Wednesday, October 6, 2004

by Jonathan Ference, News Editor
additional reporting by Megan Mills, Gazette Reporter

Shortly after 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, students, educators, and construction workers alike were forced
to exit Parrish Hall when a small fire in a section of pipe insulation threatened to become
serious. According to Jason McGinnis of the Swarthmore Police, a minor blaze broke out in the same
area earlier Tuesday morning but was quickly put out by construction staff. Late in the afternoon,
the fire rekindled to a degree that necessitated the calling of emergency personnel.

Students, staff, and administrators gathered at each of the primary exits of Parrish to watch as an
estimated eight fire trucks arrived. In addition, Public Safety, the Swarthmore Police, and EMS
came to assist, quickly filling up both Parrish access circles and the walkways behind the
building.

Swarthmore Fire Chief Cris Hansen explained that the fire was small, but “potentially dangerous,”
developing in between the 2nd and 3rd floors in the central section of the building that is
currently under construction. At least eight fire companies responded, coming from Swarthmore,
Garden City (Nether Providence), Morton, Rutledge, and Media. The personnel “opened up the walls,
isolated the fire, and extinguished it,” according to Hansen.

Registrar Martin Warner, among those standing outside, explained that Parrish’s role as a dormitory
was part of the cause for the swift and strong response. “Everyone takes fire in a dormitory very
seriously,” Warner said, adding that whenever a fire threatens to endanger a building, the degree
of concern shown yesterday should be exhibited.

Parrish West residents Alex Hahn, Ben Cronin, and Chris Harmon, all first years, were relatively
calm as they waited for the all-clear signal by Tarble. They noted that this was their third or
fourth fire alarm this year, although this was the first that seemed serious. Asked whether they
had any concerns about living in Parrish, which has a dubious reputation among students for fire
safety, Hahn said, “I haven’t really thought about it before.”

Fire companies began leaving shortly after 4:45 p.m., when officials declared the fire under
control. By 5:15, most of the trucks had departed and student life was returning to normal.

Joining Hahn, Cronin, and Harmon outside Parrish was a diverse cross-section of the Swarthmore
population, including Al Bloom, student members of the Swarthmore Fire and Protective Association,
and a reporter for the DelCo Times, a local newspaper. Television station WB17 also sent a crew to
interview Chief Hansen. In addition, many faculty members and students stopped briefly on their
travels around campus to inquire as to what was going on.

Though Parrish was never at risk for burning down, all individuals interviewed stressed that
concerns about preventing any possibility of that happening were the reason for the rapid response
to put out the fire.

*****

by Greg Leiserson
Managing Editor

In a sharply worded letter to the editor in last week’s edition of the Phoenix, Joe Alberti ’06
accused managers at Sharples Dining Hall of mistreating employees and intentionally hiring
individuals who won’t complain about inappropriate managerial behavior. Wrote Alberti, “[t]he
management treat many of the staff as if they aren’t worthy of the same respect as fellow managers
or the students. News flash: The staff members who make all of our meals at Sharples possible are
human beings too and deserve to be treated with the same amount of respect as everyone else.”
Following the publication of the letter to the editor, Alberti has been in touch with Larry Schall,
Vice President of Administration, in an attempt to arrange a meeting to discuss the matter
further.

According to Alberti, he received a stinging rebuke from Schall, challenging his assertions and
dismissing his accusations as representative of only a small number of Sharples employees who
likely have performance related issues, rather than as representative of Sharples staff as a whole.
Schall was unavailable for comment before the time of publication.

Alberti disagrees with Schall’s appraisal of the situation, writing “I must strongly disagree with
[his] statement that almost everyone who works [in Sharples] enjoys their job. This is most
certainly not true.” In addition, Alberti noted that while many staff are not pleased with their
situation, “they are afraid of losing their jobs that they so preciously need…Furthermore, one of
the staff members that I wrote about in my article talked to me on Friday, telling me that she is
now afraid of losing her job because of what was printed…[b]ecause she feels Linda [McDougall,
Director of Dining Services] will retaliate for it.” McDougall declined to comment on the situation
because she is still trying to ascertain all the facts relevant to the matter, but did say she
found the letter to the editor to be quite “disturbing.”

In a case such as this, determining the facts of the matter can be quite difficult, since whether
or not the majority of Sharples employees are being mistreated by management, if employees are
concerned about retaliation the answers provided when pressed about the issue will likely be
negative regardless of the true situation. With campus sentiment already inflamed by the debate
about the implementation of a living wage, Alberti’s letter to the editor struck an exposed chord
for many students. In the end, however, Alberti simply hopes that the issue of employee treatment
can be guided to a conclusion such that all parties are satisfied with the outcome; a goal which
may, in fact, be easier done on this issue than on the issue of a living wage which is boiling
underneath.

by Micaela Baranello
Gazette Reporter

Students and community members filled a chilly LPAC last night to see Peter Boal and Company, an
impressive ballet company composed mostly of former and current principals of major companies,
including Kyra Nichols (New York City Ballet), Sandra Brown (American Ballet Theater) and Marcelo
Gomes (American Ballet Theater) and Boal himself (New York City Ballet). The eclectic selection
of
works, highlighting Balanchine’s variety of style, was met with great appreciation by the
audience.

Five pieces were performed: Pergolesi, a playful Twyla Tharp piece originally performed by Mikhail
Baryshnikov and performed here by Boal; Pavane, choreographed by Balanchine to music of Ravel,
performed by Nichols, a sad solo piece performed with a large chiffon veil; Tchaikovsky Pas de
Deux, also
Balanchine, a beautiful classical work; Chaconne Pas de Deux, an excerpt from a Balanchine work to
music by Gluck, and Apollo, a modern Balanchine work set to neo-classical score by Stravinsky.

The event was sponsored by the Department of Music and Dance and the Cooper Foundation.

*****

In yesterday’s issue Jake Beckman was incorrectly identified as a member of the Class of 2004. He
is actually a member of the Class of 2005. Additionally, the passage with which Swarthmore
Professor Bernard Saffran introduced Professor Joe Stiglitz prior to his lecture Monday night was a
selection from his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, not from one of his books.

*****

*Vice president Dick Cheney debated vice presidential candidate John Edwards Tuesday night. Cheney
defended the Bush record, saying that, given the chance, he would invade Iraq again. The debate,
which took place in Cleveland, was highly personal, with questions about Edwards’s trial lawyer
past and Cheney’s lesbian daughter. Cheney again described Kerry as a “flip-flopper” with a a
“consistent pattern over time of always being on the wrong side of defense issues.” Edwards
attacked the Bush Administration’s tax cuts, saying that “we [Democrats] value work, Republicans
value wealth.” An early CBS poll of undecided voters labeled Edwards as the winner.

*Prime Minister Ayad Allawi addressed the Iraqi National Assembly Tuesday, giving a grim assessment
of insurgency and acknowledging that the country’s instability is “a challenge to our will.” He
also admitted large security issues surrounding January’s elections, an under-equipped and
under-trained police force. Meanwhile, American troops are sweeping through southern Iraq and
captured a purported insurgent training camp, capturing 30 prisoners.

*Former Iraq administrator Paul Bremer said in a private address this week that the Iraq occupation
was in trouble from the start due to a lack of troops and that plans for post-Hussein Iraq never
predicted the insurgency. “There was planning, but planning for a situation that didn’t arise,” he
said in remarks intended to be off the record. He also said that he requested more troops, which
the Bush administration did not grant and that he “should have been more insistent.”

*On Tuesday, Donald Rumsfeld said he was misunderstood when he had stated that he knew of no “hard,
strong evidence” of a connection between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda mere hours earlier. His new
statement, released on the Pentagon web site, listed “credible evidence” of a connection. In the
earlier speech, he also stated that the intelligence pointing to the existence of weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq was faulty and “it turns out we have not found any weapons of mass
destruction.” Last Sunday, Rumsfeld said on Fox News that he believed Saddam did have weapons of
mass destruction.

*****

Student Conservation Association internships information session
Lang Center, 12:00 p.m.

Presentation by the Associate Dean for Admissions at the University of Connecticut School of
Law
Bond Memorial Hall, 4:15 p.m.

Arlene Davila, Ph.D lectures: “Barrio Dreams: Puerto Ricans, Latinos and Neoliberal City”
Scheuer Room, 4:30 p.m.

Lang Opportunity Scholarship class of 2007 information session
BCC, 5:00 p.m.

Indian film screening: Sholay
LPAC Cinema, 7:00 p.m.

Tai Chi class
Upper Tarble, 8:00 p.m.

Film Society movie screening: True Stories
Science Center 101, 9:00 p.m.

Lions Club of Swarthmore informtaion session
Kohlberg Coffee Bar, 9:00 p.m.

Pro-Choice Task Force meeting
Kohlberg 228, 9:30 p.m.

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

by Jonathan Ference
News Editor

One beautiful and unexpected goal was the only one the Garnet Tide got during their field hockey
match on Tuesday afternoon at Clothier Field, but it was the only one they would need as they
pulled out a 1-0 victory over the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays. Valerie Marone ’05, coming into the game
with fresh legs in the second half, opened up an opportunity for Julia Morrison ’07 to deflect in a
Summer Spicer ’07 pass with 33:44 remaining in the second half.

The game began with Swarthmore controlling possession. Heidi Fieselmann ’06 set the tone early,
nearly scoring on a breakaway in the second minute of the game. Throughout the first half, Hopkins
goalie Danya Eng was forced to make many saves as Swat consistently applied pressure, led on the
attack by Fieselmman, Morrison, and Spicer. The shutout would not have been possible without the
superb stopping of goalie Karen Lorang ’07 and the defensive efforts of Chloe Lewis ’06, who broke
up Hopkins’ first penalty corner.

The game was not without its strange moments. At 29:20 the referee notified Swarthmore coach Kelly
Wilcox that goalie Karen Lorang needed to change her jersey because the black one she was wearing
was indistinguishable from those worn by the Hopkins players. When the clock stopped at 28:14 to
allow
Lorang to put on a red jersey, it remained stopped even when play continued. After more than a
minute had passed the clock was started again.

For the rest of the first half, the teams settled into a back-and-forth battle reminiscent of
Saturday’s game against Dickinson, though this time it was the Garnet who dominated possession with
a superb transition game. Saranne Perman ’07 made big contributions in the first half in midfield,
hitting balls solidly to set up the Swarthmore attack. The Garnet’s problem of converting
possession into goals despite maintaining control of the game continued, leading to obvious
frustration. Hopkins began to gain momentum as the half ended, but the period expired with the
score tied at zero.

With a slightly changed front line, the Garnet Tide took to the field in the second half with
tenacity. Marone’s dominant play helped create the opportunity for the goal in the second minute of
the second half. Lauren Sippel ’05 nearly added another goal quickly afterward on a breakaway, but
for the rest of the game Eng made an impressive number of point blank savesand could not be beaten
again.

Morrison’s goal remained the difference as Lorang and the entire Swat defense, particularly Julie
Monaghan ’07, were equal to the task, turning back multiple breakaways and a remarkable string of
penalty corners with under 3 minutes remaining.

Swarthmore switched to a defensive mode of play, which proved effective. The Garnet turned back the
Blue Jays’ offense, even threatening one last time as the final seconds ticked away. Eng finished
with eight saves; Lorang had 13.

This win moves the Garnet to 6-3 and 1-2 in the Centennial Conference. This is the first time they
have defeated Hopkins in seven years, according to Athletics Department records.

*****

by Jonathan Ference
News Editor

Swarthmore women’s volleyball exhibited a great effort but fell to Johns Hopkins 0-3 (30-26, 30-22,
30-26) Tuesday night at Tarble Pavilion. Each game was close, and there were many lead changes, but
in the end the Blue Jays showed a superior ability to bounce back with solid play while behind,
eventually outplaying the Garnet in each game.

The Garnet were led by the setting ability of Emily Conlon ’06 and the powerful play of Erica
George ’07, who was credited on the Athletic Department web page with 12 kills and 16 digs. George
and Conlon did their best to keep Swat in the match, but Hopkins played consistently well
all-around, earning a win in the first game by the score of 30-26.

In the second game, Swarthmore jumped out to a 6-2 lead, eventually consolidating it at 12-8 behind
the ability of Karen Berk ’08 at the net. Another bright spot for the Garnet was the serving of
Stephanie Koskowich ’07, who consistently helped the Garnet win much needed points when it was her
turn to serve. Soon, however, the Blue Jays began to turn the tables with impressive digs, building
a 16-18 lead. The next point was hard fought and took a lot out of the Garnet, who struggled
through the next few points
and found themselves in a six point hole. Though Swarthmore came alive again to close the gap to
20-24, Hopkins also stepped up the level of its play to win the game 22-30.

Between the second and third games, there was a pause to acknowledge those present for Faculty and
Staff Appreciation Night. The program listed a large number of invited guests, though it appeared
about ten to fifteen of those guests and their families were present–with a heavy proportion of
Mathematics and Statistics professors. All present seemed to greatly enjoy the game, and some even
started cheers in the crowd of about 50 people.

In the third game, Swat jumped out to a 6-2 lead, again led by the serving of Koskowich. Hopkins
again suddenly seemed to wake up, using smart play to go on an 0-6 run. The Garnet seemed
demoralized again but proved they were not out of the game, closing the score to 19-19. Swat would
not lead again,
letting the Blue Jays’ one point lead grow to five. Swarthmore ended the game by winning three
straight points before barely losing the match point.

The Garnet are now 6-12 and 1-6 in the Centennial Conference. They next play at the Seven Sisters
tournament this weekend. Hopkins improves to 9-9 overall and 3-2 in conference.

*****

Swarthmore’s golf team posted a team score of 325 yesterday in their win at Holy Family’s
tournament yesterday, defeating their next closest opponent by four points. Matt Draper ’05 led the
way with a 79. Zach Moody ’07. Mike Cullinan ’06, and Ed Goldstein ’07 shot 81, 82, and 83
respectively.

*****

Sarah Hobbs ’06 placed fifth overall in the women’s cross country Haverford Invitational yesterday
and had the top overall time out of all Division III members. Carrie Ritter ’06 places 28th, and
Emily Wister placed 36th.

*****

James Golden ’05 placed 41st at the Haverford Invitational yesterday to lead the men’s cross
country team. Garrett Ash ’05 and Jim Kreft ’06 places 55th and 56th respectively. Adam Hunt ’06
(63rd) and Lang Reynolds (67th) also placed in the top 70 for the Garnet.

*****

Today:
Women’s Soccer hosts Ursinus, 5:00 p.m.
Men’s Soccer hosts St. Mary’s MD, 7:00 p.m.

Tomorrow:
There are no contests scheduled for tomorrow.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Wit is educated insolence.”
— Aristotle

*****

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