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The Setonian
News

Everything but the kitchen sink

November 21

Sick of frat parties? Looking for something new and exciting to do this weekend? Well, you're in luck _ the end of the semester is nearing, which means that Tufts' many performance groups are gearing up to share their work of the semester with the public. There's at least one show each night this weekend, ranging everywhere from classical music, to dance, and, of course, to a cappella. And _ best of all _ with the exception of tonight's Supershow, all performances are free! Tonight: Supershow, 7:30 pm, Cohen Auditorium They don't call it Supershow for nothing. Sponsored by the elite dance ensemble Sarabande, the annual Supershow is variety entertainment at its best, featuring short skits, dances, and songs from several different performance ensembles. Travelling Treasure Trunk, Tufts Dance Collective, and a number of a cappella groups are just a few of the groups scheduled on the program. Sophistry, 8 pm, Balch Arena Theater The annual Pen, Paint, and Pretzels freshman show is produced and performed by first-year students under the guidance of an upperclassman director. This year's production, Sophistry, explores issues relating to sexual assault on a college campus. The show will also be performed on Saturday night. Saturday: sQ! Fall Show, 7:30 pm, Hotung Caf?© Fresh from the release of its debut album, On the Upswing, the group will feature many selections from the album in this weekend's fall concert. The BC Bostonians from Boston College will open the show. Shir Appeal Fall Show, 8 pm, Tufts Hillel Shir Appeal has also recently released a new album, and will perform both new and old pieces at this weekend's concert. The members of Tufts' only coed Jewish a cappella group will be joined by special guest Essence. Winds from Around the World, 8 pm, Cohen Auditorium The Tufts Wind Ensemble fall concert will feature a diverse array of music from countries around the world, including Japan, Brazil, Mexico, the Netherlands and Britain. The event coincides with World Music Month. Sunday: CheapHYPE, 9 pm, Cohen Auditorium You don't have to worry about your ears ringing from deafening music at CheapHYPE! Tufts only mime troupe, HYPE!, has the right to remain silent as they are joined by the improv gurus of Cheap Sox. Hype's segment of the show features a half hour of mime sketches set to contemporary music. Cheap Sox will step in to add they're to the evening. Applied Student Recital, 8 pm, Alumnae Lounge At the end of every semester, the Music Department invites students taking private lessons to perform the pieces they have been studying throughout the semester in a recital. This Sunday's performance will feature an impressive array of both instrumental and vocal music performed by Tufts students. _Lauren Phillips

The Setonian
News

Demands for Asian American curriculum transformation not yet met

November 20

Several weeks ago the members of Asian American Curriculum Transformation (AACT) met with the faculty members from the English Department and American Studies program that sit on the Search Committee for a newly created position in Asian American Literature and Culture. After the meeting, we found ourselves disappointed that our vision for the future of Asian American Studies at Tufts did not coincide with the Search Committee's efforts to secure a candidate for Tufts' first and only tenured-track position for Asian American Studies. For us, this new faculty position represents a year and a half of student struggle to untangle the bureaucratic hiring process and to educate our campus community about Asian American issues that often remain invisible in our curriculum, with the ever-present goal of making Asian American Studies a reality at Tufts. From our idealism and our frustrations, we now realize that while we succeeded in lobbying for a new professor, our efforts produced no lasting guarantee for the creation of an Asian American Studies program at Tufts. As students struggling for the inclusion of voices and perspectives of people of color across our curriculum, we ask the entire Tufts community: What will it take to bring about lasting and substantive curriculum change? We believe that an institution's curriculum conveys its vision of what is and is not essential to a college education. The exclusion of diverse voices and experiences in our course material sends an explicit message that race and ethnicity, as areas of studies, are illegitimate and unnecessary components of a college education. Similarly, the perception of courses outside the African American, Asian American, Latino/a, and Native American rubric as "race-neutral" allows whiteness, heterosexuality, and masculinity to remain unmarked in the definition of "standard" curriculum. In contrast, addressing race as a component in our social, cultural, political, and historical interactions serves to engage both white students and students of color in deeply academic, critical thinking. As products of our current curriculum, Tufts graduates will lack not only crucial knowledge for a complete understanding of America, but also the marketable skills to compete in an increasingly diverse workforce. Since the creation of the Task Force on Race in 1996, students have been ready and waiting for resolutions to racial disparities in our curriculum. A critical examination of the Task Force's curricular recommendations, and the limited progress made to address these goals, suggests that Tufts has fallen short of expectations for community collaboration in resolving racial tensions. A lack of initiative and lack of vision by the administration to fulfill the spirit of the Task Force recommendations resulted in a process of curricular change controlled by individual departments and faculty members. In this decentralized system, a disproportional responsibility for curricular diversification falls on faculty of color, overburdening an already underrepresented group. This in turn leads to low retention rates for faculty of color, which further disrupts momentum for curricular transformation. Similarly, the lack of tangible rewards for adding race/ethnic studies to the curriculum produces little incentive among departments to transform curricular priorities, placing the onus for change on student leverage. Reliance on reaction to student-initiated actions creates a hostile and reactive relationship among students, faculty departments, and administrators rather than a proactive vision and a cooperative model of change. Without administrative intervention the problem remains cyclical; departments continue to rely on a process of hiring faculty of color to "infuse" ethnic perspectives into curriculum, rather than transforming curricular priorities to include new faculty positions in race and ethnic studies. Without bringing in outside expertise in gap areas, Tufts will never be able to build cohesive and sequential programs in race and ethnic studies. Similarly, without transparent administrative procedures, students remain unable to fully engage in the curriculum change process, or to easily understand their role in doing so. These factors combined with constant turnover of the student constituency create a sense of "institutional memory loss" that stifles productive dialogue. Rather than allowing for collaboration among students, faculty, and administrators, the current system seems designed to outlive students and to disrupt any momentum garnered by student initiative. Students repeatedly expended energy to demystify the curriculum change process only to graduate without seeing results. We are tired of waiting. We are worn out from trying to complete Tufts multiracial/multiethnic jigsaw puzzle of a curriculum piece by piece. We believe that the discussion of Race and Ethnic Studies curriculum at Tufts needs to constitute a community-wide priority. On Wednesday, Nov. 6, a broad coalition of students initiated a Race and Ethnic Studies Course Fair and a panel discussion with Professors Gerald Gill, Joan Lester, Peter Winn, and Jean Wu. During the conversation, panelists and audience members, students and faculty, envisioned a Tufts education for the 21st century _ an education that places importance in Race and Ethnic Studies. This conversation needs to take place across our campus _ in our classrooms, our dorm rooms, and our dining halls. Together we can create collaborative solutions, rather than adversarial reactions. In addition to making Race and Ethnic Studies a priority issue for discussion, Tufts needs to take substantial steps to ensure a long-term commitment to the development of African American, Asian American, Latino/a, Native American, and Comparative Race courses. In order to create a unified home for Race and Ethnic Studies, American Studies needs to be made a department with primary hiring power. Lasting and substantive curriculum change results from multiple directions and approaches. As students we should question whether our current course schedule engages us in issues of race and difference. Similarly, faculty must critique their departments and their own academic priorities to include missing voices of color, while administrators need to creatively seek resources to support the development Race and Ethnic Studies. Laura Horwitz is a senior majoring in American Studies and Pam Chu is a senior majoring in Clinical Psychology

The Setonian
News

Culture rep issue changes the focus

November 20

The recent proposal by The Primary Source to create a conservative culture representative in the Senate reflects an attempt to undermine the essence of diversity at Tufts. The culture representative system was established in order to allow historically underrepresented cultures on campus a guaranteed voice in the practices and policies of the TCU Senate. The main flaw in the The Primary Source's proposal is not only the definition of conservatism as a culture, but rather the fact that the Source is not the sole representative of all conservatives at Tufts (as evidenced by the existence of Tufts Republicans and other political groups). In their organization's mission _ posted at www.tuftsprimarysource.org _ the Source states that "The Primary Source owes no allegiance to any group or person on the Tufts campus, and as such, we publish honest criticisms regardless of political ideology." How is it then that a magazine that is not affiliated with any political or non-political campus group can claim to represent a campus culture? They cannot. The Primary Source cannot represent any culture but the culture of a publication of perverted conservative thought. So then there's the question; is a media publication a campus culture? Media is not in itself a culture. It has the ability to represent points of view and opinions, but not an entire culture. Media is often and can be a distortion of truth and can represent the political agendas and beliefs of a few. The Primary Source is a clear example of using media power to represent biased beliefs. This has been done in many ways by the Source and specifically by changing the focus. In past editions they have presented exaggerated cartoon characters of an African American student, and have made sweeping generalizations about campus culture groups. Changing the focus is a tactic utilized by many white privileged individuals to stop people of minority ethnic backgrounds from having a significant voice within community or politics. This was nearly accomplished in this situation by undermining the original intention of the culture rep and potentially silencing other culture perspectives. As a coalition of three males of differing racial locations (White and African American) we feel strongly that the conservative culture rep proposal did not represent a culture, and was yet another attempt by the Source to undermine the very purpose of the TCU senate. Renato DePaolis is a senior majoring in economics and American Studies, Jasun Mahaffey is a majoring in sociology, and Matthew Alford is a senior majoring in child development.

The Setonian
News

Intramurals head towards conclusion

November 20

Welcome to this week's intramural update. The intramural season is winding down, or getting more intense, depending on your view of things. Things should be a little more entertaining this week because a particular intramural writer finally won the Super Bowl with his Patriots franchise in Madden 2003, and now has more time to focus on so-called "reality." Much has been happening in the world of intramurals during the past week. In addition to crowning champions in the "So wait, everybody just runs around the quad naked?" soccer and volleyball leagues, there was also a team tennis champion. The team tennis tournament was won by Miller Time in what was almost certainly an exciting tournament, although this reporter did not make it over to cover it because, for Intramural Update, it's pretty much always Miller Time. Before we get to the intramural scores, Intramural Update would like to weigh in on the place-kicking controversy out in San Francisco. Rookie kicker Jeff Chandler is presently locked in a battle with incumbent Jose Cortez for the start in Monday night's game against Koy Detmer and the Iggles. Mr. Chandler visited 235 Main Street (this filthy apartment is home to Tufts literary figures like myself, Dan Fowler, former NBA basketball beat writer, and Primary Source Fool on the Hill Josh "the Monkey" Cohen. It is also home to Joe "Mouseslayer" Coulter and Suffolk University import Mike "the Bearded Hurricane" Fearon) during an off week this past fall, and he was a hell of a nice guy. Intramural Update has asked the Daily if they could write an editorial on the 49ers place-kicking situation, but there was some debate about the relevance of it to the Tufts community. Hopefully Steve Mariucci will make the right decision and start Chandler. We will start with intramural soccer. On Nov. 18, HDL United scored ten goals to defeat the School Psychs. HDL United is now at 4-4 while the School Psychs are reeling at 1-7. A Tribe Called West is also at 4-4 after shutting out Los Pieds Radicales 5-0. The Revolution took a forfeit in their game against Ill from the Hill to stay undefeated at 8-0. The Hodgdon Hobgoblins won a squeaker over Indy 2, 6-5. This game had little importance as both teams are as far under .500 after eight games as Fowler is under the table after eight beers. Tappa Kegga and the Greeks tied 5-5 in a game between the two second-place teams in the Monday night league. The 357 Tigers won their game against Insanity 7-4 moving them to 5-3 and the Insanity to 1-6. The Screaming Butterflies unleashed a 9-2 beating of Carmichael, upping their record to 6-2 in the process. The Butterflies are now tied at 6-2 with the Halligan Hooligans. The Hooligans lost their game to Zeta Psi 4-0. Zeta Psi, incidentally, has moved to Thursdays (the Thursday night league, actually) so that intramural soccer can better compete with Friends. In the Thursday night league, Simon from England defeated the Juice 2-0 in a game that lifted Simon to a 5-2 record and a third place tie with Bombshell. The Juice just can't win, no matter how hard they swear they are looking for the killers. DTD beat the Rabid Wombats 8-2 and Bombshell absolutely smoked Indy 1, scoring 15 goals to improve their record to 5-2 and tie Simon from England for second place in the Thursday night league. Two forfeits occurred Thursday and Pyscho and the Sugar Daddies took the field against nobody. I-House nipped In Your Eye 5-1 in the last game of the night. What did we learn this week? -When a vagrant is sleeping in your front steps, it is best not to yell at him through the intercom. -Girls like mice about as much as they like vagrants sleeping in your doorway. -The Patriots beat the Raiders! Well they beat them in the Madden game that my roommate just played. Reading comprehension questions 1. Why doesn't Jeff Garcia just shut the hell up? 2. Have you ever searched for "the Monkey" in the Tufts directory? Do it. 3. Have you ever had an NFL player visit your apartment? I didn't think so.

The Setonian
News

Seven Questions

November 20

Full name: Hillary Jean Dunn Hometown: Medfield, MA (hometown of "Hurricane" Peter McNeely who fought Mike Tyson back in the day) Birthdate: Bastille Day (July 14, 1981) Zodiac sign: Cancer... I'm a crab Nickname: Hdawg, Hilly Jean Favorite sthlete: Can I have a favorite "almost athlete"? If so, it would have to be you, Elliott. Otherwise, I would have to say Michael Jordan or Maritsa Christoudias. On this, the twentieth day of November, 2002, the complaint letters about Seven Questions can stop. Hillary Dunn is an athlete, and a good one at that. She is the captain and lone senior on the women's basketball team. Last season, Dunn led the NESCAC in assists, with 118. During her down time, Dunn can be found in her blue house living with three former women's basketball players. Big shout out to Erin Harrington, Emily Goodman, and Sarah Conlon, but Dunn is the only member of the household who will be found on the court this season, so naturally seven questions followed. 1. Is there any formal statement you would like to issue to Daniel Fowler after creating an article with the corny headline, "Hillary Dunn cracked the century mark" commemorating your 100th assist last season? Well I do think that he jinxed me with his predictions that I would break the school's single season assist record last season... but as for the headline, with a last name like mine, I have heard MUCH worse, such as "A Dunn deal" or "Job well Dunn." >2. Do you feel like the sole minority character in any given episode of Friends by being the only senior on the women's basketball team this season? A little bit, but we are all friends and get along really well. I need to annoy Poop and Buck by adding this comment: I want to marry Ross. 3. I know coach Berube refuses to call Maritsa Christoudias by her nickname Poop, how do you as the team captain feel on the issue? Wait, her real name isn't Pooppee? That's news to me. 4. I like to tease you about how I think you aren't down for the "cause." Care to tell the story you like to tell to prove you are? Elliott, I am down for the "cause," but I will not date you. Sorry. Please stop trying to hook up with my entire team! As for my old boyfriends, if anyone really wants to know, they can ask you all about them. 5. I noticed you almost pull up for a jump shot when you are taking a lay-up, any particular reason? I have some problems with my right foot. It hurts less when I jump stop to take a lay-up. 6. I asked center Erin Buckley for your phone number yesterday afternoon and she gave me your home number. Imagine my surprise when your stern-voiced father answered the phone and gave me the 6th degree when I asked for you. Is your father the kind of man that breaks the bones of male callers? Well my dad is a retired United States Postal Inspector (no one ever knows what that is, but he did carry a gun) so he is a little dangerous. Elliott, don't worry, I'll introduce you to him at a game. He is nice, funny and one of our most dedicated fans. 7. Now that Erin Harrington and Emily Goodman no longer play for the team, do you think they will invest in some pom-poms and join the cheerleading squad? I would pay to see those two in those little outfits. Considering I live with both of them, I think I can drag them to a game or two. _by Elliott Wiley, Jr.

The Setonian
News

Aussie rules footy

November 20

G'day mates. I'm here today to tell you about the great sport of football. "Football," you ask? "What could some crazy Aussie bloke tell us, Americans, about our game of football?" Well, I'm not talking about the sport in which half-ton men wearing more padding than the Michelin Man crouch in a line for five minutes, move ten feet down the field (with four chances to do so), then bring on new players. I'm talking about the real sport of football, Australian rules football, or 'footy', as it is known Downunda'. Aussie rules is a real man's sport. If you think playing four fifteen-minute quarters of stop-start action on a 100-yard field while wearing hit-absorbing body armor is hard, then you are horribly mistaken. Try playing four half-hour quarters on an oval 180 yards long and 150 yards wide (for those not yet in the Metric world), wearing no padding whatsoever (only shorts and sleeveless top) and running non-stop, like soccer, for each quarter. Now you have a clearer view of footy. It doesn't stop there, however. Footy is a game of speed, agility, strength, continuity, teamwork, and, at the simplest level, the ability to kick an oblong-shaped ball up to 65 yards. Unlike American football, Aussie rules flows freely, with play pausing only momentarily for free kicks. Players often run the equivalent of a marathon per match. Aussie rules originated in the 1850s in the state of Victoria. Likened to a cross between Gaelic football and rugby, footy quickly developed a distinct identity, thanks largely to a bloke named Tom Wills, who used it to keep his cricket team (another traditional Australian sport, originally from Jolly 'Ole England) in shape during winter. Footy, however, quickly developed into Australia's favorite sport, with 16 professional teams nationally, ten of them in the City of Melbourne. The regular season runs March to August (Aussie winter), with games played once a week for 22 weeks, culminating in a finals series. The Grand Final, perhaps the biggest event on the Australian sporting calendar, occurs in September at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground), a multi-purpose stadium that holds over 100,000 screaming fans barracking (Aussie for 'rooting') for their team. The basic rules are quite simple. The aim is to get the ball down to your end of the field and kick a goal. Simple, you think? Nope. Go out on the Res Quad, try bouncing an American football every 15 yards while running at full speed and try to get it to bounce back to you. Congratulations, you've learned an important rule: no running non-stop with the ball. Now imagine you are surrounded by 35 other players, 18 of whom want to steal the ball from you and your 17 teammates. To dispose of the ball you may kick it to a teammate, who can 'mark' the ball, or catch it in the air, without it being touched in flight. A high-soaring mark is called a "screamer" or a "specky." If your teammate (or intercepting opponent) 'takes the mark,' the ball is in his possession and the opposition cannot take it from him; however, if he drops the ball or plays on (keeps running with it) then the ball, and your teammate are fair game for the opposition. They may tackle him or scoop up a loose ball. If you're clutching desperately for something common between your football and my football, this is known as a 'turnover' in both sports. An alternative to kicking the ball is a handball. The ball is punched from your palm with your fist, and cannot be thrown. However, when caught by a teammate, it is not considered a mark, and play therefore continues. "Crikey," you say. "This Aussie bloke's off his cracker. How the heck do you score?" Don't get your knickers in a knot mates, I'm getting there. Unlike American football, there are no touchdowns. There are two tall white goalposts, between which the ball must be kicked for a goal, worth six points. On the outside of the goalposts are two shorter point posts. A ball kicked between one of these and the goalpost scores a "behind," or one point. After a goal, the umpire bounces the ball in the center of the ground to restart play. "So," you ask. "Why on earth would anyone want to play this game?" A couple up-and-coming players early in their professional careers had a few thoughts. "It's rewarding because I'm playing something I've loved for so long," Steven Armstrong, 18, of the Melbourne Demons says. Armstrong played 13 games last season as a rookie. "There is pressure to succeed, whether it be from the coaching staff, other players, supporters or even oneself. But the pressure's what keeps you going and is what makes the game the best in Australia." "It's something I have worked towards since I was 11 years old," Demons teammate Brad Miller, 19, said. "So I guess you could say it's everything I have ever dreamed of. The best thing [about playing] would be making a career out of something that you absolutely love doing." Playing is demanding, however. "It's a lot of hard work, but it's all part of working towards being a great player in the end," Nick Ries, 20, of the Hawthorn Hawks explained. "I do put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed, because with new players coming into a club I have to perform. But one great aspect is the mateship that you build up over the years." So strap on your helmets folks... (hang on, wrong sport). Grab a meat pie with sauce, the traditional wintry footy food, don your team colors, and join in the fun of one of the world's greatest sports, the real game of football, Aussie rules footy.

The Setonian
News

Zimbardo explains the 'psychology of evil'

November 20

Drawing on examples from history, his studies, and recent world events, Stanford psychology Professor Philip Zimbardo spoke to a captive audience Tuesday night on the situational forces that can compel an average person to perpetrate evil. Zimbardo, the president of the American Psychological Association and one of the most recognized names in his field, spoke fervently about scare tactics, coercion, conformity, and terrorism _ emphasizing that social conditions, not personal disposition, dictate when a person will commit an act of aggression. He repeatedly touched on the human susceptibility to influence and the ease of reframing circumstances as a means of persuasion. "The human mind, which has the infinite capacity for perfection, has also the infinite capability for perversion," Zimbardo said. Citing terrorism as a result of situational influences on otherwise normal people, Zimbardo reasoned that a terrorist's lack of identity is an intentional scare tactic. "The worst thing about terrorism now is that it's faceless," he said. "What we really want is to put a face on evil." Identifying someone as the source of evil, Zimbardo said, is a psychological tool used to bring a nation to war. "In the last few months with systematic propaganda, we have been shaped to hate Saddam Hussein." Zimbardo, a charismatic speaker with an eccentric goatee, used a collection of slides to illustrate vivid concepts and frequently made the audience participate in his presentation. At one point during the lecture, Zimbardo tried to recruit audience members to an eight-person "mobile killing squad" using the principle of diffusion of responsibility. Only one of the eight, he said, would be firing real bullets. Throughout his talk, the enthusiastic professor gave similar examples of psychological effects such as team pressure, commitment, and anonymity. "We don't know how to disobey authority [or] exit situations that are painful to us," he said. Zimbardo rose to celebrity status after his Stanford prison experiment was conducted in the late 1970s. The study assigned male college students to be a "guard" or "prisoner," roles that were quickly taken to heart when the participants were placed in a prison-like environment. Only three days into the week-long experiment, it had to be terminated because several participants suffered emotional breakdowns. The professor expressed regret for the adverse affects of the study. "I was getting trapped in my role as caretaker of my prison," he said. "Not caretaker of my experiment." Zimbardo also stressed, however, that studies on those who resist situational forces _ people he referred to as "heroes" _ cannot be conducted today because of stricter ethical procedures. "We don't know anything about the psychology of heroism," he said. Throughout his speech Zimbardo used historical examples to illustrate his ideas. He told the Biblical story of Lucifer's fall from grace, joking that, "if the best angel could become the devil, you're a piece of cake." Zimbardo deconstructed events such as the Holocaust, the Jonestown mass suicide, and the lynching of blacks in the South, demonstrating how the simplest concepts can lead to genocide. "All evil begins with an ideology _ a cover story," he said. "Simply labeling someone the enemy... in the real world, that's enough to get friends to kill other friends." Despite grim examples of the human susceptibility to evil, the professor maintained that situational influences, rather than personality, are the factors that encourage violent activity. "These are ordinary people," he said. "We just have to change a set of social psychological variables" to avoid violence and aggression. For better or worse, Zimbardo said, "we're all born with a brain, and that brain is infinitely malleable." The reaction to Zimbardo's words was predominantly positive. "It was an excellent chance for our students to see the relevance of social psychological laboratory studies to real life events," said Psychology Professor Sinaia Nathanson, who helped bring Zimbardo to Tufts. "In light of recent world events, with so many people preoccupied with attributing blame to one group or another, Professor Zimbardo's lecture inspired us to gain a broader perspective." Nathanson, a specialist in conflict and negotiation, reportedly got Zimbardo to agree to lecture at Tufts during negotiations to purchase his textbook, Psychology and Life, for the introductory psychology course. More than 250 students came to hear Zimbardo speak, filling Pearson 104 to its capacity and forcing some people to sit on the floor. "He was a dynamic speaker," said Rebecca Erban, a senior majoring in psychology. "His application of his own experiments to present day circumstances with suicide bombers was interesting." Zimbardo, a Stanford professor since 1968, has published over 250 professional articles and more than 20 books. He created, wrote, and narrated the PBS series "Discovering Psychology", and is the recipient several awards for psychology and teaching. Before his public lecture, Zimbardo spoke to students in introductory psychology classes on the topic of "perspectives."

The Setonian
News

Professor cannot get visa to return to US

November 20

Mohamed Mahmoud, chair of the Comparative Religion department, has been unable to return to the United States all semester because of delays in processing his visa application. Two Iranian students have also not been allowed to return. Mahmoud, a native of the Sudan, spent last year on sabbatical at Oxford University and is currently in Britain. Little is known about the other two students. The difficulties that Mahmoud is experiencing are due to increased security after Sept. 11 and the ensuing USA Patriot Act. While previously a visa would take about ten days to process, the time has increased drastically, especially for nationals of the 26 countries identified by the State Department as potential harbors for terrorism, including Iran, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. Under the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Reform Bill, signed earlier this year, visa applicants from those countries are subject to an additional 20 days of security screening and scrutiny by US officials. However, the reality is that the time that it will take for the visas to clear is "indefinite," said Jane Etish-Andrews, the director of Tufts' International Center. Although delays have affected all applicants, they are worse for males aged 16 to 45 from the countries named by the State Department. This is the result of a supplemental form, added at the beginning of the year, which is required at the discretion of a US official and can be used to flag individuals for further screening. "These additional procedures strained the State Department," explained Kelly Shannon, a spokeswoman for the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs. "Getting this system up and running, and streamlining it, without compromising national security, has obviously led to a backlog." Shannon denied that the screening based itself on nationality, but would not clarify the written policy, saying "we don't talk about that." Mahmoud's absence from the Comparative Religion department has caused considerable difficulty in the small department, which has only three full-time professors. "The loss of one of the full-time members is even more felt by our department than in a larger department," Professor Peter Thuesen. For the department to function, Professor Alnoor Dhanani was brought in to teach Mahmoud's classes this semester. Dean of Advising Christopher Nwabeke took on Mahmoud's freshmen advisees, and Joseph Walser's term as acting chair has been extended. Mahmoud is scheduled to teach two classes next semester, Islam and Human Rights and Theories of Religion. Although the University is optimistic that he will return by then, the government has still not issued his visa. Though Mahmoud's absence has created a manpower issue in the department, professors seem more concerned about the hole in the curriculum that it has created. "From our perspective, it's particularly senseless that Prof. Mahmoud has not been allowed to reenter the country," said Thuesen. "His scholarship on Islam and Modernity is precisely what is most needed right now in American universities." The International Center has been trying to help Mahmoud and two Iranian students who have been unable to return to the United States this semester. Tufts has contacted Senator Edward Kennedy's office to request that the senator communicate with the US embassies where the visas were applied for. "Sometimes the Senator's office can push things along," she said, but "there are lots of this sort of requests." US embassies abroad are required, by law, to respond to senator's offices. The State Department has enlisted the assistance of other US law enforcement and intelligence agencies in order to streamline the process as much as possible, though Shannon refused to clarify specific agencies that were being used. The State Department has always cross-checked the names of visa applicants with these agencies, as well as the International Criminal Police Organization. But there is little optimism that this process will get faster in the near future. "What is necessary for national security is necessary for national security," Shannon said. "There is no requirement that we make [the process] as fast as possible." Rachel Rubenson contributed to this article

The Setonian
News

And the money stopped rolling in...

November 20

The lack of proper planning and organization at the onset of UCCPS' initiatives almost three years ago is now rearing its ugly head, putting Tufts in a rather skeptical light in the eyes of some of our most valuable benefactors. UCCPS had no strategic plan or standardized guidelines for its programs when it first took shape in the spring of 2000 _ a mistake that has been addressed but could greatly jeopardize the well-being of the program's future _ and the robustness of future donations. What should have happened was careful study and research leading up to the kick-off of the organization's initiatives _ the kind of planning that other schools such as Stanford and its Haas Center for Public Service undertook before starting its new programs over two decades ago. Currently, despite efforts to reform programs such as Omidyar Scholars by instilling stricter and clearer guidelines, most students, and arguably even Omidyar scholars themselves, aren't entirely clear as to what the program entails, what is expected of them, and what the end fruits of their labor should be. Now, the Omidyar Foundation is asking UCCPS to show something for its investments in the program. Due to poor organization, the product isn't so impressive _ though the ideas being bounced around UCCPS are great. In the future, UCCPS must conduct the necessary research and organize itself properly before taking on and creating new programs. Such an organization, funded by such valuable resources, is indeed an ideal opportunity for Tufts students and the entire Tufts community to grow and give back to society. It is a shame when its creative initiatives lose credibility _ and quite possibly the trust of its benefactors _ due predominantly to a lack of detailed planning and organization. In addition to its Omidyar Scholars program, some of UCCPS' other initiatives seem slightly misplaced, or at least under-publicized. The faculty fellows program, for example, is something that few on the Tufts campus know about. Given the lack of awareness of such initiatives, combined with the semi-founded stigma that Omidyar scholars receive money and can do with it what they so desire, it would not be surprising if the Omidyar Foundation was raising its eyebrows. If UCCPS doesn't work fast to reform some of its current operations, we may very well find that money and a reputation we can't afford to lose will spiral down the drain. More than that, the situation has the potential to discourage future large donations to Tufts if alumni are worried about the proper use of their money.

The Setonian
News

Do it in your undies

November 20

As my senior year progresses I am being forced to accept the fact that I am graduating in May. On Nov. 1, I went to my fourth consecutive and final LCS semiformal. Two weeks later, on Nov. 14, I went to senior pub night at Dewick. And yesterday, Wednesday, Nov. 20, I registered for classes for the last time in my life. It was one of the saddest days of my college career. I know that I will miss many things about Tufts: the amazing friends, the inspiring professors, the random people I don't really know but still cordially say hello to, Jumbo, the Language Lab, (falling down) the Memorial Steps, Dowling Hall's air conditioning in the summer, and the ever-reliable Joseph's shuttle service. Still, the collective pain all of these things will cause me next year pales in comparison to the pain I currently feel, knowing that I will never register for classes again. Registration was one of the most exciting and memorable parts of college. In the old days, when I was a wee freshman, registration was much more complicated and laborious. Students could not register from their own rooms. In the golden age of registration all Jumbos had to trudge to Eaton Hall to complete the process in-person. Back then registration marked the one day when hermits emerged from their dorm room caves, die-hard studiers left the reading room for five minutes, muscle heads did their cardio workout by running to Eaton, and heavily made-up girls put, like, an extra half an hour into their "look." But, alas, those glorious days are long gone thanks to Tufts finally upgrading its registration system (only 13 years after every other university did). Now, instead of having to wait in excruciatingly long lines in the lobby of Eaton, students simply (try to) sign onto SIS Online. The average number of attempts it takes to access the system before successfully logging- in is somewhere between 353 and 375. In my last registration ever, I defied all odds and was granted access after 231 tries. At 9:15 a.m. on the dot I got in and prayed that the system wouldn't crash as I frantically input course numbers and repeatedly hit the submit button. I knew that if I didn't hit the submit button at least a dozen times per second I had no hope of beating the other people with my time. As an experienced registration veteran who had spent the past two weeks preparing _ doing the recommended finger clicking exercises and mouse workout _ I was confident that my selections would go through first. Luckily, they did, and I was able to get all four of the (low-demand) classes I wanted. While registration day was always exhilarating, my favorite day of each semester was when the new course listings went up on the registrar's web page. I spent countless hours browsing through the classes, categorizing, and making a list of what I was going to take. Not only was this fun to do, but it was also an easily justifiable means of procrastination. After the courses were published I found it virtually impossible to do work for any of my classes. In my mind, the current semester ended when the next semester's listings came out. Understanding this simple truth cleared up so many things in my life. Namely, my parents' million dollar question, "Adam, how is it possible that for the third year in a row your grades dropped two full letter grades between midterms and finals?" This semester, I am trying to maintain my concentration and focus despite the heavy temptation to scour the registrar's page. So far, I am doing fairly well. I have only checked the page 15 times since registering 24 hours ago (much better than last year's 54). To those who have already done the deed, I hope that your registration went as smoothly as mine. To the remaining sophomores, freshmen, and any straggling juniors and seniors, I wish you luck today and tomorrow. Don't take registering for granted, because the day will come when you're in my shoes. Register with confidence. Register with pride. And most importantly, register from the comfort of your room, in your underwear.

The Setonian
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New faculty apartments under renovation

November 20

Next fall, new Tufts professors will have a another option for local housing, with renovations of the former Hillside School, which Tufts bought last year, nearing the end of its first phase of construction. The former elementary school is intended to provide an affordable and environmentally-friendly housing alternative for Tufts' new junior faculty members and "ease their transition to the area," according to Vice President of Operations John Roberto. LR Construction, a general contracting firm from Framingham, MA, has made renovations to both the interior and exterior of the building during the demolition period according to Vice President of Operations John Roberto. Residents should be able to move in next fall. Although rents will not be subsidized, the apartments will demand lower prices than many nearby housing options. Bruce Ketchen, Director of Real Estate Property Services, estimated a montly rent of approximately $1,500 per unit. Environmental concerns have affected the renovation processes. "We are attempting to include as many eco-friendly components as possible," Ketchen said. According to Ketchen, many demolition materials are being recycled. The finished building will include a bike room to encourage alternative means of transportation and high-efficiency heating and lighting equipment. Ketchen believes that the eco-friendliness of the building will enhance its marketing potential, especially since the intended tenants of the building are likely to be receptive to this type of feature. Each of the 12 existing classrooms will be converted into a loft-style apartment, Ketchen said. Four units will be based on a two-bedroom model, while the others will be one-bedroom units. Many of the original classroom features, including the blackboards and hardwood floors, will be retained. The renovations, which should be completed in early spring, are being directed by Walnut Hill Properties. Walnut Hill, a real estate company associated with Tufts, purchased the building and its 50, 000-square-foot lot from the city of Medford last fall. Built in 1923, it was as an elementary school until about six years ago. Walnut Hill purchased the property for $801,852 in a sealed bidding process last year. A number of Massachusetts cities are currently redefining their education programs, Ketchen said. Multiple schools are left vacant every year because it is often more cost effective for cities to accommodate these restructured education systems by building new schools instead of renovating the old ones. Medford is in the process of building nine new schools, Ketchen said, and is selling off hold ones. After the school was sold, however, the neighborhood's residents expressed discontent with the changes effected by the sale. To avoid creating a similar situation with the sale of the Hillside School, the town created a committee of neighborhood representatives and government officials which assessed local concerns and then determined certain stipulations as to how the building should be used. After deciding that the Hillside School should be used for residential purposes, the committee specified that the building should retain its original fa?§ade. This led to the plan for the Tufts faculty apartment building. Walnut Hill agreed not to use the building for undergraduates, provide sufficient on-site parking, and maintain a memorial plaque at the school after the committee expressed concern about these issues.

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For better or worse

November 20

Allen Iverson is scared to be in Philadelphia. I can't really say I blame him. He's right when he says he's being targeted. He has walked around with a bulls-eye on his forehead since he was accused of breaking into an apartment with a gun while trying to find his wife (the charges were all dropped). The media's been after him, scrutinizing him about everything both on and off the court, and you'd better believe that the Philly police have been keeping a close eye on the man. But with all this hullabaloo, you have to ask yourself, whose fault is it? Iverson has called attention to himself since the day he walked into the league, for better or worse. The cameras are all over him when he dives into the stands after loose balls and the cameras are all over him when he shows up for his court date. If there's one thing his life hasn't been, it's private. And this, he says, is the problem. All eyes are on him, all the time, and that's why he's scared of Philadelphia. All it takes, he says, is one crooked cop, and he's done for. Finished. Dead. This might be extreme (I don't really think that there are any Philadelphia cops sitting outside of his mansion waiting to pop him) but it might not be far off. So who's responsible for this mess? We all are, AI included. See, attention doesn't just reach out and grab you. You won't be labeled a thug if you've never acted the part. You don't see Tim Duncan having anywhere near the same problems that Iverson has. Can you honestly picture Duncan ever saying that he's afraid to be in San Antonio? That's because he's never fit that image, never wanted to, never tried to, and never will. Iverson does. And that's what fuels the fire. Nobody wants a league full of Tim Duncans. Everybody will yell about Iverson and how he's a bad role model, he's a thug, he's punk. But whatever we say, he's what we want. He's fascinating, both on and off the court. You can't take your eyes off him. He has character flaws, he gets into trouble, he bickers with Larry Brown, he won't practice, and then he goes out on game night and gives 110 percent, every time. That's what he's shown us, and that's what we can't stop watching. He's like a train wreck. AI has been a walking contradiction ever since he stepped foot in the NBA. He's a team player who's selfish. He's a disciplined player who won't practice. He's a smart player who's na??ve. He's about 5'10", 175, and he's an NBA superstar. So people keep watching him. We don't know what's going to come next, but it'll be interesting. Iverson says that this is what he hates _ always being under a microscope. But he hasn't done anything to prevent it. Maybe he's just being himself, but if he hates the scrutiny, it's up to him to do something about it. A player will always be criticized for not practicing, no matter how much effort he gives you on game day. Iverson can score 50 points and dish out 18 assists, but all anybody will talk about is how he didn't go to practice the day before. And he's not helping himself in his current situation, either. Allen, you want people to back off for a while? Lay low, blend in, go to practice, don't do anything extreme, don't stand up and announce that the Philadelphia police are crooked and everyone's out to get you. It won't help. The more he tells people he hates the attention, the more attention he's going to get. There's always a certain amount a of scrutiny that comes with making millions of dollars for playing a sport in front of a national audience, but Iverson certainly adds to it. But the most tragic part about it all is that Iverson is probably right. People probably have mislabeled him. He's done some things to give him the labels that he has, but if you look at his supposed "rap sheet," it barely exists. He has one conviction, for riding in a car with friends who were smoking pot, and he had a registered gun under the seat, so it was considered a concealed weapon. He got three years probation. That's it. He hasn't held up any liquor stores, hasn't murdered anyone, hasn't chased his wife around with a gun, hasn't stolen any candy from children and hasn't clubbed any baby seals. He's had a few run-ins with the law, but all except the one have been thrown out. He's light years away from perfect, but he's definitely not the scum of the earth. He's not the thug that everyone makes him out to be. Sure, he should go to practice. Sure, he has tattoos. Sure, he hangs out with the wrong crowd. But that doesn't really make him a criminal. But he'll continue to get the same attention and the same scrutiny, unless something changes. And judging by his most recent statements, it looks like we're in for more of the same. He's still the living, breathing contradiction that he always was. He loves Philadelphia, but he's scared of it. He wants to stay, but he wants to go. He hates the attention, but he fuels it. He's AI, for better or worse. Ethan Austin's e-mail address is austin@tuftsdaily.com

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Pint dreams in Boston's North Station

November 20

It's rare to hear students say, "Oh! I think I'm going to go to North Station to drink tonight. I hear it's a happening place." Though often forgotten by students and tourists, the area around the FleetCenter is abuzz with activity. And beer. Two bars manage to make our "not gross enough to get freaked by strangers and not nice enough to blow our budgets" list: The Fours on Canal Street and Porters Bar and Grill on Portland St. Neither have cover charges (unlike Senior Pub Night) and both provide better drinks in a non-dining hall atmosphere. In celebration of the addition of the word "bling-bling" to the Oxford English Dictionary Shorter Version, we decided to dine out. Our evening extravaganza began at Porters Bar and Grill, which as the name might imply, is a bar with a grill, but it is not in Porter Square. And there is no connection between the establishment and jazz musician Cole Porter. Porters is unimpressive when you first enter. With the usual neon signs on the windows and high-backed booths inside, the bar emits an aura of Anybar, USA. But once you sit down and observe the venue, you realize that it has its own charm. There are a lot of little things that give Porters character. It has a nicely designed bar with candles nestled between the bottles. The place is surprisingly clean and doesn't have the touristy feeling of the Faneuil Hall bars. And though the furnishings are nice, Porters had a laid-back feel, and it seemed as though most patrons were there to hang out and watch the Celtics Game, not take Jell-O shots and play the dating game. Porters offers three unusual beers: their own porter, Boddington's on draft _ surprising because it has to be imported _ and Duff Beer. Yup, that's right. Now you too can be Homer Simpson. Porters renamed a beer from a Vermont brewing company that is similar in taste and body to Miller Genuine Draft after the popular Simpsons' drink. The menu is refreshingly devoid of nachos and anything containing the word "poppers." With a selection of interesting sandwiches, like the Newporter, which consists of smoked turkey breast, melted brie, and pesto on a toasted baguette, as well as a small selection of more upmarket entrees, Porters' menu is one step up from greasy friedness. We interrupt this program to bring you a message for the restaurant reviewers: we've been to Orleans, and we disagree with your assessment that "you cannot go wrong at Orleans." In fact, we believe that going there is wrong. No means no, guys, and so do draped fabrics and fish nets. Here's a message you may not have heard: thank you for your cooperation, and thank you for riding the T. But back to North Station, which in fact is the name of a T station. If the live music that comes on at Porters late in the evenings is a little too loud for your taste, head over to The Fours Restaurant and Bar. It is a sports fan's delight, with enough memorabilia on the walls to make [censored]. We were surprised that Ted Williams' cryogenic chamber was not standing in some corner. The d?©cor at The Fours is cheap classy, or as we called it after a few beers, cheassy. Try that on for size, Oxford English Dictionary Short Version! The bar had the same laid-back atmosphere as Porters and was frequented by local "professionals," meaning people in their mid-20s with mediocre jobs who never learned the consonant "r." One thing they did learn, however, was Boston sports. The Foahs has two floohs: a downstairs bah and dining area and an upstaihs bah and function room. The beer selection is modest, but hey, Boston sports fans need only one amber nectar. Though the menu was extensive, the entrees were a bit pricey. And with bright lighting, The Fours felt more like IHOP than a bar. While these two establishments were cozy and comfortable, it was clear that the lushes were not among their own age group. Those who prefer to wear less clothing and more body glitter were next door to The Fours at Hurricane O'Reilly's, which looked no different than its touristy, college-studenty, boobalicious sisters in Faneuil Hall. But if something a little less strobe-lit is what you're for, North Station is worth exploring. The bars here have a more real, honest feel, and there is a wide range of prices and specialties _ far more than we could explore in one evening. Plus there's a Hooters (Lush review pending).

The Setonian
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Redifining

November 20

Everyone knows U2. And just about everyone is familiar with the band's famous album Joshua Tree. However, what most people don't know is that there is a lot more to Joshua Tree than just great music. The Joshua Tree, a restaurant of the same name located in Davis Square, is pretty much the best all-around eatery in the Davis area. Known for its versatility, Joshua Tree has been a favorite of Tufts students for years and years. The exterior looks like all of the other places in Davis Square, with its big-lettered sign and big windows _ that's about it. The interior, however, is more modern that one might expect from only seeing the outside. Once inside, you will notice a totally different atmosphere compared to the surrounding restaurants and shops. It is more fashionable and modern, with wood and steel as the prime surface materials. The lighting is warm and subtle. The versatility that makes up a large part of Joshua Tree's reputation is based on the idea that the eatery can serve three unique purposes: either a bar, restaurant, or take-out joint. The bar itself has just about everything, including a whopping 32 beers on tap. (Where else, especially in the immediate area, has such a huge beer selection?) But the versatility does not stop there. The dishes themselves are the other reason for Joshua Tree's undeniable success. At first, one must admit, the menu looks like your typical, generic, wannabe success-story restaurant. And while Joshua Tree does admittedly fall into the "American Bar and Grill" category, with options ranging from clam chowder to burgers to burritos, each item on the menu is top of the line for Joshua Tree's stereotypical selection. The appetizers are sure to get you in the mood. The menu includes an array of traditional noshing favorites. Basically, you can get just about anything you can think of that involves some sort of salsa. In colder weather, a cup of French onion soup is the perfect way to warm up _ it is a gentle combination of beef broth and onions, topped with a layer of melted Swiss cheese. As for entrees, the usual favorites at Joshua Tree include quesadillas, burgers, and fries. While the buffalo burger tastes no different than your usual burger fare, the burgers in general are absolutely phenomenal. There are more unique dishes, such as the "mojo roast pork loin," which is grilled and sliced into thin pieces and served with a smidgeon of strong lime and some crinkle-cut sweet-potato fries, which costs about $12. For the same price, you can go Mexican and order a hearty chimichanga. Available in both chicken and beef varieties, this enormous fried burrito comes with a side of rice and beans. While it rates disappointingly mild on the spice scale, it is tasty and satisfying nonetheless. At Joshua Tree, you will find something for everyone in your party, whether you are alone, on a date, or with a large group of your friends. On top of it all, you won't spend much more than $18 per person, if even that much. Be forewarned, however, that ordering drinks at Joshua Tree is pricey, and can easily add $10 to your tab. In addition to great dining and drinking, Joshua Tree provides live entertainment as well. There is a lounge area that is separate from the sit-down, restaurant area. The music, usually played by local bands, is as good as the food, and tends to suit the mood and ambience of the place _ fun, chill, energetic, and enjoyable. This can also be Joshua Tree's weakness, however. While the music is good, the service above average, and the food better than most, the acoustics of the restaurant do not help much in the area of personal conversation. At times it can be so loud that any attempt at intimate conversation is futile. So, if you are planning on that date, you may want to make it earlier in the evening, perhaps before catching a flick at the Somerville Theatre. Maybe that date should be for a Wednesday evening. Thursdays will vary, depending on what time you arrive (you should get there about 8 p.m., since the place fills up by 9 p.m.). As for Friday and Saturday nights, forget it, unless you want to try a lunch-date. Joshua Tree is open from 11 am until 10 p.m., and the bar stays open until 1 AM. In other words, the Joshua Tree is open exactly when most college students would want to attend. Joshua Tree is definitely a place to be experienced by all Tufts students, and multiple times. If you have another place in mind, keep Joshua Tree as your "Plan B" as it will not ever seem like a bad option.

The Setonian
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Concerns arise over UCCPS funding

November 20

Leaders at the University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS) are concerned that the Omidyar Foundation, its founding donor, may not provide additional further funding, according to an internal UCCPS memo written to University President Larry Bacow and other administrators last spring. The Omidyar Foundation (TOF) donated $10 million for the creation of UCCPS three years ago, with the understanding that if certain goals were met, a further donation would be made five years later. One of those goals was fundraising, and according to the memo, TOF has increased pressure on UCCPS to diversify its funding so that it is less dependent on the foundation. Six weeks before the current fiscal year, TOF made what it called "adjustments" to UCCPS's annual budget. UCCPS said it would like TOF to set more specific fundraising targets for UCCPS, restate its commitments, set goals for further funding, and provide more positive reinforcement. "TOF's approach of only applying pressure is not the best recipe for building internal support," the memo stated. It also said TOF had been "silent" last year on the issue of a further donation. But TOF Vice President of Civic Engagement Lisa Spinali said that the memo was wrong, and that TOF had been clear in its goals to UCCPS. "If [UCCPS] make[s] a significant progress towards the goals," Spinali said, then further funding will follow. This memo comes at a critical juncture for UCCPS, which is approaching the halfway point between the original Omidyar Foundation donation and the five-year reassessment. To receive a second donation from TOF, they must stay close to the organization's goals within this time frame. Though faculty involved with UCCPS admit that there have been problems at UCCPS in the past, there are visible signs of improvement, according to Child Development Lecturer Robert Hawkins, who worked with UCCPS last year. The UCCPS Faculty Fellows Program, which gives grants to faculty members for public service and research initiatives, is one such sign, he said. Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Chris Swan, who received a Faculty Fellowship from the newly-created program, said that UCCPS "stalled out of the blocks, but I would say it righted itself pretty well." TOF suggested that UCCPS raise $20 million by the end of the 2004-2005 academic year to diversify its funding. Thus far, $3 million has been made, and there are plans to raise the additional $17 million by soliciting donations from alumni and philanthropic foundations, according to Spinali and other internal documents. Despite the slow start to fundraising, Spinali said that there is no reason to believe that UCCPS will not achieve the $20 million target. "We still have two and a half more years," Spinali said. UCCPS and TOF are too concerned with expanding the college to worry about fundraising issues right now, she said. UCCPS hopes to raise money through the University's next capital campaign, which it hopes will prominently feature the college. The campaign, however, is still in its early planning stages, and may not raise enough money in the next two years. According to the memo, TOF is looking for Tufts to give financial support to UCCPS, whose annual operating budget is $2.5 million. This desire is understandable, UCCPS Dean Robert Hollister said, but it is not something he wants to see happen. "There is no way we would be able to get that kind of money [from Tufts]," Hollister said. If UCCPS were to take that money, it would mean a loss of funding to other organizations, he said. "That's a recipe for internal conflict." Various interpretations for the slow development of UCCPS have been offered. Some sources say past administrative incompetence may be to blame. "The bottom line is that the operation of UCCPS has been flying by the seat of its pants," one source said. The source called UCCPS administrators ineffective, saying that they have not been able to articulate a clear vision for the program. "This is simply a job too big for them to deal with," the source said. But these problems may all be in the past, Swan said. "The path that UCCPS took is not what it was a year ago... I believe, today, the path is very clear," Swan said. Others involved with UCCPS said that some of the improvements were thanks to TOF's involvement. "They really helped clarify the vision," Hawkins said. Increased TOF involvement with UCCPS was not a reaction to anything UCCPS was doing, according to Spinali, who started working for TOF this May. "The intensity is greater because I have more time to dedicate to it," she said, now that TOF has increased its number of employees. TOF has always billed itself as a venture-philanthropy firm that stays involved with its donations. "I think we have had a very engaged relationship from the very beginning," said Lorna Lathram, former TOF Vice President of Civic Engagement, who preceded Spinali. A lack of strategic planning may have been another reason for past problems may have been a lack of strategic planning. Some former faculty and staff who were involved say that UCCPS never fully achieved its vision. "When things didn't go like in a textbook, [the administrators] started freaking," Lisett Garcia said. "UCCPS could have been something incredible and it just hasn't taken off." Garcia was involved in a student advisory group as a Tufts graduate student and left a little over a year ago. It was difficult to define the role of UCCPS to outsiders when administrators did not yet have clearly-defined roles themselves, Garcia said. These initial questions grew into bigger problems as time went on. "If I had to point to anything, it just wasn't started the right way," she said. An example of the lack of consistency in UCCPS is the Omidyar Scholars Program, which has changed in both size and requirements each year it has existed. Because UCCPS started without a strategic plan in its early years, there may have not been the right structure for a successful program from the beginning. "I think that it's amazing that UCCPS was developed without a clear, articulated plan," one source said. But Omidyar Foundation administrators said that there was nothing out of the ordinary regarding how UCCPS was started. "I would look at the first couple of years as how to take an idea and turn it into action," Spinali said. But a similar institution to UCCPS decided that pre-planning was required. Stanford University's Haas Center for Public Service was initiated in 1984 after a year-long study of the state of Stanford students' public service commitments, and is now considered one of the more successful public service centers in the country. It may not be appropriate, however, to compare the two organizations, according to Haas Center Development and External Relations Director Suzanne Abel. "Every university's history and programs are different," Abel said. "It is up to each institution's leadership as to what is the best way to start something like this." Most start-ups actually do not begin with a strategic plan, Lathram said. "I think they did a very good job just trying to investigate any issues," she said. "Two years in the life of UCCPS is just a blink of an eye." This "developmental approach" is better than formalized strategy, Hollister said. This approach may have succeeded in allowing UCCPS to create a wide variety of programs, but it may also have resulted in high faculty turnover and short-lived programs. UCCPS was created in the spring of 2000 to promote values of citizenship and public service at Tufts. It was spearheaded by former President John DiBiaggio and Tufts alumni and ebay founders Pierre and Pam Omidyar. Its centerpiece initiative is the Omidyar Scholars program, which provides students with funding to create their own community initiatives.

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Proper protection

November 20

I was sorely disappointed to read Ms. Amber Madison's latest column (Spayed, Neutered, or Nonoxynol-9ed). While the column rightly encourages the use of effective contraceptives, its endorsement of Nonoxynol-9 was disturbing Nonoxynol-9 no better at reducing the transmission of STDs, but that it actually increases the risk of HIV transmission when used frequently. The product irritates vaginal mucous membranes, causing tears in the lining, and increasing direct fluid contact between semen and the woman's blood stream. While we all may find Ms. Madison's topics occasionally shocking, it is important to remember that Ms. Madison is not a medical professional. Her column should not be considered as anything more than a novelty. Megan Liotta LA '03

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Berube brings experience to young women's bball team

November 20

Carla Berube is anything but a typical Div III basketball coach. Though only a few months into her job at Tufts, the 27-year old now coaches the game she played at the highest level. After leading her high school team in Oxford, Mass. to a 50-0 combined record and consecutive state championships, Berube elected to play college ball down the road in Storrs, Conn., where a dynamic young coach named Geno Auriemma was attempting to build a successful program. "I had no idea where the UCONN program would be today when I decided to play there," Berube said. "They had been to a Final Four in '91, but it wasn't the dominant powerhouse it is now. My mother went there, it's a great school with great academics, and when I met the team I knew it would be right for me." In her sophomore season, Berube was the first woman off the bench for the Huskies, who navigated through a magical 35-0 season, and a National Championship. Berube averaged 8.5 points per game and nearly five rebounds. She was an integral part of a team that is credited with elevating woman's college basketball to new levels, and paving the way for the WNBA. "The season was like a whirlwind for us," Berube said. "We started getting so much press who wanted to talk to us. ESPN did specials. We never thought about taking a step forward for women's basketball, we just thought about our next game, making sure we were prepared. I think we just related well and it was a great story." Though UCONN advanced to the Final Four once more during Berube's career there, the team never equaled the heights reached by the 94-95 squad. Berube joined the New England Blizzard of the ABL after graduation, which is where she first recognized the desire to coach the game she loved. "I can't say I always wanted to coach," Berube said. "I always loved all parts of basketball, and after the ABL, I decided to stick with it. I had such great coaches during my time playing, I wanted to give back." After one season of playing for the Blizzard, Berube's next stop was Providence College, where for two seasons she served as an assistant coach. Though the team only managed a 13-15 record last season, it cemented Berube's coaching aspirations. "Providence was a great experience," Berube said. "I fell in love with coaching, it made me realize that I wanted to be a head coach, so when Tufts opened up, it was a perfect situation," she said. "As an assistant you give input but you have to go along with another coach's system. I didn't talk much during practices at Providence. It's a lot different here." Though Tufts competitions are far away from the sold out arenas, screaming fans, and television camera crews to which she became accustomed during her playing days, Berube feels the basketball climate in the NESCAC is ideal. "At Tufts there's a great balance of life and academics," she said. "When I played, between our court time practicing and our time in the weight room, we were committed seven or eight hours a day. Here, you practice hard for a few hours every day, but there's so much more to the college life and experience." Berube is certainly excited to apply her system to a young group of players eager to put last season's underachieving and disappointing campaign behind them. "I'm a demanding coach," Berube said. "I make them talk a lot on the court. Communication is vital to winning basketball. Right now, we're in a feeling out period, but my philosophy is having a great time playing the game we love and getting the most out of each other. College basketball is great and so is competition."

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Bluegrass, alternative, and everything in between

November 20

Everyone knows that Boston is home to a thriving music scene, be it local artists or internationally-recognized acts. From folk and jazz to rock and alternative, Beantown offers countless venues showcasing just about every musical genre you can think of. Here, the Daily breaks down the best of the best of the area's music clubs. Bill's Bar 5 1/2 Lansdowne St. (617) 421-9678 Although this club makes its home on a street that is traditionally known for its techno-trance dance clubs, you'll be glad to hear that you'll find nothing but live acts at Bill's Bar. Diversity is the name of the game, with many theme nights that feature various kinds of music. Monsta Monday hosts head-banging metal acts, Thursday features underground artists, and the club goes mellow on Sundays with reggae. Club Passim 47 Palmer St. (617) 492-7679 Located in Harvard Square, this music club/coffeehouse has a long history as one of the folk scene's staple venues. Founded in 1958, the stage was graced by such famous names as Joan Baez and Van Morrison through the 1960s. Now it hosts some of the biggest (and smallest) local acts such as Mark Erelli. A nonprofit music center, Club Passim is "dedicated to the cultivation and preservation of folk music." No alcohol is served at Club Passim: the beverages here are limited to water, soda and coffee, making this club's audiences both tame and attentive. If struggling with the urge to nosh, visitors can order from the club's vegetarian menu featuring an array of Middle Eastern dishes. Harpers Ferry 158 Brighton Ave. (617) 254-9743 From big-name R&B acts to local bands, the music at Harpers Ferry is definitely varied but always top-notch. This venue is best known for its annual Blues Festival, and event that brings some of the biggest names in blues to Boston. Performers range from funk and soul to jazz and alternative rock. One of the area's larger venues, you'll also find pool tables, dart boards and foosball to keep you busy while the music plays. It also offers an extensive bar and appetizers to snack on until 11:30 pm. Except for Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Harpers Ferry is an exclusively 21+ club, making for a slightly older crowd than at some of the smaller clubs. House of Blues 96 Winthrop St. (617) 876-8330 Part of a nationwide chain, the Cambridge branch of the House of Blues distinguishes itself from its fellow clubs across the country by staying to true its namesake _ you'll only find the best of blues music here. The club attracts a varied crowd, from new youthful fans of the musical genre to people old enough to be your parents. If it gets too crowded for your tastes up by the stage, you can watch the concert via closed-circuit television from a stool at the bar. This 2002 Citysearch nominee for Best Live Music Venue offers a menu that ranges from classic (read: baby-back ribs) to nouveau (read: roasted Portobello sandwich). Johnny D's 17 Holland St. (617) 776-2004 This Davis Square haunt has one of the most diverse lineups around, featuring everything from bluegrass to Latin to swing. This, however, was not always the case. In the 1970s and 1980s, after John DeLellis first purchased the Uptown Caf?© in 1969, the venue featured only country-western performers from the area. Today, on pretty much any night of the week you can walk in and treat yourself to dinner while taking in the tunes. The atmosphere is homey and casual, although the seating area fills up quickly when bigger names perform. Kendall Caf?© 233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave. (617) 661-0993 Designed to resemble somebody's living room, Kendall Caf?© is one of the area's most comfortable venues. Although it holds barely 50 people and nearby housing restricts the club to keeping down the volume, it attracts some of the best local bands like Letters to Cleo. It is one of the best places to catch acoustic folk acts. Like many of the area's smaller clubs, Kendall Caf?© offers a dining menu that ensures the audience is satisfied with more than just the music. You can choose from a wide variety of dishes ranging from Indian to Cajun. Middle East 472 Massachusetts Ave. (617) 547-3930 Located in nearby Central Square, this venue is arguably the epicenter of Boston's alternative rock scene. It first opened as a restaurant in the 1970s featuring Arabic music and belly dancing. It wasn't until the 1980s that rock acts also began performing at the Middle East, beginning a musical tradition that has continued through the past 20 years. Although it's rare to find anything other than local acts performing, both levels are consistently packed with music-hungry students and grown-ups. Headliners usually perform downstairs, an area that features two large bars and an expansive dance floor flanked with a few stools and tables. The upstairs is considerably brighter, and smaller, with more eclectic bands performing. Regattabar 1 Bennet St. (617) 661-5000 By far the swankiest and most elegant of Boston's music venues, the Regattabar is nestled within the equally posh Charles Hotel. The cozy atmosphere and dim lighting make it ideal for the mostly unplugged jazz acts that grace the club's stage. With the exception of Roomful of Blues, the sound here is typically soft and mellow, not loud and raunchy. Ryles 212 Hampshire St. (617) 876-9330 Unlike many of its counterparts in the jazz scene, Ryles is a toned-down, comfortable jazz club that features both known and unknown jazz acts. Although most nights feature local musicians, bigger names perform often enough to maintain this club's reputation as one of the area's premiere jazz clubs. It strays from its roots on Thursday and Saturday nights, when the upstairs level opens up to a dance floor featuring salsa and swing. On Sunday mornings, the club hosts a popular jazz brunch, but the best time to go is during the week when the crowd thins out. T.T. the Bear's 10 Brookline St. (617) 661-6752 Yet another Cambridge music hotspot, this venue is located down the street from the Middle East. Famed for having hosted such big names as Nirvana, the stage at T.T. the Bear's is now home to smaller local acts. A maximum capacity of 300 ensures that you'll never be far from the action on stage. Its small size also offers a disadvantage, though _ if it's a concert featuring anything louder than acoustic, the volume can reach deafening levels. Take a break from the noise by taking in a game of pool in the back room, or grab a drink from the far end of the club's three-sided bar.

The Setonian
News

New law written in reaction to Somerville rapes

November 19

In reaction to three rapes allegedly committed by Somerville gang members in the past month, the city is working to pass legislation intended to help alleviate residents' anxieties. Suspected members of the El Salvadorian gang MS-13 allegedly raped two deaf teenage girls, one of whom has cerebral palsy, in Foss Park on Oct. 24, following several incidents of violence involving MS-13 members in East Somerville. A ten-year-old hearing-impaired female was also raped on Nov. 9 by a man whose link to the gang is under investigation, The Somerville Journal reported. Somerville Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay called the acts "the most heinous of crimes." Although the city's general level of crime has come down as a result of the police's forceful and effective determination to apprehend crime perpetrators, she said, the city has seen an increase in gang violence. In response to the acts, William Roche, member of the Board of the Alderman for the Somerville City Council, proposed legislation that would give the police department a new tool in dealing with gang members. If instituted, the law would permit a police officer to disperse loitering groups of known gang members, Roche said. The law is intended to prevent further acts of violence by gangs with a history of violent behavior, Roche said. "If in the past, the gang has a history of creating public safety hazards such as beatings, rape, etc., that would give the police department a reason to move the gang," Roche said. The law specifies that a police officer would only have the right to ask a person or group to leave an area if the party in question is a known affiliate with a gang that has perpetrated violent crimes in the past. Such a person or group would be asked to disperse for twelve hours, and could be jailed from 24 hours to five days if the order was not followed. "We just have to send [the gangs] a message loud and clear that we won't tolerate the type of activity they've been doing here," Roche said. The legislation is now in the subcommittee of the Board of Alderman, which will meet this Thursday night to refine its wording to ensure its legality. Next Tuesday, the full board will meet and vote on the law. If approved, Kelly Gay must then sign it before it goes to the state house, where it must be passed by both branches of the state legislature. Both Kelly Gay and Roche believe the city will pass the law in the near future, but recognize that debate over its constitutionality may slow the process. "I think that some form of the law will be enacted," Roche said. But if some see elements of the law as infringements on personal rights, "we may have to reword it so that it is completely constitutional," he said. The city's mayor wants to be certain that the law does not violate civil liberties. "If we can write the law so that it doesn't trample on anyone's rights and I am sure that it is constitutionally correct, then I will sign it," Kelly Gay said. But the severity of the issue has prompted officials and citizens to push for speedy approval of legislation to reduce the threat of gang violence within the city. "[Gang members] have shown what they are capable of doing here, and other members of the gang have created much more violent acts in other places," Roche said. "This gang is all over the country. I don't want it to get to that level here." The acts of violence have prompted community members to engage in dialogue about gang-related issues. Last week around 200 residents gathered at a neighborhood meeting to ask questions of their city officials and listen to discourse on how to combat the gang. The effects of the recent incidents and the proposed legislation are felt on the Tufts campus as well as in the greater Somerville community. "Theoretically this law seems like a good idea, especially because being a 20-year-old girl I am a likely target," sophomore Jill Friedman said. But the legislation is not flawless, Friedman said. Even if police say they have evidence that can prove a person's gang membership, "it really just allows the police force to use their own biases and prejudices," she said. The law would allow police to move people without ever proving any guilt, Friedman said. "That is not right." The proposed law has also brought tensions between the white and the Latino immigrant populations of Somerville to the surface. Although East Somerville's longtime residents "have been tolerant of the immigrant population," Kelly Gay said, the recent incidents have made them slightly fearful. But the majority of the town's large Latino population has no link to the gang, she said. "This town has a lot of wonderful people living in it who are of Latino decent and who don't want to be put into same category as these hoodlums," Kelly Gay said. Kelly Gay is optimistic that the city will soon quiet down. "Soon... we will be able to take the streets back for the people," she said. "That is our goal."

The Setonian
News

Mix of old and new swimmers gear up for a new year

November 19

With a return of the majority of its talent, the women's swimming and diving team is looking to improve on its sixth place finish at last year's NESCAC Championships. As a young team with a great number of freshman and sophomores, the Jumbos will depend in large part on strong senior leadership in order to reach their goals. Three-time New England Coach of the year Nancy Bigelow will be back for her 21st year at the helm of the team. Senior tri-captains Becky Ullman, Shayna Burke and Angela Russo will emerge as leaders on the squad to supplement Bigelow's experience. "They have the experience that can guide and mentor the rest of our group," Bigelow said. Two other swimmers will also lead by example. Junior Mika Sumiyoshi has two years of NCAA Championship experience under her belt. Last year she qualified for the championship contest in three different categories: the 200 individual medley (IM), the 400 IM, and the 200 backstroke. Sophomore Erica Weitz also qualified for the national meet in three events in just her first year with the team. Weitz's times were good enough to qualify in the 400 and 200 IM's, and the 200 butterfly. Weitz is a member of a strong sophomore class that also has two other All-New England selections in distance freestyler Kate Sweeney and breaststroker Katherine Ferguson. Ferguson placed fifth in the 50 meter breaststroke and tenth in both the 100 and 200 meter breaststrokes. Sweeney finished ninth and 17th in the 1,000 and 500 meter freestyles respectively. "Each year since I've been here we've increased our pool of talent, both in terms of standout swimmers and depth," Ullman said. "Our sophomore and freshman classes have some really fast girls, I think we are going to be able to consistently win races and follow it up with second and third places." Standout junior diver Beth Wecksell leads the diving squad under the tutelage of coach Brad Snodgrass, in his 16th year at Tufts. Last year Wecksell not only qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 1-meter and 3-meter boards, but placed 15th in the 1-meter competition to earn honorable mention All-American honors. Wecksell will have to excel early on, as her season will be cut short this year when she goes abroad to Australia for the second semester. Although the diving team is small, boasting just 4 divers, Wecksell believes the team uses this to their advantage. "Although the season has just begun, I feel that the small diving team has reached its most important goal of all: forming a tight bond," Wecksell said. "Diving is 95% mental, so one of the hardest obstacles we face is getting out there and facing our fears. It's really easy to get discouraged early in the season when you have so many new dives to learn, so these close friendships drive us forward." There looks to be no great shakeup from last year's NESCAC championships. It is a foregone conclusion that the Williams swimming juggernaut will look to take the title, after winning the second NESCAC championship last year. Williams captured its first and second NESCAC women's swimming and diving titles the past two years after recording 13 consecutive New England Championships. The team is returning almost all of its key athletes from a team that finished fourth in the NCAA Championships last year. A distant second and third behind Williams were Amherst and Middlebury, who should once again fight for second place. "Our biggest conference competition is Bates, with whom we will probably fight for fourth," Ullman said. "However, because we're getting so fast, I think we'll see our team begin to inch up on Amherst and Middlebury too." Bates will also return 3 former NCAA Championship qualifiers on a team that came in just in front of Tufts last year in the NESCAC Championships. Hamilton College finished fourth last year. Tufts will get a good look at what Bates has to offer when the Bobcats journey to Medford on Feb. 1. The team will begin the regular season at Clark this Saturday.

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