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Presidential candidates push platforms to small audience

March 31

The two candidates for student body president made their final public pitches last night at the annual Elections Board (ELBO) debate in Hotung Caf?© in front of a handful of supporters and members of the campus media. Both Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate Vice President Eric Greenberg and Treasurer Michele Shelton took the opportunity to reiterate their campaign goals and platforms, each listing ten primary projects for the upcoming year. Greenberg took every opportunity to plug his social-life track record and promised that his campaign pledge to "reconnect with the students" is more than political rhetoric. "There's a lack of energy. A lot of people aren't educated on the issues. My leadership style would be to go directly to the students," he said. "We need to really focus on everybody, and not forget the common person." The goals that Shelton pushed included expanding student-faculty committees, improving the technological infrastructure in Tufts' classrooms, and reforming Career Services. "One complaint among seniors is that if you're not a computer science major, it's impossible to get a job through Career Services," she said. The candidates have taken few conflicting stands on issues, and several audience members questioned what sets them apart, beyond personality. Greenberg touted his year off Senate, in comparison to three-year senator Shelton, as one of his key attributes, as well as his other jobs as an resident assistant (RA) and an event staff manager. "In terms of experience, I'm involved in more than just Senate. I'm an RA, and I've had to deal with racism, I've had to deal with homophobic remarks in my hallway. I get to see a lot of things outside the Senate," he said. Shelton, on the other hand, maintained that her projects and goals are more attainable than Greenberg's. "A lot of the issues I want to work on seem very feasible. These projects can actually be done," she said. Shelton compared her more traditional way of approaching a problem - learning student opinion and then lobbying the administration for change - with methods her opponent has used to get his way. "Rallies are great to make a show, but in the end, what do they really get done," she asked. "Rallies aren't the only answer. I have no problem fighting with the administration, storming into Mel Bernstein's office and demanding what we want." Both candidates stressed the need to gauge student opinion, whether through online instruments like Tufts Polls or by knocking on doors, asking questions every week. "We need to go to the people year-round," Greenberg said. "It seems like the only time we go around and knock on doors is election time." Shelton agreed, emphasizing the need to bring regular students into Senate projects. "I'd really like to get the students involved with the process. Senate should be expanded to let anyone who wants to work on anything help - because we need help," she said. Among the few students at the debate who were not members of student government, however, apathy reigned. "All 12 people who came to this, most of them have a vested interest," said junior Dave Satine, who stopped to listen while getting dinner at Hotung. "Honestly, they talk about getting people involved, they each have ten issues - by the way, what the hell is a Tufts Poll? - I think if they're going to deal with something, deal with something of consequence, not all this little stuff." The handful who did come to watch the debate, like senior and former presidential candidate Moira Poe, were concerned by the low level of voter interest in the election. If less than 20 percent of the student body votes, the constitutional referendum and the two proposed amendments to the Senate constitution that are on the ballot cannot pass. "Maybe it was just that the debate was unpublicized or not advertised enough, but it's getting a little unnerving that four people came out for this. It's beginning to look more and more like we won't have enough people voting," she said. One of the amendments would give Senate culture group representatives full voting rights, while the other would prohibit student groups from discriminating on the basis of self-acceptance of one's identity.

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News

Freelance Campus Personality

March 31

I managed to have a wonderful winter break, not only because I spent most of my time either asleep or reclining, but also because I also saw a number of great movies. Now, this isn't nearly as simple as it sounds. First off, artsy-fartsy movies aren't that easy to come by in Northern New Jersey. Most of the multiplexes nearby were still carrying How The Grinch Stole Christmas well into the new year. I could have ventured into New York City, but with movie prices the way they are in the big city I wasn't about to give up my tuition money just so I could see Chocolat. Lucky for me, there's a Mecca of artsy-fartsiness just ten minutes down the road in the town of Montclair. There, in three theaters - each one sketchier than the next - I was able to find movies like Best In Show and Quills. I wish I could say that the only challenge was finding a place showing these films. While I absolutely adore my friends from home, most of them weren't exactly itching to take in Quills or any of the other films on my must-see list. Actually, I suppose that Quills was the easiest movie to get everyone out for. I just told them that there'd be a lot of sex talk, feces, and necrophilia and, before I knew it, we were at the theater. (Random aside: No actress today has a better heaving bosom than Kate Winslet. No one.) Other movies proved to be harder sells. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was the first movie I convinced my crew to see. To avoid a scene at the movie theater, I had to reveal that the film was entirely in Mandarin with English subtitles. Jill, my good friend and polar opposite, decided to make other plans for the night, but I kept the rest of the crew together by playing up the fact that the fight choreographer for Crouching Tiger, Woo-ping Yuen, was the same guy who did all the fight scenes for The Matrix. This helped considerably. In the end, all my friends adored the movie. The fight scenes really were damn cool, and the film itself was beautifully shot. Next up was writer-director David Mamet's State & Main. Since it's a comedy, it was a whole lot easier for people to commit. I also had the advantage of going on Christmas Day. Every year, my friends and I head out of our homes after Christmas dinner to see a movie. Three years ago it was Titanic, then The Faculty, and finally The Talented Mr. Ripley two Christmases ago. Since it's a tradition, and no big movie was out at the moment, my friends felt compelled to come along. It helped a bit that I had dragged a few of them to see Mamet's The Spanish Prisoner a few years back and they loved the Japanese girl with the bazooka. Nothing clinches a deal like a Japanese girl with a bazooka. Our Billy Elliot outing turned into a Greek tragedy since I made the horrible mistake of forgetting to call Jill. She wasn't too happy about that. Luckily, we worked everything out, saw the movie the next night and, oddly enough, everyone else liked it more than I did. I really enjoyed all of Billy's (Jamie Bell) scenes with his ballet teacher, played wonderfully by Julie Walters, but some of the movie was too sentimental even for me. I would've been willing to overlook the sentimentality if the ending hadn't been among the worst in film history. I won't ruin it for anyone, but I will say that it was agonizingly trite. Honestly, it was a relief that I was the one who didn't like it that much. If it had been Jill, I would've never heard the end of it.Thank goodness that I had prepped my crew over the years with other films. It helped with State & Main and then again with Best In Show. One quiet night of senior year, I rented Waiting For Guffman and it was a hit. Since Best In Show was done by the same director, Christopher Guest (Jamie Lee Curtis' husband, by the way) and writers Guest and Eugene Levy (also known as the dad in American Pie), getting everyone to "The Screening Zone" (a frightening little movie house) wasn't a problem. Best In Show, starring largely the same cast as Guffman, definitely matched its predecessor's humor, if not surpassed it. Fred Willard's entirely improvised performance as the dog show commentator is one of the best things captured on film this year.Luckily for my friends, the last movie I dragged them to was at the biggest multiplex in our area. In the comfort of cushy Loews/Sony Theaters seats, we took in the critically lauded Traffic. Director Steven Soderbergh used various filters to differentiate the scenes in Mexico from the scenes in the United States. As you can imagine, Jill was not a happy-camper when the film began and we were treated to a grainy Benicio Del Toro speaking Spanish. She immediately leaned over and asked, "Is the entire movie like this?" I told her that it wasn't and, as soon as Michael Douglas came on, she relaxed a bit. Jill didn't end up liking the movie that much but, in my opinion, Traffic is the best film of the year. It is epic in a way that most of this year's movies just haven't been able to accomplish. Not to mention that the performances were stellar, with the best, in my opinion, coming from Catherine Zeta-Jones. By the time I moved back to Medford, I had seen six movies, all of them good. (Actually, I also saw Miss Congeniality but it was a matinee so that doesn't count.) Traffic clearly takes the cake in my book and, if the Academy has any taste, will take home the Oscar for Best Picture in March. I hope that my difficulties in getting my friends out of the multiplexes and into the movie houses will inspire my brothers and sisters out there who yearn for artsy-fartsy cinema not to give up. There are ways to make even the most obscure film appealing to the masses. If all else fails, you can just lie and then explain that you were misinformed about the movie. This last excuse also works well for porn.

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News

Women's sailing finishes second at Dellenbaugh Trophy

March 31

With New England's just over two weeks away, the sailing team continued it's consistent success on the water, as both the women's and co-ed teams put in solid efforts in their weekend regattas. On the women's side, seniors Jen Provan, Lauren Manning, and Lee Icyda teamed up with sophomore Laurel Snetsinger and freshman A.J. Crane at Brown University for the Dellenbaugh Trophy. Provan and Manning battled on the water for two consecutive days and put in a solid performance in the A-division. In the B division, Icyda and Crane spent most of the time at the helm, while Snetsinger replaced Crane as Icyda's crew in four of the final races of the regatta. Despite their efforts, the Jumbos fell just short of the top, and finished the weekend in second place behind Boston University. The team won the B division and but finished in second overall by a point. "It went down to the last race in B fleet," Crane said. "It was neck and neck for most of the final race, but we had to make up a few points, and in the end BU finished ahead of us." Despite missing the top spot by only a point, the Jumbo squad left Rhode Island satisfied and happy overall. "We sailed really well as a team," Crane said. "Overall we were happy, although we would have liked to finish in first. But it's fun when it gets close like that." The Jumbo women will try to keep the success going, as they prepare throughout the week for their chance to qualify for Nationals, at women's New England's at home on Mystic Lake. On the co-ed side, the Jumbos traveled to the University of Rhode Island to compete for the Moody Trophy on Salt Pond. Coach Ken Legler's squad performed well, but managed to secure only the fifth spot by the end of the weekend. "We sailed alright, but not quite as well as we were hoping," senior co-captain Adam Deermount said. Freshman Katie Shuman echoed her teammate's opinion on the squad's performance. "We definitely lost to teams that we could have beaten if we were sailing as best as we could," she said. That performance came from only four of the Jumbos, as the structure of the fleet race allowed for only two divisions and two teams per school. The sophomore pair of Pete Levesque and Caroline Hall, who normally sail in the top spot, were absent from the Jumbo lineup this weekend, as the competed in a different regatta at Connecticut College. Their absence left Deermount and fellow senior Lisa Keith in the A division for Tufts at URI, while junior John Birkett and Shuman competed in division B. Also present at the weekend regatta were the substitute crews of senior Katie Gordon and sophomore Matt Cohen. The two substitute sailors saw quite a lot of time throughout the weekend races, as high winds forced the teams to use their heavy crews on the water. "If it's windy, you are going to need more weight in the boat to keep it flat so that it will move faster," Keith said. "And due to the windy weekend, we used our heavier crews a lot." Despite only a fifth place finish, the Jumbo's are not ready to panic. The weekend regatta featured the same boats that will be used at New England's on April 28-29th, and thus much of the weekend served as early preparation for New England's and the chance to qualify for nationals. "We were using it for practice for New England's," Deermount said. "We knew it would be hard, and that showed on Saturday, but hopefully we will pick it up." The Jumbos will use the upcoming weekend to continue their preparations for New England's, as most of the team has the weekend free for practice on Mystic Lake in Medford. "We are going to practice team racing this weekend," Deermount said. "We are trying to get some alumni team racers to come out that have had success in the past so that we can get as much competition as possible. It's kind of like a weekend off, but not really." The next two weeks will most likely be busy ones for the co-ed squad, as they look to fulfill their own high expectations concerning New England's and qualifying for nationals. "It think we can expect to qualify for nationals and then after that we have a few weeks to prepare," Shuman said. "But we definitely still have work to do."

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News

Hits and Misses

March 31

Eric AlexandrakisI.V. CatatoniaY&T Music It's hard to quantify an album that actually frightens you. If you're going to a party and everyone there is chilling out to Eric Alexandrakis's I.V. Catatonia, leave. These are sketchy people. It's really not the best scene to get involved in. If there's no one around to judge you, though, lock the door and listen up. Alexandrakis gets some amazing effects using lo-fi recording and unexpected household "instruments." There are plenty of good songs dominated by his vocals and a guitar (like "Thanatopsis"), but he's also willing to use almost any object to get the sounds he wants. The title track is dark and furious, with spoken-word lyrics over a gritty guitar cycle, and while it may creep you out, it's undeniably good. Don't expect everything to sound the same, though, as he dips into experimental rock and even a little Dylan-esque folk. To Alexandrakis's credit, this may not be a slick, polished album _ and it's damn odd _ but it's got texture to spare.- Drew SheltonCalendar GirlEveryone But YouIntelligent Spread the word: of all the "pop-rock" bands in Boston, at least one is worth listening to. Drawing from previous years of experience in assorted punk groups, the four members of Calendar Girl make the effort they put into Everyone But You, their first full-length, show. "Where Have All The Heroes Gone?" opens the album on an energetic note, making the band sound a bit like Weezer on speed. The creative guitar dissonance on "Crawl" compliments the moodiness of the song, and paves the way for a few annoyingly slow, touchy cuts, like "Pure" and "French." But "Long Time," an anger-singed drinking song, recaptures Everyone But You's energy, even if more destructive than poppy. Still, the band cannot resist the rock clich?© of slapping on its sappiest love song as track 13: "Tonight Forever."Everyone But You, an uncommonly solid album, will be released in April, but you can catch the band live at the Middle East March 10.- Rob BellingerFreezepopForeverArchenemy Bottom line: Freezepop's new CD, Freezepop Forever, is indeed both round and plastic, and, like most CDs, it makes a pretty satisfying humming noise when it spins inside a CD player. Unfortunately, that's about all that can be said for it. Freezepop calls itself synth-pop, and it's one of the most aptly named pseudo-genres around. The "synth" part is clear from the tinny beats and vocoder effects, and the "pop" part... well, Freezepop is neither a record-industry heavyweight nor a group of tortured artists trying to make an impact on the world. Each song's backbeats have the potential to form some decent electronic music, but Freezepop won't allow it. With unabashedly stupid lyrics like, "Synthesizer playing is my trade/I have the IQ of someone in second grade," and an inexplicable affinity for the '80s-era vocoder effect, Freezepop may take the prize for most baffling and inexcusable album of the year - and it's still only February. - Drew Shelton

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News

Creating a true residential community

March 31

Last Friday, Student Trustee Representative Jesse Levey made a presentation to the Board of Trustees about the housing crisis at Tufts University. As former and current student representatives to the Board of Trustees, we collectively decided not to comment publicly on this issue until we were given the opportunity to speak to the community directly. We write this Viewpoint to serve as part of a continued dialogue with the Tufts student body concerning the housing crisis. We believe that this dialogue must continue to ensure that the voices of all students on this campus are heard and that a consensus can be reached that is in the best interest of the entire community. To say that the meeting last Friday went well would be an understatement. The trustees are clearly supportive of the idea of a new dorm. In fact, they were concerned that the process is taking so long. They recognized the overwhelming housing need on this campus and they agree with our desire to make Tufts a true residential community. In addition, they clearly instructed the administration to get to work on building a new dorm. They, like us, want to be involved in the process and they want it to move forward quickly. We believe that this is a great victory for all students. Personally, we have been fighting for a new dorm for over two years. We now are finally in the stage where a new dorm is going to be built. However, we want to take this opportunity to engage the Tufts community on the issues that still remain unresolved. The most prominent issue regarding building a new dorm concerns the exact number of students we need to house. The Dean of Students Office and the Residential Life Office both place the demand for on-campus housing at over 300 undergraduates. This number was calculated based on the number of students on the waiting list and an estimate of the number of students who would live on campus if they could. The question then is two-fold - can we build a 300-bed facility and will the need remain constant? The Operations Office has assured us that we can accomplish this goal by either building two facilities or by building one 300-bed facility. Both options offer their own particular benefits. Naturally, building one 300-bed facility would be cheaper and building two 150-bed facilities would provide more flexibility. It is still too early to decide for sure which site should be built on, but the overall point is clear - we have the capability to solve the housing crisis. The second question is more complex and requires a little background. In 1991, Tufts built South Hall, the largest dorm on campus. Shortly after the construction of South, the University had trouble filling the dorm. The economy was in a bit of a recession and students were looking more to live off campus because it became cheaper to live off campus than on campus. Some people are weary of building a larger facility now because of what happened in 1991. However, these concerns are unfounded for the following reasons: First, Tufts has changed drastically in the last ten years. Tufts has reached great heights, and the caliber of students that we are attracting today is vastly different from those we were attracting ten years ago or even five years ago. This has resulted in an influx of students who are more serious about academics and students who are looking for more of a residential experience. Part of what lures quality students to Tufts is that we are not in an urban environment and that we are a small liberal arts school where building a community is possible. Students who come to Tufts want to live on campus for these reasons more than ever before. Second, the housing market is not likely to decline any time soon. Boston has seen quite a revival in the last five years and the communities surrounding Tufts have felt this drastic change in the housing market. Davis Square is booming and the area surrounding Davis has become a popular place to live. Moreover, the end of rent control in Boston and Cambridge has sent people into the surrounding communities such as Medford and Somerville. These changes are all permanent and members of the Board of Trustees who have worked extensively in the real estate market have assured us that housing cost in this area are going to remain expensive. Furthermore, as Tufts has recruited a more financially needy community, the importance of affordable housing has drastically increased. Thirdly, a flexible building could allow housing options for graduate students. We currently house merely 39 of the nearly 1,500 graduate students on this campus. Granted, many graduate students do not want to live on campus, but we deny housing to virtually all of them, including many who would prefer to live on the Tufts campus. There are many graduate students who seek to be part of a community and housing them on campus would be a first step towards this goal. In this sense, graduates students serve almost as a buffer in case any of our calculations are off. We believe that these arguments further prove that we can build a 300-bed facility without compromising the feel of our campus and without running the risk of having empty beds. Furthermore, we have been assured by all parties involved that at no point will the administration admit larger classes to this institution. This is a big concern because in the past some new dorms were coupled with increases in enrollment. However, this will not be an issue with the new dorm.Last week The Tufts Daily wrote an editorial urging the trustees to build a 150-bed facility rather that the 300-bed facility that we have outlined here. We believe that despite our disagreement with the Daily Editorial Board, we can and will get a 300-person dorm built on this campus in the very near future, because once given all of the information, there are few arguments against building such a dorm. In the future, the media should get all of the pertinent information before printing an editorial on the issue. Luckily, members of the Board of Trustees were able to judge the argument presented to them based on its merits, to be as excited as we are about the prospects of building a new dorm, and to look forward to continue to build the Tufts community through the building of this new facility.Tommy Calvert is a junior majoring in international relations. He is a former student representative to the Administration and Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees. Adam Carlis is a sophomore majoring in peace and justice studies. He is a student representative to the Administration and Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees. Jesse Levey is a junior majoring in political science. He is a student representative to the Administration and Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees.Alethea Pieters is a junior majoring in political science. She is a student representative to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.

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News

Rebuilding after disaster

March 31

Junior Anoop Swaminath is busy these days. Immediately after an earthquake devastated India on Jan. 26, he jumped into action, beginning an effort to help the country's people in the aftermath. Swaminath and several other students had already been involved with the Veda Vyasa Foundation, a charity that works to improve the living conditions of Indian villages, when the quake hit. In light of the natural disaster that killed 50,000, injured 200,000, and left 700,000 homeless, Swaminath initiated a pledge drive called the Tufts Veda Vyasa Pledge Drive (TVVPD). The Veda Vyasa Foundation's mission statement explains its purpose: "Through the consolidation of efforts of NGO's (non-governmental organizations), non-profits, and governmental organizations in America and India, [to] improve the standard of living of villages all over India by setting in place necessary infrastructure like adequate housing, agricultural resources, hospitals, education, etc." Immediately after the earthquake, Veda Vyasa members called for a meeting that Swaminath described as "very much needed." They developed TVVPD, and they are asking people who join to agree to raise a minimum of $100 by the end of this school year. This money will go to the Veda Vyasa Foundation, which will focus on rebuilding after the earthquake. Freshman Vikas Keswani, a member of Tufts Association of South Asians (TASA) said that the tabling is going well, having made approximately $1,000 in a single day last week. "We have numerous people signed up already and are eager to look for more people to contribute," Swaminath said. "These funds will go directly to the victims of the Gujurat earthquake." According to The New York Times, this earthquake reached an area of western India the size of Switzerland. Although Indian authorities reported the quake as a 6.9 on the Richter scale, French, Chinese, and American experts estimate that the earthquake actually falls between a 7.6 and 7.9. In an e-mail bulletin to group members, Swaminath cited an factor that will slow the recuperation process: over 80 percent of India's one billion people live in villages, and many of these villages do not have any access to clean water, basic necessary medicines, or basic agricultural education. After experiencing an earthquake in Japan that reached 7.6 on the Richter Scale, Keswani said it was hard for him to imagine such an occurrence in India, which he considers his homeland. Swaminath urged students to attend group meetings and learn about the Veda Vyasa Foundation, a group that has secured $2.4 million from the World Bank to help Indian villages. "We are actively recruiting new members for the Veda Vyasa Foundation and are encouraging them to spread the word about this unique group," Swaminath said.

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News

Senators honor "professors of the year"

March 31

At an awards ceremony on Friday, lecturers LeeVigilant of the sociologydepartment, Chris Morse of the chemistry department, and Kiyoko Morita of the Japanese department were named "professors of the year" by the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate and received plaques for their exemplary teaching. Many of their students came out to support them at the ceremony, held at Hotung Caf?©. This year, the Senate Education Committee, which organizes theaward, received 15 nominations from students. Nomination forms asked students questions such as "How has [your professor] improved the academic environment at Tufts?" Once all nominations were received, the seven-member committeetried to select one winner, but could not come to a consensus. The award has been given out since 1998, but usually only to one faculty member. This year, though, the Education Committee thought all three recipients deserved the award. "We felt that all of them had done outstanding things that wewanted to recognize," said Abbey Wilson, chair of the Education Committee. Wilson outlined the achievements of the winners, saying that eachwas outstanding in his or her own way. Vigilant has been able to connect the material he taught with real-world events in his class about social movements, she said. In addition to studying demonstrations, students attended one for presidential candidate Ralph Nader last fall. Morse, who often teaches large classes, was commended for hisability to make a personal connection with students. Morita began a program in which Tufts students teach Japanese tochildren in elementary schools in Arlington and Somerville, an effort that Wilson said improved town-gown relations. Morita said the award showed what great students she has. "Without my students, I could not have become a good teacher," shesaid. The lecturer, who teaches three classes and has been at Tufts since 1993, wasn't even sure the award existed. "Naturally, I was very surprised and I was very touched," Morita said. "I don't teach or create new courses expecting to win an award."

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News

Graduate school news

March 31

New certificate programs created in bioengineering and computer science The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences launched two programs this year geared towards educating students on advances in technology. A part-time program in computer science was created for adults in search of a career change, while the bioengineering certificate program was instituted as a part of the University's new bioengineering center. The computer science program is open to individuals who have completed at least a bachelor's degree in any discipline as well as a college introductory computer programming course. The program is equivalent to an undergraduate minor program in computer science. A separate certificate program in computer science was also started this year, and consists of four graduate-level courses designed to update computer skills and broaden knowledge in several technological fields. The program allows students to cluster course electives around a particular interest or specialty and may be combined with the post-baccalaureate minor program, as the curriculums complement one another. The bioengineering certificate program is a part of the Tufts Bioengineering Center, a new collaborative "mega-center" which provides opportunities to conduct research related to biotechnology, biomaterials, and tissue engineering. The course of study in the certificate program will allow students to choose a focus in one of these fields.Medical and Dental Schools to train people from United Arab Emirates Tufts Medical and Dental schools signed an agreement with the Ministry of Health of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to provide formal and informal training for qualified physicians, dentists, researchers, technicians, and administrative personnel from the UAE over the next five years. The University will also accept ten qualified UAE students over the same time period into medical and dental degree programs. Both the dental and medical schools will make technology transfer and education opportunities available to students in the UAE. Another program via the US Department of Treasury recently allowed Tufts to renew a similar agreement with the Saudi Arabian government that expired last July.Chairs endowed at Fletcher and Dental Schools New chairs were endowed by several of Tufts' graduate schools. The Dental School awarded the Dr. Erling Johansen (D '49) Endowed Professorship for Dental Research to Dr. Athena Papas, a faculty member in the dental medicine program. The position was established by Edward Becker, a 1934 graduate of the Dental School, and is the first the school has endowed. Becker named the chair in honor of Johansen, who served as dean of the Dental School for over 16 years. The Fletcher School established the Henry Leir Chair in Humanitarian Studies. Peter Uvin, the first holder of the Chair, delivered an inaugural lecture entitled "Promoting Development and Peace: Crossing Conceptual Boundaries and Conventional Borders" on Dec. 7.

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News

You've got mail: debate over grade reports continues

March 31

The methods used to inform students of their grades - and whether to send grade reports to tuition-paying parents - have been the subject of much debate over the past few semesters. Grades have traditionally been mailed to students' permanent addresses, but some students, including members of the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate, are pressuring Tufts to end this practice. In an administrative effort to reduce spending, Tufts did not mail out grade reports in the fall of 1999. Paper and first-class postage for mailings cost an estimated $5,000. Parents were unhappy with the move, and passed on vehement complaints to the University; grade reports have since been reinstated. But some students say they should be able to control where their grade reports are sent, citing a right to privacy, especially since parents are not necessarily paying the bills. "There's something to be said for sending the reports where the bills go. If the student is paying the bill, then the parents don't have the right [to see the grades]," said Senate Trustee Representative Jesse Levey, who has been outspoken on the issue. A TuftsDaily poll of 104 students conducted last Sunday found that 70 percent of those surveyed think that reports of their grades should be mailed to their permanent address. An overwhelming majority of respondents, nearly 82 percent, believe that their parents have a right to know their grades. Most said that their parents pay for their education and therefore have a right to know how their children are performing academically. "I don't mind letting my parents know. They're paying for it, and they care," freshman Pam Aghababan said. In the fall of 1999, many students joined their parents in rejecting Tufts' policy change. For some it was more than a question of convenience; without the official hard copy, students were forced to spend two dollars on an official transcript to send to insurance companies, which created additional work for administrators. Although grade reports are sent to a student's permanent address, they are addressed to students, not parents, in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The FERPA mandates that university records for students over the age of 18 remain private. Tufts is not allowed to release personal information to a student's family unless he or she consents. But grade reports for the fall semester can arrive after students have returned to school, and students who do not live at their permanent addresses for the summer rarely receive the mailings. Tufts does not grant family members access to academic progress unless a student is on academic warning or is having medical problems - an agreement which students sign upon matriculating. However, many report that their parents open their mail anyway, defeating the purpose of addressing the envelope to the student. The Senate is asking the administration to enable students to specify the address to which the paper copy should be sent. "[This way] students can change the address away from parents waiting to open their kids' mail," Senate Services Committee Chair Melinda Coolidge said. In the Daily poll, 67 percent of students said they would favor a proposal to have grade reports sent to students' school addresses. But almost all students surveyed, 101 out of 104, said that they share their grades with their parents. "I share my grades with my parents so it shouldn't matter if they receive a copy of them, but I think it should be my choice to have them mailed to my parents' home," freshman Katrina Elio said. An alternative proposal would let students sign release forms authorizing the University to send grade reports to their parents. Others have suggested granting parents access to the SIS website with a password, reducing administrative costs. Dean of Academic Services and Student Affairs Kristine Dillon said that this does not seem feasible because authenticating the passwords would be difficult. Grade delivery was a contentious issue over winter break this year when SISOnline problems delayed their dissemination. Previously, students were able to access grades through an 800-number, but that service was discontinued, and many became frustrated that it took so long to find out how they had done in their classes. The poll suggests that 45 percent of students were unsatisfied with the way they received grades last semester. Many cited the time it took for grades to be posted on SISOnline as a reason for their dissatisfaction, and several mentioned that they were unable to get grades because they did not have Internet access. Administrators say there is not much they can do to speed up the process of releasing grades, as they cannot be verified and posted until professors submit them. "Grades are only valuable if accurate," Dillon said. "Many [professors] feel strongly about the amount of time they have to turn in grades." Plans are in the works for allowing professors to submit grades online through a secure site by next year, which would speed up the grade posting process. The administration is also looking into granting earlier access to SISOnline, but this could only be done if it can be ensured that posted grades are correct. The Senate hopes to have the reporting process changed by the end of the spring semester. Dillon says that it may take longer because FERPA requires Tufts to notify parents of its enforcement of the law, and the appropriate time to communicate this message would be when other letters go out to parents at the beginning of the academic year.

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News

Economist speaks on keys to unemployment

March 31

High European unemployment is the combined result of economic downturns and protective governmental institutions, MIT Economics Chair Olivier Blanchard told 70 Tufts students and faculty at a lecture Thursday. The talk, which was part of the Department of Economics' Wellington-Burnham Lecture Series, summarized three lectures given by the renowned economist at the prestigious London School of Economics in October. Unemployment has been a chronic problem in Europe, which saw the percentage of people out of work rise to 11 percent in the 1990s. Blanchard, though, pointed out a small decline in 2000 and said that unemployment on the continent was on the cusp of coming down. Yet, the number of people looking for work in Europe was not always so high. "In the 1960s, Europe was doing incredibly well, with strong growth and low unemployment," Blanchard said. With only 1.7 percent of the workforce unemployed at the time, many Americans looked eastward for solutions to the US's relatively high unemployment rate. But in 1970s, the fast-paced advances in technology that characterized the post-war years came to an end in Europe and productivity slowed. "Technological progress allows workers to increase their standard of living without increasing labor costs," Blanchard said. There was a dramatic decrease in the underlying rate of technological progress. Wage increase rates took a while to adjust to the [slower] technical progress. So labor costs went up and so did unemployment." High interest rates in the 1980s and 1990s also affected European companies' ability to invest in capital and hire workers. Unemployment problems are often blamed on Europe's welfare systems, according to Blanchard, as it offers generous cushions for workers who loose their jobs. "The welfare state is not an invention of the 1970s," he said. "However, some programs did become more generous in the 1960s when times were good and countries thought they could afford a more generous social insurance system, which was counterproductive from the point of view of unemployment." Blanchard stressed that the key to Europe's problems lay in the interaction between so-called shocks like high oil prices and reduced productivity and governmental institutions. "Looking across countries, some labor market institutions, from high employment protection to long-lasting unemployment benefits, appear to affect both the strength and the persistence of the effects of shocks on unemployment," Blanchard said. He said that employment protection in some countries lengthened the effects of shocks because generous programs gave people little or no incentive to start work again, causing them to spend a long time unemployed. When asked what solutions might solve the continent's employment woes, Blanchard cited a 1982 agreement between Dutch labor, business and government for wage moderation so that firms could afford to invest more. "Clearly this was a change in the way unions think about the determination of wages," he said. Blanchard said that recent decreases in unemployment benefits had seen a decline in the number of people out of work. But while many think that Europe simply needs to cut back its generous social programs even further, he acknowledged that reducing unemployment benefits was often political suicide. Unemployment retraining programs, if implemented correctly, work well and could counter the effects of being out of work, Blanchard said. "Unemployment changes peoples' way of life," Blanchard said. "They loose skills and morale. Firms don't want to hire them." The talk took a more academic perspective than recent lectures in the series, according to Yannis Ioannides, Tufts' Neubauer professor of economics. "This particular topic was macroeconomic and precise," he said. "It is interesting because we are talking about enormous differences. Real suffering has been associated with unemployment in some countries. "[Unemployment] has been a puzzle for politicians in Europe. In the US in the late 70s and early 80s, unemployment was high and people were worried about its effects on the foundations of America. In Europe it has been that way for 20 years," he said. Students were equally intrigued by Blanchard's perspective. "I thought it was very thorough, but broad enough so that an undergraduate population could relate to it," said junior Manijeh Azmoodeh, president-elect of Tufts' Economics Society. "I'm thrilled that the department puts it on and I wish more students would come and show an interest." In addition to his position as chair of MIT's Department of Economics, Blanchard is the Class of 1941 Professor of Economics. He is also a regular contributor to the French daily newspaper Lib?©ration. Previous speakers in the Wellington-Burnham Lecture Series include a former Secretary of the Treasury and Mexico's Minister of Finance. The next lecture in the series will be held on April 19 and will feature Jose Scheinkman of Princeton University. He will discuss the use of economic ideas to study social interaction.

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Paying the price

March 31

"I love my Napster!"

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An unjust amendment

March 31

Make no mistake about it: Voting rights are under attack at this University. The proposed referenda on the TCU Constitution will corrode our current democratic system and lead to unequal representation on the TCU Senate.There are two issues at hand here. The first is the constitutional referenda, which contains a number of general revisions to the current TCU Constitution and includes a provision to give culture representatives a vote in in-house elections. The second issue is an amendment to the constitution, which gives culture representatives a full vote on the TCU Senate.Currently, there are four culture representatives to the TCU Senate who come to meetings but do not have a full vote. They represent the Asian, Hispanic, homosexual, and African-American communities.These representatives offer a great service to the Tufts community by sharing their group's perspective with the Senate. However, giving them a vote is simply illogical. Each member of the student body has seven representatives who represent their interests based on their class year. To give some students eight or even nine representatives on the Senate, while others have only seven, is unfair and undemocratic.Some may argue that the election for culture representatives is held in an open meeting in which anyone can vote and anyone can run. This simply is not true. The election for culture representatives takes place at the meeting of the "umbrella group" for each culture. Each group is allowed to determine who can run for the position and who can vote in that election. This is extremely undemocratic. Furthermore, the representatives are only supposed to represent the interests of the culture groups that they come from. According to the TCU Constitution, culture representatives, "shall represent the interests of the community for which they were elected to represent." Thus, proponents of the amendment cannot argue that elections for the culture representatives are open to all, for if they were, the very purpose for the existence of the culture representatives would be negated.While these two referenda give these culture representatives voting rights, they do not change the manner in which they are elected. Currently, the "election" of these representatives is left to "the student organization recognized by the TCUJ as the umbrella organization of each population." The new constitution does not make it clear who is eligible to run or who is eligible to vote in these elections. Furthermore, it may not always be clear which is the "umbrella organization."Some people may argue, however, that giving culture representatives a full vote is a problem but giving them a vote during in-house elections isn't a big deal. However, in-house votes have been some of the closest and most contested votes in the Senate over the past three years. Each year, the in-house vote decides who runs for president and ultimately who could be our next president; last year, this in-house vote to select the presidential candidates was particularly close. In-house votes also decide who the treasurer will be, a decision which affects every student group on campus. In-house Senate elections determine the members of the allocations board, which in turn decides how much money each student group gets. In some ways, in-house votes are more important than other votes the Senate makes.While there are rarely close votes on issues in front of the TCU Senate, there are usually very close votes during in-house elections. Adding four more votes during in-house elections would almost certainly alter the leadership of the Senate. And if this happens because culture representatives voted a certain way, then certain members of the Tufts community would have more influence than others, which is completely unjust and undemocratic.After retiring from the Supreme Court, Justices Earl Warren and Brennan both said that of all the decisions that they rendered, the most important was Baker vs. Carr. This decision led to the end of unequal representation and established what is often known as the "one man, one vote" principle. They believed, as do I, that in order for a democracy to be legitimate, all people must have the same vote and the same representation within the government. On Wednesday April 25 you will be presented with a constitutional referenda and a constitutional amendment, which will make representation unequal on this campus. I urge you to vote against these two measures and affirm the democratic principles that are the backbone of our system.Jesse Levey is a junior majoring in political science. He is a trustee representative to the TCU Senate.

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Womanly contributions celebrated

March 31

Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Betty Friedan. These trailblazers of the women's movement and other powerful females in history will be honored come the first day of March _ the start of National Women's History Month, a time put aside to highlight the historical achievements of women and recognize the obstacles they overcame along the road to success. The theme for this year's Women's History Month is "Celebrating Women of Courage and Vision." The National Women's History Project organizes the month, hoping that in honoring women's courage and vision, it can set a standard for women and provide inspiration for future generations. This month serves as an opportunity to educate people about the achievements of women, some of which have long gone unrecognized. As recently as the 1970s, women's history was virtually absent from the public consciousness. To change this, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County, Calif. Commission on the Status of Women initiated a "Women's History Week" celebration in 1978. When national leaders of female-oriented organizations learned about the countywide Women's History Week, they decided to create similar celebrations for their own organizations and schools. Within a few years, thousands of schools and communities were celebrating National Women's History Week, supported and encouraged by resolutions from school boards, councils, and governors. Finally, in 1981, the effort to secure a Congressional Resolution from the US Congress declaring "National Women's History Week" succeeded. In 1987, the National Women's History Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the celebration to the entire month of March. March 8 is International Women's Day. Organizations at Tufts will celebrate the occasion along with the second anniversary of the Women's Studies major, as well as a roundtable discussion entitled "Women, Activism, International Perspectives: Student Roundtable in Commemoration of International Women's Day" sponsored by the Women's Center and several academic departments. "The idea behind the event is to connect International Women's Day and women's studies at Tufts and abroad," said sophomore Liz Monnin, co-chair of the Tufts Feminist Alliance. "There will be several women who have studied women's issues in other countries who will share their experiences." Students seem to think that the month addresses issues that affect all populations. "People should know about this month," freshman Rick Liu said. "Although women mostly have gained their rights, you constantly need to reinforce the idea of equality time and time again. That's what makes this month important." Sophomore Shauna Gilmore sees the month as a time to look back on women's achievements and power. "It is important to reflect on the influential women of the past [and] to celebrate their accomplishments," she said. "Not only for us now, but so their legacies last for future generations." Other students feel that the month-long celebration is not enough. "I think women's history should be remembered every day, not just this month, because women make up half the population," freshman Rachel Luck said.

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Women's fencing slices into competition in 5-0 weekend

March 31

The women's fencing team went into its final conference meet of the season feeling confident after holding up well against some of the top competition in the country last weekend at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). That confidence translated into great play and a perfect weekend record for the team, as it went 5-0, taking out UMass, Wellesley, Sacred Heart, Boston College, and host UNH. The team trounced UMass and UNH, both by scores of 20-7, and rolled over Sacred Heart 21-6. The Jumbos narrowly squeezed by Wellesley with a 15-12 mark, and held on by the skin of their teeth to defeat BC for the second time this season, 14-13. In an incredible match against the Eagles of Boston College, which came down to the very last bout, the stalwart sabre team once again held its ground in keeping the squad in the match, going undefeated. "Our sabre team really saved us against BC," coach Jason Sachs said. The BC match also featured the emergence of freshman epeeist Diedra Brown, who defeated the top fencer from Boston College, a feat even team leader, senior Amy Dickinson, has been unable to accomplish. The successful weekend also featured a number of solid individual performances from fencers of all styles. Sophomore sabreist Mika Mutoh was 14-1 on the weekend, helping her chances for making the national meet, while fellow sabre fencer freshman Kasara Williams also had a strong showing, going 11-4. Freshman foilist Emily Finn also had a great meet, finishing the weekend at 10-2. As expected, Dickinson had another stellar performance, going 14-1 in her quest for Nationals. "Amy and Mika both had to perform very well for NCAAs," Sachs said. With the regional meet three weeks away, both Dickinson and Mutoh were offered the option of not fencing over the weekend. This would have allowed them not to hurt their records, as placement in the regional meet is based on winning percentage against NCAA schools. Neither wished to sit out however, not wanting to hurt the team. "They both stood up well to the pressure, which should help them in the bigger meets." Sachs said. Though Dickinson clearly has the best chance of making the national meet, followed closely by Mutoh, Sachs feels that there are two or three additional fencers who have outside chances. "We have four fencers with winning percentages between 60 percent and 75 percent." Sachs said. "Last year we only had one [of this caliber], and she made Nationals." Even before the regional meet, however, the team will face the challenge of the New England Championships, which the Jumbos won two years ago. The team feels confident that it has a chance at taking the championships again, although it will have to go up against MIT and Brown, both of whom defeated Tufts earlier in the season. The team will again have to look to the sabre team if it wishes to take the championships. "Both MIT and Brown beat us earlier in the season, but everyone has improved greatly since then, especially the sabre team." Sachs said. The Jumbos will also have to turn to their emerging stars to help them as well. The team will look for epeeist sophomore Francis Harper to help take some of the pressure off of Dickinson in the epee competition. They will also be hoping for Brown to continue her spectacular performances of late. Though their regular season is over, the Jumbos still have plenty of fencing left to do, and will certainly be tested in the upcoming weeks. Despite the team's great improvement over the course of the season, it still plans to work hard and continue to excel. "We're pumped." Sachs said. "This is very exciting."

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Individuals shine in rebuilding equestrian season

March 31

While the Equestrian Team has had some strong individual performances, this season's performances have paled in comparison to Tufts' success last year, when the team won the Regional Championship for Region I (New England) in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). This region is further divided into four zones, and Tufts finds itself in the competitive Zone IV with nine other teams, most notably Stonehill College and Boston University. Under the leadership of junior co-captains Hally Phillips and Sarah Summers and coach Charlotte McEnroe, Tufts finds itself out of contention for the postseason. "Teamwise, we aren't doing as well as last year," Phillips said. "This has been a year of rebuilding." "We're not having our best season," Resnick added. "We graduated a lot of our top seniors last year. We're looking forward to a big freshman class next year." But the team has had strong individual performances. Eight of the approximately 35 members of the group have qualified for the Regionals in several of the different classes of riding. In order to qualify a rider must gain 35 points, which are cumulative from season to season and are attained based on finishing positions at shows. First place gains seven points; second place gains five points, third gains four, and so on. Upon qualifying, the rider also advances to the next class until reaching the "open" competition, at which point she continues to compete at this level. In the walk/trot class (the most basic) the rider is judged on her ability to control the horse and on how the rider and horse look together. Junior Melissa Faubert and senior Jamie Granatino will compete in Regionals at this level. Tobi Pinsky will represent Tufts in the walk/trot/canter, which is the class above the walk/trot. After the walk/trot/canter is novice, in which the riders are still judged on her appearance, but do a jumping routine consisting of usually eight jumps as well. The two routines are independent of each other and there are separate point totals as well. This means that a rider can qualify for the jumping routine (signified as qualifying for novice "over fences") and/or the show routine (qualifying for novice "flat"). This system holds for the next two levels, intermediate and open, as well. But even during the jumping routine, the rider is still judged greatly on appearance. "Clearing them isn't generally an issue; it's more making sure that your horse jumps smoothly," Resnick said. Senior Kim Wojick qualified for Regionals in novice flat, sophomore Heather Foster in novice flat and over fences, while seniors Alison Patti and Carrie Quinn, and junior co-captain Sarah Summers will all compete in intermediate over fences. Phillips, last year's winner of the Cacchione Cup, an honor received by the number one collegiate rider in the nation, has so far qualified for open flat. "Hopefully I'll qualify for [open over] fences this weekend," Phillips said. The team has high hopes for these riders. From Regionals, the top two riders in each class advance to the Zone Championships, from which another two riders are selected for Nationals. "Pretty much everyone who has qualified has a strong chance of making it to Nationals," Phillips said. "It's pretty much luck of the draw on what horse you get and what judges think of you. They're all strong riders. I hope we get as many as possible to Zones, because going through Zones and getting to Nationals is so much fun." The host school provides the horses, which are assigned to particular classes, and show officials randomly pair up riders with horses. When they are not competing in shows, the team practices for about eight weeks per semester at the Appleknoll Farm in Millis, Mass. Since Tufts lacks equestrian facilities, team members are limited to having eight lessons per semester, which take place before and during the show season. This weekend, the squad heads to a show on Saturday at the Holly Hill Farm in Hanover, Mass, hosted by BU. Tufts returns on Sunday for the Regional Championships.

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Tufts prepares for naked track meet

March 31

Though my column is not typically supposed to focus on Tufts sports, this week I can't help but discuss the biggest annual sporting event on campus, which is slated for the first night of reading period. This track meet is bigger than any football or basketball game and more "athletes" and fans participate or cheer from the sidelines than at any other Tufts sporting event. Like all Tufts sporting events, this run has both spectators and participants. However, it differs from other sports in one fundamental area - uniforms - or lack thereof. Of course, this track meet to which I refer is the Naked Quad Run. Experiences in this meet, as in any sporting event, vary. There are the old pros who will be competing in the meet for the fourth and final time, and there are also the rookies. The beauty about this athletic competition is that anyone can compete, and one does not even have to train to have a successful performance. According to junior Marissa Simonelli, a former cheerleader who will be making her debut next week, she has long intended to participate but situations out of her control have prevented her from doing so. "This sounds ridiculous but I had the flu both years so far," Simonelli said. "No joke." But healthy this year, Simonelli is already planning her strategy for the big race. "I'd probably try to start in the front," Simonelli said. "I'm not a fast runner so I'd end up in the back by the end anyways." As a former cheerleader Simonelli has been in attendance at many Tufts sporting events and in her opinion, none can compare to the fanfare or drama surrounding the Naked Quad Run. "It seems like ten times as many people go to the quad run compared to a football or basketball game," she said. "Also, people don't really videotape the other sporting events." While, Simonelli will be competing for the first time, Maggie Danielson, a junior and a member of the varsity crew team plans to run for the second consecutive year. Her decision to run again may come as somewhat of a surprise as she had a painful debut last year. "Well, it happened right at the beginning [of the race]," Danielson said. "Everyone was in the basement of West and we busted out the doors and those really nice DU boys decided it would be funny if they tripped people right when they first came out. I fell flat on my face, naked and the only thought that went through my mind was total fear. I was sure I was going to be trampled to death." Luckily, for Danielson, one of her greatest attributes as an athlete is her heart. Thus, it should be no surprise that despite a bloody elbow and knee, she was able to regroup and managed to get right back on her feet. "There was no turning back," Danielson said. "I actually ran two laps, the second one was with only one shoe. I lost it on the first lap." As a veteran athlete, Danielson has the experience to offer some perspective about the Run and also a few suggestions about alterations in other Tufts sports. "I feel honored and privileged to be part of such a honorable tradition, and its great because you are automatically on varsity," Danielson said. "Even freshman can run with the big boys." "As for the uniform policy of the other sports at tufts, the attendance at the games would be incredible if clothing was not permitted," she said. Sophomore JR Urbon, a baseball player, has never participated in the event but enjoyed watching it last year. "[Last year], I was just interested in the observation part of it," he said. "Watching a Tufts basketball game is an overall nice experience, but the naked quad run is more hyped and just funny." Urban is currently contemplating becoming a naked runner next week but says it will be a game time decision. "I guess I'll make it a last minute decision," Urbon said. "It really depends on how I feel that night." But whether he is a competitor or a fan, there is no doubt that Urbon will be at the quad for the meet. While most Tufts athletes embrace the Naked Quad Run, some, such as senior equestrian team member Sindia Taylor are not completely enamored with the tradition. In fact, in her three full years, Taylor has been to only one run and remembers very little from the experience. "Well I don't remember a whole lot cause I was very disoriented," Taylor said. "But I remember seeing this guy wearing a huge Afro wig run by and thought, 'what the f...'" Upon further questioning, it became clear that Taylor does not appreciate the meet as much as others do for two fundamental reasons, fear of nakedness and lack of similarity between equestrian and naked running. "It's hard enough to get naked in front of one person," Taylor said. "Throw in a couple thousand more and there's no chance in hell." However, Taylor did offer a few suggestions on improving the naked track meet, though its unclear if she would support nakedness at an equestrian show to increase fan support. "Fanfare at an equestrian show is usually mostly parents which would be weird at the naked quad run," she said. "Plus most of the people there are running around waving whips and wearing spurs and various leather items which I think the quad run could probably benefit from." Whether you are planning to watch, run or sit at home contemplating the relationship between your sport and the Naked Quad Run, remember that no high profile Div. I College football or basketball game can compare with the spectacle that will be Tuesday night, right here, at Tufts University. And most importantly, don't ever let anyone tell you that you go to a school that isn't passionate about its sports. As you will see on Tuesday night, we love our Tufts Sports. Let's go Jumbos.

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Y2K error slows release of fall grades

March 31

The departments responsible for distributing fall semester grades earned an F for frustration from students eager to get their grades. Malfunctions on the Student Information Services (SIS) Online website the day grades were to be posted and the discontinuation of 800-number service previously used to provide grades by phone fueled student angst. The SIS Online problem was the result of a residuleY2K defect, and although Tufts Computing and Communications Services (TCCS) tested for failures last year, an error occurred with the change to 2001 and the mainframe was unable to restart in the new year. It took TCCS over ten hours to recover the network connection for the following day. TCCS ultimately acquired a patch from the software vendors to fix the problem. Information Technology Director Tricia Sheehan called the web-server incident "unfortunate," but said that the problem was completely technical. Nonetheless, it caused much frustration among students who were already dissatisfied with the amount of time it took Tufts to post grades on SIS. "I went through a depression!" said senior Jonathan Brown, who woke up at 8 a.m. on Jan. 8 - the day Student Services told students that grades would be available - to check his final grade for a class on which he said his entire GPA and subsequent job application depended. While the use of SIS Online to notify students of their grades is not new, this is the first time that students have not been given another means - other than printed grade reports, which do not arrive until after students return for the spring semester - to receive them. Previously, Academic Services and Student Affairs enrolled in an 800-number service for students to call toll-free and obtain their academic information. The administration feels that two ways to access grades are sufficient, according to Registrar Jean Herbert. "The online version is a less expensive deal," she said. "This is why the 800-number was suspended after last year's transition period." And, many students prefer viewing grades online, according to Herbert. Accessing the grade information through the SIS Online website provides students with a printable version of their final academic record, lets them view the information as many times as they desire, and is a secure method of display. "You have [the grades] in front of you to view, and also, you don't have to pay a long distance fee this way," sophomore Andrea Araujo said. The online system poses an obstacle for students who do not have Internet access. "I was in the southernmost city of the world and had no Internet access," sophomore Rodolfo Alborelli said. Although the online option is generally popular, the time between the day grades are handed in to the administration and when they are published on the web is widely believed to be excessive. Many students have compared the Tufts system to that of other universities with quicker grade distribution systems. While there are schools with quicker processes, Tufts is somewhere in the middle of pack. At Cornell, where students also get grades online, updated transcripts were posted at the beginning of January. Other universities have no online system whatsoever. Swarthmore University, for instance, relies exclusively on traditional mail for the delivery of the final grades. Herbert stressed that grades are not immediately available because great care is exhibited in the entire grade uploading process. "We don't begin scanning until grades are checked, double-checked, and checked yet again," she said. She said the meticulous process is lengthy, and the time period depends on the number of people checking grades and the rate at which the pages containing the grades can be scanned. That means that the 800-number system did not bring grades to students any faster than would a functioning SIS Online. Professors have recently begun to send e-mails to notify students of their grades, and Herbert said that this delivery system seems to be the most successful. Students can thus receive their final grades, and often a more in-depth explanation of their entire semester, only days after the final exam. "Faculty members are doing this more and more," she said. But Herbert insisted that the University would never make it mandatory for professors to email every single student.

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Worry-free college admission (almost)

March 31

It's Saturday morning. You're about to go take the dreaded SAT again, and know you need to raise your score by a couple hundred points or so to even be considered by that elite liberal arts college you've had your eye on. Are you stressed out? That's probably an understatement. While most college students can remember going through this experience before, it may become a thing of the past for California students that have their eyes on a University of California (UC) school. UC President Richard Atkinson announced his decision to recommend dropping the SAT I from admissions criteria at each of UC's campuses last week, raising questions on all sides of the issue. "They don't show the real intellectual ability of a student," an engineering graduate student said of the SATs. The student, who wished to remain unnamed, emphasized that the SAT I focused more on "IQ or general knowledge" than anything practical. "It shows more intelligence than understanding," he said. According to the Associated Press, while Atkinson views the SAT I as "distorting educational priorities and practices," his recommendation does not call for the elimination of SAT II (subject test) requirements. These subject tests are considered to be more exact indicators of a student's prowess in a specific academic field. Others share Atkinson's views. While the engineering graduate student wasn't satisfied with the breadth of the SAT I, he believed that the subject tests provide a reasonable measure of capability in a particular field. "[SAT IIs] show your ability...[and] how much you understand a subject," he said. The problem with removing the SAT I from consideration in college applications is that more of the weight in admissions decisions will fall on high school transcripts, which are traditionally a much more subjective indicator of academic ability. For instance, a student receiving an 'A' at one school may have gotten a 'C' at another for the exact same work, depending on the institutions' grading standards. Critics of those urging college admissions personnel to ignore SAT I results often point to this redeeming aspect of the test: it levels the playing field. "SATs give students a chance to prove themselves," sophomore Seher Hussain said. Hussain, an international student whose second language is English, feels that the SATs provide a fair chance to people who wouldn't normally be easily compared to other applicants, i.e. international applicants. She doesn't believe that the SATs should be disproportionately looked at, however, to the exclusion of other application materials. "More emphasis should be put on GPA [than SAT scores]," she said. Some disagree with Hussain, believing that the SATs are unfair to traditionally underprivileged students. However, College Board President Gaston Caperton responded to such concerns last week, suggesting that the sources of the disadvantages be focused on, not the end result. "I think the SATs are a valid test," freshman Kelly Sarson said. Sarson believes that the test can't be blamed for any disproportionate results. "I think you don't need to change the SAT _ you need to go to the root of the problem," she said. To do this, educational opportunities need to be examined from the beginning _ during elementary school or even preschool. If all students are getting equal opportunities at these levels, it follows that they will perform proportionately well on the SAT. There is also an argument against the notion that SATs "level the playing field." The test-prep business has gotten quite large, and it is not unheard of to spend upwards of $1000 on "coaching," which is fine _ if you can afford it. While the College Board, the organization that owns and administers the SAT, insists that coaching usually has a minimal effect on raising scores, there are divided opinions on the fairness of coaching. Senior Audrey Rabinowitz believes that SAT prep classes can be beneficial, but not so much that the classes create inequity in SAT scores. Rabinowitz had previously taken an SAT prep class, complete with a hefty price tag. "I can't remember how much it cost... it was probably an exorbitant amount, though," she said. However, she believes that prep classes are suited to a certain type of person _ some could certainly benefit, but some might not. "It really depends on the person, but [the classes don't help] enough that anyone would be at a disadvantage," Rabinowitz said. Harriet Brand, a spokesperson for Princeton Review _ one of the largest test prep organizations in the country _ disagreed with Rabinowitz's view. "We think test prep is very valuable... it gives students confidence... it makes students familiar with the format of the test... and it gives students strategies to use on the test," she said. However, Brand doesn't deny that test prep disproportionately favors those students that can afford it. "Absolutely [it's unfair], which is why we're pushing for federal or state funded test prep," she said.

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Men's squash holds ground at nationals

March 31

This past weekend, the men's squash team finished its season ranked right where it was supposed to be. The Jumbos went into nationals last Friday at Yale ranked 20th in the country, and after three tough matches against formidable competition, they emerged at the same spot. Coach Doug Eng's squad placed fourth in the third division of the national tournament and finished its season with an 11-10 record. The Jumbos jumped out to a good start on Friday, easily defeating the University of California at Berkeley six to three behind solid performances by junior captain Colin O'Higgins and freshman Armen Kamenov at the third and fourth spots. The win was an improvement from Tufts' first meeting with UC Berkeley, when the team barely squeaked out a 5-4 victory at Harvard. But the tide turned for the Jumbos, and Tufts dropped its next two matches to higher- ranked Wesleyan and Hobart. The squad was blanked by Wesleyan nine to zero in the second round, and then dropped the third place match eight to one to Hobart College, with sophomore Nathan Anderson securing the lone tally for his team. "It was a little disappointing to play the two teams in front of us and lose 9-0 and 8-1," Eng said. "Especially since we had competed better against those teams during the season, and the rematches were not as close as those matches." The two losses, however, in no way diminish the Jumbos success during the 2000-01 season. The squad battled back from a dismal 3-10 record just a year ago, to finish with a winning record. "We were [3-10] last season and this year we were 11-10, so it was definitely an improvement," Eng said. "We beat several teams that we never had before." O'Higgins echoed his coach's sentiments about the team's success: "This is the first time we have had a winning record in a long time," O'Higgins said. "There has been such a big change since my freshman year." "Last year we didn't push ourselves, but this year we worked hard, played smart, and grew as a team," said Chris Choi, a sophomore. "We knew our goals, set our goals, and we pretty much met them." Despite the team's improved record, Eng sees room for growth. With young talent and impressive leadership, Tufts expects to climb even farther in the rankings. "We still know that there is much room for improvement, and that this is not the end of our potential," said Choi, one of seven starting players who will return next season. "We have a good core of players," Eng said. "I think we can improve two or three spots if we can land a couple of recruits, and maybe move up to the second division." Of the remaining players, Neil Pallaver, who has played at the first or second spot since his freshman year, will remain important to the team. Despite a less than average record, Pallaver's teammates and his coach insist that his results don't speak for his ability. Playing at the number one spot, the junior is constantly forced to face some of the top players in the country, a factor that figures in his overall record. "He is an awesome player but gets no recognition because he is playing world class players," O'Higgins said. "He has been improving every time he steps out on the court." Eng said. "[Neil] plays a lot smaller and better than his results offer. He is certainly one of the smartest players around." Although most of the squad will return next season, the younger players must compensate for the loss of two key seniors who for years have been an integral part of the squad. Captain Bennett Kolasinski and fellow senior Dylan McPhetres graduate this spring, and both will be sorely missed next season. "Dylan was a competitor who always gave 110 percent," Eng said. "Bennett was the guy who kept the team together whether we would win or lose. They have both provided excellent experience and leadership for us."

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News

Conflict of interest

March 31

Often we get ourselves categorized into little groups based on our race, sexual orientation, the state or country we come from, who our friends are, and various other categories. These categories supposedly define who we are to others (and sometimes to ourselves, as well). What happens then, when you have someone that fits into conflicting categories? I use myself as an example. I am the culture representative for the Tufts Transgendered, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Collective (TTLGBC), but I am also a sister in Alpha Omicron Pi (AOPi). Is this a conflict of interest? So often the Greek system gets a bad rap for being homophobic. I am not denying that hate crimes have occurred within the Greek system, but we then stereotype all Greeks as being against the LGBT community. My sorority has been very supportive of my sexuality. I am able to talk about it in the open. One of my sisters once told me, "you could do so much better than her" when I was upset after learning that my crush was straight, and even had our fall semi-formal coordinator look for a girl to set me up with. I can discuss my ex-boyfriend and my female crushes and no one wonders which gender I'm really attracted to. My sexuality has never been an issue when running for a leadership position, and people don't cover themselves when changing just because I'm in the room. Another thing that people usually can't tell is that I'm also half Cuban. I have heard people refer to the three Panhellenic sororities as the "white sororities," and have heard that some members of cultural communities do not want to join the Greek system because of this. My house has sisters of white, Asian, black, Latina, and West Indian backgrounds and sisters who were born outside the US. I am involved in the cultural communities at Tufts, as are other sisters in my house. It can be difficult when people first find out that I am both a member of a sorority and a member of the LGBT community. The stereotype about all members of the Greek system is that we are straight, and not receptive to the members of the LGBT community, if not homophobic. The stereotype of the LGBT community, among other things, is that we hate the Greek community. There is also a misperception that our sole reason for being on campus is to be radical activists. We do have to go to classes, and we do work just the same as other students on this campus. You'd actually be surprised how many members of the LGBT community are in your classes, where you assume everyone's straight.With these two conflicting stereotypes, how is there room for a person such as myself, a member of both communities? It's simple. We are not bound by the walls of our stereotypes. We are individuals. I attended the Safe Colleges Conference, a conference addressing LGBT issues, at the beginning of this month (which was excellent and I highly recommend that everyone attend it next year regardless of their sexuality.) Our keynote speaker was a Puerto-Rican lesbian who spoke about belonging to two different worlds. She mentioned how people ask her which community she identifies with first, the Puerto-Rican community or the gay community, not understanding that she is a member of both. So many people on this campus are afraid to be a part of anything where people are not exactly like them. I have to admit, I was a little worried about going to a Pan-African Alliance (PAA) meeting because when people see me, many see a white, straight girl. If I am wearing my house letters, people often form stereotypes about me before I even open my mouth. It turned out that people were incredibly welcoming to me at the PAA meeting, and I was not the only person there who wasn't black. I have been to several Asian Community at Tufts meetings, and my voice counts the same as anyone else's. And yes, straight people regularly attend TTLGBC meetings. If people would see others on this campus as individuals rather than fitting into categories, student relations would be a lot better. How often do you not get to know someone just because of a category that he or she fits into? Being bisexual, I see the people I am attracted to as individuals, and don't restrict myself to saying that I cannot be attracted to someone because of his or her gender. If more people on this campus looked at their fellow students as individuals rather than as categories, the relations between students would be a lot better. How often do you not sit with people you know because they are at a table with people of their own race? How often have you changed your opinion of someone after you found out their race, sexual orientation, or that he or she spoke with an accent? Did you think someone was failing their classes because they were a jock, or that the sorority girl down the hall had nothing better to think about than partying and chasing boys? We are all in classes together, we all worry about getting the grades, we all have families, we all have had our hearts broken, and we all will die someday. Even as I write, I am sure that some of you will see this Viewpoint and think that I am nothing but a girl who has issues and is writing to feel better about herself. What I am hoping to accomplish with this Viewpoint is to make some of you aware of your own stereotypes, because we all have them about something. If there are members of a community that think they can't join the Greek system because of their tie to that community, I want to remove that thought. So my message to you is this. See others as individuals, because there is something about them that does not fit the stereotype you have of them. Rush a Greek house in the fall and see for yourself how we are individuals and accept each other for who we are. Attend a cultural event, sit with those not of your race, support and fight for issues not your own. For those within a community, so often we fight for our own issues that we forget the issues of others. Get involved with other groups, remember that not everyone is against you, and most importantly, listen. It's amazing what you can learn.Angel Vail is a junior majoring in biology and child development. She is the TTLGBC culture representative to TCU Senate and a sister in AOPi.

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