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, March 3, 1998
Volume 2, Number 92
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) New lottery insurance policy applied to sophomore class
2) Teach-in yields discussion about Iraq situation
3) Student Council hears notes
4) World news roundup
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) Men’s Ultimate wins two at Lehigh
2) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
WEATHER FORECAST
Today: Cloudy, rainy, lousy, grumpy, and doc. High of 45.
Don’t forget to fill out those surveys; we want your $0.02.
Tonight: Still cloudy, probably no rain. Low around 30.
We might read them, but really we just like getting email.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, still some clouds. High near 50.
NEWS REPORT
1) New lottery insurance policy applied to sophomore class
Based on survey results, the housing committee decided on Monday night to
retroactively apply the new housing lottery insurance policy to the class
of ’00. Under both the old and the new policies, an insured student is
guaranteed a number in the top two thirds of the class when picking junior
year housing. The difference is which students receive insurance.
Under the old policy, those students who received lottery numbers in the
bottom third are insured. Under the new policy, those students who are
actually among the last third to pick rooms are insured. The discrepancy
arises since roommates pick on the higher of their two numbers; many
students with low numbers never use them.
69% of the sophomore class voted. 52.5% were in favor of the new policy,
37% were against, and 10.5% were indifferent. Jason Bromer ’98, one of
three housing committee interns, said that housing committee had “debated
the issue extensively last semester,” and “didn’t come to any strong
decision either way.” Because of this, the decision was based solely on the
survey. “It was strictly a sophomore vote,” Bromer said. The insurance
policy applies only to the April lottery; juniors who are not on campus in
the fall and pick in the December lottery are uninsured.
*****
2) Teach-in yields discussion about Iraq situation
Between 65 and 70 Tri-Co students and local activists converged on the
Friends Meeting House Sunday night for a teach-in concerning U.S. policy
towards Iraq. The student-organized event featured a distinguished panel of
six speakers, including Lisa Hajjar, Professor of Sociology/Anthropology at
Swarthmore; Doug Davis, Professor of Psychology at Haverford; Michael
Simmons of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC); James Fine, who
has also worked with the AFSC; Raymond Hopkins, Professor of Political
Science at Swarthmore; and Zoharah Simmons, a Fulbright Scholar who has
recently studied in Jordan and traveled in the Middle East.
The ninety-minute meeting was organized by a group of students lead by
Delila Leber ’98 and Tara Schubert ’98. It included short speeches by the
panel members, followed by a general question and answer session.
Leber stated that the teach-in was planned because “it was a good first
step.” She added that “people knew something should be done, but they felt
under-prepared. We saw this as a good way to educate ourselves and the
community and hopefully to start a dialogue.”
When asked if she thought the effort was successful, Leber said,
“Definitely. People were actively engaged… the 90 minutes flew by.”
Professor Hajjar praised the students involved with the teach-in. “[These
are] signs of a much larger concern, and a sign of dedication to learning
outside of the classroom.”
Hajjar added that she felt that outspoken activists may have distracted
from the informative discourse, making some people afraid to ask questions.
“It is important to remember that this was for and by the students,” Hajjar
said.
The group that planned the meeting is considering plans for future action,
including a possible letter-writing campaign and film showings.
*****
3) Student Council notes
At Monday’s Student Council meeting, members heard a proposal by Vincent
Jones ’98 for Budget Committee to begin funding club sports. The proposal
included the idea that students could allocate funds better than the
College can, for instance, by applying money currently slotted for the
inactive cheerleading squad to the rugby team, currently short on cash. The
issue was tabled.
Jared Solomon ’01 reported on the success of McCabe’s extended hours, which
appear to have gained student support, attracting up to 60 students during
the two hours after midnight. However, Solomon reported that the expanded
hours cannot continue until funds are obtained to hire a security guard for
the extra hours. McCabe will revert to its usual schedule after spring
break.
*****
4) World news roundup
U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES IRAQ RESOLUTION
The U.N. Security Council voted last night to approve the deal arrived at
by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq
Aziz. Part of the resolution calls for Iraq to allow U.N. inspectors to
examine all sites in Iraq suspected to contain nuclear, biological, or
chemical weapons. After that provision is fulfilled, according to the
agreement, the U.N. will lift economic sanctions on Iraq. Several member
nations of the Security Council told news services that this resolution in
no way endorses an attack on Iraq should it violate the provisions of the
agreement.
TEENAGE MURDER SUSPECT AGREES TO EXTRADITION FROM ISRAEL
Seventeen-year-old Samuel Sheinbein has agreed to be returned to Maryland
to stand trial on a murder charge, provided that he be allowed to serve his
term in an Israeli prison, and that the death penalty is not sought.
Shortly after the September dismemberment and killing of Alfed Tello, Jr.
with a circular saw, Sheinbein fled to Israel, claiming citizenship through
his father. Israeli law forbids the extradition of citizens, but as
Sheinbein’s citizenship is in doubt, the Israeli Justice Ministry decided
that he could be returned to the U.S. to stand trial. Maryland prosecutors
told news services that the death penalty cannot be applied to minors, but
have refused to consider allowing Sheinbein to serve his sentence in
Israel, unless he pleads guilty in Maryland.
CLINTON OPPOSES REPUBLICAN PLAN TO ABOLISH TAX CODE
In a speech yesterday to the Mortgage Bankers Association of America,
President Clinton voiced his opposition to a recent Republican proposal to
abolish the current tax system by 2002. The president objected to the
termination of the 10,000 pages comprising the tax code, insisting that a
new system for taxation be proposed and accepted first. He also referred to
a healthy economy and lower interest rates as evidence of the success of
the current tax code. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) told news
services that a deadline for dismantling the tax code would pressure
legislators into producing a replacement. The proposal has been introduced
into both the House and the Senate, and Clinton has vowed to veto the bill
if it is passed.
IN OTHER NEWS…
Thousands of ethnic Albanians marched yesterday in protest of the Sunday
killings by Serbian police, and were met with water cannons and tear gas.
… A brawl erupted in the South Korean National Assembly over the
controversial presidential appointment for prime minister, Kim Jong-pil.
… To counter accusations of tax-evasion, Princess Diana’s heirs have
published her will, which determines her estate to be worth over 21 million
pounds ($35 million). … A study by veterans’ rights organizations
suggests that depleted uranium in artillery shells might be responsible for
Gulf War illnesses in soldiers. … A New Jersey state appeals court has
ruled in favor of James Dale, a queer Boy Scout troop leader who was fired
after the Boy Scouts of America discovered that he was a homosexual, and
directed the association to reinstate Dale in his position. The decision
will be appealed to the Supreme Court.
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) Men’s Ultimate wins two at Lehigh
After realizing that last weekend’s frisbee tournament might conflict with
Swarthmore’s Screw Your Roommate activities, many of the Earthworm’s more
eligible bachelors chose to stay home. Thus, early on Saturday morning, a
hardcore and likely dateless group of ultimate players headed to Lehigh
University to take on Rutgers, Bucknell, and the University of
Massachusetts. Despite injuries and a lack of substitutes, both the A and B
teams managed to do well in the first tournament of the season. Led by
captains Roger Bock ’99 and Matt Menendez ’99, the Earthworms played well
in the first two games and lost in the third to the larger and more fresh
UMass. And, though they returned muddy and quite worn out, some were even
seen later that evening on the dance floor.
The scores were:
Swarthmore 14, Rutgers 13
Swarthmore 13, Bucknell 6
U-Mass. 13, Swarthmore 4
*****
2) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
TODAY
Men’s tennis hosts West Chester at 3:00 p.m.
TOMORROW
Men’s lacrosse travels to Messiah for a 4:00 p.m. game.
*****
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The Daily Gazette
Board of Editors
Mary Elizabeth Alvarez
Ross Bowling
Massey Burke
Fred Bush
Steve Dawson
Lorrin Nelson
Cathy Polinsky
Elizabeth Weber
Staff Writers
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Joseph Genereux
Aarti Iyer
Tamala Montgomery
Nathanael Stulman
Maureen Vernon
Weatherman
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This concludes today’s report.
Copyright 1998 by The Daily Gazette. All rights reserved.