Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Monday, April 6, 2026
The Print Edition Print Subscription
Donate | About | Join Us
Advertise | Submit a Tip
Subscribe to our newsletters

Archives

The Setonian
News

Folk artist comes into her own

March 31

Anne O'Meara-Heaton's voice can hold any audience captive. Lilting and lyrical, her Illinois accent flavors her concerts like cinnamon spice. It is a relief and joy to find that her latest album, Black Notebook, supports and embellishes that new flavor, which is not easy to catch on record. The recording is already garnering respect and admiration across the country merely three weeks after its release. Though it is her third record, it is already the most beloved of longtime fans. Heaton states, "it was a labor of love, and it took a long time, but I'm proud of it." Black Notebook is a descriptive collection, encompassing a wide range of emotions. From the blissful new recording of "Megan & Kevin" to the disturbing lyrics of "Old Man by Twenty-One" and the vulnerability of her "Bellyside," Heaton has created a master painting of the human psyche. Listeners noting the female harmonies on the album might recognize Heaton backing herself up on the studio recordings. The song that really grabs the attention of any listener of this album is the second track, "Your Heart is for Breaking." A sad balladic composition, Heaton tells the story of how a broken heart "makes you see beauty you otherwise never would have." Anyone who's been in love and lost melts upon hearing this song. It really strikes a chord. Black Notebook includes four songs previously recorded by Heaton -"Megan & Kevin," "Mary," "Melancholy," in addition to the title track. Heaton said she felt that those four "would definitely feel 'bigger' from the producing aspect, fuller." Joy Elyse Greenwald, a fan, said, "It was weird, at first, to hear 'Megan' with backup and studio sound and stuff. I kept thinking, that's not Megan! But it sounds really great." Greenwald was quick to add, "She's on fire, positively glowing!" Most fans can hardly wait for the next Heaton album to come out, since she has continued to write new songs since the recording sessions were completed three months before the release date. A favorite with the crowd is the new song "Underdog," which includes the insightful line "I stack the odds against myself/ So just in case it works out/ I can believe in magic." Heaton is hardly a new face on the folk scene, with her sidekick Frank Marotta, Jr. on guitar. In the past she has shared the stage with Jonatha Brooke, Ellis Paul, Melissa Ferrick, Dan Bern, Cliff Eberhardt, Beth Amsel and Sloan Wainwright. Now, however, Heaton has seemed to truly come into her own as a performer. Her music has gelled into a full-bodied knockout concert. She draws the audience in with her quirky stories and wide smiles and astonishes new fans with her energy and riotous happiness on stage. She also encourages some audience participation, as when she sings "I'm not the most beautiful woman in the world" and the audience protests loudly. "I've been singing my whole life, and I've always enjoyed writing e-mails and philosophy papers and stuff," Heaton says in regards to her career. "I always wanted to be a songwriter, but I was afraid to get started and be vulnerable. I guess I started doing open mics in 1997." When pressed further, she specified, "For me, there was a discovery process, 'cause I needed to learn how to play the piano as a songwriter accompanying myself. I used to be a classical pianist and I used to sing in a rock band, but I didn't put the two together, so that was a whole discovery process that the open mics helped me figure out." Heaton's official CD release concert was last Saturday at Club Passim in Harvard Square. Jim Boggia opened for the show. Her next performance in the Boston area will be March 2-3 in the "Live From New York" tour, a collective also including Andrew Kerr, Edie Carey, Sam Shaber, and Teddy Goldstein.

The Setonian
News

Duke remains dominant

March 31

Following another torrid week of conference action, there was little change in college basketball's top 25. After beating both Florida State and Georgia Tech by more than thirty points, Duke is again the nation's unanimously-ranked number one team, a title it has held for every week but one this season. The rest of the top five also remained unchanged as Kansas, Maryland, Oklahoma and Cincinnati come off undefeated weeks. The Blue Devils were led by the stellar play of Mike Dunleavy, who continues to improve as the season progresses. Dunleavy scored 23 and 20 points, respectively, and helped Duke turn tight first halves into late-game blowouts. Kansas' scorching offense was another top story this week. The Jayhawks put up 98 points in a 27-point victory over Kansas State, and went off for 108 in a blowout of Texas Tech. Kansas shot at an unbelievable 61 percent clip from the floor against Bobby Knight's squad, and improved its Big 12 mark to an unblemished 10-0. With a sure-fire all-American in Drew Gooden, who scores, rebounds and changes opponents' shots, and a relentless and untiring aggressive style of play, it seems the Jayhawks are the only squad in the land who could challenge Duke for a national championship. The game of the week occurred when 15th-ranked Oregon traveled to Stanford in a PAC-10 battle. For the second time in three games, Stanford star Casey Jacobsen scored over 40 points to lead the Cardinal to a 90-87 overtime victory. Neither team led by more than four points for the entire game. Down by three with time winding down in regulation, the Cardinal could not find an open man. Unable to get the ball to Jacobsen, the final shot was left to the lone senior on Stanford's roster, Tony Giovacchini, who calmly sunk the three as time expired. Stanford proceeded to connect on 8 of 11 free throws in the extra frame to seal the game. Along with Stanford, which moved up six spots to #14 in the coach's poll, the week's big winner was Marquette, which jumped 11 spots to #12. Super sophomore Dwyane Wade, one of the nation's least-known stars, again led the Golden Eagles. The 6'4" guard scored 24 points while shooting 9-12 from the floor in a 70-58 victory over East Carolina, and followed that performance up with a modest 16-point, five-rebound game in a 72-58 win against Southern Mississippi.Pittsburgh, led by the stellar play of point guard Brandin Knight, continued its dream season with two Big East victories over Seton Hall and Syracuse. The Panthers are 21-4 overall, and have shocked not only fans in the East, but across the nation. The week's big losers were Ohio State and Texas Tech. The Buckeyes dropped consecutive close games to Wisconsin and Michigan State, but managed to move up two spots in the polls to #20. After losses to Oklahoma State and Kansas, Bobby Knight's surprising and overachieving Red Raiders fell out of the top 25. The country's most overrated team is the Miami Hurricanes. After a 1-1 week, including a Sunday afternoon loss to Boston College on national television, the Hurricanes moved up to #11 from #16. Though extremely athletic and capable of playing great basketball, the Hurricanes lack the consistency to go far in the tournament. Make sure to circle your calendars next Sunday, when Duke travels to Maryland, in what has quickly become the nation's best rivalry.

The Setonian
News

Saying goodbye to Arnie

March 31

Last week at Augusta National, the Masters said goodbye to one of its greatest legends. Arnold Palmer shot an 85 in his final round of the tournament he won four times when he was younger, but the score didn't even matter. Palmer showed us all something much greater than championships in his final few years at the tournament. He showed something missing in many sports arenas and venues around the world: love for the game. At the bright young age of 72, Palmer played on the same course, at the same time as all of the tour's new stars, and finished his two rounds a combined 30 over par and in dead last. But nobody was looking at his score. After 48 consecutive Masters appearances, every player stopped, if just for a moment, to catch one last glimpse of Arnie as he played the course for the last time. There is no player who is bigger than Palmer, no player more widely respected and beloved. Even Tiger Woods, the undisputed best golfer in the world, was in his shadow for the first two rounds. "There will come a point in time where it will be neat to tell my grandkids that, 'Hey, I played with the great Arnold Palmer - even if it was a par-3 course-in his final Masters," Woods said after Palmer's round. What Palmer's round displayed to everyone watching was something great, something intangible. It showed a lack of concern for money, trophies, and championships, and an absolute love for the game of golf. Even though he won his last Masters in 1964, Palmer continued to play in the tournament that he loved for almost 40 more years. Though many people say that they have had enough of all of the emotional goodbyes, between Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, I say that there is something great about watching a legend play in his final round. It's true that the world won't end with Palmer's final round, and that he will still be in commercials and playing recreationally for years to come. But he will never again walk with the field at Augusta, never again cross Sarazen's Bridge on the 15th, and never again save par as part of the Masters.Even though he's done, Arnie is still one of the greatest players of all time. Finishing at 30 over and in last place did not tarnish his image in any way, and he will still be seen as one of the greatest ever to pick up a club. It has become a popular sentiment in recent years that players should quit while they're on top and go out with a bang. Most applauded Michael Jordan for retiring after his last championship, and chastised him when he decided to come back, afraid that he wouldn't still be the best in the game and that he would hurt his image. When did sports become all about image? When did a player's image become more important than his love for the game? This is one of the biggest problems with professional sports today. Somehow image became the most important thing. Somewhere along the way, it became a sin to look bad. Is that why Jordan and Palmer played? So that they could look good? Not a chance. The two played because they loved to play. It's as simple as that. And in playing they created an image for themselves. They created an image of greatness that will stay with them no longer how many years they play the game. There's nothing they could do to change that. So what if Jordan wasn't the greatest player in the league when he came back? Would it matter if he hung around until he was 50 and played two minutes per game? Would that mean that he wasn't the greatest player ever to play the game? Of course not. Just as Palmer playing in the Masters until he is 72 doesn't mean that he wasn't one of the best golfers of all time. And both of these players know this. Part of what makes Jordan and Palmer so great is their lack of concern for image, and their love of their respective sports. Each will play until he is good and ready to stop. When he feels that he has had enough, or when he is physically unable to play anymore, he will stop playing - not when other people tell him to. Not because his image will be hurt, but on his own terms. Palmer felt that it was time for him stop playing in the Masters, so he stopped - not because somebody told him that he was hurting his legacy; because he thought it was time to go. Maybe Palmer explained his leaving best when he said, "If I continue to play as poorly as I have recently, I'll be faded away. I won't be out there. But I'm like most people. I hit a couple of shots today that I got encouraged about. Hell, I can't wait to get back out on the practice tee and see what I can do."So it is with this statement that Arnold Palmer says goodbye to the Masters. And it is with that statement that we will remember him - not as someone who played long after he should have quit, but as someone who can't wait to get out and play tomorrow.

The Setonian
News

Tufts Professors: Swift never stood a chance

March 31

Acting Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift dropped out of the governor's race in a tearful speech last Tuesday, citing family concerns. Tufts professors, however, say that she never had a chance to win and her decision was a graceful exit from what would have been a muddy campaign. Swift's announcement came just hours after Mitt Romney, President of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics organizing committee, said he would challenge her in the GOP primary. Earlier that week a Boston Herald poll showed Romney, a venture capitalist who had failed to unseat Senator Edward Kennedy in 1994, leading the acting governor by 53 points among Republican voters. Tufts professors said that Swift's unpopular policies crippled her ability to raise campaign money, which made a primary challenge unfeasible even with the benefits of incumbency. Political science professor Jeffrey Berry pointed to Swift's zealous attacks against the Mass. Turnpike Authority and virtual ignorance of the Mass. Port Authority as a few of the questionable policies that have left the acting governor without a political leg to stand on. "Swift was unusually vulnerable for an incumbent," Berry said. "There was a sense that she was in over her head. She was very young and not seasoned enough, but most importantly she'd done a poor job as governor. Her tenure was punctured with a lot of embarrassing episodes and some of her behavior was downright puzzling." In an interview with The New York Times, political science chair and professor James Glaser emphasized how rare it is for incumbents to drop out of a race - even if their prospects are dim. "The Governor's office is the only thing that stands between Republicans and oblivion in this state," Glaser told the Times. Incumbents generally have wide name recognition across the state and wide access to campaign funds. "Incumbent politicians really rarely see the writing on the wall. Incumbents usually persist, and when they lose, they blame the press, but they rarely back out," he said. Political science professor Kent Portney, however, said that Swift's campaign fund numbers were so embarrassingly low that National Republicans were pressuring her to get out. "She was getting pressure from Republicans outside the state to withdraw so that Romney could have an easy time running," he said. "National Republicans see the [MA] governor's seat as a highly symbolic seat and they would not want to lose that seat if they could help it. They saw that Romney would have been a much more formidable candidate against the Democrats." Not only has Swift's exit changed the Republican race, but Democratic challengers - three of whom have visited Tufts this semester - may feel costly effects in a heated race of their own. "Any Democrat was going to beat Swift easily," Berry said. "Now they have to think about who's the strongest candidate against a Republican who's quite accomplished, well funded, and is coming off a publicity bonanza as leader of the Winter Olympics." Portney agreed that the Democrats have a tough road ahead of them. "Clearly all the Democrats have their work cut out for them now. Not only do they have to worry about getting the nomination, but they have a much tougher opponent to face and they all recognize that." Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich and State Treasurer Shannon O'Brien are reported as current Democratic frontrunners. But Romney is shown leading all five of his Democratic challengers in polls. Tufts professors said it is too early to tell whether or not the Democrats can stage a stiff challenge to Romney in the general election. Citing Romney's previous political failure, Berry said that Romney's history will not make for an easy Democratic victory. "Once the Democrats pick a candidate it's going to be a hard fought race," Berry said. "Kennedy won an easy victory over Romney before. It's going to be a tough race for the Democrats" Berry said Swift has saved herself from a damaging race. "She was going to be beat badly," Berry said. "It was going to be an embarrassment. She wasn't going to raise enough money. Bowing out gracefully was the thing to do." Some see Swift's decision as a smart move for the Republicans, who could have been hurt by a costly primary. Democratic political consultant Michael Goldman, who teaches a class in the Experimental College, told the Associated Press that Swift's announcement surprised him. "It is rare in Massachusetts politics that people are stunned. This is a genuinely stunning event," Goldman said. Portney said Swift's withdrawal might not play well with female conservatives not eager to see their prominent politicians kicked out of office. Also, Swift's inability to juggle the demands of a campaign and her commitment to her children have not fared well with the public. "Why was [her family] more a factor last week than two weeks ago or three weeks ago," Portney said. "Her family situation didn't change, it was the other things that changed. If Romney decided not to run, she'd still be in the race." Swift is now saying she made a sacrifice for MA politics, telling the Today show that she felt withdrawing was the only way to keep two-party government alive in such a Democrat-heavy state. Some say Romney may feel a backlash later from crowding Swift out of the mansion, and even the White House has wished her well. Swift aides are predicting that she may even receive sympathy from the public as she completes her term. Berry, however, said these next few months will be challenging. "Most, people whether they're politicians or not, like to keep their jobs," he said.The Boston Globe reported that Swift, who is 37 years old, has been reviewing job offers from the private sector, academia, and other political think tanks.

The Setonian
News

Terrorism keeps blacks in Sudan enslaved; you can help free them

March 31

Between Passover and Patriots Day, I flew illegally through no fly zones to Southern Sudan. I risked being shot down by snipers in order to document the emancipation of 6,000 enslaved black women, children, and adolescent boys. Sudan's Arab government has manipulated the religion of Islam in order to revive a centuries old practice of enslaving enemies during holy war (jihad). The bloody civil war rages against the black Africans of the South. Thomas Jefferson said the "the price of freedom is eternal vigilance." However, because America has not carried out the vigilance that comes with our freedom, the price of an enslaved black Christian in the Islamic fundamentalist regime of Sudan, is shockingly only about $35 dollars. I know it took America just over 200 years to get the moral consensus and conviction to abolish slavery; however, we now know better than to condone the practice. We need to hold our leaders accountable for their tacit approval of slavery in Sudan. We must stand vigorously against the enslavement of the 100,000 blacks, mostly from the Dinka and Neur tribes, estimated to be serving twisted Arab owners in northern Sudan. While slavery terminated in America's deep southern states of Texas and Louisiana on June, 19, 1865, it was not globally outlawed until the creation of the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948. However, in the 1980s the fundamentalist government in Sudan began using the enslavement of black people as a tactic of terrorism against the defenseless tribes in the south. Slavery is also a means by which to strengthen the government's grip on the black Africans' oil-rich land , thereby extending its borders into Southern Sudan. The people in these enslaved southern villages are forced onto a train that delivers them, often without food or water, to northern Sudan. There they are sold into slavery. I pause here, for you to contemplate the gravity of what I have just written. In Sudan people are forced from their homes into slavery; some 4.5 million people are believed to have been displaced from their villages. This is the largest internally displaced population in the world. In the year 2000, it was estimated that 2 million persons had been killed in Sudan. That statistic made Sudan's bloody civil war deadlier than the wars in Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone combined. I risked my life in order to free these slaves, not just to put their stories into words. I went to Sudan so that I could actively seek the help of people like you, people who have so much. Do not let the facts described here make you throw your hands up and say that this is for someone else to handle. While governments have not done enough to correct the situation, individuals, like you and me can, and have, done a lot to help. Christian Solidarity International, a Swiss-based human rights group, has been assisting a local Arab-African peace effort that redeems the slaves for cash and brings others back for free. Why should you help? The stories of the people I met on my journey speak for themselves. I met a boy, who could not have been older than seven, who had had his nose cut off by his master because he lost a cow. You can see the graphic pictures at www.iabolish.com. I met Abaak Bol, a beautiful young woman who had been raped by her master. He attempted to convert her to Islam, but she told him that she was Christian and could not serve two masters. In response, he cut off her finger, her toe, and stabbed her in her now gangrened leg and back. Somehow, by the grace of God, she has lived to tell about it. Unfortunately, several of Abaak's children remain captive in slavery in the north. Slavery in Sudan has the same crippling effects as slavery in America did; just as it broke up the families of my slave ancestors, it is breaking up families today in southern Sudan. You can help her family be reunited by giving to organizations like the American Anti-Slavery Group (1-800-884-0719) that are on front lines of this battle. I watched Manut Ring Ayuel's lips quiver as he told me how, when he was only four, slave raiders came into his village and killed all of the men. He and his friends were tied up and taken away from their game of soccer. Now, he is about 16 years old, and painfully recalls having been beaten at eight, and nine years old by his master's 10 and 12 year old sons. They called him "abid" - the Arabic word for slave. As a result of Osama bin Ladin and Al Qaeda's possible hiding in Sudan, President Bush has been courting the evil regime of northern Sudan in the hopes that they will be able to provide intelligence that leads to the capture of members of the Al Qaeda network. While I want to see these specific terrorists brought to justice, I also want to see the terrorists in Northern Sudan brought to justice.. If we are interested in seeing and end to terrorism, we must punish the Government of Sudan, who has used slavery as a terror tactic against the blacks in the south for years, and has also harbored terrorists acting against US citizens. Join with me in reminding the administration about another instance when we sided with oppressive forces to accomplish a short-term US goal. Let us not forget when we supported the Taliban in Afghanistan, during the '80s. If we get in bed with the evil Sudanese government, we will have to deal with the consequences. Too many have died in Sudan and the United States for us to make the mistake of coddling terrorists and their sympathizers in Sudan.Tommy Ray Calvert Jr. is graduating with a degree in International Relations.

The Setonian
News

Gandhi resigns from senate

March 31

Just days after two freshmen were elected to the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate in a special election, the Elections Board (ELBO) will have its hands full again. Sophomore Senator Pritesh Gandhi announced at Sunday's weekly meeting he would resign at the end of the month. Gandhi plans to stay involved in Senate programs, but will no longer serve as a senator. "I am resigning because it is in the best interest of myself right now," Gandhi told the Daily last night. He will, however, continue a number of projects he had been working on in the Senate. He said his resignation was a problem of scheduling, not commitment. "The student body has my commitment to the student issues and I don't need the TCU Senate as a vehicle for me to achieve my goals," he said. "My resignation is for the efficiency of my day to day activities, but not so I can quit from student concerns." Gandhi, who co-chaired the Culture, Ethnicity, and Community Affairs (CECA) committee and headed up the Cultural Coordinating Committee (CCC) this year, was widely publicized for initiating new bylaws to increase student-Senate communication. Senators in October voted overwhelmingly in support of the bylaws, which instituted a biweekly extended open forum at meetings and required Senators to talk to students for project ideas. The bylaws also created "class collectives" - meetings intended to boost interaction between senators and class councils from the same year. Gandhi initiated the changes last fall because of frustration with the Senate body as a freshman. "I felt [Senate was] detached, inefficient, and incapable of providing the leadership that a student organization should provide," he told the Daily four months ago. The implementation of Gandhi's bylaws played a role in his decision to leave the Senate. "He said he chose this time because he felt the Senate was on track with a number of projects, and ...felt it was a good time for him to leave," TCU Senate President Greenberg said. He worked on a plethora of other ongoing Senate projects this year, including efforts to create a 24 hour study space, attempts to develop the Hindi-Urdu Ex-College classes into a University program, and discussions with Joseph's Transportation to improve shuttle service. Other Senators gave insight into his departure. Greenberg said that due to "personal reasons," Gandhi had been contemplating leaving for a few months. "He just couldn't be there in an official capacity anymore" Greenberg said. Senate Vice-President Melissa Carson said his plans to go abroad next year made his departure this semester easier. "This is the best thing for him as a person and he was going abroad next year anyway," Carson said. "This gives us time to work with him in transition before he goes away." ELBO member Joe Colletti said his committee would soon set plans in motion for another special election to fill the vacancy. "[We'll] probably get underway as soon as possible," he said. The TCU Constitution gives ELBO a timeline of just over two weeks to set up and hold the election. Carson said that the elections of new senators will invigorate the Senate with new blood. "I think that Pritesh is definitely one of the most vocal senators. He's very strong and his resignation is going to be a big loss," she said. "But there's a lot of new energy and strong leadership from old senators, so this is by no means going to cripple the Senate, especially because he'll continue to be involved." Gandhi is the sixth Senator to resign from the organization this year. Seniors Michele Shelton and Erin Ross, junior Kathryn Klencheski and freshmen Brendt Patterson and Vuong Nguyen all resigned from the Senate this year. Carson, however, says that resignations are typical in the Senate; this year they are occurring for the right reasons. "I think resignations in the beginning, especially the seniors were because their lives had changed," she said. "They saw themselves as [having] different roles in the University. It's not like several years ago when senators resigned in protest. People are resigning because of changes in their lives."

The Setonian
News

Clinton speaks on terrorism, Middle East peace

March 31

Combining humor, humility, and insight into an energetic hour-long speech, former President Bill Clinton lectured a packed-to-capacity Gantcher Center yesterday on the war against terror and prospects for peace in the Middle East. The 42nd president warned students against reverting to isolationism in the face of terrorist threats and challenged them to maintain a global perspective. After a pointed introduction from Issam Fares, the former Tufts trustee and current Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon who sponsored the event, Clinton said he had been "convinced" to change the content of his prepared speech. The two-term president advocated a decisive, alliance-based campaign against al Qaeda and called for compromise instead of violence in the heightening Arab-Israeli conflict. He said that most Americans incorrectly believe that foreign aid is expensive and ineffective, and implored students to educate voters and push for significant increases in foreign assistance. "It's money well spent," he said. "And it's cheaper than going to war." Clinton went on to say that the international community, including many Arab nations, has misconceptions about America. These nations think the US provides insufficient help, he said, in stark contrast to the many Americans who think the US spends too much. Several times throughout the speech, Clinton lauded Tufts' commitment to international citizenship and the Fletcher School's global outlook. "[Tufts] should dedicate itself to support globalization and make sure that fellow Americans know the truth. This is the future," he said, adding that foreign aid is a key tool for building alliances and preventing terrorism. Of those who accuse him of "bribing" other nations not to attack America, Clinton said this was "the biggest load of hooey I've ever heard in my life." Clinton pointed out that terrorism has a long history, saying that there were two ways for terrorists to win. The US could have a "lousy" defense system and not punish the terrorists - an unlikely prospect, Clinton said. Or, the terrorists could "provoke the wrong response that could fundamentally change the character of the country and compromise the future of our children." Clinton advocated using aid to improve educational and economic structures in poor nations in order to maintain global stability. He pointed to Honduras and Uganda, two beneficiaries of the campaign to erase third-world debt, as examples of nations with lower truancy rates as a result of US aid. He compared these success stories to Pakistan - which received US funds to "buy planes" and has a lackluster school attendance rate. Foreign aid can mean the difference between "education and indoctrination," he said. Speaking on the conflict in the Middle East, Clinton condemned violence on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides. He said there is no military solution to the conflict - neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians are going away, he said. He pushed for compromise, calling it a sign of strength, not weakness. In response to a question later on, Clinton would say that PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat should not be alienated from future negotiations. Arguing that Israel cannot pick its own negotiating partners, Clinton said Arafat made a mistake in not opting for peace in the past, but nonetheless remains an important figure in negotiations. The people of the Middle East, Clinton said, want and need a political solution but the surge of violence in the region "confuses them." He went on to say that peace cannot be solved by the Palestinians and Israelis alone. Thrilled by US envoy General Anthony Zinni's return to the Middle East, Clinton said that "we do not have to succeed, but we have to try." The former president cited the Pointing to the Peace Accord of 1995 as proof that substantial progressions can occur in accordance with UN resolutions. He the compared the Israel-Palestinian peace accord to that of Northern Ireland. There is to be one Palestinian, mostly Arab-Muslim state and one Israeli, mostly-Jewish state. In Ireland, the majority can shift from Catholic to Protestant and back again. In the Middle East, the spirit of the accord rests on the two, religiously defined states, according to Clinton. Clinton was at his most vehement when addressing the contentious "Right of Return" issue. He said that while a return to pre-1967 delineations is essential, Palestinians should not be provided with the very same plots of land they once occupied - birth rates would lead to two Arab states if this were the case, he said, violating the spirit of the peace process. Clinton said that Palestinian leaders "privately" agree with this, but due to the pressure of public opinion do not speak to it. Preceding Clinton's speech, Fares spoke about the necessity for peace in the Middle East. "Violence breeds violence and hatred begets hatred. In this conflict there is no alternative to dialogue," he said. Fares challenged Israeli and Palestinian leaders to reach a peace agreement that complies with UN resolutions, the restoration of territories occupied since 1967, an "independent and vital" Palestinian state, and an agreement to remove weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East. He called on the US, the EU, and Russia, among others, to strive for peace and "stop only when a just settlement is reached." This "deserves the maximum effort the world community can bear," he said. Fares challenged Clinton to address these issues, and stressed the importance of complying with UN resolutions 242 and 338 regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict. Later, Clinton remarked that world leaders tend to selectively stress noncompliance of certain resolutions over others - referring to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's failure to comply with numerous UN resolutions. In a question and answer period following Clinton's lecture, University President Larry Bacow asked four questions submitted by students and faculty before the event. When asked about the future of globalism in light of the Asian and Argentinian economic crises, Clinton pointed out that while a global system of trade is the best available strategy, it does not solve all problems. He said the global economy has lifted more people out of poverty and has helped open developing nations' economies grow. There is still a need for such political interventions, such as debt relief, and it must be realized that global institutions do not do the best work alone. Another student asked how the peacekeeper role of the US has changed in wake of Sept. 11 - especially if the US is no longer viewed as impenetrable. Clinton replied that "no serious person believes the US can enjoy a level of dominance forever." America is still the strongest nation in the world, he said, and it is even stronger and more dangerous now that many Americans are "mad." After the question regarding Arafat, a faculty member asked how the former President's relationship with his wife, New York Senator Hillary Clinton, had changed in the past year. Clinton chuckled and said that he has taken on a support role, one which she typically played in the past. The fact that she was finally in public service, "tickles me to death," he said.

The Setonian
News

Bush must be stopped

March 31

Hundreds of thousands of students may essentially be kicked out of school very soon if a proposal by the Bush administration to severely cut student loans is passed. Students across the country rely on these federally subsidized loans to insure that they can pay their college bills. The government guarantees these loans and fixes the interest rate at a reasonable level - President Bush; however, has proposed to cut these loans in order to make up for a budget shortfall that has occurred because of his tax cut last year and a slowing economy. These loans are extremely important for hundreds of thousands of students who could not otherwise afford to go to school. The idea that in an economic downturn we ought to cut funding to support higher education for lower income students is absolutely abhorrent and shows how short sighted this administration really is. The last economic boom was built on the backs of technological advances that could not have occurred without the support of students at universities across the country many of whom got federal loans to pay for their education. During an economic downturn we ought to increase support for higher education in order to help stimulate new technologies that will help our economy grow. Furthermore, because of the economic downturn, fewer people can afford to pay for school. Despite the difficult economic times most schools are increasing their tuition. Students are either going to need more aid to pay for these rising costs or many students will be forced to drop out. Despite all of the strong arguments against cutting student aid, President Bush has proposed a $1.3 billion cut in federally subsidized student loans. The only plausible explanation for this idiotic move is that Bush does not think that we will either notice or take action against his cuts. The cuts in federal aid were buried in the back of the Sunday newspaper and did not even make it into some papers. If this were a cut to Social Security or Medicare it would have been on the front page and senior citizens from around the country would converge on Washington to stop the cuts. In fact, seniors not only vehemently oppose any cuts to Social Security but also if the increases are not large enough, seniors will mobilize against the increase. Senior citizens are one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington because they vote at extremely high rates and because they have access to a resource that cannot be rivaled by any other lobbying group- free time. Students, however, caught between finals and frat parties, rarely even find out about these cuts let alone march on Washington. President Bush is taking advantage of the lack of organization and voting power in younger communities and we must not stand for it. I know that it is the end of the year but we as students must do our part to let Washington know that we will not stand for this kind of abuse any longer. I call on students from across this campus begin a massive mobilization effort to stop these cuts. Call your Congressman. Call your Senators. Call President Bush and let them all know that we will not be treated as a weak voting block and we will flex our political muscle. Then call five friends and get them to do the same. The general switchboard for Congress is (202) 224-3121. The White House phone number is 202-456-1111. We need to put ourselves out there as a leader in this debate and show the rest of the country that students can have an impact on national policy and we will stand up for our rights. I call on the University to use their political clout in Washington as well. We have lobbyists who help to insure that funding for research and other endeavors flows to Tufts. In this case we can use our lobbyists in Washington to insure that funding continues to flow to our students. Universities from around the country must work together on this issue to stop the President from cutting student aid. We can effectively use this issue to build a student and University mobilization effort in order to insure that student's rights are not trampled on in the future. The problem is larger than just the one issue. Students and universities are not organized together to be able to lobby on issues such as this one. We are fragmented around the country are aside from sporting events we rarely meet. But the organizational ability of these universities is astronomical if we just work together. Let's first stop this idiotic proposal to cut our aid and then let's build an organizational capacity such that no one will ever consider cutting our aid again.

The Setonian
News

Dave Chappelle takes over Cohen Auditorium

March 31

Acclaimed comedian and actor Dave Chappelle made Cohen Auditorium his own Sunday night, improvising for almost two hours while puffing on cigarettes he bummed off a high school student in the audience. Chappelle, covered in denim, fearlessly walked on stage to headline the annual Spring Comedy Show, launching right into the masturbation jokes and visibly catching a good deal of his audience off-guard. He ragged on the war on terror, especially anthrax: "You can't bring a country to its knees by sending a curable disease through the mail." Inspired by the flashes in the audience, Chappelle introduced his White Voice, meant as a parody of all White People. As someone took a picture, he said in a dull monotone, "Look! The n-gger's working! CLICK!" The audience responded wildly. In fact, much of Chappelle's humor was racial, but as he said later on, "You know I'm just kidding." For example, he compared the beverages drunk by whites and blacks: whites drink juice, while blacks know only of beverages labeled "drink." White Chappelle: "Would you like some grape juice?" Black Chappelle: "Nigga, what the f-k is juice?! Get me some grape drink!" Chappelle made a point of interacting with the Cohen crowd, at one point likening it to a "living room" and pretending he was Montel Williams leading the crowd in discussion. One group of students continually insulted Tufts' reputation. When the role-playing Chappelle asked what was so bad, he got the reply "Fat girls!" from another corner of the auditorium. After about 45 minutes of well-delivered comedy and well-done audience interaction, Chappelle left the stage. He then returned for an unplanned, 75-minute encore. Chappelle sat down on his stool and begged the audience for a cigarette. A high school student in the first row obliged, and Chappelle promptly lit up onstage. As thin wisps of smoke rose amongst Cohen's blue velvet curtains, Chappelle's comedy took on a wholly conversational air. He dealt with any topic the audience suggested or asked him to revisit. At one humorously tense point, Chappelle found himself entwined in a momma-joke battle with an individual in the back of the auditorium. The man, a heavyweight from Roxbury, approached Chappelle, shook his hand, and sat back down, screaming, "Don't talk about my mother, motherf-ker! I'm from Roxbury!" Chappelle replied, "I'm not talking about your real momma; I'm talking about your joke momma. Your joke momma got a p-ssy on her hip so she can make some money on the side!" The comedy ebbed and flowed as Chappelle smoked two more cigarettes and eventually paid the student he'd been borrowing them from $20 cash. He talked about slavery ("Could you imagine if they had slavery now? I'd probably buy a few...Nigga! Change the channel! Get me my porn tapes!") and the black future ("If a black man made a time machine, that shit would only go to the future!"). He added to Chris Rock's visions of a black president, stating that we need a "National Anthem Remix." Just before 11 p.m., Chappelle finally left the stage amidst applause he surely deserved. As the crowd left, Entertainment Board members handed out complimentary shot glasses - an unexpectedly fine touch on a night of fine comedy. Local comedian Rich Ceisler opened the show. His musings on the "war on terror" got the crowd roaring - he mocked the presence of uniformed guardsmen in airports and the name of America's most recent military operations ("Enduring Freedom. Sounds like a maxi-pad to me.").

The Setonian
News

Nutrition Matters

March 31

If you're one of the lucky ones heading off to Mexico or some other warm Central American or Caribbean country this break, this information is for you. One study reported that 29 percent of American college students develop travelers' diarrhea (TD), which is more fancifully termed "Montezuma's Revenge." Here are some suggestions for how to keep yourself healthy, and what to do if you do come down with TD. What is travelers' diarrhea? Travelers' diarrhea is a food-borne illness that can also involve nausea, vomiting, and fever. TD usually lasts from three to five days, and is usually self-limited and not life threatening. It is caused by consuming foods or drinks that have been contaminated with pathogens, most often bacteria, such as E.coli or salmonella, but also viruses and parasites. How To Prevent Travelers' Diarrhea- Wash your hands often with soap and water. Also, bring along a pack of antibacterial hand wipes, such as Wet Ones, or alcohol swabs.- Drink only bottled or boiled water, carbonated drinks in cans or bottles, coffee, tea, beer, or wine. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. Wipe off the top of the can or bottle.- Eat only thoroughly cooked food, pasteurized dairy products, and fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself. No salads.- Don't eat food purchased from street vendors. - In areas where water is contaminated, don't brush your teeth with tap water.- Don't swim in fresh water. Salt water is usually safer. - Yogurt and probiotic pills containing live acidophilus cultures (the "good" gut bacteria) have the potential to help prevent TD by keeping lots of the "good" bacteria in your gut to give any invading "bad" bacteria some competition, but they have not been proven to help.- Prophylactic antibiotics can be discussed with your doctor. Studies have reported that certain antibiotics can help prevent bacterial-caused TD. However, their use is not without risks, such as allergic reactions, hypersensitivity to the sun, and increased susceptibility to yeast infections. Also, overuse of antibiotics is increasing the number of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria throughout the world. In general, prophylactic antibiotic use is only recommended for those with compromised immune systems. If you do decide to take antibiotics to prevent TD, don't think you can eat and drink whatever you want. The pathogen may not be a bacterium, or, if it is, it may be resistant to the particular antibiotic you're taking.What Doesn't Work for Prevention Some products advertised to help prevent TD can actually do more harm than good. Difenoxine, the active ingredient of diphenoxylate (Lomotil), actually increases the incidence of TD. Activated charcoal and antiperistaltic agents, such as Imodium and Lomotil, are ineffective at preventing TD.How To Treat Travelers' Diarrhea If you have the unfortunate experience of getting TD, there are several steps you can take to diminish its symptoms and hasten your recovery.- Take Pepto-Bismol, or a similar product containing the active ingredient bismuth subsalicylate, (two ounces four times a day, or two tablets four times a day). Possible side effects of this large dose of Pepto-Bismol include black stools, nausea, and constipation. You should not follow this regimen for more than three weeks. Avoid aspirin while taking a bismuth subsalicylate product. Also, children and adolescents who could have the chickenpox or the flu should not take either aspirin or bismuth subsalicylate because of the danger of Reyes' syndrome.- Yogurt and probiotic pills containing live acidophilus cultures (the "good" gut bacteria) have the potential to help TD by giving the "bad" bacteria some competition, but they have not been proven to help. Since dairy products can aggravate diarrhea, the probiotic acidophilus pills might be the better way to go.- The most important treatment for travelers' diarrhea is replacement of fluids and salts. Because TD is so common in Latin America and other developing countries, oral rehydration solutions, such as the World Health Organization oral rehydration salts (ORS), are available in many stores and pharmacies. These packets of salts should be mixed with safe water and taken as directed.What Doesn't Work for Treatment- Various absorbents, such as activated charcoal, and thickeners, such as Kaolin and pectin, don't work.Is It Worth the Risk? Of course it is! Who wouldn't risk a bout with diarrhea in order to lie on a beach in the sun and swim in the warm Caribbean Sea? Just take some common sense precautions and you'll have a wonderful time. Talk to your family and your doctor about your trip. Whether or not you decide to take preventive antibiotics, or just bring them along in case the "Revenge" hits, keep any medicine in the original container to avoid hassles with customs agents. Pack some wet wipes and some Pepto-Bismol, and you're all set.

The Setonian
News

The patriot

March 31

When stress gets you it's wise to find a diversion, to engage in some activity that promises to take your mind off of whatever loathsome task you have ahead. Just telling yourself to "chill out" or drinking a soothing cup of herbal tea will not always do the trick. At this time of year stress levels are high as ever as so many of those heavy questions hang painfully upon us like an albatross around our ever-aching necks. Why do I have so many finals? You mean we were supposed to read that? What will I be doing this summer? Where will I be living? What will I wear for Spring Fling? Do you spell commencement (sp?) with one 'm' or two? It can all be pretty darned overwhelming. Just yesterday, for example, I woke up, all set to enjoy our lovely Patriot's Day off - how very Massachusetts! - when I had a realization. It was one of those 'aha' moments, or as I like to call them, "holy shit!" moments, second only in significance to Descartes' own 'cogito ergo sum' which, if I recall my Latin correctly, means something very philosophical and profound, I think. My moment basically involved the revelation that 1) I had a lot of work to do, 2) I had very little time left in which to do it, and 3) I had run out of clean socks. I nearly cried. I rolled out of bed, looked to the sky, and wondered, "What am I going to do?" And with that I decided to do what I always do whenever I have impaled myself on the horns of a dilemma. I watch television. So I flipped on the tube expecting typical Monday morning fare: Montel Williams, Barbara Walters, Bob Barker. Instead, I got runners, runners, runners. Of course, the marathon! How could I have forgotten, the yearly ritual in which hundreds upon hundreds of very healthy very crazy people come from around the world and set off from the center of Hopkinton, trampling locals' flower beds and spitting righteously on nearby parked cars? They proceed to run quickly, all the way to the Boston Public Library without stopping for lunch (not even a bowl of soup!). I snickered to myself at the absurdity of the whole event. But as my scornful chortle echoed off the glass tube in front of me reverberating back into my own ears, I heard the scoffs of a lazy and tired man rendered immobile for having let his stress get the better of him. Right then and there I made a decision. I nodded my head in agreement with myself, got up off my ass, put on a pair of unnecessarily short running shorts, shouted the word "Freedom" at the top of my lungs, and, sockless feet and all, sprinted out the front door. As I crossed the quad I planned the day in my head. First, run to Hopkinton. Second, run the marathon. Three, win the marathon. That would be sure to take my mind off of those papers I had to write. Somewhere around the Memorial Steps my mind began to wander, imagining what it would be like running down that course, bonding with fellow competitors, compelled onward by the cheers of thousands...Me: This is fun!Runner #24601: Yeah, marathons rock! My favorite part is the running.Me: Mine too. That and the winning. I really look forward to winning.#24601: Winning? Well you better hurry up! Many fast people are many miles ahead of you. It seems highly unlikely that you will catch up without cheating. And even then, a victory seems almost impossible. The leaders have already reached Heartbreak Hill.Me: Hmmm...cheating at the Boston Marathon?! But how?Paul Revere (on a horse): The British are coming! The British are coming!Me: Paul Revere! What are you doing? Your presence here next to me on that horse seems absurd.Revere: Well Rob, every year I do a reenactment of my famed 1775 midnight ride. Patriot's Day was established to commemorate the battles that took place in Lexington and Concord between the brave minutemen and the tyrannical British. Bloody wankers! It was on this day in history that our nation was born. The seeds of independence had been planted.Me: Wow, I had no idea. Thank you Paul. You have shown me the true meaning of Patriot's Day. You're the coolest dead silversmith on a horse I have ever met. But that still doesn't answer my question: what are you doing here?Revere: Well Rob, the reenactment took place at the ass-crack of dawn. And with all the shooting and fighting over, I've been kind of bored, riding around a bit, drinking coffee at Dunkin', reading the Globe. Then I figured I'd check the marathon out. That's when I overheard you trying to devise a strategy to win this thing. May I offer you a ride on my horse?Me: Yeah, totally Paul. That's really kind. You're a lifesaver. These shorts were starting to chafe. We gallop off down the road, soaring past the competitors and crossing the finish line an impressive 1 hour and 35 minutes after the race started, leaving even the wheelchair racers in our dust. As they hand me the trophy, I dedicate my victory to all of the revolutionary minutemen who died hundreds of yours ago so that generations to follow may live in freedom. Of course, at that point I was jolted out of my daydream as I tripped on a pothole on College Ave. As I bent over to tie my shoelaces I suddenly had second thoughts. "Cheating is wrong. And besides 26.2 miles is a long way to run." With that I set off in a new direction, toward Kelly's Diner and a tasty stack of blueberry pancakes. Yumm!

The Setonian
News

The devil you know, the devil you don't

March 31

Today is the second day of voting for graduate students on the union issue. A lot of ink has already been spilled by both sides, and after months of controversy, today is the day that you can make your opinion heard. This is not an issue where we can afford to be ambivalent. Literally the future of the graduate program will be determined by the elections of today and yesterday, so it cannot be stressed too much how important it is that you vote. Even if it doesn't impact you personally because you will be graduating, the election will certainly impact your friends and colleagues. Remember, as advocates of specific radical changes to the status quo, ASET has the burden of proof. But despite months of union propaganda, there remain a fair number of unanswered and unanswerable questions. First, why does the UAW want to downgrade my status from a "colleague in training" to that of a "worker for hire?" I had come to think of myself in terms of being a student who receives, as a benefit of education, fellowships in the forms of TA-ships and RA-ships. When did these cease to be essential parts of graduate education and forms of temporary employment? The National Labor Relations Act, signed into law in 1935 by Franklin Roosevelt, was drafted when unions were fighting against unsafe working conditions, 14-hour work days, and to survive against bosses who used police-backed intimidation against their workers. Can ASET argue that the framers of the act ever intended to include graduate students in this category of oppressed workers? Second, will Tufts receive an agency shop? An "agency shop" requires all students, whether they desire union membership or not, to pay union dues. Every graduate student union under the UAW follows this model. Given the UAW's veto power over our contracts, and given that voting on contracts is all-or-nothing, yes or no, why do I suspect that even if students democratically support an "open shop," we would nevertheless receive an agency shop? And to those who support the notion of an agency shop, would you care to explain how genuine solidarity can co-exist with the threat of being fired for not giving the UAW our money? Third, how secure is this "democracy" if the Local goes against the party line of the UAW? If a conflict arises between the best interests of students and the United Auto Workers, how can we be sure that our interests won't be sacrificed without a second thought? The UAW Constitution gives the UAW the right to overturn our elected leaders and impose its own Administratorship (Article 12, Section 3 - See UMASS Amherst), nix any contract we negotiate (Article 10, Section 3 - See UC Santa Barbara), and make it nearly impossible to fire the UAW as our union if they do a bad job (Article 36, Sections 7 & 11). A related question - have ASET's organizers attempted to make copies of this 302 page document available to students to give them a full idea of the rights they would be sacrificing to the UAW? The WHUT website has provided the link to the full UAW Constitution: it's at http://whut-01.tripod.com/. Finally, what steps did ASET's organizers take to redress their grievances before contacting the UAW? Even if the new Bacow administration was a member of the Axis of Evil, intent on crushing the soul of the graduate student proletariat, there should have at least been a vigorous attempt to start within individual departments, or failing that, starting a campus-wide discussion about the issue before filing and blindsiding most of us. It would have been nice for graduate students, as a community of scholars, to have had the opportunity to explore other options, such as a reformed GSC, a genuine attempt at a dialogue with the new administration, an independent Local (the NRLB provides resources for this), or affiliation with another union more in tune with the interests of graduate students. For all the talk of dealing with one another in good faith, in what ways did any of this demonstrate good faith on the part of ASET? On that note, what happened to the spirit of open discussion and the marketplace of ideas when the UAW moved in? Why doesn't the ASET website link to opposing points of view, as the WHUT website does? Why should we, the students, trust those who find that open forums are marred by "a couple of people asking questions?" (See The Tufts Daily, April 3, 2002) Why should RAs in science, engineering, psychology and Fletcher trust a union which actively tried to exclude them from voting? Why should the rest of us?Why such an obtrusive, hard sell approach that involves telemarketing (calling students at their homes) and missionary work (dropping by uninvited at student's homes and during office hours)? Say what you will about the administration - they've never interfered with my office hours nor come uninvited at my home when I'm fixing a meal. Can we expect such behavior permanently should the UAW win? Just as important as voting is being informed on the issues. Consider everything you've been promised by the UAW, and consider the vague answers (or non-answers) they offer to the hard questions. Because ASET has not proved its case, I urge you to vote no to this Faustian bargain, and thereby say yes to the possibility of other choices.Voting will be in Dowling Hall today [Tuesday] and Wednesday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. & 4 p.m.-7 p.m.Jason Walker is a graduate student in the Philosophy Department, and a member of WHUT.

The Setonian
News

Jumbos get squashed by tough competition over weekend

March 31

The men's and women's squash teams each emerged winless after clashing with a pair of NESCAC rivals in Brunswick, ME this past weekend. Tufts took on both the hosting Bowdoin Polar Bears and a nearby Maine neighbor, the Bates Bobcats, in what proved to be a trying weekend for coach Doug Eng's squads. The women's team dropped a pair of close matches, falling to Bowdoin 5-4 and Bates 6-3. "It was a very close match" senior co-captain Justine Kurland said, "It could have gone either way." Kurland's match ended up being the decisive one against Bowdoin, as the teams were tied 4-4 going into her match. Kurland stepped up and won the first two games of her match. "I was playing the best squash of my career in my opinion," Kurland said. "I feel I should have won." However she was unable to hold on. "My opponent began to read my shots better, and I was less in control of the points." Kurland suffered in her words a "heartbreaking" 3-2 defeat. "I know that we all learned from our matches and will use that experience in the last three weeks of the season," she said." The two impressive performances for the women this past weekend however were the play of sophomore A.J. Crane and junior Eileen Connors the number seven and six seeds on the team. The victories by the two women revealed a trend that this year's team seems to follow. The team tends to play very well in the bottom of their lineup. "We happen to have a really deep team," Connors said. "We tend to win at the bottom a lot more." Crane, in her match against Bowdoin, went 0-2 in her first two games. "I had a headache going out there," she said. "After the first two games, I knew that I could beat her. I wasn't playing up to my potential." Crane made a comeback, and won the final three matches. Against Bates, the 11th ranked team in the nation, the top five players were blanked by the Bobcats. Again, the bottom of the lineup performed well, as Crane Connors, and freshman Nida Ghouse all won their matches. One of the stories of the season is the slow start of top seed Winnie So. After losing both of her matches this weekend she is still winless on the season. "She is rusty," Eng said. Nevertheless, Eng has confidence that things will turn around for his top player. "I'm not putting a lot of pressure on her, " he said. "This weekend her game will be sharper." The team must now prepare for a grueling two day, four match marathon this weekend. They will take on Middlebury, Vassar, William-Smith and Smith. "We hope to win them all," Eng said. "Still I will be happy with a 3-1 weekend." The coach says that Middlebury will be there toughest opponent. On the men's side, the Jumbos suffered back-to-back shutouts, falling 9-0 to both the Polar Bears and Bobcats. "They are both very good teams," Eng said. "It may be the best Bates team they have ever had. They were very tough. What can you do?" Senior tri-catpain Colin O'Higgins agreed with his coach's assessment. "They were both better teams," O'Higgins said. O'Higgins exemplified the Jumbos' overall frustration by the fact that he failed to win a game in either match, marking the first time he had done so in his squash career. He fell 9-4, 9-1, 9-1 against Bates and then 9-0, 9-1, 9-3 in the Bowdoin match. Collectively, Tufts managed to take just one game against the Bobcats and four against the Polar Bears. Despite the lopsided results, however, the weekend was not devoid of excitement, which came against Bowdoin courtesy of the squad's number one player, senior tri-captain Neil Pallaver. Pallaver jumped out to a commanding lead after winning the first two games of his match 9-1, 9-1, only to lose the next three, 9-1, 9-5, 9-4. "He was beating him soundly but unfortunately the kid came back," O'Higgins said. Another senior tri-captain, Shayan Haque also looked strong at the outset of his match against Bowdoin with a 9-4 win in the opening game. But like Pallaver, he was unable to hold on, and won just two points the rest of the match en route to a 9-4. The team is now looking forward to its Feb. 7 match against M.I.T, which will be played at Harvard. "M.I.T. is going to be a tough match," Eng said.

The Setonian
News

Hockey team splits games over weekend

March 31

The ice hockey team wrapped up its season last weekend with a win and a loss on home ice. The Jumbos edged out visiting Wesleyan (5-4) on Friday evening, but lost by a 3-9 decision to third-place Trinity on Saturday. Tufts finished its inaugural season tenth in the NESCAC at 4-15 (6-17 overall) - not enough for a playoff berth. The Jumbos could not ride its Friday night high into Saturday afternoon, and lost in dismal fashion to the Bantams. Trinity scored its first at 1:39 into the match, and the onslaught did not cease until the final whistle sounded. The Bantam offense led 5-0 after the first period, and the more impressive Bantam defense did not allow a shot on goal in the frame. Trinity scored three more unanswered goals in the second stanza, pushing ahead to an 8-0 lead. The Jumbos finally got on the board at 14:54 of the third, when freshman Matt Kniaz deposited an unassisted goal. Freshman Gino Rotondi - Tufts' third leading scorer - and junior co-captain Chris Martin then scored goals within the next three minutes to close the margin to 8-3. Martin finished the season with 13 points. Trinity sweetened its win with a final tally at 18:47 in the game. Trinity clearly overpowered the Jumbos in shots, bombarding the team's defense with 55 shots on the night in comparison to Tufts' 17. Murphy used his arsenal of goalies against the Bantams, starting with Kell, who made 14 saves. Sophomore Ben Crapser relieved Kell and deflected 27 shots, before senior Jeremy Zuniga entered the game for his second time this season, finishing off the day with five clears. The night before, the squad finished off the Cardinals in a 5-4, back-and-forth match-up. The win was the team's second consecutive victory and fourth win in the NESCAC. Tufts finished the season just a slot behind the 5-14 Cardinals. Freshman John Hurd commanded Tufts' offense with two goals and two assists. He completed his rookie season leading the Jumbos with 15 goals and was second in scoring with 25 points. Tufts found the net first when freshman Brandon Hays scored at 7:35 in the first. Wesleyan sophomore Casey Benny responded promptly with his fifth goal of the season at 10:57, deadlocking the teams at 1-1 after the first period. Carceo scored his fourteenth of the year just 16 seconds into the second period, but was mimicked shortly after by a Rob Weller goal for the Cardinals. Hurd notched his first of the evening at 17:38 of the second to move his team to a 3-2 lead heading into the third frame. At 6:12 of the third, Wesleyan scored back-to-back goals and took the lead (4-3) for the first time. However, freshman Shawn Sullivan answered six minutes later with a tally of his own to even the score at 4-4. Sullivan boasted 20 points this season (8 g, 12 a). At 14:25, Hurd secured the win for his squad after he intercepted the puck in the Cardinals' zone and lifted one over Wesleyan goalie Jim Panczykowski. The team held onto its 5-4 lead for the remaining minutes and clinched the win. Senior goaltender Ian Kell made 26 saves on the night.

The Setonian
News

EPIIC Symposium draws scholars, students

March 31

Tufts' Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship(EPIIC) program will hold its annual symposium next weekend, focusing on the topic of global inequities. The event will bring a wide variety of scholars, diplomats, and businessmen to speak to both students and the public. "The symposium will address the question, 'When people are hopeless and living in poverty, does structural violence become the response?'" Associate Director of the Institute for Global Leadership Heather Barry said. The symposium, which will explore the relationship between globalization and inequality, does not consist solely of lectures - there will also be a presentation of various awards for global citizenship and excellence in related areas. Under the umbrella of global inequities, the symposium will look at the worldwide forces that drive the integration of ideas, people, and economics. The roles of international organizations such as the World Trade Organization will be examined, as well as issues of growth, poverty reduction, and corruption. A committee of students planned the event, incorporating elements of last year's theme of race and ethnicity. Special concern will be placed on the development of human security strategies to reduce inequalities and on what can be done to help the disenfranchised. The effects of Sept. 11 will be discussed in detail. Freshman Joseph Gulezian, an EPIIC student, said he was glad the topic was not changed to terrorism, but noted that global inequities are among the causes of terrorism. The event begins Thursday, Feb. 28, with an evening discussion on "Inequity and Violence" and concludes with "Bridging the Gap: The Role of Civil Society in Development" on Sunday, March 3. Gulezian is excited about the caliber of the speakers, which include authors, high-ranking professors from prominent universities, and directors of non-governmental organizations dealing with the issues that will be discussed. The symposium also includes an award ceremony, which will be held Friday. The Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award will be presented to Warburg Professor of Economics Emeritus at Harvard University Professor John Galbraith, who is internationally renowned for his development of Keynesian and post-Keynesian economics. John Galbraith's son, Professor James K. Galbraith, will give the keynote address on "Inequality in the Age of Globalization." In addition, Dr. Paul Farmer will receive the John Mayer Award for his work with AIDS. Barry was pleased with last year's audience turnout and believes this year will be just as successful. Calling the topic "critical," she said that the "issues of poverty, conflict and cooperation touch all of our lives." EPIIC is an intensive, yearlong program focused on creating well-informed students through programs and speakers. The students in the EPIIC group are a select few with strong interests in the responsibility of creating a better international situation for all peoples. Sherman Tiechman, the director of the Institute for Global Leadership at Tufts, is also in charge of the EPIIC program. Tickets for the 2002 Symposium are $5 for Tufts students and $75 for everyone else.

The Setonian
News

We can learn so much from sports

March 31

There have been three events in the sporting world this week that have caused me to reflect. Maryland won the NCAA Championship, baseball had its first opening day post 9/11, and Michael Jordan scored a career low two points on Tuesday night. At first glance these events may seem random, but they aren't. Instead, they provide us with the opportunity to reflect on life and sports. I am thankful that Maryland won the National Championship. Not because I am a big Terps fan - I had never rooted for them prior to Monday night - but because Maryland seniors Juan Dixon, Lonny Baxter, and Byron Mouton, along with coach Gary Williams, all deserved to win. In a day where players frequently skip all or part of college and jump to the NBA, Dixon, Baxter, and Thompson were rewarded for hanging around. Not only can they wear their championship rings proudly, but more importantly they will have earned their college degrees. In the case of Dixon and Mouton, both players have been forced to deal with unthinkable adversity. Dixon lost both his parents to complications resulting from HIV and Mouton's brother was murdered during the season. Coach Williams deserved to win because 13 years ago, he returned to his alma matter and rescued a program that was in the midst of scandal. The championship just reemphasizes what everyone should have already known - Williams, Dixon, Mouton, and Baxter succeeded because of perseverance and courage. While Maryland was the favorite in the championship game, Goliath had the heart of David in this case. Sometimes the favorite really does deserve to win. When we think of adversity in our own lives, we only need to look back at the example set by Dixon, Mouton, and Williams to realize that if they were able to overcome death and scandal in the national spotlight, we should be able to overcome our comparatively minor issues. I am also thankful for Opening Day. In the wake of 9/11, who could predict whether Opening Day would ever be the same again? But Monday's Opening Day had the same effect on me that it has every year that I can remember, dating back to 1988 when Darryl Strawberry hit two homeruns against the Montreal Expos. Everyone always says that Opening Day represents a new beginning, and that is certainly true. However, for me, the commencement of baseball season is more symbolic of the end. Winter is over, spring has arrived, and summer is on its way. In the words of Ken Burns, author of Baseball, "Baseball is a leisurely game that demands blinding speed, and the only one in which the defense has the ball. It follows the seasons, beginning each year with the fond expectancy of springtime and ending with the hard facts of autumn...It is a haunted game in which every player is measured against the ghosts of all who have gone before. Most of all, it is about time and timelessness, speed and grace, failure and loss, imperishable hope - and coming home." Sometimes we get caught up in the pettiness of everyday life or get pissed off that the owners and players are in a constant fight over money that most of us can only dream of. Despite this and all that we have experienced over the past six and a half months, at least for me, Opening Day still represents everything good. Outside of playing centerfield for the New York Mets, I don't think there could be anything better than having the opportunity to write about sports. While I might complain on a daily basis about foolish things such as having too much homework, Opening Day is my time to step back and remember that things really are pretty good. And finally, I am thankful that Michael Jordan returned to the NBA. In the first column I ever wrote, way back in September, I spoke about how Jordan was making a terrible mistake by coming back yet again. I was wrong. I said that the tragedy of 9/11 "should tell Jordan that his time on earth is not infinite. It should let him know that there are things to be done in his life away from basketball, and as God-like as he may be in basketball, he is mortal and his life is limited." I stand by that statement, but I think that Jordan already knew that. At age 38 Jordan realized that he was running out of time to do something that he truly loves - play basketball. We were all worried that he would tarnish his reputation by playing at a standard less than what we had come to expect - how stupid. Prior to falling victim to injury, Jordan was running neck and neck with Jason Kidd for the MVP award. Still, that is not the point. Jordan didn't care if he was the same as he had been, rather he just wanted to give basketball one last shot before it was too late. So when Michael scored a career low two points in 12 minutes against the Lakers on Tuesday night, I was not sad. Instead, I was thankful for having had the opportunity to witness his wonderful first half of the season and thankful for the lesson that he has taught us - one which extends far beyond the court. Jordan has taught us not take things for granted. The fact of the matter is that eight games from now his career might be over for good. However, he got to play perhaps, one final season before it was too late, and that was all he wanted. From Jordan we should learn that doing what we want to do is not a risk. Rather, the only risk is not trying and then having to wonder "what if" we had only attempted. Trying to play basketball one more time could never tarnish what the man has already accomplished, and it won't prevent him from being a front office success once he laces up his Air Jordans for a final time. Jordan knows this, and we should take his knowledge and apply it to our own lives. Sure athletics today are chock full of crap at times, but if you can let yourself see beyond the dollar signs, there really is a lot to be thankful for. Sports can teach us lessons outside of winning and losing - if you look hard enough you can learn about the importance of perseverance, courage, continuity, taking a risk, cherishing life, and so many other things. Lou Gerhig, the great Yankee firstbaseman said it best on July 4, 1939 in his farewell speech. He was dying but he had no regrets. "Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth."

The Setonian
News

Fair weather fouls

March 31

Boston weather is so charming. The past few days began with temperatures around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, which inevitably dropped to 0 degrees Kelvin by the time I was out the door for class. This does not stop me from greeting each day with the hope that a sudden warm spell will descend upon the city, a belief which is actually not so absurd considering that Boston weather is consistently inconsistent and that there actually was a warm spell a couple of weeks ago. During the winter, nothing quite revives this campus like unexpected warm weather, and with the balmy breezes come the usual spring sights. Loungers on the President's Lawn. Frisbees on the quad. Sun-worshipping fanatics in tank dresses. C'mon, guys. It's still February, whether you like it or not. And while sunning yourself on the grass or tossing a ball around on the quad isn't harming anyone else, wearing spring, even summer, clothing at this time of the year is just plain rude. Why? Because your fellow students have to look at you. Even the experts admit that looking good is as much for other people as it is for yourself: "it's out of respect," explains Allure editor Linda Wells. I ask the season-jumpers: is it respectful to show us acres of pale, dry skin? Must we wear teeny-tiny camisoles while in the library? And guys, why would you dress in head-to-toe golf pastels when the calendar clearly indicates winter is still here? Didn't your mother teach you anything? There is a time and a place for everything, and when there are girls wearing hoochie skirts with sandals and guys in tank tops walking around campus while the snow barely melts, the visual landscape is marred. It's like wearing florescent green - it just hurts other people's eyes. Some examples, seen around Boston during the recent warm spell:Offender 1: tall girl with messy blonde hair. Evidently thinks this is California. Wearing a slashed, deconstructed blue tank top, seven-inch denim miniskirt, and flip flops.Offender 2: 20-something weekend warrior who fancies himself a Banana Republic shoot extra. Or the ice-cream man. Wearing a mint-green piqued polo shirt and blindingly white khakis with boat shoes.Offender 3: daytime disco queen. Gold sparkly woven camisole over creatively spattered denim pedal pushers. Dressing for the season is the least of the problems here. That said, dressing out of season is not a capital offense. In fact, given the onslaught of springtime images on TV, in magazines, and city billboards, it's understandable that an uncharacteristic warm spell causes people to forget it could snow tomorrow. Anyone who has attempted shopping in the past couple weeks knows that the only winter clothes available now are unattractively slumped on a sale rack in the back of the store, far from the inviting powder blue T-shirts and gingham prints sparkling in the store windows. Even entering a store can cause a momentary memory lapse as salesgirls and boys prance about in Hawaiian print shirts and sandals. Of course people look happier and perkier and more attractive in the spring. But we're not there yet. So don't force it. That isn't to say we all should face the rare warm spell wearing layers of wool sweaters. There is a way to dress comfortably and reasonably given the weird weather; it's called using discretion. That means wear a T-shirt, not a tank top. Wear a light sweater instead of a heavy one. Wear pastels, but don't wear them head to toe. And put sandals and shorts away until April. A remedy for beating the winter blues that does not involve assaulting other students' vision? Plan your spring break. Learn to luau. Decorate your room with pictures of palm trees (ok, I've actually done this). When all else fails, remember there are people worse off than you are. They are called the English, and they don't have sun from October to June. For the meantime, consider your fellow students. We all want to wear cotton pants and sandals and have a tan. Just don't remind us how long it'll be until we get there.

The Setonian
News

Crew team pulling together as season begins

March 31

Strength, preparation, and experience are key ingredients for starting a crew season, and the men's team will be packing each virtue into its boats this spring. Coming off a solid fall season and successful winter and spring training sessions, the Jumbos are ready to make waves in their new venue on the Malden River. "I have been told that physically, we are better prepared than previous years," sophomore Jon Goulet said. "From my experience, the fact that we are in top physical condition and that we have also been rowing a lot better means that things are looking up for us this season, and I'm excited about it." Crew is a yearlong sport whose short fall season is used to assign rowers to boats and gauge the level of a team returning from the summer. The Jumbos got off onto the right foot this fall, beating spring rivals such as Boston College, Wesleyan, and UNH. Few changes were made in the boats from last season. Last year, the team was young and at times plagued with inexperience. This time around, the team is a much more experienced one, including the return of senior Chris Mitchell, who was abroad last year. "We had a fairly good fall season," Mitchell said. "It was good for the gelling of the team." However, the fall season cannon necessarily prepare a team for spring competition nor is necessarily a good indicator of where the team will stand after winter break. The months in between make the difference between a springtime success or disappointment. "The fall is of marginal value as a gauge," Goulet said. "It's different racing [from the spring] because we haven't had any formal training or finalized our boats yet." The team endured grueling training with vigor and determination, focusing on cardiovascular training and muscle building. Their resolve is especially evident to students with 8:30 a.m. classes, who have become accustomed to seeing the team returning from practice. This work and preparation will bode well for the season to come. According to men's varsity coach Ben Foster, the team made most of the changes on their own. "The only change I made this year was to do a lot less coaching," Foster said. "The workouts have all been their [the team's] doing." The team has used this freedom to really prepare themselves for the road ahead. "Our fall season was solid, but it is really the winter training that tells us where we stand," Mitchell said. "Our training put us into a good situation to be prepared and competitive. Coming off the spring training we are now a strong team with a good lineup." What also seems to be working out for the team is another huge change to their practice routine. It is not so much in what they are doing as it is where they are doing it. The team no longer shares the Charles with other colleges, clubs, and recreational rowers. Effective this year, Tufts now holds its practices as well as most of its races on the Malden River. "It's a positive opportunity for us," Foster said. "Having our own space makes our training much more efficient and effective." While the Malden River is only 40 percent as wide as the Charles, the only boats that the team has to worry about running into are their own. The new location is also much closer to Tufts, a change the squad hopes will bring larger crowds to its races. This Saturday marks the first test for the Brown and Blue and for the new venue. The team will be racing one eight, and hosting WPI, a team that has traditionally proved to be a warm-up for Tufts. However, this time around WPI has stepped up their program and should be fairly competitive. "We are really going into each race with the mentality of not worrying about the competition," Mitchell said. "Instead, we are looking at our own race since the only way to control how we do is what we can do."

The Setonian
News

Women come up short against Bowdoin

March 31

In a game uncannily resembling the men's game the week before, the women's basketball team was merely one play away from topping the top-ranked team in New England and second-ranked team in the nation. Leading for the majority of the game, the Jumbos held a potent Bowdoin offense in check until ten seconds remained and Polar Bear Lora Trenkle drained two free throws to put Bowdoin up by two. Tufts led by eight points at halftime and as many as 14 early in the second half, but the shots stopped falling, and the Jumbos were held scoreless for the final 10:17 of the game. With the contest tied at 48, and the shot clock off, junior co-captain Hillary Dunn drove hard to the basket and was leveled, but no foul was called. After taking a 50-48 lead on the Trenkle foul shots, Bowdoin (16-1, 5-1) played solid defense for the last ten seconds and did not let the Jumbos get a good shot off. The final home game of the season proved the most exciting - and closer than anyone had predicted. "From the start we knew how good they were," senior Katie Kehrberger said. "It was a little intimidating, but we had nothing to lose. We do our best when we are the underdogs." Bowdoin entered the game leading the conference in field goal, free throw, and three point percentage, yet the team was held to 29 percent shooting from the field, including 1-18 from downtown. Defense has been the women's achilles heel all season, yet it stepped up in a major way, keeping Tufts in the game despite its own lack of scoring down the stretch. The game opened with the Polar Bears jumping out to an early lead. But three-pointers by junior Erin Harrington and freshman Erin Connolly helped Tufts build a 32-24 halftime lead. "It felt really good to be in such a close game," junior Emily Goodman said. "We have been playing better in general lately, so we weren't intimidated, and that was pretty obvious. We didn't roll over and die for them." The Jumbos certainly didn't rest on their laurels, as Goodman came out of halftime with intensity, scoring the first seven points for Tufts, which upped the lead to 14 points. Goodman finished with a team-high 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. "I missed a wide open lay-up and some foul shots in the first half, and I got really pissed off at myself," Goodman said. "That motivates me to play better." "At halftime, [coach Janice Savitz] told us to keep playing hard to keep looking for the post underneath, and to keep shooting when we are open," Kehrberger said. "Everybody was so intense on defense, getting in the passing lanes. Everybody really stepped it up." Unfortunately the good fortune ran out, especially in the final ten minutes. Senior Jessie Mayol scored eight consecutive points down the stretch, highlighting a 12-0 Bowdoin run. Tufts did manage to get to the line often, and aside from the four three-pointers in the first half, nearly all of the points were scored in the paint. "I think we used our outside shooters very well," Dunn said, "but we need to drive to the basket more and to make sure we take advantage of size advantages when we have them." Tufts scored 14 points from the line, as opposed to only seven by Bowdoin, but it seemed the Polar Bears nailed the ones when it really mattered. Nevertheless, it was one of Bowdoins' worst shooting performances of the year. "I'd like to think they missed shots because they were nervous, and extremely surprised that we were winning," Goodman said. "Our defense has gotten so much better since the beginning of the year. This is the time when we want it to be good and intense. We always play better offensively when our defense is playing like that." The loss was heartbreaking, especially for Kehrberger and senior co-captain Jayme Busnengo, who played their last game in Cousens. The team has four games remaining, and with a 1-4 conference record, any chance of home field advantage in the playoffs is minimal. Despite this fact, making the playoffs is still a tenable goal. Tied with Wesleyan for seventh in the conference, solid play over the next two weeks could earn the team one of the conference's seven playoff spots. Tufts' schedule is favorable, as its last weekend includes Wesleyan (12-7, 1-4) and a weak Connecticut College team (1-15, 0-5). On Friday night, the team lost another close conference game to Colby (9-12, 3-3) 64-61, in which the Jumbos almost erased a 12-point second half deficit. The 16-5 run in the last five minutes was capped off by a Busnengo lay-up which brought Tufts to within one. But Colby's Sarah Walsh hit two free throws, giving the White Mules a three point advantage, and Tufts could not convert on its final opportunity. "It was hard because we lost to them twice last year so we really wanted revenge," sophomore Erin Buckley said. "We played a good game, though." Harrington was the leading scorer with 17 points, and Goodman added 16 points and eight rebounds. On the weekend, Dunn dished out 13 assists, giving her 101 on the season. With four games remaining, she is within striking distance of the single season Tufts' record of 121 assists, by Lisa Raffin in the 1981 season. Over the next two weeks, the team will. hit the road, fighting for a playoff spot. This weekend, it will travel to Middlebury (15-4, 4-2) and Williams (15-5, 5-1). The competition is daunting, but the Jumbos hope to carry momentum from sticking it out with one of the nation's top teams. "I think the Bowdoin game gave us some confidence, because I don't think anyone even expected the game to be close," Buckley said. "We do have more confidence going into these last four games."

The Setonian
News

Virus complaint prompts campus-wide warning

March 31

What was thought to be a potentially widespread computer virus outbreak turned out to be little more than a minor attack, Tufts Computing Communication Services (TCCS) officials said yesterday. Despite the small impact of the virus, which was reported to officials by a concerned student, TCCS sent a campus-wide voicemail to remind students how to prevent viruses from spreading and what to do if their computers are infected. According to Associate Director of Information Technology Training Kathleen Cummings, recent viruses on campus have come in the form of less-destructive "worms," which she described as "more annoying than anything else." Despite this particular virus's relatively small impact, TCCS is working to keep Tufts' computers "clean" and prevent future infections. University systems have been protected by virus software that updates automatically for two years, and officials hope to introduce a similar system for students by Fall 2002. "It would use Command Anti-Virus software, which is very user friendly. We're hoping to pre-configure it to automatically [update]." Because hundreds of viruses are released every day, effective virus software must be continually updated with new countermeasures. Though Tufts has been hit with more destructive viruses in the past, the University has generally been spared from destruction of large-scale attacks. Cummings said the University's widespread use of Netscape Messenger instead of Microsoft Outlook Express prevented many infections. "We have been far more fortunate than many other educational and private institutions," she said. "Far more viruses are written for Outlook because it is the [program] of choice." The voicemail alerted students and faculty to the presence of these viruses, and informed them where to go in case of infection. Anyone with an infected laptop can visit room 009 in Ballou during business hours. Those with desktops can call 74TOL and arrange for a student technician to visit their room. Tufts Community Union (TCU) Vice President Melissa Carson initially alerted TCCS to the virus's presence. After discovering that some of her friends had also exchanged infected e-mails, she was concerned the outbreak might be campus-wide. She and a friend were getting unexpected e-mails from people they knew, which "had odd subject lines or no message at all, but were still [large]." Carson called the Tufts University Police Department, who referred her to a computer crisis line. Though it was late at night, the representative manning the phone instructed her to forward the e-mail to him for analysis. TCCS advises using and maintaining a virus protection program, and using the Windows Update feature, frequently located in the Start menu. Because many viruses exploit security holes in Windows and Outlook Express, TCCS officials stressed the importance of updating these programs as frequently as possible. Aside from regular backups of important files, common sense will also help prevent some virus attacks. Students should exercise caution when opening unexpected e-mail attachments or other suspicious messages.

Trending
The Tufts Daily Crossword with an image of a crossword puzzle
The Print Edition
Tufts Daily front page