Tufts Protests US Senate Budget

THETUFTS DAILY Volume Number 11 (WhereYou Read It First Fridav, Seutember 24,1999 XXXIX, 1 Carrnichael switches to paper Tufts protests US Temporary fix to dishwashing Senate budget cut by BROOKE ME”EL setts now receives $4 billion an- staffer shortage Daily Editorial Board nually. Members ofthe Tufts commu- DiBiaggio said the group met by BAILEY STOLER nity lobbied on Capital Hill with President Clinton’s chief of Contributing Writer Wednesday in an attempt to stop staff and science’advisers to dis- Students who eat in the budget cuts that would deplete cuss the upcoming budget. “The . Carmichael dining hall have no- science and research funding for presidential staff was very sup- ticed a difference lately. Since universities and businesses portive of what we were saying school began three weeks ago, across the country. and made some suggestions of they have sometimes found them- Tufts’ President John how we might impact the con- selves eating from paper plates DiBiaggiojoined HarvardUniver- gress,’’ he said. They also met with plastic forks andknives,rather sity president Neil Rudenstine to with about 15 senators to discuss than their usual silverware. lead a group of university repre- the effects that the cuts would Tufts Dining Services does in sentatives and businesspeople have. fact own more than enough plates, from New England in the fight to The cutbacks would have an cups, and silverware to feed the stop a Congressional plan, which extreme long-term affect, accord- hundreds ofstudents who eat there they predict would have a devas- ing to DiBiaggio. “The loss would every day, but the problem is that tating effect on schools and com- come over several years and the nobody wants to wash them. panies in the area. The plan would funding that’s currently in place “We just can’t find enough cut $1.5 billion in research and you wouldn’t lose, but the fact is dishwashers this year,” said design money as a result of the that science doesn’t stop. And it’s Carmichael Manager John Balanced Budget Act of 1997,ac- even more important than it ever Wasserboehr. “We’ve tried incen- cording to yesterday’s Boston has been because we are on the tives and recruiting techniques, Globe. cutting edge of some critical dis- but they’re just not working.” The Globe reported that if the coveries,’’ he said. Last year, Dining Services gave budget cutsdo take place, 180,000 Although many different uni- out scholarships for book money research workers in Massachu- versities were represented, the to some of their employees. It of- setts stand to become unem- presidents were not looking to fers monetary bonuses to workers ployed. Although Massachu- benefit their own schools. “TOsay who recruit other student work- setts would suffer more than most what the immediate loss would be ers. Dining Services also hosts a states as a result of the cutbacks, for one specific institution is not Food Fair each year in hopes of there would be extreme cutbacks what we were talking about. We attracting freshmen in search of Photo by Daniel Rodrigues from the $75 hillion now commit- were trying to say what would be ted to university-run research on the impact on society as a whole,” on-campus jobs. Carmichael temporarily switches to paper utensils. “Usually, the Food Fair is very a nationwide scale. Massachu- DiBiaggio said. successful, but this year, students With no other option at the am just walked on by. While we usu- moment, Dining Services has de- ally recruitmorethan 100 workers, cided to temporarily convert Supreme Court makes ruling only 40 or 50 kids showed any Carmichael to paper goods. Until interest,” Wasserboehr said. dishwashers are found, The managers of Carmichael Carmichael’s customers will eat on Student Activities Fee case and the Director of Dining and from paper plates and drink from Business Services, Patti Lee, ap- paper cups. Wasserboehr ex- by JORDAN SOLOMON able universities from their tradi- President Larry Harris acknowl- pear to be at a loss. Despite all of plained, “We’re going keep the Daily Editorial Board tionalrole as forums for free speech edged that he has heard several their efforts to pull in enough stu- trays and silverware available for When most Tufts students paid and are in contradiction with the students complain about using dents to staff Carmichael’s dish as long as possible, but we simply the $179 Student Activities Fee First Amendment’s guarantee of their Student Activities Fee to fund room, they have found it neces- can not wash the dishes and cups over the summer, they most likely this free speech. The Primary Source, the campus’ sary to look outside the Univer- at this point.” passed it off asjust another one of The case, known as Board of publication for conservative sity. Over the past few years, they Turning to paper is the last many expenses they face before Regents vs. Southworth, is not a thought, but he said there has have hired increasing numbers of resort for Dining Services.Lee said beginning a collegeyearandprob- completely isolated incident, but never been any truly organized workers from agencies like the that using paper goods will add ably won’t think of afterwards. just the latest and most significant protest. Vocational Adjustment Center approximately 40 cents per stu- For a few students around the in aseries ofsuch battles in schools In the event that the issue ever (VAC), which helps to find job dent meal to their expenses, how- country, however, the transaction and lower courts around the coun- escalates into the kind of contro- placements for disabled adults. ever, she anticipates that paper doesn’t seem so innocuous. v* versy that is found on other cam- They have also placed help wanted products will not be necessary for Several cases have arisen over According to Acting Dean of puses, many support the fee as advertisementsin five local news- very long. the past few years in which college Students Bruce Reitman, there has being a necessary and beneficial papers, enlisted the help of more “People have already begun to students have protested against only been one situation that in any part of campus life and would de- job placement agencies, and even respond to our ads. I’ve already the use of the mandatory student way involved a significant con- fend it against any such attack. turned to Medford High School in been getting calls from people look- activities fee, which many schools flict over the use of the student TCU Senate Treasurer Ben hopes of recruiting teenagers who require. The fees often go to cam- activities fee at Tufts. In the early Azoffmade it clearthatthe system live in the area. see CARMICHAEL, page 10 pus groups that promote a par- I990s, there was a debate over a in place now is much more equi- ticular message or ideology that funding mechanism used by the table thana possible alternate plan Bubs take New York students may not support, and Massachusetts Public Interest which would allow students to claims have been made that this Research Group (MassPIRG), a have a say in where their money Any Tufts student who tuned into 104.3 FM in New York City violates students’ First Amend- consumer advocacy organization went. “It’sjustplain impractical- yesterday was able to hear the familiar sound ofTufts’ all-male a ment constitutional rights. that had a chapter on the Tufts there’s no way anyone is going to capella group, the Beezelbubs. Thecontroversy will reachnew campus for the previous half de- have the time orenergy to sit down The Bubs sang on the radio station for an approximate two heights in October, when for the cade. MassPIRG was later declared and divide it up [accordingto stu- million listeners yesterday as part oftheirmostrecent tSip first time the United States Su- illegal in the courts. dents’ wishes]. From an ideologi- York. After appearing on Late Night with David Le preme Courtwill get involved. The Reitman said the controversy cal standpoint, I wouldn’t believe spring and singing prior to major league baseball’s all-star game Supreme Court is expected to rule arose because students were ob- in that either because I think that in July, the Bubs were invited to beapa@oftheLe#mmaudience on a case it agreed to hearfhispast ligated to contribute $7.50 to sup- all our groups should have the once again. March in which fiveuniversity of port the group unless they specifi- same chance at funding as any Though they did not sing on the show, Letterman Wisconsin law students, who clas- cally expressed their desire not to other. Otherwise, I feel that it is Adam Burstein’s Tufts sweatshirt and asked if he sified themselves as Christian do so, as opposed to asking stu- kind of a form of discrimination. student. When he responded positively, conservatives, voiced objections dents to volunteer to give permis- You’re saying that I only want to other questions and had a running joke w to their money going to groups sion for their money to be used. give to the groups that I like and show. that support gay rights, the Cam- Following the decision, not give to others. As a student Along with their radio and television pus Women’s Center, and a cam- MassPIRG leftthecampusandthe government, we would basically also performed in a number of ‘‘ pus Green Party group, which pro- issue never arose again. then be discriminating against opportunity to sing before what Bu moted Ralph Nader’s presidential Reitman said that the case can- certain groups,” he explained. Krarner describedas a group oPv campaign in 1996.

Load more