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The Setonian
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Tufts alumnus among Enron execs under fire

March 31

A central figure in the scrutiny surrounding the Enron Corp. is a 1983 graduate of Tufts. Andrew Fastow, who finished his studies a year early and graduated with a degree in Chinese and economics, was the Chief Financial Officer of Enron before getting fired in October. The company came under investigation after Enron executives unloaded immense amounts of stock and banned employees from selling shares that were part of their 401(k) plans. Fastow, who graduated from Tufts magna cum laude, lost his job after Enron's financial issues came to light. Enron's top executives have been the subject of nine congressional committees and the focus of the Justice Department, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Labor Department. The company's connection to politics as the largest contributor to President Bush's campaign has also attracted media attention. Last week, Fastow and other prominent players invoked their Fifth Amendment right and refused to testify before the House Energy Committee, the first of many such trials. Born in Washington DC in 1961, Fastow is the middle of three children. According to a spokesman, he followed the stock market closely as a child and was president of his New Providence, NJ high school student council. He was the first student representative to obtain a position on the New Jersey State board of education. Once at Tufts, he met and later married Houston-native Lea Weingarten (LA '83), the daughter of a prominent supermarket-chain owner. He later received his master's degree in business administration from Northwestern University and went on to work for the Continental Bank in Chicago. Fastow was recruited in 1990 by now-ex-Enron CEO Jeff Skilling to join a corporation owned by Kenneth Lay, which had just three years earlier stood on the brink of bankruptcy. By 1996 Fastow had been promoted to CFO and in 1999 was awarded the CFO Magazine's CFO Excellence Award for Capital Structure Management for his role in turning the company around. Although Fastow is widely recognized as a financial genius, a Dec. 17 Business Week article painted a less pretty picture. Many colleagues reportedly regarded him as a "vindictive man, prone to attacking those he didn't like in Enron's group performance reviews." Friends, however, say that the father of two is an upstanding community member who enjoys spending time coaching his sons and playing tennis or the trombone. More recently, he and his wife took part in charitable events which included fund-raising functions at the Contemporary Art Museum, the Holocaust Museum, and the Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston. His rabbi told The Seattle Times that Fastow is a "very unassuming and quiet individual." But Fastow is accused of playing an essential part in the trio that allegedly allowed Enron to fool investors. Fastow reportedly helped create a number of Enron subsidiaries that allowed the company to keep nearly $500 million worth of debt off its accounting records. These partnerships were often named after characters in Star Wars. Enron's collapse remains a mountain of controversy that dominates headlines, while Andrew Fastow's future remains uncertain. Although his time at Tufts may not be remembered by many, his legacy will be. Tufts alumnus Zachary Bromer (LA '01) said the Fastow-Tufts connection is disappointing. "While it's only a small embarrassment for the University to be associated with one of the ringleaders of Enron's demise, it is truly a loss that Fastow could not have used his business expertise to become another prominent Tufts alum," Bromer said

The Setonian
News

From now on, everything counts

March 31

When freshman Natalie Levy took her standardized tests in preparation for college applications, she exercised her right to Score Choice, allowing her to hold all of her SAT II test scores before releasing the ones of which she was most proud. Levy found the luxury a particularly useful one in the rigorous game of college admissions. She said that "out of all the scores it was nice to be able to choose what a college saw, and how to represent yourself." But had Levy taken the tests two years later, she wouldn't have had that opportunity. After a nine-year experiment, the College Board has chosen to discontinue its score-choice policy on SAT II testing, meaning that after this academic year, colleges will see every score that a student receives on a standardized test. At Tufts, Dean of Admissions David Cuttino said the policy change is a smart decision. "I think it's a good decision, and the reason is that there has been confusion created by Score Choice, and in many instances, what it has meant is that student scores have not been available at the time applications are being reviewed," Cuttino said. Cuttino said that all too often, admissions officers attempt to review an application, only to find that the scores to which a student has alluded simply are not there. Either these students did not understand that scores needed to be released, or they simply forgot to do so. Cuttino hopes that eliminating Score Choice will ensure that admissions offices receive all of the information that they have requested. According to a statement released by the College Board, while the policy was originally created to give students greater control over the admission process, the College Board's Guidance and Admission Assembly Council worried that the policy promoted "gamesmanship". It also gave an advantage to wealthier students who could afford the fee charged by the College Board to take multiple tests and exercise the Score Choice policy on all of them. Cuttino said that, affluence aside, high schools which foster a greater dialogue on the college admissions process tend to encourage students to take advantage of processes like Score Choice. "[Score Choice] is likely to be something that is used in environments where there's just more discussion of the college process and more of an effort at trying to develop a strategy," he said. He added that at Tufts, the admissions office attempts to take this disparity into account. Freshman Jenelle Birnbaum said she never exercised her Score Choice option because of the fees instituted by the College Board on all aspects of the testing process. "I didn't want to pay for anything else [like score choice] because you had to pay for the tests," she said. Students won't be shelling out extra dollars for Score Choice any longer, but Cuttino said the greatest benefit will be in lower stress levels. High school students will be less concerned with putting together a package for the admissions office and developing a testing strategy that will optimize their scores, he said. "Hopefully it will mean that you are simply sitting for the testing and you're not spending a lot of time worrying about how [to] put together a strategy," Cuttino said. "I think it may reduce some of the complexity and hopefully...the anxiety over testing." Not all students agree. Freshman Todd Bohannon said that having less control over the material that gets sent to admissions offices will actually lead to increased stress. "It'll be a more stressful experience if you take it and know you can't withhold the score," he said. Regardless, Cuttino said that admissions officers will look at only the highest SAT II scores submitted, and will not be affected by drastically low scores unless the scores strongly contradict a student's high school record. "It's the time and effort devoted to what they do day in and day out over their four years of high school and the time devoted to pursuing their interests and the significance of their achievement both in and out of the classroom that is more deserving of their time and attention," Cuttino said. "The testing is important, but it's only helpful when it's used with a student's academic record." Sophomore Courtney Demesme-Anders said the policy may prove beneficial, and that high school students should be able to avoid any increased stress. "I took all of them once," she said. "I can see how people would get stressed out about it, but it's not such a big deal," she said. She pointed out that most other standardized exams - such as Advanced Placement (AP) and SAT I tests - have never afforded an option like Score Choice. According to a recently released statement, the College Board is preparing to launch a campaign aimed at informing colleges and students about the policy change. It also intends to encourage colleges to strongly state their SAT II policies and assure applicants that only their highest scores will be considered.

The Setonian
News

What we expect from our University

March 31

The aim of this Viewpoint is not to argue about history. Every person, according to his ethnical, cultural, political, and economical background or to the amount of research he has done, has his own opinions, and discussing them can last days and actually years. Therefore I do not find any logic in stating my opinion of what actually happened between the Armenians and the Ottomans in the northeast provinces of the Ottoman Empire in WWI in these limited lines. Instead, I aim to express my concerns about our University's role on the subject of being unbiased on sensitive issues regarding history. On Friday, April 19, 2002 I read an article in The Tufts Daily and was shocked by its title "Armenian scholar Mouradian discusses genocide memory" and its opening sentence that read "The massacre of 1.5 millions Armenians at the hands of the Turks in 1915 is regarded as many as the twentieth century's first incidence of genocide". As I read on, I realized that the article was about an event to commemorate the so-called "Armenian Genocide," and that Tufts was actually one of the only two schools that organized such an event (The other one is Harvard). Like I stated earlier, this historical issue has keen representatives on both sides that have been discussing it for years and years. Both sides have strong opinions about whether the numbers are being exaggerated or not and whether it was a systematic killing of a people - which is the accepted definition of genocide - or not. In order to achieve the truth, we should leave it to the professional historians and other scholars to speculate and reach a conclusion that would enlighten the future generations about this dark episode in human civilization. For this reason, I will instead focus on why a university should be extra careful about choosing its words, especially those that carry as heavy a burden as "genocide." A university's main duty is to provide its members with the open-minded atmosphere without alienating anyone by attaching uncertain historical allegations to a group within its community. It is only through this approach that a university can achieve its ultimate goal of being the home to professional and unbiased scholarly research that would lead to the truth. Otherwise, everybody, without the proper data, would come up with accusations that benefits him in a certain way, but at the same time assigns unjust labels to his "other." I believe that it is against the principles of a university to let this word be used about the events of 1915, whether it is in a publication like TheTufts Daily or in the title of an event that commemorates those who died in that year. This is because a certainty has not yet been reached about this particular subject at this point in history. I, and I am sure many others, who are expecting our University to provide a safe environment for the scholarly research of individuals with different backgrounds, would have expected the Daily writers to be more sensitive when reporting. Furthermore, I am sure that many are offended by the fact that an event titled "Armenian Genocide" actually took place on the grounds of a University that is supposed to teach its students that people should not blindly accept one side of an argument and alienate the rest. Especially in a country like the United States, where the so-called Armenian "genocide" is not recognized (the former president Bill Clinton and the US House shelved the resolution on October 19, 2000), it is a mistake for a university to let allegations leak into its academic environment. To make my point clearer, I would like to conclude by looking at a more recent example, an incident that is taking place on another geography right now. I have heard people regard what is going on between the Israeli armed forces and the Palestinian refugees in Jenin with the word "genocide". I am certain that in the coming years, there will be a huge debate about what actually happened in 2002 in Jenin, and probably this will be very similar to the arguments about the Armenian allegations. My questions are: would it suit our university to utter the heavy word of "genocide" in one of its publications when reporting about these events? Furthermore, would it not be against the principles of a university to let those who think what is happening in Jenin is genocide to explicitly title an event "the Palestinian Genocide" in order to commemorate those who died? It is true that there are also dedicated advocates of this issue with strong and conflicting opinions. However, the important point is that a professional university environment should not favor any side in any conflict, whether it is the Palestinian- Israeli dispute or the Armenian-Turkish discord. This is what we expect from our University.Esra Yalcinalp is a sophomore double majoring in history and international relations.

The Setonian
News

Seeking more out of Tufts' Asian American studies

March 31

Last semester, the Daily ran three articles on Asian American curriculum at Tufts, or the lack thereof. As a response, we submitted a Viewpoint that appeared in the Oct. 9 edition of the Daily ("Tufts Ignores Asian American Studies"). In this Viewpoint, we argued that despite the University's claim of being a diverse campus, the diversity of the student body was not reflected by the institution's curriculum. This was shown in the Tufts University Task Force on Race in 1998, and also by the simple fact that courses with a main focus on Asian American content (two in all) were sparsely offered. In addition, these courses were not even grounded in the curriculum because the school does not have any full-time tenure track or tenured professors trained to teach in the field, creating an uncertainty as to how frequently the courses would be available. Since the printing of that article, a committee of students circulated two petitions requesting the hiring of full-time tenure track professors qualified to teach Asian American course material to fill the vacancies left in the English and anthropology/sociology departments, respectively. We accumulated over 1,300 signatures from the student body in support, and met with the chairs of both departments to discuss these issues. We thank all of the students and professors who have lent their time and support to this cause. Unfortunately, the upper-level administration was not as responsive in acknowledging our concerns. While it took numerous attempts in order to secure an appointment with Dean Ernst, President Bacow has declined to even meet with us on two occasions. We hope this is not an indication by the administration that our concerns about the curriculum are not important to them at this time. Despite the results of the University's Task Force on Race, little has been done to solve this problem since the report was released in 1998. In addition, Tufts has continued to fall behind other area schools including Boston College, Williams, and Mount Holyoke, as well as other top-level schools such as Columbia, Cornell, Penn, Brown, and Princeton, in establishing Asian American Studies. As our ever-changing country continues to move toward a more racially and ethnically diverse society, can the Tufts administration really afford to continue ignoring this issue? History is not an objective science, but rather a weighted narrative that conveys what we as a society deem important and unimportant. For Tufts not to include Asian America in its curriculum is a clear message that Tufts does not consider Asian America worthy of study, nor the needs of students to learn about Asian America as legitimate and critical. Finding our missing history - the history of oppression and resistance of Asian Americans, for example - and including it in our curriculum not only broadens our individual education, but has the power to alter our reality in America, both personally and collectively. While some may say that an Asian American curriculum is an Asian American issue, we disagree. We believe that a Tufts curriculum is a Tufts student issue. The current gaps in our curriculum perpetuate institutional racism by giving all of us an incomplete and overly simplistic picture of America's past, present, and future. The current gaps also perpetuates our ignorance and contributes to producing flawed citizens. The inclusion of all ethnic and racial groups' histories, literatures, and contributions to society in our curriculum redefines our vision of what it means to be American. Only by diversifying our curriculum can we unlearn and eventually uproot the underpinnings of racism.Aaron Chiu is a junior majoring in International Relations, and Laura Horwitz is a junior majoring in American Studies.

The Setonian
News

A rock and a hard place

March 31

After the utter failure of the University to provide housing for its students, many juniors-to-be find themselves with little choice but to pay the exorbitant rates of exploiting landlords in the area. It is pretty incredible that despite the recession housing costs around campus are still increasing. Now that the University has failed to provide housing to some 200 students, landlords in the area are increasing the rents even further.Many students simply cannot afford the exorbitant rates and are literally homeless. This is the worst housing crisis in recent memory and drastic measures must be taken immediately in order to alleviate the housing disaster of 2002. The only real measure that will solve this problem in the long run is to build a large new dorm or even two dorms that will reconnect students with the campus. Unfortunately, the new dorm that is currently being planned will not even begin to address the problems that have emerged during the current housing fiasco.Until these new dorms are built students will be forced to face the "slum lords" of Medford and Somerville who charge excessive rents for run down apartments. Granted there are a few good landlords who maintain their apartments in good condition and have resisted the urge to let the rents reach these astronomical rates. But I have heard too many horrible stories of landlords who simply do not take care of their apartments and still increase the rent 20 percent each year.These incredibly high rates are not exclusive to the Medford/Somerville area. Boston, Cambridge and some of the surrounding towns also have incredibly high rents. As a senior who has made the decision to stay in Boston next year against my better judgment, I have recently learned that Boston is the third most expensive metropolitan area to live in the country. I find this a bit odd since there are so many poor college students in the area.The general problem with the housing rates in the greater Boston area is that college students are not organized enough to be able to enact public policy that will help create affordable housing in the area. Students are only around for four years and are often much more focused on other issues. Furthermore, many students do not vote and are not registered in Massachusetts, and therefore they have little political clout in the state.University administrators; however, often do have the organizational ability and political clout to successfully lobby for affordable housing in the area but often choose to use their political capital on other issues. Boston bills itself as the largest and greatest college town in the country, and yet it provides very little for us college students. We have no affordable housing in the area. Public Transportation in Boston closes very early. Bars in the area close early and liquor stores aren't open seven days a week. This hardly sounds to me like a college town with services tailored to college students.Most universities have a community relations department as well as a lobbying arm. However, neither of these departments typically advocate student needs but rather they try to increase funding for the University and insure that the community at large is pleased with their interaction with the school. Both of these acts are very important pieces of a university administration. My question is: why have they left out a lobby for student needs in the communities?A university must first and foremost serve its customers - the students. Too often universities such as Tufts get caught up in their peripheral issues instead of focusing on the importance of student satisfaction. Students should also take some responsibility for this problem and organize themselves instead of just sitting around and complaining. If students from different Boston colleges joined together to lobby local governments, they would be able to affect change on a larger scale. Tufts is the perfect place to start and housing is the perfect issue to lobby for. I call students and administrators on this campus to work together to create affordable housing in the area. Rent control is a thing of the past in most urban setting; however, there are proven methods of creating affordable housing such as tax incentives and low-interest loans.With students and administrators working together on this issue, I believe that we will be able to successfully create more affordable housing in the area and ultimately build a better environment where all Tufts students will be able to live in the community in which they learn. It is too late for the 200 students who were shut out of housing this year but with new dorms and the lobbying efforts of students and administrators we will be able to insure that students will not be shut out in the future.

The Setonian
News

Men in good position for post-season berth

March 31

The men's basketball team took an important step towards postseason play this weekend, rebounding from a Friday night loss to Williams with a crucial 103-88 win over Middlebury on Saturday. The Jumbos entered the final stretch of the regular season needing to win at least one - possibly two - of their last four games just to qualify for one of the seven spots in the conference tournament. Last season, the team was in a similar situation, needing to win just one of its final four games to make the tournament. But that team lost all four, including dropping the last three games by a combined total of nine points, and went home early. This year, the Jumbos hope to do better. "I see this team playing more than one or two more games," coach Bob Sheldon said. "We're going to be playing more after next weekend." Tufts came up with one of its best defensive efforts of the year in the second half of Saturday's game to help that happen, allowing just 37 points to a Middlebury team that had put up 51 in the first frame. "It was all our defense in the second half," Sheldon said. "Guys kind of left their comfort zone a little bit and stepped up." That, combined with consistently strong performances from juniors Mike McGlynn and Brian Shapiro, who finished with 25 and 24 points, respectively, was enough to earn a 15-point win. Tufts even found a way to silence Panther forward Eric Bundonis, who had 22 points in the first half but finished the game with just 28. The Jumbos held Middlebury to 30.3 percent from the floor in the second period, while shooting a scorching 62.1 percent themselves. "It was a good team win," Sheldon said. "I thought we did a really good job." The Jumbos knew Saturday's win was important for getting them back on the right track, because the loss to Williams was almost a given. The Ephs came into Friday's contest ranked 24th in the nation, at 18-3, having won seven of their last eight and their last six against the Jumbos. And while Tufts had battled hard against the number one team in New England in an 88-85 loss to Keene State two weeks ago, the team was unable to come up with a similar performance this time around, losing 85-69. Williams took over early, and kept up a double-digit lead through most of the second half. So now the Jumbos find themselves in another familiar situation. Like last year's team, they are 3-4 with two games - Wesleyan and Conn. College - left on the schedule. But this time those games are at home, not at the end of a four-game road trip, like last year, and that should give the Jumbos a slight boost. And this year's team now has another, much more important, advantage over the 2000-01 squad - a win over Middlebury. With the Panthers falling to 3-5 in the conference, it would take two Tufts losses, and an improbable Middlebury win at Williams, for the Jumbos to end up lower in the standings. "We all knew we had to win," McGlynn said of Saturday's game. "We have the tiebreaker over them now. So this was a big game - we all knew we had to come out and win it." Colby, also fighting for one of the final tournament spots, is even with Tufts at 3-4 in conference play after upsetting Bowdoin on Saturday, but is one of only two NESCAC teams with sub-.500 overall records. The White Mules lost to the Jumbos Feb. 1, and finish their season with road games at Trinity and Amherst, who have a combined 30-10 record, leaving them with an uphill battle to get to the postseason. Tufts also has a win over Bates - a 111-104 overtime thriller - meaning the Bobcats, at 1-6, will end up behind the Jumbos even if they win out and Tufts drops its last two. All this means that, while it is still mathematically possible for Tufts to miss the NESCAC Tournament, the odds are against it. With Saturday's win over Middlebury, the Jumbos put themselves in good position for a postseason run. But wins in their last two games could bump the Jumbos up as high as the number four seed, which would give them an easier first-round match-up. Tufts will look to bolster its position in the conference standings next weekend as the team hosts Wesleyan on Friday and then Conn. College in the regular-season finale Saturday afternoon.

The Setonian
News

Cover your ears 'Patch Adams,' psycho Williams swears up a storm

March 31

There's something undeniable funny about watching Robin Williams, star of recent sap-fests like Bicentennial Man and Patch Adams, swearing like a sailor and losing his mind. There's something incredibly giddy about seeing Edward Norton, who has built his credibility on playing mentally unstable madmen, play an utter sweetheart in a Rhino costume, singing songs with lyrics like "My stepdad's not mean, he's just adjusting." Add Jon Stewart, the Irish Mafia, dancing midgets, angry mobs, and products like Smoochy Cola ("With not just one, but two addictive ingredients!") and you have a pretty darned funny movie. It falters at times - whenever it tries to get serious or when Danny DeVito tries too hard as a director and co-star - but it's nevertheless a worthwhile trip to the movies. The movie's ads are a bit misleading: the target of satire is not Barney, but children's television in itself (and the mental psychosis it breeds.) And while people do intend to put Smoochy in the ground, it's not annoyance but jealousy that drives their desire to bludgeon the poor rhino. The results are surprisingly funny, considering Barney's time has come and gone. Rainbow Randolph (Williams) is Kidnet's number one star. Rainbow Randolph is also crazy, and even bullies parents into paying to let their kids on his show. He is busted, and the network quickly scrambles to find a replacement. They find him in a Free Clinic on Coney Island, singing to drug addicts, "We're going to get you off the smack today, oh yes we can..." He is Sheldon Mopes (Norton), or Smoochy, the pink Rhino. Things take off from there. Smoochy learns fame comes with pitfalls, as he gets steam rolled by network executives, roughed up by the Irish Mafia (don't ask) and threatened by the Parade of Hope foundation. "No one turns down the Ice Show!" they growl before throwing him out of a moving limo, Goodfellas-style. All Smoochy can say (and he says it a lot) is, "How do ya like that?" If he wasn't played by an actor as good as Norton, he'd get annoying, but here he grows on us, and his producer (Cathrrine Keener.) Rainbow Randolph, on the other hand, completely loses his mind. Williams goes all out, screaming spastically and plotting the demise of the Rhino. In terms of his performance, Randolph falls flat. He is pretty much a one-note character, and he's not so much a person as a walking cartoon. That doesn't mean he's not funny, because he is. After seeing Williams play the nice guy in so many movies, seeing him go nuts is consistently hilarious. It's a one-joke concept, but a surprisingly funny joke. And balanced against Norton's constant nice guy act, it works beautifully. There are plenty of twists and turns in the film, and many jokes that elicit nice big belly laughs akin to those of Something About Mary. There are also some dead spots, some awkward moments, and Danny DeVito manages to flub every scene he's in. Someone should take him aside and say, "Direct, act, pick one." The film also ends strangely, as if the writer couldn't figure out how the bizarre Nickelodeon-esque opera should end. But that doesn't draw away from one important fact: they didn't screw it up. Robin Williams is funny, Edward Norton is funny, the movie is funny. Black comedy is a fine line, and this film plays it well. Just watch out for the Irish Mafia.

The Setonian
News

Anthropology and Asian American studies

March 31

A recent Daily article (Student group questions diversity of Tufts professors, curriculum, 1/30) and editorial (2/5) have raised important concerns over the under-representation of Asian American studies courses. The anthropology program wishes to reiterate its commitment to the Asian American curriculum at Tufts. Last year, following the departure of our colleague Professor Heh-Rahn Park, we asked the administration for a tenure-track position in Asia/Asian Diaspora (which includes Asian American studies), but did not get it. This May, we will again seek to replace her by asking the administration for a tenure-track position, with a more specific focus on both Asian American and Asian anthropology. We would, as always, vigorously pursue affirmative action guidelines in this hire. Anthropology has a track record of contributions to the curriculum in Asian Diaspora for the past nine years. Both professor Nancy Chen, who was hired in 1993, and professor Heh-Rahn Park, who was hired to replace her in 1995, taught both Asian and Asian Diaspora topics in their courses. Currently, professor Hillary Crane is in a temporary one-year position in the department, and taught "Asian Societies and Diasporas" in fall 2001. We look forward to being permitted a more permanent replacement for professor Park, and thereby to be able to offer both Asian American and Asian anthropology courses.Stephen BaileyDavid GussDeborah Pacini HernandezRosalind ShawThe writers are members of the department of anthropology.

The Setonian
News

Not just time in the sun

March 31

While many college students were vacationing in fun, exotic locales this spring break, six Tufts students had a more laborious vacation. They spent their week in El Salvador, helping local communities maintain sustainable development through a variety of projects with the American Jewish World Service. El Salvador, slightly smaller than Massachusetts in size, is located in the heart of Central America. The country was the topic of a presentation at Hillel on Tuesday by students who took part in the spring break trip. Freshman Erin Allweiss started the presentation with a background of El Salvador, a country which is still suffering from a civil war 20 years ago. It was a time during which the government killed thousands of people, leaving the country to rebuild itself, she said. For the students who took the trip, it was a world they had never known the likes of before. They said they found themselves looking at their lives with new perspective. "[The hardest part was] comparing our lives to the lives of the people in Ciudad Romero," freshman Adina Allen said. "Although we have a lot, we are lacking in the cultural values and hospitality of the El Salvadorians." Hospitality was a distinguishing characteristic of El Salvadorians, according to the students. A woman named Marcelina personified this hospitality and hosted the students this year. She has hosted members of the trip before, but last year forgot to inform the group that her home had been destroyed by an earthquake. However, she still offered to host students in her chicken coop, where she and her two kids were living. Another example of the hospitality, as well as gratitude, the students experienced happened toward the end of their visit. Senior Seth Kaufman noticed a man was cutting down a tree in his front yard, which seemed odd because the tree looked pretty sturdy and healthy. Only later did he realize that the man was cutting down the tree to make room for the party he was throwing for the community and the students who helped build the home for him. The volunteers included students from Northeastern University, Brandeis and Tufts, who had the opportunity to dedicate a new home built for the host by volunteers during the past year. They flew to El Salvador and then traveled to a village named Ciudad Romero, named after a priest who was assassinated for his support of poor El Salvadorians and his actions against the government. Senior Abby Noble said the students' goal was not to solve every single problem, but to help develop Ciudad Romero into a more self-sustaining city. Among the projects students worked on was building a park for the community. This involved filling thousands of bags with dirt for saplings that would be planted later. Some also worked on building foundations for roundhouses, which required taking motorized canoes to an island, where they dug holes and put the foundations up. While the extreme heat made work difficult for the students, they were not without motivation. "A seventy five year old woman, four feet tall, was hauling things really fast," Allen said. "She really inspired us." Another project students worked on was building a greenhouse for individual homes. The greenhouse was simple, designed to hold smaller crops so families could harvest and sell them. Doing so, they could pay for the greenhouse, which would buy more crops for more people. Interacting with schoolchildren proved eye-opening, they said. In the entire city, there was just one teacher for a single schoolhouse, and students usually attend for about an hour each day and rotate class schedules. The children are interested in computers, but feel that owning one is nothing more than a dream. "The hardest part for me was hearing the students list the things they needed," Nobel said. "We were their hope; they had no faith in their government, no means to accomplish their goals." She said many students at the school said if they could have one gift, it would be a book waiting for them when they went home. For sophomore Cecelia Golombek, her experience in El Salvador gave her a new home. "The best thing about the trip was getting a chance to do the whole thing," Golombek said. "Looking back, I realized every little part made me feel connected with friends and at the end of the trip, I knew I had a home in El Salvador." At Tuesday's presentation, students attempted to promote future projects in El Salvador. Golombek plans to start a couple of programs next year to help the city, including a "chicken" project in which students buy chickens for families in El Salvador. Chickens only cost five dollars, and a family only needs eight chickens and two roosters to sustain itself. Golombek hopes to raise money for books and irrigation projects for the region. "The irrigation project and the chicken project [are] two projects that are up and running. I want to brainstorm other ideas...and bring attention to things that are going on," Golombek said. Allen said the group benefited as much as, if not more than, it contributed. "The best part of the trip for me was not only giving back to the people, but being able to receive," she said. "Donating money is good, but detached. The give and take of the experience taught us so much about family and cultural values."

The Setonian
News

Two swimmers, one diver qualify for Nationals

March 31

Going for a mid-winter's swim is not usually considered a pleasant experience. Going swimming in Ohio in the middle of the winter would seem almost hellish. But for two swimmers and a diver - sophomore Mika Sumiyoshi, freshman Erica Weitz, and sophomore Beth Wecksell, respectively - the chance to dive in during the cold Ohio winter is a dream come true. The trio will compete in the NCAA Div. III National Championship meet from March 14 to 16 at Miami University in Oxford, OH. "It is really special to qualify and I'm really excited about it," Weitz said. "The team is really supportive of everything Mika and I are trying for. It will be fun to get to go with Mika." The group qualified for Nationals after outstanding performances at the NESCAC Championships at Williams College held on the weekend of Feb. 22. During that meet, the last full-squad meet of the season, the Jumbos finished in sixth place among 11 schools that participated. While Tufts placed in the middle of the pack overall, Sumiyoshi, Weitz and Wecksell were anything but average. For the second year running, Sumiyoshi qualified to compete in three events at nationals. The events include the 200 yard Individual Medley (IM), the 400 IM, and the 200 backstroke. Sumiyoshi finished second in the 400 IM (4:35.57), third in the 200 IM (2:10.14), and fifth in 200 backstroke (2:09.41) at the NESCACS. "I was happy that I qualified in three of my events because I hadn't done that before," Sumiyoshi said. Weitz also qualified in the 400 IM with a time of 4:36.75, putting her in third place right behind Sumiyoshi. Weitz competed and finished eighth in both the 200 butterfly and the 200 IM, with times of 2:13.77 and 2:13.80 respectively. "It's exciting," she said. "I just wanted to have a good season and swim the best I could. I am really happy with my season." Despite her eighth-place finishes in the 200 butterfly and the 200 IM, Weitz will be able to compete in both events at Nationals, since an athlete who qualifies in one event can compete in other events of her choice. At the National Championships, Sumiyoshi will compete in the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 backstroke while Weitz will get the opportunity to display her skills in the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 butterfly. "Competing in three events is what we did at NESCACS," Weitz said. "[There are] three events on three different days so you are not overwhelmed. It is going to be a high level of competition." Wecksell, Tufts' lone diving representative in Ohio, qualified for Nationals on the one-meter board prior to the NESCAC meet but still performed well at NESCACs. She managed a fourth-place finish on the one-meter board, racking up 335.15 points, and a seventh-place finish on the 3-meter board, where she accumulated 327.55 points. At the National Championships, Wecksell will compete in both diving events. Over the next two weeks, Sumiyoshi and Weitz will continue to practice together, while Wecksell practices separately. However, Sumiyoshi and Weitz haven't been lonely in the pool since some of their teammates have been joining them for practice despite being officially done for the season. "Mika and I have been swimming together and some of the other girls have been joining us at swim practice," Weitz said. "They have been there to support us and keep involved in swimming." Sumiyoshi also appreciated the support, saying it was "really been helpful because it is hard to have just the two of us swim," and that "with them there it is a lot more fun, knowing that we are not alone." In addition to being the biggest Div. III college swim meet in the country, the National meet itself will be different because the Jumbos' trio will be there without the rest of their teammates. "It was really difficult last year not having my team there," Sumiyoshi said. "They contribute so much to my swim. They cheer for me and I swim so much faster but we do kind of go as a NESCAC team. We cheer as the NESCAC team."

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Jumbos finish with strong showing at championships

March 31

With the season essentially wrapped up for men's track and field, the Jumbos are ready to head into the summer break satisfied as they came out strong in the NESCAC Championships and the New England Div. III Outdoor Championships, finishing third and tenth in the competitions, respectively. Much of the Jumbos season came down to the NESCAC outdoor championships held April 27-28 - the meet that would determine which team would end up with conference bragging rights. They entered the meet confidently, as they had strong performances throughout the year, with impressive events from the indoor season extending through most of the outdoor season as well. Veteran coach Connie Putnam had been pleased with the team's performance and expected the squad to step up even more at the end of the season. The Jumbos did just that. Throughout the year, Tufts was led by freshman Ray Carre, juniors Greg Devine and Bryan Pitko, and senior J.R. Cruz. Overall. Tufts completed the NESCACs with 117 points and a large 29-point cushion in front of Bates. The points earned the Jumbos a third place finish, as well as a number of bids for the New England Championships. Not accustomed to the unseasonable weather, rain, snow and sleet compounded the Jumbos efforts at the Russell Outdoor Track at Bates. Williams College, a track and field powerhouse for the conference, held firm and won the meet with 216 points. Devine trampled his competition, winning the 110-meter hurdles and the 400 hurdles with respective times of 14.91 and 53.99. His impressive outing at the meet earned the quad-captain the Frank Sebastianski Award for outstanding male performer. Other Jumbos stepped up and handled the competition in similar fashion. Distance runner Cruz won the opening event, the 10,000-meter run with a time of 31:26.85, earning himself a qualification to compete in the Division III National Championships. Carre had a strong run in the 400-meter as he sprinted to a third place finish in a time of 50:15. Solid performances were put in by fellow freshman Nate Brigham in the 10,000-meter run (32:03.33) who finished two slots behind Cruz in third. Junior Bryan Pitko, who was coming off an injury earlier in the season, finished the 110-meter in form, with a time of 15.14. The field events also brought in many points. Despite a warm-up injury to sophomore pole-vaulter Adrian Clarke, the rest of the Jumbos managed to step-up their own performances and earn some key points in their respective events to cover for their ailing teammate. Junior throwers Andy Dickerson and Adam Lukowski, as well as freshman Evan Blaser finished with personal records in the respective events of the hammer throw, discus, and high jump. Following the NESCAC championships, the Tufts competed at Williams for the Division III New England Championships May 2-4. Though fewer Jumbos competed, Tufts had enough strength to muster 31 points, good enough for tenth out of 23 teams. Williams once again finished on top, winning the meet with 169.5 points. Devine, Pitko, and Carre were able to qualify for the Division III National Championships, as they excelled in their events at the New Englands. Devine will compete in the 400-meter hurdles, Pitko will compete in the 110-meter hurdles, and Carre will compete in the 400-meter dash. They will compete in nationals in May 22-23, at Macalaster College in St. Paul, MI. At the end of the season, the most improved award went to Louis DeLesia, and the most valuable award went to Devine.

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CFS proposes Office of Greek Life

March 31

In an attempt to enhance the Greek system on campus and rebuild its values, Committee on Fraternities and Sororities (CFS) chair Ed Cabellon, the assistant director of student activities, has unveiled an initiative that calls for the creation of an independent Office of Greek Life. The office would work closely with Greek houses to create stronger ties between them and with the community as a whole.The move is unprecedented in University-Greek relations, which have undergone conflict on several occasions over the last decade. And although the Greek system has not been under active fire this year, Dean of Students Bruce Reitman described what he sees as a general decline in the bonds of a true Greek community. "Our Greek system appears to lack a feeling on the part of the chapters thatthey all belong to one system," Reitman said. "Chapters act independently of one another. I don't think you can have pride in the Greek system if we're looking at individual cooperative apartments." Panhellenic Council president Amanda Scheinfeldt agrees with the sentiment. "Right now, [the Greek system] is just about the individual houses," she said. Reitman said that many of the national chapters of fraternities and sororities on campus have spoken with him and other administrators about strengthening the feeling of community among houses at Tufts. Reitman is supportive of the proposed Office of Greek Life. "If we can afford it, I'd love it," he said. Funding for the office would most likely come from a combination of contributions from house corporations, national chapters, college funds, and possibly from students as part of house dues or Tufts Community Union (TCU) funding, Reitman said. President Larry Bacow has not actively supported the Greek system so far but stopped short of citing concern, instead saying he has "expectations" of fraternities and sororities. "I will look to Dean Reitman and his staff to work with our Greek system to ensure that our fraternities are faithful to their stated goals," the president said. Reitman said he has communicated with Bacow about Greek like several times and insisted that administrative interest in fraternities and sororities is not inspired by plans for a crackdown. The administration is not without its concerns, however. Reitman said that Bacow complained about beer cans and cups strewn about the Professors Row area last semester, and the president recently received a letter from 8th District Congressional Representative Michael Capuano regarding complaints of "noise, late night partying, and litter," from local-area residents. Community complaints about fraternities are nothing new, and it remains unclear how seriously Bacow will take them. In either case, the president is not new to dealing with fraternities. During his time as chancellor at MIT, where he worked in part on undergraduate life issues, Bacow experienced a worst-case fraternity incident. In 1997, freshman Scott Krueger died after being found unconscious in the Phi Gamma Delta chapter house. His death was an alleged result of hazing, and MIT later agreed to pay Krueger's family $6 million for its role in determining housing and alcohol policies. Bacow was among the architects of hotly-debated residential life plan which eliminated MIT's tradition of housing freshmen in fraternities. Reitman said there is no harm in a president's interest in Greek life on campus, especially since 20 percent of the University's undergraduate population holds membership in the system. But the self-described catalyst of any change will be Cabellon, who also serves as assistant director of student activities. The plan is to hire a full time administrator for the office, who would be assisted by four graduate assistants. "I want to make sure that these students know they have a place to go, especially when they feel the administration is always after them," Cabellon said, adding that many other schools with Greek systems employ similar staffs. One such school is the University of New Hampshire (UNH), which maintains a permanent Office of Greek Affairs. According to its coordinator, Steve Pappajohn, a dedicated Greek office is vital to promoting a cohesive Greek community. "The system as an independent entity is very advantageous," Pappajohn said. Pappajohn, who has worked at schools both with and without separate Greek offices, says his office acts as a liaison between school administrators and students, not as another arm of the administration. Along with a graduate assistant and two interns, Pappajohn is involved in all aspects of Greek affairs at UNH, including alumni relations, philanthropy, and risk management. "In many ways, we try to bridge the gap" between the university and the Greeks, Pappajohn said. Cabellon hopes that such a dedicated organization will be able to reinvigorate fraternity and sorority members at Tufts. "They're the ones who are leaders on campus," Cabellon said. "The Greeks here ... haven't really dipped into their potential." Cabellon said a major area of concern is community service and charity, and he recently asked the fraternities and sororities to summarize their efforts in this area. "Philanthropy is one of the backbones of Greek life," Cabellon said. "If that isn't part of their mission right now, I would ask them, 'What are you doing at Tufts?'" Until the various houses provide Cabellon with the requested information, however, it will be difficult to tell how heavily any fraternity or sorority is involved in community efforts. "A lot of houses do philanthropy that no one even knows about," one sorority president said at a recent CFS meeting. Some fraternity members, though, speak about charity as little more than a paragraph of their credo.On a larger scale, Reitman believes that the proposed Office of Greek Life will be most effective in creating stronger Inter-Fraternity and Panhellenic Councils, which he called integral to "maintaining the traditions and values" that the various Greek organizations stand for. Scheinfeldt, the Panhellenic Council president, acknowledged that the IFC currently exists in name only, and added that she and other fraternity and sorority members believe Cabellon's efforts to start a Greek office will "revamp" the current way of life and create a unified and tangible support organization.Reitman is confident that Cabellon will be able to improve the visibility of campus fraternities and sororities and cast the Greek system in a new light. "He's our best chance," he said of Cabellon.The tensest days for Greeks at Tufts came in 1995, when the faculty of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering made a proposal to the board of trustees to abolish the entire Greek system. Their recommendation hinged on the view that gender-specific houses fostered communities of sexism and disrespect, according to Reitman. "Faculty members were saying that women could not walk down Professors Row without catcalls and comments," Reitman said. In response, the trustees created a committee to evaluate the complaints. After half a year of interviewing students and faculty and organizing focus groups, the trustees decided not to eliminate the Greek system. While they did not see the faculty's concern regarding gender inequality as a major problem, the trustees decided to address what they saw as social exclusivity that many prospective Greeks were facing. They created a University rule that mandated guaranteed bidding, by which the fraternity and sorority system as a whole was required to accommodate any eligible student seeking bids from one of their houses. In other words, every student must receive a bid from a house, although a student is not guaranteed a bid to the house of his or her choice specifically. But most fraternities now do not adhere to this rule, while sororities do. The faculty, whose original concerns were unheeded by trustees and who felt that they had no higher authority to turn to, voted to remove themselves from the Greek system entirely, which had been overseen in part by the Committee on Student Life. They have had no official oversight or involvement in the Greek system since.In response, Tufts soon created the CFS, which includes members of the University administration and student body.

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Old World charm meets New World mystery

March 31

When an audience screams, jeers, and gets up to leave halfway through a performance, it usually means there's something wrong with the play at hand. Unless it's Sudipto Chatterjee's adaptation of the Irish comedy Playboy of the Western World. In his production, which opened in the Balch Arena Theater over the weekend, the hecklers' antics were all part of the dramatic action. Chatterjee's version of the 1907 play by J.M. Synge is meant to counter much of what some felt was wrong with the original production, which was greeted by protest when it made its debut in Ireland. Dubliners felt that Synge made a mockery of the Irish and that much of his material was inappropriate (though the furthest he goes is having the girls show a little petticoat). Instead of presenting the show at face value, Chatterjee transports the audience back to early 20th century Ireland and lets them see the play as if they were surrounded by the original protesting crowd. There are, in fact, several members from this old world scattered throughout the audience. And it works - sort of. The juxtaposition of the past and present through the inclusion of comic nuances is one of the only aspects of the play that keeps it interesting. The concept becomes clear shortly into the first act, when strains of the theme from Mission Impossible - which clearly does not belong in the proper Irish setting suggested by the costumes and scenery - echo through the theater. Though Chatterjee's efforts were creative, innovative, and dramatically polished, they unfortunately were not enough to save the play from its confusing plot and lack of developed characters. That's not to say that the actors did not turn in impressive performances, complete with realistic Irish accents. The cast of Playboy is immensely talented - even though two of the jeering actors in the audience subsequently claim that they can play the roles better. The actors do, in fact, switch places during the second act, with James Foster-Keddie stepping in for Graham Griffin as Philly O'Cullen and Max Dionne stepping in for Graham Outerbridge (who exclaimed "I don't need this -I was in How I Learned to Drive!" in defense of his acting skills) as Jimmy Farrell. These pairs of actors switch off each night, changing who goes first in their respective roles. There were other moments that featured cleverly placed lines specially geared towards the Tufts audience. At various times one of the rioters in the audience ordered for the actors to "kill the author," and the stage actors yell back that he is already dead. When the rioter yells, "kill the director," however, the actors retort, "He's Indian." But that doesn't seem to bother the rioter, and Chatterjee, in a brilliant cameo appearance, yells "Ohmigod!" and flees the Arena. The cast members themselves deliver memorable performances as well, from Sarah Marcus's sultry Widow Quinn, to Josh Bauml's slurping Old Mahon (whose beard and clothing bore an uncanny resemblance to those of Osama Bin Laden), to, of course, Patrick Murray's Christy Mahon -the mysterious man who arrives in the village, reveals that he has killed his father, and steals the hearts of the gaggling ensemble of young girls who fawn over him each time he appears on stage. But, at times, the accents covered up the dialogue and made it difficult to understand what was being said on stage. The actors made up for this to some extent through their interactions with each other and their ability to act as a cohesive ensemble. There were a few inconsistencies, however: for example, where were the protesters when one of the girls took off her petticoat and placed it over Christy's head so he could hide from his pursuers? Though it sometimes seemed that there were so many actors crowding the floor of the Arena that it was hard to keep track of who was who, the ensemble scenes were by far the strongest moments in the production. Costumed in traditional Irish garb, the cast members performed three Irish folk songs and dances over the course of the play. Each time, they had the audience clapping in their seats. The music is all played live by the actors, who present a wide array of instruments ranging from fiddles to drums, and even a set of bagpipes. It's a good thing that the musical numbers come one each at the beginning, the entr'acte, and the finale, because they pique an initial curiosity for the show - though it is not satisfied as fully as it could be. The story itself provides little excitement, but the realistic Irish world that Chatterjee has assembled on the Arena stage is creative in its own right. It's interesting to see the relationship between past and present through drama, and Playboy certainly succeeds in that respect.Playboy of the Western World, Balch Arena Theater through Feb. 23. Tickets are $5 with a Tufts ID.

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Mitt Romney Speaks on Heroism

March 31

Mitt Romney, the lone Republican candidate for governor of Massachusetts, spoke to over 50 students on Wednesday as part of President Emeritus John DiBiaggio's leadership class. A self-described "advocate of heroism in ordinary lives," Romney told students to emulate heroism in its basic forms. The former president of the Salt Lake Olympic Committee (SLOC) used anecdotes from his years of experience as a businessman, politician, and active citizen to define his understanding of heroism. The speech was well received by the students in attendance, many from DiBiaggio's class. Students called the speech "inspiring" yet "informal." "He's an attractive candidate," said one member of the Tufts Democrats. "He's well read, well educated, and charismatic." Romney spoke about heroism that daily citizens embody and how the media can overlook those ideals. Although he said he enjoys watching television, he asked the audience to consider the values that are portrayed on TV. He defined heroism as different from the examples seen on TV. "Forget about philosophy; just think more simply. Heroism is taking a risk for a cause that's greater than self." He used the example of an old man who saved his mother by dragging her out of possibly shark-infested waters. "To me, that was heroic," Romney said. This sense of risk-taking for a greater cause, he said, prompted him to accept the role of president of the SLOC. He quipped that he was athletic neither in high school nor in college, but rather chose to be active because "the Olympics have a role in society that is far greater than self." While not all Olympic athletes are heroes, he said, many are. He cited American gymnast Kerri Strug as an example. The Detroit native earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and his law degree from Harvard Law School. Romney quickly became a prominent businessman after graduation, but in 1994 he launched a failed political campaign to oust incumbent Ted Kennedy from his Senate seat. Most recently, Romney was chosen as president of the SLOC, where many say he saved the Winter Olympic Games from fiscal crisis. In his introduction, DiBiaggio noted that Romney's contribution to the Olympics were "not only a great credit to the state of Utah, but to the entire country." He said Romney's reasons for wanting to become a public servant embody one of the major lessons of his course. DiBiaggio quoted Romney as saying, "I want to run to make a difference." When asked about his own heroes, Romney replied that students "wouldn't know them." He mentioned his uncle, who spent his life paying back the debt Romney's grandfather incurred and his sister Lynn, who raises eight children alone. "Regardless of the course you take, what is needed from you is the desire to live for something greater than yourself." Romney said his generation - the generation to which most elected officials belong - is turning its focus to its own benefits, such as social security. "You should have a say in that," said Romney, encouraging college students to go out and vote. He said today's college-age population is more educated than any other, but has the lowest voter turnout. "We have not yet found a way to excite people." The University College for Citizenship and Public Service, the Ex College, the political science Department, and the athletics department sponsored Romney's speech.

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A highly selective pool of international students

March 31

When freshman Jae Sung Lee was deciding whether to apply to a high school in the US, less intense academics that proved the influential factor. Lee, who went to boarding school in the states, said that in his native Korea, students take 13 subjects a year - including English, Chinese, a third foreign language, and moral study. "High school life in the states was relatively easier than the life at home," Lee said. Through his entrance into American secondary education, Lee was introduced to Tufts. But he said most students at home are more aware of schools like Harvard than Tufts. "At home, nobody has a clue about Tufts, mainly because Tufts is surrounded by famous schools, like Harvard, MIT, BU, and so on," Lee said. "Everybody at least has heard of those schools." Freshman Christopher Ma, who calls Hong Kong home, agreed with Lee. He said Yale, Brown, and Harvard are the names his fellow students recognize. So how did aa high schooler in Hong Kong end up at a smallish school in Medford/Somerville? "Actually, through friends - they go here," Ma said. "[They said it was] a relatively small campus with friendly people." He said that he also considered attending school in Britain, but was attracted to the flexibility of the American curriculum. "I can do something like economics on top of electrical engineering," Ma said. Ma attended the Island School, a British school in Hong Kong. Tufts recruits the vast majority of its international students from schools like Ma's, where the curriculum is either American or British in its approach. That similarity comes for good reason - while Tufts is among the leading institutions of its kind in terms of international student bodies, admissions officers say the abroad applicant pool is primarily affluent students from private schools. Leon Braswell, senior associate director of admissions, is an active recruiter for international students. Braswell, who travels primarily in Europe and the Middle East, said students from outside of private schools often cannot afford a Tufts education. "Private schools certainly will only attract, for the most part, families that have the means to send the students there," Braswell said. "For international recruitment, we have very limited financial aid available, so that right there will determine what your market will be." According to Braswell, Tufts is looking to increase its amount of financial aid to international students, but the process is difficult. International students cannot qualify for either state or national aid from the government, so they are limited to University resources. Compound that limitation with exchange rate issues, and Tufts cannot afford to do international recruitment in less developed countries, or less privileged high schools. Braswell said that in some countries, even professionals earn only the equivalent of $10,000 a year - hardly enough to send a student on an international flight to Tufts. "Some of our competitors do travel to Africa," Braswell said. "We would probably love to spread the net wider, but if financing is going to be an issue, then how realistic and how fair would it be?" According to Braswell, funding international students is unusual for any US school, but some of Tufts' competitors have more financial flexibility. Within the limited applicant pool, however, Braswell said the admissions office has little difficulty convincing international students to apply to Tufts. Since Braswell and his associates only visit schools that are located in major cities, most students are looking for a similarly cosmopolitan college experience. "Of course, Boston is a huge attraction," Braswell said. "At one level, it's not as difficult to present Tufts because we may have all the attributes that all these students are looking for: small classes, research..." The admissions office does not alter its abroad presentation significantly from the one that is delivered to domestic students. In his information sessions on the Medford/Somerville campus, Braswell describes Tufts as a global community, and does the same in cities like London, Paris, Geneva, and Istanbul. "Selling Tufts overseas is actually somewhat easy," Braswell said. "We have an international community and it's pretty significant. They want to make sure they're coming into a campus that is used to having lots of international students." Freshman Tolga Erem attended high school in Turkey, at a Turkish-French bilingual school in Istanbul. Braswell has traveled to Istanbul for admissions purposes and said that he only visits the country's three best private schools, which enroll approximately one percent of all high school students who take an entrance exam. Erem attended an information session at a hotel in Istanbul, where he heard from a Tufts representative. Erem's sister, who attends Brown, had told him about Tufts when she sent out her college applications two years earlier. "They said it was like home - big city, many things to do," Erem said. "They said it's fun, and it's a good school, academically." Erem's college counselor knew that he liked Brown from visiting his sister, and told him that Tufts would be a good match for him. "He said Tufts is almost the same concept," Erem said. "He said, 'you will enjoy it.'" In the end, some international students end up at Tufts whether or not they're visited by an admissions officer. Freshman Carol Strulovic attended high school in Venezuela and never interacted with a University representative. "I wanted to come to the US because I wanted a liberal arts education, which in Venezuela does not exist," Strulovic said. "Also, I wanted to live the 'college experience,' which doesn't really happen in Venezuela." She said college in Venezuela was similar to high school, where students do not live on campus, and the campus does not offer very much outside of classes. Strulovic, who heard about Tufts from a friend who was applying here, said she matriculated at Tufts because she felt it would give her greater opportunities for the future that she wouldn't be given at home. Her high school does not send many students to Tufts. "Actually, I only know about one person who came here, and that was five years ago," she said. That doesn't mean Tufts isn't considered a reputable institution by the few aware of it. "People back home don't really know about Tufts," Strulovic said. "But those who do, know that it's a great school." Tufts currently enrolls international students from 64 countries and territories. International students comprise 14 percent of the student body.

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Two days into program, Rose's off MOPS

March 31

Just two days after Rose's Chinese Restaurant officially joined the Dining Services' Merchants on Points (MOPS) program, owner Sam Pan announced yesterday that his restaurant has removed itself from MOPS. Pan said that his restaurant was getting more orders than its small staff could handle, even with the six extra people he hired. "We got too busy, it was taking three hours [per order]," he said. "The customers weren't happy, so we cut down - no points." He also said the food quality had dropped because orders were often cold by the time they were delivered. "We need a guarantee of good food for the students," he said. Dining Services Director Patti Lee Klos was unavailable for comment yesterday, and it remains unclear whether the terms of the contract with Tufts' Dining Services allowed Rose's to break off without giving any notice. The news comes as a disappointment to students across campus, especially those who worked to add Rose's to the MOPS list. Over the last several months, Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senators Joshua Belkin and Ed Schwehm worked closely with Klos on the project. The senators were displeased upon hearing the news. "I think it was a poor choice, and I'm sure the students think it was a poorchoice as well," Belkin said. "I heard this afternoon through Patti Lee that Rose's has had trouble handling the volume." He was particularly unhappy with the abruptness of the decision, and said the first two days would naturally prove more busy than usual. "It's not realistic to expect that demand is going to stay at this level," Belkin said. Students who utilize the Points Plus system expressed their dissatisfaction with the decision. "I knew it was too good to be true," senior Alethea Pieters said. Lisa Kreutz, a senior, said she was disappointed that the decision limits the options for people on MOPS. "I wish that there were more places to order from," she said. The senators and Dining Services had worked extensively with Rose's to get the restaurant prepared - both technologically and managerially - to be part of the MOPS program. Yesterday, Schwehm said he was "extremely disappointed" that Rose's would make its decision after just a couple days of participation. "Either Sam of Roses didn't understand how much their business would increase, or Patti Klos didn't fully get the point across," he said. Belkin said the problem would be corrected shortly. "Schwehm and myself are committed to get another vendor back on MOPS as soon as possible," he said. "We're going to make sure the students get served and aren't jerked around by quick, poorly made decisions. The student body won a few days ago, and now they've lost."

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Creative drought in Disneyworld

March 31

Consider my mouse ears officially retired. Following a series of despicable and unforgivable events that started with The Return of Jafar and has led to Cinderella II: Dreams Come True, I want to remove myself from all things Disney. I want nothing to do with the company that once promised me dreams that would come true, and now can do no better than recycle classic storylines in sequels that have no place on the big screen - or on DVD, for that matter. I was once a Disney devotee, shameful as that may seem today. In fourth grade, I became a card-carrying member of the Mickey Mouse Club; I loyally tuned in every afternoon to see the likes of Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake sing, dance, and act out poorly written skits. I was equally devoted to Kids, Inc., a program that also aired weekday afternoons on the Disney channel featuring a group of pre-teens in a band that played bubblegum music. Cut me some slack, I was only 11. In later years, Disney impressed me (and audiences nationwide) with animated features such as Beauty and the Beast in 1991, Aladdin in 1992 and The Lion King in 1994. Young enough to still enjoy good cartoons and old enough to appreciate their artistic value, I regarded these films as hallmarks of creative talent. With astounding animation, renowned and gifted voice talents, and original plots, Disney soon evolved to be the yardstick against which other animated film producers measured themselves. And for a while, it seemed as though no one would ever come close. After all, this was the company that started the Mickey Mouse phenomenon back in the 1950s. By the time films like The Little Mermaid were making a big splash at box offices around the country, Disney had already established itself as the standard for innovation in animation. Companies like Pixar were just getting their feet wet. But the company inadvertently paved the way for its rivals when it started to get lazy - namely, when The Return of Jafar was released in 1994 directly to video. It seemed to be a small blunder on Disney's part, but it set the company's production and marketing tone for the next eight years. Aladdin was not a film that required a sequel. Sometimes, as in the case of The Godfather and the Back to the Future series, a movie needs a sequel. Sometimes even the sequel needs a sequel. This, however, was not the case with Disney's 1992 blockbuster animated feature, especially given the absence of Robin Williams' voice as the Genie. The film's conclusion left no question unanswered - Disney had stuck with its tried and true "happily ever after" formula, and it worked. And there's never a good reason to mess with happily ever after. Disney failed to recognize these warning signs, though. The result was a flick that was an utter flop. The animation didn't compare to that of the film's predecessor, the storyline was substandard at best. The list of flaws is endless. The failure of The Return of Jafar marked the beginning of the end for the animation giant, and Disney didn't even realize it. Realizing that making sequels was an acceptable line of work, Disney shifted its focus from full-length animated features (good ones, anyway) to marketing madness, inundating the American public with more Disney than it was prepared to stomach. From commercials advertising trips to Disney World to Disney stores opening in just about every American shopping mall, there was no escaping the stranglehold of the company that had once devoted itself solely to making good cartoons. It soon became clear that Disney's marketing strategy was "all or nothing" - the company wouldn't rest until it had the American public saying "Take me to Disney World" in its sleep. But while Disney was deciding it was all about the money, other animators were realizing the cinematic void that was being created. Pixar was the first to jump at the chance to make a feature length animated movie that would blow Disney out of the water. And in 1995 Toy Story did just that. Suddenly Disney was behind the times - the company that once set the bar in animation was now at the bottom of the totem pole, having focused on producing poorly written pre-teen dramas for the Disney Channel and its various advertising campaigns instead of making movies. The company answered the onslaught of new animated features with Mulan in 1998 and Tarzan one year later. Disney intended for these films to show audiences nationwide that it hadn't lost its touch, and instead proved just the opposite. Disney no longer knew how to take risks with its movies - not with its plots and not with its animation, either. Which brings me to today. Two of the most frequently aired Disney television commercials are for the company's latest animated features, both being released directly to video and DVD. Cinderella II: Dreams Come True and The Hunchback of Notre Dame II are sequels to two very different kinds of movies. Cinderella is a long-time classic - every girl dresses up as the maid-turned-princess at least once in her lifetime for Halloween. And on some level, we all wait for our prince to arrive, glass slipper in hand. Like Aladdin, Cinderella belongs in the "happily ever after" class of movies, and as such, should not have a sequel. Happily ever after is the end of the line - and as I said, you can't mess with happily ever after. The Hunchback of Notre Dame was another movie that did not need a sequel, but for different reasons - namely that Hunchback was not that amazing a movie the first time around. How do you make a sequel to something that was less than impressive in the first place? You don't. But Disney seems to have come to the conclusion that the basic rules of movie making (and common sense) don't apply to them. Which seems to mean that we must be prepared to endure the company's shoddy attempts at maintaining its reputation as one of the premier animators in the business. What Disney doesn't know is that it lost that status nearly ten years ago. And at this rate, it doesn't look like it's ever going back.

The Setonian
News

A Mamet classic reinterpreted

March 31

A sizeable crowd fit neatly into a black box theater on Thursday evening to witness the fulminating opening performance of David Mamet's The Shawl at the Boston Center for the Arts' Leland Center. Lilia Levitina directed this raw and risky show, presented by her own company, Basement on the Hill Stage. Mamet, considered by many an emerging great modern playwright, tells a wicked story about a psychic, his lover, and his newest client. Along the way, Mamet enthralls his audience with magnificent dialogue commenting on the nature of scams and relationships. What is the price of an artist's skill? In other words, is the artist's responsibility to his talents beneficial? In his scripts, Mamet provides a lot of challenging ideas and questions with minimal stage directions. Thus, the directors of his shows take on a great deal of visual liberty in their sculpting of the drama. In her interpretation of The Shawl, Levitina makes intriguing choices regarding staging and action, incorporating a lot of movement and props. John (Will Cabell), the so-called "psychic," begins the play riding a bicycle while juggling. Later, in a classic example of morality lost in passion, John's lover Charles (Paul Barrett) uses intense physical seduction to get John to obey his wishes. The director takes a risk by purposely leaving little to the audience's imagination in this hot scene and it adds another dimension to the story. Levitina displays her understanding of Mamet even further in the "psychic" scenes. While interacting with his client, John flies around the stage, shouting out prophecies and visions. In reality, John's only talent is his ability to make his client think that he really is a psychic. The director emphasizes the dramatic aspect of his "occupation" to further Mamet's point that it is all a scam. Many of Mamet's plays deal with trickery and deception in his characters' professions, actions and, most notably, words. Interestingly, Mamet, who is considered a mastermind of language, knows better than anyone that words themselves are usually just a front; a coarse lie. In general, actors and directors find great difficulty in performing Mametesque plays because one has to say the dialogue as it without trying to force meaning into them. In this aspect, the production falls short because the actors forced the Mametspeak style (the common phrase for Mamet's unique dialogue) rather than allowing it to flow in a more easygoing manner. As John, Will Cabell uncovers the many subtle facets of his character. When John has to decide between abusing his artistic gift and betraying his lover, Cabell makes this struggle tangible. He fails, however, to show as clearly his character's struggle with his own words and lies. As a psychic, John revels in his gift, but at the same time loathes himself for it. Cabell needs to make a more distinct choice as his character deals with his power to entrap others into his game. Paul Barrett does an excellent job of making his intentions lucid to the audience as John's lover, Charles. Charles wants two things in this play: money and John. In some ways, Charles fits the role of the housewife. Barrett plays with this idea when he coaxes John to use his talent to get money, threatening to leave him if John refuses. Dassia Posner - currently working on her Ph.D in theater history at Tufts - portrays Miss A, John's client. Her role calls for a lot of acting without many lines, and she does fairly well for being silent on stage so long. Still, she could explore more options in developing her character. Miss A seems transfixed by the psychic's work from the moment she enters his apartment, and her manner undercuts the tension onstage. Once the transformation starts, however, her performance and character are enlivened. The rowdy set and wild costumes, both designed by award-winning set designer Valentina Komolova, complement the play and the aggressive direction of the show. The music, arranged by Emily Romm, also supplements the lively feel by providing an energetic and almost chaotic atmosphere. Unfortunately, the music overpowered the words of the actors at times. Yet, what smaller underground productions may lack in refinement they compensate for in unparalleled, raw intensity. This is a perfect example - the active energy of the performers overcome any of their smaller shortcomings.

The Setonian
News

DiBiaggio to leave Tufts

March 31

After nine years of service as University President and one as President Emeritus, Dr. John DiBiaggio will leave the University this June. DiBiaggio, who currently teaches a class on leadership through the University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS) and acts as an advisor to newly inaugurated President Larry Bacow, remains unsure of his immediate future. "You don't just make a decision to do something," DiBiaggio said. "The opportunity comes along you and grab it. I've been contacted by other people to do things but I'm still searching." DiBiaggio has made it clear that he is not considering another university presidency. "For the moment I'm interested in teaching, writing, and working on the Tufts retirement campaign," he added. Before accepting the position of Tufts' 11th president, DiBiaggio served as president of Michigan State University from 1985 to 1992, and as president of the University of Connecticut from 1979 to 1985. With 22 years logged as a university president, DiBiaggio pointed out that his campus career began before most undergraduate students were born. Although he will not serve another term as head academic administrator, DiBiaggio hopes to pursue his ongoing interests in the realm of government and leadership. "I'm still hoping I have an opportunity to participate in some activity where I can influence politics and [community] health," DiBiaggio said. "I want to get into an environment where I can influence public thinking." One of DiBiaggio's primary concerns is the lack of universal healthcare in the US. He hopes to raise public awareness of this issue and work to institute changes in the system wherever he may be in coming months. This year, DiBiaggio's primary focus has been his "Leadership for Active Citizenship" class, in which he has enjoyed a close relationship with his students. "I learned as much from them as I think I teach [them]. They're always engaged and informative," he said. DiBiaggio said he finds teaching rewarding and it is something he will definitely miss in the future. DiBiaggio's course is offered through the UCCPS, which he helped found in 1999. Though the course will be offered next year, a replacement teacher has yet to be found. Sophomore Mitch Lunn, a student of DiBiaggio's, commented on his unique teaching style. "His knowledge about leadership and different styles has really shown through in the leadership that that he has imparted to the students of his class," Lunn said. Senior Jesse Levey, a Teaching Assistant (TA) for the class, suggested a future career for DiBiaggio. "I think he should run for Congress," Levey said. "Or at least some kind of public office. I think he'd be great at it." Levey and several other students recently developed a mock public relations campaign promoting DiBiaggio for Congress as part of an Experimental College marketing class. Their efforts included TUTV segments, radio advertisements, and an ad in the Daily. Levey says that, apart from earning him a good grade, he hopes the project will encourage DiBiaggio to consider a career in politics. DiBiaggio has also spent much of this year facilitating a smooth transition between University administrations. He has worked closely with Bacow, who came to Tufts from a chancellery at MIT, and had never served previously as a university president. "We've had a wonderful relationship since he arrived and I'm doing all that I can to be helpful to him," DiBiaggio said. "But beyond this year I feel that he is now the President and I should get out of the way. You do what you can and then you move on." Under DiBiaggio's leadership, Tufts underwent a decade of academic and financial improvements. The University's endowment has nearly tripled since 1992 - increasing from $120 million to almost $600 million - and construction of new facilities has occurred almost constantly. The number of applicants has increased by 70 percent over the past five years, and average grades and test scores among the student body have set new records. DiBiaggio was noticeably moved when asked how he felt about leaving Tufts. "This institution is really unique. It's a wonderful university and [all students are] lucky to be here." DiBiaggio hopes students will contribute actively to their communities after graduation. "I think that that's what Tufts is all about and that's why I'm going to miss it so much," he said.

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