Where You Read It First Few Showers 61/57 THE TUFTS DAILY Est. 1980 VOLUME LX, NUMBER 18 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2010 TUFTSDAILY.COM Senior Pub Night Laws targeting unsafe driving gets high marks practices take effect in Mass. BY ALEXANDRA BOGUS In particular, he said the BY MARTHA SHANAHAN Daily Editorial Board busing system to and from the Daily Editorial Board bar was well-run, and students Organizers and students respected the rule not to bring Text-messaging while driving is who attended last Thursday’s alcohol on the buses. now outlawed in Massachusetts Senior Pub Night were pleased Still, the event did not go off after laws restricting the use of with the event, citing consid- completely without incident. mobile devices by drivers went into erably fewer rowdy incidents Managerial staff at Hurricane effect Thursday. than last fall’s events. O’Reilly’s decided to end the The restrictions are part of The event, the first pub night event at approximately 1 a.m., the Safe Driving Act, which was of the semester, took place at one hour before the night was passed in the Massachusetts State Hurricane O’Reilly’s in Boston. slated to end. Legislature and approved by Gov. “It went really well,” Senior The decision to close early Deval Patrick (D) in July. The laws Class Council President Lindsey always lies with the host make it illegal to send text-messag- Rosenbluth said. “We’re thrilled establishment, Golia said. es from behind the wheel and ban with the outcome.” The venue’s staff, decided all use of mobile devices by drivers Rowdy and inappropriate that it was in the students’ under the age of 18. DAILY FILE PHOTO student behavior at the first best interest to stop alcohol Massachusetts will become the Legislators hope to reduce auto accidents and make the roads safer Senior Pub Night last fall put service early, he said. 30th state to adopt such restric- through the passage of new driving laws. last year’s Senior Pub Nights “It was for everybody’s safety tions on text-messaging, accord- in jeopardy. The administra- and security,” he said. “We were ing to State Rep. Denise Provost “Human habits, once they are difficult to tell from a police car if tion decided to cancel the OK with that and went along (D-Somerville). adopted, are difficult to break and a driver is text-messaging or using events for the remainder of the with what the place decides.” A statement from Patrick's office take a lot of effort to break,” she his or her phone for something semester but resumed them in The bar’s staff escorted said that any driver suspected of said. She hopes the act will even- else, Keith said. the spring. out a few students who were composing or reading a text-mes- tually make Massachusetts roads “If an officer observes somebody A tamer crowd so far this exhibiting excessively drunk- sage can be stopped by law enforce- safer overall. to appear to be texting, as is with year, however, means that the en behavior. Beyond this, ment and fined. Tufts University Police any suspected violation, it is up to pub nights will continue for the Golia said the OCL heard of Provost, who supported the bill in Department (TUPD) Capt. Mark their discretion to make a vehicle Class of 2011. no other complaints from the the State House of Representatives, Keith said the new laws will be stop and investigate that, and then “I think people had a great venue’s personnel. applauded the act's passage. somewhat difficult to enforce. depending on the situation, they time and were able to enjoy “There definitely were some “I think it is important that we “Generally, there's a feeling that officially can either give a verbal themselves but didn’t take it incidents of rowdy, drunken have finally banned texting while the enforcement of the new law warning or citation,” he said. too far,” Rosenbluth said. students who were a little dis- driving,” she told the Daily. “It is is going to be a little complicated Keith explained that TUPD is “We’re excited that we’ll be able respectful to the place … but dangerous and unnecessary.” because of the difficulties in detect- still deciding how to enforce the to host more in the future.” the numbers were very low,” Provost said that quantifi- ing whether or not a person is tex- text-messaging law. Office for Campus Life (OCL) he said. “Definitely the major- able changes in the frequency of ting, which is illegal,” he said. “We haven't devised a plan of Director Joe Golia agreed that ity were fine.” accidents caused by distracted Under the new laws, using a action,” he said. “I think there's Thursday’s event marked an drivers should not be expected phone to place a call or use a GPS improvement over past years’. see PUB NIGHT, page 2 immediately. application is permitted, but it is see DRIVING, page 2 Dental school dean Norris to step down Fellowship aims BY ELIZABETH MCKAY new dean soon. The committee aims Contributing Writer to make a decision about Norris’s suc- to inspire student cessor next semester, in advance of his Dean of the School of Dental Medicine August departure. Norris hopes the next Lonnie Norris will step down in August dean will not face difficulties during the entrepreneurs 2011 after 15 years in his role. transition period. Norris has been lauded for his con- “Every leader of the dental school BY RACHEL RAMPINO tributions to the dental school, espe- in the past … has left a strong founda- Contributing Writer cially a five-story, $68 million addition tion for the next person to take on this to the school’s facilities that was com- leadership,” he said. “I hope I’ve left a A new entrepreneurial fellowship pro- pleted under his leadership last year. really strong foundation for someone gram has come to Tufts this year, introduc- “He has elevated [the school] to else to take it to even higher peaks ing a select group of freshman participants newer heights, functionally and than I have done.” to the world of social entrepreneurship. physically,” Provost and Senior Vice Bharucha said Norris has succeed- Compass Partners, a two-year fellowship President Jamshed Bharucha said, ed in elevating the school to a very program currently based in five universities, calling Norris “a Tufts treasure.” high plateau. aims to this year connect 15 Tufts freshmen “What he provided was an unusual “The new dean will be coming in with internships and business opportunities. period of growth and stability,” Mark with a school that’s in perhaps the best It also unites the fellows with six upperclass- Gonthier, the dental school’s assis- condition that it’s ever been,” he said. men mentors, who host lectures aimed at tant dean of admissions and student The months between the selection educating them about entrepreneurship. affairs, said. “He has been a tremen- of the new dean and Norris’s offi- Over 100 students applied for the pro- dous dean and a tremendous leader.” cial retirement should help smooth gram. The application process consisted of a Norris’s fundraising efforts result- the transition process, Bharucha said. MATTHEW MODOONO/TUFTS UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHY written application and an interview with a ed in the realization of the massive Leadership is currently in place that Dean of the School of Dental Medicine Lonnie mentor. Boston campus expansion in the midst will also help with the changeover, Norris plans to step down in August 2011. The program began last Wednesday with of an economic downturn. New assets according to Gonthier. a lecture by Lauren Kay, a Brown University include an expanded simulation clinic, “There’s a very good group of senior continue to pursue an active role in student who founded a hybrid babysitting meeting areas for alumni and expand- leaders in the school that will steer us the school’s administration and fur- and tutoring service called Smartsitting. The ed space for continuing education, through what will come next,” he said. ther his goals for the school. One of fellows engaged in a discussion with the Gonthier said. Norris said that while he hopes to these major projects is raising funds mentors following the lecture. “It will enable the dental school to con- enjoy an easier schedule in retire- to reach — and possibly surpass — the “Life is really about networking,” Kay tinue to recruit great students and faculty ment, he does not plan on completely dental school’s $40 million portion told the fellows and mentors assembled at and expand its programs,” Bharucha said removing himself from the world of of the university’s broader Beyond the lecture. “I wish I had the network now of the addition. dental education. He said he plans Boundaries capital campaign. “We’re that you have.” The facility has also allowed for increased to remain active on some boards and about 90 percent there,” he said. The fellowship is made up of four phases. service to the community. Because of the doing consulting work. Norris credited other administrators, In the first phase, students pursue personal addition, Norris said, “we are in a better “There are still things that I can alumni and students for his success as development and then move on to the sec- academic position and service condition.” make some contributions to in dental dean. “If I’ve had success, it’s because ond phase of business development train- Bharucha said that he plans to education,” he said.