The Dartmouth 3/7/17

VOL. CLXXIV NO.44

RAIN HIGH 39 LOW 37

TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

College receives 20,021 applications for Class of 2021

By JOYCE LEE

The Dartmouth Staff

OPINION

REGAN: WE NEED STUDENTATHLETES PAGE 4

CHIN: LET ART SPEAK FOR ITSELF PAGE 4

ARTS

FILM REVIEW: ‘FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM’ PAGE 7

KEYSI MONTAS BALANCES CAREER AND WRITING PAGE 8

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TWITTER @thedartmouth COPYRIGHT © 2017 THE DARTMOUTH, INC.

The College received a total of 20,021 applications for the Class of 2021, a 3.2 percent decrease from the 20,675 applications received for the class of 2020.

In comparison, early-decisions applications saw a 3.7 percent increase over last year, comprising a record-large early-decision pool of 1,999, of which 555 students were accepted.

Director of admissions Paul Sunde said the number of students the College admits in the early

decision process is a function of the strength, quality and diversity of the pool. He said that these factors, rather than speculation about the number of regular decision applications, drove the decision to admit a record number of students.

In terms of the 3.2 percent decrease in total applications, which follows a trend of decreasing application numbers, Sunde said that he did not think that the recent years’ variations have been a trend. He added that

The Dartmouth Staff

Around 56 on-campus leaveterm students, who remain in Hanover to work or do research but are not enrolled as students, will be without spring term housing due to high enrollment and the Morton Hall fire last fall, according to director of undergraduate housing Rachael Class-Giguere.

Geisel School of Medicine professor Norman Snow remembered for generosity

SEE ADMISSIONS PAGE 2 COURTESY OF RENEE SNOW

Students left without leave-term housing

By MIKA JEHOON LEE

HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Norman Snow was a caring professor and a talented cardiothoracic surgeon.

By SONIA QIN The Dartmouth Staff

Class-Giguere said that this is the first spring since her arrival at Dartmouth in 2000 that the College has had to reject leave-term housing applications. Anticipating fewer beds would be available this spring, the housing office sent an email to all winter term student residents in January encouraging them to take SEE HOUSING PAGE 2

Geisel School of Medicine anatomy professor Norman Snow was known for his love of learning and passion for teaching. An accomplished cardiothoracic surgeon w h o w a s p a s s i o n at e about medical education, he cared deeply for his students, both inside and outside of the classroom.

O n Fe b. 9 , S n ow passed away at his home in Vermont. He had been

diagnosed with advanced metastatic colon cancer only a couple of weeks before his passing. He was 72.

Rachael Mazzamurro Med’19 met Snow as a first-year medical student and said she often found herself in his office asking him questions or going to talk to him about her personal life.

“I asked him questions about classes he wasn’t teaching and probably hadn’t seen since medical school, and he always

referred me four books to read and would always look up things in his office with me,” she said.

“He was always curious about still learning, even though he was retired from practicing.”

M a z z a m u r r o explained that Snow not only mentored her academically but also in finding a work-life balance and in family matters.

“He was probably one of the professors who got SEE SNOW PAGE 3

Greek councils announce leadership for coming year

By FRANCES COHEN

The Dartmouth Staff

The Greek Leadership Council announced its new executive council members on Feb. 13. The Interfraternity Council released its list of new officers in early March, and the Panhellenic Council is in the process of holding elections

and plans to announce their new officers early this week.

The new GLC executive council will be comprised of chair Joseph Waring ’18 from Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, vice-chair Jess Lu ’18 from Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority, accountability chair Chris Huberty ’18 from Sig Ep, treasurer Audrey Zheng ’18

from Kappa Delta sorority, communications manager Liam Stevens ’18 from Sig Ep and programming chair Cody Pennypacker ’18 from Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity.

Zheng said she initially decided to apply to join the GLC after serving as president of Kappa Delta sorority over her sophomore summer.

She said she would love to see more clubs take advantage of the opportunity to apply for GLC funding and use it to host dry events open to all of campus.

Huberty wrote in an email that, as accountability chair, he hopes to focus on removing any remaining obstacles to reporting sexual assault on campus, an ongoing project for the GLC

that he hopes to continue.

Panhell made some minor organizational changes in positions on their board, outgoing vice president of standards and policy Meredith Nissenbaum ’17 said.

Vi c e p re s i d e n t o f communication and logistics is a SEE GREEK PAGE 5

THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

PAGE 2

Applications decrease by 3.2 percent FROM ADMISSIONS PAGE 1

he believes the one to three percentage point differences indicated stability in the number of applications.

Founder of college admissions consulting firm Ivy Coach Bev Taylor said that the percentage decrease was not a significant number and that while numbers fluctuate year to year, it does not necessarily mean that highly selective colleges have became more or less competitive.

“More students applying doesn’t mean it gets more difficult [to get into the college],” she said. “All highly selective colleges are getting better at is getting students to apply by making [the colleges] more noticeable.”

Taylor said that in recent years, Dartmouth has been more focused on and successful in recruiting international students, which was reflected in the numbers for early decision applications. She said that students may choose to apply early decision to the College because there may be a higher chance of acceptance through the early decision process than through regular decision or early action at other colleges. This could explain the record high number for early decision applicants this year.

“Dartmouth would rather see [early decision] numbers go up because it’s better for yield,” Taylor said. “It’s not so much the percentages [as the] yield.”

Yield refers to the percentage of applicants who accept a college’s offer, which would be close to 100 percent for early decision applicants.

Founder, director and lead educational consultant at IvySelect College Consulting Michael Goran said that there may be certain initiatives that could impact the number of applications, such as the change to being need-aware, rather than need-blind, for international applicants. However, he said that there did not seem to be anything specific that was adversely affecting the numbers at Dartmouth. Rather, he said that students may look at the rural environment of Dartmouth compared to the more urban environments of other Ivy League or other selective colleges to decide whether or not they would apply.

More and more students are also aware of the advantage that is conferred by applying early, Goran said. He said that while a school such as Yale University may state that applying early or regular makes no difference for the student’s chances of acceptance, students are still actively encouraged to apply early due to the higher number of accepted students through the early decision process.

“It’s the rising awareness of [early decision] nationally and internationally, as well as the perception that you get a boost in the [early decision] process from the standpoint of sheer numbers,” Goran said. “There are fewer applications, and there’s the perceived feeling that you have the best chance of admissions by applying early.”

The Dartmouth admissions website notes that early decision applicants are admitted at a higher rate than early decision applicants, though it cautions that the admit rate is “somewhat misleading” because it includes recruited athletes.

Goran said that rather than comparing the number of regular decision applicants to previous years at Dartmouth, it was more important to see the growth relative to other schools, including other Ivy League colleges, in particular.

“Dartmouth has stayed relatively flat while the other Ivies have generally increased at a higher rate,” Goran said. “But again, it may be more to do with the unique qualities of Dartmouth and the school being in a rural location, which [may] not necessarily be for everyone, no matter how great the academics.”

Three other Ivy League institutions saw record numbers of applicants this year. Harvard University’s applications rose by 1.2 percent, from 39,044 to 39,494. The University of Pennsylvania saw a 3.8 percent increase in applications, from 38,918 for its Class of 2020 to 40,394 for its Class of 2021. Yale University received 32,891 applications, a five percent increase over the previous year. Other schools in the Ivy League have yet to report their application numbers.

Sunde said that the primary focus of the College was on the quality and diversity of the entering class, which was the most important aspect of the admissions office’s work.

“I think our entering class on any of those measures stands very strongly,” Sunde said. “And so, we certainly observed the increases at other institutions ... but I think our primary focus is on our own pool.”

Sunde said that the admissions office does not yet have breakdowns for diversity in the class or class statistics such as test scores and GPAs. He also said there is a consistent pattern of when data becomes available, and that Dartmouth is as transparent or more transparent than other schools that may be considered peer institutions.

The three largest countries of origin for international students were China, India and Canada for

CORRECTIONS We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, please email editor@thedartmouth.com.

the Class of 2021. Sunde said that in most years, these three countries would be, if not the top three, in the top five or top 10 countries for international students.

Linda Lee, a high school senior from Valencia, California who applied to Dartmouth through the regular decision process, said that she was able to understand Dartmouth better as a college through the interview process, during which prospective students are interviewed

by Dartmouth alumni.

“Other than talking about myself and learning about Dartmouth, I got a really good look at Dartmouth because of [the interviewer’s] character,” she said. “The most I gained from that interview was seeing the type of students who went to Dartmouth.”

Lee said that the essays were the most important part of the application process for her because it was the only component she could focus on to make herself a competitive applicant. She noted that it was challenging because she not only had to write well but also needed to convey her appeal to the admissions officer reading her application. She noted that she did not have access to college counselors to guide her, relying instead on networking and talking with other prospective students to understand the process.

This year, Dartmouth debuted several new essay prompts that students can choose between to respond to. One prompt was, “‘It’s not easy being green’ was a frequent lament of Kermit the Frog. Discuss.”

Ira Frederick Morgan III, an applicant from Dayton, Ohio, said that as a low-income student, he appreciated the substantial financial aid that Dartmouth was able to offer and how students, regardless of income, would have similar opportunities to higher-income students.

Morgan said that as both a low-income student and as a first generation student, he was in the dark about the application process and found it difficult to gather the money needed to pay the fees for the college application. He also said that he had trouble being able to fully express himself in his college admissions essay.

“I didn’t want to sound like a pity party even though I have gone through a lot of struggles,” Morgan said. “Even though [these struggles were] a large part of who I was, it was a hard thing for me to use and balance out. In that, I lost a part of who I was.”

During the early application cycle, 555 students were accepted for the Class of 2021, forming around 47 percent of the incoming class.

Regular decision applicants will be notified by the College on March 30.

TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

Housing crunch affects students on leave-terms FROM HOUSING PAGE 1

a leave term in the summer or winter instead of the spring if they had originally planned to request leave-term housing in the spring.

She added that she does not expect the housing office to face this issue in future winter and spring terms unless there is a substantial shift in student enrollment patterns.

An almost even number of seniors and juniors, in addition to a few sophomores, applied for leave-ter m housing this spring. Class-Giguere said that if on-term students cancel their housing assignments, the housing office will then offer housing to on-term students who submitted their housing applications late and leave-term seniors on the waitlist.

According to Class-Giguere, nearly half of all leave-term seniors asked to be on the waitlist.

The housing office notified all on-term students of their spring term housing assignments on March 3, and has not received any cancellations yet.

Alexis Wallace ’17, who plans to take a leave term this spring to work in the area, said that the lack of housing put her in a really tight situation.

Wallace lived in the Alpha Phi sorority house last fall but moved to Russell Sage Hall this term. She said that she planned to return to live in APhi this spring, but one of her sorority members forgot to confirm her place on the house roster. Wallace said that she thought she could stay in her room in Russell Sage this spring because she would be working for at least 30 hours every week. According to the housing office’s website, students can apply for leave-term housing if they do research or work for an average of 30 hours

or more per week. Wallace said she was notified by the housing office a few weeks ago that she would not be given housing in the spring.

After the notification, Wallace said that she reached out to coed Greek organizations, undergraduate societies, affinity houses and users of Dartlist, but she was initially unable to find any housing. Dartlist is a website created by the Dartmouth Sustainability Office that allows users to exchange information about housing.

Yesterday, Wallace found offcampus housing through a friend.

Wallace said that had she not found any housing by the end of this week, she would have missed her senior spring and not been able to work on campus.

Amber Zimmerman ’19 said that she talked to staff members in the housing office before the start of this winter and found out that there was a small chance that she would get spring term housing from the school. She then started looking for places to live off-campus. Zimmerman said that she went on Dartlist and asked her friends as well as upperclassmen for housing options. On Dartlist, Zimmerman saw a post from a fellow female College student looking for a female roommate.

Zimmerman contacted her, and they later met to discuss further details. The two agreed to live together in an apartment near campus.

“Because I went and talked to [staff members in the housing office] before classes started winter term, I at least had time to get a plan,” Zimmerman said. “Whereas I think a lot of people banked on getting housing from the school because they knew so many people who had done it in the past.”

SAPHFIRE BROWN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Morton Hall is undergoing renovations after it was damaged extensively by fire.

THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

PAGE 3

Students and faculty remember professor Norman Snow FROM SNOW PAGE 1

the most personal in terms of, he always asked about my family life, how life outside of medicine was going, how life outside of school was going,” she said. “In that way he was very compassionate, very interested in his students as more than just students, which I think was a very positive attribute of him.”

Snow was a cardiothoracic surgeon bor n in Burlington, Vermont, whose career spanned over 40 years. After his surgical internship at the University of Virginia, he was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1971 and sent to Cleveland, Ohio where he served as a captain in the Army’s Medical Corps. He completed his residency in general and cardiothoracic surgery at Case Western Reserve University and then began his career at the University of Louisville in Kentucky.

After working there from 1978 to 1981, he moved back to Cleveland to become an associate professor at Case Western and director of cardiothoracic surgery for the MetroHealth Medical Center, formerly known as the Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital.

In 1980, he and his peers founded the Association for Surgical Education, of which he later served as president in 1988. He served as the founding medical director of Cleveland Metro Life Flight, the first air medical program in the area and one of the largest helicopter EMS programs in the country, and also chaired the trauma and emergency care committee of the Academy

of Medicine of Cleveland and Northern Ohio.

When he was medical director for Life Flight, he covered for his colleagues during Christmas so they could enjoy their holidays with family, Renee Snow said.

“He and whoever was on the skeleton staff for the helicopter would spend time gathering gifts that the hospital people donated, and they would fly around to all of the hospitals that they served in the greater Cleveland area,” she added.

Snow also dressed up as Santa Claus and visited all the pediatric wards in the greater Cleveland area to deliver gifts to the kids.

“I could so imagine him doing that, dressing up as Santa Claus and cheering up all the kids in the hospital,” Geisel professor of medical education Virginia Lyons said. “That was just something that I thought really captured who he was, just the kind of person who always wanted to make everyone else happy.”

In 1999, Snow moved to Chicago, Illinois and served as chief of thoracic surgery at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center and professor of surgery at the university.

According to a Facebook post by his son Aaron Snow, Snow spent his career in government hospitals because he believed that health care should be a right and not a privilege.

Snow retired from clinical practice in 2011 and moved to a home overlooking Lake Fairlee in Vermont, where he had first met his

wife, Renee Snow. The pair first met as camp counselors at Lake Fairlee Camp and married two years later.

They were married for 48 years.

According to his wife, Snow had contacted Geisel’s head of the anatomy department several years before his retirement “to explore what opportunities there might be for him at this school.”

“One of the things that we value is experienced surgeons in helping to teach our anatomy courses to our medical students,” said Rand Swenson, who is the Geisel chair of both anatomy and medical education and a neurology professor.

At Geisel, Snow was involved with the admissions committee, the medical education committee and the faculty council.

“He was always willing to take on things that others were reluctant to take on, despite the fact that he was retired, essentially,” Swenson said.

“It was remarkable to see how many things he was involved in, even in his retirement, and how much energy he got from that.”

Swenson added that Snow often helped students outside of class and helped faculty with their projects.

Lyons, who directs the gross anatomy course for medical students, met Snow as a colleague, as he helped the students in the laboratory. Lyons said that one of her favorite memories of Snow was how he would invite Geisel students to his home for Thanksgiving.

“He knew that a lot of them would go home to be with their families, but he would basically say, ‘Anybody who doesn’t have plans for Thanksgiving, if you’re stuck in Hanover and don’t have somebody to eat a meal with, come on out to my house,’” Lyons said.

Snow also organized two social events at his home for the anatomy department’s faculty.

“He really loved entertaining and having people over at his house,” Lyons said.

Renee Snow said that even in Cleveland and Chicago, Snow would often invite students in residence over to their home.

He was a creative chef, she said, and “would do wonderful things with fish … and pasta.” He loved cooking anything but dessert, she said.

According to his wife, Snow’s favorite pastime was spending time with his grandchildren and sons.

Renee Snow also said that Snow took “wonderful pictures of sunsets” and that he enjoyed going to good restaurants.

Lawrence Kogan Med’19 was interviewed for admission by Snow and is currently a member of the admissions committee himself. He said that Snow was passionate about

COURTESY OF RENEE SNOW

Norman Snow was known for his warm spirit and caring attitude.

everybody he interviewed.

“One question that he always liked to ask was, ‘If you could have dinner with anybody, alive or dead, who would it be?’” Kogan said. “He would come back with really funny stories about what people had said – it was a pleasure working with him.”

Like Mazzamurro, Megan Bunnell ’13 Med’19 first met Snow as a first-year medical student in her anatomy laboratory and also worked with him on the Geisel admissions committee.

She said that Snow always “did an excellent job of bringing to light what was important about each individual and what kinds of things people that didn’t necessarily meet that person could also connect to.”

She added that he also never missed a single word or experience on any candidate’s application.

Lyons said that Snow encouraged students to apply for the Looking to the Future Scholarship, which is sponsored by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, of which he was a member. The scholarship allows selected medical students to attend the society’s annual meeting and learn more about thoracic surgery.

Kogan said that Snow was passionate about not only surgery and anatomy, but also making sure that everyone “was able to get the most out of their education.”

According to Bunnell, Snow taught students about the importance of the material they were learning.

“Sometimes it can just feel like memorization for the sake of memorization, but then you have someone like Dr. Snow, who had this long, wonderful career as a surgeon, and really had the opportunity to see why it matters that these anatomical relationships exist,” she explained.

Renee Snow also agreed that Snow would want medical students to think outside the limits of the textbook.

“I think he would want the medical students to know that it’s not just what’s in the book, that you have to really know that well, but you also need to add the art of medicine and compassion for their patients and family,” Renee Snow said. “Students should find someone to help mentor them so that they can really learn something in depth to take with them in the future.”

It is a tradition in medical school for second-year students to put on skits for the school community, Swenson said. This year, “Skit Night” was dedicated to Snow, and the students even produced a video dedicated to his memory.

“I think that we as an institution, have lost someone who, in his engagement with the community, was something of a role model,” Swenson said. “I know that his community in Vermont has lost a major citizen.”

Snow is survived by his wife, two sons, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.

TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

THE DARTMOUTH OPINION

PAGE 4

STAFF COLUMNIST JOE REGAN ’19

STAFF COLUMNIST CLARA CHIN ’19

We Need Student-Athletes

Let Art Speak For Itself

“Student-athlete” is not a contradiction: it is tautology.

A junior at Yale University named Cole the gulf in intellect between those who strive Aronson wrote a column on Feb. 27 in which physically and those who strive mentally. He he argued that “sports have nothing to do with fails to note that the volume of information, the mission of a college as I see it.” memorized and unfolding before the eyes Aronson’s argument revolves around of any athlete in their respective sport, is these two points: first, that intellectual deserving of respect. Moreover, the ability to pursuits offer every benefit translate all the knowledge sports do and second, that “I think the character necessary to perform at intellectual achievement a Division I level is akin and appreciation is molding in sports fits to performing well on superior to all other forms the mission of liberal academic assessments. of achievement and arts institutions more Even if an individual appreciation. were suddenly endowed To begin, Aronson’s first than inundating the with the physical gifts point that every virtue or world with everand results of years of lesson acquirable in sports training that enable these is acquirable in intellectual greater numbers of athletes to perform, he or activities proves parity, not highly educated white she would fail miserably. that sports are inferior to mental cognition, collar workers and lab- The intellectual activity. Switch manifested in explosions the italicized words, and coat wearing, degreeof movement and sweat you will have the opposite toting professionals.” in athletic competition, is of his argument, yet his as obvious and invisible argument does not prevent as the furious scribbling such a reversal. Aronson admits that “courage, that marks out any group of Ivy League amicability and integrity” are necessary for students during an assessment. Aronson “influence.” What he fails to do is indicate why bandies about and fawns over the concept of we should suppose being a newspaper editor is intelligence throughout his piece. He refuses any less impressive a time commitment than, say, to define what comprises intelligence because the captain of a football team. To argue one if he did, he would be forced to conclude that is equivalent to another is not to demonstrate Division I sports require it. Athletes, especially the inferiority. The definition of equivalence is professionals, who have spent their entire lives parity, something which Aronson has proven to focused on their sport, and not the honing exist between sports and intellectual activities, of skills superfluous for their chosen field of even if that was not his intention. expertise, are smart, not stupid.

Clearly Aronson — if he does attend any Aronson’s likely rejoinder is implied by sporting events — sees only the physical exertion his observation that failing to produce more of the quarterback as he hurls the pigskin, of the noteworthy athletes would not be to Yale’s pitcher as he lunges toward home plate or of the discredit, while “if Yale stopped churning out rower biting his teeth against the pain of another superb doctors, writers, scientists, lawyers, “power 10.” If these athletes are captains, isn’t politicians and engineers, it would cease to the organization of practice, communication be a great school.” This is Aronson’s second and mediation necessary of these individuals contention, that sports are just benign equivalent, if not more demanding, than that entertainment, providers of unity and topics of of any scholastic position of leadership? discussion at the dinner table that are “dust next Furthermore, what is it about a “good mind” to contemplation, art and worship — individual that excludes the mental exertion all sports or communal.” Yet athletic competition has require at the collegiate level? Aronson seems lessons and values for its practitioners that are to think that all one needs is to watch “what not as easily grasped by the lonelier pursuit of passes for English on ESPN” to understand SEE ATHLETES PAGE 6

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Art may be political, but we should still allow it to be judged on its merits.

On Feb. 24, Chinese photographer Ren Hang died. Known for his minimalistic portraits which often combined human subjects with animals and various inanimate objects placed unexpectedly, Hang often highlighted the borderland between erotic and artistic, leading him to shoot photos for fashion brands like Maison Kitsune and face censorship in China. His photograph “We’ve Got Eyes Everywhere” for Milk Studios, for example, features a black-haired woman donning red lipstick and holding a peacock which partially covers her face. Despite the polarizing nature of his work, Hang denied that his work had a political message, sometimes claiming it had no meaning at all.

Two days after Hang died, on Feb. 26, Barry Jenkins’ film “Moonlight” won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Some praise the movie for bringing to light important political issues.“The question of what it really means to be a man hangs over ‘Moonlight,’” one reviewer wrote. Similarly, a review in Variety opens up discussion about the film by asking, “What does it mean to be black in America today?” Reviews in The Atlantic and The New York Times summarized the film in a more holistic way, commenting on the personal and technical qualities of the film instead of focusing solely on the ways in which they addresses social issues.

Hang’s passing and Jenkins’ Oscar win raise the age-old question about the political nature of art. Is art political — and should it be political? Hang and Jenkins travel in different spheres — geographically, as well as in genre and vision. But there are parallels in the ways that the media, the public and those interested in politics attempt to understand their artwork. Hang’s evocative photography is sensual and shocking — so to be considered politically important, as media coverage seems to suggest, its provocations must be political in nature. Similarly, the complex artistry and technicality in Jenkins’ work is often overlooked in media coverage.

Instead, reviewers focus on the literal and explicit subject matter of his work — a gay, impoverished, African-American male.

While Jenkins’ work does raise political issues, reducing it to political meaning minimizes its power as a work of art.

Similarly, the censorship of Hang’s work is immediately associated with the supposed political message behind it. Jenkins’ Oscar success is reduced to being a product of the way it challenges social issues. Calling the work of artists political is a way to simplify and fully understand the work, even though the idea of “fully understanding” a work of art is antithetical to art. While art may carry political undertones, our emotional response from the work of great artists derives from the technical aspects of the artwork and its indescribable affective qualities. Instead of fearing the complexity of art, we should acknowledge it as a decolonized space where we do not have to reduce it to a single meaning.

A political message is a tool that policymakers and politicians employ in their speeches in order to effect change

or win over constituents. In contrast, art is generally free of the burden to produce concrete effects. Artists may choose to engage in politics outside of their work, but the art itself is removed from a political context. The aesthetic qualities of art come first — the politics come second.

It can be important to deny that artwork has a political message in order to preserve the art’s multiplicity and to avoid its reduction.

While art may not have a “political message,” art is still “political.” A scene in “Moonlight” features the main character as a little boy learning to swim. The camera is used lyrically, reminiscent of Terrence Malick’s filming style. Juan, played by Mahershala Ali, teaches Chiron to swim. Jenkins discusses the moment of “spiritual transference” that occurs. Chiron is “baptized” in the Atlantic Ocean in a symbolic moment that Jenkins called unplanned, even rushed. In addition to the religious undertones, one might also impose historical ideas — that Chiron learns how to swim in the Atlantic, suggesting a young boy finding agency not only in his immediate personal life but also against the deeply rooted historical trauma of the Atlantic slave trade.

While Jenkins himself describes the scene as a baptism, and while multiple symbolic meanings and metaphors can be derived from the scene, these meanings do not necessarily come together to create one political message. They do not even answer the question, “What does it mean to be black in America today?” Instead of thinking of movie techniques and storylines as the input to create the output of a political meaning, it is that the political meanings, better described as possible historical and political contexts, are part of the movie techniques that act as input to create the output of the movie’s emotional affect.

I am wary of generalizing about art at all.

Even claiming that art tends to be political feels like a vague and almost empty statement.

I cringe at words often used to try to capture the affective nature of art, like “thoughtprovoking,” “powerful” or “moving.” It is difficult to write about art effectively because its meanings cannot be described. The art, if it is “good,” should speak for itself. Yet, as critics and audience members, we have a responsibility to consider its multiple meanings. Art, after all, should be about human communication. Calling “powerful” art political is an easy way out. Talking about the technical and affective nature of art will allow audience members to think about its political meaning individually, giving them a rare chance to think about politics for themselves.

In politics, facts should be straightforward.

But art is an opportunity to think about the world in a nonlinear way, considering nuances and tensions that we do not have the privilege to explore in politics. We can find political meaning in the art of Hang and Jenkins, but we should allow these works to speak for themselves without reducing them to single, straightforward meaning.

TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

PAGE 5

New leaders elected to Greek councils

Daukas ’18 from Phi Delta Alpha fraternity, recruitment chair Robert new position — the individual will take Stackhouse ’18 from Beta, service on operational tasks such as campus chair Pennypacker, programming communication via email and social chair Bhavin Vaid ’18 from Psi Upsilon media. Another new position, vice fraternity and public relations chair president of relations and outreach, Jimmy Knight ’18 from Gamma Delta has been created to target outreach to Chi fraternity.

The process of running for a first-year women as well as manage general communication with house position on the IFC consists of a short speech followed by a vote representatives. by the fraternity Applicants presidents and to Panhell were “Our challenge is current members asked to submit a to adapt to those of the council, short application Gujral wrote in an on their interests changes, and in doing email. In order to in the position so, still preserve the run, you must first and changes they wanted to see in traditions that we hold be nominated by your fraternity the Greek system. dear.” president, he Though in the wrote. past applicants Amaro were asked to -GUILLERMO AMARO said he plans submit a resume, ’18, INCOMING t o fo c u s o n Nissenbaum said expanding the they decided INTERFRATERNITY IFC financial the application COUNCIL PRESIDENT aid system, itself was of promoting Greek more relevance.

Applicants are then selected for brief participation in charity-related events and working alongside administration interviews with current officers.

Nissenbaum noted freshman to revise and modify the alcohol policy. outreach is an important aim for the The plan to revise the alcohol policy will incoming council. The goal is to expose focus on “rewarding good behavior,” first-year women to the sorority houses Amaro said. He added that he hopes earlier on, so when they rush their to lessen regulation for fraternities that sophomore year they feel more familiar have excellent past records in terms of compliance with alcohol safety and with the houses, she added.

“What makes people kind of upset security policies.

Amaro said the challenge of about rush I think is that, while boys have been in houses for all of freshman undertaking the next year of IFC year, hanging out and getting to know leadership is that the administration’s people, for girls there just isn’t that same policies toward fraternities are changing. structure,” Nissenbaum said.

“Our challenge is to adapt to those The new IFC will be comprised of president Guillermo Amaro ’18 changes, and in doing so, still preserve of Theta Delta Chi fraternity, vice the traditions that we hold dear,” he president Manmeet Gujral ’18 from said.

Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity, treasurer Jess Lu ’18 is a staff member of The Chris Quintero ’18 from Beta Alpha Omega fraternity, secretary Jay Dartmouth.

FROM GREEK PAGE 1

TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS

PAGE 6

DARTMOUTHEVENTS TODAY

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Colloquium: “Kinetic Plasma Turbulence in Space and Astrophysical Plasmas,” with University of Maryland professor Jason TenBarge, Wilder Hall 104

4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Lecture: “Using Deep Learning to Understand & Answer Questions re: Creative Language,” with University of Maryland Ph.D. student Mohit Iyyer, Kemeny Hall 007

7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Pianist Sally Pinkas performs works from Schumann and Bach, Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center for the Arts

TOMORROW

Regan: We Need Student-Athletes FROM ATHLETES PAGE 4

academic achievement. Furthermore, I think the character molding in sports fits the mission of liberal arts institutions more than inundating the world with ever-greater numbers of highly educated white collar workers and lab coat-wearing, degree-toting professionals.

Lux et Veritas, “light and truth.”

Vox clamatis in deserto, “a voice crying out in the wilderness.” The first is the motto of Yale, the second of Dartmouth. Neither mean anything if the students of both haven’t learned to be resilient, persevering and ambitious. The beauty of sports is that there is a winner, and there is a

loser. When you succeed academically, you have not succeeded despite your professor. However, in athletics, there is a very clear opponent actively trying to defeat you, whether it is your own limitations or those a rival athlete seeks to impose on you. While Aronson would likely argue that the struggle of the academic is over oneself, I would argue that the experience of an athlete is no different. Sports are not only the struggle over that person who doesn’t want to study any more game film or run as hard as one can again, but also the struggle against a very real opponent throwing obstacles in your way. In this way, athletics is a better indicator for preparation following graduation than the library is.

We don’t need athletes because

they remind us of the hard truth of an opponent, so often absent from the classroom. We don’t need athletes because they are mentally adept or hyper-observant in a way that is harder to understand than scrawled numerals or long essays. We need athletes because the personal enrichment sports provide is another path, alongside “intellectual activity,” to the mission of the liberal arts. That mission is not rooted in achievement and accolades — it is rooted in the cultivation of the sort of person that tends to achieve. The ability to understand, interpret and apply one’s knowledge to solve problems is what makes a great athlete and a great scholar. That is why student-athlete is not an oxymoron: it is a tautology.

8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

“Games, Games and More Games,” with game design center Tiltfactor shares their projects, Black Family Visual Arts Center 230A

4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Department of Music Event: No Strings Attached, Music 30 final concert and composition seminar, Rollins Chapel

5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

DALI x CS98 End of Term Demos, Top of the Hop, Hopkins Center for the Arts RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Concrete support rod 6 Aptly named Olympic sprinter Usain __ 10 1980s model that saved Chrysler from financial ruin 14 Outwit, as a police tail 15 Slushy drink brand 16 “Here comes trouble!”

17 *Source of money for Medicare 19 Garden tool 20 River to the Seine 21 Five-spots 22 Pull a fast one on 23 Cut with scissors 24 *Serving-mombreakfast-in-bed occasion 28 Tied up in knots 30 Land bordering Suisse 31 Rodeo skill 36 Exited, with “out” 37 *Asian plant named for the shape of its pink and white flowers 41 Tragic fate 42 Signify 43 Ready if needed 45 Rises dramatically 50 *Local hoosegow 55 Russian river 56 Wee bit 57 This, in Tijuana 58 Fey of “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” 59 Fishing supply 61 Rest ... or, literally, what the last word of the answers to starred clues can do 63 Ice formation 64 E pluribus __ 65 Archery practice facility 66 Snorkeling gear 67 Dosage amts.

68 Joins a poker game

DOWN 1 Share on Facebook, as a friend’s picture 2 “Seinfeld” regular 3 Joins a poker game 4 TV spot sellers 5 Old Olds creation 6 “The Hobbit” hero 7 Four pairs 8 Dog lead 9 __-Mex cuisine 10 “Seven Samurai” director Akira 11 L.A. Times publishing family name 12 Just fine 13 Baseball scoreboard letters 18 Flee 22 Dated PC monitor 25 Four pairs 26 “It __ over till it’s over”: Berra 27 Up to now 29 Before, in odes 32 “Hard to believe, but ... ” 33 Baked dessert 34 Homey lodging

35 Park __: airport facility 37 U2 lead singer 38 Phrasing style 39 Issues (from) 40 Sushi fish 41 Medic 44 Inc., in the U.K. 46 Beat to the finish line 47 “Murder on the __ Express”

48 Get by 49 Quenches 51 Denim trousers 52 Invite to the penthouse 53 To-do list bullets 54 Mauna __ 59 Favorite pal, in texts 60 __ Baba 61 Preteen king 62 Bikini half

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

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03/07/17

TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

THE DARTMOUTH ARTS

PAGE 7

Review: ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ but I also desperately wanted another look at J.K. Rowling’s magical world of The Dartmouth Staff “witchcraft and wizardry.” And I will I did not plan on reviewing “Fantastic say this for “Fantastic Beasts:” it does Beasts and Where to Find Them,” but show you more of Rowling’s world, after the Nugget Theater decided at the albeit covered in layers upon layers of last minute not to play “Logan” and passable, yet unimpressive, computerafter the Hopkins Center’s screening of generated imagery.

“Kedi” was sold Audiences are out, I realized it “[J.K. Rowling’s] transported was just about to 1926 and books are filled the only option introducedtoNewt left to me. Much with whimsical Scamander (Eddie of the reason I descriptions that Redmayne), didn’t want to a British review “Fantastic detail every aspect of “magizoologist” B e a s t s ” w a s her fully-developed with an expanding because I didn’t suitcase full of want to write the magical world ... But creatures who negative review films need visuals arrives in New that I was sure to translate those York City at the would come. beginning of the T h e r e i s descriptions with film. After a few no reason I as little dialogue as scenes, his story ... shouldn’t have well, it gets rather loved “Fantastic possible.” complicated. All Beasts.” I grew you need to know up on the “Harry is that when the Potter” books and frankly, the film series creatures escape from his suitcase, is about as good of an adaptation as he teams up with a witch named any of us could expect. The third entry, Tina (Katherine Waterson), her sister “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Queenie (Alison Sudol) and a “NoAzkaban,” remains to this day one of Maj,” or an American “Muggle,” my favorite films of all time. So, when named Jacob (Dan Fogler) to bring Warner Brothers announced plans them back before the magic world is for a “Fantastic Beasts” film series, I exposed. Together, they are pursued by was skeptical but cautiously optimistic. Percival Graves (Colin Farrell), a stoneI was worried the new series would faced American Auror (read: wizard tarnish the original “Potter” movies, police) who has an unusual interest in

By SEBASTIAN WURZRAINER

Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), the adopted son of a woman who leads “The Second-Salemers,” an anti-magic advocacy group.

The film is set against the backdrop of a series of murders committed by dark wizard Gellert Grindewald, whose violence begins driving the wizarding world to a state of terror. This, along with the “Second-Salemers” subplot, seems to allude to darker events in today’s world. While themes of terrorism, paranoia and discrimination have always played a role in the “Harry Potter” universe, they were previously balanced by themes of friendship, maturity and love. However, in “Fantastic Beasts,” the darkness begins to overwhelms the more lighthearted content. I don’t have a problem with political and social commentary appearing in my fantasy cinema, but I have no idea what Rowling was trying to accomplish. Newt’s story is bright and almost silly, yet it feels buried beneath an endless sea of rather dour subplots.

Half of the time I felt as though he was a supporting character in his own movie.

That being said, Redmayne is perfectly enjoyable as Newt. Waterson’s performance is probably one of the highlights of the movie, and I’m glad that she and Newt weren’t forced to partake in a trite romance. Sadly, that is saved for Queenie and Jacob in one of the film’s most underwritten subplots.

Neither actor is bad, but their chemistry is woefully unconvincing.

Furthermore, Farrell is a good actor,

but he looks totally lost here. I honestly could talk about the ending, but I have wonder if he still thinks he’s filming a policy against spoilers. Nonetheless, “True Detective” and simply can’t there are two points I want to make. comprehend why the production team First, the “twist” at the end is predictable, is asking him to wave a stick in front of despite any hope that such an ending a green screen. would not exist because if it is true, Rowling, who wrote the film’s then the rest of the film makes no sense. screenplay, is an Second, the ending extremely talented also relies on the “Newt’s story is a n d i nve n t i ve concept of “planting author; I have no bright and almost and payoff,” but doubt that she will silly, yet it feels the screenplay continue to produce handles the “plant” excellent work. buried beneath so poorly that the However, I’m not yet an endless sea “payoff” can’t help sure that she’s much but feel like a deus of rather dour of a screenwriter. ex machina.

Many of the film’s subplots. Half of Despite my problems are tied the time I felt as support for the to the fact that she “HarryPotter”films, doesn’t seem to fully though he was I left the theater understand how a supporting disappointed and a cinematic language little frustrated after character in his works. Her books are watching “Fantastic filled with whimsical own movie.”

Beasts and Where to descriptions that Find Them.” It’s by detail every aspect no means an awful of her fully-developed magical world. film. David Yates, who directed the last In that medium, Rowling can spend four “Potter” films, clearly understands as many pages as she wants describing how to film this world. At this point, the rules of Quidditch or explaining though, I would have thought that he the layout of Hogwarts. But films need and Rowling would bring out the best visuals to translate those descriptions in each other. I didn’t hate watching with as little dialogue as possible. this film, but I certainly didn’t enjoy Rowling’s screenplay just doesn’t seem the experience. And I would never have conducive to that need, resulting in a thought that I wouldn’t enjoy a “Harry bizarre mixture of clunky exposition Potter” related story. But there you have alongside unexplained phenomenon. it.

I wish, more than anything, that I Rating: 4/10

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Keysi Montás balances career with love for writing and art is a collection of Spanish haikus inspired by the themes that Montás The Dartmouth Staff finds most compelling: water, By day, Keiselim “Keysi” Montás nature, life and writing. These is the associate director of Safety themes comprise the four sections and Security. However, outside of the book, which include 49 haikus of his duties accompanied as a public by 53 full safety officer, “[A haiku] represents a color images, Montás enjoys particular moment that ranging from c a r p e n t r y, illustrations tango dancing could evoke the reader created by a n d w r i t i n g to be placed in that Andy Castillo, S p a n i s h Japanese same location, sort of poetry and callig raphy fiction. Montás seeing what I am seeing made by Elena has been “Hikari” and recognized by at that moment.” photographs the Dominican taken by Republic, M o n t á s where he grew himself. The u p, f o r h i s -KEISELIM MONTÁS, cover work contributions ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF was done by to Spanish Montás’ young literature. He SAFETY AND SECURITY d a u g h t e r, has published M ía M on tá s four books of Antigua. poems and short stories, the Montás said that the haiku most recent of which is currently format appealed to him because of displayed in King Arthur Flour in its ability to depict both parallelism Baker-Berry Library. and contrast. As a Japanese form, The book, “Como El Agua,” the haiku format also added to

By KYLEE SIBILIA

COURTESY OF KEISELIM MONTÁS

Keysi Montás’ daughter, Mía Montás Antigua, made the cover art for his latest book.

the cross-cultural connections of “Como El Agua.” Montás appreciated this connection between Japanese, Spanish and English writing, describing the power of this book to bridge the circle among his English-speaking, Spanish-speaking and bilingual friends.

Montás spoke to the power of the haiku format to evoke an emotional response in his readers. “[A haiku] represents a particular moment that could evoke the reader to be placed in that same location, sort of seeing what I am seeing at that moment,” Montás said.

In addition to being published in its original Spanish format, “Como El Agua,” has also been published in English as “Like Water.” Montás worked with former Dartmouth Spanish professor Elizabeth Polli to create this translated version, which is the first of his books to be published in English. Montás said that he is excited that his work will now be accessible to a wider audience.

Montás also noted that his love of writing and literature has motivated him to take advantage of the many cultural resources Dartmouth has to offer, including lectures, art exhibits and concerts.

“I have been able to come [to Dartmouth] and be the complete person that I am instead of having to compartmentalize my creative life with my professional life,” Montás said. “Here, I am part of this academic, creative community, and I also do my job as a safety officer. I don’t see or haven’t found any contradiction between the two of them.”

As second in command for the Safety and Security department, Montás has extensive responsibilities involved with dayto-day administration. However, despite his packed professional schedule, Montás still finds time to better the Dartmouth community by inviting speakers, organizing readings and acting as a trip advisor for the Tucker Foundation.

Montás took students to the Dominican Republic for several years, assisting with development projects in underprivileged areas.

When Haiti was decimated by the 2010 earthquake, Montás used his contacts in the Dominican Republic to take people from Dartmouth to provide relief.

COURTESY OF REBEL ROBERTS

Keysi Montás is the associate director of Safety and Security at the College.

Harry Kinne, director of Safety and Security, noted the value Montás’ interaction with the Dartmouth community brings to the department’s representation.

“I think it really helps our department in the sense that people may look at someone in our profession and see someone who is sort of narrow,” Kinne said.

“I think [Montás] being out in the community and showing that people can be a professional, but they also have a whole other side and a whole other depth, that sort of dispels stereotypic beliefs that people associate with public safety.

He’s a good representative for all of us.”

Kinne also said that Montás’ creative personality is an asset in his role as a public safety officer.

“It’s always good to have someone who can step outside the box and look at issues and really take a hard look at the way things traditionally have been solved and maybe offer a whole new perspective on how to approach those,” Kinne said.

Another one of Montás’ colleagues, Sergeant Rebel Roberts, also spoke to his ability to provide a bridge between Safety and Security and the Dartmouth student body.

“That’s something [Montás] is an integral part of because he’s a mentor to so many students,” Roberts said. “He’s just a really wonderful person to connect with and be able to grow and learn from.”

Montás has served in public safety for 30 years, and he has been writing for equally as long. “Como El Agua” is just one example of the many ways Montás has managed to defy perceptions, branching out into many fields outside of public safety and making a positive cultural impact on the Dartmouth community.

“Perhaps there are only a few of us — although there are a few of us — who do this dual thing,” Montás said.

From his community involvement to his passion for tango and poetry, Montás has not only made the Dartmouth community a safer place but also a livelier one.