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Jumbos battle to 3-3 OT tie against Colby

January 26

After a disheartening 12-2 loss to NESCAC rival Bowdoin on Friday night, the hockey team showed up Saturday afternoon on a mission to redeem itself. That mission resulted in a hard fought 3-3 tie with the Colby White Mules, ranked 11th nationally. Sophomore Shawn Sullivan's game tying goal with 19:02 left in the third period prevented the Jumbos from falling even further below the .500 mark. With the tie, the team remains one game under at 4-5-4 (4-5-2, NESCAC). "We would have rather had the win, but against a proven team like Colby, we'll take any points we can get," senior co-captain Mike Carceo said. As the score indicates, at no point did either team dominate the match-up, which happened to be only the Jumbos fourth home game of the year. While Tufts was out-shot 16-6 in the first period, Colby did not get enough quality shots on freshman goalie Matt Ninneman to make a difference. After Colby scored first, a Sullivan goal with assists from sophomore defenseman Sean Hayes and junior defenseman John Van Pelt knotted the score at 1-1 as the teams skated into the locker rooms at intermission. As the second period got underway, both teams came out shooting, but both goalies appeared up ready for the barrage of shots. However, when Van Pelt was sent to the sin bin for high sticking at 4:03, one of the Jumbos six penalties in the game, it appeared as if Colby was going to take the lead. The White Mules had been peppering freshman goalie Matt Ninneman with shot after shot, and it continued to do so on the power play. But with a minute left on the penalty kill, the Jumbos found themselves on a two on one break, where freshman Ken Cleary capitalized on a perfect pass from sophomore Gino Rotondi to put the Jumbos up 2-1. The lead was short lived, as Colby answered with two quick tallies within two minutes of one another to snatch the lead away from Tufts, 3-2. Though Tufts was out-shot 12-6 in the period; the Jumbos headed into the third period feeling upbeat. "We felt confident heading into the third period," Sullivan said. Sullivan's confidence would pay dividends. With Tufts carrying play in the third period, it was only a matter of time before it capitalized. After calling a timeout before a face-off in the White Mules zone with a minute left in regulation, Carceo slipped a pass to freshman forward Matt McCarthy. He then dished it off to Sullivan, who beat Colby goalie Chris Ries top shelf for his second goal of the game to tie the game 3-3. In overtime, neither team was able to find the net, with the Jumbos Tufts tallying the only shot on goal. All in all, the seventh-place Jumbos were pleased with the effort. "We need to have that kind of intensity in every game we play," sophomore forward John Hurd said. "We know we can play with anyone." The team's cause was helped by the performance of freshman Ninneman, who saw his first action of the year, playing in place of the injured Ben Crasper. Ninneman faced 37 shots and saved 34 of them, many on tough rebounds. "Ninneman stepped up huge today," Carceo said. "It's always good to have a goalie on a roll between the pipes." While the Jumbos were pleased with their ability to skate step for step with the 11th ranked White Mules, they were also happy to demonstrate that their big loss to the Bowdoin Polar Bears was an aberration. Cleary and junior forward Pat Byrne each scored for the Jumbos in a game which was actually fairly close until the third period. But eight straight Bowdoin goals put an end to any Jumbos hopes of getting back in the game. "That game was a fluke," Carceo said. "We know we're a much better team than that." Tufts' homestand continues into next weekend, when it will face Salem State Friday night and Southern Maine on Saturday at Malden Arena.

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News

NQR an important Tufts tradition

January 26

Has the Naked Quad Run always occurred on the "first night of the fall semester reading period?" I remember it being a secret until it happened. I lived in West Hall my junior year (it was all male then), and I believe the residents conspired among themselves to select the best day/time during reading period to do it. However, I also don't remember anyone getting drunk beforehand, and I'm pretty sure people went right back to studying as soon it was over. I think the whole event lasted about a minute and 30 seconds and didn't attract any off campus spectators. In any case, Tufts has lost so many of its long-standing traditions over the years, it would be a shame to see yet another one go away as well. K.J. Languedoc (E '87)

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News

A stream of consciousness regarding the state of film

January 26

The film industry today is filled with sequels, remakes and trilogies. Unless a movie elicits a franchise, studios don't seem to want to produce it, and once a flick (or even a theater performance) catches a fraction of the population's attention, it is reused, rehashed and remade in the form of sequels and spin-offs. First, let's make the distinction between trilogies, franchises, and sequels. Usually, you can tell them apart as follows: trilogies are good, franchises get old, and sequels, to broadly generalize, suck. Lord of the Rings and The Matrix are two trilogies that are out right now, and both are doing extremely well. I immensely enjoyed the first two installments of The Lord of the Rings and cannot wait for the final. I also cannot wait for the next two installments of The Matrix. Trilogies are exciting because they are essentially one movie cut into three sections, for convenience's sake. Most people would not like to sit down and watch a nine-hour movie, despite the fact that many dedicated fans may like the concept. Then there's the Austin Powers "trilogy." Like Lethal Weapon, however, Austin Powers is a franchise, which began to get old with Goldmember, just as Lethal Weapon 4 looked as if it would be the end to the Gibson/Glover companionship. The main difference between a franchise and a trilogy is that a franchise finds a formula that works (Mike Myers playing far too many characters), but unfortunately just rehashes that formula until people stop paying to watch it. When the formula works, like it does with Powers, the movies are enjoyable. I, myself, am an Austin Powers fan. However, franchises run the risk of spoiling the idea of the original movie. The original Austin Powers will be forever tainted by Myers' character Goldmember _ the Jar Jar Binks of the Austin Powers world. Then there are sequels, which seem to only be made for movies that should stand alone. Recent sequels include Analyze That and Men in Black II. See my point? The Whole Ten Yards is also coming out soon. It's a sequel to The Whole Nine Yards, which was that movie with Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry that was pretty funny, but nothing special. The first problem with sequels is that they are usually made for movies that should have none. If the plot is wrapped up and the characters cannot really be developed more and there is nothing left to the story... what's the point? Of course there were some decent sequels out there, don't get me wrong. Rush Hour 2, Blade 2, to name... uh... two. My point is that money could be better spent on original material. (Go see Adaptation and any movie made by Paul Thomas Anderson.) Then there are remakes. When a movie is remade, or a play converted into a movie, there needs to be a reason. There needs to be something the new film has that the original does not. Ocean's 11 is an example of a good remake. The original stared the rat pack as a bunch of ex-army buds who scheme up. But, while the rat pack (Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, etc.) were the very embodiment of slick coolness back when they were slick and cool, today they do not cut it. Director Soderbergh not only updates the elements of the heist but the elements of style as well. The next remake, of sorts, is getting a lot of buzz. Everybody seems to love it, but I believe Chicago was essentially a movie version of the Broadway show. As a result it was entertaining and fun, but it failed to use the film medium to its full advantage. It almost seemed like there were cameramen on stage at Broadway. Rene Zellweger, Richard Gere and Catherine Zeta-Jones were all terrific, but they would have been just as good on stage. Perhaps their egos wouldn't fit in the theater. There is just something wrong with a film that can be described as stagy, when the subject matter was taken directly from the stage. So I think I proved my point. Wait... what's that you say? I just rambled on convolutedly? Oh... and you disagreed with a lot of it? Well, what I'm saying is that I believe film makers should do a little more thinking before throwing millions of dollars into projects that lack purpose other than to get as much money out of the pockets of consumers. I think its time we were thought of as an audience to entertain, rather than consumers with cash.

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News

Romance Language department to hire new Latin American Studies professor

January 26

The Department of Romance Languages is looking for a new Latin American Studies professor to satisfy the growing number of students taking Spanish and related classes at Tufts. The search process, which will seek a professor on the tenure track, may take as long as a year, but the department is hoping to have a new professor who can start work next fall, Romance Languages Chair Elizabeth Howe said. The Romance Languages department has seen an increase in the number of students who want to take Spanish over the past few years, Howe said. Demand for both Latino Studies and Latin American classes has also increased. The department's Spanish division is understaffed and therefore cannot offer as many upper-level classes as it would like to, Howe said. "No matter how many we offer they always want more," she said. "It is not a question of turnover [within the department], rather an increasing demand," she said. The overwhelming popularity of the Spanish major in comparison to French, the only other language offered as a major in the department, may be attributed to an increasing interest in Latin American Studies, Dean of Academic Affairs Kevin Dunn said. A limited number of classes means some students are closed out of opportunities, Senior Carson Osberg said. "I've seen a lot of people in my Spanish classes get shut out, both last semester and this semester. There are at least ten to 15 extra people trying to get in to a 20-person class," she said. Many of the Spanish classes are offered at inconvenient times, Osberg added. "[The department] needs to offer more classes at different times during the day because a lot of the classes meet at the same time as other classes students need," she said. Students majoring in International Relations also put a strain on the Romance Languages department because they often choose to take classes in Spanish and related field, and are required to take several upper-level classes. Many Spanish students are feeling the effects of an inadequate number of professors. This semester, the University offered 12 100-level classes in Spanish. Fewer professors may affect the number of classes being offered, and the number of students who can get in to the classes, Senior Clare Dooley said. "I went to a Spanish 32 class and had to bring in a chair to start the third row of seats in the room," she said. Dunn agreed that students have increased their demands for Spanish classes and said that there is, "a lot of pressure on the Spanish side to hire more professors." A small number of class offerings causes many students to worry that a poor registration time will prevent them from getting in to the classes they want to take, said Senior Sarah Dale. "With all the stresses of senior year, the last thing I needed was to worry that I wouldn't be able to finish my graduation requirements simply because classes weren't being offered," she said. There is also a growing disparity in ability levels of the students in the classes, sophomore Jessica Soto said. A fluent Spanish speaker, Soto said that students in her classes appear to have very different abilities to speak the language. "There is only so high up you can get in the department here before you run out of classes to take," she said. "My ability level is completely different from someone who has only been trained to study the grammar of the language," she said.

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News

There's no place like home

January 26

LEWISTON, ME _ Oh what a difference a home can make. As the men's basketball team approaches its seventh consecutive game away from Cousens Gym, it seems apparent that the Jumbos are ready to go home. As the capacity crowd of about 400-500 roared in Alumni Gym in Lewiston, you couldn't help but get the sense the Jumbos were ready to have a few fans cheering for them. "That's the hardest thing, to get a crowd totally against you. The gym only holds like two or three hundred people but [Bates has] some great fans," senior co-captain Jim Wilson said. "We've got some fans like that too, but we haven't played at home in six games." A quick glance at the box score from the men's basketball team's loss at Bates on Saturday can give you all the information you need to see how much of a difference a partisan home crowd can make. Bates shot 44.6 percent from the floor, and an even 50 percent in the second half when the Bobcats pulled away. And more impressive was the Bobcats' 58.3 percent shooting from down town. The team's free throw percentage was equally strong, as it shot 73.8 percent. But perhaps even more indicative of the crowd's influence were Tufts' numbers: 36.8 percent from the floor in the second half, including 28.6 percent from three point land. And the most damning of all: 40 percent from the free throw line, for the entire game. It seemed that the crowd got to the Jumbos, particularly at the free throw line, as the fans roared whenever Tufts sent a player to the stripe. Sophomore Craig Coupe, who went to the line more than any other player in the game, hit just four of his 12 free throw attempts. The team as a whole missed 15 free throws, and in a game it lost by 16 points, 15 free throws would have helped. But this is not to say that Tufts can't play on the road. Quite the contrary, the team has gone 4-2 on this recent road swing. The difference against Bates was the energy and size of the crowd at the game. "We have seven games on the road, but it hasn't really affected us until now because some of the crowds haven't been coming out," Wilson said. "But they always get a great crowd here at Bates." Bates too knows the impact that its crowd can have on a game. As the Bobcats pulled ahead in Saturday's game, the crowd got louder and louder, and the team's numbers improved significantly. "We love playing in Alumni Gym, and historically we've played really well here," Bates coach Joe Reilly said. "We haven't lost a non-conference game at home in five seasons." The Bates crowd acted as a "sixth man" in the game, increasing the Bobcats' confidence while shaking the Jumbos'. After Wilson launched an air ball on his first shot, the entire gym screamed "air ball" whenever the ball landed in his hands. And whether or not the crowd was the reason, Wilson's shooting suffered in the game. The co-captain, who averages 10.9 points per game and has shot 45 percent from the field, was just 2-6 from the floor and had just six points on Saturday. "I don't know if the crowd affected us," coach Bob Sheldon said. "Maybe a little bit. The crowd, Mike [McGlynn] getting hit in the face with the ball, the officiating, it all kind of knocked us back a little bit and that threw us off. We're not hanging our heads or anything. We just need to play at home." The Jumbos' road stretch will come to an end after Tuesday's game at Brandeis, McGlynn's former school. Tufts will play Amherst at home on Friday, a game that promises to be tough, especially following the Lord Jeffs' win over Williams on Saturday. The Jumbos, however, hope that they can do the same thing that Bates did, and turn their home court advantage into a win. "It'll be good to get home." Wilson said.

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News

Hart criticizes Bush national security

January 26

Over 200 students, faculty, and members of the outside press packed Pearson 104 on Friday to hear a lecture by former US Senator Gary Hart. Hart, who held a Senate seat from Colorado from 1975 to 1987, spoke on National Security in the 21st Century as part of the 2003 EPIIC symposium. Hart's speech was followed by short responses from political science professor Jeffrey Taliaferro and Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy Professor Hurst Hannum. The two expressed their evaluation of Hart's opinion, and their agreement, or lack thereof, with his arguments. There was also a brief question and answer session. In his lecture, Hart, a democrat, expressed concern for the future security of the United States. "This country is adrift in both its foreign policy and its national security policy in the years after the end of the Cold War, because we do not have a Grand Strategy for the United States," he said. Such a Grand Strategy, he said, must be different from that of the 20th century due to three key revolutions. Globalization, the information revolution, and the erosion of the nation-state are factors that need to be taken into account when examining national security, Hart said. While Hart believes that the Cold War allowed the US to pursue the definite goal of containment of communism, Taliaferro disagreed. The US, Taliaferro said, had "no definite Grand Strategy in the Cold War." Hart also cited the breakdown of civic duties as a dangerous factor to security, and he criticized the absence of democracy from US foreign policy. Along with performance of civic duty, Hart said that "cleaning up the corruption in the halls of politics in America and re-identification of the common good," must be the focus of the American public. The speech made reference to the impending war on Iraq. Before war starts, Hart said, the US must ask itself four fundamental questions. Hart asked, "Who is going with us... how long will we be there... how much does it cost... how many casualties?" According to Hart, one aspect that many people forget is that "people die in wars." He also warned that "we don't want to have another Vietnam on our hands." The only acceptable condition for going to war, Hart said, is "if we need to do so to prevent killing American people." Hannum warned that the government and the media may be over-focussing on terrorism. The US seems to be "pandering to the fears of Americans," he said. During his tenure in the Senate, Hart served on both the Armed Services and Intelligence Oversight committees. Recently, Hart served as co-chair of the US Commission on National Security in the 21st Century. The Commission's report concluded that without significant changes in the national security infrastructure, the US would face serious risk of terrorist attacks on its homeland within the next 25 years. Tragically, this report's prediction was realized only a few months after its publication in Feb. 2001. According to the New York Times, Hart is considering making another run for President, as he did in 1984 and 1988. But he did not address the issue either during his talk or the question and answer period. Though he did not address the issue, many students were interested in the possibility of a 2004 Presidential campaign. "If he decides to run he will be a good policy candidate _ he will support new liberal values and he is going to bring an academic Jeffersonian aspect," freshman Mike McGeary said. After the program, there was a reception in Ballou Hall for EPIIC students and invited guests. Since leaving the Senate, he has been a Visiting Fellow at Oxford University, Global Fund Lecturer at Yale, and Regents Lecturer at the University of California.

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News

Tragedy brings housing policy to light

January 22

As a parent of a Tufts upperclassman, my heart is broken for the loss of Wendy Carman and for her family. This tragedy highlights a serious gap at Tufts (and at many other universities) when a housing policy chooses to ignore the living conditions of enrolled students and, frankly, by not being involved permits many landlords to take advantage of inexperienced and stressed young people when leases are signed. I would strongly urge President Bacow and his administrators to take a look at the policies at Tufts which could be changed in order to better ensure that a tragedy of this type will not happen again. Perhaps Tufts can put appropriate pressure on landlords and create safe standards for student tenants in this captive and seemingly exploitative real estate market of Medford and Somerville student housing. Gayle Israel Parent (LA '04)

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News

Seven Questions with Brian Michael Shapiro

January 22

Full Name:Brian Michael Shapiro Hometown: Swampscott, MA Birthdate: 9-21-80 Zodiac sign: Virgo Nickname: Shaps Favorite Athlete: Ray Allen Brian Shapiro recently added his name to the Tufts record books by scoring over 1,000 points in his career. Not only does he pour in the points on the basketball court, but he is also a superb baseball player, having earned All-NESCAC honors at shortstop. From a writer's perspective, quoting Shapiro is always enjoyable because when you call him he always seems tired and pretty much lets you make up whatever answer sounds good. I caught up with Shaps in Carmichael dining hall chilling with our boy B. Mill and devouring steak tips, so it was only natural that Seven Questions followed. 1. So you now have over 1,000 points in your career, is there anything else you have had 1,000 of? Well, I don't think I've ever done 1,000 of anything but, I am on my 997th opponent on yahoo chess... only three more to go!!! 2. Since it's your last semester, what are your plans after graduation? Benny is hooking me up with an awesome internship at Yee's Village in Davis. 3. I tried out for the baseball team last year and got cut, why didn't you take me under your wing and secure me a spot on the squad? Well, I was actually sort of weirded out when you showed up wearing yellow and black Skidz overalls, two Breathe Right strips on your nose, and a fanny pack. 4. How did you let my fellow non-athletic Gilman Greyhound Bill Miller live in your house? He's a super person... to buy stuff for us. 5. Why do I always see you in the "easy" classes? That internship at Yee's has a pretty brutal GPA requirement. 6. You hit a good amount of three pointers on that wack NESCAC competition, but do you think you could hit them in my face? Um ya... weirdo. 7. What do you think about Joe Millionaire? I haven't been watching too much of it lately... Monday nights at 9 p.m. are when Martin and Byron lock themselves in the TV room to watch "Interior Decorating" with Christopher Lowell on TLC.

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News

Bacow supports University of Michigan

January 22

President Larry Bacow joined other university officials in their defense of affirmative action in university admissions during a speech at a celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day yesterday. Yves-Rose SaintDic, the director of affirmative action at Tufts' Office of Equal Opportunity, said that Bacow announced that the University will file a brief on behalf of the University of Michigan, joining Harvard. Princeton officials have said they may also submit a brief, as has Congressman Dick Gephardt (D-MO). Last week, the Bush administration filed a brief opposing Michigan's affirmative action policy. The State of Florida and a number of conservative and libertarian advocacy organizations also submitted opinions opposing the university's policies. The Supreme Court announced yesterday that it would weigh in on the debate by listening to two cases concerning the University of Michigan, one involving undergraduate admissions and the other involving the law school. The undergraduate lawsuit, Gratz v. Bollinger, was filed against Michigan in 1997 on behalf of two white applicants rejected by the university's College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. The same year, Barbara Grutter, a white female, sued the law school after she was denied admission. US District Judge Bernard Friedman ruled in favor of Grutter in March of 2001, declaring Michigan's admissions policies unconstitutional. The undergraduate debate revolves around University of Michigan's system of evaluating applications from underrepresented groups and whether it denies white students equal protection guaranteed by the constitution. Undergraduate applicants to the College of Literature, Science and the Arts are evaluated based on a 150 point system, according to CNN. 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 policies are not as clearly defined: its admissions office attempts to enroll a "critical mass" of minority students, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported. The issue became more controversial last week when Bush came down strongly on the side of the plaintiff in a brief saying "the method used by the University of Michigan to achieve this important goal is fundamentally flawed." The brief did not oppose all forms of affirmative action and said that there were other methods which would allow the University of Michigan to maintain diversity in its student body. Tufts has an affirmative action program wherein the University bears "the responsibility for making every effort to identify and alleviate underutilization of minorities," but it does not set specific rules as to how this is implemented _ and what role this plays in admissions. Tufts admissions officers said that they view applications on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the nature of the ruling, it could affect Tufts because while the University is private, it receives federal funds. The last Supreme Court decision on affirmative action in college admissions, California v. Bakke, was issued in 1978 and has since been used as a defense in affirmative action cases. The Chronicle of Higher Education explained in a recent article that despite the 5-4 decision in that case, colleges have relied on Justice Lewis F. Powell's separate opinion that "public colleges could not use quotas in admissions but could give some consideration to race in an effort to enroll a diverse student body for educational reasons." The original split decision has long been controversial and has allowed lesser courts considerable leeway in interpretation. Although there are hopes that the current proceedings might clarify the issue, The Chronicle points out that, ideologically, the Supreme Court is split evenly, and it is not likely that a definite decision will be reached. Tufts Political Science Professor Ken Portney believes that Bush's move could be the Republican Party capitalizing on midterm election victories and its "conservative ideology is coming out." He also said it could be an attempt to appeal to more hard-line conservatives, many of whom the party has alienated in the past. But many believe that curtailing affirmative action policies could have a drastic effect on the makeup of universities' student bodies. At the University of California at Berkeley, the percentage of African-American students in the entering class fell from 6.8 percent in 1997 to 2.4 percent in 1998, the first year after affirmative action policies were abandoned. The Supreme Court will hear the law school and undergraduate cases together on April 1; its decisions are expected by June.

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News

Shapiro cracks 1000 point mark for career

January 22

Senior co-captain Brian Shapiro's basketball career started off with a bang after he earned the honor of NESCAC rookie of the year. Three years later, Shapiro achieved a major milestone by scoring over 1,000 points in his career. After coming off the bench and scoring 25 points last Friday again Connecticut College, Shapiro found himself seven points shy of the career century mark. "It was definitely in the back in my mind because in high school I sat out most of my senior year with a broken wrist and never made it to 1,000," Shapiro said. "It's nice to get it out of the way so I can have nothing in the back of my mind." After struggling from the field against Wesleyan the following day, he still stood seven points away heading into Tuesday night's game against Wheaton. On this occasion he would not be denied as he totaled 13 points, pushing him above the career mark of 1,000 points. "It definitely felt good," Shapiro said. "My mother was at the away game; it was nice to have her there. It was also a relief to get it out the way." Shapiro has been consistent throughout his career, starting off his Tufts career averaging seven points per game, 1.7 rebounds and .7 assists. Shapiro scored over 300 points in his sophomore and junior seasons, averaging 15 and 13.7 points per game respectively. Junior season marked his highs in rebounds with 3.6 per game and assists with 3.5 per game. Recently Shapiro's role on team was shifted to sixth man. He has been effective in this capacity, averaging 12.8 points so far this season. Shapiro joins fellow senior teammate Mike McGlynn as the only two current basketball players to score 1,000 points in their career.

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News

Sophomores' project aims to reduce campus design flaws

January 22

As your alarm clock sounds, you spring out of bed in anticipation of your busy day. You have it all planned out; a quick breakfast in Dewick and then a stop at the gym before Calculus. You choose a helping of eggs and contemplate the cereal selection as you squeeze through the small gap between the two cafeteria buffets. With a backpack full of books, a gym bag, and a full tray, you snag your backpack strap and lose your balance. And there you are _ on the ground, drenched in milk and Extra Marshmallow Lucky Charms. Sophomore Engineering Psychology majors Spencer Gerrol and Allison Yale completed a project last fall that aims to eliminate such mishaps from a Tufts students' daily routine, by identifying and fixing design flaws in several campus buildings. The students' assignment was to design something that would accommodate people's needs, capabilities, and limitations. Psychology Professor Salvatore Soraci, who assigned the project, said that Gerrol and Yale's realization of the assignment was original because while "...other student projects involved cultural factors in website design, statistical reasoning flaws, the redesign of dangerous street intersections, etc.," the two chose to focus on the University with the hopes of eventually reaping the benefits of their labor. "This is actually a chance to improve our everyday lives here at Tufts," Gerrol said. "We hope that students will keep their eyes open for problems they encounter and send us suggestions at fixtufts@hotmail.com." Through surveys, group brainstorming sessions, and touring the campus, Gerrol and Yale familiarized themselves with what they considered to be the campus's most prominent design flaws. After creating a list of over eighty problems encountered in dorms, athletic facilities, dining facilities, academic buildings, and classrooms, they evaluated the severity of every item and selected a few from each category to focus on. "We've done a preliminary phase, gathering data and doing research for what problems exist, and now we have to see what we can realistically fix," Gerrol said. "We want to start with the minor stuff, like having the forks in Carmichael dining hall be placed in the bins that say 'forks' rather than 'knives'." As an effort to have an impact on the Tufts community, Gerrol and Yale will present their findings to The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (THFES) in anticipation of heading a campus improvement project. Ideally, THFES board members would apply for Tufts Community Union Senate funding, although Yale notes that Campus Facilities could help to realize some of the project's goals. "Depending on how much input we get from other people and how much funding we are able to get, we will start out with the small stuff and move on from there," Yale said. "Obviously we can't put elevators in all of the buildings right away." Installing elevators is in fact one of the many goals identified by the project. "We want to make the campus more accessible to the students, and buildings like Anderson are not handicap-friendly," Yale said. "One of the problems is that there are many offices on the upper floors and not everyone has access to those levels." THFES has tried to achieve similar projects' goals in the past, but according to Senior David Cades, the Society's treasurer, "[the THFES] budget is minimal, which is why we haven't been able to do much." To gain funding, Cades suggests that Gerrol and Yale turn their findings into a research project and apply for a grant through the Univeristy's Undergraduate Research Fund. One of the project's findings was that while good lighting allows users to be comfortable and to work without visual strain, campus dorms such as Miller and South have dim lighting with a yellow tint, which negatively affects the efficiency of the rooms as workspaces. Two possible ways to improve the ambient light in the dorm rooms would be to install more powerful lights or to make the light-cover more translucent. Miller and South residents were not the only students living on campus to voice concerns about their dorm rooms. The 100 surveys handed out by Gerrol and Yale to random University students revealed that Haskell Hall residents find the numbering of several suites to be counterintuitive. For example, the suite upstairs from the 320's is numbered 310's. "This is a violation of spatial natural mapping," explains the students' project. It is also a relatively simple and inexpensive problem to fix, as the suites simply need renumbering. In Dewick dining hall, the sneeze guard over the salad bar is completely parallel to the food surface and hinders people from reaching from one side of the buffet to the other. If the shield were inclined, the horizontal length would be shorter, making food easier to reach. Also the height of the sneeze guard does not protect the vegetables from the germs of the shortest students. "Keeping facilities sanitary is a serious human factors concern," Gerrol explained. A prevalent complaint on campus of late has been the inadequacy of athletic facilities. Gerrol and Yale discovered that the large doors that appear to be the main entrance to the Gantcher Center are always locked, and that in fact the entrance to the gym is a loading dock on the basement level. "Even though there is a small sign, the location of the entrance should be clearer," Yale said. "Once you are inside, you see several hallways and sets of stairs with little indication as to where they lead; better signage would be a big help." Another problem regarding user satisfaction is the need for equipment that can be used by both left and right-handed individuals. Computer mice in buildings such as Halligan, Anderson and Tisch are shaped to fit the contours of the right hand, but Gerrol and Yale's project urges the University to invest in ambidextrous mice at each computer station to avoid limiting left-handed students to certain machines. "It's surprising that a school like Tufts, which is one of two universities in the country that has an undergraduate human factors program, has so many problems," sophomore Engineer Nikhil Kalghatgi said. "Some of the ideas [Gerrol and Yale] thought of are not just good 'fixer-uppers,' but necessary." Kalghatgi noted the wisdom of Gerrol and Yale's recommendations to exchange the sloping desks of the Olin Center and Bromfield-Pearson. "Books and papers just fall right off if you aren't holding them down, and in nearly every class, I hear something fall off of someone's desk. Its' not like it's just annoying, it's inefficient and more importantly, distracting."

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News

That old familiar feeling

January 22

This past Saturday night, I was able to catch both the Stoves and Tiger Mountain in the intimate venue of the Middle East upstairs. Much to my chagrin, I left the Middle East somewhat disappointed. Outside of a few well placed (and well done) guitar solos I saw little resemblance to the "razor-sharp and rifftastic" band I was promised in the press release promoting the Stoves. While they did rock out periodically, it wasn't the lively experience I was hoping for. The room, about the size of a classroom in Eaton, was quickly filling up before the Stoves took the stage. Much of the crowd was composed of friends of the band and regulars of the club. Refreshingly, no particular "scene" was overly represented. Although the small area could have been mistaken for Marlboro country (if you're like me and are adversely affected by cigarette smoke, wear a sweater when visiting the Middle East so you'll have something to breathe through). Without ceremony, the Stoves took the stage. The lead singer looks like Rick Moranis and the band seems like they're going to give us some Weezer style geek rock. But NO. The lead singer rock screams into the mike, "Are you ready to have your ass blown out with rock?" The Stoves give you no time to ponder that question before launching into their first, alarmingly loud _ especially for such a small venue _ number. If nothing else, the band is enthusiastic. The guitarist jumps across from one side of the stage to the other and the lead singer does Russians, while wearing jeans, no less. Their sound was similar to an accented Vines ("Get Free" not "The Factory"), with no song going over three minutes. The rather repetitive lyrics were reminiscent in their silliness to those of They Might Be Giants. One song was just "Farm Donkey say 'hee haw'" with the obligatory rocking by the other band members. While the Stoves, may not have been all that great, Tiger Mountain's set was still enjoyable, much more so than the "screamo" being played between the headlining sets. Big red Afro. That's the first thing I notice when Tiger Mountain takes the stage. The tall bassist standing in the center has a large red white guy afro. I immediately think "They are going to rock!" Tiger Mountain from New York are much calmer than I expected, however. They seem like an edgy Goo Goo Dolls-esque alternate rock band. Which is convenient because that is what they are. The group splits lead vocal between guitarists Tyler Lenenae and Mike Jackson. Leneane sounds like an older (but happier) Jakob Dylan. Jackson sounds like Julian Casablancas from the Strokes and looks like his older brother (down to the jean jacket; maybe it's a New York thing) The band's lyrics aren't exceptional, but they aren't exceptionally unintelligent either. The band manages to sing about love, loss and loneliness, barely staying below cry-me-a-river trite. They do have their moments of cleverness, however, one such occasion was their song "Now That You're on TV". Tiger Mountain was not bad; they were just familiar. It was a pleasant experience, but one that could have been had elsewhere.

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News

Jumbo swim team begins where it left off

January 22

For the first time since November, the women's swimming and diving team left the friendly confines of Hamilton Pool on Saturday. It did not seem to matter, though, as the Jumbos began a month long road swing on the right foot by beating the Wesleyan Cardinals, 167-124. The Jumbos moved to 4-0 with the victory, and handed Wesleyan its fifth loss in six competitions. The Jumbos began the meet strong and never looked back. They took first place in their first event, the 200-yard medley relay. Junior Mika Sumiyoshi took the lead for the Jumbos during the first leg, and the team only added to it as the race progressed. Freshman Kathryn Mims closed out the event with a sizzling 29.26 leg. Mims came back later in the competition to take the 50-yard freestyle, with junior Amanda Bloom right behind her. Mims day was still not complete though, and she added another first place finish in the 100 freestyle with a time of 57.94 seconds. Sophomore Suzi Ascoli finished just behind Mims with a time of 58.19 seconds. "They have a good freshman and a sophomore, and their diving team is also strong. But they don't have the depth that we have," coach Nancy Bigelow said. Depth was the problem for the Cardinals. A victory for Tufts was eminent from the beginning because although Wesleyan had strong performances from some of its swimmers, its lack of depth proved to be the difference. Cardinal freshman Stephanie Lasby led the Wesleyan attack. She finished with four first place finishes, but in two of those events, the 200 IM and the 200 freestyle relay, she finished behind unofficial entrants from Tufts. Lasby also won the 500 and 1650 freestyles. Going into the match the latter race was thought to be the one to watch, a battle of two up and coming distance swimmers, as Lasby went against Jumbo sophomore Kate Sweeney. Before Saturday's meet, Lasby's best in the 1000 yard freestyle was just a second quicker. The narrow margin between the race times is also amplified by the length of the race. Sweeney kept pace in the beginning of the race, but tired in the end, finishing her last nine laps in over 34 seconds. Meanwhile Lasby recorded just one lap time of over 34 seconds, remaining steady throughout the race. The Jumbos poured it on early, winning the next nine events after the 1650 freestyle. Sumiyoshi recorded two easy victories in the 200 backstroke and the 200 freestyle. Sophomore Sarah Ferranti and Senior Daniele Blaney swam to a 1-2 finish respectively in the 100 backstroke. Another three event winner for the Jumbos was Sophomore Katherine Ferguson. Ferguson swam fastest in both the 100 and 200 breastroke events, and was also the third leg of the 200 medley relay. In the 200 breastroke Ferguson prevented fellow teammate and Sophomore Erica Weitz from capturing her second first place finish. Earlier in the meet, Weitz cruised to victory in the 200 butterfly, beating the closest Wesleyan competitor by over ten seconds. The other winners for the Jumbos were junior Beth Wecksell in the 1 meter diving and freshman Meghan Wallach in the 100 butterfly. Over the break the team spent two weeks training in Barbados both to train and to bond. "We all worked really hard for the past two weeks and have bonded as a team," senior tri-captain Shayna Burke said. "I think that we are in great shape and that our upcoming meets should be a great time for our team to perform really well and to enjoy the competition." The upcoming schedule for the Jumbos reads Trinity on the Saturday and then MIT three days later. MIT should prove to be Tufts' first real challenge of the year. Over the past three years the Jumbos have fallen to the Engineers, but in each year the margin of victory has been shortened. "Our meet against MIT is just three days after Trinity and we'll be tired," coach Bigelow said. "But if we keep our heads in the game, it will be very close."

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News

MIT swimmers spoil men's swimming chance at undefeated season

January 22

Although the men's swimming team knew what it was up against, the team was unable to continue its winning ways on Tuesday, suffering its first loss of the season in a closely contested meet at MIT. Tufts earned 118 points, six short of MIT's total of 124, While the MIT squad is not usually a powerhouse, Tufts coach Don Megerle described this year's squad as one of the best teams MIT has ever formed. "They swam really well," senior tri-captain Ryan Lahey said. Tuesday's meet came down to the last event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, usually a strong event for the Tufts men. The Engineers were just too quick though, winning the relay by more than three seconds. "MIT got real strong this year," senior tri-captain Peter Berkowitz said. "It was a good meet though." The Tufts divers kept the squad in the meet until the end, claiming 16 points in the one-meter competition, won by senior Connell Cloyd, and earning another 14 in the thee-meter event, won by sophomore Jonathan Perry. The Jumbos best swimming performance of the evening came in the 200-yard butterfly, in which Tufts grabbed three of the first four spots. Sophomore Seth Baron won with a time of 1:59.07. Tufts usually makes quick work of the MIT swimmers, but this year was a different story. "It was disappointing but the loss doesn't change our potential," Megerle said. "They just swam better than us." After the loss, the team's record fell to 5-1 (2-0 NESCAC), still an impressive mark with now more than half of the regular season completed. On Saturday, the team traveled to Middletown, CT to take on NESCAC foe Wesleyan. That meet proceeded like most of the team's others this season, with ease. Tufts won by a score of 180-81, dominating almost all of the events. The Jumbos' dominance could be seen early on, with Tufts taking the first eight events, including all three of the freestyle races and one of the relays. Baron (10:27.73) and junior Kaili Mauricio (10:35.64) placed one and two in the 1,000-yard freestyle. Freshman Jason Kapit, a Maryland native, got in on the action as well, winning the 200-yard freestyle in a very hotly-contested event. Other Jumbo swimmers also excelled at Wesleyan. The team claimed a clean sweep of the 100-yard backstroke, grabbing the first three spots in the final results. Freshman Jonathon Godsey won with a time of 55.03 seconds, with juniors Jamie Meyers (58.17) and Sam Burlingame (58.63) not too far behind. Tyler Duckworth dominated both the individual events he participated in. The American Studies major won the 200-yard butterfly by nearly ten seconds (1:59.58) and the 200-yard breaststroke by more than ten seconds (2:11.77). The Wesleyan meet was the team's first after returning from a two-week training trip to Florida. "It's nice to see all the hard work we had done down in Florida pay off," Berkowitz said. The team will travel to Hartford, CT on Saturday to take on NESCAC opponent Trinity College. With only four duel-meets remaining, three of which are against NESCAC teams, the team now focuses on finishing strong and building the final roster for the NESCAC Championships, to be held at Williams from February 28 to March 2. "Our main goal is putting together our New England team for the Championships," Lahey said. Even after suffering its first loss of the season on Tuesday, the team is optimistic and in prime position to compete for the NESCAC crown.

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News

Nation gathers against war

January 22

An estimated half million protesters gathered this weekend in Washington, DC to demonstrate against a potential war between the US and Iraq. The rally, sponsored by the International A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism) Coalition, was supported by protests in San Francisco and in over 30 other countries. Although there was no official organized Tufts group at the rally, many Tufts students attended on their own _ going either in buses sponsored by A.N.S.W.E.R., Boston Mobilization, or by carpooling. Senior Sivan Ilamathi, who drove with three other friends to attend this weekend's event, felt that the protests were hugely successful in demonstrating, "that there is a sizable demographic out there that is opposed to the current course of action." Another Tufts protester, senior Katherine Regan "chose to go because, although I don't agree with the current regime in Iraq, I don't believe that the US has the right to go in a unilateral way." She emphasized that the rally was extremely peaceful, especially given the variety of groups that were in attendance. "There were all sorts of people," said Regan, "and even though they had different agendas, they all came together." Ilamathi went in order to, "participate in something that was going to be a big opposition to the war," although he admitted that he does not, "think it's going to necessarily change the administration's short term goals." The protest, which was organized to coincide with the Martin Luther King holiday, included British band Chumbawamba, and singer Patti Smith. Noted speakers such as Reverend Jesse Jackson and civil rights activist Mahdi Braywere were, "really great," Ilamathi said. The A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition was formed to call for worldwide rallies against war and racism. "The US government is attempting to curb civil liberties and to create a climate in which it is impossible for progressive people to speak their mind," the coalition states in a mission letter. "Now is the time for all people of conscience, all people who oppose racism and war to come together. If you believe in civil liberties and oppose racism and war, demonstrate around the world." There were many Tufts students who were not able to make it to the protest, but nevertheless feel strongly on the issue. "There is no legitimate reason to attack Iraq," sophomore Adam Aslan said. "I think this war is something for newspapers and television to direct their attention away from real problems, like the economy." An editorial strongly in favor of the protest was published in Monday's New York Times and said that protestors represented, "what appears to be a large segment of the American public that remains unconvinced that the Iraqi threat warrants the use of military force at this juncture."

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News

Cousens 101: an exercise in exercising at Tufts

January 22

3:44 p.m.: Arrive at Cousen's Gym. Effortlessly walk past student immersed in 3 inch thick P-Chem text seated at dilapidated desk next to "ALL STUDENTS MUST PRESENT VALID TUFTS ID FOR ENTRANCE" sign. 3:45 p.m.: Walk up stairs towards "Lunder Fitness Center." Recognize several males who are constantly playing basketball. Question if they have classes. Anxiety builds as windows to gym approach. Glance into windows, anxiety abated. Notice gym is crowded but not quite afternoon rush. 3:46 p.m.: Walk to front desk. Hand ID to girl who was in your freshman Perspectives class. Smile because you don't remember her name. Sign in. Ask yourself "what's the point anyway?" 3:48 p.m.: Proceed to shelving. Wade through rainbow sea of Herve Chapelier, Longchamps, and Gucci bags. Place your stuff on floor next to sign that says "don't put your stuff here." 3:49 p.m.: Say "hi" to lacrosse player who you met last Sunday morning as he began his walk of shame from your house. Continue past bikes. Collision _ right funny bone comes into contact with bike as you attempt to walk opposite oncoming traffic. Elbow in pain. 3:51 p.m.: Advance to back wall towards elliptical trainer section. All machines are in use. Sorority event appears to be in progress. Begin to ask first person how much time remaining. Twenty-six minutes. Next_20 minutes. Number Three_7 minutes. Continue to see if you can do better. Number Four_ just got on. Number Five_someone waiting after her. Revert back to Number Three. Stake claims on Three. 3:52 p.m.: Retreat to mats. Mats at capacity. Wait for someone to relinquish position on mat. 3:54 p.m.: Attain mat position. 3:59 p.m.: Number Three dismounts machine. Subject retrieves six-pound Vogue. 4:00 p.m.: Climb machine. Set machine for 30 minutes. Frantically grasp for discman as "Jenny from the Block" reverberates through overhead speakers. 4:01 p.m.: Glance around gym. Notice that all treadmills and Stairmasters in use while multiple stationary bikes remain empty. Question University's purchases. Also ponder why treadmills are at front of gym. Take note weightlifters have ideal anterior view of runners. 4:05 p.m.: Look to center-right. Amused by 80s clad, rotund, middleaged man on abdominal adduction machine. Question comfort of football players in hooded sweatshirts and sweatpants. Frightened by facial expressions of Hockey players lifting. Troubled by necessity of four fitness center staff doing homework, occasionally returning weights to racks, aimlessly walking around gym. 4:13 p.m.: Timid, yet friendly girl approaches elliptical row. Freshman. Proceeds down row asking time remaining. Asks person to left. States 20 minutes. Recall that 15 minutes ago Number Two had 20 minutes remaining as well. Attempt to use Math 5 skills. Math abilities weak, remain confused yet cautious. Return to scanning gym. 4:20 p.m.: Startled by droplets of unidentified chemical from gym-provided spray bottles ricocheting off adjacent machine onto self. 4:32 p.m.: Postclass rush now in full effect. All bikes engaged. Even scary ancient Stairmaster is occupied by a man who seems to be having religious experience. Cannot recall gym ever being so crowded. Conclude source of dramatic increase in attendance attributed to New Years resolutions. Crowd problem will be alleviated in approximately two weeks. 4:40 p.m.: Conclude workout. Hesitantly use mysterious spray bottle and random rag to wipe down machine. Contemplate disinfecting powers. Observe two girls battling for use of machine. Retreat to allow better view of ensuing altercation. 4:41 p.m.: Walk past unidentified fraternity brothers who appear to be doing something but really aren't. Hear something about a hot freshman. 4:45 p.m.: Depart gym. Overwhelmed by crowd. Ecstatic at thought of arrival of spring and use of outside as an exercise apparatus. Nicole Kolinski is a sophomore majoring in Political Science

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News

Invented excuses for war

January 22

What's happened in the last 15 months since the terrorist attacks on this country? People have become afraid, and in their fear, often amenable to what would otherwise be thoroughly unacceptable. A far-right regime, unpopular before the attacks, has been lionized by a compliant media. Patriotic symbolism has come to accompany all mainstream reportage. An inarticulate and ignorant president has, like the emperor in Anderson's tale, been lavishly praised by those who fear to point out his intellectual and moral nakedness. Meanwhile, the Bill of Rights has been shredded, your privacy rights jeopardized. Intelligence-gathering powers which would make the KGB or Stasi green with envy are now unleashed to monitor not just potential terrorism but all antigovernment dissent. It's all legal; it's right there in the obscenely titled "Patriotic Act." What a series of nightmares. First there was Sept. 11; then the immediate, inevitable assaults upon people of Arab, Muslim, and South Asian ancestry throughout the country (rising by 1,600 percent in the last year). While we grieved, a warmongering cabal in the Defense Department (headed by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, and including Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Policy Board chairman Richard Perle) gloated at the opportunity to promote a longstanding grand plan to reconfigure Southwest Asia. "First we hit al Qaeda and crush the Taliban in Afghanistan," they reasoned. "The American people will go for that because it'll be sweet revenge. Building on that, we'll use all that patriotic fervor and bloodlust _ which the media will help us generate and intensify _ to raise support for 'regime change' in Iraq. And then in Iran, and Syria, and any other country that is uncooperative and vulnerable. Sure, there will be dissent, but we'll manage that by the most draconian set of new restrictions on civil liberties since World War II." But what's the bridge between the "war on terrorism" in Afghanistan and this grand plan, including the attack on Iraq? Well, there isn't actually any al Qaeda-Iraq link. There is no proven, meaningful connection between al Qaeda and Iraq. They are poles apart ideologically and hate one another. Al Qaeda is all about extreme fundamentalist Islam. Saddam is about secular Baath Party politics. The warmongers have to conjure up some link, out of thin air, and they've been busy at that for the last 15 months. First they seized upon the story, which initially surfaced in a Newsweek report on Sept. 19, that there had been a meeting between hijacker Mohammed Atta and Iraqi intelligence officers, including Farouk Hijazi, Iraq's ambassador to Turkey, in Prague in June 2000. It turned out to be bogus, rejected by British, Czech and even US intelligence services (it's called disinformation). Then there was the elaborate effort to trace the anthrax letters to Iraqi laboratories. But the FBI, CIA, and Federation of American Scientists concluded that the anthrax strain found in the letters was probably from a US lab. Then in March, mysteriously enough, the Christian Science Monitor and the New Yorker reported the existence of Ansar al-Islam, "an Islamic group with possible links to Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein" which had seized several villages in Iraq. Jeff Goldberg of the New Yorker cited statements from the pro-US Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) that Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda jointly run the organization, and that Baghdad had hosted an al Qaeda leader in 1992. Former CIA director James Woolsey, a leading proponent of an Iraq attack, hailed the article as a "blockbuster," and said the CIA "got beat on this story by the New Yorker and Jeff Goldberg." All nonsense. In fact, Baghdad provided weapons to the PUK to fight the Ansar forces. Meanwhile, we're told, a US Air Force pilot reported as killed in action on the first day of the Gulf War has now been re-categorized as MIA. But the principal argument for war now (and the fact that it's one of so many should itself generate doubt) is this: We have classified information _ that we will reveal at the right time _ that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, that might fall into the hands of al Qaeda (or other) terrorists. These weapons threaten the US and its friends and allies, and may lead to another Sept. 11-type attack. In the real world, weapons experts like card-carrying Republican and ex-Marine Scott Ritter and Swedish former arms inspector Rolf Ekeus have made it clear that in fact the US is simply not threatened by Iraq. Madeleine Albright and Jimmy Carter have also said this. Iraqi Scuds could reach Moscow or Sicily, but the Russians and Italians aren't worried. Germany is dead-set against war and the French talk of vetoing any US-sponsored UN resolution authorizing an attack. The nations bordering Iraq, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and even Kuwait, have argued strongly against an attack and say Iraq does not pose a threat to them at this point; their foreign ministers are feverishly working to oppose a war they know will dangerously destabilize their region. In a word, all the official justifications for an attack on Iraq are spurious. And yet, the mother of nightmares looms. As we lose our civil liberties; as political criminals of the past such as Elliot Abrams, Otto Reich, Henry Kissinger and John Poindexter step into key posts in the Bush administration; as hatred, contempt and fear of the US government mounts throughout the world; as the economy deteriorates; as hate crimes proliferate, Bush plans an unprovoked, "preemptive" attack on a sovereign state, crippled by sanctions, that will produce an unprecedented level of anti-US rage globally. One can endorse the action, swallowing the line that it eliminates an urgent threat to American well-being. ("It is always a simple matter to drag the people along," said Hermann Goering before his execution. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.") One can be silent, mulling it all over; the world is very complicated, after all. Or one can say: I know enough to say no, now. On the patio of Campus Center on Tuesday, December 10, 2003, and again in that massive demonstration in Washington, D.C. last Saturday, some of us said no to this war, this imperialist war, as loud as we could, as did others on campuses throughout the country. Now on to New York, February 15! May Tufts be out in force! Gary Leupp is a professor in the History department.

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News

Memorial service honors fire victim

January 22

Bouquets of purple tulips _ Wendy Carman's favorite flower _ graced the podium in Goddard Chapel yesterday afternoon while friends, students, professors, administrators, and local firemen gathered to celebrate the life of the 20-year-old Tufts junior. Wendy died early Saturday morning after her loft on 20 Harris Rd. caught fire while she was sleeping. President Larry Bacow told the gathering of people that their presence was, "a loving affirmation of Wendy's life," and proof that, "she touched everyone." Wendy was a warm person who genuinely cared for her peers and valued her friendships, speakers recalled. "When boy problems arose, Wendy always said, 'everyone thinks college is where you meet your future husband, but it's where you meet your future bridesmaids,'" said junior Maritsa Christoudias. In his address, Bacow told the Tufts community to remember that life is fragile, and that it is, "a gift, not a given." He told the assembly to make the most of their time at Tufts, to tell others they care about them, and to embrace and support each other. Bacow advised listeners to savor the simple pleasures in life instead of taking them for granted, and asked that students focus on giving back to one another. "It is in the receiving and in the giving that we truly experience life," he said. Bacow also requested that students, "honor the vitality Wendy brought to Tufts, and make this a better place _ as she did." Tears were interrupted by smatterings of laughter and smiles when speakers and audience members described Wendy as upbeat, talkative, and caring. Dean of Students Bruce Reitman said that anecdotes and memories from her friends described Wendy as, "the ultimate people person," and someone who, "made time for everyone." Junior Joanna Friedman, Wendy's freshman and sophomore year roommate, spoke on behalf of Wendy's close friends, describing her as generous, open-minded, and a person who had no patience for condescension or intolerance from others. Other friends and administrators recalled Wendy for her intelligence, her affinity for dogs, and her love of Kurt Vonnegut and Star Trek. A Spanish major and Art History minor, Wendy planned to spend this semester taking only Spanish classes instead of studying abroad. Administrators told those in attendance not to be afraid to spend some time mourning for Wendy. "Experience this moment. Let [your feelings] wash over you as they do over all of us," Bacow said. Reitman told the audience to expect that the mourning process would not be easy. "Give yourself time in upcoming days to be sad, angry, or feel that life is unfair," he said. The family statement that recalled the "tragic accident" and remembered Wendy as a "vibrant" young woman who "loved the solitude of her many books and the company of her many friends," was shared at the opening of the service by University Chaplain Reverend David O'Leary. The statement also said that, "the world is a different place without Wendy," a comment that Bacow said meant, "the world was a better place because she was here." Bacow also said that Wendy's family has received substantial support from the Tufts community, and that students and faculty have reached out to support one another since the event took place last weekend. Reitman asked that students support each other for a continued period of time, and not just in the next few days and weeks. Prayers and scriptures shared by University Chaplains Steven Bonsey, Ann Penick, and Rabbi Jeffrey Summit reminded listeners that death is not an end, and that, "a rich life has been lived." Family members in Washington state were unable to attend, but will be sent a video-taped copy of the service by the University. A few minutes of silence were followed by O'Leary's closing of the service as he reminded attendees that counseling services are available through Tufts emergency services 24 hours a day. Family and friends are still in the decision process about whether donations or a fund will be established in Wendy's memory, O'Leary said.

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News

New Phish CD has elements found in live performances

January 22

Back from the depths of a two-and-a-half year hiatus, the popular jamband Phish emerges with their new album, Round Room. The album lacks typical studio perfection, yet inhabits small nuances that usually only exist in spontaneous live performances. If you listen closely, you can hear Trey get a little choked up and cough in "Friday," and the background harmony he adds in "Mock Song" is a cacophony of nonsensical words. Like at a live show these impulsive or flawed nuances are alluring. Indeed, they're what the band has thrived on in concert for 17 years. The first track, "Pebbles and Marbles," will be one of the band's live epic crowd pleasers. A catchy riff leads into Trey's soft and melodic voice stretching to the energy-building chorus. The song lasts longer than 11 minutes, complete with a heavy jam from front man Trey Anastasio. The jam is perhaps a little long, but that only authenticates the live performance effect. There are a number of other bone-grooving tunes like "46 Days," "Walls of the Cave," and the funk-circus song that the band brought in the New Year with, "Seven Below." Yet not all of the songs are filled with technical and splendid virtuoso. "Anything But Me," "Friday," and "All of These Dreams," to name a few, are hardly danceable numbers. The music is droopy and the pace too slow for its words. After the initial listen, all the songs seem to blend together. In concert, of course, these songs will provide "phans" with a much-needed slow-down reprieve between jams. Mike Gordon, perhaps the band's weirdest member, inspired the title track with his profound words, My room is round when I lay down/ When I wake up it's square, which suggest the malleability of reality. Is the band back to stay or will they reshape their anticipated future as well? Only time will tell what is in store for these hippie heroes. The Vermont-based group, consisting of Anastasio (guitar), Gordon (bass), Page McConnell (keyboard), and Jon Fishman (drums) began learning, rehearsing, and recording the new album in a matter of days. The band claims they are back and ready to go for the long haul. Is this the case, or is it merely a ploy to "piss in the ears of their listeners" (as a Rolling Stone magazine article so blatantly put it) and run with their hippie stash of profit?

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News

Seniors Zupancic and Collette Garner Postseason Awards

January 22

Senior cornerback Evan Zupancic and senior offensive tackle Adam Collette of the football team were recently honored as Div. III All-Americans by several different publications. D3football.com named Zupancic as a second team Div. III All-American, while Collete was an honorable mention selection. Hewlett Packard also recognized Zupancic as a third team selection to its team, and the New England Football Writers voted him to their Divisions II-III All-Star team. The awards heaved upon Zupancic were the crowning achievement of a career in which he started every game in four years and broke Tufts' all-time interception record. Zupancic finished his career with 20, shattering the previous record of 15 set by Scott Burnham between 1979-82. Seven of those picks came this season, when Zupancic also recorded 37 tackles and broke up 12 passes, giving him a combined 19 passes defended, or a 2.4 per game average, which was sixth best in the nation. He also displayed his versatility by adding an element of speed to the team's offense, where he caught four passes for 51 yards this year. Additionally, he returned several punts and kickoffs for the team. Football isn't the only sport where this Jumbo has set records; last season he set the Jumbos' single season record with 11 home runs for the baseball team, where he starts in centerfield and is a two-time captain. Zupancic has also won two consecutive Rudolph J. Fobert Awards, presented to the university's best multi-sport athlete. After he broke the school's interceptions record in January, coach Bill Samko told the Boston Herald that he thought Zupancic would go down as the greatest two-sport athlete in Tufts' history. "He's a winner," Samko said. "It's no accident." In addition to being All-Americans, both Zupancic and Collete made Don Hansen's Football Gazette All-East Team. Zupancic made the first team defense and Collette was a member of the third-string defense. Both players were also first team selections on the All-NESCAC and All-ECAC teams and Collette was selected to play with a distinct group of Div. III All-Stars against a Mexican team in the Dec. 14 Aztec Bowl in Torreon, Mexico. "I don't really expect anything from the game," Collette said. "So it was a pretty big surprise." Samko called Collete "one of the hardest workers we've had in this program," as evidenced by the fact that Collette added close to 70 pounds to his 6'8" frame during his career as a Jumbo. Collette didn't allow a sack his entire senior season, providing time for quarterback Scott Treacy to throw for 12 touchdown strikes, the most at Tufts in two decades. Collette deflected praise from himself, however. "I thought the senior class as a whole really took a leadership role on the line, not just one person in particular," Collette said. Unfortunately, the team suffered several close losses to finish 3-5 after a promising 3-0 start. "I was still proud of the team and the way we played," Collette said. "They're both quite deserving of their awards," Samko said. "They're great kids and they've done Tufts proud on and off the field."

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