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Jumbos can't close out perfect season

March 31

Standing on the blocks, awaiting the start gun with their last meet of an undefeated season before them, the Jumbos would have preferred to swim against dolphins. Unfortunately, the Williams Ephmen are more akin to sharks in the sport of men's swimming. And at Hamilton pool on Saturday, the 14-time defending New England champions prevented the Jumbos from finishing their season undefeated. While the Jumbos were competitive throughout the meet, Williams clinched the win as Brian Strickler swam easily to victory in the 100-yard individual medley, mathematically eliminating the Jumbos from first place. Tufts kept the meet close by relying on its depth. In 12 individual races, the Jumbos only recorded two first place finishes. Both were turned in by freshman Tyler Duckworth, one of the team's most valuable swimmers. In the 100 breaststroke, Tufts had no competition as William's top finisher touched the wall more than five seconds after Duckworth. Duckworth's time of 1:01.21 was two seconds ahead of his teammate, sophomore Ryan Lahey, who finished second with 1:03.86. Duckworth blew the competition out of the water in the 200 breaststroke as well, finishing more than 12 seconds ahead of second place finisher Joel Iams of the Ephs. Including his part in the second place victory in the 200 medley relay, Duckworth put up 22 points against Williams, more than any other Jumbo. In the 200 medley relay, Duckworth was joined by freshmen Sam Burlingame, junior Scott Cohen, and Lahey, but the foursome fell short of victory. Burlingame and Duckworth were slow out of the blocks, and Cohen and Lahey could not make up the lost time. The Jumbos turned in a 1:42.74, earning a second place finish. The Williams win hinged on a few races in which it beat out Tufts by mere fractions of seconds. In the 50 freestyle, freshman Brendan Smyth was edged out at the wall by .02 seconds. A similar situation in the 100 free put Eph Paul Friedberg ahead of Cohen by less than .4 seconds. Had these races gone the Jumbos' way, it would have meant a 20-point swing in their favor. The diving results were a highlight for Tufts, as senior Patrick Girvin returned to top form. Girvin, who had not performed well since returning from the training trip in the Bahamas, rebounded with easy victories in the 1-meter and 3-meter events. "It was nice to do well in my last dual meet," Girvin said. "They had a really good team and that helps you dive well." Sophomore David Liebenstein placed second in both events, as Williams diver Chris Abbott was decidedly outclassed. Other key performances were again turned in by underclassmen. Sophomore Ed Edson finished a strong second in the 200 butterfly, as the entire field was blown away by Eph Seth Borland. Edson also turned in a third and fourth place finish in the 200 backstroke and 100 IM, respectively. Overall, Edson contributed nine points to the team total. Sophomore Jimmy Heagle also scored points by finishing second in the 100 backstroke with a time of 59.06. While the Williams meet was a loss on the scoreboard, the Jumbos are trying to look at the positive. "Williams is kind of a powerhouse," Girvin said. "I'm surprised we did so well." The men now have three weeks to prepare for New Englands. While they own an impressive record of 8-1, they will need to continue to practice if they hope to improve upon their fourth place finish of last season. The opposition at New England's will be on the same level as Williams, but the Jumbos seem enthusiastic. "We're swimming really well." Duckworth said. "We're ready to explode at New Englands."

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News

Changing Times

March 31

Along with keeping up to date on national and international news, college students can now access The New York Times on the Web for research-oriented purposes. The publication launched a new section, "College Times," on its site, allowing students and faculty to peruse articles and access features catered to collegiate interests. "College Times" launched last Wednesday, although the Times has not yet publicized the section, according to Sheryl WuDunn, Executive Director NEXGEN, the Times' in-house group for education-related issues. Found under the "Destinations" sidebar of the website's front page, the section offers several features for both students and faculty. The site allows students to search for articles by subject, rather than by specific keywords. "Most sites, when searching something by word [return] a whole list of stories that have that specific word," WuDunn said. "It's not useful for trying to get to the meaty issues." The new search engine picks out appropriate stories by grouping recent Times articles under 200-plus categories, such as Arts and Humanities, Law, Social Sciences, and several other traditional academic disciplines. This differs from searches performed on engines such as Google and Yahoo. "It picks out stories central to the subject itself rather than the word itself... This is new technology we've developed, a new way to search," WuDunn said. The innovative search engine is intended to assist students who have a specific topic in mind. "I think it could be helpful when you're looking into certain fields of study. If you're studying biology, you can keep up with current events in that field," sophomore Shelly Gufert said. "By breaking it up into categories like that, I'd be more likely to read [the articles]." Not all students are impressed, however. Freshman Marta Selinger felt the subject fields were not that helpful, since she can search for specific topics on other websites as well. "Maybe [the Times] is trying to put everything in one place, but I don't think I'd actually need it," Selinger said. In addition to searching for recent articles, students and faculty can access site features, such as "What's Hot, What's Not", "College News and Views" (which reports recent news on college campuses throughout the country), and "Working," which features job and career news.For faculty, the section offers "Teaching with The Times," a set of free curriculum guides that make suggestions on lectures, discussions, research papers, and tests in several subject areas. Also accessible is "Teaching Strategies," a forum through which professors can share their specific strategies and experiences with one another. In addition, professors can sign up to receive free e-mails about recent articles in their chosen subjects areas. According to WuDunn, the section resulted from the requests of college faculty for a resource specific to college communities. "We talked to a lot of professors around the country and what they saw as a need for students," she said. "We had a lot of requests from professors who wanted access to...old New York Times stories." The Times' regular website requires users to pay a fee for archived articles. Despite the effort to pull together relevant information for college communities, some students feel the section is unnecessary. "[College Times] is just like The New York Times, but it's trying to pick out articles for college students and I don't know if there is 'a college student'," Selinger said, pointing out articles on the section about the Oscars and college basketball. "Those are [articles] that are going to be on the front page of The New York Times anyway," she added.Sophomore Nick Nguyen feels that "College Times" jazzes up the Times website, but doesn't add anything truly new. "Most students and teachers are intelligent enough to use the actual New York Times at this point...and this version seems like a hip rendition, almost to make it cool - which you don't really need."

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News

Shelton looks to expand from treasury to presidency

March 31

Strolling around Tufts' academic quad on a college tour the summer before her senior year, something clicked for then-Mahopac, NY high school student Michele Shelton. "Something just felt right - I was just like 'you know what, I need to be here.' I couldn't give you a concrete reason, it was just where I needed to be," said Shelton, who made Tufts her first choice when applying that fall. Nearly four years later, the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate's no-nonsense treasurer has made another fateful decision - though not quite so spur-of-the-moment - and has thrown her hat in the ring in the TCU presidential campaign, now less than three weeks away. Standing behind a resume highlighted by her balancing the Senate budget for the first time in five years, Shelton delivers a familiar, populist message when discussing where she plans to take the Senate. "The Senate should be about the students. The Senate should not play into the bickering over egos, and the Senate should not be about serving the elites on campus. It should be about reaching out to the general student population, and doing what the student population as a whole wants," she said. The psychology major and political science minor won her way onto the Senate in a crowded, 23-person election during the first weeks of her freshman year. Working on the Services Committee and the Allocations Board (ALBO), the Senate's primary budgeting apparatus, at the end of her first semester, Shelton became known as someone to watch. Rising quickly, she joined the executive board her sophomore year as the assistant treasurer, and took over the treasury at the start of this academic year. Although known mainly as the one behind the money, Shelton has taken on other projects in her three terms as senator, her most prominent success being the transformation of Hotung Caf?© into a late-night, sport-themed hangout. While not one to demand the spotlight for her successes, Shelton has nonetheless been one of the few prominent figures on this year's quieter Senate, along with Senate President Dave Moon and her only declared opponent, Vice President Eric Greenberg. "I'm not here to be quoted every day. If I was, I wouldn't be getting any work done," she said. And believe it or not, she loves her work. Shelton talks of treasury number-crunching like it's the most fun she's ever had, from dealing with frustrated signatories to tweaking bank accounts and trimming budgets. The TCU treasurer says it's this experience that will give her the edge over Greenberg on April 25. "Ideologically, I think we have similar goals for the Senate," Shelton said. "The difference is in terms of our leadership styles. In the Treasury, I've met someone from every single student organization on campus, just by the nature of what I do. I think I really have that connection with the student body, not just with the elites of the student body. I've heard so many issues, and people know that they can come and talk to me." It's easy to see Shelton's meticulous, money-minded approach at work in her campaign goals, which include revamping student-faculty committees, pushing the administration to make progress on the construction of a new music building, and working with the Office of Residential Life to make its operations more student-friendly. Shelton sees student-faculty committees, which normally feature three or four students working in conjunction with six to ten administrators and faculty members, as an area where the student body stands to gain tremendous power - if it fights for it. "These committees have the potential to be really important, and they could make policy on this campus," she said. "The fact is that students aren't equally represented on these committees, and some committees don't even let students vote. "I think it'll be a struggle getting it past the faculty, but it's a big step and it's one of my most important goals." She also plans to pressure administrators to get the music building completed as soon as possible, in order to alleviate what she sees as a dearth of available performing and storage space. "From the treasury side, I see so many performance groups struggling for space, struggling for equipment space, struggling for performance spaces. For one group we just heard a buffer funding request to rent out the Somerville Theater because all the on-campus theaters are filled up." Shelton is also pushing a diversity agenda, hoping to retool Tufts' Freshmen Orientation programming to feature much more diversity education. "That's the time to get students thinking about diversity on this campus. With the 11 hate crimes we had last semester, that's definitely the time to do that, and we've only got one program, 'Many Voices, One Community,' that talks about diversity." Shelton also hopes to promote diversity and acceptance of minorities through her strong support of the two TCU Constitutional amendments on the April 25 ballot. The first amendment, adding one's self-acceptance of identity to the Senate's nondiscrimination policy, figures to engender little controversy. The second amendment would give the Senate's four culture representatives, who currently only observe and work on internal projects, full voting rights as senators. A similar amendment was voted down by a narrow margin when first proposed five years ago. "People argue against the culture reps voting because it's double representation. But if you think about it, everyone on Senate is doubly representing someone. I'm doubly representing women by being a girl on Senate. I'm definitely for [it]. I think that more input is better than less input, and to me this is just adding more voices," Shelton argued. If Greenberg and Shelton are re-elected in the April 11 general election as representatives of the class of 2002, both will need to be nominated by their fellow senators to begin their official campaigns. The two will then meet for an official presidential debate before the campus-wide election on April 25.

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News

Committee hopes to choose president by end of academic year

March 31

Tufts' presidential search committee is determined to choose University President's John DiBiaggio's successor before the end of the academic year, according to various committee members. But with commencement less than a month away, the committee will not provide any information about the remaining candidates. In December, following a community-wide e-mail from the search committee, hundreds of nominations were sent to Linda Dixon, secretary to the Board of Trustees. Each of the approximately five finalists is a high-level administrator at one of the top schools in the nation, and some were candidates in the presidential searches of Harvard, Princeton, and Brown universities. "We have great candidates, and it's not too far away until the trustees are going to be given the search committee's recommendation," said Catherine Squires, a professor of microbiology at Tufts' medical school. Squires is one of four faculty representatives on the 12-person search committee. Although DiBiaggio says he will remain at Tufts next year if asked to do so by the Board of Trustees, the search committee seems intent on choosing the new president and disbanding before the summer. "The trustees hope we will be finished by the end of academic year, so we're trying to work on that schedule," Squires said. Most committee members referred all questions to committee chair Irwin Heller, who did not return repeated phone calls yesterday. "People who become interested in these jobs are very protective of their privacy," said William Sellers, a trustee representative on the search committee. Sellers, a dentist in Reading, MA, also would not comment on the remaining candidates. "I know some institutions are very public, and some are less so, and we tend to be less so," said George Ellmore, an associate professor in the department of experimental plant anatomy and morphology. Ellmore, who has been at Tufts since 1980 and witnessed the search in 1991-1992 that brought DiBiaggio to Tufts, defended the secrecy with which Tufts has conducted its newest search. "Any sort of secrecy is nothing more than discretion," he said. Committee members say quality candidates would withdraw from the search if their names were made public, and many candidates do not inform their current employers that they are seeking other jobs. "The entire university is based on protecting our clients, protecting our privacy," Ellmore said. "It's a humane way to conduct a search." Lee Bollinger, president of the University of Michigan, was a finalist in the Harvard search, but was eventually passed over for Lawrence Summers, the former treasury secretary. Since returning to his post at Michigan, Bollinger has been at the heart of speculation concerning the presidential search at Princeton University, among other schools, but has pledged not to seek the presidency of another institution. Yesterday, all that Tufts' search committee members would say was that the finalists are qualified candidates. "Tufts will have a terrific president," Squires said.

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News

Four Jumbos net postseason awards

March 31

After a 15-1-1 regular season conference record, it would only seem natural that the Tufts hockey team would be showered with postseason accolades, and this proved true as four members of the hockey team were honored by the ECAC Northeast. Leading the way was the top scorer in both the conference and the nation, junior Jason Boudrow, who was named Player of the Year in the conference as well as being placed on the first team All-ECAC. Senior tri-captain Dan Mahoney was also named to the first team, while freshman Pay Byrne made the all-freshman team and coach Brian Murphy was named co-Coach of the Year. After winning the conference Rookie of the Year two years ago, Boudrow again proved to be a powerful scoring force, with 32 goals and 36 assists on the year for 68 points. "He deserves all the awards he gets," Mahoney said. "He led the nation in scoring. He was the guy we looked to consistently for big goals. He came through again and again." "Jason was so far and away the best forward in our league that his recognition was almost inevitable," Murphy said. "He plays in all situations: power play, penalty kill, and even strength. He will be a leader on this team next year, and I look forward to that." Always in the right place at the right time, Boudrow scored at least a point in all but two of Tufts' games this season. He also proved durable, rebounding from injury in Iverson-like speed, exemplified by his return in the playoff game against Salve Regina, where he separated his shoulder. Sitting out only two shifts, Boudrow returned to score the game-tying goal in the eventual loss. Boudrow led the conference in goals and assists, finished second in powerplay goals (13), and seventh in shorthanded goals (4). Mahoney also earned first-team honors after finishing second in defensemen scoring, with 27 points. He proved to be the key link in the Jumbo's stingy defensive unit this year. As a true selfless team leader, coupled with his skill on the ice, Mahoney received his second consecutive first team selection. Byrne found his way into the Jumbos' attack quickly, and became a key goal-scorer in a potent offense. Named to the all-freshman team, Byrne was fourth in the league in freshman scoring with 29 points (16 goals, 13 assists). Third on the team in goals scored, the rookie should continue to improve with a year of experience under his belt. "Pat came in and made the transition so well," Mahoney said. "He held his own among older, more mature, and more experienced players, and he was able to score a lot of big goals." "Pat Byrne can score," Murphy said. "If he can get stronger, he is capable of being a 50 point guy every year. He was a terrific addition." Finally, Murphy was tabbed as the co-Coach of the Year, after leading the team, ranked fifth in a preseason poll, to the best regular-season record in the league. A 1995 Tufts graduate, Murphy has returned to lead the Jumbos to a 43-26-3 record in his three seasons as head coach. This season's 17-6-1 overall record was the best for a Tufts Hockey team since the 1987-88 season. "Murphy expects results, and I expected this type of success out of the program," Mahoney said. "In three years he has done amazing things. Even this year, when the pre-season polls ranked us fifth, coach Murphy knew the type of talent we had. He does a great job." "Being named coach of the year is a tribute to my staff and players," Murphy said. "I think it recognizes what this team was able to accomplish this year and everyone should be proud of that. I look at it as the team of the year award." Sharing the honors was Johnson & Wales coach, Lou Izzi, who led his team to a 14-2-1 regular season record and an appearance in the semifinals of the ECAC Northeast playoffs. These four honors will be the last ECAC awards that any members of the hockey team ever receive, as Tufts will be competing in the NESCAC next season. Although the young core of the team will be returning, the transition will be difficult, as the NESCAC is regarded as the most competitive conference in the nation.

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News

The Traveling Lush

March 31

I don't know about you, but all this work hard/play hard stuff has pretty much exhausted me. It can be frustrating going from one cliched Irish pub to the other, meeting the same types of people, drinking the same drinks, and coming home with the same stories every weekend. Granted, for every five or so nights of "getting my drink on," I come home with some pretty entertaining tales. But for the other four nights when my lust to be a lush is squelched, I find myself wishing I'd just settled down with some friends into a nice, quiet place - someplace where we could catch up with each other, not be bothered by meddlesome boys, and go home at a reasonable hour. Is this the antithesis of Senioritis? Have I gone from college senior to senior citizen overnight? What's all this babble about getting home at a "reasonable hour?" Where is the Traveling Lush, and what have you done with her ID? Well, kids, there comes a time in the life of every senior... no, let's not go there.Everyone's tired. It takes a lot of effort to hike into Boston and hunt down adventure. But staying on campus all weekend can be a little stifling, despite the easiness of it all. So why not compromise, and try someplace not too far away - but not in Davis Square - that's not a bar, but that has a bar, someplace where you can hear each other speak and see what you look like. Grab some friends and enjoy the adult-ness of a bar/restaurant. At least it will make you appreciate the frat-party atmosphere of other places, and you can pretend for a night that you're an adult. Where is this fabled place, you ask? You've been past it many times, I know you have. Between Porter Square and Harvard Square, and right on the 96 bus route, is Temple Bar. It's a bit flashy, and both the exterior and interior d?©cor reflect the yuppie crowd it attracts. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the inspired menu and unique atmosphere. Temple Bar looks like money. It looks like somebody let a public relations firm go wild on the interior, since everything is calculatedly "cool" and "hip." From a copper bar that's quite eye-catching to the looming light fixtures overhead and large Pottery Barn-esque mirrors on the long wall, the decorations work as an effective background for people looking for something nicer than the Burren but not as trendy as Sonsie or Bar Code. Owned by the same brothers who run Grafton Street in Harvard Square, Temple Bar is very similar to its sibling. Both attract professionals who work in the area - but probably don't live here - for lunch or a pint after work, and cater to their tastes and their wallets. Appetizers are in the $8 range and drinks on the pricey side, but the menu is definitely worth a peek. With aspirations of grandeur, some of the appetizers and many of the main courses are almost too gourmet for their own good. One confused customer, who usually prefers The Kells to The Red Room, exclaimed, "I was looking for chicken fingers or nachos." Tsk, tsk. Temple Bar serves Roaster Wings instead of Buffalo Wings, Mussels instead of Mozzarella Sticks, and Boston Pops (battered shrimp) instead of nachos. One nice surprise is the inclusion of both cheese and chocolate fondue to the menu, a nice European touch rare to places in the area. The main courses run from a fantastic looking gourmet pizza, to Roasted Cod served with oysters and fingerling potatoes, to an eight-ounce tenderloin filet. Not exactly your run of the mill pub fare, but Temple Bar is not hoping to be your run of the mill pub. Let's talk about dessert for a minute. Chunky Monkey is not Ben and Jerry's, as you might have imagined, but is actually a cr??me brulee custard with caramelized bananas and semisweet chocolate chunks in a baked hazelnut ring. Need I say more? For those of you looking for ice cream, the Raspberry and Mango Sorbet comes in a chocolate honey tulip cup, served with chocolate ganache and seasonal fresh berries. Though some patrons claim that the bar area of the restaurant picks up on weekend nights, it's hard to imagine these up-and-coming business personalities crowding around tables or leaning into the immaculate bar. Temple Bar definitely attracts a mature audience, which can be good if you want to play dress up. If you want to play as hard as you work, however, stick to your favorite haunts and let the "mature" kids enjoy this borderline pretentious bar.

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News

Computer viruses infect campus computers

March 31

Many students will not be saying "I love you" to their computers this Valentine's Day, as a slew of computer viruses have wrecked havoc on the Tufts campus this past week. Hundreds of students have noticed that the number of virus-laden e-mails they receive has increased significantly, with many originating in Tufts e-mail accounts. According to Tufts' Information Technology Services (ITS) Director Dan Weir, viruses have spread across campus over the last 36 hours. The Eaton Computer Lab help desk and the Resident Computer Consultants (RCC) have been flooded with calls for assistance. Common viruses hitting Tufts include the Romeo and Juliet Virus, the Anna Kournikova virus, and the so-called Hybris virus (also known as Snow White). "We've had an explosion of virus incidences overnight," Weir said. Though some viruses are fairly benign, others, such as the Hybris Virus, can be destructive to computer files and software programs. Some have the ability to access the Internet and update their code every time they infect a new computer, and can corrupt certain .exe files that launch programs. Virus outbreaks are not surprising, according to Weir, and they typically concentrate within one network of computers. At Tufts, there is often a spike in the number of virus infections when students return from long breaks. "We see two spikes, at the beginning of the fall semester, and after any break, the next biggest break is after winter," he said. "Usually people bring back files from their unsecured computers at home." Many viruses send e-mails automatically to every name in an address book, taking advantage of security loopholes in Microsoft Outlook and Netscape Mail. Students who access their mail using the text-based Telnet have less of a chance of downloading a virus, unless they go through the complicated steps of transferring an attachment to their computer and opening it. Some of the viruses that are hitting Tufts' computers are outpacing even the most sophisticated anti-virus software, and users must constantly update their virus protection with the newest guards. Many viruses can change their code, making them difficult to detect until they have already infected and disabled the detection software. Other viruses exploit the preview feature that allows users to see an e-mail before actually opening it. Freshman Adam Wilson was infected with a virus that his anti-virus software caught, but was unable to delete. Even after resetting the computer, he still could not access software programs. "Basically, every time I tried to run a program, the virus's program would run instead. I wound up going on to a friend's computer and learning about the virus. Within an hour I was able to run the fix and had my computer back," Wilson said. Most students who have problems with viruses resolve them without outside help, as Tufts has no specific group trained to find and destroy viruses. "Though the RCCs and help desk staff have never refused to help anyone, they're not trained in how to recover a system after it has been infected with a virus," Weir said. There has been a ten percent increase in the number of viruses that are detected by the anti-virus software in Mugar Computer Lab. Although viruses have been infecting students' computers, the University's computers have not experienced many problems. "Because the people who write viruses are trying to get them spread quickly, they generally write them for the software that more people use," Director of Telecom and Networks Lesley Tolman said. The software that runs Tufts' network servers and other systems is different than what students use on their PCs. Though there had not been an infection of one of the University's main computers in months, there is a great deal of effort and money invested in keeping the systems secure. All mission critical systems, such as those that store grades and payroll information, can only be accessed from designated network computers. The University also invests thousands of dollars in advanced virus protection software. Tufts spent $49,130 to purchase software to protect the University's 4,350 PCs, and an additional $10,700 to protect the 839 Macintosh computers. This year, $9,800 was spent updating the software.

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News

Internet problems frustrate downhill residents

March 31

Internet connection was down in Haskell Hall from the end of Spring Break until late last week, in the most recent in a series of Internet service problems for downhill dorms. The Internet failure in Haskell was caused by technical malfunctions in the electronic devices that serve dormitory Ethernet connection, according to Director of Networks and Communications Lesley Tolman. On-campus Internet and phone services are provided by CampusLink - purchased last fall by the national company PaeTec Communications, Inc. - which is responsible for equipment-related problems within Tufts dorms. Because there was a failure of electronics in the entire dorm, Internet service was lost throughout all of Haskell rather than in selected rooms or individual floors, which forced the University immediately to contact CampusLink, according to Tolman. "CampusLink-Paetec figures centrally into this story," Tolman said. "We went through the normal trouble-reporting procedures to CampusLink and put in an emergency report because of the loss of connection for all students in an entire dorm." In this type of wide-scale service disruption, CampusLink is required to respond within four hours, Tolman said. But the spare equipment that should have been used in the case of connection failure was not functional, and a series of errors further complicated the process of obtaining replacement equipment, rendering Haskell residents without Internet and Ethernet access over the course of several days. "We at Tufts finally took one of our own technicians to do the job because PaeTec was taking too long," Tolman said. Functional spare equipment found in Latin Way was used to solve the problem. The Internet problems in Haskell were only the most recent in a series of incidents involving faulty connections in downhill dorms this semester, including Metcalf and Bush halls. Tolman said Internet difficulties are a result of old equipment and the technical errors arising from the wear and tear of the wiring devices that provide service to the dorms. New equipment was installed in the fall of 1995, and though the University has taken steps to fix different parts of the system, no full renovation of Internet equipment has taken place for six years. "It's very likely that the equipment in Haskell is five-and-a-half years old," Tolman said. "Every time this happens, there is the normal deconstruction of what happens, and then we try to elevate our own vigilance," she said. There is a possibility that the University will reconsider its arrangement with PaeTec once its eight-year contract terminates in two years, and Tolman said Tufts has begun looking at other options for service companies. "We've gone through a bunch of attempts to minimize the ways in which we cause problems for students," she said.

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News

Event rallies support for political prisoner

August 31

Indigenous rights activist Leonard Peltier is currently serving two consecutive life sentences - for a crime he says he did not commit. To gather support for Peltier's possible clemency, political activist Shep Gurwitz spoke at Barnum last night. In 1975, Peltier, a Native American, was accused of murdering two FBI agents at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in North Dakota. Since then, government prosecutors have admitted on numerous occasions that they could not prove Peltier's connection to the crime. Despite this lack of credible evidence, Peltier's has exhausted his court appeals and his chances for parole are very slim. Currently, Peltier's only chance for release lies in a grant of executive clemency by President Bill Clinton. As the presidency quickly draws to a close, Peltier supporters everywhere are rallying to push the Clinton administration to free Peltier. Gurwitz, a long-standing friend of Peltier, founded two Boston-based groups, Council for Native American Solidarity and the Leonard Peltier Support Group. Gurwitz urged students to organize in support of Peltier, especially at an upcoming rally on Dec. 10 in New York City. "The importance of the rally in New York, letter writing to congress, and all other actions are to reinforce the support that has been shown and still is shown for Leonard Peltier and to assure justice will be served in this most glaring example of judicial injustice," he said. Many students attended last night's rally to find out how they can aid Peltier and influence Clinton's clemency decision. Sympathizers feel that Peltier was wrongfully accused and imprisoned because of his ethnicity. "The fact that [the sentence] was racially motivated and that it was so blatantly unfair completely amazes me. I have been calling my congressman and senators every day," sophomore Emily Good said. Since his imprisonment 24 years ago, millions vowed to support Peltier's appeals for freedom, including Mother Theresa, the Dalai Lama, and over 50 members of the US Congress. Amnesty International considers him a political prisoner who should be immediately and unconditionally released. As a possible clemency date nears, students, celebrities, and other notable figures continue to demand Peltier's release. Senior Teague Channing, the event organizer, linked his support for Peltier to his support of Native peoples everywhere. "Letting Leonard out of prison is seen as the first step between reconciliation between Native peoples and the federal government," he said. Before his sentence and imprisonment, Peltier fought for Native rights. As a migrant farm laborer, he became familiar with governmental policies that forced Native families off their land, causing widespread poverty. Peltier participated in protests against the US government's efforts at assimilation and land relocation for Native peoples. In the late sixties and early seventies, he joined the American Indian Movement (AIM) and worked as a community counselor for Native people. Leonard's involvement in the AIM brought him to the Pine Ridge Reservation in North Dakota in 1975. At that time, conservative tribal members clashed with traditional people, who wanted to maintain their culture and spirituality. The conservative tribal chairmen and their police, known as "GOONS," initiated a violent attack against the traditional people. In three years, over 60 traditional people were murdered. Along with the rising death count, the reservation touted the highest ratio of FBI agents to citizens than any other area of the US. Despite the government presence, the FBI never investigated the murders of traditional Native Americans. As the FBI seemed to ignore the violence, Peltier and other AIM members aided those being targeted. On June 26, 1975, a shoot-out occurred, leaving two FBI agents and one Native man dead. Peltier was accused and tried in a different district by a judge considered to hold anti-Native sentiments, according to Gurwitz. In one of the most controversial trials of the century, a US circuit court judge found Peltier guilty of two counts of murder. However, the prosecuting lawyers could not "prove who shot the agents or what connection Leonard Peliter might have had," Gurwitz said. In the most recent unsuccessful appeal, prosecutors said that no credible evidence exists to prove Peltier's guilt. However, parole officials refused to grant him freedom. Gurwitz emphasized that the only remaining possibility for Peltier's freedom lies in an executive grant of clemency. "They don't know who the perpetrator is. Why is this man still in prison? Now it is up to the will of the people to demand that he is freed," he said.

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News

Men of Honor' is formulaic yet inspiring story

August 31

If you want to join the Navy, damn it, go see this movie. But for the rest of you, a warning: when clips from a film about the Navy are used by the Navy to inspire people to join the Navy, one should be wary. There may be a bit of over-the-top preaching about the honor, the tradition, and the greatness of the Navy in George Tillman Jr.'s latest film . The setup: Carl Brashear (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), the son of a Southern sharecropper, must overcome racism and then physical disability to become the first black Master diver in the US Navy and the first amputee to be reinstated to active duty in the Armed Services. Shortly after President Truman desegregates the military in 1948, Brashear joins the Navy at age 17, and is disappointed to find that, due to his color, he is only allowed work in the kitchen. Aboard the U.S.S. Hoist, Brashear first sees Master diver Billy Sunday (Robert De Niro) in action, saving lives while putting his own in danger, spurring him to seek his dream of becoming a Master diver. After incredible diligence in applying to diving school, he is accepted. It is here he again meets Sunday, his instructor, who has since fallen into alcoholism after being taken off of active duty due to injuries suffered while on the Hoist. Once in school, Brashear finds he has the will, but not the education, to pass diving school - he had dropped out of school in seventh grade to help his father with his farm. He turns to Jo (Aunjanue Ellis), a librarian, medical student, and obvious love interest to help him pass the written side of school. As the film continues, obstacles are placed in Brashear's path time - most the results of the racism of the other men and the wacky head of the school, Mr. Pappy (Hal Holbrook) - but he perseveres by sheer will. Over and over. For the most part, the film does not develop its characters fully. The only person who seems to change at all is De Niro's Sunday, whose racist tendencies are questioned by his respect for Brashear. Every other character in the film seems to be stuck in one gear: either "bad" and racist or "good" and accepting. To be fair, this is an incredible story of will and fortitude, as evidenced by Brashear's life and career being documented in the naval archives - an honor bestowed upon only seven enlisted men in the history of the naval archives. He broke both physical and color barriers, and is a testament to hard work and focus. Unfortunately, the film has taken great liberties with the actual facts of his life and is a paint-by-numbers effort, a shallow attempt at bringing the spirit of Brashear's life to the screen. One can imagine that with a smaller budget and no-name actors, this would be a good TV movie of the week. There is nothing horribly wrong with any aspect of the film, but nothing much rises above the merely adequate. The acting, of course, is a high point, but the great cast has nowhere interesting to go with this mundane script. And, it must be said - in a movie about people diving deep into the ocean, there is almost nothing below the surface. But, if you want an inspiring story and an easy, unchallenging, formulaic film to watch, this is it.

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A familiar story gives good acting but lacks originality

August 31

Billy Elliot just wants to be loved. Faced with a dead mother, striking union-member father, aggressive older brother, and senile grandmother, it's no wonder that he searches for an emotional outlet. Now imagine being this little boy and living in an out-of-work factory town where the most affection you can find is from your best friend, who may have a crush on you.

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Trustees deal with issues facing University

August 31

Sunday night, the make-up of this year's Board of Trustees was finalized, and three students were appointed undergraduate representatives to the body. Although to many students the trustees are merely an unknown or mysterious association, it is the group's unfailing, behind-the-scenes effort that guides the University's financial progress and philosophical development. Two issues are at the forefront of the trustees' agenda, as their first meeting of the year quickly approaches: The lack of student-housing on the Medford/Somerville campus was raised to the board last winter, and discussion of that issue will continue when the board reconvenes this November. Likewise, trustees will take the opportunity to discuss the presidential search, set to commence sometime in the near future, that follows John DiBiaggio's announcement of his intention to resign by 2002. The 37 trustees are charged with the establishment and constant evaluation of Tufts' mission statement. The body appoints the University president, oversees Tufts' educational programs, and insures financial solvency. To accomplish these tasks, the trustees, 85 percent of whom are Tufts graduates, meet as a whole three times each year, and they are also divided into smaller committees that meet on a more regular basis. Since the trustees do not deal directly with students, Business Agent Linda Dixon has the job of making trustees aware of the concerns and issues raised on campus. Dixon sets the trustee agenda, which requires her to be constantly aware of new developments in the administration or the student body that are to be presented at board meetings and to be in constant communication with the trustees. Dixon explained that the reasons students may perceive the trustees as an aloof body is because it is their job to deal with the larger issues affecting the University and not to directly address undergraduate student life. "The trustees find themselves in a very delicate balance," Dixon said. "They have very specific and important responsibilities and can not get off track. They must set the policy at the highest level and micromanage. Student affairs are not part of the agenda." Dixon said that, while the trustees do not have time to deal with the details of student life, they still enjoy meeting students. "Our student body is so impressive that it's such a delight for the trustees to see that they're doing something right. It's reaffirming and makes them proud," she said. In recent years, the board has attempted to diversify itself, and it is currently one third female, 91 percent white, and has a median age of 59. It is a highly selective organism that actively seeks out and invites new members around the country who are devoted to Tufts and willing to invest themselves in witnessing it flourish. Trustees are elected for a five-year term, and have the opportunity to campaign a second time. Once aboard, the members are divided into three main committees - Standing, Functional, and Ad Hoc - and various subcommittees, including administration and finance, academic affairs, and university development. On average, trustees are involved in between two and three committees. William Meserve, who has been on the board for 18 years, and reached the status of Meritus Trustee, explained that the job of the trustees is anything but simple. "The Board of Trustees is the ultimate authority in the governing of a university," he said. Trustees are often involved with the Board of Overseers, and there are currently 25 people who serve on both bodies. The Overseers is a group of 200 people who act as "champions" of Tufts around the country and abroad. The undertakings of the Board of Trustees call for an immense amount of focus and involvement. "The role of the trustees can not dig around in details. Dealing with students is getting entangled in a job six levels below them. They are not being standoffish, but following due process." Dixon explained. The Board of Trustees meets three times a year for intensive two-day periods. Each meeting has a separate focus; the trustees invite 40 faculty to November's meeting, the Tufts Community Union Senate graduate school Student Council to February's meeting, and alumni to the May meeting. One of the two days is designated for committee meetings, while the next day is an open discussion of the board. The meeting planned for this November has been named the Outreach Effort. Trustees will convene for the first day at the Human Nutrition Research Center at the Tufts' School of Nutrition in Boston. They will meet on the Medford campus for the second day to meet Tufts faculty members. The agenda for the meeting will focus mainly on discussion about selecting Tufts' next president. Dixon praises the trustees for their hard work and devotion to the University. "They work hard because they care about this place," she said. "Seeing as to what is being done, entirely on volunteer terms, without any privileges or bonuses, the trustees must really, really care about this place... and it certainly couldn't go on without them."

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News

Fast to end world hunger

August 31

While many can't fathom going without food for an entire day, each year senior Suni Vyavaharkar participates in Oxfam America's Fast for a World Harvest, a 24-hour fast that raises funds for Oxfam America, an organization that raises awareness and promotes education about poverty-related problems in undeveloped countries. Because of her strong belief in the cause, Vyavaharkar, an events manager at Oxfam Caf?©, has never found fasting difficult. "It wasn't that bad because I had what I was doing it for in mind," Vyavaharkar said. This year, the fast will begin at 6 p.m. on Nov. 15 and end at 6 p.m. the next day. Oxfam Caf?© will hold a celebratory break fast for those who participate. Junior Doug Hansen, an event coordinator, participates in the fast to make a statement against world hunger. "It's my own form of quiet protest against the way we allow [many] people every day to die of hunger. Food and eating is the first justice - the one thing people can't go without is food," he said. It is not a coincidence that this year's fast will be held on the Thursday before Thanksgiving - a time when most students are gearing up to chow down on the holiday. Around the world, not everyone is so lucky. Participants in the fast can raise money for Oxfam America in two ways, either by finding sponsors or simply donating money at a flat rate. Sponsor sheets are located in Oxfam Caf?©, as well as information explaining the purpose of the fast. Oxfam America will use these funds to fight hunger and poverty, utilize global resources more equitably, and improve education and health care for people around the world. Oxfam has been able to reach over 115 countries, with Oxfam America being just one of the 11 Oxfams worldwide that are part of the Oxfam International organization. Oxfam America says it's "dedicated to creating lasting solutions to global poverty, hunger, and injustice." The organization's initiatives include working for national and international policy change in poor communities and producing educational materials. The Fast for a World Harvest has been observed since 1972, making it one of the oldest anti-poverty campaigns in the US. Its many participants help millions each year. According to Oxfam America's website, the Fast for a World Harvest campaign is "a nationwide movement of concerned people taking action against poverty and social injustice in our world." Oxfam considers this cause important because statistics on hunger and poverty are startling. According to Oxfam, 25 percent of the population - 1.3 billion people worldwide - live on less than one dollar a day. Also according to Oxfam, over 790 million people do not get enough food, with 1.3 million of those being in the US. Oxfam also cites that 24,000 people die each day from hunger and other preventable hunger-related illnesses. Most of those deaths are actually due to chronic malnutrition rather than famine, so Oxfam works to provide people with the necessary foods to survive. Hansen cites an example of these deplorable health conditions. " The most common cause of death in Africa is diarrhea, which shouldn't be happening in the modern world," he said. "It's preventable, which I think is horrible." It's a common myth that hunger is due to overpopulation. In fact, Oxfam asserts that there is enough food to feed everyone in the world, but access to resources and education is unequal. The wealthiest countries, which contain 15 percent of the world's population, account for 75 percent of global consumption, according to Oxfam. Hansen feels that his form of protest gives a voice to others. "That there's enough food in the world and we allow people to die - that's really problematic. There's a lot of stuff that goes on in the world [where people] are silenced," he said. Both students and faculty have participated in the Fast for a World Harvest in years past. Vyavaharkar estimated that 20 to 30 people have participated in the fast in previous years, although exact numbers cannot be obtained because not everyone attends the official break fast at Oxfam Caf?©. Additionally, some people choose simply to donate a flat rate rather than trying to find sponsors, making it even more difficult to calculate the number of participants. "There are a lot of people who donate but don't come to the ending event," Vyavaharkar said. Vyavaharkar hopes to begin to raise awareness about hunger with an event in Eaton on Nov. 14, prior to the fast. Three speakers will discuss world hunger: a former director of Oxfam America, a representative from Hike for Hope 2001, and a representative from Grass Roots International.

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News

Ruling opens a can of worms

August 31

To the Editor:

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News

Lionetti nets game winner in double overtime against Colby

August 31

Junior Lindsay Lionetti netted the game-winning, overtime goal on Saturday afternoon as the field hockey team picked up its second victory of the season. The Jumbos edged out visiting NESCAC foe Colby College in the 2-1 thriller to advance their record to 2-2. "This was a crucial win for us," midfielder Lionetti said. "To win such an important game in the way that we did against such a tough opponent is a real confidence booster." In a Tufts-dominated first half, senior co-captain Amy Polverini was first to light up the board at 26:44 off a pass from senior co-captain Collette Guadet following a penalty corner. The Tufts defense has stepped up its two-way play this season, combining for three goals and three assists on the campaign. Although the Brown and Blue remained in control for the remainder of the first frame, they could not convert for another goal until Lionetti's overtime finale. Colby netted the equalizer just 90 seconds into the second stanza on a goal from close range by White Mule junior Becca Bruce. After 33 minutes of scoreless regulation play, the squads were forced into overtime, where they once again faced stalemate. "We totally dominated the first half, but they stepped it up in the second half," junior Liesl Bradford said. "I guess you would call that even but we were the obviously better team.... We proved that in overtime." Finally, with 3:57 left in the second overtime, Lionetti lifted her team out of deadlock with a hand out from sophomore Laura Hacker. Lionetti received the pass at the top of the circle with her back to the goal and turned around for a low push-pass shot to the right corner of the goal. The tally was Lionetti's second of the season. "I was excited to play overtime, but we were tired and wanted to get it over with quickly," Lionetti said. "It was exciting and nerve-wracking." The tired Mules wore thin through the extra minutes, while Tufts controlled the ball for the majority of overtime action. "They were exhausted and they couldn't get anything together on the field," Bradford said. "Whereas we were very strong endurance-wise, they weren't." Senior Dena Sloan earned the win with nine saves in goal against 15-penalty opportunities. With the weekend victory, the squad sits at fifth place in the NESCAC division with a 1-1 record. "The win involved everybody, everyone contributed for a great team effort," Lionetti said. "It was a pretty good indicator of what were capable of. Hopefully, we can hang onto it." Although it appears as though things are turning around for the Jumbos, the women are not resting on their laurels quite yet. "We're really excited about these wins, and they've definitely given us some more motivation to keep playing hard," Lionetti said. "But we have a long way to go and have to keep playing as a team in order to keep winning." The Jumbos hit the road this week for two away games. Tomorrow the team faces fourth-ranked Connecticut College in another critical NESCAC duel and then will match up against Wheaton College on Thursday. "Connecticut is always an intense game, we're all pretty excited." Lionetti said. "It should be a pretty even game. We've been having productive practices lately, so I think we just need to keep on working on what we've been doing and we should do well."

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News

Freshman Hackett has his way with Jumbo defense

August 31

All the buzz surrounding Tufts' Homecoming match with Williams was that if there ever were a year to knock off the Ephmen, then this would be the one. Williams had been blanked in its last game, a 7-0 home loss to Middlebury. It had lost its top two running backs and had benched its starting quarterback. Williams, it seemed, was not the juggernaut it had been in years past and was a team swirling with confusion instead. Tufts coach Bill Samko never believed any of that, and, as it turned out on Saturday, he was right. Williams came to Medford and showed that it hasn't really lost a step from years past, and that it doesn't matter who's playing the skill positions - anyone can fill in admirably. The most admirable of those replacements Saturday was tailback Michael Hackett, a freshman from Rutland, Vermont, who had seen limited action so far this season. Hackett was the third string back, predominantly sitting and watching as seniors Fred Storz and David Kinsley accumulated a combined 110 yards per game. But the seniors had been watching out for their heir apparent and making sure that he was ready when the time called. "I was a little nervous before the game," Hackett said. "But those two guys have worked with me a lot on the transition from high school to college. It's a different game." Hackett made the transition with flying colors, as the freshman, who had gained only 117 yards in his previous three games, easily eclipsed that mark Saturday, rushing for 148 yards and receiving another 56. So did Williams know it had a diamond in Rutland, Vermont? "I can't say I'm surprised," said Williams coach Dick Farley. "We recruited him so we knew he was decent. He is much better in person than he is on tape, though." Hackett may be the real deal, but that doesn't necessarily explain his tearing through a Jumbo defense that had only allowed 65.3 yards per game on the ground, and had shut down much more proven backs. According to Hackett, it was a combination of his running style and the scheme that allowed him to run that way. "I'm not the biggest back," Hackett said. "But I try to run hard, I put my head down. This game's 90 percent mental. If you want to get that one yard, you can get it. "I knew Tufts had a great D-line," he continued. "But their linebackers pursue like crazy, so we ran a lot of cutback plays to use their talent against them." According to Farley, though, who makes everything seem easy, Hackett just ran the ball and good things happened. "It wasn't really a design," Farley said, referring to the myriad of cutback runs Hackett had. "That's just how we run. That's how everybody runs." The best example of both Hackett's ability to get past a hotly pursuing Tufts defense and Farley's ability to downplay his coaching was a screen pass the coach called at the end of the third quarter. With only eight seconds to play in the period and the Ephmen down 10-7, Farley called a timeout after both teams had set up at the line of scrimmage. It seemed, at least from the press box, that some great scheme was about to ensue. "There wasn't really any strategy in it at all," Farley said after the game. "Our formation was screwed up and we thought we might get a penalty, so we called timeout. Then we just called a screen pass." Sounds simple enough, but this play was the turning point of the game. The Williams offensive line, which had been pushing Tufts back all game, allowed the Jumbo defense to get to the quarterback. At the last minute, freshman quarterback Joe Reardon lightly lofted the ball over the Tufts defenders, who had just realized they had been duped, into the hands of Hackett. The tailback, who had three offensive linemen clearing the way for him, scampered 48 yards, getting one final block from wide receiver Matt Student, and into the end zone. It marked the last time in the game the Jumbos would hold a lead. Farley, now 12-0-2 against the Jumbos since coming to Williams in 1987, claims he doesn't have the secret to beating Samko's club, but it seems like everything that he touches turns to gold against Tufts. On Saturday, he discovered a golden tailback, and the worst part about it from a Tufts perspective is that the Jumbos will have to figure out a way to stop him for three more years.

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News

Go to the polls

August 31

Last week the two major party candidates for president faced off in the battle of the century. Al Gore had been waiting for the chance to face his opponent, George W. Bush, since he wrapped up the nomination back on Super Tuesday in March. Bush finally decided to end the debate on debates and agreed to meet Gore for three debates run by the Commission on Presidential Debates, the first of which took place on Oct. 3 in Boston.

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Spotted friends return to the silver screen in Disney's '102 Dalmatians'

August 31

If you're looking for a fun-filled movie to take your little brother or sister to over the Thanksgiving break, or if you're feeling the need to regress after three months of heavy-duty college stress, Disney's all-new 102 Dalmatians might be just what you're looking for. It's the sequel to the 1996 live-action remake of 101 Dalmatians, this time with our spotted friends running from the ever-notorious Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close) on the streets of Paris. The film opens with Cruella being released from a London prison after three years of rehabilitation, vowing never to have anything to do with fur again. But when the clock on Big Ben tolls and time runs out, Cruella reverts back to her evil ways and begins to form yet another "fur-ocious" plot to get her ultimate Dalmatian coat. This time, she decides to aim for a hooded coat - hence the need for the 102nd Dalmatian. As with any generic kids' film, the characters are all connected in some way, and the main Dalmatian family from the original movie is reintroduced in the sequel. Civil worker Chloe Simon, owner of Dipstick and Dottie (the parents of the original 101 Dalmatians), happens to be De Vil's parole officer. She keeps a close eye on De Vil, all the while remaining skeptical of the convicted criminal's shocking transformation to a puppy-lover once released from prison. The plot thickens when De Vil purchases the Second Chance Dog Shelter, bringing Kevin, the very charming shelter manager (played by fast-rising British star Ioan Gruffudd) into the picture. Sparks fly when Chloe and Kevin meet, offering the film its quintessential romantic element. Together they discover De Vil's evil ploy and set out to save their Dalmatian pups. Although the first dinner date scene between Chloe and Kevin borders on lame even for the most hopeless romantics, it may be condoned simply because the film is, after all, targeted for audiences under the age of ten. The film does feature a top-notch cast, with Close and Gerard Depardieu as the antagonistic duo of Cruella De Vil and fur fashion designer Jean Pierre Le Pelt. Along with DeVil's sidekick valet, Alonso (Tim McInnery), the three pose as the "bad guys," but also add to the film's light-hearted and adventurous comedy when they ultimately fail miserably in their fiendish attempts. No Disney film would truly be complete without a number of memorable animal characters, and 102 Dalmatians is filled with them, including a hairless Chihuahua with the ironic name of Fluffy, an adorable spotless Dalmatian pup named Oddball, and a talking parrot who insists he is a dog. Using real-life animals and a fair share of computer animation, the cinematography is nothing new or spectacular, but is sufficient for a film of this genre. On a whole, this sequel contains many of the same antics of the original blockbuster, with a close-call chase scene culminating in De Vil's ruin - only it happens this time in a pastry factory. The humor is elementary, but the blooper-type occurrences still garner a few laughs from the older members of the audience. Bottom line: 102 Dalmatians is not incredibly deep, but it does combine comedy, fantasy, and adventure to make for some fun entertainment. If you have a bit of time to spare over the break, it may be worth your time to wander over to the nearest theater with some kiddies and catch a matinee showing.

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News

Three teams share first NESCAC football crown

August 31

The final chapter of the NESCAC football season came to a close this Saturday with three teams tied atop the conference. Amherst, Colby, and Middlebury each finished with 7-1 records, and will share the first-ever NESCAC football crown. Amherst clinched its 7-1 record by virtue of a 20-12 win over Williams in Week Eight at home. The victory marked the first time in 13 years that the Lord Jeffs had beaten the Ephs, who suffered their third loss of the season. The Lord Jeffs' only setback came against Middlebury in Vermont on Oct. 7, when the Panthers blanked them by a 17-0 count. On Saturday, Amherst came back from a 9-0 halftime deficit to overcome the Ephs. Senior tri-captain and defensive back Brian Doust picked off three Williams passes on the day, including one with less than two minutes to go to seal the win. The Lord Jeffs had taken a commanding 20-9 win with 8:45 left, after a 22-yard strike from quarterback Peter Honig to Derrell Wright, before the Ephs tacked on a 25-yard field goal to cut the difference to 20-12. Amherst then went three-and-out on its next possession and appeared to be doomed to repeat its notorious history of blowing fourth quarter leads against Williams (the Lord Jeffs had fourth quarter leads in three of their last four meetings with the Ephs - all Williams wins). But Daoust came up big on the first play of the ensuing series, outleaping Williams receiver Colin Vataha at midfield for his final pick to give the hosts their best record since 1997. Colby, which became a member of the NESCAC's elite teams this fall after finishing at a subpar 3-5 just a year ago, trounced Bowdoin in Waterville on Saturday, 34-7. After the teams ended the first quarter in a 7-7 deadlock, the White Mules responded with 27 unanswered points to arrive at their best regular season record since 1994. In fact, in the last four seasons, Colby teams had combined for an overall total of just eight wins. This time around, Colby's only defeat came at the hands of fellow conference champion Amherst. After giving up a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown just minutes into the contest on Saturday, Colby tightened up and silenced the Polar Bears for the rest of the day, holding them to 119 yards of total offense. Quarterback Pat Conley threw for 250 yards - 141 of them to his favorite target Danny Noyes. Noyes also racked up 80 yards rushing and two touchdowns on the ground, along with one pass completion for 11 yards. For the game, the White Mule offense garnered 440 yards while racking up 26 first downs and holding a 15-minute advantage in time of possession. Both Noyes and Conley also broke single-season team and NESCAC records in receiving yards (872) and passing yards (1,996), respectively. The third and final member of the championship trio is Middlebury, who toppled the Jumbos in Vermont this weekend, 27-0. The Panthers did not allow a touchdown for the final 26 quarters of the season, en route to their best finish since 1992. Middlebury's only loss also came against one of the three championship teams, as it succumbed to Colby in Waterville last Saturday, 28-21. Against Tufts, the Panthers jumped out to a 14-0 lead at the close of the first quarter, and then tacked on single scores in both the third and fourth stanzas. Bryan Sanchez was the workhorse yet again, steamrolling his way to 215 yards on 38 carries and three touchdowns. Sanchez ends his career at the top of both the single season (1,183 yards) and all-time (2,929) Panther rushing lists.

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New funding plan has mixed effects on club sports

August 31

Club sports are receiving assistance from the University in covering their expenses this year, thanks to a deal brokered by the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate and the administration last semester. Although the new plan is easing some of the financial burden placed on those who participate in club sports, some of the clubs with high operating budgets are still struggling to fund their activities. This year's club sports budget is nearly double the $10,000 granted in years past, and it will grow by another near $10,000 next year. While the agreement does not stipulate that the funds must be allocated evenly between clubs, each club was allotted approximately $1,800 this year because no mechanism was in place to determine exactly how much each individual club needed. As a result, the more expensive club sports still have to continue holding fundraisers and charging the players to participate, while other, less-expensive sports have had a much easier time. The ski team is one of the groups that has received little relief from the new plan. The nearly 70 team members must pay $90 a year in dues, $400 in training expenses, and at least $40 a weekend to race. In addition to providing all their own equipment, they also must pay $15 a week to practice. "We are all excited to have increased funding, but when we are dealing with $35,000 a year in total expenses, an extra $1,000 or $2,000 doesn't change the fact that fundraising and out-of-pocket spending cover the majority of our costs," captain Jack Kramarczyk said. The equestrian team also continues to face challenges in order to compete; the team's treasurer estimates expenses to amount to $50,000 each year. In order to help defray those costs, the Offices of the President, Provost, and Vice President made donations totaling $4,000. Gifts from alumni and parents, as well as fundraisers and revenue from hosting tournaments, are enough to cover the cost of running the two shows Tufts hosts each year. However, the 41 members still have to pay about $1,600 each to practice and compete throughout the school year. Sports such as Rugby and Frisbee will have a large percentage of their needs met by the budget increase. Rugby players usually pay $40 a year in dues, but thanks to the extra money they are receiving this year, that figure has been reduced. Additionally, rugby is required to have a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at all practices and has traditionally had to pay for this service. Luckily, one team member happens to have EMT training, therefore eliminating that expense. The men's volleyball club, a winter club sport, will also reap the rewards of the new funding plan. Since the team is allowed to use the varsity girls' volleyball courts and net systems, their costs are not as high as other teams. Still, the money it receives from the University will cover the majority of its costs. The removal of the financial pressures has led some, like men's volleyball club Captain Adam Goldfarb, to a new appreciation of their status as a club sport, and not a varsity sport. "As a club, we have much more freedom to make our own decisions and schedules. Also, there's much better competition in the club volleyball leagues then there is in the varsity leagues," he said. To rectify the problem of distributing funds, Student Activities Budget Coordinator Frank Nocito is in the process of creating a Club Sports Allocations Board. It will consist of one member from each team and mirror the processes followed by the TCU Senate to distribute money to student clubs. Previously, the responsibility of funding club sports fell solely on the TCU Senate, who allocated $10,000 out of the budget surplus each year to be divided among the ten club sports. The addition funding acquired this year is the result of transferring some money from the Arts and Sciences' budget to the student activities fee, and using loan repayments from the TCU Senate. "The administration understands the importance and benefits of club sports; they're really being very generous," Club Sports Coordinator Nancy Bigelow said. Next year another shift will occur, bringing another $9,329 increase to the activity budget. The total budget will be $29,031- nearly three times what the clubs received last year. Additionally, the Athletic Department provides $7,000 for coaching related expenses. "While we realize that $30,000 a year is not enough to completely fund club sports, it will go a long way to reduce the out-of-pocket expenses team members must pay," Athletic Director Bill Gehling said.

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