The Week in Brief

Former Balkan reporter describes Kosovo

Hedges recounted his experiences as Balkan Bureau Chief from July '95 to July '98 primarily through anecdotes. One of the first American reporters to cover the war in Bosnia, Hedges relayed graphic tales of execution, rape, and ravage by Serbians in small Bosnian villages. "Eyes were gouged out, brains were torn in half," he said.

Hedges blamed the ignorance of the diplomatic and journalistic communities on the current crisis in Kosovo. "Diplomats suffer from the same disease as journalists, preferring the comfort of their hotel rooms to working out in the fields," he said.

Randi Levine, BK '02, drew inspiration from Hedges' previous work. "I've been working on how students can take action against genocide and Kosovo is obviously a striking example," she said. "Hedges brought up a lot of good points, especially concerning the role of foreign policy, reporters, and journalists in Kosovo."

--E. Tammy Kim

Long Wharf hosts panel on sexual harassment

COURTESY WOWPAC.COM The women's group WOWPAC spoofed the Thomas-Hill hearings to draw attention to sexual harassment.

A mockery of the Anita Hill, LAW '80-Clarence Thomas, LAW '74, hearings set the stage for a panel discussion on sexual harassment. Women Organizing Women Political Action Committee (WOWPAC) presented "Sex, Women and the Law: A Conversation about Sexual Harassment" at the Long Wharf Theater on Mon., Nov. 9.

The play portrayed Hill as if she were on trial. Thomas's character refers to Hill's allegations as "sleaze and dirt." The judge asks Hill if she is giving testimony because she wants to write a book or if she just has a "martyr complex."

The ensuing panel discussion featured four Yale Law School professors as well as Washington Post reporter Kirstin Downey Grimsley. WOWPAC President Nancy Greenburg said that their purpose was "to help remind us of the complex issues surrounding sexual harassment."

Grimsley, who spent two years researching sexual harassment cases for the Post said, "Most of us tend to think of sexual harassment as he aggressively wanted a date and she didn't like him." Later, she spoke of her own findings at Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America, where "hundreds of women were being sexually harassed and assaulted." Grimsley also informed the crowd of a new wave of harassment against pregnant women. She described a divorce proceeding in which a woman was forced to perform oral sex on the judge who was to determine which parent would get custody of her child.

--Algeria Aljure

Princeton to uphold current grading policy

Jameson Doig, chair of the political science department, confirmed that his department met two weeks ago to discuss grade inflation. Doig warned against making sudden changes. "If one or two schools were successful in pushing down the grading curve while others failed despite valiant efforts, it is likely that [the schools that succeeded] would be hurt in competition for places in the most competitive graduate programs, such as law schools," he said. He suggested that departments take action in line with other schools.

Nevertheless, departments have focused on making grading policies more consistent since the hype last spring. For example, the sociology department will analyze the grades at the end of the semester for trends.

--Adrienne Lo

New administrator to head Printing Office

"He acts as a bridge among faculty members and acts as a leader in order to create learning opportunities for the increasing amount of departments that are producing publications," University Secretary Linda Lorimer, LAW '77, explained. Lorimer, who directly supervises Gambell and his office, added that Gambell has worked for hundreds of corporate clients.

According to an article in Yale Alumni Magazine, Gambell will focus his attention on improving the appearance of University publications which either "reach an external audience, have the longest shelf life, or must convey complex information." He is also an expert on technological design, and will help redesign Yale's website.

--Alan Schoenfeld

Yale eye surgeon attends talk in China

On a continent where nearly 60 percent of its population is affected by myopia, laser surgery for eye correction is an important health service the government provides for free. Tauber said of China, "Based on the monumental number of patients who can experience improved outcomes from well-trained laser surgeons, the Global Chinese Ophthalmology Congress made an important contribution to public health."

--Kris Siriratsivawong

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