The Week in Brief

Yale profs debate future of Clinton presidency

COURTESY CNN

With students in doorways craning their heads to hear, three of Yale's leading American political experts discussed the question "Is there a future for the Clinton presidency?" at a Branford Master's Tea on Wed., Jan. 28. Politics, the constitution, and sex scandals were at issue as Bruce Ackerman from the law school and political science professors Stephen Skowronek and David Mayhew predicted Bill Clinton's, LAW '73, future.

Ackerman said Clinton may be exonerated, forced to leave office, or simply left alone despite his alleged affair with a former White House intern. He said while the third possibility is the most likely, Clinton is "not going to be able to wiggle out of this easily."

"Is there a future for the Clinton presidency?" Mayhew mused. "We can't ask that. The answer is not determined yet." Mayhew explained that "the outcome of a sex scandal cannot be seen early on. It becomes a matter of successful explanation." He added, "I don't think it's a constitutional crisis. It's a personality and a personal crisis."

Skowronek said impeachment is unlikely. "It's not in the interest of the Republican majority, but it's very much in their interest to have this wounded beast stumbling around."

--Yeora Song

Yalies to open Bulldog Videos in Hendrie Hall

Students dismayed by last spring's closing of Filmfest Video on Chapel Street will soon be able to borrow movies without leaving campus. Starting Mon., Feb. 2, Yalies will have the opportunity to rent videos from Bulldog Videos in Hendrie Hall, where they will be able to bursar bill their selections.

Andrea Wenner, ES '00, one of four student founders, said she and her friends were frustrated when the Administration's video rental proposals failed to materialize. They decided to take matters into their own hands and organized an associated student agency.

The Yale Bookstore briefly considered opening a video rental service, but decided against it when the students began talking about starting their own. According to Yale Bookstore general manager Gary Spearow, "We were planning to offer the video service, but student groups were concerned about competition, and we believe the students should have priority in running such a venture."

Wenner said she and her friends are optimistic about the future of Bulldog Videos. "We have invested a lot of time and work and we are excited to see how our efforts will turn out," she said.

--Melissa DePetris

Holocaust archive receives $250,000 grant

Yale's Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies received a $250,000 grant from the Charles H. Revson Foundation on Wed., Jan. 21. The grant will be used to preserve the archive's interviews with 3,800 Holocaust survivors and to fund a documentary film.

The oldest 2,500 hours of testimony, recorded over 15 years ago, must be copied on to industry-standard tape to prevent physical deterioration. The Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation, the GTE Foundation, and Fleet Bank are also contributing to the project.

The documentary will trace the history of the Holocaust and will include testimony from survivors, U.S. military personnel who liberated the concentration camps, and former members of the Nazi Party.

According to archivist Joanne Rudof, the Revson Foundation has always generously supported the archive. "They provided the start-up money which funded the first four years of operation completely," Rudof said. She hinted that the grant was not a complete surprise. "We communicate with the Revson Foundation regularly," she said. "They're like a parent. They've been extraordinarily generous to us over the years. It's an ongoing relationship."

--William S. Mauldin

President Levin fields questions at Tea

President Richard Levin, GRD '74, was the guest speaker at the Silliman Master's tea on Tues., Jan. 27. He spent an hour answering students' questions about everything from tenure to Yale's stock in tobacco companies.

Levin emphasized the importance of a diverse student body and said he believes Yale has found a "good balance" by promoting ties among people of similar racial and ethnic backgrounds without encouraging self-segregation. He said Yale should be a place where "students encounter and confront diversity, learn from it and grow." Levin also revealed that increasing international student representation will be an important goal for the University.

Levin addressed the recent changes in Princeton's financial aid policy, which will significantly reduce the price of loans for low- and middle-income families. The proposals have caused Yale to examine its own system, especially policies regarding international students. He assured the audience that "something will happen in time."

When asked about Yale's small number of tenured female faculty, Levin said it was "not satisfying to be at the bottom of the Ivy League in that regard." He encouraged individual departments to concentrate on finding outstanding women in their fields and that the University is also dedicated to increasing the number of minorities in tenured positions.

Levin expressed excitement about the development of new programs of study at Yale and said he hopes programs such as environmental studies will grow stronger.

--Emily Liebert

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