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Rams to start rebuilding

October 10

Though the season has yet to hit the half way mark, week five began to clear the picture on which teams have hopes of competing for playoff spots and which teams can already start focusing on rebuilding. Surprisingly, the now 0-5 St. Louis Rams fall into the rebuilding category this season. After losing their quarterback for 8-10 weeks with a broken finger in week 4, the story only got worse for the Rams. While many predicted the Rams to be Superbowl contenders this season, hindsight now proves how little the Rams did in the off season to address their now exposed problems. To begin, the offensive line has some major holes in it that were left unaccounted for by the Rams draft picks. How bad has the line been so far this season? Well last Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, it only cleared enough holes for Marshall Faulk to gain 73 yards. The Rams once prolific offense has little to brag about this season and now must focus on a new talent search. Speaking of teams in rebuilding years, after weeks one and two in the NFL, it seemed as if the Baltimore Ravens were headed into this category as well. After it lost to both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers, the salary cap problems seemed to have forced this team out of contention. Don't count the Ravens out yet though. After taking a week three bye, the team has found new energy, and it embarrassed the Denver Broncos in the Monday night spotlight an won against the Cleveland Browns this past week. The Baltimore offense seems to have found its niche, as it scored 26 points against Cleveland and 31 against Denver. This time, it's a different Lewis leading the Ravens show. Jamal Lewis ran for 186 yards with a key 75 yard run helping to set up a Matt Stover field goal that could have made the difference in the game. Though the Ravens are on a 2-0 run, they haven't proven themselves as true contenders yet either. While the offense has made great strides, the Ravens have shut down late in the game both offensively and defensively lately, allowing their opponents back in to challenge their victory despite building large initial leads. If you're looking for a team that has been solid this season, look no further than the Oakland Raiders. The NFL's only undefeated team, the Raiders will most likely move to 5-0 this weekend as they face off against the Rams. Much of the Raiders strong start can be credited to their offense, as they assaulted the Buffalo Bills on Sunday when they put 49 points up on the board. Rich Gannon led the offense throwing for 357 yards, but Charlie Garner deserves much of the credit as well. Amassing 334 rushing yards on the season with his 94 against the Bills, Garner has helped solidify Oakland's offensive attack which now averages 40.9 points per game. It's been quite a start for head coach Bill Callahan who has wiped away any questions about whether he would be able to fill John Gruden's shoes. As long as injuries don't affect this team, which is a strong possibility considering Oakland's veteran core, the Raiders are on pace to steam roll over the NFL. Looking south, the New Orleans Saints seem to have pieced together a talented team as well for this 2002 season. Sitting atop the NFC South, the Saints have rolled their way into a 4-1 record and have shown off quite an offense while doing so. The loss of Ricky Williams doesn't seem to have hurt this team as second year running back Duece McAllister has done his job well for the Saints. Rushing for 123 yards on Sunday, the McAllister-Brooks tandem made a mockery of the once revered Pittsburgh Steelers' defense. With their third loss of the season, the Steelers too may as well join the Rams as Superbowl favorites who are now on the rebuilding path. The Good Steve Spurrier has found the silver lining in the grey cloud that is the Redskins offense. After leading the Redskins to a dismal 1-2 start, Spurrier started back up quarterback Danny Wurffel for the Washington Redskins on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. Spurier soon realized his mistake and turned to third string quarterback rookie Patrick Ramsey, making perhaps his best decision of the season. Ramsey threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns as he led the Redskins to a 17 point victory. Is Ramsey the future of the Redskins? It's too early to jump to conclusions, but Ramsey has earned himself at least an NFL start next week. The Bad For the first time this season, Tom Brady lost his presence in the red-zone. During the New England Patriots match-up against the Miami Dolphins, Brady threw for no touchdown passes and two interceptions while in scoring territory, a feat that led to the Pats first loss of the season. >The Ugly The New York Jets whose defense allow an average of 419 yards per game now sitting at 1-4. So much for building off of last year's wild card success.

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News

Trinity a must-win for field hockey this week

October 10

This weekend, the field hockey team will go head-to-head with the Bantams of Trinity. This game is a must-win for Tufts in order to go into the final third of the season confident of a post-season playoff birth. "We have to beat Trinity this weekend," coach Carol Rappoli said. "That will pretty much guarantee us a spot in the playoffs." The Bantams (1-7, 1-4) are having a dismal season thus far, recording their first win last weekend against NESCAC competitors Conn. College (1-7, 0-4). Despite the fact that Trinity appears to be a beatable team, it should provide the Jumbos with a number of obstacles that will stand in the way of a win. One of the most visible challenges will be the playing surface. Directly before Saturday's game, Trinity will be dedicating its new Robin L. Sheppard Field, which is artificial turf. In response to the change of venue, the Jumbos have been holding indoor practices this week, in order to be better prepared for the changes the turf will bring to the game. Momentum of a game can easily make the difference between a winning team and a losing team and as far as this weekend goes, it is Trinity who has the upper hand. The Bantams will be riding a wave of enthusiasm, coming from last weekends charged overtime win as well as the dedication of the new field. "Trinity is coming off of their first NESCAC win this week. They are going to be emotional and I think they will prove to be a tough opponent," Rappoli said. The Jumbos are coming off their fourth straight loss of the season to Bowdoin last weekend, and are in the midst of a shooting dry spell. The team's last goal was notched in a 1-0 victory over Conn. College on Sept. 21. Defensively, the team has been able to shut down the opposing offense, gaining 1-0 victories.It is impossible,however, to win games when the ball hasn't found the back of the net. "The scores are a reflection of opportunities missed, so we have just kept working on it," Rappoli said. The Jumbos aren't allowing their past four outings to bring them down, however. "We are leaving those games behind us," senior tri-captain Laura Hacker said. "We are taking what we can from them to improve on and really just trying to pick up the intensity." In order to account for the recent slump, Rappoli has shifted around the lineup in order to change things up. Also, the Jumbos have been pushing themselves in practice, behind the leadership of senior tri-captains, Dana Chivvis, Ursula Stahl, and Hacker. "All of the captains have really been stepping it up and our practices have been really good this week," Rappoli said. "We had a day off yesterday and I know we're going to be ready to have a good weekend." Trinity's biggest challenge to the offense is going to come from their goaltender, junior Gwen Gillespie, who leads the NESCAC in saves with 9.63 saves per game. The Jumbos scoring woes will not be made any easier. Also a threat will be junior forward Kristen Grabowski who is the leading Bantam scorer, and just won NESCAC player of the week for her game-saving goal against Conn. College. The Jumbos are confident in their abilities however, and are ready to beat this team. "We have all the skills needed," Hacker said. "Now that we have picked up our intensity, we are going to go out and play well." The top six teams in the NESCAC conference earn the right to continue into the post season. Right now, Tufts is seated at a shaky sixth-place ranking. The battle for fifth sixth and seventh place is a close one, with Bates (3-2) holding onto fifth by a half game. The Jumbos are right on the Wildcats toes, holding their own with a 2-2 record in NESCAC play. Colby, however, cannot be counted out of the race either, giving the Jumbos no room to breathe with a 2-3 record. Tufts will not have an easy time maintaining or improving its position. After the Trinity game, the Jumbos will go on to face three of the more challenging teams in their league. First will come Wesleyan, (3-1), a team that is fourth place in the league, but only because there is a three-way tie for first. Next, Tufts will take on both Middlebury (4-1) and defending champion Williams (4-1). Both of these teams are tied for first place along with Bowdoin. The difficulty in the schedule is one more reason why the Jumbos are in a must win situation in order to keep a foot in the door for a post-season. "We are a skilled team and we've picked up our intensity," Hacker said. "So we are ready for a big game this weekend."

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News

Pre-schoolers get a jumpstart on education through AmeriCorps program

October 10

The lights are off. Desks are arranged in a circular formation and a giant sheet drapes over furniture as a tent. Beneath the canopy, the children tightly grip their flashlights, attentive to their leader. They are captivated by the ghost story he reads aloud. To an outside observer, the scene looks more like a campsite than a classroom. Through Jumpstart, an AmeriCorps program, Tufts students get the chance to use such innovative teaching methods. Participants pair up with three to five year old children, to help them, one-on-one, develop language, literacy, and social skills. The volunteers also work with the children's families to form strategies for the children's development and encourage them to play an active role in the children's education. While working for Jumpstart, senior Anabella Nieves set up the "campsite" described above. Since young children are easily distracted by toys and less fascinated with books and study, Nieves and the other college students tried to make the learning itself an imaginative game. As desired, the game quickly increased the children's interest in reading. "They actually paid attention for 56 minutes," Nieves said. "To see three to five year olds sit there and listen to a book was amazing." On Sept. 11, 2002 Jumpstart members were featured on MTV as examples of the increased kindness and generosity that students have displayed toward others since the terrorist attacks of last year. MTV showed footage of Jumpstart sites from New York and Boston, including clips where Tufts students were shown working with their students. As the MTV special suggested, Tufts participants in Jumpstart also find personal satisfaction and enrichment in changing the lives of other people. "To leave the bubble of Tufts and make an impact on the community, and to feel like you're a part of that community, is a great feeling," Nieves said. This year, 50 students will serve as Jumpstart Tufts Corps volunteers, joining more than 1,500 college students from 50 different colleges and universities across the country. Every week, eight Jumpstart members meet twice a week for two hours with eight three to five-year-old partners to practice various skills. Members also participate in their children's classroom on a weekly basis and attend additional Future Teachers team meetings to discuss the group sessions, train, and plan. Formed in 1993, Jumpstart was two college students' answer to the problem of school failure that stemmed from many students initial lack of basic communication, language, and literacy skills upon kindergarten entry. A 1993 study by the Michigan-based High Scope Foundation showed that 50 percent of children from low-income communities started first grade up to two years behind their peers in pre-school skills. Often compared to Head Start, a national program providing numerous developmental services for low-income, pre-school aged children, Jumpstart offers the additional support of a one-on-one relationship. This type of program enables highly-trained college students to provide pre-school age children with resources necessary for school success: literacy skills, family involvement, and personal interaction with a mentor. Jumpstart focuses on urban and low to middle-income children, whose teachers have identified them as needing extra help. The Jumpstart program prepares its members for service through extensive training that covers teaching methods and child development. These training sessions are meant to provide the basics and best practices of early childhood development and focus on active learning, adult-child interactions, public presentation and community understanding. The program begins with an intensive weekend of training; another training weekend occurs in the winter. Many members intend to be teachers or are child development majors. These students learn essential information and get hands-on practice in the teaching field. Moreover, all members get the chance to form close bonds with children and significantly help them develop. "It almost seemed like more of an educational experience for me than it was for them," senior Matthew Bennett said. Results have shown that Jumpstart is effective in helping children to succeed. The Jumpstart pamphlet indicated that while Jumpstart students were behind regular students at the beginning of the year, by the end of the year they are likely to catch up or even surpass their peers. For the college mentors, watching this progress is extremely rewarding. "It's cool to see a kid who lacks confidence come out of his shell," senior Michael Plunkett said. Tufts Jumpstart recently partnered with the University College of Citizenship and Public Service, and will promote the college's goals to create effective community leaders. Like the UCCPS, Tufts Jumpstart will support Chinatown by placing some members in a Head Start program in that community. "It's one of the best things I've done at Tufts," Nieves said. "It's beyond being in a classroom. You're actually changing people's lives and making an impact."

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News

Three undefeated teams remain in NESCAC

October 10

Heading into the fourth weekend of NESCAC football, three teams are tied for first place in the division _ the undefeated Lord Jeffs of Amherst, the Jumbos, and the Williams Ephs. There were a number of highlights in football action in the division last week. Colby ran all over Wesleyan last Saturday, as Aaron Stepka led the nation in Div. III with 217 yards on the ground. Stepka, Colby's sophomore half back helped Colby hand Wesleyan its first defeat of the season 27-19. Amherst's timely defense helped secure their team's nail-biting 17-10 victory over Middlebury. Senior free safety Jeremy Carroll was the dominant force in the game making seven solo tackles and picking off two Middlebury passes in the third quarter alone. Bowdoin, Bates and Hamilton are trying to figure out ways to climb out of the NESCAC cellar, as each team is winless in their first three contests. In soccer, Trinity has Morgan Sandell to thank for its victories against Johnson and Wales and Connecticut College this past week. Sandell played a part in three of the seven goals his club scored, putting in two goals and assisting on another as Trinity annihilated Johnson and Wales 7-1. Sandell also was instrumental in a tighter contest, as he assisted on both of Trinities goals in its 2-1 defeat of Connecticut College. Bowdoin, Wesleyan and Williams continue to top the NESCAC as the three schools remained tied for first each with 4-1 records in the NESCAC. Wesleyan has also toppled its out of conference opponents going 4-0 outside the NESCAC. Connecticut College remains 0-4 as they try to figure out how to put one in the W column. For women's teams, there is little doubt about what was the week's most impressive performance. The Jumbos entire defense was the MVP of the NESCAC as they upset Bowdoin, the number two team in New England and number thirteen in the nation. The Jumbos held Bowdoin to only five shots the entire game. Jumbo Cara Glassanoss earned NESCAC player of the week honors as she, in addition to spearheading the stellar defense, provided Tufts with a header goal four minutes into overtime that clinched the upset win for the team. Williams holds on to a half game lead over Tufts and Bowdoin in the division standings, as the Ephs have compiled an impressive 4-1 NESCAC record while Tufts and Bowdoin are each at 3-1. Wesleyan is the only NESCAC team yet to break into the win column as they have gone 0-3 thus far. In volleyball, Eliza Allen of Wesleyan dominated her school's Wesleyan Invitational, mounting 93 attacks in the ten tournaments with only ten errors. Amherst, Colby, and Bates are all 3-0 in NESCAC play leading the conference. Amherst holds the best overall record with a 10-1 mark. Hamilton College is the only team to remain winless overall going 0-4 in their only four contests, all of which were in conference matches. Trinity almost pulled off a phenomenal upset this weekend in field hockey. As it stands, it will have to settle for a 1-1 week with a 2-1 defeat to nationally ranked Springfield. Kristen Grabowski of Trinity earned player of the week honors in the NESCAC as she scored the goal to tie up their contest with Connecticut College at 1-1. The momentum of the goal carried Trinity into overtime as it defeated Connecticut College 2-1. Grabowski also scored the game-tying goal against Springfield as they suffered a 2-1 defeat. The contest did however go into penalty strokes. Bowdoin, Middlebury and Williams remained knotted at 4-1 a piece to top the NESCAC. At the bottom of the conference lay Connecticut College and the Lord Jeffs of Amherst both are winless in their first four games.

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News

No plans yet for music building's construction

October 10

The administration has yet to make any concrete plans for the construction of the new music building, a project that has been in the works for about three years. No exact dates or detailed plans for construction have been set, according to Vice President of Operations John Roberto, because the University still has not raised the $13 million it needs to break ground. A recent $2 million gift from Stephen Distler (LA '74) and his wife Roxanne Kendall (LA '75) brought the total funding for the project to $10.5 million. The planning process for the new music facility began in 1999, when an anonymous donor gave $4 million towards the project. Since then, the project's expected price tag has spiraled from $8 million to $20 million. Even if the groundbreaking for the music facility occurs sooner than expected, few current Tufts students will likely be here to see the building's completion. In comparison, the construction of Dowling Hall, a $14 million project that began in December 1998, was completed in the spring of 2000. An unusually harsh winter between 1999 and 2000 caused a short delay in opening the building. One indication of the where University is in the planning process is the level of staffing in the administrative area of construction. The position of Director of Construction, for example, is vacant after the previous director left to pursue other career options. The number of staff members in the construction division fluctuates according to the University's need, Roberto said. As there is little construction work going on at the moment, personnel needs are low. "As projects advance, we assess our staffing level," Roberto said, and add employees as needed. "In the past, we have not had a problem being adequately staffed." Construction on the music building also has the potential to disrupt traffic on the corner of Professors Row and Packard Ave., but the University has yet to make any plans to alter traffic and parking patterns. "Every time you have a major project, there are always issues with access to the site and disruption caused by the actual construction activity," Roberto said. Such concerns are usually addressed closer to the actual construction period, according to John King, the director of public and environmental safety. "We will try to minimize any inconvenience from a parking standpoint and also for traffic up and down the street," he said. Tufts has previous experience in maintaining infrastructures during construction. The University once opened four major buildings in one year with minimal impact to students, Roberto said. In Cambridge, MIT has recently completed two major construction projects _ a new dormitory and fitness center _ as part of a $1 billion campus facelift. In order to coordinate these projects, MIT. "created a new area within the department of facilities called the Capital Projects Group," said Ruth Davis, the manager of communications for the university's department of facilities. The construction projects at MIT did create problems and disrupt community life, Davis said, but the university dealt with these issues in innovative ways. For instance, the university created a website to communicate construction progress to the university and surrounding communities. These same updates were printed in both the student newspaper and official university publications, and posted on signs around campus. "People were inconvenienced, but they [didn't] mind as long as they knew what was going to happen," Davis said. MIT also hired an outside consultant to create a "major traffic plan for automobile and pedestrian traffic so that everything was done in an organized fashion," Davis said. Planning for such projects can take up to two years before ground is broken, she said. Tufts has no such plans in place for the construction of the new music building, but administrators believe that it is too early to begin detailed preparation. From a construction point of view, there is currently "not much happening," Roberto said.

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News

Tufts gears up for toughest challenge yet

October 10

The Tufts football team travels to Hartford, CT this Saturday to play the Trinity College Bantams in what will certainly be its most competitive contest thus far. Tufts has leapt out to a 3-0 start, scoring 91 points behind an aggressive and clock controlling running game led by senior halfback Chuck McGraw, and a steady air attack anchored by senior quarterback Scott Treacy. The Jumbo defense, however, has been the bigger story. The unit has yielded only 13 points this season, and has intercepted 11 passes. Yet Tufts' three victories have come against teams with a combined 0-9 mark, and Trinity possesses one of the league's strongest offenses. "Trinity is a good team," coach Bill Samko said. "They present numerous problems for us. They're good on defense and on offense they have a lot of weapons." The weapons of whom Samko speaks begin with the Bantam's senior quarterback Greg Ward. Ward is a 6'5," 240 lb star, who last year boasted a 102 efficiency rating and averaged 205 passing yards per game, good enough for a Second team All-NESCAC selection. Ward's favorite target is Joe Wahl, who last year caught 43 balls and was the team's offensive MVP. In the backfield, Trinity relies on a two-headed monster, senior Brian Fabrizio and junior Tom Pierandri. "The quarterback has a lot of talent," Samko said." Those two backs are terrific, they both run well." If this year's game against the Bantams is anything like last year's, Tufts is in for a fight. In one of their most thrilling games of the season, the Jumbos held a tenuous 9-7 advantage for the entire second half. With time winding down in the fourth quarter and the Bantams marching down on the field on what would have been a game-winning drive, defensive end Reid Palmer dropped back into pass coverage and intercepted an errant Ward pass to seal the victory. The Jumbos' problem thus far, this season, has been consistency. Often after jumping out to big leads, Tufts has looked out of sync and sloppy. Samko believes the keys to victory against Trinity are establishing a running game and winning the turnover battle. "I'm always worried about turnovers," Samko said. "Obviously they're a part of the game. A lot of what we've talked about has been protecting the ball. If we lose the turnover battle this week, we'll lose the game. I'm sure about that." Another minor concern for the Jumbos might be the status of defensive lineman Caleb Hudak, the team's second leading tackler, who left the team's last game, against Bowdoin, after a collision with teammate Gaetan Kashala and was hobbling on crutches afterwards. Samko, however, expects his team to be at full strength. "Caleb is fine," Samko said. "We're counting on him being in there and ready to go." Do not expect Tufts to attack too much in the air on Saturday, as the Jumbos will stick with their pounding running game. "We run to set up the pass," Samko said. "We have a strength at O-line and Chuck McGraw is a very good running back. I'm a big believer that you can't win if you don't run. Very few teams win by throwing. If we establish the running game, keep our defense off the field, and keep our turnovers down, I like our chances."

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News

Housing crunch still looking for short-term answers

October 10

Despite concrete plans for a new residence hall, the on-campus housing shortage has many administrators at a loss on what kind of solution the problem requires. When an additional 130 rising seniors requested on-campus housing last year compared with the year before, limited housing space and low lottery numbers sent many rising juniors, who choose on-campus housing last, into a frantic search for off-campus living. But the time students from other classes had chosen their rooms, only 70 were left for a junior class of approximately 1,200. In addition, an estimated 20 freshman did not receive housing in the lottery, although they were later given housing after the Office of Residential Life and Learning (ResLife) found space for them. Officials predict a similar situation to arise this year. "I don't have any reason to expect this year's experience will be much different than last year's," Dean of Students Bruce Reitman said. "We do not have a new building online, and the class size is about the same." There are tentative plans for a new dorm on Talbot Avenue with approximately 150 beds, about the same size as Bush and Hodgdon. The University will begin construction next spring and the dorm should be finished by the fall of 2004. But even with a new dorm built, there's no consensus on whether it will make a difference. Former Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senator Jesse Levey (LA '02) made a presentation to the Board of Trustees last May to highlight the lack of improvement in Tufts' housing. The new dorm, according to Levey, does not even begin to attack the housing problem. "The University is unwilling spend the money on the 300-350 bed facility that would be needed to a make a dent," he said. The University does not refute Levey's theory but lacks the space and the funds to build a bigger dorm. "If we could have built something larger, we would," Reitman said. "There's no [space] left on campus compared to our last project, which was South Hall." The planned dorm "will not meet the housing demand," Reitman said, but the University has limited resources. "[We] would love to see more done," he said. With the new dorm still at least two years away, ResLife has also looked into other options for helping students deal with the housing crunch, including a survey of the junior class to determine how heavy the housing demand will be in the spring. In the short term, changes to the lottery system are the best option, according to the Trustee Representative for the TCU Senate, senior Raji Iyer. "We need a short-term solution, and that's getting the lottery numbers out earlier," Iyer said. Iyer, along with the TCU Student-Facility Committee, is trying to advance the distribution of lottery numbers from March to December so juniors have time to look for off-campus housing. While the Dean of Students' Office and ResLife are looking into the process, a final decision will not be made for several weeks. ResLife came under fire last year for not following through on its plan to release the numbers early. This year, ResLife and the Office of Student Services say they are receptive to the current plan for earlier lottery release, although there are still several uncertainties. Lottery numbers have traditionally been handed out in the spring, when enrollment is reasonably certain for the upcoming semester. Numbers released earlier would be based on what Reitman calls an estimate of enrollment, and would therefore be less precise. As transfer students are enrolled, they would receive randomly-generated numbers from those numbers remaining. This makes a large difference _ especially for rising juniors, whose housing options are limited. "The junior year is very popular for students to take leaves of absences and for transfers, which we've seen an increase in," Reitman said. Approximately 400 students enter or leave the junior class after the fall term. Figures like these worry Associate Housing Director Lorraine Toppi who is concerned with what effect these changes would have on lottery numbers if they were to be issued earlier. "The earlier numbers are issued, the more we will have to go in and make changes manually," Toppi said. "Once the kids start thinking that you're changing someone's lottery number, you have people who start to say 'whoa _ that's not fair,'" she said. There are also fears of mass confusion among freshmen, who would be issued numbers just three months after arriving at Tufts for the next year. "[Freshmen] are barely settled as it is," Toppi said. "They don't know what lottery system is. They start panicking." Lottery numbers have traditionally been accompanied by literature from ResLife detailing dorm options and explaining the lottery system. Although there is considerable debate about what actions Tufts should take in the short-term to alleviate the housing crunch, there is agreement about where the school should ultimately be headed _ providing on-campus housing for everyone who wants it. The University hopes to one day accomplish this, Reitman said. "I would like to meet demand for all students who want to live on campus, but I don't want to sacrifice any flexibility because there are students who want to live off-campus." For students like freshman Ellen Kasson, who was placed in a forced triple her first year, long-term goals are not the primary concern. "I feel like I've been cheated," she said. "I don't know what is going to happen next year."

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News

Ah, the joy of ruined hearing

October 10

At the entrance to Dewick-MacPhie, around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday night: "Hey, that was a great show!" "WHAT?" "I SAID, 'GREAT SHOW'!" "WHAT?" "Ugh, never mind." All right, so this conversation didn't actually happen per se, but I am sure the general experience was there for most people _ or those dumb enough to go without earplugs. That's right, guilty as charged. Both The Aaron Katz Band and Virginia Coalition played 90-minute sets, and while assuredly not a huge deal for them, it added up to a solid three hours of rock. Aaron Katz and company took to the stage right around 9:30 p.m., and didn't leave until the audience was well worn out. The five-piece band mainly played music off Simplest Warrior, the band's first and only album; deftly combining the live, spontaneous feeling of a true jam band with a throbbing bass line. They also delved into a few new songs, which received hearty responses even from the as-yet sparse crowd. While one Concert Board member said the event had sold close to capacity, the real crowds waited until a bit later to make their appearance. At 9:15 p.m., the number of Concert Board members outweighed the number of paying attendees. Many sat along the walls while The Aaron Katz Band played, bopping their heads but not really joining in the festivities. Despite all that, the crowd thickened throughout the set, possibly won over by Aaron Katz's smooth, catchy voice and the band's killer riffs. "We had a lot of fun tonight," said Aaron Katz after the show. "I thought the song we opened with, 'In Between the Waves,' went over well, and I felt as though we went over a lot of new material. It was a new crowd, and I think we connected." I managed to catch up with him in the band's motor home, which will soon carry them across the country on their first nationwide tour. After a half hour break (no, the ringing in my ears did NOT stop), Virginia Coalition took the stage. Like the Pied Piper of Hamlin, VACO managed to draw everyone, even the late-comers and malingers, up to the verge of the stage. Several Jumbo VACO fans kept yelling song requests up to the band, and to their credit, the singers chose to play as many as they could. Bassist Jarrett Nicolay had noted that VACO doesn't really do set lists, which made their show easily tailored to the mood of the Tufts crowd. Andrew Thunder and Steve Dawson switched off on lead vocals, at the same time maintaining a strong repartee with the crowd. At one point, Thunder demanded "your best Boston 'Yee Haw'" from the crowd. Of course, he got just what he asked for. Though somewhat subdued at first, Thunder and Dawson cajoled the crowd into a veritable frenzy, until there was nary a space left to find your own groove. "I thought Virginia Coalition was awesome," sophomore Heather Decker said. "They had so much energy and were just banging on drums left and right." By far the most noticeable trait of VACO is their vocals. The Thunder-Dawson duo make for quite the effect. Thunder's smooth baritone and Dawson's slightly nasal vocals (think Mark Hoppus, of Blink 182, without the whine) combine perfectly. I can't put my finger on it, but they harmonize beautifully. There was a good match up this year: The Aaron Katz Band to get the audience warmed up and excited, then Virginia Coalition to really get them rockin' and rollin'. And just think, if you went to the Fall Rock Show, you got to save the ten bucks more it would cost to go see them at the Paradise or the Middle East, and instead have part of your exorbitant tuition go towards hiring some quality musical acts.

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News

Task Force open forum signals change

October 10

Possible changes to the liberal arts curriculum were the primary topic of discussion Wednesday night as The Task Force on the Undergraduate Experience held an open forum in Hotung Caf?©. The forum prompted student discussion on campus issues from course requirements and faculty retention to the quality of advising and professor-student relations. An engaged group of more than 40 students expressed various concerns before the Task Force, which was represented by co-chairs Dean of Students Bruce Reitman, Dean of the Colleges Charles Inouye, Professor Chair Gilbert Metcalf, as well as a number of students on the Student Advisory Committee. Students spoke mostly about issues concerning the Liberal Arts curriculum requirements, which are among the most rigorous of private colleges. "If we are really educating world leaders, why don't we even have control over our courses due to so many course requirements?" one student asked. Another student suggested that, "rather than having to take a class where someone can get an easy 'A' to fill a requirement, students should be able to explore their areas of interest and the options of their education." Though the present faculty stressed the importance of course requirements in well-rounded education, many students expressed concerns that the curriculum requirements are too hard to fulfill if a student wants to take interesting courses not on the required courses list. A balanced education, the co-chairs said, must incorporate students' needs for free choice in their study program. They also emphasized the difficulty in changing requirements because of the faculty committee structure that controls them. The need for a unified student body was also discussed at the forum. "We need one feeling of 'this is who I am,'" said one student. "That's what pulls everything together." Students and professors agreed that a stronger sense of community could help motivate alumni to make more gifts to the University and increase students' overall satisfaction. "It's our responsibility to define what a Tufts student is," another contributor said. A suggestion to open student access to all campus dorms seemed widely accepted by the forum attendees as a strategy to foster student communication and friendships. The declining faculty retention rate, an obstacle facing many seniors in need of professor recommendations for graduate school and internships, was brought before the forum. "We are interviewing every faculty [member] that left in the past five years" to try to improve the retention rate, Metcalf explained in his description of the massive study. Reaction to the forum was predominantly positive. Students like Jesse Mulherin, thought the most important issue was eliminating the sense of separation at Tufts. Mulherin said he thought the open forum was "surprisingly good." This sentiment was reflected by many of the attending students, some of whom had come to Hotung for other reasons and joined the discussion after overhearing it. After opening statements by Metcalf, the number of students engaged in the forum grew larger, even "outlasting the free pizza," one professor joked. One of the most important outcomes of the open forum, according to Reitman, is that students and faculty are on the same page. Metcalf said the mutual sharing of concern almost across the board was "remarkable." The goal of the Task Force, which was initiated by President Larry Bacow, when he first arrived at the school, is to have a final set of recommendations about student life. The report ideally will have the broad backing of students, faculty and staff, and be submitted to the president by the end of the year. Although the group cannot directly influence change in all areas, it is expected to influence future changes in University policy.

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News

The new BK

October 10

Ben Kweller's voice has a raspy quality to it that exudes excitement. When he speaks, regardless of the topic, he seems terribly enthusiastic as if he is sharing an amazing secret. Then again, what red-blooded American youth wouldn't be exited in his shoes? The Greenville, TX native recently finished a tour that began at the Reading festival in England and ended in Japan. Additionally, he has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. In November will begin touring in November with the "it" band of the moment, the Strokes. While one might worry that this would all be two much for the young man it is important to know that Kweller is no stranger to the limelight Having begun his musical career in high school. The Daily was able to catch up with Kweller and discover how much there is to this man. >TD: Can you give your life story in fifty words or less? BK: Wow, fifty words, umm ok. I'm going to have to use my fingers. My life story is I grew up in small town. I started playing drums at seven, piano at eight. I wrote my first song on the piano at eight. I was about loving girls because that's what the Beatles wrote about. I got my first electric guitar a t 11, and then Nirvana came out and changed my life. At 15 my band, Radish, got signed and I got to tour around the world. I slept on floors I got to see lots of amazing things. I got to see the Eiffel Tower is person instead of a textbook. And when it wall over I came back here. The once I made an album by myself on my computer and I looked around and I realized I was the only one in the room so I called it "Ben Kweller" then my label brought me ought here. (New York) Somewhere along the line I fell in love with Liz Smith, and we live together in Brooklyn. He then begins describing his great love of the Violent Femmes: 'I'm looking at their pictures and stuff now, they just came out with this anniversary album and there are all these great pictures and stuff." TD: Who are your musical influences? BK: Starting with the Violent Femmes like I said, the Beatles. Nirvana, Bob Dylan, Neil Young [pauses] yeah definitely the Violent Femmes, Beatles, Nirvana, Bob Dylan and Neil Young. They're really what shaped my music. TD: What is in your CD player right now? BK: The Violent Femmes first album, I've been listening to it forever. TD: What would you do if you weren't doing this? BK: I'd be a fishing tour guide, showing people how to catch bass. Or I'd own a baseball card shop here in Brooklyn (laughs). I'd just want something low-responsibility and low-hassle. TD: If you were a tree what kind of tree would you be and why? BK: I'd be a bonsai then because I'd be little, but then I'd start to grow in weird directions. Then people would have to trim me or I'd grow weird. Or I'd be a bamboo tree and grow straight up... something Asian. TD: Well you certainly had unusual adolescence with the touring and all, what was high school like for you _ off tour? BK: Basically we toured around Dallas a lot. By my sophomore year I was doing this home school program with my mom. She would teach me and we would send my grades to a school in Maryland, and then they would send them back. But the touring got so extensive that I ended up just getting my GED. I don't know, I may go to college one day TD: Do you know where you would like to go [to college] if you could? BK: It's so not anything I've thought about. It takes so much research and stuff and right the most important thing is my music. I could to a college here in Brooklyn or the city. I would probably study history or something. Something not music related at all TD: What's your favorite color? BK: I always have two colors. For me it's not just one color, it's the way two colors react together. Right now it's hot pink and black or pink and red. Maybe it's pink since it keeps popping up. But I really like the way colors react together so they kind of clash _but they don't and it looks cool. Like white and off white or pink and red. What I really like is turquoise and blue. >TD: Now for the Glen Phillips challenge: Can you compose a haiku about your creative process? BK: Oh those are the one that are five-seven-five right? Crazy love this that Happens Naturally Crazy love hey punk rock [Laughs] I hope that was ok. Ben Kweller will be headlining at the Paradise nightclub on Nov. 1

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News

Women face stiff competition at Franklin Park

October 9

After a weekend off from competitive racing, the women's cross-country team will throw itself into an intense setting this weekend at the All-New England Championships at Franklin Park. The event plays host to a smattering of 43 squads from around New England and throughout Division I, II, and III athletics. "It's too big an event for us to be competitive with the other teams, there are so many runners it's almost impossible to spot and pick out the teams," coach Kristen Morwick said. "But it is a nice, fast course and it'll be a great opportunity to see all these teams that we'll be competing against in the post-season all on the same course on the same day." In lieu of a meet last weekend, the women's team paired up with the men's team to participate in a competitive but friendly co-ed relay this past weekend. The event was held at Franklin Park, giving both teams a preview of the course they will be tackling Saturday. The set up of the course is a mile loop that is traversed three times in order to amass the 5K distance of a usual cross-country race. In their exercise, the men and women were paired off,and within each pair a total of seven one-mile loops was run. First the male ran two loops, then switched with his paired female who ran one loop. The male then ran one loop, followed by the female running one, and this was repeated one more time to total seven. The workout was an attempt to provide an intense practice in a fun way and promote team bonding while also familiarizing the runners with the course. The focus this weekend will shift as many of the NESCAC teams the Jumbos have not yet faced in competition descend upon Franklin Park. Though a hopeful aim is to place within the top ten among Division III teams attending the event, a more immediate goal is to simply see how the other NESCAC teams race. "Every New England team will be there," senior Danielle Perrin said. "So obviously it won't be realistic to place in the top few spots. We'll be able to look at other Division III teams, it'll be the first time we get to look at some of them." Some of the teams will be familiar NESCAC foes who defeated the Jumbos earlier in the season. Wesleyan and Amherst finished a handful of points ahead of Tufts two weeks ago at the Jumbo Invitational, putting them on a list of teams the Jumbos look to keep in their sights. Other teams yet unseen by the Jumbos are Trinity College and Connecticut College. Both schools should provide stiff competition to Tufts. Connecticut College's team dynamic is hard to pin down with six runners lost to graduation and two new runners in their top five. "This weekend is a good chance for our top seven to run some fast times," Perrin said. "We've been up against some tough teams on some hard courses in the beginning part of this season, so being able to run on a fast course will be encouraging. We can do really well, pick off some people who we haven't beaten yet." Though the race may not provide a meet in which the team's final placement is paramount, it will still play an integral role in determining how the post-season will plays out. The top seven, who comprise the varsity squad, have not been secured and will not be until the end of the season. That decision will be a tough one, as there is much mobility within the pack. There are at least nine people in the running for the seven slots. "A good sign is that the top seven is never the same, there are many people who can step up and fill in those spots," Perrin said. "We have a lot of good people who just need to have a good race on the same day," Much of the decision will be made based upon runner's performances in races such as the All-New-England Championship, as well as the health of each individual. The team has been setback by a few injuries, but is looking to the depth in the pack to compensate for that. This has already occurred in some recent races, with freshman Becca Ades and senior co-captain Mary Nodine filling in at the Jumbo Invitational. Senior Heidi Tyson has also shown vast improvement, and if seniors Kristen Munson and Ashley Peterson can remain healthy, they can make key contributions to a strong pack. The Jumbos are hopeful that by the end of the season the team will be at full potential as individuals work through injuries and remain healthy. "It'll be interesting in the coming weeks because the pack changes every week," Morwick said. "If the right people step up then we have a strong top five. And we need that solid five, you can't win if you depend on one or two runners.

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News

Golf team finishes well at ECACs

October 9

With the Jumbo's fifth place finish out of 18 teams in the ECAC Championships last weekend, the Tufts team has secured a place in the upper tier of NESCAC golf competition. Before this surprising performance the team had never qualified for the ECAC tournament. In the previous week at the NESCAC Championships, Williams narrowly beat out Tufts for second place, dropping Tufts to third overall. The team carried its momentum from its strong performance at NESCACs into the ECAC tournament last weekend. Tufts managed to secure the top spot out of all New England teams at the ECAC tournament, and only missed the top four by a narrow two shots. Unfortunately for the Jumbos, junior Brad Hawes mysteriously lost his ball on the 18th hole. "It cost us two strokes," Sheldon said. "We looked around, he thought he hit it right at [senior co-captain Dan] Kramer, [freshman Dan] Weinbeck, and [senior Arun] Lamba but we didn't hear it drop. It was weird. Brad thought it was right there." If not for this mishap, Tufts could have placed fourth last weekend. The team scored a 322 on the first day and a 317 on the second in more favorable conditions. "As a team, we were pretty happy, especially with day two," Kramer said. "It was a little bit less windy on the second day. The course was very difficult." The team's improvement on the second day of the tournament was especially sweet, following its setback on the second day at the NESCAC Championships the previous week. "It was nice because NESCACs went the other way," Sheldon said. "Right now we are one of the top three teams in New England. The New England Championships will be a big tournament for us." The winning scores of 619 at the ECACs by Skidmore, as compared with a 613 winning score of Middlebury at the NESCAC Championship may reflect a difference in the difficulty of the course. Senior co-captain Elliot Barr once again led a well-rounded Tufts performance with a 155 over two days, placing sixth individually. Hawes shot a 157 and placed 12th. In an impressive performance, Lamba shot 160 to place 18th overall. Both Weinbeck and Kramer shot 170. Tufts recent success has been due in large part to the play of Lamba. His consistent play was instrumental in Tufts high placement at the ECAC Championships. "Arun has been playing really well lately," Sheldon said. The team now looks forward to the New England Championships, the biggest golf tournament of the year. It includes fifty teams from all three divisions. The results are both overall and also divisional, which gives Tufts a unique opportunity to compare itself to more high-powered golf programs. "It'll be nice to see the big boys," Sheldon said. If Tufts performs well, it can look forward to the next level, the NCAA Championships. Although this tournament looms far in the future, preparation for such a tournament begins now. "[Our performance at the ECACs and the upcoming New England's] bodes well for qualifying for the NCAA Championships," Kramer said. "For not having our own course or being able to play every day as most teams we play have, we're doing really well," Sheldon said.

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News

Anti-intimidation' pledges causes stir on college campus

October 9

University President Larry Bacow refused to sign a statement pledging to keep campus "intimidation-free" that has been circulating among college presidents for the last week, saying it was "cast far too narrowly." The six-paragraph statement was drafted in August by former Dartmouth President James Freedman and several other university presidents in response to a clash between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protesters. It calls for colleges to maintain "academic standards in the classroom and... sustain an intimidation-free campus." However, a portion decrying "death threats and threats of violence" against Jewish students and supporters of Israel has caused many in higher education to feel that the pledge is too exclusive. "Other groups besides Jewish students have also been subject to intimidation on college campuses," Bacow said. "I believe Martin Luther King, Jr. said that we cannot prioritize incidents of injustice since injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere." Bacow's stance separates him from 15 other New England college presidents who signed the statement, including the presidents of Brandeis, Boston University, Wellesley, Amherst, Bowdoin, Clark, and the University of Massachusetts at Boston. Brown University was the only Ivy League school to sign. At Tufts, leaders in the Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities praised Bacow's decision not to sign the pledge, saying that the statement divides communities in a time when they should be uniting. "Post Sept. 11, there has been a rise in intimidation attacks on Arabs and Muslims" in the US, Arab Students Association President Abdul-Wahab Kayyali said. The pledge is "a kind of segregation _ saying that some people deserve protection from intimidation and some don't." Students also say there is no need for an "anti-intimidation" pledge at Tufts, as the University already maintains an open and accepting atmosphere. "Disagreement exists between different groups on campus, but it is usually handled in a respectful, productive manner," Hillel President Erika Robbins said. Both Robbins and Rabbi Jeffrey Summit point to the dialogue between Jewish and Arab students that has been going on for two years as an example of how the Tufts community has used intellectual dialogue to set the norm that violence is not a way to resolve differences. "I deeply value the relationship that has been developing between the Muslim and Jewish students at Tufts and the productive work of the Arab/Jewish Dialogue," Summit said. "Of course, we can't always agree but the point is to be civil, respectful and creative in educational programming." Muslim chaplain Imam Nourredine Hawat agreed that this dialogue is the right way to solve problems of intimidation. "Dialogue is the only way where people can express their minds," he said. "Dialogue is the only solution to solve problems." Kayyali, the chaplains, and Bacow agree with the assessment of the atmosphere at Tufts. "Our Jewish, Arab, and Muslim students have, to date, modeled the kind of behavior we would hope to see elsewhere," Bacow said. "While students have strong views which they express passionately, they have also done so respectfully." Other college presidents, however, felt it was necessary to sign the statement _ despite a lack of problems on their campus _ to show support for students around the country and as a preventive measure for the future. "Jewish students are being intimidated and harassed on many campuses in the country, and I felt that this should be brought into the open that this is not something for a few Jewish organizations to deal with," Brandeis President Jehuda Reinharz said. Reinharz defended the paragraph on Jewish students, saying that they have been "systematically intimidated" throughout the country and attention needs to be brought to the issue. The last paragraph of the statement, he said, showed that it applies to all groups. There have been several incidents of intimidation of Jewish students on college campuses in the last year. When pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters at San Francisco State University clashed in August, one student allegedly said that Hitler should have killed all Jews. Additionally, faculty at Harvard and MIT circulated petitions last semester asking that their universities' endowments not include investments in Israel until the country complied with United Nations human rights resolutions, while 16 people at Tufts signed a similar statement. In a speech that sparked much controversy in higher education, Harvard President Lawrence Summers called such actions "anti-Semitic in their effect." These incidents prompted the drafting of the statement that is currently being circulated. Over 300 college presidents have signed it so far, according to Kenneth Brandler, the Director of Communications for the American Jewish Committee (AJC), which circulated the statement around the country and published it in a New York Times advertisement on Monday. Though Summers has been outspoken on the issue of anti-Semitism in recent months, he did not sign the statement. His decision had nothing to do with the wording of the text, but with the fact that he generally does not participate in mass signature drives, according to Harvard Director of News and Public Affairs Joe Wrinn. "He has certainly made his opinion known and his views very clear on it," Wrinn said. Like Summers, former Tufts Provost Sol Gittleman criticized the response that many in academia have displayed toward the current situation in the Middle East, calling it "inappropriate." Israelis are being thrown off of editorial boards of scholastic publications, he said, and websites such as www.campuswatch.org, (which is maintained by a group that monitors scholars and activists on campuses and critiques opinions that it says misportray the conflict in the Middle East) take out the political conflict on scholars. But these incidents do not merit singling out one group for special protection, he said. "I don't believe that anti-Semitism is on the rise... This country is probably more relaxed about race, religion, and ethnicity than it has ever been." But Brandler, the AJC spokesman, called the response to the statement positive. "I would not read anything into the large number of presidents who have no signed the statement," he said. "It's an amazing return."

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News

MA-based apparel companies infuse fashion with morals

October 9

Nowadays, it isn't enough for a clothing company to create an attractive product. In order to succeed in the fashion industry, designers have begun to combine style with an inspirational message. Life is Good, a $13 million enterprise co-founded by brothers John and Bert Jacobs in the early 1990s, is a prime example of this trend. Life is Good's initial objective, Bert Jacobs explains, was a reaction against "the negative images in the media that inundated our culture." He cites No Fear, a then-popular company, as one example of the way "the market fed into people's insecurities." As a result, the Jacobs brothers decided to make a product that would inspire people to be happy and enjoy the simple pleasures in life. The Jacobs brothers were well acquainted with optimism, having lived out of a van for five years as they toured East coast colleges attempting to sell their T-shirts without much success. By 1994, the two were living in a "dive" apartment in Newton, MA with $78 in the bank. It was during the wild parties they attended at this time that a winning idea was born: the brothers had compiled a large book full of slogans and drawings that they'd come up with, and they asked their constant stream of visiting friends to circle their favorites. John's doodle of a grinning guy wearing a beret, dubbed "Jake," was an instant crowd-pleaser. "People kept circling Jake to the point where he was falling off the page," Bert said. The brothers then combined Jake's image with their best-liked slogan, "Life is Good" and printed up four-dozen T-shirts to sell at a 1994 street fair in Cambridge. The design sold out within minutes and Bert and John realized that their goofy little cartoon was a recipe for success. Bert explains that Jake had initially been a symbol for "free thinking," which the brothers were planning to market towards art students, but that he later "became a symbol for anyone with a positive lifestyle." Bert credits the appeal of the "Life is Good" slogan with its universal simplicity. "When people hear 'life is good'," Jacobs said, "they go, 'oh, my grandfather used to say that,' or 'wow, I've heard my boyfriend say that.' It's so simple." With virtually no money in their bank accounts, Bert and John found a screen printer to back their project and then went around Boston and Cambridge convincing stores to carry their T-shirts. Their efforts resulted in revenues of $80,000 in the first year, revenue which has continued to double annually. Bert projects next year's sales at $20 million, while warning that these estimates may be a little off. "Keep in mind, I'm being conservative," he said. Life is Good has since expanded and now sells sweatshirts, outerwear and accessories for men, women, children and infants. The apparel is available on the Internet, at www.lifeisgood.com, but most of their sales are conducted from outdoor shops and sporting goods retailers. In the future, the company may move on to a variety of different products. "T-shirts are a vehicle for a message that can be conveyed by anything from ice cream shops to housewares," he said. Burt admits, however, that he'd rather create a lasting, well-made product than "something that's just hot right now." Life is Good isn't the only local company selling a message along with its clothing. Original Zipwear, an Internet-based enterprise that was founded only three months ago has a different type of vision. Bill Lyke, owner and founder of Original Zipwear, developed and marketed the idea to sell custom-made baseball caps displaying the buyer's zip code. Lyke's vision came to him while working as a journalist in the South about fifteen years ago. While developing a group of community newspapers, Lyke decided to name them by their zip code and this, he explains, made him "rethink the process." He realized that nowhere in the market was there a unique product that displayed what he calls "neighborhood pride," and thus his company was born. Lyke initially wanted to sell T-shirts emblazoned with the customer's zip code, but subsequently decided that baseball caps would be an easier and more profitable way to begin. The hats are sold mainly from the company's website at www.originalzipwear.com, but are also available at a handful of stores in towns throughout the United States. These stores, Lyke explains, are located in "areas with cache," such as Wellesley, and sell those hats exclusively displaying the zip code of the immediate area. In addition to the custom-made caps, Original Zipwear sells two lines of hats displaying the zip codes of famous US landmarks and sports locations. Among these are the White House, Fort Knox, Yankee stadium and the Indianapolis speedway. Unlike Life is Good, Original Zipwear is marketed to very specific clientele. Lyke works closely with the Good Sam club, an organization of RV owners who help each other while traveling on the road. Lyke explains that the "RV market is a great market" for his hats because the most common question on the RV circuit is, "Where are you from?" Lyke also targets senior citizens who have relocated away from their original hometown. Many of his elderly, retired customers who live, for example, in Florida, wear the hats in order to "retain their regional identities." Along the same vein, Original Zipwear gets a lot of business from college students who wish to proudly display their hometown's zip code.

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News

Olin College becomes Tufts' newest neighbor

October 9

This year, America's oldest college town has a new addition to its more than 60 institutions of higher education. Olin College of Engineering opened in Needham, MA on Aug. 24, making it the first new four-year college to open in the Boston area in over 50 years. The F. W. Olin Foundation conceived Olin College as an effort to revolutionize undergraduate engineering education. The first private engineering school to open in America in more than 40 years, Olin will "place greater emphasis on contextual understanding, interdisciplinary coursework, teamwork, and communication skills," according to a college press release. The institution "is able to start from a clean slate to fulfill these needs by incorporating the best practices from other institutions with innovations of its own," the press release said. The school is located adjacent to Babson College, with which it has an "academic partnership" that includes sharing faculty. It is also forging ties with Wellesley and Brandeis. The college managed to enroll 75 students in its first freshman class from 35 states and Costa Rica, despite the obvious difficulties of attracting students to a school without a reputation. Olin's first class is also extraordinarily diverse, which is atypical for many engineering schools. Twenty-three percent of the students are students of color and half are female. "It is a challenge to recruit for a school that is just opening," Joe Hunter, Olin's director of communications, said. "I think our students were attracted to Olin because we have such a unique vision to be a continuously innovative and student-centered school. People realize that we are taking student input very seriously." Olin's recruitment efforts were undoubtedly made easier by the fact that admitted students only have to pay about $7,500 a year for books, meals and other expenses. Tuition and room charges are covered by Olin Scholarships worth $148,000 over four years. The school is funded by an initial endowment grant of $400 million from the Olin Foundation. (Tufts' endowment is $677 million.) According to the Olin Foundation's website, over the past 60 years it has given $300 million to 57 private colleges and universities to construct and equip 72 buildings on their campuses. A grant from the foundation helped pay for Tufts' F.W. Olin Center, which houses the foreign language departments. This is the first time the foundation has set up its own school. "[The foundation] wanted to have a much bigger impact by creating its own school," Hunter said. "The intention of the school is to reform engineering education by taking suggestions from the engineering community seriously and adapting them to our curriculum." Both faculty and students were involved in developing the Olin curriculum: "All of last year, the faculty and administration were inventing curriculum. They recruited 30 students to be 'Olin Partners' and take part in the decision-making process," Hunter said. Tufts began in much the same way. Although the University's first president, Hosea Ballou II, designed the University's earliest curriculum, 29 of Tufts first students spent a "pre-freshman" year on campus to participate in program design. Tufts, in contrast, was founded as a liberal arts institution, with the addition of its College of Engineering in 1898. The faculty, curriculum, and facilities at Olin are "deliberately designed for fast and continuous change to adapt to technology and meet the business needs of the 21st century," the college's website reads. Olin's mission is to "prepare leaders able to predict, create and manage the technologies of the future." Olin's president, Richard Miller, has high hopes for the new university. "By creating a college from scratch, we can approach education in a whole new way _ a way that will best serve the engineers of the new millennium."

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News

Intimidation pledge is inadequate

October 9

President Bacow is to be applauded for his refusal last week to sign a statement written by several other university presidents containing "anti-intimidation" pledge that specifically mentions crimes against Jewish students. Bacow rightfully recognized that by citing incidents involving students of one particular religion, the statement was manifestly narrow in its plea for better relations. Sept. 11 and its political and social aftermath continue to evoke strong emotions across the world, and the races and religions that have been targets of hate crimes and intimidation represent a much broader spectrum than Jewish students alone. The spirit of the statement would be vastly improved if it avoided singling out any specific group as bearing the brunt of hatred. The statement also avoids the larger issue of actually resolving hate issues on college campuses. Making a sweeping statement about creating a "non-intimidation" atmosphere is an asinine way of dealing with this very real problem. It is self-evident that colleges (and all places, for that matter) need to be free from intimidation, prejudice, and hate. To reiterate these views in a pledge does nothing to help accomplish this goal. As learning institutions, colleges need to use education as a primary tool for ending the type of intimidation described in the pledge. The classroom can be used to open students' minds with expanded courses about religious history and contemporary issues of injustice, and campus religious groups can use their resources to promote understanding of other races and religions. Tufts religious organizations have already been very successful in creating open exchanges between their respective groups. In addition to using its academic assets, Tufts has and continues to take a hard stance against racial, ethnic, or any other type of persecution that occurs on campus. Those instigating hate crimes against others based on their identity should be subject to swift and severe punishment, including expulsion from the University. The power of words is limited in solving such complex and deeply rooted problems. The only real way to change people's minds and opinions is to help them better understand each other through education and dialogue.

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News

99 bottles of beer on the wall

October 9

Lessons we learned on Friday night: 1. Do not get directions off Mapquest. It will leave you wandering through the Christian Science Park and wondering what on earth a Christian Scientist is. 2. If a bar takes over an hour to find, it better be pretty damn good when you get there. 3. No matter how good a beer is, if it costs over $10 for one bottle, it's just not worth it. That being said, welcome to Bukowski, a hallway on the third floor of a parking lot off Bolyston Street _ contrary to Mapquest's opinion, near the Hynes Convention Center, not the Pru. Now that you know where it is (or rather, where it isn't), here's what it's like. Bukowski is like The Burren but skinny and without the Irish music. The crowd was significantly less sketchy, as it is comprised of college students excited by their legal IDs and 20 year-olds too poor to hit up Pravda 116. The laid-back atmosphere and bluegrass music of the bar contrast sharply with the unconventional beer list and its prices that rival Tufts' tuition. The bar's name comes from the writer Charles Bukowski, author of Barfly and a favorite of the owner. Passages of his writings are painted on the walls, and pictures of his ugly mug on the wall leave visitors wondering why anyone would name a bar after this guy. But props to the waitress for actually knowing who Bukowski is. After taking an hour to read through the beer list, the high prices deterred us from ordering everything out of the ordinary. For those a little more adventurous (read: wealthy) than us, you can purchase a variety of European beers for the same price as a ticket to Europe. The first item on the menu _ the Lindeman's Peche from Belgium, a lambic that goes for $12.95 a glass _ is a must try, as you haven't lived until you've tried a lambic. And if you do, please let us know how it tastes and what exactly it is. Other selections include the Delirium Nocturnum ($15.95 a bottle), the Schneider Aventinus Weizenbock ($8.25), and the La Chouffe Chouffe-Bock, a saison from Belgium that goes for $14.95 a glass _ but it's a worthy purchase, as the name will provide you with a night's worth of jokes (and perhaps a name for your next hairstyle). Although it is nice to know that these beers were brewed in the winter months by the Belgium munchkin shepherds, the descriptions on the menu did little to tantalize our taste buds. We were, however, encouraged to fork over $6.95 for a Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout, which had a nice sweet flavor and full body, but was still not worth $6.95. But do not despair, as Bukowski also offers a wide range of medium-price brews that you have actually heard of. It has your typical lager imports _ Heineken, Becks, and Fosters _ as well as some more unique brews like Negra Modelo, Lone Star, Magic Hat #9, and Sea Dog Wild Blueberry Wheat (one lush's personal favorite). The on-tap offerings were limited and did not cover the spectrum that most bars do. We were, however, quite taken by the Old Shipyard Pumpkin Ale on tap. It has a nice spicy flavor but did not taste too strongly like pumpkin. Bukowski is famous for its hamburgers, which cost $1 until 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. We got there too late to try the discount price, but the kitchen is open until 1 a.m. The peanut butter burger is among the more creative items on the menu, which also features a variety of pub finger food like the White Trash Cheese Dip. And while we're on the topic of cheese dip, we'd like to take a moment to reflect on the new machine in the Campus Center Commons that dispenses Nacho cheese leftover from the World War II rations. A nasty rumor has it that these machines, which have been dubbed the Patti Lee Klosinators, have also been placed in the dining halls. We are thankful we are upperclassmen and do not have meal plans. Speaking of fermenting things, back to the beer. Bukowski is a cute little bar that is worth a visit if you are in the area. We do not, however, recommend making the trek all the way out there if you are looking for more excitement than just chilling in a bar drinking expensive beer. Bukowski is not a hopping singles scene, and people mainly came there in groups to hang out. Though the place specializes in gourmet beer at import prices, no one seemed to be splurging for anything more than the standard brews and French fries. Traveling lush challenge for next week: get drunk and try saying Bukowski ten times fast.

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News

Yet more unionization misinformation

October 9

I would like to respond to a couple of statements made in "Grad student unionization on hold" (Tufts Daily, 9/27). First of all, the United Auto Workers did not challenge the voting status of some graduate student employees during the April election "because they felt these students were not true employees of the school but merely 'casual employees.' " Rather, a representative of the Association of Student Employees at Tufts/UAW challenged the votes of some students (not all of them at Fletcher), in accordance with guidelines set not by the United Auto Workers but by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The NLRB is a neutral federal body that oversees the unionization process, balancing the interests of both parties, employee and employer, concerned. ASET/UAW challenged voters only if it believed that those voters were not currently employed or that their work did not fulfill the Board's specific stipulations. Challenges safeguard the legitimacy of the election; they do not discount any eligible vote. (It should be pointed out that most of the April challenges were made by the administration, because dozen of eligible working graduate students were omitted from the voter list that it compiled.) No union, least of all the UAW, which has organized many different kinds of workers _ industrial, clerical, academic; writers, activists, etc. _ would maintain that any employee is not a "true" one. Members of ASET/UAW organized as many graduate employees as possible, even though it was understood that the NLRB might exclude certain kinds of graduate employees. (Read the Board's decision at www.tuftsgrads.org.) Fortunately, most were included, while a few _ including English department "graders" like me _ were not, on the grounds they are not a part of the bargaining unit as it had been carefully defined. In contrast, the administration has argued that none of us working at Tufts as TAs, RAs, or GAs are employees, despite the recognition of our status by the Labor Board. Second, it is bemoaned that "Tufts cannot institute a change awaiting the NLRB decision." But the point, as Executive Vice President Steve Manos puts it, is that "There might be an opportunity on the part of the union...to claim unfair labor practices." Our right to file such a grievance is ensured by the NLRB to prevent employers from attempting to dissuade employees from building a union by offering some short-term incentive _ essentially a bribe _ instead (a standard anti-union tactic). Employees want to be a part of the process of negotiating their contracts, not to receive handouts. Moreover, the administration's claim that its "progress on improving graduate student salaries and medical coverage" has been stymied by ASET/UAW's unionization campaign comes too late. Last spring, Rob Hollister, the former dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (the "full-time" position as he held it has since been eliminated) requested an external review of the Graduate School's performance. The reviewers found that financial support for graduate students has been embarrassingly inadequate. According to the report (4/5/2001), budgets appear to be primarily service-oriented _ i.e., TAs _ and although the ability of departments to use their institutional money seems to be flexible, there is no guidance to see that offers made are truly competitive and that Tufts faculty can compete with other institutions on a level playing field for the best applicants. Considering the administration's meager record on improving the conditions of graduate study, the unionization effort on this campus has been a powerful wake-up call to students and administrators alike. Carl Martin is a graduate student in the English department.

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News

Tufts prof: campus activism 'unresolved'

October 9

Social activism at Tufts, though a very present force in previous years, has cooled some this semester. While social movements are still a prominent part of campus life _ as illustrated by Monday's anti-war rally _ the University has yet to see activism comparable to last year's environment. The reason for this drop in activism is not clear. Political Science Professor Gary McKissick _ who teaches the class Social Movements in American Politics, a course which examines the nature of social movements and their causes _ says there may be several causes for this phenomenon. Since last year, McKissick observed that his class has nearly doubled in size, which could indicate increased interest in social movements at Tufts. Yet, if so, this new interest has not led to increased activism on campus. A partial explanation for the subdued atmosphere may be attributed to what McKissick calls "all of the nastiness from last year." Protestors from last year were singled out when they involved themselves in campus activism. Iris Halpern's (LA'02) involvement in the Student Labor Action Movement (SLAM) put her in the limelight last year, leading to repeated articles by the conservative PrimarySource that caused her to file several charges of libel and sexual harassment. At the time, Halpern accused the Source of going out of its way to make her life difficult. As a result of all the coverage, many people are not as eager to put themselves in a public position this year, McKissick said. But the Source does not feel it did anything wrong, nor that its coverage should stop anyone from being an activist. "I don't think anything the Source says about individual activists has any cause on student activism at Tufts," Source Editor-in-Chief Megan Liotta said, adding that activists should expect coverage. "If people are not willing to be criticized, then maybe they aren't up for the job of being an activist in the first place." A second reason for the decrease in social activism on campus is a general uncertainty about current issues, McKissick said, in light of the current US political and social conditions in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001_ and particularly surrounding the issue of war with Iraq. "People are legitimately unsure about what's right and what's wrong," McKissick said. This makes them "a lot less likely to speak up." Student activists, though, don't feel it's time to lie down yet. "We doubt the effectiveness of our voices, but it's important not to give up on activism because it is the essence of democracy," said junior Emily Good, who recently attended an anti-globalization rally in Washington, DC. But activists will start to have a larger presence on campus soon, McKissick predicts. "I think that there's still a lot bubbling under the surface about the cultural environment and race relations," he said. "There's a lot of stuff that's unresolved." In previous years, the debate over giving votes to culture representatives on the Tufts Community Union Senate stirred a great deal of controversy. There was also a recent movement to increase the number of courses about Asian American studies. In his class, McKissick tries to look at the broader picture when examining social movements. This is accomplished by "just trying to understand where social movements fit in the politics of American government," McKissick said. "What we're trying to do is to understand... political behavior." Source Editor-in-Chief Emeritus Sam Dangremond, which often speaks out against liberal activists, opposes this method of encouraging campus activism. "Overall this University places entirely too much emphasis on activism," he said, "even to the point of institutionalizing it." McKissick's course does not attempt to teach students to be activists, but those inclined to protest can learn from the experience. "The people involved [are probably] a little bit wiser about how they can actually express some kind of voice in the political system," McKissick said. The class also teaches the value that social movements bring to their surrounding community, McKissick said, even when these causes fail to be immediately realized. "I think that there are a lot of benefits that come from these kinds of mobilizations," he said, "even if they don't stop, for instance, the cutting down of rainforests." The way to measure a movement's productivity, McKissick said, is not simply to look at the political outcome, but to assess how it affects the people involved. "More people [are probably] thinking about these issues than would have been otherwise," he asked. But Dangremond disagreed with this method of teaching. "Tufts would be a far better place if it taught its students to be humble in their opinions and guided them towards disciplines that encouraged critical thinking rather than 'making your voice heard,'" he said. Activism usually "just teaches over-privileged busybodies how to use a bullhorn," Dangremond said. In his course, McKissick said, students' enthusiasm for specific social or political issues adds to the experience. "It makes being in the classroom exactly what you hope it's going to be when you decide to be a professor," he said. The class focuses on the way activism is implemented rather than its history, McKissick said. "The names, dates, and faces of any particular movement, which are incredibly important and interesting, are not really what we deal with in this class," he said. What he is looking to do, however, is "to take [student] passion and nurture it and help [students] to think more systematically about what it is they're doing."

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News

Early goal pushes women's soccer past Brandeis

October 9

The women's soccer team improved to 6-2 after squeezing out a 1-0 victory Tuesday afternoon at non-conference Brandeis. The Jumbos took an early lead on senior co-captain Alle Sharlip's first goal of the year and managed to hold off the Judges despite a mediocre performance. "We played a pretty nasty game," Sharlip said. "But I feel like we always do that against Brandeis. We play these horrible games against them, we always just squeak out a win. But we're going to have to move on from this, forget it ever happened, and never, ever, ever play like that ever again." Sharlip scored the lone goal of the game in the ninth minute, when Brandeis goalkeeper Mari Levine deflected a shot by junior forward Jess Trombly but could not hold onto the ball. It bounced out in front of the net, where sophomore Sarah Gelb took possession of the rebound, slipped it to Sharlip, who lifted a shot up and over the keeper for the score. Unfortunately, Tufts could not build any real momentum from the goal. The Jumbos failed to finish the chances they had, and could not control the ball as well as they have in other games. "We scored, and everyone was like, 'ok, we're just going to keep scoring now.' But that didn't happen," Sharlip said. "We had a lot of chances, but we just didn't do anything with them." Brandeis, on the other hand, stepped up its intensity, making strong pushes that led to a number of close calls. The Tufts defense did its job of keeping the Judges out of the net, but afterwards, the Jumbos often were unable to move the ball up and get the offense going. The story remained the same through the start of the second half, as control of the game fluctuated back and forth. It looked as though the Judges might even the score with 25 minutes to play, when a shot from Brandeis freshman Rachel Koffman hit hard off the crossbar and deflected down toward Jumbo goalkeeper Meg McCourt. The ball bounced off her and rolled towards the net, but she fell on it to make the save just before it crossed the goal line. "They had a couple of dangerous chances," coach Martha Whiting said. "I have to give them credit for playing hard all the time and playing tough. All it was going to take was one goal to tie it up, and then it's a completely different game." Tufts finally picked up the pace shortly after and, over the final 20 minutes, Brandeis rarely got the ball back across midfield. "We started to play better," Whiting said. "We played well when we kept the ball on the ground and played it quickly. But 20 minutes to go is too late to start doing that." The Jumbos looked much stronger through that final stretch, maintaining a steady attack and putting together a number of solid scoring chances. And it appeared as though they would even add to their lead in the 70th minute, when a Brandeis foul gave the Jumbos a free kick from about 35 yards out. After a shot into the box, sophomore Jen Baldwin redirected the ball past backup goalie Natasha Pieciak and into the net. But the referee ruled that a Tufts player had been offsides, negating the goal. "I don't usually dispute calls, but that one for sure seemed questionable," Whiting said. "It was an offsides call. I don't really know who was offsides. I felt like it should have been a goal." Despite losing out on the insurance goal, the Jumbos were able to hold on, keeping up the pressure over the final minutes to secure their fourth consecutive win. "We're on a roll," Whiting said. "In spite of the fact that we didn't play so well, we still know that we're a good team. We just had a little lapse today." Even though they came away with the victory, the Jumbos were disappointed with their play against a team they all felt was not up to their level. Coming off a huge win Saturday against a tough Bowdoin squad, Tufts seemed much less motivated on Tuesday, as it played down against a weaker opponent. "It was a bit frustrating," sophomore Becky Greenstein said. "It happens a lot, when there's a team that you're so much better than, you sometimes play down to them. We came out with a win, and I guess that's the important thing, but we have to learn how to play better against the lower teams." "There was a drop in our intensity level, which can happen after a really big win," Whiting added. "We came out flat, and were never really able to rebound from that. We really stayed flat for the entire game until the last 20 minutes." The Jumbos look to build off those last 20 minutes as they head toward this weekend's conference match-up at Trinity. The Bantams are currently tied for fifth in the NESCAC, at 2-2-1, and have a 4-3-1 overall record. Tufts currently sits a number two in the conference, at 3-1, half a game behind Williams (4-1). The Jumbos will need a good game against Trinity to keep pace with the always-tough Ephs, who will play host to Middlebury this weekend. "Every team in our league is a team we can beat, but every team can also beat us," Sharlip said. "So every league game is big, and Trinity is usually pretty good. Every game from here on out is really big for us. We're at the top right now, and we need to stay that way."

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