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Case of the missing Source issues comes to a close

November 3

Nearly a year after the original incident, the case involving former Pan-African Alliance (PAA) President Carl Jackson and missing issues of The Primary Source has come to a close. The incident, which has received considerable campus and national attention, was finally resolved on Oct. 24 when Jackson, a senior, agreed to repay the Source $522 for 1,000 copies of the conservative journal's Nov. 22, 2001 edition, which went missing after they were distributed to campus buildings. The Dean of Students Office would not confirm the names of the students involved in the case but did say a resolution was reached. The Source alleges that Jackson stole the magazines, but Jackson has not admitted guilt. The publication determined damages for the stolen Nov. 22 Sources and other issues to be $2,000, but the settlement was only for Sources stolen on the one date. "A number of legal associates assured me that once organizations freely distribute magazines, flyers and such throughout campus, they forfeit any legal jurisdiction and the items become public property," Jackson explained in an e-mail yesterday. In total, at least 4,300 issues of several editions of the Source, paid for with money from the Student Activities Fee, disappeared last year. In the spring semester, while Jackson was studying abroad, at least 200 copies of the Jan. 31 issue went missing. One of the stolen print runs included an article arguing against affirmative action that some students found offensive. Last April, then-editor-in-chief of the Source, Sam Dangremond, said the he had no intention of pressing charges against whoever had taken the magazines because doing so "would be too vindictive." But several weeks ago, the publication's new editor-in-chief, Megan Liotta, filed a complaint with the University. Liotta said that Dangremond made the statement in a personal capacity, which meant she was free to pursue the issue this year. The Source offered to enter mediation with Jackson and gave him the option of agreeing to pay damages instead of going through a hearing. Jackson agreed. In mediation, the parties work from a set of stipulated facts; it is not a fact-finding process. Mediation was also the chosen method of resolving a similar case between The Observer and "Frat" in 2001. The mediation between Jackson and the Source staff was completed Oct. 21. According to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman, "A hearing would take place if either party is unhappy with the mediation. In this case, both parties were satisfied." Though Liotta said a more formal hearing would have been "a mess," Jackson said he felt the Source's claims against him could not have been substantiated in such a proceeding. Furthermore, the Source's key witness, junior Philipp Tsipman, is currently studying abroad and his testimony could only be submitted in writing. Jackson also said he chose mediation because he felt claims about the thefts of the magazine had been exaggerated while he was abroad last semester. "I sought to relieve the Tufts community from further acts of self-promotion and sensationalism on account of the Source," he said. Before both parties agreed to mediation, the Source considered other options to pursue the matter, according to Dangremond, who is now the Source's Editor Emeritus. "Some pro-bono lawyers from the Student Press Law Center had offered to help us bring charges against Jackson had he not agreed to mediation," Dangremond said. Jackson could also have been suspended, according to Dangremond, because the Student Judicial Handbook states that the punishment for stealing property worth upwards of $100 could result in suspension for a year or more. (Whether the issues were actually stolen, however, appears to be a point of contention.) But both parties considered suspension an inappropriate response. "We asked him that he pay us back $522 and we would consider it an admission of involvement rather than an admission of guilt," Liotta said. "We don't really care to suspend Carl." The Source first accused Jackson of stealing "at least one print run" in an article in its Jan. 31, 2002 issue, after it had learned of an e-mail in which Jackson allegedly claimed responsibility for taking the issues. Although the article also accused the PAA of helping Jackson, the complaint was filed against Jackson alone. Last semester, PAA members repeatedly denied involvement in the magazine disappearances, including those which occurred during the spring semester, when Jackson was not at Tufts. Liotta said that the Source is satisfied with the outcome of the proceedings. "It's exactly what we asked for," she said. "We are certainly not laughing all the way to the bank. We just wanted to be reimbursed for our stolen property." The administration determined the term's of Jackson's payment and is responsible from transferring the money from him to the Source. Daniel Fowler, Sarah Dalglish and Emily Chasan contributed to this article.

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News

Fierce debate on English immersion in MA public schools

November 3

The second question on tomorrow's Massachusetts state election ballot, a controversial proposal to end bilingual education in favor of English immersion in Massachusetts public schools, was the topic of a heated discussion at a campus panel last Wednesday. The hour-long debate featured a panel of two students and three education experts who argued for and against the initiative. "[The debate] is really choice versus no choice," said Tim Duncan, a panelist representing the Committee for Fairness to Children and Teachers, who argued against question two. "It's going to be a nasty political process for a problem with a not-so-easy answer. "It's not a 'one size fits all' solution," he said. Current Massachusetts law requires public schools to provide, if needed, a transitional bilingual education in which foreign students are taught first in their native language and gradually moved into classes that are taught solely in English. In theory, this process allows students to learn both the English language and other subject material without falling behind in school. The ballot initiative, spearheaded by Republican businessman Ron Unz of California, seeks to replace such "dual-immersion" education, taught half in the student's native tongue and half in English, with a one-year immersion program in the English language. Proponents of the initiative cite bilingual education as a "failed experiment" that leaves many foreign students without adequate English language skills after prolonged and ineffective programs. Tomorrow, Massachusetts voters will have the opportunity to vote for or against this change. Other speakers at the panel included Dr. Christine Rossell, a professor at Boston College and member of the English for the Children of Massachusetts program, and Nidia Mendez, Director of Bilingual Education for Boston Public Schools. The debate began with talks by two undergraduates who were educated bilingually. These students advanced the idea that a fast-paced English immersion program could prove more difficult for immigrants than the present bilingual system. Sophomore Catherine Caicedo was educated bilingually during the tenth grade in Queens, NY. "I really think it is a good system and it works," Caicedo said. "It is not meant to be against immigrants, but be beneficial to them. I think that without it, I would not be here at Tufts." Senior Trung Lu also experienced bilingual education by learning English through Vietnamese in grade school. "There was a huge communication barrier for me when I came to America," Lu said. "The bilingual program offered a gateway for me to fit into America." The case for bilingual education was also argued strongly by panelist Nidia Mendez, who experienced English immersion at a small college in Lancaster, Massachusetts. "I went through six months of silence when I first came to college," Mendez said. "I had a dramatic experience that no child should go through. A decision for the best must be made soon." As an educator in city public schools, she has realized the importance of bilingual education and supports the current program. Mendez's statements struck a chord with the audience, which erupted in applause. On the other side of the debate, Christine Rossell, who has conducted research in writing and scientific studies on bilingual education for the last 25 years, pointed out some flaws in the current bilingual education program. Next year, she said, a new law will be passed regardless of the initiative's outcome, giving school districts the ability to choose between bilingual education and English immersion, leaving the state out of the question. Rossell's comments sparked a heated question and answer session which followed the panelists' presentations. But some students appreciated hearing the other side of the issue. "At first I thought the debate was very one-sided... until Dr. Rossell stood up for the other side," freshman Andrew Chapman said. "I was actually quite impressed by the amount of credible information that she presented to the audience. She seemed to be drowning in a sea of closed-minded people who were bent on supporting bilingual education and refused to acknowledge her standpoint," he said. The forum was sponsored by the Experimental College Board and moderated by Professor Calvin Gidney of the Child Development Department. Gidney, who taught a bilingual curriculum in an Ecuadorian public school before coming to Tufts, explained the importance of discussing political agendas. "I think [the question of bilingual versus English immersion] relates to all of us as a nation. At the root of all this is the question of diversity," Gidney said. "How should we deal with diversity as a culture and in the classroom? What role does language play in the conceptualizations of this?" The debate was attended by over 150 students, faculty, and members of the community.

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News

Gun threat at Sig Nu

November 3

Four non-university males, one of whom was concealing a knife, threatened to return with a firearm after they were turned away from a party at Sigma Nu fraternity Friday night. According to Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) Sergeant Doug Mazzola, the local resident "alleged that he was going to come back with a weapon and more friends" upon being asked to leave by several Sigma Nu brothers. TUPD officers responded to a call from the fraternity at 12:02 a.m., Mazzola said, and detained the offending individuals until they had been identified and were checked for outstanding arrest warrants. According to the police report, at some point during the incident, one of the youths threw a knife to the ground. Once officers confirmed that the men had no arrest warrants outstanding against the youths, they were given a trespassing warning and turned away. The incident started when sophomore Sigma Nu brother Alex Allen was checking IDs at the door when the four men arrived. "They weren't Tufts students and they were using foul language," he said. "They rolled up in a car. I asked them to show their Tufts IDs but they didn't have them." The men tried to joke with him, Allen said, telling him "what they were majoring in" and trying to be "cute." When they were asked to leave, the men threatened to return with firearms and several death threats were made, according to Allen. "They said something like 'I'm going back to Arlington to get my peeps and my gun,'" Allen said. "It was a definite gun threat." The four males, residents of Somerville, Cambridge, and Western Massachusetts, ranged in age from 16 to 20, according to Mazzola. "I don't think they had absolutely any connection to the fraternity," Mazzola said. "They just happened to park their vehicle there and were looking for a party. There was no indication that they were invited at all." Earlier in the evening, according to Sigma Nu brother Ahmed Saad, the backdoor of the house had been spray-painted. The fraternity was also burglarized in September, losing an estimated $900 worth of electronics. Although there is no indication that the three incidents are related, Sigma Nu brothers are weary of the increasing difficulties they have encountered with non-University youths in recent months. Junior Jordan Klein, a Sigma Nu brother, sees all campus fraternities as potential targets for such incidents. "I think all the Tufts frats are targeted by these guys." Klein said. "They just want to drink for free. They like to fight." Klein said that local youths often attempt to enter fraternity parties, sometimes by force. Saad agreed, but added that such confrontations are usually less serious than Friday night's. "I definitely don't feel threatened," Saad said. Mazzola said that Sigma Nu brothers effectively dealt with the incident. "All [those] involved did everything right," he said. "The brothers at the door stopped them and called the police. We responded and were able to get them away before it escalated." Sigma Nu brothers agreed, expressing gratitude for the quick response of the TUPD. "I'm really happy with the help the cops gave us," Saad said.

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News

Jaharis Center to facilitate nutrition, biomed sciences studies

November 3

In a ceremony attended by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), the Jaharis Family Center for Biomedical and Nutrition Sciences opened last Friday on Tufts' Boston campus. The new 180,000 square-foot facility will house the Nutrition School, which is moving from its three Medford campus houses and four rented spaces in Boston. The center will also provide space for the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences and the School of Medicine. The Jaharis Center will increase Tufts' research space by almost 50 percent and also create a unique opportunity for nutritional experts to work with biomedical researchers in studying diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease. The facility represents Tufts' approach to collaboration in research and teaching, according to University President Larry Bacow. "With more than $25 million in annual research currently funded by the public and private sectors, this new center will stimulate collaboration among nearly 500 nutritionists, basic scientists and clinical researchers," he said in a Tufts' press release. Over 300 donors contributed to the construction of the $65 million facility, which is located on Harrison Ave. in Chinatown. The lead donor, Tufts trustee Michael Jaharis, contributed $10 million and raised another $10 million. Jaharis, whose son, Steven, graduated from the Tufts Medical School in 1987, is the chairman of the board of overseers for the Medical School and the chairman emeritus of Miami-based KOS Pharmaceuticals The center's planned projects include a $6.6 million, five-year National Institute of Health study to investigate micronutrient deficiency in the elderly and how it relates to strokes, cognitive functioning, and Alzheimer's disease. The study will be conducted in conjunction with Tufts-New England Medical Center. The first floor of the nine-story building will be occupied by the Tufts Nutrition School, and will include classrooms, administrative offices, an auditorium, and indoor and outdoor cafe areas. The upper floors will serve as laboratories. The fourth and fifth floors were left unfinished to reserve space for additional research. The Jaharis Family Center will yield more than disease-curing research: it will also help the region economically, Bacow told the Boston Herald. "Biomedical research is a cornerstone of the region's economy. It's an engine of economic growth for Boston and Massachusetts," he said. The Nutrition School's new Boston location, however, may make it more difficult to maintain its bond with the Medford campus, the school's executive associate dean, David Hastings, noted in a press release. Although most of the Nutrition School will be in Boston, the Alan Shawn Feinstein International Famine Center will remain in two houses on the Medford campus. But Hastings stressed that University unity is about much more than physical proximity. "[The] University must cease being identified by its campus geography, and more so by its aggregate community," Hastings said. Since the Nutrition School has field staff in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and various East African countries, Hastings has experience in maintaining cohesion among people in widely-dispersed locations. The new center's size and the proximity of its occupants represent a new era for Tufts Nutrition, according to Hastings. "We will experience a different kind of community as so many of the disparate parts of the Nutrition School will come together in one building," he said. "The difference for us is that so many of us will actually see and work with each other face-to-face on a daily basis."

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News

Menino's 'rent-stabilization' plan to lower housing costs

November 3

Forced to deal with the third-highest housing costs in the nation and a 200 percent increase in homelessness over the past decade, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino proposed a controversial "rent-stabilization" plan last week which will attempt to provide more affordable housing in the Boston area. Eight years after rent controls in Massachusetts were voted out in a state-wide referendum, Menino's plan would force landlords to justify rent hikes and would limit rent increases to a maximum of ten percent annually for middle-income households, and five percent for low-income households. (Low income houses are defined as those earning 80 percent or less of the median income, approximately $60,000 for a family of four.) Landlords would also be prohibited from raising rent more than once a year and over 15 percent during vacancy periods. Although according to the mayor's office the proposed legislation does not directly affect the Somerville/Medford community. Tufts professors feel, however, that the legislation my in fact affect the local community. "There is a possibility that any downward pressure on rents in Boston could spill over to Medford and Somerville," Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning Professor Rachel Bratt said. Many rising juniors who are unable to get on-campus housing are forced to consider going abroad instead of taking off-campus housing. "I think any college student in the market for housing would agree that rent control is a good thing, because it will save us money," sophomore Adam Drobnis said. Many feel that something needs to be done, since between 1995 and 2000 the median rent in greater Boston climbed to $1,035 from $744 according to The Boston Globe. Today, the cost of off-campus living hovers at around $1,700 for a two-bedroom apartment in Boston and around $1,200 in Medford and Somerville. But Medford Housing Authority Executive Director John Greco said that rent controls would be "minimally effective and have devastating long-term consequences." Rent controls are a short-term, band-aid solution to the complex issue of housing shortages, Greco said. Rent controls are often cited as a cause of housing shortages. Opponents of Menino's plan also argue that it unfairly places the burden of low-income housing on the shoulders of landlords. Greco said a possible solution in Medford and Somerville would be for universities to build apartment-style housing for students who seek the atmosphere of off-campus housing. This suggestion will not materialize anytime soon, as the Dean of Students Office has already stated this year that there is neither the funding nor the space for any new housing projects in the short term. The new dorm which is planned to be built beside the Women's Center will not be apartment style. Critics say that forcing a limit on rent hikes and profits creates major disincentives for developers and landlords. A Cambridge housing study showed that when rent controls ended in 1994, investment in housing and repairs increased substantially. Edward Shanahan, CEO of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, told TheBostonGlobe that "during the past 25 years of rent control we could not get anything built. Regulation does nothing but stifle the supply." Nonetheless, escalating demand and development has left little room for more affordable housing to be built in a city that has been termed "land poor." Greco points to the gentrification of Medford/Somerville as a result of the out-migration of poorer households in the past few decades. Ten years ago, Somerville was considered a poor neighborhood. Now it is a very trendy and popular place to be, Greco said. As Menino's staff points out, "even cheap parts of the city aren't cheap anymore." Though, there is no simple solution to the housing problem. Due to the many barriers in entering the housing market _ including zoning laws, environmental regulations, and escalating construction costs _ rents are climbing. Tufts professors agree. "Rent controls alone would not bring down the cost of most rental units to affordable levels for very low income people," Bratt said. "Affordable housing approaches need to include deep subsidies from the federal or state government." Many solutions like this have been proposed by Massachusetts gubernatorial candidates. Republican Mitt Romney proposed simplifying the permitting process for housing while Democrat Shannon O'Brien proposed an increase in capital spending for affordable housing. Although recently rents have leveled off, "any softening in the rent market hasn't helped people who need it," Kathy Brown of Boston Tenants Coalition told the Globe. According to the Globe, Since the 1970s, the housing budget has tailed off and stands at only $120 million today as compared to $200 million a decade ago. As Menino states, "It's gone out of control in this city. Something has to happen." But many are questioning at whose expense.

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News

Zuck vs. Schechter' humorously destroys convention in music

November 3

The lights are dimmed in Alumnae Hall on Saturday night. Eyes dart to center stage right, focusing on a strange man _ dressed in a silk boxing robe _ and a podium. He is here to announce the Ultimate Battle in New Music: Zuck vs. Schechter a composition of exploratory music. The one time performance is the brainchild of two Tufts graduate students: William Charles Zuck III and Don Schechter. The entire composition is based on the premise that the two composers have come to duel it out, in a m??l?©e of musical genius. Seated in the audience are students who have come to casually enjoy and behold the musical mystery that will play before them. The scene is in stark contrast to the audiences to which classical music has been played for in the past _ imagine the Austrian court seated in the metal fold-away chairs of Alumnae Lounge. This incredible departure from the rigid formalities of traditional classic music marks a notable achievement for the two composers: orchestral music can be truly enjoyed by all audiences. I shift uncomfortably in my seat, wondering what on earth has come to unfold before my eyes. Moments later the air fills with the grating sounds of a metaphorical exchange of words that is incomprehensible: high-pitched piccolo and flute followed by the intensity of pounding piano, and the velvety melancholy of a cello. I leaf through the program puzzled and find that a "Storm" has, indeed, come to pass. The piece just mentioned is a chip off the Zuck vs. Schechter iceberg; 'the shortest and most violent movement' is what the pamphlet reads, and I find myself nodding in agreement. Much of what proceeds throughout the concert is in the realm of the absurd, a fusion of elements that draws upon literature, the personal inspiration of close friends and the random. The pieces flow as though they are a diverse concoction of no single particular idea. Loosely structured on the whims of two composers, one draws the conclusion this composition is very much in the vein of the stream-of-consciousness style. With the only apparent underlying theme being the death of conventional classical music, 'Zuck vs. Schechter' leaves one grappling for a meaning to the madness. In a piece titled "Dennis," soprano Claire McCarthy belts out, "Why does my neighbor's dog shit on my lawn?" This offbeat sense of humor is characteristic of the manner in which the concert material is presented leaving many with a youthfully light, and almost playful, taste of musical composition. One wonders, however, when it is time to stop laughing and begin taking their music seriously. As the concert slowly draws to a close, the two composers themselves emerge carrying their own instruments. Schechter is playing the theremin, and William Zuck III the marimba, accompanied by clarinetist Lee Todd Zacks. Hearty laughter rises from the audience as the three engage in an improvisational trio. This improved comical mishmash of sound and theatrics proceeds with a strange sense of fluidity. At the end of the show, the audience is left with the final impression of two composers who have each offered a unique glimpse into their hearts. There is joy, sadness, anger, fury, heartbreak, and the ensuing chaos reflected in their music. They have imparted to their audience a sense of intimacy and vulnerability that are lacking in the traditional forms usually found in classical music. They have demonstrated that classical music can be ridiculous, frivolous, and even absurd; for Zuck and Schechter, it's all about having fun.

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News

Jumbos drop tournament opener to Amherst

November 3

The men's soccer season came to a halt yesterday as the team was knocked out of the first round of the NESCAC tournament by Amherst 2-1. An early season favorite to win the NESCAC championships, the Jumbos mid-season stumble earned them only a fifth-place seed going into yesterday's tournament. While the Jumbos were struggling to regain their early season composure, the fourth seeded Jeffs' were on a roll, and entered the tournament on a seven game winning streak. The Jeffs jumped out on top of the Jumbos early into the game scoring both of their goals within the first 21 minutes. Amherst was the first team to draw blood, scoring in the game's seventh minute on a goal from senior quad captain Chris Kane. The goal resulted from senior quad-captain Pat Garvey's chip pass to fellow captain senior Roger Boulay. Boulay then tapped the ball to Kane who blasted the ball with his left foot past Jumbo goalie, sophomore Scott Conroy. Junior midfielder Tim Cannon followed suit seven minutes later on a pass from Kane. Conroy smothered the ball, but was on the wrong side of the goal line as Amherst's drive resulted in the game winning goal. Shortly before the half the momentum seemed to shift as the Jumbos cut the lead in half by an unassisted strike from senior Garrett Dale. Dale's goal represented the first time an opponent was able to get a ball past Jeff's goalie freshmen Greg Lockwood in Amherst's last four games. Entering into the half the game became an intensely physical match-up that resulted in three yellow cards given to two Amherst players along with Jumbos senior tri-captain Mike Blea. Tufts took several shots at the Jeff's goal during this time as well, out shooting the Jeff's 14-11 on the day. Despite breaking his streak of shut-out games, Lockwood remained stellar throughout the day for the Jeff's finishing the day with seven saves, preventing the Jumbos from scoring again. The Jeff's victory avenged their early season loss to the Jumbos. Dominating in a 3-1 victory over the Jeff's in their NESCAC season opener, the Jumbos were aware that Amherst would be a much tougher match-up this time around. "They're a completely different team than the last time we played them," Blea said. Though the Jumbos weekend ended on a disappointing note, Tufts earned its fifth seed spot with a 3-2 double overtime thriller against Colby on Saturday. In a game the Jumbos expected to win with greater ease, the White Mules refused to go down quickly in their season's final game. "I didn't really think Colby was ever in the game, they just got lucky and put their two best opportunities away," Blea said. Tufts had two new players in their lineup on Saturday as junior John Vorrasi and sophomore Brett Wong joined the team. The Jumbos required the presence of these players to account for the absence of freshmen Todd Gilbert and Brian Mikel who were forced to sit out because of red cards. After a lackadaisical first half on the Jumbos part, Tufts turned up the intensity in the second half as Wong was able to make an impression by recording his team's first goal. Colby quickly answered the goal on a score from sophomore Ryan Boccuzzi only six minutes later. The game remained tied until late in the second half when Wong came through for the Jumbos again, assisting in senior tri-captain Matt MacGregor's goal in the 85th minute. MacGregor's goal seemed as if it would be the game-winner with only five minutes remaining, but once again Colby struck back. Only a minute before time was called, the white mule's senior co-captain Mike Jarcho scored an unassisted goal that sent the game into overtime. After a stalemate in the first overtime, the Jumbos finally put an end to the afternoon as senior Dave DeLuca scored the game winning goal on an assist from sophomore Andy Stevenson. "They put a lot of pressure on us and I didn't think we could pull through," sophomore Ryan Conroy said. "We got lucky though," Though Tufts looked sluggish at times during the game, the highlight came from the performances of Wong and Vorrasi who stepped into their new role with ease and had an important role in the Jumbos victory. Along with Wong's goal and assist, Vorrasi did his own share to help the Jumbos. "He stepped into the role, came out and distributed the ball well," junior Andy Wood said. Both of these new additions will now have to wait until next season to see if they will be asked to help the team again as yesterday marked the end of the season for the Jumbos, who finished at 9-5-1.

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News

Colby denies Tufts a playoff spot

November 3

The Tufts field hockey team saw its playoff hopes slip though its fingers Saturday afternoon, as it fell to Colby in a marathon match decided by penalty strokes. With the 3-2 loss, Tufts was eliminated from the NESCAC playoff hunt and ended the season with a 4-10 overall record and a 3-6 eighth place league finish. Tufts jumped ahead early when senior tri-captain Laura Hacker belted an unassisted shot past the Colby goalie in heavy traffic. The goal gave the Jumbos energy and confidence. For the duration of the first half, play quickly moved from one end of the field to the other. Junior attacker Liz Hayden had several fast drives up the sidelines only to be thwarted by the Mule defense. The Jumbos were also solid in their own zone, clearing the ball out to the sidelines and keeping penalty corners to a minimum allowing only two in the first thirty-five minutes of action. Goal keeping was also a Tufts' strength for the majority of the first frame. Senior keeper Lauren Rufino made a tremendous save late in the half, falling head over heels to block an open Colby shot. She earned eight saves in the match. With just five minutes remaining before the halftime intermission, Colby junior Kim Betz finished a centering pass from freshman Nikki Stadelman to even the score. Tufts had a frantic last few minutes taking two penalty corners, but failed to capitalize before halftime. Colby used the momentum from its late first half goal to its advantage in the opening minutes of the second frame. The Mules had two early corners and kept play on the Tufts end of the field. The Jumbos found themselves in a few precarious spots, but still managed to keep the score tied for twenty-six minutes due to tenacious defense. Although playing primarily in their own territory, the Jumbos did have a golden opportunity to take the lead midway through the second half. Tufts drove the ball deep into the circle, desperately trying to score. The Colby goalie, senior Carrie Morin, lost her balance and fell onto the ball giving Tufts a penalty stroke. Sophomore Jayme Heller took the shot, but was denied as the ball skirted off Morin's leg pad and away from the net. Colby gained more momentum after the unsuccessful penalty stroke and continued to assault the Tufts defense. With just under ten minutes remaining, the ball snuck past three Tufts defenders and went straight to Colby junior Sari Gilbert. Gilbert one-touched the renegade ball into the back of the net giving the Mules a 2-1 advantage. A new sense of urgency sparked the Tufts offense back into gear. Senior tri-captain Ursula Stahl took the ball all the way up the sideline and drove it into the circle. After a chaotic moment in which neither team had possession, Tufts junior Liz Hayden rocketed a shot past Morin to tie the score at two with 4:01 remaining. The game remained tied for the remainder of regulation. During the first fifteen minute extra period, intensity and aggression on the field increased a notch. With six players rather than the regular eleven on each side, the ball moved more freely. Play went from one end of the field to the other with scoring opportunities coming on nearly every drive for both teams. Tufts had several breakaways from Hacker and freshman Lea Napolitano, but the Colby defense scrambled back in time. The period ended with the score still deadlocked at two and both squads running on fumes. While the first overtime was mainly about fast paced intensity, the second extra frame conveyed the exhaustion associated with eighty-five minutes of running. Both teams, though still fired up, were completely worn out. Play continued to move from end to end, but at a slower different speed. Missed shots and fatigue kept the game tied through the fifteen minutes forcing penalty strokes to determine the winner. Tufts shot first in the best-of-five opening round. Hacker's shot was blocked, but Rufino saved the countering Colby attempt. Junior Willow Hagge and Heller scored, but sophomore Dana Panzer and freshman Therese Corsello did not. Colby also made two goals forcing extra shots to determine the outcome. The Jumbos kept up with Colby for the first four extra shots. But, the Jumbos hopes for a much-needed victory were dashed as Colby sophomore Michaelyn Bortolotti beat Rufino while Heller was denied by Morin. As Colby celebrated, the downcast Jumbos huddled together in the chilly afternoon sun. Later, they learned that Amherst had beaten Trinity to secure the coveted seventh spot in the NESCAC playoff tournament and thus ended Tufts' season.

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News

Mules kick Jumbos

November 3

It has been two years since a Tufts football team has been shut out in any game, and before Saturday, it would have been ridiculous to say that this year's team would be the one to break the streak. But the ridiculous became reality this past weekend as the Jumbos squared off against a struggling Colby squad. In its final home game of the season, the team that had been held to fewer than 20 points only once this season was shut down by a stifling Colby defense that held the Jumbos to just 76 yards of total offense. Colby's sophomore running back Aaron Stepka provided more than enough offense for the Mules, who cruised to a 9-0 win on a cold and blustery afternoon. It was the first time since Oct. 28, 1995 that Tufts had been shutout at home, when the team lost 28-0 to Amherst. With the win, the Mules improved their record to 3-4 on the season, and moved into a three way tie for fifth place in the NESCAC, with Middlebury and Tufts, who fell to 3-4 with Saturday's loss. The loss was the fourth in a row for a Tufts team that began the season with high expectations, and rushed out to a 3-0 start. This loss was less heartbreaking, though, as the Jumbos were never able to find an offensive rhythm, and were never really in the game. "They were a very physical team," junior defensive lineman Matt Keller said. "I thought we played a lot better in the second half defensively, but it just didn't happen today. The last three were tough to stomach; this one's even tougher." Colby looked to establish the running game early on, and in the first eight plays of the game, Stepka carried the ball five times for 18 yards, which set up an early field goal attempt from the Tufts 13-yard line. The kick attempt sailed wide left, and the Jumbos took over deep in their own zone. After a seven-yard run by senior running back Chuck McGraw, quarterback Scott Treacy completed a pass to tight end Ryan Papi, which gave Tufts a first down, one of only four the team would achieve all afternoon. A McGraw rush and two incomplete passes later, the Jumbos were forced to punt from their own 32-yard line. On the punt, Colby junior Brandon Irwin was able to break the line and block the kick, giving the Mules a first down at the Tufts 24. Stepka converted a fourth and one from the 15-yard line with a two-yard run, and two plays later punched the ball into the end zone on a six-yard run for the only touchdown of the day for either team. Colby missed the extra point, but led 6-0 for the remainder of the first quarter. Senior Evan Zupancic, Tufts' all time leader in picks, made two interceptions during the second quarter, but the Jumbos were not able to capitalize on either, seeing just one first down as a result. After Zupancic's second interception turned into nothing for the Jumbos, Colby took over at its own 43. The Mules proceeded to march their way down field behind Stepka's ever-churning legs, and went 43 yards in 15 plays to set up another field goal try. The kick was good this time however, and after Tufts went three and out on its next possession, Colby had went into the half with a 9-0 lead. Though the second half saw an even better defensive effort by one of the NESCAC's best units, the offense was even worse, and was only able to muster a single first down the entire half. Treacy was frequently flushed out of the pocket, and was on the run for most of the afternoon, unable to find his favorite targets. But even though he was sacked twice for a loss of 24 yards, Treacy said that his blocking was as good as ever. "The offensive line did a great job today," Treacy said. "All of the sacks were pretty much my fault because I was leaving the pocket." But if the blocking was good, it was the only positive side to a forgettable afternoon for the offense. Tufts was never able to establish a running game between McGraw and sophomore Steve Cincotta, and gained just 24 yards on 24 carries all day. Treacy's numbers were similarly dismal, going just 6 of 26 for a season low 53 yards, and throwing for three interceptions. The defense, meanwhile, had its own troubles containing Stepka, who rushed for 177 yards on 47 carries. "He was just a shifty back," Keller said. "It would look like a couple of guys were going to make the play and then he'd cut back. The cut back was really what killed us today." Tufts never saw any chances to come back in the second half, as the defense was on the field for the majority of the time. Colby's nine first half points proved to be more than enough, as Stepka chewed up the clock against a tired Jumbos' defense. "He was a good back, but it's not fair to the defense that we kept them on the field so much," Treacy said. "Obviously their gonna get tired trying to tackle that kid." The team must now regroup before next week's game against a tough Middlebury squad. Middlebury, like Tufts, is better than its 3-4 record suggests, and has hung tough with the top teams in the league, never losing by more than seven points. Both teams will be playing to try and salvage a .500 record. "It's tough to take these losses when we've got so many good guys," Keller said. "We're too good of a team to let this happen one more time. We've been keeping at it, trying to keep a good attitude, doing what we can. We just have to regroup and get ready to go."

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News

Keeping fido under your bed

November 3

Imagine entering your dorm room on the first day of your freshman year to find your roommate already unpacking her suitcase, television, picture frames _ and her Labrador Retriever. The 2002-2003 Habitats guide distributed by the Tufts University Office of Residential Life and Learning clearly states that students are forbidden from keeping pets in their rooms. The only exception is made for fish, which may be kept in tanks capable of holding no more than ten gallons of water. Yolanda King, Director of Residential Life, explains that pets are forbidden for a number of reasons. Some students are allergic to animals, and a roommate's pet can make sharing one's living space unbearable. King also questions students' abilities to maintain a healthy living environment for animals. "The residence halls are not built to accommodate pets," King said. King, who replaced former Residential Life and Learning director Lorraine Toppi four and a half months ago, said that the prohibition of pets in dorms is "common practice" among universities. To her knowledge, there have not been any past requests or petitions to change the regulation. King cites the allowance of fish as a "compromise" for students desiring pets. Although these rules apply for all students, proctors _ who live amongst students in University residence halls _ are permitted to keep pets, including dogs and cats, in their rooms. Proctors have apartment-style living spaces, which arguably allow more space for pets to roam free. And, unlike many students, proctors generally keep their doors closed unless they are entering or exiting the room. King agreed that there exists, in this provision, somewhat of a double standard, and that in fact proctors will be prohibited from keeping pets after this academic year. The four proctors housing animals in the dorms will be forced to either move out or find new homes for their pets. Students' reactions to the Habitats policy are mixed. Some argue that pets would bring an element of warmth and friendliness to the campus, providing the comfort that freshman may need in making the transition from home to school. University President Larry Bacow, however, has managed to make the transition to living on campus without bringing along any pets. "There are no pets in the Gifford House," Bacow said. "I am terribly allergic to all cats and many dogs." Sophomore Lauren Saft maintains that students should have the right to choose whether or not they want to take on the responsibility of keeping a pet in their dorm rooms. "Just as there are smoking and non-smoking rooms, we should be given the option of having both pet and pet-free dorm rooms," Saft said. Others are in agreement with King's assertion that dorm rooms do not provide the ideal environment in which to raise a pet. "For the sake of the animal, I don't think any pet should be kept in a dorm room with irresponsible kids," sophomore Veronique Vlahakis said. Others students are appreciative that the University allows for pet fish. "Having a fish is perfect because it's still a pet," sophomore Andrea Daley said. "If we had a dog or a cat there would be no way we could take care of it because the room is too small." Although pets are permitted in fraternity houses, sophomore Joe Borenstein, a resident of AEPi, asserted that a frat house may be a "dangerous" environment in which to house a pet. "A pet would be difficult to take care of," Borenstein said. "Because of the volume of people coming through the house, there is no telling what could happen." Some students who disagree with the current policy have decided to take matters into their own hands. A previous resident of West violated ResLife rules and kept a ferret in his room for the duration of the year. The student maintains that he checked with his roommates before bringing the ferret to school. "I kept him in a cage in my room... and everyone was cool with it," he said. "Allergies are definitely a concern, and pets like dogs are too tough to keep in dorms... but I only had a ferret." The student acknowledged that it has been easier to care for his pet since he moved off-campus. "I no longer have to sneak him in the shower or smuggle food into the dorm," the student said. "When I need to wash him, I can just put him in the sink in my apartment."

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News

Voting: Just do it

November 3

There is an election on Tuesday. I am looking forward to it. This will be the first election in which I get to vote for Federal and state offices. Most people who will read this column, and college students in general, however, do not. As a group we do not vote. In 1996, only 31 percent of people age 18-20 years voted. With this level of voter turnout, we made up only 3.21% of the total voter turnout in America. We do not participate in the system. Students would like to claim that candidates do not engage them, but I doubt this is true. The issues we feel most strongly about are topics of debate in election years. Candidates do come by college campuses and interact with students. We cannot just blame our representatives for our lack of political engagement. We must accept responsibility for our poor voting record, and make a concentrated effort to change it. We cannot claim that politicians do not care about the issues that concern us. This year war with Iraq is the biggest issue in congressional races. Although Congress already voted on a resolution authorizing the use of force, there will be other votes in the future that help determine our nation's foreign policy in this area. College students have demonstrated a great deal of interest in Iraq. There have been rallies on campuses across the nation, and there have been rallies in our Capitol. Other topics of mutual interest between college students and politicians are education and economic concerns like job creation. Politicians are debating the same issues as college students. As a voter, I care strongly about a variety of issues. The conservation of the environment is one of my focuses. Many college students have similar interests. Politicians do too. Today, environmental policy is one of the most debated issues in elections. In the 2000 election, Former Vice President Al Gore and then-Candidate George W. Bush outlined their environmental policies and debated their stances. The candidates did not ignore the environment. Technology has made it easier to be an informed voter. In the past, gathering information on candidates was difficult. Determining a politician's political stances required voters to find campaign handouts, or write to or call the candidate. This required effort was a legitimate cause of voter apathy. College students lead busy lives. We do not have time to find campaign literature, or contact our representatives. Today, the Internet has changed politics. Information from the media and candidates themselves is readily available online. The easy access to the Internet provided by most colleges and universities allows students to gather information on candidates in no more than ten minutes, often from the comfort of their own dormitory rooms. Despite all these advances in information, college student turnout has dropped as access to information has risen. The creation of tools like the Internet and the ease of email occurred as the voter turnout of young people dropped another seven percentage points. We cannot continue to cite the difficulty of gathering information on candidates as a valid reason to not vote. Campaign negativity cannot be a cause of the decline in college voter turnout. Campaigns have always been negative. Candidates must contrast themselves with their opponents. Candidates are not about to contrast their virtues with the virtues of their opposition. Most voters cite negative campaigns as a cause of their apathy. College students are the same way. As a group we do not like campaign negativity either. Voters would prefer that candidates talk about their own records, instead of attacking their opponents. When candidates want to discuss the differences between them, they will always focus on their virtues and their opponents' flaws. Campaigns have always involved negativity, so negativity cannot explain why college students are voting less and less. We as a group must reverse this trend in voter decline. We cannot claim that elected officials ignore the issues we care about. Some people would say that young people today just do not care about anything. I look at our rising rates of community activism and volunteer service as proof that they are wrong. Whether or not we vote is up to us alone. We must accept responsibility for our lack of engagement and make an effort to change. Tips for future voters: -You can find information on your elected officials with the help of The New York Times, at:http://capwiz.com/nyt/dbq/officials/. -You can learn how to get an absentee ballot by going to you county's web site or calling your city hall. Absentee ballots are mailed directly to you and include a postage-paid return envelope. -Even if you attend college in your own county, you can still receive an absentee ballot to make voting easier. @keywords:voting#election2002#

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News

You say "Bhangra," I say...

November 3

This past Saturday at MIT, The Tufts University Bhangra Team walked away with the award for most spirited team at Bhangra Blast, New England's biggest and most competitive Bhangra competition. Among their competitors, Boston University received first place overall, the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) took second, and Harvard received the award for the most creative performance. The Tufts team, led by captain Vidushi Gupta, consists of seven men and seven women: graduate students Gupta and Roopa Nami, seniors Himanshu Verma and Arun Lamba, juniors Sameer Puri, Neha Surana, Shivani Patel, Mshak Ghazarian and Kapil Dargan, sophomores Roneel Punjabi and Matt Magpayo, and freshmen Priti Julka and Nadia Ashai. Gupta, with the help of the Tufts Association of South Asians (TASA), started the team her sophomore year at Tufts. Over this past summer, she choreographed the entire 10-minute dance, and created a mix of Indian music to go with it. "At first, choreographing the dance took me a while. But now, I've gotten so used to it that it's not too hard," Gupta said. "Bhangra consists of a lot of steps that are fairly similar, but it's all about how you integrate them." Bhangra is a joyous, unifying force that brings people of every culture together. The dance is driven by upbeat, rhythmic music with fierce drum beats and powerful vocals, coupled with graceful dance moves. Bhangra requires a high degree of skill and athleticism, both of which are reflected in the complexity, precision, and grace of the dancers. "I consider us in between a sports team and a dance team," Gupta said. Tryouts were held for the Bhangra team during the third week of school. According to Gupta, this year, like every year in the past, many more women tried out than men. For the first five weeks before Bhangra Blast, the team practiced for six hours every week, basically getting acquainted with each other and learning and perfecting the steps of the dance. In the two weeks directly preceding the competition, the team practiced for 20 hours a week to perfect the steps and stunts. Even though Bhangra cuts into time for other activities, every member of the team wanted to be there practicing and competing, and they apparently enjoyed every minute of it. "It's a huge time commitment, but we all love doing it," Verma said. "We would never put this much time into Bhangra if we didn't love doing it as much as we do." Surana added: "I've had such a great experience with Bhangra over the years. I love the dance, the music, and the costumes, but most of all, I've become so close with everyone on the team. We love performing together and have learned so much while also having a great time." Punjabi compared being on the Bhangra team to taking two extra classes, "but it has all been worth it. Being on this team has been awesome; there are no other words to describe it." The competition, which is in its fifth year, was sponsored by MIT's South Asian Association of Students (SAAS). Northeastern University, Cornell University, and Rutgers University also competed. While MIT performed, they didn't enter into in the competition because they hosted the event. In addition to the eight ten-minute performances by teams from participating schools, three other groups put on Bhangra exhibitions. The judges used three criteria in making their decisions. Fifty percent of each team's score was based on their expression, and how much energy they put into the performance. Thirty-five percent of the score was based on the team's choreography and implementation, having the necessary elements of any Bhangra dance, while also incorporating unique steps and stunts. The final 15 percent of the score was based on the team's impact on the judges. While Tufts did receive the award for the most spirited performance and the team with the most sportsmanship, the members clearly would have liked to have done better. "We are definitely happy with the results, but we definitely would have liked to place higher," Surana said. "But all in all, we danced very well and had an amazing time, and that's all that matters."

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News

Boston Ballet's 'Onegin' succeeds on all levels

October 30

Last Thursday, the Boston Ballet began its 11-day run of Onegin, a ballet that has come to be most closely associated with the company _ it was the first American ballet company to perform the piece in 1994, and then once more in 1997. Now at the Wang Theater, Onegin is under the direction of Mikko Nissien, an accomplished dancer with experience with the Kirov Ballet School, the Dutch National Ballet, Basel Ballet, and the San Francisco Ballet. Prior to joining the Boston Ballet, Nissien held the position of Artistic Director for the Marin School of Ballet in San Rafael, California and temporarily for the Alberta Ballet. Nissien assumed the position of Artistic Director for the Boston Ballet last fall and has already earned plenty of praise for his fresh ideas and stylistic contributions to the once faltering ballet company. Onegin is based upon a well-known poem by Alexander Pushkin and is choreographed by John Cranko, a former artistic director of the Stuttgart Ballet. The story revolves around a cynical Russian aristocrat, Onegin (performed by Gael Lambiotte) who rejects the love of an innocent girl, Tatiana (Larissa Ponomarenko). The piece is set in 19th-century Russia, and Onegin brilliantly weaves its tale of tragedy and love through expressive dance and music. The climax of the story occurs at the final pas de deux between Onegin and Tatiana, clearly one of the most beautiful dances ever choreographed. Nissien commented on Cranko's work as "telling a story through music. His choreography is nuanced, yet the clarity of the story is always paramount." Pushkin's style of melodrama, passion, and unrequited love contrasts nicely with Cranko's poignancy and pure artistry. Onegin is set to an arrangement of Tchaikovsky by Kurt-Heinz Stolze. Stolze took bits and pieces from several of Tchaikovsky's piano and operatic works and created a completely new score. The task of rewriting and transforming Tchaikovsky was a daunting one, but not one that frustrated Stolze. "Stolze did a marvelous job of pulling the score together," commented Boston Ballet's Music Director, Jonathan MacPhee. "The music for this ballet works smoothly as an unbroken whole." The dancers were nearly flawless and graceful, as always. There was a fairly even split between the number of dances featuring two of the principal dancers and larger-scale group dances. The corps de ballet was a talented assembly of dancers who did a respectable job of supporting the leads. The principal dancers were all of extreme merit, especially Lambiotte, who performs the title role of Onegin approximately every other night. His dancing is precise with clean cut executions on the leaps. When lifting his partner, Lambiotte makes it look effortless. Ponomarenko is not a disappointment, either. Her frailty and grace wins the hearts of the audience members, especially towards the end when she fights the urge to succumb to Onegin after he has left and abused her. The single most masterful part of Onegin is its finale. Usually the finales in ballets are big company dances with several dances on stage at once, but Onegin is an exception to this rule. The finale is the pas de deux between Onegin and Tatiana that takes place in Tatiana's bedroom. We witness Onegin's plea to Tatiana to take him back and to forgive him all of his past wrongdoings. At first Tatiana gives in and dances passionately with him until she remembers how much he hurt her. She retreats to her desk to find an old love letter from Onegin and tears it up in front of him. Onegin is pained by this and we see him become physically weakened as Tatiana rejects his loves once and for all, setting her free from misery. One of the most striking aspects of Onegin is its breathtaking sets. The backdrops are brilliant paintings and truly succeed in drawing the audience into the story. The costume designs are also impressive, primarily consisting of light pastels and grays. Lambiotte is a native of Brussels, Belgium and trained at the Antwerp/ Flanders Ballet School, and also spent two years with the Deutsche Oper Am Rhein in Duesseldorf. He joined the Boston Ballet around the same time as Nissien, coming directly from the Het Nationale Ballet in Amsterdam, where he danced for five years. His future plans include traveling with the Royal Ballet of London to Australia to perform both Swan Lake and Giselle. Ponomarenko is a native of Ukraine and a graduate of the acclaimed Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg and traveled extensively beforehand with the Donetsk Ballet Company. When Ponomarenko came to the United States to continue her ballet career, she made some guest appearances with the Tulsa Ballet Theatre and Ballet Mississippi. A member of the Boston Ballet since 1993, Ponomarenko has gradually worked her way up the scale to lead roles such as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty in 1997. Onegin is a ballet that appeals to both seasoned ballet aficionados and newcomers to the art form, a testament to its versatility and allure.

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News

Under a new ruling, athletes must now wait until season

October 30

It may only be October, but senior co-captain Chris Martin and the rest of the hockey team have been hard at work for much of the semester with group workout sessions, pick up games, and practices. For the hockey team, as well as many other teams on campus, out-of-season training is nothing new. "It's essential right now, especially in the NESCAC," Martin said. "I was in the gym all summer and playing in summer leagues. If you don't train in the off-season it's going to take a lot longer to get your legs back once the season comes around." At Tufts, as at all NCAA schools, it is illegal for teams to practice with a coach until a specific date set prior to the start of the season. For years, teams have gotten around this rule by partaking in "captain's practices" _ full team practices run by the captain until the coach is allowed to join. But following the recent injury of a Colby hockey player, who was injured during a team practice session because he was not wearing a helmet, the NESCAC has got tough on all out-of-season practices. After a meeting of all NESCAC schools on Sept 25, the official rule in the NESCAC manual was revised to state that "captains may not conduct organized practices or competitions out of season" "On field/on court activities called by any member of a team and confined primarily to members of that team are not permissible," the amendment reads. The change effectively bans teams from holding out-of-season team practices, unless attendance at those practices is entirely voluntary. "The NCAA has specific rules about out-of-season training, and this has long been a rule in the NESCAC," athletic director Bill Gehling said. "This is just sort of reemphasizing an already-existing rule." But even with the revised rule, individual schools are still left with the task of enforcement, a difficult issue that leaves many open questions. What constitutes a practice? How many members of a team can train together? What's to stop teammates from simply getting together off campus and training? "There is little that a school can do, other than deny a team permission to use its equipment and facilities during the off-season," Gehling said. And for teams like hockey, who practice and play games at an off-campus facility, it seems that there may be nothing that can be done to enforce the rule. "If a fair number of team players get together out of season, it is considered a team activity, which is not allowed, unless it is entirely voluntary," athletic director Bill Gehling said. "My emphasis right now is on voluntary. This is a very difficult thing to enforce." Indeed, voluntary practices are now, and have always been allowed by the NESCAC. But the question then becomes: how voluntary is voluntary? Frequently there are severe consequences for team members who do not attend practices that are described as entirely voluntary. "Basically if you don't go, your chance of making the team decreases," Martin said. And with a spot on the team on the line, most players find a way to get to practice. But some do not see such practices in contradiction with the meaning of "voluntary". Men's lacrosse coach John Daly said that every practice, even during the season, is voluntary. "I don't really think that anything is required," Daly said. "We all make decisions everyday about what we want to do and where we want to go, so in that vein everything is optional. In the lacrosse program, we recruit to find athletes who are lacrosse junkies and who want to work and improve themselves." And if athletes have the desire to work on their skills during the off-season, Daly said they should be afforded that right. "I feel bad for our players," Daly said. "All they want to do is play and compete." Without captain's practices and out-of-season workouts, many feel that a team's ability to compete is diminished. "To an extent you can say that you're going to jeopardize your season," Martin said. "It's essential." Since the new ruling was passed in September, teams have struggled with ways to continue to improve the level of play, while still complying with NESCAC regulations. Many however, are finding ways around the rules. "At first we thought that this was going to affect us a lot," Martin said. "But the fact that we have an off campus rink changes things a lot. When we talked to Gehling he made it clear that there are a lot of loopholes. We needed to sign a waiver and get consent from him, and we needed to make it look like a pick up game." Daly said that Gehling had been very supportive because "he wants our teams to have the best chance to win. "We're right now just trying to sort out how this whole ruling applies to us," he said. "We've got great kids and we've had to make some adjustments, but our guys are lacrosse junkies, so they'll be down in the cage playing one on one if they can't play as a team. They're not going to be denied their lacrosse."

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News

TUPD officer stationed in Afghanistan

October 30

Officers of the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) will be sending a large care package today to University patrol officer Lori Murphy, a military reservist on active duty in Afghanistan. "A great example of a Tufts leader," Murphy has corresponded with Sergeant Doug Mazzola and others in the Public Safety department via e-mail on a regular basis throughout her time in Afghanistan, according to Assistant Director of University Public Relations Siobhan Houton. Much of her correspondence has focused on the lives of children in the country. Murphy wrote that "Afghani children approached her and begged for food and water," Houton said. Moved by the experience, Murphy "started thinking of ways to brighten their lives a bit." Murphy wrote that she wanted to give them toys to "bring a smile to their face," Mazzola said. "If you knew Lori, it's just so typical [of her] to think of the kids first," he said. Mazzola put the e-mail out on the Public Safety e-mail system and received enthusiastic responses from members of TUPD, the Fire Marshal's Office, and the environmental safety offices who wanted to help with the project. Because of "the person who Lori is, nobody had to think twice," Mazzola said. Students involved in Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS) were also involved in creating a the care package. More than $400 was collected to be used for the purchase of children's toys. Mazzola took his own children to WalMart in Plymouth, which had offered a discount, to choose the materials to be included in the package. The package contains books, games, dolls, stuffed animals, and other toys to distribute to Afghani children. Tufts' Police Corporal Duane Weisse's daughter, and her elementary school class, drew pictures and wrote poems and letters to include in the package. Industrial Hygiene Technician Peter Nowak's children donated a dozen teddy bears. Murphy's Tufts coworkers also gathered coffee, candy, chocolate, and other rare food items for the members of her military police unit stationed in the war torn country. The care package will be sent through the US Postal Service and is expected to arrive in ten to 15 days. Murphy will then distribute the materials to local children. In an e-mail written yesterday, Murphy lauded "the generosity at Tufts" and called the outpouring of effort and resources "awesome." Her superiors were very excited about the shipment as well, Murphy wrote. The TUPD plans to assemble another care package of basic school supplies after Murphy described the village school where she is stationed as not much more than an empty room, Mazzola said. Murphy began special training in July and will serve for at least one year, depending on demand necessitated by future world events, Mazzola said. As part of the 772nd Military Police Company, her duties include patrolling secured areas, providing protection to soldiers on base, and patrolling US interests off-base. She and the other soldiers in her unit are "very much in harm's way," Mazzola said. Murphy working began at Tufts in Oct. 2000, and her TUPD colleagues hope she will return to the University after her duty oversees comes to an end. Murphy is a resident of nearby Taunton, MA.

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News

Latino Studies initiative taking off

October 30

In an effort to pioneer a Latino studies program, faculty members, administrators and students have stepped up the efforts of the Latino Curricular Transformation Project this semester. The project has been working on developing Latino studies at Tufts since the late 1990s, but now it is increasing initiatives to educate students and determine how Latino studies should fit into the Tufts curriculum. The project is run by a committee of about ten administrators and faculty members, as well as students. Juliana Zapata, the culture representative for the Association of Latin American Students on the Tufts Community Union Senate, was invited to the most recent meeting of the committee and will work with two or three other students to add student perspective to the project. There are various ways that Latino studies could be integrated into the Tufts curriculum more formally. In a speech and workshop at the Latino Center last semester, Juan Flores, an expert on the development of Latino studies programs, described three basic ways to create a Latino studies program, according to Peter Winn, a history professor and the director of Latin American Studies. The three approaches, which are currently being considered by the group, are linking the Latino studies program to the existing Latin American Studies, American Studies or ethnic studies programs. Flores, a professor at the City University of New York's Hunter College, has helped develop Latino studies programs at several other schools, including Princeton University. This year, the project will invite other experts to speak about the three approaches. Some are already advocating a continued connection between the Latino and Latin American studies programs. "The Latin American [Studies program] here really supports Latino studies," Director of the Latino Center Rub?©n Salinas-Stern said. "I would like to see this relationship continue." However, the closeness of this connection sometimes blurs the distinction between the two academic programs, confusing some students. "There is not a lot of understanding about what Latino Studies is," Salinas-Stern said. Alison Clarke, the TCU Senate Historian and one of the students working on the project, agreed that "even the terminology is difficult." Both Latino Studies and Latin American Studies examine the history, politics, literature and culture of people of Spanish and Latin American descent in the Americas. Latin American Studies, however, focuses on Latin American countries, while Latino studies examines the situation of Latinos in the United States. The project will not choose its official approach until its 2003 Summer Institute. The institute will be a two- to three- day workshop during which different approaches to curricular diversification will be explored. In the meantime, the project will also determine "the classes that we want and the type of professors we want," Zapata said. Whichever approach is adopted, Clarke and Zapata would like Latino studies courses to count towards the University's world civilizations and culture requirements, thereby increasing student interest in such courses. Although African-American courses and Native American courses already fulfill those requirements, students need to petition individually for Asian American and Latino courses to count. "When it was created, the culture option model was meant to encourage students to study cultures other than their own," Salinas-Stern said, but now the University is unsure about how to include different courses. As it examines ways of creating a Latino studies program, the Latino Curricular Transformation Project plans on seeking input from the student body. The results of a survey about the Spanish program conducted by the TCU Senate may provide indications of how students want Latino studies to develop at Tufts. Although the Senate is not directly involved with the curriculum project, its survey will include questions about currently offered Latino courses and perceived deficiencies in the University's offerings. The project also plans on educating the university population about the purpose of Latino studies and increase awareness of its existence, according to Clarke. Throughout the year, the group hopes to schedule events aimed at achieving these goals. Special events, including talks by Latino filmmakers and performances by Latino singers and dancers, will bring Latino culture to the Tufts campus. The programs will be funded by a grant from the Tufts Diversity Fund, an initiative of Mel Bernstein, the former vice president of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering, to diversify its curriculum and faculty. Salinas-Stern said the Latino Curricular Transformation Project received less money than it requested, and "might not allow us to be as visible." More money would have allowed for a greater number of special events, he said, but "...we can still do some good things." Winn plans to circumvent the financial problem by recruiting more local, and therefore less expensive, visitors. After last year's diversification efforts focused on promoting Asian American studies, proponents of a Latino studies program point to statistics which suggest that the time might be right for a new focus on Latino Studies. Hispanics are now the largest minority group in the United States, according to the 2000 Census, and Hispanic populations are booming in states not traditionally been known for attracting Hispanics, including North Carolina, Illinois and Massachusetts. At the same time, the number of Latino students at Tufts has also grown. About seven percent of the freshman class describe themselves as Hispanic. Since many Latino students want to study their heritage, the demand for Latino studies courses has also increased. "Ideally we'd like [Latino studies] to become a major," Salinas-Stern said. "But it's a piecemeal thing."

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News

Voter turnout key in midterm elections

October 30

The outcomes of elections across the nation will be determined by the number of voters who turn out next Tuesday, according to Tufts political science professors. And because of the delicate balance of power in Congress and the possibility of war in Iraq, the stakes are higher at the 2002 midterm elections than in years past. McKissick said that there is traditionally a low-turnout for midterm elections and "it's the most committed party faithful that tend to turn out." "Since these folks tend to be from the more extreme wings of their parties, that can have important policy consequences," he said. Younger voters are among the least likely groups to turn out. According to the Missouri Daily, only 24 percent of college-age students voted in the last midterm elections. "Statistically, college students are the worst voters," said Professor James Glaser. "They're horrible. You'd think of them as being more politicized, but they're not." Madelyn Medeiros, the president of YouthVote, a non-partisan organization that urges students to register and vote, is well aware of young people's widespread political apathy. "Young adults represent a huge, largely untapped portion of the electorate," she said. "In an election year when there are quite a few close races that may determine which party will lead the Senate, a strong showing of young people at the polls could be a deciding factor." Politicians, however, may be perfectly happy with this and do little to change low youth voter turnout, according to McKissick. "The apathy of younger voters makes their lives a lot easier, on the whole," he said. "If folks [at Tufts] want to make their voices heard... they'd best start speaking up." Professor Gary McKissick added that in cases where the majority of the House and the Senate can change with a few votes, "there's always the possibility that some relatively idiosyncratic factor will end up being crucial to the outcomes of those key races." He cited the recent death of Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN) as an example of one of these factors. According to The Associated Press, the Minnesota race was one of about six races whose outcome was expected to decide whether Democrats or Republicans control the Senate next year. In an attempt to keep a crucial Senate seat for the party, Former Democratic Vice President Walter Mondale plans to campaign in Wellstone's place MSNBC reported this week that a dozen Senate races are nearly tied, including those in Texas, Colorado, Missouri and New Hampshire. Since the stakes are so high, the outcome of one race could mean the difference between a Republican and a Democratic majority in the Senate. Another close race is the one for governor of Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has called the race between Republican Mitt Romney and Democrat Shannon O'Brien "hairsplittingly close." However, since both candidates are running as centrists, Glaser said there will not be any dramatic difference in Massachusetts governance, regardless of who wins. According reports by the Associated Press, both gubernatorial candidates have sought to attract elderly voters with discussions on issues such as home health care and prescription drug costs. McKissick said the parties are wooing elderly voters because they make up a disproportionate share of the voting population. Professor Jeffrey Berry said the higher percentage of Democrats in Massachusetts gave O'Brien a slight lead. But he also said that Republicans claim their candidate will prevail because their party members are usually more educated, and therefore more likely to vote. Of the other gubernatorial races, Berry said Florida's is the most intriguing _ incumbent Republican Jeb Bush was expected to have a "cake walk" reelection, but he is only slightly ahead of his Democratic opponent. "If the Democrats win, that would be interpreted as a repudiation of both him and his brother [President George Bush]," he said. A democratic victory in the Florida gubernatorial race could also be interpreted as the public's response to the problems experienced there during the 2000 presidential elections.

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News

Jumbos searching for consistency

October 30

After the over two hour drive to New London, CT, the ride home must have felt like four hours for a dejected Jumbo team that was outplayed by the Cardinals of Wesleyan on Tuesday. It took Wesleyan just three sets to dispose of Tufts. On the Cardinals senior night, the home team's intensity simply overmatched Tufts. Coach Cora Thompson was disappointed by the Jumbo effort. "We had a lot of great moments, but we couldn't string them together," Thompson said. "That's been our problem the whole year and we talked about that after the game. While the other team is able to go on streaks, we just are not getting streaks together in return. But I know we can do it." A month and a day after Tufts' 3-0 domination of the same Wesleyan team, there was no question about Tufts' talent level _ consistency has been the most substantial problem. One needs only to look to the third Wesleyan-Tufts match that was played just a week before the Tufts victory. In that game, Wesleyan again handily defeated the Jumbos in three straight sets. The weekend before the Wesleyan matchup, the Jumbos had mixed results at the Hall of Fame Classic, played in Springfield, MA and Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA. The tournament was the last in which the Jumbos will play before the NESCAC Championships at Williams College on Nov. 8. Tufts' first game on Friday was against the home team, Springfield, which was ranked seventh in the region, compared to Tufts ranking of 11th. As it turned out, the game did not live up to its billing, as the Jumbos came out flat against a very talented Pride squad. Tufts was defeated in three straight games, as only Junior Amy Cronin was able to total double digits in kills, with ten. Freshman April Gerry led the team in digs with ten. Later that night, the Jumbos took the court against a familiar opponent, NESCAC rival Bowdoin. Having beaten Bowdoin convincingly in their previous two matches this season, Coach Thompson took the opportunity to experiment with lineup changes, and Tufts still managed to win the match 3-1. Sophomore Rebecca Shaevitz split the setting duties with the Jumbos' usual setter, Moses. On three more attempts, Shaevitz totaled 16 assists to Moses' 15. Cronin led the team in kills, with 11, while freshman Courtney Evans had ten. Junior Pauline Eveillard and freshman Jamie Golden also saw action in the game. Pacheco, the shortest player on the team, at 5'5", also saw limited time as the middle blocker up front. However, her contributions as a bumper on the back line will most likely prevent her from seeing many more serves from that close to the net. Pacheco, the most reliable backline player on the team, led the team with 13 digs. Junior Danielle Cafasso added ten digs in the effort. The next day, at Mout Holyoke, Tufts recorded its most impressive win of the weekend, beating a Bates team to which it had lost 3-1 at Colby College earlier in the year. For the team, the 3-0 victory meant more than just a regular victory win. "We had something to prove when we played Bates," Cronin said. "They knocked us out of the NESCAC tournament last year and when we lost to them this year we never played to our potential. They are a one-woman team with the hardest hitter in NESCACs, Liz Wanless, and our game plan was to shut her down. We owned her in three games... she swings hard, which means that when we blocked her it went down just as hard on their side of the net." Indeed the Jumbos did have a good game up front, totaling ten solo blocks. The backcourt also played well, with Cafasso scoring 14 digs and senior Paulette Pacheco and freshman April Gerry scoring 11 digs each. Tufts' final game was a disappointing loss to Brandeis, a team they had beaten twice before, most recently last Tuesday. The Jumbos started off slow, a problem they have faced through much of the year. Brandeis destroyed a lethargic Tufts unit 30-19 in the first set, and found itself with a 2-0 lead after winning the second set, 30-28. The Jumbos heard the wake up call, and they responded by winning the next two sets in dramatic fashion, 31-29 and 30-27 respectively. But the comeback was put to a heartbreaking halt, as the Tufts squad was unable to win the fifth and deciding set. Instead Brandeis went home with a 15-13 win in the fifth set and the victory. "We just beat ourselves," junior Lindsey Moses said. Junior Amy Cronin had an impressive game, leading the Jumbos in both kills and digs, with 17 and 22 respectively. Three other Jumbos had more than ten kills, including junior Danielle Cafasso, who achieved a season high of 25 digs. The Jumbos be seen in action in Cousens Gym tonight at 7 pm. This will be the team's last tune-up before the NESCAC Championships, where Tufts will play Amherst in the first round.

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News

A laughing matter?

October 30

Have you ever laughed at a joke and then later thought about what it meant and were shocked to realize it was really degrading? Sexism, among other types of discrimination, is often embedded in a humorous context. Because it is in the form of a joke, we are often not aware of it, or it somehow becomes acceptable because it's supposed to be funny. I'm writing in response to the "Seven Questions" in Oct. 17's Daily, which I found to reflect this type of sexism put into a humorous context. Before I discuss the jokes in the 7Qs in detail, I would like to make it clear that I don't think that there was a conscious motivation to offend or hurt. I also want to make it clear that I'm not suggesting the Daily get rid of 7Qs or even that the Daily censor its content. Instead, I'm suggesting that readers of this 7Qs or articles like it consider what the implied message is behind the joke, and perhaps who it might harm or degrade in the process of trying to get a laugh. While Seven Questions provides some biographical information about athletes (hometown, birth date, sport played) I believe that its main goal is to be humorous. The humor in 7Qs is often sexual in content, on both the part of interviewer and interviewee. While I have read 7Qs in the past and found it funny, I was not laughing after reading this particular installment. On the premise that the main purpose of 7Qs is to provide a humorous discourse, I'd like to think about what kind of humor the comments in this article constitute and what the implicit messages are behind them. In the first question, the interviewer asks the interviewee if there is anything he would like to share about his past. The interviewee responds "I got raped in the shower freshman year, so remember to lock your doors when you are in Miller." Resting on the assumption that the article is supposed to represent a humorous discourse, what's the message here? I think the message is that rape is a joke, rape is funny. Yes, women (and men) do get raped. It is a painful and traumatic experience and it has an enormously negative impact on their lives. Maybe I just can't take a vulgar joke and you might call me uptight, but I find it hard to see how rape is a laughing matter, in any context. Questions five and six pertain to a discussion of comedian Dave Chapelle's jokes about threesomes. Interviewee describes the type of threesome he finds to be unfavorable, specifically two guys and a girl because "chick looks like a chicken on a rotisserie." Again, if we are supposed to find this humorous this would mean that referring to a woman as an animal in a degrading sexual context is funny. I'm going to guess that a fair amount of people on this campus did in fact find this funny. I'm also going to concede that often times, you can't help what you laugh at, even if it seems grossly inappropriate. Having said that, and I can't speak for anyone but myself, describing a woman being penetrated by two males and comparing her to poultry strikes me as nothing but degrading, and certainly not humorous. Interviewer asks interviewee how he feels about decreased hockey roster spots "due to Title IX." Interviewee responds "If women here had as much enthusiasm about playing sports as they did about eating ice cream up in Carmichael, then we wouldn't have this problem." The connection between women's sports participation and their ice cream consumption is unclear to me but I'm going to go out on a limb and assume Title IX (legislation which provides for women receiving equal funding as men in college sports) is being disparaged here in some way and women are being criticized for eating foods which would make them fat. I've probably gone too far already in reading into the "deeper" meaning of these comments, but I'll go one step further. There's also some implication that as far as women playing sports negatively affects men's sports, it must be a bad thing. So back to the question of whether these comments constitute something humorous: if we are assuming these comments express humor, disparaging women's increased participation in sports and criticizing their eating habits is...funny. Maybe I feel especially strongly about these issues, being a former Tufts athlete in a sport that largely grew out of Title IX, but I'm struggling to see why its necessary to put down women here (in multiple ways) in order to get a laugh. By closely analyzing these comments, I'm suggesting that readers be aware of the implicit messages of the humor we are exposed to everyday (whether in print, in a movie or in a conversation) and consider who it might degrade. Whether sexism and other forms of discrimination are subtle or blatant, even simple awareness of their existence is a step towards their elimination. Rebecca Stein is a senior majoring in international relations.

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News

Jose McIntyres: neither Irish nor Mexican but more than a little Greek

October 30

If serving Corona and Guinness makes a bar Mexican-Irish, then every second-class establishment in America would earn this label. Jose McIntyre's offers no more ethnic flavor than a Shakira remix or two, but it does succeed in convincing its 21 (and under, it seems) crowd to shake their money-makers with wild abandon. Outside the bar, which is located on Milk Street just behind Faneuil Hall, the atmosphere is classy, as buildings designed in19th century architecture dot the street. Inside, spilled beer dots the walls and floor, the atmosphere is more like a glorified frat party, complete with plenty of "affectionate" dance floor couples. When you walk in the bar, you are met with the standard Faneuil Hall bar greeting _ "pay up" _ as a $5 cover charge seems to be how the wannabe dance clubs in the area legitimize themselves. After you fork over the money, you head inside and upstairs where the coat check demands another $2 for anyone who doesn't want to freeze their halter top off. It doesn't really matter whether you stay on this floor or head downstairs _ both floors are equally blah. Floor 1: two-room bar and dance floor. Floor 2: two-room bar and dance floor. Notice a pattern? What makes the second floor unique (besides the fabulous coat check, which was operated by a very attractive woman whose job was to remove clothing from people for money) is a small cash-only bar with a cheap light beer selection. We didn't think Bud Light could get any more trailer park, until they came out with those wide mouth plastic bottles. For those too drunk to make it to the bar, Jose McIntyre's brings the alcohol to you. Don't flail your arms too wildly while dancing, or you might knock over a server with a tray of jello shots. There is little room to move in general, and we had one beer down for the count within the first ten minutes. Though there is nothing distinctive about the set-up and drinks at Jose McIntyre's, the great music creates a party atmosphere. The live DJ spun current hip-hop, '90s favorites, as well as some Burren classics like "Livin' on a Prayer," and several dance remixes. Because the bar is set back from Faneuil Hall, the dance floor wasn't too crowded to move _ you're better off here than on that strip by Government Center. Like frat parties, Jose McIntyre's is a great place to go if your idea of a long-term relationship is a night of yelling over loud music and making out on the dance floor. You're not likely to meet your soulmate here, but the crowd was young, friendly, and social. Though we had a good time ogling the hotties on the dance floor, Jose McIntyres did not come off as any different than the other club-bars that are popping up all over Boston. The establishment is one of six owned by the Glynn Company in the Boston area, and it is cut with the same cookie cutter as its neighbors the Purple Shamrock and the Black Rose. They are halfway houses for barely legal college students who are ready to leave the frats but have yet to taste an alcoholic drink that doesn't come out of Milwaukee. These bars prove that Faneuil Hall is the Cancun of Boston, with fleece substituted for bikinis. The club-bar may be gaining in popularity, but it doesn't retain an audience past the age of 23. The one group of people dressed in suits at Jose McIntyre's seemed oddly out of place and was clearly shunned by the rest of the crowd. These cookie-cutter bars are all similar in that they are restaurants during lunch and dinner time and become clubs later at night. We thought that the Mexican-Irish label of Jose McIntyre's might have been because of its cuisine, but then we looked at the menu. Scrumptious British-Hispanic items such as boneless buffalo wings and spud skins as well as a rare South American dish called "nachos" are among the fine ethnic delicacies. Incidentally, Dewick-Macphie recently applied for Irish-Mexican pub status, citing the addition of the Nacho Cheesinator2000 as a unique cultural offering. Ah, if only it also served Corona. All kidding aside, Jose McIntyre's is entertaining but altogether forgettable. It would be a fun stop on a pub crawl, but the cover charges for the Faneuil Hall bars make commitment necessary. But if you just got your first fake ID and don't feel classy enough for Pravda 116, walk, don't run to Jose McIntyre's _ or as the Irish say, "?Ol?©!"

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