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Some qualify for postseason in last meet

February 18

Though the event was non-scoring, the Tufts Stampede on Saturday proved a fruitful venture for the women's track and field team. A handful of Jumbos met postseason requirements and others improved on times that will move up their seed places. As the team heads into the Div. III Championships this weekend, it will have more options of who to put in each event given this past weekend's performances. "I'm pretty sure that more than half the team PRed," senior Kristen Munson said. "A lot of the team ran really well -- the 4x4 team ran well and in the 3K they had ridiculous PRs -- basically everyone puts it on the line because it's a last chance meet. People just ran smart." The distance squad put forth performances of note, in the 1000, 1500, and 3000 meter runs. Senior Mary Nodine finished third in the 1000, with a time of 3:10.04 -- about five seconds behind the nearest NESCAC foe in Amherst sophomore Carter Hamill, who took top honors in the event. Sophomore Emily Pfeil and senior Megan DiBiase qualified for Div. III's in the 1000 with their marks of 3:15.65 and 3:15.83, respectively. In the 3000, junior Lauren Caputo and senior Danielle Perrin both posted significant PRs en route to a one-two finish with times of 10:30.72 and 10:37.20. Similarly, in the 1500, freshman Becca Ades (5:02.45) and senior Ashley Peterson (5:02.88) set PRs by five seconds as they garnered third and fourth places overall. These results give the distance squad a stronger presence at Div. III's as more people qualified and others bettered their times. "It went well, we had some great performances. Getting a few more people qualified was great, everyone made little improvements," coach Kristen Morwick said. Junior Jessica Trombly tied the school record and won the 200 with a time of 25.75 seconds. Freshman Rachel Bloom also snagged a PR in the event, ending up two spots behind Trombly at 26.36. Fellow sprinter, sophomore Ayako Sawanobori, was the lone Jumbo representative in the 55 dash. Her time of 7.86 was slightly faster than she normally runs it and was good for sixth place. The Jumbos had four people in the top eight in the 600, more than any other team. Junior Emily Bersin was the top Jumbo finisher, coming in second at 1:40.74, and improved her qualifying time. Next was sophomore Claudia Clarke in 1:41.77, two spots behind Bersin. Freshman Daniela Fairchild (1:43.25) and junior Christine Hendrickson (1:43.95) crossed the line at sixth and seventh respectively. Though the pentathlon has only been present in one meet this season, by meeting times in the five individual events, three Jumbos were able to qualify for the event. Freshman Megan Sears did so at the Stampede, and she will be joined by sophomore Melissa Graveley and junior Amy Spiker this coming weekend. Of the three, Graveley is the only one to have done a pentathlon this season, but both Sears and Spiker have competed in heptathlons in the past and are used to multi-events. Before the Stampede, junior co-captain Jessica Gauthier was entered as the sole competitor in the weight throw. However, due to their efforts this past weekend, sophomore Jessica Colby and junior Gwen Campbell will be joining Gauthier in the event. Their lobs of 42' 4.25'' and 41' 5.25'' put them at seventh and ninth overall. With the regular season over, coach Morwick has until Wednesday to make her final roster for the upcoming Div. III Championship. Though there will be some tough choices to be made, what remains to be done this week is to confirm who will be participating in each event as the team makes a run for the top three. "I would expect nothing else from us right now, we'll be top three next weekend if people perform the way they have been," Munson said. "[The Tufts Stampede was] non-scoring so it's hard to assess in that way, but based on people's personal performances we're where we should be."

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News

Provost supports new undergraduate research opportunities

February 18

Provost Jamshed Bharucha has expressed his support for increasing the prevalence of research among undergraduate students, a recommendation recently made by the Task Force on the Undergraduate Experience in its second interim report. "Small liberal arts colleges have strong teaching but don't have the research base. Large research universities have the reverse," Bharucha said. "Tufts has both, and we should build on this unique character." The Task Force's second report calls for a much broader and more inclusive program for undergraduate research opportunities. "We propose a program that would encourage and support undergraduate engagement in research and other kinds of engaged learning as informed by the developmental model," the Task Force said in its report. Increased research opportunities will promote stronger bonds between faculty and students, help students learn leadership skills, and allow graduate students from the other schools within the University to come into closer contact with undergraduates in Arts, Sciences and Engineering, according to the Task Force. Students who head their own research projects can also learn valuable skills that a classroom setting cannot provide. Such a complete learning opportunity can become "personally meaningful and contextual," Bharucha said. Many students also endorse these new opportunities. "I think research is an excellent opportunity for us to have a graduate-level experience in an undergraduate setting," said sophomore Lauren Fein, who participated in the Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship (EPIIC) symposium this year. Research is also a great way to connect with Tufts alumni, Fein said, because of the University's wide range of alumni careers and connections. "It seems like there is an alum everywhere," Fein said. In order to promote greater participation in research opportunities, the Task Force recommended that avenues for projects become more encompassing and inclusive. "We do not want research to be construed in any narrowly defined disciplinary sense, but to be understood as applying equally to the different types of work produced in the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, and technological fields," the interim report said. Though there are already opportunities in place which provide students with research avenues, such as the Institute for Global Leadership, the Task Force seeks to create an emphasis on new opportunities, as well as make more funds available to finance student projects. Students currently have recourse for research support through the Institute of Global Leadership, which encompasses EPIIC and the Tufts Institute for Leadership and International Perspectives (TILIP). Sophomore Elliot Hirshon and freshman Kari McIntyre, who were a part of the EPIIC program this year, hope to use EPIIC and University funding to travel to Australia over spring break to study restrictive governmental immigration policies towards refugees. "We want to see whether the government is using immigration policies to fuel a false sense of insecurity in order to hold a political position," Hirshon said. "All across the world, you see a harsher immigration policy. We'd like to see if Australia's new procedures are going to be the norm or if they will stand out as excessive." If Hirshon and MacIntyre receive sufficient funding, they will travel to Australia and create a documentary by interviewing officials, reporters and the Australian public about the new policies. Hirshon and MacIntyre will also present their findings at the Undergraduate Research Symposium on March 29, which typically includes about 40 students who present their projects. Students who show their work at the symposium participated in EPIIC, TILIP, or found other avenues for research. Students who have conducted research often agree with the benefits ascribed to it by Bharucha and the Task Force. "This was a very valuable experience to have as an undergraduate," MacIntyre said.

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News

Myriad of qualifications for men's track and field team

February 18

The regular track and field season concluded on Saturday with the "Last Chance" meet at the Gantcher Center. With the championship meets commencing this weekend, the men's track team came away from their final scheduled meet with several additional qualifying efforts to add to the season's haul. Freshman Will Heitmann and junior Adrian Clarke both made 13 feet (3.96 meters) in the pole vault and qualified for this weekend's Div. III championships at Bowdoin. The pair joins freshman Seth LaPierre (4.96 meters), who had already qualified through to the ECAC's, to be held in early March. This gives the Jumbos' three pole-vaulters with championship qualification. With their current form, the duo of Heitmann and Clarke could also join LaPierre at the ECAC's. "The vaulters had a really good meet," LaPierre said. "[Heitmann and Clarke] have got the height to qualify for the ECAC's. They've both improved a lot the last couple weeks." LaPierre's season has been particularly impressive, considering he missed the first three meets of the season with a broken ankle. "I always kept optimistic," LaPierre said. "It feels really good to qualify." In the 1500m run, junior Peter Bromka ran a personal best 4:04.35, which should be good enough for a provisional standard at the Div. III championships. Senior tri-captain Adam Sharp also ran a team best 2:34.40 in the 1000, giving him four qualifying times, including the 1500, Mile and 800. The distance medley relay (DMR) team ran a 10:22.44 _ one of the top three or four times in New England _ giving it a strong position going into this weekend. "Sharp will probably run the 1500-1000 double," coach Connie Putnam said. "It will work out quite nicely; we'll be able to run [freshman Kyle] Doran in the DMR. We basically came away with a great seed time in the DMR, that's what we wanted." Sophomore Ray Carre (50.19 seconds) knocked one tenth of a second off of his Div. I 400 meter dash qualification time. Freshman Michael Cummings (8:53.38) also improved on his 3000 qualification time, slicing off almost two seconds. Fellow freshman Pat Mahoney (1:24.08), running the 600 meter dash for the first time this season, made provisional standard for the Div. III's. It was the third fastest time of the season for the Jumbos, behind freshman Shawn Hansberry (school record of 1:22.49) and senior Bryant Coen (1:23.17). With many athletes already qualified for championship meets, Putnam entered runners in other events in an attempt to gain additional qualifications. In the 800, Hansberry (2:00.80) led a field of four Jumbos trying to join Sharp in the event. While all four were unsuccessful, Putnam attributed the result to the entire team's mindset with the championships approaching. "Things didn't work out as good as I'd hoped [in the 800]," Putnam said. "Overall, I think the guys were in two minds. In one mind they were trying to go a little faster, but in the other mind they were trying to stay healthy." Sophomore Dan March (14.14 meters) set a personal record in the weight throw, as did freshmen Jason Galvin (12.64m) and Brandon Udelhofen (12.07m). March will be entered in the championships provisionally for certain, according to Putnam, although the team does not know for sure whether he will be able to compete. That will be determined by the rest of the field. Sophomore Nate Thompson (6.68 meters) improved his ECAC-qualifying long jump mark by six centimeters. Rated by Putnam as one of the top five or six long jumpers in New England, Thompson also won the triple jump and finished second behind senior tri-captain Bryan Pitko (7.75 seconds) in the 55 meter hurdles. Thompson's triple jump mark (12.57m) was not enough to qualify, however he will still be heading to the Div. I's in the hurdles. "It's a really cool meet to go to for the experience. To be able to compete with athletes of that caliber is really cool," Thompson said. "The season's gone really well so far for us. We've come a long way. We've had a few injuries, but we've pulled through because a lot of people have stepped up."

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News

Fair-weather voters

February 18

Across the world last weekend, demonstrators gathered to protest the proposed US war against Iraq. Some people are sure that war against Iraq is the wrong thing to do. Others, many of them currently residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, are sure that war against Iraq is the right thing to do. The vast majority of the American population is stuck in the only position that really makes any sense: they aren't sure. And since this is a democracy, it's the majority that matters. The popularity of this war will be determined not by what people think now, but by what happens once the war starts. It's easy to forget now, but what people now remember as the crowning moments of American glory -- victory in the Revolutionary War, victory after World War I, victory after World War II, weren't popular in 1776, 1916, or 1938. Woodrow Wilson won the 1916 election on the platform that he would keep the US out of war in Europe. Likewise Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1938 acted similarly in regard to World War II. It took Pearl Harbor to convince the US to enter declare war against Japan, and even then it did not declare war on Germany (Germany declared war on the US first). Some even argue that FDR knowingly let Pearl Harbor happen in order to get the US into the war. Only about a third of colonial America was in favor of going to war with Britain over taxation without representation. Another third was pro-British, and the rest were caught somewhere in the middle. Most of the world gave the United States no chance against the British Empire. But after it all worked out so well, people started jumping on the bandwagon, and the Revolutionary War attained its privileged place in US history. In the mid-teens and the early '40s, Americans sat and watched as European nations bludgeoned each other on the continent. Most Americans were more than happy to let the Europeans have at it and stay out of the mess themselves. But despite their ambivalence at the onset of these wars, the American people were quick to jump on the bandwagon once the war effort was underway. Soldiers fought bravely and society and industry were transformed into a war machine. Each World War added immensely to US power, prestige, and influence. Moreover, the consequences of Germany winning either war are frightening. After World War II, the United States held more power than any nation in world history. Despite being pushed into World War II, Americans were very glad to have entered into it once it was over and won. The last war in Iraq followed the same script. The public was divided on whether or not to go to war, if not slightly opposed to the idea. But once American aircraft started exploding Iraqi tanks live on CNN, with minimal US casualties, everyone agreed it was a good idea. Bush's popularity soared. Only very few people on the far left question the righteousness of that war today. In fact, most consider America's only mistake to have been not finishing off Saddam while they had the chance. The war in Vietnam started with similar ambivalence from the public. The public was generally uninformed and unsupportive. Once the war started going badly, the public became more informed, and also more unsupportive. Unsuccessful wars are unpopular. But if the war had gone well, there is no doubt voters would have been ecstatic about it. Is the current war in Iraq a good idea? If the military runs into problems, and we're caught there for years, voters will look back on an administration that was careless in its use of military might, and insensitive to the public's concerns. In that case, war against Iraq is a bad idea. But if we can win it easily, voters will agree that it was always an outstanding idea and only radical leftists were ever opposed to the war. They hemmed and hawed, but the real Americans were always in favor of action against Iraq. Successful wars are never unpopular. The point is, it's not principles that matter to American voters (or any voters, I would guess), it's results. Which is why no matter how hard the left protests, no matter how many doubts are raised over the threat posed by Iraq or the connection between Iraq and al Qaeda, it will be the outcome of the war, not its circumstances, that determine its place in the opinions of the American people. The obvious problem is that we don't yet know whether the war will be successful or unsuccessful. Which is why any reasonable person has to be unsure about whether the war is a good or a bad idea. So is George W. a modern-day Lyndon Johnson, pushing the country into an interminable conflict which saps US strength for years? Or is German leader Gerhard Schroder, opposed to war in Iraq, a Neville Chamberlin, appeasing a belligerent power for the sake of peace? Only time will tell.

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News

To Walk Out or Not?

February 18

If the United States attacks Iraq, professors and students who oppose the war are planning a walkout, a move that is already stirring controversy on campus. According to a plan created by the Tufts Coalition to Oppose the War with Iraq (TCOWI), after an attack is declared, students and professors who oppose the war will walk out of classes and go to Goddard Chapel to join in a teach-in. The teach-in will include discussion groups and anti-war speeches from participating professors, who will focus on their areas of expertise. According to TCOWI organizers, the walkout and teach-in will demonstrate opposition to President Bush's foreign policy. So far, about 20 professors and 30 students have signed the online pledge to join the walkout, and that number is expected to increase. History Professor Steve Marrone, a supporter of the walkout, stressed the importance of faculty involvement. "The consequences of this war will be so great that it requires an active public reaction, especially from those inside the educational system," said Marrone. "This subject is of extraordinary importance and needs to be addressed by both students and professors." According to TCOWI member Phil Martin, walkouts offer an alternative form of expressing resistance. "Walkouts are a way for people to get involved who may not feel comfortable protesting and want a more passive way to resist," said Martin. However, people who don't support the walkout argue that the moratorium will affect all students regardless of their opinions on war. "For those of us who are not directly opposed to the war, it's a disruption," said freshman Sheena Harris. "I don't necessarily feel it violates my rights, but it is a hindrance of sorts on classes." Brian Goff, another student who plans not to participate agreed. "I feel there are just so many more constructive ways to demonstrate," Goff said. "A walkout alienates groups that are not willing to penalize both their education and the money spent on education, whether they oppose the war or not." Rebecca Batchelder, student organizer for TCOWI, sees the walkout as an educational opportunity, not a disruption. "We are not calling for the canceling of classes," she said. "Rather, we are requesting that classes revolve around this issue. It is the duty of professors to educate students about matters that are relevant to the world." In order to address concerns his students might have, Professor Marrone has discussed the issue with each of his classes. He has emphasized the importance of students' awareness of relevant current events and the responsibility of professors to involve themselves in making students aware. Marrone said students in his classes felt the walkout was an acceptable measure. TCOWI emphasizes that the purpose of the chapel teach-in is to offer the opportunity for students whose teachers are not participating to learn more about the attack, and to join in group discussion.

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News

New outreach bylaw to change senators' responsibilities

February 18

After nearly three months of drafting, discussion and fine-tuning, members of the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate voted to pass the Outreach Responsibilities bylaw two weeks ago. Momentum for the legislation slowly grew out of general dissatisfaction with relations between the Senate and the student body. The bylaw outlines an intense commitment on the part of each senator to his or her assigned student groups. "Senators will go to their organizations' meetings at a reasonable and regular interval," and stay up-to-date on their organizations' activities, the bylaw states. Failure to live up to these expectations can result in disciplinary action by the Senate according to its bylaws and constitution. "Over the past few years, there have been various efforts to change how students are represented by people on Senate," said sophomore senator Chike Aguh, who coauthored the bylaw. "Many people saw that there was a root problem with people not having faith in the Senate." The first steps toward the bylaw's implementation will begin with a two-week period during which senators will gather information about TCU Judiciary-recognized student organizations. After initial data have been collected, senators will pick between five and seven organizations to be responsible for, a process that will ultimately be accepted or rejected by the Senate's Executive Board. Given that only a handful of Senate meetings remain this academic year, senators will focus on "working out the kinks" of the bylaw in preparation for complete implementation next fall, Senate Vice President Andrew Potts said. The bylaw is currently at the level of the Senate's Executive Board, but the Senate will "do the best it can to enact [the bylaw] in its full spirit," he said. The logistical regulations attempt to capture the spirit of the bylaw, which is to shape the role of the senator into a liaison between student groups, the Senate, and the administration. Additionally, senators will be "first responders" to their organization's complaints and answer any questions pertaining to Tufts policies and the TCU Constitution. Another section of the bylaw establishes "culture clusters" to address the issues raised by culture groups. The clusters would consist of one member of the Culture, Ethnicity, and Community Affairs (CECA) committee and at least two other senators. This arrangement will preserve the powers of the culture representatives while connecting more senators with the significant portion of the student body represented by culture groups, said freshman senator Dave Baumwoll, who also coauthored the bylaw. The Outreach Responsibilities bylaw was inspired by a CECA bylaw that assigned senators to be responsible for groups within CECA, Aguh said. The introduction of these bylaws served as a kind of "test" from which the Senate used feedback to craft the current bylaw, according to Aguh. The bylaw's creation was steered by Potts and former TCU President Melissa Carson, but concerns voiced by many senators affected its final form. "Some [senators] had questions about the accountability and enforcement," Aguh said. "I think we dealt with those issues pretty well." Although it will ultimately be up to the student groups to accept or refuse the Senators' services, the bylaw will make the Senate generally "more visible and available," Baumwoll said. The new bylaw represents a major change in senators' tasks as well, since they will now be required to attend groups' meetings and maintain contacts with them. It remains to be seen whether potential senators will be less likely to take on the added work. "When people run for Senate, they'll know that these are their responsibilities," Aguh said. "Hopefully, we'll get the right types of people to make changes." Most senators are not expecting the bylaw to be a cure-all. "I don't expect [the bylaw] to fix all problems this year, next year, or even before I graduate," Aguh said. "Hopefully, this will be a long term goal that can be achieved."

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News

Tufts Libraries suffer from RoweCom bankruptcy

February 18

Tufts' Health Sciences library risks losing almost $700,000 after the company it relied on to provide journal subscriptions filed for bankruptcy last month without completely fulfilling the subscriptions. The company, RoweCom, Inc., left over 1,000 research institutions and other creditors with combined losses of at least $73.7 million. The Health Sciences Library ranked 13th on RoweCom's list of creditors, and is owed an estimated $689,523. Tisch, Ginn and the Music libraries are also owed $1.75 million, although they paid the money into an escrow account and will be able to recover what they are owed. For over 40 years, the libraries relied on Faxon, which was recently acquired by RoweCom, to handle their demands for printed journals and news. Faxon lessened the administrative burden of dealing with subscriptions by accepting Tufts' subscription dues in one lumps sum and then paying individual publishers, who sent subscriptions to Tufts. But problems arose when RoweCom's parent company, Divine Inc. allegedly transferred $73.7 million from RoweCom to itself. Tufts and others have pre-paid RoweCom for thousands of journal subscriptions, but Divine allegedly absorbed the money before it ever reached the publishers. As a result, publishers either have stopped or will stop the libraries' subscriptions. According to lawyers, RoweCom is simultaneously filing for bankruptcy and suing its parent company to recover the money. Anthony Kodzis, Tisch Library Acquisition Manager, said librarians everywhere are calling the situation the "Enron of the library world." Eric Albright, Director of the Health Sciences Library, said the library started consulting with lawyers in December, when Divine announced its intent to divest RoweCom. "We've created some contingency plans," he said. But with the legal claims pending, the library could lose its $690,000. "[We] really don't know what's happening yet," he said. All four libraries at Tufts that used RoweCom risk interrupted journal subscriptions. "It is not clear how many printed journal subscriptions will be affected or how long issues for specific titles may stop as a result of the Faxon bankruptcy," Director of Tisch Library Jo-Ann Michalak wrote in an e-mail memo on Feb. 3. To overcome the lack of availability, Michalak urged library users to utilize the borrowing services offered through the library's website, assuring them that "Document Delivery staff will obtain the material for you." Both Kodzis and Albright noted that the crisis highlights the benefits of Internet-accessible resources. If anything, Albright said, the crisis is "accelerating our shift to electronic access." But some publishers appear to be taking advantage of the struggle between Divine and RoweCom by asking library administrators to commit to unusually long-term subscription agreements in order to maintain continuous service. "It's not to our advantage to tie ourselves up like that," said Kodzis, in reference to an offer he had received that required a two-year commitment to both paper and online subscriptions of a journal. "Only the New England Journal of Medicine has offered us a year without payment that is not contingent on subscription renewal," he said. The university libraries have begun to search for a company to replace the subscriptions services RoweCom once provided. Three days before RoweCom filed for bankruptcy, Swets Blackwell, a Dutch company that had spent two months in negotiations with Divine representatives, withdrew its bid to buy the struggling subsidiary, citing "key conditions, including the resolution of at least $50 million in prepayments and the ability to offer customers uninterrupted service, would not be met by parent company Divine." After the Swets Blackwell deal soured, Atlanta-based Ebsco Industries signed a non-binding letter of intent to purchase RoweCom. But Ebsco's proposed offer is pending a satisfactory solution to the crisis between RoweCom and Divine. However, officials from Divine told The Chicago Sun-Times that this scenario is unlikely, given RoweCom's bankruptcy. Divine's stock, which traded at $18.75 a share last March, closed at 35 cents on Friday.

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News

First round loss ousts Jumbos from Walker Cup

February 18

The women's squash team took on a familiar nemesis _ an ailing lineup _ this weekend as the curtain fell on its regular season. On the heels of back-to-back wins with a full squad, the fourth seeded Jumbos streaked into the Walker Cup, the national championship for teams ranked 17-24 in the country, only to have their run halted by a 7-2 upset by William Smith on Friday at Yale University. After the initial loss, however, the team managed to rebound with two more wins in the losers' bracket of the tournament. The Jumbos quickly regrouped after Friday's setback against William Smith, defeating Haverford on Saturday 5-4 and Hamilton on Sunday by the same score to close out the season. Earlier in the week, Tufts fell to the would-be number one seed in the Walker Cup, Wellesley 8-1. With a 2-1 overall record in the tournament, the Jumbos rebounded from the disappointing loss and claimed the 21st spot nationally, with a final record of 7-13. The absence of number five player Zoe Bolesta coupled with senior co-captain and number two player Abi Cushman's illness enfeebled the Jumbos lineup. "I was sick," Cushman said. "I was really tired and I wasn't running very well at all. These are things you can't have in squash." The results attest to Cushman's struggles. She only managed to win a single game, dropping all three of the matches she played at the Walker Cup. The Jumbos had seven of their top nine players at full strength in the match, which paved the way for the William Smith's 7-2 first round upset. Despite the early setback, the weekend's matches exemplified some of the Jumbos' most electrifying squash of the year. In the team's final match of the season on Sunday, the Jumbos managed a 5-4 win against Hamilton. Junior A.J. Crane overcame 2-9 and 1-9 losses in the third and fourth games, pushing her match to the five game limit. "At the time we were down 4-3 as a team," Eng said. "And then she was down 6-1 in the fifth game. It was a great comeback." Crane's miraculous about-face evened the match and turned the tide, paving the way for the Jumbo victory. Senior co-captain Winnie So continued her stellar play at the number one spot in her last matches at Tufts. She went undefeated at the Walker Cup, extending her streak to eight straight singles victories. In the deciding match against Haverford on Saturday, sophomore Nida Ghouse's 3-1 win at the fourth spot sent the Jumbos into the finals of the losers' bracket. "Nida's was the critical match," Eng said. "She had very tight balls. She was the hero of the second day." After losing to Haverford's Katie Crozier two weeks prior, Ghouse changed her style. "I was pretty tense in matches all season," Ghouse said. "I just concentrated on loosening up. I had a marked difference in play in practices and in the matches. Not thinking was what I was trying to do." The changes proved effective as Ghouse emerged victorious. Her performance spurred the team in a match that was closer than expected. "We expected to beat Haverford," Cushman said. "But, they'd gotten a lot better." After their climactic 8-1 win over the ailing William Smith team that was short two key players on Feb. 2, the tables turned on the Jumbos and their incomplete lineup as they fell in the rematch, 7-2. Although disappointed with the loss, the Jumbos responded quickly with two close victories. Rallying his troops after the initial disappointment, Eng put the match into perspective. "We just got to move on," Eng said. "Play one match at a time. That one is over." Despite the tough end to the team's Walker Cup hopes, the Jumbos recovered and put together some of the season's best squash in the final few matches. "Some played well and some didn't," Eng said. "In the matches against Hamilton and Haverford, we played some of the best squash of the year." Late-season performances put in by So and others provided the spark that ignited the Jumbos turnaround, reversing a dismal 2-11 start to the season, with a 5-3 record down the home stretch. "We do what we can do," Eng said. "We played really well against Hamilton and Haverford. I couldn't be happier with the performances."

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News

Soulive and Redman Light Up the Bottom of the Hill

February 17

Sunday night Joshua Redman and Soulive transformed Cohen Auditorium from its normal lecture hall atmosphere to the vibrant and pulsating platform on which today's jazz is standing. Background smoke and lights accompanied these performers as the jazz show pooled in aspects of an array of music that sparked great excitement through the Tufts audience. The first performance of Joshua Redman (saxophone), Marcus Baylor (drums), and Sam Yahel (Hammond B3 organ) embodied the traditional jazz feeling experienced at Tufts Winter Jazz Shows of the past, with the simple twist of a 70's era funk. Redman played around with a setup of peddles that included a delayed sound making his sax seem like two and sometimes even three other saxophones playing at the same time. Redman's "Birthday Song" had the special effects of a boomerang peddle, which allowed him to loop the measure(s) he had just played and continue playing new sounds on top of that. This loop continued, in silence, through the song and was brought back at the end in lieu of repeating the main theme himself. Beside his amazing peddle work, Redman kept the crowd interested with his never-say-stop playing. When he was not blowing and dancing to his own saxophone, he journeyed over to Soulive's Neil Evan's organ. His versatility on more than just the saxophone proved that he is a man of incredible musical talent. If Joshua Redman had the audience bobbing its head, Soulive had the crowd moving full force. After the intermission, during which the 300th Simpson episode played on a large screen, Concert Board co-chairs Jordan Kolasinski and Ariel Santos told the crowd to "get up and dance." As the concertgoers in Cohen Auditorium flooded the area between the seats and the stage, the band played two songs from its upcoming live album entitled A Live One, due out in April. This should embody the real character of Soulive. Live performances are where the band members blossom and "do [their] thing" says drummer Alan Evans. In front of the smoke machines, the sweat and soul poured off the members of the band and ignited the moving bodies in the pit of Cohen Auditorium. Soulive came to Tufts after a tour in Japan, two runs with The Dave Matthews Band, and a whole bunch of summer hippie-oriented festivals. The band's meshing of soul, funk, R&B, Hip-Hop, Rock, and of course Jazz has opened it to varieties of audiences. Soulive's fan-base has spread and it is formed from attendees of their live performances. As to whether they consider themselves jazz, members of Soulive are not reticent to say that their Blue Note label is just a label. It just happened that Blue Note signed them first, "maybe things would have been different had we signed with another label," drummer Alan Evans said. But as long as they are able to do what they love and people enjoy it, members of Soulive will continue taking jazz to new extremes and opening doors for new audiences. The Jazz Concert proved that the many varieties existing in the jazz world are growing in different directions. Redman's conventional approach with his own taste of funk and rock along with Soulive's mix of contrasting styles congealed nicely in Cohen Auditorium After the show, both Concert Board Co-Chairs were pleased with the performance. "The show could not have gone any better," Kolasinski said. "The crowd was loving both Joshua Redman and Soulive, and the dancing brought an incredible energy to Cohen." The addition of dancing to the show seemed to bring a whole new level to the show. "I don't think Cohen has ever really gotten that crazy, and it was crazy," Santos said.

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News

Love letter to Building 19

February 17

I have a secret, and secrets are lots of fun. So I hope that you appreciate that, in a sudden and uncharacteristic fit of generosity, I've decided to share it with you. There's a store called Building 19 that sells ordinary stuff at extraordinarily low prices. It's dirty, it's cheap, and it's one of the stranger places you'll find in Somerville. If you haven't been there, get together some friends and organize a field trip. Really. I don't expect you to be convinced by that quick pitch, though, so I'm going to have to explain to you bit by bit just why Building 19 is so inspired. You won't understand it until you go there yourself, but if I get you to take that first step, I'll feel like I've made a difference. Why the gushing support? Do I get kickbacks from the Building? No. I'm just so impressed by it that I want to see it thrive and grow. It's like having a favorite neighborhood restaurant that you tell all your friends about because you want it to stay in business. I'm really just being selfish. But hey! Shopping there can save you money, and it's never short of entertaining. You win, I win. I love digging through thrift stores for clothes, and I love buying household supplies at dollar stores. Building 19 is like a combination of the two _ it has clothes and books in addition to the food, tools, and trinkets you'd expect from a dollar store. It also has a wider price range _ you'd never find furniture above one-tenth scale in a dollar store. The variety of consumable and durable goods defies any traditional classification. Building 19 isn't a department store or a grocery store or a furniture store or a bookstore or a hardware store. It's a wonderful, magical place. Getting there is something of a laugh. Building 19 is in Assembly Square past the K-Mart. And I mean way past. You drive by some empty commercial spaces, and all the way at the far end of the parking lot there's a sad little entrance with a sad little sign. And it's a pretty sad store. It's a large warehouse, partitioned off into rough sections with bins and racks of partially-sorted goods. People who look like they might do all of their shopping there shuffle up and down the aisles without making eye contact or talking to anyone. The shopping carts don't match because they've all been stolen from other stores. I'll admit that some of the food is legitimately scary. Who buys an open box of pasta or chocolate fortune cookies? Maybe I don't understand the technology behind miniature boxed pies, but considering that everything at Building 19 seems, well, vintage, I can't imagine that there'd be anything left in those pies that I'd want to eat. Cheap is good, but edible is better. Then there's the weird stuff. Bear in mind that discontinued and expired items find their way to Building 19 _ you can find phased-out varieties of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, unpopular applesauce blends, boxes of ancient cereal. Making a meal out of Building 19 ingredients can be a fun game by itself. Take one family-size box of SpongeBob SquarePants Macaroni and Cheese (with ocean-blue cheese sauce!), a box of Stoned Wheat Thins, a dented can of fruit cocktail, and a bag of slightly dry chocolate-covered pretzels, and you've got a classy extravaganza for two (or one, if you're in the mood to get really ill). See how long you can live only with Building 19 food. My bet is less than a week _ not because you'd get bored and have to eat something else but for basic reasons of health and nutrition. But if you aren't going for shock or comedy value, there's also some perfectly good food. Get basics like jelly or beef broth or teriyaki sauce for a third of the usual price, or dig through a bin to find discontinued Emeril spices on the cheap. Dented cans are perfectly fine (botulism is in bulging cans, not dented ones), and it's not as though canned fruit goes bad. The candy selection is remarkable, ranging from the aforementioned chocolate-covered pretzels to the one-pound bags of bizarrely flavored sour gummies. And there are things you can't find anywhere else, too, like gummy cell phones, gummy spiders, gummy penguins, and pretty much anything else gummy that you might want. The sour gummies are the most intriguing, though. Normally, everyone wants red gummy bears _ cherry and strawberry being the best flavors of everything. Not this time, though. I don't know what flavor the red ones are supposed to have here, but it's nasty. Whoever set up the flavor-and-dye combinations at the factory didn't follow standard candy conventions at all. But don't think this is some low-end answer to wholesale clubs. No, Building 19 is so much more. The hardware section is full of good deals on things you want and things no one should want. Some of it's pretty useless, like steering-wheel covers and heart-shaped trashcans (perfect only for belated Valentine's), but there are sets of tools, boxes of candles, toaster ovens, extension cords, car equipment...it isn't worth listing everything. It's enough to say that Building 19 has everything a college student really needs from a hardware or department store, only cheaper. There's furniture, but it's mostly real furniture. Getting one of these couches for $300 is a pretty good deal, but I don't see many college students getting themselves in that deep. You want furniture, drive around Somerville the night before trash collection. But the housewares! The cooking supplies are as good as those you can find elsewhere, and the nonstick baking pans are seriously cheap. Pillows, sheets, and blankets (some slightly irregular) are all bargain-priced. There are cheap rugs and expensive rugs and rugs shaped like tigers. I could go on, but you're probably starting to get the idea. I can't recommend this place enough. It's worth the trip for sheer entertainment value. Go there with $10, and you'll find plenty of things that grab your interest. At best, you could walk out with some amazing furniture. At worst, you'll have some sour gummies and a calendar with pictures of pigs. Either way, I can't imagine you being bored.

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News

A new perspective

February 17

The spring brings waves of students back from their semesters abroad with greater understandings, expanded world views, and -- above all -- new perspectives. Any returning student will say that his experience in other parts of the world has opened his eyes in ways living at home never could. When I returned from Kenya this past summer, my life suddenly looked very different. The time that I spent in the African plains showed me a side of existence I had never seen before: a careful balance between the beauty of nature, and the hardships of the third world. I was blessed -- and burdened -- with an entirely new perspective on the things I thought I knew. My newfound cognizance did pose a temporary philosophical setback. It took a while before I realized, for instance, that buying a burger for six bucks and not finishing all of it didn't make me evil, just full. But ultimately I felt enlightened. I needed time, though, to reconcile what I had seen with what I was seeing. When I reentered my life in the States everything seemed to me utterly perverse. I read an article in People magazine that divulged the hair-styling secrets of some of our favorite celebrities. While the Maasai tribesmen near our camp in Kenya were struggling to feed their families maize and beans, actresses over here were spending tens of thousands of dollars on cuts, colors and products to create the perfect coif for the cameras. In fact, by my calculations, for the price Heather Locklear pays for a haircut every six weeks, she could send one hundred Kenyan children to primary school for a year. Meanwhile, I was scraping shampoo out of old hotel bottles because I couldn't justify to myself buying Herbal Essences for five dollars a pop. I turned on my friends for taking cabs, on my family for buying a DVD player, and on myself for feeling the need to spend money I didn't think I deserved in the first place. My introspection had turned destructive. What I learned, finally, was that I couldn't compare every aspect of my life to what I had seen in Kenya. I didn't need to forget -- I couldn't forget -- but not taking advantage of the opportunities this country has to offer was just as much an affront as taking them completely for granted. After three months in a land that barely seemed real and the following three months in a home I didn't recognize, I came away with a much more informed, indeed illuminated, view of the world around me. My time abroad showed me that exposure to things outside of one's understanding can have an enormous impact on one's outlook. But recently it has dawned on me that the value of perspective does not lay solely in an earth-shattering rearrangement of personal conceptions. Rather, a new point of view can be gained every day, in the simplest things we constantly gloss over. Consider the winter. Within the last few weeks, temperatures have been far below freezing. At times it was too cold to snow -- something I'd never even thought could happen. There have been days, however, when the weather has been considerably warmer. On such days, almost instantaneously, I and others like me shed our arctic layers in celebration, in defiance. Looking out a classroom window last week I actually saw a man in no more than jeans and a T-shirt. Go figure. But I knew something was truly off when I heard these words spill from my lips: "It got all the way up to 29 today." 29 degrees Fahrenheit. I was stunned at my own enthusiasm. Born and raised in Manhattan, I'm not exactly accustomed to tundra conditions, and yet the idea that it might hit freezing soon was actually exciting. Later, I pondered the situation. My roommates and I thought back to last semester. In November, say, 29 degrees would have kept us in the house, huddled under blankets, complaining incessantly about Boston weather patterns. But now it was like a godsend. What had changed? Simply put, our perspective, a mere month or so of cold had changed our standards of warmth, standards that we had probably set unconsciously as we went along. And so I wonder: if something as little as a low front or an icy sidewalk can show us that things may not be as they seem, how much is out there to help us understand our world better? All it takes is a little perspective.

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News

Women's basketball team splits weekend games

February 17

The women's basketball team went 1-1 over the weekend at Cousens Gym , with a 69-61 loss to Williams and a 69-58 win against Middlebury. The victory against Middlebury was Tufts' first since the two teams started playing each other annually ten years ago. Despite the loss to Williams, the team still earned the sixth seed in the NESCAC playoffs. Saturday's game against Williams was especially heartbreaking for the Jumbos. It was senior captain Hillary Dunn's final game at Cousens Gym and the team lost after having a 16 point lead with 18 minutes left in the game. Six minutes later, Tufts still had the contest under control with a ten-point lead, but Williams kept shaving points off. With ten minutes remaining, Williams' sophomore Kerri McMahon converted on two free throws to cut Tufts' advantage to five points, 52-47. At this point, Ephs fans started to smell blood and Tufts was missing shots, fouling its opponents, and, in Dunn's opinion, not playing as strong defense as it did in the first half when they led the game by ten at the break. "They came out strong in the second," Dunn said. "We had letdowns on offense and defense. We could have played smarter in the second. They threw junk defenses at us and we didn't handle it." After back and forth play, Williams stayed in striking distance, never falling more than five points behind the Jumbos. Finally, at the 5:37 mark Williams edged ahead to enjoy its first lead since the first half with a 60-59 advantage. The Ephs did not fall behind after that point, in fact only four points total were scored in the last three minutes of the contest. The Jumbos outscored the Ephs 40-30 in the first half, but Williams turned around its game in the second half to outscore Tufts 39-21 for the 69-61 victory. "We got a lot of shots, they just didn't fall," coach Carla Berube said. "It came down to the defensive end where we just didn't get it done. The (regular) season didn't end like we wanted it to, but (yesterday) we started to get ready for next Saturday." The Jumbos have had problems closing big games throughout the season. They allowed Bates to go on an 8-0 run late in the Jan. 25 contest, Wesleyan to go on a 7-0 run in a minute and 31 seconds on Jan. 18, and shot 33 percent in the second half against Wheaton to almost blow an eight point lead on Feb 11. Berube believes these late game breakdowns are not due to lack of practice, but possibly due to team youth. "It's just about letting down, there is nothing you can do in practice; it's about turning it on," Berube said. "I could make excuses, but it's just our heart. There is no reason we couldn't close out, we're just letting up." The Jumbos picked up their 17th victory of the season and clinched a playoff spot all in one evening after defeating Middlebury 69-58 last Friday. The team was led by freshman Jessica Powers who scored 19 and cleaned the boards for nine rebounds. Tufts built a ten-point lead at the half and never looked back. With eight minutes left in the game, Middlebury cut Tufts' lead to four points, but that was as close as the Panthers would get. Later in the second, Powers and sophomore guard Erin Connolly hit consecutive three-pointers to push Tufts' advantage to 11. Junior center Erin Buckley scored 12 points, while freshman guard Julia Verplank chipped in with ten. The Jumbos helped their own cause by shooting 80 percent from the free throw line in the second half. Tufts scored 16 of its 34 second half points from the charity stripe. "Free throws are always important," junior guard Maritsa Christoudias said. "Against Williams they got 21 points from the line which hurt us. But against Middlebury we got 16 points in the second half off free throws which helped us." Tufts takes its act on the road to Bates College for the quarterfinals of the NESCAC playoffs next Saturday. In conference games, Tufts is 3-2 at home, but is a lowly 1-3 on the road. But according to Dunn this is no issue entering the playoffs. "We have a whole season behind us," Dunn said. "We have experience at home and on the road. It's just another game." The team might have gotten a break by slipping to the sixth seed because it is in the bracket with Bates, which it defeated 66-59, Middlebury, and Wesleyan which it almost defeated, but lost to 79-76 in overtime. The other bracket includes Bowdoin (63-46 L), Colby (73-50 L), Williams (69-61 L), and Trinity (80-43 W). "It doesn't matter who we are playing," Berube said. "I'm just proud of the girls because we made it. It is a step up from last year."

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News

An open letter to President Bacow Re: The Fares Lecturer

February 17

Dear President Bacow, Is there a good educational reason for having former President Bush as Fares Lecturer this year? Though you have received letters from faculty suggesting the answer is no, you have publicly defended the invitation. In your words, it is evidence of intellectual diversity at Tufts. We are not convinced that intellectual diversity is the issue. If the point, as you have indicated before the faculty, is to make sure one side of the debate over United States policy in the Middle East, as represented by last year's Fares speaker, former President Clinton, is balanced by the opposing view, a lecture by former President Bush is hardly the ideal means. Not only has he spoken at Tufts before in this same venue (the 1994 Fares Lecture), as a key architect of the policy now in force, whose historical reputation as First Executive may rest on how one views his involvement in it, he is also poorly placed to air his honest opinion. But if the issue is not diversity -- an ideal we otherwise applaud you for pursuing -- then what is? Two more obvious possibilities come to mind. First, the predicament of America and the world in February 2003. In this day of instant communication, almost no one on the globe is unaware of preparations for war on Iraq. Daily in the United States we confront newspaper and TV debates over our country's march to war, as well as a media blitz from the current Bush administration defending its role and making war more likely. To host the father of the President -- a man who deeply shaped the policy being implemented by his son and members of whose own administration are prominent among his son's chief officers and advisers -- at what is possibly Tufts' most prestigious annual event, where he will be almost required to focus his speech on questions concerning the imminent war in Iraq, strikes us as beyond comprehension. A recent article in the Daily served as a reminder of Tufts' new policy on political speakers. The intention is to rule out any formal reception on campus of lecturers campaigning for office or political advantage. Maybe former President Bush doesn't fit that prescription exactly, but he comes awfully close. At a moment like this, he is precisely the kind of invitee to avoid. The publicity and political spin inevitably weighing on his visit to Tufts will overwhelm every other aspect of his appearance here, including any potential for insight into his or his son's geopolitical goals. But second, and of even greater importance for the academic health and integrity of Tufts itself, is the question of endowment-oriented politics. In contrast to the difficulty of imagining educational and inquiry-oriented reasons for choosing former President Bush as lecturer, it is easy to conceive of local but extra-academic political motives for inviting him. Issam Fares, the benefactor of the Fares Lectures, is both a prominent Lebanese businessman and a senior member of the Lebanese government. That the lecture series he has subsidized, and over which he apparently still maintains considerable policy-setting influence, should for a second time in its mere ten years of existence honor former President Bush by selecting him as Fares Lecturer, creates a public image of this university we should do everything to avoid. A glance at the list of Fares Lecturers reveals the dominating presence of the most illustrious members of the former and current Bush administrations: former President Bush (now twice); former Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury and White House Chief of Staff James Baker; former Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and current Secretary of State Colin Powell. In light of both past and current relations between the United States and the British government, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher fits in perfectly. Just slightly less at home is former French President Val?©ry Giscard d'Estaing. Only former peace-negotiator and Senator George Mitchell and former President Clinton provide any contrast, a secondary motif, perhaps, in what is from beginning to end a paean to the United States governing elite. This does not look to us like intellectual diversity; rather it suggests that Tufts is being used to further an external agenda. It makes us wonder whether Tufts, a university that should rightly command respect, exercises any control over the funds it accepts from well-placed donors. Or whether it recognizes how precious is maintaining intellectual independence from powerful and partisan interests outside the world of ideas. Here, after all, is where an institution of higher education must be most punctilious, defending the freedom of inquiry unique to academe. We are deeply saddened by the example Tufts now risks presenting to the world, and to its own student body, on its attitude towards these, the values that ought to lie at its core. Sincerely, Steven Marrone Elizabeth Ammons Steven Marrone is a professor in the Department of History and Elizabeth Ammons is a professor in the Department of English.

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News

Georgetown U. professor calls for new anti-terror strategy

February 17

Criticizing the Bush administration's lack of a holistic foreign policy, Georgetown University's John Voll spoke on "Fighting Terrorism Effectively: Networks and Netwars" Wednesday evening. Voll is a professor of Islamic history and the associate director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. Voll's speech explained the differences between terrorist organizations now, during the 1990s, and during the Cold War. While he did not propose a definitive new strategy for fighting terrorism, Voll did outline certain aspects that must be part of a successful grand strategy. The current American war on terrorism is failing against the expectations of the American public, Voll said. "Why, since billions and billions of American tax payer dollars are being spent, does it seem like we're losing?" Voll asked. He then said that according to CIA reports, al Qaeda may be twice as strong now as on Sept. 11, 2001. "We haven't made much progress on winning the war on terrorism," he said. Voll gave two specific reasons for the failure of American policy. First, the US is ignoring "the general religionization of many of the conflicts," Voll said. "Fighting terrorism effectively requires recognizing it for what it is _ a religionized conflict." Secondly, Voll said, "we are fighting the terrorist organizations like they are old-fashioned communist parties." According to Voll, modern terrorist organizations are not organized by a vertical hierarchy, but rather by a horizontal structure. "[During the Cold War] revolutionary, radical, small groups tended to be structured around specific individuals...and you could get rid of the organization if you got rid of that person," he said. The Israeli approach to Hamas is one example of the outdated method, Voll said. The targeted assassinations of Hamas leaders have "done nothing to Hamas as a horizontally structured organization," Voll said. Voll outlined the five binding aspects of modern terrorist organizations: the organizational level, the narrative level, the doctrinal level, the technological level, and the social level. The most important of the five, Voll said, is the narrative level _ "the story that is being told" _ and any successful battle against terrorism must recognize this point. The narrative level consists also of how an organization is portrayed and the image they are presenting to others. It is on the narrative level that terrorist recruitment efforts focus the most. Al Qaeda videos stress that "the raw power of the world's only superpower is out to get Muslims," Voll said. The inherent message, then, is "join us _ if you don't like getting beaten up, join us." "People do not by choice choose to blow themselves up," Voll said. It is more a reaction to indoctrination by either of the parties. The narrative presented by the US must promote the virtues of Americanism _ such as free markets and civil liberties, Voll said. The question the US should be spreading, according to Voll, is "do you want to blow yourself up with this dynamite or do you want a nice house with a swimming pool?" The American education system is another virtue that must be included in this narrative. "The biggest weapon in our narrative is our access to knowledge and information," Voll said. "Education is universally desired." "The narrative, itself, has to be global," Voll said. "It has to be multi-national, and it has to be inclusive rather than exclusive." Voll harshly criticized the opinions of many policy makers and pundits that terrorists hate the US because of its freedom. "That is one of the dumbest analyses I've seen," he said. Voll reasons that the hatred exists because "we are afraid to and unwilling to export [freedom]." "The US has not been willing to take the risk of democracy anywhere outside of the US and Western Europe," Voll said. The lecture _ the second in a series sponsored by the Fares Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies, the International Relations program, and the Middle Eastern Studies major _ was attended by approximately 50 students and professors from Tufts as well as the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

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News

Jumbos keep third seed, despite two losses

February 17

It wasn't quite what they expected, but they'll take it anyway. Despite two losses in the final weekend of NESCAC competition, the men's basketball team hung onto its third-place conference rank and will host a first-round playoff game against the Middlebury Panthers next Saturday. The Jumbos lost at Williams and Middlebury over the weekend, despite a pair of double doubles from sophomore Craig Coupe. Against Williams on Saturday, Tufts shot an abysmal 29.2 percent from the floor, including 14.3 percent (2-14) from beyond the arc, en route to a 76-56 loss. Williams did not have a particularly good day from the floor either, shooting just 36.8 percent in the first half. The Ephs improved their shooting in the second half, however, to 48.3 percent from the floor, as well as an impressive 55.6 percent from three-point range. Williams junior Chuck Abba led all scorers with 15 points, while senior Drew DeMuth contributed 13 points and 12 rebounds, and junior Michael Crotty had 14 points and six assists. In its worst shooting performance of the year, Tufts was led by Coupe's 14 points and 12 rebounds, and senior co-captain Jim Wilson's 13. It was also the worst game of the season for the team's leading scorer, senior Mike McGlynn, who was 0-12 from the field and finished the game with just one point in 31 minutes. Senior co-captain Brian Shapiro did not fare any better and was 0-5 from the floor for one point in 16 minutes. "I believe that our overall poor shooting performance could be attributed to lack of execution on offense," junior Deyvehn East said. "We didn't get the ball into positions on the court where we could score easily. In part because of good defense on the part of Williams, and also because of our poor execution." If there was any bright spot for Tufts on the afternoon, it may have been the team's free throw shooting. The Jumbos shot 66.7 percent from the charity stripe, four percent higher than their season average of 62.8 percent. The previous day, against Middlebury, the Jumbos shot better, but ultimately suffered the same fate, an 89-83 loss. A late 14-4 run in the first half gave Middlebury a 15-point lead going into halftime. Tufts went on a 10-0 run in the second half to cut the lead to 63-53 with 11:27 remaining, and got as close as seven at 6:08. But perfect free throw shooting from Middlebury late in the game prevented a Tufts comeback. McGlynn led the Jumbo effort with 21 points, including two three-pointers that pushed his career total to 304, which thrust him into the top 20 all time for career three-pointers in Div. III. Coupe had 15 points and 20 rebounds, and three other Jumbos finished with double-digit point totals Middlebury's Nate Anderson led all scorers in the game with 22 points, while Eric Bundonis contributed 18 points and five rebounds. Tufts entered the weekend knowing that a victory in either game would ensure it of a home playoff game, but with the two losses, it took a bit of luck for the Jumbos to hang onto the third seed. Wesleyan defeated Trinity on Friday, and lost on Saturday to finish at 5-4 in the NESCAC. Trinity, after falling to Wesleyan, beat Connecticut College on Saturday, and also finished with a 5-4 mark in the NESCAC. Meanwhile, Tufts' two losses also gave it a 5-4 conference record. Because Wesleyan beat Trinity, Wesleyan is ranked higher, and because Tufts defeated Wesleyan earlier this year, Tufts is ranked ahead of both, in third place behind national powerhouses Amherst and Williams. So just like last year, the Jumbos will head into the playoffs on the heels of a two-game losing streak. But despite the similarities, the situation is also considerably different from that of a year ago. "Our momentum has definitely been slowed down by the two losses, but we intend to get our intensity and focus back this week during practice," East said. "I believe it is different from last year because we barely made the playoffs then, while this year we were in a position where we were definitely in, but we were fighting for home court advantage." The Jumbos will host sixth-ranked Middlebury this Saturday at 3 p.m. at Cousens Gym. The winner of that game will then go on to face either Williams or Bates in the second round.

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News

Students stranded away from Boston

February 17

A storm that brought blizzard like conditions and over a foot of snow to the Boston area yesterday left President's weekend travelers stranded as the city declared a snow emergency. Snowfall totals are expected to reach between 18 and 25 inches before the storm leaves the region this afternoon. The precipitation came from a slow moving system, which also caused significant accumulation on the Mid-Atlantic states over the weekend. The storm hit the region on the last day of the busy President's weekend, foiling many Tufts students' return plans. Logan Airport was running at ten percent capacity Monday afternoon, with very limited service decided on a plane by plane basis. Approximately 300 flights had been cancelled, stranding thousands at the airport. Amtrak trains were cancelled south of Washington DC, but New York and Boston trains were running on time. An Amtrak representative said the company has been busier because of airports shutting down, but that they expect no delays in service. Although trains were running, some travelers were simply unable to make their way to the station. Freshman Lane Howitt was stranded in Rhode Island after visiting over the long weekend. "The roads are horrible," Howitt said. "On a good day, it's about 30 minutes [to the train station], if I left here now, it would probably take two to three hours." Most buses cancelled their Monday routes, as the storm began in New York and locations further west starting Sunday night. Sophmore Paul Nangeroni was stranded in Saratoga Springs, 20 minutes north of Albany, New York after Greyhound cancelled all service through Tuesday. Nangeroni worried the delayed service could force him to miss tests later in the week. "I could get out sooner, it's all up to Greyhound. But worst case scenario, I am here till late Tuesday night, early Wednesday morning, with few notes to study off of, and not a prayer that they will move the exam," he said. Freshman Talia Goodkin was also worried how the cancellations would affect schoolwork. Faced with the almost certain cancellation of her overnight flight from California on Monday. "I already missed classes on Friday to go to Los Angeles and if I were to miss more classes on Tuesday, I'd get really behind," she said. An email sent out to the student body on Monday afternoon said that classes were expected to be in session on Tuesday. Students were encouraged to stay tuned to local radio and television stations or contact the weather emergency information line for updates. Howitt was not waiting for official word, however. "I don't know if they are going to cancel school tomorrow, even if they don't I'm probably going to stay [in Rhode Island]," she said. On campus, efforts to deal with the storm were aided by its arrival on President's Day, a University Holiday when classes were suspended. A snow emergency was declared, forcing all students to remove their cars from the streets to Cousens Gym or the Boston Avenue parking garage. Some local food delivery establishments decided to shut down, in the face of increasingly hazardous conditions. Zing Wingz decided to shut down yesterday afternoon because the City of Medford's snow emergency and liability concerns. "I'm sending out deliverers with two or three orders and they're taking more than an hour at a time," co-owner Rick Silverti said. He also expressed concerns for drivers in the hazardous conditions. But most other delivery restaurants remained open during the storm. A representative from Espresso's Pizzeria said the establishment was planning to stay open for as long as possible, and that it had "no specific plan to close." Panda Palace was still offering delivery in addition to taking walk-in customers for its buffet. With no classes and more than a foot of snow on campus, students took time to enjoy the winter conditions. The President's Lawn was full of local community members who were sledding, and others who engaged in snowball fights. "The snow was nice and cold and fluffy," freshman Anita Sinha said. "It had most people staying indoors, we decided to be rebels and go play in the stuff. It was a lot of fun but we tried making snow angels, and five minutes later, new snow had already filled up the forms."

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News

Vagina friendly evening had by all

February 17

The audience walked into Cohen Auditorium and was greeted with a sea of black and red. They were entering a world of vagina fever. As the lights dimmed, the ushers began to yell 'Vagina!' and with that, TheVagina Monologues began. TheVagina Monologues, under the direction of Meredith Gilbert and Rebecca McCormick, was an evening of monologues with a variety of themes, each presenting another woman's search for herself and her relationship with her vagina. It seems fitting that The Vagina Monologues is performed around Valentine's Day. While Feb. 14 finds many enveloped in defining and living romantic love, oftentimes realities are overlooked: Some women are in abusive relationships, others feel unfulfilled, and still more remain alone and scared. However, the ultimate tone of the show is not one of defeat, but rather of poignant celebration. The cast included women of all ages, races, ethnicities, and backgrounds, each bringing her own perspective to the evening. Amy West, in her performance of a monologue entitled "The Flood," created a moving depiction of an older woman's decision to never pursue any type of romantic relationship as the result of a horrifyingly embarrassing sexual experience. West managed to both keep the audience laughing and still convey the underlying message of the piece. Jill Beirne provided a loud, provocative performance of "My Angry Vagina" that had the audience in fits of laughter. Her strong stage presence and witty commentary brought to light some painfully obvious, yet mostly non-discussed phenomena about vaginas. Beirne raged against smells, sensations, and even tampons. Zeleka Yeraswork's performance of "The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy", which told of one woman's love for moans, and told of several types of moans, ranging from one sounding like a dog to another resembling an opera singer, left the audience whistling and applauding. However, not all of the subject matter was humorous. Many pieces reminded the whole community of why the money raised by this event went to the Massachusetts Eating Disorder Association, Inc., EMERGE, and the Indian Country Project to help stop violence against women. Rachel Marx and Kim Harbin portrayed women from Kosovo who were raped during war in a piece entitled "My Vagina Was My Village." Lisa Coleman's "Crooked Braid" looked closely at a Native American woman in an abusive relationship. Her voice was deep and her emotions were strong, leaving the audience holding its breath for her next words. Melissa Rosen sat on the edge of the stage and recited "I Was in the Room," one of author Eve Ensler's newer monologues. It spoke of Ensler's experience watching her grandchild being born and her awe of how the vagina can expand into a tunnel for life. For the first time at Tufts, TheVagina Monologues presented a new perspective on vaginas, that of those who don't even have them: men. Vincent Miccio, Craig Wenner, and Dan Hoagland spoke their minds on the subjects of sex, love, relationships, abuse, women, and men. The men posed questions to re-evaluate assumptions on sex and violence, specifically bringing into consideration the issue of intent. Characteristic of the evening, humor was used to enliven personal experience. As earlier monologues examined the perspectives of heterosexuals, homosexuals, singles, couples, different races, and ethnicities, it was only appropriate to bring a man's perspective to light. With their unique ideas, the men added much to this great performance. As the evening came to a close, Rebecca McCormick and Jean Manney presented their final vision of a world without abuse. The monologue was a mix of spoken word and the song "Somewhere over the Rainbow." It was a touching end to the evening and provided a perfect summary of the show's message. They simply sang "If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why oh why, can't I?"

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News

Tufts to file Supreme Court brief today

February 17

Tufts and almost 30 other schools will file a brief today supporting the University of Michigan's affirmative action policies. The brief is intended to defend the former precedent set in the 1978 case California v. Bakke. In that case, Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. decided that while quotas could not be used in admissions, schools could give some consideration to race in order to encourage a more diverse student body. Currently, Michigan uses a point system where prospective undergraduates are evaluated using a 150 point system. Twenty points are given to certain minorities, those with a socio-economic disadvantage, and scholarship athletes. However a perfect essay receives only three points and leadership and service or personal achievement on state, regional and national levels receives only one, three, and five points respectively. The law school's policy is not as clear, but according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, Michigan's admissions office "attempts to enroll a 'critical mass' of minority students." Tufts will be joined by other schools such as Amherst, Williams, Bates, and Wesleyan. Charles Sims, a lawyer at Proskauer Rose LLP in New York who is filing the brief, categorized the schools as "reasonably small, highly selective institutions." Distinct issues that pertain to this group of private schools make it beneficial for them to file the brief together, Sims said. The final decision on the case is likely to once again be split, Sims said. "It will be surprising if there is anything more than a 5-4 vote either way." He said it was also possible that the decision will be even further split, perhaps 4-1-1. Sims hopes that the decision will at least partly resolve the ongoing debate over the extent to which race may be a factor in admittance. Depending on the nature of the ruling, it could affect Tufts because while the University is private, it receives federal funds. But the final decision may not give schools explicit guidelines for incorporating affirmative action into their own admittance policies, according to Martin Michaelson, a Washington lawyer who advises colleges on affirmative action. "The court will likely give guidance," he said. "But I doubt that the court's answer will be so exact that a template can be laid upon the admissions system of a university without some thought on how to apply those standards." President Bush also filed a brief through the Justice Department opposing Michigan's affirmative action policies, which he believes to be unconstitutional. The State of Florida and a number of conservative and libertarian advocacy organizations also submitted opinions opposing the university's policies. A poll published earlier this month by TheLos Angeles Times found that a majority of Americans support the Bush administration's move. "The American people do not support a system of preferences and quotas," said Diane Schachterle, a spokeswoman for the American Civil Rights Institute. There is, however, a racial split between high-ranking officials in the Bush administration over the policies. Secretary of State Colin Powell currently supports Michigan, while National Security Adviser Condolezza Rice supports affirmative action, though not Michigan's specific techniques. Many universities around the country are reconsidering programs that were aimed at involving minority students, or to help them adjust to university life. Following an investigation by the Department of Education, MIT has opened three of its programs -- Project Interphase, for incoming freshman, and Minority Introduction to Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and Science for high school juniors -- to all applicants, instead of just minorities. Princeton University has also announced that starting next year, its Junior Summer Institute, which is aimed at getting minority students interested in public affairs, will be open to all applicants, though the university may drop the program all together. Private companies have also become interested in the debate. More than three hundred of America's largest companies filed a brief defending Michigan, although without stating their support outright, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported. They feel that "diversity in higher education is essential to employers in meeting their business-related diversity needs." Other professional organizations, such as the American Bar Association and the American Medical Association, and companies including General Motors, Microsoft, and American Airlines support affirmative action policy. A decision in the Michigan case could possibly affect professional recruiting and hiring policies, they say. President Larry Bacow announced the University's plan to file the brief when he spoke earlier this semester at a Martin Luther King Jr. day ceremony. According to Dean of Admissions David Cuttino, Tufts does not use quotas or any arbitrary means, but that it instead evaluates each application holistically. He said the University is "acting 'affirmatively' for all students" by evaluating diversity of experiences, not just race. The Supreme Court will evaluate the Michigan law school and undergraduate cases together, starting this April. Its decisions are expected by June.

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News

Students help to reveal Medford's secret past

February 17

The Civil War-era Boston area is largely perceived to have been a hotbed of purely abolitionist activity. A group of University students, however, have done much to debunk that fraudulent perception with its involvement in the creation of From Africa to Medford: The Untold Story, a recently opened exhibit at the Medford Historical Society. "Students are really surprised to learn how much slavery there was in Medford," Associate Professor Rosalind Shaw of the Anthropology Department said. Along with Medford Historical Society President Jay Griffen, Shaw taught a class in Spring 2002 that focused on what Shaw calls "public memory and public amnesia." Under Shaw and Griffin's direction, students in the class created the exhibit, From Africa to Medford: The Untold Story. The students also had the help of two Medford High School students. One of Shaw's previous classes transcribed original documents dealing with the slave trade in Medford. The documents were 19 original letters written by Medford slave trader Timothy Fitch. In the letters, now on display as part of the exhibit, Fitch details the trip from Medford to Africa to the Caribbean and back to Boston again. After purchasing slaves in Africa, traders such as Fitch sold them in the Caribbean for sugar and molasses, which were then used to make rum in the US. Shaw noted that the rum industry, including Medford's Rum Industry, was dependant on the slave trade: "Slavery was much more important for New England's economy than many people think," she said. Griffen describes the Society, first organized by volunteers in 1896, as an important educational resource. "One of our goals [as a society] is to educate, not just the people of Medford, but the commonwealth and the country," Griffen said. Shaw agreed. "The Medford Historical Society has a very important role in the community, as it brings knowledge about slavery and the slave trade to the community," she said. In addition to educating, the Society takes an active role in preserving historical buildings and maintaining green space in Medford. The Society gives historical tours to school groups and offers free programs to the community, including college-age students. The Society owns over 5,000 photographs, the sixth largest collection of Civil War photographs in the United States. Using the wealth of resources at the Society, students helped to shed some light on the lives of three people integral to Medford's history of slavery. One of these is Belinda Royall, an African slave purchased by Isaac Royall, whose estate and slave quarters still exist in Medford. Belinda was one of the first slaves to petition successfully for reparations. At the age of 75, Belinda successfully sued Isaac Royall for her freedom and an annual work reward. Another integral individual is Prince Hall, sometimes referred to as the "father of civil rights." Long before Frederick Douglass did so, Hall helped enslaved peoples write petitions for freedom. He is thought to have helped Belinda Royall compose her famed petition. Hall, a free mulatto, also founded the first African Masonic Lodge. After nine PM, the lodge served as a meetinghouse for slaves who would otherwise be whipped for staying out so late. Griffen describes the lodge as "the NAACP of the 1700s." Pomp, the third individual focused on by Shaw and Griffin's class, was an African slave of the Brooks family. He built an 80-foot brick wall in 1765. This wall is reincarnated in a much smaller scale at the Society. Griffen said that the wall and Pomp's masonry abilities "show that slaves in Medford were not just of physical strength." One of the Society's goals is to install a plaque on Pomp's still-standing wall that describes its significance and history. In addition to uncovering the details of the lives of Royall, Hall, and Pomp, Griffen and Shaw's class researched other provocative topics. These include the African beginnings of Medford slaves, the Caribbean connection to Medford slavery, area slave owners, such as Faneuil [one of the biggest slave traders in the world], and an excavation at the Royall House slave quarters. "Although the Medford Historical Society doesn't have the resources of other societies, they always encourage this kind of research. Many societies in New England prefer to shut people up," Shaw said. Shaw noted the astonishment the students had when encountering the "wealth of these public traces of slavery in Medford, in comparison to how little the students learn about slavery in Medford at Tufts." The exhibit, From Africa to Medford: The Untold Story, opened on Feb. 9. It will run through December 2003 and is open on Sundays from 2-4 p.m. and by appointment. The Medford Historical Society is located on 10 Governor's Avenue in Medford Square. More information is available at the Society's website: http://members.fortunecity.com/medfordhistoricalsociety/MHShomepage/."

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News

Reflections at Half-Mast

February 17

Death is, rightly, not a common topic of pleasant conversation. No sane person would regard death as anything approaching 'pleasant'. We do not talk about it, until it announces itself. This semester began with the death of junior Wendy Carman, a fellow Jumbo and a dearly close friend to many. Our flags flew at half-mast. Just weeks later, a tragedy for the nation arrived when the space shuttle Columbia broke apart upon re-entry. Our flags have stayed at half-mast. What does one do at half-mast? I am not writing to those who are mourning now. I do not think any words of mine can reach you. In such a time, most words do not. In my own experience, in losing my father, I know that the best answer is often not in words but simply in another person. Someone who will listen, who will cry, who will embrace. Since I can do none of that from here, I speak to those who are left: the observers. We are in the awkward position of knowing about a death but not knowing who died. When death arrives, we do not know quite what to do with it. We keep our distance as much as we can and it gets more awkward the closer it comes. Death on the news and in history books is far away. Our newscasters inform us, over our pancakes and juice, of some new horrific and disturbing tragedy. And just then, in virtually the same inflection and poise, bids us stay tuned for tips on thinning our thighs or redecorating our bathrooms. It is no wonder we are at a loss with death. We have been stupefied. We may not stay so distant much longer -- some of us may know servicemen and women abroad, a few may know citizens of Baghdad. But for now, as mere observers of death, we should take the time to think about how we respond to our friends who mourn (and ultimately to ourselves). When we try to say something to console, even with the best of intentions, our words can often be crueler than we realize. Consider the common reply: "He will live on in our memories." There is no doubt that a loved one will be remembered when gone. But the last thing he will do in one's own mind is live. A memory is not a person. It cannot talk to you about anything new. So perhaps we offer this consolation: 'Time heals all wounds.' But we quickly find this is another confusion of types. Time is not personal. It can bandage no more than a dish can cook. Time is a speeding subway train that makes no stops. The perpetual succession of moments takes no notice of pain. So what hope can we offer? 'Help another person'? 'Love the one you're with'? This becomes cruel upon deeper reflection. For while it is good and right, it is only encouraging until one recalls that any 'other person' will soon die as well. Death's sniper picks us off one by one. The fatality rate for humans on Earth remains steady at 100%. So we are sent back to wondering. By far the cruelest response can be given by those most devoutly religious. There are those who meet death with an immediate smile, and cheerily chime, 'she's in a better place now.' Our friend here has glossed over a fact that cannot go away: death is a horror. It is the very horror of horrors. We somehow know that it should never have been like this. That a body severed from its soul is the most unnatural sight in all of nature. It ought to shock us, and drive us to remorse and to tears. We ought to weep, not only for our lost friend, but for what we see as our own fate as well. No empty words can comfort us. Unless, of course, the words are true. That would make all the difference in the world. We might excuse our religious friend's enthusiasm making him insensitive to the horror of death; how could he not be excited, if what he says is true? Among people who have wondered at death in the history of the human race, in every culture save our own there has been a near unanimous conclusion: there is more to life than this. It is an outstanding claim. It seems to run contrary to all that we can see. But it is either true or false. Since it addresses our most important concern -- the fate of ourselves and our loved ones -- the most important question we could ever ask is, 'is it true?' The day seven astronauts died, our President gave an answer: "The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home." Can it be true? Is there a Creator beyond ourselves? Is there a Home we are meant for? Some say no, and give different answers. Either way, we must know the truth, the way things really are, for that will effect how we look at life and death. How differently we would see ourselves if it were true that such a Someone cares enough to know our names! There is not room enough here to consider exactly how to pursue the question. But it should be clear that the very last thing we can do is ignore death when it does not affect us. I do not presume to say more than I ought. I know that the person who demands we take more notice of the tragedy, pain, and suffering around us has not yet conceived the tremendous volume of options available. If we were to give full face to the world's brokenness, we would quickly exhaust ourselves, and most likely not survive. One can cry for only so long before the face is too numb to sob. And the days, as we have noted, come whether we want them to or not, and with them new joys and disappointments, work and play, and all the bumps, fits, and laughs of daily life. But who can turn a blind eye to death, say 'these things happen' and go on eating, drinking, and sleeping to the next day? 'Coming to grips with death' does not mean distracting yourself to forget about it. We must realize death has its own grip on us already. We must seek to find why this is so, and what can be done about it. We can start by asking around until we find someone who will answer. In the meantime, how do we respond to death when it does not affect us but those we care about? What can observers do? If we find a friend grieving, we must grieve with them. If we say anything at all, we must be sure it is true. There is no comfort apart from the truth.

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