2010-01-29

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THE TUFTS DAILY

TUFTSDAILY.COM

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2010

VOLUME LIX, NUMBER 4

Where You Read It First Est. 1980

Obama’s State of the Union highlights college education costs

James honored at ‘Questions Without Answers’ opening

BY

BRENT YARNELL

Daily Editorial Board

JAMES CHOCA/TUFTS DAILY

Stephen Mayes (right), CEO of VII Photo Agency, and Sherman Teichman, founding director of Tufts Institute for Global Leadership, awarded Samuel James (left) the First Annual Alexandra Boulat Prize for Photojournalism on Thursday at the “Questions Without Answers” opening.

President Barack Obama in his first State of the Union address on Wednesday night stressed the importance of job creation and assistance for middle class families, including measures to cope with rising tuition costs.

Among many proposed reforms covering financial regulation, health care and development of clean energy, Obama called for increased aid for college students struggling to pay their tuition.

He called for an end to the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, which gives banks taxpayer subsidies for student loans.

“Let’s take that money and give families a $10,000 tax credit for four years of college and increase Pell Grants,” Obama said.

Such a move would not directly affect Tufts, said Patricia Reilly, director of financial aid at Tufts, because the university no longer participates in FFEL. Instead, Tufts participates in the Federal Direct Student Loan Program (FDLP) signed into law

by President Clinton in 1993.

The program allows students to borrow from the federal government directly, rather from

Graduate locally, act globally BY

EMILY MARETSKY

Daily Editorial Board

While senior spring has been ramping up for many students with a flurry of job applications and grad school essays, many seniors have been hard at work for months searching for and applying to different programs abroad. After four years of Tufts’ emphasis on globalism and giving back to the community, it seems natural to many students to pursue volunteering programs and fellowships abroad after graduation.

But before signing off to teach English in South America for three years, potential applicants need to consider what they are looking for in their postgraduate adventures. Is a three-year commitment better than a three-month one? Would their past experiences be more suited for a healthoutreach program rather than a teaching one? Can they live without running water, or is that a deal breaker?

Laura Doane, the program director for advising and scholarships in the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Education, asks many of these questions as she advises students about potential opportunities that they can take advantage of after graduation.

She explained that interested students should ideally start their search for programs early and have a thorough discussion of their objectives. “You won’t be successful in a program that doesn’t align with your goals,” she said. “So I ask ‘Where do you see yourself in ten years? Why is this important to you?’ My favorite cliché question is, ‘What do your friends and family count on you for?’”

She added that students also need to consider their perceptions of expectations and what they “should be doing.” Tufts encourages community service and giving back to others, but students need to make sure that volunteering is their personal goal before they jump into a program for a few months or longer.

“Students feel like they’re a bad person if their goals aren’t aligned with other students’,” Doane said. “But if you don’t feel like you’re ready to live without electricity and running water, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person or that you wouldn’t change your mind in the future.”

Patrick Roath (LA ’09) said he started exploring his post-graduate options the summer before senior year. He looked into a number of jobs and internships, and after a recommendation from an advisor, also applied for a Fulbright grant.

An International Relations major with experience teaching English as a foreign language, Roath settled on applying to a Fulbright English teaching program in Malaysia.

“It was warm, far away and had an English teaching program. It seemed like a place that needed the help, and as a Muslim majority country, seemed a good place to go as a sort of U.S. ambassador,” Roath said.

Roath was finally accepted into the program in April 2009 after beginning the application process in June 2008. He left for the program’s orientation in Kuala Lumpur in early January 2010, a week after talking with the Daily.

MCT

President Obama on Wednesday delivered his first State of the Union address spotlighting job creation. private banks.

“Each school could choose [which program] they would do for the past fifteen years,” Reilly said. “This proposal would require everyone to switch.

Tufts switched last year, so this will not affect Tufts.”

Obama also called for changes to the Income Based Repayment program (IBR) that was created last year. Currently, graduates who cannot repay their loans can apply to IBR and, if accepted, will be required to repay only 15 percent of their salary per year, with their debt for-

given after 25 years.

Obama proposed capping repayments at 10 percent of salary and forgiving debt after 20 years. He went further, calling for debt forgiveness after 10 years for graduates who enter public service jobs.

Senior Shana Hurley, former president of the Tufts Democrats and current speaker coordinator for the group, welcomed these measures and said that they had been long hoped for. see OBAMA, page 3

Tufts supports new Somerville education project BY

MARISSA GALLERANI Daily Editorial Board

Somerville in December launched a community-based project that will draw on the support of colleges like Tufts to improve the academic success of children living in the lowincome Mystic Housing Development.

“The idea behind the project is to make a promise that we will ensure that every child in the Mystic Housing Development graduates from high school and succeeds in life,”

Stephanie Hirsch, the project coordinator in the Somerville Mayor’s Office, said.

The goal of the endeavor is to create a linked series of services and programs for young people — starting at early childhood and lasting through to college graduation — centered on reinforcing the importance of staying in school.

“The conveyor belt concept is the idea that children should be able to start when they’re see MYSTIC, page 3

MEAGAN MAHER/TUFTS DAILY

see ABROAD, page 3

Inside this issue

Tufts is working with the Somerville Mayor’s Office to improve education for underprivileged youth.

Today’s Sections

“The White Ribbon” explores interpersonal relationships in an isolated German village.

Women’s basketball gears up for big NESCAC weekend.

see ARTS, page 5

see SPORTS, back

News | Features Arts & Living Comics

1 5 8

Classifieds Sports

10 Back

THE TUFTS DAILY

2

THE TUFTS DAILY KERIANNE M. OKIE

BY

GABRIELLE HERNANDEZ

Editor-in-Chief

EDITORIAL

Northeastern University in November discontinued its football program for cost reasons after an extensive two-year review of its athletics.

Director of Northeastern Athletics Peter Roby made the original suggestion to cut the Division I-AA program after a review revealed that the university would have to invest several million dollars in the program to make it successful.

The program had run for 74 seasons, the last six of which had been losing ones marked by meager attendance. Roby said in a Nov. 23 press conference — in which he outlined what was required to reach an acceptable “level of excellence” — that this was not an investment the university was willing to make.

“It is about money … it’s going to require multiples of millions of dollars going forward in order to do what’s fair to help us to be successful,” Roby said. “It became clear to me that that level of investment was not something that I was comfortable recommending.”

The Athletics Review Panel, headed by Roby, made the final decision not to renew

Managing Editors Ellen Kan Executive News Editor Michael Del Moro News Editors Harrison Jacobs Katherine Sawyer Saumya Vaishampayan Marissa Gallerani Assistant News Editors Corinne Segal Martha Shanahan Amelie White Jenny White Brent Yarnell Carter Rogers Executive Features Editor Marissa Carberry Features Editors Robin Carol Emily Maretsky Julia Zinberg Mary Beth Griggs Assistant Features Editors Emilia Luna Alexa Sasanow Derek Schlom Catherine Scott Executive Arts Editor Jessica Bal Arts Editors Adam Kulewicz Charissa Ng Josh Zeidel Michelle Beehler Assistant Arts Editors Zachary Drucker Rebecca Goldberg Niki Krieg Nina Grossman Laura Moreno Andrew Rohrberger Devon Colmer Erin Marshall Alex Miller Louie Zong Vittoria Elliot Rebekah Liebermann Tori Stevenson Marian Swain

Executive Op-Ed Editor Op-Ed Editors Cartoonists

Editorialists

Alex Prewitt Executive Sports Editor Sapna Bansil Sports Editors Evan Cooper Jeremy Greenhouse David Heck Ethan Landy Daniel Rathman Michael Spera Lauren Flament Assistant Sports Editors Claire Kemp Ben Kochman James Choca Executive Photo Editor Josh Berlinger Photo Editors Kristen Collins Danai Macridi Tien Tien Virginia Bledsoe Assistant Photo Editors Jodi Bosin Alex Dennett Scott Tingley Annie Wermiel Mick B. Krever Executive New Media Editor Jess Bidgood New Media Editors Xander Zebrose

PRODUCTION Jennifer Iassogna Production Director Leanne Brotsky Executive Layout Editor Dana Berube Layout Editors Karen Blevins Adam Gardner Julia Izumi Brian Lim Andrew Petrone Amani Smathers Steven Smith Menglu Wang Sarah Davis Assistant Layout Editors Emily Friedman Jason Huang Alyssa Kutner Samantha Connell Executive Copy Editor Ben Smith Copy Editors Sara Eisemann Assistant Copy Editors Shreya Gandhi Ammar Khaku Lucy Nunn Ben Schwalb Executive Online Editor Audrey Kuan Online Editors Emily Wyner

BUSINESS Kahran Singh Executive Business Director Benjamin Hubbell-Engler Brenna Duncan Dwijo Goswami Ally Gimbel

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Friday, January 29, 2010

Northeastern cuts football amid cost concerns Contributing Writer

Caryn Horowitz Grace Lamb-Atkinson

NEWS | FEATURES

the program. The panel was made up of faculty, students, donors, alumni, trustees and administrators.

Northeastern has stipulated that the university will continue to sponsor the athletic scholarships of current players who decide to complete their degrees at Northeastern.

Junior running back John Griffin, one of the two Husky players to be named to New England’s Subdivision All-Star Team and only the fifth Husky running back to record 1,000 yards rushing in a season, expressed his frustration with the decision.

“I’m not too happy about it. I’m planning to transfer to another school to continue my football career,” Griffin told the Daily shortly after the announcement was made.

Griffin has since joined the University of Massachusetts football team, along with two other teammates.

For many other players, however, the decision has not been as clear-cut.

According to Griffin, while many students will transfer to other programs, others will see their football careers end because they do not have that option.

“Most of them are trying to decide whether they want to go play football somewhere else

or just go back to school and be a regular student,” Griffin said.

Northeastern’s decision to cut its football program may be indicative of a larger trend in small college football.

Long Island’s Hofstra University ended its football program less than two weeks after Northeastern announced its decision, citing program costs and lack of interest. Hofstra’s decision makes it the second school in the NCAA’s Division I-AA to discontinue its football program.

Tufts’ head football coach Bill Samko noted that Northeastern’s decision to discontinue its football program was “very disappointing.” He added that such a situation would not occur at Tufts because the nature of the programs at the respective schools differed greatly.

“That level [of football] is the scholarship level … and that’s a different animal,” Samko said. “Here, football or any athletic endeavor is for your educational experience, not necessarily your academic experience. At that level, they’re spending a lot of money and trying to generate revenue, and that’s not the case here.”

The football program was the only Northeastern athletics program that was not renewed for another season.

Fletcher alum’s novel unites fantasy and family BY

MARISSA CARBERRY

Daily Editorial Board

Since the publication of the “Harry Potter” (1997-2007) and “Twilight” (2005-2008) novels and the release of the “Lord of the Rings” (2001-2003) movies, increased attention has focused on fantasy, which is traditionally a niche genre. However, interest in fantasy is nothing new for Daniel Rabuzzi (F ’84), a graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, who has been a self-professed fantasy “geek” since childhood.

While other nine-year-old boys played dodgeball and baseball, Rabuzzi remembers sitting hunched over the little table in his bedroom, finishing the best fantasy story he had yet written. He wrote the final version of the story in pen, bound it in his best yarn and sent it to publishing company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Though he received a polite rejection letter some time later, Rabuzzi was not deterred. His love for fantasy reading and writing developed into a life-long passion that culminated in the Sept. 2009 release of his first novel, “The Choir Boats: Volume One of Longing for Yount.”

The book was published by ChiZine Publications and was named one of the top ten books of 2009 for children by January Magazine, a literary Web site.

Rabuzzi says that he inherited his love for folklore from his mother, who has a doctorate in feminist theology and enjoys critiquing his work.

“My mother is one of my toughest critics,” Rabuzzi said. “She really rips me up and down, and that’s good. If I get stuff by my mother, I know it’s at least reasonably decent.”

During his childhood, Rabuzzi’s mother also encouraged his interest in reading by introducing him to books like J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic “The Hobbit” (1937), which he vividly remembers reading for the first time in 1969.

“I got it for Christmas when I was ten,” Rabuzzi said. “I stayed in bed for two days, burning my eyeballs out, trying to finish it.”

Because Rabuzzi’s two brothers also developed an interest in fantasy reading, the hobby became a family pastime, with the brothers regularly discussing and swapping books and stories. In hindsight, Rabuzzi believes that his brothers’ influence on his writing was so profound that he dedicated “The Choir Boats” to his two brothers and five nephews.

About eight years ago, Rabuzzi sat down to write a letter to his brother and ended up drafting the first chapter of what would become “The Choir Boats.”

“I don’t quite know where [the story] came from,” Rabuzzi said.

The novel is set both in early 19th century London and the world of Yount, which Rabuzzi describes as “a little mini pocket universe” that is one technological generation ahead of London. The universe is essentially a set of several islands surrounded by a dark mass.

“The people of Yount were perhaps pulled off this other world, stuck in this desolation.

They’re not sure why,” Rabuzzi said. “They’ve been imprisoned for some sort of crime or punishment, they’re imprisoned by some sort of fallen angels. The question is, ‘what did they do?’ It’s tied up in the question of slavery.

COURTESY DANIEL RABUZZI

“The Choir Boats” is Rabuzzi’s first novel.

I’m partly glossing over the struggles of our own world.”

The plot of the book centers on the young Sally McLeish, the daughter of a merchant family whose brother has been kidnapped and taken to Yount because their uncle offended a citizen of Yount. Sally heads to the wizard world to try to save her brother, encountering adventure and romance on her voyage.

Rabuzzi said his wife and creative partner, Deborah Mills, was key in the creation of Yount. Mills also created the art for the book’s cover and its interior illustrations.

Rabuzzi says that he is more interested in depicting love and romance than in warfare and calamity.

“Family and romantic stuff, that’s most of what life is, not war,” he said. “Part of what I’m trying to do as an author is to try and unite those two [within fantasy.] I don’t think we’re fully whole until we wrap those two together.”

He believes that his book is a hybrid of classic 19th century British literature and more modern fantasy.

“I do think [that] if Jane Austen and J.R.R. Tolkien had had an affair, my novel would be their bastard child,” Rabuzzi said.

Besides Austen and Tolkien, Rabuzzi lists as examples of his various influences classic authors like Charles Dickens, Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Franz Kafka and Karen Hesse, as well as poets Emily Dickinson and Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Rabuzzi pursued his zeal for fantasy in his academic studies. He attended Harvard University, where he received his degree in folklore and fairytales. He continued his study of storytelling at the University of Oslo’s Institute for Folklore Studies, where he researched Norwegian and British oral histories.

At Fletcher, Rabuzzi was a student in the first class of the International Business Program before earning his Ph.D in early modern German gender and cultural history at Johns Hopkins University. Today, Rabuzzi lives with his wife in New York City, where he is an executive for Year Up, a nonprofit organization.

He spends his free time reading fantasy and other genres, updating his blog, Lobster and Canary, and writing the second volume of the Yount series, which he plans to dedicate to his wife.

THE TUFTS DAILY

Friday, January 29, 2010

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NEWS | FEATURES

Obama’s address targets economy, proposes job creation measures OBAMA continued from page 1

“[The announcements] were awesome,” she said. “A lot of students have been calling for those measures for a long time … it was a victory, I think, for student activists.”

Much of the speech prioritized the importance of job creation in the wake of the financial crisis.

“One year later, the worst of the storm has passed,” Obama said. “But the devastation remains.”

As he stressed that he had taken office during the financial meltdown, he went on to outline plans to aid small businesses, which create the most jobs in the United States.

“I’m proposing that we take $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid and use it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat,” Obama said.

He also proposed tax cred-

its for small businesses that hire new employees or raise wages, and the elimination of the capital gains tax for all small businesses.

Tufts Republicans President Rachel Anderson applauded Obama’s focus on job creation.

“Helping out small businesses is something that I support,” she said. “One thing I agree with is promoting job creation. I think it’s good that he’s bringing us back to jobs because I think that’s where we’re really hurting right now.”

Hurley agreed that the focus on jobs addressed the population’s concerns. “I was very excited to hear that he talked about a topic that a lot of people wanted to hear about, which is jobs,” she said.

Obama, however, emphasized that just focusing on immediate job creation was not enough and called for longterm improvements.

“The truth is, these steps won’t make up for the seven

million jobs that we’ve lost over the last two years,” he said. “The only way to move to full employment is to lay a new foundation for long-term economic growth, and finally address the problems that America’s families have confronted for years.”

On the issue of health care reform, Obama told Congress not to “walk away” and called on Republicans to cooperate.

“Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it’s not leadership,” he said.

Anderson however, felt that Republicans should continue to voice their criticisms and opinions. “I want this to be cooperation with Republicans, but not necessarily Republicans giving in,” she said.

Obama also reaffirmed his commitment to increasing troop levels in Afghanistan and to ending U.S. involvement in Iraq.

Anderson expressed her hope that the president’s deci-

Joseph draws comparisons between King and Obama at annual celebration

TIEN TIEN/TUFTS DAILY

Students gathered in the campus center to watch the State of the Union address. siveness on Iraq was not politically motivated.

“I don’t necessarily believe we should pull out just because everyone hates that we’re there,”

Program seeks to promote local children’s academic success MYSTIC continued from page 1

SCOTT TINGLEY/TUFTS DAILY

Professor of History Peniel Joseph at yesterday’s Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration discussed Martin Luther King’s legacy in light of Barack Obama’s election as the first black president.

Approximately 100 people gathered in Goddard Chapel to participate in the university’s annual celebration of King’s life and legacy.

In his keynote address, Joseph drew comparisons between King and Obama and said that despite popular expectations, Obama’s election has not brought about the hoped-for “postracial era.”

Joseph added that expecting Obama to fill King’s shoes might not be realistic or reasonable.

“Ultimately, asking Obama or any contemporary leader to follow in King’s footsteps has been too much,” he said. “It may be too much to ask the nation’s first black president to fill the role of the nation’s healer too.”

Joseph stressed the need for American society to accept that “we are not in a completely post-racial era” and to move forward from this notion to continue building the society that King envisioned.

“His speech highlighted the strength of this nation and how far we have come and also how much more work we need to put into constructing a nation that is built on what our founding fathers promised and what [King] spoke of,” freshman Rashad Davis said.

Travis Brown, manager of the Center for STEM Diversity, said that the comparison between Obama and King was particularly insightful.

“It was great to hear him give students some perspective on the legacy and philosophy of Martin Luther King in direct comparison to President Barack Obama,” he said.

Katrina Moore, director of the Africana Center, announced a service project to expand on yesterday’s celebration. The project will involve working with survivors of the recent Haitian earthquake to create “murals of hope” for the country.

The Africana Center co-sponsored the event with the Office of Institutional Diversity.

Other speakers at the event included University President Lawrence Bacow and Provost Jamshed Bharucha.

— by Amelie Hecht and Ellen Kan

she said. “I think we should take a look at our objectives and see if we’re achieving those, and see if we’re at a place that we can leave right now.”

born and be able to progress through the series of linked programs that have similar values and strategies.”

Mon Cochran, visiting professor of child development and professor emeritus at Cornell University, believes that the program will help reduce socioeconomic inequality.

“We are trying to eliminate the achievement gap between middle-income families and low-income families,” he said.

The program will use resources from Tufts, Harvard University, Bunker Hill Community College, the Somerville Mayor’s Office and the Arthur D. Healey School, which is where the program will be piloted.

The support that Tufts will provide to the project will come mainly through the Department of Child Development and the Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service.

Cochran, who is Tufts’ main liaison to the project, said that graduate research assistants and about 15 undergraduates from the university would staff projects within the neighborhood, especially those related to early childhood.

“There will be a lot of volunteer time and course-related time put into the project as well,” he said.

Tisch College will underwrite the partnerships between Tufts’ faculty and the project’s participants, partly through a Corporation of National and Community Service Learn and Serve grant, which supports campuscommunity partnership serving the needs of disadvantaged youth.

“Because of [the funding], we were able to support graduate students in this project and hire some community-based instructors,” Cochran said.

The program is styled after the Harlem Children’s Zone project pioneered by Geoffrey Canada. Cochran noted, however, that though the goals and strategies of the

two projects are similar, there are a couple of notable differences.

“Only about 30 percent of the families speak English as a first language,” he said. “The cultural diversity in the Mystic Housing Development is one of its unique characteristics.”

Abby Copeman (GA ’05), a first year doctoral student in the Department of Child Development and research assistant for the project, echoed Cochran’s statement.

“The demographics are different,” she said.

“Somerville is more racially and ethnically diverse. More than 15 languages are spoken in the housing development, and the immigration statuses of some of the families living in the development are different.”

The greatest challenge for the program is the high frequency with which families in the development relocate to different housing areas due to immigration issues, according to Copeman.

“The mobility will provide a challenge such that we will have a harder time locating newer families and making sure that everyone who is eligible or in need of services gets them,” she said.

According to Copeman, many elements of the project are still being decided on, including its final name. The initial name, Mystic Children’s Zone project, cannot be used due to the copyright associated with the Harlem Children’s Zone project.

Copeman added that organizers have made progress on working out the details of the project. They crafted in a Jan. 27 meeting a governmental and organizational structure for making all project-related decisions.

The organizers hope that the venture will be operational in a relatively short time.

“Our future goal is that we would hope to have the project functional within the next year or so, with perhaps the idea moving from just the Mystic Housing development to the whole city of Somerville,” Hirsch said.

Tufts graduates work to serve international communities ABROAD continued from page 1

Although Roath felt that the Fulbright program was a great fit for him, he still expressed a few concerns before moving halfway around the world. “I worry about things like dengue fever, malaria, those kinds of things. In less than a week I’m going to be over there, and it [will be] monsooning and 90 degrees,” he joked.

“Still,” he added, “I’ll be in front of a classroom of high school students in rural Malaysia in about three weeks.”

Arianna Rubin (LA ’09) took a bold step transitioning from her former off-campus house filled with Tufts friends to living in a mud hut on her own in Zambia with the Peace Corps.

Rubin said she also applied for a number

of different jobs during her senior year, and was a little intimidated by the Peace Corps’ two year commitment.

“However, the more I researched other job opportunities abroad, the more I realized that the two year commitment was actually the greatest benefit of Peace Corps because it allows volunteers to become fluent in a local language and to fully assimilate into rural and radically different communities,” she said in an e-mail to the Daily. “Once I received my invitation package from Peace Corps offering me a position in Zambia’s Community Health Improvement Project, I knew it was the right — albeit extremely daunting — next step for me to take.”

Rubin now lives in a remote village of 100 people without electricity or running water, and has really appreciated being able

to apply her Tufts education in a hands-on way by working on issues that are important to her, she said.

“The biggest adjustment for me has been moving from the fast paced lifestyle of America, where I was in a number of clubs and attending classes, living in a house filled with my best friends in an exciting city like Boston, and was generally overcommitted with my time,” she said. “In the village, times moves slowly and meetings rarely start on time. People spend a lot of time just chatting together, getting from one place to another, and accomplishing the tasks of everyday life. While this has been one of the most challenging adjustments for me to become used to, it has also been one of the most rewarding.”

Doane, Roath and Rubin all recommend-

ed that students considering opportunities abroad test the waters by looking into different programs and going through the application process.

“Many people find that they get a better understanding of what they want as they apply,” Doane said. “Applications really are helpful in and of themselves.”

Roath echoed similar sentiments.

“Students stand to lose nothing by putting themselves out there in front of the big opportunities, and the potential payoff is enormous,” he said. “By forcing you to seriously consider your values, career and personal goals, the rigorous application process is also an avenue to build crucial skills. The interview and essay-writing process helped me to think about my post-grad goals and my undergraduate background.”

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Friday, January 29, 2010

EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS AND BE A LEADER! BE A HOST ADVISOR FOR INTERNATIONAL ORIENTATION (I.O.)!

ATTENTION SENIORS!!!

IMPORTANT JUMBO 2010 YEARBOOK INFORMATION! The 2010 Jumbo Yearbook is currently in production.

Help new International and American students get adjusted to life at Tufts and in the U.S. at International Orientation (I.O.) from Aug. 29 - Aug. 31, 2010 ANYONE CAN BE A HOST ADVISOR YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT TO BE INVOLVED WITH I.O.

Applications are now available at the International Center Applications due Monday, February 22, 2010 Mandatory Information Sessions to be held February 3, 2010- February 19, 2010

Stop by the I-Center (20 Sawyer Ave) or Call I-Center (7-3458) for info session dates and times

Yearbooks will include a recap of the entire year and will be mailed to home addresses in September.

Yearbooks can be ordered at www.jostensyearbooks.com Questions contact the Office for Campus Life at ocl@tufts.edu

Experience the joys of international living without ever having to leave campus!

The International House (13 Sawyer Ave.) has openings for Fall ‘10: 3 Doubles, 1 Triple and 7 singles available.

U.S. and international students are welcome to apply!

Applications available at the International Center 20 Sawyer Ave. or on our website (http://ase.tufts.edu/icenter/default.htm)

Application Deadline: Wednesday, February 3, 2010 Group Interviews take place Feb. 4th, 5th, 8th, & 9th Please come in to schedule an interview.

Arts & Living

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MOVIE REVIEW

‘The White Ribbon’ examines roots of Nazism Children present a haunting view of pre-World War II German village BY

ALLEN IRWIN

Daily Staff Writer

“The White Ribbon,” the new film from Austrian provocateur Michael Haneke, can best be described as chill-

The White Ribbon Starring Christopher Friedel, Leonie Benesch, Ulrich Tukur Directed by Michael Haneke ing. The slow, austere aesthetic that pervades the film creates a palpable sense of dread, transforming everyday events as seemingly banal as children singing into moments of horror and suspense. “The White Ribbon” examines the place of violence in Germany in the pre-World War II years, before Hitler came to power, with finely crafted brushstrokes culminating in a painting that is simultaneously bleak and beautiful.

The film follows the inhabitants of a small, isolated German village over the course of a few years, roughly from 1913 to 1914. The village’s schoolteacher (Christian Friedel), provides the film’s narration and warns that the story may not be entirely true, due to the distance of memory and the proliferation of rumor.

ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

“The White Ribbon” examines the bleak society of Germany leading up to World War II. What follows is an account of a group of people who experience a series of strange events: disturbing acts of vio-

THEATER REVIEW

lence that threaten to tear the community apart. Everyone in the village seems to be a suspect in the burning of a barn,

the seemingly accidental death of a see RIBBON, page 6

TV REVIEW

Strong cast and action scenes make ‘Human Target’ enjoyable REBECCA GOLDBERG Daily Editorial Board

In the more carefree days of the ’70s and ’80s, when network TV was not yet being

Human Target

COMPANYONE.ORG

Jonathan L. Dent and Cliff Odle portray idealistic and determined civil right activists.

‘The Good Negro’ explores injustice in ’60s Alabama MICHELLE BEEHLER Daily Editorial Board

Birmingham, Ala.’s prejudiced politics of the 1960s and their personal repercussions

The Good Negro Written by Tracey Scott Wilson Directed by Summer L. Williams At the BCA Plaza Theatre through Feb. 6 Tickets $15 and up are brought to life in Tracey Scott Wilson’s “The Good Negro,” currently on stage at the Boston Center for the Arts Plaza Theater. Company One’s production under Summer L. Williams’ direction is both violent and touching, as the char-

acters risk what they consider most dear for what they believe in.

While obviously based on the events surrounding the civil rights movement, the production’s fictional plot has an essence of its own. “The Good Negro” dodges the limitations of historical accuracy and recreates the violence and fear prevalent in Birmingham in 1962.

The play also closely scrutinizes and fictionalizes the personal life and complicated relationships of the movement’s leaders. Elements of the lives of Martin Luther King, Jr. and some of his fellow civil rights leaders such as Ralph Abernathy, Fred Shuttlesworth and Bayard Rustin are apparent in the show, but the lives of these men are edited and reorganized to create new, but equally powerful characters.

The production opens with see GOOD, page 6

Starring Mark Valley, Chi McBride, Jackie Earle Haley Airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on Fox bludgeoned to death by the Internet, action series like “Charlie’s Angels” (1976-1981) and “The A-Team” (1983-1987) followed preternaturally skilled heroes who kept it lighthearted and always somehow saved the day. In the graphic-novel inspired new series “Human Target,” Fox spiritedly hearkens back to the good old days of comedic action.

ENTERTAINMENT.CA.MSN.COM

Mark Valley is like a brand new Captain America.

Mark Valley stars as Christopher Chance, a multitalented bodyguard-for-hire. In the first two episodes, Chance is required to shoot guns, engage in martial arts, fly a plane and speak Japanese; Valley does it all with an infectious sort of confidence and palatable charm.

Valley’s square jaw, blond hair, blue eyes and real-life military background make him a perfect fit for Chance, and an even more ideal choice for a liveaction Captain America.

Chance’s team consists of see TARGET, page 7

ALBUM REVIEW

Spoon’s latest album lacks ambition BY

MATTHEW WELCH

Contributing Writer

The appeal of a good, simple groove is so hard to pinpoint.

Why is it that some bass lines

Transference Spoon Merge Records SPOONTHEBAND.COM

His expression just about sums it up: Spoon’s album lacks pizzazz.

are intolerable after two verses, while others stay fresh for

minutes at a time? Knowing the difference between a phrase worth repeating and a dud is even more important for bands like Spoon, whose songwriting has always been grounded in extracting as much as possible from simplistic hooks and rhythms.

Such an approach poses a great danger; when a small idea is repeated, exposed and stretched out over numerous bars, every little nuance see SPOON, page 6

THE TUFTS DAILY

6

Friday, January 29, 2010

ARTS & LIVING

Haneke explores tensions between parents and children RIBBON continued from page 5

farm worker and two separate attacks on children.

While it is tempting to read the film as a mystery — looking for clues, finding suspects and deducing whodunit — Haneke leaves just enough doubt as to who the actual perpetrator is to prevent a clear explanation. The relationships between the characters in the village take center stage, probing the power dynamics between baron and farmers, caretakers and the injured and, especially, parents and children.

The children of “The White Ribbon” are among the central protagonists (or possibly antagonists), and director Haneke reserves some of his most pointed commentary for them.

Throughout the film, the children of the various villagers act as if they are hiding something from both their parents and the audience, and they seem to have an uncanny connection to the accidents that keep happening.

One girl asks the schoolteacher if dreams can come true. When prompted further, she reveals that she has had a dream that another child in the village will be tortured, and, sure enough, her dream comes true. Did she really dream it first, or did she know something was going to happen from the other children? As the schoolteacher has already warned, the truth of these events is elusive and possibly unknowable.

The film’s title is a reference to a significant scene involving children, another hint that they are the main focus of the story. The village pastor, in order to punish two of his children, forces them to wear white armbands that serve to remind them of purity and innocence. The pure white of the

ROTTENTOMATOES.COM

The children’s performances are among the most powerful in the film. ribbon stains the otherwise black wardrobes of the children, a direct marker of the cruel and damaging punishments dealt out by their father.

Despite this apparent condemnation of strict parenting, the film does not portray the children as innocent victims. These children are possibly even more jealous, vengeful and power-hungry than the adults in the village.

The film views the children through a lens of distrust, and it is with the unpredictable nature of their actions that the movie gains its sense of dread

and much of its power. In each scene in which the children are interacting with the adults or each other, there is a sense that the tensions created by the social class of their families and the stern reprimands of their parents may burst out of them with violent force at any time.

Haneke has stated that the film is his examination of the roots of Nazism.

While it certainly makes a well-argued point that certain kinds of cultural institutions like strict religious values, authoritative parenting and resent-

ment of authority figures can prime a society for accepting a totalitarian regime, Haneke’s creation is also much more than that.

The way in which the film uses formal technique, a mirror of the lifestyle of its characters, also makes a salient point about the ways in which all people interact with others. Each social interaction between people brings with it entire histories, both personal and cultural, and there is a myriad of ways in which violence and its consequences can come to saturate a community.

‘Good Negro’ shows both sides of civil rights movement

‘Transference’ lacks panache of earlier albums

GOOD

becomes all the more audible. Albums like LCD Soundsystem’s “Sound of Silver” (2007) and Spoon’s “Kill the Moonlight” (2002) show how repetition can reveal the greatness in the simplest grooves. The magic of both of these albums was in the anticipation they built around every little phrase.

Even though the same threenote synth lick was coming back for another verse, it was just as exciting as the first time around.

“Transference,” Spoon’s latest release, proves how little this approach to music can yield when the hooks simply aren’t catchy enough. Without the air-tight pop phrasing that characterized earlier Spoon songs like “The Way We Get By” (2002), the repetition that was previously so critical to Spoon’s sound stopped doing them favors.

Each repeat of the bass riff in “I Saw the Light” only reinforces how meandering and directionless the song feels.

The rhythm sections beat out the same meter for most of the song, leaving the listener unaffected after five and a half minutes of monotony.

Instrumental breaks strewn throughout “Transference” generally offer little respite from the stagnant verses and choruses that characterize the album.

The band so thoroughly bombards the listener that when the distorted guitars in the bridge of “The Mystery Zone” finally emerge from the robotic heave of the song’s first three minutes, any change is more than welcome. Too bad the break only lasts for 15 seconds before it recedes back into the same ineffective theme.

Even though “Transference” disappoints in some critical areas, the high points

continued from page 5

the shocking and brutal beating of Claudette Sullivan (Marvelyn Mcfarlane). Claudette breaks the law when she lets her four-yearold black daughter use the “white only” restroom in a Birmingham store. It is a small, seemingly innocent act that unleashes all the cruelty associated with the Jim Crow era.

At that point, the heart of the civil rights movement resides in Birmingham, led by the inspirational and respected James Lawrence (Jonathan L. Dent) and his close friend Henry Evans (Cliff Odle), a passionate individual and egomaniac. Lawrence and Evans decide to expose the violent and unreasonable treatment of Claudette and her daughter Shelley in order to fuel the movement, a decision that affects everyone involved personally and ends with undesirable consequences.

Amid the rioting and chaos is the extremely organized and adorable Bill Rutherford (Cedric Lilly), who flew from Geneva to join the movement with Lawrence and Evans.

Rutherford arrives in Birmingham with smiles and enthusiasm, only to find a disorganized campaign and worn-out volunteers. Lilly is touching in his portrayal of the seemingly fragile, yet determined Rutherford.

While often the subject of scorn from Evans, Rutherford becomes perhaps the most loved character in the performance. Of all the civil rights activists, Rutherford remains the most innocent, and is therefore a beacon of morality, that guides both Lawrence and the movement.

But despite Rutherford’s ideals, it is Claudette’s husband, Pelzie (James Milord), who exhibits the most wisdom. Milord is surprising in his performance as he slowly develops Pelzie’s character.

Pelzie’s initial gruff manner and

bad grammar make him seem undesirable to the activists as an icon for the movement. After losing his job and facing much more adversity, Pelzie’s pain and loss force him to experience and understand the worst of Jim Crow, segregation and the hate that upholds both practices.

The work of the FBI and the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) parallels the progression of the civil rights movement as the two march forward to their inevitable clash. Scott’s script beautifully matches fear with its source when Lawrence and Gary Thomas Rowe, Jr.(Greg Maraio), a KKK member and FBI informant, give overlapping speeches to their contrasting audiences. At this moment, both men are speaking for what they believe in, but with extremely different intentions; it is a scene that simultaneously reveals humankind’s ability to love and hate.

The set for the performance is simple, yet startlingly intimate.

Wooden benches, FBI corkboards filled up with a collage of information on Lawrence’s life and a spare chair here and there make up the few objects on the set, leaving it up to the actors to set their own stage and create their own environments. A movie screen in the background shows footage in black and white, helping to link the fictional storyline with the feel of a historical event.

“The Good Negro” gives a humble and honest perspective of both sides of the movement, revealing faults and human weaknesses. The story is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, and provides a glance at what the civil rights movement meant to those fighting for it.

Company One’s production of “The Good Negro” is running until Feb. 6 at the Boston Center for the Arts Plaza Theater with performances every day except Monday and Tuesday.

SPOON continued from page 5

THESILVERTONGUEONLINE.COM

Maybe you shouldn’t be so smug about your music. of Spoon’s songwriting and arranging come through clearly on a few tracks. The album’s opener, “Before Destruction,” effectively pairs the disparate sounds of a strangely recorded guitar with an organ.

Unlike the other songs on the album, “Before Destruction” has a sense of movement, as themes evolve and elements get added and taken away. At the song’s end, the listener feels more affected than he or she will by any of the other tracks on the album.

Other tracks, such as “Who Makes Your Money,” show how Spoon can still use simple ideas in extremely effective ways. Rather than dragging out a single bass line or guitar riff throughout the duration of the song, Spoon alternates between guitar sequences, oozing synths and pseudofunk bass work that shows off

the rhythm section. Obviously, this band is still more than capable of producing engaging work; they just need to modify their approach.

In the end, “Transference” shows a band that has lost its sense of adventure. Britt Daniels only breaks out of his songwriting comfort zone on a handful of tracks, and the result is a compilation that sounds like a timid counterpart to the group’s earlier albums, such as “Kill the Moonlight” and “Gimme Fiction” (2005).

The most frustrating parts of “Transference” are the moments when the listener expects something beyond Spoon’s usual song structure.

While the band delivers on this promise on a few tracks, the majority of the album feels tired, lacking the momentum to keep itself moving toward a significant conclusion.

Friday, January 29, 2010

THE TUFTS DAILY

7

ARTS & LIVING

Despite lackluster plot, actors’ performances redeem ‘Human Target’ TARGET continued from page 5

TV.YAHOO.COM

The graphic novel comes to television in Fox’s new action-packed series.

Winston (Chi McBride) and Guerrero ( Jackie Earle Haley), whose talents aren’t entirely clear, presumably so the writers can shoehorn them in where they’re needed. McBride, who has starred in shows ranging from “Boston Public” (2000-2004) to “Pushing Daisies” (20072009) and is always a welcome television presence, acts as the gruff and disdainful voice of reason. Though Guerrero is more soft-spoken and upbeat than Rorschach of “Watchmen” (2009), Haley’s last major role, the former child actor adds an effective undercurrent of menace to his reformed criminal character.

The show’s concept is drawn from the eponymous comic book series, created

by Len Wein and Carmine Infantino.

Chance in the comics employed a complicated series of disguises so that he could go undercover as his client in order to protect them. The change made for the television adaptation — in which Chance merely protects his charge as an anonymous bystander, only stepping in when necessary — is understandable, especially considering the physically ideal lead the producers found in Valley.

In the spirit of retro action series — a motif that even extends to the orchestral score and kicky opening credits — Chance is hired each episode by a new client who has been threatened and requires an unorthodox kind of protection. Chance’s M.O. is to identify the threat and take him or her out by whatever means necessary.

The action scenes in the first two episodes are intensified by their respective locations: a runaway train and a crashing airplane. In particular, the air-

borne climax of the second episode is heart-pounding and fun, culminating in a fistfight between Chance and the plane’s saboteur inside the wheel well of the plane, all while the plane is being flipped over and the landing gear door is open.

The show is most definitely fluff, but it’s quality fluff.

Though “Human Target” has yet to do more than allude to the back stories of its main characters, the show can be exciting enough to excuse its formulaic nature. It remains to be seen whether the adrenaline can stay high when the writers run out of thrilling set pieces and Chance inevitably has to stop an assassination attempt in a Starbucks.

Still, there’s a good deal of fun to be had in “Human Target.” Each episode functions as a kind of whodunit, as Chance searches for the mysterious threat. The show is most definitely fluff, but at least it’s quality fluff. That quality can be primarily attributed to Valley, McBride and Haley, all very talented actors with excellent chemistry.

If the central trio can spend more time together, working as a team and engaging in quippy banter, then weak or drab A-plots can mostly likely be forgiven.

As in the recession of the late ‘70s, shows like “Human Target” serve as an excellent diversion. They give insight into a world where some people — working unbeknownst to the rest of us — always possess the appropriate skills, make the right decisions and save the day with a roguish smirk on their faces.

Political Wonks • Music Lovers • Aspiring Chefs • NFL fans • Fashionistas • Lushes

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At the Daily staff meeting, columnists will be democratically elected. If selected, columnists will be responsible for one column per week until the end of classes.

THE TUFTS DAILY

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COMICS

Friday, January 29, 2010

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WILEY

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Jumbos must ‘bring’ it against Conn. College and Wesleyan WOMEN’S BASKETBALL continued from page 12

“In the first half, we started out stronger,” Kornegay said. “We weren’t more intense, but we fell into a lapse in the second half. Our shots weren’t falling, and we weren’t doing what we were supposed to do on defense, not getting as many steals.”

On the heels of last weekend’s home wins over then-No. 25 Colby and then-No. 13 Bowdoin, No. 12 Tufts hits the road this Friday and Saturday to take on cellar-dwellers Wesleyan and Conn. College, who are a com-

bined 1-7 in the NESCAC thus far.

Against the Cardinals on Friday, the Jumbos will face a squad fresh off a 60-52 win over NESCAC rival Middlebury. Wesleyan sophomore forward Eileen Gaffney is averaging 12.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game and looks to give the 7-9 Cardinals their biggest win of the year. Wesleyan, as well as Conn. College, which sits at 0-4 in the NESCAC, could prove to be formidable tasks, especially given that both squads need wins in order to stay in the playoff hunt.

“It’s kind of a season-defining weekend,”

Miller said. “[Wesleyan and Conn. College are] backed into a corner, and in terms of postseason ambitions, it’s a big, big weekend for them. I think in a lot of ways, this Wesleyan team might mentally be more dangerous than the ones we’ve played in the past just because they need a win over us.”

As always, the Jumbos insist that they must play the same way, whether it’s against a nationally ranked opponent at home or a winless one on the road.

“We’re going to play hard, obviously, and we want to keep our winning streak going,”

Kornegay said. “We’re just going to play as intense as we did against Colby and Bowdoin.

Even though these aren’t two nationally ranked teams, we want to go out as hard as we did last weekend.”

“When push comes to shove, it’s all about what we bring,” Miller added. “If we don’t walk into these two games with the same mental attitudes that we walked into Colby and Bowdoin with, we’re going to make it difficult on ourselves. That’s the biggest thing.”

Sapna Bansil contributed reporting to this article.

Tufts looks to home stand to regain momentum

Jumbos face critical weekend

ICE HOCKEY

MEN’S BASKETBALL

continued from page 12

One thing the Jumbos won’t be looking to change is the play of their special teams, which is performing as well as it ever has. Currently, the Jumbos claim the fourth-best power play and second-best penalty kill in the NESCAC. In their eight games since the start of 2010, the Jumbos have surrendered just three power-play goals and never more than one in a single contest.

“Our penalty kill and power play are playing great,” Murphy said.

“We just need to score more evenstrength goals, and we’re going to bounce back.”

The team’s success with a man in the box can be attributed to strong defense, but there is no denying that outstanding goaltending has played its part as well.

Sophomore starting goaltender Scott Barchard currently owns the best save percentage in the NESCAC at .942. Since taking over the starting position as a freshman last year, Barchard has had a strong hand in the majority of the Jumbos’ wins and has been a steadying force when the team looks to be wavering.

Getting two victories this weekend would be a major rallying point for the Jumbos, as they face

back-to-back NESCAC matchups next weekend when they host Wesleyan and Trinity before hitting the road again. By gaining some confidence now with wins in these non-NESCAC games, the Jumbos can build some momentum as they try to climb the NESCAC standings and advance to the postseason for the second consecutive year.

“We feel that the hardest part of our schedule is behind us now, and nobody is losing any confidence,” Diaco said. “We’ve been putting good games together, but just not a full 60 minutes ... We feel like we can beat anybody.”

continued from page 12

in front of the net,” Anderson said. “Both plays end up with Jon [Pierce] posting up in a one-onone, which makes it harder for their defense to double-team him.

Defensively, both Wesleyan and Conn. have small, quick guards, so we’re looking to force them to put the ball on the floor and ultimately make bad decisions.”

With two more NESCAC wins this weekend, Tufts would more or less secure seventh place in the NESCAC and a playoff spot. But from here on out, the Jumbos are looking at each game as a must-

win, because any huge upsets in the next few weeks could potentially bump them out entirely.

“If we win two it would be really tough for either team to come back and get ahead of us in the NESCAC,” Beyel said. “We can’t say it would clinch a spot because if [eighth-place] Bates, Wesleyan or Conn. come back and get hot and beat a team they aren’t supposed to, it could knock us down. With these wins and the rest of the games going the way they should in the conference though, it would be a cinch but it’s not a definite. These are mustwins for us.”

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Friday, January 29, 2010

11

SPORTS

ALPINE SKIING

Tufts skiers on upward slope toward top of division BY

ETHAN STURM

Daily Staff Writer

For the men’s club alpine ski team, getting off to a slow start has become a bit of a habit in recent years. But with a series of strong results over the past few weeks, including two second-place showings last weekend, the Jumbos appear primed to shake off the earlyseason jitters and race toward the top of the pack.

In both 2008 and 2009, the Jumbos had their worst results of the year in the season’s first weekend. Yet Tufts was able to rebound from the rough start in each season and cruise to second-place finishes in the Thompson Division, behind perennial powerhouse Castleton State College.

This year, Tufts is following a similar script. In facing the giant slalom course at Sunday River in Maine in its first race, the raw Jumbos squad finished in fourth place on both days as seven of its top 10 skiers fell, a disappointing and rocky start for a promising team.

With the divisional season shortened from 10 events to eight, everything hinged on this past weekend’s races at Bromley Mountain in Vermont. Tufts rose to the challenge, and led by junior captain Brian Bresee and fellow junior Arlin Ladue, got right back into the middle of the divisional race.

Bresee’s 43.97 finish on Saturday was over a second faster than the next closest competitor, and he ended the day in first place by a definitive 0.60 seconds.

“On the second run, it was kind of a survival course,” Bresee said. “It was tough and set really tight. A lot of people were falling. It was really just making it through and fighting all the way down.”

Ladue was also impressive with a combined total of 1:28.74 for his two runs. It was good enough to earn a 14th-place finish, placing him barely a second outside of the top 10. Those two runs, along with senior Pat Tonelli’s 19th-place finish, left the Jumbos in second for the day.

On Sunday, Bresee once again entered the latter run in second place but could not repeat his Saturday success. The junior fell to fourth, far

COURTESY KATHY BRESEE

Junior captain Brian Bresee races during the club alpine ski team’s weekend at Bromley Mountain. Bresee had a first-place run, leading the pack by 0.60 seconds. behind Northeastern freshman Robert Visconti, who took the top spot by more than three seconds. Ladue managed to finish tied for 25th place, while junior Thomas Valentin’s 20th place sealed a second straight runner-up showing for the Jumbos.

The pair of second-place finishes shot the Jumbos back up into a threeway tie with Northeastern and WPI for second place in the division at

the halfway point of the season. While Castleton remains far ahead, Tufts has put itself in a strong position to claim an easy ride through to regionals, which includes the top four teams from the division.

For Tufts to have continued success, Bresee must continue to lead the way.

He finished ninth individually in the division as a freshman, tied for second as a sophomore and is just a fall away

from being comfortably in first place this year. But Bresee feels it is going to take a team effort for Tufts to succeed and has faith that his teammates are up to the task.

“Things are going well,” Bresee said.

“We definitely stepped it up. Arlin and Thomas are coming into their own, and Pat is always solid. I’m definitely excited for it, and we will see what happens come regionals.”

INSIDE NCAA BASKETBALL

Wildcats show claws at top of Big 12 BY

ETHAN LANDY

Daily Editorial Board

MCT

Senior guard Denis Clemente and the No. 13 Kansas State Wildcats have emerged as a surprise contender in the Big 12 alongside Texas and instate rival Kansas.

Don’t look now, but the best team in Kansas might not be located in Lawrence.

Despite a slip up last Saturday at home against Oklahoma State, the No. 13 Kansas State Wildcats (17-3) have been playing some of the best basketball in the Big 12 and the nation this season, heading into the Sunflower Showdown with in-state rival No. 2 Kansas on Saturday night.

Though at the beginning of the season the Wildcats were not as highly regarded as the Jayhawks — the top-ranked team in the preseason polls — Kansas State has become a force to be reckoned with in the Big 12. If a 10-game win streak — the team’s first since 1993-94 — that began earlier this season with a victory over then-No. 21 Dayton and included a win over then-No. 17 UNLV was not enough to sway the doubters, then surely a victory over Texas on Jan. 18 convinced any naysayers that the Wildcats are for real.

In that game, the Longhorns came into Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan. undefeated and ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation. But the Wildcats earned a 71-62 victory on the strength of a suffocating defense that held Texas

to just 37 percent shooting on the day and a season-best performance of 20 points and 12 rebounds from sophomore Jamar Samuels off the bench.

The win was even more impressive considering the Wildcats’ dynamic backcourt duo of junior Jacob Pullen and senior Denis Clemente was held to a 4-for-24 performance.

Pullen, the Big 12’s secondleading scorer, in particular has been fantastic this season, upping his scoring average from last year by 5.3 points per game and scoring in double figures in each of his team’s 20 contests. Pullen rebounded from a tough string of play to score 25 points and hit the game-winning free throws in a 76-74 win over No. 24 Baylor on Tuesday night.

But Kansas State is not just a two-man team.

The Wildcats boast a number of good role players, including the aforementioned Samuels, which helps make them a complete team. Junior Curtis Kelly, a transfer from Connecticut, has developed into a solid low-post option to complement the outside threat of Pullen, averaging 11.2 points a game as well as a team-high 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks.

Classmate Dominique Sutton has become a defensive force for his team, in addition to averaging 7.5 points and 5.6

rebounds a game.

Outside of the surprising loss to Oklahoma State, which might have been a letdown game after the big win over Texas, the Wildcats have lost just two other games: one against No. 20 Ole Miss in November at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off and another in Columbia, Mo. to Missouri, where the Tigers have not lost this season, in the team’s Big 12 opener.

Kansas State finished the regular season last year with 21 wins and bowed out in the second round of the NIT. With 10 games remaining this season, the Wildcats are well on their way to their best season in Frank Martin’s three years as head coach.

Kansas State will have a chance to pull another upset this weekend against the Jayhawks, particularly since the game will be played at home, where the Wildcats had been on a 14-game win streak before the loss to Oklahoma State last week.

With ESPN’s College GameDay in attendance, the fans will be even more riled up for the rivalry on Saturday.

And a win for Kansas State against its in-state rival would further prove to the rest of the conference and the nation that the Wildcats should be a force to be reckoned with come March.

Sports

12

INSIDE Alpine Skiing 11 Inside NCAA Basketball 11

tuftsdaily.com

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

After Emerson win, big NESCAC weekend action looms Tufts holds off second-half rally from non-conference foe BY

JAMES CHOCA/TUFTS DAILY

definitely played a part, and to their credit, their post players were working very, very hard and took advantage of the couple lapses that we had. They were a team that if you didn’t box out every single time, they were going to make you pay.”

With 2:21 left in the fourth quarter, Baily corralled an offensive rebound off a missed shot by junior tri-captain Colleen Hart and hit a layup that effectively stifled the Lions’ comeback and put the game out of reach.

Tufts converted 15 first-half turnovers into 13 points, snapping Emerson’s three-game winning streak by surging to a 34-21 halftime margin. Though a 10-0 Lions run early in the second half allowed the visitors to come within striking distance, four consecutive free throws over the final 40 seconds of the game gave the Jumbos their 16th win of the year.

“We’re not good when we play passive defense,” Miller said. “When we let teams set up in their half-court offenses ... we’re not as good as when we’re aggressive and making plays defensively. When we use our defense as a catalyst, it feeds into easy offensive baskets, and it’s so much more fun to play.”

Hart, who has run into a bit of a shooting cold streak lately, went 1-for-12 from the field against Emerson but, perhaps more importantly, tallied three assists and zero turnovers.

The balanced Tufts offense also got seven points from Miller and six from sophomore forward Kate Barnosky, in addition to 11 combined bench points by junior guard Lindsay Weiner and junior forward Sarah Nolet.

Senior forward Julia Baily drives to the basket against Emerson at home on Tuesday. Baily finished the game with 14 points as the Jumbos downed the Lions 59-49.

see WOMEN’S BASKETBALL, page 10

ALEX PREWITT

Daily Editorial Board

Riding the momentum gained last weekend thanks to a pair of victories versus top-25 opponents, the women’s basketball team conWOMEN’S BASKETBALL (16-2, 3-1 NESCAC) Cousens Gym, Tuesday Emerson

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Tufts

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tinued its dominance of non-conference foes, besting Emerson College at home Tuesday to head into the penultimate NESCAC weekend on a four-game winning streak.

Tufts, which is 39-2 in regular-season nonconference games dating back to 2007-08, never trailed against the visiting Lions, withstanding a late Emerson rally behind a teamhigh 16 points from sophomore guard Tiffany Kornegay and 14 from senior forward Julia Baily to win 59-49.

The undersized Jumbos ran into problems against Emerson junior center Lauren Zaniboni, who finished with a game-high 17 points and 13 rebounds. Tufts, which starts five players under six feet and three under 5-foot-5, got into foul trouble early, allowing Zaniboni to keep Emerson in the contest.

“It can shake your confidence and take your focus off defending when you’re worried about the calls you’re going to get,” senior tricaptain Vanessa Miller said. “I think that that

ICE HOCKEY

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Tufts seeks to maintain playoff contention BY

EVAN COOPER

Daily Editorial Board

Down but not out, the Tufts hockey team will try to put its recent struggles behind it as the Jumbos take on ECAC East foes Castleton and Skidmore this weekend in an attempt to climb out of the conference cellar.

After dropping four of their last five games, including losses to NESCAC opponents Colby and Bowdoin last weekend, the Jumbos have fallen to 8-7-1 overall (4-6-1 NESCAC) and currently occupy the last NESCAC playoff berth ahead of Conn.

College and Wesleyan. With just four weeks remaining on the regular season schedule, the Jumbos will be doing all they can to elevate their game and hold on to that spot, if not climb up a few rungs on the ladder.

“The [NESCAC] race is so close, and every game in the NESCAC is winnable from first to 10th,” junior Zach Diaco said.

“Anyone can beat anyone else on any day. We felt like we earned our spot at the top of the standings earlier in the season, and we don’t feel like we’ve fallen that far now.”

The Jumbos’ first shot at a turnaround comes with tonight’s game against Castleton, the first of a four-game home stand that Tufts hopes will reinvigorate its season.

“We’ll be ready to go come [tonight],” coach Brian Murphy said. “We’re rested and we’re healthy and we’re ready [for Castleton.]”

So far this season, the Jumbos boast a 3-2-1 record on their home ice, including a seasonopening tie against powerhouse Middlebury. Tufts also has experience and confidence on its

side, as the team already beat the Spartans 5-2 to win the Rutland Herald Invitational in November.

“We like to play at home,” Murphy said. “It’s a lot easier when you don’t have to travel … It was tough last weekend on the road. We like it here at the [Malden] Forum, and it’s good when the fans can come out and support us.”

The Jumbos will be looking to juniors Tom Derosa and Diaco for an offensive spark as they attempt to repeat the November victory.

Derosa and Diaco lead the team so far this season with 17 and 15 points, respectively, as well as a team-high seven goals apiece.

Close behind is freshman Trevor John, who, despite his role on defense, is third on the team in both points (14) and goals (six).

In the Jumbos’ most recent victory, a 7-1 romping of Suffolk on Jan. 19, Derosa notched a hat trick and an assist for a team-leading four points, and John chipped in a goal and two assists. It will take consistent output from all three of these leaders for Tufts to improve on its recent results, and the contest with Castleton may prove the perfect opportunity to get things rolling.

Saturday’s meeting with Skidmore may prove a bit more challenging for the Jumbos, who have a losing streak against the Thoroughbreds that dates back to the 2002-03 season. Fortunately for Tufts, Skidmore, who last year put together a 13-10-3 record and advanced to the ECAC East semifinals, seems to be having a rougher time this season and is currently just 7-10. see ICE HOCKEY, page 10

Separation Saturday: Jumbos fighting for tourney slot this weekend BY

CLAIRE KEMP

Daily Editorial Board

It appears as though things are changing for the better for the men’s basketball team.

MEN’S BASKETBALL (5-12, 1-3 NESCAC) at Norton, Mass., Tuesday Tufts Wheaton

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After picking up two consecutive wins in the past week, the Jumbos look to this weekend to continue the streak against lowly NESCAC competitors Wesleyan and Conn.

College. The team is confident that if it can continue to play the solid defense and efficient offense that got it a win at Wheaton on Tuesday, the Jumbos can go 2-0 on the weekend and have a realistic shot to make the NESCAC Tournament, which they have not taken part in since 2006-07.

The small turnaround began this past Saturday when Tufts defeated conference foe Bowdoin 58-53 with a game-winning three-pointer from senior Dave Beyel in the final 30 seconds to tally its first NESCAC win.

Coming off the high of the exciting finish, the team traveled to Wheaton, where it led for the entire 40 minutes and downed the Lyons 77-67.

After taking a 28-22 lead into halftime, the Jumbos’ lead was threatened by a 12-0 Wheaton run that bridged the intermission.

Tufts, however, answered with a seven-point run of its own for some breathing room early in the half.

Wheaton then took advantage of the more relaxed Tufts defense and chiseled away at the lead to tie the score at 40 points with 13 minutes left. Thanks to a three-pointer from freshman guard Alex Goldfarb,

though, the Lyons never got that close again, despite coming within one point on three occasions in the next three minutes.

“I think one of the biggest things that we’ve done recently that’s been a change is that we went back to playing defense as a team,” Beyel said. “We’re guarding the five players as a unit rather than one-onone, which is what we let happen in the beginning of the season, and points got away from us.”

The victory displayed not only the defensive strength that has eluded the Jumbos since early in the season, but big offensive performances from their go-to shooters. Beyel finished the game with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while freshman center Scott Anderson was behind him with 16 points and seven boards. Senior tri-captain Jon Pierce was the third Tufts player in double digits with 15 points and seven rebounds, as well as three blocks.

“I think we started passing the ball a lot more, sharing it more,” said Anderson of the Jumbos’ streak.

“We were getting a lot more touches on the ball … a lot more people scored than just our one and two shooters. We started to play better team defense, talking a lot more and just playing better help defense. We were also able to break their press all game with all our ball-handlers able to break it down.”

Heading into this weekend, the team must focus on consistency with its newly improved team defense. Though the Jumbos never gave up the lead on Tuesday, each big run by Tufts was followed by a lull. And with playoff contention on the line, there is no room for defensive breakdowns.

“I think energy and focus is what we can always improve on,” Beyel said. “In both of our wins there

were short spurts where we lost focus and threw the ball away a few times and got lazy on defense.

I think those are two things we can continue to improve on — staying in the game 100 percent, mentally and physically.”

Tufts is also looking for more points underneath the basket and will try to keep pressuring its opponents beyond the arc. Highpercentage shots will be key in ensuring points on each possession this weekend as the Jumbos look to continue their recent increase in field goal percentage.

Right now, Wesleyan is 7-11 overall and 0-4 in conference play and sits in last place in the NESCAC. However, the Cardinals pose an offensive threat in freshman guard Shasha Brown, who is second in the NESCAC with 18.1 points per game coming into the matchup. Last year, Tufts earned its only conference win over Wesleyan in a 79-78 battle.

On Saturday, Tufts will face Conn. College, which is tied for last place with Wesleyan. And while the Camels graduated two key contributors last season, returning sophomore Demetrius Porter and senior Shavar Bernier put up a combined 50 points on the Jumbos in an 86-72 come-from-behind win last season.

As Tufts attempts to continue its recent string of success, it will try to incorporate some new offensive strategy to gain an edge in both weekend contests.

“We have two different new plays that work to spread out the court rather than being congested see MEN’S BASKETBALL, page 10 How will the Tufts men’s basketball team finish out the year? Vote at tuftsdaily.com/sports.