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The Tufts club scene

March 31

Have you ever wanted to learn Swahili, watch a Japanese cartoon, or sample delicacies from around the world? Well, now you can - clubs for each of these activities were started by Tufts students this semester. Starting a club at Tufts is fairly straightforward - the prime step is gaining recognition from the Tufts Community Union Judiciary (TCUJ) in order to advertise and have meetings on campus. According to TCUJ Vice Chair Alison Clarke, groups must meet with Director of Student Activities Jodie Nealley, who gives out temporary, 30-day recognitions. During this time the group may reserve rooms on campus and put up flyers. Anytime after temporary recognition, the group must meet with the TCUJ and present both a written constitution and a list of at least 15 members. How difficult is it to gain recognition? According to Clarke, if a legitimate educational or cultural purpose is evident, not very. "One group wanted to see movies [at a local movie theatre] every week. When we asked them if they were planning on having any discussion afterwards, they said no. We turned them down," Clarke said. If a group is not recognized by the TCUJ, it can appeal to the Committee on Student Life, or can rework its constitution and try again. In order to receive University funds for a new group, founders must go to the Allocations Board of the Senate. New clubs this semester include:Mac Users Group (MUG) According to sophomore founder Nico Juber, the Mac Users Group (MUG) provides technical and social resources for Mac users on campus. "We have a common bond because of the computers we use," Juber said. MUG will have a web discussion board where people can post technical problems. Juber plans on hosting speakers and an "I-movie Fest," where Mac users can showcase their digital home videos. She hopes that groups from Northeastern, Boston College, Tufts, and Wellesley will come together to show their movies and compete. She also plans to set up workshops to "show people what they can do with their computer." This includes moviemaking and advanced computer science. The group already has a website - www.tuftsmug.org.International Food Club (IFC) Though only in the temporary recognition stage, senior and IFC founder Paul Salomon has brainstormed significantly for his club. "When you think about different nationalities, the most interesting thing you can think about is food - everyone has their own ethnic food," Salomon said. Salomon wants to have weekly events where anyone in the Tufts community can gather at different local ethnic restaurants, try the food, and discuss different cultures. He plans to ask the restaurants to sponsor the group in exchange for publicity on the Tufts campus, and says a group cookbook and online reviews might be in the works. Salomon plans to bring recognition to the club with a bake-off or cook-off, taste tests judged by professors, and possibly even monetary prizes for the winners. He also says the group will have a community service aspect: he hopes to host a canned food drive and volunteer at soup kitchens.Multiracial Organization of Students at Tufts (MOST) Through discussion groups, panels on topics like cross-racial adoptions, speakers, and meetings, sophomore founder PJ Andrews hopes to "educate multiracial people and the Tufts community in general." Andrews wants to work with SCOPE, the open house program for minority prospective students, so that multiracial students can stay with multiracial hosts when they visit Tufts. He also hopes to initiate a multiracial peer-leading program. In general, MOST will strive to generate awareness of multiracial backgrounds and conversation on campus. "I think that the idea of how multiracial people fit in in this country is new; it hasn't been talked about enough. For a school like Tufts that values diversity, it's important to have that community on campus," Andrews said. "If there are clashing identities within you, how do you work that out?" Explosion Latina Sophomores Angie Pillier and Yakhira Encarnacion have decided to add their own brand of dance to the groups already at Tufts. According to Pillier, Explosion Latina will be a "Latino-oriented performance group, with dances from different Latin-American countries." The group intends to hold auditions by choreographers within the next two weeks, and put on a show in April.Swahili Club Junior Jane Wahome is from Nairobi, Kenya, where Swahili is spoken, but even she believes she could improve her grammar and learn to write more fluently. While that may intimidate students who have never heard a word of Swahili, Wahome insists that the club is "very informal - just people hanging out and talking. Everyone's welcome." Wahome and senior Lindsay Burton, co-founders of the Swahili Club, decided that they wanted to continue speaking the language after taking a Swahili class together. Their group is comprised of native speakers as well as people interested in the language and culture of east Africa. "The exchange is what's really fun," Wahome said. "We plan to discuss current issues, like the political climate, and have music on Sunday nights." Wahome plans to showcase all kinds of music, including Swahili rap and Arabian styles. The group hopes to host a prominent speaker sometime during the semester who can talk about Swahili history, culture, and language. Anime Co-founders and sophomores Dhruv Amin and Theo Benson wanted to start a club where "people can come together to watch and discuss Japanese animation." According to Amin, "There are movies shown locally but people don't know about them." Amin and Benson hope to make Anime, or Japanese animated cartoons, accessible for the Tufts community. The group is looking into a series to start Sunday called "Cowboy Bebop." They plan to show two to four episodes a week, for about 40 minutes each. The club is informal according to Amin. "You can come in, talk for ten minutes, then we'll show a cartoon and possibly a movie," he said. "We want to give people an area to watch a high-quality anime for free." Tufts Womens' Union (WUT)Sophomore Abby Moffat and co-chairs Julia Karol and Amy Spindel started the WUT after realizing the need for a non-partisan women's group at Tufts, whose main goals were "education, leadership, and support.""In the year that I have been a co-chair of the Tufts Feminist Alliance, I have had dozens of students, both men and women, tell me that TFA did not speak for them; that they needed somewhere to go, a group concerned with women's issues, where they could talk openly about these things," Moffat said. "As soon as I mentioned the idea of a women's group that carried no religious, ethnic, or political affiliation, the response I received was so overwhelming and positive that I knew that such a group was badly needed."With help from the TCUJ, Moffat dug out an old "Tufts Women's Collective" constitution. She wanted to start a club "where the liaisons of all the current women's groups could come together with other women interested in women's issues.""We rarely see women in leadership on this campus. Rarely does Tufts invite big speakers who are female. We all need role models, we all need mentors," Moffat said. "Hopefully WUT will be able to invite some speakers, maybe even Tufts alumnae, to come and talk to us about what it means to be a woman at Tufts, and how she made it doing whatever it is she does." Moffat also plans to start a mentor system, go on retreats, and have open forums to exchange ideas.

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News

Pallaver excels in squash, frisbee

March 31

In Neil Pallaver's freshman year at Phillips Exeter Academy, he was cut by the wrestling team. "I thought I was gonna be a wrestler," Pallaver said." Pallaver's wrestling goals may have been shattered, but eight years later, the senior has established himself as the top squash player at Tufts. Pallaver's squash career began his sophomore year in high school, and he has clearly come a long way since then. Playing in the 18th spot on a 21-player roster, he made little impact his first year. "I started out at the bottom," Pallaver said. "The beginning stages of a sport are the most fun and its fun to climb the latter." By the end of his junior year he ascended to the sixth spot by the end of the year and was playing in the third spot by his senior year. This is quite a feat considering that his high school team actually defeated Tufts in a scrimmage during his senior year. For Neil, making a decision about college was an interesting process. Neil had the opportunity to play squash at Trinity with a full scholarship. However Pallaver knew that he would struggle to gain prominence on such a loaded team, and he also took academics into consideration. "I would have had to work my butt off to make the top 20," he said. Pallaver arrived as a freshman and quickly rose to the number-one spot. Clearly his experience at Phillips-Exeter prepared him well for college, as he would stay at that top spot for the duration of his four years at Tufts. Teammate and co-captain Collin O'Higgins described Pallaver's ability to hold on to the number-one spot as "remarkable." "His strength is really his intelligence on the court," coach Doug Eng said. "He knows how to make his opponent work harder." In his sophomore season, Neil saw a series of brilliant performances. Playing against Stanford's top player, Pallaver was down 7-1 in the fourth game losing the match two games to one. Amazingly he was able to rally back and win the game clinching the match. "The way he played the last game was brilliant," Eng said, "he really put everything together." Pallaver feels that the sport is at its best when players are quite simply trying to out-smart each other. "The attraction of the sport to me is to watch players move someone around on the court until the opponent does something wrong," he said His Achilles heel however has been his love for another sport. Since early high school, Pallaver has played and is currently a starter on Tufts' Frisbee team. "I know I have put a lot more time and effort into Frisbee," Pallaver said. This devotion to another sport has made his relationship with Eng somewhat difficult at times. "He thought I could have been even a lot better than I am," Pallaver said. Nevertheless, the two clearly have a great deal of respect for each other. "I commend him. He puts time, effort and emotion into the team," Pallaver said, "We want to do as well as we can not just for the team but for the coach." Pallaver has also had a very special relationship with his teammates over the years. "I love the team," Pallaver said. "I have as much fun with these guys as I do with anyone else."

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News

From sea to shining sea

March 31

Because ballet is such an integral part of American dance culture, people tend to forget that its point of origin lies across the Atlantic Ocean. But despite the art's foreign beginnings, Boston Ballet's performance of American Trilogy only confirms the prominence and beauty with which our own native sons have worked. Incorporating a selection of three ballets by some of the greatest choreographers and composers of the 20th century, the company delivers with a graceful and often humorous take on love and life. Perhaps the greatest sign of a successful production is when the audience leaves the show still humming many of the tunes. This is not usually a criterion for judging ballet, because its emphasis is on the dancing and not on the music. Yet, the music in American Trilogy, composed by the likes of Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, and Richard Rodgers, is what contributed most to the distinctly American flavor that characterized the performance. Clever acting and meticulous attention to detail united in the opening piece, "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue." Spliced directly out of the Rodgers musical On Your Toes, the number works effectively on its own while retaining the original choreography by ballet legend George Balanchine. Hysterical cops, witty bartenders, and sultry strippers all come together, creatively using movement to enact a murder mystery at a nightclub (No guys, the striptease girl does not really take her clothes off). Even the dancer playing a corpse seems to come alive as he is delicately swept across the floor, though his death seemed a bit forced. Clearly a modern ballet, this segment features neither tutus nor men in tights -though much of the dancing is still very much in traditional ballet style, with a bit of tap thrown in. "Corybantic Ecstasies," composed by Bernstein with choreography by Christopher Wheeldon, provides a refreshing contrast. Gone are the colorful set and numerous props that so effectively created Balanchine's world. They are replaced by a lighted backdrop evocative of a night sky, with five columns that suggest the ancient Greek setting but are simple enough to allow for a more modern interpretation. As the curtain rises and the first few notes sound from the orchestra, several couples appear on stage, posing in silhouette thanks to subtle yet dramatic lighting. These dancers emphasize the cross-cultural influences in American art by borrowing from Greek tragedies and showing rituals of the gods. As the piece progresses, the columns are raised one by one, leaving space on the stage for intense and innovative choreography involving perfectly in-sync pinwheel spirals. After two delightfully creative dances that display two very different sentiments of American cultural traditions, the final selection, "Rodeo," promised to cap off Trilogy with excitement of Wild West proportions. In fact, all of Boston Ballet's promotional materials give the impression that this selection with choreography by Agnes de Mille of Oklahoma fame set to a score by Copland, would be the highlight of the entire evening. This seemed to be true even as the dancers took their initial places in the spotlight, dressed in colorful western outfits and embodying pure Americana style. But that's where the excitement ends. "Rodeo" was seriously plagued by a lack of energy on the part of the performers. Although the movements were gracefully executed and presented, the dancers seemed to be missing a creative spark. Indeed, this "Rodeo" was definitely not as wild as the name suggests, though lead dancer Frances P?©rez-Ball delivers an enchanting and humorous performance as a tomboy cowgirl-turned-debutante. A mock-square dance sequence that divided two portions of the number seemed unnecessary, clouding the performance with random spurts of cheesy dialogue. Nevertheless, the audience seemed to like it - though perhaps the many people who clapped their hands along with the music in this segment did so because they felt the performers could be having more fun up on stage. But if "Rodeo" had not followed two flawless examples of American culture, it might have worked just fine on its own. The choreography and music clearly fit well with the American Trilogy theme. The fact that all three pieces were so similar in their content and so different in their presentation effectively symbolized the very point that the Boston Ballet set out to make with this new production: Americans have put a unique spin on artistic traditions, and as a result have made an impact that has been felt on a global scale.

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News

Essence looking to make its mark in a cappella

March 31

It was hard for Essence to envision a successful fate for its new CD, At Last, when just last year at this time they were dragging their van out of an icy ditch on the way to the recording studio. Now, one year and a lot of hard work later, the group officially released its newest CD to the Tufts community at Hotung Cafe last Friday night. This new album marks the group's second in its eight-year history and its first since officially becoming an a cappella group. "Stylistically, the music is very different. We worked a lot with how the sounds came out musically," junior and Essence president Kaity Colon said. "The music is stronger and our collaboration was totally different." Essence is an all-female a cappella group that was founded in the early 1990s. The group was originally formed as band with the hopes of adding a special twist to the music scene at Tufts by singing songs from the African Diaspora- a genre that they felt was underrepresented. This band, called Spice, used occasional accompaniment like percussion and bass. Eventually the group changed the name to Essence, and by 1999 officially decided to focus solely on singing a cappella, while maintaining the same original concept. "We try to focus on classic R&B, soul music like Sweet Honey in the Rock along with spirituals, rather than the more poppy kind of music," continues Colon. It has taken a while for Essence, a fairly new group, to make its presence known. "We've become stronger since the first CD," said sophomore Music Director Sarah Sutton. "We've gone through a lot of ups and downs since we've started, and we really feel like we're a lot stronger now; having the CD out really shows that." Although alumna Diana Avery (LA '01) and Sutton musically arranged a good deal of At Last, the album has truly been a group effort. Essence focused on improving its instrumentation, and worked hard on strengthening the musicality of its work. "We really worked to get the background [instrumentation] to sound as much like the originals as possible," added Colon. At Friday night's CD release party, the group sang two sets, focusing on the music from their new CD. In between sets, members mingled with the crowd, taking in the energy that was in the air. Because the crowd was smaller than their normal concerts, Essence was motivated by the ability to really connect with the crowd in this small setting. "Just having a release party was really exciting, so everyone was pumped," Colon said. "The audience vibe was really positive." Essence's first CD, Time is of the Essence, did not get much exposure. With At Last, however, the group feels it did things right. This album has more familiar and popular selections; songs with powerful emotion and feeling like "At Last" by Etta James, "Ain't No Sunshine" by Soul 4 Real and "Hold On" by En Vogue. They create an eclectic mix for every day enjoyment, ranging from soothing, gentle songs, to powerful, inspirational music. "It's our little niche," says Sutton. "It's nothing that the other groups do - none of the other groups do the spiritual stuff. We take pride in the fact that all our members have really distinct soulful voices. We can blend together as a group or we can stand out as soloist voices." Essence is indeed getting out there and showing the world what it can do. The group has entered the community to perform benefit concerts, most recently at Somerville High School. "The community seemed to really enjoy it. It's fun to sing for an audience that isn't Tufts-related," Sutton said. "The community hasn't really seen us before and they may have never seen a cappella so it's a really rewarding experience and we get a good response from them." The goal of Essence's music is to expose the beauty of the spiritual genre. "We want to express the love of music that we as a group have," said Colon. This is truly expressed in this CD, and through Essence's performances. The group has a unique quality that makes for a powerful mixture of music on At Last. The group's hard work and year-long effort truly paid off, culminating in the success of this CD. "The title says it for us - At Last here we are, we're here and we're finally making our mark in the a cappella world," stated Sutton.

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News

The leaders of today

March 31

We're slackers. We're apathetic. We're lazy. We have short attention spans. We are what is wrong with America. As we move from one milestone to another we have two choices: we can live up to our reputation as a lazy, apathetic generation of people focused on money or we can prove these labels false. As Tufts graduates we must stop listening to those who say that we are the leaders of tomorrow and instead assert ourselves as the leaders of today. In this newspaper, I have continually railed against political leaders such as our Congressman Mike Capuano who do not care about the needs of students. Too often our leaders have let us down in their roles as representatives of all of their constituents. I have repeatedly called on them to shape up or ship out. Not surprisingly, though, none of them have answered the call. Mike Capuano has continued in his anti-democratic ways by ignoring us and as a reward he will be elected to another two-year term this November because he has no real opposition. After the Civil War, the 4-H Club was founded in order to reform the way that farming was done in this country. However, the group found that farmers were too entrenched in the old, outdated system and were unwilling to change their ways. So the founders of the club decided to focus on the next generation of farmers in order to reform the farming system for the future. Politics today is very similar. Most politicians are ruled by an old outdated, system that gives preference to the voice of the powerful over the voice of the people and have incessantly ignored the cries that democracy is being corrupted by their practices. Now it is time for us as leaders to show the world that we have a new approach to politics and that we can and will lead our nation. We can and will show the Mike Capuanos of the world that we are not too young to assert ourselves as political leaders and their time is up. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy inspired a generation of young people to seek to change society. In 1966, Kennedy reminded a crowd at the University of Capetown in South Africa that "a young monk began the Protestant reformation, a young general extended an empire from Macedonia to the borders of the earth, and a young woman reclaimed the territory of France. It was a young Italian explorer who discovered the New World, and a 32-year old Thomas Jefferson who proclaimed that all men are created equal." Martin Luther King Jr. was only 26 at the start of the Montgomery bus boycott that helped bring national attention to the burgeoning civil rights movement. Dr. King was 34 when he called upon his generation to rise up and live out the true meaning of the revolutionary words spoken by a young Jefferson. The great thing about America is that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to make a difference. Rosa Parks was one woman who just sat down on a bus but this small action has forever changed history. Democracy is great because every individual has the power to sit down on a bus, make a difference, and change history. The last four years we have shown that we are ready to take our seat at the table. From marching on Ballou to taking over Bendetson to volunteering in the community we have shown that we are not the slackers that are so often portrayed in the media. We are not of Generation X but rather a new brand of super citizens who will rebuild our broken democracy. We might as well start right now.

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News

Tufts is a rough trip for commuting students

March 31

"Where are you from?" "Where do you live?" People hear these questions everyday, from friends, peers, professors, and just about anyone else at Tufts. Some people will answer that they come from a few hours' drive away, some from across the country, and some from across the world. Occasionally, however, a student's home lies much closer to Tufts - sometimes so close that they venture no further than down the street to get to class everyday. Commuter students form a small, yet visible part of the Tufts student body. According to Veronica Carter, coordinator of the commuter program, Tufts has a very small percentage of commuters: one year the office was surprised to have a record number of 24 students. "We are a residential campus," Carter said. A commuter is a student who opts out of the mandatory freshman-year housing contract in order to live at home or in an otherwise-approved residence. Carter said that it is difficult to estimate the number of commuting students at any one time because of a lack of concrete statistics. The only way to track the number of commuters each year is to track how many new students do not partake in freshman housing. Freshman John Lee said that being a commuter is a strain on his Tufts experience, and he tries to spend as much time on campus as possible to make up for it. Lee feels that socially, being a commuter has some setbacks that most residential student take for granted. "I'm a very social person, and not being able to stay up all night with friends or have suitemates hinders my experience," Lee said. "I still make friends, but it's different with no one to chill in my dorm or to go dining halls with." According to the Student Services office, commuter students are encouraged to get involved in campus social functions, and attend activities in dormitories. Student Services also claims that residential students are urged to attend events at Hillside House - a facility designated for commuter students. In addition to the lack of participation in social activities, commuters encounter a slightly different academic experience than their residential peers. Commuters do not have access to some of the amenities readily accessible to residential students. "Not being able to have a dorm, or stay in the library really late every night definitely affects my academic performance," Lee said. "Also, yes, I miss Tufts' super-fast internet connection." Moreover, Lee said that there are no benefits to being a commuter. According to him, commuters are often called "townies" and looked down upon by residential students. Sophomore Matt Gasbarro, a Medford resident, chose not to commute. Instead, he lives in a Tufts dorm located only five blocks from his home. "If I decided to live at home, then I would be missing out both in the social scene of Tufts and also academics," Gasbarro said. "It would be a burden if I needed help on my schoolwork since there would be no one I could ask for help." Tufts provides a program in order to offset some of these added burdens that commuters may experience. "We have a commuter program for orientation - [there's] also a special reception for the parents," Carter said. The program is meant to help commuters better acclimate to Tufts; Carter called it a "nice program, but very small." In addition to the special orientation, Tufts provides a facility for commuters to cook, store their belongings in between classes, or just hang out. The fifteen-room Hillside House also allows for commuters to stay overnight on occasion. Commuters are entitled to a special meal plan that is not available to other residential undergraduate students. Instead of having to purchase the unlimited, 220-, or 160-meal plans, the commuter meal plan, originally offered only to graduate students, allows students to buy their meals in blocks of 10 meals for $80. In addition to these services, Tufts also has the Off-Hill Council, an organization founded in 1963 in order to help coordinate social, athletic, and academic events for both commuting and residential students.

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News

Phenom & Giddy's Urban Vibez

March 31

Shade Sheist feat. Timbaland - "Money Owners"With a beat reminiscent of Aaliyah's "Try Again," Timbaland has dropped the illest bassline in a good minute. Shade Sheist's mellow tone may not have been the best match for this instrumental, yet it was almost impossible to mess it up completely.Sacario feat. Fat Joe and Angie Martinez - "Live Big (RMX)"The lyrics won't make this one a hit - that's for sure. But, the beat is bangin' and somewhat successfully walks the thin line of keepin' it gutter with a jiggy flair.Onyx feat. Havoc (of Mobb Deep) - "Hold Up"Picture this: All the fellas of Onyx and Havoc chillin' around a table, puffin' on somethin,' and drinkin' somethin'. Next to their drinks, which are at different levels, are some forks. Sticky Fingaz starts to knock his fork in a little pattern on the bottle in front of him. He starts to really feel this and begins to hit other people's bottles too. This scenario seems very reasonable as the motivation for this beat. Its simplicity comes off pretty hot, actually, which makes it even more exciting to hear a comeback from the fellas that blew up the scene with "Slam."Scarface - "My Block"Scarface's upcoming album keeps sounding better and better. First he does a collabo with Jigga and Beanie Sigel, now he comes with this track as an ode to his neighborhood. The piano in the background is reminiscent of Ghostface Killah's "All I Got Is You" and the lyrics have the same sense of reflection as Ghostface's opus. Keep a lookout for this one. The Roots-"Thought At Work"It's about time The Roots came with something new. On this cut, the group uses a Beatles sample while also paying homage to Kool G. Rap's "Men At Work." The title of this track can't be any truer, as Black Thought bein' the lyricist that he is, spits hot line after hot line while also singin' the hook. Giddy's Goods...Musiq - Juslisen Damn, I've been waiting for this album and fortunately I was not disappointed. In his sophomore effort following Aijuswanaseing (yeah, what's with the spelling?) Musiq Soulchild has easily stepped in right where he left off and given us yet another gem to listen to. With his lead single "Halfcrazy" Musiq gave us just a taste of what's to come on this album. Much of this album focuses on love, but Soulchild takes a few moments to express his appreciation for his parents on the track "Motherfather." Musiq shines on tracks where it's evident he's experienced exactly what he's singing about. On "Previouscats," Musiq details the difficulty of being in a relationship with someone that takes out insecurities resulting from previous relationships. "Newness" details the happiness that comes with finding a new love, and as he says, "everything is cool/when love is all brand new/cause you're learnin' me and I'm learnin' you." "Solong" is reminiscent of Alicia Keys' duet with Jimmy Cozier, "Mr. Man." On this track Musiq contemplates the pros and cons of cheating on his girl, but comes to realize that while his escapade for the night won't last for long the memory of it will last forever. Other highlights of the album include, "Realove," "Caught Up," "Dontchange," and "Bestfriend." Vocally, Musiq carries this album, but don't think that the production is lacking in any way, as the beats not only serve to compliment Musiq's vocals but make each track even hotter. I could go on and on about the tracks on this album, but I'll just comment on these few. Juslisen is not your typical cookie-cutter R&B album; it's original, creative, and definitely music to your ears. This is definitely one of the hottest albums of the year, not to mention the album has 17 full-length tracks. Pick this album up immediately or I'll swear you're halfcrazy. Spring Phever with Mobb Deep... The duo with classics such as "Drink Away the Pain," "Shook Ones Pt. II," "Survival of the Fittest" and recent hits like "Hey Luv" and "Burn" will be on campus this week for Spring Fling. While I wish they'd been the third and final act of the show, I'm still thrilled to have these two here this weekend. If for some reason you don't know who Mobb Deep is, here you go... On the heels of a classic LP, The Infamous MobbDeep, the duo has released three highly acclaimed albums. While much of the hip-hop world has given in to the watered down, commercially driven formula that appeals to many listeners today, Mobb Deep has stayed true to their roots and left the sugar-coated rhymes to other artists. Last year, the duo, primarily Prodigy, was engaged in a verbal spat with rapper Jay-Z. While both seem to have gotten the best of one another, the larger than life-size picture of Prodigy in dance attire at Hot 97's Summer Jam Concert in NYC last summer must have left a sour taste in his mouth. Nevertheless, Prodigy and his partner, Havoc have dusted themselves off and come back strongly with Infamy. With that said, get your asses to Spring Fling and give this duo the respect they deserve.

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News

Bowdoin takes women's NESCAC title

March 31

Coming into the NESCAC tournament, the Bowdoin Polar Bears had a lot of well-deserved confidence. Winners of 24 of 25 games on the year, the top-seed and defending conference champ steamrolled its way through the playoffs, defeating second-seeded Middlebury 68-57 yesterday to earn its second NESCAC title. With the win, the Polar Bears earned their second straight bid to the NCAA National Tournament. Middlebury (22-5) will keep its fingers crossed for one of the at-large bid to be announced today. Both teams came out firing in the first half as the Polar Bears took a 13-9 edge just five minutes into the game. Bowdoin raced on a 15-0 run over the next five minutes as Jessie Mayol, Lora Trenkle and Kristi Royer all connected on three-pointers to lift the Polar Bears to a 28-9 lead with 9:53 remaining in the first half. Middlebury had a surge of its own, and closed the gap to 12 points, 39-27, on a Megan McCosker three pointer just before the intermission. Early in the second half, Bowdoin put the game out of reach with a 15-3 run, opening up an insurmountable 59-35 lead. The Panthers rallied, scoring 17 of the final 19 points, but it was too little too late, as Bowdoin walked away with the title. Royal led the Polar Bears with 19 points on eight of 11 shooting. Trenkle and Mayol also finished in double figures with 15 and 11 points respectively. Kristen Hanley led the Panthers with 15 points, although she struggled from the field, with 6-17 shooting. McCosker also chipped in 14 points for Middlebury including four threes. Bowdoin's season was nearly unblemished, save the solitary 56-54 point loss to the Bates Bobcats on Feb. 1. Tufts gave Bowdoin another scare on the following day, as it led by as many as 13 points in the second half, but could not hold on as Bowdoin won the game 50-48. Tufts finished 1-8 in the conference and did not qualify for the playoffs this year. Last year, Bowdoin finished the season 21-8, and advanced all the way to the third round of the NCAA National playoffs, where it lost to New York University 64-60 in the Sectional round. Bowdoin advanced to the finals after defeating fourth-seeded Williams (18-8) 56-40 on Saturday afternoon. Mayol (13), Trenkle (11) and Kristi Royer (ten points, eight rebounds) led Bowdoin, while Williams was led by Kerri McMahon (12) and Amy Geant (ten). Middlebury defeated third-seeded Bates on Saturday 71-66, as Alexis Batten scored 18 points for the Panthers. Middlebury opened up a 36-21 point lead in the first half, holding Bates to a mere 30 percent shooting, but Bates closed to within two points with seven minutes remaining. Hanley led Middlebury on a 11-2 run, as it polished off the Bobcats.

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News

Joey' leaves a smelly trail behind

March 31

Few would disagree that the Davis Square Shuttle idea needs to be rethought. I have seen my life flash before my eyes with some of its crazy drivers, and I have missed trains and nearly missed flights due to its less-than-lackluster "service," for lack of a better term. But these are not my biggest concerns regarding the Tufts shuttle. Has anybody noticed the black column of smoke that trails behind "Joey" when it pulls away from the Campus Center or Olin Center? Has anyone been unfortunate enough to smell the air when crossing the street after the shuttle has passed by, or noticed that the bus driver is content to idle the bus unnecessarily for ten to 15 minutes? And finally, has it come to anyone's attention that Joseph's Transportation often uses the large city bus when a smaller bus would suffice? I am happy that the Senate has been providing students, faculty, and staff with a means of getting to Davis Square without driving or spending 75 cents to take the 94 or 96 busses. Certainly, without the shuttle, many more individuals would opt to drive their cars to avoid the 15-minute walk. The shuttle means less congestion on the already-overstressed local roads, and less damage to the environment by people's automobiles and... sigh, SUVs. But when I see more that can be done, I can't help but wonder whether it has crossed other people's minds that Joey, by itself, is an environmental embarrassment? First and foremost, idling a vehicle in Massachusetts for more than five minutes is illegal (Massachusetts General Law Chapter 90, Section 16A). So, if you see your driver breaking the law, feel free to inform him or her and ask to turn it off. That is an easy enough problem to solve. But others remain. What about the stink trail that the bus leaves in its wake? Is that a sign of an ill-maintained bus? My largest concern for the Davis Square shuttle is its impact on climate change. Better known as global warming, climate change results from increased amounts of "greenhouse gases" - the ones that trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere. To have greenhouse gases present is a good thing, or else life would cease to exist on this planet. But too much of these greenhouse gases leads to increased flooding from torrential rains, hurricanes, and other storms. Climate change will eventually lead to the melting of the polar ice caps followed by the inevitable flooding of coastal cities. The average temperature on Earth has gone up by about one degree Fahrenheit since the Industrial Revolution; we're looking at another five to ten degrees in the next 100 years. That doesn't sound that bad by itself, but consider that the average temperature during the Ice Ages was only five to ten degrees colder. According to the US Department of Transportation, transportation contributes to about 25 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions. (That's right - your family's Ford Explorer is connected to global warming!) At Tufts, only about six percent of greenhouse emissions come from transportation, according to the Tufts Climate Initiative. That includes commuter students and facilities transportation. So why am I directing my energy at the shuttle when writing this Viewpoint? Primarily because the shuttle is a very visible object on campus. Every student on Tufts' Medford campus has used the shuttle at least a few times each semester, and the number of complaints about the shuttle, not to mention several Daily articles over the years, is an indication that it is a part of "the Tufts experience." I see the "greening" of the shuttle as an example of environmental responsibility. It would also reflect Tufts' commitment to meet the Kyoto Protocol - a pact fighting global warming - by 2012. Last, I am simply tired of smelling that abomination every time I walk by the Campus Center. One of the reasons that it adopted its current "circuitous" route is that residents complained about its smell and noise (Somerville resident complaints force changes to Davis Square shuttle route, 9/5/00). That's right, freshmen. The shuttle once took a much more direct route to Tufts than it does now, but due to scores of complaints by local residents, it has since changed so that it follows more traveled roads. So, what would combat these grievances I mention? How about a commitment from Joseph's to better maintain its buses, for starters? That, and better planning on its part to use the big bus only when appropriate, would get me about halfway to where I want to go. How about a study on the use of bio-diesel fuel instead of ordinary diesel fuel? Bio-diesel cuts down on emissions, as engines burn it more completely than conventional diesel fuel and without the offensive odor, too. Let's get a little risky, here. How about hybrid buses, or electric buses using fuel cells? This all sounds quite demanding, but it is more than just a pipe dream. Last April, Tufts added a hybrid car to the University's fleet. I'd like to see this trend continue into the future. With a quieter, cleaner bus, it is possible that local residents may not be disgusted by its passage every 20 minutes - perhaps some day, the bus could revert to its old, shorter route. But let us take things one at a time. For right now, I'd just like to watch the shuttle travel by and take a deep breath without it offending my olfactory sensors or my sense of environmental responsibility.Ted Shevlin is a senior majoring in computer science with a minor in multimedia arts.

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News

The end of emerald

March 31

Tufts will put the final nails in emerald's coffin next month, when all students begin to receive web-based email accounts on the painfully overdue Coral server. Embarrassingly enough, the University is one of the last in the nation to make the switch from a cumbersome telnet-based system. The upcoming transition should be a priority not further slowed by bureaucratic excuses that often come with such technological revamping. Professors and freshmen have already received the upgrade, with the sensiblefirst-name.last-name@tufts.edu email address. But many of those still awaiting the upgrade have stopped using emerald altogether, and only a responsible few havebothered to forward emerald mail to their better-equipped Yahoo or Hotmail accounts. With the advent of web-based mail, Tufts will finally have a case in strongly encouraging students to abandon their outside providers. Figuring out a friend's email address will become an intuitive process, you won't need to have taken Comp 6 to know how to read an attachment, and the account will be accessible from any computer with an Internet connection. There's no reason students should be harder to reach, whether they're on campus, home for the summer, or in India for their semester abroad.Few will be mourn the loss of Emerald. Its UNIX interface was daunting for many, the paltry disc quota an embarrassment to Tufts, and the summer switch toSecure CRT nothing short of a fiasco. But Emerald did have a charm of its own, enabling its dwindling users to feel technologically astute. If you have never created a "plan," "bannered" someone, or "fingered" a fellow Jumbo, your days to experience these outdated technological kicks are waning. Emerald even has chatting capabilities, minus the buddy lists and away messages.But ending the Emerald era will not be easy. It must be executed with an overwhelming amount of technological support and encouragement, and it must go off without a hitch. Tufts Computing and Communication Services isn't the most popular administrative group on campus at the moment. In October they accidentally sent an e-mail informing the entire student body that their University affiliation was terminated, and over the summer they abruptly switched to Secure CRT without nearly enough notice - many students spent the summer unable to communicate via Tufts e-mail. The transition to web-based mail is a revolutionary change, however, and TCCS cannot afford to botch it.

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The drug scene on campus: it's smokin'

March 31

Many see college as a time to experiment. For some, it is the time to take classes you never thought you'd take, explore your sexuality, and yes, experiment with drugs. Last semester two students were robbed at South Hall in what TUPD believes was a drug-related incident, but according to students, this has not changed the amount of drugs being used and sold on campus. And while the harmful effects of drug use are advertised and stiff anti-drug laws exist in the US, illegal drugs continue to be prevalent on many college campuses, including Tufts. "I never ever had any trouble getting drugs," said one anonymous sophomore. "It's a 45 minute wait for Espresso's, but there's never a long wait for getting weed." He added that while he thinks drugs are widely used on campus, drug dealing itself is not an elaborate operation. "Drug trade on campus is small-town business," he said. "Normally guys... buy some [from outside people] and then distribute to their friends." As for the incident at South Hall, which many students say they believe was a drug deal gone wrong, the student feels that it has not changed the amount of drugs sold and used on campus. "There's nothing really to worry about because people deal to their friends," he said. But when it comes to obtaining harder drugs, campus drug users claim that it's all about having the right friends. "Getting harder drugs, like [mu]shrooms, is impossible," he said. "You have to know more people." Some students, especially underclassmen, find that drugs can be easier to come by than alcohol. Freshman Lauren Rusak feels that it is more difficult to buy alcohol than drugs on campus. "It's definitely easy to get drugs on campus," Rusak said. "It's easier to get drugs than alcohol because there's no legal age, it's completely underground and people buy through friends. It's illegal altogether." Rusak explains that people who sell drugs get the word out that they deal in order to attract business. "It's all word of mouth," she said. "They say stuff like, 'If you need any weed, you can come to me,'" she said. "It's like I know someone who knows someone or there's a kid in my building." Rusak says that there is a "trust issue" when buying drugs on campus. "It depends who you go through, if you know people on campus or buy from outsiders," she said. "Buying from people here on campus, I feel there's a level of safety; when you buy from people off-campus [non-Tufts students] it gets sketchy. It's much better to go through people you know on campus." Another student reiterated that getting drugs is all about whom you know. "As far as I know, somebody I know calls his dealer, who is another student on campus, buys drugs from him and then he deals it himself as well," an anonymous sophomore said. And as far as safety goes, the student explained that the on-campus dealer and buyer are generally friends who have a trusting relationship. But he added that very few people, including him, know how the drugs make their way on to campus from their original source. When it comes to harder drugs, like cocaine, most students say that they are not uncommon at Tufts, albeit less common than marijuana. "I know for a fact that there's a decent amount of coke on campus," one student said. An anonymous female sophomore agreed that harder drugs aren't that difficult to find. "It's really easy to get cocaine, but not as good [quality] as in New York," she said. "More obscure drugs, like shrooms or opium, I couldn't get immediately, but I could get them," an anonymous freshman agreed. "From personal experience, it's really simple [to get a hold of drugs]," he added. "I know five or six people I could buy drugs from." Comparing drug use in high school and college varies depending on the students' hometown. Sophomore Ali Kosiba finds that drugs were more prevalent and easier to obtain in her hometown of Amherst, MA, which she describes as "liberal" and "a big college town." "I think it's actually easier to get alcohol than drugs in college, but I think it was easier to get drugs over alcohol in high school," she said. She reasons that drugs are easier to obtain because it involves going through another student, whereas alcohol has to be bought at a store, where underage issues can come up. Junior Caroline Park feels that overall, drugs have a greater presence at college than in high school. "[Drugs are] really accessible, a larger part of people do drugs here than in high school, there's a lot of sharing," she said, adding that there is a greater variety of drugs available to college students than high school students. According to the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHA), the 18-20 year old age group has the highest rate of current illicit drug use (percent of people using drugs in the past month) - 19.6 percent - more so than any age group in the country. Whether or not people in this age group were in college did not make a difference. The rate of current illicit drug use for the college age population (aged 18 to 22 years) was virtually the same among full-time undergraduate college students - 18.4 percent - as for other persons aged 18 to 22 years, including non-students at 18.2 percent.

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News

Unionization Means Working for Something Better

March 31

In response to a piece I wrote for the Daily on Dec. 4, "Time to take responsibility: graduate students need to unionize," which promoted the efforts of the Association of Student Employees at Tufts/United Auto Workers (ASET/UAW) to unionize, chemistry graduate student Jason Epstein wrote his own entitled "Graduate Student Unions - The voice of many, or the voice of a few?" published Dec. 6. He began by writing, "Listen . . . do you hear that? Neither did I. That silence is the sound of a union forming." I don't know quite what this means. I assume that Epstein is suggesting that the unionization effort is nothing and therefore produces no sound, or maybe that the union has been acting covertly to garner support. Each is wrong. The union campaign is strong, backed by the involvement of graduate students from biology to art history to electrical engineering. And it has been vocal: We know what we're about and we're proud of it. Literature has been sent to all faculty and graduate students across the Medford campus, and open meetings have been held to discuss the issues. We also have an informative website. The unionization effort began with dedicated and informed graduates going door to door, department to department, introducing themselves, asking their peers if they would support a union, and explaining what unionizing would mean. The only silence that is offered is in the emptiness of Epstein's own response to unionization: "I choose NOT [his emphasis] to have a union." The capitalized and italicized "NOT" says it all. He offers no solutions, skeptical that there indeed are any problems (something the administration understands all too well). Epstein asks what data exist to support the claim that there is a "need for X (X being increased wages, health care, child care, dental coverage)." Well, besides talking personally with graduate students for whom wages and insurance are important, I for one know I need dental insurance: keeping my teeth in good shape is both important and expensive. Moreover, I don't appreciate his representing such a need with the variable "X" - the sign of the unknown and foreign. The union supporters and I are talking about real needs in the real world. There's nothing hypothetical or mysterious about it. Responding to such needs isn't unreasonable, either. Epstein asks if the union will "force the administration to give us things we may or may not deserve." Actually, a legally recognized union would be allowed to participate in collective bargaining with the administration in good faith. Not about "things," as Epstein states, but about specific work-related concerns, like receiving proper salaries to help us meet the high costs of living, and having a decent and affordable health insurance plan. And, yes, we deserve these "things." All human beings, whether or not they're graduate students, are important enough to merit a decent salary for the important work they do and an insurance plan to help them stay healthy. Apathy is easy; commitment is work. The graduate students involved with ASET/UAW are working for something better. Epstein offers no solutions and would even like to negate current efforts. His answer to ASET/UAW's efforts to improve the lives of individual students and hence strengthen the University is to remind us dismissively that we should be grateful for what we have, since, in his words, "Education is not a guaranteed right" (and once again the crucial "not" appears). This is pretty irrelevant at an institution of higher learning whose emblem is "Pax et Lux." But whether or not education is a "right" (whatever this means), do any of us refuse to acknowledge the universality of "Peace and Light?" It's much too easy to say merely that things could be worse.Carl Martin is pursuing a graduate degree in English.

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News

Removed seating from Balch surprises theater groups

March 31

When students who perform in the Balch Arena Theater returned to campus this fall to begin work on their orientation shows, they learned that an entire section of seats were missing from the theater. Work done on the Balch over the summer entailed the refinishing of the theater floor and removal the third section of seats in the- formerly- round theater. The changes have prompted student theater groups to worry about their ability to afford various costs and accommodate all those who want to see their productions. Ticket sale revenues as well as the TCU's annual budget allowance have sufficiently funded the groups' set and costume expenses in the past. Barbara Grossman, chair of the Department of Drama and Dance, said that the members of the performing groups as well as audience members will eventually get used to the new set-up. "People's first reaction to change is 'oh, it's different!' but I hope that they will recognize that every show has its own constellation of creative opportunities that will serve the actors and the piece," Grossman said. According to Grossman, the Arena's configuration was built to be flexible enough to be rearranged for every play performed there. The capacity of the theater with all five sections in place is 212. Section three, as the biggest section, affords the arena 55 seats, or about one quarter of the Balch Arena's seating capacity. The chairs, platforms and railings have been removed from section three and are now being stored backstage. If necessary, the chairs can be placed on the floor of the Arena to increase the seating capacity. As reinstalling section three would take several full days of labor, Grossman does not foresee the section being reinstalled before the January break, if ever. Altering the seating capacity in Balch Arena is nothing new. In last fall's production of "Zombie Prom," some of the seats from section 2 were removed to make room for the orchestra. In the fall production of 'How I Learned to Drive,' the car driven by the main character was placed in section two with audience members surrounding the car in sections one and three. According to Grossman, the last time that section three was removed was in April of 1998, when she directed Tony Kushner's twentieth-century adaptation of Pierre Corneille's 17th-century rendition of "The Illusion" in the Arena. For this production, a cave was created from platforms that rose from the stage to the top of the seating area, and smoke and strobe lights were used to add a feeling of depth to the cave. The members of the Drama department who came up with this year's season of shows have, according to Grossman, decided on shows that need special sets with a thrust, or gap, in the seating, instead of the usual 'theater in the round' set-up. "I like to see this as an opportunity for students to work in a different configuration," Grossman said. "You have to think of every play as a house, and as the director you have to help the students find the key." And as Grossman suggests, the key to a theater production is often the stage setting. Taking out section three provides the opportunity to build elaborate sets in the extra space. Senior Rah-nee Kelly, who directed this weekend's productions of "Thanks," a show about a dysfunctional family's Thanksgiving dinner, admits that she was taken aback when she first saw the Arena's new arrangement. "I was really surprised to see the giant gap at first, and it was actually somewhat disconcerting," Kelly said. "But I'm sure that we'll adapt to it very soon, especially because the arrangement is beneficial in that the technicians will have an easier time with the lighting, and it will be much easier for directors to call stage cues." Senior Michael La Fazia, who directed Torn Ticket II's "Falsettoland" for the Orientation Show this year, was also surprised by the changes. "I had been blocking the show this summer, figuring out where people would enter and exit, when a friend called to tell me about the changes," La Fazia said. "At first I was very worried, but now I really like it because while there is still an intimate setting, it is a bit more like the proscenium seating that you see in Cohen Auditorium." La Fazia was concerned, however, with the effect that the loss of seating capacity might have on audience members. "Last night [before the beginning of Falsettoland] we had to turn people away," La Fazia said. "I and others worry that we will not be able to accommodate everyone who wants to see the shows." Amanda Raymond, a senior directing "Godspell" for Torn Ticket this fall, gained permission from the licensing company to put on five shows instead of the usual three to make up for the arena's lack of seating. "I'm not as much concerned with the lack of revenue from the ticket sales as I am that people who want to see the shows will not be able to since the seating capacity has been so dramatically decreased," Raymond said. Recognizing that the change is going to be an unexpected hurdle, 3Ps president and senior Sarah Kauderer believes that the student drama community will be able to overcome the obstacle. "I think that we have intelligent and competent designers, directors and actors who will be able to work around not having as much room for the audience," Kauderer said. "There are now several new options that we can pursue as far as set design, and we can experiment and make the best of the new situation."

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News

Sleeping over

March 31

The week before Tufts had its spring break, freshman roommates Ezra Fishman and Mike Gnade had two visitors: their high school girlfriends. Both girls attend universities other than Tufts, so their spring breaks were spent in Houston Hall. Four in a room is a tight fit, but Tufts permit this kind of hosting? Yes, according to the rules on Guests and Host Responsibility outlined in Habitats, Residential Life's yearly policy statement concerning information about residential living, community standards policies, and the residential judicial process. That publication gives students the go ahead when it comes to welcoming any visitors for "reasonable" periods of time.Habitats states that while student rooms at Tufts are meant to be the home Tufts students only, guests - both Tufts students and non-Tufts students - are "certainly welcome," as long as all those permanently living in the room agree to the guest's stay.Unlike some other Universities, Tufts does not require visitors to sign in and out of residence halls, meaning a visitor could possibly live in a friend's dorm room at Tufts for a period of weeks.According to Dean Gendron, ResLife assistant director for experiential learning, , it's up to student to determine how long a visitor may stay."The term 'reasonable' is intentionally subjective, providing a guide for students but allowing them to exercise their maturity in deciding on their own how long is appropriate for visitors to stay," Gendron said. For Gnade and Fishman, keeping four teenagers happy in a single room at a time during the evenings was challenging, but since Fishman was the only one with much schoolwork that week, the others either went out or just talked. And Junior Mike Coughlin, Gnade and Fishman's RA, was fine with the extra inhabitants. "Although I can see how it would be tight having four people in a room, it's fine with campus policy as long as both roommates are happy," Coughlin said. "A friend of mine had a problem last year because after her roommate's boyfriend was kicked out of the housing lottery, he moved in for what turned out to be the entire semester. Better communication between my friend and her roommate would have been helpful."When Tufts students visit friends at other schools, the regulations aren't always so lenient.While at Penn State visiting his girlfriend, Gnade is required to constantly be at her side, which the two say is an inconvenience. "At PSU, the floors are not coed, so Mike has to go down to the bathroom on the first floor, and I have to walk there with him because guests are not allowed to 'wander the halls,'" said Rose Bryant, Gnade's girlfriend.If caught by an RA, Bryant would be written up, which can cause expulsion from housing if occurring too often. She said that Penn State students are careful to avoid being caught breaking the rules of the visitor policy. Fishman's girlfriend, Celeste Harvey, goes to Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia. At the all-female school, regulations are considerable more strict. Freshmen at Mary Baldwin are only permitted to have male guests stay overnight for one weekend a month, and all of the girls on the hall are supposed to vote to choose that weekend."Visiting Mary Baldwin College during my spring break was made less appealing by the fact that I had to hide in her room at night," Fishman said. "If I wanted to get something to eat or go to the bathroom, I was stuck." Regulations at other schools are often broken - though not without a good deal of inconvenience. "You just have to sneak your man in and then they can't go to the bathroom from 11 p.m. until 9 a.m.," Harvey said. "We once dressed a guy up like a girl so he could use the bathroom - we made him wear a pink bathrobe and put a towel on his head." Harvey said that while the girls on her hall would not rat each other out for breaking the rules, they do have to worry about the security officers who patrol the dorm halls at night. One floor in another dorm building at Mary Baldwin lost its male visitation rights because there were too many incidents of men being on the hall when they weren't supposed to be there. Until a majority of the hall participates in various community-related activities, men will not be allowed on the floor, regardless of whether it is day or night. But though' Tufts policy is considerably more lenient, the University's rules were once stringent. Provost Sol Gittleman remembers when there were more regulations. "Years back, we had one-sex dorms, parietal rules of visiting hours, and all sorts of things," Gittleman said. Dean of Students Bruce Reitman recalls the visiting procedure before telephones were widespread. The female dorms had "bell ladies" who would use an operating system to type a morse-code like series of rings, and girls would have to come to the lobby and me their visitors. The dining halls were separated as well, with male Tufts students eating at Carmichael and female Jackson College students taking their meals at Dewick. "Only around 1970 were men able to take their Sunday dinner at Dewick, and for that they needed to be nicely dressed," Reitman said. "The residence halls started going coed in the early 1970s, and parents worried that it would lead to promiscuity. Tufts began its coed policy towards the beginning of the movement towards coed dorms around the country." Lewis was the first dorm on campus to house both men and women. Interestingly, University officials found there were fewer incidents of attacks after the dorms went coed. Elizabeth Harris, who graduated from Jackson in 1968, said that as a freshman in 1964, the parietal rules stated that female students were not allowed to have male visitors above the first floor of their buildings. The only exception to this rule was that men were allowed in the dorm rooms of female students between two and four p.m. on Sundays. Even then, the door had to be open, and the "three feet on the ground" rule applied: a couple had to have three feet touching the floor at all times.By 1968, the rules were relaxed, Harris said, but males who wanted to spend the night at Tufts had to sleep in the rooms of other males.

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News

Little island, big problems

March 31

June 2004. A major terrorist attack against the Chinese government in Beijing has thrown the country into turmoil. It is uncertain whether the Chinese Communist Party under its inexperienced new leader, Hu Jintao, can maintain control. Hu quickly mobilizes the People's Liberation Army and prohibits any protest against the government. Taiwan, eyeing the weakness of Beijing, sees a fading window of opportunity - declare independence now or slide back into the same unpalatable status quo of the last 50 years. After Taiwan's recession - the worst in its history - bottomed out in mid-2002, the economy has grown rapidly. New arms shipments from the US have bolstered its military and a nationalistic government feels the public wants independence. Confident, and believing it has the backing of the US, Taiwan declares independence.China immediately issues a diplomatic protest and masses troops on its Eastern coast. This is the most feared contingency the Chinese leaders ever faced - an independent Taiwan would almost certainly mean the collapse of the single-party government, plunging a country of 1.3 billion into chaos.President Bush orders two carrier groups to the area in an attempt to stare down a Chinese invasion. China warns that interfering in the conflict would be an act of war and walks out of the Security Council.China lacks any substantial amphibious landing capability, meaning it faces two options: either launch a missile attack against Taiwan to pound it into submission, or blockade the island with its submarines. China decides on a blockade, following with a missile strike if Taiwan refuses to capitulate. Submarines surround the island and any ship attempting to dock is destroyed. The US responds by airlifting supplies to Taipei, further angering China. Fearing a stalemate, China begins attacking Taiwan with missiles. The US threatens to bomb China's missile instillations if it does not cease its attack. China declares that this would prompt a nuclear strike against Taipei, gambling that the US would not respond with a nuclear attack against China.This is bad. Fortunately, it is 2002 rather than 2004 and a war with China is still no more than a terrible dream. The issue of Taiwan remains the major stumbling bock in US-China relations - they can never truly be warm without a resolution of this explosive conflict - and one of the most intractable international conflicts.Since 1949, when the Communist Party took control of China and the nationalist forces fled to Taiwan, the US has had a love-hate relationship with the little island. Military planners like to view it as a large stationary aircraft carrier but the State Department often prefers reunification, as this would mean better relations with the world's up-and-coming major power.In the early '70s, Nixon traveled to China and adopted the US policy of "strategic ambiguity," or giving diplomatic recognition to China but providing Taiwan with weapons to defend itself against Beijing. This is a tricky balancing act at best: every time the US sells a ship to Taiwan, China grumbles about increasing its defense budget.Taiwan is the one foreign policy issue that China cannot compromise on. If a small Pacific country decides to diplomatically recognize Taiwan, China blocks that country's proposals at the UN. If any country sells weapons to Taiwan, China protests vehemently. In 1996, president Clinton granted a visa to Taiwan's leader so he could travel to his class reunion at Cornell. China responded by conducting missile exercises outside Taiwan's harbors, effectively preventing any ships from coming or going. The US promptly sent a carrier group to the strait and the conflict died down. Needless to say, this is a sensitive issue.The US continues to sell weapons to Taiwan, but never as many as are requested. China thinks it has time on its side and is willing to wait out the conflict, provided there is eventual reunification. The Taiwanese people themselves have mixed desires. A minority favors independence. Another small group favors reunification. The largest group is yet undecided and wants to wait things out. The worse Taiwan does economically and the better China does politically, the greater the chance for reunification. The best outcome would be a "one country, two systems" approach - a system that has so far worked well for Hong Kong - after a vote for limited reunification in Taiwan. This would allow for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. However, it is difficult to tell whether a majority of the Taiwanese people would ever favor reunification. The trends look promising: Taipei is gradually easing the restrictions on travel, investment and trade with the mainland, but this could easily be reversed. The best approach is to go slowly, one piece at a time, and avoid explosive issues such as excessive arms purchasing. For many in Washington, it is hard to justify supporting the single-party Goliath against the democratic little David, but this is a political necessity. More importantly, the Pentagon must realize that the strategic value of an independent Taiwan is dwarfed by the need for good relations with China. This is not appeasement, this is realistic policy, especially since China currently has no desire for expansion or a revision of the existing regional structure. Bush so far has shown a crudeness about this issue, declaring the US would "use any means necessary" to protect Taiwan against a Chinese invasion. This is precisely the wrong thing to do. With any luck, the economic and cultural relations across the strait will pave the way for closer political ties. The US should support peaceful resolution of this conflict, rather than actively work to inflame tensions. With luck and skillful policy, this can be one of the few major international conflicts not decided by war.

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News

New lead in Professor's Row assault

March 31

A carload of white males shouted racist and sexist obscenities and threw eggs at two African-American females walking on Professor's Row last month, Dean of Students Bruce Reitman announced in an e-mail to the Tufts community on Thursday. One response to the e-mail has provided the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) with new information in the investigation. It was not clear whether the offenders, described as four to five white males aged 18 to 22 years old, were Tufts students. The students were assaulted at 3:50 a.m. in front of Metcalf Hall on Professor's Row. The car used by the suspects is believed to be a white Mercury Sable. Reitman, in his e-mail, described the "awful incident" as one that makes others feel unsafe on campus. Though he acknowledged there was "no reason to think" the assailants were Tufts students, he said there was no way to rule it out. The Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) has been investigating the incident since it was reported to them on March 1, but until recently has had few leads to pursue. After Thursday's campus-wide e-mail, the office received many responses from concerned students. Some sent their appreciation, while others mailed their thoughts on the incident. One student did report seeing a white Mercury Sable matching the description of the vehicle in question, and that information has been forwarded to TUPD. The students who e-mailed Reitman reported that they have experienced trouble with occupants of the car in the past and that they were probably not Tufts students. Reitman emphasized the need for students to come forward with any information they have and to denounce the crimes. "Finding those responsible for crimes like this one must be a high priority," he said. "Letting others know that we deplore the hatred expressed is just as important." The incidents come on the heels of two other acts of intolerance. Racist graffiti was found scrawled across a flier on the door of Capen House - which houses the Africana Center, as well as racist slander written on walls in South Hall.

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News

Life' Plays Out Just the Way You Expect

March 31

In Life, or Something Like It Angelina Jolie returns to the screen as a reporter in Seattle trying to break into the big time by securing a spot on a national news program. She seems to have it made: she is dating a star baseball player on the Mariners, they live in a beautiful apartment, and she has her career track laid out clearly in front of her. But it just takes a little dose of good livin' provided by local boy Ed Burns, who plays the carefree cameraman at her Seattle station, to show her the errors of her ways. After all, you can drop dead on any given day - or so goes the premise of this film. During an interview, Prophet Jack, the Nostradamus of the Seattle streets, tells Jolie that she will die in one week. After hearing his claim she is irritated but generally unfazed - until she finds out that all of Prophet Jack's other predictions end up coming true. Whether it is the scores of the night's games or where and when an earthquake will occur, he keeps on guessing right and leads her to believe that her early demise is imminent. She decides that she needs to reevaluate her priorities, and start to live her life as though she truly is about to die in the coming days, which makes the film entertaining at certain points. Now, American Beauty is a pretty compelling story. It knows how to make the viewer feel good about life, and to seize the day, a la Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society. And, truthfully, when the very same formula is applied in other films, its feel-good aspects live on. Life takes more than a couple of tricks from American Beauty to try and remind its audience just how good life can be if one breaks free from the shackles of corporate slavery and plays hooky from work - or, dare I say, gets wasted on the job. Burns is adequate as the cameraman who serves as the catalyst for Jolie's wild and fun-loving activity in the film, and he comes through as the voice of truth and good living. But as the audience sits and watches Jolie run on the treadmill at her local gym, contemplating her fate, it becomes evident how much this scene encapsulates the film. Jolie is fun to watch, and the movie may bring up certain things that make you ponder life, but in the end the film is just running on the cinematic treadmill, and it is not taking the viewer anywhere he has not already been. This is not to say that there are not moments of pleasure in the film - there are, but that seems to be precisely the point. There are brief stints of viewer satisfaction, but Life does not bring anything new to the table. The characters draw the viewers in to some degree, as the sexual chemistry between Burns and Jolie begins to develop, but it does not yield a very intense sense of investment. I guess it would make for a great date movie. The viewer need not pay too much attention to catch the plot, and once in a while sex makes an appearance. This all brings to mind an article in an issue of Rolling Stone from earlier this year. Jolie was the cover starlet, and within its pages was an extensive examination of the married life of Jolie and her actor husband, Billy Bob Thornton. In the article, Jolie talks of how she and Billy Bob spend nights watching King of the Hill and laughing themselves into fits. It may not seem entirely relevant - but her predilection for a show like this does shine through in the film. See, Life or Something Like It is a whole lot like King of the Hill. It's... adequate. It is not good, it is not bad, it just, well, is. Once in a while moments arrive when you may think, "that was somewhat funny," or "I acknowledge the humor in that scenario," but never will you actually laugh out loud. It reminds you of jokes you remember having laughed at, and shows you setups that could potentially yield good punchlines, but then never really delivers. It gives you only what you expect, and that is precisely how Life plays out.

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News

Women's lax falters against Colby

March 31

The women's lacrosse team suffered another tough setback to a NESCAC opponent on Saturday, dropping a 12-9 contest to Colby College in a home match. The loss keeps the Jumbos winless in the league at 0-5 and brings their overall record below the .500 mark to 4-5. With four games remaining in the season, all against NESCAC opponents, Tufts will need to perform exceptionally well to qualify for the season-ending league tournament, which only features the top seven teams. The White Mules came into the game with a 4-2 record, including a 2-3 mark in the league. Entering the contest with a season-high, three-game winning streak, Colby was among the hottest teams in the NESCAC. The Jumbos, on the other hand, were in the midst of a two-game losing streak. The only consolation was that the losses came at the hands of two of the best teams in the league and the country: Williams and Middlebury. Throughout much of the season, inconsistent play has plagued the Jumbos during particular stretches and the Colby game was another example of that. After the White Mules managed a 7-4 lead at halftime, Tufts responded quickly in the second half to tie the score at seven on goals by a trio of sophomores. Erin Hyde, Lauren Peach, and Kristin Saldarelli all tallied goals in the first ten minutes of the final period. "I think that everyone fought hard during the game. Colby is always a tough matchup," Hyde said. However, Colby soon responded with a run of its own, scoring five unanswered goals in the middle of the second half. Though the Jumbos were able to respond with two late goals, the five-goal margin proved too much to overcome. "Colby won some draws and was able to get that quick succession of goals. We needed to front them better defensively and deny the pass," Hyde said. Tufts was once again thwarted in its attempt to get that elusive first league win as it suffered a lapse in play at a crucial juncture in the game. "I think our team needs to keep the intensity and the composure that we showed when we made our run and tied the game at 7-7," Hyde said. "We were using our break situations well and keeping possession of the ball. There are times in games when we have lulls in our intensity and the NESCAC is such a competitive league. We cannot afford to have those lulls." In order to break out of the mid-season slump, Coach Carol Rappoli's team must put together a consistent effort for the entire game. "We truly believe that each game our intensity has been improving," Hyde said. "We just need to continue to step it up and move from being a competitive team to a winning team." Tufts will face Wesleyan, one of the surprise teams in the league this season, on Thursday in an important contest that could help determine whether they will qualify for the postseason. Despite the recent struggles, the Jumbos remain confident. "We have not hung our heads after any game and I think we have a great chance for a win against Wesleyan," Hyde said. "We have nothing to lose and with each game we have been getting better. Our seniors, Liz Horowitz and Samantha Snitow, have kept us focused for every game. If we play with heart and we play as a team, I know we can win."

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News

Gore to speak at Tufts Friday

March 31

Former Vice President Al Gore will arrive on campus tomorrow to discuss "family-centered community building" with a group of 150 students in the Cabot Intercultural Center's ASEAN auditorium. Students attending the event, to be centered around the topic of youth development, were nominated by professors and selected by a faculty committee. Most are involved in either child development or psychology. During his time at Tufts, Gore also plans to meet with youth development experts for a symposium on the topic. The visit is part of Gore's effort to develop a Masters program curriculum on "family-centered community building." Tufts is one of 19 participating universities, along with Columbia and Cornell. Dean of Natural and Social Sciences Susan Ernst and child development professor Richard Lerner coordinated the event. Ernst asked each academic department to recommend five students to attend Gore's speech. Last semester, Lerner spoke on youth development in both of Gore's courses entitled "Family-centered Community Building" at Fisk and Middle Tennessee State universities. Attendance at the event is capped at 150 to facilitate interaction between Gore and audience members, leaving many students disappointed with the limited availability of seats. While Gore is rumored to be arriving before 11 a.m., sources would not confirm the details surrounding his arrival for security reasons. Disruptions to students' regular schedules are not anticipated. The former vice president's visit to Tufts was originally planned for last September but had to be rescheduled after the terrorist attacks left him stranded in Vienna, Austria.

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News

Mountain man moves his hobby indoors

March 31

When senior Nick Wakeman moved off campus this semester, he had more in mind than late night parties and a bigger kitchen. Moving to an off-campus apartment allowed him to expand his climbing wall. He has dreamed of building the wall since freshman year, but didn't have enough space until he was a senior living in Latin Way last semester to actually build one. The $550 wall consists of dozens of moveable handholds, which he bolts to a grid pattern on the wall. He can adjust the incline of the wall and practice different types of climbing. Last semester, his Latin Way room permitted space for a small climbing wall. But his 100 square-feet-plus apartment bedroom allows for an expanded wall measuring ten feet in width. The climbing wall acts as a unique form of exercise equipment for Wakeman. "The things I do on the climbing wall here are analogous to what some people do in the Cousens Gym," he said. "What most people do lifting weights; I do on the climbing wall. I do repetitive exercises to build strength as opposed to just climbing it for fun." Wakeman, a climbing enthusiast since high school, climbs as many as four hours a week on the wall that dominates his bedroom. His high school had a strong outdoors program that attracted Wakeman to both rock and ice climbing. Since then, climbing has become more than a hobby for Wakeman; last year, it grew into a summer job. While other students were interning at investment banks and law firms, Wakeman worked as a professional climbing guide in the Adirondacks Mountains. There, his clients ranged from young families to advanced climbers who wanted to push themselves further. Wakeman describes climbing as a balance between safety and skill. Unlike more traditional sports where an athlete pushes himself to run the fastest or jump the highest, a climber must balance his desire to achieve with an understanding of what he knows he can achieve. Wakeman has never had a serious fall in off of his wall, but does climb with his roommate as a spotter. "It's challenging in many different ways, psychologically and physically," he said of the sport. But more than for exercise, he climbs as a release. "You can use it to escape whatever else is going on in the world or in your life." The wall also provides an excellent distraction from studying. "Once you start climbing for the day, that's all you can think about. There isn't much room to think about anything else," Wakeman said. Wakeman began climbing at Tufts with the Mountain Club, leading ice climbing expeditions his freshman year, and later serving as a climbing authority for the club. As a freshman he led three weekend-long climbing trips to upstate New York, and enjoyed teaching other people about climbing and meeting new friends. The climbing wall in his bedroom isn't meant to replace nature, but to supplement it. "I use it throughout the winter when it is too cold to climb," Wakeman said. Wakeman also teaches at the Boston Rock Gym, where he climbs with friends. Having a wall at home saves him the drive to he rock gym in Woburn. Beyond his work there, Wakeman works as a guide in the winter as well, for as many as 15 days. The wall and his teaching and guiding together allow him to practice and keep in shape.

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