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
Tuesday, February 10, 1998
Volume 2, Number 77
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) Plost, Student Council to tackle address grade disputes
2) El Nino: causes
3) World news roundup
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) Basketball results
2) Today’s and tomorrow’s events
WEATHER FORECAST
Today: Nice and sunny. High near 55.
Too bad about the Olympics being delayed by snow storms.
Tonight: Clear. Low around 30.
But that’s what you get for holding the Games in winter.
Wednesday: Overcast, rain in late afternoon. High of 55.
NEWS REPORT
1) Plost, Student Council to tackle disputed grades
Former Student Council Co-Chair Ari Plost ’98 approached Student Council at
a meeting Monday night to discuss the issue of disputed course grades. “It
took me one and a half years to get a disputed grade changed,” said Plost:
“It is very difficult and time-consuming. I’d like to work with Council to
improve this process.”
Plost explained that under the current process of reversing a course
grade, the student begins by talking to the professor of the course. If
the grade is still in dispute after that discussion, the student may go to
the head of the department. If a conflict still exists after this meeting,
the student can
take the matter to Jennie Keith, the Provost of the College.
“Disputed grades are more likely to occur to underclassmen,” said Plost,
“and they are the ones who are going to be most intimidated by going to the
department head or the Provost with this issue.”
Plost proposed to work with a Student Council working group to “better
expedite and facilitate the process.” Proposed solutions to the problem include
establishing an independent committee to deal with such issues, or making the
process anonymous so that students do not feel they are potentially
antagonizing the heads of departments.
Student Council Co-Chair Ashwin Rao ’99 stated that SC’s Academic working
group is willing to work with Plost and Keith on this issue.
*****
2) El Nino: causes
The world’s climate is controlled by global circulation of the atmosphere.
This circulation moves heat from the equatorial regions toward the poles
and returns with the cooler air from the extreme north and south regions of
the globe. This pattern of circulation keeps the tropics from frying and
the extreme northern and southern climates from freezing more than they
already do.
In order to understand the climatic abnormality of El Nino, we must first
look at what is considered normal climatic conditions (now being dubbed “la
nina”.) When El Nino is operating, a giant convection cell forms in the
western Pacific around Indonesia and Australia. This convection cell is
fueled by very warm water. During El Nino the warm water in the west
pushes eastward across the Pacific and replaces the usually cold waters
along the western coasts of North and South America. Since this is
primarily in the Southern Hemisphere, this phenomena is termed Southern
Oscillation. Today this is being called El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
When the convection cell moves from its normally easterly location, the
result is a change in global circulation. Obvious and measurable
differences include sea temperature change, sea surface level change,
pressure change, and relocation of the jetstream. Thus, the factors which
affect climate in a region are altered and therefore, the weather changes!
Next…..What are the effects of El Nino?
*****
3) World news roundup
HEAVY SNOWS CONTINUE TO BLANKET NAGANO, SLOW COMPETITION
Heavy snowfall forced the postponement of the women’s super-G and caused
difficulties in other competitions at the Nagano Winter Olympics on Monday.
Over a foot of snow fell on Nagano during a 24 hour span, bringing snow
accumulation totals in the area to two feet in three days. Alpine skiing
events suffered the most from the snows; because of snow delays, no Alpine
medals can be awarded before Wednesday at the earliest. Cross-country
skiers felt the effects of the snowstorm’s 50 mph winds and dense snowfall,
as a dozen skiers slid out of the women’s 5-kilometer classical race. The
heavy snow is expected to end by Wednesday
Olympic Medal results from Monday:
5 kilometer Cross Country Skiing (women)
Gold– Larissa Lazutina of Russia
Silver– Katerina Neumannova of the Czech Republic
Bronze– Bente Martinsen of Norway
Giant Slalom (women)
Gold– Karine Ruby of France
Silver– Heidi Renoth of Germany
Bronze– Brigitte Koeck of Austria
Luge (men’s singles)
Gold– Georg Hackl of Germany, tying the Olympic record
Silver– Armin Zoeggeler of Italy
Bronze– Jens Mueller of Germany
15 kilometer Biathlon (women)
Gold– Yekaterina Dafovska of Bulgaria
Silver– Yelena Petrova of the Ukraine
Bronze– Ursula Disl of Germany
JANITOR LEAVES YMCA, OLYMPIC COLLEGE $1 MILLION IN WILL
Herbert H. Goodman, a Bremerton, Wisconsin janitor, has willed between $1
million and $2 million to the Bremerton YMCA and the local Olympic College.
Goodman, who died last month at age 90, amassed his fortune in the stock
market. According to friends, Goodman began investing in blue-chips as a
teenager in Wisconsin; his final portfolio included Coca-Cola, General
Motors, and McDonald’s. Goodman’s plain lifestyle also helped his savings:
riding a bicycle, wearing only second-hand clothes, and living 40 years in
the Bremerton YMCA, Goodman never owned a phone or a car. According to
representatives, Olympic College will use its donation for scholarships,
while the YMCA will invest in new equipment and programs. Goodman’s final
day on the job was Jan. 12, when he rode his bike through a snowstorm to
reach work. He suffered a stroke the following morning and died Jan. 20.
IN OTHER NEWS…
Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze survived an assassination attempt
Monday as an unknown number of gunmen opened fire with a grenade launcher
and machine guns during a presidential motorcade through Tbilisi, Georgia.
… Emphasizing the need to overhaul and save the Social Security system,
President Clinton announced plans Monday for several regional forums, to be
attended by either Clinton or Vice President Gore, to discuss the problems
of and possible solutions to anticipated shortfalls in Social Security
funding. … Forest fires which destroyed over 3,600 acres of forest last
week continued to rage in Indonesia, raising fears of dangerous haze and
choking smoke in nearby villages and cities. … Tensions over the weapons
inspection impasse with Iraq rose Monday as the United States decided to
move 3,000 ground troops into Kuwait to bolster that country’s defenses.
… President Clinton declared major parts of California disaster areas
following a series of savage El Nino-linked storms that have flooded
houses, triggered landslides and killed at least seven people since
February 2.
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) Basketball results
The results from the men’s basketball game at Drew were unavailable at our
deadline. They will be printed in tomorrow’s issue.
*****
2) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
TODAY:
Women’s basketball speeds to Washington for a 7:00 p.m. game.
TOMORROW:
Swimming travels to Washington for a 6:30 p.m. meet.
Men’s basketball competes at Washington in an 8:00 p.m. game.
*****
Interested in reporting or writing for the Gazette? Just want to tell us
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Want to contact our sports editors? E-mail
gazette-sports@student-publications.swarthmore.edu.
The Daily Gazette
Board of Editors
Mary Elizabeth Alvarez
Ross Bowling
Massey Burke
Fred Bush
Steve Dawson
Lorrin Nelson
Cathy Polinsky
Staff Writers
Elizabeth Weber
Aarti Iyer
Tamala Montgomery
Josh Bess
Nathanael Stulman
Jennifer Klein
Weatherman
Rafi Dowty
Contributing Writer
Kristin Alvarez
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This concludes today’s report.
Copyright 1998 by The Daily Gazette. All rights reserved.
