Friday, April 9, 2004

by Lauren Janowitz

Gazette Reporter

This past weekend marked the start of spring budgeting, which will
determine campus groups’ budget for the next semester. “Every year
groups ask for more money than we have to give, typically 10%-20%
more,” noted Student Budget Committee manager Jeff Traczynski ’04,
“This year is no exception.”

According to Traczynski, one of the biggest changes this year was the
increased group turnover due to new fall chartering procedures.
Typically, group charters are supposed to expire after a set time
period, usually between 1-3 years. However, the system had fallen into
disrepair and previous charter committees had only met to discuss
charters for new groups. This past fall, the charter committee had gone
through and reevaluated all groups’ charters. The result is that some
groups lost their charters while other groups gained one.

There are two types of official groups on campus: registered groups,
which receive a set amount of money to be used for photocopying, and
fully chartered groups, which can apply for funding. These groups meet
with the budget committee to determine their budget. The result of
these meetings is tallied after the final day of budgeting, April 18th.

If the committee has given out too much money, “We have two choices,”
explained Traczynski, “We go back over the budget and try to make a few
cuts, and if we still need money we can pull it out of our capital
replacement account.”

If groups are still unsatisfied with their budget, they can file an
appeal, which also go through SBC. “Sometimes the budgets stay the same
after an appeal, sometimes we give more money. I’d say 90% of the
groups are satisfied after their appeal,” Traczynski commented.

There have been a few new developments in the budget this semester.
First, the Forum for Free Speech has taken over funding for speaker
receptions. Secondly, the SBC has put aside a chunk of money to cover
van accidents, which have been especially prevalent this year.

One of the biggest changes to the budget this semester, however, is
that SBC is no longer funding events for closed groups. This change
stems from the recent Michigan decision regarding the use of race in
admissions policies. SBC is still currently funding the closed groups
themselves, though they are looking into how the decision might affect
this.

*****

by Megan Mills

Communications Editor

Though the weather this weekend seems like it’ll keep teasing us,
Philadelphia’s always waiting with open arms to provide us with events
that don’t depend on the sun!

* National security advisor Condoleezza Rice denied that the U.S had
any prior knowledge of the September 11th attacks during her
questioning by the 9/11 commission (formally known as the National
Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States) on Thursday.
“Had we thought that there was an attack coming in Washington or New
York, we would have moved heaven and earth to try and stop it,” Rice
told the commission. The focal point of the questioning was a memo that
the U.S. government received on August 6th, 2001, just a month before
the attacks. The memo’s title was “Bin Laden Determined to Attack
Inside the United States.” However, Rice argued that the memo did not
give any specific information and merely repeated previous knowledge,
making it impossible to know about the attacks in advance. While the
memo is currently classified information, the National Security Council
is looking into declassifying it.

* Algeria re-elected President Abdelaziz Bouteflika yesterday,
according to early poll results. This is the first time since 1989 that
a candidate has been re-elected. Only 40% of the votes have been
counted thus far, but results show the Bouteflika is way ahead. A
candidate needs over 50% of the vote in order to prevent a run-off.
However, Bouteflika’s opponents are crying foul: leading challenger Ali
Benflis said he would appeal the victory, citing fraud. There has not
yet been any evidence released indicating any sort of fraud committed.
The Algerian government recorded a 58% voter turnout as opposed to 47%
in 2002. Numerous analysts have declared this the freest election yet.
Bouteflika has been credited with essentially ending the guerilla
warfare which had plagued Algeria for years.

* The U.S. government expects gas prices to continue rising, possibly
reaching an average of $1.81 in June. The current average price is
$1.78, already a record high. The Energy Department estimates that
prices will average $1.76, another record for that period, and an
astounding 20 cents more per gallon than last summer. However, despite
the high prices, gas consumption is also reaching record levels,
approximately 9.23 million barrels a day. “We’re in a very robust,
strong period of economic growth which will increase gasoline demand
and keep prices high,” noted Energy Information Administration director
Guy Caruso. Another factor for high prices is the recent banning of the
chemical MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) in gas in New York and
Connecticut. Due to the continuing increase in number of drivers and
gas consumption, prices are not expected to decrease markedly anytime
soon.

*****

Friday:

Senior Thesis Exhibit Opening Reception: Njideka Akunyili

List Gallery, 4:00 p.m.

Brown Bag Lunch with John Lie

IC, 12:00 p.m.

Senior Class Speaker Speak-Off

Upper Tarble, 1:00 p.m.

Lecture: “Multiethnic Japan,” by John Lie

Kohlberg 226, 2:00 p.m.

Japanese Tea Tasting and Lecture by Dr. Robert Hellyer

Kohlberg 115, 3:30 p.m.

Shabbat Services and Dinner

Bond, 5:30 p.m.

Anime/Manga Club Screening: Revolutionary Girl Utena

Kohlberg 228, 9:00 p.m.

Love Stories Screening: “Adam’s Rib”

SCI 101, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday:

Battle of the Bands

Olde Club

Little Mermaid 2 Screening and Discussion

IC, 8:00 p.m.

International Club Movie Screening

SCI 101, 7:00 p.m.

Sunday:

SCF Easter Sunrise Service

Scott Outdoor Amphitheatre

American Parliamentary Debate Association National Championships

LPAC Cinema, starting at 10:00 a.m.

“Multis and Affirmative Action” Meeting

IC, 7:00 p.m.

Living Wage Campaign Meeting

Trotter 303, 8:00 p.m.

———-

Musical Performance by acclaimed singer/songwriter Kevin So!

Intercultural Center, 8pm

*APA Month
event*

“Riveting…impeccable…fast developing…unusually talented…”

That’s what the Boston Globe says about Kevin So, one of the most
exciting

and powerful singer/songwriters to emerge from the Boston music scene.
Making a name for himself as a boundary-stretching singer/songwriter,
So’s original blend of pop, rhythm & blues, and hip hop has
garnered the attention and praise from Billy Bragg, Martin Sexton, Mary
Lou Lord, Richie Havens, David Wilcox, and most recently Keb’ Mo’.

The women’s tennis team took an 8-1 victory yesterday over Washington,
gaining their fifth win in a row.  The women have outscored their
opponents 43-2 in their last five matches.

Anjani Reddy ’04 and Sonya Reynolds ’07 fell 9-7 at first doubles, but
this was the only point that Washington would be able to earn. First
years Sara Sargent and Waverly Lutz defeated their opponents 8-1 at
second doubles.

Marissa Matthews ’07 and Emily Townsend ’06 earned the 8-2 victory at
third doubles.  Matthews and Townsend also both earned 8-0
victories at fifth and sixth singles respectively.  The Garnet
swept the rest of singles action as well.  Reddy continued to win
at first singles, this time with a 6-7(6), 6-1, (10-1) victory. 
Caroline Celano ’04 earned the 7-6(5), 6-1 win at second singles. 
Kristina Pao ’04 won at third singles (6-1, 6-2), and Reynolds took
fourth doubles (6-2, 6-0).

Swarthmore (7-2 overall, 3-1 in conference play) returns to action on
Saturday with two matches (split squad).  They will host McDaniel
and also will be playing at Mary Washington; bath matches start at 1:00
p.m.

*****

The women’s lacrosse team defeated Bryn Mawr 13-9 yesterday. 
Jackie Kahn ’04 and Ele Forbes ’05 each scored four goals in the
Garnet’s victory.  Heidi Fieselmann ’06 added two goals, while
Lindsay Roth ’07, Athena Samaras ’07, and Megan Speare ’05 netted one
each for Swat.  Jenn Hart ’04 made seven saves in goal for the
Garnet. Swarthmore returns to action on Tuesday with a 4:00 p.m. match
at Widener.

*****

Swarthmore’s softball team fell 6-0 to the Rutgers-Camden Raptors
yesterday.  The Garnet were unable to get a hit in the game.
Danielle Miller ’06 was the only Swat player to reach base, doing so on
an error.  The Garnet host Gettysburg in a double header at 1:00
p.m. on Saturday.

*****

The baseball team’s game at Muhlenberg was postponed yesterday due to
rain.  It has not been rescheduled as of yet.  Swarthmore
hosts Ursinus this afternoon at 3:30 p.m.

*****

Today:

Golf at Widener, 1:00 p.m.

Baseball hosts Ursinus, 3:30 p.m.

Tomorrow:

Women’s Rugby hosts Temple, 11:00 a.m.

Track at Delaware, 11:00 p.m.

Softball hosts Gettysburg (DH), 1:00 p.m.

Women’s Tennis hosts McDaniel, 1:00 p.m.

Men’s Rugby hosts Ursinus, 1:00 p.m.

Baseball at McDaniel (DH), 1:00 p.m.

Men’s Lacrosse at Ursinus, 1:00 p.m.

Women’s Tennis at Mary Washington, 1:00 p.m.

Men’s Tennis at Mary Washington, 1:30 p.m.

Sunday:

Men’s Tennis at Salisbury, 11:00 a.m.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Life has got a habit of not standing hitched. You got to ride it like
you find it. You got to change with it. If a day goes by that don’t
change some of your old notions for new ones, that is just about like
trying to milk a dead cow.”

–Woody Guthrie

*****

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