Swarthmore Phoenix, September 20, 2018

Today in OPINIONS: Robert Zigmund on Brett Kavanaugh A5, Jason Kim on his first impressions of Swat A5, Giorgia Piantanida on routine A5

PHOENIX

THE

Athlete of the week

Meet Vamsi Damerla of Men’s Golf

VOL. 146, NO. 2

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Photo Essay

Cuba: the many shades of music

September 21, 2018

Local sheet metal workers’ union pickets at BEP Keton Kakkar, Laura Wagner Managing Editors

O

n August 27th, Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 19 held a protest outside of the Biology, Engineering, and Psychology building construction site. A statement the union posted on their Facebook page cites Swarthmore’s decision to hire Quality Heating and Air Conditioning, a non-union sheet metal company, as the reason for their protest. “Local 19 is picketing at Swarthmore College in Delaware County against Quality Heating and Air for breaking down the area wages and standards of Sheet Metal Workers within our region.” The protest included a large inflatable rat that was blown up directly across

The week ahead

from the construction site, as well as a sign that equated Quality Heating and Air Conditioning with a rat.

Quality Heating and Air was contracted by Skanska, an international firm that serves as the construction manager for the B.E.P. project. Greg Brown, V.P. of finance and administration described the relationship between the College and Skanska.

“They’re coordinating everything with the project, but obviously we’re the owner,” Brown said, “Skanska’s under contract with us to deliver us a contract on time and on budget in accordance with the restrictions that we placed on both their bidding process and on their construction standards.”

The college has an open shop

policy in regard to contracted labor, meaning that they do not require all workers to be in unions.

On this project, Skanska is contracting both unionized and non-unionized firms.

Brown said, “There’s a considerable number of union contractors who are working on this job. The sheet metal workers are not among them, and I think that they wanted to be part of it, but based on our assessment of qualifications as well as pricing, we went without a union shop for that.”

Luke Gordon, speaking on behalf of the union, said of Quality Heating and Air,“They pay their workers considerably less money, not even a living wage. We as a union fight for everybody to get paid a liveable wage for today,

these guys are barely making ten dollars per hour in a shop in Delaware.”

The college hires the contractors and not individual employees but, according to Brown, reserves the right to audit wages if there are specific concerns.

Brown also explained that the college has policies in order to ensure that the workers at the site are from diverse backgrounds.

“I think the other piece of this that is an important part of our direction to Skanska is that we have asked them to set aside a certain amount of dollars within the contracts to hire womenowned firms, minority-owned firms, veteran-owned firms, and we have asked them to in particular look to workforce devel-

opment programs with an emphasis toward Chester.” Brown continued, “So there’s a set-aside within the budget to actually pay more for those things, because from our values perspective, that’s really what we think is the most important option.”

Regarding the relationship between the college and local unions, Brown said, “The trade unions here and in Delaware County will occasionally show up and protest, and they have every right to do that. Over the years, Stu [Hain, former V.P. of Facilities] and I have met with leadership of the union.” Brown continued, “They have every right to do what they’re doing.”

Quality Air and Heating did not reply to a request for comment.

Union protests with inflatable rat over college’s use of non-union labor

Thursday 4:00 p.m. A Discussion with Renee Elise Goldsberry: Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk Award, and Lucille Lortel Award winner Renee Elise Goldsberry is participating in a discussion in Lang Music Concert Hall.

4:30 p.m. History in Action: Memoria e identidad Students’ Reflections on Recent Travels in Spain: Come to Bond Hall to learn about the experiences of Spanish 060A “Memoria e identidad” students while they traveled throughout Spain, visiting historical memory sites at a crucial moment in that country when they lived history in the making.

5:00 p.m. Postcolonial Love: National Affect and the “Muslim Question” in Belgium and France, a lecture by Paul Silverstein: Join Paul Silverstein, from Reed College, in which he explores recent moral panics in postcolonial France and Belgium around Islamic veiling, conversion, and “radicalization” which the state and media have largely interpreted as expressions of the disdain, indeed hate, of Muslims for national values and European culture more broadly.

Friday 1:00 p.m. Healthy Relationships Lunch: Hillary Grumbine, Violence Prevention Educator and Survivor Advocate and Bindu Jayne, Title IX Coordinator will be holding a discussion in Sharples Room 104.

6:30 p.m. An Evening with Renee Elise Goldsberry: Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk Award, and Lucille Lortel Award winner Renee Elise Goldsberry is performing in Lang Concert Hall. Advance tickets required.

Saturday 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.

ENLACE Party: Check out ENLACE’s campus-wide social gathering.

Sunday 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. SBC Weekly Meeting: SBC meetings to discuss budget-related matters and consider supplemental funding requests for the week.

For upcoming sports events, see page A6.

WEATHER Cloudy with a chance of a daylate paper.

CONTENTS Campus news A1-A2 Arts news A3-A4 Opinions A5-A6 Sports A7-A8 Read more at swarthmorephoenix.com Copyright © 2016 The Phoenix

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Revised handbook tightens RPL requirements Max Teszler News Writer The Dean’s Office has made its annual updates to the Student Handbook, revising hosting requirements for events with alcohol and strengthening the standards for becoming a Residential Peer Leader.

These changes include new guidelines on posters and disorderly conduct, an increase in the time to make disciplinary appeals from three to five days, and a ban on vaping within dorms. “[Policy] reviews are done and we solicit information in a variety of different ways throughout the year,” Associate Dean of Students Nathan Miller said.

Dean Miller described a comprehensive revision process, in which the inputs of students and faculty are weighted heavily into any updates, as well as a consideration of new federal education policies.

“We’ll get feedback from them and I’ll actually meet with those student groups [such as RAs and SwatTeam],” Dean Miller said.

One major category of changes includes new regulations for parties with alcohol. Aside from officially renaming such events to AREs, or Alcohol Registered Events, the new handbook limits students to one bottle of wine or six-pack of beer each for BYOB events and requires parties with 75 or more guests to have at least three hosts.

Dean Miller cited “the challenge on SwatTeam” as a reason for that final change.

“We wanted to help support them. We thought the party hosts could help in that. That’s something we’ve always … been thinking about and reviewing,” he said.

However, comments from the Director of SwatTeam, Monie Deb ’19, call into question the Dean’s reasoning on these new party hosting rules.

“As far as I know, this will not take a load off SwatTeam,”

Courtesy of Sheet Metal Workers Local 19

Computer science department alters major Caleb Limmer News Writer

The computer science department has altered its major, reducing the requirements to a total of eight credits and imposing a limit of nine credits within the department – meaning that students are not allowed to take more than nine credits in the department, with a few possible exceptions.

The changes come as the department continues struggling to accommodate rising enrollments in its courses and major. They also come suddenly for some, with majors hearing about the changes only the week before classes started this semester.

While the limit, or cap, only applies to courses that are overenrolled, the department reports that the majority of its upper-level courses are already currently overenrolled, meaning that students who reach the cap will likely be unable to enroll in any further courses.

The cap will begin in the spring 2019 semester. The computer science department had already jettisoned upper-level seminars from its offerings, a development the Phoenix reported on in February 2017. Meanwhile, the requirements for the minor are unchanged Strain on the teaching and facility resources of the computer science department has mounted quickly. According to statis-

tics available on Swarthmore’s Institution Research, Fact Book webpage, the share of degrees in computer science granted by the college has more than quintupled over the past eight years — from 3.1 percent in 2010 to 16.7 percent in 2018.

While lowering the requirements for the major will relieve some enrollment strain in the short term, some current majors worry that it will only encourage more people to pursue a major over time.

The higher student-to-faculty ratio in the department places greater impetus on students to connect with professors. CS major Amy Shmoys ’19 notes that students are not guaranteed attention in upper-level classes.

“It very much varies on how much you take the initiative to go to professors’ office hours . . . The problem is that that takes students being willing to go to office hours themselves and put that effort in, which shouldn’t be necessary,” Shmoys said.

Tai Warner ’19, another CS major, also noted his experience that individual attention in lab sections was suffering.

“What doesn’t quite meet a standard . . . would be the amount of time [the professors] get to spend with each individual in lab . . . If there’s more people [in a lab], they can only get to so many, or they can only get to each person once versus twice,” he said. continued on page A2

Narangarav Enkhtaivan / The Phoenix

continued on page A2

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THE PHOENIX NEWS

September 21, 2018

CS department changes, continued from A1 He also relayed an unconventional solution one professor found: using lab sections for smaller lectures with more individual attention and replacing one of the scheduled lectures with a lab. “[The professor] totally rearranged the schedule . . . The labs, which are split up, were basically . . . classes with half as many people in them — and that was like seminar time. And then [one] lecture time was lecture, and the other lecture was lab. So everything was totally

shuffled. And that’s an obvious consequence of the over-enrollment problems that the department is facing.”

He also said that such a solution was impermanent and set a poor precedent for how to cope with expanding enrollment.

“I guess in my case I feel like it worked. But . . . it would [not be] ideal to have a department where that became more and more the norm — and where, due to over-enrollment, professors had to think of clever ways to jam all the material into class

. . . It’s definitely a bad direction to head.”

Seeing what direction the department is taking, even a couple of semesters in advance, can be nearly impossible. Asked if he felt able to see far enough into the future to plan which computer science courses to take, Warner laughed: “No, I don’t.” Although he conceded that “the [computer science department] wants to [plan its course offerings] semesters in advance — they just can’t [see that far ahead].”

This lack of vision into the future coupled with the need for extensive lotteries means that a student’s path through the computer science major can be out of their hands. “[Computer science] is a very vast field. There’s a lot of different areas that . . . have different skills, . . . different interests,” Shmoys said. “The lottery . . . can sometimes determine what path you take and what you’re going to do . . . You don’t have an ability to plan what you’re going to take.”

Another consequence of the department’s expansion has been the frequent use of visiting professors. While they wished faculty resources were not stretched as thinly, both Shmoys and Warner spoke glowingly of their experiences in classes taught by visiting professors.

“It brings in outside expertise that the core of the department doesn’t have . . . It’s a good ‘liberal arts’ computer science department,” Warner said.

Although students feel posi-

tive about their experiences with visiting professors, they wish the department would go further.

“I think, absolutely, that the CS department is in need of more tenure-track lines” said Shmoys. “I wish they had the resources to support it.”

Professor Richard Wicentowski, who serves as chair of the department, did not respond to requests for an interview.

The HormelNguyen Intercultural Center at Sproul Hall held their first open house last Friday.

The new center encompasses three related but separate areas of student life: the Intercultural Center, the Interfaith Center and the International Student Center.

Friday’s open house featured food, activities, and live music.

Emma Ricci-De Lucca / The Phoenix

Handbook updates, continued from A1 wrote Deb in an email exchange, citing SwatTeam’s need for more paid employees to help ensure safety. Still, she added, ”Having more party hosts who want to be sober and take on responsibility seems like a powerful and obvious change that lets party goers know that their safety is a priority.”

The handbook also includes new wording on the meaning of “good standing” and introduces enhanced requirements for RPLs. Students on probationary status will not be considered in good standing. According to Dean Miller, this was always the policy of the college; the new

handbook now explicitly states that being put on probation removes one from good standing.

More concrete was a new rule barring those not in good standing from becoming a RPL — a category which includes RAs, GAs, SAMs, and DPAs. The change reflects a policy demand made by Organizing for Survivors last semester. The group alleged that there were students who were on probation by the college due to Title IX offenses who had been allowed to serve as RPLs. “That was part of the conversation,” acknowledged Dean Miller. “[It] was a decision that

SwatGraphics A common question that pops up throughout the year is how students can get money for various events, projects, or other miscellaneous activities. This week, the editorial board wanted to tackle that question. Below is an infographic showing possible funding sources for common student needs. Funding is granted at the discretion of the organizations listed below, and often must be consistent with the respective missions of those groups.

was made from those areas that oversee the RPL’s … They felt it was important that the students in those positions were in good standing.”

Still, the policy change did not encompass the full demands of O4S. “We also will continue pushing for the unmet demands, to which administration has shown to be more resistant,” the organization wrote in a recent Voices article.

Rounding out the major categories of updates were new policies on student dissent. The section on banners, chalking, and posters is now introduced

by a brief paragraph in which the college acknowledges “the right to free expression ... so far as the expression does not impinge on the rights of other members of the community or the orderly and essential operations of the college.”

The new guidelines further emphasize that the banners require the approval of the Office of Student Engagement and that banners in Sharples must be put up and taken down by students. Designated locations for posters are now given their own separate paragraph in the handbook. “[If] we have a sense inter-

pretation of a policy is unclear, we’re going to try to clarify that,” Dean Miller described the reasons new poster, chalking, and banner guidelines.

When asked what specifically gave the administration the sense that interpretation of the policy was unclear, Dean Miller demurred.

“I wouldn’t say it was specifically related to any one student organization or group … it could be questions, responses, indications from either students, staff, or faculty,” he explained.

Also mentioned in the email informing students of the handbook changes was a rewording

of the disorderly conduct policy, which Dean Miller confirmed in his interview. However, based on the versions sent out to students, the wording of the disorderly conduct section in this year’s and last’s year’s handbook are the exactly the same.

In summary, the handbook changes clarify behavioral policies for students and restrict vaping and certain party activities. Per Dean Miller, the administration will continue to gather information about the effect of handbook changes and solicit information from student leaders come spring, as part of their continuing review process.

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Cuba: the many shades of music Carrie Jiang Arts Writer This is the second part of a two-part photo essay created by Jiang. The first part, focused on Mexico, was published in the last issue of the Phoenix and can be found online.

We met this musician at one of our dinner places in a small town called Trinidad. I asked if I could take a picture of him, and he graciously gave me permission. Every single meal we had was accompanied by wonderful live music. I found it very interesting that lots of Cuban restaurants I visited chose to combine music with food experience, which is different from the food culture that I grew up in. We gladly discovered that our dining surroundings and experience were made better and unforgettable, thanks to the beautiful music.

I was walking on the streets in Havana when I saw people casually resting and chatting in these architecturally beautiful yet extremely old houses. We could still hear Latin music playing nearby by talented Cuban musicians, which colored the neighborhood with a sense of liveliness. As I took this picture, I felt at peace as the locals blended into their surroundings harmoniously.

After a short trip in Mexico, I went to Cuba directly and experienced completely different cultural vibes. I was told that Cuba’s popular culture has three important components: drinks, dance, and music, and that musical instruments, like the cello, are one of the most important cultural symbols. As I walked on the streets of Cuba, I felt as if everyone is musically talented in some way, and nobody can withstand the temptation of dancing to Latin music.

Sitting in the bar La Bodeguita, Havana, I watched the bartender make fresh mojitos from scratch and listened to lively Cuban music, feeling as if I was sitting right next to Hemingway, who once famously said"my mojito in La Bodeguita, my daiquiri in El Floridita".

Reviewing “The Predator” and Shane Black: a series of missteps Shane Jung Arts Writer

You may not be familiar with the name “Shane Black,” but you have most likely heard of his work. He started out as a Hollywood screenwriter with movies like “Lethal Weapon” (1987) and “The Monster Squad” (1987). It is worth noting that he co-wrote “The Monster Squad” with Fred Dekker, a collaborator who returned for “The Predator” (probably not for the best).

Black is best known for his comedic buddy cop movies and the mismatched but ultimately affecting relationships between his two leads. A recent example is “The Nice Guys” (2016) where the perfectly-casted Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe send sparks throughout the screen with their chemistry. Black’s directorial debut “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” (2005), starring Robert Downey Jr., in fact, was a prototypical buddy cop movie. The partnership between filmmaker and actor continues beautifully in 2013’s “Iron Man 3,” where

Downey’s quick wit and linedelivery work perfectly with Black’s typically snappy dialogue and snarky one-liners. The same cannot be said, however, for the actors and dialogue in “The Predator.”

Instead of using a single character or relationship to serve as the emotional and thematic core of the film, Black chooses to center the story around a bigger group of misfits and convicts.

And a son. And a wife. And a scientist. And a government agent.

The list goes on. The results are a mixed bag. As an audience member, I felt no emotional engagement in any of the characters nor their relationships.

The cast has plenty charisma, and there is no glaringly bad performance. However, all the charm and cleverness in the dialogue of Black’s previous films are replaced with crude and uninspired one-liners in the style of old 80s action movies, some of which are more offensive and insensitive than they are funny or tongue-in-cheek. Comments on Tourette’s Syndrome and

autism were particularly in poor taste. As many other reviewers and news articles have already mentioned, Olivia Munn, playing the biologist Casey Brackett, has recently announced that she was not informed during production that she would be working with a registered sex offender by the name of Steven Striegel, who has a minor acting role in the film. 20th Century Fox has since decided to cut his one and only scene, which was a short scene involving him and Munn. Black and Striegel are old friends, and Black casted him with the knowledge of his criminal past. He failed to inform the cast and crew and viewed the casting of Striegel as helping out a friend. After Munn found out and revealed this information, Black publicly apologized for his decision, but the film and its release continue to be plagued by this scandal.

As “The Predator” is both a sequel and a reboot of an old franchise, it is impossible not to compare it to its 1987 original, even if these comparisons

are not very favorable to the former. The first clear difference between the two is the runtime. The original “Predator” is a lean but well-structured 90-minute movie — all muscle and no fat. Although not that much longer at two hours, “The Predator” is messy and hectic.

The rather incoherent plot and even less comprehensible action sometimes makes it a chore to sit through. “Predator” was not pretentious. Its 80s action and “macho” characters may be simple and pulpy, but despite its cliches and brain-dead violence, “Predator” was effective: its irony and suspense came from the genuine terror that the manly and ostensibly invincible Schwarzenegger and crew displayed when facing off with the alien. The opposite scenario, however, does not share the same success. The group of misfits in “The Predator” are much less competent than their hyper-masculine predecessors but, perversely, do not display any of the same kind of fear toward death and failure. They’re

a bunch of wisecracking losers and troubled soldiers whose only response to peril is to laugh and joke around. In fact, many of the soldiers neither have nor gain any reason to live. How can the audience be concerned for the characters’ lives if they themselves do not care whether or not they survive? As a result, there’s never a sense of danger or suspense, and the excessive gore and violence feel weightless, distant, and boring, which is a shame since Black has proven himself to be a master of devastating, shocking, awkward, and intimate cinematic violence in his previous works.

“The Predator” also had many production problems. After receiving lackluster reactions from test audiences, Black and the studio initiated reshoots to allegedly “make it scarier.” Their solution was to reshoot the climax of the film in the nighttime instead of in broad daylight.

Unfortunately, the resulting difference is not night and day; it’s still not scary. The lack of scares and suspense instead comes

from the fundamentally underdeveloped characters, tone, and narrative. Additionally, the reshoot actually created a new problem: you can easily distinguish the reshot parts as they are insufficiently lit and rely on high ISO levels to brighten the screen, leading to ugly digital grain. The end result is a sloppy looking film and an even sloppier plot. Perhaps the action and sequence of events would have been much easier to follow if the film hadn’t been meddled with after it was already completed as it was originally intended.

Hopefully, this misstep compels Black to return to form with a relatively smaller budget and more control over the finished product. I personally wish to believe that he was simply having too much fun swimming in 80s nostalgia and slacked off a little as he unfortunately ended up keeping the bad parts and leaving out the good parts of the movies from a bygone era.

In any case, I look forward to whatever he makes next.

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September 21, 2018

Swatties shine in Philly play about Jewish womanhood Reuben Gelley Newman Arts Writer

J

osephine Ross ’21 and three other Swatties are involved in a new play, “Behold Her,” at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. The production, which sends the audience on a whirlwind tour of Jewish female history, began on Sept. 7th and runs until the 23rd.

“Tonight’s performance is vaudeville-style hodgepodge on the history of Jewish women and beauty in no particular chronological order and with very little regard for history, for that matter,” deadpanned Marcia Saunders, one of the play’s two main actors, in the opening scene.

“It runs approximately 5,778 years since the dawn of Judaism with no intermission. There’s a chamber pot under your seat.”

In that scene, Saunders portrays Fanny Brice, a twentieth century Jewish actress and comedian — but two scenes later, she plays Judith, a Jewish biblical hero, to raucous effect. Judith and Esther, another hero played by Michaela Shuchman ’16, joke about their prowess fighting evil men, and their battle of wits ends in a brilliant dialogue: JUDITH: …I should have a whole religion named after me.

ESTHER: Many Jewish women feel that way every day. And why is that?

JUDITH: Not — Moses-splaining…

ESTHER: He who holds the pen writes history.

JUDITH: I can fix that.

And “Behold Her” does exactly that, with the help of many talented Swatties.

First among them is Shuchman, who graduated with Highest Honors in Theater. She produces “Behold Her” and is one of the principal actors along with Saunders. The two switch characters each scene to portray a vast array of Jewish women, with expert accompaniment on violin, voice, and more from musician Charlotte Morris.

Shuchman coincidentally met Arden Kass, the playwright, while at a theater, and the idea for the play came about as they talked about their experiences as Jewish women in the arts.

A similar fortune and generosity of spirit led to Ross’s involvement in the production.

Ross, a prospective honors theater major and special major in English and education, is heavily involved in theater on campus. Last spring, she got in touch with Shuchman, and they met for a couple of hours, talking about their respective experiences with theater inside and outside of Swarthmore.

“And she was like, ‘Oh my god, I need a small role filled for this show, would it be of interest for you?’” Ross recalled.

Ross agreed, and in August she began rehearsing for “Behold Her.” Ross has a small but important role, playing a dresser at Loehmann’s department store. She also plays Lilith, who, according to Jewish folklore, was Adam’s first wife — before Eve — and joins Shuchman and Morris in a couple of songs. In one of those, “Lilith’s Lament,” the three portray Lilith as a woman who wanted equality and ironically call her “the first psychotic Jewish ex-wife.”

“It worked really well because a lot of Swatties were involved with the show, more than I had anticipated,” Ross said. “Swatties in general were one of the main reasons I felt encouraged to join the piece.”

Those Swatties also include Lila Swanson, the costumer designer and an Assistant Professor of Set Design and Costume Design, and Yoshi Nomura, the set and lighting designer, who graduated from Haverford in 2018 with a theater major at Swarthmore.

But not everything was easy for Ross, who questioned how she fit into a production centered around Jewish culture.

“I am not Jewish, and I made that very clear to Shuchman and the director before I began,” said Ross. “I wanted to let them know: ‘I would love to join this project, I’m honored that you’ve even asked me, but I don’t know if I should be in this piece.’ ” Shuchman and the director, Tori Mittelman, said that if she felt comfortable, they would be glad to have her, and Ross felt “extremely comfortable” after reading the script, because she related to the play’s themes of womanhood and beauty.

“I think theater’s an education process,” said Ross.

“Throughout this rehearsal and production process, I’ve learned more about Jewish identity and culture than I thought I could’ve, while also learning more about my own experiences as an American woman.”

The play also resonated with Jewish audience members.

Rook Mogavero ’20 (they/them/ theirs) was delighted by the production.

“I did not necessarily feel myself reflected in this show, but I felt my mother reflected in it so much,” they said.

Then Mogavero put on a heavy Jewish accent: “It’s a very ‘You should call your mother’ kind of show.”

Ross herself had a lot of fun but also learned valuable lessons from her experience.

“Being a woman in theater is difficult sometimes, especially when that woman is in a posi-

Ziri Marquez / The Phoenix

tion of power, because sometimes they’re not given the attention or respect that they need in order to do their job,” said Ross. “I was given the opportunity to learn from six different wonderfully creative, talented, intelligent women how to act in a leadership role while also collaborating, being respectful, and just having fun.”

Ross will take other lessons from “Behold Her” this semes-

ter as she directs “Love Letters” here at Swarthmore for Drama Board, a group she is also coordinating.

“It’s really fun because I haven’t had a lot of experiences working with people my own age; usually I’m working with older directors in the professional world,” said Ross. “But I think it’s really important, no matter what the age, to understand that typically in theater

there are power dynamics, but those do not need to occur.”

“Behold Her,” for one, clearly disrupts those dynamics — and does so with joy and heart. For more information about the play or to book tickets for this weekend’s performances, visit https://fringearts.com/event/ behold-her-15/.

Race and the built environment: Professor Goldstein’s summer research Elena Moore Arts Writer

Brian Goldstein, Assistant Professor of Art History at Swarthmore College, explores the topics of architectural history, modern architecture and planning, and the intersections between race and the American built environment in the courses he teaches. This summer, he continued research for his second book, “Bond: Race and the Modern City,” which explores the life and work of famed African-American architect, J. Max Bond, Jr. (1935-2009), in relation to the larger crossover between race and the built environment.

Professor Goldstein has been a member of the Swarthmore academic community since the fall of 2017, teaching courses like Architecture of Philadelphia and Global History of Architecture. As he sits near his desk in Beardsley 204 surrounded by sleek, grey furniture and architectural books, he begins to share what drew him to Max Bond and what he ultimately discovered throughout the course of his research.

Rather than choosing a wellknown, widely-celebrated architect like Frank Gehry or Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Professor Goldstein chose Max Bond, an architect whose racial identity and subsequent fewer opportunities in the design world rendered the research process much more complicated than straightforward.

Goldstein was especially drawn to Bond because of the lack of harmony between Bond’s childhood and young adult experience in a highly-educated family and his lack of attention as an architect due to his race.

Bond came from an exceptional African-American family of educators. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but also spent parts of his childhood in New Orleans, Tuskegee, Port-auPrince, and Atlanta. His father, Max Bond sr., worked at numerous historically black colleges and universities while his

mother, Ruth Clement Bond, served a variety of roles from president of the African-American Women’s Association to the head of the English Department at Kentucky State College.

Despite his exposure to education, world cultures, and various social movements, his race ultimately affected the amount and kinds of architectural commissions he received. Goldstein concluded his opening by saying, “Max Bond engaged with lots of different discourses that interest me, from architectural form to equity. I like to think about history through extraordinary people or places that nonetheless can teach about their period and contexts more broadly, and I think Bond can do that in a way that is really unique.”

A new grant from the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts ultimately allowed Professor Goldstein to fully commit to this summer research. The grant simultaneously reaffirms the importance of Goldstein’s research while also providing the necessary means to continue archival work. Goldstein recounts that while the new project seemed daunting at first, the excitement found from sifting through old archives bursting with letters and accounts soon prevailed.

Professor Goldstein strives to use Max Bond’s story to discuss the crucial intersection between race and architecture. Professor Goldstein’s first book, “The Roots of Urban Renaissance: Gentrification and the Struggle Over Harlem,” which explored how community grassroots organizations changed the Harlem district of New York City, similarly delves into this pivotal intersection. In fact, this first book was where Professor Goldstein was first introduced to Max Bond.

One component of his summer research was exploring Max Bond’s upbringing and personal relationships. Professor Goldstein conducted many oral history interviews about

Max Bond; he believes these interviews will inform a significant part of “Bond: Race and the Modern City.” Goldstein recalled that at first, he was a bit nervous about the interviews however, after completing the first set of interviews, he now feels generally excited about them. He stated that, “The amazing thing is that I had always heard that Bond was a really thoughtful, gracious, and generous person, and everyone has confirmed that in their own way.”

He has now completed ten oral interviews with a range of people – Max Bond’s sister, former co-workers, college and graduate school classmates, friends, and students. Goldstein affirmed that his favorite interview was with Jane Bond, Max Bond’s sister. He stated that, “Siblings have good stories, lots of memories, and a view into a person's young life that is almost impossible to get anywhere else.” He was

also struck with the interviews he conducted with four classmates – two white, two AfricanAmerican, two architects, two not – of Bond’s in Boston and Cambridge; he was fascinated by how their professional and racial identities influenced the different perspectives they had on Bond and on Harvard in the 1950’s.

Along with the oral interviews, Professor Goldstein spent time in New York City conducting archival research in Columbia University’s archives.

He looked at both personal and professional papers, including letters Bond wrote to his parents throughout college. From the letters, Professor Goldstein gathered that Bond first acquired his interest in architecture in his undergraduate studies. His favorite letter was written in August 1963 to Max Bond’s parents; Bond wrote of visiting Frank Lloyd Wright’s home, Taliesin, in Spring Green – a pilgrimage that many mod-

ern architects made at the time.

Goldstein went on to describe, “...but then Bond drove to the March on Washington and attended that too. For me, that really highlighted the worlds that Bond inhabited: someone educated at the peak of architectural modernism who also was always thinking about social justice and civil rights fights that were ongoing.”

Motivated and inspired by the educators and leaders around him, Max Bond graduated Harvard in 1955 and went on to receive a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design as well; he was one of eleven African-American students in the undergraduate school and the only AfricanAmerican student in his architecture graduate program, Professor Goldstein stated.

This intersection between race and architectural success continues to be a throughline in Bond’s career. After graduate school, Max Bond worked in

Emma Ricci-De Lucca / The Phoenix

the New York City architectural firms of Gruzen & Partners and Pedersen & Tilney and later moved to Ghana where he designed numerous government buildings. After moving back to the U.S., he served as the head for the Architects’ Renewal Committee in Harlem, where Goldstein first discovered the little explored importance of Max Bond, before co-founding the architectural firm, Bond Ryder & Associates. A few of the firm’s notable structures include the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and Harlem’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. As suggested in the sites’ names, most of the architectural structures Bond designed had an importance beyond formal choices. Goldstein firmly believes that Bond’s architectural practices reaffirmed the compatibility of architecture and activism.

Goldstein added that, “Bond had a really three-dimensional and complex understanding of the ways that race shapes architecture and architecture shapes race, and I feel that I am only at the beginning of understanding that understanding.”

Professor Goldstein’s summer research sparks an important question that is often ignored – how can an industry that defines and dictates the American built environment be comprised of a mere 2% of African-American architects?

Questions like these reaffirm the important intersection between architecture and sociology and remind researchers, educators, and designers alike in the field that the social history of a space – the history of a building through the lense of how it is used and by whom – is just as significant as the architectural history of a space.

If the history of architecture and the built environment interests you, explore the Art History course catalogue to view Professor Goldstein’s course listings available in the spring of 2019.

OPINIONS

September 21, 2018 PAGE A5

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arriage equality. Reproductive rights. The right to privacy. Racial justice. These are just a few of the landmark decisions that have come out of the U.S. Supreme Court. These decisions affirmed liberties, rights, and above all else, furthered the cause of justice.

These decisions are linked with many others of their kind, and they share a common thread: the principles of the Justices who made them possible — fairness, equity, and an ethical and moral interpretation of law.

ROBERT ZIGMUND OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR These same principles are now up for question, as we watch the appointment process of someone who is, in many ways, opposed to these principles. I am speaking of Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s second Supreme Court nominee, and a man who I believe is unfit to be anywhere near the highest court in the land.

There has already been quite a bit of buzz surrounding his nomination, especially about his Senate hearings, and now we are seeing defensive statements from the Trump administration and high-ranking Senators, all of whom are trying to dismiss the highly-credible sexual assault allegations against him. I will not only be looking at his Senate testimonies, but I will also examine significant elements of his past work that I believe do not bode well for his capabilities as a judge, including previous decisions and legal opinions.

First, looking through a policybased lens, I find several troubling decisions and sentiments. One such issue is that of net neutrality, the now-defunct policy that ensured equal access to information and prevented internet service providers like Comcast from dis-

criminating against web content.

Essentially, it kept the internet from becoming cable television, with websites and internet services divided up into separate “packages.” Kavanaugh has shown, in a legal context, that he does not believe that net neutrality should exist in the United States. From this belief, it can be inferred that Kavanaugh does not believe equal access to information is a necessary right in the United States, as his position supports discrimination between information sources.

In the 2016 case United States Telecom Association vs. FCC, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the constitutionality of the FCC’s Open Internet Order, which contained net neutrality as a provision. In this case, Kavanaugh offered a dissenting opinion. He argued that ISPs had a right to discriminate under the First Amendment and that it was part of their right to freedom of speech. This is deeply troubling as it proves his intention to place the rights of corporations above the rights of people.

On the issue of reproductive rights, Kavanaugh tries to make himself appear neutral. This is, however, merely a mask. His remarks and written opinions show otherwise. He has repeatedly expressed admiration for former Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist. During law school, and again during a speech last year for the American Enterprise Institute, a right-wing think tank, Kavanaugh praised Rehnquist, calling him his “first judicial hero.” That’s high praise, so I suppose it makes sense to look at Rehnquist’s record, to see just what makes him so “extraordinary.” For starters, Rehnquist was one of only two justices to dissent in Roe v. Wade, and as Bruce Shapiro of “The Nation” puts it, “he devoted himself to opposing abortion rights in every case from Roe v. Wade on.”

It is worth noting that Rehnquist was also a rabid opponent of the civil rights movement, going so far as to pen a memo in 1952, according to The New York Times, that argued for the reaffirming of Plessy v. Ferguson, the infamous case that legalized racial segregation through the ‘separate but equal’ clause. Beyond this continued praise for such a harmful human being, Kavanaugh has been nominated by President Trump, who stated that he would only appoint judges who would overturn Roe v. Wade, The Washington Post notes. These are clearly not the marks of a man who is an any way, shape, or form, “neutral.”

When asked about Roe in his Senate hearings, he merely replied “I understand the importance of its precedent.” This says absolutely nothing, and is the equivalent of him saying “I’ll consider it.”

This is not to mention the “originalist” perspective that Kavanaugh is so proud to hold, the idea that the Constitution is not a living document. What judges like Kavanaugh and the late Antonin Scalia seem to have failed to understand is that true justice is not a simple application of words on paper. It is not cut and dry because it was never meant to be. Justice is a combination of legal, moral, and ethical precepts.

These precepts do not stop at the decision itself, for these individuals often fail to consider the social impact of their decisions.

“Originalist” thought like this has resulted in some of the most inequitable and unjust decisions in history, from Dred Scott v.

Sanford, which affirmed secondclass status for African-Americans under slavery, to Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which opened the floodgates for near limitless amounts of corporate spending in politics.

Proponents of Kavanaugh’s nomination have argued that he

is an excellent choice for the Supreme Court because of his record of adherence to the Constitution.

Yet, this is hardly descriptive of Kavanaugh, as his record demonstrates far more religious and personal bias than any ties to the Constitution. For example, it strikes me as odd that a common defense for his anti-choice position is that being against the right to abortion is his religious belief, and that those same defenders say that he will uphold the Constitution. During the hearings, Kavanaugh expressed agreement with the idea that the government is in some way hostile to religion and religious individuals. This argument has been employed by Sen. Ted Cruz recently, who stated that “Democrats want justices who will further that assault on religious liberty.” His career history has also shown religious influence, including an amicus brief he wrote for the Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe, in which, The Washington Post explains, he argued that prayers at a public high school football game did not violate the ‘Establishment clause.’ This argument was struck down by the court. In an email, released by Sen. Cory Booker, Kavanaugh stated that he was unhappy with a clause in a new piece of legislation that would prevent direct government funding of religious practices by religious groups. One either supports separation of church and state or they support direct influence of religious beliefs in the judicial system. It does not take a law degree to see that difference.

Another common argument in favor of Kavanaugh is that he will ensure a moderate and balanced court. The problem with this is that Kavanaugh is neither moderate nor balanced. On nearly every major issue, from gun reform to money in politics to climate change to reproductive rights, he

Swarthmore: the happiest place on Earth

Emma Ricci-De Lucca / The Phoenix

From the windows of the airplane that departed from the city I call home, I felt both dreadful and thrilled as I watched trees, cars, and skyscrapers disappear into the distance, replaced by fluffy, white clouds. It was not the first time for me to leave home; after all, I had studied in the United States for more than six years. Leaving home, however, never gets easier. Despite years of American education in a private Christian institution in Ohio, I still found this continent foreign and unwelcoming.

Nevertheless, in pursuit of a better education, I persisted on returning to this foreign land year after year. Homesickness was a nuanced emotion for international students, who grew up in streets and ate food that were nothing like the ones at Swarthmore. However, through the kind hearts of the students and staff, Swarthmore became a second home for us.

DAIJING XU OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

When I initially arrived on campus, my nervous intuition insisted that everyone around

me was an intimidating upperclassman. Yet, in reality, all except the-blue-shirt-wearing orientation leaders were my fellow international classmates, who probably were just as nervous as I was. While a part of me still did not believe that I made it to Swarthmore College, the other part anxiously planned out each step of making a first impression on my fellow classmates.

The discomfort quickly disappeared. In our shared anticipation and nervousness, we greeted each other with shy but friendly smiles, asked standard questions like “Where are you from?” or “What would you like to study?” and contributed to the occasional political discussions. Our bonds strengthened as we toured Philly: we laughed at our orientation leader’s feeble knowledge of American history, visited a sex shop, and ate udon in Chinatown. As we finally sat together in the amphitheater for the First Collection, with a candle in our hands, it felt as if the dust had settled on the previous pages of our lives and that we were beginning something incredible.

When reminiscing about the

days of International Orientation, it becomes clear to me that the community of Swarthmore College is like nothing I have ever encountered. It is a fresh breath of air compared to the toxic environment of my high school. My experiences in a racially and religiously homogeneous middle school and high school have morphed me into someone who’s always selfconscious and insecure of my occasional accent and foreign appearance. Even in my hometown, I was constantly anxious of how I presented myself. No one I’ve met at Swarthmore has ever made me feel embarrassed because of how I look or how I speak English. Everyone genuinely wants to get to know each other and make a friendship that lasts for a lifetime.

Despite that Swarthmore had a bad reputation of being a liberal echo chamber, I was still exposed to a diversity of ideas. During the two weeks of orientation, my personal views had been challenged on several occasions. From my fellow international classmates, I encountered many controversial questions that I usually

wouldn’t have questioned. I never thought that I would have a hard time explaining the logical reasonings behind my answers to my genuinely curious classmates who have lived in another country and are not familiar with the dynamics of American society. It led me to question if I should have been more suspicious of the views I was exposed to by the environment I surrounded myself with. It was beneficial for me to rethink the reasons I hold some views and take a step back from identity politics. I am glad and thankful that I met friends with different opinions. Even if we disagree, I know that we all have good intentions and hopes for a better world.

On the Disney themed tshirts that our international leaders wore, it said “the happiest place on Earth.” That must be the name of the spell everyone casts on this magical campus together. In the following years we spend together, I hope that the stars in our eyes never fade and that the happiest place on Earth will be wherever we are together.

THE

The Kavanaugh nomination is against reason

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PHOENIX

Ganesh Setty, Editor-in-Chief Laura Wagner, Managing Editor Keton Kakkar, Managing Editor NEWS Bayliss Wagner, Editor Katie Pruitt, Editor ARTS Nicole Liu, Editor CAMPUS JOURNAL Naomi Park, Editor Dylan Clairmont, Editor OPINIONS Shelby Dolch, Editor

PHOTOGRAPHY Emma Ricci-De Lucca, Editor LAYOUT Trina Paul, Editor COPY Dan Siegelman, Chief Editor BUSINESS Peem Lerdputtipongporn SOCIAL MEDIA Abby Diebold, Editor DIGITAL OPERATIONS Navdeep Maini

SPORTS Jack Corkery, Editor Max Katz-Balmes, Editor

is clearly on the right side of the field. An already right-leaning court will be sent into overwhelming conservative control with him on the bench, and this will only cement an already oligarchical, Republican-centered system of government.

All of this is extremely important, but it leaves out one major detail: the fact that, as Politico notes, specific details of a sexual assault by Kavanaugh have emerged. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford has brought forth credible allegations that, in my view, should immediately render Kavanaugh’s nomination moot.

This revelation is made all the more troubling by the fact that Sen. Mitch McConnell stated that Kavanaugh had “too much of a paper trail,” and that Sen. Chuck Grassley immediately released a letter signed by 65 women who went to school with Kavanaugh, defending his “character.” The fact that this was seemingly prepared in advance, as if it was anticipated to come to light, is all the more alarming.

In short, his failure to understand the importance of upholding people over corporations, his worship of Rehnquist, a discriminatory and prejudiced individual, the sexual assault allegations against him, and his complete and utter disregard for reproductive rights make for only one morally acceptable outcome: Kavanaugh should not only be immediately rejected from consideration for the Supreme Court, but his current position should also be heavily evaluated. In my view, he is not fit to serve in any position that would give him power to decide right from wrong or just from unjust. Unlike the justice that he claims to uphold, this case is, in fact, cut-and-dry.

To put a stop to his nomination process, and to send a signal that individuals, such as Kavanaugh, are not acceptable in our justice system, call your senators at (202) 224-3121.

A response to the wellbeing report EDITORIAL

On September 13, President Valerie Smith shared the results of a report by the Ad Hoc Committee on Wellbeing, Belonging, and Social Life to the community in a campus-wide email.

In the opinion of the Editorial Board, this report by the Ad Hoc Committee failed to adequately address the wellbeing of Swarthmore students, despite that being its charge.

The report is divided into six subcategories — one of which is entitled “Wellness and SelfCare”. This section is extremely important to students on campus and is one that is often neglected. Despite the necessity of dialogue around this issue, this section is only three sentences long. As the report continues, it does come back to this category, discussing practices the committee finds promising as well as future initiatives. The concepts discussed are things like extending Matchbox hours, breaks, SEPTA tickets, pop-up patios, self-care social media campaigns, and using the Arboretum as a wellness space.

What is most alarming about this section is that it fails to discuss mental health whatsoever. In fact, the words ‘mental health’ are mentioned once in the entire report — in the form of a focus group question discussing mental health days.

CAPS is also mentioned only once in the report, in Appendix B: Key Institutional Partners.

It is the fifth one listed. While breaks and wellness spaces can contribute to improving the wellbeing of students on campus, they are no substitute for therapy and psychiatry.

Students’ mental health should be a priority of this institution. Mental health is not only integral to students’ overall wellbeing, but also affects every other aspects of students lives.

Academics, work, and physical health are all inextricably linked to students’ mental health.

If this report was focused on the wellbeing of students as it claims to be, there would be

discussion of the difficulties of getting CAPS appointments, the lack of diversity in background and specialization of counselors, and finally high turnover rates of counselors. Additionally, there would be discussion of the consequent costs of getting treatment elsewhere, as students who can afford to have had to do, while those who cannot work with treatment unsuited to their needs and identities. We commend the CAPS staff for their hard work and effort, and acknowledge their hiring of more counselors and expansion into Bond Hall. We also acknowledge their desire to meet the needs of students. We call on the institution to support them effectively.

In the spring of 2016, the Self Study Action Committee was commissioned to recommend to President Smith changes the college should act upon. This report was borne out of the campus discontent in 2013 and was produced using the results an external review of the college conducted by the consulting firm Rankin and Associates. One of the five recommendations of the SSAC was “Commitment to Diverse and Accessible Mental Health Care for All Members of Our Community.”

“In order to create a supportive environment, a community must promote holistic wellness and provide reliable support systems accessible to all. Mental health care is an important facet of such community wellness,” stated the report.

The SSAC report indicates Swarthmore declared mental health care to be a priority and a commitment of the institution.

The Ad Hoc committee report, in contrast, suggests that Swarthmore has forgotten to follow through with that commitment in any substantive way. Fluffy rhetoric around self care is no replacement for accessible and diverse mental health care. “Dialogue” only goes so far. Action goes farther. Deliver on your commitments, Swarthmore.

THE PHOENIX OPINIONS

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September 21, 2018

My first impression

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onviction and purpose.

Those two words come to my mind when I think of Swarthmore and Swatties. Their academic and non-academic interests range from math, to public policy, medicine, social justice and more. I got the impression that Swatties were less driven by external rewards and more passionate about internal motivations, which I deem an important aspect that often gets overlooked in today’s society.

I respected how Swarthmore’s orientation put emphasis on social issues regarding sustainability, sexual harassment, and the LGBTQ+ community. This in comparison to other schools’ orientations that revolved more around parties and pleasure devoid of conscience and less on issues that the society as a whole needs to face and solve.

JASON KIM OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR I have been beyond impressed by the ideals Swarthmore has been promoting, and I cannot wait to further indulge in this vibrant and caring community.

And above all, my favorite part about Swarthmore has been how easy it has been for me to get closer to my professors, and I believe that this has all been possible thanks to the unique architecture of the Science Center in particular, which in my opinion, embodies the core value of Swarthmore: low-power

distance between professors and students, a feature that is rarely found in other schools.

Before orientation, I wasn’t sure what being a Swattie entailed. No one from my high school had gone to Swarthmore in the past few years, and I did not do much research on Swarthmore before applying.

When I applied to Swarthmore I was only attracted to its proximity to my home and its prestige. With surface-level knowledge about the school, my first footsteps at Swarthmore were more nervous than excited — but I soon learned that going to Swarthmore could become one of the biggest blessings of my life. Now in my fourth week at Swarthmore (I arrived on campus earlier than most freshmen because of the BiCollege Summer Social Justice Institute), I have been enjoying and appreciating every moment here, and especially my relationships with the professors — thanks to my best friend Jason, who is currently a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania.

I was texting Jason the other day, and he told me that he planned to visit office hours to get help for multivariable calculus. When Jason said “office hours,” I just assumed that he was going to meet with a professor, which my fellow Swatties and I do regularly. He was actually getting help from TAs, however, who are typically grad school students or “very

talented undergraduates who have taken the course already.”

While I do not intend to underestimate Penn undergraduate or graduate students, I realize how lucky I am to not only be able to easily visit my math professor, Deborah Bergstrand — who, by the way, has been amazing so far — but also share casual conversations with her, discussing our favorite styles of watches and our academic backgrounds.

Indeed, Swarthmore is famous for its accessible faculty, so my close interactions with my professors haven’t been too shocking. What really surprised me, however, was Swarthmore’s thoughtfully designed infrastructure and how it adds to Swarthmore’s accessibility.

One of Swarthmore’s biggest selling points is its small classroom sizes, which make it easier for students to develop relationships with professors — something that is difficult to achieve in a typical big research university. While it must be understood that larger schools have small seminars too, Swarthmore’s advantages are most evident when it comes to classes like CS 21, one section of which has a capacity of 35 students; in contrast, a section of a Penn introductory programming course has a maximum enrollment of 199 students. This makes it harder for Penn students to reach out to professors since they have to compete for the office hours, whereas Swat-

ties have access to office hours with very little competition and restrictions.

However, Swarthmore does more than just making small classroom sizes. My dad, a professor and a nerd who just happens to love visiting colleges (a typical academic, I know), has visited at least 30 American schools in his lifetime. When I first visited Swarthmore with him, he loved the abundance of trees and how most buildings were within a reasonable walking distance from each other (with the sole exception of Mary Lyons, of course, which is where I live). What my dad found most unique about Swarthmore, however, was not the beautiful greenery or the iconic Parrish Hall; rather, it was the way Swarthmore built its Science Center and placed professors’ offices within the building.

“In most universities, professors’ offices are never on the first floor,” said my dad. “When I was at Purdue University, University of Illinois, and University of California, Berkeley, you had to go upstairs, at least up to the third floor if you wanted to meet your professors. This really shows why it is so easy for Swarthmore students to go to office hours.”

According to University of Pennsylvania math department’s website, most if not all of the professors’ offices were indeed on the third floor. Furthermore, Penn’s music faculty

offices are not only on the second floor but are also separated by several rooms and doors, while Swarthmore’s music faculty are on the same floor as the practice rooms. And to my point that Swarthmore professors’ offices (at least the ones at the Science Center) are on the first floor, I believe that this connects to the above mentioned aspect of Swarthmore’s low power distance culture, in which rankings and social hierarchy means little.

I asked my friends at UC Berkeley, Cornell, UPenn, Yale, and Carnegie Mellon if their peers normally call their professors by their first name, and they all replied with something along the lines of “we don’t normally do that.” At Swarthmore, however, my professors made it clear in the first minute I met them that students are allowed to call them by their first name.

Having grown up in Korea, where age stratification and hierarchy rule all, I find it difficult to call Professor Mathieson “Sara” or Professor Bergstrand “Deborah” — but I saw many students doing so, which I found comforting and conducive to building great relationships.

And this low-power distance is what I believe that Swarthmore hoped to manifest by placing the math and science professors’ offices in the Science Center.

Such a decision shows that the professors should be regarded as humans of equal standing

who may learn, collaborate, and engage with one another.

Even outside of class, I got close to Professor Kang and I don’t even take her class. I wanted to start teaching Korean because Swarthmore unfortunately does not have any Korean language courses nor Korean faculty member despite considerable demand from students to learn Korean. So I reached out to Professor Kang, who is fluent in Korean thanks to her Korean husband, and she has been very supportive and enthusiastic of my ideas. She happily invited me to her office, and we spoke in both English and Korean, along with a little bit of Chinese, as if we had been friends for a long time. I am beyond grateful for Swarthmore creating a community where we students are encouraged and welcome to approach professors easily.

Diving into the third week, I must concede that homesickness is beginning to sprout and that I wish I could see my mom more often. And while I believe that it’s a little too early to call Swarthmore my second home yet, I can definitely see it becoming one. Down-to-earth and passionate friends, libraries of coziness and collaboration, and caring professors who are not only mentors and teachers but also friends! There is nothing more I could ask from an institution. Sharples food doesn’t suit me quite well, but I came here to learn, not to eat!

Music everywhere – my first experience of music at Swat Needless to say, the Swarthmore’s campus is beautiful. But what’s the most beautiful part of Swarthmore? In my opinion, music is the most beautiful part of Swarthmore. It is found everywhere on campus, from the Crum Woods to Parrish Hall. It is beautiful not only because it is pleasing to the ear, but also because it is associated with many interesting stories that have happened during the first weeks of my life at Swat.

I will explore the music found at various locations on campus and stories associated with it. Sometimes I enjoy the music here, but occasionally I am annoyed by the music here. But this doesn’t matter. I love the music at Swat.

RUNZE WANG OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR One day, when I was hiking on the trails at Crum Woods, I heard a student playing music. This gave me a sense of security, as I knew there were people near me. Hiking alone at these trails could be scary for me, even during the daytime.

The music I heard that day came from the practice rooms at Lang Music Building. Lang Music Building is located at the edge of the Crum Woods, and I think it is one of the most beautiful buildings on campus. It is the place where all the students met for the first time during orientation. The background was not dull with grey walls. Instead, the open windows offer captivating views of Crum Woods, which was green and lovely. Thus, I found the first meeting of all students quite charming and memorable. With such a nice beginning, I now have high expectations for my entire college life. It will be as nice as the

beginning.

Later, when I had more free time, I started playing the piano in the practice rooms in Lang Music Building. Although the course load was stressful, music relieved me. The practice rooms at Lang Music Building were as nice as the concert hall. I could find old pianos there, which surprised me at first. I once thought these pianos were carefully protected and that “ordinary” students wouldn’t have access to these pianos. After my initial surprise, I was more curious about these pianos. Would these old pianos sound the same as my piano at home? An easy way to examine was to play my favorite piece on that piano. I chose Chopin’s Ballade No. 1, and I found the music played here more touching. I forgot everything then — I forgot my heavy workload, I forgot my homesickness, and I forgot my disappointment when I was lotteried out of two courses.

When I was playing the music on these grand pianos, I couldn’t stop recalling past stories between me and grand pianos. My first chance to play on a grand piano was many years ago. As a small boy, I was curious about the structure of the grand piano. So, when I was playing during my kindergarten’s concert, I stood up and looked inside the grand piano. Today such curiosity hasn’t diminished, and I still look inside these pianos when I’m practicing.

Sometimes when I’m tired, I look outside the window. I can see the spectacular view of the Crum Woods. Then, I will practice more passionately. Music is beautiful, but the combination of music and picturesque scenery is even more beautiful.

I know I will miss these nice pianos after my graduation. When

I go to work or graduate school, I’ll likely have less opportunities to play in a well-equipped piano practice room. Gyms, swimming pools, libraries, and computer labs will still be easily accessible in the future, but these lovely piano practice rooms will only be part of my memory. Undergraduate study only lasts for four years. Not short, but it isn’t long enough for me to squander. I will devote the best time of my life to things that are the most beautiful in my mind.

Of course, there are more opportunities to hear music and play music, and sometimes I have different feelings.

For example, there is a grand piano at the parlors of Parrish Hall. I seldom find anyone playing that piano, probably because there are many students resting or studying at the parlors.

The parlors were a paradise for students living in dorms without air conditioner during heat waves, so I understand the need for study and rest there. Long quiet hours also make playing that piano unlikely. But indeed, I once heard people playing on that piano. It was an amazing experience.

I love music at Swat. Swat has great musicians, and Swat has great musical instruments. But sometimes I find “music” here annoying. My dorm’s breakfast room also has a piano. Although we have quite hours, this rule is sometimes broken. I prefer to sleep early, so when I heard someone playing the piano at 11 p.m., I was annoyed. Music is generally good for us, but it can be noisy if it is played in the wrong place or at the wrong time.

Playing music here is quite different from my previous experience. When I was in high school, I’d practice playing the

Emma Chiao / The Phoenix

piano at home. Sometimes I felt guilty when my “music” was not pleasing to the ear. I was also careful of music selection then.

I would not pick songs that were too famous. Even if I made a lot of mistakes, no one would know.

Swat Global: I miss the routine

Personally, I tend to be a huge fan of near-constant routine. That is, I mostly enjoy being able to wake up and know exactly what I have to do that day, mostly because I’ve done it a million times before. At the same time though, I also seem to keep engaging in activities that do not let me have a constant, reliable routine, aka study abroad.

GIORGIA PIANTANIDA OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR Let me explain. It was my first weekend in Brisbane, and after several housing issues and a lot of stress, I was determined to cheer up. I mean, I was halfway across the world from all my friends and family, and I had finally made it to the place I had been waiting to be in for almost a year. So, I set out for an extended walk, hoping to come across the sights I had been googling for months. Usually, this would mean me strolling along,

taking in sights by my lonesome and snapping some pics for posterity.

Anyways, I had been walking for about ten minutes, peacefully minding my own business, before being stopped by a random dude, who decided that it was time to strike up a conversation with me.

I was so shocked that I struggled to get words out, but figured, hey this guy is just trying to be nice, and maybe he can point me towards some of the best sights in the city. About two minutes into the conversation, however, I realized that was not where this conversation was headed. Within the third minute, he started asking for my number and to grab coffee together. That was the moment I realized my routine outing had been totally shattered. Since when was it part of my day to day life to interact with strangers (New Yorkers don’t tend to do that) or be asked on a date (uhm, is dating even a thing anymore?).

Let me hit you with another weird interruption of my day. In my mind, I should be able to wake up every day, go to class while listening to a conspiracy podcast, and be left to my own devices.

However, people here love going out of their way to befriend you, and end the conversation with the offer of adding you on Facebook. So, when I’m on the bus and peacefully looking out at the passing scenery, I sometimes have some stranger tap my arm and ask about my day. Or maybe ask where I’m going (it’s always a different question). But how am I supposed to go on with my day and set up a routine if these people interrupt my podcast and time to be alone? So, suddenly, I either miss my stop because the stranger won’t stop talking, or I get off and find myself still stuck in conversation and have to worm my way out in hopes of making it to class. It’s a small thing, mind you. But when you wind up at

the wrong station, 20 minutes away from campus and with only 30 minutes to go until your next class, it can be very frustrating (and when you love routine as much as me, ending up in random bus stations in sketchy areas is not exactly ideal).

I also have this thing where I really enjoy drinking crappy American coffee during the school year, and always putting enough sugar in it to induce a sugar rush.

Yet, I have constantly been finding myself asking, “Where are the coffee bars?” (as in, how am I supposed to stick to my coffee routine if there are no Sci Coffee Bars here???)

Sure, there’s the staple Merlo Coffee Bars littered around campus, which essentially charge you for breathing in their store, but where are the coffee bars that make cheap American coffee and bitter espressos? Unfortunately, I have not found any - as with most of the world, American-style long,

There was also a public piano in the lounge of my high school, but I was also nervous when playing there. If I received negative comments about my performance, I would feel bad. With sound-proof practice rooms at Lang Music

Building, I don’t need to worry about these any more. I just play whatever I like, neglecting everything outside, except the vibrant Crum Woods.

black coffees are frowned upon here. To be fair, their cappuccinos make up for it, even if I have to save up all week to have just one.

Instead, I had to figure out something else. I miss my points on my OneCard. So I have begun using freeze-dried coffee, which is the strangest version of coffee I’ve yet seen (being Italian, I have sampled many, many coffees and this definitely takes the title.)

Maybe I’ve been super sheltered, or not willing to experiment with this coffee style, but Brisbane is the first time I’ve ever come across it. It’s hard to explain what it is, but the best I can do is say that it looks like crushed up coffee beans, and they’re then mixed with boiling water (I suppose this is actually almost exactly like American coffee - a great reminder of home).

Anyways, this sounds reliable, right? But it’s not. It either is tepid, which is the absolute worst, or boiling hot for like three

hours, and then tastes like coffee flavoured water. It’s gross. And the worst thing is that every morning, I have to guess what it’s going to be like. Will I be able to drink it during my first class? Will I literally have to wait all day to have it? Who knows? Not me, that’s for sure. Where is my trusty, reliable coffee from Sci, I ask. Nowhere, that’s where.

Before leaving for abroad, I admit, I was a lover of routine knowing exactly what was going to happen every day and when, with very little room for surprises.

But as my time here has reached halfway, I’ve been forced to become comfortable with surprises.

Whether that’s winding up at new bus stations or learning small talk with strangers. I don’t like it, by any means. I want the routine life I had back at Swat. But still, there’s something charming about waking up and not having any idea what random thing might happen to you that day.

SPORTS

September 21, 2018 PAGE A7

Buffalo Bills’ Vontae Davis retires at halftime

Arjun Madan Sports Writer

Professional football players often say that their bodies tell them when it’s time to retire.

For Buffalo Bills cornerback Vontae Davis, that realization happened at halftime during the team’s Sunday matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Davis stunned teammates, coaches, and fans by abruptly resigning from the N.F.L., when the Bills were down 28-6 in what ended up being a 31-20 loss against the Chargers. The cornerback, who just turned 30 in May and was in his tenth season of N.F.L. football, said in a Twitter statement that he had played through several injuries in his career, but that in Sunday’s game, “reality hit [him] fast and hard,” making him realize that he “shouldn’t be out there anymore.”

Davis, who spent his college years playing at the University of Illinois, forwent his senior season to become eligible for the 2009 N.F.L. draft, during which he was selected in the first round by the Miami Dolphins. He spent three years with the Dolphins and was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 2012, before the regular season began. After playing for six years in Indianapolis, Davis signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills. During his time in the N.F.L., the cornerback boasted an impressive 396 tackles and

22 interceptions; he also competed in two Pro Bowls.

Despite Davis’s impressive career as a professional, his legacy will forever be tarnished by his actions on Sunday. “I don’t have nothing to say about Vontae. I’ll give him a little bit more respect than he showed us today as far as quitting,” Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander expressed postgame. Alexander then added, “He didn’t say nothing to nobody. You know as much as I know. I found out going into the second half of the game. They said, he’s not coming out. He retired.”

Other players, as well as the Bills coaching staff, shared a similar attitude.

Head Coach Sean McDermott said, “He pulled himself out of the game. He communicated to us that he was done.”

“I think I did lose a little respect for him as a man,” said Bills safety Rafael Bush, who has spent nine years in the N.F.L. “In this game, we’re always taught to fight to the end, and for you to give up on your teammates in the middle of the game, I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Davis’s correspondence with his team and the N.F.L. did not end with his mid-game retirement, however. He did issue an official statement explaining part of his decision, posted on the N.F.L.’s official Twitter.

Davis began his statement with “This isn’t how I pictured retiring from the N.F.L. … I

mean no disrespect to my teammates and coaches. But I hold myself to a standard. Mentally, I always expect myself to play at a high level. But physically, I know today that isn’t possible” The former cornerback also expressed his desire to stay healthy not just for himself, but for his family.

“I also wondered: do I want to keep sacrificing? And truthfully, I do not, because the season is long, and it’s more important for me and my family to walk away healthy than to willfully embrace the warrior mentality and limp away too late.”

Sunday’s matchup against the Chargers was Davis’s first regular-season game with the Buffalo Bills. Davis was benched in favor of Phillip Gaines, who started in the Bills’ week one 41-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. On Sunday, Gaines played nickel cornerback after Bills rookie Taron Johnson suffered an injury in the season opener against the Ravens, leaving room for Davis to step in. But after playing for a half, Davis decided his time was up, leading to his premature retirement in the middle of the game.

With Davis’s abrupt departure, the Bills’ coaching staff is now forced to think quickly about how to replenish team morale and chemistry. Coach McDermott, speaking about how he plans to address Davis’s retirement going forward, said, “When I get back in here, we’ll

continue to communicate on what exactly is going on there, and we’ll go from there.”

In Sunday’s game, McDermott took over play-calling duties from defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier following Davis’s departure.

“I just felt we needed a spark,” the head coach expressed.

“That’s my background. Coach Frazier does a really good job, as well as the defensive staff. I just felt like we needed a spark.”

Coach McDermott additionally said that he would discuss and think about both the playcalling decision and “a lot of other things,” following the loss of both the game and Davis.

McDermott’s intervention seemed to help the team out in the second half. While the Chargers gained 284 yards in the first half, the most Buffalo has ever allowed before halftime since 2013, the Bills rallied, and with McDermott behind the plays, they allowed only three points in the second half.

“I didn’t change all that much, honestly,” McDermott said. “I thought the defense played with a lot of energy in the second half. I’ll give the players credit: They battled.

It was almost the tale of two halves. I thought we battled and played some Buffalo Bill football at times in the second half, at times. Not enough, still.

But in the first half, no way was that good enough.”

The next few weeks will be

rough for the Bills. They just lost an important teammate, and regardless of how well the coaches motivate their players, the recent event will take a toll on team spirit. This week, the 0-2-0 Bills will try their luck against the 1-0-1 Minnesota Vikings. Fortunately for the

Serena Williams and the controversial U.S. Open Alana Elliot Sports Writer

After September 8th’s U.S. Open tennis final, Serena Williams, who is widely considered to be the world’s best tennis player, still finds herself in need of an additional Grand Slam win to tie Margaret Court’s record of 24 singles titles. Williams’s bid for the U.S. Open title was hampered by the phenomenal performance of 20-year-old Haitian-Japanese Naomi Osaka.

Osaka’s win was historic both for her and for Japan, as she is the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam singles title. While the results were shocking considering Williams’ outstanding career, they were not what made headlines.

Carlos Ramos, the umpire for the final match, was at the center of much of the controversy.

The first complication arose when Ramos issued a code violation to Williams when he noticed her coach, Patrick Moura-

toglou, making hand gestures on the sideline during the match.

At Grand Slam events, players are prohibited from receiving any sort of coaching during both the warm-up and the match. In response to the violation, Williams retorted, “You owe me an apology. I have never cheated in my life...I don’t cheat to win. I’d rather lose.” Mouratoglou told ESPN that he was coaching and that, “All coaches are coaching throughout the match.”

This was a high stakes match,

so anything and everything was going to be scrutinized. Likely, the sideline coaching was unsolicited by Williams, though to the umpire, it was reason to give a code violation without even considering the possibility that the information had not even been received by Williams.

In light of this, Williams’s anger with regard to the violation is completely understandable, especially considering that she was not at fault.

The next violation against Williams came when she broke her racquet by slamming it on the court out of frustration at both the game and the umpire.

The violation was straightforward and there was no controversy as a result, though it certainly furthered Williams’s frustration because it resulted in the loss of a point. Articles were quick to turn the racquet incident into a slam against Serena with titles such as, “Serena Williams unleashes furious rant at umpire as she loses US Open 2018 final to Naomi Osaka” in the Telegraph and Tim Benz’s article from Trib Live titled, “Self-absorbed Serena Williams an embarrassment in U.S. Open final.” These articles focused

solely on Williams’ reactions, as opposed to the match as a whole.

Controversy spurred when Ramos gave Williams a full game penalty after a third code violation, cited as verbal abuse, after she argued with him saying, “You owe me an apology...You stole a point from me. You’re a thief, too.” This full game penalty may not have happened had Ramos better communicated with Williams and perhaps warned her about the fact that her next penalty would result in a much more serious punishment.

At the end of the final, when Osaka won, the arena was filled with heated emotions. While some were happy to see Osaka win her first Grand Slam title, the majority of the crowd directed boos at the umpire. Looking at the post-match photos of the two competitors, it is almost impossible to determine who won and who lost because both appear very emotional and solemn. Though Williams lost, she remained sportsmanlike during the awards ceremony and told the audience to stop the booing and recognize the important moment.

Bills, it will be another Sunday matchup, giving the team some time to recoup their morale and sort out their defensive strategy. Meanwhile, Vontae Davis will be sitting pretty, watching the game not from the sideline, but from his living room couch.

In a post-game press conference, Williams argued that Ramos was being sexist during the match with his officiating. She went on to say, “I’ve seen other men call other umpires several things. I’m here fighting for women’s rights and for women’s equality and for all kinds of stuff.

For me to say ‘thief’ and for him to take a game, it made me feel like it was a sexist remark. He’s never taken a game from a man because they said ‘thief.’”

Serena Williams has had to deal with various other sexist situations in her career, such as the French Open’s issue with her Nike catsuit. The suit, which was a compression suit designed to prevent blood clots, was criticized by the President of the French Tennis Federation, Bernard Giudicelli, who said, “one must respect the game and place,” alluding to the fact that he thinks women should continue wearing a more traditional tennis outfit, which includes a skirt. Williams continues her fight against sexism for both tennis and for women as a whole by speaking out about what she sees and experiences within the game.

From no hope to no doubt: Tiger Woods’ 2018 comeback Christopher Gaeta Sports Writer

Nearly a decade has passed since Tiger Woods last won an event on the P.G.A. Tour. Despite his lack of success on the course over the past ten years, his strong 2018 season has sparked hope for fans eager to see Woods rediscover the dominating form of his younger days. He has finished in the top 25 eleven times this season, putting him at 20th in the FedEx Cup standings and landing him a spot in the exclusive Tour Championship.

Woods began the 2018 season with a set of mixed performances that included shooting a 72 and 76 at the Genesis Open in February, in addition to a missed cut at the U.S. Open in June. Despite his mixed results to begin the season, his sixth place finish at the British Open in July marked an impressive improvement in his play. Moreover, Woods tied for second place at the P.G.A. Championship, behind only threetime major champion, Brooks Koepka. The P.G.A. Championship and the British Open are two of the four major tournaments of the year that attract some of the strongest profes-

sional golfers in the world. More recently, in early September, Woods made a rally at the BMW Championship in nearby Newtown Square, PA. He finished at 17-under par placing him in the top 10 to finish the tournament.

Despite the rain-plagued tournament conditions at the BMW Championship, Woods fired an 8-under par 62 on the first day of the event and finished the tournament only three strokes shy of a playoff won by Keegan Bradley.

His solid play at the BMW Championship secured him a spot at the Tour Championship that begins on Thursday in Atlanta, GA. Notably, it will be his first appearance in the season-ending tournament in five years.

Woods’s strong play this year has also landed him a spot on the prestigious United States Ryder Cup team. The Ryder Cup is a biennial match play tournament between teams from the United States and Europe. The Golf Channel reported Woods’s following comment in which he expressed that making “the Ryder Cup team… that was a pretty big task at the beginning of the year and to be able to accomplish that is something I’m very proud of.”

Woods’s sudden turnaround in his golf game over the past year is quite remarkable. In September of 2017, Woods hinted at the possibility of his career ending. During a press conference at last year’s President’s Cup, when a reporter asked Tiger if he could see a scenario in which he would not return to competitive golf, Woods commented, “Yeah, definitely. I don’t know what my future holds for me. As I’ve told you guys, I’m hitting 60-yard shots.” In his response, Woods acknowledged that his play in September 2017 was limited to the extent that he could only hit short pitch shots.

Following Woods’s four back surgeries and absence from leaderboards over the past several years, it has been incredible to see his comeback this season.

Nevertheless, his recent triumph is argued by some fans as, perhaps, not a comeback at all. The PGA Tour asked several golf reporters to grade Woods’s comeback during his 2018 season.

USA Today journalist, Steve DiMeglio, shared that he believes Woods’s performance warrants a “B [rating].” DiMeglio justified his response by stating, “No one knew what to expect and I think

he has exceeded those expectations. When you haven’t played golf in two years — which is eons of time in this sport — you just can’t come back easily.”

Additionally, Mike McAllister, a contributor to PGATOUR.com, noted similar reasoning for his “C” rating of Woods’s performance. More specifically, McAllister remarked that, “If it’s the Tiger curve… well, probably a B, maybe even a C, since he hasn’t won yet. I suspect that’s the only way he will judge whether his comeback is successful or not.”

Though Woods rose from being ranked over 600th in the world to 20th during the past year, his performances do not match those of his earlier years.

That being said, it seems a bit unrealistic to compare his performance after eight surgeries to that of the prime of his career.

For example, Woods dominated the 2000 PGA Tour season with nine wins, including the year’s final three majors with impressive margins of victory of seven strokes at the British Open and a seventeen stroke win at the US Open. Unfortunately, with increased competition from younger players, coupled with his aging, it is unlikely that we’ll

ever see the level of success that he once achieved.

Nevertheless, it seems reasonable to consider that Woods’s recent success may, perhaps, be a turning point in his career. Recently, Golf.com conducted an anonymous player survey at the 2018 PGA Championship and the 2018 Wyndham Championship. Ninety percent of the 59 players who took the survey said that they believed Woods would win at least one more major in his career. An even more overwhelming 98 percent think he will win another PGA Tour tournament. The numbers would probably have been far lower a year ago. One golfer, who wished to remain anonymous during the survey, assessed Woods’s chances to win another major in his career. He stated, “A year ago: no way. Now: no doubt [he will come back].”

It is hard to overlook the “Tiger Woods effect” that has been sparked again from Woods’s recent success on the course. In May of 2018, renowned sports journalist Doug Ferguson with the Associated Press explained that Woods is “bigger than he ever was before, and before he was enormous. Now he feels

even grander than that and a lot of it is because our memories of golf and our memories of him are very strong.” When asked if the hype surrounding Woods’s comeback is deserved, Ferguson responded that “I think Tiger deserves pretty much whatever he gets just because of what he has accomplished in the game.”

Jamie Lovemark, a fellow competitor on the PGA Tour, commented in May that “the vibe out here [at the tournaments] when Tiger is around is just like seeing a wax figure [for the fans]. Tiger brings a different vibe and it’s a really great feeling.”

Woods has surprised many in the golf world with his recent play. The once-transcendent competitor has somehow turned his game around after nearly a decade of personal and physical setbacks. Consequently, he has been able to recently attract widespread attention that resembles his popularity when he initially came into the professional golf world over twenty years ago. With the upcoming Tour Championship and Ryder Cup, it will be interesting to see if Woods can continue the momentum to end his comeback season on a high note.

PAGE A8

THE PHOENIX SPORTS

September 21, 2018

Toxic masculinity killed Jordan McNair Adam Schauer Sports Writer

O

n May 29th, 2018 at approximately 6 PM, a 911 call went out about a dying, young AfricanAmerican male. Another promising talent, dedicated son, accomplished student, and valuable life were all quickly wasted. His name was Jordan McNair, and he died from a very odd cause: toxic masculinity. In reality, McNair died from complications while recovering from an acute heatstroke, but the events leading to his untimely death all point to an unfortunate trend in men’s athletics.

The general concept of toxic masculinity is that traditional stereotypes, displays, and perceptions of what it means to be masculine are projected on others who identify with masculinity.

This discourages true expression of self, creates internal dichotomies within male identities, ethics, and stereotypes, and negatively impacts more of our society than just athletics. Furthermore, some of these traditional stereotypes promote unfortunate, oppressive, and harmful behavior — like the need to dominate, whether emotionally, socially, or physically. It explains many of the social movements and issues plaguing our society today, including unequal pay, lack of diversity, mansplaining, and other prejudices. But how did such an abstract and seemingly unrelated social concept as toxic masculinity cause McNair’s literal death?

McNair was a first-year offensive lineman on the University of Maryland football team, excited to contribute to a top Division 1 program. That day, McNair and his teammates were participating in “a basic conditioning test,” when McNair began to experience extreme fatigue, loss of motor control, and other textbook symptoms of overheating, according to the university. The conditions worsened and university staff called the ambulance, which brought McNair to the hospital with an extremely high body temperature of 106o Fahrenheit.

McNair remained in the hospital for two more weeks before passing away at the age of 19.

What is more significant, however, is how university administration, football staff, McNair’s teammates, and even McNair himself allowed the situation to escalate as far as it did. According to one teammate, McNair believed that “if he stopped, they would challenge his manhood; he would be targeted.” The strength and conditioning coach present at the workout added to the hostile environment, saying, “drag his sorry ass off the field,” as McNair’s teammates hauled his unconscious body toward the sidelines. The irresponsible coach was ultimately suspended. Further controversy arose after the fact, as numerous parties disputed the university’s response time and argued that both football and athletics department staff alike did not recognize the gravity of the situation. In both cases, the responsible party seemed to as-

Crossword​ ​By Ziv Stern Across:

1 - Sailors’ hooch 5 - The Medusa, as painted by Théodore Géricault 9 - Greedy king cursed with donkey ears 14 - Virtual sex symbol Croft 15 - Fitzgerald called the Queen of Jazz 16 - Asinine 17 - Office of the President?

18 - Bucket 19 - Plus 20 - Mary Lyons 23 - Vowel-less name of the Judeo-Christian God 24 - Apprentice to Ben Kenobi 25 - Toots 27 - Black Cultural Center 36 - Pwned 37 - Command from a drill sergeant 38 - Weeding tool 39 - Hail, to Mary 40 - Test out of 1600, as of 2016 41 - Letters before an alias 42 - By route of 43 - Nativity scene 46 - Partner of Jemaine in Flight of the Conchords 47 - Alice Paul 50 - Ubiquitous acronym on the early internet 51 - Day-____ 52 - Josh 55 - David Kemp 62 - Wrongdoings 64 - Sony laptop brand with a sine wave in its logo 65 - Dark and hipster 66 - Innovator in library organization 67 - Rebuke for a “Brute”?

sume that McNair’s masculinity would defy any evident physical weakness and that his issues should not be taken seriously.

These actions then qualify as a manifestation of toxic masculinity, because they inherently assume the definition, appearance, and characteristics of masculine identity from traditional stereotypes and in the process, cause serious harm — in this case, physically.

None of the various parties in this situation intentionally caused McNair’s death, but their unknowing acceptance of toxic masculinity and its stereotypes still created clearly detrimental consequences. And while this example is admittedly extreme, instances of similar behavior occur daily in men’s athletics at all levels and with consequences of varying severity. Even thinking about the stereotypical “jock” image, sports and masculinity have gone hand in hand for years, producing a dangerous association between sports and the most pertinent issues around gender identity and relations. Both the National Football League and Major League Baseball have long histories of players with charges of domestic violence against women. Each year it seems like a new hazing incident of a different men’s sports team comes out, in which physical, sexual, and emotional abuse become acceptable for the sake of “teamwork”. Even the most basic expectation of men at a young age seems to be that they participate in sports, and such pressure can

have lasting effects on people for years. No matter how severe, in all cases, the actions of involved individuals reflect an acceptance of incorrect perceptions of masculine identity.

As student-athletes, the emphasis should be placed on the student aspect without as much pressure to perform and with a focus on the long-term welfare of the individual. This issue continues to plague collegiate athletics as the topic of adequate compensation for players is in hot debate and the definition of what it means to play athletics in college evolves. This topic naturally brings up the inherent racial implications at play, especially considering the current controversy around the NCAA’s potential exploitation of largely AfricanAmerican athletes for financial gain. Sure, the athletes receive an education, but the quality of that education is often questionable with rampant cheating, over-assistance, and underperformance. Meanwhile, the NCAA makes billions of dollars in the process. Now, this exploitation has gone too far and caused the death of someone because of the immense pressure for all parties to succeed. It has pushed coaches to adopt extreme habits and has degraded the quality of the game itself.

Perhaps it is because I play collegiate baseball, which is not a contact sport, or perhaps it is because I play at Swarthmore, which has a lower level of competition, but there seems in my mind to be no justification for

68 - Japanese noodle 69 - Monogram ltrs., or a hint to 20-, 27-, 47-, and 55-across 70 - Everyone else 71 - [Hey! Over here!]

Down:

1 - Stick (onto) 2 - Sitarist Shankar 3 - Thesis defense, e.g.

4 - Knightly adjective 5 - Facsimile 6 - Jai ____ 7 - Fleetly float 8 - Dickens’ story of London and Paris 9 - AWOL, maybe 10 - Simultaneously 11 - Brother of Violet and Jack-Jack 12 - From scratch 13 - Meyers or MacFarlane 21 - Bernie Sanders’ designation: Abbr.

22 - P’s in Rhodes 26 - I 27 - “Superb!”, for a soprano 28 - Popular jeans

such extreme measures in any level of athletics. I completely understand the need for team bonding experience and certainly value the memories I will have with my baseball brothers for life, but these are built off of enjoyable experiences, as opposed to adverse ones. My most fond memory of running cross-country in high school was running up Mount Mansfield in Vermont, one of the tallest mountains on the East Coast. However, the process of pushing each other to persevere and the ability to find internal motivation made the experience far more rewarding.

Instead of having a coach force me up that mountain, that sense of accomplishment from within made the experience more valuable. We accomplished the same physical strain, mental drive, and creation of teamwork without the negative influence of a harsher coaching style. It is that model that should create motivation and comradery instead.

If such extreme measures are taken for the sake of teamwork, then there are simply more ethical and effective means to the same end. The logic is that creating both physical and mental adversity, competition, and stress facilitates the development of teamwork and comradery. It attempts to recreate an archaic, warlike, testosterone-dominated environment that fuels the competition further, like two stags fighting in the woods. However, implying that men feed off of each other’s aggression and that male physicality somehow vali-

dates borderline torture is ludicrous. It is one thing to train an athlete or build a team, but there is a distinct threshold at which the training becomes counterproductive.

On our baseball team, teamwork is built on a foundation of mutual respect. We all recognize, as do our coaches and administration, that becoming a collegiate athlete is an accomplishment reflecting years of hard work and sweat. Add on the constant balancing act between academics, athletics, extracurriculars, a social life, and all of the other components of a balanced lifestyle and it is easy to see why we are treated as adults and professionals. The internal motivation to succeed drives us, as opposed to a malevolent competition from the pressure to succeed and our mutual respect coagulates us into a cohesive group. These attitudes have lead to a recent run of unprecedented success.

In order to best prevent situations like McNair’s death from happening again in the future, coaches, players, and administration alike share a responsibility to cease from promoting traditional masculine stereotypes and conflating them with athletic prowess. Men’s athletics must attempt to dissociate from and actively discourage the negative images that surround every sport to this day. The athletes themselves must support and look out for each other’s well-being — physical, mental, and otherwise. That is a better way to build a team.

29 - Places to buy named furniture 30 - On the briny 31 - Break chemical bonds, e.g.

32 - Scrub in the tub 33 - Chicago airport 34 - Boops 35 - Author of “The Second Coming” 43 - Units often used in medical technobabble 44 - Zest 45 - Overtake, bit by bit 46 - Made an ex?

48 - Versatile egg dish 49 - Toilet paper layer 52 - Order betrayed by 24-Across 53 - Murder weapon for Hansel and Gretel 54 - Word that can refer to a person, bird, or fruit 56 - Done with, like in 46-Down 57 - Founder of “FiveThirtyEight” Silver 58 - Baby foxes 59 - Popular daring game 60 - YMCA and Oxfam, for two 61 - “Peer ____”, by Henrik Ibsen 63 - Prefix to “admin”

Last week’s solution:

Athlete of the Week: Vamsi Damerla ’19

Emma Ricci-De Lucca / The Phoenix

This past Sunday, Swarthmore’s golf team kicked off their fall season with a big win at the Frederick W. Anton III Memorial Tournament at Rock Manor Golf Club. The Garnet finished ahead of 13 other teams and were led by Vamsi Damerla ’19. Damerla, a senior from Arcadia, Calif., finished second overall in the tournament, shooting a 72. The Garnet will return to action this weekend as they compete in the Montgomery Cup on Saturday.

I chose this combo because I thought it would be a cool way of studying global systems from unique perspectives.

Jack Corkery: What is your major, and why did you choose it?

JC: How did you begin playing golf?

Vamsi Damerla: I'm a political science and economics double major, and

JC: Why did you decide to attend Swarthmore?

VD: I chose Swarthmore because it gave me the best opportunity to pursue golf at a strong academic school.

I also really wanted to come to school on the east coast.

VD: I started playing golf when I was four with my dad. He got hooked soon after starting to play, and he wanted to

introduce the game to me.

JC: What is your favorite Swarthmore golf memory?

VD: My favorite Swat golf memory is definitely winning the conference's Rookie of the Year my freshman year.

I was in a five-way playoff to win the Conference Championship, and even though I came up just short it was a great experience that I'll remember for a long time.

JC: What are your personal and team goals for this golf season?

VD: Personally, I'd like to play more consistently than I have in previous

years and have my personal lowest scoring average. Team wise, I feel that we have a very solid chance of winning the conference, and I'd love for that to happen before I graduate.

JC: Do you have any post-graduation plans?

VD: I plan to attend law school after graduation.

JC: What is one thing that you would change about Swarthmore?

VD: If I could change one thing about Swarthmore, it would probably be easier accessibility to late-night