The Phoenix

FEBRUARY 3, 2011 • THE CAMPUS NEWSPAPER OF SWARTHMORE COLLEGE SINCE 1881 • VOLUME 133, ISSUE 16

PHOENIX

Inside: Associate Dean Darryl Smaw to retire this summer ‘Glee’ perpetuates homosexual stereotypes Egyptians deserve the right to speech, protest

Alcohol policy and the college campus p. 5 NEWS YOU CAN TRUST. DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. THURSDAY MORNINGS. SUBSCRIBE AT: WWW.SWARTHMOREPHOENIX.COM/HEADLINES

The Phoenix

Thursday, February 3, 2011 Volume 133, Issue 16

The independent campus newspaper of Swarthmore College since 1881.

EDITORIAL BOARD Camila Ryder Editor in Chief Marcus Mello Managing Editor Menghan Jin News Editor Adam Schlegel Assistant News Editor Susana Medeiros Living & Arts Editor Dina Zingaro Living & Arts Editor Olivia Natan Opinions Editor Paul Chung Photo Editor Allegra Pocinki Photo Editor Julia Karpati Graphics Editor Peter Akkies Director of Web Development Eric Sherman Director of Web Development Jeffrey Davidson Editor Emeritus

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20 Paul Chung Phoenix Staff

Madeline Ross goes for a free throw attempt in the Garnet’s 76-63 loss against Muhlenberg on Saturday from Tarble Pavilion.

News This semester to be Dean Smaw’s last Darryl Smaw has announced that he will be retiring from his position as Associate Dean of Multicultural Affairs at the end of the spring semester. PAGE 3

Rewinding back to their form of homogeneity The Academy Awards exemplify Swarthmore days Hollywood’s misrepresentation of

Alum Dr. Julie Brill continues her studies of cell biology as the Senior Scientist at the Hospital of Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as she reflects upon her days at Swat. PAGE 11

IN-DEPTH: Alcohol policy and the college campus At Swarthmore, official alcohol policy seems to be divergent from methods pursued in practice, raising questions as to the legality and effectiveness of college drinking regulations. PAGE 5

Sports

OPINIONS BOARD Camila Ryder, Marcus Mello, Olivia Natan

Living & Arts

gious holidays and reach a more agreeable

at alternative. PAGE 18 in Applying survival of the features a fittest to athletic fitness

Columnist Andrew Greenblatt redefines the concept of fitness from a Darwinist’s perspective. PAGE 18

Quartet to play Mozart and Men’s basketball loses to Shostakovich selections at Bullets, Green Terror The men’s basketball team could not Lang avenge an earlier loss to conference oppo-

The Copeland String Quartet is set to perform Monday as part of February’s Midday Concert Series. PAGE 13

nent Gettysburg, losing 72-59. The Garnet also lost to McDaniel, another CC team.

PAGE 19

Glee’s homosexual storyBullets shatter swim lines undermine message Learning for Life sponsors Glee has gone downhill since its first sea- teams, men pick up first son; Alex Israel tells you why. PAGE 14 documentary screening loss

The Learning for Life program hosts a film screening of the documentary “The Philosophy Kings,” followed by a discussion led by Psychology Professor Barry Schwartz. PAGE 10

Though both swim teams lost to Conference opponent Gettysburg — with the men picking up their first loss on the season — they remain confident for the future. PAGE 19

Opinions

GRAPHICS Julia Karpati Cover Design Parker Murray Layout Assistant CONTRIBUTORS Julia Chartove, Rachel Killackey, Renu Nadkarni, Eli Siegel, Mihika Srivastava

Sex Drive opens Fitzgerald Gallery Haverford

A new exhibit at Haverford diverse range of thought on sex and sexuality. PAGE 12

BUSINESS STAFF Ian Anderson Director of Business Development Patricia Zarate Circulation Manager

America’s diversity, Eva argues. PAGE 17

‘The Rite’ fails to deliver Improve Conference reliwith its promise of horror Mikael Hafstrom’s new film falls short of gious for athletes Long-proposed inn project delivering horror to the screen as its actors Hannah policy argues that conference policy still in limbo fail to measure up. PAGE 11 should reschedule athletic events on reliThis month, the Board of Managers will meet to discuss final models of the proposed Town Center West Project in the Ville.

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STAFF Jeffrey Davidson In-Depth Reporter Navin Sabharwal News Writer Patrick Ammerman News Writer Sera Jeong Living & Arts Writer Timothy Bernstein Film Critic Sera Jeong Living & Arts Writer Steven Hazel Living & Arts Writer Steve Dean Living & Arts Columnist Alex Israel Living & Arts Columnist Ariel Swyer Living & Arts Columnist Aliya Padamsee Living & Arts Columnist Renu Nadkarni Artist Naia Poyer Artist Ben Schneiderman Crossword Writer Holly Smith Crossword Writer Tyler Becker Opinions Columnist Eva McKend Opinions Columnist Jon Erwin-Frank Opinions Columnist Emma Waitzman Artist Ana Apostoleris Sports Writer Daniel Duncan Sports Writer Renee Flores Sports Writer Timothy Bernstein Sports Columnist Hannah Purkey Sports Columnist Andrew Greenblatt Sports Columnist Renee Flores Copy Editor Lauren Kim Copy Editor Susanna Pretzer Copy Editor Jakob Mrozewski Photographer Eric Verhasselt Photographer

EDITORS’ PICKS PHOTOS COURTESY OF: (clockwise from top left): http://www.swarthmore.edu http://www.comicbookmovie.com http://ahmedrehab.com http://knowyourmeme.com http://www.unique-southamerica-travelexperience.com/brazil-facts.html TO ADVERTISE: E-mail: advertising@swarthmorephoenix.com Advertising phone: (610) 328-7362 Address: The Phoenix, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081 Direct advertising requests to Camila Ryder.

The Phoenix reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Advertising rates subject to change.

CONTACT INFORMATION Offices: Parrish Hall 470-472 E-mail: editor@swarthmorephoenix.com Newsroom phone: (610) 328-8172 Address: The Phoenix, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081 Web site: www.swarthmorephoenix.com Mail subscriptions are available for $60 a year or $35 a semester. Direct subscription requests to Camila Ryder.

The Phoenix is printed at Bartash Printing, Inc. The Phoenix is a member of the Associated College Press and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.

All contents copyright © 2011 The Phoenix.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

Rights to speech and association remain imperative Your FICO Score: what you The Egyptian goverenment unjustly limit- Women’s basketball loses don’t know will hurt you! ed the rights of speech and association durto Muhlenberg Mules Aliya Padamsee advises students on how to ing the anti-Mubarak protests. PAGE 16

develop and maintain a healthy financial credit score. PAGE 10

2

Oscar must drop the uni-

Despite a victory over Gettysburg Bullets, the Garnet dropped a close game to Muhlenberg 76-63. PAGE 20

February 3, 2011

THE PHOENIX

News

swarthmorephoenix.com

events menu Today Travels at Twelve Accompany Claire Sawyers, Director of the Scott Arboretum, on an armchair tour of her travels through the various gardens and natural spaces of several cities in Mexico in the LPAC cinema at noon.

This semester to be Dean Smaw’s last

Bathtub Debate with Professors Ledbetter, Stephenson and Schwartz Grace Ledbetter, Tom Stephenson and Barry Schwartz will face each other head-to-head in Sci 101 as they debate over why their division — the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences, respectively — is better than the others. Come join these professors and the moderator, President Chopp, at 7 p.m. as they duke it out.

Tomorrow Revolt in Egypt Teach-In Come hear more about the revolution in Egypt from Professors Farha Ghannam and Tariq alJamil in Sci 101 at 12:30 p.m. A Q&A session and discussion will follow.

Music From the Inside Out Swarthmore’s Music and Dance Department is hosting a screening of “Music From the Inside Out” in the Lang Concert Hall at 8 p.m.

The film explores the role of music in the lives of musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra, resulting in a unique cinematic exploration and eclectic soundtrack.

Jake Mrozewski Phoenix Staff

Gospel Choir Want to explore Gospel music?

Come to the BCC at 6 p.m. to join members of the Gospel Choir during their weekly meeting to learn more about the genre.

Saturday, February 5th Mini Zen Retreat Experience a mini retreat with members of the Swarthmore Buddhist Community as they take you on a sitting and walking meditation. The retreat will start at 4 p.m. in the Bond Memorial Hall.

Faculty Dance Concert Engage with faculty and friends of the Swarthmore Dance Department as they explore African, Modern, Post-modern and Kathak dance styles in the Pearson Hall Theatre in LPAC at 8 p.m.

Usher auditions The theatre department will be putting on a performance of Josh Lipman’s adaptaton of Edgar Allan Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher.”

Sign up for a time slot on the board outside LPAC 13, and come to Kohlberg 115 prepared with a monologue between 3:30 and 6 p.m.

E-mail submissions for the events menu to news@swarthmorephoenix.com

tHe PHOenIX

Near spring’s end, the college will need to say its farewells to Dean Smaw, who, after ten years at Swarthmore, will retire as Associate Dean of Multicultural Affairs.

BY PATRICK AMMERMAN pammerm1@swarthmore.edu

Last week it was announced that Darryl Smaw, Associate Dean of Multicultural Affairs, will be retiring from his position this summer. Smaw has been working for the school since 2001 and has worked extensively with students and faculty on a number of farreaching projects, primarily those pertaining to multiculturalism.

To Smaw, his job is about “working to allow [the students] and the entire community to explore and better understand "the complex issues surrounding the intersection of student social diversity as part of pursuing a liberal arts education on a residential campus.’ He admires the intellectual ability of Swarthmore’s students and staff, as well as the community that the college has built. According to Liz Braun, Dean of Students, Smaw has helped those involved in campus life to develop as a community in which people see themselves as being connected with each other and with the outside world.

Smaw’s work included managing the Swarthmore-hosted Tri-College summer and winter leadership programs, which bring together both faculty and students from Swarthmore, Haverford and Bryn Mawr in order to promote and enhance multicultural diversity in higher educa-

tion. In addition, Smaw has helped organize programs for all Swarthmore first-years, which typically take place during orientation week. Such initiatives are designed to better prepare students for life in a multicultural setting by providing them with tools to enhance their cross-cultural communication skills.

Professor of sociology and anthropology Sarah Willie-LeBreton remembered working on a project with Smaw while she was occupying the position of associate provost. “I played the scribe and he was the idea man,” Willie-LeBreton said. The “pedagogue and development” workshops Smaw and Willie-LeBreton planned and implemented involved several departments within Swarthmore, and ultimately evolved into a platform which allowed faculty to discuss issues about diversity within the classroom.

“He’s just one of the most compassionate and wise and kind and brilliant people that I know,” Willie-LeBreton said. “And I know that sounds hyperbolic but once you get to work with him a while all those things absolutely apply.”

Dean Smaw has also acted as advisor to the Phi Psi fraternity since he began work at the college. He believes that the fraternity has provided a positive opportunity for members to explore what it means to be part of a “brotherhood,” develop leadership skills, and as a

February 3, 2011

group, work together in learning how to be “good citizens” within the Swarthmore community. “He’s worked really hard with those guys,” Assistant Dean Karen Henry, Swarthmore’s gender education advisor, said.

Henry has worked under Smaw for his entire length of employment at Swarthmore. “[He’s] a wonderful and supportive supervisor ... people are really sad to see him leave.” Similarly, Willie-LeBreton said that one of Smaw’s less-frequently noted strengths was being an “extraordinary resource to faculty.”

As of late, Smaw has served as interim director of the Black Cultural Center, a position that he took up voluntarily. In addition, he has organized the school’s annual Martin Luther King Day activities, which included two speakers as well as a film showing this year.

There have been myriad other responsibilities that Dean Smaw has taken upon himself during his time at the college, many of which lay outside the scope of his official title.

While serving as dean, he assisted in launching the Rubin Scholars program, helped manage the transition of the Sager Fund programming, worked with the Consortium on High Achievement and Success (a consortium of schools promoting the success of students, especially students of color), and is a founding member of the Society Organized Against Racism in New England Higher Education. He has also supervised the school’s Advisor to International Students and Scholars and the campus Religious Advisors.

However, those who work with Dean Smaw know that it is his personality that will be most missed by both students and co-workers alike.

“He’s been an extraordinary supporter and mentor to students, especially ones who are facing some kind of crisis of confidence,” Willie-LeBreton said.

“Students will remember him for his personality,” Henry said. Smaw’s warm demeanor has helped him build close relationships with students, staff, and faculty.

“I have enjoyed every moment of my time at Swarthmore, and leave feeling confident about its future in continuing to address the important issue of diversity and inclusion in both its curricular and co-curricular programs,” Smaw said.

Those who work with Smaw and the students whom he has worked with will certainly miss his presence on campus.

“The things that he’s done here at Swarthmore are things that are going to have a long life beyond his departure. I think he’s really leaving a lot of legacies behind,” Dean Braun said.

Among other things, Smaw hopes to pursue his interest in musical performance after retiring, and to actively work on his on personal “wellness initiative” by going to the gym on a regular basis.

According to an e-mail sent to all students by Braun last week, the college plans on completing the search for a new dean of multicultural affairs by the end of April. Braun also announced that Dean Karen Henry will supervise the Black Cultural Center in 2011-2012, and Tom Elverson will become the new Phi Psi advisor.

3

News

swarthmorephoenix.com

Long-proposed inn project still in limbo

Week in pictures

Many people in the student body agree that the construction of an inn would be beneficial. “Whenever In February, the Board of my parents come to visit me they Managers will meet to review final usually just come for the night then models regarding the Town Center return home because there is really West Project. The prospective inn at no convenient place to stay,” Steven the south end of campus, adjacent to Hwang ’13 said. “The addition of an the College’s athletic facilities and inn and a restaurant would make the train station, would contain a everything more convenient.” restaurant with a liquor license, the Moreover, the development of the relocated college bookstore, a three- project would allow greater space level parking garage and, potential- for the bookstore to develop in the ly, apartments.

Ville. It could be “more than a bookThis multifaceted project, origi- store,” Eldridge said, with more nally stemming from the room for Swarthmore apparel and Town Center paraphernalia. The college would “Swarthmore Revitalization Strategy” proposed continue to run the bookstore so the by the borough in 1999, has been current staff would remain in place. heavily debated across the However, some on campus worry Swarthmore community with stu- about potential drawbacks of the dents, faculty members and project, such as additional traffic Swarthmore borough residents dis- near an already complicated intercussing both its benefits and draw- section, as well as the elimination of backs. green space by the softball fields Several formal and informal bor- where the complex would be conough council meetings open to the structed. community have been held over the “There already seems to be a lot past year to address concerns of traffic in the town. I hope that the around the addition of the project. inn would not The original make the walk purpose of the back to PPR a “[The inn] would ... project, Vice hassle,” Joe provide a physical and President for Liang ’13 said.

College and As of yet, social link between the Community the college has town and the college.”

Relations given no Maurice G. response to the Maurice Eldridge ’61 Eldridge ’61 issue that trafV.P. for College and said, was to fic may pose, avoid the Community Relations but, according “downward spito the project’s ral” that website, the seemed to be college is curspreading from West Philadelphia rently studying the matter with the into the suburbs, turning once pros- Pennsylvania Department of perous small towns into havens for Transportation and plans to concrime and violence. With the addi- struct the building with LEED tion of the inn as well as the Co-op Silver certification, which would — another attempt to address these make the building more energy-effiproblems —the town of Swarthmore cient and limit its impact on the would avoid the urban plight afflict- environment. ing nearby Philadelphia suburbs Another potential risk of the and create new jobs. project is the liquor license the "The Town Center West project is inn’s restaurant would have. As a great opportunity for the College Swarthmore is a dry town, this to demonstrate its commitment to would be the first time a restaurant social justice by ensuring that the in the borough would serve alcohol. employees of the project will be The college sought to obtain the treated with respect and provided license in a 2001 voter referendum, with fair and safe working condi- Eldridge said, in order to make the tions,” Sociology and Anthropology project more attractive to potential major Julio Alicea ’13 said. developers. Although the referenIn addition, the project could dum did award the college the potentially be beneficial to the col- license, it cannot be sold by the college, since it plans on replacing its lege or used anywhere else in the existing bed and breakfast, the borough.

Ashton House, which, according to Regardless of the issues of the official project website, is too debate, the project still has a long small for the college’s current way to go and must receive needs, with an inn. approval from both the Borough Not only would it be “a place for Planning Commission and the visitors, alumni and prospective Swarthmore Borough Council students to stay,” Eldridge said, before construction may begin. If “but it would also be a place to host the project is approved, the relocaconferences with visiting scholars tion of underground utilities for the as well as provide a physical and inn will begin in June 2011 and consocial link between the town and struction of the new inn complex the college.” will begin in Fall 2012.

BY ELI SIEGEL esiegel2@swarthmore.edu

Allegra Pocinki Phoenix Staff

Kicking off Religion and Spirituality on Campus Week, students gather in Bond Hall on Monday during the Multi-Faith Student Panel to discuss their personal spiritualities.

Eric Verhasselt Phoenix Staff

Duchampion, post-punk band from Wesleyan University, performs in Olde Club’s first show of the spring semester Friday night.

Jake Mrozewski Phoenix Staff

Professor Abbe Blum offer advice to Swarthmore students Tuesday afternoon on how to better handle stress and get more sleep.

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February 3, 2011

tHe pHOeniX

News IN-DEPTH: Alcohol policy and the college campus swarthmorephoenix.com

An exposé on one of the most difficult policy choices every campus must make

BY JEFFREY DAVIDSON jdavids1@swarthmore.edu Every year about 23,000 Americans die from alcoholrelated causes, and that does not include car accidents or homicides, the Center for Disease Control says.

Excessive drinking is a multifaceted problem, with everything from the age of a person’s first drink to the culture surrounding acceptable alcohol use, to genetics contributing to the ultimate effects the substance has on the body. The younger an individual begins to drink, the greater the likelihood that he or she will develop an alcohol abuse problem later on in life. A person who begins to drink before the age of 15 is five times more likely to develop an alcohol abuse problem than someone who starts after 21, according to the CDC. For a large proportion of Americans, alcohol habits are developed and defined during their college years.

Statistics show not only that those in college drink more dangerously than their non-college counterparts, but that they will continue to drink at a higher rate throughout their life.

The statistics are anything but new; alcohol has been a prominent aspect of campus life for many generations.

But a particularly interesting trend that some colleges have adopted in creating a safer environment for students involves reversing the well-known alcohol prohibition policy and replacing it with a progressive combination of hands-off prevention, education and harm-reduction.

Despite Swarthmore’s official policy, it is a wellknown proponent of this approach. The college allows alcohol in student rooms and parties in both dorms and public locations. In addition, the administration does not ask Resident Assistants to police residence halls for underage drinking, as it prefers counseling and advice over lectures and punishment. Moreover, public safety will not cite a student for underage drinking, and the unwritten agreement by the local police to let public safety do the campus protecting all but ensures that unless a student is unruly or off-campus, he or she is immune from the state laws that prevent him from consuming any alcoholic beverage until he is 21 years old. Within the campus bubble, a student is safe.

Technically speaking, the college is within the law to operate its campus in this fashion. It does not condone or allow underage drinking, by the books at least.

Ultimately, it is the underage students who decide to drink, or the over-age ones that provide them with said drinks, that are the ones breaking the law.

A combination of these factors, coupled with others such as the make-up of the student body and the pedestrian nature of the campus, has led not only to low average rates of problems relating to alcohol, but also what looks to be a trend towards a reduction in those already low rates given recent pushes in education and other programs.

And in the coming years, as campuses across the nation re-evaluate their respective stances towards alcohol, the policy set forth by Swarthmore could become a viable option for others that are currently facing much worse problems.

Public health officials, college and university administrations, and local and campus organizations like the Drug and Alcohol Resource Team are taking notice of the serious and complex issues that alcohol presents to a campus. Not all agree that Swarthmore has the correct approach, however, curbing America’s dangerous levels of alcohol use is a battle that cannot be won without evaluating the merits, or lack there-of, of different policies and approaches.

The culture of drinking Colleges and universities are formative centers for the intellectual and social evolution of upcoming generations, filled with the budding minds of approximately 7.5 million 18 to 21 year olds.

According to self-reporting questionnaires, 31 percent of college students can be considered alcohol abusers and six percent alcohol dependent. There are roughly 1,800 alcohol-related deaths among 18-24 year old college students each year. There are almost 700,000 students who are assaulted by a student who was using alcohol. And THE PHOENIX

February 3, 2011

there are 3.3 million who drive drunk each year.

An article in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs reported that 86 percent of students said they drank any amount of alcohol, 56 engaged in binge drinking defined as four or five drinks in a row within the past two weeks and 32 percent frequently binge drink. These numbers barely changed from their levels in 1993 when a similar study was conducted.

It is nearly universally agreed that binge drinking is the biggest problem a college confronts in dealing with alcohol on its campus. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, 91 percent of all alcohol consumed by college students was by binge drinkers.

Beyond the obvious and extremely serious medical side effects of binge drinking, it has effects across a spectrum of issues including a greater likelihood of driving drunk, of assaulting other students, of committing or being subjected to sexual assault or engaging in unprotected sex.

“In college and high school there is a culture of binge drinking, and there is no discussion of this danger or where the binge leaves you,” director of Swarthmore health services Beth Kotarski said.

The underlying tone of the countless organizations as well as federal and state governmental departments is to first not drink, but if you do at least don’t binge drink.

But with such a demonstrably high number that has not dropped over the last decade, the word does not seem to be getting through.

To combat dangerous drinking, all colleges have adopted varying degrees of policy towards alcohol on campus. Generally speaking, the written or formal alcohol policies on most college campuses are very similar to regulations under the law. However, it is in the execution of such policies that the differences between respective campuses are brought to light.

Rebecca Mitchell, et al, published “Alcohol Policies on College Campuses” in The Journal of American College Health in 2005. It evaluated the alcohol policies on 72 colleges and universities in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Of all campuses studied, 23 prohibited any alcohol on campus in any form, 27 did not allow alcohol possession and 39 said no to kegs. But these are rules on the books and do not necessarily explain what the drinking scene is like on specific campuses. According to the authors of the piece, even in some of the direct interviews they held with administrators there were disparities in the rules.

Dr. David Hanson, a professor emeritus of sociology of the State University of New York at Potsdam, has been researching alcohol and drinking for the last 40 years.

According to Hanson, the 1984 law that changed the drinking age from 18 to 21 had an unintended and opposite effect on college campuses around the country.

“When the minimum alcohol age law was passed, it caused a lot of colleges to prohibit alcohol on campus,” Hanson said. “What that did was drive alcohol underground. It was great for fraternities, it gave a reason to join fraternities. And campuses tended to prohibit alcohol on campus because they were afraid of legal liability.”

On Hanson’s website, he calls the national approach to alcohol “health terrorism,” where children are scared into thinking that alcohol of any amount is bad. When they get out into the real world, they realize it was not all true and suddenly use alcohol without knowing how to safely do so.

At colleges, a similar phenomenon has been occurring. Drinking is being pushed off campus, underground and out of the sight of public safety, the administration and health centers.

It has resulted in policies that do not incorporate the notion of medical amnesty, meaning a student will not go to the health center for fear of being cited, or a friend will not call in for them out of fear of being cited themselves if they have been drinking. When Drake University passed a regulation that said any student caught with alcohol would be immediately expelled, Hanson wrote to them and said “the college president could find himself on a witness chair explaining why he was using such a strict policy that restricted people from reporting medical emergencies.”

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s college drinking prevention website, most students have tried alcohol before entering college, See ALCOHOL, p. 6

5

News On Swarthmore’s campus, students are unofficially swarthmorephoenix.com

Continued from p. 5 so the college inherits the problem. But with the drinking age at 21 there is a divide which has made colleges afraid to tackle drinking in any way besides policing.

Swarthmore’s drinking scene Some students chose to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the subject.

Those students will be identified and differentiated by the names RA 1 and RA 2.

Then comes Swarthmore with a radically different approach to alcohol. Assistant dean for student life Rachel Head, who manages the RA program on campus, says that Swarthmore is all about education and harm reduction.

“If you are underage the law is that you can’t be in possession of alcohol, but we aren't a law enforcement body,” Head said. “We get involved when there is an issue. We don't go check the dorm rooms… We want to help manage and provide education as much as possible so students are responsible.”

According to the student handbook, Swarthmore’s general philosophy towards alcohol is “providing guidance so that students can learn to develop a responsible approach to social challenges, including whether to use alcohol, how to do so in moderation, and how to comply with local, state, and federal laws governing alcohol consumption.”

In practice, that means easy access to alcohol for all students without the fear of punishment.

“The college accepts that people are going to be drinking, even if they are underage,” RA 1 said. “It’s less about preventing it and more about making it a safe environment to drink and experiment. They're pretty realistic in knowing that drinking is a pretty pervasive part of college culture.”

Mike Girardi ’13 is a member of Phi Psi who lives in the fraternity house. When asked how he would define Swarthmore’s alcohol policy, he said that, “In a word I'd describe it as liberal.

It's pretty open. I've been to a bunch of other campuses and compared to here, the others are pretty restrictive.”

The two fraternities on campus, Delta Upsilon and Phi Psi, have seen a rise in membership in recent years. From the 20082009 academic year to this year, the male Swarthmore population in fraternities has risen from five percent to 11.8 percent.

For Girardi, unlike many other fraternities at campuses around the country, the ones at Swarthmore have adopted a similar mentality to the col-

6

lege’s overall stance on alcohol.

“I think a lot of people here get the misconception that the fraternities are all about binge drinking, all frat boy, ‘come over here and chug a beer’ mentality. And it's upsetting,” he said. Girardi says Phi Psi is about the brotherhood and will never force someone to do something.

According to DU President Adam Koshkin ’11, a healthy relationship with the administration, which requires them to adhere to the same college policies on alcohol, means they always have someone to look to if help is needed.

“There is good open dialogue between us and the deans and a mutual understanding of what we do,” Koshkin said. “I think that they trust us to do our thing safely and responsibly, but obviously they would come down on us if shit hit the fan.”

And beyond education, this is the general motto that Swarthmore follows when dealing with alcohol.

Associate Dean for Student Life Myrt Westphal, who oversees the College Judiciary Committee and many alcohol issues on campus, said the focus is not on the use of alcohol but on the misuse of it, whether that

be repeat offenders and heavy drinkers or the behavioral problems that may result from using alcohol.

“You wouldn't be taken to the CJC for alcohol,” Westphal said.

“What would happen is you would go through the minor adjudication system, which is meeting with an individual dean, and then sanctions grow for later offenses.”

Alcohol comes up as a charge in CJC when it is tied to other incidents that the college views as a greater offense. It is not alcohol use that will typically get a student in trouble, but other violations of conduct, like fighting, unruliness or leaving vomit all over a hall.

According to Head, if there is a report that an underage student has alcohol in his or her dorm room, there are discussions instead of parental notifications or punishments. But it rarely goes beyond that stage.

And Head thinks that is a sign of the effectiveness of the programs in place.

A large component of the policy involves educating students about safe alcohol consumption habits. The Drug and Alcohol Resource Team brought a great deal of coherency to the educational side of the alcohol policy

when it was created in Fall 2009.

At the time it was overseen by Assistant Director of Student Life Kelly Wilcox ’97, but after she left for Abu Dhabi it was taken up by alcohol education and intervention specialist Tom Elverson ’75.

DART is currently run by 15 students to serve as a source of information, to host events on alcohol-related topics, to run workshops during orientation week and to be a general resource. In the Fall, DART brought Judge Stephanie Klein to campus to talk about some of the legalities associated with drinking. Other events are in the works.

“Our goal is to present students with unbiased education on drugs and alcohol, including the effects of mixing substances and how to tell when somebody needs help,” DART director Claire Almand ’11 said in an email. “We want to increase students’ safety by helping them make informed decisions.”

For Elverson, this embodies a different type of approach towards alcohol then is traditionally found on a college campus.

“My goal and the DART Team’s role is to educate about the pitfalls of usage,” Elverson

said. “You don’t want to come across as big government or lecturing.”

For him, Swarthmore’s policy towards alcohol is an integral component of how he can fully do his job.

“The common thoughts are if you push the alcohol issues off campus, if you become a dry campus, the alcohol problems go underground,” Elverson said. “That’s the worst thing that can happen. One of the great things about Swarthmore is that people look out for each other.”

Students can talk to Elverson in a completely confidential setting. Also the alcohol violations that come through the Dean’s office usually involve a required meeting with Elverson.

RAs also play an important, but non-traditional, role in regards to alcohol on campus, starting with training at the beginning of the year that teaches them how to help their residents physically and psychologically with alcohol issues.

“During RA training, we get first-aid certification, meetings with Tom Elverson and DART as well as public safety and the Swarthmore police, a session with Beth Kotarski, and more

Actual versus perceived percentage of student alcohol use Actual Perceived

Never used

Used, but not in last 30 days

Used 1-9 times in last 30 days

Used 10-29 times in last 30 days

Used all 30 days

Information from the Spring 2010 American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment.

February 3, 2011

THE PHOENIX

News protected by progressive policies towards alcohol swarthmorephoenix.com

all focused primarily or quite a bit on alcohol concerns,” RA 2 said in an e-mail. “I feel like we're given pretty thorough information about what to do, although handling case-by-case alcohol incidents (at 3 in the morning when you're exhausted) can feel very different than a training session in sunny AP lounge.”

For RA 1, experiences at other colleges are indicative of how preferable this system is. When visiting a friend at another institution, RA 1 was drinking with some friends in a room. First-years are not allowed to drink at that university, meaning that if they were caught, the friends would have had to go through the judicial system and face serious consequences.

“So everyone chugged their beers before the RA came in, and then the RA checked in the vents and all over,” RA 1 said. “It was ridiculous because everyone was drinking in a more dangerous way, like ‘let’s drink it all before we get caught.’

That's not at all how it is here. I wouldn't want to be an RA if that was part of the job.”

RA 2 is aware of many RAs at different colleges that must operate in the same way.

“I have RA friends at UPenn, UPitt, and Penn State, and in all of those cases (although more the latter two) the RA role is far more of a policing one,” RA 2 said in an email. “They will do room checks, will pour out alcohol, will write up students, etc.”

RA 2 believes that if “our role was more of a policing one, I don't think people would be as open about coming to us for help when something happens.”

Another educational aspect starts before even entering Swarthmore.; completion of the Alcohol EDU program is a requirement for all incoming first-years.

It is a program that teaches safe alcohol habits. According to Braun, the college is considering creating its own internal program that better suits the needs of students on campus, although that is still in the works.

The other major aspect is harm reduction. There are many levels of help in place to ensure student safety and to provide assistance as necessary. The Party Associates (PAs) play an integral part of that goal. It is normally required that a student event with over 25 people have at least one PA on site throughout the event.

All-campus Olde Club and Tarble parties, in addition to fraternity parties, have multiple PAs at the event. PAs are paid on an hourly basis and not allowed to have alcohol during the event.

According to the student handbook, a PA is there for things like door and IDchecking, ensuring party guidelines about permits and requiring food and non-alcoholic drinks to be present are met, contacting public safety in an emergency and bringing students to Worth.

“I believe the PA program does exactly what it needs to do,” PA program coordinator David Hill said in an e-mail. “It allows students to enjoy parties without undue worry. It allows the college to permit parties while maintaining some level of security. In my opinion, without the P.A. program, the risks of hosting parties at Swarthmore would increase substantially.”

Hill says that PAs are not officers but are sober students there to act as coordinators if something goes wrong. In his time as a PA, though, he has only had to call public safety once.

THE PHOENIX

Legalities From a purely by-the-books view, this policy is not evident. According to the annual Message from the Department of Public Safety, which outlines the college’s rules and regulations regarding various activities, there are a series of alcohol-related issues that may result in disciplinary action ranging from warnings and fines to expulsion. These are most notably: • the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages by anyone under 21 on property owned, leased, or controlled by Swarthmore College • the furnishing of alcoholic beverages to individuals under the age of 21 The handbook states that a first violation of this is “at a minimum, a warning and referral to the Drug and Alcohol counselor” and a second “a fine of $100.00, probation, and/or a requirement to attend an alcohol education program,” with future violations leading to “a fine of $200.00 and may lead to suspension.”

This type of policy falls in line with the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989, which requires all colleges and universities to have programs in place to “prevent the use of illicit drugs and the abuse of alcohol by students.”

But Redgrave says that typically public safety will not consider age.

“We certainly won't go look at the crowd of people and if we saw somebody much younger pick them out and determine whether they're 21 or not. That doesn't happen,” Director of Public Safety Owen Redgrave said. The only time that will happen is when there is someone much younger from the Ville who does not belong.

According to Redgrave, this is one of the primary ways that public safety differs from the borough police. “Police departments operate more on age. Ours is much more behavioral related. If someone is doing something they shouldn't be and draws attention to us, we could get involved.”

Beyond public safety’s role, alcohol is easily accessible to people under 21.

“The people here, not just the students but the faculty as well, are very laid back. It's a very relaxed community in numerous regards, alcohol being one of them,” Girardi said. “Yeah, it's kind of taboo in other places to even talk about it, but here not so much. People drink. It does happen here a lot. It's pretty easy for someone under 21 to get their hands on an alcoholic beverage here.”

So on Swarthmore’s campus, these alcohol-related issues laid out in the handbook are, in essence, a non-issue.

Currently the borough police, who are in charge of the safety and security of the borough, allow public safety to do much of the work on campus.

“We do not get involved in any specific parties,” borough police chief Brian Craig said. “That’s all handled by the college. We respond primarily to medical calls and disturbance calls.”

Disturbance calls can involve a situation where it has become so noisy that a borough resident calls 911. The police will also respond if there is a report of underage or abusive alcohol use.

But Redgrave is careful to point out that because of the event-driven nature of law enforcement, the hands-off approach between public safety and the

police could change at any time.

“If some area on campus attracts a lot of attention, if there are a lot of students that end up going to the hospital or injuring themselves or creating a disturbance or throwing chairs at police cars, it gets them on the police department’s radar,” he said.

For the most part, public safety is in charge of law enforcement on campus, though.

“We both support each other, but they seem to be good with us handling the overwhelming majority of events that happen on campus,” Redgrave said.

“There's an understanding that if things are beyond our means or control we'll enlist their aid.”

Public safety has also been taking on a slightly different, more involved role on the campus. Instead of just patrolling areas of campus that attract particular attention, it is sometimes planned in advance to keep a public safety officer stationed on location. For instance, at the last Halloween Party in Sharples, an officer was at the door the whole night.

But ultimately the decision to refuse alcohol to an underage or overly-intoxicated student comes down to the hosts of the party. For any party with ten or more people that has alcohol, where there is a keg, or held in Paces or Olde Club, a party permit is required. This outlines the responsibilities of the hosts, meaning two people including one over 21 must be signed as hosts and requires a meeting

February 3, 2011

with Elverson.

Also regarding any parties held in dorm rooms or of a smaller size, it is still up to the hosts to check IDs and ensure the safety of participants.

The Effect People are taking notice of the improvement Swarthmore has seen in the last few years given changes, improvements and enhancements to how the college deals with alcohol.

“During this school year there has been a decrease in the number of hospitalizations of students due to alcohol and in incidents with the law,” Almand said.

“We believe this can be attributed to a combined effort to inform students by DART and the College community.”

Redgrave has seen a similar effect.

“The last couple of years there has been an improvement in reducing both the severity and in the numbers of students that are not drinking responsibly,” he said.

Craig was less sure of a change, but that was primarily due to how infrequently there are incidents that cause the borough police to be involved with alcohol issues on campus.

According to Kotarski, Swarthmore is at least on par with, if not below, the rates of dangerous drinking at other colleges.

See ALCOHOL, p. 8

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News Despite uncertainty over drinking age, Swarthmore

swarthmorephoenix.com

Continued from p. 7

That too is given the fact that students may be more willing to go to the health center for lesser emergencies related to alcohol because there is not a fear of punishment.

Typically about 20 students a semester enter Worth on alcohol-related incidents, with the number reaching closer to 50 for all of last year. Only six or seven a semester are then sent to the emergency room.

That only happens in the most serious of events — Worth has a policy to, within their ability, keep students who have been using alcohol. According to Kotarski, this can be dangerous and “most colleges won’t touch alcohol-related issues.”

“You ask yourself, am I going to put this student to bed who looks okay now but their blood-alcohol might rise later,” Kotarski said.

With only one nurse on duty over night, it can often be a hard call to make.

RA 1 said that some RAs were not sending students to the health center because it was believed that students were no longer being kept at Worth if they had any alcohol in them.

“It puts RAs in a tough position of saying whether it's ok to let them sleep it off or to send them to the hospital,” RA 1 said. “It's a really unfair call to have to make because it makes people responsible for someone's life in a way we shouldn't be.”

But according to Kotarski, this is just rumor.

“The health center nurse will do a thorough assessment and makes a decision based on physical and cognitive findings. The nurse does not send students to the ER merely to have them incur expenses or to be punished legally,” Kotarski said. And “ultimately what causes students to be sent to the ER is the decision to binge alcohol and to drink dangerously.”

Since Kotarski began as director of health services in Fall 2007, only two students had to be intubated in the ICU for alcohol poisoning.

The drinking age Perhaps the biggest single impediment to moving forward with an educational approach to alcohol use on a wider scale is the drinking age.

The United States is one of five countries in the world for which the drinking age is 21.

The others include Fiji, Pakistan (although alcohol is prohibited for Muslims), Palau and Sri Lanka; together they

8

The project is now called the A m e t h y s t Initiative, and there are 135 signatories on the statement. As of the time of publicat i o n , Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr and Haverford have not signed the initiative.

According to Westphal, though, “Just b e c a u s e someone doesn't sign on to one of those initiatives doesn't necessarily mean they don't a g r e e with it.”

There is no doubt that the drinking age is a s e r i o u s impediment for an educational approach to alcohol.

“If the rules were 18 we wouldn't have to put as much time and energy into this issue,” Westphal said.

“Obviously we would be educating about alcohol, because a lot of people would be turning of age. So we still would be doing a lot of education. But then we don't have all of the legal complications on top of it.”

But not everyone agrees the drinking age should be lowered. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has added to the other side of the debate.

The group strongly advocates for keeping the drinking age at 21, and has come out strongly against the Amethyst Initiative.

“A person’s brain is not fully developed until a person is around 24 to 25,” Affiliate Executive Director for the Southeast PA branch of MADD Bonnie Weiner said. “Because of that, one of the first things that goes when a person starts drinking is their inhibition.

There is a lot of risk-taking behavior that goes along with what a person does before the age of 25. They’re much more likely to do something inappropriate, whether it’s binge drink or drive drunk.”

The development of the brain used by many advocates for the 21 drinking age refers to a National Institutes of

represent the countries with the highest drinking age. In Nicaragua and South Korea the age is 19, while in Iceland, Japan and Paraguay the age is 20.

The rest range from no drinking age to 18, with the vast majority falling into the latter category.

T h e drinking age has been a serious dispute since it was r a i s e d from 18 to 21 by the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. This law did not actually force states to change their state drinking ages, but simply said if they did not there would be a ten percent reduction in annual highway funding for the state.

Most states still allow alcohol consumption under 21 in some circumstances, such as in private or in some locations with a supervising family member. Pennsylvania is one of seven states, along with Washington, D.C., where this is not the case. Alcohol is completely banned for anyone under 21.

At the June 2008 Annapolis Group meeting President Emeritus of Middlebury College John McCardell gave a speech to the group which consists of roughly 120 liberal arts colleges. He is the founder of a nonprofit organization aimed at teaching young adults how to make mature decisions about alcohol called Choose Responsibility, which was created following a 2004 op-ed McCardell had published in the New York Times urging a lowering of the drinking age.

It was in preparing for this Annapolis speech that he learned that many college presidents agreed with him that 21 was not working, so they were able to draft a statement that firstly acknowledges there is still a drinking problem even with the high drinking age and encourages thoughtful discussion on considering an alternative age.

February 3, 2011

Health study that found that the part of the brain which tells the body not to engage in risky behavior is not fully formed until 25. Adding alcohol to the not yet fully developed brain makes for even riskier results.

As a pedestrian campus that allows alcohol within its bounds, drunk driving is not a problem that Swarthmore normally must confront. This is not true in larger campuses, or in places where students must go off-campus to get to a party.

There are estimated to be 3.3 million college students who drive drunk every year. But many other factors beyond driving are connected to risktaking behaviors that connect to the effects of drinking everywhere.

Public health officials follow a similar line. Joanne Grossi is the regional director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

She oversees public health programs in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Washington, D.C. “There is so much science that says the brain doesn’t stop developing until 25,” Grossi said. “So we don’t want adolescents using alcohol on a brain that’s not done developing.”

As with so many arguments, the statistics that show positive effects from lowering the drinking age can be countered with statistics that show negative effects.

For example, since the drinking age was raised from 18 to 21 there has been a 15 percent drop in the percent of high school seniors who binge drink.

The comparison to Europe, where drinking ages are lower across the board, is also a faulty one at best. A study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that drinking problems are on par with or worse in Europe then they are here.

Will it work elsewhere?

So if the drinking age, at least for the moment, is not changing, then alcohol must be confronted in other ways.

It is in colleges and universities across the country that millions of young people are making decisions about if and how they will use alcohol.

These are decisions that could affect them for the rest of their lives, which makes it imperative that colleges and universities are following a method with a proven track record of success.

It begins by acknowledging that students will drink and do drink.

THE PHOENIX

News an example of success without enforcing the 21 rule swarthmorephoenix.com

“Try to prevent adults under the age of 21 from drinking, and it’s not going to work,” Hanson said. “A lot of our tactics exacerbate the problem, like pushing it underground. We should move in the direction of harm reduction … It’s a very practical and proven approach.”

Traditionally the world of anti-alcohol campaigns has focused on what is called the Twelve-Step Approach made famous by Alcoholics Anonymous. It involves admitting you have a problem, considering past decisions and learning how to move past them, often by appealing to a higher source of influence.

But a controversial new line of thought is questioning the effectiveness of it. AA and alcohol rehabilitation typically focuses on the idea that alcohol abuse is a disease that requires serious intervention. The new research says that it is anything but a disease, and is instead a choice made every time a person reaches for a glass. The cure is not acknowledging a higher power to intervene with your addiction, but education about safe habits. For so many today, that is not happening as well as it should be in college.

The signs that such a line of thinking is correct lie right here in Swarthmore.

“The social norms approach to alcohol education is the wise approach,” Hanson said. “That has demonstrated ability to reduce the rate of drinking and heavy drinking on campus. The effects seem to be rather quick. That’s

an inexpensive and effective approach “It’s so hard to police — 62 percent of to alcohol problems.” adults have drank by the age of 18,” And it is an approach that is gaining Grossi said. “There you are in college as traction. an administrator with a majority of “I think most institutions are moving your population drinking. How do you in that direction,” Braun said. “It's one police that? How do you change that culof those chronic issues where college ture? It’s such a daunting task. And I campuses are looking for what's best in appreciate that they do it, and with very their situation. Every policy is looking little funds.” for student safety, and compliance with The problems of alcohol are also very the law. Now how different for colleges choose every college, to get there depending on a “Every policy is looking for wide variety of might differ.”

But the factors from student safety, and approach taken nearness of bars

by Swarthmore to the types of compliance with the law. and many others students on camNow how colleges choose pus. today is anything but agreed as the Westphal does to get there might differ.” way of the not believe that Liz Braun For future. alone policies Grossi, she canhave been Dean of Students not condone this Swarthmore’s approach. ticket to low “I don’t want to give a message to rates of dangerous use. adolescents to drink responsibly “It’s not that our policies or our pracbecause their brains are not fully devel- tices are what makes everything work oped,” she said. “There are too many here,” she said. “It's the nature of the implications about violence, rape, death environment as much as the way that that as a public health official I can’t tell we treat individuals as adults and with adolescents to drink responsibility. We the expectation that they want to thrive have to give that messages because and succeed. Policies are one thing but there are too many detrimental effects you have to have the groundwork in to drinking.” place if you are going to change poliAt the same time she recognizes the cies.” battle administrators face every day.

The groundwork also includes a stu-

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dent body with high aspirations and maturity coming into college life.

Westphal cited Swarthmore’s smallness and time-intensive workload as other possible reasons why alcohol is not as large of an issue here.

According to the governmental website on safe and drug-free schools, Swarthmore meets many of the proposed “Programs and Policies That Make A Difference.” These include tougher academic requirements, classes on Fridays, longer library hours and monitoring fraternities, among others.

Although one single approach may not be perfect for every college, harm reduction and education instead of punishments is an option many could and may consider transitioning towards. At the very least, it is a policy that is working here.

“I think what we have here is something that works for us,” Girardi said.

“And who knows, maybe it wouldn't work at Villanova because Villanova students aren't Swarthmore students, and there's a reason for that. But I think what we have here is perfect for us.”

As rates of dangerous drinking around the country are reaching alarming rates, Swarthmore is a wet campus that has proven that harm reduction, education and the right student body can work. Like so many other things that Swarthmore stands upon, its alcohol policy is yet another that sets an example that others should strive for.

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February 3, 2011

9

Living & Arts

swarthmorephoenix.com

Learning for Life sponsors documentary screening

BY STEVEN HAZEL shazel1@swarthmore.edu On Monday, students and staff joined psychology professor Barry Schwartz in a discussion following the screening of the documentary “The Philosopher Kings” in Science Center 101, hosted by Learning for Life, which is sponsored by the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility.

Founded in 1999, the Learning for Life program grew from a tiny program with just a handful of members when two Swarthmore students continued and expanded on a program that matched a handful of students to staff members as an effort to work towards personal goals, such as computer literacy or photography. Learning for Life then won a Eugene M. Lang Opportunity Grant in 2000 and since then membership has increased.

As awareness and appreciation for the program have grown, so too have its resources — since 1999, L4L has been supported by groups such as the library, athletics and the Lang Center. “I work with [my partners] at Sharples. They take pictures and I show them how to make videos with them. My future projects include learning how to make doughuts. I think this really shows the versatility of [Learning for Life]” said Brent Stanfield ’14, who joined learning for life in Fall 2010.

Currently, the Learning for Life program is well known to staff as a resource and to students as a chance to give back.

Learning for Life student coordinators match students with staff to insure compatibility and then, once paired, partners meet regularly once or twice a week.

“I enjoy the mutual learning experience. I am interested in a teaching career and the ideal teaching experience is a twoway exchange of ideas and learning like the experience of [Learning for Life],” Stanfield said.

“The Philosopher Kings”, a documentary that focuses on the lives of eight custodial staff members at universities like Princeton and Cornell, starkly highlights the difference between academia and practical advice. “Janitors are real peo-

ple with real lives and they’re multidimensional. People often treat them as invisible,” Schwartz said. The documentary, which interwove the lives and struggles of the eight janitors, attempted to show how the people we hardly notice make much of what is necessary for the day-to-day functioning of our lives possible.

This strongly resonates with Learning for Life’s goal of increasing appreciation and rapport with staff members. “[Learning for Life] is a fantastic way to learn that people who seem as different from you as possible have multiple dimensions and they worry about the things you worry about and they have similar values. [Learning for Life] is something for students who have always been the sharpest pencil in the box to discover that they have something to learn,” Schwartz said.

“The Philosopher Kings” expressed hope in the face of incredible obstacles, including car accidents, deaths of family members and war injuries. The film highlighted the resiliency of the custodians, their pride in their work and their hopes and dreams that radically affected the lives of others. One Haitianborn custodian at Princeton University worked two jobs to support his extended family in Haiti. Another custodian at Cornish College of the Arts uses inspiration from the students he encounters during his day in his own extensive art projects.

“People care about doing their work well; they take pride in it. I think they take real satisfaction from being a part of an enterprise they value. [“The Philosopher Kings” shows] that wisdom is sometimes developed by accident: by being friends, by managing social relationships,” Schwartz said.

Students and at least one member of Swarthmore’s own custodial staff were in attendance and discussed how to improve relations between the students, professors and staff.

For example, faculty workers are formally invited to all campus events, but they may not necessarily feel welcome at these events. It might be difficult to recall the last time you saw an EVS member or someone from Dining Services at a guest lecture. “Swarthmore students are already pretty good at treating people with great respect,” Schwartz said. “But, there is room

for all of us to be a little better.”

One idea to foster and improve student-staff relations that came from the audience involved creating an event to introduce new students to the staff members working within their dorms during orientation week.Students reacted positively to the film discussion and the idea of increased student-staff rapport. “It makes me think about [the EVS member] in my dorm,” Danielle Sullivan ’14 said. “If people just walk past them like they aren’t there, how can we get to know them or show our appreciation?”

Schwartz hopes that students will take away, “greater respect for our EVS people and more humanity in their interactions with [staff]. If you see these people, you want to spend more time with them.”

Phoenix Staff Paul Chung

Professor Schwartz leads faculty, staff and students in an open discussion after the screening.

Your FICO Score: what you don’t know will hurt you!

Aliya Padamsee Money Matter$

When you were in high school, your GPA, SAT and AP scores were meant to measure your academic performance.

Swarthmore’s Admissions Office took all of these numbers, in addition to essays and extracurriculars, into consideration when deciding whether or not to admit you into the Swarthmore community.

Similar to college entrance exams, your FICO score (named after the creators of the Fair Isaac Corporation) is a number from 300-850 and is based on your bill payment history, debt profile, types of credit used, length of credit history

10

and new credit.

It composes a substantial portion of your credit report, which lenders use to assess an applicant’s credit risk when seeking a mortgage, a car loan or a credit card.

Generally, a score above 720 is excellent and will get you the lowest interest rate, a score above 650 indicates a good credit history and a score below 620 will result in much higher interest rates, lower credit limits and higher premiums on insurance.

Three legitimate companies that make their money, not directly from customers, but from institutions such as banks that lend us money, are Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. The Fair And Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003 entitles you to one free credit report annually, which you must specifically request online.

Since each agency collects data independently and may have slightly different scoring algorithms, your credit scores can deviate significantly based on the data in your credit reports.

In fact, the average person’s credit score varies as much as 40 points amongst the three agencies. When you apply for a loan or a car, this point dissimilarity may lead to higher interest rates or even denial.

What you must do is check your 3-in-1 Credit Report, with credit data from TransUnion, Equifax and Experian, to see if you can spot any discrepancies in y o u r informat i o n .

Look for: late payments, errors of unpaid balances, identity theft, expired records, hard inquiries, crossed records and unauthorized accounts. If you find inaccurate information on one of your reports, first try to work with the reporting agency before the three credit bureaus.

Credit scoring is both fast and impartial; however, it builds over time. For example, an extremely wealthy person can have a terrible credit

score. Credit scoring models grant preference to people who have credit, use it and pay it off responsibly. If a wealthy individual pays with cash for most expenses, they won't have much of a credit history, which will then hurt their credit score.

To consider an academic example, it’s easier to score lower on an exam that’s based o n fewer points than if the exam is worth more points.

Therefore, whether or not you’re an affluent individual, if you just don't believe in using credit cards, you could score lower and have trouble qualifying for a bigger loan when you want it.

In order to develop a credit history and maintain a good credit reputation, start early and start slowly. So, use your credit card to pay a small monthly subscription or a

In order to develop a credit history and maintain a good credit reputation, start early and start slowly.

February 3, 2011

recurring bill. This will allow you to pay your bill in full every month and to stay well under your credit limit, both of which will positively impact your credit score and result in a higher credit limit in the near future.

On campus, other than textbooks twice a year, transportation to and from home over vacation and other miscellaneous expenses, there isn’t much need to charge to your credit card.

However, using your credit card often for small expenses and paying them off both in a timely manner and in full is important to kick-starting your credit history on a positive note. When you’re ready to finance your first car or rent an apartment after college, you’ll be very thankful that you maintained a high credit score.

For all of us over-achieving and grade-hungry Swatties, you can remember the number scale of your FICO score this way: just as in high school with SAT Subject Tests, and now with your credit score, 700 and up is an A!

THE PHOENIX

Living­&­Arts

swarthmorephoenix.com

R ­ ewinding­back­to­their­Swarthmore­days Alum: Dr. Julie Brill Class: 1985 Major: Biology Post Swat Education: Ph.D. in Biology at M.I.T. (1993), Postdoctoral training in Development Biology at Stanford School of Medicine (1993-2000), Visiting Postdoc at University of Washington (1997-2000) Her current profession: For the last ten years, Dr. Brill has worked as the Senior Scientist in the Program in Developmental & Stem Cell Biology at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In her research lab, she studies the cell biological basis of development using fruit flies as a model system. Fruit flies have many similar genes as humans, which makes them perfect for scientists studying how genes associated with human genetic disease function within these organisms and humans.

In addition to her research work, Dr. Brill also works as an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular & Medical Genetics at the University of Toronto.

Path to her career choice: Originally, Brill intended on majoring in political science with the hopes of pursuing a career as a lawyer.

However, after taking an introductory biology course, Brill recognized her passion for the science. She studied under biology professors Scott Gilbert and John Jenkins and also retired biology professor Robert Savage. “[Those three professors] were really inspiring and made me think, ‘Gee, it could be really fun to do genetics and developmental biology and cell biology,’” Brill said.

Her years on campus: While an RA in Parrish, Brill remembers the series of 19 false fire alarms during a single semester, following the recent installment of a new alarm system in the building.

In the early hours of the morning, Brill had the responsibility of checking dorms to be sure all residents evacuated.

She said, “It was terrible. At first, we would go downstairs and go outside, but then as it got colder and colder, people got more cynical about it. Soon, people were bringing their pillows downstairs and sitting in the first floor, leaning against the wall going to sleep, and waiting to see if we really had to go outside.”

Inside and outside the 1985 ‘Swarthmore Bubble’: For current Swatties, the famous happenings during the 1980s remain unfamiliar, and often unknown — for example, the 1983 Old Tarble arson. In Brill’s sophomore year, an individual (still unknown) set fire to Old Tarble overnight during the annual poster sale the first week of fall semester. The space featured a large lounge space, a snack bar, offices for clubs and student government and several game rooms; now the Art Department uses the space exclusively.

On the broader political stage, millions of Americans protested against nuclear weapons and for an end to the Cold War arms race during the ‘80s. Swarthmore students joined forces to raise awareness through a disarmament rally in the amphitheater, at which Brill and her acapella group “Women’s Song” performed.

Words of advice: Brill encourages students to explore, to discover what they are passionate about and to pursue that passion. As a member of the alumni council, she also believes students should take advantage of alumni networking.

“I think almost everybody who has graduated from Swarthmore is still really fond of the place and would love to have a connection with current students,” Brill said.

After graduation, Brill used her externship contacts and began working at the National Institute of Health.

Aftereffects of Swarthmore: Reflecting upon her time at Swarthmore, Brill believes she not only discovered what she wanted to do for a career, but also how to truly think, write and express herself. During her first semester, Brill remembers how intimidating her first political science course seemed since she did not feel she could think at the level of her fellow classmates in that context.

However, after three years of biology courses, she took a second political science course during her last semester as a senior. “I felt like I had finally learned how to really write and think. I hadn’t taken any political science in between that [first class freshman year and the second class senior year],” Brill said. “It proves that you learn in one thing and it carries over into everything else.”

TEXT BY DINA ZINGARO

Courtesy of Dr. Julie Brill

Brill and her quadmates during their freshman year pose for a quick shot outside of Mertz.

‘The Rite’ fails to deliver with its promise of horror

BY TIMOTHY BERNSTEIN tbernst1@swarthmore.edu Whenever I watch a film like “The Rite,” Mikael Hafstrom’s satanic entry in the “B-grade horror starring A-list actor” canon, I’m compelled to wonder about the exact moment in the process when that actor realized that it was all going to be up to him.

For Anthony Hopkins, who takes top billing here as inveterate exorcist Father Lucas, did that moment come when he read the script, or did he hold out hope?

Was it when he met with the director, or did he continue to have faith? How about the first day of filming?

Whenever it happened, that moment has accounted for one of the more bizarre, vanity-shedding, everythingbut-the-kitchen-sink (let’s-throw-in-thekitchen-sink) performances given by a Knight of the British Order in recent memory. It also accounts, but you’ve already figured this out, for much of the reason to see “The Rite” in the first place.

The film tells the story of Michael Kovak, an American seminary student, played by an Irish block of wood named Colin O’Donoghue. At the outset, Michael is considering leaving the church due to a crisis of faith.

When asked why he joined in the first place, he explains that, “in my family, you either become a mortician or a priest.” Clearly, the Kovaks’ was the

THE PHOENIX

place to be on Thanksgiving, but I ly confident that it’s got something great digress. to roll out on the back end, and “The In lieu of quitting outright, Michael is Rite” fails to make good on this implicit instead persuaded to take a semester promise. Hafstrom, who helmed the abroad and enroll in the Vatican’s new Stephen King adaptation “1408,” mancourse on exorcism. Demon maintenance ages to instill an eerie feel to the prois the one job sector still showing contin- ceedings, but there is never anything ued growth, and Michael’s ‘Father that approaches a worthwhile payoff for Superior’ believes he would make a wor- a movie perilously approaching two thy addition. hours in length.

In Rome, Michael meets up with Hopkins, to his credit, seems acutely Lucas (Hopkins), who is so aware of this fact, and he experienced in the way of succeeds in infusing exorcism that he no longer Movie Review Father Lucas with enough bothers to put his cellphone interesting elements to on vibrate for the job. During make an audience periodithe film’s first exorcism, he cally forget about the Rotten Tomatoes instructs a skeptical Michael movie’s faults. It’s a perRating: 17% to observe him performing formance of equal parts the deed on a pregnant irreverence, humanity teenager (Marta Gastini) who and the type of wisdom hears voices in her womb. This is where one acquires only after one witnesses a the film first hints of disappointments to girl vomiting up nails (as in, the ones on come. the Crucifix).

Having invested a half-hour towards The scene with the pregnant girl is building up to this very scene, Hafstrom repeated a few more times with little opens with the requisite torso convul- variation before Father Lucas begins actsions, swiveling of the head and rolling ing a bit strange himself. Now it’s up to of the eyeballs … then swiftly pulls the Michael, still skeptical and brooding, to plug. It’s the type of sequence that you save his new mentor while seeking to might normally find in the first five min- conquer his own troubled past, one utes of B-grade horror, where the sole which involves a fractured relationship purpose is to hint obliquely at the terror with his mortician father (Rutger Hauer) to come. and one that persists at frustrating To post such a scene at the 30-minute length for nearly the entire movie. mark, however, a movie has to be awfulOne of the film’s more notable missed

February 3, 2011

opportunities is Michael himself; as written, he comes with compelling subtext that a more capable actor might have been able to run with. In the hands of O’Donaghue, however, Michael barely registers in sequences where he is by himself on screen, let alone when he is required to share it with Father Lucas.

There would be little shame in trying to go head-to-head with Hopkins and failing, yet O’Donoghue barely tries. His character is so passive and listless that he can hardly raise his energy level to requite the advances of the attractive journalist (“City of God’s” Alice Braga) who has arbitrarily chosen him as the subject of her next feature.

To add offense, Michael is also that most infuriating of horror skeptics, the kind that remains unconvinced way, way longer than he should be. The concept of demonic possession would undoubtedly be tough embrace, but by the time a pregnant girl from Rome speaks to you with your ex-girlfriend’s voice, it might be time to admit that the Devil pulled a fast one when he made you think that all of this was a lie.

A final note: the film claims to be “suggested by” a book that is in turn “inspired by” true events. Given that extremely tenuous connection to reality, I can only report that something may have happened somewhere at some point that appears in this movie. But I can’t promise anything.

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Living & Arts

swarthmorephoenix.com

‘Sex Drive’ opens at Fitzgerald Gallery in Haverford

BY SUSANA MEDEIROS smedeir1@swarthmore.edu “Sex Drive,” a new exhibition that opened last Friday at the Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery in Haverford College, isn’t meant to be controversial. Begun in collaboration with a faculty seminar entitled “Sex, State, and Society in the Early Modern World,” which during Fall 2010 sought to offer a historical perspective as to why sex remains a volatile issue, “Sex Drive” has become an artistic representation of the diverse range of thought on sexuality.

The John B. Hurford ’60 Humanities Center hired the exhibition’s curator, Stuart Horodner, to contribute to the dialogue and texts of its sponsored seminar. Currently the artistic director and curator at the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Horodner has had experience working with erotic art; in 2005, he curated an exhibit at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, entitled “Contemporary Erotic Drawings.”

“I think a show trying to address sexuality could be done in a million different ways with a different roster of artists every time with very different attitudes,” Horodner said. “It’s obviously such a loaded subject, such a complicated subject.”

He further expressed three elements that distinguish “Sex Drive:” historical work; a diverse range of both work and views about sexuality, gender and race; and student involvement. For the exhibit, Haverford students Ellen Freeman ’11, Patrick Phelan ’11 and Michael Rushmore ’14 directly contributed videos, photography and essays. Their focus was bent on two original works commissioned specifically for the exhibit: “Scandalous,” a feature on celebrity sex scandals, and “Wallpaper,” a wallpaper of erotic graffiti exhibited on Haverford campus.

Professional artists Vertna Bradley and Nancy Devender, commissioned for “Scandalous” and “Wallpaper” respectively, worked with students from the fall seminar and students from the gallery’s staff.

“We [the students] were doing a lot of research about celebrity scandal and sex scandals in the news whether local or international,” Phelan said. “We ended up submitting an archive of photos to Nancy VanDevender who made up a wallpaper, one of the main pieces in the gallery… It incorporates a lot of the images we sent her and graffiti around campus.”

In its completion, “Scandalous” is a video compilation artfully embedded within a TV-image of an iPhone. Primarily composed of news or talk show clips, the video depicts the current hype surrounding

Courtesy of http://news.haverford.edu/blogs/sexdrive

“Jake In Transition from Female to Male” by Clarissa Sigh

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Courtesy of http://news.haverford.edu/blogs/sexdrive

Sex Drive, which runs from January 28th to March 4th at Haverford’s Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery, features videos, photography and more on the subject of sexuality. “Scandalous” (left) by Vertna Bradley is a video concerning celebrity sex scandals; “Schlong” (right) by Steve Gianakos is an acrylic on canvas that explores vulgarity and the human condition. public figures such as Bill Clinton, Tiger Woods and popular Indian mystic Swami Nityananda.

“I think any show that touches on the subject [of sexuality] now is almost forced to address scandal in pop culture,” Horodner said. “Religious figures, sports figures, celebrities, teachers — there’s almost a scandal every other minute.” The footage, one gallery visitor who wished to remain anonymous said, was “hard to tear your eyes from.”

Other highlights from the exhibit include a reproduction of David Wojnarowicz’s “One Day This Kid…,” a 1990 photostat, or projected photocopy. It details the barriers the titular kid will likely encounter as a grown homosexual man. This work is particularly relevant in light of a recent controversy with Wojnarowicz’s 1987 short film “A Fire in My Belly,” about social indifference to the AIDS conflict during the late ‘80s. Last November, the film’s depiction of a crucifix overrun by ants sparked controversy and the Smithsonian removed the work under pressure from several Republican politicians and conservative groups. “[‘Sex Drive’ is] not meant to be controversial, but I think it’s provocative in terms of getting people to think,” Rushmore said. Regarding the artist Wojnarowski, Rushmore identified him as a man who “didn’t really have any outlet or people to understand what he was going through” until he became an artist.

For Rushmore, it seems that this desire for an outlet for sexual expression was a common theme when dealing with sexuality.

Despite the exhibit’s intentions, “Sex Drive” is generating some controversy.

While assisting VanDevender, Freeman and Phelan worked on compiling a series of photographs on a Flickr account that was quickly and, as Freemen admits, “ironically” flagged for abuse prior to Flickr management closing the account.

“If you realize that it’s a project or that it’s art or that there’s a college or something with an official title in it, then I think most people would be fine with seeing the images, but I think if they just came across it … then they would be offended by it and want to close it down,” Freeman said, recognizing the possible reactions.

In agreement, Horodner recognizes that the works in the exhibit may not be easily digested, and said that “Sex Drive” is “not a fast show where you can look at it immediately and understand it — it takes some time.”

Frequently noted in the exhibit, Forest McMullan’s “Night and Day” collection features both the public and private lives of various men and women in Atlanta, Georgia. In the ‘day’ prints, Horodner describes people as looking “very benign, [like] your

February 3, 2011

neighbors, my neighbors; they look like us.” However, the collection pairs these photos with ‘night’ prints, which feature the same men and women in their sexual habitat. In “Gina” from McMullan’s collection, a firefighter by day transforms into a tied, submissive and subjugated woman by night.

“There’s this interesting pair of emotional realities: someone you rely on as a public servant, someone who’s strong and confident and who you think of in a certain way, and then there’s somebody accepting their interests sexually in a much different kind of emotional position,” Horodner said.

In addition, “Sex Drive” features 18 other artists along with the artists mentioned, which is a large number of artists to feature in a small gallery. For Horodner, such a large grouping of artists proved necessary to gather the diversity he desired for the show.

A member of the gallery staff, Angelo Ngai ’13, expressed his appreciation for the “mix of well known art and local talent,” as well as the effort needed to compile such a multifaceted exhibit.

In regards to the impact he hoped for within the local community, Horodner explained that “the show was conceived for that space, conceived for an environment of students, and I guess I would really hope that the show acted as a prompt for younger people, but also for anyone who sees it, just to sort of think about their relationship to their own experience to sex. How they learned about it, what they think they know or what to get out of their relationships.”

Like Rushmore with Wojnarowicz, Horodner emphasized the need for a safe outlet where a person could mentally explore tricky subjects. He continued, “In my mind the show would be successful if it sort of allowed people a safe place to go and look at work that might make them think about or experience or affirm their own thoughts about the subject.”

In light of “Sex Drive’s” nascent impact, Phellan expressed his thoughts on the current reactions to the exhibit. “People seem really excited about it right now, [but] I feel like not so many people know about it … I hear a lot of people talking on campus about how it’s a racy show, that’s a word I hear a lot, or risqué, but it’s a show called ‘Sex Drive,’ so [that would be a common first impression].”

For visitors of “Sex Drive,” Horodner hopes individuals will appreciate the exhibit’s unique quality, and in particular, its eclectic range of both artists and perspectives.

“It’s a rare opportunity to see some work that you’ll never see again — it’s [from] a private collection, it’s very hard to get, we worked very hard to get some of the work loaned to us. It’s a rare opportunity and people should take advantage of it,” Horodner said.

THE PHOENIX

Living & Arts

swarthmorephoenix.com

Quartet to play Mozart and Shostakovich selections not exclusively for musicians or those familiar with string music. Instead, the Series designed the concert as a time in the day for anyone to relax and listen to On Monday, February 7th, Copeland String music in order to escape the weekday rush.

Quartet will perform at 12:30 p.m. at the Lang Concert Unfortunately, students schedules may be hectic Hall as part of the annual Midday Concert Series. In during the performance time. addition to Swarthmore students, faculty and staff “The group least represented [from the audience] is Swarthmore students, members of local retirement which is a lost opportunity,” homes and elementary schools Dr. Johns said. can also attend these performThus, in order to accommoances. With the concerts, the “Both composers wrote date students’ schedules, Dr. hope is to provide a communiwonderful, expressive, Johns encourages concert ty meeting place where locals who may not have can congregate over relaxing important string quartets.” attendants time to eat before or after the music.

Michael Johns performance to bring food to This month’s guest artist is eat during the performance. the Copeland String Quartet, a Professor of Music “We like college audimusical ensemble that ences,” Ward said. “They tend branched off the Delaware to be informed and enthusiasSymphony Orchestra. The Courtesty of http://tinyurl.com/46ux52p quartet players, violinists Eliezer Gutman and tic. Maybe critical as well! If one has never heard a Thomas Jackson, violist Nina Cottman and cellist string quartet [and] is curious, it is time to give it a The Copeland String Quartet is composed of professional Mark Ward will be performing Wolfgang Amadeus try. musicians from the Delaware Symphony Orchestra.

Mozart’s last quartet and works by Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich.

CrOSSwOrd The director of the concert series and Professor of Music Dr. Michael Johns said, “I wouldn’t recomACROSS 6. Or ____ cific type of ____ mend anybody to come see them play.” Johns 7. Should go to couple’s counsel- 36. Zoidberg’s job abbrv. + last two explained that the emphasis is placed on the auditory 1. Furniture Ariel sleeps on ing with Jerry letters of Kif’s homeland aspect of the performance, rather than the visual.

6. George, Jane, Judy, and Elroy’s 8. Hades possesses this of Meg’s 37. Leader of the seven dwarfs “I would recommend [people] to be able to exhale last name 12. Hamletish story centered at 41. Ei-___ as it were, in the course of their busy day and enjoy 10. Belle is allowed in this wing pride rock 42. Possible response “Be Our the sounds so exquisitely put together by the com11. Sings “The Bare Necessities” 13. First two letters of melancholy Guest” posers and realized by the quartet,” he said.

12. Rupert e.g. (with trendy donkey 43. Sally Car___a Named after its benefactor, Tatiana Copeland, the spelling) 15. Griffins’ home state 44. Dumbo’s most prominent feagrand niece of Russian pianist and composer Sergei 14. Small blue creature 16. Contemporary rock era kin ture (sing) Rachmaninoff, the quartet showcases and explores 17. Get Arnold’s attention group 47. Rasputin’s henchmen, for one repertoire composed for string quartets.

18. Ironically named fearful dog 19. Synonym of Dragonvitems 48. What Belle felt the Beast didn’t “For many composers, the string quartet is the 24. Rugrat twin Goku wants let her say to her dad genre for [the composer’s] most intimate and 25. Villain in Pretty Sammy 20. First letters: Little Mermaid’s 49. Tonto’s ranger friend, w/o last thoughtful works,” cellist Mark Ward said.

26. Dexter’s favorite room villain, heroine, and setting letter Since there is no conductor, a string quartet dif29. Belle’s town, for one 21. First letters: Springfield’s 54. How one might describe the fers from an orchestra in that the process of playing 30. He’ll never grow up dumbest, smartest male, and Mad Hatter in Madrid is more creative and each player holds more respon32.

A laddin does this Genie’s lamp, German kid 55. Shrek sibility over their individual parts. in reverse 22. Element Aang commands 57. Bambi “In a quartet, you get to shape the music as you 35.

Scooby Doo is a Scooby Snack 23.

What adults think Rugrats say 58.

Describes Rafiki think it should be played. It is a democratic process ______ 27.

D__h Incredible 60.

Pokemon Zek___ that is very different from following a conductor who 38. Where Wile E Coyote should 28. Alcoholic dog author 61. Word often appearing last in basically makes all the decisions for you,” Ward said. be 30. Constantly reminded of films The string quartet will perform classical Mozart 39. Kim Possible’s unstoppable friend’s desire to take over the 62. Animal Seinfeld voiced in Bee and edgy, contemporary Shostakovich in a way that friend world movie complements each other.

40. How Cinderella was expected 31. Initials of the type of feline 63. Hope Princess Aurora had a “Both composers wrote wonderful, expressive, to do chores Thomas O’Malley is good one important string quartets. It’s a nice blend between 43. Troublesome team for Ash 33. Rel___ant Dragon some high intensity 20th century [music by 45. Abraham and Margaret are 34. Shrek compares ogres to a spe- BY HOLLY SMITH Shostakovich] and beautiful, lovely, expressive Homer’s ___ Mozart,” Johns said.

46. Blossom’s blue sister With his diagnosis of lung cancer, Shostakovich’s 50. Mulan’s short friend work grew more intense.

51. Sailor Jupiter should be familShostakovich was a 20th century Soviet Russian iar with this composer, and the quartet will be playing his 8th 52. He’s only an elected official quartet, which was composed while the musician was 53. Stimpy’s friend minus the contemplating his own death. vowel Known for his widely acclaimed works for string 56. # of dwarves + # of Simpson quartets, Mozart was an influential composer of claschildren sical music. Though Mozart’s works are frequently 59. Darling father of Wendy, John, both heard and performed, Ward finds that he always and Michael hears “something new when I play it or listen to it. It 62. Tommy, Phil, Dil, Kimi is a marvelous world unto itself!” Also, Ward empha64. Pocahontas’ gold sized the “fascinating” contrast between Mozart’s 65. Black Sheep’s romantic interlast quartet, which Ward called “lively,” and the ests “intense” Shostakovich.

66. Wazowski uses it to power Since only two violinists, a cellist and a violist will Monstropolis perform for the concert, attendants should expect an 67. Beer drinking robot intimate environment. “It’s not just a wall of sound,” Johns said.

DOWN Cellist Zachary Lockett-Streiff ’14 admitted that based on personal experience, there is much prepara1. Owned Woody and Buzz tion, rehearsal and concentration required for a per2. Mulan appreciates this of Li formance. “It can be physically wearing, but it’s Shang’s mostly wearing on the mind having to concentrate,” 3. Kenny and Stan’s friend 4. Initials of detective whose he said. name was slang for detective For string players who attend the concert, they 5. First two letters of Aladdin’s For the solution to this week’s puzzle, see The Phoenix’s online edition at will appreciate the technical aspect of the performlove ance. www.swarthmorephoenix.com.

However, according to Dr. Johns, the concert is

BY SERA JEONG sjeong1@swarthmore.edu

THE PHOENIX

February 3, 2011

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Living & Arts

swarthmorephoenix.com

Glee’s homosexual storylines undermine message

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Telling gay kids […] that their bullies are being mean because they harbor secret homosexual desires may be true in some cases, but in almost all, it’s not. Some people are cruel, and we live in a society that too often doesn’t see that cruelty as anything remarkable […] Suggesting that sexual desire underlies homophobia, instead of twisted readings of religious texts or long-held prejudices or just general assholery, isn’t a cruel lie, since it tries to restore some of

the power to the bullied person, but it’s a lie nonetheless, and the second it’s deflated, sorrow comes all the quicker.

Ph oe ni x

Though I understand what Murphy is trying to accomplish with this bullying storyline, continuing to spread this inaccurate stereotype undermines his entire message. As someone who grew up in the midst of an oppressive, homophobic society (Salt Lake City, where the M o r m o n church keeps much of the populace in a stranglehold), I have witnessed the damage inflicted by systematic homophobia. Boiling that kind of complex and institutionalized prejudice down to such a simple trope is not only cheap storytelling, but is incredibly damaging to the very troubled teens that Murphy is trying to speak to.

Now, the final problem that I have with the gay storylines on “Glee,” and a problem that hasn’t gotten much attention (at least among the commentators that I read), lies with cheerleader characters Brittany (Heather Morris) and Santana (Naya Rivera). The way in which the show’s writers present the two (apparently heterosexual) women’s lust for each other as a running gag is baffling and misogynistic, particularly N ad ka rn iT he

relies on a gay-bullying storyline to transform Kurt into a martyr figure, and one who, if not for the talent and charisma of Chris Colfer, would be so one-dimensional that his presence would put me to sleep. A similar criticism can be leveled at Kurt’s new love interest, Blaine (played by Darren Criss) — a character so lacking in depth that he might as well be played by a cardboard cutout. Murphy seems to think that his viewers won’t support Kurt if he is anything less than an all-out saint, which makes the show’s constant platitudes that “everyone is special and worthwhile” ring rather hollow.

Still, the real issue with the entire homophobia storyline is that Murphy chooses to trot out the well-known (and inaccurate) trope that homophobia stems from unrequited homosexual longing. At the AV Club, Todd VanDerWerff explains the problem with immense eloquence, so I’ll let him do the talking:

R en u

Here’s deal the w i t h “Glee”: I used to love it, and not just because I was temporarily insane, despite Alex Israel what some p e o p l e Pencils Down, m i g h t Pass the Remote assume. I still maintain that the first half of the pilot season provides an example of television at its finest.

However, I’m not saying that “Glee” was anywhere close to being on par with shows such as “Fringe” or “Community” or even “The Vampire Diaries” (and I will take this opportunity to say, yet again, that if you are not watching “The Vampire Diaries” because you think it is some stupid CW melodrama, you are wrong it is one of the best shows currently on television).

As escapist entertainment, though, “Glee” was perfect.

Over the course of the last year, however, things have gone awry for this former darling. I have no idea why the show’s drop in quality was so precipitous, but as soon as it returned from its first-season hiatus, “Glee” began a spiral that has left us with one of the messiest and least compelling shows on TV. I’m not sure what has left the show with some of the least consistent characterization, plotting and pacing on television.

I suspect that the answer may lie in the show’s success. As soon as “Glee” became a huge hit for FOX in 2010, creator Ryan Murphy was basically allowed to do whatever he wanted, which has led him to fill episodes with stunt casting, inane themed episodes that fail to advance the plot, and ‘afterschool special’ life lessons.

These lessons are what I really want to talk about, specifically the increasingly prevalent gay-themed storylines, including the many problems that I find with the show’s approach to homosexuality and homophobia. While I do find it admirable that Murphy tries to address issues of growing up gay and the dangers of anti-gay bullying, his treatment of such issues is quite problematic. For the sake of brevity, I’ll focus on just three problems: the transformation of a formerly rounded, human character into a one-dimensional saint; the appearance of the tired, inaccurate stereotype that homophobia is an automatic signal of repressed homosexuality; and the bafflingly misogynistic portrayal of lesbians.

One of the primary problems with “Glee’s” gay storylines is the disappearance of the funny and flawed Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) and his replacement — the too-saintly-to-be-true “new Kurt.” At the start of the series, Kurt was a well-rounded character (well, as well-rounded as anyone could expect a “Glee” character to be), who at times was condescending and obnoxious, but also managed to be both charming and funny. However, in this season, Murphy

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February 3, 2011

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when compared to the gravity with which the Kurt storyline is approached.

Such an idea of girl-on-girl action by two straight women originates from male sexual fantasies and pornography; just Google “lesbian cheerleaders” and look at the results. (Or, if you don’t want to have to clear your browser history, just trust me that every single resulting link is pornography). Both characters are portrayed as avowedly heterosexual and are currently involved in relationships with men, which makes their Sapphic interactions seem like something shoehorned into the story to please the (approximately five) straight males who watch “Glee.” Regardless of why this specific relationship exists, its stereotypical nature and misogynistic undertones undermine any attempts to present a convincing portrayal of gay teens.

Writers, producers and showrunners of “Glee” must address the issues of gay teens in a more complex and realistic manner. Currently there are several examples of well-portrayed and realistic adult gay characters on television (“Modern Family’s” Mitchell and Cameron come to mind), but the pickings are slim to none, although smaller shows like “Degrassi” have addressed the problem convincingly. However, if shows are going to include gay storyline — and, once again, I absolutely think they should — they really need to be careful of the pitfalls “Glee” has fallen into. For a series that Vanity Fair labeled “the gayest show on television,” “Glee” struggles to find truth and emotional resonance with its gay characters Alex is a senior. You can reach her at aisrael1@swarthmore.edu.

p o y e r

THE PHOENIX

swarthmorephoenix.com

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Department Wars

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Egypt in Revolt Friday, Feb. 4 Sci Center 101 12:30 p.m.

PROF. BARRY SCHWARTZ

VS. PROF.

TOM STEPHENSON

VS. PROF. GRACE LEDBETTER Bathtub Debate Thursday, Feb. 3 7 p.m. at Sci 101 Hosted by the Peaslee Debate Team

with Professors Farha Ghannam, Tariq al-Jamil and Shane Minkin

editor’s P I CK S

By Susana Medeiros

Bro Party

Racism in a Racial Democracy: Race and Regional Identity in Postcolonial Brazil

Sat. 6 10 p.m.

Paces

Monday, February 7 4:15 p.m.

Scheuer Room

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d e February 3, 2011

i d e n t i d a d e 15

Opinions

swarthmorephoenix.com

Staff Editorial

Rights to speech and association remain imperative It has been impossible to escape news of the protests in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen. The uprisings against oppressive and undemocratic regimes have spread quickly in what is being termed the “jasmine revolution” after the Tunisian administration stepped aside.

Whether through newspapers, online news, social media or campus email, information about the protests is readily available on the Swarthmore campus.

Unfortunately, the same freedoms are not available to the residents of Egypt, whose rights have been severely violated by their government’s censorship of citizens and private media.

Starting last Tuesday, mobile phone service was blocked in the central areas of Cairo where the protests were occurring, and Twitter reported being blocked in Egypt. On Thursday at exactly 12:30 a.m. local time, almost all Internet access in Egypt had been blocked, thus eliminating access to other social media sites that had been used to organize protests, such as Facebook. Furthermore, text messaging in Cairo was not functional as of Thursday.

These shutdowns occurred just as protests were beginning in Yemen, the poorest of the countries in the Middle East.

Though the Egyptian government was already working to limit the organizing capacity of demonstrators, the coinciding of the shutdown of Egypt’s Internet and the spread of protests to Yemen is a chilling sign of a government working to censor more than its own citizens.

The Internet cutoff failed to prevent the “jasmine revolution” from spreading to Yemen, and Saturday’s protests in Sana’a turned violent as Yemeni citizens rallied against their government’s oppressive reign.

Restrictions on individual access to Internet and mobile phone service were not the extent of the Egyptian government’s censorships. On Sunday, the Cairo bureau of Al Jazeera, a Qatar-based news channel, was shut down. Later that day, the Al Jazeera signal to some other parts of the Middle East was cut.

Al Jazeera had been particularly aggressive in covering the protests in Tunisia, so the Egyptian Government clearly wanted to restrict the press to minimize the demonstrations to some extent. Other news networks in the Middle East broadcast Al Jazeera’s coverage in a show of solidarity for the freedom of the press.

Though Egypt has never been considered a full democracy, its citizens should be entitled to the same fundamental rights as citizens of any other nation. These rights include freedom of speech, especially freedom of the press, and freedom of association.

Shutting down Al Jazeera’s Cairo bureau violated these rights thoroughly.

Luckily, the violations have been made very public. As such, the Egyptian government now faces even more external pressure to stop these infringements and, more substantially, step aside for what John Kerry called “a new political structure.”

It is unclear what exactly this new political structure will be, but the choice for a new regime, if not a new form of government, should be left to the citizens.

Though international pressure on the Mubarak regime from President Obama and other world leaders asking the regime to step aside is well-placed, the motivation for a new government must come from the population and not from external interests.

The protests had mixed effects. Mubarak agreed to not seek reelection this Fall, but the administration should go further and restore full rights of speech and association.

This Wednesday’s protests turned violent when supporters of the Mubarak regime came to the demonstrations armed. As of midday Wednesday, Egypt was back online, with access to all sites restored.

The protesters have rightly not declared victory yet. Mubarak has not resigned, and their rights have not been fully restored. Al Jazeera’s Cairo bureau has not been reopened, and other reporters are facing violence from progovernment protesters.

Looking at the Iranian elections in 2009, it is clear that social media is a powerful tool in organizing and igniting protests. Iranian demonstrators used Twitter to organize with each other and, more importantly, to communicate to the rest of the world what was happening inside their country when most Internet connections were down.

For the Egyptian government to shut down the Internet is unacceptable.

Access to the Internet is not a right, but the government’s goal was not to prevent people from watching the newest “30 Rock” on Hulu. The end was preventing people from organizing via social media sites, and, as such, the right to associate was violated. The same goal was behind shutting off mobile phone service in central Cairo.

The fundamental right of the citizen to protest their government is undeniable. Attempts by the Egyptian government to quell demonstrations only serve to make the regime look worse in the eyes of the rest of the world and further incite the protesters.

The Swarthmore students, faculty and staff who marched around campus Tuesday in support of the citizens of Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen are a testament to this — they organized via the Internet.

Mubarak’s regime must have realized that they were fighting a losing battle.

The fundamental human rights of free speech and free organization remain as important and as pressing as they ever have been.

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Courtesy of http://tiny.cc/x6g31

Letter, OP-eD anD cOmment POLicy Letters, opinion pieces and online comments represent the views of their writers and not those of The Phoenix staff or Editorial Board. The Phoenix reserves the right to edit all pieces submitted for print publication for content, length and clarity. The Phoenix also reserves the right to withhold any letters, op-eds or comments from publication.

While The Phoenix does not accept anonymous submissions, letters and op-eds may be published without the writer’s name in exceptional circumstances and at the sole discretion of the Editorial Board.

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An editorial represents the opinions of the members of the Opinions Board: Camila Ryder, Marcus Mello and Olivia Natan.

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oscar must drop the uniform of homogeneity W h e n marginalized p e o p l e lament the lack of diversity on the big screen, a common, t h o u g h patronizing, retort is they need not seek v alidation Eva McKend from the According to Eva entertainment industry.

Hollywood is about as quintessentially American as football. It is a staple of our culture and if people of color are not represented, they might as well not exist.

Although some might have been hopeful after the Academy Awards last year when Mo’Nique took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Precious” and Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win Best Director for the “The Hurt Locker,” others were rightfully trepidatious.

While it was exciting to see Mo’Nique recognized, one must wonder why it took such a dark role for her to earn the accolade.

The problem with the Hollywood machine is that it continues to typecast people of color. This is evident in the midseason replacement “Harry’s Law” by the wildly popular David E. Kelley.

While the show has endearing qualities and witty writing, the supporting characters of color reify negative

stereotypes of drug addiction, poverty and helplessness.

Kelley is a liberal and one of the best writers and producers in television.

But even if he, at times, misses the sociocultural mark, the implications for less prudent storytellers are harrowing. I only wonder if the gag about “a black man falling from the roof” would have made it into the script had there been more voices of color at the table.

In an interview with “Complex” magazine, Michael B. Jordan (“The Wire,” “Friday Night Lights”), by far the most promising star of my generation, reflected on the challenges of being a young black actor in a whitedominated industry.

“There are still a lot of white writers writing for black people, and there’s always going to be a lot of stuff lost in translation,” he said.

The 23-year-old acknowledged he felt a responsibility to speak out against mischaracterizations especially in a business that relegates black talent to a “crab-in-a-barrel mentality.”

In response to the heavy criticism The Academy will receive throughout this award season for what many are deeming “the whitest Oscars in a decade,” we will hear the age-old excuse that there was merely not enough talent of color to chose from.

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay, who was cited in several recent articles about the lack of diversity, recently formed the African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement, a campaign to widen the distribution of black films.

Her efforts and her mission are compulsory in a field that treats people of color as if they are invisible.

However, one must wonder how long African Americans will have to rely on their own mediums. In a society where all races coexist, black people should not be limited to black media.

Alicia Niwagaba ’11 argues that people of color don’t generally receive roles that would garner them critical praise.

She cites her frustration with films like “The Social Network” (nominated for eight Academy Awards) that cast a white actor to play an Indian man. “I have a hard time believing there was not one Indian actor who fit that role. It was a small part but it just exemplifies what is wrong with casting and the film industry.”

Ultimately, Niwagaba maintains it is a numbers game. “Studios don’t think audiences want to see films with minorities or strong women, so films about white people (especially men) are disproportionately funded and supported.”

The few times that people of color were celebrated in the past were what DuVernay described as anomalies.

“People of color do not receive awards unless we are degrading ourselves and playing downtrodden characters,” Niwagaba said. “We are always represented as the other, something to be pitied, never triumphant and never strong. It just shows you what kind of narrative Hollywood wants to maintain.”

Tanya Hamilton, a black Philadelphia director who showed her exemplary film “Night Catches Us” on Tuesday, said more black talent need the opportunity to “fill in the empty center, melding art and commerce.”

There are few films with strong artistic vision that can also be profitable. More filmmakers of color should be given the chance to fill that void.

Some might ask why we should care about what is going on in the lavish likes of Hollyweird at a time when many Americans are fighting to keep their jobs.

As Marie Wilson, President of the White House Project, said in the trailer for “Miss Representation,” a new documentary about the portrayal of women in the media, “You can’t be what you can’t see.”

The media is the most powerful tool of dissemination in the world and America dominates the message.

It is not unusual to travel to another country and find an entire evening line up of programming of American shows, or travel to a local theater and find only American films.

The diversity that we represent in America will be the diversity illustrated around the world. If The Academy continues to ostracize and marginalize certain voices, they will make themselves an irrelevant program.

We don’t have to look any further than the Miss America pageant to see that viewers can easily outgrow award ceremonies if they lose touch with reality.

However, industry power players are equally responsible. People of color and women need a platform within mainstream spaces to showcase their array of talent and when they do so they should be similarly celebrated for their work.

Eva is a senior. You can reach her at emckend1@swarthmore.edu.

around higher education

Anti-abortion bill prohibits necessary procedures

BY KATIE R. ZAVADASKI thecrimson.com, Jan. 31, 2011 Thirty-eight years ago last week, the Supreme Court handed down a decision that changed women’s lives.

The opinion, written by Justice Harry A. Blackmun ’29 (a Republican appointee), found that a woman’s right to privacy covers the right to make choices about her body, including the medical choice to have an abortion.

Thus, despite anti-choice efforts to chip away at this decision over subsequent decades (many of which have been successful), I never grew up in a world where I worried that an unintended pregnancy would derail my life.

That’s not to say that I, or other pro-choice women like myself, treat abortion lightheartedly — indeed, I hope never to have to obtain one.

But the fact remains that there is a certain security in knowing that, whether for physical, mental, or economic reasons, you have a final option.

Unfortunately, it is an option that too many of us take as a

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given. We talk about it as a right to choose, which is nice, but it’s time to change the dialogue. It’s time to talk about abortion as part of health care, as a medical procedure that should — like other medical decisions — be made by a patient and her doctor.

I spent last summer working with a women’s group in Chile, which has some of the strictest abortion laws in the world.

The medical procedure is prohibited under all circumstances, and seeking an abortion in hospitals can result in arrest — both for the woman and the health provider.

The majority of pregnant women have few places to turn to. I heard stories about women trying to self-induce and the horrors of trying to procure illegal abortions.

These are all things we know happened in the United States before 1973 and will start to happen again if access to abortion is restricted.

Abortion, when performed by a doctor, is safe — unlike these home remedies. A 2007 study in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that mifepristone, the pill used

to induce a miscarriage early in the first trimester, is a safe nonsurgical way to terminate a pregnancy.

Surgical methods used farther along are also up to 11 times safer than childbirth, despite the ban on dilation and extraction abortions.

On top of that, studies have shown that choosing an abortion does not harm a woman’s mental health.

To mark the anniversary of this landmark decision, newly appointed House Speaker John A. Boehner held a press conference where he announced that chipping away at women’s rights and health would be one of his “top legislative priorities.”

He and supporters of the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” are misrepresenting the truth in their quest to prohibit abortions in many parts of the country.

Of course, this is part of larger efforts that will limit access to health care, including the symbolic repeal of the Affordable Healthcare for America Act. The bill Boehner seeks to pass would permanently enact

February 3, 2011

the Hyde Amendment, which bans taxpayer funding for abortions, but is renewed annually.

However, it wouldn’t stop there.

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act further inhibits access to these procedures by outlawing tax benefits for employers and families who want to include abortion benefits in their health care plans.

This would place added burdens on women and families seeking to access this procedure and go beyond the current status quo of not using money from the federal government.

Those who will receive a subsidy to buy into the new health care exchange will not be able to purchase a plan that provides abortion coverage at all.

More strikingly, it will prohibit federal health care facilities — or individuals employed by the federal government — from providing abortion services.

The bill does have a narrow exception — in the cases of rape or incest with a minor, or a lifethreatening condition for the mother — but gives too much leeway to individual physicians and hospitals. In many states,

this could be tantamount to a total ban.

It’s time to talk about abortion as a medical procedure and not get caught up in the rhetoric. Surely, it would be utterly unacceptable for a doctor or a nurse — regardless of their religious convictions — to refuse to perform a blood transfusion for a patient.

Abortions and other reproductive health services must be treated in the same regard. This dangerous law will allow physicians to do just that — to refuse treatment — and it places women’s lives in jeopardy.

There are some things we can all agree on, pro and anti“choice” alike. We can agree that everyone should have access to quality medical care, to life-saving procedures, and that abortions should not be used as a form of birth control.

Let’s increase funding for sex education, let’s offer affordable hormonal birth control, and let’s spread the news about the morning-after pill.

What we can’t afford to do, however, is to pass this bill. It won’t stop abortions, but it uses women’s lives and health in a political game.

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Sports

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Improve Conference religious policy for athletes Whether from superstition or just habit, athletes can fall into certain routines before practices and games. Rain or shine, they do the exact same thing to prepare to play, whether that be how they get dressed, the music they listen to, or where they sit in the locker room. But some days just aren’t like every other day: for me, Hannah Purkey Sept. 9 of last year was one The Purkey Perspective of those days.

Instead of pulling on our team’s practice gear like I did every other day, I pulled on a dress; instead of cleats, I put on a pair of heels. I then headed out to the field. Juggling with teammates and trying not to pull a Marilyn Monroe, I realized how ridiculous I looked to anyone passing by. A team matching in every way, plus those three weird girls trying not to get turf pellets stuck to their stockings.

We hadn’t lost a bet, or pulled a prank on our coaches. It was Rosh Hashanah and we were heading to services, but had stopped by practice beforehand. As odd as the situation felt, I was thankful that it was only a practice we were missing. A few months before, we had been scheduled to play an away game that day, which I and the other Jews on the team would have had to miss.

Not all Jewish student-athletes at Swarthmore had been so lucky as to have their games rescheduled. The men’s soccer team had one of their biggest games of the season against Johns Hopkins on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in our religion.

A little over a year ago, I wrote a column about the conference rule when it came to scheduling competitions during religious holidays. The conference manual then, and now, specifically stated that no conference matches should be scheduled on religious holidays or on Sundays. While this seems like a simple rule, the policy that the league follows is now much more com-

plicated. cially underclassmen or those who do not play as many The problem of scheduling conflicts and religious minutes, may feel uncomfortable asking their teamholidays was discussed at the latest meeting of Athletic mates, coaches and administrators to move an entire Directors, according to Swarthmore’s Associate game on their account and may feel pressured not to Athletic Director Christyn Abaray. They agreed on speak up. what Abaray described as a type of religious indifferThen there is the issue of numbers: how many stuence. Under this policy, the league would schedule dents need to have a conflict before it warrants a game games without taking religious holidays into account reschedule? While Abaray and Athletic Director Adam but would also make it possible for athletic directors to Hertz have said that it would only take one student or reschedule games because of their players’ religious coach to have a religious conflict for a game to be conflicts “without resistance.” This policy would thus moved, there is no way to know if other institutions allow the executive director of the conference to create will be as understanding and as willing to go through the game schedule without having to schedule around the hassle of rescheduling a conference game. both known and unknown religious conflicts, and If conference administrators are going to stick to would avoid appearing callous toward some religions this policy, then they need to have some safeguards in and not others. It would also allow individual institu- place to make sure that the religious beliefs of all of tions the autonomy to their student-athletes are adjust their schedules being protected. Next seaaccording to the conson, for the fall sports of There must be a way to both fit all women’s flicts of their own stufield hockey, dent-athletes. women’s volleyball and conference games into the season While this policy men’s and women’s soccer, and also protect the religious attempts to alleviate there are a total of 29 consome of the headache of ference games scheduled on beliefs of student-athletes coordinating between either Rosh Hashanah or schools with such Yom Kippur. That is a lot of diverse student bodies, games that could have to be it is far from perfect. First of all, it puts the burden of rescheduled, and that is only accounting for one reliasking for religious equality on student-athletes. In gion’s holidays in one athletic season. order to reschedule a game, a student would have to Having to coordinate the schedules and potential recognize that there was a conflict and bring it up with conflicts of so many institutions is a Herculean task, a coach or administrator before the athletic director especially given the other restraints of Division III athcould start the process of having a game moved. letics in which the academics schedule always has to be Completing all three of these is not always easy, and given preference. leaves plenty of places for students to fall between the There must be a way to fit all conference games into cracks. Also, coaches often do not know the religious the season and also protect the religious beliefs of stuaffiliations of their incoming first-years, which may dent-athletes. The new policy is better than that of preleave only a matter of weeks for a game to be resched- vious years when the religious holiday regulation was uled for fall athletes. Additionally, there is the problem merely ignored, but both students and administrators of publicizing the policy; it is not written down any- should continue to work towards a more comprehenwhere that is accessible to students. Religious student- sive policy. athletes may not even know that rescheduling games is Hannah is a senior. You can reach her at a possibility, not to mention that some players, espe- hpurkey1@swarthmore.edu.

Applying survival of the fittest to athletic stamina It all started with a punch in the face.

Well, not exactly a p u n c h ; more like I ran my face into a Andrew Greenblatt defender’s hand durThe Life of Greeny ing basketball practice, but by my semi-black eye, no one can tell the difference.

In the months prior to my pummeling I had become obsessed with CrossFit, a training program whose workouts could turn your grandmother into a BAMF. CrossFit is a combination of the major lifts (squats, deadlifts, power cleans, presses, snatches) and the basics of gymnastics (pull-ups, dips, rope climbs, push-ups, handstands, pirouettes, splits, flips, and holds) done in masochistic combination as fast as humanly possible. As I had been doing CrossFit consistently since September, I liked to consider myself fit, but as I hunched over, hands clasped over my non-bleeding face nursing my non-serious injury, I realized that even though

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I can survive CrossFit, if I’m blindsided by a punch in the face I’m about as dangerous as a turtle. If all it takes is something simple like a punch to render me ineffective, I had to re-evaluate my fitness level.

Somewhere along the way, the definition of being “fit” changed from Darwin’s survival of the fittest, where fitness was the ability to survive and procreate to … well, I have no idea.

Somehow fitness became relative, especially with sports.

However, relativity applies to nature as well. It takes a different type of “fitness” in the Darwinian sense to survive in the tundra than it does in the rain forest. But, what if it was possible to survive in both the tundra and the rain forest? It would be pretty sweet to be able to play basketball and baseball. At least Michael Jordan thought so. While we can only live in one environment at a time, and most of us only play one sport, there’s a lot to be gained from generality. In fact, Darwin would have appreciated it, except he called it adaptability.

A species of flower could dominate a particular ecosystem in certain conditions, but slightly change the environment, or introduce a competitive species and if it failed to adapt, the flower would go extinct. My question to marathon runners, or any highly spe-

cialized athletes, isn’t whether or not they’re in shape, but “what else can you do?” As an athlete, what else can you do?

So, what use does a marathon runner have for a jump shot, and what use does a lion have for tree climbing? Both can run down their respective prey sufficiently enough to survive. The answer is nothing, in both cases, but lions and marathon runners need stamina, flexibility, balance and coordination. We all need to breathe and to hydrate. There are physical needs in this world that are universal, and I believe there are certain skills and strengths that are universal too.

There are lots of critics of this perspective but I’ll go ahead and say it anyway: I believe there is such a thing as ultimate fitness. Darwin would believe that the most successful species is the one that spread the furthest, multiplied the most and has demonstrated the ability to survive in the most diverse range of environments. The “fittest” species mastered the most general of survival skills and applied them specifically under a range of different circumstances. Why shouldn’t we approach fitness the same way? As athletes, I believe we should be mastering the most general skills, the skills that will help us in every sport: the aforementioned stamina, flexibility, balance

February 3, 2011

and coordination, plus strength, power, speed, agility and accuracy, and only then should we shift our focus to applying them specifically.

There’s also something thrilling about this kind of training. Sport-specific training isn’t bad or wrong, it’s just a little boring, isn’t it?

I mean, I can play basketball and a little punch in the face shut me down.

What if I were being chased by a bear and hit my head on a tree branch? Do you think the bear would care that I had mean cross over dribble? No, he’d probably just eat me. We can play our sports all we want but in the end, we’ll be narrowing our abilities rather than expanding them.

I want to get back to the most primal definition of fitness that I can possibly apply to sports. Personally, I believe CrossFit is a good start, but it’s not enough. Yoga, running, plyometrics, swimming and maybe even boxing would round me out.

While it takes a different type of fitness to be a good basketball player than it does to be a good baseball player, and some people want to lose a few pounds while others want rock-hard abs in the club, we’ve still lost sight of the prime definition of fitness: the ability to survive.

Andrew is a junior. You can reach him at agreen3@swarthmore.edu.

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Men’s basketball loses to Bullets, green terror

BY DANIEL DUNCAN dduncan1@swarthmore.edu

Despite one of its more consistent stretches of offensive play this season, the Swarthmore men’s basketball team found itself swamped with impressive performances from its opponents. The Garnet (5-14, 2-10 CC before Wednesday’s game against Muhlenberg) fell to the Gettysburg Bullets and McDaniel Green Terror.

Will Gates ’13 and Jay Kober ’14 led the Garnet with 23 and 10 points, respectively, in the 72-59 loss to Gettysburg on Saturday. They were aided by seven assists from Jordan Martinez ’13, who also grabbed a team-high four rebounds.

The Garnet played competitively to start off, leading by seven points about six minutes into the game. But for the rest of the half, Gettysburg dominated, making ten shots in eleven minutes. By the end of the half, Gettysburg led the Garnet 4230. The Bullets put on a clinic for the rest of the game, shooting 67.4 percent from the field — just missing a Centennial Conference record.

Easy penetration undoubtedly helped, as Gettysburg scored 40 points in the paint.

Eugene Prymak ’13 agreed that Gettysburg played strong basketball and that it was difficult

The Green Terror grabbed 43 rebounds, the for the Garnet to hold the Bullets defensively.

“Many of their points, especially in the first half, Garnet 21. McDaniel led the Garnet by 32 at one were off of uncontested layups. A lot of these point in the game.

On a brighter note, the Garnet’s shooting was layups came from penetration from the outside by at its most consistent level since the beginning of nearly everybody on their team.”

On Monday, Swarthmore traveled to McDaniel the season. Swarthmore shot above 40 percent to make up last week’s game that was twice from the field in consecutive games for the first time since the first three derailed by snow. games of the year.

Toward the end of a close Defense was a problem first half, the Green Terror again, however.

After went on a 19-3 tear to blow “McDaniel’s strong run at Gettysburg’s stunning shootopen the game. They then the end of the first half ing display, the Garnet then cruised to a 69-43 win. allowed McDaniel to shoot Prymak said it was hard completely changed the 53.1 percent from the field. to mentally get into the game tone of the game ... ” The porous play overshadafter McDaniel’s strong owed the solid offensive opening run. “McDaniel’s Eugene Prymak ’13 effort. run at the end of the first The Garnet faced the half completely changed the Muhlenberg Mules on tone of the game; we went from being still right in the game to down by 20 Wednesday, with play delayed by an hour and a half due to a campus-wide power outage. points.”

The Garnet heads to Johns Hopkins on Gates led the Garnet with 17 points, giving him 775 for his career — the most career points in two Saturday, where it looks to snap its losing streak years for a Swarthmore player. His performance and avenge a 67-53 loss earlier in the season. was perhaps the only bright spot in a game other- Assuming no winter storms occur, tip-off will be at 1 p.m. wise dominated by McDaniel.

Bullets shatter swim teams, men pick up first loss the year and the fastest Swarthmore women’s 200 in the past two seasons by any swimmer not named Anne Miller.

It is often said that all good things Junior Dante Fuoco’s 200 breaststroke must come to an end, and for the (2:22.93) was his fastest in the year, and Swarthmore men’s swim team, that in terms of Garnet performances this proverb rang true on Saturday. The season is second only to swims by previously undefeated Garnet boys Sterling Satterfield ’11, reigning lost to Conference competitor Conference silver medalist in the Gettysburg College for the first time event. Tim Brevart ’12 set a seasonsince Nov. 14, 2009, finding themselves best in his signature 50 freestyle on on the short end of a decisive 121-84 Saturday, touching in 21.95. defeat at the hands of the Bullets. The Distance specialist SaSa Bedolfe ’11 loss dropped the men to 5-1 on the year indicated that the teams are focused on (3-1 in conference competition) with their Championship goals as opposed two meets to go before the all-impor- to the Gettysburg meet. “The men are tant Conference Championships kick hoping to win first place and the off on Feb. 18. women are looking to place in the top The women also took a bullet, three,” Bedolfe said. “We’re already falling to Gettysburg 142-63. They are counting down the days to Conferences now 4-3 on the season (3-2 in confer- and the team is approaching it with a ence). lot of energy and motivation.”

Head coach Sue Davis summed up Maggie Regan ’14 echoed Bedolfe’s the discrepancy optimism, citing between the recent fast Gettysburg meet swims as a sign and the rest of of the team’s “From now until the men’s season readiness.

Conferences, our spirits with a bottom“Many of us are line look at the still going at or are only going to get results. “We got around our best higher ...” beat,” Davis in-season times said. “We lost and some people Maggie Regan ’14 three or four are even beating points in the those times,” middle of the Regan said. “I meet that we shouldn’t have.” Mostly, think that doing this well in races at however, she attributed the loss to the this point in the season is really great strength of the opponent. “Gettysburg and the whole team is starting to get threw out the only lineup that could really psyched up. I think the team have beaten us. They were just the bet- looks really strong going into conferter team on that particular day,” she ences.” said.

Davis said that she’s seen some Regardless, however, of a single “great performances” so far and loss, both teams are showing that they expects to see more as Conferences are successfully gearing up for the draw closer. “Tyler Hanson [’13] set the Championship meet. Although the pool record [at Gettysburg] in the 1000 team scores were not ideal, many indi- freestyle,” she said. “I’ve been seeing vidual times on Saturday were the season bests, lifetime bests … we’re fastest they have been all season. just starting to taper, it takes a while Erin Lowe ’14 won the 200 freestyle for the rest to catch up to us. in a time of 1:59.99, the fastest swim of [Gettysburg was] definitely not a setBY ANA APOSTOLERIS aaposto1@swarthmore.edu

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back. 98 percent of our kids swam great.”

“I don’t consider Gettysburg a setback at all,” Regan said. “We knew that it was going to be a hard meet and while it did not end in our favor, we still swam extremely well. Therefore, I think of it as more of a motivator for us, so that we can prepare, mentally and physically, for the challenges that we will face at Conferences.”

Bedolfe concurred with her teammate’s and coach’s assessment of the Gettysburg meet, and also foresaw great upcoming success due to training patterns. “In the run-up to Conferences, we’re going to see some huge improvements due to [tapering],” she said, “so the score in this week’s dual meet doesn’t necessarily reflect

how we will do in the championships.”

As the dual meet schedule winds down, the ante kicks up with Conferences approaching. In the next two weeks, the Garnet teams will face Washington and Dickinson. The Dickinson meet at Ware Pool on February 5 will also feature Senior Day ceremonies, honoring the swimming Class of 2011.

So close to the year’s biggest meet, however, is no time for reflection. “We realize that we are now stronger and faster,” Regan said. “From now until Conferences, our spirits are only going to get higher, no matter what happens in the meets against Dickinson and Washington … and we are going to go to Conferences and show the other teams what we are made of.”

garnet athlete of the week

February 3, 2011

Kenyetta Givans jr., tracK & field, conshohocKen, pa.

What she’s done: the junior earned herself a first place finish in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 8.67, a season best. Givans also came in third place in the 400 meter dash (1:02.22).

favorite career moment: “indoor conferences last year when i won the 55-meter dash from the unseeded heat and took home two gold medals.”

season Goals: “to beat my best time and make it to nationals.”

favorite tv shoW: Jakob Mrozewski Phoenix Staff

“i recently became very addicted to dexter; it’s so good.”

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Sports

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Women’s basketball loses to Muhlenberg Mules

BY RENEE FLORES rflores1@swarthmore.edu The Swarthmore women’s basketball team faced off against Gettysburg in a home game on Saturday, coming away the victor 64-47, snapping the 11-game losing streak to the Bullets since 2005. But, the Garnet dropped last night’s home game against Muhlenburg 76-63, dropping them to (12-8, 8-7 CC).

It was a first-year showing on Saturday, when Kayla Moritzky ’14 and Katie Lytle ’14 scored 15 and 12 points for the team. Moritzky added five-of-eight three pointers to play, while Lytle managed nine rebounds, a game-high four steals and three blocks.

Ceylan Bodur ’11 needed five points to reach 1,000 career points. However, Bodur fell short just one point, finishing the game with four points. “It just sucks, but I do not want to sound like a player who cares so much about stats. 999 is still high — it’s disappointing, but it is still an accomplishment,” Bodur said.

Bodur scored the first four points for the Garnet in Saturday’s game, injuring her knee and leaving halfway through the first half of play. “It’s really serious. I tore my ACL and partially tore my MCL. It might be the end of my basketball career,” Bodur said, after seeing the trainer.

Bodur’s teammates and Coach DeVarney echoed sentiments that losing Bodur at this point in the season and her career is a terrible loss to the team.

“It’s just the last thing in the world that you expect to happen. She’s strong, practical and the emotional heart of the team. She knows what’s happened and what that means,” DeVarney said. “[Ceylan] is like my daughter here. I cried for her, and I don’t cry often. I cried for her, not for what the team is missing, but for her — being a senior and one point from 1000.”

After the game, the team knew they had accomplished something great in their win against Gettysburg, but knew at the same time that they just lost someone very important to the team. “[Ceylan] was our inspiration,” fellow senior Summer Miller-Walfish said.

The first half was slow going for both teams, and Gettysburg only managed to score 20 points, shooting 20 percent from the field. The Garnet finished with a seven point lead going into the half.

Entering into the second half, Gettysburg got the ball rolling with the first two points, but the Garnet soon saw a turn in fortune. Lytle entered the game less than two minutes later, blocking a shot from the Bullets, feeding a pass to Brittany Schmelz ’12 to make the points for Swat.

Lytle made another strong showing when, minutes later, she made a steal to set up the first of three Moritzky threepointers in the second half, putting the team at 36-24 with 15 minutes on the clock.

Genny Pezzola ’12 followed the threepoint trend, draining one from behind the long range on the next possession.

Eliza Polli ’13 recorded another threepointer in less than a minute of entering play.

Lytle and Moritzky took over for seven minutes of play, combing for another five three-pointers, two and three respectively. In the second half, Swarthmore shot 62 percent from behind the arc, while preventing the Bullets from scoring in the long range, holding Gettysburg to only one triple in the game.

“I was really impressed. I would like to know that I’m leaving the program in good hands, and I think they proved that to us. I feel confident,” Miller-Walfish said about the first-years’ performance against Gettysburg.

“They’re the last piece of the puzzle, the last thing we needed to be a good team; it just clicked [in the Gettysburg game],” Sarah Brajtbord ’11 said.

“Muhlenburg just lost to Hopkins. We know when a team loses, they come out fired up. We expect they will be very focused,” Bodur said. The team understands that Muhlenburg would put up a strong fight to win, and they certainly came in with their game faces on.

The women started off strong against Muhlenburg last night, playing a strong offense and battling it out with the Mules from the very beginning. Kathryn Stockbower headed into the half with ten points already under her belt, and less than a minute into the second half, managed to reach her 79th double-double, tying for the most double-doubles in a career in NCAA history.

Stockbower and Nicole Rizzo ’12 led the team in points, 14 and 13 respectively.

Stockbower added 14 rebounds, and firstyear Katie Lytle added another 5 rebounds.

In the second half, the Swarthmore women struggled to keep up with the Mules, falling to a gap as much as 14 points, falling behind five minutes into the half and not being able to come back from it.

“We are definitely a team of streaks; when we’re hot, we are hot,” Bodur said.

However, the streak ended last night, but the team hopes not to lapse back into a slump, and head into the next game with the fire to win.

The Swarthmore women’s basketball team returns to action on Saturday, February 5 when they travel to Johns Hopkins. Action is set to begin at 3 p.m.

Paul Chung Phoenix Staff

Women’s basketball suffered a loss to the Muhlenburg Mules, despite their victory over Gettysburg Bullets. In the below image, Katie Lytle shoots a three-pointer.

GARNET iN AcTiON Wednesday, February 9 Women’s basketball at Washington College, 6 p.m.

Men’s basketball at Washington College, 8 p.m.

saturday, February 5 Track & field at Haverford Keough Invitational, 11 a.m.

Men’s basketball at Johns Hopkins, 1 p.m.

Women’s basketball at Johns Hopkins, 3 p.m.

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GO GARNET! February 3, 2011

THE PHOENiX