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 3, 2000
Volume 4, Number 105
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) Blocking statistics – the inside scoop
2) CEP proposing adding minors for everybody
3) World news roundup
4) Campus events
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) Softball sweeps twinbill for season’s first victories
2) Baseball splits doubleheader
3) Track teams dominate Widener
4) Women’s lax trounces Dickinson
5) Men’s lax suffers first loss
6) Golf drops quad meet
7) Women’s tennis falls to F&M
8) Men’s tennis falls to Williams
9) Women’s rugby continues winning streak
10) World sports roundup
11) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
WEATHER FORECAST
Today: 90% chance of rain, plus thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 60s.
So it’s gonna rain pretty much constantly till Friday or so.
Tonight: Rain. Lows in the mid 50s.
Kinda makes you think…
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy, rainy, with possible t-storm. Highs around 65.
…
NEWS REPORT
1) Blocking statistics – the inside scoop
As eager students scramble to discover their Housing fates this morning,
the multitude of reactions are at once diverse and intensely personal.
However, these hopeful blockers, regardless of outcome, should take comfort
in the following statistics from the Housing Department, which prove that,
indeed, they are not alone in their euphoria or frustration. And although
these simple numbers cannot do justice to either the joy or disappointment
associated with the results, perhaps they will show that there is, of
course, much method behind what many misinterpret as madness:
62 blocks awarded
36 groups got their first choice
54 groups did not receive blocks
16 blocks were not applied for
7 applications were invalidated
78.2 lowest average = Wharton 252-55 block
1038.2 highest average = Lodge 1
Most popular blocks:
Wharton blocks = 20 applications for 6 blocks
Mertz 1 room double blocks = 14 application for 3 blocks
215 persons received blocks (plus joint tenants)
Class Breakdown:
’01 = 71
’02 = 51
’03 = 93
-j.s.
*****
2) CEP proposing adding minors for everybody
The Council on Educational Policy (CEP) is bringing up the topic of minors
for everybody before all of faculty Friday, April 14th. Under our current
system, only Honors majors have the option of a minor course of study, but
CEP is thinking about adding the option for course majors as well. There
will be a fireside chat with Provost Jennie Keith and other members of CEP
in Kohlberg Coffee Bar Tuesday night at 7:30.
The issue isn’t just whether we should offer the option of a minor to all
Swarthmore students. There is a potential sacrifice in the matter as well.
Most likely, in order to gain the support of the faculty, students might
have to be restricted to a major plus one limit. In other words, you get a
major plus only one other thing, be it a second major, a minor, or a
concentration. Thus, we would have to sacrifice our double honors majors
with our honors minor and two concentrations.
The question is, is it worth it? The proposal will be presented to the
faculty on Friday, April 14, but before then all students will get a chance
to have their voices heard on the subject at the fireside chat Tuesday night.
-j.h.
*****
3) World news roundup
The leader of Japan, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, suffered a stroke Sunday
and was temporarily replaced by Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki. The 62
year-old prime minister had suffered from heart problems and was unusually
active this weekend while surveying the damage from the recent eruption of
Mt. Usu. The hospitalization has sent Japan into a political frenzy and has
already begun to reshape party interests in this years upcoming election.
…Settlement talks between Microsoft Corporation and the Justice
Department were called off Saturday, essentially silencing the
corporations role in the antitrust litigation and paving the way for a
federal ruling, expected this week. U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield
Jackson, whose November report unequivocally portrayed the software giant
as a monopoly with anti-competitive behavior, will most likely suggest
behavioral changes within the company, though changes to the structure of
Microsoft, including a breakup, could also be laid down.
Ugandan officials
are still hunting for the leaders of a Christian apocalyptic cult that has
left over 900 dead. Five hundred churchgoers were found charred two weeks
ago Sunday in an apparent mass suicide, but the discovery of 400 more
bodies in a mass grave many of which were victims of axes or poison has
prompted the government to treat the case as mass murder.
Local and family
resistance to the return of six year-old refugee Elian Gonzalez to his
father in Cuba is smoldering under the heated pressure of federal law and
the opposing tide of nationwide opinion. Miami-Dade County Strong-mayor
Alex Penelas sparked a political firestorm by saying local law enforcement
would not participate in the forcible removal of Elian from his Miami
residence, but relatives looking after the boy have agreed to adhere to
federal law, which could soon revoke Elians residency status and force his
return to his homeland.
*****
4) Campus events
All Women Over Lunch
PACES, 12:15 p.m.
“Medieval Multiculturalism and Dante’s Theology of Hell”
by Teodolina Barolini, Columbia University
LPAC Cinema, 4:00 p.m.
“Why is Vinegar More Sour Than Wine?”
by Paul Rablen, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Scheuer Room, 4:15 p.m.
“Space Filling Curves” and “Turning a Sphere Inside Out”
Kirby Lecture Hall, 5:00 p.m.
SWIL Movie: “Nausicaa”
Kirby Lecture Hall, 8:00 p.m.
Swing Practice
Upper Tarble, 9:00 p.m.
SWIL Movie: “They Were Eleven”
Kirby Lecture Hall, 10:00 p.m.
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) Softball sweeps twinbill for season’s first victories
The softball team hosted Castleton College on Saturday and came away with
their first two victories of the season, sweeping the doubleheader. Lindsay
VanSciver ’03 went the distance in both games for the Garnet, pitching her
first shutout of the season in the first game, which they won 1-0.
VanSciver allowed only three hits while striking out six as Stephanie
Wojtkowski ’02 knocked in the winning run in the third inning. In the
nightcap Wojtkowski was at it again, going 2-3 with two triples, three runs
scored and one run batted in. Amy White ’00 drove in two runs for the
Garnet, as they brought their record to 2-10, 0-2 on the season.
*****
2) Baseball splits doubleheader
The baseball team defeated conference powerhouse Johns Hopkins 6-3 in the
opener of their twinbill Saturday. Steve Farneth ’00 pitched a complete
game, striking out five. Josh Lindsey ’01 hit a two run single in the first
inning to start the scoring, and the Garnet added two more in the fifth off
a Jay Schembs ’01 two run single. The Garnet lost the nightcap to JHU to
bring their record to 5-8, 1-1.
*****
3) Track teams dominate Widener
Just as the headline suggests, the men’s and women’s track teams took care
of business at Widener over the weekend. Imo Akpan ’02 won the 100 and the
200. Joko Agunloye ’01 took the 10000, while Christen Lungren ’02 won the
3000. Desiree Peterkin ’00 won both the long jump and the triple jump. On
the men’s side, Marc Jeuland ’01 won the 10000 while Steve Dawson ’00 took
care of the high jump.
*****
4) Women’s lax trounces Dickinson
The Garnet racked up the goals against Dickinson College Saturday, coasting
to a 21-8 win. Mavis Biss ’02 scored a career-high six goals, while Katie
Tarr ’02 added five. Julie Finnegan ’00 scored three goals, the most in her
career for the Ganet. The team’s record is now 5-2, 1-0.
*****
5) Men’s lax suffers first loss
Facing their first Centennial Conference foe of the season, the men’s
lacrosse team promptly dropped their first contest of the year. Western
Maryland defeated the Garnet 19-10 Saturday as three goals each from Mark
Dingfield ’01 and John Murphy ’03 weren’t enough to overcome the conference
powerhouse. The team’s record is now 6-1, 0-1.
*****
6) Golf drops quad meet
The golf team racked up a composite score of 516 on Friday, which wasn’t
enough to top Cabrini (449), Holy Family (460), or Widener (491). The top
scorers for the Garnet were Matt Kaufman ’01 (79) and James Dolan ’02 (86).
The team’s record is now 3-5-1.
*****
7) Women’s tennis falls to F&M
Many of the matches were close, but few fell the Garnet’s way, as they lost
to Franklin & Marshall 7-2. The lone winners for Swarthmore were Jamie
Flather ’00 at fifth singles, 3-6, 6-3, 6-0, and the #1 doubles team of Jen
Pao ’01 and Laura Swerdlow ’02, who won 9-7.
*****
8) Men’s tennis falls to Williams
…by a score of 6-1. The only winner for the Garnet was Justin Singer ’03,
playing at fifth singles. He won his match 6-3, 6-0. The team’s record is
now 3-5 on the season.
*****
9) Women’s rugby continues winning streak
A-side defeated Bloomsburg Saturday 24-0 as Rhiana Swartz ’00, Emily
Sigalow ’02, Noelle Goodin ’00, Emily Wilkins ’01, and Elizabeth Meehan ’01
scored tries. Swartz and Sarah Nusser ’02 each kicked a conversion. B-side
won their first game of the season, as Vanessa Knoedler ’01 and Rabi
Whitaker ’03 scored the tries.
*****
10) World sports roundup
The most storied rivalry in women’s basketball got another chapter added to
it Sunday night, as UConn defeated Tennessee 71-52 to win the NCAA
championship. Shea Ralph led UConn with 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting,
earning Final Four MVP honors. Kelly Schumacher added six points and a
Final Four-record nine blocks. …Dale Earnhardt Jr. sped to his first
Winston Cup win at the DirecTV 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. His father
finished seventh. …Tom Kite won The Tradition senior tour event on the
sixth hole of sudden death between himself and Tom Watson. On the PGA tour,
Phil Mickelson got some momentum coming into the Masters next weekend by
winning the Bell South Classic on the first playoff hole against Gary Nicklaus.
*****
11) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
TODAY
Golf vs. Albright and Cabrini, 1:00pm
Women’s tennis vs. Bryn Mawr, 4:00 p.m.
TOMORROW
Softball hosts Ursinus, 3:00 p.m.
Baseball at Muhlenberg, 3:30 p.m.
Women’s lacrosse at Ursinus, 4:00 p.m.
*****
Quote of the day: “There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on
the shore like an idiot.” — Steven Wright
*****
Interested in reporting or writing for the Gazette?
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Contact the Editorial Board at
gazette-management@student-publications.swarthmore.edu.
Got a news or sports tip for us?
E-mail gazette-news@student-publications.swarthmore.edu.
Editorial Board
Jeff Heckelman
Melanie Hirsch
Claire Phillips-Thoryn
Staff Writers
Karla Gilbride
Jeremy Schifeling
Kai Xu
Contributing Writer
Brendan Karch
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This concludes today’s report.