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M O N D AY FEB. 7, 2005 Vol. 126, No. 48

Rain 48° / 36° w w w. s t u d l i f e . c o m

INSIDE

STUDENT LIFE T H E I N D E P E N D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F WA S H I N G T O N U N I V E R S I T Y I N S T. L O U I S S I N C E 1 8 7 8

Researchers question Francis’ new turf n Med School researchers say new Francis Field turf does not reduce risk of concussion; University defends turf quality

By Mary Bruce Senior Sports Editor

What does feminism mean to you?

Scene takes an in-depth look at feminism and its manifestations today.

Yesterday, millions of Americans watched the Eagles and Patriots battle for Super Bowl XXXIX—but how many thought about the field on which they were playing?

Despite the glory of the game, football can be a dangerous sport. Over the past several years, researchers have developed new playing surfaces in attempts to decrease injuries and their severity. Researchers at Washington University’s School of Medicine recently conducted a study to analyze new turfs in comparison to their older counterparts—grass and AstroTurf. They discovered that, with regards to concussion risks, the new fields are not safer than the

older alternatives.

Dr. Roseanne S. Naunheim, associate professor of emergency medicine, and her colleagues studied various turfs to determine their hardness. The harder the surface is, the greater the chance of concussion. The study compares grass, AstroTurf and FieldTurf. FieldTurf, which was coincidentally installed by the University in Francis Field last year, is an artificial surface that is placed over graded sand and pieces of rubber.

Naunheim notes that many factors must be considered when choosing a playing surface.

“It all depends on what you want to do,” said Naunheim. “You can make a field so soft that you can’t play on it. You have to decide how you want the game to be played.”

University Athletics however, is satisfied with its decision to install FieldTurf and is very pleased with the results.

“We are extremely happy with it,” said John Schael, University athletic director.

Head Football Coach Larry Kindom has noticed a significant difference.

“Our field is awesome,” he said. “I think that any of our players would tell you that it is so much softer.”

B y mea s u r i n g t he G - for ce i mpac t of a n ac -

See FRANCIS, page 5

Festivities for Black History Month begin

PATRIOTS WIN!

By David Tabor

PAGE 8

Contributing Editor

Wash U is raising tuition for next year–again. The Editorial Board takes a look at the issue, suggesting the University take the novel step of hiring an outside auditor to examine its finances. Hey, anything’s worth a shot to stem the rising cost of tuition, right?

PAGE 4 Justin Ward reexamines last Wednesday’s State of the Union address by President Bush.

He also takes a critical–and we mean “critical”– look at the Democratic response to the SOTU, given

by Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Nancy Pelosi.

EMILY TOBIAS | STUDENT LIFE

Approximately 40 seniors gathered in a University City apartment last night to watch the Super Bowl. The New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles. The final score was 24-21 in favor of the Patriots. Page 4.

Full house rings in Chinese New Year

By Erin Harkless Contributing Editor The year of the rooster arrived with a flourish Friday and Saturday nights with this year’s Chinese New Year Festival production—an annual cultural performance that marks one of the oldest and most important festivals in China.

According to CNYF coordinators Katrina Yuen and Tina Ho, this year’s show nearly sold out Friday with only around five seats not fi lled. Saturday’s show was an official sellout.

“Everyone was excited about the sellout,” said Yuen. “We consider both nights to be sellouts. I don’t think CNYF has ever sold that many tickets before.”

CNYF contained twelve dances and a skit. Dance numbers included the hip-hop, ribbon, yo-yo, martial arts and lantern dances.

“This year we worked hard to integrate the dances into the skits. In the past the performance was choppier, but we worked to make it flow better this year,” said Yuen.

On top of coordinating the performance and a banquet prior to Saturday night’s show, this year’s

executive board also faced a budget shortfall.

Initially Student Union’s Treasury branch was concerned about the status of CNYF, which had previously appealed to separate from the Chinese Students Association. In the end, Treasury approved a $3,380 budget appeal for the group.

While the coordinators noted that the budgetary concerns made this year’s production slightly more stressful, everyone pulled together to make the show a success.

“He learned to improvise and use the best of the resources we had,” said Ho. “Everything came out fi ne in the end and we were able to pull through.”

The fundraising issues did not dampen the mood at the performances. Crowd-favorite dances included male comedy and martial arts.

Participants and audience members alike were pleased with the performance and the hard work of the executive committee.

“I felt like this was a real continuation this year.

The script was better this year. I’d like to see even more next year,” said junior David Lo. A banquet was also held before Saturday

See CNYF, page 2

PAGE 5 INDEX News Sports Forum Scene

DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE

Researchers believe that FieldTurf, such as that used on Francis Field, may be no safer than AstroTurf.

DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE

1-2 3 4 6-8

The Chinese New Year’s Festival opened to a full house in Edison Theatre on Saturday. The Chinese Lion Dance, which opened the performance, can be traced back over 1,000 years to ancient China.

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Washington University’s Association of Black Students has begun a month-long series of events to celebrate Black History Month and raise awareness about black cultural issues on campus. The series began on Friday and will continue through the end of the month with social gatherings, performances and speaking engagements.

In previous years, the Association of Black Students (ABS) has celebrated Black History Month with a week-long series of events, but this year’s month-long lineup represents the group’s most ambitious celebration to date.

“Even though planning this series of events was a lot of hard work, it’s important that we honor the legacy of African Americans, celebrate their achievements and honor their struggle,” said ABS President Raumesh Akbari, a junior. “That makes all the work worth it, to be able to bring Black History Month to the Washington University campus.”

Akbari emphasized that the group sought to include as well as celebrate. She noted that many of this month’s events had been planned with the hope that attendees would be of a variety of races and ethnic backgrounds.

“We really want to get the whole campus involved in celebrating Black History Month,” said

See BLACK HISTORY, page 2

Former Bush administration lawyer to speak n Olson cited as likely Supreme Court Justice candidate

By Caroline Wekselbaum Staff Reporter Theodore Olson, former Solicitor General of the United States, will be the keynote speaker at the School of Law’s 2005 Tyrrell Williams Lecture. Now a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Olson will discuss his experience serving as the nation’s chief legal advocate when cases were argued KRT CAMPUS before the Supreme Court. Olson may soon fi nd himself on the other side of the Supreme Court bench as his extensive background in law has made him a leading candidate for the potential opening for a new Supreme Court justice.

“He supervised all cases, but he personally argued the most important ones,” said School of Law Professor Ronald Levin of Olson’s work as Solicitor General.

Olson argued 41 cases before the Court, including Bush v.

Gore and Bush v.

Palm Beach County Canvassing Board.

He served as Bush’s head lawyer for the case.

President Bush appointed Olson in June 2001

Editor: editor@studlife.com News: news@studlife.com Calendar: calendar@studlife.com

See SPEAKER, page 2

Please Recycle

2 STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

News Editor / Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com

MONDAY | FEBRUARY 7, 2005

CAMPUS Administrators speak at tuition forum

the WUrld

After students learned that tuition would once again be increasing this year by approximately $1,400, Student Union hosted a Tuition and Financial Aid Forum, during which University administrators explained their fi nancial decisions to students and answered the questions of those in attendance.

Vice Chancellor for Finance and Chief Financial Officer Barbara Feiner presented a generalized breakdown of the University’s budget and how Washington University’s tuition, along with recent increases, is competitive with other top schools. She explained how the University generates funds and what its expenses are, excluding how the Law School and Medical School factor into these estimates.

She said the tuition increase is necessary to balance the budget for next year.

After Feiner spoke, Director of Student Financial Services Bill Witbrodt presented the University process for fi nancial aid.

While he did acknowledge that the University is not a needblind institution, he emphasized the flexibility in the fi nancial

Compiled by Sarah Kliff and Caroline Wekselbaum

NATIONAL Government organizations combat fake diplomas The Department of Education has a launched a new Web site that provides students with a list of accredited colleges, universities and trade schools. The Web site, located at www.ope.ed.gov, is intended to combat the growing number of diploma mills that scam customers by offering fraudulent degrees.

The Department of Education and other government organizations have started programs to identify diploma mills in an effort to protect consumers. The Federal Trade Commission recently published “Avoid Fake Degree Burns by Researching Academic Credentials—A Resource for Hiring Managers and Human Resources Professionals” in conjunction with the Department of Education’s Web site.

aid packages available and that if at any time a student’s fi nancial situation changes, they can have their aid packages re-evaluated.

Wrighton spoke largely during the question and answer period.

He and the other administrators fielded questions ranging from alumni giving, the endowment, a living wage for workers and how the University recruits and retains faculty.

CNYF n FROM PAGE 1

BLACK HISTORY n FROM PAGE 1

show for the cast and other guests. According to Yuen, the banquet was also close to being a sellout event.

Both Yuen and Ho said that this year’s experience was different for them now that they held a leadership role. Both had danced in previous productions, and while they found their coordinator roles stressful, both had fun and feel proud of the show.

“It’s amazing to see that many people coming together. It was worth all the time we invested,” said Ho.

predict exactly how and when it will occur.

“What usually happens is that the Justice who is planning to retire announces his resignation on the last day of the court term,” Levin said.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist has been suffering from thyroid cancer and news sources have speculated it will force him to retire when this term ends in late June.

At the moment, it is uncertain who will replace him as Chief Justice, although it is thought that the two most adamant conservatives, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, are the most likely, according to CNN.com.

Olson will speak tomorrow at 4 p.m. in the Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom in Anheuser-Busch Hall. William Webster, former director of the FBI and CIA, will introduce Olson. Webster is a graduate of the University’s law school and a personal friend of Olson. According to School of Law Professor Peter Wiedenbeck, Webster was instrumental in bringing Olson to campus.

The lecture is part of the Public Interest Law Speakers Series entitled, “Access to Justice: The Social Responsibility of Lawyers” held at the School of Law.

Akbari.

ABS Vice President Stephanie Roberson agreed and asserted that the cultural issues central to Black History Month are the concern of all students.

“It is honestly a privilege to be part of the effort to bring such an important part of our history and our culture back to the limelight.

And by ‘our’ I mean everyone, of any color or background, who considers themselves bound by the common thread of humanity,” said Roberson.

Other groups, both from the University community as well as from nearby schools, have been interested in supporting the goals that ABS has outlined; ABS has worked with a number of co-sponsoring organizations to develop the programs that they are presenting.

The University’s Social Justice Center is co-sponsoring a speech by noted spoken-word poet and performer Saul Williams, who fi rst rose to prominence on the New York café poetry scene in the mid-’90s and continues to be an accomplished poet and musician. Williams will speak in Graham Chapel on Feb. 16 at 11 a.m. in conjunction with the University’s Assembly Series of lectures. His lecture will be entitled “The Connection between Hip-Hop and Poetry.”

The Black Alumni Council and Black Greek Council have also worked with ABS to organize the series of events. The Black Student Alliance from St. Louis University and the student government of Harrisville State College have worked with ABS to plan joint performances.

The Black History Month Program on Feb. 26, a showcasing of talent and speech, will be a highlight of the series, said Akbari. It will feature dance, singing, skits and lecturers from the local community and the University’s Afro-American Studies Program.

Another highlight will be a lecture to be delivered by Dr. Gerald Early, professor of English and director of the Afro-American Studies Program. Early will speak on Feb. 23 at Ursa’s Stageside, delivering a speech entitled, “The Black Student Organization: The History, The Dynamic, The Future.”

Akbari expressed hope that the series of events would attract interest from students of all ethnic backgrounds. The “Lovers and Friends Party,” a social gathering to be held on Feb. 18 in the Gargoyle, is an opportunity for a diverse group of students to join together in celebration, said Akbari.

news@studlife.com

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SPEAKER n FROM PAGE 1 and he served as Solicitor General until July 2004. After the Sept. 11 attacks, Olson became enormously active in the Bush Administration’s legal campaign against terrorism. Olson’s participation in the fight against terrorism had a tragic personal aspect: His wife, Barbara Olson, was killed on Sept.

11 when her jetliner flew into the Pentagon.

While serving from 2001 until 2004, Olson handled both state and federal court cases. At the federal level, his cases tackled issues ranging from Constitutional Amendments to the constitutionality of single sex colleges to affi rmative action issues.

Between 1981 and 1984, Olson served as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Council under President Ronald Reagan, according to his biography on the Department of Justice Web site.

Recently, Olson has gained public attention as a leading potential nominee for the position of Supreme Court Justice.

Although no one can be certain who President Bush will nominate, Levin noted that Olson is in the running for the position but is not a certain choice.

“As far as we know there are a number of people under consideration…he’s maybe in a group of twelve,” Levin said.

Levin also explained that although many expect the resignation of one or more justices in the near future, no one can

David Hartstein l Student Life

Administrators such as Chancellor Mark Wrighton spoke with students Thursday night during a Financial Aid Forum.

No one knows what the future will bring.

Except those creating it.

Visit our Career Fair Booth on Friday, February 11.

Opportunities are available in the following areas:

Computer Science Computer Engineering Electrical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering Math Physics

Systems Engineering Aeronautical Engineering Optics

Check out our website at rayjobs.com/campus for further information, including our Campus Recruiting Events.

Start your job search by clicking Find a Job.

The power of applied intelligence.

One of the most admired defense and aerospace systems suppliers through world-class people and technology. Our focus is developing great talent. © 2005 Raytheon Company. All rights reserved. Raytheon is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and welcomes a wide diversity of applicants. U.S. Citizenship and security clearance may be required.

MONDAY | FEBRUARY 7, 2005

Sports Editor / Mary Bruce / sports@studlife.com

STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS

3

SPORTS Women Defeat NYU; Men Fall to Violets

By Justin Davidson Sports Editor On Saturday, Feb. 4, the 11th-ranked Washington University women’s basketball team (16-3, 6-2 UAA) continued its successful run by defeating seventh-ranked New York University (NYU) 60-57 in a closely contested and hard-fought game. The men’s squad’s (12-7, 4-4 UAA) woes continued, however, as they lost a heartbreaker 72-58. Both games were televised live on Charter Broadcast Cable, which were only the second televised games from the University’s Field House since its renovation in 19831984, and the fi rst in 20 years.

The packed Red Alert event attracted 1,143 screaming Bear fans, donning Red Alert shirts to support their teams. During halftime of the women’s game, students had a chance to win $500 by making a set number of shots in a certain time period.

Sadly, no one was able to hit all the shots needed to win the prize, so students walked away empty-handed.

The Lady Bears, on the other hand, left with an uplifting win, giving them a tie for fi rst place in the University Athletic Association (UAA) conference rankings with NYU and Brandeis. If the season were to end today, the Bears would win the UAA championship due to wins over both NYU and Brandeis.

The Bears’ faithful followers were ecstatic with the great turnout and tremendous Red and Green support. Sophomore

PAM BUZZETTA | STUDENT LIFE

Senior center Hallie Hutchens concentrates before a shot.

Patriot Games specialist has caught a TD in the Super Bowl. The Eagles responded nine minutes later, when McNabb connected with Brian Contributing Reporter Westbrook for a 10-yard touchdown pass, tying the game at 14 heading into the final quarter. The Patriots would then score on As Donovan McNabb’s final attempt fell into the arms of Rod- their next two possessions: first on a two-yard run from tailback ney Harrison, Bill Belichick leapt into the air in a rare sudden Corey Dillon, then with Adam Vinatieri’s 24-yard field goal. The display of emotion. The Patriots had cemented their place in NFL Eagles got new life after a dazzling play by Terrell Owens, howhistory with a 24-21 Super Bowl victory over the Philadelphia ever, turning a shot pass in a 36-yard gain, which put the Eagles in great shape to get back into the game.

Eagles, their third in four years.

But on the next play, Eagles fans could barely stand to watch Tom Brady played another flawless game, throwing for 226 yards and tossing two touchdowns, and Super Bowl MVP Deion as Bruschi picked off McNabb’s errant throw. The Eagles would Branch caught 11 passes for 133 yards. Once again, the Patriots trim the score to 3 with 1:38 to go, when McNabb hit Greg Lewis took home the Vince Lombardi trophy, and once again an Adam right down the center of the field, giving the Eagles some hope.

Vinatieri field goal proved to be the difference. The Eagles’ All- After an unsuccessful onside kick, the Patriots went three-andout, giving the Eagles one last chance Pro WR Terrell Owens, who had to make something happen, with the been the focus of media attenball on their own four yard line and tion all week due to his injured just 46 seconds remaining. Harrison ankle, shocked the world with took the last air out of the Eagles’ his stellar play. The injured wings, however, picking off McNabb’s Eagle caught nine passes for final throw and sliding down onto the 122 yards, proving to be a difturf to secure yet another championference-maker in the game, ship for the city of Boston. rather than a decoy, as all the Patriots fans all over campus experts had predicted. Owens’ and all over the country continue to play did not prove to be enough, rejoice. It is the city’s third championhowever, as the Patriots’ defense ship in a just over one year. sacked McNabb four times and “The Pats are clearly the most forced four turnovers, three in consistent team in football,” Pats Patriots territory. The defensive enthusiast Ryan Saevitz commented. stars shone bright, as Rodney RED HUBER | KRT CAMPUS “This Super Bowl marked the first Harrison had seven tackles, a time the sports world did not doubt sack and two interceptions, and Game officials pose with former U.S. Presidents George H.W. the Patriots, and the Patriots never Tedy Bruschi had an intercep- Bush and Bill Clinton before Super Bowl XXXIX on Sunday. disappoint.” tion of his own. The Patriots On the contrary, fans from Philadelphia are heartbroken. A found a way to win again, although it wasn’t always pretty.

After an unprecedented scoreless fi rst quarter, the Eagles Philadelphia team has not won a major championship since the struck first when Donovan McNabb hit TE L.J. Smith for a six-yard Phillies won the World Series in 1980.

“Between the Sixers, the Flyers, Smarty Jones, and all the touchdown pass to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead. Brady led the Pats all the way to the four-yard line, only to see the drive halt on his rare NFC Championship losses, Philadelphia really needed this”, said fumble inside the red zone. After a three and out from the Eagles, Eagles fan Dan Taupin, “It’s like a dagger to our city’s heart.”

After three consecutive NFC Championship losses, the Eagles the Patriots once again drove right down the field, this one resulting in a four-yard Brady-to-Givens TD pass, making this the fifth finally advanced to the big game, but failed to take that final step. straight postseason game in which Givens has scored. The game The Patriots’ third title in four years marks just the second time went into halftime tied at 7, and came out of halftime controversy a football team has accomplished this feat, joining the ’92, ’93 and ’95 Dallas Cowboys as the only two teams to enjoy that disfree, thanks to a clean performance from Paul McCartney.

New England came out red hot in the second half, wasting no tinction. The Patriots and their fans can finally use that magical time on a nine-play, 69-yard drive ending with a two-yard Brady word: “Dynasty!” pass to LB Mike Vrabel, the second straight year the defensive

By Scott Kaufman-Ross

Bobby Gottfried was in attendance.

“It was an excellent game. I think the fact that the game was televised drew a lot more attendance than there would normally be, and that made for a great environment to watch some Bears basketball.”

In a game that featured 10 lead changes, the seesaw battle was ultimately won by top-notch defending, shown by the Bears all season, as well as critical offensive plays late in the game.

Alicia Herald and Hallie Hutchens both contributed to the Bears’ defense, totaling 12 rebounds each. Danielle Beehler and Sarah Schell were the top scorers for the Bears, giving them 10 and 13 points, respectively. With 9.3 seconds remaining, and only leading by one, Schell made an excellent pass to Hutchens, who was fouled, then made both ensuing free throws, giving the University the lead and ultimate win 60-57.

Despite the strong University fan base and support, the men’s side couldn’t step up their game against NYU. It was a rough loss for the group; before their 72-58 win, NYU had never defeated the Bears at the Field House in 18 appearances. Not only that, but the University had defeated NYU in 10 straight games prior to this.

Nevertheless, it was a solid effort by the Bears. Senior Anthony Hollins led the Bear offensive with 14 points with Troy Ruths right on his tail with 13. Hollins and Calvin Williams both picked up six rebounds in the game.

Top 10 Super Bowl Commercials

By Justin Davidson & Alex Schwartz Student Life staff Super Bowl XXXIX featured an excellent game between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. Just as appealing to television audiences were the commercials interrupting the game. Unfortunately, this year featured a host of uncreative and uninspired commercials. With the exception of a few ringers, the “bathroom break” time-slot was fi lled with awkward silences and sub-par messages.

We, however, have still worked hard to bring you our personal Top 10 List of Super Bowl commercials that were fantastic displays of advertising prowess: 10) “LeBronilicious” – Though there was nothing spectacular about this Bubblicious commercial, the cameo commercial appearance of NBA phenom LeBron James chewing and popping his own flava’, sticking his chewy goodness all over his face, made it worthy of comment.

9) “Monkeying Around” – Despite CareerBuilder.com’s improper use of Linnaeus’ taxonomic system, clearly classifying the Chimpanzees featured in this commercial as apes, NOT monkeys, the superfluous use of our closest common ancestor was met with great appreciation by many viewers. The use of technical props, such as Whoopee cushions and desk chairs, flung this otherwise mediocre series of commercials into our Top 10.

8) “Does Diet Make Me Gay?” – This Diet Pepsi commercial featuring a star-studded cast all pursuing a rather handsome Diet Pepsi drinker was confusing at fi rst with Cindy Crawford’s cameo. The commercial achieved its one moment of brilliance, however, with Carson of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” who stared intently at the posterior of the Pepsi drinker and incited a throng of hungry onlookers.

7) “Annie in Pads?” – This self-promotional NFL commercial had the potential to be the most annoying of commercials with NFL stars such as Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Montana all singing the exasperating vocals of “Tomorrow,” from the musical “Annie.” What propelled it into our Top 10 was the fi nal message displayed in text on screen: “Tomorrow. We’ll All Be Undefeated Again.”

6) “Star-Crossed Lovers” – Cadillac did an excellent job in this spot, in which a high-speed chase between a father and his eloping daughter ends in the father’s blocking of traffic. A protest by the daughter arguing her right to marry her boyfriend is quickly subverted by dear ol’ dad, whose single-minded quest all along was the safe return of his precious Cadillac. “It’s okay,” he says. “Just take your mother’s car.” Hilarious.

See COMMERCIALS, page 5

NOMINATIONS REQUESTED FOR

HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS Nominations for Honorary Degree Recipients for the May 2006 Commencement are being sought by the Honorary Degree Committee.

The committee that recommends degree recipients is composed of students, faculty, administrators and Trustees.

It will meet this April to consider nominations. Candidates should be distinguished men and women who have made outstanding contributions to their fields or served Washington University and the St. Louis community in an outstanding way.

Nominations, with a brief biography should be sent to:

HONORARY DEGREE COMMITTEE Box 1081 or email to: hswitzer@wustl.edu

DEADLINE: Friday, March 14, 2005

4 STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

Forum Editor / Roman Goldstein / forum@studlife.com

FORUM

MONDAY | FEBRUARY 7, 2005

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS Write a letter to the editor letters@studlife.com or Campus Box 1039 Submit an opinion column forum@studlife.com or Campus Box 1039

STAFF EDITORIAL

Tuition hike overblown, but WU still needs to cut costs W

ashington University is one of the most elite universities in the world and very few places have such a large concentration of brilliant minds in such a small place. Because of this, the cost of maintaining our university is quite high. A very effective but not well known indicator of a university’s financial position is the percentage of operating costs which are covered by tuition and which are covered by the endowment.

According to the 2003- 04 Annual Report, the University spent about $750 million in instruction, $50 million in student services, and $100 million in academic support. Tuition accounted for just under $200 million in revenue, and “auxiliary enterprises” like housing, dining and parking services brought in $50 million. These figures aren’t limited to undergraduate students, but they

roughly translate to four dollars spent by the university on students for every dollar students pay.

For the academic year of 2005- 06, the cost of attending our university will be $42,796, which includes $31,000 for tuition with the remainder going to housing, food and various student fees. Undergraduate tuition rose $1,400 from last year, a 4.7 percent increase. Comparably, tuition at Harvard rose 5.15 percent for 2004-2005 and tuition at both Stanford and Yale rose 4.5 percent for the 2004-2005 year.

Admittedly, consumer prices rose faster than most workers’ wages did in 2004, with overall inflation measured at around 3.7 percent, the highest since 2000. The University did a better job at controlling prices than other colleges, however: the College Board reported that the average increase for tuition and fees

at a four-year private university was six percent; four-year public universities averaged increases of a whopping 10.5 percent.

When faced with the bleak reality of rising operating costs, the tuition hike is referred to as a “necessary evil.” This way of thinking is defeatist and does not address the root of the problem. Universities aren’t traditional businesses, and they don’t act like them. Businesses must do everything in their power to prevent price increases to stay competitive in the market, but universities have customers essentially committed for four years. Perhaps the University ought to model itself more like businesses to quash its “tax and spend” mentality.

This does not mean, however, that it should outsource non-academic employees to companies that refuse to pay benefits to their workers and

deport them to their native countries when they become too burdensome.

There are ways to cut costs while being socially responsible.

If Student Union can benefit from an internal audit by a professional consulting firm, why can’t the University? The excuse of “rising costs,” “convenience” and “overhead” should not appease students any longer. Somewhere in the University there are costs that could be trimmed, money that could be saved.

The University should take the lead and set an example for other universities to follow by hiring an auditing firm to take stock of how it operates and to come up with suggestions for how the University can operate more efficiently and with less wasteful spending.

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LETTER: A piece of writing under 300 words in length, directed to the Student Life opinion editors, that may or may not respond directly to content printed previously in Student Life. It should include the name, class, position (if applicable), and phone number of the author. E-mail letters@studlife.com to submit.

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STAFF EDITORIAL: An opinion that reflects the consensus of the editorial board. It is written by the Forum editors.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Unbalanced coverage of minorities Dear Editor: On Monday, Jan. 31, the day before the onset of Black History Month, Student Life published an article detailing the sentencing of convicted African-American rapist Bobby Collins.

Although the publication of the article was nowhere nearly as offensive as the acts committed by Collins, the placement and size of the article in relation to that of the Black Anthology performance were indeed so.

Instead of dedicating an article to the production as well, there was only a photo of a dance that precluded the performance along with a generic caption. It is a shame that a performance in which so many people dedicated their time to portray the struggles and triumphs of the black experience were overshadowed by the actions of one individual. Unfortunately, such insensitivity undercuts much of the effort that those of Black Anthology

put forth while reinforcing negative perceptions of African Americans.

- Olufolajimi Ige and Sheleena Taylor On behalf of the Association of Black Students executive board

Stereotypes have no place here

- Monica O’Malley President, Association of Latin American Students

Dear Editor: Re: “El Maguey: Authentic Mexican Food” [Jan. 31, 2005].

The article describes a local Mexican eatery with quite disparaging terms.

The restaurant’s service was described as getting “you in and out faster than the Mexican border patrol.”

Stereotypical images of mustached and sombrero wearing Mexicans taking naps were also invoked.

STUDENT LIFE Editor in Chief Associate Editor Senior News Editor Senior Forum Editor Senior Cadenza Editor Senior Scene Editor Senior Sports Editor

A visiting Latino couple that had just read the article asked a group of students eating in Mallinckrodt, “Is this the way we do things at Wash U?” In the spirit of Martin Luther King’s quote, “An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” let us take this opportunity to show that this is absolutely not the way we do things here at Washington University in St. Louis.

Jonathan Greenberger Cory Schneider Liz Neukirch Roman Goldstein Matt Simonton Sarah Ulrey Mary Bruce

Save the Bell Dear Editor: Please do not allow the crusade of a small minority of students to affect the daily lives of hundreds. The people who frequent and enjoy Taco Bell lunches at Mallinckrodt far outnumber those campaigning for

Senior Graphics Editors Brian Sotak, Emily Tobias News Editors Doug Main, Sarah Kliff Contributing Editors Erin Harkless, Rachel Streitfeld, Forum Editors Cadenza Editors Scene Editors Sports Staff

its removal from campus.

We who eat at Taco Bell are aware of the controversies surrounding worker wages, and have made the concious choice to still eat there. Why should those against Taco Bell be allowed to impose their will on hundreds who have already weighed the facts and made up their mind about the issue?

Unfortunately, I fear that the random survey may not be an effective way of accurately measuring student opinion. While many students love Taco Bell, the majority of students on campus do not eat there, not because of ethical concerns, but simply because they do not like the food. These students, when asked, may often vote to remove Taco Bell from campus, because to them, they aren’t losing anything important. It is unfortunate that the majority of students, who are for the most part indifferent, could tilt the balance against Taco Bell. For example, if given the opportu-

Photo Editors David Brody, Pam Buzzetta Online Editor Margaret Bauer Copy Editors Kelly Donahue, Allie McKay,

David Tabor Daniel Milstein, Brian Schroeder, Aaron Seligman, Justin Ward Designers Laura Vilines, Tyler Weaver Sarah Baicker, Kristen McGrath Justin Davidson, Harry Kang, General Manager Dan Novack Ad Manager

nity to vote the vegetarian station out of Mallinckrodt, many people may do so, because they never go there and would like to see it replaced with something they enjoy more, while at the same time ruining lunches for those who pick this option regularly.

Do the long lines at Taco Bell not speak for themselves? The students have already spoken, and continue to make their opinions known every day at lunch.

Please do not remove mine, and many others’ favorite lunch spot on campus.

- Richard Marcus Class of 2006

Corrections A graphic on endowment sizes at American universities in Friday’s issue had incorrect figures. The story correctly stated the size of the University’s endowment: approximately $4 billion. Harvard’s endowment is $22 billion, and Yale’s is $13 billion.

Friday’s story on a capella groups incorrectly said the Mosaic Whispers qualified for the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella three years in a row.

This year marks the third time the Whispers have qualified for the competition since 2001.

Kryptonite, the bike lock manufacturer, has updated its procedures to obtain a replacement lock that is more resistant to picking. Customers who wish to have Kryptonite upgrade their bike locks should fill out a form on Kryptonite’s Web site, www.kryptonite.com.

Copyright 2005 Washington University Student Media, Inc. (WUSMI). Student Life is the financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper serving the Washington University community. First copy of each publication is free; all additional copies are 50 cents. Subscriptions may be purchased for $80.00 by calling (314) 935-6713.

Student Life is a publication of WUSMI and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the

Nina Perlman, Shannon Petry, Washington University administration, faculty or students. All Student Life articles, photos and graphics are the TJ Plunk, Jonathon Repinecz property of WUSMI and may not be reproduced or published without the express written consent of the General Manager. Pictures and graphics printed in Student Life are available for purchase; e-mail editor@studlife.com for Anna Dinndorf, George Lai, more information. Student Life reserves the right to edit all submissions for style, grammar, length and accuracy.

The intent of submissions will not be altered. Student Life reserves the right not to publish all submissions.

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Andrew O’Dell If you wish to report an error or request a clarification, e-mail editor@studlife.com.

Christopher Kiggins

MONDAY | FEBRUARY 7, 2005

STUDENT LIFE

5

Revive Palestinian advocacy

By Rashied Amini Op-ed submission

T

he past few weeks have been very important in the history of Palestine; the unattested result of its fi rst democratic election and diplomatic breakthroughs with Israel may culminate with an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and a historic meeting between the new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon.

Yet despite the new glimmer of hope in the Middle East and accolades from all across the globe, there is a large void left here, on campus: that of a Palestinian advocacy group.

Complete with a Facebook group, Washington University Solidarity for Israel, and occasional co-sponsoring of events with other groups on campus, it’s fair to say that Israeli view on the situation in Palestine is well represented. However, it’s quite clear that over time, one-sided advocacy will skew student

opinion at Washington University. Healthy and open dialogue, and occasional debate and contrast, are needed to ensure that spirit of intellectual diversity, instead of mindless flocking, continues on campus.

Consider how the Muslim-Jewish Dialogue group, a group that may ordinarily be infl amed by politics, works together to build understanding through similar experiences of the two groups. Another interesting amalgamation of the Muslim Student Association and the Jewish Student Union came with the visit of comedian Rabbi Bob Alper, to campus. He had been booked along with Arab comedian, Ahmed Ahmed, but Ahmed Ahmed was redlisted, and could not fl y to St. Louis.

Nevertheless, the need to inform the Washington University community of the Palestinian perspective may be more important than dialogue. Logically, before understanding can come to fruition, it is vital that

Over time, one-sided advocacy will skew student opinion.

Democratic values? Really?

Last Wednesday, the president gave his annual State of the Union address.

To those of us who voted for the other guy, it was our first detailed look at the agenda we didn’t want. More importantly, it was our chance to see our people in action. After the speech, the congressional Democratic leaders, Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Harry Reid, got their chance to rebut the President on national television.

Maybe they should have waited until the next day. Their performance was the paragon of political un-inspiration.

Of course, they had a tough act to follow.

True, Bush’s delivery was forced, as usual (especially on the long words). But after reading the transcript, I must admit that it was a genuinely good speech.

The policy ideas Bush laid out had enough detail to sound doable but were vague enough to be widely acceptable.

Stylistically speaking, they were presented simply and directly. Take Social security: the President clearly explained the problem and his proposed solution. If I hadn’t already read enough to know how god-awful and unnecessary his plan actually is, I would have been convinced he was right.

But Bush wasn’t only strong on Social Security – he had a genuine vision. However we feel about the Iraq war, we must admit that his vision of international affairs is impressive. It was best summed up by the address’s last line: “The road of Providence is uneven and unpredictable – yet we know where it leads: it leads to freedom.”

That is, God has made freedom the goal of human progress, and America should be one of His agents for reaching that goal. It’s a strong, simple message that appeals to Americans’ fundamental, patriotic belief in the goodness of democracy. It honors our forefathers by remembering the dangers posed by tyranny and totalitarianism. It promises a solution to the problem of Islamic fundamentalist terrorism by spreading democracy and prosperity in the Middle East.

The Democrats, by contrast, came off as intellectually and emotionally flaccid.

Reid gave a way-too-long introduction about growing up in Nevada. But wait: eventually he came to the good part, that part where he told us “what Democrats

Justin Ward

believe...where we stand and...what we’ll fight for.” What was this great inspirational message to counter Bush’s foreign policy ideals? To rally the party faithful?

Answer: “It’s time we invested in America’s future and made sure our people have the skills to compete and thrive in a 21stcentury economy.”

Ouch. It’s hard to think of a more boring Clintonian commonplace. Then again, at least Clinton would say it eloquently and spend the next five hours going into details about how the vague vision would be realized. The only good thing about Reid’s rebuttal was the term “birth tax,” a delightfully clever spin on the president’s very nasty budget deficits.

Other attempts at cleverness, however, would have been better left unattempted.

Most notorious were the lame jokes about gambling (Reid is from Nevada) and the movie “Groundhog Day.” Overall, Reid failed to take advantage of his party’s natural advantage on domestic policy by making points that sounded nit-picky or like worthless rhetoric. He forgot Politics 101: you can use worthless rhetoric, but it should sound like great rhetoric.

Pelosi was given the even more unfortunate task of describing the Democrats’ foreign and military policy. Since this policy is virtually non-existent, all she could give us was a series of now-clichéd observations. For example: “responsibility for Iraqi security must be transferred to the Iraqis as soon as possible.” Wow – I thought we were going to hand things over to the Syrians.

The president says the same thing: we all know he hasn’t been able to do it, but we still don’t really know how Pelosi would do it better.

Overall, the Democrats’ suggestions all sounded as if they’d been written by poorly-paid policy wonks with no values.

Bush read us the Republicans’ creed: domestically they’re anti-gay and antigovernment-spending (except on the military and Homeland Security); internationally they’re pro-interventionism and pro-democracy (except a few paleoconservatives).

What do the Democrats value? Evidently, the answer is, improved job training and “supporting the troops.” Now that’s the kind of vision that wins mid-term elections. It might even get half of the Democratic congressmen reelected.

Then again, I’ve been known to be an optimist.

The Democrats came off as intellectually and emotionally flaccid.

BY SARAH ULREY

How are you dealing with the winter here?

At first, I actually hated it. I came here with one sweater because I had no idea. I saw movies when I was little and saw people walking in the cold with coats but I’d never really thought about it.

Did you have one of those experiences where you saw snow for the first time?

Yeah, I fell. I was late for a class so I started running. The class was Ecomp, freshman year.

-celerometer device hitting the different surfaces, the researchers discovered that foam-padded AstroTurf was as soft as the new FieldTurf.

AstroTurf laid over an inch of foam padding had a maximum G-force of 183.9 while the FieldTurf peaked at 184.

Some fi nd this hard to believe and insist from personal experience that FieldTurf is a much softer surface.

“I’ve been on AstroTurf and playing on AstroTurf, even with a fair amount of cushion, is still a much harder surface,” said Kindbom. “It [FieldTurf] is still so much softer—I mean there is no comparison. It would be like comparing foam rubber and brick.”

Schael agrees with researchers that grass is no longer the best surface and cites its hardness as one of the reasons the University decided to install FieldTurf. Prior to last September, Francis Field had a grass surface.

“The field always looked great and was very playable at the beginning of the season,” said Schael. “You really didn’t have much cushion when you got into the latter part of the season.

This was probably the least liked field in all of the UAA [University Athletic Association].”

The University did extensive research before installing the FieldTurf. Safety was one of the primary considerations when choosing the best surface.

“In everything that we do, safety comes fi rst,” said Kindbom. “I don’t know anybody that gave us any kind of a negative report because it [FieldTurf] was too hard.”

Schael agreed that safety for all athletes is his top priority.

“It was extremely important to us and our athletic trainers and athletic personal because we want a field that is going to be safe and playable—not just for football, but for all our other sports,” Schael said.

Naunheim’s team, however, discovered that the FieldTurf rubber surface compacts and hardens in high traffic areas, increasing the risk of injury.

“More high-use areas were considered compacted,” explained Naunheim.

Although the number of athlete concussions has not decreased since the installation of the

What brought you to Wash U? I had never heard of Wash U before and I was applying for Berkeley and a really well known fashion school in New York. I needed to get the common application and when I finished the application, I realized that I could apply for a lot more schools. I read our school’s name and I think I read the whole thing but I didn’t realize St. Louis was actually a place.

SENIOR SCENE EDITOR

Your being here today is a total accident?

Yeah, I thought it was in D.C. and I thought, ‘I like D.C. a lot.’ I really liked the subway there.

Then later I got the letter in the mail and it was like, ‘Congratulations.…Washington University in St. Louis!’

What is home like?

My mom designed our house. It has three levels built up a slope. On the top floor the walls are glass and you can see the tops of the trees and it feels like you are really high up.

Have you had any wildlife encounters?

We found a boa-constrictor. There is a river that runs on the property, but we knew the constrictor was there because of our dogs that we breed.

What kind of dogs?

Golden retrievers and rottweilers. We had 20 of each. We heard the dog bark in a very anguished way. We went down and the boa constrictor was trying to strangle it. My brother came and shot it, and it took 20 pellets.

It must have been huge! How long was it?

two year life span was an exciting one; they had presented lectures on the situation in Palestine, hosted a Sakina week, created a mock Palestinian refugee camp in the Women’s Building Formal Lounge, and created a mini wall to mock the one being constructed

by Israel. However, this year it had shriveled to half a stand in last semester’s club fair.

According to articles written in years past, the creation of Sakina spawned more hope and interest in dialogue between the Muslim Student Association and the Jewish Student Union than controversy.

While there may have been less interest than years before, it is vital, now more than ever, that Sakina be revived. Abbas’ rise to power is a signal for hope in Palestine, but before progress can be made in the future, it is necessary to understand the errors of the past. Without Sakina, this cannot be done on campus.

Rashied is a freshman in Engineering. He can be reached via e-mail at rba1@wustl.edu.

FIELD TURF n FROM PAGE 1

Justin is a senior in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached via e-mail at forum@studlife.com.

What do you miss about home when youʼre in St. Louis?

I miss drinking coconuts. That’s the first thing I do when I get home.

people be informed. Unfortunately, it’s quite unlikely that Solidarity for Israel will openly discuss many facts on the confl ict, facts like the illegality of The Wall, which separates many parts of the Palestinian-controlled West Bank, the Israeli state policy on assassination, the perpetual apartheid state that has totaled the Palestinian economy and living standards, and others may never have exposure on campus without a Palestinian advocacy group. Provocative? Yes. Will it cause anger? Likely. But will it tear campus apart? Unlikely. Upon doing some research, a Palestinian group has empirically been very good idea.

Sakina, Arabic for “tranquility,” was a group formed two years ago on Washington University campus in order “balance already-present Israeli voices on campus with Palestinian ones,” according to Margaret Bauer [“Palestinian supporters hope to foster dialog,” news story, Sept. 24, 2002]. Sakina’s

new surface, University Athletics does not attribute this to the new field.

Schael notes that further investigation would be needed to verify the research because it is unknown whether the injuries occurred at home, in games or practice, or away on other fields.

Researchers believe that the compaction of FieldTurf is attributable to the rubber granules.

“It can get compacted, much as one would think about woodchips on a playground,” said Naunheim. “This happens in any subsurface that are little pieces of something that can get closer and closer together.”

Although standard maintenance for FieldTurf requires mixing the rubber base, researchers found that this was not sufficient to prevent compaction.

The University, which spent close to $650,000 to install the FieldTurf, adheres to the suggested maintenance.

“You brush and rake [the field] so that you fibrillate the mixture of sand and rubber,” said Schael.

Despite the concussion risks of FieldTurf compaction, University researchers note that the surface is beneficial to preventing other injuries. The fiber used in FieldTurf is softer and less abrasive than the material used in AstroTurf.

AstroTurf “causes a lot of rug burn because people get caught in the blades of grass because they not very flexible, and they can twist their knees and sprain their ankles,” said Naunheim.

While the debate over the best turf is likely to continue, the FieldTurf tested in the study is slightly different from that found on Francis Field. Although both are FieldTurf, the surface tested was laid over concrete, while the University field is laid over 11 inches of gravel and two inches of fi ner grade stone.

In addition, due to the contact inherent in most sports, injuries are inevitable.

“I don’t know how you will ever eliminate them all—you won’t because of the nature of the sport,” said Schael. “The good thing about football is that the coaches really take the time to teach proper techniques…I am very proud of our coaches for all the time they take to teach those methods and techniques.”

COMMERCIALS n FROM PAGE 3 5) “Can’t Touch This” – The anachronistic appearance of 80’s star MC Hammer, donning his ever-present parachute pants, was enough to secure this Lay’s commercial in our Top 10 shrine, but its path to the Top 5 was guaranteed by a bunch of pre-pubescents hurling him over a fence and off the screen, where he belongs.

4) “Don’t Judge Too Quickly” – Ameriquest did a fantastic job with its series of commercials, warning viewers to not judge a book by its cover. The combination of an upstanding businessman announcing in his hands-free mobile device that the person on the other line is being robbed, with a tomato-lathered kitty cat staring down a butcher knife is a classic.

3) “Pictures from Mardi Gras” – Budweiser’s witty combination of the camera phone, football, and straight-up macking created a tour de force of comedy. That’ll teach all you ticket holders to leave your significant others at home when you go to the big game.

2) “Drunken Skydiving” – Taking home the No. 2 spot on our coveted Top 10 list is another Budweiser commercial. Post- 9/11 aviation laws were clearly not being followed as the pilot threw caution (and his body) to the wind, leaving the cockpit and the airplane to the hands of a scared skydiver to go after a six-pack falling through 35,000 feet of air.

(Drum roll please….)

1) “10 Steps to Success” – FedEx and Kinko’s hit this nail on the head with their self-deprecating advertisement, claiming to study fi lm better than the preceding nine members of this list. Displaying a stroke of comedic genius, they offered a 10-step formula guaranteeing its No. 1 place on our prestigious Top 10 list and a sacred spot in the annals of Super Bowl commercial lure. Dating back to the creation of time, the groin kick has left millions in pain and countless others in contorted laughter. This one was clearly no exception.

We have the skin in our living room. It’s kind of creepy. It’s maybe from about here until the end of that bench over there [a space about 15 feet long].

El Salvador was experiencing civil war during the ‘80s, meaning that you grew up with that turmoil all around you. What was that like?

I have no memory of that. I knew I was alive and I knew that I was in the backseat when my mom was driving, and there were dead people in the road. We moved houses a lot during that time, to find a safer place. Most of my friends remember; I just don’t remember anything. I don’t know why.

The civil war ended in ʼ91.

How much does the past affect everyday life in El Salvador?

It’s all in history books now.

In my American school we learned world history and American history and we always had those huge books, the Houston Mifflin books, and the only thing they’d have about El Salvador was the war.

It was a horrible thing back then but I think the country has moved very quickly.

What issues worry you when you think about El Salvador?

I try not to worry about anything. People here study

economics or international studies and they want to go out and save the world. I’m like, ‘no, you are not going to save the world.’ I mean, it’s good to help, and good to try. NGOs are good; I want to do that too. I worked a lot with NGOs in El Salvador and something that I learned was that it is not about how many you help. It is more about how human you are and interaction.

What do you want to do?

I want to help the indigenous population in El Salvador. I want my designs to be [made out of] Salvadorian textiles. I want to promote their talent through my designs.

Name: Barbara Moran Age: 22 Major: Fashion design Hometown: Panchimalco, El Salvador Population: 31,766

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Your Horoscope for Monday, February 7, 2005

By Linda C. Black, Tribune Media Services Today’s Birthday (02-07-05). Obligations and preparations take up a good deal of time during the next few months. Be careful, and put in the extra effort now. From spring on, it’s all downhill.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is an 7. You’re almost past the hardest part. Soon you can celebrate whatever ground you’ve taken, and the fact that you’ve come through in good shape.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 6. You’d like to get out and stretch your legs, but there’s so much work to be done, and more coming in all the time. You’d better stick close to the job.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 9. Be frugal and continue to concentrate on paying off old bills. This doesn’t have

to interfere with your fun, you’ll have plenty of that.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is a 6. Only hold out for the points that are really the most important to you. In the negotiations, watch out for your family, too.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is a 7. A delicate situation may be hard to understand, if you’re emotionally involved. A little detachment is probably a good idea.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 7. A person who’s very dear to you has a hidden pain. You may not be able to take it away, but you can provide comic relief. Humor’s a great medicine.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 7. You’re surrounded by love even more than usual for the next couple of days. Set aside extra time to share with those who mean the most to you.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 6. You’re in a difficult situation, but don’t get obsessed with that. In about a week, conditions will change, big time, in your favor.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 7. Yes, you have suffered enormously, and deserve whatever you want. That doesn’t mean you should get it, though. Everyone deserves everything. So what?

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 7. Another’s generosity works in your favor now, and for the next several days. Make the most of it.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is a 7. Set your own worries aside and focus on joy and abundance. What you think about affects your final outcome, you know.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 6. Give yourself plenty of time for contemplation over the next few days. Mull over what you’re

Scene Editor /Sarah Ulrey / scene@studlife.com

CAMPUS SPOTLIGHT

MONDAY | FEBRUARY 7, 2005

STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

OUT OF THE BLUE

It’s Friday afternoon, and junior Craig Aubuchon has a very important call to make. He puts the Styrofoam receiver to his ear and waits. Suddenly, a piercing shriek followed by giggles reverberates down the string into his awaiting ear, forcing him to “hang up” on 6-year-old Cierra, who, in theory, is learning phone etiquette.

Temporary deafness is just one side-effect of taking part in Out of the Blue (OOTB). Every Friday, Wash U students visit the West End Community Center for fun and games with the 30 children who take part in the Center’s after school program with Better Family Life, an organization that serves at-risk children in St. Louis.

“What we do is a community outreach program which provides at-risk kids with mentoring and support,” explained OOTB co-president Cynthia Ivy, a junior. “We do that through out-of-the-classroom learning experiences and fun activities.”

In the past, OOTB has done everything from making ice cream to indoor rock climbing.

“We get to come up with all of the activities ourselves,” said co-president junior Michelle Wang. “We go on field trips, and we promote literacy. It’s pretty much what we want to make of it and what we want to give to the kids.”

Planning, however, doesn’t always mix with 30 kids on a Friday afternoon.

“The kids get kind of rowdy sometimes,” said copresident junior Kelly Centolella. “But we’re hoping that today’s activity will calm them down a little. It’s etiquette day.”

First on the agenda for etiquette day was making telephones out of Styrofoam cups and string in order to practice phone etiquette. Coincidentally, phone-making supplies are perfect for playing tug-of-war, ideal for throwing at moving targets and stylish headwear for both kids and volunteers.

“I was so amazed at how friendly, adorable and energetic

By Kristin McGrath the kids are,” said OOTB new-comer, freshman Heidi Kim. Regular Features Editor “Getting outside our Wash U bubble is just so refreshing,

EXTREME TITILLATION

TITILLATING

MILDLY TITILLATING

NO TITILLATION WHATSOEVER

“The soul of Modai is defined as an era of Japanese cuisine: cultured by modern elegance, music and design for your dining and social experience.” That was exactly what we were thinking.

Modai is the trendiest new restaurant and bar on the Loop, and their atmosphere truly embodies their philosophy. Modai has only been open on the far end of the Loop for about two months, but it has already become a popular Wednesday night bar scene among Wash U students.

Modai advertises their Wednesday nights as “Young Einstein Night” at the bar, inviting all of us geniuses who like to get wasted in the middle of the week to come and take advantage of the price specials. From 9 to10 pm, beers are only $1, and from 10 to 11pm, sake shots are also only $1. You definitely will not feel like Einstein on Thursday morning.

As you walk in the door, your eyes will immediately fixate on Beth, the bartender. Paul Schuster, a senior, is a regular of Modai.

“Beth is no doubt the best bartender in St. Louis,” Schuster said. “When she pours the sake, it just goes down so smooth.”

The metallic bar and interior decor are dimly lit by hanging glass lamps and candlelight that draws your attention to the center of the room. The center houses Hattori Hanzo, the sushi chef, as well as hundreds of bottles of the finest alcoholic nectars that seem to glow with rays from the Land of the Rising Sun. DJ Crucial rocks the mike on Wednesdays, spinning quality hip-hop tracks. On Thursdays, he spins for Modai’s “Ladies’ Night” and what they refer to as “80’s G-Spot Night,” which offers half priced Modai specialty drinks for all the ladies.

Whether you want to be a baller and order a bottle of champagne or you’re looking for something a little fruitier, Modai has a drink for you. After trying a few of Modai’s specialty drinks, Schuster commented, “everything is so fruity, but in a good way. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

Modai has 18 different specialty drinks whose descriptions in the menu are beyond comprehension.

Jade, for example, is described as “a precious drink like the stone.” The Three Monks drink is touted as “three flavored sakes meet at a crossroad with amaretto and OJ.” And finally, “Absolut Prosperity,” is described as “an ancient and colorful drink that ensures well-being.”

Whatever.

The lame descriptions obviously didn’t keep us from trying the Monsoon, Asian Pear, Envy, Black Rain, Dragon and Gin Garden. One of our favorites was the Black Rain which is Brazilian caipirvoska with Absolut Kurant and muddled blackberries.

Modai has various flavors of sake to choose from including pear, peach, raspberry and regular old sakeflavored sake, in addition to their beer and wine list and specialty drinks.

The interaction between the two opposite and complementary cosmic forces of ancient Asian philosophy, yin and yang, truly expresses the dichotomy

Notes from Austria Having spent a lot of time abroad, including a study abroad program in Germany, I was well prepared for my three-month internship in Stockerau, Austria. Or so I thought.

My trips to visit my family in Hungary prepared me for the fact that stores in Europe close early every day (and forget shopping at all on Sundays!). Germany prepared me for the countless multi-colored and unlabelled recycling and trash Erika Hajdu, junior containers, and for the dirty looks you get for choosing the Stockerau, Austria wrong one. Wash U had prepared me for the early morning racket of construction from the building of a new apartment Population: 15,478 complex next door.

But this time, I’ve encountered some surprises. I can see the entire town of Stockerau in less than a half hour. Here, there is no Laundromat, which I unfortunately only realized after about two weeks in Stockerau. People in Stockerau do not speak the German I learned in class, and about 90% of the town’s shopping opportunities are limited to one main street, which is a very short street for that matter.

What do people do in such a small town? Quite a lot, actually. Along with the usual movie-going, café-visiting and bar-hopping, sports are extremely popular. Although the city itself is miniscule, Stockerau is home to an enormous sports center that has facilities for figure skating, handball, judo, tennis and curling.

Winter in Austria is “ball season,” which means that every weekend hundreds of Stockerau residents dress up in their finest and attend the weekly ball. Ball season in Stockerau is even popular among the younger generations because alcohol flows freely and a separate floor is always set up as a disco.

I have also discovered some sight-seeing opportunities including gorgeous parks, where the snow-covered fields and icicle-accented trees are absolutely breath-taking. Just beware of outdated city maps. There is a lovely viewing tower in Stockerau, or rather, there was.

The tower was torn down a few years ago, which I discovered after 20 minutes of wandering alone in the woods in the freezing cold only to find a cement block.

Despite my initial shock, Stockerau has captured a special place in my heart. There is a bright side to living in a small town: friendly people, shorter working hours (only 32 hours per week) and recognizing faces on the street, even if it is a co-worker urinating in a bush.

KRISTIN MCGRATH | STUDENT LIFE

players whizzed by. “It was definitely not anytime recently.”

A booming command (“West End, line up at the DOOR!”) from Robinson brought the afternoon to a close. But the exits were blocked by group hugs.

“One factor that makes [OOTB] worthwhile is walking in every Friday and seeing the kids smile and get excited that we spend time with them,” said sophomore Kristen Schepker. “The best part of all is that they actually consider me a friend, because that’s all I want, really.”

OOTB departs for the West End Community Center at 3 pm every Friday from Mallinckrodt. Contact Michelle Wang at michellewang@wustl.edu with any questions.

MODAI MODAI MODAI

between night and day at Modai. While Modai boasts a crazy bar scene by night, it is countered by a tranquil dining atmosphere for dinner.

Each dinner begins with a complimentary bowl of Miso soup. We recommend the Modai edamame, which is steamed with garlic and chilies to give it a unique spicy flavor. Edamame is the Japanese word for fresh soybeans.

Working opposite Beth at the bar during dinner hours are two sushi chefs who await your orders and wear headbands to alleviate the stresses of sushi making.

The menu features a number of specialty rolls including the Wash U Roll and the Godzilla Roll, to name a few. The Wash U Roll appropriately includes smoked salmon, cream cheese and onion. The Godzilla Roll, which is served to appear like a serpent beast, includes salmon, tuna, snow crab, green and orange tobiko, tempura conge, avocado and ponzu sauce. The very appropriately named Godzilla Roll is practically a meal all by itself.

Modai’s extremely personable and accommodating staff makes for a pretty intimate dining or drinking experience. It’s only open until 1:30 am, but look for them to keep their doors open until 3 am upon the completion of their downstairs lounge within the next few months.

Modai (314725-8330) is located at 6100 Delmar Blvd., just past the Pageant.

Spring Career Fair 2005

By Seth Dubner and Matt Reed

Sophomore Charissa Black and Roshida find new uses for their homemade telephone during Out of the Blue, a program where Wash U students visit children at the West End Community Center.

and it’s on Friday, so I have this to look forward to all week.”

Across the room, freshman Mark Davenport had met his match in seven-yearold Raven, who was busy styling his hair.

“I really enjoy the interaction with the kids,” said Davenport. “Seeing them every week is just so much fun. Ouch! Hey, Raven!

If you pull my hair, I’ll pull yours!”

After the room had become a virtual spider web due to “long-distance” callers separated by more than 20 feet of string, it was time for Manners Mania Trivia.

With the ultimate award of a snack, teams tackled burning questions about table manners, name-calling and double-dipping.

After the question, “Is double-dipping EVER ok?” was answered with a resounding “NO,” it was snack time.

Meanwhile, Brenda Robinson, a teachers’ assistant at the Center, was enjoying the short break OOTB gives her every Friday.

“I love when OOTB comes, because they do everything for a couple hours,” said Robinson. “Sometimes, they can even get [the kids] to be quiet.”

According to Erica Driver, a youth specialist for Better Family Life, OOTB is just as big a treat for the kids as for the adults who usually watch over them.

“I think OOTB is great,” said Driver. “The kids look forward to Fridays. They always say, ‘what are we doing today? Is OOTB coming?’ That’s the first thing out of their mouths.”

Meanwhile, snack time had ended and the sugar had taken effect. Kids were bouncing off the walls, and the stairs and the furniture.

“I honestly can’t remember the last time I had this kind of energy,” said senior Rena Goodman, as duck-duck-goose

STEPPING OUT

7

Senior Cooper Sheehan may be of legal age to consume Modai’s $1 sake shots, but he doesn’t have to act like it.

SETH DUBNER AND MATT REED | STUDENT LIFE

Friday, February 11, 2005 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Gargoyle, Mallinckrodt Student Center

Employers will be recruiting a variety of majors from Arts & Sciences, Business and Engineering.

For more information, visit http://washu.erecruiting.com Companies expected to attend include: ABIOMED, Inc. • Alberici Constructors, Inc. • Altec Industries Burns & McDonnell • Central Intelligence Agency - CIA Cerner Corporation • Corporate Executive Board • Famous Barr Fifth Third Bank • Fund for Public Interest Research Hamilton Sundstrand • Laclede Gas Company Larson Engineering of Missouri • McMaster-Carr Microsoft Corporation • Miller Brewing Company Mortgage Lenders Network USA, Inc. • Raytheon Renaissance Financial • SBC Communications, Inc. Schreiber Foods • St. Jude Medical • Stereotaxis, Inc. Steve and Barry's University Sportswear • The Boeing Company Youth Villages

Scene Editor /Sarah Ulrey / scene@studlife.com

MONDAY | FEBRUARY 7, 2005

STUDENT LIFE | SCENE

8

SCENE

BY SARAH KLEIN STAFF REPORTER

“Extremist.” “Aggressive.”

“Radical.” “Man-hater.” “Bitter.”

“Lesbian.”

These are the words that often come out of students’ mouths when asked what words they associate with the word feminist. Some students define feminists this way, whereas others can recognize that these words are stereotypes; however, everyone knows the connotations. The stereotypes are present in their minds. Students who actually consider themselves feminists consider this a problem.

“I am not some man-hating, bra-burning bitch!” said Elissa Bassist, a sophomore and a self-proclaimed feminist.

Nor are most people who consider themselves feminists.

Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards write in their book, Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future: “By feminist, we mean each and every politically and socially conscious woman or man who works for equality within or outside the movement, writes about feminism or calls her- or himself a feminist in the name of furthering equality.”

Those students who consider themselves feminists have similarly positive definitions of the word.

“If you want to want something and you want to have the opportunity [to get it], you’re a feminist,” Bassist said.

Another feminist, sophomore Emily Dorfman, considers feminists “women having the freedom to be themselves and not be constrained by expectations.”

Although feminists are not their stereotypes, the associations are still dangerous, said women’s studies professor Susan Stiritz.

“Women are afraid [of calling themselves feminists] because the images are so negative,” Stiritz said. “Why would you ally yourself with those images?”

Students who openly call themselves feminists have definitely had their fair share of negative encounters.

“One night there was a guy in my room, which has a women’s lib poster and a poster of a vagina,” Bassist said. “The guy asks me, ‘Oh my god, are you a lesbian? Do you hate men?

I feel like you hate me ‘cause I’m a man,’” remembers Bassist.

“I said, ‘I can’t believe my posters conveyed that to you.’”

Feminism is inclusive of movements for gay rights as well as for racial and economic equality; calling a feminist a lesbian is only negative in the sense that it is not based on actual representation. There are many kinds of feminists.

Dorfman has an anecdote of a similar nature.

“I was at a party and my friend told these guys she was

taking a women’s studies course, and they asked if we were feminists. We said yes, and then one of the guys asked, ‘Do you shave your armpits?’ I asked, ‘Do you shave your balls?’ I don’t think [not shaving your armpits] is a symbol of feminism at all.”

From sophomore Dave Baker’s point of view, calling oneself a feminist could turn off a possible friend.

“If someone feels the need to define themselves as a feminist, then they’re probably more aggressive or intense about the ideas than I would want to be involved with,” said Baker. “I mean, it’s something that everyone should be, but if you have to say it…”

For others, a feminist friend would make them a bit uncomfortable.

“I have not a problem offering my hand in friendship to […] a feminist,” said senior Kent Mahoney. “However, I do find it harder to open up as much, as I feel I have to censor what I say for fear of having my testicles removed and placed in a jar on the mantle in the common room of Lee zero.”

Although many students define feminists by these stereotypes, such conceptions of feminism as an ideology are fairly consistent with those of actual feminists. Baker said he thinks feminism is “a movement to get rid of inequality between the sexes.”

Mahoney says feminism “embodies the desire to obtain equal rights for both women and men. It promotes awareness of still-existing inequalities and stereotypes.”

These definitions sound strikingly familiar to the definition of feminists given by authors Baumgardner and Richards: “In the most basic sense, feminism is exactly what the dictionary says it is: the movement for social, political and economic equality of men and women….Feminism wants you to be whoever you are—but with a political consciousness. And vice versa: you want to be a feminist because you want to be exactly who you are.”

There is a glaring discrepancy here. A feminist, which dictionary.com defined as “person whose beliefs and behavior are based on feminism” is thought of as a radical, man-hating weirdo, yet the same people often describe feminism as a movement to secure equality and respect, which they see as positive.

“I’m all for feminism,” said sophomore Nick Niles.

Why then do feminists have such a bad rep?

“Everyone’s scared of inferior groups trying to gain power,” said Bassist. “Men are intimidated by the label [of feminist].”

According to professor Stiritz, “people are brainwashed by the media. They have destroyed the word feminist.”

She gave the example of an article from Maxim called

Do you call yourself a feminist?

“Cure a Feminist,” that ran with the explanation: “Turn an unshaven, militant, protesting vegan into an actual girl.”

Stiritz said the picture accompanying the article makes a beautiful girl look like a dirty slob to illustrate a feminist.

“The media gives images of feminists as very unattractive, whining, shrill, obnoxious women, when of course they’re not,” Stiritz said. “Powerful women are punished in our culture— they’re labeled as unfeminine and demonized—because it’s not in our social scripts to have powerful women.”

But feminists are not who the media says they are. Dorfman said that she is a feminist because she believes in “female selfesteem and empowerment.”

Bassist said, “I don’t consider being a feminist a negative.

By calling myself a feminist I’m trying to transvalue [or make positive] the word.”

How radical.

BRIAN SOTAK | STUDENT LIFE

By Erin Fults Staff Reporter

William Gunn, senior “I consider feminism to be a progressive struggle for equal rights. Men can definitely be feminists. I’m not against it, but I just don’t consider myself a vehement feminist.”

Meg Killion, freshman “I wouldn’t really call myself a feminist, and I feel kind of bad because I did attend an all girls school. Girls are cool and deserve equal rights, but I just wouldn’t label myself as a feminist.”

Lisa Wingo, Bear’s Den employee “Feminism has really evolved. Women didn’t used to have many rights back in the day, but now we can vote and we have women congressmen and judges. Years ago, women used to just be considered housewives who reared kids.”

Jamie Thomas, junior “Calling yourself a feminist is divisive and precludes any type of unity. It would be better to call yourself a humanist. I’m in favor of women’s rights, but the fact that you have to be in favor of it and take a side says a lot about our society.”

Cassie Sadinski, freshman “By definition I am a feminist because there is no reason women should not enjoy equal rights. People don’t realize that feminism has died down recently because everyone thinks we won already by getting the vote.

There is still work to be done and people shouldn’t be intimidated by the stereotypes surrounding feminism.”

Justin Richner, junior “I wouldn’t call myself a feminist, but I do support women’s equal rights. Women should have the same rights as men. Here in the United States it’s possible to achieve this equality, but we still have a long way to go.”

By Jake Levitas Staff Reporter What is the fastest growing major at Wash U? Not so fast—it is probably not what you think. According to one department faculty member, women and gender studies is currently expanding more quickly than any other major at the school, and it is not just females taking the classes. While they are somewhat few and far between, there are several males majoring in or taking classes in women’s studies, and they have a lot to say for themselves.

Senior Adam Messinger, a women’s studies minor, somewhat stumbled upon the subject in his first year of classes.

“I took Intro to Women’s Studies just to fill a requirement, and it turned out to be really interesting,” Messinger said. “Everyone in my class seemed genuinely fascinated by what they were reading.”

Before settling on women’s studies as his major, junior Dave Garland was also unsure what he wanted to do freshman year.

“I took a variety of classes my first year and ended up being most interested in my women’s studies classes,” Garland said. “I went in with the same preconceptions and stereotypes that many people have about feminists, but ended up gaining a much greater understanding of the opposite sex.”

These preconceptions may be what turn some people off of taking classes in the department.

“Lots of people see women’s studies as being full of things only pertaining to women, that men can’t understand,” said Messinger. “But really, the department incorporates both genders, and we see the topics of the class visible in every aspect of everyday life.”

Garland enjoyed his classes so much that he was able to influence some of his peers to pursue his unique major. His pledge son, sophomore Jason Nichols, ended up being interested in the women’s studies major.

“Dave initially influenced me toward women’s studies, but I found that I was also driven by a deep personal interest and a desire to understand my female friends better,” Nichols said.

“My classes have opened my eyes to many different perspectives that I wouldn’t have seen otherwise.”

Most of us have not experienced being the lone male or female in a classroom of the opposite sex, but Garland said he has gotten used to it and enjoys it.

“I average about 1.5 guys per class I take, including myself,” he said. “But the girls generally end up being very accepting to me having a unique role in the discussions.”

Sophomore Nathan Watters agreed.

“People are sometimes curious or wondering at first, but are very open and welcoming overall,” he said.

Things can get a little more touchy during discussions of distinctly female issues, Watters said.

“In one of my classes we talked about the beginning of menarche and menstruation, and the teacher said, ‘remember when that happened to you?’ I felt a little awkward.”

And at a school with many career-driven students, there often arises the common question.

“Without fail, every person immediately asks me, ‘what are you going to do with that?’ when I tell them my major,” said Garland. “I usually tell them, ‘I want to become a woman’ or ‘I hope to be employed’…and they believe me for about five seconds.”

Garland said that studying a subject he has a passion for is more important than just aiming to make money.

“I wanted to do something that I really enjoyed, instead of something another person would want me to do,” he said.

Nichols said that people are often surprised about how much one can learn through women’s studies.

“My parents were a little concerned at first about my future with the major, but became much more supportive of me after listening to all the things I’ve learned in my classes.”

Women’s studies is interdisciplinary and covers a wide range of topics with courses crosslisted in African-American studies, psychology, history, political science and other subjects.

The major can introduce new ways of thinking about women throughout daily life, Nichols said.

“I would definitely recommend women’s studies classes to other guys; they will give you a much better understanding of the women around you and what they go through.”

Messinger added, “The women’s studies department is kind of like Spam – people don’t know exactly what’s inside at first, but they really like it once they try it.”