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
Friday, December 5, 1997
Volume 2, Number 62
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) Hate message found on bathroom wall
2) Professors discuss football coach’s resignation
3) World news roundup
4) Weekend party plans
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) Men’s and women’s swim teams rocked by Penn
2) Men’s basketball loses to Hopkins
3) Today’s and this weekend’s contests
WEATHER FORECAST
Today: Cloudy, rain possible in the afternoon. High around 45.
Tonight: Chance of light snow. Low of 30.
EXTENDED WEEKEND FORECAST
Saturday: Sometimes cloudy, sometimes not. High near 40.
Sunday: Fair. High close to 40.
TO OUR READERS
The Daily Gazette will be operating on a reduced schedule next week. Our
next edition, the last one of the semester, will be published Tuesday.
NEWS REPORT
1) Hate message found on bathroom wall
A homophobic message was found written on the wall of a men’s bathroom in
a dorm Nov. 25, according to Public Safety Director Owen Redgrave. At the
request of a student who was named in the message, the dorm is not being
identified. The message read, in part, “Fuck Fag”; the names of
fraternities Phi Psi and Delta Upsilon were also written on the wall.
“There’s no reason to suspect the fraternities at this point,” said the
student, who wished to remain anonymous. D.U. President Anthony Buendia
’98 said, “D.U. doesn’t condone any behavior of this nature. We definitely
have no connection to this incident.” Phi Psi members could not be reached
for comment.
Associate Dean Tedd Goundie said that the administration did not send an
all-campus e-mail concerning the incident because the student did not want
one sent.
“I didn’t think an administrative e-mail about hate speech would be
effective,” explained the student. “It does not send a message that
something is being done. The administration believes that hate speech
shouldn’t be tolerated, but it doesn’t take action. I don’t mean to say
that the administration is being negligent, but action needs to be taken.”
“There’s a perception that things like this don’t happen at Swarthmore.
Publicizing it through publications will help dispel that notion,” the
student added.
Talia Young ’00, a founding member of the Queer-Straight Alliance, said
that the incident has helped mobilize the group. “We are going to document
all incidents of overt homophobic hate speech and violence. This is the
not the first time this has happened on campus,” she said. “Students need
to know where to go to report these incidents. There may be some official
body on campus that documents hate speech, but students don’t seem to know
about it.”
*****
2) Professors discuss football coach’s resignation
The Swarthmore chapter of the American Association of University
Professors planned to meet Thursday night to discuss the circumstances
surrounding the resignation of Karl Miran as head football coach. The
group is investigating whether events leading to Miran’s resignation
violated his rights as a tenured faculty member, according to Robert
DuPlessis, professor of history.
DuPlessis said before the meeting that no definitive outcome was expected
because key people would be absent. Provost Jennie Keith and President Al
Bloom could not attend because they would be attending to members of the
Board of Managers arriving for this weekend’s board meeting, and further
investigation depends on input from Bloom and Keith, DuPlessis said.
Meanwhile, Miran remains on the faculty; if he decides to return after a
one-year sabbatical leave, he will be assigned to a different position in
the physical education and athletics department.
*****
3) World news roundup
AUSTRALIA BATTLES WIDESPREAD BUSH FIRES
Cooler weather Thursday helped Australian firefighters who are working to
extinguish more than 100 bush fires burning out of control in the
southeastern part of the country, but hot weather and strong winds were
expected to return today and fan the flames. Some 6,000 firefighters were
trying Thursday to contain the blazes, and 4,000 more could join the
effort today. The fires have charred over 1 million acres and destroyed
nearly 40 homes, including some in the suburbs of Sydney.
FRENCH COURT REFUSES TO EXTRADITE MAN CONVICTED OF PHILADELPHIA MURDER
A French court Thursday rejected a request to extradite hippie guru Ira
Einhorn to the United States, where he faces life imprisonment for the
1977 murder of his girlfriend in Philadelphia. Einhorn fled the country as
his trial approached in 1981, hiding out in Ireland, England and Sweden
before heading to France, where authorities nabbed him in June. Einhorn
was tried and convicted in absentia in 1993. His attorneys argued that
extradition would be unfair because Einhorn would not get a new trial in
the United States; French law gives criminals convicted in absentia the
right to a retrial.
IN OTHER NEWS …
Walt Disney Co. Chairman Michael Eisner on Wednesday reaped a $565 million
profit by using stock options to purchase 7.3 million shares of Disney
stock at below-market prices; it was one of the largest such transactions
ever by a corporate executive. … Russian officials said Thursday they
will bring formal espionage charges today against an American
telecommunications engineer detained Nov. 25 on suspicion of making illegal
topographical surveys and obtaining secret information about military
installations. … Kelly Flinn, the B-52 bomber pilot who accepted a
general discharge rather than face a court-martial on adultery charges,
says she’s thinking of running for Congress, but she has yet to decide what
state she’d like to represent. … Strom Thurmond, the Republican from
South Carolina who has served in the Senate since 1954, turns 95 today.
*****
4) Weekend party plans
Free events on campus this weekend, according to Social Affairs Committee
members and Olde Club staff, include:
FRIDAY
*A party in Paces, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.; funded by SAC.
*A party in Olde Club, starting at 10 p.m., featuring bands Tsunami (of
Washington, D.C.) and Panama (of Philadelphia); funded by Olde Club.
SATURDAY
*The Dank Mo II party, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in Olde Club; funded by SAC.
*Club 100 Grand, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in Paces and Tarble lounge; funded
by SAC and Student Council and sponsored by Budget Committee.
SUNDAY
*Stress Relief Night, from 7 to 10 p.m. in Upper Tarble, featuring free
food, haircuts and back massages, plus a clothing swap; funded by SAC.
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) Men’s and women’s swim teams rocked by Penn
In Wednesday’s meet against the University of Pennsylvania, the men’s swim
team lost 127-71 and the women’s team lost 118-75. Ted Sherer ’01 was the
lone winner for the men, in the 200m breast stroke, and Claire Arbour ’00
won the 100m freestyle for the women. Since Penn is a Division I power,
the outcome was “a foregone conclusion from the start,” said Ryan Fruh ’99.
“There were so many of them that it was pretty rough swimming against
those guys.” The meet provided a good challenge for Swarthmore at the
beginning of the season, Fruh said.
*****
2) Men’s basketball loses to Hopkins
The men’s basketball team lost a tight game to Johns Hopkins on Wednesday,
67-51. Swarthmore started the game with an 18-16 lead and but fell behind,
lagging 35-24 at halftime. With seconds left on the clock, the Garnet
closed the gap to three points, but couldn’t get the win. Tim Schofield ’99
scored a season-high 27 points, J.J. Purdy ’99 scored 10 points, and
Cassidy Westbrook ’00 had eight points. The team drops to 0-6 for the
season and 0-1 in the Centennial Conference.
*****
3) Today’s and this weekend’s contests
TODAY
Women’s basketball plays in the Seven Sisters tournament at Haverford
against Vassar at 6 p.m.
SATURDAY
The wrestling team takes on NYU, Montclair, and Princeton at Princeton at
noon.
Men’s and women’s indoor track and field host the annual Swarthmore
All-Comers meet starting at 11 a.m.
Men’s and women’s swimming travel to Western Maryland for a 2 p.m. meet.
Women’s basketball plays either Smith or Haverford, at a time to be
announced, in the second game of the Seven Sisters tournament at
Haverford.
Badminton travels to Harcum for a 9 a.m. tournament.
*****
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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
Contributing Writer
Toki Rehder
Weatherman
Rafi Dowty
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This concludes today’s report.
Copyright 1997 by The Daily Gazette. All rights reserved.