The Harvard Crimson THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873
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VOLUME CXLIX, NO. 9 |
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022
EDITORIAL PAGE 4
SPORTS PAGE 6
SPORTS PAGE 6
In thinking about affirmative action, we must be aware of the big picture
Women’s swim falls to Ivy League rivals
Men’s swim takes fifth consecutive Ivy Dual League title
Grab-and-Go Sparks Concern By CHRISTIE K. CHOI and CARRIE HSU CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS
Harvard students raised concerns about the waste produced by grab-and-go meals in the past two weeks, citing the accumulating trash produced by plastic to-go containers. Dining halls switched to grab-and-go dining for the first two weeks of the semester to avoid high-density indoor gatherings. Grab-and-go meals rely on the use of plastic containers and disposable cutlery, which have been criticized by students. Several students have found grab-and-go meals to pose an inconvenience. Quincy House resident Danielle M. Kelly ’23 said she wishes the dining halls would return to normal operations and discontinue the disposable dishware. “I hate it. I’m miserable,” she said. “It’s so bulky, with disasters like me spilling hot, scalding tea over the whole floor because I’m holding things like an idiot.” Grab-and-go meals have also increased the amount of trash students generate. Administrators in some Houses sent out emails to residents stating that the accumulation of grab-andgo containers in small bins of common spaces has burdened cleaning staff. The emails di-
rected students to drop off their trash at certain disposal sites. Jeremy J. Rasmussen Jr. ’24 said he considers it “kind of ridiculous” for administrators to task students with managing the extra waste. “I’ve had to take the trash out about five times this week already,” he said. Students also acknowledged the sustainability issues brought about by the disposable containers. A garbage bin in Adams House holds waste produced by grab-and-go dining. A garbage bin in Adams House holds waste produced by grab-and-go dining. By Pei Chao Zhuo Owen O. Ebose ’25, a representative of the College’s Resource Efficiency Program, said that the University could rededicate the money it spends on grab-and-go dining containers to improve students’ dining experience. He raised concerns about the environmental impacts of using so much plastic daily. “Plastic is really harmful for the environment, not only because of the toxins released by the plastic itself, but also because of the oil used to produce plastic, which of course contributes to emissions,” Ebose added. Daniel Shen ’24 said he had brought his own reusable con-
IOP Hosts Forum Virtually By MILES J. HERSZENHORN CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Utensils and bags for grab-and-go dining are found on a table in Annenburg Dining Hall. JULIAN J. GIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
tainer in the beginning of the semester, but a worker at the dining hall asked him to instead use the disposable containers to avoid “possible contamination.” “I think they could do better with considering reusable containers,” Shen said. Sofia Andrade ’23-’24 acknowledged the safety concerns behind the College’s choice to avoid indoor dining for the start of the semester. “I understand their neces-
sity right now during the pandemic,” she said. “There will be a lot more spread in indoor spaces where people have their masks off.” But Andrade, a Crimson Arts chair, said the disposable bags offered in each dining hall may also lead to increased food waste. “I think the school seems to have been encouraging people to take these big brown bags filled with food,” she said. “In
the same way that trays make you waste more — like take more food than you’re going to eat — these bags, I think, do the same thing.” The Harvard chapter of Green2Go — a student initiative that works to mitigate plastic waste on college campuses across the United States — has taken steps to discuss options for reusable containers with
SEE GRAB-AND-GO PAGE 3
Prof. Ross Speaks on Activism at HCWC Seminar Awarded Order of Knights By DARLEY A.C. BOIT CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
By WAI YAN FONG CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Hanif Kara, professor of Architectural Technology at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, was bestowed the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire award for his work in architecture, engineering, and education last month. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of knights established in 1917 by King George V. The OBE honor is awarded biannually to those who have made significant contributions in the areas of public service, charity, and arts and sciences. An honorary fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Kara is the co-founder of AKT-II, a structural engineering company that has received more than 350 design awards, including the RIBA Stirling Prize for the Peckham Library and for the Bloomberg European Headquarters in London. Despite his accomplishments, Kara said the honor came as a surprise. “I never expected this in my career,” he said. “Most people don’t expect it.” Kara said he was delighted to receive recognition for his passions. “One pleasure is always to do great buildings and you do a few of those in your life,” he said. “But when it’s recognized by other people, that you teach and contribute to architecture and contribute to engineering — and it’s at a national level — it’s quite joyful.” Kara also recognized some of the challenges of working in the field of engineering and architecture. “It’s not easy to work the long hours and to do the stuff we do,”
Loretta J. Ross, a professor in Women and Gender Studies at Smith College, spoke about her work in activism at the 2022 Peggy Schmertzler Leadership Seminar hosted by the Harvard College Women’s Center on Wednesday. The Schmertzler Leadership Seminar spotlights one leader every year to speak on their personal experience in fighting for equity. This year’s event was moderated by Sowon “Alice” Chang ’22 and Sawyer L. Taylor-Arnold ’23 — both Harvard College Women’s Center interns — and Kyra I. March ’22, a senior representative for the Association of Black Harvard Women. Ross said she began her activism shortly after enrolling at Howard University. Within her first month at the college, she participated in an anti-po-
lice violence demonstration in Washington D.C. where she was tear gassed. Ross also said this encounter, coupled with her academic experiences at Howard, inspired her fight for equity. “The two books that they put in my hands, my first year in 1970, were ‘The Black Woman’ by Toni Cade and ‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X.’ Putting those together was when I began to develop my Black feminist consciousness,” she said. Ross said as a survivor of incest and rape, she is determined to change the reality of oppression. “I know that I have truly, not only survived what happened to me, but used it as fuel for making a difference in the world,” Ross said. “I believe that activism is the art of making your life matter. And that’s what I’ve tried to do. I use my activism to ensure that my life matters.”
Harvard Today 2
Ross said that she sees herself as a “tough love talker” when it comes to her activism, and though fighting oppression can be dangerous, it presents opportunities for growth. “As a movement, we need to become much more analytical, recognizing that the purpose of the human rights movement is to end oppression, not to provide a personal therapy space for you,” Ross said. “You will find your best self in that struggle. You will find that instead of fighting for the right of owning more, you’ll be fighting for the right of becoming more,” she added. Ross said she has also recently become involved in combating harsh “call-out” culture, which she first encountered on Facebook. Instead, she tries to encourage “calling-in,” a term coined by one of her colleagues that focuses on inviting others into open conversations.
The Harvard College Women’s Center and the Association of Black Harvard Women invited Loretta J. Ross, a professor at Smith College, to speak at the Peggy Schmertzier Leadership Serminar. PHOTO COURTSEY LORETTA J. ROSS
SEE SEMINAR PAGE 3
SEE FORUM PAGE 3
Harvard Presents ‘Town Gown’ Report at Meeting By ELIAS J. SCHISGALL CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
SEE HONOR PAGE 3 INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The Harvard Institute of Politics’ spring 2022 resident fellows discussed major challenges facing democracy, as well as potential solutions, at their introductory JFK Jr. Forum Wednesday evening. IOP Director Mark D. Gearan ’78 moderated the virtual forum, which was featured fellows Brendan Buck, a former top Republican congressional aide; Christine Chen, executive director of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote; Kim M. Janey, former acting mayor of Boston; Josephine “Jody” Olsen, former Peace Corps director; Maya Rupert, former campaign manager for Julián Castro’s presidential run; and Gerald F. Seib, executive Washington editor at the Wall Street Journal. The panelists highlighted some contemporary issues in American politics. Buck said he is optimistic the Republicans will win a majority in the House of Representatives this fall. “There’s a lot of talk right now about a red wave,” he said. “And I think that I was relatively slow to accept that that is a possibility, but I certainly think it is at this point.” Rupert discussed a “myth” plaguing the political world — namely, that it is impossible for people to work in politics while maintaining their personal values and health. “That keeps a lot of people who are passionate about something away from pursuing a career in electoral politics,” she said. “You have to work around the clock, which is sending a very clear message to folks with disabilities that they’re going to have to make a choice between health or this kind of work.” “This is based in reality, people are seeing something and they’re having something reified,” she added. “But they’re myths, not because they’re not real, but because they don’t have to be right,” she added. The speakers also highlighted specific challenges they contended with in their respective roles. Chen spoke about her work to “demystify” misinformation surrounding Asian
MARGARET A. YIN—CRIMSON DESIGNER
News 3
Editorial 4
Sports 6
TODAY’S FORECAST
Harvard representatives presented the 25th annual Town Gown report, detailing the University’s sustainability, diversity, and infrastructure goals in Cambridge, to city officials during a virtual Planning Board meeting Tuesday evening. The report, submitted by Harvard University Planning and Design and Harvard Public Affairs and Communications, catalogues the University’s facilities and its employee and student populations in Cambridge. It also details Harvard’s sustainability and equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives, as well as its investments and partnerships with city organizations. The name Town Gown re-
RAINY High: 44 Low: 33
fers to the non-academic parts of the city — the town — in relation to the academic institutions that inhabit it — the gown. Lesley University, MIT, and the Hult International Business School also submit yearly Town Gown reports to Cambridge. “We reflect on the nearly 400-year partnership that Harvard has with the City of Cambridge, but also consider our larger responsibility to create a campus that continuously strives toward a better future for our local community, as well as our global community,” Harvard’s report reads. Thomas J. Lucey, Harvard’s director of government and community relations, touted the University’s six-figure investment in Cambridge RISE, a guaranteed income pilot
SEE REPORT PAGE 3
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THE HARVARD CRIMSON |
FEBRUARY 3, 2022
PAGE 2
HARVARD TODAY
For Lunch Chili Hot Dog Red Spiced Chicken Vegan Cumin and Spiced Quinoa
For Dinner Pork Roulad with Herbs Rosemary Roasted Chicken Sweet Potato and Chick Peas
TODAY’S EVENTS Transforming the War on Drugs: Warriors, Victims, and Vulnerable Regions Virtual Event, 12:15 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
IN THE REAL WORLD Washington Football Team to Become Commanders
As part of the International Security Brown Bag Seminar Event Series, this discussion focuses on the current state of the controversial crackdown on illicit drug production and trafficking, first waged by President Richard Nixon half a century ago.
The Washington Football team announced its new team name Wednesday: the Commanders. The team has played as the Washington Football Team for the past two years after it first announced that it would change its name after years of complaints that it represented a racial slur.
China Builds Southern Border Wall
Kim and Judy Davis Dean’s Lecture in the Humanities with Midori Virtual Event, 4 p.m You know the feeling when a song comes up on your Spotify queue and it just perfectly captures how your day is going? Tune in to listen to Midori speak about her experiences as an artist, activist, and educator. Room Raiders — Blocking Series Virtual Event, 8 p.m.-9 p.m. Dear freshman, it’s time to address the elephant in the room: blocking. Take your Annenberg conversations to the next level by inviting potential blockmates to play a virtual game of Room Raiders with you post-dinner.
People walk down Plympton Street on Wednesday. PEI CHAO ZHUO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
Along China’s southern border, the country has started building new barriers to entry, featuring barbed wire, surveillance cameras, and fences. Supposedly to keep out visitors who have Covid-19 from sneaking into the country, this wall will also likely affect travel and trade in significant ways in the years to come.
Biotech Firm Developing New Covid Spray
DAILY BRIEFING Harvard students raised concerns about the waste produced by grab-and-go meals in the past two weeks, citing the accumulating trash produced by plastic to-go containers. Dining halls switched to grab-and-go dining for the first two weeks of the semester to avoid high-density indoor gatherings. In other news, Harvard representatives presented the 25th annual Town Gown report, detailing the University’s sustainability, diversity, and infrastructure goals in Cambridge, to city officials during a virtual Planning Board meeting Tuesday evening.
Bharat Biotech, a biotechnology company located outside of Hyderabad, India, is developing a new nasal vaccine against COVID-19. Nasal sprays may be more effective than regular shots against COVID-19 because the coronavirus first lands in the mucosal lining airways in the nose.
COVID UPDATES
LAST 7 DAYS CURRENTLY
CAMPUS
161
In Isolation
267 0.73% Total New Cases
Positivity Rate
LAST 7 DAYS
CAMBRIDGE
496 6.02% 75%
Total New Cases
Positivity Rate
Fully Vaccinated
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY Quiz Show Win Earns Student $1 Million
A Harvard Law School student earned a total of $1,120,000 from the multiple-choice quiz show “Twenty One” on NBC. He set a record for biggest game show winner in television history and said he plans to use his earnings for various causes, including paying off loans and taking a vacation to Europe. February 3, 2000
College Applications Set Record at 20,000
Applications for Harvard College’s class of 2007 set new records at a total of 20,918 applicants — an increase of 6.7 percent from the class of 2006’s record of 19,609 applicants. Director of Admissions Marlyn McGrath Lewis said the increase in applicants is likely due to the College’s new early admission protocols, increase in financial aid, and an increase in media coverage of the college admissions process. February 3, 2003
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
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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.
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CORRECTIONS The Harvard Crimson is committed to accuracy in its reporting. Factual errors are corrected promptly on this page. Readers with information about errors are asked to e-mail the managing editor at managingeditor@thecrimson.com.
PAGE 3
THE HARVARD CRIMSON |
GRAB-AND-GO FROM PAGE 1
FEBRUARY 3, 2022
REPORT FROM PAGE 1
Dining Waste Harvard Unveils Annual Report Sparks Concern students, HUDS, and the Office for Sustainability. The chapter was not founded as a result of the move to grab-and-go dining, but member Isha M. Sangani ’24 said that the “timing does coincide.” Harvard’s Green2Go chapter aims to implement a “reusable container pilot program,” similar to the existing program at Dartmouth University, at one or two dining halls by the end of February, according to Sangani. Ebose, another member of the Green2Go chapter, said the program would consist of a token system in which students exchange a token for a reusable container. When they bring the container back, they will get back the token, and HUDS will wash the container. Green2Go circulated a survey asking students about their knowledge of the disposable containers provided at dining halls this semester. According to Ebose, 36 percent of students who responded were not aware the containers are recyclable or compostable. Of those students who did know, more than half report that they do not regularly recycle or compost. Crista Martin, Harvard Uni-
versity Dining Services director for strategic initiatives and communications, wrote in an email that HUDS considers sustainability in planning its operations. “One of the core areas of focus in HUDS’ Strategic Vision includes concern for the environmental impact of our programs and services,” Martin wrote. “As such, while we navigate phases of the pandemic, we continue to hold this principle in our planning.” She added HUDS will “closely monitor student comfort level” for deciding whether to allow reusable containers and will prioritize social distancing measures in dining halls. “The University’s existing resources for recycling and composting remain in place throughout campus, and we are grateful for the community taking the extra steps needed right now to properly dispose of their waste,” she wrote. Undergraduate dining halls reopened Tuesday for reduced-density dining. Takeout containers are still available for students. christie.choi@thecrimson.com carrie.hsu@thecrimson.com
SEMINAR FROM PAGE 1
Loretta Ross Speaks at Seminar “If you think somebody has done something wrong, and you come at them with a call out and anger, blaming and shaming, all they’re going to do is either ignore you or double down,” she said. “Why would anybody want to have a dialogue with you when you come at them?” In addition to her latest work combating “call-out” culture, Ross said she is also proud of her efforts in several other areas of activism.
“I think I can say that I have left a legacy in terms of working to end violence against women, co-creating reproductive justice, building a center to teach people about human rights here in the United States and reaching a million people, or right now — trying to pioneer a new human rights-based movement around calling in the calling out culture.” darley.boit@thecrimson.com
program. He also noted the school’s recommitment of $20 million to the Harvard Local Housing Collaborative as an example of Harvard’s relationship with the surrounding city. Lucey also said a priority for Harvard was to maintain partnerships with the Cambridge Public Schools system, even through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and the shift to virtual and hybrid learning. “Harvard’s commitments to its core programs and offerings with CPS did not waver,” Lucey said. “Harvard programs are in
every CPS school.” Sherri A. Charleston, the University’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, presented to the Planning Board about progress in promoting diversity in the hiring process for new University personnel. “Over the course of the last year, we’ve created guidelines, trainings, resources for hiring managers that have really helped us to think about how we can create the most inclusive hiring strategy that we can,” Charleston said. Charleston also pointed to the impending release of The
Presidential Initiative on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery’s report as an example of the University “examining its history.” Alexandra J. Offiong, the director of planning services at HUPAD, updated the board on the University’s ongoing construction and renovation projects, including the Undergraduate House Renewal program, a proposed renovation of teaching labs in the Harvard Science Center, and a plan for a new building for the Economics Depatment. Harvard Chief Sustainability Officer Heather A. Henriksen
emphasized the school’s commitment to meeting the goals of the Harvard Climate Action plan, which calls for the University to be fossil fuel-neutral by 2026 and fossil fuel-free by 2050. She also said that Harvard’s sustainability approach would be formed in consultation with the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. “Essentially, sustainable development is the vision for a healthy, thriving, and just future for all,” Henriksen said. elias.schisgall@thecrimson.com
HONOR FROM PAGE 1
Professor Recognized for Engineering he said. “So if you don’t have the go-getter attitude to wanting to make buildings and make things, then you also struggle, so having the passion and enthusiasm and wanting to take some risk to innovate in these fields is essential.” Reflecting on his career, Kara said that he is particular-
ly proud of his work in sustainability. “I’ve got more and more into the education and understanding of my work, working in the Middle East where I’m trying to solve problems and reduce carbon and I’m quite proud of it,” he said. “I’m very proud of the
FORUM FROM PAGE 1
IOP Resident Fellows Discuss Democracy Americans and Pacific Islanders over the past year. Janey reflected on steering Boston through its Covid-19 inoculation campaign during her time as acting mayor. “We wanted to make sure that we were leading with information, education, and using an equity lens,” Janey said. “It’s not enough just to get vaccines out there, but how do we do it in a way that recognizes the disproportionate impact that Covid was having on poor communities of color.” In an interview after the
event, Seib said he was looking forward to having a space for dialogue at the forum. “The political system in this country is not in great shape,” he said. “The attraction of being at the IOP, at least to me, was to maybe have meaningful conversations about ways in which those problems might be addressed.” “That’s what I liked about tonight,” he said. “It felt like the beginning of that conversation.”
Bloomberg headquarters in London, which still stands as one of the greenest buildings in the world,” he added. The OBE award is on the path to achieving knighthood — a feat that Kara said is more common for architects to receive than engineers. “I have never imagined the
situations where I’ll be on the track [to achieving knighthood],” he said. “Having said that, now that I’ve got on the track , I’m going to work my way to making sure that they at least consider me for that one day, you never know.” ada.fong@thecrimson.com
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THE HARVARD CRIMSON |
FEBRUARY 3, 2022
PAGE 4
EDITORIAL THE CRIMSON EDITORIAL BOARD
COLUMN
Long Live Affirmative Action
A Brief History of Black in Fashion
Students of color are not accessories to beautify college campuses.
G
enerally, as an Editorial Board, we rarely have to write obituaries, except for perhaps when we lament the loss of campus experiences such as shopping week. We hope this remains true for affirmative action. On Tuesday, Jan. 25, following news reports on Monday that the Supreme Court has decided to hear two cases challenging affirmative action as an admissions policy at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, University President Lawrence S. Bacow issued a message in defense of affirmative action in the admissions process, emphasizing the importance of diversity to our campus communities and education. Under the context of a binary lawsuit, we share President Bacow’s concerns for the endangerment and potential extinction of affirmative action. Still, we are troubled by the binaries that are being presented in the ongoing debate surrounding affirmative action and diversity in college admissions. We are extremely troubled by the rhetoric amplified by the Students for Fair Admissions in characterizing the nature of affirmative action, specifically in their choice to center Asian and Asian American applicants as victimized and robbed by applicants of other demographics. An article that SFFA reposted on their Newsroom states: “The schools want fewer Asian-Americans so they can make room for black, Latino and white applicants who are less qualified on the merits.” On paper, the dichotomy is made between Asian students and black, Latino, and white students. Given the reality and history of systemic racism in higher education that affords white applicants much fewer stakes in race-conscious admissions policies, however, we are left with an ill-formed binary that mostly pits Asians and Asian Americans against
Black people and other marginalized and racialized groups. We find this extremely dangerous in its perpetuation of a more general trend of protecting the interests of the privileged at the expense of the oppressed. In thinking about affirmative action, we must be aware of the big picture. We, as students and young adults who have gone through the college admissions process, understand that affirmative action does not end or even begin to fully address racial oppression in higher education or this country. Rather, affirmative action attempts to mitigate the symptoms of racial oppression in higher education as we look for more permanent and sustainable solutions. Striking down affirmative action does nothing to address discrimination against Asians and Asian Americans; as we have written previously, the controversy over Harvard rating Asian and Asian American applicants lower on the personality scale is the result of deep-seated racial biases and stereotypical perceptions. In the event that affirmative action does get struck down, we still will not live in a post-racial society void of discrimination. Instead, we should invest more time and energy in other ways that can help minimize racial inequity, particularly in education: From moving away from tying school district funding to property taxes (wherein more affluent areas end up with better schools), to exploring reparations at a federal level, to increasing the number of Black instructors for better educational outcomes, there are very real policies and actions that can be taken. At the end of the day, the goal is to increase diversity and minimize inequality. Let us be more specific: diversity is not for the sake of simply having nonwhite bodies on campus; students of col-
or are not accessories to beautify college campuses. A genuine institutional commitment to racial justice can be achieved when the policies surrounding diversity it promotes extend beyond generating good publicity associated with inclusivity. Specifically, community members of color should be consistently treated with respect for the simple fact that they deserve to exist at these institutions, not to educate or convince others of their humanity, but for their own right to education and to better survive in a society where jobs increasingly require college degrees.
At the end of the day, the goal is to increase diversity and minimize inequality. We think Harvard has a lot to work on: It can begin by addressing the possible remains of enslaved people found in Harvard Museums and better supporting faculty and students of color once they enter this institution. Also, as the University is dealing with the threat to race-based affirmative action posed by the Supreme Court, it should also notice and reckon with how special consideration and backdoors for the ultra wealthy and legacy students, such as the Z-List, remain securely in place — because we do. 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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OP-ED
No Chopping Shopping Week By KEITH RAFFEL
I
n September of 2021, 96 percent of undergraduates voted to keep shopping week. How then could a faculty committee recommend only three months later to scrap it in favor of a system of early registration? Given the committee members’ background, I suspect the recommendation was preordained. As trial lawyers might tell you, if they can choose the jury, they can guarantee the verdict. Now, I myself have taught at Harvard College and recognize the validity of some of the committee’s concerns. With the in-semester enrollment that shopping week entails, instructors don’t know whether they’ll end up teaching a large lecture class or a small seminar. They don’t know in advance how many teaching fellows they’ll need and whether the classroom assigned needs to be changed. Moreover, if the first sessions of the course are not appealing, undergrads will not take it — and a sparsely populated classroom can damage any instructor’s self-esteem. Many grad students, as teaching fellows for courses, especially resent shopping week. The committee report quotes one as saying, “The course I was originally assigned to teach was half the size they guessed, so I had to scramble to find another course. As a consequence, I was incredibly stressed for 2 weeks and got almost nothing done.” Do two weeks of stress for a grad student weigh more heavily than a possibly life-changing course for a single undergraduate, let alone dozens? I have no doubt shopping week encourages undergrads to explore academic disciplines and broaden intellectual horizons. In addition to having been an instructor at the College, I was also an undergraduate here. A friend of mine from back in the 1970s and 1980s remembers sitting in on a graduate economics course during shopping week. What do you know? He found the material fascinating and realized he could handle it. Without shopping week, he wonders whether he would have followed an aca-
demic path that led to a Ph.D. in Economics and over 40 years as a professor with more than 50 publications. Still, even back in our day, faculty members were trying to eliminate shopping week. This time, though, they seem to really mean it. It’s not because undergraduates no longer want to explore, though. In December, an undergrad Music concentrator told me how she’d shopped Computer Science 50: “Introduction to Computer Science,” saying she’d never have had the guts to try it out without test-driving it first. Now she’s a Teaching Fellow for an advanced CS course. A current student at the Law School told me checking out classes during shopping week “changed my life.” She went on to say, “[I]s it not… the professor’s job to TEACH students? Being asked to do your job isn’t a reason to eliminate shopping week.”
Without shopping week, students will inevitably opt for safe choices and high Q scores in their course selections. Without shopping week, students will inevitably opt for safe choices and high Q scores in their course selections. I’ll wager pre-registration will mean more Government, Economics, Computer Science, and Neuroscience concentrators. I’ve been a sophomore adviser for the past four years and dread what this will mean to small departments like Folklore and Mythology; Anthropology; Art, Film, and Visual Studies; Music; Sociology; and other disciplines which are often stumbled upon rather than sought out. So how did the committee come to recommend abolishing shopping week? The original 2019/20 appointees to the committee included six Faculty of Arts and Sciences professors. Not one of them had attended the College and gained the life-changing benefits of shopping week. Presumably all had experienced its aggravations, though. The six registrars, deans, and other ad-
ministrators on the 2019/20 committee may have dealt with the hassles of shopping week, but they did not have a countervailing experience with it as an undergrad. Additionally, there were two Harvard graduate students on the 2019/20 committee. Over the next couple years, the number of instructors on the committee would dwindle, while half a dozen more administrators — only two of whom had attended the College — joined. Since only three of the original seventeen committee members experienced shopping week as Harvard undergraduates (the two College students and a Business School professor), one would think the committee would have reached out to a broad swathe of alumni who have the perspective to judge the value of shopping week. But there’s no sign of anything like that in the report. Instead, members contacted “registrars at peer institutions, which have universally adopted systems of Previous-Term Registration.” Since when is homogenization — being like other schools — a reason to change? The College prides itself on its distinctiveness— a Harvard-ness embodied by shopping week. A classmate of mine who interviews applicants to the College uses shopping week to differentiate Harvard from Stanford. In a 2018 survey, 62 percent of undergrads indicated that the existence of shopping influenced their decision to come to Harvard. The College should be doing what it can to empower students’ intellectual exploration, not limiting it because of administrative burden. Fortunately, the committee’s report is only a recommendation to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Let’s hope the Faculty votes in favor of maintaining shopping week, to foster the exposure of students — as the College’s mission statement puts it — “to new ideas, new ways of understanding, and new ways of knowing. —Keith Raffel ’72 was a lecturer at Harvard College from 2019 to 2021 and is currently a Resident Scholar at Mather House.
Onyx E. Ewa ALL BLACK EVERYTHING
B
lack is a staple color of nearly every modern wardrobe. Scholars of both fashion and color have discovered that the black has an incredibly wide range of symbolic meanings, including austerity, virtue, wealth, sophistication, eroticism, mourning, and evil. When I wear an all black outfit, I feel powerful, and maybe a little rebellious, but the symbolic meanings that may be associated with my clothes are far less important to me than the fact that black always looks fantastic. It’s clean, it’s striking, it looks great on everyone, and it’s just easy to wear. However, black has not always had a presence in the everyday wardrobe. In fact, before the Middle Ages, black clothing was very uncommon, because the dyeing processes that allowed for the production of deep, dark, striking shades of black had not yet been developed. Personally, I can’t even imagine a world in which I couldn’t just grab a pair of black jeans to go with whatever brightly colored top I just bought. But, in the Middle Ages, most people couldn’t wear bright clothes OR black, because sumptuary laws prohibited all but the nobility from wearing vibrant fabrics or sable fur, one of the only true black textiles available prior to the 14th century. Thankfully, wealthy individuals who were not part of the noble class demanded the production of solid, vibrant, black dyes so they could circumvent the prohibitions of sumptuary laws.
I can’t even imagine a world in which I couldn’t just grab a pair of black jeans to go with whatever brightly covered top I just bought. The story of how black clothes came to occupy their current place in modern fashion is deeply tied with class. Though the color was originally reserved for the wealthiest members of society, it is now so commonplace that it, to some degree, serves as a symbol of egalitarianism. Now, black is professional, clean, and practical, and it has largely lost its associations with wealth. However, black formal attire still retains associations with the upper class, despite its origins in the uniforms of the working class. Men’s black tie attire emerged during a period referred to by psychoanalyst John Carl Flugel as “The Great Masculine Renunciation.” At the turn of the 19th century, Flugel says, “men gave up their right to all the brighter, gayer, more elaborate, and more varied forms of ornamentation.” This, in my opinion, was an incredibly sad transition in men’s fashion. The generic black tie uniform took the place of flamboyance and whimsy in men’s dress. One of the progenitors of this unfortunate trend towards uniformity was British socialite Beau Brummell, who is generally regarded as the inventor of black tie attire. In the early 19th century, he credited himself with “put[ting] the modern man into pants, dark coat, white shirt, and clean linen.” Brummell believed that unity was the pinnacle of fashion, and that he stated that “to be truly elegant, one should not be noticed.” In the early 20th century, Coco Chanel applied a similar philosophy to womenswear when she popularized the little black dress. A 1926 Vogue article referred to the LBD as “Chanel’s Ford,” a comparison that indicated the style’s accessibility to women of all classes. The dress was a similar style to the uniform of salesgirls and other working-class women, and its adoption into the realm of haute couture meant that the all-black ensemble would become a popular style for women of all classes for decades to come.
Black may complete a wardrobe, but we mustn’t neglect color altogether. Throughout the remainder of the 20th century, black was a mainstay in both men’s and women’s fashion. Wearing black evoked simplicity and sophistication, and at times, rebellion and protest. For example, in the 1960s, the Black Panthers donned black leather jackets as a uniform of revolution. In the 1980s, protesters in West Germany invented Black Bloc, a protest strategy in which protesters dress in all black to establish solidarity and to avoid being identified by police. In recent years, Black Lives Matter protesters have adopted the style as well. Harvard Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Professional Doctoral graduation gowns are black, likely as a result of the color’s association with professionalism. Plus, the crimson-black color combination is incredibly striking. Whether it is worn as an indication of sophistication, resistance, austerity, or just plain convenience, black isn’t going anywhere, and black clothes are likely to remain a staple for centuries to come. Though personally, I love black, it is sometimes almost too reliable. Black may complete a wardrobe, but we mustn’t neglect color altogether. The uniformity afforded by black tie is nice, but imagine a wedding where all the guests are in vivid, ornate brocade robes. Black is clean and convenient, but color is also beautiful, and I believe the key to fashion lies in embracing both. —Onyx E. Ewa ‘23-24 is an Art, Film, and Visual Studies concentrator in Winthrop House. Their column “All Black Everything” appears on alternate Thursdays.
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Harvard, 24/7.
The Crimson thecrimson.com
THE HARVARD CRIMSON |
FEBRUARY 3, 2022
SPORTS
WEEKLY RECAP
SCORES
MEN’S HOCKEY VS. BOSTON COLLEGE W, 6-3 ___________________________________________________________
MEN’S HOCKEY VS. NO. 8/9 CORNELL T, 2-2 ___________________________________________________________
WOMEN’S HOCKEY VS. BOSTON UNIVERSITY W, 4-1 ___________________________________________________________
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. UPENN W, 70-63 ___________________________________________________________
MEN’S SQUASH VS. NO. 4 YALE W, 8-1 ___________________________________________________________
WOMEN’S WATER POLO VS. VILLANOVA W, 16-4 ___________________________________________________________
WOMEN’S SQUASH VS. NO. 4 YALE W, 7-2 ___________________________________________________________
MEN’S SWIM AND DIVE
Crimson Win 5th Consecutive Ivy Dual Meet Title By DEREK HU CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Harvard Men’s Swimming and Diving defeated both Princeton and Yale, claiming the Ivy dual meet title. This victory marked the team’s fifth straight Ivy League dual meet title and its 30th in program history. Prior to the meet, the men’s team had a record of 5-0 (6-1 Ivy), while the Tigers had a record of 7-1 (6-1 Ivy), and the Bulldogs, 4-4 (3-4 Ivy). The Crimson cruised throughout the course of the weekend, defeating Yale, 248.5104.5, and Princeton, 228-125. All in all, they totaled 19 NCAA B cut wins, nine pool records, 13 event wins, 10 second-place finishes, and six third-place showings. A NCAA B cut is a time classification for a swimmer, which is slower than the fastest classification of a NCAA A cut. First-year Adam Wesson placed first at the 3-meter diving event with a score of 369.65, far above the NCAA average of 320. “It was a great feeling knowing I made my family, teammates and coaches proud, but the best feeling was when the results were announced and I got to see all the smiles on their faces after they have been cheering for the team the whole morning,” Wesson said. Sophomore Will Grant won the 200-yard backstroke, recording a season-best time of 1:42.56, which also set a new pool record. First-year Anthony
FLYING INTO ACTION Harvard Women’s Swimming and Diving narrowly fell to Princeton,and undefeated Yale in the duel Ivy League meet. Despite the loss, the Crimson notched two wins in Diving. TIMOTHY R. O’MEARA—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
Rincon followed in second place with an NCAA B cut time of 1:44.13 for a season-best as well. Senior Mahlon Reihman captured the 100-yard freestyle with an NCAA B cut time of 43.60 for a pool record. Senior Dean Farris placed first in the 100-yard butter-
fly with an NCAA B cut time of 46.30, setting a pool record and finishing nearly two seconds before junior Umitcan Gures, who placed second at46.33. The Crimson also claimed first in the 200-yard medley relay with a pool record time of 1:25.26. The winning group
consisted of senior Dean Farris, senior Raphael Marcouxl, junior Jared Simpson, and junior Umitcan Gures. Harvard’s team of junior Ryan Linnihan, sophomore Marcus Holmquist, senior Mahlon Reihman, and senior Dean Farris ended the meet
with a victory in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 2:52.76. Under Kevin Tyrell, the Ulen-Brooks Endowed Coach for Harvard Men’s Swimming & Diving since 2013, the team has recorded a 53-1 Ivy dual meet mark and tallied seven un-
defeated Ivy dual meet seasons. With its dual meet title secured, the Crimson will next look to claim its 27th overall Ivy League championship, and its fifth straight, in Princeton, N.J., between Feb. 23 and Feb. 26. derek.hu@thecrimson.com
WOMEN’S SWIM AND DIVE
Undefeated Women’s Swim and Dive Fall to Ivy Rivals By DEREK HU CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Harvard Women’s Swimming and Diving did not enjoy the same success as the men did. Before the meet, the Crimson had an undefeated record of (60, 5-0), but it fell to Princeton (81, 6-1 Ivy), 202-98, and Yale (9-0,
7-0 Ivy), 211-89. Harvard recorded two wins during the meet. On the first day of the competition, senior Esther Lawrence won the 3-meter diving diving event.First-year Amy Wotovich, who recorded a score of 295.90, came in first, while senior Morgane Herculano
came in second with her season best of 291.80. Senior Felicia Pasadyn narrowly missed claiming another victory for the Crimson, coming in second in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:57.39, just 0.07 seconds out of first place. She also placed second in the 200-yard individual medley
with a time of 2:02.15. Junior Samantha Shelton placed fifth with her season-best 50.59-second time in the 100-yard freestyle. Senior Helena Moreno placed seventh with a time of 5:00.62 in the 500-yard freestyle. In the 200-yard breaststroke, sophomore Victoria Eisenhauer came
in eighth with a time of 2:24.33. First-year Molly Hamlin placed ninth in the 100-yard butterfly in 56.22. To finish off the meet, the Crimson’s team of first-year Mandy Brenner, sophomore Addie Rose Bullock, junior Samantha Shelton, and junior Darlene Fung came in fourth in the 400-
DIVING TO THE TOP Men’s Swimming and Diving showed a strong opening at the Bulldog’s Kiphuth Exhibition in the Ivy League dual meet title on January 30th, 2022, besting both Ivy Rivals
yard freestyle relay. Despite the setback, Harvard will look ahead to the Ivy League Championships, which will take place between Feb. 16 and Feb. 19 at Blodgett Pool. The Crimson will be looking for its 13th conference title. derek.hu@thecrimson.com
ZADOC I.N. GEE—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER