2011-03-07.pdf

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THE TUFTS DAILY

VOLUME LXI, NUMBER 26

TUFTSDAILY.COM

Monday, March 7, 2011

Tufts set to break ground on athletic complex

Pelosi to speak at Tufts for inaugural Solomont Lecture by

Matt Repka

Daily Editorial Board

Daily File Photo

Construction on the next phase of the Tufts’ athletic facilities will begin next month. The Athletics Department’s proposal to build the three-story 42,000square-foot Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center seems to be moving forward, according to an e-mail from the Office of Special Events to alumni announcing a groundbreaking event planned for April 12. While the final plans for the project have yet to be officially approved by the City of Medford Zoning Board of Appeals, the e-mail indicated that the university is “optimistic that full approval will be reached soon” and that construction on the complex will begin on that date. Vice President for Operations Dick Reynolds told the Daily in December that the building should be completed and ready for use by students and athletes by next fall semester. The complex is the second phase of a three-phase initiative announced in 2007 by University President Lawrence Bacow, to develop the university’s athletics facilities. The first phase, completed in 2008, saw renovations of Cousens Gym that involved a 90-degree rotation of the gym’s basketball courts and additional seating.

Plans for this second phase include the construction of a three-story building between Cousens and the Gantcher Center that will house additional locker rooms and offices and a new fitness facility to supplement the existing Chase Gym. The third phase of the project will involve further fundraising to achieve the Athletic Department’s goal of a modernized swimming pool and squash courts, according to Athletics Director Bill Gehling told the Daily in December. The project hit a minor speed bump this winter when the Board of Appeals rejected certain portions of the plan because they didn’t meet aspects of the Medford zoning ordinance. The university is awaiting approval for a zoning variance it filed following the rejection. The Facilities and Construction Department will head the building’s construction and hired design and construction company Stanmar and architectural firm DiMella Shaffer to develop the facility’s design, according to Reynolds. —by Ben Kochman

ResLife starts online lottery system with few glitches by

Rachel Rampino

Daily Editorial Board

The Office of Residential Life and Learning’s (ResLife) housing registration process, conducted for the first time online, last week finished out its first rounds for apartment, suite and special housing selection. Despite some technical glitches, administrators deemed the process overall a success. The new online system — initiated this year in response to student request — allows students to use a program to sign up for their on-campus housing for next year using Reslife’s new Housing Management Portal, which is based on software maintained by an Australian software company, StarRez and StarNet Systems.

Students last month were able to use the system to enter the lottery for suites in Hillside Apartments, Latin Way and Sophia Gordon and Wren Halls, as well as Bridge Program and Healthy Living rooms in Metcalf and Lewis Halls. Some students signing up for apartments and suites experienced minor technical glitches in the system, according to Jim Moodie, associate bursar of systems and operations at Student Services. In one case, the program timed out during the intended selection period, Moodie said. Freshman Carolina Reyes said she encountered similar difficulties while applying to register for a Hillside apartment. see HOUSING, page 2

Inside this issue

Where You Read It First Est. 1980

Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will next month make the trip from one Hill to another, taking a break from her duties as Democratic leader of the U.S. House of Representatives to address Tufts on the subject of public service among students. Pelosi will deliver the inaugural Alan D. Solomont Lecture at Tufts on April 8 at 2 p.m. in Cohen Auditorium, according to Assistant Director of Public Relations Katie Cinnamond in an e-mail to the Daily. In her lecture, which is part of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service’s ongoing 10th anniversary celebrations, the former House Speaker will share her experiences and reflections on public service. “Tufts University is leading the nation in fostering the next generation of engaged citizens,” Pelosi told the Daily in an e-mail yesterday. “That’s why I’m looking forward to the opportunity to speak to the Tufts community about the impact young people can have through public service.” Following Pelosi’s remarks, Solomont (A ’70), the current U.S. ambassador to Spain and Andorra, will lead a question and answer session. Solomont, a trustee emeritus, was involved in the founding of the Tisch College

in 2000. He has served as ambassador since President Obama appointed him in 2009. As the first female Speaker of the House, Pelosi is the highest-ranking female elected official in American history. She served as Speaker from 2007 until 2011, when the Republicans took over the House. Pelosi ran successfully for the Democratic leader position in the 112th Congress despite Democratic losses in last year’s midterm elections. She continues to represent California’s eighth congressional district. The Tisch College is celebrating its 10th year at Tufts with a series of lectures and events. Tisch College Director and Associate Dean Nancy Wilson said Pelosi’s lifelong experience in public service made her ideally suited to deliver the Solomont Lecture. “I can’t think of someone who would be more appropriate to kick off this lecture series and help us celebrate our tenth anniversary,” Wilson said. “We’re just delighted that she’s going to be coming to Tufts.” Wilson also praised Solomont, the former chair of the Corporation for National and Community Service, for his leadership at Tisch College. “Alan is a leader in the national service movement and has given many years of service to Tufts and to Tisch College,” she said. Tickets to the lecture will be made available through the Tisch College.

MCT

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will come to Tufts on April 8 for the first Alan D. Solomont Lecture.

Tufts Mock Trial advances to Championship Series by

Pattra Audcharevorakul Contributing Writer

Tufts Mock Trial last weekend emerged successfully from the Regional Mock Trial Tournament in Worcester, Mass., earning spots at the American Mock Trial Association’s Opening Round Championship Series (ORCS) and a chance at the national tournament. Tufts’ A- and B-teams beat out teams from Harvard University, Boston University, Columbia University and the University of New Hampshire to win fourth and third place, respectively, earning them bids to proceed to the opening-round series this weekend at Pace University Law School in White Plains, N.Y.. Six of the 24 teams from across the

Northeast that compete at the openinground series will move on to the national tournament, according to Jonathan Lautin, a co-captain of Tufts Mock Trial’s A-team. Lautin added that while winning the bids that allow the two Tufts teams to advance to ORCS is an accomplishment in itself, the teams face harsh competition this weekend at the qualifying tournament. “When it comes to bids, most programs only get zero or one, though we have maybe the most difficult ORCS in the country,” Lautin said. “The best schools in New England will be there,” Lautin said. The team’s success last week marks the see TRIAL, page 2

Today’s Sections

Anthony Everett (LA ’83) credits his journalism experience at Tufts with inspiring his notable 30-year career.

Dr. Dre’s long-awaited new single foreshadows the emergence of a new side for the artist.

see FEATURES, page 3

see ARTS, page 5

News Features Arts | Living Editorial | Letters

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Op-Ed Comics Classifieds Sports

9 10 11 Back


The Tufts Daily

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News

Monday, March 7, 2011

Visiting the Hill this Week MONDAY “Images of the Holocaust on stage and screen” Details: Yael Hersonski, an Israeli filmmaker, joins Tufts professors Barbara Grossman, Joel Rosenberg and Jonathan Wilson to discuss Holocaust portrayals in theater and film. When and Where: 7:30 p.m.; Pearson 104 Sponsors: Communications and Media Studies Program, Tufts Hillel TUESDAY Film screening: “We Are Egypt: Voices of Egypt’s Youth Opposition Movement”

Details: The film, which discusses the background history of the recent revolution in Egypt, will be followed by a discussion with director Lillie Paquette (F ‘08). When and Where: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; ASEAN Auditorium, Cabot Sponsors: The Program on Southwest Asia and Islamic Civilization “Women.Make.Art.” Details: Artists Jann Haworth, Janet Goldwater and Margaret Rose Vendryes will speak in a panel about female artists in celebration of Women’s Day 2011. When and Where: 6:30 p.m. to

8:30 p.m.; Aidekman Alumnae Lounge Sponsors: The Women’s Center, Women’s Studies Program, the Africana Center WEDNESDAY “Understanding the Deepwater Horizon incident” Details: Rick Bartlett, BP’s base management manager for the Gulf of Mexico and Arden Ahnell, manager of science for BP’s Gulf Coast restoration organization, discuss their involvement with the responses to the Deepwater Horizon incident. When and Where: 12:30 p.m. to 2

p.m.; Cabot Room 702 Sponsors: The Center International Environment Resource Policy

for and

“Bottom up in the Arab world: Citizen journalists and social networks upset the status quo” Details: Nasser Weddady, civil rights outreach director at the nonprofit American Islamic Congress will speak over a live video feed with citizen journalist activists in Libya, Egypt, Iraq and Yemen about the role of the Internet in the revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa. When and Where: 4:30 p.m. to 6

p.m.; Barnum 008 Sponsors: Edward R. Murrow Center of Public Diplomacy, Project Nur at Tufts THURSDAY “Faith and food, fasting and feasting: Perspectives on religion and food” Details: Selina Rifkin, a nutritionist and Pagan leader, discusses her perspectives on the integration of religious practices and food. When and Where: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Dewick Macphie Dining Hall Sponsors: University Chaplaincy ­—compiled by Laina Piera

In improvement over last year, two Mock Trial teams qualify for next round TRIAL

continued from page 1

fourth consecutive year that Tufts has progressed to the opening series, according to Lautin. “Every year we get better and better. Last year we made it to Nationals for the first time, and we’re better this year than we were last year,” Lautin said. Lautin credited collaboration between the teams’ freshmen and its more seasoned members with the group’s accomplishment. “Our program as a whole keeps getting stronger … We’re able to bring in better first-years, and also our returning members have more experience, so they’ll be better each year,” Lautin said. Freshmen on the A-team performed particularly well when they had to step in as witnesses for a team member who unexpectedly left the tournament, according to A-team co-captain Tomas Garcia, a junior. “The fact that we did so well at the tournament even though they only had a week to learn their roles shows how flexible we are,” Garcia said. The teams will perfect the case they presented last weekend at the regional competition to meet the standards of the ORCS judges, Lautin said. “We know the case really well,” Lautin

said. “What we’re focusing on is polish, presentation and ways of convincing the judges with not just what we say, but with how we say it. That’s really going to be the main crux. … At this point, every team we’re going to face is going to know the case inside and out and they’re not going to miss any arguments,” Lautin said. “Logically, every team is going to be as good as we are because we’re facing the best teams in the country.” Each team will present the same case to judges both as prosecution and defense. The case this year focuses on product liability, Lautin said. “We’re also looking for ways to innovate,” Garcia said. “Tufts Mock Trial prides itself on approaching situations in an unorthodox manner.” B-team co-captain Alexander Baskin, a sophomore, was impressed with the team’s performance last week. “It really speaks a lot to the depth of our program,” he said. “We have lots of really individually talented people, but it’s not just concentrated in a select few — it’s really spread out. The team is extraordinary — everyone is just incredibly talented. There’s no one that’s not pulling their weight.” Tufts’ mock trial program has seen an overall improvement since last year,

Courtesy jon lautin

The Tufts Mock Trial team has qualified to compete in the American Mock Trial Association’s Opening Round Championship Series. Baskin said, noting that that last year only one team moved on to ORCS. “We really think we should have a pretty good shot at this, and it’s really exciting also that we have two teams going to ORCS this year,” he said. Baskin was optimistic about the team’s chances at championships.

“Everyone’s proven themselves. It’s going to be some really heavy competition, but we’re working day and night on this,” he said. “We’re going to just give it all we got,” Baskin said. “I’m really humbled to be working amongst people who are so talented and so hard-working.”

Online housing lottery sees minimal glitches during apartment and suite selection HOUSING

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“When one of my friends just tried to add herself to the group, the actual button for the application wasn’t there, so she couldn’t add herself to the housing application. That entire day was a struggle because I couldn’t add her to the group,” Reyes said.

These problems were isolated and not widespread, according to Moodie, who said that most of the glitches did not much affect students’ ability to register. “The technical glitches are a function of the customization,” Moodie said. “We worked with StarRez to document the problems and their fairly robust

developing team diagnosed and solved the problems.” Previously, students signed up for housing by standing in line and filling out paperwork in Cousens Gymnasium, a process that ResLife Director Yolanda King said was outdated. “In the past we had the antiquated way of going over to the gym,” King said.

Meredith Klein/Tufts Daily

Students last week registered online for apartments, suites and special residential programs, experiencing a few technical difficulties.

King said that the motivation for moving the system online came from outside the ResLife office. “The change was based on feedback from students,” King said. “Every time we did the lottery over at the gym we would have an evaluation, and almost all the students said to set it up online like course selections.” King said ResLife has attempted to remain accessible to students as they navigate the new technology. “We feel we’ve been good with our communications regarding delays,” King said. “We’re trying to schedule the individual times in a way to give students time to use it and adjust,” King said. In a bid to further increase transparency, ResLife plans to next year put the calendar for the entire process online in advance of the beginning of registration, something they this year were unable to do because they did not know how long each registration period would take, ResLife Assistant Director of Community and Judicial Affairs Carrie Ales said. “We didn’t want to put the whole calendar out before things were adjusted,” Ales said. Next year we’ll alleviate that from the beginning.” King added that ResLife will solicit further student opinion once the general housing lottery closes next month, and plans next year to hold more informational meetings with the aim of increasing communication between students and administrators.

Ales said students have so far expressed generally positive feedback, calling the system more user-friendly. Rising juniors and seniors will this week register for the lottery and begin to select housing. The general lottery for rising sophomores will begin after spring break. The new system remains based on the lottery numbers that have always dictated housing selection, King said. “The system is set up to continue to maintain equity regarding lottery numbers,” King said. ResLife began the push for an online housing lottery three years ago, and customized RezStar’s technology to Tufts’ needs once it was selected, according to Ales. “Because we wanted to maintain the process in which we have students get housing, the system was very customized to mimic what we did in the gym,” Ales said. The online housing lottery replicates the compartmentalized nature of the Tufts housing lottery by accounting for different types of housing, such as those for apartments and suites, Moodie said. Starting with the apartment, suite and special housing lotteries have given system administrators the opportunity to prepare for the coming larger general lottery, Moodie said. “The beauty of the lotteries is that for the most part they get increasingly larger in volume,” Moodie said. “We are slowly ramping up to what the general lottery will be.”


Features

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tuftsdaily.com

Television host Anthony Everett credits Tufts with igniting his journalistic career by

Emilia Luna

Daily Editorial Board

Anthony Everett (LA ’83), host of WCVB-TV Channel 5’s “Chronicle” has watched his career bloom for about 30 years now, the lessons from which he is sharing with students this semester while teaching “Multimedia Journalism for the 21st Century” in the Experimental College. Yet though he has been awarded a Boston/New England Emmy Award in each of the past three years, he says that his journalistic passion can be traced all the way back to Medford, when he was an undergraduate at Tufts. He joined the staff of The Tufts Daily in 1980, the same year it was created, as a news reporter. “The Daily was literally a sheet of paper that the editors were sliding under people’s doors. It pretty quickly went to the basic format that it is today,” he said. Everett found every aspect of the journalism world appealing — covering a wide range of issues, meeting interesting people, doing the actual writing reading the finished printed product — and the Daily soon became his most important activity. “I came to Tufts in part because I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian. When I hit organic chemistry, I realized that as a veterinarian, I made a very good English major,” he said, laughing. He started thinking about attending law school and took up philosophy. But, after graduating from Tufts in 1983, Everett’s life plans took an unexpected turn. While waiting to hear back from law schools he took a skiing trip to Aspen, Colo., with some friends; once there, he decided to prolong his stay indefinitely. In Aspen, Everett got a job at KSPNTV as a sports reporter and anchor,

courtesy WCVB-TV

Anthony Everett (LA ’83) has won three Boston/New England Emmy Awards. although he had no previous broadcasting experience. After covering sports for a year and a half, he switched over to news and was eventually promoted to be the station’s news director. He then moved to Hartford, Conn., to work at WVIT-TV, NBC’s news local affiliate. In 1990, he joined WCVB-TV as a general assignment reporter. Since September 2005, Everett has been hosting the nightly newsmagazine “Chronicle,” which was named Boston’s best local television program by the Improper Bostonian, a biweekly lifestyle guide, last year.

Everett said that he never regrets not attending law school. “I had friends in law school that became attorneys and hated what they were doing. They told me, if you like what you are doing, stick with it, and I did,” he said. Although Everett has been working in the field for over 20 years, he said that his work remains exciting. “The same things that attracted me to The Tufts Daily attracted me to my profession today,” he said. “I like my job see EVERETT, page 4

For poor cooking skills, alum went on reality TV; skills, but not semi-stardom, still absent by

Amanda Warren

Contributing Writer

In the age of reality shows, stardom seems to come more and more easily: just ask the cast members of “Jersey Shore.” But the Food Network’s competition series “Worst Cooks in America,” which completed its second season last month, has taken the idea a step further — making fame as attainable as cooking a microwave dinner. Literally. The producers of the series pick contestants based largely on who creates the least-appetizing dishes, and then pit them against each other in a culinary boot camp. The winner receives $25,000. The notion of achieving fame expressly because of a lack of talent seems counterintuitive — give or take a Kardashian — but the millions of fans who tuned in seem to disagree. Tufts alum Jeffrey Longcor (LA ’07), a Manchester, N.H., native who was a contestant on the recently completed season, appreciates the irony of his 15 minutes of fame. “I think it’s pretty hilarious we were judged by lack of skill,” he said. “It’s definitely not an easy concept to explain to someone who hasn’t seen the show. But I think there’s an important lesson in it. It shows the viewer that it really is possible for anyone to cook a fancy, impressive dish. You don’t have to be a world-class chef.” When Longcor’s roommate and former Tufts classmate Pete Sneeringer (E ’08) sent him the application as a joke last May, Longcor decided to pursue the opportunity.

courtesy jeff longcor

Jeffrey Longcor (LA ’07) initially applied to the remedial cooking show as a joke. “At first, I wasn’t taking it seriously at all,” he said. “I wrote an e-mail to the producers as a joke explaining why I’m such a bad cook and forwarded it to everyone who’s ever been affected by my failures in the kitchen: roommates, ex-girlfriends, friends.” When called in by the show’s producers for an interview and test of his culinary skills (or, rather, lack thereof ), Longcor prepared a dish resembling a burrito. “It was sort of like a Mexican burrito, but I put wine and Italian spices in it and wrapped it in a deep-fried tortilla,” he said. “It was an awful mess.” Longcor’s failures as a cook date back to his childhood. “I grew up in a kind of ‘survival of the

fittest environment,’” he said. “My brothers and I were always fighting for food, and at some point I started valuing quantity over quality.” The bad habits continued at Tufts, where Longcor worked as a food server at Hodgdon Good-to-Go just so he could steal leftovers to eat for dinner. “I guess I still haven’t made the adjustment from college to a professional lifestyle,” he said. “Most of what I eat comes from the microwave: Eggo waffles for breakfast, frozen chicken for dinner.” Longcor took unpaid leave from his job as a senior associate at Maxymillian Technologies, an environmental services firm, to move to New York for the highly isolated filming process. “They took away our cell phones, Internet, televisions and made sure we were totally focused on the show,” he said. “They were really pushing us to our limits to make the competition feel more real.” Longcor’s initial concerns about being on television soon faded. “I was definitely nervous at first about having a microphone on me 24/7. People could potentially see or hear everything you do for the duration of your stay,” he said. “But it turns out there isn’t time for that. They recommend a wardrobe, outline the schedule and then everything happens very quickly. You can’t help but be yourself and do your best and rely on the producers to portray you accurately.” In the end, Longcor, who was eliminated in the second episode after dousing an omelete in olive oil, was content with his depiction on the show. “I was impressed by how realistically see WORST COOKS, page 4

Stephen Miller | Counterpoint

Happy holidays!

N

o, this column wasn’t written in December. Yesterday was my favorite holiday. It’s a very special day in New England that comes but once a year, and this time around, Boston decided to make it a whole holiday weekend. What is this mysterious day of days, you ask? Well, my esteemed colleagues, in case you’ve been stuck under a rock straight James Franco-style the past couple days, this weekend was warm. Real warm. But, more importantly, it was Spring Hottie Come Out Day. What exactly is Spring Hottie Come Out Day? Well, technically, it’s that day (or weekend in this case) toward the end of winter where the frozen Nordic tundra that is Boston finally releases its icy grip on our souls and allows some sun and warmth into our hearts. Realistically, it’s that day toward the end of winter where it is warm enough that girls break free from the cocoon of Uggs and North Face jackets, emerging clad in sundresses, brightly colored skirts and legs without two weeks of stubble. Basically, it’s that day when you finally see some skin around campus and realize, “Daaaaaamn people around me are looking goooood.” Mmmmmm. Can you smell the pheromones? (No, you can’t, because pheromones are odorless. You get the point though.) While not officially recognized by the Tufts administration, Spring Hottie Come Out Day has been celebrated by people all across the great state of Massachusetts for years. And as long as we’re gonna pretend Patriots’ Day is a legitimate holiday, let’s do the same for S.H.C.O.D. Rumor has it that Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has legislation in the works to put it in the books. (Rumor also has it that Lady Gaga has a penis. Look it up. I’m just saying...) For those of you out there immediately disgusted at the perceived male chauvinistic and misogynistic nature of S.H.C.O.D., understand that this isn’t just about guys eye-bleeping every girl on campus. Dudes look better in springtime too. We tuck away the stained gray sweatpants and Hopkinton High hoodies and replace them with something a bit more superfly. We want you eyebleeping the bleep out of us too, so that, just maybe, you’ll consider actually bleeping us after a romantic dinner date at Anna’s. We’re all trying to get to Pleasure Town together. Yes, at its core, S.H.C.O.D. is a dirty, immoral, pagan holiday. But who gives a crap? Everybody knows about the Tufts scale of attractiveness. Add to that the pasty, pale ugliness of winter. It’s oppressing. But as we come out of it, we find ourselves with a bit of Stockholm syndrome. Boston winter crushes your spirit and lowers your standards so far that spring seems like a gift from on high. I say we take advantage of it. For a couple days, you can roll out to parties in just a button-down. It feels like I’m back in Athens, except sans molotov cocktails and tear gas. But for all its glory, S.H.C.O.D. isn’t straight peaches and cream. There’s a little caveat attached to it. It’s a tease. Sunday’s high, in the 60s. Today, back into the 40s. Boston will flash a wink of warmth and general happiness and then dump 15 more inches of snow on us. She’s a cruel mistress. But Spring Hottie Come Out Day lets us know what’s right around the corner. And fleeting or not, as long as the holiday is here, let’s celebrate it through the ancient traditions set forth by our forefathers: with some sex.

Stephen Miller is a senior majoring in English. He can be reached at Stephen. Miller@tufts.edu.


The Tufts Daily

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Everett says ‘serious thought’ must be given to our media consumption EVERETT

continued from page 3

because it is different everyday. I’m not really tied to a desk. I meet interesting people and go to different places.” But sticking with journalism has been difficult for Everett, who said that he has struggled to balance his professional and personal lives. “Journalism can be a difficult lifestyle. You end up working a lot of weekends and nights — hours that aren’t compatible with the rest of the world,” he said. Given his unusual 2 to 9 p.m. workday, Everett misses out on some family time, but he said that the sacrifices are worth it. “It has been a very rewarding profession, and for me it was the right decision to stay with what I’ve been doing,” he said. As the host of “Chronicle,” Everett does mostly feature reporting and some hard news as well. He no longer covers breaking news, however, a fact he laments. “There are times of big news events when I miss the adrenaline rush that goes along with breaking news,” he said. “But for the most part, I am thoroughly content to be doing a newsmagazine that allows us to spend so much time on an individual topic. I think we do some of the best journalism in all of Boston.” Everett said that it was his previous experiences lecturing at Tufts that lead him to accept his current semesterlong teaching post. “We are at a very important moment at the information age as to how information is processed, gathered and communicated. There has to be some serious thought about the way we consume our information,” he said. Everett said that for students interested in journalism, getting involved at the undergraduate level with publications is critical because of the training it provides for the future. “Because it is a relatively small oper-

ation, you get to do a lot of different things,” he said, adding that the responsibilities of being the editorin-chief of the Daily, managing everything from deadlines to budget to staff, helped him gain valuable experience for his eventual career. Everett stressed how much he enjoyed Tufts as an undergraduate, and noted that two things about the school make him especially proud: the survival of the Daily and the impressive abilities of the Tufts students he now teaches. “Tufts attracts a very high-caliber student body, and it is very rewarding for me to see that they are very engaged in the ideas surrounding the profession of journalism, that they care about it and they are actively engaged in learning more about it,” he said. Although Everett said it is an honor to have colleagues in his profession recognize his work with three Boston/ New England Emmy Awards, he tries not to get caught up in the recognition, but rather stay focused on his work. He received the awards in 2010 for his general work on “Chronicle,” in 2009 for his reporting about the recycling industry and in 2008 for his work regarding special education. “Awards are really a kind of a validation of what someone else thinks about you, and it’s really more important to have a good sense of your own self,” he said. Everett is aware of the contemporary difficulties in the world of journalism, but he emphasized that those with a passion for the business should still pursue it. “The role of the watchdog over our government officials and the role of the communicator of information is important,” he said. “A democracy depends on an informed electorate, and the role of the journalist is to inform … there is certainly going to be a need for journalists and communicators; it might just take a different form than in the past.”

Features

Monday, March 7, 2011

Alum discusses stint on reality show WORST COOKS

continued from page 3

it was portrayed,” he said. “I was definitely concerned that I was going to do something incredibly embarrassing, but eventually you get used to it and focus on the task at hand, which ends up being pretty embarrassing anyway.” Since his stint on “Worst Cooks” ended, Longcor has reverted back to his old eating habits and has returned to his day job. Though he said that the show didn’t help him improve his cooking habits, being a reality television veteran has impacted his life in other ways. “I think the biggest change is in my professional life,” Longcor said. “It’s created a conversation piece. People always come up and joke to me about how they saw me on the show. It really breaks the ice and allows us to start talking about business in an unobtrusive way.” Longcor has also stayed in touch with

many of his castmates. “I was blown away by the cast,” he said. “Everyone had great character, was really intelligent and fun to get to know. We have a few e-mail chains going and I’m going to meet up and catch up with some of the castmates from Chicago soon.” Would he consider being another reality show star? “I think it’d be fun to be [on] ‘The Bachelor,’” he said, laughing. “It was a great experience, and I would definitely do it again if given the chance.” But Longcor’s real life may be better suited for a program like “Survivor.” This May, he will take leave from his job once again to embark on an extreme outdoor adventure in Alaska, with the ultimate goal of reaching the summit of the Cassin Ridge of Denali. Longcor was a member of the Tufts Mountain Club as a Jumbo. “Safe to say it’s not an environment conducive to gourmet cooking,” he said.

Looking for

Romance?

The Department of Romance Languages invites you to

MAJORS’ DAY! Come meet the Department Faculty Learn more about majors and minors in Spanish, French, & Italian Preview next Fall’s courses Get information on Tufts-in-Paris, Madrid, Chile and Talloires programs

BIOLOGY MAJORS WEEK The Biology Department will hold an informal information session for students considering Biology, Biopsychology and Biochemistry Biology faculty will be on hand to answer questions from prospective majors

Date: Friday, March 11th, 2011 Time: 2:00-4:00pm Location: Barnum Elephant Lobby

Refreshments will be served

Monday, March 7th 12:00-1:30 pm nd 2 floor of Olin Center Pizza and light refreshments will be served


Arts & Living

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tuftsdaily.com

Music Profile

Eazy now, Dre: ‘I Need a Doctor’ to save hip-hop Dr. Dre’s long-awaited comeback is first appearing in video form by

Mitchell Geller

Daily Editorial Board

This article is the first in a two-part series on hip-hop. Today’s installment focuses on Dr. Dre’s most recent single, “I need a Doctor.” The second article, to appear in tomorrow’s Daily, will examine the changing face of hip-hop. Dr. Dre has been working on his third studio album, “Detox,” for nearly a decade now. The album has turned into something of a punch line, referred to more often than not as hip-hop’s “Chinese Democracy” — the Guns N’ Roses album that was in production for a decade and a half. And that has to be taking quite the toll on such a talented perfectionist as Dr. Dre. Purported tracks from “Detox” have been leaking for years, but only recently has Dre started making videos and announcing these tracks as officially from the album’s tracklist. His most recent single is “I Need a Doctor,” featuring Eminem and Skylar Grey. The song seems to use Dre’s favorite metaphor — “Dr. Dre is a doctor” — but the single’s video shows that this is anything but a rehash. The video wears its inspiration on its sleeve, paying homage to everything from the graphic novel “300” (1998) to “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) to “Rocky IV” (1985) to 50 Cent’s 2003 “In Da Club” video (it looks like the same set was used for 50’s video and this one, although, from what we know about Dr. Dre, it’s completely possible that we’re seeing his actual studio), but it’s the little details that make the video so interesting. In the video, Dre touches on something that few rappers would ever mess with: real emotion. The seven-minute epic starts with Dr. see DRE, page 5

MCT

Dr. Dre’s new video shows that he has a different side.

Album Review

Lykke Li’s latest mixes bright and weary sounds by

Matthew Welch

Daily Editorial Board

Swedish singer-songwriter Lykke Li opens her second album, “Wounded Rhymes,” with a larger-than-life

Wounded Rhymes Lykke Li Atlantic drumbeat and a retro organ. Although a newcomer to the indie scene, Li has already proven her mettle with “Youth Novels” (2008), a glittering pop record that mixed sleek production with dark subject matter. Li has refined this dynamic in her latest

effort, bringing her music to a more enticing, engaging level. Despite the energy of the opener, though, “Wounded Rhymes” doesn’t fully open up until halfway through, when Li’s versatility as a vocalist and songwriter is revealed. Li explores very different territories throughout the record. From the country-tinged “Unrequited Love” to the pounding indie-rock rhythms of “Get Some,” she proves her ability to incorporate many different genres into her oeuvre. With such a diverse selection of sounds, the record is bound to have a few lackluster tracks. Li’s penchant for ornate, glimmering production value occasionally detracts see WOUNDED, page 5

lykkeli.com

Swedish singer-songwriter Lykke Li explores the broad reaches of her repertoire.

TV Review

‘Bethenny’ rolls further downhill after marriage Andrew Padgett

For its second season, Bravo’s “Bethenny Getting Married?” has transformed into “Bethenny Ever by

Daily Editorial Board

Bethenny Ever After Starring Bethenny Frankel, Jason Hoppy, Cookie Airs Mondays at 10 p.m. on Bravo After,” using this tagline: “Bethenny Frankel got married and then had a baby. Now comes everything after.” So it turns out that Bethenny Frankel’s “happily ever after” is not only pretty dull, but also not even very happy. I give it a maximum of three years before the marriage dissolves between this reality star — who rose to fame on “The Apprentice: Martha Stewart” (2005) and then “The Real Housewives of New York City” — and her husband, dorky yet dense businessman Jason Hoppy. Their fledgling family, like their show, is a mildly amusing train wreck. Admittedly, I somehow missed the last season, so I shouldn’t judge this couple based on a 45-minute season premiere during which almost nothing happens. But I saw in a flashback from season one that at her wedding, Bethenny said “I do” to Jason through a microphone. The whole thing was an act — she probably charged $100 admission at the chapel door. see BETHENNY, page 5

Eugene Kim | Alleged But Not Convicted

Why I hate J.J.

C

loverfield” (2008) was a terrible movie. Sure, I watched it in theaters for maximum immersion and, thus, maximum awesomeness. I Chris Tucker-screamed a few times here and there, and I may or may not have had some interesting dreams with people’s chests blowing up in bloody mists. It was an effective movie, I’ll give J.J. Abrams that much. It was suspenseful, pretty unique and ran in the vein of many of his other works, like “Lost” (2004-10). You could also argue that “Cloverfield” reinvigorated the monster movie genre in a way that is important and fresh. But really, J.J., this whole “mystery box” concept you have going is just annoying and exhausting. For those (normal people) of you that don’t know what the mystery box is, it is the basis for most of Abrams’ movies. He highlights the story by tricking us, getting us interested in the mystery box first and then using the box to get us to care about the characters. The mystery is only a means, not an end — the real point of his stories is to invest his viewers in the plight of the characters. See Jack and the gang in the “Lost” series finale, which was grounded in character resolutions but didn’t tie up the bigger mysteries in any conclusive ways. In the specific example of “Cloverfield,” the problem is that when the movie is over, you feel hollow. Sure, the characters finish their arcs: Hud grows up, Marlena warms up to him and Rob and Beth reconcile. Stories are concluded and wrapped up, but what if you don’t give a crap about the characters? (Also, if any of you really knew the character names before I just named them, I’ll buy you a beer.) The most memorable person in “Cloverfield” was the dude behind the camera (Hud, get it? “Heads Up Display” … har, har, har), and that was because he was kind of funny in a goofybastard kind of way. What I’m saying is, when you are supposed to care about the characters, but you don’t give a crap about what happens to a group of upper-class professionals stumbling through the wreckage of New York City, all you are left with is a ticket stub and an irritatingly large number of questions. For instance, did you even remember that the main dude’s brother got killed? NO, YOU DIDN’T. That should have been a really emotionally powerful scene. But hey, that’s just me. Compare “Cloverfield” to another recent entry in the monster movie genre, “Monsters” (2010). Made on a budget of well under half a million dollars (compared to roughly $25 million for Abrams’ movie), “Monsters” had way less action but made up for it with more characters. I don’t want to spoil the plot for anyone who hasn’t seen it, but the basic premise explores what happens after the initial shock of a monster attack on Earth, when people get back to living out their lives and two people try to run through the worst of it in Mexico. The characters were the focus of “Monsters,” so that when the action rolled around we really cared because we knew the danger involved. “Cloverfield” mixed the focus up; J.J. messed up his own formula and was shown up by some unknown director (Gareth Edwards). Abrams forgot that we need to care about the characters first and foremost; otherwise explosions and chase sequences are just flashy special effects and gross noises. I would watch “Monsters” again but I can’t say the same for “Cloverfield.” Action is cheap — you can get it from a Jason Statham movie — but meaning is hard to find. Let’s hope Abrams learned something from “Cloverfield” and liberally applied those lessons to his upcoming movie, “Super 8” (2011). I WANT to like your movies, J.J., but you make it so difficult sometimes.

Eugene Kim is a senior majoring in biology. He can be reached at Eugene.Kim@ tufts.edu.


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Arts & Living

Monday, March 7, 2011

Unlike fairytale ending, no redeeming qualities in ‘Bethenny’ BETHENNY

continued from page 5

This new season covers all the latest drama that comes with Bethenny and Jason’s relationship, though drama is a relative term in this case. The show traces everything from Bethenny trying on new bras to Jason murmuring “sweet� nothings to her (among them, “You’re my wife!�; “What do dads do? They carry s---�; and “Yeah, I’m a grown man, I s--my pants�). In short, there is no actual point of interest in the entire episode. It’s just a reality show about a rich, boring family that doesn’t even do anything. Their dog, Cookie, is the most interesting character. Well, I suppose there is some drama, but it all revolves around the couple’s visit to Jason’s parents in Hazleton, Pa., which is hardly exciting. The parents exchange a few

passive aggressive remarks with Bethenny about how often the family should drive from Manhattan to visit them, but the arguments never reach the level of disproportionate chaos as do the blow-ups in “Real Housewives.� Everyone on the show is stupid but falls short of being crazy or bitingly hostile — for reality TV to work, characters really need to be all of those. Bethenny is also exceedingly annoying and selfabsorbed, which is to be expected given her days on “Real Housewives.� Unlike her former castmates, however, she doesn’t counterbalance her terrible personality with outrageous comments and public outbursts. She gets slightly irritated with her husband sometimes, but he just shrugs her off and laughs because she’s not a real person (“real person,� noun: some-

one whose actions, thoughts and opinions can be taken moderately seriously). Bethenny spends the majority of the episode criticizing and complaining about everything around her, especially Jason’s hometown. Walking around downtown Hazleton (population: 12), she smirks at all the little stores and all the little townsfolk, as if being from Manhattan somehow makes her less brain-dead than those around her. For the record, her mind is a black hole. The most ironic part of her disdain for Hazleton is that she actually fits right in with Jason’s old small-town friends. In the bar, she takes shots like a champ and uses more foul language than Charlie Sheen does when talking to his ex-mistresses. Overall, her interactions with Jason’s buddies go swimmingly, which reinforces how,

even if she’s dumb enough to keep viewer’s interests piqued, she’s not mean enough. Right before the couple and their poor child leave for Manhattan, they realize they’ve forgotten an important member of the family: Cookie. The dog then runs out of the parents’ house and prances across the yard into the car. It is so cute and makes for easily the best scene. “Bethenny Ever After� concludes its first episode on a bizarre note, with Bethenny tearing up in her therapist’s office because her mom didn’t love her or something. I don’t know what to make of it, because, for a moment, it almost seems like she is a real person after all, but I’m not going to stick around to find out. Heed my warning, friends: This show is the TV equivalent of rat poison, except it doesn’t taste as good.

Li delivers solid sophomore album despite lackluster lyrics

WOUNDED

continued from page 5

from her performances. “Love Out of Lust� is one such occasion. The track begins with an atmosphere reminiscent of her fellow Swedish rockers Honey is Cool. Atmospheric percussion and organs give the song an open sound, but Li’s breathless vocals border on cliche during the chorus. As memories of Enya and newwave whimsy push “Love Out of Lust� into schmaltzy territory, it’s hard not to fault Li for such ostentatious production. “Wounded Rhymes,� however, shows how much Li has matured since her debut album. Regardless of the occasional misfire, the album is extremely cohesive. The album’s arrangement and production create a unified atmosphere for the album without infringing on the unique character of each track. “Rich Kids Blues� proves that Li has more than a few vocal hooks in her head. An aggressive drum line and bluesy guitar riffs mingle with some spacedout keyboard to create another compelling fusion track. Li never makes the mistake of overworking a song: Her penchant for shorter, three-minute track lengths keeps ideas from feeling thinly spread. “Sadness is a Blessing� solid-

ifies Li’s proclivity for tying happier melodies to bleak topics. An ’80s pop melody drives an anthem for teenage despair. With lyrics like “Sadness is a blessing/ Sadness is a pearl/ Sadness is my boyfriend/ Oh, sadness, I’m your girl,� “Sadness is a Blessing� is either a musical parody of teen angst or, at worst, another cheesy track. It’s hard not to take the song with a grain of salt when Li evokes more sincere feelings on the next track. The album takes a more folky turn with “I Know Places,� an elegiac tune with softly strummed chords and an unadorned vocal melody. Subtle, distant backup vocals give the song an even more forlorn air. Li’s lyrics don’t do the song any favors. While her melodies can be very expressive, the words often fail to convey the full emotions of her tracks. Li occasionally dwells on saccharine motifs, as she does when she solemnly chants, “I know places we can go, babe,� and, “The high won’t fade here, babe� in “I Know Places.� Thankfully, the album picks back up with “Jerome,� which boasts an energetic drum core beat and a catchy pop chorus. Li’s placement of this song helps the flow of the album, which would otherwise feel too dreary in its concluding portion.

“Wounded Rhymes� unsurprisingly ends with a dark song. The dirge “Silent My Song� features repetitive, low chanting that sounds vaguely like a group of inebriated monks. If that’s not enough to intrigue you, Li’s keen sense of vocal harmonies is enough to build the song to a satisfying climax, when layer

upon layer of voices is added. Ultimately, “Wounded Rhymes� is a solid effort from an interesting newcomer. Li’s talents are definitely showcased on the best tracks of the album, but even her skills aren’t enough to prevent her from occasionally descending into weepy-eyed territory.

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‘Wounded Rhymes’ is a unified display of Scandinavian sophistication.

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Dre’s newest material shows maturity DRE

continued from page 5

Dre standing by the ocean on his 36th birthday, Feb. 18, 2001 (the same day that Dale Earnhardt Sr. died, an accident alluded to later in the video), interspersed with a montage of heyday-Dre clips and, quite conspicuously, clips of N.W.A prominently featuring the late Eazy-E. Dre eventually gets bored of the ocean and gets into a Ferrari, which he drives fast and then — shout-out to Dale Sr.? — crashes. Cut to the present day on the set of 50’s aforementioned video where Dre is floating in what appears to be a bacta tank, but instead of an FX-7 medical assistant droid taking care of him, he has a yelling/rapping Eminem. Dre then wakes up, rehabilitates a la “Rocky IV� and ends the video with a visit to a grave. But not just anyone’s grave: Eric Wright’s grave. Eric “Eazy-E� Wright’s grave. Eazy-E and Dr. Dre had a tumultuous relationship, from founding N.W.A together to the falling out that eventually ended the group. The two reconciled just before Eazy’s death from AIDS complications in 1995, but Dre’s regrets over the situation have cropped up in his work before. On “What’s the Difference,� a track from “The Chronic 2001� (1999), Dre raps, “Eazy I’m still wit you/ F--- the beef, n---- I miss you, and that’s just bein’ real wit you.� Rather than Eminem acting as our surrogate and pleading with Dre to “come back� in “I Need a Doctor,� we can understand that Eminem stands in for Dre, who’s talking to his late friend Eazy-E, and Dre answering both as himself and as Eazy. Dr. Dre is a rapper because of Eazy-E. Dre was a DJ and a producer before N.W.A; he had a handful of verses on World Class Wreckin’ Cru tracks, but N.W.A really launched him lyrically. With this information, the song becomes a desperate lament: Dre needs Eazy. While Dr. Dre may have a wife, a daughter, a protege-cum-sidekick and a media empire, he has no mentor or friend. Dr. Dre is not a real doctor, despite his wealth and fame, and he cannot bring Wright back to life. Dre goes through the stages of grief over the course of the song: He refers to his “fair-weather friends,� expressing anger at Wright for leaving, later shows denial when he says that Eminem is the only person he needs and ultimately ends with hopeful acceptance by visiting Eazy-E’s grave. It’s a refreshing change to see Dre letting his facade down. He is — I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again — not a real gangster. But in hip-hop, that’s never really been a problem. “I Need a Doctor� is no “Forgot About Dre� (2000), his last comeback song that was all braggadocio and cocksure swagger. It’s a deeply humanizing track. His anxiety is fully visible even when he’s calling out everyone who doubted him, cursing and mocking them. And that gives hope that maybe, just maybe, “Detox� won’t be horrible. What we have now is a mature, realistic, honest Dr. Dre; with “I Need a Doctor� he’s proven that he isn’t completely out of touch. He knows where he’s come from, where wants to go and, surprisingly, it looks like he might just be on track. Dr. Dre has been delaying this album for nearly a decade. He reportedly has thousands of tracks, or bits of tracks, squirreled away, featuring basically everyone who’s rapped since the turn of the century. But now, it seems, he’s finally ready to release the album.


Monday, March 7, 2011

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Editorial | Letters

Monday, March 7, 2011

Leave McCarthyism in the past

McCarthyism has made a comeback, this time with a new target. Congress on Thursday will begin hearings to assess the threat of the radicalization of American Muslims. Democratic lawmakers and Muslim advocates have condemned the hearings as discriminatory by limiting their focus to Muslim-bred extremism. Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) argued that the hearings are necessary because Muslim radicalization poses a particular threat to American public safety. We reject King’s argument that limiting the hearings to threats from a single religious group is in the best interest of national security. Investigating the threat posed by only the Muslim community sends the message that Muslims as a group — not just Muslim extremists — pose a particular security threat. The entire episode harks back to the era of McCarthyism, when individuals across the country were accused of communist activity for often preposterous reasons, and will alienate Muslim Americans at a time when the United States relies on their loyalty more than ever. Tips from the Muslim community are

pivotal in the effort to thwart Muslim extremists, various experts said on Monday at a Capitol Hill forum, especially in keeping tabs on extremists of whom the government would have lost track of otherwise. Forty-eight of the 120 Muslims arrested since the 9/11 terrorist attacks were turned in by other Muslims, according to a Feb. 2 study released by the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security. It is essential, therefore, for the government to maintain the trust of American Muslims. And holding televised hearings that essentially ask, “Just how dangerous are Muslims living in the United States?” does nothing to foster trust. If King wants the government to continue to benefit from the patriotism of Muslims, he shouldn’t hold hearings that imply that their faith makes them more likely to commit treason. They send the message that Muslims are not Americans but threats to Americans. Moreover, Thursday’s hearing sends the message to other Americans that setting Muslims apart is justified. King repeatedly emphasized in several interviews that Muslim radicalization poses

a greater security threat than any nonMuslim terrorist group. At a time when discrimination against Muslims is already a national problem, this hearing only breeds more prejudice and can only lead to divisiveness and violence. There are other kinds of extremism in America, perhaps most notably among those who target abortion clinics. There have been more than 400 death threats and 170 cases of assault and battery in the United States and Canada as a result of anti-abortion violence from 1977 to 2009, as well as eight deaths, three kidnappings and multiple attempted murders, arsons and bombings, according to the National Abortion Federation. These cases of violence more often than not are carried out in defense of the Christian faith, but the government doesn’t hold hearings to address the threat of Christian radicalization. Muslim radicalization is a serious issue that governments across the world are forced to face. But it should be addressed in a way that does not publicly associate ordinary Americans with terrorist extremists solely on the basis of their religion.

Devon Colmer

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Off the Hill | University of Arizona

GOP’s war with unions to consolidate power by Nyles Kendall Arizona Daily Wildcat Republican lawmakers, under the guise of “budget cutting,” have declared war on America’s unionized workers. At the National Tea Party convention held in Phoenix last week, Tim Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota, railed against the country’s labor unions in front of a cheering crowd of tea-baggers. The mention of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s [(R)] name led to standing ovation. In an attempt to repair a $137 million budget shortfall, Walker has introduced a budget plan that would prevent labor unions from collectively bargaining. Unionized public workers would be stripped of the right to negotiate with their employers over benefits, hours, working conditions and rules of the workplace. Employers would also be prohibited from collecting union dues, which are used to fund many of the activities unions engage in on behalf of their members. The labor unions that supported the governor’s election bid last fall, the Milwaukee Police Association and the Wisconsin Troopers Association, to name a few, would be exempt from these changes. In terms of budgetary policy, there

The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free to the Tufts community. EDITORIAL POLICY Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily. Individual editors are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Tufts Daily. The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily editorial board.

is no rhyme or reason to Walker’s proposed cutbacks. Public workers aren’t responsible for the state’s budget disaster, and the $300 million that would supposedly be saved over two years by stripping them of their collective bargaining rights would amount to a mere [one-twelfth] of the state’s projected $3.6 billion 2011-13 budget deficit. And newly elected Republicans aren’t at the root of the state’s budget crisis either, as those on the left have suggested. Former [Wisconsin] Gov. Jim Doyle and the Democrats that controlled the Legislature, prior to their shellacking last fall, created much of Wisconsin’s current problems. Walker and his comrades in the Wisconsin Assembly claim their “budget repair bill” would save the state from a fiscal meltdown, but its true objective is purely political. The Republican Party has always been intolerant of organized labor and beholden to big business. Last fall, the Koch brothers, billionaire energy tycoons and owners of the [second-] largest privately owned company in America, donated $1 million to the Republican Governors Association, money that was then funneled into Republican gubernatorial campaigns around the country. Walker and other

newly elected Republican governors are returning the favor by threatening to bust the labor unions, the Democratic Party’s primary fundraising arm. Depriving unionized workers of their collective bargaining rights and preventing employers from collecting union dues would stem the flow of contributions made by labor unions to Democratic candidates, which would give Republicans a huge advantage in future elections. This would make for more pro-business politicians like Walker who seem more concerned with pleasing corporate bigwigs than doing what’s best for their constituencies. Walker has threatened to lay off 6,000 public employees if his budget plan isn’t approved, but has signed off on $120 million in corporate tax cuts. This anti-union craze has even spread to Ohio, Tennessee and Indiana, where the Republican governors in each state have also threatened [to] strip union members of their right to collectively bargain. The GOP’s war with organized labor is clearly an effort to consolidate political power and enrich big business. The party’s ideal world, one where corporations rule and politicians live to serve them, will be built on the backs of America’s union workers.

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Monday, March 7, 2011

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Op-Ed

On Snyder v. Phelps by

Ashish Malhotra | Follow the Leader

Change we can believe in

Aaron Korenewsky

On March 2, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in Snyder v. Phelps et al. The media, numerous pundits and politicos have already begun picking apart and commenting on Chief Justice John Roberts’ majority opinion. This op-ed hopes to add to that debate by shining a light on the lone dissent, written by Justice Samuel Alito. The facts of the case are as follows: The Westboro Baptist Church, a small ministry operated by the Rev. Fred Phelps and his family, has become notorious in recent years for picketing at military funerals, university commencements and other public events. The church maintains very extreme views on homosexuality and other religious groups. Church members often hold signs with messages like “Pray for more dead soldiers” and “God hates fags.” In 2006, the church protested the funeral of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who died while serving in Iraq. They made sure to hold their signs the legally sanctioned 1,000 feet away from the cemetery. Snyder’s father was not able to see the signs during the funeral service, although he did see the tops of the signs while driving to the ceremony. But he later, upon turning on the nightly news, discovered that the Phelps family had picketed his son’s funeral and became emotionally distraught. Snyder sued, alleging, among other things, that the Phelps had intentionally inflicted emotional suffering on him and invaded his privacy (the legal term is intrusion upon seclusion). The Phelps family countered these claims by citing their First Amendment right to free speech. As you may now know, the court ruled 8-1 in favor of the Phelps family, deciding that their words and acts were protected free speech since the majority of what the Westboro Baptist Church had said was directed at “broader public issues.” Most people are probably disgusted by the comments made by the Phelps family, and some even believe that public opinion should be able to dictate what the Phelps family can or cannot say. But freedom of speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment protects the minority against the majority, and people have the right to say things others do not like. This right cannot be infringed upon by the government. Yet this is only partially true. There are various restrictions on freedom of expres-

T

MCT

sion; for example, you cannot yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater or directly threaten imminent violent action. Commercial speech, like television or newspaper advertisements, can be regulated. And you cannot publish false statements about individuals, businesses or even products — this fits the definition of libel, and the individual or business has the right to sue for damages. Again, what the court holds in the majority opinion is that the Phelps family’s protests and the majority of their comments are protected free speech because the majority of what they said was focused on issues of broad public concern. But Justice Alito disagreed, and I believe his reasoning should be better publicized. Justice Alito makes clear in his dissent — by citing portions of a Westboro Baptist Church press release — that comments made after the funeral took the form of personal attacks on the Snyder family. This press release called out the family by name and accused the Snyders of certain heretical activities. These personalized comments appear to have little to do with matters of public concern since they focus primarily on the private lives of private citizens. While the Phelps family may have followed the law and were within their rights to protest about their broader political or

social beliefs, they crossed that line when directing press releases and whole paragraphs at the Snyder family and their private lives. Instead of protected free speech, these claims appear defamatory and potentially libelous, according to Justice Alito. And while these statements might later be found not libelous, the Snyder family should at least have the opportunity to bring a libel suit to court. Instead, the majority opinion states that the Phelps family is protected from such suits, because the majority of what the Phelps family says or does “speaks to broad public issues.” In effect, the Supreme Court has given a freedom of speech shield to the Phelps family to make statements directly targeting private citizens as long as the overall protest and commentary is related to broad public issues the majority of the time. I have to agree with Justice Alito — slanderous or libelous statements remain so regardless if what is said before or after is factual or a matter of broad public interest and debate. Aaron Korenewsky is a senior majoring in political science and Russian and Eastern European studies.

A humble suggestion: A satire by

Chris McKay

Most people already know it, so it might as well be stated publicly. The only true way to raise a child — that is, the only way to ensure that a child has a proper upbringing and will be well-adjusted — is to have the mother and father raise the child. Now, that is not to say that it is impossible for a person to be maladjusted with a mother and father; rather, the only way to have a chance at being well adjusted is if a child has both a mother and father. It is with this premise in mind that I humbly suggest that the following laws be applied to every citizen in the United States who has at least one child under the age of 18. First and foremost, we must outlaw divorce. This one is pretty simple. Divorce puts a terrible strain on the life of a child. If we truly care about children, we will adopt a ban on divorce. Divorce deprives a child of having both a mother and a father under one roof. Remarrying after divorce is unfortunately not a solution, as divorce rates increase for each successive marriage after the first failed marriage. Also, the prospect of having two mothers and two fathers or some combination thereof is confusing for the child, because the child will then learn that it is OK to have more than one mother or more than one father. Undoubtedly, this will prove detrimental to the upbringing of the child. Additionally, the child will learn that it is OK to divorce a spouse when things do not work out. After all, a child with divorced parents is more likely to divorce a spouse than a child who did not experience divorce. This endless cycle of divorce must stop now or else it will continue to destroy

childhoods in America. The next step is to prohibit single-parenthood by forcing single parents to marry their children’s mother or father. A brief examination of television today (MTV, specifically) will prove to even the most casual of observers that there are a shockingly high number of teenage moms and dads in today’s society. This is symptomatic of a society in its decline, in that it often means that the child will be deprived of having both a mother and a father. In order to curb this rampant string of pregnancies, we must do one of two things. We could put into law a ban on intercourse unless a child is to be conceived, or we could force the mother to marry the father. Of those two options, forced marriage is the best option; let’s face it, banning intercourse will never happen. This might seem a tad draconian, but according to David Blankenhorn, president of the Institute for American Values, a child has the best chance at being well-adjusted when raised by the birth parents. After all, there is no nobler an act than putting a child’s needs first and protecting the child from harm. It is not enough to be there to catch the child when he falls into the rye. We must build a fence around the rye to prevent the fall from happening in the first place. The last step is the implementation of a compulsory remarriage policy in the event of the death of a spouse. While some may object, I remind you that the wedding vows taken are “Till death do us part,” not “Never shall us part.” Once this unfortunate parting occurs, the widow or widower should find a suitable replacement husband or wife. This might seem contradictory to

a previous point that remarrying is bad. However, it’s not at all. The previous statement that remarrying is bad applies only to marrying a new spouse after a divorce or allowing a child to have two mothers or two fathers. But in cases of remarrying after the death of a parent, the child has already lost a mother or a father, and remarrying would allow for the replacement of that lost role. Needless to say, the new spouse of the widow or widower in the forced remarriage would have to be to someone who also lost a spouse and preferably someone who also has child. This has the added benefit of giving the child a sibling, as siblings can be a helpful part of the child’s upbringing. It might occur to some of you that we should force parents to have multiple children to ensure that the child has at least one sibling. However, this would be unreasonable. It takes money to raise a child and sometimes parents do not have enough money to raise more than one. Ladies and gentleman of the world, the time is now. We know in our hearts — and in our minds — that the child must have both a mother and a father to have a chance at having a proper upbringing. We must act swiftly and demand that our Congress pass laws outlawing divorce, forcing single mothers and fathers to marry and forcing widows and widowers to remarry. Anything less harms the children and therefore harms the future of this country. For the sake of the child, and our own sakes, we must do this. Chris McKay is a senior majoring in mechanical engineering.

he Maldives is an island nation off the southwest coast of India. Despite its geopolitical insignificance, the country’s president, Mohamed Nasheed, has perhaps one of the hardest jobs in the world. This is because the Maldives is the lowest country in the world, and many experts have declared that it will literally sink into non-existence by 2100. Many may have shirked away from such momentous responsibilities, but not Nasheed. He is a true leader. Since becoming the president of the Maldives in 2008, Nasheed has made a name for himself as a pioneer in leading the world’s battle against climate change. Perhaps his most dramatic policy was announced just months into his presidency, when he declared that the Maldives would be the world’s first carbonneutral nation, powered solely by solar and wind power before 2020. Aside from being green, this will also make the Maldives immune to hikes in oil prices. Concretely, this target will be met through many eco-friendly policies, such as a green tax for tourists. Nasheed has also drawn attention to himself and his nation by working closely with nongovernmental organizations, multinational corporations and international universities to come up with unprecedented and creative ideas. For example, instead of erecting man-made monstrosities to stem the tide of rising sea levels, as was done by his autocratic predecessor Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the new president and his cabinet are conducting extensive research on how the country’s natural resources such as coral reefs can do the trick instead. In October 2009, Nasheed presided over the world’s first underwater cabinet meeting. On a personal level, Nasheed has made a point of walking to work every day instead of driving and just a few months ago was seen installing $30,000 worth of solar panels on the roof of his own home. These panels are expected to save the government $100,000 over 25 years. Nasheed’s actions have garnered him ample praise and an array of awards. He has won the United Nations Champions of the Earth Award and has been named one of the world’s top 10 leaders, top 10 thinkers and as the number one leader/visionary in environmental issues by Newsweek, Forbes and Time magazines, respectively. However, Nasheed does not do these things because he is narcissistic like Chad Ochocinco (yes, I just compared the president of the Maldives to Chad Ochocinco), but because he knows that bringing attention to his country and the perils of climate change are what could save his country. Nasheed is not just idealistic, but also practical. He has apparently been looking into buying territory in another country for Maldivian citizens to call their home once the Maldives inevitably does sink. A special government fund exists solely for this purpose. Australia, India and Sri Lanka are reportedly prime candidates. President Barack Obama and the United States (before you start pointing fingers at China, note that a large portion of the factories in China that contribute so much to pollution are actually run by American companies, making products that you use on a daily basis) could learn some lessons from the inspirational leadership of Nasheed. The Obama administration initially nixed an offer from an environmental activist for solar panels on the White House. Even now that the deal has gone through and the panels will be installed this spring, it is hard to imagine Obama on his hands and knees installing them himself! Despite his country’s depressing and existential predicament — which is not even the fault of him or his people — Nasheed wastes no time feeling sorry for himself or his nation and forges on towards a better and more sustainable future. He knows that the time for action is now. Ashish Malhotra is a senior majoring in international relations and political science. He can be reached at Ashish.Malhotra@tufts.edu.

Op-ed Policy The Op-Ed section of The Tufts Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length. Op-Ed cartoons are also welcomed for the Campus Canvas feature. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. All material should be submitted to oped@tuftsdaily.com no later than noon on the day prior to the desired day of publication; authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions. Submissions may not be published elsewhere prior to their appearance in the Daily, including but not limited to other on- and off-campus newspapers, magazines, blogs and online news websites, as well as Facebook. Republishing of the same piece in a different source is permissible as long as the Daily is credited with originally running the article.


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Monday, March 7, 2011

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Ethan Sturm | Rules of the Game

WOMEN’S T & F

continued from page 12

Justin McCallum/Tufts Daily

Junior Nakeisha Jones, shown here in the high jump at the Feb. 5 Tufts Invitational II, triple jumped a season-best this weekend at the ECAC Championships. event. Kabongo also long jumped 16-09 1/4, good for 10th place. Theiss set another personal best and school record in the pole vault with a height of 12 1/2. Theiss placed fourth in the meet, nailing her attempt on the first try. She is ranked 11th nationally, which, given that 10 to 14 athletes are typically awarded bids depending on the event, may not be enough to travel to NCAAs. The 4x400-meter relay also ran well, placing third overall. Their time of 3:57.50 gave them another provisional qualifying time, but was not their best this season. The relay consisted of sophomore Alyssa Corrigan, Kabongo,

junior Dayorsha Collins and Hieber. “I don’t think there was too much extra pressure,” Kabongo said. “We were just as stressed as normal. We knew we were in the fast heat and there were certain people we had to beat. We did our best. I don’t think we were worn down. We didn’t run a slow time, but it just wasn’t quite good enough.” This last-chance meet brought a lot of success for the Jumbos and they will look to carry that momentum going into the NCAA Div. III Championships at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, starting March 11. Official national qualifying lists will be posted early this week.

Loss of top seniors will provide challenges next season WOMEN’S BASKETBALL continued from page 12

All-NESCAC honors for the third time. She also broke the career points record held by Teresa Allen (LA ’89) on Dec. 11 against SUNY-New Paltz to become the program’s all-time leading scorer. Miller was named the conference Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season while averaging 2.8 steals per game, including a conference-best 2.78 per game in NESCAC play. Kornegay also performed admirably, averaging 9.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, as one

of only two players on the team to start 20 or more games. The other consistent starter was Rocchi, who was thrown into a challenging role in the post and impressed by averaging 5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds. “Ali had a lot put on her shoulders, she had some big shoes to fill,” Miller said. “We’ve had a line of successful post players in the last few years, and, especially when you get into the NESCAC season, you are dealing with players that are no joke. She really had to grow up fast.” The Jumbos will lose a lot this offseason

with the graduation of Weiner, Miller and Hart. But there is still plenty to look forward to as coach Carla Berube has unsurprisingly stacked the team with young talent — five or six recruits are ready to compete for playing time next year. There is little doubt Tufts will contend for an NCAA berth again in 2012. “Every year is a learning experience, and next year that can look back at this year and become a better team,” Weiner said. “Individually, if every player works hard to improve every aspect of their game, especially the freshmen and sophomores, then they have a lot to look forward to.”

Rose, Marvel to head to NCAA Nationals this weekend MEN’S T & F

continued from page 12

— the pack going out slow in Jamie’s second lap [and] Marvel getting cut off. If we had each gone under a second faster, we would have gotten it, but everyone ran their hearts out, so I don’t think anyone is too disappointed.” Unfortunately for Tufts, the Jumbos’ heat went out slowly for the first leg: Tufts’ time was the slowest of the winners of the three heats, and the DMR’s finish ranked it sixth overall among 25 teams. “Jamie got a little unlucky with the pack going slow. Aside from the first two laps, he ran the whole race in lane two or three. So knowing that, it’s pretty amazing he ran the time he did,” Haney said. “The second lap was a little slow, and as soon as he saw that, he started moving up and going around people. It was a great race, especially for a freshman.” Though their performance qualified them for the finals on Sunday — an impressive feat for a Div. I meet — the entries for NCAAs were closed Saturday night, so the team did not compete again. But this young team still has two more years to earn a national bid, if it doesn’t work out his year. After losing major contributors Jesse Faller (E ’10) and Billy Hale (LA ’10), each of whom raced at Nationals, the Jumbos have put together a foursome of first- and second- years who are right on the heels of national-qualifying times and of the school-record time of 9:56.97, set in 2010 at BU. “It bodes really well for next year,” Haney said. “It’s great to have a young team, but

it’s only good if we keep working hard and getting better and if we do that I think we can be really good down the road.” Junior Connor Rose, who is also a senior staff writer for the Daily, competed at BU as well, looking to improve his qualifier in the 800-meter. Though he did not do so, his 1:53.04 is still ranked 10th nationally, so Rose will accompany Marvel to NCAAs next weekend as the two Tufts representatives in the event. The rest of the Jumbos traveled to the Armory in New York City on Friday and Saturday for the ECAC Championships. On Friday, sophomore Michael Blair took eighth in the pentathlon with a score of 3151, while freshman Liam Cassidy took eighth in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:44.25. “There was only one heat of the 3K, and it was a fairly sizeable heat, so Liam knew that where he finished in that race was where he would finish in the meet and that he could completely ignore the clock,” junior Jeffrey Prescott said. “He may have gotten a little too relaxed at the beginning, so he was sitting on the back of the pack at the 1,000, but he made a great move right after the mile. He moved up from second-to-last to eighth place, where he finished.” Prescott came home from the meet with a personal record (PR) in the 1,000meter run, finishing in 2:33.15, besting his previous PR of 2:35.34 at BU’s Valentine Invitational three weekends ago. “I wanted to settle in for the first 400 meters and then gauge where my fitness level was and try to make a move at 500 meters, because that’s when people

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Jumbos now await official qualifying lists for Nationals Wilfert said. “The race at ECACs was daunting enough for our relay, and the thought of qualifying seemed like a long shot. Laura is a tough girl and as long as she does what we know she can do then we will be totally fine. I have a lot of confidence in our team.” The next day, Wilfert came back with another strong run in the mile. She earned a second-place finish by running a personalbest 4:55.80. The converted time of 4:56.70 left her ranked 11th nationally, good enough to travel to Nationals. “I am just going to focus on one race at a time,” said Wilfert of the challenge of racing both the mile and the DMR at Nationals. “I’ll just focus on qualifying for the finals in the mile first and recover as quickly as possible and run as hard as I can in the DMR right after. That will be pretty tough, but hopefully the next day I can come back and give everything I have left in the finals.” With Wilfert leading the way, other Jumbos followed suit. Jones triple-jumped a seasonbest 38-9 and placed second in the meet. The jump also leaves her ranked fourth in the country. In addition to Jones, Kabongo also competed in the jumping events. Her triple jump of 37 1/4 placed her seventh in the meet and was also a provisional qualifying time. She had jumped better earlier this year, however, and remains ranked 20th nationally in the

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Freshman Graham Beutler impressed in the distance medley relay this weekend, but his team’s time is unlikely to make nationals. start to slow up a bit in the 1,000,” said Prescott, who has been battling injury all season. “From the gun, I got out quick and kind of threw the strategy out the window. I just took what the race gave me and went with it.” The Jumbos finished the ECAC Championships with just two points this weekend, good enough for 47th place, compared to a 24th-place finish in 2010. While Marvel and Rose will travel to Capital University in Ohio for NCAAs this weekend, the rest of the squad will shift to preparing for the outdoor season.

I

March Midnights

n March, there is one true rule of fandom: If your team isn’t in it, cheer for Cinderella. If you subscribe to that theory — and let’s be honest, there is no reason you shouldn’t — then I have a story for you. Welcome to Marietta, Ohio. A town of 15,000 housing a college of 1,350, Marietta doesn’t stick out on any national map. But the connection between the college and its surrounding community could easily make headlines nationwide. The student body of Marietta College does thousands of hours of volunteer work for the community and in return, the town lends its support to the undergrads in all aspects of life. For instance, the men’s basketball team has a foster program that pairs each player with a local family. It is not uncommon for these “foster parents” to attend the players’ weddings years down the line. “I always say that Marietta is the perfectsized town for Marietta College,” Athletic Director Larry Hiser told the Daily. This fairytale revolves around Marietta’s men’s basketball team. For years the forgotten stepchild in a perennially strong athletics program, the squad had not made the Div. III NCAA tournament since 1975. Coach Jon VanderWal entered 2010-11 in just his fourth season at the program’s helm, and was in charge of a team that didn’t have a single senior on the roster. Somewhat surprisingly, the Patriots cruised to the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship game, where they played at home last Sunday in front of a crowd of 1,600 — more than onetenth of the city’s population. “The electricity in the place was just unbelievable. It was one of the best college events I have been associated with in all of my years in college athletic administration,” Hiser said. Marietta struggled early and went into the half down 21 points. But when the Patriots scored their first basket of the second half, the crowd went crazy. When they tied it late, the crowd was ecstatic. And when junior Trevor Halter hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to officially punch his team’s ticket to The Dance for the first time in 36 years, the atmosphere was indescribable. The next day, hundreds of students packed into a room to watch a webcast of the Div. III selection show, where they learned that Marietta would host the first and second rounds of the national tournament this weekend. Mass excitement, however, quickly turned into panic, as students realized that dorms would be closed starting Friday for spring break. But the Marietta administration acted without hesitation. Almost immediately following the announcement, the school made the decision to keep the dorms and dining halls open for two extra days in order to allow any student that wanted to attend the games to do so. Hundreds accepted the offer. The school sold out its 1,000 tickets to both students and Marietta residents for the firstround game in 72 minutes flat. The following day, hundreds stood in the rain from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. waiting for tickets to round two. Seven hundred more watched on webcast. That night, the villain was Wittenberg College, who had knocked off Marietta in the tournament 36 years earlier and who couldn’t miss in the first half, going into the break up 34-27. All hope seemed lost for the Patriots. But almost on cue, Marietta found a little more magic. The Patriots erased the deficit, and then, down one with six seconds left, freshman point guard Tyler Hammond floated through the lane and tossed up a shot that fell softly into the hoop, sending his team to its first ever Sweet 16 and starting a party in Cinderellaville that continued long after the clock struck midnight.

Ethan Sturm is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. He can be reached at ethan.sturm@tufts.edu.


Sports

12

tuftsdaily.com

Women’s Track and Field

Women’s Basketball

OT losses, injuries overshadow successes Wilfert’s huge weekend lifts Jumbos at ECACs by

Ethan Sturm

Daily Editorial Board

Evaluating a team’s season is sometimes clear-cut. A team can overachieve and go further than even its most stalwart supporters ever dreamed or underachieve and fade to obscurity. The women’s basketball team’s season, however, cannot be so easily defined. Although the Jumbos missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 200607, the adversity overcome to get within striking distance of a bid perhaps revealed more about the team’s strength than a deep postseason run would have. “I don’t want to see this season as a disappointment; it is something to be celebrated,” senior tri-captain guard Lindsay Weiner said. “The NESCAC was very even-keeled this season, and while we won some big games, we also lost some. But to have come so far from my freshman year when making the NCAAs was a big deal, to now, where it is almost expected, says a lot about how we’ve progressed.” The season started off promisingly as the Jumbos, despite losing senior guard Vanessa Miller in the fall due to a lack of eligibility and junior tri-captain forward Kate Barnosky to a knee injury, rattled off wins in 10 of their first 11 games. The team was led by senior tri-captain guard Colleen Hart, but major contributions from junior guard Tiffany Kornegay, freshman forward/center Ali Rocchi and freshman guard/forward Liz Moynihan helped spur the squad on. Tufts suffered its first major setback against Williams on opening weekend of conference play with both Miller and Barnosky back on the court. At Cousens Gym, the Jumbos rallied down the stretch to force overtime, but fell just short thanks to a buzzer-beating tip-in by Ephs sophomore Danny Rainer. The team rebounded the following weekend with a 62-49 victory over Bowdoin, who finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the Northeast region and is currently in the Sweet 16 of the NCAAs. But as the game wound down, horror struck as Hart came down awkwardly on her ankle. “It was a very bittersweet moment because we pulled off that big win that we really needed, but at the same time it was juxtaposed with not knowing when we would have Colleen back on the court,” Miller said. Then, to make matters worse, Barnosky was forced back to the sidelines with recurring knee problems. The next day, the shorthanded Jumbos fell 67-54 to Colby. In the two weeks that it took for Hart

by Connor

Lauren Flament

Split between two venues this weekend, the men’s track and field team brought home a set of strong performances to conclude the season for most of the Jumbos. Five runners headed to BU for the IC4As on Saturday afternoon, all with hopes of improving their NCAA provisional qualifiers. The Distance Medley Relay (DMR) succeeded in its overarching goals, crossing the line in a time of 9:58.46 on the banked track, which converts to 10:01.46 and improves their previous qualifier of 10:08.68. Yet in an extremely competitive year, the time ranks the Jumbos 15th nationally, whereas it would have put them sixth on the list last season. With 11 teams accepted to NCAAs in 2010 and 10 teams in 2009, the Jumbos’ prospects this

see WOMEN’S BASKETBALL, page 11

see WOMEN’S T & F, page 11

Virginia Bledsoe/Tufts Daily

to fully recover, Tufts staggered its way to a 3-3 record that included its only truly unsightly loss, a 63-48 beating from regionally unranked Trinity. On the positive side, Miller showed a potent offensive touch rarely seen throughout her defensive-minded Tufts career. Her hot streak included NESCAC Player of the Week honors for a three-game span in which she averaged 15.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.0 steals and 4.0 assists. “I always prided myself in being the kind of player that does for the team what needs to be done in any given game,” Miller said. “With Colleen gone, the thing that we really needed was scoring, so I did my best to try to make up for that.” With Hart back, the Jumbos reeled off three straight wins by an average of 19 points, led by the sudden outburst of sophomore guard/forward Collier Clegg, a transfer from Colorado College. In a three-game stretch, Clegg had 26 points against Worcester State, 15 against

Relay team improves qualifying time at IC4As Daily Editorial Board

Endicott and 18 in a win on Senior Night against NESCAC foe Bates, which finished one spot above Tufts in the final regional rankings. The Jumbos locked up the No. 5 seed in the conference tournament with the victory against the Bobcats. Tufts drew Williams in the first round and got out to a dominant start. But the Ephs cut into the Jumbos’ lead, eventually tying the game late in the second half. In overtime, the Jumbos could not keep up, falling 69-64 and effectively losing their final hopes at an at-large bid. “Although those two losses [versus Williams] were tough, we played hard and we didn’t give up,” Weiner said. “It is still something to come out of those games forcing overtime instead of just getting blown out.” While the team fell short of the postseason, the Jumbos still managed to pile up their fair share of recognition. Hart led the conference in scoring with 16.0 points per game and earned first-team

For many runners, connecting stellar efforts in practice to race-day success can be difficult. Athletes can be in phenomenal shape and still struggle to reach new heights when the starting pistol fires. Workouts can be great and legs can feel fresh, but sometimes the races just do not come together. This past weekend at the ECAC Div. III Championships, senior Amy Wilfert had no such issues. Her performances in two races at the Armory Track & Field Center in New York City led the Jumbos to a second-place finish with 53.50 points, placing only behind The College of New Jersey, which took the team title with 58 points. “Most of the people were really happy,” senior tri-captain Kanku Kabongo said. “Some girls had some of their best performances. [Junior] Heather [Theiss] vaulted great and broke the record again, and [junior] Nakeisha [Jones] improved her provisional mark. The team as a whole performed well and people were generally pretty happy.” Wilfert led the way by anchoring the Distance Medley Relay (DMR) on Friday night and running the mile on Saturday. Her 1,600meter leg of the medley was clocked at 4:50, a personal best. After receiving the baton well behind the lead pack, Wilfert steadily worked her way up through the field. “We were in sixth when I got the baton, and we were a good chunk off of the pack,” Wilfert said. “I knew we needed to run a fast time, but at the same time I also knew we needed to place well in order for our time to mean anything. Because so many teams from New England have national-caliber DMRs, we needed to beat as many as possible in order to qualify. I was so focused on catching up to people and didn’t really notice how tired I was.” The relay — which along with Wilfert consisted of freshmen Laura Peterson and Jana Hieber and senior Kaylee Maykranz — placed second overall with a time of 11:52.87. Including the conversion used for banked tracks, their time translated to 11:55.37, seventh-best nationally. But for a team as young and inexperienced as this one, traveling to Nationals will be no easy task. “At Nationals the race is going to be a lot different than the ones we’ve had so far this year,”

Senior tri-captain Vanessa Miller won Defensive Player of the Year honors in the NESCAC for the second straight season.

Men’s Track and Field

by

Rose

Senior Staff Writer

year, after having qualified in the event the past two seasons, are not good. Freshman Jamie Norton led off the relay with the 1,200-meter leg, staying at the front of the pack and passing off to classmate Graham Beutler for the 400-meter leg. Sophomore Jeff Marvel took the baton for the 800 and classmate Sam Haney anchored in the 1,600meter leg, crossing the line first in their preliminary heat. Marvel previously qualified for Nationals in the 800-meter individual event. “We were happy with the race overall, but we were a little disappointed we didn’t make it,” said Haney, who ran the 1,200-meter leg at NCAAs last season. “But I don’t think it was anyone in particular’s fault. I think a little bit of time could have been chipped off each leg [but we were just] unlucky see MEN’S T & F, page 11

Judgment Day arrives for men’s lacrosse team

James Choca/Tufts Daily

As part of its second annual “Judgment Day” training session with a former Marine, the men’s lacrosse team performed leg lifts yesterday afternoon on Bello Field. The high-intensity session is designed to prepare the team, the reigning NCAA Div. III champions, as it enters this season.


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