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
Monday, April 20, 1998
Volume 2, Number 121
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) Swarthmore offers merit scholarships in a move to compete
2) Sign welcoming queer prospective students anonymously removed
3) Juniors and fifth graders clean up at egg drop contest
4) McCabe Mile kicks up dust in otherwise dreary library basement
5) World news roundup
6) Campus events
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) Men’s tennis beats SUNY Binghampton
2) Track teams gear up for Penn Relays
3) Scoreboard
WEATHER REPORT
Today: Some sun, breezy. High around 65.
All you rising juniors hoping for singles:
Tonight: Clear. Low near 40.
Too bad — they’re all gone. Ha ha ha.
Tuesday: More sun. High of 70.
NEWS REPORT
1) Swarthmore offers merit scholarships in a move to compete
In a dramatic move designed to compete directly with large universities for
top prospective students, the college has decided to offer merit-based
scholarships to top students in the entering class. Over 100 prospective
members of the class of 2002 have been offered merit-based scholarships in
a program that will cost the college $800,000 over four years.
The Swarthmore Scholars program was approved quietly and hastily by the
Board of Managers earlier this year for a one year trial basis. There
apparently was no public debate or opportunity for student or faculty
comment. Individuals involved in admissions and financial aid issues
characterize the program as an “emergency response” on the part of
President Al Bloom, the Vice-President for Planning Paul Aslanian, and Dean
of Admissions Robin Mamlet to expanded scholarship programs at Princeton,
Yale, and Stanford, with whom Swarthmore competes for students.
The new scholarship program is aimed largely at middle class families; all
recipients were awarded financial aid in addition to the merit aid. The
program replaces the loan and summer work components of a financial aid
package with grants that need not be repaid. The program is administered by
the Admissions Office and not the Financial Aid Office.
The shift in aid policy has been largely unpublicized. Last night, in a
Peaslee Debate Society function for several dozen students, faculty, and
prospective students, students Tara Zahra and John Dolan, History Professor
Tim Burke, Political Science Professor Bruce Morrison debated the new
scholarships, marking perhaps the first public exchange on the issue.
*****
2) Sign welcoming queer specs anonymously removed
For the second consecutive year, the “Welcome Queer Specs” banner has
mysteriously disappeared from the Tarble balcony. Displayed by members of
Swarthmore Queer Union (SQU) and Queer-Straight Alliance (QSA), the banner
was last seen at approximately 1:00 a.m. Saturday. According to QSA member
Talia Young ’01, the banner was discovered missing around 7:30 a.m. on
Saturday. At press time, the banner had yet to be returned.
Young expressed her concerns with the behavior of the alleged thieves: “I
find this incident particularly disturbing in its repetition and its
anonymity. If someone … had concerns or issues with our banner … I
think it’s perfectly valid and important to discuss them with us. But I
think it’s rude and inappropriate to anonymously remove the banner without
consulting, asking or discussing it with us.”
That sentiment was echoed by SQU member Julie Russo ’00, who sent an e-mail
to Dean of Admissions Robin Mamlet and the rest of the deans staff. In that
message Russo added, “‘Welcome Queer Specs’… is a positive message that
everyone in this community should be able to agree with … I consider
stealing the sign to be an act of harassment, but what is more important to
us right now is that the sign is the property of SQU, and we would like it
returned.”
Other students and perspective students also had negative reactions to the
theft. Yoni Brodski ’01 told the Gazette, “I think it’s a disgrace that
anyone would go to such measures as to violate someone else’s freedom of
expression by stealing the banner. I think this as a sad comment on the
school.” Prospective student Kevin Setter agreed, “That occurrence
definitely does not fit with my image of Swarthmore. I have always thought
of it as a tolerant place.”
*****
3) Juniors and fifth graders clean up at egg drop contest
Yesterday’s egg drop contest saw fierce competition from engineers and
non-engineers alike. The 3rd place winner was Erin Cheever, age 12 and
daughter of Engineering professor Erik Cheever, who created a container
filled with corn starch and coke. The mixture was heavier than the egg and
allowed it to “float” in its fall. Desiree Joseph ‘9, an engineering major
used balloons to cushion her egg’s flight from the roof of Hicks for a
second place finish. Juniors Nate Hanson and Tim Bragg created a hollowed
out watermelon filled with watermelon Jell-O to finish first in the
contest. All three eggs survived the toss unbroken and were scored based on
quickest time to reach the ground.
*****
4) McCabe Mile kicks up dust in otherwise dreary library basement
Officiated by Mason Tootell ’99, the McCabe Mile took place in McCabe
basement last night. Graham Lucks ’98 took first place and Danielle Wall
’98 came in first for the women. Two prospective students also
participated. Winners received the traditional toilet paper roll. This race
is third in the series of races which include the 4 x doughnut and the 4 x
beer.
*****
5) World news roundup
FREE TRADE IS FOCUS OF SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS IN CHILE
At the Summit of the Americas on Sunday, leaders of the Western
Hemisphere’s 34 countries approved a plan to begin negotiations to
establish a hemispheric duty-free trade zone by 2005. Negotiations are set
to formally begin in September. President Clinton said the establishment of
the free trade zone will be a difficult process, especially since democracy
is still fragile in some parts of the hemisphere. Cuba’s absence from the
Summit was noted numerous times. The free trade zone will virtually
eliminate all tariffs and duties on all goods and services traded from
Alaska in the north to Tierra del Fuego on the southern tip of South
America. The Summit also set up an Alliance Against Drugs to better
coordinate the war on drugs within the Americas.
MARYLAND MURDER SUSPECT HANGS HIMSELF BEFORE TRIAL
A teenager awaiting trial in a Maryland murder case was found dead in his
cell on Saturday. The case had entered the international arena because the
case’s co-defendant is fighting extradition to the U.S. from Israel.
Eighteen year-old Aaron Needle had not been on a suicide watch because
authorities believed there were no indications of suicidal tendencies.
Needle, who pleaded innocent last week, was set to stand trial for the
dismemberment and burning of Alfred Tello, Jr. whose remains were found in
September. Samuel Sheinbein, 17, was also charged in the case but avoided
arrest by fleeing to Israel. The prosecution is expected to finish its
summation of Sheinbein’s extradition next month.
IN OTHER NEWS
Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, delayed its
vote on the Northern Ireland peace accord, while on Saturday the main
Northern Ireland Protestant party approved the accord. … Tiananmen leader
Wang Dan arrived in the U.S. on Sunday immediately following his release
from prison on medical grounds. … Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu accepted the idea of London peace talks. … The infiltration of
the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas and the bombing of the federal
building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma both marked the anniversary of their
tragedies with ceremonies of remembrance. … Linda McCartney, wife of
former Beatle Paul McCartney, died of breast cancer at the age of 56 on
Friday.
*****
6) Campus events
Howard Hughes Lecture by Dianna M. Milewicz, M.D./Ph.D, Director of Medical
Genetics at University of Texas-Houston entitled, “Human Genetic Disorders
Resulting from Mutations in the Fibrillin Proteins.”
4:30 p.m., Kirby Lecture Hall, Martin
Earth Week movie, National Geographic Special: “Wildlife Warriors:
Defending Africa’s Animals.”
8 p.m., Kirby Lecture Hall, Martin
Housing Lottery for rising Juniors
7 p.m., Tarble Gym
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) Men’s tennis beats SUNY Binghampton
The men’s tennis team defeated visiting SUNY Binghampton 4-3 on Friday. The
doubles teams of Jon Temin ’00 and John Leary ’00, Roger Werner ’98 and
Nick Slimack ’99, and Greg Emkey ’99 and Pete Schilla ’01 were all
victorious for the one doubles point. In singles, Leary, Emkey and Schilla
each won, securing the Garnet victory. Temin lost on the third set on a
tie-breaker 8-6.
*****
2) Track teams gear up for Penn Relays
The men’s and women’s track teams warmed up for the Penn Relays with a
strong showing at the Widener Invitational Saturday. On the women’s side,
both Desiree Peterkin ’00 and Catherine Laine ’98 qualified provisionally
for the NCAA meet in the triple jump, while the 4X100 meter relay was one
solid handoff away from qualifying. Sarah Jay ’01 and Danielle Wall ’98
each had significant personal records in the 1500 and 3000 meter races
respectively, while the 4X400 meter relay was less than 2 seconds away from
the school record with a dramatic second place finish that included the
beating of esteemed Lincoln University.
On the men’s side, the Garnet had strong showings by Graham Lucks ’98 and
Marc Jeuland ’01 in the 5000 meter run, as well as a solid second place
performance by Steve Dawson ’00 in the high jump. Keith Gilmore ’01 had a
monster day in the 200 meters and both the 4X100 and 4X400 meter relays,
the latter of which had a solid outing versus the packed field at Quick
Stadium.
*****
3) Scoreboard
Women’s Lacrosse
Swarthmore 9 Franklin & Marshall 10 (2OT)
Men’s lacrosse
Swarthmore 3 Gettysburg 22
Softball
Swarthmore 17 Lehman 2
Michelle Walsh ’98 had a 2 run double and a 3 run home run.
Swarthmore 16 Lehman 8
Jean Quinn ’99 had a 3 run home run as Kate Fama ’01 picked up her first
win.
Baseball
Swarthmore 2 Gettysburg 5
Swarthmore 4 Gettysburg 14
Women’s tennis
Swarthmore 0 College of New Jersey 9
Women’s rugby
Swarthmore 5 Penn State 12
Swarthmore 10 West Chester 15
Swarthmore 12 Shippensburg
Swarthmore 15 York 0
Men’s rugby
Swarthmore 32 Temple 12
Swarthmore 24 Lock Haven 20
Swarthmore 12 West Chester 32 Championship Round
Women’s ultimate
Swarthmore 9 Penn State 1
Swarthmore 8 Rutgers 11
Swarthmore 11 University of Delaware 3
Swarthmore 11 Penn State 1
Swarthmore 10 University of Pennsylvania 13
Swarthmore 9 University of Delaware 2
Swarthmore 11 Princeton 0
Men’s ultimate
Swarthmore 2 Bucknell 13
Swarthmore 13 Eastern 2
Swarthmore 13 ESU 0
Swarthmore 13 Lehigh 10
Swarthmore 9 University of Pennsylvania 12
Swarthmore 15 Carnegie Mellon 16
*****
4) Upcoming Events
TODAY
Golf hosts Pharmacy, Messiah and Penn in a 1:00 p.m. contest.
TOMORROW
Softball hosts Albright for a 4:00 p.m. game.
Baseball jets to Ursinus for a 3:30 p.m. game.
Men’s tennis hosts Haverford for a 3:00 p.m. match.
*****
Interested in reporting or writing for the Gazette? Just want to tell us
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Got a news tip for us? E-mail
gazette-news@student-publications.swarthmore.edu.
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
Elizabeth Weber
Staff Writers
Josh Bess
Joseph Genereux
Aarti Iyer
Jennifer Klein
Tamala Montgomery
Nathanael Stulman
Maureen Vernon
Weatherman
Rafi Dowty
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This concludes today’s report.
Copyright 1998 by The Daily Gazette. All rights reserved.
