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McGlynn cracks 1000 for his career

March 31

Junior guard Mike McGlynn achieved a career milestone - the 1,000 point mark - on Friday night in a 88-87 loss to Trinity College. The 1,000th point was actually just McGlynn's 244th of this Tufts career. But after having scored 756 as a member of the Brandeis Judges during the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 seasons, he can now lay claim to 1,000 for his career. "To tell you the truth, most of the guys on the team didn't even know that he was that close before the game," junior guard Brian Shapiro said. "That tells you how humble Mike is. I'm sure he would've substituted his getting his 1000th point for a win against Trinity that night, but everyone is definitely happy for him. We just wish he could've scored all those 1000 points in a Tufts uniform." McGlynn sat out last season after transferring to Tufts in the fall of 2000, but he has returned to the court this season as the prolific scorer he was for the Judges. McGlynn has totaled 50 points in his last two games alone, including 26 against the Amherst Lord Jeffs on Saturday afternoon. The 26 points pushed McGlynn to 1,046 for his career. The junior guard currently leads Tufts in scoring with an average of 17.1 per game, good for seventh in the NESCAC. He also leads the NESCAC in three-point shooting, connecting on 48.5 percent of his shots. "Obviously he's brought a lot of scoring to the team but most importantly I think that he has gained the confidence of everyone on the team," Shapiro said. "Every time he shoots, everyone knows that it's going in. It's nice to be able to have someone on the team that is so consistent shooting the ball." While McGlynn has already proved his worth to the Tufts basketball program, he will have to take on an expanded role in the next few weeks to make up for the loss of his backcourt mate, sophomore point guard Phil Barlow. Barlow is sidelined for the remainder of the season after undergoing ankle surgery. In addition, fellow starter and second leading scorer Shapiro (14.8 ppg) hurt his knee during Friday's game and missed Saturday's contest. He plans to return to action against Colby on Friday but will miss Tuesday's game versus Keene State. "[McGlynn is] going to be a go-to-man for us for the rest of the season," Shapiro said. "With Phil out, we needed for him to step up and play on both sides of the ball, and that's what he has done."

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News

Sesquicentennial Sell-out

March 31

This year, commencement will be like television. You will watch it for free, but it will come with a rather lengthy commercial break known as the Omidyar family.President Bacow deserves some credit for doing his job well, which is largely fundraising. Omidyar, worth billions, is likely to be in a particularly gift-giving mood come he and his wife's moment in the sesquicentennial sun. And, as we all know, Tufts could really use a hefty birthday check.With this in mind, I suppressed my initial response to the Omidyar announcement _ "Boring! We've heard that clich?©d speech three times already!" _ in deference to Bacow's shrewdness. But then I started thinking about what this, one of the first major initiatives upon which our new president has openly taken complete responsibility, might actually signify. A commencement speaker is supposed to represent, as the president said in his e-mail, "ideals [in which] we believe very strongly."What are those ideals? Certainly we believe in large-scale donations to Tufts. But we also, Bacow is saying, believe in entrepreneurship and shrewd business-dealings (as long as a charity foundation is involved). We believe in them so much, in fact, that we lose sight of what should be our ideal: higher learning.Omidyar is an impressive businessman and a generous philanthropist. But he is not an academic and his speeches have no substance. We will not be listening to his ideas; we will be listening to his wallet that happens to be laced in donations. The Omidyar selection perfectly represents a major priority shift in the new presidential agenda. Bacow is more interested in churning out successful businesspeople who will donate to Tufts than in educating thinkers who will seriously engage in academic issues.The president, in all of his rhetoric about the out-of-the-classroom experience, fails to appropriately value the in-the-classroom experience. Despite the diversity for which Tufts strives so earnestly, we students have had one thing in common: an academic education. But, in a move that is typical of the big-money agenda for which he was hired, Bacow is replacing the common ideal of learning for one of dollar signs.It is understandably important to Bacow that he create a corporate-friendly atmosphere and increase the endowment. But Omidyar's selection shows that when the president's agenda comes into direct conflict with academic integrity, he will sell out.So I would ask President Bacow why he has no reservations about bowing to big business in such a pronounced setting. I am sure the trustees want Tufts to go up in the US News rankings and raise enough money to compete with the big gun universities. And we could certainly have a better chance to solve a wide variety of undergraduate life concerns that will be made clear in his new taskforce.But this is not worth the academic price he is apparently willing to pay. If academics are not prioritized, especially in something as important as commencement, there is every reason to believe that Bacow is not planning to give them the proper value. The president should shift his top priority to what Tufts does best. Strong academics are not a byproduct of undergraduate life; they are the reason we are here. Academics quite obviously remain the most impressive and (by far) the most rewarding element of our education.This year, Tufts should be honoring the academic tradition on which it was founded, and on which we base our ideals. We seniors should be able to celebrate a four-year intellectual journey by hearing a distinguished intellectual. Instead we will be watching an eBay commercial, thanks to our new president.Scott Trudell is a Senior majoring in English.

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News

The collapse of a religion

March 31

Scarcely half a millennium ago while Europe was still trying to claw its way out of the so-called "Dark Ages," an Islamic empire stretched from Africa to Asia spanning various cultures, languages, and peoples - an empire celebrated for its unique pluralism and freedom relative to its day but united under the banner of Islam. This empire inherited, translated, and preserved some of the most important treatises of Greek thought. It led the way for centuries in scientific discoveries. It flexed its military might through conquering other peoples, but where the sword failed, the Qu'ran often prevailed. What made this Islamic empire so mighty and admirable is exactly what makes the modern day region destitute and backwards - what was once a thriving plethora of diverse ideas, interpretations, and dialogue has now become a stifling orthodoxy of seventh century fanatical puritanism. Ironically, as Europe grew more accepting, modern, and diverse, the Islamic world took the opposite path. Perhaps a diversity of opinions is a benefit only afforded to global empires, but it is clear that the majority of today's Muslim world suffers from a stagnant intellectual setting that issues fatwahs at diverging views - the antithesis of what the once virtuous region stood for in the past. Muslims are correct in looking towards their past for hope and instruction, but they fail to identify the preeminent virtue of that past - diversity and acceptance. Instead they go back to the infancy of the religion, invoking the Prophet's sword, while ignoring his wisdom. "If men were angels, no government would be necessary," is a maxim indicative of the pessimistic realism that helped lay the foundations upon which the US now thrives. Americans have since put their faith in living secular institutions that adapt with the times. The essence of these institutions taken at its highest offers what the Bible never could for the West - peaceful cooptation of many peoples following their own ideas of the good. The founders sacrificed any chance of universality but gained vibrant debate and conflict within prescribed limits. In giving up on one particular static version of the truth, the US set the stage for an impressive panoply of living truths that give and take from one another. Islam can learn from this lesson, a lesson Muslims themselves followed centuries before the US even existed, but a lesson that a once great empire has unfortunately forgotten. A huge challenge to every religion is adapting itself with changing times, peoples, and ideas while at the same time preserving its inner core and meaning. Muslims' doggedly persistent rejection of change, whether for the better or worse, has raised a bitter generation more complacent to decry the vileness of the West than mend the faults within its own enervated societies. Islam could do well to look to the West, just as the West could have done well to look to Islam many centuries ago. Islam is not in danger of becoming extinct anytime soon, but its spirit should offer more than bitterness to its largely emasculated following - it should offer hope. That hope will not come from the extermination of Israel; suicidal terrorist missions; or corrupt, despotic regimes that drain their flock of money, optimism, and ultimately faith. Recently much has been made of the shortcomings of religion in the hands of a fanatical few, but the solution isn't to rid the world of the traditions that have animated mankind for millennia. Islam is a unifying force that drives millions of its adherents, some to evil but many to remarkable lives of kindness and charity. The first step to ridding Islam of that evil is to open the doors to diversity, interpretation, and freedom of thought. The people's faith should be invested in a spirited doctrine that can address the coming challenges of a rapidly developing world in more positive ways than simple dismissal or antipathy. The golden age of Islam was colored more by acceptance than by the sword. People kept changing, both inside and outside of Islam, but unfortunately the religion somewhere along the line ceased evolving. Now when Islam needs to grow and transcend its current state more than ever before, the direction most publicized seems to be towards fanaticism and an exclusivist outlook. The plunge the US took into pluralism some 225 years ago has led to a great hegemonic empire. It's now time for Islam to have a little faith of its own and take that same blind leap. High-minded exclusivist attitudes jettisoned Islam here. Only pluralism and diversity can usher it into a second golden age. Justin Race is a sophomore majoring in political science.

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News

Ballroom cha-cha's and waltzes to first at MIT competition

March 31

Over the past two years, Tufts' ballroom team has seen tremendous growth, both in size and level of competition. At its last meet, held April 13-14 at MIT, the improvements resulted in a first place finish in the team competition. For a team that's been improving as it seeks recognition, the newfound success is more than welcome. "We're a sport just like any other team. We train together, work together and enjoy the opportunity to represent Tufts at every event. Now that hard work is paying off, and it's very exciting for us," sophomore captain Kathryn Wepfer said. The team consists of 30 members, spread across the five levels dictated by the sport - newcomer, bronze, silver, gold, and open. Once a couple has received a certain number of proficiency points, it moves up to the next status until it reaches the ultimate goal of competing in the open level. Proficiency points are gained by placing in the top three at a ballroom competition, with first place gaining three points, second place capturing two points and third place one point. Once the couple has racked up seven points, it is required to advance to the next level. However, many couples move up once they gain any proficiency points since placing in an event signifies a mastery of that level. Within each level, a couple has the opportunity to compete in 19 different areas of ballroom dance. The two main categories offered are American and International. These two are split again into fast and slow categories. Fast American is labeled Rhythm and slow American is Smooth, while fast International is known as Latin and slow International as Standard. Smooth and Standard are the styles of dance that evoke the most common images of ballroom dance, with women wearing large flowing ballroom dresses. "The American style is more for social value, it includes dances that you can take elsewhere in everyday settings. International is more for serious dancers; if you want to compete you learn International," junior Stephanie Chin said. Within the four categories are 19 individual dances that the competitors master. Rhythm has cha-cha, rumba, swing, bolero, and mamba, while Latin has cha-cha, rumba, samba, pasodoble, and jive. Smooth consists of waltz, tango, foxtrot, and vienesse, while Standard has the same four as smooth including quickstep. The more traditional nature of the American style dances is the reason it is taught first to Jumbos new to the sport. Other teams follow a different procedure, one which Tufts will adopt next year by teaching International dances first. "In the past we started teaching members American style, but next year we're revamping and starting with International. It'll give us an even greater competitive edge," Wepfer said. Once the members have mastered the dances, it is then time to put their handiwork to the test in an actual competition. The first round of the competition involves having each couple on the dance floor, as well as the five to seven judges overseeing the dance. Everyone dances for one and a half minutes, after which the duos leave the floor and the judges decide which couples may come back. This continues until six to seven couples remain on the dance floor, at which point the final round commences. After whirling for the final one and a half minutes, the judges rank each tandem based on how well they performed. The ranks for each pair are then added up, and the couple with the lowest sum is declared the winner. Besides individual competitions at each of the five levels, there is also a team competition. In the team competition, four couples duke it out in the open dances. One duo is entered in the cha-cha, swing, waltz, and foxtrot, with the four couples comprising the team representation. At the MIT meet two weekends ago, the Jumbos came through with an unprecedented first place team finish, surprising everyone but themselves. The victory was especially notable because the squad edged out schools as talented as MIT and Harvard. "MIT is the last collegiate competition of the year, and one of the biggest with more than 600 competitors from all over the country. Two years ago, Tufts didn't have the talent or numbers to legitimately compete in the team match," Chin said. "This year is the first time that we've been able to send couples to dance competitively for the team. Juniors Brian Frasier and Chin competed in the cha-cha, Wepfer and her partner in swing, sophomore Gerrett Hansen and senior Becca Feinberg in the waltz, and junior Scott Kronewitter and sophomore Asami Tanimoto in the foxtrot. Though the team will not be participating in any more competitions this year, it is looking eagerly at the future. Next year the team will be led by tri-captains and current freshmen Vivian Hwang and Conor Doherty, and current sophomore Megan Sullivan. Wepfer will take a leave of absence as she is studying abroad in England - and though she is saddened to leave the team at such a peak, she'll still be dancing. "If you want to be a professional dancer you go to London, so it'll be exciting to participate in the city of ballroom dancing and absorb everything. It's not that I want to go professional, but just the chance to be so close to the hub of something I have such a passion for is exhilarating," Wepfer said.

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News

Searching for Charles Dickens

March 31

Perspective is everything. Will anyone care in 100 years if you don't do your reading for class this week? Will the world be any different? Probably not - time heals all wounds, after all. Yet life isn't futile. Different people put different marks on the world every day, and there are people writing books and making movies that reach millions of other human beings. But perspective matters no matter how big your audience. And time, in addition to healing pesky wounds, eventually gives us a new angle on things. Of all the big names in entertainment, which ones deserve historical recognition? In 100 years, which filmmakers or musicians or novelists will America hail as the creative geniuses of our era? When new encyclopedias are made, what creative minds will make the cut? Do we have a new John Lennon? A modern-day Hitchcock? A Charles Dickens for the new millenium? Don't expect this line of thought to be simple. Much of what we consider art comes in forms that didn't even exist before the 20th century. When exposed to it every hour of the day, we take recorded music for granted; historically, however, it's a new and novel luxury. Therefore, even if we believe that McCartney and Lennon made sweeping changes to the shape of music, we can't compare the Beatles to Beethoven. The Beatles weren't just composers but were also performers - and, dare I say, sex symbols - whereas music from previous centuries exists only on paper, heard only as we perform or record it anew. When Leonard Bernstein conducts a performance of Beatles songs, then we can start analyzing Lennon fairly as a composer. The same goes for film. The history of the medium is too short to draw any grand parallels. Not even theater compares properly - screenwriters and playwrights don't work the same way. What we can consider, however, are books. Though the publishing industry takes a different role in our lives today than it did in the Victorian era, the concept of the medium remains unchanged. And unless modern art is all garbage - an interesting and ridiculous argument to pitch - there must be someone out there that's going to be on the required reading list in 2100 the way that Charles Dickens is today. You ask: who? Can we even spot a great mind while they're still at work? How do we decide today who we'll respect tomorrow? Isn't it possible that someone who gets no respect now might become one of this era's "signature" artists later? Of course. But the fact that this person may not be taken seriously now does not mean that he's languishing in obscurity somewhere. He could be someone as big as Stephen King. In fact, let's just say it: he could be Stephen King. Why not? It's not as though Dickens was unpopular in his time. Between 1837 and 1861, he released 17 of the best-selling novels ever seen in the Victorian era - sometimes more than one in a year. Meanwhile, King stands as the best-selling novelist in history - a fact usually stated with derision rather than reverence. But maybe, just maybe, the public isn't a bunch of louts. Hold back the angry, torch-bearing critics: maybe King's numbers are good because his writing is good. Books don't have to be confusing or unpleasant to read in order to be great. In fact, if the point of writing is to affect people with words, perhaps popular writing is more important than we give it credit for. King's work speaks to people; if it didn't, they wouldn't buy it. Yes, his books are exciting and easy to read, but they're not simple. Books like It, Misery, and Insomnia - even some of his grim, early works like The Long Walk - run deep enough for any English class. Literary critics shouldn't be afraid to embrace the popular from time to time. They turn up their noses at many successful things - and many of those things are trashy indeed - but it's vital that those noses turn up for the right reasons. There's no point in rejecting something simply because other people like it. Of course, unpopular art may still be great in retrospect. Vincent Van Gogh may be an overused example, but as a now-famous painter who sold only one piece before his death, his case is a potent one. There's no doubt that brilliant artists get overlooked in the world. Sometimes there are just too many rocks in the world to spot every gem. If we can look at books in relation to past books, however, we can examine our new artistic media relative to their own shorter histories. Maybe we can't compare the Beatles to Beethoven or Hitchcock to Ibsen, but we can analyze our current art by using the past century as a baseline. The Beatles are a good standard to use for comparing other bands - from Pearl Jam to Third Eye Blind to Green Day - even if you can only say that they don't come close. And maybe we can't compare Hitchcock to those before him, but we can certainly use him to discuss the historical importance of Robert Zemeckis or Steven Soderbergh. Leaving the question: is there a modern-day equivalent to the Beatles or to Hitchcock? That's a lot harder to say. The long histories behind literature and publishing make it easier to step out of our culture and look for patterns. Edison only invented the phonograph in 1877, and the recording industry is still young enough that it's hard to tell if the Beatles were a singular phenomenon. And few directors can match Hitchcock's prolific life - over 60 directing credits in film and television and a career that spanned from silent films to color ones - making it hard to draw many significant parallels. So when it comes to books, my money's on King. No one's going to forget him, even if he has given up writing as he claimed recently. He's popular for all the right reasons. But for film and music, it's a waiting game. Hitchcock and the Beatles will never be forgotten, but it's impossible to pick out any spiritual siblings from the past decade with any confidence at all.

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News

Inside the maddening crowd

March 31

Sunday, the corner of Hollywood and Highland, Los Angeles. It is 2:30 p.m. I have been here for three hours. It seemed like a fun way to end my Spring Break in LA - after all, the Oscars only come once a year, and I am in Hollywood. Now, after standing in this crowd for the better part of the afternoon, it is not so fun anymore. I have forgotten my book in my friend's apartment. I can't remember the last time I ate. People are sweaty, agitated, and in need of deodorant. Nearby, an overeager 15-year-old girl is doing her best to bust my eardrums, calling to any possible celebrity as if she is a long lost relative. "Daisy!!!! Daisy Fuentes!!! Hi Daiseeeeeeeee!!!" She waves frantically. It is not Daisy. "Ewww, look at that other woman in the pink dress. You can, like, see all her cellulite," observes the girl between bites of her Big Mac. Her awkward companion giggles through his braces. His orange shirt is so bright, I am going blind. To my left, a group of Asian women cluster, refilling their cameras while the tiny daughter of one of the women is pushed to the front of the crowd, slowly suffocating in the surging throng of star-seekers. To my right stands a family of four from Sweden. The teenage daughter has pudgy cheeks that pouf out from her frequent sullen sighs. My hand itches to smack her. Directly in back of me is a French man in a cowboy hat and chaps who chivalrously gave me his spot in the crowd. Behind him are millions of teenagers, European couples, and 30-year-old men who think it's funny to pretend to spot someone famous and get the crowd going. With each cheer and wave around me, another one of my ribs is pushed dangerously closer to vital organs. I am probably hemorrhaging. My stomach is eating itself. Nobody famous is due for at least another half-hour. But I persevere - I have come so far and cut through so many people. And it is better than the last place I was standing; to defend her spot, a hobbitty ginger girl was swinging her enormous birthing hips like a medieval war club, and the suntanned guy behind me was standing so close, I was afraid I was going to get pregnant. I am in LA visiting my friend Josh, one of those rare individuals, who lives life larger than everybody else. For example, when he moved from Tufts to LA three years ago, he just happened to get an apartment 50 feet away from where the new Academy Awards theater was being built. He went to the Grammys last month because the tickets landed in his lap. Most anything can and will happen in his company. Scouting prime Oscar viewing has been our big project for this trip. But now that I'm here, with a great view of the red carpet across the street, all I can think about is what I'm missing on TV and how a huge couch and a proper meal await me half a block away. My patience grows thinner with each idiotic outburst. The 15-year-old girl is chattering incessantly about how much she loves Ben Affleck and is interrogating security guards about the odds of his arrival. "He better come, because if he doesn't, I'll cry," she moans. Somewhere behind me, a woman with a death wish for her child is attempting to push a stroller through the crowd. "Ladeee, there eeez no room," the French cowboy says through gritted teeth. 3:30 pm: Celebrities start arriving. Joan and Melissa have already gone into the heart of the flashbulb fiesta. The plebeians around me surge and yell, a mass of excitement and irritation. They are going to bust the gate. I am definitely hemorrhaging. Anybody who loves fashion loves the Oscars. It is the runway of all runway shows. It is televised. There is a pre-show and a backstabbing commentary on everyone's gowns. But out in the LA sun with the Great Unwashed, after seeing some Chanel, Gucci, and Armani pass my way, I decide it is better on TV. And it is. Back in a flat full of Tufts alums, with hors d'oeuvres on my right and champagne on my left, I can fully appreciate the horror of Jennifer Lopez's hair and Gwyneth Paltrow's ensemble. Reese Witherspoon's gown looks much better under floodlights than in broad daylight. Kate Winslet's dress looks good under neither. I'll always love the Oscars. But next time I go, I'll have a ticket.

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News

ELBO using new election to recover from past mishaps

March 31

A semester after bungling online elections for freshmen Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate positions, the Elections Board (ELBO) will attempt virtual voting again tomorrow. The election will fill positions in the TCU Senate, TCU Judiciary, and the Committee on Student Life (CSL). With the exception of four CLS seats, all elections are uncontested. The new web site, based on the same system as SIS Online, will feature enhanced security capabilities and the ability to sustain heavy traffic. ELBO members have been working with Dean of Students Bruce Reitman and other Student Services personnel to create a secure online voting procedure since the group's reorganization this February. Though the process has been tested, Wednesday's election will be its first full-scale trial. Last semester, late elections were held by paper ballot after ELBO failed to organize the online procedure through an outside contractor, iballot.com. As a result, two of the group's members resigned and the remaining member, junior Valentino Caruso, came close to impeachment by the TCU Judiciary. The prospect of online elections has left some candidates wary that the election could turn into a popularity contest. "Now that you can vote from your room, people could just walk through their dorms and knock on doors and say 'will you vote for me,'" CSL candidate Jodi Gilman said. "I think it's going to become more of who knows more people, than the people who actually care about the election coming out and voting." ELBO Chair Joe Coletti expressed confidence in the new procedure despite previous online troubles. "It can handle a large number of people coming onto the server," he said. "The same one as when you register for classes or buy tickets. We don't expect it to be a lot of traffic all at once." Students will be able to vote at the new website- webcenter.studentservices.tufts.edu - any time tomorrow between 9 a.m. and midnight. By giving voters a span of 15 hours in which to sign on, ELBO and Student Services expect to avoid heavy online traffic. In previous years, voter turnout for campus elections has been low. A recent Daily poll found that as few as 15 percent of students polled participated in elections. ELBO members hope that online voting will increase participation. "We're pretty much bringing voting to the people instead of having them come out and vote," Coletti said in response to voter apathy concerns. "Everyone will get an e-mail with a link explaining how voting will work. I know that some people check their e-mails at different points during the day, so they'll still have time to vote." The website will also offer other features, such as class-specific ID recognition and a candidate biography page. If the system is used in the future, freshmen-only elections will be secure from ID fraud. ELBO also plans to set up a table in the campus center on Wednesday to demonstrate the online voting procedure on a laptop computer. "For all that effort and all the time it has taken to look for an online election venue, the turnout is everything," Caruso said. "Increased budget and all the previous effort aren't worthwhile unless there is a significant increase in voter turnout." A special committee of TCU and CSL representatives elected two new ELBO members in February. Before then, Coletti was the only member. ELBO plans to increase membership to the requisite five members when elections are held in the fall. Coletti commented on the preparation for elections with only three members. "When it's undermanned it makes it harder," he said. "It's been a collective effort. I think it will be run successfully."

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News

Kazaa, Morpheus slow down network speed

March 31

Students downloading files from the Internet have been stuck at a standstill over the past few weeks, as heavy use of popular file-sharing programs - such as Morpheus and Kazaa - have ground traffic to a near halt during peak hours. The two file-exchange programs account for 90 percent of all Internet traffic at Tufts, according to Doug Herrick, associate director of data network operations for the Tufts Communications and Computer Services (TCCS). Like the now-defunct Napster, Kazaa and Morpheus allow students to connect to computers all over the Internet to upload and download large computer files. The programs, which Herrick called "the Napster of its day," also allow students to share their files with the rest of the Internet. The Tufts network can handle up to ten million bits of information per second but becomes saturated once it hits about seven or eight megs per second. Campus Internet traffic can be monitored at cricket.net.tufts.edu, where traffic levels are organized by dorm. The graphs indicate, somewhat counter-intuitively, that outbound traffic - off-campus Internet users downloading files from Tufts students' hard drives - outpaces inbound traffic at a four-to-one ratio. With so much of the traffic resulting from users outside of the Tufts network, Herrick encourages students to continue downloading but to cease sharing their files with other users. "If everyone were to shut serving off, everyone would have much more bandwidth available," Herrick said. There are two main residential networks on the Medford/Somerville campus, North (uphill) and South (downhill). Tufts' network was recently upgraded to handle increased traffic, but the higher downloading capability led to an increase in both the number of downloads and the size of the files. TCCS hopes to install new components in the system this summer to improve the situation. They also hope to assume control of network maintenance from PaeTec, the University's current communications services provider. PaeTec's contract ends in 2003. Tufts is part of the "Internet II," a collaboration of approximately 190 other institutions of higher learning working together to create a high-speed Internet "backbone." Administrators hope high-speed connections will help further educational goals and be a resource to students. Ironically, Herrick says that Tufts and many other "Internet II" institutions are experiencing problems with network speeds that are too slow. These slow speeds are preventing the "Internet II" from achieving its goals. Students who need to use the Internet to complete assignments find themselves at a loss. "I couldn't download the songs I needed for History of Rock 'n' Roll because the network was so backed up. I wasn't able to complete my assignment until the day before it was due, and I didn't get to master the concepts like I had hoped," freshman Sarah Gray said. Many students have expressed frustration with the slow connection. "All my friends at other schools have much higher connection speeds, while ours is so slow we might as well be using dial up modems," freshman Tim Wagner said. "[Faster connection] is expected at an institution like Tufts, and it's a shame that we don't have it."

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News

Redefining the meaning of a bad movie

March 31

Oh, it's evil all right. Right off the bat: This movie is bad. Really bad. Really, really bad. So bad I can't tell you how it ends, because I left. The movie was free, my schedule was clear, and I walked out. Not that any video game movie has been good. They have long been the bastard children of Nintendo and Hollywood, and for good reason: most games are direct rip-offs of movie plotlines or ridiculous concepts that are but clothesline for action, adventure and so forth. Shoot the spaceship, slice the monster, save the girl, eat the mushroom and spit fireballs, etcetera. To try to make a movie out of these ideas is either a) ludicrous (Super Mario Brothers, Street Fighter) or b) a rip off of a rip off of a rip off (Tomb Raider, Wing Comm ander). Only Mortal Kombat halfway worked, because its plot was no more ridiculous than most kung-fu movies.Resident Evil, the video game, was not scary because of the story. A haunted house, zombies, Doberman pinchers from hell, evil corporation... blah. (Well, okay, Doberman pinchers from hell are a little scary.) What made the game work was that it was you in these predictable situations. You were the one opening the doors, investigating the things going bump in the dark basements, shooting the zombies back to hell. That and an eerie silence made up for a great game. In transition from Playstation to big screen, the zombie has died on the table. Things look suitably intense at first, if in a melodramatic, eardrum-shattering way. Cue the Marilyn Manson techno-rock score (no, really) and we are at The Hive, an appropriately named laboratory of evil. We see the eeevil corporation, with it's eeevil workers, including the eeevil guy with coffee spilled on his shirt who franticly screams, "We have to get out of here!," until everyone wants him to be the first to go. No worries, as the pesky AI program called "Red Queen" decides to kill everyone. (Even James Bond villains know not to give control of their deadly defense mechanisms to machines.) Actually, this part is kind of scary, especially when eeevil plucky coworker number two gets her head stuck between the hallway and the falling elevator. Suddenly, we are in a creepy mansion and hello, here's Milla Jovinavich, lying naked on a shower floor (Her one acting note during the entire movie appears to have been "don't.") She puts on a red dress and begins to wander the mansion, when a swat team busts in through the window and the techno/horror music starts pounding even louder. This music does not stop, effectively killing all suspense and causing your eardrums to bleed. I like my dumb action movies loud, but when typing in a number has the same decibel level as a zombie massacre... The swat team is led by a man, One (Colin Salmon), who is so mysterious that I had to look his name up in the Press Kit. He is the most robotic actor alive, so much so that I have affectionately dubbed him "Mr Roboto." He is joined by Rain (Michelle Rodriguez) - I can only imagine her acting note was to snarl a lot. There are a bunch of other swat team members, but who cares? They all die within minutes. They are also joined by two random guys who manage to survive the first round of cast executions, and one of them kind of looked like Hugh Jackman. That's about all I remember of them. The rest is the horrible, horrible editing and soundtrack. Oh, and the script. The dialogue from this point on is spoken only in one sentence, declarative barks like "Keep it tight!" or "Move it!" or "They're too many of them!" or "I said keep it tight!" There is the one hilarious exception when Milla Jovinavich, on behalf of a room full of confused audience members, asks Mr. Roboto "What's going on here?" Mr. Roboto launches into a monotone monologue explaining away what has been a completely incoherent opening 30 minutes, complete with a crappy 3-D visual that shows exactly where they are in the base. The only reason I can think of for this is that the producers, seeing how horrible it was turning out, wanted to give the audience some way to figure out what was going on. Then Mr. Roboto, along with most of the swat team, gets cubed. This is an interesting process by which a laser slices them up in a hallway. It sounds cool, but is in fact stupid. The critics to my left groaned as one nameless Swat team member lost her head, while the drunk moviegoers to my right screamed, "No blood spurt? Where's the blood spurt?!" Mr. Roboto strikes a kung fu pose, apparently in an attempt to intimidate the laser, and the laser responds by becoming a waffle pattern and slicing him into little cubes. We are again spared the blood spurt, but none of the stupidity. The movie from this point degenerates even further, with an evil computer hologram, a crowd of stupid looking zombies, the subsequent badly-created action sequence with the survivors pumping bullets into the zombies (again no blood spurt), the return of the evil coffee guy as a zombie, and the further munching of everyone that doesn't have star billing or look like Hugh Jackman. "We've got to get out of here!" was said many times more. At some point, when the zombies were pounding on the doors and Michelle Rodriguez was snarling at them, I realized I didn't care in the slightest how the movie would end. Neither did anyone I brought with me on this sad, sad trip to hell. So out the door, on the T and home we went. The whole movie reeks of the most awful compromise a film can make: all the pretense and seriousness of a thriller, all the luridness and promise of trash, without actually delivering either of the goods. If you want to make a redeemable horror movie, you have to surprise a jaded audience. Try having a scary moment without the music telegraphing it a million miles away. Try having real characters that we care about. Try not having the characters go searching for the thing going bump in the basement. Often what we don't see is scarier than what we do. Alien knew this, as did Halloween, The Shining and The Sixth Sense. But if you're going to make a balls to the wall zombie/alien horror movie, go for it - give us the guns, the gear, the buckets of gore, the slaughter, the hammy acting, the one-liners. Give us the blood spurt. Don't try to pass it off with artsy editing or effects. Evil Dead II and Alien may have been trash, but they had energy and the courage of their convictions. Even House on Haunted Hill had the decency to give us an over the top Geoffery Rush and Chris Kattan dying a horrible death. The actors in Resident Evil look like they had to choose between making this movie or cleaning thirty miles of highway with their tongues. Then they had second thoughts. Technically I can't call it the worst film I've ever seen, as I only saw 70 of the total 100 minutes. Maybe the last 30 minutes completely redeem everything that happened before. Maybe they make it even worse than a Kevin Costner movie. Frankly, there's things going bump in the basement, and we've got to get out of here.

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News

Why you (and all your friends) should teach an Explorations

March 31

You all remember that first day of freshman year. You walk into your not-so-spacious Tufts dorm room, and meet the person you will be sharing a room with for the next nine months. Your eye catches a letter taped to the door under the construction paper cut-out bearing your name, and which contains the information that will get you through these first hours of freedom... the time and location of your first meeting with your orientation group. Now fast forward six months, one or two years, and look at yourself. You are now (hopefully) a socially adjusted, capable, and stable member of the Tufts community and now you have a chance to affect those first hours of freedom for next year's incoming freshman class by teaching an Exploration. Student applications to teach Explorations have plummeted this year. This news shocked and dismayed many of last year's Explorations leaders, including the author of this viewpoint. It has boggled the minds of many of those students and professors who have in some form or another participated in this program, whether as advisors, peer leaders, or students. Whatever the reason for this drop, whether it be campus wide apathy, selective amnesia about Ex-college deadlines, or intense dislike for filling out applications, it needs to be remedied. Explorations is the most popular orientation option for incoming freshman, and for that reason alone there needs to be more interest by current students. It is also an incredibly rewarding experience for those students who decide to teach one. All of us here at Tufts have some topic that we are interested in, passionate about, or just really like to talk about. To teach an Exploration, you take this interest to a whole new level. Really love playing video games? Teach a course on the history of video games (with a hands on component, of course). Spend every weekend in Boston? Teach a course on Boston, and introduce new freshmen to the city where they will be spending the next four years. Spend all your time singing along to show tunes? Teach a class on the music of Broadway shows. The great part about the program is that you will have about 12 freshmen who really want to learn about what you want to teach. I'm not going to lie to you. Teaching an Exploration is a lot of work and a lot of responsibility. You can't just skip your own class because you had a rough weekend, or skim the readings and let someone else participate. There are definitely times when you feel under-appreciated and overworked. But at the end of every class you know that it was your hard work that made that class happen. College students are often doing work for other people but when you teach an Exploration you are in control, and you call the shots. You also get to guide incoming freshmen through the insanity of their first semester at Tufts. Whether it is by attending joining them for the freshman-wide dinner and fireworks, or helping to navigate online registration, you are a source of Tufts information for your group. Although I now know much more than I ever thought I would about distribution requirements, it feels good to help people with what can be a very daunting process the first time. By getting to know your students outside the classroom before you start teaching, you really get an idea of what will and won't work for your group, and it makes getting up in front of the class a lot less intimidating when the time comes. Teaching an Exploration isn't for everyone, but I urge you to give it a try. If you're the person who sits in class and makes fun of the professor, try being on the other side of the podium (ok, Explorations leaders don't generally stand in front of podiums, but I couldn't resist the analogy). If you are obsessed with something, obsess about it in front of a group of freshmen. You can take any one of your interests and turn it into a great class. At the risk of sounding clich?©, I learned more than I have in any of my classes here by teaching an Exploration. Just think back to your first semester of freshman year, and think about a class that you would have loved to teach. Have you thought of one? Now grab an unsuspecting friend, clear your schedule, and start planning your syllabus.Jessica Wells is a junior double majoring in American Studies and English.

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News

Undergoing an academic makeover

March 31

Following a slew of format changes to the most common standardized tests, including the SAT I and II, the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) will undergo changes this fall when its analytical section is replaced with written essays. The GRE is an essential test for any college student seeking to attend graduate school for a subject other than law, medical, or business. But according to Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Robin Kanarek, the test is not the most important criterion for applicants. "The GRE's are not used as much in graduate school admissions as, for example, the SATs are in undergraduate admissions," she said. "I don't think [the changes] are going to make a major difference in who's going to get accepted to graduate school at Tufts." But in a letter to the academic community, Executive Director of the GRE program Thomas Rochon said that the new format comes in response to concerns expressed by graduate school administrators. "Our interviews with graduate deans and others involved in the graduate school admissions process indicated a strong sense that the writing skills of applicants - particularly analytical writing ability - should be assessed in the admissions process," Rochon said. Kanarek believes that too much emphasis has been placed on standardized testing in college and graduate school admissions. "I think that while the SATs and the GREs are useful tests, I worry about what they've become," she said, alluding to the rising number of expensive test prep courses. "They've become something where you learn how to take the test." Kanarek added that the essay portion of the test would be harder to teach, and for some test takers, may be a more accurate reflection of their skills than the analytical section. The new mandatory essay section, known as the Analytical Writing Measure (AWM), will replace the traditional analytical section that has been regarded as the most "coachable" section of the exam by test experts, including Kaplan. The writing section will include two essays of different lengths and topics. The first essay will last 45 minutes and is titled "Present Your Perspective on an Issue." The second, a 30-minute essay, is entitled "Analyze an Argument." "I think it'll be a burden to some students," Kanarek said. "I think they're very difficult to evaluate." Kanarek expressed some concern about the essay portion of the GRE. She foresees that students who speak English as a second language and students with learning disabilities may struggle with the new section. "One of my best students ever at Tufts had severe dyslexia," she said. "I don't know how well she would've done on a written test like that." The student successfully took the GRE in its previous format, was admitted to graduate school, and is now a college professor. But Rochon believes that the new section appeals to a wide variety of test takers. "The Board is convinced that the new General Test is a more broadly based assessment that allows students from a wide range of backgrounds to demonstrate their abilities," he said in his letter. In "Present Your Perspective on an Issue," test takers will be asked to construct their own arguments by taking a position on one of the two issues presented on the exam. The second essay asks that the test taker critique an argument. There is no choice for the second essay. The new essays are intended to provide admissions officers with a greater depth of measurement in order to assess analytical and writing skills of applicants. According to the GRE association, the writing assessment was developed in response to interest expressed by the graduate community for a performance-based assessment of critical reasoning and analytical writing. According to Kanarek, the evaluation of writing skills is important but is not the most important part of an application to graduate school at Tufts. "One of the things that I tell [undergraduates] is try to get to know your professors here, because when it comes time to apply to grad school, your letters of recommendation are going to be very important," she said. Kanarek added that getting involved in research and internship opportunities and enrolling in small classes like writing workshops are effective ways of developing a good working relationship with professors. Testing industry experts are calling the change the most significant alteration since the test became entirely electronically administered in the mid 1990s. The AWM will not use electronic scoring in the manner of the GMAT, but rather each essay will be read by two graders with the rare discrepancy being handled by a third reader, much in the way of the Writing SAT II essay portion.

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News

On the streets of Philadelphia

March 31

I just got in from Philadelphia, site of this year's NBA All-Star Weekend, and boy are my legs tired - tired from running from all the criminals, loan sharks, and thieves. And then I had to go out into the streets. Due to a mighty increase in the Daily's budget, I was allowed to travel to Philly this past weekend to observe the gathering of the NBA's elite. So I'm standing in line at the hotel with an older, silver-haired gentleman behind me, when I find out there is only one room left in the whole city. The man behind me asked if he could bunk up with me, and I agreed without glancing back. Only when I took a real look to see who it was behind me did I realize I was going to spend the next three days with Jim Mora, former coach of the Indianapolis Colts. He snores too loud, and he keeps the room compulsively neat, but other than that he's a good guy. And we had some fun time at the events. He's an opinionated man, so luckily I had my tape recorder with me at all times. Hey Jim, what'd you think of the Slam Dunk contest?It sucked. It stunk. I don't know who they think they are out there. There were no stars, there was no creativity. It sucked. I couldn't believe it, it stunk so bad. Those guys shouldn't be allowed back in the league after that. Oh, come on Jim, it wasn't that bad. True, I hadn't heard of three of the four competitors, and they had to imitate classic dunks, which none of them could really do, but I thought it was nice when the last guy did that reverse dunk. That stunk. Those guys couldn't do diddly poo. I'll tell you what the problem with the dunk contest is. There are no more dunks left to do. And the people that run that, they suck. It took an hour and a half for a couple of no-names to do some windmills. That sucked. So Jim wasn't the most positive thinker on the trip. But in his defense, the slam dunk contest was lacking... of stars. David Stern should have been on the phone with Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, and Vince Carter (before he got hurt) to make sure they participated. It's hard to get excited about the 12th man on the Sacramento Kings poorly imitating a Dr. J dunk.Hey Japha, is this column about you, or the All-Star game, huh? Why don't you stop blabbing and tell them the debacle the league presented before the dunk contest. Oh, right. The four-on-four game. Each team had an NBA player, an NBA veteran, a WNBA player, and a celebrity. Yeah, I'm glad each game lasted eight minutes, because any shorter and Moses Malone wouldn't have gotten to showcase his talent. Talent!?! Talent!?! He's lucky if he can make a shot, and you're talking about talent? I'll tell you one thing. It sucked. That stunk. No one was really trying, except friggin' Malone, who's older than a more famous Moses and eight feet tall. That sucked. Even Magic Johnson was boring. He looked asleep on the court. I don't know who they think they are, but that stunk out there. And the worst part about it, in my opinion Jim, is that they try to promote the WNBA, but they do it in the wrong way. The PR department in that league has to realize that women's and men's basketball are different sports, played in completely different styles. Watching Moses Malone plow over Lisa Leslie does not get me siked for the upcoming season, nor does ease the vomit feeling churning in my belly. Hey Japha, I don't know who you think you are hogging all the ink. You suck. Your grades suck, your column sucks, you suck. You can't write to save your life. Keep interviewing me and you'll be alright, otherwise, this stinks. Fine, Mora, what'd you think of the Philly fans. I don't know where the hell they get off. First they applaud when Michael Irvin is laying lifeless on their parking garage of a football field, then they throw batteries at St. Louis Cardinals outfielder J.D. Drew because he refused to play in Philly, and now they boo Kobe Bryant every time he touches the ball? That's sick, they should be ashamed of themselves. Although Kobe should pass the friggin' ball. It's not a lottery ticket, share a little with your friends. I don't know who he thinks he - Jim, the fans of Philly. Stick with that. Sorry. They're pathetic, they're bush league, they stink. Alright, Jim, it's been a fun weekend, but I have to run. Before I go, give me an NBA Championship prediction. You think the Lakers can win it all?Lakers? Lakers? They can't beat the Memphis Grizzlies, and you're talking about the Lakers? So you don't like them in the finals?No, I do, I just enjoy shouting.

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News

Project underway for Islamic Center expansion

March 31

Members of the Muslim Students Association at Tufts (MSAT) are working to expand the Islamic Center, as it can no longer accommodate the Muslim population at Tufts. Dean of Academic Services and Student Affairs Kristine Dillon, Muslim Affiliate Imam Noureddine Hawat, and other members of the administration are helping the students plan an expansion of the Center, which is located in the basement of a house at 176 Curtis Street. The original prayer area held about 25 people, but the kitchen and office were converted to prayer space as Jumma prayer attendance grew to over 50. The MSAT hopes to establish a new Islamic Center "that could not only meet the demands of Muslims at Tufts but also Muslims in the surrounding communities," according to the group's website. The desired space would accommodate 150 people. "Our vision for this project is to have one unified presence on campus where all Muslims and non-Muslims can come if they have any questions regarding Islam or would like to gain more knowledge on Islam," former MSAT president Usman Kahn said. The MSAT has already been offered some on-campus space that could be used as prayer space but would not be dedicated as an Islamic Center. Due to Muslim religious creeds, prayer spaces must follow certain guidelines that the offered space did not satisfy. The group would like to move to a facility that has two bathrooms with separate washing space for Wudhu, the Muslim practice of achieving cleanliness before prayer. It wants a library to house Islamic books, office space to coordinate outreach programs, a lounge and a kitchen to hold social events, a conference room, and a Muslim house that would provide an Islamic residential environment for both Muslim and non-Muslim students. Plans for the project at the beginning of the 2001-2002 academic year in response to an increase in the weekly Jumma prayers, which has attracted people from surrounding neighborhoods as well as members of the Tufts community. MSAT president Muzammil Mustufa established the Islamic Center Committee (ICC) to focus on the project. The ever-growing number of people attending the cramped services has prompted the ICC to speed up the planning process, said Khan. Now a graduate student in electrical engineering, Khan has been working with the MSAT to help with the endeavor. The committee has met with President Larry Bacow, Provost Sol Gittleman, Dean of Students Bruce Reitman, Vice President of Development Brian Lee, Director of Administration Paul Stanton, and Dillon. Bacow appointed Dillon to act as somewhat of a liaison between the MSAT and the administration. "It is good for students to know they have someone advocating for them," Dillon said. She described the cooperation between the MSAT and the administration as a system of "mutual support." "We feel very good about the kind of discussion that has been taking place...This is something the University really wants to solve." While MSAT originally wanted to construct of a new facility, Dillon said that students are now focused on finding an existing campus space to accommodate the expanding center. "The students are going to continue to try to raise money with the idea that they would like to raise money for a much bigger project in the long term," she said. Until the necessary funds can be raised, however, Dillon said the students would rather concentrate on moving to a larger space than merely waiting for a new facility to be built. Dillon will be working with representatives from Student Life and Facilities to find available space to house the center. While the possibility of trying to make the current center more accommodating for worshippers has been discussed, Dillon said the cost of doing so would probably not make it worthwhile. Also being investigated is the possibility of swapping space with another campus group, but Dillon said the impact of such a swap would have to be carefully looked at before any decisions were made. Students have also been working with the Development Office, which has offered to speak with potential donors to aid in the fundraising process. Hawat said that Dillon and the other administrators have been very helpful in aiding the project. "When you want to work on any project you need the school support, and the school has tried to support us, but you need some time. It can't happen overnight," he said. Khan believes a larger space would allow the Islamic Center to increase its presence and role on campus. "We would like this center to be inclusive and not exclusive so that everyone, including non-Muslims, would feel welcome and at ease to approach the center and to take classes or attend events and lectures there," Khan said. "Muslims at Tufts feel very much integrated into the main student body, so any such center would serve to strengthen the bond."

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News

Get away from it all at the Tufts Mountain 'Loj'

March 31

Students seeking adventure, respite, and a few breaths of mountain air have been heading up to the Loj in greater numbers this semester. Many Jumbos, particularly members of the Tufts Mountain Club, say that campus-wide interest in Tufts' lodge - fondly known as the "Loj" - is growing. A two-hour drive from Medford in North Conway, NH, the Loj is operated by the Tufts Mountain Club (TMC). Most members agree that heightened interest in the Loj is beneficial for the Loj and its guests. Beth Thompson, a senior and a member of the Mountain Club, says that the lodge is "great" because it provides a place for people already interested in the outdoors to enjoy nature, and encourages novices within the Tufts student body to try their hand at some new experiences, such as snow shoeing. The TMC, which is currently repaying the TCU Senate for money lent several years ago for renovations, raises funds by charging overnight guests a small fee ($15 for one night and $20 for two nights for all non-members). This includes the price of dinner, which guests prepare in the kitchen. More visitors spell more income for the Mountain Club, but some are wary of the long-term effects that heavy use of the Loj may have on its laidback atmosphere. Ultimately, many TMC members including Thompson fear that the relaxed ambiance of the Loj could be threatened by extensive nonmember traffic. "What makes going to the Loj special is that you're not at a night club, not at a party, but in a situation where you're being yourself," Thompson said. "You get a special insight into peoples' personalities when you can just sit together and relax." Having groups stay overnight is a good thing, says TMC president and junior Greg Hunt, "as long as they are respectful." Respectful, that is, of the lodge facilities and, of course, its caretakers from the TMC. Each weekend two members of the TMC Executive Board volunteer to as Hunt puts it, "open up, clean up, and close up." He adds that they also get food for the kitchen, but mainly are present to make sure the lodge is taken care of. These efforts are intended to enhance to experiences of visitors not only at the lodge, but in the outdoors as well. Among the numerous activities that can be enjoyed in New Hampshire, the Mountain Club makes skiing, snowboarding, and snow shoeing particularly accessible for all guests by offering daily rentals. There is also a rock climbing (or ice climbing, depending on the weather) facility nearby. So what is there to eat at the lodge? "Fluff," Hunt said jokingly. "No, usually, we eat stir-fry or pasta." The meals aren't as elaborate as dining hall dishes, but "Simple stuff, like PB&J and cheese sandwiches," Thompson said. Some people make fajitas or omelets, and chocolate chip cookies are a nightly delicacy. Often, however, the dough never makes it to the oven. The kitchen is stocked with all the necessary ingredients, and guests are welcome to bring whatever else they would like to prepare. And after a long day of snow-shoeing and eating chocolate chip cookie dough, where do students sleep? According to Thompson, beds can be hard to come by. "If you're lucky and aggressive, you can get a bed," she said. Otherwise, guests sleep on couches, in armchairs, and on the floor, which is remarkably clean on account of a "no shoes in the house" policy. Up until last weekend students were also able to dorm closer to nature according to Hunt. He claims that it was possible to sleep "in the igloo out front," but, much to his dismay, before he left the lodge on Sunday, the roof of this snow structure had caved in. "It was bound to happen," Hunt said a little heartbroken. In addition to the "no shoes" rule, is the policy exists concerning the septic system. The unforgettable signs posted over each toilet read: "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down." While this policy does not provide for one of the most scenic views at the lodge, the policy conserves water and keeps the toilets from overflowing. Hunt recommends that guests pack light for a weekend in North Conway. "A sleeping bag, some clothes, and a toothbrush: that's all you need," Hunt said. Thompson also recommends bringing an open-minded attitude. Essentially, everything else is provided by the TMC. Some perceive the lodge as another place to go and drink, and the TMC asserts that this is not what it is intended for. The bottom line, Hunt said, is that the lodge is an ideal place to meet new people, explore the outdoors, and relax - but if you cannot imagine having a good time without some drinking involved, don't bother making the drive. "The Loj is meant to be a base of outdoor adventures in the White Mountains," he added.

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News

We hope you like Greek Jammin' too

March 31

Spring Fling wasn't the only noise outside of President Bacow's window this past weekend. Sponsored by the Inter-Greek Council (IGC) and Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) fraternity, the 15th Greek Jam raised $1750 for the American Cancer Society in memory of junior David Medeiros. Junior Adam Biacchi, a brother at Zeta Beta Tau, and seniors David Rubenstein and Tal Unrad, both members of AEPi, were the driving force behind the return of Greek Jam- which featured skis and dance acts. AEPi started the tradition when one brother died of cancer years ago, but problems led to its cancellation for the past two years. "This year when I became IGC president, I said that we needed Greek Jam to come back," Biacchi said. "AEPi showed interest, since Greek Jam used to be its major philanthropy event, and we decided to work together and make it happen." According to Biacchi, Greek Jam is the biggest Greek community event of the year, and also one of the best examples of Greek philanthropy. Dean of Students Bruce Reitman, outgoing Tufts Community Union President Eric Greenberg, chemistry professor Chris Morse, Hillel Programming Director Lauren Bloom, and Leonard Carmichael Society president Kate Elder acted as judges for the often humorous song and dance acts, performed by the seven Greek houses which participated. One highlight of the show was the Delta Upsilon (DU) fraternity's contribution of a Chris Farley Chippendale-dancer act, followed by a Lady Marmelade skit performed entirely in drag. Freshman Ben Bloom played Chris Farley, and other fraternity brothers played the male strippers. The pledges of Alpha Phi sorority performed several dances involving chairs, and Chi Omega sorority had its entire sisterhood perform three dances This year, like the last time the Greek Jam was held - three years ago - the official winner was Alpha Phi Delta (APD). The group performed a singing and dancing act from Dirty Dancing, complete with one of the movie's famous "lifts" performed by two fraternity brothers, one wearing a blonde wig. APD also performed a Michael Jackson skit in which sophomore Mike Bloomberg, wearing Jackson-esque gloves and hat, moonwalked across the stage to Jackson's hit song "Beat It" as brothers reenacted the knife fight scene from Jackson's music video in the background. - Jane Shtilman

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News

Both sides are at fault in Middle East conflict

March 31

To the editor: I agree with Eitan Hersh's viewpoint ('Waiting for peace' April 29, 2002) saying that suicide bombers in the Middle East are 'unacceptable.' I do not, however, make any distinction between a man with no other weapon than his body blowing himself up and an armed soldier going in to a widow's house, ransacking it and shooting her children as part of a so called war on terror. Both aggressive sides are barbaric. Israel began their latest invasions of Palestine with the intention of attaining security for her people, the army has failed; they have put the security of thousands of Palestinians at risk. The viewpoint says that 'no legitimate Jewish leader in the world is happy about those things.' Prime Minister Sharon is a warmonger and should be tried for a multiplicity of war crimes; he is a terrorist protected by the United States. The Palestinians are seeing their homeland slowly taken away from them and are so desperate that some no longer value their lives, and use it as a weapon. This is sad. The Israelis continue to steal Palestinian land.This is illegal. Every industrialised country round the world except Israel and the United States agrees with me. The viewpoint goes on to plead the case of Israelis as a peaceful, praying people. If that is so, they are also hypocrites - olive leaf in one hand, gun in the other, ready to establish another 'settlement' or armed colony outside land which is rightfully their own, which, they should remember, was given to them. If one reads a timeline - all one will see is continued Israeli seizure of Arab land. The viewpoint asks if a peaceful doctrine is taught in Palestinain schools: the answer is no because there are no schools; they have been shot at and crushed along with houses, statues, mosques and churches. Only people with good hearts can bring about peace. A change of leaders, a stop to the theft of land and tolerance on both sides is the only way. As Churchill said - to jaw-jaw is better than to war-war.Christopher DunganLA '04

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News

Jackson College may be stricken from women's diplomas

March 31

Acting on the wishes of the student body, members of the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate have urged that male and female undergraduate diplomas be uniformly designated. Since 1963, the School of Arts and Sciences has given all women's diplomas the Jackson College title and all men's the College of Liberal Arts title. Now, a number of students feel the time has come to do away with the differentiation. TCU Senate Vice President Melissa Carson said that senators were told by several female students that making diplomas uniform is an important issue. "I was personally approached by many women who wanted the change," she said. Ultimately, the decision lies in the hands of the School of Arts and Sciences, in conjunction with the Provost's Office. Now that the TCU Senate has vocalized its complaints to the school and the provost, a decision should follow. Carson said that the School of Arts and Sciences has been "very helpful." Many women helped to bring the movement together, according to Carson. The issue was discussed at several Women's Union meetings. Most of the women she has spoken to, along with the Senate, share the opinion that all the diplomas should look alike. Last week, however, according to Associate Provost Liz Canny, Carson presented the Provost's office with a diploma design on behalf of the Senate that would have included the Arts and Sciences name as well as the Jackson College name on diplomas for both men and women. She then changed her presentation after polling hundreds of students on the academic quad to make the diplomas' wordings the same as they were prior to 1963. Canny agreed with the proposed change. "It would make more sense to have 'Tufts College' on all the diplomas," she said. Alumni Relations officer Jennifer Cassidy, an alumna herself, did not feel very strongly against the change despite the fact that her diploma has the "Jackson College" title on it. She said that the Association of Tufts Alumnae (ATA) was created as "an outlet for women alumnae to show that they are proud to be a woman and an alumna." Furthermore, Cassidy said that having "Tufts" printed on one's diploma would give its bearer greater "credence" than "Jackson" would in the professional world. She said the Jackson name is not as well-known as certain female institutions such as Radcliffe, which most people recognize as the female institution within Harvard. Still, the name holds significance to those who attended Jackson College in the mid-1960s. At the time the school was established in 1910, few higher education opportunities existed for women, and being accepted to Jackson meant more to women than acceptance at Tufts did to men. Jackson College once had its own separate student activities, student government, and dean. Until 1917, female graduates of the school received diplomas with the "Jackson College" identification. The label was removed, but Tufts females in the early 1960s lobbied to have it reinstated. Sunny Breed, a 1966 alumna, said that women who attended Jackson with her "were very proud of their identity in Jackson College." When asked what her feelings were on a possible removal of the "Jackson College" identity from the diploma, Breed said, "What the diploma says is totally up to the people now... obviously, attitudes have changed."

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News

Mid '90s alterna-pop rockers deliver

March 31

I think it's safe to say that alternative rock bands of the mid '90s have the most bizarre names of any genre of any era. This fine period of nomenclature brought us brilliantly nonsensical band names such as Fountains of Wayne, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Counting Crows, and Better Than Ezra. No band name is more irreverent than the Gigolo Aunts. That's right, the Gigolo Aunts, a now defunct, Boston-based, alternative pop band. The 1999 release Minor Chords and Major Themes remains the highlight of this underappreciated, talented, and poorly named band. The Gigolo Aunts never hit it big, but that's not for lack of trying. This album, their most successful, came out 18 years after the band's initial formation. That's impressive endurance in the music business. Furthermore, relentless touring earned the Aunts (or should we call them the Gigolos?) a large fan base in Boston , and many famous friends - notably Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows. For a while it seemed that the Aunts's promotion and possible success was Duritz's own pet project - the bands toured together, their album is on Duritz's label, and he even adds his talents to one of their songs, "Big Lie." This 13-song album is solid from beginning to end. The Gigolo Aunts's style is fairly indicative of the alternative pop genre that reached its heyday in the mid '90s. The songs are fairly simple, and center around the traditional band setup with vocals, guitar, bass, and drum as a cohesive unit. The majority of songs drift slowly and sweetly along, with light guitar strumming and simple beats. While the songs aren't exactly ballads, they are by no means explosive or dance-worthy. Simply put, the style of music is relaxing and serves as an excellent backdrop. A standout song on the album, "Fade Away," exemplifies this idea. While there is nothing overt about the song's style, it creates a sweeping backdrop with a contemplative and emotional feel. There are a few times where the band throws in a surprising upbeat feel to counteract the sweeping midtempo works. The best song on the album, "Big Lie" surprisingly appears between several of the soothing pieces. The exaggerated lyrical styling, along with the poppy guitar work, makes for a very fun sound, eliciting uncontrollable sing-alongs and head bopping. The delightfully titled "Super Ultra Wicked Mega Love" is another "rock" song. The guitar crunches along while the lead vocalist muses about the idealist intentions of people who submit personal ads in hopes of finding their one true love. As emphasized by the album title, this work thrives on the lyrical content of the songs. Much like their mid '90s counterparts, the vocalist wears his emotions on his sleeve, musing about love, despair, the meaning of life, and anything else that the sensitive male lead singer stereotype sings about. While his voice is rather distinct, the noted effort he puts into the vocals highlights the emotional content of the songs and the album as a whole. While several lyrical clich?©s are apparent in "Everyone Can Fly" and "Fade Away," the songs overall are excellent.Minor Chords and Major Themes is an impressive and enjoyable album from a band that seemed to exemplify alterna-pop while never being one of the notable representatives of the genres. For music fans that love the genre of sensitive male rockers, introspective lyrics, and soothing melodies, the Gigolo Aunts are a great band to discover - of course, that's if you can get by the fact that you're listening to a band called the Gigolo Aunts.

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News

Advice to the class of 2006: wear shower sandals

March 31

Right now, you're probably trying to fit all your Yaffa blocks, extra-long sheet sets, and shower totes into your astonishingly small Wren hole-in-the-wall or somewhat aromatic Hodgdon double. On the ride here, your parents have likely given you much unsolicited advice concerning grades, studying, and partying. And while you have mentally blocked out their words of wisdom, there are a few things you should keep in mind as you begin your new life as a college student. Wear shower sandals. Although they won't prevent the nasty feeling you get when the drain is clogged and the water level creeps up your feet and ankles, they will stop foot fungus. And they will really come in handy on Saturday nights, especially on the floor around the toilet (and maybe even sink) areas. The weekend begins on Thursday night. Tufts' bizarre block schedule makes it easier to build an extra day into your weekend, and Thursday is as good as Friday night at college (the same goes for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights for those on the seven-year plans). Avoid Friday classes, and get your work done early in the week. When your friends are out, you don't want to be buried behind problem sets or English essays. Avoid hooking up with people you live with. If you're looking for a way to ruin your entire freshman year, "floor-cest" is one of the best. But be sure to talk to everyone on your floor - they are by far the most convenient friends you'll have, and they're the ones who will make sure you find your bed when you come home from your first frat experience. Be nice to your RA. Chances are they won't go out of their way to look for ways to write you up. They've been here a while, and they know a lot of the procedural things you'll need to get through the first year. And if you're lucky, they'll give you a floor to crash on when you get sexiled. Most of all, keep an open mind about your next four years. The diversity of the student body and the location of campus enables Tufts to offer students a plethora of opportunities to expand their minds, meet new people, and explore new places. But these opportunities won't come to you. Get out of your room, join an extracurricular activity, attend speeches and plays on campus, and take a class for the sheer reason that it interests you. Run the naked quad run and stay out all night painting the cannon. Take advantage of Boston, as it is America's biggest and best-known college town. You no longer have a curfew, so get out there and enjoy your freedom. Good luck, and welcome to Tufts.

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News

Duckworth competes at nationals

March 31

For the men's swimming and diving team, success has been a recurring theme throughout the course of the season. This included having a 9-1 record for the regular season, a fourth-place finish in the New England Championships, in which three school records were shattered. Even after the championships the Jumbos success stretched even further, thanks to the strong swimming of sophomore sensation Tyler Duckworth. Duckworth represented Tufts in the NCAA Championships last weekend, where he competed in the 200- and 400-yard individual medley. After a strong freshman season in which he broke Paul Kraaijvanger's school record of 2:09.12 in the 200 backstroke (2:08.74), Duckworth entered the 2001-2002 season with high expectations. Those expectations were met, as he avoided falling into the sophomore slump and continued performing well this season. In addition to racking numerous points throughout the course of the season, he also provided leadership ability to the team. Swimming the individual medley as well as the backstroke, Duckworth proved to be quite versatile in the pool. "I was pleased with the way he performed throughout the duration of the season," coach Don Megerle said. "I have been proud of his achievements, but I will expect even more from him in the future because I know he has the talent and willingness to improve. I will be looking forward to that." In this year's NESCAC championships at Wesleyan, Duckworth performed well, as he broke his 200 backstroke record once again, with a time of 2:08.21. The weekend was one filled with other broken records, as freshmen Seth Baron and Rich Halpert also broke the respective records of the 200 butterfly (1:55.72) and the 200 individual medley (1:56.23). In that meet, Duckworth scored 75 points for the Jumbos, 19th overall in the conference. With their performances, Duckworth and Baron were able to earn B-cuts to the NCAA Championships. An A-cut gives the swimmer an automatic berth to the national championships, while the B-cut is provisional. While NESCAC Championship ended that Sunday, Duckworth and Baron were left in the bubble, where both had to wait until Thursday for the national committee to announce the field of competitors in the NCAA Championships. "I didn't think those times would be fast enough to get into the meet," Duckworth said. "When the results came out, I had missed [the A-cut to] nationals by .01 of a second. I was in 20th place. I was pretty disappointed" Duckworth had also earned a B-cut the previous season but failed to gain a spot at nationals. This year's results proved to be different, however. While Baron did not gain a spot to compete, Duckworth did, as he qualified to swim in the 200 and 400 individual medleys. The announcement came as a surprise, as Duckworth was able to swim because another swimmer had dropped out of the competition because of an injury. "It was difficult because I thought the season had ended so I had moved on with my life," Duckworth said. "Getting back in the water was challenging as I was the only male qualifier from Tufts." Duckworth had to leave for nationals in a rush, as the meet was held at Miami of Ohio. Duckworth finished the 200 and the 400 IMs with the respective times of 1:58.47 (37th place) and 4:15.79 (27th place). Duckworth, showing initial disappointment, attributed his performance to lack of time to prepare for the meet, as well as being overwhelmed as Tufts' only competitor. "I missed the cheering, support, and camaraderie that I am accustomed to at Tufts. I swam a pretty dismal race," Duckworth said. "I was tired, my taper had pretty much worn off and I sort of wanted to go home." Despite failing to go beyond the preliminary rounds of the two meets, Duckworth was able to overcome his initial disappointment. He realized that being part of the NCAA Championships was an honor in itself. "My coach was very inspirational as he gave me some good advice. He reminded me that I deserved to be here as much as any other athlete," Duckworth said. Duckworth is expected to be among the core leaders for Jumbos swimming next season, as the departure of senior Timmy Bouley will leave a leadership gap that needs to be filled. Though he will only be a junior, Duckworth is prepared to take a more visible role. And with two years left of swimming, Duckworth still has the potential to make a bigger mark on Tufts swimming.

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