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Long waits, overcrowding frustrate shuttle riders

March 31

A perennial recipient of student government attention, the Davis Square shuttle once again finds itself under the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate microscope. This time, in response to student complaints, senators are investigating ways to eliminate overcrowding on the shuttle and reduce the time it takes to complete its route. Students say that buses take longer to make the loop than in past years, causing a backup at the Olin and campus center stops and subsequent overcrowding on the shuttle. The shuttle should take 20 minutes to make a loop during the day and 15 minutes at night, according to Joseph's Transportation, the company that runs Tufts' shuttle service. The night route is faster because the shuttle skips the Tufts Administration Building after 6 p.m. But students say the wait is much longer - especially during weekend nights, the shuttle's peak time. "I sometimes have to allow 30-40 minutes just to get to Davis Square to catch the T," said Matt Le-Khac, a freshman. During a Sunday afternoon last weekend, the bus averaged a 20-minute loop. The night before, however, students found themselves waiting as long as 45 minutes for the bus. "Eventually I just gave up and walked to Davis," freshman Caroline Ware said. Senate Vice President Eric Greenberg plans to meet with administrators next week to discuss solutions to shuttle bus problems, such as adding another bus to lessen the wait and reduce overcrowding. "We need to look at getting a second bus at peak times," he said. "People jam into it on weekends. There is a safety issue involved there," he said. Opting for the ten-minute walk to Davis Square rather than waiting for the shuttle has become an increasingly common choice, particularly for downhill residents. "I walk all the time now it seems. Davis is not far away at all - it's just the shuttle route that makes it seem so far away," freshman Rick Liu said. Part of the problem may stem from a revision to the shuttle route since last fall made in response to complaints from Somerville residents about traffic on Curtis Ave. The revised loop is almost a mile longer than the original one, which went through Teele Square and up Curtis before turning behind Carmichael Hall. The modified route goes through Powderhouse Square and heads to campus via College Ave. "It seems to me that they go out of their way quite a bit," sophomore Laura Weyland said. According to Greenberg, a viable alternative route could direct the shuttle up Packard Ave. from Broadway Ave. Although this path would still take the shuttle past a number of private houses, it would not go through quiet, residential roads. Sophomore Senator Raji Iyer does not think the Packard Avenue route will be approved because the Senate has other pressing issues to address. "It's pretty doubtful the route will be changing," she said. Students say that the shuttle bus drivers themselves are partially responsible for the delays. "I've heard horror stories about drivers taking long breaks and going into the campus center for coffee," Greenberg said. Other students report that certain drivers wait at the campus center for extended periods of time for their replacement driver to arrive when their shift ends. "I want to go home. I'm not going around again," one driver said at 5:45 p.m. on a Saturday night, 15 minutes before his shift was scheduled to end. The large white bus that typically runs the Davis route holds 30 people. But the bus is often overcrowded on weekend nights, making the trip uncomfortable for riders. This past weekend, the shuttle carried upwards of 50 or more people at a time. "I definitely have been smushed on the bus on many occasions," sophomore Traci Lee said. Concerns about the performance of Joseph's Transportation are especially pertinent because the Senate is trying to finalize details on a plan to implement weekend bus service to and from Boston. So far, Josephs is a frontrunner company. "I am weary about the inconsistent service they have provided on our Davis shuttle," Greenberg said. "I am concerned about the service they would provide to Boston." The shuttle bus to Boston, which would be funded by Vice President of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering Mel Bernstein's office, is tentatively scheduled to stop near Lansdowne Street and in the Theater District. It will begin running on a trial basis later this semester.

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News

Ski teams race according to form at nationals

March 31

All good things must come to and end, which the Tufts Alpine Ski Team learned in finishing its postseason on Sunday and Monday at the United States Collegiate Snow Sports Association (USCSA) Eastern Regional Championships. At the meet, held in Waterville Valley in Hew Hampshire, the women came through with a sixth place finish, and the men finished 12th-place tie with Boston University. "The results were pretty much in following with how the season went," coach Paul Wang said. "For the men, the competition is always tough, but they did well. The women came in sixth, which is a pretty impressive performance." Competition did prove intense in the men's slalom competition (SL), in which there were no Jumbos to be found in the top 20. In fact, the best result came from senior Nate Soles, who finished in the 40th spot. Freshman Michael Krafft ended up in the 46th spot, with senior Matt Dreier close behind at 48th. Junior captain Jack Kramarczyk came in 62nd, and senior John Johnson fell on his second run. Overall, the team completed the event in 11th place."The guys did what we expected," Kramarczyk said. "The competition was a lot better than we've had all season; it's on an entirely different level, but it's really cool to ski against them."In the giant slalom (GS), the Jumbos' highest finish came from Dreier, in the 40th position. Solesfinished in the 46th spot, while Kramarczyk and Johnson finished next to one another at 50th and 51st. Sophomore Mike Coughlin was not far away, at 55th. The team seized the 12th position in the GS. "We've had a great season, and a bunch of us will be participating in postseason races not affiliated with Tufts in order to keep up our skills," Kramarczyk added. The men's team looks to make this season a learning experience for next year. The squad will lose Soles, Dreier, and Johnson to graduation, but the team is still optimistic for the future. "The men's team has good potential," Wang said. "Goldberg will be back; Kramarczyk will be skiing more consistently, and Krafft and Coughlin will definitely improve if they continue to work in the off-season." "Those are the guys we've got our eyes on right now as our top men, and now we're in the process of electing new captains for next year," Kramarczyk added. "In past years, we've left the fate of our team in the hands of the captain." On the women's side, the five skiers representing Tufts performed well despite the fierce competition. In the SL, junior Erin Boucher brought in the 34th spot, freshman Sophie Dabuzhsky came in 38th, junior captain Kate Meierdiercks 40th, junior Lindsay Melton 45th, and freshman Courtney Benson 65th. Overall, the women's squad took the seventh slot. In the GS, Boucher finished 24th, Melton came in 28th, Dabuzhsky 29th, and Benson 33rd. Meierdiercks fell on her first fun. The team seized the sixth position overall. "This performance was pretty consistent with how we've been performing throughout the season," Meierdiercks said. "It was unfortunate [that I fell], but the depth of our team made it so it didn't really matter, the other girls just stepped up." "It was a rough course, but they did what they always do and skied well," Wang commented. While the men did not look to go farther than Regionals, the women had maintained all season that there existed a real chance of qualifying for Nationals. By finishing sixth _ missing Nationals by just one place _ the team demonstrated its goal had been realistic."There was actually a period of about seven minutes when we were in fifth place, which would have gotten us to Nationals," Meierdiercks said. "Then a girl from BC came from the back of the pack with a really great run, taking us out of contention for Nationals and putting us in the sixth spot. Being so close and losing it was somewhat of a disappointment." "At Regionals, they had a taste of Nationals," Wang said. "They'll want it more next year, and they'll work really hard to get it. They've got some pretty high expectations, but they know that they can do it, and keep doing what they're doing. They've got a good thing going." "I'm really proud of us," Meierdiercks said. "After last year, I never would have thought that we would have made it this far. It really was a team effort, which fostered success. It was a real supportive environment. For next year, we've got the same five skiers [that were at Regionals] coming back, and we're going to be even hungrier for Nationals."

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News

BYU students suspended for homosexual conduct

March 31

Many colleges make use of honor codes that restrain students from cheating on tests and plagiarizing. But at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Utah, the system is taken one step further, with honor code policies extended to regulate actions of a personal nature. The same school that suspended Julie Stoffer of MTV's The Real World - New Orleans last year for alleged sexual misconduct voted to suspend two other students in March based on evidence of homosexual behavior. While the Mormon school's "Church Educational System Honor Code" forbids homosexual conduct under the heading "Live a chaste and virtuous life," it essentially leaves interpretation of what constitutes such conduct up to students. While BYU spokesperson Carri Jenkins acknowledges that the policy is extremely broad, she said that the specifics are based on church lessons. "The president of the Church [of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints] has made it clear that members can't engage in homosexual conduct," she said. According to a March 29 article in The Salt Lake Tribune, Matthew Grierson - one of the students charged with engaging in homosexual acts - was unclear as to the "correct" interpretation of "homosexual conduct." "They don't spell it out in the honor code. I just thought it meant no sex," Grierson said. He was accused of kissing a man at school and holding a man's hand at a local mall, but only admits to the handholding. Jenkins said that any BYU student with questions about policy "will be given specifics if asked." The policy is not meant to be secretive, she said; rather, it is nonspecific to keep things simple. "We're moving to get away from more of the 'Dos' and 'Don'ts'," Jenkins said. According to BYU sophomore Amanda Heiner, though, two versions of the honor code are around- one is a brief "summary" accessible on the school's website and initially provided to students. There also exists a "three-ring binder, two-inch honor code," in the school's Honor Code Office. The full version specifies offenses as minor as snowball throwing, for which Heiner's brother has been reprimanded in the past. Grierson and Escoto did not interpret the short-version honor code as school officials intend it to be understood - and Jenkins believes the two never checked on the specifics. According to the Tribune article, four charges are levied against Escoto, including visiting gay chat rooms and "making out" with another man in his apartment.Escoto denied all the accusations, which were brought to the attention of the Honor Code Office by roommates, and has submitted character references in his defense, according to the Tribune. Jenkins said that other factors, such as any past offenses, might have been considered by the seven-person review committee, though she refused to comment specifically on the case. But critics of Escoto's suspension believe the committee did not consult any evidence other than the word of the students involved."If it were a case of holding hands and a student... misunderstood," the suspension would not have been given, Jenkins said, suggesting Grierson was more than just naive. "It was a very long, very exhaustive, and very thorough review," she said.Another recent honor code case involved a BYU running back who was cited by local police for underage drinking - a clearer violation of the code - but only placed on probation. A letter to The Daily Universe, BYU's student newspaper, charged the Honor Code Office with "hypocrisy" in its lenient treatment of violations committed by athletes compared to those involving homosexual acts.But Jenkins insists it is impossible to pass judgment on the honor code committee without knowing if there were "other things involved" - particularly past indiscretions as well as a student's demonstrated desire to live up to honor code standards in the future.According to Heiner, who admits her liberal views are "in the minority" at the Mormon school, most students supported the University's decision to suspend the two men. "Some are sympathetic, but not very much," she said.The suspensions didn't cause the controversy some might have expected, given the angry editorials in local newspapers. "It wasn't made a huge issue at BYU because [the decision] was expected," Heiner explained. "It was loud for a couple of days but then it quieted down."Heiner admits the honor code sets a standard that must be lived up to, but still believes BYU students could stand to be a bit more accepting. "It's hard to deal with the closed-mindedness that's very prevalent at BYU," she said.

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News

From zeroes to heroes

March 31

Just when you came to grips with the fact that the St. Louis Rams were Super Bowl champions; just when it sunk in that no division winner from 1999 defended its crown in 2000; just when you thought you had seen it all in the last two seasons, the NFL gives us a New York Giants-Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl. And you thought "Show Me Something" was just a catch phrase. Apparently, the league has taken its postseason marketing words to heart.What the NFL will be showing us on Sunday evening is a battle between one team that almost nobody thought could get to the Super Bowl and another team that absolutely nobody thought would get to Tampa. The NFC's mighty preseason triumvirate (St. Louis, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Washington Redskins) is long gone, and in its place marches the Giants, who hadn't won so much as a playoff game in seven years. Joining them in Super Bowl XXXV is a Ravens team that was viewed by many as a cute sleeper pick entering the season. But instead, they've been downright nasty to opponents since going five games without a touchdown in October. In all, it sets the stage for the most unlikely Super Bowl matchup since, well, last year. Two teams that went through most of the regular season unnoticed will need some introducing before stepping onto the country's biggest sports stage. So instead of watching CBS for six-plus hours, here's your chance to know what to expect (and without five dozen promos for Survivor II bombarding you in the process):Storylines:Who are these guys? Of the more than 100 players and coaches that comprise these two teams, the most famous made his reputation at last year's Super Bowl, and he wasn't even playing. Ray Lewis, the Ravens' star middle linebacker, was picked up on murder charges outside of an Atlanta nightclub, and while he eventually cut a deal to have the charges dropped, Lewis became a household name for football fans and faithful Court TV viewers alike. Outside of Lewis, the game is devoid of superstars. The Giants have some defensive stalwarts in Jessie Armstead, Michael Strahan, and Micheal Barrow, and a gifted athlete at cornerback in Jason Sehorn, but nobody who seems destined for Canton, home of football's hall of fame. Baltimore's defense allowed fewer points than any other team in NFL history during the season, but lacks star power if Lewis is subtracted. Defense, defense, and more defense. Both teams have gotten to this point by riding world-class defenses and shoddy offenses. The Giants are the more balanced team of the two, as they scorched the Minnesota Vikings for 41 points in the NFC Championship Game. But their offense has been inconsistent throughout the season; it's the ability to keep its opponents off the board that makes New York formidable. The defense has been the Giants' strength all year, and it seems to be hitting its stride as the postseason progresses. After shutting down Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional round, the Big Blue defense somehow shut out one of the league's most potent offensive machines in Minnesota.The Ravens' defense needs no introduction, having already drawn comparisons to some of the best of all time. The Ravens use their stellar defensive linemen to freeLewis from potential blockers, allowing him to strike the fear of God into opposing players. For anyone who doubted how potent the this unit is, its postseason run has provided proof that it is among the best ever. First, Baltimore held the Denver Broncos, with the second-ranked offense in the league, to three points. Then, after allowing their only touchdown of the postseason to the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional playoffs, the Ravens held the top rushing attack in the league, that of the Oakland Raiders, to just 24 yards in the AFC Championship game. Against the Giants' mediocre offense, a shutout is a very real possibility.Two cities with a history. The Giants and Ravens have never met in a Super Bowl, but New York and Baltimore certainly have had their share of big NFL games. There was the 1958 NFL championship game, the so-called greatest game ever played, which launched the NFL to prominence. In front of a live television audience, the Baltimore Colts defeated the Giants in overtime, 23-17, marking the beginning of a long and profitable relationship between football and television. Then there was the most significant game in AFL history, when the New York Jets shocked the same Colts (and the rest of the world) by winning Super Bowl III 16-7 and making good on the victory guarantee made by their quarterback, Joe Namath. Why to root for the Giants: New York has the chance to prove that nice guys can finish first. Coach Jim Fassel has had many ups and downs in his four seasons as coach of the Big Blue, but his players love him. In addition to Fassel, theGiants boast personable good guys in Tiki Barber, Lomas Brown, and Michael Strahan, all of whom have never had a taste of the Super Bowl. If that's not reason enough to root for the Giants, then there's always the Art Modell factor. Modell ripped the heart out of the city of Cleveland when he moved the Browns to Baltimore without any real advance warning, chasing more money the way Lewis pursues an opposing quarterback. The move was so traumatic for the city of Cleveland - and the league itself - that the Browns were brought back in their current form in 1999.Why to root for the Ravens:Baltimore has been underestimated, disrespected, and unappreciated for much of the season. The "no respect" theme was a major factor in getting the team this far. Perhaps nothing represents this better than the feel-good story of Trent Dilfer's triumphant return to his old home. Dilfer has made this return with no trace of bitterness or anger about his lost years in Florida, where he toiled for the Bucs.Other than that, it can be argued that this group represents much of what is wrong with sports. So unless you're from Baltimore, there is little to like about the Ravens, who stand for franchise free agency at its worst, incessant trash-talking, and the off the field problems that have plagued the NFL in recent years.Keys to the game:Turnovers. In a defensive battle, turnovers may be the most surefire way for either offense to get on the board. This is especially true for the Ravens, whose defensive ball-hawking was key in their lasttwo upset wins. The pressure will be on Dilfer and Giants quarterback Kerry Collins to avoid interceptions and be disciplined enough to realize that, in this game, punters Brad Maynard and Kyle Richardson could be the primary offensive weapons for each team.Controlling the ball. Any offense in this game is more likely to come in flashes and big plays. A steady running game will be virtually impossible for the Giants to establish and very difficult for the Ravens to get going. But if either team can put together multiple extended drives and get a legitimate ground attack going, the game will be theirs for the taking.Coaching. Having had two weeks to prepare for the game the pressure is on Fassel and Baltimore coach Brian Billick to have come up with a sound game plan. History has shown that when there is a bye week preceding the Super Bowl, a blowout often ensues. If either one comes up with a sound battle plan to generate points early, whoever falls behind will be put in the uncomfortable position of having to mount a comeback with a spotty offense.From the crystal ball:The Ravens will make at least one big play on offense. This one almost goes without saying, as one backbreaking pass from Dilfer to tight end Shannon Sharpe has arguably been the turning point in each playoff game. In each case, that play led to seven points, which was all that Baltimore needed. The key for the Ravens is not so much to make sure a big play happens, but to make sure that when it does, they can convert it into seven points, and not three or a turnover. Doing so could be the difference between winning a championship and going home disappointed.The Giants will air it out. Offensive coordinator Sean Payton had one of the finest games a coordinator has had in recent years against Minnesota. It's unlikely that he'll fall into the same trap that has finished off so many of Baltimore's opponents - an obsession with establishing the run. Baltimore's run defense is practically impenetrable, having shut down three running backs in the past three weeks that are better than anyone the Giants can bring to the table. Payton will be smart enough to follow the lead of the only team that has done any real damage against the Ravens' defense in the last few months. The Jets used a no-huddle, quick-strike passing attack to score 14 points in their first two possessions when they met the Ravens in December. The Giants will follow suit.This one will go down to the wire. Last year may have provided the most thrilling finish in Super Bowl history, but it's possible that Super Bowl XXXV could come close. The reason is simple: neither team has enough offense to put the other away. Points will be hard enough to come by that each team should stay within striking distance. If ever there was a chance for a Super Bowl to go to overtime, just about the most exciting scenario imaginable in professional sports, this could be the year it happens.Expect the unexpected. It almost goes without saying that in today's NFL, you never know what you'll get. The way the past two seasons have gone, we just may get a 35-31 shootout. Crazier things have happened. A Giants-Ravens Super Bowl, for one.

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News

Men's track opens season with fast start

March 31

After a rain out two weeks ago, the Jumbos finally kicked off their outdoor track season with a meet at Springfield last weekend. Facing Springfield, Bates, Westfield, and Southern Maine, Tufts took second place scoring 142 points to Springfield's 228. While the rainout shortens the already brief outdoor season, and minimizes the opportunities Tufts' has to qualify members for the postseason, coach Connie Putnam was not disappointed by the cancellation. "In some ways it worked to our advantage not rushing into the first outdoor meet of the season," she said. The Springfield meet proved successful for the Jumbos, as they had good showings in multiple events. Senior co-captain David Patterson, junior J.R Cruz, sophomore Greg Devine, and freshmen Patrick Taylor performed well enough in their season opening meet to qualify for Division III standards, and might also qualify under Division I standards as well. "I don't think everyone was completely satisfied with where we ended the [indoor] season. Our potential is much greater," junior Ben Smith said. Patterson's victory in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:20.87) and Devine's win in the 400 Hurdles (54.28s) were both close to the provisional qualifying standards for Nationals. While Taylor qualified for a Division III standard with his win in the triple jump (43'10.75), his third-place performance in the long jump missed the qualifying standard by a mere half inch (21'01.50). The trio of Patterson, Devine, and Taylor were the Jumbos' greatest point scorers in the meet with 20, 17.5, and 16 points respectively. "Dave's time is a strong early season time and Greg's time is a very strong early season time," Putnam said. These three standouts were not the only Jumbos who had noteworthy displays at the meet. Junior Adam Barrer's performance helped lift the squad to victory. Barrer contributed 13 points, highlighted by his ten point victory in the 400 dash (50.48), a time which Putnam believes will approach the national qualifying standard. After missing the beginning of the indoor season due to a semester abroad, and his rehabilitation for his ankle after summer surgery, Barrer's performance was especially satisfying for Putnam. "He's really made a remarkable recovery and he's on a march back to where he was," Putnam said. The most impressive part of the afternoon was Tufts' balanced scoring throughout the track and field events. Along with Taylor's jumps, the throwing squad showed that it will be formidable this season. Tufts was able to score in both the hammer and discuss throw in large part because of the work of junior Kevin Waltrous and sophomore Andy Dickerson. Bates and Springfield brought two of the NESCAC's strongest throwing squads to the meet, making Tufts ability to score even more convincing. "The field events were much better than anyone might have expected," Putnam said. Another high point for the meet was the performance of the 4x400 relay team. Throughout the indoor season, the squad was never able to reach its potential. But in the first outdoor meet of the season, Tufts was able to take second place with a time of 3:27.40 - a strong mark after ending the indoor season with a time of 3:30.45. Especially significant was the fact that the 4x400 squad accomplished this time without the help of Devine who is recovering from a hamstring injury and who Putnam kept out of the race for precautionary reasons. Instead the Jumbos used Sophomore Sam Dangremond to start off, who performed well in Devine's place. With only three meets left in the regular season, the Jumbos hope to build off their recent success and increase the number of team members to qualify for postseason action. With the rainout of the first meet, Tufts has the ability to make up one meet and increase its qualifying opportunity. A makeup meet, however, has not been scheduled. "We're ahead of where we would expect to be for our first race," Smith said. If the Jumbos continue their strong performances they will not necessarily require a makeup contest. Their next meet will take place this weekend at home against Bowdoin, UMass Lowell and MIT.

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News

Backstage with the Fish

March 31

Interviewing Reel Big Fish is more like a babysitting gig. One room, one table of snack food and drinks, and six playful musicians who show no discrepancies whatsoever between their raucous stage interactions and their individual personalities. The location is Worcester State College's Sullivan Auditorium, where the band is hanging out backstage on standard-issue dorm room couches, eating Doritos and tuning their instruments. Ever the college favorite, Reel Big Fish, just back from their first European tour, is playing a few college dates this spring. Many upperclassmen Jumbos will recall last year's Spring Fling performance, where the band's delectable blend of ska and pop-rock ignited the President's Lawn cloud to a beach ball-throwing frenzy. "Is that the one that was early in the morning?" asks lead singer and guitarist Aaron Barrett, wearing a non-characteristic plain black shirt, with his short hair slicked back, while re-stringing his Gibson SG. "Oh yeah, we played with Better Than Ezra," chimes in Scott Klopfenstein, one of the band's two trumpeters. Together with Barrett, who's usually much more flashily dressed, Klopfenstein is responsible for much of the band's stage presence. Drummer Carlos De La Garza is absent - he went to the grocery store. Bassist Matt Wong is restringing his monstrous five-string bass, and the string section, rounded out by trombonist Dan Regan and trumpeter Tavis Werts, is simply relaxing and enjoying snack foods and sandwiches. A few months after his band's last performance in the Boston area, Barrett is finally back on the six-string after a broken hand relegated him to contributing his witty-yet-simple vocals and stage humor to the band's high-energy shows. I ask him how he broke his hand in the first place. "How did that happen," he says in a high-pitched voiced, mimicking me. "'Cause of f--kin' punks like you asking me stupid questions, I had to beat the f--kin' crap outta them," he shouts, without looking up from the guitar he's working on"Notice how no one's laughing, " cautions Wong. After Barrett finishes tightening the new string he just put on his guitar, he looks up and begins to speak."I don't like to play guitar.""Not at all?" I ask."Not really.""Then why bother?""'Cause I'm so good at it, it would be a shame. The world would lose so much...""JELLY!" shouts Klopfenstein."The world would lose so much jelly," says Barrett, tying it all together.Despite the band's apparent silliness, Reel Big Fish does apparently focus on its music once in a while. And, despite record label turmoil, it is committed to getting an album out soon."We're not allowed to talk about it right now," says Barrett, mystifyingly. "It's a good thing that they get these interviews for us, because we're not allowed to talk about anything."I feel obliged to ask: "Says who?""Them""Who are they?""Management.""Funny.""Keep your mouth shut," he says with mock seriousness, then laughs. "We're making it... we recorded a bunch of stuff, then we're gonna record some more stuff." Silence washes over the room, until the unbelievably loquacious Barrett feels the need to talk again. As is usual with the members of Reel Big Fish, the topic is, well, off-topic."Did you guys get the pornos at the hotel? They got penetration!""All right!" shouts Klopfenstein."It's always a nice thing when you go to a hotel and the pornos there have penetration," continues Barrett, alternating glances between his guitar and me. "You feel like a winner."Reel Big Fish will have plenty of time to study cinematography at hotels across the nation this summer, when they will embark on what Barrett calls a "super tour" of large concert halls."It's called the 'They Won't Let Us On The Warped Tour Tour,'" he says. The entire band - minus the elusive De La Garza, who's now at a local drum store - cracks up. "There's gonna be Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger, Zebrahead, and some other awesome band." Klopfenstein suggests that the fourth band might be Homegrown. Touring has been a large part of Reel Big Fish's continued success. Though the band - and its hit, "Sell Out" - are often associated with the ska explosion of the mid-'90s, Reel Big Fish, started by Wong and Barrett, has been around for a decade. Thanks to continuous touring, the group has remained popular to this day, unlike the ska bands it rose to fame with. Barrett notes that his band is "back and better than ever. We're getting big in Europe, too. It [the European tour] was incredible; we'd never been there before." Still, it's almost impossible to buy a Reel Big Fish album on that continent, and European radio stations usually don't offer the band any airtime. "It's totally underground," he says. "Internet stuff, word of mouth. We sold out almost every show." Obviously, then, Barrett is a Napster fan. "I love Napster. If it wasn't for Napster... we wouldn't have as many people at our shows." Before the horn section begins to warm up, the band's collective Attention Deficit Disorder takes control of the room. Barrett and Klopfenstein flawlessly act out an entire scene from Pee Wee's Big Adventure. (Klopfenstein: "You can't beat a movie directed by Tim Burton, soundtracked by Danny Elfman, and co-written by Paul Reubens and Phil Hartman.") Egan, with headphones on, asks if anyone has ever heard of Papas Fritas, whose CD he is listening to. I point out that Papas Fritas met at and graduated from Tufts. Barrett grabs my tape recorder and begins to interview Klopfenstein like the kid in Almost Famous: "Do you have to be happy to write a happy song? Do you have to be depressed to write a sad song?" And so on. Before the group leaves to soundcheck, Barrett gets serious. Despite record company "bullcrap," he wants to point out that he's serious about getting a new album out soon. "We are definitely gonna put out a new record, just not anytime soon. That doesn't mean in the next five years, that means probably this year." That's inspiring, but it leaves only one question to be answered, which is also the name of their last album: Why Do They Rock So Hard? According to Klopfenstein, the answer is simple: "Because we were born to."

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News

Get a date, see a movie

March 31

Down to EarthDirected by Paul Weitz (American Pie) and Chris WeitzStarring Chris Rock, Regina KingChris Rock stars as a bike messenger who dies before his time in a car accident. Upon arriving in heaven, however, he discovers to his happy surprise that there's no room, and that his death was a mistake. So the powers that be return him to Earth until his number is really called... in the host body of a rich white man whose wife and mistress are both after revenge. Add to this the romantic feelings that Rock's character develops for social activist Suntee (Regina King) and you've got your typical remake-of-a-remake comedy shaping up. Originally made in 1941, Here Comes Mr. Jordan was then the basis for Warren Beatty's 1978 comedy, Heaven Can Wait, which in turn spawned Down to Earth. Some things are better left alone.Sweet NovemberDirected by Pat O'Connor (Circle of Friends, Dancing at Lughnasa)Starring Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron Following their 1997 pairing in The Devil's Advocate, Reeves and Theron team up again in Sweet November. This time around, Theron plays a woman whose life's mission is to date a man a month, improving her man's existence in some way, then moving on to another charity case. Reeves plays Mr. November, a man who thinks he can make Theron his forever. Of course, Reeves has yet to figure out why she limits her romances to a month each. More of a character study than anything else, Sweet November appeared for the first time in 1968 under the same title and was easily contemporized into its modern counterpart. Bring tissues, or your date's sleeve.In the Mood for LoveDirected by Wong Kar-waiStarring Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Lai Chen When Chow Mo-Wan (Tony Leung) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) move into the same apartment building in Hong Kong, the chemistry between them is undeniable. The fact that both of their spouses are noticeably absent throughout most of the movie serves only to drive the two friendly neighbors closer together... until one day they discover their spouses are having an affair. In the Mood for Love is truly Wong's pet project, as he not only directed the film but also produced it and wrote the screenplay. Such a strong hand does not go unnoticed in movies of this sort; his artistic touch is visible in the sentimental and introspective nature of the work done both behind and in front of the camera.The Price of MilkDirected by Harry SinclairStarring Danielle Cormack, Karl Urban, Willa O'Neill, Michael Lawrence, Rangi Motu Filmmaker Sinclair examines the age-old question, "How do you know if the person you're about to marry truly loves you?" Of course, you test that love. Duh. Weren't you paying attention during Kissing A Fool? Testing love leads only to mischief, as Rob (Urban) and Lucinda (Cormack) soon discover. Set in the rolling hills of director Sinclair's home of New Zealand, The Price of Milk has something to do with cows, quilts, most valuable possessions, trading, severed relationships, and a seduction. If you succeed in piecing all the elements together into a coherent fairy tale, let us know. In the mean time, enjoy the beautiful scenery and classical soundtrack.

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News

Eastern Conference full of questions entering postseason

March 31

The NBA playoffs begin in ten days, and though the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers are battling for the final postseason berth in the East, seven teams have already clinched a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Philadelphia 76ers with their win over the fading Celtics on Monday night improved their record to 54-23, the best in the conference. Philadelphia has been led the entire season by the NBA's top scorer, guard Allen Iverson. Iverson who is averaging 31.3 points per contest is the most prolific scorer in the game and has single-handedly beaten many a team in the league. Iverson, however, has been the benefactor of solid play down low all season. Whether it has been Theo Ratliff or Dikembe Mutumbo, Iverson, a 42 percent shooter, has had the help of a dominant big man to patrol the middle and scoop up offensive boards. Mutumbo, who came over in a trade for Ratliff from the Atlanta Hawks, has averaged more than 12 rebounds and 12 points per game in the second half of the season. Aaron McKie has also been a formidable defensive force for the Sixers averaging nearly 2.5 steals per contest. As long as Iverson is healthy the Sixers should be the team to beat in the East. But if Iverson goes down, don't look for any of his teammates to compensate. As proven by the Sixers' recent skid during an Iverson injury, they may really be a one-man show. The Milwaukee Bucks have had a phenomenal season and are all but assured a second seed and home court advantage in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Bucks are led by two dominant scorers and a solid point guard. The bulk of the scoring comes from forward Glenn Robinson and guard Ray Allen. Robinson has become a versatile player having both an outside touch and ferocity inside making him a tough matchup for anybody. Ray Allen is simply one of the best pure shooters in the league. Allen, shooting a phenomenal 42.7 percent from three-point range, is also averaging 21.9 points per game. Sam Cassell is playing the point nicely, giving the Bucks that all-important third scoring option. Cassell is averaging 18.4 points and 7.5 assists per game. The only thing stopping the Bucks from reaching the conference finals is playoff inexperience. The Bucks are primarily a young team with only one round of playoff experience last season. Look for the Bucks to lose a tough second round series to one of these teams. The Miami Heat, coming off an 81-76 victory against the rival New York Knicks, are finally starting to click with Alonzo Mourning back in the lineup. The Heat improved to 46-30, good enough for the third seed in the East. Mourning is beginning to show signs of his old self, averaging 11.3 points and six rebounds per game since his return from a rare kidney disease, which kept him out of much of the 2000-2001 season. Mourning's kidney condition has not completely disapeared, but his doctors cleared him to play, saying his disease seems under control and will not worsen for at least another year (if ever). Miami's biggest concern as they head into the playoffs will be adjusting to life with Mourning in the lineup. The Heat played well this season in Mourning's absence, as Anthony Mason and Brian Grant more than filled the void in the middle. Mason is having a solid year, averaging 16.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, and he continues to improve on his once shaky free throw shooting, boasting a 78.5 percent from the line. Eddie Jones's 18.1 points per game and 37.4 percent three-point shooting combined with Hardaway's 15.1 points per game and big game abilities should help the Heat be a formidable playoff opponent. Also look for Bruce Bowen, the feisty seventh man, to give opposing two-guards a lot of grief, as his defense has lifted the Heat all season long. Given the right matchups, the Heat could easily make it to the conference finals and challenge the Sixers for the crown. The New York Knicks are a hot and cold, night and day team. One minute they are beating the Los Angeles Lakers, and the next night they are losing to the Chicago Bulls. The Knicks are the mark of inconsistency in the East, and could go to the NBA finals or could lose in the first round. They boast of a strong trio of shooting guards spearheaded by all-star Allan Houston's 19.1 points per game and Latrell Sprewell's 17.5 points per game. Glen Rice, the Knicks' six man, provides a nice touch off the bench averaging 11 points per contest. If two of these three combine for 50 points a game the Knicks will likely win their playoff games. But one cold night from Sprewell or Houston and the Knicks could be playing golf in Florida by the beginning of May. The Knicks don't have Ewing anymore to intimidate Mourning in the playoffs. This lack of imposing presence in the middle may be the pitfall for the Knicks as they look to fend off Eastern Conference foes. The Orlando Magic, who have compiled an impressive 41-35 record, clinched a playoff berth and are currently the seventh seed in the conference with six games left to play in the season. This is a rather remarkable feat considering that their free agent superstar Grant Hill has been out the entire season with a broken ankle. For an explanation of the Magic's success look no further than Tracy McGrady. "T-Mac" has easily had the best season of his young career putting up an uncanny 26.8 points per game. McGrady is the leading candidate for the most improved player award as well as a strong candidate for league MVP. Mike Miller has been another great story coming out of Orlando this year, as the rookie out of Florida University has stepped up this year to score 11.7 points per game and average 39.3 percent from three-point land making him a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year honors. Darrell Armstrong has also had a solid season at the point netting 16.0 points and dishing out seven assists per game. As the Magic gear up for the playoffs their biggest ally is a tepid Eastern Conference. The Magic with their young talent could surprise just about anybody in the first round. But youth will also be their biggest obstacle to overcome. The Magic has little playoff experience and may struggle against veteran clubs. For the Toronto Raptors the story remains the same: in Vince we trust. Once again, Vince Carter has taken the Raptors on his shoulders and has flown them to prominence. Carter, with his 27.9 points per game average, has carried Toronto to the playoffs for the second straight season. The X factors for the Raptors, as they take their 44-33 record into the last five games of the regular season and the playoffs, will be center Antonio Davis and point guard Alvin Williams. Davis, who seems to get better with age, is having a career year, averaging 13.7 points and ten rebounds per contest en route to his first all-star appearance. Davis is also shooting 75.5 percent from the line, a remarkable feat for a center. Alvin Williams' play at the point will be pivotal in determining the Raptors chances for success in the playoffs as he has averaged nearly ten points and five assists per game. With playoff veteran Chris Childs coming off the bench, the Raptors have a solid point guard rotation. The Raptors can beat the Knicks, Heat, or the Bucks in the first round if Williams and Davis both play solid ball. The Charlotte Hornets have quietly put together quite the season. The Hornets are holding onto a record of 42-36 and the fifth seed in the East, a feat they accomplished without a single all-star on their squad. The Hornets have relied heavily on a balanced scoring nucleus of Jamal Mashburn, David Wesley, Baron Davis, and Elden Campbell. Mashburn is the Hornets' leading scorer, averaging 20 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. Wesley provides the Hornets with an outside threat, putting up 17.6 points per game while shooting an impressive 37 percent from beyond the arc. Baron Davis, a celebrity for his now infamous "blind man's bluff" dunk in the slam dunk contest, has a 13.8 points per game average and is feisty on defense, robbing his opponents for 2.1steals per game. The final piece to the Hornet puzzle is center Elden Campbell. Campbell, with his 13 points and eight rebounds a game, is the cog in the middle that the Hornets need to challenge strong big men like Toronto's Antonio Davis and Miami's Alonzo Mourning. The Hornets, however, have got to focus attention on offense away from big man Derrick Coleman, who has brought nothing but bad luck this year as the team has played its best with Coleman injured or on the bench. The Hornets will need their "Big Four" to play well together if they want to stop their four game losing streak and have a chance to beat either New York or Miami in the first round.

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Greenberg goes from social student to social policy leader

March 31

As a freshman, Eric Greenberg barely knew who the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate president was, and for the most part, he barely even cared. He read the papers once in a while, and like many others, was fed up with hearing about the Senate's internal bickering. All he really wanted to do was hit the gym, shoot some baskets, and go to his classes. Two years later, the Senate's vice president is probably its most visible campus figure, emerging from obscurity to lead the public fight against the social scene crackdown last fall, and working behind-the-scenes with administrators and student groups to improve social life opportunities on campus and off. Now, as he prepares to square off with Senate Treasurer Michele Shelton for the TCU presidency, even Greenberg is a little surprised by his out-of-nowhere rise. "My freshman year, I really didn't do anything," he said. "I kept my ear to things... but after a while I starting realizing that there were a lot of articles about Senate complaining or arguing or just pushing things that were totally ridiculous. It just seemed like there were a lot of people trying to make a name for themselves without really getting anything accomplished." So the political science major from Baltimore, MD took it upon himself to change things. "I just made it a test for myself: I'm going to run for the Senate, and I'm going to try to actually get things done. It took me a year, I had to work within some restraints and get into a leadership position, but I think I've started to get things done," he said. Greenberg, who is also a South Hall resident assistant and an event staff manager for the Office of Student Activities, won a seat on the Senate in an uncontested election in the fall of 1999. He readily admits that most of his sophomore year was spent learning the ropes, but is proud of what he's managed to do this year, in particular the new social policy he helped negotiate with the administration. "With the social life forum, the bus to Boston, the social life rally and task force, the police details, I guess I'm the social life guy," he said. Greenberg believes that his year off the Senate has actually served as an advantage, since it has kept him from becoming too much of a politician - a surprising statement to anyone who has seen the talkative, outgoing Greenberg in action, aggressively campaigning for a cause. Still, Greenberg claims to shun publicity, maintaining that he prefers to work behind the scenes as an organizer. "I'm more interested in the organizational dynamics, getting people to work, making sure the Senate is operating efficiently, that everyone is on board on things," he said. Indeed, this year much of his energy was devoted to acting as an "enforcer" of sorts for Senate President David Moon, ensuring that the Senate ran smoothly and without internal turmoil. "One of the things I pride myself on is that... during the year, there were no senators who resigned, and I can't remember the last time that happened," he said. But Greenberg knows it's his plans to improve the social scene that will likely make or break his bid for office. The vice president is campaigning largely on his successes from this year, and the promise of more social life breakthroughs."On social life, I still think there's room for improvement. In terms of more programming for people to have more fun on campus. What we did this semester was a start. As a whole, I want the University to stick to their in loco parentis policy, and treat us as adults," he said.While Greenberg's agenda for next year is largely focused on further improving campus social life, he also places a high priority on diversity education and expanding cultural opportunities - but without forcing students to take on a new diversity requirement."I think there needs to be more focus on race and diversity, sexuality, and gender, without adding an entirely new requirement," said Greenberg, who is of Chinese, Filipino, Caucasian, and Latino backgrounds. "I think there are ways - and other schools have done it - to infuse certain aspects of that into the curriculum without adding a new requirement, because I understand that there are certain politics to adding a new requirement on all fronts."Greenberg, who says he regularly attends the weekly meetings of many on-campus culture groups and is a voting member of two, is also pushing for a controversial amendment which would allow culture representatives to become full voting members of the Senate, set to be voted on at the April 25 election. A similar amendment was defeated five years ago, but Greenberg thinks it has a better chance now in what he calls a more open, activist Tufts environment."In larger society, not just Tufts, there's a lack of minority representation. Traditionally - and this year is an anomaly - minorities have been highly underrepresented serving on Senate. That can lead to their issues not being represented on senate. Currently, many of the minorities who are on Senate don't work on minority issues. And when those issues are worked on, most of the time the Senate doesn't listen, doesn't care."Right now, Greenberg is preparing for what should be an easy re-election effort as a junior class senator on April 11. As for the presidential election, that's still three weeks away, and Greenberg seems as relaxed as if it were three months from now. "I'm still forming a team," he said. "The first thing is to find a base, to find support. One of the things I'm lucky to be is an RA. I'm going to a lot of culture group meetings, and I'm seeing a lot of support there. It's going to be a hard campaign, but it's going on a foundation that's already been set."

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Lemieux's return brought new life to NHL

March 31

The members of the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, along with just about everyone associated with the National Hockey League, are smiling again. The NHL experienced a full-fledged renaissance on December 27th, with the return of Mario Lemieux. The NHL, much like the post-Jordan NBA, had been struggling to find that special superstar capable of selling the entire league; the search is over. Lemieux may be just a temporary fix for professional hockey - perhaps a step into the past - but there is no denying the fact that Lemieux has brought hockey back into the headlines. On December 27th, Mario Lemieux returned to the ice and scored three points in leading the Penguins to a victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The game captured the highest television rating for a regular season hockey game in years. Since his all-star return, all nationally televised Penguin games have received ratings unheard of for any team during the part of the season prior to Lemieux's comeback. The ratings for non-Penguin games are also up. The December 27th game was also a sellout in Pittsburgh, the first in quite some time. Super Mario has played in 14 games since his return, and all 14 have been sellouts. Lemieux is just what the league so desperately needed, but when it comes down to success on the ice, it is his Penguin teammates who are benefiting the most. The Penguins are 9-4-0-1 (7-1at home) since Lemieux's return, and have won their last three in a row. The 6-4, 220 pound, 35 year old claims he is only 70-80 percent of what he will be once he gets into better shape. That said, Lemieux has 14 goals and 14 assists in 14 games. This 2:1 point-to-game ratio, while over a limited time period, is by far the best in the NHL. Perhaps more important for the Penguins is the fact that their other superstar, Jaromir Jagr, is again skating like one of the top two or three offensive players in the league. Jagr, the man the NHL had hoped would take Lemieux's place at the top of the sport, was contemplating retirement before Lemieux's return. With more open ice as a result of defenders focusing on Lemieux, Jagr has shown new life and is currently on a nine-game scoring streak. The third All-Star on the team, Alexei Kovalev, has also improved since Lemieux's return, scoring 20 points in his last 15 games. Despite the awesome offensive potential in Pittsburgh, Penguins GM Craig Patrick has had to add some muscle to the lineup. The Penguins cruised to easy wins in Lemieux's first games back, and were looking almost unbeatable until Lemieux's aura wore off and opposing teams started to hit him - hard. The Penguins had to lose a few games before they realized that they needed some size in their lineup to protect their superstar. Patrick traded for 6'8" center Steve McKenna and enforcer Krzysztof Oliwa, and called up rookie tough man Billy Tibbetts. This change in personnel seems to have been accompanied by a change in the team's attitude. In Saturday's 5-1 win over Carolina, the two teams drew a total of eleven fighting penalties. Mario will be hit a lot less and should score more with these enforcers at his side. The addition of 35 year-old Kevin Stevens to the Jagr-Lemieux line should also enhance Lemieux's skating. Stevens, left for dead in Philadelphia, was a sensational All Star for the 1991 and 1992 Stanely Cup Champion Penguins. Mario Lemieux scored 613 goals and 881 assists in 745 games for the Penguins between 1984-97. He was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 1997. Upon retiring, Lemieux was owed over 26 million dollars in deferred payments by the Penguins, who were in debt upwards of 100 million dollars. Lemieux gathered investors from around the Pittsburgh area and created an equity stake for most of what he was owed in order to buy the Penguins. He saved the Pittsburgh franchise. After 44 months in retirement, Lemieux said he wanted to come back and regain the title of the best player in the world. He has already been named to next Sunday's All-Star team, recorded the 40th hat-trick of his career, and brought renewed interest in the NHL throughout the world. The only question remaining is whether or not this icon, this savior of hockey, can win another Cup.

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Jumbos split with Polar Bears

March 31

While most Tufts students were enjoying Spring Fling this Saturday, the women's softball team traveled to Maine to face the Bowdoin Polar Bears in the season's most important contest. When the doubleheader was completed, the Jumbos had accomplished one of two goals: Securing the top spot in the NESCAC East for home field advantage in next weekend's NESCAC Tournament. Tufts won the first game 8-0 before dropping the nightcap 6-4, ending the prospects for goal number two: Finishing the season undefeated in conference play. Both Bowdoin and Tufts entered the game 7-0 in the NESCAC, but because the Jumbos' overall record (23-9) was better than the Polar Bears' mark (16-5), Tufts only needed a split to finish atop the conference. "The main drive for us was that we wanted to host the tournament," senior co-captain Randee McArdle said. Last year's split with Bowdoin included a tough 10-0 loss for the Jumbos, who were determined to avenge the loss this weekend and clinch the number one seed in the East. Playing in Maine on Bowdoin's Senior Day, the Jumbos faced a highly emotional Polar Bear team. "There was a lot of talk about going back in and showing them that we could beat them. All that hype drives us to beat them even more," junior Jodie Moreau said. Bowdoin's hopes were quickly dashed in the opener, as the Jumbos jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on McArdle's two-run double in the first inning. Junior Tiffany Trahan added to the lead in a three-run second inning with a two-run single, putting the Jumbos ahead 5-0. While the offense rocked Polar Bear pitcher Gina Laugelli, Moreau quieted the Bowdoin bats with another strong pitching performance. Carrying a perfect game into the bottom of the sixth inning, Moreau's bid was broken by a double. "I threw her a changeup which I shouldn't have done. I knew better than to do that, but at the time it seemed like a good idea," Moreau said. She ended the outing by shutting out Bowdoin's offense for the remainder of the game, allowing only one hit and improving her record to 11-3. "When Jodie's pitching, the team has so much confidence. She's been really great this year and a lot of our success is due to her pitching," McArdle said. But after beating Bowdoin to secure the home field advantage in next week's tournament, the Jumbos were unable to complete the sweep. In the second game, Tufts once again jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on freshman Julie Fox's two-run double, as the Jumbos quickly chased Bowdoin's starter Julie Jassaume. Tufts entered the third inning leading 4-2, but was unable to prevent Bowdoin from rallying. Tying the game with an RBI double of their own in the bottom of the inning, the Polar Bears scored four runs to go ahead 6-4. That was the way the game would end, as senior co-captain Rachel Brecher suffered the loss (8-6). Despite falling to the Polar Bears, the Jumbos suffered no ill consequences, having already secured home field advantage with a victory in the first game. "At that point, we were looking ahead to this weekend and the win just wasn't that important," McArdle said. Wrapping up their regular season this weekend, the Jumbos now look forward to the NESCAC tournament which will hopefully be followed by an NCAA World Series berth, where the Jumbos would return as defending New England champions. After a strong season, the team is pleased to have home field advantage this weekend. "We deserve to host the tournament," Moreau said.

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Quitters sometimes win

March 31

It's still dark out. And cold. Your roommate went to bed about an hour ago. Yet your alarm is going off and it's time to get up, and a few minutes later, going to crew practice, you envy the rest your still-sleeping peers. You might even question why you're putting yourself through such a rigorous schedule - and whether it's worth it. For some student athletes, participating in sports at the college level proves too time consuming, too stressful, and too competitive. From crew to cross country, lacrosse to soccer, there are athletes leaving their sports teams for more relaxing endeavors. Most athletes who quit cite their team's rigid schedule as a reason to leave the sport. For this reason, the women's crew team has lost several rowers just this year. "There's seven people that quit in a month's time," said sophomore Ali Kaplan, an ex-crew member. Rowers usually get up between 4:30 and 5 a.m. to run three miles to Harvard and then row for an hour and a half. Many of the rowers who recently quit crew said that the team's early morning schedule became too much to handle. "I wasn't getting enough sleep," Kaplan said. Sophomore Beibhinn O'Donoghue, who also quit crew, echoed Kaplan's sentiments. "I'm not a morning person at all," she said. "The days just got really long." Gary Caldwell, coach of the women's crew team, agreed that students often find the team's time commitment stressful. "[The crew schedule] is 180 degrees away from other people on campus," he said. Since the team usually advertises for freshmen and novice upperclassmen in the fall, new team members are often not prepared for crew's rigid schedule and competitiveness. After spending a semester or a year on the team, Caldwell said that new members must "see where they are academically and where they are on the hierarchy of the team." Since Tufts fosters a competitive academic environment, it is often difficult for athletes to balance their schoolwork and their sport. "You have to be so strong academically and so well rounded [at Tufts]," Caldwell said. After a grueling first season or two, inevitably some rowers decide that crew is too great a sacrifice of their academic and social lives. "I wasn't happy," said sophomore Christina Wheeler, who quit crew this January. "I had no social life. I was always tired and my grades went down." Sophomore Scott Kronewitter, like some of the crew members, found it difficult to run cross-country and keep up with his classes and work. He said he spent "too much time doing the actual sport." In addition to training and running at meets, he said that runner's bodies require a lengthy recovery time to recuperate after running long distances. He decided to quit track and join the ballroom dance team. Although he still runs for fun, Kronewitter is happy with dancing, a sport that requires virtually no recovery time after practices and competitions. Like Kronewitter, who found his niche in dancing, many women stay on the crew team - despite its unusual schedule - because of their love of the sport. "It is a sport that requires dedication," O'Donoghue said. After playing high school sports for several years, student-athletes often find the transition to college sports difficult. Caldwell said that an athlete who was the best rower on his or her team in high school might not be the best rower at college. Some athletes also have difficulty adjusting to their team's coaching staff and style. "[There are] people who feel like the coaching staff is not the coaches they want to row for," Caldwell said. Although both O'Donoghue and Kronewitter said that their team's respective coaches -Caldwell and cross-country coach Connie Putnam - were very understanding when they left their teams, tension can build between student-athletes and coaches. Wheeler never received a phone call from any of the crew coaches after she quit the team in January. "I feel like the coach didn't care about me," she said. On the other hand, coaches often find it frustrating when students leave before the end of the season. "Misunderstandings and tensions can occur when people leave partway through the season," Caldwell said. "Any time you put an investment in a student athlete, you want to see them stay the course." Some students wish they could have stayed the course. "I miss [field hockey] terribly and regret it, but I've found other stuff [at Tufts]," Erin, a sophomore, said. O'Donoghue agreed. "I miss people and I miss the sport," she said. Despite this, athletes who quit teams quickly learn to appreciate their less hectic schedules. Now, they can spend more time with friends and get a good night's rest. "I feel like I can stay awake in class now," Kaplan said.

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Gov. Celluci named ambassador to Canada

March 31

Massachusetts Governor Paul Cellucci is the Bush administration's nominee for ambassador to Canada, the president announced yesterday. Cellucci will face confirmation hearings before the Senate in April, but political pundits expect that the nomination will easily be approved. Lieutenant Governor Jane Swift will take over as acting governor of Massachusetts until the general election is held in 2002. Swift will be the state's first female governor, and also the first pregnant one, as she is due to give birth to twins in June. At 35, she will be one of the state's youngest governors. Cellucci's departure from the state will create a political tremor, but few shocks will be felt on the Tufts campus. "I don't think it will make much difference for Tufts who the governor is," said James Glaser, political science chair. "There will be a very interesting Democratic primary next year because everyone is licking their chops to go against Swift.... There is going to be a vigorous election next year anyway. This will just make it more vigorous." Cellucci, a republican, was elected governor in 1997 and has been involved in state government for the last 24 years. He was an early supporter of Bush's presidential campaign and is a close friend of White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, a former Massachusetts state representative. In a statement released yesterday, Bush said he chose Cellucci for the governor's experience in dealing with Canadian government leaders through negotiations on energy, fishing, and commerce issues. During a press conference yesterday, Celluci said his nomination sends a message to Canada about the importance of its relationship with the US. "I think you've all read that [Bush] is putting a great emphasis on relations within this hemisphere, the importance of trade for the future of the Americas. This is an important assignment," he said. Cellucci's predecessor in Massachusetts, William Weld, also left a gubernatorial post to pursue an ambassadorial nomination. Weld was chosen by President Clinton to be ambassador to Mexico, but the nomination was derailed by members of Congress, and Weld later removed his name from consideration.

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Thirteen seniors honored by alumni association

March 31

The Tufts Alumni Association (TAA) honored 13 seniors for their achievement at Tufts during their four years on campus at its annual ceremony last Saturday. TAA President Bill O'Reilly (LA '77) gave awards to seniors Jennifer S. Brown, Leslie Crofton, Sarah Deeb, Patrick Girvin, Andrew Maclennan, Randee McArdle, Carmen Mikacenic, David Moon, Benjamin Oshlag, Moira Poe, Greg Propper, Jason Wang, and Margery Yeager. As a group, the award winners represent a diverse mix of interests and activities, ranging from political activism to performing arts and sports teams. Nominated by faculty and administrators, the recipients are considered for academic achievement, participation in campus and community activities, leadership skills, and potential for future alumni leadership and service. Moon recently finished his year as Tufts Community Union Senate president, and has been lauded for his ability to accomplish his goals and reduce senate infighting. In addition to his work on the Senate, Moon has served as a peer leader for the Experimental College's Explorations program. Moira Poe, whose active Senate career culminated in a run for president last year, coordinated the Omidyar Scholar award program, has been active in the Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS), and has served as a campus tour guide. Also active in the Senate, Margery Yeager has led this year's effort to organize the Culture Coordinating Committee, while helping to coordinate April Open House and teaching through the Explorations program. "I have really enjoyed my four years here at Tufts, and I only regret not getting more involved earlier," Yeager said. Greg Propper, another politically active recipient, has been involved in a plethora of activities on campus. He has served as president of the Tufts Democrats, and has been active in LCS, Tufts University Television (TUTV), and the University College of Citizenship and Public Service. "Tufts has helped me to realize that there are equally as important, if not more important, things in life than earning a living, such as being a good citizen, making positive change, and being actively involved in the community," Propper said. Jason Wang and Ben Oshlag represent the campus media; both have spent much of their years at Tufts in Curtis Hall, with Wang helping to produce shows on TUTV and Oshlag serving as Editor-in-Chief of The Tufts Daily. In addition, Wang has taught an Explorations class titled "Creating Television," and Oshlag is a former general board member at Tufts Hillel. Jennifer Brown has served as artistic director of Sarabande and is a child development and psychology double major. She has also worked with the Tufts-Malden Summer Literacy Program. Next year, Brown plans to relocate to Italy, where she will conduct a study on the integration of non-native Italian speaking children into the Italian school system. Though Andrew MacLennan's years on campus were in large part consumed by his involvement in the performing arts - he participated in both the Chamber singers and various drama department productions - upon graduation he plans to teach science for two years in the Peace Corps. "The senior award ceremony tonight was a wonderful reminder that attending Tufts isn't just a path to get a piece of paper, but it's also membership in a larger family," MacLennan said. As head of Tufts Dance Collective this year, Patrick Girvin has helped the organization grow in popularity among both dancers and audiences. He has also been a member of the diving team for four years. Leslie Crofton and Sarah Deeb are tri-captains of the women's track team, and both will be competing next month in the Division I National Championships. This year they helped lead the indoor team to an impressive 12th-place finish at the New England Championships. Both Crofton and Deeb were chosen for the NESCAC All-Academic Team in recognition of their hard work in the classroom. Next year, Deeb plans to study education at Tufts Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and revisit the track team as a graduate assistant. Also tri-captains, Randee McArdle and Carmen Mikacenic helped lead the women's soccer team to its first ever NCAA Championship game, hosted at Tufts this past fall. McArdle also serves as co-captain of the softball team and appreciates the unique experience Tufts has given her to participate in both sports. "I'm truly grateful to have had the opportunity to play multiple sports, something I could not have done at a Division I or II school." Award recipients receive a set of Light on the Hill books, a certificate and citation, and a place on the list of Alumni who have received the award since its inception in 1955.

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Jumbos win Great Goombay Shootout in the Bahamas

March 31

The women's basketball team spent early January in the Bahamas, enjoying beaches, tanning weather, and casinos. It also won a couple of basketball games, capturing the Great Goombay Shootout in the Nassau region of the country. The Jumbos (7-2), who traveled to Nassau on Jan. 2 for a five-day trip, topped both Washington College of Maryland and Marian University to win the Shootout. An easy win in the opener preceded a more strenuous effort in the victory over a quick Marion squad, after which the Jumbos were rewarded with a conch shell trophy. The Bahamian National team was also slated to take on the Jumbos, but the game was cancelled due to complications dealing with games between professional and college teams. According to one Tufts player, the other two teams involved in the tournament refused to play the Bahamian team, turning the four-team tournament into a three-team tournament. Against Washington College on Jan. 3, the women got off to a quick start and led comfortably throughout the contest. Sophomore center Emily Goodman led the team with 21 points on 8-16 shooting, despite playing a season-low 18 minutes. "We started out strong and put them away early," Goodman said of the win. Goodman wasn't the only team member to see her playing time decline, as coach Janice Savitz used the points cushion to distribute minutes more evenly - nine of the team's 11 players were in the game for 18 minutes or more. The Jumbos also benefited from the return of two players - point guard Shira Fishman and shooting guard Erin Harrington. Fishman, a senior co-captain, had missed the beginning of the season after tearing her meniscus, while Harrington returned from an illness that caused her to miss the early games. "It was great to have them back," Goodman said. "We missed them a lot, on the court and off." Fishman started in her debut and took just one shot, but contributed seven assists. Harrington chipped in 12 points on 5-10 shooting. "They help us to be a more of a rounded team," sophomore point guard Hillary Dunn said "We welcomed back their experience and poise." Dunn had started at point guard prior to Fishman's return, but did not get starts in either of the two Goombay Shootout contests. After having played nearly all 40 minutes in the season's early games, the sophomore was given just 17 minutes in the Jan. 6 win over Marian. Dunn said a slight injury held her off the court for part of the game. In that contest, the Jumbos escaped with a 54-53 victory over a fast-paced Marian team. Although Tufts led 33-26 at the half, the game came down to the wire, with the Jumbos up 54-50 in the closing minute. Marian drilled a three, tightening the gap to one, and Goodman then missed two consecutive one-and-one free throws. On the latter of Goodman's missed foul shots, Marian got the ball back with .7 seconds left on the clock, not enough time to get off a shot from the opposite end of the court. Goodman did not start, but played 29 minutes and led the team with 14 points. Harrington was the only other Jumbo in double digits, shooting 5-11 for ten points. "They were pretty quick, a guard-oriented team," Goodman said. "We had to step up our defense more than we had to against Washington." The competition got even tougher upon the team's return to Massachusetts, in the form of a Jan. 11 date with nationally ranked Wellesley. Tufts stayed with Wellesley throughout the opening half and trailed just 35-30 at halftime, but Wellesley opened up a significant lead early in the second half and won, 68-53. Wellesley out-rebounded Tufts 44-34, including 19 offensive boards. Center Kelly Grove was not expected to be a major factor, but surprised the Jumbos by scoring 23 points on 10-15 shooting and pulling down 14 rebounds. "She killed us," Dunn said. "We did a decent job containing [leading scorer] Amy Barao, but we did not expect that from the center [Grover]." Barao, one of just six players in Wellesley history to reach the 1,000 point mark for her career, scored just 12 points on 5-13 shooting. Goodman responded to Glover's dominance with 23 points of her own, to go with nine boards, and Harrington was, once again, the only other Jumbo to score in double digits (13). Goodman, Harrington, and freshman Maritsa Christoudias took 67 percent of the team's shots, and the Jumbos shot just 20-52 as a whole. Savitz, who has been frequently mixing up the lineup, started both Fishman and Dunn in the loss to Wellesley. The two combined for just 2-4 shooting and two assists. Dunn was the lone point guard in the starting lineup in Saturday's 70-38 defeat of Smith College, but split time with Fishman for most of the game, and the two combined for seven assists. Their help was not needed on the scoreboard, as the trio of Goodman, Harrington, and Christoudias again took most of the shots. They were more successful this time around, however, combining for half of the team's points on 16-39 shooting. Harrington, now the team's second-leading scorer, with 13.3 points a game, led all scorers with 18 points. The Jumbos held Smith to just nine points in the first half, jumping out to an early lead on three three-pointers from Harrington. The team eased up significantly in the second half, and only outscored Smith by two points, holding on for its most lopsided victory of the season. Tufts hosts MIT tomorrow at 7 pm, and plays its first NESCAC game at home on Saturday, hosting the Bates Polar Bears at 2 p.m. That, according to Dunn, is when the real challenge begins. "Every game matters then," Dunn said. "Especially with the [newly-created] NESCAC tournament. We have higher expectations of ourselves in conference play."

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Baseball takes two of three from Colby

March 31

The baseball team continued its winning ways this weekend, winning two of its three games on the road against their NESCAC East rival Colby White Mules. The Jumbos dropped Friday's game 4-1, despite the fact that they started sophomore Jon Lee, who entered the game with an impressive 1.54 ERA. "We made a few mistakes, a couple of errors," sophomore Evan Zupancic said. "Their pitcher was pretty good, but it was nothing we hadn't seen before. We should have hit him." Tufts came back to defeat the Mules 9-7 and 19-0 in a doubleheader on Saturday. Sophomore Brian Shapiro got the win in the second game, which featured a small altercation with some rowdy Colby fans. According to the Zupancic, a number of fans were acting disrespectfully toward the Jumbo players. Then, freshman pitcher Randy Newsom was grabbed by a Colby fan while chasing down a fly ball. Several players left the bench, but there was no altercation, and the offending fans were removed from the game. "It definitely motivated us," Zupancic said of the fans' behavior. "We definitely wanted to shove it in their face. The best way to get back at them was to put a lot of runs up".

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News

Presidential search committee ready to narrow applicant pool

March 31

Yesterday marked the last day for candidates to submit applications to be the next president of Tufts, according to an ad in The Chronicle of Higher Education. The committee in charge of the search and the executive search firm Isaacson, Miller will now begin the process of narrowing the applicant pool. While many presidential aspirants independently submitted their r?©sum?©s or were nominated, a great many people entered the running after being sought out by Isaacson, Miller. This is a normal way to conduct a search, according to Isaacson, Miller President John Isaacson. Those involved with the search say that they are pleased with the way the candidate pool shaped up. "We're very pleased; the search firm has found some really exceptional candidates," Trustee Secretary Linda Dixon said. "All three categories - deans and provosts of prestigious universities, presidents of less-prestigious schools, and people from outside of the academic world - are very well represented." Isaacson said that the candidates whom the firm has contact are generally very excited. "We're getting a very good response. People know Tufts and respect it," he said. One of the greatest assets that this search firm offers Tufts is its experience in finding candidates. Having recently finished a search for Brown University, Isaacson, Miller has the ability to tap into the network of contacts. "We can bounce ideas off of [non-candidates] and ask for suggestions from presidents and deans of people they would recommend," Isaacson said. Names of potential candidates are not being released because an applicant's career could be ruined if their employer were to find out that one of their employees was considering. Though reluctant to give a date for completion, Isaacson said that the firm is nearly finished with the initial search. The next step will be to extensively research each candidate in order to provide a good picture of the pool. From there, a "short list" will be created, and the committee will begin to further interview candidates. After meeting extensively with facility, students, and alumni, Isaacson believes that the committee has a clear definition of what they want in a president. Students and faculty were asked to submit recommendations to the Presidential Search Committee, and over 100 letters were received in response. Before the committee could begin narrowing the list of candidates, however, it had to get an idea of what kind of university Tufts is and what challenges it faces. "We look at searches as having three broad phases. First, learning about the institution itself... the second phase is learning about the relevant candidates... and during the third phase we are learning in-depth information about a small group of people," Isaacson said. Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate President David Moon is the only undergraduate student on the committee. Though most of the committee's work is being kept secret, he was able to say that he believed the process was going well. "The student perspective has been adequately and accurately represented on the committee... they've made a large effort to reach out to the student population," Moon said.

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Senior diver hopes to leave with a splash

March 31

When senior Patrick Girvin began diving he was simply killing time after swim practice. Twelve years later Girvin is preparing for his final meet after four years of competing on the Tufts diving team. While swimming in a local league in Bethlehem, Penn., Girvin frequently found himself with an extra hour between the end of practice and the reopening of the pool. The pool was closed, but the platforms were open, and Girvin figured diving was not a bad way to pass the time. Those few hours spent repeatedly jumping in and out of the water sparked Girvin's interest in diving and he soon abandoned swimming for the platforms. But learning how to spin, twist, and turn in mid-air was not always easy. "You get up on the one meter board and you're like, 'oh my god,' and then you get up on the three meter board and you're terrified," Girvin said. But the satisfaction that comes from perfecting a dive outweighs the fear, he said. "I'll risk my life once for anything." Girvin persevered and began diving competitively in high school. His results were average, only breaking the 200-point threshold twice. Following a solid but unspectacular high- school career, his decision to try out for a college diving team was up in the air. "I wasn't sure I wanted to continue diving," Girvin admitted. "I didn't think I was good enough to dive collegiately." During his senior year of high school, Girvin agreed to meet with swimming coach Don Megerle when he visited Tufts, but ended up not making it to campus. Girvin arrived for freshmen orientation unaware of whether or not he could dive - or if he even wanted to. On his first night on campus though, four members of the swim team knocked on his door and brought him out to meet the rest of the guys. "It's a very encouraging atmosphere and that makes it easier to perform," Girvin said, remembering his early experiences with the swimming and diving team. Tufts has been able to count on Girvin to perform well since he joined his freshman year: In the past two seasons he has scored points in every meet. This season he swept the one meter and three meter events in four dual meets piling up 18 points for the Jumbos in each of those contests. For a sport in which final team scores are in the low hundreds, Girvin's points have been crucial. In recognition of his work, he has been named the most valuable diver every year he's been on the team. While Girvin has been an asset to Tufts since his first dives, he has continuously strived to perfect his skills. This season, he learned a new dive, which he hopes will propel him into the finals at New Englands. Last season Girvin finished 11th on the three meter and ninth on the one meter in the preliminaries. The top eight divers move on to the finals and score points for their teams. "In the past I didn't dive consistently at New Englands," Girvin said. "I'd really like to do my best and it would be great to get points for my team." Girvin did not qualify for nationals this year, therefore, New Englands will be mark his last meet as a Jumbo. Even though the experience has been good, Girvin says he won't be sad when it's over. "I'm ready to be done with diving," he admitted, adding that the time commitment has been substantial. Each week Girvin and the diving team spend between three and four hours at practice nightly. And that does not include travel time between Tufts and the Harvard pool, a trip necessary because Tufts doesn't have a three-meter platform. From October through February, Girvin spends almost every evening diving. "I've been diving for about twelve years, which is a long time," Girvin said. "I want [New Englands] to be a good end for my diving career and my career at Tufts."

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TRUCE promotes religious unity

March 31

Tufts Religious Union for Cooperation and Ecumenicalism (TRUCE) is beginning to make its name known on campus after being recognized as an official student organization last December. TRUCE has sponsored several programs to promote religious acceptance on campus and to bring the issues surrounding religious freedom and identity to light. TRUCE was created in response to the storm of controversy generated by the Tufts Community Union Judiciary (TCUJ)'s ruling in the Tufts Christian Fellowship (TCF) case last semester. TRUCE founders felt that the tone of reactions to the decision was of an adversarial nature rather than one attempting to bridge the ideological gap between the parties involved. Students were outspoken for many weeks following the ruling, and the debate culminated in a sit-in in Bendetson Hall in November. While the creation of TRUCE was inspired by the TCUJ's ruling, the group's goal of fostering inter-religious discussion and cooperation is broad-based and not simply issue-specific, according to co-founder Oliver Wise. "[TRUCE's] mission isn't focused solely around the TCF issue," he said. TRUCE is not the only organization that formed in response to the TCF decision, as a group of students banded together to create Tufts Students Against Discrimination (TSAD) - the same group which staged the Bendetson sit-in - because they felt the nondiscrimination policy was weakened by the TCUJ's ruling. The group disbanded after University President John DiBiaggio sent an email to students reaffirming that the nondiscrimination policy included self-acceptance, while TRUCE applied for and received University recognition by the TCUJ. While TSAD was mainly an ad hoc group, TRUCE members hope that their goal of fostering mutual respect and tolerance among religious groups will become a lasting legacy on campus. The group, said TCF senior leader Jonathan Crowe, is trying to create a forum in which religious groups connect with other organizations and individuals who might have otherwise remained ignorant of each other's beliefs and values. It is because of the organization's goal of cooperation and education that TRUCE members believe it has a staying power beyond the TCF issue. Member Arielle Kristan said that the need for inter-religious communication - as well as for greater discussion of religion in general - was simply brought to the forefront by the TCF case. "There has always been tension between religious groups... there's a vale between [them] - they don't know who they are or what they stand for," she said. "[TRUCE's mission] will transcend the TCF hearings from last fall." A dialogue is already descending on campus about religious issues, and related events have so far proved popular. Last week's screening of Treyf, a film documenting the struggles of two Jewish Israeli lesbians trying to reconcile their religious beliefs with their sexual orientation, boasted an attendance of at least 50 people. The event was the result of a collective sponsorship from over ten groups, ranging from the German, Asian, and Russian Language department to the Tufts Feminist Alliance to Hillel's Jewish Women's Collective (JWC). The JWC is hoping to organize an event this semester that explores various faiths' interpretations of the world's creation. Co-chairs Kristan and Sahrye Cohen hope to help others learn more about unfamiliar religious traditions and encourage exploration of unfamiliar territory. "America is mainly Judeo-Christian... we really need to see things out of our own tradition," Cohen said. As an officially recognized group TRUCE is eligible for $1,000 of new group funding, although it has not utilized any of this funding yet, according to Allocations Board chair Alessandro Terenzoni. TRUCE members are also permitted to reserve rooms for meetings as well as advertise on campus.

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Hillel sponsors week of programming for Holocaust remembrance

March 31

At a time when many Tufts students are overwhelmed with final projects, papers, and exams, it can become all too easy to forget about things outside one's daily life. Members of Tufts Hillel hope to counter this tendency by raising awareness and renewed understanding of the Holocaust with special programming this week. The annual week of awareness coincides with Yom Ha'Shoah, the Hebrew name for Holocaust Commemoration Day, which takes place on Friday. Tufts Hillel has held several programs on campus this week promoting Holocaust education and awareness. This year's theme is the effect of the Holocaust on children. Students gathered Monday night to view the Academy Award-winning film Life is Beautiful, which depicts the effect of the Holocaust on a small child growing up in Italy. The screening was followed Tuesday by a discussion with New Rochelle High School teacher Neal Shultz on the reality of life for children during the Holocaust and the effect that Life is Beautiful may have on future Holocaust education. Yesterday, students tabled in the dining halls and the campus center, handing out commemorative materials and Yahrzeit candles - used to symbolize mourning - so that students can hold their own private remembrance ceremonies. Squares of fabric were available for students to help make the commemorative quilt that organizers hope to hang on campus. Students could also take an informational card from the tables. Each of these cards, like those given to visitors to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, traces the life and fate of one individual through the years of the Holocaust. The cards are intended to add a more human face to the deaths of six million Jews during World War II. Their value lies in the connection that students can feel to another individual, said Lara Saipe, an organizer of the commemoration week. "It makes it much more accessible to people," she said. Tabling on campus was followed up with a trip to the Holocaust Memorial in Boston last night, and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, students will hold a name-reading vigil on the academic quad. At the vigil, students will read off the names of approximately 10,000 people who were killed during the Holocaust. The academic quad will also be covered with approximately 1.5 million kernels of popcorn, representative of the number of children killed in the Holocaust. Tufts Hillel Program Director Lauren Bloom said that Holocaust commemorations such as this week's are vital to both understanding and remembrance. "I think that it's important for the whole community to be aware of what happened during the Holocaust," she said. "This gives us the opportunity to make others aware and to educate them about what happened." Saipe said that it is important not to forget the Holocaust. "The Holocaust needs to be remembered because of the impact it had at the time and because of the impact is continues to have today," she said. "People need to remember the history so that it doesn't happen again."

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