Tuesday, April 15, 2003

by Jeremy Schifeling
Co-Managing Editor

The first portion of housing season wrapped up last week as blocks were
announced and theme housing plans were scrapped due to a lack of student
interest.

On face, this year’s trends are similar to last year’s with continued strong
interest in blocking overall.  However, while perennial favorite Wharton was
again one of the most frequently applied-for destinations, the Lodges were
much less popular than usual and Worth and the Roberts 8-block were more
in-demand.

In addition, interest in the three Dana 4-person blocks shot up this year.
Dean of Housing Myrt Westphal explained that “usually the most popular
4-person sophomore blocks were in Mertz, but that wasn’t available this year
due to the multicultural educational hall option.”

However, as was reported last week, the Mertz multicultural hall and the
substance-free housing in Woolman have been nixed in light of low student
demand.

Westphal noted that the lack of interest was partly due to student backlash
against the multicultural hall.

“Housing Committee completed its decisions about what to offer this year
before the petition to withdraw the multicultural education hall was
circulated,” said Westphal.  “Housing Committee members expected that both
options would fill, but once campus sentiment started to turn again these
two options folks were afraid to apply because it meant giving up their
pre-lottery option if they didn’t fill.”

However, she would not rule out another theme housing attempt in the future.

Said Westphal: “Housing Committee will look at these options again next year
to assess if they should be offered again.”

* Statistics for Blocks ’03-’04 *

131 block application groups
57 blocks awarded
66 groups did not receive blocks
15 blocks not applied for
8 applications invalidated

Best Average:  56.6 for Parrish North
Worst Average:  1016 for a Roberts 8 block

Most popular first-choice blocks

18 applications for Worth blocks (6 exist)
12 for Wharton blocks (6 exist)
11 for Dana 4-person blocks (3 exist)
10 for Parrish E 2-person blocks (2 exist)

by Jeremy Schifeling
Co-Managing Editor

The Crum Woods were teeming with parents, students, and nautical enthusiasts
this past Sunday morning as Swatties competed in the annual Crum Creek
Regatta.

With gorgeous weather behind them and a treacherous 100-yard course ahead,
the senior crew of Daniel Sproul, Dan Consiglio, Andy Zuppann, Katie
Tunning, and Dave Kaczorowski captured the day.  Sporting a
highly-functional canoe-like vessel christened “The Queen of Mexico,” the
fearless sailors plowed through the calm waters of the Crum when Regatta
Commodore Martin Warner gave the signal.  And after flying across the finish
line, the victors celebrated by flying their Mexican flag to the cheers of
the crowd.

Although the top spot was uncontested, second place came down to a photo
finish as “The Boat” (Lillian Ray ’05, Al Bradbury ’05, Matthew Armstrong
’05, Molly Ribble) surged from behind to edge out senior Dan Fairchild’s HMX
Pterodactyl NCC1729-B.  However, Fairchild would not leave the waters
empty-handed, taking home “Best Engineered” honors for his vessel
constructed largely out of foam bats.

Similarly, frosh sailors Lisa Nelson, Laila Muller, Rachel Winer, Julia
Gayner would earn “Most Creative” accolades for their  sporty pink sloop,
while fellow frosh Makiko Mizutani and Jessica Gersh captured the last-place
prize for finishing the race despite taking on water throughout in their HMS
Recycle Bin – literally a couple of recycling bins strapped to cargo nets
full of empty plastic bottles.

With the parliamentary debate season coming to an end this weekend, Swat
debaters Sarah Drescher ’03 and Rob Peterson ’03 have finished the year as
the fourth-ranked team in the nation.  Drescher and Peterson earned a 3-3
record at this weekend’s National Championship tournament at Brandeis after
winning tournaments at UVA and George Washington earlier in the year.
Swat’s other teams of David Bing ’03 & Emily Tredeau ’06 and Aviva Aron-Dine
’05 & Sonya Hoo ’05 also finished 3-3 at the championship tournament.

In addition, Swarthmore’s bid to host the National Championships next year
was approved by the governing body of the debate circuit.  The tournament
will bring hundreds of debaters from dozens of schools to the campus next
April.  Swat last hosted the championship event in 2000.

*****

* Pentagon officials announced on Monday that the major fighting in Iraq
appears to be over. Said Major General Stanley McChrystal, “I would
anticipate that the major combat engagements are over,” but he noted that he
expected there would now be a series of “smaller, albeit sharper fights.”
Military officials also announced plans to reduce the US military presence
in the area with the departure of two carrier groups. Buried near Karbala,
US troops found what they believe to be 11 mobile chemical and biological
laboratories. However, inside the labs soldiers found numerous documents but
no evidence of chemical or biological weapons. Also Monday, the Bush
administration accused Syria of supporting terrorist groups, working on
chemical weapons, and offering safe haven to Iraqis. Secretary of State
Colin Powell hinted at the possibility of sanctions against the country if
they do not cooperate.

* Researchers working independently at the British Columbia Cancer Agency
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that they have
sequenced the genome for a new form of the coronavirus which is suspected of
being the cause of the SARS virus. As of Monday, there were 3,169 people
infected with the virus and 144 dead in 21 countries. The researchers have
not yet proven that the coronavirus is responsible for the disease, but
another group of researchers in the Netherlands is working on that issue.
Having sequenced the genome it is expected that scientists will soon be able
to begin work towards a vaccine or treatment program effective against the
disease.

*****

German Film Series
Kohlberg 328, 7:00 p.m.

Asian American Film Fest: Film Shorts by director Greg Pak
LPAC Cinema, 7:00 p.m.

Tango Dance Lessons
Upper Tarble, 9:00 p.m.

Good Schools PA Meeting
Parrish Parlors – West, 10:00 p.m.

Student Council Meeting
CRC – Parrish 2nd, 10:30 p.m.

——

APA Film Fest Continues Tomorrow:
“Wave Twisters” by DJ Qbert
Scheuer Room, 7 p.m.

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

The golf team finished in second-place in yesterday’s match against
Philadelphia University, University of the Sciences, and Arcadia at the
par-71 Rolling Greens course.  Geoff Hollinger ’05 led the Garnet with an 82
on the day, while Matt Draper ’05 and Mike Cullinan ’06 each recorded 86 and
Wheeler Morgan ’05 shot a 92.  The team is now 5-4 on the year.

*****

Today:
Softball at Washington (DH), 3:00 p.m.
Baseball at Washington, 3:30 p.m.

Tomorrow:
Men’s lacrosse at Washington, 4:00 p.m.
Women’s tennis hosts Ursinus, 4:00 p.m.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“We are born charming, fresh and spontaneous and must be civilized before we
are fit to participate in society.”
–Judith Martin (Miss Manners)

*****
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