The Dartmouth 07/27/18

VOL. CLXXV NO.54

FRIDAY, JULY 27, 2018

Sophomore Family Weekend Issue

SUNNY HIGH 84 LOW 63

HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

College supports DACA in court BY alex fredman

The Dartmouth Staff

Dartmouth has signed on to an amicus brief alongside 18 other universities supporting the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in federal court. The brief was filed on July 20 in the U.S. District Court for Souther n Texas Brownsville Division in a court

case brought by Texas and six other states challenging the legality of DACA, a program that protects undocumented immig rants brought to the U.S. as children from deportation.

In the brief, the universities wrote that DACA students are some of the most talented members of their

After membership review, Sig Ep faces internal strife

SEE DACA PAGE 2

OPINION

COOK: MOVING FORWARD, NOT ON PAGE 4

ARTS

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP TAKES CHARACTERS AT A DEEPER LEVEL PAGE 7

SPORTS

ALLEN: THE ACCIDENTAL FAN PAGE 8

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TWITTER @thedartmouth COPYRIGHT © 2018 THE DARTMOUTH, INC.

Baseball accident prompts lawsuit

BY The Dartmouth Senior Staff

Colton French ’19 is suing the College after a Feb. 9, 2016 baseball incident left him with serious injuries and loss of vision in his right eye.

The incident occurred when French used an L-shaped screen to pitch to a batter in a net-enclosed practice area inside Leverone Arena. Having never used the

NAOMI LAM/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

Sigma Phi Epsilon has faced internal issues since a membership review in April.

BY Zachary Benjamin The Dartmouth Senior Staff

screen before, French was struck in the eye when he did not keep his head behind the metal screen. The hit to his eye resulted in fragmented facial bones and a crushed eye socket.

The lawsuit alleges that the College was negligent because the screen was both old and inappropriate for the College’s use, the facility was not well SEE BASEBALL PAGE 5

Following a membership review that removed 80 percent of its brothers, the Dartmouth chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity continues to face internal strife.

Over the past four months, Dartmouth Sig Ep has seen calls for localization, threats from current undergraduates to depledge and attempts to have current governing

alumni removed from their positions. The alumni board of trustees revised their bylaws to remove other alumni’s voting rights. Earlier this week, one alumnus filed a complaint in Grafton County Superior Court alleging that the alumni trustees have violated their fiduciary duties and seeking to stop them from leasing rooms in Sig Ep to third parties.

The chapter’s disagreements began this past March, when the

national organization voted to conduct a membership review of Dartmouth Sig Ep following concerns about risk management. All 102 members were suspended and invited to complete a questionnaire; provide information about their academic, financial and College conduct records; and undergo an interview with Sig Ep alumni, volunteers and national representatives regarding their fitness SEE SIGEP PAGE 3

Hanover Police equips officers with body cameras

BY Anthony RObles The Dartmouth Staff

T he Hanover Police Department is now equipping its officers with body-worn cameras. The new technology, which the department began using on

July 23, will be used to record crime and accident scenes, according to chief of police Charlie Dennis.

“We certainly feel that it’s a great technology and a great tool to add to the Hanover Police Department,” Dennis said. “I think it strengthens

police transparency and helps improve our performance.”

According to a press release sent by Dennis on July 20, the Hanover Police Department chose WatchGuard VISTA Wi-Fi Body Worn Cameras because of their compatibility with

the department’s existing patrol cruiser system. The cameras, which are black and about three inches in length and two inches in width, will be worn by uniformed Hanover police officers near or at chest level of their outermost layer of clothing,

according to the press release.

Dennis said the cameras were purchased through a combination of the Hanover Police Department’s own budget process and a 50/50 match grant.

SEE CAMERAS PAGE 5

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Dartmouth hosts math conference

pieces you can form… So finding learning or “big data.” a formula would be a problem in “Because matrices have combinatorics,” Elizalde said. applications that are very broad Wi t h i n t h e l a r g e r r e a l m and therefore, twice removed, The College hosted the 30th annual conference on Formal o f c o m b i n at o r i c s, a l g e b r a i c combinatorics turns out to be Power Series and Algebraic combinatorics focuses specifically extremely handy,” she said.

Coming from a different field, Combinatorics on campus last on how algebra problems can be week. At the event, over 230 solved using combinatorics and Dumitriu said the conference was mathematicians from over 25 how combinatorics problems can eye-opening with respect to what countries explored research and be solved using algebra, Elizalde is available and out there and that others seemed to find her work as findings within the field of said.

While the doing the same for combinatorics — the branch them. of mathematics that deals with c o n f e r e n c e ’ s “It revitalized me.

“It was also, combinations of objects in specific focus was on It gave me an idea I think, an sets under certain constraints — a l g e b r a i c eye-opener for with a specific focus on algebraic combinatorics, of what kinds of speakers were questions people a number of combinatorics. to people working According to associate professor i n v i t e d combinatorics of mathematics and chair of the p r e s e n t o n are thinking about who came to organizing committee for FPSAC research that and what kinds of m e a f t e r w a rd s Sergi Elizalde, who had attended w e n t b eyo n d ways my skills can … It was very past FPSAC conferences, FPSAC is just that specific good to see that the largest conference in algebraic subset of the sort of fit into that information combinatorics inter nationally f i e l d . I o a n a framework of what sharing was going and has been held annually since D u m i t r i u , a both ways,” she 1988. Each year, FPSAC rotates p r o f e s s o r o f people care about. said. locations, and Elizalde said that mathematics at [It also prompted In addition to the FPSAC steering committee the University me] to try and the information approached him in 2015 to of Washington, sharing, Dumitriu i n q u i re wh e th e r D a rtm o u th Seattle and one answer questions said that another would be interested in hosting the of the invited that my community speakers for valuable aspect conference this year. of conferences Initially, Elizalde said he was the conference is going to want is the setting unsure of whether Dartmouth w h o s t u d i e s answers to.” they provide for would be able to physically handle n u m e r i c a l new researchers the size of the conference, in terms a n a l y s i s a n d to network with of beds and conference space. random matrix -JUSTIN TROYKA GR’18 current experts in But the College was able to find theory, said she the field — as well space and was offered financial t a i l o r e d h e r as with each other, support — such as a gift from talk to give an because they will Fannie and Alan Leslie ’30 and idea of where be the “next the National Science Foundation combinatorial generation.”

— as well as institutional support tools are helpful One of the from the mathematics department. and what kinds newer researchers He said that the conference was of results can at the conference an opportunity for Dartmouth b e o b t a i n e d was Justin Troyka t o “ b e c o m e b e t t e r - k n o w n for further use GR’18, who internationally, especially in the in science and engineering. finished his Ph.D. at the College mathematics community.”

Specifically in regard to her this year and presented his thesis Elizalde used the computer game Tetris to explain the kinds of work, Dumitriu said in an interview research on the descent structures problems combinatorics addresses. that combinatorics can help obtain in permutations and how they Each Tetris piece has “four little statements about random matrices interplay with other properties squares,” Elizalde said in an and that these findings can be within the permutations.

Troyka said that the conference interview, and combinatorics applied to obtain algorithms and can help find a way to count the matrix completion. This can gave him an opportunity to see number of different ways these become useful for machine learning, what people in combinatorics were squares can be organized to form signal processing or coding theory. working on and that the diversity of She described how this is just one different approaches and different different Tetris pieces.

“Now if instead of four little of the ways combinatorics can types of research being done within squares together you had ‘n’ little be applied, saying that matrices this already “narrow” field of work squares for some number n, for are like the intermediary step struck him.

Furthermore, Troyka said that example 10, there’s no formula between combinatorics and other that tells you how many different disciplines, such as machine while he was feeling a bit “burnt out” after his thesis, the conference gave him an idea of the kinds of CORRECTIONS questions to ask moving forward.

“It revitalized me. It gave me We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, an idea of what kinds of questions please email editor@thedartmouth.com for corrections. people are thinking about and what kinds of ways my skills can sort of fit into that framework of Correction appended (July 26, 2018): The print edition of the what people care about. [It also July 20 article, “Kelley resigns, concluding College’s PBS sexual prompted me to] try and answer misconduct investigation” incorrectly stated that College President Phil Hanlon’s email to campus was sent that day. The email was sent questions that my community is going to want answers to,” he said. on July 17.

B y DEBORA HYEMIN HAN The Dartmouth Staff

FRIDAY, JULY 27, 2018

THE DARTMOUTH SOPHOMORE FAMILY WEEKEND

Dartmouth signs amicus brief on DACA

school’s student government, and an active participant in various institutions and that a federal other extracurricular activities, injunction against DACA would including Inspire Arizona, an harm students, alumni and the organization that promotes civic institutions as a whole. engagement.”

“Indeed, ending DACA would “Being at Dartmouth has force future scholars, innovators, definitely given me a lot of and leaders to choose between opportunities withdrawing and a lot of to the margins “From a young age, I credibility that of our society realized that I had to comes with a n d n at i o n a l o b ta i n i n g an e c o n o m y o r excel in order to have e d u c at i o n at r e t u r n i n g t o the oppurtunites that I a prestigious countries that institution,” they have never wanted to have.”

Olachea said called home,” in an interview the brief states. -BARBARA OLACHEA with The “Whatever Dartmouth. t h ey c h o o s e, LOPEZ PORTILLO ’19 their gifts and Olachea said education will she came to the be lost to this nation.”

United States with her family at The brief included a list of age five and soon understood that DACA students from the signatory it would take extra effort to succeed universities who “were selected in this country. because they are outstanding “From a young age, I realized students.” One of the students that I had to excel in order to have listed is Barbara Olachea Lopez the opportunities that I wanted to Portillo ’19, whom the brief have,” Olachea said. describes as “the valedictorian of At Dartmouth, Olachea said she her high school class in Phoenix, SEE DACA PAGE 3 Arizona, the secretary of her FROM DACA PAGE 1

FRIDAY, JULY 27, 2018

Hanover Police gets body cameras FROM CAMERAS PAGE 1

The press release also stated that the cameras will be used in conjunction with the department’s existing cruiser cameras. While the body cameras can be activated when officers press a button that reveals a red indicator, Dennis added that they will also activate if a cruiser’s emergency lights are turned on, which also turns on the cruiser cameras.

Additionally, police captain Mark Bodanza said that an officer’s camera would also activate if he approached a location where another officer’s body camera was already recording. Bodanza remarked that while the cameras will also be utilized during motor vehicle stops and interactions where there is a “potential criminal investigation” in process, they will also serve as training tools for the department. Furthermore, Bodanza said that the cameras will also be used in court processes.

“If there’s a complaint against an officer or a dispute about the facts of a case, [the cameras] can be used to review the situation, so that what happened and what was recorded can be seen on camera by either the investigator or by the individual who was involved,” Bodanza added.

PAGE 3

THE DARTMOUTH SOPHOMORE FAMILY WEEKEND

While Bodanza said he believes that the police department and the local community have “great relations,” he remarked that the body cameras would only continue to build on the relationship by increasing accountability.

Interim director of Safety and Security Keysi Montás echoed Bodanza’s sentiments, saying that he viewed the department’s implementation of the cameras as

a positive.

“I think it’s an excellent decision,” Montás said. “It’s a great step in providing a tool of transparency for the services and for the community that they serve.”

Montás said that it is highly unlikely that Safety and Security would implement body-wor n cameras since his department primarily deals with situations involving health, privacy and safety.

COURTESY OF MARK BODANZA, HANOVER POLICE DEPARTMENT

Hanover Police Department equipped its officers with body cameras.

19 universities support DACA in amicus brief

Trump’s executive order barring immigration from seven Muslimhas been open about her DACA majority countries.

In Sept. 2017, College President status and is involved with the student group CoFIRED, which Phil Hanlon wrote an email to advocates for undocumented campus expressing disappointment students. She added that she with Trump’s decision to eventually appreciates that Dartmouth admits end the DACA program, urging the president undocumented “to continue s t u d e n t s , b u t “With not being able DACA in its that the College current form administration to work, it would be and to do could be more very difficult to finish everything in vocal in its my educati on because [his] power to advocacy for defend it.” those students there’s so many little on campus. costs that you have to T h e o t h e r signatories Olachea noted of the brief that if DACA account for.” are Brown were rescinded, U n i v e r s i t y, she would -BARBARA OLACHEA California potentially lose Institute of her work permit LOPEZ PORTILLO ’19 Technolog y, and accordingly Columbia her campus job, U n i v e r s i t y, which would C o r n e l l jeopardize her ability to continue her education. Univer sity, Duke Univer sity, “With not being able to work, Emory University, Georgetown it would be very difficult to finish University, George Washington my education because there’s so University, Harvard University, many little costs that you have to M a s s a c h u s e t t s I n s t i t u t e o f Te c h n o l o g y, N o r t h w e s t e r n account for,” Olachea said.

The amicus brief is not the University, Princeton University, first time Dartmouth has weighed Stanford University, University in on the topic of immigration o f C h i c a g o, t h e U n i ve r s i t y in the last couple of years. In of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt Feb. 2017, the College joined University, Washington University with 16 other universities in in St. Louis and Yale University. another brief challenging the Olachea is a former member of The legality of President Donald Dartmouth staff.

FROM DACA PAGE 2

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FRIDAY, JULY 27, 2018

THE DARTMOUTH OPINION

STAFF COLUMNIST CAROLINE COOK ‘21

STAFF COLUMNIST JULIA HUEBNER ‘20

Moving Forward, Not On

The Art of B.S.

The PBS investigation may have ended, but the need for dialogue has not.

It was a seemingly perfect October day — gusts of wind blowing the still-vibrant orange leaves in circles on the sidewalk, a vision of the idyllic New England autumn that every Dartmouth student is promised — when the community first received news of the sexual misconduct investigation into the allegations against three well-known and actively publishing professors in the psychological and brain sciences department.

College President Phil Hanlon announced last week that with the resignation of William Kelley, the investigation had ended, promising that the administration will “focus our attention on the work ahead to make this the best community it can be.” Institutions like Dartmouth show their values in times of challenge, and while the College did demonstrate a commitment to self-reflection and improvement as a result of this tragedy, if the dialogue ends with the conclusion of the investigation, this progress will be lost.

Because The New York Times covered the story in October and has since updated its readership at the conclusion of the investigation, sexual misconduct will be a part of Dartmouth’s reputation — more than it perhaps already was. Students here must remember that Dartmouth is a community some people already associate with issues of sexism and sexual assault. The administration cannot retroactively prevent this terrible situation from developing, nor can it make the outside world forget what they have read and heard. Dartmouth’s decision to launch its own independent investigation and treat this matter with the thoroughness and seriousness that it deserves is the only correct option in a time of tragedy. It is crucial that the response to the allegations is remembered and understood wherever the allegations themselves are remembered — prospective students and their families, alumni, potential donors and even individuals with no connection to Dartmouth.

Furthermore, the benefits of beginning such important dialogue will be lost if the College’s desire to move past this gray cloud ends up shutting down conversation. While keeping Dartmouth from being defined by the actions of three individuals is an understandable goal from the College’s perspective, and we should all hope to “move on,” that process should not involve

forgetting that this happened. And dialogue is happening on Dartmouth’s campus — just this week there was an “Open Forum on Sexual Violence” hosted by the Student and Presidential Committee on Sexual Assault at the Collis Center. For students who felt in the dark as the investigation trudged on, the opportunity to prevent that from happening again is right now. There are opportunities for voices to be heard because the administration knows it must be receptive to students’ opinions, now more than ever.

Perhaps more should have been done to begin the investigation earlier or to have prevented such behavior from ever finding a space on campus at all. There is no single healthy or correct way to recover from events that rock a community like this one rocked Dartmouth; students may have felt confused and even scared at times.

However, compared to other institutions that sweep tragedy under the rug or conduct investigations with much less transparency, Dartmouth did rise to meet the challenge at this potential turning point in our history. It should also be noted that the revocation of tenure is a monumental act in academia, and though it may not mean as much to some students, tenure status did add complications to this story that the College did not allow to prevent justice. Tenure may also have helped create a space for this behavior, as that type of job assurance can solidify power dynamics in a potentially dangerous way.

Even if one believes that Dartmouth could have and should have done more, one should not diminish what the administration did choose to do when backed into this corner.

While change should not occur only in light of some gut-wrenching disaster, those moments are often the best catalysts for progress. To waste such an opportunity for real growth and open dialogue, regardless of one’s individual opinion on the way the College handled the entire process, would be a profound disservice to the community.

“Moving on” shouldn’t mean forgetting or pretending; it should mean having difficult conversations. Perhaps the better phrase is “moving forward.” We must do this for the Dartmouth of the future — hopefully one in which students’ blustery fall days will be remembered mostly for how beautiful the leaves look on the ground.

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College, and should not exceed 250 words for letters or 700 words for columns. The Dartmouth reserves the right to edit all material before publication. All material submitted becomes property of The Dartmouth. Please email submissions to editor@thedartmouth.com.

Coming to terms with insincerity doesn’t mean becoming a cynic.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about the art could be described as B.S. Every article of “B.S.” — a word too impolite to print in I’ve been assigned for class that I’ve lightly full, but too ubiquitous to shy away from. skimmed instead of deeply understanding A working definition might be helpful for for class and every “of my gosh, of course!” this two-of-eight letter euphemism. Urban as a response to “We should get a meal at Dictionary, the online user-submitted and some point!” are prime on-campus examples. crowdsourced slang dictionary, features some Examples of how people cut corners, colorful definitions for the term, including, tell partial truths and delude themselves quite literally “the excrement of cattle,” on a daily basis are plentiful. I don’t think but also “nonsense,” “exaggeration” and that’s necessarily a bad thing. Or maybe my personal favorite: “something I tolerate it is, and I’ve succumbed to being jaded. every day.”

However, upon reflecting on my professor’s Everyone has B.S. that they put up with comments, I struggled to imagine a world in their everyday lives. I define it as small free of insincerity. “Part of the reason that instances that offend people B.S. is that it’s the one’s sense of fairness or “If there’s one thing only way to get anything shroud truth in fluff. “I done,” a friend pointed that Dartmouth does was drunk, so you can’t out to me. I do agree that really blame me for what well, it’s that the no one can perform their I said last night,” is the school prepares you to best in every activity at sort of statement that all times. I don’t hold merits that designation. speak on something myself to that standard Claiming in an interview you know little about. and don’t expect anyone that one’s main weakness else to.

They should award a is “working too hard” Then I thought i s a n o t h e r p e r f e c t major in B.S. here.” about the feasibility of example. When I hear a B.S.-free world. All that prospective students tactics to impress and at Dartmouth are told that Greek life isn’t entice anyone — future employers, parents, a large part of the mainstream social scene professors, significant others, friends and here, I call B.S. peers — would go out the window. All lies, As with most big ideas, a professor at including those told to protect feelings and Dartmouth recently inspired my thinking dance around discomfort, would be a thing on this subject. Last week, over KAF of the past. Could a society overflowing cookies for breakfast, we spoke about our in genuineness and perfection actually newest undertakings around campus and function? the process and timeline associated with I don’t know the answer to that question, each one. Progress could be expedited, but at least — in this case — I don’t pretend we joked, if only we inserted “B.S.” into I do. our work, beefing it up and decreasing the At first, I felt a certain level of resignation messy, tough thinking in the middle. My in coming to the conclusion that the world is professor laughed. Most everything in the based on half-truths. So many processes are modern capitalist world is B.S., he said. considered rigged games — ones that you It’s the foundation of civilization and the shut up about and enjoy when you benefit economy. Sincerity is the golden nugget in but silently tolerate when you don’t. a field of disingenuousness; most people I have no solution to liberate one’s self go about their daily lives making excuses from daily doses of our favorite two letter to and for each other, compromising when euphemism. Claiming that I did would be — they shouldn’t and pretending to not see you guessed it — B.S. However, reframing the things for how they actually are. I’ll peddle issue provides a nice sanity check. Instead of my own B.S., as the argument goes, and, counting every instance of B.S. in my day, I’ve in turn, be enticed by yours. started tuning into the unnecessary sincerity Students, including myself, have often around me. Instead of expecting everyone been tempted by this tendency to exaggerate to be accommodating, I see thoughtfulness and embellish. Last week, I overheard as a delightful addition to my life; while a conversation at a corporate recruiting people should be warm and compassionate session between two ’20s, who decided and genuine, they aren’t obligated to be so. that résumé-padding would make them These days, I’ve adopted an (admittedly seem more attractive to employers. Mild privileged) 80-20, “win-to-loss” headspace. dishonesty as a job-seeking tactic isn’t Going through life expecting “wins” 100 just relegated to corporate-minded high- percent of the time breeds entitlement. achievers. Later that week, I congratulated But reserving 20 percent for B.S. and its a friend on a superb presentation in front accompanying friends, boredom and bad of a large group of Dartmouth community luck, makes me feel thankful for the days members. “If there’s one thing that where they only take up 18 percent of my Dartmouth does well, it’s that the school time, or on the sunniest, friendliest day in prepares you to speak on something you the quaint town of Hanover, around 11.5 know little about. They should award a percent. major in B.S. here,” he said in response.

That’s no red ribbon solution or While preparing to write this column, I sat groundbreaking concept, but at least it’s not and thought about all the times my actions B.S.

MIR ROR 7.27.2018

MIRROR ASKS | 2

CORPORATE RECRUITING: PYRRHIC? | 3

PHOTO ESSAY: PERSISTENCE | 4 ELIZA JANE SCHAEFFER /THE DARTMOUTH STAFF

2 //MIRROR

Editors’ Note

Mirror Asks Define “persistence” in four words.

Zachary Benjamin ‘19: Keep on trucking on.

Cristian Cano ‘20: Remember: just keep swimming!

Annika Kouhia ‘20: Refusing even inevitable defeat.

Eliza Jane Schaeffer ‘20: Opposite of giving up.

Ioana Solomon ‘19: Believing nothing is impossible.

Sebastian Wurzrainer ‘20: Annoyingly never giving up.

PETER CHARALAMBOUS/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

The most conventional definition of “persistence” invokes some sort of struggle or challenge. To persist is to actively withstand, to toil and, in turn, to triumph. A dandelion pushing through an expanse of asphalt, claiming a crack as its own, persists. A young man fighting the magnetism of particles in a block of wood persists. Hikers trekking up the slope of a mountain, blanketed in dark, persist. Prospective corporate employees, pitted against suffocating odds and pressed for time, persist.

But persistence can also carry a passive meaning; sometimes, it simply involves continued existence. An undying flame persists. A discarded newspaper stubbornly pressing its face against the transparent plastic of a trash bag persists. A single paper straw may dissolve in little time, but thousands of paper straws used by thousands of students stubbornly crowd out their plastic counterparts, reducing pollution; they, too, persist.

This second form of persistence, though less flashy, is arguably more difficult. To carry on with no end in sight, with little recognition and with no definable payoff, is exhausting. Imagine corporate recruiting on repeat, or an axe that never reaches the other side of the block of wood, or a mountain without a peak. There is little room for celebration when the finish line is not yet visible.

A term at Dartmouth begins as an exercise in the first brand of persistence, but as we become desensitized to challenge, it gradually devolves into the second. The transition from one to the other starts now, in the sixth week of the term, as we wade through midterms and papers with the promise of final exams on the horizon ahead.

We invite you to stop and take a real break by reading the Mirror — to see what our staff have to say about persistence, corporate recruiting, muddling through and horrible ways to pass time.

follow @thedmirror

7.27.18 VOL. CLXXV NO. 54 MIRROR EDITORS CRISTIAN CANO ELIZA JANE SCHAEFFER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ZACHARY BENJAMIN PUBLISHER HANTING GUO ISSUE EXECUTIVE ALEX FREDMAN EDITORS IOANA SOLOMON

Define “corporate recruiting” in four words.

ZB: Resumes are surprisingly difficult.

CC: What’s a case study?

AK: Hating yourself (potentially reimbursed).

EJS: Rush for real life.

IS: “Dare to be different.”

SW: Absolute and total trash.

What is your strategy for getting through tough tasks?

ZB: Grit my teeth and bear it.

CC: Take plenty of breaks! And naps! And when in doubt, bring out the face masks.

EJS: I remind myself that though I may feel horrible in the moment, the pain will not last forever.

IS: Procrastinate. Caffeinate. Grind. Repeat.

SW: Concentration and time management.

In your opinion, what is the worst possible way to spend three hours?

ZB: Doing something that’s neither necessary nor fun.

CC: Reading the Terms and Conditions. Or any legal jargon, really.

AK: Complaining.

EJS: In a blank room with full sensory deprivation.

IS: Red-eye layovers.

SW: Preparing for corporate recruiting.

MIRROR //3

Corporate Recruiting: A Pyrrhic Victory?

Story

By Kylee Sibilia

There are people at Dartmouth like there are a lot of people here team, addressed.

Chen said. “That’s something In the future, Domingo said she who apply to 20 or 30 companies who are in business clubs or who “We do have where they have a hopes to do sustainability work in over the course of the corporate have been involved with the finance a v a r i e t y o f real issue that they her home state of Hawaii, which recruiting process and get rejected society or the consulting club since e m p l o y e r s i n “It doesn’t sound need you to help she believes to be a career path with from every single one. That’s a reality freshman year, and they’ve been t h e r e c r u i t i n g that convenient with, and you can which the CPD can offer her little that most Dartmouth students are learning about the process and p r o g r a m , ” learn a lot through assistance because it differs from when you’re going aware of when they decide to practicing for honestly a very long W i l s o n s a i d . figuring out how to the conventional path to success at participate in the process, yet the time,” Chen said. “And they seem “T he majority through it and solve that issue.”

Dartmouth. hope of securing that one perfect very confident, or at least they are finance and you’re feeling Both Chen “I feel like the conventional path internship still motivates hundreds appear to be confident and seem to consulting firms, and Tucker also to success at Dartmouth is to do econ every year to drop know what they’re but we also have very tense, but a c k n o w l e d g e d and corporate recruiting and get a their resume and doing.” other things like the fact that you that one of the great internship and just go off into cover letters at “What’s interesting The appearance patent law and biggest advantages New York or something,” Domingo hear back on every any number of is that I feel like of confidence, digital marketing of the recruiting said.“It feels like the CPD doesn’t listings posted on already s o — you know, a opportunity from program is the have anything that will help me.”

DartBoard. The there are a lot of c o m m o n p l a c e variety of other every employer security that When I made an advising trade-off between people here who at Dartmouth, opportunities. We comes with it, appointment at the CPD at the the stag gering to be an try to send targeted in the program is w h i c h Wi l s o n beginning of the summer, I went are in business clubs seems amount of work essential part of m a rk e t i n g o u t what I think is one addressed as well. into the office filled with just as s o m e s t u d e n t s or who have been the recruiting to students who “I think that much apprehension as Domingo. I of the highlights for put in and the involved with the process: an asset might be interested t h e r e c r u i t i n g was convinced that the session would shaky chances of i n prov in g to in each type of students.” program i s be a battle between me and the success could be finance society or employers that opportunity.” s o m e w h a t o f advisor over whether or not I should compared to a the consulting club one deserves to Despite the a s e r v i c e o f do corporate recruiting, something Pyrrhic victory: be hired. For posting of other -MONICA WILSON, c o n v e n i e n c e , ” that I had already decided I did since freshman a victory that is students who are o p p o r t u n i t i e s SENIOR ASSOCIATE Wilson said. “It not want to participate in. I was accompanied by year, and they’ve less certain of o n t h e C P D ’s d o e s n’t s o u n d pleasantly surprised by the way the DIRECTOR OF THE such staggering been learning their participation we b s i t e, t h e re that convenient advisor listened to everything I had losses that it in the recruiting is no doubt that CPD’S EMPLOYER when you’re going to say and provided me with helpful almost feels like about the process p r o g r a m , most Dartmouth RELATIONS TEAM through it and information on how to further defeat. however, it is students tend to yo u ’r e f e e l i n g myself on the career path I had and practicing for At the more dif ficult view cor porate but described. He never once mentioned honestly a very long t o m a i n t a i n recruiting as a direct path to the fact that youveryheartense, beginning of back on corporate recruiting. So, I agree that t h e s u m m e r, time.” this persona of a position in either finance or every opportunity from every the CPD has a branding issue, but the Center for assurance. Alexa consulting, whether or not that is employer in the program is what I also think that Chen put it best Professional Tu c k e r ’ 2 0 , actually the case. Tucker described I think is one of the highlights for when she described the real reason D e v e l o p m e n t -ALEX CHEN ’20 another student the stereotype that the CPD has on students. [Students] don’t feel like Dartmouth students feel pressured posts a list of the going through campus. they’ve just submitted their resume to do recruiting. employers and recruiting, had a “If you just look at the recruiting and never hear back again, which “It’s not necessarily the CPD opportunities available through different take on the process than thing, there was one health and is often the case pushing you the recruiting program. The CPD Chen. science thing that was recruiting,” when you apply down this path,” also offers recruiting tutorials that “I decided very last minute to do Tucker said. “That might just be the directly outside “I feel like the Chen said. “It’s students can attend at the beginning it, so I wrote a resume and cover letter nature of the different industries, of the recruiting conventional your peers and of the term if they want to learn how very fast,” Tucker said. “I feel like it’s like those companies might not have program.” e v e r yo n e e l s e to participate in the program. Under been a weird experience because it’s the resources that a consulting firm S o p h i a path to success at doing it.” the recruiting tab on DartBoard, stressful to watch has. The CPD’s Domingo ’20, who Dartmouth is to do Notifications students must upload at least one other people do model is ‘Dare is not participating for first-round econ and corporate resume as well as any cover letters something and “I feel like it’s been to be different,’ in the recruiting interviews and transcripts that the companies feel like you have a weird experience but they push program, outlined recruiting and get were released to which they are applying have to do it, even if you everyone down the her reasons for on Wednesday, requested. Students are later notified don’t even know if because it’s stressful consulting path. c h o o s i n g t o a great internship and there are by email if they have received a first- it’s what you want t o w a t c h o t h e r [That] is at least abstain despite and just go off Dartmouth round interview or not. For the most to do. But when the stereotype, the convenience students who are people do something into New York part, these interviews take place you also have no whether or not and security that elated and others at the CPD, while second-round other ideas of and feel like you that’s true.” comes with the or something. who are incredibly interviews are more likely to occur alternative career have to do it, even The reason for process. disappointed.

It feels like the in Boston or New York, or via phone options, you’re participating in the “It’s just toxic Re g a r d l e s s o f if you don’t even or Skype. like ‘Might as recruiting process, competitiveness,” CPD doesn’t have which side you’re Alex Chen ’20, who is currently well.’” on, or whether know if it’s what even in spite of Domingo said. “In anything that will participating in recruiting, described Part of the i t s a p p a r e n t that kind of world, or not you you want to do.

But how the initial steps in the recruiting r e a s o n s o m e h o m o g e n e i t y, y o u ’ r e n e v e r help me.” participated in process are more superficial and students are more when you also have v a r i e s f r o m content, you’re recruiting at all, oriented toward developing hesitant about no other ideas of student to student. never enjoying remember that relationships and an understanding participating in Chen described a your work, and -SOPHIA DOMINGO ’20 the conventional of employers. t h e re c r u i t i n g alternative career genuine interest you’re always just path to success “It’s mainly going to info sessions process is that options, you’re like in the field of trying to get in the isn’t necessarily and networking,” Chen said. “In the opportunities consulting and all next level up in the the only path to ‘Might as well.’” some sense, that also can be stressful posted feel skewed that comes with it. office, the next position. It may be success. And remember that success because you’re trying to kind of toward a certain “I actually really right for some people, but that’s just itself can be measured on a lot show yourself off to these people type of profession, -ALEXA TUCKER’20 like the concept not the kind of environment I want of different scales — money and who could potentially hire you.” something that of consulting, to work in. I want to do things that prestige being one, but emotional Some students are more prepared Monica Wilson, because you’re are hands-on and make a difference fulfillment being another. for the pageantry of this experience t h e Senior a pro f ess i ona l in the world … and these jobs just than others, as Chen elaborated.

Associate Director problem solver, maximize these problems of wealth Tucker is a member of The Dartmouth “What’s interesting is that I feel of the CPD’s Employer Relations and I think that’s really interesting,” disparity and social stratification.” Senior Staff.

4// MIRROR

Persistence

By Hyemin Han PHOTO

FRIDAY, JULY 27, 2018

PAGE 5

THE DARTMOUTH SOPHOMORE FAMILY WEEKEND

Sig Ep grapples with internal issues Student sues College after baseball accident FROM SIGEP PAGE 1

for membership. Following these interviews, 19 brothers were invited back as full members of the fraternity.

A house divided The decision to conduct the membership review sparked outrage among many Dartmouth Sig Ep alumni. Shortly after the review was announced, over 200 alumni signed a letter opposing both the review and a national policy making all Sig Ep chapters dry. After the results of the review came out, a group of 14 alumni sent out another letter on Apr. 26 condemning the results of review, citing both opaque review standards and a decline in chapter diversity.

“I run a company … the idea that if I had a problem with the accountability of my employees, that I would try a couple things, and if it didn’t work I would just go fire 80 percent of them, feels like, ‘Whoa, things got real heated there.

What happened?’” said Zach Supalla ’07, a former recruitment chair for Sig Ep and a signatory of both letters.

This second letter encouraged recipients to join the Alumni and Volunteer Corporation, the alumni’s governing body, giving them voting rights in future decisions.

On May 15, a group of 15 alumni — with substantial overlap from the signees of the second letter, including Supalla — called via email for a special meeting of the AVC, scheduled for June 6, to discuss the possibility of going local and to remove two AVC Board of Trustee members, vice president of facilities Herbert Philpott and memberat-large Sean Anthony. The board of trustees manages Sig Ep’s physical plant and mortgage, among other duties.

The letter states that Philpott was a key figure in instigating the membership review, while Anthony served on the membership review committee.

At the time, this special meeting was valid under the AVC’s bylaws.

The AVC board, however, rejected the call for the meeting and voted on May 31 to amend its bylaws, making AVC members non-voting and the board “self-perpetuating.” A statement on the board’s website claims that the change was made “to best fulfill the AVC’s mission of serving the Dartmouth chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity,” and notes that its actions are consistent with a previous bylaw amendment giving the trustees the sole power to approve further bylaw amendments.

Supalla condemned the decision to change the bylaws, calling it “particularly egregious.”

“The AVC is supposed to represent the alumni, not shut down their voice,” he said.

On June 26, the AVC board held a “town hall” to answer the concerns of alumni and undergraduates about the membership review and amendments to the bylaws. On the same day, 14 Sig Ep

alumni — again with substantial overlap with the previous letters, and again including Supalla — wrote an email to other alumni summarizing the previous developments and encouraging them to call into the town hall and voice their dissatisfaction. This email called strongly for serious consideration of localization.

Threats to depledge Also on June 26, the remaining undergraduates at Darmouth Sig Ep wrote a letter to the trustees in which they stated their opposition to the membership review and substance-free policies. In the letter, they called on the trustees to support a path to localization and threatened to depledge otherwise.

“Unless the AVC … commits to localization and works with us to address our concerns, the undersigned members of this fraternity are prepared to depledge from the [New Hampshire Alpha chapter of Sig Ep],” the letter states.

Dylan Giles ’20, a current Sig Ep and one of the signees of the letter, said he feels that the AVC trustees have unfairly lumped in the behavior of the Class of 2020 with that of previous classes.

“The bulk of the incidents that the national fraternity, and also members of the AVC, continuously refer to occurred while we were not even on campus, let alone members of the house,” he said.

Giles said that he was in favor of going local, given the attitude of the AVC trustees toward the current brothers. He said that as chaplain of the fraternity, he is responsible for overseeing brotherhood standards and believes he has improved the house’s accountability. Nevertheless, he is not sure at this time whether or not he will feel forced to depledge, hoping instead that the chapter can work out its differences with the board.

But despite these concerns, the AVC trustees have declined to pursue localization or reexamine their amended bylaws. An alumni newsletter sent by the trustees on July 23 defended the decision not to pursue localization, stating that should the previous members be readmitted and should alcohol continue to be served, the chapter could risk derecognition or having someone die.

They also defended their decision to remove member voting rights, stating that allowing a small group of alumni to call a special meeting and “take any and all unilateral actions for the entire organization” is “a terrible way to run an organization responsible for a multi-million dollar property and one that serves 1500 living alumni.”

The newsletter noted that because the undergraduates have threatened to depledge in lieu of localization, it is likely that Sig Ep national will revoke the chapter’s charter and that the house will go dormant. It states that in the future, it plans to recruit a group of “founding fathers” committed to Sig Ep national’s ideals to help rebuild the fraternity. It also states that the trustees are working

with the College in the short term to find tenants for the house and keep the organization financially solvent, given the current shortage of housing on campus.

In response to a query about possible plans to lease Sig Ep’s rooms to the College, associate dean for student life Eric Ramsey wrote in an email that the College has been contacted by Sig Ep national about the facility and chapter recognition, but that he cannot speculate about what direction Sig Ep national will take.

“What I’m surprised by is [that] there doesn’t seem to have been any moment when the AVC looked at itself and said, ‘Huh, there sure seems to be a lot of people who have concerns here.

Maybe this wasn’t right,’” Supalla said.

Seeking a preliminary injunction In response to the above actions, particularly the refusal to hold a special meeting and the amendments to the AVC’s bylaws, Alex Becker ’10, a signee of all six alumni letters, filed a class-action complaint in Grafton County Superior Court. The complaint is against the AVC and certain members of its board of trustees: AVC president J.D. Optekar, secretary Peter Hasenkamp, Philpott, vice president of relations Mike Chapman, Anthony and member-at-large Michael Kimmel.

The complaint is stated to be on behalf of Becker himself, as well as “other similarly situated members” of the AVC. The complaint outlines the events that have taken place over the last few months and alleges that the trustees acted ultra vires — beyond the scope of their duties — in declining to hear the special meetings and removing the voting rights of the current members.

It also alleges that the trustees plan to expel all current members from the fraternity in response to their calls for localization and that the trustees are looking to enter into a long-term lease with a third party to fill the rooms at the Sig Ep plant.

As a result of the trustees’ actions and alleged future plans, the complaint seeks for the court to declare ultra vires and undo all bylaw amendments since March 1, 2018, as well as issue a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction stopping the defendants from entering into any lease agreements for the Sig Ep facility.

Becker’s lawyer Carolyn Cole filed the complaint in Grafton County Superior Court on July 24. A hearing is currently set for August 14.

“We do not view the board as adversaries or enemies,” Cole said in an interview. “We’re all on the same team. We look forward to resolving this amicably, working through the different opinions the way brothers would.”

Kimmel declined to comment for this article. Anthony, Chapman, Hasenkamp, Optekar and Philpott did not respond to requests for comment.

strong detail perception or depth perception. illuminated and the coaches did not “As a result of his injuries, and appropriately instruct French how to their life-altering effect on him, the use the screen. plaintiff has suffered from depression Since the incident, French has and anxiety, for which he has required gone through medical treatments counseling,” the lawsuit states. which have T h e cost more than lawsuit seeks $430,000 and “As a result of his unspecified was unable to injuries, and their damages for complete the the incident.

2015-16 school life-altering effect It also alleges year, delaying on him, the plantiff that the College his graduation. videotaped the has suffered from A d d i t i o n a l l y, incident and since he lost depression and subsequently vision in his right anxiety, for which discarded the eye and has a tapes despite the he has required metal plate in possibility of an his head, he can counseling.” investigation in no longer play the aftermath of baseball and the accident. other sports. -LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF French could T h e l a w s u i t COLTON FRENCH ’19 not be reached also noted that for comment French will not as of press be able to pursue a career which time. College spokesperson Diana requires full peripheral vision, Lawrence declined to comment.

FROM BASEBALL PAGE 1

PAGE 6

THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS

FRIDAY, JULY 27, 2018

DARTMOUTHEVENTS TODAY

3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Lecture: “The Open Past, Classical Style,” with Patrick Todd, Ph.D, sponsored by the philosophy department, Bartlett 201

7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Performance: The Hunts, sponsored by the Collis Center for Student Involvement, Collis Center Porch

8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Performance: “First Year” by Jennifer West ’20 (Frost and Dodd Play Festival), directed by Peter Hackett, Bentley Theater, Hopkins Center for the Arts

9:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Public Astronomical Observing, sponsored by the physics and astronomy department, Shattuck Observatory

TOMORROW

8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Film: “The Seagull,” directed by Michael Mayer, sponsored by the Hopkins Center for the Arts, Loew Auditorium, Black Family Visual Arts Center

8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Performance: “Sigh No More” by Tess McGuiness ’18 and “The House” by Savannah Miller ’21 (Frost and Dodd Play Festival), directed by Jamie Horton, Bentley Theater, Hopkins Center for the Arts

ADVERTISING For advertising information, 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 27, 2018

PAGE 7

THE DARTMOUTH ARTS

‘Ant-Man and The Wasp’ takes characters a level deeper

By SEBASTIAN WURZRAINER The Dartmouth Staff

As I prepared to write this review, it occurred to me that “AntMan and the Wasp” is the fourth Marvel Cinematic Universe film I’ve reviewed since the beginning of the year. To phrase it another way, the MCU is 10 years old and already has produced twice that number of films and a myriad of shows on Netflix, ABC, Hulu and Freeform.

Add on top of that the travesty that is the DC Extended Universe, as well as films like “Incredibles 2” that don’t fall into either franchise, and it’s fair to say that the superhero genre has reached a saturation point. However, there seems to be a misconception among the uber-fanboys of the genre that any mention of this saturation point is to cast a pejorative light on all recent superhero fare. To be clear, the problem is the overall quantity, not the quality of the individual films. In fact, most of these films, on their own terms, are decent, and the same goes for the MCU’s most recent release, “Ant-Man and the Wasp.”

In “The Problem with DC Action Scenes,” video essayist Evan Puschak argues that franchises like “Mission: Impossible,” “The Fast and the Furious,” “John Wick” and especially the MCU are all built on the following formula: three or four

good action sequences, a serviceable plot, charismatic characters and some laughs. Puschak contends that while this formula might not produce the most original or memorable work, it tends to be pretty satisfying. Audiences may not be inclined toward repeat viewings, but they typically won’t be disappointed at having bought a ticket.

The problem with the MCU, particularly in contrast to other superhero franchises, is that the films display blatant potential to be so much more than that simple formula, but often aren’t. That is not to say that the MCU has never produced a film that transcended the boundaries of Puschak’s formula: “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Black Panther” exceeded superhero film norms. In turn, I argued in my review on “Thor: Ragnarok” that it was indeed one of the most original and memorable films in recent memory. The same adjectives apply to “Black Panther,” a similarly compelling pop culture artifact, and the excellence of the two films was amplified by the fact that they were released back-to-back. It’s telling that only a film as massive and anticipated as “Avengers: Infinity War” could temporarily stave off the inevitable disappointment that would result from this new high bar.

But now the dust has settled, and “Ant-Man and the Wasp” gets

to be the first case study in whether the MCU has made a marked turn for the better. Admittedly, I was skeptical even before “Thor: Ragnarok” reached new heights.

The first “Ant-Man” isn’t a bad film, but it suffers from hewing too faithfully to Puschak’s formula while failing to properly justify its existence within the broader context of the franchise. Relative to the rest of the MCU, it feels like a blip about the size of its titular protagonist.

Thankfully, the sequel manages to be an improvement in almost every regard. For one thing, the film at least attempts to critically examine the man-child tendencies of its protagonist, Scott Lang (alter-ego of the titular Ant-Man).

Admittedly, his characterization faces the same dilemma that always encumbered the portrayal of Peter Quill, the protagonist in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films.

Both characters need to learn to grow past their immaturities, yet those immaturities are just as often presented as relatable qualities, particularly for male viewers. Like the “Guardians” films, “Ant-Man and the Wasp” never quite resolves this contradictory framing, but this time around, the effort to point out the problematic aspects of Scott’s character is clearly there.

Additionally, the film also more fully embraces the familial focus that has dominated more recent

MCU films. Just as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Spider-Man Homecoming,” “Thor: Ragnarok,” “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Infinity War” all examine complex relationships with father figures, “Ant-Man and the Wasp” proceeds along a similar trajectory. In fact, the screenplay would have benefited from embracing this angle even more. For example, the film’s antagonist Ava Starr (Hannah JohnKamen) is both the most interesting character and decidedly the most underutilized. Her father-daughter dynamic with Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne) is absolutely engrossing.

John-Kamen and Fishburne go toeto-toe in these scenes, crafting the film’s most indelible moments that should have been explored further.

In place of more moments featuring their complex relationship, we get subplot after subplot after subplot. There’s Scott and his friends trying to open a security firm, Scott trying to convince the FBI that he is actually under house arrest, Dr. Hank Pym (the original Ant-Man) and his daughter Hope (the Wasp) trying to save Hank’s long-lost wife, Ava’s efforts to use Hank’s wife to save herself and a Southern gangster trying to steal Hank’s technology. Add on to that Scott attempting to balance his love for his daughter, Cassie, with his returning feelings for Hope, and you’ve got yourself one busy film.

That isn’t a bad thing, per se. A lot of what I just described makes for fun content. But by the end of the film, it ultimately just feels like one thing after another. Action scenes, character motivations and jokes pile up on top of each other like it’s all a game of Jenga, and it’s often just as unstable — all before you even get to the mid-credits scene, which attempts to tie the film into the timeline of “Avengers: Infinity War.” That moment alone is a quintessential example of how damaging the “extended universe” concept can be to the individual films in a franchise. It actively undermines the conclusion of the film proper and makes everything that came before seem relatively insignificant.

All of this is to say that “AntMan and the Wasp” often feels as though it’s being pulled in different directions by two magnetic poles.

On one hand, it clearly wants to be like its predecessor: just another fun, disposable superhero flick amongst the MCU menagerie. The countless, often weightless, subplots attest to this fact. But in its better moments, the film reaches for greatness, emulating the higher standard created by the MCU’s more recent outings. It never quite reaches those heights; it’s still too reliant on the formula. But the fact that I’d be more than willing to watch it again is, in and of itself, no small feat.

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS

PAGE 8

SPORTS

FRIDAY, JULY 27, 2018

TODAY’S LINEUP

NO EVENTS SCHEDULED

Q&A with new senior associate athletic director Dr. Kristene Kelly

By JAKE PHILHOWER The Dartmouth Staff

On June 25, Dartmouth made a historic decision with the hiring of new senior associate athletics director Dr. Kristene Kelly, the first African American to hold a senior administrative position in the Dartmouth athletics department.

Kelly comes to Dartmouth after spending the past two years as the athletic director at Keene State College and brings with her a passion for sports and high expectations for the various programs. A native of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Kelly comes from a diverse background of professional experiences, having been a member of sports administration teams at both Division II and Division III schools.

After graduating as a member of the Class of 2000 from Johnson C. Smith University, Kelly has played a pivotal role in each of the athletic programs of which she has been a part. She served as an academic counselor and graduate assistant at the University of Tennessee, where she also earned her master’s degree. She served as the sports and information director at Johnson C. Smith for over six and a

The Accidental Fan with Sabena Allen ’20

The Accidental Fan: The Suplex Saga, Episode II — New Japan Strikes Back Every January, New Japan Pro-Wrestling holds the Tokyo Dome Show, Japan’s equivalent of WrestleMania. Now, if anyone is reading this and thinking, “What the hell is WrestleMania?” I totally know where you are coming from.

I basically know nothing about wrestling, as you might have

half years before moving on to sports administration. She then served as the senior associate athletics director at Saint Augustine’s University in North Carolina, supervising the 14-sport program before being hired as the athletic director at Keene State. Under her guidance, Kelly saw the Owls win eight conference championships and advance to eight NCAA postseason tournaments. Kelly has also emphasized the importance of balancing academics with athletic performance for student athletes. In the past two years, during her tenure, almost 200 student-athletes were recognized as All-Academic performers in the Little East Conference. Kelly will assume her new position in Hanover starting August 1.

KK: Wow. Well, first of all, you know when you’re filling a position that was vacated by someone who has been here for 15 years that’s already a lot to come behind anyone who has been here a long period of time. I’m hoping that my energy and my enthusiasm really just ignite the atmosphere at Dartmouth, particularly for student athletes in the sense of them wanting to excel in their sport of choice. I think for me, bringing direct athletic director experience, it’s a little bit of a different perspective having come from historically black colleges and universities where I spent quite a bit of my career, as well as in Division II and being a sitting A.D. in Division III. I think my varied experiences will bode well for Dartmouth.

How does it feel to be a member of the Big Green now?

KK: It’s exciting, it’s a very exciting time. I’m looking forward to August 1 so I can get there and get started.

I’m hoping we will win lots of championships this year.

Where do you see your most immediate role as a part of Dartmouth sports?

What does it mean being the first African American senior athletic administrator at Dartmouth?

KK: I just realized that a couple of weeks ago. Honestly, I didn’t even pay attention to that until someone brought it to my attention. It means a whole lot in the sense of kudos to athletic director Harry Sheehy as well as the executive associate athletic director Brian Austin for recognizing

noticed from the first “episode” of “The Suplex Saga.” I know I mentioned WrestleMania held by World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. in my last column, but I did not explain in detail what it is. Basically, WrestleMania is the WWE’s biggest event. It’s why “The Rock” is called “The Rock,” not Dwayne. Now, you might have heard of WWE in a joke someone made about how crazy professional wrestling can be, or maybe you watch some or all of their shows (and there are a lot of them). Regardless, WWE is the largest professional wrestling program in the world, which is why New Japan’s version at the Tokyo Dome is also a big deal.

While we are addressing terminology, I might as well explain the title of this “Saga.” A “suplex” is when a wrestler picks up his or her opponent and throws the individual over his or her shoulder, using the opponent’s body weight against themselves. Although that sentence reads horribly, the pronouns were necessary because there are a lot of impressive female wrestlers and

they deserve credit. In fact, that takes us back to New Japan. My favorite wrestler is a woman. Her name is Brandi Rhodes and she is married to Ring of Honor and New Japan wrestler Cody Rhodes. Cody used to work for WWE, and when he broke with the organization, it still had rights to the name “Cody Rhodes,” so to get around that, Brandi and Cody come on together and are billed as “Cody and Brandi Rhodes.” They fight dirty and even use Brandi to get the upper hand in some fights. Of course, I am saying all of this having watched very few of their matches, but again, I am an “accidental” fan.

So, aside from their cute team dynamic, Cody is billed in New Japan as “The American Nightmare,” and is more of a “heel,” or villain.

Wrestlers are notorious for playing characters in storylines designed to supplement the fights. Each character even gets his own theme music. The lines are a bit blurrier in Japanese wrestling than in the WWE, but Cody is certainly more of a villainous character. The “heroic”

that there is a very diverse population of student athletes and that their senior administration team should also reflect that level of diversity. I definitely want to say a shoutout to both of them for recognizing that, but then also I realized that me being in this role means that there are so many other young women, particularly African American women, who will be able to stand on my shoulders and recognize that they too can be in a senior level role in a very successful athletics program in the Ivy League. It means a lot to me. Obviously it doesn’t change the way I operate, but I want to do a great job. At the same time, I also recognize that for other young women coming after me, particularly women of color coming after me, it means a lot, so, I’m definitely excited about it, and like I said, kudos to Harry Sheehy and Brian Austin for recognizing that and making a difference.

Are there specific sports that you will be presiding over?

KK: As of right now Brian Austin and I have not had the opportunity to sit down and really hash that out because as you know the entire senior administrative team for the most part wrestlers are “faces” or “babyfaces.”

Again, this dichotomy is emphasized more in American wrestling, but it is a classic distinction across the board. I would go on more about Cody’s career, but it is all a bit hazy and all of the titles and leagues can be confusing for someone who is not a serious fan. Indeed, I think that is part of the reason for why professional wrestling can be so inaccessible. There are a lot of characters, a lot of different shows and so many titles. It’s as extravagant as when they come out with these huge belts and wave them in the air; it can all be a little overwhelming.

Additionally, sometimes with tag team matches there can be multiple teams of wrestlers in the ring at the same time while the goal is to be the last one standing and still in the ring.

Naturally, this is coupled with the fact that the whole show is highly dramatic, which is not everyone’s cup of tea. In a soccer game, for example, you may boo the other team, but they’re never really a literal “heel.” You probably do not need that level of personalization to be

is being reconstructed to a certain extent. With Megan Sobel stepping away and former senior associate director of athletics Drew Galbraith leaving and going to Trinity College, that left two very hefty positions vacant, one being the senior associate for Dartmouth Peak Performance and the other as senior associate for varsity sports. Between the five of us, we will all have sport oversight. I think we’re taking that into consideration since you obviously don’t want one person that is doing all fall sports. You want to look at the fall, winter and spring, and you want to look at gender. Even though I will be serving in the senior woman administrator role, we want to make sure that I’m not only overseeing women’s sports. You want to look at the gender base and then we also want to look at the level of continuity that’s there for different teams. Some programs have seasoned, experienced coaches. Others have newer coaches.

It’s all just trying to have balance between each of us and I anticipate that’s probably the first conversation I’ll be having on August 1.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.

invested, but wrestling is different.

I think being a casual wrestling fan is hard because the entry point is relatively high. Those story arcs can last across events and even years. It is also pretty hard to find comprehensible information about these rivalries without following them on TV and social media, and most people, myself included, do not have the time to follow the entirety of the Bullet Club on Twitter and Instagram as well as keep up with the Young Bucks on YouTube. That being said, it can still be fun just to tune in and watch the drama, although that is made easier when you have a wrestling fan to explain things to you. Due to some circumstances, I no longer have that, so I might just be sticking to “GLOW” in the future. However, if you do feel the need for some wrestling fun, New Japan is a good place to start. For me, it felt less overwhelming than when I had tried to watch WWE because it feels like there are fewer wrestlers and storylines to be confused by. May the suplex be with you.