September 7, 2020 by Duke Chronicle

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2020

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UNIVERSITY NEWS

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEENTH YEAR, ISSUE 6

LOCAL & NATIONAL NEWS

RAs describe enforcement issues BOE forsees poll worker challenges By Francesca Maglione Contributing Reporter

Chronicle File Photo As students returned to campus during a pandemic, East Campus RAs said there were challenges with enforcement and communication.

By Mona Tong Assistant News Editor

As campus reopens during a pandemic, East Campus resident assistants told The Chronicle that issues with enforcement and communication, especially during the lead-up to classes, have left them feeling frustrated. All students had to sign the Duke Compact, which outlines COVID-19 safety requirements, before returning to campus, and all members of the community—from students to the Compliance Team to RAs—have been involved in enforcement. Joe Gonzalez, assistant vice president of student affairs and dean for residential life, told The Chronicle last month that RAs have been provided various in person and “contactless” enforcement techniques, including support resources. However, some RAs living in first-year dorms said they have felt frustrated and unprepared with Duke’s communication and enforcement of COVID-19 policies— especially throughout orientation week and at the beginning of the semester. The Chronicle talked to three East Campus resident assistants—all of whom asked not to be named for fear of retribution—about how they feel about their roles on campus and Duke’s communication and enforcement of policies. The first RA, who lives in a dorm on the main East quad, and the second RA, who lives in the East backyard, noted that since the start of classes, firstyears have been more compliant with Compact rules—especially after seeing schools like the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University move online. The second RA added that the University has improved its communication to RAs. “We’ve gotten some more clarification on what’s expected of us as RAs at this point, so I’m hopeful that things will continue to improve as we get more explicit [information] and build community on campus,” she wrote in a message to The Chronicle during the second week of classes.

The first RA added that since classes started, policies have “changed massively.” She wrote in a Sept. 2 message to The Chronicle that there is much more enforcement happening now and policies have become “a lot clearer.” Nonetheless, there was a “very chaotic lead-up to classes starting,” according to the first RA.

‘Nonstop’ violations

The first RA said that there have been “nonstop” violations of COVID-19 rules, especially during the first few weeks of firstyears being on campus. She said there was a constant cycle of breaking up groups in the common room for having more than the maximum number of people allowed. The occupancy limit for common rooms depends on the size of the room, and only three people are allowed in a bedroom at the same time in all East Campus residence halls, Gonzalez wrote in an email. “I’ve heard other RAs say, ‘You don’t want to leave your dorm room because you walk out and you’re going to immediately have to start correcting people,’” the first RA said. “And it won’t necessarily be stuff that is flagrant violations of the rules––it’s just basic stuff, like people don’t realize they shouldn’t be sitting right next to each other on the quad.” The third RA, who lives in the East backyard quad, wrote in a message that before classes began, there were East Campus parties that happened at least once every day, typically in the backyard quad. They wrote that after Housing and Residence Life or police would tell students to disperse, students would leave, no names would be taken and the party would just “break up into small chunks and move into people’s rooms.” The first RA recalled one large East Campus party where RAs called the resident coordinator since “it’s beyond our capacity to handle that many people,” and nothing happened. The third RA noted often seeing groups of unmasked firstyears leave dorm rooms with a trailing scent of alcohol behind them—but nothing changing because of contactless approaches.

Both RAs noted that they feel these contactless approaches—which include texting or calling residents, calling RCs and writing detailed incident reports in lieu of getting too close to residents—are necessary. “It’s unfair to ask anyone to go to a group of unmasked people and ask them to put their masks on,” the first RA said. Gonzalez wrote in an email that all incidents of non-compliance, whether on campus, in residence halls or off campus, “are being taken seriously.” The second RA said that although she is upset with first-years who are breaking Compact rules, she does understand their desire for a “normal” first year. “This is a crazy time to be starting—freshman year is about finding your people and figuring out where you belong, and how are you supposed to do that through a computer screen? How are you supposed to feel like you belong somewhere and there isn’t anywhere to go?” she said. “But at the end of the day, we have to, as a community, decide to put the wellness and well-being of the community over individual desires.” She added that she has not felt safe or secure on campus, worrying about getting herself or her loved ones sick. The first RA wrote in a message that she feels anxious every time she coughs because she has seen “how little some residents seem to care about the rules.” However, she wrote that pool testing— which began the first week of classes— made her feel better. She wrote that she feels administration is taking the need to track down cases early on “quite seriously.”

‘Mixed messages’

The first RA said that she felt Duke initially sent RAs “mixed messages” about how they should handle COVID-19 violations and whether or not they should write incident reports. She said that from a training video sent to RAs Aug. 15 and neighborhood meetings prior to the second week of classes,

See ENFORCEMENT on Page 3 @dukechronicle @dukebasketball |

The coronavirus has generated numerous challenges for the upcoming November election, among them the recruitment of poll workers. According to Damon Circosta, chair of the North Carolina State Board of Elections and an adjunct professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy, the board faces multiple challenges regarding the enrollment of poll workers. “We are not behind, but we are certainly not ahead,” Circosta said. The board anticipates one issue may be people registering to serve as poll workers but failing to show up to their shifts due to fear and uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Another challenge is that more poll workers will be needed to work on Election Day than in a normal year, to enforce COVID-19 social-distancing and sanitation protocols, Circosta said. This is added to the fact that, according to Circosta, the board expects record voter turnout given increased interest in this year’s election. Another one of the board’s concerns is that the majority of election workers are older or retired North Carolinians, which is the demographic with the highest risk of experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms. These poll workers usually work many elections in a row. For young people, volunteering as a poll worker can be an opportunity to stand on the front lines of democracy, Circosta said. He said it can also be an act of service: a way to give back to those who have been working tirelessly throughout the pandemic to make voting run as smoothly and safely as possible. In order to become a poll worker, applicants must be registered to vote in the county in which they plan to serve. The state Board of Elections has information about the process on its website. This job is not a volunteer position—poll workers are paid for their service. Poll workers are expected to work from 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Election Day, in addition to three to four hours of paid training prior to their See POLL on Page 8

INSIDE Experiences in isolation From black vans to free food, students who’ve spent time in quarantine or isolation recalled their stays PAGE 3

Zebrafish study is cool Political science professor at liberal university says liberal things. Conservative protestors objected to lecture. PAGE 3

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2 | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2020

FEATURE

Life in seclusion: Students’ experiences in quarantine, isolation By Alison Korn Contributing Reporter

If you took a stroll on East Campus at the beginning of the semester and happened to find yourself standing in front of Jarvis dorm, you might have noticed the colorful poster hanging from one of the dorm’s second-story windows: “We are bored. Yell up to say hi.” Previously a space for first-year housing, Jarvis has quickly gained notoriety for its status, alongside East House dorm, as an isolation space for on-campus Duke students who test positive for the coronavirus. Students in precautionary quarantine, meanwhile, are taken to the newly purchased Lodge at Duke Medical hotel. The students in these spaces are separate from the rest of the community, so except for scattered hints—like the poster—life there has been shrouded in mystery. The journey to isolation begins with a positive test result—either your own or a friend’s. First-year Michael Bell was eating lunch with friends when he received a text from a friend that she had just tested positive for COVID-19 as part of Duke’s pool testing. “We freaked out because we didn’t really know much about contact tracing or how it worked, and we were just worried for her sake that she would get sent home or start developing symptoms,” Bell said. Later that afternoon, Bell received another text from a different friend who had also tested positive. “At this point we were thinking, ‘OK, we probably all have it, this is not good,’” he said. “One by one, we received emails and calls from the contact tracing team that we are being removed from campus and sent to quarantine.” Students awaiting test results are kept in

quarantine at the annex building of the Lodge at Duke Medical Center hotel, which is reserved for quarantined students to be separated from the rest of the hotel guests. A similar experience happened to first-year Sophie Munro, who said the trip to quarantine wasn’t as dramatic as it was rumored to be. She was told via phone call what to pack and when she would be leaving. Soon after, someone came to transport her to the Lodge, where she was required to stay until Sep. 4. “It was a black van, but it wasn’t like they were carting me away or taking me to prison— nothing like that. Everyone was very friendly,” Munro said. She noted that a clear divider separated her and the driver during the trip. Duke also provided her with psychological resources to assist her during her time in quarantine, she said. Students in quarantine aren’t allowed to socialize, Bell said. “We were instructed to stay in our rooms unless we have to get food or go outside for an hour a day to get some sun,” he said. When test results are returned, a positive result sends a student to Jarvis. But students with negative results are still required to quarantine at the Lodge for the remainder of the 14-day period. “I really want to ask for an antibody test,” Bell said, “because I can’t imagine that if at least four of my friends are positive I’m negative, unless I already had the virus asymptomatically in the past and have antibodies. I feel like if I get an antibody test and it turns out that I do have antibodies, the results should be enough to convince Duke to send me back early, because at that point I can’t spread anything.” Although isolated, the students in the Lodge didn’t have any complaints when it came to living arrangements.

“The hotel is actually quite nice,” Munro said while living at the Lodge. “My room is a good space. I have a large bed, a bathroom, a TV, and a desk. I feel pretty comfortable here. Of course, it can be a little lonely, but given the circumstances, I feel like Duke did an amazing job making sure our accommodations and our space was livable for 14 days.” The food tasted good, first-year James Gao said. And there was lots of it: ramen, danishes, sandwiches and more. “I literally ate five meals in one day of quarantine just because it was all free and it all looked pretty good too,” he said. “I had some nice pasta, a couple sandwiches and a chicken

pot pie.” Students in quarantine have found various ways to fight the monotony. Bell brought his guitar, and he played and wrote music to pass the time. “I also brought a book I never thought I was going to read, but I started reading it, because why not,” he said. Munro spent more than an hour each day working out to exercise videos, a habit that keeps her sane, she said. During the window of time in which they’re allowed out, some students are trying to stay active. “People will walk in circles around the parking lot just to get some movement,” she said.

Courtesy of Skylar Brogan OSC has stripped appeals boards of their power to resolve cases, which must now be returned to OSC for a final decision.

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LOCAL & NATIONAL NEWS

Duke experts advise Durham public schools on reopening By REPORTER WHAT IS THEIR POSITION????

On Aug. 17, as Duke students everywhere were just rolling out of bed, Durham public school students were logging in to their first online class of the school year. Several weeks after the announcement that students would participate in remote learning for the first nine weeks of class, Durham Public Schools announced on July 30 a new partnership with the Duke University School of Medicine and Duke Clinical Research Institute. Funded by the National Institutes of Health,

the DCRI-led COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Board hopes to provide schools with local and national scientific data on which to base their decisions for the fall. “This is an entirely new situation. [DCRI] needs to understand the impact on schools, and we need to understand the science for decisionmaking. It’s very much collaborative,” said William Sudderth, the chief communications officer for Durham Public Schools. “We’re going to need our best and brightest minds supporting us and we have that in the Durham area.” This is what DCRI member Kanecia Zimmerman, associate professor of pediatrics, and DCRI Deputy Executive Director Danny

ON DUKECHRONICLE.COM National councils reject Zeta, ADPi’s attempts to decharter at Duke, according to chapters BY ASHWIN KULSHRESTHA | 09/06/2020 Two Panhellenic groups at Duke have been unsuccessful in their decisions to decharter, according to statements made publicly or to The Chronicle.

First virtual Heatwave concert kicks off an unusual fall semester BY MEREDITH COHEN | 09/26/2020 For the first time in Duke’s history, the annual Heatwave concert was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic last Friday, Aug. 28.

Benjamin envisioned when they first partnered with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools this summer. Both parents of K-12 students in DPS and CHCCS, they hope to establish Duke as a hub for COVID-19 data and research specifically tailored to school-aged children. And they are well on their way—the program has now spread to 40 districts across North Carolina and plans to go national next month. The Scientific Advisory Board, which meets weekly, comprises Duke experts across disciplines—epidemiology, pediatrics, general medicine, data science and mental health—most pertinent to ensuring health safety for K-12 children. Its first goal this fall is to educate school staff and educators about the virus and equip them with the information they need to make this school year safe and successful. “What we’ve started is a webinar series on Monday nights that’s open to the staff and teachers from each participating district. And we go through an education session in the evening once a week,” Benjamin said. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons In addition to educational outreach, the OSC has stripped appeals boards of their power to resolve cases, which must now be returned to advisory board will also provide partner districts

with scientific data tailored to their needs. “For the superintendents, it’s much more about interpreting the high-quality science so that they can make informed decisions about policy,” Benjamin commented. In this manner, the Scientific Advisory Board plans to stay objective in its efforts, leaving policy decisions up to each school district. DPS is also remaining mindful of its demographic make-up. DPS and DCRI are using the collaboration to ensure equitable access to scientific information regarding COVID-19 for parents and community members. “We know that historically marginalized communities, communities of color, are, for various reasons, more vulnerable to the harmful effects of the virus, and DPS serves majority-minority populations. So we need to be assured that our students and staff will be safe,” Sudderth said. Durham is known as the “city of medicine,” he said, and students and teachers are “really fortunate” to have Duke’s support. “Reopening our schools requires strong science and strong community engagement and we are glad that DCRI is providing so much help,” Sudderth said.

including a Neighborhood 1 policy change by Duke added—which she said should have been which RAs, graduate residents and HRL staff previously determined—is that eating is no longer members file incident reports when residents allowed in common rooms. are not wearing masks in common spaces. For a Gonzalez wrote that HRL has been working with resident’s first minor COVID-19 infraction, they Student Affairs and the University at large to“develop will have an informal talk with the RC about and refine our approach around compliance and guidelines, she wrote in a message. enforcement of the Duke Compact, influenced in She wrote that there is now more “up to RA part by the behaviors we’ve seen on campus these discretion” and RAs are “slowly being told to first few weeks of the semester.” report more and more as residents are expected He added that policy changes so far have to understand the policy better.” been due to HRL “watching and listening” for The first RA added that she feels Duke’s opportunities to collectively improve since RAs planning did not take into account the and students returned to campus. considerable “peer pressure and social anxieties He assured that HRL would continue to of O-Week.” She noted that RAs came to “refine and clarify” where possible, and is “open campus Aug. 6 and firstto this ongoing process years started arriving a Now, [rule violations] could throughout the year.” day later, limiting the affect the entire community, “In response, we ability for RAs to keep have been clarifying and people safe when they so you really need to be adjusting our protocols were still sequestering constantly working it seems. for residential staff, as and arriving at the same well as providing specific time as first-years. information around some east campus RA of the ‘what ifs’ of life in the Mary Pat McMahon, vice provost and vice residence halls, including president for student affairs, acknowledged the occupancy numbers for bedrooms and whether scheduling challenge, telling The Chronicle last one can eat a meal in the common room,” Gonzalez month that there was a period of time when the wrote. “Our hope is that this further clarification Class of 2024 was “very, very unstructured” due will be helpful in making sure we are all abiding by to this year’s unprecedented move-in. the spirit and expectations of the Compact.” The second RA said that in the first few weeks, there was a lack of communication to RAs about Burnt out and overworked enforcement. She said that RAs typically aren’t The first and third RA said that they and involved in the disciplinary process, but for other other RAs feel burnt out and overworked, violations such as alcohol, RAs are at least informed working all the time even when not on call. about the enforcement process and what happens The first RA said that normally, RAs do one next. These “next steps” were not communicated round on call in rotation. During O-Week, she to RAs for COVID-19 policy violations until more said there were two RAs on call every night doing recently, she explained. two rounds, which did nothing for actually getting Two of the RAs interviewed were also frustrated students to follow the policy. It just created “more by new COVID-19 rules communicated to RAs jobs without any enforcement power,” she said.’ after first-years were already on campus. The first Gonzalez confirmed in an email that RAs RA said that RAs only found out at the end of did additional rounds during move-in week. As O-Week that the limit in dorm rooms was three classes began, he wrote, on-call schedules returned people, something she said Duke should have had to their “standard expectations.” He added that figured out beforehand. She said that another rule on-call hours on weekends have been “reduced

significantly” from last year. He emphasized that one of HRL’s “nonnegotiables in making policy and protocol decisions” is safeguarding the health and safety of residential staff and other campus community members. The third RA wrote that even though HRL has decreased the number of rounds since classes began, they are “still working” and being alert for incidents even when not on call. They wrote that they work around five to seven more hours a week than they did last year—which “doesn’t sound like much but as a student that’s a lot more than I signed on for,” they wrote. The first RA added that she feels she can never take a break and that it has been an “ordeal” to walk to the bus stop or leave the residence hall because she knows she’ll see “people outside not social distancing.” “As the residents have adjusted more to the new rules, that’s slightly improved, but it’s still a pretty constant feeling of needing to be vigilant,” she wrote in a message to The Chronicle. “I think the biggest issue with it is that with normal rule violations, if you miss it, it only affects the students involved. Now, it could affect the entire community, so you really need to be constantly working it seems.” The second RA added in a message that although they all signed up to do this job, “RAs are still people and still students.” Gonzalez did not directly respond to a question asking whether RAs are working more than in the past. McMahon told The Chronicle last month that the University is trying to reduce RA responsibilities through an increased presence of RCs and graduate assistants and having the Compliance Team step in to clear gatherings.

OSC for a final decision.

ENFORCEMENT FROM PAGE 1 she got the impression that RAs could file incident reports but shouldn’t report students caught the first time for “minor” offenses like not wearing masks, and instead remind them to wear a mask. She emphasized that this made enforcement difficult since there was no consistent or reliable way for RAs to track who had already been warned before. “No matter what Duke said about them going to get in trouble, it didn’t matter because students knew they were being warned more than once, but we didn’t,” she said. “It became very clear during O-Week that it wasn’t working as a system, so it wasn’t making it easier to enforce.” The first RA added that during the first few weeks of the semester, instead of writing incident reports for “minor” violations, she had mostly written related incident reports for gatherings and parties that violated COVID-19 rules—which are difficult to identify names for. Jeanna McCullers, senior associate dean of students and director of the Office of Student Conduct, wrote in an email that some reports filed via OSC’s online reporting system and/or via email provide identifying information and others do not. “If OSC receives a report of a potential policy violation with an identified student and/ or student group, then there is a follow-up conversation to discuss the allegations, policyat-issue and sanctions, if applicable,” she wrote. McCullers added that OSC enforcement pairs low-level, minor infractions with education and development. Repeated infractions and/ or fragrant violations are handled with elevated sanctioning such as “disciplinary probation, loss of access to privileges, removal from campus, suspension, etc.” The first RA noted that there has been a general shift in the University’s approach to RA roles and enforcement since classes began,

‘More like a cop than an RA’

Ultimately, the second RA said that the RA position is about building trust and community with and among residents. She said that she feels that the entire situation has negatively impacted See ENFORCEMENT on Page 8

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4 | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2020

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september 7, 2020

recess

dc fandome What’s in store for some of the most beloved superheroes, page 5

california girl Campus arts editor Kerry Rork speaks on unattainable standards, page 5

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recess Who would you have brought to Heatwave?

Sarah Derris .................. X Æ A-Xii

Stephen Atkinson ......david byrne

Sydny Long ...........................gaga

Skyler Graham .................. britney

Kerry Rork ................jack johnson

Jonathan Pertile .................. betty

Tessa Delgo .........................t-pain

Derek Chen ..................still denzel

on the cover: “...while the dew is still on the roses...” by Ebony G. Patterson

staff note Everything you’ve heard about California is true. We do live on a diet of exclusively avocado toast and protein powder. We do carry ukuleles down to the beach to play Jack Johnson following a morning out on the water. We all personally know a Kardashian (or, at the very least, a Jenner). We do all have CrossFit memberships that we attend (and — more often — talk about) religiously. And there are people who unironically say words like ‘gnarly’ and ‘shred.’

Despite the humorous and often accurate stereotypes of Californians, growing up here forced me to confront my self-image from an early age. Here, there is an obsession with making the unnatural seem natural. Lip injections, makeup, butt lifts — the list goes on. Women are put up to quite literally unachievable standards, unless of course they have thousands of expendable dollars and endless time to recover. Yet, the women I would see in magazines existed in the streets around me, seemingly untouched by Photoshop. As early as middle

school, girls would spend their weekends holding professional-level photoshoots for each other out at the beach or in the streets of Melrose. These photos would be plastered all over Instagram, littering my feed with what felt like impossible standards. Who I was naturally was wholly imperfect and therefore, wholly incorrect. I needed to fix it. Yet, by the time I was in sixth grade, I felt that all the girls around me had gone to a secret modeling school, leaving me to figure out what it meant to be a “California Girl” (thanks Katy Perry) for myself. It started with makeup. It became an obsession, a way to physically transform at a relatively low price (big shout-out to Maybelline). Initially, as pale girls know well, all the foundations I tried would oxidize, turning my skin bright orange. I was usually a pumpkin by the end of first period. But I didn’t care — I loved the control makeup gave me. Soon after, it was fashion. I tried every style in the book — not for myself, but for the approval of my peers. As cliché as this sounds, I wanted to be seen as “pretty” through attempting to wear something that represented me. When I arrived at my senior year of high school, I realized I had no idea what I liked. I was trapped in some weird, inescapable void of Brandy Melville, H&M and Urban Outfitters. I went through a classic end-of-high-school identity crisis. Why do I feel the need to wear makeup? Why do I want to wear things that are uncomfortable? Why do I care so much about other peoples’ opinions? There is an inherent competitiveness baked into Western societal norms of femininity — and it is exacerbated in California. Women are told

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2020 | 5

that there are limited slots for true success, and the battle to get one is ruthless. One’s success must mean another’s failure. Years in this cycle can begin to tear down, or at the very least, dull any sense of personhood. You become a piece of a system. I think a friend of mine put it best when she said the nature of the patriarchy makes these oppressive notions of womanhood almost impossible to escape. That is, the nature of a system that works against you and seeps into all aspects of the world. I am privileged that only my identity as a woman contributes to the systemic pressures I face. I’m not here to say that I suddenly transformed into a self-assured woman, completely free from the patriarchy and the relentless beauty standards that operate in our society. I have to make a conscious choice each day to do something for me, something that does not fit into “what it means to be a woman,” particularly a woman from the sunny state of California. I’m not hopeful that those choices will ever become inherent in my life, an unconscious effort to fight against the system. But they are steps in the right direction. I think Katy Perry was onto something when she shrewdly noted, “there must be something in the water,” because the people in California truly are a different breed. While I will always adore my avocado toast and may even slip into my California accent every once in a while, I don’t think I embody stereotypical California. And I’m learning to accept that. —Kerry Rork, campus arts editor

playground

DC Fandome reveals what’s in store for its beloved superheroes By Devinne Moses Contributing Writer

Black suit Superman; DC video games; Unnerving masking tape sounds; This year’s DC Fandome had these and more to get fans excited for what’s on the horizon for Wonder Woman, Batman and other loved DC superheroes and supervillains. DC Fandome is a convention that presents fans with all new information, footage and gameplay on its coveted DC franchise. While the event this year mostly consisted of online panels, it still delivered spectacular new footage from a series of upcoming movies and games that will surely get fans excited for the future of the DC Universe. Here are some highlights from the Aug. 22 event: “Wonder Woman 1984” is one of the most anticipated movies of 2020, and it’s easy to see why, based on the new trailer. We see “Wonder Woman” star Gal Gadot swinging her lasso across lightning strikes and going head-to-head with DC villain Cheetah. Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor will also make a return, so we should expect several outdated jokes from World War I. The new installment will arrive in theaters Oct. 2. Dwayne Johnson’s “Black Adam” finally has a trailer, which gives an animated historical backstory of the ancient Egyptian Teth-Adam, the corrupt hero Johnson has talked about playing for years. The trailer also teased other DC characters expected to be in the film, such as Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Cyclone and Atom Smasher. Because “Black Adam” filming has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s expected to start shooting in early 2021. “The Suicide Squad” is director James Gunn’s attempt to rebrand the 2016 “Suicide Squad” that generally left a bad taste in DC fans’ mouths, and both the character reveal trailer and the behind-the-scenes trailer were steps in the right direction. There are loads of characters in the upcoming film, including returners such as Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Viola Davis’s Amanda Waller and interesting

newcomers such as John Cena as Peacemaker and Pete Davidson as Blackguard. It looks to be a movie that won’t take itself too seriously, which has worked in James Gunn’s previous “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies. Expect this one to hit theaters in 2021. The 2017 “Justice League” saw the world’s greatest heroes team up in the DC realm for the first time, but it was met with a polarized response due to inconsistencies throughout its 120-minute runtime. Rumors soon spread about an original cut of the movie that was completely different than the one released in theaters, and as this rumor grew in popularity, fans on all social media platforms were demanding for writer and director Zack Snyder to release his original version of the “Justice League.” The community’s wishes were heard, and #TheSynderCut became a reality. “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” will release on HBO Max in four hourlong parts, which will give fans plenty to look forward to, especially more of Ben Affleck’s Batman. This is scheduled for release in 2021. Another Batman is on the horizon: Matt Reeves’ movie “The Batman” was one of the most anticipated trailers of the event. Darkness and eeriness commonly follow the Batman character, especially Christian Bale’s recent portrayal of the Dark Knight. However, from beginning to end the trailer maintained its unsettling presence by building a world of villainous chaos led by Paul Dano’s Riddler, with Colin Farrell’s Penguin and Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman also set for the big screen. Robert Pattinson’s Batman looks delightfully menacing, and we’re sure to see more of him before the film’s late 2021 release date. While movies took the spotlight at DC Fandome, there were two video games that caught fans by surprise. Warner Brothers Montreal, the developer behind the video game “Batman: Arkham Origins,” revealed “Gotham Knights,” a new open-world game without the

Photo by Sarah Derris

DC Fandome is a convention that presents fans with all new information on its coveted DC franchise. caped crusader as its main focus. Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl and Red Hood will work together to protect Gotham from a villainous group known as the Court of Owls. Having played Arkham Origins before, I think this appears to be a step in the right direction for a studio hoping to match the impact of Rocksteady, the former studio of the Arkham series. (Rocksteady has embarked on a new project titled “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.”) We’ll be able to play as Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, King Shark and Deadshot, who are tasked to defeat a “grade A”-level threat to humanity. Unsurprisingly considering the title, the enemies will include a corrupted Superman along with other members of the Justice League portrayed in a not-so

favorable light, which will dovetail well with Rocksteady’s famous combat system. “Gotham Knights”’s release is expected next year, while we’ll have to wait until 2022 for “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.” At a time when people are looking for excitement amidst uncertainty, DC Fandome gave people a lot to look forward to. The DC Universe has never looked this bright, with heroes, villains and those in between all getting the movies and games we had hoped to see. I’m personally excited to have two or three different versions of Batman in such quick succession, but this convention gave fans of DC comics and regular movie goers at least one thing they’ve been wanting to see.

6 | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2020

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Biden can win for progressives

oe Biden has consistently failed to give a compelling answer to one question: “Why are you running?” It dogged his campaign—the only answer he could really muster was to defeat Donald Trump. While candidates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren envisioned fundamental changes to American society, Joe Biden’s vision was, essentially, to defeat Trump, followed by a “return to normal.” To his credit, he did issue a list of policies he would enact. But in many aspects, it was a new coat on the same platform that Hillary Clinton ran on in 2016, with standard platform fare like “protecting and

“

expanding Obamacare” and “rejoining the Paris Agreement.” Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders was proposing Medicare for All and a Green New Deal to address the same issues. The wide scopes of other Democratic candidates’ policy agendas made Biden look comparatively tunnel-visioned. That was, of course, before the coronavirus pandemic. We now live in a moment with no precedent in American history. An economic collapse and pathogenic disease has forced into the light larger societal diseases—yawning inequality, the suppressed simmer of racial strife now

hot take of the week

“Love? No need—I have em dashes.”

—Mihir Bellamkonda, Opinion Editor, on September 6, 2020

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exploding in the open and an unresponsive, corrupt government led by a political party void of morals or competency. To anyone whose political philosophy does not inhabit the dark shadow of Reaganite odium towards an active federal government, the appropriate response to this American cataclysm is clear. However, it was still surprising to see resident centrist Joe Biden team up with many of former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’ policy wonks to work out a decisively progressive agenda, turning Joe Biden’s candidacy into the most left-leaning in decades. While progressives were rightfully critical of the compromised, centrist platform of Joe Biden circa February 2020, it’s now less easy to argue in good faith with Biden’s new promise to enact a presidency unseen in scale since F.D.R—all conditional, of course, on a proper and requisite mandate come November. Joe Biden’s new platform, influenced in large part by the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force’s recommendations, is the most explicitly progressive of any in modern American history. Most satisfyingly to policy nerds, Biden, or at least his policy team, very intuitively grasps the intersectional nature of these crises—and their solutions. He plans to have “high-quality, zero emission public transportation through flexible federal investments with strong labor protections that create good, union jobs” in America’s cities, addressing, in part, climate change, the dearth of public transit in urban America, the United States’ stagnating union manufacturing sector, and more—all while the plan fits into a single bullet point on his surprisingly extensive policy platform. There are many more examples of this type of intersectional policymaking that characterizes Joe Biden’s approach to the contemporary American malaise. However, Biden has still been the recipient of unremitting criticism from skeptical leftists. Liberal progressives have, historically, had good reasons to be uneasy of centrist Democratic politicians like Joe Biden. The modern Democratic Party has been defined just as much, if not moreso, by gravitation towards the center than to the left. The most generous good faith argument one could make for their existence is the cruel contours of American electoral and political geography—by the nature of our institutions, and the contemporary polarization of the American electorate creating an advantage for one party over the other, the Democratic Party bears the unique task of earning the votes of liberal acolytes in Portland, Oregon, and unionized conservatives in Portland, Pennsylvania. The contemporary Democratic Party is a big tent by necessity of self-preservation, as Republicans have a comparatively homogeneous and small base that is more advantageously distributed across America’s political geography. Thus, in order to have a chance at winning elections, the party’s policies are largely made to appease a moderate voter base that is ostensibly persuadable to giving a “generic centrist Democrat” a shot. Indeed, Joe Biden, aficionado for compromise and incrementalism, is the textbook example of a “generic centrist Democrat,” someone who older, whiter voters would feel more comfortable voting for. His pre-COVID vision was criticized for being

essentially a rehash of a typical Democratic platform. But the coronavirus has evidently affected his thinking, and multiple advisors around him have posited him as “the new FDR,” ready to expand the role of government to fill the void that Trump and modern American conservatism, through their complete and utter abandonment of goodfaith governance, have created. This label has earned the scorn of some leftists, and a Joe Biden presidency will inevitably disappoint progressives in some way. The floral poetry of campaigning on an FDR-style presidency will inevitably lead to the harsh prose of government— compromise, watered-down promises, and appeasing the Lovecraftian monsters on K-Street. But while we are suffering in this time of American despair, progressives must not embrace the nihilism of shunning electoral politics. The existence of Trump’s presidency is well enough proof that electoral politics have real, significant consequences. Countries with female leaders have handled the coronavirus pandemic better than their male-led counterparts. It is not conjecture to believe that had we chosen the highly polarizing yet deeply competent female policy wonk over the infantile strongman, tens of thousands of Americans would still be with us. Elections matter. I am not being hyperbolic in saying that, if Trump somehow returns to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue come January, the United States will further its already disturbing descent into open anocracy, joining Putin’s Russia in a growing list of global pariahs. There is no limit to what Republicans will do to entrench their grasp on America’s institutions, as they have made explicit over the past decade. Another four years will be a prolonging of this American misery. If you have a modicum of faith in America’s institutions—yes, even as imperfect and unresponsive as they are—the choice for November is clear. That advice applies to today and it applied in 2016, and evidently it didn’t motivate enough people. There is reason for hope, however. The images of mass death, trauma, and suffering caused by a cataclysmic failure of our systems seems to have stirred support for a progressive policy agenda like never before. Joe Biden is well aware of that, as the recent changes to his platform make clear. That is a real cause for hope. This year, for those left-of-center, it may no longer be the lesser of two evils. Joe Biden was not my preferred nominee, and my sentiments are shared by many young people across the United States. But to see him talk in terms of fulfilling the demands of this moment—big, structural change— means that American progressivism might find a willing ally in the most unexpected of places. However much the messenger may be mediocre and uninspiring, the message itself is clear—America is crying out for change, and we must stir this country out from its sleepwalk towards the darkness. The redemption of this country, the opportunity to begin the process of healing this country’s past and present mortal sins, is in our hands; this moment in history is begging us to choose this imperfect yet important path towards justice. Stewart Roeling is a Trinity first-year. His column runs on alternate Fridays.

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2020 | 7

Abolishing Greek life means abolishing Duke

egistering for classes, moving into a new dorm room, attending the first club meeting—the start of the school year naturally features certain social cues that roust students from their summer stupors and refresh them on the realities of Back To School. Among these cues, the latest spasm of student activism always sets the moral tenor on campus.

organizations that are Terrible, Horrible, No Good and Very Bad. They are not totally wrong. Admittedly, Greek life often falls short in areas such as sexual assault and racial and socioeconomic diversity. Even one instance of sexual misconduct or racial insensitivity within an organization is too many, and such problems should be handled with moral

are irredeemably racist, sexist, classist and elitist by dint of their historical legacies and their modern structures and consequently must be abolished, then what element of that argument doesn’t apply to Duke itself? Duke has a racist legacy: The campus was segregated within living memory, Duke was one of the last major universities to desegregate and some of the biggest names

clarity and a proportional response. Which is to say that, while we likely disagree on the extent of the problems with Greek life, the activists behind the abolition movement and I do fundamentally agree that there is a problem and that those responsible must be held accountable. Nonetheless, I find the calls for abolition confusing. In the open letter, the activists implicitly paint themselves as uncompromising arbiters of ethics and truth, and they take great pains to explain why Greek life is guilty of a litany of mortal sins, therefore making complete abolition the only recourse. Yet consider this: Maybe they aren’t as righteous or as pure as they may seem. Maybe they are but dull, sober incrementalists, slowly tinkering away and marginally improving a greater system that they can’t afford to dispense with. Maybe, based on their own stated principles and objections to Greek life, they made a fairly fundamental ethical compromise on a higher level before the abolition movement even began. This is no longer about Greek life—it’s about Duke. If you assume they mean what they say, that they truly believe Greek organizations

in university history, such as Julian Carr, held evil views about black people. Duke’s past and present is rife with classism: the institution was founded by the patronage of a southern aristocrat and today roughly 70% of the student body comes from an income bracket in the top 20%. If you take these facts and consider them in light of the logic used to justify the abolition of Greek life, then it becomes clear that Duke is guilty of all the same wrongs as Greek life to an even greater degree. So, using the activist’s own standards and principles, the question isn’t whether Duke should be abolished because it clearly should be. On Duke’s abolition, the question is why are they silent? After all, silence is violence. There are a few plausible reasons why the activists have drawn an ethically inexplicable line in the sand. First, because even if it follows from their own convictions, the abolition of Duke would have a drastically negative effect on their lives and career outcomes, whereas the abolition of Greek life would not. After scrutinizing the names on the open letter, I realized that roughly two-thirds of the signatures (217 of the total 337) came

Reiss Becker ROUSED RABBLE

During my short three years at Duke the resident radicals have gotten hot and bothered about President Price, about various speakers on campus, about “fascism” in the Duke administration, about Duke’s failure to censor its own students, et cetera, et cetera, ad nauseam. Student activism is a fitful, excitable affair and there is always a new flavor of the month. This time the spotlight is on Greek life and its discontents. In early July, an instagram page entitled “Abolish Duke IFC and Panhellenic” was created for the purpose of “[providing] an anonymous platform for Duke students to share how Greek life has perpetuated a culture of oppression and discrimination on campus.” As the abolition effort gained steam over the latter half of the summer, an open letter, a website and a petition popped up in concert with the original Instagram page. The laundry list of accusations against Greek organizations ranges, as the open letter states, from “white supremacy, misogyny, classism, homophobia, and transphobia” to whatever else will stick against the wall, but the gist, clearly, is that more than one-third of Duke undergraduates have joined social

ousing reform schmousing reform. What a bunch of whiners. They’re just jealous they didn’t get in.

Reiss Becker is a Trinity senior. His column “roused rabble” runs on alternate Wednesdays.

Okay. Abolish Duke. I’m no monster. I know there’s a problem. I know Greek life has its issues. But the only difference between me and these radicals is that they want to fix these

accusations! Not because they’re not true, but because they’ve listed them all out at the same time like that! That’s very unflattering! I know Greek life has its issues.

problems by cutting them off at the source and I want to fix them by—look over there, a bird! Did you see that? No? Oh well. Anyways, how am I the bad guy here? It’s not fair! Which is to say that I don’t like it! This is my opinion, okay? Stop trying to shove your opinion down my throat! That’s what I do! With my opinion! To your throat! The calls for abolition are confusing. I am so confused by them! What do they even mean? Abolish? What is that? Huh? You can’t just take something that has existed for a long time and make it not exist anymore! If there are no cops, then who’s going to protect people? Wait—I mean—I—if there’s no Greek life, who’s gonna offer friendship and community? Y’know, other than friends and communities. These guys wanna axe the whole shebang! These housing reform people. They’ve got a website and everything. And yeah, okay, Greek life has its issues. But they’re accusing us of white supremacy, misogyny, classism, homophobia, transphobia and sexual misconduct. I take issue with these

Seriously. I know that Greek organizations are irredeemably racist, sexist, classist and elitist. And I know that Greek life often falls short in areas such as sexual assault and racial and socioeconomic diversity. Anyways, I counted your signatures, idiots! Tsk tsk. You would’ve gotten away with it, had it not been for those meddling signatures. The signatures tell the story. Most of the signatures on the “Abolish Panhel” petition come from people who wouldn’t be negatively impacted by the actions the petition proposes. Y’know, like how you would expect every single signature on literally every petition to be? I was going to use this as a point in my favor, but I forget how. These activists are so self-righteous. They think Greek life is so bad that the only option is complete dismantlement. That’s ridiculous. If you hate it so much, why don’t you not marry it? I know Greek life has its issues, but if these jokers really believe it’s irredeemable, then they should apply that same logic to Duke itself! Ha! Gotcha! It’s such a double standard. What’re you gonna

Monday Monday SATIRE

I am conservative. And I consider myself intelligent. And I don’t like student activism. And I am an intelligent, conservative person, so I know that I am correct. About student activism being bad, that is. Student activism is a thrashing, lovecraftian creature with an unpronounceable name and mucoid tendrils that thrust themselves deep into Uncle Sam’s every orifice until he’s crumpled over gagging and convulsing on the sustainably-sourced vegan carpet of one of the six unnecessary conference rooms in upstairs West Union. This semester, Cthulhu aims its cosmic wrath towards Greek life. I know Greek life has its issues. But not all cops are bastards! I mean—wait. Sorry. I mean, not all fraternities and sororities are perpetuating toxicity! I know plenty of good cops! Wait—no—I mean I know plenty of good people in frats and sororities and SLGs and stuff who don’t do sexual misconduct and who are racially and socioeconomically also good. Er—diverse, I mean.

from people who were either graduating this year, had already graduated or had never attended Duke as an undergraduate at all. Only five signatures came from the class of 2024, who presumably have the most at stake. Of course, that does not strictly disqualify the overall argument, but these facts do reveal that a supermajority of abolitionists won’t have to confront the fallout of their advocacy and they also explain why seemingly little time or effort has been invested in describing an alternative social system. Talk is cheap. Another potential explanation for this conspicuous lapse in moral reasoning is that they ultimately know that abolition simply isn’t the only option. If it’s possible to see the good and the bad in Duke, to acknowledge the university’s failings while appreciating its many incredible virtues and accomplishments, then it is possible to do the same for Greek life. Although they have made a strong effort to portray Greek organizations as campus klaverns, the truth is that they are just social organizations which offer friendship, community, personal development and maybe even some Budweiser. These organizations are not perfect, and their failings must be dealt with urgently and deliberately. But both Duke and Greek life have a historical track record of reform and self-improvement that is both admirable and undeniable. On all fronts, it is impossible to seriously argue that both institutions are not better today than 20 years ago, much less 50 years ago. Certainly, reform can be frustrating and exhausting. But Duke and its Greek organizations have successfully reformed before, and I am confident they will again.

say to that one? “Abolish Duke! But only after it’s given me my education and only as long as its reputation isn’t damaged to the extent that my degree becomes less valuable?” Fools! Fools, every one of you! Racism runs deep in Duke’s roots, and spreads uncomfortably close to the branches we grab onto to climb upwards today. So should we just abolish Duke? Yes. Unironically yes. But we can’t. So we won’t. Why can’t we see that it’s the same for Greek life? Despite its heinous past and present, Duke provides the essential societal resource of higher education, and despite its heinous past and present, Greek life provides the essential societal resource of [Mihir, can you think of something for me here? I’m just really swamped with readings and I know that there’s something I can put here but I’m just really tired from all these readings. Also sorry I’ve been getting all of my drafts to you so late]. Greek life has its issues. And reform has to happen. But we’ve reformed before, and we can reform again! We’ll keep reforming until we’ve fixed every bad thing about Greek life! Even if it means reforming out of existence! Oh shit. Rabble-rousers gotta rouse rabble. But it’s incredibly belittling to victims of sexual assault and racist aggressions to play devil’s advocate to Greek life, even in a cutesy way. I have to call it out. I’m Monday Monday. It’s my civic duty.

ENFORCEMENT

call me to be let out. If they didn’t call I was literally helpless. I had no one to contact. I don’t want to FROM PAGE 3 think about what would have happened had I been her relationship with residents. She said she feels napping and missed the call.” “more like a cop than an RA,” which is not what First-year Zoe Herlick was also sent to the Lodge she signed up for. after two of her friends tested positive through pool The first RA said that she worries about testing. She said that Duke didn’t contact her about residents’ relationships with each other. Some quarantine until later in the day—hours after she first-years are “very committed” to following the found out she had been in contact with students rules, while others are not as committed, and who had tested positive. The dismissive treatment it’s important to take some pressure off of them continued at the Lodge, she said. so they don’t have to be “rule-enforcers” and “When I arrived at the Lodge, I was on hold for develop antagonistic relationships with other four hours trying to get myself a test, which was first-years, she said. really annoying,” she explained. “I expected that Like the second RA, she noted that RAs are I would get one the second I was contact traced, usually not “immediately enforcing rules” and especially because I had a cough at that time. I selfget a chance to talk to people and build trust. isolated in the Lodge for two days, and then I got “You want [residents] to trust you; you my test results the following day. It was ridiculous don’t want it to become a solely rule-enforcer that the testing process was spaced out so much relationship,” she said. “It doesn’t feel like you’re because if I hadn’t been aware of the situation, I more in a peer position anymore; it feels like could have been out exposing other people. I think you’re in a more powerful position over them that Duke should have given me a test the second than you want to be in.” they found out I was a contact trace.” Student Health Director John Vaughn wrote in an email that student testing, tracing, quarantine and isolation are “a very complex and FROM PAGE 2 complicated process with many moving parts, all Classes have continued for those in designed to protect the health and safety of Duke quarantine. Munro said that the professor for students and the community.” her in-person seminar class set up a Zoom call “While there may be some occasional just so she could tune in. hiccups, they are measured in minutes and “He put a camera on his computer, and my face hours, not days, and they are addressed as soon was projected onto a big screen, which was pretty as we are made aware of them,” he wrote. funny,” she said. “A lot of my friends from my class Nurses from Student Health check in daily were sending me pictures of my face on the screen.” with students in quarantine or isolation, Vaughn But not all students in quarantine have felt wrote, or set up “provider video visits” if necessary. satisfied with their experience. Gao said his trip Student Health sends follow-up emails to students to quarantine began with something relatively who don’t answer the phone, he wrote. benign—a sore throat he reported on SymMon, “Check-ins are not meant to be full clinical Duke’s symptom-monitoring app. evaluations, so if a student doesn’t respond to “I expected them to tell me, ‘Ok, cool, repeated calls we’re not going to hunt them we’ll set you up with a second test, just maybe down,” he wrote. don’t go to any large gatherings,’” Gao wrote. After receiving her test results, Herlick was sent “Instead they were like, ‘Freeze! We’ll call you to Jarvis, where she counted down the days until in 30 minutes!’ I was scared that I actually had she could leave her new home. Jarvis was a far COVID, so I went along with it.” cry from the comfortable accommodations at the At the Lodge, Gao said that he struggled to Lodge. The food was “pretty bad,” she said. communicate with the outside world. She said she was able to socialize with her “When I called Student Health after I ended up friend who was also in Jarvis after testing testing negative, they sent me to voicemail over and positive. But that didn’t take away the “creepy” over again. I was quarantined full 20 hours after feeling, she Corporation said. Thea New York Times Syndication Sales Eighth Avenue, N.Y. 10018felt like ‘The Shining’ because no I had already been confirmed 620 negative, ” he said. New York, “Jarvis literally For 1-800-972-3550 “The second day I was just waiting for Information someone toCall:one was in there. There were loud fans, the lights were For Release Wednesday, March 18, 2020

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Crossword ACROSS 31 Chi-Town or Beantown team 1 Vegetable that 32 Team sharing an can get slimy arena with the when overcooked Flyers, informally 5 Exhausted, with 33 Means of control “up” 35 Bit of Halloween 8 Basketball shots décor from beyond the 37 About arc 38 Mint in a tin 14 Frozen treats 40 Research facility 16 Locale in the 42 Extra periods, in Lord’s Prayer brief 17 Optimistic maxim 43 They make loud noises during from Virgil showers 19 “You ___ me one” 46 Nurse 20 Chart topper 47 Lead-in to a Pen 21 Fanfare used by nurses 48 Old Pontiacs 22 Jacob had 12 of them 49 Pasta ___ Norma 23 Call to a toreador 50 Actress Hagen 24 Genre for Fall Out 51 Car rental add-on Boy 54 Overly optimistic 27 Reliable things, 1910s to Ben Franklin appellation 30 Business index, 59 “Let me try that with “the” again …”

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60 Phrase on an egg carton 61 Pest 62 What each set of circled letters is, relative to the first word in its answer 63 Tumbler turners DOWN 1 Where Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” is displayed 2 Apt radio station to air “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” (and it does!) 3 Ramble 4 Hole in one 5 Selects, as a successor 6 Circus 7 Name ender for a lawyer 8 Parents and grandparents, in teen lingo 9 Airtight 10 Scrape 11 “Me” in the Oscar-winning song “You Must Love Me” 12 Moray, e.g. 13 Where an artist works on a sketch, for short? 15 Lorena who was the #1 female golfer for 158 consecutive weeks 18 Atop 22 Affixed, like a patch

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Edited by Will Shortz 1

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PUZZLE BY RICH PROULX

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53 Entries on 1040s, for short 54 Come out ahead 55 Start of a Latin conjugation 56 Old auto with its founder’s monogram 57 Follow relentlessly 58 Pad Thai pan

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“Make sure you pack two weeks worth of clothes, because that’s a problem I’m running into,” he said. “I didn’t bring enough. I’m definitely going to have to start re-wearing clothes.”

POLL FROM PAGE 2 shifts. Their responsibilities include setting up voting equipment, checking in voters and processing ballots. “There are a lot of different jobs that election workers are involved in, but at its core they are all doing one thing: making sure that we securely, accurately and safely give everybody who is eligible an opportunity to vote,” Circosta said. Democracy Heroes, a new campaign started by the board, includes an interest form for prospective election workers. Those names are regularly forwarded to county-level boards of election to assist their recruitment efforts. According to Circosta, the Board of Elections has recruited more than 10,000 poll workers through the Democracy Heroes campaign. North Carolina counties also hire poll workers through local recruitment campaigns. Visit onevotenc.com for more North Carolina election coverage, produced by a collaborative of seven student newspapers to help college students vote this fall.

The Chronicle Who we’d room with for four years: The Lounge: ��touche. A one-and-done (I like my single): �� kingsaul Lemon Propel: ��satistics Absolutely nobody: ��luzumontheloose Layout Editors : ................................................................................................................................Kyle Harvey, Yoav Kargon, Priya Meesa, Evelyn Sturrock, Jeremy Tang, Bennett David Student Advertising Manager: �� Rebecca Ross Account Representatives:................... Juliana Arbelaez, Emma Olivo, Spencer Perkins, Sam Richey, Alex Russell, Paula Sakuma, Jake Schulman, Simon Shore, Maddy Torres, Stef Watchi, Montana Williams Marketing Manager:.................................................................................................................. Jared McCloskey The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 Student Business Manager............................................................................................... Dylan Riley, Alex Rose For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Thursday, March 19, 2020

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freaky and it was just so quiet and empty,” she said “I only saw the nurses twice. I think hypothetically they were supposed to be there to help me every single day and ask how I was doing, but the only method of check-ins I got were from a Duke Health email account saying, ‘What are your symptoms today? How are you feeling?’” Herlick’s symptoms persisted: a cough, chills, fatigue and muscle pain. “A nurse gave me Nyquil, which was helpful, but only because I sought her out and was like ‘Hi! I’m not feeling well, can you please help me?’” she said. Before their release, the quarantined students patiently waited for when they could return to normal life. Munro said, prior to her Sept. 4 release, that she was looking forward to the “little things,” like buying food from a supermarket instead of ordering from an unchanging menu. “I’ve been really craving sweet potatoes, and they don’t have them at the Lodge, so when I get back I’m going to be on the hunt for some sweet potato,” she said. Bell issued a warning to his peers on the other side. “The most important thing is: Please pay attention to the rules,” he said. “I know it’s a pain to limit social gatherings because it’s the first month of college and we want to meet people, but quarantine is much less preferable than hanging out with two to three people at a time.” For the unlucky student who ends up in quarantine in the future, Bell also gave a word of advice.

Crossword ACROSS 1 Loops in, in a way 4 Marjoram, for one 8 Theater 13 Japanese affirmative 14 Home’s edge 15 Relative of a jaguarundi 16 ___ chart 17 Times when teachers go to school but students don’t 19 Had 21 Where the lord’s work is done? 22 “___, do not think I flatter”: Hamlet 23 Vessel for dipping at a dinner table 26 First: Lat. 28 Fair 29 “___ Nacht in Venedig” (operetta) 31 “___ that order!” (“Star Trek” command)

34 Onetime “Truth in engineering” sloganeer 35 “Haven’t the foggiest!” 36 Reference that arranges words by concept rather than alphabetically 41 On the house 42 Text-displaying technology for Kindles and Nooks 43 Stows (away) 44 Something found on a neck 45 For the ages 49 Kind of yoga 51 Cousin of a sno-cone 53 Traveler’s text message, maybe 55 Swear words 57 Admitted 58 Take a chance … or a hint to the letters in the shaded squares

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE O S L O

K N O W

R A T S

D E L H I

W A I M N O

R A A T O C O N E V E C O N E H I T S O N S D E A T H O W S O I N S W T O I D U N D E R P E P I A L L A R T O E N E A N T O D G E

E S Q U P O A N X E B L A S T G U D A O N G O

T H E O L D S B O T T L E D

H E R M E T I C R O A L D

R E E S A V E N S A L L P E M O A X E S X E R S I R C A O T S M S S G P S W A R S O Z E N K E Y S

62 Buses and taxis have them nowadays 63 “I Am ___” (2013 best-selling autobiography) 64 Pants, in slang 65 Brooklyn-based sch. 66 Saying 67 Confer, as power 68 People profiled in hagiographies: Abbr.

Edited by Will Shortz 1

21 24

31 35

40 42

44 49

22 26

34 37

DOWN 1 Tap 2 Substance applied with a chamois 3 Enlist 4 Classic children’s heroine once played in film by Shirley Temple 5 Suffix with Euclid 6 Campers 7 Complaint 8 Many an Arthur C. Clarke work 9 ___ Conference 10 Co-star of 2019’s “Marriage Story” 11 Noted painter of scenes of the Napoleonic Wars 12 Place for unique gifts 15 Finished 18 As good as it’s going to get? 20 Prefix with tourism 24 Children’s author who wrote “There is no one alive who is you-er than you!” 25 Stash 27 German possessive

No. 0213

50 55

51 56

52 57

PUZZLE BY AMANDA CHUNG AND KARL NI

30 Less deserving of coal in one’s stocking 32 ___ Lingus 33 “Woo-hoo!” 34 Pioneer in syllogistic logic 35 Like I Samuel among the books of the Old Testament 36 Some offensive linemen, for short 37 Ruth’s was 2.28

38 Locale in Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” 39 Singer James 40 Popular Father’s Day gifts 44 Kismet 45 Palindromic response to “Madam, I’m Adam” 46 Sources of attar 47 “Go me!” 48 Count 50 “Fooled you!”

52 Dweller on the Bering Sea 53 Humorist Bombeck 54 Super Mario Bros. character with a mushroom head 56 Good resolution provider 59 Video game annoyance 60 Red state 61 Counterpart of sin

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