The Harvard Crimson THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873
|
VOLUME CXLIX, NO. 23 |
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
| THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2022
EDITORIAL PAGE 4
NEWS PAGE 5
SPORTS PAGE 6
When it comes to Title IX, Harvard must be proactive not reactive
Students launch new Buddhist group at Harvard
Women’s tennis suffers back-to-back defeats in Illinois
HMC’s Net-Zero Pledge, Explained Cambridge to Lift Mask Mandate Types of By ERIC YAN and DEKYI T. TSOTSONG
Scope 3 1 Scope
CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS
Greenhouse Gas Emissions*
By KATERINA V. CORR
direct emissions from indirect emissions from company activities all other sources
CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
operational vehicles, furnaces business travel, waste disposal
Scope Scope112 indirect emissions from purchased energy
3 Emissions ope Sc pe 2 Emissi Sco on s Scope 1 Em
electricity, heating, cooling operational vehicles, furnaces
Scope 1
ions iss
On Sept. 9, 2021, Harvard announced it would allow its remaining holdings tied to the fossil fuel industry to expire, effectively divesting its endowment from the sector. The announcement came after a decade of student activism, protests, and even legal complaints and marked a reversal in the stance of University President Lawrence S. Bacow and other administrators, who had long rejected calls for divestment. Over a year earlier, the Harvard Corporation — the University’s highest governing body — directed Harvard Management Company, which oversees the endowment, to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Since then, HMC has released annual climate reports detailing its progress toward the target. In its latest report, HMC announced its internal operations
direct emissions from company activities operational facilities or vehicles
*According to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol
SEE HMC PAGE 3
CAMILLE G. CALDERA—CRIMSON DESIGNER
ambridge will lift its indoor C mask mandate on March 14, the city announced Wednesday. The mask mandate — which applies to restaurants, places of worship, performance venues, and other places “open to members of the public” — originally took effect in September 2021. In an effort to combat the fast-spreading Omicron variant, the mandate was strengthened in January to include common areas in some residential buildings. An amended emergency order released Wednesday by Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale and Public Health Commissioner Assaad J. Sayah extended the most recent version of the indoor mask mandate — previously set to expire on Feb. 27 — to March 13 at 11:59 p.m. The announcement comes as Covid-19 cases are declining rapidly in the greater Boston
area. “Cambridge has seen a steady decrease in reported cases, test positivity, and COVID-19 virus detection in the City’s municipal wastewater monitoring program,” the city’s announcement said. “According to data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 92 percent of residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 76 percent of residents are fully vaccinated, and 45 percent have received a booster dose,” the announcement continued. After the mandate is lifted, businesses may continue to require that patrons wear masks inside their establishment, the announcement said. Mask requirements for visitors and employees inside municipal buildings will continue through March 27. Cambridge Public Schools has not yet announced any changes to its mask mandate,
SEE MASKS PAGE 5
Citizens’ Assembly Faces Questions From UC Members By MERT GEYIKTEPE CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS
he Citizens’ Assembly — an T unelected body tasked with drafting a new constitution for Harvard College’s student government — is facing questions over its structure. The body is the brainchild of Undergraduate Council President Michael Y. Cheng ’22, who was elected on a pledge to defund the UC and rewrite its constitution. The Citizens’ Assembly is composed of 30 randomly-selected students, five of whom are in the UC. The body’s meetings are not open to the public. Some general UC members have raised questions over the body’s structure. In an interview earlier this month, Dunster Representative Samuel H. Taylor ’24 said there has been minimal communication with general members about the Citizens’ Assembly’s
process. “I can’t really say an awful lot about the constitutional convention, because I never really know what’s going on inside it, and no one does,” Taylor said. “I don’t think the solution is to shut the doors and have 30 people who are quote, unquote ‘randomly selected’ to discuss this without any participation whatsoever from the UC institution.” At Tuesday’s UC meeting, Lowell House Representative LyLena D. Estabine ’24, a Citizens’ Assembly member, updated general UC members on the body’s progress. UC representatives questioned the assembly’s decision to close its meetings to the public, its level of communication with the general body, and its representativeness. Cheng said in an interview the private process is intended to facilitate open conversation. “There’s a level of trust that they can make arguments, say-
ing things that might not initially seem popular,” he said. “You kind of need a blank slate. You don’t need a bunch of UC people staring people down, intimidating members of the student body.” The Citizens’ Assembly plans to publicize its first draft at its next meeting, per Cheng. At Tuesday’s meeting, Estabine said the body “could definitely consider” opening its meetings to the public in the future. The 30 Citizens’ Assembly members were randomly selected from a lottery, using a sorting algorithm in consultation with Ariel D. Procaccia, a computer science professor at Harvard, according to Cheng. Though 30 members were selected, the body has suffered from a drop in attendance. According to Cheng, 22 members attended the body’s first meeting, but attendance has fallen
SEE UC PAGE 5
Lowell House Representative LyLena D. Estabine ’24 answers questions about the Citizens’ Assembly at an meeting of the Undergraduate Council on Tuesday. J. SELLERS HILL—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
Former Colombian President Speaks at IOP Transfer Students Talk About Experiences
By MILES J. HERSZENHORN CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos welcomed his country’s recent move to decriminalize abortion in his first public remarks since the ruling at a Harvard Institute of Politics forum on Wednesday. Colombia’s Constitutional Court released a historic decision on Monday that decriminalized abortions during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, following in the footsteps of Mexico and Argentina. Previously, abortion was only allowed in Colombia under very specific circumstances, and receiving an illegal abortion was punishable by several years in prison. Santos called the court’s ruling “very controversial,” but said he supported the move. “I agree with what the Constitutional Court did in Colombia, expanding the weeks where abortion is allowed,” Santos said. “I think it was a correct move, and I support it.” “If you ask me, I think they did the right thing,” he added. In an interview before the event, Santos declined to
By RAHEM D. HAMID and NIA L. ORAKWUE
SEE SANTOS PAGE 5 INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Harvard Today 2
CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS
Former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos discussed democratic structural change and climate change with HKS Assistant Professor Yanilda María González. MILES J. HERSZENHORN—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
News 3
Editorial 4
Sports 6
TODAY’S FORECAST
With Harvard College’s March 1 transfer deadline rapidly approaching, current Harvard students who transferred to Harvard over the past few years are looking back on their own application experiences. Harvard only accepts around 12 transfer students each year, according to the Harvard College admissions website, which notes that the admissions committee looks for three main things in transfer applicants: a “clearly defined academic need” for transferring, a strong academic record at the applicant’s current school, and strong faculty recommendations. Although the College’s standard admissions cycle had a 3.4 percent acceptance rate for the class of 2025, the transfer student acceptance rate has in the past hovered around 1 percent — in 2012, for instance, the College accepted 15 transfer students from an applicant pool of 1,448 applicants, according to a Crimson published that summer.
RAINY High: 33 Low: 27
Samuel K. Meyerson ’22 said he did not find the Harvard transfer admissions process to be much different than the applications of other schools. “I think that the transfer admissions process is basically the same thing as the initial college process,” Meyerson said, “with a few more essays, and you get college professors to write the recs instead of high school teachers.” Anna C. Clark ’23, who began her sophomore year at Harvard remotely after transferring, said she believed the emphasis in the transfer process is more academic than holistic. “In high school, they always told me, ‘they want to know who you are as a person,’” she said. “Whereas when I was applying to transfer, I had much more of the impression that they wanted to know who you were as a student, rather than as a person.” Meyerson, who transferred from Williams College in 2019, said he decided to transfer because he was interested in more “niche” subjects for which a
SEE TRANSFER PAGE 3
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THE HARVARD CRIMSON |
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
PAGE 2
HARVARD TODAY
For Lunch Pork Sausage Sub Garlic Roasted Chicken Beyond Sausage
For Dinner Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry Teriyaki Chicken Vegetable Potsickers
TODAY’S EVENTS Winterfest 12 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
IN THE REAL WORLD
Still reeling from the drop in temperature? Check out WinterFest in the Science Center Plaza for fun games, activities, and food!
Russia Attacks Ukraine
Explosions were reported across Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “military operation” in the country Thursday, sparking condemnation by world leaders. Ukraine’s foreign minister implored the United Nations to stop the invasion, accusing Russia of starting a war. Ukraine had declared a 30-day state of emergency earlier Thursday.
Culture Lab Virtual Open House 12 p.m. Have a great idea about fostering culture at Harvard? The Culture Lab awards grants for just this, so join the open house to learn more. Register online to check it out!
New Study Reveals Life Might Actually Flash Before Eyes Upon Death
People walk in front of Lamont Library on a sunny day in December. JULIAN J. JIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
Building Political Momentum: Georgia Case Study with Christine Chen 5 p.m. Interested in learning more about building political momentum with Georgia as a case study? Attend IOP Resident Fellow Christine Chen’s study group to learn all about it.
AROUND THE IVIES
During a study of the neurological effects of epilepsy, the patient died of a heart attack, granting scientists an accidental look into what the brain experiences during death. Scientists witnessed the patient’s brain waves follow the same pattern as recalling memories.
New England’s Record-Breaking Temperatures
YALE: Yale Law School goes tuition-free for students with greatest need —THE YALE DAILY NEWS
COLUMBIA: Jeffrey Lieberman suspended from academic and clinical roles following racist tweet —THE COLUMBIA SPECTATOR
Wednesday’s temperatures across New England reached record-breaking highs, with Boston nearing 70℉. Spring isn’t set to last for long though, with an anticipated snowstorm coming on Thursday night.
PRINCETON: Miami Dolphins sign former Princeton football star John Lovett —THE DAILY PRINCETONIAN
PENN: Penn lifts double-masking requirement as COVID-19 cases continue to decline —THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN
COVID UPDATES
LAST 7 DAYS CURRENTLY
CAMPUS
99
In Isolation
171 0.58% Total New Cases
Positivity Rate
LAST 7 DAYS
CAMBRIDGE
271 1.04% 76%
Total New Cases
Positivity Rate
Fully Vaccinated
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY Percy Bridgman Bans Fascists in Fiery Manifesto
Percy W. Bridgman ‘04, Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, publicly denounced fascists in “‘The Manifesto’ by a Physicist” in the journal Science. He wrote that he would bar citizens of fascist countries from visiting his lab. February 24, 1939
Radcliffe Now Drinks Skim Milk After Students Protested Calories
Radcliffe’s dining halls will now offer skim milk after the student-led Cliff Food Committee demanded the lowercalorie milk option. Marjorie Russ, the Radcliffe dietitian, said that while skim milk has less calories than regular milk, it also lacks Vitamin A. January 24, 1955
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873
The Harvard Crimson Raquel Coronell Uribe ’22-’23 Associate Managing Editors President Kelsey J. Griffin ’23 Taylor C. Peterman ’23-’24 Jasper G. Goodman ’23 Managing Editor Associate Business Managers Amy X. Zhou ’23 Taia M.Y. Cheng ’23-’24 Business Manager Isabelle L. Guillaume ’24
STAFF FOR THIS ISSUE Arts Chairs Sofia Andrade ’23-’24 Jaden S. Thompson ’23
Design Chairs Yuen Ting Chow ’23 Madison A. Shirazi ’23-’24
Magazine Chairs Maliya V. Ellis ’23-’24 Sophia S. Liang ’23
Multimedia Chairs Aiyana G. White ’23 Pei Chao Zhuo ’23
Blog Chairs Ellen S. Deng ’23-’24 Janani Sekar ’23-’24
Technology Chairs Ziyong Cui ’24 Justin Y. Ye ’24
Editorial Chairs Guillermo S. Hava ’23-24 Orlee G.S. Marini-Rapoport ’23-24 Sports Chairs Alexandra N. Wilson ’23-’24 Griffin H. Wong ’24
Copyright 2022, The Harvard Crimson (USPS 236-560). No articles, editorials, cartoons or any part thereof appearing in The Crimson may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the President. The Associated Press holds the right to reprint any materials published in The Crimson. The Crimson is a non-profit, independent corporation, founded in 1873 and incorporated in 1967. Second-class postage paid in Boston, Massachusetts. Published Monday through Friday except holidays and during vacations, three times weekly during reading and exam periods by The Harvard Crimson Inc., 14 Plympton St., Cambridge, Mass. 02138 Weather icons made by Freepik, Yannick, Situ Herrera, OCHA, SimpleIcon, Catalin Fertu from flaticon.com is licensed by CC BY 3.0.
Night Editor Hannah J. Martinez ’23
Design Editors Camille G. Caldera ’22
Assistant Night Editors Miles J. Herszenhorn ’25 Claire Yuan ’25
Photo Editor Aiyana G. White ’23
Story Editors Jasper G. Goodman ’23 Kelsey J. Griffin ’23 Natalie L. Kahn ’23 Taylor C. Peterman ’23-’24
Editorial Editor Orlee G.S. Marini-Rapoport ’23-’24 Sports Editor Elizabeth K. Pachus ’22-’23
CORRECTIONS The Feb. 23 story “UC Meeting Slowed by Lack of Quorum” incorrectly stated the Harvard Undergruate Council passed just two bills at its Tuesday meeting. In fact, it passed three pieces of legislation. The Feb. 23 story “UC Meeting Slowed by Lack of Quorum” also incorrectly stated the Undergruate Council failed to reach a quorum until an hour and a half into its Tuesday meeting. In fact, it failed to maintain a quorum throughout the meeting after initially starting with one, subsequently falling below the threshold, and then regaining a quorum when members rejoined. The Feb. 23 story “UC Meeting Slowed by Lack of Quorum” also incorrectly stated 29 Undergruate Council members attended Tuesday’s meeting. In fact, 34 members attended the meeting, including five who were only present for portions of the assembly.
PAGE 3
THE HARVARD CRIMSON |
HMC FROM PAGE 1
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
TRANSFER FROM PAGE 1
HMC’s Net Zero Pledge, Explained Transfer Students Adjust to Harvard
will achieve net-zero emissions for fiscal year 2022 and that its investments in “climate solutions” are approaching one percent of the endowment. The company’s emissions pledge is consistent with a growing trend in finance to consider environmental, social, and corporate governance — or ESG — factors in their investment and business practices. As HMC continues to work toward achieving its pledge, climate and financial experts weighed in on the challenges the company faces, including difficulties obtaining data on and measuring the emissions of its partners.
Measuring an Endowment’s Footprint The Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the most common international standard for emissions accounting, separates measurements of greenhouse gas emissions into three categories: Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3. Scope 1 calculates a company’s direct greenhouse gas emissions from sources under its control, such as operational vehicles or furnaces. Purchased electricity, heat, and steam make up a company’s Scope 2 emissions, while all other indirect emissions sources — such as business travel and waste disposal — fall under Scope 3. HMC committed to measuring and eliminating the Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions of its internal operations beginning in fiscal year 2022. But it has not clarified which scope or scopes of emissions it uses to report and set targets for the endowment’s footprint. Aaron S. Yoon, a professor of accounting at Northwestern University, said that in determining which emissions to account for, HMC should “be mindful” that companies in its portfolio could report smaller environmental footprints by “pushing their emissions down the supply chain.” Galina Hale, an economics professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, said for many companies, reporting Scope 3 emissions is “what matters most,” but added that such disclosures were “difficult” to estimate and “hard to verify.” Patrick S. McKiernan, a spokesperson for HMC, wrote in an email that the company has ongoing efforts to clarify a process for measuring its emissions. “HMC continues to work with our external managers and third-party experts to address the challenges of data access and develop a consensus methodology for calculating emissions,” he wrote.
New York University finance professor David L. Yermack ’85 said HMC’s statements on their efforts to obtain accurate emissions data are “not much of a promise.” He said HMC could be more proactive in ensuring its partnered asset managers provide data. “They could be much more exclusionary and just say we won’t invest in any company that doesn’t have a robust set of audited numbers,” said Yermack, a former Crimson managing editor. Yermack also said he was “skeptical” of the accuracy of emissions estimates from non-traditional investments such as private equity and venture capital, arguing that measuring climate emissions is “the last thing in the world” startup technology companies are concerned about. “You’re talking about a big vacant space — a black hole of information — where the University wouldn’t know one way or the other because the companies themselves probably don’t know,” Yermack said. Yoon called for HMC to be “much more specific” in its annual climate reports and to provide “actual data” beyond simply case studies. “It’s that sort of goal and clear disclosure that helps us understand as stakeholders of Harvard what they’re doing with our endowment money,” said Yoon, a Business School alum. Offsetting and Cutting Emissions Despite HMC’s pledge to achieve net-zero emissions tied to its endowment, it remains unclear whether the purchase of carbon offsets will play a role. Offsets, which are reductions in greenhouse gasses in one place to counter emissions elsewhere, allow an investment portfolio to appear neutral despite continuing to emit greenhouse gasses. Bruce M. Usher, a professor at Columbia Business School, wrote that it is “nearly impossible” for a company to achieve net-zero emissions “without some use of offsets.” Yoon said that HMC should put offsets “at the top of their agenda” in conversations with their asset managers. He called for HMC to be “aggressive” in asking whether companies in its portfolio are relying on offsets to achieve emissions targets and for information on the nature of the offsets used. Hale also warned that related “social factors” need to be accounted for in measuring the integrity of offsets purchased.
“We can plant trees to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, but to plant the trees, you need the land,” Hale said. “An important social issue there is to make sure it does not result in expropriating land from the most disadvantaged populations.” HMC’s latest climate report also indicated that engagement with asset managers and owners marks a vital step in the company’s plan for reaching its net-zero goal. “Through our engagement efforts we seek to improve climate transparency and governance, promote real economy emissions reduction, and support a just transition,” the report reads. The report pointed to an increase in shareholder engagement on climate issues, with the number of climate-related proposals submitted by shareholders jumping to 84 during the 2021 proxy season, up from 53 in 2020. Laura Devenney, an analyst at asset management firm Boston Trust Walden, called the increase in shareholder concern regarding climate change “significant,” even though the proposals are not legally binding. “If 60 or 80 percent of your shareholders are telling a company that you need to address a climate-related issue, it’s important the company take notice,” Devenney said. Harvard’s Potential Impact
Connor P. Chung ’23, an organizer for Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard, said the University’s decision to allow its remaining investments tied to fossil fuels to run off aligned its endowment “with its moral, financial, and legal duties to act on climate.” “Harvard has an immense opportunity to lead our environment, and investment practices are one key way in which we all hope this plays out,” he said. But others believe that individual institutions have a limited ability to mitigate the effects of climate change. Harvard geology professor Daniel P. Schrag — who served on former President Barack Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology — criticized the school’s focus on the size of its own carbon footprint, rather than the scale of global emissions. “One of my frustrations has been that historically, Harvard has put more money into worrying about its own sustainability, which, to me, is mostly well-intentioned public relations,” he said. Yermack said that attempts by shareholders to influence
company practices are “mostly symbolic” and encouraging emissions reduction should be a governmental responsibility. “The best thing to do would be to be pressing through the political system for tighter regulation of the industry,” he said. Yermack also said he believes universities will be more influential on climate issues by conducting research, funding grants, and granting tenure to professors who teach about the environment. “Harvard’s comparative advantage is doing research and getting smart people to work on important issues,” he said. “That kind of thing is gonna be much more effective than getting the endowment to make an open-ended pledge to do something by the year 2050.” Schrag stated that Harvard’s current pledge is “not a very effective path.” Instead, he said, Harvard should focus its efforts toward educating students about climate change. University spokesperson Jason A. Newton declined to comment. Profits and Responsibility Some experts argue HMC needs to weigh whether it would be willing to sacrifice profit to invest in climate change mitigation efforts. Harvard economics professor Oliver D. Hart said investments that benefit the environment may not financially benefit HMC’s portfolio. “It would defy the laws of gravity to say that all the things on each of the ESG dimensions — which many people think are desirable themselves — that all of them go together with more profit,” Hart said. Hale disputed the claim that ESG investment practices may harm profits, but added that she believes Harvard has a duty to stakeholders — especially students — to accept slightly lower returns if necessary. “The future of this planet is in the interest of this important and large group of stakeholders,” she said. “If you take into account the other interests of stakeholders, like lower warming and reaching the net-zero goals and better future better health, then I think it’s still a sound investment.” Addressing climate change through investment strategies nonetheless remains a contested strategy. “It’s a tiny fraction compared to the impact we have in our classrooms and our influence in the world through our expertise,” Schrag said. eric.yan@thecrimson.com dekyi.tsotsong@thecrimson.com
smaller liberal arts school like Williams would have fewer resources. “I was really interested in German history, and also in the Israel-Palestine conflict,” Meyerson said. “They’re kind of nichey things that I was more able to explore at Harvard at a higher level,” he said. After receiving their acceptances, some transfer students said they still found the adjustment difficult. Alexander J. Walsh ’22, who started at Harvard as a sophomore in 2019, said the adjustment to college life at Harvard was “tricky” without the same resources often available to freshmen to help them adjust to college. “We don’t get to experience a lot of things freshmen get to experience,” Walsh said. “We don’t have freshman seminars, we don’t have blocking groups when we move into houses,” he added. Several students also explained that credits from their former institutions do not always transfer over to Harvard smoothly. Brittany J. Rosendaul ’22 said she was surprised by the concentration requirements for some departments at the College, specifically regarding joint concentrations.
“If you’re a Psych student, you can’t joint concentrate, which was one of the few things that truly — once I was accepted — blindsided me,” Rosendaul said. Rosendaul said she found it challenging that her science and general education requirements credits did not all necessarily transfer. Meyerson said not all of his credits transferred over because Harvard grants transfer credits in “semester units” rather than “individual course units,” meaning Harvard will not accept any credits from a semester that does not have the requisite 16 credits. As a result, one of his semesters with only three classes did not transfer at all, meaning he started Harvard as a second-semester sophomore rather than a first-semester junior. Despite potential academic or social challenges, or even having to start Harvard on Zoom, Clark said she does not regret her decision. “Transferring to Harvard is hands down the best decision I’ve ever made,” Clark said. “Being in Harvard at home, on Zoom, I was happier than I was at my old school in person,” she said. rahem.hamid@thecrimson.com nia.orakwue@thecrimson.com
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THE HARVARD CRIMSON |
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
PAGE 4
EDITORIAL THE CRIMSON EDITORIAL BOARD
COLUMN
Title IX in Crisis Times
“Junie B. Jones” and the Stupid Smelly Stifling
The folly of publishing that letter has become obvious, but a deeper question remains: What should they have done instead?
E
arlier this month, 38 Harvard faculty signed an open letter defending John L. Comaroff, a colleague accused of serial sexual harassment. Their letter, they say, was motivated by procedural concerns: questions about the norms of faculty behavior and the institutional process that led to sanctions against Comaroff. The folly of publishing that letter has become obvious, but a deeper question remains: What should they have done instead? If faculty have concerns about the Title IX process, how can they possibly engage productively when the details of any given Title IX proceeding are confidential? The 38 signers ran headlong into this problem. There were firm limits on how full a view of the situation they could have gained. This lack of factual grounding doesn’t just help form misguided opinions. It means that the bulk of public dialogue on Title IX issues at Harvard is constrained by fighting over the particulars of individual cases. Debate centers on dates, places, and names, the offenses alleged and the appropriate punishment for the accused party. These are all important details to get right, but a public forum will never be up to that task so long as it is constrained by confidentiality.
The solution is for the University community to talk about sexual harassment regularly, not just in moments of crisis. By debating the form of proceedings in the abstract, we can make progress unconstrained by uncertainty on the details of a particular case. Just as important, we can make that progress without running roughshod over the real people involved in any particular case.
We must be proactive, not reactive. The open letter signatories seem belatedly to have recognized the harm their letter caused to Comaroff’s accusers and to future victims who may think twice before coming forward. Thirty-five of the 38 retracted their signatures after the filing of a lawsuit detailing the complainants’ allegations, suggesting two possibilities. Perhaps each of these extraordinarily prominent Harvard professors, crafting a statement with self-evidently high stakes, was exceedingly careless in assessing the limitations of the information available to them from which to draw conclusions. Or perhaps some haven’t tru-
ly changed their minds but have merely backed down in fear of public backlash. Either cause — carelessness or cowardice — erodes students’ confidence in their professors. Rebuilding that trust will not be easy, and it reinforces the need for a better way of discussing the issue of sexual harassment on campus. Luckily, there is one. All we have to do is break out of the crisis-reaction framing that has dominated campus discourse for too long. We must debate the details of just and equitable arbitration before the next allegations, not only in the throes of a particular incident.We must discuss the boundaries of permissible faculty behavior before norms are violated, not only in the depths of Title IX-imposed confidentiality. We must be proactive, not reactive. This staff editorial solely represents the majority view of The Crimson Editorial Board. It is the product of discussions at regular Editorial Board meetings. In order to ensure the impartiality of our journalism, Crimson editors who choose to opine and vote at these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on similar topics.
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Nour L. Khachemoune NOSTALGIA: WHAT’S IT HIDING?
M
y name is Junie B. Jones. The B stands for Beatrice. Except I don’t like Beatrice. I just like B and that’s all.” Is there any opener that captures Junie B. Jones’s spirit better than her own iconic introduction? She may be five years old, in kindergarten, and originally set in 1992, but her personality transcends these barriers. Beyond the matter-of-fact use of her middle initial, her stories are most notable for her technically “incorrect” way of speaking, as she peppers her sentences liberally with words such as “runned” and “bestest.” Her creator, Barbara Park, has often been criticized for this, with some suggesting that this may teach children to speak incorrectly. To me, the way Junie B. Jones expresses herself is not only unharmful, but perhaps can teach even us adults the greatest lessons of all. In “Junie B. Jones and her Big Fat Mouth,” she continues describing her world in her infamously blunt way, saying “I go to kindergarten. My room is named Room Nine. There are lots of rules in that place.” Clearly, she is aware of what’s going on. The adults in “that place” and her life as a whole frequently correct her grammar and even look down upon the way she refers to her classroom as being “named.” However, she never allows adults to crush her spirit, determinedly referring to her teacher as “Mrs. and that’s all,” as if she has no time for full names or other expectations for speech. She refuses to allow her world to be constrained, resisting the often frivolous expectations of adults in a daring manner even other adults may not have.
Junie B. is intentionally characterized by her misbehavior, and we soak it in like a guilty pleasure.
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OP-ED
The Dialectics of the Black Harvard Woman By MARIAH M. NORMAN
D
ialectics (di-uh-lektiks). Noun. The first time I saw this word, nestled under week three of the syllabus for one of my courses last semester, I was confused — a state I’ve frequently found myself in during my first year at Harvard College. According to Google, dialectics is defined as “the art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions,” with a secondary definition being the “inquiry into metaphysical contradictions and their solutions.” Two vastly different entities that are inextricably linked in constant conflict, but ultimately coexist to form a single truth. The paradoxical nature of the term immediately captured my attention. For days, despite my best efforts, my mind inevitably wandered back to the concept of dialectics. It felt incredibly close to home. In many ways, my mere existence as Black woman at Harvard is a constant game of dialectics. As an ambitious high schooler, Harvard was a thing of fairy tales. Its elusive prestige filled my mind with visions of old white men in suits huddled around dark rooms and smoking cigars as they plotted the future of civilization. Meanwhile, I was sitting on the living room floor and bumping SZA as my sister carefully unraveled my braids. Harvard seemed unlike anything that could possibly exist in the same universe as mine. Then, in December of 2020, I was accepted — and my mind refused to comprehend it. For years, I’d placed this institution on an unattainable pedestal from which it looked down on almost everything else, myself included. I felt unworthy of my place, unsure of how I could possibly fit in with the Ivy League culture that was soon to surround me.
Nevertheless, August came around and I labored through the grueling course registration process. Determined to embrace the spirit of exploration for my first year, I’d even decided as a diehard humanities student to take a science course — an intriguing blend of primatology and linguistics. Every Monday and Wednesday at 3 p.m., I took a rickety vintage elevator up to the fifth floor of the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology and had fun discussions about whether monkeys could talk. But one day, while mindlessly browsing through The Crimson’s website, I stumbled upon an article from earlier in the year about the discovery of possible remains of enslaved people on campus — and the story’s cover photo made my stomach drop. Staring unabashedly back at me from my laptop screen was the very same building I scanned into twice a week. The red brick no longer seemed rustically charming, but stained with the blood of my ancestors. Never again could I enjoy my novel vintage elevator rides without the eerie curiosity looming over me that somewhere along the way, I was passing the displaced remains of my ancestors — subjugated in life, and still not guaranteed peace and rest in death. Moments like these serve as a constant reminder of my standing as an alien to this planet of unequivocal whiteness. I am a descendant of slaves taking a class in the building of a historically white institution that houses the possible remains of 15 individuals of African descent who were likely alive during American slavery. My college experience will perpetually be shaped by these terrors of the past, as well as the need to grapple with my own complicity in the present. As a generationally African American wom-
an, my familial history has always been a giant question mark. Centuries ago, my ancestors were ripped from their homelands and separated around the country during chattel slavery; today, I am forced to reckon with the gaping hole that this has left in my soul. Even so, I exist at a university that can readily access its own history — yet chooses not to prioritize its accurate retelling and reconciliation. Or the history of the people that suffered at its expense. Parallel narratives, trapped in neverending conflict on opposite ends of a single orbit. A dialectic masterpiece, and my current nightmarish reality. Each of these two narratives at Harvard — Black womanhood and white supremacy — must occur in tandem with one another. In order to capture the full truth of this University, we must grapple with the fact that both whiteness and patriarchy are violently and inextricably linked with its history. Harvard must realize that the knowledge of one’s history is a sacred, often underappreciated privilege that must be wielded with appropriate reverence. Therefore, to be a Black woman at Harvard is to exist as a walking paradox: A living, breathing revolution. The dialectics of my existence — and that of every other Black woman at this institution — means forming a vibrant community of love and resilience amidst the generations of hatred stacked against us, and boldly demanding the uplifting of our truth within a veritas that was never intended to include us in the first place. —Mariah M. Norman ’25 lives in Thayer Hall. This piece is a part of a focus on Black authors and experiences for Black History Month.
Junie B. defines certain terms for us as well. “Punishment is the school word for sitting at a big table all by yourself,” she notes after she receives it for speaking out of turn, revealing how she may not understand the reasoning behind the forced isolation. The adults around her frequently fail to explain what makes her behavior bad, leading her to believe that punishment is sitting alone for the sake of it. Similarly, she explains that “grounded, young lady” is when she has to “stay on her own ground,” but she cheekily reminds us, “plus also I can go on the rug.” Most egregiously, she even notes the rote memorization and recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in schools, complaining that she doesn’t “know what that dumb story is even talking about.” She must obediently offer allegiance to her country without understanding a word of it. Her humorous witticisms explain how she sees the reprimands she faces, but also point out a trend in the way children are expected to behave—according to the “rules”—while being left in the dark about the reasoning behind such expectations. Junie B. is intentionally characterized by her misbehavior, and we soak it in like a guilty pleasure. When I mention Junie B. Jones to others, without fail, they adopt a wistful expression that isn’t inspired by mentions of other childhood classics. The series is targeted at readers in grades one through three, readers who are older than Junie B. herself already. The initial draw for these readers is a nostalgia for being able to get away with her behavior. Even first graders think of themselves as much older and more in touch with the world compared to kindergartners. They have begun to learn which aspects of their personality and natural instincts they must stifle to fit into the expectations set for them at school. Above all, Junie B. is repeatedly told to act like a lady and not to question the rules she finds unfair. When she dresses up as the school janitor for career day, she is laughed at by her parents and classmates alike because her interests deviate from the norm. The very concept of career day and children being urged to center their lives on work from a young age is problematic on its own, discouraging goals in life outside of work. While the other children speak of being a “rich artist” or even a CEO, Junie B. turns her focus away from money and towards what genuinely interests her about janitors: the way they help the school. In class, “Mrs.” frequently admonishes Junie B. to control herself better, reminding her that “we’ve talked about this before” at every turn. The young readers experiencing Junie B.’s story for the first time may smirk at how little she understands about how to behave, as they have learned so much more about the arbitrary expectations set for them. It doesn’t have to be that way. We don’t have to envy Junie B. because she reminds us of a simpler age of life, when we too could be completely true to ourselves and challenge the often nonsense rules adults expect us to obey. We can learn from her instead, and encourage children and adults alike to be deliberate in everything we do and speak our minds. In her 17th book, she proudly notes that she has improved her grammar and visits the principal’s office less frequently compared to the earliest books. These improvements can hardly be criticized, but in turn, she loses some of her spirit. Perhaps the true issue lies in what kinds of rules we have in “that place.” —Nour L. Khachemoune ’22-’23 is a joint concentrator in Chemistry and Anthropology in Dunster House. Her column “Nostalgia: What’s it Hiding?” appears on alternate Thursdays.
PAGE 5
THE HARVARD CRIMSON |
Students Launch Buddhist Group By ROHAN RAJEEV CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
uddhist students on campus B have a new place they can call home: Harvard Maarga. Zehan Zhou ’22 and Suneragiri Liyanage ’24, co-presidents of Maarga, led the charge to revitalize a Buddhist space on campus beginning in October 2021. The organization received official recognition from the Undergraduate Council last month. Zhou said he grew up in a Buddhist family and was looking to further engage with his religious roots at Harvard, but found no such group during his first three years at the College. “There’s a graduate students
Buddhist organization, but a lot of the topics that they were talking about, quite frankly, didn’t really resonate with my experiences,” he said. Liyanage also grew up in a Buddhist family. He said his upbringing in Sri Lanka shaped what he wanted out of a Buddhist group on campus. “I was severely disappointed to come here and say, ‘Okay, there are no Buddhists around to speak to,’” he said Harvard Dharma, a Hindu student association, assisted Zhou and Liyanage through the club registration process. Zhou said many shared traditions and beliefs across Hinduism and Buddhism allowed for collaboration between the
groups. “With their generosity, we both share the same prayer space because most of the deities in Buddhism are the same deities they have in Hinduism,” Zhou said. Khin-Kyemon Aung ’14, a tutor in Dunster House, also provided guidance as Zhou and Liyanage started the organization. “When I was a student, I would have loved to be part of an organization like this — to get to meet other people from all different parts of the world to find Buddhism a source of strength and a source of comfort,” she said. Maarga has hosted numerous events throughout the se-
mester, in spite of campus Covid restrictions — including ones centered around calligraphy, lantern-making, and meditation. The group also plans to hold outdoor events, including ice skating, in the future. “We’ve tried to turn it into more of an advantage and less of a disadvantage,” Liyanage said of the Covid restrictions. Liyanage said the founders’ main vision is “making a space for critical discussion.” “The most important part is we just want a space where we can share our upbringings, and where we can participate in a community get-together,” Zhou said. rohan.rajeev@thecrimson.com
FEBRUARY 24, 2022
MASKS FROM PAGE 1
Cambridge to Lift Mask Mandate but officials previously said the school system will align its policies with the city’s. “At this time, we have not made any changes to our mask protocols and our current requirements will remain in effect following the February break. Looking ahead, we will align any changes with those the city makes,” CPS Superintendent Victoria L. Greer wrote in an announcement to public school families on Feb. 18. As of March 14, Cambridge’s mask guidance will match that of the Massachusetts Depart-
ment of Public Health, which no longer recommends that fully-vaccinated individuals wear masks indoors. However, the state health department continues to require that both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents wear masks in transportation, healthcare, and “congregate care” settings. The MDPH also recommends continued indoor masking for vaccinated individuals who are immunocompromised or at high risk or live with those who are. katerina.corr@thecrimson.com
UC FROM PAGE 1
SANTOS FROM PAGE 1
Citizens’ Assembly Faces Questions
Former Colombian President Speaks at IOP
t o roughly 16 to 20 members at subsequent meetings. Citizens’ Assembly member Juan I. Pedraza Arellano ’25, who stopped attending meetings after the second week, raised concerns about the representativeness of the body. “One of the things that I noticed was that a lot of the students in the Citizens’ Assembly are white,” Arellano said. “The racial makeup of it is also not super representative of the students and I really feel like there should be a lot more voices of people of color.” Roughly 100 students completed a series of demographic questions in order to enter the lottery. According to Cheng, the original body was 12 percent Black or African American, 43 percent white, 23 percent His-
panic, and 26 percent Asian or Asian American. “It’s not perfect given that certain volunteers dropped out, but things like gender, ethnicity [are] representative broadly of the College,” he said. Still, Cheng said he is hopeful the Citizens’ Assembly will produce change. “If you looked up the contrast between a UC meeting where everyone is fighting, thinking about how they can maximize their own advantage, and then the Citizens’ Assembly meeting where people had real disagreements that they talked about,” Cheng said. “The difference between a UC team meeting and a Citizens’ Assembly meeting is night and day.” mert.geyiktepe@thecrimson.com
event, Santos declined to explicitly give his support for further legalizing abortion rights. “We are a very conservative society and conservative country,” he said. “I think this gradualism is a correct way to proceed.” Santos said he believes this is part of a global trend toward abortion legalization. “Eventually, I think all the countries are moving in that direction,” he said. “We have to measure the convenience of doing things at the correct pace.” Santos, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016, was greeted by a packed house at the forum, where he was joined by Kennedy School professor Yanilda María González. In addition to the decriminalization of abortion, they discussed climate change and challenges facing democracy in the United States and Latin
America. At the forum, Santos also explained how the impact of the pandemic on countries’ economies has made it more difficult to transition to green energy. He noted that Colombia’s primary export is oil, and the country is also a major exporter of coal.
I agree with what the Constitutional Court did in Colombia, expanding the weeks where abortion is allowed. Juan Manuel Santos Former Colombian President
“We go and we promised in Glasgow that we are going to do
Harvard, 24/7.
The Crimson thecrimson.com
many things,” he said, referring to the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in the fall. “But we go back, or the government goes back, and does exactly the opposite because of the lack of political capacity to take the decisions that are many times difficult to take.” Santos said Latin America has an “extremely important” role to play in combating climate change because of its ecosystems and biodiversity, but political issues have prevented the region from doing more. “We are a fundamental part of this challenge to make this world a cleaner world and environmentally sustainable world,” Santos said. “But unfortunately, the political situation and the democracy is making that possibility more and more difficult.” Santos also addressed the United States’ deteriorating
standing on the world stage, saying that the U.S. is failing to lead in the Americas. “All of the countries south of Rio Grande had great expectations with the Biden administration,” he said. “But because of internal political problems in the U.S., the Biden administration has done almost nothing with the Latin American countries.” Recent political scandals in the United States have had a strong effect on Latin America, according to Santos. He pointed to the Capitol insurrection last January as an event that could inspire other attacks on the legitimacy of democratic processes. “Nobody really thinks that the U.S. can exercise the type of leadership that should be present,” Santos said. miles.herszenhorn@thecrimson.com
SPORTS
WEEKLY RECAP
SCORES
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. NJIT W, 3-1 ___________________________________________________________
MEN’S SQUASH VS. NO. 1 UPENN W, 5-4 ___________________________________________________________
WOMEN’S LACROSSE VS. HOLY CROSS W, 13-7 ___________________________________________________________
WOMEN’S TENNIS VS. NORTHWESTERN L, 0-7 ___________________________________________________________
WOMEN’S TENNIS VS. MIAMI (OHIO) L, 3-4 ___________________________________________________________
MEN’S HOCKEY VS. NO.4 QUINNIPIAC W,1-0 ___________________________________________________________
MEN’S TENNIS VS. COLUMBIA W, 4-2 ___________________________________________________________
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Harvard Suffers Back-to-Back Defeats On the Road By CAROLINE G. GAGE CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Harvard fell in two tough matches in Evanston, Ill. over the weekend, with Northwestern delivering a swift 7-0 defeat, and Miami University edging out the Crimson 4-3. The matches bring Harvard’s overall record to 5-4. Northwestern, currently 4-3 for the season, swept the Crimson in both singles, with straight-set victories in every match. Top seed, first-year Maxi Duncan, lost to the Wildcats’ Clarissa Hand in two sets, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, but fought to a tiebreak in the first. The rest of the matches were similarly brutal, with Northwestern’s players making quick work of each win over Harvard. “Coming into it we knew that it was going to be a tough match for us,” said first-year Rachel Arbitman. “I do think that we definitely could have done better in some aspects, but overall it was a good match and learning experience to play a team in the Big 10.” Arbitman played Northwestern’s Sydney Pratt in the third position match. Pratt served a quick 6-0, 6-1 match against Arbitman, who was returning from a shoulder injury. “Last semester I unfortunately was struggling with a shoulder problem, which now unfortunately after the Northwestern match has come up again,” Arbitman explained. “Right now, it’s just going to be a long process of rehab and working back into it and taking some time off.” Doubles play was also a challenge for the Crimson. The single six-game set format meant that Northwestern was able to quickly take the lead in each match. The team of Sydney Pratt and Hannah McColgen for the Wildcats secured an easy 6-1 win over Harvard senior Rachel Lim and sophomore
Sany Gawande. Meanwhile, junior Sophia Ho and sophomore Iveta Daujotaite fell in a decisive 6-2 match against Northwestern’s Briana Crowley and Christina Hand. “We had new partners, and that’s always a little tough,” Arbitman recalled. “We didn’t get to practice with them [before the match] because we had last minute Covid cases and injuries, so we had to overcome that and do the best we could in that situation.” Arbitman played alongside fellow first-year Maxi Duncan in the first position doubles match. The pair fought to 3-5, but the match went unfinished due to their role as the clinch match. Duncan and Arbitman faced the duo of Clarissa Hand and Maria Shusharina. Despite the difficult loss on Sunday, the Crimson stayed optimistic moving into the next day of competition against Miami University. The Redhawks suffered an identical 0-7 beating by Northwestern before facing off against Harvard. “I think we came back even stronger the next day,” Arbitman said. “It’s definitely different to see other D1 teams play, and we fought really hard.” Arbitman was unable to play due to a persisting shoulder injury. Even so, the Crimson put up a fight in both singles and doubles. Each singles match was hard-fought, with Miami eventually winning four of six. Harvard won singles matches in the third and fifth position matches. Sophomore Sany Gawande defeated Miami’s Nishitha Saravanan in a three-set thriller, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2. In a similarly close matchup, sophomore Amy Huang bested Sarah Dev in three sets, 7-6 (7-1), 6-7 (911), 11-9. Huang’s match was incredibly tight, with both players struggling to break ahead through tiebreaks. Two other Harvard players, Lim and Dau-
DOUBLE TROUBLE Harvard’s women doubles compete in the Harvard Invitational tornument on November 7th, 2022. Harvard prevailed in two of three doubles matches, and five of the six singles matches for a strong showing against Boston College. OWEN A. BERGER—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
jotaite, fell in three-set competitions. “I definitely saw so much grit and energy out there,” said Arbitman, who had the opportunity to watch the entirety of the Miami match. “It was so nice to see such an energetic and pumped up team.” The Crimson performed well in doubles despite players
having to adjust to new partners amid struggles with injuries and illness. Duncan and Huang overcame Catherine Denysiewicz-Slowek and Nishitha Saravanan in an easy 6-1 set, while Daujotaite and Gawande beat Sara Zalukar and Emila Valentinsson 6-2. Despite their positive outlook and strong showing at the
match, the Crimson fell 3-4, bringing Miami’s overall record for the season to 5-3. Harvard’s lineup changed for the Miami match following injuries the previous day. “It was a bit tough coming in and playing such [Miami] with so many players out, but we did what we could,” Arbitman explained. “We were very versa-
tile and resilient.” The team will use the time before their next competition to continue working on their games and focusing on staying healthy. The Crimson will face Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., on March 6. caroline.gage@thecrimson.com
WOMEN’S GOLF
First Ever February Match Ends in Nail-Biting Defeat By ERIGNACIO FERMIN PEREZ CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Harvard Women’s Golf opened the 2022 season with a matchup against Charleston Southern University in Charleston, S.C., on Feb. 19.
This season, the Crimson got off to an early start, playing a match in February for the first time in program history.Harvard has been playing indoors since the third week of October, so the match against the Pirates marked the team’s first chance
to show off the improvements it had made over the course of the winter. “We were able to find competition, a match against Charleston Southern, which is weeks earlier than we normally do,” Harvard head coach Kevin
Rhoads said. Seven head-to-head matches were held over the weekend, but, as is standard in NCAA Division I golf, only five would be counted toward the team result. Of those five matches, the Crimson had one win, two draws, and
SWINGING BACK INTO ACTION Senior Chloe Royston makes contact with a golf ball. On Saturday, Royston and the Crimson lost 3-2 in its 2022 season debut in South Carolina. CONNOR F. GRANT—COURTESY OF HARVARD ATHLETICS
two losses in a season-opening defeat. “We were predictably rusty, but that’s how it should be at this time of the year. And this is really just a way for us to start to get our feet under us, outdoors,” said Rhoads, who is in his 18th season coaching Harvard’s women’s team. Rhoads, the New England PGA Teacher of the Year in both 2008 and 2013, also coaches the men’s team, where he is currently in his tenth campaign. Sophomore Isabella Gomez defeated Madison Freeman, 3 and 2. Unfortunately for the Crimson, the native of Bogota, Colombia, would claim Harvard’s only victory in the match. First-year Catie Schernecker tied with CSU opponent Libby Singleton. Likewise, senior Chloe Royston ended all square with the Pirates’ Caroline Engelbredt to claim another halfpoint. With Charleston Southern’s Isabella Friberg landing a critical blow on sophomore Yoona Kim, defeating her 5 and 4, and with each team tied on two points apiece, the season-opening match came down to the final pairing: sophomore Meiyi Yan and the Pirates’ Erica Whitehouse. The battle came all the way down to the 18th green, with Whitehouse barely edging the Windermere, Fla., native, 1 up.Despite the narrow defeat, the Crimson was able to claim some solace in the matches which did not count towards the score, as senior Anina Ku thrashed the Pirates’ Kathryn Thorne, 5 and 3. Harvard lost the other uncounted match, as Charleston Southern’s Shani Brynard was able to edge first-year Katie Dzialga, 2 up. After a strong fall season,
which Harvard concluded on Oct. 16 with a second-place finish out of 12 teams in Delaware’s UD Lady Blue Hen InvitationalRhoads and the Crimson hope to build off its momentum as the spring campaign ramps up . “We had a very successful fall season,” Rhoads said. “We have talent, we have very hard work, and we have a really directed and focused team that’s trying to accomplish some special things together,” Rhoads added. One of those special things would be a victory in the Ivy League Championships, which will take place April 22-24 at The Ridge at Back Brook in Ringoes, N.J. Harvard has been dominant in the conference tournament, earning eight Ancient Eight titles since 2008 . In 2019, the last time the tournament was contested before being canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Harvard not only claimed the team title, but firstyear Elizabeth Wang won the individual championship. Rhoads is confident that this iteration of the Crimson can defend its title. “They have goals in mind. They’re definitely focused on trying their very best to win an Ivy Championship,” he said. “They are focused every day. They are the kind of people that it is just part of what they do, that they just want to keep on working as hard as they can and see how good they can be.” Harvard’s journey to the Ivy League title will resume after another month-long layoff, as the Crimson will play a spring break match against Keiser on March 17 at PGA Regional Estates in West Palm Beach, Fla. erignacio.ferminperez@thecrimson.com