Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Sunday, April 5, 2026
The Print Edition Print Subscription
Donate | About | Join Us
Advertise | Submit a Tip
Subscribe to our newsletters

Archives

The Setonian
News

Professors in the News

March 31

Researcher encourages patients to be active Tufts Medical School researcher Sherrie Kaplan told US News and World Report that patients who pose more questions to their doctors during visits often have better experiences and may even receive better treatment. Kaplan said that patients should utilize their doctor visits to obtain as much information as possible about their health condition. She suggested that patients do basic research on their illness and use that information to question health care providers. Kaplan and her husband, physician Sheldon Greenfield, came to this conclusion through their studies of diabetes and arthritis patients. The two experts also found that active patients were more likely to stick with their treatment plan.Tufts experts doubt nutritional value of chocolate Two Tufts professors of nutrition are questioning a study reported in The New York Post suggesting that chocolate has health benefits. The study found that on an ounce-by-ounce basis, chocolate can be healthier than many fruits and vegetables because it provides more antioxidants - compounds that protect against the adverse effects of the toxic byproducts of metabolism. Experts believe that antioxidant activity can decrease the risk of cancer and heart disease.But Jeffrey Blumberg, a Tufts nutrition researcher and a leading expert in antioxidant research, told the Post that having antioxidants in foods does not automatically make those foods healthy. "Nobody thinks of chocolate as a healthful food. It's a strange strategy from any kind of scientific perspective," he said.Professor Jeanne Goldberg, Blumberg's colleague at Tufts School of Nutrition, said that 500 calories of chocolate must be consumed in order to experience a health benefit. At that quantity, fat and sugar intakes can be unhealthy. Although certain antioxidants - called falvonoids - are found in the sweet stuff, Blumberg told the Daily that chocolate should not be considered a health food. Chronic intake of chocolate can have negative consequences, including dental damage and obesity. The findings of the chocolate study may be used in a marketing campaign for chocolate confectioneries such as M&M and Mars, Blumberg said."I enjoy eating chocolate, but at the same time I realize that its role in our everyday diet is not to demise healthful intake," Blumberg said. "Perhaps this study is a way to make us feel less guilty about eating chocolate."US should help El Salvador's poor economy, says Fletcher professor Professor of humanitarian aid John Hammock wrote in a KBoston Globe op-ed last month that the US is partially responsible for El Salvador's ailing economy. El Salvador has been long ignored the by US government, Hammock wrote, and still does not receive sufficient aid despite massive media coverage of a devastating earthquake last month. Hammock, a Fletcher professor and director of the Feinstein International Famine Center, believes that the US can play an active role in helping El Salvador climb from the depths of poverty and restore its declining economy. Hammock cited the role of the Salvadorian community in the United States in bringing peace to the Central American nation, making the dollar the official currency of El Salvador, and pushing the US to help the struggling country.

The Setonian
News

Professors in the News

March 31

Tufts professors comment on US-China conflict As China continues to detain the crew of the US Navy surveillance aircraft that collided with a Chinese fighter jet off the Chinese island of Hainan nearly two weeks ago, prominent political analysts and academics are offering their views on the future of US-China relations. At the center of the conflict lies the question of who is to blame for the collision and whether the US should submit to China's demand for a formal public apology. International law professor Hurst Hannum of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy told The Washington Post last week that the legitimacy of China's detention of the US aircraft and crew depends on whether or not the Chinese F-8 fighter forced the US EP-3 down. "It's fairly critical," Hannum said. "Once you're in the other country's jurisdiction, you have to look for some reason not to be there" ("US expects return of plane, crew," 4/2). If the US could prove that the US EP-3 was forced to make an emergency landing as a result of damage inflicted by the Chinese jet fighter, the US would have a legal right to recover its plane and crew, according to Hannum. Fletcher professor and China specialist Toshi Yoshihara told the Boston Herald yesterday that China's demand for a full apology rather than a statement of regret from the US is a reflection of Chinese culture and traditional thinking. "If they retracted the demand, it would be seen as a weakness," he said "Apologies and mianzhi, this notion of saving face, is a very important part of everyday Chinese life" ("Local profs: U.S.-China relations won't suffer long term," 4/10).Gene influences alcohol's apparent health benefits, says Tufts expert Those who believe that drinking a glass of wine each day helps reduce cholesterol levels and makes for a healthy heart may be in for a surprise. A new study involving Tufts scientist Jose Ordovas found that the effect of moderate alcohol intake on a person's cholesterol varies depends on that person's particular version of a gene known as apolipoprotein E (APOE). The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that drinkers with the E2 version of the gene had the lowest levels of Low Density Lipoproteins (LDLs), or "bad" cholesterol, while drinkers with the E4 version recorded higher than average LDL levels. Ordovas, a senior scientist at the Tufts Human Nutrition Research Center in Boston, said it is still unclear as to whether moderate alcohol intake or some other behavioral factor caused the observed health benefits. "It has been shown over and over that drinkers are different from nondrinkers in many other behavioral aspects," Ordovas told Reuters. "We need replication of these findings in other populations with different dietary and behavioral habits" ("Gene Influences Alcohol's Effect on Cholesterol," 4/6).Child development professor highlights danger of parental selfishness Tufts child development professor David Elkind told the DesMoines Register last week that problems with today's juveniles are partly caused by parents who force their children to mature at an earlier age. He attributed the trend to absentee parenting, which he said is becoming more and more prevalent around the US. Children growing up today are exposed to alcohol, drugs, and sex at an earlier age, Elkind said. Coupled with the decrease in youth "hang-out" spots like mall shops, clubs, and other youth centers, an early vulnerability to delinquency can lead to increased problems among today's youth. "I don't think we appreciate enough that young kids need space," Elkind said of the importance of youth centers and other wholesome venues where children gather. "These things are much more impactful on kids than Nintendo games or rock music." ("Parents, teens both get blame for the growing-up difficulties," 4/4).

The Setonian
News

Tuition a complicated numbers game

March 31

Rising technology costs have caused Tufts' tuition to grow at a fast pace in recent years, but studies show that the University's price tag is not increasing as quickly as many comparable schools. The current price of a Tufts education is $33,394. One of the ways in which Tufts evaluates its tuition increases is by tracking 20 similar schools, such as Dartmouth College, Brown University, Boston University, and Duke University. Tufts' tuition increases are generally a half-percent to a full point below the average. Last year, for instance, Tufts' tuition rose 3.9 percent, while the average among these 20 schools was 4.3 percent. The highest increase was 9.3 percent, while the lowest was three percent. Over the past few years, Tufts' tuition has risen ahead of inflation, in part because of sky-rocketing operation costs. "Things like Information Technology costs increase... often times technology costs are not just increasing with inflation but are totally new costs," said Executive Administrative Dean Wayne Bouchard. "We've been increasing financial aid significantly over the past few decades. The cost of maintaining facilities has risen within this area. Every time we renovate a dorm, we are paying very high construction rates compared to the rest of the country." Tufts' finances are a source of constant concern for administrators, especially in light of the University's small endowment, poor alumni giving, and reduced resources overall, according to Bouchard. "Those are areas we would like to see grow," Bouchard said. But, he says that Tufts is frugal with its limited funds, which allows it to do more with less. "We've had to work smarter, and we don't waste money in the way other institutions might. We are very well managed," he said. The majority of the $203 million Arts and Sciences budget comes from tuition revenues, with another $21 million supplied by tightly restricted research grants from outside sources, $5.5 million from the University's endowment, and $4 million from the Tufts Fund - a monetary source the University maintains to keep tuition increases to a minimum. Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine rated Tufts the 51st best value in private education, though the information used to calculate the University's worth was somewhat outdated. Even so, administrators give weight to the rankings when considering how Tufts stacks up to other schools. "Over the years, we've had to pay more attention, because there's always value in some of this information, in just knowing what the public thinks about your institution. We don't focus too much on those rankings, but we don't ignore them either," Bouchard said. The Budget and Priorities Committee, comprised of faculty, administration, and students, reviews all budget requests and works to fit them into the projected amount of available funds for the upcoming years. Factors such as inflation, financial aid efforts, energy costs, currency exchange rates for programs abroad, and projected incomes are all considered. This review takes place during the Fall, while deans work within the Policy Council to make similar decisions. The information is consolidated by late Fall, and a set of budget recommendations is created. At the February trustee meeting, the trustees choose whether or not to endorse the recommendations, and an official vote takes place at the May meeting. The trustees typically challenge the increases in recommendations, according to Bouchard, but it is rare for the group not to endorse them. "We recognize that we can't simply increase enrollment to meet the costs. We set a tuition that meets what our expectation is, but also based on what we think is a family's ability to pay," Bouchard said. "We're expensive, but we spend a huge amount of time doing whatever possible to keep those increases to a minimum." Although pleased with the progress Tufts has made thus far, Bouchard said the University could improve its program vastly if it had more resources. "There's always more you can do. You can never have enough money. We already have a very high quality academic experience; I don't feel we've scrimped on that."

The Setonian
News

UMass RAs petition to establish undergrad union

March 31

Twenty-hour work weeks, building-wide nightly tours, emergency and crisis management, one-on-one counseling sessions, and reams of paperwork barely scratch the list of responsibilities required of resident assistants (RAs) at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. During a recent discussion about the duties the job requires compared to the compensation offered, the school's RAs voiced their dissatisfaction. And earlier this month, the RAs took steps to form the first undergraduate labor union. Moves toward unionizing arose from a series of complaints against the UMass residential life system. The RAs are calling for adequate compensation, protection from arbitrary termination, an end to their contract's "open-ended clause," and equitable duties across clusters (sets of residences). UMass says its RAs receive an ample $137 a week. But the RAs claim they receive only $50 per week, or $2.50 an hour for 20-hour work weeks, which is significantly below the state minimum wage of $6.75. "It is difficult to quantify the RA job... some might say it can never be fully compensated," said Bob Clark, assistant director of Tufts Residential Life. UMass administrators were unavaible to offer further comments, and UMass News Director Barbara Pitoniak refered reporters to a statement released last week by UMass Chancellor David Scott. "The administration does not support the effort to unionize, and will follow established procedures expressing our position on the petition for recognition to the state Labor Relations Commission," the press release stated. UMass has also declined to sign a neutrality agreement, which would block the university from engaging in an anti-union campaign. According to the UMass RAs, the assumption is that the institution plans to enjoin them from joining the union. Serious union talks were organized last spring when then-senior and three-year RA Gregory Essopos wrote a senior thesis regarding the RA system. "The results were staggering," said David Synnot, an RA and advocate for the union. He called the document "the boiling point" that acted as the impetus to motivate RAs to unionize. At UMass, 12 to 24 RAs work in each cluster, which consist of one to three buildings. Every night there are two RAs on duty and three RAs on weekends (at Tufts, only one RA is on duty on any given night). On-duty RA responsibilities include patrolling each floor and each building to survey the residential area and confront party situations. "It seems most partying happens in the halls [at UMass]. We don't necessarily need [more than one RA on duty]... most partying happens elsewhere," Clark said of Tufts. In response to growing unrest among UMass RAs, an RA Grievance Committee was formed last semester to address specific concerns and sought to protect RAs from unfair termination and to ensure due process. "It was futile and passive," RA Council Co-Chair Asif Sayani said of the committee. Sayani claimed that Res Life management did not respond effectively to the council's recommendations. Although this movement is the first in the undergraduate domain, a precedence of unionization exists with graduate students. The United Auto Workers (UAW) union deals with 30 different graduate student bargaining units nationwide. The UMass graduate students unionized and formed the Graduate Employee Organization (GEO) 11 years ago, and now enjoy full medical and dental coverage, child care support, and eligibility for tuition waivers. Taking the lead from the graduate students, a majority of the 364 UMass RAs signed a petition to unionize early this month, which was then filed with the Massachsetts Labor Relations Board (MLRB) and the University. UMass had the option to either recognize the RAs as a union and proceed with contract negotiations or fight the petition with the MLRB - it chose the latter. If a renegotiated contract is signed by the RAs, they will begin paying union dues. These payments will cover various expenses, such as attorney fees, incurred by the union. Since UMass is a state university, the school's anti-union expense will be derived from tuition dollars, which may inflame the issue if costs add up. The MLRB will convene with UMass representatives, UAW union organizers, and RA witnesses on May 30 to decide the legitimacy of the union. UAW organizer Tim Scott is confident that the MLRB will decide in their favor. "The RAs' leverage is strength in numbers.... The university works because they do," he said. "From a risk management perspective, what RAs do is so important to the University," Clark said. "RAs are the ones to help identify students who need help. Without that staff, the University wouldn't be serving the educational function." In the event that the MLRB decides against the legitimacy of the union, the RAs still have other options, including going on strike. Incidentially, this is the bargaining tactic the graduate students chose when they initially began union talks. After the graduate students went on strike, the University responded quickly and recognized the union.The writer is an RA at Tufts.

The Setonian
News

Questions raised over price tag of Powell speech

March 31

Over two months after General Colin Powell delivered a speech at Tufts, the secretary of state-designate could face questions about his relationship with the speech's sponsor, former University trustee and Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon Issam Fares, at today's Senate confirmation hearing on his cabinet nomination. The Nov. 2 address was the most recent installment of the annual Fares Lecture Series. The speech caught the attention of political watchdog groups and worldwide media when The Jerusalem Post reported this month that Powell had received $200,000 for the appearance. Some organizations have questioned whether Fares used Tufts as a conduit to buy influence with Powell and the George W. Bush administration. "Anytime somebody is taking speaking fees or receiving money that comes from a source that they are going to be involved with in their official function, it is a concern," said Larry Noble, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan, non-profit watchdog group in Washington. At the time of the speech, Fares told the Daily that he hoped the US would improve its relations with Lebanon. "We only urge the future president and his administration to make peacemaking in the Middle East an urgently high priority, and to accord to Lebanon - a country that has given so much to the region and the world, and suffered so long - a place of special attention and friendship," he said. Powell's spokesman called the $200,000 figure "grossly overstated," but neither Powell nor Tufts have come forward with the actual amount. The general said that the fee was comparable to those he received for other recent lectures, reportedly in the $80,000 range. "If the fee quoted in the paper was accurate, I wouldn't be here today. I'd be out there doing that," Powell told CNN. The figure could be revealed during today's Senate hearing, as all presidential appointees are required to submit a financial disclosure statement. At the time of the speech - five days before the presidential election - Powell held no elected or appointed office. Nevertheless, it was widely assumed that he would be appointed secretary of state should Bush win.Fares' tenure on the Board of Trustees was set to end in 2002, but he announced in October that he would resign effective Nov. 1, the day before the Powell speech. Secretary of the Board of Trustees Linda Dixon, however, said his reasons for resigning were unrelated to the controversy. "As he was elected deputy prime minister his responsibilities got greater. He resigned because of his large duties in Lebanon," she said. Fares has adamantly denied charges that he sought to influence Powell with the lecture payment. "It seems the Zionist lobby in the United States and its agents in the region were displeased and worried that certain Lebanese and Arab personalities have a friendly relationship with some senior officials of the new American administration," he said in a statement last week. Powell, who was asked last March to participate in the Fares lecture series, also vehemently denied any wrongdoing. "It was a regular speech of the kind I give all the time. It is very unfortunate that there is some suspicion created that there was something untoward about the arrangement or something untoward about my participation," he said in Washington. Others in the capital are also standing by Powell. Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which will conduct the hearing, said the arrangements for the speech seemed routine. "I take the general at his word," Biden said last week. "Powell makes many speeches and it is unfair to Tufts and to the trustee to suggest there was anything improper about it," said Norm Kurz, Senator Biden's communications director. Some watchdog groups, such as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), said they were more bothered by Fares' response to the Post story than the Powell speech itself. "We are disturbed by the actions of Mr. Fares," said Ken Jacobson, ADL assistant national director. "It's unfortunate that, when legitimate questions are raised, Zionists and Jews are often blamed." Fares, along with his son, Fares Fares (LA '93), created the lecture series to bring high-profile figures to Tufts to educate students on Middle Eastern affairs. While Fares maintains close ties to the Republican party, Tufts Provost Sol Gittleman called the series "well balanced." Several speakers in the program's seven-year history have been prominent Republicans, including former President George Bush, former Secretary of State James Baker, and Powell. Democratic former Secretary of State George Mitchell, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing have also been featured in past lectures. Powell was the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Gulf War. Since his retirement, the general has served as chairman of America's Promise, a non-profit community service organization, and has spent a significant portion of his time delivering speeches around the country. It is typical for senators to scrutinize cabinet appointees about money they received from parties they might later deal with in their governmental role. President-elect Bush has had difficulties with other cabinet selections, including his original choice for secretary of labor, Linda Chavez, as well as Attorney General-designate John Ashcroft, a staunch conservative. Despite the Fares controversy, the Senate is expected to approve Powell's nomination with little debate.

The Setonian
News

Award ceremony kicks off 38th Kids' Day

March 31

It was not your typical panel of Tufts experts. But nine-year-old Evan Scarlett and ten-year-old Mira Dobrow Vale certainly knew what they were talking about. The two were two members of an informal group of "experts" who gathered last Friday in Tisch Library to honor producer Craig Bartlett as the first recipient of the "Eliot-Pearson Award for Excellence in Children's Television" for his animated children's show Hey Arnold! The presentation marked the official kick-off of the 38th annual Kids' Day at Tufts.Hey Arnold! first aired on Nickelodeon in 1996 and immediately became one of the highest-rated programs on the children's cable network. Revolving around the trials and tribulations of childhood in the city, Hey Arnold! was among the first children's programs named to the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences "Honor Roll" for programs that "reflect diversity, challenge stereotypes, and promote understanding." "Hey Arnold! presents an ethnically diverse cast of characters who deal with real issues in children's lives in ways that are sensitive, poignant, developmentally appropriate, and funny," said Julie Dobrow, coordinator of the Tufts Family and Media Initiative and an Eliot-Pearson staff member. Arnold quickly became a star at Tisch on Friday, as the audience of students, professors, and parents were treated to a series of clips from the program. The panel of children's television experts - including Bartlett, Tufts child development Professor Maryanne Wolf, and sociology Professor Paul Joseph - offered commentary on the short clips. But it was Evan and Mira - the true experts - who gave the most important input to the informal panel. The two fans each described their favorite episodes of Hey Arnold!, often repeating entire scenes verbatim. The clips also sparked discussions about some of the children have to deal with, such as "tattling." "I think most people might be afraid to lose their friendship," Evan said. Wolf praised the series for tackling "moral and ethical dilemmas that everyone, of every age, faces." Bartlett, the executive producer of the series, said that while many episodes have happy endings, the show's writers try not to create unrealistic solutions. "I just don't think it's right to have a happy ending without some sort of compromise," he said, "I think kids would see it as phony." Before presenting Bartlett with a plaque, Dobrow remarked that Hey Arnold! "embodies what we at Eliot-Pearson think good developmentally appropriate children's TV should be." Bartlett, who originally had considered a career in the fine arts, decided to go into children's television because he saw telling stories as a way to "reach more people." "This kind of validation is really rare in the work that I do," Bartlett said. "Knowing that kids like it is the most important thing." The award ceremony and the subsequent Cabot Auditorium screening of more Hey Arnold! clips marked the official beginning of the Kids' Day festivities on campus. "We thought it was a great way to work together with another department at Tufts," Kids' Day Co-Coordinator Sarah Stroback said. "When the Child Development Department approached the leaders of Kids' Day about the upcoming award," Stroback said, "we jumped at the chance." This year's Kids' Day on Saturday was well-attended, and the1,000 student volunteers marked the largest number since the program's inception 38 years ago. "We got such an overwhelming response from the Tufts community that we knew it was going to be a huge event before we even got the kids' registration packets in," Co-Coordinator Kate Elder said. Children from 35 local public and private schools were invited to attend, and the registration packet was translated into Spanish and Portuguese for the first time in an effort to attract even more kids. A number of Tufts students sacrificed precious hours of sleep to set up decorations early Saturday morning, transforming the campus into "Tufts in the Tropics," this year's theme. Group leaders could be found decked out with straw hats, leis, and Hawaiian shirts. The weather was, unfortunately, not quite tropical, with a chilly breeze blowing the brightly-colored balloons to and fro all afternoon. But the sun did shine for most of the day, and fears of rain proved unwarranted. The approximately 650 kids who came to campus from the Medford/Somerville area were treated to a day full of activities. Officers from the MBTA police gave canine demonstrations, and kids applauded with glee as a large German Shepherd lunged at an officer playing "the bad guy." Fletcher Field was transformed into a mini-amusement park, featuring attractions such as a small Ferris wheel and a swinging boat ride. There was also a magic show, a performance by Travelling Treasure Trunk, and a chemistry show that demonstrated how to make slime. At one point, the kids gathered on the President's Lawn to learn the hula from the Hawaiian Club. This year's Kids' Day was organized by a committee of 23 students, led by co-coordinators Stroback, Elder, and Eric Siwy. Many volunteers led groups of children around campus, while others staffed the over 35 booths on the residential quad set up by various students organizations. Kids had the opportunity to get their faces painted, play with Lego's, build creations of marshmallows and toothpicks, decorate cookies, and make sand art. Most of the student volunteers enjoyed themselves as much as the kids. "I just always have fun when I do this," said senior Kristy Baskerville, a group leader for the second time. Stroback said that although it was a lot of work, she enjoyed organizing Kids' Day. "It's really been the best experience I've had at Tufts," she said.

The Setonian
News

Going wireless

March 31

If final papers have kept you from enjoying the spring sun, you're not alone. Many students have been holed up in stuffy dorm rooms, studying hard, and trying not to think about the beautiful weather outside. But if Tufts were to join universities like Yale and Carnegie Mellon in offering wireless Ethernet connections, you could join the sunbathers on the quad while still putting the final touches on your papers. Yale installed "Wireless-Access Points" - base stations through which students or faculty can communicate - in early January. "The primary reasons were to gauge student demand for wireless service and for us to gain experience in managing a wireless infrastructure," said Joseph Paolillo, director of Data Network Operations for ITS at Yale.Yale will complete a survey within the next few weeks to assess the success of the program. But positive response have already been noted. "Benefits are clearly the mobility factor. We haven't identified any obvious downsides," Paolillo said. Availability of the system is limited, but includes public spaces, such as dining halls and meeting rooms, two dormitories, three buildings in the engineering department, and one housing the computer science department. Under heavy usage, wireless Ethernet offers a lower level of performance than wired Ethernet, and Yale does not plan to replace wired connections in student dormitories. "We envision a hybrid environment. The students, faculty, and staff may use a laptop with a wired connection in their office or room, and take the same laptop with them to public spaces and access the wireless network," Paolillo said.Wireless networks do not encrypt the data stream. Although encryption is possible, Paolillo says it is too cumbersome to employ, as well as easily hacked. Since Yale is running a pilot program, minimal security has been applied. Carnegie Mellon first installed wireless Ethernet in 1994 as a research network for five of its buildings. In 1998, after visible success with the research project, wireless connections were introduced for a production network. Within a year, academic and administrative buildings and outdoor areas on campus were wired with wireless Ethernet. "The benefits of wireless are that our users are no longer tied to a data outlet for their networking needs," said Larry Gallagher, manager of Data Communications at Carnagie Mellon. But according to Gallagher, the wireless system is slow and susceptible to interference from other sources, such as radio waves or microwaves. Carnegie Mellon has seen an increase in the use of wireless Ethernet cards. "While we encourage the use of wireless, we have always let people know it should not be considered a replacement for wired networking, but rather as a supplement to it," Gallagher said. Tufts initiated a small-scale pilot program this semester, involving the installation of wireless Ethernet at Dowling Hall. A larger pilot program is planned for next fall, in which Tufts will cover a visible campus location accessible by staff, faculty, and students. But it is unclear if there will be sufficient technical support to carry out the program, according to Keith Malvetti, network engineering team leader, who said that a kiosk of help would be necessary.At Wake Forest University, the wireless system was introduced over a year ago to improve infrastructure and mobile access to the network. "Benefits are that students are free to move about their dorm room, the library, or a number of other covered areas untethered," said Tommy Jackson, director of telecommunications at Wake Forest.But Wake Forest continues to support both systems, allowing students to choose speed and connectivity, according to Jackson. And unlike at Carnegie Mellon and Yale, the issue of security has been addressed at Wake Forest through encryption methods within the wireless hardware. Tufts has evaluated other institutions to assess how it should integrate wireless Ethernet. Dartmouth has blanket coverage for its campus, whereas MIT covers ten to 15 percent of its campus. Princeton covers outdoor locations only, an option that is not viable for Tufts or other campuses in the area, due to New England weather patterns. Despite the search for an adequate system, wireless network would only be an addition to the traditional wired technology, according to Malvetti. Wireless Ethernet has less performance and associated costs, unlike the more time-tested wired system, he added.There are also policy concerns regarding the classroom use of the wireless system. Some professors who offer open laptop exams do not offer access to the network, and with a wireless system restricting access would be difficult. If Tufts were to offer wireless access, the campus center could become as popular as the library, which offers nomadic computing through newly distributed jacks for laptops. On the other hand, according to Larry Levine, director of computing at Dartmouth, wireless Ethernet has beneficial academic applications. A wireless system would enable professors to broadcast presentation materials to student laptops and an electronic question/answer dialogue could be held between professors and students.

The Setonian
News

Loss of Nomar spells trouble for Sox

March 31

While shortstop Nomar Garciaparra was undergoing elbow surgery likely to keep him out until the All-Star break, the Red Sox bats also seemed to be under anesthesia yesterday afternoon during the season-opening game. Boston lost its opener for the first time since 1996 in an eleven-inning contest against the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 2-1. After ten and a half innings of offensive stalemate, Orioles second baseman Jerry Hairston doubled off of Derek Lowe to open the eleventh and scored on Brady Anderson's single to center. Baltimore's Ryan Kohlmeier, who came in to pitch in the top of the eleventh, received his first major league win. The beleaguered Sox squad failed to capitalize on a solid performance by ace Pedro Martinez, who allowed only four hits in seven innings. Martinez tallied only six strikeouts, however, and did not appear his usual dominant self. Former Cy Young award winner Pat Hentgen had a strong start for Baltimore, scattering four hits and six strikeouts across 8 2-3 innings. Boston's only run came off a Trot Nixon homer in the fourth inning, as the hitters seemed to have left their power down on the beaches in Florida. With Boston veteran John Valentin injured and infielders Mike Lansing, Jose Offerman, and Dante Bichette keeping the bench warm, the Sox infield staged a comedy rather than a baseball game. Rookie third-baseman Shea Hillenbrand was saved from an error in the fifth inning when a baserunning mistake by Baltimore's Melvin Mora gave him time to recover the ball and double Mora off second, while a misplayed ball in the sixth inning allowed the first Baltimore run to score. With Hairston on third, second-baseman Chris Stynes called right-fielder Trot Nixon off a ball that he easily could have caught and instead let it drop for a bloop RBI-single by Oriole Mike Bordick. It seemed as if two generations were playing against each other at Camden Yards yesterday, as the aging Orioles faced a youthful and untested Red Sox team. Boston might be a better team than Baltimore on paper, but its failure to get a win out of Martinez yesterday exemplifies the many problems the team has faced in recent weeks. The loss of Nomar takes quite a bit of punch out of Boston's line-up, and Manny Ramirez, who started at designated hitter yesterday, has a hamstring injury that may limit his effectiveness during the first few weeks of the season. Even worse, however, is that team feuds have brought storm clouds to the clubhouse atmosphere and are threatening the unity of the Red Sox. Carl Everett was fined an undisclosed amount and suspended for a spring training game after he missed the team bus again last week, and there has been widespread speculation that Everett's days with the Sox are numbered. Boston manager Jimy Williams has always had difficulty getting along with Everett, while the rift between Williams and General Manager Dan Duquette turned into a gorge in the last week. When announcing his lineup last Saturday, Williams blamed Duquette for not putting together a good enough team, and the Red Sox skipper may find himself following Everett out the door. The only person affiliated with the Sox to have a good day was team doctor Bill Morgan, whose operation to fix a split tendon in Garciaparra's wrist went off without a hitch. Garciaparra has been hurt since September of 1999, when he was hit by a pitch from Baltimore's Al Reyes, and the problem intensified during spring training this year. At first, he hoped the injury would heal by immobilizing the wrist in a cast, but he resorted to surgery yesterday. Craig Grebeck will be Boston's shortstop in his absence.

The Setonian
News

Senate sponsors Spring Break shuttle to Logan

March 31

You could almost hear taxi drivers moan when the Tufts Community Union Senate finalized the details of a low-cost shuttle to Logan Airport for spring break. Shuttle service has been traditionally offered to students for the Thanksgiving recess, but was expanded this year to reduce the high cost of spring break traveling. The buses, which will be chartered coach vehicles, not yellow school busses, will make eight runs between the Tufts campus and Logan Airport at the week's end. Beginning today, tickets are available for $6 at the campus center Info Booth. "It's an easy and cost-effective way to get to the airport," said freshman Senator Suman Rao who helped organize the Spring Break shuttle. It is difficult to carry luggage on the 'T,' Rao said, and the trip to the airport requires two train transfers and upwards of an hour in travel time. Taxis can charge nearly $30 for the ride to Logan, and securing one often poses a challenge on high demand days. The shuttle will take approximately 30 minutes, depending on traffic, and will stop at every airport terminal. There will not, however, be a similar service offered for students returning to Tufts at the end of break. According to Rao, a post-break shuttle would be too hard to organize: "People come back at too many different times. It's too complicated," he said. Tickets will remain on sale until the last shuttle departs or until space runs out. Students purchasing tickets must choose their desired time of departure.Buses will leave the campus center at the following times: Thursday, March 15 at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., Friday, March 16 at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., and Saturday, March 17 at 10 a.m.

The Setonian
News

Trustee endows scholars program to recruit best and brightest

March 31

Tufts, with the help of a wealthy trustee, recently unveiled a program to attract the nation's best students with the offer of large monetary stipends. Trustee Joe Neubauer (E '63) gave the school a $5 million-plus grant to create a Scholars Program in his name, in order to increase the enrollment of high-caliber students. Beginning with the class of 2005, prospective students will be eligible for a $10,000 stipend to be used for research, internships, or special projects, though only those in the top five percent of applicants will be considered. Seven or eight students will ultimately be chosen as recipients, but admissions officers have encouraged all students who meet the criteria to apply for the scholarship. The selected students will be notified of their acceptance soon after they receive their admissions decision. Students who apply to the program are required to write an additional essay. "[This is] a way to encourage and support at Tufts the most talented students in the country," Dean of Admissions David Cuttino said. "Our hope is that we will see a higher proportion of those students." Admissions officials are confident that the Neubaur Scholarship Program will succeed in increasing the enrollment among the most qualified applicants because of a successful experimental pilot project held for students admitted in the class of 2003. That program, known as the University Scholars Project, was offered through the Office of Financial Aid, and, according to Cuttino, enrolled top students at an above-average rate. The Neubaur scholarship is separate from the financial aid office, as Neubaur grants are not need-based. Students who require financial aid will be eligible to receive the stipend in addition to their financial aid package, and those who do not demonstrate need will still be eligible to receive it the stipend. The scholars program is not a merit grant, however, meaning that it must be put toward a research project, and not used for enrollment or housing costs. "The stipend is focused on progress - its purpose is to continue academic and personal development," Cuttino said. Neubauer Scholars will be able to work with mentors identified by the Admissions Office on special research projects. While plans for "mentorships" are not finalized, the program will initially involve three or four professors and will expand depending on its effectiveness. "It will grow as the program grows," Cuttino said. Students interested in conducting research already have opportunities to seek out faculty members, and may also reach out to fellow students who are involved in research projects. Last week's graduate school fair, as well as an undergraduate symposium planned for early March, are two of several places students can turn. Cuttino does not think that these new programs will infringe on any existing programs. "Students and faculty frequently work together on research," he said. "This is just another way of reaching out to those talented students and saying that we're excited about working with you." The scholarship program is Neubaur's most recent gift to the University. In 1997, he and his wife created "The Lerman-Neubauer Prize for Outstanding Teaching and Advising." He has also funded an endowed chair and "The Max and Herta Neubauer Professorship in International Economics." The scholarship program is different from his previous donations in that he has chosen to target the needs of students in addition to those of professors. "This program is directed precisely at making Tufts University more competitive at the top end of schools," Neubauer said in an interview with Tufts Magazine. "Because I have a very simple belief that to make universities better you have to focus on two bodies: the scholars (or professors) and the students," he said. Neubaurer's incentive program begins in a year that has already seen a record numbers of applicants in both the early decision and regular decision pools. There has been an overall 17 percent increase in the number of students who applied for early admission for Tufts, and close to 40 percent of the spaces in the class of 2005 have been filled by students who applied Early Decision. Despite Tufts' popularity, the challenge of enrolling top applicants remains paramount.

The Setonian
News

Intersection of Boston and College Avenues to be upgraded this summer

March 31

Longtime concerns about the safety of the intersection of Boston and College avenues have resulted in a state-approved plan to reconfigure and update the street this summer, making it safer for both drivers and pedestrians. Two students sustained minor injuries last week after being hit by a van while attempting to cross the street. The four-way intersection, which many students cross daily to get to Cousens Gym, Halligan Hall, Curtis Hall, and the Eliot-Pearson Center for Child Development, has long been considered a dangerous location. With only flashing red and yellow lights to guide drivers, the intersection can become a veritable free-for-all, and cars often speed through with little regard to right-of-way rules. The two streets also meet at an angle instead of a traditional cross, making it difficult for drivers to see other approaching vehicles and pedestrians. These problems should be resolved soon, though, as years of discussions between Tufts, Medford, and the state have resulted in a plan, approved by the Massachusetts State Highway Department, to reconfigure the intersection. A bid for the construction job will be announced in early March, and work is scheduled to begin over the summer. The traffic transportation consulting firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., of Watertown, Mass., was hired by the city of Medford to design a plan to improve three intersections in Medford, including the site where Boston Ave. and College Ave. meet. The city also participated in drawing up the design. According to Philip Lindsay, the firm's senior project manager, the plan will consist of putting in stoplights with individual phases for cars entering from all four directions and a separate phase for pedestrians. New signs will be erected and there will be some resurfacing of roads. "Basically, the entire intersection is being upgraded," Lindsay said. Members of the Tufts community have long complained about the danger of the intersection, but the issue was lost in the web of bureaucracy for some time. Collaboration with the city of Medford about 12 years ago led to the hiring of a traffic consultant to design a new plan for the intersection, but nothing came of the effort. "We have lobbied the state and city for some time to make the intersection safer," Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel said. "Everyone was very pleased with [the plan], but it just sat on the shelf for years." While the intersection was a top priority for the Tufts community, for years there remained other, more dangerous locations for the city to upgrade. The issue was further complicated because College Ave. crosses railroad tracks that run behind Curtis Hall, placing the street under the jurisdiction of both state and city. The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate has become vocal in its concerns about the intersection, and Treasure Michele Shelton has been in communication with state and local officials about the problems. "It's been an ongoing issue since at least 1985," she said. "I'm really happy that things are finally getting done and that Tufts students' safety won't be at risk anymore. That's the important thing." The design process included four steps, beginning with initial data gathering and field research at the intersection. A Design Public Hearing was held in March 1999 at the Medford City Hall, and the final design has since been agreed upon. According to Lindsay, the bid was originally going to be advertised on Feb. 17, but because last-minute details still needed to be finalized, announcement of the project was postponed. Typically, a bid for construction of this type is publicized for a minimum of 30 days. The Highway Department will have the final word on which contractor gets the bid. "Based on their review of the project, they will award the contract to the lowest qualified bidder," Lindsay said. The funding for construction will come largely from federal aid. Much of it will be drawn from federal Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality (CMAQ) program funds, which are used for projects to improve the overall traffic operation of roads. According to Lindsay, the city of Medford paid for design fees provided that the state would contribute to construction fees. He estimates that the project will cost a little less than $313,000. Construction on the intersection should begin sometime during the summer and will be supervised by the Massachusetts Highway Department. "Depending on when they start, it will hopefully be completed by the end of the fall," said Deputy Director of Public Affairs of the Massachusetts Highway Department Steve Young. "This is a fairly simple traffic improvement."

The Setonian
News

Shelton, Greenberg nominated for TCU presidency

March 31

Michele Shelton and Eric Greenberg have finally made official what had been known for months. At last night's Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate special meeting, the two were nominated for the TCU presidency by their fellow senators and will meet in the April 25 election. The candidates stated their official platforms for the first time, both stressing the need to reconnect with the student body as high on their agenda. "The Senate should be the voice of the entire undergraduate population," said Shelton, who listed her main initiatives as renovating Tufts' antiquated classrooms, rebuilding the Senate's strained relationship with the Office of Residential Life, involving more students in the process of reworking the block schedule, and reforming student-faculty committees. "The Senate needs to continue to put pressure on the faculty," to get more students on the committees, she said. Greenberg said that his freshman year off of the Senate was an advantage for him in relating to a disaffected student body while pressing an agenda largely composed of social life concerns. "If you had ever asked me if I was going to be running for president my senior year, I would have laughed at you," he said. Greenberg plans to push for more on-campus social options and a better University alcohol policy, while also supporting curricular diversification, an earlier release of housing lottery numbers, and a reassessment of our current cable, phone, and dining contracts with outside organizations. "The Senate needs to reconnect with the people. We have fallen off the radar of the student body," Greenberg concluded. Senator Erin Ross was also nominated but declined the nomination.

The Setonian
News

Every vote counts

March 31

A few weeks into this semester, the former Latino culture representative to the Senate for the Association of Latino American Students (ALAS) resigned from the position. This resignation concluded a trio of representatives leaving their posts. Along with ALAS, the Pan-African Alliance (PAA) and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) communities, each saw their respective representatives frustrated with their positions on the TCU Senate. Without a vote during senate meetings, these three culture representatives rightfully felt powerless in a sea of voting senators.When dealing with Senate issues, a vote equals power. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that over the last few years the number of culture representative resignations is higher than the number of representatives serving a complete term - the most common reason being a lack of power. This sense of inferiority stems from the fact that minority communities have always been and probably will always be underrepresented on the Senate. This lack of representation reduces the attention the Senate devotes to minority issues on campus and diminishes the voice of those chosen to speak for their communities. As a result of these resignations, the Senate and the student body as a whole suffer due to the loss of quality individuals. After the resignation of the LGBT representative, members of the Senate openly admitted that they had lost one of the hardest workers they had this year. Yet due to lack of power, the former LGBT representative was not even able to vote on proposals brought forth by the LGBT community.The Senate's lack of focus on cultural issues also leads to the administration overlooking these issues. This year, for example, both the Latino and Asian communities were fighting for similar causes - the hiring of faculty representing their respective cultures. After several meetings with the administration, the Latino community was able was able to exert influence in the hiring of Mark Hernandez in the Romance Language Department and Deborah Pacini-Hernandez in the Anthropology Department. The hiring of these two professors benefits the Tufts community as a whole by providing students interested in Spanish culture classes with someone who can speak from experience, and by increasing diversity in the anthropology department. The administration, however, attempted to pit the Asian community against the Latino community. Since each was fighting for similar issues, the administration claimed that since a Latino professor was recently hired, the same couldn't be done for the Asian community.The absence of a vote only further decreases the power of the all-important culture representative position. In each community, students express their concerns and, since the culture representatives have a seat on the Senate, it is expected of them to be the forerunners of these concerns. While providing the culture representatives with a vote would bring about a change in the Senate, it would be a positive one. With a vote, culture representatives will be considered full members of the Senate instead of being surveyors during meetings. As a result, culture representatives will not only be able to work on issues for their respective communities, but they will be able to work on projects affecting the entire student body. This would result in cultural issues being seen as significant while making the Senate more efficient and productive.I can recall at the beginning of the semester, when I was elected as the culture representative for ALAS. Although I did not know the reason why my previous counterpart resigned, I felt a sense of pride knowing that I would be vouching for the issues brought forth by the members of the Latino community. Before my first meeting, several members of the Senate, whom I had known previously, were very welcoming and helped me adjust to Senate life. Other members, however, made it clear to me that without a vote, my position was not indispensable. When I would speak on certain issues such as the lack of Latino representation in the Romance Language department, it upset me to see various uninterested faces, because issues like this affect the student body as a whole.In a way, though, I understand the position of the senators. Without a vote, culture representatives are bench players while voting senators are in the game. Sure, culture representatives can voice their concerns and some senators may listen. But with a vote, not only will representatives be heard, but action will also be taken. On April 25, you, the members of the student body, have a chance to help make this difference by voting "yes" on the amendment giving the culture representatives the opportunity to vote. Alexander Ramirez is a sophomore majoring in biology. He is the culture representative for the Association of Latino American Students.

The Setonian
News

A sports column on, well, sports

March 31

As I was wrapping up my bi-weekly trip to the gym here in Edinburgh, I decided to see if I could get into a game of pickup basketball. You will not believe what I found. Rather than the game I expected to play, where people dribble a leather ball and shoot into ten-foot baskets on either end of a court, I witnessed a game that was offensive to my senses. It wasn't that bad, but it appeared to be the stupidest game ever played. I didn't catch all the rules, but it appeared that some players stood on one side of a court being guarded by their opponents. Their teammates were on the other side of the court, again being guarded. The point of the game, as I quickly figured out, was to shoot a soccer ball into a peach basket that was hanging around twelve feet off the ground on a metal pole with no backboard. Of course, you couldn't dribble this soccer ball, so all the players did was pass around until someone shot, missed (I was never fortunate enough to witness a made basket), and passed it to the other end of the court where the opposing offense would go to work. What made the game even more frustrating to watch was that the defense was not allowed to touch the player they were guarding, which meant that players had relatively free shots at the basket, which of course they missed. I know, I shouldn't be too taken aback; korfball (the name is quite suiting) is probably a lot like the first few games of basketball with the good Dr. James Naismith. The problem is that in America, we've advanced from that stage, while here, it appeared those twenty or so helpless soles were stuck in the era of peach baskets. It got me thinking that we have a lot of sports in the world that are played by a very small percentage of the population, and could probably drift off into oblivion without people raising too much of a fuss. Take, for instance, curling. This sport, and again, I'm not well versed on the rules, involves a person pushing a fairly heavy stone down a patch of ice with the intention of getting the rock to land in a certain area that will garner his team the most points. To aid in his success, his teammate sweeps the ice in front of the disc to either slow it down, speed it up, or change its directions. It sounds fairly complicated to play at a high level (it's an Olympic sport) but it's even more boring to watch, as the disc sometimes hits top speeds of two mph.I guess that all sports, when looked at in a rudimentary manner, are, for lack of a better word, stupid. Who would want to take a stick, hit a ball, find it, then repeat the activity for four hours? Who would want to stand on a court with a stick, hit a ball over and over again, only to find that it keeps coming back at them? Sounds pointless, but millions of people around the world play golf and tennis. So it's easy to make fun of the more commonly accepted sports, but it's even easier to make fun of some of the sports they are wild about in Great Britain. I saw badminton on television the other day, but this was not your family barbeque, backyard badminton. These women were very good. The only problem is, the court is so small that the shuttlecock (the object they mash at each other) stays in the air so long, and the players are so quick, that I got up, went to the bathroom, made a sandwich, and sat back down only to find they were still on the same point. So I change the channel, only to find the second day of a cricket match. That's right, cricket matches don't end in one day. I think, and I may be wrong again here, that one team plays offense for a day, then gets to mind the field for the second. How would you like it if your team's Sunday football game didn't reach the fourth quarter until Monday?Before getting too deep into the subject of which sports are pointless and which are not, I think it's worth our time to talk about some activities that are not sports. The problem we run into is that the definitions of sport do not really help us, as Merriam-Webster has "to amuse oneself" as the primary definition, and a "physical activity engaged in for pleasure" for backup. Does that mean that Wilt Chamberlin's record of 20,000 off the court "scores" makes him more of a sporting man than A.C. Green, a virgin? Surely not.Therefore, we have to go with instincts, which can be difficult. But, I think it's manageable. I offer that any activity you play in or right next to a bar is not a sport, but a leisure activity. I know pool, bowling, and darts have extremely intense competitions, and the talent level is world class, but all three of them fall into this leisure category.Secondly, and most important, a sport cannot be an offshoot of another sport. This takes out cheerleading. I know some people have problems with this - certainly no one I hang out with, but I've heard things - but when your primary job is to incite others to cheer on another sport while standing with your back to the game, you just aren't playing a sport. But don't worry, cheerleaders. On Yahoo!'s list of 102 sports categories, I have trouble with a number of others that for one reason or another, shouldn't be considered sports. There is Yukigassen, the Japanese sport of formal snowball fights, cockfighting, orienteering, and walking, just to name a few. The best sport I found, though, was Kabaddi, and I leave you with a brief description. In Kabaddi, two teams compete by touching or capturing the players of the other team. On a court as large as a dodge ball court divided in half, one side sends a 'raider' to the opponent's half chanting 'kabaddi-kabaddi.' The 'raider's' job is to touch as many players from the opposing side as possible and return to his side in one breath. It goes back and forth until all the players are out. If only the NCAA would adopt Kabaddi, we would really see some March Madness.

The Setonian
News

A 'warm' welcome back

March 31

Tarot cards and palm readers, wax hands and acoustic guitarists, trips to the Bahamas and Boston. Students received a first-class welcome when they arrived on campus this semester with an array of "Winter Week" events sponsored by Tufts in an effort to provide alcohol-free fun for its students. And Winter Week was only the beginning, according to Ed Cabellon, program coordinator at the Office of Student Activities, who helped organized the programs. Satisfied with student turnout and response, Cabellon called the week a "big success." Winter Week offered three day's worth of lunchtime acoustic shows; a Survivor-based game show called Outcast, which gave awarded the victor a trip to the Bahamas; and A Tid Bit Nippy, an all-ages pub at the campus center with a DJ, inflatable sumo wrestling, a raffle for a Boston weekend getaway, and other booths and events for the week's culminating activity. Cabellon estimated that 400 students came attended "Nippy," making it the biggest success of the week. "People will attest that [A Tid Bit Nippy] was such a good event," Cabellon said. Sophomore Shelly Gufert, co-chair of Programming Board, which organized A Tid Bit Nippy, was also pleased with student response. "We put a lot of time and energy into it," she said. "I think the giveaway trip to Boston kept a lot of people there. It didn't cost anything and there was so much to do that people stayed." As was its goal, "Nippy" provided students with new choices for their Friday night. "We wanted to promote social activities without alcohol," Gufert said. Junior Cyril Thomas was in the campus center during A Tid Bit Nippy and said that students could avoid endless party hopping if similar events were offered regularly. "A lot of people complain that there's never anything to do on campus. Now there is," he said. Although Thomas thought that the events were well-planned for A Tid Bit Nippy, the long lines for some of the booths, such as the palm reader, deterred him from taking part. "There was a lot of stuff to do, but I didn't do any of it," he said. "After a lot of people showed up, there were lines for everything." A Tid Bit Nippy was Programming Board's big event for the year, Gufert said, and the group is looking into planning a similar event for next winter. The idea behind Winter Week was to throw a welcome back celebration for students after their month-long absence from Tufts. Several other schools hold events like Winter Week to energize students back from break, Cabellon said. "At most institutions of higher learning, there is usually some kind of welcoming program [after winter break]," Cabellon said. Inspired by their example, the Office of Student Activities brought Winter Week to campus. Sophomore Rebecca Valerin was pleasantly surprised by the Winter Week greeting. "It was a wonderful way to start the semester because it's a good way to get the community involved, to get back into Tufts mode," she said. But she didn't think the events should have come as a surprise. "They should publicize it a little more," she suggested. In addition to A Tid Bit Nippy, students seemed pleased to dine with music at the Hotung lunchtime acoustic shows. "[Students] would walk into the campus center and hear music and know something was going on," Cabellon said. Although Cabellon was concerned that some students might have wanted a quiet lunch experience, or planned to socialize while they ate, "most didn't mind that something was going on," he said. For next year's winter welcome back event, Cabellon hopes to include more students in the planning process. "We're hoping next year to create a community of students to help. My hope is people will really take to the idea of thematic programming and want to be a part of planning next time around," he said.

The Setonian
News

Retaining our faculty

March 31

In the past few years, alarming numbers of faculty of color have left this campus. As a senior, I can look back and remember many well-liked and respected faculty of color who have left, often quite suddenly. Some have left for very ordinary reasons - their spouse or partner got a new job, or they simply decided to retire. But sadly, a large number leave Tufts because they are unhappy with the climate that they find here. And according to data available from the Office of Diversity, they leave in numbers far out of proportion with their white colleagues. This revolving door of faculty of color has a serious negative impact on students as well as on the university as a whole. Faculty not only teach the classes we take, but they provide us with advisors, mentors, people with whom we can work and do research, and advocates on and off campus. For students, it is extremely disruptive to have an adviser leave and have to establish a relationship with a new person. Often when a professor leaves, his or her classes leave also, and students are left with fewer academic options. Faculty provide the backbone of the university, a more stable force in a place with an ever-changing student body. They are central to the school's mission and its goals and we simply cannot be a first rate institution when many of our most talented professors leave quickly because they feel unwelcome. The administration's efforts to recruit and hire faculty of color go completely to waste when many leave after only a few years, and before receiving tenure. Tufts has been making laudable progress in hiring diverse faculty - but not in keeping them here. And so this question demands investigation and action by the administration, specifically the vice president and the deans. While committee after committee for the last 15 years have examined this issue and arrived at similar conclusions and made recommendations, few concrete steps have been taken to reduce this alarming trend. Admittedly, there are some aspects of the problem that are outside of the administration's control. For one, Boston is a very racist city and a difficult place for many people of color to live. But this issue cannot just be ignored, and the intense discrimination that faculty face in finding housing could be addressed by the University through providing new faculty with transitional housing, or providing them with a list of realtors who will work with them to find a place to live. Many of the problems exist directly on the Tufts campus, however, and can be addressed through administrative action. Faculty are not given any real mentoring, and often find themselves as one of the only people of color in a department that may or may not create a welcoming and supportive environment for them. They may be asked to serve on a variety of committees and advise a large number of students because there are so few faculty of color to draw from. Departments are very central in a faculty member's experience at Tufts, and if they don't feel welcome in them, they are unlikely to feel a part of a real community here. Because of this, department chairs are also essential in creating a positive climate for faculty of color, and must critically reexamine how the department deals with issues of race and diversity and what they can do to foster a welcoming environment. There are likely many more reasons why faculty of color become dissatisfied with Tufts and leave, but without a formal exit interview procedure in place, we only find these things out through anecdotes and second-hand information. This year, the Pan-African Alliance (PAA) proposed creating a formalized departure interview process to assess why faculty members were leaving and use the information gained to more adequately address the issues that are raised. And though this proposal has gained the support of the Oversight Panel and has received partial funding, there is no absolute guarantee that it will be enacted. Also, it is only a beginning as it only tackles the problem side of the equation, and is a reactive measure that will be used after disgruntled faculty leave. What is needed in conjunction with this proposal is a mechanism to create real solutions and address the issues now, before faculty get so upset that they leave. The fact that this proposal came from students shows both that the administration has really been negligent in not acting in a more proactive way to address this issue earlier and that students recognize the problem and are doing whatever they can to respond to it. This speaks to the incredible drive of Tufts students to improve their school, but this is not something we can do alone. Faculty retention is a difficult issue to address, and we are only here for four years. We must speak out and work on the problem, but we must also reach out to others for help. The solutions are long-term but must be implemented immediately to stop this continuous vicious cycle. The administration has the power and responsibility to take swift action and concrete steps to ensure that all faculty have a positive experience teaching at Tufts, and it is time that faculty and students unite to demand this action.Margerie Yeager is a senior majoring in psychology and sociology.

The Setonian
News

International relations, economics rise in popularity

March 31

Ask a Tufts student his or her major, and it is in increasingly likely that the answer will be economics, biology, or English. And although interdisciplinary programs such as American studies, peace and justice studies, or Middle Eastern studies have sprung up in recent years, the University's most significant academic trend is a marked increase in the number of students concentrating in a handful of mainstream majors, including economics and international relations (IR). Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the IR program, however, double-majoring has allowed many of the other non-mainstream majors to find a niche at Tufts. IR majors, for example, often declare a second major in either a language or economics, because the IR requirements overlap with these disciplines. As of March, 48 percent of IR majors were double majors, and 18 percent of these students listed economics as their second major. There were 501 IR majors in 1999. Today, the department says the number has reached 552, up from only 250 when Professor John Jenke, assistant director of the IR program, first arrived at Tufts. One reason why double-majoring with IR has become popular is that international students comprise a large amount of the student body. "Thirty five percent of the IR majors are international students. This means that they may be exempt from the foreign language requirements that Tufts has, so they have more time to do more courses," Jenke said The popularity of the IR and economics majors is starting to concern administrators from both departments, who see their limited resources strained by increasing student interest. "We felt the strain in the IR office this year. All of this also means that there is a huge burden on the economics department. Both departments are concerned about being adequately funded to support the large enrollment," Jenke said. Although double-majoring may be popular among students, some administrators are anxious that students might not have the opportunity to explore interesting courses that do not relate to their majors. "I am not sure that double-majoring is a good trend. Majoring in one field offers the depth students need," said Jean Herbert, Tufts' associate dean and registrar. "But it is also better to have a breadth along with the depth by taking courses in which you can enjoy real liberal arts education." According to Dean of the Colleges Charles Inouye, there has been little movement of students away from the mainstream majors. Nevertheless, there is still a significant number of students flocking to the newer fields of study at Tufts. "What we call mainstream today was not mainstream even 50 years ago," Inouye said. "The mix of disciplines and their popularity is constantly changing." Offerings in non-mainstream languages have expanded greatly in the last decade. In the Japanese department, for example, there were only language courses and one tenure-track faculty member in 1990. Today, there are 14 students majoring in Japanese studies. Of these, one student is receiving a Fulbright scholarship, five students are graduating cum laude, and four are graduating with magna cum laude honors. The women's studies major began offering a certificate last year and now has 18 majors. Most of these students are double-majors, according to Director Sofia Hofkosh, and a number of them are in the five-year program with the Museum of Fine Arts. Women's studies is "not looking to become a huge major," Hofkosh said. "We want to provide interested people a field to pursue. Women's studies is a developing field nationwide." International Letters and Visual Studies (ILVS), another of Tufts' newest academic additions, focuses on an area in which student interest has ballooned. "ILVS was designed with the future in mind," Inouye said. "We created a complete program that includes film and visual studies, which is one of the big trends of interest today. I would not interpret the rise of interest in film studies and communications as a growth that will end interest and use of literary studies." The education certificate program, though not a major, has received increased interest in the past five years, and there has also been a somewhat greater interest in computer science. But according to Inouye, the number of students majoring in a particular program does not accurately reflect the program's academic value to Tufts. "To think of a curriculum only in terms of majors is not a good idea," he said. "Some programs have few majors but teach a large number of students and so contribute to the Tufts community in that way."

The Setonian
News

Coming to America

March 31

Instead of staying in Medford last semester, junior Heather Edmands opted to intern at a theatre outside London. Now she finds herself back at Tufts, gradually readjusting to rigid schedules and dining hall menus. Although the transition to college life after time abroad is marked with familiarities, Edmands and other students have found the switch somewhat daunting. "It's a little strange getting back into the swing of things," Edmands said. Edmands went to London on a Boston University program, in which she took some classes but spent most of her time interning at a theatre right outside the city lines, working on stage design. Because of her schedule, she felt like she belonged to the working world. "I was in an environment that was like the real world. I was independent abroad," she said. Her European lifestyle contrasts markedly with the life awaiting her at Tufts. "Suddenly, you're thrust into a community where it's completely students and almost all academically oriented," she said. "It's a much more structured, much more scheduled environment than when I was abroad." Even the little things caught Edmands off-guard. "One of the weirdest things is getting used to not cooking," she said. When she went shopping for snacks recently, she had to remind herself not to buy eggs, milk, and other cooking ingredients. "I can actually eat in the dining hall," she said. Like Edmands, junior Iris Halpern did what she wanted, when she wanted while abroad. In a semester in Madrid, she mostly took it easy - going out every night, taking in the museums, and traveling around Europe. "I sort of put my life on hold for three months. I had a really great time not necessarily being involved in my career or my studies," she said. With the spring semester, Halpern has found it tough to adjust to a larger workload, but she is also happy to resume her studies. "It's nice to be back and develop my interests back here," she said, adding that as a women's studies and English major, it was difficult to build on her studies while abroad; women's studies is hardly a concept in Spain, she explained. "In terms of my specific development, there really wasn't that much access," she said. "[The school was] more conservative in its variety of offerings." Junior Howard Wolke, who returned this semester from Jerusalem, notes the dissimilar attitudes of the two countries in his transition back to life in the States. "It's been difficult. I was in a completely different place, a completely different environment," he said. People in Israel have an easier time coping with difficult situations than people do in the US, he said. He also pointed out the difference in people's manners in the two countries. "People there are a little pushier. It's difficult for me not to have to push my way through everything. I don't have to push and scream to get something done," he said. Senior Mike Eastman, who spent the last two semesters in Australia, also sees notable differences in the environments of the two places. "The way of life is more fast-paced here," Eastman also said that he finds it hard to reconnect with some of his old friends, and that classes are much more difficult in the US. "I think I'm going to have a tough time at school," he said. While Wolke calls these differences "culture shock aspects," Halpern disagrees. "I think people are just having a tough time because they have to do work. They weren't really part of that culture," she said. Halpern adds that during her time in Spain, she didn't really have to contend with the conservative nature of the society, because, like others, she wasn't really a part of that culture. "[Students abroad] were still Americans... they didn't have to deal with a lot of issues they have [in other countries]," she said.During Halpern's stay with a Catholic family in Madrid, her religious beliefs sometimes came up in conversation. As a Jew, Halpern found herself very much in the minority in Spain. "[The family] didn't make me uncomfortable but if you live there, it probably would be [an issue]," she said.Though those who went abroad all seem to have had memorable experiences, most also seem happy to be back. For Edmands, the organization of university life suits her better than the laxness of the real world. "I like the structure of 2:30 Eaton, 11:30 Olin," she said, referring to the Tufts schedule. "I get a lot more things done." Edmands also appreciates being back on an academic track. "Even though I learned a lot and I grew up a bit when I was abroad, I felt I needed to get back into the swing of things and do things related to my major," she said.For Wolke, the environment is the best part of being back. "One of the things I prefer about [Tufts] is the campus just feels more open. There's more interaction between people whereas [in Israel] it is a closed campus," he said.

The Setonian
News

Jumbos' can't get over hump, lose to Camels

March 31

Hoping for a resounding follow-up to their convincing 7-0 shutout of ECAC rival Fitchburg State last weekend, the men's ice hockey team was bitterly disappointed in its 6-3 loss to Connecticut College on Tuesday. The Jumbos blew a 2-0 lead and failed to provide answers to the uncertainties that have pervaded the squad in the new year. "This was a frustrating and tough loss for us," senior tri-captain Dan Mahoney said. "We were up a couple goals against a team that we were better than. They got some lucky bounces and we didn't. We shouldn't have lost." After freshman Ben Delaney Winn and tri-captain senior Scott Hayes put the Jumbos up by two goals, Connecticut College scored five straight to put the game out of reach. Junior Tim Flaherty, who scored the game-tying goal and ended the night with a hat trick, led the Camels to victory. Players and coaches alike attributed the loss to a series of bad breaks, rather than to the low levels of intensity and effort with which Tufts has become familiar. "I thought we played well in the first period and ok in the second," head coach Brian Murphy said. "We didn't get the bounces. That's hockey. In the Fitchburg game, we got every possible break. Against Conn. College, we hit three posts in the first period." Mahoney agreed. "We played hard on the whole last night. Obviously, there were some lapses, but it didn't seem like we deserved to lose. It was definitely a frustrating game. Our losses have usually come when we came out with little or no energy, but that wasn't the case here." Equally frustrating was the Jumbos' lack of proficiency on the power play. Against Connecticut College they were only 1-7 when up a man. "It was a rough night for the power play," Mahoney said. "They defended it well I thought. They put up a lot of pressure as we came into the zone. We weren't able to get inside too often, and when we did, we were not effective." While agreeing that the power play was not at top form, Murphy was quick to offer some contradicting analysis. "They did a good job defending us when we were at a man's advantage, but the 1-7 statistic is a bit misleading. First of all, 1-7 is a good percentage for a lot of teams. Secondly, out of those seven, we only had a full, two-minute power play four times." An interesting sidebar was Jason Boudrow, who for the second consecutive game went scoreless. For any normal forward the drought would be ignored, but for Boudrow, who averages nearly four points per game, it sticks out like a sore thumb. "Teams haven't been playing Jason any differently," Mahoney said. "He's not playing poorly at all; there's no doubt he'll bounce right back." Murphy concurred: "Jason is fine. He didn't play a lot in the Fitchburg game. He drew a penalty after we were up 5-0, and the game was getting dirty and rough and there was no need to put him back out there. Last game he had some opportunities and didn't get the rolls. It's not a big deal." Conn. College was a non-conference opponent, which can be considered in both positive and negative lights. On one hand, the loss does not count against Tufts' league record, and as such has no bearing on its seeding for the playoffs. On the other hand, Conn. College is a member of the NESCAC, the conference which Tufts will join next year after leaving the ECAC Northeast. A win against a future conference opponent would have been a good omen for the future. "We have to put this one behind us quickly," Murphy said. "We have some important league games coming up and this isn't one to dwell on." Mahoney agreed. "The loss was really frustrating. We want to send a message to these NESCAC schools that we can play with them, and we can, last night we just didn't. But we have a busy week and a half ahead of us with games that mean a lot." The Jumbos will have little time to rest up, as they charge back into action today against Framingham State. "Framingham has been up and down," Murphy said. They have some quality wins and some quality losses. They are a team on the cusp of the playoffs, so they are playing for the season. They'll come out intense, and we have to match that."

The Setonian
News

Baseball has stormy Spring Break as team falls to 2-5-1

March 31

The men's baseball team escaped the snow and ice of New England, but was unable to escape inclement weather entirely, running into periodic blizzards of offense, followed by inexplicable droughts of runs, and a rainstorm that washed out a doubleheader on the Jumbos' Spring Break trip to Virginia and North Carolina. The team managed a disappointing 2-5-1 record on the trip, losing two of its games in lopsided fashion (18-1 to Virginia Wesleyan, and 11-3 to Wesley College). "Any time you have more losses than wins it's going to be a little disturbing," sophomore Evan Zupancic said. "But it was a trip to work out kinks. We'll be fine once we start playing league games up north." The loss to Virginia Wesleyan on Sunday ended the trip on a down note. The starting pitcher, junior Dan Callahan, was ripped for 12 runs in only one and two-thirds innings of work as the Marlins hit .389 as a team. Junior Tim Ayers drove in the only Tufts run, and only two Jumbos had multiple hits in the game. "There is not much of an excuse for how we played toward the later part of the trip," Zupancic said. The previous day, the Jumbos were in Newport News, VA, for a doubleheader against the Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School. The Jumbos won the opener handily, defeating the Builders 20-10, but dropped the low scoring second game 4-2. "We weren't playing well as a team and it kind of shows in every aspect of the game, mainly defensively," Zupancic said of the trip in general. "That's where it really comes out in the open." Two close losses came on Monday and Thursday as the Jumbos fell to Greensboro College 5-4 in 11 innings and 10-7 to North Carolina Wesleyan. In between the two losses, the games against St. Andrews were rained out, and the team's match against Methodist (played the day after the North Carolina Wesleyan game) was called on account of darkness in the 11th inning with the score tied at five. The game against Greensboro was tied at four in the bottom of the 11th inning with Greensboro senior Mark Bauer on second base with two outs. Bauer stole third, and scored soon after on a wild pitch uncorked by Tufts freshman Randy Newsom. The wild pitch tainted an otherwise impressive relief performance from Newsom, who gave up only two hits in two and two-thirds innings of work. Unfortunately for the Jumbos, the Greensboro pitching staff held Tufts batters to only three hits and one earned run. The Jumbos certainly did not have the same problems at the plate against Randolph-Macon College the day before. Tufts jumped on the Randoph-Macon starting pitcher Brandon King for eight runs in the first inning, and chased his successor, Joseph Wade, just two innings later with six more. Shapiro went 3-6 with two runs batted in, and senior catcher Joe Suprenant drove in four runs of his own as Tufts rolled to a 12-5 victory. Sophomore starter Jon Lee pitched six innings, giving up only two earned runs on ten hits. Northern teams often find it difficult to succeed against their opponents in the south. The teams Tufts played against have been playing since early March, if not February, while the Jumbos have been practicing in Cousen's Gym. However, last year's edition of Jumbo baseball managed to compile an 8-2 record on its Spring Break trip, one that featured many of the same nemeses as this year. Last season, Tufts swept a doubleheader against Randolph-Macon, defeated North Carolina-Wesleyan 8-2, beat Greensboro 8-3, and split doubleheaders with both Virginia-Wesleyan and Apprentice. "Last year, before the spring trip, we got about a week outside which really helped us out," Zupancic said. "I'm not really sure if that played too much of a role in our performance, but it had a little effect." The Jumbos open their NESCAC schedule at home with three games against NESCAC East rival Bates. The two teams will play a single game on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m., and a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon. NESCAC games are particularly important this season as the NESCAC champion (and only the NESCAC champion) receives a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Whether the Jumbos will get to play the Bobcats will depend on the condition of Huskins Field following Monday's snowstorm. As far as the season goes, the Jumbos will be hoping that fairer skies are in the forecast.

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