Archives

News

Women's basketball falls short

March 31

The women's basketball season came to a humbling end with the team's 82-77 overtime loss to Conn. College on Saturday afternoon in New London, Ct. While the loss officially marked the conclusion of a discouraging campaign, the final chapter to the disappointing year was actually written the previous night in a 65-60 loss to Wesleyan - a defeat which eliminated the Jumbos from the NESCAC Tournament. "Friday night we came into the game pumped up but we had some letdowns in the second half," junior Erin Harrington said. "[We] took Saturday kind of lightly and it backfired on us." Judging by the first half of play on Friday night, Harrington was correct in her assessment as the Jumbos roared out to a 35-28 halftime lead. But the team could not maintain the same intensity in the second half as Weleyan went on a 22-9 run in the opening 9:30 of the final frame to take a 50-44 lead. Tufts was unable to recover and trailed for the remainder of the evening. The game was a must-win for the Jumbos because a victory against Wesleyan, coupled with the less than imposing 1-19 Conn. College Camels on tap for Saturday, meant they had a solid chance at making the playoffs despite a rocky season. It was not to be, however, as the team lost on Friday and then gave Conn. College its first NESCAC win in three years on Saturday afternoon. The Camels ended a streak that included 25 straight losses to NESCAC foes. "Losing both games was obviously disappointing," junior co-captain Hillary Dunn said. "It wasn't only disappointing that we didn't make the tournament but also because we didn't win the senior's last game." These final two losses were just the latest episodes in what was a down year for women's basketball. After opening the season hot, going 5-2 over their first seven games, the Jumbos went home for winter break and could not regain their form in the second semester. Over the season's final month and a half, the squad only managed to go 4-12 to finish at 9-14 overall (1-8 NESCAC) and in the basement of the NESCAC conference. Only one of the team's four second-half wins came against a NESCAC opponent. The lone win came on Jan. 26, which ended the Jumbos' three-game losing streak and seemingly changed the team's momentum. Following the win over Amherst, Tufts picked up a victory over non-conference Gordon and looked to be heating up again just in time for a weekend matchup with Colby and Bowdoin on Feb. 1 and Feb. 2, respectively. The team had an opportunity to win both games that weekend but instead fell 64-61 to Colby, and 50-48 to Bowdoin. In both instances, Tufts had a last second shot fall short. Against Colby, senior Katie Kehrberger's three-point attempt as time expired missed, and against Bowdoin, Busnengo's last second shot from behind the foul line hit the rim. The loss to Bowdoin was especially discouraging as Tufts led the nationally ranked Polar Bears for the majority of the game before losing in the final minutes on two free throws by Lora Trenkle. Tufts had a 12-point lead at the 10:29 mark before Bowdoin went on a 12-0 run to tie the score at 44. "I think the Bowdoin game was a big game," Harrington said. "If we could have pulled that out it may have changed the momentum of the season." The weekend losses to Colby and Bowdoin were representative of the season as a whole. In the words of Busnengo, "Opportunity knocked and we didn't answer." "I think that Colby surprised us because we finally knew how good we could be and then the next day we were playing Bowdoin and we really had the opportunity to win that game," Busnengo said. "It would have given us a lot of confidence if would have won." "It's really ironic that we can almost beat the number two team in the nation [Bowdoin] and then lose to the worst team in the league. That just says what type of season it was." While picking up one or two wins that weekend may have put the Jumbos on cruise control to the playoffs, it was not to be. Instead, they proceeded to lose their final four games after the defeat against Bowdoin. "Looking back on the season it was disappointing because we definitely had the potential to be a great team and you know somehow that didn't work out," Dunn said. While the team obviously struggled throughout the season, especially during the second half, Tufts can take consolation in the fact that it will only be losing two players to graduation - Busnengo and Kehrberger. The trio of Dunn, Harrington and Emily Goodman will be back to lead the team next season, and will be expected to help Tufts rebound from a season filled with near misses. "I think there are a lot of talented players left and the core of the team is still there with a lot of new talent," Busnengo said. "The would-be seniors have a lot of experience and I really think they can do something if they play with heart." Dunn echoed her departing co-captain's sentiments. "Hopefully we can come back with a new mentality and regroup after this season," Dunn said. "We should be in pretty good shape because we have a lot of returning players."

---

News

Filling the gap

March 31

"I don't make a habit of falling down, I don't want people to think I'm gravitationally challenged," says Douglas Miller, one of the members of Doug Fell Down. A year and a half old, Doug Fell Down is comprised of juniors Andrew Kambour, Evan Chakoff, and Miller. Kambour, who is referred to as Elvis because of his formerly large sideburns, plays guitar and sings. Bassist Chakoff, a mechanical engineering major, also sings. Miller himself plays guitar. "People see the name Doug Fell Down and are surprised that I don't sing," says Miller. So how did the band get its name? "Well it was more 'over' than 'down', but we needed the alliteration," he explains. The band got together their freshman year after leaving other bands that they were no longer happy with. "People don't join rock bands because they're cool, they join rock bands to be cool," says Miller. Like many groups, Doug Fell Down has had trouble pinpointing a way to characterize its sound. After rejecting several ideas, the band decided on "blues pop meets indie rock." "We rip off a lot of bands," says Miller. "But to our credit, they are bands nobody has heard of." The band says their influences include Gang of Four, Charles Mingus, Talking Heads, Jets to Brazil, Dismemberment, Pavement, and Vanillas Fudge. The band's first performance was at Oxfam Cafe last year, which they described as a very positive experience. They also played at last year's Naked Quad Run, an experience that was not as pleasant due to poor performance conditions. This year, Doug Fell Down has recorded several demos, as well as a song for the Jumbo Audio Project. They will also be playing in the Battle of the Bands, will take part in an Earth Day concert at Hotung, and will play Oxfam again next month. The trio plays strictly all-original music during formal shows, as the band members deride their own covering ability. With the on-campus exposure has come a following of loyal fans - none of whom are sane, according to the members of the band. One such fan is Kambour's freshman year roommate - he would walk across the room in a towel at some point during each rehearsal when the band used to practice in West on Sunday mornings. "It became part of the rehearsal," says Chakoff. When they are not busy practicing, the members of Doug Fell Down are engaged in various other activites. Kambour and Chakoff both work for the Zamboni, and Miller plays "old-school Nintendo" in his spare time. But more than anything else, Doug Fell Down is a band comprised of music lovers. "Eighty percent of our time together is not spent playing music but talking about records," says Miller. The future of the band after graduation is uncertain, but the trio intends to remain together during the rest of their stay at Tufts. Miller's vision of the future is that "we'll still be making rock and roll music, just not together." But graduation is still a ways off, and Doug Fell Down is prepared to be whatever the music scene needs. "Tufts is ready for a band that doesn't suck, but until they come we are prepared to fill that [role]," Kambour said.

---

News

Former Wet Sprocket plays Hotung tonight

March 31

Tonight will not be a typical Thursday at Hotung Caf?©. While there will still be plenty of chicken parms and chef salads available, the stage will not belong to a Tufts band this evening, but rather to former lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket Glenn Phillips. Phillips, who is now pursuing a solo career, will play an acoustic set tonight in support of his new album Abulum. Former head of Concert Board Dan Aaronson arranged for tonight's show. Usually, Student Activities signs Tufts bands or lesser-known local bands to play the Thursday night slot, but Aaronson wanted break away from that trend. "I wanted to do something different, to save up money and get one big show. This is it." The Daily talked with Phillips about his upcoming performance, his career, and few other random tidbits.Tufts Daily: Be honest, before you got booked here, had you even heard of Tufts University?Glenn Phillips: Yeah, I had a friend Tom who went here. He played Ultimate Frisbee. He did International Studies, but mostly he played Ultimate FrisbeeTD: How do you feel about playing here?GP: It should be fun - wait, that really isn't a feeling, is it? I'm happy to be asked and happy to come.TD: What should Toad the Wet Sprocket fans expect from your new album?GP: [Pauses] It's got more in common with the first couple of Toad albums than the last two. It's like the indie Toad albums; it's a lot less cleaned up. There's not a lot of production. I had a need to do something belligerently non-commercial. It doesn't tell what to listen for, doesn't have a lot of what I call post-its. You know, guitar solo, here, pay attention to this part. It's like you just wander around in it. It's pretty spare.TD: How would you describe your solo career thus far?GP: Umm...difficult. Fun, though. It's been creatively really wonderful. I've had more fun making it and more fun playing. It's been nerve-wracking. I've got three kids and my old career was better for my mortgage. But I'm much happier [laughs]. I like my new problems.TD: Give me the story of your life in 50 words or less.GP: Boy goes off, starts band, falls in love, leaves. How many words is that? I don't know; boy grows up, gets happy, dies. I don't know, I'm in no hurry to die. I can spend a lot of time on the gets happy part. I don't have to reach enlightenment, if I could just be at peace with the world, that would be great.TD: If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be and why?GP: Probably plum, a good tree. They give good fruit, they lose their leaves, and they make a mess. We have a plum tree in our yard and I often find myself scraping sticky plums from the driveway.TD: Describe your creative process in Haiku.GP: Can I have a minute? [Pauses] Not so disciplined Sporadic inspiration Still SatisfyingTD: Now, I'm going to shamelessly rip off Inside the Actor's Studio. What sound do you like?GP: Low humming. The kind of ambient machine sounds they use in spaceship scenes.TD: What sound do you hate?GP: It's hard to hate a sound. [Pauses] I'd have to say the sound of the human voice whining.TD: If you were in any other profession, what would you do?GP: Wait, this is if I can go time warp and do school and everything again? Well, the original plan was acting. I was really into theater. The plan after that was briefly law because it seemed fun with words. Then after that the plan was to be a high school teacher. As an adult I'd say gardening. There is something about working with tangible results. If you leave out all the chemicals and companies that f-ck up stuff, it's really great. Organic farming would be incredible. TD: If heaven exists, what do you want to hear God say when you arrive?GP: I'd just want to ask where are all my friends?TD: You have a family now. Has it changed your perceptions of things, or your music?GP: It's changed my perception of things; it's probably changed my music. It's definitely improved my life.TD: Anything you just want to say, final thoughts, shout-outs to your peeps?GP: Not really. How about there's no axis of evil? [Chuckles] It's been a great year for rhetoric.

---

News

Two demands that should not be overlooked

March 31

As my first year at this fine university begins to end, I feel compelled to evaluate my time here. In general, I am thoroughly satisfied with this school, but there is certainly always room for improvement. In this brief statement, I will no less than demand from Tufts two improvements that will prove to make or break this school as a top institution of higher education. There has been plenty of demanding going around this campus, and many students, perhaps most, are tired of it. Between the issue with the custodians and all the episodes with Primary Source, in addition to the allegations of trustee racism, we've had our share of demands. The question that follows is, of course, who am I to demand anything? I sincerely believe that the two demands I will make will improve the quality of life on this campus beyond measure. By instituting what I propose, everyone will be happier - in fact, these two items will probably make us all better people. Therefore, pray hark, President Bacow and other top decision makers, and follow through to every detail. Nothing less will be acceptable. Demand Number One: Make-Your-Own Milkshake machines I hereby demand that the school immediately implement make-your-own milkshake machines at both Dewick and Carmichael. I'm talking about top-of-the-line, quality apparatuses here. We need those oversized metal cups that you stick under those vibrating... things which thereby initiate the sweet, sweet fatty cream gurgling around inside. We need high-grade pumps with which you can squirt as much vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry flavored syrup as your heart desires. Maybe, if all goes well, we can even add coffee flavor, or perchance (if all really goes well), those little turds of cookie dough that will sink to the bottom and serve as a fantastic surprise to the drinker upon completion of his portion. Now, I know what you're thinking, you clever administrators, you: how can we provide this important service while cutting the costs to a minimum? Be warned! For one thing, the italicized "both" and "and" in the above paragraph are not just for kicks (although italics are fun). We need to have these machines in both dining facilities. Don't think we students didn't notice the fact that the make-your-own waffles can only be found in Carmichael, or that there is no trace of Code-Red Mountain Dew uphill. We noticed. Milkshakes are a universal necessity, so provide them in all cafeterias. Second of all, don't cut your costs by only having three or four milkshakes going at once, thus generating long, infuriating lines. I expect a contraption that can hold thirty, maybe forty of these things at once. Moreover, don't worry about this complicated machine being operated by the average Tufts student. If you feel it necessary, a dining hall staff member can stand and watch as the students measure out their milkshakes in delight. May I recommend the heavyset woman with the big white hair who swipes your card at Dewick for the job?Demand Number Two: Free Swim It is no less than blatant discrimination and bigotry to not provide us with free swim. By free swim, I'm not talking about boring lanes in which you can swim with forty other people, going as fast as you can, up and back and up and back, four hundred times. I'm envisioning a place free of any sort of legitimate stroke, a place free of scanty athletic bathing suits, a place where the doggie-paddle reigns - a little place we like to call "free swim." It's a haven, a paradise, sheer bliss under water. We demand diving boards, a long water slide (with a minimum of three or four fun twists and turns). We demand fluorescent colored rings to dive for and even those phallic-looking floating tubes with which one can smack his or her friend. I'm talking about semi-serious Marco Polo games, and the "Macharena" playing on loop in the background. I want kickboards, a basketball hoop, maybe some fake palm trees here and there - and a volleyball net. We can all take turns providing wholesome fruit juice and chips for the crowds. Swimming in lanes is not fair to those of us who cannot handle that kind of cardio-vascular strain. It's a problem that demands immediate repair. Out with the lanes, in with the free swim. Believe you me, O fine administrators, these demands will make everyone feel better inside - they'll make us feel better about ourselves and about our school. By my estimate, I represent somewhere between 96 and 98 percent of the student body in yearning for milkshake machines and free swim, so, please, get to it. I know you have lots of problems and lots of people demanding lots of things, but prioritize and you will yet see that path I have laid out for you. Milkshakes and swimming... the rest will follow. Good luck.Eitan Hersh is a freshman who has not yet declared a major.

---

News

A Broadway flub, a musical gem

March 31

Okay, so Paul Simon isn't exactly "off beat." You won't find him spinning at Avalon, or opening at a hometown club, or at the obscure locations our normal Offbeat participants frequent. But sometimes a big league player takes a step back to try out something different - let's call it art for art's sake. You might have heard of Simon's short-lived Broadway musical The Capeman; and if not, you've probably at least heard of its unfortunate demise. The production was a pet of Simon's. He spent eight years researching the tale of Salvador Agron, a notorious New York City murderer who murdered two Irish teenagers in August of 1959. This 16-year-old Puerto Rican immigrant traveled the streets with his gang, the Vampires, donning a trademark long, black, red-lined vampire cape. The Capeman, which covered his youth, his crime, and his eventual redemption, opened on Broadway in 1997, and closed down only 68 shows later amid faltering ticket sales and scathing reviews. Most of the critics said the same thing: stellar music, horrendous staging. I haven't seen the show, yet it makes sense: Simon's two main strengths as a singer and a songwriter are his voice, and his poetry. He's not in the show, so his voice was never part of the score, and perhaps his poetry (along with co-writer Derek Walcott's) was obscured by visuals that, apparently, were not up to par.Songs from the Capeman is a quality purchase for this reason. This album is not the score from the play - rather, it's 13 of the 30 songs, sung by Simon himself. His songwriting talent makes him a gifted storyteller, and with this disc he gets a change to express his eight-year passion through his own words and music. Perhaps The Capeman would have been best left as a concept album. Simon's songs aren't catchy enough, or flashy enough, or sweeping enough to captivate the theatergoer, and I can't imagine visuals that could make them come to life onstage. They do, however, sparkle on record. With Songs from the Capeman? Simon fuses his trademark style with a different sort of flavor - this time, Latin and doo-wop harmonies combine in an appealing mix. The songs play out like a street-corner quartet in Spanish Harlem, sweet love songs with attitude that gel together to tell Agron's tale. In "Bernadette" he sings to his lover that "When the leaves are dark I've got a hiding place in Central Park." These heartwarmers are offset by Agron's time in prison, serving time for a crime he feels no remorse for: "Killer wants to go to college/Another bullshit degree." This may not be Simon's story, but the Simon-esque flavor never leaves Songs. Lines like Born in Puerto Rico's "No one knows you like I do/Nobody can know your heart the way I do/No one can testify to all that you've been through/But I will," are purely him. Marc Antony (of "I Need to Know" fame) starred in the musical, and guest vocals here in the charming "Satin Summer Nights," a throwback to '50s high school dances ("I know that these jitterbug days I'm livin'/Well, they won't last for all of us/But they'll last for a long summer night."). He captures the innocence of a teenager in love - innocence that there for any 16-year-old. Even one accused of murder. Simon loves his subject - The Capeman was as much a research project for him as it was an artistic endeavor. Just like Graceland's jaunt into African rhythms, and Rhythm of the Saints' South American drum beats, he doesn't just draw from inspirations - he takes them head on. He it the right way, while still staying true to the poetry and style that makes him legendary.

---

News

Inside Fitness

March 31

My workout is in need of some serious help. I have no motivation because it's the same thing day in and day out, workout after workout. How can I effectively add variation to my lifting routine? The first thing you can do is vary the order in which you perform each exercise in a specific workout. Take a typical chest workout, for example. A standard chest workout would normally begin with a heavy compound movement or two, say flat bench and inclined dumbbell press. Next would come a finishing movement or two, maybe weighted dips and cable flys. For this routine, try just reversing the order of the exercises you perform. Sure, your last sets of benches will be humbling because your chest will already be thoroughly fatigued, but variation is what will keep your body adapting and your muscles growing. Another thing you may change up are the ways you perform an exercise. Take lying triceps extensions (also known as skull-crushers). Instead of using a bar, try using dumbbells. Holding one in each hand, mimic the same motion, but with your thumbs facing you. This variation should place a little bit more emphasis on the long head of the triceps, thereby hitting the muscle slightly differently and giving greater benefit. Another example of variation may be changing up the position in which you perform an exercise. For seated dumbbell curls, try adjusting the bench from a right angle to a slight incline. With your head against the bench, and your arms hanging at your sides, curl up slowly, keeping emphasis on the contraction of each arm. This exercise effectively hits the upper bicep, which gives you more definition and separation between the biceps and the front deltoid. You can also take your chest and back workout, and just do pull ups and push-ups. These exercises use your own body weight, and are a great way to build up stamina in the back and chest, as well as add definition. Also, these exercises hold some cardiovascular benefit that might not be present in a slow and heavy weight session.Through constant variation such as the methods mentioned here, you will be able to keep each workout fresh, beneficial, and exciting. I have heard a lot about low-carb/no-carb dieting. Does it work? If so, are there any side effects? This technique of dieting, called ketogenic dieting, is popular among bodybuilders and other athletes who wish to look their best for a short time. The basic principle is to get the body into a stage called ketogenesis. The typical diet that accomplishes this is one of extremely low carbohydrate intake, coupled with a high protein/fat intake. Yes, in this diet you actually want to consume fats (that is not including saturated fats, however; they are always unhealthy). When the body enters ketogenesis, it switches from carbohydrates to fat for primary energy. Because the body is now effectively burning fat in order to function, this diet facilitates rapid and extreme fat loss. But, before you decide to swear off all carbohydrates, you must realize that because metabolizing fat for energy is inferior to burning carbs for energy, the side effects of this diet are less than desirable. Namely, you will feel like you haven't slept in days. As far as working out, it will be a challenge just to get to the gym, let alone perform an intense session. Most importantly, though, this diet is intended to be followed for a period of a week, and no more than two. A body cannot remain healthy for a longer length of time if carbohydrate consumption is completely cut off. Therefore, although this is a proven method of cutting fat, it is not recommended unless the person knows exactly what he or she is doing. Those who do practice this extreme diet are usually professional athletes, under constant supervision of their doctor. @s:Low carb dieting may be risky

---

---

News

Students react to Amendment III decision

March 31

The controversial Amendment III - which would have stripped culture representatives of their right to vote - failed to pass yesterday by a narrow margin. Of the 2,502 students who voted, 48 percent voted against the amendment, and 40 percent voted for it. Of the 52 percent of the campus that voted, 283 abstained. Though the status quo was upheld, this year's margin was much smaller than last year's referendum to grant the culture reps voting power. Last year, 55 percent voted to allow culture reps to vote, and 34 percent voted to deny them the vote. Because of this year's high voter turnout, many predicted the issue would come up again next year. "The closeness of the vote count shows it's a very controversial and dividing issue," senator Josh Belkin said. "The debate was not a matter of trying to silence anyone, it was a philosophical difference over views of democracy and representation." Senator Jill Beir hopes that next year's students and senators will come together and find a resolution right for the majority of campus. "Being that it was such a close margin, it's obvious that it's something that a lot of people on campus think about," she said. Part of the unprecedented voter turnout was attributed to the controversial nature of the amendment. Chalkings, Daily Viewpoints, and open forums attracted many students to sound off on the issue. Some students were disappointed the amendment failed. "I just thought it was stupid for people vote if they weren't elected to the Senate," sophomore Jared Blum said. "If they want a vote, they should just run for a Senate seat." Sophomore Elizabeth Candee agreed that although culture reps were important, they should not have the right to vote. "If every group on campus decided that they were under-represented and wanted their own culture rep, there would be more culture reps voting than senators!" Junior Laura Horwitz was glad the amendment failed, because it tried to solve the culture rep issue without the input of the culture reps themselves. "I am concerned that debate over this issue has caused polarization on the campus that may be irreconcilable," she said. "We need to find a way to have a constructive dialogue about the racial issues at the heart of this debate." But while senator Randy Newsom said he was glad the amendment failed, he felt the current system could be improved. He said the amendment was worse than the status quo. "I'm glad it didn't pass. I really think the system we have now isn't the best system but it's better than what was proposed," he said. "I think next year this is going to be a very hot topic." Newsom hopes to find a happy medium in which culture groups - and all campus groups - would have adequate representation, while addressing the opposition's concerns. "This school has enough smart, concerned people that we can find a way to get everybody happy with the representation in student government," he said.

---

News

Icy shooting continues to plague women's basketball

March 31

Two days after it appeared that the women's basketball team (7-6, 0-1 NESCAC) was on the verge of turning things around following a 68-55 victory over MIT last Thursday, the squad returned to its struggling ways Saturday afternoon with a dismal 97-57 loss to the Bates Bobcats. The loss was Tufts' seventh straight defeat at the hands of Bobcats. The 40-point margin of defeat was also the Jumbos' worst loss of the season. Making matters worse was the fact that the game was the team's first NESCAC matchup of the year. With four losses in six games since returning from winter break, the team finds itself in an unenviable situation - its schedule only gets harder with numerous league games scheduled over the next few weeks. "I guess its really all about the defense," freshman Erin Connolly said. "Defense carries the offense. We really didn't come to play. We had a talk [yesterday] at practice and what's done is done. It's all about getting back on track - starting the season fresh." While lack of scoring has been a problem for the Jumbos throughout the second semester and continued to be a plague the team on Saturday afternoon, a new problem also developed - shoddy defense. The 97 points allowed were the most the Jumbos have allowed all season. In fact, all 15 players on Bates' roster scored at least three points. In its five previous games Tufts had not allowed an opponent to score more than 67 points. "We just had a lot of defensive letdowns on Saturday and they turned bad defense into fast break lay-ups," junior Erin Harrington said. The first eight minutes served as a good indicator on how the game would go for the Jumbos, as the Bobcats jumped out to a 15-4 run to open the game. Tufts, on the other hand, struggled from the field - hitting only two of 18 shots during that same period of time. By halftime Bates had already built what would prove to be an insurmountable 41-18 lead. After shooting at a 42.2 clip from the field against MIT and seemingly breaking out of a shooting slump, the Jumbos' shooting percentage dipped back down to the low level that had become a familiar sight during the team's first five games back from break. In six games during the new year, the Jumbos have shot 33 percent overall from the field. And in the Bates matchup, Tufts shot a lowly 31.8 clip while the Bobcats shot 52.8 from the field. "Everyone shot well against MIT," Harrington said. "Bates was just one of those games. We just have to worry about defense. Our shots are gonna fall sooner or later." In addition to poor shooting, the Jumbos' play was also marred by turnovers, as the Jumbos had trouble combating the Bobcats' press. Tufts turned the ball over 28 times including 17 times in the first half, while the Bobcats recorded only 13 turnovers on the night. "The whole game they used the full court press and we really couldn't get up the floor quickly and that really hurt us," Connolly said. "But [yesterday] in practice we worked on breaking the press. We just have to stay composed. We got a little flustered by the press." Although the team has struggled, the good news is that junior Emily Goodman seems to be rounding back into form. After battling a shooting slump through the first four games of 2002, a period in which she averaged only 7.5 ppg - well off her season average of 13.2 ppg - Goodman has averaged 16.5 ppg over the past two games. With 16 points on 6-16 shooting from the field and 4-5 from the line, Goodman is one point shy of 1,000 for her career. The only other Jumbo in double figures against Bates was sophomore Erin Buckley who chipped in with 11 points for the second consecutive game. "[Goodman] is obviously the key to our offense. She has been playing great the past two games," Connolly said. "When she is playing great we play great. When she is playing great down low it opens up the outside. Emily is a leader she know she is a good player. Four games [where she struggled] doesn't mean anything, and she is playing well now." Tufts will have an opportunity to get back on the winning path tonight in a non-conference game against Clark University in Worcester, MA.

---

News

Admission decisions sent to class of 2006

March 31

The University admitted 23 percent of applicants from a record pool of 14,300 applications this year, comprising what Dean of Admissions David Cuttino called "a very strong group." Admission decisions were sent to regular decision applicants via e-mail and letters at the end of March. Admitted students, many who will be on campus in the coming weeks for a host of pre-orientation programs, applied to the University from all 50 states, as well as 76 countries. This year continued an upward trend in the number of applications, which has grown nearly 70 percent since 1995. Tufts received just over 13,700 applications last year, the second highest applicant group ever, but a three percent drop from the previous year. Despite fears that Tufts would see a sizeable decrease in international applicants in the aftermath of Sept. 11, overseas applicants were plentiful - more, in fact, the number of applicants from New Jersey, among the most represented states at Tufts. Turkey, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, China, Japan, and Switzerland were the most popular countries represented. Over 17 percent of admitted students were foreign citizens, permanent residents, or US citizens living overseas. Nearly five percent were dual citizens and for 26 percent, English is not their first language or the language spoken in their home. The racial diversity of applicants admitted to the Class of 2006 was similar to that of last year's class, although there was a sizeable increase in the number of Asian American applicants admitted. This year, 11 percent of admitted students are African American, 11 percent are Latino, and 20 percent are Asian American. Last year, ten percent were African American, 12 percent were Latino, and 15 percent were Asian American. Additionally, the School of Engineering saw a 13 percent increase in applicants. Almost 14 percent of admitted students applied to the School of Engineering. On average, accepted students ranked in the top six percent of their high school class. The middle 50 percent of SAT I Verbal scores ranged from 640 to 740, while for the Math portion it ranged from 670 to 750. Engineering applicants were in the top five percent of their high school classes on average. The middle 50 percent had SAT scores ranging from 640 to 730 for Verbal and from 710 to 780 in Math. Fifty two percent of admitted students requested financial aid. "Tufts continues to be committed to meeting the full demonstrated need of admitted students and offers financial assistance to a limited number of foreign students," the Office of Admissions said in a press release. Not only has Tufts been sending admissions notification electronically, but applicants have also become increasingly technical over the past years. Approximately 96 percent of students admitted gave Tufts their e-mail addresses and over 35 percent applied electronically. In the past few years, 30 to 37 percent of accepted students have enrolled at Tufts.

---

News

Shuttle's long waits leaves students with short fuses

March 31

The Davis Square shuttle, or "Joey," as it has been nicknamed, has had its share of happy and unhappy passengers. Over the last few weeks, however, complaints about the long waits, circuitous route, and unreliability of the shuttle have increased. Tufts Community Union (TCU) senators are aware of the problems, and are working to improve the shuttle service. Sophomore Pritesh Ghandi, whose resignation from the Senate will go into effect tomorrow, said he has attempted to work with the administration to devise a new plan. He and several senators have been in contact with the purchasing and contracting department and the Tufts University Police Department since mid-January. The Senate has made five demands of Joseph's Transportation, the company that operates the shuttle. Senators want a new stop between Wren and Carmichael Halls, a second bus during peak hours, attention given to safety concerns (students have expressed worry that drivers sometimes talk on cell phones while driving), a long term contract with the addition of Tufts' logo and emblems to the vehicles, and the commencement of shuttle service on the first day of school rather than a few days into the semester. Many students walk to Davis Square due to problems that sometimes arise when relying on the shuttle. Junior Jenny Rheingrover only rides about once a month now, "because the service is so unreliable. You never know how long you have to wait." Freshman Clara Valenstein was on the shuttle once when it broke down due to a passenger overload. "It's dangerous to have that many people on one bus," she said. She suggested that two buses make the loop to and from Davis Square, instead of only one during peak hours, and that a regular schedule be posted and adhered to so that students know what time the bus will leave from each stop. The shuttle is currently on a schedule, but because of traffic and other hindrances, it often strays from set times. Freshman Kate Rosenbaum experienced travel difficulties as a result of shuttle delays. "I missed my train home last weekend because I waited 25 minutes at the Campus Center with my luggage," she said. Ghandi said that he is confident that shuttle service will be improved. "There is nothing more the Senate can do, but the student body should rest assured that the problems will be fixed," he said. The shuttle used to travel a much shorter route through residential streets, but it was changed when Somerville residents complained of the nighttime noise.

---

News

A documented truth

March 31

On April 24th of each year, Armenians throughout the world commemorate the first modern genocide of the 20th century as they remember their ancestors who perished at the hands of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. As a result of the campaign to annihilate an entire race, approximately 1.5 million Armenians were eliminated from the ancient homeland they had inhabited for thousands of years. The atrocities committed by the Turkish regime in 1915 were reported in the headlines at that time here in the United States and throughout Europe and are also documented in the official archives of many countries including Turkey itself. The New York Times covered the fate of the Armenians in articles with headlines such as "Appeal to Turkey To Stop Massacres" (NYT, 4/28/1915), "Turks Are Evicting Native Christians" (NYT, 7/12/1915), and "Armenians Are Sent to Perish in Desert" (NYT, 8/18/1915). Currently, many countries such as Greece, Argentina, Russia, France, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Italy, Lebanon, and Sweden have acknowledged the validity of this documentation and have recognized the Armenian genocide by passing formal resolutions. However, despite the countless accounts of violence against the Armenian people the Turkish government continues to deny the Armenian genocide. The refusal to recognize such a horrible event is in effect an approval of the mass killings and deportations that occurred at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. The accounts provided at the time by the United States Ambassador to Turkey, Henry Morgenthau, exhibits the plight of the Armenians and the terror which they had to endure. Morgenthau, who is of Jewish origin, stated that "when the Turkish authorities gave orders for these deportations, they were merely giving the death warrant to a whole race: they understood this well, and in their conversation with me, they made no particular attempt to conceal the fact". Morgenthau is directly responsible for relaying to his American colleagues the atrocious acts that were being committed against the Armenian people. Dr. Israel Charny, an Israeli and a scholar of Holocaust and Genocide studies in Jerusalem, is a founder of the Encyclopedia of Genocide which primarily analyzes the Holocaust and Armenian genocide. On June 9th, 2000, 126 Holocaust scholars acknowledged the indisputable fact of Armenian genocide by signing a petition published in the Times that urged Western states to bring recognition to the atrocities which occurred. Among these scholars was Elie Wiesel, winner of the Nobel Peace prize in 1986 and a former chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. Recently, an increasing number of Turkish scholars have brought attention to the genocide. Taner Akcam, a Turkish intellectual and historian, appeared on television in Istanbul in March, 2001 while participating in a forum discussing the horrible events which occurred in 1915. Akcam addressed the Turkish nation on the facts of the genocide and stated "If you can't bring yourself to describe it as genocide, call it a massacre. But it was a crime against humanity. Ask forgiveness from the Armenian people and make a commitment that in Turkey, political dissent and disagreement should no longer be treated as an offence." Akcam understands the severity of the Armenian genocide and the actions taken by Talaat Pasha, one of the leaders of the Turkish regime, to exterminate the Armenians from the region. Robert Fisk, a journalist from Great Britain who is held in high regard as a foreign correspondent, has also advocated for recognition of the Armenian genocide throughout his career. It is apparent that the people who have supported remembrance of the Armenian genocide are from a broad variety of backgrounds. Their opinions continue to elicit both the support and understanding of the international community. I have been affected by the Armenian genocide throughout my life because I am a descendant of survivors. My great grandfather resided in the village of Kilis in South Central Turkey at the time of the massacres. Along with several other Armenian families, my great grandfather and his family lived peacefully in this region. At the outset of the mass murder of Armenians, my great grandfather was informed that they would come for him in several days in the Turkish attempt to eliminate the Armenian community and intellectual leaders. He refused to flee the village, not realizing that his pride would contribute to his eventual death. Two Turkish gendarmes soon thereafter knocked on the door of my great grandfather's house and asked that he accompany them away from the area. My great grandfather said goodbye to each individual weeping family member. They all knew that they would never be a complete family ever again. He was taken along with many other prominent Armenians to the barren desert of Der Dzor, Syria, where he was simultaneously massacred with so many other innocent Armenian people. My great grandmother and her children were forced to flee with the rest of the Armenians and were fortunate enough to subsequently find refuge in modern day Lebanon. Throughout her journey, my great grandmother witnessed the atrocities which were committed by the Turkish army. Dead Armenian women and children were scattered in fields and on the side of roads. For three weeks, my great grandmother and her children marched away from their home through the desert with minimal food or water. As a result of our Christian Armenian heritage, my family was persecuted by the Ottoman Turkish regime. Denying the actions of the leaders of the Ottoman Empire is an insult to the memory of the Armenian martyrs. It is also morally wrong. When there is an outright denial of a documented historical truth, the subsequent resentment that occurs is pervasive within the population that has been mistreated. I, personally, have absolutely no qualms with people today whose past government subjected my family and hundreds of thousands of other Armenian families to the deportations and torture which took place. They are not responsible for such actions. However, I am deeply offended, angered, and hurt when I am told that what happened to my family did not actually take place or was justified because Armenians were willing to side with the Russian army during World War One. A large diaspora of Armenians exists in the world today because of the genocide. I feel that there is no justification for the brutality observed in the early part of the 20th century in a civilized world. I am proud to be affiliated with a university such as Tufts that commemorates the Armenian genocide every year and goes to great lengths to educate their students on the horrible events that took place in the early 20th century. A plaque that stands outside Goddard Chapel commemorates the 1.5 million Armenians who perished at the hands of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. This plaque serves the purpose of bringing remembrance to the fate of my ancestors. Indeed, I am extremely capable of forgiving, but am not capable of forgetting. This genocide must not be forgotten and must be known to the world to prevent future mass killings from occurring. This past April 24, President George W. Bush issued a statement in remembrance of the victims of the genocide in 1915. "Today, we commemorate an appalling tragedy of the 20th century, the massacre of as many as 1.5 million Armenians through forced exile and murder at the end of the Ottoman Empire. These horrific killings left wounds that remain painful for people in Armenia, in Turkey, and around the world. I join the Armenian community in America and across the globe in mourning this horrendous loss of life." This statement is in stark contrast to many Turkish leaders who continuously deny past governmental actions. The late Turkish leader Turgut Ozal indicated in 1994 during the time of unrest in the former Soviet Union that it was necessary to "teach" Armenians the "lessons of 1915", a direct reference to the genocide. Commemoration of the Armenian genocide on an international level is essential. The need for modern Turkey to come to terms with its past is an even greater necessity. Horrific crimes and atrocities may only cease to exist when all brutal acts of the past have been properly recognized.Alain Chaglassian is a senior majoring in Economics.

---

News

Cycling squad getting back on track

March 31

Tufts' club cycling team is coming off two key races in the final week of March. Injuries proved detrimental for one of the races, but the team nonetheless emerged satisfied with its performance. At the Tufts/Harvard Criterium Cycling Race on March 23, things did not go exactly according to plan after junior Sam Dangremond had a pre-race accident which knocked him out of competition. Top racers Robert Thompson and Jeff Marois, both graduate students, were also involved in a serious crash that took them out of the race.Fortunately for the team, two young competitors were able to step into the leading role. Freshman James Gronek finished fifth out of 40 in his race, while sophomore Carolyn Whitten finished fifth out of 25 in hers. Dangremond, the team's captain, was pleased with the young talent. "Though some members on our team, like Carolyn, have never raced before this year, their enthusiasm has provided the team with a spark from which to build on," he said. The race, held in the streets of Tufts' Medford campus, was a Criterium race that involves a short loop. Competitors must excel in technical aspects of riding, such as cornering and working in a pack, in order to finish well. The second race took place the following day, as the team competed in the Boston University/Northeastern University Individual Time Trial. A time trial is a race against the clock without the effects of other cyclists on the track. The highlight for Tufts at that meet was graduate student Rebecca Rudy's second place finish.This year, Tufts rang in the cycling season with a group of only 12 members. Of those 12, only Dangremond had raced for the Jumbos before. Having a small, inexperienced group damages the collective team results, since they do not have enough racers to compete in the six racing groups - A to D for men, and A and B for women."Even though we do not have the depth to do better than around 15th as a team at a meet, we are excited by many of the individual efforts," Dangremond said. "If we keep finishing well then next year we might get a larger turnout with which to build on this year's momentum."Tufts competes in the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference, which consists of all schools with a cycling team in the northeast, from Maine to Pennsylvania. Two years ago the women and men had strong teams, with the women going all the way to the ECCC Division II National Championships.Since then, though, the team has suffered setbacks, losing talented members to graduation and suffering from internal disorganization. This year, Dangremond and former cyclist and current coach Mark Abramson have helped steer the team back on course.The inexperienced team has also benefited from alumni, who still live and ride in the area, and frequently stop by team practices to help."Though we are an inexperienced team, having such a wealth of knowledge at our practices helps us to train better and improve quickly," sophomore Carolyn Whitten said.The ECCC season started March 2 with a race at Rutgers University. In that race, the top finishers were Dangremond in the C group with an eighth place finish and Marois with a sixth place finish in the D group.From there, the team went to Penn State, where Dangremond, Marois, and Gronek all finished in the top ten in their respective races. The ECCC championships are approaching quickly, taking place on April 27 in Pennsylvania.Before that happen, the team has seven races over the next three weeks in order to fine-tune itself for the championships. Races will be held at the University of New Hampshire, University of Connecticut, and at West Point.

---

News

Students, administrators discuss lottery, greek life

March 31

A panel discussion on the housing lottery, campus hate crimes, and Greek life kicked off a series of Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate-sponsored dialogues designed to improve communication between administrators and students. Approximately 25 students and administrators attended the event in Hotung Caf?© on Monday evening. "It is designed to open further the lines of communication that exist between students and administrators," TCU Judiciary Vice Chair Allison Clarke said. Citing previous forums that set out to address specific campus issues, Dean of Students Bruce Reitman said that he welcomed the opportunity to solve problems proactively. "I hope that it results in a lot of positive attitude and change for all of us," he said. The panel began by discussing written questions sent in by students and passed forward by audience members. The first question dealt with attempts made this year at an early housing lottery release. Reitman said since the housing lottery is based on spring enrollment, the release date was only two weeks earlier this year. "If there's any way to accelerate that process in the future we will do that," Reitman said. He said that radical lottery changes, such as generating numbers years in advance, are under exploration. A new Office of Residential Life administration might facilitate such plans. Discussion later turned toward ways to prevent discrimination on campus. Associate Dean of Students Marisel Perez, an organizer of a Peer Education Program to combat bias incidents, said that change would have to come from inside the community. "We as a community need to create an environment where these kinds of acts are rejected and condemned," she said. Reitman said that in order to lessen campus tensions, students must realistically assess the average college student. "Just because people are smart enough, and sophisticated enough to get into Tufts does not mean that they are not bigoted," he said. "Coming together, supporting one another, building coalitions, and showing each other that we care about each other is critical." Freshman senator Chike Aguh said that education is the first step to countering bias incidents on campus. "Education needs to start with us. We're students, that's why we're here," she said. Students attending the panel also discussed ways to integrate Greek life on campus with the greater community. Reminiscing about a time when Greek organizations took a much larger role in on- and off-campus philanthropy, Reitman said that the current system is lacks unity. "While I think [the Greek system] probably has a place on the campus, it has fallen into a state of disrepair," Reitman said. "The chapters that make up the Greek system are more a collection of individual houses than a system. Competition between the houses is tearing down the feeling of Greek pride." Other topics included living and learning environments, the flexibility of return times from breaks, off-campus housing for students of color, and work-study programs. Recent improvements to the mail service and library, both results of student-administrator dialogue, were raised as examples of what an open dialogue can achieve. "We also need to know about what is going right with this campus," Aguh said."All these great things that are being done by the administration, don't mean anything if we as students don't know about it." Though many felt attendance was hindered by the NCAA basketball finals Monday night, those who gathered for the discussion felt the event was a good first step. "I was kind of disappointed by the turnout but I think there was good discussion," sophomore Charline Han said. "Prior to the next panel they should brainstorm ways to advertise it better because this kind of discussion could really be productive." TCU President Eric Greenberg moderated the panel, which was organized by Aguh, Women's Union Coordinator Julie Karol, and Clarke. Reitman, Perez, Residential Life Coordinator Dean Gendron, and Public Safety Directory John King, all sat on the panel with Aguh and Karol.

---

News

Campus still buzzing over trustee luncheon

March 31

Two weeks after University Trustees spoke with students on issues relating to diversity at an open forum, the jury remains out on whether the Dewick luncheon was an appropriate venue for confrontation. President Larry Bacow, who has said that students should "make up their own minds" about whether the time was used constructively, told the Daily he will hold the open forum again when Trustees visit next February. Most agree the change was conceptually a positive one, but in the wake of this years experiment some administrators and students have questioned its practicality. Sol Gittleman is one such person. The outgoing provost worries that students actions at Dewick may hurt the University in the long run, and said hes "still hoping that it didn't cost us too much money. "How do you get into the minds of those people who have given millions to the university when you throw it in their face? For those people here in the short term, there might be some long term damage," Gittleman said. In conversations across campus and letters and Viewpoints in the Daily, the forum has become the centerpiece of a discussion on civility in debate, prompted in part by Bacows open letter to students. That email was sent the day the Trustees arrived on campus, and eerily foreshadowed the following day's events. Those students in attendance at the forum - many of whom are active in cultural organizations on campus - largely say it was a success. Sophomore senator Ariana Flores serves on the Culture, Ethnicity and Community Affairs (CECA) committee and is a member of the Culture Coordinating Committee (CCC). She said labeling students who showed up as activists was inaccurate. "Activism connotes it was a protest or demonstration. It wasn't, it was an open forum of students," Flores said. Senator Pritesh Ghandi, who delivered a formal presentation to the Trustees at the luncheon, said that students who were not present made negative assumptions. He said that any time students of color come together, they get labeled "activists," and that many resent this label. Despite this, the senator called the meeting "amazing." Not all involved in student government agree. Trustee Representative Sean McDermott pointed out that the Trustees don't deal with the issues at hand - their main focus is hiring the President,approving tenure for faculty, long-term planning and fundraising. Becauseof this limited involvement, he thought the Trustees were put in anawkward position. Still, he acknowledged that after the meeting at Dewicksome of the Trustees showed interest in the problems presented bystudents. Because of that recognition, some students maintain that the meeting at Dewick was the best way for culture groups to get attention for their concerns. They allege the administration had refused to meet with them, and say the public nature of the Dewick forum was valuable to publicize their views. McDermotts fellow Trustee representative, Tommy Calvert, saw the meeting - and its ramifications - as positive. "The cultural community has come more together," Calvert said. He said that culture groups had already worked together, and will continue to do so. A notable development in cultural group relations is the re-emergence of the CCC. The committee, comprised of students from the across the University, includes the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate and different cultural groups. At the its first meeting, held on Feb. 13, students discussed what issues CCC should tackle and how to address them. Issues mentioned included minority faculty and student retention, University reaction to hate crimes, creating an open forum between students and the administration, and the restart of the University Task Force on Race. Members of the CCC plan to write an open letter of explanation to the Trustees. Bacow said the Trustees has "mixed reactions" to the Luncheon and that while the meeting will be repeated, its placement in a dining hall may not. He stressed the importance of experimenting with variations on the format to find the most effective way for Trustees to interact with students. Gittleman agreed that the format could be beneficial. "Philosophically, the idea that Bacow had was an interesting idea and would've been a good format, if it hadn't been captured."

---

News

A mixed blessing?

March 31

Because my parents were never big on television (I was prohibited from watching anything that was not broadcast on public television), my family was one of the last to get cable. And they got the most basic package available - no frills, no movie channels, just the absolute basics. They insisted that their decision to (finally) have cable installed on the living room television was solely the result of not wanting to fiddle with the antenna anymore. It certainly wasn't because they wanted to let me watch more television - with the exception of a few programs on Nickelodeon (namely the infamous You Can't Do That on Television and Double Dare), my television restrictions remained. The same, however, could not be said for my parents. According to my observations, the introduction of cable to our household led both my mother and father to watch more television. They insisted that they were not watching more television; rather, it was that they were spending less time fighting static and playing with the antenna, and more time watching the actual show. But being the bright child that I was, there was no fooling me - especially when my parents decided to purchase additional premium channels. With HBO and Showtime in the house, there was no denying that there was a significant increase in the amount of time spent in front of the boob tube (except for me - I was still watching PBS and going to bed at 9 p.m.). Several years later, we had cable installed on a second television in the master bedroom upstairs - because, according to my mother, "It only costs a few dollars more!" And then came the most sweeping television change of all - with the allure surrounding the notion of digital cable, it was not long before it was installed not only in the living room but also upstairs. We started off behind the times and now find ourselves at the top of the television technology totem pole. Now whether or not the big black box that graces not one, but two rooms of my house with digital cable is a blessing or a curse, I have yet to decide. It's kind of like plastic surgery, or body piercing - once you start, it's pretty hard to stop. There's no denying the addiction factor when it comes to television - and the drastic change in my family's television habits is a testament to that. But back to the wonders of digital cable - there are so many additional features to digital cable that make it such a pleasure to watch. Every time you flip to a channel, the name of the program, the time it started, and the time it will end flashes across the bottom of the television screen. More information about the program is available by pressing the "Info" button on the remote - a little blurb appears across the bottom of the screen telling you what the program is about, who is starring, who directed, how many stars it received, etc. Talk about snazzy. Digital cable also eliminates the need for TV Guide. By pressing the convenient "Guide" button on the remote, an easily-navigated schedule of programming appears (while the show you are currently watching remains in the upper right-hand corner of the screen). You can also check when a movie or show will be airing again and browse programming according to channel. Again, you're dealing with some pretty nifty technology. But then there's the remote. Granted, without the remote you wouldn't have access to all these clever features. But before you can take advantage of all the features, you have to master the remote - no easy task. For starters, this is no rinky-dinky remote - it measures roughly the length of my forearm. Furthermore, navigating the countless buttons and options requires a certain skill attained only through practice. Figuring out how to exit the programming schedule (which I eventually learned could be done simply by pressing the "Exit" button) and scrolling through a program description (there are two scrolling options - my sister informed that, when in doubt, use "Page Scroll") are just two of the important skills required for proper usage of the remote. But none of this comes easy - and being away at school means that I have to relearn all of these skills every time I come home. So much for a relaxing vacation. Then there is the vast array of programming. Even the absolute, most basic digital cable package offers more television variety than I could have ever imagined. From cartoons to fashion to sports to health to music to...You get the point. You want it, you got it. And lots of it. Sometimes too much of it. We opted for one premium channel, which actually means we get seven. All we wanted was HBO (because it's nice to have a movie channel). But you can't just order HBO - you have to order all of the channel's siblings now (HBO 2, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Comedy, HBO Zone, even HBO Latino, even though nobody in my house speaks Spanish). You would have so many movies to watch that you're actually unable to choose. Not true. Half the time, one channel is showing something sports-related (not like there aren't enough sports channels already), another is showing porn, another is showing some obscure black and white film, and another is in Spanish. Which brings me to my next point about digital cable - some things never change. Despite having somewhere between 400 and 600 channels (you realize shortly after getting digital cable installed that it is futile to count on all the new channels you have acquired), sometimes there's still nothing on television. Hard as it may seem to believe, there remain times when you flip endlessly without coming across a single program that grabs your interest. I guess it's just the fundamental nature of television. The difference between not finding anything to watch on regular cable and not finding anything suitable on digital cable is the level of frustration that ensues - at least with basic cable you can blame it on the lack of channels. This, however, is not a viable explanation when you have digital cable. You don't have to be a genius to understand on a rational level that with over 400 channels of programming, there should be something to watch. It's that simple. And you can't help but be frustrated and annoyed. So while I'm tempted at times to say "Thank goodness for digital cable," there's no denying the pitfalls of the new technology. I've learned a lot since we got it installed in my house (I could probably perform open heart surgery with my eyes closed by now, and thanks to the Style Network I know what to wear this season), but sometimes I long for the good old days when I had less than ten channels to choose from and was still entitled to complain when there wasn't anything good on television. Now I just have to grin and bear it. Because with so many channels, something good is bound to come on any minute...right?

---

News

Context Matters

March 31

It's a centenary year for our University. The light on the hill has shone for 150 years. Hopefully, many of us presently enrolled at Tufts will live to celebrate the 200-year anniversary of our school. Undoubtedly, much will have changed by then. One thing I hope will not change is Tufts reputation for free, open, and honest discussion, for therein lies our strength. Our community rightly demands the highest standard from all connected with this institution, and when a member of our community fails to live up to that standard, it is the responsibility of the rest of us to remind them. I've been at Tufts since 1998. I have been president of my department's Graduate Student Organization and have been a member of the Graduate Student Council. And since last year I have been involved with ASET/UAW, the graduate student group working to form a graduate employee union. Of late, I've been disturbed by the administration's recent response to our unionization effort, which has focused solely on who should be part of the bargaining unit, and thus entitled to vote in the union election. Their mantra, that we have sought to exclude some graduate employees, has been repeated often and in many ways. I'd like to explore the administration's claims in some detail. The issue isn't particularly complex, but it's not exactly soundbite material either, though that's what the administration is trying to reduce it to. All along, we of ASET/UAW have sought to form a union to represent graduate student employees on the Medford/Somerville campus. Graduate employees at private universities have been following in the wake of public universities in creating bargaining units to negotiate pay and benefits. That's what is happening here. We will be the first private university in Massachusetts to unionize (the member schools of the University of Massachusetts system have had unions for varying lengths of time), though we certainly won't be the last. I want to talk about three documents distributed by the administration in the week before spring break. In a letter distributed to graduate students, Provost Sol Gittleman claimed that ASET/UAW sought "to exclude graduate student assistants in Engineering, Fletcher, Nutrition, and other areas of Arts and Sciences from the bargaining unit." He suggested that readers of his letter look at the ASET/UAW legal brief for proof of this. This same letter is reproduced on the administration's anti-union website with an addendum added, an addendum that provides no less than ten quotes from the transcripts (NOT the legal brief) of the Labor Board hearings that took place in January and February. Two days after the Provost's letter, the administration took the trouble to follow it up with an e-mail saying the University "stands by the veracity of every statement in the Provost's letter and the authenticity of the quotes." But statement and quotations, as we all know, taken out of context, do not equal veracity or authenticity. As a member of this University, it has been personally devastating for me to see senior office-holders of this fine institution play fast and loose with context and truth and attempt to turn logic on its head by pulling quotes out of their equally important factual context. The administration claim that ASET/UAW sought to exclude RAs was wrong the first time they made it, and no amount of ad hominem quotations can change that. On March 15, I spoke with the Provost on the telephone about administration claims that ASET/UAW seeks to exclude "lots of graduate assistants," and pointed him to the concluding section of the ASET/UAW brief, which categorically demonstrates the error of their claims. This is the section from the conclusion of our brief which I read to the provost: "For all of the foregoing reasons, the Regional Director [of the NLRB] should find that the petitioned-for Teaching Assistants, including Graduate Assistants and Graduate Teaching Assistant, Graders and Research Assistants, are statutory employees entitled to collective bargaining." I should also mention, by the way, that almost exactly the same phrasing is used twice in the first two pages of the brief, both times referring to our requested bargaining unit. Surely, Provost Gittleman has read the ASET/UAW brief from which this quote is taken. How strange then, that neither his letter, nor the addendum to his letter, or even the e-mail standing by the veracity of his letter, bother to quote this or anything else from our brief, the central document and culmination of our legal position. Ten quotations from the hearing transcript and not even one quotation from the brief? You might ask, why are there numerous quotes from the hearing transcripts and none from the briefs? No one doubts the veracity of the quotes from the hearing transcript used by the administration, though their manipulation of them is certainly suspect. Important as the hearing were, they were primarily a fact-finding exercise for the NLRB. And it's essential to note that it is the NLRB, not ASET/UAW, who will decide, based on the information gathered during the hearings, who will or will not be part of our bargaining unit. That's another crucial piece of context ignored by the administration. One more point about the hearing transcript: even a casual reading of the hearing transcript will show clearly that the ASET/UAW stance has remained the same. As ASET/UAW has stated openly since the beginning of our campaign, we didn't expect certain categories of Research Assistants to be part of a bargaining unit here because at NYU and Brown University certain RAs were excluded from the bargaining unit because they worked exclusively on their own dissertations. Tufts' administration testified that RAs in the departments Provost Gittleman mentions worked exclusively on their own dissertations, and at that time we agreed because that was the legal precedent during the period of the hearings (however, as I discuss below, the legal precedent changed after the hearings ended). Gittleman's letter hypocritically suggests that it was us, ASET/UAW, who specifically invoked the precedent and actively sought to enforce it, when it was actually University testimony that invoked it. Whether in the labor board hearings, or in our initial petition last fall, or in our legal brief, we requested a union that would represent all graduate students deemed by existing labor law to be employees of the University. This much is clear even from the truncated and out-of-context quotes offered in the Provost's letter and the addendum to it. Labor law in this country is based on precedent, something that is obvious if you read the arguments presented in our brief or the University brief. Above, I italicized the phrase, deemed by existing labor law, because between the ending of the Labor Board hearings and the submission of our briefs, the Labor Board gave a ruling on Columbia University graduate employee unionization that broadened the definition of graduate student employment to include Research Assistants working exclusively on their own dissertations. Our brief welcomes and utilizes this new ruling, urging that the Board consider it in their decision at Tufts. Disingenuously the administration overlooks this crucial detail, and then accuses us of changing. We did not change; labor law did! Allow me to reiterate: In December of last year we petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to allow us to form a union for Teaching and Research Assistants and Graders on the Somerville/Medford Campus. We sought then to include all graduate assistants recognized as employees by the laws of the United States, and we still do today. James McCrea is a graduate student in the English Department and a member of the organizing committee of ASET/UAW.

---

News

My two cents...

March 31

As a three-year senator and past presidential candidate, I know what it takes to have an efficient, effective Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate. The Senate this year has not been a cohesive or effective body. Unfortunately, I have seen the struggles of individual senators, including myself, deciding whether to resign or to stay. The issue of whether to resign (or how to get your name in the newspaper) should not be the first thing on a senator's mind; instead, they should be fighting for what the students want and need. Above all else, the Senate should be a lobbying and advocacy body that actively fights for student causes. Senators should spend most of their time figuring out what students want and then demanding it from the appropriate administrators. An example of the failure of this to take place was this year, when the Senate allowed the administration to change the block schedule without any real student input. The final result is that we have a schedule that does not adequately reflect the needs of the student body. We need a Senate president who will work on these issues while they are still being debated, not after they've been enacted. What we have seen the Senate doing this year is far from that. It is time to end the elitist Senate mentality and begin really working with the student body to form a united voice. I firmly believe that one presidential candidate, Alison Clarke, can bring about changes that are so necessary for the TCU Senate. She has no desire to be friends with the administration; I believe that she understands that as president, her role is to fight for what the students want. She will also challenge Senators to really connect and work with the students. This year we have seen countless quarrels between student groups, which take the focus away from larger, university-wide administrative problems. It's time for a different perspective. I love Tufts, and I think that many students feel the same way. It is for this reason that I support Alison Clarke's run for the presidency. It is time that we have effective student representation on the Senate, not just r?©sum?©-padders who stop working once they have been elected to the body. Student participation in our student government needs to be increased, and Senate should be brought back to the students. Past presidents have made the same promise, but few have delivered. As president, Alison can bring Senate and the students together. She as already started working on this through the implementation of Campus Dialogues. I believe these are a good first step towards reaching out to the student body. After looking at both candidates' platforms, I believe that Alison's goals are realistic, beneficial, and can actually be accomplished. She is not making empty campaign promises, and she has started working on many of these issues already.1) Housing - Just recently, hundreds of juniors-to-be were denied on-campus housing. Alison will demand an earlier release of lottery numbers, so that students can plan their housing ahead of time and no one will have to scramble around for over-priced off-campus apartments in the middle of April. In addition, she will lobby for more beds in the new dorm that is being built. Originally the plan was for 300 beds, but recently the number has dropped to 140, and this is unacceptable. Tufts' first concern should be that all of its students have a comfortable, affordable place to live. 2) Curricular Diversification -In order for Tufts to remain competitive with other universities, we need a more diverse curriculum and faculty. Tufts as a university should set this as a priority, and Alison will fight to see this happen. Throughout this year she has been working with a group of faculty and students on developing a Latino Studies program, as well as fighting alongside other students to get a professor that the students want in the open position in the Spanish department. 3) World Civ Requirement - Expanding the number of classes that would fulfill the World Civilizations requirement would alleviate many problems that students encounter when trying to find classes that meet the requirement. Additionally, there is a student-faculty committee that has been debating the issue of World Civ and what direction it should move toward, and Alison will push them to make a decision and to publish their recommendations. If the committee cannot decide in a timely manner, Alison will push for existing courses to be counted towards the World Civ. Requirement, to make all of our lives easier and our academic load more enjoyable. 4) Free Transcripts - Transcripts are our records of the classes that we pay good money to take at Tufts, and students should not be charged for this service. I personally had to pay about $40 this year to get my transcripts for graduate school. When applying to graduate school or to jobs, we should not be charging the future alumni of this University for a service necessary to their future success. Alison wants to challenge the administration to offer each student a certain number of free transcripts each year. Obviously there are many issues that students would like to see worked on next year. These range from the poor shuttle service, to a better response to hate crimes, to improved dining options. It is important to realize though, that these issues cannot effectively be worked on in the current circumstances. The Senate needs strong leadership, and the students need to stop bickering amongst themselves and create a united front in lobbying the administration. Next year's Senate could finally be your Senate, the Senate of the students. I urge you to vote wisely on Wednesday. Vote for Alison Clarke as your next TCU President.Michele Shelton is a senior majoring in psychology.

---

News

Duke and Missouri to make noise

March 31

SouthThe PowerhouseFor the fourth consecutive year, the Duke Blue Devils ended the season as the highest ranked team in the land. And quite frankly, they're that good. They have the best player in the country in junior guard Jason Williams, who averages 21.6 points per game. They have the most versatile player in the country in junior forward Mike Dunleavy, who averages 17.4 points. At 6-10, Dunleavy can rain jumpers or play in the post. And they boast the nation's hottest offensive player, Carlos Boozer, who is 76-91 from the field in his last 10 games. Add Dahntay Jones, whose defense can shut anyone down, and Chris Duhon, a talented passer with a solid shot and great instincts, and you have the best starting five in recent college hoops history. Duke does not shoot well from the free throw line, nor does it possess a strong bench, yet nothing should keep the Blue Devils from Atlanta and the Final Four.The ContenderThe Alabama Crimson Tide was the best team in the SEC this year, despite losing to Mississippi State in the finals of the SEC tournament. Alabama also finished the year ranked in the top ten of both major polls. Without a senior on its roster, Alabama is young, athletic, and fast. The Tide were 17-0 at home, which bodes well for them in the tournament; should they advance to the Final Four, they would play games in nearby Lexington, Kentucky and Greensville, South Carolina before heading to Atlanta. When junior guard Ron Grizzard is shooting well, Alabama is tough to beat.The Question MarkThe Pittsburgh Panthers were the nation's biggest surprise this season. Though they advanced deep into the Big East tournament last year after a lackluster regular season, the Panthers took the nation and the Big East by storm this year, compiling a 27-5 record and a top ten ranking in both polls. But when Brandin Knight, the junior point guard and co-Big East player of the year, slipped awkwardly after recording an assist at the end of regulation against UConn in the conference tournament finals, so too did Pitt's dreams of a national championship. Simply put, with a healthy Knight, Pitt can beat anyone in the country. More importantly, with a healthy Knight, Pitt thinks it can beat anyone in the country. Though the MRI on his knee was negative, Knight will surely be hobbled by his injury, and the Panthers will only go as far as Knight's limping legs can carry them. The SleeperHow good is Kent State? Just ask its MAC counterparts, which lost to the Golden Flashes in 17 straight games to close out the season. You could also ask Big 10 powerhouse Indiana, which lost to Kent State 77-73 in the first round of last year's tournament. The MAC is no joke, though its teams play out of the national spotlight. Kent State is led by a fantastic troika of guards: seniors Trevor Huffman and Andrew Mitchell, and sophomore, Antonio Gates who all average over 15 points per game and shoot splendidly from the charity stripe. Could Kent State make it past Oklahoma St. and give Alabama a run for its money? In a word, absolutely. The PredictionDuke waltzes into the Elite 8 without facing any terribly stiff competition. Kent State wins one before losing to Alabama. However, Cal, which gets hot after taking down Pitt, upsets Alabama to get to the round of 8. Duke blows out Cal to go the Final Four.WestThe UnappreciatedThe biggest story of this year's tournament selections was not the great teams that were left out of the bracket of 65, but of the great team that went unrecognized, Gonzaga. Ranked in the top 10, a team that has repeatedly proven itself by advancing to the Sweet 16 in each of the last 3 years, Gonzaga drew a six seed in the West. The Zags are also on a collision course to play Arizona, one the country's most talented squads, in the second round. This could be one of the great games in the entire tournament, let alone the second round. Gonzaga has won 24 of its last 25 contests and boasts a strong inside presence, especially when opponents double team senior guard Dan Dickau. If junior forward Zach Gourde and sophomore center Cory Violette continue averaging double figures in scoring, the Zags can shock the basketball world, again. Yet, like all teams coming from small conferences, many question the Zags' strength of schedule. Their three losses come to tournament teams - Illinois, Marquette and Pepperdine - and they have not beaten any opponents of this caliber. Certainly, Arizona will pose a challenge.The Top CatCincinnati has only one person to thank for its 30-3 overall record: Steve Logan, who has turned his basketball career around. He has lost weight, gained focus and mobility, and become the most valuable player to his team in the country. He is lethal from the free throw line, shoots nearly 50% from the floor and 40% from behind the arc. The Bearcat defense is one of the nation's best, holding opponents to only 58 points per game during the season. Cincinnati does not relinquish leads, an important trait for a Final Four hopeful. That being said, the team plays a rough brand of basketball, which occasionally borders on dirty. The Bearcats are the least respected of the number one seeds, and for good reason - their bracket is undoubtedly the nation's toughest. Still, never underestimate a team with a single great player. Kansas won a championship on the back of Danny Manning, and Cincinnati could ride Logan's shoulders all the way to Atlanta.The OverratedYes, Miami has a good football team. But after its basketball squad won 14 straight to start the season, a few too many experts jumped on the Hurricane bandwagon. Here's what's true: Miami does have a very talented starting five led by John Salmons and Darius Rice. Miami did move up in the polls after losing two games the previous week. The Canes do have the weakest bench in the Big East with only one non-starter who gets significant time. Miami does lack a consistent scorer to carry it to the deeper rounds of the tournament. Miami has to find someone to rely on to defeat Missouri, a more talented first round opponent.PredictionThe Canes drop a first-round game to Missouri. Missouri gets hot and takes out Ohio State and, in the upset of the tournament, beats Cincinnati to advance to the elite eight. Hawaii knocks off Xavier, before losing to Oklahoma. Arizona beats Oklahoma, then Missouri, and goes to Atlanta.

---

News

Freshman Survival 101

March 31

Freshman year: two words that, when spoken by a nostalgic upperclassman are usually accompanied by a smile, a sigh, and sometimes a chuckle. But for incoming freshmen, the year is still a tabula rasa waiting to be filled, and this uncertainty causes much anxiety. Help is available, however, and incoming sophomores have much to say about what it was like to first arrive on the Hill as freshmen. Most students at Tufts chose the University for its combination of academic excellence and its proximity to the city of Boston. And all students hope to squeeze the most fun and excitement that they possibly can from their four years here. But alas, Tuftonians cannot party all day and night. One of the biggest challenges for freshmen is to balance academics with a social life. "You have all this newfound freedom and no one telling you not to go out when you have work to do," sophomore Arielle Jacobs said. "I learned the hard way that sometimes you just have to lock yourself in your room or get to the library despite the cool things your friends might be doing at the moment." Sophomores advise that though it's difficult, staying on top of schoolwork must be a priority. "If you let your work slip, everything else is a mess as well," sophomore Jennifer Lejb said. Others advise freshmen to take advantage of the long add/drop period for classes. "The first year is also a good time to experiment with different course loads and schedules," sophomore David Turkington said. Choosing the classes that you want, he added, is a good way to make friends with people who share your interests. Another way to meet people is to keep your door open. "Don't hole up in your room," warns sophomore Seth Purcell. "Keeping your door open shows a willingness to just have a friendly chat with any passersby." Purcell recommends going around with a neighbor or two and meeting your neighbors on the first afternoon at Tufts. "I know on my first day several groups of kids walked around meeting people as I was sitting in my room," Purcell said. "I was very thankful that they took the initiative to do so, but I then joined them for the rest of the dorm's tour and took on that active role myself... since everyone is so eager to meet others, things play out very easily." But sophomore Alexandra Granato warns that being too friendly can be problematic. "As an incoming freshman, I wish someone would have told me that in the first few weeks of school, you have to watch who you trust," Granato said. "In the first couple months of school everyone is trying to find friends and 'friends with benefits,' and you need to be careful who you put your trust in and who you decide to share yourself with." Freshmen should also not feel pressure to conform to the crowd. "It's not like high school - you can be your own person and be proud of it. College is your time to learn about yourself, so embrace it," Rhonda Barkan said. Besides going to class and meeting new people, the first few weeks at Tufts are a good time to become pro-active and join various campus organizations. The annual Student Activities Fair, to be held on Monday, Sept. 9, is one way to find out what the University has to offer by way of clubs and groups. "If there is something that you want to get involved in, go and get involved in it," sophomore Neil Hirsch advises. One of the perks of attending a small liberal arts university such as Tufts is that one's ability and dedication, rather than age, will most often determine their level of involvement in the clubs and sports. "Jump into things with both feet and don't worry that you won't be able to do something just because you're a freshman," Hirsch said. In addition to making new friends and joining various organizations, decorating your dorm room will make you feel more at home in your new surroundings. "Make sure to put a carpet down, and cover the walls with tapestries, posters and pictures, because it makes the room feel bigger and more comfortable," sophomore Lauren Gesserman said. Yaffa blocks to store belongings, as well as Christmas lights, husband pillows, and fans are also guaranteed to spruce up a college dorm room. "Don't buy a couch," sophomore Matts Pinard said. "One, you can get them for free off of the side of the road on trash days, and two, you can steal them from your common rooms of your dorm and hide them under a throw blanket." The second reason, of course, is discouraged by campus authorities.

---

News

David Pryor explores Southern Politics

March 31

Emphasizing the need for politicians to reconnect with the public, former Senator, Congressman, and Arkansas Governor David Pryor reflected on his career with students on Monday afternoon. Pryor, currently Director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University, captivated the audience with anecdotes from his personal experiences and advice to students hoping to start public service careers. He began by telling stories about his personal journey from college to the Governor's mansion. Upon graduation from the University of Arkansas, Pryor said he found few opportunities to use his political science degree. Using inherited money, he set out on a different path and started his own newspaper. His contact with the community and critical editorials laid the foundation for a lengthy political career including six years in the US House of Representatives, a term as the Governor of Arkansas, and 18 years in the US Senate. Pryor emphasized the importance of increasing personal interaction between politicians and their constituents. "You can have all the money, swanky TV spots, and slick brochures you want, but the real difference is made by people enthusiastically supporting you and knocking on doors to convince others to do the same." He told students his favorite political position was as county representative in the state legislature, where Pryor "knocked on every door in the county asking for votes and [he] felt like [he] was really doing something." Even if it's just handing out bumper stickers for someone else's campaign, Pryor advised students to jump into the political field however they can. "You will gain experience and you will know when the right time is," he said. He went on to caution students, however, against blindly accepting proposed legislation from the current administration. "Bush is asking for a $48 billion increase in the defense budget... with $5 billion we can give a hot meal to every child in the world every day," Pryor explained. "These are things y'all are going to have to deal with." With his son Mark in the race for an Arkansas Senate seat this November, Pryor was not short on commentary about Southern politics. Citing Al Gore's loss of every Southern state in the 2000 election, Pryor said that Democrats could not win the South without addressing the issues of abortion and guns. While Pryor is optimistic for his son, he also indicated the importance of defeat to gain experience and humility. "People remember what kind of loser you are, and the heartbreaks along the way make it all worth it," he said. Pryor admitted a few regrettable voting decisions he made during his career. If he could go back to his Senate career, he said he would have voted "No" to President Reagan's economic plan and "Yes" to the Civil Rights Housing Bill in 1968. Audience questions focused the conversation on current events such as the war on terrorism and upcoming elections. "Most politicians underestimate the intelligence of the American voters," Pryor said. He argued that the people are usually a few steps ahead of their representatives, as seen in the recent criticisms that the war on terrorism is overshadowing other important issues. Pryor compared the US to a "cowboy that walks into a saloon with both guns blasting and shoots before asking questions." He admits that the US has a difficult path ahead of it and said the nation needs to find solutions to the rest of its problems - many of which have recently been neglected. Harris Dainoff and Sarah Molenkamp, co-chairs of Pi Sigma Alpha, Tufts' political science honor society, were proud to bring someone so active in politics to campus. Senator Pryor "over-exceeded my expectations," Dainoff said. "He is one of the best speakers I've heard in my four years at Tufts." Political science professor James Glaser was impressed with Pryor and his ability to "weave tales from his experience into an engaging lesson in political science. They always say if you want to learn about politics, go down South." The event, sponsored by Pi Sigma Alpha, was part of the group's biannual "Conversations" series. The audience consisted largely of Pi Sigma Alpha members and President Emeritus DiBiaggio's Ex-college leadership class.

---