Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
The Daily Gazette
Swarthmore College
Monday, May 5, 1997
Volume 1, Number 66
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) Another large first-year class on the way
2) Board boosts financial aid spending
3) Council approves budget, decision-making rules
4) College Bowl places third in U. Maryland tournament
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) 1996-97 Athletic Awards Banquet
2) Weekend’s results: lacrosse, track and field
3) Tonight’s and tomorrow’s contests
WEATHER FORECAST
Today: Mostly sunny, light winds. High close to 70.
If you must study, at least do it outside.
Tonight: Becoming cloudy, rain after midnight. Low of 50.
If you must study, at least do it inside.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, scattered showers and thunderstorms.
NEWS REPORT
1) Another large first-year class on the way
Next year’s entering class will have 392 students at a conservative
estimate, Dean of Admissions Robin Mamlet is said to have told the Board of
Managers this weekend. The Class of 2001 will be the second in a row to
vastly exceed official enrollment targets, said student observers who
attended the Board meeting.
Mamlet could not be immediately reached for comment, but the observers said
the large size of the class was due to an unexpectedly large increase in
the yield, the percentage of students offered admission who choose to
enroll.
The class could be even larger — well over 400 students — depending on
how many more students accept offers of admission in the next few weeks,
the observers said. They did not know the exact target size for the class,
but said 392 is well over the target and could lead to overcrowding in
dorms and the dining hall.
“I think it’s horrible,” said Josh Alloy ’98, student observer to the Board
of Managers. “I find it very ironic that the day after the Board basically
decides not to increase enrollment, they increase enrollment anyway.”
The Board discussed a recent report on the financial implications of
enrollment increases on Friday afternoon, Alloy said. While the Board made
no official decision, it appeared strongly opposed to increasing
enrollment, he added. Administration officials could not be immediately
reached for comment.
The administration did not tell the Board where it plans to house the extra
students, said Alloy. This year’s overlarge freshman class forced
Swarthmore to convert lounges into dorm rooms in Dana, Hallowell and
Parrish, to turn administrative offices into rooms on the second floor of
Parrish, and to put students in condominiums and a house off-campus.
*****
2) Board boosts financial aid spending
Swarthmore will increase annual financial aid spending by about $1.72
million under a plan passed Saturday by the Board of Managers, according to
students who attended the Board’s meeting.
The College will spend a slightly greater fraction of the annual returns on
the endowment to pay for the aid increase, said Sean Barney ’98, Student
Council co-chair. “The Board showed tremendous support for the financial
aid program and meeting need,” he said. “I was impressed.”
Financial aid spending has risen significantly in recent years, leading to
a million-dollar deficit in the 1997-1998 budget that will be covered
mainly with money from the College’s reserve fund and revenue from fee
increases.
College officials have repeatedly confirmed Swarthmore’s commitment to its
policy of accepting applicants on a need-blind basis and meeting the full
financial need of all who enroll. But until now it was not clear how the
College would pay for that commitment in the long run.
Despite concerns about the potential dangers involved in spending more
endowment revenue, the Board was nearly unanimous in its decision to go
ahead with the plan, observers said. “The reason why it’s being implemented
overrides possible financial losses,” explained Josh Alloy ’98, the elected
student observer to the Board. Barney noted that Swarthmore still spends a
smaller fraction of its endowment revenue than most similar schools.
The spending hike probably won’t mean big increases in individual students’
aid awards, Barney said. Rather, the funds will pay for the rising number
of students who need financial aid and the increasing average need of
students on aid. In addition, the new money will help Swarthmore avoid
rapid increases in loan and work-study requirements for students on aid.
*****
3) Council approves budget, decision-making rules
In its final meeting of the semester, Student Council on Sunday night
approved next year’s Student Activities Fund budget and adopted guidelines
on how it will make decisions in the future.
Budget Committee writes the annual SAF budget, but according to student
government rules Council must give final approval. BC Treasurer Vincent
Jones ’98 said this year marked the first time in recent memory that SC has
actually decided on the budget; in the past BC’s plans received no formal
review.
The bylaws on decision-making resolve a semester-long debate on whether to
make decisions by vote or by consensus and on how to structure SC meetings.
The new rules specify that any Council member may write a proposal for
action on any issue, set ground rules for discussion of proposals, and
require a three-fourths vote to close debate. To pass, proposals must
receive the votes of two thirds of SC members present and of at least half
of all SC members, present or absent.
*****
4) College Bowl places third in weekend tournament at U. Maryland
Swarthmore’s College Bowl team took third place Friday and Saturday in a
tournament at the University of Maryland, said team member Edward Cohn ’99.
Competition was restricted to first- and second-year students; 12 teams
from 11 schools participated.
The tournament began with a 12-team round robin, in which Swarthmore won 8
of its 11 games, defeating teams from schools such as MIT, Johns Hopkins,
the University of Michigan and Penn State but losing narrowly to the
University of Maryland, the University of Chicago and Georgetown.
After the round robin, the top four teams advanced to a winners’ bracket.
Swarthmore easily defeated Chicago, but losing to Maryland again and to
Michigan. Overall, Swarthmore placed third, behind Maryland and Chicago.
Cohn was the sixth highest individual scorer at the event.
In addition to Cohn, Swarthmore’s team included Jessica Harbour ’99 and
Josh Miller ’00.
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) 1996-97 Athletic Awards Banquet
Many of Swarthmore’s athletes gathered Sunday in Tarble All-Campus Space
for the recognition of all senior athletes and the presentation of the
1996-97 athletic awards. They were treated to a catered dinner and the
wisdom of guest speaker Robert Barr ’56, emeritus dean of admissions.
Distinguished members of Swarthmore’s faculty, administration, and staff
presented nine special awards to outstanding contributors to the Swarthmore
community and athletic program. The winners of the nine awards are as
follows:
Robert Dunn Award: Mason Tootell ’99 (football, track and field)
Pete Hess Award: Holly Baker ’99 (field hockey, basketball, lacrosse)
Ernie Prudente Sportsmanship Award: Kristen Osborne ’97 (field hockey,
lacrosse)
Dinny Rath Award: Kelly Wilcox ’97 (field hockey, lacrosse)
Tim Berman Memorial Award: Justin Herring ’97 (swimming)
Gladys Irish Award: Lia Ernst ’97 (field hockey, lacrosse)
Lew Elverson Award: Patrick Straub ’97 (football, baseball)
May E. Perry Award: Samantha Peltz ’97 (field hockey, lacrosse)
Kwink Trophy: Ben Schall ’97 (basketball, golf)
*****
2) Weekend’s results: lacrosse, track and field
LACROSSE
The men’s and women’s lacrosse teams played a friendly game on Cunningham
Field. The women’s team just received a bid to the ECAC South Regional
Championship for postseason play.
TRACK AND FIELD
Both the men’s and women’s track and field teams competed this weekend in
the Centennial Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The men
took firm hold of second place behind Haverford, while the women were edged
to third by Haverford and first-place Gettysburg. Full results will be
printed in tomorrow’s edition of The Daily Gazette.
Swarthmore loses the Hood Trophy race 11.5-7.5 with track and field’s
losses to Haverford.
*****
3) Tonight’s and tomorrow’s contests
TODAY
Intramural in-line skating race starting at 1 p.m. at the fieldhouse.
TOMORROW (6 May)
There are no contests scheduled for Tuesday.
*****
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The Daily Gazette
Board of Editors
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David Lischer
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Weatherman
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This concludes today’s report.
Copyright 1997 by The Daily Gazette. All rights reserved.