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Don't waste your meals

August 31

As a sophomore, I was forced to purchase a meal plan that far exceeds my needs. At the beginning of this year, I had 160 meals to be used over the course of the first semester. Now I stand with 85 meals remaining and only two weeks in which to use them. But here's the kicker: Meals do not roll over between semesters. This spring, my dining account will not reflect the 85 meals that remained at the end of the first semester. I did a little math. A meal in one of our delicious dining halls costs about $7. Eighty-five meals are worth close to $600. I am wasting $600 because I am not using all of the meals that I was forced to buy. I kept on thinking, and I did a little research. It turns out that I can use an unlimited amount of meals over the course of a day. Theoretically, I could walk back and forth between Dewick and Carmichael and just eat meals all day. I could invite ten friends out to lunch, and feed them from my 85 meals. I could invite 30 friends to dinner, and feed them from my seemingly bottomless pool of meals. I had discovered the way to use my meals. But, I hit a snag. I don't even have five friends that I could invite to dinner. I sat for days and nights thinking and pining over whom I could invite to dinner. I asked myself: Who is extremely hungry? Who could take the most advantage of the "all-you-can-eat" nature of my meals? Who could really use a free, hot meal? My relatives appreciate free meals, and they can eat a lot, but I don't think that they would drive from Philadelphia to Boston for free steak tips and rice. Late one night, I saw a commercial on TV that said someone could feed 36 hungry Cambodians for 18 cents a day. Then it hit me: Homeless people. I should invite 50 homeless people to dinner at Dewick. They would love a free, hot meal. They would definitely eat $7 worth of food. Since I can use the meals that I paid for to feed anyone that I want, I have decided to try to find and feed 50 homeless people. At this point, I had a truly brilliant idea. I am not the only one on campus with a surplus of meals remaining at the end of the semester. What if there are others, just like me, who would desperately like to use up their meals, but do not know who to invite to dinner? They should invite homeless people too! If I can find ten other people on campus who have 50 meals left, together we could invite 500 homeless people to dinner! We could have more homeless people on campus than we do when all of the alumni come back for homecoming! If I can find enough people with meals to spare, it is possible that we could pack thousands of homeless people into Dewick and Carmichael. I can see them now, happily awaiting stir-fry, ladling themselves a bowl of nutritious soup, and carefully making their own waffles. There are no rules against inviting people to dinner. Are the homeless not people too? If I don't use my 85 meals, then I have wasted close to $600. To waste in such a way, when hunger exists in the world all around us, is an atrocity. I dare say that Dining Services would jump at the opportunity to feed thousands of hungry, homeless people. I am certain that the fine people of Dining Services would not want me, or hundreds of other Tufts students, to waste any of the meals that we have paid for. As the holidays approach, I beseech the Tufts community to reach out to those less fortunate. We have all been blessed. Let us share our blessings. I look to the leaders of the Tufts community, and to the members of LCS to find a way to transport the hungry, homeless masses to our campus. If the transport of the homeless proves to be a feat to hard to overcome, all students could go to Hodgdon and take out as much non-perishable food as possible. Then, we can donate this food to a homeless shelter. No matter what, the students of Tufts should make an effort to help those less fortunate during the upcoming holiday season.Alex Brownstein is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major.

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News

Seniors benefit from marked rose in recruiting on campus

August 31

Students are being offered new prospects in their job searches by an increase in on-campus recruitment efforts by larger, more prominent corporate firms this year. Recent improvements within the Career Services Department, aided by the department's relocation to Dowling Hall, have further helped students in their quest for post-graduate career opportunities. This year's top recruiters include Goldman Sachs, Solomon Smith Barney, and Chase - three renowned companies that often target Ivy-League schools. The rise in on-campus recruiting is a sign to many that Tufts graduates are becoming increasingly competitive in the job market, despite perennial frustration with the University's stagnant rankings in US News and World Report. "Tufts is indeed very competitive with other schools in the area," Director of Career Services Jean Papalia said. She said that the University's focus on an international perspective sets Tufts students apart from students at other schools, and attracts an array of national and international companies. Nearly one-fifth of the students who plan to work immediately after graduation find jobs through the campus recruiting system, which brings the program's effectiveness level up to the nation-wide average, according to Papalia. At Tufts, roughly 22 percent of seniors enter graduate schools directly after graduation, while 60 percent plan to pursue careers immediately. While the majority of the companies that recruit on campus are from the high-tech engineering, finance, and consulting industry fields, Tufts is also a popular destination for a number of smaller research firms and non-profit organizations . "With over 200 companies coming to recruit each year, there is a really wide range of the types of companies," Papalia said. The Peace Corps and the non-profit Hillel organization are two of the less business-oriented industries that often look to hire Tufts students. Despite a perception that it is easier for students with computer science and other engineering degrees to land jobs than many liberal arts majors, companies who recruit on campus claim they are now looking to employ students from a variety of academic fields. "We definitely encourage bringing in a broad spectrum of people to the table, particularly to work on business development-type projects," said Kathy Kraig, a recruiter for the Cambridge-based Exeter Group. The Exeter Group also actively recruits students from Middlebury, Cornell, Northwestern, and Brown University and is in the process of expanding in size, which increases the demand for all types of college graduates. Many companies also come to Tufts because of alumni connections to the University, or in response to positive job performances by previous graduates currently working for their firm. Tufts Career Services has also made several employer outreach efforts this year, which has brought large corporations such as NBC News to recruit students. The increase in efforts to recruit Tufts students by these firms as well as the advancements Career Services' facility and technological resources has impressed many seniors. "Seeing from where we started, I think Career Services has improved its services significantly and is on its road to success," said senior Preeti Singh, who interviewed with NBC News this week. There is currently a widespread demand for and availability of technological consulting and finance-analysis type jobs, and students are pleased with the jobs they are able to get through Career Services. "A lot of top firms are now coming to Tufts, and that's something we haven't seen as much of in the past," one senior said before an interview with Solomon Smith Barney. Students say that the new library and online resources are helpful tools in guiding them towards future career fields. Widespread use of eRecruiting, the online resource used to coordinate the campus recruitment program, and other search engines such as JobTrak and Tufts Career Advisory Network (Tufts CAN), demonstrates the scope of Career Services offerings. "I found eRecruiting to be particularly helpful because I'm not from the area," Emily Sporl said. She, along with fellow seniors, uses the resource to find information on interview times and submit resumes to various firms recruiting on campus. Career Services' new facility has also enabled it to conduct several large-scale events this fall, including last month's Career Fair, which brought over 80 companies to more than 650 students on campus, mostly seniors. A number of panels where alumni and various professionals from the communications industry offer input and share their experiences with students are planned, including the Communications Networking Night, to be held next Monday. Despite these efforts, students say there still is room for improvement. A common sentiment among many students is that there is a shortage of staff, causing a long wait for scheduled appointments. "I've had friends who have had to wait a month and a half to meet with someone, and this shortage has relegated many students to using the web and the library, which don't offer a personal touch," said Sporl. In an attempt to rectify this problem, the department has instigated a service called "quick questions," which enable students to make 15 to 20-minute appointments the morning of the actual meeting day. The service is available everyday, excluding Tuesdays and weekends. Students also feel that many of the firms currently recruiting on campus are limited to investment banking and consulting and would like to see more diversity in job fields of the recruiters. "I'd like to see more asset-management and trade-related firms," Singh said. Nonetheless, Singh is grateful for the department's improvements. "I'm just glad I'm a senior this year and that I didn't graduate in 2000 before these new developments," she said.

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News

Bush takes slight lead in polls on eve of election

August 31

As polls open in schools and town halls across the nation this morning, Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush are scrambling to make their final impressions on voters. With the latest tracking polls ranking Bush only a few percentage points above Gore, both candidates are struggling to seize influential support in key battleground states. The 2000 election has been unusual in some respects and routine in others. Voter apathy appears to be more widespread than any race in recent memory, but the runoff is also poised to be one of the closest ever. James Glaser, chairman of Tufts' political science department, was hesitant to make predictions as to who would win the White House, but did offer some insight into how the Senate and House of Representatives might look come January. "Election night is this orgy of competition which I find fascinating," he said on Friday. On the whole, Glaser predicted that "Congress will pick up Democrats," shave the Republican majority in the Senate to two seats, and maintain the already-slender Republican majority in the House. Third party candidates have the potential to influence the results of this election if they draw support away from candidates in states where a few votes make a difference. Green Party Candidate Ralph Nader currently has the support of an estimated five percent of likely voters, and Glaser said that he draws more of his votes from Gore than Bush. However, Glaser estimates that a good half of Nader supporters would switch their vote to Gore shortly before the election. "Voters want to minimize regret rather than maximize interest," he said. "[Voters] are strategic." In an effort to counter this inevitable shift in the electorate, Bush supporters have aired television ads in key states that support Nader and attack Gore. "It's a wonderful political strategy," Glaser said. "I admire it very much." The most recent state-by-state polls indicate that 12 states, and a total of 133 votes in the Electoral College, could swing either way. These hot spots are Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. Gore has an edge in 12 states and the District of Columbia, for a total of 181 electoral votes. He is expected to win in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Bush appears to have a significant lead in a substantial 26 states and is expected to gain 224 electoral votes from Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming. While the election is by no means decided, the current numbers indicate a narrow Bush victory. The election is expected to go down to the wire, however, and by all accounts, whichever candidate wins will be holding a late-night victory party.

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News

Red Sox hoping for a September spurt

August 31

If the Boston Red Sox plan on bringing baseball to a playoff-hungry Beantown this October, they'll have to battle through a long September first. The Red Sox entered Tuesday a half-game back of the Cleveland Indians in the wild card race, having lost three of their last four games. Boston will barely finish above .500 for the month of August, and the schedule gets even tougher in the coming month. September brings series against the Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, the Indians, and the surging Detroit Tigers. The Red Sox play 32 games in 31 days to wind down the season, and all but six of those contests come against teams that are currently .500 or better. A few matchups in particular will have definite postseason ramifications, including a three-game set with Oakland and eight contests against Cleveland (five in Fenway, including back-to-back doubleheaders). With a packed field of teams vying for the AL wild card spot, and the meager chances of the Red Sox catching the Yankees in the AL East (they trailed by five games entering Tuesday), Boston will need a big stretch run to notch the AL's final postseason spot. Moreover, they'll need some slumping bats to wake up, and a couple of injured pitchers to make effective returns from the disabled list. And baseball's coming to the Hub in October will only become a reality if the Red Sox can get quality outings from pitchers who are not named Pedro Martinez. Over the past nine games - prior to last night's outing - Boston starters had compiled a dismal 6.93 ERA, including Pedro's worst outing of the season, which resulted in a 9-7 victory over Kansas City on Aug.24. Injuries had forced Tim Wakefield - in the midst of one of the more miserable slumps of his career - to remain in the rotation until this week, along with minor-leaguer Tomakazu Ohka, who has been surprisingly impressive over his last four starts, and Colorado acquisition Rolando Arrojo, who is starting to come around after a disappointing Boston debut. Pedro will only make about five more starts to close out the season, and while the team should win at least four - if not all - of those games, it is the contests in which he does not appear that will be vital to the Red Sox's postseason hopes. A rotation featuring Ohka, Arrojo, Wakefield, and Jeff Fassero has performed well enough to keep Boston afloat over the last month - along with a relief corps chaired by Rich Garces and closer Derek Lowe - but is still a far cry from the highly touted staff the team boasted at the start of the season. But the key pieces of that staff may soon return to the diamond, as Bret Saberhagen, Ramon Martinez, and Pete Schourek are all scheduled to rejoin Boston over the next couple of weeks (Martinez is slated to be back this weekend). Still, Saberhagen has not pitched since 1999, and has already suffered a setback in his scheduled September return, while Martinez had struggled before getting sidelined, giving up 13 earned runs over his last three starts. Ramon, who is 8-6 with a 6.14 ERA in 21 starts this season, is likely to finish well above his career-high ERA of 4.00. Whether it's players like Ohka and Arrojo who get the September nods, or the injured returnees, the Red Sox will need to pitch like the AL ERA-leaders they reportedly are in order to outperform Cleveland and Oakland. The Indians and Athletics might be lacking in the pitching department when compared to the Red Sox, but unlike Boston, it's offense that marks those teams' bread and butter. And though the Red Sox can't rely on their limping bats to pull them through September, a couple of key position players will need to wake up from recent slumbers to carry the team. Nomar Garciaparra has seen his quest for .400 fade rapidly; the veteran shortstop's batting average has dropped nearly 20 points since the All Star break. Garciaparra, bothered by a left hamstring injury that forced him to sit out a couple of games last week, has particularly struggled of late, batting just .243 (9-for-37) over an 11-game span. He had just one multi-hit game during that period, to go with two total RBIs. Carl Everett also finds himself stuck in the midst of a disappointing August. The fiery outfielder had hit just four home runs in his first 23 games since returning from a ten-game suspension, incurred for head-butting an umpire, earlier this month. Everett's average has gone down 25 points since the break, while his ongoing feud with manager Jimy Williams continues to gain publicity. And with Everett and Garciaparra slumping, Boston doesn't have much offense left to pick up the slack. Lou Merloni was taken on a few weeks ago to play third base, but has cooled down after an explosive start. Trot Nixon hasn't hit a home run since June 23, and Rico Brogna, Jose Offerman, and Jason Varitek won't supply the Red Sox with the needed offensive spark. Brian Daubach, Mike Lansing, and Troy O'Leary, while providing more reliable bats, are nonetheless all hitting below .270. Lansing is actually batting just .209 with no longballs in 26 games with the Red Sox, while Offerman is almost guaranteed to finish with his lowest average in nine years. The Red Sox have tomorrow off before returning to host the Mariners for a three-game series beginning Friday. Ramon Martinez is currently slated to make his return in Saturday's game against Seattle, which should allow Boston to relegate Wakefield back to the bullpen. That may be the first step towards starting a September surge, but it might be just as futile as trying to catch the Yankees.

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News

Taking responsibility

August 31

The party scene on campus sits in dire straits. To make matters worse, frustrations mounted last night with a useless student forum, in which members of the community let their unhappy feelings be known while Dean of Students Bruce Reitman showed little desire to offer compromise. But, although the student body and fraternity system may think themselves helpless, the chance to fix this situation rests in their hands. It is no coincidence that this police crackdown comes as news broke of the MIT settlement with Scott Krueger's family. By agreeing to pay $6 million to compensate for a death at an MIT fraternity, that university learned the hard way that the "see no evil" defense is no longer viable. But Tufts' rash response to its own Greek system has only worsened the situation on this campus by pushing students into the surrounding Medford and Somerville communities where police are itching to make arrests. Fraternities must recognize that more than just the Krueger settlement brought this crackdown. They must realize that the rising number of students transported to the hospital after excessive drinking is unacceptable. A Tufts student should never end an evening of ice luge imbibing with a TEMS transport for emergency care. And there exists a serious problem when doctors take time from important cases to deal with drunk Tufts students. Seemingly forever, a system of limited and unspoken neglect persisted in the relationship between fraternities and law enforcement at Tufts. No reasonable person would assert that the police and administration were not aware of the underage drinking. They simply trusted the students to behave and intervened only when things got out of hand - when party organizers overstepped the bounds of the established understanding. All of a sudden, things have been turned upside down. Whereas last year people could stay at parties until two in the morning, a party that survives past 11:30 p.m. is considered a success. Police now arrive at fraternities with the intent of sending everyone home, a far cry from the numerous warnings they once gave before ending harmless festivities. Although a relaxing of self-policing among fraternities has granted credence to Tufts harsher policies, the tighter controls are primarily unrelated to the actions of Tufts students. Nevertheless, to fix the rapidly deteriorating situation, the Inter-Greek Council (IGC) must take steps to exert a greater degree of self-control. And to rectify any perceived problems it must make tangible promises and give Tufts police no further excuses to strangle the social scene. Its representatives must say that they understand personal responsibility; when a neighbor complains about excessive noise, the fraternity brothers should turn down the music. When the police make reasonable requests for crowd control, they must be cooperative. If people gather on the lawn, they'll be moved, no exceptions and no excuses. The houses won't say "we tried," and hope for sympathy from TUPD. At this moment some members of the Greek system are rightly organizing a rally to show the administration how much public opinion they have on their side; this event is important. But if it wants to save its brothers the effort of going through this hassle year after year, a craftier response is required. Some fraternities may assert that they do this already, and indeed some do. But if the entire community can band together, make promises, and stick to them, the ball will land squarely in the hands of Dean Reitman for his first clutch shot; after last night, one he can't afford to miss. Clearly, the administration itself also has a large role in making things right again. It must welcome IGC reform with open arms and meet students half way in their efforts to police themselves. In other words, to truly rectify this situation, the administration has to trust its students. At the moment these promises are made, the administration, from Retiman to DiBiaggio, should take stock of its options. More near-riots like DEF Jam, more arrests by community police, worsened town-gown relations, or a controlled Greek system willing to be accountable for each of it's members. If the administration truly cares about student welfare, it will make fair concessions. After all, it must be remembered that the Greek system isn't asking the administration to condone underage drinking, but rather requesting a return to the norms of the Tufts social life. AEPi Treasurer Damon Meyer echoes the frustrations of many fraternity leaders when he speaks of a future without on-campus parties. "At some point, it becomes economically inefficient for fraternities to arrange parties that are broken up in their first hour." If he's right, then Tuft's social scene is headed for the grave and students to Medford/Somerville prisons. The Greek system must show Tufts administrators (the governing hand behind police action each and every weekend) that it is ready to renegotiate the long-held, but now threatened student-university social contract. If the administration rejects the gesture, it will make clear that it doesn't trust its students, and encourage less constructive methods of protest, which may reach beyond harmless late-night rallies.

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News

Panelists talk about faith and discrimination

August 31

As the debate over Tufts' nondiscrimination policy rages on, members of Tufts' Transgendered, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Collective (TTLGBC) held a forum on Tuesday to address homosexual students' affiliations with particular religious organizations on campus. The panel "Practicing Love: Can Religion be Queer-Friendly?" featured four speakers who discussed the relationship between faith and sexual orientation and shared their personal experiences with the audience. "We have great need for Tufts' queer students of faith to heel, share, and coordinate," said panel organizer Thea Lavin prior to the forum. Heated controversy related to homosexual students' involvement in religious organizations began last year with an incident involving the Tufts Christian Fellowship, and members of TTLGBC hoped that a forum would help them unite and share personal experiences and opinions. The room where the panel was held was adorned with stoles belonging to a variety of religious orders, each telling the story of an individual's expulsion from a particular faith. Senior Julie Catalano, who helped coordinated the event, held at the Granoff Family Hillel Center, felt that there is great need to "bring individual stories into light, especially stories of pain that Churches have caused." Speaker Lenny Goldstein told the crowd about his disassociation and ultimate reconciliation with the Jewish faith. Goldstein was raised in a non-orthodox Jewish family, but was a member of an orthodox synagogue during his childhood. As a gay man, his transition to a reformist synagogue was particularly smooth. A female rabbi facilitated his entrance into the synagogue by introducing him and his partner to the congregation from the outset - as the first gay couple ever to join the synagogue, they were welcomed from the very beginning. Today Goldstein works at Hillel as Director of Administrative Finance. "It is a wonderful, inclusive, pluralistic community where people argue fervently and then hug," he said of the organization. Danika Kleiber, an atheist who belongs to the Unitarian Universal (UU) faith and the Tufts Feminist Alliance, has decided to label her sexual orientation as "undefined." One of the reasons Kleiber stands by her faith is due to its first principle, which is to "promote the inherent birth and dignity of every person." The third speaker, Ken Hamill, began by explaining the Roman Catholic Church's stance on homosexual issues. According to the Church, the purpose of sex is twofold: to bear love and to serve as a means to procreate. Since homosexuals cannot bear children, said Hamill, the church does not accept them. During his Catholic high school education, Hamill learned that "the words 'gay Catholic' were an oxymoron." With the help of one of his teachers, however, he soon realized that being Catholic and gay were not incompatible. "At first I thought that being gay was an extra challenge," said Hamill. "Now I don't look at it as a cross: it's a factor that makes me who I am." A Christian with a Methodist background, Tomas Lewis, who was psychologically and medically transformed from female to male, had a much more positive experience with faith. "The Church can be very miserable, but when its good, it can be very, very good," he said. Although his experience was encouraging, Lewis acknowledged that most are not as lucky as he was. "If you are not accepted, sometimes you have to vote with your feet and shake off the dust," he advised to the crowd. Following the speeches, the crowd sat in a circle and posed to both the panelists and the other members of the group. Asked how he would advise someone who has been excluded from a particular institution, a question that relates to the TCF debate, Hamill explained that, in his view, there is no need to externalize faith to find God. "We need to look inside our conscious and interiorize the faith," he said, adding that "Love is the most important glue that holds us together." Lewis proposed a firmer stance. "If a relationship with a person is abusive, we don't accept it," he said. "There are things you wouldn't take from a partner, yet we take it from the church." Lewis pointed out that it ultimately becomes a matter of firmly holding your position and not walking away. "You can't unbaptize me!" he exclaimed. The discussion often focused on the scripture and its meanings. While some panelists and members of the audience seemed to agree that scripture must be analyzed in context and often interpreted metaphorically, others labeled scripture as hurdle that has to be overcome. Catalano explained her view. "I understand where homophobia comes from in scripture, but what happens when someone commits suicide because he's gay?" she asked. "If religion leads to suicide, then what is its purpose? That's not what the Bible was ever intended for." Redirecting the conversation to Tufts, Lavin asked whether certain organizations should fraction based on members' sexual orientation. A member of the audience commented that this would be dangerous and would only further segregation on campus. "If Tufts needed a Gay Christian Fellowship, it would make me very sad," said one student. A similar panel focusing on religion was held last Wednesday, when faculty and clergy discussed religion and violence at an event titled "Politics of Forgiveness vs. Violence as a Sacred Duty." Panelists included Father David O'Leary, Professor Ayesha Jalal, Rabbi Jeffrey Summit, and Provost Sol Gittleman. University Chaplain Scotty McLennan served as the moderator. They panelists tackled a variety of difficult subjects, including the separation of religion and nationalism, the concept of "just wars," and the role of religion in a community.

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News

Merry Wives' is merry both in and outside of the bedroom

August 31

Don't let English class fool you: Shakespeare is dead-on hilarious - plus he's the best sexual punster there ever was. If you're looking for witty one-liners that smack of sexual innuendo (and the girl you're after understands Elizabethan), see Tufts' production of The Merry Wives of Windsor in the Balch Arena and take note. Pirate a line or two from this tale and she'll croon: He gives me the potions and the motions! If you're lucky you might get promoted to sexy middleman between her terrestrial and celestial. On second thought, don't let it get your hopes up too far. If you're a man, come to this play for instruction. Bring your notepad and scribble down the tactics of women-driven ploys to foil the one-track, money and testosterone-driven minds of men. In this comedy, the merry wives will teach you a lesson: before you think you've got her between the sheets, make sure you've read between the lines. Male or female, The Merry Wives of Windsor will have you laughing aloud. Although Shakespeare wrote it to satisfy the Queen of England's fancy, director Anthony Cornish asserts that it is "full of modern resonance, not only in its comedy but also in its sexual politics." The language of the play is taken directly from the text. That is to say that it's full of labyrinthine metaphors, heady double-entendres, and at times mentally taxing verbosity. On occasion, you may get lost in the web of rhythms and rhymes. Don't be intimidated, though. With the help of the actors' talent, your ear quickly adjusts from 21st to 16th century mode. The comedy comes from two connected plots. The latent plot revolves around Ms. Anne Page (Kristin Leahey), the apple of every man's eye. Along comes a motley cast of male characters in line to woo her. First we meet Slender (Jeremy Wang-Iverson), a hyperbole of nervousness, who is pressured by his elders to pursue her. A second suitor is Dr. Caius (David Medeiros), the French physician who haughtily asserts his candidacy as top-notch. His fervency upstages Slender's trepidation, and thus is only met with one rival: Sgt. Fenton (Matt Waterson), the man in uniform of ubiquitous female fantasy. The manifest plot is whence the play derives its title. Mrs. Page (Rachel Evans) and her accomplice Mrs. Ford (Rebecca Russell) conspire to subvert the Dionysian glutton, Mr. Falstaff (Andy Roth), from his attempt to bed Mrs. Ford while her husband (Jesse Levey) is away from the house. With the help of the sugarcoated Machiavel of Mrs. Quickly (Melissa Holman) and the no nonsense sultry barkeeper (Jennifer Bien), they devise a ploy to thwart these 'horny men'. In doing so, they drive both Falstaff and Ford to the edge of their sanity. Tricked and subjected to humiliation, the two men (the jealous husband and conniving suitor) become pawns in the game of sexual checkmate. Cornish highlights the humorous moments by stretching them to their quirkiest limits. In one memorable scene, we have the Rev. Evans (Marty Keiser) and Dr. Caius bouncing around wearing boxing gloves, throwing swift punches into the air. Things get crazy when an ordinary small country town turns into an Eden-esque boxing ring, wherein the men are turned into hedonistic buffoons. Rev. Evans and Dr. Caius - in hiked-up Umbroes and nylon stockings hoisted up by sock garters - capitalize on the burlesque. Keiser and Medeiros both do an extraordinary job heightening the humor - the former in one farcical scene depicting the holy man, in boxer drag, strumming a guitar to a song about "1,000 pansies," the latter with his perfect parody of the bombastic Frenchman, thick accent and all. The performances of both Roth and Levey are indisputably the best in the show. Roth is a natural on stage, reciting his tongue-tied verse with ease. His fluid and versatile performance is the reason we become so engrossed in this play. Levey is over-the-top and hilarious as the jealous Ford, another favorite male casualty. Rooting for the women is Rachel Evans. With a grace similar to that of Roth, she robes herself in her character with no apparent struggle. It's a perfect fit and the seams don't show. Overall the mechanics of the play run smoothly, though without much use of scenery or props. Costume design is of secondary importance, neither distracting nor particularly awe-inspiring. It is mainly due to the strength of the performances and the script of the play itself that the play is so enjoyable. The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedy that combines the call-to-arms of de Beauvoir's feminism with the spunk of Lauper's Girls Just Want to Have Fun. Albeit in favor of the 'second sex' and at the expense of the male ego, audiences will be pleased. No pain, no gain, right boys?The production of The Merry Wives of Windsor continues at the Balch Arena Theater, November 2-4, at 8 p.m. Tickets for Thursday are $1, all other performances $5 with a valid Tufts ID.

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News

Greed

August 31

George W. Bush won this election fair and square. There was a count, which he won. There was a recount, which he also won. But there has been no concession, only griping. Many call the Florida recounts, ridiculous. They are. Gore claims this is a way of hearing every voice, yet he has only chosen the four most democratic counties for review. Surely if Gore wanted to make sure that every vote was indeed counted, he wouldn't oppose a statewide review of ballots in Florida and all the states he won narrowly. Many of those who argue for their continuation claim that recounts are better for the democratic process. Their logic defies reason. Why should Americans trust one count over the next, especially when two of the tallies were conducted by machines, which clearly have no bias, and the third is being done by humans. There always remains the suspicion that those tallying votes are inclined to help one side over the other. This kind of suspicion casts a dubious shadow over the result. The argument for recounts becomes even less valid when one considers the possible results of the new vote tabulations. If Gore wins the third count, should Bush request a fourth? After all, he'd be up 2-1 on the scorecard. And at what point is there a tiebreaker? Should the process continue until both candidates accept defeat and ask Bill Clinton to serve a third term? This election may have been very close, but as in hand grenades and horseshoes, close is good enough. Greed, not the nation's interest, is the only thing keeping Gore in this fight.In the words of Gordon Gekko, the financial shark played by Michael Douglas in Wall Street, "greed is good." With this election, Al Gore's desire to win at any cost may be able to prove Gekko correct. If Gore wins, he will have stolen the election from Bush by demanding every remedy under the stars. In dragging the election out, Gore has shown incredible arrogance and a genuine lack of concern for America's future. By not accepting defeat after the first count, he has shown the world that orderly transfers of power are subject to personal ambition. On a bit grander scale, too much ambition led Brutus and Cassius to kill Caesar on the Ides of March, effectively ending the republican form of government in Rome. Ambition, gone overboard, is dangerous.Gore's team has gone too far because there is no provision in law, either in Florida or anywhere else, where people who don't use their ballot correctly are entitled to recourse. Voting inherently assumes that the voter uses his ballot the intended way, meaning that a person fills out only one answer for each position or question. If not, those tallying the results cannot be expected to predict voter intent.Nixon in 1960 had a better case for appeal than does Gore today. Nixon, America's most paranoid president, had serious election fraud claims to make in front of the American people, but knew better than to taint the system with prolonged objections and appeals for a second chance. In a Op-ed in The New York Times, historian Richard Reeves shows why Nixon had such a compelling case: In the Nixon election, more than six thousand votes in one Texas county were tallied though less than five thousand voters had registered. In a Chicago precinct, 121 votes were cast in the first hour, yet only 43 people had come to vote. Nixon lost both Illinois and Texas, but did not complain. He simply ran again eight years later and won his rightful position as president of the United States.Nixon's concession is very much like the argument against instant replay in professional sports. The first call should always stand, because every meaningless delay cheapens the game. Nixon knew that if he contested the election, American prestige, and its model for other countries to follow, would be irreparably harmed. Nixon put honor above personal ambition.But Gore has not put honor over personal considerations. His objective has been to expand the definition of a vote. His argument is simple: I didn't win the count when they conducted it the usual way. But if the counters read the minds of voters, who miss cast their votes, in only democratic counties, I'll probably win the election. The vice president has forgotten that understanding a ballot is the voter's responsibility. And he never mentions that more than 15,000 ballots were thrown out in 1996, when he became vice president for a second term.Gore has acted without regard for rules - the same way one might expect Clinton to act, albeit over a woman, not the presidency. Even more ironic, Gore has dispatched Bill Daley, the son of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley who is famous for his innovative election fraud, to scream murder about the Florida counts. American politics can be funny that way.At this moment, the election should be over; George Bush is the winner. There should be no more counts and recounts. Over one week after the actual vote, efficiency demands that the tallies be done and the process be complete. When the ballots are certified in Florida, Gore should concede defeat and move onto the next part of his life. Elections are simple; only coups are this complicated."Greed, in all of its forms, has marked the upward movement of man," asserts Gekko. Al Gore is banking on the fact that Gekko is correct and his protests will yield him the presidency. One wonders how Al Gore will chose between the greed he amplified in his election and the social programs he touts if he prevails. But more importantly, will he ever be able to deal with the harm he caused America's model of stability in the eyes of the world?

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News

Dr. GoreBush: Or how I learned to hate this election

August 31

With less than two weeks until Nov. 7, there are some important lessons to be learned from Election 2000. Apathy abounds on campus not because people are uninformed, but because elections resolve more than age-old national policy debates. No amount of Viewpoints could ever engender enthusiasm about this democratic process, if activists don't first learn that very local issues, like how a universities are represented in Washington D.C. is affected by candidates, are what engage young voters.This election hasn't been particularly kind to Tufts. The University holds substantial ties in the nations capital - mostly on the Democratic side. Since Gore is having significant trouble for a functional incumbent in prosperous times, Tufts stands to lose many of these connections with his defeat. For example, two trustees of the University, Jonathan Tisch and Alan Solomont, are major players in the Democratic party; they'll likely lose the ear of the White House in this election. Bill Richardson, the embattled secretary of energy and a proud Tufts graduate, has little chance of resurrecting his Washington career with a Gore loss, after widely reported gaffes with nuclear secrets. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, certainly not our proudest alumnus, but nonetheless a great Tufts name, is leaving the US Senate. And the rumors that President DiBiaggio would serve in an administration post if Bill Richardson could use any remaining pull for such productive things, doesn't seem likely in the impending Bush administration. As discouraging as this kind of information may be, some student groups are salvaging the election by engaging students in dialogue. The only issue to engage Tufts students, however, is the not-so-amazing coincidence that Boston police are cracking down on college students in an election year. This surely makes a popular platform in towns like Medford and Somerville, which loathe those pesky college students. After being bombarded with campaign rhetoric, the fact that only this crackdown has united students shows that local issues, not detailed national proposals, mobilize young people. All the election parties in the world, with all the free pizza in Boston, can't change this simple fact.Even the most savvy election watchers could easily move to the ranks of the disinterested. Activists on both sides point to the Supreme Court vacancies as a primary reason to vote. At the debate watching party in Hotung, the predominantly pro-choice campus became attentive and unruly only as this topic was discussed. While it is true that several justices may retire this term, these appointments are notoriously politics' most unpredictable. Seven of nine justices are Republican appointees, yet Roe v. Wade stands. In the most prominent litmus test case, the test seemingly failed. More clearly, when asked about his biggest mistakes in office, President Eisenhower responded, "I have two and they both sit in the Supreme Court." No matter how carefully presidents vet their nominees, justices vote as they chose when they don the black robe. Even this commonly employed reasoning for getting people to vote is weak upon examination. Campus activists certainly make other arguments for being engaged, though. A myriad of viewpoints have graced this page over the proceeding weeks, albeit there is little convincing to be done on an already very liberal campus. But outside of these pieces, every indication is that most students know little, and care less, about the election.All of this isn't necessarily bad, though. There exists no logical reason why a student from New York should feel compelled to vote in this presidential election. Gore leads in the state by more than twenty points, making it far out of Bush's reach baring a massive storm that only hits heavily democratic New York City. Anyone who votes in Massachusetts, and a plethora of other states like it, suffers from the same fate: a vote for Gore simply reinforces his victory and a vote for Bush is a waste of arm motion. By most electoral counts, moreover, almost every northeastern state, where three-fourths of the student body originates, is firmly in support of Gore. And the South and Southwest, where the bulk of the remaining students call home, is the same way for Bush. In truth there are only a handful of states that really matter in this election - most of which aren't prevalent in our student body: Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and so on. Students who gripe about voting apathy will assert that if everyone used this logic, no one in these states would vote. This is fine though, as long as the people of the swing states come out to decide the election, as they no doubt will. The campaigns themselves don't even dispute that only the swing states matter, as evidenced by the lack of campaign commercials in Massachusetts and New York.These are only two examples of how easy it is for college students to see through transparent arguments about why they must vote. If political activists are looking for the real lesson of this election, other than how Gore faired so poorly in such a great economy, they should start by taking stock of the issues presented to students in this years contest. A discussion of more local issues, such as how Tufts is affected through financial aid or Affirmative Action, might do better next time at getting students interested.

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News

Fletcher trustee's book inspires powerful documentary

August 31

When Peter Ackerman was a student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he became interested in political conflicts around the world. Little did he know that this interest would spawn a PBS documentary and a book, both released last month. Ackerman's dissertation, entitled A Force More Powerful, served as the springboard for the documentary. As a Fletcher student, his dissertation focused on strategic aspects of nonviolent resistance movements. "I compared the first Russian revolution, which was filled with strikes and other forms of nonviolent resistance but was largely spontaneous, to the Indian independence movement that was highly planned and strictly nonviolent as a strategy," Ackerman said. "The conclusion I came to was that having a strategy of nonviolent resistance can be important to success." Ackerman said that, like many doctoral candidates, he thought that his ideas on nonviolent conflicts would flourish in the foreign policy world. But to his disappointment, this was not the case. Instead, he used his thoughts on the subject to co-author a book with Christopher Kruegler called Strategic Nonviolent Conflict, published in 1994. The book compared and contrasted more cases of nonviolent resistance movements. These cases led Ackerman and Kreugler to outline 12 principles that determine success or failure in these movements. Writing this book was what really got the wheels rolling towards making the documentary. Award-winning documentary producer Steve York read Strategic Nonviolent Conflict and envisioned the stories as a documentary film. York approached Ackerman and asked for his assistance in making the film. Ackerman said that he "would only help if, by virtue of [York's] artistry, that the public would see that even though the events [took place] in different decades, that the events were similar and that they told of a force more powerful." The filmmaking process took off after this, and Ackerman served as series editor and principal content advisor for the project. WETA, Washington, DC's PBS (Public Broadcasting System) station, agreed to sponsor the documentary. After three years and an immense amount of work, A Force More Powerful was finally completed. To gather footage, York traveled all over the world, interviewing and filming people in countries where nonviolent resistance movements have taken place, including India, South Africa, Chile, Poland, Denmark, the Philippines, Germany, and Russia. A Force More Powerful aired in two parts, on Sept. 18 and 25. The documentary itself is divided into six segments, each focusing on a different movement and featuring interviews with witnesses, survivors, and unsung heroes. The documentary profiles Rev. James Lawson, Jr., a leader in the 1960 movement in Nashville, Tenn. to desegregate the city's downtown business district. Lawson held training workshops for college students that taught techniques of nonviolent resistance, such as sit-ins and boycotts. Mohandas Gandhi, an influential figure in the history of nonviolent resistance, is studied as well. His Salt March of 1930 brought Indians together to protest the British salt monopoly, and this served as a turning point of India's independence from Britain. Gandhi favored a plan of "noncooperation," which included mass demonstrations, strikes, and the boycott of British goods. Mkhuseli Jack, a young activist in South Africa in the mid-1980s, led the consumer boycott campaign against apartheid in the black townships of the country's Eastern Cape Province. He also founded the Port Elizabeth Youth Congress in addition to leading strikes, boycotts, and other grassroots efforts that led to the eventual destruction of apartheid and the freeing of Nelson Mandela. Denmark endured a five-year Nazi occupation during World War II. The Danes practiced noncooperation and undermined the Germans' attempt to exploit the nation for food and war supplies. Many citizens committed sabotage acts and staged general strikes. Through the Danes' underground resistance movement, they were able to rescue all but a few hundred of Denmark's 7,000 Jews from the Holocaust. In 1980 in Poland, Lech Walesa, a shipyard electrician, was able to triumph as leader of the Gdansk Shipyard strike. The successful protest won Poles the right to have free trade unions, and launched the Solidarity movement. Walesa earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and after the fall of communism in the country, he was elected president. The final nonviolent conflict featured in A Force More Powerful is the national protest led by Chilean copper miners in 1983. These protesters were able to overcome a great fear of their leader, and showed that public opposition to General Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship was possible. These opposition forces were finally able to remove Pinochet's military government in a 1988 referendum. In September, Ackerman released a companion book (also titled A Force More Powerful) with the documentary, co-authored by Jack DuVall. The book goes into greater detail about each of the conflicts presented in the documentary as well as featuring conflicts not included in the documentary. Both the documentary and the book have received praise among critics. Ackerman was asked to make a presentation before the United Nations yesterday about the documentary, where highlights from A Force More Powerful were shown. About the book, former president Jimmy Carter said, "These are powerful stories about truth overcoming lies, love dissolving evil, and life eclipsing death. Nonviolent valor can end oppression, and the world of the 21st century will be safer, freer, and more humane if it heeds the lessons of this book." Already, Ackerman has received a great response about the documentary. "We're getting calls from all over the world for materials," he said. Requests for information have come from Burma, the Balkans, Iraq, and China. There was also a request that the tapes be translated into Farsi. Right now, besides serving as the chairman of the Board of Overseers at the Fletcher School, Ackerman has been working on projects related to A Force More Powerful. A conference sponsored by the United States Institute of Peace is in the works. Here, dissident groups trying to deal with authoritarian leaders in their country will be brought together with groups who have had successful resistance movements. At the conference, they will be able to share their thoughts, ideas, and strategies.

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Young soccer team put together a successful season

August 31

It was an up and down season for the Tufts men's soccer team. The Jumbos narrowly missed upsetting the number one team in the country (Williams), but also blew a two-goal lead to tie the last place team in the NESCAC (Colby) on their way to an 11-5-2 overall record. Tufts was knocked out of the NESCAC tournament by a lower seed, and then turned around and won the ECAC tournament with the seventh seed. "We were a very young team," sophomore forward Matt MacGregor said. "At first due to the fact that we were so young, we were a little anxious, but we came together and won the ECAC's. This is a great stepping stone for next year." The inexperience of this team (the roster consisted of two seniors, six juniors, four sophomores, and nine freshmen) spelled trouble in some of the early games, most notably against Colby and Amherst, but Coach Ralph Ferrigno and his team cannot be upset with the idea of nineteen returning players. One of those returning players will be MacGregor, the team's leader in goals (tied with sophomore Garrett Dale), assists, and total points. He also finished sixth in the NESCAC in points. "MacGregor is always into the game," sophomore defender Rupak Datta said. "I think he's 200% into soccer all the time. He's got a really good future as a goal scorer in this league. He's a good kid and a good leader, one of the people we will look to for leadership next season." The team hopes that these returning players will capture the NESCAC title that slipped away from it this year. This past season, for the first time ever, the NESCAC became more like a true conference with each team playing all of the others and the top seven finishers qualifying for a postseason tournament. NESCAC games were suddenly more important than ever since they determined each team's seed in the postseason tournament. "We knew that this would be the first time we would play a full NESCAC schedule," MacGregor said. "So our goal was making the NESCAC tournament, winning it and making the NCAA's. Obviously we fell short of that goal, but we came together and did well in the ECAC tournament."The Jumbos' NCAA dreams were crushed with two and a half minutes left in a cold, wet first round NESCAC playoff game against Amherst when the Lord Jeffs converted a corner kick to steal a 1-0 game and advance in the tournament."It was depressing to lose that game," Datta said of the loss. "We should have gone further in the NESCAC tournament." Amherst was seeded one spot lower (#5) than the Jumbos (#4) despite a 2-0 victory at Tufts earlier in the season. The fact that Tufts had home field advantage made the loss particularly hard to swallow. "We should have beaten them," MacGregor said. The team got its revenge, in a sense, by winning the ECAC tournament while Amherst fell in the first round to sixth-seeded Keene State, making a rematch impossible. Tufts advanced by defeating second seed Babson, Keene State, and finally by defeating Bowdoin, 3-1 in Brunswick, Me. The ECAC championship was one of many successes this season. The Jumbos also narrowly lost to the Williams Ephmen, the number one team in the country, 2-1. Tufts took the lead on a Brian Mikel goal in the first half, but Williams, which had not trailed all season up to that point, scored the equalizer and the go-ahead goal in the second half to beat Tufts on homecoming. While most of the Jumbos will get another shot at the NESCAC title, seniors Dave Drucker and Steve McDermid will have to settle for the ECAC victory. Drucker, second on the squad in points this season, started in each of his four years at Tufts. His six goals and eight assists on the year give him career totals of 19 and 21 in those respective categories. He was also named to the All-NESCAC first team. This is the third season in a row that Drucker has made the All-NESCAC team, although this is his first time on the first team. "He's a strong kid, does a good job holding his position," assistant coach Pat Marino said. "He has a knack for putting the ball in the right place, and making that final pass, in addition to scoring himself." Perhaps more importantly, Drucker is a four-year veteran with the experience and leadership skills to set an example for this young team."I have so much respect for [Drucker] and [McDermid]," Datta said. "Even from last year when I was a freshman. They did a great job taking charge. They lead by example." The ECAC win was an appropriate sendoff for McDermid. He was named tournament MVP, and his 21 saves were instrumental in the tournament win. "He really saved the first game for us," MacGregor said. "He couldn't of played any better. It's been amazing to watch." McDermid graduates with a career goals-against average of 1.14, and a save percentage of .813. McDermid had six shutouts this season to bring his career total to 19. Defense, since it is difficult to quantify, does not always receive the same amount of attention that the offense does. But McDermid is quick to give credit to the defense for their play in the ECAC tournament. "Most of the credit really goes to the defense," McDermid said. "Mike Prindiville especially. He won a lot of headers for us. Andrew Wood, a freshman, came in and played well for us as well." Prindiville is another player who doesn't always get the credit he deserves. Prindiville had four assists this season, but it is his defensive play that makes him particularly valuable to this team. "Mike was tremendous in back," Datta said. "He made a big difference and improved a lot this season." Marino agreed. "Mike's been a steady center back," Marino said. "He's been instrumental in organizing that group all season. We've all been impressed by his work ethic and attitude."Freshman Michael Blea also started in all 18 of the Jumbos games this season. "Mike Blea did an amazing job this season," Datta said. "He doesn't get enough credit for what he does. He plays every minute and is very strong in the back." Junior Pat Brophy joined the varsity team around mid-season, and was a valuable contributor from the moment he stepped on the field. "Brophy had a huge impact on our team," Datta said. "He scored a lot of goals for us. He gave us a lot of energy on offense." With 19 returning players, the Jumbos chances at a successful season next year look healthy indeed.

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News

Don't give up on the movies

August 31

Concerned that the weather this weekend may force you to stay indoors? There's nothing worse than the fear of being dorm-bound with nothing to do after a long week of classes. Fear not - the movie scene is a happening place that is sure to keep you entertained. With the fall movie season already in full swing, there are enough movie openings this weekend to please even the most finicky of film-goers. Those who appreciate '70s rock culture should head straight for Almost Famous. Cameron Crowe of Jerry Maguire and Say Anything fame directs this semi-autobiographical film. It chronicles the adventures of William (Patrick Fugit), a young journalist with Rolling Stone Magazine who is assigned to cover the Almost Famous tour of Stillwater, a young and struggling American rock band. Such big names as Philip Seymour Hoffman (Magnolia, Happiness), Anna Paquin (X-Men), and Frances McDormand (Fargo) lend some clout to Crowe's first film in four years. His movies rarely flop and Almost Famous should be no exception to this rule. Crowe should find a suitable audience for Almost Famous, given the success of his 1992 hit Singles, which showed his knack for writing and directing films about the small-music scene (albeit the early '90s music scene). If action and adventure are more your speed, Bait is certainly a movie that will be right up your alley. Under the directionof The Replacement Killers' Antoine Fuqua, Jamie foxx plays a convist released from prison to help the Feds trap a dangerous criminal trying to steel gold from the US Treasury. The film reunites David Morse and Doug Hutchinson from last year's The Green Mile, though in far less serious roles. Even for those of us typically less interested in action films, Bait is a suitable distraction from the drudgery of Sunday afternoon homework, thanks to the comedic twists to the film's typical crime-drama plot. Sure, no one watches The Jamie Foxx Show, but he's still a funny guy. If you're looking for something a little lighter (or you played out your tape of Shakespeare In Love one too many times), you might find Duets to be worth a trip to the theater. The premise of this romantic comedy is the exciting world of karoake singing contests - who knew? The group of singers, which includes Gwyneth Paltrow and Scott Speedman, is traveling across the United States in hopes of making it to the national karoake championships in Omaha. The film has also got Huey Lewis and Andre Braugher. However, since it is directed by Bruce Paltrow (best known as Gwyneths' father), one can only wonder which contestant is going to win. An Affair of Love, which was first released in the United States in August, will finally make its way to Boston theaters this weekend. A French film with English subtitles, Affair is perhaps the most serious of the films opening on the 15th. Directed by Fr?©d?©ric Fonteyne and shot in documentary style, the movie consists of interviews with a man ("Him") and a woman ("Her") who begin an erotic affair after meeting through a newspaper advertisement. From action to romance, this weekend's openings have a little something for everyone. With such a wide array of movies, you're bound to find something to suit your cinematic needs.

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News

Election controversy should end this week

August 31

More than a month after Tufts students joined citizens nationwide to vote for their Presidential candidate, the 2000 election may finally come to an end later this week after the US Supreme Court hears a case regarding the continued recounts of ballots in Florida today. The case, appealed to the US Supreme Court by lawyers for Texas Governor George W. Bush after a victory for Vice President Al Gore in Florida, could lead to an immediate Gore concession if the US Supreme Court rules that votes should not be recounted. "If no votes are counted, then I think that's the end of the road," Gore's lead lawyer David Boies told Fox News. Many saw the Supreme Court's decision to temporarily halt recounts over the weekend as a mild victory for Bush, but the real test will come when the nine justices issue their decision, probably not earlier than tomorrow. Both candidates filed briefs yesterday previewing what they will say in oral arguments today. The Bush team claims that the current recounts are unconstitutional and will undermine confidence in the electoral system. Gore's attorneys say that they are necessary to the Democratic process. The candidates are committed to fighting until the end in Florida because of an Electoral College system detailed in the US Constitution. In each presidential election, votes are tallied by state and the candidate with the plurality of votes in each state is awarded all of the electoral votes for that state. Florida's 25 electoral votes will determine the winner of the Presidential Election, deadlocked since Nov. 7. Nationwide, Gore leads Bush by 328,576 votes overall, not including the Florida totals. In Florida, though, the latest numbers from the Associated Press show Bush leading by only 177 votes right before the US Supreme Court ordered the manual recounts to stop. Gore leads Bush 255-246 in Electoral College votes, but Florida's 25 votes will put either candidate over the necessary 270 mark. The issue has been the topic of much discussion on the Tufts campus in recent weeks, and Tufts students on both sides of the political spectrum continue to advocate support for their candidate. "I feel it's clear that the Florida Supreme Court acted beyond the power of the judiciary branch," Tufts Republicans President Sam Dangremond said. "The Florida Supreme Court's actions have clearly hurt the election process." "I think that Gore should keep fighting until all the votes are correctly counted. Everyone says that Gore is going to fight until he gets what he wants, but he has said a number of times that he will stop once the votes have been counted by hand correctly," Tufts Democrats Vice-President Sarah Molenkamp said. The case comes after a month of legal battles that have left many individuals of both political affiliations disillusioned with America's electoral system. However, Tufts students who support both parties have expressed confidence in the Electoral College. "The Electoral College is very important because it effectively increases the power that each vote has, because it makes equal representation across the United States more feasible," Dangremond. "It makes the size of the voter pool smaller because it breaks it down to the state level." "It was developed to have the elite be able to vote, but it also gives a voice to smaller states that they wouldn't have otherwise," Molenkamp said. "But, I definitely think there needs to be a reform of the voting process. There should be a universal ballot and a universal voting measure. The federal government. should give money to all municipalities so that there is a uniform voting machine. Tufts students took an active role in this election since campaigning for the primaries began over a year ago. Both the Tufts Democrats and Republicans planned numerous events including rallies, discussion groups, debate-watching sessions, and campaigning. Democratic Presidential nominee candidate Bill Bradley visited the University last fall to unveil his foreign policy, and likely Bush-Secretary of State pick Colin Powell spoke at Tufts just a few weeks ago. "It was exciting for me to be a college student during this election, and it was great to see students get involved with both sides from the beginning," Molenkamp said. "Now that it's dragged out a little bit more, the only people who really care are people like me who are fascinated by politics." Molenkamp feels that the closeness of this election will serve to increase voter turnout in future elections. "Most Tufts students are going to think twice about not voting or not asking for an absentee ballot next time. I think people realize the importance of voting now," she said.

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News

Men's cross country squares up against NESCAC rivals

August 31

Following last weekend's brief respite from racing, the men's cross country team should be physically and mentally rested for the postseason, which begins on Saturday with the NESCAC Championships at Amherst College. The NESCAC race represents the first significant meet of the season for the Jumbos, currently ranked 11th in the nation, who are expecting to battle Trinity and Williams, the number-two team in New England, for the title. "Williams is definitely the team we are most concentrating on," junior Jason Mann said. "They have beaten us every time we have seen them [this season.]" "Trinity is in the back of our minds," senior co-captain Adrian Wilairat said. "They sneak up on a lot of people." In the most recent battle between Tufts and the powerful Williams squad, the Ephs finished in seventh place, five spots ahead of the Jumbos, at the All-New England Championships on Oct. 13. While Tufts has not run in a meet since the New England Championships, a week of rest was very beneficial for Mann because it gave him more time for his broken wrist to heal. When the Jumbos last lost to Williams, Mann was just returning from his injury, and ran with a cast on his right arm for the first time. Usually the fourth runner on the team, Mann's cast adversely affected his balance, and he finished fifth behind standout freshman Jason Lamoureux. After more than two weeks of running with a cast, Mann hopes that he has finally adjusted to it. "[Mann] probably has more outright courage then most runners I have seen in my 32 years [of coaching]," coach Connie Putnam said. "Going out and attempting to run after that injury shows the man's courage." "That was a really bad race two weeks ago [at the All-New England Championships], and I'm not comfortable running that slowly," Mann said. "I have to run the same way I did before I broke it." In order for the Jumbos to have any chance of knocking off Williams, not only must Mann return to form, but Lamoureux must maintain or improve upon his performance from two weeks ago. Then, he drastically reduced the delta between himself and Ben Smith, who finished third overall for Tufts. "Hopefully [Mann] can get back up with [Smith], and Lamoureux can keep moving up," senior co-captain Dave Patterson said. "[Mann] is doing a lot better, and [Lamoureux] has improved in the last two weeks," Wilairat said. "They are both looking really good." While Mann and Lamoureux are the two key runners for Saturday's race, the whole team will face the challenge of running at Amherst's new course, which none of the Jumbo runners have ever seen before. The new course utilizes parts of the old the course, which some of the senior runners competed on during their freshman year, and features many additions, including a path around a hayfield. "It is a totally revamped course," Wilairat said. "There is tough uneven footing and no flat streaks. It is hilly and rolling." "The course is also freshly cut and wet," Putnam added. In fact, the course is so difficult that the winning time for last week's race at Amherst was 27:29, an extremely slow mark for an 8-K college race. To combat the difficult course, the Jumbos must run a strategic race. "If the team goes blazing out of the starting line, we will crash," Wilairat said. "We are looking to run strategically, smart, and together, and to get on Williams' back early." "Williams is loaded with talent," Putnam said. "[They have] perhaps twice as many talented kids as we do. We use them as benchmark." Despite the odds, Tufts remains confident that, if everything goes right, it can dethrone Williams. "On any given day, we can beat [Williams] if we run our best race," Putnam said. "We have not run our best against Williams," Mann said. "Obviously I'm not going to predict victory, but I think if we do [run our best race] we can beat them." If the Jumbos can overtake the Ephs, it will be revenge for the damage that Williams inflicted upon Tufts this season and also during last year's NESCAC Championships, when the Jumbos finished second behind Williams at Hamilton College. Interestingly, the Jumbos were able to bounce back from last season's second place finish at NESCACs to beat the Ephs at the National Championships. Mann (15th overall) and Patterson (16th overall) are the only two returning Tufts runners who finished among the team's top five runners at last years NESCAC Championship. "Its important to do well at this race," Wilairat said. "It's the start of the postseason, and we always look to have a good race at NESCACs."

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News

University should not fine off-campus students

August 31

To the Editor: It appears that the University is taking some good steps in cutting back on the obscene fines that I've grown accustomed to over the past couple of years. However, Miss Cataife in her article "Some mass fines eliminated, but students still forced to pay" (11/30), paints too optimistic a picture. She refers to a University policy that levies a $100 fine upon Tufts students for noise violations in off-campus houses. The article gives the impression that there is some "new policy" that has overturned this fine, yet I have not found this to be the case, being the recipient of such a fine this year. In fact, the policy, as defined in the Pachyderm, still reads, "a documented violation (one in which the responding police officers write up a violation) of the noise ordinance will result in a $100 fine for the first offense." As Miss Brot points out, what occurs in our private living quarters off-campus should not be the business of the University. Hopefully, the University will come to see the students' point of view on this issue, as they have on both the alcohol policy and mass fines.Dan Callahan, '02

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News

Trustee's donation to expand engineering leadership skills

August 31

One year after Trustee Bernard Gordon pledged to donate $20 million to Tufts' School of Engineering, faculty and administrators at the school have developed plans to utilize the funds for a series of mandatory workshops and programs which promote communication and leadership skills for engineering students. They hope that the pledge, to be fulfilled within the next several years, will assist the University in shaping future leaders within the professional engineering field. While there are no definite plans for the distribution of the donation, Dean of the School of Engineering Ioannis Miaoulis projected that the contribution would largely go to fund a new curriculum which would incorporate five required workshops into existing engineering courses. The workshops would help students to excel in more professional-type settings by training them on presentation skills, prototype building, teamwork skills, Internet proficiency, and leadership."Both the school and Dr. Gordon are interested in creating engineers who are not only well-grounded in the fundamentals, but who can also communicate their ideas, work in teams, and be confident to take risks and make decisions," Miaoulis said. The workshops are also part of an emphasis to refine engineering students' liberal arts skills to complement their technical knowledge. "Every company which comes to Tufts wants students to be able to speak better and write better," engineering Professor Steve Chapra said. "The workshops are the first step in ensuring that."Certain elements of the program are already underway, as all freshmen engineers taking EN 1 are now required to present their final project design to a group of mock venture capitalists at the end of each semester. This requirement aims to provide a more meaningful perspective to students, particularly to those who may seek an entrepreneurial position later on in their career."The simulation really makes learning computers come alive and makes learning less academically-oriented and more professionally-oriented," Chapra said. He said that the project was a vast improvement over last year's introductory programming course, as it gave students more creative options and added a commercial element.Other workshops will become part of the curriculum next semester, as students enrolled in the thermodynamics course will take a simultaneous workshop on teamwork skills. All projects and tests throughout the course will be done in groups, which will enable students to immediately practice what they learn. "We want our students to play a leadership role in their field, so they need to be able to work in teams and lead teams," said Miaoulis.Students expressed a mix of opinions on the curriculum changes, as some feared that the added workshops, although incorporated into the schedule, would infringe on their free time."I think it's ridiculous that they're adding onto the curriculum," sophomore Scott Kronewitter said. "Engineers simply don't have the time; by adding classes they're taking away our lives."Other students were skeptical that they need the leadership and management skills that the new workshops are expected to promote. "It might help if I wanted to have a managerial position later, but I don't really think people at that position use that many engineering skills anymore," freshman Justin Mercier said. "It all depends on your job choice."However, other engineers were enthusiastic about the workshops and said they add diversity to the curriculum."They're interesting and they'll help us when we get out into the world and have to do projects for real companies," said freshman engineer Laurie Cormier, who showed particular interest in the hands-on prototype building workshop that is currently being developed.In addition to the workshops, Miaoulis hopes that the donation will allow the University to supplement the School of Engineering's current professional training endeavors by hiring outside firms and corporations to work with students and adding new faculty who have strong project-based backgrounds. Both additions would enhance students' design skills as well as provide them with a professional, experience-based perspective on their field of study.Gordon's money may also be used to create a special track for students who are interested in pursuing a combined Bachelors and Masters degree within a five-year time frame, which would feature many more project-related courses. Miaoulis said that the concrete planning would begin in the near future once the pledge is realized.

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News

A subway Super Bowl: can it be?

August 31

Now that two New York teams have won the National and American Leagues of baseball, it begs a question: Can two New York teams win the National and American Conferences of football? While a Subway Super Bowl does not have quite the ring of Subway Series (plus, there's really no need to take a Subway from Giants Stadium to, well, Giants Stadium), it could be just as compelling. After all, it would be just one game on the biggest stage in sports that would transcend the Big Apple. And through mid-October, not only does it seem that the stars are aligned for New York to take over the sports world, but the New York Jets and New York Giants currently look as good at the same time as they have at any point since 1986. Each team has surprised people with a quick start and finds itself in a tie atop its division. Yes, each has holes and has had at least one stinker of a performance. But both squads playing for a championship may be more possible than people think. Giants fans would not have expected such statements after the team endured a miserable, winless preseason. With rumors swirling that coach Jim Fassel was finished if the team did not make the playoffs, and Big Blue still trying to recover from an ugly 1999 campaign in which the offense and defense started pointing fingers at each other, things did not look good. But the G-Men seem to have emerged from the turmoil of August and used it to their advantage in September and October. The team jumped out to a 3-0 start, disposing of the Arizona Cardinals at home, then going on the road and deflating a tough, young Philadelphia Eagles team that was fresh off a thrashing of the Dallas Cowboys. That performance was followed by another road win in Chicago, before the team appeared on the brink of a collapse after two straight losses. But the Giants have rebounded with two wins against weak opponents, the Atlanta Falcons and Cowboys, whom they defeated 19-14 last week. Heading into a bye week, the team looks significantly more complete than a year ago. Foremost, New York has upgraded its offensive line and running game, its strengths back when it was among the NFL's elite. The additions of Lomas Brown, Glenn Parker, and Dusty Ziegler have shored up the all-important left side of the line, giving quarterback Kerry Collins more time and boosting the running game. That running game has been helped by more than an improved line, though. The addition of Ron Dayne, via the draft, and the emergence of Tiki Barber as a consistent threat has catapulted the New York running game, arguably the team's biggest weakness a year ago, into the second-ranked attack in the league. Thunder and Lightning, as the media has dubbed Dayne and Barber, have carried the offense. Dayne, a big bruising runner, has picked up 358 yards through seven games, and scored three touchdowns. But the biggest threat has been Barber, who has used speed and quickness to run for 516 yards on 85 carries, an average of 6.1 yards per game, the highest of anyone in the league with over 50 carries.With the best signal-caller that the team has had during the Fassel era in the talented Kerry Collins, the offense finally looks NFL-caliber. That has energized the defense, which, led by Pro Bowlers Jessie Armstead and Michael Strahan, ranks third in rushing defense and ninth overall. With a fairly soft schedule this season, the team has a very good chance for double-digit wins and, if it can somehow win at FedEx field on Dec. 3, would be a real contender for a division title. The Giants' co-tenants are off to their best start in over a decade, sitting in a first-place tie with the Miami Dolphins at 5-1 and awaiting a Monday Night showdown with the Fish. The Jets' task may be tougher, playing in the best division in football with a fairly tough schedule still looming. But with road wins at Tampa Bay and New England, the latter accomplished in a dominating 34-17 performance last week, the Jets seem to have developed mental toughness following a trying 1999 season. First-year coach Al Groh has out-coached five of the first six counterparts he has faced this season; in fact, the only loss he has suffered came at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers after quarterback Vinny Testaverde left with a pinched nerve. If Testaverde and running back and team MVP Curtis Martin can stay healthy, New York will get enough offense to support its emerging defense. With a proven corps of linebackers, two outstanding cornerbacks in Aaron Glenn and Marcus Coleman, and a Pro Bowl-caliber safety in Victor Green, the only question mark was the defensive line. But that question was a big one - New York did not have a consistent pass rush at any point during Bill Parcells' time as coach. But, just like with the Giants running game, that dilemma appears to have been solved with the draft. With two first round picks, Shaun Ellis and John Abraham, in the mix, the pass rush is suddenly dangerous. Ellis has shown bursts of potential, especially in Week One against the Green Bay Packers by putting pressure on Brett Favre from the outset. Abraham is quietly drawing comparisons to Jevon Kearse and Lawrence Taylor. He has used outstanding speed and elusiveness to compile 4.5 sacks and create havoc for opposing teams. Although he suffered a strained abdominal muscle in the middle of a two-sack performance last week, Abraham has helped turn around a long-suffering pass rush. And that is as big a reason that the Jets are one of the NFL's biggest surprises. But the mildly surprising success of the Jets and Giants in the early part of this season could pale in comparison to a potential head-to-head matchup. Go ahead, say that it can't happen. But remember, they said the same thing about a Mets-Yankees World Series.Magic Flutie may save Bills. In keeping with the New York theme, the only team to play its home games in the Empire State had the monopoly on irony last week. It would seem that a false start by Buffalo Bills' center Jerry Ostroski winning his team the game would be strange enough (kicker Steve Christie missed a 42-yard field goal, but the penalty forced a re-kick from 47 out, which he hit). But then an injury at the most important position caused the Bills to stumble into a situation they should have put themselves in much earlier. That is because Rob Johnson was not getting the job done at quarterback. And when he suffered a separated shoulder that will sideline him for 2-4 weeks in overtime against the San Diego Chargers, it once again opened the door for Doug Flutie to serve as Buffalo's savior, as he did two years ago. This is not to say that Flutie is a better quarterback than Johnson. If the Bills had the St. Louis Rams' offense, or even a decent offensive line, Johnson would be better suited to lead them, with his height, arm strength, and accuracy. But Johnson has a pitiful line that has left him subject to weekly poundings. As a result, the immobile quarterback has been sacked 25 games in six games and looked tentative in the pocket. Flutie, unlike Johnson, can move around, which is vital given the state of Buffalo's line. With no running game to take pressure off of the quarterback, whoever is calling the signals has to be able to run for his life. And Flutie can do that. In the end, the situation may wind up looking a lot like what happened in 1998. In that season, Johnson was injured and expected to miss two weeks, with the Bills struggling early in the year. Two weeks turned into over a year, as he didn't get the starting job back until Week 17 in '99. If the Bills are smart, history will repeat itself.

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Students, administrators developing plans for new dormitory

August 31

Students and administrators are moving forward with efforts to address the immediate need for on-campus housing for upperclassmen, while discussing long-term goals to improve the overall housing situation for all classes. While the Board of Trustees is scheduled to discuss the issue formally in February, several committees, including a student housing coalition and a student-faculty housing task force, have convened to formulate plans to build a new dormitory. The groups hope to develop a comprehensive plan for a new dorm within the next several months, which would include a cost analysis. It will be presented to the board by Trustee Representative Jesse Levey at their February meeting. "This is not a simple project by any means.... We want the University to know that we realize the housing issue cannot be solved overnight," said Levey, who is heading the student housing coalition. He pointed out that in the past, there were too many proposals in circulation, which confused the issue and impeded progress. "This year we're going to focus on the student perspective and are currently trying to develop a strategy to see how much administrative involvement is needed," he said. While all levels of the University, from students to trustees, are now aware that many consider the housing issue of utmost importance, those debating the issue are quick to say that concrete planning remains in its infant stages. "We are nowhere near the point where someone is saying we have the land and a cost plan for a specific proposal," said Linda Dixon, overseer and secretary to the corporation. In addition, plans will not fully solidify until the trustees, who would be in charge of finding funds for the project, approve them. "The trustees were merely further informed at their last meeting that the need for more housing is becoming a very serious problem," Dixon said. "They are definitely aware of the subject but not knowledgeable on the details at this point." Students are expressing increased anxiety over the housing crunch, while at the same time, off-campus rent prices in the Medford and Somerville areas have skyrocketed. Junior Erika Lee was among the many sophomores last year who assumed they would not be eligible for on-campus housing and therefore had to seek off-campus housing options. "Every year the rent goes up because it's such a monopoly, and living off campus definitely takes away from the college experience," she said. Administrators hope to design a dorm that will house 150 students, although student representatives speculate that the actual demand is nearly double that number. "I'm very disappointed that they are only pushing for 150 beds," said sophomore Senator Melissa Carson, who sits on the Campus Planning and Development Committee (CPDC). "I'm going to push as hard as I can for them to build as many beds as they conceivably can on whatever piece of land they can find," she said. The CPDC faces the task of finding a feasible site on which to build the dorm. Vice President of Operations John Roberto said that nine to ten potential locations are being discussed, including the space next to Stratton Hall, uphill near Carmichael, near Hill Hall, and along Talbot Avenue. "We're looking at the possibility of sites from a campus master plan perspective, so there is a considerable amount of discussion involved," Roberto said. "We want to make sure the building fits well with the rest of campus." The idea to build two smaller dorms has surfaced, although there is fear that the division may increase building costs and further complicate the effort, according to Dean of Academic Services and Student Affairs Kristine Dillon, who heads the housing task force. There are also concerns with the time and resource expenditure, as the University is currently facing two large-scale construction projects: the new psychology building and a new music building.And despite student support for the idea, it is difficult to gauge the precise demand for on-campus housing, as the fluctuating external economy alters rent prices in the surrounding Medford and Somerville areas. The number of juniors who choose to study abroad also complicates the issue, and Dillon said that such factors make the issue a "guessing game." "There is reason for the trustees to be cautious when approving such a large initiative," Dillon said. "All the pressures today make it clear that students want to stay on campus, but it's hard to sort out which of these are based on external forces of the economy that are out of our control and subject to change." Dillon said that administrators would feel more comfortable assuring the trustees that there will be a demand of 150 beds, and not 300. There is a great fear of a repeat of the unexpected decrease in demand for on-campus housing that occurred immediately after the construction of South Hall in 1991. "There were vacancies in South, as rent prices in Medford and Somerville happened to take a downward turn and it became more economical for students to live off campus," she said. Dillon, however, does not foresee a substantial drop in rent prices in the near future, as prices in Medford and Somerville are also heavily influenced by factors outside of Tufts, such as the recent trend of Harvard and MIT students moving towards Tufts to find housing. The housing task force would also like to develop a long-term residential program to overcome some of the obstacles associated with generating support for a new dorm. The program would encourage students to live on campus during their upperclassman years at Tufts. The new dorm could potentially boast more technological advances and a larger number of resident faculty. "A school the quality of Tufts has the opportunity to expand the learning experience outside of the classroom," Dillon said. "We're trying to explain to the higher authorities of the University that we're not just at the mercy of the economy and that building a new dorm is not only a matter of bed spaces." The recent wave of concern over housing availability was raised to the Board of Trustees last year, when former Trustee Representative Tommy Calvert presented a report on the demand for housing and called for action. Since then, Tufts has instituted a number of measures to mitigate its housing problems; these include the opening of the Office of Off-Campus Housing in July and efforts on the part of the Financial Aid Office to offer more financial support for students who need to move off campus. Student representatives and administrators directly involved in the new dorm initiative urge students to actively pursue the need for more on-campus housing in order to overcome reservations among upper-level authorities. "It's really important for students to push for as many beds as possible because the louder the student voice, the higher they can push that number up," Carson said.

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New professors sought to improve Latin American Studies program

August 31

Increasing student demand for courses in the Spanish department and Latin American studies program has led to an interdepartmental effort to fill both new and vacated faculty positions. The hiring of professors is meant to alleviate student discontent with the number of courses offered in these two areas. Students in the Latin American studies program have found it difficult to register for the courses required to fulfill their minor, and the lack of full-time Spanish professors has led to overcrowded classrooms and decreased course offerings. The language and culture courses fill up quickly, and many students were left in the cold when the history class "Modern Latin America" closed early in the second day of registration. Latin American studies is an interdisciplinary minor, and the program is experiencing difficulties creating a well-rounded curriculum that draws from a variety of fields. Several courses have been cut from the curriculum because there are no professors to teach them. For example, a popular class focusing on the unique economic situations in Latin America is no longer offered, and there are also holes in the Latin American Studies program such as a lack of classes cross-referenced in the sociology department. "The quality of the faculty here in Latin American studies is very high - it's the quantity and disciplinary breadth that is lacking," Latin American studies Director Peter Winn said. The problems in Latin American studies place a burden on its faculty, as professors are forced to teach topics outside of their area of expertise. This adds to their already heavy work and research load. The administration has begun work to improve the understaffed programs by hiring professors and establishing similar programs within related departments. In the Spanish Department, money has been allocated for the hiring of two full-time appointments. A tenure track professor with a focus on Mexican and Mexican-American literature and history as well as a Spanish language coordinator will join the faculty before next year. These appointments will help to coordinate language sections and to help meet the incredibly high demand for Spanish courses. One major barrier to the expansion of the Spanish program is that the Olin facility has no more room. Not only are classrooms too small for the amount of students who want to take Spanish language and literature courses, but there is very little office space for the present faculty and few classrooms available for new professors to teach in. "This is not a closed situation," Associate Professor Claudia Kaiser-Lenoir said. "It is time to see how deep the administration's commitment is, not to the Spanish program itself, but to the students who demand to pursue their interests in Latin America." The political science department will begin its search next year for a tenure track professor specializing in Latin America. The department does not have a permanent specialist in Latin American issues right now, as the only professor in this field left Tufts last year after the University denied him tenure. Some of the Latin American studies' faculty problems have been remedied, when both the political science and anthropology departments hired new professors this year. Professor Shawn Bird came to Tufts to teach political science this year, and Deborah Pacini Hernandez will join the anthropology department next semester. Hernandez, who will teach "Latino/a Music, Migration, and Identity," is one of the leading experts in the US on Latin American culture - particularly its music. In addition to the hiring of new professors, there are also efforts to improve Latin American studies by diversifying the program's curriculum. The Portuguese language program will be re-implemented, and approval has been granted to hire a visiting professor to teach Portuguese 1 and 2, called "Portuguese for Spanish Speakers." Both faculty and students within the Latin American studies program hope that Latin American studies can be offered as a major in the near future, but Winn said that much work needs to be done before that can happen. "We welcome the administration's statements of commitment as steps in the right direction but several other steps need to be taken in terms of faculty depth before we can offer [the program] as a major," he said. Winn explained that improvements to the Latin American studies program are important because of the growing influence of Hispanics in the US. Latin American issues and culture are becoming increasingly important to the understanding of US issues and culture as Hispanics will soon comprise the country's largest minority. "For Tufts, which talks about its mission of preparing global citizens for the 21st century, the study of Latin America is of particular importance," Winn said. An estimated 40 students participate in the Latin American studies interdisciplinary minor, and a number of those are involved in the Latin America regional studies concentration within the International Relations major. However, because of a lack of faculty, professors, and advisors across several different departments, coordinators have been hesitant to actively promote the program.

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News

Pass the mic

August 31

In his song "Where It's At" off of 1996's Odelay, Beck gives a nod to hip-hop culture when he croons, "I got two turntables and a microphone." Although most Tufts students are well acquainted with this radio hit, there's a lot more to DJing and hip-hop culture than what's referenced in the song. According to junior Andres Gama, a DJ, there are four basic elements of hip-hop: DJing, emceeing (rapping), graffiti, and dancing. In the Tufts hip-hop scene, DJing and dancing - including breakdancing - are the most popular. DJs are often divided into two categories based on the ways they make their music: those who use CDs and those who use records. "On campus, most people I've seen are party DJs," Gama said. Campus party DJs usually use CDs because they're easier to handle and keep clean at dirty, crowded fraternity and house parties. Junior DJ Henry Kasdon said he usually uses turntables, but once in a while he uses CDs. "With CDs, you have more selection," he said. Junior Eddie Vazquez and his partner Eddie Lee also prefer CDs. As two of the most recognizable party DJs on campus, they often perform at Delta Tau Delta, Delta Upsilon, and Theta Delta Chi (123). "We do pretty much the main frat parties on campus," he said. Q & R Productions, a DJ company owned by Tufts alumnus Eric Walker, employs Vazquez and Lee. Vazquez said they usually play at on-campus parties because it's easier and more convenient than playing at off-campus bars and clubs, although they have performed at Mulligan's in Ball Square. Vazquez started DJing in high school and enjoys it because it's an easy way to make money and be social. "You're getting paid to have fun," he said. Gama explained the culture outside of fraternities and other similar venues. "Hardcore hip-hop [DJs] consider DJing with records only." Senior Philippe Milord, who has been a DJ for seven years, emphasized Gama's point when he said that using CDs takes away from the artistic aspect of DJing, because a DJ's art lies in mixing and manipulating records to create new sounds from old songs. "Even within DJs that spin records, there are different categories," Milord said. In "turntablism," or scratching, a DJ uses the turntables and the sounds of records as instruments. "Turntablists" use music that has already been produced to create entirely new songs. Another category of DJing is beat juggling. "[In beat juggling,] you take a beat on a record and you use that record and maybe another and make a whole new beat out of it," Milord said. He added that both turntablists and beat jugglers perform many different tricks with records. When Milord spins at parties, he usually just uses turntables and a mixer, although for production - creating songs in a studio - he uses other equipment, including a sampler. He said he often uses records he bought at home in New York because records in Boston are expensive. Milord's tastes in music spans several genres. "When I do parties, I mainly spin hip-hop, R&B, [and] reggae," he said. He added that he also likes to spin jazz and soul records. In addition to spinning records, Milord also DJs for WMFO. His show, "Self Confessed," which he co-DJs with Seth Litt, airs Tuesday nights from 12 to 2 a.m. Another of the four elements of hip-hop culture popular on campus is breakdancing. Kasdon is also involved in TURBO, Tufts' breakdancing group. The group's popularity can be partially gauged by its highly subscribed email list - there are about 200 people on it. TURBO practices four days a week and usually 15 to 20 people show up at each meeting. Tufts seems to be lacking in female DJs and breakdancers. Kasdon said he doesn't know what aspect of DJing turns girls off, but admitted that girls are often more classically trained in dance than guys are. As a result, many girls find it difficult to pick up breakdancing's innovative, non-traditional moves. "We're always trying to encourage more women to join," he said. Ask any participant in the hip-hop culture and you'll find that yes, indeed there is a scene at Tufts - but it's not thriving. "I wouldn't say it's a real strong hip-hop scene on campus, but it's definitely there," Gama said. Junior Navin Watumull, a self-proclaimed "hardcore hip-hop fan" echoed Gama's statement when he said that, although he has a couple of friends who are hip-hop fans, most people he knows listen to the radio and are more into mainstream hip-hop and techno. According to Milord, Litt is planning an on-campus hip-hop showcase on Nov. 2. The show will feature a live performance by a friend of Litt's who goes by the name Universal Solutions. Milord added that he will probably spin and that there will also be an open mic for anyone who wants to rhyme.

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