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SLAM rally protests OneSource's treatment of janitors

August 31

Chants demanding better treatment of Tufts' custodial staff filled the air around Ballou Hall Wednesday afternoon as over 100 students, faculty members, and union leaders gathered for a Student Labor Action Movement (SLAM) rally. Students working with representatives of Service Employee International Union (SEIU) Local 254 want Tufts to answer demands for increased wages, job security, more full-time employment opportunities, and better benefits for the over 170 janitors who work for OneSource, the private custodial service that handles Tufts' cleaning services. OneSource hires its workers and controls their wages and benefits, but SLAM wants the University to force OneSource to address labor concerns. The University is exploring the issue, but SLAM co-founder Iris Halpern said she is unconvinced and that it is "totally boggling" as to why Tufts would accept the current employment practices. Administrators say they see the situation as a "Catch-22." President emeritus John DiBiaggio said that outsourcing saves the University nearly a million dollars a year. The former president said he is unsure where the University would find funds to increase the wages earned or hours worked of the custodial staff. "The only way you will get more money is by increasing the costs for the students," DiBiaggio said. SLAM, formed over the summer by concerned Tufts students, organized the rally to increase awareness about the University's use of OneSource. Chanting "Si se puede" ("Yes you can") and carrying posters and banners that read "Don't Be Mean to Those Who Clean," about 40 students walked from Tilton Hall to Ballou Hall. The rally featured speakers including members of SLAM, Professor Gary Goldstein, and several custodians. "Do you want to be a part of a University that doesn't take its own community seriously?" Halpern asked the crowd. Increasing custodian wages, which protestors say do not cover the cost-of-living in Boston, is a SLAM priority, but Halpern said there are larger issue at stake. "There's no point in having increased wages if you don't have job security," Halpern said before the rally. "This school can't function without custodians." The rally's activities were briefly disturbed when three University police officers distributed fliers to the crowd stating that students or faculty of Tufts University that create a disturbance could be charged with criminal offenses. Halpern says she has been negotiating with President Larry Bacow and Vice President of Operations John Roberto, but that she has not "seen any concrete steps that show they're taking the issues seriously." "We will keep at them, but it's their turn to commit," she said. At the rally, SLAM and the SEIU presented a petition containing their demands, which they asked all in attendance to sign. SLAM hopes that by involving students in its efforts, it will increase pressure on the administration. According to DiBiaggio, "President Bacow is looking very seriously at the issue," DiBiaggio said, and will "weigh the needs of the workers vis-? -vis the needs of the University." SLAM members encouraged all students to join the debate. "When [students] pretend to be neutral, tell them that they are supporting OneSource and the administration," SLAM member Rebecca Batchelder told the crowd. The group plans to gather again at Tisch library today at 2:30 p.m. before marching to the president's office to deliver the petition. Another SLAM rally is planned for Tisch Library next Wednesday. Halpern said she hopes the next gathering will have a bigger turnout. Although over hundred students participated on Wednesday, SLAM members say there should be more interest in the student body. Rather than hire its own workers, Tufts began outsourcing its custodial service in 1994, saying it hoped to improve service quality and lower costs. Tufts hired OneSource in 1997. The OneSource employees, Halpern says, "work hard for the community and deserve respect from the community. It's irrational and unjust to continue abusing them the way they are now."

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News

Administration to discuss future of vacant dean positions

August 31

Noting that Ballou Hall is often referred to as a "black hole" of paperwork, President Larry Bacow said on Monday he plans to reduce the number of University deanships while giving existing deans more power. Tufts' administration is configured unlike that of any other major university, Bacow said at Monday's Arts, Sciences, and Engineering faculty meeting. He did not offer any specific plan for filling current vacancies, but began to outline how he sees Tufts' administration changing. "I want fewer deans, but more powerful deans," Bacow said, adding that he would like to see more power be appropriated to department heads. He also spoke of lightening the administrative demands placed on professors so that they can focus should be on teaching rather than office work. Four months after three high-level administrators resigned, two Tufts deanships have been temporarily reassigned. Administrators have not publicized plans to find permanent replacements for the positions, and, in light of the president's comments Monday, eliminating the positions remains a possibility. Susan Ernst, dean of Natural and Social Sciences, has taken over as dean of Arts and Sciences on an interim basis for Leila Fawaz. Dean of Engineering Ioannis Miaoulis is the interim dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), replacing Rob Hollister. Ernst said that Bacow's role is crucial in the decision-making process for changes in the administration's structure. "He has talked to many people about their views on this and he will be the person who makes the final decision," she said. Administrators have been tight-lipped in talking about possibly eliminating the positions. According to Provost Sol Gittleman, the decision "depends on what the configuration of the administration is going to look like, and that it might not remain exactly as it has been." Gittleman left open the possibility of maintaining the positions but changing the corresponding responsibilities. Neither Fawaz nor Hollister has left the University. Both were deans for five years and are now devoting more time to scholarship, teaching, and other projects.Fawaz is working on the newly-created Fares Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies and is collaborating with a Harvard University colleague on the development of a workshop focused on World War II. Fawaz will resume teaching in the fall of 2002 under a joint appointment as a history professor at Tufts and a professor of diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.Hollister now works full time as Dean of the University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS). His primary responsibilities there are to lead the Faculty Steering Committee, manage the National Advisory Committee, and strengthen UCCPS fundraising efforts."I think that President Bacow is taking a very positive step in reviewing the overall academic administration of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering," Hollister said following Monday's meeting. Hollister said he does not feel that the current administrative structure provides sufficient support for graduate programs, and envisions that a reevaluation will address this weakness."Our new president and other administrators are strong advocates of the vital and integral role of the GSAS at Tufts, so I'm confident that there will be a next Dean of GSAS and that he or she will be situated effectively within the new administrative structure," he said.Fawaz declined to comment on the future of her former position. In a May interview with Tuftalk, she spoke of the multidimensional quality to a dean's work. She said that a person in such a position must operate "on all levels-with faculty, development, other schools, and, of course, with students and staff."

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News

Block schedule to change next fall

August 31

Tufts plans to implement a new schedule beginning in the fall of 2002, the University announced last week. Based on the existing block schedule, the new schedule will make better use of "quality" classrooms, result in fewer course conflicts and, "improve the quality of the teaching environment at Tufts," according to a letter sent to faculty on Dec. 6. The modified block schedule will align start and finish times for most blocks, virtually eliminating time blocks that overlap by less than 15 minutes. "The exercise went very smoothly," said Dean of Academic Services and Student Affairs Kristine Dillon, adding that faculty "didn't need too much encouragement" and were generally very pleased with the new system. The introduction of the schedule will also create new rules for departments to follow when planning class times, according to the letter. Department chairs and program directors will be required to distribute their courses across the entire day and week, making better use of early morning and evening blocks. Departments will have to limit the number of courses in arranged time blocks - those not within the schedule - and a new committee of faculty and administrators will hear requests for such exemptions. Administrators have long considered the block schedule plagued with inefficiency, saying it leaves classrooms empty and frustrates students by offering classes at conflicting times. "Our existing schedule was a problem," Dillon said. "Students had complained that they had difficulty getting courses because they conflict, and they often had to change their schedule." Dean of the Colleges Charles Inouye began experimenting with a new plan last spring, designing schedules more closely resembling those at other schools. The plan, which was rejected, made classes available in either a Monday-Wednesday-Friday or Tuesday-Thursday format. Simulations held last spring proved that the new schedule would have been too drastic a change. This semester, Inouye developed a less aggressive change by aligning start and finish time for blocks and more strictly enforcing existing guidelines to better utilize limited classroom space. In a paper simulation conducted over the past two months by faculty and administrators, 46 percent of classes were offered during this peak time. The simulation included 49 student schedules, representing a mix of class years and complex scheduling needs. Ninety percent of those students would benefit from the new schedule. "Forty-five students said that they favored the modified schedule," Dillon said. "Given this set, we didn't think this was a bad number." Deans Susan Ernst and Ioannis Miaoulis, who wrote the letter, said departments should plan to use the new schedule beginning with the scheduling cycle for next fall. They also wrote that they would likely impose a cap of 55 percent on the number of classes a department can offer during the peak mid-day hours. The letter also reassured faculty who believe smaller departments will be slighted in classroom apportionment. It promised that all departments will be treated equally, and their requests will be made public. It said that the new schedule will make classroom renovations more timely.

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News

Joel tickets sell out in 3 minutes

August 31

Freshman Alex Moerlien took a five minute break from his job washing dishes in Hodgdon Dining Hall last night to race upstairs at 9:58 p.m. He returned with a tentative smile, crossed fingers, and a chance at receiving tickets to see Billy Joel perform at Tufts.Moerlien was one among thousands of Jumbos vying for the 470 student tickets that went on sale last night for Joel's Nov. 13 concert in Cohen Auditorium. Tickets were made available promptly at 10 p.m. on TuftsLife.com, and were sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The competition was intense - students clicking on the link at 10:03 p.m. were greeted with a message stating that the show was already sold out. Even those who did get through, like Moerlien, were forced to wait longer - processed ticket requests were met with promises of a late-night e-mail that would hold their fate."It'd be better if they could just tell us right there," Moerlin said. Others were denied even the thrill of suspense - Sophomore Christie Langenberg's request was not processed due to heavy Internet traffic. "It took me a long time to get to the homepage, and when I clicked on the link, it took like three minutes to load." After closing the window and trying again, Langenberg heard from a friend that the show had sold out. But she is not bitter about her Internet woes. "I think it's really the only fair way they could have done it. They don't want people camping out and missing classes." Senior Lori Kessler, one of the few hundred who anxiously awaited an email, is less understanding. Slow connection times thwarted her careful plans for the 10 p.m. click-a-thon. Kessler defragged her hard drive yesterday, and made sure to reboot so as to obtain the quickest connection possible. Despite her efforts, however, she said the connection was "really, really slow." Kessler finally connected to TuftsLife.com after several unsuccessful attempts, but remains unsatisfied with the site as a means for distributing tickets. "It's not really fair," she said. "They should think of a better way to do it next time," "Billy Joel - An Evening of Questions, Answers, and a Little Music" will take place at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 13. A valid, current Tufts identification is required for all student attendees.

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News

Scapegoat

August 31

We, undersigned members of the Tufts University faculty and staff, wish to publicly condemn the acts of violence and intimidation which have been committed against Americans of Arab and other Middle Eastern (as well as South Asian) descent, other foreign nationals, and Muslims in the US following the events of September 11, and to reject and caution against the atmosphere of mindless jingoism encouraged by some in the wake of that tragedy.In one Chicago suburb on Sept. 13, 300 flag-waving marchers chanting "USA! USA!" attempted to attack a mosque before being turned back by police. "I'm proud to be American, one of the marchers declared. I hate Arabs and I always have."In the same area, a firebomb was thrown into an Arab-American community center Sept. 12, and a Moroccan immigrant working at a gas station was attacked by a machete-wielding racist. In a suburb of Dallas, Texas, Sept. 13, a Molotov cocktail caused $2,500 damage to an Islamic Society building.In Huntington, New York, a man attempted to run down a Pakistani woman in a shopping mall parking lot, complaining that people like her were "destroying my country." Another "patriot" in a ski mask fired an assault weapon at a Yemen-born gas station attendant in Gary, Indiana. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, three men beat up a Pakistani native. In Texas and Arizona, men from the Middle East or South Asia have been killed.Locally, in Somerset, three teenagers torched a convenience store owned by an American of South Asian descent. In Quincy, windows of a Middle-Eastern food market were smashed, and another store vandalized. A fire was set at a Weymouth gas station. These are not isolated incidents, and responsibility for them is not limited to the most backward and overtly racist civilians. An atmosphere of racist paranoia pervades official action. In Providence, Rhode Island, a network design consultant en route to Virginia from Boston, who happened to be a Sikh and wearing a turban, was pulled off an Amtrak train by police as some passengers shouted, "Let's kill him," and "Burn in hell!" He was released from police custody after six hours of detention for wearing around his neck the ceremonial knife traditionally worn by all Sikh men. Strip-searched, fingerprinted, and photographed, he was asked "Why do you look like this?" by law enforcement officials. FBI agents, INS officials, and Boston police detained and terrified two Saudi women in Copley Place last week, scratching one's face and kicking the other in the head - in a case of "mistaken identity."Media pundits and government officials have repeatedly drawn parallels between the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks and the Japanese attack upon Pearl Harbor. We urge everyone to recall the fact that, in the aftermath of the latter, 120,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese residents in the US were scapegoated and corralled into prison camps in a climate of racist hysteria - for which the US government belatedly apologized. In this case, authorities from President Bush have issued pro forma statements against ethnic stereotyping, but limiting their defense of Muslim and Arab-Americans to those who "love the flag," while seeking Congressional action to vastly augment governmental power to monitor and repress anyone who doesn't.CNN has repeatedly broadcast images of Palestinians, including children, joyfully celebrating in Gaza and East Jerusalem following the Sept. 11 attacks. Little objective analysis has accompanied such images; rather, the message has been: "Arabs hate Americans and rejoice in their suffering." This simplistic portrayal of Arab sentiment is dangerous. We fear that a bunker mentality - "us versus them" mentality - is being fostered, and we reject it. We condemn, and share in the globally widespread grief at, the Sept. 11 attacks, resulting in the loss of thousands of innocent lives. At the same time, we ask our colleagues and students to reflect on the broader issues, including "race," that affect perceptions, in the Middle East and elsewhere, of US military and corporate power as symbolized by the targeted sites. If we accede to a mentality of victimization, and the corollary lust for revenge, we will inevitably advance the agenda of those most bent upon bolstering that power. There must continue to be a debate over the nature and deployment of US power - and particularly over military actions that may be fraught with peril, likely to exacerbate security threats to this and other countries. We suggest that as the nation heals from this tragic event, we sensitize ourselves to the historical and ongoing injuries of those around the world who, often with apt reason, view the projection of US power itself as a form of terror. Signed by Jean Wu, Steve Marrone, Ruth Hsiao, Gary Goldstein, Howard Malchow, Jerry Meldon, Pierre Laurent, Paula Aymer, Hosea Hirata, Joseph Walser, Christina Sharpe, Dale Bryan, David Locke, Charles Inouye, and Farzin Vahdat@JUMP:PROFESSORS

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News

Robinson unfairly criticized

August 31

To the Editor: I am very disappointed by the article written in Thursday's Daily entitled "Profs criticize outgoing IR head." As a student of Professor Robinson's, I believe she deserves a greater note of respect and appreciation for the hard work that she has put into cultivating the international relations program at Tufts. I know for a fact that during Professor Robinson's term as director, the number of IR majors has tripled. Professor Robinson has brought political figures from Barbados, held online simulcast with classes in Tanzania and Uganda, and she's done many more things that pre-date my time at Tufts. I can't understand why the Professors quoted in the article would criticize Professor Robinson for raising nearly $500,000 dollars for IR events. Shouldn't she be praised for being so resourceful in grant writing, especially since the IR Department itself and the University would not give her the resources to fund such events? It's also very disturbing of the Professors to be critical of "The IR program's priorities reflecting Prof. Robinson's African and African-American Specialty." This must be expected since being director gives professors more opportunities to enhance the program with their specialty and nuance. There shouldn't be such reluctance from the IR Program to accept Africa asa central theme. It should seem more strange to the IR Program that the new incoming director has no background in political science, economics, or history. The "anonymous" professors' opinions were not only critical of Professor Robinson's tactics but were also reluctant to acknowledge the overwhelming achievements of Professor Robinson's work. I believe there has been deception within the IR program to discredit Professor Robinson in favor of making the incoming director look better. Such a strategy is very troubling. Many professors and students have been very appreciative of her hard work in the IR department.Carl Jackson, LA '02

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News

Women dominate veterinary school

August 31

Once upon a time, veterinary school classrooms were filled with male students. But these days, women are filling up more seats than men in the nation's 27 veterinary schools. Tufts is no exception. Gaining acceptance to veterinary school is not an easy task. In addition to an exemplary academic record, a candidate must have field experience in veterinary medicine. The rigorous competition does not allow many applicants to gain admittance to the school of their choosing. Of the 707 applications Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine received last year - 85 percent of which came from women - only 80 applicants were accepted. Of these, the mean grade point average was 3.46. The enrolled class of 2005 is 29 percent male and 71 percent female, and the class of 2004 is 17 percent male and 83 percent female. According to Rebecca Russo, director of admissions at the veterinary school, the increase in female enrollment is due to the increased educational opportunities for women in America. "The veterinary profession was closed to women for a very long time," she said. "There were fewer veterinary schools then than there are now and it was seen as a men's profession," Russo said. Seth Groman, treasurer of the Pre-Veterinary Society, says the increase in female students is on par with the increase in gender equality in many academic fields. "Women are becoming more prevalent in all aspects of society, so why not in this field?" Groman said. "Veterinary medicine is just like regular medicine with women becoming more prevalent," Groman said. "It is just more exaggerated in veterinary medicine because there are fewer veterinarians. I don't think women are being favored over men. They are just more qualified candidates most of the time." Medical treatment of pets and other small animals has expanded, Russo said, there seemed to be a corresponding acceptance of women as veterinarians. "Society has changed its opinion because they now think women can handle cats and dogs," she said. Women have always been interested in the veterinary profession, Russo said, although they were not always able to be certified. "Initially a large number of women wanted to go into veterinary school and then suddenly the doors opened for them," Russo said. Many of the older male faculty at Tufts, for example, graduated with only a handful women. Tufts veterinary school, which opened in 1979, is relatively young compared to other US vet programs. American's first veterinary school opened in 1875 at Iowa State University. University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school opened in 1883 and Cornell University's school opened in 1893. In their beginnings, men dominated each of these institutions. The past decade has seen an increase in female veterinary students. There was a decline in both males and females in veterinary schools from 1984-1990. Applications picked up again in 1990, with a pronounced jump in female candidates. Russo projects that this imbalance will not even out for another ten to 15 years. This change does not reflect the same proportions in the veterinary profession - the number of practicing male veterinarians still outweighs female veterinarians. Until more women graduate and begin practicing, the veterinary field will consist mainly of men. But as more men retire and the more gender diverse classes enter the field, the ratio of practicing veterinarians will balance out.

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News

Not now

August 31

I would love to congratulate Faris Khader's Viewpoint ("Stealing Water," Oct. 23), but unfortunately I cannot. Khader makes strong arguments to both humanize the Palestinian plight and expose some of Israel's mistakes, but to conclude the article by calling for economic sanctions against Israel is ridiculous. To assign blame to one side in this conflict is not only impossible, it is laughable. The sad truth is that the Jews and the Palestinians have more in common then they care to admit. Both groups faced expulsion from Spain under the inquisition. Each side was promised their independence by the occupying British forces - the Jews in the Balfour Declaration and the Palestinians in a letter from British High Commander in Egypt, Sir Henry McMahon. Each side was again promised a homeland by the UN partition of Palestine in 1947. It is, however, crucial to the understanding of the Israeli position to recognize that as soon as a Jewish state was created, it was invaded by Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Transjordan. From 1948 until the present, Israel has been under pressure from its neighbors to the North, East, and South. In 1967, Jordan, responding to an Israeli invasion of Gaza, attacked Israel hoping to crush the Jewish state. The result of the 1967 war was the occupation of the West Bank. That means that from 1948 to 1967 Gaza was under Egyptian control, and the West Bank was under Jordan's administration. Never during this period did Egypt or Jordan foster the creation of a Palestinian state. In fact, it was during this period that Palestinians first faced refugee camps. The conditions that Palestinians in the camps have consistently faced were, and still are, so horrendous that it is easy to empathize with the Palestinians and even understand why there is so much pent-up rage and lingering resentment. A Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September (possibly most famous for the slaying of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics) was named after the brutal atrocities committed by the Jordanian army on their "brothers," the Palestinians, in the refugee camps in September of 1970. The irony is that despite the fact that the group Black September was formed in retaliation to Jordanian attacks, the majority of their attacks were against the Jews and Israel, not Jordan. After that initial feeling of betrayal felt by Palestinians wore off, the terrorists went back to a tried and true target: Israel. Since 1970, Israel has faced numerous attacks, such as the surprise attack in 1973 (on Yom Kippur, the holiest of Jewish holidays) in which the attacking armies of Syria and Egypt actually lost territory. The Palestinians have been scattered among refugee camps in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and the "Occupied Territories." Currently, about half of all Palestinians reside in Jordan, another one third in the West Bank, Gaza, and Israel. The remainder of Palestinians are spread among other Arab countries and the West. One year ago, Palestinian leadership was faced with a choice: gain an autonomous state (including the entire West Bank and parts of Jerusalem) or escalate the violence against Israel in complete opposition to the actual existence of a Jewish state. It was Arafat's choice of the latter that sparked the current violence. He could not move forward from a dogmatic hatred of the fact that Israel is still in existence. So Faris Khader: "Isn't it time that we, the international community, deal with Israel in the same way that we dealt with Apartheid in South Africa? That we ask our governments to cease international aid and arms to Israel? That we impose economic sanctions on Israel?" Is it time? Not now.Daniel Kahn is freshman who has not yet declared a major.

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News

Sudents under pressure to buy Billy Joel tickets

August 31

Students might have to take a trip down the River of Dreams to see pop star Billy Joel's Nov. 13 concert at Tufts. The 470 student tickets for the show will be sold online on a first-come-first-served basis, the Concert Board and the Office of Student Activities announced at a joint press conference yesterday. The show, dubbed "Billy Joel - An Evening of Questions, Answers, and a Little Music," will be held at 8 p.m. at Cohen Auditorium. On Monday, Oct. 29, at 10 p.m., students can log on to TuftsLife.com and click on a special ticket sale link. The tickets cost $35 for students and $45 for faculty, and there is a two-ticket limit per person. Yesterday, Tufts had no concrete plans for the distribution of unclaimed tickets. Possibilities mentioned at the press conference included holding a TuftsLife.com auction, or a raffle for charity. But Cabellon and Concert Board co-chairs Christian Trentacosta and Aaron Wright say the online method is the most efficient way to fairly distribute tickets. "It's hard to create a fair and equitable process," Cabellon said. "Instead of having people wait in line, camping out, missing classes... it's not perfect, and we don't claim it's perfect," he said. The ticket breakdown for Joel's appearance is as follows: 470 student tickets, 50 faculty/staff tickets, ten Concert Board reserve tickets, 30 special invitees, and 60 tickets for Joel, Sony Music, and his agency. Joel's appearance will cost the University $35,000, which will be paid for with ticket revenue and the $15,000 previously allotted for the annual Fall Rap Show, which Concert Board chose to cancel in favor of Joel. According to Wright, however, the biggest factor was timing - had the date coincided with the Rock Show or the Jazz Show, either would have been bumped. Tufts was one of six schools in the nation chosen to host Joel, and the only school in New England. Princeton University, New York University, Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Georgetown University will round out his college tour. "It's a pretty elite group, and I'm excited to say we're a part of it," Cabellon said. In these last few weeks, the Boston field had been narrowed to Tufts and Brandeis University. The deciding factor was reportedly Tufts' scheduling flexibility for the show. Cabellon also sent Joel's agency photos of Cohen Auditorium, which he reportedly was "very excited about." The purpose of the tour is to give Joel small venues for intimate shows during which students will be able to ask questions. The Piano Man will play for approximately 1.5- 2 hours. "For once at Tufts, our small venue has helped us," Cabellon said. Concert Board has not made final plans for specific seating procedures for the show. Plans on whether the seats will be ticked, or general admission will be finalized by the sale date. According to Cabellon, security for the show will be extremely tight, and will include both plain-clothed and uniformed TUPD members, as well as Joel's personal security. Concerns regarding the strength of TuftsLife.com's server were repeatedly raised - this ticket sale will bring the site an exposure it has never dealt with before. The website's executive directors, Mike Masterman and Eric Satler, assured students that the procedure would rum smoothly and fairly, and said the site will be moved to a higher-end server within the next week or so. Tufts will use an official list to ensure that all Tufts IDs presented are valid. Students without an official Tufts ID will not be admitted the night of the show. The pick up time and location for tickets will be delivered via e-mail to students who have received tickets, and they will have one week to pick them up.

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Third place is better than 'Fore'

August 31

Tufts' golf team opened its season this past weekend with a third-place finish at the Bowdoin Invitational Tournament in Brunswick, Maine. Playing at the par 72 Brunswick Golf Club, the Jumbos finished first among NESCAC entrants. The two-day event featured a smorgasbord of 12 teams, including seven NESCAC squads from four different schools, with the Jumbos edging out their closest conference opponent, Bowdoin's black squad, by four strokes. "It was good for us to beat Bowdoin at Bowdoin, on their home course," coach Bob Sheldon said. "We got a feel for our competition before we meet them head-to-head later in the year." With the top five golfers yet to be officially determined, Sheldon brought five returnees to Maine for the tournament - sophomore Bard Hawes, juniors Arun Lamba, Brian Tarmey, and Dan Kramer, and with senior Erich Mulanger. "We're not really set right now," Tarmey said. "We just brought a few of the guys who had all played before and did alright at tryouts." After the first day of competition in Brunswick, Jumbo golfers found themselves in fourth place overall with a score of 328, 14 shots behind leader University of Maine-Farmington. But the Tufts squad stepped up its game on the next day, shooting a combined 318 - the second-best team performance of the day - and vaulted themselves into third place with a final tally of 647. Tarmey and Kramer played integral roles in the Jumbos' move, shaving nine and six shots, respectively, off their first day scores. Tarmey rebounded from a 15 over par 87 on Saturday to shoot a 78 on Sunday, while Kramer came back from an 85 to register a 79 one day later. "Brian had never played the course before," Sheldon said. "He knew that playing the course once would lower his score on the second day and it did. As for Kramer, well, that's just Kramer." Hawes was Tufts' top finisher, ending up in a tie for seventh place in the individual competition. He shot identical scores of 79 for a total of 158, four shots back from overall leader Shane Ross of Husson College. Husson claimed the team championship for the second consecutive year, outdistancing Maine-Farmington by 11 shots and the Jumbos by 22. "Husson is in the NAIA, not the NESCAC," Sheldon said. "They're a good team and are noted for their golf." Behind Hawes on the Jumbo scorecard was Kramer, with a two-day total of 164. Tarmey and Lamba (82-83) tied for second with 165, while Mulanger notched a 167 (82-85). "The tournament was a good indicator for the rest of the season," Sheldon said. "We have a good team, a real competitive team, and it should be a good year for golf." Noticeably absent from the green for Tufts was junior Elliot Barr, the team's top golfer a year ago. Barr is currently studying abroad in Madrid, Spain, and will miss the season. "Eliot was always the low scorer last year, except once," Sheldon said. "It's hard to lose him, but Brad [Hawes] has come through and we're a more well-rounded team this year." Tarmey echoed his coach's sentiments. "In Eliot, we lost our best player," he said. "But other than that, we have pretty much everyone coming back." Tarmey, Hawes, Lamba, Mulanger, and Kramer are five of the returnees, who will once again be joined on the roster by seniors Ben Eastwood and Jon Japha. Aside from Barr, the Jumbos also lost Zach Bromer and Todd Fettig to graduation, paving the way for new faces to fill the vacated spots. Typically, some freshmen make the squad, but this year's tryouts, held at Newton Commonwealth, weeded out all the rookies in the field and left senior Mike Feldman, junior Arulano Chary, and sophomores Dave Hendler, Nathaniel Sager, and Andrew Weiss standing at the end. "I think we'll be all right," Tarmey said. "We have no freshmen, but most of the new guys are sophomores. We really only need five quality guys and we have more than that." Next up on the schedule for coach Sheldon and his squad is the Colby Invitational this Sunday in Waterville, Me., with a 12 p.m. tee time.

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News

Hits and Misses

August 31

Big WreckThe Pleasure and the GreedAtlantic4/5 The members of Big Wreck met and started making music just down the road at Boston's Berklee College of Music. When studying musical theory didn't seem to cut it in comparison to jamming at local clubs and bars, the band dropped out to pursue its professional music career. This wasn't a bad idea, as Big Wreck is onto something here. Harmonies layered over a true hard rock sound puts them on a level above the quasi-moody, self-important "rock" bands of late. The Pleasure and the Greed is reminiscent of bands like Soundgarden and Dream Theater in that its intelligent, multiple-layered rock keeps the mind and the ear satisfied. Songs like "Ladylike" are a perfect example. The Pleasure and the Greed has it all - a climactic crescendo, pummeling bass peppered with long guitar riffs, and impassioned vocals. Pure talent and pure rock like this are ensuring that Big Wreck is slowly becoming a fixture in the Boston/Cambridge area, and deservedly so. -Sheryl GordonClariasIntroCoast to Coast Music4 stars A group with a prominent saxophonist and a jam-band mentality that aims at the college-aged crowd? Comparisons to Dave Matthews Band are welcome, and Clarias had better enjoy them, because it's likely to hear them a lot. Beyond the similar instruments and genre, lead singer Michael Giordano has a charming and familiar way of clipping and twanging his vocals. Thankfully, the comparisons are all in the band's favor. Jon Berman's saxophone provides a good tonal quality, even though it rarely takes the melody away from the vocals or guitar. The songwriting and lyrics are also notably good for a band that sounds like it loves to jam away on 10- or 20-minute songs; watch for the noteworthy "You Might Remember," which grows from a quiet start into a lively, relaxing groove without ever sacrificing its gentle vocals. Intro is almost a teaser, as its six songs are so promising that they leave you wishing there were more. -Drew SheltonMokeCarnivalUltimatum/Artemis3/5 Some may label Moke "alternative," but the quartet's members proclaim that they're just a "British rock band" - and with refreshing honesty. But make no mistake: this isn't the Gallagher brothers whining about each other or Travis asking why it always rains, this is pure rock 'n roll. Their second major-label release, Carnival, opens with "My Degeneration," an homage to the Who's "My Generation." While little, if any, of the original song is evident in "My Degeneration," the economy of classic rock prevails, disguised behind the distinctly modern sound of Moke's crisp guitars and smooth, reverberating vocals. "Today" is another gem that captures that quality, even while sounding more like contemporary British rock. Its staid, smooth bassline combines with self-repeating guitar melodies and John Hogg's echoing chorus..."How can I take today, and leave this all behind/ Today, today, we'll kiss the world goodbye"...to create a memorable, loveable track. Carnival rarely drags its feet, and it's such a strong rock album that it won't have you dragging yours.- Rob Bellinger

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News

Snooze time in AL East

August 31

Fans of American League teams have two choices this week: to sit back and take a nap until the playoffs begin next week, or to bury their heads in their hands and scream "wait 'til next year!" as they watch their team's final games this weekend. The few races that seemed to be interesting in the middle of the summer have concluded without any teams having to sprint to the finish, as the final two American League playoff sports were clinched by the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians this week. Cleveland guaranteed that October will see an Indian summer on Sunday when it beat the Minnesota Twins 9-1 to win its sixth Central division title in the last seven years. Bartolo Colon pitched eight shutout innings and Jim Thome had his 49th homer in Cleveland's 14th victory over the Twins this year. The Indians clinched the title without the help of one of the key members of the team - the manager. Charlie Manual was in the hospital with an abdominal infection and was forced to drink cranberry juice while his team was drinking champagne to celebrate its victory. He is expected to be released this week and should rejoin the team in Toronto this weekend. Cleveland will face either the AL West champ Seattle Mariners or the wild card Oakland Athletics in the playoffs to begin in the middle of next week. The Yankees clinched their AL East title last Tuesday when the second-place Boston Red Sox lost to Baltimore. New York dropped its game against Tampa Bay that night, however, as starter Roger Clemens lost for the first time since May 20. While the Yanks' Roger Clemens cruised to his first 20 wins of the season, the 21st win has been a little more elusive. Clemens had a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. The game, which was Oriole Cal Ripken's last in New York, was almost as long as the unedited version of Titanic and had to be called at 1-1 at the end of the 15th due to rain. Overall, the teams combined for only 13 hits, 32 strikeouts, and 26 runners left on base during the marathon. The game will probably not be made up, unless the outcome would effect the Yankees' playoff match-up. The game was an emotional and nostalgic one for both teams, as Ripken said good-bye to the city that was home to Lou Gehrig, the man whose consecutive games record he broke. Ripken was honored during a pre-game ceremony in which he stood on the same mound where Gehrig uttered his famous retirement speech, and was even applauded by the usually un-welcoming Yankees fans during each of his at-bats. The Yanks do not enter in the playoffs as strong as they would like, however, as two of their premier pitchers are ailing right now. All-Star closer Mariano Rivera has a hurt ankle and is out until at least mid-week, and Orlando Hernandez was limited to 1 and 2/3 innings during his Saturday start because of a sore right shoulder. And while Yankees manager Joe Torre says it is not time to panic yet, the New York injury list doesn't end there. Right fielder Paul O'Neill hasn't played since Sept. 8, and starter Andy Pettitte was knocked out of his last game when he was hit in the elbow with a line drive. Designated hitter David Justice and shortstop Derek Jeter have also been nursing injuries and are not playing at 100 percent right now. Out west, where the playoff-bound teams have been sitting on the beach tanning and waiting to find out who their opponents would be, the Mariners and Athletics have created a rivalry that may keep fans entertained in a playoff series that features the usual suspects. The Athletics swept the Mariners last weekend, but Seattle came back in full force this weekend to take two out of three from the wild card champion. With a record of 111-45, Seattle now needs three wins to tie the 1998 New York Yankees' record for most wins in a season in the American League. During Saturday's game, Mariner Ichiro Suzuki set a new record for most hits in a rookie season when he had his 234th hit of the season in the fourth inning. The previous record was set by "Shoeless" Joe Jackson with Cleveland in 1911. Playoff matches for the American League have yet to be determined, as they will depend on teams' final records. But, the four teams have been tweaking their rotations for weeks so that their best starters will be ready to go for the first game of the five-game division series.

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News

South hall hate incident mars freshmen impressions

August 31

Freshmen residing in South Hall received an early exposure to racism at Tufts after a hate incident, involving a swastika and written racial slurs against people of Asian descent, occurred in a dormitory hallway during orientation. On the second night of orientation, students living on the third floor of South Hall reported an ad for a campus event that had discriminatory remarks written on it. The slurs read: "Kill all chinks and gooks," according to South Hall residents who wished to remain anonymous. Resident Assistants (RAs) in South immediately informed the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) of the incident. According to the official police report, no suspects have yet been identified, and Residential Life Director Lorraine Toppi has repeatedly refused to comment on the incident. Administrators were concerned that first-year students might get the wrong idea about Tufts during their first few days on campus. "It's important for first-year students to learn that Tufts doesn't tolerate hurtful and hateful graffiti," dean Kristine Dillon said. "Tufts does not have a history of these incidents on a frequent basis." Associate Dean of Students Marisel Perez received the police report the following day and notified Residential Life to ensure that all South residents were made aware of the incident. "I wanted to make sure there was an appropriate response to let all the residents [of South] know," she said. Perez arranged for the issue to be addressed during a mandatory hall meeting scheduled for the following week. Most residents did not know of the incident until the hall meeting, said South resident Kate Singleton. Perez said that the administrative response to the incident will serve as a measuring stick for dealing with any future occurrences of hate graffiti. "I want to make sure we review protocol and institute a rapid response for the students," she said. Eric Swindle, associate director of student activities and the proctor of South Hall, is planning an additional meeting and further training for RAs. The Office of Student Activities will also create a task force to address the incident and others like it. After the hall meeting, RAs held floor meetings to talk with students about the incident, and offered support to any student who needed to talk further. Many students were shocked by the incident. One third-floor South resident, who asked to remain anonymous, was fearful after reading the slurs. "My initial reaction was that it was a joke, but then I was scared and I didn't want to leave my room," the resident said. Another freshman resident was taken aback by the incident because she did not think such events occurred at Tufts. "I never imagined it to be like this because Tufts is an open community. It made me feel unwelcome," the resident said. Despite students' ill feelings towards the incident, most felt that the administration responded appropriately. "I think it was handled fine," sophomore Saira Shirazi said. "What happened obviously was wrong, but you can only tell people so much and if they want to do it, they'll still do it."

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News

Professors urge caution in response to terrorist attack

August 31

In the wake of the worst terrorist attacks ever on US soil, Tufts professors are stressing the need to avoid knee-jerk responses and to instead find long-term solutions. Some experts within the University feel that while a military attack is imminent, America must ultimately overhaul its stance towards terrorism. The US and its allies should proceed carefully, political science professor Tony Smith said, so as to not exacerbate resentment among potential fundamentalist aggressors. "The dislike of the US is fairly widespread in popular circles in the Muslim world," Smith said. "It's important that innocent people don't suffer, friendly regimes not be destabilized, and that action is as surgically precise as possible." Discussion surrounding military strikes is centered around Saudi multi-millionaire Osama bin Laden. Afghanistan's ruling Taliban government has sheltered bin Laden since 1996; today, a Pakistani delegation is expected to instruct the Taliban to hand over bin Laden or face military action. Whether or not the use of force is necessary, Smith said that the US must act with the cooperation of the international community. "The key is going to be the reaction of the Taliban government to demands that bin Laden be dealt with," Smith said. "There's no reason to suspect that they will react as positively as the Serbian government recently has to demands that indicted war criminals, like Milosevic, be sent to the Hague for the war crimes tribunal." Political science department chair Jim Glaser compared the American "rally around the flag" reaction to similar responses to the Bay of Pigs, the Gulf War, and the Korean War. Glaser said that Americans will not be accustomed to a war on terrorism. "It may be a war, but I don't think it will be a war like anything we've experienced before," he said. Though an immediate response would help Americans feel a sense of closure, an attack in itself will not solve America's terrorist problem, Glaser said. "My feeling is that this will continue whether we respond militarily or not," Glaser said. "The reasons that they attacked us haven't gone away, whatever those reasons are. And I don't think we really know what they are." Smith agreed that severe action in the next few weeks will only help in the short term and may ignite stronger negative feelings towards America by terrorist groups. "We don't want extremism to feed extremism," he said. "You can see an extremist minority provoke extremist reaction, and that isn't going to solve this problem." What makes this an untraditional war, according to Smith, is that "it's not headquartered in a state with which one can have traditional state to state relations. It's a popular movement," he explained. "It's not traditional because of the character of these states which have divided governments and relatively weak control over their populations." Michele Malvesti, a former defense department Middle East terrorism analyst and a Fletcher Ph.D. candidate, said that fighting terrorism is a large task because it requires international cooperation and long-term covert actions. "In order to disrupt, to undermine, and dismantle a terrorist organization, it takes action on all fronts," she said. "It takes working with our allies, bolstering the counter-terrorist capability of other countries, and a political concerted effort to maintain the support of our allies." Difficulties arise because terrorism is characterized as both a national security threat and a crime; responses can vary from diplomatic, economic, and law enforcement actions, to overt military strikes or covert operations. "Unfortunately, in recent years we have begun to rely more and more on technical intelligence, but the human element is critical," she said. "We're going to have to approach [terrorism] now, from a different direction. There's going to have to be increasing cooperation between federal law intelligence community." Malvesti stressed that any immediate military actions must be supplemented by long-term security measures in order to avoid future attacks. "The roots of terrorism, why they gravitate toward those organizations and methods to rectify their perceived grievances - those are other issues that need to be resolved," she said. "The bottom line is that, though it looks like we may conduct a military retaliatory strike, ultimately that type of reaction isn't going to be effective." Though measures to guarantee security might impinge on certain liberties in both the US and other countries, Malvesti said that such limits will be necessary to fight terrorism in the long run. "What we saw on Tuesday was an example of a low probability, yet high consequence action," Malvesti said. "While we can't turn America into a fortress, we need to improve our security measures but yet strike a balance between constitutional liberties and what a free, open, democratic society will tolerate."

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News

Theater full of sound

August 31

"I'm so tired!" complained Kris Delmhorst during her headlining concert at the Somerville Theater on Saturday evening. Despite her admitted fatigue, however, she still managed to radiate an enthusiastic vibe to the nearly sold out theater. The evening began with music from a newly formed band, Maybe Babe, featuring Jennifer Kimball and Ry Cavanaugh, but the real excitement began when Delmhorst took the stage, opening with "Cluck Old Hen" from her new CD, Five Stories. The crowd immediately focused on her soothing voice and this new, upbeat tune. Delmhorst continued through her set, playing songs from Five Stories as well as the old favorites that the crowd demanded. Her remarkable ability to charm the audience with her soft, folksy ballads and exciting verses continually drew the audience into the show. Some of Saturday evening's audience favorites were "Marylou," "Yellow Brick Road," and "Garden Rose." Delmhorst's songs, whether live or recorded, have a wonderful, uplifting attitude. They focus on a variety of themes from hopes and dreams, to little girls and triumph. The songs give a sense of hope for the future and a feeling of power to those who listen to them. The lyrics from "Marylou," for example, do just that: "But I see you and you're different and to me you look so free/ You live your life the way you think it ought to be." Throughout the evening, the audience was treated to an array of unusual instruments that gave the performance a unique sound, as the band's repertoire includes basses, an accordion, a mandolin, and various percussion instruments. The mandolin proved the perfect complement to Delmhorst's style; it was an unforgettable sight to see the mandolin player strum out tunes all night long with incredible energy and an obvious dedication to his art. Especially exciting were the duets between the mandolin and Delmhorst's guitar as the two musicians faced each other and dueled it out through their playing. Other highlights included Delmhorst's fiddle on "Mean Old Wind" and occasional guest vocals by Maybe Babe's Kimball, sometimes supplying an alluring contrast between the two voices. Still, there were other songs in which Delmhorst played solo on the guitar or played with the gentle accompaniment of just an accordion or harmonica. Delmhorst seemed slow to open up to the audience, but by the end of the show, she was sharing all kinds of stories and making everyone laugh. It was a special treat to have a glimpse into the dynamic between Delmhorst and the band members. There was a feeling of being a part of the group's rehearsal that night, as they cracked jokes with one another and talked openly to the audience, making light of some of the lyrics. "I wrote this song just so that I could make my band members say 'mincemeat,'" Delmhorst said with a smile. She also talked about her little sister's importance as an inspiration, Delmhorst then encouraged the crowd to think of their younger siblings while listening to the music. The final song - before the numerous encores - was a toe-tapping tune in which members of both Delmhorst's band and Maybe Babe performed together. It would have been a great way to close the show, but the audience would not allow it, drawing Delmhorst back to the stage twice more for a total of three extra songs. She once again won everyone over by singing the highly demanded song "North Dakota" and closing with "Lullaby 101," which also closes her new CD. It should have lulled the crowd a bit, but that seemed impossible, as all were on their feet cheering for the performance. Delmhorst has a light quality to her singing that is quite unique, and seeing her in concert shows that her performance talent is truly remarkable. Even though her popularity is quickly growing, this Davis Square folkie is still an ordinary girl, one who is interested in being in touch with her fans; she came out after the performance to "schmooze" and to sign CDs.If you're sorry you missed out on this concert, you can still catch Delmhorst on Dec. 8 playing with Mark Erelli in a charity benefit show at the First Baptist Church in Lexington.

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News

Love Potion Title IX

August 31

If Homecoming 2001 is to be remembered for something, it will be the lack of sporting events. Losing to Amherst will be hard to recall - or rather, differentiate - from a decade of losses. But the fact that only two teams, make that two males teams, participated in Homecoming might leave a lasting impression. While the noticeable absence of female athletes at Homecoming was the result of scheduling, it nonetheless begs the question of how Title IX affects Tufts. While athletic administrators and coaches - both male and female - rightfully praise Tufts for its proactive stance toward meeting Title IX, there are still areas which can improve. Title IX, passed by the US government in 1972, states that "No person in the US shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid." For years, this meant little to most colleges. But by the 80's and 90's colleges and universities were slowly beginning to realize they had a law to abide by, and they got to work making their athletic programs equal, or at least giving the appearance that they were equal. In understandable English, the bill requires schools receiving government funding -Tufts does - to meet the standards on a program-wide basis. Tufts must ensure that participation opportunities for male and female students are substantially proportionate to the ratio of gender enrollment. "Tufts has always been a step ahead in this department," assistant athletic director Branwen Smith-King said. "As a coach, I have felt lucky to be here. I have always been treated just like my male peers. I give a lot of credit to [Athletic Director] Bill [Gehling]. Tufts, from the top down, has made athletics great for everybody." In many ways, Smith-King is on the mark. Since Tufts is roughly 53-47 in favor of women in its enrollment, the opportunities to participate in sports must be within five percent of that ratio. Court cases support this five percent difference, and the courts also define opportunities to participate as the number of participants. In 2000-2001, there were 521 male athletes in 12 sports, compared to 484 females on 14 teams, a difference of 37. This discrepancy means Tufts has a ratio of roughly 51.5 % men to 48.5% women, four percent away from the overall ratio. The major discrepancy is a result of the football team's size of 73 members. While Tufts' participation falls inside the 5% benchmark, it's more than just numbers for Gehling. "We have been moving closer to equal each year," the AD said. "This isn't just about following the law. We're committed to having equal athletic programs." There are other program areas that Title IX forces colleges to comply with, and for the most part, Tufts again acts as a vanguard in this respect. More than most schools, Tufts provides gender equity in equipment, scheduling of games and practices, travel allowances, locker rooms, medical training facilities, publicity, and recruitment. There are some items on the list that do not apply, and others that, athletes might argue, Tufts does not meet. For instance, some women are disappointed with the quality of their locker room; still, it's in no worse shape than the men's. And while some athletes do not feel their sport is publicized, this has less to do with gender than it does with the size and popularity of the sport. But there is one aspect of the list where a disparity emerges. The 12 men's teams have 29 assistant coaches, while the 14 women's sports have only 18, meaning that women do not receive equal access to coaches. Assistant coaches can be misleading, though, since Gehling insists that he gives the same budget to head coaches to hire their staff. Some coaches may use all the money to hire one assistant, while others will spread it among many coaches. "We strive very hard to provide equal support," Gehling said. Again, though, the problem can largely be attributed to football, where head coach Bill Samko has eight assistants. "What sport equals football?" Smith-King asked. "None. But it's a tradition, and women have unique sports like field hockey." Both statements are true, but does that mean that a sport that has a disproportionate number of participants, assistant coaches, and funding should be swept under the rug because it's always played on Thanksgiving? Smith-King, field hockey and lacrosse coach Carol Rappoli, and women's basketball coach Janice Savitz are all pleased with the fair treatment of women at Tufts. But just because coaches aren't complaining doesn't mean Tufts shouldn't continue to strive for equality. And while Gehling and his predecessor Rocky Carzo deserve considerable credit for bringing Tufts to the point of near equity, that should not enable the University to forget about the few missing details. Of course, cutting the football program is not the answer. Smith-King makes the point that colleges that have cut their male wrestling programs or gymnastics programs to meet Title IX requirements are not doing their jobs. "We shouldn't cut men's programs to meet gender equity," she said. "We should be creative to increase women's sports." Around five years ago, the Athletic Department conducted a comprehensive look at the overall program's compliance to Title IX. It is beginning a similar process now, and when it does, it should look into putting more money into the women's basketball or softball programs to boost participation or create jayvee squads. The same can be argued for the volleyball or fencing teams, which are two sports without male counterparts, but fill fewer than 40 roster spots. The Athletic Department, especially Gehling and Smith-King, has the creativity to come up with the ideas. It just needs the funds and the incentive to put them into place. "If there is any question of my desire for equal programs, just know that I was the women's soccer coach," Gehling said.

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News

Women's soccer blanked by Bates

August 31

After 70 minutes of deadlocked play, Bates midfielder Krissie Whiting scored the only goal of the contest, and the Bobcats blanked the women's soccer team 1-0 on Saturday. The loss was the second straight in conference play and brings the squad's record to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in the conference. Statistically, the game was evenly matched, as Bates led in shots 16-9, while Tufts had the edge in corner kicks, 8-4. Bates controlled play throughout the first half but was unable to capitalize. The second half revealed a shift in momentum, though, as Tufts had numerous scoring opportunities and played intensely. Nevertheless Bates was able to exploit the Jumbos defense, albeit briefly, which led to the one goal of the game. With a breakaway sprint down the left wing, Whiting was able to fire a hard shot by Tufts goalkeeper Mara Schanfield to give Bates the only offense it needed to post its seventh shutout of the season. Bates has not relinquished a goal in over two weeks and has outscored its opponents 23-2 on the season, and junior goalkeeper Kim Martell has amassed 43 saves with a .956 save percentage. But despite the stats the Bobcats have posted, there was not a feeling that the team is unbeatable. "All the teams we play are pretty equal, basically everyone in the NESCAC is good," senior midfielder Becky Mann said. "They didn't stand out in my mind as the team to beat though." The loss left the Jumbos frustrated, as they have not been able to dominate teams as well as they did last year. The offense has been lackluster, with only 12 goals through seven games, and two opponents have shut Tufts out - already twice as many as last year. "I think it is frustrating for everyone because we know we are better than these teams," Mann said. "We are going to break out and score a lot, I just hope that happens soon." The team now wants to focus on is beginning the game with authority. "It was a pretty even game, but we still need to work on coming out with intensity," sophomore defender Jess Lovitz said. Mann concurred with her teammate. "We are going to work on getting our intensity up from the start," she said. "We are a second half team, and we can't just rely on that." Tufts has also not received many lucky bounces in recent games, and while the number of shots has been high, the scoring percentage has been down. "We had a lot of chances in the second half, a lot of close shots," Lovitz said. "We forced their goalie to make some nice saves." The Jumbos will have an opportunity to work on their intensity tomorrow during a home game against non-conference Brandeis, a team that has struggled to a 2-6 record thus far this season. The Judges are not typically a strong team, and this fall is no exception. The Brandeis game also marks the beginning of a three-game home stand, which also includes NESCAC rivals Amherst and Bowdoin.

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News

Students encouraged to register locally

August 31

One year ago today, the United States was on the cusp of the most drawn-out election season in its history. A two-month media frenzy surrounding hanging chads, ballot recounts, and court decisions - ending in a "misfire" presidential election - had just begun. When the smoke cleared, George W. Bush emerged as President, and the American people elected overwhelmingly to ignore politics altogether. Given last year's media whirlwind, and given the events of Sept. 11, the 2001 elections will be unlikely to draw much attention - neither in Massachusetts nor nationally. Nevertheless, Tufts students have begun annual voter registration efforts, tabling around campus on Monday and Tuesday. Registration tables, where students can get a Massachusetts registration form or a postcard listing websites for out-of-state registration, were manned in Carmichael, Dewick, and at the Meyer Campus Center. The real problem, says registration coordinator and senior Natalie McCabe, is that students generally aren't interested in the political process, especially when the most exciting race in Medford and Somerville are annual town elections. But she thinks even the small elections can matter to Tufts students. If enough students register, McCabe says, student influence in local matters can be significantly strengthened. "It's a way for a school like ours to make a dent in city policy," she said. The point is not irrelevant. While students might not think local politics affect their sheltered lives at Tufts, items like rent control and property taxes could end up making a difference when searching for off-campus housing. The amount of taxes Tufts pays Medford and Somerville concerns students, too - if taxes are raised for Tufts, the University will pass the tax burden to its students in the form of increased costs. But Tufts' student population is still far from exerting its latent political power, with most students not bothering to vote at all, even in big election years. Others that vote remain active in their out-of-state home districts, which McCabe doesn't advocate. "Our strategy is definitely to get students to register locally," McCabe said, citing the desire for students to become a larger factor in the design of local legislation. McCabe also believes it's easier for students to register in Massachusetts, since the table workers are able to provide the registration forms immediately, and students don't need to worry about requesting an absentee ballot every year. It's not that easy, though. A move from downhill to uphill between freshman and sophomore years essentially changes a student's residence [for polling purposes] from Somerville to Medford. In this situation, the student would either need to reregister with the updated campus address or request an absentee ballot from their original district. If this isn't confusing enough, those registered in their hometown need to request an absentee ballot every year in order to vote. And although McCabe believes some states may automatically send ballots to students whose address they have on file, she says that they may never be delivered unless the voter lives at the same address from year to year. The process is enough to make most students give up. And sophomore Adam Blickstein, communications director for the Tufts Democrats, a sponsor of the registration effort, isn't very optimistic. "2001 is not even midterm elections," he said. "We're not expecting a large turnout." Freshman table worker and Tufts Democrat Rachel Hereford wasn't hopeful, either. "People aren't interested," she said. However, McCabe knows that the student body is able to become more politically active - they just need some inspiration. She recalled talking with a woman who had worked for the Somerville elections department for quite some time. The woman told McCabe that about a decade ago, Tufts students were registered locally in large numbers. She hasn't seen anything like it recently, McCabe said.According to president emeritus John DiBiaggio, founder of Tufts' University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS), today's college students are overwhelmingly indifferent to the political system. In a speech entitled "Democracy in Education" he will deliver tomorrow at Cedar Crest College, DiBiaggio will report that only seven percent of college students were involved in a political campaign last year, with 16 percent becoming involved with a student government or political organization during their college career. But McCabe believes an impetus for political action is again present. Legislation and policies are being formed throughout every level of government, from local councils to Capitol Hill, in response to calls for tighter security and extended power to law enforcement agencies in the wake of last month's terrorist attacks. McCabe hopes a heightened national awareness of the political system will result in higher voter turnout - even if it's just for local government. "We're trying to play on [the aftermath of the attacks] to get people involved," McCabe said, adding that some students were drawn to the display of US flags at the registration tables. Hereford agreed. "[Vote] if you care really passionately about what the government is doing or not doing," she told students at Carmichael. McCabe is hopeful that voter registration on campus will reach a "stabilization," or a consistent turnout each year. "We might not see a huge drop in the number of voters this year," she said. The current voter registration effort garnered more sponsors than it has in the past, with the Tufts Democrats and Tufts Republicans joining together with the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Youth Vote, and the Friends of Israel.

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News

Three games you gotta watch

August 31

San Francisco 49ers (4-1) vs. Chicago Bears (4-1) This is your classic battle of a good offense against a good defense. The 49ers (seventh in NFL offense) will attack the Bears (first in NFL defense) all day long with quarterback Jeff Garcia throwing to wide receiver Terrell Owens and handing off to running back Garrison Hearst. The Bears will counter with middle linebacker Brian Urlacher running all over the field tackling everyone in sight. Don't count out the fact that the Bears could win this game on the other side of the ball, as quarterback Jim Miller is getting comfortable as the starter, and has a budding running back in rookie Anthony Thomas to whom he can hand the ball. New Orleans Saints (3-2) vs. St. Louis Rams (6-0) This is the first time these two teams have faced each other since the Saints upset the Rams in the playoffs last season. When the Saints won that game, they did so without running back Ricky Williams, who is back in the lineup and having his best season as a pro. However, the rest of the Saints offense has been a little inconsistent, as quarterback Aaron Brooks hasn't been as impressive as he was in a backup role last season. The Rams offense needs no introduction - it's the best in the league. However, the Giants were able to shut it down two weeks ago, and the Saints might have the personnel to mimic the Giants' game plan. This game will also be a good test for the Rams defense, which has improved. Has it improved enough to stop a talented Saints team? We'll find out. Oakland Raiders (4-1) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) The Eagles lost in the final seconds to the Arizona Cardinals three weeks ago, and last week they won in similar fashion. They're a team on the edge, while the Raiders are a team off the bye. Oakland appears to be the top team in the AFC, due in large part to the play of its offense (fourth in the NFL), led by quarterback Rich Gannon. He has a nice supporting cast, which includes All-Pro receivers Tim Brown and Jerry Rice, and running back Charlie Garner. The Eagles have the seventh best defense in the league, but cornerbacks Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent won't have fun chasing Rice and Brown around the field. Philly's run defense, which held the Giants pair of running backs to 87 yards could be the difference in the game.

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Graduate Student Unions - The voice of many, or the voice of a few?

August 31

Listen... do you hear that? Neither did I. That silence is the sound of a union forming. Unions are not evil, but they are a big deal. No union is ever formed quietly because unions are controversial and controlling bodies. The reason a graduate student union may form at Tufts University is because a select few have taken it upon themselves to underhandedly attempt to misrepresent their union-forming efforts as an act in response to an apathetic administration. Unions can be beneficial, and unions can be divisive. When I finally heard that a union was underway, I thought there might be some positive aspects of joining. I had specific questions, and I posed them to the graduate student panel in charge of forming a union. I asked some important questions. For example, "What negotiating avenues had you exhausted to feel it necessary to form a union?" There was no response. "What specific information do you have supporting the need for X (X being increased wages, health care, child care, dental coverage)?" The panel was not able to obtain any data, though it seems they have been lobbying for a union for months. I have phoned graduate students I did not know at other universities, told them why I was interested, and obtained some information myself. It did not seem difficult, but the union-organizing panel was unable to find any? With or without a union, you always, ALWAYS need to have data supporting your cause. Will a union force the administration to give us things we may or may not deserve without any information supporting these desires? I don't think they would, and even if they would, do we deserve it? What if a salary survey finds that Tufts University graduate students make more money then at other universities, will we give money back? Finally, I asked where the extra money for these causes would come from. Again, no answer. Maybe the university has an emergency piggy bank just for such instances, or maybe some other aspect of the university will get cut. Maybe the graduate student's gain is someone else's loss. Oh well, let those poor souls form their own union. Let's not warp the perception of what we are talking about. Graduate students, by definition, are college educated. Every one of us could have taken our degree and gone out into the world and obtained a job. But, every single one of us decided to go to graduate school here at Tufts. Education is not a guaranteed right. Many people in the United States do not go to college. Every graduate student at Tufts made a conscious choice to come here, to be a part of the student body and the university. Most graduate students pay no tuition, and receive small stipends. None of us make enough money to pay our living expenses, whether we live in Boston or in less expensive parts of the country. Many of us live with numerous other people to cut the costs to get by, or take out student loans to make ends meet. This fact is not different anywhere is the US. Will a few extra dollars suddenly provide us champagne and caviar? Law students can typically run up astronomical amounts in school loans, and the Boston area is home to some of the best law schools in the country. How do they do it? Maybe we will start to see some of these universities sued by their prot?©g?©s. It would be their legal right, just like graduate students have a legal right to form unions. Pro-union graduate students feel university faculty and administration from a university they chose are not capable of representing them. Well I choose NOT to have a union, but because of the efforts of a deceitful few, I may have one represent me anyway. If these individuals put all of this extra time they have into their studies or actually interacting with university administration, maybe they wouldn't need a union. The situation graduate students now find themselves in is the following: do we want OUR administration, one we all choose to work with us on issues important to us all, or do we want a union picked by a select few, representing their own interests.Jason Epstein is a graduate student studying chemistry.

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