The Harvard Crimson - Volume CXLVI, No. 5

The Harvard Crimson The University Daily, Est. 1873 | Volume CXLVI, No. 5 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | WEDNESDAY, January 30, 2019

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Harvard should bolster, not eliminate, its legacy admissions.

Professors are preparing classes for the new General Education program.

Harvard’s Baseball team visited the Dominican Republic over break.

False Fire Alarms Plague Harvard Housing UC Slams 10 Title IX 48 total false alarms Changes 5

The Council submitted comments to the federal government Tuesday By kevin R. Chen and laura C. espinoza

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Crimson Staff Writers

The Undergraduate Council voted to publish a comment against United States Secretary of Education Betsy D. DeVos’s proposed changes to federal Title IX rules at an emergency meeting Tuesday evening.

Running up against a Jan. 30 deadline for the 60-day public comment period on the new changes, the UC voted to oppose Devos’s rules, 24-1-1. The government’s comment-collecting website indicates that comments must be received by Jan. 28, despite the later closing date.

The UC’s resolution criticized the proposed rules’ altered approach to enforcing Title IX, the federal anti-discrimination law that underlies Harvard’s sexual misconduct policies. In particular, representatives argued against the proposals’ redefining of supportive measures, elimination of mandatory 60-day investigatory periods, and the optional elevation of evidentiary standards in investigation proceedings.

Under the proposed rules, supportive measures, meant to accommodate victims who report their abusers, must be implemented “without unreasonably burdening the other party.”

“Redefining supportive measures will disincentivize students from reporting sexual harassment or assault, and may actually exacerbate the impact of trauma on survivors’ academic life, instead of providing meaningful support to those students who need it,” the UC’s comment reads.

The council also disagreed with the move from a mandatory 60-day investigatory period to a “reasonably prompt” timeframe, arguing that this could cause cases to drag on for months or years, potentially past the graduation of involved parties. The UC claimed that even with the 60-day rule in place, Harvard has “failed to even come close” to meeting this requirement, per statistics published in Harvard’s annual Title IX report produced jointly by the Title IX Office and Office for Dispute Resolution,

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Crimson Staff Writer

Yan Chen admits that, at the age of 23, she’s older than most Rhodes Scholars, but she said she is no less passionate about using the platform to study and advocate for theater.

“It feels like I’ve lived so much of my life already,” Chen said in an interview Tuesday. “I feel so old.”

Chen, a 2018 graduate of the American Repertory Theater Institute and the Extension School at Harvard, is the first Harvard affiliate to receive the Rhodes Scholarship in mainland China, bringing the total number of University-affiliated winners this year to six. Numerous countries and regions offer individual Rhodes scholInside this issue

Harvard Today 2

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2019 MARGOT E. Shang—Crimson Designer

By Luke A. Williams Crimson Staff Writer

From fall 2017 to early Jan. 2019, the shriek of fire alarms in Harvard’s Holden Green housing complex had become regular background noise to residents’ daily activities from bedtime to birthday parties.

Professors, graduate students, and their families living in the collection of buildings along the Somerville-Cambridge border were already in the midst of a months-long construction debacle — with limited access to residences, constant dust, jackhammering, and water leaks — when the alarms started going off sporadically in Sept. 2017, sometimes multiple

times a week.

The sirens rang 48 times before seeming to stop earlier this month, according to Somerville Fire Department records. Every single one was a false alarm.

Responders found supposed causes including malfunction, low battery, “hazardous materials,” gas leaks, and false smoke and heat detectors, but never once saw such conditions.

In 11 cases, firefighters couldn’t identify the cause of the alarm. Sometimes, multiple sirens would sound in a single day — on Dec. 28, 2018 four false alarms went off in the same room between 6:13 p.m. and 9:07 p.m. That apartment alone saw 33 of 48 alarms.

Somerville Fire Department

Lt. Tim Donovan said firefighters take these calls “very seriously,” with five firefighters and two trucks regularly sent to assess the danger to residents while working to turn the alarm off.

After months of recurring alarms, the trucks often began to arrive in silence.

University spokesperson Brigid O’Rourke wrote in an emailed statement that inspectors found hot air vents placed near resident’s alarms may have caused some of the false sirens.

In early January, Harvard University Housing and a third-party consultant redirected the airflow of the vents in apartments with recurring

Rus Gant Brings Academics to Life with Virtual Reality Tech

alarms. Since January 7, there have been no false alarms.

“Harvard University Housing appreciates residents’ continued patience as it works to further ensure that all safety systems and detection devices are functioning properly,” O’ Rourke wrote. “[Harvard University Housing] is confident that while some of the alarms may currently be operating in an overly sensitive manner, they have all been repeatedly tested, remain functional, and have been determined to be fully able to detect any life threatening emergencies.”

Following the months of alarms, Holden Green residents Pedro and Renata Moreira consider themselves lucky:

See ALARMS Page 3

Pudding Names Woman of the Year

By joshua S. archibald and matteo n. wong Crimson Staff Writers

From his lab in Harvard’s Geological Museum, Rus Gant can send people to Mars, Paris, the Pyramids of Giza, the bottom of the ocean, or on a flying tour of Manhattan with the press of a few buttons.

As one of the leading experts on virtual reality technology, Gant has spent decades developing ways to bring the whole world into the classroom. He joined Harvard’s Visualization Laboratory in 2010, following stints at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon.

“He’s one of the real pioneers in the entire field,” said Christopher J. Dede, a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education whose research focuses on the educational uses of virtual and augmented reality. ­

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Bryce Dallas Howard will receive the Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ Woman of the Year award Thursday. Courtesy of Hasty Pudding Theatricals

By Isabel L. Isselbacher Crimson Staff Writer

Rus Gant, a 3D artist and engineer, directs the Harvard Visualization Research and Teaching Lab. AWNIT SINGH MARTA—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER.

Extension School Grad Named Rhodes Scholar By alexandra a. chaidez

Ja

they only had one false alarm in their apartment.

“We were recently moved here and I woke up at 3:00 a.m. and saw the fire department and said ‘Oh, my God. We need to leave,’” Pedro Moreira said.

He said his initial fear transformed into a persistent worry that if a real emergency occurred, people might not react.

“There’s always that joke that when you were a kid your mother said, ‘Don’t pretend you’re in an emergency when you are not, because when you really have an emergency people will think that you’re pretending,’” he said. “I’m always afraid of that.”

For many of Holden Green’s residents, the alarms became part of everyday life. David Brivio, a resident who has six children, said that whenever an alarm went off they saw the firetruck and said, “‘Oh, another time!’”

The Moreiras even threw a firefighter-themed birthday for their son after he befriended the building’s frequent visitors.

“We ran out and bought some firefighter hats for the kids. I made the joke, ‘Well, when the firefighters come we can go there,’” Pedro Moreira said.

Sure enough, an alarm went off in the middle of the party and firefighters showed up.

Despite residents’ determination to make the most of the situation, many said they were still frustrated by long months without a solution.

arships for their residents.

The Rhodes Scholarship pays for graduate study at Oxford University, and more than 350 Harvard alumni have received the honor since the fellowship’s establishment in 1902. The year’s class has more women than ever before, and immigrants or first-generation college students comprise nearly half the class.

After graduating from Nanjing University with a degree in English literature, Chen studied dramaturgy and theater studies at Harvard. While in Cambridge, she became involved in several Boston-area theater productions, as well as shows in Moscow and Shanghai.

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News 3

Editorial 4

Yan Chen is the first Harvard affiliate to receive the Rhodes Scholarship in mainland China. photo courtesy of yan chen

Sports 7

Today’s Forecast

Bryce Dallas Howard, an American actress, producer, and director, has been named the Hasty Pudding Theatricals 2019 Woman of the Year.

Howard is best known for her role as Claire Dearing in the Jurassic World trilogy. She starred alongside Chris Pratt in both Jurassic World — the highest grossing film of 2015 — and in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. The franchise announced that Jurassic World 3: Extinction, the final installment of the trilogy, will be released in 2021.

In addition to Jurassic World, Howard has appeared in box-office hits such as Spider-Man 3 and The Help. She was most recently cast as Elton John’s mother in Rocketman, which will debut in theaters on May 31.

Howard’s career has also included television roles in Arrested Development and Black Mirror, for which her performance earned her a 2017 SAG Award nomination for “Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series.” Howard produced the 2011 film Restless and is currently co-directing The Mandalorian, a Disney Star Wars TV series. She also voic-

Snow showers High: 32 Low: 4

es Bella the dog in A Dog’s Way Home, which debuted in theaters on Jan. 11.

As is tradition for Woman of the Year festivities, Hasty Pudding Theatricals will parade through the streets of Harvard Square in Howard’s honor. At 4:00 p.m., the actress will be awarded the Pudding Cup in Farkas Hall with a celebratory roast shortly following the presentation.

Afterwards, the Pudding will end the evening of with a preview of its 171st production, “France France Revolution.”

The show will mark the first time in nearly 200 years that the Hasty Pudding Theatricals has incorporated female students into its formerly all-male cast.

Since the award was first created in 1951, the Pudding has annually bestowed the title of Woman of the Year on female “performers who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment.”

Howard joins the ranks of 67 prominent entertainers who have been past recipients of the award. Previous Women of the Year include Meryl Streep, Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway, Amy Poehler, Kerry Washington, Octavia

See PUDDING Page 5

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON |

january 30, 2019

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Harvard Today

For Lunch Red Spiced Chicken Three-Cheesed Tortellini Bake Green Garbanzo Falafel Sandwich

For Dinner Fresh Seared Swordfish Chicken Breast with Pico Da Gallo Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Today’s Events

in The Real World

Lawrence Bacow Speaks at Harvard School of Public Health 12-12:30 p.m.

Come see University President Lawrence S. Bacow give a talk on “challenging times in higher education.” Michelle Williams, Dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will moderate the event.

PBHA Spring 2019 Open House 2-5 p.m.

Stop by PBHA’s Spring Open House and learn about the College’s biggest student-led group that is devoted to social justice and community engagement. Options to get involved range from tutoring local high-schoolers to participating in environmental activism.

Meet Local Author and Historian Anthony Sammarco 7-8:30 p.m.

Chronicling the growth and development of Allston and Brighton from their start, Anthony Sammarco uses stunning images in his book “Brighton and Allston Through Time.”

Come meet this Boston-based author at the Coop!

Government starts sending some asylum seekers back to Mexico On Tuesday, the Trump administration debuted its policy of returning refugees in search of asylum back to Mexico while they await a decision in their United States immigration cases. A Honduran migrant was returned to Tijuana in light of the administration’s new direction.

Most Americans support ‘Medicare-for-all’ with a caveat, survey finds Mark Leibovich, Chief National Correspondent for The New York Times Magazine, spoke about the culture of the NFL Tuesday night. Timothy R. o’meara—Crimson photographer

Daily Briefing The Undergraduate Council voted to publish a comment against United States Secretary of Education Betsy D. DeVos’s proposed changes to federal Title IX rules at an emergency meeting Tuesday evening. In particular, representatives argued against the proposals’ redefining of supportive measures, elimination of mandatory 60-day investigatory periods, and the optional elevation of evidentiary standards in investigation proceedings. In other news, false fire alarms at Harvard’s Holden Green housing complex plagued residents for months.

A majority of Americans want a version of Medicare to be available to everyone, a survey found. This result could boost presidential hopeful Senator Kamala Harris’s campaign, and bolster the popularity of other Democrats who favor “Medicare-for-all,” a medical care proposal that would provide insurance to people through a single government plan. However, politicians have floated different proposals for “Medicare-for-all,” and some are garnering more support than others.

After failed sales push, Apple could lower iPhone costs After the iPhone earned Apple 15 percent less revenue this financial quarter than last, the company could reduce the price of the phone.

Though the company had expected the decrease in revenue, Apple leadership scrambled to fix the issue.

Around the Ivies Yale A former U.S. attorney will lead an independent investigation into sexual harassment claims filed against former Yale School of Medicine professor of psychiatry Eugene Redmond, the Yale Daily News reported. Last year, a university committee determined Redmond had sexually harassed a student in 2017. Redmond retired as the committee was considering discipline against him. This month, another student alleged they had been sexually harassed by Redmond. The new investigation’s results will be made public.

dartmouth

An expelled Dartmouth student is suing the school after he was kicked out for an alleged sexual assault, The Dartmouth reported. Dartmouth’s investigation into a Title IX complaint against John Doe, the anonymous male student, concluded in December 2018 with the recommendation he be expelled for an assault against a female student in May 2018. Doe filed his suit earlier this month, pointing to a lack of due process in Dartmouth’s investigation and exculpatory evidence, including a polygraph test. The college declined to comment on the litigation.

Penn University of Pennsylvania researcher Adrian Rivera-Reyes is mounting a bid for Philadelphia city council on a democratic-socialist platform, the Daily Pennsylvanian reported. Rivera-Reyes completed his Ph.D. thesis at Penn last December and is now conducting postdoctoral research in cancer biology. As part of his campaign, RiveraReyes has proposed programs that will provide more opportunities for working-class people, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people. The Democratic primary will be held May 21, the day after Rivera-Reyes receives his diploma at his graduation ceremony.

THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873

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

Associate Managing Editors Caroline S. Engelmayer ’20 Jamie D. Halper ’20 Associate Business Manager Amy E. Zhou ’20 Editorial Chairs Jessenia N. Class ’20 Robert Miranda ’20

Staff for This Issue Arts Chairs Kaylee S. Kim ’20 Caroline A. Tsai ’20

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

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

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

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 Sonia Kim ’20

Design Editor Margot E. Shang ’21

Assistant Night Editors James S. Bikales ’22 Luke W. Vrotsos ’21

Photo Editor Kai R. McNamee ’21

Story Editors Jamie D. Halper ’20 Angela N. Fu ’20 Jordan E. Virtue ’20 Andrew J. Zucker ’20

Editorial Editor Isaac O. Longobardi ’21 Sports Editor Eamon J. McLoughlin ’20

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.

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THE HARVARD CRIMSON | January 30, 2019

Div School Hosts Slavery Exhibit

By Matteo n. Wong Crimson Staff Writer

A s part of her freshman seminar, Divinity School Professor Catherine A. Brekus ’85 had students in the class curate an exhibit exploring the intersection of slavery and Christianity at the Andover-Harvard Theological Library.

The exhibit, “The Yoke of Bondage: Christianity and African Slavery in the United States,” stemmed from Brekus’s course, called “Christianity and Slavery in America, 1619-1865,” which was taught during the fall semester. The exhibit will be on display until March 15.

This was Brekus’ third time teaching the seminar, though it was the first time the class has worked on curating an exhibit.

In the past, she took students to the Schlesinger Library to look at archival documents.

Berkus wrote in an email Tuesday that her students appreciated working directly with primary sources.

“They reported that working with rare materials had made the history of slavery feel more immediate and embodied,” she wrote.

The exhibit, displayed on the second floor of the library, showcases abolitionist propaganda, Unitarian sermons, and testimonies of black Christians.

“I’m black and I’m Christian, and for any black Christian you have to understand the foundation of your religion,” M. Seven Richmond ’22, who took the seminar, said. “An oppressor took your ancestors out of their homeland with chains and a Bible.”

Richmond said he was in­

Curated by Professor Catherine Brekus’s freshman seminar class, the Yoke of Bondage exhibit opened at the Andover-Harvard Theological Library Dec. 5. NaomI S. Castellon-Perez—Crimson photographer

spired by the writings of escaped slaves such as Frederick Douglass.

Testimonies written by black Christians sit at the center of the exhibit, serving as a focal point for the collection.

“I love to see how black people were able to redefine the religion for themselves,” Richmond said. Brekus coordinated with Nell K. Carson and Jessica Suarez, two curators of the Theological Library’s historical and special collections, to spend every class session in the library’s archives.

“We coordinated some of the technical parts of the exhibit,” which included helping create facsimiles and bringing in a conservator to demonstrate

how to handle archival documents, Carson said.

After reading 25 documents selected by Brekus, students worked both individually and in groups to research and curate items for the exhibit. Much of the exhibit is devoted to abolitionist propaganda, though a few pieces show pro-slavery interpretations of the Bible.

“Most students were drawn to antislavery texts,” Brekus wrote. “We especially wanted to highlight the testimonies left by black Christians.”

Richmond, who researched pro-slavery religious arguments as part of the seminar, said he was astonished by how slaveholders used biblical scripture.

In its captions, the exhibit emphasizes that the images abolitionists used to depict the horrors of slavery were often dehumanizing.

Djibril Rushingabigwi ’22 chose to present images from “The Anti-Slavery Record,” a collection of stories disseminated by abolitionists.

“Another picture is of a black man on the ground and a white man hovering over him with a gun,” Rushingabigwi said, referring to a still image from the collection. “It’s something that can be linked today to stories such as police brutality that could potentially be traced back to slavery.” matteo.wong@thecrimson.com

Rhodes From Page 1

Extension School Grad Wins Rhodes Chen, who labels herself a “dramaturge, an aspiring scholar researcher and also a theater critic and translator,” said she wanted to apply for the Rhodes to promote the arts and specifically theater, a craft which she said “cultivates empathy, understanding, and collaboration.”

Chen also said the scholarship’s emphasis on public service encouraged her to apply for the chance to study at Oxford this year.

“I felt the Rhodes offered a perfect opportunity to not just further my research but also to be immersed in a community of individuals who were all very highly motivated, who excelled in their field and who more importantly, wanted to use their talent...not just for their own benefit, but for the benefit of others,” Chen said.

Chen joins five other Harvard affiliate in receiving the prestigious award this year.

Jin K. Park ’18 -’19, the first DACA recipient of the scholarship in United States history, and Brittany N. Ellis ’19, a former Crimson news executive, won the Rhodes scholarship in the American districts.

The Rhodes Trust also named Michael Liu ’19, Olga Romanova ’19, and T. Mattea Mrkusic ’17 Harvard College’s three international Rhodes scholars.

This year, the Rhodes Trust launched two new Global Rhodes Scholarships for candidates from anywhere in the

world.

Romanova is among the inaugural winners of the Global Rhodes.

Liu, who is from Canada, and Mrkusic, who is from New Zealand, won scholarships from their home regions.

Chen said she is encouraged by the establishment of the Global Rhodes Scholarship and hopes it can lead to more international scholars.

“I’m really hoping that more people like me who are studying away from their home country can learn about this opportunity,” Chen said.

While at Oxford, Chen said she plans to pursue research into theater as well as bring a “trans-cultural” approach to professional theater scenes.

“I’ve studied theater in five countries so far, and I’m just hoping that there would be opportunities to bring people together to forge new relationships and new collaborations to work on new productions and new exciting projects,” Chen said.

As for life after Oxford, Chen said she hopes to work in international theater to promote the work of artists from across the globe.

“I might like to run an international theater project someday to help artists from all around the world and especially in China, my home country, of course, to develop their new original work,” Chen said. alexandra.chaidez@thecrimson.com

UC From Page 1

ALARMS From Page 1

UC Criticizes Title IX Policy Changes

Fire Alarms Plague Grad Housing Complex

which conducts official Title IX investigations.

“This change would only serve to hinder students’ education and further tax survivors,” the comment said.

The UC also criticized the proposed rules’ shift from requiring a “preponderance of the evidence” standard to allowing schools to choose the more stringent “clear and convincing evidence” standard.

They wrote that such standards would favor the testimony of respondents rather than complainants.

“Placing the burden of proof on the survivor will also work to disincentivize reporting and increase the risk that serial harassers or abusers will continue to create a hostile campus environment,” they argued in the comment.

Harvard officially published its comments on the rule changes through the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts and the Association of American University, who both submitted their statements last week.

“We are partaking in the same notice-and-comment process because we believe that the rules and regulations as they currently stand would really endanger the safety of all students, and especially survivors on this campus and their access

to education,” UC Vice President Julia M. Huesa ’20 said of the UC’s decision to file its own comment.

The AICUM’s comments in particular focused heavily on opposing the proposed rules’ new cross-examination requirement in investigation proceedings, arguing that the change may deter individuals from coming forward with complaints.

The UC did not reference this aspect of the proposal in their comments.

Huesa said live cross-examinations “can be extremely traumatizing” in an interview after the vote, Many representatives said they are proud that the UC passed the resolution.

“Especially as a survivor of sexual assault, it really does show a commitment to the well-being and inclusion and safety of the students on campus,” representative Maxwell A. Gillmer ’21 said.

“I was really surprised that so many people showed up,” representative Jenny Y. Gan ’22 added. “That was really inspiring to me, that everyone came together for something that they knew was important and that they really cared about.” kevin.chen@thecrimson.com laura.espinoza@thecrimson.com

Holden Green is a graduate student housing complex where residents have been plagued by many false fire alarms. Kathryn S. Kuhar —Crimson photographer

“Harvard knows it is responsible to do something,” Renata Moreira said. “This week they are having an inspection for the units. They do it often. Even after that, it still happens.”

Pedro Moreira said the Uni-

versity first tried to replace all the smoke detectors in 2017 to address the issue, but the problem persisted.

He said he was cynical about the University finding a fix to this problem after residents en-

dured months of construction issues in 2017 that resulted in the University paying residents thousands of dollars each.

“During the construction I was already scared how Harvard was not doing things prop-

erly. I’d say for me that was a bit surprising,” he said. “Now after two years without being able to solve the problem, I don’t think they know what’s going on.” luke.williams@thecrimson.com

Professors Prepare Classes for New General Education Program By jonah S. Berger and Juliet E. Isselbacher Crimson Staff Writers

Faculty members gearing up to teach General Education courses under the revised program this fall say they are excited ­

It’s striking a good balance between the general and the particular.

David Damrosch Comparative Literature Professor

about the prospect of reaching new students.

Some faculty members are preparing entirely new curricula to fit the requirements, while others are revamping previously offered departmental courses to reach a broader audience.

The changes come as the Faculty of Arts and Sciences prepares to roll out a revamped version of the program — which aims to encourage students to “explore enduring questions,” Dean of Undergraduate Education Amanda Claybaugh wrote in an email Tuesday.

A faculty committee tasked with reviewing the program in 2015 found it was “failing on a variety of fronts,” prompting the Faculty to overhaul the requirements.

Last year, administrators announced they were delaying the rollout of the new program until fall 2019 — a year later than originally planned — to give faculty members more time to develop courses.

On Monday, Claybaugh affirmed the program is “absolutely” funded, after initial concerns from some faculty members about a lack of administrative and financial support for the program.

“Gen Ed is more than a requirement: it defines what a Harvard College education should mean,” she wrote. “Recognizing that, the administration has allocated considerable resources to Gen Ed.” Comparative Literature Professor David Damrosch — who will teach Gen Ed 1021: “The Stories We Tell” in the fall along with English Professor Martin Puchner — praised the focus of the new program, saying it allows faculty members to ground courses in their own expertise but still offer broad lessons for students in all disciplines.

“One of the things that’s been nice about the reinvention of Gen Ed currently is that it’s striking a good balance now between the general and the particular,” Damrosch said.

“So that this can be a course based in literature that nonetheless is a general course and not a specialized course.”

“I think in the prior for-

mulation of Gen Ed there was more of a tendency to be almost anti-disciplinary or to be very broadly philosophical, in a way,” he added.

Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences Robert J. Wood, who served on the Gen Ed review committee, plans to teach Gen Ed 1080: “How Music Works: Engineering the Acoustical World” this fall.

“We’re able to touch on concepts all throughout engineering, but you don’t need to have an engineering background to take the course,” he said.

“That’s a huge population of the Harvard student body that can walk in off the street and take the course, and yet be challenged.”Wood said he is excited to engage “a broader audience” in the technical sciences through music.

“As the course previously was, it was kind of limited in terms of who could take it under different concentration re-

quirements,” he said. “I very much want an academically diverse student body.”

Other professors said the Gen Ed changes provided an opportunity to develop an entirely new curriculum. Classics Professor Kathleen M. Coleman,

I can maybe make it into what Gen Ed wants instead of trying to squeeze the old one into a new sausage.

Kathleen M. Coleman Classics Professor

who will teach Gen Ed 1131: “Loss” this fall, said the committee asked her if she would prefer to revamp a course she had taught for multiple years.“I

thought, here’s an opportunity for me to offer something different and, starting from scratch, I can maybe make it into what the new Gen Ed wants instead of trying to squeeze the old one into a new sausage,” she said.

The fate of at least one previously offered course — Culture and Belief 23: “From the Hebrew Bible to Judaism” — remains in limbo, as Professor Shaye J. D. Cohen attempts to “convince” the review committee to reinstate its Gen Ed status.

“I am hoping that after further conversation with the GenEd office I will be able to offer CB 23 again as a Gen Ed course,” he wrote in an email.

Claybaugh wrote in her email that the Gen Ed standing committee will review all courses “both now and periodically going forward.” jonah.berger@thecrimson.com juliet.issselbacher@thecrimson.com

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | January 30, 2019

Page 4

Editorial Op-ed

Op-ed

Beating the Salary Gap

Defending the Indefensible

By ARI E. BENKLER

E

very year, roughly 1700 students enter Harvard College. We study fields as diverse as Economics and Organismic Evolutionary Biology.

We explore the humanities, the sciences, and the social sciences, and some of us pursue unique programs of our own design.

And yet, four years later, more than half of those graduating students who go straight into the workforce will go into one of three industries: consulting, finance, and technology.

According to The Crimson’s annual senior surveys, two-thirds of Harvard’s graduating Class of 2018 entered the workforce directly after graduation.

Of those, 18 percent went to work in consulting, 18 percent in finance, and 14 percent in technology. The class of 2017 sent similar shares of students to these three fields.

The draw of these careers is no mystery. Starting salaries in all three fields are among the highest of any industry new grads enter. Yet while so many graduates go to these industries for the money, far fewer plan to stay in these positions for the long term. In its 2018 survey, seniors were asked about their career plans for ten years after graduation, The Crimson found a stark difference between immediate plans and longer-term desires. While 36 percent of working graduates entered consulting and finance in 2018, only 7.5 percent said they wanted to still be in those fields after a decade.

Just under 6 percent of all working students said in 2018 they hoped to be in finance long term. In 2016, 8 percent of all working students said they planned to remain in the technology industry ten years after graduation. Furthermore, in 2017, only 1.7 percent of all working students said they planned to stay in consulting a decade later. In contrast, across

all three years, less lucrative or riskier fields like health, arts, government, and entrepreneurship showed the opposite trend: Relatively few graduates actually entered them immediately, but large numbers said they hoped to end up in those fields after a decade.

For some of the students going into the big three industries, their choice is about genuine interest, or a desire to build meaningful experience that will help them in other fields later on. For example, many in the consulting industry go on to law or business school or those at big technology firms choose to later enter the startup world. For others, the

Money should be a reward for doing what’s good for society and what we’re passionate about, not the biggest thing standing in our way. higher pay these industries have to offer is the first, last, and only reason for their career choices.

In the absence of broad systemic change, the University could adopt any number of strategies to make other industries similarly accessible. For example, Harvard should do more to encourage the presence of industries like journalism, public service, and the non-profit sector at a level comparable to that of consulting, finance, and tech. While these less lucrative industries cannot compete with the big three in terms of salaries, they should at least be on equal footing with their level of activity in on-campus recruiting.

But all these small-scale changes cannot hope to overcome the major problem that defines this issue. The inescapable truth is that none of these other industries can compete with the big three

when it comes to salaries. And while Harvard can and should offer smallscale experimental opportunities, such as better-paying fellowships in these areas, the University must use its platform as an influential institution to push society-wide reform that raises the socioeconomic status of professions like public service, education, and journalism.

I have spoken with multiple students who claim they would go into education, at least for a few years after graduation, if the pay were better. Others have mentioned charities, journalism, and public service as their preferred careers, absent monetary concerns. According to Teach for America, the average annual salary of a teacher starting the program is roughly $45,000. For students who would be interested in teaching, but who can also pursue consulting or finance jobs with more than twice that starting salary and vastly higher growth and bonus potential, the difference is determinative.

Looking at The Crimson’s 2018 survey, the numbers tell the whole story.

While more than half of the working students went into the big three industries, only 7.5 percent said they wanted to stay in consulting and finance. Conversely, 18 percent of respondents said they wanted to work in the healthcare industry a decade out from graduation, and 13 percent cited academia. Harvard should look at those numbers and see in them a call for action.

When both societal benefit and personal preference point in one direction, but money demands an alternative course, Harvard — and all of us — should realize the system isn’t working. Money should be a reward for doing what’s good for society and what we’re passionate about, not the biggest thing standing in our way.

ful to the standards and traditions which produce graduates whose education makes them dedicated to benefiting the country. This creates a reciprocal relationship: The alumni are committed to supporting the College, and the College is committed to admitting the alumni’s children, provided they are qualified.

The muckrakers call this mercenary; I call it honorable. (It is in fact an extension of the natural bias of the family, about whose eradication the meritocrats have been known to fantasize.)

Without this relationship, without Harvard’s dedication to its own traditions, there is no reason for Harvard to be a private university at all. A private university advances interests beyond mere training in facts, namely imparting a unique character, culture, and societal obligation on its graduates. If Harvard abjures this goal, it should donate itself to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Despite all this, however, the legacy preference does not close off Harvard from everyone but the aristocracy. The laws of romance and fertility prohibit that even half an admitted class should be composed of legacies. The Crimson reported in 1929, under University President Abbott Lawrence Lowell, Class of 1887, in the fullness of his discrimination, that the freshman class of 853 students included 321 sons of alumni, only 38 percent. The majority of students under such a system must still be culled from the great flocks of everyday American high-schoolers.

Contra both meritocrats and diversitarians, Harvard is neither an IQ refinery nor a tool of economic reorganization. The admissions office should never prefer the unqualified to the qualified in the name of alumni relations. Instead, it must always prefer tradition and noblesse oblige to misguided democratic malice.

—Liam M. Warner ’20, a Crimson Editorial editor, is a Classics concentrator in Adams House.

—Patrick C. Barham ’21, a Crimson Editorial editor, is a Government concentrator in Pforzheimer House.

— Ari E. Benkler ’21, a Crimson Associate Editorial Editor, is a Social Studies concentrator in Leverett House.

Op-ed

The Legacies of the Ruling Class

T

he continuing admissions imbroglio has revealed how confused the College is about its purpose in education. On the one hand, it has allegedly been suppressing the admission of Asian-American students so as to make room for more black and Hispanic students, and this for the goals of diversity and social justice. On the other, Harvard seems to admit the children of alumni at five times the rate of other applicants, which counteracts the first policy by preserving the Ivy League upper class and taking spots from the underprivileged. Meanwhile, Students for Fair Admissions insists that both practices be abolished in favor of merit alone.

Houses divided being structurally unsound, we are impelled to decide what Harvard’s purpose is so that we can devise an according admissions regimen.

SFFA considers Harvard an essentially academic institution which therefore should train the smartest students it can find, regardless of their race, and dispatch them to illuminate the workforce.

Those intent on defending diversity see Harvard not merely as a technical classroom but also as a community of people who learn from each other, not to mention a vehicle to elevate mistreated minorities. Thus the meritocrats accuse the diversitarians of admitting the intellectually unqualified, and the diversitarians rejoin that the meritocrats produce a stultifying uniformity in the class.

Each side is right in part, but both fundamentally mistake Harvard’s mission. Therefore I offer William F. Buckley’s account of the subject, mutatis mutandis, to correct their errors. The proper admissions policy is as follows: Having set the academic standard for the incoming freshmen as high as it sees fit, Harvard will admit any legacy student whose grades and test scores show him able to graduate in four years, provided he meets the normal non-academic qualifications.

Several objections rush to mind, prin-

cipally that this policy perpetuates a privileged upper class. It does — that is what it is designed to do. John Adams, Class of 1755, defined gentlemen as those who have received a liberal education; Harvard is a liberal arts college, and its first purpose is to produce graduates who will lead their towns, their states, and their country. Harvard itself avows that it aims to produce the future leaders of America, not merely the future academics. Brilliant scholars are, of course, necessary and desirable, but such minds will always be only a fraction of a Harvard class.

Such graduates are collectively called the ruling class, which is not a phrase one is permitted to use today in America, unless it be with democratic disgust. Yet those who call a ruling class “un-American” are flagrantly ignorant of the history of what they pretend to be defending: the Adamses, Lodges, Eliots, Lowells, Winthrops, Rockefellers, Roosevelts and Kennedys have been indispensable in the health and government — and even founding — of the United States, and they all cultivated in their children a dedication to serve and lead society at its three levels. It is the envious egalitarians who are un-American.

Thus we have an argument for liberal education, but not for Harvard specifically. To arrive there we must address another objection to legacy admissions, namely that alumni donate to the College in exchange for their children’s admission in a corrupt bargain. But why, in the first place, should an alumnus make donations to Harvard? Not because of a general commitment to higher education, for in that case the money would create a much greater marginal benefit for a school way down the rankings. Not to enable Harvard to gather in one place as many brilliant professors as possible; the rules of philanthropy would actually dictate releasing many professors from Harvard so they could bolster inferior schools. No, the reason for alumni to donate to Harvard is that they want Harvard, and not Yale or Houston Baptist, to remain faith-

D

ean Ronald S. Sullivan Jr. had been retained to represent Harvey Weinstein, who is facing allegations of sexual misconduct.

For those who don’t remember, Weinstein was one of the first prominent figures whose allegations of sexual indecency came to light following extensive reporting by the New York Times and The New Yorker.

These allegations against the former Hollywood executive, spanning decades and brought forth by more than 80 women, are serious not just because of the instances themselves but for the underlying issue they represent.

Most of the stories brought to light had been rumored around the industry for years; to many, they were a dirty, “open secret” that came with the power dynamics of the film business.

But sexual harassment is not exclusive to Hollywood. As the #MeToo movement has unfolded, more and more stories have come out showing the extent and impact of sexual harassment — an impact that reaches college campuses like our own.

Women in college are three times more likely to experience sexual violence than women of other ages. But these experiences often go unreported because victims fear they won’t be believed.

That’s why it’s crucial for professors, tutors, administrators, and deans to gain students’ trust and for students to know that any adult they go to will treat their experience with the respect it deserves.

By representing Weinstein, Sullivan is effectively choosing to believe the word of one man against the stories of more than 80 women — signaling to his House and to every student at Harvard that he is an ally not to the victims, but to the accused.

That’s a powerful message, especially because rhetoric doubting victims has been a major part of the backlash to the #MeToo movement. Every time an allegation has been made against a prominent figure, it has been received by questions such as “Why did they wait so long to come forward?” and “Where is the proof?”

After this news broke, Sullivan wrote an email to Winthrop affiliates defending his decision and echoing the latter. In his letter, he states that “every citizen charged with a crime is cloaked with the presumption of innocence… People accused of a crime, even very serious crimes, have a constitutional right to zealous representation by counsel.”

This is true. Under the law, there exists a presumption of innocence. But although the law and justice are blind, we cannot be.

As citizens and especially as leaders and mentors, we must avoid playing to a “both sides” narrative and examine the public evidence. Though the law should presume Weinstein innocent, Sullivan is under no obligation to do the same.

Yes, Harvey Weinstein, like any other defendant, has the right to retain the best counsel available to him to protect himself against the possible life sentence for which he is being tried.

But Sullivan has the right to turn down this client. He should have had the conviction to do so and he should have chosen to stand in solidarity with victims of sexual harassment and abuse.

In his email, Sullivan goes on to underline the need for unpopular defendants to have a robust defense, since peer juries can often revert to “mob justice.”

Through those words, he is essentially characterizing the #MeToo movement as “mob justice” and discrediting the courage and effort that it took for so many of those women to tell their stories and their search for justice.

And if, at times, men feel like claims of sexual harassment and abuse abound, they should understand this is not because of false claims or a “mob” mentality.

Rather, it’s because these actions are so widespread and commonplace to the female experience that studies have found that more than 80 percent of women surveyed have faced sexual harassment.

When these stories are aired and when those who are credibly accused of such actions are shunned socially and prosecuted legally, it is not “mob” justice. It’s justice long awaited.

It is now Sullivan’s job to ensure that Harvey Weinstein receives the lightest possible sentence or is set free, altogether.

Like the Kavanaugh confirmation, Weinstein’s acquittal would be one more slap in the face of not only the multitude of women accusing Weinstein directly, but to the millions of other women in the United States who feel like they can’t talk about their own experiences because it will come to no good.

It will be a slap in the face to the many women at Harvard who experience sexual harassment and abuse, and to some in his own House.

Sullivan ends his missive asking his House to respect his decision saying that he and his wife “strongly believe that community works best when we respect each other, and, on those occasions when we disagree, we can disagree without being disagreeable.”

There can no disagreement on sexual harassment and assault. This is not an issue with two sides. This is about a man with power who abused that power in order to take advantage of many women over the course of many years. That does not come close to being “agreeable.”

When this case comes to trial, Winthrop Faculty Dean Ronald S. Sullivan Jr. will stand beside Harvey Weinstein, defending him, and inevitably tying Harvard’s name to his defense. That’s not courage and it’s not respect.

By standing with Harvey Weinstein, Sullivan is choosing to turn his back on women and undermining his own ability to serve as an advocate and to support his students.

Mirac M. Suzgan—Crimson photographer

By liam m. warner

By Patrick C. BARHAM

Page 5

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | january 30, 2019

Gant From Page 1

Rus Gant Brings Virtual Reality to the Classroom Grant’s recent projects include turning French language-learners into Parisians for a class period; taking college students on a virtual field trip to see the Sphinx and pyramids in Egypt; and giving geology students the power to build mountains in a sandbox.

Paul Kelley, the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences laboratory director, has worked with Gant since he first brought his ideas to the department’s Visualization Lab. “What really strikes me about Rus is not only the degree of passion that he brings to this and the strength of his belief in the role that it has to do with education, but his sustained ability to stay current in what the developments are,” Kelley said.

Gant built his first virtual reality headset in 1979 — a decade after then-Harvard professor Ivan E. Sutherland built his “Sword of Damocles,” often considered the first virtual reality headset. Since then, Gant has worked to develop new technologies, softwares, and teaching methods to bring virtual reality into classrooms around the world.

IMMERSIVE LEARNING AS A “SUPERPOWER” “Today we’re talking about Mongolia. Boom! We’re in Mongolia,” Gant said, standing in his lab. “It’s like a superpower.”

One of the most promising uses of virtual reality, Gant believes, is immersion — embedding people in another environment through an entirely digital world.

He’s worked on many projects at Harvard to make this a reality.

Following the 2015 Charlie Hebdo terror attacks in Paris, Gant collaborated with French Professor Nicole Mills to bring

her students to memorial services in France via the Visualization Lab. “A student was experiencing a memorial where people were singing and clapping, and the student actually started to clap while in the headset as if she was there,” Mills said. “There’s a really powerful experience of visiting that moment in time.”

Gant and Mills have continued exploring applications of virtual reality in language instruction. Over spring break 2017, he gave her a virtual reality camera to capture footage while taking a trip to Paris. Gant, who has a B.F.A. and M.F.A in 3D Cinematography and Animation and 3D Photography, then edited the footage into a series of vignettes, which Mills’ students used to experience different quarters of Paris through virtual reality headsets mounted to smartphones.

Inspired by the two earlier successes, Mills, with the help of Gant and Dede, applied for and received a grant in 2017 for a Paris virtual reality narrative project. Mills worked with virtual reality company Wonda to film four Parisians living in the city over the course of two months and used the footage to produce virtual reality experiences.

Now students in one of Mills’ classes, “French II: Exploring Parisian Life and Identity,” spend three days with virtual reality headsets, each day dedicated to the life of a different Parisian — an 11-year-old boy, a Tunisian filmmaker, and an artist-magician. Mills said she believes virtually experiencing Paris through others’ eyes changed her students’ perception of what it means to be Parisian.

“They spoke a lot more about the practices of Parisians, and

how people live and how people behave,” she said.

One of Gant’s earliest projects at Harvard was the Giza Project, led by Professor Peter Der Manuelian ’81. The project, still in progress, seeks to create detailed digital models of the Giza Plateau, home to the Giza Pyramids, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

“I enjoy picking his brain for future technology developments, and linking new developments with applications to education and archaeology that have not been previously brought together,” Der Manuelian wrote in an email. Gant recently pushed the boundaries of archaeological education by virtually bringing students from China’s Zhejiang University to the Giza Plateau along with one of Der Manuelian’s Egyptology classes.

Gant recently pushed the boundaries of archaeological education by virtually bringing students from China’s Zhejiang University to the Giza Plateau along with one of Der Manuelian’s Egyptology classes.

Gant led students on an exploration of the tombs with the lab’s Rumii technology set-up, while Der Manuelian simultaneously lectured to classes thousands of miles apart.

“Literally at the same moment, at the same time, students on the other side of the world are engaged in exactly the same class material in this kind of virtual classroom,” Kelley, the lab director, said. “That’s unprecedented.”

ON THE CUTTING EDGE Real-time collaboration in virtual reality, like in Der Manuelian’s class, was made possible by recent improvements in technology and decreasing costs.

The Visualization Lab’s hard-

ware has undergone several upgrades in recent years.

A screen in the lab can show multilayered images with such high resolution that humans standing miles away in photographs can be seen clearly when zoomed in.

The lab features two high speed 10-gigabit Internet connections, multiple types of virtual and augmented reality headsets, 7.2 Dolby Digital Surround Sound, and seating for 25 students. The servers in an adjacent closet run at least three game engines simultaneously and support three operating systems.

“The room itself is a kind of instrument,” Gant said. “You can see any content in that instrument.”

For some classes, the lab may feature a trip to the Canadian Rocky Mountains with a 360-degree video of a field lecture to supplement.

For others, it can bring students through the lens of a microscope. In one biology class, students used to have to watch a professor examine a specimen through a window or small monitor because the microscope was too sensitive to have multiple people present.

With the Visualization Lab, students can observe the data collection in high definition.

These solutions seem to be an answer to one of Gant’s guiding questions: “How can we bring students closer to the data, closer to the labs, closer to the research?”

The sandbox in Gant’s office represents another answer.

Equipped with an Xbox camera, a projector, and a mid-range graphics computer, the box is a real-time topographical map generator. Incoming geology students can move the sand and a new map will project onto the

HBS Prof. Emeritus Hank Reiling Dies at 80

By Sonia F. epstein Crimson Staff Writer

Harvard Business School Professor Emeritus Henry “Hank” B. Reiling, a specialist in finance, taxation, and law and an influential educator, died on Jan. 21 in Belmont, Mass., at the age of 80.

Reiling served as a professor of business administration at the Business School from 1978 until he retired in 2005, and continued to hold a professorship until 2012. He died of Alzheimer’s disease, with which he was diagnosed six years ago.

He began teaching at Harvard in 1976, after serving as a professor at Columbia Business School and a visiting professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business. After receiving a B.A. in history at Northwestern University, Reiling earned an M.B.A. from Harvard in 1962, and a J.D. from Columbia in 1965.

His background in law was critical to his work co-designing the Business School class “Leadership and Corporate Accountability,” the first required course at the school that asks its students to examine the ethical dimensions of business practice.

Business School Professor Lynn S. Paine, who worked

on the course curriculum with Reiling, wrote in an email that she remembered Reiling’s “deep concern for students and their development as leaders with both competence and character.”

“He mentored many students and faculty over the years,” she wrote. “Because he was so eminently circumspect and fair-minded, he was a sought-after source of guidance and counsel.”

Reiling also taught the popular course “Tax Factors in Business Decisions,” where he was widely admired for making dry material engaging. “He really taught in a way that led you to think about your life beyond just business school,” former student Samuel M. Mencoff said.

“He stood for the pursuit of truth, for advancing excellence, for living one’s life with honesty, integrity, and dignity, and I would say that knowing Hank and being his student years ago was really one of the greatest gifts.”

Mencoff and another former student, Gregory W. Wendt, decided to honor Reiling in 2011 by establishing The Professor Henry B. Reiling Fellowship Fund to provide financial support to qualifying students.

After Reiling’s father died

when he was four, his mother had to work hard to pay for his and his sister’s educations. “He bootstrapped himself all the way to where he got,” his wife Carol S. Reiling said.

In 2004, Business School graduate Daisy Wademan Dowling authored “Remember Who You Are,” a book containing 15 essays on leadership by Business School professors. She included Reiling’s essay “Building Values,” in which he called for his students to meet “disappointment and hard knocks with resilience, like a sturdy old coffee mug at a roadside diner— drop it, and it just sort of bounces.”

Aside from his teaching, Reiling chaired University committees like the Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibilities, as well as professional committees like the task force of the American Bar Association, which influenced how the federal government taxes stock purchase warrants.

Reiling was a prolific writer, publishing articles in The Harvard Business Review, The Journal of Accountancy, Michigan Law Review, and others.

In 1982, he co-wrote “Business Law: Text and Cases,” and produced dozens of case studies and course materials for the Business School.

Reiling was active outside of the academic world, coaching his grandson’s elementary school basketball team, keeping time at his daughter’s swim meets, running marathons, biking all over the world, and, as a proud sixth-generation Kentuckian, co-founding the cooking group Kentuckians of Boston.

“He was very much a family-man,” Carol Reiling said.

She said faculty members and staff workers alike attended his funeral service.

“He knew everybody by name,whether they worked in the kitchen or whether they were in class with him. He was just that kind of person,” she said.

Reiling is survived by his wife; by children Christina R. Breiter and her husband Hans C.R. Breiter, Maria H. Reiling and her husband Reza Jamei, and Alexis Reiling Lessans and her husband Gregory P. Lessans; and by nine grandchildren.

A funeral service was held on Saturday at Hancock Church in Lexington, Mass., where Reiling resided. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to The Professor Henry B. Reiling Fellowship Fund. sonia.epstein@thecrimson.com

Harvard, from the Law School to Longwood.

The Crimson

surface. Holding out a flat hand creates digital rain, which pools at the lowest point of the projection.

VIRTUAL REALITY FOR ALL “It’s relatively easy to tell the future. It’s hard to tell the timing of the future,” Gant said.

“My role has been to be 10 years ahead of everybody else.”

His office is lined with decades of iterations of virtual reality hardware. Though virtual reality is not new, cost has long posed a significant barrier to its widespread use. In the 1980s, Gant said, a single headset cost upward of $10,000.

Only in the past ten years, with the release of gaming headsets like Hasbro MY3D and the mass production of smartphone parts, has the technology become affordable, he said. A formerly $7,000 accelerometer now costs 35 cents to manufacture, and Gant is even considering designing Harvard-specific headsets since parts’ costs aren’t astronomical.

It’s relatively easy to tell the future. It’s hard to tell the timing of the future.

Rus Gant Virtual Reality Specialist

This is not to say the most complex virtual reality will soon be accessible across the University, though. Scaling the technology requires making the Visualization Lab and headsets work consistently, an ongoing challenge.

“It’s one thing to do a oneoff demo,” Gant said. “The technology needs to run on Harvard time.”

Another obstacle is the rapidly evolving nature of the virtual reality field: “If we buy it in the spring semester, will it be obsolete by fall?” Gant asked.

Regardless, Gant believes the increasing affordability of many virtual reality headsets can open up enormous possibilities for the classroom. He has done dozens of collaborations since coming to Harvard, ranging from Harvard Divinity School classes to the Business School.

“What VR headsets do is essentially what this screen does for one person,” Gant said, gesturing to the Visualization Lab’s screen. “A $200 headset” — referring to the Oculus Go, of which the Visualization Lab has 25 — “can replace a $200,000 room.”

Libraries, as well, have the potential to democratize virtual reality technology. Gant has worked with Susan Berstler, a technology specialist at the Cabot Science Library, to start making the technology accessible to all Harvard students.

The two have converted a group study room on the library’s second floor into a virtual reality space in which students can use a headset while a monitor mounted outside the room displays to onlookers what the current user is seeing.

“There’s no reason why we couldn’t check out VR headsets that have content on them related to a class the same way we check out books for research,” Berstler said.

“He is a resource for the greater Harvard campus,” Berstler added. “It’s sometimes very hard to work across departments and schools at Harvard, people get very siloed, and he doesn’t see any of those siloes.” joshua.archibald@thecrimson.com matteo.wong@thecrimson.com

PUDDING From Page 1

Woman of the Year Named by Pudding Spencer, and Mila Kunis, the 2018 recipient.

“In addition to being fans of Bryce’s work in TV and film, we admire her efforts to forge new pathways for female artists and creatives in Hollywood,” Pudding co-producer Mariana C. Sanchez-Medina ’20 said in a press release issued Tuesday.

Speaking to the historic nature of this year’s production, Elizabeth C. Mann ’20, another co-producer, said the Pudding

is “thrilled to honor Bryce Dallas Howard as our 68th Woman of the Year and for her to witness the groundbreaking first performance with our wonderful cast, featuring six talented Harvard women.”

The Pudding has yet to announce its 2019 Man of the Year. The roast for the recipient of that honor will be held on Feb. 8. isabel.isselbacher@thecrimson.com

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January 30, 2019

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Page 6

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Men’s VolleyBall

ABOUT THe TEAM

Sports

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | January 30, 2019

2018-19 Overall Record 1-4 ______________________________________

Captains upcoming games ______________________________________ ______________________________________

Conference Record 1-0 ______________________________________

Trevor Dow ‘19 - Middle Blocker

Hitting % 0.204 ______________________________________

Matthew Ctvrtlik ‘20- Setter

Digs per Set 8.10 ______________________________________ Assists per Set 8.67 ______________________________________

Feb 1. vs.Ball State 7 p.m., at Malkin Athletic Center Feb 2. vs. Purdue Fort Wayne 7 p.m., at Malkin Athletic Center

BASEBALL

Baseball Builds Friendships on Winter D.R. Trip

By Jackson dELGADO Crimson STAFF Writer

In the five days following Christmas, the Harvard baseball team left behind the mistletoe and eggnog to travel to the Dominican Republic for a trip that proved to transcend baseball.

“It was an amazing opportunity,” said coach Bill Decker. “It was really a tremendous experience — baseball was obviously part of that experience — but I think the more meaningful things might have been everything we did off the field.”

“We really packed a lot into those couple of days,” added sophomore pitcher Chris McGrory. “Each day, we played a game and then did some sort of community service.”

Over the course of the trip, the team participated in various community outreach projects, from painting a house in an impoverished village to visiting a local orphanage. The time spent playing with the children at the Casa de Amor orphanage was especially meaningful for the Crimson squad.

“The orphanage was probably the most impactful part of the trip for me,” said McGrory. “To see the fun that the girl I met, Maria Luisa, had with a slide and an inflated ball reminded me of the relative unimportance of material goods.”

“It was powerful; it was really powerful,” noted Decker about the experience. “When you look at your teammate with the child he’s teamed up with, and he looks at you with the

Dominican Brothers

youngster you’re teamed up with, it’s really meaningful. And for me, it was really awesome to watch our guys and their interactions with the kids.”

Positive interactions with members of the community extended onto the baseball field as well, as Harvard matched up against three Dominican teams: the Dominican Army, the LBL Allstars, and Paulino Academy. The Crimson fell to the Dominican Army and beat the LBL Allstars and the Pau-

As part of community service efforts, the Harvard baseball team visited Casa de Amor orphanage.

COURTESY OF

HARVARD ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

lino Academy team, but what was more important was the camaraderie with the Dominican ballplayers.

“There was a healthy, friendly competition on the field,” Decker said. “But through other interactions like the lunches that we had afterwards, [our players] really got to know who they were. After the game, it was picture-after-picture, getting to know some of the players from the other squad.” “[The Dominican teams]

played with great energy and passion,” added McGrory.

“They had a really stress-free and loose style of play, one that I hope we can take back to Ivy League play. They played very confidently, and were just having fun with everything they did on the field.”

The matchup against the LBL Allstars stood out in particular due to the venue — a local field that proved that passion for the game is much more important than the quality of

the dirt.

“The playing surfaces weren’t great,” Decker had to say, “but the atmosphere was there. The atmosphere was there.”

“The game was in an awesome environment — a village ballpark — and the whole neighborhood came out to watch the game,” added McGrory. “There was a ton of energy, a ton of passion.”

The competition was topnotch as well, and served as

good preparation for the season as the team began the early stages of training. It kicks off the preseason on March 1st.

“We played against three teams that were loaded with former minor leaguers and major leaguers,” Decker said. “There were also the guys that were coming up, some young kids that are going to be signed for quite a bit of money. I thought we trained fairly well — our guys did a particularly nice job in the second two games — and while we never over-extended anybody, the training that they did was awesome.”

Beyond the physical training that came with three days of baseball and one sunrise workout on the beach, the team experienced the mental and emotional training of becoming one unit.

“The things that we did down there were collectively team bonding things,” Decker said. “We were trying to create a culture where guys can invest in each other.”

“I think that getting outside of our comfort zone is going to make us a much closer team, both now and come springtime,” McGrory said. “When we face challenges during the season, it’s good that we got to know each other outside of the everyday Harvard life of baseball and academics.”

Coach Decker summed up the trip quite simply: “I thought our guys did a nice job on the field, but I thought they were fantastic off the field.” jackson.delgado@thecrimson.com

Men’s Basketball

Mamdani’s Musings: Ivy League Basketball Predictions

By AMIR Mamdani Crimson Staff Writer

PENN AT CORNELL Despite losing standout Ryan Betley to a season-ending injury, the Quakers have looked every bit the part of Ivy League defending champs this season.

Penn secured the Big 5 title by going undefeated against Philadelphia rivals Villanova, St. Joe’s, La Salle, and Temple, but dropped both games to Princeton to get the Ivy League season started. Expect the Quakers to come out firing against a mediocre Cornell team that split the Empire State series with Columbia.

The Pick: Penn by 8 or more.

BROWN AT DARTMOUTH The Bears had a tough start to the season, opening up with two games against travel partner Yale. After dropping both contests, expect Brown to come out hungry Friday night against the Big Green, as the Bears’ chances at qualifying for the tournament dwindle significantly if they can’t pull out at least one win against Dartmouth and Harvard. Nevertheless, expect a Big Green team that has somewhat surprised after being picked last in the Ivy League preseason poll, to protect the home court that spurred them to an 18-point win over Harvard.

The Pick: Dartmouth by 3 or more.

PRINCETON AT COLUMBIA This is a tough game to pick.

After a late-night incident at a Princeton Wawa, the Tigers have been without their best player, senior guard Devin Cannady, who has been suspended indefinitely following his arrest. Nevertheless, the Tigers have jumped out to a 2-0 start with wins over Penn before Cannady’s suspension, putting Princeton in strong position to cling to an Ivy League Tournament spot. Columbia hasn’t impressed thus far against Cornell and non-conference opposition, and stands at 1-1 in Ivy Play. I like Mitch Henderson’s team to

come out prepared for the New York trip, knowing that weekends against stiffer opposition in the form of Harvard, Yale, and Brown all loom in the coming weeks.

The Pick: Princeton by 4 or more.

YALE AT HARVARD It feels a bit ill-fitting that Harvard-Yale is being played on the first weekend of Ivy League action - nevertheless, Lavietes will surely be packed to the brim for Friday night’s nationally televised contest on ESPNU. The Bulldogs have looked good in two close wins over Brown, and have won eight straight games dating back to a December 8th loss at Duke. This contest should be a good measuring bar for two of the Ivy League’s blue bloods, and league favor-

king of the welsh

ites alongside Penn. Ultimately, the Bulldogs are a bit healthier, with the Crimson still missing Seth Towns. I would expect Harvard to be favored here, but it’s hard to pick against a Yale team that’s been pretty impressive behind Miye Oni, a potential NBA first-round pick..

The Pick: Yale by 2 or more.

BROWN AT HARVARD After taking on Dartmouth, the Bears will travel to Lavietes Pavilion to play Harvard.

The Crimson must be sure to not overlook Brown and expend too much energy Friday night against Yale - expect a hard fought defensive contest between Harvard’s stifling defense and the Brown’s young team, which leads the Ivy League in defense (68.2 ppg) and average scoring mar-

gin (+8.7). That being said, expect the Crimson to focus in on locking down the Bears’ star Desmond Cambridge, and take down the visitors from Rhode Island.

The Pick: Harvard by 3 or more.

YALE AT DARTMOUTH Saturday night will usher in a matchup between two leaders in field goal percentage - while the Bulldogs lead the Ancient Eight in overall FG shooting (49.4%), the Big Green lead the league from beyond the arc, where they shoot it at over a 40% clip. Brendan Barry is the country’s only 3-point shooter at over 50% (51.4%), but expect a disciplined James Jonescoached Yale team to defend the 3-point line and knock off the Big Green.

The Pick: Yale by 5 or more.

PRINCETON AT CORNELL In the absence of Devin Cannady, the Tigers may be hardpressed to score the ball. Princeton ranks last in the league in 3-point shooting, and sixth in the league in overall scoring - which includes the senior guard’s output. Look for a close game in Ithaca, but Matt Morgan and Cornell might have enough to eek out a win following a tough Friday night contest with Penn. Expect the 9:00pm finish on Friday night in New York City, followed by a 4+ hour bus ride up to Ithaca to be an additional factor for the traveling Tigers.

The Pick: Cornell by 3 or more.

PENN AT COLUMBIA The Lions will host the

Quakers to wrap up the weekend’s Ivy League action with an 8:00pm tip-off. Penn has won three of its last four matchups with Columbia, and desperately need to come away from the Cornell-Columbia trip with one, if not two wins, following its two early losses to Princeton. Expect Steve Donahue and his team to zero in on the Lions’ perimeter-oriented offense, especially with Columbia’s Mike Smith lost for the season with a knee injury. Penn’s AJ Brodeur is having himself another fantastic season, averaging over 15 points, 8 rebounds, and shooting over 50% from the field. Expect Brodeur to establish himself against a younger Columbia front-line.

The Pick: Penn by 5 or more. amir.mamdani@thecrimson.com

Junior forward Henry Welsh holds off a Dartmouth defender while looking for an open teammate in Harvard’s 81-63 loss to Dartmouth on Jan. 12. Both Harvard and Dartmouth will face Yale and Brown in each of their two games this weekend, as Harvard looks to improve to 10-7 this season .Timothy R. O’Meara—Crimson photographer

THE HARVARD CRIMSON | january 30, 2019

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