Wednesday, December 6, 2000

Wednesday, December 6, 2000
Volume 5, Number 58

NEWS IN BRIEF

1) Students who support BOM decision, but not method, left out
2) World news roundup
3) Campus events

SPORTS IN BRIEF

1) Men’s basketball ends 14-game losing streak
2) World sports roundup
3) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests

WEATHER FORECAST

Today: Cloudy. Highs in the mid 30s.
Have we been arguing so long that it’s suddenly the end of January?

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Lows in the low 20s.
I think we’ve effectively sucked all the heat out of the atmosphere.

Tomorrow: Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s.
Ok, everyone shut up for an hour or so. Maybe it’ll warm up.

TODAY’S SHARPLES MENU

Lunch: Turkey meatloaf with mushroom gravy, steamed rice, *vegetable lo-mein, spinach souffle, succotash, cut green beans
** Asian bar

Dinner: Fresh fish, scalloped potatoes, *cajun black beans, pasta & sauce broccoli, mixed vegetables
** Pasta bar

NEWS REPORT

1) Students who support BOM decision, but not method, left out

You wouldn’t think so from attending the various rallies, sit-ins, and meetings that have happened since Saturday. You also wouldn’t think so by reading what’s been written in the press, both off campus and on (the Daily Gazette included).

But the fact is, the student body isn’t in complete agreement as to what it thinks about the Board of Managers’ decision to cut football, badminton and wrestling. There are plenty who support it.

More importantly, there are plenty who feel that the focus of protest needs to shift from the decision itself, and on to how the decision was made. Two students were willing to talk about the situation and give their names.

“Among the crowd I see on a daily basis, virtually all of them fall into the category of supporting the decision but taking a bit of an issue with the methods,” said Bradley Phillips ’04.

About the Board of Managers, Phillips said, “I’m sure they have knowledge and experience that I do not, and because of this I trust them, to a certain extent. It’s not practical for the school to be run by the students; we’re too big and lord knows we have enough to do.”

Phillips suspects that the Board had reasons for cutting the teams in addition to the ones they’ve given – reasons he thinks wouldn’t go over very well publicly. For that reason he is upset with what he called a “secretive decision” that resulted in the administration being “not entirely forthcoming with students.”

Others see the miscommunication problem stemming from the very way the protests have been conducted.

“Everyone’s questions are about how this particular decision was arrived at,” said Jessica Schwartz ’01, “and it comes across as people who are upset about the decision attacking the way the decision was made because they’re upset about the decision.”

Schwartz believes that there are plenty of people who support the decision yet are still very upset at how it was made. She also feels that those people are being scared off by those who have been most vocal in their protest against the decision itself.

“I personally think that the administration would be more wiling to listen if it was clear that disillusionment of the decision-making process isn’t just coming from people who are upset at the decision itself,” she added.

The sentiment often heard is that there just doesn’t seem to be room for such people to participate in the discussion, because so much of the focus has centered on the football team and admissions slots. Monday night’s fireside chat was an example.

“If you show up for something like that you’re seen as supporting the football team, so they’re just not showing up because they don’t want to make that statement,” Schwartz said. “But because they’re not making that statement, they’re not making a whole lot of other statements that are really valuable to the discussion.”

“It does not sit well with me that the process leading up to this decisions was kept secretive,” Phillips said. “I respect honesty above and beyond any sort of authority; I would think that would be one of the ‘ethical’ qualities they would want to encourage.”

Phillips made sure to add that he has complete respect for the football players he has come to know in his time at Swarthmore. But, he says, that’s not the issue.

“I do feel there were some ‘ethical’ errors,” he said. “I’m still not sure why they felt it was so necessary to rush the decision.”

Schwartz thinks many people want to join the fight, just not the current one. “A lot of people aren’t getting involved because they don’t want to fight football’s battle. It could be Swarthmore’s battle.”

– Jeff Heckelman

2) World news roundup

As the deadline draws near for Florida to pick its electors, George W. Bush says he can feel Al Gore’s pain, so he won’t pressure him to concede defeat. Meanwhile, Gore says he feels optimistic, suggesting he may fight on even if his request for an appeal is rejected by the Florida Supreme Court. Many Democratic supporters say they think that Gore should concede if he loses his appeal request.

Indian officials reported that 12 Islamic guerrillas were shot and killed by Indian soldiers as they snuck across the line that divides the Himalayan province of Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

Australian officials said Wednesday the country would spend an extra $12.4 billion over 10 years to upgrade its military. Prime Minister John Howard said the money will be used to buy warplanes and ships and make troops more ready for combat and for international peacekeeping.

After months of earnings-driven selling, the Nasdaq composite index posted its largest ever one-day advance. Wall Street insiders point to the optimism surrounding indications that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates.

Finally, the Associated Press reports that Swarthmore College officials voted to eliminate the varsity football program. Swarthmore is a small, academically-elite liberal arts college in suburban Philadelphia with approximately 1,400 students.

3) Campus events

“Dangerous Reading: Inquisitorial Strategies of Censorship in Spain and Italy in the 16th Century” by Dr. Maria Luisa Cerrón-Puga, Sapienza University, Rome.
Kohlberg 115, 4:15 p.m.

“Instead of a Lecture”
Reading by Catherine Osborne ’01, Recipient of the Newton Book Prize.
McCabe Library Lobby, 4:15 p.m.

The Swarthmore College Chamber Wind Ensemble, Michael Johns, director
Lang Concert Hall, 4:30 p.m.

French Movie Night
Kohlberg 116 7:00 p.m.

Spring 2001 Study Abroad Pre-Departure Meeting
Dupont 161, 7:00 p.m.

Italian Movie Night
Kohlberg 330, 8:00 p.m.

Small Craft Warnings
Parrish Parlor – East, 9:00 p.m.

Folk Song Sing-Along
Parrish Parlor – West, 10:00 p.m.

Film Society Screening
DuPont 161, 10:00 p.m.

SPORTS UPDATE

1) Men’s basketball ends 14-game losing streak

The men’s basketball team defeated Centennial Conference foe Washington in a double-overtime thriller Tuesday night. The final score was 109-107.

Swarthmore trailed 37-35 at halftime but led by as many as 11 points in the second half. Washington came back to tie it at 79 at the end of regulation. The team’s finished the first extra period knotted at 93-93. In the second OT, David Pearce ’03 scored four points in the final 1:10 to ice the victory, the Garnet’s first since last season, a span of 14 games.

Pearce led a balanced attack that saw six players score in double figures. He finished with 24 points and added five rebounds. Josh Loeffler ’03 scored 20 points and added nine rebounds and four assists. Eran Ganot ’03 recorded his first double-double of the year, finishing with 14 points and 12 boards. Jacob Letendre ’04 scored 13, Zack Ellison ’04 scored 14, and Zak Gelacek ’04 added 11 points and nine rebounds.

The team is now 1-6 on the season, 1-1 in the Conference.

2) World sports roundup

Utah’s Karl Malone scored 31 points in a 98-84 victory over the Toronto Raptors. Malone’s ninth point of the game put him ahead of Wilt Chamberlain’s career total, putting him in second place all-time with 31,443. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is tops on the list with 38,387. …After starting the season 10-0 against mostly Eastern Conference foes, the Philadelphia 76’ers are finding life more difficult out West. After losing in Denver Monday night, they lost a hard-fought game in L.A. to the defending champs, as the Lakers won 96-85.

3) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests

Today:

Women’s basketball at Washington, 7:00 p.m.

Tomorrow:

There are no contests scheduled for tomorrow.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I can feel his pain.” – George W. Bush, putting a new spin on an old presidential trick.