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, April 3, 1998
Volume 2, Number 110
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) College to support Windows, close computing store
2) College admits less than 20 percent of students to class of 2002
3) Upcoming movies on campus
4) World news roundup
5) Campus events
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) Volleyball slams St. Joseph’s
2) Intramural scoreboard
3) Today’s and this weekend’s contests
WEATHER FORECAST
Today: Sunny, cooler. High close to 65.
Could this weather be any less consistent?
Tonight: Rain possible after midnight. Low near 40.
I feel like I’m living inside a yo-yo. A very, very big one.
Extended Weekend Forecast
Saturday: Overcast, rain. High of 50.
Sunday: Clearing. High around 55.
NEWS REPORT
1) College to support Windows, close computer store
According to a statement issued by the Computing Center, support for
Microsoft Windows will be phased in to the campus over the next 18 months.
Additional computer services staff will be hired during the summer in order
to allow members of the class of 2002 to take advantage of the change.
Specific changes to computing center policy include the sale of a line of
Windows computers through the College, hardware service for all computers
bought through the College, support for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0
platforms, and networking capabilities allowing Windows users to access
networked printers and file servers. First-years of the class of 2002 will
be able to purchase a Windows-based computer for next year, and some
faculty and staff will also make the jump to Windows.
In addition to these moves, the Computer Store will close at the end of this
semester, with most computer-related sales being handled through the
Bookstore. The Computing Center will handle hardware purchases. The room in
Beardsley formerly occupied by the Computer Store will be taken over by
Help Desk.
The decision comes, according to the statement, after 8 months of
intensive study and discussions with faculty, staff, and students. However,
Melissa Binde ’98, Dorm Consultant Manager, said that “I’m not aware
of substantial student input, no. In my capacity as Dorm Consultant
Manager I helped to influence how the support for PC’s will be carried
out but never had input on whether we would do so or not. All issues
were always presented to me as ‘done decisions’ and all I could do
was influence the particular manner in which the proposals were
implemented,” Binde said.
Brendan Nyhan ’99, a member of the Computing Services committee, said that
“Computing Services served a limited role as a forum for student/faculty
comment for proposed plans. It had no role in any decision-making
processes (nor is that its function, to my knowledge.)”
Though numerous students did have knowledge of this process, they were told
officially not to discuss it with anyone.
“It does concern me that a decision like this was made without much being
said to the college, since it could have significant financial
implications. The Macintosh platform is more secure, faster, and cheaper to
maintain than Windows NT — if the college moves substantial portions of
its infrastructure to Windows, it might have a surprise on its hands,”
Binde said. Nyhan agreed: “PCs are significantly harder to deal with than
Macs and thus will require increased CC staff.”
*****
2) College admits less than 20 percent of students
According to the Admissions Office, 19 percent of 4,578 applicants, or a
total of 888 students, have been admitted this year to the College. The
4,578 applicants breaks the Swarthmore record, up from last year’s total of
4,269.
Of the 888 students, 142 were chosen through the two early decision
periods, which are binding, meaning that these students have already
committed to the College. Other students will decide by May 1 whether or
not they will attend. Based on previous admissions patterns, the College
expects approximately 360 entering students next year.
The admitted class includes 43 percent students of color, with 6 percent
international students, 16 percent Asian-American, 14 percent
African-American, and 12 percent listing themselves as Latino. This is up
from 40 percent students of color last year.
38 percent of the admitted students whose high schools report grades are
valedictorians or salutatorians. Almost 90 percent came from the top 10% of
their class.
While most of the admitted students were undecided as to their majors, the
most popular major choice was engineering.
*****
3) Upcoming movies on campus
TOMORROW NEVER DIES Friday, 4/3 7:30, 10:00 LPAC
When a sleazy media baron (Jonathan Pryce) schemes to start a war between
the U.K. and China, 007 (Pierce Brosnan) must decipher the plot and save
international peace. Highlights include a Chinese super-agent (Michelle
Yeoh) and a customized BMW. (James Bond, 119 minutes, 1997)
AUSTIN POWERS Saturday, 4/4 7:30, 10:00 LPAC
British secret agent Austin Powers (Mike Myers), placed in cryogenic
sleep at the end of the 60s, is reawakened when he’s needed in the battle
against Dr. Evil (Mike Myers). A spoof of the Bond mythos, written by
Myers. (Comedy, 89 minutes, 1997)
THE SWORDSMAN II Wednesday, 4/8 10:30 Kirby
A student of the martial arts (Jet Li) battles a clan of baddies, while
getting involved in romantic entanglements. Energy absorbing stance!
(Action, 110 minutes, 1991: Hong Kong)
*****
4) World news roundup
CANADIAN SUPREME COURT FORCES ALBERTA TO CHANGE HUMAN RIGHTS CODE
Alberta was forced by the Canadian Supreme Court to integrate protections
against discrimination based on sexual orientation into its human rights
code yesterday. The ruling followed an appeal by gay lab instructor Delwin
Vriend, who brought suit against King’s University College after being
fired on the basis of sexual orientation. Alberta Premier Ralph Klein
vigorously opposed the ruling to news services, and vowed to news services
to do everything in his power to prevent implementation. Prince Edward
Island and the Northwest Territories, the only other provinces lacking a
similar provision, have announced plans to implement the ruling into their
Constitutions in the near future.
1999 BUDGET INCLUDING SURPLUS APPROVED BY U.S. SENATE
The U.S. Senate has approved a $1.73 trillion budget for 1999, which
includes an $8 billion dollar surplus. If the surplus is produced, then
current plans are to transfer the excess funds into the Medicare program.
The Medicare program will also receive any funds acquired through tobacco
legislation. Democrats strongly opposed the budget, and the vote was taken
almost exclusively on party lines. The House is expected to pass a budget
within the next two weeks.
IN OTHER NEWS…
Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr guaranteed to news services yesterday that
the dismissal of Paula Jones’ civil suit against the President will have no
effect on his investigation into the White House… Although minority high
school students have traditionally smoked much less than white students, a
study released yesterday by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
shows a large increase in minority student smoking over the past few
years… Cell biologist Stuart Newman has applied for a patent on his
technique to produce half-human, half-ape organisms, claiming to news
services that his intention is to prevent the production of these
creatures.
*****
5) Today’s and this weekend’s campus events
Friday
Reading by John Clayton
4:15 p.m., Kohlberg Scheuer Room
Lecture: “Representable bodies: Masculinity, Beauty, and the Good Citizen”
4:30 p.m., Kohlberg 115
African week party
7 p.m., Tarble-in-Clothier
Sager Keynote address by Laura Markowitz ’86
7:30 p.m., LPAC cinema
Concert by the Swarthmore College Wind Ensemble
8 p.m., Lang Concert Hall
Reading by Vikram Chandra
8 p.m., Kohlberg Scheuer Room
“Durang, Durang”: two plays by Christopher Durang
8 p.m., Pearson-Hall Theater, LPAC
“Poet in New York,” Pig Iron Theater Company
9 p.m., LPAC
Saturday
Panel discussion: “Tabloidizing the News: Journalism in the Age of O.J.,
Diana and Monica.” Andrew Heyward, CBS News, Jonathan Alter, senior writer
for Newsweek, Steven Bronstein, producer for “Inside Edition,” and Robert
Rosenthal, editor and executive vice president of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Gest Center 101, Haverford, 10 a.m. Contact (610) 896-1333 or
lhartsho@haverford.edu.
Panel: “Queer at Swarthmore from the 1940s to the 1990s”
10 a.m., Cinema, LPAC
Vertigo-go improv comedy show
2 p.m., Willets Mephisto’s lounge
Panel: Activism and Queer identities after and beyond Swarthmore”
2 and 4 p.m., Cinema, LPAC
Kloppenberg Dance performance
7 p.m., Dance Lab 2, LPAC
Concert by the Swarthmore College Orchestra
8 p.m., Lang Concert Hall
“Durang, Durang”: Two plays by Christopher Durang
8 p.m., Pearson-Hall Theater, LPAC
Party, thrown by the Engineers
10 p.m., Tarble in Clothier
Sunday
Concert, “Bug Music Ensemble”
8 p.m., Pearson-Hall Theater, LPAC
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) Volleyball slams St. Joseph’s
The men’s volleyball overcame St. Joseph’s last night, 3-1. Although
Swarthmore “played like they were asleep”, stated team member Charlie Ellis
’00, the Garnet beat the overmatched St. Joseph’s with 12-2, 11-15, 15-10
and 15-9. Swarthmore’s defense had sparks of brilliance, highlighted by Paul
Hsu’s ’98 passes and Imran Posner’s ’00 8 blocks. Ellis and George Matula
’98 led the team in kills by posting 18 and 15 respectively. The team
is now 5-2 for the season and second in their division.
*****
2) INTRAMURAL SCOREBOARD
IM BASKETBALL:
Apu de Beau Mar Chez 63 Autobots 39
No Code 68 Bruce Lee 54
*****
3) Today’s and this weekend’s contests
TODAY
Baseball travels to Washington for a 3:00 p.m. game.
Golf jets to the Moravian Invitational at 1:00 p.m.
Women’s tennis heads to Franklin and Marshall for a 4:00 p.m. match.
SATURDAY
Men’s and women’s track and field host a five-way challenge at 11:00 p.m.
Men’s lacrosse travels to Messiah at 4:00 p.m.
Women’s lacrosse hosts Dickinson at 1:30 p.m.
Men’s tennis travels to Williams for a 12:00 p.m. match.
Women’s tennis travels to Johns Hopkins at 1:00 p.m.
Baseball hosts Johns Hopkins in a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m.
Softball travels to Dickinson for a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m.
Men’s and women’s ultimate travel to Penn State.
Volleyball heads to the PCB tournament.
Women’s rugby heads to DC for the Furies tournament.
Men’s rugby travels to Lehigh.
*****
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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
Josh Bess
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.