TuftsDaily09-06-2012

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THE TUFTS DAILY

Eco-evaluation program introduced by

Melissa Mandelbaum Daily Editorial Board

The Office of Sustainability (OOS) in April launched the Green Office Certification program across all three Tufts campuses, which encourages university departments to evaluate their conservation actions and identify areas for improvement. An online survey, which is available on the OOS website, allows each university office to gauge its progress in implementing sustainable practices. Departments can receive a bronze, silver, gold or platinum certificate depending on how highly the office scores on the survey. “The Green Office Certification program is essentially a program that was designed for faculty and staff to use to give themselves an idea of where they stand in terms of sustainability, but also to give them a place to work from,” senior Dani Jenkins, an intern at the OOS, said. The survey consists of about 50 questions that assess an office’s commitment to sustainability, according to Jenkins. Point values are assigned to the questions, which address a variety of topics such as energy usage, waste and recycling. The OOS then contacts the faculty or staff member who filled out the survey for a follow-up meeting to review the survey results and to offer suggestions for improvement, OOS Program Director Tina Woolston said. Five offices out of the 21 that see SUSTAINABILITY, page 2

New lab at Tufts School of Medicine to focus on tuberculosis research by

Craig Frucht

Daily Editorial Board

The Tufts University School of Medicine this summer announced plans to build a 1,700 square-foot biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) research facility in order to enhance the Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology’s ability to study infectious diseases. The facility, which will be called the Arnold 8 Biosafety Laboratory, will be housed in the existing Arnold Wing of the School of Medicine’s Biomedical Research and Public Health Building at 136 Harrison Avenue in Boston. In the immediate future, the faculty expects to use the lab exclusively to study tuberculosis ( TB), according to John Leong, department chair and professor of molecular biology and microbiology. “Our overall plans are to study [the] basic biology of the organism [that causes TB] and the means by which it causes disease,” Leong told the Daily in an email. He said that the ultimate goal is to develop new avenues for treatment or prevention of the disease. The current schedule calls for construction of the lab to begin this fall and for the lab to be operational next year, according to Director of Public Relations Kim Thurler. The university must still get approval from the Boston Public Health Commission before opening the facility. The estimated cost of the lab is about $3.5 million, Thurler said, and will be borne entire-

Ashley Seenauth / THE Tufts Daily

The planned Arnold 8 Biosafety Laboratory will allow researchers at the Tufts School of Medicine to directly study airborne pathogens like tuberculosis. ly by the university. “The funding comes from monies set aside by the School of Medicine and the

High SIS traffic causes brief outage Tuesday Unusually high traffic on the first day of classes caused the Student Information System (SIS) to crash briefly Tuesday afternoon, delaying registration and access to the system for students. The issue began shortly before 5 p.m. and lasted for about an hour. Dawn Irish, director of communications and organizational effectiveness for University Information Technology (UIT), said that such hiccups are to be expected of an aging system. “There was a lot more activity than has ever been seen on the first day of school,” Irish said. The outage stemmed from a flurry of activity at the end of the day on Tuesday that backed up the SIS database, she said. “In older systems, each day there is a database of activity that happens,” Irish said. “New systems will purge that database daily, but in old sys-

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tems you have to purge it each morning.” Several students also reported difficulties adding or dropping classes before 10 a.m. and in the late evening, although Irish said UIT had not received any report of problems during that time. “Early Tuesday at around 9 a.m. I tried to use SIS and it wasn’t working. Later at night, after I had dropped several classes, I could sign in, but as soon as I tried to register it told me I was unable to do so,” senior Carly Boxer said. “I was sitting there continually refreshing my browser trying to get it to work.” UIT and Student Services are about halfway through a two-year project to replace the 30-year-old system with a new one. Such glitches will not occur once the new system goes into general use for students by the start of the 2013-2014 academic year, according to Irish.

The new SIS will eliminate the need for daily scheduled maintenance that prevents students from accessing the system during certain hours, she added. “That will be a thing of the past,” Irish said. UIT staff members are currently implementing the “invisible” parts of the new system, like working with the Registrar’s Office to establish a course catalogue database, Irish said. “We’ve been implementing the new system bit by bit,” she said. “The stuff that has been implemented so far are administrative things that happen in the back end.” Until then, the hiccups and daily maintenance will continue to plague SIS. “It’s like an old car that you’re trying to get the most mileage out of,” Irish said. “Things go wrong.”

Inside this issue

—by Martha Shanahan

university for various special purposes,” Thurler said. The BSL-3 designation comes from specifications set

by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) see LAB, page 2

Tufts students volunteer at orphanage in Rwanda by Stephanie

Haven

Daily Editorial Board

A group of 21 Tufts students this summer ventured to a Rwandan orphanage for a 10-day service trip – a journey that Tufts Hillel has sponsored since 2009 for students interested in social issues and community service. The trip’s student coordinators Jennifer Smith, a junior, and David Reiff, a senior, returned home motivated to help the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village (ASYV ) beyond their stay in Rwanda. The group next month plans to host a fundraiser for the orphanage on the Medford/ Somerville campus, featuring Rwandan food, music and dance, Smith said. She said they also plan to organize a film screening to further educate the Tufts com-

munity about Rwanda. The service trip has become a staple of the Cummings/ Hillel Program for Holocaust and Genocide Education, according to Reiff and Smith. Inspired by a Rwandan man who spoke to Tufts Hillel seven years ago, Hillel board member Anne Heyman created the ASYV in 2006 to help solve the biggest problem the Rwandan man identified: a large orphan population. Since the program was founded, families, high school students and college students from Yale University, University of Pennsylvania and University of Wisconsin have also joined the effort, according to Smith. At the orphanage, service trip responsibilities included helping with irrigation, farmsee RWANDA, page 2

Today’s sections

This summer, Tufts students interned at a microfinance-tourism business in Mexico.

Alanis Morisette’s latest album is “like rain on your wedding day”: disappointing.

see FEATURES, page 3

see ARTS, page 5

News Features Arts & Living Editorial | Letters

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News

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Students on Rwanda service trip gain new perspectives RWANDA

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ing, landscaping and construction, Smith said. Students also participated in discussions about the purpose of their time in Rwanda, Reiff said. From how to repair a country and its individuals after genocide to the meaning of forgiveness, the talks gave volunteers time to reflect on their impact on the orphans and learn more about themselves, he said. “The biggest impact, though, is in our interactions with students,” Smith said. “To see students work that hard and value their education makes you appreciate your time at Tufts.” Conversations with the village orphans were just like those between peers in the United States, Smith added. Whether it was gossiping about a friend or gushing about Justin Bieber, sophomore Hannah Deegan said she often forgot about the differences between herself and the Rwandan girls to whom she spoke. “Nothing could top the sadness and guilt of saying, ‘Yes, I have parents,’” she said. “Of all the terrible things we saw and heard about in Rwanda, the hardest for me was seeing girls just like my two younger sisters living in a world so devastatingly different.”

Deegan added that the self-reflection inherent in the trip was beneficial. “I didn’t expect for the most valuable part of my trip to be the discomfort of examining myself with a Rwandan perspective in mind,” she said. “I didn’t expect to feel such overwhelming joy from the people I met there, to be so taken by the beauty of the land itself.” Though there is no established pen-pal program through which to continue communication beyond the trip, Reiff said he has stayed in touch with some of the Rwandan students he met via Facebook. “There’s a feeling of abandonment among these students every time we come to the village and leave,” Reiff said. “When you leave and feel like you’re abandoning a friend, it’s hard. The most important thing is that we keep coming back.” Although Tufts Hillel manages the visit, the trip has always been open to undergraduate students of all faiths, Smith said. She highlighted the range of religions represented on the trip, noting that students’ various backgrounds allowed them to share new cultures with the village. “Most of the orphans will never leave Rwanda or travel in their lives,” Smith said. “And even though we’re only there for 10 days, having the volunteers come brings new perspective.”

Courtesy Jennifer Smith

Tufts Hillel this summer sent students on a service trip to a village in Rwanda.

TB research in new biosafety lab to focus on shortening treatment course LAB

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and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which classify biosafety labs as levels one through four, according to the School of Medicine website. The level indicates a lab’s ability to limit exposure to infectious diseases through its safety features. Leong explained that while Tufts operates several BSL-2 labs, only BSL-3 or BSL-4 facilities allow researchers to study dangerous airborne pathogens like TB. BSL-3 labs have built-in safety systems to minimize the risk of infection for laboratory

workers, he said. “Without a BSL-3 laboratory at Tufts School of Medicine, we cannot begin a research program in TB on this campus,” Leong said. In addition to sealed floors, walls, ceilings and windows, the lab will include specialized air filtration systems, round-theclock monitoring systems and back-up generators to ensure that safety systems continue to operate in the event of a power outage, according to the School of Medicine website. The School of Medicine in July hired Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology and Microbiology Bree Aldridge to

be the first investigator in the Arnold 8 Biosafety Lab, Leong said. The university aims to search for a second investigator once the lab is operational. Aldridge plans to use the new lab to focus on finding more effective treatments for TB, explaining that the present treatment course lasts a minimum of six months. “At Tufts, we are assembling a team of interdisciplinary researchers across our campuses to come together with the goal of transforming the way we study and design treatments against pathogenic mycobacteria,” she said. TB constitutes a serious

global pandemic, Aldridge said, infecting about a third of the world’s population and causing nearly two million deaths per year, according to the World Health Organization website. “Over the past decade, several new drugs – which were developed in BSL-3 laboratories similar to the one we plan – have entered clinical trials, and we are seeing a drop in the death rate,” Aldridge said. “But there is still a lot of work to be done. We have not improved the efficacy of the treatment course in decades, we do not have adequate treatments for drug-resistant strains and we

Tufts departments awarded for sustainability efforts SUSTAINABILITY

continued from page 1

have submitted surveys were successful enough to earn a

bronze, silver or gold certificate by scoring 60 percent or higher, Jenkins said. The platinum level, requir-

ing at least 95 percent completion of the sustainable practices listed on the survey, has yet to be achieved at Tufts,

Kyra Sturgill / The Tufts Daily

The Office of Sustainability is promoting eco-friendly practices within Tufts departments through the new Green Office Certification program on campus.

according to Woolston. “We made it so that there would still be something for people to work towards,” she said. A comprehensive stepby-step guide for improving scores was added to the OOS website for staff who want to improve their office’s conservation efforts but do not have the time to participate in EcoAmbassadors, a program in which staff members volunteer to lead the sustainability efforts within their departments, Woolston explained. At the annual OOS Environmental Action Luncheon in early May, the Tisch Library was awarded gold level certification, she said. The Department of Environmental and Population Health at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, the Ginn Library of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and Tufts Renewable Energy and Applied Photonics Labs received bronze certification awards framed in recycled circuit board at the ceremony, Woolston added. “I was surprised that people were really excited [to receive a certificate],” Woolston said. “They just loved it, and it seemed to inspire some other offices to action.” The Center for International Environment and Resource Policy at the Fletcher School recently received a silver

lack rapid diagnostic tools.” Leong said the lab will give highly trained students the opportunity to conduct research of global significance within a cutting-edge facility. “Some students, most typically experienced graduate students, will have the opportunity to do hands-on research on one of the world’s most important microorganisms,” he said. Leong believes the lab will boost the university’s research profile. “TB is an important topic, both for global health and in the research community, and it is important that Tufts have a footprint in the field,” he said.

award, according to Woolston. Jenkins noted that many faculty and staff members have taken interest in boosting their office’s survey scores. The Tisch Library is aiming for platinum level certification within the next year, according to Library Assistant Carol Ellis, a Tisch Sustainability Team member. Tangy Person, dental practice administrator at the School of Dental Medicine, hopes to further educate her colleagues about sustainability after her office scored 45 percent on the survey. “I think a lot of people weren’t recycling because they weren’t aware of it, and I think that should make a big difference,” Person said. “I’d like to be at least 60 percent by the next time [I complete the survey].” The OOS is working on expanding the Green Office Certification program in order to increase student involvement in sustainability efforts on campus, Woolston said. “One of the things I would love to do is to have some students volunteer with offices to get [the offices] green office certified,” she said. Woolston said the OOS is also considering hosting an environmental lunch-and-learn on how departments can attain Green Office Certification. “It’d be great to see an office get platinum,” she said.


Features

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tuftsdaily.com

Courtesy Lily SierAdzki

Tufts students and alumni this summer worked with local artisans in Mexico and Tanzania through Investours, a microfinance-tourism company.

Summer Spotlight: Students bring opportunity to Puerto Vallarta artisans Tufts interns and alumni lead in microfinance-tourism business Lily Sieradzki

Daily Editorial Board

While tourists soaked up the Mexican sun in Cancun and Acapulco this past summer, four Tufts students had a very different tourism experience. Sophomores Aidan Nguyen, Morgan Babbs, Justin Roth and Julia Stein worked as interns for Investours, a microfinance-based tourism company. Investours, based in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, approaches tourism in a non-traditional, socially conscious way. Small groups of tourists meet and interact with local artisans in poorer neighborhoods and the tourists and artisans exchange knowledge about each group’s culture and daily life. The revenue from the tour is used for an interestfree microloan for one of the artisans to help grow his or her business. Active since 2008, Investours is still a young start-up, but the business remains fully active in harnessing microfinance to encourage new, socially responsible tourism. “We have many goals, but we are really trying to use the power of microfinance and combine it with tourism to contribute to development and poverty alleviation in Mexico and Tanzania,” Chief Operating Officer Corrina Jacobs (LA ’10) said. Investours is fairly small, with only three fulltime staff members, including Jacobs, the country director for Tanzania, and Elly Rohrer (LA ’11), the country director for Mexico. As a result, the nonprofit is heavily dependent on

its interns for much of its work. Roth’s internship responsibilities included designing a virtual marketplace for tourists to access information about the artisans, as well as gathering information about the impact of microfinance on the lives of the artisans. “We wanted to see the tangible effects on their business and their livelihood in general, and how it improved the quality of life for their family,” he said. “So we went and interviewed probably fifteen to twenty clients, and we asked them questions about their general impressions of microfinance.” Stein cited the improvements that microfinance has made in the lives of the artisans. “There was this one guy, Javier, who was one of our clients, and he was a fisherman and also a chef,” she said. “He took out a microfinance loan in the beginning and paid back his dues on time, and now he’s opening a restaurant. It’s very rewarding to see our work actually helping people.” Stein’s work included helping organize an upcoming university tour, working to promote a film called “The Microlending Film Project” (2011) and fundraising for Investours through a jewelry line run by the local artisans. According to Jacobs, Ashwin Kaja originally conceived Investours while a student at Harvard. He saw enormous potential in combining the exciting new idea of microfinance with a form of tourism that was both educational and ethical. Jacobs became involved while living

in Boston after graduating from Tufts. “I was working but I was still looking around for something I could do that still had the values of active citizenship, of travel [and] of being an international citizen,” she said. “So, I was really eager to do something abroad,” Both Roth and Stein agreed that Investours draws on values unique to Tufts, such as global citizenship. “Tufts is very international, as we know, and I think ... the fact that our two bosses were coincidentally Tufts students, shows how internationallyminded Tufts is,” Stein said, referring to Jacobs and Rohrer. Jacobs found that the theme of active citizenship central to Tufts was a key component of the Investours’ team and for her, all the more reason to join in. “I really feel like in all of my friends, all of my professors, the spirit of Tufts is an international one,” Jacobs said. “That’s one of the main reasons Investours really struck a chord with me, because we’re trying to create a global community that’s committed to giving back to the communities they visit.” Roth and Stein enjoyed experiencing Mexican culture and being immersed in the Spanish language in the small town of Bucerias, close to Puerto Vallarta. “I didn’t speak any Spanish and by the end, I could negotiate with shopkeepers and order food,” Stein, who has studied French, said. Roth, who is pursuing a major in economics and international relations with a concentration in Latin American studies, said the experience not only

improved his confidence in speaking Spanish, but also gave him opportunities to explore in addition to a newfound enthusiasm for his studies. “That’s really what I found by interning there, a greater confidence with the Spanish language and an openness to explore everything,” he said. “I think I’m coming back with a really great experience and excitement about what I’m studying.” Jacobs emphasized the importance of Investours as a way to bring working experience to young people in the area of microfinance tourism. “We really want to bring back a dialogue, for students all over the country, but especially for Tufts students, about student involvement in microfinance and international development, what you can do as an undergrad and how important it is to gain real world, professional experience before you enter the workforce,” she said. This fall, Investours will be touring universities in the Northeast, including Tufts. The company will also be holding a winter seminar at the beginning of January, where students can come to Mexico to learn about the nonprofit specifically and about microfinance in general. For all involved, Investours has been a profound experience and continues to positively impact the ongoing growth of microfinance. “People think that people who live in impoverished or third world countries have no way of surviving, but with microfinance loans, it’s totally possible,” Stein said. “It’s definitely hopeful work.”


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Arts & Living

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Music Review

Alanis Morissette returns with disappointing new album Bland music mars attempt at serious subject matter by

Caroline Welch

Daily Editorial Board

After a four-year musical hiatus, Alanis Morissette has finally returned with a new

Havoc and Bright Lights Alanis Morissette Columbia album titled “Havoc and Bright Lights.” Despite an impressive 20-year-long career that has yielded seven Grammy wins and 60 million albums sold worldwide, Morissette’s eighth musical endeavor actually sounds more sophomoric than sophisticated. Morissette’s main misstep on “Havoc” is her attempt to tackle intense, meaningful themes through a fairly uninspiring musical structure. The Canadian singer-songwriter experienced the joys of marriage and motherhood during her time away, and she opts to discuss these emotional topics on the record alongside other heavy subjects like love, sexism and celebrity. “The form [of the album] is the motherhood, but the essence of it really is a deepening of intimacy and a deepening

Hubert Burda Media via Flickr Creative Commons

Morissette’s “Havoc” fails to match her earlier career successes. of commitment,” she said in an interview with MTV about her latest release. As a seasoned artist, Morissette clearly under-

stands the need for substance in her songs. However, her light rock-pop genre and frequently juvenile lyrics fail to express the power of her ideas

and opinions. For example, the album’s second track, “Woman Down,” is a driving feminist number about a male-dominated society in

which women are undervalued, disrespected and abused. The loud, edgy chorus exemplifies see MORISSETTE, page 6

TV Review

‘Louie’ pushes boundaries, pulls laughs by Joseph Stile

Daily Editorial Board

Louis C.K. is a true auteur of television. A renowned, Emmy Award-winning comedian, Louis C.K. serves as writer, director, actor

Louie

For instance, in one episode, a former one-night stand calls Louie to tell him that she either gave or got crabs from him. She ends the conversation by saying, “F--k you, or, I’m sorry! I don’t know which.” It’s hard not to simultaneously laugh and feel a surge of painful empathy.

What makes “Louie” so daring is its ability to, at times, abandon funny in favor of a rare dramatic depth. In this way, “Louie” trusts in the intelligence and attention span of its audience in a way that popular, rapid-fire joke machines like “30 Rock” do not. Every now and then, “Louie” lets itself be a quiet

meditation on complex subjects like war, religion or raising children. These segments aren’t filled with jokes, but they are intriguing and compel viewers to keep watching, despite the fact that they deviate from the see LOUIE, page 6

Starring Louie C.K., Hadley Delany, Ursula Parker, Pamela Adlon Airs Thursday at 10:30 p.m. on FX and executive producer for his acclaimed FX series, “Louie.” “Louie” essentially feels like half hour glimpses of the world through the eyes of Louie, the main character, played by C.K. This often painfully realistic approach gives the viewer a look into life as Louie experiences it. The show is so compellingly written that even mundane tasks, such as Louie making small talk or watching his daughters, can be hilarious. This humor is often accomplished through small, surreal moments that are sprinkled perfectly throughout each episode. Frequently, these moments exaggerate a common experience. In the season three premiere, for example, Louie is confused by an absurdly convoluted set of contradictory “No Parking” signs, an incident that creates humor out of a basic, but relatable situation. Other times these surreal occurrences are used as a vehicle for social commentary, such as when Louie and another woman watch emotionlessly as a reality show contestant is brutally murdered on television and then forget about it just minutes later. These moments, along with “Louie’s” constant disregard for television convention, make the show enjoyable and even thrilling to watch because all episodes have the potential to go anywhere at any time.The show regularly puts Louie in side-splittingly awkward situations that are reminiscent of the comic heights of HBO’s “Curb your Enthusiasm” and frequently incorporates clever lines that, while funny, also are strikingly human.

David_shankbone via flikr creative commons

Louie C.K. stars in the FX hit “Louie,” currently in its third season.


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Arts & Living

Thursday, September 6, 2012

FX’s ‘Louie’ continues as one of the most interesting shows on television LOUIE

continued from page 5

show’s usual comedic content. This season of “Louie” has been elevated even more by phenomenal guest stars. Both Parker Posey and Melissa Leo have appeared on the show and delivered Emmy-worthy performances. Posey’s performance as Louie’s date is arguably a comment on the “quirkyweird girls” that so frequently show up in

modern romantic comedies. Those movies tend to romanticize extreme eccentricities, but “Louie” fires back at those portrayals by presenting Posey as what one of those characters would be like in the real world. Her performance is more manic-depressive than cute or quirky. Most episodes of “Louie” are built around vignettes that focus on a single truth Louie wants to get across. This makes the show

more like a set of high-end short stories rather than a standard television program. It’s also part of what makes the show thrilling, because each vignette can have a different tone and feel, and it’s not always easy to know where or even when the vignette will end. This keeps the show from feeling scattered or random. The overarching unity applied by Louie’s urbane worldview gives these smaller stories – whether they concern Louie’s self-hatred, his

search for post-divorce love or his difficulties raising his daughters – the potential to deliver profound moments of truth. Louis C.K. is easily one of the hardest working men in television today, but he hasn’t overextended himself by taking on too many of his show’s major duties. Instead, he has given his program the kind of singular vision that allows viewers to escape into his world for funny and poignant tales from his life.

Alanis Morissette disappoints with ‘Havoc’ MORISSETTE

continued from page 5

this with lyrics like, “Calling all lady haters/ why do you vilify us?” But though the topic is serious, the tone is not: beeping noises create a repetitive rhythm that is annoying rather than catchy, and the song’s generally synthetic sound results in a considerable disconnect between the lyrics and the tune. The song is surprisingly upbeat, especially during the refrain, making it seem less like a social critique and more like a feisty, yet oddly peppy, sing-along. In another attempt at serious subject matter, this one entitled “Celebrity,” eerie instrumentation successfully works in tandem with the song’s message to emphasize the dangerous downsides of fame and fortune. Dissonant minor chords and screeching strings, though unpleasant on the ears, proclaim the evils of stardom, and a cringe-worthy buzzing in the background channels anxiety and unease. However, a set of silly, immature lyrics detract greatly from the track’s full potential. In the first verse Morissette says, “Cause I’m aware of wheels, heels and vintage Gucci/ I’m on my twentieth round of vitamin V,” and towards the end she chants, “I am a tattooed sexy dancing monkey/ Just aloof enough to get you to want me.” Paired with Morissette’s trademark mezzo-soprano singing style, the words sound even more ludicrous and nonsensical, and they disengage listeners from the lyrics’ true meaning. Morissette also fails to deliver on the

main love song of the album, “’Til You.” Though her amorous lines, undoubtedly directed towards her husband, are sung with an earnest sincerity, the ethereal, airy music will have audiences thinking “sappy” instead of “romantic.” Gentle piano notes are set against soft and measured percussion, giving the tune a slow, ambling quality. Breathy “ooh’s” and “ahh’s” amid cascading electronic synth notes only add to the schmaltzy mood of the song, making Morissette’s tender ode to love appear trite and stale. Although the majority of “Havoc and Bright Lights” is relatively bland, the album is not a total loss. “Havoc,” the title track, is a delicate personal confession about the singer’s internal struggles and individual flaws. A flowing piano riff combines with deep, orchestral notes that are both somber and soothing. Eventually, the piano dissolves into a high-pitched tinkling during the chorus, reminiscent of a music box. “Receive,” a liberating anthem about Morissette learning to appreciate herself and to put her own needs before others, is reminiscent of her 90’s glory. With a buoyant, bright guitar that winds its way throughout the verses, the chorus seamlessly transforms into a forceful and compelling declaration from Morissette when she says, “Today’s all about me learning how, how to receive.” Though Morissette’s attempts at exploring serious themes are innovative, her music fails to effectively convey these topics, ultimately making “Havoc and Bright Lights” a mediocre and disappointing album.

Marianne van Meel via Flickr Creative Commons

Alanis Morissette returns after a four year hiatus.


Thursday, September 6, 2012

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THE TUFTS DAILY Rebecca K. Santiago Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Ben Kochman Falcon Reese Managing Editors Jenna Buckle Executive News Editor Shana Friedman News Editors Craig Frucht Lizz Grainger Stephanie Haven Amelie Hecht Daphne Kolios Patrick McGrath Laina Piera Rachel Rampino Corinne Segal Martha Shanahan Melissa Wang Jenny White Sharon Lam Assistant News Editors Menghan Liu Melissa Mandelbaum Audrey Michael James Pouliot Josh Weiner Hannah Fingerhut Executive Features Editor Jon Cheng Features Editors Amelia Quinn Derek Schlom Lily Sieradzki Assistant Features Editors Emily Bartlett Alexandria Chu Jacob Passy Melissa MacEwen Executive Arts Editor Kate Griffiths Arts Editors Alex Hanno Joe Stile Matthew Welch Alex Kaufman Assistant Arts Editors Dan O’Leary Caroline Welch Gerardo Zampaglione Jonathan Green Bhushan Deshpande David Kellogg Seth Teleky Yiota Kastritis Ard Ardalan Devon Colmer Louie Zong Jyot Singh

Editorial

Editorial | Letters

Thursday, September 6, 2012

The Harvard Crimson’s journalistic integrity is laudable

Essential to the integrity of a college newspaper is an honest relationship with readers about the quotes found in articles within that paper – especially those that come from school administrators. On Tuesday, our neighbors at the Harvard Crimson published a letter to its readers admitting that, for several years, the paper has failed in this regard by allowing administrative sources to review and, in many cases, change their quotes before an article went to print. This process of “quote review” was the result of what the Crimson’s letter to its readers called a “years-long agreement” with Harvard Public Affairs and Communications (HPAC). On Tuesday, the Crimson announced that they are banning their reporters from engaging in what they called an “anti-journalistic practice.” The Daily supports the Crimson’s decision and urges HPAC and the Harvard administration to cooperate with the Crimson’s pledge of

honesty to its readers. According to Tuesday’s letter, in past years, the Crimson had been pressured by the administration to remove quotes entirely, and in other cases “quotations [were] rejected outright or [were] rewritten to mean just the opposite of what the administrator said in the recorded interview.” Though there are times when it is acceptable for sources to see and confirm a previously recorded quote to ensure accuracy and clarity, we find it unacceptable for a source to have the right to edit those quotes. Final editorial discretion should always belong to a paper’s editors, not its interviewed sources. Like any college newspaper, the Crimson depends on its sources in the administration for information and counts on responses from the administration in the news stories that grace its pages. The Daily also values its relationship with Tufts’ administration, although it does not

engage in a quote review practice. Therefore, the motivations that drove the Crimson’s previous editors to practice “quote review” with the administration are understandable, if not condonable. But good reporting should always strive to be as unbiased as possible – and in order for a college paper to practice good, unbiased reporting, the relationship between that paper and the college’s administration must be honest. At time of press, Harvard’s administration has not responded to the paper’s declaration, according to Crimson President E. Ben Samuels. The Crimson’s decision is a brave one – its refusal to maintain this unhealthy relationship between press and administration could cost them valuable sources. We at the Daily applaud the Crimson for taking this step, and we hope HPAC and Harvard’s administration will also commend and support them for aspiring to maintain ethical journalistic practices.

allowed to say that, because men get in more accidents, they must pay more for coverage. If these companies tried to demographically divide religious or ethnic groups, charging, say, higher rates to Christians, we’d have a discrimination problem. But here, gender inequality is accepted. Men are imprisoned more than ten times as frequently as women in this country, despite roughly half the population consisting of women. Roughly 2 percent of the people on death row are women. Either men are significantly and fundamentally more likely to commit capital crimes, or, once again, gender inequality is present. In schools, boys are more likely to be victimized by violent crime than girls. The numbers of men in prison and on

death row blow gender proportions out of the water. In discussions of rape, the assumption that men are perpetrators, and never victims, is prevalent. We talk about men “getting” women pregnant, as though sexual consequences are exclusively a man’s fault. Men are often portrayed in the media as aggressive, drunk, simple-minded; the list goes on and on. Gender inequality isn’t just about women; it’s about inequality. We absolutely need to pay attention to unfair treatment, discrimination and judgment of women. All I’m asking is that when we talk about gender inequality, we talk about men, too.

Denise Amisial

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Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, It is extremely important to address issues of unfair treatment of women in America. The Daily’s April 24 article entitled “Echoing national trends, gender equality at Tufts continues to evolve” certainly reminded us of that. Yet it is equally important to remember that “gender equality” also applies to men. Before coming to Tufts University, each and every American male Jumbo registered for the draft. That’s required by the Selective Service Act, and it doesn’t apply to women. Women can serve in government and help declare war, but are not asked to serve in one. Here, gender inequality is accepted. The median car insurance rate for men in every state is higher than for women. Insurance companies are

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.

Sincerely, Brian Pilchik Class of 2014

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The Tufts Daily

Thursday, September 6, 2012 Op-Ed

9

Op-Ed

Bubs’ O-Show skit offends and misleads audience by

Katie Hegarty

Even as a senior, I can’t help peeking into the orientation events held for incoming first-year students every fall. Whether it’s the first night performances by groups like Tufts Bhangra and the Jumbo Jugglers or the inspiring testimonials at Many Stories One Community, I count on orientation to remind me why I chose Tufts. I count on orientation to show me – and the incoming class – what makes our shared campus feel like home. I’m sad to say that that is not what happened at the a cappella O-Show in Cohen Auditorium Monday night. The voices of my fellow Jumbos were beautiful, and I was thrilled to find a seat among the new students, but what didn’t thrill me was a skit, the final one of the night, which seemed to demonstrate the values of a university I’ve never attended. The skit performed by the Beelzebubs was not representative of Tufts, and should be wildly restructured, if not retired completely. At the school that taught me social justice, the Bubs’ skit contained jokes that made dangerous light of transphobia, sexual assault, suicide and homophobia, all in a matter of minutes. The premise of the skit is simple. Two Bubs act as the door to a bedroom, another portrays your average Tufts first-year, and the rest rotate the delivery of punch lines, acting out hilariously awful things for a roommate to do on Day One. The skit has the potential to be uproarious; examples like walking in on a masturbating roommate are relatable and funny. On the other hand, the first joke of the skit is a different story. The “average guy,” we’ll call him Jumbo Joe, walks in to his room. He is greeted by a clearly masculine student who says, in an affectedly deep

Op-Ed

voice, “Hi, I’m Jessica.” Jumbo Joe turns and runs out of the room. Apparently, a student put forth as trans-identified is the worst thing the Bubs could imagine. Not only that, but trans students as a whole are mocked by the pairing of an irrationally deep voice with a feminine name – the ability to “pass” as cisgender (not trans-identified) determines the entire worth of this imaginary “Jessica.” The Tufts I have advocated to improve, and the Tufts I have seen grow with the changing social climate, would not find this funny at all. Students Against Transphobia formed in the wake of Keith Ablow’s comments last fall, when students expressed feeling offended on their own campus due to the Tufts Medicine affiliated professor’s transphobic comments on Fox News. Institutionally, Tufts now has select areas of gender-neutral housing available, which helps address the concerns of gender-variant students who don’t feel comfortable being placed in on-campus housing based on the sex listed on their legal documents. This campus was offended when an outlier declared intolerance, and Tufts worked to prove that we don’t support transphobia here. However, that was one person. Keith Ablow does not speak for us. But the Beelzebubs do. They especially speak for us when acting as ambassadors to the incoming class, during orientation itself, and demonstrate what is and isn’t acceptable here. When a transphobic joke is considered funny enough to share on the Cohen stage, it teaches the incoming class that safety is only a surface level concern. It suggests that safety is something for fine print and handbooks, not the actual daily life of students. The Tufts I attend doesn’t believe that, and the Tufts I intend to leave behind when I graduate in

May won’t stand for that. Other jokes in the Bubs’ skit are not much better. One involves Jumbo Joe entering his room and walking directly into his roommate pointing an invisible wand, screeching, “Avada Kedavra, Muggle!” (Avada Kedavra being the murder spell from the Harry Potter series). The spell clearly doesn’t work, so the roommate tries again, prompting Jumbo Joe to leave. Once the roommate is alone, he sullenly looks at the audience, points the imaginary wand to his temple, and whimpers, “Avada Kedavra,” insinuating suicidal ideation. Anyone who still believes that suicide is a joke has some serious catching up to do. Colleges and universities are doing all they can to demonstrate to incoming students that their institutions are safe and nurturing; Tufts’ own Counseling and Mental Health Services (CMHS) made the rounds at numerous orientation events as well as hosting their own welcome. Of course we know that using a fake magic spell against oneself would never work, but the implication of the joke is that it’s universally funny for a student to feel despondent enough to think about suicide. Finally, one part of the skit had Jumbo Joe shoved against the door by his roommate, who aggressively draped himself over Jumbo Joe in a sexual manner. When Joe made to protest, the roommate placed a finger over Joe’s lips and murmured, “Shh! No words.” Jumbo Joe attempted to struggle his way out of the unwanted embrace, but the vignette ends before the audience sees what happens to him. This one is complicated; on one hand, no matter what else is at play, this purported joke is finding humor in sexual assault. Jumbo Joe did not demonstrate interest

in or consent toward his roommate, and wanted to leave. The very inclusion of this part of the skit may have triggered responses from any number of students in the auditorium who have had experience with sexual assault. Tufts students should know better than to find sexual assault humorous; we take it seriously, and make decisions based on it. The other problem with this vignette is that, because the roommates are both men, homophobia is also present. A longstanding stereotype of gay men has been that they’re predators, insatiably seeking sex with any man available. In the Bubs’ skit, whether intended or not, this stereotype became part of the punch line, and set Tufts up as a school that is fundamentally uncomfortable with viewing its queer students as equals. I doubt this was the case; the Beelzebubs, as well as our other a cappella groups, have – and respect – queer members themselves. Further, as an LGBT Center intern, member of QSA and Team Q and resident of Rainbow House, I can tell you that Tufts is not an inherently homophobic place. But the skit I saw on Monday night told a different story, and the incoming class had no way of knowing better. Because they can’t know better yet, they deserve better now. They deserved better Monday. And Tufts is capable of so much better. I love this school because Tufts gets it. Tufts doesn’t give up on injustice, so neither will I. I saw an injustice, I was hurt and outraged and I won’t let the incoming class believe that Tufts is something it’s not. I hope the Bubs will reconsider their part in telling the story of Tufts. Katie Hegarty is a senior majoring in women’s studies and child development.

Discontinue the use of disconnected tusks logo by

Matthew Isles

I am an alumnus writing to express concern about one of Tufts’ athletic logos, which I saw for the first time upon moving back to Medford last month. The graphic in question features elephant tusks wrapping around the letter “T.” I’ve seen this logo emblazoned on the Medford tennis court screens, the football and track stadium scoreboards and on merchandise in the campus bookstore. Additionally, a Google image search for “Tufts Jumbo” or “Tufts Logo,” returns this image as one of the top results. Elephant tusks have for millennia been coveted as a valuable source of ivory, culminating in the threat of elephant extinction in the 20th and 21st centuries. While preservation and protection efforts spurred by the impending loss of this magnificent animal were effective at slowing the rate of destruction for much of the last few decades, that trend is now in rapid reverse. As the New York Times, Time, the BBC and the Economist have reported, the rate of slaughter of elephants for their tusks has increased significantly in recent years. In Africa in 2011, an estimated 2,500 elephants were killed for their tusks. CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species ofWild Flora and Fauna, reported in June that poaching poses an “immediate threat” to elephant populations across the African continent, as well as in Asia. The predictions by CITES and others of a bloody 2012 for elephants have been proven accurate: thousands of elephants have been slaughtered this year already by a mix of clandestine military personnel, impoverished villagers and subsistence hunters, according to The New York Times. Because tusk sales are extremely

lucrative, any campaign to protect elephants from slaughter becomes enormously challenging. The powerful market demand at work can seem an impossible obstacle to overcome. Any such conservation campaign must necessarily involve not just legal sanctions or armed protection of elephant habitats, but also cultural and educational efforts to change humanity’s conscious and unconscious feelings about the morality of poaching and about the consumption of ivory products. While CITES itself is a testament to a widely shared international belief that certain species should be protected from destruction by humans, this convention, like the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Geneva Conventions, must be effectuated at the state level by a combination of national, multilateral, NGO, community and individual actors. Which brings me back to Jumbo. I suspect that Tufts University chose Jumbo as its mascot not only because the elephant is a powerful, playful and intelligent animal, nor solely due to Jumbo’s connection to a member of the first Tufts board of trustees, PT Barnum, who owned the elephant. I suspect that Jumbo was chosen as a symbolic totem largely in recognition of the elephant’s reputed selfless sacrifice in the protection of a weak and vulnerable individual. As PT Barnum’s tale goes, Jumbo saved another elephant from being struck by a train, but in so doing was himself struck and killed by the train. In the spirit of Jumbo’s example of protecting those who cannot protect themselves, I propose that Tufts should desist from using any logo, which incorporates tusks separated from an elephant’s body. Apart from the ethical case connected to elephant poaching that

I’ve outlined above, it could be argued that tusks only represent strength and physical prowess when they are connected to a living elephant. A tusk removed from an elephant’s body is a lifeless object, which bespeaks defanging, defeat and death. A tusk alone is therefore a poor emblem for a sports team or a school, either of which seek to be full of life, possessed of agency and strength. By ending the use of this particular logo, Tufts could send a powerful signal that elephant ivory poaching – and by extension all poaching – is ethically wrong. The case for our leadership on this matter is particularly apt in light of the strong reputation of Tufts’ veterinary, medical and international affairs programs. Tufts could use the occasion of the jettisoning of the logo as a media event to draw attention to the plight of elephant populations threatened by poaching. I realize that this proposal may be rejected as unreasonable or preposterous by some members of the Tufts community, and that some – perhaps especially those connected with campus athletics – may take it as an affront. Let me assure those individuals that no slight is intended. Nor am I suggesting that there was any malicious or willful intent when selecting a logo that featured elephant tusks. The logo is certainly distinctive and represents a strong design aesthetic. However, given the ongoing crisis facing elephants worldwide, I believe that Tufts should take a symbolic stand against illegal elephant ivory poaching by ceasing the use of the logo in question. Matthew Isles is a member of the Class of 2001 who majored in political science.

sam beddoes via flickr creative commons

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.


10

The Tufts Daily

FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

Crossword

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Doonesbury

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Cask stopper 5 Conquest for Caesar 9 Serbs, e.g. 14 School that expelled James Bond 15 Gustav Mahler’s wife 16 Hilarious person 17 Grandmotherly nickname 18 Protective trench 19 Miguel’s gal 20 Prickly undergrowth 22 Pine secretion 23 More than te-hee, online 24 Prop for a safety briefing 26 Brewer’s vessel 29 Implore 31 Wheels 32 Mideast language 34 Finish a gymnastics routine, perhaps 37 Toward the stern 40 They lead you astray ... and what the starts of 20-, 24-, 52- and 60-Across are? 44 Brian of Roxy Music 45 “Yeah, sure” 46 Surpass 47 Washed-out 49 Bob Marley genre 51 Place in considerable disarray 52 It’s often a tough cut 57 Fighting Tigers’ sch. 59 Ness and others 60 Verbally overwhelm 65 Dim 66 Small pie 67 Time for action 68 2-Down, for one 69 Mother of Don Juan 70 Kerry’s home 71 Much of the RMS Queen Mary, now 72 Bank (on) 73 “Seasons of Love” musical

Comics

by

Non Sequitur

9/6/12

By Jerome Gunderson

DOWN 1 Not in good shape? 2 Natural Bridges locale 3 Second helping, to a dieter 4 Twist 5 Long shot, say 6 Baseball’s Moises 7 It has a campus near the JFK Library 8 Turning tool 9 Ancient Athens rival 10 Nitwit 11 Ouzo flavoring 12 Watch 13 Barely sufficient 21 Slangy “Don’t worry about it” 25 “High Voltage” rockers 26 Ex-GIs’ org. 27 Bern’s river 28 1982 sci-fi film 30 Superficially fluent 33 Grumpy friend? 35 Exist 36 Mosquito protection

Tuesday’s Solution Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

Married to the Sea

(c)2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

38 Unfriendly types 39 Fastener named for its shape 41 Have supper 42 Wedding reception highlight 43 Catch sight of 48 Heineken brand 50 All thumbs 52 Winter puddle cause

9/6/12

53 Scout master? 54 Elaborate display 55 Up and at ’em 56 Scottish feudal lord 58 Milker’s handful 61 Hurler Hershiser 62 Large-tongued comics dog 63 Wave a red flag at 64 Nikita’s no

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME

by David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

www.marriedtothesea.com

CENUL ©2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

CEOTT DIQUIL DESEYP

Find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/jumble

Unscramble these four Jumbles, one letter to each square, to form four ordinary words.

SUDOKU Level: Cake.

Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon.

Print your answer here: Yesterday’s

Garry Trudeau

(Answers tomorrow) Jumbles: SIXTH LEMUR CLINCH DEGREE Answer: She struggled with her new spreadsheet program at first, but she eventually — EXCELLED

Late Night at the Daily

Tuesday’s Solution

Rebecca: “I have to stop talking about genitalia. It’s not doing my reputation any favors.” Want more late-night laughs? Follow us on Twitter at @LateNiteAtDaily

Please recycle this Daily.

by

Wiley


The Tufts Daily

Thursday, September 6, 2012

11

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Make school just a bit easier to navigate.

Get directions for the road and to class with the speed of AT&T4G LTE.

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New 2-yr agreement with qualifying voice and data plans required.

MOTOROLA ATRIX™ HD

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1.866.MOBILITY Tufts students

ATT.COM/Wireless

Visit a Store

Mention FAN #3610166 or visit att.com/wireless/Tuftsstudents to learn more about discounts on qualified charges.

Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. Limited-time offer. Motorola Atrix HD requires a new 2-yr wireless agreement with voice (min $39.99/mo.) and monthly data plans (min $20/mo.). Beginning July 15, 2012, through November 2, 2012, customers can receive a free Vehicle Navigation Dock (SKU4034A) with the purchase of a Motorola Atrix HD at the 2-year pricing. Offer ends 11/2/12. Subject to Wireless Customer Agrmt. Credit approval req’d. Activ fee $36/line. Geographic, usage, and other terms, conditions, and restrictions apply and may result in svc termination. Coverage and svcs not avail everywhere. Taxes and other charges apply. Mobile hotspot requires DataPro 5GB plan and a compatible device. Data (att.com/dataplans): If usage exceeds your monthly data allowance, you will automatically be charged overage for additional data provided. Early Termination Fee (att.com/equipmentETF): After 30 days, ETF up to $325. Restocking fee up to $35. Other Monthly Charges: Line may include a Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge (up to $1.25), a gross receipts surcharge, federal and state universal svc charges, and fees and charges for other gov’t assessments. These are not taxes or gov’t req’d charges. Monthly discount: Service discount applies only to the monthly service charge of qualified plans and not to any other charges. Available only to qualified students and employees of colleges/universities with a qualified business agreement. Other service discount qualification requirements may apply. Restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply. See store for details. Visit a store or att.com/wireless to learn more about wireless devices and services from AT&T. Screen images simulated. All other marks used herein are the property of their respective owners. ©2012 AT&T Intellectual Property.


The Tufts Daily

12

Sports

Thursday, September 6, 2012

FIELD HOCKEY

Jumbos look to avenge 2011 season opener at Middlebury by

Kate Klots

Daily Editorial Board

One year ago, the field hockey team fell to Middlebury on penalty strokes in its opening match of the season. The loss began a tumultuous year for the team, which finished with its worst record since 2007. This Saturday, the Jumbos will try to avenge that 3-2 loss when they begin their 2012 season at the Panthers. For weeks now, coach Tina McDavitt has been working to sculpt her team, and the Jumbos have pushed through long practices since preseason training began on Aug. 27. “Our training schedule has consisted of two-a-days for a full week, and we have really been working at solidifying our diamond defense formation,” junior goalkeeper Katie Stuntz said. “We really worked on strengthening our basic skills and perfecting the different formations and plays that our incoming class didn’t know yet,” freshman Hannah Park added. Their motivation through all of the heat and sweat is a singular goal: a trip back to the NCAA tournament. Last season, the Jumbos finished 11-4, losing 2-1 to Trinity in a heartbreaking double overtime NESCAC quarterfinal matchup. The Jumbos were not granted an NCAA bid just a year removed from making the second round of the NCAA tournament. This season, they want to be back among the list of selections, and they want to go deep in the tournament. The Jumbos graduated four seniors this past spring, including co-captains Taylor Dyer (LA ’12) and Lindsay Griffith (LA ’12). But Dyer will return this fall as an assistant coach to help the team’s returning players mold eight new freshmen into capable players who fit seamlessly into the Jumbos’ playing style. “It’s great to have Taylor back as an assistant coach,” Stuntz said. “She is so passionate about field hockey and genuinely understands all that a Tufts field hockey player has to go through to be great. It’s great to have a coach that was in your shoes not that long ago.” The Jumbos certainly have a lot of work

ahead – Dyer collected several accolades in her four-year Tufts career, including three straight All-NESCAC first team honors, and both co-captains were named to the Longstreth/NFHCA All-Region first team last season. In 2010, Dyer was named the NESCAC’s Defensive Player of the Year, while leading the Jumbos to a low .95 goals against average in her senior campaign. Meanwhile, Griffith led the Jumbos in scoring, notching 23 points and two gamewinning goals, both in NESCAC contests. At the defensive end, the Jumbos return senior Liza Wetzel, who started all 15 games last season, anchoring the squad in the back. Wetzel, who had three years to work with and learn from Dyer, will lead a crew of young players in defending the cage. “It’s very exciting to have so many talented freshmen with so much potential, but we graduated two of our starting defenders in Taylor and Sarah [Cannon (LA ’12)] so we’ll probably have a completely new defensive starting line-up,” Stuntz said. “A lot of the underclassmen have stepped up and improved so much during the off season, so it will be exciting to watch them thrive in their new positions.” Junior Katie Stuntz will stand tall between the pipes, where she will replace Marianna Zak (E ’12), a four-year starter in the cage. In the last two seasons, Stuntz has gained valuable in-game experience, starting one game and playing in two this past season. As a sophomore, she didn’t allow a single goal in 105 minutes of play. Senior Lia Sagerman will lead the Jumbos’ offense this season, and, as a captain, Sagerman will set the tone for the team on and off the field. In 2011, the forward was named to the All-NESCAC second team and scored 10 goals and an assist to finish the season with 21 points, ranking among the conference’s top 15 scorers. Sagerman notched two multi-goal performances and finished the season with seven goals in NESCAC play. Senior Kelsey Perkins and junior Chelsea Yogerst will accompany Sagerman on the offensive end. This past fall, the two were

Brennan, Hopper, Kuhel look to build on last year’s success volleyball

continued from page 16

thrived. Graduated are last year’s tri-captains Audrey Quan (LA ’12), Lexi Nicholas (LA ’12) and Cara Spieler (LA ’12), whose leadership proved crucial on such a young team, especially since the trio were standout contributors on many areas of the court. “Communication and team chemistry will be really important for us this year,” Brennan said. “Last year we got along so well off the court and it transferred onto the court. We felt so comfortable playing next to everyone, no matter who it was. We’ve been focused so far on getting the freshmen up to speed in our

team. We lost a few key players from last year so there are definitely some big shoes to fill.” The Jumbos open their season this weekend at the Brandeis Invitational, a tournament that they won in dominating fashion a season ago, before they begin their NESCAC schedule against Trinity on Sept. 14. “I expect us to do great things,” Lord said. “I’m very excited for this team; I think we can go really far. Everyone is really driven.” “We have very high expectations of ourselves this year,” Brennan added. “We need to take it one game at a time, but if we stay strong throughout the season we will go as far as we want.”

Scott Tingley / THE Tufts Daily

Senior setter and tri-captain Kendall Lord will look to lead a squad filled with talented hitters, including senior tri-captain Kiersten Ellefsen.

Alex Dennett / THE Tufts Daily

Midfielder and senior co-captain Rachel Gerhardt leads a field hockey team that lost key players to graduation last year but looks to rebound after losing in the NESCAC tournament on penalty strokes. among the Jumbos’ top five scorers, combining for 15 goals and four assists. “The returners have been so welcoming and helpful,” Park said. “They are always there for us when we need help with anything, and Lia and [senior co-captain Rachel Gerhardt] are skillful players on the field. They help push us and are always working to improve our skills as a team, explaining different defensive formations and scenarios like corners.” Last weekend, the Jumbos participated in a play day event at Trinity College, and got to spend some time working through the kinks of a younger lineup. “Our play day at Trinity was a great learning experience,” Stuntz said. “We played three scrimmages against Wesleyan, Connecticut College and Williams. In the first scrimmage, we came out lacking energy and were frantic

with our passes, but by the third game, I think people were more comfortable in their new positions and were able to make smarter passes. It showed us what we’re capable of when we play together as a team and make use of our strong passing game.” While Zak, Dyer, Griffith and Cannon certainly left a large void in their wake, McDavitt’s squad hopes to take it to the Panthers with a fresh face this Saturday. The team could use a win as a springboard for the coming weeks, and has high hopes of getting back atop the NESCAC podium. “We are ready to show Middlebury the talent we have,” Park said. “The older players have explained to us what happened last year, and they don’t want it to happen again. We have been working all week to prepare for this game, and we know that it is an important one for us.”

Golf

Golf team gains new talent by

Marcus Budline

Daily Editorial Board

Continually losing key players and veteran leaders can lead to turmoil and prolonged down stretches for even the strongest of teams. The Tufts golf team heads into this season once again missing key players from last season and expecting to rely heavily on a new freshman class. After graduation in 2011, the Jumbos lost their senior tri-captains and expected the 2011-12 year, understandably, to be a season to regroup and get their legs back under them. “My first year we were basically completely restarting,” explained sophomore captain Alex Zorniger. “We were very young.” But with a year under his belt, Zorniger wasn’t quite expecting to be in such a similar position going into his second campaign. For a number of reasons, the Jumbos will be without two of their top five players from last season, including their top golfer in Sebastian Vik. “It’s always tough when you lose guys and you lose strong players,” said senior Mike McCarthy. But McCarthy and the rest of the squad are making sure not to let these losses get in their way going into the season. Instead, they are taking the turnover and turning it into an opportunity to rebuild and reshape the way the program is run and what is expected of young players coming into the system. “Because our home course is 40 minutes away from Tufts, kids can’t practice as much as they would like to,” said Zorniger. “So I think we’re just trying to overhaul how often we’re going to get to practice. There will be a more consistent practice schedule which will lead to better practices.” Coach Bob Sheldon echoed that message, saying that the team has “a chance to be really good this year, so we’re really going to bear down and get some more commitment.” This will give a new, strong crop of freshmen the chance to prove themselves on a more consistent basis, along with a more

rigorous schedule to really become a part of the golf program. Although tryouts have not been held yet, the team expects a large contribution from those that do make the final cut, as Sheldon noted that the incoming class has a great deal of talent. “We’re going to be really young,” said Sheldon. “But I’m not really worried because we’ve got some quality golfers coming in ready to play.” A combination of that youth and the experience of returning players, including Zorniger, McCarthy and sophomore John Wawer, sets the team up for success now and in future seasons. “We’re really looking forward to getting back on the horse,” said McCarthy. And they certainly won’t have to wait long, as the action kicks off on the links today with a one-day tryout to set the preliminary roster for this weekend’s Bowdoin Invitational. “Last year [Bowdoin] actually turned out to be one of the bigger opportunities to get a good finish,” said Zorniger. “If the scores hold to the way it did last year, I think we could definitely have a top-three finish.” After the trip to Maine, the Jumbos will hold a three-day tryout to set their final roster leading into the Duke Nelson Invitational at Middlebury, which will be held on Sept. 15. The season then kicks into high gear, but the veterans on the squad believe that they are ready to improve upon last fall and continue last spring’s run, during which the team had a great deal more success. The Jumbos have failed to qualify for the second round of the NESCAC conference tournament in the past three years, and the team has pointed to that as a tangible goal around which they can shape their season. “If we play really well we definitely have a shot,” said McCarthy, who will look to seize his final opportunity to play into the second round, held in the spring. Last year, the Jumbos tied for seventh in that tournament, and to prove that they truly have grown up, they will look to find their way into the top four to make it to the qualifying round.


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Thursday, September 6, 2012

13

Sports

Co-Ed Sailing

Sailing looking to build on successful 2011 campaign by

Zachey Kliger

Daily Editorial Board

The co-ed sailing team will look to build on last year’s success as they kick off the 2012 campaign with a busy weekend. The Jumbos’ top dinghy team will travel to New Haven for Yale’s annual Harry Anderson Trophy, while former New England College Rookie of the Year junior William Haeger will lead a crew of four racers to Maine’s Maritime Academy in the Colgate 26’s. Haeger’s crew will consist of junior David Liebenberg on bow, junior Paula Grasberger on pit and sophomore James Downer on main. The regatta up north is a preliminary qualifier for the New England Sloop Championships. “Last year was a success, and we’d really like to build on that,” sophomore James Downer said. “Sailing is very much a network team. We have great guys on this squad, and it’s really easy to improve personally when you’re surrounded by incredible people.” Last year’s team featured a healthy mix of youth and experience. The combination of veteran talent with boundless potential catapulted the Jumbos to victory in the Wellesley Invite and allowed them to appear at the Gill Dinghy National Championships, hosted by the University of Texas. However, entering this year, the state of the team is in flux. Many top skippers will be missing a lot of time sailing sloops and single-handed’s, meaning that they will be unable to compete in the dinghies, Haeger explained. “I’m excited to see who’ll step up in dinghies this fall,” Haeger said. “We have a lot of depth on the team and it’ll be interesting to give more people an opportunity to sail at the higher level regattas.” The team will also face a large turnover, which means that many crew members will be competing to find a place on Tufts’ largest athletic squad. “We graduated some key teammates last year,” Haeger said. “So the goal for the fall is to get back up to speed and compete to win as many regattas as possible at every level.”

COURTESY Ken Legler

The sailing team, the largest team in Tufts Athletics, will be looking to capture the Match Racing National Championship in the 2012 season. While much of the team’s fate this year remains uncertain, the Jumbos draw stability from their longtime coach, Ken Legler. In his 32 years at the helm, Legler has built Tufts into a perennial contender. He maintains that, at its core, sailing is supposed to be fun, and his philosophy has propelled the Jumbos to 19 national championships. “Ken’s great. He’s been around over 30 years, so you could definitely say

not THESE...

he’s really experienced,” senior tri-captain Natalie Salk said of Legler, who has helped 92 Jumbos reach All-American status in his tenure. “He’s a great coach. He’s spent the majority of his life coaching this team.” As always, sailors will try to balance team goals with lofty personal ambitions. “For me, I would love to get more time sailing and more racing time,”

Downer said. “I was a walk-on last year, so it’s important for me to keep getting better as I go.” “We hope to qualify for both the Women’s and Co-Ed Atlantic Coast Championships at the end of the season,” Haeger added. “Personally, my goal is to be competitive at dinghies and to win the [national match racing (sloop) championship], the one sailing championship Tufts has never won.”

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A Celebration of the Peoples and Cultures of Northern Ghana

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Sports

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INSIDE Field Hockey 12 Golf 12 Sailing 13

tuftsdaily.com

Men’s Soccer

Kyra Sturgill / The Tufts Daily

Coach Josh Shapiro will be looking to build on two successful seasons with a relatively young squad that will have competition for playing time at nearly every position.

Jumbos look to continue their climb by

Aaron Leibowitz

Daily Editorial Board

In the span of a year, the men’s soccer team went from 5-8-2 to 9-4-2; From unranked in New England to one of the region’s best.; From 1-6-1 in the last eight games of 2010 to 5-2-1 in the final eight of 2011; From NESCAC bottom-feeder to a team that can go toe-totoe with anyone else in the league. But after the program’s most successful campaign since 2002, the question is, now what? “Going from seventh to middle of the pack in the NESCAC is a good accomplishment, but it’s going to be harder to go from the middle of the pack to the top two or three,” head coach Josh Shapiro said. “I think our guys have to understand that they’ve got a lot of work ahead of them.” Shapiro, who will begin his third season as Tufts’ head coach when the team plays at Middlebury on Saturday, may be the right man to lead the Jumbos to the top. In 2011, he brought in one of the best freshman classes in program history, a group that accounted for 16 of the team’s 26 goals and included its top three point-scorers: Gus Santos, Maxime Hoppenot and Kyle Volpe. Now, that group is a year older and a year more mature. While the current first-years are not quite as explosive as last year’s, they are technically strong and give the team unprec-

edented depth. According to Shapiro, five freshmen are likely to see playing time in a 16-man rotation. “There are going to be a lot of times this year when the second group did better than the first group,” Shapiro said. “And that’s not because the first group is bad.” A number of competitive positional battles are shaping up. On defense, sophomore center backs Peter Lee-Kramer and Sam Williams are returning and could be challenged for playing time by junior Luke Boothe. All-region senior Pat Bauer returns at left back after starting all but one game last year, while a tight race is developing at right back between junior Ben Ewing and freshman Connor Schaible. The midfield is incredibly deep, featuring not only Volpe, but also sophomores Kento Nakamura and Michael Miele, senior Rafa Ramos-Meyer and a couple of freshmen who could also see time. On the outside, Santos will look to build on a remarkable 20-point, all-region freshman campaign in which he took a whopping 45 shots. He’ll be joined up front by Hoppenet, who was second on the team in points last year, junior Jono Edelman, who scored five points mostly coming off the bench in 2011, junior Scott Blumenthal, senior John Lewis and freshmen Connor Brown, Jason Kayne and Josh Voto. Meanwhile, the starting goalie position

is still up for grabs, with junior Wyatt Zeller, sophomore Nick Woolf and freshman Nick Moeser all vying for the spot. “I don’t think anyone has locked their job up,” Shapiro said. Regardless of who’s on the field, the Jumbos will try to play to their strengths: speed and technical ability. They may be outsized by NESCAC powerhouses like Amherst, Williams and Middlebury, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be overmatched. “We’re going to be a possession-oriented soccer team that’s going to try and use the skill that we have to unlock some of the speed and explosiveness that we have,” Shapiro said. “We’re going to be a team that tries to get the ball down on the ground and create openings that will allow our quick guys to exploit and get behind defenses.” One thing is for sure: Under Shapiro’s watch, the Jumbos will not be outworked. “Everything with Coach Shapiro is precise, it’s timed out, it’s mapped out,” Zeller said. “There’s never a time when you’re just kind of lollygagging and not focusing on getting better. You’re always improving your game and improving the team.” For the seniors who have seen the team rise from the depths – namely a 2-10-2 record in 2009 – watching the program evolve into what it is today has been extremely rewarding. “It’s been remarkable to see the whole

change in direction of the program,” RamosMeyer said. “The focus, from the players all the way to the coaching staff, really reflects the seriousness and dedication, and the fact that we are on the rise. It’s been a wonderful thing to see.” And yet the process is far from complete. Sure, the Jumbos have emerged from the NESCAC cellar, but that is just the first step. They lost in the first round of the playoffs last year. They haven’t hosted or won a playoff game since 2001. They haven’t ever reached the NCAA Tournament. “We haven’t done anything,” Zeller said. “We finished top five and we lost our firstround NESCAC game at Williams. Yeah, we had a great regular season and we made great strides, but I don’t think we necessarily deserve to be one of the most coveted sports teams at Tufts yet. I think we do have something to prove, and it’s not just good enough to have a good regular season.” Still, in the quest to build a winner for years to come, a good first step would be to beat Middlebury on Saturday. “A win there would just be absolutely monumental,” Zeller said. “We start away at Middlebury, away at Wesleyan [Sept. 15], who are two top-four teams in the NESCAC. That could be the season right there.” Shapiro added, “To go on the road in the NESCAC and get a quality win would be an excellent way to start what we’re doing here.”

Volleyball

Volleyball team returns talented young core by

Alex Baudoin

Daily Editorial Board

Last season, the volleyball team’s bread and butter was unquestionably its attack. Led by an imposing net game and crafty play from setter and co-NESCAC player of the year Kendall Lord, Tufts enjoyed a second-place finish in the NESCAC and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season. The squad, which finished 2011 with a 26-6 record, fell to Springfield in the Regional Championship Game after winning nine of its previous 10 games. “The last couple of weeks [of the season]

were two of the best weekends of our season,” said sophomore outside hitter Kelly Brennan, who had an impressive freshman campaign, finishing eighth in the conference with three kills per game. “We were such a young team and our senior leadership really was a key to our success, especially because, for the freshmen, [it was] their first experience in such a pressure situation.” Fast forward to 2012, when last year’s trip to the NCAA round-of-32 will inspire arguably the most talented young core of players in the NESCAC to aim for the “Sweet 16.” In addition to Lord and Brennan, the Jumbos return 6-foot-1 NESCAC rookie of the year Isabel

Kuhel, who led the conference in blocks per game, and fellow sophomore outside hitter Hayley Hopper. The trio of Brennan, Kuhel and Hopper anchored a front line last season that finished second in the NESCAC in both kills and blocks while also sporting an impressive 20.5 hitting percentage. This is a testament to both the recruiting of coach Cora Thompson and the raw talent of the young players. “We returned a lot of really good players,” said Lord, who is also a tri-captain this year. “The great thing about the team this year is we have experience. We lost some great, great players, but we also returned a lot of great

players. I’m really excited with the potential we have right now.” “In the Springfield game, I think it came down to experience at that level and half the people on the court had never been to NCAAs,” Brennan added, referring to the team’s defeat in the National Championship tournament last year. “This year, having that experience under our belt will help us that much more when the time comes.” One of the Jumbos’ major focuses heading into the season is to maintain the unique team camaraderie on which the 2011 team see VOLLEYBALL, page 12


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