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byDANIELBARBARIS1 Asare said, “I want to emphasize Daily Editorial Board the factthatthis isnotthe firsttime Long-boiling tensions between that students have gathered like members of the student body and this. This is a long line of events, members ofthe administration fi- which for our year was catalyzed nally came to a head yesterday, as by Todd McFadden’s decision to nearly 200 students marched on leave .... Todd McFadden’s leav- Ballou Hall to present a set of ing has shown us that this is some- demands to the Tufts administra- thing we need to act on.” tion. The rally, led by members of Upon reaching Ballou, the PAA the Pan-African Alliance (PAA), leadership delivered their written set of demands on achieving -,, -. _. .. comes in the wake of the resigna- -r ~ ~~~~~ . .. - .- -,. ._ - ._ tion of African-American Center greater campus diversity directly Lory Alexander outlined several University Vice President Me1 Bernstein responded to the Director Todd McFadden Tues- to the University vice president, of these, insisting on a written demands of the assembled demonstrators. day night. provost, and dean of admissions. plan of action for admitting and Following a press conference Although numerous Tufts ietaining a larger and more-eco- held in Capen House, the PAA University Police Department nomically diverse number ofblack leadership ledamarchupthehill to (TUPD) officials were present both students, arestoration ofthe fund- Ballou hall, bearing “tombstone” in front of the building and ing cut from the budget of the placards naming each of the 24 throughout Ballou Hall at each African-American center, an im- minority administrators, faculty, administrator’s office,no violence mediate review ofplans for hiring and staff who have resigned or or conflict occurred at any point in and retaining more black faculty been asked to leave over the past the afternoon. members, and a written plan for five years. “Justthis morning, we received implementing the recommenda- PAA President Ohene Asare word that the administration had tions made by the Task Force on explained the reasons for the rally been warned that they should be Race. to those gathered for the march. prepared for a takeover of their “It does not seem unreason- able that all of the priority-one recommendationsbe completed by the year 2001,” Alexander said. “We consider the above stated to be only a few of the many issues which need to be addressed. They must be addressed immediately, specifically, and in writing. The Task Force made its recornmenda- tionsnearlyayearago,andwefeel that the specific, written recom- mendations require specific, writ- ten responses from the office of the vice president.” Once the PAA leadership en- tered Ballou, they gave their de- mands to Vice President for Arts, Sciences, and Technology Me1 PAA President Okene Asare presenting the list of demands to Bernstein, along with an invita- the vice Dresident. tion to address the crowd gath- ered outside. “We have come here today Confusion lingers because we believe that these are because of their small size, their-services are often seen as a “hard to issues that you, as the vice presi- get”commodity, leaving them overworked and us under-serviced. dent of the University need to Our third concern is the treatment of the African-American Center know about,” Asare said in and its staff. The development of the African-American Center on over the field house Bernstein’soffice.“Atthis time, we by ANDREW FREEDMAN wait untilall ofthe funding isavail- see PAA, page 13 see RALLY, page 13 Daily Editorial Board able and then build a more com- Plans for the field house con- plete facility. “We would rather struction are progressing amidst wait and do it in a complete and Bigotry course debate continues some confusion regarding the adequate way,” Schnirman said. possible usage of the facility. Schnirman is concernedthat the Tufts assesses current situation, future possibilities According to Vice President of currentplanwillleavethefieldhouse OperationsJohn Robert0,therewere, unfinished as the priorities of the by JORDAN SOLOMON In order to make Professor Brown’s proposal a at one time, eight phases planned administration change inthe future. Daily Editorial Board reality, many different factors would have to be “for the eventual renovation and “I’m worried thatthis University While the sun may be setting on yet another assessed, including the feasibility of such an addi- expansion of the fitness complex.” hasahistoryoffallingshort... this is semester at Tufts University, one ofthe fall’s primary tion for certain departments which traditionally Robertosaid that earlier,the field too big to fall short; I want to make controversies may have. only started to heat up. don’t delve into such issues. house was considered to be the sure it gets done right,” he said. In the midst of several forums dealing with the Vice President of Arts, Sciences, and Technol- basicbuildingaswellasan attached Schnirmanpointed tothecampus subject of race relations on campus during the se- ogy Me1 Bernstein said that the curriculum at Tufts complex of support faci I ities, includ- center as an example of changing mester, German and Swahili Professor Daniel Brown has the potential to be one suited for the possibility ing team locker rooms and ofice priorities. He said after the early spoke out publicly on his advocation ofthe need for of this requirement, but that a lot of examination space. The combination of the two phases of the campus center were an addition of a new requirement at Tufts in which would have to come before any action is taken. phases pushed construction costs constructed it “wasn’t their priority students would take a mandatory course focusing on “We really don’t have courses which directly to between $12 and$l4million. anymore.... It’s better to just finish bigotry before graduation. relate to that topic alone. I am confident, though, Now the adjacent areas are stuffoffthan totrytodoeverything.” According to Brown, the requirement would be that in the historical contexts and sociological con- considered to be “Phase 3B” and Schnirman also pointed to one which pervades every department, giving stu- texts, thesubject iscovered in anumber ofcourses;” “are subject to future fund-rais- DewicWMacPhiedining hallasan dents the option of studying the topic from the Bemstein said. ing,” Roberto said. The Univer- example ofapattem ofincomplete viewpoint of their field of interest. “We also have to look at things such as whether sity has secured funding to build construction projects. “Look at “Optimistically, close to 50 percent ofthe course this could be incorporated into the World Civiliza- the field houseonly (Phase3A)for Dewick; the original budget was content and assignments and things of that nature tion requirement. Hopefully, we’ll start to actively $9.5 million and plans to add on in substantially largerthan what hap- would deal with racism and bigotry in some way, and address those subjects in the spring semester,” he the future as money is available. pened, it was going to be a much the content hopefully could give some kind of mean- continued. This piece-by-piece construc- friendlierperformance space. Now ingful historical background that would relate to the Bemstein is, though, already satisfied with Tufts’ tion worries some, including Tufts we are never going to see that. If material,” he said. standing in this field relative to other universities. Community Union (TCU) Senate we are going to play catch up, it is While no formal proposal has been made, one ‘‘I don’tthink it’s lagging behind. [As could be seen President Jack Schnirman. better to do it right than to always alternative that Brown supports is a system in which in] the lecture that Kweisi Mfume gave when this Schnirman said the ad hoc con- be a little bit behind.” the course on bigotry would be a required course for question was asked of him, he said that if Tufts struction style is reminiscent of Schnirman said he feels that the completion ofthat student’s major. For this rea- institutes this, it would be a leader in the country,” VariousphasesoftheMayer Cam- the student body “understands son, he says that the requirement would not put any he said. pus Center renovation, which was that the University has avery mod- strain on students that would occur if the addition There are several departments that already have done this past summer. He said it were made to the distribution requirements already in may be in the students’ interest to see FIELDHOUSE, page 9 place. see BROWN, page 9 2 THETUFTS DAILY December 10,1998 - US customs break up A Colombian heroin smuggling1. ring The US Customs Service broke up a Colombian heroin smug gling ring Wednesday that was described as the largest eve1 detected in theCaribbean,arresting25 peopleand seizing$20millior from banks in nine countries. The arrests were carried out without incident at about 2 a.m Wednesday in Puerto Rico followinga year-long undercover opera tion, according to Customs officials. Five fugitives from the opera tion remain at large. About 400 pounds of heroin were also seized US officials have grown increasingly concerned about the spreac of Colombian heroin because of its unusually high purity, which makes it more addictive and easier to use than than the more adulterated heroin trafficked by other nations’ cartels. Its high purity means it can be smoked or inhaled, which authorities and public health officials fear will make it more attractive to would-be users who were repulsed by the necessity of injecting heroin Sunday Dec 13th intervenously. In 1997 the Drug Enforcement Administration found that more :han 60 percent of the heroin seized in the United States originated 9l?m in Colombia, a relatively new development that shows how Colom- 3ian drug organizations, traditionally the primary suppliers of Hotung Caf6 :ocaine to the United States and Europe, have diversified.