THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019 VOL. CXXXV
NO. 7
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
TAMARA WURMAN | ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
Activist talks escape from communism The book tells stories of fleeing China ANNA DUAN Contributing Reporter
Students, faculty, and members of the Penn community packed the Penn Book Center Tuesday night to hear Helen Zia read parts of her new book, “Last Boat Out of Shanghai.” Zia, an activist, writer, and former journalist, has spoken out on a variety of social issues, including LGBTQ rights, gender equality, and countering hate and violence.
“We are now at a point where we need to take all that we know and do the best with it.” - Helen Zia
Her new book, published in January 2019 after 12 years of research, tells the stories of four individuals who left Maoist China following the Communist Revolution in 1949.
The author said one of the characters in the book was inspired by her own mother. Left to fend for herself in Shanghai, Zia’s mother ultimately found herself on the last boat that left the city be-
fore Mao’s forces took over, bound for America at age 19. Zia said once her mother arrived in the United States as a refugee, she faced xenophobia and threats of deportation. “What they experienced is true seventy years ago and true today,” she said, drawing parallels from her mother’s story to today’s political climate. Zia said her parents arrived in the United States legally but overstayed their visas and hid for years because they feared deportation. When Zia SEE ZIA PAGE 2
BLM event focuses on LGBTQ rights Event was part of Black Lives Matter week COURTNEY DAUB Deputy News Editor
More than 50 students and professionals from Philadelphia joined panelists to discuss transgender issues in education and the workplace on Penn’s campus. The event was part of Philadelphia’s third annual Black Lives Matter Week of Action. The event, “Supporting Trans Educators,” was hosted at the LGBT Center on Monday evening. The panelists included educator and outreach specialist at the Attic Youth Center Hazel Edwards, social worker and therapist Sonalee Rashatwar, Black and Brown Workers Cooperative founder Shani Akilah, and Murrell Dobbins Career and Technical Education High School teacher Alma Sheppard-Matsuo. Panelists discussed various topics, such as the importance of self-care for working transgender people and streamlining communication by encouraging inclusive pronoun use in the classroom.
COURTNEY DAUB | DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR
The event was hosted at the LGBT Center on Monday evening. The panelists included educators and social workers who discussed transgender issues in education and the workplace.
Monique Perry, a member of the Trans Literacy Project and the Caucus of Working Educators as well as a Graduate School of Education student said the event was a crucial part of the conversation during Black Lives Matter Week of Action, an event that
began in Seattle in 2016. “One of the thirteen guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter movement is queer-affirming and trans-affirming,” Perry said. “If we’re talking about ways to support trans educators, we should be talking about blackness, we
OPINION | Cultural centers need more space “Yet, On Locust walk, the historic fraternity houses far oveshadow other groups.” - DP Editorial Board PAGE 4
SPORTS | Andrew looks to end career strong Senior swimmer Mark Andrew, who holds three program records and two Ivy League records, is nearing the end of his prolific career. BACKPAGE
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should be talking about antiblackness.” The event was organized by Caucus of Working Educators and the Trans Literacy Project, which was created last fall by Penn graduate students to proSEE EVENT PAGE 2
FOUNDED 1885
“Wynn” reference removed
LPS courses transitioning to online
Penn removed “Wynn Commons” from benches
Penn will be first Ivy to have a fully online program
OLIVIA CHENG Staff Reporter
GIANNA FERRARIN Staff Reporter
Penn removed two plaques that referenced “Wynn Commons” from benches outside College Hall on Feb. 4, following an inquiry from The Daily Pennsylvanian into the matter. The plaques will be replaced with “Penn Commons” over the next month, University spokesperson Stephen MacCarthy wrote in a subsequent email to the DP. “We were not aware that
Penn will begin offering an online bachelor’s degree program for the first time starting in fall 2019, which will replace the evening and weekend LPS classes that Penn has offered for more than 100 years. The new Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree will be offered through the College of Liberal and Professional Studies, which is a program for nontraditional students, such as
SEE WYNN PAGE 6
SEE LPS PAGE 2
Penn prof. on why sex is better under socialism
AUDREY TIRTAGUNA | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Ghodsee teaches Russian and Eastern European Studies. Her book, “Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism,” was published in 2018.
Ghoodsee opens up in a wide-ranging interview CLAIRE OCHROCH Staff Reporter
According to one Penn professor, women living under socialist governments enjoy better sex. Russian and East European Studies professor Kristen Ghodsee recently wrote the book “Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism: And Other Arguments for Economic Independence.” In the book, Ghodsee argues that when there is greater social security, women are better able to make more independent choices and have more personal freedom. “When there are larger social safety nets in place … like health care, education, childcare, and job protected maternity leaves, women do not have to marry for money,” Ghodsee said. “They can actually choose their partners based on who they like rather than who will pay their rent.” The book’s title is based on research by German sociologists, which was conducted after the Berlin Wall fell and gave researchers an opportunity to look at how different political systems can affect a previously homogenous population. After the fall of the wall, formerly Communist East Germany merged with West Germany in 1990 to become a unified nation. “Sexuality just happened to be one of the things that they were studying, but they were studying everything about how 40 years of capitalism versus socialism would change the way you
NEWS State of the Union met with skepticism
NEWS English class uses experimental writing surfaces
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thought as a person,” Ghodsee said. The Penn professor said her previous experience teaching a class called “Sex and Socialism” at Penn helped ease the writing process. College sophomore Shana Vaid, who took Ghodsee’s class last semester, described it as “very informative and also very fun,” citing her interest in learning about the relationship between socialism and feminism. Ghodsee’s interest in Eastern Europe sparked in high school, when boys in her Model United Nations club would not give her a country with veto power in the security council — leading her to becoming an Eastern Bloc specialist. Before becoming a professor, Ghodsee took a detour from her academic career and dropped out of college, citing her fear of nuclear disaster towards the end of the Cold War. “The world is going to end and I’m going to be sitting in some classroom taking a chemistry exam,” Ghodsee said. “So I’m out of here, I’m just gonna go, and I basically dropped out of college and bought a one way ticket to Spain.” Ghodsee maintained her interest in Eastern Europe, spending the summer of 1990 in the region shortly after the Berlin Wall fell. She began graduate school knowing that she wanted to continue studying the region. Through her work as an Eastern European Studies professor, Ghodsee was asked to write an SEE SOCIALISM PAGE 7
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filed a Freedom of Information Act request, she discovered her parents were nearly deported, but the court granted them residency as displaced persons because they had two American-born children. To separate the parents from their children, according to the Immigration and Naturalization Service files, would be “an extreme hardship and unusual cruelty.” For Zia, this a lesson for society today, in a time when the Trump administration has separated families and locked children in cages. “There’s a lot we can learn today,” she said, “that includes compassion and humanity.” The event was organized by Penn Book Center, the PanAsian American Community House, the Asian American Studies Program, the Asian Pacific Student Coalition, and the Asian American Studies Undergraduate Advisory Board. APSC Vice Chair and Engineering junior JingJing Zeng said she was impressed by the parallels between Zia’s novel and today’s immigration crisis.
“In moments like these we really see that history repeats itself,” Zeng said. ASAM UAB Co-chair and College senior Luke Kertcher said Zia’s discussion was especially relevant in light of the Trump administration’s recent deportation of some Southeast Asian Americans. Engineering senior Wenting Sun, who attended the event, said Zia’s talk struck a personal chord. Growing up in China, she never learned about the Mao-era Shanghai exodus, although she had heard about her grandparents’ struggles in the era. She added that Zia’s new book illustrates the importance of diverse, accurate representation in literature. As a nation of immigrants, Zia concluded, people should seek to learn more about their families’ histories to understand what their ancestors went through to live in America. If people better understand the effects that aggressive policies have on vast groups of people, she added, more people can be empowered to speak out against them. “We are now at a point where we need to take all that we know and do the best with it,” Zia said.
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working professionals. Incoming LPS students will complete their coursework online and will be required to visit campus for two “residencies,” similar to orientation days, during their academic term. Students currently enrolled in the LPS program will be permitted to complete their degrees on campus, LPS Vice Dean Nora Lewis said. New students who are starting next semester, however, will be required to start taking their courses online. As the program slowly phases out into offering solely online courses, current LPS students can continue taking LPS courses until they complete their program. Lewis said LPS decided to change the program to increase convenience for working adults who only want to be part-time students. She emphasized that this program would not replace residential education at Penn in the near future. “This is about our access mission and reaching audiences who could never come to Penn and be residential,” Lewis said. Sone students say they are concerned that the entirely online curriculum will replace the tradi-
Welcome CLASS OF
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Starting fall 2019, new students in LPS will be required to start taking courses online, replacing current weekend and evening classes.
tional Penn experience of coming to campus for their classes. LPS senior Logan Ayliffe, who studies cognitive science, said he would have picked a different program to pursue his bachelor’s degree if his only course options were online. Ayliffe cited the “tarnished reputation” that online bachelor’s courses face from employers as well as how these courses affect networking opportunities. “One of the main advantages of a place like Penn is networking,” he said. “Online courses just kind of take the soul out of
that entirely.” The new BAAS program will cost students $2,125 per course unit, whereas the current equivalent on-campus program costs $3,616. According to a new study from two university professors, for-profit online education programs, on average, overcharge students and have poor “student outcomes” in terms of academic performance and job placements. George Mason University professor Spiros Protopsaltis and Skidmore College professor Sandy Baum co-authored the re-
port and concluded that such programs “contributed to increasing gaps in educational success across socioeconomic groups.” “I think it’s really important to not believe that just because it has Penn’s name on it it’s going to be good,” Baum said. “It’s going to be a lot of work and take a lot of resources to do this right.” Unlike Penn’s traditional undergraduate program, the LPS bachelor’s program is not taught primarily by standing or tenured faculty. The majority of its courses are instead taught by long-time lecturers or “advanced graduated students,” Lewis said. Anna Safford, who teaches online creative writing courses for LPS, said she believes online learning opens up a range of “pedagogical possibilities” – if professors embrace the tools the platform provides, such as the Canvas website. Safford added that while current evening and weekend classes are mixed with traditional undergraduates, the online platform allows her to fully commit to specifically LPS students. Both Protopsaltis and Baum emphasized the importance of student-faculty interaction in ensuring the quality of online education programs. “As long as the program provides ample interaction,” Protopsaltis said, “I cannot see why this wouldn’t be a good thing for UPenn to try out.” News Editor Giovanna Paz contributed to reporting.
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vide education on transgender issues within and outside the university. Following the panel discussion, people broke into four groups and held 30 minute in-depth discussions with a panelist. Sheppard-Matsuo also spoke about being a high school English teacher who is publicly non-binary. Sheppard-Matsuo added that openly talking about gender iden-
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tity with coworkers and students creates a welcoming environment that encourages people to ask each other for their pronouns. Participants included several professionals, such as nonprofit workers and psychologists. Mazzoni Center worker Tyunique Nelson said she attended the event because it relates to her work as a support system for LGBTQ+ youth. She added that she appreciated Sheppard-Matsuo’s point that queer teachers can create welcoming spaces by encouraging inclusive pronoun use.
Nelson said she believed the conversations at the event should also take place at schools, so they could “talk about diversity, inclusion and ways that they can make their schools not only safer, but braver for LGBTQ+ youth and community members.” Addye Susnick, who works for education justice at Repair the World Philadelphia, said she hopes to take the event discussions back to the nonprofit sector. “It was a really powerful experience for me in terms of hearing other perspectives,” Susnick said.
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NEWS 3
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
Penn Museum workshop explores psychology of spices Prof. Paul Rozin discussed the culture of the chili pepper FELIX LI Contributing Reporter
At a spice and chili workshop Monday night, students were able to make and taste their own chili, grind their own spices, and examine artifacts from ancient spice-making cultures. The workshop, titled “Some Like It Hot: Psychology of Spice Making Workshop,” was hosted by the Penn Museum on Feb. 4. The event began with a presentation by Psychology professor Paul Rozin, who spoke about his research on the psychology and culture of the chili pepper. Rozin discussed the chili pepper’s unusual paradox and said it is “biologically rejected but culturally desirable,” comparing people’s enjoyment of chilis to their enjoyment of roller coasters.
Rozin also shared stories about his own research in Mexico, where he found that the social influence of Mexican cuisine was so powerful that children as young as 4 years old would frequently eat spicy food. He also noted that this phenomenon was uniquely human — while animals also ate spicy food, only humans developed a preference for it. Students who attended the event said they enjoyed Rozin’s talk and the interactive spicemaking workshop. “This has been a super positive experience,” Wharton senior Neeraj Chandrasekar said. “I think learning about the history of the spice and the biological reactions humans in particular have to the spice was super interesting to me.” College junior Staci Bell also attended the workshop and encouraged Penn students to visit the museum more frequently.
“The Penn Museum has so many awesome opportunities, and students don’t take advantage of that,” Bell said. “We have so many awesome artifacts here, and I feel more people should come.” The session was part of the museum’s “Making Workshops” series, which has taken place several times each year since 2014. These workshops — which usually combine a guest speaker with a hands-on activity — are designed to expose Penn students to interesting parts of the museum’s collections that are not available to the general public. “We want [Penn students] to be a part of the museum,” Kelsea Gustavson, teen and undergraduate engagement coordinator for the museum, said. “So it’s an initiative of our entire department to get Penn students more engaged with our collections.”
AUDREY TIRTAGUNA | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Students were able to make and taste their own chili, grind their own spices, and examine artifacts from ancient spice-making cultures. The event was hosted by the Penn Museum on Feb. 4.
Anne Tiballi, Penn Museum’s Mellon director of academic engagement, added that she hopes the workshops help students
destress. “We find that a lot of students really get into a meditative state when they’re working on some-
thing,” she said. “It’s a good balance for the more stressful moments of students’ careers and lives.”
Trump’s State of the Union met with doubt by Penn Dems Despite policy disagreements, the club tuned in
At the Penn Dems watch party in Rodin College House, attendees stressed the importance of observing the event, despite their policy disagreements with Trump. During the speech, members also played a special themed game of bingo, with boxes featuring ‘Trump claps for himself,’ ‘Make America Great Again,’ and ‘Job growth statistic.’ In the build-up to the address, some Democrats — including New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — suggested that people should pay attention to “none” of the State of the Union. Penn Dems President and College sophomore EJ Carlson said the group decided to hold their watch party to ensure that the group is “keeping tabs on Trump.” “Watching the State of the Union is something important for citizens in America, especially
GRANT BIANCO & CAMI DOO Staff Reporters
Penn Democrats gathered for a State of the Union Address watch party on Tuesday night, viewing with skepticism as President Donald Trump addressed the nation after the longest government shutdown in history, which ended more than a week ago. The 1968 Wharton graduate promoted his signature policy of a United States-Mexico border wall, took credit for the strong economy and increased energy production, and railed against investigations aimed at his presidency. College Republicans also hosted a watch party in an off-campus house, but upon arrival, a Daily Pennsylvanian reporter was asked to leave.
politically engaged citizens like Dems members,” Carlson said. Penn Dems member and College sophomore Chase Serota noted how critical it was for Americans to watch the address, adding that the public should not “automatically rule him out since he’s Trump.” In one memorable exchange after Trump saluted the gains of female workers, Democratic congresswomen rose in applause in their all-white attire inspired by suffragettes. Serota said it was important that the congresswomen were wearing all white, referencing the record number of female legislators currently serving in Congress. Despite some comments from Trump that aimed to unify the country, Penn Dems member and College sophomore Rachel Zaff said the atmosphere in Congress
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“Watching the State of the Union is something important for citizens in America,” Penn Dems President EJ Carlson said about the speech.
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was still decidedly partisan. Others were not impressed with Trump’s boast on the strong state of the U.S. economy. Lexi Lewis, Penn Dems outreach director and College freshman, said Trump takes “way too much credit” for the improving economy. “While the government can influence the economy in certain ways, I don’t think he should take credit for every single thing — it’s just capitalism,” Lewis said. The mood at the watch party was lighthearted throughout, with many Penn Dems members chatting and laughing at the speech. As Trump passed the hour-mark of the State of the Union, a member started to chant “We want Stacey,” referencing Georgia politician Stacey Abrams, who delivered the Democratic response after Trump finished his address.
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OPINION Penn cultural centers deserve more space than the ARCH basement
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2019 VOL. CXXXV, NO. 7 135th Year of Publication JULIA SCHORR President SARAH FORTINSKY Executive Editor BEN ZHAO Print Director SAM HOLLAND Digital Director ISABELLA SIMONETTI Opinion Editor MADELEINE NGO Senior News Editor THEODOROS PAPAZEKOS Senior Sports Editor GILLIAN DIEBOLD Senior Design Editor ALICE HEYEH Design Editor
T
he spaces that appear prominently on Penn’s campus speak to its values as an institution. Yet, on Locust Walk, the historic fraternity houses far overshadow other groups. Among the campus buildings — those along Locust Walk — there are very few spaces devoted to Penn’s main minority groups. Meanwhile, La Casa Latina, Makuu, and the Pan-Asian American Community House are confined to the basement in the ARCH building. These three cultural houses, which cater to over a third of Penn’s undergraduate population, need a bigger space than a basement under Tortas Frontera. The current space is too small to
JESS TAN Design Editor
TAMSYN BRANN Design Editor GIOVANNA PAZ News Editor
MAX COHEN News Editor DEENA ELUL Assignments Editor DANNY CHIARODIT Sports Editor MICHAEL LANDAU Sports Editor WILL DiGRANDE Sports Editor KATIE STEELE Copy Editor TAHIRA ISLAM Copy Editor DANIEL SALIB Director of Web Development AVNI KATARIA Audience Engagement Editor CHASE SUTTON Senior Multimedia Editor MARIA MURAD News Photo Editor ALEC DRUGGAN Sports Photo Editor SAGE LEVINE Video Producer SAM MITCHELL Podcast Editor REMI GOLDEN Business Manager JAMES McFADDEN Director of Analytics JOY EKASI-OTU Circulation Manager LAUREN REISS Marketing Manager THOMAS CREEGAN Senior Accounts Manager Shun Ye DP Product Lab Manager
are less likely to make use of the resources offered by groups like Mujeres Empoderadas and UMOJA if they are not easily visible. In a recent town hall held by the 6B — Penn’s six main minority coalition groups — leaders voiced their concerns with the cultural houses’ location. A student attending the forum also noted that “being shoved into a basement” made the student feel more marginalized at Penn and affected their mental wellness. When there are decadent, historic buildings devoted to fraternities, while PAACH, La Casa Latina, and Makuu only have single rooms in a basement, the University is sending a message that certain groups are more important than others.
The relegation of La Casa Latina, Makuu, and the Pan-Asian American Community House to a basement in the ARCH building is exclusionary.”
LUCY FERRY Design Editor
MANLU LIU News Editor
THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN EDITORIAL BOARD
accommodate meetings for cultural groups. Additionally, the placement of these groups also decreases their accessibility and prominence on campus. Students
With a $13.8 billion endowment, Penn has the financial resources to strengthen the presence of these groups on campus. In fact, one of the main pillars of the
The “Power of Penn” fundraising campaign is creating spaces that drive solutions. Yet, none of the planned nine new construction projects aims to solve the lack of space for cultural groups. As Penn’s campus grows over the next few years, the University has a responsibility to allocate space to underrepresented groups on campus. Still, Penn has allocated significant space to the LGBT Center, as well as the Penn Women’s Center. While these are steps in the right direction, there is more to be done. The solution could take many different forms. Two feasible options include Penn creating three new buildings, each devoted to a cultural center, or the University reallocating space for these centers. The latter isn’t an unprecedented solution — many former fraternity houses on Locust Walk have been converted by Penn for new purposes over the years. For example, the Women’s Center at 3643 Locust Walk was the former chapter house of Theta Xi. The Acacia Fraternity House is now Penn’s LGBT Center. The University could also rearrange the current setup of the ARCH building, moving the cultural centers above ground.
Penn is an institution with a long history of exclusionary practices, from the trustees’ historic connections to slavery to the lack of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus. If the administration truly wants to prioritize diversity and inclusion, changes must be made that empower minority
FILE PHOTO
groups on campus. This can start with devoting funding and resources to them. As it stands, the location of Makuu, PAACH, and La Casa Latina is a clear indication that Penn is still undervaluing the breadth and importance of these organizations and their constituents.
Ralph Northam broke our trust. His apology didn’t fix it. GUEST COLUMN BY TAMARA WURMAN
I
know I speak for many Democrats when I say that I was beyond disappointed when the yearbook photos of Governor Ralph Northam were released, revealing his unexpected racist past. It can be easy to only expect the worst of our opposition, so seeing damaging actions come from within our own party can be crushing. On Friday, a photo from Northam’s yearbook was leaked with a man in blackface standing next to someone in a KKK hood. Northam issued an apology for his racism that same day, but later claimed that he is not any of the people pictured. Northam has accomplished many great things in his time as Governor of Virginia. He fought to expand women’s rights to abortions, restructured the budget, and passed coastal environmental reforms. These policy successes shouldn’t
be forgotten. His political record may be something to applaud. But in light of these photos—in light of this explicit and undeniable racism—Governor Northam must resign. His resignation is not only what’s best for Virginia, but is necessary for the future of the Democratic Party. I respect his initial apology. It is incredibly difficult to own up to and recognize harmful mistakes. Perhaps Northam, as a person, is redeemable and has grown out of whatever immature impulses or ignorance led him to use blackface. Despite this, his denial of his involvement in the photos after having already apologized has further and irreversibly broken the trust between him and his constituents. Northam’s past and the way he has handled the negative press associated with these photos prove that he has alienated the people of Virginia
and no longer possesses the authority to effectively govern. Even if he has matured as a person, it by no means qualifies him to hold an elected position, nonetheless serve a state that has a powerful history of racism and of denying African American people their agency. It is easy to read headlines and become cynical about the future of our government. Everyone has their own negative baggage (albeit some worse than others). But I remain hopeful that there are a plethora of elected officials who are genuine and true to not only the Democratic platform, but also to their individual morals. We have to make room for politicians who don’t have any past of racism or bigotry and allow them to lead the party in the right direction moving forward. Northam’s actions stand in antithesis to our Democratic values of inclusion and equality—values that we must pri-
oritize. We are the party of diversity, and as such we cannot tolerate leaders who abandon the core tenets of what we stand for. In this new era of deep polarization, it is crucial that we maintain moral integrity. Trump may have normalized racism, sexism, and xenophobia in the Republican party. But, as Democrats, we hold a responsibility to reject all instances of this ignorance to preserve our principles. We can’t forget that, even if it means criticizing (and at times, rejecting) our own. I don’t think Northam is the worst politician out there. And he doesn’t have to be. As the Democratic Party, we need to hold our leaders to the utmost standards. As a party that is actively fighting against the negative reforms being pushed forward by the Trump administration, we cannot give in and betray our values. That’s why we, Penn Democrats,
have joined the chorus of Democratic leaders calling for the resignation of Governor Northam. We must hold ourselves and our fellow partisans accountable, because bigotry knows no party lines. If both parties were to adhere to this standard, we’d eradicate hate from our political landscape. Moving forward, we need to set high expectations for our country’s leaders. Because until then, and only then, will we start to see the moral clarity that is necessary to vocalize our concerns and resolve the issues we care about. TAMARA WURMAN is a College freshman studying Political Science and Communication. Her email address is communications@ penndems.org. She is the director of communications for Penn Democrats. She is also a DP associate photo editor and design associate.
THIS ISSUE CAROLINE CHIN Design Associate
CARTOON
LINDA TING Design Associate AVA CRUZ Design Associate WINNIE XU Design Associate JACKSON SATZ Sports Associate JACKSON JOFFE Sports Associate SON NGUYEN Associate Photo Editor MONA LEE Associate Photo Editor TARÉ FLOYD Associate Photo Editor ALEXA COTLER Associate Photo Editor
LETTERS Have your own opinion? Send your letter to the editor or guest column to letters@thedp.com. Editorials represent the majority view of members of The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc. Editorial Board, which meets regularly to discuss issues relevant to Penn’s campus. Participants in these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on related topics.
BEN CLAAR is a College senior from Scarsdale, N.Y.
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Coming to Penn made me appreciate Lunar New Year CHRISTY’S CORNER | How I came to appreciate my Asian culture at Penn and in my hometown
CHRISTY QIU
M
y sister FaceTimed me this past weekend and asked, “Jiě, remember how you used to hate this?” Hate is a strong word, but yes, I did not always look forward to our annual Lunar New Year celebration. I despised the constant chatter, the blasting Chinese folk music, and the awkward interactions with distant family friends. I had never considered Lunar New Year to be an actual holiday. Lunar New Year is a national holiday in many Asian countries, including China, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, and Singapore, and is the most anticipated day of the year for my family. Every year, my mother would allow us to skip school on the Friday of Lunar New Year to make the three-hour trek to my uncle’s place, where the celebration would take place. From then on, it was a weekend of festivities. Just looming around the corner, this year’s Lunar New Year will be the first one I spend away from home, away from my family’s rambunctious celebrations. They say you never truly appreciate something until it’s gone. My heart aches as I see WeChat posts of my family’s most recent celebration. I miss my family’s signature rice cakes, the always delightful exchange of red envelopes, my mom’s overflowing joy displayed through her never-fading smile, and even my uncle’s terrible singing. Now that I’m away from home, Lunar New Year has a new meaning to me. Like many others, I struggled in adjusting to the competitive, pre-professional nature of Penn. I searched for a new identity — one that ignored my Asian half and focused on my American half — because in my confused freshman mind, this was the only way for me to thrive at Penn.
JESS TAN | DESIGN EDITOR
Now, as I grow more comfortable in my second semester freshman skin, I realize that Lunar New Year is a day that must be cel-
ing up in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles, I was enclosed within a bubble of Asian people. U.S. News reported that my high
ery person I encountered seemed to be the same Asian American, going to SAT-prep classes, complaining over A-minuses, compet-
Talking about topics that linked me to my Asian heritage was not something to be ashamed of, but rather an act that must take place in order for me to paint the full picture of who I am with the most vibrant colors.” ebrated, a day that honors the history of my family’s heritage, and a day that reminds me of how proud I am to be Asian — a feeling that I have not had for the most part of my time at Penn. For some Asian-American students starting college at Penn, which has an Asian undergraduate population of roughly 20 percent, this has been their first exposure to a campus with a relatively large Asian population, and that alone can uplift their Asian identity. It was the opposite for me. Grow-
school was 69 percent Asian. Where I grew up, being Asian was the norm, and in many of my classes throughout my four years of high school, there would not be a single non-Asian person. Boba spots scattered every corner of every street. An Asian supermarket would appear in every 3-mile radius. Authentic Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean food was served on every block. My city, Arcadia, was nicknamed Arcasia. I desired to escape this bubble. I longed for diversity, where not ev-
ing with fellow Asian classmates to get into highly selective colleges, and desiring to fulfill their parents’ wishes of them becoming a doctor or engineer. In comparison, Penn, with a smaller Asian population, would be a refreshing change. One semester into Penn, I found myself drifting away from my Asian identity. I desired to assimilate, and I eagerly crossed out Asian cultural groups from my list of clubs I wanted to join. I considered the act of heavily involving
myself with these groups as seeking safety and comfort. With the exception of a select few friends, I stopped talking about my love for Korean pop music, my concerns towards aspects of Asian American culture, and anything that would trace me back to my Asian heritage. Only toward the end of first semester, I started to feel a void in my identity. I realized I could never cut out my Asian heritage no matter how hard I tried to neglect it — it’s the part of me that connects me to my family and an essential part of what makes me, me. Attending Asian cultural events, like Asian Pacific American Heritage Week or CSA’s Annual Dumplings Fest, is not a sign of reverting back to my old self, but rather a way to connect and embrace my Asian culture. Talking about topics that linked me to my Asian heritage was not something to be ashamed of, but rather an act that must take place in order for me to paint the full picture of who I am with the most vibrant colors.
I’ve come to appreciate both the abundance of Asian culture in my hometown along with the substantial amount here at Penn. I know that wherever I go, I will bring my Asian culture alongside with me, and Penn makes it easy for that to happen with the abundance of cultural groups, including CSA, HKSA, and KSA, many of which have collaborated on bringing Lunar New Year celebrations to campus. Whether you are Asian, Hispanic, African American, or any other race, make Penn a new site for sharing stories about your culture and celebrating your family’s heritage. To my fellow Asian students: As much as Penn may warp the image of your self-identity, celebrate the Lunar New Year like you would at home and use this special day to connect and gain an even stronger. CHRISTY QIU is a College freshman from Arcadia, Calif. studying architecture. Her email address is christyq@sas.upenn.edu.
Regardless of success or failure, Penn students should have self-worth SIT WITH ME | At Penn, many of us have always been successful, but at what cost?
L
CATHERINE LIANG | DESIGN ASSOCIATE
ast school year, I was sitting in a study lounge in Hill College House
when my friend showed me an Instagram photo on his phone. It was a picture of a high school
The very fact that we are students at Penn speaks to our intelligence. Some of us have never really felt overwhelming rejection or underachievement.”
student crying. The caption was: “Worst day of my life.” It was Ivy Day — when all the Ivy League universities release their admissions decisions. Throughout the world people that day anticipated the results of their college admissions decisions. For those denied, their friends and families tried to sympathize with their pain. But for those accepted, is it all celebration as we jump and scream with
our families? I thought back to the day I received my acceptance letter from Penn. I remember feeling incredibly anxious. I refreshed my browser waiting for the result. I feared thinking about who I would be without a college acceptance. And I remember the incredible relief once I had found out I had been accepted. A different result would have hurt my self-esteem. But I wasn’t
rejected, so all was well, right? In my case, my accomplishments were in total control of my self-worth. Now at Penn, I ask myself before any big decision: Regardless of whether or not I get this, will I still have selfworth? If the answer is no, I think that a lot of us at Penn are enforcing a losing mindset, regardless of if we get what we want. We do this by slowly training ourselves to believe that our accomplishments dictate our self-worth. We have drilled into ourselves a “do-or-die” mindset. The very fact that we are students at Penn speaks to our intelligence. Some of us have never really experienced overwhelming rejection or underachievement. We’ve accomplished, and then continued to accomplish more and more. When we are pressured to find a job, to apply for multiple clubs, and then we do achieve those things, this conditions us to accept that our self-worth is in the hands of our accomplishments. That pressure and stress has worked for a lot of us. I know I’ve often thought, “good thing I got in, or that would’ve really lowered my self-confidence.” But that doesn’t mean the damage wasn’t done. It just means that it pushes the pressure on to my next accomplishment. We must value ourselves even when rejected. I urge everyone to ask themselves how a decision
JOEL LEE will affect their self-esteem before making it. In a perfect world, I see our accomplishments having very little hold on our self-worth. But there’s still space for healthy motivation, where we push ourselves to succeed. We should be proud of our accomplishments, but they should not control how we feel about ourselves. I encourage everyone to ask themselves before applying to a club or an internship: “Regardless of whether or not I get this, will I still have self-worth?” In the beginning, it was “no” after “no” for me — a computer science test I wasn’t OK with doing poorly on or a club that I really wanted to get into. But, slowly, I’m starting to make my answer “yes” instead of “no.”
JOEL LEE is a College sophomore from Groton, Conn. His email address is joelslee@sas.upenn.edu.
6 NEWS
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
>> FRONT PAGE
there was still that small reference to Wynn Commons on the bench plaques, thus they were removed and will be replaced soon without the Wynn reference,” MacCarthy wrote in an email on Feb. 5, three days after the DP’s initial inquiry. The benches are located outside in the Penn Commons area, behind College Hall and facing Houston Hall. In February 2018, Penn announced that it would remove 1963 College graduate Steve Wynn’s name from “Wynn Commons” following sexual misconduct allegations against the former Trustee. Nearly a year after the announcement, the two benches behind College Hall still bore plaques acknowledging the donation that went toward “Wynn Commons.” “The University of Pennsylvania gratefully acknowl-
edges the generosity of Robert Weiser, C’74, and Susan Gorel Weiser, CW’74, for helping to create this garden area in Wynn Commons,” one of the benches, which sits outside of the admissions office entrance, read. The second bench plaque
“the University does seem to care ... about responding to allegations of sexual violence.” - Kara Hardie also thanked other donors for creating the “Wynn Commons” garden area. In 1995, Wynn donated $7.5 million to Penn to build Wynn Commons. In January 2018, after dozens of sexual miscon-
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duct allegations against the mogul were reported by the Wall Street Journal, Penn announced it would rescind Wynn’s honorary degree and remove Wynn’s name from Wynn Commons. Wynn also stepped down from his position as CEO of casino company Wynn Resorts Ltd. in February 2018. He is now facing dozens of sexual misconduct allegations, but he denies all allegations. College senior August Gebhard-Koenigstein, who works in the Undergraduate Admissions Office, said he occasionally eats lunches on the benches, which he says “no one really uses.” GebhardKoenigstein said he noticed the plaques there shortly after the University decided to remove the larger signage in February 2018. Students said Penn made the right decision removing the bench plaques. “I think that was really encouraging to see that the Uni-
EMILY XU | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
In February 2018, Penn announced 1963 College graduate Steve Wynn’s name would be removed from “Wynn Commons.” In Feb. 2019, two benches still behind College Hall bore plaques acknowledging Wynn.
versity does seem to care — at least on appearances — about responding to allegations of sexual violence, even from really prominent donors,” said College senior Kara Hardie, chair of Abuse and Sexual Assault Prevention. Undergraduate Assembly President and College senior
Michael Krone said the removal of the plaques “was a really good step that the University took to strike his name, and it shows that no matter how much you put in — no amount of money can erase bad deeds.” College junior Tanya Jain, chair of Penn Association for
Gender Equality, supported the University’s decision to remove the plaques, but added that she hoped the University would acknowledge the name’s presence and apologize for not addressing the name sooner. “I do think it’s important that they recognize their lack of oversight,” Jain said.
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NEWS 7
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
Class lets students write anywhere but the page Students have written on bodies, bathrooms, and more
“My job as a teacher here is to expose students to other ways of being in the world.”
MARIRI NIINO Contributing Reporter
College junior Michael Greenstein graffitied “Welcome to Penn State” across campus in bright blue font as part of a course assignment last week for ENGL 111, “Writing Off the Page.” The course explores the limits of writing and alternative forms of expression. Each week students receive an assignment, such as “make the private, public,” and complete it by creating a written installation anywhere except for on a physical page. Kenneth Goldsmith, who teaches the course, said students have written on surfaces such as bodies, bathroom doors, the internet, and trees. He added that the course is designed to promote self-expression and encourage creative forms of thinking. “[Students here] were taught one trick and to perfect that one trick over and over again until [they’ve] achieved the capability of getting into a school like Penn,” Goldsmith said. “My job as a teacher here is to expose students to other ways of being in the world.” Greenstein, who graffitied the campus, said he aimed to “deface the logo and brand” of
- Kenneth Goldsmith
CORNELIA SOLLFRANK | CC BY-SA 2.0
Goldsmith is known for teaching unconventional writing courses at Penn, including “Wasting Time on the Internet” and “Uncreative Writing,” which encourages students to copy previously published content.
Penn. “I think students at Penn take themselves too seriously,” he said. “It’s X, Y, and Z. This is your frat, this is your social group, this is the club you are
going to do for four years, this is the job you are going to get when it’s all over.” Greenstein added that he placed Penn’s logo next to the words “Penn State” to highlight
Penn’s “in-group and out-group culture.” He also tied balloons that said “Welcome to Penn State” to the Benjamin Franklin Statue on Locust Walk and to the railings in front of Hunts-
man Hall and Fisher Fine Arts Library. 2008 College graduate Steve McLaughlin took “Uncreative Writing,” a similar experimental writing class by Goldsmith, when he was a student. McLaughlin said he recalls one student filling an empty brick on the sidewalk with pig guts, and another setting a jar of flies free in the classroom. To complete an assignment to “make the private, public,” McLaughlin hung a flag imprinted with a computer password on the roof of Fisher Bennet Library. Greenstein said he values Goldsmith’s class because it allows him to think meaningfully and provides a break from other stressful classroom environments where students care more about grades than learning. But he stressed that English 111 is not a “fake, easy class,” adding
that he spends the entire week thinking about his installation and its meaning. Goldsmith, a prominent experimental poet, has written 10 books on poetry and was invited to perform at the White House for former President Obama in 2011. He was also the Museum of Modern Art’s first poet laureate in 201. Goldsmith is known for teaching unconventional writing courses at Penn, including “Wasting Time on the Internet” and “Uncreative Writing,” which encourages students to copy previously published content. “The cornerstone of a good undergraduate liberal arts education is exposure to new ideas you might never be exposed to again,” Goldsmith said. “I don’t expect great literature. I expect great openness. Be experimental.”
John Casey wins Wharton UA representative special election
Casey won 61 votes, 14 more than his challenger CONOR MURRAY Staff Reporter
Wharton sophomore John Casey won a special election to fill a vacant Wharton representative seat on the Undergraduate Assembly, the Nominations and Elections Committee announced Jan. 30. Casey was elected with 61 votes, ahead of runner-up Wharton sophomore Chris Cherian, who received 47 votes. Casey will fill the seat that was vacated after Wharton senior Nile Nwogu resigned at the end of last semester. Prior to his election, Casey served as an associate member of the UA, an unelected position that does not have voting privileges. He will now serve as one of four Wharton representatives on the UA until the entire board is up for elec-
MONA LEE | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Casey cited club recruitment reform, increasing mental health services, and exploring the impact of Huntsman Hall’s new reduced hours as the major issues he hopes to tackle throughout his tenure.
tion later this spring. Now as a full member, Casey is eager to continue his work with the assembly in a more influential
capacity. Casey said his goals are guided by his new position as a representative of the Whar-
SOCIALISM
>> FRONT PAGE
op-ed for the New York Times on women’s lives under Communism, based on an essay from her previous book. The op-ed was published amid a frenzied national atmosphere, at the same time as the violent 2017 Charlottesville white nationalist protests. Because of the nature of the piece and the coincidence of the date of publication, Ghodsee received extreme reactions. “[There were] death threats, rape threats, all sorts of crazy, people went crazy — I mean really really, crazy. It was on Fox News,” Ghodsee said. After the op-ed, she was approached by a publisher to write “Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism” and to expand on the female Communist experience — although some academics warned her not to write it, she said. “They thought that it was stupid for me to do it,” Ghodsee said. “I had to speak to people in a way that they could understand, and a lot of my colleagues I think frown on that.” Penn professor of Russian and East European Studies Mitchell Orenstein was also one of the colleagues who encouraged her to write the book and expand on her controversial NYT op-ed. “I think in the short op-ed piece, the claim came off as kind of sensational and very controversial, and she wasn’t able to really develop the arguments she wanted to make,”
“I had to speak to people in a way that they could understand, and a lot of my colleagues I think frown on that.” - Kristen Ghodsee Orenstein said. Since the book was published in November 2018, Ghodsee has been accused of wanting a new communist regime, but she
said that is far from the truth. “This is not a book that’s advocating that we should go back to any form of 20th century communism or 20th century
ton student body. He cited club recruitment reform, increasing mental health services, and exploring the impact of Hunts-
state socialism,” Ghodsee said. “That experiment was the failure, and there’s no doubt about that.” The book advocates for socialist policies that are present in Scandinavian countries such as job-protected paid maternity leave, federal subsidized child care, universal pre-kindergarten education, and gender quotas in politics and businesses. “These are things that we can all institute that would make people’s lives better — there are very concrete things that I talk about in the book,” Ghodsee said. “And the question is just the political will to do them.”
man Hall’s new reduced hours as the major issues he hopes to tackle throughout his tenure. Out of these, Casey said club recruitment reform is his “number one priority,” an issue he worked on as an associate member of the UA. He has met with Penn Labs in hopes of creating a cohesive online resource with information about all clubs on campus to ease the overwhelming recruitment process. Casey also aims to push back against the policy that limits the Huntsman Hall Counseling and Psychological Services clinician specifically for use by Wharton students. He hopes to reach out to CAPS and see how this “embedded model” can be expanded for all students. “Because we are a college of four schools, services shouldn’t be limited to one specific school, especially when it comes to mental health which
is so far-reaching,” Casey said. Casey also hopes to examine how Huntsman’s new, reduced hours affect students. After a semester in his new role, he said he wants to take action based on the student feedback he receives. “I think the biggest issue Penn students face is the sense of belonging,” he said. “Once I’m here, am I embedded enough that I can call this home?” Casey said these goals motivated him to serve on the UA’s Student and Campus Life Committee as an associate member. By focusing on major issues that concern his constituents, Casey said he will be able to improve student life. “Now this is so much more than just what John Casey thinks what is wrong with Penn,” he said. “It’s what the kids in my Wharton classes think is the problem with Penn.”
Live music • Film • Dance • Theater Art Education • Community Vision Driven Artists host a FREE Workshop! Introduction to Arts Grants Feb 11 @ 6:00 PM Open to the Public Demystify the language and process behind grant writing. Learn how to find and submit grants Refreshments provided. No sign-up necessary The Nursing Story Slam Feb 13 @ 6:00 PM FREE & Open to the public Nurse’s have the best stories. Penn Nursing and Penn Medicine Nursing are hosting a nursing-focused Story Slam event. For more information and to RSVP, nursing.upenn.edu/storyslam FREE Movie Screening Zama & Entranced Earth Feb 14 @ 8:00 PM ZAMA (2017, directed by Lucrecia Martel, 115 minutes, Argentina) ENTRANCED EARTH (1967, directed by Glauber Rocha, 106 minutes, Brazil) Bowerbird pres. the world premiere of Greg Brown’s Fall and Decline performed by Variant 6 Feb 15 @ 8:00 PM Admission is FREE The new work composed for voices and electronics is based on texts of Sadakichi Hartmann, Eprenius, Todd Hearon, Edward Gibbon, and Omar Khayyam.
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8 SPORTS
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM
Men’s basketball faces another pivotal road series at Brown and Yale Quakers split away games at Bears and Bulldogs last year ISAAC SPEAR Associate Sports Editor
The great Northeast tour continues. Penn men’s basketball is hitting the road again for weekend games against Brown and Yale after notching an away game split last weekend at Cornell and Columbia. The defending Ivy League champion Quakers (13-7, 1-3 Ivy) have gotten off to a rocky start in conference play, but with wins this weekend they could build up some significant momentum going into a four-game home stand. “If we get a lot of our hard work done, if we can really buckle down this weekend and get some wins, then we’re in great shape,� coach Steve Donahue said. The Ivy League schedule has some quirks that are unique among all other college basketball conferences. Once League play begins, each team plays back-to-back games every week-
ALEXA COTLER | ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
In last weekend’s two-game series against Cornell and Columbia, junior forward AJ Brodeur scored a total of 41 points, added 21 rebounds, and recorded a field-goal percentage of .556 in a split for Penn.
end, with both being either at home or on the road. This can take some getting used to, especially for a team like Penn that has a good number of young players in the rotation. Ju-
nior forward AJ Brodeur stressed the importance of bringing the freshmen up to speed quickly. “Throwing those young guys into the speed of a Division I basketball game two nights in a
row every weekend for the next five or six weeks is going to be tough,� Brodeur said. Five other Ancient Eight teams will be subjected to backto-back weekend road trips later
in the year, but the Red and Blue face that challenge right off the bat. This makes the upcoming games against Brown (13-7, 1-3) and Yale (13-4, 3-1) all the more important, as the long road stretch could end up being the difference between making the Ivy Tournament and watching from home. Donahue, however, feels that his team is prepared to finish the trip strong. “Let’s not get down because we’re on the road,� Donahue said. “We know what’s coming. Let’s give it our all here and get wins on the road so we can come home and feel good.� The Red and Blue realized after last weekend’s games that no Ivy opponent is going to hand them an easy win, and the Bears and Bulldogs will be no different. Brown represents the current trend in the Ivy League of a young but talented roster while Yale boasts a much more experienced group of primary contributors. “[Experience] is definitely a huge advantage, especially in the current climate of the Ivy League,� Brodeur said. “It really is a young league with a lot of
talent.� Against Brown, the Red and Blue will be looking to shut down the dynamic sophomore duo of guard Desmond Cambridge and forward Tamenang Choh, who are the Bears’ top scorers from the outside and inside, respectively. Yale has a much more spread out offensive attack, with five players averaging double-digit scoring. Each of the top four scorers for the Elis, however, are upperclassmen, so they have the advantage of experience. The Red and Blue did struggle to an extent in road games against these teams last season, losing by a point to Yale and taking a close win against Brown in a high-scoring affair. Regardless of the arena, however, Donahue knows that every Ivy League game is, in essence, the same. “No matter what, these games are all going to be difficult, home or away,� he said. Even though the Quakers know these games will be a grind, they are determined to set out on the path back to the top of the standings, and it all starts with what could be a major turning point in their season.
Fencing, squash, and track highlight key matchups for Penn Men’s fencing has chance to clinch fourth straight Ivy title SAMANTHA KLINGELHOFER Sports Reporter
As Penn men’s and women’s basketball continue Ivy League play against Brown and Yale, several other Penn Athletics teams will look to find success in competitions across the country. Here are a few key matchups that Penn will be involved in this weekend. Men’s fencing vs. Harvard Penn fencing will head to New Haven, Conn. to compete in the Ivy League Championships, which begin on Saturday. According to junior foil Raymond Chen, Harvard will be Penn’s
toughest matchup for a number of reasons. “They have an incredible lineup behind [senior] Eli Dershwitz and [sophomore foil] Geoffrey Tourette,â€? Chen said. “Eli is currently the No. 1 sabre fencer in the world ‌ and Geoffrey was the individual Ivy champion last year.â€? Additionally, this weekend’s matchup will prove critical to Penn’s shot at winning at least a share of the Ivy title for the fourth consecutive year. “The second reason Harvard will be our biggest match up has to do with what happened at last year’s Ivies,â€? Chen said. “We were the only team to beat Harvard last year in their entire season, and because of that we were able to get a piece of the title.â€?
In addition the Harvard-Penn matchup, this year’s Ivies are looking highly competitive, with Chen noting that every team this year has a chance of winning the title. “It’s going to be really important that our team starts off strong and that we take the momentum and intensity from one match to the next,� Chen said. “While this year’s Ivies look like [they’ll] be really competitive, I think our team has what it takes to win for the fourth time in a row.� If Penn can capitalize on these key bouts, the squad will be looking at yet another Ivy title. Andrew Douglas vs. Velavan Senthilkumar Penn men’s squash will face both Cornell and Columbia this
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weekend, marking the last Ivy League matches before the upcoming College Squash Association championships. Currently, Penn occupies a three-way tie for the No. 2 ranking with Rochester and Trinity. No. 5 Columbia is ranked right behind, making Sunday’s match against the Lions particularly important for Penn. The weekend’s key matchup, however, will be between the players in Penn and Columbia’s No. 1 slots, sophomores Andrew Douglas and Velavan Senthilkumar. Last season, Douglas was named first team All-American and first team All-Ivy with a 5-2 record in Ivy matches (14-6 overall) and was seeded in the top four at CSA Individuals. This season, Douglas currently holds an 4-1 Ivy record (9-3 overall). Senthilkumar, who was named first team All-American and first team All-Ivy his freshman year as well, made it to the semifinals of CSA Individual Championships. Senthilkumar
currently holds a 5-3 overall record this season. With both athletes occupying the No. 1 spots, this match certainly carries a lot of weight for both the individuals and the teams at large. However, according to Douglas, the No. 1 matches are always fairly uncertain because of the high skill level of the players. “I’m really looking forward to it,� Douglas said. “He’s an incredible player and I am sure it’s going to be a high-quality match. It’s just going to come down to how well I perform on the day.� Women’s track throwers vs the field After a string of weekends with numerous changes to the school record books, Penn men’s and women’s track will again take to the road in hopes of rewriting history. This weekend, the teams will be split between the Texas Tech Invitational in Lubbock, Texas and the Fastrack National Invite in Staten Island, N.Y. While sprinters, jumpers, and
throwers alike have all put together impressive showings in recent weeks, the throwers for Penn women’s track have established themselves as athletes to watch. In the weight throw, senior Rachel Lee Wilson and freshman Mayyi Mahama will aim to build on their recent dominant performances. Wilson, who holds the program record in the weight throw with a distance of 20.04-meters, won the event last weekend at the Villanova Invitation in Staten Island, N.Y. Mahama, who herself is responsible for the fourth all-time throw in the Quakers’ history, finished as the runner-up to Wilson. In the shot put, junior Maura Kimmel, sophomore Ashley Anumba, and freshman Nia Caldwell will look for similar results from the Villanova Invitational, when the trio took first, second, and third place, respectively. Kimmel’s event-winning toss measured out to 16.07m, which ranks second all-time for Penn women’s track.
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joined his first year-round swimming team, following in his parents’ footsteps. “[My interest started] because my dad swam for Williams and my mom did too — she was kind of a casual member of the team there,� Andrew said. Andrew found success throughout his entire career. A three-time All-American at Middletown High School in Ohio, Andrew led his team to back-to-back conference championships in 2014-15 and a state championship in 2015. Outside of swimming, Andrew’s favorite pastime is playing Super Smash Bros. with his teammates, and he is also a member of Friars Senior Society. In his final season at Penn, the Quakers finished the regular season on a two-game winning streak thanks in large part to Andrew. He has won five different
individual events this year, most recently in the 100-yard backstroke in the team’s final regular season meet against West Chester. Andrew’s Olympic aspirations started the summer after his junior year when he received his first trial cut by two tenths of a second. He then received another cut the summer after. He believes his best chance at a spot on the Olympic team will be in the 400 individual medley. Andrew holds Ivy League records in both the 200 and 400 IM with times of 1:43.24 and 3:31.89, respectively. Andrew also placed first in the 400 IM at the 2015 Junior National Championships. As his career as a Quaker comes to a close, Andrew has been stuck in a difficult position, having to split his time between a job search and Olympic training. “Most Ivy students go and get an internship every summer, and I spent my first summer here training and the next summer
with my old coach from home,� Andrew said. “You definitely feel left out of that Penn — everybody trying to get a job or a summer abroad.� Despite this decision, Andrew will still be trying out for the Olympics this upcoming spring. “I’m going to try to get my cut for 2020 this spring. I accepted a job for next year, so I’m not really going to be training very seriously for it, but I’m going to go to see everyone and go again,� Andrew said. “It’s probably not a very realistic goal at this point.� Whether Andrew has what it takes to make the Olympic team is yet to be seen. He will look to finish the season strong and continue leaving a positive legacy at Penn. “I’m trying to make it back to the NCAAs this year. The goal this year is to make a final as a top-eight [finisher],� Andrew said. “We are trying to get a few relays to NCAAs this year as well.�
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SPORTS 9
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019
Quakers ready to defend home court in pair of weekend games W. HOOPS | Red and Blue will face Brown and Yale CARTER THOMPSON Sports Reporter
Time to protect the Palestra. Penn women’s basketball is set to play Brown and Yale this weekend in what will be the team’s first Ivy League action at home this season. Winners of their last nine out of 10 games, the Red and Blue (13-3, 3-0 Ivy) rolled through their first Ivy League road trip of the year in New York last weekend, defeating both Cornell and Columbia in convincing fashion. Sophomore center Eleah Parker was dominant once again against Cornell, registering 26 points and 12 rebounds. But make no mistake, as excellent as Parker has been, this Penn offense is as balanced as it has been all season. Four players scored doubledigits against Columbia, including seniors Ashley Russell and Princess Aghayere, who had 16 points and 11 points, respectively. Both players, along with junior guard Phoebe Sterba, have been a big reason for the Red and Blue’s recent strong play. Even when Russell, who is averaging a career high in points, isn’t scoring, she finds ways to affect the game
SISTERS
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Both in high school and now in college, there was potential for the Kiely sisters to get competitive in the pool. However, since each girl swims a different event, there’s more support than competition. Erin is a freestyler while Katie swims the backstroke. “We’re not so competitive because we all do different events, so we can’t really compare,” Katie said. Erin attributes the beginning of her swimming career to her older sister Meghan. Further down the road, it was also Meghan who influenced Erin to continue her career at the collegiate level. “Once Meghan started swimming … [Katie and I] both followed along,” Erin said. “We had a great team there and we loved it, so Meghan definitely kickstarted a little family thing. Swimming in college — once Meghan did it — it just seemed like the next thing to do and something that I always wanted to do.”
CUPPING
>> BACKPAGE
uses a rubber pump to form the vacuum inside the cup, while other types of cupping involve a flammable substance. With the force of suctioning, the skin rises with the expansion of local blood vessels, causing blood to circulate more rapidly to the cupped areas. For Penn swimming, cupping is perhaps not as prevalent as it was immediately after the
CHASE SUTTON | SENIOR MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Guard Ashley Russell recorded 16 points and seven assists in last Saturday’s 72-60 win against Columbia. The senior will look to maintain a balanced style of play when the Red and Blue attempt to continue their winning streak against the Bears and Bulldogs at the Palestra.
nior Shayna Mehta, who average 19 and 17.9 points per game, respectively. But despite their offensive prowess, they give up 76.4 points per game, which is worst in the conference. The Red and Blue, on the other hand, have been the best in the Ancient Eight at limiting their opponents offensively, only giving up 51.4 points per game. “We’re going to have our hands full,” McLaughlin said. “We’re going to have to score some shots, and we’re going to have to contain them on the defensive end.” “Brown is very good in transition and especially on the three,” Russell said. “The key is going to be guarding their shooters and knowing that we have to find shooters in transition. … We have to make sure we play our basketball.” Yale comes into the weekend on a three-game win streak and is ranked second in the Ivy League behind Penn. Part of the reason for its ranking has been solid play in close contests. The Bulldogs have had nine games decided by 10 points or less this year, and they are 6-3 in such games. But Yale needs more than that if it hopes to topple the Red and Blue this weekend. The Quakers don’t look like they’re slowing down any time soon.
by pulling down rebounds and dishing out assists. “[Against Cornell] I was taking my shots but they weren’t falling, so I knew I would have to be more of a distributor,” Russell said. “I think it’s key knowing who’s on that night. It doesn’t have to be me; if you’re on, I’ll get you the ball.”
“Ashley’s scored in all three phases,” coach Mike McLaughlin said. “She’s having an awesome senior year to this point. Princess has just needed an opportunity to play more minutes. She can shoot the three, she’s very crafty, can score around the basket, and has great footwork.
When Katie started to think about colleges, the torch was poised to be passed again. “I was nervous when I decided to come here because I was like, people are going to think that I came here because of my sister, but that’s totally not what it was,” Katie said. “I wanted to make new friendships, but this has totally made everything so much more fun. We have a cool bond. It’s been pretty nice to be able to form a relationship with the upperclassmen because of her. I felt like I was a part of the team right away.” Even though Katie may have not made the decision primarily based on her sister, Erin’s enthusiasm wasn’t dampened in the least when the family received news of Katie’s selection. “The day that Katie got into Penn — I don’t think I’ve ever seen Erin happier,” Mrs. Kiely said. After Erin graduates in the spring, Katie will still have three years of Penn to herself. In the meantime, the Kiely family ties on the swim team will continue.
Sisters Erin and Katie Kiely (above) have been swimming together for most of their lives, and the senior and freshman are currently spending one final year competing together for Penn women’s swimming. Their older sister Meghan also swam at the collegiate level for four years at Rutgers.
2016 Olympics, according to coach Mike Schnur. “Swimmers from our class of 2016 and 2017 did a lot of cupping,” Schnur said. “But in our current team, I don’t remember too many people who are right now. Even if they are, I never saw any changes in their performance.” Sophomore Boris Yang, who hails from Hong Kong, has regularly visited practitioners to receive cupping treatment. “I did [cupping] regularly
[in Hong Kong], perhaps once every few weeks, mostly on my lats,” Yang said. “I used the traditional fire cups, which hurt a bit when they are first put on my skin but feel quite good once they are taken off. “I haven’t been [cupping] as frequently since coming to Philadelphia because we don’t often have these resources. There is a masseur who comes to Penn during every big swim meet, and he does cupping.” By increasing blood flow,
“I just think both of them really stepped their game up as seniors, as you would only hope.” The Red and Blue will hope to continue to put up a team effort against the Bears (9-11, 1-3) and the Elis (13-6, 3-1). After defeating Yale in its first Ivy matchup of the sea-
son, Brown has dropped three games in a row. The losses haven’t come from a lack of points, however. The Bears boast the most prolific offense in the Ivy League, leading the conference with 74.7 points per game. The scoring is led by two guards, junior Justine Gaziano and se-
SON NGUYEN | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
cupping is thought to help reduce muscle tension and promote cell repair – functions that serve swimmers well with their high level of physical exertion. Yang certainly believes he has been reaping the rewards of cupping therapy in the pool. “It was a Chinese medicine practitioner who introduced me to cupping, saying it would help me with my swimming,” he said. “I think [cupping] actually does relax my muscles.” However, fellow sophomore
swimmer Keanan Dols, who was recently named Male Athlete of the Year by the Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica, is more skeptical about the treatment. “I’ve done [cupping] a handful of times before, but I didn’t really feel any different,” Dols said. “I’d say massages are more helpful.” As is the case with acupuncture and chiropractic procedures, there is a lack of scientific literature supporting the
efficacy of cupping. Schnur acknowledges that with these forms of alternative treatments, there is a possibility that the placebo effect might play a part. “Some seem to tell me [cupping] helped, some tell me it didn’t,” Schnur said. “I think it could be mostly up here [mentally]. Swimmers are very mental creatures.” Whether cupping helps or not, it has certainly made a big impact in the swimming world.
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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Andrew has eyes set on NCAA finals
FOUNDED 1885
Cupping may be key for some swimmers Debate still continues on effectiveness of the therapy
were his large purple “bruises.” It turns out Phelps and other American swimmers have turned to cupping, a type of therapy believed to have originated from Ancient Egyptian and Chinese cultures. Cupping, or “ba guan” in Chinese, literally refers to the act of “pulling out jars” — which is exactly what the treatment involves. Special “cups” are heated and placed on the skin for a short amount of time, creating a vacuum in those areas. Penn
MICHAEL LAU Sports Reporter
During the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, American swimming legend Michael Phelps came under the spotlight not only for his five-gold medal tally but also for the marks on his back. Phelps was carrying the expectations of an entire country, but what proved newsworthy
SEE CUPPING PAGE 9
FILE PHOTO
Senior hopes to compete in Olympics after graduation ZACK ROVNER Associate Sports Editor
What next? For Penn swimmer Mark Andrew, this question is taking on a new meaning. As
Andrew approaches the Ivy League Championships and beyond, the senior has been berated with this question by friends, family, and teammates. For most collegiate swimmers, senior year marks the end of their swimming careers. But for Andrew, things
might just be getting started, as he has a serious shot at one day making the United States Olympic team. Andrew’s career started before he can even remember. “The story my dad always told me is that before I could even walk, he would take me to [the YMCA] and
would just kind of toss me in the pool and I would just paddle back,” Andrew said. “It would scare all of the old ladies that were there because they thought I was way too young to be swimming.” When he was six, Andrew SEE ANDREW PAGE 8
SON NGUYEN | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Sophomore Boris Yang is one of the Penn swimmers who has utilized cupping therapy in an attempt to improve his performance in the pool.
Kiely sisters are a dynamic duo for women’s swimming
Meet sophomore Keanan Dols: Penn’s Jamaican sensation
Erin and Katie have swum girls’ mother, recounted how her together for entire careers daughters got into the sport.
Sophomore has chance to compete in Olympic Games
TEIA ROSS Sports Reporter
Sports teams can be like families and for Erin Kiely, Penn swimming got even more familial when her sister Katie joined the team in the fall. Senior Erin is in her last year as a swimmer for Penn, but she is now passing the baton to her freshman sister Katie Kiely. The two New Jersey natives also have an older sister, Meghan, who swam at Rutgers and graduated in 2017. Growing up, the Kielys had a pool in their backyard, so recreational swimming was a part of their childhood. Mandy Kiely, the
“My niece, who was just a little bit older than my oldest, was like, ‘you know what Meghan, you’re a good swimmer. You should try out for the swim team,’” Mrs. Kiely said. “Then the next thing you know, she shows up in a bikini and goggles and tries out for our local swim team, and she made it. “Erin and Katie followed suit when they were, at that point, seven years old, where it became like a formal thing. It’s been in their blood forever. The younger ones always learn from the older ones. Katie would fake swim at like [age] two because she watched her sisters. That’s how it all happened.” The Kiely sisters all swam for the Lakeland Hills YMCA for
10 years and for Mountain Lakes High School for their final four years. Erin was a scholastic AllAmerican as a junior and a captain as a senior. Katie inherited the captaincy three years later when she became a senior. “Erin and Katie swam for a year together in high school, so that was really cute because they would be on relays together. Erin was a senior and Katie was a freshman, just like now in college,” Mrs. Kiely said. “They used to call the high school relays a Kiely sandwich. Whether it was Meghan and Erin or Erin and Katie, one of them would lead off the relay and one would anchor the relay, and then they’d just plug in who is going in between with some other teammates.” SEE SISTERS PAGE 9
SON NGUYEN | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Swimming is part of the Kiely family DNA, as Erin and Katie, along with their sister Meghan, swam for the Lakeland Hills YMCA and at Mountain Lakes High School on their way to competing collegiately.
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OJ SINGH Associate Sports Editor
The Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica has named Penn swimmer Keanan Dols its Male Athlete of the Year. The Jamaican native, who has 2020 Tokyo goals alongside his Penn career, now holds Jamaican national records in three events: the 200-yard individual medley, 200 backstroke, and 200 butterfly. In addition to the glory of breaking a 30-year-old record set by Jamaican Olympian Andrew Phillips in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Dols’ record-breaking 200 IM (2:03:66) swim at the Central American and Caribbean Games in July 2018 has also given him an automatic berth into the FINA World Championships in South Korea this summer. “It is a great experience [to swim for the national team], it’s meaningful to be able to represent my country, and it has enabled me to have experiences most other people don’t have, having traveled to Singapore, Colombia, Aruba, and other countries,” Dols said. “My favorite part has been the 200 IM race, as it was the best swim I’ve ever had, and it put me in a good position to qualify for 2020.” The sophomore missed out on the bronze medal, by finishing 0.18 seconds behind the eventual bronze-medalist but had his best finish in a seniorlevel championship final. As one of several Penn ath-
SON NGUYEN | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Sophomore swimmer Keanan Dols holds Jamaican national records in three events and has competed all over the world for his country.
letes with Tokyo dreams, Dols has also been a consistent performer for the Quakers. He placed third in both the 200 fly ‘B’ final at the Tennessee Invitational and in the 200 back in a dual meet against La Salle this season. “I have been swimming on the national team for five years now, so I don’t have an offseason as I always have goals I’m working on outside of Penn swimming,” Dols said. “Hopefully as long as I continue to do what I need to do [and] don’t get injured or anything, I should be in a good position to qualify for the Olympics.” How exactly does one qualify as a swimmer for the Olympic Games? To qualify for the Olympics in the 200 IM, a National Olympic Committee can enter
a maximum of two qualified athletes who swam under the Olympic Qualifying Time, which is 1:59:67 for Tokyo. One athlete can also enter by meeting the Olympic Selection Time, which is 2:03:26 for 2020. Dols’ record was 0.40 seconds behind the OST time. In the event that he does not swim under the OST, he can still make it to the Olympics. The Jamaican Federation can nominate him as long as they have no other swimmers, regardless of gender, meeting either OQT or OST requirements in the IM. “I basically have to be the fastest Jamaican in the next year and a half, and I was this past summer,” Dols said. If he does that, the Quakers might be able to claim another Olympian in their ranks.
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