2009-09-28

Mostly Sunny 76/55

THE TUFTS DAILY

TUFTSDAILY.COM

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2009

VOLUME LVIII, NUMBER 12

Where You Read It First Est. 1980

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GABRIELLE HERNANDEZ Contributing Writer

Gray skies and light rain did not deter Tufts’ extended family from gathering yesterday on the Academic Quad for the university’s seventh annual Community Day. Approximately 1,400 people from Tufts and the surrounding residential community attended the open event, which was cosponsored by Tufts’ Office of Community Relations and the cities of Medford and Somerville.

The main stage featured performances by 10 student groups, among them the a capella groups Essence and sQ!, the Tufts Tap Ensemble and the step team BlackOut. A side stage offering entertainment for the younger members of the audience fea-

BY

MATT REPKA

Daily Editorial Board

Tufts Community Union (TCU) President Brandon Rattiner criticized the administration’s handling of a recent change to the school’s alcohol policy, saying in his State of the TCU address on Sept. 20 that administrators did not seek student input before making a decision.

But he softened his tone in a subsequent interview, saying he was optimistic that the university would involve students in future decisions.

“The adoption of huge changes

without proper student consultation — like the recent move to have first [alcohol] violation offenses lead to probation one — is disingenuous and shows a lack of respect for student input,” Rattiner said in the speech, referring to the policy instituted at the start of the semester.

The policy mandates that students punished for drinking illegally immediately receive levelone disciplinary probation, or pro-one, rather than the warning they used to get. A second offense now triggers level-two disciplinary probation, or pro-two, which includes parental notification and a number of restrictions on conduct.

Rattiner pledged in his

Check out tuftsdaily.com for a slideshow of pictures from the various events at Community Day.

see COMMUNITY, page 2

AALOK KANANI/TUFTS DAILY

TCU President Brandon Rattiner, right, shown here at a Senate meeting.

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Students interacted with local children on the Quad for Community Day.

Chi Omega hosts hoops for charity Chi Omega sisters and basketball enthusiasts came together on Saturday in Gantcher Center to participate in the annual Swishes for Wishes basketball tournament.

The tournament, which benefits the Make-A-Wish foundation, is one of Chi Omega’s biggest fundraisers.

The sorority raised close to $800 for the charity, according to Chi Omega President Alisa Brennan, a junior.

“It went really well, and we raised a lot of money,” Brennan said.

Chi Omega’s national branch announced an alliance with the Make-A-Wish foundation in 2002.

Tufts’ chapter has continued to raise money for the foundation through its annual basketball tournament.

Each member of the basketball teams paid a $5 fee to enter into the tournament.

Since Swishes for Wishes is not a new event, planning was fairly straightforward. Chi Omega sisters tabled at Carmichael and DewickMacPhie dining halls and created a Facebook.com group to popularize the event.

Saturday afternoon’s competition featured a five-on-five pickup tournament which involved twenty-one teams. Teams opted to play either competitively or non-competitively. The team Big Cats was the winner of the competitive league and played against the Sigma Nu Fraternity team to claim the championship.

While most of the participants were male, there was an all-female Chi Omega team.

Senior David Mok, a member of the Big Cats, enjoyed the general atmosphere of the tournament.

“I thought it was really well organized, and I thought it was

WILL YU/TUFTS DAILY

Students rested during the benefit. great having all the Chi Omega sorority girls out there cheering us on. It was great,” Mok said.

The Big Cats played a total of six games and won the final game in overtime by three points to take the championship, Mok said.

Chi Omega also held a raffle during the tournament, with prizes including gift certificates to local restaurants. Proceeds also went to Make-A-Wish.

— by Saumya Vaishampayan

see ALCOHOL, page 2

New renovations at 51 Winthrop create sought-after event BY

AMELIE HECHT

Contributing Writer

AALOK KANANI/TUFTS DAILY

The building at 51 Winthrop Street is now a multipurpose space open to campus organizations.

Inside this issue

The newly renovated building at 51 Winthrop Street is already attracting attention from student groups looking for space to host events and student-led activities.

Located across the street from the Interfaith Center, the building is now one of the largest multi-purpose spaces on campus. At 8,100 total square feet, the building can accommodate up to 300 people at a stand-up reception and 180 people when organized for formal dining.

The university purchased the building in 2004 from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, which operated it as the Sacred Heart Church. Construction began in late spring 2008 and was officially completed in January.

The facility opened to members of the Tufts community, including students, academic departments and alumni groups, in the early part of second semester last year. Several university departments and the Office for Campus Life have used the space for events.

As word continues to spread, 51 Winthrop Street is growing more popular among various groups. According to Director of Conferences and Summer Programs Paul Tringale, the building is already booked through next spring with university social activities, seminars and small exhibits.

Student groups began using the facility more this fall. Tufts Hillel recently held its conservative Rosh Hashanah services in the space, and will use the building again for today’s Yom Kippur services.

Associate Director of Hillel Lenny Goldstein is pleased with the new space. “The building offers lots and lots of flexibility,” Goldstein said. “It’s a large, warm, bright, flexible space, and equipped well.”

As is often the case with the renting of Tufts-owned buildings, a user fee is charged to all groups renting the facility, with users in university departments and student groups paying a slightly reduced fee.

Before construction began, the adminissee FACILITY, page 2

Today’s Sections

Is marijuana less harmful to the brain than alcohol? A new study offers original insights.

The volleyball team won the MIT Invitational for the second year in a row, beating Williams in the championship match.

see FEATURES, page 3

see SPORTS, back page

News Features Arts & Living Editorial | Letters

1 3 5 8

Op-Ed Comics Sports

9 10 Back

THE TUFTS DAILY

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NEWS

Monday, September 28, 2009

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COMMUNITY

address that the Senate would act to preserve student input in discussions about the alcohol policy and protect students against perceived unilateral action by the administration.

“We will not be a mere rubber stamp of student approval,” he said of the Senate.

But in an interview with the Daily days after the speech, Rattiner seemed to soften his position, saying he had not meant to denounce the administration, but to articulate his hopes for the future.

“The reason I felt it necessary to include that [part of the speech] was to reiterate the Senate’s position,” he said. “It wasn’t meant to be a threat, and it wasn’t meant to suggest that the administration is going to be dishonest about this process. It was just meant in a positive way to reinforce what the students need.”

Rattiner added that students need to take ownership of the fact that they created the need for a change in policy. “The administration doesn’t just start a conversation like this on its own,” he said. “We push them to a point, and we need to realize that.”

Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman acknowledged the need for student feedback in dealing with policy. “I know Brandon feels there are other approaches possible to addressing the culture of dangerous drinking,” Reitman said.

“There may be alternative ways to approach [the issue].”

But Reitman reiterated his firm belief in the need for stricter guidelines on alcohol use. “I will be open-minded to different ways to approach this issue, but we’re not going to abandon the new effort,” Reitman said.

The new regulation has drawn

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tured performances by the children’s theater troupe Traveling Treasure Trunk and magicians.

Children decorated Jumbo masks and picture frames, painted pumpkins and iced cookies. Student volunteers from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) helped with face painting and portrait drawing for youngsters.

Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel was undaunted by the damp weather. “We looked around and said, ‘Let’s just go for it,’” she said.

All festivities were held outside. Plans call for the event to be held rain or shine, with cancelation a possibility only in the event of severe weather.

“I think we lose a lot when we move indoors,” Vice President of University Relations Mary Jeka said. “One year, we had almost torrential rain, but people stayed out and just congregated under the tents. It was amazing.”

The event enlisted the help of close to 60 organizations, including many non-Tufts groups based in the surrounding communities. Among others, Tufts Emergency Medical Services, Medford Health Matters, and the Somervillebased immigrant-advocacy organization Centro Presente had booths at the event. Though the forecast forced some groups to cancel, most weathered the storm, bringing along tents and umbrellas.

Other activities veered more toward the academic side. The chemistry department’s Xtreme Analytical Chemistry booth exhibited three-dimensional images of Mars, DNA puzzles and molecule building.

Many attendees reported bringing their children to the Hill year after year for the festivities.

“This is our third year coming,” Somerville resident Rachel Hamilton told the Daily. “It’s fun, something to do with the kids … It’s been really nice, even with the rain.”

Though many of the activities were geared toward young children, the event attracted community members of all ages.

Phillis and Guy Salvo, a couple from the Medford area, have a longstanding acquaintance with Tufts; their youngest daughter graduated three decades ago.

“We’ve been coming out to Community Day for a couple years now,” Guy Salvo told the Daily.

“Good food, excellent food.”

Rubel said the event helps local residents who are unfamiliar with Tufts get a better feel for

their university neighbor.

“I’m often amazed to talk to people who grew up around campus and have never been here,” she said. “When [University President Lawrence] Bacow became president, he really helped to open up the campus. We really love doing it.”

Bacow and Somerville Alderman-at-Large Jack Connolly masterminded the event seven years ago as a way to forge better relations between Tufts and the surrounding community.

“A lot of people don’t know [the Tufts] campus at all,” Connolly told the Daily. “All they know is getting chased out of the gym or off the tennis courts.

The idea was, ‘Let’s invite the neighborhood onto campus.’

We all share the community together.”

The idea was put into action quickly. In 2003, the gathering saw moderate success, garnering about 250 community members.

“Every year, we get more sophisticated with it,” Jeka said.

“Once we figured out how to advertise it, the turnout has gotten bigger every year.”

Bacow praised the way the event showcases students. “[Community Day] gives the outside community the opportunity to see our students in a whole variety of settings, as volunteers, as student performers,” he told the Daily yesterday.

Though Tufts advertises the event on local cable channels and newspapers, Rubel said that a lot of the press for Community Day comes from the event-goers themselves.

“A lot of it is word-of-mouth,” she said. “People tell their friends and their neighbors, and pretty soon they’re all here.”

Senior Marie Cole has been a Community Day volunteer for a number of years, and sees it as a chance for Tufts students to become acquainted with their neighbors.

“I love getting to know people in the community,” Cole said. “I feel like we live in this bubble at Tufts, and while some groups on campus get to do community outreach, this is a great chance for our community to get to know us and vice versa. It’s a nice mixing of worlds; we need more of that.”

Sophomore Sasha deBeausset saw it as a chance to escape from the stresses of school. “It’s a nice break from typical Tufts life, with all the academics,” she said. “I love it, the kids are happy. And if they’re not, we can make them happy.”

ALCOHOL

continued from page 1

some criticism because alcohol violations are often dispensed after alcohol-related calls to Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS). The new policy’s critics say that the threat of probation could discourage people from calling TEMS when an intoxicated friend is in need.

“There’s a perception that a good friend is someone who will call TEMS when you’re drunk. I’d like to redefine that — a good friend is someone who doesn’t let you get to the point of having to call TEMS,” Reitman said.

Reitman said that the biggest catalyst for changing the alcohol policy has been the increasing severity of hospitalized students’ conditions.

According to Reitman, while the number of students requiring transport to hospitals for alcohol sickness has remained constant, the seriousness of hospitalized students’ drunkenness has been a cause of “grave concern” to hospital staff.

“It’s reaching a stage where there needs to be intervention,” Reitman said. “I don’t want someone to die.”

Reitman said that his goal for the new alcohol policy is not to crack down on students but to change the “culture of dangerous drinking” on campus.

“My goal is not to give people disciplinary problems,” he said. “It’s to change the culture of students seeing getting smashed as a good evening activity.”

According to Reitman, there was “a great deal of student input” in administration meetings held last spring regarding the alcohol policy and major university events. He counted students from the Senate Executive Board, Programming Board, TEMS and “residential staff” among those present.

TCU Vice President Antonella Scarano, who attended some of the meetings in her capacity as a

member of the Senate Executive Board last year, told the Daily that the meetings focused primarily on alcohol abuse during Spring Fling.

“We didn’t really discuss anything but Spring Fling,” said Scarano, a senior.

Rattiner and Reitman have met several times since the beginning of the school year as part of regular meetings between the Senate Executive Board and administration members.

Reitman said the administration looks forward to receiving recommendations from the Alcohol Task Force, which was chartered by the administration and includes students, to guide a steering committee in further evaluating the alcohol policy. As TCU president, Rattiner is one of several student representatives on the Alcohol Task Force and the only student on the steering committee.

Rattiner supported the university’s intentions in creating the new policy and said he is hopeful the administration will solicit more student opinion going forward. “I do have 100 percent faith in the intentions and actions of the people I’ve spoken with,” he said. “I know for a fact that they really are committed to involving the students.”

Scarano agreed that students will play an even more involved role this year. “I’m pretty confident that there will be student involvement, because this year’s Senate seems so heavily involved and interested in the issue,” she said. “It’s definitely a Senate priority, and we’ll make sure student input is heard loud and clear.”

Reitman said that the administration is committed to involving students in decisions about other major events going forward, including Winter Bash and Spring Fling.

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tration considered several courses of action for the building, including transforming the space into a full-service conference center.

Planning revealed that this option would be too expensive for the university’s budget.

“We came out with a very viable and respectable but simple, multifunction space that would serve the broadest range of community needs and stay within a reasonable budget,” Tringale said in an e-mail.

Goldstein said that the university was in need of additional space that could fill many needs. “Just having another option on campus is a very big deal,” Goldstein said. “Tufts doesn’t have enough large spaces.”

The architects took several steps, such as removing the heavy millwork and stained glass windows, to

transform the building into a more secular meeting place. “We knew the building by the nature of its design and shape looked like a church,” Vice President for Operations John Roberto said. “But what we tried to do was get rid of the obvious religious elements.”

Before construction began, all the church records were moved to nearby parishes and the church was formally deconsecrated by the archdiocese. “The architectural elements of the former church are evident, but certainly none of the religious symbols or furnishings is evident,” Tringale said.

Renovations included revamping the building’s exterior, renovating the roof, replacing the floors and windows and making the facility handicap accessible. Workers also improved the building’s air conditioning, electricity, security

and plumbing systems, according to Director of Construction Management Mitchell Bodnarchuk.

Goldstein said one of the building’s shortcomings was its acoustics. “Sound is a bit of a challenge because the interior is made up of a lot of hard surfaces,” Goldstein said.

Roberto said the university had not appropriated money for improving the acoustics during construction but is increasingly seeing a need for it and is addressing this.

“Since we have begun using the space, it has become evident that we need some adjustments to accommodate the acoustics in the large open space,” Roberto said.

New sound absorbent panels are currently being manufactured and are expected to be installed in early December.

Visiting the Hill this week TUESDAY US-IRANIAN ENGAGEMENT WITH AMBASSADOR LUERS Details: Ambassador William Luers will discuss the prospects of U.S.-Iranian engagement for the Obama administration. Luers, former president of the United Nations Association of the USA, has been a member of the Foreign Service for 31 years and previously served as ambassador to Czechoslovakia and Venezuela.

When and Where: 8 p.m.; Barnum 008 Sponsor: The Institute of Global Leadership’s EPIIC Program

WEDNESDAY LUNCH AND LEARN: ISRAELI COLONEL KOBI MAROM Details: Israeli Colonel Kobi Marom will discuss the threat posed to the international community by Iran’s nuclear capabilities, and the nation’s ties to Hezbollah. Marom offered

the Israeli perspective to a number of media outlets during the 2006 Lebanon War. Free lunch included.

When and Where: 12 p.m.; Eaton 206 Sponsor: Committee for Accurate Middle East Reporting in America BRAZIL-USA: BILATERAL, REGIONAL, AND GLOBAL DIMENSIONS Details: Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, ambassador of Brazil to the United States, will deliver the Charles Francis Adam lecture, discussing Brazil and U.S. relations as Brazil takes on an increasingly prominent role in international organizations. Reservations required.

When and Where: 12:30 p.m.; Chase Center, Carmichael Hall PAKISTAN’S WAR WITHIN: THE SWAT OPERATION AND BEYOND Details: A panel of speakers, including distinguished Pakistani analysts Moeed Yusuf and Osama Siddique, will discuss the challenges

Pakistan faces in its ongoing war against militants, particularly in the Swat region. Moderated

by History Professor Ayesha Jalal, director of the Center for South Asian and Indian Ocean Studies.

When and Where: 6 p.m.; Cabot 206 Sponsor: Tufts South Asian Political Action Committee, the Center for South Asian and Indian Ocean Studies, the Institute of Global Leadership’s EPIIC Colloquium RONALD CROEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP LECTURE Details: Ronald Croen (A ‘76) is the founder of Nuance Communications, a leading provider of speech and imaging technology. He will speak on entrepreneurship and what is needed to turn an idea into a successful business.

When and Where: 6:30 p.m.; 51 Winthrop Street Sponsor: Tufts University Alumni Association, Entrepreneurial Leadership Department

HOPE FOR ARIANG

Details: Gabriel Bol Deng, one of the “Lost

Boys of Sudan” and founder of the non-profit Hope for Ariang organization, will talk about his life in Sudan, his experiences in Sudanese refugee camps, and his fight to provide educational opportunities and health services to the people of Sudan.

When and Where: 7:30 p.m.; Sophia Gordon Multipurpose Room Sponsor: Delta Tau Delta

THURSDAY RICHARD E. SNYDER PRESIDENTIAL LECTURE: FREEMAN DYSON Details: Renowned physicist and mathematician Freeman Dyson will deliver this semester’s Snyder Lecture, a speech entitled “Nukes and Genomes: Two Genies Out of the Bottle.”

When and Where: 4:30 p.m.; ASEAN Auditorium Sponsor: Office of the President

Features

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tuftsdaily.com

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DEREK SCHLOM

Contributing Writer

Before you down that fifth shot of Jägermeister, you might want to fire up a joint. Research shows that compared with alcohol, marijuana causes less brain damage.

In a study completed at the University of California, San Diego, the results of which were published in the current issue of the scientific journal “Neurotoxicology and Teratology,” researchers examined the white brain matter of 42 teenage participants. The participants were placed into three groups: those classified as binge drinkers (defined in this case as males who consume five or more drinks in one sitting and females who consume four or more), binge drinkers who also smoked marijuana “regularly” and a control group of those who neither drank nor smoked.

The binge drinkers displayed lower fractional anisotropy (FA) scores — indicating white brain matter damage — in all eight sections of the brain than the control groups, whereas the second group (those who also smoked marijuana) had lower FA scores than the control in only three sections.

Additionally, in a finding the researchers termed “surprising,” the second group had higher FA scores than the first in seven of the brain sections.

So, how are the experts reacting to these findings? Mason Tvert, coauthor of “Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?” and executive director of the marijuana legalization advocacy group Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, sees validation in the results.

“I find it ironic that marijuana can actually protect you from alcohol,” he said. “It’s just one more way in which marijuana is safer than alcohol, and I hope this dispels the myth that marijuana kills brain cells when it’s actually protecting brain cells from damage.

Marijuana gives a temporary euphoric effect, whereas binge drinking causes long-term permanent damage.”

Tvert’s message is apparently reaching the masses: “Marijuana is Safer” climbed as high as No. 14 on Amazon. com’s bestseller list following the publication of the UC San Diego study.

JAMES CHOCA/TUFTS DAILY

A controversial new study found that smoking marijuana may improve brain functions.

In a press release, Tvert’s “Marijuana is Safer” co-author, Steve Fox (LA ’90), who is also the director of state campaigns for the advocacy group Marijuana Policy Project, defended his belief that the use of marijuana is less harmful than that of alcohol.

“This study suggests that not only is marijuana safer than alcohol, it may actually protect against some of the damage that booze causes,” Fox’s press release read. “It’s far better for teens not to drink or smoke marijuana, but our nation’s leaders sent a dangerous message by defending laws that encourage the use of alcohol over marijuana.”

However, the study doesn’t quite live up to press reports heralding the findings as a definitive sign of marijuana’s benefits, according to Dr. Klaus Miczek, director of the Behavioral Core of the Neuroscience Research Center at the Tufts’ Sackler School of Biomedical Studies. Miczek isn’t convinced of any causal link between marijuana usage and a lesser degree of binge drinkinginduced brain damage.

“The imaging study represents a very preliminary study that correlates imag-

ing data with the diagnosis of binge drinking plus past marijuana use,” Miczek said. “It certainly does not present a causal relationship. [The press] got carried away with this story.”

Yet the study, regardless of its preliminary nature, does shed light on an ongoing debate — one with potential implications for university policy — over the safety and potential health benefits of marijuana, particularly in the wake of the decriminalization of the substance in the state of Massachusetts last November.

“This kind of begs the question of why current college policies make marijuana an equal or more of a serious offense than alcohol, which drive people to drink, when they might otherwise make a safer choice like marijuana,” Tvert said. “This study should put off an alarm in the heads of universities.”

At Tufts, the current marijuana policy considers possession of the drug as roughly equivalent to underage alcohol consumption, Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman said in an intersee MARIJUANA, page 4

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Daily Editorial Board

Spending yet another night at a sweaty, freshmen-filled Tufts frat party is always a blast, but those Jumbos looking to get the heck off campus should consider hitting Drink, a new bar in Boston opened by famous Beantown chef Barbara Lynch. Drink is one of the newest incarnations of the speakeasy trend that has hit major cities in recent years. During Prohibition, speakeasies were hidden, underground establishments that illegally sold alcohol — today, alcohol is legal, but the speakeasy concept hasn’t gone out of vogue.

Why are people flocking to speakeasies? It seems that in today’s world, where we are inundated with advertisements, there is something appealing about a place that wants to keep itself a secret. Clubs often try to appear mysterious, but their clientele, who wear mini-dresses and stilettos and perform a sort of sex-dance on the floor, often leaves very little to the imagination. Elegant, exclusive speakeasy bars, on the other hand, allow one to spend a low-key night chatting with friends or a date. At these places, sexual tension is created over con-

It’s what’s underneath that counts

T

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JESSIE BORKAN | COLLEGE IS AS COLLEGE DOES O S

versation and chemistry, rather than through raunchy dancing.

Speakeasies have been “hot spots” in Manhattan for the past few years.

Well-known joints include Death & Co. and Please Don’t Tell, or PDT, a bar on St. Mark’s Place that requires reservations and is accessed by entering through a phone booth in Crif Dogs, a cheap hot dog place. A speakeasy in the East Village, Angel’s Share, is located through an exclusive Japanese restaurant in which the maximum party size is four and you can’t get served unless you are seated. At Angel’s Share, you’ll never have to worry about fighting other customers for the bartender’s attention, getting separated from your friends amidst the crowd, or having to shout in order to have a conversation.

While sexy and mysterious bars suit New York’s nightlife, Boston is better known for its casual pubs, so one might understandably approach a Bostonbased speakeasy with skepticism. In truth, Drink is less sexy and less mysterious than its counterparts in Manhattan.

Whereas the interiors of the aforementioned New York bars cannot be seen by passersby, Drink is located in the partial-basement of a building and its windows look out onto the street. And,

in comparison to the New York bars’ lush and inviting décor, Drink could be described as industrial chic. If not for the warm easy listening music playing, the bar would feel like a spruced-up garage. The clientele at Drink is also noticeably older than college-age.

The primary reason customers come to Drink, however, is for its drinks, and in this regard the establishment does not disappoint.

“This is Barbara Lynch’s and the bar manager John Gertsen’s commitment to quality. John is really into history and looking at the original recipes and trying to share the past,” Drink bartender Joe Staropoli said.

Playing up the speakeasy theme, there is no cocktail menu. When ordering, one tells the bartender what kind of drink he’s in the mood for (fruity, sweet, something with whisky, etc.) and the bartender mixes something up.

According to Staropoli, these touches all contribute to the establishment’s atmosphere.

“For us it’s more about being a cocktail party, rather than being a speakeasy.

We want to have a cocktail party every night,” he said. “If you were a guest at see SPEAKEASY, page 4

his is a lesson that I learned late — far later than most of you probably did — and maybe even dangerously close to too late. This is not surprising; I generally do things late, which, if you have ever had lunch plans with me (or attended my Bat Mitzvah in 2008) you already know. This, however, had waited much too long — so embarrassingly long, in fact, that my best friend advised me not to write this column if I ever wanted to have sex again. Alas, the threat of de facto abstinence has never stopped me before, and I must spread the word now in case there are a few stragglers left to be enlightened.

It all began this summer in the dressing room I was sharing with my friend. I was trying to decide whether the skirt I was wearing was actually a shirt when she let out a horrified gasp. I looked around for the rat that had clearly joined us, until I noticed my friend was staring directly at me. In that moment, I learned a big lesson: You can’t judge a book by its cover, but you can judge it by its underwear.

“Where did you get that?” she yelled, jerking her head at my white scalloped Hanes panties.

“What?” I asked, defensively. “My mom bought them.”

The look on her face was so incredulous that I might as well have just confessed to being a never-nude or watching dolphin porn or something equally scandalous. Like health insurance, underwear has always been in the realm of things that my parents take care of. It just shows up in packages on my bed or in the mail. It is rarely the same (or correct) size, and it is almost always white with cursive writing around the waistband. I never once chose it myself. I knew that a smorgasbord of other, lacier kinds existed; I just thought that it wasn’t available to, or even meant for, me.

I returned to Tufts and came out of the underclothes closet to my less fashion-obsessed housemates, hoping upon hope that their reactions to my trusty low-rise bikinis would be less impassioned. This only led to 15 solid minutes of red-in-the-face, rolling-onthe-kitchen-floor laughter — directed at my crotch. I was so busted.

“I’ve never had a complaint!” I argued in my (panties’) defense.

“Of course not!” my roommate screamed in laughter. “That is just so. Not. The. Point.”

Needless to say, I was marched into Victoria’s Secret the next day. After the initial shock of underwear coming ‘a la carte,’ I bought several pairs so stand-alone attractive that I didn’t want to cover them up — which in my still limited understanding of the attractive underwear phenomenon, may be the point.

Though it took my exceptionally unobservant boyfriend weeks to notice, my roommate was right — that really isn’t what it’s about. Wearing nice underwear is like having a tattoo on your left butt cheek: A select number of people may see it, but it’s not really for them. It is mostly for you, or in this case, me. I was a new woman, one with exceedingly silky and attractively patterned undergarments.

But, stuck as I am in this limbo called young adulthood, I’m not fully a woman yet. It is also worth mentioning that, with the exception of the tack-tastic set of lime green polka-dotted, ruffled thongs I received for my 21st — thanks, friends — lingerie doesn’t come cheap. I’m a college student with greater financial callings than new skivvies, a penchant for avoiding my hamper, and a sentimental streak a mile long. I will never truly part, physically or emotionally, with my Hanes, the Old Yellers of the underwear world. Yesterday, the fledgling grown-up inside me reveled in the fancy, big-girl underthings I was sporting under my clothes, but tonight as I sit here and write this, the eight-year-old inside me is loving my white bikini briefs with the scalloped edges.

And my roommates are still laughing at me.

Jessie Borkan is a senior majoring in psychology. She can be reached at Jessie.

Borkan@tufts.edu.

THE TUFTS DAILY

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FEATURES

Monday, September 28, 2009

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view with the Daily last year.

Some students, perhaps predictably, are in favor of lessening the severity of being caught with marijuana compared to alcohol.

“As of now it’s kind of hazy if there haven’t been any conclusive studies, but if it does have health benefits then it shouldn’t be as serious a thing as drinking,” freshman Krishna Soni said.

Regardless of student opinion or the results of the recent study, Director of Alcohol and Health Education Ian Wong doesn’t foresee any change in disciplinary policies regarding those found in possession of the drug, at least for now.

“Our policy is driven by federal, state and local law,” Wong said.

“Regardless of what the study says, we have to uphold those. We are bound by those rules.”

For Wong, the addictive nature of marijuana is more important than the legal status or potential health benefits of marijuana is its addictive nature.

“What I kind of look at more is the addictive part if it. If it really is restorative, whatever, that’s one thing.

But what I see in students who smoke marijuana is that they never really vandalize things or do anything destructive like students who drink, but they’re failing their classes.”

Though Wong said that

alcohol is more addictive than marijuana, he said that it is nonetheless a drug with potentially harmful side effects.

“What people need to understand is that these are all drugs,” Wong said. “In some ways, alcohol is considered a ‘good’ drug, when heroin and cocaine are ‘bad’ drugs. I don’t know why we categorize them when they all have some benefits, if you will, in some ways, and are all damaging in others, including marijuana.

“As for the issue of, ‘If we let kids smoke marijuana, it’s better than drinking alcohol,’ we have no comment on that. Until the government says it’s legal, marijuana is an illicit drug.”

Still, Wong said that the school is “more lenient than the state” when punishing marijuana possessors.

“We aren’t charging kids $100 [as per the state’s fine for those caught with an ounce or less of marijuana].

You get on Pro[bation] One like everyone else.”

If and when future scientific and medical testing demonstrates marijuana as beneficial and the government responds in kind, the school’s administration will address the issue, according to Wong.

“It’s a very interesting question. What it comes down to is good drugs, bad drugs, what people accept, what people don’t accept.

Times are changing. This is a timely question,” Wong said.

COURTESY VIDIOT, FLICKR, CC

Knock, knock. Who’s there? A bar.

!"#$%&'(&)"*&+&,$#-,)&.+%)&'$&./)&*0)+%)+*1 SPEAKEASY

continued from page 3

my house I wouldn’t hand you a cocktail menu.”

Staropoli and his colleagues prefer to make drinks with natural ingredients.

“First and foremost, when you think about people’s flavors, we look back to the classics before we turn to artificially flavored liquors,” Staropoli said.

“People are turning away from mass production and artificial ingredients and saying we want great people and great drinks.”

When I visited Drink, the bartender was attentive, taking time to talk to each customer. Tufts senior Amanda Nover started the evening with a Tequila Sunrise. I began with the Vodka Hula-Hula with fresh orange juice. The Hula-Hula

had too much vodka in it for a school night, so Staropoli obligingly weakened it.

“I want it to be a good drink for you; it doesn’t matter if it’s a good drink for me,” he said.

Nover said that her favorite part of the night at Drink was the surprise that came with every one of Staropoli’s concoctions.

“When I go to most bars and I order a rum and coke, I know exactly what I’m going to get.

But this adds a fun element of suspense,” Nover said.

For our second drinks, I ordered a traditional (but nonetheless tasty) mojito, and Staropoli made Nover a delicious Maximillian Affair with lemon juice, St. Germain, tequila and sweet vermouth.

For customers polishing off

a second round, the house also offered yummy grilled cheese slices with caramelized onions from their limited but unique bar menu. Other options include chicken liver mousse and buttermilk biscuits with glazed ham and pickled jalapeno oil.

The drinks at Drink were $10-$12 a pop, so it was not a cheap night. But Drink is different than the average bar, and on those nights when one feels like dressing up and venturing outside of Medford/Somerville, it is a worthy option.

Drink is located at 348 Congress St #101 in Boston. To get there, take the Red Line to South Station, pass the Federal Reserve Building, make a right on to Congress Street, cross the bridge, and Drink is down the street to the left.

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Arts & Living

5

tuftsdaily.com

MOVIE REVIEW

CHARLES LAUBACHER | EARS OPEN

Kings of Leon: The underground surfaces

T

ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

Quiet moments make for an intimate family portrait in “Still Walking,”which depicts a family remembering its deceased oldest son.

!"#$%&'()&*('&)*+",(-!*$++(./+0$123(4/'(+"2' BY

ALLEN IRWIN

Still Walking

Contributing Writer

Every fall, when the heyday of the summer blockbuster is over, theaters are flooded with “serious” films. From historical epics to quirky indie dramedies, it is difficult to separate films of genuine quality from shallow prestige pieces. It is even more unfortunate that most moviegoers will probably overlook a mini-masterpiece like “Still Walking” (2008) because of its appar-

Starring Hiroshi Abe, Yui Natsukawa, Kazuya Takahashi Directed by Hirokazu Koreeda ent lack of excitement and drama.

The film, the latest from writerdirector Hirokazu Koreeda (“Nobody Knows,” 2004), is a slow-paced, meticulously composed slice of family life.

The story follows a modern Japanese family over the course of two days as it gathers together to remember the death of its oldest son, who drowned 12 years earlier while saving someone’s life. Long-buried grievances and generational tensions slowly rise to the surface as the family members go about their everyday routines.

There are no long, emotional speeches and no taut confrontations. Mr. Koreeda instead opts for the more realsee WALKING, page 7

TV REVIEW

‘Parks and Recreation' finds its footing in new season BY

BEN PHELPS

Daily Editorial Board

Last season NBC premiered a new comedy. It had a solid pedigree and high expectations, but in its short, six-episode

Parks and Recreation Starring Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari Airs Thurdays at 8:30 p.m. on NBC first season, it had trouble settling into a groove. Luckily, NBC executives didn’t lose hope; they renewed it for a second season, giving the producers a chance to prove that the show was going somewhere.

Sound familiar? That’s because this see PARKS, page 7

TV.YAHOO.COM

Would you entrust your parks to these people? We wouldn’t either.

ALBUM REVIEW

A Fine Frenzy still stuck in the ‘Birdcage’ BY

LORI ALLEN

Contributing Writer

Alison Sudol, lead singer of A Fine Frenzy, deserves some credit for her band’s second album, “Bomb in a Birdcage”

Bomb in a Birdcage A Fine Frenzy Virgin

AFINEFRENZY.COM

Sudol shows more spunk here than in herplay-it-safe songs.

(2009), but she doesn’t deserve much. At 24, Sudol is the founder and musical powerhouse behind A Fine Frenzy. Her band has released two albums in the last two years, but that’s not impressive enough to get listeners to overlook the fact that she’s still thinking inside the box.

As a female singer-songwriter-pianist (what else is new?), Sudol’s play-it-safe, keep-it-light music fails to put her on the same level as her contemporaries. She’s Sara Bareilles with more vocal flexibility, Ingrid Michealson with less personality, Jewel with more accessible poetry, and, at the end of the day, she isn’t quite as memorable as any of them.

Sudol is a quiet girl whom you won’t find in the tabloids. She’s a nerdy redhead who graduated from high school two years early and writes songs one would expect of an English major. Even the name of her band is from Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1596).

While Sudol’s lyrics and music videos can occasionally be overly sticky-sweet, see FRENZY, page 7

hroughout the last fifty years, there have been many time periods defined by a drive for renewed originality and authenticity in music. Reacting against the excesses of self-indulgent late-’70s rock and the cocaine-addled disco lifestyle, the punk and new wave movements returned to simplicity, wit and raw energy. From the hairspray and spandex haze of plastic, ’80s glamrock stars, the grunge movement, at once aggressive and introspective, captured the disillusionment and angst of Generation X. We all remember the music of the turn of the century: Boy bands and pop princesses dominated the charts. Mainstream hip-hop was steadily losing the street cred of the early ’90s, opting instead for club cred. Alternative rock had become anything but alternative, as legions of Eddie Vedder imitators played against watered down riff-rock. In this climate, cultural and musical attitudes seemed poised for another major shift.

Seeking more authentic tunes, people began to gravitate towards independent music. Indie music began picking up steam as part of a larger movement toward independent culture. This movement has fostered a musical mentality in which originality and artistic authenticity are valued above all else.

We seem to have entered an era in which often music is valued less for its actual quality and more for how unusual or underground it is. Among today’s musically enlightened, you can’t admit that you like a pop song without deliberate irony. Moreover, any band that succeeds is immediately rejected and only referenced to inform others that you “listen to their early albums, before they sold out.”

I’ve recently seen this phenomenon play out with one of today’s hottest rock bands, Kings of Leon. Kings of Leon released their major label debut, “Youth and Young Manhood” in 2003.

Their stripped-down, early sound took cures from classic rock, southern rock and from the other bands, such as the Strokes, that comprised the early 2000’s “garage rock revival.”

Kings might have very easily slipped into obscurity like many of their contemporaries if it weren’t for the fact that they continued to produce pretty good songs. The release of their sophomore record in 2004, “Aha Shake Heartbreak” increased their fan base significantly, especially in the UK. When their third album “Because of the Times” (2007) was met with mixed reviews, it began to look as though their momentum was waning.

So, like any smart band, they went back to the studio and tried to shake things up. The release of “Only by the Night” (2008) represented a major turning point for the band. With singles “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody,” Kings of Leon finally broke into the American mainstream. Suddenly their tunes were blasting not only from iPods in the pockets of Levi’s 501s but also from the Friday night pregameplaylists of college party girls. This explosive success came with a backlash from diehard fans. Many claimed that Kings had sold out, lost their originality, traded in their credibility for the money and the celebrity.

Well, that’s one way to look at it. Only the other hand, you could say that they wrote some really good songs that a lot of people connected with. Not just people who like independent rock, but everyone else as well.

We need to reconsider what we have come to value most highly in music. All bands, the ones that succeed at least, evolve and change and eventually make some concessions. Most great bands want their music to be heard by as many people as possible. Bands that have an original, uncompromised sound are indeed to be admired. A different yet equally valid credibility belongs to bands like Kings of Leon that can write songs that break down walls of genre and turn on millions of people. Popularity does not preclude authenticity; in some cases popularity proves it.

Charles Laubacher is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. He can be reached at Charles.Laubacher@Tufts.edu.

6

THE TUFTS DAILY

ARTS & LIVING

Monday, September 28, 2009

Like to draw? Have opinions?

The Daily is looking for talented artists to draw one editorial cartoon each week about current events and issues facing Tufts students.

No former cartooning experience required. Biting sense of humor preferred.

E-mail daily@tuftsdaily.com to learn more!

THE TUFTS DAILY

Monday, September 28, 2009

7

ARTS & LIVING

9#$#"7/0-$7.);72()2"-<0,#)/4#)8-$A.08/)0$)/4#)B727$#(#)A0.1)=C7.?0$;' WALKING

continued from page 5 istic and ultimately more effective technique of focusing on the little exchanges and quiet interactions between the characters. The cumulative power that the film achieves through this method emerges so naturally and so quietly that it doesn’t seem at all contrived.

The film mainly focuses on the only surviving son, Ryota Yokoyama (Hiroshi Abe), and his family as they come to stay at his parents’ house for the night. He is palpably anxious about bringing his new wife and stepson to finally meet his family, and his animosity towards what he feels is a tired mourning ritual seeps out in half-muttered comments. There is also a deep rift between Ryota and his father, a retired doctor who makes it clear that he preferred Ryota’s brother over him.

The other members of the fam-

INDIEWIRE.COM

Action! Adventure! Umbrellas! ily are also preoccupied with their own troubles. Ryota’s sister, Chinami Kataoka (You), suggests that the former move into their parents’ house with her family in order to help their aging mother. Ryota’s stepson, Atsushi (Shohei Tanaka), tries to

fit in with his new cousins while being haunted by the death of his own father. Everyone tries to respect the memory of Junpei, the late brother, while at the same time moving on with their own lives.

There might seem to be an

overabundance of plot, but nothing in “Still Walking” feels forced. Director Koreeda doesn’t oversell any of his points, and most of the characters’ issues remain unresolved. But the depth of emotional experience that emerges from the smallest details remains incredible throughout. A picture of Junpei framed prominently in the dining room shows his importance to the household even before he is ever mentioned. A hat left in the background of a shot provides insight into Chinami’s personality. Different images and relationships slowly begin to mirror each other, and each generation seems to influence the next.

If this makes “Still Walking” sound overly academic, somber and artsy, it isn’t. Scenes of melancholy are balanced with unexpected humor, and the film never seems to strive for anything greater than what befits the focused snapshot of

life it explores. It is a tribute to the film’s power that its epilogue works as a perfect ellipsis to the story: It’s clear that the characters’ lives continue and are not merely confined within the limits of the film’s runtime.

The audience is finally left to contemplate the intricacies of the lives of a single family as the film’s closing credits roll over a picturesque view of the city in which the family lives. It is then that the slow crescendo of emotion that Koreeda has been slowly building toward for the entire film comes to a head, and the specifics of the plot seem to recede in the wake of a larger theme of living life. The surprising thing is that what at first seemed to be a simple story of a family during a very particular part of their lives becomes a parable about how everyone must be continually moving on, and the film’s title becomes a reminder of how the experience of life is universal.

!"#$%&'()*+,-.)/--)/010,)/-)(/#2)-+/)-3)/4#)5-6)-$)57$,'()(#8-$,)7.5+1 FRENZY

continued from page 5

she often comes up with beautiful, unique poetry that holds up well to multiple listenings, as in “Elements” off of her new album. She writes, “You show up like a hurricane / all hungry-eyed and weatherstained / The clock forgets to tick and I the same.”

The subject matter on her sophomore album is considerably more varied than that of her first, in which most songs covered the same bittersweet topic of love lost, but the music hasn’t changed enough to support the wider range of emotional material. In “Elements,” Sudol sings “No

you can’t come in” on repeat, but the force behind these words is completely lost in the breathy sweetness of the vocal melody and the background accompaniment.

Sudol can write angst-ridden lyrics but is apparently unable to complement them with darker melodies.

That isn’t to say that Sudol fails as a musician. “Bomb in a Birdcage” is more musically creative, interesting, diverse and experimental than “One Cell in the Sea” (2007), though that’s not saying much. The songs on her first album used the same three instruments and rotated through the same five chords, each song barely distinguishable from

the other ones. “Bomb in a Birdcage” offers a refreshing blend of tracks, half of which strongly hearken back to her first album and half of which show that the band is taking a different direction.

All of the best things about the new album are showcased in its third single “Electric Twist,” which is far and away the best track. It starts off simply with just a muted electric guitar bouncing back and forth between two chords, strumming off a head-bobbing, catchy rhythm while the sparse vocal line plops itself down on top.

There’s a great build across the song’s fourand-a-half minutes as well as a chorus with a great hook and some funky chords.

Unexpected but intriguing breakdowns keep the song interesting until the last minute or so, which frankly could have been chopped off.

This track, as well as “What I Wouldn’t Do” and “Stood Up” are the ones that really depart from the style A Fine Frenzy established with their first album, and this departure is stimulating. For the most part, Sudol is still a timid songwriter, afraid of stepping too far outside her comfort zone of singsongy and cute. But if her next album is even less timid than “Bomb in a Birdcage,” A Fine Frenzy will be on their way to establishing a recognizable and innovative style.

9--3&)847"78/#"(:)/7.#$/#,)87(/)7$,) /-2087.)2.-/);0<#)=>7"?(').7(/0$;)2-@#" PARKS

continued from page 5

scenario describes not only “Parks and Recreation,” but also fellow Thursdaynight comedy “The Office,” both from executive producers Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. Back in 2005, when the American version of “The Office” premiered, many thought it was going to be a repeat of the Americanized version of “Coupling,” the quickly-canceled British import from 2003. When “The Office” premiered its second season the next fall, however, audiences and critics alike saw it as a developed program, and it grew into the hit it is today.

“Parks and Recreation” may follow a similar path to success. After a rocky (though funny) start as a midseason replacement last spring, “Parks” is showing signs of great improvement, developing into a show truly worthy of its stars’ wealth of talent. Amy Poehler leads the way as Leslie Knope, deputy director of Parks and Recreation in Pawnee, Indiana.

As the show has progressed, Leslie has developed into a sympathetic and believable leader, although still hopelessly naïve about the scope of local government. Poehler plays her dumb but sweet character well; Leslie’s commitment to her job never wavers.

This season’s premiere involves Leslie performing a wedding ceremony between two penguins at the local zoo, partly to boost zoo attendance and partly because she wanted to do something “cute.” What she doesn’t know beforehand, though, is that the penguins are both male. Her ceremony is actually a gay wedding.

Leslie, as a government official, tries to keep the event from turning into a political statement but is challenged by a representative from the local Society for Family Stability Foundation. The representative presents her with an ultimatum — annul the marriage or resign from her job — and Leslie can’t stay quiet. Intern April (Aubrey Plaza, seen in this summer’s

“Funny People,” 2009) invites her as guestof-honor to a gay marriage rally at local hangout The Bulge, and Leslie debates the topic on a local morning talk show — a scene which is nicely introduced with clips of womanizing colleague Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) sweet-talking the host.

Supporting characters were given more to do in the season’s second episode than in the premiere. Leslie and Tom stake out the community garden after finding marijuana growing amongst the fruits and vegetables. Ann (Rashida Jones) agrees to go on a date with Mark (Paul Schneider), and April and Ron (Nick Offerman) are able to bond after Ron’s hernia renders him unable to move. Ann’s ex-boyfriend Andy (Chris Pratt) also shows up, now homeless but still pining for Ann after their breakup at the end of last season.

These characters, while still largely one-note, are starting to develop. Tom is still the lazy sleazeball, but Ansari makes him likeable and funny. Ann is Leslie’s loyal friend, but she isn’t putting up with Andy anymore. Mark, April and Ron need some more room to grow, but having them interact outside of Leslie’s world seems promising.

The new season of “Parks” seems to be using ripped-from-the-headlines plots — gay marriage, and in the second episode, possible racial profiling reminiscent of the Henry Louis Gates, Jr. controversy this summer — and so far, it is working. The show is carving out its niche, fleshing out its characters, and showing audiences that it is more than just an “Office” carbon copy. The show is allowing organic storylines to grow and, all around, things are looking up for “Parks.”

Although it didn’t find the viewership it sought last year, “Parks” still has a prime spot in the NBC Thursday night comedy lineup and, with a few more episodes, it seems like it will be as solid an entry as “The Office,” “30 Rock” and newcomer “Community.” The talent has always been there, and now that the writers seem to know where they’re going, the laughs should keep on coming.

Prepare for the Fair How to Navigate a Career Fair Wednesday, September 30th 6-7pm, Dowling Hall, Room 745

Get tips from Jessica Bushell with Osram Sylvania on how to make the most of the Career Fair!

Resume Critique Week September 23, 24, 29, 30 3-7pm, Dowling Hall, Resource Library

Have your resume reviewed before the fair!

Bring a paper copy of resume. No appointments needed. http://careers.tufts.edu/students

THE TUFTS DAILY

8

THE TUFTS DAILY GIOVANNI J.B. RUSSONELLO Editor-in-Chief

EDITORIAL Naomi Bryant Managing Editors David Heck Alexandra Bogus Executive News Editor Nina Ford News Editors Tessa Gellerson Ben Gittleson Christy McCuaig Matt Repka Ellen Kan Assistant News Editors Harrison Jacobs Katherine Sawyer Saumya Vaishampayan

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Ethan Landy Executive Sports Editor

EDITORIAL | LETTERS

Monday, September 28, 2009

EDITORIAL

To give students a meaningful voice in alcohol policy debate, Rattiner must be firm As any good politician would, Tufts Community Union ( TCU) President Brandon Rattiner used his State of the TCU speech last week to address one of the principal concerns facing students this semester: the dramatic shift in the university’s alcohol policy.

The change means that a student’s first alcohol offense now sends him or her straight to level-one probation, or pro-one.

In his speech, Rattiner diplomatically emphasized the need for students to change their habits and attitudes toward drinking, but he equally criticized what he called the university’s unilateral decision to change the policy without significant input from the students in the Senate. He expressed hope for collaboration with the administration on this subject throughout the year, citing the creation of the Alcohol Task Force, among other things, as an example of the ways in which the administration is giving students a voice.

The Daily emphasizes that these words must materialize in more than the creation of a new task force. It is up to Rattiner more than anyone else to ensure that the voices of Tufts students reach the administration’s ears as this university’s misbegotten new policy is examined and hopefully rethought in the future.

Rattiner put great stock in the justformed Alcohol Task Force. It involves student representatives and exemplifies the university’s apparent attempt to bring students’ voices into the policymaking process. It also seems a bit late, considering the circumstances.

While we can hope that the administration’s intention in creating this body is to truly include students in the decisions that will directly impact their lives, it is a fact of history — as demonstrated by the U.S. Congress and large corporations, for example — that such organizations often serve simply to deflect criticism and offer only a façade of collaboration.

There is clearly a need for more student perspectives. Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman told the Daily’s news section that he understands that students are usually appreciative of friends who call Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS) on their behalf when they have drunk excessively. Too often, because of the punishment attached to receiving treatment from TEMS, the opposite is true. This sort of limited understanding of student sentiments on Reitman’s part could be largely responsible for the probation policy amendment, which the dean spearheaded.

It will be largely up to Rattiner to make sure students are heard in this discussion, and he can do that in a number of ways.

First, he can make sure that the task force schedules meetings regularly and often. One discussion every month will not suffice if the group is to gain a holistic understanding of the drinking culture and decide how to address it. Second, the task force must create specific suggestions for policy alterations, formulating a list that is too well researched, comprehensive and articulate to ignore. Third, and most importantly, the task force must be unequivocal in stating that punishment is not an effective means of prevention.

It is a well-established truth when dealing with criminality, and it is especially the case here: Neither probation nor the TEMS truck ever enters most students’ minds when they are taking those last few ill-advised shots. The most effective method of precluding this sort of unsafe decision is peer mentoring, and it should be a basic part of the freshman curriculum — namely, orientation programming — for older undergraduates to earnestly discuss wise drinking habits and methods for dealing with unwise ones.

Before we can expect the task force to be unequivocal, Rattiner must be so himself. He has yet to clearly and publicly state his opposition to the deleterious new policy. Your move, Mr. President.

to you without titles or credentials. We are simply “the people” referred to in the Constitution, and we are here to enforce it.

I went to the 912DC Tea Party. In the days leading up to the event, the belligerence on the left was growing daily and went unchecked in the mainstream media. Fights had broken out in town hall meetings. Democratic leaders called us Nazis and Klansmen.

The media openly mocked the Tea Party protesters. President Obama himself said he didn’t want to hear from us, and announced he would begin tracking people who sounded fishy. Our safety was in doubt. At the very least we knew we would make Obama’s enemies list.

Contrary to the editorial’s characterization of the Tea Party movement as selfish cowards hiding behind the

bravery of past heroes, I can report that it took a bold act of courage to go to D.C. on Sept. 12 and march for the cause of liberty. The hundreds of thousands that showed up that day put themselves at risk for the cause of freedom, both theirs and yours, and by doing so have kept faith with all the heroes and patriots [who] have fought and sacrificed throughout this country’s history, from the original Boston Tea Partiers to the troops fighting back the forces of barbarism today.

Standing on the Mall with all those patriots on Sept. 12, 2009 was my finest moment as an American citizen, and I will be proud to stand with the Tea Party movement in the future.

NATE BEELER

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, In Mr. Helms’ editorial [“End of the invocations of Tea Party,” printed Sept. 21], he never reveals what he thinks the “finite purposes and agendas” of the alleged phony Tea Partiers are, and one wonders if he knows anything more about today’s Tea Party movement beyond the grotesque caricatures that dominate the left’s echo chamber.

Today’s Tea Party is fighting for individual freedom, capitalism and the desire to see our federal government return to its constitutionallyconstrained duties. There is a very strong Libertarian undercurrent to this movement, as well as a large percentage who believe the JudeoChristian roots of the country should be recognized and embraced. We come

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Monday, September 28, 2009

THE TUFTS DAILY

9

OP-ED

Time for intolerance BY

ROBERT SIY

On the evening of Sept. 16, a student in Hill Hall discovered a series of posters put up next to those of a candidate running for a Class of 2013 Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate seat. The posters, belonging to a student [who] was not running for Senate, closely mimicked the ones of the actual candidate. The messages that each took, however, sharply diverged. Where the candidate's posters carried an ordinary-looking endorsement for the coming Thursday's election, the other set of posters opened with the phrase “Squinty Eyes, Big Vision” and, phoneticizing the stereotypical Asian immigrant accent, called on students to “Prease vote me! I work rearry hard!”

We of the Asian Students Union condemn these posters as offensive, racist and uncalled for among a student body that prides itself on being as openminded as Tufts’ does. Not every Asian American has squinty eyes, and it is a misguided belief that every person appearing to be of Asian descent is a complete foreigner to this country. That these posters make light of language that has been historically used to exclude, alienate and hurt Asian Americans, especially many members of the Tufts population, represents a shocking lack of regard for fellow students that certainly impairs our efforts to build a strong community.

Whether the posters were created in jest or malice is not the question — regardless of their [creator’s] intention, they left many of the students who saw them hurt and confused. This point is especially salient this early in the academic year, when many freshmen are still adjusting to Tufts and are unsure of how this new environment and community will receive them.

We want many things for these new Jumbos, but we certainly do not want them to feel that prejudice and mockery await them as their heritage on this campus.

We do not want any Asian American student [who] seeks to become a leader of the Tufts community to feel that others at Tufts, even other Asian Americans, will meet their aspirations with disdain and cynicism, as many feel these posters have communicated.

We want all of Tufts' students, freshman or upperclassman, Asian American or otherwise, to know that the leaders of the Asian American community find these posters offensive, demeaning and unacceptable, and that those who feel wronged by the poster are justified in their pain and anger.

Finally, we call on the Tufts administration to recognize the aforementioned posters and all similar ones as unwelcome in the Tufts community and to take steps to further educate the student population about the harmful effects of racism even when its bearers

believe they have done no wrong or harm.

We recognize, however, the importance of debate and dialogue in the formation, education and awareness of peoples' racial and cultural identities. We also understand that political correctness is not to be taken for granted and can be challenged in a healthy and productive manner. These posters may have been meant to stimulate forms of debate, but the manner in which their intention was presented was crass and deplorable. We urge Tufts students who seek to promote discourse to be mindful of the sensitivities of their fellow students.

There is nothing in the posters that does not pander to stereotypical and mocking descriptions of Asians and thus, Asian Americans. These descriptions are ones which many who have gone before have given blood and sweat to [erase], and to flaunt them in such a manner shows an ignorance or disregard for the sensitivities and backgrounds of other students. We ask that each and every Tufts student will contribute to the safety of this community by not tolerating racism in any way, shape or form, regardless of where it comes from.

Robert Siy is a senior majoring in international relations.

He serves on the TCU Senate as the community representative for the Asian Students Union.

OFF THE HILL | HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Bank overdraft fees pickpocket consumers

BY

CLAY DUMAS

The Harvard Crimson

At the end of last month, although I knew the funds in my checking account were running low, I nevertheless chose to pay for lunch with my debit card. I calculated that I had enough left in my account to pay for the $12.87 Fatburger, fries and lemonade, but, as I would later find out, I was actually short $7.48 — I hadn’t adequately accounted for filling up a tank of gas.

As a Bank of America customer, however, I was spared the embarrassment of having my card declined because B of A automatically enrolls its clients in an overdraft protection service (you can’t opt out). As a result, I was able to enjoy my lunch courtesy of the fine folks at B of A. But what had originally been a $7.48 overdraft suddenly ballooned into a $77.48 checking account deficit: Because I bought the burger and fries first and the lemonade in a subsequent transaction, I incurred two $35 overdraft fees. There was no sort of alert — the card wasn’t declined, I had no idea.

It used to be that banks simply wouldn’t let you overdraft — you either had the money or you didn’t — unless they deemed you to be a reliable customer, in which event they might let it slide without a fee and simply debit your account the next time you made a deposit.

That was then. This year, the banking industry will stealthily loot more than $38.5 billion from customers’ checking accounts in “overdraft protection services.”

According to a recent New York Times article on the topic, 45 percent of banks in the United States make more in overdraft fees than they do from traditional banking. Seventy-seven percent of big banks in the U.S. now automatically enroll clients in overdraft services, and many, like Bank of America, have made it nearly impossible to opt out.

When a bank charges you an overdraft fee, what they’re really doing is charging you interest on a loan.

To pay for my burger, I effectively had to “borrow” $7.48 for a cost of $70. Banks, however, would prefer that neither their clients nor regulators interpret this transaction as a sort of loan. If they are loans, then they become subject to the Truth in Lending Act. The TLA stipulates that lenders have to disclose to the borrowers the interest rate they’re charging on an annualized basis. If overdraft protection fell under the act’s purview, banks would be forced to get clients’ approval before enrolling them in an overdraft program. This is why, in 2004, banks strong-armed the Federal Reserve into saying that overdraft protection was a service, not a loan, effectively exempting overdraft charges from TLA regulations.

Assuming that we think of overdraft fees as loans,

MCT

though, what does the interest rate come out to? It all depends on the size of the overdraft and your bank’s fee.

According to a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation study, if you were to overdraft your account by $20 and incur a modest $27 fee that you paid back two weeks later, you would be paying an annualized interest rate of 3,520 percent. In my case, that number turned out to be much higher. (B of A charges $35, the industry average, up from $10 in 1999.)

Now, I hear the argument that we all ought to be more financially responsible, and that this problem could be avoided by only spending what we have in our bank accounts. But if that’s the case, then shouldn’t banks give you the choice of having overdraft services in the first place? The issue here is not one of financial irresponsibility on the part of individuals, but of predatory and opaque practices by the banks.

Consider that, as reported in the FDIC survey, 93 percent of overdraft fees are being paid by only 14 percent of bank customers. My guess is that Warren Buffett probably doesn’t overdraft his checking account very often, so that 14 percent represents a different slice of

American society.

Pressure from legislators, together with a string of negative press, prompted B of A and Chase to announce on Tuesday that they would redesign their overdraft programs, giving customers greater flexibility, including the choice to deactivate overdraft services. This is an admittedly positive development, but it is also a barefaced attempt to [staunch] the regulatory wave before it breaks. The fact remains that the banking industry, even B of A and Chase, will continue to rely heavily on revenue from overdraft services because most people don’t have the time or the stomach for the aggravation of overdrafts, which are often just the result of the bank taking too long to credit your deposits. Most people just let it slide and consider it a cost of their overly busy days. And that’s just how banks make money. And for a variety of reasons — information overload for consumers, concentration of market share — the market hasn’t been able to sort it all out. Absent real regulation, the burden will continue to fall on the shoulders of the middle and working classes.

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he Op-Ed section of the Tufts Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. Op-Ed welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length. All material is subject to editorial discretion, and is not guaranteed to appear in The Tufts Daily. All material should be submitted by no later than 1 p.m. on the day prior to the desired day of publication. Material must be submitted via e-mail (oped@tuftsdaily.com) attached in .doc or .docx format. Questions and concerns should be directed to the Op-Ed editors. The opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Tufts Daily itself.

THE TUFTS DAILY

10 CROSSWORD

COMICS

Monday, September 28, 2009

DOONESBURY

BY

GARRY TRUDEAU

NON SEQUITUR

BY

SOLUTIONS TO FRIDAY’S PUZZLE

MARRIED TO THE SEA

www.marriedtothesea.com

SUDOKU Level: Being placed on pro-one

LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Solution to Friday’s puzzle

Steve: “Raekwon from the Wu Tang Clan?”

Gio: “Well, aside from him and my future son, there isn’t anyone else named Raekwon.”

Please recycle this Daily

WILEY

Monday, September 28, 2009

THE TUFTS DAILY

ADVERTISEMENT

Think your friends deserve to be royalty?

The Tufts University Entertainment Board invites you to nominate any Junior or Senior you deem worthy to become

Homecoming King or Queen!

Nomination forms are available at the Info Booth starting Monday, September 28th. We will also be in the campus center soliciting nominations Monday 9/28, Tuesday 9/29, and Wednesday 9/30 from 12:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2:00 p.m.

questions? contact Nissa.bagelman@tufts.edu or Laina.rosebrock@tufts.edu

11

THE TUFTS DAILY

12

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Introducing Tufts New Interfaith Group C.A.F.E. (Conversations, Action, Faith and Education) Katie Vogel, LA’10 and Kasey Mitchell, LA’11 Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155 – (617) 627-3427 Website: www.tufts.edu/chaplaincy

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Pre-Law Advising Event September 28, 2009 12-1:30 pm Dowling 754 A/B

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Considering Pre-law, a discussion on being a pre-law student at Tufts.

Sponsored by Tufts Pre-law Advising.

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The Biology Department Presents: THE BARNUM MUSEUM LECTURE SERIES 2009

DOUGLAS EMLEN University of Montana

“The Origin and Evolutionary Diversification of Beetle Horns” Friday, October 2nd, 2009 4:00pm-5:00pm, Barnum 008

THE TUFTS DAILY

Monday, September 28, 2009

13

SPORTS

!"#$%&:'*(8()&.6('(88%2/')%/'()%",0'+&'%88()&('&/2",,7(&'/%'8.)*'209/0# FOOTBALL

continued from page 16

show that the coaching staff’s message was slow to sink in.

Tufts took the opening possession of the game deep into Cardinal territory, but the Jumbos had to settle for a 32-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Adam Auerbach after failing to convert a third and six from the Wesleyan 15 yard line. The opening drive, which took just under six minutes, would be the only successful one of the game for the Tufts offense. From that point on, the Jumbos were held scoreless, and with 8:31 left in the second quarter, the Cardinals scored what proved to be the game winning touchdown.

Even with their inefficiencies on the offensive side of the ball,

the Jumbos were still able to put themselves in a position to win the game. Auerbach attempted two more field goals, but failed to connect on a 46-yarder at the end of the first half and had his 43-yard attempt blocked with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. With points coming at a premium on Saturday, the Jumbos will look back at those moments as opportunities that must be taken advantage of in the future.

Though it was everyone’s first time out on the field this season, all eyes were on senior quarterback Tom McManama.

After last year’s starter, senior quad-captain Anthony Fucillo, sustained an ankle injury during the team’s scrimmage against Bowdoin, McManama was called upon to start the

5"8/&'(+2)&'/0.2*' &0"/%"/'6.1/%29 WOMEN’S SOCCER continued from page 15

returning starter,” Minnehan said. “Now we know not only how each other plays but also each other’s personalities, so we know what motivates and helps everyone and we have focused on that.”

The Jumbos are now in a logjam in the middle of the NESCAC but could be looking to leapfrog some teams with their recent string of strong play. Tufts will be faced with another non-conference test on Tuesday when they visit the Babson Beavers, the sixth-ranked team in the region. The team will then look to secure its second straight NESCAC win at Bates next weekend and even its conference record at 2-2.

“I think we have been playing the same the whole time,” Nolet said. “We played really hard games — Amherst and Middlebury are both very good. I think we are just learning and putting things together.”

“We are hoping to peak at the right time,” she continued. “We are glad we aren’t going to peak too early, and we are glad we got the opportunity to learn some of the things we had to work on.”

first game of the season.

While he successfully avoided costly turnovers, McManama completed just 13 of 33 pass attempts for 133 yards, translating to a 39 percent completion rate that did not help matters on offensive drives.

“We had penalties in crucial situations, and too many mental and physical mistakes,” McManama said. “It wasn’t a lack of preparation; our offensive coordinator and positional coaches had us fully prepared for this game.

This one was on us.”

The blame, however, cannot be placed solely on McManama’s shoulders, as receivers had a number of big drops and the offensive line struggled at times with both run blocking and pass protection.

The Tufts squad did exhibit some prospects for future success, though, specifically in the strength of its defensive unit.

Junior linebacker Matt Murray led the way with 10 total tackles, while the team also added three sacks on the day. And even though the Jumbos surrendered 163 yards on the ground, their defense also held Wesleyan to a mere 55 yards through the air.

But despite holding the Cardinals to just a single touchdown on the day, the Tufts players still feel there is plenty of room for improvement on the defensive side of the ball.

“Our offense didn’t turn the ball over, but at the same time we didn’t cause any turnovers,” said senior quad-captain safety Tom Tassinari, who finished

with nine tackles on the day.

“Our defense needs to give the offense better field position.

We had opportunities to get some interceptions and cause some turnovers and we just didn’t do it.”

Next week the Jumbos will travel to Bates in search of their first victory of the year, not to mention a whole lot of answers on the offensive side of the ball.

“We need to come in on Monday completely focused and ready to work,” McManama said. “I know everyone on the offense took the loss personally and can’t wait for a chance for redemption. I view it as a shot to our pride and expect us to come out Saturday with a vengeance and new attitude.”

!"#$%&'&()*'#(&&+,('-./0'&(1%)*'&/2+.,0/'345'4)6./('/./7( VOLLEYBALL

continued from page 16

weekend in a conference matchup, the Jumbos showed their only sign of faltering all weekend. After dropping the first set 25-19, it looked like the Jumbos would be in for a tough match. In fact, they were, as the remaining sets were all decided by three or fewer points. But it was Tufts that came out on top as it went on to sweep the next three sets 25-23, 25-22 and 25-23 to advance to the finals.

“One of the biggest things this year is that even if we’re down at the beginning of a match or the middle of a match, we’re really good at coming back and not giving up,” Kuan said.

After the tough loss in the first set, the Jumbos’ offense began firing on all cylinders, as Helgeson notched a tournament-high 15 kills and juniors Dawson Joyce-Mendive and Updike added 12 and nine, respectively. In all, Tufts pounded the Camels with 51 strikes by the end of the match. Also key to the Jumbo’s offense was junior Nancy Shrodes, who served up three aces and now leads the team with 15 on the year.

“Nancy Shrodes did a phenomenal job serving all weekend,” coach Cora Thompson

said. “She really kept our team’s momentum going, because those games were tight and there wasn’t a lot of room for error. Something we’ve been working [on] is more consistency serving, and [Nancy] was the epitome of that this weekend.”

In Friday’s opening rounds played at Cousens Gym, Tufts swept past Bowdoin and Bridgewater state by mostly comfortable margins, a great contrast to Saturday’s nail-biting contests. As the Jumbos dropped NESCAC foe Bowdoin 25-17, 25-19, 25-23 in their second round match, it was Shrodes who offered one of the most thrilling performances. In Tufts’ first-set victory, Shrodes went on a seven-point service tear, capping off the run with the squad’s first ace of the match.

In their weekend opener against Bridgewater State, the Jumbos cruised to victory by even wider margins: 25-17, 25-9 and 25-13. After the Bears blew an early lead in the first set, the Jumbos seized control for the remainder of the match, never falling behind again. Feiger seemed eager to spread the wealth offensively, as four different Jumbos racked up eight or more kills.

“We need to focus from the first point to the last,” Thompson said. “We want to break

out of the gates and be full speed, but we don’t to be too high or too low. We’re focusing on being consistent.”

With another tournament title in the books and their winning streak still alive, the Jumbos feel as though they are sending a message to the rest of the teams in the region.

“We love beating Williams, but we love the message it sends even more,” Helegeson said.

“We want teams to know we’re not messing around, and we’re coming to do business.

“We’re not satisfied with beating [Williams] once,” she continued. “We’re going to see them again, probably at least twice more, and I know we won’t be satisfied until we beat them two more times.”

Tomorrow night, the Jumbos will get the chance to make that message even clearer and exact revenge for the second time this week when they host the only team to beat them this year: UMass Boston.

“If we continue to play how we’ve been playing and if we connect as a team, we have a chance to shut out UMass Boston, let alone beat them,” Feiger said. “We’re so lucky to have a chance to play [them] again, and everyone is excited to show them who the better team is.”

5"8/&'0%;('/%'(+2)'8.2&/'6.1/%29'+,+.)&/'<"88%7='%)'5"(&*+9').,0/ MEN’S SOCCER

continued from page 14

again. Senior tri-captain midfielder Nick Whipple, the Cardinals’ leading scorer, collected a pass from freshman midfielder Walter Rodriguez and sent it past Tufts’ senior goalkeeper Pat Tonelli into the right side of the net.

Tonelli faced a relentless barrage from the Cardinals in the final 45 minutes and did well to allow only a single goal on seven Wesleyan shots. He made two saves in what was, on the whole, a solid performance. Still, Wesleyan’s insurance goal proved to be a dagger, and the Jumbos could not regain the momentum for the remainder of the contest.

“The second half was sort of chaotic, especially after they scored again,” Coleman said. “We really didn’t have any strong chances on their goal after that.”

With the win, Wesleyan (3-0-2) stayed undefeated, while Tufts (0-4-1 overall, 0-3-0 in NESCAC) was unable to secure its first victory of the season. Despite being the only remaining NESCAC team without a win, the Jumbos are still bullish about their prospects for the rest of the season.

“Obviously, we were disappointed to lose today,” junior midfielder Chris Flaherty said. “But we’ve been playing some of the toughest teams on our schedule, and we know that things will turn around and the wins will come.”

The Jumbos will return to the pitch on Tuesday night in a showdown against Suffolk (4-1-2) under the lights at Bello Field. The team will then go back in search of its first conference victory on Saturday when the Jumbos head to Bates, a team that will also be hoping to secure its first NESCAC win.

“We’re looking ahead to that game against Bates as a game we have to win,” Muakkassa said. “We can talk about positives all year, but realistically, at this point, we need to start winning games.”

ANDREW MORGENTHALER/TUFTS DAILY

The Jumbos fired eight shots against the Wesleyan Cardinals, but they couldn’t get any past freshman goalkeeper Adam Purdy.

THE TUFTS DAILY

14

FIELD HOCKEY

continued from page 16

DANIEL RATHMAN

58th minute.

Russo’s tally was the culmination of a series of strong performances by the Jumbos’ forwards. Amongst the team’s top scorers in each of the last three years, Kelly recorded her first goal of the season to get Tufts on the board in the first half. Junior Melissa Burke also aided the winning cause with two assists.

The Jumbos are off until Thursday, when they’ll begin a stretch of three games in six days with a matchup against non-conference foe Endicott. Tufts will then hit the road for contests against Bates and Wellesley, two squads that are a combined 0-7 record versus NESCAC opponents this season.

“I wouldn’t call these teams a lull in our schedule — they’re all quite good, and Wellesley has played us tough in the last couple years.”

Russo said. “But we still have a lot of things to work on, and this is a perfect opportunity to really refine whatever we’re doing and make ourselves that much better.”

“No judgment can be passed on the teams we’re playing now,” Roberts added. “I think the results of the next couple games will really dictate how well the end of the season goes for us.”

Daily Editorial Board

After opening the season with a threegame losing streak, the Tufts men’s socMEN’S SOCCER (0-4-1, 0-3 NESCAC) at Middletown, Conn., Saturday Tufts Wesleyan

0 1

Monday, September 28, 2009

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!"#$%&'()#*+,' -+,.)&&'*/0)('123' .%&&'0%'4*(5+,*.& BY

SPORTS

0 — 0 1 — 2

cer team entered this week desperate to pick up at least one win with two away games at Springfield College and Wesleyan. But while the Jumbos snapped their skid with a 1-1 tie against the Pride on Wednesday, they went right back to losing in a 2-0 game with the Cardinals on Saturday.

Tufts was confident as it departed on the weekend trip to Middletown, Conn., partly because it was facing a Wesleyan team that was not much different from the squad it defeated 2-1 at home last year. In that contest, the Jumbos fell behind on a Cardinals goal in the 33rd minute but dominated the second half of play, scoring twice in four minutes for the win.

So, when Wesleyan took the lead in the 13th minute of the first half on a goal by Cardinals senior defender Asante Brooks, the Jumbos were disappointed but undeterred.

“That’s been our problem so far this year, giving up that early goal and playing from behind,” junior tri-captain midfielder Naji Muakkassa said. “We really played well that first half, but having that mindset of chasing them is never good.”

In fact, Brooks’ goal was Wesleyan’s only shot of the half. Tufts maintained possession for most of the 45 minutes and dominated in many facets of the game, but the Jumbos just could not find the back of the net.

“We matched their intensity early on, and this was the first game this year where we outshot and outplayed a team in the first half,” junior midfielder Ron Coleman said. “But sometimes playing well and scoring goals [don’t] always go together.”

There certainly wasn’t a lack of effort on the Jumbos’ side. After failing to notch a shot on goal in their first two NESCAC matchups with Middlebury and Amherst, the Jumbos were determined to pepper the Cardinals’ net in this game, firing eight total shots — five in the first half, three in the second. But Wesleyan’s freshman goalkeeper Adam Purdy saved all four of the attempts that were on target, earning the third shutout of his young collegiate career.

Things did not go Tufts’ way in the second half of the contest, as just seven minutes in Wesleyan got on the board

JOSH BERLINGER/TUFTS DAILY

Senior Michelle Kelly scored her first goal of the season in a 3-1 victory at Wesleyan.

SCHEDULE | Sept. 28 - Oct. 4 MON

TUES

WED

THURS

FRI

SAT

SUN

at Bates 1:00 p.m.

Football

at Bates 12:00 p.m.

vs. Endicott 4:00 p.m.

Field Hockey

vs. MIT 1:00 p.m.

Men’s Tennis

Men’s Soccer

vs. Suffolk 7:00 p.m.

at Bates 2:30 p.m.

Women’s Soccer

at Babson 4:00 p.m.

at Bates 12:00 p.m.

Volleyball

vs. UMass Boston 7:00 p.m.

Tufts Invitational 5:00 p.m.

Women’s Tennis

at MIT 4:00 p.m.

JumboCast

Volleyball

Tufts Invitational 12:00 p.m. vs. Babson 10:00 a.m.

Volleyball

see MEN’S SOCCER, page 13

STATISTICS | STANDINGS Field Hockey

Women's Soccer

(5-0, 3-0 NESCAC) NESCAC

W 3 Trinity 3 Tufts 3 Williams Conn. Coll. 2 2 Amherst 1 Bowdoin 1 Colby Middlebury 1 Wesleyan 0 0 Bates

T. Brown A. Russo M. Burke T. Guttadauro J. Perkins M. Kelly L. Griffith K. Eaton M. Scholtes

L W 0 6 0 5 0 3 1 3 2 4 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 1 4 1 G 5 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 0

Goalkeeping GA M. Zak 3 K. Hyder 0

(3-2-0, 1-2-0 NESCAC)

OVERALL

L 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 5

A 1 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 1

T 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Pts 11 6 5 4 3 2 2 2 1

S S% 12 .800 1 1.00

NESCAC OVERALL

W 3 Amherst Middlebury 3 3 Williams 1 Trinity 1 Bates 1 Bowdoin 1 Tufts Wesleyan 1 0 Colby Conn. Coll. 0

A. Maxwell C. Cadigan S. Nolet W. Hardy A. Michael J. Love-Nichols F. Gamal B. Morgan O. Rowse

L 0 0 0 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 G 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0

T 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0

NESCAC

W 4 4 7 2 2 2 3 3 1 3

L 1 0 0 1 2 3 2 2 3 3

T 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 0

W Trinity 2 Wesleyan 2 Williams 2 Bowdoin 3 Amherst 2 Conn. Coll. 2 Middlebury 1 Bates 0 Tufts 0 Colby 0

A 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0

Pts 4 3 3 2 2 1 0 0 0

A. Lach R. Coleman S. Saropoulos D. Schoening B. Green P. Tonelli Blumenthal N. Muakkassa M. Fitzgerald

Goalkeeping GA S S% K. Minnehan 3 24 .889

Volleyball

Men's Soccer

(11-1, 2-0 NESCAC)

(0-4-1, 0-3-0 NESCAC) L 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 3 3 4 G 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

T 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

OVERALL

W 4 3 5 5 3 3 3 1 0 1 A 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0

L 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 4 4 4

T 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1

Pts 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0

Goalkeeping GA S S% P. Tonelli 11 16 .593

Football

NESCAC OVERALL

W 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

L W L 0 8 2 0 6 3 0 11 1 0 8 4 1 1 1 1 9 3 0 7 2 1 3 15 2 7 2 2 4 7 2 3 8

Offensive C. Updike Joyce-Mendive B. Helgeson E. Lokken L. Nicholas K. Ellefsen B. Neff

Kills SA 124 41 110 33 106 38 50 35 47 31 29 11 19 18

Amherst Trinity Tufts Williams Bowdoin Conn. Coll.

Middlebury Hamilton Bates Colby Wesleyan

Defensive A. Kuan D. Feiger C. Updike B. Helgeson N. Shrodes K. Engelking

B 0 5 7 2 1 0

Digs 174 81 78 77 69 59

NCAA Div. III Field Hockey

(0-1, 0-1 NESCAC) Amherst Bowdoin Trinity Wesleyan Williams Bates Colby Hamilton Middlebury Tufts

W 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1

PF 21 50 35 7 23 14 19 12 35 3

(Sept. 22, 2009)

Points (First-place votes) 1. Messiah, 1112 (51) 2. Salisbury, 1018 3. Tufts, 966 (5) 4. TCNJ, 908 5. Ursinus, 815 6. SUNY Cortland, 802 7. Johns Hopkins, 650 8. Lebanon Valley, 606 9. Bowdoin, 537

PA 12 35 14 3 19 35 23 21 50 7

Rushing Att. Yds. Avg. D. Ferguson 14 47 3.4 P. Bailey 10 29 2.9 G. Stewart 2 15 7.5

TD 0 0 0

Passing Pct. Yds TD INT McManama 39.0 133 0 0 Receiving P. Bailey O. Gray

No. Yds Avg. TD 6 52 52 0 1 17 17 0

Defense M. Murray T. Tassinari D. Simmons

Tack INT Sack 0 10.0 0 0 9.0 0 0 7.0 0

N.E. Div. III Women's Soccer

(Sept. 22, 2009) 1. Williams 2. Wheaton 3. Amherst 4. Springfield 5. Middlebury 6. Babson 7. Brandeis 8. Eastern Conn.

9. Husson 10. Western Conn.

THE TUFTS DAILY

Monday, September 28, 2009

15

SPORTS

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DAVID HECK | THE SAUCE

The Next Dice-K?

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JOSH BERLINGER/TUFTS DAILY

Senior Whitney Hardy’s goal in the first minute of Saturday’s game against Wesleyan proved to be crucial as the Jumbos won 1-0.

BY

ETHAN LANDY

Daily Editorial Board

The Tufts women’s soccer team was involved in another close conference game on Saturday — but this time it came out on WOMEN’S SOCCER (3-2, 1-2 NESCAC) at Middletown Conn., Saturday Tufts Wesleyan

1 0

0 — 1 0 — 0

the winning side.

The Jumbos scored the only goal of the game just 32 seconds in, earning their first NESCAC win 1-0 over the Wesleyan Cardinals in Middletown, Conn. Tufts’ first road victory and its third win in the last four games brought the team’s season record above .500 to 3-2.

“I think we are really excited to carry this momentum into the rest of the season,” junior defender Sarah Nolet said. “I don’t think any of us are really surprised, because we have been putting in a lot of work. We weren’t too put off by our losses because we know we are a good team, and I think that win just confirmed that.”

The Jumbos continued their mastery of the Cardinals with Saturday’s win. Tufts has beaten Wesleyan each of the last four seasons and in nine of the last 10 games between the two teams. Wesleyan again proved to be no

match for a Jumbos team that is playing with more composure than it did at the beginning of the season.

“I think going into the games and through all the games we have improved our focus and our mental preparation,” senior goalkeeper Kate Minnehan said. “Sometimes we get discouraged when we get scored on or things aren’t going well, but I think we can stay focused and focus on ourselves and what we can do better.”

It did not take long for the Jumbos to get on the board, mostly thanks to a miscue on defense by the Cardinals in the first minute. Wesleyan could not clear the ball out of its half, which let Tufts senior co-captain Whitney Hardy take control of the ball near the top of the box. With Wesleyan sophomore keeper Clare Colton out of position, Hardy had an open net and scored her first goal of the year.

“It was really exciting,” Nolet said. “I don’t think we have scored that early in a couple years, at least as long as I have been here. We have not even scored that often in the first 20 minutes or so. That has been one of our goals for the season, to come out hard.”

The quick score came against a Cardinals defense that had been extremely tight in its last few games. Wesleyan had recorded three straight shutouts heading into Saturday’s contest and would have set a program mark for consecutive minutes without allowing a goal if it could have held Tufts scoreless into

the 72nd minute. But any hope of setting that mark was quickly lost thanks to Hardy.

Tufts would keep piling on the pressure for most of the first half, continuing the aggressive nature of play it had exhibited in scoring two goals in the second half in its 2-0 upset of Wheaton on Wednesday. The Jumbos outshot the hosts eight to three in the first half, although they only managed to put three of their own shots on net.

“It was frustrating that the rest of the game we had some chances and couldn’t finish,” Nolet said. “So that is something we know he have to work on from here on out: capitalizing on our chances.”

The second half was something of a role reversal, as the Cardinals worked furiously to get on the board and knot the game up at one. Wesleyan put up nine shots, but Tufts defense and Minnehan withstood the barrage and shut down a Cardinals offense that had scored 13 goals in its last three games.

It was the third shutout of the season for the Tufts netminder, with all three coming in as Tufts wins. The performance was particularly impressive given that Minnehan was forced to make six stops on the day, and that Wesleyan had come into the contest averaging over three goals a game.

“Defense has been our most consistent area within the whole season because everyone that was coming back is a see WOMEN’S SOCCER, page 13

Athletes of the Week JESSE FALLER, MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Faller was the cream of the crop at the Conn. College Invitational on Saturday, finishing first out of 214 runners. Faller’s time of 25:17 for the 8K race was three seconds faster than Div. II Southern Connecticut’s Joseph Poulsen’s and led the Jumbos to a first-place finish at the meet. The win was the second of Faller’s career, with the first coming in the Codfish Bowl on the same weekend a year ago.

The Jumbo senior, a two time All-American, led a Tufts’ assault on the leaderboard. With three runners scoring in the top 10, Tufts totaled 48 points to out-distance second-place Bowdoin College (64).

Faller benefitted from a combination of ideal weather conditions and top-level regional competition. A member of the Track & Field team as well, the senior finished 35th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships last year and 18th in 2007.

DAILY FILE PHOTO

BROGIE HELGESON, VOLLEYBALL During this past weekend’s MIT Invitational, the 11-1 (2-0 NESCAC) women’s volleyball team routed its opponents to take its second consecutive tournament win. But it was senior co-captain Brogie Helgeson’s offensive effort that proved to be the nail in the coffin for the competition.

Helgeson, who has tallied 106 kills so far this season, was named the tournament MVP for her offensive might versus Conn. College and Williams, in which she averaged over 10 kills per game. Dropping their first set 19-25 against the Camels, the Jumbos unleashed their adrenaline to take the next three sets by at least two points. Helgeson racked up 15 kills with just two errors on 40 attempts, a tournament-high in kills during the four-set victory.

In the weekend’s championship match against Williams, Tufts downed its opponent handily in three sets. Helgeson helped set the tone by tying for the team lead with 10 kills, aiding her case for the MVP honor.

ANDREW MORGENTHALER/TUFTS DAILY

ver 14 years ago, a Japaneseborn pitcher named Hideo Nomo made his Major League debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Having enjoyed a great deal of success in Japan’s professional baseball league, the right-hander with a bizarre whirlwind windup came to the United States looking to achieve success at the highest level (and earn a hearty paycheck while doing it). Many doubted that Nomo would fool Major League hitters the same way he did Japanese ones, but he quickly proved them wrong; in his rookie season, Nomo posted a 2.43 ERA and led the majors with 236 strikeouts and three shutouts. He went on to play for 11 full seasons in the big leagues, compiling a 123-109 record.

And ever since Nomo, major league organizations have been intrigued with the potential of foreign superstars. The obsession with these players has become so great that teams are willing to pay extravagant amounts of money to acquire guys that haven’t played a single inning in the majors.

The New York Yankees signed Jose Contreras to a four-year, $32 million deal in 2003. The Red Sox signed Daisuke Matsuzaka to a six-year, $52 million deal in 2007 (and that’s not even including the $51 million posting fee they paid just for exclusive negotiating rights with Dice-K). Some of these deals with international players work out extremely well (see: Suzuki, Ichiro). Others do not (see: Irabu, Hideki).

The reason I write all of this is that there is a new talented import on the horizon: Cuban-born flamethrower Aroldis Chapman. Back on July 1, when he was on a trip with the Cuban national team in the Netherlands, Chapman strolled out of the team hotel, jumped in a car driven by a friend and never looked back. Now, over two months after his defection, Chapman has been declared a free agent by Major League Baseball and is eligible to sign with any team.

And make no mistake: It won’t take long for Chapman to sign. He’s just 21 years old (allegedly), his fastball has been clocked at a sizzling 102 miles per hour, and, as if that wasn’t enough, he’s a lefty.

But if all that seems too good to be true, it’s because it is. For all that Chapman has going for him, he’s also put up some notso-sexy statistics.

In the 2008-09 season of the Cuban National League — a competitive league, sure, but not exactly the majors — Chapman posted a mediocre 4.03 ERA. In the World Baseball Classic, Chapman went 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA. So despite having all the potential in the world, it’s pretty clear that the Cuban southpaw has quite a bit to go before he realizes that potential.

Some major league scouts realize this, speculating that Chapman will have to spend a significant amount of time in the minor leagues before he can contribute to a major league ballclub. As such, Chapman constitutes a real quagmire for teams interested in signing him. In a couple of years, the guy could end up being an ace capable of carrying his team into the playoffs, but (A) you’re going to have to pay him a lot while he’s developing in the minors, and (B) there’s no guarantee that he will ever reach his potential at all.

After all, velocity is nice, but it’s far from a flawless indicator of major league success (see: Farnsworth, Kyle).

So how much is that type of player worth? $10 million? $50 million? The reality is that Chapman is worth whatever a major-league team is willing to pay him, and that’s likely going to be a lot of money (again: 21 years old, 102 mph fastball, lefty).

But before teams start a bidding war for this guy, perhaps they should (and this is a novel idea, I know) exhibit a little caution. Believe me, nobody wants to be paying a guy a truckload of money just to toil away in the minor leagues (see: Igawa, Kei).

David Heck is a senior majoring in philosophy. He can be reached at David.Heck@ tufts.edu.

Sports

16

INSIDE Women’s Soccer 15 The Sauce 15 Men’s Soccer 14

tuftsdaily.com

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EVAN COOPER

Daily Editorial Board

People always say that winning isn’t easy.

But they probably have never seen the Tufts volleyball team play.

VOLLEYBALL (11-1, 2-0 NESCAC) MIT Invitational at Cousens Gym, Friday Tufts Bridgewater State

25 17

25 9

25 — 3 13 — 0

Tufts Bowdoin

25 17

25 19

25 — 3 23 — 0

at MIT Invitational, Saturday Tufts Conn. College

19 25 25 25 — 3 25 23 22 23 — 1

Tufts Williams

26 24

25 21

25 — 3 20 — 0

In claiming their second consecutive MIT Invitational victory in an absolutely dominant fashion this weekend — dropping just one set over the course of four matches — the Jumbos certainly made it look like a walk in the park.

After dropping Conn. College in the semifinals earlier in the afternoon, Tufts was set to face one of its biggest rivals in Saturday evening’s tournament final: Williams.

The last time the Jumbos and Ephs squared off, Williams upset the top-ranked Jumbos in the semifinals of last year’s NESCAC tournament, ending Tufts’ perfect NESCAC record and halting its hopes of a conference title. This time, the Jumbos were out for revenge.

Tufts needed a few extra rallies to net the 26-24 win in the first set, but it seemed to settle in from there on out, finishing off the match with 25-21 and 25-20 wins to claim its eleventh consecutive win and its seventh of the year in straight sets.

“It’s always fun to beat Williams,” senior co-captain Dena Feiger said. “They’re a great

team and a NESCAC rival.

“We go out there to win every single point and every single set,” she continued. “We don’t like to lose anything, and we expect to win in three [sets] against every opponent.”

The championship match was a decidedly defensive contest that saw the Jumbos come up with a combined 102 digs over the course of the three sets, with the biggest contributions coming from sophomore libero Audrey Kuan (36) and Feiger (20). Feiger also registered 35 assists as she ran the offense with her usual efficiency.

“It wasn’t so much thinking about last year,” said Kuan, in reference to the NESCAC tournament loss to Williams in 2008. “It was just coming off a good match before that and coming out strong.”

Senior co-captain Brogie Helgeson and sophomore Lexi Nicholas paced the Jumbos in their championship run, landing 10 kills apiece. Junior Caitlin Updike netted another nine of her own, as Tufts totaled 43 kills in the match.

Along with the tournament title and the sweet payback against their conference foe, the Jumbos also earned multiple tournament honors. Helgeson was named the tournament MVP after averaging more than 10 kills per match, while Kuan was named to her second all-tournament team of the year. With the win, the Jumbos are now 11-1 on the year, the best overall record in the NESCAC, and sit tied atop the conference standings with Amherst and Trinity thanks to their clean 2-0 slate.

“It felt like such a great team effort, and we got contributions from the core energy of everyone on the bench,” Helgeson said. “I’m honored to get this award, but it was just a great team effort.”

“Winning is a big part [of my play],” Kuan said. “I just really like to win. I don’t really think about it, I just go out and play and see what happens.”

In the semifinal match against Conn.

College, which Tufts already dispatched last see VOLLEYBALL, page 13

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ANNIE WERMIEL/TUFTS DAILY

Senior Brogie Helgeson was an integral part of the Jumbos’ success at the MIT Invitational.

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BY SAPNA

BANSIL

Daily Editorial Board

The field hockey team didn’t look quite as perfect as its record in its contest over the weekend.

FIELD HOCKEY (5-0, 3-0 NESCAC) at Middletown, Conn., Saturday Tufts Wesleyan

ANDREW MORGENTHALER/TUFTS DAILY

Junior linebacker Matthew Murray, 34, and the Tufts defense held Wesleyan to just a single touchdown, but the Jumbos couldn’t get anything going on offense and fell 7-3.

BY

ZACHARY GROEN

Senior Staff Writer

Heading into the 2009 season, the Tufts football team knew it was going to have to find a way to replace last FOOTBALL (0-1) at Middletown, Conn., Saturday Tufts 3 0 0 0 — 3 Wesleyan 0 7 0 0 — 7 year’s offensive stars. But a 7-3 loss

against the Wesleyan Cardinals showed that rebuilding the Jumbos’ offensive unit might take some time.

After graduating leading rusher Will Forde (LA ’09) and leading receiver David Halas (LA ’09), the Jumbos were in search of production from some of their younger talent. Earlier in the week, offensive coordinator Jay Civetti said that throughout the offseason the coaching staff stressed the need to take advantage of opportunities. But Saturday’s loss to Wesleyan seems to see FOOTBALL, page 13

1 1

0 — 3 0 — 1

Nationally ranked No. 3 Tufts had to come from behind against NESCAC bottom-feeder Wesleyan before registering a 3-1 win Saturday afternoon in Middletown, Conn. With the victory, the Jumbos improved to 5-0 on the season and kept pace with Trinity and Williams atop the conference standings.

This year’s meeting between the two teams unfolded nothing like Tufts’ 10-1 drubbing of Wesleyan a year ago. Entering Saturday’s contest with 14 losses in their last 15 NESCAC games, the Cardinals jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage. The Jumbos did regroup thanks to first-half scores from senior forward Michelle Kelly and junior forward Tamara Brown, but the team carried only a slim 2-1 lead into halftime, as it was unable to fully capitalize on an 18-3 edge in shots and a 9-1 advantage in corners up to that point.

“They were a definitely a stronger team this year, and that’s what happens with the NESCAC — it’s really any given day,” junior defender Amanda Roberts said. “Last year, we came out and had a lot of opportunities and capitalized on them. This year, we dominated a lot of the game

and didn’t put as many goals in, but Wesleyan had a much stronger team than they’ve had in years past.

“They put up a good fight,” she continued. “Whether it’s 10-1 or 3-1, we’re just going to say a win’s a win.”

The first half was microcosmic of the Jumbos’ season in which they have had very little to show for their dominance in pace and possession.

Though Tufts has outshot its opponents a whopping 141-28, four of the team’s five contests have been decided by two goals or fewer. A squad that led the NESCAC with 3.90 goals per game in 2008 has found the back of the cage only 14 times through its first five games of this season.

“We definitely have been getting a lot of shots, and we still need to work on capitalizing on all those shots, but their goalie made a ton of great saves [on Saturday,]” senior cocaptain Amanda Russo said. “They also packed the circle with a lot of defenders, so it was difficult to get a good shot off because we had a lot less time. It’s just something we still need to work on.”

“We’re just having some trouble putting it in the net, but it’ll come,” Roberts added. “It’s good that we’re getting shots off — that’s kind of the first step. The next step is to get them in, and that will come as we practice and play more games in the season.”

Despite having six penalty corner chances in the second half, Wesleyan was unable to mount much of a threat to tie the game, managing just two shots on goal over the final 35 minutes. Instead, Russo clinched the Tufts victory with an insurance goal in the see FIELD HOCKEY, page 14