THETUFTS DAILY ]Where You Read It First Wednesdav, September 15,1999 Volume XXXIX, Number 5 I Blackout hits Tufts by BENJAMIN GEDAN dorms both uphill and downhill, Daily Editorial Board including Houston, Carmichael, ’ An underground cable fault last andTilton. Freshman Emily Jerez night somewhere in the Medford was doing her homework in area left Tufts students asking Haskell Hall when her ceiling lights “Who turned the lights out?” went out. She and her suite-mates The 32 minute blackout be- broughttheirreadingmaterialsand gan at 653p.m., forcing classes battery-operated lamps into the out of doors and granting stu- lounge and worked underthe emer- dents a brief reprieve from their gency lighting. Miller Hall resi- homework. By 7:25 p.m., Massa- dent freshman Nathan Rolander chusetts Electric had de-electri- also weathered the blackout with fied the affected area and re- the help of a few streams ofwhite routed electric service to Tufts light from the hallway emergency and the surrounding communi- lighting system. In Miller, how- ties. ever, Rolander said most people Mass Electric Spokesperson were more than happy to depart Maureen McDowell said that the from their studies. problem cable had yet to be iden- Classes in teaching facilities tified but that the blackout was such as the Olin Language Center definitely the result of physical and the Anderson engineering wear and tear and unrelated to building were moved outdoors usage. The intricate system of where light from the early underground cables requires evening’s sun still provided suffi- Eleven freshmen candidates regular maintenance, McDowell cient illumination. Freshman for TCU Senate debated in explained, and it is often impos- “The lights went out, and we Hotung Cafe on Monday. sible to avoid occasional compli- sat around for ten minutes wait- Elections will be held today. cations. ing for them to go back on. They Candidate Carl Jackson The search for the dilapidated didn’t go back on, so we left,” (right) speaks to the audi- cable has already begun, explained freshman Jeremy sqaure off ence. McDowell said, and repairs will White, who was in his Perspec- Photos by Kate Cohen take place as soon as it is discov- tives in the basement of East Hall ered. There will be no interrup- at the time. “We went to the by ERIKAGULLYSANTIAGO Candidate Carl Jackson cited tions of electric service while teacher’s house and had an ab- Contributing Writer more traditional areas such as stu- Mass Electric performs the nec- breviated class.” Eleven members of the class of dendfaculty relations and forced essary repairs as the wires will Tufts University Police Depart- 2003 gathered in the Hotung Caf6 trides as issues in need of atten- remain re-routed until repairs are ment reported no crimes or injuries Monday evening to debate some of tion, stating that an inadequate complete. resulting from the blackout. Staff the issues that currently face the living space breeds an inadequate Almost 600 Medford residents Sergeant Doug Mazzola confmed Tufts community. In hopes ofwin- learning environment. were left without powerduring the Mass Electric’s explanation that ning one of the nine seats that have Kenny Berlin touched upon sev- blackout that darkened all major the blackout was not caused by openedupontheTufts Community era1 issues that came up in Inst j‘mr’s Tufts buildings. The darkness any construction work taking Union (TCU) Senate,eachaddressed Senate, including the addition of “Ifyou want a senator who is for which descended abruptly on place on campus last night. the audience for two minutes, and another shuttle to Davis Square and the people, vote forme,” Berlin said. Tufts also hit private houses along Mazzolaansweredmany calls from then had 30 seconds to field ques- the possibility of crediting unused Andrew Potts conceded that a Goldsmith and Willis Avenues in Tufts students and said he en- tions from his or her peers. mealstopohts. Healsospoketothe second shuttle to Davis would be southern Medford but left off-cam- courages people to call in groups Only half as many freshmen are quality-of-life issues of softertoilet useful, but said that the Senate pus houses such as Wilson, Car- in the future to avoid inundating running for Senate this year, down paper in the dormitories and card- penter, and Dearborn untouched. from 22 last year and 23 in 1997. swipe door locks. see DEBATE, page 23 On campus, there was no power in see BLACKOUT, page 23 Elections will be held today in CarmichaelandDewickfrorn11 :XI a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. TCU Senate begins planning for new year They will be held in the Campus 4 Center from 1 1 a.m. to 7 p.m. by BROOKE MENSCHEL year on Sunday night. Hill, and Special Projects Chair position be filled by a returning The Senate hopefuls sug- Daily Editorial Board The five departed senators re- Kristi Tough resigned over the senator or one of the three new gested a number of possible cam- Following the resignation of signed for a variety of reasons. summer. Their abandoned posi- sophomore senators. pus improvements, including in- five senators elected last spring, Presidential candidate Vivek tions have yet to be filled, and Harris stressed teamwork as one stituting swipe cards to replace theTuflsCommunityUnion(TCU) Ramgopal stepped down at the although all senators are eligible of the keys to ensuring that the the current lock and key system, Senate is beginning a rebuilding first meeting in the spring follow- to assume the open jobs, includ- Senate runs as flawlessly as pos- extending dining hall hours to process. Senate President Larry ing the election. The four other ing the freshmen elected today, sible. “I don’t think things can be better accommodate athletes and Harris, announced many of his senators, Alexa Englander, Allo- Harris said he would prefer the accomplished without working as other students with evening com- goals and plans for the year at the cations Board (ALBO) Chair executive board position of histo- a team, without seeing the greater mitments, and adding softer, bet- first Senate meeting of the school AlyssaHeumann, Historian Ralan rian and the special projects chair goal,” he said. ter toilet paper in the dorms. “[We need to] take the Senate None of the candidates indi- back to the people who have be- cated how such measures would Complaints change Hodgdon stowed this pseudo-power,” Har- be implemented, but all expressed ris said, explaining that the Senate a desire to learn more about the byILENE STEIN of students in and out ofthe build- the dining hall to keep sandwiches plans on implementing avariety of issues that face their classmates. Daily Editorial Board ing. in stock. programs to bring the Tufts com- “I want to know the issues,” said Students who eat on the run “It was very congested,” said Lee received a number of com- munity back together. Senate hopefbl Isaac Dole, sum- may have noticed some policy Director of Dining Services Patti plaints from students, and then Part ofHarris’ overall plan will . marizing a desire expressed by all changes at the Hodgdon dining Lee, adding that students often took fast action in an attempt to include a Senate initiative to run of his fellow candidates. All 11 hall this year, Tufts’ premiere din- complainedaboutthe long lines in rectify the situation. one social program per month, prospective senators stressed that ing hall for food on the go. When which they had to wait to receive “As of Monday we added back open to all members of the Tufts they were easily approachable and Hodgdon’s doors first opened on their food when in a hurry. two sandwich stations,” she said. community,beginningwith the Fall genuinely concerned with the Sept. 6, students found they However, student sentiment Those students with few minutes Fest concert, scheduled for Sept. problems facing their peers. couldn’t havemade-to-order sand- against the new policies quickly to spare will still have the option of 25. The remaining social events ‘‘I want to be easy to talk to,” wiches or add their own condi- coalesced. “I’m norintohavingmy pre-packaged sandwiches and will be planned by the entire Sen- candidate Benjamin Bauertold his ments as they pleased, and they lettuce and tomato from baggies,” salads that they can grab and go. ate, with different senators as- classmates. noticed that the fresh salad bar said sophomore Shelly Nelson. The decision to add the two sand- signed to organize each event. One ofthe most pressing prob- was eliminated in favor of pre- Nelson was not the only stu- wich stations in Hodgdon was fi- Other ways Harris plans on lems at Tufts, according to candi- packaged sandwiches and salads. dent to voice an opinion against nalized at a Services Committee bringing the Tufts community to- dateMelissaCoolidge, isthat fresh- “Hodgdon was set up this year the new Hodgdon service. meeting with Dining Services on gether include the creation of the men don’t “know anything about as an all take-out pre-made dining “Hodgdon was always your home Thursday, Sept. 9, when both Leadership Alliance, on which the school.” Candidate Sarah hall,” explained Tufts Community away from home. Hodgdon was groups discussed their concerns Harris campaigned last year, and Sandison agreed, stating that she Union (TCU) Senate Services different than the big impersonal over negative student reaction to increased usage of culture repre- was“wil1ingto 1isten”toanyprob- Committee Chair Erin Ross. Ross dining hall,” remarked Ross. The the situation. sentatives. The Leadership Alli- lems encountered by her peers. added that “food safety issues” Senator also alluded to the lack of “I have never seen the admin- ance, which has been completely One Senate hopeful, Howard Lien, prompted the initial change be- selection and quality that resulted istration work so fast,” Ross said.