March 14, 2019

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 VOL. CXXXV

NO. 15

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Penn Athletics declines to comment on Allen scandal Expert says NCAA violations likely occured, potential sanctions unknown THEODOROS PAPAZEKOS Senior Sports Editor

The scope of the Jerome Allen scandal expanded last week when he testified that Ira Bowman, Allen’s former assistant coach, had knowledge of the payments, but Penn Athletics declined to comment on the implications of the revelation.

Between 2013 and 2015, Allen, former Penn men’s basketball coach and player, accepted bribes in exchange for naming a prospective student a recruited athlete. Penn Associate Athletic Director of Administration and Strategic Communications Kevin Bonner declined to provide information on the timeline, scope, or details of the investigation, only providing a general statement.

“We were extremely disappointed to learn that Jerome Allen, former head men’s basketball coach at Penn, accepted payments to recruit a potential student-athlete to Penn and concealed that conduct from the Athletic Department and University administration,” Bonner wrote on March 12.

“Until Jerome’s testimony last week, we also were unaware that former assistant men’s basketball coach Ira Bowman had any relevant knowledge of the matter. The University has been cooperating fully with the government and the NCAA so that the matter is appropriately redressed,” Bonner added.

Bonner declined to expand on the statement to clarify what was meant by the phrases “cooperating fully” and “appropriately redressed.”

Penn Athletics has not confirmed to The Daily Pennsylvanian if the Chuck Smrt investigation remains open or what its scope covered. On Oct. 8, Penn released a statement to the Philadelphia Inquirer saying that the “independent review” was in its final stages, but that they could not comment until “that process is finalized.”

“Penn thoroughly reviewed everything surrounding the situation, and as soon as we’re at liberty to proceed forward, after that part of the trial at least, we will,” Athletics Director M. Grace Calhoun said in February.

SEE ALLEN PAGE 3

LINDA TING

Penn to revisit admissions processes Dean Furda says review comes after national bribery scandal involving peer institutions DEENA ELUL & JULIE COLEMAN News Editor & Deputy News Editor

In light of the nationwide bribery scandal involving admissions procedures at elite institutions, Penn Dean of Admissions Eric Furda said the

University will once again consider revising its recruitment and evaluation processes. Penn hired an outside consultant to review procedures after former men’s basketball coach Jerome Allen pleaded guilty in October 2018 to accepting bribes to help

a current Penn senior gain admission.

“Penn Admissions and [the University’s Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics] have worked with an outside consultant to review and strengthen our processes

Lawsuit dropped against Castle fraternity Magic Gardens event to take place this spring CONOR MURRAY Staff Reporter

A negligence lawsuit suing Penn’s chapter of Psi Upsilon, commonly known as Castle, has been dropped after a Penn alumna alleged that she was severely burned by a large, flaming marshmallow at a 2017 Halloween party. The party, known as Magic Gardens, will return in April after operations were suspended because of the suit.

2018 Nursing graduate Jessica Davis sued Castle for negligence in September 2018 after she was allegedly harmed at the “Magic Gardens Halloween” party on Oct. 27, 2017 at an off-campus venue at 5126 Warren St. Three Penn students and fraternity members were named in the suit, including 2018 College and Engineering graduate Vadim Ordovsky-Tanaevsky, Wharton senior Patrick Lobo, and Engineering junior Edmund

Hammond. Penn’s Psi Upsilon chapter, the Psi Upsilon national office, and the landlord of the party venue were also listed as co-defendants.

Davis, the complaint states, was standing near an unmonitored fire pit wearing a shirt with an open back. A party guest, who was drunk, was roasting a marshmallow and shook the stick, causing the marshmallow to adhere to Davis’s back.

The incident, Davis claimed, resulted in permanent scarring. She contended that her injury could have been prevented if the fraternity provided adequate supervision to protect the approximately 1,000 students partying and drinking near open flames.

The lawsuit was dismissed soon after it was filed, Thomas Fox, executive director of Psi Upsilon’s international office, wrote in an email to The Daily Pennsylvanian. After the lawsuit was filed on Sept. 19, 2018, Davis’ lawyer submitted a request to dismiss the lawsuit on Sept. 28, 2018.

for the recruitment of student athletes and, in light of the current charges, will again consider whether any further changes are called for in our recruitment and evaluation processes,” Furda SEE ADMISSIONS PAGE 6

Grad students criticize sexual misconduct rules Students call proposed policies “vague” COURTNEY DAUB Deputy News Editor

MONA LEE

Penn’s chapter of Psi Upsilon, commonly known as Castle, was sued in September 2018 for negligence. The suit was dropped.

Davis and her lawyer, Kevin Clancy Boylan, who works for the personal injury firm Morgan & Morgan, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Hammond said he has not

OPINION | Penn Admissions is not off the hook

“It is crucial that we pay close attention to how the University responds to the scandal,” - DP Editorial Board PAGE 4

SPORTS | Ivy League Tournaments await

Penn men’s and women’s basketball will head to Yale this weekend for the Ivy League Tournaments in search of a berth to March Madness.

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been contacted by the parties who filed the lawsuit since its dismissal and the fraternity was not given a reason why the case was dropped.

SEE LAWSUIT PAGE 6

When Penn proposed creating a centralized sexual misconduct reporting office in September 2018, many graduate students — who advocated for the office — welcomed it as a step in the right direction.

But now graduate students say the University policy is not specific enough, and they are calling on Penn to allow students to be more involved with its official implementation. On Jan. 22, Penn officially proposed a policy to centralize all sexual misconduct investigations in a single office. The policy also proposed creating a new administrative position, the Associate Vice President for Equity and Title IX Officer, who will lead the office.

Following the release of the draft document, the University allotted a month for students,

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NEWS Penn Law students create refugee art exhibit

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faculty, and staff to submit comments to Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Vice President for Institutional Affairs Joann Mitchell.

The previous policy stated that sexual harassment complaints against faculty members must be sent to the dean of the school, who is charged with taking action and investigating the cases if they are not resolved informally. All sexual violence reports were investigated by the Office of the Sexual Violence Investigative Officer, which is led by a single investigator. Under this new policy, all reports of sexual misconduct, including sexual violence and harassment, will be investigated by one office led by the AVP and Title IX Officer.

The policy followed strong student criticism of reporting procedures during a January 2018 University Council Open Forum. Graduate student leaders previously launched a SEE GRAD STUDENTS PAGE 2

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year-long campaign criticizing the reporting procedures.

While the new policy shifts the responsibility of complaints away from the school deans so they can be handled more efficiently under a single office, the informal complaint procedures require that the new AVP for Equity and Title IX Officer must still consult with the deans, which graduate students said causes some of the same conflicts of interest as the previous policy.

In a statement sent to Mitchell, the Graduate Employees Together-University of Pennsylvania Sexual Harassment Committee called for the policy to further specify procedures related to sexual harassment and the school deans’ new roles in the process.

Graduate and Professional Student Assembly’s Sexual Ha-

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 rassment Reform Committee also wrote a statement to Mitchell commenting on the policy, agreeing with the GET-UP committee’s statement, adding that the vague role of deans in the new policies does not indicate how the draft regulations differ from the existing ones.

“One of the top items we hope will be addressed is what the role of the Dean will be in the resolution of sexual harassment complaints,” said GAPSA Sexual Harassment Reform Committee member Sydney Campbell, who is also a Ph.D. candidate in cell and molecular biology. “[The current policy] is vague and does not clearly indicate a change from current policy.”

“The real change that this new [policy] has is that it adds the [Associate Vice President] as the person in the middle,” GETUP member and Ph.D candidate in the Educational Linguistics Department Jennifer Phuong said, adding that there are not

“any protections” for students.

The GAPSA commitee’s statement also called for the presence of graduate students in the new AVP hiring process.

Both graduate student groups also suggest the policy to permit complainants to have an advocate, who would represent the interests of the complaintant during the proces.

“The person hired for this position will be a major factor in whether or not these new policies are effective and improve upon the current system,” Campbell said.

GET-UP’s committee also asked Mitchell to change all instances of “he or she” in the draft policy to “they” to be inclusive of those who do not use non-binary pronouns. The statement also included that the policy should provide support for complainants even in cases in which no violations were found.

GAPSA’s commitee requested more information about who

will conduct prevention educational programming, while GET-UP’s committee makes the same requests for monitoring data and training. The GETUP committee’s statement also requests additional avenues for appeal and for the policy to include measures for cases of misconduct that take place between University members outside of campus.

Comments from a group of undergraduate leaders, the Human Resources Advisory Council, the Faculty Senate, and Council of Deans are also currently being reviewed, University spokesperson Stephen MacCarthy wrote in an email to The Daily Pennsylvanian.

The revised policy and comments will be presented to deans, Faculty Senate Trichairs, and the Academic Policy and Budget committees before expected official publication in the University Almanac at the end of the semester, Mitchell

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ZACH SHELDON

Graduate students work with faculty in biology and pyschology research laboratories in the Stephen A. Levin Building.

wrote in an email to the DP. She added the current Sexual Violence Investigative Officers will be among those investigat-

ing the new sexual misconduct allegations, and that the physical space for the office will be decided later this spring.

Penn student tours to emphasize anecdotes over facts and figures Kite and Key, Penn Admissions created the new tour GIANNA FERRARIN Senior Reporter

Students vying for admission to Penn will be able to participate in a rebranded tour, that began this semester, which focuses on student experiences rather than traditional facts and figures.

The new admissions tour, created by the Admissions Office and the student group Kite and Key, shifts away from the traditional formula that has been instituted for several years. Student tour guides will now focus on personal anecdotes and stories, Kite and Key president and College sophomore Julia Klayman said.

Tour guides, for example, explain to prospective students that while Penn is split up into four undergraduate schools, students can still take classes and interact with students from other schools. With the new tour format, Klayman, a former beat reporter for The Daily Pennsylvanian, said guides now have more flexibility in choosing how to explain this to prospective students.

“I also think visitors seem more

MICHAEL WARREN

Penn’s Kite and Key Society tour guides (pictured above) are responsible for giving tours to visitors on campus. The group changed the format of their tours to include more personal stories about being a student at Penn.

engaged because they have questions about your stories,” Klayman said. “They don’t really have

anything to ask if you tell them the student to faculty ratio is 6 to 1.”

Former president of Kite and

Key and Engineering senior Julia DiSalvio said the student group had considerable autonomy while

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forming the new tour, which they started planning in August 2018.

The group designed an interactive training workbook for guides to fill in with personal anecdotes about different elements of life at Penn.

The tour will also include a longer path, which now includes 10 stops instead of six, based on recommendations about what visitors wanted. The path now includes stops at Shoemaker Green and Perry World House.

Klayman said the new tour format is more enjoyable for Kite and Key tour guides because of its personalized nature.

“I would tell stories about how my roommate, who was an engineer, who would show me her projects from her engineering class of her coding her computer to be a piano, and then I’d show her my art projects and how we’d kind of like critique each other’s work,” Klayman said.

Lindsay Dussing, director of On Campus Programs, and Joshua Chilcote, associate director of admissions for student volunteers, worked directly with student tour guides on the updated tour format.

“Though parents and students sometimes ask about high-level statistics — such as the student to faculty ratio — we realized what they’re really asking is what this means for students: in this case, if

a student will feel challenged and supported in a classroom,” Chilcote wrote in an email to the DP. “A current student’s anecdote is a much more vivid way to explain that than telling our guides to remember statistics that most Penn students don’t think about in their daily life,” he added.

In addition to its 2018 website redesign, Penn Admissions recently adjusted the information session for visitors. These adjustments include a new presentation that details the path of several recent Penn graduates and tips for filling out the Common Application. Before this update, the information session was straightforward and informational.

“Realistically, if you were super interested in Penn and you just looked it up online, you could find all the information,” Klayman said about the old information sessions.

DiSalvio said the presentations also used to be “inconsistent from [Admissions] officer to officer.”

“After our office’s brand revitalization updated the admissions website experience and our information session format, the tour was the next logical step,” Chilcote wrote.

DiSalvio added that the club worked closely with Penn Admissions to determine what information from the old tour they would keep in their new tour.

“Obviously there’s baseline factual information you can’t just not talk about,” DiSalvio said.

DiSalvio said this information includes the Second Year Experience Program — a University initiative that expands programming for sophomores and requires second-year students to stay in a twoyear College House system. The tour also highlights academic requirements across the four undergraduate schools and the physical presence of Penn’s police force.

“When visitors are coming, they’re really investing a lot of time and effort to get here and to hear what we have to say, so to just be telling them things that they could read about online is not really a valuable use of their time,” she added.

Chilcote said the revamped tour is likely to remain for several years.

“Many shared Google Docs and lots of creativity from our student volunteers later, they’ve created something that we believe will carry on for years to come,” he said.

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Penn Med profs find people lie to join studies The study was led by Holly Fernandez Lynch JASON YAN Contributing Reporter

Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine have found that paying people to participate in research studies can lead to more people lying about their eligibility, leading to misleading results.

The study has raised questions about the practices of several research groups at Penn that pay their subjects.

The study was led by Holly Fernandez Lynch, a professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy in the Perelman School of Medicine, and published in JAMA Network Open in January 2019. Lynch said lying in studies can not only lead to misleading results, but also create health risks for other participants.

“It could be dangerous for people to enroll in a study, for example, with a criterion of non-smokers because of some drug interactions studied in the research would be dangerous for smokers,” she said.

To test whether people lie, the Penn researchers prepared an online survey about attitudes toward vaccines and gave a $5 to $20 reward to participants who completed it.

Participants in the experimental group were only eligible to take the survey if they reported that they received a flu shot in the past three months.

Control group participants were also asked whether they had received a flu shot, but if they reported that they had not, they were still eligible to take part in the study. The researchers found that 23 percent more people in the experimental group said they had received a flu shot compared to the control group. This large difference suggested that some people in the experimental group were lying so they could receive money for completing the survey.

SON NGUYEN

To deal with false claims, Lynch suggested that researchers put more objective measures in place to determine whether participants are eligible for studies. For example, instead of asking participants whether they smoke, researchers could fact-check with a blood test.

Lynch was joined by Medical Ethics Division Chief Steven Joffe, Biostatistics professor Dawei Xie, and Medical Ethics and Health Policy professors Emily Largent and Harsha Thirumurthy.

There was no evidence, however, that higher payments were associated with higher frequency of deception. Joffe said the research team was surprised by this finding.

“We thought that maybe paying people five dollars would induce some people to deceive us, and then paying them ten dollars would get some of those that are not willing to deceive for five,” Joffe said.

This research has implications for the many research groups at Penn that currently pay participants. The Wharton

NEWS 3

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019

Behavioral Lab, a popular Penn research program that students often participate in, typically pays people $10 an hour.

Wharton Behavioral Lab Faculty Director and Marketing professor J. Wesley Hutchinson said the lab is not currently planning to change its policies in light of Lynch’s research. “[Payment] could be an incentive for people to lie, but I don’t think it is a huge problem for the accuracy of the data that we collect for studies,” he said.

To discourage deception, Hutchinson added, the Behavioral Lab pays a “show-up fee” to participants who sign up for studies and are later found to be ineligible. This fee is equal to half the normal pay.

College sophomore Harrison Tandy said he regularly

participates in Wharton Behavioral Lab surveys. While Tandy said he has never lied in these surveys, he added that “[WBL] needs to find a way to counteract lying and make sure that the data generated is useful.”

Lynch cautioned that while her study suggests monetary compensation is correlated with deception, it is also important for people to be compensated for their participation in the research, as participation has potential risks and takes time and effort.

To deal with false claims, Lynch suggested that researchers put more objective measures in place to determine whether participants are eligible rather than relying on selfreports. For example, instead of asking participants whether they smoke, researchers could

fact-check with a blood test.

Hutchinson said that the Wharton Behavioral Lab does some fact-checking, such as verifying subjects’ photo IDs and looking up names and birth dates to make sure people are not taking surveys more than once.

Jason Karlawish, a professor in the Medical School who tests experimental drugs for Alzheimer’s disease, said he looks at patients’ medical records to determine clinical trial eligibility rather than relying on their reports. He added that he is adamant about paying his participants.

“Researchers have an obligation to pay people to be a research subject because they have to be rewarded for their work, times, and efforts,” Karlawish added.

ALLEN

>> FRONT PAGE

“It really comes down to whether the school knew or should have known,” Miami-based collegiate sports lawyer Jason A. Setchen said. “If they didn’t know and couldn’t have known and [Allen] really did a serious job of trying to conceal it, then the school’s culpability obviously goes down dramatically to the point where they might not even have an NCAA violation.

“It’s [a question of] how did it happen and did the school know about it.

Someone in compliance: Should they or could they have done more?”

It remains unclear when Penn Athletics will release the findings of the investigation, which began three days after the allegations against Allen broke in July. “[The investigation] could take a year; it could take less. It just depends on how much information they’re trying to obtain and how cooperative people are being, but these things do tend to take longer than you’d expect,” Setchen said.

On Wednesday, Bowman was suspended by his current school, Auburn, where he is currently an assistant coach. Bowman left Penn after being hired by Auburn in July, two weeks before allegations that Allen accepted bribes went public.

Bowman’s involvement came through Allen and involved both knowledge of and participation in the payments, Law360.com reported. After Allen was fired in March 2015, he created an additional account for Esformes to wire money to and provided Bowman with a debit card to access the account. “[The testimony that Bowman was involved] opens a whole new can of worms because there’s a new coaching administration involved. Now you have to go interview them,” Setchen said.

Neither the NCAA nor Ivy League have announced any investigation into the Allen scandal or any of the other bribery admission scandals that implicated Georgetown, Yale, and Stanford among other schools. If they do, it is possible that they would recommend sanctions against Penn men’s basketball, Penn Athletics, or both.

“There are clearly NCAA violations. There’s no doubt that the violation occurred,” Setchen said.

“The question now would be what is [Penn’s] culpability in that and what would be the penalty for it.”

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OPINION The college admissions process is broken, and Penn is no exception

THURSDAY MARCH 14, 2019 VOL. CXXXV, NO. 15 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 JESS TAN Design Editor LUCY FERRY Design Editor

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN EDITORIAL BOARD

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ach year, tens of thousands of students apply for coveted spots as undergraduates at Penn. Less than nine percent of the applicant pool was accepted last year. It is no secret that certain groups have advantages in college admissions: legacy students, recruited athletes, and students who come from families that can afford college counselors or that make hefty donations to Penn.

While some consider these advantages to be as ethically murky as the crimes revealed this week in a national bribery scheme, students from these privileged groups still earned their spots at Penn legally.

Penn was not named in the nationwide admissions scandal. But that doesn’t mean the University is off the hook.

Just last week, former men’s basketball coach Jerome Allen testified in federal court that he received

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ALICE HEYEH

that this kind of situation does arise, so that we can be vigilant in our efforts going forward.”

If anything, Operation Varsity Blues has shown us that the college admissions process is broken. We can’t forget that Penn is no exception, and the University should not be left out of discussions about col-

lege admissions offices’ vulnerabilities to fraud. We shouldn’t be patting ourselves on the back because Penn wasn’t named in this particular lawsuit, and we must continue to hold the University responsible for involvement in these kinds of scandals.

STIRRING THE POT | We must use our privilege to help those who don’t have our luck

DANNY CHIARODIT Sports Editor

WILL DiGRANDE Sports Editor

processes since October 2018.

“Penn Admissions and DRIA have worked with an outside consultant to review and strengthen our processes for the recruitment of student athletes and, in light of the current charges, will again consider whether any further changes are called for in our recruitment and evaluation processes,” Furda wrote in an email to the DP. It is encouraging that the University is taking this matter seriously.

Still, it is crucial that we pay close attention to how the University responds to this scandal, particularly at a time when the admissions process is under nationwide scrutiny.

“We believe we have a culture of compliance here and have put in place appropriate policies and practices to prevent the kind of unlawful and unethical activity reported in the news today,” Furda wrote. “But it is always important to be reminded

Students of color must give back to the Philadelphia community

GIOVANNA PAZ News Editor

MICHAEL LANDAU Sports Editor

about $300,000 in bribes from the father of a current Wharton senior in exchange for helping his son get into Penn as a recruited athlete. Allen also said that former men’s basketball assistant coach Ira Bowman was involved in the bribery scheme.

Obviously, this is both extremely unethical and illegal. But it is nonetheless concerning that this happened at Penn, and it sheds light on the ways the college admissions process has been corrupted.

It’s easy to get bogged down by the overwhelming number of stories of corruption unearthed in this scandal. But we can’t dismiss the fact that a very similar scheme succeeded in defrauding Penn.

Dean of Admissions Eric Furda told The Daily Pennsylvanian that Penn Admissions and the University’s Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics have been considering changes to admissions

P

enn’s long and sordid history of the expansion and displacement of thousands of indigent Philadelphians — a process known as “Penntrification” — is hardly a secret. Many humanities classes study it as a microcosm for urban renewal gone awry, and a Google search will tell you all you need to know in seconds.

And the problem is exacerbated by our complacency.

Upon applying to Penn, I was told there would be limitless opportunities for improving Penn’s problematic relationship with Philadelphia. While I wasn’t necessarily lied to, my naivete allowed me to overestimate the number of students who would voluntarily engage in this type of work, and wrongly assume there would be more students of color involved.

The “Penn Bubble” is so capable of distorting our perceptions of the outside world that many of my peers aren’t even aware that Philadelphia is a majority non-white city. Unless forced to, many people don’t see a need to engage in community service, unless it’s part of a class, and that class is required for either

general education or major/minor credits. And venturing into Philadelphia is often only undertaken for birthday dinners at The Cheesecake Factory, Thursday night “downtowns,” or weekend shopping trips.

This needs to change.

On my first day of tutoring at James Rhoads Elementary School in West Philadelphia — my personal attempt at escaping the Penn bubble — four black female students ran over to me the second I walked into the room, obviously thrilled to see someone who looked like them. I was taken aback, simultaneously filled with pride and disappointment. Pride because they wanted me and I would get the chance to be a source of inspiration, and disappointment because only one of those girls would get to work with me, due to our pitiful ratio. While Penn’s West Philadelphia Tutoring Project is a group that claims it is “diverse,” there are only two black student tutors in my section, and I am the only black woman. When working for an elementary school that is 92 percent black and 100 percent people of color, this is a huge problem.

JACKIE LOU

The students at Rhoads Elementary live right around the corner from Penn, yet feel that Penn is as inaccessible as if it were a plane ride away, due to their overworked parents and unstable living conditions, as well as the school’s negligible resources and underpaid — sometimes under-qualified — teachers.

The students’ feeling of being shut out is magnified when none of Penn’s tutors look like them. As studies have shown, this can be ameliorated with black mentors who will enable the black students to realize that higher education is possible, and then actually go on to graduate high school and attend college.

Since joining the West Philadelphia Tutoring Project, I’ve found myself living in two completely

different worlds, one in which the most stressful part of life is deciding which sorority or fraternity to join, and the other in which children can’t even say “See you next week!” with any sense of definiteness, knowing that anything could happen in between. Given these extreme inequities in our education system, we need to put our problems into perspective.

Penn needs more students of color to join not only the Tutoring Project, but any type of community service that focuses on helping Philadelphia’s children and other indigent residents. We must accept that we didn’t get into Penn just because we’re smart, but because we have privilege and luck. And we must use our privilege to help

HADRIANA LOWENKRON those who don’t have our luck.

In any community, but particularly in a minority community, it is important to give back and benefit as many as possible. A few hours a week really isn’t much considering that the benefits we reap from Penn are at the expense of these children; the “every person for themselves” attitude is completely counterproductive and frankly, offensive. It is our job to look out for the next generation of students of color and help them the best we can, because if we don’t, who will?

HADRIANA LOWENKRON is a College freshman studying urban studies and journalism. Her email address is hadriana@sas.upenn.edu.

THIS ISSUE

Don’t be ignorant of others’ cultures on your next spring break trip

ANA HALLMAN Copy Associate CECELIA VIEIRA Copy Associate NICK AKST Copy Associate AGATHA ADVINCULA Copy Associate ALICE GOULDING Copy Associate SAM MITCHELL Copy Associate LINDA TING Design Associate CAROLINE CHIN Design Associate WINNIE XU Design Associate OLIVIA ZHA Design Associate SYDNEY LOH Design Associate JACKSON SATZ Associate Sports Editor MONA LEE Photo Associate SON NGUYEN Photo Associate SUKHMANI KAUR Photo Associate

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.

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TON TALKS | Your spring break plans and to-dos aren’t more important than people’s cultures

fter heavy weeks of academ ic work and commitments, spring break can be quite cathartic for college students. Penn has the lowest number of break days in the Ivy League, and many students like to use the week to their full advantage by traveling to exotic destinations.

Some return home to spend times with their loved ones. Others stay on campus due to financial limitations. Regardless of how you spent your spring break, it is important to recognize how social stratification is represented by the drastic differences in how students have different experiences during breaks.

In an attempt to be more “worldly” and well-travelled, college students can often be a

nuisance to locals abroad. The tourism industry is especially detrimental to certain countries’ cultural and environmental integrity by tokenizing certain aspects of their culture and ignoring the rest. Penn students should be capable of showing mindfulness and respect in the places they visit during break, so that their massive wealth and privilege doesn’t disrupt their communities. Your spring break plans and to-do’s aren’t more important than people’s cultures.

Traveling can have a lot of benefits and encourage people to immerse themselves in exciting settings and engage with vibrant cultures. But there is a difference between being appreciative of cultures and being ignorant of the

CATHERINE LIANG

harmful effects of your presence.

Additionally, if you’re visiting a country with tumultuous social and environmental issues, I implore you to understand what it means to be a visitor in a place that you will never have to suffer from the social issues its residents must face.

Tourists are merely temporary visitors in beautiful cities, islands, and beaches, whereas the wildlife and native inhabitants oftentimes have to suffer from the consequences of spring break parties. This carefree attitude might not seem like a big deal given the short time frame of spring break — but the mindset of not caring about the world around you can be indicative of how you handle being a college student at an elite institution while living in one of America’s poorest major cities.

On that note, there shouldn’t be an assumption that every Penn student had the opportunity to go anywhere during break. Spring break can actually be a very difficult time for some students, both financially and emotionally.

Imagine being Puerto Rican and not being able to visit your home country while watching many of your peers visit it for fun. College Junior Daniel Gonzalez, who is half Puerto Rican, expressed disappointment seeing how many Penn

students will often ignore the history of oppression and the ongoing suffering from natural disasters in Puerto Rico. It’s not a crime to want to travel to this beautiful location, but it can be vexing if you’re “ignorant and don’t acknowledge the space you’re in or if you become arrogant because workers or the location doesn’t meet your expectations. My culture deserves to be treated with respect,” Gonzalez said.

It’s quite disappointing to see people ignore their racist or discriminatory views in order to freely enjoy ethnic foods without guilt. I’m glad that we can share our cultures through food, music, and fashion — but cultural groups should not have to seek your money or approval in order for our existence to be validated. It hasn’t always been the case that diverse food tastes were celebrated and encouraged. In fact, there is a lot of historical racism behind looking down on ethnic foods. You’re not doing anyone any favors by harping on your cultural depth and travel count if you haven’t actually made real efforts to understand a culture in ways beyond how you yourself can benefit from it.

Traveling is truly one of the most fulfilling experiences people can

TON NGUYEN have. But your experience could be even more meaningful if you’re better equipped with mindfulness and social consciousness. Whether it be traveling for leisure, for work, for studying abroad — do your research. Don’t butcher or disrespect someone’s culture just for the sake of your social media clout.

When you’re reflecting on your spring break or making plans in the future, be mindful of your presence and interaction with other cultures.

Traveling is an immense privilege and we owe it not only to other communities, but to ourselves, to challenge ourselves not to be blissfully ignorant.

TON NGUYEN is a college junior from Atlanta, Ga. studying philosophy, politics and economics. Her email address is nton@sas.upenn.edu.

5

Loneliness at Penn is rampant, and it’s time to stop hiding it OUT OF TURN | Loneliness in college is not a Penn–exclusive phenomenon, and it’s not necessarily new

P

enn students talk a lot about va r ious aspects of our campus culture and the negative effects that accompany them. We all know how our pre–professional culture creates stress among students and negatively impacts our mental health; we frequently talk about flashy displays of wealth and the insular, out–of–touch environment that we have here, so much so that terms like “Penn bubble” or “SABSing“ have become shorthand and memes.

But many negative parts of Penn are harder to talk about—and one of them is the fact that a lot of us feel lonely, and we aren’t sure what to do about it.

Admitting that we feel alone can be scary, but we absolutely have to. I felt incredibly isolated when I came to Penn, and honestly, I still frequently do. Loneliness wreaked havoc on my mental health, my existing relationships, and my self esteem—until I learned to stop being ashamed of it.

Loneliness in college is not a Penn–exclusive phenomenon, and

ANA WEST

JESS TAN

Adults like New York Times columnist Frank Bruni, who graduated from college in 1986, write op–eds about college loneliness today,

Viral videos and even DP columns that talk about the experience of being a lonely college freshman are popular when they do appear.” it’s not necessarily new. As long as people have been going away to school, students have struggled in their new environments. But things do seem to have gotten worse.

incredibly concerned that “more than 60 percent” of college students “said that they had felt very lonely’ in the previous 12 months,” and that “nearly 30 percent said that they

had felt that way in the previous two weeks.” Schools like USC have increased support resources, blaming social media for the rise of a “loneliness epidemic.” Viral videos and even DP columns that talk about the experience of being a lonely college freshman are popular when they do appear; all too often though, we treat these stories like Band-Aids. It makes us feel momentarily better to hear other people talk, but we often don’t open up or challenge the underlying forces driving the way we feel.

I understand what it’s like to feel alone and simultaneously embarrassed of feeling that way. In a lot of ways, the shame that comes with feeling cut off from your peers is worse than just being alone. During my freshman year, I would sit

alone—in the dining hall, in my room—and compare myself to the loud groups laughing and eating together, the girls in communal bathrooms getting ready to go out together, and the absolutely endless stream of students on Instagram and Snapchat declaring their love for their newfound best friends. I didn’t feel close to anyone at Penn in that way, and I was convinced there was something wrong with me, that some deficiency closed me off from everyone else and kept me from having what they had. I was ashamed of feeling lonely, so I didn’t talk to anyone about it. Then, not being able to talk to anyone made me feel even worse, and the cycle pulled me further and further away from chances to connect with others.

Looking back, the way I felt was driven by being in an environment like Penn for the first time. So many of the problems with Penn feed into isolation—the culture of competition teaches us to view all of our relationships as either transactional or combative, which makes it harder to form genuine and close bonds.

Our low socioeconomic and geographic diversity made me, a fairly privileged kid from a small town in the Midwest, still feel like the odd one out, and I know that effect has to be even stronger for groups like FGLI students. It’s important to acknowledge that there are larger issues driving the isolation that many students feel, and we can’t fix those cultural issues quickly or easily. What we can do, though, is be honest about the loneliness we

The ‘Social Ivy’ breeds a culture of FOMO MORE WITH MORRISON | Inside Penn’s FOMO Problem

P

enn has been nicknamed the “Social Ivy,” and Penn’s campus culture finds much resonance in the phrase “work hard, play hard.” Although some of us couldn’t help but laugh when Playboy named Penn the number one party school in America in 2014, there’s some truth to the title, even if it is more than a little undeserved. Penn students are mercilessly efficient at packaging their time and squeezing the most out of every last hour of Friday and Saturday night. People fly from classes to BYOs to pregames to frat parties to downtowns and back again, and this

desire and pressure to curate a personal aura of popularity, sociability, and sceney-ness. At Penn, it’s difficult to shake the feeling that there are more than just a couple of people who go to parties and downtowns just for the sake of seeing and being seen.

While the social scene on campus ought to serve as a way to blow off steam, an obsessive desire to create a vibrant Snapchat story and take Insta-worthy pics paradoxically adds to the stress of classwork. Especially for the introverted, Penn’s emphasis on late-night shenanigans can serve as a major stressor. Yes,

BYOs or spring break trips to Cancun aren’t inherently bad things.” sort of social aerobatics is absolutely draining, both to experience and to watch.

Penn’s pre-professionalism is much lamented, but it has consequences that reach far beyond finding the perfect summer internship or landing an interview with Google.

Socializing at Penn is directly affected by the extreme, competitive culture that dominates other parts of campus life. Although by no means is every Penn student a major social media influencer, there’s a general

nowhere does it say that attendance is compulsory at the latest Friday nights on campus. But students who choose not to go to such events or venues are seen as cultural outliers and can feel entirely cut off from Penn’s campus culture altogether.

This fact could in turn lead them to put themselves in environments and situations that they’re not fully comfortable with, just so they don’t feel left out.

Another high-profile example of Penn’s FOMO problem is spring

JAMES MORRISON break. Although the work “break” is in the title, for many it’s anything but — there are flights to catch, Airbnbs to find, and itineraries to set. As we like to joke, doing nothing is never really considered a viable choice. The social pressure to do something, anything, not only encourages students to make questionable financial decisions, but also alienates low-income students who can’t even afford the plane trip back home and find themselves trapped on a barren, lonely campus.

BYOs or spring break trips to Cancun aren’t inherently bad things. In moderation, they can do exactly what they’re supposed to: give everyone a breather from the stresses of classes and everyday life at Penn.

Although Penn has a vibrant social scene, there needs to be a greater cultural commitment to downtime. As Penn students, we are often such rabid time maximizers that we forget that it’s important to reflect, relax, and regenerate. A weekend full of mixers, brunches, and downtowns can be a lot of fun, but weekends where the main agenda is binge watching Netflix, playing cards, or even just ordering off of GoPuff are equally important. Sure, it doesn’t make the most interesting Snapchat or the best Instagram post, but perhaps in between working hard and playing hard, taking a nice, long nap isn’t such a bad thing.

JAMES MORRISON is a College freshman from Pipersville, Pa. studying English. His email address is jmorr2@sas.upenn.edu.

DONNA LIU

feel, talk about it openly, and refuse to be ashamed of it.

In the non–fiction book The Lonely City, which served as crucial reading for me when I was at my lowest, Olivia Laing writes: “I don't believe the cure for loneliness is meeting someone...I think it's about two things: learning how to befriend yourself and understanding that many of the things that seem to afflict us as individuals are in fact a result of larger forces of stigma and exclusion, which can and should be resisted.”

As far as I’ve come, I haven’t stopped wishing for more friendships and closer bonds here at Penn. But I have learned to stop blaming myself when I feel alone in this strange, artificial, and challenging environment; and, in the process, I’ve learned that I want this place to be better. If you feel lonely at Penn, please: Stop feeling like you have to hide it. Not only will it be better for you, but when more of us open up and talk about why we feel the way we feel, we can start to work towards fixing it.

ANA WEST is a College sophomore from Spring Lake, Michigan studying English. Her email address is anawest@sas.upenn.edu.

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27

6 NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

Penn Law students create refugee artwork exhibit The exhibit features accordion books and calligraphy

people on the other side of the work we do.”

Bolnick, who is also a 2016 College graduate, said he became interested in refugee issues last year while studying for a master’s degree in mental health at King’s College London.

“Some of my patients were refugees, and I became very close to them throughout the year,” Bolnick said. “I saw the humanity behind the word ‘refugee.’”

Bolnick said his initial inspiration came from a conversation he had with Nora Elmarzouky, the program manager for Swarthmore College’s Friends, Peace, and Sanctuary Project. Learning about the Friends, Peace, and Sanctuary Project, which holds art workshops with resettled refugees, made Bolnick realize the importance of looking beyond refugee stereotypes.

“Especially in the past few years, the topic of refugees have become so politicized and polarized both here and in the world,” Bolnick said. “It’s all the more necessary now more than ever to focus on the human element of refugees and to keep that on the forefront of our minds whenever we are having these political discussions.”

At the exhibit’s opening reception, some speakers included Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) Pennsylvania Executive Director Cathryn Miller-Wilson, Iraqi artist Yaroub Al-Obaidi, and College junior Sonari-Nnamdi

MARIRI NIINO Contributing Reporter

Four first-year Penn Law School students created an art exhibit to combat stereotypes surrounding refugees.

“More Than: Beyond the Refugee Stereotype,” which opened Monday in Penn Law’s Haaga Lounge, includes artwork such as accordion books made with paper cutting and silk screening, Arabic calligraphy, and photographs provided by Catzie Vilayphonh, who directs a local art initiative known as “Laos in the House.” The exhibit’s opening reception featured speeches and performances from artists and activists within the refugee community.

Event organizer and first-year Law student Cassandra Dula said she developed the project last semester along with fellow first-year law students Benjamin Bolnick, Maddi Gray, and Adam Garnick. The four were selected

by Penn Law’s International Refugee Assistance Project, a pro bono project that helps students learn how to provide legal assistance to refugees. Every year, the project selects a group of first-year representatives to host an event.

“I work on a case with someone who is trying to get refugee status,” Dula said. “I think it’s important to know that there are

ADMISSIONS >> FRONT PAGE

wrote in an email to The Daily Pennsylvanian.

The U.S. Justice Department charged 50 people — including famous actors, college athletic coaches, and university administrators — in connection to a nationwide bribery scandal that has called into focus the power of wealth and fame in the college admission process. The alleged crimes included cheating on entrance exams and bribing college officials to falsely identify students as part of athletic recruitment, the Washington Post reported.

Peer institutions, such as Yale University, Stanford University,

LAWSUIT

>> FRONT PAGE

This semester, Magic Gardens will be hosted by LW Productions, a Penn studentrun LLC composed of Castle members and non-affiliated students, on April 12 during the week of Spring Fling, Hammond said. It will be the first Magic Gardens event held since the 2017 Spring Fling party and will be hosted separately from the fraternity. The Magic Gardens party had been held consecutively since Spring Fling 2016.

“Beyond the fact that some of the members of the team, myself included, are Psi Upsilon brothers, there is no affiliation between the event and Psi Upsilon,” said Hammond, who is the LW Productions director.

“Since reviving the event from last year, I have made sure that the two entities are completely separate. We run Magic Gardens as a professional event separate from any one particular fraternity.”

The planners will also be taking more precautions this semester to ensure the safety of attendees, Hammond said, adding that the party will have an EMT stationed at the venue and increased security.

Every guest’s wristband will also include a “unique identifier” to provide event staff with the guest’s emergency contact information, said Engineering and Wharton junior EJ Murphy, who directs LW Productions’ Partnerships and Talent Team.

MARIRI NIINO

Accordion books and Arabic calligraphy made in Swarthmore College’s Friends, Peace, and Sanctuary Project were part of the exhibit.

Chidi, creator of the short documentary “Shattering Refuge.”

The highlight of the evening came when Ndeen Al-Barqawi, a 17-year-old Philadelphia poet originally from Palestine, performed a spoken word piece titled “Dear Homeland.”

“Dear homeland, I give you these words in place of the silence that Israel has forced upon you,” Barqawi said. “When everything started to look like a battleground, we shifted our gaze to the ocean hoping to find salvation.

Georgetown University, and the University of Southern California, were named in the legal documents unsealed on March 12, but Penn was not.

Georgetown University’s former tennis head coach Gordon Ernst, who was charged in the case, was previously head coach for men’s tennis at Penn from 1998 to 2000. Singer allegedly paid Ernst $2.7 million in bribes, and in exchange, Ernst designated at least 12 applicants as recruits for the Georgetown tennis team.

The bribes were falsely labeled as “consulting fees,” the court documents allege.

“It would be naïve to think this is the only scandal that is potentially out there, but I don’t think this

Boats were made of our siblings’ bones, our father’s last breath our windsail, our blood and sweat the ocean, our mother’s back against the stubborn wave, we arrived at the outskirts of the U.S.A.” The exhibit was sponsored by Penn Law’s International Refugee Assistance Project, Penn Law & the Arts, International Human Rights Association, Penn Law Immigrant Rights Project, Penn Undergrad Refugee Empowerment, Penn Middle East Center, Penn Medicine Refugee Wom-

is something that is widespread,” said IvySelect College Consulting Founder Michael Goran, who is a 1976 College graduate.

Just days before the nationwide scandal surfaced, however, Allen testified that he accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from Philip Esformes, the father of a current Wharton senior.

When Allen pleaded guilty in October 2018, Furda told the DP that safeguards must be put in place to prevent bribery scandals from occurring in the future. At the time, he suggested new professional development and training for all staffers in both the Admissions Office and Athletics Department.

Furda did not provide further

en’s Clinic, Penn FilmAid, and Latham & Watkins. It is open March 11 through March 15.

Attendees agreed that the evening gave them a new perspective on refugees.

“I think that Penn students should have a leg up on the plight of refugees in America,” said attendee Andrea Mitnick, who came because of her involvement in HIAS. “I hope that they get a sense, and this is trite, that they are no different from you and me.”

detail on the results of the work done by the outside consultant or whether these suggested changes have been implemented.

Penn Athletics wrote in an email to the DP in July 2018 that it had “retained outside legal counsel” to investigate the bribery allegations against Allen, and in October 2018 said the investigation was in its final stages.

“Penn thoroughly reviewed everything surrounding the situation, and as soon as we’re at liberty to proceed forward, after that part of the trial at least, we will,” Penn Athletics Director M. Grace Calhoun told the DP last month, referring to Allen’s testimony. The athletics department has not released results of its findings.

Allen led the men’s basketball program for six years from 2009 to 2015, and left Penn to become assistant coach for the Boston Celtics. He was reportedly suspended from the Celtics for two weeks following his guilty plea. As part of the plea deal, Allen will repay $18,000 on top of a $202,000 fine to the federal government.

On March 13, Furda wrote more generally that the Admissions Office has safeguards in place to prevent incidents of bribery from occurring, adding that the admissions process has multiple layers of review and documentation.

“We believe we have a culture of compliance here and have put in place appropriate policies and practices to prevent the kind of

unlawful and unethical activity reported in the news today,” Furda wrote. “But it is always important to be reminded that this kind of situation does arise, so that we can be vigilant in our efforts going forward.”

Television stars were also implicated in what prosecutor Andrew Lelling described as the largest-ever college admissions scam prosecuted by the Justice Department, according to the Post. Actors Felicity Huffman, famous for her role on “Desperate Housewives,” and Lori Loughlin, who was a star of “Full House,” were charged. Most people charged disguised their bribes as charitable donations. Of the 50 people charged, 33 were parents of college hopefuls.

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SPORTS 7

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019

Three Questions: Will Penn baseball live up to its RPI ranking?

Men’s and women’s tennis are undefeated at home CHRISTIAN VILLEGAS Contributing Reporter

As Penn spring sports begin to pick up momentum, there are some questions to keep in mind going into this weekend.

Will men’s and women’s tennis be able to remain undefeated at home?

Penn tennis has been unstoppable at home. The men’s and women’s teams boast an undefeated record at the Hecht Tennis Center and are looking to continue their streaks.

Last weekend, the men (145) were able to shut out both Clemson and Drexel, winning by three points in both matches even without the help of senior Kyle Mautner. The team returns to Hecht this weekend to face both Delaware and Temple. Penn has not lost since before spring break and seems to have come with a new ferocity.

The women’s team (9-3) is also set to play Temple at Hecht on Saturday and has an undefeated home record to

ROTHSCHILD >> BACKPAGE

sonality to make a major impact both on and off the basketball court.

“I first met him personally when I came to Penn on my official visit,” junior forward AJ Brodeur said. “He was part of the welcoming committee that got me here. You could just tell that he had such a big personality, one of the friendliest guys you’ll meet. He’s all-around just a real nice guy.”

Coach Steve Donahue didn’t recruit Rothschild and actually arrived at Penn at the same time as the now-senior. Despite the lack of a relationship going in, Donahue quickly realized that Rothschild was an invaluable asset for the Quakers.

“I just thought he was a kid who has a natural ability to connect with people. He’s just so outgoing and friendly. I didn’t really know him as a player, I just loved that about him,” Donahue said.

“Whatever physical limitations he has, he overcomes it because he’s just such a dynamic leader, and he helps everyone get better.

He’s all about the team.”

From a pure athleticism standpoint, Rothschild probably

AGHAYERE >>BACKPAGE

and she joined Russell as the team’s only senior starters. Right away, her teammates began to feel the effect she brought to the lineup.

“I feel like she’s a silent warrior,” junior guard Kendall Grasela said.

“She’s not always noticed, but she’s one of the most important players on our team this year.”

“She just does all these moves that are so crafty,” junior guard Phoebe Sterba agreed. “She goes a little unnoticed sometimes, but she does a lot of the little things that drive our team.”

Playing as a forward, Aghayere is especially deadly down low in the paint. On offense, her lethal combination is getting a rebound and

uphold. Coming off their first loss in four matches to Central Florida, the Quakers are led in part by senior Marta Kowalska, who has a 7-4 singles record in the spring.

Temple’s women’s team (83) holds a similarly impressive record and will be coming off a match against Villanova.

Is Penn baseball’s RPI ranking by chance or have the Red and Blue found their footing?

Penn baseball seems to have recovered from a subpar season in 2018, winning its last two games against Winthrop and Lafayette by eight and 16 runs, respectively. Its early season consisted of multiple hardfought losses against tough competition. After breakout performances by freshman infielders Craig Larsen — winner of this week’s Ivy League Rookie of the Week and Big 5 Player of the Week — and Josh Hood, Penn ranks 24th in the country in RPI. The Red and Blue’s next contest is a home doubleheader against Fairleigh Dickinson, which will be indicative of the team’s trajectory moving forward. It will be interesting to

see if Penn can keep up the high-margin victories in its home opener this weekend.

Fairleigh Dickinson has lost its last six games, and with the help of the freshman phenoms and the leadership of senior catcher Matt O’Neill, the Red and Blue have a chance to consolidate their position and gain more stability in the national rankings.

How will the men’s heavyweight rowing young core perform?

The spring rowing season is just getting started, and looking at its freshman-focused roster, it will be interesting to see how the young core for Penn men’s heavyweight rowing performs. The team has a total of 15 freshmen this year, which begs the question of how strong the group’s chemistry and confidence will be.

This weekend on the Schuylkill River, the Quakers are set to compete in the Stan Bergman Class Day Races, and they are also preparing to race Northeastern on March 30. The team’s performance in these upcoming events could have huge implications for the rest of this season.

CHASE SUTTON

Senior catcher Matt O’Neill and the rest of Penn baseball currently sit 24th in the RPI rankings after winning games against Winthrop and Lafayette by eight and 16 runs, respectively, to open the team’s 2019 campaign.

wouldn’t be rated as one of the top big men in the Ivy League.

But as the games get more and more important, that seems to matter less and less.

“I think initially we thought to win a championship we needed someone more athletic, taller, [and] longer but all of his intangibles: his ability to compete at a high level particularly on the defensive side, [he’s] such a great passer, helps us run our offense,” Donahue said. “It doesn’t matter whether he plays two minutes or 40 minutes, he’s someone who really makes us better.”

This year, Rothschild’s role on the court has been restricted more than he or Donahue would like.

Persistent back injuries forced him to miss three games in the middle of the season and receive limited minutes in several contests since.

“It’s really tough mentally more than anything, knowing it’s your last season and having these weird injuries,” Rothschild said.

“They aren’t really totally fixable with the back and stuff, but what keeps me going every day is our family, these guys.”

As the injuries mounted and he had to spend more time off the court, Rothschild’s captaincy became even more important

to him and the rest of the team.

That was no problem for Rothschild, who has relished that position of leadership ever since assuming it at the start of his junior year.

“I try to have a relationship with everybody on the team, senior through freshman, every single year,” he said. “I try to get to know them better so that when you come out here on the floor you want to fight for your brother, you want to fight for

your family. Those relationships take time to develop, and it takes trust and it takes servant leadership in a way and just respecting one another.”

Just how successful has Rothschild’s captaincy been?

“He’s been a great vocal leader,” Brodeur said. “He does a lot for our team chemistry on and off the court. He’s always trying to get guys to do stuff, whether that’s just hanging out, getting people in the gym to work out,

putting it right back up for a layup, often drawing a foul in the process.

She’s also known for her tenacious defense. When paired with sophomore center Eleah Parker, the duo is notorious for causing problems for opponents.

“Having both [Princess and Eleah] is trouble for teams because we have two really good post players, and who wants to guard them? Because I don’t want to guard them,” Grasela joked.

While Aghayere might not be seen as high-profile as Russell or Parker, that’s what separates her from her teammates — she flies under the radar while still performing at a competitive level.

The senior put up double-digit points over 11 straight games earlier this season, including a career-high

23 against Cornell on Feb. 23.

“If we’re in a rut and not doing well on offense, we’ll give her the ball and she’ll make a play because she’s just that good,” Russell said.

“She was our constant on the court for these last few games, she’s just so versatile and reliable that it’s easy for us to feel comfortable when she has the ball.”

She played a huge role in getting the Quakers to where they stand today, as co-Ivy League champions and the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament. If she plays well this weekend, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Red and Blue play their way right into the NCAA Tournament.

Her style of play fuels confidence not just from herself, but also from her teammates.

“I know that she takes pride in

everything that she does on the court, so I just have no doubt when she has the ball — I just love playing with her,” Russell said.

Off the court, Aghayere is a Health and Societies major and wants to find an intersection between the business and social impact worlds, with graduate school possibly in the near future.

Her many trips back to Africa have inspired her to give back in the framework of international development, especially in the context of her home continent.

“I think it was just a way to reconnect,” she said of going back. “The first country I went to was Rwanda, so [it was] just a way to stay focused on who I am and what I want to do with my life. So fueling that fire of wanting to grow my skills, but also giving back to the community.”

The same fervor that Aghayere has towards helping others permeates her playing style just as much.

Off the court, her calm disposition tends to dominate, but her passion takes over in game.

“Whenever she gets a rebound and a putback and she gets fouled, she gets so mad at herself when she doesn’t make the shot,” Russell said. “But you just had a girl slap your arm and you’re mad you didn’t make the layup? She takes everything to heart and isn’t the person who shows too much emotion, but in those small split seconds, I see how much she truly cares and I love seeing that.”

When asked about the legacy she wanted to leave behind, Aghayere again kept it short and sweet.

“Just being a rebounder and going after the ball,” she said.

These roles have defined Aghayere’s time on the court and made her the dangerous player she is, but she’ll no doubt be remembered for much more.

ALICE HEYEH

IAN ONG

[or] just trying to spend time with as many guys as he can to bring people together. He’s a big culture guy, and that’s really important for the system that coach Donahue is trying to build here.”

“Max brings unity,” said Silpe, Rothschild’s roommate and fellow captain. “He loves collectiveness. You’ll never catch him by himself. He’s always with a lot of people, and he’s always surrounding himself with

really great people. He’s just a homebody. He loves his family, loves making relationships.”

But when asked for a moment that exemplified those qualities the most, these very same teammates were completely stumped.

“One specific experience … he’s just funny, man,” Silpe said. “There’s not one experience because I’ve been with him for four years. There’s so many. I could give you thousands.”

“I can’t think of one specific time, and I think that is what makes it so notable. It’s a constant thing,” Brodeur agreed. “I can’t think of one specific example because of how continuous it is.”

Rothschild himself struggled to identify his favorite memory as a Quaker, noting that even though he has spent some time reflecting, it’s difficult to single out any one experience.

“There’s a lot. There’s so many,” he said.

That’s the thing about Rothschild. Over the course of four years, his presence at Penn has been so large, so impactful that defining it with one game or one moment isn’t truly possible.

Live music • Film • Dance • Theater Art Education • Community FREE Workshop!

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8 SPORTS

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019

THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

Penn splits doubleheader with Lafayette in first home games of season SOFTBALL | Quakers won afternoon contest by one run CHASE SUTTON Senior Multimedia Editor

Game one ended in a walk-off.

Game two ended in a letdown. In the end, nothing could separate the two teams.

After 15 innings over two games, Penn softball split its doubleheader against Lafayette on Wednesday. The Quakers (66) struggled to score runs in both games, but the pitching staff was able to keep them in the first contest just enough to give senior first baseman Hannah Gibbons a chance to smack a long walk-off home run, giving the Red and Blue a 2-1 victory. The same could not be said for the second game, when timely hitting for the Leopards (2-10) lifted them over Penn by a score of 5-3.

The doubleheader began with a good old-fashioned pitcher’s duel.

Senior Stacy Gordon pitched the entire game for the Leopards, with both of her earned runs coming on solo home runs. For the Quakers,

sophomores Abigail Abramson and Tabitha Dyer split the eight innings, giving up a total of three hits. Dyer got off to a bit of a shaky start after giving up two walks in the first inning and a home run to freshman Erin Scott in the second, but the Leopards wouldn’t create anything offensively after that.

The Quakers were able to create significantly more chances to score, but they couldn’t push runners across home plate. The Red and Blue left the bases loaded in the first inning and left two runners on base in the second and third innings. Gibbons recognized that this has been a consistent issue for the Quakers. “That’s been the story of the season so far. We had that issue in Florida as well. It’s just about having smart at-bats and starting with a plan when we get in the box,�

Gibbons said.

Penn was able to level the score in the fifth inning when freshman outfielder Emma Nedley hit a twoout homer to end Gordon’s shutout bid. With neither team able to break the 1-1 deadlock, the game would head into extra innings. And with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Gibbons stepped up

to the plate. With a favorable 3-1 count, the senior got a fastball and deposited it over the left-center field fence in Penn Park. “Going into the at-bat it was more ‘make something happen, find a way to get on base’. I knew the pitcher. The pitcher was pretty nervous,� Gibbons said. “I got my money pitch and took it long. It was a nice swing. It felt good.�

Coming off a dramatic win in their first home game of the season, the Red and Blue looked to use the victory as momentum going into the night game. However, this would not be the case. Penn continued to leave runners on base, and this time, Lafayette capitalized on its chances.

The Leopards were especially able to wreak havoc on freshman Julia Longo. After junior Jennifer Brann pitched a solid four innings, Longo came in to relieve her in the top of the fifth. In that inning, Longo gave up three hits and a walk, allowing Lafayette to extend the lead to 3-0.

The Red and Blue clawed their way back into the game, scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth in part due to two Lafayette errors. But Longo would continue

CHASE SUTTON

Senior first baseman Hannah Gibbons and the rest of Penn softball won their first home game of the year in the first leg of a doubleheader against Lafayette on Wednesday before falling in game two by a 5-3 margin.

to struggle to find the strike zone and get quick outs; the Leopards immediately regained their threerun lead in the top of the seventh inning. “I tend to be very, very hard on myself, and that’s when things

spiral,� Longo said. “I need to be a little more mentally tough and be able to sharpen the mental side of my game and focus in when it counts most.�

After going 5-5 in Clearwater, Fla. over spring break, the Quak-

ers maintained their .500 record on Wednesday. The Red and Blue will look to capitalize on their opportunities to score runs more often as Ivy play looms. Penn will begin Ivy play against Yale on Saturday in New Haven, Conn.

Men’s lacrosse looks to start Ivy League season on a high note against archrival Princeton Penn has won its last two games after starting 0-3 ZACK ROVNER Associate Sports Editor

The season starts over on Saturday.

After a difficult first five games for Penn men’s lacrosse, which featured matchups against three top-five programs in Maryland, Duke and Penn State, the Quakers are ready to start Ivy League play against Princeton. “We had a really tough schedule going into Ivy League play, and we’ve learned a lot about ourselves,� junior attackman Adam Goldner said. “As a team, we’ve taken a lot of steps to get ready for League play. Going into Princeton we’re definitely

SON NGUYEN

Junior attackman Adam Goldner hopes to lead Penn men’s lacrosse to victory in the team’s first Ivy League game of the season on Saturday.

battle tested.�

Penn (2-3) has used these games to grow as a team. Now ranked No. 20 in the nation, the Quakers’ defense allowed 17

goals over two games this past weekend, after allowing 15 per game in its first three contests. “[Our difficult schedule] helps tremendously,� coach Mike

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group that went 12-2 in conference play and advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season, the Quakers did what they needed to do to just get into Ivy Madness. Now it’s time to replicate that stellar playoff performance from a year ago.

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against Harvard would bring even more momentum going into the championship game. “With the momentum we have, we’re the type of team that none of the other three teams want to play,� Brodeur said.

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and eventually losing by doubledigits.

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big shots, could allow Penn to look past the colors and insignias on the court and just play the game. “If we get a block, if we take a charge, everyone goes crazy,�

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With an Ivy League title already under their belt, the Quakers are striving to make their homecoming that much sweeter and earn a spot in March Madness.

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play this year is its location, as the Tournament took place at the Palestra in 2017 and 2018. However, the Ivy League made the decision to move the venue to Yale last May, forcing the Quakers to step outside their comfort zone. “The dimensions are all the same; it’s just about playing the right way,� McLaughlin said.

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From the beginning of the season until now, the Quakers have been improving, always with an eye on Ivy League play. “We’re improving and getting better in different areas, especially on defense. We’re still a work in progress, but we’re headed in the right direction,� Murphy said.

In their last two contests, the Red and Blue defeated Villanova and Saint Joseph’s.

Prior to those victories, Penn had lost its past three meetings against Villanova.

The Quakers will look to continue their two-game win streak this Saturday, starting their journey toward a potential Ivy League title.

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mouth and a 19-goal performance against Navy. As a team, Princeton is currently fifth in the nation in goals scored per game. “Our defense is going to have their hands full with their offense and Mike Sowers,� Murphy said. “Our success will start with us being able to defend them well and defend Mike Sowers in particular.�

Penn will look to Goldner to keep up with the Tigers’ explosive offense. Currently tied for 20th in the nation in goals per game with three scores per contest, Goldner has been the heart of the Quakers’ offense so far this season. “I think that being unselfish and looking for the best shot, not the first shot, [has helped me improve the most],� Goldner said. “Playing fast and with a lot

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Murphy said. “Those three [topfive] teams do a lot of different things well. They’re all different in style of play and things they exposed in our defense. We’ve corrected a lot of things on defense that we wouldn’t have corrected if we didn’t play that quality of schedule.�

On Saturday, the Red and Blue will look to continue their improved defensive efforts to try and contain an explosive Princeton offense.

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THEDP.COM | THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN

SPORTS 9

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019

What are Penn’s chances for an at-large bid to March Madness?

W. HOOPS | The Quakers have won 22 games this year JACKSON JOFFE Associate Sports Editor

Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

On Monday, Penn women’s basketball could have a chance to secure the Ivy League’s second at-large bid in history. The Quakers (22-5, 12-2 Ivy) surpassed preseason expectations to claim a share of the conference title with Princeton (20-9, 12-2) this season.

At-large bids to the NCAA Basketball Tournament are a rarity for Ivy League squads.

Only one men’s or women’s Ivy basketball team since 1968 has received an at-large bid to the Tournament — the Princeton women’s team in 2016, the year before the Ivy League Tournament was instituted. It’s natural, then, to compare this year’s Red and Blue squad with the 20152016 Princeton team.

Those Tigers also went 12-2 in conference play, losing in January and March to Ivy champion Penn. On the surface, this year’s Quakers have had a similar season to the 2015-16 Tigers: They both posted a 20+ win season and a 12-2 record in the Ancient Eight. At the very least, though, the Red and Blue will need to beat Harvard in the first round of the Ivy League Tournament to have a shot at an at-large bid.

Nonetheless, there are some stark differences between the teams. The at-large Tigers lost to Penn by just two points in each of their contests, while at-large hopeful Penn lost to Harvard by eight in double overtime and to Princeton by 15. Penn’s loss to Princeton, especially given its recency, could hurt the Quakers’ chances. The Tigers won 11 games by double digits in 201516, while the Red and Blue have won seven, with four of their wins decided by six points or less. In conference play, it seems like the 2015-16 Tigers have a bit of an edge.

SON NGUYEN

If Penn women’s basketball is unable to win the Ivy League Tournament, the Red and Blue will need an at-large bid to make the NCAA Tournament.

The non-conference schedules of both teams should also be criteria on which the committee bases their decision. Princeton lost to Seton Hall, No. 10 Ohio State, and Dayton in 2015-16 while throttling Duquesne by 28 points — a team that advanced to the Round of 32 in March Madness. Penn, meanwhile, lost to then-No. 1 Notre Dame, NCAA Tournament hopeful Maine, and a struggling Villanova team.

Perhaps more importantly, the Quakers didn’t beat any probable Tournament teams during regular season play. Penn did stay neck-and-neck with Notre Dame throughout the first half and limited the high-flying Irish to just 75 points, 14 below their season average.

Looking at RPI rankings, there is some discrepancy between the two teams. The atlarge Tigers were 36th in RPI, while the then-conference champion Quakers were 27th in RPI. This year’s Red and Blue rank 60th in RPI this season.

With this said, it is not uncommon for a team that ranks outside the top 50 in RPI to make

SON NGUYEN

Despite Penn women’s basketball’s stellar regular season, the chances of the team earning an at-large NCAA Tournament bid are low as the Quakers head into the Ivy League Tournament this weekend at Yale.

the Tournament: Nebraska in 2018, Purdue in 2017, and Miami in 2015 all did so. These teams all have more conference recognition and play in more difficult conferences, however, which likely played in their favor.

This year’s Penn team doesn’t quite have the same resume as Princeton’s 2015-16 team, which is where the bar has been set. This doesn’t necessarily mean the Quakers won’t be receiving an at-large bid, but it doesn’t appear likely.

Judging by bracketologist Charlie Creme’s prediction on ESPNW, Penn actually ranks higher in RPI than five of the eight next teams out. The pitfall of this argument, though, is that Penn has played easier opponents than the other at-large hopefuls.

Penn’s low odds of earning an at-large bid make the Ivy Tournament that much more important. Chances are that if the Quakers want to advance to the NCAA Tournament, they will have to win a pair of games this weekend.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 VOL. CXXXIV NO. 15

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

FOUNDED 1885

Quakers head to Yale hoping to win a title

Women’s hoops in search of spot in NCAA Tourney

M. HOOPS | Penn will look to beat Harvard for the first time this season in Ivy semifinal

No. 2 Quakers will begin search for title against No. 3 Crimson on Saturday night

ISAAC SPEAR Associate Sports Editor

EVAN VIROSLAV Sports Reporter

Here we go again.

After a season of ups and downs, Penn men’s basketball finds itself preparing for the Ivy League Tournament once again. The defending League champions are the underdogs this time around, barely sneaking into Ivy Madness as the No. 4 seed.

First up for the Quakers (19-11, 7-7 Ivy) is Harvard (17-10, 10-4), which beat Penn in both games this season. The Red and Blue seemed right on the cusp of victory in each contest, taking the Crimson to overtime at the Palestra and only falling by six points in Cambridge, Mass.

“I thought we played them tough,” senior guard Jake Silpe said. “Both times, we definitely outworked them. We didn’t close out those games very well.”

If the Quakers hope to end up with a different result on Saturday, they’ll need production outside of their main contributors. Juniors AJ Brodeur and Devon Goodman, who were both named to All-Ivy teams on Monday, combined for 84 points in the games against Harvard.

The rest of the team scored just 37.

“We’re not a team that relies on [Brodeur and Goodman],” coach Steve Donahue said.

“However we do obviously go through them in different ways.”

During the Quakers’ three-game winning streak that propelled them into the tournament, the Red and Blue turned to veteran leadership to take some of the load off their stars. A trio of senior guards in Silpe, Antonio Woods, and Jackson Donahue stepped up in a big way.

In the postseason, experience goes a long way toward success, so this same cast of characters, who have won big games late in the year in the past, will be featured again this weekend.

“If we do end up winning this whole thing, [veteran leadership] is going to be one of the main reasons why,” Brodeur said. “You always see more experienced teams come out on top.”

The other semifinal matchup is between Yale (20-7, 10-4) and Princeton (16-11, 8-6). The Red and Blue have had a similar lack of success against these teams, dropping both games to Princeton and splitting with Yale.

However, the Quakers are a much different

Step number one: beat Harvard.

After clinching a share of the regular season Ivy League title with back-to-back wins against Yale and Brown this past weekend, Penn women’s basketball has its sights set on the Ivy League Tournament, which will take place this weekend at Yale.

The No. 2 Quakers (22-5, 12-2 Ivy) will take on the No. 3 Crimson (16-11, 9-5) in their first matchup on Saturday, hoping to advance to the championship on Sunday against either No. 1 Princeton (20-9, 12-2) or No. 4 Cornell (12-13, 6-8).

Penn’s only two conference losses have come against Harvard and Princeton — the most recent being a tough 68-53 battle against Princeton — so the Quakers have plenty of motivation to come out on top.

“We have a lot to prove,” coach Mike McLaughlin said. “We want to be the best.”

The Quakers have played two tough games against the Crimson this season, dropping a double-overtime heartbreaker in Cambridge, Mass. and winning another tight contest in overtime at the Palestra on March 1. After dropping the second game in a thriller, Harvard will surely be looking for revenge.

“It’s going to be a long game, and it’s going to come down to the end,” senior guard Ashley Russell said.

This season, the defining metric of the Quakers has been their defense. Allowing only 53.7 points per game, Penn very well may be capable of slowing down Harvard’s high-scoring offense and scraping out a potentially close game for a shot at the championship and an NCAA Tournament berth.

In analyzing the Quakers’ potential championship matchups, it would be surprising if Cornell were to advance to the final. The Big Red have given up on average more points to their opponents than they have scored, and Penn’s two games with them have ended in double-digit victories for the Quakers. Additionally, Princeton beat Cornell by 29 points on the road earlier this season.

The Tigers present a more difficult matchup.

With an offense just as high scoring as Harvard’s, Princeton has put the Quakers to the test defensively this season, scoring at least 60 points in both matchups. During its loss to the Tigers, Penn’s offense faltered in the second half, falling behind

JOY LEE

SEE M. BASKETBALL PAGE 8

JESS TAN

SEE W. BASKETBALL PAGE 8

Princess Aghayere: breaking out as the silent warrior for Penn women’s basketball

A rapper, a rebounder, and a ‘real nice guy’: Senior Max Rothschild does it all

The senior has started in all 27 games this season

M. HOOPS | Forward has played in 111 career games

WILL DiGRANDE Sports Editor

MICHAEL LANDAU Sports Editor

She’s Penn women’s basketball’s silent weapon.

You might not guess it from talking to her off the court, but when forward Princess Aghayere puts on her jersey, she comes ready to play.

The senior is known on the team for her reserved, humble demeanor, but that all changes in-game, especially as she has come into her own in her final season with the Red and Blue.

Having started all of Penn’s 27 games thus far, Aghayere is in the midst of her best season by far. She owns an average of 12.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, good for second-best on the team in both categories.

“I think Princess just needed that opportunity,” coach Mike McLaughlin said.

“Michelle [Nwokedi] was here, Sydney [Stipanovich] was here, and they both affect the game the way they played.

But [Princess] has matured, and she’s having the senior year that you would only hope kids would have.”

Her journey to Penn was unconventional. Having lived in Nigeria until she was 10, Aghayere came to the United States and became fix-

Max Rothschild spends countless hours each week honing his skills on the court for Penn men’s basketball, but shooting and rebounding aren’t his only talents.

“This is something no one knows about him, but he’s a rapper too,” senior guard Jake Silpe said. “He does almost everything. He plays the guitar, he raps, he records, he writes.”

Despite this revelation, Rothschild’s fans probably shouldn’t get their hopes up. He doesn’t plan on releasing anything anytime soon.

“I do a little bit of music on the side here and there,” Rothschild said. “I’m not ready to put anything out there. I don’t think I’m that good yet, but it’s something I do on the side, kind of low-key.”

Rothschild’s basketball career has been far less low-key.

The senior forward and two-year captain has played in 111 games over his four years with the Red and Blue, missing just eight contests during his time with the Quakers. He was a key part of Penn’s run to an Ivy League title in 2018, starting in every game

SON NGUYEN

Senior forward Princess Aghayere has embraced her role as Penn women’s basketball’s quiet powerhouse this season.

ated with basketball.

She was a standout at South Lakes High School in Reston, Va., earning All-State honors twice, and immediately fell in love with Penn on her first visit. Older talent on the team meant she initially didn’t see much action on the court, but that didn’t stop her from honing her skills and using every extra chance she got to improve.

“She might not be the loudest, but through the past four years, I’ve seen her on the court more than anyone else — she really exemplifies what Penn basketball is all about,” senior guard Ashley Russell said.

Aghayere gradually picked up a growing number of minutes through her first three seasons, although all came from the bench. Through her junior year, she was consistently getting a decent amount of playing time, quietly cementing her role as the team’s “sixth woman.”

With the departure of last year’s seniors, however, she got her chance to shine.

McLaughlin promoted Aghayere to the starting five, SEE AGHAYERE PAGE 7

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CHASE SUTTON

Senior forward Max Rothschild has been a key part of Penn men’s basketball over the past four years, helping the team win a title in 2018.

but one and finishing second on the team with 188 rebounds.

Those numbers, however, don’t come anywhere close to describing Rothschild’s true role at Penn, a school he was enamored with from the beginning.

“I just loved the campus, the fact that it was a campus within a city,” he said. “As soon as they offered, I committed because I thought it was the perfect combination of academics and athletics.”

Rothschild, or “Big Zero” as he is known for the number on the back of his jersey, quickly made

an impression on his future teammates — even those he hadn’t met.

“I was looking through his Facebook and he seemed like a really funny guy, like this Cali kid. Even though he’s from Chicago, he had this California-type swag to him, like surfer almost,” Silpe said. “He was just a super funny guy, really down-to-earth, really outgoing.”

From the time he first came to Penn as a freshman in the fall of 2015, Rothschild used that perSEE ROTHSCHILD PAGE 7

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