you enjoy yourself in a place and don't have a desire to move, you might as well stay. And it makes a lot of sense on the part of the engineering school. As part of the requirements, they want you to have had a good education at a good school. What better applicants than those from Tufts, where professors already know you and know you came from a good school?" Professor Vincent Manno, the Interim Dean of Engineering and a professor of mechanical engineering, leads the program. Manno said that there was little negotiation involved in starting this program, as "all parties agreed it was a good idea." Engineering students who had not already heard of the program were informed of its existence in an e-mail that was sent to all undergraduate engineers over the winter break of this year. Manno has already received letters of interest from undergraduates. However, it seems that many students are not even aware that there is a specific program that they are applying too in many cases. "I didn't chose Tufts because of the Tufts Plus program but because I thought Tufts would be the best match for what I wanted to achieve with a masters degree," one graduate student in the program said. "Not having to take any more standardized tests and having an easier application process probably helped as well in choosing Tufts; however, it wasn't the essential determining factor." The student said the 50 percent discount was "a very nice incentive" but he "did not make it [his] determining factor." The Mechanical Engineering department has six students seriously considering the program, according to professor Anil Saigal. Manno would like about 20 students to participate in the program each year. He said the 50 percent discount was not revolutionary. "Some form of financial aid to good full-time students is typical in graduate engineering programs," Manno said. "Our motivation was to attract our own students to pursue graduate studies for their own professional development and also to avail ourselves of a pool of qualified applicants. It's a win-win." The requirements demand that the student maintain at least a 3.0 GPA while at Tufts until the fall of his or her senior year, at which point most students apply to participate in the program. Students are only required to submit two letters of recommendation, as opposed to the usual three, and admission is decided on rolling basis. Manno believes that this program will add to the number of students retained by the University for graduate-level work. He also cited many other positive effects of the program, both for the student and for the University. "It gets people thinking about their future (post-BS) plans sooner," Manno said. "Also, this earlier engagement motivates students to get involved in research as undergraduates as a means of jump-starting their graduate programs." Civil Engineer freshman Abby Lillianfeld believes that the program is a great opportunity for University undergraduates. "If you enjoy your experience at Tufts, why not continue your education here?" Lillianfeld asked. "At this point I don't know if I want to pursue a Masters, but if I decide to, I will definitely apply to the program." Through the program, Tufts attracts students it may otherwise lose to other upper-tier graduate programs. Although it seems as though Tufts is losing a lot of money by footing half of the bill for all of the graduate students, they are in fact gaining far more in value. "Attracting the best graduate students is a challenge these days as Tufts competes among the strongest research universities such as MIT, Georgia Tech, Stanford and UCal-Berkeley," Manno said. The Tufts-Plus program gives Tufts a leg-up in the eyes of applicants.

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Nine teams jump out to a perfect 3-0 in intramural basketball

March 13

Well it's the ever-popular Friday before Spring Break recap of the world of Tufts intramural sports. While I'd like to believe the entire campus has been on the edge of its seat anticipating this article, I know that will probably not be the case seeing as how many people will be gone. However, I do applaud those who have postponed leaving for vacation until today just so they can get the latest information on the world of Tufts' sports. So without further ado, here's a recap of week three. First we'll start with basketball, which seems to be the most popular sport for people trying to tell me they are the next superstars. Successful teams thus far have been DU, Illest, Team Norton, Nematoda, JAP Funk All-Stars, Law, and Tappa Kegga, all having jumped out to sparkling 3-0 records. I imagine that steroids and other performance enhancing drugs are playing a major part in those strong starts, but maybe I'm just bitter because my team is 0-3 and is deemed as an "easy win" by many other teams. However, other teams should be wary of playing Noise Game in the future. Noise Game's major setback has been the loss of senior all-American forward Mike Plunkett, who has recently been sidelined with post-wisdom teeth surgery pains as well as Vicodin-induced migraines. However, we expect him back in full basketball shape for the second-half of the season. Luckily, we are not alone in this seething mass of depression considering teams like Funktronics, Ballers, and the Grizzlies are also sharing our losing ways with identical records. As for the other teams in the league, if they haven't already been listed, bets are they are probably 2-1 or 1-2. Additionally, Team Double Tree, a team comprised of swimmers, claims they deserve press despite their unremarkable 1-2 record. Double Tree sophomore Mike Schrimpf supposedly dropped 38 points on The Troops, including barraging them with 10 consecutive three pointers. "I dedicated the game to my roommate who couldn't make it due to an empty room, a fast Internet connection, and a box of Kleenex," Schrimpf said. "He was very happy for me afterwards, though, and gave me high fives with his right hand all day long." Soccer also presented some interesting match-ups that brought the entire Tufts community together in awe of the amazing spectacles. Among the many highlights was an intense 7-7 draw between the Mad Cows and Tappa Kegga. Bombshell also outlasted the Alkies 7-6, and although this hasn't been confirmed by any fact, I imagine that it ended in some sort of penalty kick shootout followed by mass spectator riots afterwards. In the two shutouts of the week, team Beers defeated Insanity 6-0 and I-House crushed Gorlin Gysts 7-0. The goalies from those two winning teams combined for over 50 saves over the weekend. If you are in a fantasy intramural league, one player to keep an eye on is senior Pete "Afropele" Shungu, who seems to finally be coming into his own. Adopting a graceful and electric style of play from France, where he studied last year, it is widely believed that he will be the league MVP despite missing the first few games due to a contract dispute with team management. "That Pete is so hot right now," an anonymous player said. Lastly, the sport that never gets enough publicity but always attracts the hottest ladies--intramural volleyball. It is difficult to present the volleyball season in depth seeing as how there are only 4 teams, but I have noticed that team Rico is dominating its opponents in winning both its matches 2-0. Well that's all for this week. The next set of games are scheduled for the weekend of the Mar. 29 and 30 so be ready for amazing post-Spring Break excitement.

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News

Public hearing on dangers of cigarette fires

March 13

The dangers of cigarette-related fires -- the cause of the fire that killed Tufts junior Wendy Carman -- was discussed at a public hearing at the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Safety yesterday. Lobbyists and advocacy groups are trying to push through the Moakley Bill, which would force cigarette companies to manufacture "self-extinguishing" cigarettes in an effort to prevent fires being caused by unattended cigarettes. Smoking is the leading cause of residential deaths due to fire in the nation, according to the Massachusetts Public Interest Group (MASSPIRG), at 33 percent. Last year, the bill was passed by the Senate, but failed to make it through the House of Representatives. But MASSPIRG is confident that the bill will make it all the way through this time around, said spokesman Brad Dakake. "This time, we hope to get this through both Houses and signed by the Governor, and hopefully prevent future tragedies like Wendy Carman," Dakake said. This year, the bill has garnered considerable support with over 100 co-sponsors in government, including 81 in the House. Yesterday's public hearing also heard Carman's friend Branden Yee speak about his experience losing a friend as a result of cigarette fires. "I would encourage others who smoke or know individuals who smoke to get involved," Yee said. Strangely, cigarette companies contend that the technology does not exist to produce self-extinguishing cigarettes even though they are currently being manufactured. Dakake said that cigarette companies are currently capable of producing these cigarettes after having researched ways to slow down and extinguish burning as early as the 1970s. Throughout the nation, state governments are moving towards the adoption of self-extinguishing cigarettes. A New York State law currently requires that only self-extinguishing cigarettes are sold. Similar bills are under consideration in Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. As well, cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris announced last year that it is backing the initiative to adopt a national standard requiring tobacco companies to produce only self-extinguishing cigarettes. The bill should not pose any financial burden on the government because affecting the changes should come out of the pockets of the tobacco companies, Dakake said. As for financial burden for the tobacco companies, Dakake seemed indifferent. "I'm sure there is some degree of cost to the tobacco company, but for a company that spends $26 million a day on advertising, I'm not really concerned about their bottom line," he said. MASSPIRG is a nonprofit group that describes itself as an "advocate for the public interest." The organization is funded by donations and grants, but does not accept corporate funds. The Moakley Bill was filed by Senator Cheryl Jacques and Representative Rachel Kaprielian.

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