Wednesday, February 28, 2001

Wednesday, February 28, 2001
Volume 5, Number 90

NEWS IN BRIEF

1) Swat police investigate sexual assault of female student
2) World news roundup
3) Campus events

SPORTS IN BRIEF

1) Intramural playoff scoreboard
2) World sports roundup
3) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests

WEATHER FORECAST

Today: A mix of clouds and sun. High 37.
The NCAA Tournament begins tonight at Swat!

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Low 24.
In other words, we’re about to witness the proverbial game “to tell your grandchildren about.”

Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. High 39.
That will teach those little whippersnappers to tease you about your “wussy liberal arts education”….

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) Swat police investigate sexual assault of female student

What was first reported to the college community as an “aggravated indecent assault” on a female Swarthmore student outside Sharples in the early hours of Monday morning is now being called “attempted rape.”

On Monday, the college community received a bulletin from Public Safety describing the male assailant as “a white male, 6′, slender build, wearing dark blue or black sweat pants, dark colored sweat shirt or coat and a dark ski mask type hat. A knife was reported to have been brandished during the attack.”

Chief Brian Craig of the Swarthmore Police Department classified the attack as “attempted rape.”

“The victim was sexually attacked; we’re not sure what the assailant’s intentions might have been if he’d had more time, but in cases like this, we use the highest classification that accurately reflects what happened,” Craig said.

According to Director of Public Safety Owen Redgrave, “the incident was reported first to the Swarthmore Police, and they in turn informed [Public Safety].” Added Craig, “The student called 911 after the attack. Luckily, we had an officer on duty close by who was able to respond quickly to that call.”

As a result of the incident, campus security will be increased; students are encouraged to try to walk in small groups or use Public Safety’s shuttles and Safe Walk.

Swarthmore Police’s investigation of the incident is ongoing, though both Redgrave and Craig were wary about disclosing specifics. “Obviously, there’s some sensitivity about the issue,” Redgrave said.

“We can’t release too many details right now,” said Craig, “but we’re going to do everything possible to try to solve this.”

– Pei Pei Liu

2) World news roundup

President Bush addressed Congress and the nation Tuesday night, asking Congress to support a large and retroactive tax cut. Speaking to a divided Congress, he reached out to Democrats with a promise to tackle Social Security reform and end racial profiling. Bush pledged to set the nation on “a different path” by slashing federal debt, saying, “The people of America have been overcharged and on their behalf, I am here asking for a refund.” Democrats warned that Bush’s $1.6 trillion, 10-year tax-cut plan would lead the nation toward an era of federal deficits. Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle said enacting a large tax cut without a full understanding of future federal income is “an amazing demonstration of irresponsibility.”

The families of the nine people missing and presumed dead after a surfacing U.S. submarine hit and sank a Japanese high school’s training ship got the official apology they had been asking for on Tuesday. In an effort to quell anger in Japan over the incident, President Bush sent the Navy’s No. 2 officer, Adm. William J. Fallon, as a special envoy to deliver the apology. His message was brief: “I’m here to request in the most humble and sincere manner that you accept the apology of the people of the United States and the U.S. Navy as a personal representative of President Bush,” but it appeared to be well received.

In an effort to convince Congress he has nothing to hide, former President Clinton said Tuesday that three of his closest ex-aides are free to tell a House committee whatever they wish about the pardons he granted in his last hours in the White House. Clinton waived his claim to executive privilege, which could have kept his former aides from telling lawmakers whatever they know about the pardon of Marc Rich, but while Clinton decided Tuesday to let his aides testify freely, Rich declined to be a witness before the House Government Reform Committee, which is trying to determine whether money played a role in the presidential pardons of Rich and others.

School officials in Grants, New Mexico said a 13-year-old girl was suspended from middle school for allegedly making a list of students she wanted to kill. The girl was suspended for 10 school days last Thursday and ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation before returning, said Carol Owensby, a school district spokeswoman. Owensby said the district called police after the girl drew her finger across her throat in a school hallway, scaring other students, but they found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

3) Campus events

Ash Wednesday Mass
Bond Memorial Hall, 12:30 p.m.

“The Allocation of Nutritional Resources Into Reproduction in Butterflies: What Stable Isotopes Can Tell us About Physiology and Life History”
by Dr. Diane O’Brien, Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution
Kirby Lecture Hall in Martin, 4:00 p.m.

French Movie Night
Kohlberg 115, 7:00 p.m.

College Democrats Meeting
Parrish Parlor – East, 8:30 p.m.

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

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

SPORTS UPDATE

2) World sports roundup

In men’s collegiate hoops, #16 Maryland upset #2 Duke 91-80 to avenge a defeat to the Blue Devils last month in which the team blew a 10 point lead in the final minute. Juan Dixon scored 28 points and had 5 steals for the victorious Terrapins.

Last night, Patrick Ewing returned to Madison Square Garden for the first time since being traded to the Seattle Sonics and received a three-minute standing ovation from the New York fans. Unfortunately, Ewing’s 12 points and 5 rebounds were not enough to prevent the Sonics from falling to the Knicks, 101-92.

An autopsy on Florida State linebacker Devaughn Darling , who died Monday after collapsing during a workout, failed to indicate what caused Darling’s death. Nevertheless, teammates reported that the player had been complaining of chest pains throughout the workout. A memorial service for Darling is scheduled for tomorrow.

3) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests

QUOTE OF THE DAY