The Harvard Crimson - Volume CXLVI, No 35

The Harvard Crimson THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873 | VOLUME CLXVI, NO. 35 | CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS | THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019

EDITORIAL PAGE 6

SPORTS PAGE 7

SPORTS PAGE 7

UC partnerships with Lyft are a step in the right dirction.

Golf opens spring season with weekend trip to Arizona.

Harvard set for rematch versus Penn in Ivy Tournament.

Grad Student Union Rallies for Contract

The Harvard Graduate Student Union sponsored a rally on Wednesday afternoon to demand a new contract that better protects victims of sexual harassment or discrimination. DELANO R. FRANKLIN—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

By JAMES S. BIKALES and RUOQI ZHANG CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS

Harvard’s graduate student union delivered a petition to Massachusetts Hall during a rally attended by more than 150 supporters — including Cambridge City Councillors and members of labor unions across Massachusetts — Wednesday.

The petition by Harvard Graduate Students Union-Unit-

ed Automobile Workers calls for a contract provision that would allow student workers to choose to pursue a third-party grievance procedure for sexual harassment and discrimination complaints. Petitioners also demanded more frequent bargaining sessions. Signed by more than 2,000 student workers, Harvard affiliates, and other supporters, the petition was supported by a majority of the union’s bargaining unit, accord-

ing to a press release from HGSU-UAW and Ege Yumusak ’16, a member of the HGSU-UAW bargaining committee.

Students and supporters from other unions across the state gathered for the rally, entitled “Time’s Up Harvard”, at Harvard’s Science Center Plaza at noon. The Undergraduate Council, which voted to support HGSU-UAW’s petition last Sunday, promoted the event to all undergraduates in an email

Wednesday morning.

The event featured speakers including Greater Boston Labor Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer Richard Rogers and Cambridge City Councillors Sumbul Siddiqui and E. Denise Simmons.

After an hour, the participants marched across Harvard Yard to Massachusetts Hall, which houses University President Lawrence S. Bacow’s office. Three people then went in-

By MOLLY C. MCCAFERTY CRIMSON STAFF WRITER

World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma ‘76 and New York Philharmonic Orchestra President Deborah Borda discussed the role of art in driving social justice on Wednesday evening. MARIAH DIMALALUAN—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

College Threatens Probation for WHRB CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS

A Harvard College official threatened Harvard Radio Broadcasting – commonly known by its call name WHRB – with “administrative probation” because the group hosted a widely publicized event featuring the rapper Lil Pump, according to an email sent by the station’s president March 9.

Lil Pump, who is famous for stating, inaccurately, that he dropped out of Harvard College, visited WHRB on Feb. 28 to promote his new album “Harverd Dropout.” At the event, WHRB member Griffin R. Andres ’21 interviewed Lil Pump about his career and attendees browsed the rapper’s merchandise.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Harvard Today 2

WHRB President Kiran O. Hampton ‘20 wrote to the station’s undergraduate email list Saturday that the organization “may have been placed on probation” by the College, according to a copy of the email sent to The Crimson by Jensen E. Davis ‘20, an inactive WHRB member and Crimson magazine editor.

Hampton wrote that JonRobert Bagley – the associate dean of student organizations and resources at the Dean of Students Office – verbally notified him that the College placed the radio station on administrative probation shortly after the Lil Pump event. Groups placed on “administtrative probation” may temporarily lose the ability to reserve College spaces and

SEE WHRB PAGE 4

News 3

Editorial 6

The faculty committee tasked with recommending changes to undergraduate course registration proposed that the Faculty of Arts and Sciences keep “shopping week” until at least 2022 at the Faculty Council’s biweekly meeting Wednesday.

Dean of Undergraduate Education Amanda Claybaugh and Philosophy Professor Bernhard Nickel, who chairs the committee, presented the proposal to the Council — FAS’s highest governing body — alongside a final report from the committee.

The committee proposed that a new group be formed to “look into registration” more broadly, according to Council member David L. Howell.

The new committee will spend the next several years collecting data on course enrollment

By JONAH S. BERGER and SAMUEL W. ZWICKEL CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS

trends and studying the impact of factors like graduate student unionization, the College’s recent schedule change, and the new sciences campus in Allston on course enrollment. The new group will produce a report in spring 2022.

“The new committee will collect data to have a more robust understanding of the predictability of enrollment,” Howell wrote in an email Wednesday.

“Until then, the current system of shopping will remain basically in place.”

The committee also proposed reforms to the way courses with limited space conduct lotteries to choose enrollees — one of several “in-between” resolutions to the shopping week debate the Council discussed at their last meeting.

Faculty have debated the

SEE COMMITTEE PAGE 4

SEE ADMISSIONS PAGE 3

SEE GRAD UNION PAGE 3

Khurana Emphasizes Houses’ Student Focus

SEE PAGE 3

By SHERA S. AVI-YONAH and DELANO R. FRANKLIN CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS

Gina M. Raimondo ’93, Governor of Rhode Island, reflects on her experiences as a politician. NAOMI S. CASTELLON-PEREZ—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

Sports 7

Harvard alumni were charged in a nationwide admissions scandal

Six Harvard alumni were arrested and charged for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in a nationwide scheme to fraudulently secure admission for their children to top universities through millions of dollars in bribes and falsified standardized test answers.

Another alumnus, who allegedly took standardized tests like the SAT and ACT in place of college applicants, was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

The case — the largest admissions scam ever prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice — has once again focused attention on the admissions practices of the nation’s most selective universities.

The seven Harvard affiliates under indictment are part of a group of 50 individuals — including actresses Lori A. Loughlin and Felicity K. Huffman and multiple corporate executives — who face charges in connection with the investigation.

As part of the alleged cheating operation, wealthy parents paid a college consulting company millions to bribe varsity sports coaches to falsely classify their children as athletic recruits, vastly increasing the prospective students’ chances of admission.

Though athletic directors and coaches at other prominent universities — including Yale and Stanford University — are facing charges for participating in the scheme, Harvard staff appear not to have communicated with the parents now under indictment.

Harvard College graduates Gregory O. Colburn ’79 and Stephen P. Semprevivo ’88; Harvard Business School degree-holders Douglas M. Hodge, Augustin F. C. Huneeus and John B. Wilson; and Harvard Law School alumna Elisabeth Kimmel are six of the 33 parents who are accused of using bribes to secure spots at top universities for their

Shopping Week Debate To Continue

SEE PAGE 3

By SHERA S. AVI-YONAH and SAMUEL W. ZWICKEL

side to deliver the petition.

After several minutes of chanting, Bacow walked out and told the crowd he had stepped out of a faculty meeting to inform the union members present that the University wants “what’s best for you.”

“We want a contract, too,” Bacow said. “We are bargaining in good faith, we will work with you in good faith.”

After being interrupted by protesters, Bacow asked to be allowed to finish.

“We also don’t want sexual harassment on this campus,” he said. “We are working towards the same ends as you are and we will work with you.”

Bargaining committee member Rachel J. Sandalow-Ash ’15 wrote in an emailed statement that the union’s proposed anti-discrimination contract provision offers a model “that has served both student workers at other universities and members of other campus unions here at Harvard well.” HGSU-UAW’s proposal would allow student workers to choose between the University’s internal dispute resolution procedures and a third-party neutral arbitration procedure when discrimination issues like sexual misconduct arise.

“Under the status quo, survivors of discrimination and harassment must go through Harvard’s internal offices, which have too often discouraged student workers from reporting; failed to protect those who do report; and failed to hold

Alumni Charged with Fraud

TODAY’S FORECAST

Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana emphasized the “unique” nature of the House system and the faculty dean role in response to questions on student concerns about living in Winthrop House amid controversy over Winthrop Faculty Dean Ronald S. Sullivan, Jr.’s decision to represent film producer Harvey Weinstein.

Khurana did not directly comment in an interview Tuesday on whether he has heard concerns from freshmen who may be placed in Winthrop or students currently living in the house. Sullivan’s defense of Weinstein — who currently faces five sexual assault charges — has sparked student protests

PARTLY CLOUDY High: 53 Low: 43

and open letters calling for his removal as faculty dean.

Asked about Sullivan, Khurana instead pointed to his goal of ensuring the house system functions as “the nexus” of services and support for students.

“Our focus is to ensure that that is working well,” he said.

“What we want to do is make sure that the house in its orientation and the expectations that students have of the house really ties to a special responsibility to the well-being of the entire student body and [those] who are part of that community.”

Sullivan has responded to students’ concerns in a series of emails to Winthrop affiliates.

In one, he said defense lawyers have a duty to represent the “unpopular defendant.” In

SEE KHURANA PAGE 4

VISIT THECRIMSON.COM. FOLLOW @THECRIMSON ON TWITTER.

hi jack and nick

THE HARVARD CRIMSON |

MARCH 14, 2019

PAGE 2

HARVARD TODAY

For Lunch Ma Po Tofu with Beef Roasted Coconut Ginger and Red Curry Chicken Thighs Buttery Grilled Cheddar Sandwich

For Dinner Bourbon Chicken Multigrain Pizza with Mango Salsa Harissa Pork Ribs Ratatouillee with Chickpeas

TODAY’S EVENTS Negotiation and Alliance Building in Sensitive Environments 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

IN THE REAL WORLD Senate to Vote on Blocking President Trump’s Emergency Declaration

Check out this Harvard Divinity School workshop led by Dr. Alaa Murabit, UN High-Level Commissioner and SDG Global Advocate which promises to discuss ideas for conflict resolution and inclusive security.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the Senate will vote about whether or not block an emergency declaration over border wall funding. Four Republicans in the House of Representatives are expected to join the 47 Democrats, enough to create a majority. However, without a two-thirds majority, the President can veto their proposal.

Women in Art and Science 7-8 p.m.

Celebrate Women’s History month with choreographer Jody Weber and current Broad Institute Artist Lucy Kim, to join an intimate conversation (PechaKucha style) about women and the relationship of art and science at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

HCMT Presents: the Broadway’s Dark Side Cabaret!

8:30-10 p.m.

Head over to the Signet Society on 46 Dunster St. with your best evil laughs and leers for an evening of Broadway music, villainy and debauchery!

Winter Tempest to Ravage Central U.S.

Students enjoy the nice weather in the Science Center plaza after class. CHLOE I. YU—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

DAILY BRIEFING The graduate student union and more than 150 of its supporters, including Cambridge City Councillors, rallied in Harvard Yard, calling on the Unviersity to agree to a contract provision that would allow union members to seek third-party arbitration for sexual harassment and discrimination issues.

University President Lawrence S. Bacow stepped outside of Massachusetts Hall to address the protesters and tell them the University wants “what’s best for you.” In other news, seven Harvard alumni were charged for their part in a nationwide scheme to fradulently secure admission to top universities for the children of wealthy parents by falsifying standardized test answers and funneling millions of dollars in bribes.

An intense blizzard-cyclone is expected to hit the Plains and Midwest over the next few days. It has been classified as meteorological bomb due to the rapid drop in the pressure and the system has many types of severe weather rolled into one, including torrential thunderstorms, tornadostrength winds and whiteouts. Blizzard warnings stretch over a frontier of 800 miles.

Eight Dead in Southern Brazilian School Attack

Two former students of a Sao Paulo school attacked their alma mater, killing five students, two teachers, and a nearby car business owner, before taking their own lives. School officials and police are unsure about the motive behind the attack; the accused’s mother speculates that it was due to being bullied at school many years ago.

AROUND THE IVIES BROWN

Brown University researchers have designed a new way of mapping and identifying toxic waste contamination in Rhode Island, according to the Brown Daily Herald. The new geospatial tool and database has applications in many industries, including policy-making and transportation. The researchers, all members of the environmentfocused Superfund Research Program, created an algorithm that allowed them to collect historical data much faster than they could before. They now plan to replicate their study in Ohio.

PENN

Medical researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered that paying people to participate in studies can lead to more participants lying about eligibility, according to the Daily Pennsylvanian. The researchers were surprised, however, to find that higher payments had no effect on the frequency of deception. The study was led

by Holly Fernandez Lynch, a professor of medical ethics and health policy at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine, who suggested that researchers use more objective metrics to deal with false claims rather than self-reporting.

THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873

The Harvard Crimson Kristine E. Guillaume President Angela N. Fu Managing Editor Charlie B. Zhu Business Manager

STAFF FOR THIS ISSUE

Associate Managing Editor Jamie D. Halper ’20

Arts Chairs Kaylee S. Kim ’20 Caroline A. Tsai ’20

Design Chairs Elena M. Ramos ’20 Akhil S. Waghmare ’20

Associate Business Manager Amy E. Zhou ’20

FM Chairs Norah M. Murphy ’20 Abigail L. Simon ’20

Multimedia Chairs Kathryn S. Kuhar ’20 Kai R. McNamee ’21

Editorial Chairs Jessenia N. Class ’20 Robert Miranda ’20

Blog Chairs Lorenzo F. Manuali ’21 Trula J. Rael ’21

Technology Chairs Nenya A. Edjah ’20 Theodore T. Liu ’20

Sports Chairs Joseph W. Minatel ’21 Henry Zhu ’20

Copyright 2019, 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 Michael E. Xie ’20

Design Editor Margot E. Shang ’21

Assistant Night Editors Peter E. O’Keefe ’22 Devin B. Srivastava ’21

Photo Editor Mariah Ellen D. Dimalaluan ’20

Story Editors Caroline S. Engelmayer ’20 Angela N. Fu ’20 Jamie D. Halper ’20 Jordan E. Virtue ’20

Editorial Editor Anna M. Kuritzkes ’20 Sports Editor Eamon J. Mcloughlin ’21

CORRECTIONS The March 13 article “85 Percent of Beds in Lowell to be Singles” incorrectly stated Lowell was the third house to renovated. In fact, it is the fifth to be renovated.

The March 13 article “Brazilian Politician, Activist Honored” misspelled Geri Augusto’s name.

PAGE 3

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | MARCH 14, 2019

Yo-Yo Ma Pairs Music and R.I. Governor Raimondo Social Justice at HBS Talk Shares Experience at IOP

By DANIELLE J. KRANCHALK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

World-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma ’76 and President of the New York Philharmonic Deborah Borda discussed strategies for broadening public access to classical music in order to enact social change at Harvard Business School Wednesday.

The panel, entitled “Art, Music, and Social Justice,” featured a surprise cello performance by Ma and explored music’s ability to give people a sense of “pride and dignity.” Harvard Business School professors Rohit Deshpandé and Henry W. McGee ’74 moderated the discussion. Ma argued music can help humanity.

“It’s never art for art’s sake,” he said. “Art for life’s sake, or I’d say even further, art for us, for humans… We invented these things because we think they will help us.”

Ma discussed his work with various activists, particularly fellow musician Vijay Gupta. Ma and Borda commended Gupta’s work with the Street Symphony in Los Angeles and a women’s prison, and Ma praised him for “acting like a human” and treating every person with dignity and respect. Ma cited his outreach in Flint, Mich. as an example of prioritizing the vision ­

of local residents and artists when planning a performance.

Ma said when he asks local residents how they want to represent themselves, they reply, “We want to show you what we have done with our community, and in spite of all the bad news, how resilient we are.’”

As President and CEO of the

It’s never art for art’s sake.

Yo-Yo Ma ’76 World-Famous Cellist

New York Philharmonic, Borda shared new initiatives she has undertaken to extend the diversity of musical representation within the industry. “[Symphony orchestras] are creatures of the 18th century, we’re trying to bring them into the 21st century,” she said. “If you look at the canon, there’s another enormous issue: All the music we play is written by men.”

Borda described her work on Project 19, the Philharmonic’s initiative to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution, which prohibited denying citizens the right to vote on the basis of sex.

“We have commissioned 19 women, all different ages and cultural and racial diversities, to write world premieres for the New York Philharmonic,” she said to enthusiastic applause from the audience.

“I thought everyone in the hall was touched by that and I too was very touched by that,” said audience member Mary Jane Kornacki. “[Borda’s] really a stellar example of marrying something that we may think of as an elitist form, classical music, and making it with purpose to better society, and not just for the few in the concert hall.”

Rebecca Masland, who also attended the panel, said she thought the talk was revealing, especially in its pairing of music and social justice. “I didn’t really grasp it until during the program, when Yo-Yo Ma talked about social responsibility and being a human being and acting like one,” she said. Music Department Preceptor Katherine Pukinskis, who attended the talk, said she thought the event was a “wonderful” opportunity to hear about music outside of the context of a concert hall.

“I think that was the most inspiring part of it for me, you know, is that we get good examples of the work that is being done and awareness that we can all do more,” she said.

By AMIR K. HAMILTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo ’93 made the case for pragmatism in state government at the annual Edwin L. Godkin Lecture hosted at the Harvard Kennedy School Wednesday night.

Kennedy School Dean Douglas W. Elmendorf moderated the talk, initiating conversation with Raimondo and facilitating audience questions. During the

It was a very difficult political choice.

Gina M. Raimondo ’93 Governor of Rhode Island

discussion, Raimondo devoted significant time to the importance of making compromises.

“When I think of moderate, I think of someone who is willing to compromise to get things done,” Raimondo said. “It’s not about politicians. What are you going to do for your constituents? And that means you have to sometimes meet in the middle to produce results.”Raimondo talked about how she worked to grow Rhode Island’s economy after decades of manufacturing

job losses in the state, as well as a spike in unemployment after the 2008 recession. She said a central goal of her gubernatorial campaign in 2014 was to bring unemployment down and to recruit companies to come to Rhode Island.Despite the lecture’s title, “Making Tough Decisions,” Raimondo said it was not difficult for her to base her 2010 state treasurer campaign on reducing public employees’ pensions in the wake of the recession. At the time, the decision sparked controversy, but she argued that the policy would ensure long-term stability for the state’s pension fund.

“I didn’t think there was any alternative,” she said. “It was a very difficult political choice, and all my political advisors advised me against it. I knew the politics and the political ramifications would be challenging, but in good conscience there was no other alternative.”Raimondo also took the opportunity Wednesday night to criticize the state of Oklahoma’s recent decision to limit the public school week to four days to manage the state’s budget crisis.“They have such religion around taxes,” she said.Raimondo also stressed the importance of effective governance for engaging constituents in the po-

litical process.“If everything we do is poorly executed, people lose faith in government,” she said. “And when people lose faith in government, then they just say, ‘it doesn’t matter who’s in office why should I vote, let’s just cut taxes and make government small, government is the problem.’ It makes it very hard for those of us who actually believe in effective government to make the case.”

“There’s plenty of time to go make money, but there’s not always a great time to change the world for the better,” Raimondo added.Jia Chen, a mid-career MPA student at the Kennedy School, said she enjoyed seeing a female political leader come speak.

“As a female student, I would never lose a chance to see an inspiring female leader,” Chen said. “I think she really cares about what happens at the end of the day.”

Anagha Kumar ’22 said Raimondo’s focus on Rhode Island’s residents’ needs was encouraging.“I think she’s been extremely inspiring as being a fiscally conservative Democrat…it’s interesting to see how she deals with dissent from both sides and leads her life as a moderate,” Kumar said. “She put her constituents as a priority.”

GRAD UNION FROM PAGE 1

ADMISSIONS FROM PAGE 1

Grad Students Petition Bacow

Alumni Charged in Admissions Scandal

powerful perpetrators accountable,” Sandalow-Ash wrote, in reference to an ongoing Title IX investigation into Government Professor Emeritus Jorge I. Dominguez.

University spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain wrote in an emailed statement that the University has multiple concerns about the union’s proposal.

“HGSU-UAW has proposed grievances and arbitration rights that would skip over the detailed investigatory process that is in place to ensure thoroughness, fair play and due process for the complainant and respondent alike,” Swain wrote.

“The University would underline that an independent arbitrator would have no legal power to issue sanctions or any form of punishment on an offending faculty, student or employee.”

“It would also place many of the complainants and respondents, along with those who may have been witnesses to the event(s) in question, face-toface in an adversarial arbitration hearing, potentially with lawyers and cross-examination, something the University does not believe is appropriate for these important, complex and sensitive issues,” Swain added.

Swain wrote that Harvard’s current procedure on claims of sexual assault and discrimination was created with “extensive” input from across the University and that the union’s proposal would create different investigatory process for different groups of students.

The University’s counter-proposal would give the union representation on one existing and two new “working groups” on reforming policies related to Title IX — a fed-

eral anti-gender discrimination law — and “other forms of discrimination and misconduct,” according to Swain.

He wrote that the University’s proposal offers contractual protection for student workers from retaliation for pursuing claims of discrimination, an “impartial and unbiased panel” for appeals, and a contractual guarantee that student workers will not be pressured to accept informal resolution in place of pursuing a formal complaint.

Throughout five months of collective bargaining with the University, HGSU-UAW has also consistently called for the University to grant more time in the negotiating room.

“Every day without a contract is a day without protections from harassment and discrimination; a day without rights and support for international student workers; and a day without comprehensive and affordable health, vision, and dental care,” Yumusak wrote in an emailed statement.

“And we know that in order to achieve a strong contract, we need more time at the bargaining table.”

Swain wrote that negotiations are “active and ongoing.”

“Many of the items being negotiated by HGSU-UAW and the University are complex and take time to be vetted, including outside of bargaining meetings, in order for the University to respond appropriately,” he wrote.

Harvard and HGSU-UAW negotiators recently formed sub-committees that also meet between sessions to expedite agreements on certain proposals, according to Swain.

children. None of the individuals responded to requests for comment for this story.

Mark E. Riddell ’06, the former director of exam preparation at IMG Academy in Florida, allegedly tampered with students’ standardized test answers and, in at least one instance, received an exam from a compromised test administrator and took it himself. He is cooperating with investigators and has agreed to plead guilty to all charges against him, according to prosecutors.

“He didn’t have inside information about the answers, he was just smart enough to get a near perfect score on demand or to calibrate the score,” the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, Andrew Lelling, said of Riddell.

Riddell said in a statement released by his lawyers on Wednesday that he is “profoundly sorry” for the “damage” and “grief” he caused.

At least two parents — including Wilson — allegedly told the college consultant company at the center of the cheating scheme that they wanted their children admitted to Harvard, according to the affidavit. Wilson allegedly funnelled at least

$500,000 to an account he believed would be used to pay off a “senior women’s administrator” at the University to designate his daughter as an athletic recruit.

I know this is craziness, I know it is.

Jane Buckingham Harvard Alumna Charged in Admissions Scandal

“So I got the senior women’s administrator at Harvard is going to give us a spot. What we have to do is we’ll have to give her $500,000,” an informant from the consulting company told Wilson. “That money, obviously, like the others, will go through my foundation and then I will fund the senior women’s administrator at Harvard.”

Unbeknownst to Wilson, though, that so-called administrator was “fictitious,” and the Massachusetts account to which he wired the money was opened at the direction of federal investigators.

Jane Buckingham, who al-

legedly paid tens of thousands of dollars to have Riddell take the ACT in her son’s place, likened the scheme to “cur[ing] cancer.”

“I know this is craziness, I know it is,” Buckingham said.

“But, you know, peace in the Middle East. You know, Harvard, the rest of it. I have faith in you.”

Tuesday’s indictment also shone a spotlight on longstanding attempts by wealthy parents to increase their children’s admissions chances at prominent universities.

The ongoing lawsuit against Harvard alleging it discriminates against Asian Americans in its admissions process has revealed that the College’s admissions office maintains a secretive “Dean’s List” and “Director’s List” – comprised of donors’ relatives and others with special connections to the University. The lists boast an average acceptance rate of 42.2 percent in recent years, more than nine times the overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2022.

In addition, court filings released over the summer revealed that members of the University Development Of-

fice, which solicits alumni donations, regularly meet with Dean of Admissions William R. Fitzsimmons ’67. Private emails among administrators unveiled during the three-week trial brought to light a number of cases in which Harvard favors those who fund it, tying Harvard hopefuls to monumental donations, buildings, and art collections.

The alleged cheating conspiracy unsealed by federal investigators on Tuesday marks at least the second time in less than six months that top universities have been forced to reckon with allegations that students submitted falsified application materials in order to gain admission.

In November 2018, the New York Times published an investigative report detailing allegations of rampant application fraud at T.M. Landry College Preparatory School, a Louisiana high school famous for getting underprivileged youth into Ivy League colleges and other highly selective universities, including Harvard. jonah.berger@thecrimson.com samuel.zwickel@thecrimson.com

Transformative coverage.

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON |

MARCH 14, 2019

PAGE 4

WHRB FROM PAGE 1

COMMITTEE FROM PAGE 1

College Threatens WHRB Faculty Propose Keeping With Probation Shopping Week Until 2022 recruit new members at Harvard-sponsored events.

Though Bagley allegedly “promised to send a formal email to initiate proceedings,” Hampton wrote in his email that administrators never sent such a note.

“The email never arrived, his boss did not seem particularly concerned, and the formal probationary sanction is much more serious than what JR described, so I suspect we are not actually on probation,” Hampton wrote. “I am meeting with some administration people to check it out.”

College spokesperson Aaron M. Goldman wrote in a Tuesday email that WHRB is “not currently” on administrative probation.

“We are not going to have any comment on the specifics of conversations between the College and any student organizations,” Goldman wrote. “Their current status is that they are an Independent Student Organization (ISO) and are not currently under probation.”

Goldman declined to comment on whether Bagley or other College administrators told WHRB they planned to place

KHURANA FROM PAGE 1

Khurana Stresses Student Support another, he wrote about “support structures” he and fellow Winthrop Faculty Dean Stephanie R. Robinson planned to institute, including designating Resident Dean Linda D. M. Chavers as the “point person” for issues related to sexual misconduct.

Our house system is unique. It’s not understood well. It’s not a dorm, but it is, in fact, the linchpin of our students services to be delivered.

Rakesh Khurana Dean of Harvard College

In an interview last month, Khurana responded to questions about student concerns regarding Sullivan’s decision to represent Weinstein by emphasizing his support for “academic freedom.”

He added in the February interview that he was “actively in communication” with Sullivan so that Khurana could “adjust” to the community members’ needs.

Khurana declined to comment Tuesday on whether he has met with Sullivan since.

On Feb. 26, Khurana announced a “climate review” of Winthrop House, led by former Dean of Freshmen Thomas A. Dingman ’67. At the time, Khurana wrote that the College decided to launch the review after hearing that some students had expressed concerns about Sullivan’s decision to defend Weinstein.

The review has two parts: House affiliates can meet with Dingman or Bok Center Director of Educational Research and Evaluation Jenny Bergeron in person.

They can also fill out an online survey Dingman sent March 6, which Khurana said is still open.

Khurana also said people do not fully understand the distinction between a house and a dorm, or the role of the faculty dean.

“Our house system is unique.

It’s not understood well. It’s not a dorm, but it is, in fact, the linchpin of our students services to be delivered,” he said.

“Through our tutors, through the work of the Resident Dean, from the work of the Faculty Dean, critical student services are operating through our house system.” shera.avi-yonah@thecrimson.com delano.franklin@thecrimson.com

the group on probation. He also declined to comment on whether the event that WHRB hosted with Lil Pump violated any College policies.

WHRB is a recognized student group at the College, meaning it is subject to College regulations that require it to register certain kinds of club events with the Dean of Students Office. Such events include those with more than 100 anticipated attendees, those at which goods or merchandise are sold, and those at which high-profile guests are in attendance, according to a Dean of Student Office “Recognized Student Organization Resource & Policy Guide” handbook provided to officers of student organizations at a mandatory meeting with College administrators last fall.

“Student organizations inviting dignitaries and other high profile individuals should begin to work with the Student Engagement Team prior to extending an invitation,” the handbook reads.

Hampton declined to comment on what policies Bagley told him the station violated.

The handbook details four

possible outcomes “in the event of an allegation that Harvard’s policies have not been followed by members of a recognized student organization”: Warning, Period of Probation, Suspension, and Revocation.

“Probation is a period of time during which the student organization is given the opportunity to demonstrate its ability to abide by the policies and procedures articulated in this guide and the Harvard College Handbook for Students,” the handout reads.

“Additional accompanying terms may include restrictions on the ability to host social functions, room booking, and participation in the Involvement Fair.”

In his email, Hampton urged radio affiliates to exercise caution in light of the potential disciplinary measures.

“Regardless of the specific penalty, now is not a good time to be goofing off,” he wrote.

“Do not make noise immediately outside the station, keep the speakers quiet at night, and avoid unnecessary risks.” shera.avi-yonah@thecrimson.com samuel.zwickel@thecrimson.com

merits of shopping week for years. Some argue that the delay in finalizing course enrollments created by shopping week leads to job insecurity for teaching fellows and complicates the application process for loan deferments, fellowships, and scholarships. Others praise shopping week for the flexibility in scheduling it provides undergraduates.

The debate resurfaced in March 2018, when Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana brought the topic up at a meeting of the full faculty without making any formal proposal.

In response, the Council voted in September to form a committee to consider possible changes to course registration.

In the months since its formation, the committee launched a website explaining the debate and encouraging student input. Claybaugh, who served on the committee, wrote in an emailed statement Wednesday that the committee hopes to solicit further feedback from undergraduate and graduate students, staff, and faculty before any changes are finalized.

“I’m not yet able to speak publicly about the committee’s proposal, but I look forward to sharing it with the entire Harvard College community as soon as I’m free to do so,” Claybaugh wrote. “This is an important question, and we don’t want to decide it before hearing from everyone in our community.”

The Council also heard two other proposals at its Tuesday meeting — one to create a new masters of science and masters of business administration dual degree program and another on the College’s quantitative reasoning requirement.

Professors Mark C. Fishman and Douglas Melton, Harvard Medical School Fellow William J. Anderson, and Dean for Academic Programs and Diversity Sheila Thomas presented the joint degree program proposal, which aims to provide life sciences instruction to Harvard Business School students interested in entering fields like pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.

Prospective students will apply through the Business School, and the program will

take two and a half years to complete.

Claybaugh and Dean of Faculty Affairs and Planning Nina Zipser presented the quantitative reasoning proposal. The proposed changes would allow students to count extant courses focused on “the ability to work with data” within different disciplines towards the requirement, Howell wrote.

All three proposals were well-received by Council members, according to Howell.

“My sense is that [the Council] was positively disposed to all of them,” he wrote.

“We had questions, of course, but I personally felt that the people presenting the proposals did a good job of responding and allaying any concerns.”

The Council will vote on whether to endorse the shopping week proposal and the other two proposals at its next meeting on March 27, according to Howell.

They will then go before the full Faculty for discussion and a vote. molly.mccaferty@thecrimson.com

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON | MARCH 14, 2019

PAGE 6

EDITORIAL THE CRIMSON EDITORIAL BOARD

OP-ED

UC Partnerships Take a Lyft in the Right Direction

Thank You, Harvard Landscape Maintenance

A

s it stands, the Undergraduate Council’s $650,000 annual budget does not match the cost of many of its goals. As a result, the UC has expressed a desire to expand partnership programs under its administration, including one with ridesharing app Lyft, umbrella sharing service UmbraCity, and College X Change, a student-developed platform for buying and selling items. These partnerships are intended to benefit students with discounts on services in exchange for access to the student body for the companies.

Though we have often been critical of its fiscal and programmatic policies in the past, we applaud the UC for their strategy of partnering with companies to enhance student life.

We believe that trading access to the student body for goods and services that would help students in their everyday lives is, to put it bluntly, a good deal.

If adequate resources are not provided in the budget for all of the UC’s goals, it seems wise to exchange advertising and access to students as a resource.

We understand concerns that some students may feel inundated with advertising by the UC’s new partnerships, as advertisements are already a constant presence in their daily lives.

However, the benefits these partner-

ships may bring students — with the po-

Though we’ve often found the UC’s efforts lacking, this program is a step (or a Lyft ride) in the right direction. tential to improve aspects of student life — is worth the extra advertising.

A partnership with Lyft in particular would be an excellent way for the UC to help students who live in the Quad, who often struggle with the lengthy commute to and from classes and other activities in the Harvard Square area. Students in the Quad often bear the long walk in the pelting rain and over slippery sidewalks.

Late at night many students would reasonably feel unsafe walking nearly a mile back home.

Cab services are expensive and the shuttle system is notoriously inconsistent. As a result, the UC’s burgeoning partnership with Lyft has the potential to meet an enormous student need.

It’s worth mentioning that the UC’s business oriented solutions may still leave out low-income students.

For example, some students may not

be able to afford Lyft services, even with a discount.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon the University to more systematically and directly address the student challenges the UC is addressing through its partnerships, so that all students regardless of financial means have access to the best campus services. The UC might provide some power for temporary solutions, but ultimately the University must address the structural inconsistencies and shortcomings that have led to problems, like the inequitable Quad-Yard commute.

Nevertheless, until these problems are properly tackled by the University, we hope the UC will continue to leverage the partnership program as a tool for improving student life.

Though we’ve often found the UC’s efforts lacking, this program is a step (or a Lyft ride) in the right direction.

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.

MIREYA C. ARANGO—CRIMSON ILLUSTRATOR

COLUMN

Life after Dining Plans Jonathan Yuan FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A

fter being accepted into Harvard last December, I was looking forward to seeing all the opportunities that I would be provided. But one thing that I was shocked by was the lack of choice in my meal plan.

Though some schools’ systems are incredibly complex, with dining points, dining dollars, fixed swipes, and a ton of other terminology, Harvard is on the opposite side of the spectrum. Its plan is simple, yet incredibly vague and uncertain in dictating what it provides.

Three thousand, 275 dollars and 50 cents. That is the cost for “boarding” at Harvard per semester this year, also known as the amount we pay for access to the dining halls. This is also the only plan that we have here at Harvard, so there is basically one choice in how we spend our money on food.

Furthermore, there isn’t a swipe count — a concrete number of what we’ve used and what we have left. Instead, there’s a simple rule of swiping in by meal. What happens to those swipes that aren’t used because of a missed breakfast or a busy evening? Poof, they disappear.

And maybe it’s just me, but, until my third month here, I didn’t even know about BoardPlus — the $65 per semester automatically given to students, dedicated for swiping guests into the dining halls or for use at campus eateries.

BoardPlus is a nice treat, but it comes to us from our boarding fee — giving us a sense of “freedom” when really it’s just a small allocation of money we’ve already spent.

I could come up with a few reasons as to why Harvard’s dining plan is structured the way it is. One may be to ensure that Harvard University Dining Services workers are paid for their work, which is, of course, an important matter.

Factoring in maintenance, utilities, and

other costs only makes the cost of operations even greater.

Perhaps Harvard wants to ensure that all of these costs will continue to be met by enforcing a meal plan on every individual.

However, this all might just be a way, as Harvard is best known, to make mon-

From a student’s perspective, my main issue with Harvard’s current system is the lack of flexibility. If a student doesn’t use half of their swipes or wants to reduce the cost of living by just eating cereal in their dorm room, I believe that they should have the option to pay less in boarding fees. ey. According to experts analyzing the University of Pennsylvania’s dining services, if university dining holds a monopoly on food on campus, it may be able to charge hungry students extremely high rates.

From a student’s perspective, my main issue with Harvard’s current system is the lack of flexibility. If a student doesn’t use half of their swipes or wants to reduce the cost of living by just eating cereal in their dorm room, I believe that they should have the option to pay less in boarding fees. College is also many people’s first chance to experience the world for themselves.

People here on campus are busy searching for what makes them unique and developing their sense of independence.

But living on dining hall food doesn’t

last forever. Eventually, students should learn to plan their meals, allocate time to cooking and cleaning, and become fully-functioning adults.

If Harvard wants to train us to be the next leaders of the world, they’re going to have to let us develop those simple skills.

I realize that there are a variety of options available for students who want to devote themselves to pursuing that kind of independence.

The Dudley Co-Op, for example, is a group of students who live in a communal environment, cooking their own meals, keeping after themselves, and having the perk of paying a reduced housing fee. However, the Co-Op is comprised of only 30 students, making it a relatively inaccessible option.

There are also kitchens in some dorms and around campus, but since we’re paying fully for dining hall food anyway, there isn’t any motivation to devote ourselves to cooking out of our own pocket. Harvard seeks to give us the education we need to be successful, but it fails to address and advocate for some basic aspects of adulthood.

Though I know that adjusting the dining system would require a great amount of investigation, I think that it is a worthwhile topic to be discussed further. Students should have the option to choose where their money is going, whether that means reducing their meal plan or paying for ingredients and produce over cafeteria meals.

In considering this change, Harvard will continue to support its students in developing the independence that will allow us to enjoy the fruits of our labors later on in life.

—Jonathan Yuan ’22 lives in Thayer Hall.

His column appears on alternate Thursdays.

By SAMUEL H. CARTER

T

he first week of March was a hectic one on Harvard’s campus. Many juniors spent the weekend going to various festivities for Junior Family Weekend. Many others spent hours in their favorite study spots in anticipation of the start of midterm season. And, on top of all of this, there was a snowstorm on the third night of the month that left the Boston area covered in almost a foot of snow.

Former Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III once remarked that “Harvard University will close only for an act of God, such as the end of the world.”

Indeed, the University was open for normal operations that Monday, and students were notified of that fact in emails sent both the night prior and morning of.

I woke up on Monday dreading the journey to class. Even as a native New Englander, this winter has been an especially difficult one. I decid-

I think many of us take for granted the clear-pathed and lively Yard that we walk through every day.

I certainly did. That is a huge testament to how amazing the Harvard Landscape Maintenance team is. ed to wear my work pants (covered in exterior paint from my summer job), tied my boots, put on a hoodie and a jacket, and braced myself for a trek through the snow.

When I opened the dorm door, however, I saw the one thing I did not anticipate: pavement. In fact, as I walked through Harvard Yard and beyond, pavement was all I saw. The trek to Northwest Labs that I anticipated lasting 20 sock-drenching minutes was over in its normal time, and my feet were warm as ever. I was amazed at what felt like a March miracle, but then I thought about my first two semesters at Harvard.

The first of March was not the first time in the 2018-19 school year that it snowed in Harvard Yard, nor was it the first time that I had a too-easy walk to my classes. It was the first time, though, that I had not expected to have an easy path to class.

Frankly, I was disappointed in myself. It took a winter storm warning for me to realize the effortless journey through Harvard I had accepted as normal was actually something to cherish.

I think many of us take for granted the clearpathed and lively Yard that we walk through every day. I certainly did. That is a huge testament to how amazing the Harvard Landscape Maintenance team is.

New England winters are relentless, and both plowing and shoveling during a winter storm are ridiculously difficult.

My dad owns three pizza stores, and he dreads nothing more than having to plow his stores’ parking lots.

On top of the objective physical difficulty of shoveling and plowing (the latter can do a toll on your arms, back, and general body due to heat inside the cab), shoveling snow with the intention of completely clearing pavement is mentally fatiguing, as well.

The objective of completely clearing a walkway of snow is a war of attrition. You can’t let snow pile up too much, or the snow on the bottom will freeze, leaving black ice for people to slip on when everything is shoveled. As a result, shoveling snow during a snowstorm is an hours-long rotation between plowing, shoveling, and salting. All the while, your body gets very hot, but if you take your coat or other layers off for too long, your body will get a chill that takes hours to recover from.

Trying to win against snow is an all-around

It is their work — work that is so consistently spectacular that it often goes completely unnoticed — that keeps Harvard going, wind, rain, or shine. thankless task, and we are lucky enough to benefit from the work of men and women who do just that on a regular basis.

On multiple occasions, I’ve had to dodge trucks plowing through Harvard Yard in the middle of the night.

I’ve passed people shoveling the stairs of Lamont at 3 a.m. The men and women driving those trucks and wielding those shovels are doing the work that no one wants to do, the work that makes thousands of people’s lives easier.

And they deserve a thank you.

So the next time you want to complain about our lack of snow days, I encourage you to thank a member of the Landscape Maintenance team instead. It is their work — work that is so consistently spectacular that it often goes completely unnoticed — that keeps Harvard going, wind, rain, or shine. So thank you, Harvard Landscaping Maintenance team.

Only the end of the world might stop you — and I strongly emphasize the “might.”

—Samuel H. Carter ’22, a Crimson Editorial and Business editor, lives in Canaday Hall.

PAGE 7

SPORTS THIS WEEK’S GAMES

PREVIEW

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | MARCH 14, 2019

FRIDAY ______________________________________

SATURDAY ______________________________________

SUNDAY ______________________________________

Baseball vs. Seton Hall Snowbird Classic- Port Charlotte, Florida 1:30 p.m.

Men’s Lacrosse at Brown 4 p.m.

Women’s Water Polo at Santa Clara 3 p.m.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Harvard Set for Rematch vs Penn in Ivy Tournament ­ year ago, Harvard womA en’s basketball entered the Ivy League tournament as the No. 3 seed and was a decided underdog against No. 2 Penn. The Crimson played tough and kept the game close, but 17-of-66 Harvard shooting eventually helped the Quakers edge past the Crimson 57-52 to advance to the championship game.

Harvard (16-11, 9-5 Ivy) and Penn (22-5, 12-2) are gearing up for a rematch this Saturday night at the John J. Lee Amphitheater in New Haven. On the surface, this year’s matchup seems similar. The seed numbers attached to each school are the same and the two teams split their headto-head matchups this year, as they did last year. The Quakers will again be favored to win.

But the circumstances are in fact different. The tournament will be played in New Haven this year, erasing the homecourt advantage Penn gained from playing in the Palestra last year, a year in which the Crimson went 4-9 on the road.

And the gap in the teams’ quality is a lot narrower than their records would suggest.

Harvard led the Ivy League in scoring margin this year, averaging 73.8 points per game and conceding 63.4 for a margin of +10.4, up from +6.6 last season.

Penn, with averages of 67 points for and 56.7 against, is just a tick behind at +10.3, down from +13.5 last year.

If the two earlier meetings between the Crimson and Penn are any indication, this game will be decided by the finest of margins. Both games reached at least one overtime; Harvard’s home win in February went to a second.

“I thought we had our chances to win both games,” head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith said, “as they probably feel they did. I feel really confident going into the weekend and I won’t be surprised if it’s close because it’s just two good teams battling it out.”

Four of the Crimson’s five Ivy League losses this year were by five points or fewer. That includes all three games it lost to

Penn and Princeton, the Ivy League’s perennial powerhouses. Harvard went just 2-4 in games decided by fewer than 10 points, while Penn went 5-1. In a game that is very likely to come down to the wire again, the Crimson will hope that there is some regression to the mean on both sides.

This has been a year of milestones for Harvard. Both junior Katie Benzan and co-captain Madeline Raster reached 1,000 career points. Benzan also broke first the Crimson record for career three point makes (previously 261) and then last weekend against Columbia set the Ivy League record (273), an outstanding accomplishment for a junior. And Delaney-Smith reached the 600 win mark last weekend against Cornell.

But Harvard is looking for much more than a few individual milestones. It wants to break the Penn-Princeton duopoly — nine straight Ivy League championships between them — and become the first Crimson team to win the Ivy League and reach the NCAA tournament since 2007.

To do so, it will rely heavily upon Benzan, the team’s floor general and primary threepoint shooter. One thing is certain: the Wellesley, Mass. native will get her shots, and most of them will come from beyond the arc. In last year’s semifinals, Benzan took 19 threes, hitting six. In the two matchups against the tough Quakers’ defense this season, 24 of her 26 total shots came from deep.

Benzan is the focal point of an offense focused on generating three pointers. Harvard made 130 threes in conference play, 22 more than any other team, and its troika of senior guards — Raster, fellow co-captain Sydney Skinner, and Nani Redford — combine to average 15.6 three point attempts per game.

“Anyone who plays a zone as much as Penn plays a zone is challenging you to beat you with the three,” Delaney-Smith said.

“They’re trying to protect the rim and they’re trying to secure the rebound by packing it in, so

long range shooters can really bust up a zone.”

It will also be crucial for the Crimson to get the ball inside for some easy baskets against a team that does not give up many.

Penn’s suffocating defense is the best in the league against field goals (34%) and three pointers (27%), both percentages that ranked inside the top-10 nationally. For those easy buckets, Harvard will turn to its forwards, junior Jeannie Boehm and sophomore Jadyn Bush, who shoot 44% and 52% respectively from the floor this season.

Bush and Boehm are also the key pieces for a team that leads the Ivy League in offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, and rebounding margin (+8.1).

The Crimson will be relieved to have Bush back in the lineup after she missed last weekend’s games against Cornell and Columbia due to injury.

“Crashing the offensive boards this weekend will be huge for us,” Raster said, “since Penn plays such tough defense.”

If Harvard will seek to capitalize on an advantage on the boards, Penn will look to do the same with turnovers. The Quakers, led by a trio of experienced guards (captain Ashley Russell and juniors Kendall Grasela and Phoebe Sterba), turn the ball over less than any other team in the conference. The Crimson, meanwhile, has struggled at times to limit turnovers, particularly against stiffer competition.

In four games against Penn and Princeton, Harvard turned the ball over 71 times, a pergame rate that would have ranked last in the conference if prorated over the whole season.

Turnovers arguably cost the Crimson victories in all three of its losses to the Quakers and Tigers.

“Other than our Notre Dame loss, every single loss has come down to the last minute of play,” Delaney-Smith said, “and I think it has come down to fouls and turnovers. Hopefully we have learned that painfully and we can get it all corrected.”

Harvard’s big improvement

SUPER SYDNEY ASenior guard Sydney Skinner is pursued by a defender as she takes the ball inside during Saturday’s 69-56 home win versus Columbia. TIMOTHY R. O’MEARA—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

this season has come on the defensive end. A year after allowing opponents to shoot 40% from the floor and 34% from three, the Crimson has become the best defense in the conference outside of southeastern Pennsylvania, holding opponents to 36% shooting and 28% from beyond the arc.

Harvard will need to keep up its defensive effort against a dominant Penn frontline. The matchup between the bigs — Boehm and Bush for the Crimson, sophomore Eleah Parker and senior Princess Aghayere — could prove crucial. Parker is arguably the best player in the Ivy League not named Bella Alarie.

The 6’4” Charlotte, NC. native is near the top of the Ivy League leaderboards in a number of statistics. She leads the conference in shooting percentage and is the fourth leading scorer, the second best rebound-

er, and the best shot-blocker in the conference. Parker was also named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday.

Boehm, who will likely be tasked with guarding Parker, has a big job ahead of her. She struggled offensively in both games against Penn this year, shooting a combined 5-of-22 and averaging six points. But more important for the Winnetka, Ill. native are her defensive responsibilities. Parker, a better than 50% shooter in conference play, shot under 40% against Harvard. “[Parker] is very very talented so she draws a lot of attention,” Delaney-Smith said, “but we work really hard on our scout and I think our kids do a tremendous job — better than most teams — at following the scout and working hard at it.”

In many ways, these two teams are similar. Both rely

heavily upon four key players, two of whom are forwards, one (Benzan for the Crimson, Sterba for Penn) a junior guard who provides firepower from beyond the arc, and one (Raster and Russell) a captain who is a vital cog both offensively and defensively and is an outstanding rebounding guard.

They are two of the three best teams in the Ivy League by any measure, and they will match strength against strength on Saturday in New Haven with an Ivy League tournament championship game berth on the line.

“I think just reinforcing our belief that we can win will be key for dealing with close game situations,” Raster said. “[The Penn game] is just something we have been preparing for all season since we have had such close games all year long, even in non-conference play.” lev.cohen@thecrimson.com

WOMEN’S GOLF

Golf Opens Spring Season with Weekend Trip to Arizona ­ his past weekend the HarT vard men’s golf team opened up its 2019 spring campaign in Scottsdale, Ariz. at the Michigan Desert Mountain Tournament. If you just consider the scoreboard, it would definitely

appear to be a slow start for the group.

The Crimson placed last in a field of 12 teams with a total combined score of 929. Mississippi State pulled out the victory with a score of 856, while

Kansas (862) and Marquette (871) rounded out the top three.

The Bulldogs were led by junior Garrett Johnson who appeared at the top of the individual leaderboard as well.

Through three rounds he shot

TEEING OFF Men’s Golf kicked off their spring season at the Michigan Desert Mountain Tournament in Socttsdale, Arizona over the weekend, finishing last of seventeen. RYOSUKE TAKASHIMA—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER

nine under par, which included a 66 in his first round, for a total score of 207.

However, considering the circumstances, the result is not as bad as it seems for Harvard. The inclement weather this season has prevented the team from playing and practicing outdoors. Furthermore, this trip to Arizona was much earlier in the season than is customary.

“Usually our first tournament isn’t until a week after spring break,” junior Rij Patel said. “This was a very interesting experience in that we basically just started off our year with one day of [outdoor] practice. We got to play one round of golf before jumping into a tournament.”

A positive of this early competition, no matter the final standings, is that now the Crimson has direct and valuable feedback about where it stands.

It will allow the players to focus on what’s required as they head into spring break.

“It was really good for us to go out to Arizona and compete to see where our games were at,” sophomore Grant Fairbairn said. “All of our games were trending in the right direction and we all found super positive things to take away, so it was a really good learning experience overall.”

Despite the team not performing well as a whole, Fairbairn’s play proved to be a bright spot over the weekend.

The sophomore found himself tied for 17th on the individu-

al leaderboard with a score of 221. A mediocre second round was sandwiched by two impressive scores of 70 in the first and third.

“In those conditions he played outstandingly,” Patel said of Fairbairn. “To go out in your first round of the year, without playing outdoors, and to shoot two under par at this demanding of a golf course requires you to hit the ball super straight. There is very low margin for error and Grant was hitting it on a string.”

Over the course of the tournament Fairbairn notched 13 birdies, with seven of those coming in the final round. Only five other golfers topped this mark.

“My game really clicked for me,” Fairbairn said. “I’m usually a pretty good ball striker. The only real question was whether I was going to putt well, and luckily I found my putter. I was able to convert on a lot of birdie opportunities.”

The second best Harvard performance was turned in by freshman Brian Isztwan. His score of 231, good for 54th at the tournament, was highlighted by a 73 in the first round. The first year student achieved this with 30 pars and eight birdies in total.

That being said, the group will not be completely satisfied with how the event transpired.

There are several things that will need to be adjusted as the Crimson gears up for the rest of the season. Even Fairbairn, who had a strong showing over

the weekend, knows that he can be even better.

“I need to follow my routine and my process a little bit more,” Fairbairn said. “I kind of lost myself out there on a couple shots. Overall if I can clean up

All of our games were trending in the right direction and we all found super positive things to take away, so it was a really good learning experience.

Grant Fairbairn Sophomore

my process and my routine, my game will be a lot tighter.”

The general feeling after the trip is a positive one. The group is putting aside the 12th place finish and instead focusing on how they can use the experience to their advantage. They gleaned a lot of information from their play, both good and bad. There is still a lot of golf to be played and Harvard is eager and excited for the rest of the season.

“I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season has in store for the team,” Patel said. “All of us had a round below 77. In a tough course like this in your first week out playing golf, that’s a really good sign.” kostas.tingos@thecrimson.com