2012-03-15

THE TUFTS DAILY

Sunny 51/37

Where You Read It First Est. 1980 TUFTSDAILY.COM

VOLUME LXIII, NUMBER 34

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Boston Ave. Boloco still faces closure

Pro II to be removed from students’ records after term of probation

by James

Pouliot

Contributing Writer

The Boston Ave. location of the Boloco burrito restaurant chain is now operating on a month-by-month lease and is hoping to see an uptick in sales, without which it will be forced out of business, Regional Area Manager Matt Taylor told the Daily.

“No business opens with the goal of closing,” Taylor told the Daily. “We’re going to do everything we can to not close it. That means free burrito days and installing [touch screen] kiosks — and they’re not inexpensive — all with the goal of increasing sales.”

Boloco’s five-year lease on the property expired last November. After receiving dozens of emails from the local community entreating the Boston Ave. location to stay open, the restaurant chain decided to retain the property on a month-tomonth basis with its landlord, Walnut Hill Properties, which is operated by Tufts University.

Taylor worries that his efforts to bring more students to the struggling restaurant are failing and recounted continuous difficulties in making a profit since the restaurant’s opening in 2006.

“We saw the potential when we opened there, but that potential hasn’t come to fruition for us,” Taylor said.

“The reality is, from a sheer

business perspective, that it shouldn’t be open now.”

Walnut Hill Properties General Manager Bruce Ketchen is optimistic about Boloco’s chances.

“We’ve worked with this tenant, and we believe that we’ve worked out an arrangement whereby they should be able to stay there,” he said.

“We’re not marketing [the property] to anyone else at this point; we don’t expect them to be leaving.”

Still, the restaurant’s continued viability as a business is contingent upon the continued patronage of its clientele, CEO and founder John Pepper said.

“We’ll keep doing our best to stay open on Boston Ave., but please think of us today when you are thinking of a place to eat with your friends or family, because that’s what it takes,” Pepper said in an email to InsideMedford.com.

“As long as we can keep the restaurant growing, even just a little bit, we’ll stay. We hate bailing on neighborhoods.”

Scores of students lined up outside of Boloco two weeks ago for a celebration of the company’s 15th ‘birthday,’ a marketing technique that Tufts student Ankit Gupta believed was likely effective.

“There are a lot people who might’ve come [to Boloco] that ordinarily wouldn’t have, and decided they liked it,”

NESCAC alcohol survey evaluates drinking on campus by

Lizz Grainger

Daily Editorial Board

Students from all 11 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) schools were asked earlier this month to complete an online alcohol survey created by the deans of the NESCAC schools to assess the respective alcohol cultures on each campus.

The first-ever NESCAC-wide alcohol survey asks students to comment on their experiences and interactions with alcohol during this academic year. The survey aims to establish a social norm across NESCAC campuses that accurately depicts the college drinking culture at each school rather than dispersing the pervasive myth of widespread excess alcohol usage, according to Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman.

Reitman said that a social norming campaign that does research for certain populations is necessary in order to educate students on how to intervene when they see friends in trouble before medical attention is required.

by

Nina Goldman

Daily Editorial Board

The Committee on Student Life (CSL) unanimously voted at the end of last month to eliminate record of Disciplinary Probation II (Pro II) after a student’s term of probation is complete.

Pro II previously remained on students’ transcripts throughout their four years at Tufts.

Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman originally suggested the change because keeping an offense on a student’s transcript for years is not fair or in line with what other universities do, he said.

“I made the proposal to CSL to change the definition after research with other schools indicated that our policy was unusual,” he told the Daily in an email.

Under the old system, students on Pro II as early as their freshman fall would have that demarcation on their transcripts when applying for entry-level jobs and graduate schools during their senior year, CSL Student Chair Brian Yi said.

“We wanted to look out for fellow Tufts students,” Yi, a sophomore, said. “I think that most Tufts students share ambitions of either doing work that they’re interested in after graduation or going to graduate school. We thought by implementing this new policy so they can find employment or go to graduate school and be successful in their endeavors.”

The new system not only affects future disciplinary probations but also benefits alumni who were put

see BOLOCO, page 2

see PROBATION, page 2

justin mccallum / the tufts daily

Disciplinary Probation II (Pro II) will now only appear on a student’s transcript during the student’s term of probation.

Tufts student crowned Jeopardy! champion Patrick Antle became the first ever Tufts Graduate School of Arts and Sciences student crowned Jeopardy! champion this past Tuesday.

Of the 40,000 people who apply online, 4,000 who audition in person and 400 who ultimately compete on Jeopardy!, Antle became part of the elite 100 contestants crowned champions each year, joining the likes of Ken Jennings, David Madden and Brad Rutter.

When asked about the moment he won, Antle described the surreal experience.

“Six weeks of studying constantly just for this one little game show. It worked. I got lucky enough to be on top for that one question,” Antle said. “It was just complete shock.

I looked up at my family in the crowd and they were going crazy and cheering.”

During the game, Antle was doubtful that he would win.

“I thought I had no chance of winning,” he said. “I was perfectly happen to take my second-place $2,000 and go home. When the camera panned across I had a smile on my face — if you’re going to go out you might as well go out with a smile.”

Instead, he took home $22,800 as the day’s champion.

After winning the first game, Antle had just 10 minutes to change clothes and walk back on for the next edition, which aired last night.

courtesy patrick antle

Antle lost his second game, coming in third and taking home an additional $1,000.

“All that leftover adrenaline got me through the first round, but in the second half my timing was off and there were things I didn’t know,” Antle said. “Had I gotten the ‘Daily Double,’ I would have had an insurmountable lead. Slowly but surely, my competitors caught up to me.”

Antle was ultimately overtaken in the Final Jeopardy round, where the clue told contes-

tants to identify a famous figure’s autobiography. He guessed Desmond Tutu – and risked nearly his entire total on that answer – before discovering that the correct response was Mahatma Gandhi.

Still, he returned to Tufts with $23,800 and a spot in the university’s history books, an impressive haul for an hour on the Jeopardy! stage.

—by Justin Roth and Ethan Sturm

see SURVEY, page 2

Inside this issue

Today’s sections

Despite challenges, Concert Board secures high-energy act for Spring Fling.

After a long run, TUTV’s “In Motion” prepares to enter its final season.

see FEATURES, page 3

see WEEKENDER, page 5

News Features Weekender Classifieds

1 3 5 6

Editorial | Letters Op-Ed Comics Sports

8 9 10 Back

The Tufts Daily

2 Police Briefs Woody and Buzz(ed) Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) officers at 10 p.m. on March 11 observed a vehicle with an open trunk parked on Packard Ave. near Teele Ave. Two individuals were standing next to the car. When questioned, one man said he was a delivery driver for Woody’s Liquors, and the other said he was not a Tufts student and displayed a driver’s license that indicated he was of legal drinking age. However, upon closer examination the officers discovered that the ID was fake, and the man was identified as an 18-year-old Tufts student. The ID and the alcohol were confiscated.

He doesn’t even go here!

TUPD was alerted at 12:51 a.m. on March 11 that a male individual was injured and bleeding after falling down some stairs in a Tufts student residence. The man was identified as a guest of a Tufts student

News

Change in Pro II to benefit students, alumni PROBATION

who had been separated from his host. Two Tufts students who had been leaving the residence at the time of his injury said they saw him being punched by a male Tufts student before falling down the stairs. Apparently, he had been trying to get into a party where he was unwelcome. The injured party declined medical assistance.

Zeta Psi-Don’t-Think-So A disturbance at 1:48 a.m. on March 11 outside of the Zeta Psi fraternity house caught the eyes of nearby TUPD officers. Some brothers were moving a Tufts student onto the sidewalk. Apparently he had been trying unsuccessfully to get into the house. The student had punched a Plexiglas window near the door several times, leaving it bent but not broken. The officers advised him to leave the property.

—compiled by Nina Goldman

Thursday, March 15, 2012

continued from page 1

on Pro II under the old system, according to Jamie Kirsch, director of choral activities and faculty chair of CSL. “We’re making it retroactive,” he said. “The policy that was here while [alumni] were here maybe was unnecessarily harsh. We hope this alleviates some pressure for students who are in a difficult job market or applying to grad schools.”

Tufts Community Union (TCU) Judiciary has the latitude to determine the length of a student’s probation and how long it will be noted on the student’s transcript, Kirsch said. The rest of the Pro II process will remain the same and retain its disciplinary value.

“We stand by Pro II,” he said.

“We’re not trying to give anybody a free ride.”

However, Judiciary Chair Greg Bodwin sees the change as a significant move toward a fairer disciplinary policy that students will

receive well and benefit from.

“This is definitely good news,” Bodwin said. “A lot of students got unfairly hurt.”

Bodwin, a junior, said that the TCU Judiciary would now be able to adjudicate offenses on a more individualized, case-by-case basis — another positive aspect of the policy update.

“I know that is a power [CSL] really wanted [the TCU Judiciary] to have,” he said. “There was a lot less room for human decision in the process before this change.”

Although CSL began talks to change the Pro II demarcation last fall — and supplemented them with a preliminary vote that supported the idea in early December — the committee didn’t finalize the decision until Feb. 28, according to an announcement from Reitman.

Yi explained that CSL spent the time between the decisions tweaking the policy.

“We were very careful about the wording because it would affect students and alumni,” Yi added.

“It was a huge part of what we talked about because we wanted to make sure we covered all bases; we wanted to make sure we weren’t leaving anybody out.”

However, Kirsch said that because changing the definition of Pro II was the group’s priority, they made sure it was implemented as quickly as possible. “[We said], ‘let’s make this change because we all agree this change should be made,’” Kirsch said. “We wanted to make it fair as soon as possible.”

Yi said CSL called and notified alumni who were affected by the change, but CSL has yet to announce the policy update to the greater Tufts community.

When CSL makes the announcement, though, he anticipates a positive response.

“I think both by the people who were affected by it and by people who may not have even been affected by it at all, I think it will be favored by the majority of the Tufts community,” Yi said.

Medford Boloco hopes to see greater increase in sales, stay open BOLOCO

continued from page 1

Gupta, a junior, said. “It’s a short-term loss for a longer-term gain; their weekly or monthly burrito sales might’ve been higher because they’ve gained more customers.”

Gupta, who estimated that he eats at Boloco two to three times each week, expressed hope that the location would stay in business through the end of his college career, but was not convinced that all of their efforts were worth the personal expense.

“The touchscreens might’ve been a poor investment, because no one uses them,” he said.

Gupta also worried about Boloco’s degree of transparency with the community, but understood that, as a forprofit company, Boloco would not be eager to reveal its inner workings.

“Why would you want people to know that you’re almost out of business?” Gupta said. “I was just curious because I like the place, and I don’t want it to close.”

Despite the cheery outlook presented by the company’s website and the CEO’s public comments, Taylor is still unconvinced that Boloco will remain on Boston Ave. for long, unless more customers come to the store.

“We’ve seen an uptick in sales, but not to the extent that’s required,” he said. “If you like what we do, come in; if you don’t like what we do, we won’t be there much longer.”

andrew schneer / the tufts daily

Recent reports by Boloco concerning lost profits, rental difficulties and potential closure have created a stir among Tufts students.

Wong aims to bring perceptions of alcohol use in line with reality SURVEY

continued from page 1

“Social norming is establishing the norm and letting everybody in the community know what our own students, to the NESCAC schools, actually say they do for social life and drinking, and dangerous drinking and how often they drink, and to let that information be known to the community to counter this myth, that I hope is a myth, that everybody drinks and that everybody drinks to excess,” he said. “That’s the basis for the research that’s part of the social norming campaign.”

The deans are not focusing on the issue of binge drinking, Reitman said. The purpose of the survey is to create a body of research illustrating that college culture is not alcohol-driven. Reitman anticipates that the results will refute the perception of colleges as hotbeds of excess drinking and instead show that most students do not partake in binge drinking.

“The research that has been done at some places, which is what the NESCAC schools are now undertaking, has shown that the number of people who drink dangerously is actually pretty low, and that the number of people who don’t drink at all is pretty substantially high,” he said. “People never hear about that, and they should.”

Director of Health Education Ian Wong said that his office has examined various data sets, including those of the American College Health Association, to observe the drinking culture on campus. He also noted that the actual amount of alcohol use by college students is always lower than the perception.

“What we’re seeing on campus is that students are thinking that other students are drinking at a higher rate than they really are,” Wong said. “People talk about the X number of students that were transported to the hospital

by Tufts Emergency Medical Services this weekend, but not

about the other 4,900 students that weren’t.”

“I think seeing the data will make freshmen feel less pressured to participate in a social scene they are uncomfortable with,” Michael Lambert, a junior who took the survey, said.

Once the data from the NESCAC alcohol survey are collected before the end of this semester, Wong will convene a student task force to work on the social norm campaign and to create a poster campaign featuring images that will grab the attention of students.

“We really have to make these images something that resonates with students, a tagline that resonates with students,” he said.

The campaign will be campus-wide and year-round but will primarily target the incoming freshman class, according to Wong. The social-norming campaign will aim to lower the rate of alcohol-related medical transports that take place early in the academic year.

“The biggest issue I have with alcohol violations is with freshmen and sophomores; juniors and seniors don’t come close,” Wong said. “The other piece, too, if you look at our data, September and October have the highest rates of violations.

I think the students are slowly learning other behaviors later in the year.”

All of the NESCAC schools share a similar percentage of enrolled students who are transported to hospitals for alcohol-related reasons.

Around 100 Tufts students are transported to the hospital by TEMS each year, according to Reitman.

“The general thought in looking at numbers of [alcohol related medical transports] is very similar from one school to the next,” he said. “We all fall within a range of about 1.9 to 2.3 percent of our enrollment being transported each year. We’re right around two percent, which for us means around 100 students per

year.”

The deans are aiming to reduce the number of medical transports per year for all of the NESCAC schools by encouraging bystander intervention without calling for change in the schools’ various alcohol policies, Reitman said.

The Tufts alcohol policy was recently tweaked for this academic year, allowing students a warning for their first violation before receiving Disciplinary Probation I. The current alcohol policy encourages students to call TEMS if someone is in need of serious medical attention without the burden of disciplinary action, according to Reitman.

“It’s not the most severe or most lenient policy among NESCAC, I know, but there’s been generally good feedback about the current policy after the tweak this year that was requested by the [ Tufts Community Union] Senate and suggested by the Alcohol Task Force,” he said.

Features

3

tuftsdaily.com

Jack Webster and Hannah Furgang | A Piece of Advice

A beautiful mind?

D

ear Jack and Hannah, Due to a combination of lack of sleep and Adderall, my grip on reality has become increasingly tenuous. Given the number of surreal things that happen in college anyway, how do I differentiate between reality and hallucinations?

Sincerely, Delusional in Dowling

Justin mccallum / The Tufts Daily

Each year, Spring Fling draws thousands of students to the President’s Lawn, and admission is free.

Concert Board overcomes programming obstacles to deliver Spring Fling lineup by

Caitlin McClure

Contributing Writer

After months of whispers and anticipation, Concert Board announced last Thursday that Lupe Fiasco, White Panda and Guster will perform at Spring Fling 2012.

Despite some students’ inevitable grumbling in response to the choice of performers, Tufts students often recall Spring Fling among their fondest memories. However, many do not consider the planning that goes into such a large production.

Concert Board, which is in charge of Spring Fling, begins planning at the end of the fall semester, according to David McGraw, assistant director of the Office for Campus Life.

One of the first tasks to be tackled is booking the artists. In the early stages of the planning process, Concert Board reaches out to an intermediary agent at Pretty Polly Production, who conducts research to determine who is touring and how much artists are asking for to perform. They then generate a preliminary list and begin the process of narrowing down options, McGraw said.

The funds for Spring Fling are allocated directly by the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate during each spring’s budgeting process, according to McGraw. He added that the fact that Concert Board does not need to acquire any additional revenue to make the event happen is unique to Tufts; tickets are free, whereas many other institutions charge upwards of $20-30 for admission.

After The Roots and RJD2 played at last year’s Spring Fling, some students expressed disappointment regarding the lack of a big-name performing artist.

“Many students look forward to hopefully seeing current, big-name groups play Spring Fling. The Roots aren’t as well known on campus as the acts of previous years, and many place the blame on the Concert Board for booking what some see as disappointing bands that do not represent the music tastes of the general student body,” the Daily wrote last April.

However, this year the TCU Senate allocated an additional $65,000 for Spring Fling — more than double the $25,000 that Programming Board requested — raising the total Spring Fling budget for this year to $150,000.

“We decided it was an excellent oppor-

tunity to really pump up Spring Fling this year and make it one of the best events on campus, because it is one of those events that almost everyone attends,” TCU President Tomas Garcia told the Daily last November. “We thought it was one of the best ways that almost every single member of campus could benefit from the surplus money.”

Students’ hopes for this year were high when the increased budget was announced, especially after Programming Board President Leo Greenberg cited popular rapper Nicki Minaj as an artist now within Concert Board’s budget.

But obtaining a larger budget was a preliminary victory for the Concert Board; there were still many steps before an artist could be secured for the event.

Given the budget and the date of the concert, the agent produces a list, which Concert Board then votes on, sophomore and Concert Board Co-Chair Nathan Harada said.

For the first time, the top five choices from the vote were released to the student body in the form of a survey emailed out on Dec. 14.

“We wanted campus feedback,” Harada said. “A common complaint we’ve heard is that Concert Board doesn’t really care what the campus thinks, or [that] Concert Board just decides on their own. We wanted the campus to feel more involved this year.”

Unfortunately, Concert Board’s survey immediately faced several obstacles when it was discovered that students were able to create programs that allowed them to vote more than once.

“We knew our survey was beatable,” Concert Board said in a press release on March 1. “We had hoped that everyone would play fair and respect the value of each others’ votes, but no such luck.

The good news was that the vote wasn’t compromised.”

Despite the technological kinks, McGraw declared the survey successful.

“I think it was very good and something we definitely want to continue next year,” he said.

Even after the preliminary list is generated, the process of selecting an artist can still be a complex juggling act.

“A lot of people don’t understand just all that goes into selecting an artist,” McGraw said. “We do our best to narrow down the artists to five artists we really like and from there we get into a

bidding war with all the other schools in the area, because rarely, [with] the artist that we want, are we the only school that wants that artist … In addition to that we have to make sure the artist is available on our date.”

This year, Concert Board had more obstacles than usual to overcome.

“Late in the negotiations, an email from Concert Board’s agent informed its members that LMFAO got injured doing the wiggle, forcing the duo to back out of its tour schedule for the spring,” The Daily reported on March 1.

Concert Board received negative feedback from students because none of the survey options were selected, according to Harada.

“A lot of people felt like we disregarded [the survey] completely,” he said.

“But we knew people wanted LMFAO, and we tried our best to get them. It just couldn’t happen.”

This turn of events, not atypical in the music industry, forced Concert Board to play catch-up.

“By the time we found out our first choice wasn’t available it had already been a month and a half of negotiations with LMFAO, we were already kind of late in the game, and artists we could have potentially gotten were already booked,” Harada said.

In addition, because Tufts’ Spring Fling is a set date — a popular date, at that — booking an artist becomes even more difficult, McGraw said.

Despite challenges and setbacks, Concert Board announced at Jumbo Jam that Lupe Fiasco will headline this year’s Spring Fling, and Guster and White Panda will open. “I’ve heard nothing but positives about the chosen artists so far,” Harada said. “I think that we chose a wide range of bands that will hopefully satisfy everyone. We chose Lupe because we felt he represented the majority of the campus’ desires — he’s a big-name, high-energy hip-hop artist.”

Although the lineup has been finalized, from a programming standpoint, the work has just begun.

“We will now be working to plan out all of the logistics of the event, ranging from stage design, light and sound production, security, hospitality, online ticket sales, staffing and more,” McGraw said. “There is a lot to do when putting on an event of this size with a lot of people involved. So the next several weeks will definitely be busy.”

We know what you mean. There’s this kid on our floor who wears a bowtie every single day, and sometimes we can’t remember if we’re in college or a Fitzgerald novel. And right now our RA is sitting next to us, unbuttoning his shirt and singing about orgo to the tune of Sheryl Crow’s “Soak Up the Sun.” Is this real life??!?!?!?!

Before you get too concerned, you should know that it’s a good sign that you’re not actively seeking hallucinogens. Your grades will thank you as well, because studies show that turning on and tuning in often leads to dropping out. More good news! Getting yourself off of the Adderall is easy! Just stop taking it. Unless you are one of the rare breed who actually has a condition and a prescription. Sleep, on the other hand, is a bit harder to come by. There are a million distractions, parties and spontaneous chunks of college life trying to cut into that precious time you have saved each day for a date with your pillow.

Doctors will tell you to prioritize sleep. But doctors would probably also advise against going through four late-night Blue Zones in a single week, so what do they know?

Anyway, is there really so much of a difference between hallucinating and dreaming?

Probably just some REM cycles or something, we’re not sure. What is real life but a series of hallucinations? Who’s to say what’s real and what’s not? Does it all even matter?

But we’re waxing philosophical here. You probably don’t need us telling you about the nature of the universe — that’s up for some crazy guys on the History Channel to decide. You want advice on discerning the reality of college life from stuff you’re making up in your own head. We do have a few surefire hints.

If you are seeing a good tailgate before the big game, or a Republican, you’re probably hallucinating. When you see the line for stir-fry in Carm, you may wish you were hallucinating, but probably not. That grade on your Diff Eq midterm is definitely not a hallucination. Sorry, bud. Maybe if you lay off the Adderall you’ll forget about it for a bit.

(You’re probably wondering why we haven’t brought up other drugs yet. Hannah’s mom reads this column, so not much we can do there. Hi, mom.)

Remember, though, that there are some things around campus that a non-Tufts student would automatically write off as figments of the imagination, such as a guy in an orange jumpsuit riding around campus selling cookies, large groups of people banging on buckets with clubs and enjoying it and people running around on broomsticks. Just remember to check with a friend and make sure that what you are seeing is in fact real, unless you’re imagining the friend in the first place. Having only imaginary friends is a separate issue, though.

Well, we’ve gotta go. The alpaca in our common room wants his quiche back. *Do you know what’s definitely not a hallucination? Our emails are at the bottom of this page! Look! They’re for real!

Remember, your queries are always published anonymously.

Jack Webster and Hannah Furgang are both freshmen who have not yet declared majors. Jack can be reached at John.

Webster@tufts.edu and Hannah can be reached at Hannah.Furgang@tufts.edu.

The Tufts Daily

4

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Weekender

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Arts & Living

Weekender

Courtesy Sydney Post/ “In Motion”

After years of YouTube fame, the TUTV staple ‘In Motion’ is drawing to a close.

TUTV’s ‘In Motion’ finally draws to a close As series enters its final season, now is the time to watch by

Alex Hanno

Daily Editorial Board

N

owadays, you don’t have to go far to watch your favorite TV show — you just open your laptop and stream whatever you’re in the mood for. This technological development has provided the perfect venue for Tufts University Television’s (TUTV) productions. The most popular of these, the long-running college drama “In Motion,” is set to return for its seventh and final season in the coming weeks, making it the perfect time to turn on the Mac and tune in to see just how talented Tufts’ student body truly is.

“In Motion” came into being just over three years ago. After attending a general interest meeting for TUTV, show creator and senior Thomas Martinez set out to develop a web series centered on college life, complete with “the good, the bad and the unmentionable.” Drawing inspiration from shows such as “Skins” and TUTV’s own “Mouthwash” (2008), Martinez moved forward with his plans, ready to do whatever he could to get his show off the ground.

Looking back, he admits that this was far from easy. “It took my being really committed to the project to make it go because we ran into so many drawbacks throughout the beginning of it,” he said. “I learned that because it was my idea … I really had to step up.”

For Martinez, this involved writing the scripts, directing, filming, editing and even starring in the series, all of which he still does today. As the cast and crew have attested, “In Motion” was and always will be Martinez’s project, and for them, his commitment is truly an impressive feat.

Martinez’s diligence eventually paid off and, by late 2008, the show had moved into production. Seven successful semesters later, “In Motion” continues, having evolved and grown into something that barely resembles what it was all those years ago. As the show and those working on it learned and progressed, episodes became neater, more thought out and far better acted. Martinez even began to mix students’ music into the episodes to promote their work. Much of this progression is thanks to TUTV, which over time allowed them to improve their cameras, begin utilizing lighting and boom poles and move

to filming some of their material in studio space. Despite this growth, Martinez notes that, even today, the basic theme hasn’t changed.

“We try to capture what it’s like to be in college, the ebb and flow of friendships and relationships and how convoluted it can get at times,” he said.

And convoluted it certainly gets. Actress J.T. Vancollie, a senior who plays the caring, overly religious Hannah Marx, illustrated this point.

“There’s a lot of drama that probably wouldn’t happen to the average person, but we’re going to have every possible situation happen,” she said.

Whether it’s breakups or death threats, drug use or relationship abuse, “In Motion” isn’t afraid to cover heavy topics. It’s this realism that makes the show relatable for college students. With the upcoming season, Martinez promises to push boundaries further with plot lines involving a character’s journey through the process of coming out, a pregnancy/STI affair and plenty of “good, old-fashioned relationships.”

To craft such stories, Martinez and his writers get to work months in advance, honing the big-picture ideas into feasible plots and eventually transforming these into actual scripts. Serving as one of the main writers for seasons six and seven, sophomore Sydney Post commented on how the show’s plot has grown, creating greater difficulties and joys in the production process.

“I think it’s gotten so much bigger, which is great because it gives us an opportunity to stretch what we can do … It also tends to present the problem of ‘when have you gone too far, when has it gotten a little too ridiculous,’ but I think toeing that line is still pretty fun,” she said.

One of the characters responsible for grounding those who toe the line is the spunky, stylish Sadie Harding, played by series faithful Shaun Engstrom, a senior.

Along with Martinez, who plays protagonist Nick Anderson, Engstrom is one of only two actors to have appeared in every season. Like much of the original cast, she was drafted in 2008 by Martinez — her fellow Tilton Hall-mate then — and has stayed beside him ever since. For Engstrom, an international relations major with almost no interest in theater, this decision comes

more out of a sense of homage than anything else.

“I made a commitment to him and I’m honestly so proud of him … He stuck to this, and I stuck to him,” Engstrom said.

Of course, Engstrom admitted there have been perks to sticking with the show, such as acting out dramatic moments from time to time. Her favorite of these moments?

“The moment that I got to break up with Thomas,” she laughed. “I rarely get to have dramatic scenes, and it was dramatic … I got to storm out, so that was a lot of fun.”

Engstrom mentioned that actors shoot for between 15 and 18 hours a semester on valuable Saturdays and Sundays, about four hours each day. This process and the complications accompanying it differ depending on the actor. For example, Engstrom noted that for her, not much effort is required to get into character.

“My character involves very little preparation because I’ve been playing her for so long, and I know the rhythm,” she said.

Conversely, for Vancollie, shaping her role has involved a bit more effort at times.

From developing a character originally played by another actress to having her on-screen boyfriend recast between seasons, she has certainly had her share of challenges.

“That kind of changed how my character dealt with [the relationship],” she explained. “There was a very different chemistry there.”

Yet Vancollie has accepted these challenges and even enjoyed them in a sense.

These difficulties have served as experience and preparation for the acting career she seeks to pursue.

“It’s nice to see how you’ve progressed as an actress,” she added.

Unfortunately, though, after seven seasons and countless memorable moments, such as cameos from University Presidents Larry Bacow and Anthony Monaco, “In Motion” will come to an end. While this holds different meanings for everyone on the show, there is a universal sadness in seeing it leave along with its cast members, many of whom are in their senior year.

“It’s time to be done,” Engstrom admitted, “and Thomas feels the same way.”

Originally, Martinez and some of the crew had tossed around the idea of continuing the show after he graduated, but Post, who would have assumed most of the

responsibilities, confessed that she didn’t feel right taking on Martinez’s project.

“I didn’t think that I could do the show justice without Thomas; he’s just so invested in it. It’s his baby, and I wouldn’t trust anyone else to run it as he does,” Post said.

She explained that Martinez plans to leave the show “on an uplifting note” and that the audience should expect “a happy ending … ish.”

As for details to this ending, Martinez wouldn’t reveal too much, but teased fans just a bit. He hinted at a “flash-forward” sort of ending that many shows, films and novels employ — take “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” (2011), for example.

“We’re going to mock that form in an interesting way. It will also service the characters in a refreshing, new way,” he said.

For Martinez, leaving behind a completed project like “In Motion” is an accomplishment, one that he is quite proud of.

More than anything else, though, he hopes that by watching the show, “people will be inspired to do their own thing.”

With the services available at TUTV, including equipment and space for those interested in shooting their own web series, such a feat isn’t all that difficult. Simply email TUTV@tufts.edu to get involved and start working on your own show.

“Really, all you need is an idea and we can get you started,” said Martinez, who is also the president of TUTV. A variety of other students have followed that route, evidenced by the number of shows now in production at TUTV. From a sketch comedy known as “The Institute” to a new sitcom coming out from junior Stephanie Fischer, TUTV is far from limited in what it can produce.

With the help of TUTV advisor Howard Woolf and a team of his fellow students, freshman Jacob Lipson has developed his own show, “3E News,” a sort of entertaining yet informative web newscast. Much like “In Motion,” hours of work go into producing the show, from developing stories to cover, to writing and filming them, to finally editing the stories to form a cohesive piece. With a sense of commitment resembling Martinez’s, Lipson hopes see MOTION, page 7

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$$ SPERM DONORS WANTED $$ Earn up to $1,200/month and give the gift of family through California Cryobank’s donor program.

Convenient Cambridge location.

Apply online: SPERMBANK.com classifieds policy All Tufts students must submit classifieds in person, prepaid with check, money order or exact cash only.

All classifieds submitted by mail must be accompanied by a check. Classifieds are $15 per week or $4 per day with Tufts ID or $30 per week or $8 per day without. The Tufts Daily is not liable for any damages due to typographical errors or misprintings except the cost of the insertion, which is fully refundable. We reserve the right to refuse to print any classifieds which contain obscenity, are of an overly sexual nature or are used expressly to denigrate a person or group. Questions? Email business@tuftsdaily.com.

Music Review

October Surprise Facebook page

The duo’s work is surprisingly mature given its tender years.

Rock, electronic dabbling yield gold on ‘Comma’ by

Kate Griffiths

Daily Editorial Board

Tufts senior Jon Fricchione’s band October Surprise released its third album, “Comma” (2012) on March 10. The band formed in 2005 when Fricchione and Conor Garrison started playing music together during high school in Harvard, Mass. Phil Stapleton joined as bass guitarist in 2008 and performs with the band during live performances.

Their sound is an experimental one, with roots in both electronic and indie rock.

Regardless of genre, the album is a cohesive journey from heavy, yet upbeat, sounds at the start to a melodic and relaxed ending.

The album opener, “There’s No Grace In It” is more “rock ’n’ roll” than the rest of the album; but that’s not to say it is misleading, as it is rock ’n’ roll in the same way as The Strokes, with the lazy distortion that makes the song sound effortless even as it builds up to a drum-heavy climax. It is also perfectly placed as the album opener, imbuing “Comma” with an energy it might otherwise lack.

“Honesty Trick” is a song more reminiscent of the “folksy rock” of The Shins; that’s two comparisons that show already the diversity October Surprise is capable of. The melodies in “Honesty Trick” are layered nicely; the progression of the track from the twangy guitar and vocal combo to the addition of a catchy drumbeat in the background makes this song one of the highlights of the album. This is also the track where Fricchione displays his vocal abilities, demonstrating a husky tone that, in this age of Auto Tune, is nicely distinctive.

It should be mentioned as well that Fricchione and Garrison record, mix and master their music themselves. But rather than coming off as amateurish, their professional output proves that they are as at good producing music as they are at making it. The final sound of the album strikes the perfect balance between rawness and artifice. One of the other gems is “Hollow Point,” which has Fricchione crooning, “I am stuck/ I’m out of breath and sucking smoke/ I’m next to a hollow point/ My coat can’t keep my sweat from turning cold,” over a frantic guitar. His voice has an eerily similar sound to Damon Albarn’s when he was in The Good, The Bad, and The Queen. Fricchione’s composition and performance skills leave the

listener with an impression of a level of experience beyond the typical college musician.

“I Lost My Head That Night” has more of an electronic sound, since it uses an electronic drum kit in addition to an acoustic one. This is where Garrison shines, as his drumbeats permeate the otherwise lessstimulating song. “Born Into It” is the turning point on the album in terms of overall atmosphere; the upbeat melodies and heavier guitar are left behind to make room

for a moodier ambience, helped along by the backing vocals provided by Molly Ferrill.

The next track, “Lost in the Measurement,” has a dangerously dark sound to it; later in the song Fricchione sings, “We gave it all up/ For the candy and the nicotine/ You should just come over/ I’m all jacked up on caffeine,” over a rich and sinister guitar.

“Morning Dog” has wistful melodies all tied up to made the most laid-back song on the album, although the last track, “Circling

Photographs,” does chilled-out moodiness better. October Surprise is definitely adept at making the slow indie-rock that pervades the radio waves in this era, but it is the band’s more fast-paced tracks that set them apart.

“Comma” is available for free downloads on the October Surprise Bandcamp site, but the band members are sending out handmade t-shirts to those who donate $10 and a handmade art package, bonus tracks and a t-shirt to those who give $25.

October Surprise Facebook page

The group’s impressive instrumental work sets “Comma” apart.

The Tufts Daily

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Final season of ‘In Motion’ begins March 27

Niki Krieg | The Queen of Cibo

Midterm Madness

MOTION

continued from page 5

“to create an environment for the rest of the team where everyone can grow, feel comfortable regardless of experience or time commitment and, most importantly, have fun.”

This program might be just what TUTV needs to keep the student body entertained now that “In Motion” is coming to a halt.

For those involved with “In Motion,” this is an emotional fact, for the show was a vital part of their college experience.

When it’s all said and done, the legacy Martinez imagines his show will leave behind is simple, yet sincere.

“I tried to present what I see as the true side of college,” he said.

He hopes that longtime fans have seen and will continue to see that in the show.

“In Motion” returns for its final season on Tuesday, March 27, at 7 p.m. on YouTube. Whether or not you’re new to the show, catch up and tune in, because, despite lacking a big network name, “In Motion” is very worth watching.

W Courtesy Sydney Post / “In Motion”

From breakups to drug abuse, ‘In Motion’ acts out the trials of college life .

The Artsy Jumbo: James Sagan

Sagan realizes boyhood fantasy, co-hosts marathon night of electronic music While many students will fritter away their well-deserved spring break by relaxing on the beach or dawdling at home, sophomore James Sagan has opted to take a different route. Together with fellow sophomores Sebastian Vik and Mike Latimer, Sagan will be hosting a one-night, six-hour electronic music festival on St. Patrick’s Day in Miami.

Dubbed “The Concrete Jungle Experiment,” the event will feature six up-and-coming DJs from all around the world, ranging from Norway to Germany to Mexico.

To coordinate such an event, Sagan and his partners knew they would need to temporarily neglect their studies and spend thousands of investor dollars on performances, venue furnishings and promotions.

“We have a radio campaign on the biggest radio station in Miami, and we have aerial banners flying over Miami and over South Beach,” he said.

Despite the fiscal and academic costs, Sagan knew he had to pursue his dream.

“This is my passion. I’ve been want-

ing to do this since I was twelve,” he said. “I love electronic music, and I think it’s such a cool way to bring people together.”

Sagan and his partners were ultimately sold when they saw pictures of the venue. The collaborative concert will take place in a 30,000-square foot open lot replete with vibrant, intricate graffiti murals. Between 2,000 and 2,500 concertgoers are expected to attend, with ticket prices starting at an affordable $25 and entry limited to those over 18.

Though the threesome will be responsible for overseeing security, bartenders and talent during the concert, Sagan and company are already eyeing their next big event.

“We found a plot of land in Northern California. If everything goes well here — with my parents’ blessing — we’re going to [host an event] there in the summer.”

Check out facebook.com/theconcretejungleexperiment for more information on this event.

—by Zach Drucker

ashley seenauth / the tufts daily

What’s Up This Spring Break Looking to make your week off artsy?

Check out these events!

Crafts Boston Spring Show One of the city’s biggest arts events, the Crafts Boston Show will display the work of over 200 artists. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, March 23, and Saturday, March 24, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 25.

The show will take place at the Seaport World Trade Center in the Seaport Boston Hotel.

SOWA Winter Market Come for locally grown food at the SOWA Winter Market, which will feature over 40 vendors. If you want more than food, the market will also feature work from 25 artists. It will be held on Sunday, March 18, 10 a.m.to 3 p.m., 485 Harrison Ave, Boston, Mass.

Jon Anderson at the Wilbur Theatre One of the most distinguished voices in progressive rock and former member of Yes will be playing his trademark rock this

weekend. See it on Thursday, March 15, 8 p.m., 246 Tremont St., Boston, Mass.

The Barber of Seville from Boston Lyric Opera This comic opera is a version of Rossini’s epic masterpiece, performed in Italian with English subtitles projected. See it on Friday March 16, 7:30 p.m. at the Citi Performing Arts Center: Shubert Theatre.

—compiled by the Daily Arts Department

Top Ten | People whose continued existence surprises us Perhaps you heard about Dick Van Dyke’s recent marriage. To us at the Daily, this came as a big surprise — not because of the couple’s age disparity (46 years!) or the bride’s “gown” (from Anthropologie!), but simply because we didn’t know Van Dyke was still alive.

10) Christopher Lloyd: It wasn’t until we saw “Piranha 3D” (2010) that we realized Dr. Emmett Brown is still kickin’. Maybe he should just gun it to 88 and go back to a time when he was culturally relevant.

9) Bob Hope: Oh wait…

8) Eddie Murphy’s acting career: Seriously. How many fat-suits does it take? His newest film got a freaking 0

7

Weekender

percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, for crying out loud!

7) Lindsay Lohan: For someone who fashions herself as a modern-day Marilyn Monroe, Lohan has clearly missed the memo — namely, the untimely departure from the spotlight. Someone get this broad some barbiturates.

6) Henry Kissinger: Is it just us, or has he been someone’s political advisor since Otto von Bismarck?

5) Margaret Thatcher: As soon as a biopic about you comes out, everyone thinks you’ve kicked the bucket.

4) Keith Richards: He’s fallen out of palm trees, snorted his father’s ashes and done more prescription drugs than all of Canada, all the while keeping

baby boomers throughout the world happy.

3) Simon Cowell: We’re surprised that Cowell — the biggest butthead of the Western Hemisphere — has yet to be run over by the karma-train.

2) Charlie Sheen: This sitcom-starcum-Fiat-spokesman can take a speedball like a champ, but for how long?

1) Paula Deen: Did you know Deen is a heavy smoker? Between the cigarettes and the cholesterol, Deen has managed to avoid two of the biggest causes of death. Clearly her DNA contains the cure for cancer. ­—compiled by the Daily Arts Department

ell, it’s that time of year again: The flowers are beginning to bloom, the sun is shining and the temperature is abnormally lovely — at least for mid-March. Spring has sprung, and we students want nothing more than to bust out the flip-flops and the Frisbees.

Ah, spring, the time for fun!

Wrong.

I can’t speak for my fellow classmates, or you for that matter, but on the eve of spring break I am bogged down with some serious schoolwork: a senior project, hundreds of pages of reading, statistics homework. What happened to senior year being all about, well, senioritis? I mean, I got into grad school after all; when did my last few months of college become such a tough push to the finish line?

In spite of the beautiful weather, I sure am feeling stressed.

So what do I do? I, of course, turn to the kitchen for solace and cook my heart out.

I find that, were I to describe my senior year in a few words, one of them would surely be “cooking.” No more turning to Carmichael to take my mind off of school; homework and cooking for some reason now go hand-inhand. Huge presentation looming over my head? Let’s make banana muffins.

Italian test on Tuesday? That calls for a personal pizza reminiscent of what I ate back in Rome. I’m not going to outright call what I’m doing “procrastination,” but to keep those juices flowing and to avoid a total mid-test crash, you always gotta eat!

What’s the best way to recharge those batteries? Meatloaf.

Speaking from personal experience, when people ask how to make a good meatloaf, the response is more often than not, “Oh ... a little bit of this, a little bit of that … You gotta try it as you go.” And, of course, to many — save my grandfather and some other crazies — the concept of nibbling on raw meat is less than appetizing, and when tough exams and term papers are on the prowl, you most likely don’t have the time for experimentation.

One time, while messing around in the kitchen, I made this meatloaf for my family and everybody — including and especially me — was hooked. I’m a firm believer that if you’ve got the time to get away from the laptop and textbooks to make this, you won’t regret it, and you can go back to studying with a smile.

Ingredients: 1 lb. lean ground beef (or turkey, if that’s what floats your boat), raw and defrosted 1/2 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs 1 egg Half an onion, diced 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional) 2 tsp. Italian seasoning or, if you so choose, 1 tsp. oregano and 1 tsp. parsley 1 tsp. salt Dash of black pepper, to taste First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Then, place the meat into a large mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, onion, cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and also crack the egg right on top of the meat. Now here’s where it gets messy: With your hands, mix all this together. Get the meat moistened with the egg, but firm it up with the breadcrumbs and spices to the point where you can form the meat into — you guessed it — a loaf shape.

Put the meatloaf in a baking dish and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, depending on how well-cooked you like your meat.

I would suggest mashed potatoes on the side, but, for now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to hit the books once more.

Niki Krieg is a senior who is majoring in Italian studies and history. She can be reached at Nicole.Krieg@tufts.edu

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Editorial | Letters

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Editorial

Keep sexual orientation off the Common App The recent news that the Board of Directors of the Common Application has rejected a proposal to “add optional questions on sexual orientation and gender identity” to its application illuminates an interesting, and perhaps inevitable, shift in how sexual orientation is treated during the college matriculation process. Elmhurst College, a private institution in Illinois affiliated with the progressive United Church of Christ, is beginning to ask applicants about their sexual orientation, and is believed to be the first American college to do so. Elmhurst’s most surprising decision, perhaps, is providing admitted students who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) with scholarships of up to a third of the tuition cost, just as they grant diversity scholarships to other minority students.

Elmhurst’s administration has claimed that its new policy is designed to provide better services for LGBT students once they matriculate. It’s an admirable goal; if a college can determine how many LGBT students it has on campus, it can design and fund

appropriate student services — including student organizations and counseling — to reflect their numbers. But an application is not the right place or time to ask for sexual orientation.

Think back to the fall of you senior year of high school. Imagine yourself as questioning your sexual orientation, or closeted. You’re sitting in front of the Common App website, flanked by your parents and perhaps a fancy college admissions counselor. Suddenly, you notice that you are asked to declare your sexual orientation, along with your gender, race and religion. Unsure about your orientation, you list heterosexual, adding further stress to an already taxing process.

A better alternative is to reach out to matriculating students about their sexual orientation during the spring or summer before their freshman fall, when they have already chosen an institution to attend. The University of California system has proposed adopting this strategy. The UC’s Academic Senate recently passed a proposal to ask students about their orientation when filling out an already existing

questionnaire required upon declaring their intent to attend a university in the system. They plan to use the information to provide better assistance to LGBT students, bolster LGBT centers on campuses and monitor LGBT dropout rates.

It is remarkably inane to ask students to declare their sexual orientation while applying to colleges, especially for purposes of bolstering diversity. The rate of LGBT students tends to be fairly consistent at specific universities from year to year, and LGBT applicants doubtlessly flock to schools with strong, existing LGBT communities. Admissions offices’ providing LGBT applicants with a leg up in their pools is equally silly, as homosexuality should not qualify as a cause for affirmative action.

The effort to determine the specific LGBT makeup of a student body seems sensible in the larger fight to end discrimination against the community.

But there’s a right time and a right place for it — and students navigating the college admissions process hardly need another obstacle to overcome along the way.

position to hurt them and doing so is. Thinking women are inferior is not sexism — unless you’re a man who is in position to hurt and hold them back, which most of us are. And even though I want to say, “I’m not a sexist,” I can’t truly recognize my privilege as a man and how I may have used that in the institution of sexism. I may have done it inadvertently. It does not have to be conscious. I’d still be part of a sexist system. Therefore, it is very possible for me to be sexist and not even know it or acknowledge it.

Which brings us to the problem with the opinion, “no one at this school is racist.” Because the institutions of racism, sexism, ageism, etc. are byproducts of prejudice, there is no escape from them — even within the “artificial, idealized microcosm” described as Tufts University. There is no escape, because wherever there are people, there is prejudice. Prejudice is human. However, fighting prejudice is

human too. It’s only when we accept both truths that progress will be made — not by denying the existence of one or the other.

Of course there are racists at Tufts, whether they are self-aware of their role in racism or not. However, that should neither be a surprise nor a condemnation. It is at great schools like Tufts that we should be able to face “isms” head on, acknowledge them, and intelligently figure out how to battle them when we leave and return to the “real world.”

If we fool ourselves into believing that we are free of our own capacity for prejudice, we actually perpetuate it. So what’s the best way racists have been able to go unnoticed in communities? We deny they exist.

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Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, I am positive that this is only one of countless written responses to the op-ed piece on Mar. 14, “No one at this school is racist.” It goes without saying that the title of this opinion alone could spark a debate that could rage endlessly. However, since I only have 450 words or less to say my piece here, let’s define “racist.”

Racism is an institution. There’s a difference between being something (racist) and doing something (prejudiced). For instance, if I say “I hate white people,” that is a statement of racial prejudice. However, I can hate white people all day and it will have no effect on them unless I’m in some position to hurt or prevent them from progressing in society. If I were, I’d be a racist. Understand? Therefore, hating black people is not racism. Keeping them back or hurting them because of your position of power is. Disliking old people is not ageism — being in

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Sincerely, David Coleman 01 GSAS Lecturer in Music Director, Tufts Third Day Gospel Choir

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Thursday, March 15, 2012

9

Op-Ed

Pro-Con Carmichael by

Menghan Liu

You’re finally getting a meal with them. That friend you haven’t seen since first semester of freshman year, that perfect 10 you met last week whose Facebook page clearly indicates they’re your soulmate for life (whatever that means) or that professor you just can’t quite click with but whose approval you desperately crave.

You want dinner at Carmichael, but they opt instead for lunch at Dewick. Faced with the prospect of an awkward social atmosphere and extraordinarily ordinary food, the chance at renewed friendship, newfound love or increased prestige suddenly seems to go down the drain.

As you walk through Dewick’s doors, you put on a smile and try your best to ignore that oppressive feeling of being back in your high school cafeteria. When the two of you swipe in, you make sure to greet the Dewick ladies with a smile and candid, “How are you today?”

Then you and your lunch date decide to grab seats before getting food because, let’s face it, you would probably never find them again if the two of you became separated.

No seats in the big room. No seats in the other big room. Want to try upstairs? Sure. No seats, let’s go back down. Five minutes later, you’re standing awkwardly around, still wondering where to sit while trying not to catch the eye of anyone you’re acquainted with. Hey, there’s a group getting up to leave! You quickly move to stake your claim. Never mind that it’s a round table and there are only two of you — desperate times call for desperate measures, right? Now, finally: food.

As you walk around surveying the standard splay of mashed potatoes and steak, you make a mental note to wait out the specialty night line tonight at Carm because your stomach will want compensation after lunch at Dewick.

You decide on a salad today (as most college students do five out of seven days of the week), but are appalled to realize that there are no dried cranberries or cherry tomatoes to be found. You could get a pizza, since the U.S. Congress insists that’s your other vegetarian option, but, come on, Dewick pizza is really not an option.

You finally make it back upstairs with your food, but you’re missing your drink and utensils. There goes another five minutes walking up and down those stairs, like you don’t already spend enough time walking up and down the Hill.

You’re talking. Is your lunch date listening?

You can’t tell because they’re distracted by something (or someone) across the room.

They’re probably people-watching — because,

Dewick-MacPhie

as a matter of fact, that’s what you’re doing, too. It’s not like you can hear each other anyway over the din of hundreds of other voices.

The industrial center that is downhill Dewick leaves no room for any of the intimacy and warmth that make Carm so appealing.

by

Angad Bagal

It’s Sunday morning. The campus is quiet after a lively Saturday night featuring the usual three frat parties, drama and hundreds of students milling about

jodi bosin / the tufts daily

Brave the stairs yet again for dessert. Your usual granola option is out because only Carm has the delicious Stonyfield yogurt.

Your almond milkshakes are also famously popular, but without any almond milk, how are you going to make it? And you can forget the orange Creamsicle; in fact, just settle for the orange.

Before you know it, your mealtime is up.

Half of it was probably spent walking around.

As you put away your plates and utensils, though, you can at least appreciate being able to throw your knife, spoon and fork into the same crate. One point for Dewick.

You decide to make a casual appeal to authority and mention that the head cafeteria worker, Anna Rico, has worked at both Carmichael and Dewick and prefers the family feel of Carmichael to the vast indifference of Dewick. Your lunch date agrees that Carm is also far superior in its variety and quality of breakfast selections. Then they ask you if you want to get dinner at Carm next week.

Score. (Unless, of course, it’s your professor you’ve been imagining this whole time.)

Menghan Liu is a sophomore majoring in international relations and economics.

in the cold and with special appearances from Moe’s, the Cookie Guy, and TUPD. I look at my phone, noticing a text. “Dewick at 12?” It’s only 11:00, so if we wanted to eat in Carmichael, that would certainly be an option, as nobody really takes an hour to climb that hill (regardless of what Tufts memes say).

But this morning, we choose Dewick.

In fact, most mornings, afternoons, and evenings we choose Dewick. And really, that’s how it should be.

Now the staunchest Carm-ites (yes, I made it up — just go with it) will definitely disagree with what I’m going to say, but I ask you to read on and give it a chance. We’ll start with the obvious: the food. At Dewick, there is a greater variety of food, and it certainly seems fresher. The salad bar has many more options for your plate, and while Carm does have spinach, Dewick must have three or four more options. Dewick also has a twenty-rack cereal holder, which is most helpful on those mornings when you’re racing to class, or when you need a snack in the mid-afternoon. Carm-ites will argue that Carm has its specialty nights, namely the Stir-Fry night, but

Dewick has also begun to have nights to represent special occasions as well as cuisines of different nations. For example, on Feb. 16, Dewick had Caribbean night. And this was just two days after the Valentine’s Day buffet. So who says Dewick doesn’t have its own fair share of specialty nights?

My next pro-point for Dewick is actually a grouse against Carm, and that’s regarding the order in which the food is laid out. At Carm you form a line, and that’s how you get all your food. But once in this line, you find that after pastas and pizzas come desserts, and following that are the entrees. Now to me, this makes very little sense.

Perhaps I am old-fashioned, but I like to have my dessert once I am done with my meal. I don’t exactly want to have a plate that has spaghetti, chicken and a brownie on it. At Dewick, the desserts are completely separate from everything else. Actually, in Dewick, all the options are separate from one another. Each station is on its own, so if you want salad, you go to that line. If you want vegetarian food, it has its own line. Pizza? Separate too. You will never end up in a situation in which you’re standing in line for dessert but having to wait for somebody agonize over what sauce goes best with fettuccini.

I’m sure all of you have watched “Batman Begins” (2005) or “The Dark Knight” (2008) or read the Batman comics or seen the older movies. Now, I appreciate the idea of the Bat-cave as much as the next person. However, I don’t envision myself eating in there.

That’s the feeling one gets from Carm.

It’s dark, mostly, and it resembles a cave.

Dewick, with its large European-style windows, gets all the sunlight, which makes eating, or even studying there, a pleasant experience. At Carm, you can only get that if you sit right next to the window. Otherwise, you’re more or less fumbling around in the darkness.

If I haven’t convinced you yet, I suggest you go down to Dewick. Sit on the upper level and people-watch. Sit at the round tables and talk to everyone instead of just the person next to you.

Eat well and actually see what’s going into your mouth. Once you’ve given that a shot, then we’ll talk.

Angad Bagai is a freshman who has not yet declared a major.

Everyone has prejudices, and some people are racist by

Kay Salwen

Tufts University is a wonderful place. But that doesn’t mean that it is devoid of racial assumptions, inequalities and prejudices.

This is what exists on Tufts’ campus more than anything: micro-aggressions and indifference. Yes, race gets talked about, but it is not uncommon for these conversations to elicit eye rolling and sighs rather than genuine interest. Tufts likes to label itself as an open and welcoming environment, and students do not like it when you question this.

Racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism, classism, ethnocentrism, transphobia and more broadly xenophobia (to name a few) are all ingrained into our society. Unfortunately, this is not changing any time soon, which means these are all ingrained in us as well. Coming to Tufts, we all grew up in very different environments. It is human nature to be wary of anything new or foreign. I do not blame Tufts University students for having

traces of racism ingrained within them. I blame students for denying its existence and not working to combat it.

Racism is a loaded word.

Being labeled as a racist connotes a close-minded, unsympathetic individual. But racism can take on many less extreme forms. For example, in one of my classes, my professor (of course, white) was showing a picture of students eating and pointed out the Asian girl’s facial expression, explaining that Japanese are picky. He went on to talk briefly about Japanese culture, lessening the pointedness of the comment slightly, but to me it felt like the damage had already been done.

Now, this may not cause anyone physical harm or lasting pain, but at that moment I was sure glad I was not a Japanese girl in that class. This type of comment can be argued to be harmless, but every assumption laid on an individual purely because of group membership (in this case, being Japanese) chips away at one’s right to individuality.

My argument: Microaggressions are far worse than overt racism. Overt racism is inherently obvious to those who experience it. We all know when someone says something that is clearly rooted in prejudice. We can argue against these, standing up for ourselves and for our friends. I will spare you the examples. Micro-aggressions, on the other hand, are different.

They are the little things that at any given time may or may not be linked to race, class, religion, etc., and most likely are not done with hurtful intent.

It is the job interview you get and the job that you are denied from. Is this because you have a white-sounding name and a not-so-white looking face, or is it just chance? It is the image that shows up on your Facebook feed which assert that Mac users are gay and the slew of comments implying that this is insulting to Mac users (wait, homophobia ALSO exists at Tufts?!). When you point out micro-aggressions you are labeled as too sensitive and

told you are overreacting. You are made out to be experiencing paranoia when you know that not all of the jobs or apartments you are denied are purely because of your qualifications. There is something going on and no one else around you seems to be able to see. The little things are the most important. Because here is the thing with micro aggressions: one may not be perceived as all that hurtful. Nor two, nor ten. But micro-aggressions don’t come in ones or twos, they come in hundreds and thousands over years and years. One Tufts Meme may not be hurtful, but it is never just one.

I know it is impossible to always be watching what you say and always steer clear of anything that might be offensive. I know that it is even more impossible to void ourselves of the assumptions that have been ingrained in us since birth. As I stated earlier, I am not suggesting by any means that having prejudices makes you a bad person: It just makes you human.

I have my own that I am working hard to combat. Accepting that you cannot control some of the prejudices that you may have unconsciously picked up, and that no matter what you do they to some degree may always be with you, allows conscious personal reflection and room for dialogue. When someone gets offended, just apologize and don’t do it again. Or, better yet, start a conversation about why your comment was hurtful.

For those of you that have never encountered prejudice against you, you are lucky. For those of you who have encountered it and have persevered, you are strong. For those of you who may have experienced it and say it is no big deal, I caution you, for words and actions all have a complex history, and what may not matter to you may be attached to an intricate web of hurt for another.

Kay Salwen is a senior majoring in biopsychiology.

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

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Sports

Future is bright with many key players returning next spring WOMEN’S BASKETBALL continued from back

fair to say that the Jumbos surpassed expectations and silenced their doubters. Despite the loss of their two superstars, they played even better than the year before, finishing second in the NESCAC behind only national No. 1 Amherst and posting the second-highest win total in program history.

All season, the Jumbos thrived as a result of their stifling defense. Although they were undersized, with only one player on their roster over six feet tall, the Jumbos implemented a team-oriented approach on defense, stressing hedging on ball screens and boxing out. They allowed just 46.3 points per game — which ranked fourth in all of Div. III — on just 33.2 percent shooting from the field, both second-best in the conference.

Kornegay’s ability to contain the opposition’s top scorer also proved to be crucial for Tufts throughout the season.

While the Jumbos did not have a dominating presence offensively, their well-rounded attack gave defenses trouble. Tufts had nine players who averaged between 5.1 and 9.2 points per game and employed a run-andgun offense in which players looked to push the ball in transition and attack the basket.

Barnosky was the top scorer with 9.2 points per game on 41.2 percent shooting.

“Not having that All-American or go-to leading scorer worked to our advantage and made people step up,” Kornegay said. “We emphasized having each other’s backs, and literally working as a team, and everyone pulled their own weight to be a strong unit.”

Barnosky and Kornegay, the Jumbos’ lone seniors, were the heart and soul of the team both on and off the court, and they pushed their teammates to work hard all season long. Barnosky and Kornegay were both named to the All-NESCAC second team, as well as the All-Region third and fourth teams, respectively.

“We wanted to set the standard high coming into the preseason, not taking it lightly and getting after it right away,” Kornegay said. “We worked hard from day one, and that way, we kind of molded our new team.”

After a 19-5 regular season, Tufts cruised through the first two rounds of the NESCAC tournament, first beating Conn. College 57-40 on their home floor before knocking off Bowdoin 55-40 in the semifinals at Amherst. In the finals, the Jumbos battled the host Lord Jeffs, but the defending national champions pulled away in the second half to win, 48-31, and take the conference title.

The team then learned that it would be hosting a four-team pod for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, in the firstever NCAA tournament basketball games played on the Tufts campus. Tufts pulled out two tough victories at Cousens Gym, defeating Misericordia 61-57 in the first round and downing Johns Hopkins 55-46 the next day in the Round of 32.

With just 16 Div. III teams left standing, the squad flew to Chicago to do battle with the University of St. Thomas last Friday. The Jumbos, who had a severe height disadvantage, overcame a 14-point deficit to pull

continued from back

final lead to seven over the last 5:33.

Tufts outshot Conn. College 53-38 on the day, but sophomore goaltender Patton Watkins was the one who sealed the win.

Watkins’ incredible 21 saves (70 percent) — seven of which came in the fourth quarter — were some of the most impressive of the young keeper’s career. Several of the saves came on wide-pen one-on-ones in the crease, though Watkins downplayed his own performance.

“Conn. [College]’s shooters had trouble

Scott Tingley / The Tufts Daily

Junior co-captain Bre Dufault started all 30 games this season for the Jumbos, who far exceeded expectations by reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. within one in the final minutes. But their comeback effort came up a bit short, and the Tommies won 50-47 to end the Jumbos’ remarkable run.

The future looks extremely bright, as head coach Carla Berube’s squad will return many players with the potential to lead the Jumbos in the coming years. Freshman point guard Kelsey Morehead had a successful first season, starting all 30 games and leading the team in minutes played while averaging nearly seven points and 2.3 assists per game. Junior co-captain Bre Dufault, sophomore guard Liz Moynihan and junior guard Collier Clegg — all of whom logged significant minutes for the team this year — will also be back.

Freshman center Hayley Kanner appears to have three good years ahead of her as well. Despite averaging only 16.2 minutes per game, Kanner finished second in the NESCAC with 1.63 blocks per game and has the potential to dramatically impact games with her height and defense down low.

No matter what next year brings, the Jumbos can look back on this season and know that they realized their potential and left the door open for further improvement.

“I’m really proud of the team and everything we accomplished this year,” Barnosky said. “The future is very bright for Tufts basketball. I think all we accomplished this year puts Tufts basketball back on the map where we want and deserve to be.”

finding good shots, and this made for a successful day in cage,” Watkins said. “We also did an outstanding job denying Conn.

[College] any second chances by being patient and decisive in the clearing game.”

As encouraging as Watkins’ effort was, the defense did struggle in transition late in the game. Tufts was just 5-of-9 on clearances with eight turnovers in the fourth quarter, and lost the ground ball battle 25-15 in the second half. With No. 4 Stevens and No. 9 Stevenson looming over spring break, the defense cannot continue to rely on Watkins’ excellence to compensate for its own lapses.

“We weren’t winning the ground ball battle, and that gave them a lot of opportunities that they capitalized on in the second half,” Jorgenson said. “Ground balls will definitely be a focus this week, but that’s no different from any other week. No matter who we’re playing, one of our top priorities is to win that aspect of the game.”

With two road games against top 10 teams on Saturday and Tuesday — and with the status of Kirwan, their leading scorer from 2011, still questionable — the Jumbos will have to string together four great halves to avoid an upset with national implications.

Editors' Challenge | March Madness

Final Four

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Defense will have to tighten up against No. 4 Stevens MEN’S LACROSSE

Alex Arthur | King Arthur’s Court

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he NFL offseason officially began at 4 p.m. EST on Tuesday, and teams did not hesitate to splurge on a very talented free agent class. Wide receivers Vincent Jackson and Reggie Wayne, cornerbacks Carlos Rogers and Cortland Finnegan and defensive end Red Bryant all secured contracts worth over $30 million each from their respective new employers.

All of these players are capable of single-handedly changing a game.

While the flashy, high-priced moves are the types that energize fan bases and sell tickets to fill stadium seats, in many cases, these transactions end up financially handicapping these teams, and the players become burdens. The position that most frequently produces expensive busts is wide receiver.

Looking back over the last four seasons, there are plenty of examples of wideouts who were overpaid. In 2008, Bernard Berrian signed a six-year, $42 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings, and Donte Stallworth signed a seven-year, $35 million deal with the Cleveland Browns. In 2009, T.J. Houshmandzadeh signed a five-year, $40 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks, and Laveranues Coles signed a four-year, $28 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2011, Sidney Rice signed a five-year, $41 million deal with the Seahawks.

None of these players came close to playing at the level their contracts indicated.

Enter the 2012 class of wideouts. The only marquee wide receivers to change jerseys thus far have been Jackson, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for five years and $55 million, and Robert Meacham, who signed a fouryear, $25.9 million contract with the San Diego Chargers.

I understand the logic that Tampa Bay has a young quarterback who struggled mightily last season, that their receiving corps is subpar, that they were way under the cap this offseason and that the organization is desperately trying to sell more tickets. But spending at least $26 million guaranteed on a player who has never caught more than 68 passes or nine touchdowns and never reached 1,200 yards receiving is short-sighted.

Jackson possesses exceptional jumpball skills and is a great deep threat, but the consistency is just not there.

In comparison, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White was signed for six years and $48 million in 2009, and has been better for longer than Jackson. Is 2009 going too far back for you? How about the deal Marques Colston just signed to stay with the New Orleans Saints at five years and $40 million?

Colston and Jackson have almost identical production, and Colston is actually half a year younger than Jackson.

At the end of the day, the Bucs can at least fall back on the rationale that they did what it took to secure a No. 1 receiver. Fine, let them have that. But the money the Chargers gave Meachem is indefensible. Meachem was just the fifth-leading receiver this season for the Saints, despite playing in all 16 games. While he is entering only his fifth season and most of his career is in front of him, his production has remained stagnant the past three seasons, if it has not already begun to regress. The Chargers needed to fill the void at No.1 receiver that Jackson’s departure created, but a player who has never surpassed 45 catches, 722 yards or nine TDs is not the answer.

He is purely a deep threat, much like the newly departed Jackson, but the Chargers already had a Jackson clone in Malcom Floyd, whose yards per reception actually surpasses both Jackson and Meachem. In short, the Meachem deal was a desperate attempt to fleece the Charger fan base into forgetting that one of their best offensive weapons just left town.

Alex Arthur is a sophomore majoring in economics and English. He can be reached at Alexander.Arthur@tufts.edu.

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Women’s Basketball

Men’s Lacrosse

Jumbos silence critics with historic season by

Alex Baudoin

Daily Editorial Board

No. 2 Tufts overcomes Kirwan’s absence in 16-9 win over Conn. College McCormick scores five, Watkins saves 21 in convincing win by

Claire Kemp

Daily Editorial Board

At the beginning of the season, the Jumbos could have accepted that this was going to be a down year — the stereotypical “rebuilding year” — and it would have been hard for anyone to blame them.

As they were well aware, they had just graduated the program’s all-time leading scorer, Colleen Hart (E ’11), and twotime NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year Vanessa Miller (LA ’11). Had Tufts found a home in the middle of the NESCAC pack and struggled to compete with the elite teams of one of Div. III’s strongest conferences, few would have been surprised.

“I honestly didn’t really know what to expect,” said senior co-captain Kate Barnosky, who missed most of the 20102011 season with a knee injury. “With graduation, we knew things were going to be different. We had some good freshmen coming in. I was a little nervous about how we would fare in the NESCAC without two of our best players.”

But the team went about its business in the preseason, and, as time went on, the pieces began falling into place.

“I definitely knew [this season] was going to be different, and I didn’t know how different at the time, but I still had high hopes and expectations,” said senior guard Tiffany Kornegay, who became the fifth straight Tufts player to win NESCAC Defensive Player of Year after finishing in the conference’s top five in both rebounds and steals per game. “A lot of us were motivated in the preseason because we knew a lot of teams didn’t expect a lot of us. We had that chip on our shoulder.”

Now, after a 23-7 season and a trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, it is see WOMEN’S BASKETBALL, page 11

In front of a slew of scouts prepared to see the No. 2 Jumbos’ new offensive lineup weakened without injured senior co-capMEN’S LACROSSE (2-0, 2-0 NESCAC) Bello Field, Tuesday Conn. College Tufts

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tain attackman Sean Kirwan at Bello Field Tuesday afternoon, the home team proved it has the firepower to win without him.

Tufts never trailed in its 16-9 home opener victory over Conn. College, and eight different players scored for the Jumbos as they improved to 2-0.

Just as they had this past weekend at Hamilton, senior co-captain midfielder Kevin McCormick and sophomore attackman Beau Wood led the charge. McCormick exploded for five goals, while Wood scored twice and assisted on three more. Both now have consecutive five-point games, setting them atop the NESCAC in both points and goals per game.

But McCormick and Wood weren’t the only ones making Kirwan’s absence unnoticeable.

Freshman Cole Bailey took the offensive reins behind the cage and delivered with two goals and an assist, looking much like his predecessor at the position, D.J. Hessler (E ’11), while wearing Hessler’s old number, 28, on his back. Sophomore midfielder Peter Bowers also added two goals and an assist, showing scouts that the graduation of Matt Witko (LA ’11) hasn’t resulted in the expected dropoff, either. Meanwhile, junior attackman Geoff Sheasby took over in the crease, converting

KC Hambleton / The Tufts Daily

Sophomore attackman Beau Wood has scored five points in each of the Jumbos’ first two wins and is currently tied with teammate Kevin McCormick for the highest point total in the NESCAC. on his only shot of the day.

“We came out firing, and the game went our way,” Sheasby said. “But to fine-tune our offense, we just have to keep focusing on our fundamentals, coming to and through passes, looking for the one more and always having six threats to score.”

The team certainly succeeded in spreading out its scoring attack, as seven Jumbos found the back of the net in the first half alone.

Bailey opened the scoring for the Jumbos just over five minutes into the game, and though the Camels tied it up at the 7:49 mark of the first period, Wood, Sheasby, McCormick and junior midfielder Ryan Jorgensen would account for the game’s next four tallies, giving Tufts a 5-1 lead with 12:55 left before

the half. By halftime, two more Jumbos had scored and Tufts was comfortable with a 7-2 advantage.

Thanks in part to a 10-of-16 performance in the second half from faceoff specialist Chuck Czerkawski, the visitors were able to mount a comeback. After Wood and McCormick scored the third period’s first two goals, Conn.

College went on a 4-2 run fueled by miscues from Tufts’ previously stellar veteran defense to pull within five, 11-6, by the end of the quarter. The Camels came within four on back-to-back goals from Andrew Freedman to make it 13-9 with 6:36 to play, but Bowers, Bailey and McCormick stretched the Jumbos’ see MEN’S LACROSSE, page 11

Women’s Lacrosse

Tufts improves to 2-0 with win over Conn. College Second-half dominance carries Jumbos past Camels by

David McIntyre

Daily Editorial Board

Just two games into the regular season, the No. 11 women’s lacrosse team already appears to WOMEN’S LACROSSE (2-0, 2-0 NESCAC) at New London, Conn., Tuesday Tufts Conn. College

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be on a roll. After escaping with a one-goal win at home against Hamilton over the weekend, Tufts improved to 2-0 in the NESCAC on Tuesday with a convincing 12-7 road victory over Conn. College, ouscoring their opponents 8-4 in the second half.

Much like the opening game against the Continentals, the Jumbos got off to a slow start, conceding the first two goals of the contest after a long stretch of scoreless play at the beginning of the first half. It was a lackluster opening for the Jumbos, who may have been affected by the fact that they had to play two games in four days to start the season, not to mention the long bus ride they endured before the game.

“Our defense was playing well, but we were dropping a lot of balls, and our transitions were basically nowhere,” senior midfielder Emily Pillemer said. “We needed to focus more on the fun-

Caroline Geiling / The Tufts Daily

Senior attackman Casey Egan scored two goals to help lift Tufts past Conn. College, 12-7, on Tuesday. damentals of the game.”

Things started to pick up as the first half wore on, and Tufts managed to take a 4-3 lead into halftime after a goal by junior defender Meg Boland put her team ahead with 3:56 remaining. Despite the onegoal advantage, the Jumbos — who averaged over 11.5 goals per game against conference opponents in 2011 — were not satisfied with just four first-half goals against a team that did not even make last year’s NESCAC tournament.

“During halftime we discussed

how the defense was working really hard and giving the offense a lot of opportunities, but we weren’t capitalizing,” sophomore attackman Gabby Horner said. “We just talked about being patient, taking advantage of our chances and making sure we hit the net.”

The discussion during the break appeared to have an immediate effect, as the Jumbos put the Camels under a relentless attack at the outset of the second half.

Senior tri-captain Lara Kozin assisted on two goals that came

just 29 seconds apart. She first fed junior attackman Kerry Eaton, and then set up senior Casey Egan on a beautiful pass from behind the net.

Kozin had five points in the game, a team high for the young season.

With 8:53 remaining, the Jumbos had established a commanding 12-4 lead. The Camels managed to score three late goals, but it was too little, too late.

Tufts’ defense was strong as a whole in the second frame, and it needed to be: Conn. College dominated the draw controls, winning

seven of nine on the day.

“The defense has been playing incredibly, and they’re really the backbone of the team right now,” Horner said. “They just have so much intensity and are playing at such a high level, and we’re winning all of the loose balls, all of the ground balls.”

“Allowing three goals in a half in lacrosse is great, and our defense put us in position to win the game,” Pillemer added.

The win in the Jumbos’ first road game of the season temporarily puts them atop the NESCAC at 2-0, though five teams in the conference have yet to play their second league contests. While the top of the standings is certainly where the team wants to be, the players know that they need to continue to improve in order to stay there.

“We’re going to look to fire up our offensive game and generally make things cleaner, so that all the units of the team work together,” Pillemer said. “Sometimes in a game things that are second nature in practice don’t come so easily, things like throwing and catching and cutting to balls. We just need to make sure the basics of our game are where they should be.”

After a non-conference game at Babson on Friday, eight of the team’s 11 remaining games will be against NESCAC opponents. Over spring break trip, the Jumbos will travel to Claremont, Fla., where they will take on Western Connecticut State and Colby.