VOL. CLXXVI NO. 54
FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019
Sophomore Family Weekend Issue
SUNNY HIGH 87 LOW 57
OPINION
ALLARD: CALLING OUT CALL-OUT CULTURE PAGE 4
BARTLETT: BUILDING THE SHALLOW END PAGE 4
ARTS
REVIEW: BLOOD ORANGE EXPLORES UNCERTAINTY IN ‘ANGEL’S PULSE’ PAGE 5
SPORTS
ONE ONE-ONONE WITH NEW MEN’S TENNIS COACH XANDER CENTENARI ’13 PAGE 8
FOLLOW US ON
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Mediation begins Average GPA, A grades increased over last decade in PBS lawsuit B y Elizabeth janowski The Dartmouth Staff
Mediation between the College and the nine plaintiffs in the ongoing class-action lawsuit against the administration will have begun by the end of this week, according to vice president for communications Justin Anderson. The out-of-court discussions follow a joint motion filed by the two parties last month, which called for the legal proceedings to be
temporarily suspended in order to “resolve this matter without further litigation.” The transition to mediation comes as the latest development in a $70 million lawsuit originally filed against the College by seven female alumni on Nov. 15, 2018. The plaintiffs alleged that as a consequence of the College’s deliberate negligence, three professors in the psychology and brain SEE MEDIATION PAGE 7
Hanlon urges Sununu to support voting rights bills B y the dartmouth senior staff College President Phil Hanlon is voicing his personal support for efforts to repeal two recently-passed state laws that sought to change voting requirements in New Hampshire. In a July 23 letter addressed to Gov. Chris Sununu (R), Hanlon urged the New
Hampshire gover nor to support three pending pieces of legislation — House Bills 105 and 106 and Senate Bill 67 — all of which were passed by the Democraticcontrolled state legislature earlier this year. The bills would, in effect, repeal the key provisions of two laws passed in 2017 and 2018 SEE VOTING BILLS PAGE 2
MICHAEL LIN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
In the 2017-18 academic year, the single most common grade given at Dartmouth was an A.
B y Andrew culver, alex fredman, Kyle mullins The average undergraduate GPA at Dartmouth during the 2017-18 school year was 3.52, an increase from 3.42 during the 2007-08 academic year, according to an internal College report obtained by The Dartmouth. The report, presented in January by the Office of the Registrar to the Committee on Instruction and Committee on Chairs, also found that there was a “significant shift” over the previous decade, resulting in As becoming more commonly received than all Bs, B minuses and B pluses combined. In the 2017-18 academic year,
the single most common grade given was an A, making up 38.3 percent of all grades. This was an increase from the 2007-08 academic year, when As made up 29.5 percent of grades. Over the same period, the number of Bs, B pluses and B minuses went down. All three of those grades together accounted for 30.8 percent of the total grades awarded in 2017-18, compared to 38.1 percent in 2007-08. Meanwhile, the number of A minuses awarded remained relatively consistent between the two time periods — around 24 percent — as did the number of grades below a C plus. The percentage of class medians that are an A minus or above increased considerably
over the past decade, from 53.8 percent in 2007-08 to 69.7 percent in 2017-18. The most common grade median, A minus, stayed constant at roughly 40 percent of all classes, while the proportion of A medians increased from 13.6 to 26.1 percent and the proportion of B plus medians decreased from 32.6 to 19.3 percent. When broken down by class size, the report found that the number of As received relative to Bs increased in all three designations of “small” (one to 24 students), “medium” (25 to 75 students) and “large” (over 75 students) courses. In particular, small courses — which make up SEE MEDIANS PAGE 3
PAGE 2
Administrators say turnover has not affected growth of projects
been “incredible stability” in the to teaching and research. Biron leadership of Thayer and the Tuck said she had hoped to continue The Dartmouth Staff School of Business. teaching one course per year while Lively said she attributes the also serving as dean, but the time In recent years, Dartmouth has turnover in the dean’s office to the commitments of the dean position seen considerable turnover in its fact that different models have been prevented her from doing so. administrative positions. In June used to lead the office, with varying She added that she felt returning alone, Alexis Abramson began her degrees of success. to teaching after three years was tenure as dean of the Thayer School “ S o m e t i m e s i t ’s b e e n a appropriate, given the “stable” of Engineering, and Kathryn Lively professional staff person, sometimes status of projects she was involved in was named permanent dean of the it’s been a faculty person, sometimes as dean. She cited the establishment College after serving as interim dean it’s been a co-led model,” Lively said. of the house communities and the for a year. Last October, Joseph “Looking back over the history of implementation of many aspects Helble was named provost of the Dartmouth, this role has been most of Moving Dartmouth Forward as College. effective when it’s a faculty member, examples. Despite the turnover, Lively given the culture of the College as it “I felt that the next phase of and Helble said the growth of is a small liberal arts college that has decision-making could profitably institutional projects has not been teaching and research at its core.” be undertaken by a new person,” affected, due to communication, the Because the dean position would Biron said. professional staff in the offices, and “benefit from stability,” Lively said When Lively assumed the smart hiring practices. that Helble searched for a candidate position of interim dean, Biron However, according to Student who would serve in the role long- called the transition “successful” and Assembly ambassador of student term. Lively said she plans to be in said that projects were not stalled. life Carlos Polanco ’21, SA projects the position for more than three to Lively, one of the original house did slow down in these times four years. professors, had previously worked of transition. As administrators Lively added that she thinks the with the dean’s office to develop the adjusted to their new positions, transition from faculty member house communities, and was able to Polanco said that SA worked to to administrator is difficult given smoothly transition into the role. generate the same sense of urgency the significant Biron said that among administrators that the differences these experiences students already held. between the in student affairs “The greatest barrier is clearly r o l e s , a n d “Looking back over the a n d re s i d e n t i a l communicating our goals and the position history of Dartmouth, e d u c a t i o n making sure they align,” Polanco sees frequent g ave Lively a said. He added that SA’s effort to this role has been turnover as a background that address food insecurity took longer most effective when result. she could use as than expected due to turnover, R e b e c c a it’s a faculty member. ” dean. but he said that Lively has helped Biron, who Anthropolog y push the project forward. Now that preceded professor Sienna upper-level administrative positions Lively as dean -KATHRYN LIVELY, DEAN Craig has assumed seem stably filled, Polanco said he of the College Lively’s former role believes that SA projects will resume OF THE COLLEGE and now serves of South House their normal pace. as director professor. Addressing the turnover in the of the Leslie Internal hiring, College’s administration, Helble Center for the as took place said that while there have been H u m a n i t i e s, with Lively “higher than usual” rates of stepped down transitioning from turnover for the provost and the from the position after three years teaching to dean, is a common dean of the College, there has because she wanted to return practice at Dartmouth. Biron said that past experiences working with administrative offices provide a strong foundation for individuals as CORRECTIONS they move into administrative roles. Chief financial and administrative We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, please email officer of the Thayer dean’s office editor@thedartmouth.com.
B y gigi grigorian
FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
Hanlon opposes recent hurdles to student voting that supporters said would protect the integrity of state elections and opponents claim were attempts to suppress the vote of New Hampshire residents, particularly college students living in the state. “The multiple hurdles to voting imposed by recent legislation wo u l d i m p o s e u n re a s o n a bl e, discriminatory burdens to student voters and increase confusion and fear of penalties,” Hanlon wrote. SB 3, which was passed in 2017, requires people who register to vote within 30 days of an election to provide documentation showing proof of domicile or fill out an affidavit. In 2018, Sununu, after initially signalling he opposed the bill, signed HB 1264, a law that created stricter residency requirements for voting in New Hampshire and that opponents argued would effectively prevent college students whose original homes are in other states from voting in the Granite State.
Though HB 1264 officially took effect earlier this month, the role the laws will play in upcoming elections is uncertain as both have faced legal challenges and questions surrounding implementation. After taking control of both houses of the state legislature following the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats soon passed HBs 105 and 106 and SB 67, attempting to repeal the laws enacted by the previously Republican-controlled legislature. It is unclear, however, whether Sununu will sign the bills and whether the bills would get enough support to override a veto. In his letter, Hanlon described voting as an “essential pillar” of students being engaged citizens. “As you are aware, students are organized on these issues and have spoken up loudly and clearly about their wish to exercise their right to vote,” Hanlon wrote. “Our students live here for years and are members of the community. They care deeply about state and local policies that
Christine Cook said that this benefit was also seen when engineering professor Laura Ray served as interim dean of Thayer after Helble moved from this role to the provost position. “[Under Ray’s leadership], certain things moved very quickly because she already had a good handle on the details of our curriculum,” Cook said. She added that Ray was also known and respected by faculty before working as interim dean, which helped her navigate the role. At Dartmouth, outgoing and incoming leaders have also had prior existing relationships, which facilitate better communication during the transition. Because Biron and Lively had a professional relationship from their joint work in developing the house communities, Biron said that they met several times to discuss ongoing work of the office.
B e c a u s e H e l bl e w a s d e a n of Thayer for 13 years before transitioning to the role of provost, he had already collaborated with interim provost David Kotz, a computer science professor and his predecessor in the provost role, in a professional capacity. “When I was named as provost, an informal transition began almost immediately,” Helble said. Helble was named as provost in May 2018, but he did not assume the role until October 2018. During that five-month period, according to Helble, Kotz included him in the decision-making processes, even though the transition had not yet officially occurred. He added that he has reached out to Kotz several times since he officially became provost to ask for background on issues, ongoing discussions and policies. “[Kotz] helped facilitate an incredibly smooth and seamless transition,” Helble said.
FROM VOTING BILLS PAGE 1
FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019
PAGE 3
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
Internal College report shows A is most common grade FROM MEDIANS PAGE 1
just over half of all courses at Dartmouth — see large numbers of As and A minuses. These grades made up 71.1 percent of all grades in such courses, compared to 53.4 percent of all grades in medium courses and 52.4 percent in large courses. The report also found that first-years consistently had the best average GPA of all class years, although the senior class GPA increased from 3.36 in 2008-09 to 3.45 in 2016-17 — while other class years saw only marginal increases. Meanwhile, seniors consistently received the highest percentage of As, with 44.7 percent of all grades received by seniors in 2017-18 being As. In response to written questions from The Dartmouth, dean of the faculty Elizabeth Smith wrote in an email statement that grade inflation has been “a topic of concern at multiple levels of education including secondary and post-secondary levels.” “Discussion about the challenge of assigning grades and the root causes of grade inflation needs to begin with addressing fundamental questions about why we assign them and the meaning that specific grades have for students, faculty, employers, accreditors, and graduate schools,” Smith wrote. “Have the answers to these questions changed over time?” Biology professor Mark McPeek, who chaired an Ad Hoc Committee on Grading Practices and Grade Inflation in 2015, said that there are “many, many serious consequences” to class grade increases, including lower student motivation. “There is a [negative] correlation between the median grade in the class and what students report — how much time they spend outside of class working on that class,” McPeek said. A report released by the Ad Hoc Committee in May 2015 acknowledged the existence of grade inflation at Dartmouth and found that the share of As and A minuses received increased from just over 30 percent in 1974 to 58.7 percent in 2014. The report recommended, among other proposals, that the College make its data on grades public, abolish the non-recording option and eliminate strict minimums on
enrollment in undergraduate courses. “At the current rate of increase,” the Ad Hoc Committee’s report said, “every grade given in every class to every undergraduate at Dartmouth in 2064 will be [an] A.” McPeek said he believes there are two possible explanations for why high median grades occur: either every student in the class has mastered the course material perfectly, or the students haven’t really learned the material completely but the professor still gives out high grades. He said that if the latter explanation were true, it would demonstrate a failure on the part of professors for not holding students accountable for classes and homework. Government professor John Carey, who became associate dean of the social sciences on July 1, said in an interview prior to his appointment that he sees grade increases as reducing professors’ ability to distinguish between student work of different qualities. “I think given the amount of time and effort and intellectual blood, sweat and tears that we put into evaluating students’ work, it is important to recognize the distinction between work,” he said. Likewise, government professor Michelle Clarke said that grade assignment plays a significant role in accurately assessing student performance. “The most important thing we do is give feedback to students, evaluate the quality of their work and help them improve it,” Clarke said. “It’s harder to do that when there’s so much compression at one end of the grade spectrum.” The registrar’s report showed considerable variation in the average grades given out by academic division. The average grade point in arts and humanities classes in the 2017-18 school year was 3.66, an increase from 3.54 in 2007-08. Social science classes saw an average grade point of 3.43 — an increase from 3.35 in 2007-08 — and science classes saw an average grade point of 3.35, an increase from 3.25 a decade earlier. The course subjects with the highest average grades in 2017-18 were theater and Arabic, both with an average grade point of 3.83. Chemistry and mathematics classes had the lowest average grade points at 3.12 and 3.25,
respectively. Theater department chair Laura Edmondson said that her department’s high median was partly because the theater department largely grades on “engagement,” which she says is possible because of small classes. “It’s not like a large lecture class where you can easily check out,” Edmondson said. “If they check out, we see it.” Chemistry department chair Dean Wilcox said his department’s median typically has been lower than other departments. He attributes this to chemistry’s “unique situation” as the home for introductory pre-med courses. “Those first chemistry courses are [students’] first physical science classes at college,” Wilcox said. “The material is conceptually a bit more challenging, a bit more abstract, a bit harder to grasp,” he added. He also noted that many nonchemistry majors — including biology, engineering, earth science and occasionally neuroscience — have chemistry classes as prerequisites. “You’ve got students who may not necessarily have any interest in going on in chemistry, but they have to take it for other goals,” Wilcox said. Combined with the large size of these classes — which gives them more weight in an average of grades — he said he believes these factors pull down the chemistry grade average. Wilcox suggested that a potential cause of higher grades being given at the college level is because high schools are more effectively educating students. “You took classes in high school that I probably never did,” Wilcox said. “You’re more advanced, perhaps, than earlier generations of students. I didn’t have the opportunity to take calculus in high school, but many kids that are interested in STEM come in already having had calculus.” While the registrar’s report quantifies a recent GPA rise at Dartmouth, the College’s steady grade increases are comparable to those of peer institutions. A 2014 analysis by The Economist magazine showed that Dartmouth’s average GPA in 1950 was roughly 2.5 — right between a C plus average and a B minus average — and has gradually increased since then. That analysis found similar grade increases
by comparable trendlines at other Ivy League institutions. A recent report by RippleMatch, a job recruitment company, estimated the average GPAs at Ivy League schools based on data from student customers and found that Dartmouth ranks roughly in the middle of the pack — with Brown University, Columbia University, Harvard University and Yale University having higher average GPAs than the College. In 2017, The Harvard Crimson reported that Harvard College’s median grade was an A minus and that, like Dartmouth, the most frequently awarded grade was an A. That same year, a survey conducted by the Yale Daily News found that 92 percent of Yale University faculty believed grade inflation was occurring at that institution. The Daily News also reported that the mean course grade at Yale increased from 3.42 in 1998-99 to 3.58 in 2011-12, similar to Dartmouth’s GPA increase from 2007-08 to 201718. Even Princeton University, which implemented strict university-wide grade deflation policies in 2014, saw its average GPA increase by 0.026 points from 2017 to 2018, according to The Daily Princetonian. College spokesperson Diana Lawrence declined to answer written questions from The Dartmouth about the subject of recent grade increases at the College. “Grading and the related issue of grade inflation are the purview of the Dartmouth faculty,” Lawrence wrote. Student Assembly president Luke Cuomo ’20 said it is well-known that grade inflation has occurred at Dartmouth and other schools over a long period of time. But he said that the problem is not necessarily a “dire” one and that taking actions to reduce grade inflation, such as setting limits on the number of As that can be given out per course, could yield negative consequences, especially in potentially exacerbating problems such as mental health, anxiety and academic stress among Dartmouth students. Cuomo also noted that while students may intentionally seek out easier classes, they still have to be conscious of how that might later appear. “On your transcript, if it shows you’ve
only taken classes with A medians, that’s noticeable,” Cuomo said. “And in a way I think that drives certainly some people to diversify their classes and show that they aren’t only taking layups three times a term.” In interviews with The Dartmouth, two recently-graduated students from the Class of 2019 whose GPAs placed them at or just below the top of their class expressed mixed feelings about the issue of grade inflation and the extent to which it is a problem at Dartmouth. Christine Dong ’19, who earned an economics degree and was a class salutatorian, said she believes grade inflation occurs at Dartmouth, but said it may be a “necessary evil” because college is a path to employment and employers for competitive positions often have minimum grade thresholds when hiring. She also described grade inflation as a “chicken and egg” problem in which students might seek classes with lower medians, leading professors to offer such courses so students will sign up for their classes. Class valedictorian and biology and economics double major Anant Mishra ’19 said that while he does not feel he personally experienced grade inflation at Dartmouth, he thinks grading practices can sometimes benefit the lowest performers in a given course because professors feel a responsibility to ensure they do not fail, especially in science classes with lower medians. Mishra said that it is possible higher grades are simply a reflection of increasingly more talented and academically prepared students being admitted to Dartmouth each year, though that may be a reason for professors to change grading practices. On the whole, however, Dong and Mishra said the issue of grades and academic difficulty should be considered in a larger context. “I think the value of a Dartmouth education is not just what you learn in a classroom, but the people you meet and the friendships you make,” Dong said. “And if I was in 100 percent rigorous classes every term, I don’t think my friendships would be as strong.” Debora Hyemin Han contributed reporting. Peter Charalambous and Anthony Robles contributed.
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FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019
THE DARTMOUTH OPINION
STAFF COLUMNIST NICHOLAS BARTLETT ‘21
STAFF COLUMNIST SYDNEY ALLARD ‘21
Building the Shallow End
Dartmouth needs more science courses with a writing element. Here at Dartmouth, the idea of a liberal arts education guides our institution like a north star. It’s why the distributive system plays such a prominent role, akin to “general education,” in our academic experience. And it certainly would explain why pamphlets and tour groups boast of the metamorphosis into well-rounded intellectuals (ergo capable within both STEM and the humanities) at every chance they get. The goal of our education is to cultivate the totality of our abilities, not just our respective disciplines. Yet I find a noticeable gulf between this idyllic expectation and our curriculum’s reality. Coursework often creates a stark disparity between STEM and the humanities. Some disciplines, like physics or computer science, necessitate an acuity with numbers that may be off-putting to humanities aficionados. Other fields, like English or comparative literature, require a familiarity with literary analysis that may come unnaturally to the STEM-inclined. Dartmouth’s curriculum needs a bridge: Dartmouth should offer more STEM courses with a concerted writing focus to serve as a middle-ground between two distinct halves of academia. For humanities students with scientific interests, intensive quantitative workloads loom dauntingly as STEM’s bouncer, scaring away a hefty segment of the humanities-concentrating population for even daring to step foot on the premises. Don’t get me wrong, we’re all smart here at Dartmouth, but mathematical capacity is like our average appendage: Without consistent exercise, it withers. This proves increasingly problematic the further one delves into their curriculum, where scientific and mathematical
intuition decay with neglect. An inevitable (sometimes precipitous) erosion of the STEM foundation doesn’t exactly inspire confidence for the would-be fish out of water considering a course outside the humanities, and it certainly influences how students elect their classes. The less self-assured one is in a given field, the more likely it is that one will opt for a course which is easy over one that seems interesting. Take the physics program, for example. The realm of theoretical physics is rife with an array of intellectual fruit from the biological to the celestial. However, the unnecessary marriage of the scientific to the quantitative at Dartmouth places an insurmountable barrier in the way of the STEM-aspiring humanities buff. And thus, disciplines which would otherwise entice students through their conceptual appeal instead deter by requiring highly technical mathematics. Students often fail to explore because of fear, not disinterest. A more writing-intensive approach would pay dividends by eliminating this barrier to entry. By teaching concepts in a reading-intensive, writing-heavy, discussion-based format reminiscent of the humanities, Dartmouth would lend somewhat foreign STEM concepts a familiar and thereby inviting aura. Such a shift would permit students to explore relevant and interesting themes in a way that feels natural to them, easing their anxieties and encouraging their engagement with STEM. In the blink of an eye, fascinating subjects like the inner workings of the internet or the theoretical underbelly of interstellar travel SEE BARTLETT PAGE 6
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Calling Out Call-Out Culture
How call-out culture convinces us to hide our real beliefs The most nuanced conversations aloud whether it was really fair to allow people I have about current political issues who are born in male bodies — stronger, faster, are private. In large groups, I nod in bigger bodies — to compete against women. agreement. With close friends, I engage. The question is a legitimate one debated by I know I am not alone. In public, my peers Olympic committees and a perfectly valid and I concur without a second thought: “open inquiry for my 16-year-old friend to make. the borders, tax the rich, health care for all!” But rather than sparking discussion, my friend’s But privately, we think twice. The balance comment received glares from classmates and between border security and humanitarian a chastising explanation of why his reasoning ideals is a delicate one. Few of us have ever paid was offensive and incorrect. He never raised taxes, let alone studied the economics needed his hand to ask a question in health class again. to fully grasp the effects of changing them. My friend still discusses questions like these Nor can we know the costs of making health with me privately. He was not convinced to fall care free. But you wouldn’t know about that in line with the group that day in high school, nuance if all you looked at but he did learn the high was our public discourse. “Call-out culture cost of expressing dissent. In My friends and I don’t many places, but especially implicitly warns remain silent because we on college campuses, the are apathetic or sheepish. us not to ask big costs of disagreeing with We have strong ideas and questions, not to the dominant mindset are big questions that we high. When faced with genuinely want to puzzle debate, not to even call-out culture, speaking over together. But we consider the other out is rarely worth it. have also grown up in a By pushing people’s side on sensitive call-out culture, a world questions and ideas in which using the wrong issues.” under the surface, we do term or unintentionally ourselves a disservice. offending someone can get you into trouble. When you engage with someone, you Agreeing with the group to fit in is nothing can change their mind: better yet, they new, but intentionally using peer pressure could even change yours. When you to create conformity of belief is something shame someone, you polarize them, much more insidious. I have been shamed, isolate them and make it unlikely that they embarrassed and chastised by counselors, will ever come to see things as you do. friends and teachers enough times to have Even the most reprehensible beliefs are learned that it is often safer for me to say better combatted with conversation than nothing at all than to challenge their beliefs humiliation. Call-out culture makes it more and risk being seen as the enemy. Call-out likely that people who disagree with an culture implicitly warns us not to ask big “acceptable” view will find each other and questions, not to debate, not to even consider communicate privately — it is no coincidence the other side of really sensitive issues. that the alt-right started in private online In high school, my best friend was called chatrooms. The best way to combat beliefs out by a teacher. One unit of my high school that we see as dangerous or offensive is health curriculum was dedicated to gender. not to shame them: It’s to engage with the After we had learned about the ways in which people who hold them. Otherwise, we only male and female bodies develop differently, we become more polarized and it becomes were told that the lines between genders were increasingly difficult to find common ground. blurry, if they existed at all. The issue of gender By calling each other out, we don’t fluidity was new and complicated, and certaily change minds, we just change the venue of politically charged, but it was taught matter-of- important conversation. Rather than thinking factly: Sex is binary, gender is fluid, end of story. through big issues aloud in class, we consider Our teacher explained to us that people who them in hushed tones with only the best of are born males but identify as females should friends, under the assumption that our truest be able to play on women’s sport teams — to beliefs will never be shared. Call-out culture forbid them to would be to challenge their very has reduced political dissent to the status identity and personhood. My friend was not of gossip — shameful, secret and only to be convinced. He raised his hand and wondered shared with the most tight-lipped of friends.
MIRROR 7.26.19
SUNNY TANG/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
2// MIRR OR
Editors’ Note
“Once More We Saw Stars”: Reflections on family and loss STORY
DEBORA HYEMIN HAN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
As sophomore summer draws to a close, so do the days of lounging by the river, perusing the farmer’s market, driving to Ice Cream Fore-U and falling asleep in Astro 1. Sophomore summer is about relaxing, but it’s also about letting students pursue activities they haven’t tried before and subjects they haven’t studied. It’s a time to step out of comfort zones, unhindered by the stress that accompanies the typical Dartmouth term. While 19X has been a time of fun and discovery, we now stand at the halfway point in our Dartmouth careers, and it’s the perfect time to stop and reflect on our experiences and look forward to what’s to come. The withdrawal deadline approaches, so reflect on whether or not you can really pull up that Jews 11 grade at this point in the term. Although it seems like it’s “only” week six, the next four weeks will go by in the blink of an eye in the midst of friends, fun and finals. It might not be the last term at Dartmouth for the ’21s, but something about a junior year of friends studying abroad and interning makes this feel like our last term together for a while. So, we hope that you make the most of the last few weeks of the summer in Hanover. Join a new club or go see an interesting lecture. Put your crush down for Last Chances 19X! Take a few risks this summer.
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7.26.19 VOL. CLXXVI NO. 54 MIRROR EDITORS LAUREN SEGAL RACHEL PAKIANATHAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DEBORA HYEMIN HAN PUBLISHER AIDAN SHEINBERG ISSUE EXECUTIVE MATTHEW MAGANN EDITOR
By Jacob Maguire
On July 16, author Jayson Greene visited Sanborn Library to read excerpts from his new book, “Once More We Saw Stars: A Memoir,” as part of the English department’s Cleopatra Mathis Poetry & Prose series. English professor William Craig introduced Greene at the start of the event. Greene spent the first half of the event reading excerpts from his memoir then answered a series of questions from students, faculty and community members. Greene began the reading by recounting the day when he and his wife Stacy lost Greta, their two-year-old daughter, in a horrific accident. One Sunday morning in May 2015, Greta sat with her grandmother, Susan Frierson, on a bench in Manhattan when suddenly, a piece of a terracotta windowsill fell from a nearby building and hit Greta on the head. Greta’s grandmother, who was struck in the knees, eventually recovered. She outlived her granddaughter, who died the following day. Greene emphasized that the memoir focuses on the period of 15 months between the death of his daughter and the birth of his son, Harrison. The passages that Greene read during his visit to campus felt extremely poignant. He recounted searching for secluded places to scream in New York City including an empty shopping mall and isolated streets. He also spoke about his haphazard introduction to spirituality, and his visits to the doctor for various illnesses that his son experienced. Greene said Harrison’s bouts with hand-footand-mouth disease and other minor illnesses reminded Greene and his wife that sometimes when children get sick they do survive. Greene said that writing the book served as a way to help him make sense of his relationship with his late
daughter, acknowledging that the book, for him, was a “testimonial” to being Greta’s father. “In some ways, writing this book was a way to discover how I could still be connected to her,” he said. Greene noted that the memoir might someday serve as a way for his son to learn about his family’s past. He said that Harrison is still young, but old enough to know that the name Greta has significance to his parents. Someday, Greene said, Harrison will learn about Greta, but that at present, small doses of information are best. Greene said that his son has already begun to ask questions about his older sister. “Children ask the questions that they are ready to hear the answer for, and they are ready to hear that answer and nothing more,” Greene said. Greene said that he wrote the memoir because it was the most logical way for him to process the traumatic event. But, he realized that some readers could relate to his own experiences. What intrigued me most was a comment Greene made about his transition from writing literary criticism, which he had done for a decade, to writing directly about himself. Greene said that he found this easier than some might expect because he believes that when individuals read and write, they inevitably connect the texts they both create and consume to themselves. “Basically, when you are writing anything, you are writing about yourself,” he said. This observation helped me comprehend the uncertainty that I had experienced throughout the event. Greene’s words felt like deja vu, even though I had never directly experienced the loss of a child. During Greene’s talk, I realized that I knew two individuals who had.
Mary Ann G. Maguire and Francis J. “Frank” Maguire, the two hardworking Rhode Islanders who would become my grandparents, lost their first child, Sharon Kathleen, in the early 1960s. Sharon, who was born with a severe case of spina bifida, died when she was just a year old. My grandmother eventually gave birth to my aunt, my uncle and my father, but my grandparents’ lives never became easy. “Nansie” and “Grampie” outlived their oldest child, which should never happen. In 2011 and 2013, respectively, my grandmother and grandfather were buried beside Sharon, next to a grave that was five decades old and marked with a headstone inscribed, “Our Little Angel.” I did not know that Sharon Maguire existed until I went to that cemetery for my grandmother’s funeral. My grandparents never talked about her. Greene’s talk led me to start wondering about my grandparents’ experience. Greene said he hopes that, just as the book may enable his son to understand the sister whom he never knew and begin to fathom his parents’ loss, it will also help grieving parents to make sense of the tremendous pain and trauma that the loss of a child causes. “Most people carry around the grief that they have from their children in silence and in private,” Greene said. “Every single person who has read the book and found meaning in it has given a redemptive answer to everything.” My late grandparents are no longer around to read “Once More We Saw Stars,” but I am. I hope that, by reading Greene’s words, I can better understand who my grandparents were and begin to fathom the trauma and pain that they experienced. It took many years, perhaps even several decades, but I hope that “Grampie” and “Nansie” eventually saw stars once again.
MIRR OR //3
Summer Fling: Sophomores explore passions STORY
By Sarah Alpert
They say sophomore summer is Indian dance for most her life, different from all other terms — however, Kasireddy decided to try a and it’s true. From June to August, new style this summer with Ujimelt, Dartmouth students swim more, summer-slang for Ujima, another tan more, eat more farmer’s market Dartmouth dance group. kettle corn and in some cases, sing, So far, Kasireddy has enjoyed the dance and laugh a lot more than laid-back attitude of Ujimelt, which any other term. had no auditions and doesn’t strictly Over the summer, student enforce attendance at rehearsals, performance groups open spots according to Kasireddy. for temporary members, and many “It’s different from doing Raaz sophomores take this opportunity during the normal year, I think, to revive a forgotten talent or try because it’s just less intense and something new. Joining summer less pressure,” Kasireddy said. performance groups has become While Ujimelt could be seen as a a favorite sophomore summer casual summer fling, Tsai noted that tradition. Shebalite can be “kind of stressful” Amy Tsai ’21 said she recently because members have to audition became interested in dance, which for each dance. At the same time, is why she auditioned for Shebalite, Tsai said the people in Shebalite the summer version of Dartmouth’s help dissipate performance anxiety, hip-hop dance troupe, at the start cheering performers on during of the term. Although she arrived intense moments. Tsai emphasized with no prior dance experience, Tsai that participating in Shebalite said the year-long Sheba members demands a hefty time commitment, have fostered a supportive and even when midterms and other welcoming environment for new responsibilities accumulate near members. the middle of the term. “All the actual Sheba people After joining improv group are ver y helpful,” Tsai said. Casual Thursday this summer, “They’re there, we have extra help Rohan Chakravarty ’21 had the sessions you can go to and then if opposite reaction. Although he you’re willing said he looked to put in the “ ... They’re there, we forward to work, you can improving his have extra help sessions definitely get comedy skills, t h e d a n c e s you can go to, and then he finds that down.” the g roup is if you’re willing to put S o f a r, more laidTsai has had in the work, you can back than he fun learning definitely get the dances wanted. new moves “This down.” and meeting is maybe just new people. specific to me, She is even -AMY TSAI ’21 but I prefer to considering really do a lot joining Sheba of comedy and for the full really think academic about it more year. and get more Unlike Tsai, Nandita Kasireddy intense into it, whereas they’re ’21 said she joined a summer treating it as a diet version or a dance group to pursue a long-term summer version,” Chakravarty said. passion for dance. During the year, Chakravarty added that he Kasireddy participates in Raaz, thought Casual Thursday would be which focuses on South Asian a significant time commitment, so dance. After practicing traditional he was surprised to find rehearsals
scheduled only three hours a the summer than she has time for week. For those hours, however, during the school year. Chakravarty has really enjoyed Even though she sang and doing improv and hanging out with danced before college, Kasireddy other members. feels that both Summer Sings and “ T h e p e o p l e t h a t C a s u a l Ujimelt push her outside of her Thursday chose I think is a mixed comfort zone. bag of people that wouldn’t “For Summer Sings, I guess, I normally hang out: a mixture of was unclear — I was like, ‘Can I affiliated and unaffiliated people still sing? Let’s find out.’” that get along p r e t t y w e l l “You do a cappella if Kasireddy and vibe with wishes she t h e p e o p l e you don’t know how to could keep w h o a r e i n sing, or you make jokes singing, but she normal Casual she would if you’re not that funny. says T h u r s d a y, ” never abandon C h a k r a v a r t y It’s just something you Raaz, and said. her schedule do.” Chakravarty only allows loves making time for one people laugh. perfor mance -ROHAN CHAKRAVARTY ’21 When asked group. In the why he decided upcoming to do summer year, she looks i m p r o v, h e forward to quipped, “The bringing what joke answer I tell people for why she learned at Ujimelt back to I joined Casual Thursday is that Raaz, even if she misses her summer I overslept the Dog Day audition, experience. which is true.” “It’s nice that I get this chance But on a deeper level, Chakravarty, during the summer to try out these Kasireddy and Tsai joined summer different groups, but it also makes performance groups for a chance me sad because I can’t do it again. to venture outside of their ordinary I’m attached,” Kasireddy said. routines. Chakravarty and Tsai At Dartmouth, activities and both expressed a desire to meet new friends can come and go as quickly people and expand their circles on as our 10-week terms. In many campus. For Kasireddy, the summer ways, sophomore summer offers offered time to return to abandoned a typical Dartmouth experience: hobbies, as well as broaden her see new faces in your classes, dance repertoire. compare calendars to find time for “I did theater and chorus in that lunch date and fill out hasty high school and middle school, but club applications week one. But in I stopped,” Kasireddy said. “I felt other ways, sophomore summer like during the normal year, I had is a unique time to expand your to pick just one group because it’s horizons, whether that means trying more of a commitment.” activities that scare you, bonding Kasireddy said she auditioned with members of your class or both. for Summer Sings, an a cappella As Chakravarty put it, “you do group, before joining Ujimelt. After a cappella if you don’t know how realizing that Ujimelt was relatively to sing, or you make jokes if you’re low-commitment, she decided not that funny. It’s just something she could juggle both singing and you do.” dancing (on top of participating in a play). She said she cherishes Kasireddy is a member of T he this chance to perform more over Dartmouth Staff.
4// MIRR OR
A Summer’s Memories PHOTO
By Michael Lin
FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019
PAGE 5
THE DARTMOUTH ARTS
Review: Blood Orange explores uncertainty in ‘Angel’s Pulse’ B y Madison Wilson The Dartmouth Staff
The epilogue to “Negro Swan” explores feelings of anxiety — about growing up, relationships and feeling isolated — in a series of feature-filled vignettes. Devonté Hynes’ newest release under the name Blood Orange titled “Angel’s Pulse” picks up where “Negro Swan” left off last year, exploring the anxieties of a 30-something-year-old who is fast approaching the period of “figuring it out.” The work, what Hynes calls a “mixtape,” brings together features from Tinashe, Justine Skye, Toro y Moi and JOBA (of BROCKHAMPTON) among many others for a multitextured record. As usual, Hynes moves past genre limitations, creating a series of vignettes strung together around a few common themes. In an interview with Vulture, Hynes said, “I fell toward the word mixtape in terms of talking with everyone, friends and label and whatnot. In my ideal world, I just put it out, and people can do whatever … I just want people, if they hear it, to enjoy it.” He doesn’t ask the listener to think too hard about a deeper meaning, instead hoping he or she relies on intuition to understand the work’s themes. With a mixtape, Hynes did not need to confine himself to creating a cohesive, flowing work. “Angel’s Pulse” moves abruptly and nonlinearly, refusing to resolve itself, and in the process shirks the idea of musical and emotional progress. The beauty of the record is Hynes’ freedom from form and thus his ability to explore
many themes and ideas at once. is a welcome addition, bringing “Angel’s Pulse” builds on key ’80s candy pop into the 21st musical hallmarks of “Negro century. Here, Hynes explores Swan” — nostalgic ’80s melodies, an anxiety about aging and lyrical falsettos and irregular emotional closeness. He is “dark backing drums — to create and handsome,” drawing people cohesion between the two works. in but cannot seem to get close In Hynes’ refusal to make “Angel’s — “prayin’ for my heart to turn Pulse” linked and cohesive, to stone/ice around my wrist, my however, he creates distance touch is cold.” Hynes said the between the two works, and track is about “grief, death and “Angel’s Pulse” easily stands alone. suicide,” and this rings true. What Overall, the mixtape showcases happens when you get too close, Hynes’ ability to compile moments and then that person is gone? into a full listening experience. He Why bother getting close at all? relies on the musical talent of his The next track, “Benzo,” features and his mastery in lyric meditates on similar themes. writing to communicate relatable, Hynes sings about how he wonders u n i ver s al what happens emotions in with his “arms unconventional “The beauty of the exposed,” and w a y s . record is Hynes’ again we feel “I Wanna a worry about C U,” the first freedom from form getting too track on the and thus his ability to close, being record, feels open. The explore many themes too cheery and mix is simple, summery, with and ideas at once.” showcasing a bright backing some Bon Iverguitar riff and esque dreamy upbeat vocals. Contrasted with a horns toward the end. Here, strong baseline and heavy drums, the record feels less frantic and the sound is different from what more accepting, where Hynes we expect out of an opening Blood recognizes that he will always Orange track. Moving quickly have to deal with these feelings. and sharply into “Something “Birmingham” is the crowning to Do,” Hynes becomes more masterpiece of the album. plaintive, almost pleading, singing The song is about the 1963 that he’s, “waiting for something Birmingham, Alabama church to do.” In contrast to “I Wanna C bombing that killed four girls U,” this track is more tumultuous, and injured 22 other persons, grasping at something, but and the lyrics are a poem written we’re not quite sure what. about the event. The song initially The third track, “Dark & sticks out for its simplicity — only Handsome,” represents nostalgia a haunting backing piano and and ’80s pop, evocative of George Kelsey Lu and Ian Isiah’s gorgeous Michael. We are treated to Toro y vocals are evident. Upon second Moi rapping, which, surprisingly, listen, however, we begin to feel
the sheer pain and grief poured into the track. There seems to be something crucial missing here, and its absence is absolutely crushing. The poem specifically discusses a mother of one of the victims, who, upon hearing the bomb blast, ran to the wreckage and found her daughter’s shoe in the rubble. The child is gone and the shoe remains; when we lose something, there is always some painful reminder of its absence. Hynes doesn’t spend too long in this space, moving jarringly to “Good For You,” a rhythm and blues/neo soul track featuring Skye. Skye’s buttery vocals carry the track, moving back and forth from theme to theme, conveying a feeling of indecision. “Baby Florence (Figure)” revisits the alarm noises that featured prominently on “Negro Swan,” and these, paired with backing instrumentals reminiscent of the theme of a crime show, give the song a pausing, halting feel. Then, quickly, everything fades to calm. We feel as if Hynes descends into something darker, sadder. “Gold Teeth” is a classic hiphop tune, featuring Gangsta Boo and significant contributions by Project Pat and Tinashe. Tinashe’s falsetto carries the track, lending it stability, especially contrasted with Project Pat and Gangsta Boo’s fresher, rowdier sections. The next track, “Berlin,” asks us how to escape a reality in which we all get older and face hardships. Porches features heavily and complements Hynes’ dreamy vocals well, lending a Moses Sumney-esque ethereal element to the track. “Tuesday Feeling (Choose to Stay)” and “Seven Hours Part 1”
are both reminiscent of “Negro Swan” but feel more aching and melancholic. Tinashe is irresistible on “Tuesday Feeling (Choose to Stay),” where Hynes focuses on a specific yearning for his generation: “I want the lifestyle for free.” The track asks why happiness cannot come easily. “Take it Back” continues this theme, as Skye communicates one of Hynes’ central conclusions: “f — that.” To all the commitments, the hardships and the grief, Hynes and Skye say f— that, a simple answer to an eternal, impossible struggle. A feature from JOBA, who Hynes says had a big influence on the record, has the lyrics, “my reflected image vanished in an instant.” Here, Hynes comments on the impermanence of identity and the constant question: Who am I? The final two tracks, “Happiness” and “Today,” conclude the mixtape. “Happiness,” while melancholy, brings Hynes to the realization that very little truly matters. “Happiness” is both the conclusion and the thesis of the work, arriving at somewhat grim yet liberating conclusions. “It’s more that when you realize a lot of things in life don’t matter, it’s freeing,” Hynes writes in the album’s notes. “It means you can focus on doing things for yourself, for your loved ones. You can be purposeful. That, to me, is the ‘Angel’s Pulse.’” “Today” wraps up “Angel’s Pulse” by inadvertently meditating on politics, as Hynes leaves us on a note of uncertainty and confusion. What is happening in the world right now? He seems to feel stuck, but also free.
PAGE 6
FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019
THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS
DARTMOUTHEVENTS TODAY
2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Lecture: “David Enoch,” sponsored by the Department of Philosophy, Rockefeller Center for Public Policy, Class of 1930 Room.
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Market: “Collis Farmstand,” sponsored by Dartmouth Dining Services, Collis Cafe.
7:30 p.m. - 9:45 p.m.
Movie: “Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi,” sponsored by the Hopkins Center for the Arts, Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center.
TOMORROW 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Volunteer: “Dartmouth Families Service Project - Sock Drive and Food Donations,” sponsored by Family Giving & Engagement, Collis Common Ground.
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Exhibition: “Celebrating 250 Years of Dartmouth History: A Photography Exhibition,” sponsored by the Department of Art History, Baker Library East Reading Room.
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Performance: “Free Tango Community Dance Class and Show/Concert,” sponsored by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Hopkins Center for the Arts.
FROM BARTLETT PAGE 4
would evolve from off-putting to ineluctably attractive. This strategy would equally benefit the STEM contingency in pursuit of their necessary humanities credits. For those who spiral into a tailspin when confronted with essays and traditional literature, familiar content would help simplify their own transition from quantitative analysis to the literary realm. This curricular compromise thereby confers a distinct intermediary benefit onto either academic hemisphere here at Dartmouth: Humanities members explore new scientific content through a familiar literary framework, whereas STEM patrons explore new communicative frameworks within a familiar thematic context. Simple course ideas to the tune of “the science behind search engines” or “the implications of interstellar travel,” for example, would work wonders. Naysayers may retort that this new approach would only dilute the quality of the STEM-oriented curriculum. Students could lose out
on a bit of numerical exposure if they were instead to opt for any of these new-and-improved courses. But what are we really teaching in STEM classrooms, the numbers or the theory? If my own experience is anything to go by, a course endures to the extent that I absorbed its concepts, not its technical underbelly. It’s this very content which proves both more useful and more widely applicable than the numerical minutia. This isn’t to say that math doesn’t matter — it does. But Dartmouth’s rigorous admission standards ensure that each member of the student body already possesses the acumen necessary to perform rote computations in a pinch. Opening the floodgates of STEM content would in no way come at the cost of mathematical literacy. Think of a curriculum like a gargantuan swimming pool. Confident swimmers are likely to plunge straight into the perilous depths of the far end. Less aquatically familiar individuals, however, would rather ease their way into waist-deep waters and gain their bearings. What Dartmouth so desperately needs is a shallow end,
that oh-so-crucial comfort zone which allows students to begin realizing their potential. Would a STEM-humanities hybrid lack the raw abundance of either of its individual components? Invariably so. But would it permit the student body to more boldly and efficaciously explore disciplines which fall outside of their respective comfort zone? Absolutely. So if Dartmouth truly yearns to broaden our intellectual horizons, some additional STEM courses with a writing focus are an excellent place to start.
ADVERTISING For advertising infor mation, please call (603) 646-2600 or email info@ thedartmouth.com. The advertising deadline is noon, two days before publication. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Opinions expressed in advertisements do not necessarily reflect those of The Dartmouth, Inc. or its officers, employees and agents. The Dartmouth, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation chartered in the state of New Hampshire. USPS 148-540 ISSN 0199-9931
FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019
PAGE 7
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
College and plaintiffs begin mediation for misconduct suit FROM MEDIATION PAGE 1
sciences department were permitted to sexually harass and abuse female students for over 16 years. On May 1, two new anonymous plaintiffs raised further allegations against Dartmouth, prompting the College to file a motion arguing that the use of pseudonyms would hinder the administration’s capacity to defend itself, claiming that it hinders Dartmouth’s investigation of the claims and prevents adequate evaluation of whether the new plaintiffs can serve as representatives of the class. The joint motion filed last month requested for all litigation to be delayed until July 31, or until three days after the mediation, depending on which date came first. According to Title IX and education defense lawyer Mark Hathaway, the filing of a joint motion indicates that both parties have found it in their best interest to settle outside
of court rather than pursue a trial, at least for the time being. The process of mediation will call for the two parties to engage in out-of-court talks facilitated by a mutually approved third-party mediator, with the intention of reaching a settlement without going to trial, according to the joint motion. For their mediator, the parties have selected retired judge Robert Morrill, who served on the New Hampshire Superior Court for 21 years and now works as a professional mediator based in Portsmouth, NH. Anderson said that the College would prefer to reach a resolution to the case outside of court through mediation, expressing reservations over the “adversarial structure” of the formal litigation process. “We’re going into this very optimistically because we think that the mediation process, as opposed to the litigation process, is one that will be much more productive,” Anderson said.
At the same time, Anderson noted that the litigation process could resume if the mediation does not lead to a settlement that both parties find satisfactory. He added that the end date of the mediation process will be determined based on Morrill’s assessment of the progress made within the talks. “Mediation takes time, and we may not reach an agreement during the first session,” Anderson said. “Nevertheless, we believe that the best thing for both the [plaintiffs] and for Dartmouth is to reach a resolution outside of the litigation process.” According to Criminal defense attorney Mark Werksman, a typical mediation should be expected to last for the duration of one full day, although some cases take significantly longer or shorter than that. Werksman emphasized that mediation and settling out of court are common protocol for cases of
this nature — as with all cases — since holding a trial is an expensive process and does not offer the same level of privacy. “From the university’s point of view, I would think they would be dying to mediate,” Werksman said. “They want to avoid the embarrassment of a trial where dozens of plaintiffs and witnesses are going to speak out against their faculty.” Hathaway said that he would expect a settlement for a case of this nature to involve a financial reward from the College, as well as a change in sexual misconduct policies going forward. Fo u n d i n g m e m b e r o f t h e Dartmouth Community Against Gender Harassment and Sexual Violence Diana Whitney ’95 expressed hope that a settlement out of court, as opposed to a trial, will not diminish the momentum generated by the lawsuit to advocate for victims of sexual violence.
“From the very beginning, when the lawsuit was first filed in November, what we wanted to see from Dartmouth’s leadership was a public apology and accountability,” Whitney said. “So I really hope the process of mediation and potential settlements doesn’t mean we won’t get to see those things.” She added that she believes the lawsuit has already made a significant impact on the Dartmouth community by providing an opportunity for alumni, students and professors to discuss the issue of gender-based violence and harassment on campus. “I don’t feel like people are just going to go back to complacency,” Whitney said. “There are going to be people watching now to make sure nothing like this happens again. The goal of ending gender violence and sexual harassment at Dartmouth — even if the case ends out of court, that goal doesn’t change.” The plaintiffs’ legal team declined to comment for this story.
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FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS
PAGE 8
SPORTS SPORTS
One-on-one with new men’s tennis coach Xander Centenari ’13 B y jake philhower The Dartmouth Staff
L a s t Tu e s d ay, D a r t m o u t h announced the hiring of Xander Centenari ’13 as the new men’s tennis head coach. Centenari took over from nine-year coach Chris Drake, who left for Yale University. Centenari had an extremely successful playing career at Dartmouth as a two-time captain before turning professional for four years. As a player at Dartmouth, Centenari competed in both singles and doubles at No. 1 and 2 for his last three years. He won All-Ivy in both singles and doubles in 2011 and in doubles in 2013. As a senior, Centenari was awarded the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Northeast Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship Award. After his professional career saw him ranked as high as No. 536 in doubles and No. 1249 in singles, Centenari began coaching professionally, training two top-500 players. University of South Florida named Centenari volunteer assistant coach for the 2017-2018 season, and he was promoted to assistant coach the next year. Under his guidance, the team won the American Athletic Conference and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. One of his players, Alberto Barroso Campos, was awarded AAC Player of the Year, while another, Chase Ferguson, was awarded Rookie of the Year. First of all, how does it feel to be a part of the Dartmouth family again? XC: It’s great, man. I mean I’m not sure how much you know about my story, but I was a Dartmouth ’13 so I’m coming back full-circle here. It’s great to be back up in Hanover.
Whataresomeof theexpectations you have going into the season? XC: I think just to build on what the men’s tennis team has done over the last 10 years. I think we have a great group of guys and I expect us to put in great work day-to-day, which is going to give us the best chance to get the results we want. Are there any players in particular that you think we should monitor heading into the season, especially considering what they have done in the past? XC: I think Charlie Broom ’20 who is a senior this year and historically has played No. 1 for Dartmouth is definitely a player to watch. He’s a great guy, high-character kid and an excellent talent. So that’s that’s the guy to look out for. Have you gotten involved with the recruiting process at all? XC: I was formally hired this past Monday, so just a few days ago. But I was actually down in Delray Beach the week before, so as soon as I accepted, which was about 10 days ago, I started recruiting just because summer is a time that you have to absolutely capitalize on. I expect a lot of work ahead, but it’s super exciting. I know that a lot of coaches take every match up one step at a time and they don’t look too far ahead on the schedule, but being that you are a Dartmouth alum and that have probably seen the whole schedule, is there any matchup that sticks out to you as a must-win match? XC: Just in general, there’s always a big-build up to the Ivy season. It’s kind of hard to kind of pull one match that we’re gunning for because, like you
said, most coaches say this, but they say it for a reason. We try to treat every match the same way because if we can go in and feel like the next match is the most important match, it’s going to give us the best chance to win.
Do you think it’s intimidating to play teams outside of the Ivy League? Or is it not intimidating, considering you also play some Southeastern Conference teams and a couple other teams that have much better recruiting abilities than a small school like Dartmouth? XC: I think historically, especially recently, Dartmouth has been competing on a national scale in tennis. We have a lot of respect for a ton of teams out there, but I don’t think we’re intimidated by anybody. I think we trust what we do, and we love the challenge of playing teams both in and out of the Ivy League.
in particular that you have planned? XC: I’m very excited for the guys we have coming in. I spoke with all of them on the phone already, and I think that in some sense, this is gonna be new for everybody. There’s going to be a period of everyone getting to know each other and how we do things. So I think typically there might be kind of an adjustment period for the players coming in, but what’s exciting about the start of the season is that it’s going to be sort of a blank slate for everyone. On a similar note, the Dartmouth Invitational is on October 4. Do you think that’s a good benchmark for the team to try and see its progress heading into the winter and eventually the regular season? XC: Yeah, every match is a great opportunity to see where you’re at, and the fact that we get to play a pretty big tournament like that at home at
Dartmouth — you know guys get excited about that. They’ll have some fans out there. The community will come out and watch as well, so it’ll be a great test to see where things are and then we’ll just reassess after that and keep going forward. Do you have any personal expectations for yourself heading into this season? XC: The expectations that I put on myself all have to do with how connected I can get to the team. Not only to know what they need on the court, but also to learn and get to know who they are as people because I think that the more trust that we can develop across the board, the better chance we have to keep moving toward our goals. So expectations for myself are all around getting to know Dartmouth again and getting to know my guys. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
What does the timeline look like for season preparation? I know it’s a spring sport, but I assume team workouts are starting soon especially for the fall tournaments. XC: The preseason is September 7, so we’ll have the guys get back on that day, and we get going right away. Tennis is a sport where there isn’t much of an offseason, anyway. Most guys are playing tennis year-round on summer breaks and over winter break. We want to make sure that guys are capitalizing, and whether they’re training at Dartmouth or not, our guys are always hungry to get better. You also have a couple new players coming in — how will it be having them hit the ground running, and is there anything
COURTESY OF XANDER CENTENARI
Xander Centenari was a two-time captain and All-Ivy player for the Big Green.