THE TUFTS DAILY Est
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Where You Read It First Sunny 62/48 THE TUFTS DAILY Est. 1980 VOLUME LVIII, NUMBER 28 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2009 TUFTSDAILY.COM With broad definition, hazing more prevalent than perceived BY ELLEN KAN lege,” said senior Becca Weinstein, direc- Daily Editorial Board tor of public relations for the Panhellenic Council, which oversees Tufts’ sororities. Even if someone doesn’t say no, they’re Massachusetts state law defines haz- not necessarily saying yes. ing as conduct that “willfully or recklessly Every Tufts student hears this during ori- endangers the physical or mental health entation programming — but not everyone of any student or other person.” But Tufts’ realizes that the logic applies to hazing. policy goes farther than that, labeling haz- “Things might sound like they involve ing as “any action taken or situation cre- optional participation,” Dean of Student ated, intentionally … to produce mental Affairs Bruce Reitman said, “but social pres- or physical discomfort, embarrassment, sure to participate is substantial enough to harassment or ridicule.” [undermine] that word optional.” It proceeds to name activities that could And while hazing is often associated with fit the bill, listing some seemingly benign Greek organizations, interviews with repre- events, such as scavenger hunts and treasure sentatives from a variety of student organi- quests, along with the more widely recog- zations reveal that the problem is prevalent nized forms of coercion like drinking games in many walks of campus life — especially and forced consumption of substances. given the university’s liberal definition. A member of one artistic performance “This is not specifically a Greek com- group on campus described an initiation munity issue; it’s something that many Tufts students encounter during their time at col- see HAZING, page 2 TIEN TIEN/TUFTS DAILY ”Sexiling” is a more widespread problem than sex acts when roommates are present, at Quidditch team comes to Tufts least according to one former RA. BY BRENT YARNELL Some laud new sex policy, but Contributing Writer Tufts’ newest sports team is perhaps its most unorthodox. Started this semester, Tufts’ most do not feel its eff ects Quidditch team adapts the magical BY AXEL TONCONOGY in dorm rooms while their roommates are sport depicted in author J.K. Rowling’s Daily Staff Writer present has garnered an array of student Harry Potter series into one playable responses. Many have said the policy went by mere “muggles.” When the Office of Residential Life and a step too far by interfering in personal The newly founded team held its Learning (ResLife) implemented its now- issues, but others consider it reasonable. second-ever practice on the Residential infamous sex policy, it had people exactly “I think it’s an intelligent way to enforce Quad last Saturday. It consisted of like Arturo Gomez Toro in mind. the overnight guest policy because, as nice a series of intrasquad scrimmages Gomez Toro, a sophomore, says he had as someone may be, nobody wants the between two sub-teams, the Chudley a number of unfortunate experiences last [girlfriend, boyfriend] or hook-up buddy Cannons and Puddlemere United. year while living in Tilton Hall. of their roommate treating [the] room like While the names of the sub-teams “I did not enjoy having to step out of a honeymoon suite,” Gomez Toro said. He change weekly, they are always taken the room simply because my roommate believes that problems arise often enough from the Potter series. found it acceptable to have sex during to warrant a policy clarification. Unlike the wizards in Rowling’s nov- broad daylight, several feet away from Additionally, he said, societal norms els, Tufts players do not have the luxury where I was standing,” he said. “I felt a mix have shifted so that nowadays “there is no of flying broomsticks, nor do they use of anger, embarrassment and disgust as I shame in having a third party in the room magic of any kind. had to cover up the phone on a long dis- while engaging in what has traditionally “It’s basically an adopted version of the tance call with my mother so she wouldn’t been a private act.” game from the books,” said junior Molly hear the noises coming from four feet Gomez Toro’s freshman year roommate Newman, headmaster of the team’s parent TIEN TIEN/TUFTS DAILY away.” declined to comment for the record. organization, the Harry Potter Society. A student on Tufts’ new Quidditch team ResLife’s new regulation prohibiting catches the Quaffle during practice on students from engaging in sexual activity see SEX POLICY, page 3 see QUIDDITCH, page 2 the ResQuad. Coming Out Day marked by increased involvement Senate looks to put its BY SAUMYA VAISHAMPAYAN Daily Editorial Board stamp on events Last Wednesday’s National Coming Out Day (NCOD) celebra- BY EMMA GOLDSTEIN Committee, which is spearhead- tion, marked by particularly strong Contributing Writer ing the rebranding effort, is also community involvement, capped working to design a new logo and what the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and The Tufts Community Union to better inform freshmen of its Transgender (LGBT) Center sees as (TCU) Senate says students are role on campus. an increasingly receptive environ- not aware enough of its impact on “They’re superficial changes to ment at the university. campus life. reflect what’s actually going on,” A crowd of Tufts students, faculty As part of a multi-pronged said Senator Xavier Malina, a and staff packed the lower patio of rebranding campaign launched senior and member of the Student the campus center for the annual this semester, sen- Outreach Committee. NCOD rally, surprising organizers ators are hoping Malina said students need to with a considerably larger turnout COURTESY KATIE HEGARTY to incorporate the become more involved in the stu- than former rallies. The LGBT Center’s National Coming Out Day celebration last Wednesday word “Senate” into dent government’s discussions, cit- Junior Simon Katz, treasurer of brought a large crowd to the patio outside the campus center. the title of major ing the Senate’s decision to spend the Queer Straight Alliance, which university events $230,000 last year on construction organizes and runs the rally, was Katz said. “In previous years there gathered.” that the body spon- of the Tufts Mountain Club’s Trips amazed by the turnout and enthu- [have] been periods of quiet time NCOD was nationally recog- sors exclusively, Cabin, a move that drew criticism siasm of the crowd, noting improve- when people didn’t go up and talk nized on Oct. 11, but the LGBT such as Fall Ball and the Nighttime from many students after the fact. ments from prior years. … This year there was always some- Center celebrated the festivities Quad Reception — better known “The fundamental thing is we “We were very impressed with body going up to the [microphone], as Naked Quad Run. how [the rally] happened this year,” and there was a huge crowd that see NCOD, page 2 The Senate’s Student Outreach see SENATE, page 2 Inside this issue Today’s Sections One time-honored Tufts Battling bad weather News 1 Editorial | Letters 8 tradition remains rela- and swine flu afflictions, tively unknown on cam- the men’s crew team Features 3 Op-Ed 9 pus: a WMFO show cel- stayed above water at Arts & Living 5Classifieds 10 ebrating local musicians. the Head of the Charles. Comics 7 Sports Back see ARTS, page 5 see SPORTS, back page 2 THE TUFTS DAILY NEWS Wednesday, October 21, 2009 Hazing can include activities to which participants consent Quidditch players HAZING of a nationwide shift to a more encompass- “What somebody sees as just fine, some- continued from page 1 ing definition of hazing. This newer defini- one else is going to see as dangerous, embar- demonstrate process that involved a staged kidnapping and tion includes activities that are less obviously rassing or demeaning,” Reitman said. alcohol consumption. While participants were harmful and coercive but can still cause physi- Director of the Office for Campus Life wizardry on field drinking alcohol, newcomers who declined cal and psychological damage. Joseph Golia, Director of Athletics Bill Gehling were made to consume an uncomfortable “The old definition of hazing described and Reitman all said that although there have QUIDDITCH amount of a non-alcoholic beverage. things you were forced to do, that were been hazing incidents in the past, no com- continued from page 1 “Normally people don’t give me a hard obligatory,” Dean of Student Affairs Bruce plaints outside the Greek community have Every position from wizard time for not drinking, but that time I felt it was Reitman said. “The definition has changed surfaced in recent years. Quidditch is represented in its land- definitely pressuring me to drink, because … The blatant hazing stuff that was dra- Reitman and Gehling acknowledged that based, muggle counterpart. obviously it would have been more comfort- matic got to be taboo, and what replaced this might not reflect what actually occurs on Four Chasers per side must score able not to have to drink all of that fluid,” the that was stuff that people saw as safer but is campus. the Quaffle, a volleyball, into a hoop, student said. not necessarily so.” “I’m not sure how big a problem it is at Tufts while the Keeper defends against All students interviewed about their haz- Some students disagreed with the school’s except what is reported to our office,” Reitman them. Two Beaters per team throw ing experiences requested anonymity, citing definition. said. “Most of the reports about hazing behav- Bludgers — dodge balls — at the the nature of the incidents and the students’ “I think it’s too broad,” a member of anoth- ior come from parents.” He said the office Chasers.