The Week in Brief

On Sun., Feb. 13, renowned Yale History Professor John Blassingame died unexpectedly at his home in New Haven. For more than three decades, Blassingame had a substantial influence on scholarship, Yale, and the world-at-large. He was 59 years old.

While many will remember Blassingame as the man who initiated the compilation of the writings of Frederick Douglass, Sterling Professor of History David B. Davis stressed Blassingame's role as one of the pioneers in constructing a new history of black slavery and race relations. "His book, Slave Testimony: Two Centuries of Letters, Speeches, Interviews, and Autobiographies, is an invaluable treasure trove on the slave experience," Davis said. "Without a doubt, it is the best collection of primary sources about the slave experience in a single volume."

Blassingame worked tirelessly to develop the African-American Studies program at Yale and served as program chair for a number of years. According to his wife Teasie, "John loved Yale more than life." In particular, he fought to bring more funding to the burgeoning program. "He felt there was room for improvement [regarding Yale's support for the program] in order to make it preeminent," his son, John Blassingame, Jr, said.

But the people who will mourn Blassingame include more than those in academia. According to Emma Jones, former executive director of the Connecticut African-American Society, Blassingame played a crucial role in helping people to better understand the historical, cultural, and social significance of the African-American community. In fact, Blassingame helped establish the Society—the first of its kind in Connecticut—and was an active advisor. Jones applauded Blassingame for dispelling many myths and misconceptions about African-Americans.

His wife also remembered his many acts of generosity, such as providing students at New Haven's Wexler School with money to go to the circus. "He was a truly unbelievable person who didn't know the meaning of selfishness," she said.

—Jane Gao

Long Wharf has long way to go

After months of controversy about the new shopping center, the state has announced—for unspecified reasons—that it will indefinitely postpone an important ruling on the environmental soundness of the new mall.

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development was supposed to have issued its decision by the end of last month, a judgment vital to obtaining a $28 million state grant for the construction of the shopping center.

"We're still evaluating information," James Watson, the development commission spokesman, told the New Haven Register in January. "I can say it's nearing completion. I can't give any sort of time frame."

Meanwhile, Westfield America, the company that owns the nearby Connecticut Post Mall, has fired its lobbyist in frustration after a long battle to stop construction of the Galleria at Long Wharf, and does not plan to hire a new one.

—Andrew Heller

More dining, less dining: the eternal struggle

The number represents a 20 percent increase from last semester, due perhaps to increased advertising and longer hours for Commons. But keeping Commons open until nine on weeknights is the extent of the accommodation for the time being."We are considering having dining options open beyond 9 p.m., but have not made any final decisions on this possibility," Clark said. "One change we hope to make soon is to open Durfee's on Saturdays."

The unlimited plan does not allow repeated entry to retail dining locations, foiling the plans of enterprising students who might have tried to walk away from the Law School dining hall with a box of Snapples. The unlimited meal plan also won't help you at Stiles and Morse, which imposed transfer restrictions on Mon., Feb. 7 for a two-week trial period. "We have heard from students in the past that limiting transfers restricts the dining options for all [by making neighboring dining halls more crowded]," Clark said. Nevertheless, he claimed that Dining Services are not to blame, saying, "The Masters and college councils decide on these issues, and then YDS enforces them."

—Kushal Dave

Sitting around waiting for sweatshops to stop

"Doing a sit-in is a huge sacrifice—grades, parents, sleep, food, personal comfort all go to hell for the sake of a sit-in," Amanda Bell, DC '00, a member of Yale's Students Against Sweatshops (SAS), explained. "No one sits in because it's a cool trend or because she or he wants attention."

Bell claimed that the FLA is a secretive organization that employs shoddy monitoring and that it is dominated by the very companies it polices. She contrasted it with the Workers Rights Consortium (WRC), which she claims is designed for colleges and utilizes stronger monitoring. "The other schools' victories bring more and more attention to the fact that the FLA is a publicity-seeking charade," Bell said. "We anticipate that both schools will become the WRC's newest members by the end of this month, as there is no viable alternative left open to them. Yale's continued membership in the FLA and refusal to join the WRC will only become a greater embarrassment as this semester's events play out."

After two years of negotiations, Bell said, Yale is approaching the deadline SAS has set for it. "The possibility that we will again be forced to use some form of direct action this semester is definitely in the air," she said.

—Jane Gao and Kushal Dave

Yes, SRI, we'll reconsider our investments

The 32-page proposal outlines "an ethical framework for the investment practices of colleges and universities nationwide," detailing STARC's demands on big business treatment of human rights, animal rights, environmental protection, and other issues.

"We believe that our proposal outlines a feasible strategy for promoting responsible corporate practices without harming the financial status of the university," STARC coordinator Terra Lawson-Remer, MC '00, said in an e-mail.

Part of this strategy calls for campuses across the country to form committees of students, faculty and other administrative officials to "encourage universities to seek out investments in companies that exemplify socially acceptable practices." In addition, the "Code of Conduct" suggests that colleges devote part of their investment capital toward community improvement projects.

—Andrew Heller

DAVID GEST/YH Students congregate outside of Toad's place to hear Bill Bradley. For more, see Bradley draws wild crowd to Toad's.

WORDS

CR/D/F

YALE INDEX
1. Price, in dollars, of Tuesday night buffalo wings at TK's	.10
2. Price, in dollars, of Tuesday night pitcher of beer at TK's	5
3. Cost, in dollars, of a YUDH dinner	10.5
4. Wings that could be purchased for 10.5 dollars	105
5. Calories per buffalo wing	100
6. Calories in 105 buffalo wings	10,500
7. Normal daily caloric consumption	2,000
8. Weeks of nourishment $10.50 worth of buffalo wings provide	.75
9. Weeks of nourishment $10.50 worth of YUDH food provides	.048
10. Weight of a male buffalo, in pounds	2,000
11. Top speed of a buffalo, in miles per hour	40
12. Rocky Mountain oysters per buffalo	2
13. Wings per buffalo	0

—Compiled by Daniel Serviansky

1,2) TK's; 3) YUDH; 4,6,8,9) Math; 5) Manny Caixeiro, BR '00; 7) High school biology teachers; 10,11) Buffalograss.com; 12) Jacob Heitler, ES '00; 13) TV

Back to News...