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THE PHOENIX *% 1H Wmm A —B MM B»FIND US ON THE WEB: HTTP ;//WWW . PHOENIX ."SWARTHMOR E.E DU | ** THE GRADUALLY CHANGING FACE **. OF THE FACULTY Just twenty years ago, Swarthmore's tenure-track faculty was noticeably less diverse than it is today. ' ' ' "Ota.- *. ■
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E PHOENIX I EDITORIAL BOARD Justin Kane Editor in Chief Suzanne Wu Managing Editor Deirdre Conner Managing Editor Jessica Salvatore Asst. Managing Editor-Copy Elizabeth Wright News Editor Ivan Boothe Assistant News Editor Lillie Dremeaux Assistant News Editor Sonia Scherr in Depth Editor Ted Chan Opinions Editor Matt Rubin Assistant Opinions Editor Morghan Holt Living & Arts Editor Kate Nelson-Lee Sports Editor Michael Pasahow Photo Editor Claire Weiss Photo Editor Chris Trucksess Online Editor STAFF Nicole Brunda Reporter Hofan Chau Reporter Jonathan Ehrerrfeld Reporter Gerrit Hall Reporter Elizabeth Hansen Reporter Gabriel Hetiand Reporter Anastasia Koiendo Reporter Jackie Aponte Opinions Columnist Charles Fischette Opinions Columnist Dan Korobkin Opinions Columnist Gabriel Fairman Opinions Columnist David Ellis Opinions Columnist Elizabeth Goldsmith Opinions Columnist Ester Bloom Living & Arts Staff Writer Daniel Marrin Living & Arts Staff Writer Kate O'Donnell Living & Arts Staff Writer Joey Spadoia Living & Arts Columnist Anna Masllela Sportswriter Mark Janoff Sports Columnist Audrey Chan Staff Artist BUSINESS STAFF Vincent Ip Advertising Manager Eleanor Salgado Asst. Advertising Manager Gregory Lok Treasurer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Emily Gray, Lane Oatey, Caitlin Ryland, Tara Trout LETTERS POLICY Letters and opinions pieces represent the views of their writers and not those of The Phoenix or its staff. The Phoenix is a community forum and welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and have the writer's contact information. Please limit Setters to 400 words. The Phoenix reserves the right to edit all letters for content, length and clarity. Letters may be submitted to phoenix_ietters@swarthmore.edu or to The Phoenix, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081 CORRECTIONS POLICY The Phoenix makes corrections as quickly as possible after receiving and confirming the correct information. The Phoenix attempts to publish corrections as prominently as the mistake was published. To report a correction, e-mail phoenix@swarthmore.edu, write to the editors in chief at The Phoenix, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 39081 or call 610-328-7363. INFORMATION Offices: Parrish Hail 470472 E-mail: phoenix@swarthmore.edu Web: http://www.phoenix.swarthmore.edu Newsroom phone: 610-328-8173 Advertising phone: 630-328-7362 Advertising e-mail: riroenk_ads@Swarthrnore.edu Mailing address: The Phoenix, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081 The Phoenix is published every Thursday by students of Swarthmore College, except during examination and vacation periods. Circulation of 2000 distributed across the campus and to the borough of Swarthmore. The Phoenix is available free of charge limited to one copy per reader. Mail subscriptions are available for $5O a year or $25 a semester. Direct subscription requests to the Circulation Dept. Direct advertising requests to Kait Hutchinson. The Phoenix reserves the right to refuse any advertising. The Phoenix is printed at the Delaware County Daily Times, Prirnos, Pa. All contents copyright © 2001 The Phoenix, All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of The Phoenix. CONTENTS Garnet routs Fords, 65-38 Katie Robinson, AN Furman and Heather Kile battled long-time rival Haverford last night. Story, pg. 19. Michael Pasahow Phoenix Staff NEWS 3 PLAYERS TRANSFER IN WAKE OF FOOTBALL CUT Many players are going to colleges, including Swarthmore competitors Williams and Amherst, where they can have challenging academics and play football. 3 STUDENT SUES LSAT OVER TESTING TIME LIMIT Solomon gained extra time on test due to learning disability. 4 BOARD OF MANAGERS REAFFIRMS DECISION The Board reconvened for more discussion, but remained solid. 5 UPGRADED BANDWIDTH SHAPER ALLOWS FASTER CONNECTIONS The Computing Center says students may get up to 3 Mbps at times. 5 STUDENT ACTIVITIES FEE LIKELY TO BE RAISED The raise was approved by Student Council last semester; now it rests with the College Budget Committee. 6 WINTER INSTITUTE EXPLORES MULTICULTURAL ISSUES Diversity workshops now include the Tri-Co community. 7 STUDENT GROUP HOLDS TALK ON LIVING WAGE FOR STAFF Staff, students and faculty meet with the College Budget Committee. OPINIONS 8 EDITORIALS 8 LETTERS 9 DAN KOROBKIN I'm OK, you're OK. Wait. Are you sure we're OK? 9 FALUN DAFA CONFLICT 13 ECSTACY Why The New York Times Magazine was wrong. 13 CHARLES FISCHETTE 13 WHY I VOTED THE WAY I DID A member of the faculty explains his support for the Athletic Review Committee's recommendation. 14 ELIZABETH GOLDSMITH A legitimate conservative voice is not being heard on campus. 14 LETTERS 14 HEADLINES THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT COVER STORY 10 THE GRADUALLY CHANGING FACE OF THE FACULTY A formerly all-white campus gives way to increasing faculty diversity. LIVING & ARTS 15 JOEY SPADOLA Our new columnist relates a spiritual skydiving event. 16 DON'T TAKE '0 BROTHER' SERIOUSLY Based loosely on Homer's masterpiece, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" has a good time. 16 MY CREED: EAT AT THE TOWNE HOUSE Adventures in Media. 16 COMEDY MASTERS Comedians work the audience at Philly's The Laff House. 17 TO DO PAGE Pot art, "X-Men," and much, much more. SPORTS IS MEN'S BASKETBALL IS BEST OF THE WEEK IS MORGHAN HOLT How winter break led me to appreciate the finer points of football. Id WINTER SPORTS UPDATE Indoor track, badminton and swimming all prepare for busy seasons. 19 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Swat defeats Haverford. Id MARK JANOFF Lakers' quarrelling won't stop their playoff run. 20 TED CHAN Is Super Bowl XXXV one big conspiracy? 20 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Team takes no break from a successful season.
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NEWS Players transfer in wake of football cut BY ELIZABETH HANSEN After learning that the sport they were recruited to play was deemed not viable by the Board of Managers, many football players have been quietly making plans to leave Swarthmore—and some already have. "The reason why I'm transferring is that I truly felt betrayed by the board's decision. I don't want to be a part of a community that feels it must limit the amount of students who can be athletes. I'm interested in getting the best education possible while still maintaining the opportunity to play football," Kevin Perry 'O4 said. Perry and some of his teammates are applying to places like Williams, Amherst, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Davidson, Middlebury, Trinity, Carnegie Mellon and Washington and Lee. Nearly all are transferring to play football. Lane Oatey 'O3 has now decided to transfer to a school where he can play football, though at first he wanted to transfer to a large university just to leave Swarthmore. "I talked with my family and friends and decided it was important for me to take advantage of the opportunity to play football [at another college]," he said. A flurry of recruiting by coaches at other schools began almost immediately following the Board of Manager's Dec. 2 decision to cut the football program. Grinnell e-mailed football captain Scott Murray 'Ol soon after the decision, asking him to notify his teammates that the college was interested in recruits. Colby's football coach called Ken Clark 'O3 after Clark's picture appeared in a Dec. 5 New York Times article about the Board of Manager's decision. The football coaching staff and Athletic Director Bob Williams have been acting as intermediaries between players and the colleges they are interested in. Bob Williams has been sending letters and making phone calls to the coaches of other colleges, effectively helping those coaches recruit the players. "Obviously we want [the players] to stay, but if they want to leave, we want to help them in any way possible," he said. For some players, the transfer process is complete or near completion. Alex Karnal 'O3 begins classes at the MIT on Feb. 6. Joe Corso 'O2 has already begun the semester at the University of Pennsylvania. The application process to Johns Hopkins University continues for Nick Loiacono 'O3, though he has chosen to leave Swarthmore while he waits to hear from the university. Some other football players are in the late stages of applying for transfer. Perry, who was recruited by Amherst just a year ago, is now finishing his Amherst transfer application for the Feb. 1 deadline. Because students need a year of college experience in order to transfer schools, he was unable to leave Swarthmore after the fall semester. He is hoping to hear back early from Amherst about his application so he won't have to apply elsewhere. Like Perry, Clark is considering a couple of schools, but he has heard from the football coach and admissions staff at Williams that his application looks good. Players say that they are taking into account academic prestige as well as football in their consideration of which colleges to apply to. Perry said that many colleges were interested in him that had good football programs but less academic rigor than Swarthmore. Citing Williams' number three ranking in US News and World Report compared to Swarthmore's number two ranking, Clark said, "it's not much of a step down." He was recruited and accepted by Williams out of high school. Swarthmore will keep some players here, however. Dan Chamberlain 'O4 has not started looking for colleges and is leaning towards staying. "The academics are better here than at other schools. The academics are why I cam here - for the best possible education. Football is how I got in, but academics come before football," he said. Reasons beyond academics may induce many freshman to stay. For some freshmen, Perry said, Swarthmore is the only place they could have played football. Many feel they won't have a competitive edge at other schools, since even here, very few freshmen got playing time this year. "If you can't play at Swarthmore, there is not a good chance that Claire Weiss Phoenix Staff Ken Clark holds his transfer application to Williams, which has already been sent. He is eager to transfer somewhere he can play football and has heard from the head coach and admissions staff there. Student sues LSAT over testing time limit BY IVAN BOOTHE Jared Solomon 'Ol has won a suit against the administrators of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), granting him extended time due to a learning disability. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) had initially given Solomon an extra hour and a half on the three-and-a-half-hour test, but Solomon requested just over ten hours to complete the exam. Solomon's learning disability is Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). This disease affects three to five percent of all children, according to the National Institute of Medical Health, and, in many cases, carries over into adulthood. In its basic form, it is characterized by inattention-and impulsivity. Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, (ADHD) includes the same symptoms as ADD as well as hyperactivity. The qualifications for being diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, however, are extremely specific, according to the Institute. "Behaviors must appear before age seven and continue for at least six months," the Institute Web site says, "and they must be more severe than similar behaviors from other children their age." In addition, a person's behavior must create a handicap in more than one situation; a child who is overly active only at school would not be diagnosed with the disorder. Dean Myrt Westphal, who serves as the Coordinator for Services for Students with Disabilities, said that the college has a number of different options in place for students with ADD/ADHD. "It might include things like having more time on an exam, taking the exam in a quiet, non-distracting place, special housing placement, a study room in McCabe, or it could even involve things like note-takers in class," she said. Westphal noted that college students may have ADD, but, because of the lack of hyperactivity,hyperactivity, it may not have been noticed before. "Many times it will be after the grades come, in the spring, and a student will say, 'Oh, I thought I understood that so well, but I'm doing so badly,'" she said. Westphal said that some testing for the disorders were available at the college but that diagnoses generally came from the students' doctors at home. Solomon, however, had known about his disorder since he was a child. But, he said, "I was very reluctant to tell people... I didn't want to make it public. I thought it would be better to try and accomplish everything." Initially, Solomon said that he had tried to become very involved, pursuing his academic interests. "Unfortunately, because of the workload, I wasn't able to do that," he said. In the spring of his sophomore year, he spoke to Westphal about his concerns. She wrote a letter for him, which he showed each of his professors that semester. "Everything changed," Solomon said, "I was able to turn in things I was proud of." When he registered for the LSAT, Solomon was required to submit a battery of tests documenting his condition. Westphal says that she offers certification to the LSAC proving that a student has received particular accommodations at the college. Many exams, including the SAT and the Graduate Records Examination (GRE), require a school to show that a student has received the same accommodations there that he or she is requesting on the exam. The GRE, in addition, requires "a comprehensive psychoeducational or neuropsychological assessment" as well as medical and "psychosocial" histories. "The exploration of possible alternatives that may mimic a cognitive disability when, in fact, one is not present" is also required for special disabil- See TRANSFER, pg. 4 See SOLOMON, pg. 5 THE PHOENIX JANUARY 25, 2001 3
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you can play anywhere else," he said. Lane Oatey 'O3 agreed. "We have a lot of good guys on our team, a lot of good athletes. They would have a shot on Swarthmore's team when they were upperclassmen," he said. "But they would have a hard time on other teams. Realistically, I think that is what's made their decision [to stay], not an attachment to the school." Clark suggested that financial aid is keeping some players from transferring. "There is good financial aid here. [Players] might not get aid as good as here anywhere else. Financially, they just don't have the option of transferring," he said. Chris Loeffler 'O4 estimates that overall, "a minority of students will transfer. Out of 40 freshmen, sophomores, and seniors, probably only 10 to 15 will go. But more will keep their options open." The options for juniors seem to be a bit more constrained. Even though Corso has transferred, many other juniors are considering leaving Swarthmore just for the fall semester of their senior year. Doug Kneeland 'O2 plans to get an internship or do an exchange semester at a school with a football team. He guessed that 90 percent of juniors will go to some other school to play football in the fall. Associate Dean for Student Life Tedd Goundie concurred, and added that some may also choose to go abroad. The college has been doing what it can to help the players think through the transfer decision and to make the application process easier. Clark and Perry say that they are grateful to their professors for compiling recommendations.Goundie said that he has been counselingcounseling football players as they make decisions about what to do now that the program is gone. He has been contacting deans of schools that players are considering and writing recommendations for the players' applications. To help them make a decision about transferring, he is discussing with players how they are feeling about the decision and what they want from their college experience. Claire Weiss Phoenix Staff Kevin Perry and Ken Clark are submitting transfer applications to schools like Williams and Amherst, both of which recruited them in high school. Board of Managers reaffirms decision BY LELLIE DREMEAUX ATHLETICS UFPOTE^ The Board of Managers reconvened in New York City on Jan. 4 and reaffirmed their decision to cut football and wrestling and alter the status of badminton.According to a policy statute, the board must hold a special meeting if five of its members request it. Such meetings, said Director of News and Information Tom Krattenmaker, "do not happen very often." Due to the recent outcry over the board's choice to instate the Athletic Review Committee's recommendation about the college's sports, a request for the meeting was made in late December, and the board met for three hours at the Dale Carnegie Institute shortly thereafter. "The discussion centered on football," said President Al Bloom. The board considered perspectives expressed by alumni and the wider Swarthmore community through last month's storm of letters, phone calls, speeches and e-mails. Bloom said that "views on all sides of the issue were strongly expressed." In the end, however, the board members let their verdict stand about the new structure of the athletic program. No vote took place, but a general sense among the board members led them not to reexamine their actions of last month. "There was a clear sense that they would not reconsider the decision or reopen the matter," Krattenmaker said, although "the spirits and arguments from both sides were considered." He added that discussion, not voting, is standard procedure for the Board of Managers. After the meeting, Board Chair Larry Shane '56 said that following "extensive discussion, the board decided that it would not revise or alter our decision. I was pleased with the informed and thoughtful discussion. Our task is now to move forward together to strengthen the continuing intercollegiate athletic program." Although the Associated Press implied in its sports brief about the January meeting that the board met in response to the requests of some alumni for their monetary gifts to be returned, Bloom said those requests played no role in the choice to reconvene, nor did the board base the reaffirmation of its position on college sports on those requests. "The College is dependent on alumni support and we are saddened by the few alums who have asked that their gifts be returned," he said, "but the Board made its decision on the basis of what it believed was right for the institution." Neil Austrian '6L who proposed an alternative plan to the ARC proposal and threatened to resign if football was not reinstated, declined comment. Larry Shane, Chair of the BOM, said after the Jan 4 meeting that the college must move forward. Badminton's future remains unclear BY LILLIE DREMEAUX FROM THE PHOENIX ONLINE This report first published Dec. 22 in The Phoenix's continuing online coverage of the athletics cuts. A meeting of the women's badminton team with administrators proved to be a good forum for dialogue about the Board of Managers' recent decision to demote the varsity team to club status. The future of the team remains unclear. Captains Jane Ng 'Ol, Carty and Lange, along with players Wury Morris 'O4 and Russell Gordley 'O2, met with the President Al Bloom, Provost Jennie Keith and Athletic Director Bob Williams on December 15 to discuss the team's status. The badminton players have already begun their season and will continue to compete as a varsity team this year. The question of whether the Board of Managers will act on its decision to make the team a club sport next year has remained unanswered. "Al Bloom told us the ARC [Athletic Review Committee] is meeting next semester to discuss the status of club teams," Carty said. The administrators told the team that the reason the board had demoted badminton was to make a clear distinction between teams that recruit and those that do not. According to their plan, badminton should not be a club sport, not a varsity one, because it does not recruit. But Bloom said that the ARC would conduct "a full review of the club sport program over the next semester" and that they "may want to reexamine the premise that only sports which receive support in the of admissions spaces can remain in the intercollegiate program." Originally, he said, the committee "felt comfortable placing badminton outside the intercollegiate program because it was doing so well without that form of support." The administrators also told the team that the ARC wanted to ensure extra benefits, such as funding and a full-time coach, for the varsity teams, but that they did not want to provide these additional resources for badminton. Still, they promised, the team would continue to benefit from all the prerequisites it currently has: funding, a parttime coach, and priority over club teams for practice space. The administrators also told the athletes that with football, badminton and wrestling cut, Swarthmore is in compliance with Title IX, a federal statute that mandates equal resources for men's and women's sports and a fair ratio of men to women athletes. But they also do not know if reinstating badminton, which requires little funding and few players, would place Swarthmore out of compliance with the statute. Presently, the athletic department gives financial support to varsity teams, including badminton. The board has promised to continue this funding. But money allotted to club sports falls under the jurisdiction of the Student Budget Committee (SBC), not the board, so there is presently no system under which they could guarantee such funding to a club badminton team. "The infrastructure is not there for what they're promising right now," Lange said. Marvin Barron 'O2, president of the SBC, said that his committee "hasn't been consulted about this...if [badminton] becomes club sport, there's no guarantee that they'll be chartered...if they come to us, hopefully we'll give them the same consideration as we give the other sports." As it stands now, the SBC allots $36,000 to club sports, with $lO,OOO coming from the Athletic Department. Bloom said the ARC and board "certainly have to assure reliable, continuing funding for badminton. "Depending on the outcome of the review of club sports we may in fact want to accomplish that as part of a new approach to funding all club sports, with increased support consistent with budgetary resources and with what club sport JNEWSI Team members prepare transfer applications From TRANSFER, pg. 3 See BADMINTON, pg. 5 4 JANUARY 25, 2001 THE PHOENIX
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ity accommodations on the test. LSAC offered Solomon an extra hour and 45 minutes of time on the exam, plus a separate room with other learning-disabled students and two breaks. "They didn't meet what was set by my psychiatrist," Solomon said. He stressed that he did not simply "sit down with a notebook and come up with these numbers." Solomon received evaluations from his psychiatrist recommending the accommodations, and a second psychiatrist concurred. In addition, Solomon said, LSAC offered no explanation for the particular accommodations they had given him only days before his scheduled test last December. Although he went ahead with the test, Solomon simultaneously acquired a lawyer and filed suit against the company, requesting the full amount of time requested by his psychiatrist. Initially, the requested time was over 20 hours. After Solomon took the first exam in December, however, he realized that this was more than he needed. "Immediately, when I saw it was too much, I told my attorney, 'We have to reduce this,"' Solomon said. The initial amount was his psychiatrist's best estimate. "I wanted to be reasonable," Solomon said, adding, "I was not looking in any way for an unfair advantage." "I'm sure lots of claims that go into LSAC are completely fraudulous," Solomon said. He noted, however, that the person who evaluates special accommodations claims for LSAC has been sued several times because she "has absolutely no background with learning disabilities ... and she had no communication with me." Solomon was worried about the evaluator's subjectivity. Unfortunately, Westphal said, accommodating students with learning disabilities "is not an exact science." On Tuesday, LSAC settled the lawsuit by agreeing to grant Solomon his full accommodations request, including the extended time, a 15-minute break every two hours, the use of scratch paper, and the abilityability to take the test alone, with printed versions of all directions. "People who take the LSAT that I've talked to say they complete about two-thirds of the test to all of it," Solomon said. "That's all I'll be able to do." I mcs with increased support consistent with budgetary resources and with what club sport participants want the college to do. "My impression," he added, is that club sports very much value their organizational independence, but they might like some greater institutional financial support." The badminton team also expressed concern about its potential viability as a club sport. Carty pointed out that the club teams that have been successful on campus-ultimate frisbee and rugby-can delegate various responsibilities to their large number of players. Badminton has only fifteen players, seven of them varsity. "It's more difficult to organize," Carty said. "And we already have difficulty getting court space from the basketball team." Another major concern of the badminton players has been whether they would be able to play in their conference as a club team next year. "We can play in our conference," Lange said. "The fact of the matter is, [the Board of Managers] didn't know that when they made their decision." During the meeting on Friday, Dec. 15, the administrators told the team that "if it was impossible for [the team] to do what we do now, they would think things through again," Lange said. But if the board can indeed guarantee funds, facilities and a coach to a club badminton team, team members say the demotion would still have an effect. The varsity letter enables women's badminton to be self-recruiting, Lange said. Many students who played badminton in high school are to Swarthmore because they have a chance to letter in the game there. Bloom called the players' commitment to maintain their team's ability to self-recruit "a strong argument."The Swarthmore badminton team also feels that a varsity label shows commitment to the sport on a national level. At present, the NCAA recognizes badminton as an "emerging sport for women" with the intent that it will become a full-fledged NCAA sport some day. There are three colleges in the U.S., all Division 111, with teams under this status. "We're trying to help this sport emerge," Lange said. She said she felt an obligation to try to keep her team in the NCAA for this reason and that "pulling out would not help matters." She also pointed out that club badminton teams are popular at other schools, but there is not enough of a draw for them to join the NCAA. Another motivation for the team to try to maintain its varsity status is the chance it provides for students to letter in a brand new sport. "You don't need that background in athletic specialization to become very good very quickly," Lange said. As a part of a Division 111 school, she said, the board should remember that it is supposed to foster these kinds of opportunities. For now, the team's future is uncertain. "It was the Board's intent not to diminish the opportunities open to our badminton players," Bloom said, "and we will honor that intent. The earliest I see any change in the status of the team would be after the ARC completes its work at the end of the coming spring semester." Upgraded bandwidth shaper allows faster connections BY GERRIT HALL Information Technology Services upgraded the bandwidth shaper over winter break, allowing greater flexibility in allocating bandwidth for student internet use. As a result, students are benefiting from faster network connections. "Students are, in fact, getting much more," said Manager of Networking and Systems Mark Dumic. The previous bandwidth shaper used by the college had a maximum limit of 256 Kbps for incoming information, according to Dumic. Over the break, it was upgraded to a new system that guarantees a minimum of 256 Kbps but allows computers to use more bandwidth if it is available. "There is no upper limit," said Dumic. "If you need more, you can get it." The school has a total of 10 Mbps of bandwidth. More bandwidth allows students to access the internet at faster speeds. Since the installation of the new bandwidth shaper, it is not uncommon for students to get up to two to three Mbps at times, according to Dumic. This allows, for example, an entire MP3 song file to be downloaded in a matter of seconds.As of Tuesday afternoon, roughly 40 percent of the bandwidth was being used to run the music-sharing program Napster. Dumic does not have a problem with such non-academic use of the bandwidth, because the bandwidth shaper gives higher priority to non-residence computers usually used for academic purposes. However, he said, "We don't condone doing anything on the network that involves violation of copyright." Dumic noted that he is trying to "maximize the system" in order to obtain the most possible use from it. Because Swarthmore was one of the first organizations to use the technology of the company that provided the new bandwidth shaper, the college acquired it free of cost. Student Activities Fee likely to be raised BY JON EHRENFELD At the final Student Council meeting before winter break, SC voted to approve a $37 raise in the Student Activities Fee segment of tuition. If approved, this will be the second year in a row in which the SAF has been raised. The idea to raise the SAF, which goes toward funding student groups and activities, was originally formulated two years ago. According to Student Budget Committee treasurer Marvin Barron 'O2, it came in response to the news that the Capital Replacement Fund, which was to have $450, 000 to $500,000, was depleted. In fact, it was $16,000 dollars in debt, since deficit spending had been occurring for some time. The Capital Replacement Fund purchases much of the equipment for various uses around campus. "We are worried about what is going to happen when the equipment we bought this year wears out," Barron said. In order to regain part of the money that was in the fund, it was suggested that the SAF be raised. The increase in the SAF was designed to be a two-part project. The first was last year's $24 increase in the SAF to $250. With this year's proposed $37 raise to $287, it is hoped that by the 2003-2004 academic year, the Capital Replacement Fund will have around $lOO,OOO. In order to become a reality, the College Budget Committee must approve the proposal. It will probably make its decision within a few weeks. Aside from raising the SAF, one proposal to regain money is to move the Halcyon or to reduce it in quality or size. The proposed SAF raise would net roughly $50,000, which is the same amount the school would save by moving the Halcyon. Barron said that, although raising the SAF was not an ideal move, it was important that the Capital Replacement Fund be filled. Only a small portion of the increase in the SAF will go toward funding student groups. As a member of the Student Budget Committee, he indicated that it was unfortunate to have to tell student groups, '"No, there isn't that money,' especially on this campus." ■ INEWSI College may alter approach to club sports From BADMINTON, pg. 4 Learning disability spurs suit for more test time From SOLOMON, pg. 5 THE PHOENIX JANUARY 25, 2001 5
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College brings zoning requests before ville planning commission BY ELIZABETH WRIGHT The college has rescinded a letter requesting that the Swarthmore Borough Council rezone several portions of college-owned land following a meeting with members of the council and the head of the town's planning commission. The planning commission is about to consider the zoning requests, making it "no longer necessary or appropriate for the college to make a special request," Vice President for Facilities and Services Larry Schall said. The original request, made to the borough in September, asked that some of the land the college owns on the edges of campus be rezoned from residential to institutional use. The request was made in light of the proposed Swarthmore hotel. If the hotel is built—which officials from both the college and the borough view as mutually beneficial—the college would have fewer acres of land zoned for institutional use and less flexibility in the future. The nature of the request was troubling to some borough residents and council members. Some felt it was inappropriate to alter zoning designations as a sort of trade linked to the planned hotel rather than to request zoning changes through the town's planning process. In its current form, borough council member Don Delson said, the college's request is "perfectly appropriate."At the February 12 meeting of the borough council, the planning commission will be charged to explore the requests, Delson said. The main question the commission will consider is whether there ought to be more or less flexibility given to the college for land on the edges of the campus. The commission will present any changes to current zoning it recommends to the borough council for approval later this year. According to Delson, however, it would be naive to assume the zoning issues have been entirely decoupled from the plans for the inn. Now, he proclaimed, they are just "less obviously linked." Schall added that both the borough and college are "on the same page" regarding the hotel, though there are many complex issues they still need to work through. Steps towards planning the hotel are "on target," Schall said. The governor recently signed legislation that would allow the borough to hold a referendum to grant a liquor license to the proposed hotel. At its January 8 meeting, the borough council decided to try to place the referendum on the May ballot. The borough has taken it upon itself to collect the required number of signatures before the March 6 deadline. Delson predicted there would no difficulty collecting enough signatures. Claire Weiss Phoenix Staff The borough planning commission will examine how much flexibility to grant the college for land the college owns on the periphery of the campus. Winter Institute explores multicultural issues BY HOFAN CHAU THE AIM OF THE INSTITUTE IS TO TRAIN PEOPLE TO LEAD THE CAMPUS ON ISSUES OF DIVERSITY For three and a half days before the semester began, 53 participants in the Multicultural Winter Institute had an opportunity to engage with people of different backgrounds as they examined their feelings about oppression. Discussions were wide-ranging, covering race, anti-Semitism, dual ethnicity, skin color, stereotypes and systematic oppression. Issues such as race, class, sexual orientation, gender, and religion became personalized. Because the Winter Institute was several days long, participants had time to build trust and reflect deeply. While models of oppression and racial development were presented, facilitators made the issues intimate as well as intellectual by expressing themselves and sharing their experiences. The main rewards that both facilitators and participants reported were personal. Facilitator Zara Joffes trusts that the participants will "do something" with the experience. She returns every year to facilitate because it's fulfilling for her to see the participants "really investing and taking risks to share themselves in the fullest way." Her facilitating partner, Taalibah Kariem-White, thinks that college is a time for students to be "fermenting their identity" and hopes to move students to a place of self-exploration. Assistant Dean and Gender Education Adviser Karen Henry, who has been behind the program since its start in 1993, said that the aim of the Institute is "to train people to lead on campus on issues of diversity." The record so far is impressive: graduates have been responsible for creating the Diversity Coalition; Dialogues, weekly dorm-based discussion groups; the freshman diversity play workshops; and Knapsackers, as well as the Chester Road Pre-Orientation community service program. This does not include the number of participants who continue to work in the existing diversity groups. Participants themselves said skilled facilitation allowed them to understand themselves better. Gloria Chan 'O2 said that it enabled her to see "what issues pushed my buttons, which issues brought out which emotions ... It was an incredible way to understand more about myself." Out of the many exercises, role-playing, involving masks, was one of the most memorable for participants. Emily Chavez 'O3 said it allowed her to see "how easily I accept rules that are given to me ... how quickly I take them in and don't think about breaking them." In this case, the rules of the role-play were modelled to grant privileges to the 'unmasked' over the 'masked,' forcing participants to contemplate their privileges or lack thereof in the structure of society. For some, such as Nathan Wessler 'O4, it was a role reversal to experience the feeling of being oppressed. For others, like Henry, it was a chance to recognize the difficulty of being a privileged person trying to earn the trust of the people they were oppressing. Winter Institute is one of the few opportunitiesopportunities for students of color and white students to talk about their identities together.“I see Swat as having good intentions in supporting people’s identity groups. I don’t see a whole lot done to bridge differences at a deep level... [but] I think it happens [at the Winter Institute],” said Joffes. This is the first year that the Winter Institute has been Tri-College instead of Swarthmore-based. While the larger group pushed the facilitators to ensure enough space for everyone to share their experiences, it also allowed, according to Henry, people to meet other allies on campus. “There could be five people on each campus ... [with the three colleges] you will have fifteen altogether,” she said. Indeed, this seemed to be the case for Laurel Kean ’O3, who previously came to realize that “there are other people who think the same thing.” Activism can feel like a long struggle, and the chance to connect with people, especially on such an honest level, was precious to the participants. Chan described the Winter Institute as, for her, simply a “refuelling point.” Hofan Chau Phoenix Staff Participants in the Winter Institute had time to build trust, allowing them to dicuss a wide-range of issues relating to multiculturalism on a personal level. This was the first year the Winter Institute was a Tri-Co event. |NEWS| 6 JANUARY 25, 2001 THE PHOENIX
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Student group holds discussion on living wage for staff BY GABRIEL HETLAND Swarthmore Staff Wage Study Group seeks to encourage wages for staff that would allow self-sufficiency BLAIR AND OTHERS CLAIMED THAT SWARTHMORE HAS THE POTENTIAL AND THE MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO SET A "MODEL WAGE" THAT OTHER COLLEGES AND EMPLOYERS COULD LOOK TO. About a dozen students from the Swarthmore Staff Wage Study Group (SSWSG), along with several staff and faculty members, met in a Parrish classroom with members of the College Budget Committee (CBC) in mid-December to discuss the issue of a living wage for Swarthmore's staff. While the football controversy was occupying center stage, student activists and staff members were concerned about another battle, which also touched on the issue of who gets to participate in making decisions affecting the college. Currently, the college sets staff wages by looking at national and regional labor markets. The hourly wage of a Sharpies card checker or a dorm housekeeper is calculated based on what is employers pay to workers in similar positions in the area and around the country. The college justifies the wages here by pointing to similar rates elsewhere. The lower-wage job categories in Swarthmore's fiscal year 2000 pay scale have hiring minimums ranging from $5.36 to $8.53 per hour; many Sharpies workers, even those who have worked at the College for a number of years, earn between $7 and $9 per hour. At the December meeting, students and staff from SSWSG told the CBC that such wages are not enough to live on. Members of the group talked for over two hours with Associate Vice President and Director of Human ResourcesResources Melanie Young, Dean of Finance and CBC Chair Paul Aslanian and others from the CBC about creating a "living wage" for Swarthmore's staff. Members of SSWSG say that current wages are simply not adequate to maintain oneself or a family, given that staff must pay for food, housing, transportation, taxes, and health and child care. Following criteria put forward by Women's Association for Women's Alternatives (WAWA), an organization based in the Borough of Swarthmore, group member Sam Blair 'O2 defined a living wage as one that "allows a person to be self-sufficient, to meet all her needs without government support." The particular wage that allows for self-sufficiency is variable, noted Blair, and depends on the size of the family as well as the regional and local costs of living. As such, it is difficult to pinpoint a specific dollar amount that would give all workers self-sufficiency, but estimates of such a wage range from $lO to $l5 per hour. Blair cited WAWA's 1998 Self-Sufficiency Study, which found that a single parent would need to make about $l3 per hour to achieve self-sufficiency. Defenders of Swarthmore's policies have asked what the college can reasonably be expected to pay given the current level of market wages, even if the wages it offers are not sufficient to live on. Blair and others claimed that Swarthmore has the potential and the moral responsibility to set a "model wage" that other colleges and employers could look to. Just as Swarthmore has taken the lead among small liberal arts colleges in creating and maintaining a diverse campus, it should set examples in other areas, they said, rather than hiding behind the argument that the market demands wages that are insufficient to live on. Besides the immediate goal of increased wages, the meeting raised more long-term issues about participation in decision-making structures and creating a more democratic workplace. Blair noted that this coming month will be very busy, as the CBC must complete its budget before the February meeting of the Board of Managers. Lunch back in the bag BY GERRIT HALL The bag lunch program will return on Tuesday of next week. "We are pleased to be able to bring this convenience back to the students again," said Linda McDougall, Director of Dining Services. The program had been suspended because a C-BORD card swiper had been stolen from Sharpies. It was returned anonymously to McDougall's office on Dec. 6. The bag lunch program is a quick alternative to other lunch options. It is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays weekly, starting at 12:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis. Swarthmore Police Report A home on Drexel Place was broken into through a back door on Friday. An undetermined number of music compact discs and a pillowcase were burglarized. An automobile accident occurred at S. Chester Road and Yale Ave. on Monday. Upon arrival at the scene, the police found a car which had been driven off the road onto the sidewalk, resting against a utility pole. The driver said he had tried to stop for a slow-moving vehicle and slid on the wet pavement. The driver was asked to perform several field sobriety tests. He refused and was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Two thefts, one burglary and one attempted burglary were reported at the college. Four citations were issued for underage drinking and public drunkenness, and there was one arrest for possession of marijuana. INEWSI THE PHOENIX JANUARY 25, 2001 7 ■■ H mm. IS HIRING Sportswriter Sports Columnist Staff Photographer Circulation Manager Treasurer CHECK THE PHOENIX BOARD BY THE MAILROOM FOR MORE INFORMATION Applications due tomorrow! Breakfast, Lunch And Dinner All In One Box. eat pizza 5 days out of 7, make sure it's the pizza made with high quality ingredients. Papa John's. Springfield 433 Baltimore Pike 610-544-3100 Credit cards now accepted! Better Ingredients. Better Pizza. 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OPINIONS Time for healing now EDITORIALS With the Board of Managers' decision to cut football, badminton and wrestling a fait accompli after its Jan. 4 meeting, it no longer makes sense to debate the decision as news. Let us now consider it history, and instead dedicate our efforts to reuniting a divided, emotional community. Whether the decision turns out good or bad for Swarthmore will not be apparent until five or 10 years from now. Perhaps in the intervening years, we will rue the decision and bring back the football program, as Villanova did in the 1980s. Or maybe the cuts will be seen in as positive a light as the revitalization of the Honors program. Like the beleaguered election, all we can learn from it now is how not to make a decision and create a system to keep decision-making like this from happening again. Just as the responsibility of uniting a divided country and Senate rests in President Bush's hands, the task of healing a college wounded in the paroxysms of internal strife now falls to the administrators, faculty and board members who supported the cuts. With the "hard questions" answered, the college's leaders must now follow through on their promises improved athletic resources and facilities, more coaches and a dedicated attempt to preserve the social culture we have grown to appreciate. Swarthmore's response was not the only possible response. But any response will disappoint someone and cause problems. What differentiates a good response from a bad response is the way it is handled. So far the college has done a poor job, but there is still plenty of time to improve. There are also other reasons why the decision was made, ones that we suspect will look far more compelling in time. Much has been made of Swarthmore's "last stand," its status as the final bastion of amateurism in America. The waves of professionalism against which we reacted so violently (the decision has been described as "cutting off the arm to save the body") are undeniably inundating the nation, and every liberal arts college is attempting to deal with the problems they bring. It's not just about football or sports it's about computer science, journalism, economics, English and academia as a whole. There is no doubt that, faced with the challenge of reconciling liberal arts ideals with professional pressures, a line must be drawn. We have drawn it boldly, and now we are dealing with the consequences. Many critics of the athletics cuts have claimed that the Swarthmore they love is not the Swarthmore of today. They are wrong. Swarthmore may not be the same college it once was. But college used to be for men only. Swarthmore helped change that. And college used be mainly for white people. Swarthmore helped change that, too. And athletic culture has always been central to college. Maybe Swarthmore is helping change that as well. While the college itself may change, the idea of Swarthmore stays the same. Swarthmore has always been socially conscious and has always been bold. Swarthmore is constantly changing to maintain the same position on the social and cultural landscape. It remains for history to determine whether the college's latest move brings it closer to the Swarthmore ideal. Inclusive solution In the past, The Phoenix has urged the Computing Center to pursue a common sense solution to the bandwidth problem. In a smart move, they have taken our suggestion to come up with a creative answer to the problem. The new policy is smart. Students can now access the Internet at faster speeds without impeding academic concerns and without backing up the system. Research still gets the priority it needs. Furthermore, students can receive these faster speeds at the time they use the most bandwidth for downloads. In this way, the CC has adequately addressed the needs of all parties involved in a solution everyone can agree with. DRIVE - RHRU WIN DOW Slots cause academic insecurity LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor: The fundamental problem in the so-called "process" that the student uproar over football has illuminated is not that Swarthmore's administration acts with too much secrecy, but rather with not enough. Looking past the reactive anger in recruited athletes' comments during these discussions, I am left seeing a deep insecurity about their roles as student-athletes. This insecurity is well deserved! To know that you were admitted to Swarthmore as a "slot" is to know that you were not held to the same academic standard as your classmates; this must be a horrible feeling. The administration should make the slot system less explicit so that recruited athletes can feel like full students. It should simultaneously keep its promises to help other athletic teams, like the men's track team, which is currently a fine team due to the amazing talent of athletes like walk-on Marc Jeuland 'Ol, but will need serious help next year. Abram Falk 'O3 Cuts reflect Bloom's vision for Swat Dear Editor: Last spring, I attended a cocktail party at Dan West's house, and I had a lengthy conversation with Al Bloom about football. At one point in the conversation, I said that there was no reason Swarthmore couldn't be like Williams or Amherst. Bloom said that Swarthmore was not Williams or Amherst and did not want to become a Williams or Amherst. I was shocked at the time, and I asked why would we not want to be like the schools he so clearly worried about in U.S. News and World Report. He replied that Swarthmore was a college for what he termed "the marginalized students of the world." I asked him to define "marginalized students," and he said that they were the students who were very smart but were social outcasts in high school, specifically those often picked on in high school by the athletes! He then repeated that, in his view, Swarthmore is, and should be, a school for those intelligent students who are out of the mainstream. Bloom is trying to make Swarthmore his little world not truly a place that welcomes diversity. Robert Clark '7l LETTERS POLICY Letters and opinions pieces represent the views of their writers and not those of The Phoenix or its staff. The Phoenix is a community forum and welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and have the writer's contact information. Please limit letters to 400 words. The Phoenix reserves the right to edit all letters for content, length and clarity. Submit letters to phoenixJetters@swarthmore.edu or to The Phoenix, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081 To report a correction, e-mail phoenix@swarthmore.edu, write to the editors in chief at the above address or call 610-328-7363. For more letters to the editor, see pg. 9. 8 JANUARY 25, 2001 THE PHOENIX
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Controversy over Falun Gong practice diverts attention from human rights BY TED CHAN y Year W^Zk JL JLm mm* Everyone should have the right to practice their beliefs, ridiculous or not “DON’T YOU DISSEMINATE YOUR NEO-IMPERIALIST IDEOLOGY ON MY PEOPLE,” I THOUGHT TO MYSELF. Over break, I went for dim sum and a haircut in Boston's Chinatown. I found that the bizarre Falun Dafa spirituality sect has seeped into local culture as well and additionally affected my chances of getting a decent haircut. After a strong initial reaction against Falun Dafa, my personal opinion on the subject has cooled, but I still feel it has taken attention away from the real issue. The albatross that should be fought is human rights, something that can universally be understood rather than a strange religion. In a park, there was demonstration of Falun Dafa. Very small-looking Chinese people in very yellow fleeces stretching and mediating. They looked somewhat silly, but hey, it got my atten- tion. I stood for about fifteen minutes and watched the exercises and listened to what those passing by had to say. I heard them called fools, crazy people, idiots, a cult. People laughed, chortled and chuckled. Then I couldn’t get my haircut, because my “stylist,” the one that’s cut my hair since I was crazy little toddler was gone. Gone to Hong Kong to support Falun Dafa. The people in the salon said she’d spent a good deal of her very hard earned money supporting the cause and was rarely around anymore. My initial reaction to hearing that people at colleges like Swarthmore and Ohio State were supporting and protesting a cause like Falun Dafa was incredulity. “Don’t you disseminate your neoimperialist ideology on my people,” I thought to myself. “If China had moved to suppress the Boxer and Taiping rebellions sooner, they might not have been dealt crippling blows to their socioeconomic infrastructure and emerged much stronger into the the modern era.” I really thought that at first, I wrote it down for a Phoenix opinion I never finished. As I sat in the car on the way home, I had an epiphany as I passed Fenway Park. "THIS is our year, we are going to win the World Series! Manny! Nomar! Pedro! Yeah!" And I realized, part of what makes this country great is I can have as a retarded a belief as I want and I'm allowed to have it. I can give all my money to a bizarre religious cult or fling it out a window if I want. I can look like a moron standing in a ghetto park being laughed at by everyone passing by. You can protest to support these people, if that's your perogative. To me, a full-blooded Chinese person, the idea of Falun Dafa is completely ludicrous, as it seems to be to many Chinese people not involved in it, as I discovered in talking to my parents and relatives and their friends. But unless they do something like try and overthrow the government, they should ab- solutely have every right to practice. So, keep protesting and supporting. I'll keep believing that this is Pedro's year. Your right to protest something happening half a world away is fundamental. I just hope it's the supression of human rights you are protesting, and that you honestly believe this is a harmless activity, which I must say not a lot of neutral Chinese I've talked to think it is. Religion is fme and dandy until people start getting killed, and China has quite a history with the Taiping, Boxer and White Lotus Rebellions. Millions died as a result of those "spiritualities" gone awry, and Falun shares many characteristics in common. Could Falun Dafa take on similar proportions? Apparently, Chinese officials believe so. I am always hesitant to defend the Chinese government because of their record, but clearly there is a historical precident here. In closing, this should be about human rights. I believe if it were, it would have infinitely more credibility. As a result of the minimal credibility Falun Dafa has, both the group and its supporters in the state are perceived as zealots themselves. People will not laugh at human rights. That's what this should be about, but it doesn't seem that way. I know myself, and many Chinese would join the protest if that is what action was organized around. Audrey Chan Phoenix Staff I'm OK, you're OK IN PUBLIC AS JEFFERSON PROBABLY NEVER SAID, DEMOCRACIES GET THE LEADERS THEY DESERVE. AND IF THESE THINGS ARE ALL OK WITH GEORGE W. BUSH, THEN HELL, THEY'RE OK WITH ME TOO. It's not that I refused to give this guy a chance. I mean, he got through the oath of office all right. Though you could see him struggling to recall "preserve, protect and defend" in the right order. Yes, I was perfectly willing to give President Bush the same respect that conservatives have given Bill Clinton over the years. In other words, I was ready to forgive Rehnquist for the illegitimate president whenever Mrs. Jackson forgives Jesse for the illegitimate child. Keep hope alive. In the spirit of the national reconciliation party our country was apparently enjoying, however, I soon realized that I could be pig-headed or I could be pleasant. I could be bitter or I could be bipartisan. I could do lockbox or I could do strategery. Ultimately, it came down to an old book title from the 60's. This fall was the "I'm OK, You're OK" presidential campaign, and chances are it will be the "I'm OK, You're OK" presidency. And frankly, I'm OK with that too. Are you? Sure, it worries me that George W. is reading a book - undoubtedly his first - about John Quincy Adams, the other son-of-a-president president, because Bush the Elder called him "old Quincy" recently and W. figured he "might as well find out what the fellow was all about." It worries me that the would-be attorney general had to clarify to Congress that he thinks slavery is wrong. It worries me that the would-be secretary of the interior thinks that the Confederacy "lost too much" in the Civil War. It worries me that the secretary of energy has just finished his six-year crusade to abolish the cabinet department he was appointed to lead. And it worries me that the guy who's really in charge (do they call him "stiff Dick" back home?) had his fourth "cardiac event" right after he was elected. But hey, as Jefferson probably never said, democracies get the leaders they deserve. (Except when the other guy gets more votes.) And if these things are all OK with George W. Bush, then heU, they're OK with me too. So if George W. Bush wants an attorney general who praised Southern Partisan Magazine for "setting the record straight" on patriots like Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee, that's who he will get. As Mr. Ashcroft has pointed out, it is technically possible for a man who doesn't believe in some basic laws to enforce them nonetheless. This is the sort of man I would choose to be attorney general only for a cruel social experiment, but 'bid Quincy" has other ideas. And that's OK! If Bush wants a national security team that thinks the Cold War is still on, I'm sure they can make it come back. And if he wants a secretary of the interior who prefers "pay polluter" to "polluter pay," I'm willing to overlook that as a symptom of dyslexia. Those things are both OK. There are a few things that could rain on George W.'s inaugural parade, though. Like rain. Or, to stretch our conceptual capacities to their limit, a bad economy. An arms race. Scandal. Another cardiac event. Bui Clinton running for mayor of New York City. When it rains, it pours. Poor George W. will suddenly find himself wearing that deer-caught-in-theheadlights look day in and day out. And the fickle Americans just might mutter, "I'm not OK, and neither are you." lOPINIONS THE PHOENIX JANUARY 25, 2001 9 's ictionary BY BEN CHAN* PHILANTHROPY cn: BENEFICIENT ACTIONS TAKEN WHEN THE MARGINAL UTILITY OF INCOME IS ZERO
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THE GRADUALLY CHANGING FACE OF THE FACULTY WHEN THOMPSON BRADLEY, PROFESSOR AND CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MODERN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES, ARRIVED AT SWARTHMORE IN THE 19605, HE ENCOUNTERED A CAMPUS THAT "WAS ABSOLUTELY WHITE/' WHEN BRAULIO MUNOZ, PROFESSOR AND CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY, ACCEPTED A POSITION AT THE COLLEGE OVER A DECADE LATER, HE WAS THE ONLY LATINO/A NOT JUST IN HIS DEPARTMENT, BUT IN THE COLLEGE AS A WHOLE. AND EVEN IN THE MID-1980S, WHEN POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR KEITH REEVES WAS A STUDENT HERE, HE COULD ALMOST COUNT ON HIS HANDS THE NUMBER OF MINORITY FACULTY MEMBERS. "I DON'T VIEW MYSELF AS: I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M A MINORITY FACULTY MEMBER. MY RECORD WILL SHOW THAT I'M MORE THAN QUALIFIED. I'M LUCKY TO BE HERE AT SWARTHMORE, AND SWARTHMORE IS LUCKY TO HAVE ME HERE. I THINK THAT'S TRUE FOR ALL MINORITY FACULTY HERE.” Since Bradley began his career at Swarthmore and most notably in the past dozen years a largely homogeneous faculty, at least in terms of color, has to some extent given way to greater diversity. In 1980-1981, ten faculty members of color were among the tenure-track faculty at the college; in 1990-1991,16 minority faculty members were in tenure-track positions. In the current academic year, there are 21 minorities 12 African-Americans, six Asian-Americans, and three Latino/as among the 160 faculty members in tenure-track positions. Although studies show that in the past decade most American institutions of higher education have made little headway in the area of faculty diversity, this has not been the case at Swarthmore, according to interviews with faculty members and administrators. Recent initiatives at the administrative, departmental, and student levels have been aimed at broadening the pool of minority applicants and thus bringing more minority faculty members to the college. In particular, the Minority Scholars in Residence Program, which provides fellowships for pre and postdoctoral minority scholars, receives high praise from administrators and department chairs who say that it has played an important part in attracting faculty of color to the college. Despite the considerable progress the college has made toward diversifying the faculty, however, the concensus among departmental chairs and minority faculty is that more work remains to be done, and that the college must not relax its current efforts to recruit faculty of color. Minority faculty are still underrepresented at Swarthmore, they say, particularly Latino/a faculty and those in the natural sciences. The ongoing effort to diversify the faculty is critical because it introduces students to perspectives that they might not otherwise have encountered, according to faculty and students. "Diversity changes the entire way people learn," Bradley said. "They're in contact with cultures, experiences, and ways of thinking that make it difficultdifficult to stay the same." This diversity of viewpoints strikes at the core of Swarthmore's role as an institution of higher education. "Because of the things that Swarthmore students go on to do, they need to be aware and open to the fact that insight and depth come from all different perspectives," said economics professor Philip Jefferson. "We can't accomplish the full mission of the college unless we accomplish certain things with regard to the faculty." Moreover, minority students and some professors emphasized that a significant minority presence among faculty often makes students of color feel more comfortable. "It helps to feel that there are others presenting a challenge to what could be the dominant mentality," Spanish professor Aurora Camacho de Schmidt said. "If we have significant numbers, it's good for all of us, including white faculty and students." Yet faculty of color stressed that they do not see themselves solely in terms of their status as a minority. "I don't view myself as: I'm here because I'm a minority faculty member," Jefferson said. "My record will show that I'm more than qualified. I'm lucky to be here at Swarthmore, and Swarthmore is lucky to have me here. I think that's true for all minority faculty here." This article, the first in a two-part series, will explore the strategies the college is using to recruit minority faculty. The second article in this series, to appear next week, will address the environment on campus for minority faculty members, the degree of progress the college has made in recruiting and retaining faculty of color, and the challenges the college faces in trying to diversify its faculty. HISTORY OF FACULTY DIVERSITY The history of faculty diversity at Swarthmore to some extent reflects larger societal changes that have occurred over the past forty years. A study conducted by the Julius Rosenwald Fund in 1941 found only two black professors teaching at universities that were not predominantly black. With the advent of the Civil Rights movement and the adoption of affirmative action legislation in the sixties, faculty of color began slowly to enter colleges and universities across the country. Swarthmore hired its first black faculty member, professor emerita of history Kathryn Morgan, in the early 19705. Morgan describes her experience at Swarthmore, including the racism she encountered, in the September 2000 edition of the Swarthmore Bulletin. Initially denied tenure, Morgan joined a class-action suit against the college. Morgan won the suit and went on to teach at the college for 20 years. But even after Morgan received tenure, the move toward a more diverse faculty was slow. English pro- fessor and department chair Chuck James recalled that for a long time there were no more than five black faculty members on campus. There were no Latino/a professors until the late 19705. Under the leadership of provost Jim England, the college began to make aggressive efforts to recruit minority faculty. In the 19705, the faculty established a goal of hiring ten black faculty members in tenure track positions, which has since been reaffirmed several times. England also offered additional incentives for departments to hire minority faculty members. For instance, biology professor and chair Mark Jacobs said that his department was granted funds for a new faculty position on the condition that three of the six finalists for that position be viable minority candidates. In February 1998, the faculty adopted a broader resolution concerning faculty diversity that does not set numberical goals. The resolution states: “For the sake of furthering Swarthmore College’s community and educational values, the faculty endorses that Departments and Programs in the College, with the help of the Administration, take the necessary and appropriate steps so that within a decade we may see a significant increase in the racial and ethnic diversity of the college.” COLLEGE-WIDE INITIATIVES In addition to the resolution, the college has introduced specific initiatives to bring minority faculty members to the college. For instance, after meeting a minority scholar at a professional conference, Swarthmore faculty may invite that person to the college to give a talk or teach a course, according to provost Jennie Keith. “If the fit seems good from both sides we would look for ways to offer them a position,” Keith said. To accomplish this, the college may sometimes appoint the minority scholar as an “avanced replacement” for a tenure-track position currently held by a senior faculty member, according to Keith. The two occupy the same tenure-track position until the senior faculty member retires, at which time it is expected that the minority faculty member will fill the vacated position. In several cases, donors have provided funding to cover the second salary that comes from having two people in a single tenure line. A proposed endowment in the current $2OO million capital campaign aims to provide “more stable funding” in the future for these kind of “bridge” appointments, according to Keith. According to Keith, the consortium for a strong minority presence at liberal arts colleges, of which Swarthmore was a founding member, has been “one of the most successful ways” of bringing faculty of color to the college. Consisting of about 20 liberal-arts schools, the consortium administers the minority- scholars-i is opento who have worlftrigc Progrc three chc would lik However, recent ye leges beL Colleges r to discuss thprcam two-year times cor dcri their pref The pi for both ti denceand lege offici course lo< ary, they ] sertations arsalsoh rience th< arts collej mgnt same tinn mine»ty candidate #K* a them and that it Swarthmi have corj plying for When parties vin able to g ments to ments to dence. As tifiedthrc are-usual Since the sckotess-i at the coll The pi ditionallj B«g, prsi Astronon to the Sep he moved gram is t( in a tenui in this pc able to in she said. Marci; general p allfacultj nal candi appointm nities" ar: a. nations rarely. Claire Weiss Phoenix Staff Sociology department chair Braulio Munoz was once the only Latino faculty member. 10 JANUARY 25, 2001 THE PHOENIX
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BY SONIA SCHERR | PHOENIX STAFF olars-in-residence program, which pento members of minority groups 3 have just received a Ph.D. or are 'TSrig on their dissertation. Program applicants name their top se choices of schools where they old like to receive an appointment minority scholars-in-residence. vever, all applications which in snt years have numbered around !&» sa;e forwarded to each of the col-3s belonging to the consortium, leges may then contact applicants liscuss the possibility of coming to ir campuses for one- or sometimes •-year appointments. Swarthmore the applications, and somees contacts'applicants even when £' dcnot list the college as one of ir preferred choices. The program has distinct benefits both the minority scholars-in-resi- Lce'and the college, according to coli officials and department chairs. :ause-the scholars teach a reduced rsejoad while receiving a full sal, they have time to finish their distations or conduct research. Scholalso have the opportunity to expeice the lifestyle at a small liberal-3 college before making a commitnt permanent position. At the le time, the college is able to meet T€»ty scholars who might be good Ldidates for a permanent position. an ideal testing ground for m and us," said James, who added it it has brought people to arthmore who might not otherwise re considered the college when aping for jobs. When there is a good match for both ties mvolved, the college has been e to grant requests from departnts to offer tenure-track appointnts to minority scholars-in-resiice. As with some minorities iden-3d through other means, the minority scholars-in-residence -usually hired as advance replacements for senior faculty, ce the program's inception in the late 1980s, four minority .okss-in-residence have received permanent appointments he college. The program is especially helpful for departments that traionaUy have trouble attracting minority candidates. Amy g, professor and chair of the Department of Physics and ronomy, said that several years ago a black physicist came he department as a minority scholar-in-residence. Although moved on to a career elsewhere, Bug said a goal of the prom is to find someone interested in remaining at the college i tenure line. "Someone would not be good enough to hire this position if we didn't have the hope that we would be e to invite them to stay on in a more permanent position," i said. Marcia Brown, executive assistant to the provost, said the teral policy of the college is to conduct a national search for faculty positions; in the course of the search, a strong intercandidate may emerge as a top contender and receive the K>intment. But occasionally, when 'Extraordinary opportu- Les" arise, a tenure-track appointment may be made without lational search, though Brown stressed that this happens Biology professor Marcus McFerren, one of three scholars-in-residence at the college this year, said the appointment has been a "positive experience" so far, allowing him to develop his own courses an opportunity he did not have in graduate school while launching his post-doctoral research. And being a minority scholar-in-residence has enbled McFerren, who earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Cornell, to experience a liberal-arts environment. "Faculty life at a place like this is markedly different than at a place like Cornell," he said. "Here everyone is a scholar but the primary focus of the faculty is teaching. That appeals to me." The college budget includes funds for one minority scholar-in-residence each year, although donors have financed additional appointments. In the past several years, the college has generally appointed two or three scholarsin-residence.DEPARTMENTAL EFFORTS While the administration makes departments aware of the college's broad commitment to diversity, it does Claire Weiss Phoenix Staff English department chair Chuck James remembers a time when black faculty members could not be found on campus. IN DEPTH IC head forms committee Of the under-represented minority groups, Latino/as have the least presence among the Swarthmore faculty. Swarthmore has 21 minority faculty in tenure-track positions, three of whom are Latino/a. All three are in the humanities; two teach in the department of sociology and anthropology. An ad hoc committee of faculty and staff hopes to increase the numbers of Latino/a faculty at the college in general and particularly in the natural sciences. "We need more Latino/a faculty, especially in the natural sciences," said assistant dean and director of the Intercultural Center Annamaria Cobo. "Students feel the lack of role models in this area." Provost Jennie Keith also cited the need to hire more Latino/a faculty members. "Our diversity is increasing and it is also broader, including individuals from a wider range of backgrounds," she said. "However, we still have very few Latino/a faculty members and I hope very much to increase that number." The Latino/a faculty committee was formed in the fall of 1999 by Cobo. The committee is working with President Al Bloom and Keith to find ways to recruit Latino/a faculty. The group drafted a position paper in spring of 2000 outlining the status of Latino/a faculty at Swarthmore and proposing that the college increasing the number of Latino/a faculty in the next few years. The group also received a $3,500 grant from the college to hire Kaysha Corinealdi 'O2 as an intern last summer. In order to find potential Latino/a candidates for faculty positions, Corinealdi contacted universities enrolling Latino/a Ph.D. candidates as well as organizations that grant fellowships to Latino/as. Corinealdi compiled a booklet containing the results of her research, which she would like to serve as a guide for departments conducting faculty searches. She also hopes that additional funding will be available for someone to do follow-up research and establish connections with universities that expressed interest in the project. "The Latino/a Committee still has a lotto accomplish, but we have made a strong effort in the past year to move the Latino/a agenda forward and create a foundation," Cobo said of the group's progress. In addition to bringing more Latino/a faculty to the college, other objectives of the committee include working to recruit and retain Latino/a students, creating the first Latino/a Colloqium on campus, facilitating dialogue relating to Latino/a issues, establishing a Latino/a network and working with Latino/a community leaders. SONIA SCHERR Claire Weiss Phoenix Staff Assistant dean and director of the Intercultural Center Anna Maria Cobo is leading an effort to increase the number of Latino/a faculty. See DIVERSITY, pg. 12 THE PHOENIX JANUARY 25, 2001 11 •] j\ It\ 'A WJTfil MINOmTY FACULTY ON TENURE TRACK 2000-2001 21 160 12 6 3 the year minority faculty on tenure track people on tenure track African-American faculty on tenure track Asian-American faculty on tenure track Latino/a faculty on tenure track 8 8 minority faculty on tenure track in the natural sciences in humanities in social sciences in physical education
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not impose rigid guidelines or tell them who to hire based on diversity issues. But some departmental chairs say they employ deliberate efforts to bring more minority faculty members to the college. Bradley said that the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures tries to advertise broadly and encourage possible candidates to apply for open positions. Moreover, the fact that so many people play a role in the selection process including students who reflect the diversity of the student body may contribute to the selection of a diverse candidate, according to Bradley. Political science professor and chair Raymond Hopkins said that he has contacted other people in his field to find out about potential minority candidates. And Jacobs said that when trying to recruit for a position in neurobiology, he went to a national meeting of neurobiologists and announced the opening at a reception given by the black caucus. This effort yielded at least ten applicants, two or three of whom were among the finalists for the position, Jacobs said. Consistent with the college's general approach toward diversity, department chairs said they do not set quantitative goals when it comes to hiring minority faculty. And while some departments take diversity into account during the hiring process, others do not, focusing primarily on ensuring that their applicant pool includes a wide range of candidate. "We always try to get the best candidate we can find from as broad a pool of applicants as we can get," said history professor and department chair Bob Weinberg. In the physics department, however, diversity does play a role once the department has selected a short list of several excellent candidates, according to Bug. In the biology department, being a person of color "is some favorable weight" in the selection process, Jacobs said. Sometimes financial assistence from the college can help departments enhance their chances of finding faculty of color. Because of limited funds, departments usually in- vite three or four finalists to the college for interviews. A recent search in the biology department resulted in a list of four finalists, one of whom was a minority. The fifthranked candidate was Latino/a. Jacobs said he called the provost and received permission to bring in that person as well. While departments control their own searches, the college does provide some concrete advise on minority hiring in a new departmental handbook that includes a section outlining ways that departments can attempt to diversify their applicant pool. The suggestions include contacting Ph. D.-granting universities to ask about minority graduates and advertising positions in publications aimed at minorities. In addition, Equal Opportunity Officer Sharmaine LaMar said she hopes to build relationships with departments in order to help them find innovative ways to recruit faculty, particularly those of color. Initiatives might include establishing more connections with Ph. D.-granting institutions in an effort to identitify potential candidates of color. LaMar said she does not want to impose on departments, but rather to provide support in the area of faculty recruitment for those who want it. “My ultimate goal is to increase and enhance the pools so there is equal opportunity and access in all the searches we do,” she said. WHILE SOME DEPARTMENTS TAKE DIVERSITY INTO ACCOUNT DURING THE HIRING PROCESS, OTHERS DO NOT, FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON ENSURING THAT THEIR APPLICANT POOL INCLUDES A WIDE RANGE OF CANDIDATE. Michael Pasahow Phoenix Staff Biology department chair Mark Jacobs surveys his work in the greenhouse. Department chairs say they do not set quantitative goals for hiring minority faculty. Michael Pasahow Phoenix Staff Economics professor Philip Jefferson recognizes that students need to be aware of insight and depth from many different perspectives. Swat's policies safe, officer says Nationally, recent legal challenges to affirmative action programs have some university officials worried about their own efforts to recruit minority faculty members. But Sharmaine LaMar, Swarthmore's equal opportunity officer, said that the college can avoid legal pitfalls while still working to attract a diverse faculty. "There is nothing legally wrong with recruiting faculty of color," LaMar said. "The problem is placing greater priority on one candidate over another based on race." It is acceptable to set a goal of increasing over a period of time the percentage of minority faculty, according to LaMar. More problematic would be reserving a certain number of slots in a particular hiring season for minorities. A supporter of affirmative action policies, LaMar believes that "to just look at race would be a huge violation of what was intended by affirmative action." "Simply because a person is of another background, culture, or race doesn't make them uniquely qualified to bring another perspective," LaMar said. "If you go after a diversity of opinions, styles, experiences and ideals, then physical diversity will naturally follow. If you go after physical diversity, you won't necessarily get the diversity you want." But this last scenario does not happen at Swarthmore, LaMar said. "Every person that's hired who happens to be a person of color is more than qualified and truly has something to offer the department," she said. LaMar said her goal is to increase diversity by broadening the applicant pool, rather than narrow it "in a direction that's equally illegal and wrong." If minorities are in the applicant pool, LaMar said, then they will have an opportunity to compete and get hired. Moreover, LaMar said it is important to ensure that when candidates do enter the applicant pool, they are not discriminated against in the selection process because of race. As for Swarthmore's current initiatives to hire minority faculty, LaMar said: "I think we're pretty safe. I don't think that any of our policies with respect to faculty recruiting and hiring just looks at race." LaMar said she does not see a problem with the college's practice of sometimes hiring a minority scholar as an advanced replacement for a senior faculty member. Race is not the determining factor in the decision to extend an offer, she said, but rather the college's experience with that particular person. "You're looking at the richness they've added to the environment," LaMar said. SOMA SCHERR Equal oppurtunity officer Sharmaine LaMar looks for "diversity of opinions, styles, experiences and ideals" in her recruitment policies. IN DEPTH Departmental policies differ on hiring process From DIVERSITY, pg. U 12 JANUARY 25, 2001 THE PHOENIX
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The agony (of) the ecstacy? BY MATT RUBIN OP-ED Last semester, The Phoenix was criticized by some for a lack of editorial discretion. This paper, critics alleged, abrogated a responsibility when it chose to run a column which perhaps trivialized rape. While I had (and continue to have) no distinct position on the matter, I certainly understood the argument. So I was absolutely astounded by the recent New York Times Magazine decision to run an article on the drug MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, e, X, and a host of other street names. The article was a disgrace. Written by a former user, Matthew Klam, it was at best an insufficiently researched grammatical nightmare. At worst, it was the encouraging (read: depressing) testimonial of an ecstasy success story. The article begins by describing the author's life, which essentially resembles a before and after advertisement marketing ecstasy as the medium for change. Before: depressed, pimply, insecure, angry, petty frat boy. After: kind, peaceful, determined, philanthropic peace corps enrollee turned freelance (and I use that term liberally) periodical writer. According to Klam, ecstasy turned his life around. His first experience was an epiphany that changed his life into something meaningful. Never mind that, as Klam himself mentions (and carelessly disregards), 95 percent of people who try ecstasy for the first time experience an immediate period of depression lasting days or even months. Such dismissal of pertinent medical evidence is typical of the article. Never mind that tests show drastic, permanent damage to users' brains these tests represent the use of "very large quantities" of MDMA. Never mind the deaths caused by ecstasy hey, you can overdose on Advil and Tylenol too, can't you? This type of logic, also used in his ever-so-accurate sampling (of satisfied users and ex-users), leads Klam to conclude, despite his own presentation of ample evidence to the contrary, that ecstasy is most likely a good thing to try. Most of you are probably thinking that such advocacy is not such a bad thing. After all, you think, people are entitled to opinions just as we are entitled to decide to read them. This, you think, is the real meaning of liberty and tolerance. But such a black and white conception of these virtues fails to take the New York Times Company's responsibility into account. The New York Times is a very well respected newspaper; its readers count on the paper to be an objective and honest conveyor of facts. Yes, this was published in the magazine, not the newspaper. But it was advertised on the front page of the main paper. And usually, when the magazine runs such large stories, they run a news story if they also run one-sided opinions (for example, their special coverage of the predicted inner workings of the new Bush administration). People hold the magazine to the same standards as the paper. When the article came out, my father told me to read it. "This will discourage you," he said. "It's in the New York Times." As you can gather, he was drastically wrong, as I'm sure many other parents were. The question is not whether the Times had the right to publish such material; clearly they did. But just as clearly, they misled their loyal and trusting readers, perhaps causing drastic, long-term problems for these readers. I pass no judgment on the drug itself. I do, however, pass judgment on those who purport to make that same judgment for unwitting parents, even if they did make us here at The Phoenix look like angels. Why I voted the way I did BY PETER SCHMIDT On Dec. 11th, 2000, the faculty voted 51-15, with 2 abstentions, to support the Dec. 2nd decision regarding athletics made by the Swarthmore College Board of Managers. Like many on the faculty, I have intensely mixed feelings about all of the issues surrounding recent events, but in the end I was one of the 5L Like many faculty, I endorse the Athletic Review Committee's majority recommendation that the percentage of recruited student-athletes at Swarthmore be stabilized at around 15%. Most faculty also understand that endorsing a 15% ideal has consequences, among them that the College apparently can no longer support 24 intercollegiate sports in competition with schools that have much larger enrollments.Also like many, I know that endorsing a 15% goal for recruited student-athletes has particular consequences for foot- THE ARC'S MAJORITY RECOMMENDATION... IS FUNDAMENTALLY ABOUT EQUITY FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES. ball, a large team sport that to be played safely and competitively needs each year a disproportionate share of Swarthmore’s small pool of such student-athletes. In the opinion of many faculty, students, and other members of the Swarthmore community, including me, Swarthmore’s men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports should benefit about equally from these recruited students. The ARC’S majority recommendation and the Board’s recent decision is fundamentally about equity for student-athletes regardless of gender or the sport an athlete plays; it does not express prejudice toward athletics at Swarthmore. Having said all this, I want to register my intense unease with part of the process by which these recent decisions regarding athletics were made by both the ARC and the Board. My unease should NOT to be taken as a disparagement of the immense labor and intelligence the members of the ARC - staff, faculty, students, and Board members - have demonstrated, including during the facility meeting of Dec. 11th. But I lament that despite their careful groundwork, in the last few weeks the ARC and the Board became swept up into a decision-making process in which due deliberation - and even the full participation of crucial members of the ARC committee - became impossible. Here are two of the conclusions I draw from the aftermath. L I affirm the ARC'S and the Board's decision regarding football with the expectation that it will strengthen the remaining athletic programs at the College, intercollegiate and intramural, formally recognized varsity sports and other sports that students themselves have organized. By "strengthen" I mean not just having a positive effect on some teams' won/lost ratios, but on the overall experience here of those who participate. An appropriate post-ARC committee of faculty, staff, students, and Board members, I believe, should be formed to assess whether these policy changes are having this effect. 2. I am disturbed by arguments made by parties on many different sides of the issue that a large degree of secrecy was necessary in reviewing athletics programs. I understand that some decisions cannot be made openly or discussed ahead of time, but the events of the last few days show that far more harm may come from major decisions being made without wide enough discussion. There is a different way to make sensitive decisions. As regards the faculty, we had a meeting in mid-November with the ARC. But we would have been able to give much better guidance to the ARC regarding our different views on athletics if we had been able to discuss not just general principles but several detailed proposals along with the data and arguments behind them. Having an open discussion of the 15% goal and its consequences compared with alternatives in particular was crucial, and this did not occur. A controversial committee should have all the MORE reason to test specific options and conclusions before the faculty and/or before any other groups its decisions will affect. This doesn't mean that committees have to put their final recommendations up for public scrutiny and second-guessing before they present them. But it does mean that when a set of working models for action are defined on issues that will affect large numbers of us, the data and the reasoning supporting those various choices should be presented for a broader discussion before a committee makes its final recommendations. In sum, I urge that all major decisions be made with campus-wide input. To start, perhaps early during the Spring 2001 semester we can have a ollege-wide collection on all the issues surrounding these recent events. That way perhaps voices can speak on all sides of the issue (there are more than just pro and con). And that way perhaps all of us can do a better job of not just speaking or listening, but hearing. Chaz still in charge [H:M;M*ldttH:i4ll* INHERIT J THE WIND A long time ago, nearly a year and a half now, I was huddled on my floor in paroxysms of pain due to what, in retrospect, was simply a mild hamstring cramp. Nevertheless, that column, written in medias res of that incident, went quite well with my fickle readership. Thus, my only joy in life being the attention of anonymous eyes, as Kundera would say, I have, not wholly of my own free will but nevertheless to my benefit, once again subjected myself to blinding torture for the benefit of you: peine forte et dure. Though this one remains, to my untrained medical eye as well as to legions of technicians and alleged doctors, unnamed, I have deigned to call it MOM: multiple orifice malfunction. I leave it as an exercise to the reader to imagine such a phenomenon in all its glorious detail. My recovery did, however, leave me with a great deal of free time on my hands, during which I learned several things, which I relate to you in order of interest. Firstly, if you ever get on "The Price Is Right" and make it down to "Contestants' Row," bid $1 every time. I watched, at rough estimate, 20 episodes of "The Price Is Right" during my fun-filled convalescence, and I can report with certainty that every contestant overbids at least once a show. This and the observation that, while old people are rather knowledgeable as to the suggested retail price of common cleansers and toiletries, they do not believe any automotive vehicle to cost more than $lO,OOO. This is why the sorority sister from Phi Gamma Delta at the University of California-Irvine, who may or may not realize why she may accurately be called 'greek,' never fails to beat the grandmother of seven from French Lick, Ind., at the "Showcase Showdown." I would also accuse "The Family Feud" of being the most racist show in media since the demise of "The Amos and Andy Show" if past events had not informed me that remarks on wounds yet unhealed are often not interpreted in the spirit in which they were made. Humor is best when it makes us both laugh and think, but there exist many issues in our society where thought is oft considered the enemy. This brings me to my second point, this one concerning recent events surrounding my alleged poison pen. I would like to, and you cannot stop me either from splitting infinitives or continuing because this is my column, address earlier complaints regarding my handling of so sensitive an issue as rape. One may be, though I am not, of the opinion that humor generally trivializes matters, but I do not recall this specific objection being raised. It is possible, in the football debacle, which, incidentally, rather got me off the hook, that this line of argument escaped my attention. I do believe it to be erroneous, as "In Praise of Folly" is as worthy as Luther's theses, and I will not continue on this line. What troubles me is, rather, this. I took my point to be that it is humorous and sadly humorous at that, to some social criticism I must confess—that video games are designed in such a manner as to elicit sexual fantasies from men of ages 12 to 90, inclusive. The obviousness of our weaknesses were laid even more bare by such a trite, and nevertheless supremely effective, display as the aforementioned video game. This was, at heart, the insight. No one, and I include myself, much to the chagrin of my critics, is in favor of rape. One of the interesting circumstances of love is that, no matter how strong the desire, it must be freely given. Thus, I do not think that I could rightly be disparaged for promoting rape per se. Rather, I think the covert attack upon my writing was due less to the mention of rape than with the psychological circumstance through which it was arrived. A hidden premise within my column was the belief in a link between male sexuality and male aggression, a link that hardly needs to be elucidated by me. I believe this link to exist, whether or not it should be a matter of debate; and that was, I think, the real grounds for objection that my detractors had. I welcome a debate concerning this idea, but to accuse me, or any right-thinking man, of being in favor of rape, is to be intellectually obfuscatory. The target here is men or, more specifically, a version of male sexuality. Attack that, if you so desire. Do not accuse me or any one else of relishing the possibility of rape. OPINIONS THE PHOENIX JANUARY 25, 2001 13
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Walls of shame AN UNRULY MEMBER So I'd like to start this semester off with a bang ... by dealing with some old business. That is, I hope it's old; the paper lining the Cornell stalls is fresh and unsullied, like new-fallen snow, and here's to hoping it won't soon be covered once again with the kind of hostile homophobic comments that have made several of my friends uncomfortable using the men's bathroom. It would be easy to launch into a tirade here about the importance of responsibility: if you're willing to write offensive, vulgar, threatening comments in a public place, and willing to justify them by claiming them as your beliefs, "pure and simple," then you should be willing to own up to them. The writing I saw when I sneaked into the men's bathroom consisted mostly of insults and veiled threats toward homosexual men: little more than bullying, and actually a little less. Pretty pathetic, in fact. Who ever heard of a bully afraid to give his own name? This tirade, however, is not quite as useful as are analyzing and understanding the comments, and learning what we can about the community from them. I am not surprised that there are people at Swarthmore who are not comfortable with homosexuality or the homosexual rights movement. This is a composite group of people, and people have varying beliefs. I am shocked, however, that those beliefs are expressed in the form of threats and insults on a bathroom wall and that, although I have heard plenty of people express justified anger over their presence, I have heard few express surprise or disapproval over the method of their communication. No one seems unnerved that the only outlet for such viewpoints is this kind of anonymous intimidation. Certainly hate speech should not be welcome in any format, but what about people uncomfortable with the gay rights movement and willing to discuss their concerns? Why don't they just put an article in the paper? We all know the answer to that, and it's the same reason no names appear after the comments in the stalls. To openly express disapproval of the gay rights movement would make you a pariah in this community. In fact, to openly express rightwing views of almost any kind makes you, at the very least, a figure of some controversy. Are you willing to take a few shots for your beliefs? In my experience, if you're liberal in your politics, you don't usually have to ask yourself that question around here. If you're conservative, it probably comes up every day. I'm certainly not saying that we should feel sorry for the poor repressed assholes who took out their insecurities in the form of offensive graffiti. What I am saying is that we should be uncomfortable with the fact that hate speech is the only semblance of "conservativism" most of us encounter. Uncomfortable with abortion? Comfortable with the death penalty? Chances are you don't speak up about it very openly at Swat, for fear that you'll be dumped in a pile labeled "The Enemy" along with Dick Cheney and the Rev. Fred Phelps. You bastards, you're all the same. The problem is, you're not. Homophobia and conservative beliefs do not go hand in hand. The prevalence of this assertion only underscores the point that there is very little outlet for conservative voices on campus and thus very little awareness of the full range of the conservative spectrum. It's a shame that these vulgar bathroom scrawlings are considered by many to represent the "conservative" voice on campus—and an even greater shame that this surprises no one. As a result, too often right-wing viewpoints are not held to high standards of reason and logic here. Why try to present a reasonable, well-thought-out argument when you know you'll be shouted down as soon as you get to a few key words? Liberal arguments are weakened as well in such an environment: without challenge, there is little motivation to examine, reevaluate, and revise; just mention a few touchstone beliefs, and you're "in," no questions asked. The best way to understand and refine your perspective on an issue is to have intelligent dialogue with someone who disagrees. When it comes to conservative and liberal views around here, we don't have that. And it shows. We need a well-publicized right-wing newspaper, or a vocal conservative group. Hell, we need any kind of organization that will present conservative perspectives openly, and in an intelligent, thoughtful manner that conveys many different kinds of right-wing views. Otherwise, much of the campus will continue to think of conservatives as cowardly bullies of the type that scrawls insults on bathroom walls and those responsible will continue to consider this puerile hostility an appropriate vehicle for their opinions. When "All these fags at Swat... me, I'll take pussy, thank you" constitutes many students' idea of what it means to be conservative, we are all the worse off for it. Board should respond to concerns LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor: Last night I met Barbara Hedges, athletic director at the University of Washington. In July, 2000, UW discontinued its men's and women's swimming teams; later, it reinstated them. I asked her why. "They were eliminated because we didn't think they had enough support," she responded, "and they were reinstated because we found out they did. We were wrong. We made a mistake, so we corrected it." I am delighted to read that the Swarthmore Board is reconsidering the badminton team's situation. I hope that the football and wrestling teams will also be reconsidered and reinstated. As J. Lawrence Shane said, "Things change." I hope that the Board will respond to the tough questions posed by students and alumni and, like Hedges and the UW Board, change things for the better back to the way they were. Meg Hodgkin Lippert '64 Reporting of cuts well done Dear Editor: I would like to take this opportunity to tell all of you what a wonderful job you have done in reporting the recent [athletics] dilemma at Swarthmore. Congratulations on a job well done. Kathy Pagliei Cuts send a non-athletic message Dear Editor: I am writing to express my opinion concerning the recent decision to end the Swarthmore College football program. My youngest brother, Matthew Asano, is a junior at Swarthmore College and has been a starter in the program since his freshman year. I was disappointed recently when I heard from him that the program had been cancelled. The message to the community in cutting the football program is that "we can't." We can't maintain our reputation and grow as a school while trying to compete as a football team. We can't recruit the types of players who can compete on the field and succeed in the classroom. We don't have the resources. The message of athletics the message every athlete strives to deliver clearly and resoundingly every time he or she steps on the field is that "we can." "Give me a challenge and I will rise and overcome it." These are the words spoken through the actions of athletes professional and amateur. Evan S. Asano No academic rigor in Board decision Dear Editor: Clearly the [Board of Managers' athletics] decision was wrong-headed. It also appears the process by which it was reached was no better than the decision itself. The argument that the cuts are necessary to preserve diversity in the student body assumes that students recruited for any of the sports are identified in the student body solely by their sports affiliation which, as several of the letters to The Phoenix have pointed out, is nonsense. It was nonsense when I played football for Lew Elverson, and it is nonsense now. There is no evidence that diversity has been compromised by the three programs to be cut, to say nothing of how it will be enhanced by the cuts themselves. Also missing is any justification for the percentage range of athletes in each class the Board deems acceptable. The only thing resembling research in support of this action, namely the student survey, was never tabulated. Is this what passes for academic rigor at Swarthmore these days? Bob Amussen '49 Swarthmore must crave public ridicule Dear Editor: Like sunspots, like cicadas, like comets around the sun, Swarthmore seems to have a deeply programmed inner schedule, craving its fix of widespread public ridicule on a recurring basis. I strongly urge a retreat to gradual adjustment of the athletic programs. Roy Perry '74 Efforts to reinstate program were impressive Dear Editor: I am the parent of Ryan Earley, who plays at Dickinson College. Please know that the emergence of the Swarthmore program as a potential force in the conference was a frequent topic among parents and fans this year. Many called your coach "The Coach of the Year." Your intelligent, organized efforts to reinstate your program are so impressive. They are truly proof that no one should ever doubt the multidimensional qualities you are capable of offering your academic community. Keep your hopes alive, I can't imagine you will lose, and please visit us at the tailgate party after next year's game. Judith A. Earley HEADLINES THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT ■ tfflCOmiW OPINIONS JANUARY 25, 2001 THE PHOENIX 14
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LIVING & ARTS Skydiving incident renders man unable to control his gastronomical functions BY JOEY SPADOLA HAVING REACHED 7,000 FEET, I TOOK ONE FRIGHTENED LOOK TOWARD DISTANT EARTH AND, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, SUDDENLY INSPIRED BY THE MAJESTIC SIGHT, I FULLY REAUZED, WITH BLINDING CLARITY, THE MEANING OF THE WORD “MISTAKE.” If I had held one belief dearly and lived by it at all times, it was: never jump out of an airborne vehicle traveling 200 miles per hour at heights ranging upwards of 5,000 feet. Common sense dictates that any person who willfully defies this imperative, without being under the influence of any mind-altering substance, should not be allowed out on the streets after dark. But there comes a day in one's life when one, growing tired of common sense, feels inclined to throw caution to the wind. Usually, the worst thing that happens when caution is thrown to the wind is that one, if one is lucky, wakes up with a severe hangover in an unknown metropolis alley wearing women's underwear on one's head. But sometimes one is not so lucky, and one awakens to find that one has agreed to go skydiving.This was my unfortunate plight. Let it be said that I am no daredevil. As a rule, I tend to exhibit less spontaneity and. adventurousness than Al Gore on sedatives. At theme parks, for instance, I dare not venture far beyond the teacups, or even beyond the concession stand. So it is not entirely clear why I would go skydiving. An explanation is certainly in order and so, to shed some light on the matter, I will recount my whole high-altitude adventure, in spite of the fact that it makes me tremble just reflecting on the catastrophe. Just in thinking out the details of this column I have had to change my underwear at least four times, and I expect nearly to exhaust my wardrobe of this item before I finish writing. My findings indicate that there are only two reasons why someone would go skydiving: L Because he or she has a serious mental affliction; 2. Because he or she was asked to do so by a particularly attractive member of the opposite sex. Although certain individuals might contend that I have a just claim to the first of these reasons (notably my junior high shop teacher, whose briefcase was welded to the ceiling in a nefarious act of mischief that I to this day deny having had anything to do with), it is in fact the second reason, as we will see, that hits the mark. Just about at the point during break that, from boredom of being home, I began stabbing myself with various kitchen utensils, I received a visit from a high school friend, a female possessing some rather endearing physical qualities. Out of the clear blue sky, she asked whether I would go skydiving. “Me? Skydiving? Good one!” was my initial response. But then I realized she wasn’t kidding. So I naturally explained to her that I am not inclined to participate in any sport in which my body is propelled any faster than a rosebush, and that with my fear of heights, planes, parachutes and the little strings you pull to deploy parachutes I am just not cut out for such risky business. She still tried to convince me, however, urging that my life, if I did not do something to liven it up, was well on the road to becoming about as exciting as C-SPAN 2 during its coverage of Senatorial roll calls. Eventually, weary of my whining and excuses, she desisted from bearing around the bush and, boldly changing tactics, proceeded to beat directly through the bush: she showed me a tape of a previous skydiving adventure. This, one might think, would be the last thing to change my mind, and, indeed, through most of it, I was further determined to not give in. This conviction, however, lasted only until the landing, whereupon she shouted (such words have led many innocent youth astray), “That was better than sex!” After this, I was amply prepared to throw on some jumping trousers and hop on a plane within the hour. This is because I, like approximately half the human race, was saddled at birth with the most unreliable reasoning apparatus Mother Nature has to offer: the Male Brain. Under the right circumstances, the Male Brain is capable of exhibiting the reasoning ability of a hyper-intelligent cockroach, as evidenced by the creation of such things as 4x4 SUVs (designed to handle such off-road terrain as the gas station), beer and “Bay watch.” In this spirit, my brain, overwhelmed by the abovementioned provocative claim, made the following questionable inference in order to justify skydiving: “What your friend is really saying is, if you jump out of a plane with her, you will then have sex, and it will be better than jumping out of the plane was." Now, somewhere deep within my cerebral wrinkles, struggling to overcome the surging hormonal influx, was the voice of True Reason, which tried mightily to point out that not only does such an inference not follow from her statement, but it is even contradictory on several points. Still, it was no use, as the rest of my brain had already made up its mind and was now busily contemplating other issue of undeniable import, such as: How can Meg Ryan possibly be forty years old and still make an excellent skydiving partner?! And so it was that I had no choice but to accept the offer. The following weekend we went to the nearest "Drop Zone" and set up our skydiving appointment. You are required, under the federal statute that states Only an Idiot Would Jump out of a Plane and is Therefore Entirely Responsible for His Own Death, to sign approximately 287 separate forms indicating that "I am aware how miserably stupid I am for going skydiving and that, when I die, which of course I will, my relatives cannot press charges against the drop-zone facility and my epitaph shall read: "It was his own damned fault." There are several types of skydiving available for first-time jumpers, all of which, I was dismayed to learn, involve actually jumping from a plane. I ultimately chose "tandem jumping," wherein you are strapped to a trained professional whose name is generally something like "Krazy Kyle" and whose hair is more blinding than a high-wattage strobe light. I decided to go tandem because, in short, I would NEVER trust myself with my own life. I have already forcefully demonstrated that I cannot even be trusted with my own laundry, as my roommate will attest, and I am certain that, if I had jumped out of the place unaccompanied, you wouldn't be reading this column. All first-time jumpers must endure five hours of training. I personally enjoyed the training, far more than the actual jump, because the longest distance I fell was less than five feet. Jumping from a grounded plane is, I found, very much my speed. Unfortunately, the mock minijumps were painfully short-lived, and the real jump, I shudder to recall, drew near quickly. The time from the end of the training session to the actual plunge was a crescendo of fear and panic. My vision blurred, my thoughts muddled, and I kept hearing that damned song from the Wizard of Oz, which stuck in my head for some reason: "With the thoughts I'd be thinking, I could be another Lincoln..." Certain of my impending death, I kissed my family good-bye and hastily willed my signature-series Charlie Brown coffee mug to my little cousin and my copy of "The Idiot" to my parents as Joseph Spadola memorabilia. And so, teary-eyed, I boarded the plane. They have a saying in the military, "There are no atheists in the foxholes," which means that only religious wackos must be dumb enough to climb into foxholes in the first place. No, wait, all kidding aside, they actually mean that, in times of great fear and despair, everyone turns to religion. I can personally attest to this because, as we were climbing to our destination altitude of 7,000 feet, I became an earnest Believer. In fact, to be absolutely safe, I invoked every major religion, appealing to, among other deities and prophets, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Zeus and Christina Aguilera. Having reached 7,000 feet, I took one frightened look toward distant Earth and, at this very moment, suddenly inspired by the majestic sight, I fully realized, with blinding clarity, the meaning of the word "mistake." My underwear, I will note unabashed, also had a realization impressed upon it, one a tad more tangible, you could say. I understood, however, that it was too late to turn back, that I had to jump, if only becausebecause Kyle would whether I liked it or not. And so, at his anxious prodding, without glancing down again, I dove into the bosom of the air. I can still recall my eloquence as we left the plane: "Holy (expletive deleted)! Oh (37 consecutive expletives deleted)!" So impassioned was my shouting that some Jehovah's witnesses in Wales, hearing such speech bellowed from the heavens, thought the Messiah had come, although they were shocked, the local paper reports, at "the coarseness of His language." For thirty seconds, I fell. During that time, I believe I was in complete cardiac arrest. I remember the fall only vaguely, because my brain, finally returned to its sense, has wisely blocked it from my memory, primarily to conserve undergarments. I do remember, however, finally reaching good ol' Earth, after what seemed like four days of descending under the parachute, and kissing it repeatedly. Following the jump, I did not talk for several days, besides occasionally uttering, "Never again!" In fact, I have still not fully recovered. But talk of the residual effects will have to come another time. Right now I have to change my underwear. Audrey Chan Phoenix Staff THE PHOENIX JANUARY 25, 2001 15
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My creed: eat at the Towne House BY MATT RUBIN RESTAURANT Just before break, I went on my first Swarthmore "date." Come to think of it, this was my first "date" ever; I've had girlfriends, but the "date" isn't how we do things in Scarsdale, NY. Understandably, I wanted my first official date to be the quintessential one. So, after picking up the lucky lady, we headed to Media in search of a nice restaurant, preferably classy (like me). Immediately intrigued by its outward appearance, we chose D'lgnazio's Towne House. A series of plaques led us to the door. Each listed a virtue and its definition. For example, one boasted the word "charity" at the top and beneath was a description of how the restaurant's founder, Silvio "Babe" D'lgnazio, interprets the concept of charity. The best plaque was a large one directly before the entrance. Below the words "My Creed," which are printed in enormous letters at the top of the plaque, is a powerful and refreshing statement. This creed begins, "I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do, or any kindness that I can show, let me do it now." It is the expression of the kind, wonderful man who owns this humble but elegant restaurant. Our experience at "Babe's" restaurant reflected the sentiment of his touching creed. Upon entering, we were greeted by a genial man who introduced us to the Towne House, asked if we needed anything special and handed us gift certificates. Our waiter was helpful and friendly, and it seemed we interacted with the restaurant's entire staff. At the end of our meal, we introduced ourselves to "Babe" and the D'lgnazio family, who thanked us for our visit and requested our phone numbers so that they could contact us about special events. The food itself matched the delightful service. In particular, my salmon entree was deliciously flavorful and my date's vegetarian platter looked quite good. Arid the handmade apple pastry was, without a doubt, the best Italian dessert I have ever had, even topping the exquisite tiramisu I enjoyed in Rome two weeks ago. The rest of the menu looked just as promising. D'lgnazio's Towne House offers plenty of hand-cut steaks and chops; the filet I saw at the table in front of us looked great. As it is Italian cuisine, pasta is plentiful, as are veal and seafood. And, finally, the house specialty: prime ribs of beef slow-roasted and served au jus. Simply delectable! The Towne House is more expensive than many local establishments, but is a bargain for such great food and service. Nevertheless, "Babe" has a variety of ways to minimize the economic burden, including special menus for different days of the week and an early bird special until 6:00 pm, Tuesday through Friday. The complimentary gift certificates cut the cost of repeat dining as well. I could write about the Towne House forever, but I actually am on my way to another date, this time in Scarsdale (I love these things now!). So, I'll close by simply saying I love "Babe's" place and I hope you take my suggestion and dine there; you'll thank me, and not just because your date is impressed by the size of the bill. Silvio "Babe" D'lgnazio Don't take 'O Brother' seriously BY ESTER BLOOM One of John Goodman's frequent admonitions to Steve Buscemi in "The Big Lebowski" is "You're out of your element, Donny." That's how my friend described his experience seeing the Cohen brothers' latest, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" "But then," he added, "I didn't read the book." He was referring to Homer's "The Odyssey," on which an introductory 19205-style cue card states the film is based. But while "0 Brother" is certainly an odyssey, it bears only a passing resemblance to the "The Odyssey." This claim is the weakest point of the clever, quirky epic. Most parallels could have been left to viewer discernment. They're obvious enough: the hero, Ulysses, is played with toothy charm by George Clooney, who is on his way home from the chain gang in which he has spent the last few years. He expects his wife, Penny (Holly Hunter, resuscitating her shrill "Raising Arizona" accent), to be waiting for him. Ulysses and his traveling companions, Pete (John Turturro) and Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson), run into familiar characters along the way, including a cyclops (John Goodman with an eye patch) who claims to be a Bible salesman and three sirens seductively scrubbing clothing in a river. There is at least one significant deviation, however: Penny, instead of waiting for her husband to return, has divorced Ulysses. She is intent on marrying a skinny, oily-haired man. "O Brother" is a film of faithless women: all the female characters seduce, betray, or, as Delmar's cousin confides to the travelers above his young son's head, have "R-U-N-N-O-F-T." Fortunately, none of our three heroes gets bogged down brooding over female infidelity. Each has a vision of home for which he braves the dusty Mississippi roads and eludes determined policeman. Still, the men have significant forces to contend with. They bicker amongst themselves; they get separated and have to find each other again. The Bible salesman tries to kill them. A bipolar gangster drags them into a bank robbery. At one crossroad, they pick up Tommy, a black hitchhiker who has sold his soul to Satan for the ability to play the guitar. He inspires the crew to form a band called The Soggy Bottom Boys. They cut a record that, unbeknownst to them, tops the charts (inasmuch as there were charts in the 19305). In one hilarious sequence, Tommy is later nabbed by the Klan. The lynch rally showcases hundreds of white-cloaked men marching in elaborately choreographed circles and chant- ing softly, as though in Muncnkinland. Tommy's rescue, which unites the crew just as Tommy himself did, is funnier still. The Depression-era South has never looked as lovely as it does here; every scene is tinged with gold, an ongoing, subtle reminder that "O Brother" is a genial, good-natured satire. The film is not to be take seriously, just enjoyed. If there is any message to be found in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" it is to have faith not in religion but in pop music, the redemption of us all. And, as one recurring song advises, we should "keep on the sunny side of life." Courtesy TOUCHSTONE PICTURES George Clooney plays the character that would be Ulysses. Getting them high: Comedy masters easily work audience at Philly club BY DANIEL MARRIN FOCUS South Street's premiere comedy club, The Laff House, lies at 221 South Street. The unimposing building down the corner from 3rd and South boasts a large mural of Curly the Stooge. A plush staircase and walls filled with the portraits of modern masters (Larry Miller, Kevin James and Dom Irrera, to name a few) lead to the heart of the club. - It's Friday night and the Laff House presents stand-up comics Mike Washington and Pierre, two men from Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, respectively. A $25 ticket for the doubleheader scores me a table just below the stage, where I realize I am one lonely white boy in a mostly black and definitely older crowd. Shaggy's "Wasn't Me" and "Project Chick" blare from unseen speakers, filling the air with a hint of what's to come. On stage, a red curtain connects two Roman pillars. A mod, leather, cheetah-patterned couch sits directly in front. At the very edge, spotlights illuminate the black stool and microphone.The lights dim at 8:40 p.m., and Breakout, the young emcee, arrives in brown sweater and matching skullcap. He opens with cracks about the latest scandal, Jesse Jackson's lovechild, but gets few chuckles. Nervous and a little sweaty, Breakout's fear is obvious as he glances nervously from ceiling to floor. He is searching for a sign of our approval but the silence only exacerbates his discomfort and uncertainty. The gift of comic masters lies in not depending on crowd approval; BreakOut isn't there yet. Eager to get out of the limelight, he introduces Mike Washington, who saunters onstage in silk purple shirt and leather pants. Mike turns his back and comments on the couch and curtain. After a minute, he turns to us and shouts, "What, like you all really get to work the MINUTE you step into the office?" The crowd laughs, and Mike's raring to go. He hits on small office crimes, Mike Tyson's cannibalistic tendencies, out-ofcontrol gangsta rap and the corporate ladder at McDonald's. Mike effectively livens up the crowd, and I sense that he is well on his way to becoming a master. The night's headliner, Pierre, emerges in leather jacket, wife-beater, baggy jeans, Timberland boots, a black skullcap and multiple chains. He also ignores the audience at first, sipping his Bloody Mary between cracks at Los Angeles and D.C. You can't tell from his face whether Pierre is black or white. His style lies somewhere between Chris Tucker and Fenster of "The Usual Suspects." Pierre rants about club pick-ups and the best and worst sex available. His jokes aren't getting much attention, but he explains, "You guys just ain't high enough yet. I'll get ya high." Sure enough, 15 dirty-joke-filled minutes later, Pierre has broken us down with sound effects, winks, smiles, and salutes. In spite of his coarseness, it's obvious Pierre honestly wants us to enjoy ourselves. At 10:30, BreakOut ends the show and lets the smiling crowd out. Without raw talent, it will take years for him attain Mike or Pierre's relaxation and persistence. Mike Myers once said that comedy can only be "refined," not taught; a struggle is worthwhile only if there's something innately funny inside. It makes me wonder about testing myself on Open Mike Night Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Laff House ticket prices vary depending on the performer, but performing at Open Mike is the cheapest way in. Come see if you've got what it takes to be a master. LIVING & ARTS 16 JANUARY 25, 2001 THE PHOENIX
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What someone else thought Rnnrm A plug, taken verbatim from the web: "Wow. That is all I can say. Possibly the finest and most thought-provoking Mountain Recs. release to date. Really varied hardcore with horns and randomness and fun and screams and all that you could want. 50 minutes of music from this great band (w/members of Judas Iscariot, All She Wrote, and Your Adversary) as well as a 22-minute interview with activist Jafar Hamzah. PLUS a great political dictionary/handbook covering all sorts of topics in an interesting and very readable fashion. Just buy this already. You won't be sorry you did." - Old Glory Countdown to Putsch, The Awakening and some special guests will play this Friday at 10 p.m. in Olde Club. Free with a Tri-Co ID. Come get some All of professional wrestling's superstars come together for an all-out brawl to kick off 200 L Sunday afternoon promises bloodshed as WWF Entertainment presents the Come Get Some match at Philadelphia's First Union Center. For the low, low price of $2O to 45, you too can join America's finest as they band together in reverence of a much-insulted sport and the WWF Divas. Beginning at 1:00 p.m., the event will feature such infamous athletes as The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin,j The Undertaker, and, yes, guys, even Chyna. Don your best pro wrestling garb, pound down a few beers and pump yourself up for an adrenal afternoon of testosterone in its purest form. . Pots on pot |>t>LIUI(JALLLUV Starting Thursday, the List Gallery, LPAC, will be exhibiting Philadelphia-based artist Mark Lueders' intriguing ceramic sculptures. The exhibit is open for public viewing 12-4 p.m. on Wednesdays, 1-5 p.m. on Fridays, and 1-4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The opening reception of Lueders' clay creations will be held Thursday, January 25, from 4 to 6 p.m. Vibrant and whimsical, the exhibit is guaranteed to broaden your artistic and creative horizons. TO DO »NUVIb So maybe the movie doesn't exactly stay true to the comic book, but hey, only geeks gripe about such minutae. The rest of the world was content in enjoying the first comic-book movie in a while to actually have some semblance of a plot. Sure to liven up the first otherwise dreary Friday night back at Swat, be sure to catch the "Marvel'bus flick in the LPAC cinema at 7:30 p.m. or 10 p.m. ILIVINC & ARTSI THE PHOENIX JANUARY 25, 2001 17
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Lazy winter break leads to football appreciation BY MORGHAN HOLT GUEST I'M MORE STOKED TO SEE NEW YORK AND BALTIMORE ON THE FIELD THAN I AM TO SEE BUDWEISER'S LATEST MARKETING PLOY. As a result of the frigid Montana air, I spent my winter break largely lounging on my parents' sofa, transfixed by what my father endearingly calls the "Boob Tube." Completely indiscriminate in my viewing, I watched a little of everything: trashy talk shows, prime-time sitcoms devoid of any redeeming value, hyper-colored, quivering Japanimation, and a whole lot of football. Trapped in a house with seven males and two television sets, I was bound, if I was to fulfill my 10-hour quota of daily TV viewing, to end up vegging to one sports program or another. Grumbling at first, I actually developed a strange, definitely unexpected affinity of all things, football. Over the course of the month, I began to recognize certain players, and I even learned the names of a few plays. I followed teams and took an active interest in their playoff progression. But my newfound enlightenment was limited, despite my month-long rigorous attempt to educate myself in the ways of this mind-boggling game. I remain surprisingly ignorant when it comes to football. Spending my break as football programming's absorbent, eager sponge served, surprisingly, to excite me about the approaching Super Bowl for more reasons than its intermittent advertising entertainment. In previous years, my sole purpose for paying atten- tion to football at all rested on the brainchildren of mastermind advertisers willing to shell out beaucoup bucks to score a slot on Super Bowl Sunday. And it was never a priority; the climactic game never took precedence over anything more substantial than hauling my dirty laundry from room to washer. This year, however, will be different. I fully intend to spend Jan. 28 perched on the Willets 2nd sofa, taking in downs and fumbles, field goals and, of course, touchdowns. Suddenly, I'm more stoked to see New York and Baltimore on the field than I am to see Budweiser's latest marketing ploy. Thanks to my dad's emphatic response to my lethargy-induced interest in his favorite organized sport and his eagerness to establish common ground with a daughter he'd long dismissed as "out of touch," coupled with my eagerness to establish a permanent residence atop my parents' couch, I, like most of America, will abandon my priorities, my Swattie nature and any antiviolence bone in my body as I join forces with men I had previously thought barbaric to belch and scratch, holler and swear and to comprise my health by consuming excessive pounds of hydrogenated vegetable oil all while rooting for a chosen team. So what if I have to ask my brawnier compatriots for occasional clarification? I hereby, unabashedly and without any qualms, dedicate this Sunday, and Super Bowl XXXV, to the reduction of my ignorance and the furthering of my appreciation of a great American pastime. SUPER BOWL XXXV Who: Baltimore Ravens vs. New York Giants When: 6:25 p.m. kickoff, Sunday, Jan. 28 Where: CBS (Channel 3) Tide finds wins hard to come by BY ANNA MASILELA At first glance, the men's basketball team seems easy to write off. An overall record of 2-13 and a Centennial Conference record of 1-4 doesn't inspire much confidence. Nevertheless, this much-maligned team deserves a second look. David Pearce 'O3 has improved his scoring substantially, moving from averaging 10 points per game last season to 20.8 ppg this season. Chris Loeffler 'O4 has been a newfound asset, leading the team in rebounding in addition to his 11 ppg, along with Zack Ellison 'O4 and Eran Ganot 'O3. Ganot and Kyle Lewis 'O2 are shoring up the front line, while Jacob Letendre 'O4 is leading in assists. That is not to say that the Tide hasn't been whitewashed this season. The 57-point loss at Lehigh on Nov. 28 and the 30- point loss at Whittier on Jan. 5 were considerable blows. However, as the season has progressed, Swat has been narrowing the loss margin and making it hard for tough teams to beat them. The Centennial Conference game against Muhlenberg on Jan. 20 is a good example. The Tide ended up losing 79-74, but fought to the last minute of overtime against a team that is the top pick to win the East Division this year, according to the preseason poll of coaches and sports information directors."The first two years I played here, the attitude was never there, even in close games," said Lewis. "Now, we think we could win, that we're the better team, and we're playing like it." Ellison scored 21 points and pulled down eight rebounds against the Mules, but it was Josh Loeffler 'O3 who put the life back into the Tide near the end of the game. Swat had been leading by one point at the half, but seemed to lose their edge as the game progressed. The team was behind by only three points with about four minutes left, so Swat wasn't out of it yet. But the win just didn't seem to be in the cards for the Tide, as they were constantly playing catch-up to the Mules. Then Josh Loeffler was fouled. He popped in his two free throws and then started to resuscitate the team. He dropped a two-pointer, giving Swat the lead at 54-53 for the first time in more than 20 minutes. The Mules answered with a threepointer, so Josh Loeffler popped in another two-pointer to knot the game. With the excitement at a fever pitch, the rest of the team fired it up and brought Swat into overtime. "Josh played a great game," said Lewis. "He really took over at the end of the second half. [Muhlenberg] parted for him." The team has been adjusting to the addition of three new players to the squad. Lewis and David Gammill 'O2 both returned from study abroad, while Isaac Cohen 'O2 returned from taking a leave of absence last semester. The new squad had its first opportunity to play with the modified squad during the training trip to Whittier, California. "We spent a week adjusting and meshing with the returning guys, and having some fun at the same time," said Ganot. Unfortunately, the additions weren't the only changes: leading scorer Pearce broke his toe out on Huntington Beach two days before the first of two games. "We had picked Huntington because it was flat, had no rocks and few big waves," said head coach Lee Wimberly. With Pearce out, the team lost to Whittier 79-49 on Jan. 5, and to Illinois College 83-73 on Jan. 6. Pearce returned to play last night against Haverford. Results were unavailable at press time. "The team has gotten significantly better in all kinds of ways," said Wimberly. "It's been tough this season and the kids have been really resilient." More specifically, he noted the efforts of the rookies to join the Tide. "Three of our freshmen have been brilliant at times this year. In this league, it's hard for a freshman to get a significant amount of playing time but they've done it." Claire Weiss Phoenix Staff Josh Loeffler leaps over a trio of Haverford defenders on his way to the basket. The game was not over at press time. BEST OF THE WEEK GAME OF THE WEEK Women's Basketball vs. Washington College Where: Tarble Pavilion When: Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. With all of the Swat teams away this weekend, the pick for the week is the Lady Garnet versus the Washington College Shorewomen on Tuesday. When the two team tangled Dec. 6, Swat edged Washington 68-61 Look for Washington's No. 34 Kate Bierzonski, a Pennsylvania product who led the Shorewomen with 28 points and 12 rebounds in the game against Swarthmore. For the Garnet, Heather Kile 'O2, No. 24, Sarah Tufano 'O3, No. 25, and rookie Katie Robinson 'O4, No. 10, are sure to light up the scoreboard. Now 14-2, the Garnet is gearing up for postseason play and is the team to watch this week. PLAYER OF THE WEEK Sarah Tufano 'O3 Position: Forward/Center Height: 6'o" Number: 25 Hometown and H.S.: Cromwell, CT/Cromweli Tufano, starting center for the women's basketball team, has stepped it up this year, averaging 10.6 points per game. Over winter break, Tufano led the Garnet to a 59-48 win over Centennial Conference foe Muhlenberg with 22 points and three rebounds. The sophomore leads the _ team with 17 blocks, five of them against Muhlenberg. Tufano was a force in both the game against Lincoln and against Haverford last night. She chipped in 12 points, a block and a rebound vs. Haverford. File photo ISPORTSI 18 JANUARY 25, 2001 THE PHOENIX
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Women down Fords 65-38 BY KATE NELSON-LEE Haverford never had a chance against the women's basketball team last night. The Garnet quickly jumped out to a 12-0 lead five minutes into the first half and never looked back. They kept the lead for the rest of the game, winning 65-38. Heather Kile 'O2 lead a balanced attack with 13 points and three rebounds. Center Sarah Tufano 'O3 and forward Katie Robinson 'O4 each added 12 points. Emily Gray 'O2 came off the bench to rip down eight rebounds."We had huge contributions from everyone on the team," said head coach Adrienne Shibles. "The key to our success this season is our depth; everyone is a force on the court." Haverford power forward Erin McCarney 'O3 had a double-double, with 13 points and 10 rebounds. But it wasn't enough against the Garnet's defense, currently ranked first in Division 111, who kept the Fords to a 3L9 percent shooting average. The team wore football jerseys instead of their usual warm-ups. Katie Tarr 'O2 explained the decision, "We were showing our support for those student-athletes who will never have the chance to wear a Swat jersey again." The Tide hits the road on Saturday to face Gettysburg in a double header with the men's team. Gettysburg leads the series 6-L but Swat hopes to repeat last year's big win at the 'Burg. Swarthmore's Katie Robinson drives to the basket around her Haverford defender for a layup. Robinson recorded 12 points and six steals for the Garnet, who won 65-38. Michael Pasahow Phoenix Staff Distance relays place third at Yale Invitational SPORTS Some indoor track team members see their season as a warm-up for outdoor competition in the spring. At the rate they are moving, expect two of the women's long distance relays to be red hot by the middle of March. While many Swatties spent three weeks watching reruns of Jerry Springer and munching corn chips, the winter track athletes were already back on campus for in-season training. So far it looks like it has all been worth it. "We did very well at the Yale Invitational last week," said Sarah Jay 'OL She wasn't kidding. The women's distance medley relay team, consisting of Jay, Jessica Rickabough 'O2, Claire Hoverman 'O3 and Joko Agunloye 'Ol, placed third in a field of Division I teams, and were a mere two seconds from setting the school record in that event. Later, the 4xBoo relay ran a great third-place finish, led again by Jay and Agunloye and joined by Annie Kittler 'Ol and Courtney Caughey 'O4. On the men's side, team captains Marc Jeuland 'Ol and Keith Gilmore 'Ol are also meeting with some success. Jeuland, who runs some of the longer events, like the 5,000 and the 3,000 meters, and Gilmore, who runs middle distance sprints like the 400 and 800, both did well at Yale. "If we can stay healthy we should have a real presence in the conference this winter," said Jeuland. Additionally, they are looking for two-sport athlete Mat Rapoza 'O3 to contribute his strong right arm to toss the shot put. Said Jeuland, "Mat Rapoza ended last spring doing well and it's nice to see him back." Considering that most of the runners are still a little rusty, the winter season holds some real promise. Records may be broken. "I'd just like to say, as a senior, that it's really great to work with such enthusiastic underclassmen," Jay said. "They're fun to be around. Of course, it's great for us to be running well." Lane Oatey Swimmers travel to Aruba for training From Jan. 10 to Jan. 20, the Swarthmore men's and women's swim teams traveled to Aruba for their annual training trip with head coach Sue Davis and assistant coaches Leisha Schaffer, Claire Arbour 'OO and Trish Flynn. The team enjoyed the beautiful beaches and breezes, especially at 5 a.m., when it was necessary to roll out of bed for practice. The routine consisted of two intense practices a day along with weightlifting and various dry-land exercises. The team implemented traditions such as 'challenge sets,' which help with team bonding. A practice meet was also held against the Aruba Dolphins at the Saveneta Olympic Pool, where the Caribbean International meets are held. The island of Aruba proved somewhat dangerous, leaving a few swimmers with scrapes from cacti and cliffs. Next up for the team are the Centennial Conference Championships, as well as in important upcoming conference meets against Gettysburg, Washington and Dickinson. Tara Trout Badminton team expects to dominate Despite all the turmoil and controversy in the last few months surrounding the Board of Managers and the women's badminton team, team captains Jane Ng 'Ol, Karen Lange 'O2 and Siobhan Carty 'Ol have managed to stay positive and focused on repeating the successes of the last several years. Their 2000-01 season looks very promising. The team has plenty of depth and experience, having graduated no players and returning more from abroad. The team's four upperclassmen are hoping to return to nationals for the third year in a row, and it's likely they will be joined by some of the more skilled underclassmen, including several talented freshmen. Badminton is aiming to dominate the PAIAW league this year, as they have in the past, and hope to win the league championship again. Although the season has been rough off the court because of the Board of Managers decision to take away their varsity status, the team has meshed well and is excited about its upcoming season. The team will host Haverford on Thursday and Bryn Athyn on Jan. 3L Lane Oatey Lakers' quarrelling won't stop playoff run THE SWEET SPOT So what if Phil Jackson left his wife for the young daughter Jerry Buss, the Lakers' owner? The Lakers have much more important problems. For starters, they threw the dice and lost in offseason trades and acquisitions. Isaiah Rider and Horace Grant combined do not average as many points as Glen Rice did last season, and it doesn't seem like either has plugged up the holes that Rice supposedly left on defense the Lakers are giving up more points this year than last. However, the Grant-Rice exchange was logical; the Lakers needed a power forward. It's the Isaiah Rider signing that I really cannot understand. For a team that couldn't handle Dennis Rodman a few years ago, Rider is simply not the answer. In a close analysis, the two are remarkably similar. Both have difficulty making it to practice Rodman offers no excuses, while Rider often cites traffic problems, car troubles and meetings with his parole officer as excuses. Furthermore, both men have creative ways of releasing anger. When Rodman got pissed, he kicked a cameraman in the groin. When Rider got pissed, he spit on a fan's face. Rider is a headcase that the Lakers cannot afford to contend with this season. I don't envision that his Keyshawn Johnson-esque "Give Me the Damn Ball" mentality will mitigate the Kobe-Shaq feud. As much as I hate the Lakers and enjoy ripping them, I don't relish laughing at this quarrel it's an embarrassment for any sports fan. SHAQ HAS FORGOTTEN THE LESSONS HE LEARNED FROM ARISTOTLE. In other sports and on other teams, superstars can work together. For example, David Robinson modified his game to accommodate Tim Duncan. I also haven't heard of Cris Carter asking Randy Moss to catch fewer passes. For these athletes the key to winning is simple and obvious: teamwork. I fault Shaq, not Kobe, for forgetting this fundamental idea. Kobe is having a great year: he's shooting well both from the field and from the line, he's playing suffocating defense, and he's mixing in almost five assists per game. Shaq, on the other hand, has forgotten the lessons he learned from Aristotle. He caught the Glen Rice defense virus, and his claim that Kobe is hogging the ball is absurd. If Shaq could shoot more than 40 percent from the foul line, he would be averaging another point or two per game, which would move him close to his scoring average for last year. But I guess Shaq would rather whine than shoot a few hundred more free throws per day, and he must only want to win a championship if he is MVP of both the league and the playoffs. As much as I fault Shaq, I don't expect the guy to solve all of basketball's problems by himself. That's why he has a coach. However, Phil Jackson has not handled this problem competently. How could he have asked Kobe to tone down his game when he should have ripped Shaq for his miserable performance at the line? Could you ever imagine Jackson asking Jordan to tone down his game for Pippen? I don't think so. The worst thing a coach can do when his players are feuding is to make them angry at him, but that's just what Jackson did with Kobe. Nonetheless, I don't think Kobe's resentment will linger because he's having such a great season. Look for the Lakers' team defense to improve somewhat over the next few weeks, and look for them to put their problems aside during the playoffs. They're good for another championship run. Mules, while Marandola, playing more like a center than a guard, ripped down seven rebounds. While school may have started on Monday, there was work to be done and a basketball game to be won as the Garnettes took out thenfirst day of class frustrations in the form of a 64-48 win against Lincoln University. The women certainly made the most out of their last nonconference game of the season. Tufano and Robinson (five assists, four steals) posted double figures in scoring, while Kile turned in yet another of those doubledouble performances that she has become famous for, racking up 12 points and 11 rebounds. The Tideswomen geared up for Haverford on Wednesday in an attempt to match last year's record-breaking 14 wins (see story to the right for results). These women are just a little more than halfway through their season, and there are more games to be won. But for now, they are just happy to be able to actually come out of their winter vacation still standing and glad to have finally washed the Chinese food thrown by disgruntled Ursinus fans out of their hair. SPORTS Women cagers nearing record for season wins From BASKETBALL, pg. 20 THE PHOENIX JANUARY 25, 2001 19
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SPORTS Throwback teams, halftime show make Super Bowl a snooze NO HOLDS BARRED Reporter: Ray Lewis, you just won the Super Bowl, what are you going to do? Ray Lewis: I'm gonna stab Mickey Mouse! Okay, maybe not. But Lewis has both the aura and the game of a rampaging predator; the heart of a defense that I think will win this year's Super Bowl by outscoring the Giants. Lewis, even though he was just a bystander, became even more fearsome during his murder trial. Well, that and the fact that he gained 25 pounds of muscle. During the divisional playoff, if Adelphia Coliseum was a jail, then Eddie George was the one who bent over to pick up Ray's soap. Too bad for the Titans, Chuck Noland deserves to see 'em in the Super Bowl. In this game, with fewer weapons on the two teams than Iceland and the Canary Islands, I think it will come down to which defense manages to bludgeon a big play out of the other team's ballcontrol offense. Last year was as good as it gets. It was brilliant game played by virtuoso quarterbacks that was good to the last yard. This year, the QB theme is redemption. I'm not so sure it should be redemption so much as it should be Nyquil. These guys should hardly be a story, but everything at the Super Bowl is a story, from Tony Siragusa's tummy to Amani Toomer's name. Kerry Collins, maybe, after pulling a great game out of his wazoo in the NFC Championship game, but certainly not Trent Dilfer. Everyone knows they win in spite of him, not because. Even if the Ravens do win the Super Bowl, they might try and get a better QB in the offseason. And as far as the overall game, this will be entertaining its own way. These are two gutsy teams who might not even be in the top 10 in the league in terms of talent. But in terms of execution, defense and fundamentals, the Ravens and Giants get the job done. Watch how well the Ravens tackle or the Giants scheme-block. Everyone "misunderestimated" these teams because they don't have any Joe Montana or Franco Harris types, but they play solid, fundamental, smashmouth football. Personally though, I'm still convinced this is a conspiracy and the NFL made Minnesota tank the game because the thought of a major market Minnesota vs. Baltimore/Oakland match-up would make a bit of green. Or not quite enough green, to be accurate. After all, they've got to pay the likes of Sting and Ricky Martin for the halftime show. They should be paying me to watch it. Not that I don't like them, but spending $3O million on that is like spending $3O million on the Inaugural Ball: It's fancy and it's got some fancy dude shaking his bonbon, so people pretend to care, bear and stare, when they should be refilling the chip bowl or filing their taxes. In the end, I think it's going to be the Ravens defense that shuts down the Giants and makes the big plays to win the game. Let's cross our fingers and hope no one gets stabbed this year (unless it's part of the game), no defensive backs get caught with hookers, and E-Trade still has a few bucks left to throw out another great ad. By the way, Ravens 20, Giants 3, on the wings of the Neverscore defense. Why are all the Ben Chans sitting alone? Because their favorite team is gonna to get smoked in the championship game. Women's basketball takes no break from successful season BY CAITLIN RYLAND AND EMILY GRAY A warning to the general Swarthmore student population: don't ask the Swat women's hoops team how their winter break was. They have been toiling in Tarble Pavilion since Jan. 2, eating, sleeping, and breathing basketball, and kicking a little Centennial Conference tush along the way. They learned that Maine is quite cold in January and drove eight hours to mop up with two local teams while huddling together for warmth like Asian snow monkeys. Despite frigid temperatures, the women fared well in the winter break flurry of basketball. They played six games in 14 days and only let one slip away. The winter break schedule began with a road trip to Maine. The blizzard-like conditions on Saturday didn't stopthe bus from delivering the Garnettes safely to the University of Maine at Farmington gym to easily defeat the Mainers by a 21-point margin, 62-4 L Katie Robinson 'O4, Ali Furman 'O3, Sarah Tufano 'O3 and Heather Kile 'O2 all scored in double figures in front of a surprisingly supportive away-game crowd. Maine is the home state of senior captain Heather Marandola 'Ol and Coach Adrienne Shibles, and the locals were out in force to cheer on their hometown girls. The post-break winning streak continued the next day as the Tide went on to defeat Bowdoin College in a hard-earned victory, 74-59. The score was neck and neck nearly the entire game until late in the second half, when Swarthmore began to pull away with a little help from Robinson, Kile, Tufano and Furman, who all contributed with double figures. Kile led the pack with 20 points, shooting 8-of-ll from the field and 4-of-6 from the foul line. The Tide returned to Swarthmore primed to face Centennial Conference opponents. Dickinson College was their first course on Thursday, Jan. 11, and the Tides women swallowed them whole 76-45. Garnet defense held Dickinson standout Kim Selemba to just nine points in the contest. Robinson, Kile and Marandola chipped in 10,12 and 10 points respectively. Robinson hustled her way to an impressive seven steals. Gretchen Heitz ’O4 and Emily Gray ’O2 contributed a formidable 11 points each for the “W” off the bench. The defensive splendor that the women have become nationally credited for failed them just long enough to let Western Maryland walk away with a victory. They dropped the contest 64-59. The Green Terror forced 18 Garnet turnovers and held Swat to less than 40 percent shooting from the floor and 15 percent beyond the arc. Kile had a team-high 20 points and 13 rebounds, but these efforts were not enough for a win. Frustrations were promptly redirected towards renewed defensive enthusiasm and the redemption of their Centennial Conference pride on Wednesday, Jan. 17. Confidence was regained in a 66-50 away win at Ursinus. Despite a slow start, the Tide established a 35-19 lead by the halftime buzzer. Robinson, Furman and Kile each tallied double figures. Only one day of practice on the heels of the Ursinus win was all the ladies needed to pull it together for an eventual win against perennial Conference foe Muhlenberg. The Tide came out gunning with full intentions of avenging last year’s unfortunate loss at Muhlenberg, leaving little doubt in the minds of disbelievers who the better team is with a convincing 59-48 victory.Efforts were contributed across the board in several areas. While Kile and Tufano may have led the scoring with double figures, the defensive end was none too shabby. Along with leading an offensive clinic, Tufano swatted away five shots by the Michael Pasahow Phoenix Staff Gretchen Heitz searches for an open passing lane as a Lincoln defender applies pressure and teammate Emily Gray tries to get open. Swarthmore defeated Lincoln 64-48 Monday night in a non-conference contest. See WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, pg. 19 20 JANUARY 25, 2001 THE PHOENIX
