Friday, September 12, 2003

by Pei Pei Liu
Managing Editor

Some spoke, some stayed silent. Some used their own words; some, others’.
Some sang. Together they formed a close, candlelit circle, and they all remembered
and reflected.

Members of the college community gathered in front of Parrish steps last night
on the two-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington
to reflect on the event and offer hopes and dreams for the future. Standing
on the stones where students had chalked their thoughts throughout the day,
approximately 30 people gathered and shared their thoughts with the group.

One student read a passage from Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were
Watching God.” Another offered Mary Oliver’s poem, “Wild Geese.”
A man who was on his way to work in Manhattan when the attacks occurred two
years ago shared his memories from that morning, while a young woman who watched
a friend lose his father in the attacks quoted the words of the man’s children
at his funeral.

Two students offered their thoughts through music, with one performing an
original song and another leading the group in “This Little Light of Mine.”
Others offered brief personal anecdotes, and at the close of the gathering,
several expressed hope that the memory of the terrorist attacks would sway the
world toward love and peace, and that the anniversaries of the events would
not become an occasion for hate.

———-
Check out the Daily Gazette’s photos of the vigil at
http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/org/daily/specials/9-11-03/index.html

*****

by Greg Leiserson
Campus News Editor

For the second time in as many weeks, students found computer network connections
unusable and public printers unresponsive yesterday. In a reserved-students
email sent Thursday morning, Robin Jacobsen, Manager of Client Services and
Special Projects for ITS, identified the problem as a Microsoft security vulnerability
which hackers had begun to exploit and which had “already started to affect
our campus network.” However, after further research, ITS staff members
found that it was resurgent infections resulting from the older Blaster and
Sobig viruses causing the problems rather than viruses exploiting the recently
announced loopholes.

On September 10, Microsoft released Security Bulletin MS03-039 which identified
three newly discovered vulnerabilities present in many versions of the Windows
operating system including XP, 2000 and NT. The vulnerabilities could allow
a hacker to execute arbitrary code with system privileges and to cause a denial
of service. According to the reserved-students email, experts believe “that
active exploitation and creation of Internet worms targeting this vulnerability
is imminent.”

Initially, ITS staffers believed that this new vulnerability was responsible
for the network problems and took steps to protect the campus against it. The
college’s firewall was configured to block attempts from external sources to
exploit it and ITS encouraged all students using the affected versions of Windows
to install the security patch. Despite these precautions, if an unpatched computer
was infected outside of the network and then connected to the network again,
it could still infect other students’ computers.

However, further investigation showed that Thursday’s problems were the result
of a resurgence of the month-old viruses including Blaster and Sobig which overwhelmed
the campus network with packets resulting in reduced performance. ITS staff
members will be searching the campus network for the source of these packets
and will then disconnect those computers found to be responsible until they
can be purged of the virus.

Dorm consultants were briefed on the situation at a regularly scheduled meeting
Thursday evening, and were asked to encourage all students to install the security
patches on their computers.

Conclusive information about the reason public printers could not be used
on Thursday was not available at the time of publication. However, one dorm
consultant said that he had heard that the cause was an upgrade being performed
on the Mac print server.

*****

by Megan Mills
Associate Editor

May the Primary Distribution Course rest in peace.

With a new set of core requirements in place for the class of 2005 and onward,
the PDC is being retired. Rising in its place is the Writing course, also known
as a “W” class.

The new graduation requirements were detailed in a reserved-students email
and can also be accessed on the Registrar’s webpage at http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/registrar/page.phtml?sidebar=policies&content=distribution.

While the elimination of PDCs and the introduction of Ws seems a major change,
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Joy Charlton feels that the intent was to
“[shift] resources in order to meet in different ways the same goals…
(e.g, small class sizes for introductory courses, attentiveness to writing)
by making room in our course offerings for more first-year seminars and for
courses that will address a renewed and direct commitment to writing.”

Though there will be fewer W courses required than there were PDCs, this reduction
should not be viewed as a relaxation, says Provost Connie Hungerford.

“We aren’t relaxing requirements, simply giving students more flexibility
in fulfilling the distribution requirement,” Hungerford said. The distribution
requirement remains the same—three classes each in the Natural Sciences,
Social Sciences, and Humanities, spanning at least two departments in each division.
In fact, for the class of 2008, “we actually added a requirement that one
of the courses taken in Natural Sciences & Engineering have a lab component.”

Also in the future of academics at Swarthmore is a new emphasis on First Year
Seminars. This decision follows a trend in many other schools, according to
Hungerford.

The process of changing the requirements involved the Council on Educational
Policy, composed of the “President of the college, the Provost, six elected
faculty members, and student representatives,” says Charlton. “The
CEP had discussed the issues over a number of years, and then developed the
proposal which the Provost brought to the faculty last semester.” The vote
was unanimous.

When asked whether or not she thinks these changed will affect Swarthmore’s
endowment or U.S. News and World report ranking, Hungerford replied emphatically,
“No and no.”

Finally, on the reason for the new one-letter acronym for Writing courses,
Hungerford noted, “We use abbreviations a lot at Swarthmore (PDCs, e.g.):
the logical one for Writing is W, no?”

———-
Check out the Gazette’s coverage from last fall about the CEP’s debate over
writing requirements:
http://daily.swarthmore.edu/archive/fall_2002/20021007.html#n1

*****

by Jonathan Ference
Gazette Reporter

They are out there: 370-some-odd freshmen. Swarthmore’s admissions philosophy
ensures that the class is a diverse group, representing a multitude of different
opinions, origins, and cultures, yet each member of the freshman class still
has unique quirks. The Daily Gazette sat down with Stephen St. Vincent ’07 to
see how one freshman views life at Swat.

Daily Gazette: Simply put, what’s the best thing about Swat so far?

Steve St. Vincent: Definitely the people. It’s so liberal and laidback despite
the pressure the work puts on you.

DG: How about the worst thing?

SSV: All the work. It’s a difficult transition from high school.

DG: Why did you choose Swarthmore, knowing there would be all this work?

SSV: Because they have astrophysics and they let me play soccer.

DG: How would you rate your orientation experience?

SSV: Scattered. It took up a lot of time I thought it didn’t need to.

DG: What do you think of that crazy music that comes out of Parrish?

SSV: If it’s someone’s personal system, well done. It really adds some flavor.
Good variety.

DG: Describe your living situation. Do you have any funny stories from the
first weeks of life here?

SSV: The first week [when I was on campus for soccer] I was alone — On my
wing. That wasn’t really funny…

DG: In the classroom is Swat all it’s cracked up to be?

SSV: Yeah. It’s pretty intense. You prepare yourself mentally over the summer,
but you don’t really know until you get here.

DG: Favorite class?

SSV: CS21.

DG: How is Sharples treating you thus far?

SSV: Sharples did me dirty the first week. But it’s not so bad now. After
a year, probably, I’m not going to want it anymore.

DG: How do you relax from the pressure of academics?

SSV: I don’t, really, because I play soccer. I’m in class, playing soccer,
or eating. So, the answer is sleeping. And admiring [hallmate Richard Lu’s]
can collection.

DG: How do you feel about squirrels?

SSV: Tasty. I mean, I think they’re tasty.

DG: Any big plans for the weekend?

SSV: Away game at St. Mary’s, Saturday, and, on Sunday, catch up with work
and stuff. You know.

DG: Lastly, how do you feel about “The Phoenix” characterizing the
freshman class as “stupid” in the September 11th issue?

SSV: Well, I know the two guys that wrote it…They’re real characters. There’s
nothing malicious. And I hear they have an eye for the freshmen ladies.

*****

by Evelyn Khoo
Living & Arts Editor

Having weathered a stormy first week of school (in more ways than one!) and
basked in a balmy and breezy second week, we’re all settled back into Swat —
so it’s the perfect time to explore some off-campus social options!

Friday
Jump on the train to check out the Philadelphia Jazz and Poetry Festival, at
the Philadelphia Museum of the Arts area, which will be happening all weekend!
If you want to stay closer to home, hop on the long-awaited Mall/Movie shuttle
(which will start running at 7:00 p.m. this Friday) and up your pop culture
quotient by watching the latest horror flick, “Cabin Fever”, opening
this weekend. It will be showing at AMC Marple 10 at 7:40 p.m., 10:00 p.m. and
12:20 a.m.

Saturday
If you haven’t ventured out to visit our trico neighbors yet, this weekend is
the perfect opportunity! Watch the FAB Film Series at KINSC Sharpless 016 Auditorium,
7:45 p.m. at Haverford College. The series is also being shown on Friday. For
some indie music fare, you might want to sample the Dandy Warhols playing at
the Trocadero at 8:00 p.m.

Sunday
Take full advantage of the up and running Target shuttle and get on the Pike!
You might ask to be stopped off at the local Blockbuster to get the latest DVD
offering — the Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night”, restored and remastered.
Or simply stock up on dorm decor at Target…

*****

* Israel’s security cabinet announced on Thursday that it would work to remove
Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat from his compound in Ramallah.
As thousands of Palestinians took to the streets to protest the announcement,
Arafat said that “they can kill me by their bombs, but I will definitely
not leave.”

* Thousands of people gathered in New York to mark the second anniversary
of the September 11 attacks. The memorial service included having 200 children
who lost relatives in the attack read the names of those lost aloud. Families
also prayed and left flowers and other mementos at the site, though all activities
ceased at 8:26 and 9:03 a.m. when the planes crashed and then again at 9:59
and 10:29 when the towers collapsed. Memorial ceremonies were also held in DC
and other cities and towns all across the country.

* The state department has issued a “worldwide caution” warning
that al-Qaeda could be planning another attack even more devastating than the
one two years ago. The government believes that American interests overseas
would be particular targets, and the attacks could include the use of chemical
or biological weapons. However there is no direct evidence of any planned attack,
just a lot of what the department terms intelligence “chatter.” Additionally,
the tape of Osama Bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri that was released
on Wednesday is still being investigated by the CIA but the agency has a “high
confidence” that the second voice is indeed that of the deputy.

*****

Friday:

Kathak Dance Workshop with Akram Khan
Troy Dance Studio 2 – LPAC, 11:30 a.m.

Shabbat Services and dinner
Bond, 5:30 p.m.

SCF Large Group
Kohlberg 202, 7:00 p.m.

Movie Committee Film Showing: “Finding Nemo”
LPAC, 7:30 & 10:00 p.m.

Prophecy Party
Olde Club, 10:00 p.m.

Saturday:

Swarthmore Peaslee Debate Society In-house Novice Tournament
Kohlberg and Trotter, 9:00 a.m.

Free Tour for Sneak Peek of Plant Sale
Scott Arboretum, 10:00 a.m.

Swarthmore Fire Company Housing Celebration,
Lafayette Ave, Swarthmore Ville, 1:00 p.m.

Adobe Wall of Peace Community Project
Crum Woods behind Danawell, 3:00 p.m.

Movie Committee Film Showing: “Finding Nemo”
LPAC 7:30 & 10:00 p.m.

Movie Viewing: “2001 Space Odyssey”
Science Center 101, 8:00 p.m.

Toga Party
Delta Upsilon, 10:00 p.m.

Sunday:

Catholic Mass
Bond, 11:00 a.m.

Drama Board Auditions
Kohlberg 116, 4:00 p.m.

Living Wage Campaign Meeting
Kohlberg 228, 6:30 p.m.

German 5 Film Showing
Kohlberg 328, 8:00 p.m.

Sexual Health Counselors’ Meeting
Kohlberg 202, 8:00 p.m.

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

The Garnet lost a 1-0 game in overtime at Gwynedd-Mercy despite outshooting
the hosts 17-2. Dana Landis chipped the ball just under the cross bar for the
game winner six minutes into the first overtime period to win it for the Griffins.
The Garnet are now 3-2 in the season. The Garnet return to action on Saturday
when they travel to St. Mary’s (MD) for a 12:00 p.m. contest.

*****

Swarthmore lost 1-3 to Juniata College on Thursday evening in the first-ever
match-up between the two schools. Juniata led 1-0 at half time after going ahead
at 19:11. But Juniata came out blazing to start the second half and raced to
a 3-0 lead by 29:53. Swarthmore continued to attack and was rewarded with a
consolation goal for Jessie Whitfield. Karen Lorang ’07 recorded 7 saves for
the Garnet in the game, in which they outshot Juniata 13-12. The Garnet fall
to 1-2 with the loss. The Garnet return to action on Saturday, September 13
against #4-ranked Lebanon Valley at Clothier Field at 1:00 pm.

*****

Today:
There are no contests scheduled for today.

Saturday:
Women’s Tennis hosts Swarthmore Invitational, 9:00 a.m.
Volleyball at Richard Stockton Tournament, 9:00 a.m.
Women’s Soccer at St. Mary’s (MD), 12:00 p.m.
Field Hockey hosts Lebanon Valley, 1:00 p.m.
Men’s Soccer at St. Mary’s (MD), 2:00 p.m.

Sunday:
Women’s Tennis hosts Swarthmore Invitational, 9:00 a.m.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The two most common elements in the universe are Hydrogen and stupidity.”
–Harlan Ellison

*****

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Contact the staff at daily@swarthmore.edu

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