Thursday, February 14, 2002

by Jeremy Schifeling
Section Editor

The Housing Committee met this past Monday and reviewed the
status of co-ed
housing on campus, as well as a plethora of issues relating
to the Roommate
Questionnaire.

In regards to the latter, the Committee evaluated a proposal
by the Queer
Straight Alliance which called for the addition of a “gay-friendly”
box to
the personal characteristics section of the Questionnaire
– the form mailed
to all incoming first-years upon which roommate matches are
based. Although
concerns about the number of students selecting this choice
and its
propensity for matching up queer students were voiced by Committee
members,
the group ultimately voted to endorse the feature.

Other Questionnaire topics included the possible addition
of a cover letter
to the housing form, which would outline and preview a typical
Swarthmore
schedule since many pre-frosh are uncertain about the time
demands of
college life. Additionally, the letter would address the importance
of
honesty in completing the Questionnaire as inaccurate answers
further
complicate an already-difficult matching process. While the
letter was not
expressly approved, a prototype text is currently being drafted.

As for the co-ed rooming issue which was so prominent last
year, the
Committee considered a survey conducted by the plan’s advocates
at last
year’s housing lottery, which suggested that there is stronger
demand for
the option than currently available supply.

Presently, only the 5 lodges and the I and J blocks of Worth
are zoned for
co-ed rooming, and just two lodges and one triple are actually
being used by
co-ed groups. Thus, the Committee plans to investigate the
possibility of
opening up Roberts, Palmer, Woolman and ML basement for that
purpose as
well.

*****

by Jeremy Schifeling
Section Editor

Haverford College will play host to a conference on global
responsibility
this weekend, with Dr. Jane Goodall, the famous primate researcher
and
conservationist, speaking at the event, which she is also
co-sponsoring.

Beginning this Saturday, the program, entitled “Global
Responsibility: A
Reason For Hope,” will invite participants to examine
issues facing the
world in the 21st Century, covering everything from poverty
to ecology, and
to consider responsible solutions to these global dilemmas.
According to
the conference’s literature, the event “is designed to
enhance our sense of
global responsibility, increase awareness of programs addressing
global
problems, inspire activism, and enable us to more adequately
integrate our
personal values in understanding global challenges.”

Additionally, a Saturday night dinner on “Educating
for Social
Responsibility,” will look at the ways in which we can
teach about these
issues to best effect global change.

The two-day conference is free for all area students and
faculty, although
the dinner entails a $25 charge. Pre-registration is required,
and space is
limited.

To register for the event, visit the conference’s website
(http://www.gsinstitute.org/conference/), where you can also
find a list of
participating speakers and a program schedule.

*****

by Shavaugn Lewis
Gazette Sportswriter

February 14, 1818:
“The Great Emancipator” is born

Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, known to most as Frederick
Douglass,
was born into slavery in Maryland in 1818. His first escape
attempt failed;
however, he tried again in 1838 and succeeded in fleeing to
New York. He
eventually acquired a house in Rochester and used it as a
major station for
the Underground Railroad. Douglass’ work took him to Washington,
D.C. in
1872. While in D.C. he partook in international affairs by
serving in
diplomatic positions in both Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Douglass was
also active locally, serving on the Council of Government
for the District
of Columbia and as a U.S. Marshall. He lectured in the U.S.
and in England
about the brutality and immortality of slavery, publishing
several
newspapers (i.e. New Star) and an autobiography, The Narrative
of the Life
of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. Douglass dedicated
his life to
helping African Americans and is often considered one of the
most important
people in Black history. He died in 1895.

*****

* ABC News reported yesterday that President Bush has ordered
the military
and CIA to finalize plans for removing Saddam Hussein from
power. These
plans, which allegedly call for a coordinated strike between
US special
operatives, internal Iraqi opposition, and American airstrikes,
would be
supplemented by a larger, ground-invasion force should the
primary
initiative fail. Bush, for his part, told the press that he
would not
comment on the issue, but would keep his options open for
any potential
action against the Iraqi leader.

* The House of Representatives offered a preliminary endorsement
of a strong
campaign finance reform bill yesterday, 240-191. The bill,
which calls for
a ban on unregulated “soft-money” contributions
to national parties and
restrictions on harsh ads leading up to elections, was vigorously
opposed by
Republican leaders but still triumphed over a number of weaker
alternative
bills. While the issue had been floundering early last year,
Enron’s
collapse along with the company’s numerous political ties
have motivated
politicians to take a strong stance on the topic.

* President Bush is scheduled to propose a new American plan
for slowing
global warming today after rejecting the Kyoto treaty last
year. Bush’s
plan calls for cuts in greenhouse gasses based on corporate
incentives and
flexibility in the trading of pollution permits – not the
mandatory
restrictions proposed in Kyoto. Environmental groups attacked
the plan,
saying it was too generous to major corporations and not tough
enough in its
standards. The President countered such criticisms by saying
that stricter
measures would cost the American economy billions of dollars
and millions of
jobs.

*****

“Brain Development in Healthy, Hyperactive, and Schizophrenic
Children”
Psychology Colloquium with Judith Rapoport, National Institute
of Mental
Health
Scheuer Room – Kohlberg, 4:00 p.m.

Chemistry Colloquium
Trotter 303, 4:00 p.m.

“Flying to Learn: Studies of Honey Bee Orientation Flights”
by Animal Behavior Candidate Elizabeth Capaldi, Bucknell University
Kirby Lecture Hall – Martin, 4:15 p.m.

Lecture by Katharina Volk, Classics Job Candidate
Trotter 301, 4:15 p.m.

Hong Kong Movie Night:
SCCS Lounge – Tarble, 7:30 p.m.

Valentine’s Day Study Break
Sponsored by the Swarthmore Protestant Community
Parrish Parlor-West, 9:30 p.m.

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

by Pat Quinn
Gazette Sportswriter

In another disappointing showing by the men’s basketball
team, Swarthmore
lost to Muhlenberg 75-44 last night. While the team was able
to keep up
with the physical Muhlenberg squad early on, the Mules soon
pulled away,
leading by over twenty at several points during the first
half. With an
overpowering offense and rock-solid defense, Muhlenberg proved
too strong
and too fast for Swarthmore.

Muhlenberg showed an aggressive style on both offense and
defense that
complimented their size and power. Swarthmore struggled to
get past their
unyielding full-court press, only to face even more strength
in the post.

When Muhlenberg shut off the inside, Swarthmore could not
hit the outside
shots that were so desperately needed. Muhlenberg’s quick,
resourceful
offense used many weapons to break down Swat’s defense, hitting
many
three-pointers from what appeared to be NBA range.

At the start of the second half, Jacob Letendre ’04 and others
showed
resilience, outhustling a quicker Muhlenberg team. Letendre
refused to give
up on either offense or defense, though his efforts were not
sufficient to
overcome the Mules.

Ultimately, the game came down to a power and size matchup
that was
unfavorable for the Garnet. However, Swarthmore was aided
throughout the
contest by freshman Blair Haxel’s height inside. Haxel, who
at 6’8″ stands
high above the rest of the squad, had his first start last
night.

Other bright points for the team came from Matt Gustafson
’05, who led the
squad with 10 points, and Chris Loeffler, who posted seven
points and six
boards.

After last night’s loss, Swarthmore has one game left this
season. Though
their record stands at 5-19 (1-12 in the Centennial Conference),
the Garnet
have a chance to end their season on a high note against arch-rivals
Haverford this Saturday at 4:00.

*****

Katie Robinson ’04 notched 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five
steals, and
Heather Kile ’02 added 15 points, 12 rebounds, and five steals
of her own,
but the Garnet fell to Muhlenberg 70-45 after committing 31
turnovers in
the game. The team’s record is now 18-6 overall, 11-3 in the
Conference.

With the loss, Swarthmore falls to second place behind Muhlenberg
in the
division. The only way for the Garnet to reclaim the top spot
is a victory
against Haverford this Saturday combined with a Muhlenberg
loss to Ursinus.
Should the Garnet regain first place, they will host a semifinal
playoff
game on Wednesday night. A second-place finish means the team
will travel
to the first place Western Division school.

*****

The Garnet won eight of the eleven events at Washington yesterday
to post a
137-62 victory. Triple-winner David Whitehead ’03 led the
team with
individual victories in the 50 freestyle (22.33) and 100 freestyle
(49.12).
He also swam a leg on the winning 400 medley relay (3:43.06)
that included
Ben Morgan ’05, Mike Dudley ’03, and John Lillvis ’03. In
addition, Dudley
won the 200 IM (2:01.59), Lillvis took the 200 butterfly (2:01.33),
and
Morgan swam another winning relay, the 400 freestyle (3:30.97),
with Jacob
Ross ’05, Mike Auerbach ’05, and Chris Bussard ’03. Auerbach
also captured
the 500 freestyle (5:05.66), while Bussard won the 200 freestyle
(1:54.19).
The men’s final record for the season is 5-4, 3-3 in the conference.

The women did not fare as well as the men at Washington,
falling 139-66.
Christine Tomm ’05 was the lone winner, capturing the 200
backstroke in
2:17.26. The Garnet finish the season with a 9-2 record overall,
5-2 in the
Conference.

The Centennial Conference Championships will be held at Franklin
and
Marshall next weekend.

*****

* Scandal beset the international figure skating community
yesterday as a
French official alleged that the French judge who voted for
the Russian team
in Monday’s pairs competition was pressured and manipulated
prior to her
decision. The Russians beat a Canadian pair in the event,
despite what
appeared to be a clear Canadian victory. In response the International
Olympic Committee has told the sport’s governing body to settle
the issue as
quickly as possible.

* The new NFL expansion team, the Houston Texans, will choose
between 12 and
18 players in the special expansion draft on Monday. Unlike
expansion teams
of the past that have chosen around 30 players in the draft,
the Texans want
to play it safe. They have already signed 34 free agents,
including
Jacksonville Jaguars’ offensive tackle Tony Boseli, Baltimore
Ravens’
linebacker Jamie Sharper and punt receiver Jermaine Lewis.
Boseli was a
five-time Pro Bowler with the Jaguars and figures to be a
key player for the
Texans.

* Norway’s Ole Einar Bjoerndalen is on his way to becoming
the first person
to win gold medals in three biathlon events in the same Olympics.
He won
the gold in the 20km biathlon on Monday and won gold again
Tuesday in the
10km biathlon. He finished 28.9 seconds before silver medalist
Sven Fisher
(Germany) despite starting in the 81st position. If he wins
gold in
Saturday’s 12.5km he will be the first to win three gold medals
in a
biathlon.

*****

There are no contests scheduled for today or tomorrow.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“There are more pleasant things to do than beat up people.”
–Muhammad Ali

*****
.
Interested in reporting or writing for the Gazette?
Got a news or sports tip for us?
Just want to tell us what you think?

Contact the staff at daily@swarthmore.edu

Section Editors: Karla Gilbride
Pei Pei Liu
Jeremy Schifeling
Photo Editor: Casey Reed
Weather: Mary Harrison
World News: Karla Gilbride
Evelyn Khoo
Campus Sports: Jeremy Schifeling
World Sports: Karla Gilbride
Evelyn Khoo
News Reporters: Mary Harrison
Evelyn Khoo
Sanggee Kim
Natacha Pascal
Kent Qian
Alexis Reedy
Chiara Ricciardone
Sportswriters: Muhsin Abdur-Rahman
Shavaugn Lewis
Pat Quinn

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This concludes today’s report.