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Reality TV takes over primetime

January 14

In the past few years, television viewers have seen an uncontrolled departure from the basic half-hour sitcoms and hour-long dramas that used to dominate primetime schedules. Beginning four years ago, the game show trend swallowed up time slots reserved for the latest Dick Wolf offering or Seinfeld spin-off. Water cooler chat revolved around the idiot on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire who thought that Hannibal crossed the Alps with llamas, not elephants. Chuck Woolery was actually popular, and Maury Povich had a show where his guests were not "12-year old skanks who dress like their mommas." That got boring fast, and the ingenious Mark Burnett brought Survivor to the small screen. The reality genre that was born on MTV with The Real World arrived on the networks, and took off like a rocket ship. Slowly, however, the quality in reality television began to spiral into a bane of morality, producing possibly the most tasteless and hackneyed set of midseason replacement series ever. The most highly publicized and highly watched reality show now is Joe Millionaire, which adds a typical "only FOX would do this" twist to the greatest aspects of ABC's The Bachelor. Surprisingly, it has been a big success. The show stars construction worker/bum Evan Wallace (aka Evan Marriot) as a bachelor with a $50 million inheritance who plays host to twenty money-grabbing single ladies. The catch is that he does not make $50 million _ or even one million _ he brings in just $19,000 a year. Wallace's motive is to find the one woman that is truly honest and special and does not value money over true love. How he expects to find such a woman on a show whose entire premise is based on lying and having lots of money is beyond this reviewer's understanding. By now, Wallace has eliminated fifteen of the twenty original poor saps, all of whom are still under the impression that their beau is a multi-millionaire. The fantastic denouement of the show will be when Wallace finally tells his "one true love" that he's a phony, and expect the announcement to be one of the greatest moments of television this year. It will also be one of the tackiest and nastiest moments as well, but this year, it's all the same thing. Joe Millionaire is just one example of how American television viewers have gone from watching with voyeuristic pleasure the backstabbing contestants on Survivor to taking joy in watching others being embarrassed in front of millions, a trend started by American Idol. The sequel to this summer hit premieres next week, returning with its greatest star, insulter extraordinaire, Simon Cowell. Responding to shows like American Idol, CBS, in its misguided wisdom, tried to bring back Star Search with Arsenio Hall in the old Ed McMahon role as host. While based on the similar "nobody to somebody" premise as American Idol II, the show will most definitely fail without the presence of Idol's mean and nasty Brit. Simon provides the guilty pleasure that is entirely necessary for a reality television series to be successful. One of the few things more enjoyable than watching random people being embarrassed is watching quasi-celebrities being embarrassed. Two new shows of this theme, the WB's Surreal Life and ABC's Celebrity Mole, will hopefully offer many opportunities for what ESPN columnist Bill Simmons calls the Unintentional Comedy Rating (UCR). The champion of the UCR is Corey Feldman, who stars in Surreal Life with Emmanuel Lewis, known for his role as Webster, Jerri from Survivor II, MC Hammer, and others. The basis of the show is irrelevant. All you need to know is they all live in one house, for ten days, and they have to do crazy stuff. The UCR should go through the roof, and if it doesn't, the WB will have missed a great opportunity. ABC's Celebrity Mole, on the other hand, offers a sad look at how low "celebrities" will sink to keep their grasp on some sense of stardom. At least in Surreal Life, the cast knows they are washed up and have no possible future in show business. In Mole, former personalities like Stephen Baldwin (Usual Suspects), Corbin Bensen (LA Law) and Kathy Griffin (Suddenly Susan) all star in this show about lying, going to exotic places and accomplishing odd tasks. Considering that not many viewers tuned in for the original The Mole series, it is doubtful that any will watch these phonies doing the same thing. With shows like these, the future of reality television looks bleak at best as the "too tasteless even for FOX" line nears closer and closer. This industry relies on guilty pleasures and when they become too mainstream, they cease to be guilty and therefore cease to be watchable. With the exception of The Osbournes, none of the reality shows are really all that great, but it sure beats watching Chuck Woolery and his "need for greed."

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News

Bacow's e-mail 'reckless'

January 14

As a recent graduate, I was extremely disappointed to hear President Larry Bacow state "The combination of consumption of alcohol with a mad dash through an icy, hilly campus at night cannot continue." I doubt anyone will disagree with the facts. Is it dangerous? Yeah. Risky? Yeah. Is it one of my fondest, most distinct memories of Tufts? Yeah. I am very sympathetic to the fact that Tufts University is extremely liable and exposed during the Naked Quad Run. If there was a serious injury, litigation could follow. But the abandonment of traditions is not something to be done casually. Unless Bacow is trying to shock the campus into good behavior with wild threats (we'll call it the George W. Bush school of diplomacy) I'm saddened and angered that this was his first reaction. That he would not even look into ways of making it safer (salt/shovel the running path, increased lighting, additional security) before sending a campus-wide denouncement of the quad run transcends carelessness, it displays a reckless disregard for the feelings of the Tufts campus. A leader should be able to choke down gut reactions to an event and be able to deal with it rationally. One would argue it's even more important not to send out an ill-conceived threat to one's constituents in the heat of the moment. But if Bacow wants to skip the discussion phase and go straight into threats, I'm sure that all of recent alums and current students would be happy to mobilize. The quad run is hailed as the single activity that the entire campus turns out for. I am certain that we could turn that passion into castigating you for the elimination of said event rather easily. The decision is Bacow's. Jed Fowler LA '02

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News

Max Dionne's top ten movies

January 14

Critics around the country have been busy releasing their top ten movie lists. As the new film editor for the Daily, I feel the need to follow suit. My list is slightly different. The ten movies on the list are in no particular order, and each is picked not necessarily because it was the "best," but because it possessed important or outstanding qualities. Also, not to be outdone, I will start with a second top ten list: >Top ten things to remember about my top ten movie list 10. These picks are just my humble opinion. 9. I am more intelligent and knowledgeable than you. 8. I did not see every film released in 2002. 7. I had good reason not to. 6. I don't like Japanimation. 5. I do like explosions. 4. But not when they are tasteless. 3. I also like lists. 2. I tend to be random. 1. I don't understand why there are word limits on articles. >The top ten movies of 2002 *Category: Most likely to make you go, "huh?" Adaptation _ This film, from the gnarled mind of Charlie Kaufman, follows the writer himself as he attempts to adapt the The Orchid Thief into a movie. Essentially the movie we watch in theaters is the movie Charlie Kaufman is writing in the movie. While it sounds confusing _ it is _ and it isn't. There are many layers to the complex film, but it is also very accessible, and intriguing to watch. The film falls into a genre all of its own: intellectual, hilarious, a Hollywood satire as well as an insightful commentary on life and human nature. *Category: Most unrecognizable star. Robin Williams in One Hour Photo _ This was a year for a new Robin Williams. While Insomnia received most of the critical acclaim, it mostly made me sleepy. One Hour Photo was a better showcase for Williams' new villainous skills. He brings an intense, eerie tension and foreboding to a film that could have been mediocre, and turns it into one that is positively chilling. *Category: Most likely to make you forget whether orcs really exist. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers _ The second is just as good as the first, if not better. We learn more about all the characters, especially Aragorn, played by the brilliant Viggo Morteson, who steals the movie. The battle scene at the end is intensely cool and I cannot wait for the third film. *Category: Most likely to make you think. Bowling for Columbine _ This film is Michael Moore's argument for gun control and it searches for an explanation for the large amount of violence in our society. It is a documentary bursting with images that are full of terror because they are real. Moore asks questions that need to be asked and is not afraid to critique the United States, something that no one should be afraid to do, especially now when we are so close to war. If you can only see one film off this list, see this one. *Category: Most likely to make you feel like you can change the world. Changing Lanes _ This is one of those films that make you sigh contentedly for humanity when the credits roll. It stars Ben Affleck as a wealthy lawyer dealing with corruption, and Samuel L. Jackson a hard working honest recovered alcoholic who is continually screwed by the system. The story starts when Jackson and Affleck get into a car accident, but the film is really about the interplay between two worlds, one of affluence and one of hardship. *Category: Most likely to boost the writer's ego. Personal Velocity _ I have not actually seen this film yet, but I am in it... for a couple seconds. I have a line. I was an extra and they filmed it near my hometown. Isn't that cool? *Category: Most likely to inspire nostalgia of childhood. Spiderman _ I loved Spiderman as a kid, and this film was a very good adaptation of the origin of the superhero. While his vacant stares were troubling at times, Toby Maguire pulled off the nerdy yet charming Peter Parker turned web slinger with gusto. Willem Dafoe is fantastically devious as the Green Goblin, a role he seemed born to play (no offense Willem). All in all, the film kept the bigger than life charm of the comics but combined it with modern technology to make Spiderman seem completely realistic. A pleasure to watch. *Category: Most likely to make you reflect... a lot. About Schmidt _ Casting aside all of the gimmicks and facial contortions that have made him famous, Jack Nicholson plunges into the role of Warren Schmidt _ a retired insurance man _ and makes him raw and real. In the film, Schmidt comes to grips with the depressing and startling concept that his life has been completely meaningless. Filmmaker Alexander Payne's depiction of Schmidt's bleak journey to find something to redeem his life is touching, funny and beautifully crafted. *Category: Most Likely to make you want to commit bank fraud. Catch Me if You Can _ How can you go wrong: Tom Hanks + Steven Spielberg = a successful film. However, Catch is the first film of its kind for Spielberg, a delightful cat and mouse tale about con man Frank Abagnale Jr. (DiCaprio) and the FBI agent tracking him down (Hanks). The film, based on the true story of Abagnale, who impersonated a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer all before he turned 21, inspires nostalgia for a past age of innocence, where airline pilots where looked at as heroes and a uniform was enough to inspire trust. *Category: Most likely to make your head explode. Solaris _ Steven Soderbergh's dark and eerie retelling of the science fiction classic, stars George Clooney as a psychologist who travels to a space station orbiting the strangely unsettling planet of Solaris to try and figure out what happened to the startlingly disturbed crew. It is a film not to be missed by fans of psychological drama, science fiction or Soderbergh.

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News

Men's squash team off to slow start, but still fighting

December 8

Battling inexperience, academic problems, an injury, and poor officiating, the men's squash team has fought hard throughout the season. Despite its efforts, the team entered this weekend with a 1-3 record through two weeks of competition. After a decisive 7-2 victory over Colgate in their season opener, the squash team has suffered three consecutive losses since. In their most recent match, the team fell 0-9 to the Amherst Jeffs last Tuesday. Tufts entered its fourth match of the year, against Amherst, at a significant disadvantage; Tom Keidel was unavailable due to an injury, while academics sidelined Pranav Tripathi and Jordan Kolasinki. The shorthanded Jumbos were dealt a 9-0 defeat by the Lord Jeffs. "We were like a JV team," Coach Doug Eng said of the lineup. "They are most likely a better team than us but we should have had a better result than 0-9," Anderson said. The loss to Amherst left the Jumbos with a 1-3 record, entering this weekend's trip to Connecticut for the Wesleyan Invitational. The Jumbos season began Nov. 23 and 24, when Tufts traveled north to Hanover, NH, for three matches at the Dartmouth Invitational. The Jumbos, who amassed a 1-2 record at the event, easily handled their first opponent, Colgate, 7-2. Though the teams' top players were evenly matched (Tufts' No. 1 and No. 3 players, senior Chris Choi and freshman Spencer Maxwell, were the only two to lose against Colgate), the Jumbos proved to be far deeper than the Red Raiders. The No. 4 through No. 9 matches were all shutouts won by Tufts. The thrill of the victory over Colgate was short-lived, though, as Tufts dropped its next match at the Invitational to Bowdoin by a count of 9-0. Only Choi and senior Nathan Anderson, the team's top two players, managed to win games; Anderson was able to push his opponent, Lawrence Delasuta, to a fifth game before falling. "I played some of my best squash at the Invitational and had a chance to beat [Delasuta] but lost in a close match," Anderson said. Tufts' next opponent in Hanover was Stanford, a match that would leave the Jumbos defeated but thirsty for revenge. Trailing the Cardinal 4-3 with two matches left to be decided, Tufts' fate was sealed when a questionable interference call went against one of the Jumbos' five contributing freshman, No. 4 player Derek Lee. Stanford went on to win the match 5-4. Eng was furious about the call, as he says that complaints from Stanford rooters in attendance may have swayed the decisive ruling. "It was blatant and unethical," Eng said. "I told their coach that we're not shaking their players' hands. I'm thinking of not playing Stanford for a couple of years." Eng may have no control of that, though. Since the teams play in the same division, it is possible they will meet again at Nine-Man Nationals in February. "I think that the team can definitely beat Stanford and hope that we have the opportunity to prove it in the future," Anderson said. While Eng was not pleased with Tufts' 1-3 record, he believes that as his first-year players gain experience, their record should improve. "We have a couple veterans, but mostly freshman," Eng said. "Four of the five lost against Stanford, mostly due to inexperience. But the second time around, they'll be better. They learned something." Eng noted the success the University of Michigan basketball team had with five freshmen in 1992, when they lost in the national title game. Several left school afterwards for the pros. "If the Fab Five had come back for their sophomore year, they wouldn't have made the same mistakes," Eng said. Eng's freshmen will have the chance to improve, and the direction of his team will depend on their progress. The rookies will have until early February, when Nine-Man Nationals are held. It is there that Tufts could get a chance for redemption against Stanford, something Eng and his players hope will happen. And if it does? "We won't lose to Stanford again," Eng said.

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News

Electoral prospects

December 8

The Republican Party won the 2002 midterm elections. They did not win every race, but managed to pick up seats in both the House and the Senate. Many political analysts have attributed their success to the clear, comprehensive message broadcast by Republican candidates. The same analysts cited the Democrat's lack of a clear message and vision for government as the cause of their failure. The Republican Party has greater ideological cleavages than the Democratic Party, yet they delivered a better message than the Democrats did. Two years from now, Americans will again decide who should control our government. Both parties have an excellent chance of electoral success in 2004. The War on Terror was likely the major cause of this year's Republican electoral victories. Americans everywhere recognized the ever growing threat posed by terrorism, and responded by electing candidates who promised to support President George W. Bush's fight against terror. In 2004, the War on Terror will still be a rallying issue. Terrorists are an elusive enemy, and they will still be waging a war against America in 2004. However, the Republican Party needs to broaden its focus. The economy had better pick up under President Bush's leadership, or the Republicans will be vulnerable on economic issues. The political party that prides itself on economic policy needs to focus more on the economy. If President Bush can show viable victories in the War on Terror, beyond the creation of new government agencies and departments while simultaneously achieving economic improvements, the Republican Party will sweep the 2004 elections. The 2002 elections were difficult for the Democratic Party. Wartime elections pose serious problems for candidates challenging the President's party. Americans do not support massive political attacks on wartime Presidents, so Democratic candidates had trouble highlighting errors made by the Republicans. Without substantially differentiating themselves from the Republicans, Democrats could not attract enough voters. By 2004, the Democrats will be able to attack President Bush's conduct in the war if he has not shown any progress. While attacking the President at the beginning of a war is unpatriotic, if the President is not successful after three years he will be vulnerable. The economy should also be a rallying point for the Democrats. The state of the American economy will still be an issue, and the Democrats, who have fewer ties to corporations, can attack the President's response to widespread corporate fraud. There are plenty of issues for the Democrats to focus on; they just need to agree on a platform and create a clear message. Many new issues will arise before the 2004 elections. Both parties' responses to these issues will also determine their electoral success. The Democrats have a better chance of regaining the Senate and possibly the House. By continuously challenging the President on the same issues, the Democrats can choose the main issues in the 2004 elections. The Republican Party, with more incumbents and a popular President, has an electoral edge. The Democratic Party has clear issues to attack with, and a bitter sense of defeat. With the proper leadership, either party could succeed. The battle has already begun.

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News

Tufts receives award for most Peace Corps volunteers

December 8

President Bacow accepted an award Friday from the Peace Corps, recognizing Tufts for having the highest number of alumni volunteering from a small college in 2002. Tufts claimed the honor by sending 23 alumni abroad last year, and a total of 461 students since the program began in 1961. Tufts sends a large number of students to the Peace Corps because it is able to foster an environment where the values of service to others and international spirit are constantly being absorbed, Jody Olsen, Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, said. During her presentation of the award Olsen praised the "quality and tone of the attitude" at the University, which stressed the importance of service. "Since we have such a strong commitment to the international perspective and service, it is not surprising we are number one in the country," Bacow said when accepting the award. For the past several years, American University in Washington, DC has been the award's recipient. Tufts' close relationship with the Peace Corps also explains the high rate of alumni volunteering with the organization. On-campus recruiters speak several times a year to graduating seniors to ensure that they consider the Corps as an option. In addition, Career Services works closely with students during the application process and can answer questions about the program. Many of the ceremony's attendees were Peace Corps alumni who are now enrolled in the Fletcher School. "Peace Corps was an invitation to have an international life, and that is exactly what Fletcher provides," said Elizabeth Erickson, who served with the Corps in Guinea. All of Tufts' graduate schools, not just Fletcher, recognize the experience gained in the Peace Corps, Erickson said. Professors and other staff encourage students to talk about their experiences abroad to enhance each student's learning. Alumni pointed out the many benefits of volunteering after receiving an undergraduate degree. "I had tremendous professional and personal development [during Peace Corps]," Erickson said. "There's no way I could have gone right into a job from undergrad." Peace Corps allows students to travel to parts of the world not frequented by American tourists, such as Tanzania _ where three Tufts graduates are currently serving. Students can build strong relationships with the local people, according to Stephanie Schmidt, another Fletcher student in attendance. The Peace Corps sends volunteers on two-year missions to developing countries, where they can serve in a variety of ways. The assignments fall into the areas of education, business, environment, health, community development, and other focus areas. All volunteers receive skill-based and cultural training before they begin working with local populations. President John Kennedy started the Peace Corps over 40 years ago to provide opportunities for young people to serve their nation. Since then, the organization has grown to include more than 7,300 volunteers and trainees working around the globe. There has been a resurgence of interest due to recent world events and participation is now at its highest level since 1974.

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News

Men swimmers remain undefeated as NESCAC competition begins

December 8

The men's swimming and diving team remained perfect on Saturday, beating the Bowdoin Polar Bears 162-117 after trouncing Babson earlier in the week. Saturday's meet proved the toughest of the season so far and marked the beginning of the squad's in-conference competition. On Thursday, the team easily beat the Beavers from Babson, who came into the meet with a 5-1 record. The final score was 132-84, after the Jumbos allowed Babson to win only three events in Tufts' home pool. "Babson's always tough," senior tri-captain Peter Berkowitz said. "The meet is always a good measure to see how the season will go, and we did well." Saturday's home meet was a bit more competitive, as it forced the Jumbos to prove that their out-of-conference success was not a fluke. Both diving competitions went Tufts way, but the usually dominant relay teams split two competitions. "The divers are really coming along," junior Kaili Mauricio said. The 1,000-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke proved that Tufts was still the strong team it had been during its first three meets. The first three positions in both events went to Tufts. Senior tri-captain Ed Edson won the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 10:28.89, alone earning nine points for his team. Freshman Jonathon Godsey (10:37.38) and junior Jacob Gamerman (11:37.11) were next. In the 100 backstroke, sophomore Richard Halpert took the first spot (56.70) with juniors Mauricio (57.25) and Aeric Solow (57.74) close behind _ earning a total of 16 points for the Jumbos. Tufts earned another 16 points after a Jumbo-sweep of the 100 breaststroke. Sophomore Michael Rochette won with a time of 1:03.32, beating out teammates Ryan Lahey (1:04.07) and Greg Schmidt (1:06.06). Junior Tyler Duckworth once again was man to beat in the 200 breaststroke, as he dominated competition in his victory. The closest Polar Bear was more than 20 seconds behind when Duckworth grabbed the wall at 2:15.77. "I'm trying new techniques in my stroke but now everything's coming together really nicely and my times and dropping to where I want them to be," Duckworth said. The most competitive and entertaining event of the day came in the 100 freestyle. Bowdoin junior Mike Long and Tufts sophomore Alex Turner were separated by a mere .02 seconds in the end, with Long coming out on top and bringing a much needed nine points the Polar Bear way. Bowdoin was led by freshman stand-out Roger Burleigh, the winner of three events for the Polar Bears, who single-handedly earned his team 27 points. He was the victor in both the 100 (54.16) and 200 butterfly (1:59.78) and the 200 individual medley (2:09.92). This was the Polar Bears third straight loss, dropping them to 1-3. "It was a good way to end our first half of the season and it was a good indicator of where we are and where we need to go," Duckworth said. The confident Jumbos now go into winter break with a 4-0 record, poised to take on the rest of their NESCAC foes when they return. But first, the team will take its annual winter training trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where they will train, bond and compete in the Ed Kennedy Relay Meet/Long Course on Dec. 31. "The team's looking forward to going down to Florida and training and coming back second semester and doing really well," Berkowitz said. The team's next real meet will come on Saturday, Jan. 18 when it will travel to Middletown, Connecticut for a bout against Wesleyan University.

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News

TuftsLife.com announces Fowler to take over 'Daily'

December 8

After a semester of Sex and the City showings, slumber parties, and large purchases of Luna bars, testosterone will return to the Daily executive board next semester. Daniel "Camping with my girlfriend is a dangerous sport" Fowler was elected editor-in-chief last Friday, despite concerns that tripping over his pants will impair his leadership abilities. As EIC, Fowler plans to strengthen the relationship between the Daily and the Ball Square liquor store and work closely with News Analysis on "late night" camping investigations. Fowler's election brings the reign of Rachel "Just a sec, I'm on the phone" Rubenson to an end. Following her departure, cell phones will be banned from Daily meetings. It remains to be seen how Rubenson will adjust to post-Daily life. We expect that she will probably continue using "Daily style" in her papers, assuming she chooses to start taking classes again. Area flour distributors are ready to cry as the "Bake for Morale" campaign comes to a close and wheat is transferred from the Daily bakery to the Daily brewery. Fowler will be assisted in his arguments with TuftsLife.com by Managing Editor Adam "Yes, Bermuda has a daily" Cooper, who promises to talk at meetings next semester once Rubenson has left. Completing the exec board will be Associate Editors Ethan "Madder than I look" Austin, who will be forced to exist outside of the Sports corner, and Amanda "I'm soooooooooooo excited to rejoin the Daily" Mu?±oz. With Austin living in Fowler's house next semester, perhaps he can help the new EIC find pants that fit when he gets dressed. Meanwhile, Associate Editor Emily "I'll make a sign for that" Chasan heads to Spain to relax by reading The New York Times Madrid edition for a semester. The News department sports a new, improved structure for next semester and now has more editors than there are computers in the office. From her position as news editor, Veronica "Texan Princess" Aguilar will continue her effort to put British men on the backgrounds of every computer next semester. She will be joined by Sarah "Random outbursts" Dalglish and Jordana "43 percent sexy" Timerman. The Special Projects editors decided they needed to submit to news (in more ways than one) because no-one wanted to write for their strangely-named section. Heading up the new "News Analysis" section of News will be Jonathan "I cheated to get a higher sexy rating" Graham and Bridget "Fowler made me do this" Behling. Despite Graham's begging, the section will not be pronounced Anal-ey-sis, though we might let him write "colour" in his next UCCPS article. Jamie "Why won't they let me leave?" Cox takes on a new role as development editor. Rounding off the news team will be assistants Keith "Res Life loves me" Barry, Brian "Liverpool sucks" Loeb, Mark "Sustaining the News redhead quota" Phillips, Jonathan "Elliott thinks I'm the man" Schubin, and Warren "Canadian too, but cooler than Graham" Davis, who will all soon learn that two articles a week is not a lot. After one semester working with Graham, Erika "Fowler, order for me!" Langer needs some time off. Jon "Call somebody else" Lee will be leaving next semester because his one night a week (if that) in the Curtis Hall basement burned him out. In Features, Jane "Wonder woman" Shtilman had so much fun editing the sex column that she decided to stay on for another semester. She will be joined by assistants Julia "Ghost editor" Lifschultz and Patrice "A little too excited" Taddonio. Arts has a promising semester ahead of it, as Marc "I'm not here" Frost leads a corps of 4,567,654,124 assistants, including Salima "Interview Queen" Appiah-Kubi, Alex "Sig Ep's new image" Moerlein, Hillary "I promise to write longer articles" Lustick, Max "I'll do the job Taylor never did!" Dionne, Jennifer "Hope your thumb feels better." Gerson, and Alissa "I'm special because I went to high school with Frost" Green . Though we are sad that Frost did not get his play, we are excited that he will have time to teach the assistants how to tag next semester. Lauren "I have so much stress, you don't even know" Phillips is taking time off to write for The Observer. Taylor "What? You want me to come down to the office?" Shann is taking some time off to...well...go see some movies. In Viewpoints, Jillian "the CH is pronounced K" Hochstrasser and Chelsey "Of course I'm good at Beirut, freshmen hang out in frats" Leruth look forward to another semester editing pieces against the war on Iraq. They will be assisted by Sophia "Fowler is making me stay" Fircanis, while Jessica "I was Fowler's friend" Wells leaves to enjoy second semester of senior year. With Elliott "I look just like Ethan" Wiley's takeover of the Sports Department, Sports promises to continue to offend readers and coaches alike next semester. He will be joined by Manali "The non-persecuted Indian" Shah, Beibhinn "Luck of the Irish" O'Donoghue and assistants Aman "I write for every section" Gupta, Kristy "Cow-tipping" Cunningham, and Tim "I'm actually a baseball player" Whelan. Lisa "I cheat on my editors' picks" Rothlein and Ethan "I'll edit more from Spain than at Tufts" Schwartz head abroad for the semester. In the photo department, Amy "Maybe I'll be on time next semester" Berkowitz, Andrea "Darkroom chemicals are good" Bedoya, Soren "I'm a machine" Burns, Will "Still the only guy in photo" Wittels, and Laura "Break-it then fix-it" Boudreau will continue to lobby Business for digital cameras. They are joined by assistants Kelly "Flash" O'Brien, and Megan "Click" Walters. Carrie "No more scan nights!" Gagel and Christine "I really want to write a column" Hendrickson take a leave of absence. With the departures of Rubenson and Phillips, Production may be the loudest department on the paper next semester. Mollie "Speed layout" Greenfield returns for a second semester of pulling comics... err... serving as Production Director, after leading the crew to its first ever Best Department Award. Mark "West Wing in 20 minutes!" Evitt Denise "I love the Wall Street Journal insert" Ho, Sarah "Cheesecake is life" Kimball, Tim "I'm only here to talk to my girlfriend on IM" Biller, and Michele "Is world news ready?" Krengel will serve as production managers. Layout editors are Sam "I just get to do corrections" Verrill, Melissa "Above and beyond the call of duty" Diracles, Margaret "Is that really going to be in the paper?" Hennings, Robin "I never have class" Liss, and Shubha "The quiet one" Jayaram. Heading up the copy editing will be Dave "The Dictator" Perkiss, who will be joined by Jessica "No, I won't quit crew" McKeon, Jessica "Comma" McConnell, and Hilary "banned from editing Viewpoints" Glazer. In Information Technology, John "Windows 2000" Korber will serve as systems manager, while Dave "TuftsLife.com steals from The Weather Channel" Nagler and Olusola "I learned C++ in the womb" Akapo will continue to build the website until it surpasses TuftsLife.com. The Business Department, meanwhile, is experiencing a revolution, as Danny "Can do!" Kleinman promises to actually clean the office in his position as Executive Business Director. Exec is also considering a new task for Kleinman: requiring him to come to the office at 11 p.m. and calm us down from whatever crises have occurred that night. Kleinman takes over for Victoria "Oops, I forgot" Luxardo, who heads to Spain for the semester. Serving as business managers will be Parker "I love Hillel" Perez and Jonathan "Subscriptions are groovy" Kruesi. Josh "The paper usually comes out on time" Weisstuch continues as office manager. Shasta "Thank god I'm not a copy editor" Jean-Mary and Margo "No one knows me because I don't come out of the business area" Hanlan continue as ad manager and receivables manager, respectively. Overall, with Fowler at the helm, the Daily staff is in for another semester of misadventures, late My Brother's Place food, and office power outages. Now if only someone could figure out why there is a hose hanging from the ceiling...

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News

TDC gets 'cold' in Cohen

December 8

It may have been getting cold outside, but it was certainly hot in Cohen Auditorium Saturday night, as the Tufts Dance Collective (TDC) took the stage for its end-of-the-semester show wittily entitled "It's Gettin' Cold in Here." TDC put on two shows: one at 7:00, and the other at 9:30. Cohen was packed for both these performances with the usual boisterous, vociferous, and sufficiently liquored-up audience that seemed to crave some good dancin'. That is exactly what they got as 18 different acts shook their groove things (pronounced thangs), with an abundance of musical and physical variety, ranging from ballet to a step above the proverbial "nasty." While the acts encompassed a wide range of styles, one thing all the groups had in common was a passion for dance, shown through their contagious enthusiasm and physical effervescence. The show mostly featured large, MTV-style group numbers, interspersed with special guest dance groups. The large groups were always in sync, despite containing enough people to fill the entire stage. The groups managed to keep each dance unique and entertaining, although some particularly stood out. "Freedom", choreographed by Sean Bjerke and Carolyn Whitten, and set to George Michael's infectious "Freedom '90" featured a prison/prisoner theme, which built to a climax when all the dancers ripped off their shirts revealing bright primary colors underneath. The dance moves were fresh and exciting and proved that they need not turn to blatant sexuality to entertain. Not that the more overtly sexy choreographed numbers were not entertaining. "Not Your Average Girl", choreographed by Tiffany Groover and Natalia Vernon and the final number "Mysterious Ways", choreographed by Amanda Miller and Shula Waldocks both featured sultry females and riled up the audience. Numbers like "Enya," however, beautifully choreographed by Sabrina Lenoi and Naomi Sleeper still captivated the audience, but with their fluid ballet-inspired grace. The guest performance groups where gave outstanding performances as well. Despite excessive strobe lights and a seeming lack of choreography, most members of Turbo could stand on their heads, which was, needless to say, cool. Sarabande performed an impressive number set to tribal music, which showcased the talents of individual dancers. The Explosion Latina practically set Cohen on fire with their show-stopping number full of Latin passion. A night with TDC proves that you don't have to be Nelly to be hot.

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News

Take a break from studying, but not from a healthful lifestyle

December 8

Just because you'll be taking a break from school over the winter holidays doesn't mean that you can break away from your healthful eating and exercising habits. If you do, you may have to add "weight loss" to your list of New Year's resolutions for 2003. Whereas it was once thought that the average person gained five to ten pounds over the holidays, it is now believed that the gain of one pound is more likely. But the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders has found that this additional pound is often kept for life. And you thought the (mythical) "freshman 15" was bad. Believe it or not, despite many holiday temptations, it is easier to prevent weight gain than it is to lose weight. The good news is that while you're at home, you'll likely be much more relaxed than you will have been during exam week and, therefore, much less likely to order a pizza with the works at 2 a.m. And the mental break will allow you to get caught up on sleep, reconnect with friends and family, travel and maybe even earn some money. But in between relaxing and any adventures, you can try these health tips to keep yourself on track, even during the coldest, most food-filled season. Break a Sweat With These Exercise Tips Exercise not only benefits your health _ it also allows you to eat more without worrying about weight gain. While you're on break, between holiday parties, traveling, home-cooked meals, and hometown restaurants, there will be many tempting food choices. Increasing your activity is the best way to enjoy them all without weight gain. And if you're like most people, maybe you haven't reached the Institute of Medicine's newly recommended exercise goal of 60 minutes per day. Researchers at the University of Ulster have shown that there are cumulative benefits of exercise that can be achieved by participating in several shorter bouts of exercise. So try to be active throughout the day and use these ideas so you can eat more once-a-year favorites. * Shop till you drop, making laps around the mall. The more you buy and carry, the better your workout will be * Take the stairs instead of the elevator, consider walking up and down a few times even if you have no reason to. * Help your family put up (and then take down) holiday decorations. * Clean the house for holiday guests. * Do sit-ups during commercials while watching TV. * Rake leaves or shovel snow. * Join a gym for the month you're at home. * Exercise an extra ten minutes the day of a holiday party or gathering. * Take a walk outside in your neighborhood to breathe fresh air and look at holiday decorations. * Go dancing with friends or get the party started by getting your friends to dance _ you'll have a blast and burn up calories. Ease Into These Eating Tips This Holiday Season Remember, exercise is one reason you don't have to skip the traditional foods you like to eat over the holidays. But balancing what and how much you eat can also help maintain your weight over winter break when you're not in sync with your usual healthful routine. These ideas may help you to streamline your indulgences, just a little. * Enjoy home-cooked meals and favorite hometown restaurants. Eat the holiday treats you want, but remember you can have potatoes and bread any day. * Get involved in the preparation of food. Help the main "chef" in your home lower the fat and calories in your favorite food traditions by using less butter or margarine (on bread, vegetables, etc.) or cutting out some the sugar in your home-baked desserts. * When at a party, allow yourself to have some of your favorite treats _ maybe you like baked Brie or pigs-in-a-blanket. Try to then balance your plate with some veggies and other lower calorie options. * Don't go to a party starving _ you're more likely to overeat. You can curb your appetite by eating a small snack, maybe a yogurt or a stick of string cheese, before leaving your house. * If you drink alcohol, go easy on it, as it can pack on calories and pounds and may cause cravings or make you more likely to overeat in social situations. You can try alternating decadent beverages such as alcohol, eggnog, and apple cider with water, seltzer or diet soda. * When shopping, you can minimize impulse purchases in the food court by carrying small healthful snacks. An ounce of packaged peanuts, a granola bar, or a piece of fruit will store well in your pocket or purse and curb your hunger till your next meal.

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News

Building a tolerant campus, starting with the dorms

December 8

As concerned students with different racial and cultural backgrounds, we recognize the diversity on campus and see a need for a more open and safe community. There is a need for systemic, expert-facilitated anti-racist training workshops for proctors and resident assistants (RAs). These leaders will, in turn, educate their residents and peers, beginning a cycle of understanding and open dialogue. Anti-racist training is a necessary step towards building a more tolerant campus. The presence of racism on campus has been strongly felt in the residence halls. Recent incidents, such as the racist graffiti found in South Hall and Capen House last year, are only the tip of the ice berg. Although such incidents are the most visible on campus, more covert forms of racism permeate social interactions. In dorms, where students should feel safe and accepted, this racism should be confronted and dealt with. RAs and proctors, as authority figures in the dorms, should be responsible for bringing these issues to light and dealing with them. We feel that it is imperative for people with authority and responsibility, such as RAs and proctors, to be conscious of a potentially divisive racial atmosphere. ResLife recruits RAs to build community, be a resource for their peers, and create "multicultural programs and interactions." To fulfill this role, we think it is important to recognize the fact that race places an integral role in our everyday life and interactions. Without the adequate background that they could receive through anti-racist training, we cannot expect them to respond appropriately should a problem arise. All too often, issues of race are overlooked and with this training, RAs and proctors would be more prepared to deal with them. The training workshops should be run by a diverse group of people with backgrounds in anti-racist coalition building, who have knowledge of the history and consequences of race in our society. This coalition should include outside experts working with professors and students of ethnic/racial studies, from various racial backgrounds. After this training, RAs and proctors should be aware of their own socially-constructed racial identities and how that affects their interactions with residents. The focus of the workshop should be two-fold: initiating and facilitating preventative programming and training for interventions. The goal of the training is to foster an open and safe living environment by preventing incidents of racial intolerance from occurring and enabling RAs and proctors to deal with incidents when they arise. Often incidents of racial intolerance can be prevented and it is our hope that this training will set a precedent for open communication and will help address issues of race which are often overlooked. By encouraging the Tufts community to bridge color lines and expand their comfort zones, we will all be working towards a more accepting and tolerant community. It is necessary to emphasize the importance of institutionalizing anti-racist training to assure that leaders of our community are properly prepared to prevent and deal with issues as they arise. It is not enough to think that a one-day workshop will cure racism at Tufts. We need regular, systemic implementation of diversity programming in order to keep the dialogue on racism open and visible. Eloise Russo is a sophomore who has yet to declare a major; Lorraine Sensenig is a senior majoring in International Relations and Child Development; Kelly Condit is a senior majoring in American Studies and the Asian American Culture Representative on the TCU Senate.

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Freshman injured in sledding accident

December 8

This past Thursday night, the first big snowstorm of season prompted close to 300 Tufts students to carry on the tradition of sledding down the hill on the President's Lawn, using everything from dining hall trays to a shopping cart as sleds. But the festivities were short-lived for the three students who rode down in the shopping cart. One of the passengers, freshman Aija Shaah, had to take a trip to the hospital after the cart hit a bump and threw her into the air, knocking her unconscious for ten minutes. "They were going down really, really fast," one student said. "A guy ran over and grabbed the cart from the back to slow it down, and at the same time, a bump in the ground stopped the cart, but they all flew out of it." Shaah, who was sitting in the front, flew the highest and landed face first on the ground, using her hands to ease her fall. Immediately afterwards, the other two students landed on top of her. The Tufts University Medical Service (TEMS) was called immediately after the incident. Upon arriving at the scene, Shaah said they turned her over and stabilized her, as she was bleeding heavily from the mouth. She was not severely injured, as many students who witnessed the accident had speculated. TEMS took Shaah to the emergency room, washed and cleaned her up, and examined her mouth. She sustained bruised gums and a few scratches on her face. She did not need any stitches, and was released from the hospital that night. TEMS drove her back to her dormitory after they determined that she had only sustained various bumps and bruises and what she described as "a really, really sore mouth." "Overall, Thursday night was really, really crazy," freshman Aman Chahal said. "People were basically sledding down the hill on anything they could find, from boxes to garbage cans to shopping carts, and someone was bound to get hurt. The girl is very lucky that she only has a few bruises and a sore mouth, because it could have been a lot worse."

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News

VP: big job ahead

December 8

With the recent exodus of numerous upper level administrators from Tufts, it isn't a great surprise that there is talk of creating a new Vice President for Student Affairs position. With fears that the recently eliminated VP position will simply be recreated, it is also no surprise that President Bacow has ensured the new position will be categorically different than its predecessor. The idea of creating a top-level administrative position in charge of addressing issues that span the entire University _ undergraduate and graduate, Medford and beyond _ is a good one. But the vagueness of the position's requirements and criteria suggests that no one really knows what is going on... not to mention whether or not the idea is actually going to work. If implemented properly, the job could ensure a closer-knit community that brings together Tufts' many schools and programs, which tend to be rather detached from the undergraduate population due to their geographic scattering. But without a clearly defined job description, such a position risks adding another layer of bureaucracy and gives the impression that Tufts is foolishly using much-needed funds to create a spot that doesn't need to be created. The detailed responsibilities of various administrators are not always clear to students, and to an extent, do not need not be depending on how closely these administrators interact with the student body. A student affairs position, however, should be one whose responsibilities and duties are clear to students, as it will certainly be a job that directly affects student life in a variety of ways. Given the amount of new faces in the administration recently, if possible, the new VP should be also selected from the Tufts' community. A candidate who is already familiar with the school would be able to get to work right away, without needing time to become accustomed to the nuances of the University. And a thorough understanding of Tufts' various undergraduate and graduate groups is especially important for such a student-centered position. At a time when Tufts seems to be losing some of its best, new administrators who enhance the Tufts experience and improve the quality of the school are not only welcome, but also much needed. The University should continue to work hard to find the right fit for the job. But first, it should more clearly define just what kind of job it is in the first place.

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Strong offense backed by solid defense in impressive win over MIT

December 8

Last Saturday at Cousins Gym the women's basketball team went score for score with the pesky MIT Engineers, needing an extra frame to secure a 61-56 victory. After watching victory postponed on several occasions in the second half, junior guard Maritsa Christoudias made a key hustle play in overtime to secure a Jumbo victory and 4-1 record heading into break. With a minute left in regulation, the Jumbos found themselves up two points but needing a defensive stop to win. After a block by junior center Erin Buckley, MIT junior guard Maria Hidalgo hit a jump shot with 51 seconds left, tying the game at 52. Tufts had one last shot to win the game in regulation, but senior captain Hillary Dunn missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 36 seconds left. Just 16 seconds into overtime, MIT forward Rayna Zacks fouled out of the contest, taking her game-high 11 rebounds to the bench. This proved key as freshman guard Jessica Powers used Zacks' vacancy to drive down the left baseline and lay the ball in for a 54-52 Tufts lead. A free throw by MIT's leading scorer, senior co-captain center Crystal Russell cut the lead to 54-53 Tufts, but that is as close as the game got. Powers fed sophomore center Allison Love on an out of bounds play with 1:56 left putting the Jumbos up 56-53. Just 24 seconds later, Powers faced a situation similar to two that had turned sour on her earlier in the game _ breakaway lay-ups. "When you have a break away lay-up, you have crazy adrenaline," coach Carla Berube said in Powers' defense. "Sometimes the ball flies off your hands, we need somebody following that, which I don't think we did a couple of times." After a rebound, Buckley tossed the ball up-court to a wide-open Powers, and after having missed two earlier breakaway attempts, Powers converted, lifting Tufts to a five point lead with 1:32 left on the clock, but victory was not yet sealed. "You can never think it's over," Powers said. "They came back from 15 in another game. You can never relax. I knew they were going to keep fighting us and they did." At the 1:20 mark in the game, Hidalgo converted a three-point play, cutting Tufts lead to 58-56. With a little more than a minute left to play, Christoudias stepped in. With the ball drifting out of bounds off Tufts, Christoudias maneuvered around a MIT player and hit the ball, deflecting it off of her, as Christoudias fell out of bounds, maintaining possession for Tufts. "We are winning this game," Christoudias said was the statement that was going through her mind as she made the play. "We weren't going to lose on an out-of-bounds ball." The referee signaled Tufts ball and with 30 seconds left, the Jumbos owned the lead and the ball. Two free throws from Dunn sealed the victory. Although the team scored enough points to win, Berube felt it was that defense propelled them to victory. Leading the charge was Powers, who totaled seven steals. "Defense is my favorite part of the game because it sparks my offense," Powers said. "I look to pick it up on defense. It gets the while team going if you are really aggressive." Powers was only 4-23 from the field with eight points, but was not discouraged by the performance. "I wasn't tired," Powers said. "It just was an off shooting night, it happens. It will fall next game." Leading the team in scoring was freshman Julia Verplank, who scored eight of her team high 12 points in the first half. Verplank found herself in the right place for offensive rebounds and put backs, but also had some open looks from the field due to team chemistry and offensive cohesion. "Every single player on this team is on the same page," Christoudias said. "Knowing where your teammates are is what makes good court vision." This was the team's last game until Jan. 9 when they travel to Wellesley. "We really just wanted to be 4-1 going into the break," Powers said. The Jumbos have almost a month to savor this victory and rest over winter break. "I'm very proud of the team for preserving and coming up with a W," Berube said. "It's a great way to finish off the first semester."

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News

Jumbos split weekend games

December 8

Sometimes, it's the little things in life that matter the most. But for the men's basketball team this weekend, it was the big ones. In two games on Friday and Saturday, sophomore big men Craig Coupe and Reggie Stovell combined for 39 points and 49 rebounds, as the Jumbos defeated MIT 70-67, and fell to Clark 89-77. "We've started looking to them as plan A instead of shooting the three or the outside shot," senior co-captain Brian Shapiro said. "Lately that's been our focus, and (Saturday) we made a really big effort to get it in to them and take advantage of (Clark's) lack of height." The Jumbos' plan nearly worked as Coupe, a 6'7" 230 pound center, dominated the boards on Saturday at Clark when he poured in 17 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in a losing effort against a strong Cougar team. Clark has advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the last two years, and entered this season ranked 19th in the county. The Jumbos hung with the Cougars for most of the game and trailed by just two points at the break, 42-40. Took a late lead in the game, but Clark was too good from the three-point line (50 percent in the second half) and the Cougars pulled away for the win. Tufts also shot just 2-9 from the free throw line in the second half, and 7-17 overall, just 41.2 percent. "We played well for 35 minutes, but there were just those five minutes where we didn't play well and lost it all, like we've done all season," Shapiro said. "Free throw shooting has been a problem every game, and have to find some way to improve that. It's really killed us." Junior guard Mike McGlynn joined Coupe as the game's high scorer with 17 points of his own, including three three-pointers. Three other Jumbos finished in double digits, including senior co-captains Jim Wilson and Shapiro, who finished with 15 and ten points respectively, and junior Deyvehn East, who had ten points of his own. Also in action on Saturday was junior point guard Eric Mack, who played in his first game of the year. Mack was originally slated to start for the Jumbos at point guard but was injured before the season started and was expected to be out until January. Mack played 17 minutes and had five assists and one steal. Coupe's performance came on the heels of Stovell's big day, when he scored 16 points and pulled down 20 boards to lead the Jumbos to victory over MIT, the team's second win of the season. In that game Tufts lead by as many as 11 points in the first half, but saw its lead disappear in the opening minutes of the first half. The Engineers took the lead with ten minutes left to play, but the Jumbos reclaimed the lead for good on a layup by McGlynn with 5:14 left to play. McGlynn was second on the team in scoring with 15 and was followed closely by Wilson with 12 and Shapiro with ten. But the day belonged to Stovell, who amassed career highs in points and rebounds, all in just 24 minutes on the floor. Mack's return to the lineup on Saturday may present the team with somewhat of a controversy at the point guard position. At the beginning of the season, coach Bob Sheldon planned to start Wilson at the point until Mack was ready to go, at which point he would take over the starting role. It seems that Wilson has not made the decision so easy, however, as the co-captain has been a steady contributor as a starter. In the last three games Wilson has scored 20, 12, and 15 points. And despite its losing record so far, the team has played well, hanging with Wabash and Clark, both ranked nationally at one point this season. "It's nice to have Eric back because he's strong on defense and a good offensive player," Shapiro said. "But Jim's been doing a great job, and it's gonna be tough to get him out of the starting lineup." The weekend split left the Jumbos at 2-4 on the season with one game left before winter break. Tufts will face Plymouth State on Monday, the team's last final game until Jan. 7 when it plays at Curry.

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News

MSTE graduate program awaits approval

December 8

In an effort to better prepare students for research and education, Tufts may soon offer a graduate degree program in Mathematics, Science, Technology and Engineering (MSTE) Education. The program, a two-year combined effort of many departments, was approved last Wednesday at the Arts, Sciences and Engineering Faculty Meeting but still awaits Trustee approval. The aim of the Ph.D. program is to prepare researchers and educators through a deep understanding of the MSTE subjects, according to Professor Analucia Schliemann, who presented this initiative at the meeting. The new program will focus on specific pedagogical techniques in relation to math, science, engineering, and technology, among others. Though professors in the participating departments are already experts in education, the graduate program will bring together members of departments ranging from child development and education to engineering and math. Working together will give them an opportunity to focus on instructive methods and strengthen their contribution to MSTE Education at all levels and contributing to Tufts position as a Research I university. Students will be able to take courses in all of the participating departments and will develop their research under the guidance of interdisciplinary research committees. Some students will also take courses in the Psychology and Sociology and Anthropology Departments, depending on their concentration, Schliemann said. Another objective of this program is to integrate the presently isolated research efforts at the University and further develop the research basis through the preparation of researchers and educators at all levels. The program will specifically focus on the educational and content-specific challenges involved in teaching mathematics, science, technology and engineering. Classes will range from engineering to learning and development theories, uses of technology in education, and educational foundations. The recipients of the new degree will be thoroughly prepared for many new career opportunities in everything ranging from curriculum development, and teacher development, to training in research institutions, among other educational settings. The addition of this degree to the Tufts curriculum has been a long process. It started in April of 2000 when a committee of faculty interested in Pre-K to 12 education submitted a Strategic Plan to the Tufts administration. The committee recognized that there is a national need for research on fundamental issues of MSTE education and for programs that will prepare University faculty to be the mentors of future teachers in these areas, according to Schliemann. The Strategic Plan proposed the development of a comprehensive and interdisciplinary Pre-K to 12 MSTE teacher and researcher preparation program. "One of the goals of the Strategic Plan is to strengthen our research in MSTE Education and to create new potential faculty in these areas through a Masters of Science [M.S.] and a Doctoral [Ph.D.] program in MSTE education," Schliemann said. Though greeted enthusiastically, the proposal must be approved by a number of University committees _ a process that so far has taken two years. The Budget and Priorities Committee, the Budget Office, the Policy and Programs Committee, the Graduate School Faculty, the A&S Faculty, and, most recently, the AS&E Faculty have already approved the program. If all goes according to plan, the proposal will be submitted for final approval by the Board of Trustees at the February 2003 meeting. Schliemann remains optimistic, "Since last year we have been constantly contacted by potential applicants to the new M.S. and Ph.D. programs. If all goes well, we will be able to start receiving students as soon as September 2003." Many Tufts deans and branches of the University worked together to make this new interdisciplinary initiative possible by providing support, suggestions and information to strengthen the proposal. The Departments and Centers participating include the Departments of Education, Child Development, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy, as well as, the Center for Engineering Educational Outreach, Center for Science and Mathematics Teaching, Dudley Wright Center for Innovative Science Education.

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News

Bacow may establish new VP position

December 8

University President Larry Bacow is considering re-establishing a vice president position, with some modifications. The application period for the position was closed on Friday. According to Bacow, the position would differ from that of Vice President of Arts, Sciences & Engineering, which was eliminated after Mel Bernstein vacated the post in the summer of 2001 and was not replaced. Bernstein oversaw the daily operations of Arts, Sciences and Engineering on the Medford campus and reported to the provost, but the new vice president would be responsible for issues affecting students at all of Tufts' schools. When Bernstein's position was eliminated, administrators emphasized the cost savings to the University, improving the prospect of higher faculty salaries. They also said it would streamline the administrative bureaucracy. Plans for the new position are still tentative, and rely largely on Bacow's ability to find the ideal candidate for the job. According to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman, Bacow is leading the campaign for the post's creation. The opening has not been advertised in The Chronicle of Higher Education nor on the University's human resources website. The new position is loosely defined, and the specific responsibilities would depend partly on Bacow's choice for the job. "The new VP would have university-wide responsibilities for addressing a range of issues affecting the lives of students," Bacow said. "I created the job to try to serve all of our students better, and to address student related issues that cut across the eight schools," he said. There is no set deadline to fill the position and "the search is ongoing," Bacow said. Kevin Dunn, the dean of academic affairs for Arts & Sciences, said some rumors had circulated through the administration that the old position of Vice President would simply be recreated. But he said the rumors were untrue, and the new position would have "no relation to the old position held by Mel Bernstein."

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Til death _ or the next frat party _ do us part

December 8

The next time a male student at the University begins to complain about the lack of available, dateable females to on campus, he should be reminded that he could have attended Tufts at a time when women were entirely absent from University grounds. Among many current Tufts students _ both male and female _ the concept of going out on an actual date has become enigmatic, if not entirely archaic. A casual survey of students on campus revealed that most students believe that dating is a thing of the past. Many say that initial encounters between two interested parties are now much more informal and much more physical. Although sophomore Dara Granoff is involved in a serious relationship, she has noticed a guy will rarely approach a girl he is interested in and ask her out to dinner. This works the other way as well. "I think that there is little to no traditional dating on campus, and initially guys and girls meet through casual hookups. Most people don't start going on dates until they are officially together," Granoff said. Such student attitudes towards romantic relationships have not always existed at the University. Dating was more traditional and formal a century ago: with regards to dating, 1882 graduate Frank E. Smith wrote in his diary about taking girls on sleigh rides and for walks. There were few opportunities for "casual hookups" in 1901: according to Russell Smith's Light on the Hill, female students were allowed "to attend evening entertainments away from the Hill only when accompanied by a chaperon." Such formal interactions between members of the opposite sex were encouraged by the school's structure. At the time Smith wrote his diary, women were not admitted to the University. In 1856, a woman applied to Tufts, but the faculty ignored her application. The first female Tufts students enrolled in the University in 1892. By the1906-1907 school year, women made up 70 percent of the entering class of the College of Letters, which later became the Jackson College of Liberal Arts. Although the abundance of female students may have increased the romantic prospects of males on campus, it also spurred fears that Tufts was becoming overly feminized. As a result, a 1910 charter change segregated the University, creating the separate Jackson College for Women. The experiment in segregation did not work, however; although women received the Jackson College designation on their degrees, Smith's Light on the Hill says that after 1913, "the social relations between the men and the women underwent an immediate and marked change for the better." In 1945, "Stearns Village," housing for married students, was built near Cousens Gym and lasted for ten years, reflecting the large quantity of serious, committed relationships on campus. By the 1970s, however, the nature of relationships on campus had evolved greatly. Although Carol Granoff, a 1978 University graduate, is acquainted with two couples that married after meeting and dating during their time as Tufts students, she described the existence of these types of couples as "unique." "We came to Tufts on the cusp of the sexual revolution, and there wasn't the anger and tension that accompanied Vietnam in the '60s," Granoff said. "HIV was hardly ever spoken of, and we were freer in the sense that we had less to worry about. I think we came to college hoping we'd have a boyfriend, and that was it. Women in the '70s hoped they'd come in to the world and do something with their education." Social activities have not changed significantly in the past 25 years, Granoff said. When she attended the University, groups of friends went out to clubs and concerts in Boston, and of course, enjoyed the occasional frat party. Friends would also congregate for parties in the common rooms of dorms and suites. If one member of the group began dating someone, their significant other was absorbed into the group, and typical dates consisted of attending movies, football games, and fraternity parties. Then and now, the opportunity for casual encounters is increased for males residing in a fraternity house. Justin Korval, a member and resident of AEPi, maintains that living in a frat house does ease the process "for most people." "It's easier because you can walk down from your room and there are tons of girls in your house on any weekend night, so the access to girls in a social setting while in a fraternity is much better," Korval said. Apparently, however, the girls who choose to be in constant attendance at the fraternity houses are not necessarily being swept away by the frat brothers: "The type of girls that are attracted to you because you're in a frat are not the type I would like to date," sophomore DTD brother Michael Visconte said. Although Korval and Visconte are hoping to someday meet their matches, both are currently enjoying the opportunities that fraternity living and youth afford them. "You're only going to be 20 once in your life, and I think you should party it up and live freely," Korval said.

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News

Hockey team finishes disappointing weekend with a loss and tie

December 8

Skating on its home ice for the first time this weekend, the hockey team faced tough competition in Friday night and Saturday's games against New England College and St. Anslem. Unfortunately for the Jumbos, this weekend's competition couldn't be overcome, as the team dropped the first game and tied in yesterday's match-up. The games caused the team's record to drop to 1-2-2 on the season. "They were what we expected and they weren't the best competition we've faced all season," senior co-captain Chris Martin said. "We definitely should have beaten both of them." After leading St. Anslem for much of the game, it was in the third period where the Jumbos fell apart. Jumping out 1-0 on the Hawks, Tufts freshmen Remy Bickoff scored the first period's lone goal. During the second period the action began to heat up, as several goals were exchanged ending in a 3-2 Tufts lead. Despite holding the lead, the Jumbos missed several opportunities to widen the gap, as it failed to score on four different powerplays. It was these missed opportunities that came back to haunt the team as a fortuitous St. Anslem goal took away what should have been a Jumbos victory. Halfway through the third period, Hawks junior tri-captain Ryan Nolan scored on a powerplay goal that would send the game to overtime. "We had the lead and they got a lucky goal," senior co-captain Mike Carceo said. "Once again, we just didn't want it bad enough in the third period." Tied 3-3, the Hawks and the Jumbos battled hard in overtime. Jumbos junior goalie Ben Crasper saved six goals while the Hawks goalie saved three of his own. In the end, the Jumbos were unable to pull out a victory and are now headed into the semester break without a victory since their season opener. Playing in their home opener on Friday night, the same problems present in the Hawks game plagued the Jumbos against New England College. The two teams opened the game with high intensity, as they picked up nine penalties in the first period alone. Playing aggressively against a young Pilgrim squad, the Jumbos looked like the stronger team early on. "Everybody was excited for our first home game," Carceo said. "We knew they'd have tired bus legs so we wanted to jump onto them quickly." The Jumbos were the first to draw blood only five minutes into the period as sophomore Shawn Sullivan recorded his season's first goal. It wasn't until ten minutes later that the Pilgrims answered back with a goal of their own. The intensity continued in the second period, as New England took its first lead of the game only four minutes in. The Jumbos quickly responded on a powerplay goal from Bickoff. The two teams continued to trade off goals, each scoring two times in this period, which sent them into the final stage tied 3-3. After playing strong against the Pilgrims for much of the game, the Jumbos came out flat against New England in the third period, allowing their opponents to score three times. The Jumbos responded quickly to the Pilgrims first goal on their second powerplay goal of the game, this score coming from the hands of Carceo. With the game tied at 4-4, instead of regaining the lead, the Jumbos fell flat and let the game slip away to the Pilgrims. Once again missing several powerplay scoring opportunities, New England College sealed their victory with two goals only minutes apart in the period's 7th and 8th minutes. "We were all over them the whole game and there were those few minutes we fell apart," Martin said. The Jumbos blame their woes on the inability to convert on powerplay opportunities. Despite the two goals scored by Bickoff and Carceo, the Jumbos wasted numerous opportunities on both Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. "The powerplay is struggling a bit and it's definitely an area we need to work on over the break," Carceo said. Along with the numerous squandered scoring opportunities, it was the third period of both games where the Jumbos let victory slip away. "We just lacked the intensity in the third period," Martin said. "We need to work on our intensity. We've got to be hungry when we go out there." Heading into semester break, the Jumbos will have numerous practices to work on scoring and intensity. They won't face another opponent until Jan. 10, when it opens their NESCAC season squaring off against Middlebury.

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News

Bookstore concerns receive response from Barnes & Noble

December 8

Representatives from Barnes & Noble College Bookstores met with students and administrators last Thursday at an open advisory meeting to discuss concerns about the Tufts bookstores on the Boston and Medford campuses. High prices, poor customer service, and problems with inventory were some of the subjects brought up at the meeting. There have been active efforts to improve ties with the University, Barnes & Noble representatives said, but much of that work is not recognized by students. "Our relationship with the campus has gotten much better," Bookstore Manager Ron Gill said. By donating thousands of dollars to the school in textbooks, clothing, and gift certificates each year, "We're trying to be a part of the school _ not an outsider," he said. Many students believe that the company is just out to make a profit, but Barnes & Noble hopes to change that perception, Gill said. "I know students only see the book with a $100 price tag, but we really would like to give money back to the students," he said. A number of sites on the Internet sell books at cheaper prices than Barnes & Noble because many distributors do not have a fixed retail price. But the buyback option can compensate for this price difference, Gill said. Barnes & Noble will buy back students' textbooks at 50 percent of their original value if the company knows in advance that the book will be used again the following semester. The same offer applies to used books as well. The company is willing to perform this service because, "we know that we take enough money out of your pocket," Gill told students at the meeting. In order for buyback to work, though, faculty members must note repeat orders on a paper form due every Oct. 15 and Apr. 15. Although these deadlines do not change, only 60 percent of faculty turn in their forms. "It's getting better, but our company standard is 75 percent," Gill said. "Getting that booklist in from faculty really helps us and helps you guys get more money back," he said. Currently, Barnes & Noble pays roughly $72,000 in buyback money to Tufts _ a figure that is relatively low compared with other schools Barnes & Noble works with, especially since Tufts' bookstores do roughly $3 million worth of business each year in textbook sales alone. Tufts' low participation in the buyback program is largely due to uninformed faculty members, Executive Associate Dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy David Hastings said. "I don't think faculty knows that if you just wait one more year to get the brand new addition you'll save your students 50 percent," he said. The problem is compounded by the fact that students do not know that greater attention to the issue by the faculty could save them money, Director of Dining and Business Services Patti Lee Klos said. Barnes & Nobles' offer needs to be better advertised on a number of levels, she said. Students can help by word of mouth, Bookstore Assistant Manager Kerrie Ann Cote said. Klos said she will look into posting information around campus, in the dining halls, and on the web. Barnes & Noble Regional Manager Glen Hoyle said that the company will try to reach faculty members _ possibly by speaking at staff meetings, as recommended by Tufts Community Union President Melissa Carson. "Our job is to raise faculty consciousness and continue to remind them to get their orders in," he said. The company was receptive to other complaints about the bookstores. Barnes & Noble has hired a new manager for the Boston bookstore, Mike Ford, who is expected to help with inventory and customer service problems the store had experienced in the past. Additionally, the problems with the physical layout and appearance of the Boston store will be addressed. The advisory meeting was open to all members of the Tufts community, Gill said, because Barnes & Noble hopes continue fostering a positive relationship with the school. "Barnes & Noble gives me my check every week, but you guys pay me," he said.

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