Friday, April 5, 2002

by Karla Gilbride, Section Editor
additional reporting by Pei Pei Liu

Yesterday afternoon, over 120 students, staff, faculty, and administrators
gathered in front of Parrish for a rally in support of the Living Wage and
Democracy Campaign, entitled “Keep on Movin’ Forward.” The hour-long
rally
was punctuated by several dramatic and comedic flares, such as the
unfurling of a giant banner across four windows on the third floor of
Parrish and several choreographed routines by the “Radical Cheerleaders.”
Freshmen Greg and Steven Holt, Maya Schenwar, Jessica Colman, Sarah Kelly,
and Milena Velis were joined by sophomores Elinore Kaufman and Amalle
Dublon in entertaining the crowd with pompoms, bodies tossed in the air,
and chants of, “When I say living, you say wage!” and “What shall
we do
with a billion dollars? Living wage at Swarthmore!”

The overall tone of the rally was serious, however, as junior Chela Delgado
introduced the event by explaining that the date commemorated the
assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, who frequently spoke out on issues
of economic justice and who was killed while lending his support to a
strike of sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee. After observing a
moment of silence in Dr. King’s memory, Delgado explained that the rally
was being held to express appreciation for the Compensation Review
Committee’s recent recommendation to raise the minimum wage at Swarthmore
from $6.66 to $9.00 per hour.

“That is progress,” Delgado stated to the cheers of the audience,
but
added, “while that’s great and is really going to make a difference in
a
lot of folks’ lives, that’s not a living wage.” The campaign is calling
for
a minimum wage of $13.00 per hour for all College employees, to guarantee
their ability to meet basic needs of food, shelter, clothing, and
employer-subsidized health care. The figures are based on data from the
Women’s Association for Women’s Alternatives, which places the living wage
for a single adult at $9.19 per hour, and for two adults with two children
at $12.32 per hour.

Later in the program, Hamza Wali from Environmental Services and Michelle
Hartell from the Kohlberg coffee bar shared their thoughts on the living
wage. Wali began his remarks by pointing out College president Al Bloom in
the crowd and commenting, “I see the chief is here today.” He went
on to
discuss the legacy of past social change and democracy movements, alluding
to John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King and stating that “we as people
have a responsibility to strengthen the weak without weakening the strong; a
living wage at Swarthmore College is reachable.”

Hartell thanked the students involved in the campaign for “giving a voice
to the blue-collar workers on this campus,” saying that until students
took
up the cause, the Staff Advisory Council had largely ignored staff concerns
about the inadequacy of wages.

In thanking Wali and Hartell for their participation, Delgado noted that
there were staff who did not feel comfortable or safe taking an active role
in the campaign. “I know of at least one case,” she said, “in
which a staff
member who was planning to come to this rally today was told by her
supervisor that she shouldn’t come.” She urged the students and faculty
in
the audience to “use your privilege and power to make this a space where
staff can feel comfortable speaking.”

Kim Bussey ’04, Sam Blair ’02, and Cathy Meals ’04 shared facts about the
living wage movements taking place at 27 college campuses nationwide,
including the 22-day student sit-in at Harvard that resulted in a wage
hike. They also revealed that raising the minimum wage to $9.00 would cost
the college $30,000 per year. However, they pointed out, one tenth of one
percent of the College’s total endowment is $900,000.

Psychology professor Barry Schwartz was the scheduled faculty speaker; he
urged people to acknowledge the progress already made while continuing to
press forward in the campaign. “Nine dollars an hour isn’t thirteen dollars
an hour,” he said, “and I think it felt to a lot of people on the
living
wage campaign like a defeat. But I want to suggest that it was an
extraordinary victory, because it embraced the idea, I hope permanently,
that it is not the market by itself that determines how wages and
compensation in general get set.” Schwartz went on to say that “what
I
think has to happen finally is for the college to think about the way it
pays it staff in the same way it thinks about the financial aid that it
provides for its students. We don’t ask, ‘Can we afford to meet all
demonstrated need?’ We simply do.”

Two students not affiliated with the campaign, Rajaa Shakir ’04 and Emma
Benn ’04, also took the podium to deliver spoken word performances on
economic justice. While both said they did not necessarily agree with all
of the “politics” and “methods” of the campaign, they viewed
the College as
having a moral obligation to pay a livable wage to all of its employees. In
particular, Benn took exception to the campaign’s tactic of tabling in
Sharples and using Al Bloom’s salary as an example of the misdirected
financial priorities of the college. “This is a capitalistic society,”
she
stated, “so people are going to get salaries based on experience and based
on education, but there has to be some limit to how low you’re going to go.”

Shakir related her summer experience working in the Aetna U.S. Healthcare
mailroom “alongside an all-black staff,” most of whom were supporting
families while earning $8.00 an hour. “I understand that Aetna is a
corporation and their main goal is to increase capital,” she said, “and
while I don’t excuse their actions, I do understand them. But I don’t
understand how at a school like Swarthmore, where the administration claims
that its imperative is to instill its students with a sense of moral
intelligence, they can first of all ignore the concerns of the students in
demanding justice and second of all ignore their social obligation to try
to provide all the members of their community with economic stability and
personal autonomy.”

The rally concluded with Alana Price ’04, Louisa Boiman ’03, and Al
Bradbury ’05 leading the audience in an original song called, naturally,
“Keep On Movin’ Forward.”

Afterwards, Meals said, “This is just a wonderful happy day, and we’re
so
glad everyone was here to share it with us.” She added that the rally was
just the first in a series of events in the campaign’s “April blitz.”

Upcoming events include:

-Harvard Living Wage Campaign speakers (including Aaron Bartley, Swat ’96)
will visit the campus and show the film “Occupation,” which documents
the
22-day sit-in for living wage in Harvard last May. Friday, April 12.
Kohlberg 228, 7:30 p.m.
-Lecture by Paul Booth ’64, Assistant to the President in national
headquarters of American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees. Wednesday, April 17. Location TBA, 7:30 p.m.
– Living Wage, Race, and Gender Teach-In. Wednesday, April 24. Location
TBA, 7:00 p.m.
-Barbara Prear from the UNC Union and Black Workers for Justice in North
Carolina will hold discussions. Friday, April 26. Location and time TBA.

* Palestinian president Yasser Arafat has accepted without conditions
President Bush’s call on Israel to withdraw its forces from the West Bank
as a precursor to beginning new cease-fire talks. The Palestinian Authority
also stated that they would support a Saudi-sponsored peace agreement in
which the Palestinians would stabilize relations with Israel in exchange
for full Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian lands. Officials report that
Secretary of State Colin Powell has spoken with both Arafat and Israeli
prime minister Ariel Sharon, but no details were given about the
conversations. In other news from the Middle East, Israel claimed yesterday
that it had discovered two documents displaying Arafat’s signature to
authorize payment to a total of 15 suspected terrorists involved in attacks
on Israel. Palestinian officials have dismissed the documents as forgeries
being used by Israel to divert attention from military active on the West
Bank.

* Mark Stroman, accused of attacking immigrants after September 11, was
sentenced to death yesterday in Texas after shooting and killing Waqar
Hassan, a store owner from Pakistan, and gas station owner Vasudev Patel, a
naturalized U.S. citizen from India. Stroman is also charged with shooting
and wounding Bangladeshi immigrant Raisuddin Bhuiyan, among others.
Throughout the trial, Stroman claimed that he was taking revenge for the
September 11 attacks. In arguing against the death penalty, defense
attorney Jim Oatman pointed to Stroman’s lack of education and also
declared that being guilty of racism was not a crime and did not warrant
capital punishment. “Racism, ethnic cleansing, have been with us for a
long
time and I can tell you, killing him is not going to change that,” he said.

* The two New Hampshire teenagers charged with last year’s brutal stabbing
deaths of Dartmouth College professors Half and Susanne Zantop received
their prison sentences yesterday. Robert Tulloch, who pleaded guilty to
both counts of first-degree murder, was dealt two concurrent life sentences
without parole. James Parker, who entered a plea bargain with prosecutors,
was sentenced to 25 years to life. Parker told prosecutors that robbery was
the motive for the murder; he and Tulloch were trying to raise $10,000 for
a trip to Australia and randomly targeted the Zantops because of their
expensive-looking home in Hanover, New Hampshire.

*****

Today:

Jerry Wood Collection Lecture – Barbara Smith
LPAC Cinema, 1:00 p.m.

Theatre Studies Alumni Design Exhibit, Panel Discussion and Reception
LPAC Cinema, 3:00 p.m.

Physics and Astronomy Student Thesis Talks
Dupont 133, 4:00 p.m.

Shabbat Service and Dinner
Bond Memorial Hall, 5:30 p.m.

Contra Dance
Upper Tarble, 7:00 p.m.

Anime Club Showing
Kohlberg 330, 7:00 p.m.

Swarthmore Christian Fellowship Meeting
Kohlberg 115, 7:30 p.m.

Film: “Harry Potter”
Kirby Lecture Hall – Martin, 7:30 & 10:00 p.m.

Film: “Norma Rae”
Trotter 203, 7:30 p.m.

International Club Movie Night
Kohlberg 116, 8:00 p.m.

The Swarthmore College Baroque Ensemble
Lang Concert Hall, 8:00 p.m.

Student Poetry Reading
Scheuer Room – Kohlberg, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday:

Private Eye / Public ‘I’: Female Crime Writers of the 21st Century
Featuring Val McDermid, Barbara Neely, and S.J. Rozan
Scheuer Room – Kohlberg, 11:30 a.m.
(Reading by Neely – 1:30, Reading by Rozan – 3:00, Panel Discussion – 4:30)

Film: “Harry Potter”
LPAC Cinema, 7:30 & 10:00 p.m.

The Swarthmore College Jazz Ensemble
Lang Concert Hall, 8:00 p.m.

Boy Meets Tractor Improv Comedy Show
Olde Club, 9:00 p.m.

A Capella and Klezmer!: A Joint Concert of Singing and Lively Instrumental
Klezmer Music
Chaverim and Mixed Company Host the Columbia Klezmer Band
Mephistos – Willets, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday:

Celebration of Mass
Bond Memorial Hall, 11:00 a.m.

Keynote Address for the 2002 Lax Conference On Entrepreneurship
by Tralance Addy ’69, Founder, Plebys International, and Mickey Herbert ’67,
President, Bridgeport Bluefish Baseball Club
LPAC Cinema, 12:00 p.m.

Round Table Discussions on the Nuts and Bolts of a Successful Business Venture
2002 Lax Conference On Entrepreneurship
LPAC Cinema, 3:00 p.m.

Protestant Worship
Bond 2nd Floor Worship Room, 4:00 p.m.

Transfer Students Meeting
Kohlberg 115, 7:30 p.m.

Higher Ground Meeting
Kohlberg 115, 9:00 p.m.

———————-

CONTRA DANCE!

This Friday (April 5th), 7-10pm, Upper Tarble. No partner or dance
experience necessary. Some damn fine music to be heard and dancing to be had
(picture “Pride and Prejudice” with more foot-stomping and skirt-swirling).

———————-

ALL-HANDEL MUSIC EVENT

The Swarthmore College Baroque Ensemble will perform its spring 2002
concert on Friday, April 5 at 8:00 in Lang Concert Hall. The program
features music by George Frideric Handel, including the Concerto Grosso in
G for flute, violin, strings and continuo, excerpts from the cantata
“Clori, Tirsi and Fileno” for two sopranos, mezzo soprano and instrumental
ensemble, and some of his finest pieces for four and five players. The
concert, presented by the Swarthmore College Department of Music and Dance,
is free and open to the public.

———————-

LAX CONFERENCE ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP

To be held Sunday, April 7, in the LPAC Cinema beginning at noon
(registration starts at 11:15) and ending with a reception at 4 p.m.

This conference is designed to give students and alumni the opportunity to
hear from successful alumni entrepreneurs and to learn the “how-to’s”
and
“whys” of an entrepreneurial career. In addition to two keynote speakers,
Tralance Addy ’69 and Mickey Herbert ’67, the Lax Conference will feature
three panel discussions: Building a New World: Social Entrepreneurship and
Venture Philanthropy; Becoming Your Own Boss: The Promise — and
Pitfalls — of Entrepreneurship; and Nuts and Bolts of Running a Successful
Business. The range of entrepreneurial ventures this year’s panelists have
pursued runs the gamut from technology ventures, finance, and health care to
education, consumer goods, and even a baseball team.

———————-

RED SKY NIGHT

by Shavaugn Lewis
Gazette Sportswriter

The women’s lacrosse team was in action at home yesterday against Widener,
losing 12-10 in overtime. Swat was winning 5-1 until late in the first half
when the Pioneers scored two quick goals, one off a Swat offside and another
off of a lucky bounce, cutting the lead in half.

Swat began to dominate again with a few combinations from Jackie Khan ’04,
who used her speed to break down the defense and score, and Katie Tarr ’02
to increase the Swat lead. Tarr ended with four goals to push her career
total to 218, making her the all-time leading scorer in the Centennial
Conference. Mavis Biss ’02 had good offensive pressure that led to her
being fouled, and she converted on the restart to increase the Swat lead to
7-4.

Widener was not to be underestimated, however, and came back again in the
second half to tie the game 9-9 and send it to overtime. In the extra
period, the Pioneers outscored Swat 3-1, giving them the victory.

Sophomore Justene Hill watched the agonizing defeat from the sideline,
nursing a torn ACL she suffered in Tuesday’s game against Washington. “We
expected to win…because we beat them last year…but they came out
stronger than we expected,” she said.

The loss puts the lacrosse team at 2-3 for the season. They are in action
again Saturday vs. Dickinson at 1 p.m.

*****

by Pat Quinn
Gazette Sportswriter

The softball team fell to Widener College 13-1 yesterday afternoon, bringing
their season total to 0-13. Though freshman Val Marone pitched well for all
five innings, the team’s youth and inexperience proved too much to overcome,
with the Widener team overpowering swat at the plate and in the field.

The Garnet began the game nervously, with two errors in the first inning
allowing a 1-0 Widener lead. At bat, the team went 1-2-3, with no runners
reaching base.

The team appeared to gain confidence in the second, after shutting down
Widener in the top half. Several players reached base, and, with two outs,
Mary Mintel ’05 was narrowly tagged out at the plate.

In the third inning, Widener shot out to a commanding lead. A leadoff
double led to a six-run inning in which Marone seemed to struggle. However,
she ended the inning with a strikeout.

Though the game was getting out of hand, Swarthmore refused to give in,
holding Widener scoreless in the fourth. In the bottom of the inning, Pam
Lavallee ’03 led off with a double. She eventually scored the lone Garnet
run off a Marone double. Unfortunately, this promising inning for
Swarthmore ended with another tagout at the plate.

In the fifth and final inning, the squad’s woes continued, with Widener
scoring six runs before Swarthmore could retire the side. The Garnet again
went down in order to end the game.

Though the team was disappointed with yet another loss, many players were
positive about the squad’s performance. Marone said “the skill is there.
It just needs to come together at the right time.”

Hopefully, the team’s talents will coalesce this Saturday, when they travel
to Dickinson for a doubleheader.

*****

The women’s tennis squad fell to Johns Hopkins by the narrowest of margins
Thursday, dropping their match 5-4. Anjani Reddy ’04 and Kristina Pao ’04
took their singles and doubles matches, and Katherine Voll ’03 and Megan
Speare ’05 were victorious at second doubles, but the Blue Jays had just
enough to pull out the win. With the loss, the team’s record falls to 4-8
overall and 2-3 in the Centennial Conference.

*****

* The Philadelphia Flyers’ bid for a playoff spot is being challenged by the
upstart New York Islanders, who have won six of their last eight games and
are just four points behind the Flyers for the lead in the Atlantic division
after defeating the Boston Bruins 2-1 in overtime last night. The winner of
that division will most likely take the second seed in the Eastern
Conference behind the Bruins, who currently lead Philadelphia in the
conference by five points. Despite losing to the Islanders on Thursday,
Boston gained one point on Philly, who lost to Montreal 3-1. Boston,
Philadelphia and the Islanders each have five games left to play in the
regular NHL season.

* The Atlanta Hawks dealt the faltering Indiana Pacers yet another blow last
night, defeating them 95-94 for their fifth loss in six games. Last night
also marked the only time that the Pacers had lost to Atlanta since their
first season in the NBA in 1976-77. Nazr Mohammed scored 18 points and Jason
Terry had 17 for the Hawks, who held the lead through the entire contest. To
make matters worse, the loss dropped Indiana into a tie with the Toronto
Raptors for the eighth and final playoff spot in the league’s Eastern
Conference. Indiana will be facing the Raptors twice in the next week, in
Toronto on Sunday and on Wednesday in Indianapolis.

* Police reported yesterday that the national college football champion
Miami Hurricanes had trade secrets stolen from right under their noses and
disseminated on the Internet, in the form of the team’s offensive and
defensive playbooks, which Coral Gables police said were removed from a
coach’s office last month. Team officials only learned of the theft on March
28 when the books were returned in manilla envelopes addressed to Ken
Dorsey, the Hurricanes’ quarterback and a Heisman Trophy finalist last
season. Pages from the playbooks were scanned onto a website called
“Sandman’s 4-3 Defense On-Line,” named after a popular defense in
which four
linemen are backed by three linebackers. Police and FBI officials are
investigating the case but have no suspects at this time. Coach Larry Coker
did not appear very concerned about the theft, explaining, “The ones we
hand
out, they pretty much don’t have a lot of meat and potatoes. They do have
some basic things in them that are important, but nothing they can’t get off
of video.”

*****

Today:
Golf at Widener, 1:00 p.m.
Baseball hosts Ursinus, 3:00 p.m.

Saturday:
Track and field hosts Johns Hopkins, 10:30 a.m.
Men’s tennis vs. Emory (at Washington), 10:30 a.m.
Women’s lacrosse hosts Dickinson, 12:00 p.m.
Baseball at Western Maryland (DH), 1:00 p.m.
Women’s tennis hosts Dickinson, 1:00 p.m.
Softball at Dickinson (DH), 1:00 p.m.
Men’s lacrosse hosts Dickinson, 3:00 p.m.
Ultimate at Spring Phling – Penn State (State College, PA)
Women’s rugby at West Chester University tournament

Sunday:
Ultimate at Spring Phling – Penn State (State College, PA)
Women’s rugby at West Chester University tournament

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Assuming either the Left Wing or the Right Wing gained control of the
country, it would probably fly around in circles.”
–Pat Paulsen

*****
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