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Field hockey finishes season 3-10

August 31

The field hockey team closed its NESCAC season Saturday afternoon with a 3-0 loss to Williams College, which had not defeated Tufts in the last four years. The win solidified a third place finish for the Ephs (6-3 NESCAC, 10-4 overall), six spots ahead of the ninth place Jumbos. The Jumbos finished their season 1-8 in league play, and 3-10 overall."All of the games that we have lost - when we've played up to our full potential - are ones that we know we could have won," said senior tri-captain Barbara Szajda. "Williams we actually felt was a better team." The first half got off to a slow start, with the two teams struggling to control possession. But the Ephs finally gained an edge and began to control play, and with 17:15 minutes on the clock, Eph sophomore Tori Scott found the back of the net off of a pass from junior Moonjoo Han.The Ephs demonstrated superior stick skills, but it was their passing game that put the Jumbos at a real disadvantage. "They had an awesome passing game, and it threw us," senior Liesl Bradford said.Williams started off the second half aggressively, picking up the pace, with Han scoring a goal of her own at 30:11, with an assist from junior Kate Leonard. Three minutes later, the hosts charged for another goal, and with the help of junior Leanne McManama, junior Stephanie Noering put one away for the final tally of the day, deciding the score at 3-0. "I thought they were by far the best team that we played against this season," Bradford said.But after Noering's goal, the Jumbo defense, led by Bradford and juniors Ursula Stahl and Karen Moar, held strong the remainder of the game. "We really didn't give up," Szajda said. "We played hard the whole game, and it's something I'm really proud of us for."Despite their strong play, though, the Jumbos proved unable to compete with a clearly superior Williams team. "Things that usually work against other teams did not work against them," Szajda said. "We couldn't adjust to their level of play." Overall, the Jumbos season has been a frustrating one, facing a losing season for the first time since 1994, and losing many of its games without scoring. The Jumbos put 12 goals in net this season, compared to 27 in 2000, and 29 in 1999. "We were playing very competitively in close games, and were dominating a lot of the time," Bradford said. "Our lasting problem was that we just couldn't score." One possible explanation for the Jumbos' lack of scoring in the 2001 campaign is the corner regulation that was instated at the beginning of the season. All corner balls must be stopped dead right outside the circle before being brought inside the circle, as opposed to years past when the ball could be stopped anywhere. Therefore, a player can only score from inside the circle. The regulation has made scoring off penalty corners increasingly difficult for the team - an aspect of its play that has needed improvement for the past few years. "When you have an 8-5 player-up advantage like that, you should be able to score," Szajda said. "We needed to be scoring on our corners, and we weren't. That is something the team will definitely have to focus on next year."Despite scoring frustrations, the Jumbos have experienced an overall improvement in skill and cooperation. Over the course of the season, the Jumbos have seen particular improvement in their defense. Games in early September exhibited the defense's struggle with new positions as well as the graduation of three lauded defensive players the previous year. However, in recent games, Tufts defense has been tighter, allowing a total of 13 goals in eight games during the month of October in comparison to the 12 it let up in September's five matches. "Teams are not scoring on breakaways as often, "Szajda said. "The goals that were scored [by Williams] were good, solid goals." Bradford echoed her teammate's sentiments. "If you look at the beginning of our season, its completely different from the end of it," Bradford said. "At the beginning weren't playing the way that we could play. But instead of riding out a bad start to our season, we changed our setup at the beginning of October, and we started playing really well. We started on one level, and rose to another. It revived the team." Troubles with scoring continued to plague the team until the end of the season. But as disappointing as a losing season with minimal scoring is, the women are satisfied with the overall results of the season. "I'm not disappointed with our season," Szajda said. "Our team has grown a lot, both in terms of skills and teamwork. It was a fun season, and I think that we have a lot to be happy about, regardless of its outcome." "If we had come together like we did a few weeks ago at the beginning of the season, we may have had a different outcome," Bradford said. "We started rising to occasion a little too late." The Jumbos may not be officially over as they could face Gordon College on Tuesday in a rescheduled game due to inclement weather early in the season. Gordon enters tournament play next week and consequently may scratch the game from its schedule entirely.

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News

Penalties mar strong performances by men's crew

August 31

The men's crew team ended the fall season this past weekend when it finished 59th and 60th at the Head of the Charles Regatta, the year's biggest race. Though the final placing was among the lower echelon of the competitors, the results were due to one-minute penalties for both boats. Without the penalties, the Jumbos would have finished amidst the top 20 in each of their races. Among the top collegiate crew teams nationwide, Tufts held a steady pace throughout the race. The regatta spanned a three-mile stretch along the Charles River, culminating near the MIT boathouse in Cambridge. Throughout the race, the men's lightweight eight rowed evenly, maintaining an edge over URI and Notre Dame. The cushion also contributed toward the Jumbos' consistent rowing speed. The penalties from both boats were due to violations in the water. The eight-person boat was involved in a water skirmish with a Notre Dame boat, where the oars of both boats brushed each other as they headed down the final stretch. Both crews were deducted one minute from their completed finish time. A deduction was also given to the men's lightweight four for a lane violation. The lightweight four squad was made up of seniors James Winkler and Nate Swinburne, junior Ryan Steeb, sophomore Jim Burke, and sophomore coxswain Sarah Dale. It placed 60th out of 70 boats with a readjusted time of 19:54.298. The Union Boating Club finished in first place with a time of 17:18.390. In the men's club eight, the Tufts crew of seniors Shane Black-Macken, Raj Marreddy, and Chris Mitchell, juniors Brandon Dickason, Max Bernstein, and Mike Friedberg, sophomore John Goulet, freshman Rob Goldstein, and sophomore coxswain Courtney Keese finished 59th out of 67 boats. They turned in a readjusted time of 17.13.904. Harvard won bragging rights over the Charles by finishing the race in 15:18.278. In all, the two-day event was comprised of over 400 boats from around the world and drew in thousands of spectators across the river. While Tufts' finishes were not as high as anticipated, the day capped a successful fall season for coach Ben Foster. "I was satisfied," Foster said. "I think we rowed pretty well and we had a pretty strong performance." The Jumbos, racing as the Mystic Valley Rowing Association, raced alongside many strong crew teams from across the New England area. Among them were strong Colby and URI boats, as well as competition from boating rivals UNH and Bates, whom the Jumbos have faced earlier this season. "I think we rowed very well this weekend," Winkler said. "Despite the penalties, we were right at the top of the race. By the time spring rolls around, we should be awesome." The performance was not the only indication of Tufts' strength on the ergs of the water. From the outset of the season, the Jumbos placed much emphasis on the technical aspects of rowing and worked to maintain their physical output and gradual improvement on their stroke rate. Tufts entered this season with high expectations of itself, as there were many returning sophomores, solid junior members, and a strong core leadership provided by the seniors. "The team has gelled very well thus far," Foster said. "For winter, we will have to focus on cardiovascular training and fitness to increase our strength and size. I feel pretty strongly about spring season." After a week off following the Charles, the Jumbos will return to the weight room for winter training. If the members keep their work ethic during the course of their inter-season hiatus, they should provide similar successes on the ergs for the spring sprint season. "The spring sprints have been what we were preparing for since the start of the fall," Mitchell said. "Once everything is iced over and we go indoors for the winter, we can increase our fitness. We should be looking very good by the time spring hits."

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News

Women's soccer opens NESCAC schedule with 2-0 shutout

August 31

Following a 4-1 loss to Babson on Saturday, the women's soccer team wasted no time getting back into winning form. It played the important NESCAC conference opener on Wednesday in a much different manner than they had during Saturday's loss and dominated Wesleyan in a 2-0 victory. The Jumbos used a modified defensive formation in this game, and more importantly, the squad had the use of all 11 players. Senior goalkeeper Mara Schanfield received a red card in the first quarter of Saturday's game and as a result the team was forced to complete the match at "man down" strength. Although Schanfield had to sit out Wednesday's game as part of her penalty, the team was once again able to the normal number of players. Replacing her was freshman Meg McCourt, who made her first collegiate start and earned the shutout with five saves. While she didn't see too much offensive pressure from the Cardinals, McCourt made a few point blank saves that kept her team in the contest. It did not take the Jumbos long to atone for Saturday's loss, as less than ten minutes into the contest, freshman midfielder Becky Greenstein took a pass from sophomore forward Becca Doigan and slid it by the Wesleyan goalkeeper. Both Greenstein and Doigan came off the bench to make the instantaneous impact. "Becca is a great player to have coming off the bench," coach Martha Whiting said. "The difference between this year and last year is really amazing. She came to preseason in great shape." Senior Sara Standish, back in the lineup after missing most of last season due to injury, was the second Jumbo to score, as she netted an unassisted goal midway through the second half. While the 2-0 win was not a colossal victory by any means, the feeling after the game was one of reassurance for the Jumbos, who dominated control of the ball and out-shot their opponent 34-7. "We were all excited about the win," junior Alle Sharlip said. "Wesleyan was hoping to upset us, but we controlled the ball the entire game." With this victory, Tufts moves to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the NESCAC. But despite this success, the team cannot become complacent, as it faces the biggest test of the young season on Saturday against the Middlebury Panthers at Kraft Field. The Panthers were the only conference team that Tufts did not defeat last year, as the Jumbos lost 1-0 in the regular season, and 2-0 in the NESCAC Championship finals under blizzard conditions. Tufts was able to avoid a potentially fateful meeting in the national playoffs with Middlebury when the Panthers were upset by Wheaton. Tufts went on to beat Wheaton and capture the New England Championship on its way to finishing as the national runner up. This meeting on Saturday at Kraft Field at 1 p.m. will be extremely important in setting the tone for the rest of the season. While Tufts dropped off of the national rankings list following the loss to Babson, Middlebury currently stands at 13th and has moved up in the last three weeks. "The Middlebury game will be huge," Sharlip said. "They know how important this game will be, and they will be gunning for us." So far Middlebury (2-0) has edged conference rival Connecticut College by a score of 3-2 and dismantled non-conference foe Norwich 10-1. The Panthers return three first team All-NESCAC players: junior forward Meg Bonney, senior goalkeeper Ali Connolly, and senior defenseman Ellie Wendell.

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News

ATM to be installed in Dowling

August 31

Tired of trudging all the way to the campus center every time you make an ATM run? A new ATM in Dowling Hall, to be installed tentatively by Dec. 18, will soon make the trek for cash shorter for uphill residents. The ATM will be affiliated with Citizen's Bank, the second largest bank in Boston, and will be part of the SUM network, a conglomerate of smaller banks. Students holding accounts at any of the participating banks can use the Citizens Bank ATM without paying extra fees. "Any student that comes to Tufts, instead of choosing Fleet because it's convenient, can choose any small bank in the area and still use the ATM without a fee," said Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate Vice-President Melissa Carson, who lobbied for the ATM. The University Credit Union is also on the SUM network, allowing faculty and staff to use the ATM without fees. Although some students have pushed for an ATM to be installed in Olin, administrators say that Dowling Hall is an easier location to install the machine. Putting an ATM in Olin would require remodeling and could have taken years to accommodate. Dowling Hall, on the other hand, already had the capacity for an ATM and is a popular location on campus. "Sometimes you have to work with what you have," Carson said. The ATM will be contained in two rooms - an open room where students can access the machine and a closet directly behind it. The closet will house the money and allow for tighter security during money delivery. Cameras will be placed inside the ATM. An alarm system in the ATM can contact Citizens Bank if anything goes functionally awry. Its 24-hour alarm notifies the bank, which would then send a repairman. Carson, a Citizens Bank representative, and Dean of Academic Services & Student Affairs Kristine Dillon negotiated for the installation. Carson said the administration and John Dowling, the building's namesake, were of the project. But some students said the Dowling location might prove inconvenient. "At least the campus center is on the way to places I'm going," freshman Meredith Mu?±oz said. Although she lives uphill, she finds herself in the Campus Center more often than Dowling Hall. "It's useful for teachers...I don't see how it will be exceedingly useful for students," she said.

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News

Tufts Community Union; united we stand

August 31

Does slamming your finger in a door prevent your whole body from functioning normally, or does it simply cause you to tend to your wound and go on with your day? Most people would give themselves a short time to heal, bandage the wound and move on. For the sake of an accurate analogy, consider Election Board (ELBO) to be the right hand of student government, and consider student government to be the whole body. With this picture in mind, even the simplest person should understand that ELBO's failure to hold the election scheduled for Friday is not an indication of the breakdown of student government as a whole. A bruised finger does not cause a body to be bedridden. This weekend all of my waking hours were spent in the Campus Center. Weeks ago, the Senate Executive Board had scheduled a meeting for Friday night. This, by virtue of Friday's events, became a meeting about ELBO and was opened to the chair and vice chair of the Judiciary. For more than 48 hours, the focus of these eight people was specifically, "What do we need to do to make this election happen?" Our second priority was to answer the following questions: First, "How should we deal with ELBO?" And second, "How do we make the student body see what we see - that this is not a breakdown of student government, nor is it a failure on the part of our respective bodies. Instead, how can we show them that this has brought the branches together?" The Daily has covered how we dealt with ELBO. They have delivered the news of the complaint filed by the Senate to the Tufts Community Union Judiciary (TCUJ) asking that ELBO's progress be monitored as the election approaches. They have also told you that a complaint was filed with the Committee on Student Life (CSL), signed by the eight people representing the TCUJ and the Senate. What I feel has not been emphasized enough is that the Senate and the Judiciary were able to come together for several days and make unanimous decisions. Members of the CSL were also on hand at different points to answer questions and discuss procedure. We were able to work effectively on the task at hand, even during Friday's six-hour long meeting. The ego that people traditionally associate with student government did not enter into our dealings at all. This is evidenced by our free exchange of ideas without the need for formal debate, and by the fact that different people facilitated each meeting without contest. There was no "student government fumbling" this week, as one article stated. Rather, there was cooperation in, and rebuilding of, student government. Three of the branches of the student government worked closely and productively, and followed the processes laid out in the Tufts Community Union (TCU) constitution for dealing with these situations. Along the way we formed further close ties and closer working relationships that I believe will enhance the ability of the student Government to be an effective voice of the community as a whole. As for the election, I believe that Valentino Caruso will be able to put it together in time and run it fairly. Still, I am angry with his decision not to ensure that the details of last weeks election were finalized, especially when he became suspicious that Shane Mason, the former head of ELBO, had not taken care of it. However, he is under the mandate of the TCUJ, and more importantly of his own conscience, to follow through with his job. TCUJ and freshman candidates, don't worry! You will have a fair election and we will find time to have a retreat for the senators in the very near future. There is interest in the open ELBO seats, both from people who want to join and from administrators who wish to train them. This wound took a while to bandage, but it is already starting to heal. Finally, I want to point out that one more positive thing has the potential to arise from this calamity. Anyone who read this paper today or yesterday knows that the election is on Thursday in the Campus Center; this could lead to one of the highest voter turnouts we have ever had!Melissa Carson is Vice President of the TCU Senate and majoring in child development and philosophy.

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News

Veterans Day should remain independent

August 31

To the editor:Glen Roth's Viewpoint last Tuesday ("Combining Veterans Day and Election Day." (11/13) cited a serious problem and offered an honest solution that I happen to oppose. Roth sadly, but accurately, observed that "the meaning behind [Veterans Day] has been lost to many." Yet, we won't solve things by stripping the holiday of further significance by removing its historical connections to the end of the Great War and combining it with another noble but entirely independent event. Instead, we should encourage individuals to talk with and thank the veterans they might know; let them know how much we appreciate their contributions and sacrifices. How many of you had a grandfather who served in World War II or a father who served in Vietnam? Do you know where they served, beyond a generic "the Pacific"? Ask them and honor them. (It's still not too late for a belated exchange this year.)Rather than trying to combine two separate things in an attempt to get more bang for you buck, retain the independent significance of each and honor these special days for the unique places they hold in American history. We should not fool ourselves into associating two disparate days because of their mere proximity on a calendar.

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Women's soccer overpowers Trinity 2-1

August 31

The women's soccer team posted a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over the Trinity Bantams Saturday afternoon to improve to 8-4 (5-3 NESCAC) on the year. Trinity struck first, but the Jumbos took advantage of two corner kicks, one at the end of the first half and the other midway through the second, to even the score and then pull ahead. "It's always a hard game against Trinity," senior co-captain Lynn Cooper said. "In the last few years we have had to come from behind. It was a tough game, but it felt good to nail it in there. We have a lot of momentum coming up now going into the last week." Senior midfielder Sara Standish knocked in the winning goal, finishing off a picture-perfect serve from classmate Katie Kehrberger. The goal, which came in the 64th minute, was the second of the year for Standish, while Kehrberger was credited with her third assist. "[Standish] did a great job to get to that ball," coach Martha Whiting said of the goal. "She's really picked up her level of intensity in the last week or so, and it showed today. She wanted that ball, and she got it and put it right where it needed to be." All three of Kehrberger's assists have come off of corners, and the Jumbos have tallied four goals in the last four games off of them. Tufts earned the corner when sophomore Jess Trombly made a run up the right side and had a cross deflected out of bounds. "In practice, we have been working on corner kicks a lot," Kehrberger said. "It is something that we need to capitalize on. We've been working really hard on running towards the ball and finishing." Immediately after Tufts pulled ahead, Trinity launched a massive offensive assault, throwing an extra attacker forward and threatening the Tufts net. But while the Bantams controlled play for much of the final 25 minutes, the Jumbo defense held strong, fighting off strike after strike to secure the victory. "I was on the edge of my seat for the last 25 minutes," Whiting said. "They stepped it up after the goal, and then they put another player forward. We just put another player on her, so she was marked up, but they definitely pressured. But I felt that after we scored and they kept firing away, we just weren't going to be denied, and that was just so amazing." With the win, Tufts solidified its spot in the NESCAC postseason tournament, which will begin next Sunday at a location to be determined later this week. "Another driving force today was understanding that, if we did win this game, then we're in the tournament," Whiting said. "Depending on what other people do, this could put us in a good position in terms of the first round, with the potential of hosting." Taking advantage of a strong start, Trinity opened up the scoring in the 18th minute. Bantam freshman Leah Felis made a run with the ball up the left side, beating Tufts sweeper Cara Glassanos and then feeding the ball to freshman forward Nicole Mauger. Jumbo goalie Mara Schanfield charged in an attempt to make a play on the ball, but Mauger lifted a chip shot up and over the sliding keeper to give Trinity the early lead. Immediately after the goal, Glassanos, who had limped through warm-ups, came out of the game, still bothered by a shin injury suffered Tuesday against Amherst. After not practicing Wednesday, Glassanos played against Simmons Thursday, but was rested after Tufts built up a sizable lead. The severity of the injury is not yet known, and the junior is questionable for next week's games. Sophomore defender Jess Lovitz shifted from her usual marking-back position to fill in for Glassanos. "It was a little nerve-wracking, but it was okay once we started playing a little bit," Lovitz said. "The defense as a whole played very well, so it made it a lot easier on me." "It's tough to lose such a presence on the field," Whiting said. "But I thought that Lovitz stepped up and did a phenomenal job. She's someone who works so hard and does a great job every game, and doesn't always get a whole lot of credit for it. It's nice to know that when a player like that goes down, someone else can do a very nice job." After Trinity's goal, Tufts picked up its level of play considerably, shifting the momentum and controlling the flow of the game. The Bantams turned aside shot after shot until Tufts finally broke onto the scoreboard with just under 1:30 to play in the half. "We started out a little slow in the first half, but once we started to play, it was obvious who the better team was and who deserved to win," Whiting said. "But I have to give them credit - they fought so hard, and this game really could have gone either way." The Jumbos earned their fifth corner of the first period after a flurry of shots ended with one deflecting out of bounds. Junior midfielder Alle Sharlip took the kick, and sent it into the penalty area. No one could get a body on the ball, and it bounced through to the other side, where freshman Becky Greenstein stood waiting. Greenstein quickly settled the ball and fired a shot past the Trinity keeper. A defender standing in the goal managed to get a foot on the shot, but could only deflect it up into the net, evening the score at one. "It was a great shot, because the keeper was completely screened," Whiting said. "Becky's a scrappy, scrappy player, and you need that in a game like this. When you watch her going to the ball, you're not quite sure what's going to happen, but then she's very explosive and just explodes off the ball. She's also very good with the ball at her feet, and so she's deceptive and can beat people, and she's not afraid to shoot." The goal was Greenstein's fourth of the year, and gives her seven points in the last two games. She is tied for second in scoring with Sharlip, each a point behind sophomore Jess Trombly, who has ten on four goals and two assists. The Jumbos kept up the strong play well into the second half, and took the lead for good on Standish's goal. "In the second half, we played with a lot of heart and intensity, and we started working together, Trombly said. "We really started clicking this game. We looked good - I think we're getting there. We're starting to put everything together and I think we should do pretty well in the playoffs." The team does not play again until Thursday, when it will travel to Worchester to play WPI. The Jumbos have dominated WPI recently, winning 5-0 in each of their last two contests, but with have to deal with atypical conditions on Thursday. The game will begin at 7 p.m., the latest the team has started, and will be played on a turf field. "WPI is always interesting because they play on turf, so it's a bit of an equalizer for them," Whiting said. "And we play there at night, too, so we have two things that are new to us that we're going to have to contend with, but we'll be fine." Tufts will then finish up its regular season next Saturday at number-one Williams (10-0, 7-0 NESCAC) before the start of the conference tournament the following day.

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News

Bacow flooded with e-mails in response to 'Frontpage Magazine' article

August 31

President Larry Bacow's emerald account has been swamped with hundreds of e-mail messages questioning the University's patriotism. The messages are in response to a Frontpage Magazine article by senior Joshua Martino, former editor-in-chief of The Primary Source, criticizing Tufts' handling of a harassment incident at the cannon. The altercation, involving Source Editor-in-Chief Sam Dangremond and juniors Elizabeth Monnin, Lou Esparza, and Adam Carlis, occurred on Oct. 2 while Dangremond was guarding an American flag that Source editors had painted on the cannon. The juniors approached Dangremond, and employing what they call a non-violent blocking technique, attempted to repaint the cannon. All three assailants were found guilty of harassment by the Dean of Students' Office, and placed on Probation Level 1. In the Nov. 9 article, Martino criticized the students' use of violence as well as the inaction of the University. "Anyone familiar with life on a politically correct campus knows that there is no justice for conservatives," Martino wrote. "These three have been polluting the campus with their lies," Martino said yesterday. "Tufts reeks of their stupidity," he said, adding, "I decided the issue needed a little fresh air, so I brought it to the attention of those outside of Tufts."Frontpage Magazine added an appeal for readers to "tell the good folks at Tufts University what you think of their refusal to punish their militant 'peace' activists," as well as a link to the e-mail addresses for Bacow and Dean of Judicial Affairs Veronica Carter. The result has been a landslide of e-mails directed at Bacow and Carter, many of which speak of disappointment with "the refusal of the University to properly discipline the guilty students" as one man said in a letter to the president. Bacow sent Dangremond a "carefully worded" e-mail that included a sampling of scores of e-mails the president has received since the article's publication. Some were from alumni, and informed Bacow that the writers would not donate money to their alma mater in the future, according to Dangremond. One told Bacow that his "actions and policies disgust me," and another said he would refuse to send his son to Tufts. Martino himself has received over 150 messages - most of them supportive - and was contacted by radio stations from both Seattle and Florida who invited him to speak on their shows. Martino says he is happy with the response to his article, and said he hopes the support encourages change in the administration. "I wanted to see if people outside of campus thought it was right to use violence to solve political problems," he said. "I've been disappointed by the general student apathy on this issue." Martino maintains that the Dean of Students Office was too lenient in its dealing with the three students, finding them guilty of harassment, not assault. "If you're found guilty of assault, the appropriate punishment is that you're suspended for a semester," he said.Frontpage is a conservative, online magazine that publishes opinions on current events. Probation 1 places a student on disciplinary probation for one year, but does not affect a student's "good standing" in the University, appear on the student's transcript, or trigger a phone call home. All three students maintain their innocence and say Dangremond was the aggressor. Their assault suit against Dangremond was dismissed.

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NESCAC tournament provides nothing short of drama

August 31

Williams, Middlebury, Tufts, and Bowdoin were left standing to compete for the conference title this weekend after the opening round of the men's soccer NESCAC Tournament last Sunday afternoon in Middlebury, VT. Middlebury knocked off Bates, Tufts edged Wesleyan, Bowdoin took care of Amherst, and top-seeded Williams advanced via its first round bye. The first game on the schedule turned out to be the best of the afternoon, as Tufts squeaked by the Wesleyan Cardinals in a four-overtime, two shootout round marathon. Regulation ended with the teams knotted at three, after Wesleyan's Nick Vincent sent the game into overtime with just 36 seconds left in regulation. But 60 minutes of extra play could not break the stalemate, forcing the first round of penalty kicks. For Tufts, junior Garrett Dale, junior tri-captain Matt MacGregor, sophomore Mike Blea, and senior tri-captain Brad Stitchberry each converted their kicks. But Wesleyan's Javier Gaston-Greenberg, Tim Murphy, Matt Chiavaroli, and R.T. Treveloni converted theirs as well, resulting in another deadlock. A sudden death shootout ensued, and Jumbo senior Pat Brophy gave his team the win on the seventh shot after Scott Conroy stopped the Cardinal's Chris Feige. Tufts' Justin Schreiner and Wesleyan's Jon Hecht also scored in the sudden death round. Bowdoin and Amherst also treated fans to a thriller, with the Polar Bears needing two overtimes to advance with a 3-2 upset. Bowdoin, the fifth seed, came back from a 2-0 second half deficit to hand the fourth-seeded Lord Jeffs their third loss of the season. After a scoreless first half, Amherst scored two in the first 15 minutes, courtesy of Tim Canon and Roger Boulay. But just eight minutes later, the Polar Bears made it a game, on a David Bresnehan tally. Chris Fuller then forced the extra period with a little over four minutes to go. Then, just 34 seconds into the second overtime, David Bulow's shot ricocheted off the post and then an Amherst defender before landing in the net. The goal was Bulow's 32nd of his career, and tied Bowdoin's all-time record. Host Middlebury finally stepped on the field after the Tufts-Wesleyan epic and made things look easy against Bates in a 2-0 decision. The Panthers struck early in the first half and then added an insurance goal midway through the second stanza. Kyle Doetzel served up a corner kick to Justin Griffiths, who headed in what proved to be the game winner. Nathaniel Shoaff was credited with the final tally. Middlebury will play Tufts in one semifinal match in Williamstown, MA on Saturday, while Bowdoin will take on Williams in the other. Game times will be announced early this week.@s:Men's soccer to battle Middlebury this weekend

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Forum on US economy predicts recession

August 31

Speaking at a forum yesterday on the economic aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, professors from both Tufts and the Fletcher school predicted that the US would enter a recession within the next year. "We are technically not in a recession yet, in the United States," said Lisa Lynch, a professor of international economic affairs at Fletcher. "There's a quick and dirty rule of thumb to tell when a country is in recession - the economy has to be contracted for more than six months." According to Fletcher Dean Stephen Bosworth, the US economy was shrinking before the attacks, and Lynch said that all economists are predicting a small decline in the third quarter of this year. Financial markets in New York closed for several days following the collapse of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, and their counterparts around the world fared poorly in the days after the attack. The attacks on Sept. 11 took immediate tolls on the entire US economy. At the moment, economic uncertainty exists, which Fletcher professor Michael Klein said typically accompanies political uncertainty. He said that people need to take a "wait and see attitude" and that raising oil prices could sound the first warning of recession. So could unemployment figures, and according to Lynch, unemployment had increased noticeably before Sept. 11, from 4.5 percent to 4.9 percent. Economists predict that the unemployment rate could increase to six percent by the end of this year. High unemployment knocks consumer confidence, which would drive the economic downturn. "If consumers follow what we call precautionary savings for a prolonged period of time," Lynch said, "this could have an effect in making the predictions for a recession be true." According to Klein, consumer confidence in September was at its lowest point since November 1993. Klein said the economy is experiencing a widespread and synchronous weakness. But economists still do not know how people will react to the attacks during the following months. "A blow to confidence in this time in particular could be devastating," Klein said. Lagging spending will also affect the federal government. According to economics professor Gilbert Metcalf, non-defense discretionary spending will be cut by ten percent to finance the government's counter-terrorism efforts. He added that the initiative for partial-privatization of Social Security has died because of the stock market's sharp decline.Metcalf proposed that the US consider temporary rather than permanent tax cuts, saying that it could offset tax cuts now with fewer and smaller tax cuts later. The government has already tried to prevent recession with monetary policy. As Lynch explained, the Federal Reserve cut the prime interest rate from 3.5 percent to three percent a week after the terrorist strikes. Klein noted that the European Central Bank lowered its interest rate less than a week after the attack. Most investors expect the Fed to cut rates another half percentage point today. Fletcher Professor of International Diplomacy Karen Jacobsen addressed the effect of Afghani refugees on the economy. Since Sept. 11, several Afghanis have fled the country for neighboring Pakistan. Jacobsen stressed how immigration into the US and other countries, by growing and diversifying the population, can increase economic output. But she added that migration causes social concerns and can also introduce security threats into the US. Audience members said that they left the panel better informed about the state of the economy. "They did a good job of relating events to the global effect as a whole," sophomore Mirette Kouchouk said. "I'm not sure what to expect, I think we're all preparing for the worst. I'm still waiting to see how the rest of the world is doing before changing my personal habits."

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News

Bickering neighbors

August 31

Two weeks ago, a Daily article about Harvard grade inflation caused a stir with our Red Line peers. Harvard students sent angry letters, and the Crimson, Harvard's student newspaper, printed two articles about the controversy, one of which reported vengeful Harvard e-mails bouncing across the Yard. A Tufts student quoted in the Daily article even received an angry phone call from a Harvard colleague. Their reaction was surprisingly defensive, especially for students attending America's premier university. With its rich history, prominent alumni, and world-famous graduate programs, one would think Harvard's student body would have a slightly thicker skin and not be so sensitive to criticism, which always finds its way to the top. Perhaps their defensiveness was a tacit recognition of grade inflation that gave honors to 91 percent of Harvard's most recent graduating class compared to 50 percent at Tufts and even smaller numbers at other top schools. Although its student body is obviously talented, Harvard honors are meaningless unless they represent achievement relative to ones classmates. Another explanation for the virulence of their response was Dean Charles Inouye's remarks to the Daily, in which he questioned the work ethic of Harvard students. His comments, unprofessional and insulting, deserved the rebuke they received. The Tufts students who gloated over reports of Harvard's grade inflation cannot help but sound jealous. Albeit immature, the retort of Harvard students to the Daily article was accurate: many Tufts students either applied to Harvard, or would have applied if their high school records rendered admission a reasonable prospect. The other side of Harvard's equally vituperative rejoinder - that only Tufts students believe there is a rivalry between the Red Line neighbors - is also undeniably true. By initiating in petty bickering over the Daily article, Harvard students are suggesting there is some validity in a comparison between the two schools. But Harvard's endowment is $13 billion, while Tufts' is only $500 million. In many ways, Harvard is in a league of its own, and the stereotypical Tufts inferiority complex is merely a result of unfortunate geography. Most schools would be honored to be considered a second choice for Harvard students, but no school could emerge with its pride untarnished while living in Harvard's intimidating shadow. Inouye's critical remarks and Tufts students celebratory banter were petty and unneighborly. Worse, however, was the barrage of counter-attacks directed at this University from Harvard students whose pride in their institution should withstand greater assaults.

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News

Head-to-head on K-Pax

August 31

K-Pax, the latest cinematic offering from Iain Softley, features Kevin Spacey as Prot, a self-described alien, and Jeff Bridges as a psychiatrist trying to psychoanalyze him. Set in a Manhattan mental institution, the film follows the K-Paxian's interactions with fellow patients and Bridges' attempts to analyze Prot while simultaneously piecing together his own splintering family life. What results is Prot's assessment of the flaws of humanity, and a disaster of Bicentennial Man proportions. K-Pax places Kevin Spacey alongside Robin Williams - not only for playing a non-human, but also for sliding into acting almost exclusively in nightmarishly sub-Spielbergian drivel, after making several high-caliber films. Williams at least has a decade long cocaine binge to apologize for. Spacey just seems to be pointlessly blowing his career with one bad line after the next. While Prot is pointing out the faults of our culture, the psychiatric staff is rapidly attempting to hone its diagnosis before his scheduled departure from Earth. The film concludes with Prot's essay contest to see which patient deserves to go back to K-Pax with him. We decided to compete for this chance as well.Why you should take me back to K-Pax: an essay by Stefan MarolachakisI want that one-way ticket you offered, and the ride back to K-Pax with you. I have a few points to persuade you in my favor. I think I stand apart from all the other applicants. I believe you have seen a certain little film named Dream Team. Surely, it must have been given airtime on K-Pax public television. That Christopher Lloyd character is endearing - the first time. You have to know a carbon copy when you see one, and all these residents at Manhattan Psychiatric Ward are precisely that. I, on the other hand, am the real deal. Prot, I can tell you're a winner. I mean, you're the kind of guy innovative enough to have been on the creative side of the XFL. The insights you have provided to us earthlings are truly priceless. You've shifted the tide down here, and set the crazies straight. You've been a panacea to us all. All we needed was someone who was patronizing with an alien perspective to let us know the follies of the human race. Most importantly, you've reconnected all of these urban folk to the beauty of nature, reminding us of the beauty that lies in bluebirds and flowers. Birds and flowers - now why does that sound familiar? You say you've visited Earth before. I wonder if it was sometime during late 1999, because your behavior is very American Beauty. You do well to point out the beauty that lies in the simple things in life - and wow, do we humans sure owe you for it. It makes us all feel so darned good. To get back to business though, I truly think you should forget about Daniel, my toughest competition in this essay contest. He'll talk your ear off on the trip through the cosmos with rants concerning screen gems such as A.I. and Earth Girls are Easy. I, on the other hand, will be your silent sidekick. I am willing just to sit back and listen. As you shower me with astute observations, I will pretend that I have never heard them before. "Make love, not war, that sounds like a great new idea," I'll tell you. What a trip we'll have together. We'll leave this primative planet and go. We won't need any script - we'll just improvise. That's what's great about you Prot, you don't even need a good script to operate, you just live on the edge and hilarity ensues. Doesn't it?Why you should take me back to K-Pax: an essay by Daniel SheerinPlease take me back to K-Pax with you. Unlike your other followers, I am not a somewhat offensive caricature of a "marginalized" person, but I still long to leave the ills of our society for the tranquility of your fantasy planet. I need to "chill out." On Earth, neo-hippie sloganeering is relegated to bumper stickers and health food ad campaigns - on K-Pax, it is the dominant ideology. Stefan is content to waste his days devouring granola bars and organic yogurt in the local Spencer's Gifts, while I truly realize the implications of your radical philosophy. Leave him with the other skeptics and liberate me from this ungroovy world. It takes an outsider to reveal the shortcomings of humanity to Earth's inhabitants, Prot. In showing us the importance of "traveling light," you have taught us what several anachronistic Brendan Fraser characters could not. Others have come as saviors, as "Jesus Christs" and "Joan-of-Arcs," but none offered the extraterrestrial escape you promise. You provide an opportunity unique to your alien counterparts. I bribed ALF with a rescue shelter full of cats, but he refused to take me back to Melmac with him. You have visited every country on this planet and experienced firsthand the close-mindedness of its people. In the world of K-Pax, self-criticism, self-awareness, and even taste are unimportant. Following obvious storylines, recycled characters can deliver cringe-worthy dialogue without disrupting the feel-good vibes. Beings from your planet show no concern about whether those they encounter are genuinely from K-Pax or are just frauds because, ultimately, they don't care. You have shown me that the individuals deemed "crazy" by society are actually lone beacons of sanity. Granted, hundreds of fictional characters have done the exact same thing, but not while eating so much fruit. You rein King of the mellow quip, my Prince Myshkin in Ray-Bans. Bring me to the planet-wide family that is K-Pax. I cannot stand the "stink" of this uptight Uptown for another day. I'm pretty sure Stefan loves it. Save me from this planet and its bogus ways. Not him.

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News

Williams overpowers men's soccer

August 31

The men's soccer team's five-game win streak came to a screeching halt on Saturday in the squad's 4-1 loss to the Williams Ephs. Despite the defeat, the Jumbos (9-3, 5-3 NESCAC) managed to clinch a spot in the NESCAC tournament, which starts Sunday, Oct. 28. With the win the Ephs improved to 12-0 overall and 8-0 in the NESCAC, wrapping up the NESCAC regular season title in the process. By clinching the title, the Ephs locked up homefield advantage in the semifinal and final rounds of the tournament. For the first 20 minutes of play, the two NESCAC rivals battled to a 0-0 stalemate and it appeared that the game would remain close. But at the 20:59 mark, Williams' senior Ted Giannacopoulos set up a controversial goal that provided the Ephs with momentum they would never relinquish. During the controversial play, Giannacopoulos beat several Tufts defenders and lofted a pass to Josef Powell. Powell sent a diving header into the lower right hand corner to give Williams a 1-0 lead and set off an explosion from Tufts. The Jumbos argued that Powell was offsides, but the call was not reversed. "The first goal - we are not exactly sure what happened," freshman goalie Scott Conroy said. "Giannacopoulos dribbled through two or three of our guys. We think [Powell] touched the ball with his hand. He also could have been offsides. We really got down after that play and they came right back at us with another couple breakaways." Following the score, Tufts struggled to regain its composure. "It just seemed like after they scored the first goal, we got our heads down," Conroy said. "By the time we got [it together], we had dug ourselves into a hole we couldn't get out of."The Ephs remained on the attack and ten minutes later, at the 20:59 mark, junior Alex Blake scored on a feed from senior Richard Bode. Blake scored his second goal of the afternoon five minutes later on Giannacopoulos' second assist. Giannacopoulos put on a display, breaking down the Jumbos' defense before sending a pass to Blake, who booted it past freshman goalie Scott Conroy. Blake's second goal of the afternoon concluded the first half of scoring and put the Jumbos at a 3-0 disadvantage heading into the second half. Though the Ephs had a big lead, they maintained their intensity in the second half, adding a final tally in the 53rd minute when Giannacopoulos scored on a pass from senior Eric Stein. Once again Giannacopoulos was able to break down the Jumbos' defense on the drive. "Giannacopoulos was a really good player," Conroy said. "I've never seen somebody as quick as him with so many skills." The fourth goal of the afternoon for the Ephs capped off a difficult game for the Tufts defense and rookie goalie Conroy. The four Ephs' goals were the most Tufts has given up all season. "I thought we played pretty well, but we just had four breakdowns and they capitalized on all of them," Conroy said. "They are a team you can't make any mistakes against because they will convert."After allowing two goals in the team's Sept. 29 loss to Bates, Conroy and the defense went on a hot streak, giving up one or fewer goals in five straight games. In nine of twelve games this season, Tufts gave up one or fewer goals. Not surprisingly, all nine of those games were Jumbo wins. But in all three of Tufts losses this season, the team has given up two or more goals. Looking at the final game statistics, the 4-1 score should come as no surprise. The Jumbos were outshot by a 26 to 10 margin and the Ephs' goalie Robbie Kirsher made only three saves on the afternoon, demonstrating that the majority of Tufts shots were not good ones. "They had the ball for more time," Conroy said. "Once we had the ball we had trouble getting it to our forwards and holding on to it. We really didn't really have many opportunities and when we did, we didn't shoot effectively." One of the few highlights on the day came in the 61st minute of action when senior tri-captain Brad Stitchberry scored off a pass from junior tri-captain Matt MacGregor. MacGregor sent a pass to an open Stitchberry in the middle of the field and Stitchberry drilled a shot into the upper left corner of the net, which Williams junior goalie Robbie Kirsher had no chance to stop. Tufts will have little time to brood over the loss as the team gets right back into action on Tuesday in a non-conference matchup with Gordon before completing its regular season schedule with a Homecoming showdown against Conn. College on Saturday.

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News

Light on the Hill recipient not yet named

August 31

The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate has not yet chosen a recipient for this year's Light on the Hill award, an honor which in the past has recognized noted alumni Hank Azaria and Bill Richardson. Senate President Eric Greenberg said yesterday that the delay partly stems from a change in the selection process and this year's late freshmen senate elections. The outgoing ex-vice president traditionally chooses the award's recipient, so Greenberg would have made the decision, but he said his role as president has limited his time. He is now working with senator Bill McCarthy, chair of the special events committee, to pick the recipient. "I think it will work better in the long run," Greenberg said. "I thought it might be a better idea to move it into special projects, but still have the ex-vice president help out." He said that more students will be involved with the selection process, especially the new senators. The Light on the Hill committee will meet for the first time next week. Greenberg plans to divvy up most of the work between the freshmen senators on the committee, to "give them the opportunity to work with people outside of the University," he said. In previous years, most former vice presidents ran for the presidency, lost, and resigned from the Senate. But Moira Poe (LA '01), TCU vice president two years ago, opted to chair the special events committee after losing her presidential bid. Last year's committee presented the Light on the Hill award to eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam, who donated $10 million to the school two years ago. The Omidyars, like many past recipients, were chosen in October and given the award in November. Greenberg said this year's ceremony will take place next semester, but would not speculate on the recipients. "We have to keep it secret till we know to whom the award will be given," he said. The Senate hopes to announce the recipient before spring break. The fact that the award has not yet been chosen does not reflect on its legacy, Greenberg said. "We just chose to do it differently this year," he said. Established eight years ago, the Light on the Hill is awarded to an alumnus who has contributed to society in a substantial way. Recipients have come from diverse fields - along with actor Azaria, former US Secretary of Energy Richardson, and the Omidyars, New York Times publisher Arthur Sulzburger Jr. and astronaut Richard Hauck have been honored. "Basically, it's someone who we feel has made a significant contribution, off the Hill, to society," Greenberg said. Though the Light on the Hill is not necessarily given every year, Greenberg said the Senate plans to award one Light on the Hill and one Rising Light on the Hill this year. Last year, it awarded two Light on the Hills. The Rising Light on the Hill was instituted in 1999 and is meant to recognize an alumnus on the path towards more significant achievements. Two years ago, the Senate gave the award to singer and lyricist Eden White, who sang with the Jackson Jills when she attended Tufts.

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News

Professors offer criticism, opposition to American policy in Afghanistan

August 31

Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, public opinion in the US has developed from initial national mourning and patriotic solidarity to include more varied and complex dialogue concerning terrorism and how to combat it. Prominent among groups voicing their concerns with the American reaction are college professors. As an American military response grew imminent, some began to question the efficacy and morality of such action. This criticism has naturally grown since the beginning of the air campaign over Afghanistan on Oct. 8. Some political scientists question the mechanical or operational aspects of Operation Infinite Justice, and others call into question the moral justification of any military response. At Tufts, professors have voiced their concerns with US policy in different ways. Political science professor Malik Mufti warned in a forum on Oct. 12 that the US would have to go it alone in Afghanistan, referring to an "illusion of a general consensus against terrorism." Professors Gary Leupp and Steven Marrone of the History department led a teach-in on Sept. 28, well before the strikes began, urging students to look beyond the immediate situation for root causes of terrorism in US foreign policy. Tufts isn't the only area school where academics are raising doubts about the American reaction to the terrorist attacks. Ever since the attacks, colleges have held forums and round-table discussions on the emerging diplomatic and military situation in Afghanistan. A teach-in discussion held at MIT on Oct. 4 featured four political science professors who offered their analysis and advice for US foreign policy. Concerns raised in the discussion included "over-Americanizing" the fight against global terror, violating international norms against killing civilians in a military campaign, and, as with Professor Mufti, the danger of a unilateral US response. Steven Van Evera, a political science professor, went on to criticize broader American foreign policy, emphasizing the importance of interdependent coalition building for international threats: "The U.S. should understand that we're asking the world to accept unequal power relations, a double standard," he said. "If we want the privilege and the right of being a superpower we cannot be arrogant. We must take other people into account all the time." Howard Zinn, professor emeritus of history at Boston University and now a columnist for The Progressive, used his column to call for a peaceful reaction to the terrorist attacks, as little as three days later. Citing numerous examples from history of failed military retaliations against terrorists, Zinn called on Americans to avoid more bloodshed of innocent civilians and to make America's influence felt through diplomatic and economic alternatives rather than a military campaign. "Isn't it clear by now that sending a message to terrorists through violence doesn't work, only leads to more terrorism?" Zinn asks in his article.This week, Daniel Terris, director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life and Brandeis University, published an editorial in the Los Angeles Times asking Americans to see themselves above all as global citizens."The time has come to scale back our self-righteousness. Our enemies never bought our assertions of American greatness. Our friends, however, even our closest allies, are beginning to resent our self-importance," Terris said. Terris stressed that while the burst of patriotism that has swept the country can serve the positive purpose of uniting the people against terrorism, the attacks were committed against the free world. He said we should therefore stress the international consequences of the attacks, and seek international solutions to terrorism. "Efforts to build a global coalition are bound to be more fruitful if we approach potential partners, not as a swaggering savior, but as fellow citizens of a world in peril," he said.

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News

University negotiating purchase of abandoned Capen St. school

August 31

Walnut Hill Properties, a real estate holding company associated with Tufts, is one step closer to purchasing a nearby abandoned school building on Capen St. after outbidding several other local developers. According to Vice President of Operations John Roberto, the administration has made tentative plans to house faculty in the 19,000 square-foot building. The building could also house graduate students among other possibilities, but neighboring residents concerned about noise have ruled out the possibility of using the space to as an undergraduate dormitory. "We don't have sufficient graduate and faculty housing, and a lot of other institutions do," said Roberto, who worked closely with Walnut Hill to evaluate the building's usefulness. If the house becomes a faculty residence, Tufts hopes it will entice prospective faculty members. Although the rent would not be subsidized, Roberto said that rates would probably be lower than other nearby housing. The building would be renovated and would be closer to campus than many other accommodations. Walnut Hill, which owns numerous Tufts buildings, will finance this purchase. Bruce Ketchen, the property manager of Walnut Hill Properties and Tufts' director of real property services, declined to comment on the purchase until negotiations are complete. In a sealed bidding process, Walnut Hill offered $801,852 for the building, $151,852 higher than Hillside Development, the next highest qualified bidder. Walnut Hill's bid matched Medford's valuation of the building, but according to Catherine D'Orazio of the Medford Department of Planning and Development, the city was prepared to consider a bid as low as $550,000. "We were quite happy," D'Orazio said. "We thought that the affordable housing components might drive the price down a little bit." As part of a campaign to revitalize its school system, Medford is selling off many of its older school buildings. When the town decided to sell the building on Capen Street, a "reuse" committee made up of Medford residents and government officials decided that the building would best be used for residential purposes. After consulting local developers, the town also decided that any development should include low-income housing and preserve the exterior fa?§ade. Though Walnut Hill's bid was remarkably high, the company's willingness to address most of the town's concerns made the offer especially attractive, according to Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn. The company's bid included 12 units, less than any other developer, and three low-income housing units, more than competing bidders had offered. Abutting residents were concerned about the noise and the late-night activities that might accompany an undergraduate dorm, loss of street parking, and conserving a memorial plaque currently at the school. Walnut Hill agreed not to use the building for undergraduates, provide sufficient on-site parking, and maintain the memorial, said McGlynn. "I can't believe how smoothly the process has gone," he said. More important to the Medford, Tufts will not use its tax-free status as an educational institution to avoid paying taxes, including property taxes, to the city. According to D'Orazio, Walnut Hill Properties, which is not tax-exempt, agreed to pay the tax equivalent to Medford should the building be sold to a tax-exempt organization such as Tufts. David Lilley, a DeWolfe realtor familiar with the local real estate market, said that Medford's requests were not surprising. "It's not unusual for [communities] to ask for some form of affordable housing in any housing deal," he said. Of the tax requirement, he said "it's more tax dollars that they are going to be generating to spend on infrastructure and schools." "It's a win-win for the city," he continued, "because they probably weren't collecting taxes on the building." Walnut Hill's lawyers are still working with Medford's legal department to work out the specifics of the agreement, according to Roberto. The deal will then be presented to the seven-member Medford City Council, which will vote to accept or reject the proposal, according to McGlynn. If the deal is approved, the building and grounds will be inspected to ensure that all parts of the agreement are still valid. Even after that point, both sides will be allowed to reconsider. Once the sale is finalized, Walnut Hill will hire architects and designers to renovate the building's interior.

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News

False accusation

August 31

If there's a time in your life for activism, it's college. After all, it's an environment where you are encouraged to try anything, generally with small consequences for failure. Unfortunately, there is a dark side to activism - zealotry. Zealots lose sight of the value of alternative perspectives, and in some cases, ignore basic facts in order to support their theories. Iris Halpern has fallen into this trap. Obviously a committed and driven young woman, Halpern seems to have made a major impact on the Tufts community through her involvement in the Student Labor Action Movement (SLAM). But just as a reliance on information aided her fight for better wages for Tufts' janitors, her impassioned ignorance has undermined her sexual harassment claim against The Primary Source. According to the Daily's coverage, this issue is fairly cut and dry. Halpern and SLAM have sparred with the Source for some time. The Source, always a bastion of good taste, ran a juvenile cartoon that allegedly poked fun at Halpern's body.Halpern believes the cartoon constitutes sexual harassment, and the Source should be punished accordingly.She's wrong.Despite the Source's embarrassing lack of editorial discretion, Halpern's complete disregard of established legal principles should not go unanswered. Her latest blasting of the Committee on Student Life ("An Open Letter to the Committee on Student Life," 11/13) is nothing more than an incoherent, emotional response to a decision that rightfully went against her.Halpern obsesses over the 25-minute length of the proceeding, as if it indicated a lack of thought by the committee. In fact, it should not have even taken that long, because Halpern never had a case to begin with.For starters, the Source's cartoon in no way violates Tufts' sexual harassment policy, as listed in the Pachyderm. It was not a sexual advance made threatening her status as a student. It was not a sexual advance used as a basis for an academic decision affecting her. And, most importantly, Halpern has not shown that the cartoon satisfied the critical component of any sexual harassment suit, creating a "hostile environment" that "substantially affects [her] performance in work or in study." But where Halpern truly errs is in her rejection of this case as a First Amendment issue. Whether or not she made a free expression complaint is entirely irrelevant in the committee's correct treatment of her claim as a First Amendment case. To state otherwise ignores a vast history of Supreme Court cases that clearly shields the media from such suits. In particular, the Court has shown great leeway on the issue of parody. As far back as Sidis v. F-R Publishing, the Court demonstrated that a cartoon mocking a public figure - and William James Sidis barely fit into this category - was not libelous. Since that time, it has become a fact of media law that parody through cartoons does not constitute libel or harassment. Clearly, the Source's cartoon was meant as a form of parody. And undoubtedly, Halpern had thrust herself into the public eye at Tufts. For the Committee on Student Life to ignore the Supreme Court's treatment of publications would be laughable. If Halpern had her way, then you could say goodbye to Mad Magazine or Saturday Night Live's mocking of Bill Clinton's genitals or Jennifer Lopez's ass. In fact, any public figure could willingly sue for harassment over cartoons, since they are generally mocking in nature, whether sexually explicit or not. Halpern needs to understand that US courts have continually placed the media in a special category, understanding the necessity of a robust press in ensuring the freedoms we enjoy. Occasionally, newspapers will exercise poor judgment, as was the case with the Source. But it's the price we pay to live in an open society, and is clearly preferable to the chilling effect on speech that would result from a lack of protection. Ironically, it is the very First Amendment that Halpern mocks that allows her to protest vigorously for her strong beliefs. As an activist, she must be aware of her constitutionally protected right of free assembly, and as evidenced by her many Viewpoints in the Daily, she is aware of a concept of free speech. But the true test of a belief system is when you are on the other side of the issue. For Halpern to take advantage of the First Amendment at one end and downplay its importance at the other is laughable. Though Tufts is a private institution, to deviate from the spirit of the constitution would be against the principles of higher education. This is not an issue about sexual harassment or women's rights. It's about the Source's constitutionally-protected right to make an ass of itself. I feel for Halpern for having to endure such ridicule, but the solution is not an official rebuke of the Source. It's more speech.

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News

Women's crew to compete in Head of Connecticut

August 31

After a two week hiatus, the women's crew is ready to test its skills against a barrage of teams in this week's New Hampshire Championships in Manchester. After a disappointing 26th place finish in the season's first meet, the squad hopes to rebound this weekend. While the fall season is notably less competitive than the spring, the squad still uses each race as an opportunity to cash in on weeks spent working on endurance and timing. "The fall is a time to focus attention on technique and endurance, to create a strong base that can be built upon in the spring sprint season," assistant coach Jessica Normand said. "I'm looking for the varsity teams to place in the top ten. It's a very attainable goal." This week is no exception. With Holy Cross in sight and hopes of keeping Boston College in their wake, every boat is looking to improve on its last showing at the Textile Regatta. The team has spent the past few weeks working on technique and power-building."The boat has really come together in the past two weeks, we're really starting to feel like one unit," senior co-captain Shelly Nelson said. "We're lengthening the stroke out and getting much better run in return, the boat feels much more set."During the fall season the stroke rating, which indicates how many strokes are taken per minute, is kept at about 28 to 32. For the shorter, faster races in the spring the rating is heightened to 36 to 38. For the races ahead, the team feels comfortable at a stroke rating of 32, coupling power with speed for the most effective stroke. The New Hampshire Championships will measure both how well the team has come together and how prepared it is for the upcoming Head of the Charles Regatta. One of the most prestigious collegiate regattas, the Charles is only a week away. "This race is both a test to determine if our hard work is paying off as well as a gauge to see how well we will compete at the Head of the Charles. We're really looking to be aggressive and see if it all pays off," junior Keffie Thebody-Feldman said. The varsity boats are hoping to keep Holy Cross in their sights and keep BC at bay. Meanwhile, after a victory in its first race of the season, the first novice boat is looking to continue its winning ways. This will be the second novice boat's first race.

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News

OneSource increases wages, SLAM declares victory

August 31

After months of negotiations, OneSource, the contractor that employs Tufts' janitors, agreed last Thursday to increase wages, expand full-time work opportunities, and provide family health insurance to its workers. The decision came after an intense round of talks between Tufts' custodial workers, a local service employees labor union, and the Student Labor Action Movement (SLAM). A new three-year contract will raise custodian's wages from between $8 and $10.50 per hour to $11.45 per hour for part-time and fulltime workers by Jan. 2004. Full-time employees will be offered family health insurance by 2004. The contract affects about 170 custodial workers, who were represented in the negotiations by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 254. SLAM and SEIU Local 254 have been protesting for higher wages, sick leave, health insurance, job security, and assorted benefits for custodial workers at Tufts since last summer. To cut costs and improve service, Tufts began outsourcing custodial services in 1994. In 1997, the University hired OneSource, its current contractor. Although SLAM organized campus protests and "teach-ins" to influence University officials, Tufts administrators were not directly involved in the negotiation process. "We are monitoring the situation, and are aware of the discussions, but are not actively participating in the negotiations," Vice President of Operations John Roberto said last month. "We're very much interested, but it is inappropriate for us to be involved in the specific day-to-day negotiation." Senior Iris Halpern, SLAM's chief organizer, told the Daily on several occasions that administrators did not make negotiations a priority and were not sympathetic to her organization's cause. In a press release from SEIU Local 254, the chapter's deputy trustee, Rocio Saenz, said the new contract is the first step toward improving working conditions for custodians throughout the area. "The victory at Tufts shows that more area universities are recognizing their responsibility to ensure fair working conditions for janitors," Saenz said. "The contract won by Tufts' janitors is the first step toward winning better wages and working conditions for janitors throughout Massachusetts."

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News

University heralds Trumpeter e-mail system

August 31

In a two-month process beginning this February, student e-mail accounts will be transferred from the Emerald server to Coral, which is part of Tufts' Trumpeter e-mail system. Coral, which requires no special software, will allow students to conveniently check their e-mail via the web from any computer on the Internet. The new system resembles popular web-based e-mail clients such as Hotmail and Yahoo Mail. Students who use Netscape Messenger or Microsoft Outlook will still be able to use those programs to check their mail. However, they will have to be reconfigured to accept the new firstname.lastname@tufts.edu-style e-mail address that all Tufts students will receive. Many students complained last summer when Emerald administrators restricted e-mail access from certain off-campus locations, requiring students to download new, secure software to check their accounts. The restriction came after America Online, which was receiving illegal spam e-mails routed through security loopholes in Tufts' servers, threatened to stop accepting e-mails from Tufts altogether. "You have to have Secure Telnet software so that decreases access to your Emerald account," senior Adnan Ozair said. "If Trumpeter allows either web-mail access (like Hotmail) or secure telnet access, then it's definitely much better than Emerald. In my opinion, it's a great move."Insecure connections have caused e-mail headaches in the past, but Trumpeter's secure connection should alleviate many of those issues. The system, which coincidentally relates to Tufts' mascot, Jumbo, will allow students to download their messages to a computer or leave them on the web. "Trumpeter offers additional functionality [because] you can keep your messages on the server or download them to your computer." Director of ITS Tony Sulprizio said.The new system will also allow more space for e-mail and attachments, reducing the irksome "disk quota exceeded" messages, according to Associate Director of IT Training Kathleen Cummings.System administrators plan to dedicate one week to converting each class, and do not anticipate any disruptions in service while the conversion is underway. Students will be given three days to come to the ITS Computing Center in Eaton Hall to receive their new account information. The process should take a few minutes, and students will be given a password sheet with their new information.Students will also be able to forward their Emerald e-mail to their new Trumpeter account and sign up for training sessions if they want more information. "I don't use my Tufts account that much. I didn't find it very user-friendly. I feel that just using Hotmail is easier and more convenient when traveling," junior Gingais Hadi said. "I'd switch to Trumpeter because Hotmail only has a certain amount of e-mail memory and Trumpeter will have more."Junior Damaris Medina uses her Hotmail account more than her Tufts account by forwarding her Tufts e-mails to her Hotmail account."I used Emerald for two years and I found it uncomfortable," she said. "I'd switch to Trumpeter.... But, it depends on its user-friendliness and how much access I can have off-campus." Medina said she knows of other institutions that had much more sophisticated systems."Emory University has a really good e-mail system where you have direct links to professors and have folders where you can transmit papers and assignments," she said. "I don't understand why this system has taken so long to be developed for a university with the technology we have."Since seniors are graduating next semester, ITS will give seniors the option of staying on Emerald until the end of the spring semester or moving to Trumpeter. Senior Sultan Chatila is graduating in May but decided to switch to Trumpeter. "I live off-campus, and it's more convenient for me. With the expanded memory it's worthwhile even for people living on-campus."ITS will work with leftover students, mainly those studying abroad, to change their e-mail systems next fall. The e-mail system change is a joint project of Tufts Arts and Sciences Information Technology Systems and TCCS.

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