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MIT to release course material online

March 31

Would you go to class - or pay tuition upwards of of $30,000 a year - if all college course materials were available online at no cost? MIT announced a plan last Wednesday to provide the general public with this option. The ten-year program, called MIT Open CourseWare (OCW), will eventually result in a system that offers all of the school's course materials for free on the Internet. The project, initially intended to generate revenue, is expected to cost $7.5 to $10 million in its initial phases. ? Through OCW, course materials from lecture notes to reading lists and assignments will be obtainable by anyone with Internet access. And while most colleges and universities use course websites to distribute academic materials, few allow access by non-students. MIT officials expressed excitement over the new teaching resource in a press release last week. "I hope other universities will see us as educational leaders in this area, and we very much hope OCE will draw other universities to do the same," President Charles Vest said. The information to be available on OCW is similar to that offered by Tufts' CourseInfo website (crs.ase.tufts.edu), which provides space for professors to post class announcements, syllabi, and assignments, and also features a discussion board for students. While CourseInfo is powered by Blackboard, an online provider of software platforms, OCW - which MIT hopes could include materials for more than 2,000 courses over the the next ten years - will be developed in-house. "The idea is to do [OCW] in such a way that it is a model for other universities. If other universities followed suit, we would have an incredible repository of knowledge," said Patty Richards, spokesperson for OCW. Richards expressed hope that OCW would be useful not just on the collegiate level, but for people of all ages and around the globe. "If you're in an underdeveloped country and you wanted to start an engineering department, you could conceivably get the information you need from MIT," Richards said. Guests can access Tufts' CourseInfo, but must first be granted access at the discretion of University professors. Regardless of whether non-students are permitted to use the site, they cannot use some of the interactive features, such as discussion boards and grade books. While more professors are making use of CourseInfo - there are 235 course sites this semester and 600 in total - the site remains underused according to Neal Hirsig, assistant director of Instructional Services, who attributed some faculty members' hesitancy to use CourseInfo to their teaching styles. "These are new functions that a lot of professors are not used to," Hirsig said. "If a class is successful without it, then you may not need CourseInfo." Online support as well as workshops are available to facilitate easy use of the website. Many students view the website as a valuable, though not necessarily essential academic tool. "CourseInfo is definitely useful," freshman Melissa Chan said. "But it shouldn't take away from the whole college experience from being in class and being with fellow students." At MIT, Vest emphasized that OCW should not be used as a substitute for a college education. "We are not providing an MIT education on the Web. We are providing our core materials that are the infrastructure that undergirds an MIT education," he said. To provide an education, said Tufts sophomore Khizar Diwan, "you would need a testing procedure. Using [OCW], you can know everything a college kid knows, but you still won't have a diplomas. "But for good students, it's a super resource for them because they have the best study material available."

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News

Prof. Abrahamian delivers lecture on human rights and Islam

March 31

"This is the age of human rights," said Ervand Abrahamian, a professor at Baruch College in New York, to a small crowd of faculty and students who gathered Wednesday to hear his lecture on human rights and Islam and celebrate the success of Tufts' recently created Middle Eastern Studies Program. In his lecture, Abrahamian analyzed human rights and Islam by speaking largely in the context of Iranian history and its present political and social position. The political climate in Iran is influenced greatly by religion, he said, and this contrasts with the secular doctrine of the United Nation's Declaration of Human Rights. The difference between Islamic law and the Declaration of Human Rights is the concept of individual rights versus equality. The Declaration is about equality and not protection, while the Sharia - a collection of acceptable legal norms derived from the Koran, Mohammed's teachings, and historical consensus - is more concerned with issues of the individual. "Central concepts of the Sharia clash with the central concepts of the Declaration of Human Rights," Abrahamian said. "The Sharia relies heavily on physical punishment, whereas the Declaration relies on incarceration." Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals, not states, have been the key actors responsible for bringing human rights issues to the international forefront. "The linking of human rights to Western tradition is a historical distortion," Abrahamian said. The Middle Eastern Studies program has carved out a niche at Tufts during its first year, and two students will graduate with certificates in the subject this year. Increased interest in the region was evident among the students who attended the lecture. "I came because I'm very interested in Middle Eastern politics and culture. I took the History of Iran class and found it very, very informative so I wanted to learn more," sophomore Samerjit Limlikit said. Freshman Alia Hamid, another attendee, said, "I'm considering majoring in Middle Eastern Studies and I was curious to know how Islamic law relates to human rights - I wanted to enlighten myself." The first attempt at establishing a Middle East Studies major at Tufts was made 15 years ago, but the project never got off the ground because of a lack of tenured professors in the field and a general dearth of student interest. In the intervening years, the Middle East has increasingly become a "hot spot" in international relations and of particular interest to US foreign policy initiatives, leading to a heightened desire among students and faculty to incorporate studies of the region into the Tufts curriculum. There are now many more tenured professors prepared to teach everything from Middle Eastern politics and history to the region's languages and cultures. "The purpose of the program is to focus on the Middle East and its languages so as to allow the language instruction to count for something," said Middle Eastern Studies Director Beatrice Manz. Prior to the creation of the Middle Eastern Studies major, students interested in Middle Eastern languages could not utilize those language offerings within a field of study. Studying languages such as Arabic was either for personal interest or "dabbling in languages" because there was no coherent program that the language could be applied to or integrated into, unlike languages such as Spanish that fit into programs like Latin American Studies. The new major provides these students, as well as others who wish to learn about the Middle East, with an academic outlet for their interests. "I'm taking The World of Islam class because I don't know anything about Islam and the Middle East, and I thought this would be a good class to take to learn something new," said junior Cat Wolmar, who is majoring in Latin American history.

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News

Push Stars have strong, steady following

March 31

A sold-out crowd settled down in the plush seats of the Somerville Theater Saturday night, popcorn and sodas in hand. But instead of catching a second-run movie, the eclectic crowd, which included everyone from bouncy teenyboppers to the middle-aged, caught spunk-filled performances from folk singer Jess Klein and Boston-based pop-rockers the Push Stars. Klein commanded the audience's attention with her opening set. Despite her diminutive and impressionably cute appearance, Klein packed a punch with her soaring vocals and captivating narrative style. The audience grooved along with Klein on her more upbeat numbers, bopping in the seats while she bounced about onstage with her enthusiastic band and seemingly oversized guitar. Klein primed the audience for the Push Stars, who took the stage around 9:30 p.m. to a then-packed and hooting theater. Guitarist and vocalist Chris Trapper made quite an impression in a rhinestone-studded maroon dress shirt and bell-bottomed pants, as did bassist and keyboardist Dan McLoughlin, in an orange, red, brown, and white striped polyester suit fit for a Saturday Night Fever extra, or perhaps a caricature of a sleazy used car dealer. Percussionist Ryan MacMillian took it easy, pimping like a Gap poster boy behind his drum set. The band opened with a new number, which the audience seemed to enjoy, even though it didn't know the lyrics. Trapper lightened the mood with a short rendition of the chorus from Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle," before launching into "Cash." Crowd fave "Everything Shines," one of the band's only radio semi-hits, featured a guitar solo from an at-first reluctant audience member who turned out to know his stuff. Drummer MacMillian took the vocals on "Too Much Pride," a number which states that "men are all pigs," showing the band's not-so-characteristically sweet side. Trapper mentioned that since the band is composed of "angels," MacMillian got stuck with the bad rap for this song. A definite shift from Trapper's throaty and soulful voice, MacMillian's lighter, lilting voice gave the song a more fleeting and wistful feel. With the band's next number, "Drunk Is Better Than Dead," a few audience members rose to their feet to dance along with the funk, though most of the crowd felt comfortable chilling in the seats and singing along. After mostly drawing from its third record, After The Party, the band played three tracks from its just-released album, Opening Time. The new sound was definitely less lighthearted and more aggressive than the band's trademark happier numbers. Instead of "everything shining," the new songs told tales of relationships gone sour and dead end jobs. The trio returned to selections from its third album after these songs, with its swooning, lounge-influenced "Back To The Party." This number featured an extended break - the "sex part" as Trapper informed the laughing and hollering audience, whom he then accused of being perverts. Another favorite, "Any Little Town," brought the crowd to its feet with a little nudging from Trapper. After that poppy number, MacMillian left the stage and Trapper and McLoughlin performed a stripped-down version of "Last Night's Dream" to a virtually silent and rapt crowd. Trapper, with a characteristically strained and poignant expression, won the audience over with his "power ballad without the power." After the heavy-handed song, he once again lightened the mood with a cocky rendition of "Feelings." MacMillian returned in a wife-beater and a Gene Simmons mask. After a flash of white had sailed down from the balcony, the band reveled in receiving its first ever pair of women's undergarments during a show - even though this pair was decidedly grandma in nature, which Trapper admitted was not what he had pictured in his rock-and-roll dreams of yesteryear. After an extended version of "Minnesota," the band exited the stage despite the demanding crowd, now on its feet for an encore. Trapper came back with Jess Klein to deliver a nostalgia-inflected ballad, "Wild Irish Rose." Trapper once again moved the audience to silence as Klein swayed back and forth at the second mic, also immersed in the power of the song and concentrating intensely with shut eyes and a small smile. The band returned with another sing-along number, "Cadillac," and then wished the audience a good night. However, the crowd would not let the group leave, and the band strode back to the stage for one last number: "Shy," a throwback from its first album. The dedicated audience knew all the lyrics to what Trapper professed was his "stalking" song. The band sped up the slow number for the crowd, which spilled into the aisles, bumping and grinding. The Push Stars ended the night in the lobby, signing t-shirts, albums, posters, and the infamous underwear, for adoring girls and some star-struck guys. Relentlessly barraged with kisses, hugs, and handshakes, the Push Stars proved that with a fan base such as theirs, their rock star dreams definitely seemed within reach.

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News

Late lecturer's daughter takes over class

March 31

Steps have been taken both in and outside the Tufts community to honor the memory of the late civil and environmental engineering lecturer Ronald Hirschfeld, who died of a heart attack earlier this month. A scholarship fund has been established in his name, and his daughter Amy has taken over instruction of his technical writing class at Tufts. After her father's death, Tufts alumna Amy Hirschfeld approached the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department about taking over his class. The younger Hirschfeld is a technical editor for an archaeology journal at Harvard, where she is currently working on a Ph.D. in archaeology. "She shared with her father a love of language and a love of writing," civil and environmental engineering professor Lewis Edgers said. "She had on occasion given guest lectures for the course. This is a great way for her to perpetuate the work of her father, and I think that's why she's doing it." Amy Hirschfeld has already begun teaching the ES51 class, but the department has yet to determine who will teach the class next semester. "I could not think of a better person to take Professor Hirschfeld's place," said junior Kenny William, a technical writing student. "She is intimately familiar with the ES51 course layout and style, and is actually going to use all of her father's notes to teach the rest of the material." Although Amy Hirschfeld provides a replacement for the instruction of her father's class, the late professor's presence is still missed in the Tufts community. "He was so smart but was never condescending. And he always considered everyone's opinions. Professor Hirschfeld was never afraid to be wrong - although he rarely was - and he loved learning from us. He treated us like colleagues, not students. We were his dutiful engineers, and he was our project manager," William said. In addition to lecturing at Tufts, Hirschfeld was a prominent member of the local community, and many from the private and educational sectors are mourning his death. Although Hirschfeld's burial was private, his family plans to hold a public memorial service sometime this spring. The late professor also taught civil engineering at MIT and Harvard, specializing in geotechnical engineering. In 1970, he left academia to help found Geotechnical Engineers, Inc., which later became GEI Consultants. Hirschfeld worked for the Winchester, MA-based company for over 22 years, eight of which he served as president. GEI Consultants has established the Ronald C. Hirschfeld Education Fund in memory of Hirschfeld's life-long involvement with education. GEI will serve as custodian of the fund until details are determined by his family. Many of Hirschfeld's students at Tufts have already contributed to the fund. "I think it's very important to perpetuate his memory by actions like this," Edgers said. Contributions to the Ronald C. Hirschfeld Education Fund can be sent to 1021 Main St., Winchester, MA 01890. Hirschfeld collapsed in his office in Anderson on the morning of March 7 while preparing for his class. Paramedics were called, but they were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at Somerville Hospital. He was 70 years old.

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News

Women's lacrosse continues difficult schedule against Middlebury

March 31

The women's lacrosse team began its 2001 campaign with the knowledge that its schedule would be demanding. In fact, the Jumbos' schedule is ranked as the fourth most difficult in the nation among Division III schools. Tufts will face perhaps its greatest challenge today, as it squares off against Middlebury College at 4 p.m. on Zimman Field. Middlebury, the 1999 national champion, boasts a 5-0 record, and sits atop the NESCAC, holding first place in the national power rankings. Daunting as these facts may seem, the Jumbos feel confident in their ability to compete following a solid performance against powerhouse Williams last Saturday. "We've been working on a lot of things this week," senior co-captain Jen Gregorian said. "We will definitely be ready." Gregorian and the Tufts offense will have to overcome a Middlebury defense that has allowed fewer than five goals per game this season. With the exception of Amherst, which exploded for eleven goals, no team has tallied more than four scores against Middlebury. But Tufts has the ability to put together offensive outbursts, as was evident on Saturday when the Jumbos racked up five unanswered goals in a period of 5:54 against the powerful Eph squad. The team is quite capable of scoring, averaging 12.3 goals a game, but many of these goals came in blowout victories against weaker teams while the offense has faltered somewhat against tougher opposition. Tufts hopes that the Williams game spelled the end of its offensive woes, however, as the team seemed to discover the cohesiveness and composure that was lacking from its previous efforts. "Everything really seemed to click on Saturday," Gregorian said. The Jumbos' defense will also have a formidable challenge. The Middlebury offense has torn through its opposition thus far; the Panthers are averaging slightly over 17 goals per game, and have defeated opponents by an average margin of 13. But the Williams game proved that Tufts' defense is capable of containing a powerful offense. The Jumbos held the Ephs, which had averaged over 16 goals per game, to a mere nine. The defense and sophomore goaltender Ari Kristen will have to concentrate on containing Middlebury senior Betsy Wheeler, who leads her team with 24 goals through five games. Wheeler does not represent the sole offensive threat, however, as the Panthers have four players with twelve or more goals. Kristen should be up to the challenge; she has compiled a 58.7 percent save percentage to go along with a 6.95 goals-against average, both of which are slightly better than her numbers last season. In the end, confidence might the most important factor for the Jumbos. After dropping its first three NESCAC games, the team members could easily be unsure about their chances of success. Gregorian, however, is not concerned. "We're confident that we can play with anyone in the NESCAC, even though our record doesn't show it," she said. "We need to know that we can compete with anyone. We need to know that we're there for a reason." That reason is to win. The Jumbos desperately need a victory in the NESCAC to win a shot at the postseason, as they own an 0-3 record in their division. But despite the game's importance, Tufts is not approaching it differently than any other competition. "It will be a new experience because we haven't played them before," Gregorian said. "But we're looking at it the same way as our other games." "They're a good team," she added. "It will be a tough game."

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News

Negotiation door opens at Harvard

March 31

After nine days of walking past the protestors in Massachusetts Hall without a word, two university administrators spoke to the 40 students sitting in at the senior administrative building on Wednesday. Members of the Progressive Students Leader Movement (PSLM) met with Reverend Dorothy Austin, co-master of one of Harvard's residential houses, and J. Bryan Hehir, the head of the divinity school, on Wednesday and again on Thursday. But when Rudenstine entered the building for a tenure meeting that afternoon, he did not approach the students, having previously stated that Harvard wages would be re-evaluated only after the sit-in ends. Still, the talks between administrators and members of the Progressive Student Leader Movement (PSLM), which is pushing for increased wages for campus employees, marked a major breakthrough for the sit-in effort, as university officials previously refused to speak to the students occupying the building. While administrators have begun to talk with protestors, the possibility of disciplinary action against the protesting students, as well as actual police intervention in the sit-in, has also been discussed by Harvard for the first time since the protest began. According to Iris Halpern, a Tufts student involved in the sit-in, Rudenstine gave the students an ultimatum before the Friday meeting. "Rumors have it that they will forcibly remove the students after this meeting," Halpern wrote in a mass e-mail to allies, in which she calls for students from Tufts and other colleges to go to Harvard Yard to support the campaign and stave off police intervention. Protesters remain firm in their conviction and are unwilling to vacate Mass. Hall until all university workers are guaranteed a living wage, $10.25 per hour. Daily rallies have attracted large crowds of participants and spectators - the number of protesters reaching 700 last Thursday, when the PSLM organized a rally they entitled "The Big One." A large number of dining hall workers attended an evening rally on Wednesday during which the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) received various incident reports. According to The Harvard Crimson, one freshman inside Mass. Hall reported being attacked by a staff member who attempted to enter the building, and bottles and water balloons were thrown among protesters. An opposing student force that claims the PSLM is a "terrorist" group has entered the picture, increasing tension within the crowd. The 15 counter-protesters held banners reading "Against Coercion, Against Intimidation, Against PSLM," and the two sides insulted each other during the rally. Fearing that the situation may turn violent, and having patrolled the area for numerous days, the HUPD asked for back-up from the Cambridge Police Department. This is the first time in 32 years that Cambridge police officers have taken up jurisdiction in Harvard Yard. Their presence will aid in controlling the crowd outside Mass. Hall, and will also reduce the HUPD officers' long shifts, allowing them to police other areas of campus. Alumni, parents, politicians, religious leaders, faculty, and students from various colleges have supported the Living Wage Campaign since the sit-in began, and the local and national media has kept a close watch on the situation. Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, telephoned PSLM leader Amy Offner during Thursday's rally to endorse the sit-in. Stern said that he and the rest of the AFL-CIO executive board - including its president, John Sweeney - would come to Harvard Yard this week to support the demonstration. Students were skeptical of the administration's promises to negotiate university wages on the table and said that Rudenstine is merely seeking to encourage students to leave Mass. Hall. The university president, who has been in office for ten years and will remain for two more months, has had a good relationship with university donors, but a fractured one with students.

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News

Getting into Gaypril

March 31

The weather isn't the only thing heating up campus this spring. On the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered (LGBT) scene, festivities are already in full swing. It is April no longer - it's "Gaypril," and everyone's invited. To encourage students, gay or straight, to take notice of Tufts' LGBT community, the LGBT center is co-sponsoring events throughout April, both at Tufts and in Davis Square. The activities include weekly meetings of the Tufts Transgendered, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Collective (TTLGBC) on Monday nights, as well as other events organized with a social and political agenda. The LGBT center schedules events throughout the year, but a special emphasis is placed on Gaypril. "We've had a lot of great events over the years, from poets to filmmakers, activists to academics... really the gamut," said Judith Brown, director of the LGBT center. The first event of this year's Gaypril celebration, TTLGBC's "Bring an Ally Meeting," was held on April 2 in the East Hall lounge. According to Gaypril co-coordinator sophomore Michael Lambert, the inaugural event was meant to attract "straight allies" to the group's weekly meetings. "A lot of people on campus think they can't come to the TTLGBC meetings if they aren't gay," Lambert said. "In our society many people perceive that only gay people can be 'allies' of gay people." The meeting is indicative of one of the month's primary goals. "It is a call [to allies] not to be afraid... to put up a 'safe place' sticker or wear a rainbow button in support," straight ally Meredith Gilbert said. Gilbert said the meeting provided a valuable opportunity for regular attendees to talk to those joining the group for the first time. "The difference was huge for the people who regularly go to the meetings to see that support," she said. Although Gilbert spoke at this year's "Coming Out Day" festivities about her role as a "straight ally," she has recently expressed a desire to eliminate the use of that term: "The idea of the 'straight ally' should be gotten rid of entirely," she said. "People who are gay shouldn't need 'allies' at all. Ideally, we will reach a point when you won't need the distinction of being 'straight' around gay people and everyone will just be allies of each other, anyway." On Tuesday, the TTLGBC and the Tufts Christian Fellowship (TCF) co-sponsored one of Gaypril's most publicized events - an open dialogue featuring Evangelical Christian journalist Wendy Zoba and gay journalist Dave Cullen. The discussion featured Zoba and Cullen's experiences with the rift between the Evangelical Christian and LGBT communities. "This was an attempt to start a dialogue where there never was one before," Lambert said. "This is the first time that we have ever co-planned an inter-group event. From a personal perspective, it seemed appropriate to move out across the controversial lines that tend to separate our groups." But not all Gaypril events have a greater political purpose. Last Friday, the LGBT center screened The Birdcage; next Thursday, gay musician Bob Braunewell will perform in Hotung Caf?©. "We're as much a social group as a political one," Lambert said. "The gay community likes to have fun, too." The month will end on a relaxing note with an intercultural barbeque. "There isn't much of a deeper political purpose... we're just looking to relax and end the month with a sense of unity among the culture groups at Tufts," Lambert said. On the heels of the Safe Colleges Conference, which was held on campus in the last week of March, Gaypril has kept up the momentum in the LGBT community for these first two weeks of April. "[The conference] gave us a nice kickoff to Gaypril... the fact that much of the funding came from [Vice President of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering] Mel Bernstein's office shows the campus support for events like this," said Shou Min Tan, a senior. According to Tan, Gaypril will broaden perspectives and provide both gay and straight students an opportunity to celebrate. "[Gaypril] is a great opportunity for people who aren't gay to be exposed to gay events and for gay people to be proud," he said.

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News

Super(bore), can't live up to hype

March 31

This week in sports... let's see, what happened in the sports world this week? It would be nice, I was thinking, for my inaugural article, to be able to write about an event that was seen by a lot of people, maybe even broadcast in many different countries. It would be good if that event was surrounded by an absurd amount of media coverage, and if that event seemed to transcend the sport itself. But, as I was unable to wait for the next Street Luge Championship, I decided to write about last Sunday's Superbowl.After last year, it was difficult to imagine a Superbowl in the near future that wouldn't include the Rams. But this year we saw that "it is defense that wins championships" - and that is true, unless it is a year in which an offense wins one. But few people could have predicted the matchup we saw on Sunday - the New York "worst team to ever win the NFC" Giants versus the Baltimore "Trent Dilfer is in the Superbowl?" Ravens. And with all the "experts" predicting a low scoring, down-to-the-wire affair, it is appropriate that, in third quarter, there were three touchdowns scored in 36 seconds and that, by the final gun, the Ravens alone had scored more than the combined score betting line.As usual, the game itself didn't live up to the hype (how could it?). There was some talk that the Giants offense was in high gear after Kerry Collins threw for 381 yards and five touchdowns two weeks earlier. But that was against a poor Vikings' defense. It's a little different to go up against a brutally hard-hitting, extremely quick, always in your face, never miss a tackle, Baltimore team - probably the best defense ever, as players have never been stronger or faster. And it was this defense that kept the Giants' offense off-balance and caused five turnovers - the statistic that matters most come playoff time.It was clear before the game that it would be extremely difficult for either team to play from behind. Either defense, with a lead, could use its aggressiveness to cut down the opposing team's options. Then come the turnovers and then comes the blowout. In my mind, the MVP of the game was the Baltimore defense. But as the "P" indicates, the award must go to a single player. So I fully support the selection of defensive captain Ray Lewis, (though I wonder if he would have won the award if he were without the infamy of a double-murder accusation).Watching Art Model speak after the game about how proud he was of his team and about how the championship wasn't just for his franchise but rather for the entire city of Baltimore, I couldn't help but feel for longtime aficionados of the Cleveland Browns. These were the fans whose team was not only ripped away from them a few years ago by the very same Mr. Model, but that also, this year, had to watch their "New" Cleveland Browns go 3-13. Such is life in the world of sports. For all things must change, and in our world of free agency and popular culture, things must change fast - just ask N'Sync and the Backstreet Boys if they think they'll be singing at Superbowl XXXX. So another year and another Superbowl is behind us. I don't mean to sound blas?© about the second biggest sporting event of the year ("here we go, Street Luge, here we go!"), but it seems like baseball's off-season gets longer every year.

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News

Nomo hurls no-hj

March 31

Camden Yards may have had trouble with its electricity last night, but there was no lack of sparks and power on the field. After a 43-minute power outage delayed the start of the game, Boston pitcher Hideo Nomo lit up the stadium with a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles to give the Sox a 3-0 win. Nomo, making his Red Sox debut after coming over as a free-agent during the offseason, struck out 11 and walked three. He became only the fourth pitcher in major league history to throw a no-hitter in both leagues, as he accomplished the feat as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers in September of 1996. The game was the first no-hitter by a Red Sox in over 35 years and was pitched earlier in the season than any other no-hitter in major league history. It was also the first no-hitter ever thrown in Camden Yards. Second baseman Mike Lansing saved the game with one out in the ninth when he made a back-handed catch of a Mike Bordick fly ball to shallow left centerfield. All three Boston runs came off the bat of Brian Daubach, who had a two-run homer in the third and a solo shot to lead off the eighth. But the real story was Nomo, who had a string of ten consecutive outs that included five straight strike-outs during the middle of the game. Nomo, a former National League rookie of the year, has been only mediocre for the past few seasons, was an unlikely hero on a team that is built around Pedro Martinez, a beloved Red Sox pitcher. While Nomo's performance may have caused melodramatic Sox fans to wait one more day before throwing their playoff hopes into the Charles River, the dissent within the clubhouse that began during spring training continued yesterday. Dante Bichette, who served as the team's full-time designated hitter last September, gave the team a play-me-or-trade-me ultimatum after being benched by manager Jimy Williams during the first two games of the season.

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News

Teenagers arrested for murder of Dartmouth professors

March 31

A nationwide manhunt led to the arrest of two Vermont teenagers wanted for the murders of two Dartmouth College professors. An Indiana police officer apprehended Robert Tulloch, 17, and James Parker, 16, at an Indiana truck stop on Monday. The pair will face charges on two counts of first-degree murder in New Hampshire court. Tulloch, who returned to New Hampshire yesterday, was arraigned in Lebanon District Court. Parker will remain in Indiana until a hearing on Feb. 27, at which point his lawyers say he will fight extradition. Both will be charged as adults, and if convicted could face life in prison. New Hampshire authorities allege that on Jan. 27, the suspects stabbed Susanne and Half Zantop to death in their home outside Hanover, N.H.. Susanne, 55, was the chair of the German department at Dartmouth, while Half, 62, was an earth sciences professor. Officials have not been forthcoming with the details of the investigation, which is being conducted by New Hampshire State Police, the Hanover police, and the FBI. No information has been released about the connection between the suspects and the victims. "We will be very guarded in the specific information we give from this point," N.H. Attorney General Phillip McLaughlin said. "We cannot provide the kind of case-specific evidentiary information that can in any way prejudice the trial of this case." The Dartmouth community is still recovering from the loss of the two popular professors. "While neither today's developments nor future proceedings in the case can diminish the pain caused by the loss of Susanne and Half Zantop, we hope that these arrests will bring some measure of relief to the Zantop family and the Dartmouth and Upper Valley communities," Dartmouth President James Wright said in a statement released Monday. A Zantop scholarship fund has been set up, and a memorial service was held on campus earlier this month. Tulloch and Parker are from Chelsea , Vt., a town of 1,300 people located about 25 miles north-west of Dartmouth. They became suspects after investigators learned that one of them had purchased a military-style knife on the Internet, according to Orange County, Vt. Sheriff Dennis McClure. The sheath from that type of weapon was reportedly found in the Zantop's home. Police questioned the suspects last Thursday and took their fingerprints. When they disappeared on Friday, warrants were issued for their arrest. A silver 1987 Audi belonging to Parker's mother was later found at a truck stop in Sturbridge, Mass., and authorities alerted police nationwide to search for the teens, whom they thought were hitchhiking to California. The fugitives were captured with the help of Indiana Sheriff Sergeant William Ward, who became suspicious after he heard a truck driver from New Jersey ask over his radio if anyone wanted to give the hitchhikers a ride to California. Ward told the driver to take his passengers to the Flying J truck stop near New Castle, Ind., where he and two other police officers apprehended them. New Hampshire authorities say the investigation is still active. Earlier this month, they questioned Arizona State University volcanology professor Stanley Williams in connection with the Zantop murders. Williams, a former visiting professor at Dartmouth, was in town the weekend of the crime to attend the 90th birthday party of his former dissertation advisor, Richard Stroiber. Police impounded the rental car he used that weekend, but Williams was never named a suspect in the case. An erroneous article in @italics:The Boston Globe last Friday reported that authorities believed an extramarital affair involving Half Zantop could have provided a motive for the killings. The New Hampshire attorney general's office fiercely denied this theory, and the Globe admitted its error on the newspaper's front page yesterday. "The sources said the information they supplied was correct to the best of their knowledge at the time it was provided. However, in light of the current focus on teenage suspects Robert W. Tulloch and James J. Parker, the sources now concede that the extramarital affair theory is not correct," editor Matthew Storin wrote. There are no known connections between the suspects and Dartmouth College. Security on campus has been heightened since the murders, and a number of counseling services continue to offer support to the community.

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News

The houses that Tufts built

March 31

With the trustees' decision to build a new dorm, consideration must now be given to some logistical matters: Where to build it, how to design it, and how to fund it. In 1991, expanding demand for on-campus housing prompted the construction of South Hall, a facility that houses up-to 300 students. Tufts currently boasts 16 dorms and various special-interest housing, and each structure has its own history - from West Hall's chapel for divinity school students to Metcalf, which was dubbed the "Bird Cage" because of the stringent rules imposed on female residents at the time.West Hall Built: 1871 West was built for $72,497.26 to serve as a dorm for students of Tufts College and the Tufts College Divinity School, which was established in 1869 and closed in 1968 due to inadequate funding and a low endowment. Tufts began construction on West in 1871, and the building was completed in 1872. The western half of West was assigned to the divinity school, which included a small chapel and classrooms on the first floor and dormitory rooms on the upper floors. In 1891, the divinity school moved to Paige and Miner halls, from which point on West only accommodated students. While not the first building to house students, West is the oldest dorm still used on campus.Metcalf Hall Built: 1893 Metcalf was originally built as a women's dorm. It was named for Albert Metcalf, a member of Tufts' Board of Trustees who provided the majority of funds for the building. Metcalf included a women's dining hall, and was supervised by a house matron. Residents could only receive guests in common areas, and were required to be in their rooms by 10 p.m. each night. Male students dubbed Metcalf the "Bird Cage" because of its residents' gender. In 1937, Metcalf's west side was added to provide more female housing, nearly doubling the size of the original building. The dorm eventually went co-ed.Stratton HallBuilt: 1927 Stratton was built with the help of a bequest of $50,000, donated by Martha Stratton Ensign. The dorm was designed to serve as a central housing facility for Jackson College, ending the need for the "cottage system" of housing that housed Jackson students in several Tufts-owned houses around campus. Also upon completion, Paige Hall, which had been housing Jackson students, became an academic building once again. The new dormitory included a suite for the house mistress, a "sleeping porch" on the roof, and a dining hall for residents. During World War II, Stratton Hall was used as a barracks for ROTC students.Carmichael HallBuilt: 1952 Tufts began construction on Carmichael Hall, built as a men's dorm, in 1952, and completed the building in 1954. Carmichael was named for Tufts president and trustee Leonard Carmichael (1938-1952). Built on the former site of the Mystic Reservoir, the dormitory was constructed to house students in the Navy and Air Force ROTC programs. The estimated construction cost was $1 million.Bush HallBuilt: 1959 Bush was originally built as a women's dorm. Named for Edith Linwood Bush, Jackson's Dean from 1925 to 1952, Bush was dedicated in November 1959, along with the Dewick dining hall. In 1991, no undergraduates lived in Bush because of the low demand for campus housing - a result of the completion of South Hall and a drop in off-campus housing prices. Instead, Tufts housed graduate students in Bush for that academic year. Bush underwent major renovations in 1995 and once again houses undergrads.Wren and Haskell hallsBuilt: 1964, 1965 Wren and Haskell were constructed concurrently - Wren as an uphill men's dorm and Haskell as a downhill women's residence. Because they were built at the same time, the two dorms share the same design, in which rooms are grouped into suites and common areas. Wren was named for Frank G. Wren, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for 25 years. Haskell was named for Harold Clifford Haskell, a Tufts trustee from 1952 to 1957, and his wife, Ruth Sibley Haskell.Lewis HallBuilt: 1969 Lewis was originally built as a women's dorm, but by the time of its opening, it was designated as a co-ed facility - the first of its kind on campus. In 1972, Lewis was named for Leo Rich Lewis, a professor of music and a composer of numerous University songs. Lewis' construction was plagued with unrest, with most controversy surrounding minority representation on the workforce. When construction began, Tufts was concerned that its contractor was not complying with regulations regarding minority representation on federally-funded projects. The Afro-American Society, then a student organization at Tufts, became heavily involved in the matter. A series of peaceful confrontations between students, faculty, and the construction company ensued. Due to continuing concern over minority representation, Tufts filed suit in state court in the fall of 1969 seeking a declaratory judgment as to whether the contractor had complied with affirmative action guidelines. The construction company counter-sued, but both suits were eventually dropped. Prior to the dedication of the building in Professor Lewis' honor, students referred to the dorm as "Freefer Hall," after an Observer article reported on a donation from Quentin P. Freefer and his wife, both Tufts graduates and champions of equal rights for both sexes. Although the article was clearly a hoax - it was attributed to "Ima F. Rawde," - Freefer Hall quickly took hold as the building's name. When the University decided officially to name the building Lewis Hall, students unsuccessfully petitioned to keep the original name.South HallBuilt: 1991 Tufts' newest and largest dormitory was built to increase housing for juniors. Financed without help from any major donor, South was chosen as a temporary name to describe the building's location. The University hopes to rename the dorm upon receipt of a sizeable donor or trustee gift. - Information compiled from Tufts History: A Concise Encyclopedia of Tufts History

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Students gear up for Tuftonia's Day

March 31

School spirit is in the air as the Tufts campus prepares itself for the annual Tuftonia's Day celebration, to be held on Friday, April 27. Details of the festivities were approved last month by the TCU Senate after a debate over the event's budget. Tufts University Spirit Coalition (TUSC) member Paul Fridman, who is coordinating the day's activities, promises a birthday celebration even more extensive than last year. TUSC will once again put on a fireworks show the night before Tuftonia's Day, but this year's display will be preceded by a barbecue and a jazz concert. As is traditional, the day will be marked by enough birthday cake to feed the entire student body, as well as a celebratory a cappella show. TUSC will keep students entertained by providing them with a number of carnival attractions and many smaller spirit-rousing activities around campus. Non-participants will still be part of the event, thanks to TUSC's sprawling decorations throughout campus. Entertainment does not come at a low cost. The Senate devoted a large amount of time this year to debating the extent to which it would fund the event. "There was a lot of debate over whether buffer funding money should go towards the funding of Tuftonia's Day events. I think a lot of people on the Senate were a little bit disappointed, because in the past, the alumni office had fully funded the activities," TCU Senate President Dave Moon said. TUSC originally requested $4,050 from the buffer funding account to cover the sound system for the ceremony and three carnival booths. The Senate Allocations Board (ALBO) recommended a donation of $1,050, which would sufficiently fund only one of the booths. After a number of different proposals within the Senate, including one to donate no funds and one to donate the full proposed amount, the Senate settled on ALBO's recommendation. Most senators agreed that $4,050 would have been too much of a drain on the buffer account, but that not donating would be a poor statement about the value of school spirit. Senator Alessandro Terenzoni, however, proposed that the Senate not direct any of the buffer funding to the Tuftonia's Day celebration. "This is an example of an organization having wonderful ideas but needing to wake up to the realities of budgets and fiscal responsibility. The sky's not the limit, the budgets are, and the existence of the buffer fund shouldn't be cause for a student organization to completely shrug off the constraints of its yearly operating budget." Terenzoni said. Fridman was satisfied with the Senate's ultimate decision to donate $1,050. "The Senate rightfully debated the issue and came to a decision," Fridman said. Moon also defended the Senate decision. "I think that, in this instance, the Senate demonstrated its fiscal responsibility while still trying to help groups put on the events they would like." The Tuftonia's Day tradition is an opportunity for Tufts students to show off their school spirit. Though there is often grumbling about minimal campus spirit, Fridman argues that Jumbo pride does exist. "There is a huge amount of spirit on this campus," he said. "Last semester, Jumbos packed the stands to cheer on the women's soccer team. This was an amazing showing of spirit, but sports teams are not the only form of spirit. Everyone has another reason to love the University. Some love the clubs, some think the classes are great, and others enjoy the social life. We are definitely a spirited school, we just show it in different ways than big ten schools." Terenzoni believes that Tuftonia's Day should not be the main event that characterizes school spirit. "TUSC is an organization that does so much good on our campus, but let's be honest, Tuftonia's Day is not the event from which most Tufts students glean their pride for the University," he said.

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Tae kwon-do team out of spotlight

March 31

It's 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Rain drizzles down in front of Jackson gym as a group of sleepy students huddle with their coach. The group represents one of the least publicized club sports on campus: Tufts Tae Kwon Do (TKD). The ten students - black belts Matt Berlin ('03), Sean Bjerke ('04), Craig Wenner ('03), Chen Wu ('03) and Joe Tuggle ('03), red belt Alex Lehman ('99), yellow belts Mike Lambert ('03) and Carolyn Whitten ('04), and white belts Kevin Keating ('04) and Matt Smith ('03) - make up about half of the TKD team. Earlier this month, they traveled to Yale University for one of the largest TKD-club tournaments in the region. Teams score points in Tae kwon-do by directly contacting the opponent's chest protector or head protector with a kick (punches do not count). Kicks below the belt and punches to the head are considered illegal, and result in the subtraction of points. Competition at the tournament was split into two different categories: forms and sparring. The tournament was broken down further by gender and rank. All members of Tufts TKD participated in sparring; Bjerke, Lehman, Wenner, and Wu competed in forms. Forms, an essential portion of martial arts study, include a series of movements in set directions, usually numbering 15 to 30 movements and ranging from a simple series of blocks and punches to rapid sets of lunges and flying kicks. The forms were judged on knowledge of the form, accuracy of movement, and the crispness of each form. The Jumbos, who study the older ITF school of Tae kwon-do, found themselves at a disadvantage. The forms they study differ slightly from those of the newer WTF, a modified set of rules and regulations used in the Tae kwon-do of the Olympic games. Sparring, unlike forms, does not depend greatly upon accuracy of movement. In the second part of the competition, TKD members of similar ranks formed teams. The students fought full contact - in full padding - against teams from other schools. Each bout consisted of a pair of two-minute rounds, and involved one member of each team fighting the other. Tufts was again at a disadvantage, as a third of its black belt points were forfeited due to the lack of lightweight fighters to form complete teams. Due to its small size, Tufts was unable to place overall, and very few of the TKD team members advanced beyond their first round of sparring or forms. Nevertheless, the team maintains its high morale. "This is my first year in Tae kwon, and my only experience was in the [Tufts Shotokan Karate] tournament. It's good to practice fighting by WTF rules, and it's fun," Keating said. The Yale tournament is the only Tae kwon-do tournament that Tufts TKD traditionally competes in, though the club competes every semester in the tournaments held by Tufts Shotokan Karate Club, and some members participate in other local tournaments - some in martial arts, others in Tae kwon-do. "It's good to get away from Tufts and to see what other schools' clubs are doing, and it's good practice. Although the only way to really improve your technique is to practice and work out regularly," Whitten said. Tufts TKD meets three times a week, and is taught by black belt students Berlin and junior Jed Fowler. Next year, Bjerke and possibly Wu will instruct classes as well. Coach Henry Parker, who has practiced the martial art for over 20 years, occasionally meets with club members to give pointers on style and technique, especially prior to tournaments. "It's really great to have Henry here," said Lehman. "I've been putting in a lot of practice time working towards my black belt, and he stopped promoting in the '70s, and I still can't come close to beating him in a match." One of three martial arts clubs at Tufts (the others are a Shotokan Karate club and a Tai Chi Chuan club), the Tae kwon-do team accepts new members at the start of each semester, regardless of previous experience. Many students who have previously studied other martial arts enjoy the TKD team, citing its friendly atmosphere and unique style. Lambert is also a black belt in Jiujitsu, and said compared to Tae kwon-do, Jiujitsu is less practical. Tae kwon-do is "more of a sport, but it's fun," he said. Whitten, who has a black belt in Kempo, said Tae kwon-do is "a completely different style [than Kempo], and an interesting change of pace."

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Eastern all-star team named, Heat and Pacers head down opposite directions

March 31

For the second consecutive year, the Toronto Raptor's superstar Vince "Air Canada" Carter, known for his breath-taking above the rim antics, topped all NBA players with 1,717,867 fan votes, in the final tabulation for 50th NBA all-star game to be played on February 11 in Washington. Carter's cousin and former teammate, Tracy McGrady of the Orlando Magic will be reunited, after half a season apart, in the starting lineup of the 2000-2001Eastern Conference All-Star team. McGrady's ascension to prominence has been spectacular, bounding from a role player during his three year tenure in Toronto, to the seventh leading scorer in the NBA at 26.6 ppg. Philadelphia 76ers guard, Alan "The Answer" Iverson joins McGrady in the backcourt. Despite being out for the season, Alonzo Mourning of the Miami Heat and Grant Hill of the Magic, were elected as starters for the All-Star game, demonstrating both their immense popularity and the watered down talent pool in the Eastern Conference. On Tuesday, the 29 coaches in the NBA elected the reserves. Stephon Marbury (Nets), Anthony Mason (Heat), Antonio McDyess (Nuggets) and Theo Ratliff (76ers), will all make their All-Star debuts and Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson (both from Bucks), Allan Houston (Knicks) and Jerry Stackhouse (Pistons), round out the eastern squad. Later today, commissioner David Stern will select two players to replace the injured Mourning and Hill on the east's roster.The tale of two teams With no player scoring more than 19 points a game and with Mourning done for the season, casual observers might say that the Heat could not possibly be a playoff contender. However, as of the late, the Heat have been on a tear and have upped their record to a startling, 27-18. The Heat's first half success can be attributed to a few factors. First and foremost is the coaching of Pat Riley. Riley seems to get the most out of his teams wherever he goes. He guided the Lakers to three NBA titles before packing it up for New York, where he took a great center and a bunch of role players to the 1994 finals. Now with the Heat, this miracle man known for his tough demeanor, has somehow bandaged together his wounded team and made them one of the NBA's first half Cinderella stories. This is not to say that the Heat don't have any high caliber players. In fact, all Riley's off-season acquisitions are paying off. Eddie Jones, Brian Grant and Mason who were all brought to Miami over the summer, and are all averaging at least 15 points per game. With the consistent Tim Hardaway also adding 15 points per contest, the Heat have a well balanced attack. Look for the Heat not only to make the playoffs, but also to give some teams trouble in the early rounds and perhaps even sneak into a conference final match-up with the Knicks or 76ers. The story of the Indiana Pacers is an example of the opposite phenomenon. Coming off a tremendous season, in which they embarrassed the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals before falling to the Lakers in the championship, the Pacers have taken a gigantic downturn. Their downward spiral may be attributable to the replacement of Larry Bird with Isiah Thomas at head coach, and an assortment of other dubious off-season maneuvers. As if his pointless drivel as an analyst on NBC wasn't enough for NBA fans to endure, now Pacer fans must suffer with another hands-off coach whose most animated sideline gesture is taking a sip of water. Thomas doesn't have a clue and it shows in the Pacers 19-23 record. Coaching is not entirely to blame for the disappointing play of the Pacers, however. The Pacers took some bad off-season hits. The worst loss for the Pacers was Mark Jackson. Jackson, one of the best of a dying breed of pass first point guards, was lost via free agency to the Toronto Raptors. Sharp-shooting center Rik Smits' ailing feet forced him into an early retirement, and the Pacers sorely miss his consistent touch and defensive presence down low. Additionally, tenacious defender and defensive stalwart Dale Davis was traded to the Portland Trailblazers for the tremendously talented but previously untested Jermaine O'Neil. Despite these losses, the Pacers still have the always reliable Reggie Miller. Miller, however, clearly misses the crisp passing of Jackson, as he now must work more to create his own shot. Although point guard Travis Best is scoring 13 points a game, his 6.3 assists per game does not compare to Jackson's nearly ten per contest. While all five Pacer starters are scoring in double figures in points, the chemistry of last season just isn't there, and Thomas has been unable to spark his young team. The Pacers appear to have a lot of hope for the future, but they may have to hire a fourth head coach in nine years to achieve that potential. Look for the Pacers to fade away from the 200-2001 playoff picture.

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TCUJ orders ELBO to count votes

March 31

The votes on the constitutional referendum and two amendments cast last Wednesday will be counted, the Tufts Community Union Judiciary (TCUJ) ruled yesterday. At question was the Elections Board's (ELBO) right to remove the questions from the ballot because of concerns over fairness and impartiality. The TCUJ voted 5-0-2 that the removal of referenda questions falls under its authority and not that of ELBO. "A referenda is not actually an election," TCUJ member Adam Biacchi said. "It's first and foremost under the control of the TCUJ." A date has not yet been set for tabulating the vote, though ELBO chairman Shane Mason says it will happen sometime later this week. The two amendments would allow culture representatives and the commuter representatives full voting rights on the Senate and prevent discrimination on the basis of acceptance of self-identity. Since the Judiciary puts referenda on the ballot, its members say only the TCUJ can remove them. Article VIII, section A of the TCU Constitution outlines the procedure one must go through to get a referenda or amendment on the ballot and gives the TCUJ final approval authority. Article VIII also states that the TCUJ will charge ELBO with organizing and conducting the referenda vote. ELBO, meanwhile, is charged with ensuring fair elections. But the Judiciary did not accept ELBO's argument that this responsibility gives it the power to remove questions if it does not feel an election will be fair. "Although elections fall within their jurisdiction, this doesn't mean that they can make a hasty and arbitrary decision any time they want," said outgoing TCU President Dave Moon, who filed the complaint against ELBO's actions that led to the hearing. The controversy began last Tuesday when a mass e-mail publicizing the constitutional questions was sent to students purportedly by ELBO. After a flurry of late-night meetings, ELBO decided to remove the questions from the ballot because it felt the misattributed e-mail encouraged students to vote for the constitution and amendments and rendered it incapable of running a fair election. An injunction from the TCUJ allowed the election to proceed as planned, but with the results of the constitutional issues to remain uncounted pending last night's formal hearing. The TCUJ found that the e-mail was not biased in favor of the constitution and did not prejudice the election, voting 4-0-3 that the votes be counted. "Nothing on there was a false statement. In our opinion, it was not enough to invalidate the referenda," Biacchi said. The e-mail was written by then-Parliamentarian Benjamin Lee, also the constitutional reform committee chair, and sent out by the Dean of Students Office. Student government leaders are blaming ELBO's ambiguous by-laws for this controversy. The ELBO's spring 2001 election rules prohibit candidates from sending mass e-mails on their behalf, but there is no mention of procedure for advertising referenda, though Article VIII, section B of the constitution states, "The By-Laws of the Elections Board shall contain procedures for the exercise of referenda, including advertising, polling places, and voting procedure." During the TCUJ hearing, Moon accused ELBO of being inconsistent in its decisions, as it allowed the presidential election to stand despite allegations that it was unfair because of voter fraud. Mason, however, defended the body's actions. In the case of the presidential vote, he said, the fraud was confined to a small area, the Dewick dining hall, and did not significantly alter the overall results. In the case of the constitution questions, Mason said, the erroneous e-mail could have prejudiced the entire student body. "We tried to take a preventive measure here," he said. "Whether the e-mail was sent by Bruce Reitman, the president, or the pope, we felt it was biased."

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Jumbos will look to Boutwell to spark offense

March 31

Senior Todd Boutwell leads the Tufts baseball team in a very real sense. In addition to being a co-captain, Boutwell is also the team's leadoff hitter. "He has the best kind of baseball mentality," coach John Casey said of Boutwell. "He understands the game and never lets the little things get him down. He could be 0-3, but he's swinging away. He is our offensive catalyst. He's made himself a better offensive player to the point where he does everything well. He runs well and his defense is strong." Four years ago, Boutwell came to Tufts from Woburn High School, attracted by the caliber of the Jumbo baseball team. Tufts' 136-year-old program has won three ECAC New England titles in the past seven years and has even had a player (Jeff Taglienti) drafted by a major league club (the Red Sox). "The program was well respected, and I knew that from talking to people," Boutwell said. "The best part about my career was getting to play with some of the guys who have graduated. It was a real thrill. It's been a real learning experience. All the seasons have been pretty good." Boutwell has all the hallmarks of a good leadoff hitter, leading the Jumbos in on-base percentage (.514), runs scored (38), walks (28), and batting average (.400) last season. Still, Boutwell is more than a slap-hitting leadoff hitter. His three triples and .609 slugging percentage also led team. "He has really developed consistency wise, and has become an all-around hitter," teammate and fellow senior Corey Dolich said. "He can hit for power, average, and he is a good fielder." Boutwell's offensive contributions will be greatly needed as the Jumbos look to replace the offense of departed seniors Zack Brown (.390, 14 RBI) and Mike Gray (.325, 17 RBI). While there is clearly a lot to be said about Boutwell's abilities on the field, it will be his ability to lead that will be tested this year as well. Boutwell and fellow senior (catcher Joe Suprenant) will be looking to fill the void left both on and off the field by graduated seniors. His teammates and coach believe that he is up to the challenge. "He's a kid who works his behind off," Casey said. "He's been a great captain because he does it by example." "He doesn't just put up solid numbers, he gives us stability and leadership," Dolich said. "Boutwell works twice as hard as anyone," Suprenant agreed. "He's the most consistent in the weight room. He's always pushing himself in the cage. He is the offensive leader of the team. He does everything." Hopefully for Tufts, Boutwell will be patrolling his position in left field for the entire season. A hamstring problem during his sophomore year sidelined him for a while, and a separated shoulder during the middle of his junior season put him out of action for a week and a half. "When he separated his shoulder last year, we were a different team without him," Casey said. The Jumbos went 1-3 during the stretch where Boutwell was on the bench, including a 13-6 loss to UMass-Dartmouth on April 20, and a 5-0 blanking at the hands of Brandeis seven days later. "The lowest times of my career have been when I have been injured and had to watch the other guys play," Boutwell said. "That has been frustrating." The Jumbos recovered nicely from a 3-7 stretch, which overlapped with Boutwell's time on the disabled list, to set a school record for wins last season, finishing with a 26-12 mark and advancing all the way to the ECAC finals before losing to Babson. Can the Jumbos come up with a season to equal the last one? "We don't really know yet," Boutwell said. "We lost a couple of really good leaders in Zack Brown and Mike Gray. If we want to be good, a few guys are going to have to step up."

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Fraternities and sports teams: pressure to pledge?

March 31

Students in Greek organizations may be a minority at Tufts, but fraternities remain a staple of both the on-campus party scene and the off-campus housing solution. Perhaps a more interesting association, however, is that of fraternities and sports teams. Finding a male hockey player who is not a member of Theta Delta Chi, the fraternity commonly referred to as "123," is a daunting task. Excluding freshmen, there are only three of them. But to Jordan Karp, an unassociated junior hockey player, the decision not to pledge was not particularly wrenching. "I really received no pressure from other players to join," he said. "I made a personal decision for myself that I didn't want to present myself as a frat boy. I'm always welcome in the house, and I view it more as a kind of club than anything too exclusive." While quick to say that 123 does not pressure Tufts' hockey players, Karp did acknowledge that athletes on campus feel pressure to join certain fraternities. "I feel like there are some expectations if you are an athlete. I'm not positive... but I think there is that fear that you'll be the one kid on the team who doesn't join," he said. One of the many hockey players who did elect to join 123 is Dan Mahoney, a senior defenseman and an All-New England selection last season. "I never associated joining 123 with pressure," Mahoney said. "I viewed it more as an opportunity. The tradition of hockey players joining the frat started so long ago. I was playing hockey with these kids everyday, and they were really my circle of friends here at school. They were who I spent all my time with, so the decision to join wasn't even hard. I wanted to join." Like Karp, Mahoney sees no problems with the recruitment practices of 123, but does believe pressures exist."I can see how brothers in houses would look down on an athlete who didn't pledge. I haven't seen that at all in my situation, but I am sure it's around," Mahoney said."More than half the football team is in DU," senior football player and DU brother Jon Rodgers said. "They want to be part of something fun. There are plenty of football players who don't do it. They still come [down to the house] and cook up some mozzarella sticks with us."Most freshmen pledges declined to comment on the issue. One freshmen, however, spoke on the condition that his name, sport, and house remain anonymous. "There's a level of trust encompassed in sports. A team sport lends itself to a feeling of brotherhood. So there is already a sense of camaraderie. I know the guys and like the guys already, so it was an easy choice," the freshman said. When asked about the pressures associated with joining, he spoke of maintaining friendships. "There's a small amount of pressure, but not from the brothers in the house," he said. "The bit of pressure I felt came from the fact that most of my good friends, most of the guys I've spent most of my days with, are pledging, and there is some fear that if I didn't try to join I wouldn't be able to maintain as close friendships with those people." While he refrained from criticizing his particular house or sport, when asked if he thought the pressure to join certain houses or to join from a particular sport varies, he replied with an unequivocal "yes." Rodgers said that there is "absolutely no pressure" to pledge from the brothers already on the football team. Freshmen might pledge because their friends do so, according to Rodgers, but not because of pressure from older members of their teams. "Once you come in as a freshman the first guys you meet are gonna be your friends on the football team. I pledged because a lot of my freshmen friends on the football team pledged."

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Men cruise to second place finish

March 31

The men's cross-country team began its season this past weekend, hosting and racing in the annual Hayseed Classic. The race was held on the farm course at the veterinary school in Grafton. With a second place finish, the Jumbo's were able to start the season on the right foot, losing only to Division II Bentley College. Leading the Jumbos into second place was sophomore Nate Brigham, who crossed the line in third place overall, with a time of 27:25.5. He was ten seconds behind the winner of the race, Lou Raffetto of Bentley College. "I took time off this summer, so I really have only been training for six or seven weeks," Brigham said, "so it felt really good to race well." Coach Connie Putnam's strategy for this race was to keep it controlled. The strategy was to race in packs that could be used to break up runners from other schools, such as Bentley. This is part of a new overall season strategy of alternating controlled races with harder races. The purpose of this is to keep the athletes rested for the important competitions."We were sticking to the plan for about the first two miles, but then we didn't cover a move that the Bentley kids threw at us," Brigham said. "I was the only one who stayed with them." Brigham is one of the underclassmen that the team is looking at to fill the shoes of former front-runners, and graduates Ben Smith and JR Cruz. In his first appearance this season, it seemed that Brigham rose to this challenge, staying with the top finishing runners from Bentley. Putnam's strategy worked well for the team on Saturday, as the next eight Jumbos to cross the line finished in two packs of four. The first to come in were Jonathon Rosen (27:47.6), Neil Orfield (27:48.8), Mathew Lacey (27:57.9), and Michael Cummings (28:09.8). They finished in eighth through eleventh places, respectively. The next group was in at sixteenth through nineteenth place; Peter Jurczynski (28:37.0), Zachary Chrisco (28:40.0), Ryan Phill (28:42.5), and Louis DeLesia (28:45.6). This year's younger team appears to be starting off at the same pace as last year's nationally competitive team. In this same race last year, Tufts finished fourth out of six teams, losing to both Bentley and Bates. In that meet, however, some of the team's stronger runners did not compete. This was because of the team strategy last year, which alternated groups of runners competing in each race. While this kept the team rested, it often left the team lacking a runner who could break into the top group of finishers and propel the team forward in the standings.With the new plan in place for this year, the runners will still be rested, but the team will still have their top runners competing in each race. Another benefit is that the team will be able to bond by racing together, as opposed to being in separate groups. Historically the Jumbos haven't used the Hayseed Classic as an all out competition. Being the first race of the season, it is often used as an opportunity to build team strategy and conserve energy for the important races. This was especially the case this year as Bates was the only team Tufts faced on Saturday that was a NESCAC competitor.Next weekend at the Dartmouth Invite however, the Jumbos expect to see some more intense competition. This will force the runners to race harder - running full out as opposed to keeping a controlled pace. "I am really looking forward to next weekend," Brigham said, "where the race will be an all out competition."

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Stocks fall with news of negative corporate earnings

March 31

The stock market collapsed on Wednesday following a three-day rally, as Nortel Networks Corp. (NT) and Palm Inc. (PALM) announced warnings about their quarterly earnings. Nortel, the world's number-one supplier of telecom equipment, fell $2.76 to a price of $14. The company said the slowing economy has forced it to cut jobs and change quarterly forecasts. PALM, the dominant handheld computer maker, plummeted $7-7/16 to $8-1/16. The company also warned of layoffs on account of the current US economic downturn. The NASDAQ Composite Index plunged 118.15 points, or 5.99 percent of its total value, to 1,854.11. The technology-abundant index is now approximately 63 percent off its March 10, 2000 peak of 5,048.62. "People are still concerned we're heading for a recession and a serious profit slump," said Kevin Bannon, chief investment officer at BNY Asset Management, which oversees about $60 billion in assets. "There are still people out there who don't appreciate how severe short-term earnings problems are." The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 162.19 points, or 1.63 percent, to 9,785.35. Walt Disney Co. (DIS) slipped $0.84 to $28.36 after the company outlined plans to cut three percent of its labor force in the weakening economy. Thursday's story was much the same on Wall Street. Stocks slipped even further as blue-chip giant International Paper Co. (IP) warned its earnings would fall below estimates due to the slowing US economy. International Paper, the world's largest paper and forest products company, fell $1.11 to $35.11. The NASDAQ Composite Index closed down 33.59 points, or 1.81 percent, to 1,820.54 - its lowest close since early November 1998. "Investors are concerned that order slowdowns and bulging inventories may augur more bad quarters ahead," said Alan Ackerman, chief market strategist at brokerage Fahnestock & Co. "We had some bad quarters before, and there is no indication at this moment that the heaviness in the market and the economy is likely to lift." The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average ended Thursday's market session in positive territory, gaining 13.71 points, or 0.14 percent, at 9,799.06. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index, was down 5.34 points, or 0.46 percent, to 1,147.95.Pfizer has plans to work more closely with Microsoft and IBM Drug maker Pfizer (PFE) announced its plans on Thursday to form an independent company with Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) to develop new software for doctors. The software will help doctors manage their practices and medical information. Financial details concerning the independent company have not yet been unveiled. But, Pfizer said that the company will start selling software and services by the end of the year. Executives said that the company is likely to be based in the northeast and will employ approximately 500 employees. While they expect short-term profits to be positive, some analysts were skeptical. "This is a vision. There are still strategy issues that have to be resolved," Mike Davis, an analyst with advisory firm Gartner Group, said of the alliance. Pfizer is not the only drug company that is expanding into technology, as number-two drug maker Merck & Co. (MRK) and Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY) formed separate venture funds to invest in small companies developing e-commerce capabilities. "If you look at the way [Pfizer's] marketing is structured now, it is all aimed at getting doctors convinced that their drug is better," said Faraz Naqvi, co-manager of Dresdner RCM Global Healthcare Fund. "This is just another way of getting integrated into doctors' offices.... Doctors are some of the most technologically illiterate people out there. If you look at medicine, it's way behind in movement into technology. So for IBM and Microsoft, it's a whole new market for them." Pfizer shares were up $0.59 at $40.52, on Thursday. Microsoft shares were up 11/16 to $56-1/4 on the NASDAQ, while IBM was up $1.85 at $96.26 on the New York Stock Exchange.

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News

Let the madness begin

March 31

It's here. The Madness is here. Sixty-four teams competing for the championship. Well, actually there were sixty-five teams this year. On Tuesday, Northwestern State and Winthrop were given a chance to play for the final spot in the Tournament. Northwestern State won and now awaits defeat at the hands of the #1 seed in the Midwest, Illinois. The other number one seeds are Michigan St., Stanford, and Duke. Already there were some upsets in the early games yesterday. In its first March Madness appearance in 31 years, 12th-seeded Utah State upended the fourth seed, Ohio State, 77-68, in overtime. Georgia State erased a 16 point second half deficit to defeat sixth-seeded Wisconsin as well. Both Maryland and Kentucky gave fans and gamblers a huge scare, eking out slight victories over their lesser talented opponents, George Mason and Holy Cross, respectively. Out of the four number one seeds it seems that Duke, after barely slipping by Maryland and blowing out North Carolina in the ACC tournament, has the easiest road to the Final Four. UCLA could be a tough opponent in a sweet sixteen game - having won its first round contest, 61-48, over Hofstra yesterday - but it seems unlikely that the Bruins, #2 Kentucky, or #3 Boston College, could beat the Blue Devils. The most competitive bracket appears to be the South. With Michigan St., UNC, Florida, and Oklahoma as the top four seeds, it will be interesting to see who emerges. In the West, Stanford, after a 28-2 season, has to be the favorite. And the way the bracket is scheduled, the Cardinal would not have to leave the state of California until reaching the Final Four. This week Sports Illustrated reported that Michael Jordan is strongly considering coming back to play next year for the Washington Wizards, of which he is a part owner. Jordan and his agent promptly denied the story. However, the day after the article appeared in SI, Charles Barkley said he too, was considering making a comeback for Washington. At 48-16, the Philadelphia 76ers own the NBA's best record. However, probable MVP Allen Iverson left Sunday's game against the Boston Celtics with a bruised left hip. He missed Wednesday's game against the Chicago Bulls and is questionable for tonight's game against the talented and well-balanced Sacramento Kings.The Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant is also questionable for upcoming games this week. He missed Tuesday's game against Boston due to a viral infection. Through Wednesday, the Lakers were one game back on the Kings in the Pacific division. Spring Training has never been so hard to watch as it is right now for Boston Red Sox fans. Through Wednesday, the Sox had the worst spring record in the majors at 3-12. But even more painful are the injuries. Nomar Garciaparra has not yet played due to a right wrist injury. On Tuesday, veteran pitcher David Cone took himself out of a game after one inning with soreness in his right shoulder. On Wednesday, Manny Ramirez took himself left a game with a hamstring strain, and Jose Offerman is recovering from a sprained groin. Though none of the injuries appear to be serious, all of them are at least a little upsetting. But then again it wouldn't be springtime in Boston if there were nothing to worry about. The curse of the Bambino holds strong. It now appears that Gary Sheffield will not be traded away from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Earlier this month, he demanded to be traded because the Dodgers were unwilling to give him a contract extension. He has now rescinded his trade demand and on Tuesday had a closed door meeting with teammates in order to clear the air.

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