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Volume 122, Number 13 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Tuesday, March 19, 2002 Undergrads Choose Seale for Presidency JudBoard Upholds Decision on Creighton By Harold Fox enfranchised, and I want to change STAFF REPORTER that.” MIT undergraduates elected Josi- Creighton and Brar received 376 ah D. Seale ’03 as Undergraduate Association president with one of the UA President, Page 19 largest voter turnouts in history. Seale received 987 UA President/Vice President votes to win over Jen- Election Results nifer S. Yoon ’03, who received 531 votes. The Iteration disqualification of the Candidate 12 ticket of Rhett Josiah Seale/Parul Deora 799 987 Creighton ’03 and Vic- Jenn Yoon/Miquela Vigil 481 531 tor W. Brar ’04 was Rhett Creighton/Victor Brar 376 disqualified upheld by the UA Judi- (write-in) cial Board on appeal. Other Write-Ins 128 128 “I’m happy,” Seale Nobody 225 363 BRIAN HEMOND—THE TECH said. “There are a lot of Ching-Wen Hsieh ’04 was among the students inspecting one of the Class of 2004 rings on display at things I want to do for Total Votes Cast: 2009 the Ring Premiere Sunday night. the UA, and I think I Votes Cast Online: 1920 have a good shot to get Paper Ballots: 89 it done. Right now, the Brass Rat With Two Men on Seal student body feels dis- SOURCE: UA ELECTION COMMISSION Revealed at 2004 Ring Premiere High Turnout, Marginal By Brian Loux the class’s interpretation of the ’04. NEWS EDITOR school’s seal. “It is an embodiment of what it Over 700 students stood in the MIT’s class ring, affectionately means to be a part of MIT,” said Victories Mark Elections dark of Walker Memorial Sunday to known as the “Brass Rat,” is remade Vice Chair Nadya Mawjee ’04. By Jennifer DeBoer turnout] had to do with the await the unveiling of the Class of every year by a class committee to After a brief history on MIT’s STAFF REPORTER Creighton/Brar candidacy. That 2004 ring. reflect what is important to each history and mascot, members of the This year’s Undergraduate Asso- drew more attention to the election.” Some of the more prominent class. committee went through the compo- ciation elections featured a voter aspects of this year’s ring include an “This ring represents the dedica- nents of the ring’s art piece by piece. turnout of 47 percent and several Students vote for various reasons implicit memorial to the victims of tion, passion, and creativity of 13 of The ring committees from the close calls in contested Class Coun- Students who voted in the elec- the Sept. 11 attacks, a bordered your classmates,” said Ring Com- cil races. tions this year listed a variety of rea- bezel, and two males representing mittee Chair Douglas J. Quattrochi Brass Rat, Page 17 “Last year’s [election turnout] sons for exercising their right to was also a record year,” said Elec- vote. “I want to have at least some tion Commissioner Helen H. Lee input concerning the people repre- Committees Find Gender Bias, Inequities ’02. “Hopefully, this will be a con- senting our class,” Jennifer A. La’O tinuing trend.” ’05 said. “I vote to keep the people I Lee attributed some of the don’t want out of office: I don’t rank For Women In Every School of Institute increased voter participation to the them at all.” presidential/vice presidential fiasco “I think they do nothing,” said By Dan Cho in universities nationwide, revealed tions are twice as likely as men to surrounding the vote-buying cam- Jared W. Lynem ’05. “They’re total- STAFF REPORTER feelings of marginalization and reject such offers. paign of Rhett Creighton ’02 and ly useless and it’s just a popularity Committees investigating the sta- inequity experienced by tenured Victor W. Brar ’04. tus of women faculty in each of the women science faculty. Bias, Page 18 “A pretty big part of [the voter Turnout, Page 19 Institute schools reported yesterday “This was really a clarion call to that in spite of recent progress, gen- all of us,” said President Charles M. der bias was still a problem through- Vest in his opening remarks. “It out MIT. taught us that gender bias is part per- In a special faculty meeting yes- ception and part reality, but reality is terday afternoon, Professor of Biolo- what has dominated.” gy Nancy H. Hopkins, who led the In addition to national discussion, Committee on the Status of Women the report prompted some corrective Faculty in the School of Science, measures in the School of Science. introduced a panel of committee At the time, Brown called for com- chairs from the schools of Engineer- mittees to investigate the conditions ing, Humanities, Arts and Social Sci- of women faculty in the other four ences, Architecture and Planning, schools of the Institute. and Management. “Progress in this critical matter Each committee chair delivered a will help make MIT a better place for summary of gender issues in her all of us,” Vest said. school to the audience of faculty members. Printed copies of the full Gender issues vary among schools 164-page report were also made The committee chairs reported available to faculty members. Fol- varying levels and types of gender lowing the summaries, a panel dis- bias in their individual schools. Pro- cussion was moderated by Provost fessor of Materials Science and Engi- Robert A. Brown. neering Lorna J. Gibson emphasized the low numbers of women faculty in Science report triggers others the School of Engineering, which is AMY WONG—THE TECH The committees were formed only 14 percent women. The School The MIT Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Dante Anzolini (above), performed dances from after a 1999 report on the status of of Engineering reported trouble in Copeland’s Rodeo, Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, and Ives’ Sympony No. 4 last Saturday in Kresge women faculty in the School of Sci- recruiting women faculty, saying that Auditorium. See page 10. ence. The report, which caused a stir women who are offered faculty posi-
The Winter’s Comics NEWS World & Nation ...... 2 Tale opens Eun J. Lee takes her reporter’s Opinion ...... 4 Thursday in notebook to the NCAA tourna- Events Calendar ...... 9 La Sala. ment. Arts ...... 10 Sports ...... 20 Page 12 Page 7 Page 15 Page 2 THE TECH March 19, 2002 WORLD & NATION Pentagon Announces Plan Israel Agrees to Withdrawal To Scale Back Air Patrols LOS ANGELES TIMES WASHINGTON As Cheney Visit Commences The Pentagon will scale back the combat air patrols that have been flying over Washington, New York and other major U.S. cities By Lee Hockstader the first time in months. behalf of the Palestinians, and the since Sept. 11, but it will maintain planes and crews ready to fly on and Alan Sipress The withdrawals, which began vice president’s advisers have runways across the nation, officials said Monday. THE WASHINGTON POST last week with the arrival of Antho- stressed in the last two days that he Citing the high cost of the flights, the drain on Air Force resources JERUSALEM ny Zinni, the U.S. special envoy to is willing to meet with Arafat’s and the unlikelihood that the patrols could deter another air attack on Israeli forces began withdraw- the Middle East, were carried out deputies. But Cheney’s aides said the U.S. homeland, officials said it is possible that patrols over New ing Monday night from the last under American pressure. Nonethe- Palestinians were insisting that the York will stop altogether. major pieces of Palestinian-ruled less, Palestinians were angry that vice president meet with Arafat “Combat air patrols in the air, even on Sept. 11, may not have territory that they reoccupied in Cheney, who arrived Monday himself. made a difference,” a senior military official said. “What pilot is this month’s broad military offen- afternoon, had no planned meetings That presented Cheney with a going to want to shoot down a civilian airliner? The Sept. 11 attacks, sive, easing the way for cease-fire with the Palestinian leader, Yasser dilemma: If he refuses to see the if they were going to be stopped, would have had to be stopped at the talks as Vice President Dick Arafat, or his senior deputies. He Palestinian leader, it would feed airports, not once the planes were in the air.” Cheney arrived to help a new was scheduled to meet three times Arab complaints that Washington The round-the-clock patrols have cost the military more than $500 American push for peace. with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has taken Israel’s side. But if million. They have tied up more than 260 aircraft — including fight- Witnesses confirmed that with- of Israel and once with the Israeli Cheney does meet with Arafat, he ers, AWACS radar control planes and C-130 transport planes — 350 drawals were underway from the president, Moshe Katsav. would enrage the Israelis, who air crews and 10,000 Air Force personnel at 30 bases throughout the Bethlehem area, the northern West “This man is talking about have pressed hard for the West to United States. Bank city of Jenin and parts of the peace between Palestinians and isolate the Palestinian leader, and northern Gaza Strip. Israeli offi- Israelis and he decides for reasons would shift the policy of the Bush cials said that they expected the incomprehensible to us not to have administration, which has shunned Dozens Charged in Connection withdrawals to be completed by a scheduled meeting with President Arafat. dawn Tuesday, and that Palestinian Arafat,” said Saeb Erekat, a top President Bush has refused to With Web Child Porn Ring security forces would be obligated Palestinian negotiator. “If he’s on invite Arafat to the White House, THE WASHINGTON POST to take control of the territory and a peace mission as he says and saying he must take more decisive WASHINGTON halt attacks against Israelis. he’s not meeting with President action to rein in Palestinian mili- Eighty-nine people, including two Catholic priests, two police Palestinian officials had said Arafat, I wonder if he’s trying to tants. And the vice president is said officers, a foster parent and a nurse, have been charged in connection cease-fire talks were impossible as make peace between himself and to be no fan of Arafat’s. with an Internet-based child pornography ring that authorities have long as the reoccupation stood. Sharon or between Sharon and This afternoon, in a welcoming broken up, Justice Department officials announced Monday. Coupled with the renewed U.S. Sharon.” ceremony on his arrival at Tel Numerous arrests have been made in a 14-month investigation, effort to coax the two sides toward In his week-long tour of nine Aviv’s Ben-Gurion Airport hosted and 50 more arrests are expected later this week in the first phase of a truce talks, the Israeli pullback nur- Arab countries, Cheney has faced by Sharon, Cheney kept up the nationwide crackdown on Internet-based child pornography. More tured a faint glimmer of hope for relentless pressure to intervene on pressure on Arafat. than two dozen of those arrested have admitted to molesting 36 chil- dren, according to the FBI. The others were charged with possession of child pornography. Pakistani Authorities Seeking “It is clear a new marketplace for child pornography has emerged from the dark corners of cyberspace,” Attorney General John D. Ashcroft said at a news conference at FBI headquarters. “Innocent boys and girls have been targeted by offenders who view them as Links Between Church Attacks sexual objects. These individuals must be stopped.” The sting, known as “Operation Candyman,” included more than By Rone Tempest Church in this capital’s diplomatic Qazi, a former military intelligence 225 searches in more than 20 states. LOS ANGELES TIMES quarter have been identified, includ- chief, at the top of the list of terror- ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN ing a U.S. Embassy employee and ist organizations suspected in the Pakistani authorities are investi- her 17-year-old daughter. But the Sunday attack is the Sunni militant Three Years for Iranian Man gating possible links between Sun- fifth was injured beyond recogni- organization Lashkar-i-Jhangvi. day’s attack on a Christian church tion. Banned in August by President Who Interfered With Flight Crew here and a deadly assault in October As no family members have Pervez Musharraf because of a LOS ANGELES TIMES on another Christian congregation in come forward to identify those series of violent attacks on the coun- LOS ANGELES nearby Punjab province. remains, police have speculated that try’s minority Shiite Muslim com- Weeping and pleading for mercy, an Iranian immigrant was sen- In both cases, the suspected tar- the final victim may have been the munity, the heavily armed Lashkar- tenced to two years and nine months in federal prison Monday for gets of the attacks were Americans. same man who hurled at least three i-Jhangvi has been linked by threatening to “kill all Americans” after he was caught smoking on a The group under investigation is a grenades into the congregation dur- witnesses to the Oct. 28 attack at a plane bound from Los Angeles to Toronto. banned Sunni Muslim militant orga- ing Sunday services. A Western Christian service in Bahawalpur, in Appearing in chains before a Los Angeles federal judge, Javid nization with strong links to the for- official connected with the investi- Punjab province. Naghani, a 38-year-old Los Angeles businessman, apologized for mer Taliban regime in Afghanistan. gation identified the fifth victim as In that incident, attackers violating the no-smoking rule on airplanes, but denied uttering any Also under investigation is the “one of the perpetrators,” suggest- sprayed the congregation with fire anti-American remarks during the Sept. 27 flight. “Judge, give me a possibility that the Islamabad attack ing that more than one attacker from Kalashnikov assault rifles, chance,” he pleaded. “I did a mistake. I never did mean to harm any- — which killed five people, includ- might have been involved. killing 15 worshippers and a police- body; I’m sorry about smoking.” ing two Americans — was a suicide “He was blown to pieces,” the man before escaping on motorcy- Naghani, a legal U.S. resident, was convicted by a federal jury in mission. That could mark a worri- official said. The force of the explo- cles. Although all of the victims in December of interfering with the Air Canada flight crew. Defense some expansion of the deadliest, sions inside the church blew out the Bahawalpur attack were Pak- attorney Theodore Flier argued that Naghani would have received a and most difficult to stop, form of windows and spattered blood on the istani Christians, authorities believe fine or a much lighter sentence if his crime had occurred before Sept. terrorism. 30-foot ceiling. the primary targets were two Ameri- 11. He said he would appeal the conviction. Four of those killed in the attack According to Pakistani Commu- can missionaries who had been at the Protestant International nications Minister Javed Ashraf expected to attend the service. WEATHER Snow for Spring Situation for Noon Eastern Daylight Time, Tuesday, March 19, 2002 By Michael J. Ring STAFF METEOROLOGIST After one of the mildest, driest winters in recent memory, New England experienced a long-overdue dose of snow yesterday, with more on the way for the first day of spring tomorrow. This week the core of the jet stream, the intense upper-level current which greatly influences the paths of storms, stretches from Texas northeastward to Maine in our region of the world. For much of this winter the jet stream has taken a more northerly track, passing over eastern Canada instead of the northeastern United States, and consequently we have experienced very dry conditions this winter. With the jet now taking a more southerly track, sever- al storms will pass through the area over the next week. Yesterday’s storm was the first of these events. A second storm, currently over the Tennessee Valley, will slide northeastward and bring us a mixture of rain and snow tomorrow. The region will then experience a spell of cold, dry weather before the next chance at rain or snow on Sunday or Monday. Extended Forecast Today: Mostly cloudy, with perhaps a few peeks of sun in the afternoon. Highs near 37˚F (3˚C). Tonight: Cloudy with flurries after midnight. Lows near freezing. Wednesday: A mix of light rain and snow. Cold with highs of only 35˚F (2˚C). Wednesday night: Rain and snow showers ending; clearing late. Lows near freezing. Thursday: Sunny and milder. Highs near 43˚F (6˚C) and lows near 25˚F (–4˚C). Friday: Partly cloudy and colder. Highs near 37˚F (3˚C) and lows near 20˚F (–7˚C). March 19, 2002 WORLD & NATION THE TECH Page 3 Largest Ground Offensive Over Supreme Court Hears Case On Government’s Right to Lie LOS ANGELES TIMES Says U.S. Commander Franks WASHINGTON The Supreme Court heard one of President Bush’s lawyers defend By Thomas E. Ricks in which U.S. forces killed 16 sus- 1,000 U.S. ground troops and alleged lying by the Clinton administration Monday in a case that and Vernon Loeb pected al-Qaida fighters in a three- almost 1,000 allied Afghans. But centers on whether government officials can be sued if they cover up THE WASHINGTON POST vehicle convoy in eastern future attacks are likely to look crucial facts in a life-and-death matter. BAGRAM AIR BASE, AFGHANISTAN Afghanistan near Gardez on Sun- somewhat different as the military The case has nothing to do with Paula Corbin Jones or Monica S. The top U.S. commander in the day, and captured 31 suspected al- incorporates lessons from its opera- Lewinsky but instead concerned the Clinton administration’s support Afghan war said Monday that Oper- Qaida members early Monday in a tions, he said. for the Guatemalan military. It also marked one of the rare instances ation Anaconda, the biggest U.S. raid west of the southern city of There has been no contact with in which the victim of alleged government wrongdoing argued her ground operation of the conflict, has Kandahar. enemy fighters in the Shahikot area own case in the high court. ended but that U.S. troops are con- In his comments to reporters at — Operation Anaconda’s mountain- “The government cannot engage in intentional deceit in order to tinuing to kill or capture suspected this air base 35 miles north of ous, 60-square-mile engagement prevent (you) from going to a court of law,” Jennifer Harbury, a al-Qaida fighters throughout Kabul, the Afghan capital, Franks zone south of Gardez — for several lawyer and widow of a Guatemalan guerrilla fighter, told the justices. Afghanistan. appeared to dismiss the prospect of days. But 500 U.S. and allied troops For more than a decade, Harbury has carried on a one-woman cru- Army Gen. Tommy R. Franks a prolonged U.S. ground war continued to sweep the battlefield sade against U.S. policy in Central America. In 1991, she met and called the operation in eastern against al-Qaida and Taliban guer- over the last 48 hours, searching a married Guatemalan rebel Efraim Bamaca Velazquez. Afghanistan’s Shahikot Valley “an rillas. But “we will face the possi- total of 30 cave complexes. A year later, he was captured by Guatemalan army, whose com- unqualified success.” However, he bility of hit-and-run raids,” he U.S. warplanes, meanwhile, manders reported he had died. In fact, he was being held captive, said, coalition forces have “addi- said. dropped 40 bombs over the week- reportedly by a Guatemalan officer who was on the CIA’s payroll. tional” work to do “to clear al-Qaida Franks said future operations end on isolated pockets of al-Qaeda Harbury says she was deceived by various Clinton administration out of the country of Afghanistan.” could require as many forces as did and Taliban fighters in the area, a officials in 1993 who said they did not know of her husband’s where- Pentagon officials underscored Operation Anaconda, which began spokesman for the U.S. Central abouts. She later learned Bamaca was killed in the fall of 1993. the point, describing engagements March 2 and involved more than Command said. Since then, Harbury has been seeking to hold liable key officials for lying, including former U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christo- Newly Discovered Inca Settlement pher and National Security Adviser Anthony Lake. Campaign Finance Reform Bill May Give New Historical Insights Should Get Vote Within Days THE WASHINGTON POST By Thomas H. Maugh II on steep slopes at an altitude ranging complete complex of archeological WASHINGTON LOS ANGELES TIMES from 8,000 to 11,000 feet. A platform sites, with great historical and func- The Senate opened Monday what is likely to be its final debate on A previously unknown Inca set- built at the peak provides what tional significance, situated within an long-stalled legislation to scale back the influence of special-interest tlement has been discovered on a explorers called a “spectacular view” exceptional ecological system in money in politics, hoping to finish action on the measure and send it remote and rugged Andean peak, a of several snow-capped peaks nearby. stunningly beautiful country,” said to President Bush within a day or two. find that could shed new light on the Such peaks were sacred to the Valencia, who is associated with the Republican foes of the bill have been insisting that its supporters origin and demise of the last great Incas, and the platform was probably National University of San Antonio demonstrate they have at least 60 votes for the bill — enough to Indian empire in the Americas. used for religious ceremonies, as well Abad of Cusco. break a filibuster. But they concede that the measure is likely to clear The settlement, on a peak known as to maintain the Inca calendar, said The team has so far explored only all remaining hurdles and be approved, perhaps as early as Tuesday. as Cerro Victoria, may have been one British author Peter Frost, who led one side of the mountain, but has Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., filed a petition Monday of the last refuges of the Inca before the expedition along with California found the ruins of more than 100 night to force the vote by Wednesday. Aides said he was prepared to they were conquered by the Spanish explorer Scott Gorsuch and Peruvian structures, including circular keep the Senate in session all Wednesday night if necessary to ensure in 1572, artifacts found at the site archeologist Alfredo Valencia Zegar- dwellings, agricultural storehouses, passage before Congress leaves at week’s end for a two-week spring indicate. The site is in Peru’s Vil- ra. cemeteries, funeral towers and cor- recess. cabamba region, where the Inca fled The site was so important to the rals, as well as agricultural terraces. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the legislation’s leading foe, said after Spanish soldiers crushed an Incas that they built a 5-mile-long Much of the site is still overgrown he and the bill’s sponsors were making progress on a package of Indian revolt in 1536. aqueduct to bring water to the barren with dense cloud forest. technical changes that will be passed in separate legislation. He said The nearly inaccessible settlement mountain. “We’ve really only scratched the he foresaw no further delays and believed the final vote on the cam- sprawls over at least 2.4 square miles “Victoria is an enormous and surface so far,” Frost said. paign finance bill could come Tuesday. Page 4 THE TECH March 19, 2002 OPINION Ruling Leaves Much to be Desired While the results of the Undergraduate Association election ah D. Seale ’03 and Parul Deora ’04, rerunning the election Chairman for president and vice president may be clear, the decision at this point would be of little significance. Voter turnout Jordan Rubin ’02 written by the Judicial Review Board most certainly is not. was the strongest in memory, with nearly 50 percent of the Editor in Chief JudBoard’s ruling is confus- undergraduates voting in the UAP/VP election and over 50 Kevin R. Lang ’02 ing, incomplete, and internally percent voting in some class council elections. With strong Editorial inconsistent. As JudBoard rul- turnout and a strong victory, Seale has a legitimate claim to Business Manager ings cannot be overturned, the board has a particular a mandate from the voters. Rerunning the election would be Rachel Johnson ’02 responsibility to offer a clear opinion to the student body. unlikely to change that fact. The only obvious change from Managing Editor The duty of the board is to improve and clarify decisions previous years’ elections was the controversy surrounding Joel C. Corbo ’04 by lower boards, such as the Election Commission Rules the Creighton/Brar ticket; this might have been the source NEWS/FEATURES STAFF Board, as well as review policies and legislation of the UA of the high turnout. News Editors: Jennifer Krishnan ’04, Eun J. Lee government. The board’s ruling on the ticket of Rhett The 2002 election pointed out yet again the serious flaws ’04, Brian Loux ’04; Associate Editor: Chris- tine R. Fry ’05; Staff: Harold Fox G, Vijay Creighton ’02 and Victor W. Brar ’04 added more confu- in the UA election system. The only positive that could pos- Shilpiekandula G, Naveen Sunkavally G, Dan sion to the matter with a decision that contradicts itself and sibly come out of this year’s proceedings would be lasting, Cho ’02, Dana Levine ’02, Helana Kadyszewski oversteps the bounds of the Judicial Board. positive changes to the election system. The time has come ’03, Keith J. Winstein ’03, Jeffrey Greenbaum JudBoard ruled that Creighton and Brar were denied due for professional advice that will eliminate flaws and loop- ’04, Vicky Hsu ’04, Richa Maheshwari ’04, process by the Election Commission, yet they failed to address holes from the Election Code once and for all — MIT under- Flora Amwayi ’05, Vincent Chen ’05, Jennifer DeBoer ’05, Aaron Du ’05, Tom Kilpatrick ’05, this admitted wrong with some kind of sanction or remedy. In graduates are not legal experts. In addition, the UA Council Amerson Lin ’05, Jing-Helen Tang ’05, Qian short, JudBoard admitted that the Rules Board acted unfairly, needs to establish procedures that will require JudBoard to Wang ’05; Meteorologists: Robert Korty G, but let the action stand. JudBoard’s decision does not offer any act as a more effective oversight body. In future rulings, Jud- Greg Lawson G, Nikki Privé G, William Ram- incentive for the future Rules Boards to ensure due process. At Board must think much more carefully about wording their strom G, Michael J. Ring G, Efren Gutierrez ’03. the very least, JudBoard should have mitigated the punish- decisions. Confusing language, contradictory statements, and PRODUCTION STAFF ment handed down to Creighton and Brar. legislative decisions should not be introduced at the ultimate Editors: Ian Lai ’02, Joy Forsythe ’04; Associate Editors: Anju Kanumalla ’03, Andrew Mamo JudBoard’s ruling also included a recommendation that level of judiciary review. In addition, the ruling set a danger- ’04, Shefali Oza ’04; Staff: Gayani Tillekeratne the commission itself rewrite the Election Code. The com- ous precedent by failing to address the lack of due process in ’03, Eric Tung ’04, David Carpenter ’05, mission does not have this power; the code can only be the Rules Board’s proceedings. Hangyul Chung ’05, Jennifer Fang ’05, James amended by the UA Council. The fact that JudBoard seem- As for JudBoard’s ruling itself, the verdict said that Harvey ’05, Nicholas R. Hoff ’05, Jean Lu ’05, Mandy Yeung ’05, Ed Hill, Nur Aida Abdul ingly did not understand this fact is significantly discon- Creighton/Brar could not win the election, which was a valid Rahim. certing. If JudBoard does not understand the rules which it decision in and of itself. However, The Tech is concerned OPINION STAFF is supposedly interpreting, what hope do undergraduates that a valid verdict was not backed up by a clear written Editors: Kris Schnee ’02, Jyoti R. Tibrewala ’04; have for a fair judicial review process? JudBoard was cor- assessment of the initial ruling. JudBoard has failed to be an Columnists: Daniel L. Tortorice ’02, Philip Bur- rect to recommend substantial changes to the flawed elec- effective appellate body. rowes ’04, Akshay Patil ’04, Stephanie W. Wang tion code, but it should have been more knowledgeable The Tech had high hopes for this year’s UA elections. ’04; Staff: Basil Enwegbara G, Michael Borucke ’01, Matt Craighead ’02, Christen M. Gray ’04, about how to do so. Such a ruling is akin to the U.S. After years of controversy and scandal, this year seemed to Ken Nesmith ’04, Andrew C. Thomas ’04, Tao Supreme Court asking the IRS to change the tax code, be running smoothly, with a newly adopted election code. Yue ’04, Vivek Rao ’05, Maral Shamloo. rather than asking Congress. Creighton and Brar pointed out serious flaws which SPORTS STAFF JudBoard ruled that Creighton/Brar were indeed offer- remained in the UA Election Code, but poor handling by Staff: Robert Aronstam ’02, Adeline Kuo ’02, ing bribes to voters. At the time of the ruling, the vote count both the Election Commission Rules Board and JudBoard Rory Pheiffer ’02. was not known; at that time, it would have been entirely only exacerbated the situation. Without improvements to the ARTS STAFF appropriate for JudBoard to call for the elections to be rerun Election Code before next March, the UA will be lucky to Editors: Sandra M. Chung ’04, Daniel S. Robey ’04; Associate Editors: Fred Choi ’02, entirely. However, given the overwhelming victory by Josi- avoid its fifth tainted election in six years. Jeremy Baskin ’04; Staff: Erik Blankinship G, Lance Nathan G, Bence P. Olveczky G, Sonja Sharpe G, Amandeep Loomba ’02, Bess Rouse Letters To The Editor ’02, Veena Thomas ’02, Winnie Yang ’02, Daniel J. Katz ’03, Jane Maduram ’03, Amy Meadows ’03, Chaitra Chandrasekhar ’04, Jed Supporting Our educational institutions because they benefit equally obliged to support them? It cannot Horne ’04, Pey-Hua Hwang ’04, Izzat Jarudi society at least as much as they benefit the be the case that all this effort was invested ’04, Allison C. Lewis ’04, Devdoot Majumdar Colleagues Abroad educated individual. However, if the educat- into their education just so that an unelected ’04, Atif Z. Qadir ’04, Chad Serrant ’04, Eric Hardly anyone in the United States is ed have an obligation to spread the vision of military regime could at whim round them Chemi ’05, Annie Ding ’05, Patrick Hereford aware that the Libyan people’s court has the institutions that produced them and to up and execute them. ’05, Jorge Padilla ’05, Ricky Rivera ’05, Joseph recently sentenced 152 of Libya’s university attempt to improve the common lot of Graham. professors and students. Two professors got humanity, shouldn’t the institutions be Shihab M. Elborai G PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF the death sentence: Professor Salem Abu Editors: Nathan Collins G, Wendy Gu ’03; Hanak, head of the Chemistry Department at Associate Editor: Jonathan Wang ’05; Staff: the University of Qar Younes in Benghazi Erika Brown G, James Camp G, Krzysztof and Professor Abdullah Ahmed Izzedin from Gajos G, Wan Yusof Wan Morshidi G, the Engineering Faculty of the University of Michelle Povinelli G, Samudra Vijay G, Stanley Tripoli. The rest of the accused were handed Hu ’00, Kailas Narendran ’01, Aaron D. Miha- sentences ranging from 10 years to life in lik ’02, Matthew Mishrikey ’02, Yi Xie ’02, prison. Roshan Baliga ’03, Scott Johnston ’03, Ekateri- Twenty of these people hold PhD and na Ossikine ’03, Pedro L. Arrechea ’04, Miguel Master’s degrees from American universi- A. Calles ’04, Roy Esaki ’04, Brian Hemond ’04, Dalton Cheng ’05, Annie Ding ’05, Roger Li ’05, ties. The urgent appeal to the U.S. academic Michael Lin ’05, Timothy Suen ’05, Amy L. Wong community, both professors and students, is ’05, E-won Yoon ’05, Jason LaPenta. to unite in support of their Libyan col- leagues. The Libyan government continues CARTOONISTS Aaron Isaksen G, Solar Olugebefola G, Xixi to systematically target the academic com- D’Moon ’01, Bao-Yi Chang ’02, Jumaane Jef- munity in Libya because they are the only fries ’02, Lara Kirkham ’03, Duane Tanaka ’03, engine of social change left in that depleted Alison Wong ’03, Sean Liu ’04, Tina Shih ’04, and oppressive country. Bear in mind that the Nancy Phan ’05. group in question neither committed nor BUSINESS STAFF advocated any violence. In fact, they did Advertising Manager: Aye Moah ’04; Opera- nothing more than collectively call for demo- tions Manager: Jasmine Richards ’02; Staff: cratic reforms, social justice, and an end to Kedra Newsom ’02, Huanne T. Thomas ’02, corruption. This action, natural as it may Dashonn Graves ’03, Joey Plum ’03. seem in the United States, is in violation of a TECHNOLOGY STAFF 1972 Libyan law that bans assemblies and Director: Ming-Tai Huh ’02; Staff: Frank parties and is punishable by execution. Dabek G, Kevin Atkinson ’02. This issue is critical to all of the academ- EDITORS AT LARGE ic community and not just to a few interna- Senior Editor: Eric J. Cholankeril ’02; Con- tional students. Society invests heavily into tributing Editors: Rima Arnaout ’02, Annie S. Choi. two days before the date of publication. ADVISORY BOARD Opinion Policy Paul E. Schindler, Jr. ’74, V. Michael Bove ’83, Letters and cartoons must bear the authors’ signatures, address- Barry Surman ’84, Robert E. Malchman ’85, Editorials are the official opinion of The Tech. They are written es, and phone numbers. Unsigned letters will not be accepted. 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The Tech (ISSN 0148-9607) is published on Tuesdays and Fridays during the Letters to the editor are welcome. Electronic submissions are The Tech’s telephone number is (617) 253-1541. E-mail is the academic year (except during MIT vacations), Wednesdays during January and monthly during the summer for $45.00 per year Third Class by The encouraged and should be sent to [email protected]. Hard easiest way to reach any member of our staff. If you are unsure Tech, Room W20-483, 84 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, Mass. 02139. Third Class postage paid at Boston, Mass. Permit No. 1. POSTMASTER: copy submissions should be addressed to The Tech, P.O. Box whom to contact, send mail to [email protected], and it will Please send all address changes to our mailing address: The Tech, P.O. Box 397029, Cambridge, Mass. 02139-7029. Telephone: (617) 253-1541, editori- 397029, Cambridge, Mass. 02139-7029, or sent by interdepartmen- be directed to the appropriate person. The Tech can be found on the al; (617) 258-8329, business; (617) 258-8226, facsimile. Advertising, sub- tal mail to Room W20-483. All submissions are due by 4:30 p.m. World Wide Web at http://the-tech.mit.edu. scription, and typesetting rates available. Entire contents © 2002 The Tech. Printed on recycled paper by Charles River Publishing. March 19, 2002 OPINION THE TECH Page 5 Student Responsibility The Name And Student Voice Game Guest Column graduate education. student life initiatives (including athletics Akshay Patil Several students with whom I’ve spoken and student organization funding), thinking Tracy Purinton during this election claim that, “the UA does- about new modes of information display in Read my name. Go ahead, let your eyes n’t do anything anyway.” The UA, however, Lobby 7, Lobby 10, the Stata Center and move up to the spot between this sentence As one who has a lot of interaction with consistently provides representation and a student center, and keeping attention and the column title in which resides my students, I often hear statements like, “Stu- voice at the table around issues like the meal focused on mental health issues and confi- name. Say it out loud; I’m sure the people dent voices must be heard;” “The decision plan and dining, pass/no record, input on the dential medical transport. The UA is also around you won’t mind. Both names: first and was made unfairly and did not take into new dorm design and management, residence responsible for the Association of Student last. Take your time, I’m in no hurry. Done? account student opinion!”; “The administra- system implementation for next fall, FSILG Activities who oversee the student organiza- Alright. Now how many people think they tion doesn’t understand students.” recruitment, and orientation. Each residential tion recognition process, bulletin board and pronounced my name correctly? Come on, I The challenge with these assertions is area has a representative to the UA Council. office allocations, the first-year summer want to see hands people, don’t be shy. determining what “student voice” means. Your UA representative makes a genuine mailing, the activities midway, the use of Hands down. Relax. Name pronouncing Should one student shouting his or her opin- effort to gather input and solicit feedback MIT space/reservations. All of the events is tricky business, a skill that takes many ion on an issue be viewed as representing from their constituents on a regular basis. If coordinated and sponsored by class councils years of practice to master. As you can see, the whole student body? What about a gath- you don’t let your opinion be known to them are also funded through the UA and the fact the majority of you had absolutely no idea ering of 100 students who oppose a recent (or if you continually delete their e-mails) that class councils can borrow against their what to do. It amuses me to hear the varia- decision or course of action? Should the it’s hard to get mad when your views aren’t proceeds from ring sales and career fair tions on my name, not because I find merri- squeaky wheel always get the grease? presented. If you are dissatisfied with the money is because of UA proposals. The UA ment in the other person’s confusion, but Should those 100 be viewed as representing current structure, a responsible thing to do is is also responsible for the creation of the because I too understand the torture it is to the opinion of all 5,000 undergraduates or to provide useful feedback with an alterna- annual Spring Weekend events as well as come across a name that you just can’t wrap 10,000 students as a whole? tive or a solution. MIT is currently dealing large event funding that can support student your tongue around. I wholeheartedly agree with students that with substantial and important issues regard- organization-initiated events. If you’ve got a strange (“unique” for the their voices must be heard. Students must be ing the student experience and these issues And finally, and perhaps most importantly, politically minded) name you learn little represented at the table when decisions are require thoughtful ideas and proposals of real the UA is responsible for nominating students rules to conveying your name. First of all, being made that affect the entire community. substance. Some people feel that the UA’s to sit on the following committees and repre- you pretty much stop pronouncing your I think the hope is that that student (or stu- representation on many of the above-men- sent the undergraduate community at large. name correctly. Why confuse someone? I’d dents) will have the wherewithal to think tioned issues hasn’t amounted to anything Committees of the faculty include: the rather have them quickly learn a close beyond their own experience and their own anyway, but I beg to differ. The senior Committee on Academic Performance, the approximation then spend five minutes mak- four plus years at the Institute, but it is cru- administration specifically looks to the UA Committee on Curricula, the Committee on ing them feel bad as they say my repeatedly cial that those who eat, sleep, study and live and the GSC (and other governing groups) to Discipline, the Faculty Policy Committee, say my name with an expression on their on our campus are able to share their per- get the sense of how undergraduate and grad- the Committee on Examination and Term face imploring “PLEASE tell me I got it spective and be a significant part of the con- uate students might react to a change or new Regulations, the Committee on Undergradu- right that time. I’ll probably never meet you versation. But what is effective representa- policy. There are many discussions that are ate Admissions and Financial Aid, the Com- again in my life, and if I do, I’ll just say tion? What happens when that one student or going on around campus that the UA and mittee on the Undergraduate Program, the those 100 students who raised their concerns other student government leaders are Committee on Pass/No Record and Advance make their complaints known without pre- involved in that are extremely important to Placement Credit, and the Committee on the senting an alternative plan or proposal? our community. Those students’ input often Communications Requirement. Committees You also tend to stop saying Then what? Students need to be engaged in has a serious impact on what the final itera- appointed by the president include but are the problem-solving process and must be tion of that initial idea looks like. The final not limited to the Committee on Campus on things like ‘I’m Akshay.’ This active participants in that process. And, outcome may not be exactly what all stu- Race Relations, the Commencement Com- indeed, there have been a number of positive dents would want, but it probably looks a mittee, the IAP Policy Committee, the inevitably leads to the question outcomes of this kind of engagement in whole lot better than if they weren’t asked! ROTC Oversight Committee and the Com- ‘Imakshay?’That’s when you recent years including the Dining Board, Currently, the UA is representing under- mittee on Safety. RSIT, the Founder’s Group, etc. graduate opinion on such issues as expand- This is not to say that the UA is perfect. know you’re in trouble. In light of current issues with respect to ing the MIT Card, review of MIT alcohol In fact, I think there could be some serious the UA elections, it seems like an appropri- policy, further improvements to SafeRide, overhaul to the way information is shared ate time to be thinking together about what making improvements to freshman advising, and student opinion is gathered. I think stu- effective representation looks like. Getting a meal plan/dining issues, giving input on the dents could be doing even more to ensure ‘Hey! What’s up?’” In order to facilitate the unified and representative voice of the stu- new dorm design and on the new housing that student perspective is heard earlier on in name learning process, you also tend to stop dent body and making sure that those ideas system, determining a reasonable solution to the decision making process. I think students saying things like “I’m Akshay.” This are heard at faculty, presidential, and Insti- the crowding issue, working on the new ori- could become even more engaged in prob- inevitably leads to the question “Imakshay?” tute committees is no small task. It involves entation schedule and FSILG lem-solving around some of the issues that That’s when you know you’re in trouble. bringing not only your opinion, but also the recruitment/rush, strategic planning for the face our community as a whole. (“No, I am Akshay.” “Iemakshay?” “No, no, opinions and concerns of all undergraduates Stata Center, student center, and Walker, But that is for you to decide. my name is … .”) to the chancellor, the chair of the faculty, the voicing student concern on the pass/no Tracy Purinton is assistant dean for stu- Don’t feel bad about it. The truth be told, dean for student life, and the dean for under- record decision, gaining new funding for dent activities. I break out into a cold sweat every time I’m confronted with a name of Indian origin. The problem lies in the fact that I’m a monoglot (I learned that word on Jeopardy); I can only Laying the Foundations speak English. Thus, when faced with an Indian name, not only do I not know how to pronounce the name, but I also feel extreme- Of Dorm Culture ly extremely guilty about my lingual incom- Baker? MacGregor? East Campus? For these each dorm cause culture to develop differ- petence. Guest Column I have one general answer: It will be like ently, and cause different characteristics to But let’s not be naïve and think that the Jeff Roberts other dorms in the ways all dorms are alike, emerge. process ends once you quasi-master an ele- and it will be unlike other dorms the ways Since personality and culture develop ment of another culture. Once you pass this all dorms are different. over time, I can’t say what the personality of hurdle to cultural enlightenment, there is When I came to MIT I became very We all know that dorms have unique per- Simmons Hall will be. It almost definitely still the matter of using it properly. I’ve interested in the residence system, particu- sonalities. Moreover, we know that dorm won’t be like anything we have now. But I been told by countless Chinese friends that larly the dorms. I quickly learned, as did my personality is based not just on the personal- don’t think that’s important. What’s impor- Chow Mein is pronounced “Tsiao Mi-ehn,” fellow freshmen, that dorms are not just res- ities of the residents, but on history, tradi- tant is that it has the capacity to develop cul- but when am I supposed to use this fact? If idences but social groups, and that each one tions, and values. There’s a reason why we ture. For this to happen, it must have a I’m in a restaurant, conversing with a wait- has unique characteristics and traditions. As can accurately describe dorm communities mixed, multiple-year community. This is person in English, am I supposed to sudden- a thinker, I immediately wanted to know as having “culture.” why it’s crucial that Simmons Hall not be an ly bust out a “Tsiao Mi-ehn” instead of more. Why are dorm communities so How does dorm culture develop? Archi- all-freshmen, or even mostly-freshmen, “Chow Maine”? “Hello, I’m an Indian col- strong? From where does each dorm get its tecture is one important factor, and surely dorm. lege student who obviously can’t speak a characteristics? So when I learned, in 1998, the borderline insanity apparent in the Culture is also a blessing and a bane. We lick of Mandarin, Cantonese, or any other that MIT was planning to open a new dorm design of Sim- want to get dialect that is considered ‘Chinese.’ I would in three (now four) years, I knew I wanted to mons Hall will students living like to order the orange chicken, shrimp be a part of it. I wanted to learn about how a have some in Simmons fried rice, and
Stephanie W. Wang ment for a certain issue from the grass roots the sidewalks not to mention the pretentious level, the UA itself is completely muted. “model poses” posters that scream “Look! Penicillin The results are in and some people won in Furthermore, for all their pleas of “com- I’m so pretty! I’m so suave! Vote for me the UA elections but does it really matter? munity building” and “bridges of communi- (even if I have no idea what I will do once I Before you start citing the propaganda and the cation,” I don’t believe for one second that am elected)!” I tried to suppress my gag Just Yet buzzwords of student government, has anyone the leaders of the UA actually care or can do reflex as I glanced at a poster which dared to really figured out what the UA does? If the anything even if they did. Granted, those exalt the mob mentality of voting for a candi- Andrew C. Thomas election campaigns are any indication, I sus- who are not on a committee or a council for date because someone else is. After a while, I pect most candidates don’t know either. Yet the resume-whoring may be delusional can only be amused by all the ludicrous, Don’t say I didn’t warn you. they continue to stress the importance of vot- enough to actually hope that they can make a pathetic attempts at gathering support for The recent unseasonable warmth signaled ing in the annual beauty pageant in disguise. difference here at MIT. Nevertheless, despite essentially nothing. the beginning of a dangerous annual epidem- They want to be confirmed as the popular peo- the good intentions, the resultant futility of Yes, I am the person who once harped ic that strikes people of all ages, sizes and ple, the beautiful people, the changing-MIT- being involved in the UA is the same. Before upon the importance of voting for Nader out dispositions. Unrelenting in its approach, this one-inane-social- you accuse me of not of principle even if that vote would not alter disease primarily causes intense loss of con- event-at-a-time giving credit to the the outcome of the election. However, I centration, and a rage of hormones that prove people. Curiously, many hours they sac- adamantly believe in affecting change difficult to control. too many students The self-righteous plans result rifice “slaving” for through the democratic process only when I speak, of course, of spring fever. seem to willingly the students to repre- possible. The U.S. government can become While freshmen from warm climates oblige the candidates’ only in the resolution sent their interests, I better with a change in the leadership, but the may not be completely familiar with the narcissism. have to ask: what UA is beyond repair and thus should be over- condition, I have little doubt that they will I don’t know to ‘[get] student input.’ have they done in thrown in favor of a system that has any sem- understand it by the end of the month. about you, but I con- Here is my input: I couldn’t these many precious blance of ambition and efficacy. This is why I Spring fever is, simply put, triggered by a sciously chose to not hours? The answer no to the suggestion that I run for a rise in temperature. This typically coincides vote in the UA elec- care less about the myriad overbloated meetings UA office to change the system rather than with the ability to walk comfortably outside tions. After all, what and self-righteous criticizing it. When the system is this broken, without a jacket on. A new feeling of is the point of decid- of UA Committees on Discussing plans which never it’s time to destroy it rather than hide its release accompanies this clothing change; ing who will lead a seem to be imple- faults with multi-colored glossy propaganda. perhaps a mating instinct kicking in, per- superfluous organi- Doing Something or Other. mented result only in Without the self-important Undergraduate haps simply the delight of being able to zation and its puppet the resolution to talk Association, the undergraduates certainly spend time in natural sunlight. I know I’d subsidiaries? I have more about “building won’t suffer. I am not proposing “anarchy;” I been at this institution for close to two years a community,” “working with the adminis- am simply suggesting a long-overdue “revo- and not once have I felt that the UA’s work tration” and “getting student input.” Here is lution.” If student groups need funding, then has any bearing whatsoever on the lives of my input: I couldn’t care less about class let’s keep the mechanism in place for them to A new feeling of release the student body. Come to think of it, I don’t councils that organize purposeless study acquire this funding as quickly as possible. If understand why the UA is not abolished all breaks and the myriad of UA Committees on an issue arises where students believe their accompanies spring fever; perhaps together in favor of a much more pragmatic, Discussing Doing Something or Other. voices are not being heard, then the students non-indulgent system. No doubt the UA sup- The election campaigns have become an can willingly organize a group to represent simply the delight of being able porters would be up in arms over this “pre- increasingly nonsensical farce. They always them on the matter. If the issue is class-spe- to spend time in natural posterous” suggestion that undermines all of disintegrate into a competition of having the cific, then naturally the group would be com- its “countless accomplishments.” Surely, “cutesiest” slogans and the “slickest” posters prised mostly if not all of members of that sunlight. I know I’d much prefer they would ask: what about the abolition of while the platforms with no substance are class. All the other unnecessary red tape of the meal plan? What about … uh … getting conveniently obscured and questions of having UA/class councils and impotent com- to tan in the sun than in the funds … and stuff … to do other things? effectiveness are consistently dodged by mittees should be eliminated. With the disso- glow of my monitor. Despite certain individuals all too eager to empty pronouncements of “experience” and lution of the UA, the Bush fund can be sub- take absolute credit for these supposedly “empathy.” Apparently, most of the candi- sequently granted to the group with the best monumental gains for the students, it was dates have not been informed that they are no proposal for utilizing the money. Yes, I really the voice of concerned students and longer in high school. Oh wait, when it know this “revolution” won’t occur at MIT. much prefer to tan in the sun than in the the collective efforts of many that precipitat- comes to these elections, the high school dic- After all, the UA is better for the students glow of my monitor. ed any changes. The bottom line: the UA tates of position monopolies and sophomoric than the World Bank is for the impoverished Now, I remind you that we are in Boston, doesn’t have any power and Chuck Vest and calls for unity and spirit still apply. There- in developing countries, and the World Bank known for its wild, mercurial weather pat- the MIT Corporation make all the decisions. fore I have been forced to suffer through the hasn’t been abolished. In fact, its president terns. And while the weather since last Satur- Unless there is a gargantuan student move- weeks of nauseating happy faces defacing gets invited to speak at commencement here. day has been rather unspectacular, experi- ence and Murphy’s Law suggest that the temperature will rise and fall like mad in the near future. Without warning, this place will Bush’s Health Care Proposals heat up again, and soon. And then fall back Ted Kennedy and others in the 1970s to Great Society welfare state, and Bush isn’t down, and then rise once again. Matt Craighead broaden socialized medicine beyond about to do so either.) And herein lies the problem. Imagine fir- Medicare and Medicaid (for the elderly, poor, While the president’s health care agenda ing a superball from, say, an air-powered It was to virtually no media fanfare that and disabled) failed, and with Reagan in the doesn’t eliminate or even trim Medicare and bazooka, at the floor in a room with a low President Bush announced his health care White House such ideas were shelved. The Medicaid, he is creating a new framework in ceiling. It will ricochet off the floor and ceil- agenda a month ago. Maybe they were fol- backers of socialized medicine made one final which such programs will look a lot less ing, and depending on the aim, off the walls lowing too many other things at the time; I push in 1994 in the guise of “Hillarycare,” important. Sure, he’s included the Democ- as well, for some time before coming to rest. don’t entirely know. It’s a shame, though, but with its defeat and Newt Gingrich’s coup rats’ number one wish, a prescription drug Not only does Boston’s daily temperature because Bush seems to understand better than later that year, the movement to centralize all benefit, in his proposal to “modernize” follow a pattern similar to this, but this tem- our previous occupant of the Oval Office delivery of health care at the federal level Medicare — but he’s also talking about open- perature fluctuation will carry people along what’s wrong with health care in America died a well-deserved death. ing up Medicare to real private competition, like a jetstream. People’s emotions tend to and how we can fix it. In the meantime, nations that had gone allowing seniors to spend their Medicare run wild for one sustained period, in places America’s health care woes can be traced down this road provided ample evidence that money on a real private health plan. He’s with a more regulated climate. If only we back to wage and price controls imposed dur- it was a failure. In England, the best and already taken steps to give states more flexi- could be so lucky here, then we might be ing World War II. Wartime economic poli- brightest doctors and scientists left in the bility to run Medicaid. able to prepare for it. cies created inflation; since employers could- “brain drain” of the 1960s, while quality The centerpiece of his plan, however, is to The consequences of this effect will be n’t increase wages, they instead offered their deteriorated and costs exploded at the Nation- begin the restoration of health care into some- immediately noticeable with a sharp jump in employees health care benefits. Such benefits al Health Service. thing that individuals the number of assignments people will put were soon treated as tax-free, and it became Waits for even sim- pay for themselves. He off. Whether they choose to spend their time much more efficient for employers to pay for ple procedures grew proposes massively running along the Charles, playing soccer or health care than employees. so long that many Health care is not a right — expanding MSAs frisbee, or simply watching a sunset, the After all, it’s bizarre, if you think about it, travel to America (Medical Savings ability of students to focus on work will that it is standard for employers to pay for and pay for an oper- nor is a minimum income, a Accounts), a device by drop dramatically. I recall an incident last health care. Our employers, by and large, ation now rather which individuals can year in the initial stages of spring fever don’t provide us with food, or cars, or hous- than wait. Canada’s “living wage,”or an education. save money tax-free to where I had to lie to a TA in order to skip ing; instead, they pay us cash. An employee situation is similar. Unfortunately,those of us desiring pay for small medical her class and enjoy the warm afternoon can typically do a better job of spending that The situation in expenses while retain- because I couldn’t bear being inside any money on himself than the employer would the United States, such a return to 19th-century ing health insurance longer. (In retrospect, she probably knew I on his behalf. though better, is still for catastrophic prob- was bluffing the whole time, and I appreci- Employer-provided health care has had hardly ideal. style laissez-faire capitalism lems. He’s also pro- ate her understanding of the situation.) I will three insidious side effects. First, it has Medicare is a tan- are in the minority. viding new tax credits certainly be on the watch for declining atten- become difficult for individuals or small gled web of price to help individuals buy dance in afternoon classes. (Watching in the businesses to buy health care — the system controls, and its reg- their own health insur- morning would be counterproductive. Peo- isn’t designed for them, and individuals and ulations are three ance. In short, your ple don’t need spring fever to skip 9 a.m. the self-employed effectively pay more due times longer than the tax code (over 100,000 health care expenditures come out of your classes — this particular habit is a year- to taxes. Second, it reduces accountability pages in total). Doctors’ malpractice lawsuit own pocket, not someone else’s. If nothing round activity.) and choice. Most employers only offer a few payments have exploded, since the legal bur- else, this will encourage more individual I would like this to serve as a warning to health plan options, and employees spend den for malpractice is unfortunately not negli- responsibility. all professors and teaching assistants. If more because it’s “someone else’s money,” gence. Many states mandate such broad A small point worth mentioning is that class attendance seems to drop, if home- while employers struggle to keep costs insurance coverage of ailments that prices go some have criticized these tax credits as work seems to be rushed, if essays on for- down. Third, and most ominously, it has through the roof. In the meantime, HMOs and enlarging, not shrinking, the government’s eign policy tend to take a distinctly sexual encouraged the spread of the vicious idea their associated bureaucracy have strangled role in medicine. Such criticisms miss the turn, be understanding. I’m sure that this is that individuals are not the ones responsible both doctor and patient. mark; federal laws already prohibit hospitals an effect that hits all ages, though certainly for providing for their own health care, and What American health care desperately from turning away the uninsured. We are it is more severe for teenagers and recent that someone else — be it a business or gov- needs reinjected is the free market. already all paying indirectly for such health ex-teenagers. However, be aware that the ernment — must do so. We should begin by recognizing that care. At worst these proposals will shift the superball effect will amplify this problem as It is this latter point that aided the Democ- health care is not a right — nor is a minimum burden a bit, while making the accounting a well. From another point of view, think of it ratic Party, starting in the 1960s, in proclaim- income, a “living wage,” or an education. bit more honest. as being hit by five water balloons at differ- ing that everyone has a “right” to be provided Unfortunately, those of us desiring such a The Bush proposals aren’t perfect, but ent times (but you don’t know when the with health care. Under President Johnson, return to 19th-century style laissez-faire capi- they move in the right direction for the first next one is coming), as opposed to having a socialized medicine became a reality in talism are in the minority, and so we must time in many years. It’s a relief indeed to bucket of water dumped on you just once. America, just as it had some years earlier in settle for less at present. (Whatever some on have a President who doesn’t think the solu- At least with the hose, there’s more of a Europe. the left may scream about cuts in these pro- tion to every problem is more taxes, more guarantee that if you dry off now, you won’t Fortunately, repeated attempts by Senator grams, even Reagan barely made a dent in the spending, and more regulation. have to do it again later. March 13, 2002
Page 7 INTEGRAL FORCE AHWONG Page 8 The Tech March 13, 2002
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Solution, page 14 23 Too separator tendencies 52 Tailor's helper? 26 Take ten 67 Take by force 18 Latin beat 53 Leave high and 27 Wrap up 68 Puerto __ 22 Prenuptial party dry 28 Flips 69 Cozy retreats 23 Comic Sandler 58 Adversaries 31 In the style of 70 At bay in a bay 24 One-and-only 59 Seep 32 Truant from the 71 Certain feds 25 Break from a habit 62 Deadlock troops 26 Set free 63 Purpose 33 Choice of what DOWN 29 Mass of hair 64 Frozen dessert
Crossword Puzzle Crossword came first 1 Platter spinners 30 Sound of disgust 65 Gadgeteer Popeil
Events Calendar appears in each issue of The Tech and features events for members of the MIT community. The Tech makes no guarantees as to the accuracy of this information, and The Tech shall not be held liable for any loss- es, including, but not limited to, damages resulting from attendance of an event. Events Calendar Contact information for all events is available from the Events Calendar web page. Visit and add events to Events Calendar online at http://events.mit.edu Tuesday, March 19 American life. The Peabody Award is designed to recognize “outstanding achievement in broadcast and cable,” and is one of television’s highest honors.Rodriguez's awards 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. – Trade, Production, and the English Customs and Excise, 1643- include the Frankel Medal from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Inter- 1842. Dibner Institute Lunchtime Colloquium. Free. Room: E56-100. Sponsor: Dibner Insti- national Journalism Award from the World Affairs Council of California. He lives in San Fran- tute. cisco. Free. Room: Rm 4-163. Sponsor: Foreign Languages & Literatures. 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. – Microwave-enhanced Chemical Vapor Infiltration Processing - A 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. – Live jazz at The Ear. The MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble returns Sharp Interface Model. Refreshments will be served at 3:30 p.m. in Room 2-349. Free. tonight to continue their monthly appearances at The Ear. The show starts at 9 p.m. The Room: Room 2-338. Sponsor: Physical Mathematics Seminar. Department of Mathemat- Thirsty Ear Pub is located in the Ashdown House basement. Enter through the courtyard. ics. Hours: Monday: 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. Tuesday - Thursday: 7 p.m. - 1 a.m. Friday: 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. – MTL VLSI Seminar. Single-Chip Surface-Micromachined Integrated Must be over 21. Proper ID required. Free. Room: The Thirsty Ear Pub. Sponsor: The Gyroscope with 50˚/hour Root Allan Variance. Free. Room: 34-101. Sponsor: MTL VLSI Thirsty Ear Pub. Seminar. 4:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. – GTL Seminar. Robust Design of Gas Turbine Engine Secondary Wednesday, March 20 Flow Systems. Free. Room: 31-161. Sponsor: Gas Turbine Laboratory, AeroAstro. 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. – “Selling Socialism: Advertising in East Germany, 1949-75.” 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. – Teleporting Quantum States of Matter: From Single Atoms to Humanities Workshop Series, Spring 2002. Free. Room: 14N-304. Sponsor: History Office. Macroscopic Crystals. EECS/RLE Optics. Free. Room: Grier Room, 34-401B. Sponsor: Literature Section, SHASS. Optics. 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. – Toastmasters@MIT Evening Meetings. Free. Room: 5-134. Spon- 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. – Excel Quick Start. This course presents an overview of Excel's sor: Toastmasters. basic functions, as well as some of its more powerful features and capabilities. Free. 6:30 p.m. – “Havana at the Turn of the Millennium.” Lecture by Mario Coyula-Cowley, Room: N42 Demo Center. Sponsor: Information Systems. architect/urban designer, Havana. Free. Room: Rm 10-250. Sponsor: Department of Archi- 12:10 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. – Physical Oceanography Sack Lunch Seminar. Free. Room: 54- tecture. 915. Sponsor: Physical Oceanography. 7:00 p.m. – “The American Tongue: My Life en Ingles.” Talk by Richard Rodriguez, fol- 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. – spouses&partners@mit: Stress Management. Marlisa Febbriello, lowed by a book signing immediately afterward, where his latest book “Brown” will be avail- a Health Educator from MIT Medical, will help us learn how to survive and thrive at MIT. able, (this will not be available to the public until April 1, 2002) along with his other works. Childcare provided. Free. Room: W20-400. Sponsor: spouses&partners@mit. Rodriguez is an editor at Pacific News Service, and a contributing editor for Harper’s Maga- 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. – Winning Interview Techniques. Learn how to prepare effectively zine, U.S. News & World Report, and the Sunday “Opinion” section of the Los Angeles for an interview and practice with your peers. Pre-registration is required. Free. Room: 12- Times. He has published numerous articles in The New York Times, The Wall Street Jour- 196. Sponsor: OCSPA. nal, The American Scholar, Time, Mother Jones, and The New Republic, as well as other 3:30 p.m. – MIT Faculty Meeting. Free. Room: 10-250. Sponsor: Faculty Chair. publications. He has also written two books: “Hunger of Memory” and “Days of Obligation: 4:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. – Economical Waring Bases. Refreshments will be served at 3:30 An Argument With My Mexican Father,” as well as two BBC documentaries.Most recently, p.m. in Room 2-349. Free. Room: Room 2-338. Sponsor: Combinatorics Seminar. Depart- Rodriguez received a 1997 George Foster Peabody Award for his NewsHour essays on ment of Mathematics. March 13, 2002 The Tech Page 9
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. – Opening Reception--Farmland: Rural Spaces near Boston. Pho- hour in an instructor-led workshop. Learn how to get started using web-based training, tographs by Tony Loreti. A series of gelatin silver prints which portray the organic sensuali- explore what is offered and ask questions. Free. Room: W89-250. Sponsor: Information ty of the farmlands in the Boston area. Show runs through May 1. Free. Room: The Dean’s Systems. Gallery, Sloan School of Management, Rm E52-466. Sponsor: Sloan School of Manage- 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. – Eudora Quick Start. This session shows how to configure Eudo- ment--The Dean’s Gallery. ra, create messages and address lists, send and receive attachments, and sort incoming 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. – Grad Student Night at The Ear. Every Wednesday is Grad Student e-mail. Free. Room: N42 Demo Center. Sponsor: Information Systems. Night at The Ear, featuring live music. Tonight: Brother Rabbit performs from 7-9 p.m. The 12:00 p.m. – MIT Chapel Concert: Biber Ensemble. Orlando Cela, flute; Christina Day, vio- Thirsty Ear Pub is located in the Ashdown House basement. Enter through the courtyard. lin; Mickey Katz, cello; Takae Ohnishi, harpsichord. J.S.Bach’s Trio sonata, from “Musical Hours: Monday: 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. Tuesday - Thursday: 7 p.m. - 1 a.m. Friday: 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. Offering,” “Sonata for Harpsichord and Violin,” “Sonata for Flute and basso continuo.” Must be over 21. Proper ID required. This event is funded in part by the Grants Program of Free. Room: MIT Chapel. Sponsor: Music and Theater Arts Section. the Council for the Arts at MIT. Free. Room: The Thirsty Ear Pub. Sponsor: Graduate Stu- 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. – Free English Tutoring. All MIT students, scholars, and family dent Council, The Thirsty Ear Pub. members are invited to attend a free English tutoring session. Several native speakers are 7:00 p.m. – Late Spring. A quietly compelling family drama about a father and daughter in available by appointment or at the door to assist with written or verbal English communica- Kyoto, from a director who actively disliked the idea of a plot. Free. Room: 26-100. Spon- tion. Free. Room: W11 Main Dining Room. Sponsor: Baptist Student Fellowship, Baptist sor: LSC, Comparative Media Studies. Campus Ministry. 7:00 p.m. – “The Artworld, Community and Activism: A Meditation Inspired by the 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. – Conversational English Class. Join us for a free conversational Events of September 11th.” Lecture by Robert Atkins, NY-based art historian, former English class for international students and spouses at MIT. Most attendees are women columnist at the Village Voice and author. Presented in conjunction with “AA Bronson: Mir- able to speak freely who desire to increase their English skills. Class covers a variety of ror Mirror” at the List Visual Arts Center through March 31. Free. Room: Rm 54-100 (Green topics including American culture and holiday descriptions. Free. Room: W11 Board Room. Building). Sponsor: List Visual Arts Center, Visual Arts Program. Sponsor: Baptist Campus Ministry. 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. – Sports Nutrition. How much protein do I need when lifting 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. – Weight Watchers at Work meetings at MIT. New and returning weights? How many grams of carbohydrates do I need? Do I need special vitamins members are always welcome at this weekly meeting on weight control. Friendly, relaxed because I’m active? What about sports drinks? Learn about the diet that can maximize lunch hour meetings. More info: [email protected]. Room: Building 8-219. Sponsor: Informa- your exercise performance. Get the facts, and add a winning diet to your life! Dinner provid- tion Center. ed! Free. Room: E25-101. Sponsor: MIT Medical. 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. – Functional Optical Devices Based on Photonic Crystals. Special 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. – IFILM Film Seminar. Screening of an international movie accom- Seminar. Free. Room: Grier Room, 34-401B. Sponsor: EECS, Boston Area MEMS. panied by a discussion about it. Free. Room: 4-237. Sponsor: Graduate Student Council, 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. – Tornado-vortex structure and tornadogenesis: The view from a 3- International Film Club. mm wavelength mobile Doppler radar. Free. Room: 54-915. Sponsor: MIT Atmospheric 10:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. – Music at The Ear. LIVE electronic music by Signals and Systems Science Seminars. starts at 10 p.m. The Thirsty Ear Pub is located in the Ashdown House basement. Enter 4:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. – Seminar “Modeling the Conformability of Single Piece Rings in through the courtyard. Hours: Monday: 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. Tuesday - Thursday: 7 p.m. - 1 a.m. the Cylinder and Applications.” Spring 2002 Sloan Automotive Lab/Energy Systems Semi- Friday: 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. Must be over 21. Proper ID required. This event is funded in part by nar Series. Free. Room: 31-161. Sponsor: Sloan Automotive Laboratory. the Grants Program of the Council for the Arts at MIT. Free. Room: The Thirsty Ear Pub. 4:15 p.m. - 5:15 a.m. – Solving Convex Quadratic Programming Problems Arising in Sup- Sponsor: The Thirsty Ear Pub. ATat, MITDMC. port Vector Machine Framework. ORC Spring Seminar Series. Seminar followed by recep- 11:59 p.m. – Hillel Freshmen Midnight Breakfast. Come have FREE waffles, pancakes, tion in the Philip M. Morse Reading Room (E40-106). Free. Room: E51-145. Sponsor: kosher bagels, OJ, etc. with other Jewish freshmen! Free. Room: Zeta Psi. Sponsor: Hillel, Operations Research Center. MIT. 4:15 p.m. – Physics Colloquium. “Tissue Engineering: Can the ‘Human Body on a Chip’ Replace In Vivo Therapies?” Free. Room: 10-20. Sponsor: Physics Department. Thursday, March 21 8:00 p.m. – The Winter’s Tale. Directed by John C. Hume, music by Yan Yan Lam, fight choreography by Richard Hedderman. $9, $6 MIT/Wellesley students. Room: Sala de Puer- 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. – Element K Workshop. Is web-based training for me? Spend an to Rico. Sponsor: Shakespeare Ensemble.
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By Michael Borucke simultaneously at supermarkets in STAFF REPORTER Rhode Island, Maine, New Hamp- Last Tuesday, MIT students shire, and Vermont. joined environmental and consumer activists protesting against geneti- Protest kicks of national campaign cally modified foods at the Allston Organized by Greenpeace and Star Market on Commonwealth Clean Water Action, the protests Avenue. kicked off a national campaign Approximately fifteen Green- against Shaw’s, Star, SafeWay, and peace and student activists arrived other supermarket chains selling at the store at mid-morning and genetically modified products or began taking ladders off of a van products that include genetically parked adjacent to the store. Using modified ingredients. the ladders to scale the store, Linda Setchell of Clean Water activists hung a banner from the Action said the aim of the campaign roof and attached placards saying, was to remove all GMO foods from “Stop Genetically Engineered store shelves. “These experimental Foods” to the store’s windows. foods are untested and unwanted, Other activists stood on the side- and we’re here calling people to walk in front of the store holding action to get them out of our gro- enlarged, “Caution: Biohazard” yel- cery stores,” she said. low tape. Still other activists handed Previous attempts to influence out informational pamphlets to the grocery store behavior have passers-by. Within fifteen minutes met with little success. Last year, Star Market employees had the GE-Free Markets Coalition removed the placards from the win- handed over 15,000 customer com- dows and forced those activists on ments to Shaw’s CEO Ross the roof to descend. Police allowed McLaren. This did not precipitate MICHAEL BORUCKE—THE TECH demonstrators to carry banners in further action on the part of the A Star Market employee takes down posters opposing genetically engineered foods from the front of front of the store. grocery giant. Neither Shaw’s nor the Allston store last Tuesday. Greenpeace and other local activists were joined by MIT students in Among the demonstrators were its subsidiary, Star Market, have highlighting Star Market’s refusal to remove foods from the store’s shelves with banner drops and pam- MIT graduate students Julia K. since asked their customers if they phleting. Steinberger and Brice C. Smith and are concerned about genetically MIT alumnus Saurabh Asthana ’00. modified foods. Shaw’s parent this country.” the labeling of genetically engi- should require labeling of all food “GMOs [genetically modified company, UK-based J Sainsbury The McLaren letter adds that neered food in particular detail. from genetically engineered crops. organisms] represent a potentially PLC, has already removed products Shaw’s has no knowledge of geneti- According to the Web site, “We And a PBS poll conducted in April serious threat to public health,” containing genetically modified cally engineered food in the prod- support the role and responsibility 2001 found that 65 percent of the Smith said. “The people have spo- ingredients based on the concerns ucts that they sell. “We are unaware of FDA to determine appropriate 21,000 respondents felt genetically ken, and they don’t want [GMOs]. of their consumers. of any Shaw’s brand products being food labeling. … Consultation with engineered crops should not be It’s time they start listening.” In a letter to Coalition represen- genetically modified,” McLaren [the] FDA should be carried out for grown at all. Although activists were know- tatives, McLaren wrote that GMO wrote. “We are unable to comment all genetically modified food or Despite McLaren’s claims to ingly risking arrest by trespassing products had not been pulled from on the raw materials used in the food ingredients. … [The] FDA ignorance of genetically engineered on private property, no arrests shelves because “we have not expe- manufacture of all Shaw’s brand should establish criteria for ‘GM products being sold at Shaw’s were made. rienced the same type of reaction to products.” Free’ and ‘non-GM ingredient’ stores, a recent study sponsored by Other demonstrations occurred genetically engineered foods here in The Shaw’s Web site addresses labeling.” the GE-Free Markets Coalition found that five Shaw’s brand prod- Polls show support for labeling ucts tested positive for genetically As Shaw’s waits for federal engineered ingredients. Those labeling regulations, some public products included Shaw’s Brand opinion polls show a majority of Crispy Corn Puffs Cereal, Shaw’s consumers are concerned with GM Brand Yellow Corn Chips, Shaw’s labeling as well as Genetically Brand Complete Pancake and Waf- Modified foods themselves. fle Mix, and Shaw’s Brand Taco A poll conducted by ABC- Dinner. News.com in June 2001 found that Some claim that the genetically 93 percent of respondents wanted modified ingredients in the cereals genetically engineered food to be pose special risks. Setchell said labeled. A Harris poll in June 2000 GMO’s can “create new food aller- found that 86 percent of Ameri- gens” to which young children are cans thought the government especially susceptible.
Crossword Solution from page 8 March 19, 2002 THE TECH Page 15 March Madness Means Mascots, Cheers, Aramark
By Eun J. Lee and it was just at that moment I yell “Yeeeeaaaaahhhh Terps!” all sounded the same. “Let’s go, ple act completely crazy when you NEWS EDITOR realized that all of the workers Every field goal scored by Mary- Maryland” became “Let’s go, Bad- throw them into a sporting arena. March Madness is here. Even behind the counters were wearing land was answered by the roar of gers,” and then became “Let’s go, My friend’s uncle got punched in we nerds at MIT can’t completely Aramark hats. the crowd. The comparative Huskies.” The cheering sections the face during one of the first isolate ourselves from the excite- The Aramark beast had reared silence following their opponent’s obviously didn’t do their research round games by a man who was ment its ugly head during my weekend plays was far worse than any sort before certain games, like when sitting in his seat. The forty-year- ofaway from school. However, of jeering or booing that the crowd the Maryland squad cheered “Let’s old man next to me was ogling the Reporter’s watch- because my hunger pains were could have done. It was annoying go, red!” during the Wisconsin vs. Maryland cheerleaders with his ing fel- killing me (with a game and a half to me because I was an outsider, Maryland game (Wisconsin is also binoculars and making lewd com- low still left to go) I had no choice but but the pure passion of thousands red) or when Michigan State’s ments to his friend about how he Notebook college to succumb to its monopolistic of people for a couple of boys cheerleaders yelled “Go state!” missed his promiscuous college teams duke it out for the NCAA presence. Thinking that I was get- playing basketball really hit me as during the Michigan State vs. N.C. days. title. This past weekend, I wit- ting the better deal, I opted for an something really fundamentally State game. Complete strangers struck up nessed the madness firsthand as I 11-inch pizza from the quasi-“Papa simple, pure, and beautiful. Of From my exposure to cheer- conversations about different watched eight East Regional John’s” booth, which was $11. I course it’s just a game, but the fact leaders from my high school, I teams and how they thought they games at the MCI Center in Wash- thought surely this pizza would be that people from such different can’t say that I have ever felt that would do during the tournament. ington, D.C. enough to feed my friend and backgrounds could feel so passion- they are really necessary. Howev- Maryland fans consoled disillu- On Friday, I watched four first myself, but when I opened the ately about the same thing and be er, I suppose that I loathe college sioned N.C. State fans after their round games back to back, and on large box, I was disappointed to brought together by something so cheerleaders a little less than those team narrowly lost during the sec- Sunday afternoon, I saw Friday’s find that the pizza inside had simple really resonated deeply in high school. They actually were ond round. The entire crowd winners (Maryland, Wisconsin, shrunk and was only four slices. within me. entertaining to watch (obviously (including myself) was joined N.C. State, and UConn) play each more for some than others), and through the chant of “Ref, you other in two second round games. Where is Siena, anyway? Seen one team, seen them all they did a lot more acrobatics rou- suck!” during last part of the N.C. I’m not going to give a play- Homefield advantage is not a Even though the teams were tines than I expected. The Hamp- State vs. UConn game, in response by-play of each of the games, thing to be taken lightly. Both different, there was a fine line dis- ton cheerleaders were by far the to a seemingly unfair call. The because God knows there were Siena and Wisconsin were doomed tinguishing one from the other. least sophisticated of all the whole experience threw me into a enough sports reporters and cam- from the beginning in their games During the second round games, schools. Their routine was limited completely different social situa- eramen at the games. For those of with Maryland. I still can’t figure three of the four teams had red as to booty dancing across the floor tion than I had ever experienced at you who couldn’t be there, here’s out where Siena College is, but their team color. The entire lower of the arena, and yet they got the MIT, and it made me wish that our what you missed off the basketball they got my pity when I realized tier of the arena was red, which loudest applause of the game from school had some non-robotic sport- court. that they were the only school seemed to defeat the purpose of the crowd. ing event that could being our without a band, and the officials even having a team color since the community together. Madness at what cost? took away their school parapherna- teams could not be distinguished The spirit is contagious Here is recap of the weekend’s For a college basketball tourna- lia during Hampton vs. UConn from one another. College athletic events seem to expenses. Cost of airplane ticket: ment, the first thing I noticed was game. The Terrapin fans were The bands played the same be unique social situations, and $100. Cost of basketball tickets: that there were very few actual relentless and, quite frankly, really songs which were continually sometimes I feel that sports fans $150. Cost of bad Aramark food: college-aged kids in the stands. annoying. I thought I would kill replaced with a different school would make great case studies for $15. Pretending that I went to a This is probably because of the someone if I heard another person mascot or name. Even the cheers social psychologists. Even old peo- “real” college: priceless. tickets were so expensive. My tickets were $50 for each session (there were three sessions, so it was $150 for the weekend), which got me seats in the prime location of the nosebleed section at the MCI Center. The irony was that the nosebleed section was packed, but the lower tiers of the arena were about a third empty during the first round games. Being resourceful college kids, my com- panion and I snuck down into the lower tier after the second halves of all of the first round games. This was must more difficult to do during the second round games. All of the games that we attended were completely sold out, which explains why this is the only sport- ing event that I have ever gone to where the scalpers actually asked the fans if they had any extra tick- ets. It was worth being at the game in person. The experience was completely different than any game I have seen on television. To begin with, when I walked into the arena, I could just feel the buzz of excitement from the fans and the teams. Even though I was not a die-hard fan for any of the teams other than N.C. State, the games were exciting to watch because of the energy from the crowd. It was kind of nice not having to listen to commentators during the entire game, but at the same time, it would have been nice to have replays shown on the big screen television. Aramark rears its ugly head By halftime of the first game I was famished, so I climbed down from my seat in search of suste- nance. As I passed by each vendor entrenched in the hallway, I was appalled at the prices. A 12-ounce soda cost $4. A regular-sized candy bar was $3. A bag of peanuts was $4. No matter where I went, the menu and prices were the same. The lack of choice and inflated prices eerily reminded me of the dining choices at our school, Page 16 THE TECH March 19, 2002 This space donated by The Tech March 19, 2002 THE TECH Page 17 Ring Includes Subtle Symbols of Sept. 11 Brass Rat, from Page 1 to include a woman. classes of 2002 and 2003 were also Ring acknowledges Sept. 11 invited to the premiere, as were the Another difficult decision was president and vice president of the the choice of representation for the class of 2005. “We wanted to give Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. “In previ- the freshmen a head start and for the ous years, the class shank has repre- upperclassmen to share in the expe- sented a significant event of the year rience,” said Ring Committee mem- the ring was produced. One particu- ber Tina Shih ’04. lar event this year that sent ripples Most guests were very pleased through the entire world is the unfor- with the results. “I think the presen- gettable tragedy of Sept. 11,” Shih tations were very entertaining yet said at the Ring Premiere. professional,” said Brad M. McCoy The committee debated whether ’02. “Everyone enjoyed what they or not to place American flags or the did.” World Trade Center towers some- where in the shanks in memorial. “I Committee adds unique features felt that to tack a mere symbol onto The Leonid meteor showers were our class ring would not only represented in the skylines that tradi- degrade our purpose, but also dilute tionally adorn the sides of the ring. the message,” Shih said. Also keeping with tradition, a map Instead, the committee decided of campus was added to the inside of on a gathering of people in Killian the ring. The map included buildings court with a space left in the center under construction like the Stata out of reverence. “We worked Center, “the technological brainchild together for the first time in a really of electrical engineering,” as com- long time and felt passionate about mittee member Neelish Chadusama something,” Shih later said. “There ’04 put it. is much more to being patriotic than Construction was also represent- a symbol. That’s why I felt the rep- ed in a dust cloud that surrounded resentation of community was more the great dome on one shank of the important than the other ideas pro- ring. The ring also included an out- posed,” such as the twin towers and line of an owl face, symbolizing the the U.S. flag. Athena computer system, a sunken sailboat next to the letters “RUSH” Shipment problems delay gifts in the Charles River, and the letters Posters for the premiere MIT screwed together to represent announced the first 600 attendees how tough the Institute is, according would receive a gift. Unfortunately, to the committee. the gifts did not arrive on time and The ring also commemorated the guests were given certificates of sister class of 1979 (which graduat- claim. “We initially wanted to supply ed 25 before), as the ring has every silver bullet shaped LED keychains year since its inception. for the dark atmosphere inside Walk- The ring also had its share of hid- er,” Shih said. “I was personally dis- den year numbers and wacky sym- traught that they didn’t come in.” bols. “We were hoping that students The LED lights were available in would laugh at some of them, but we Lobby 10 as of 3 p.m. Monday. In were not really sure,” said Ring- addition, the committee will raffle Comm member Stephanie W. Chow the 600 tickets and give one winner ’02. “They responded really well a discount on the price of one Brass and we got a lot of good reactions.” Rat. “I actually think it went pretty Shank includes two men well [without the gifts],” Shih said. One of the most anticipated reve- “It now gives people a reason to go lations of the night was Ring- to the Jostens table and view the Comm’s decision on the gender of rings.” the figure holding the book on the side which classes traditionally use Students pleased with premiere to interpret the seal. Students and committee mem- “We considered men, women, bers agreed that the premiere and the and even androgenous characters to ring itself turned out quite well. “I represent the seal,” said RingComm think we did a great job,” Chow member Helana N. Chia ’02. “But said. after a vote of 764 class members, “It was a really great chance to we heard from you the students. You see what all the talk was about” said voted for your class ring to have a Sircar said. “I am really excited male scholar.” At that moment, a about buying it after going to the bearded figure appeared clutching premiere.” the book aside the man with the Some students did have some hammer. doubts about aspects of the ring There arose a cheer from the design. crowd in Walker after the announce- “The capsized boat added an ment. One student was heard to unnecessary touch of morbidity,” shout, “The patriarchy rules!” While said Christopher P. Anderson ’04. the majority of the class expressed “There were too many ‘04’s’ on their satisfaction with the decision, the ring,” said Andrew C. Francis there were a few students who were ’04. “I didn’t think there needed to disappointed. be 15 on each panel,” he jested. “Shoot. I wanted it to be a Both sophomores said they were woman,” said Tin Lun Au ’04 pleased with the overall design of immediately after the design was the ring and were glad the class revealed. decided to place two men on the “I was surprised by the decision seal. and the students’ response,” said Monica Sircar ’04. Many choices for Brass Rat “I knew this would be a big prob- One of the things the ring pre- lem for this year in particular, as last miere did not mention were the year mishandled the presentation of numerous options that the class of their ring,” Shih said. “We agonized 2004 could choose for their personal over the decision for months and it brass rat. Aside from the sizes, met- was hard to consider something I als, and antiquing styles from which wanted versus something I knew the sophomores may choose, there are class as a whole wouldn’t want.” other types of rings that some may Once information about the seal opt to purchase. was discovered by various members “We also feature signet rings as of the sophomore class, RingComm well as dinner rings for women, let the final decision rest with a which can include any birthstone or class-wide vote on how the ring black onyx” said Jostens sales repre- should appear. sentative Sara Deming. “There are This year marks another year of also accessory jewelry items like controversy over the gender of the necklaces, pendants, and cufflinks. figures representing mens et manus. All of these special items maintain Last year’s decision to have include the design of the bezel only.” two males sparked much greater dis- Jostens representatives will be at appointment and even a petition to Lobby 10 booths all this week to officially change MIT’s official seal help with sampling and order forms. Page 18 THE TECH March 19, 2002 DEF-TUV-TUV-OPER-OPER HASS Faculty Affected By Bias Bias, from Page 1
Professor of Anthropology Jean E. Jackson, chair of the committee investigating the School of Humani- ties, Arts, and Social Sciences, said that fields of specialization in which women tend to concentrate are often marginalized and command lower salaries than the traditionally male- dominated disciplines, sometimes causing entire departments to feel as though they were “second-class citi- zens” at the Institute. One male faculty member inter- viewed by the HASS committee is quoted in the report as saying, “We’re all women here.” Lotte Bailyn, a professor in the Sloan School and chair of the school’s committee, reported a simi- lar phenomenon among the Sloan faculty. According to Bailyn, male faculty specializing in strictly quanti- tative research areas often receive better pay and treatment than their colleagues with other specializations. Marginalization a major issue All committee chairs reported that marginalization was a major problem in their respective schools. They said this marginalization takes the form of exclusion from group grants, PhD committees, and a lack of information on opportunities and mentoring. While marginalization is difficult to measure and correct through poli- cies, several panelists said that sim- ply generating awareness through their report and the faculty meeting would do much to improve the situa- tion. “In the long run, it’s really a con- sciousness-raising issue,” Hopkins said. Family also a concern Balancing professional and fami- ly life was a major concern for many women faculty as well as many of the young male faculty. Department Head and Professor of Mechanical Engineering Rohan Abeyaratne said that family life was the major factor in a recent faculty candidate’s decision to accept a posi- tion at another university. “Even though MIT was a much better school, she felt that there would be much better daycare for her child” at the other university, Abe- yaratne said. “And so we lost her.” Reports received well by faculty Although all the committees con- cluded that gender bias does exist, they also highlighted recent progress made since the 1999 School of Sci- ence report. Such progress includes the hiring of more women faculty, the appointment of women faculty to leadership roles, and more equitable salaries. Panel members agreed that their reports were well-received by the faculty as a whole. They received several rounds of applause from the audience throughout the course of the meeting. Hopkins also noted that MIT administrators were much more will- ing to discuss the issue of gender bias than those at other major univer- sities. “I really would like to commend the MIT administration,” Hopkins said. Vest and Brown both expressed MIT’s commitment to gender equali- ty, saying that MIT should take a leading role in addressing this issue. “As every one of these reports pointed out, there are a lot of women having good experiences at MIT, great careers,” Vest said. “We just want everybody to be that way.” March 19, 2002 THE TECH Page 19 Contested Class Council Races Creighton/Brar Drew Attention 2003 Vice President Iteration Candidate 1 2 Vote-Buying Ploy Likely Increased Turnout for Other UA Elections Mike Hall 218 234 Joanne “JoJo” Chang 211 217 Turnout, from Page 1 happened only on Friday. vidual communities.” Write-In 45 - “So many people just voted Nobody 98 121 contest. That’s why I don’t vote.” online,” Lee said.“Plus, paper bal- Close margins in many elections “Maybe it’s because of the guy loting was on Friday, when fewer Eight of the nine elections came 2003 Secretary Iteration with the ten dollar thing,” La’O people have classes.” down to less than twenty-five votes. Candidate 1 2 said. “I voted online this time,” La’O The vote for the 2003 Social Chairs Kristie Tappan 201 207 “Overall I’m happy with our said. “It was easier.” was decided by one vote. Anita Kumar 188 192 new class council,” she added. “I know it’s really disappointing Write-In 39 - Michael D. Sekora ’05, a Many council seats uncontested to lose by just one vote, but we won’t Nobody 144 173 Creighton/Brar supporter, was Six of the elections for seats on be recounting unless the candidates intrigued by the candidates’ unusu- the 2003 and 2004 Class Councils change their mind,” Lee said. “There 2003 Social Chairs Iteration al strategy. were uncontested, including 2003 was a question about [recounting] Candidate 1 2 “I thought it was pretty note- president. but we explained the tallying proce- Christine Hsu/Monica Krishnan 235 238 worthy how unconventional his “I think [so many uncontested dure and everyone understood.” Dylan Hirsch-Shell/Allon Hochbaum 232 237 tactics were. He wasn’t doing elections] happened because people Incoming officers will begin Write-In 24 - something run of the mill, not the don’t feel their UA council actually working with the UA in the near Nobody 81 97 regular mediocre campaign,” Seko- represents them,” said UA Presi- future. ra said. dent-elect Josiah D. Seale ’03. “Next “They don’t actually take office Total votes cast for Class of 2003 Council: 572 Only 89 of the 2009 votes were year, I hope to increase resolution until next year, but they’ll help with cast during paper balloting, which with more representatives from indi- the transition,” Lee said. 2004 President Iteration Candidate 12345 Maria Hidalgo 122 1130 131 169 212 Disqualification of Ticket Upheld Reuben Cummings 120 127 130 148 190 Patrick Kim 110 116 117 133 - UA President, from Page 1 is sketchy. Had Rhett won, he would some campaign stunt is within the Nadjia Yousif 97 101 104 - - have had to start a few steps behind rules. It doesn’t allow the candidates Smith Sirisakorn 16 17 - - - write-in votes. Their campaign with the administration and with the to run as competitive a campaign as James Dillon (write-in) 14 -* - - - promise to give each of their voters student body.” they would want when they don’t Other Write-Ins (< 4 votes each) 27 ---- $10 upon victory drew unusual atten- “It puts an unfair spin on things know the boundaries of what they Nobody 55 70 79 111 159 tion to the race. to candidates who have been timely can do.” On Thursday, the Election Com- and competed fairly,” Yoon said. Creighton also said that the rules 2004 Vice President Iteration mission declared their candidacy ille- “It’s true that there is a larger could be more precise. The rule Candidate 1234 gal, and their votes were distributed group of students who are apathetic changes JudBoard recommended are Vanessa Pena 166 169 178 219 to the next candidates on the ballots. to student affairs than those who are too tailored to this particular case, he Sameera Ponda 111 118 124 151 The pair appealed the ruling to the concerned,” she added. “Rhett said. Amal Dorai 99 102 108 - UA Judicial Review Board. explicitly said that that was the group “I was surprised that they thought Rodrigo Luna 37 39 - - of voters he was trying to target.” changing the rules for this specific Write-In 30 - - - JudBoard upholds ruling Yoon said believes that the inci- case would prevent things like this Nobody 118 133 36 191 In a six-point decision, JudBoard dent reveals a need for election happening in the future,” Creighton ruled that “the Creighton/Brar cam- reform. said. “I can see holes in it even with 2004 Publicity Coordinators Iteration paign strategy was indeed a form of “There needs to be election the new rules they put in. The safest Candidate 1 2 bribery and/or vote buying. reform,” she said. “There need to be way to make the elections better is to Hai N Nguyen/Ann Lee (write-in) 39 39 “The Creighton/Brar ticket is clearer lines on rules, [and] whether not let me run.” Aaron Parness/Jon Vasanik (write-in) 30 -* hereby declared to be ineligible to Howard Chen/Steve Liu (write-in) 24 -* hold the offices of the UA President Jehanzeb Noor (write-in) 18 -* and Vice President and the ruling of Hans Palacios (write-in) 13 -* the Commission to this effect is Other Write-Ins (< 7 votes each) 125 - upheld,” the written decision contin- Nobody 329 539 ued. The board interviewed Creighton Total votes cast for Class of 2004 Council: 561 and Brar Friday afternoon, and then deliberated for four hours Friday 2005 President Iteration night. It issued its opinion around 10 Candidate 12345 p.m. Saturday night over the mit-talk Danny Kanamori 142 146 155 184 228 mailing list. Harel Williams 109 117 130 151 211 “Whatever,” Creighton said. “The Lizzie Laws 125 126 132 149 - hard question for me is, is it bribery In Han Kang 71 73 91 - - if I say I’m going to give money to Insoo Kim 60 60 - - - the Athletic Commission? This deci- Write-In 24 ---- sion made the issue of what is Nobody 56 65 79 103 148 bribery.”
2005 Vice President Iteration Election Commission criticized Candidate 1234 While JudBoard upheld the Elec- Jonathan Choi 167 170 191 232 tion Commission’s decision, it criti- Rohit Gupta 159 159 175 229 cized its handling of the affair. Jennifer Peng 94 95 123 - Specifically, it criticized the high- Alexis DeSieno 87 92 - - handed way the commission acted. Write-In 21 - - - “The Commission failed to provide Nobody 59 71 98 126 the Creighton/Brar ticket with due process,” it wrote. “The Commission 2005 Secretary Iteration failed to meet or interview the Candidate 1 2 3 Creighton/Brar team and inform Sheila Krishna 172 176 213 them of the problems surrounding Shima Goswami 136 139 190 their campaign prior to the release of Prachi Jain 133 137 - its decision.” Write-In 20 - - “I understand what they’re say- Nobody 126 135 184 ing,” said Helen H. Lee ’02, UA election commissioner. “It should 2005 Treasurer Iteration just be the Election Rules Board that Candidate 1 2 3 takes care of this. It shouldn't have Fahad Kajani 195 196 229 gotten personal.” Yerrie Kim 122 128 176 The Rules Board, a subcommittee Emily Smith 116 124 - of the commission, is responsible for Write-In 25 - - interpreting and enforcing UA elec- Nobody 129 139 182 tion rules. Its chair, Daniel D. Liston ’04, was asked by Lee to resign 2005 Publicity Coordinators Iteration Thursday. Liston had sent inflamma- Candidate 1 2 3 tory e-mails to Creighton, later for- Neha Bhargava/Gargi Khare 204 205 251 warded the mit-talk list, berating him Josie Sung/Catherine Weng 160 163 191 and his vote-buying scheme. Jesse Alejandro/Cecilia Ramos 111 113 - “The JudBoard decision was pre- Write-In 13 - - sented very professionally,” Lee Nobody 99 106 145 said. “That sort of presentation is the sort of thing we hope the Campaign 2005 Social Chairs Iteration Rules Board will do once the prob- Candidate 1 lems are worked out,” she said, not- Ian Driver/Issel Lim 248 ing that the Rules Board is in its first Jocelyn D’Arcy/Jeffrey Falkenbach 195 year of supervising UA elections. Write-In 15 Nobody 129 Seale, Yoon skeptical of scheme Seale and Yoon had differing Total votes cast for Class of 2005 Council: 587 opinions on the vote-buying contro- versy. Winners are indicated in bold. “I’m glad we got to hear from A * indicates write-ins that were all eliminated in one step: none of them can get votes from each other since there is only one write-in blank on the ballot. people protesting the UA,” Seale SOURCE: UA ELECTION COMMISSION said. “I tried to stay out of it as much as possible. I do think buying votes Page 20 THE TECH March 19, 2002 SPORTS LLUA Wins ‘A’ League Basketball Men’s Lacrosse Team Top Seed LLUA Takes Intramural Title With 37–35 Edging of ATO Gold Tops Wentworth 19–9 By Rory Pheiffer game this season. However, mid- itself in the hole so late in the STAFF WRITER way through the first half, ATO’s game, and everybody wondered By Brian Loux Brent M. Schreiber ’03, Scott B. Alpha Tau Omega Gold edged defense began to clamp down, exactly how LLUA would respond. NEWS EDITOR Mahar ’03, Brian C. Alvarez ’02, and the Little Lebowski Urban Achiev- causing LLUA’s shooting percent- Fortunately for LLUA, they found The Men’s Lacrosse team topped Chris W. Wilmer ’02 forced the sea- ers (LLUA) 37–35 March 11 to age to drop significantly. their offense again, as they started Wentworth 19–9 Saturday to even soned Wentworth offense to take win the “A” League On the other end of the court, to make their shots and force their record at 1–1. only outside shots for most of the intramural basketball Jeffrey J. Billing G, Askia A. turnovers on the defensive end. “We were more game. Goalie Christopher Ng ’05 title. Howell ’04, and Colin E. Champ They recovered from their deficit determined, intense played his part in stopping the attack Top-seeded ’03 began turning sophomore and pushed the lead to five with and mentally prepared with 14 saves on the day. LLUA reached the Philip M. Deutsch’s passes into just three minutes to play. on Saturday,” said The key to MIT’s success was the finals by continuing points as ATO managed to cut the It looked as if they were going Coach Walter Alessi. ability to win the ground ball situa- to dominate their opponents, with lead to four, 21–17. to pull away, but LLUA began “It was great to get tions. The slippery turf combined victories of 64–34 against the missing their one-and-one free strong contributions from our fresh- with the aggressive MIT defense Black Graduate Students Associa- Tough defense keeps ATO in game throw attempts, allowing ATO to men and our strong veteran nucleus.” begot many changes in possession. tion and a 51–28 thumping of the ATO continued their solid play pull within two with under a The Engineers were quick to draw Both MIT defense and midfield capi- Slavic Tribes. ATO Gold used two in the second half, as aggressive minute to play. With fifteen sec- first blood in the high scoring match. talized on these opportunities. The seven-point victories over the defense from Lyle Paladin-Tripp onds remaining, ATO fouled Two goals from Eli J. Weinberg ’02 defense totaled 16 loose balls while Asian Athletic Association’s Fob ’04 kept LLUA’s top scorer and Breen, sending him to the line for and Isaac B. Taylor ’05 in just over a the midfield turned many of their 25 Five and Delta Upsilon’s Ducks to season MVP Breen in check. Addi- another one-and-one attempt. minute of play put the Panthers in an ground ball wins into scoring situa- have a second chance at LLUA. tionally, Howell totalled six Breen’s free throw was off the early hole. tions. Weinberg led the pack with 8 Earlier in the season LLUA easily blocked shots for the game as his mark, and ATO grabbed the There was trouble in the second ground balls to his name. beat ATO 68–48. inside presence on both offense rebound for one last attempt. ATO quarter as Wentworth went on a 3–1 MIT’s offense also forced hurried LLUA, in typical fashion, and defense was the biggest key to was out of time outs, though, and run, reducing MIT’s lead to only one situations on the other side of the jumped out to an early lead as keeping Gold in the game. they brought the ball up-court and at halftime. But the Engineers went field. The Panther defense was often Craig Breen G and Joseph Cos- Using clutch free throw shoot- eventually made an errant pass to on to widen the lead in the second unable to clear the ball out of their grove G each buried a pair of ing from Deutsch, who finished six end the game. half, finishing with a 10-point win. own zone. Attackman Carter Powers three-pointers. It looked like for six in the game, ATO eventual- Team members Philip Sheehy Midfielder David A. Cantor ’02 ’05 made it his personal mission to LLUA was going to run away with ly took the lead by two. For the and Philip Deutsch contributed to and Taylor allowed the rest of the get in the face of the opposing goalie, this game like it has every other first time all season LLUA found the reporting of this story. team to breathe easier with four and which resulted in many scoring five goals, respectively. Consistent opportunities for MIT. Powers had pressure from the front lines caused five goals for the day. the young Panther defense to buckle Senior attackman Matt P. Van early and often as the Engineers found Horne ’02 had a career first with they could successfully dodge two or more assists than goals, finishing with more defenders on their way to goal. three assists and only two goals. The Engineers face another tough Defense shuts down Wentworth matchup at home Wednesday against The Engineers displayed some Endicott. Next weekend, they will superb defense even without starter travel to California to face UC Santa Chester K. Bai ’02. The quartet of Barbara and Berkeley.
YI XIE—THE TECH Rich Park ’05 defends against Oneil Bhalala ’05 in the B League IM basketball finals last Thursday in Rockwell Cage. Theta Chi took home the title, defeating Phi Kappa Theta 39–25.
BRIAN HEMOND—THE TECH Hao Hu ’04 slams the ball at Harvard players in the final home game of the volleyball season last Wednesday night. MIT lost in three sets, finishing with a 2–21 record. UPCOMING HOME EVENTS Tuesday, March 19 Baseball vs. Wentworth, 3:00 p.m. Women’s Lacrosse vs. Gordon, 6:00 p.m. This space donated
by Wednesday, March 20
The Tech Men’s Lacrosse vs. Endicott, 4:00 p.m. Thursday, March 21 Baseball vs. Gordon College, 3:00 p.m.