2009-01-21

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THE TUFTS DAILY

TUFTSDAILY.COM

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

VOLUME LVII, NUMBER 3

Where You Read It First Est. 1980

Obama sworn in as world watches

Historic day draws crowds

Speech gets high marks by

by

Rob Silverblatt

After delivering a speech that drew heavily on America’s past, Barack Obama yesterday assumed a post whose occupants are best judged by history. But at least for his first few minutes in office, the jury at Tufts is already in. “I thought it was a really powerful speech,” Dan Carol, a Tufts parent who served as the Obama campaign’s issues and content director, said of yesterday’s inaugural address. “I thought his message about reaching out to other countries and using America’s power responsibly … was really a well-stated reason about how important his election is to America’s place in the world,” he told the Daily. Obama’s speech, laden with metaphors, promised a break with his predecessor’s policies, a bipartisan approach and an aggressive response to America’s foreign policy challenges. And it found a receptive audience on the Tufts campus. In a not-so-veiled swing at George W. Bush, Obama argued that the Constitution need not compete against national security. “As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals,” he said. “Our founding fathers … faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake.” Obama’s camp as far back as November indicated that the thenPresident-elect would make closing the Guantanamo Bay detention center one of his first priorities, and his rhetoric yesterday lent credence to that promise. “He’s already talking about the fact that he’s going to close Guantanamo, that torture will no longer be an acceptable instrument of American power … that adhering to the Constitution does not in any way weaken us,” Tufts trustee and political fundraiser Alan Solomont told the Daily. “In fact, I

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President Obama waves to adoring crowds during the inauguration ceremony. think he would say it strengthens us.” Hinting at his willingness to reach across the aisle, Obama articulated a philosophy of govern- ment based not size, but rather on effectiveness. “The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified,” he said. “Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.” This pledge comes amidst constant calls from the left for additional regulation, with much of Obama’s party clamoring for a reversal of Reagan-era concepts of limited government. Still, Obama indicated that he sees little

value in big government across the board and for its own sake. “He reflects a new generation of people who don’t care if government moves to the left or the right. They only care if the government gets things done,” Solomont, who headed up Obama’s New England fundraising effort, said. “It’s much more pragmatic and practical and much less ideological.” But even as Obama looked forward to future results, he framed his speech with triumphs and values plucked from the nation’s past. In particular, he summoned up the words George Washington used to rally his troops in see SPEECH, page 4

Madoff middlemen key in scheme by

Rob Silverblatt

Daily Editorial Board

For investors seeking access to Bernard Madoff’s house of cards, the front door was rarely an option. Instead, reports increasingly indicate that the reclusive former Nasdaq chief fueled his alleged Ponzi scheme with an air of exclusivity and carried it out almost entirely through middlemen. “The thing about Madoff is that people couldn’t get to him directly,” Lecturer of Economics Chris McHugh said. “He was playing hard

Ben Gittleson

Daily Editorial Board

Daily Editorial Board

to get.” It was this phenomenon, it appears, that led Tufts to entrust $20 million to the Ascot Partners hedge fund and pay the fund yearly fees, all in order to gain access to Madoff’s consistent 10 to 17 percent returns. And until the foundations of Madoff’s carefully constructed ruse came crashing down, the results appeared encouraging. According to Director of Public Relations Kim Thurler, Tufts administrators were under the impression that the investment had accumulated returns in the neighborhood of $5.6

million since it was originally made in 2005. But now, not only is the $20 million principal gone, but so too are the supposed profits. “As we now know, they proved to be wholly fictitious,” Thurler said in an e-mail. Currently, Jacob Ezra Merkin, the general partner at Ascot Partners,  and other similar investors are coming under public scrutiny, particularly for charging clients fees only to funnel all of their money to Madoff. According to Sally Dungan, the

Inside this issue

see MADOFF, page 3

Barack Obama took the oath of office to become the 44th president of the United States yesterday, pledging to millions in Washington, D.C. and around the world that America would emerge triumphant over its formidable challenges and remake itself in the years to come. In a moment of great significance for a nation historically marred by racial turmoil, Obama presented a pensive view of the current economic climate and of the many difficult foreign policy tests ahead. He accompanied his warnings with a hopeful view of the future, as well as assurances that a restoration of America’s founding values would lead to profound change. “Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time,” Obama said. “But know this America: they will be met.” In his address, Obama painted a picture of a nation that has strayed from its core values and is facing a defining moment in its history. But despite weighty problems at home and a damaged standing in the world, Obama said, the United States remains the strongest country in the world and has the ability to harness its great potential to spread its ideals across the globe. His message embraced notions of the common good and effective government, a focus that resonated with the diverse crowd that filled the National Mall. “What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility, a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world,” he said. “Duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.” Under a bright sky, Obama attempted to draw strength from trepidation and to push see INAUGURATION, page 2 Editor’s Note: Executive news editor Ben Gittleson traveled to Washington, D.C. to report firsthand on the inaugural ceremony.

Former Dean of Engineering Nelson passes away at 76 by

Michael Del Moro Daily Editorial Board

Former Dean of Engineering Frederick Nelson, remembered by his colleagues for his passion and sense of humor, died last week of melanoma. He was 76. “He was a wonderful human being and we’re going to miss him. He had a wonderful sense of humor — very dry. He loved to tell stories,” current Dean of Engineering Linda Abriola

told the Daily. Nelson, who served as Dean from 1980 to 1994, officially retired from Tufts in 2007. He was finishing a textbook entitled “An Introduction to Rotordynamics,” which is expected to be published later this year. He had been coming into his office every day up until November to put the finishing touches on the book, Abriola said, pointing out the tendency see NELSON, page 2

Today’s Sections

Tufts students travel to Washington, D.C. to witness Obama’s historic inauguration firsthand.

With wins over Williams and Middlebury this weekend, the women’s basketball team is 2-0 in NESCAC play.

see FEATURES, page 5

see SPORTS, back page

News Features Arts | Living Editorial | Letters

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Op-Ed Comics Classifieds Sports

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The Tufts Daily

News

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

courtesy tufts university

Nelson was known for his proud modesty.

Former dean will be missed greatly by colleagues NELSON

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Supporters lined the National Mall, cheering and waving signs and pictures as President Obama took the oath of office.

Obama invokes history in sobering inaugural address INAUGURATION

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aside what he called the “sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights. “On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord,” he said to jubilant cheers. Before Obama’s inaugural address, Reverend Rick Warren delivered an invocation, followed by a performance by Aretha Franklin. Joe Biden then took the oath of office for the vice presidency, followed by a musical interlude by artists Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGill. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office to Obama at 12:05 p.m. After Obama’s inaugural address, Elizabeth Alexander recited a poem and Reverend Joseph E. Lowery delivered a benediction. Following the ceremony on the west front of the Capitol, former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush left the Capitol in a helicopter headed for Andrews Air Force Base, en route to Texas. Thrilled attendees, young and old, cheered at each sight of Obama, and the Mall erupted upon his swearing-in. Covered in Obama apparel — buttons, hats, jackets,

T-shirts and more — spectators said they were just happy to be able to witness a once-in-a-lifetime event. “It’s priceless, it’s very exciting and I’m glad to be here to be a part of history,” Jessica McKnight told the Daily, echoing a refrain commonly heard among the estimated 2 million-strong crowd. McKnight flew in from Birmingham, Ala. to attend the swearing-in. But the sober scene Obama described in his address seemed to dampen the mood to some extent. After the conclusion of his speech, initially loud applause was quickly muted by a discernible — and almost solemn — silence. Still, Eufaule Frazier, an 84-year-old black woman, said she was glad to brave the cold along with a busload of children, including her grandson who pushed her wheelchair, from her home city of Miami. “It means everything,” said a bundled-up Frazier. “I didn’t ever think I would live to see this happen, to see the torch passed on to the next generation.” Obama focused very little on race in his address, however. He made only passing references to the country’s history of segregation, praising the fact that the son of a black, Kenyan-born man who “less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.” Instead, his concentration on the need

for courage at a potential turning point in American history put tears in the eyes of many. Obama often returned to his campaign promise of bringing change to Washington. “On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics,” he said. After Bush’s departure ceremony, Obama attended a traditional luncheon at the Capitol. He then led the inaugural parade with his family, traveling in his armored limousine down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the White House. Throughout the day, a joyous mood filled the air across the city. Even in the early morning hours, a sense of anticipation was palpable. “We have no tickets to any of the balls, but it’s been a ball being here,” Al Jones said of the numerous official and unofficial inaugural parties that have taken place. “I haven’t seen one cross person since being here.” Like many others standing in ticketed areas, Jones told a story of how he came upon by chance one of the 240,000 passes distributed for free to the public by members of Congress. On Monday night, a kind stranger in a restaurant passed on two tickets to him and his wife, both of North Plainfield, N.J. “There’s magic in the air,” he said.

of former faculty to return to do work or research at the university. Though she is not his direct successor, Abriola knew Nelson during his years as a professor, which began in 1955. “I was close to him because he was sort of my history; he was able to give me background and history whenever I needed it,” she said. “He was one of the people I turned to for advice and knowledge.” Nelson graduated from what was then the Tufts College of Engineering in 1954 and went on to receive his Ph.D. from Harvard in applied mechanics in 1961. He wrote more than 50 articles related to his interests in acoustics, vibrations, shock mechanics and rotordynamics, the study of rotating structures. Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Associate Provost Vincent Manno said that Nelson was “such an outstanding student” at Tufts that he was asked to remain as an instructor even while pursuing his Ph.D. at Harvard. Nelson did consulting work for several groups, the most notable of which is Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, one of the primary contributors to the Apollo space missions. “[Draper Laboratory is] basically the place where practical gyroscopes were developed,” Manno said, noting that this was one of Nelson’s areas of expertise. Nelson also received many awards, including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Centennial Medal, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology’s King Sejong Medal and Tufts’ Distinguished Service Medal. A proud modesty, however, prevented many from knowing how accomplished Nelson was. “What was really remarkable about him … was basically the even nature of his demeanor,” Manno said. “He was fair, funny, in many ways humble. He achieved great things, but he was the type of person where you would never know it.” According to Manno, many of his colleagues described Nelson as avuncular. He was “the wise person in your family that you go to for sage advice and always has an even keel,” he said. Nelson never lost his temper or raised his voice, Manno continued. He was always fair and kind, but firm, he said, adding that Nelson was “not a pushover.” At his core, Nelson was a teacher. “He loved to teach. His students were number one on his list,” Manno said. Manno added that he and his colleagues were shocked by Nelson’s sudden passing. “We’re all sort of stunned at his loss; he wasn’t terribly old by modern standards. It’s a real shame,” he said. “He was, as far as we knew, very healthy. He was still here even though he had retired,” Abriola said. Nelson’s son Richard died of cystic fibrosis in 2001. He leaves behind his wife, three children and four grandchildren.

The Tufts Daily

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

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News

Madoff too exclusive to be contacted by Tufts MADOFF

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Madoff’s insistance on exclusivity prolonged his deceitful scheme.

Jumbos pack Hotung to view inauguration by

Carter Rogers

Tufts was paying 1.5 percent each year on total assets invested with Ascot. Those fees were deducted from the fake returns, meaning that the university was not paying them out of pocket. The $5.6 million represented the theoretical returns after the deductions. Laura Goldman, who runs the money management firm LSG Capital, called the university’s decision to invest through Ascot Partners and pay the associated fees irresponsible. “They were fees way out of line for turning somebody over to somebody else,” she told the Daily. “[Tufts] should have said, ‘Listen, please introduce us to Madoff.’” Dungan said that the university tried to skip the middleman, but like other potential investors, was turned away by Madoff. “We … were told that Madoff was not taking any new separate accounts. Our only way to access this opportunity was through one of the various feeder funds,” she said in an e-mail. But while the administration suggests that the front door was closed, Goldman said Tufts investors should have knocked harder. She argued that with a

$20 million principal, the university could have found a way to avoid the middleman. “Of course they could have called [Madoff ],” she said. “When you’re the Tufts endowment, I think you can probably call Jesus Christ. That’s how the brokerage industry works.” Goldman, a former Merrill Lynch employee who now operates out of Israel, met Madoff in the ’90s. She recently published an online account in which she describes the encounter, noting Madoff ’s evasiveness and a plethora of red flags. After speaking with him, she recalls, she encouraged others to withdraw their investments from his accounts. According to Goldman, Tufts too should have seen the warning signs. “Anyone who was at any time researching this knew something was wrong,” she said. While Madoff ’s exclusivity might have appeared to some to indicate the value of his investments, she said it was merely a way to discourage clients from pressing him on his strategy. “The aura of exclusivity was so people wouldn’t ask questions,” she said. “If this guy was so great, why … wasn’t he on CNBC every day bragging about his returns? He wasn’t

there because he wanted to be under the radar.” Thurler and Dungan have maintained that the university performed due diligence checks on both Ascot Partners and on Madoff. Goldman said that in general, though, investors were afraid to probe too much into Madoff ’s returns. “They were all convinced it was something special,” she said. “They didn’t want to ask too many questions for fear they’d get kicked off of the gravy train.” From conversations with some of Madoff ’s clients, she also feels that a lot of them suspected that something was awry well before the Ponzi scheme came to light. “They didn’t care,” she said. Still, Tufts administrators say that without the benefit of hindsight, the investment appeared sound and free of red flags. As middlemen take on increasing prominence in the Madoff scandal, the administrators say that Ascot Partners too seemed reputable. According to Thurler, the university could have withdrawn the $5.6 million in returns from Ascot, but “saw no reason to.” “We were satisfied with the size of the position and the performance of the fund as reported,” she said.

Ted Kennedy rushed to hospital during luncheon

Daily Editorial Board

For students unable to make the trek to Washington, D.C. to see yesterday’s inauguration in person, a viewing party in the campus center was the next best option. The event, a toned-down version of on-campus programming on election night, drew a packed crowd. It was sponsored by the Experimental College. Leading up to the inauguration, student enthusiasm reached a level not seen since Nov. 4. Despite the presence of a large projector in Hotung to reduce crowding around the television screens, the café was at full capacity by the time Reverend Rick Warren delivered the invocation. For many college students, watching the inauguration was a fitting end to a hardfought effort to get the new president elected. “It’s really a great thing … all the work that Students for Obama put in last semester,” junior Ben Silver, a member of Tufts Students for Obama and a frequent campaign volunteer, said. “It’s great to see it all culminate today in Barack Obama’s inauguration.” Experimental College Director Robyn Gittleman, who said that the idea to sponsor the event surfaced only recently, noted the historical significance of the inauguration. “Everybody that watched the civil rights movement unfold can hardly believe it, but this is great. He’s the right person for the right time,” she said. Students shared similar sentiments, saying the event had both political and social implications. “I think it’s really exciting … I was thinksee CAMPUS CENTER, page 4

Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) collapsed from a seizure during a celebratory luncheon yesterday at the U.S. Capitol. The Bay State politician, who is reported to have recovered well, suffers from a brain tumor and had a similar episode in May. While close friends said that Kennedy was in good spirits, the seizure still had a draining effect. “It took a lot out of him,” Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) said, according to the Associated Press. “Seizures are exhausting.” After Kennedy fell ill at the luncheon, paramedics rushed to the scene and raced him to the Washington Hospital Center, where he remained last night for observation. His sudden removal from the event on a stretcher caused widespread concern among his colleagues, who have feared for his health since his diagnosis last year. Tufts trustee Alan Solomont was not at the luncheon but was sitting near members of the Kennedy family during the inauguration. “It’s just awful news,” Solomont told the Daily yesterday afternoon as Kennedy’s status remained unclear. “We hope and pray that he’s OK and that he can continue to do the work he’s so determined to get done.” Kennedy, who has served in the Senate since 1962, endorsed Barack Obama for president last January. “I think as much as anybody in the United States Congress, he [is] looking forward to working with Barack Obama,” Solomont said. — by Tessa Gellerson and Rob Silverblatt

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Sen. Ted Kennedy at yesterday’s inauguration.

The Tufts Daily

4 InAuguration | by the numbers 2 million: people at the National Mall 1861: year in which Lincoln was sworn in, with the same Bible Obama used 15: number of times Obama used the word nation in his address 72: percent of Americans that say the country will be better off in four years 34: percent approval rating for George W. Bush 8,000: police officers present 10,000: National Guard troops present 1,000: FBI personnel present 200: guests who attended the inaugural luncheon 67: percent of Americans that said they planned to watch the ceremony 710: days since Obama announced his bid for the presidency 27: degrees outside in Washington, D.C. 10: number of official inaugural balls throughout the night —compiled from CNN.com, USAtoday.com, Gallop and the Pew Research Center by Sarah Butrymowicz

Inauguration brings many students to campus center CAMPUS CENTER

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ing about how it’s going to affect all our lives that there’s the first black president. I think it’s going to change the way Americans view the world and the way the world views America,” junior Alex Blum said. “A lot of people see it as a new future since Bush is gone, and a lot of people are hopeful for Obama and hoping the nation will go in a new direction,” senior Heather Wick said. The crowd in the campus center went silent when Obama took the podium after his oath of office. “It was great with the speech that he addressed all the

points I wanted to hear, and it was really inspiring,” sophomore Sophie Lyons said. The campus center began to empty out after the speech as students returned to their daily schedules after witnessing a moment that will go down in the history books. “I think it’s a great time to be in college, because [Obama’s inauguration is] one of the most momentous things that will happen in my lifetime or that has happened yet, and it’s really exciting to be surrounded by a bunch of young people all going through the same thing,” sophomore Elinor Cannon said.

News

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Students viewed Obama’s address as more practical, specific than previous speeches SPEECH

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a moment of wintry despair. “I thought it was an interesting combination of the bedrock principles of his camp and the bedrock principles of the country,” Carol said. Michael Goldman, a Democratic strategist and an affiliate of Tufts’ political science department, said that Obama’s backward-looking approach was strategically wise, noting that the new president focused primarily on fixing existing problems. “I was struck by the fact that he didn’t get caught up in making promises he couldn’t keep,” Goldman told the Daily. “There was no talk of new programs, only talk of how we are going to deal with the current … crises.” But even when talking about ongoing problems, Obama shied away from specifics. “You don’t talk about policies in inaugural addresses,” Solomont said. “What he did is he articulated his vision for what he wants … America to do.” Obama also avoided harping on the historical significance of becoming the nation’s first black president, referring in passing to slavery and touching only briefly on the segregation experienced by his father’s generation. “He’s never claimed to be an African-American candidate or an African-American president,” Solomont said. “He acknowledged the amazing progress that this represents, but he has never projected himself as the African-American president.” Carol said that Obama did not need to hammer home the self-evident to get his point across. “I think the significance of [his election] is just pretty obvious,” he said. Students also appear to have appreciated Obama’s inaugural address. “I believe, as a departure from his former speeches, which were more idealistic, this was more practical and actually address[ed] the real concerns we’re going to be facing in the next few years,” junior Beata Bujalska, a member of Tufts Students for Obama, said. Junior Ben Silver, a member of the same group, said he was impressed by Obama’s forcefully articulated foreign policy stance. While Obama did offer help to those adversaries willing to unclench their fists, he issued a solemn warning to enemies who reject diplo-

Student Activities Fair Wednesday, January 21st Mayer Campus Center 11 AM—2 PM Come warm up with hot chocolate and popcorn!!! Register your organization at http://ocl.tufts.edu Sponsored by the Office for Campus Life Questions? Call 627-3212

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Crowds braved the cold to hear Obama’s historic speech. matic solutions. “We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you,” he said. “I was pleasantly surprised with the force with which he said that if people were to strike out at our freedom and attempt to harm us, that we would strike back with full force,” Silver said. Tufts Democrats President Doug Helman, a sophomore, said that Obama’s speech was above all memorable. “Regardless of your political persuasion, this is a moment [which] decades from now, you’ll remember exactly where you were and what you were doing,” he said. Meanwhile, Obama acknowledged at the start of his speech that he is assuming power at a turbulent time, and most insiders expect him to take quick action, especially on the economic front, to turn back the tides. In addition to tackling the economic crisis and closing Guantanamo in the near future, Solomont predicted Obama may also work on funding stem cell research and reducing limitations on foreign aid for countries that support family planning. “This is going to be an active presidency,” he said. Tessa Gellerson and Nina Ford contributed reporting to this article.

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COURTESY Ben Gittleson

Tufts students stand outside the U.S. Capitol before the inauguration.

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An estimated 2 million people attended the presidential inauguration ceremony yesterday at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Tufts students, both past and present, attend inauguration of America’s 44th president at Washington’s National Mall Students and alums from across the country travel to Washington to witness history by

Kerianne Okie and Romy Oltuski Daily Editorial Board

While many Jumbos remained on the Hill yesterday, flooding the campus center to watch inauguration speeches and grumpily sitting through classes, hoping to be released early, some Tufts students braved the snowy highways and traveled to Washington, D.C., to witness President Barack Obama’s acceptance speech and absorb the atmosphere of

the historic day. And Tufts students certainly weren’t the only enthusiastic Obama supporters to skip school and make the trip. College students from across the country made their way to Washington to help make up the crowd of an estimated 2 million people, according to CNN.com. Despite inauspicious weather conditions and other obstacles, many students explained that going to the ceremony was worth the effort, to say

the least. “The weather was terrible from Boston. There was snow and fog and traffic everywhere,” sophomore Julia Stimeck said. “I think everyone is just so pumped to be here that no one is being rude or pushy. It’s a great scene ... [and] it’ll be something that I can say I’ve done for years to come.” Freshman Tim Lesinski agreed that going to Washington was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“I decided it would be too important of an event to miss and to just watch from TV because I feel that it will eventually become a timely moment in our generation,” he said. “I wouldn’t just want to sit home and watch.” Many students who were first-time voters in the last election said that watching the inauguration felt like a personal victory. see COLLEGE STUDENTS, page 7

Students learn firsthand to experience the experimental

ExCollege allows students to design and teach courses otherwise not offered by the university by Julie

Kalt

Daily Editorial Board

The Socialization of Sexuality, The History of Geography, Humor in the 20th Century, South Park and Society — these are only a few of the student-taught courses that Tufts Experimental College has offered in the past or will be offering this semester. Created in 1964, the Tufts Experimental College is the oldest experimental college in a traditional university setting and features a wide array of classes taught by students.

“The one thing that I think everyone needs to be aware of [is that] from the very beginning, the Experimental College [has] had students involved,” Robyn Gittleman, director of the ExCollege, said. “Students serve on the board, help select classes, interview potential instructors and some students teach. We treat the students respectfully, and they treat their responsibilities with respect.” The Experimental College provides two teaching opportunities for students. One option is to teach an Explorations course, which is designed to introduce

first-year students to the university community. The second option is to teach a class in the Peer Teaching Program, which is open to all students. In both cases, students who wish to teach must submit a proposal, a reading list and syllabus, and have an interview before they can teach. They also have to attend a weekly class, entitled EXP 90: Leading a Seminar, during the semester that they are instructors. Although subject matter of the courses varies greatly and students have different reasons for teaching, many are motivated by

a desire to fill voids in the current university curriculum. Sophomore Chas Morrison was inspired to teach his class, EXP 62: Counterinsurgency Seminar, for this reason. “The ExCollege excels in providing students with the opportunity to take classes that fill gaps between normal coursework,” Morrison said. “Interested students can pursue studies in areas that only receive cursory discussion, if any, in normal educational environments.” Morrison explained that this opportunity holds true whether a student is teaching the class or

taking the class. “This magnifies the value of a student’s education because it provides the detailed knowledge which informs the broader issues outlined in survey courses,” he said. “For example, a student who took last semester’s EXP 60: Contemporary Studies in Terrorism and Counterterrorism would have had a great foundation to discuss wider strategic issues in [International Relations Associate] Professor [Malik] Mufti’s U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East [class].” see EXCOLLEGE, page 6

The Tufts Daily

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Features

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Students learn while teaching courses at Tufts’ Experimental College EXCOLLEGE

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Similarly, Benjamin Sacks, a junior who is teaching The History of Geography this semester, used the ExCollege to help create a broader range of classes he felt Tufts was lacking. “I was surprised an elite institution with such a significant emphasis on international studies as Tufts did not have a formalized geographic education,” Sacks said. “The Experimental College is committed to interdisciplinary studies, and I hope that my course will provide a new and different perspective for any student who wishes to explore history, political science, the classics, international relations and regional studies. In essence, I wanted to bring a new discipline to a university that I believe will truly embrace the subject.” Teaching an ExCollege class may not only be a chance to fill a hole in curriculum — some students use the opportunity to add a creative twist to a traditional topic, like senior Jessica Snow, who taught The Socialization of Sexuality last semester. “I think [sexual education] is seriously lacking in the US,” Snow said. “So I wanted to try out a new type of curriculum — one that made students really think about who they were sexually and why they became that way.” In forming her curriculum, Snow aimed to tie information from women’s studies, sociology and American studies all together to produce this new type of sex education — one that tackled typically taboo subjects and made them accessible and more verbally approachable. Like Snow, junior Ellie Berg taught the course South Park and Society to revitalize a traditional course topic and make it more accessible to college students. “My co-teacher, Iggy Moliver, and I took a political science class together called Civil Liberties in the fall of 2007,” she said. “After discussing each course case and legal issue in class, we would turn to each other and say, ‘Wow, this is just like that ‘South Park’ episode

where...’ We realized that ‘South Park’ was a unique way to teach students about politics and the law and would make a perfect Explorations class.” Berg felt that the class fueled a new interest in an old subject. “The ExCollege allows students to explore academic subjects through unconventional routes,” she said. “Students can really enjoy the class and the subject material without feeling bored or uninterested.” Students aren’t the only ones who get satisfaction out of the class though. Twenty-six year old Resumed Education for Adult Learners (REAL) student Toby Bonthrone, who is currently co-teaching the Counterinsurgency Seminar with Morrison and taught a class on insurgencies last spring, explained that instructing classes for the ExCollege has been an extremely rewarding experience for him. “I feel a great affection for Tufts, and I was looking for ways to give back,” Bonthrone said. “Teaching seemed the best way to use what I have — a basic military background to affect students’ lives in a long-term manner. The first class [I taught] gave me a great measure of respect and admiration for my Tufts students. Give them enough trust and free reign, and they can come up with remarkable arguments and solutions… It was an immense privilege to witness these students, and I’m quite looking forward to meeting the next bunch.” Snow, who also taught a freshman Exploration class, has similar sentiments. “The Explorations course I taught wasn’t about the grade as much as it was about connecting with students on both a personal and academic level,” Snow said. “I can’t quantify in words what I got out of it — relationships with students, the feeling of helping them adjust to college. I remember one time everyone in the class said that they looked forward to Tuesday nights and that they skipped other awesome things to come to class because they really enjoyed it.” For freshmen, the Explorations classes

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MINI-COURSES SPRING 2009 CARDIO, STRENGTH & PILATES Pilates with a touch of cardio & strength work. Wednesday 5:50-6:50pm Jackson Gym Instructor: Sharon Graves Fee $55

KRAV MAGA (Self-Defense) Simple, effective combat system proven to work in stressful, emotionally charged, aggressive & violent situations. Teaches techniques against attacks, situational awareness, de-escalation, disengagement skills against aggressive individuals in a non-physical manner. Krav Maga is the combat system of the Israeli military for male and female soldiers.

Thursday

Instructor

4:00-5:00pm Jackson Gym Gershon Ben Keren Fee $55

Muscular stretching & strengthening for beginners. Monday 5:50-6:50pm Jackson Gym Instructor: Sharon Graves Fee $55

SPINNING Monday

Instructor:

Class 2 Tuesday

Instructor

Class 3

Thursday Instructor:

Instructor

Power Yoga Tuesday

12:00-1:00pm Jackson Gym Elliott McEldowney Fee $40

12:00-1:00pm Jackson Gym Elliott McEldowney Fee $55

6:30-7:30pm Gantcher Center Elizabeth Burke Fee $55

Power Yoga

12:00-1:00pm Gantcher Center Kate Sweeney Fee $55

Staff & Faculty “Yoga for Everyone”

Wednesday Instructor

Thursday

Instructor:

Introductory Iyengar Yoga Friday Instructor

BY

15

COMICS CROSSWORD

WILEY

SOLUTIONS

MARRIED TO THE SEA

www.marriedtothesea.com

SUDOKU Level: Not screwing up the oath

“I can be moody and I don’t have a vagina! It’s not like a prerequisite thing...”

Flow Yoga Instructor:

GARRY TRUDEAU

Solution to Friday's puzzle

12:00-1:00pm Gantcher Center Kate Sweeney Fee $55

Tuesday

BY

LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY

YOGA Monday

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NON SEQUITUR

TENNIS – NEW CLASS! All levels welcomed. Taught by women’s tennis team. Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 1:30-2:30pm Ganthcer Center Instructors Women’s Tennis Team Fee $85 **Class meets for 3 weeks with 3 classes per week

is a learning experience for everyone. “First and foremost, I want to be challenged,” Morrison said. “I want students to question our assumptions and pick apart the narratives we’ll be exploring on the conduct of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. While I’m listed as an instructor for the course, I’m really just as much of a student as anyone else. I look forward to learning from the course materials and more importantly, learning from my fellow students.”

TUFTS DAILY GENERAL INTEREST MEETING DOONESBURY

Tai Chi blends meditative mental training with martial art conditioning to relax & revitalize the body & mind. Tuesday & Thursday 3:00-4:00pm Jackson Gym Instructor Neil Cohn Fee $100

Instructor

Registration Info: ase.tufts.edu/physed Classes start week of January 26th, 2009 Register by January 22nd. REGISTER EARLY!

can serve as not only a gateway to unconventional topics but also a way to make connections with older students. “I was really excited to meet my students, or, as I like to call them now, my ‘children,’” Berg said. “The Explorations program is different because students are interacting with students. My partner and I became our students’ academic advisors, their social aides and their safety net, as well as their instructors.” And as Morrison noted, teaching a class

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

TAI CHI

Power Yoga for Graduate Students

PILATES

Class 1

Exercise program designed after Tufts University’s Professor Miriam Nelson’s program for women. Tuesday 5:15-6:15pm Gantcher Corridor Instructor Marten Vandervelde Fee $55

Meredith klein/Tufts Daily

ExCollege classes give students an opportunity to both learn and teach in a hands-on environment.

5:30-6:30pm Jackson Gym Zan Barry Fee $55 12:00-1:00pm Jackson Gym Elliott McEldowney Fee $55 12:00-1:00pm Jackson Gym Jennifer Phillips Fee $55 12:00-1:00pm Chase Gym Brenda Santora Fee $55

~Evans

Please recycle this Daily

Interested in becoming a part of Tufts’ newspaper of record? The Tufts Daily is currently looking for students interested in learning a variety of skills including writing, editing, photography, computer layout, tech support and Web design. Come to our General Interest Meeting tonight at 9 p.m. in Barnum 104 to learn more!

The Tufts Daily

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Jumbos encounter Americans from all over at Obama’s inauguration COLLEGE STUDENTS continued from page 5

“I went up to New Hampshire almost every weekend and made ... calls for Obama,” Lesinski said. “It gave me a stake in his election.” Sophomore Julie Bloch shared Lesinski’s sentiments. “I’ve always wanted to go to the inauguration of the first person I vote for, and I also really really like Obama. I’ve read his books, and I’ve been following his political career for quite some time now,” she said. “I think that if it had been a Republican [that had been elected] I wouldn’t have gone.” Although many students attended the ceremony for similar reasons, their experiences varied, especially among those who had tickets to the event and those who did not. Tufts alumni Liz Yates (LA ’08) and Bruce Hamilton (LA ’08), who now live in the D.C. area and did not have tickets to the event, said that they enjoyed the atmosphere of the huge non-ticketed crowd. “I think it [would have been] really cool to actually be able to look and see Barack Obama’s face the moment he [became] the 44th president ... but I also think that being in the crowd is cool in some ways, because there are so many people who came from so far away who care so much, and there are so many families with kids — from Oklahoma, from South Carolina — and most of those people don’t get tickets,” Yates said. “I think that part of what makes this whole thing so cool anyway is that there are so many millions of people coming from everywhere, and the idea of opening up the mall really does sort of hold up the ideal that this is something for everybody,” Hamilton added. “[On Monday], our friend was in the VIP section and he was really close and saw a lot of stuff, but he said that his section was really subdued. So he [could] see them, but he wasn’t living the energy of our section, which was just jumping up and down, screaming and chanting, waving flags — I mean, that is

really cool.” Sophomore Casey Burrows, who is also a copy editor for the Daily, said her experience as a ticketed audience member was hectic but exciting. “It was amazing,” Burrows said. “It was stressful getting in, because they had opened the gates before they said they would, so ... we found out we had to sprint four blocks and cut the line, but we ended up getting amazing spots. “It was a little more stressful than I was expecting,” she continued. “But it was overall one of the best experiences of my life. The people were just so genuine and so nice and everyone was just wanting to talk to everyone else and hear each other’s stories.” Bloch said that although the day as a whole was remarkable, there were some aspects of the ceremony that she didn’t enjoy. “I didn’t really like the religious sermon,” Bloch said. “To me that’s not what we should be focusing on. But I also understand that it’s a tradition in our country ... There was ... a man booing at that point, and I thought that was going a little bit far. The majority of scheduled classes were still held yesterday — despite low attendance in some — but most professors didn’t seem to blame students for missing school to attend the event. “I told all my teachers [that I would not be in class], and nobody had a problem with it,” Bloch said. “I think everyone was so excited about it that they wouldn’t fault anyone for going.” Yates said that if anything, she would feel guilty about not going herself. “I think I definitely would have come if I lived in Boston or some place close by,” she said. “It’s events like this that serve as a sort of reminder that the basic issues of race and social change are ongoing. ... When you’re in college, you’re talking about it all the time ... but it’s events like these that inspire you to keep thinking about it, keep discussing it, and keep making it a part of your character.”

Features

7

Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates

Department of Biology at Tufts University May 26 – August 3, 2009 The Department of Biology at Tufts University offers a NSF funded summer research program entitled, “Integrative approaches to studying recognition systems in cells, organisms, and populations” in which 10 students will work closely on a collaborative, interdisciplinary project. Students in this 10-week program will receive a stipend of $4400, a $1000 allotment for food, and on-campus housing. Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Candidates should have a strong academic record. Applications target date is February 1; Announcements: March 15 Information and Applications available at: http://ase.tufts.edu/biology/undergrad/research/reu.asp

Introduce new Jumbos to the Tufts Experience Innovative and Energetic Leaders Needed to Coordinate Orientation 2009! Positions in Major Events, Leadership &Training, Academic Programs, and Logistics & Communications (4 Full-Time Paid Summer Positions…June, July, August)

more information &application

at: http://studentservices.tufts.edu/orientation

The Tufts Daily

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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

JOINT STATEMENT FOR PEACE

We, members of the Tufts community, representing different religious, cultural, and political groups, and sharing a common concern for the tragic events unfolding in Gaza and Southern Israel, issue this joint statement. We call upon all members of the Tufts community to commit themselves to an open and respectful discussion about these issues, as well as to respect all opinions expressed on campus As guiding principles, x x x x x x x

We acknowledge the long, complex, and painful history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict We acknowledge the wide range of deeply held beliefs, and intensely felt narratives on all sides We acknowledge that all sides are capable of assigning blame to others, and asserting justification for their cause We observe that violence by any side begets more violence, hatred, and retaliation We deplore any invocation of religion as a justification for violence against others, or the deprivation of the rights of others We decry any use of inflammatory rhetoric that demonizes the other and is intended, or is likely, to promote hatred and disrespect We believe the conflict can be resolved only through a political and diplomatic solution and not a military one.

In the face of many competing narratives, we recognize that the overriding common need of the peoples of the region is the prompt implementation of a just reconciliation and lasting peace. Toward that end, and particularly in response to the current hostilities; x x x x x x x

We call upon the United States and the international community immediately to engage both sides in pursuit of the goal of a permanent cessation of hostilities We call upon Hamas and Israel to recognize the futility of violence towards one another and renounce all military and violent approaches to solving this conflict We call for an immediate end to all strikes on civilian centers and citizens, both Israeli and Palestinian We call for lifting of the blockade on Gaza as to all non-military goods, for an immediate and significant increase in humanitarian aid to address the needs of the people of Gaza, and for all parties involved to join in taking responsibility to address those human needs We call on all parties involved in the conflict to work sincerely and vigorously toward a just and lasting peace that addresses and promotes the national aspirations of both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples We call on President Obama to make clear that he will urgently assert US leadership to achieve a comprehensive diplomatic resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian and Arab-Israeli conflicts We call upon the Tufts community to commit itself to an open discussion and to respect all opinions expressed on campus.

Through this joint statement we affirm our commitment to engage with one another, even, and especially, during times of great stress. We also affirm our common humanity and our common belief that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must cease, that there is no military or violent solution, that all human life is valued, and all parties must cooperate to create a just and lasting peace desperately needed and deserved by all the peoples of the region. In the coming days we, the undersigned organizations, will offer the community various opportunities to learn about and to share our views, opinions, and concerns regarding the situation in the Middle East. Three collaborative events are already being planned for the coming weeks: - Political Perspectives on the Situation in Gaza and Southern Israel, moderated by Professor Malik Mufti. Wednesday, January 21st 8PM, Location: Eaton 202 - The Power of Narrative: Personal Stories from the Middle East: Students share their anecdotes and experiences from the Middle East. Date and Location: TBD - An Interfaith Response to the Crisis in the Middle East: A Panel Discussion with Religious Leaders from the Boston Area involved in the Interfaith Declaration for Peace. Date and Location: TBD We call all interested individuals to join us at these events and to engage in productive and respectful conversation. Tufts Arab Student Association (ASA) Tufts Friends of Israel Tufts Hillel Tufts Muslim Student Association (MSA) Pathways- Tufts’ Interfaith Program Office of University Chaplain For questions, comments, or more information about these events, e-mail [email protected] Adapted from the Boston INTERFAITH DECLARATION FOR PEACE, which can be found online at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/interfaithdeclarationforpeace/?e

Arts & Living

9

tuftsdaily.com

Movie Review

Thrilling Omnimax film ‘Roving Mars’ provides an out-of-this-world experience by

Mitchell Geller

enced at least once, so long as vertigo and motion sickness aren’t of concern — and possibly even if they are. With the Museum of Science’s January program, “Free Film Fridays,” all showings of Omnimax films are free on Fridays during the month of January. Missing out on these events would be criminally unintelligent regardless of what film is available. Aside from “Roving Mars,” which is a collaboration between Walt Disney Pictures, NASA, and Lockheed Martin (presented as a public service), “Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk” (2002), “Greatest Places” (1998) and “Dinosaurs Alive” (2007) are also playing in the Mugar Omni Theater. Most IMAX films, including “Roving Mars,” fall under the umbrella of science movies. Narrated by the late Paul Newman, “Roving Mars” tells the story of the NASA missions to Mars in 2003 when twin rovers, Spirit and Discovery, were sent to explore our red neighbor. The documentary gives a brief history of the many missions to Mars since the 1960s — two-thirds of which have failed — and then focuses in on the most recent mission. While it seems like it should be fairly

Daily Editorial Board

Some say that size doesn’t matter. But when it comes to movie screens, bigger is certainly better, and it doesn’t get much

Roving Mars

Narrated by Paul Newman At the Mugar Omni Theater Museum of Science, Boston bigger than Omnimax. At the Mugar Omni Theater at the Museum of Science, Boston, New England’s only Omnimax Theater, IMAX-format film is projected onto a 180degree, five-story-tall screen, presenting something much more than a movie. “Roving Mars” (2006), which details the recent Mars rover expeditions, recently opened at the Mugar Omni Theater and is as close to a trip to Mars as anyone outside of NASA could hope for. It’s difficult to separate the film from the experience of viewing it with IMAX or Omnimax. The Omnimax format, which differs from an IMAX screen through its incorporation of an angled dome, receives five stars in and of itself. It is something that must be experi-

Mitchell Geller/Tufts Daily

So it’s not R2-D2, but the Mars lander is still pretty cool.

Movie Review

‘My Bloody Valentine 3-D’ is a cheesy, but entertaining, thrill ride by

see MARS, page 10

Album Review

Matthew DiGirolamo Daily Editorial Board

The horror genre, despite its established place in American popular culture, has long confound-

My Bloody Valentine 3-D Starring Jaime King, Jensen Ackles, Kerr Smith Directed by Patrick Lussier ed film critics. What qualifies as a horror film and what constitutes a good horror film have been up for debate for a long time. It is a safe bet to say that a “horror” movie must include a supernatural element, sex (whether graphic or subtle), a couple of screaming women and scenes that make viewers cringe and/or jump. Films that do not fit these specifications are generally “thrillers” of some sort. Keeping this in mind, “My Bloody Valentine 3-D” surprisingly succeeds as a little bit of both genres, with visually pleasing special effects and free, stylish glasses to boot. “My Bloody Valentine” is a remake of the 1981 film of the same title, but its 3-D aspect definitely brings it to the 21st century. While the respective plots of the two films are not exactly the same, the characters and general storyline are still in play. The movie starts with a flashback: 10 years ago, Tom Hanniger (played by Jensen Ackels) forgot to leak methane gas out of mining lines, causing an explosion that trapped many miners. One miner, Harry Warden (Richard John Walter), was miraculously found alive and in a coma. However, after more careful inspection, it was found that Warden killed all of the other trapped miners as they

derektrucks.com

Derek Trucks reflects deeply on his near-perfect musical abilities.

Derek Trucks Band sticks to formula in ‘Already Free’ by

Nick Hellberg

Contributing Writer

Derek Trucks has accomplished a lot in his 29 years. At age 11, he began sitting in

Already Free The Derek Trucks Band myspace.com

Nothing says love like a bunch of no-name actors and a creepy guy in a gas mask. were buried beneath the rubble. Suddenly, Warden wakes up and continues his rampage by killing unsuspecting townspeople and teenagers who are holding a party in the abandoned mine area.

People naïvely assume that he was defeated after his killing spree. After Warden is seemingly vanquished, the story fast-forwards see VALENTINE, page 10

RCA Victor on Allman Brothers Band (ABB) concerts as a replacement for the late, great Duane Allman, and industry publications such as Rolling Stone Magazine have long lauded

him as one of the greatest younger-generation guitarists in the world. In addition to his work with ABB, Trucks has led the Derek Trucks Band (DTB), whose much-hyped sixth studio album, “Already Free,” was released on Jan. 13. With their latest disc, Derek Trucks Band has not broken any new ground, but it’s given listeners a solid continuation of the blues-rock sound that first made them famous fifteen years ago. While known for its incorporation of eclectic musical influences derived from Africa, see TRUCKS, page 11

The Tufts Daily

10

Arts & Living

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

zap2it.com

“First the dude in the hockey mask, and now this?!”

What ‘Bloody Valentine’ lacks in plot, it makes up for in stylish eyewear vALENTINE

continued from page 9

to the present day when Hanniger returns to the town of Harmony to sell the mine. His friend Axel Palmer (Kerr Smith) is now the sheriff in town, and his former love interest, Sarah (Jaime King), is Axel’s wife. Things go awry as the murders commence once again, and the town scrambles to find out why. The script’s lack of originality gives it a distinctly cheesy flavor. The gratuitous gore, violence, sex and nudity are certainly a staple of horror films, and this one exploits every possible R-rated technique. While the plot is nothing spectacular, viewers can still enjoy this homage to classic slasher flicks. Needless to say, the movie isn’t for everyone; audiences should be prepared to be shocked and disturbed and to share the theater with loads of teenaged couples that will grab each other at every slightly scary moment in the film. The movie’s main gimmick and one of its most effective components is its three-dimen-

sional viewing aspect. The technology used does not rely on old-fashioned red and bluecolored glasses made of paper; instead, polarized lenses transform the blurry image into something viewable and lifelike. The glasses are made of plastic and resemble an ordinary cheap pair of sunglasses. Movie-goers usually get to keep them, depending on the theater’s policy. Throughout the movie there are several instances where the 3-D looks incredible: pick axes hurtling toward characters, guns being pointed, body parts being flung into the air and explosions heading toward the audience all make for a good scare and laugh. While most modern horror movies try to be scary by basing screenplays off of “true events” or by doing a simple remake of a classic, “My Bloody Valentine 3-D” changes the original just enough and keeps it simple by sticking to the horror-film formula, adding a surprisingly effective gimmick, and topping it off with a slogan that sums it all up: “Nothing says ‘date movie’ like a 3-D ride to hell!”

American Red Cross

Blood Drive

IMPAWARDS.COM

Will there be aliens? You’ll just have to watch and find out.

Omnimax films at Museum of Science thrill audience members of all ages MARS

continued from page 9

January 27nd – 30th 2008 Tuesday, 1/27 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, 1/28 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Thursday, 1/29 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Friday, 1/30 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m

Hodgdon Hall Lounge Schedule an appointment TODAY: www.Tuftslife.com *Positive ID Required*Drop-ins are welcome!*Free food! While the Leonard Carmichael Society fully supports blood donation, we do not condone the FDA's policy barring blood donations from men who have had sex with another man. We acknowledge that this policy discriminates against gay and bisexual members of the Tufts community.

easy to shoot a little robot to Mars, the process is very complicated. Key players from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab interviewed in the film give a sense of how massive an undertaking a mission like this is. (It took over three years and the efforts of over four thousand people.) The distance from Earth to Mars is roughly 300 million miles, and even with craft traveling at many thousands of miles per hour, the journey still takes seven months. “Roving Mars” made its IMAX debut in 2006, but the computer-generated animations which comprise a large portion of the film’s 40-minute running time are incredibly clear and realistic looking. The rovers seem to share some DNA with the titular robot from Disney/Pixar’s recent smash hit “WALL-E” (2008), and, as an added bonus, a full-scale replica of the rovers is on display in the lobby of the museum. Real interviews, authentic footage from the Jet Propulsion Lab, breathtaking computer-generated sequences, and photos that the rovers sent back from Mars are combined to produce a compelling documentary about this historic mission. Spirit and Opportunity were sent to Mars to look for possible signs of water, and they immediately found what they were looking for. While many IMAX/Omnimax films use their format as a crutch, “Roving

Mars” doesn’t have to. Even small children and those not fully invested in the topic of space exploration will still find things to drool over. One particularly thrilling sequence uses shots of the actual shuttle launch edited together with computer generated images to show the event from a bird’s-eye view and then follow the shuttle up through the atmosphere. Those who are more interested in learning about the mission, however, need not fret as the documentary is as packed full of information as anything one might expect to see on The Discovery Channel. The film’s 40-minute running time is fairly short, and much of the science is glazed over in consideration of the fact that the audience is comprised mainly of children, on whom more technical jargon would be lost. The film presents a clear, basic picture of this particular Mars rover mission, but those interested in the full story are invited in a post-show announcement to purchase the book from the Museum gift shop. “Roving Mars” will thrill audiences of all ages. Breathtaking cinematography and a fascinating, if somewhat simplistic, story are presented in the world’s largest film format for a truly unique and educational experience. “Roving Mars” will be playing at the Boston Museum of Science, located at the Science Park T stop on the Green Line, through July 16. The museum’s “Free Film Fridays” program ends next Friday, Jan. 30.

The Tufts Daily

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

11

Arts & Living

Although it’s nothing new, ‘Already Free’ explores a wide range of styles TRUCKS

continued from page 9

Latin America, India and Eastern Europe, the band’s sound has always been predicated on the deep, swampy tones and musical traditions of the American South. The blues make a prominent appearance throughout this album. Trucks’s reverence for American roots music is epitomized in the album’s opening track, a heavy, hard-rocking arrangement of Bob Dylan’s “Down in the Flood,” that calls to mind the layered, overdriven guitar riffs of Led Zeppelin’s darkest works and sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Operating under the wellestablished mantra “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” the Derek Trucks Band has stuck once more to the formulaic reliability of its southern-rock roots. Musically, the band’s performance is as tight as ever. Lead singer Mike Mattison rasps out crystal-clear lyrics in a rich, throaty baritone reminiscent of John Mayer, and Trucks displays his prodigious talents not only as a composer and guitarist, but also as a keen and accomplished studio producer. Songs like “Something To Make You Happy” feature enough overdubbed instruments to make Phil Spector jealous, but the instrumentation never seems excessive. Every guitar-fill and organ-swell fits together in a tastefully assembled auditory collage. Trucks and Mattison work hard to ensure that the songs don’t all sound the same, and the band explores a wide range of styles across the album’s twelve songs. These styles include an eerie sitar intro and fade-out in “Maybe This Time,” the penultimate track, to “Sweet Inspiration,” a funky, rollicking gospel tune that would fit right in at a Sly and the

derektrucks.com

Remarkably calm, DTB’s drummer does his thing. Family Stone show. Although the musicianship is consistent and strong, “Already Free” is by no means a perfect album. By the time track

eight rolls around, the band’s momentum has started to significantly lag, and the generic themes of women, booze and “I’m gonna leave you” that so idiom-

atically define blues songwriting have gotten a bit tired. Mattison’s lyrics are by no means bad, but they are certainly not outstanding. It seems at times that the verses exist for the sole purpose of giving the musicians an excuse to build a jam song around words, which, to their credit, they do quite well. Trucks is in top form, taking elegant and technically virtuosic slide guitar solos with impunity, and his rhythm section keeps pace admirably. But at this point in the band’s career, even instrumental perfection is really just more of the same. Since their 1994 debut, DTB has been consistently noted for the strength of its musical performances and for Trucks’s guitar playing in particular. But there’s nothing altogether innovative or groundbreaking about the music on this album. Despite these gripes, it would be unfair not to acknowledge the few gems that exist in Trucks’ new album. “Down in the Flood” is one of the best Dylan covers in recent memory, and the requisite acoustic country crooner — a heartfelt ballad called “Back Where I Started” featuring Boston native (and Trucks’ wife) Susan Tedeschi on lead vocals — is a superb neo-folk tune in the style of Ryan Adams or Stevie Nicks. The best track on the album, however, is the masterfully crafted “Our Love,” a lyrical, guitar-and-piano driven folkrock masterpiece. Guest singer Doyle Bramhall II’s smooth and steady voice perfectly matches and harmonizes with Trucks’s violin-like guitar tone, lending the song a haunting, angelic beauty. Operating under the well-established mantra “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” the Derek Trucks Band has stuck once more to the formulaic reliability of its southern-rock roots and given listeners an album steeped in Americana and the musical heritage of the Mississippi Delta. While it probably won’t go down in the annals of history as a definitive milestone of twenty-first century rock, “Already Free” is still a solid album — maybe even a great one.

We’reGrowing! Are you a student who loves Tufts and wants to make a difference in the life of every Tufts student? Do you want to expand your professional horizons working with friends in a job designed to fit your busy schedule? Tufts Telefund is now hiring as many as 60 new callers! And, at $11/hour with the potential for cash bonuses and prizes, it’s the perfect time to earn some extra cash. As a Tufts Telefund Caller you will: x x x x x

Make a REAL and TANGIBLE difference for Tufts and your fellow students Share stories and news with thousands of Tufts alumni all over the country while raising MILLIONS of dollars that pay for many of the programs you know and love. Enjoy flexible hours and an on-campus job Build your resume (it’s true!) Meet new people and work with them on a collaborative and fun team Shifts are available Monday through Thursday as well as Sundays.

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The Tufts Daily

12

THE TUFTS DAILY Evans R. Clinchy Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Sarah Butrymowicz Managing Editors Michael Adams Ben Gittleson Executive News Editor Alexandra Bogus News Editors Nina Ford Gillian Javetski Michael Del Moro Rob Silverblatt Tessa Gellerson Assistant News Editors Leslie Ogden Carter Rogers Dave Stern

Kerianne Okie Executive Features Editor Jessica Bidgood Features Editor Julie Kalt Assistant Features Editors Alison Lisnow Emily Maretsky Romy Oltuski Christina Pappas Julia Zinberg

Naomi Bryant Executive Arts Editor Emma Bushnell Arts Editors Matt DiGirolamo Catherine Scott Mitchell Geller Assistant Arts Editors Adam Kulewicz Josh Zeidel

Caryn Horowitz Executive Op-Ed Editor Rachel Dolin Editorialists Vittoria Elliott Jacob Maccoby Jwala Gandhi Opinion Editors Nina Grossman Ellen Kan Andrew Rohrberger Molly Rubin Jwala Gandhi Editorial Cartoonists Kayla Murdock

Editorial | Letters

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

EDITORIAL

Millions worldwide hang hopes on Obama Today’s inauguration of President Barack Obama is historic in almost every respect. It was estimated that 67 percent of the U.S. population planned to watch Obama’s first moments as president (that’s about 203 million Americans, for those of you who are inconveniently distant from a calculator). The millions of people who gathered in Washington, D.C. and clustered around televisions in homes and churches, dorms and campus centers around the country are a testament to the hope President Obama now embodies. Beyond the borders of the United States, numerous people from countries as varied as Germany, Kenya and Indonesia also followed the inauguration. While this enormous world interest in the new president speaks volumes about his ability to inspire and uplift, it also tells us something else: President Obama has the hopes and, more importantly, the expectations, not only of 300 million Americans, but of millions (if not billions) of people worldwide riding on his shoulders. And it is nearly

impossible for everyone to get what they want. After the blunders of the Bush administration, it’s not hard to understand why the world at large is rejoicing at the former president’s departure. Indeed, Obama’s marked efforts to demonstrate that his administration will work for peace, mutual understanding, fairness and stability have made him popular in all corners of the world. Millions of Americans are depending on Obama to steer the country out of the increasingly grim economic crisis, create a plethora of new jobs and reform health care and education. But people in Africa, and especially his father’s home country of Kenya, hope that President Obama will make the impoverished continent a priority. Many Muslims hope that Obama’s experience living in Indonesia will make him more sensitive to the Muslim world. And everyone everywhere seems to expect that Obama will begin the process of making the world a safer, more peaceful place.

But the reality is President Obama is going to have to prioritize. Despite his inspiring rhetoric and his promise of change, he is still one man working in the American government (which does not always have a reputation of getting things done quickly and/or easily). He still has to worry about stabilizing his own country’s plummeting economy before almost anything else, and his first duty is to the American people who elected him. Unfortunately, gratifying one group of people often means disappointing another. While we can certainly hope that those decisions will be made wisely, it nonetheless means that not everyone can win. Obama’s immense popularity means that, for the first time in nearly a decade, the world has faith in the leadership of the United States, something that gives him an unprecedented ability to make big decisions. However, everyone, American or not, needs to understand that President Obama will do what he can, but he may not be able to do everything.

J.J. GANDHI

Carly Helfand Executive Sports Editor Sapna Bansil Sports Editors Philip Dear Thomas Eager David Heck Scott Janes Tim Judson Ethan Landy Noah Schumer Evan Cooper Assistant Sports Editors Jeremy Greenhouse Alex Prewitt Michael Spera

Rebekah Sokol Executive Photo Editor James Choca Photo Editors Aalok Kanani Meredith Klein Danai Macridi Jo Duara Assistant Photo Editors Emily Eisenberg Andrew Morgenthaler Dilys Ong Laura Schultz Tim Straub Tien Tien

PRODUCTION Ally Gimbel Production Director Jennifer Iassogna Executive Layout Editor Elizabeth Bernstein Layout Editors Dana Berube Leanne Brotsky Kristin Gorman Julia Izumi Andrew Petrone Muhammad Qadri Steven Smith Katie Tausanovitch Menglu Wang Assistant Layout Editor

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Off the Hill | UCLA

Yes, young people can make a difference The Daily Bruin Yes, we can. A phrase, a campaign slogan, a mantra? All of these things. But more importantly, for our generation at least, the three words represent the sentiments felt by a group of people emotionally attached to this election in a way that few generations have before. For all of the excitement felt by the multitudes of people across the country who supported the candidacy of Barack Obama, college students in particular have a stake in this excitement. It was largely due to our generation that this is taking place. It all started back in February of 2007 when the first-time senator from Illinois announced he would run for the Democratic presidential nomination. At the time, most groups wrote off his candidacy as unlikely and even foolish in the face of the “clear front-runner,” then-Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). Obama was inexperienced, new to the national scene, had a funny name, and — in case you haven’t heard — was black. But if there was one group of people who overwhelmingly stood up in the face of these put-downs, it was us, the college students. And it very

EDITORIAL POLICY Editorials that appear on this page are written by the Editorial Page editors, and 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.

well may be that it was our generation that got the country where it is today, celebrating this historic election in a manner unheard of among normally stiff and formal inaugurations. Indeed, college students and young people in general were the ones who left their jobs, studies, friends and lives for almost two years to go campaign for a man that many elders said would not even get nominated. It started in Iowa, where Obama’s victory in the state’s Democratic caucus was seen by many politicos and pundits as the result of abnormally strong grassroots efforts throughout the state. And while the Obama campaign must be credited for envisioning and successfully carrying out this effort, people, and more importantly our generation, cannot forget that we were the muscle behind the brains of the campaign organization in those first few months. Of course, as Obama began winning primaries, his support began to include people of all ages, races and regions. But in those first few freezing winter months in Iowa, college students were the people who braved the cold to tell Iowans why they should vote for this man to be our next president.

Despite all the odds against Obama and his candidacy, we stuck with him. Through the surprise defeat in New Hampshire and the inability for him to close the deal in Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania or any of the other states he couldn’t wrangle from Clinton, our generation stuck by our candidate. When the general election came, it was student groups across the country — such as the Bruin Democrats, who traveled to Nevada to campaign almost every weekend in the last month of the general election — who galvanized people to go out and vote for change. Of course, Obama will not be a perfect president. There will undoubtedly be many disappointments in his first 100 days and the months that follow. There will be times when the country, including our generation, will frown upon the Obama administration’s actions or wish they pursued a policy that was less controversial. And when that time comes, we will turn a critical eye upon Obama. But for the time being, college students can watch the historic inauguration and take pride. Obama asked, and we responded: Yes, we could. And we did.

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The Tufts Daily

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

An appeal for choice

An appeal for life by Jaclyn

Thomas

In the next few days there will be much hype about the inauguration of President Barack Obama, but another important event will also be commemorated later this week: the 36th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decisions Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton. Together, the cases formally legalized abortion in America. The 2008 March for Life, a pro-life rally held annually in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 22, boasted a crowd of over 200,000 supporters and protesters alike. This year, several members of Tufts’ own pro-life club, Jumbos for Life, will be in attendance. The pro-life position is simple and consistent: It states that human life deserves to be protected in all of its stages. Once it is agreed that a fetus both has life and is human, there can be no option to terminate a pregnancy that would result in the killing of an innocent human life. Our own founding documents recognize that all humans are granted unalienable rights, the foremost of which is the right to life. Yet since 1973, over 50 million lives have been taken by abortion. In a country that so prizes its freedoms and lends its aid so freely worldwide, it amazes me that the genocide taking place in our own country is so largely ignored. Science has proven, and logic tells us, the rather obvious yet all-important fact that human parents cannot produce anything other than a human child. Therefore, from the moment of conception, there can be no doubt that this product of reproduction is human. As for the argument regarding its life: the fetus has its own DNA, distinct and unique from both its parents. Therefore, it satisfies the “uniqueness test” and is not simply an extension of the mother’s body. The definition of life as given by Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary states that life is “an organismic state characterized by the capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction.” In short, all of the necessary qualities belonging to a living organism are possessed by the early embryo. Clearly, life does not begin at birth. Human life is a continuous process; from the joining of egg and sperm until death, this being ceases to be neither human nor living. In fact, most of the structures belonging to the baby will have already been formed before the eight-week point — well within the first trimester when most abortions take place. At this point, the baby’s heart beats 150 times per second, he/she has thin eyelids, a brain and fingers, and can sense vibrations. The newest weapon in the battle for life is the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), recently put before Congress, which would in short overturn all former laws “interfering” with the abortion process. FOCA could possibly force a retraction of the Hyde Amendment, which was passed by Congress in 1976 and bans the use of federal funds to pay for abortions, by allowing abortions to be tax-funded. In addition, it would repeal state and local laws restricting abortions and

force all health-care providers to offer abortions regardless of their moral, clinical and ethical objections. FOCA would also remove the protection granted by the Partial Birth Abortion Ban, which protects babies born live after a failed abortion. Under FOCA, women would also be able to seek legal redress against any governmental office she feels has encroached upon her right to choose in the past. Pro-choice pundits often cite viability as a reason for not granting the protection of life to unborn children. However, if we apply this same logic to other circumstances, like those

13

Op-Ed

by

Doug Helman and Shana Hurley

We were reminded of history this week when we honored the birthday of civil rights leader and American hero Martin Luther King, Jr. and as we watched the inauguration of our first AfricanAmerican president, Barack Obama. But there is another historical occasion worthy of note this week that might be flying under your radar: Jan. 22 marks 36 years since the landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. Roe, as it is often called, is one of the most politically charged cases in Supreme Court history. Ruling

the most influential women in America. As the headline speaker for this first installment of the Tufts Democrats’ “Issues of the Future Symposium” this weekend, we hope that Ms. Richards can shed some light on the future of the Supreme Court and on the shockwaves that Roe has sent through our society since 1973. The presentation, entitled “Cecile Ann Richards: Roe v. Wade and Future of the Supreme Court,” is co-sponsored by VOX. First, what is the future of the Roe decision? Let’s briefly consider its past. Until the retirements and new appointments of the Bush administration, the Supreme Court maintained a

MCT

of dependent persons who rely on the support of machines or monetary and physical aid from people to live, people in those categories may range from infant to adult to the elderly and infirm. Just because these people are dependent on another does not give their caregiver the right to decide whether or not to kill their dependents because they are an “inconvenient burden.” The choice to abort is the same; the weak and innocent should never have to suffer for their “inconvenient” condition of being alive, especially when there are so many resources in such a developed nation as ours and an endless list of parents willing to adopt. The only saving grace for humankind is its ability to distinguish right from wrong, yet when the world’s three major religions all agree upon the same point that killing a human being is wrong, why is this “right to choose” even debated? The answer seems pretty clear: Americans have simply ceased to value human life as they should. The bottom line here is that every human being is unique and special and deserves the same rights of protection as any human in any stage of life. I can only hope that President Obama will recognize the folly of the pro-abortion stance and repeal his promise to sign the Freedom of Choice Act when it comes before him. Jaclyn Thomas is a junior majoring in chemical engineering. She is the co-chair of Jumbos for Life.

that most state laws regarding abortion violated a constitutional right to privacy, the Supreme Court declared that a woman, with the assistance of her physician, could choose to terminate a pregnancy up until the “point at which the fetus becomes viable” and with certain restrictions after that point. An imperfect ruling, Roe v. Wade is legally contentious because of the ambiguity of the term “viable” and its disputed basis of a constitutional right to privacy. The contentious decision has inspired vigorous debate over the function of the judiciary, the role of religion and morality in public life and who should determine the legality of an abortion. With the swearing-in of a new administration and the decision’s anniversary, now is a salient time to contemplate the future of Roe, to consider women’s health in the United States and around the world, and to think about how President Obama may shape the Supreme Court. It is a time to reflect upon how this administration will impact a host of lifealtering decisions, from the right to choose to marriage equality. The alignment of these two historical moments begs a dialogue on these issues, one such which will begin here and continue with an address and Q&A session Friday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. with one of America’s foremost experts on women’s health and its accompanying political issues: Cecile Ann Richards. As President of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Ms. Richards is one of

6-to-3 majority in favor of upholding a woman’s right to choose. However, with the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the Court’s margin dwindled to one vote, a vote that made supporters of abortion rights nervous, given that it hinged upon Justice John Paul Stevens — all of 88 years old — and the inconsistent Justice Anthony Kennedy. While this margin may seem irrelevant with the exit of the conservative Bush administration and the entrance of the pro-choice Obama, it certainly remains important. In the next four years, anywhere from one to three Supreme Court justices may step down. However, it is expected that all will come from the liberal end of the court; Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is 75 years old, and Stevens, in particular, are no spring chickens. Compounded by the likely postponement of retirement for conservative ringleader Justice Antonin Scalia, who is 72 years old, that tenuous one-vote majority is likely to remain throughout Obama’s tenure. Reflecting on its future, even with the new administration, does not provide an overwhelming sense of security. In addition, at this important time, we ought to think about women’s health more generally. It is a new moment for women’s health in this country. In the wake of last year’s Center for Disease Control study indicating that one in four teen girls has a sexually transmitted infection and many studies demonstrating the ineffectiveness of abstinenceonly instruction, the necessity of comprehensive education could

not be more apparent. Over the past couple of years, 15 states independently rejected abstinence-only funding from the federal government in order to teach comprehensive sex education. Obama is likely to strike abstinence-only-dependent policies and thereby improve women’s health at home. It’s also a new moment for women’s health issues around the world. Secretary of Statedesignate Hillary Clinton has long been a champion of the rights of women and children. We hope she will lead the charge to repeal the global gag rule, a damaging policy which requires all non-governmental organizations that receive federal funding to refrain from performing or promoting abortion services in other countries. We also hope she will reinstate the funding of the U.N. Family Planning Program. Yet, in a bigger way, we are optimistic that Secretary-designate Clinton will put her own words into action, noted by Cecile Richards in the Huffington Post: “Women’s reproductive health and empowerment are critical to a nation’s sustainability and growth ... we now know that no nation can hope to succeed in the global economy of the 21st century if half of its people lack the opportunity and the right to make the most of their God-given potential. No nation can move forward when its women and children are trapped in endless cycles of poverty; when they have inadequate health care, poor access to family planning, limited education.” Although we honor the excellent work of the George W. Bush’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, we anticipate more successes when onethird of prevention spending is no longer required to fund failing abstinence-only programs. Now is an exciting time for proponents of women’s health issues. Every year, the Tufts Democrats host the “Issues of the Future Symposium” to address pertinent political issues and to stimulate dialogue on campus. With our annual symposium, we strive to look to the future of a certain issue, using indicators of today to draw conclusions about the potential of an issue tomorrow. We hope that our past topics, ranging from immigration reform to civil-military relations, have opened up public discourse and contributed to a dynamic conversation on the Tufts campus. This year we are looking to the “Future of the Supreme Court” and how it will affect wedge issues like the right to choose and gay rights. We invite you to join us on Friday to consider the likelihood of the proposals outlined here, and to ask politely whatever question you would like of Ms. Richards, a woman who understands this issue better than anyone else in America. On Saturday, we will continue our discussion with local leaders and professionals, this time focusing on the future of gay rights and marriage equality, in the second installment of the “Issues of the Future Symposium,” entitled “The Supreme Court and Gay Rights,” at 11:30 a.m. in the Crane Room. Shana Hurley is a junior majoring in political science. She is the former president of the Tufts Democrats. Doug Helman is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. He is the current president of the Tufts Democrats.

Op-ed Policy The Op-Ed section of the Tufts Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. Op-Ed welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 800 to 1,200 words in length. Editorial cartoons and Op-Eds in the form of cartoons are also welcome. All material is subject to editorial discretion, and is not guaranteed to appear in the Tufts Daily. All material should be submitted by no later than 1 p.m. on the day prior to the desired day of publication. Material must be submitted via e-mail ([email protected]) attached in .doc or .docx format. Questions and concerns should be directed to the Op-Ed editors. The opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Tufts Daily itself.

The Tufts Daily

14

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Non Sequitur

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Jumbo swimmers, divers will need to stay sharp for dual meet at MIT WOMEN’S SWIMMING continued from page 20

the only individual winner for Tufts on the day, but her victories in both the 1-meter and 3-meter dives were enough to propel the Jumbos to the win over Wesleyan. Gardel took first in the 1-meter with a score of 255.5, which was her second Nationals-qualifying score of the season. Classmate Kelsey Bell brought home a Tufts sweep of the diving events, placing second to Gardel in both the 1-meter and the 3-meter with scores of 224.7 and 243.90, respectively. “Our divers are amazing,” senior tri-captain Kayla Burke said. “If Lindsay can win events, then that puts us ahead. We consistently look to her to do well and it just helps us out so much. The divers can only do two events, but we as swimmers sometimes wish they could do more.” Although the Jumbos managed numerous second-place finishes in the tri-meet, the sheer force of Williams repelled any upset Tufts might have had in mind. The Ephs won 10 out of 12 swimming events, kicking off the meet with a five-second victory in the 200yard medley relay to set a tone of domination throughout the afternoon. “Williams is clearly really fast, but it’s been hard to get really good competition lately,” Burke said. “It’s really exciting because we’ll get to see them at NESCACs soon. When you’re up on the block against the same person you were in the dual meet, you know that you just want to get as close

to them as possible, and that helps you race.” Tufts freshmen Kelly Moriarty, Paulina Ziolek, and Valerie Eacret teamed up with sophomore Maureen O’Neill to finish second in the 200yard medley relay, just 22 hundredths of a second ahead of the Williams B team. Ziolek also earned second in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:12.53, while O’Neill finished runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle. Eacret placed second in the 100-yard butterfly, as did freshman Annie Doisneau in the 200-yard butterfly. Sophomore Megan Kono rounded out the top finishers for Tufts with a second-place finish in the 1,650 freestyle. “This meet was a good indication of where we will be at NESCACs,” Swett said. “It’s good to keep ourselves in check, especially since we had some easy dual meets earlier in the season. We’re not the top dog like we have been at other times, so it’s really a good reality check for us.” The tri-meet for the Jumbos was the first since the Dec. 5-6 MIT Invitational, as Tufts took the long recess for exams, break and then the ensuing training trip. Despite the double-practice days and hours of dry land workouts, the Tufts swimmers insist that the ends more than justify the means. “It was an intense trip, but it brought us closer together as a team,” Swett said. “We literally reached our ultimate physical peak, but afterwards it makes every race seem not that bad. A 500 freestyle is nothing compared to 85,000 meters. It gives

James Choca/Tufts Daily

Senior tri-captain Katie Swett, shown here at the MIT Invitational in December, helped the Jumbos to a split at Williams over the weekend. The Jumbos will take on MIT again on Saturday in a dual meet hosted by the Engineers. us the mental edge we need to succeed. We come back stronger and physically at our optimum.” Taking the weekend split in stride, the team is now looking ahead to another showdown with MIT in the form of a dual meet this Saturday. Tufts defeated the Engineers at the MIT Invitational in early December, but this dual meet

Jumbos hope to bounce back from three-game losing skid ICE HOCKEY

continued from page 19

10 unanswered goals to take a commanding 10-1 lead. “We’ve been having trouble scoring goals,” coach Brian Murphy said. “It’s not that we aren’t getting chances, but we are struggling to finish in front of the cage.” ICE HOCKEY (6-7, 3-6 NESCAC/ECAC EAST) at Rutland, Vt., Saturday Tufts Castleton

1 0 1 — 2 1 4 6 — 11

at Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Friday Tufts Skidmore

0 2 0 — 2 1 2 2 — 5

Outshot 47 to 22, the Jumbos were never able to take control of the game. They failed to convert on six power plays and allowed the Spartans three power-play goals on five opportunities, a stark contrast to the .833 penalty kill percentage they had posted before the loss. “The biggest thing is doing the little things and winning the smaller battles,” senior co-captain Dave Antonelli

said. “This team is very deep and can come at teams in waves, and we’ve gotten away from that. We’ve played a style that is not ours.” Freshman Scott Barchard started the game but was chased from the goal after the second period, having allowed five goals on 33 shots. Freshman Evin Koleini and junior Jay McNamara split the third period but couldn’t put a damper on the scoring rampage, allowing six goals on a combined 14 shots. Friday’s 5-2 loss to Skidmore was a much less skewed result, but the Jumbos continued to struggle offensively away from their home ice. In eight road games this season, the Jumbos are 2-6 with just 17 goals, while they are undefeated and have scored 19 times in their four games at the Forum. “We cannot score one or two goals a game and expect to win consistently,” Murphy said. Similarly to Saturday’s game, Tufts got no help from its power play, which was 0-for-5 on the night. “We have to get our power play going again,” senior Jared Melillo said. “We’ve been doing it well in practice.” After the Jumbos and

Thoroughbreds traded goal for goal through the first half of the game, the score sat tied at 2-2 past the midway point of the second period. At the 14:24 mark, Skidmore senior Tim Welsh rang a shot off the crossbar that, with a bit of a lucky bounce, found its way into the back the back of the net. The tally would turn out to be the game-winner, as the Jumbos could not find the net again, whereas the Thoroughbreds beat Barchard twice more in the third period for a total of five goals on 34 shots. Despite their third consecutive loss, the young Jumbo squad is not ready to quit. “It’s not time to push the panic button yet,” Antonelli said. “We’re a little inconsistent, which comes with being a young team, but guys are willing to step up into all different roles. We’re a younger bunch, but at the same time at different points in the season, people from different classes have each stepped up as leaders.” “We need to get back to what we were doing while winning,” Melillo added. “Our team identity is to work hard and play tough. We just need to stick to the basics and make simple plays.”

could prove to be a different story. While the Jumbos placed up to 10 swimmers per event at the Invitational, a dual meet essentially pits the top three swimmers from each team up against each other, creating a more intense atmosphere. But if the results of the training trip are any indication, Tufts is ready for the challenge. “MIT is a great rival for us,”

Swett said. “It’s good to have a meet like that after one where we kind of knew the results even going into it. Now, after the training trip, we’ve become that much closer as a team. No one could get through that trip alone; it takes everyone to do it. So when we get on those blocks at meets, we’re swimming for people who went through the same thing as each of us.”

Pierce: “Rude wakeup call” MEN’S BASKETBALL continued from page 19

[Against] Middlebury, we simply didn’t get back on defense. They scored at least 30 points on uncontested layups. That’s just mental focus stuff. “Offensively, we didn’t play well either,” Pierce continued. “Playing without [sophomore point guard Matt Galvin, who remains questionable with a hamstring injury] hurt us. We give Middlebury credit. They really focused on taking me out and making it harder for me to get the ball. We just have to find a way to be able to fight through that — it’s not the only time we’re going to face schemes like that.” Tufts now has a chance to redeem itself with home contests against Colby and Bowdoin, both 10-4 overall. The Jumbos know that in order to have a chance

at winning the conference, they cannot allow a relapse of what happened last weekend. “It’s certainly a rude wakeup call,” Pierce said. “I’m still confident in the guys that we have on this squad and still confident in myself. I know we’ve played extremely well; we’ve shown the capability to be a good team. That being said, these next three days of practice are really a turning point going into these home games. “We need to be mentally tough enough as a team to be successful,” Pierce continued. “If all 15 guys aren’t on the same page mentally, we’re going to be in for a long season. I’m not big on silver linings from losses, but everyone knows what will happen if we don’t come out prepared this weekend. I don’t think anybody wants to be embarrassed again.”

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The Tufts Daily

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

17

Sports

James Choca/Tufts Daily

Sophomore Joe Lessard, shown here competing at the MIT Invitational, will head to Cambridge again this weekend with the rest of the Jumbo squad to face the Engineers in a dual meet. While the Engineers beat out the Jumbos at the Invitational in early December, a different meet format may yield different results this time around.

Tufts swimmers expect to be competitive in February championship meet MEN’S SWIMMING continued from page 19

peted against MIT earlier in the season, placing third out of seven in the annual MIT Invitational, where the host Engineers took first place. “Having spent two weeks in Florida

training really hard over break, it feels good to get back into competition and race against fast swimmers,” senior quad-captain Ben Moskowitz said. “Having swum against MIT lets us really know what we are up against and it will be a tough meet, but we

have been working incredibly hard and are just looking forward to really putting everything we’ve got on the table and hopefully we’ll come out with a win.” “MIT has a very fast pool, and we actually swim more meets at MIT than

in our own home pool, so we are very used to the environment there,” Shields said. “It should be a very close, fast meet that will undoubtedly get us ready again for the type of competition we’ll be seeing at championships at the end of February.”

McNamara’s time in 3,000 meters is second-best in Tufts program history WOMEN’S TRACK

continued from page 20

ing about qualifying or anything,” Collins said. “We’re hoping to get that short approach perfect,” Morwick added. “She’s still having a little trouble with it. I think that’s what throws her off when we get to higher heights, but she’s got such good jumping ability that she’s been able to clear some high heights … I think when we move her back and she gets more comfortable with the approach, she’s going to do really well.” Collins is part of a field events program whose younger members have been outstanding so far this season. Her qualifying jump came one week after



classmate Nakeisha Jones provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in the triple jump in her first-ever collegiate meet. Freshman pole vaulter Heather Theiss also turned out an impressive performance on Saturday, breaking the school record set last season by sophomore Allison Fechter with a 10’8” vault. “Going into it, I was pretty confident that I was going to PR just because I had been jumping very well in practice,” Theiss said. “My previous record had been 10-foot-4, so it was really exciting to get that five-inch PR. Afterwards, I was just really, really thrilled … and just kind of in awe for a little.” Theiss’ performance also landed

her first place in the event, which has not been Tufts’ strongest in recent years. “I got points all the time in high school, but coming into college, you don’t really know where you stand in regards to all the kids,” Theiss said. “There are so many more people, and you don’t really know the talent that’s out there and how you’ll measure up. It was just kind of surprising in that respect to come in first at my first meet — that was really nice as well.” “I like the fact that the people that have come this year spread out where we get our points from,” Collins added. “It’s a nice fact that you know you can get points for your team in something that they

StatISTICS | Standings

(12-1, 2-0 NESCAC)

(7-8, 0-2 NESCAC)

Amherst Middlebury Williams Colby Trinity Wesleyan Bowdoin Bates Conn. Coll. Tufts

NESCAC

OVERALL

W 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0

W 13 14 12 10 5 5 10 8 9 7

L 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2

L 2 2 5 4 9 9 4 7 6 8

Individual Statistics PPG Jon Pierce 20.9 Dave Beyel 12.4 Aaron Gallant 12.3 Matt Galvin 5.8 Tom Selby 4.3 Dan Cook 4.2 James Long 4.2 Reed Morgan 3.9 A. Quezada 3.3 Bryan Lowry 2.1 Sam Mason 1.7 Peter Saba 1.0 Max Cassidy 0.9 Team

RPG 8.9 4.9 2.8 2.6 5.0 1.9 3.3 1.5 0.4 1.4 2.0 1.1 1.5

APG 1.2 1.6 1.3 4.9 0.9 0.6 0.3 1.2 0.6 0.2 0.5 0.3 0.2

73.9 39.8 12.7

NESCAC

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

L 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 2 0

OVERALL

W 16 13 13 12 13 8 5 6 7 5

L 0 4 1 1 3 6 8 8 6 11

Individual Statistics PPG Julia Baily 14.8 Colleen Hart 13.1 K. Tausanovitch 10.0 Kim Moynihan 9.3 Rachel Figaro 7.8 Casey Sullivan 7.3 Lindsay Weiner 3.3 Vanessa Miller 2.2 Stacy Filocco 1.8 Katie Puishys 1.6 Katie Wholey 1.5 Kate Barnosky 1.3 E. Edwds-Bdrez 0.9 Team

RPG 8.3 4.5 6.6 3.8 5.9 2.7 0.9 3.6 0.3 1.4 0.7 0.6 0.6

While the 3k is not a national championship event, McNamara will look to earn her second qualifier of the season in the mile event at next weekend’s Terrier Invitational at BU, where the team will meet some heftier competition. “She hasn’t run the mile distance since the end of outdoor,” Morwick said. “She’s run some longer distances in between, so that will be interesting to see how she responds to the shorter stuff. But still, it’s so early that I think if she could hit a provisional time, that would be great, but it’s not do-or-die time. We’re just trying to get decent seed times in all of her events so we have some choices later in the season.”

SCHEDULE | Jan. 21 - Jan. 25

Women's Basketball

Men's Basketball

weren’t as good at before.” Sophomore Stephanie McNamara was also back in action after qualifying provisionally for Nationals in the 5,000-meter run in Dec. 6’s season opener at Northeastern. Competing in the 3,000-meter run, McNamara put down a winning time of 10:06, earning her the second-best mark in school history behind former teammate Cat Beck (LA ’08). “I haven’t run the 3k since the Tufts invite last year, so I really kind of went into it with no big expectations,” McNamara said. “In my workouts, I had been doing really well and I felt really good going into it, but I didn’t expect a 10:06 — that’s a 30-second PR for me.”

APG 0.9 5.5 1.1 2.3 0.8 1.3 0.6 1.8 0.4 0.2 0.5 1.2 0.0

75.2 44.0 17.2

Ice Hockey

(6-7-0, 3-5-0 NESCAC/ECAC East) NESCAC

W Middlebury 7 Trinity 7 Amherst 6 Williams 5 Hamilton 5 Bowdoin 4 Conn. Coll. 2 Tufts 3 Colby 3 Wesleyan 2

L 1 2 2 2 4 4 4 5 6 7

OVERALL

T W L T 1 10 2 1 0 10 3 0 1 8 4 1 2 7 4 2 0 6 6 1 1 7 5 1 2 6 5 2 0 6 7 0 0 4 8 1 0 2 11 0

Individual Statistics Tom Derosa Nick Resor Dylan Cooper Mike Vitale Lindsay Walker Evan Story Andy Davis Doug Wilson Matt Amico Zach Diaco Team

G 7 6 2 1 3 4 2 1 1 2 36

A 7 5 6 7 4 1 3 4 4 2 54

Pts. 14 11 8 8 7 5 5 5 5 4 90

Goalkeeping Scott Barchard Jay McNamara Team

S 307 55 367

GA 31 9 45

S% .908 .859 .891

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

Men’s Basketball

vs. Colby 7 p.m.

vs. Bowdoin 2 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

at Colby 7 p.m.

at Bowdoin 2 p.m.

Ice Hockey

vs. Colby 7 p.m.

vs. Bowdoin 3:30 p.m.

Men’s Swimming and Diving

at MIT 1 p.m.

Women’s Swimming and Diving

at MIT 1 p.m.

Indoor Track and Field

BU Terrier Invite 9 a.m.

Men’s Squash

vs. Denison at vs. Franklin & Yale 10 a.m. Marshall at Yale at Conn. 6:30 p.m. College 3 p.m.

Women’s Squash

vs. Franklin & Marshall at Yale 6:30 p.m.

at Conn. College 12 p.m.

JumboCast

Men’s Basketball

Men’s Basketball

SUN

vs. BU 1 p.m.

The Tufts Daily

18

Sports

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Jumbos to take the track at Terrier Invite next weekend MEN’S TRACK

continued from page 20

in the 3,000-meter run in 8:52.17 and freshman Matt Williams threw 45’8 1/2” in the shot put. Tufts also put up a strong showing in the weight throw. Sophomore Alex Gresham led the way, tossing for 47’11 3/4” to claim third place. He was followed by sophomore David Dormon in fifth, Williams in seventh, and sophomore Cullan Riley in ninth. “All four throwers PRed in the weight throw,” Barron said. “[ That was] probably our best all-around event for the day.” While the fourth-place showing may not have been its best, the team was at a disadvantage due to its lack of healthy participants this weekend. “We had a very skeleton crew this weekend,” Barron said. “That was one of the smallest teams I’ve entered in an invitational in my four years here. Usually, we are close to 60 in numbers; we had about 35 this meet. I was actually very impressed with how competitive we were with such a small lineup.” “We had a lot of PRs overall, but I don’t think any of the athletes on the team, even James Bradley who qualified for Nationals, should be complacent with their performances,” Barron said. “I think we’re a much better team than we showed this weekend, and I’ll be excited to see what this team can do when we put ourselves at full strength.” The Jumbos will look to post NCAA qualifiers at the Terrier Invitational, to be held at BU this Saturday.

Tufts teams split Tuesday night contests The ice hockey team dropped its fourth straight game last night, tripping up at Conn. College, 3-1. The game was never in doubt, as the Camels took a 3-0 lead before sophomore Tom Derosa scored his eighth goal of the season and the lone tally of the game for the Jumbos. Rookie goaltender Scott Barchard saved 23 of 26 shots, while junior Greg Parker of Conn. College was 21-for-21. Tufts again struggled on power plays, going 1-for-5, but the Camels weren’t much better at 2-for-6. The match ends a five-game road stretch for the Jumbos, who next take on Colby at home on Friday. The women’s basketball team scored a 79-71 victory last night over non-conference rival Wheaton, which it beat last year in the regular season and postseason, as senior Katie Tausanovitch put up a game-high 23 points and 12 rebounds and junior Julia Baily contributed a double-double of her own with 13 and 10 to go along with 3 blocks. Still, the bigger story of the night might be the injuries the Jumbos sustained. Sophomore Colleen Hart played only nine minutes before taking an elbow to the head that knocked her out of the game, while Tausanovitch injured her right hand. X-rays on Tausanovitch were negative; the extent of Hart’s injury is as yet unknown.

Andrew Morgenthaler/Tufts Daily

Junior Jesse Faller finished second in the 3,000-meter run at the Tufts Invitational on Saturday, placing 12 seconds behind the winner.

—by David Heck

Jumbo offense explodes early as Tufts exacts revenge on Williams in opener WOMEN’S BASKETBALL continued from page 20

sive efficiency, they made up for in defensive intensity, as Tufts held Middlebury to season lows of 41 points and 25.9 percent shooting, with no Middlebury player reaching double figures in points. “I think that that was definitely our best defensive performance by far, especially on the perimeter,” Filocco said. “They have some guards that came in that were averaging double figures, and we held them to single-digit scoring. I think in general, we just got after it a lot more aggressively, which is something that we’ve been working on and stressing in practice. It was nice to see that come out in the game.”

Middlebury threatened to stage a second-half comeback, whittling an 11-point halftime deficit down to three with 11:23 left in the period. But from then on, Tufts’ stifling defense took over, stymieing the Panthers for the next 9:32. During that stretch, the Jumbos scored 16 unanswered points, as the Panthers misfired on all 10 of their field goal tries and were forced into five turnovers. “Defensively, we definitely showed up in the Middlebury game,” Berube said. “To keep Middlebury, which is an experienced team with a lot of returners, to under 30 percent shooting was great. We made them work for 30 seconds, we got into the passing lanes, and

they weren’t able to set up their offense easily … It was great to see how hard we got after it defensively.” Junior guard Casey Sullivan led all scorers with a careerhigh 15 points to go along with two blocks and two steals, while senior forward Katie Tausanovitch added a double-double. A day earlier, Tufts exacted revenge against a Williams squad whose victory over the Jumbos last season ultimately denied the team its first-ever NESCAC regular season title. Tufts needed little time to seize control of the rematch, scoring 24 of the game’s first 31 points. From then on, the shorthanded Ephs — who played without starting guard

freshman Jill Greenberg (hamstring) and saw limited time from starting forwards sophomore Chessie Jackson (flu) and freshman Lisa Jaris (first-half knee injury) — never got closer than 11, as Tufts cruised to its second-most-lopsided victory over Williams in the last 20 years. Keying the blowout performance was a blistering offensive attack. The Jumbos shot 56.3 percent from the floor in the second half and crossed the 80-point mark for the fifth time this season. “Putting 83 points on the board was great,” Berube said. “Like I tell my team, I’d rather have a 65-40 score than an 83-[62] score, but it does mean that we can put points on the

board … To do that against a Williams team who’s typically a very good defensive team, a defensive-minded team, it’s great to see that.” In a showcase of Tufts’ depth, five players reached double figures in scoring. Hart led the way with 16 points on 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, falling an assist shy of a double-double. Junior forward Julia Baily tallied 14 points and 12 rebounds, while freshman forward Rachel Figaro came off the bench to add 13 points, seven rebounds and five steals. After last night’s win over non-conference rival Wheaton, the Jumbos will next hit the court this weekend for a pair of NESCAC road games against Colby and Bowdoin.

Athletes of the Week dayorsha collins, women’s track After ending last week’s Dartmouth Relays three quarters of an inch short of becoming a provisional qualifier for Nationals, freshman Dayorsha Collins bounced back at the Tufts Invitational to secure a collegiate personal record and earn herself a provisional spot in Indiana. Setting a mark of 5’5 1/4”, Collins won the high jump event and broke the threshold to be considered a contender for Nationals. Collins’ ascendance to a slot as a provisional qualifier has been steady, as she has experienced an upward trajectory in performance from the first meet of the season. Beginning with the season-opening Husky Carnival at Northeastern, she posted a jump of 5’3 3/4”, placing fifth in the event to lead the Jumbos. In the Dartmouth Relays the following week, Collins jumped 5’4 1/4”, accounting for six of the Jumbos’ 15 total points. She placed third in the high jump, the highest spot the Jumbos were able to achieve in the meet, to match freshman Nakeisha Jones’ third-place performance in the triple jump. Collins’ determination will help carry a team that has enjoyed a strong start to the season thanks to some key underclassman performances. Collins finds herself in good company on the road to the NCAA championship meet, joining sophomore Stephanie McNamara and Jones as the latest Jumbos to provisionally qualify for the national meet.

courtesy dan grossman

James bradley, men’s track Senior quad-captain James Bradley highlighted Tufts’ fourth-place finish at the Tufts Invitational — the first of four to be held at the Gantcher Center — on Saturday with an impressive 6’8 1/4” mark in the high jump. The mark not only won the event but also provisionally qualified him for the NCAA championship meet in March, to be held at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana on March 13-14, for the second straight year. Bradley’s closest competitor, UMass Lowell freshman Shaddi Ali, finished with a mark of 6’5”. The meet was Bradley’s first of the year as he sat out the team’s season opener, the Northeastern-hosted Husky Carnival on Dec. 6. Last year, the Jumbos’ performance at this meet was also marked by one of Bradley’s NCAA-qualifying high jump performances. And although Tufts finished in fourth place this year instead of first, Bradley improved over an inch on last year’s NCAA-qualifying mark of 6’7”. Bradley is already a fixture in the Tufts record books, as he co-holds Tufts’ outdoor high jump record with former teammate Jeremy Arak (E ’08) at a mark of 6’7 1/2”. Furthermore, Bradley is steadily inching toward the indoor record of 6’9”, set in 1983. andrew morgenthaler/Tufts daily

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The Tufts Daily

19

Sports

Men’s Basketball

Tufts met with rude awakening as NESCAC season opens by

David Heck

Daily Editorial Board

On the heels of a historic inauguration, nobody needs to tell the men’s basketball team that it’s time for a change. MEN’S BASKETBALL (7-8, 0-2 NESCAC) at Middlebury, Vt., Saturday Tufts Middlebury

26 46

38 — 64 62 — 108

at Williamstown, Mass., Friday Tufts Williams

33 56

26 — 59 40 — 96

The Jumbos, who finished 1-8 against NESCAC competition last year, again got off to a bitter start in conference play, falling to both Williams and Middlebury by a combined score of 204-123 in away games on Friday and Saturday. Tufts, which drops to 7-8 overall with the losses, is one of three teams, along with Bates and Conn. College, to go winless in its first two NESCAC contests. “[The losses were] obviously disappointing,” junior Dave Beyel said. “Going into our first NESCAC games, it’s not the way we wanted to start off. It was a big-time eye-opener for how we’re going to have to come out for games in league play.” The Jumbos began both games well, keeping up with their opponents before letting up at the end of each half. On Saturday, Middlebury blew open a 12-12 tie with a 32-6 run to take a commanding 44-18 lead with 2:35 left in the first half. Although the Jumbos rebounded slightly at the end of the frame, the 46-26 halftime deficit was simply too much to overcome. Tufts scored the first bucket of the second half to come within 18, but that would be as

close as they would get. By the 15:27 mark, the Panthers had taken a 63-33 lead on a three-pointer from senior Ben Rudin, and with 5:09 left in the half, freshman Henry Butler sank two free throws to stretch the lead to 100-60. The game finished with a score of 108-64, the first time since February 2007 — in another loss to Middlebury — that the Jumbos allowed an opponent to eclipse the century mark. Against the Ephs on Friday afternoon, the story was much the same. With Tufts down 25-19 at the 8:29 mark, Williams went on a 29-12 run to close the half, taking a 56-33 lead into the break. The Jumbos remained down by at least 20 points for the rest of the game, as the Ephs eventually took an 80-50 lead with 8:35 to play and surged to a 96-59 victory. “The mental focus was just not there, other than for five minutes at the beginning of each game,” junior co-captain Jon Pierce said. “Then we let up mentally and both teams went on runs early in the first half of games and we were already out of it. To go on that type of trip, both the distance and against two of the best teams in the conference, and put forth that kind of effort and lose by that kind of margin is extremely disappointing.” Pierce led all scorers in the Middlebury game with 23 points but was one of only six Jumbos to rattle the scoreboard. In contrast, 13 Panthers players scored, with four reaching double digits, led by freshman Ryan Sharry’s 15 in 17 minutes of play. Against Williams, only junior Tom Selby and Beyel reached double digits for Tufts with 12 and 10 points respectively, while four Ephs achieved that mark, including junior Blake Schultz with a 24-point effort and freshman James Wang with an astounding 22 points in 19 minutes. “Really, [the problem] was defense,” Pierce said. “Against Williams we didn’t rotate when we were in the zone. They were 7-for-7 from three on mostly uncontested jump shots. see MEN’S BASKETBALL, page 16

Ice Hockey

Laura Schultz/Tufts Daily

Junior forward Jon Pierce led the men’s basketball team with 23 points in a losing effort against Middlebury on Saturday.

Men’s Swimming and Diving

Williams barely edges Tufts, Jumbos split weekend tri-meet by

Amanda Chuzi

Daily Staff Writer

While Saturday may not have been the first time the men’s swimming and diving team placed between MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING (4-1) at Williamstown, Mass., Saturday

DAILY FILE PHOTO

Sophomore forward Dylan Cooper had an assist, one of his five on the season, during the hockey team’s 5-2 loss to Skidmore on Friday.

After rough weekend series, Tufts has dropped three straight by

Evan Cooper

Daily Editorial Board

Having recently had a five-game win streak snapped with a 4-1 loss at the hands of St. Michael’s on Jan. 10, the hockey team was looking to regain some momentum in the middle of its five-game road stretch. Friday’s 5-2 loss to Skidmore and Saturday’s 11-2 loss to Castleton State did anything but that. The pair of dropped decisions, part of a three-game skid, sunk the Jumbos to .500 on the season with a 6-6 record.

On Saturday, the Jumbos took the lead only once in the game, when junior Joe Rosano opened the scoring with an unassisted strike at 3:45 of the first period for his second goal of the season. Castleton junior Eric Curtis knotted the score less than four minutes later, setting off a massive Spartans attack for which the Jumbos had no answer. Tufts did not score again until freshman Evan Story notched his fourth goal of the season at 14:22 of the final frame, but by that time the Spartans had already buried see ICE HOCKEY, page 16

Tufts Williams

138.5 161.5

Wesleyan Tufts

55 232

Williams and Wesleyan at the teams’ tri-meet, beating out Wesleyan but falling to the powerhouse Ephs, the stats were a little bit different this year. “What may be overlooked is that we only lost by 23 points, which is significantly less than the 78 points we lost by last year at the same meet,” senior quad-captain James Longhurst said. In its first NESCAC meet since Nov. 22, Tufts easily handled the Cardinals 232-55, shifting the focus of the meet to the matchup between Williams and Tufts. “Usually this tri-meet between Wesleyan and Williams … puts us right in the middle of both teams, but this year we only lost by 23 points to Williams, which is the closest meet we’ve had against them in the past four years,” senior quad-captain Andrew Shields said. “We definitely made a great statement against the strongest team in the NESCAC that we will be coming for them at the end of February at Championships.” The only event that Wesleyan won was the three-meter dive, in which the Cardinals’ Dave Wilkinson beat Tufts junior All-American Rob Matera by 6.05 points. Matera, for whom the

loss was the first in the three-meter event all season, still managed to hold off the Cardinals in the onemeter dive, taking first place while Wesleyan dove into second, third and fourth. The highlights of the meet for the Jumbos were the relay events. In the first event of the meet, the 200-yard medley relay, the Jumbos set the tone by taking first and second place. In the 400-freestyle relay, the meet’s final event, Tufts took first and third, finishing on a high note. “I cannot remember in my four years of swimming at Tufts ever beating a Williams A-relay, and our A and B 200 medley-relays beat Williams’ A as did our A-team in the 400-free,” Longhurst said. “The fact that our A and B-relays are so fast shows the depth that our team has, which is needed to be a contender for first place in the NESCAC. But we still take it one meet at a time.” The Jumbos also swept the podium of the 50-yard freestyle event, with freshman Owen Rood, sophomore Gordy Jenkins and Shields filling out the top three spots, respectively. Rood continued to show his dominance over sprint events by taking first in the 100-yard freestyle and anchoring Tufts’ A team in the 400-freestyle, posting the fastest split in the entire event. “Going 1-2-3 in the 50-freestyle definitely showed off our strengths in the sprint freestyles,” Shields said. “[ The result] bodes extremely well for NESCACs, especially considering the addition of 50-yard events at NESCACs and the fact that we are strongest at most of the shorter events,” Longhurst added. Next up, Tufts faces a difficult weekend, with meets against Division I teams MIT on Saturday and BU on Sunday. The Jumbos comsee MEN’S SWIMMING, page 17

Sports

20

INSIDE Men’s Basketball 19 Ice Hockey 19 Men’s Swimming and Diving 19

Women’s Basketball

Blistering offense one day, stifling defense the next help Tufts sweep NESCAC weekend by Sapna

Bansil

Daily Editorial Board

As the highly anticipated conference season tipped off last weekend, the women’s basketball team kept the ball rolling. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (12-1, 2-0 NESCAC) at Cousens Gym, Saturday Middlebury Tufts

19 30

24 40

22 — 41 30 — 60

38 — 62 43 — 83

Nationally ranked No. 11 Tufts opened its NESCAC schedule in Cousens Gym with a pair of runaway victories: an 83-62 clubbing of Williams on Friday night, followed by a 60-41 trouncing of Middlebury the next afternoon. The wins improved the Jumbos’ mark to 11-1 and upped their winning streak to eight games. (After last night’s win over Wheaton, it is now nine.) “Of course, NESCAC play is our main focus,” senior co-captain Stacy Filocco said. “We really see all of our games up to this point as preparing us for the NESCAC season. A lot of our goals are tied into doing as well as we can in NESCAC play, so it was great to start off 2-0 … We know that we’ll be further challenged in the next couple weeks, but that was a great way to start off.” Saturday’s tilt against the Panthers represented one of the Jumbos’ least productive offensive days of the season, as Tufts was limited to its lowest point total of the year and held to

by

Alex Prewitt

Daily Editorial Board

Every year, the women’s swimming and diving team embarks on a training trip to Puerto Rico, where they

Freshman Collins qualifies for Nationals in high jump Carly Helfand

Daily Editorial Board

They say the third time is a charm, and for freshman Dayorsha Collins, that was the case at Saturday’s Tufts Invitational I, held at the Gantcher Center.

After nearly hitting the provisional qualifying mark in the high jump in each of the last two meets, Collins, with a jump of 5’5 1/4”, became the third member of the women’s track and field team to provisionally qualify for NCAAs this season. Collins out-jumped sophomore Lauren Raimondi of UMass Lowell to take first place in the event, earning 10 of the Jumbos’ 170 points in their second-place overall showing. “She was duking it out with the Lowell girl,” coach Kristen Morwick said. “I think the more the meet is on the line and the more competition she gets, those jumps will come, too. She responded really well in competing head-to-head with that girl. She’s just a really talented athlete, and we’re still working pretty hard.” Collins managed to best the qualifier despite jumping with a shorter eight-step approach as opposed to a typical 10 steps. “I was having kind of a hard time in the beginning, but then [Morwick] was like, ‘Don’t focus on the height of it’ — just when I run up, just to jump high, and then I’ll get over the bar — I wasn’t really thinksee WOMEN’S TRACK, page 17

Andrew Morgenthaler/Tufts Daily

Sophomore Stephanie McNamara won the 3,000-meter run at Tufts on Saturday, running 25 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.

92 205

see WOMEN’S SWIMMING, page 16

Men’s Track and Field

Bradley hits NCAA high jump qualifier to lead host Jumbos by

Lauren Flament

Senior Staff Writer

Senior quad-captain James Bradley may have had a bit of déjà vu at Saturday’s Tufts Invitational I, but

4th out of 9 teams

2nd out of 9 teams

Wesleyan Tufts

see WOMEN’S BASKETBALL, page 18

MEN’S TRACK & FIELD Tufts Invitational I Gantcher Center, Saturday

WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD Tufts Invitational I Gantcher Center, Saturday

93 207

attacking ... Part of it in the first half was that we gave up so many offensive rebounds; we weren’t able to get some easier shots in the break. We had to slow down our offense, and it became stagnant.” But what the Jumbos lacked in offen-

James Choca/Tufts Daily

under 40 percent shooting for just the fourth time this season. “We had a lot of possessions where the shot clock was going down and where we hung [sophomore guard Colleen Hart] out to dry and she had to throw up a bomb,” coach Carla Berube said. “I don’t think we were getting after it on the offensive end. We weren’t

Tufts Williams

spend the bulk of 10 days pushing themselves to the ultimate physical and mental limit. Still, their return to Massachusetts was no day at the beach for the Jumbos, who were confronted with last year’s national No. 5 this weekend — the Williams Ephs. The Jumbos traveled to Williamstown Saturday for a trimeet against the host Ephs and fellow NESCAC foe Wesleyan. While the Jumbos fell to the Ephs, 207-93, they managed to rebound, beating Wesleyan by a similar margin in a 205-92 decision. “It’s always good for us to swim against Williams,” senior tri-captain Katie Swett said. “They’re really a Division I program competing in a Division III conference. Going in, we knew that it would be incredible competition, but they always push us and show us a different degree of swimming.” Junior diver Lindsay Gardel was

Sophomore point guard Colleen Hart brings the ball up the court during the women’s basketball team’s victory over Williams Friday night. The Jumbos ran away from their NESCAC weekend competition, winning two games by an average of 20 points.

Women’s Track and Field

by

After training trip, Jumbos split at Williams tri-meet WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING (5-1) at Williamstown, Mass., Saturday

at Cousens Gym, Friday Williams Tufts

Women’s Swimming and Diving

the men’s track and field team isn’t complaining. For the second straight year, Bradley hit the NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the high jump at the first Tufts-hosted meet of the season. Jumping 6’8 1/4”, he easily topped the NCAA mark and bested the field by over three inches for one of three Tufts victories on the day. But despite these victories, the Jumbos fell to a middle-of-thepack fourth-place finish in a field of nine teams, amassing 123 points compared with second-place Keene State’s 126. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute took third place, edging the Jumbos by a single point with a total of 124. “Track is a funny sport because every meet you are going to have some [personal records] and some off days, and this meet was no different,” coach Ethan Barron said. “I was very pleased with the outcomes of some performances, and others just showed us that we have work to do this season.”

Joining Bradley on the highlight reel was the 4x800 meter relay squad consisting of juniors Billy Hale and Jason Hanrahan, senior Marcelo Norsworthy, and sophomore Jeff Ragazzini. The squad finished in 8:08.84, just under 20 seconds ahead of second-place Fitchburg State. “I was pretty pleased with all eight guys that ran on the two 4x800s, coming back for second races,” Barron said. “That is something that we’re going to need them to do in championship meets, and they did it very well. Ragazzini cemented the final victory for the Jumbos, running a mile in 4:26.04, five seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. Ragazzini’s time was six seconds better than his previous personal best. “I knew that if I kept my head in the race and ran it to win, then the time would be there,” Ragazzini said. “I think it bodes pretty well [for my season]. I know now what I have to work on in my races. With a combination of racing smarter and racing on faster tracks, I should be able to compete pretty well in New Englands. Coming into this season I had the goal of running a provisional qualifying time for Nationals, so that’s still the sort of the A+ goal right now.” Tufts also had three second-place finishes in the meet. Norsworthy finished runner-up in the 600-meter run with a time of 1:23.17, while junior Jesse Faller crossed the line see MEN’S TRACK, page 18