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
Thursday, November 6, 1997
Volume 2, Number 44
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) Housing lottery “insurance” now covers bad rooms, not bad numbers
2) World news roundup
3) Upcoming movies on campus
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) Men’s soccer falls to Washington in season’s final home game
2) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
WEATHER FORECAST
Today: Clouds rolling in, a bit windy. High around 60.
Got them mid-semester, cloudy day blues? Deal.
Tonight: Cloudy, rain possible toward morning. Low near 45.
If you answered yes above, then don’t read tomorrow’s weather.
Friday: Showers on and off throughout the day. High of 50.
NEWS REPORT
1) Housing lottery “insurance” now covers bad rooms, not bad numbers
Housing Committee has decided to change the “number insurance” policy that
protects against repeated bad luck in the housing lottery to make sure the
policy benefits those who need it most, according to committee members.
In past years, rising juniors have been guaranteed lottery numbers in the
top two-thirds of their class if as rising sophomores they had numbers in
the bottom third of their class.
But some rising sophomores have landed on the waiting list for dorm rooms
with numbers above the bottom third of their class; those students could
still get lottery numbers in the bottom third as rising juniors. And some
rising sophomores with numbers near the bottom have had roommates with
numbers near the top; those students have benefited from the guarantee even
though they managed to pick good rooms.
Housing Committee decided the old policy “wasn’t fair,” said committee
member Josh Alloy ’98. “The people who get number insurance should be the
ones who get the worst rooms or don’t get rooms at all,” he said. “There’s
a very good possibility that you can have a very bad number and still get a
good room.”
Under the new policy, which takes effect with the class of 2001, the last
third of rising sophomores to pick rooms or go on the waiting list will be
guaranteed numbers in the top two-thirds of their class as rising juniors.
In addition, 11 members of the class of 2000 who landed on the waiting list
last year even though they had numbers above the bottom third of their
class will be guaranteed numbers in the top two-thirds of the rising junior
class this year.
In other business, Alloy said Housing Committee is setting aside the first
half-hour of its meetings for any interested students to present their
ideas and concerns. No students have come to any of the committee’s
meetings so far this semester, perhaps because of lack of publicity from
campus media, he said. The committee’s next meeting is Nov. 17. Students
interested in attending a meeting should contact committee member Gerry
Kaufman ’99.
*****
2) World news roundup
CLINTON OFFERS HELP FOR WORKERS DISPLACED BY FOREIGN TRADE
In an effort to win support from fellow Democrats for so-called
“fast-track” trade legislation, President Clinton on Wednesday announced a
multibillion-dollar plan to aid workers who lose their jobs because of
foreign competition. The program includes, among other things, $750 million
to retrain workers whose companies can’t compete with imports and $349
million to retrain those whose companies shift production overseas. The
fast-track bill, which would limit Congress to straight yes-or-no votes on
trade treaties, is set for a vote Friday in the House of Representatives.
Supporters say it is still short of the 218 yeas needed for passage.
VOTERS OPT FOR STATUS QUO ON WIDE RANGE OF BALLOT INITIATIVES
Tuesday was not a good day for supporters of ballot initiatives across the
country. Three years after Oregon passed the nation’s first law allowing
assisted suicide, a proposal to repeal it was rejected 60 percent to 40
percent. In Houston, an initiative that would have ended affirmative action
in city contracts lost 54 percent to 46 percent. Voters in Washington state
passed a property tax cut, but they rejected proposals to permit the
medical use of marijuana, to ban job discrimination against gays and
lesbians, to require trigger locks for handguns and safety courses for
their users, and to let dental hygienists clean teeth without the
supervision of a dentist.
IN OTHER NEWS …
The chief U.N. disarmament inspector charged Wednesday that Iraq had taken
advantage of the halt in inspections to hide arms-related equipment and
tamper with U.N. surveillance cameras. … The House of Representatives
voted 426-4 for a bill that would create an independent panel to oversee
the IRS and would create 28 new “taxpayer rights.” … Three stowaways
trying to get from the Dominican Republic to the United States aboard a
cargo ship were found dead inside a shipping container when the ship docked
Tuesday in Florida; air holes that the men had cut in the container’s floor
were blocked when it was put on top of other containers.
*****
3) Upcoming movies on campus
LIVING IN OBLIVION Friday, 11/7 7:30, 10:00 DuPont
Nick Reve (Steve Buscemi) is an independent movie director with no money
and a wacky cast. One day on his set, everything goes wrong. A tribute to
independent cinema, this film won writer/director Tom DiCillo a Sundance
award for best scriptwriting. (Comedy, 90 minutes, 1995)
THINGS TO DO IN DENVER WHEN YOU’RE DEAD Saturday, 11/8 7:30, 10:00 DuPont
Jimmy the Saint (Andy Garcia) resorts to loan sharks after his business
starts to fail. Mounting debts force him to do a “favor” for a gangster
kingpin, and things start to fall apart. Steve Buscemi appears in a
supporting role. (Drama, 115 minutes, 1995)
LADYHAWKE Monday, 11/10 10:00 Kirby
Tricky thief Gaston the Mouse (Matthew Broderick), fleeing the Bishop of
Aquila’s police, becomes embroiled in a struggle involving the Bishop,
grizzled swordsman Navarre (Rutger Hauer), and lovely Isabeau (Michelle
Pfeiffer), who seek to break a curse binding them to animal forms.
(Fantasy/adventure/romance, 121 minutes, 1985)
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) Men’s soccer falls to Washington in season’s final home game
The men’s soccer team played its last home game of the season Wednesday
afternoon against Washington. Swarthmore lost 3-1, with Marcus Shin ’00
scoring the Garnet’s lone goal. On Saturday the team will play its final
game of the season, against Haverford at 1 p.m. The team’s current record
is 3-16, 1-7 in the Centennial Conference.
*****
2) Upcoming events
TODAY
No contests are scheduled for today.
TOMORROW
No contests are scheduled for tomorrow.
*****
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The Daily Gazette
Board of Editors
Fred Bush
Kate Doty
Aarti Iyer
Karen Lloyd
Lorrin Nelson
Sam Schulhofer-Wohl
Staff Writers
Julie Falk
Jennifer Klein
Trang Pham
Weatherman
Rafi Dowty
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This concludes today’s report.
Copyright 1997 by The Daily Gazette. All rights reserved.