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Two first half goals sink Jumbos

October 20

The field hockey team fell to first place Williams (6-1, 9-1) on Saturday, losing 2-1. The loss to the Ephs followed a Tufts victory over Williams in a 1-0 shutout. The Jumbos now sit in a tie for sixth place with Colby and will need to fight hard through the rest of the season in order to make it into the playoffs. As has been the pattern for the season, the Jumbos had difficulty getting started in the first half. Williams offense, one of the best in the league, hounded the Tufts defense, forcing the Jumbos to spend much of the game defending their goal inside the circle. Twice Williams was able to capitalize, scoring two goals towards the end of the first half, within four minutes of each other. The first came after sophomore Tara Boyd intercepted a pass in scoring range, and was able to slip it past senior goal keeper Lauren Rufino. "We were slow in the first half, but we played like a team and pushed through it" Rufino said. After the goal, Tufts spent a couple of minutes in the Williams backfield, only to be put under pressure again by the Ephs. William's junior Tori Scott made a pass to senior Stef Noering, who was then able to find the back of the net with four minutes left in the first half. "We had a lot of missed opportunities in the first half," Coach Carol Rappoli said. "We also made a couple of mistakes defensively and that ended up costing us. We played much better in the second half and now it's a matter of coming out like that in the beginning." The Jumbos came out in the second half with a new zest, determined not to be shut out. "We were able to connect more as a team," sophomore Dana Panzer said. "Our free hits were a lot better and we started moving the ball. Even though we were down, we didn't give up." Only ten minutes into it, freshman Lea Nepolitano scored her first goal as a Jumbo, converting a pass inside the circle by sophomore Jayme Heller. Unfortunately for the Jumbos, this would be the last goal scored in the game, as Tufts went on to lose 2-1. The numbers represent an overpowering offensive attack from the Ephs. In the first half alone, Williams had fourteen shot attempts, and most of the game time was spent trying to get the ball outside of the Jumbo backfield. Rufino was forced to make eleven saves, whereas William's goal keeper Wendy Stone was challenged only once, not including the scored goal. "Williams has a strong offense but we were able to hold them," Rufino said. "it got a little hairy at times but the defense always came through." Williams was able to control much of the play because of their ability to intercept the passes that the Jumbos had intended to move the ball out of danger. "The Williams offense was difficult," Panzer said. "They had quick sticks and blocked a lot of our shots. We had trouble getting it out of the backfield. However, once we started cutting and coming to the ball it got a lot easier." Saturday's loss put the Jumbos in danger of being shut out of the playoffs, but the situation would be much worse if not for the team's win over Wesleyan last Tuesday. The Jumbos found an even match in the Cardinals as the game was held scoreless throughout the first half. Tufts began to challenge the Cardinals in the second, taking eleven shots and earning seven penalty corners. Sophomore Jennie Sachs scored an unassisted goal with 15 minutes remaining. This would be the only goal of the game, as the Jumbo defense again came up big for the team. Rufino earned the shutout with eight saves. Wesleyan is currently sitting in a tie for fourth place against Bates. The next two NESCAC conference games will determine the fate of the Jumbos' post-season. Next Saturday, the Jumbos will travel to Middlebury while Colby will host first-place Bowdoin. Middlebury is currently in third place right now with a record of 5-2. After Middlebury, Tufts will close the regular season going head-to-head with Colby, in a game whose winner will most likely earn the last playoff spot. In order for the Jumbos to win the game, they will have to come out strong from the beginning of the game. "If we can take the same intensity from the second half and start our games like that, we can kill any team that comes at us," Rufino said.

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News

To the class of '03: pull my finger, please

October 20

I bought a pack of crayons last week. One hundred and twenty-four colors in all: every shade humanly imaginable. And a built in sharpener in the back to boot. This is the pack that you begged and begged your mother to get you, and even though your school supply list specifically called for the oh-so Amish color spectrum of the 16-count pack, she gave in and let you indulge your Picasso aspirations. Finally, you can accurately portray puke and human entrails. Or unicorns and cosmic sunsets _ whatever your little first grade mind felt like immortalizing on an over-sized piece of manila construction paper. This is the pack that you toted around just to make the other kiddies know how monochromatic their lives were _ one dimensional, and completely without pop. But you have pop. You are in living Technicolor. This is the pack of crayons that epitomizes freedom of choice and variety. If you were to lay all of your crayons end to end, they would make a multi-colored lasso that would loop the entire world three times over (a feat which you intend to do someday, right after you dig that hole to China in your backyard). And this is pack that I have stashed in the bottom right drawer of my desk at this very moment. Yesterday I drew a picture of a man blasting off into the starry unknown. Strapped to his back is a twin-booster turbo jet propulsion pack, which creates a silvery plumage of smoke stretching hundreds of thousands of millions of miles down to the round contour of the earth below. His arms reach forward past his head like Superman in full flight, his nose the apex of his body. He is smiling. So why, you might ask, is someone, who has well surpassed the minimum height requirement for the Gravitron for some time now, churning out Crayola masterpieces by the day? This was a question I asked myself many a time this past summer as I found myself hunkered down in front of the TV watching Nickelodeon, phone on one ear, and pleading with my friends (through mouthfuls of Pop Rocks) to come over for a round of Pictionary. And then one day not too long ago, the answer came to me: I am having a mid-mid life crisis. Here I am: 21 years old, a senior in college, and I am scared of what the future has in store for me. Terrified to the very core, actually. I am that forty-something accountant, who wakes up one morning in a cold sweat of ominous dejection at the direction of his life, and consequently tools into the annual company picnic the following week in a shiny new convertible, complete with a tittering blonde riding shotgun. But instead of the fly wheels and honey, I am pining over days even more bygone. Forget the Lamborgini Diablo; I want that yellow PowerWheels Jeep that my mother, in all her maternal clairvoyance, divined would de-brain me all over the front sidewalk, and therefore refused to buy. And forget Pamela Lee _ give me Barbie's plastics parts instead. Looking at my moon man picture and recalling my doodles produced in Ms. Dean's first grade class, I see many similarities. Not only has my artistic ability remained relatively the same, but the feeling of satisfaction and happiness that I got out of those Crayola creations has not changed either. Actually, I might get more out of them now. So bring it, I say. I'm pulling into hyper-warp speed, plowing full-force into that starry unknown. Mid-mid life crisis and all. Here's a little advice for my fellow classmates of '03 (and anyone else who has found themselves at the service counter, pockets and fists overflowing with Now'N Laters): Do not just embrace your inner child _ challenge him to a belly flop contest in the dead of winter, ask her if she would like a Wet Willy or a Purple Nurple or a Steriod Wedgie and then deliver without hesitation or mercy. Always be sure to tuck him in at the end of the day, and never send her off to the orphanage. Because the real world is a'coming, and I have a feeling that we are going to need all the company we can get. Christopher Cao is a senior majoring in psychology.

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News

Happy 30th anniversary to the Clean Water Act

October 20

The Clean Water Act, implemented just 30 years ago, deals mainly with discharge permits of corporations, water quality standards, oversees special problems such as oil spills, and national effluent standards. It also played a key role in protecting our countries wetlands. In 1972 two-thirds of our nations' water was unfit for swimming and fishing and the Act was ambitious in aspiring that by 1983 all of the nations waterways would be safe. While this number has decreased there remains serious threats to our waterways. Now, on the thirty-year anniversary of the Clean Water Act, we need to reflect on the current issues and challenges that still face us concerning the quality of our nation's water. There has been a proposed cut in the sewage and wastewater cleanup program by both the EPA and President Bush even with a current report indicating that 45 percent of our nations water are unsuitable for swimming and fishing and a proposal for an increase in just under three times the funding of this program by both the House and Senate. We have a right to clean water and cannot allow the government to overlook the Clean Water Act in light of current issues. I'm sure we have all witnessed advisories warning the public not to eat fish at a given time, witnessed algal buildup, and heard about the damaging effects of urban and agricultural runoff and occurrences of combined sewage overflow during heavy rains. This demonstrates our need to persevere to achieve better water quality nationwide. We have yet to meet our goal of having swimable and fishable waterways, which is currently set at 2010 in Massachusetts, home of the second most polluted waterways in the United States. The CWA goal is to "...restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters" (Section 101) and we must not lose sight or compromise this goal under any circumstances. Elizabeth Meserve LA '03

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News

University seeks more endowed chairs

October 20

The University is seeking to add 18 to 20 new endowed professorships to increase the quality of research and teaching at Tufts. Many departments are in need of additional endowed chairs and adding them will be a top priority, according to President Larry Bacow. Of the $609 million raised in the recent Tufts Tomorrow campaign, $55 million have been earmarked for endowed faculty chairs. The addition of new endowed professorships would increase the University's visibility in the greater academic community, among other benefits, Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Ernst said. The awarding of endowed chairs can attract new talent to the University or honor outstanding work of current faculty members, according to the Tufts Tomorrow website. Larger gifts are often used to recruit new faculty to the University, a process that is more expensive than choosing current Tufts faculty due to the "additional salary and related expenses," Bacow said. "This statement is true not just for Tufts but for all major universities that I know." Endowed chairs are usually appointed at the senior level so the professors already have extensive experience in their fields, Ernst said. Successful applicants for Tufts faculty or endowed chair positions usually have national reputations in their fields, and are frequently international names as well, Ernst said. The University would also benefit from having endowed chairs at the junior level, Ernst said. Professors might hold such positions prior to receiving tenure, which would allow them to move around to different departments in the University, she said. Endowed chairs at any level "would help attract the best people." Another advantage of bringing new faculty to Tufts is that they "have their own network," she said. Holders of endowed chairs often bring guest speakers to campus. Currently, about 30 professors in the Schools of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering hold endowed chairs. The positions cover many different subjects, spanning areas such as Entrepreneurship and Business Economics, Armenian Art and History, Rhetoric and Debate, and Biblical Literature. In comparison, Indiana University leads the Big Ten public universities with over 300 endowed faculty positions. Receiving an endowed professorship is considered one of the greatest honors in academia. A chair-holder's annual salary is paid for with the interest on a donation given to name a chair in a specific department. Universities cherish this form of philanthropy because it lasts in perpetuity. When the University begins the process of raising funds for an endowed chair, it seeks to match the donor's desires with the school's needs. "Donors often have an idea of an area they're interested in," Ernst said. Very specific topics, such as particular artists or authors, are generally avoided to allow breadth and development of the chair. Other universities are similarly likely to avoid narrow descriptions for new chairs. This summer, officials McGill University in Montreal turned down a million-dollar proposal for an endowed professorship to study the works and philosophy of Ayn Rand because the topic was not broad enough for a position that would last "in perpetuity." Allowing room for a chair's development is particularly important in the sciences, where some fields move extremely quickly, Ernst said. The University continues to honor the donor's purposes when finding replacements for endowed positions. "When a chair is vacated, I go back to the records before we decide how to refill the chair," Ernst said. "It's enjoyable to go back and look at the records a hundred years ago to really see what that person's intentions really were." Almost every department within the School of Arts and Sciences could benefit from receiving a new endowed chair, Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Ernst said. Ernst also emphasized the importance the University places on teaching undergraduates. "No matter how great a [academic] star someone is, we are still looking for people" who want to teach, Ernst said. Candidates for chairs must be "passionate about the field but also about communicating it to the next generation." The oldest existing endowed professorship, the William Walker Professor of Mathematics, dates to 1880. Only five different professors have held the Walker chair over the past 122 years; it is currently held by Professor Richard M. Weiss. Some of the existing endowed professorships continue only in name, however, since the original endowment was not structured to last. The University continues to seek out sources of support to improve the quality of research and education. "We have lots of needs, our job is to articulate them and engage our alumni, friends and supporters to match our needs to their interests," Bacow said. "We never stop looking for additional endowment." Development directors at each of the Tufts' schools handle the necessary steps after a potential donor has expressed interest in funding an endowed professorship.

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News

Will you be

October 20

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced a plan to review the existing science on ephedra, the dietary supplement commonly marketed in the US as an aid for weight loss and sports performance. The report, to be completed early next fall, is expected to squelch the heated debate on the safety of ephedra. The Food and Drug Association (FDA) has increasingly received reports of health complications possibly related to the herbal supplement. Although the reports do not prove ephedra to be the cause of the problems, they do suggest that safety may be an issue. The HHS hopes to provide a scientific basis for making a decision about whether to keep ephedra on the market and if so, how to ensure that it is safe. Ephedra goes by many names, including ma huang, Chinese ephedra and epitonin. But ephedra is actually the general name for herbal supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids, which are stimulant, drug-like compounds similar to those found in cold medications. Many fat burning dietary supplements contain ephedra, such as Dexatrim Natural Green Tea Formula, Xenedrine RFA-1 (maximum strength), Optidrene, Metabolife 356, Diet Pep, Stacker 2, Diet Boost, Metab-O-LITE Thermadrene, Sure Trim, Metabolift, and Ripped Fuel. Scientific evidence suggests that ephedra does indeed promote weight loss. One study from the March 2001 issue of the International Journal of Obesity showed that people taking ephedra lost about 6.5 more pounds on average than the people receiving an inactive supplement. Another recent study showed that taking herbal ephedrine with caffeine supplements may be beneficial for weight loss. But although ephedra promotes weight loss, the safety of the fat burner is controversial. The number of people who have experienced adverse side effects as reported to the FDA has increased since 1993 to over 1,300 cases. Side effects include rapid or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, severe headache, shortness of breath, dizziness, loss of consciousness, sleeplessness, nausea, and even heart attack, stroke and death. Some studies have suggested that supplements containing ephedra may be risky for certain individuals. For example, people with high blood pressure, heart or thyroid disease, a seizure disorder, depression, or diabetes should consult a doctor before taking ephedra. Still other researchers have suggested that the risk of taking ephedra may be worthwhile since it appears to help people lose weight and avoid the complications of obesity. Since 1994, several historical events have fueled the safety debate. First of all, since the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 passed, the FDA has lost its authority to ensure that dietary supplements are safe before they are placed on the market. As a result of an increase in complaints of side effects relating to ephedra, the FDA proposed to provide warnings on a supplemental label. But before the proposal was implemented, dietary supplement trade associations banned together to petition the FDA to modify the 1997 proposal in order to protect the billion-dollar supplement industry. To counter this move, Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy interest group, lobbied and petitioned the FDA to ban all ephedra products. HHS is now evaluating over 1,300 reports of adverse effects to decide if further research is necessary. In addition, the largest ephedra manufacturer, Metabolife, is under investigation by the Department of Justice for allegedly concealing reports of adverse effects from the FDA. While ephedra is still on the market, several organizations highly discourage its use, such as the American Medical Association and the United States military, while the National Football League and the National Collegiate Athletic Association prohibit their athletes from taking it. Medical experts also generally agree ephedra is harmful. Dr. Miriam Nelson, author of Strong Women Stay Slim and Director of the Center for Physical Activity at Tufts University warns, "ephedra, because it goes by many names, is especially deceptive and dangerous." In the long run, the safest and most effective way to lose weight and keep it off is with a combination of physical activity and good nutrition, according to Dr. Nelson. "Ephedra appears to promote weight loss, but its safety remains questionable _ it is clearly not for everyone," Nelson said. "In fact, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone."

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News

Tufts has trouble retaining minority, female profs

October 20

The University has had difficulty retaining minority and female tenured and tenure-track faculty, according to the initial findings of a recently commissioned study by Kaleidoscope Group. The findings parallel those of previous studies done by the University. The study, which is meant to shed light on the qualitative reasons for which professors leave Tufts, will be completed and released at the end of the semester. Until now, the University has only gathered informal evidence about faculty departure. There was a need for "systematic, not anecdotal, evidence," said Margery Davies, director of Diversity Education and Development for Arts and Sciences. Past and present faculty are being interviewed to determine concrete reasons for departure. Kaleidscope Group will attempt to ascertain the differences between faculty members who stay and those who leave. An external group was hired because they are often better able to perform a more comprehensive and thorough investigation, Davies said. "I would be surprised if the study doesn't come up with differences" as compared to a previous University study, she said. The previous study, initiated by former Vice President of Arts Sciences & Engineering Mel Bernstein, also showed that minorities and women were more apt to leave Tufts prematurely. The study examined groups of faculty hired between 1991 and 1996. Of the professors hired during a certain period, 64 percent of men and 42 percent of women remained at the end of the period; only 38 percent of Asian, Black and Hispanic professors remained, compared to 61 percent for Caucasian professors. The lower retention rates for women may be explained by the fact that tenure is often sought around the age at which many people choose to start a family. Tenure-track positions are demanding and involve research, teaching, and other responsibilities. More than 70 hours of work per week is often required. Tufts might be able to retain more women professors by allowing maternity leave and the ability to "stop the clock" on the tenure track, Davies said. Increasing retention rates for minorities presents a different set of challenges. Minorities often leave universities because of an uncomfortable working environment, Davies said. It is unclear whether this is the case at Tufts, since the University places a high value on having a diverse faculty, which provides "a much richer learning environment," Davies said. Faculty members such as French Professor Viola Thomas feel that diversity is in fact a benefit of working at the University. Thomas said she has found a nice community and that the supposed pressure of diversity is more of an asset. Next month, the University will hold a workshop concerning minority faculty retention. Other universities have used faculty sensitivity training to improve minority professors' work environment. At Tufts, candidates in tenure-track positions are reviewed for tenure in their sixth year. Tenure is granted only after the candidate has been reviewed and approved by his or her department, the deans, the president, and the Board of Trustees. Tenured professors are guaranteed a position at the University barring misconduct.

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News

Jumbos left thinking

October 20

It seemed like they had everything under control. They had their second highest point total of the season. They didn't let the wind shut them down. They had the longest field goal in school history. They picked off the NESCAC's most accurate quarterback four times. They even had the lead with only 3:28 left in the game. So what happened to let Williams walk off the field with its tenth straight victory over the Jumbos? How is it that for the 16th straight year, Tufts could not find that extra something to finally put it over the top? Maybe it was senior quarterback Scott Treacy, who was nothing short of brilliant for 59 minutes and 31 seconds, until he threw up his first pick of the game with the Jumbos on the Williams 12 yard line, seemingly seconds away from scoring a potential game tying touchdown. But the Jumbos would never have been in a situation where they needed a game tying touchdown if, just minutes earlier, Williams' sophomore running back Tim Crawley hadn't broken through several Tufts missed tackles to bust out a 65 yard touchdown run that put the Ephs up by eight points instead of just one. "We weren't wrapping them up," senior tri-captain Evan Zupancic said. "There were times when we hit one of them in the backfield or a yard or two after the line of scrimmage, and he broke free for big gains. That's not winning football." Of course, Crawley would never have had the opportunity to break free for that run if a missed block hadn't allowed Ephs' junior linebacker Graham Goldwasser to pound through Tufts offensive line and take down senior running back Chuck McGraw in the end zone for a safety that put Williams up by one point. "They got a really lucky bounce on the punt that pinned us deep in the zone," said junior Mark Tilki, who had two interceptions on the day. "We were working toward taking control of the game and that just killed all of our momentum." But maybe the safety wouldn't have mattered if the Jumbos had managed to score on four tries from the Williams seven yard line earlier in the fourth quarter. Tilki picked off Williams' junior quarterback Joe Reardon just seconds into the quarter, and returned the ball to the seven for a first and goal situation. A McGraw rush attempt to get into the end zone failed, as did two Treacy pass attempts. And on fourth down, junior place kicker Marcellus Rolles' 24-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right. This after he had connected on a 49 yarder earlier in the game. That missed field goal might not have been a big deal, however, if the Jumbos had converted any of their three failed two point conversions, or had even chosen to kick the extra points on those touchdowns. Three converted two point tries would have translated to six more points for the Jumbos, a significant number for a team that lost by eight. "The kicking game is always big when two teams like Williams and Tufts get together," junior wide receiver Tim Mack said. "You can't blame one thing for a loss like this, but who knows what would have happened if we had made those two point conversions." Maybe there were just so many little things that went wrong that they outweighed all of the big things the Jumbos did right. They didn't turn the ball over. They found a way to deal with Reardon. They had a good offensive showing. None of these was enough to overcome the mental miscues. "The wind was definitely a factor, but it was really the mental lapses that cost us the game," Zupancic said. "Anytime you allow 21 points in a quarter you're not going to have an easy day." In a game like this there are always things to look back on and say "What if?" But unfortunately for the Jumbos, there is no way to go back and change these things. And Williams' unbeaten streak against Tufts continues for another year, and will continue until the Jumbos are able to emerge from the game without any "What ifs?" to mull over. "It was a tough loss and it didn't turn out like we wanted," Rolle said. "But that's football. Someone loses and someone wins. We played some amazing football and have some things to be proud of, but in the end it didn't go our way. We'll be back." Williams may be the Purple Cows, but to the Tufts football team they're starting to look like the white whales.

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News

More is better

October 20

University administration confirmed last week that it will focus on adding endowed professorships to a wide range of departments in the near future. This is certainly an important goal, as Tufts has the potential to greatly benefit from the donor's contribution as well as the reputation that highly-qualified endowed faculty will bring. First and foremost, though, students will feel the immediate impact of an increase in endowed faculty. Such positions are likely to prompt challenging and stimulating courses that will better the quality of education at the University. Current faculty who are given endowed chairs will be more likely to stay at Tufts, which will ensure that Tufts consistently has expert teachers who have earned national or international recognition. Research opportunities should also improve with the specific experiences and interests of such professors. Additionally, the University's financial resources will be bolstered by the donations made to create the endowed positions. These donations made up nearly ten percent of Tufts' most recent (and most successful) fundraising campaign. If Tufts effectively markets the opportunity to create endowed chairs, the effort should prove quite successful. Donors will likely enjoy the sense that, instead of buying a wing or a floor of a building, they will have created something that will last at least as long and will bear their name. The University is to be commended for working to fill long-vacant endowed positions as well as looking to create new ones. Although there is no new money inflow to pay for the professorships, Tufts will nevertheless inspire confidence in potential donors regarding the longevity of their investment. Since the Tufts Tomorrow fundraising campaign is complete, it would be wise of Development to concentrate on the endowed chairs effort right now while it waits for the next campaign to be plotted out. If President Bacow is able to reach his target of about 20 additional positions, it will surely be a stellar achievement for his young tenure.

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News

Welfare symposium draws attention to domestic issues

October 20

Though Tufts is often known for its international focus, a group of professors attempted to remind students of the importance of national and domestic issues last week with a symposium on welfare reform. The two day event featured scholars from various institutions across the country and attracted students from an array of majors. The symposium was a combined effort of the departments of Child Development, Economics, Political Science, and Urban & Environmental Policy and Planning. It offered four events including lectures, discussion periods, and a Thursday panel, on "Welfare Reform: Antecedents and Effects," which was moderated by Professors Yannis Ioannides and Linda Loury. The goal of the event was to discuss the welfare issue but also to make "students understand that there are compelling domestic issues in which they should take interest," according to Economics Professor Gilbert Metcalf, one of the organizers. The panel's presenters expounded upon topics ranging from the effects of economic cycles, US public opinion, the history of welfare, and the system's effects on children. The audience of approximately 75 students posed questions on child rearing as a form of work, Clinton's welfare policy, and the problems of gauging public support. Professor Rebecca Blank of the University of Michigan argued at the panel that the success of Clinton's 1996 Welfare Reform Bill was mainly due to the strong economy at the time. Blank, author of It Takes a Nation: A New Agenda for Fighting Poverty, has studied the link between welfare policies and the state of the economy. Policymakers should focus on keeping unemployment levels low, adding work supports such as child-care, and on the need for retention programs and job search assistance after job loss, Blank said. Given the nature of economic cycles, she said, such issues must be addressed. Blank also advocated an extensive support network for disabled persons, the elderly, and other people who cannot work. The symposium sought to cover many aspects of the welfare juggernaut, aside from issues of economics. Professor Martin Gilens of UCLA and Princeton, author of Why Americans Hate Welfare: Race, Media, and the Politics of Antipoverty Policy, spoke on public opinion on the American welfare system. Gilens attempted to debunk the myth of the middle class' reluctance to support legislation that only benefits the poor. During economic downturns, the public is more sympathetic to welfare spending, whereas improvements in the economy generally render the public less sensitive to the plight of the poor, Gilens said. Societal wealth distribution has historically posed challenges to welfare reform, Professor James Jennings said during the panel. Past and current welfare reform has failed to address the problem of persistent poverty, instead mistakenly focusing on dependency, he said. Using economic terminology, Jennings described how welfare reform has tended to treat human capital from the demand side, assuming that jobs are available. Welfare reform perpetuates racial and ethnic divisions, Jennings said. Employment demand differs on racial lines, and conditions for minorities are often particularly unfavorable, he said. Jennings' words were overlapped by Gilens' contention that people prefer programs that promote self-sufficiency over those that merely provide monetary assistance. When the public perceives that more African Americans need aid, Jennings said, support for such aid concurrently declines. This phenomenon can be disappointingly self-reinforcing, he said. African Americans, Hispanics, and other minorities are not the only groups who suffer from Welfare policies, New York University Psychology Professor Hirokazu Yoshikawa said. Children and adolescents also suffer, said Yoshikawa, who has studied the effects of antipoverty policy on elementary school children and adolescents. Elementary school children benefit more from assistance programs without time limits, he found, after analyzing maternal reports, teacher reports, and standardized test scores. Adolescents do not seem to reap the same benefits of long-term assistance programs, Yoshikawa said. Children aged 12 to 18 years may be forced to assume adult roles when parents get jobs. Added duties such as caring for younger siblings may cause teenagers' schoolwork to suffer, he said. Maternal reports were the only source of information for the study on adolescents, indicating that more research is needed in the area, Yoshikawa said. The panel discussion was only one element of the symposium, an idea that originated with Professors Metcalf and James Glaser, chairs of the Economics and Political Science departments. After plans to bring Blank to campus over a year ago fell through, Metcalf and Glazer decided to expand the lecture into an interdisciplinary forum. Students can take advantage of course offerings at Tufts to learn about welfare reform and related issues, Metcalf said. "...The social sciences here at Tufts can teach students much about important domestic policy issues like health care, Social Security, and unemployment," he said. Metcalf would like to follow this symposium's success with "another compelling policy topic" next year.

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News

Women see promising results at James Early Invite

October 20

The women's cross country team got a preview of the stage on which the NCAA New England Championships will be played at this past weekend's James Early Invite at Westfield State. As the last contest before the NESCAC Championships, the team used the James Early Invite to gauge how prepared it is for the looming postseason. The resulting second place team finish was more than the squad expected and bolstered confidence as the meat of the season gets under way. "We raced really well, worked well together and were able to keep the pack up at the top of the race. Everyone ran a consistent, strong race and it showed in the end result," senior Heidi Tyson said. Trinity College finished the day atop the field, as it garnered first place by a commanding 63 points. Having four of their top five scoring runners within the top 15, and being the only team with three runners in the top ten made the Bantams hard to beat. The Jumbos were aware of the strength of the Trinity squad going into the meet, so the results weren't surprising. What was surprising when the final standings came out was that the Jumbos came out on top of a strong Brandeis team. Brandeis has provided stiff competition in the past and prevailed over the Jumbos in most of the recent contests. Last year the Judges went on to take fourth at the New England Division III Championships in which Tufts was tenth, and also made the trip to the NCAA Championships. Even though the margin was only four points, the victory over Brandeis was monumental. "This was a huge meet in terms of the results it produced. The purpose was to see the course that we'll be racing on again for the (NCAA) qualifier, but to come out and beat Brandeis was awesome," coach Kristen Morwick said. In the front of the Jumbos pack was the tandem of junior Lauren Caputo and freshman Becca Ades, who have developed into a racing dynamo over the course of the season. The pair stayed together and ran with each other until about the last 1000m of the race. Caputo completed the 6K course in 22:36.50 in 7th place individual finish. Seven places back was Ades who strided to a time of 23:01.20. The combination of these two front runners has provided the Jumbos with added depth up front, and has provided Caputo and Ades a way to feed off each other and work together to break up other teams front running packs. The pack that has been in effect throughout the season remained that way, with the same cast of characters playing different roles this weekend. Seniors Kristen Munson, Mary Nodine, Danielle Perrin, and Heidi Tyson and junior Lauren Dunn worked as a formidable force throughout the competition, pushing each other to forge ahead and switching off leaders as whoever was strongest would lead the way. "When you work together it's easier to pass people and move people up," Dunn said. "You let someone surge ahead and pull everyone with them and then they rest and let someone else pull ahead. You couldn't drop back because there were so many people feeding off each other and it would have been giving up on the team." Each of the five members of the pack placed within the top 30, all within eight spots of each other. Munson led the way across the finish line, as she captured 22nd in a time of 23:30.30 and showed continued improvement as she battles back from injury. Close behind was Nodine who's time of 23:34.40 was good for 24th, followed one place and four one-hundredths of a second by Dunn. The time difference between the top five scoring runners and the two other runners completing the top seven for the team was a mere seven one-hundredths of a second as Perrin came across in 27th. Tyson rounded out the top seven, coming in at 30th after having been boxed in at the start of the race. The delta between the third and seventh Tufts runners was 11.3 seconds, evidence of a tight pack that can be utilized in upcoming championship meets to break up scoring threats posed by opponents. The team does not compete next weekend, but will run in the NESCAC Championships two weekends from now. In preparation for this meet and others, the team will look to build upon the unity that has been formed throughout the season and look to use it to its strength. The more the team communicates and works together, the more it can accomplish and the more effective the pack is. "Having these last two good meets back to back is key, it gives us a lot to work with," Morwick said. "NESCAC's will be competitive, but we're looking good. We'll be shooting for top five."

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News

Campaign finance reform

October 20

It's election time. Television advertisements are beginning to run. Signs are decorating lawns throughout the country. People in suits are standing on street corners, shaking hands and flashing smiles. And candidates are searching for money. Politicians are devoting more time to this quest than to any other part of their campaigns _ upwards of 60 percent of their time campaigning. Money has been the mother's milk of politics for the last century. Last year, Congress passed the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2001 (BCRA). After years of rallying by US Senators John McCain and Russ Feingold, a meaningful campaign finance reform law for federal elections has passed. This is the first change to campaign finance laws since 1971. While the BCRA is a strong step in the right direction, more reform is necessary before candidates can devote their attention to voters. Federal campaign finance reform was a monumental change to our governmental structure. However, federal law can only cover federal elections. Despite the passage of the BCRA, many states lack meaningful campaign finance controls. Now that individuals and corporations can no longer donate large sums to federal campaigns, they will shift their attention to states. More corporate money will flow into state elections and state political committees. State government will see a rising influence of wealthy contributors in state politics, and voters will lose representation in their state houses. State political action committees (PACs) will still run issue ads attacking state candidates. Each state should follow the example set by the federal government. Many of the reforms passed in the BCRA are applicable at the state level. Voters must challenge their state governments to pass campaign finance reform laws similar to the BCRA. In addition to restriction on fundraising, public financing of campaigns would decrease the influence of big money contributions in government. Public funding laws usually require states to "match funds" with candidates who fundraise under strict guidelines. Under many public-funding laws, candidates can only accept small donations from individuals, and no money from corporations, unions and PACs. While these laws do use taxpayer money to fund campaigns, they allow politicians to focus on voters instead of fundraising. Half the money a clean election candidate receives comes with no strings attached, and any other donations are too small to buy influence. Massachusetts passed the powerful Clean Elections Law in 1998 with a landslide two-thirds majority, yet there is an effort now an effort to repeal it. Proposition Three on the November ballot asks voters if they want their tax money to fund elections. This biased wording does not reflect the Clean Elections law. Candidates who ran under the Clean Elections law spent much more of their time communicating with voters and less time fundraising. Massachusetts's voters will hopefully uphold the Clean Elections law in November, and other states will follow suit by passing public campaign laws similar to those in Massachusetts. The media exerts an immense influence in political campaigns. The focus of many campaigns today is television advertisements, and campaign ads cost vast sums of money to run. Candidates spend over 90 percent of their campaign funds on television ads. It can cost tens of thousand of dollars to run one 30-second ad during prime time. Candidates without large war chests of campaign funds often cannot compete in elections. Candidates who accept large donations from PACs, unions and corporations can run many ads, and exert a vast influence over voters. State and Federal governments issue the licenses that allow radio and television stations to operate. The regulatory commissions should require stations to donate time to candidates. Although this concept is controversial, and it requires much thought before implementation, it has the potential to change campaigns at all levels. The state and federal governments should examine enacting laws requiring mandatory airtime donations by radio and television stations. The passage of the BCRA can usher in a new era of meaningful campaign finance reform. If state governments follow the lead of Congress and pass new, innovative campaign financing laws, citizens will be empowered, and campaigns will again focus on winning the support of voters. Money, in the form of political contributions, has wreaked havoc on the American democratic political system, and it is time to loosen its grip.

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Fireworks, freshmen, and friendship: after the small talk

October 20

For one night, the Gantcher Center was a pyromaniac's paradise. Blasts of crackling, white-hot sparks sizzled across the Center's cavernous ceiling, illuminating in short, bright bursts the upturned faces of Tufts' Class of 2006. The Fourth of July redux that my fellow freshmen and I witnessed on Aug. 28 was the fiery culmination of the First Night Celebration. In addition to performances by several campus a cappella groups, the program had included an informative, if somewhat frightening, slide show detailing Jumbo the elephant's repeated demises. The actual message of the celebration, however, was most explicitly revealed when Alan MacDougall, President of Tufts Alumni Association, took the stage, enthusiastically proclaiming that we would form the most enduring and rewarding relationships of our lives during our years at Tufts. Several nights later, author and Tufts graduate Christopher Golden addressed the Class of 2006 in Cohen Auditorium. His speech, though not accompanied by explosions, was strikingly similar in tone to the events of the First Night Celebration. When Golden spoke of his halcyon days as an undergraduate at Tufts, his voice took on a familiar tone of unwavering reverence that echoed MacDougall's almost perfectly. Almost two months have elapsed since those nights. What made the greatest impressions upon me were not the admittedly impressive displays of fireworks and credentials offered by the First Night Celebration and Christopher Golden; rather, it was each event's simultaneously exciting and terrifying assertion that it is here, at Tufts, where we will make the personal connections that will define and sustain us not only for the next four years, but for the rest of our lives. From my newly-minted freshman standpoint, such a possibility seems uncomfortably close to the limiting medieval certainty of marrying someone from within a mile of one's birthplace. Can it really be possible that the most rewarding, fruitful, and meaningful relationships of our lives will be formed within the Tufts radius? And how can we reconcile these almost mythical tales of friendship, mentorship, and courtship with the unabashedly superficial nature of our interactions with each other so far? Throughout the whirlwind of the past several weeks, our exchanges with each other have been largely of the surface variety. The parade of new faces has rendered establishing in-depth connections virtually impossible; merely matching names to faces and places leaves even the sharpest student exhausted. (The expression "in one ear and out another" has taken on a new relevance in relation to this struggle: "Yo, what's up? Dave, right?" "No man, John." "Oh right, John _ from DC!" "Uh, no, man; I'm from Paris." ) Once the standard "What's your name? Where are you from? What dorm are you in? What's your major?" line of questioning has run its course, an impasse is reached. How does one go from initiating reflexive small talk to establishing the ideological, personal, and ethical balances in which true friendships are grounded? An undying belief in the sanctity of the relationships formed at Tufts, then, is a wonderful thing as long as you have already experience those relationships; as long as you are a "have" rather than a "have-not" For the rest of us, however, such a fervent and oft-expressed belief in Tufts relationships is less a comfort than an impossible and immediate challenge: Hurry up! Get out there! Form a meaningful relationship. Now! Luckily for us, the cards are stacked in our favor. Bonding of some sort is virtually included in the Tufts tuition package; like it or not, we will all be experiencing this idealized and sanitized microcosm together. We will sleep in the same rooms with each other, eat with each other, and go to classes with each other. We will share our micro-fridges, telephone bills, and, unfortunately, shower stalls _ indeed, we will share our lives with each other. The accumulation of these common experiences cannot help but solidify into a connection on some level. The sort of profound friendships so heartily enthused about by Alan MacDougall and Christopher Golden, however, are not similarly guaranteed through such relations. The extreme convenience of our interactions does not necessarily translate into their extreme consequence. Though we will initially form friendships because of the facilities and utilities that we share, these things will not be what bind us together in the mythic way upheld by MacDougall and Golden. Those intense, life-affirming bonds will be born of something deeper; an innate, interpersonal chemistry somehow both augmented and defined by the Tufts experience. Though right now we are stranded in that awkward realm between "What's your name" and intuitive union, such will not always be the case. I have faith that within the next four years my fellow freshman and I will cross the line from "have-nots" to "haves". We, too, will be able to testify to the enlightenment afforded us through the relationships we have formed at Tufts. And at that point, the assertion that the most meaningful connections of our lives will take root here at Tufts will not be a threat, an exhortation, or even a promise; it will be a reality. Patrice Taddonio has yet to declare a major

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News

Parents Weekend to focus on world events

October 17

Following the events of Sept. 11, 2001 and the changing climate of world politics, this year's annual Parents Weekend will feature various speeches and activities related to the theme "Our Changing World." The theme was chosen in response to the nation's increased interest in international affairs. "There is a great focus on the world's situation since last September, and this will be reflected in the various speeches and events," Director of Parents' Programs Ellie Short said. Two sessions, each offering 12 presentations given by Tufts professors on current affairs, will take place in Tisch Library on Saturday. Despite lower attendance rates last year because of hesitance to travel in the wake of the terrorist attacks, over 3,500 people are expected to attend this weekend, according to Short. "I came into work on Monday and couldn't believe all the calls I had gotten from parents inquiring about Parents Weekend," she said. "There were telephone calls, memos, e-mails... I've even had some parents come into the office." Homecoming and Parents Weekend were held on two consecutive weekends last year, but this decreased the number of sporting events that fell on Parents Weekend. This year an agreement between the Athletics Department and Alumni Relations placed the two nearly a month apart. Home sporting events this weekend will include football, field hockey, and men's and women's soccer games against Williams College. The weekend will offer an assortment of activities, from coffee with the deans to a tour of Dowling Hall. "Parents can be here all of the time, part of the time _ whatever they like," said Short. Performing arts events highlighting student theater, a cappella, and dance, will be held as well. Plans for this weekend's events began soon after last year's Parents Weekend, which centered on Tufts' sesquicentennial. Once a theme was chosen for this year, Short began contacting officials and professors to speak at various events. The author's talk, a new addition to the Parents Weekend offerings, will feature award-winning author Christopher Golden (LA '89) and will take place at 3:30 p.m. today at the Tisch Library. Golden's murder-mystery novel series, Body of Evidence, describes a university setting based on the Tufts campus. The writer has also done work for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and X-Men licenses. The President's Run is another new activity offered this year. "For anyone that wants to get up early, take off is at 7:30," said Short about the campus-wide jog. The run will allow parents to run with University President Larry Bacow on a course which he has mapped out. Mechanical Engineering Professor Chris Rogers will give this year's keynote address, "Technology Reshaping Education from Kindergarten to College." Rogers "teaches young people by means of the children's toy Lego(tm) in order to increase curiosity and interest in young children who think engineering might be for them," Short said. Short expects Parents Weekend to cultivate new relationships between parents and the University. "Some parents love Parents Weekend so much that they end up retaining a relationship with Tufts," she said. "Even after their children graduate, they keep coming back to visit."

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News

Something's batty in Boston

October 17

It's 3:00 p.m. and the last audience members are finding their seats at the Boston Center for the Performing Arts. The small, intimate black box style theater is completely sold out despite the fact that it is a rainy Sunday afternoon. As the lights fade to black, we hear the dripping sounds of a deep cave and voices coming out of the darkness. The only light comes from the headlamps of three spelunking teenagers, dangling from ropes. While the three teens discuss the cave and light up a celebratory stogie, a very scantily clad shadowy figure flashes by in the background, frightening the young hoodlums. Who is this mysterious figure? Is it naked? Will our young crusaders escape with their lives? Thus begins the SpeakEasy Stage Company's production of Bat Boy: The Musical, a hilarious show that is surprisingly not about an adolescent caped crusader. Rather, it is a story based on a series of tabloid articles about a half-man, half-bat found in a cave "many miles to the south" of the small town of Hope Falls. The play begins as the local Sheriff takes the bat child to the home of Dr. Thomas Parker, the local vet, after it was captured by the teens in the opening scene. His wife answers the door and immediately takes a liking to the screeching pointy eared youngster. The two form a bond, which is almost shattered when Dr. Parker returns and is appalled to discover the vile bat kid in his home. Meredith only barely convinces him to spare the creature's life. Bat Boy is then taken in by the Parkers, and their lovely nubile young daughter Shelley, who is very keen on having a new pet. However, Shelley has a young punk boyfriend named Rick _ one of the rambunctious young hooligans from the opening scene_ and the brother of a girl bitten by Bat Boy. Meredith takes it upon herself to educate the creature, and transforms him into a mild-mannered well dressed bat gentleman, complete with a foppish English accent. Bat Boy, now educated, wants to see the world, and develops some sexy tension with Shelley. Of course by now there is an angry mob out to get him, since he is different and all, and that is where Bat Boy: the Musical begins to delve into plot territory that would give away the surprise ending. But one thing's for sure _ there are enough plot twists to rival any daytime soap. Now, of course, all this crazy action happens amidst one of the best musical soundtracks that not many people have heard. But they should. The rock opera songs are all catchy, touching, emotional and upbeat. You could say that Bat Boy is like Rent meets the Creature from the Black Lagoon. But you would be wrong. Bat Boy is a creature all its own. The songs are performed by an amazingly talented and energetic cast that contains no weak links and give Bat Boy a vibrant liveliness that is extremely catchy. Miguel Cervantes (insert obscure joke referencing the Renaissance Spanish novelist here) is charming and charismatic as Bat Boy, transforming from a frightened howling beast, into a delightful young man, with a hell of a voice. While his performance seems effortless, he explained the difficulty in the role to audience members after the show: "Its not as easy as it looks. You have to keep working at it." He went on to discuss long method acting sessions spent alone in a cave with a dead rat. Michael Mendiola is great as the chillingly wicked Dr. Parker, who is able to belt out his songs with a Broadway bravado. Austin Lesch, who looks enough like James Cagney to amuse to more elderly members of the audience, was wonderful as violently passionate Rick and was double cast as a female member of the town, along with several other actors. In a brilliant comedic directing move, all the actors who played more than one character appear in scenes featuring both of their characters, incorporating hilarious costume changing results. The set is sparse, including merely a cage for Bat Boy, some furniture for the Parker's house, a couple trees in the forest, but creative use of such objects combined with the raw energy of the ensemble help bring the show to life. There are even funny signs letting the audience know what is going on ("Bat Boy gets girl", etc.) By the time the curtain call rolls around, we have laughed and cried and thoroughly enjoyed Bat Boy. But the show is not purely superficial. For one thing, we are reminded not to treat people badly just because they are half bat and were found in a cave. While Bat Boy is comic and entertaining, it is also about recognizing that we are all different, but we contain some animal in us, our 'Id' according to Freud. More importantly, we are all just striving for a little "comfort and joy" out of life. This can only be brought about through understanding. So go see Bat Boy and remember, there is a little Bat Boy inside us all. "Love your Bat Boy!" 'Bat Boy' plays at the Boston Center of the Performing Arts from Oct. 4-26. More information and tickets can be obtained by calling 617-426-ARTS

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News

University examining possibility of more freshman-only dorms

October 17

A stream of complaints involving poor racial interactions among students directed the focus of last Thursday's open forum for the Task Force on the cultural climate into a discussion of how an intentional housing plan could create better community at Tufts. The forum, one in an ongoing series of open Task Force meetings, followed on the heels of the recent Princeton Review evaluation of Tufts as seventh out of 345 colleges for "poor race/class relations." A general confusion exists as to why Tufts _ a school considered diverse by most standards with a minority population of 28 percent _ has an alleged problem with multiculturalism. Students at last week's forums may have hit upon an explanation for this when they repeatedly mentioned that lack of feelings of community at Tufts. In relating personal accounts of poor race relations to members of the Task Force, many at the forums have touched upon difficulties experienced in the transition from high school to college. One common experience among students, Task Force member professor Gilbert Metcalf said, was the "striking differences in scale" in the move from high school to Tufts. This, he offered, could be partially responsible for the negative experiences students were reporting. "High school is small enough [for students] to be known as an individual," Metcalf said on Thursday. "We need to develop a community where people can be known at Tufts." The concept of community has been a theme that the Task Force has been looking at all along, according to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman. "Engagement and feeling connected are certainly central elements," he said. But Reitman could not offer any clues as to how the Task Force may choose to address these needs, as the committee is still working on its interim report, due out this semester. Culture houses are one possible vehicle for community building, though this subject is often the focus of campus debate. A student at the forum said that the University is dependent on culture houses for multicultural interaction but that this was an unfair expectation. "The houses are not there for that task," he said. "The pressure needs to come off the culture houses," the student said. "They should be places to celebrate individual diversity, and the University is where we should celebrate multiculturalism." But Tufts has not seen a celebration of this sort, according to one woman. "I feel one of the problems is that there's no space for intercultural dialogue," she said. Because often there is not space for personal exchange in the classroom, and because many extracurricular activities are based on personal interests influenced by background _ for example, membership in a culture club _ the answer may be for residential halls to create tighter Tufts communities. Yet, in many instances, students said, this did not happen in their residential halls. The set-up of some halls causes rooms to be separated, and students often keep their dorms closed. Oftentimes upperclassmen are not looking to establish friendships with incoming students, freshman Jeremy Konstam explained. Logically, a bigger dorm means more people and more interaction. But students said this was not always the case. "With dorms like Miller, Haskell, South, you would think that would be the mix right there, but it isn't," one student said. But one hall stood out as different. "I look up to Tilton as encouraging multiculturalism," the student said of her experiences in that dorm. Tilton is the only all first-year residential hall at Tufts and one of two dorms that is structured with intentional programming. According to Residential Life and Learning (ResLife) Director Yolanda King, ResLife will look into converting a current residence hall into another first year environment. "Tilton Hall has provided a great experience for first year students," she said. ResLife would like to take steps to create more of this "collective experience" in dorm living. Many students who lived in Tilton in previous years agreed that it had been a positive experience. Non-residents said that they had visited often for the sense of community that the hall provided. Speculation as to why Tilton naturally encouraged this natural community led to a variety of answers. "I don't know how deep discussions were" among hall-mates on the subject of multiculturalism, a student explained. "But a great part of it was due to proximity and due to everyone being a freshman." While RAs may help halls to bond in other dorms, this may happen more naturally in Tilton where doors face one another and students are able to form a collective identity as members of the same class. Tilton also offers special programming designed for freshman and is the only dorm to have tutors living in the building. New students may find it easier to ask for help from a neighbor experiencing the same troubles. "Their floor seems really united," Konstam said of his friends in Tilton this year. "It was a lot easier to bond as a floor... because they were in a common situation." But not all freshmen have access to this situation. In fact, about 88 percent of the 1,285 freshmen are living in dorms with upperclassmen. According Reitman, about 300 incoming freshmen request Tilton last year and only about half that number were accommodated. If these numbers indicate an unmet desire for more freshmen housing that could improve race relations on campus, then the Task Force could potentially suggest a change in housing options, Reitman said. The issue then falls on the ResLife's agenda _ which would cause its own complications. Creating all-freshman halls would automatically create all-sophomore ones, which could lead to the segregation of the community by age. But mixing ages was very important to freshman April Gerry, who said it was helpful to have people who already knew the school show her around and open doors to available activities and resources. "You can establish more links that way," she said. Even if the debate is resolved, the problem of community still persists beyond the first two years at Tufts. A junior said last Thursday that he felt cheated by the low amount of housing for upperclassmen at Tufts and asked, "What about juniors and seniors? What about our community?" One former Tilton resident suggested that perhaps forming ties upon entry will make them last through the four years at Tufts. She said that she still keeps in touch with friends made her freshman year, an example she thought that Tufts should strive for.

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News

The Giving Camp opens for disabled neighbors

October 17

The first trial day of The Giving Camp, a program organized by Tufts students as a camp for local citizens with physical and mental challenges, took place on campus this Monday. Monday was only the test day for The Giving Camp, which is planning to run its first full-week project during this year's spring break. Organizers intended Monday to help them to work out any kinks in the program. During the test run, eight adult guests from the Walnut Street Center in Somerville were paired with Tufts students who helped them throughout the day. The morning began with dancing and aerobics in the Gantcher Center. The guests then participated in arts and crafts projects, painting pumpkins and drawing pictures. After enjoying lunch in Dewick, they were also treated to performances from the Beelzebubs, TURBO, and Spirit of Color. After the performances, the guests sang and danced with University students. Plans for The Giving Camp were set in motion when Diane Ricciardelli, a Tufts alumni, decided to design a program for citizens of the Medford and Somerville community with physical and mental challenges. Ricciardelli, now the executive director of The Giving Camp, volunteered at a similar camp for 16 years. This camp had a five-year wait list and had was rather expensive to attend, and Ricciardelli started a new camp that would be free of charge to its guests as an alternative. "I knew I wanted it to be on a college campus," Ricciardelli said. "Tufts was [the] natural place because the University Chaplaincy has done similar work." After meeting with the provost and the University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS), Ricciardelli spoke to the Omidyar Scholars. From this group, a student leadership team of four students was formed. Organizers hope that The Giving Camp will serve as a model for similar programs at area universities if the expansion of the program to a full week during this year's spring break is successful. "People want to go to these camps and people want to volunteer," Ricciardelli said. "We just need to get the facilities." The full week program will attempt to attract citizens of all ages from different places in the Medford and Somerville area. Ideally, 40 guests will attend the camp during spring break The goal of the camp is to create a place where citizens of the community can have opportunities in a respected and economical way, according to Leslie Wang, one of the student leaders of the project. "People don't see these citizens as citizens," Wang said. "The needs of people who attend The Giving Camp aren't always well addressed." The other members of the student leadership team besides Wang are juniors Corey Probst and Christina Zahara, and sophomore Zachariah Baker. The team met bi-weekly at first and then more frequently, planning the project as well as training volunteers for the test day. "It's a great program for Tufts to be proud of," Wang said. "It can happen annually and across the country." The student leadership team was aided by a steering committee made up of mostly administrators and University staff. The steering committee will help students to plan events and ensure that The Giving Camp is a sustainable program. In order to expand the Giving Camp to a full-week program, many more volunteers are needed. If 40 guests attend, at least 80 volunteers will be necessary to maintain the desired guest-to-volunteer ratio. Organizers hope to involve more students, especially those in the areas of Child Development and Occupational Therapy. The student leaders also want alumni to get involved, especially those who are teachers and nurses. They are also exploring the possibility of establishing internships to make the opportunity more attractive to students who need to work for financial reasons. Even though there were small glitches that need to be fixed before the complete expansion of the project, Wang was satisfied with the day. The guests enjoyed the activities, particularly the performances by the Beelzebubs, TURBO and SOC. "They really got the energy going and interacted well with the guests," Wang said. Those working on the Giving Camp are excited about both the results of Monday's test day and the future of the program. "A lot of our work showed through and that made everyone really proud," Wang said.

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News

Bill and Ted: The modern Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

October 17

So you probably have heard of the movie. But if you haven't actually sat down and watched it, then you can't fully appreciate how Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure may well be the single greatest film ever made. And I say "may be" because its brilliance is at least equaled, if not succeeded, by the sequel: Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. Bill S. Preston, esquire (Alex Winter) and Ted Theodore Logan (Keanu Reeves) have one night to complete their history project and receive an A. If they fail, Ted will be shipped off to Oates Military Academy the following semester, and Bill and Ted's band Wyld Stallyns will be destroyed forever. But just when all looks lost, who should materialize but George Carlin (well, technically the character's name is Rufus, but Rufus is George Carlin from the future) in a time-traveling phone booth. Carlin explains that he has been sent from the future to help them complete their project. The utopian society of the future is based on Wyld Stallyns' music, says Rufus, and so it is essential that Bill and Ted be kept together. Following such an introduction, only cinematic perfection can ensue: Bill and Ted load into the phone booth and travel time, collecting historical figures such as Billy the Kid, Ghengis Kahn, Joan of Arc and Socrates (whom they call So-crates). With this breadth of opportunity for hilarity, this premise could not help but succeed. Bill and Ted could go anywhere, do anything and meet anyone. An example scene when they land in King Arthur's Time: Black Knight: "Take them to the Iron Maiden." Bill and Ted: "Iron Maiden! Rock!" Black Knight: "Kill them." Bill and Ted: "Bogus." Placing two '80s SoCal surfer dudes into any historical context obviously creates comedy, but running them through many different times on a mission to save the world is clearly brilliant. While Bill is the leader of this dynamic duo, it is Keanu Reeves' Ted that truly anchors the film. Guildenstern to Bill's Rosencrantz, Ted somehow manages to be even more obliviously simple at every turn. Alone, neither character would be terribly funny, but together they function as a perfect team because they are both on the same ridiculous wavelength. One would think the sequel to such a wacky comedy would be stupid and generally humorless, but in this case one would be terribly wrong. In a religious parody equaled only by Dogma in recent cinema, Bill and Ted traverse heaven and hell in order to keep evil android Bill and Ted (who came from the future, of course) from ruining Wyld Stallyns' big shot at the battle of the bands. New characters like Death (who looks like same famous Death from The Seventh Seal, but this time around acts like a complete nerd) and the alien scientist Station add to the fun, while the clownish charm of Bill and Ted never gets old. The writers were smart enough not to use the same premise again, sending Bill and Ted on a different though equally wacky adventure. The Hell sequences alone are more visually impressive and creative than most of today's computer generated effects. The climactic battle of the bands scene, in which Bill and Ted face down the evil robot Bill and Ted and go on to rock and roll glory, ranks among the greatest scenes ever shot. Robots fighting, time travel, plot twists and '80s rock band parody combine to make the ultimate ending to a ridiculously satisfying two movie series.

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News

A truly 'lyric' singer

October 17

Placing music into different categories and comparing musicians are extremely useful tools for music fans. People can tell just by looking at an album cover whether or not they would enjoy the CD. But it is not really possible to categorize Mia Doi Todd and her latest album, The Golden State. As an artist, she is definitely original _ which is both a good thing and a bad thing. All that can be determined on first listen is that her music is somewhere in the general genres of folk, indie, international, pop, and rock. Her voice is extremely breathy and quiet, making her songs sound pure and mesmerizing. A classically trained vocalist who taught herself how to play the guitar, Todd can not even be linked to other singer song-writers. Todd's lyrics are incredibly complex and confusing, as she uses many abstract images. This is a CD that needs to be listened to numerous times before sense can be made of most of the songs.; and each time the lyrics take on new meaning. Todd sings of unique, and perhaps eccentric, topics. For instance, in the first song "88 Ways," she sings about gravity and entropy. In this song Todd connects opposites and contradictions in lines such as "O, what should I be in this world so self-destructing?/O, what should I be in this world so self-constructing" and "The hermit and the hero walk in parallel lines, one with bow and arrow, the other bowed eyes." "Digital," which has somehow become one her most popular songs, is the second track on the CD. The chorus is "Digital, binary system, ones and zeroes/dark vs. light, yin and yang/my mother and my father made me one night." And if this alone isn't bizarre enough, Todd also sings of two different views of the beginning of the earth with references to the Garden of Eden and the forbidden apple as well as protons and electrons that collide. Things that are consistent throughout the CD include Todd's affinity towards death, discussions of freedom, and her use of homophones and contradictions. For example, in "Merry Me," two of her lines are "Merry me, merry me, merry me" and "Marry me, marry me, marry me." This song is about how the search for liberty is actually better than being free. Her song "Hijikata" is named after the Japanese inventor of Butoh dance, which Todd has studied. The song follows suit to her common themes and is about Hijikata dying. She asks him "Is all freedom dark?" and "Is all freedom light?" There is also "Autumn" which is actually a really beautiful sounding song, despite the lyrics "No, no, no, I know". It's the most melodic track in this CD though the repetitions of "The leaves let go, so let them go" are a bit tiring. Todd is not a normal singer. Be ready to listen carefully to her lyrics and maybe even replay a song to figure out what she is singing about. The music and her voice are very simple. They are not the focus in her music and therefore are able to draw attention to her complex lyrics. While it is good to have eloquent and consequential songs, she automatically alienates music fans who do not want to search hard to figure out meanings in her wordy lyrics. Todd is on the border between being an insightful songwriter and one who tries too hard to make profound observations about life. Her songs sound like recited poetry so she seems as though she belongs more in a coffee shop than she would on the radio. Also, beware when trying to sing along because being so unconventional, Todd breaks her lines is strange, unusual places as she sings. Overall, this CD needs patience. If you can handle it, listen a couple of times. It might start to grow on you.

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News

NFL week six weeds out false contenders

October 17

Week six in the NFL is in the record books and we can now start to figure out who's a contender and who's a pretender. After hot starts both the Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears are starting to show their true colors as they head back into the land of mediocrity. After last year's 13-3 record, Chicago hoped to build on another season, which looked promising when the Bears began 2-0. But with consecutive losses to the New Orleans Saints, the Buffalo Bills and the Green Bay Packers, the bad news Bears are now just bad news. The injury bug has gotten in the way though as the left side of the offensive line continued to deteriorate. Starting left guard Rex Tucker will be out for the season now with a broken leg while wide receiver David Terrell adds himself to injured list with a broken bone in his right foot that will hold him out for two months. The bye in week six probably wasn't enough to help the Bears overcome their injuries, although they should be able to end their three game skid against the awful Detroit Lions this week. Will the Bears be able to regain enough strength to catch the Packers though? With all the injuries on this team, the Bears just aren't in good enough physical shape to regain their strength. Also on the list of fake contenders are the Panthers, who have a three game losing streak of their own going into week seven. It has now become apparent that the 3-0 start was merely luck for 2001's worst team. Carolina's recent downward spiral was topped off with a loss to the Dallas Cowboys in week six. The match-up was ugly, with Panther's running back Lamar Smith led the day in rushing with 81 yards as opposed to Emmit Smith's 59. But the Panthers still found a way to lose the game by allowing Dallas to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Carolina obviously came leaps and bounds from their 2001 season, but visions of playoff appearances are still too far fetched for this team. Falling into the grey area between contender and pretender now lie the New England Patriots. Beating up on the league through September, the Patriots hushed all critics about Tom Brady and the former Superbowl champions. Well after consecutive losses to the Miami Dolphins and then the Packers at home, the critics are speaking again. The upcoming bye week will do the Pats some good as they can reflect on the recent tailspin of their offense. Credited as the catalyst to the offense's performance earlier in the season, fingers are now pointing at Brady as the reason for the Pats offensive demise as well. With seven interceptions and only five touchdown passes in his last three games, Brady has looked like a markedly different player on the field. In his first three games of the season Brady went 93-132, passing for 973 yards and achieving an efficiency rating of 107.9. Over the next three games his rating dropped almost 40 percent to 67.9 as he went 77-128, amassing 776 yards. Is this the real Tom Brady or can the Pats turn their mistakes around. They still have a long season ahead of them, but as of last Sunday they also have a ways to go. The Packers win over the Pats was their fifth victory of the season, as Green Bay quietly put together another stunning record. After a slow start to the season that required an overtime win in the season opener followed by a loss to New Orleans, the Packers have gotten themselves back on the winning track. The main reason behind their success is Brett Favre, who despite injuries to receivers and offensive linemen, has been unstoppable of late with a quarterback rating of 102.5. Also sitting at 5-1 are the Miami Dolphins who looked like a true contender as they marched their way atop the AFC East after beating the Denver Broncos at Mile High on Sunday. Everything seemed to be going the Dolphins, but now the true test comes as they enter into the next phase of their season without their starting quarterback or receiver. Jay Fiedler is out for at least four weeks with a broken thumb. Undergoing surgery on Monday, the Dolphins have a tall task on their hands in filling Fiedler's spot. To make matters worse, wide receiver Oronde Gadsden may also miss the rest of the season with a sprained wrist that he suffered against the Broncos. Without these two key players, the Dolphins will be hard pressed to continue their success. With a 5-1 record though, Miami should be able to clinch a playoff spot and should have Fiedler back for when the games really matter. The Good Terrell Owen's 37 yard touchdown reception which helped the San Francisco 49ers earn a 28-21 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night. The Bad The fact that Owens had a pen in his sock and signed the football he caught immediately after catching the touchdown. The Ugly The Cincinnati Bengals are so awful that quarterback Corey Dillion claims he will retire at the end of the season if the team doesn't get its act together. Falling to 0-6 after an embarrassing loss to Pittsburgh, it's only a matter of time until head coach Dick LeBeau is asked to clear his office. That won't help the Bengals though, their inability to win isn't LeBeau's fault. It's the fact that the team has absolutely no talent.

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News

History department faces faculty shortage

October 17

With six senior professors departing or departed within the past two years, the History Department is facing a faculty shortage in areas including Asian, European and American history. The department will conduct several searches for new faculty in coming semesters. Three senior faculty members have retired or will retire in the span of two academic years, and two have accepted positions at other universities. "[The department] is in the process of recreating itself," History Department Chair Howard Malchow said. The administration has authorized the department to hire a junior tenure-track faculty member in Chinese history, and a decision on a candidate is expected early next spring, Malchow said. A search for a senior Spanish Civilization professor has been under way since last year and may or may not be completed by the end of next year. The department hopes to address two vacant French history positions by the end of next year. The department would also like to hire a non-tenure track lecturer, on a one-year contract renewable for three years, to fill a position in Middle Eastern history. Deina Abdelkader has been teaching Middle Eastern courses on a year-by-year renewable contract. "We're taking the position and formalizing it," Malchow says. Abdelkader will have the option to apply for the semi-permanent position. The International Relations Department and other programs with which the history department works will have major influences on the hiring process. "We have a lot to do with inter-disciplinary programs, and how we work with the IR department may affect some choices," Malchow said. Shifting enrollment patterns, lobbying from student culture groups, and student evaluations will also affect the professor selections. "We take teacher evaluations very seriously," according to professor Gerald Gill, who teaches African-American and US history and works with the American studies program. The loss of multiple professors within such a short time period is a result of Tufts' past hiring practices, Malchow said. "There were so many people who came into teaching in the 60's and 70's, and now there is a cohort of people going towards retirement," he said. Others say Tufts loses faculty to schools that offer higher salaries. Last year, South Asian History professor Sugata Bose left to work at Harvard, and professor John Brooke, the former Arthur Jr. and Lenore Stern Chair in American History, transferred to Ohio State. "Why?" Gill asked. "Well, some people cannot resist Harvard, and Brooke was offered a lot more money and our administration screwed up and never got around to matching the offer." The department must examine whether to add depth to its existing departments or continue to "opt for global reach," Malchow said. Second-year grad student Hilary Green, specializing in American history, would like the department to add depth in the area of the Civil Rights Movement. "I'd like to see two to three more American history professors," she said. "Preferably someone who's not a Ph.D., who has taught as an adjunct non-tenured track professor, someone with fresh innovative ideas." Senior Nathan Machida, an IR major who took several history courses for his major, supports the recruitment of professors with more innovative teaching strategies. "Based on my own experiences, courses and lectures tend to be pretty dry," he said. "I would personally like to see the History Department recruit some more engaging professors who can make them come alive." Machida would also welcome new Asian history courses. Professors have varying opinions on how to add to or change the department. The department is fairly flexible within its requirements for a tripartite offering of one-third European, one-third American, and one-third "world" courses, Russian and Modern Germany professor Daniel Mulholland said. "When push comes to shove, we're inclined to go with the person who is most interesting rather than a person in our pre-conceived definitions," he added. Malchow says the final decisions will eventually depend on the History Department's evaluation of what is most important in replacing the old guard. "Take Howard Solomon," who retired last year, he said. "Which of what he taught is more valuable to us, early modern France or gender and sexuality? If gender and sexuality is more important, then we can be more flexible about the region." The retirement of so many professors has interfered with ongoing plans to reconsider the curriculum in the past five years. At the same time, however, it has been an opportunity for growth, Malchow said. "It opens up a lot of questions. Sometimes you miss new blood, and this will be a 'greening' of the History Department." The department also wants to use the transition time as a jumping-off point to garner more student interest in the history major. Gill, who was named Massachusetts Professor of the Year twice in the past five years, is spearheading an effort to revive the history society as well as advise students on what they can do with the major. "Students have this impression that you can only go on and teach or go to law school," he said. Gill would like to start a series of career workshops in conjunction with Career Services to inform students about careers in history.

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