The Harvard Crimson THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873
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VOLUME CXLIX, NO. 66
| CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
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FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2022
EDITORIAL PAGE 4
NEWS PAGE 5
IN PHOTOS PAGE 6
Mental health care is imperative for a generation adrift
The National Labor Relations Board denied a petition to decertify 32BJ SEIU
Rallying Over Roe: Students react to leaked abortion opinion
Students Rally For, Against Abortion Rights Gay Sets Name Removal Process By VIVI E. LU and LEAH J. TEICHHOLTZ CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS
Harvard students staged a series of rallies about abortion this week in response to a report that the Supreme Court is on the brink of striking down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. In response to a leaked draft majority opinion that would end guaranteed legal access to abortion, around 100 students demonstrated in support of abortion rights outside Memorial Church Wednesday. At the same time, a smaller group representing Harvard Right to Life, an anti-abortion studnet organization, gathered nearby in counterprotest. The two groups faced off at points, waving posters and heckling each other. On Thursday afternoon, more than 50 students congregated on the steps of Widener Library as part of a national walkout in support of abortion rights. Roughly 30 anti-abortion demonstrators gathered across the aisle of the steps. The two sides chanted and waved signs, garnering a crowd of onlookers and Securitas patrol. The protests come after Politico published a leaked draft majority opinion showing that the court voted to strike down Roe v. Wade, a landmark 1973 decision protecting the right to abortion access nationwide. The draft, penned by Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., sent shockwaves across the country. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. ’76 confirmed the draft’s authenticity, though he said the decision is not yet finalized. At Wednesday’s rally, abortion rights protesters held signs that bore the phrases “Pro
Life = Pro Death” and “Reproductive Rights are Human Rights.” Some students delivered speeches sharing their frustration and anger at the possibility of Roe v. Wade being overturned. “For basic humanity, for the future of our nation, we must raise our voices and make sure our government knows that this is not what we want,” Hea Pushpraj ’25 said in a speech on Wednesday. “We must all stand together to ensure federal protection and to make sure more states cannot follow Oklahoma and Texas.” “The state of those states will not be the state of our nation,” Pushpraj said. Elizabeth M. Benecchi ’25 said in an interview before Wednesday’s pro-abortion rights protest that the rally’s organizers were “really infuriated” and “really upset” by the leaked draft. “Women have had access to safe abortion for the past 49 years without extensive government oversight, and we intend to keep it that way,” Benecchi said in a speech during the rally. “We as women have autonomy over our own bodies. We have the right to make our own decisions and we have the right to choose our own futures.” Wednesday’s pro-abortion rights rally was organized by Ava K. Pallotta ’25, who said in an interview before the protest that she “broke down sobbing” upon learning that Roe v. Wade was likely to be overturned. “I remember sitting there crying and being like, ‘God, I really hope somebody organizes a rally.’ And then I was like, ‘Why not me?’” Pallotta said. “That
SEE ABORTION PAGE 5
Gay outlined the FAS’ process for removing the names of individuals from spaces. By ARIEL H. KIM CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Elizabeth M. “Liz” Benecchi leads students in an abortion rights rally on the steps of Memorial Church on Wednesday. JULIAN J. GIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
Students with Harvard Right to Life demonstrated in Harvard Yard on Wednesday, directly next to an abortion rights rally. JULIAN GIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Claudine Gay outlined the process the FAS will adopt to consider requests to remove the names or representations of individuals from its buildings, spaces, programs, or professorships in an email to FAS affiliates Thursday. This process is guided by a December 2021 report by the Committee to Articulate Principles on Renaming, which called for the consideration of denaming requests to be “careful, painstaking, and laborious” and grounded “in history.” Gay’s Thursday email clarified FAS-specific principles for denaming and provided details about submitting denaming requests. Any current FAS affiliate may submit a denaming request to the Secretary of the Faculty. In the upcoming academic year, there will be two deadlines for
SEE GAY PAGE 3
HKS Dean Sorry for GSAS Student Lapse in Services Council Elects Four By MILES J. HERSZENHORN CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Harvard Kennedy School Dean Douglas W. Elmendorf apologized to students who have been negatively affected by an overhaul of the school’s admissions and financial aid departments in an interview Wednesday, but said the school “will be better off in the future” because of the change. The Kennedy School restructured its enrollment services last summer, laying off seven employees as it merged its admissions and financial aid teams. Almost 20 students interviewed by The Crimson last month reported that services have declined markedly in the months since the change.
Douglas W. Elmendorf is the Dean and a professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. JULIAN J. GIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
“We’re very sorry for the disruptions that have affected students,” Elmendorf said Wednesday, reiterating an apology first offered by the deans who oversee the new office. “The transition has not been as smooth as we had hoped or planned,” he said. “But I am confident that we will be better off in the future than we were in the past.” Elmendorf said the restructuring sought “to create a more effective admissions and financial aid process for the long term.” “I think we’re building a team that will be more effective, but [that] doesn’t mean that there haven’t been dropped
SEE ELMENDORF PAGE 5
By PATON D. ROBERTS CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Student Council members voted to fill four of six chair positions at their monthly meeting Wednesday night. After a welcome from incoming council president Zachary Lim, the council discussed the status of special students, who study at GSAS without pursuing a degree program and must petition to join the student council. The council voted, with 85 percent in favor, to automatically include special students and visiting fellows among its members. The remainder of the meeting was reserved for elections
filling several chair positions. The election for the chair of support — a role responsible for overseeing grants to GSAS students for research and conferences — was the most contested position, with 10 students running. Jonathan Boretsky, a Ph.D. candidate in Mathematics, and Lena C. O’Flynn, a Ph.D. candidate in Medical Sciences, each received 39 percent of the vote. Ultimately, Lim decided to allow them to work as co-chairs for the upcoming academic year. History Ph.D. candidate Oluwaseyi “Shae” Ominjo and Human Evolutionary Biology Ph.D. candidate Sophie A. Barton, running unopposed for the
SEE GSAS PAGE 3
Ahead of Finals, Students Strip and Streak at Annual Primal Scream By KATHERINE M. BURSTEIN, J. SELLERS HILL, and NIA L. ORAKWUE CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS
At the stroke of midnight Wednesday, more than a hundred Harvard students shed their clothes and inhibitions to take a naked lap around Harvard Yard. Students — at varying levels of lucidity — gathered in front of Hollis Hall to begin the biannual streaking tradition, which marks the end of reading period. Primal Scream, which resumed last December after a three-semester hiatus, dates back to at least 1995 as a way for the boldest of undergraduates to let loose before finals. Keeping with the tradition,
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Harvard Today 2
this year’s participants carefully prepared for the race with drinks, chants, and music. The race got off to a sluggish start before the crowd recognized the sound of the Memorial Church bells as their cue to run. Spring’s Primal Scream took place in nippy 50-degree weather, a far cry from last semester’s iteration which coincided with the first snowfall of the season. Many students cited the stress of finals as their motivation to bare it all for the event. “I’m dying,” Amar S. Boparai ’25 said. “Finals have been really hard.” For Kali’inoa Maeva ’25, Primal Scream was a way to destress and take “time off to relax from all the anxieties and worries that come with finals.”
News 3
Editorial 4
Other students were attracted to the tradition for the thrill. “When else are you gonna go streaking through Harvard Yard? I guess, before every finals, but never again in your life,” said Margo A. Smith ’25. Thursday’s throngs were dwarfed by last semester’s snowy streak, some students reported. “It wasn’t as good and there weren’t as many people, but I still had a fun and awesome time,” Mavea said. But this spring’s sprint had one advantage over its predecessor: The Harvard Band was present, pantless, and playing for the runners for the first time in over two years. The band was
SEE PRIMAL PAGE 3
Sports 6
The Harvard Band played for nude students running by University Hall for Primal Scream on Wednesday night. J. SELLERS HILL—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
TODAY’S FORECAST
CLOUDY High: 62 Low: 49
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THE HARVARD CRIMSON |
MAY 6, 2022
PAGE 2
HARVARD TODAY
For Lunch Battered and Fried Fish Dan Dan Noodles Tofu Curry Noodle Stirfry
For Dinner Chinese Style Pork Chops Teriyaki Turkey Tips Spicy Tofu with Green Beans
TODAY’S EVENTS Art Study Center Seminar at Home: George Abrams on Rembrandt Virtual, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
IN THE REAL WORLD Karine Jean-Pierre Set to Make History in her New Role as White House Press Secretary
Join George Abrams, a distinguished collector of Dutch drawings. He will share insights and observations about his favorite works by Rembrandt in his own collection and those at the Harvard Art Museums.
Karine Jean-Pierre will begin her role as White House press secretary upon Jen Psaki’s departure next week. JeanPierre, who is currently the White House’s principal deputy press secretary, will make history as the first Black and openly BGLTQ-identifying person to take on the role.
Improving Climate Models with Hybrid AI Approaches SEC LL2.221, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. While climate change is certain, precisely how climate will change is less clear. But thanks to AI, breakthroughs in the accuracy of climate projections are now within reach. 6th Annual Can’t Stop Hip Hop Conference HGSE, 6:30 p.m.
People enjoy the warm weather on the steps of Widener Library on Thursday. JULIAN J. GIORDANO— CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
AROUND THE IVIES YALE: Af-Am House Kicks Off 50th Anniversary Celebration —THE YALE DAILY NEWS COLUMBIA: An Unmistakable Advantage: Private High Schools and Club Sports
Teams Make a Difference in Recruitment for Columbia Athletes —THE COLUMBIA SPECTATOR
In light of a leaked draft opinion revealing the Supreme Court could overturn Roe v. Wade, which federally legalized abortion, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced plans for a procedural vote to begin debate around abortion rights on the Senate floor next week. Senate Democrats are expected to face challenges, given the 60 votes needed to overcome the filibuster.
U.S. Intelligence Helped Ukraine Strike Russian Flagship, Officials Say
U.S. intelligence helped Ukraine strike down a Russian flagship, according to U.S. officials. The Moskva was a guided missile cruiser and the largest Russian warship sunk in combat since World War II.
DARTMOUTH: Federal Circuit Court Judge Beth Robinson ’86 Gives Talk About Courts, Challenges in Interpreting the Law —THE DARTMOUTH
CORNELL: New Building to Create ‘Unified Complex’ for Bowers CIS —THE CORNELL DAILY SUN
COVID UPDATES
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Register for the 6th Annual Can’t Stop Hip Hop Conference, May 6th and 7th, at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This 2-day conference is full of live performances, education workshops, and a keynote panel of hip hop educators.
After Supreme Court Leak, Senator Schumer Plans Procedural Vote for Abortion Debate
333 In Isolation
441 2.51% Total New Cases
Positivity Rate
LAST 7 DAYS
CAMBRIDGE
927 4.2% 77%
Total New Cases
Positivity Rate
Fully Vaccinated
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1,500 Turn Out for SpringFest ’96
Despite intermittent rain, more than 1,500 students came to the Malkin Athletic Center Quad on Saturday afternoon to listen to bands, win prizes, and eat cotton candy as part of SpringFest ‘96. SpringFest, which was sponsored by the Undergraduate Council and free to all undergraduates, featured 12 bands, including the main musical attraction — Pharcyde. May 6, 1996
History Chosen Favorite Field of Concentration History was chosen by more Freshmen as a field of concentration more than any other field, according to a report released by the Registrar. Economics and Chemistry had the largest decreases in concentrators.
May 6, 1958
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY, EST. 1873
The Harvard Crimson Raquel Coronell Uribe ’22-’23 Associate Managing Editors Kelsey J. Griffin ’23 President Taylor C. Peterman ’23-’24 Jasper G. Goodman ’23 Associate Business Managers Managing Editor Taia M.Y. Cheng ’23-’24 Isabelle L. Guillaume ’24 Amy X. Zhou ’23 Business Manager Editorial Chairs Guillermo S. Hava ’23-24 Orlee G.S. Marini-Rapoport ’23-24
STAFF FOR THIS ISSUE Arts Chairs Sofia Andrade ’23-’24 Jaden S. Thompson ’23
Design Chairs Yuen Ting Chow ’23 Madison A. Shirazi ’23-’24
Magazine Chairs Maliya V. Ellis ’23-’24 Sophia S. Liang ’23
Multimedia Chairs Aiyana G. White ’23 Pei Chao Zhuo ’23
Blog Chairs Ellen S. Deng ’23-’24 Janani Sekar ’23-’24
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Copyright 2022, The Harvard Crimson (USPS 236-560). No articles, editorials, cartoons or any part thereof appearing in The Crimson may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the President. The Associated Press holds the right to reprint any materials published in The Crimson. The Crimson is a non-profit, independent corporation, founded in 1873 and incorporated in 1967. Second-class postage paid in Boston, Massachusetts. Published Monday through Friday except holidays and during vacations, three times weekly during reading and exam periods by The Harvard Crimson Inc., 14 Plympton St., Cambridge, Mass. 02138 Weather icons made by Freepik, Yannick, Situ Herrera, OCHA, SimpleIcon, Catalin Fertu from flaticon.com is licensed by CC BY 3.0.
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THE HARVARD CRIMSON |
MAY 6, 2022
College to Merge Registrar Students Strip and Streak with Three Existing Offices at Annual Primal Scream PRIMAL FROM PAGE 1
unable to attend last semester’s Primal Scream due to a scheduling conflict. Cole Cleary ’25, a Primal Scream veteran, said he had not initially planned on participating this semester but got “taken away” by the enthusiasm of the band and onlookers. “You could just feel the energy coming from right in front of that dorm,” Cleary said. Other students reported similar enchanting effects. “I feel like every semester everybody goes ‘Nah, I’m not going to do Primal Scream,’ but at the end of the day, they always end up out here,” Boparai said. Some students criticized their peers for stopping short of full nudity — a recurring debate of great contention.
Cleary was “disappointed” when he realized his roommates had retained some articles of clothing for the run. He found it “kind of soft.”
It’s to see people who have the best education doing some weird stuff. Mariam Hamdi Primal Scream Spectator
“But you know what? Not everybody can be a winner,” he said. Some students decried the gaggles of onlookers who remained fully clothed and re-
corded the runners. Liudmila Budaragina, a tourist, said she heard about the event from a show and “thought it would be fun to go.” Jessica J. Zhang ’25 said she“felt a little creeped out by people who come to watch naked teenagers.” “Especially those who take flash photography,” Zhang added. Mariam Hamdi, another spectator, said her reasons for watching the tradition are clear. “You know, it’s to see people who have the best education doing some weird stuff. I’m very excited to see that,” Hamdi said. katherine.burstein@thecrimson.com selllers.hill@thecrimson.com nia.orakwue@thecrimson.com
By LEAH J. TEICHHOLTZ CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
Harvard College will combine four existing offices into a new Office of Student Services beginning July 1, Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana announced in a Tuesday email to affiliates. The new office will combine the existing Accessible Education Office, the Housing Office, the Office of Academic Integrity and Student Conduct, and the Office of the Registrar. Current Registrar of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Michael P. Burke will serve as the first dean of the OSS, per the announcement. In the email, Khurana wrote that the four units “currently work close together” and their combination will help the College advance its goals of “orga
nizational alignment.” “By realigning these units, we will have the opportunity to synchronize interdependent functions and deadlines, create functionality that reduces logistical steps, and decrease the number of barriers for our students, faculty, and staff to navigate,” Khurana wrote. The Accessible Education Office currently provides academic accommodations for students in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences with disabilities, while the Office of the Registrar manages course registration, student records, and tuition billing. The new OSS will also encompass the Housing Office and the Office of Academic Integrity and Student Conduct, which includes the Community Council, the Administrative Board, and
the Honor Council. In anticipation of Burke’s departure, Harvard will announce a new FAS registrar soon, Khurana wrote. Burke has also served as interim leader of the Office of Academic Integrity and Student Conduct since last summer. In the email, Khurana thanked the staff of the four offices which will now fall under the OSS for their “extraordinary work,” citing the challenges of the pandemic over the past two years. “I have the incredible privilege of regularly working with colleagues in each of these units, and I continue to draw inspiration from them every day,” Khurana wrote. leah.teichholtz@thecrimson.com
GAY FROM PAGE 1
GSAS FROM PAGE 1
Gay Outlines Process for Denaming Spaces, Titles
GSAS Student Council Elects Four Chairs, Turns Away One
submitting requests, October 3 and March 1. After each deadline, the Secretary will share submitted requests to the Docket Committee of the FAS Faculty Council and the Office of the General Counsel. At the recommendation of the Docket Committee, the FAS Dean and University President can appoint a review committee to evaluate a denaming request. If the review committee rejects a denaming request, a similar request cannot be considered for five years except in “extraordinary circumstances when significant and consequential new information comes to light.” Gay wrote in her Thursday email that the FAS denaming process will approach the school’s history with humility. She added that the decision to remove a name will be the product of “deep examination and learning” and that the choice to move forward with a request should not be based solely on the
ositions of treasurer and chair p of communications, respectively, both won with overwhelming support. Kody Christiansen, a Harvard Extension School student, ran for chair of recognition and won with 89 percent of the vote. He will be responsible for aiding the council’s acknowledgement of outstanding graduate students. “A huge part of the GSC’s work is to recognize good work that is done in GSAS,” Lim said. With no one running for chair of technology, the position will remain open until the fall. The election for chair of advocacy, who serves as a liaison between GSAS students and administrators, featured just one contender —Sociology Ph.D. candidate Aaron R. Benavidez — but was marred by controversy. In an initial vote, the council was split evenly between
number of supporters behind it. Gay also noted that action on a request will be subject to an “inclusive process” that solicits views across the school and aims to encourage “generous listening and substantive discussion.” The FAS denaming process is the first of many initiatives Gay said the school will engage in to respond to the release of a landmark University report last week, which acknowledged the “integral” role slavery played in shaping the school. The Crimson reported Tuesday on the names of historical figures whose legacies are honored through buildings, streets, professorships, and towns — memorializing the legacy of slavery and discrimination on Harvard’s campus. In an email to the FAS last week, Gay wrote that the report and its findings bring “new urgency” to efforts already underway within the FAS, such as evolving the
school’s visual culture, diversifying faculty and staff, and expanding undergraduate financial aid. Gay said in a Wednesday interview with The Crimson that one of the first agenda items of the FAS Committee on Visual Culture and Signage — established in December 2021 at the recommendation of the FAS Task Force on Visual Culture and Signage — will be to engage with Harvard’s history and legacies of slavery. “As you probably remember from the Visual Culture report, there have been these priority spaces that were identified as places that present real opportunities for visual renewal, so they’ll be spending part of the summer just beginning to tour those places and starting to have conversations about what visual renewal might look like in those spaces,” she said. ariel.kim@thecrimson.com
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abstentions and votes in favor of Benavidez. Following a second vote, 53 percent of council members chose to abstain rather than elect him.
My concern is that, how are we to operate as a team if our chair of advocacy doesn’t listen to the rest of us? Zachary Lim Incoming Council President
Lim alleged Benavidez has “a history” of dropping out of student organizations when student leaders have “overwhelmingly disagreed” with his advocacy positions. He added Benavidez then continued to advocate for the positions by himself.
“My concern is that, how are we to operate as a team if our chair of advocacy doesn’t listen to the rest of us?” Lim said. “You think that that would be productive for our team?” Benavidez responded that he believes individuals should have the discretion to take “reasonable” action on their own. “I think there is room for advocacy that can be a part of conversation, but it sounds like there’s also room for people to move forward in a direction that seems reasonable,” he said. In an interview after the meeting, Benavidez criticized the election results, which he described as the “work of an oligarchy.” “This didn’t feel very democratic,” he said. The position will remain open until the council holds additional elections in its first meeting this fall. paton.roberts@thecrimson.com
THE HARVARD CRIMSON |
MAY 06, 2022
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EDITORIAL THE CRIMSON EDITORIAL BOARD
OP-ED
A Generation Adrift? Teaching students to live a fulfilled life isn’t peripheral to Harvard’s mission.
O
ur generation is depressed. To say that is not to wallow in selfpity but to point to a serious policy problem. A generation of Americans is modally despondent, and yet institutions from Harvard on up treat addressing this crisis as a luxury instead of a basic requirement for a functional community. This approach is not sustainable. Our latest reminder of the problem comes from Harvard’s Institute of Politics, which released its Youth Poll last month. Just over half of respondents aged 18 to 29 reported feeling “down, depressed or hopeless for several days or more in the past two weeks.” This number is double comparable figures from only 15 years ago, part of a decades-long trend that cannot be dismissed as a function of the pandemic. This trend is not merely a result of over-diagnosis, growing awareness, or shifting definitions: pollsters ask the same questions, and we give more and more worrying answers. We recognize that Harvard’s $50+ billion endowment is not unlimited. Large swathes are restricted, and worthy competing priorities range from financial aid to cancer research. But Harvard doesn’t let those obstacles get in the way of keeping the lights on, and mental health support is part of keeping the lights on. When a third of your students think they might suffer from depression and CAMHS has a wait time of six weeks, those lights are flickering at best. Harvard has a mountain on its hands, one that’s treated like a molehill. It may be that donors prefer funding buildings and professorships. Change their minds! Teaching students to live a fulfilled life isn’t peripheral to Harvard’s mission, it’s essential. Training functional future leaders isn’t peripheral to Harvard’s mission: It’s essential. We hope that the alumni who read this see the severity of the problem we face and
consider opening their checkbooks. We hope that administrators demonstrate that they are actively soliciting such donations. The new CAMHS 24/7 hotline is proof that this approach can work; the Harvard Youth Poll is evidence that it must work faster. Funding is not, of course, a panacea. Policy and culture also have to change, as we have repeatedly suggested. There are some obvious choices: professors should be understanding and flexible with students suffering from mental illness. Faculty and staff should be equipped to recognize warning signs as best they can and to respond appropriately. There are also more subtle policy fixes. Student leave procedures are often an excessive burden. Students who take leave, voluntarily or involuntarily, can face requirements in order to return, including six or more months of non-academic work and onerous medical preconditions and procedural obstacles. Fulfilling these conditions off campus can be most difficult for the most disadvantaged among us. These requirements can then disincentivize those students from taking much-needed time off for their mental health. Conversely, students who receive two “unsatisfactory grades” are forced to withdraw from school for two terms and are often not permitted on campus for the duration of their leave. Students who are suffering due to their mental health and whose grades have dropped because of it then lose their housing, meal plan, and on-campus support system. This kick to the curb is accompanied by a checklist that can be challenging to complete and which determines their ability to return. Permission to return sometimes comes just days before the start of school, leaving students’ futures in the air. Harvard’s leave system, however well-meaning its administrative design, is deeply flawed.
Within this flawed system, we nevertheless encourage those who are struggling to seek help where they can. Therapy and medication, of course, are effective treatments for many mental illnesses. Scientists have found mental health benefits in everything from meditation and exercise to vitamin D and sleep. To be clear, going for runs is not a healthcare policy: These are not comprehensive solutions. But they are tools that we can bring to bear as we wait for our lumbering home institution to catch up. Finally, Harvard’s response to this national problem should extend beyond its gates. Funding can only help insofar as we understand the problem, and Harvard’s mission of knowledge production can change lives by filling this gap. Researchers from psychology to medicine to the humanities have great potential to contribute. We call on the University to redouble its efforts to research the determinants of youth mental health and to set high institutional standards as a model for other colleges. We ask that donors consider funding a systematic expansion of this type of research. Harvard’s money and expertise provide an opportunity to help not only our own students but countless others who would benefit from our research. We have the power not only to help those directly afflicted but to serve a nation that will one day depend on a generation now adrift. We must exercise that power. Lives depend on it.
— Abby T. Forbes ’22 is a Philosophy concentrator in Adams House. Her column
—Joseph G. Leone is a second-year Master in Public Policy student at the Harvard Kennedy School.
@thecrimson
COLUMN
Nuclear (em)Power
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tarry spirals spinning, glowing globes in orbit, black holes beckoning us to other dimensions — outer space literally magnetic in its appeal. This appeal is what drew Denisse Cordova Carrizales ’23 to study physics. While kindled by the stars, her fascination with physics eventually dug down deeper to the molecular level. Meanwhile, Denisse’s natural instinct for storytelling led her to question what story contemporary nuclear innovations were telling — and how to rewrite that story to make innovation more inclusive. Growing up in Houston, Denisse cultivated her storytelling voice onstage (and behind the scenes). Offstage, she used her creative voice to teach younger students scriptwriting, acting, and set design. This was in addition to her interest in novels and music. Having spent her formative years in the home of stars like Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion, she developed an intense appreciation for hip hop. With this creative background, Denisse was drawn to physics by its creative spark: the collisions of matter and energy that generate something new. While Denisse was drawn to physics because of space, after the chaos of being evacuated off campus and adjusting to online school, space was exactly what she needed. She had initially entered Harvard hoping to build toward her Ph.D., but the burnout accompanying Covid-19 led Denisse to question whether that was the right fit. Denisse credits these questions, along with the pandemic’s disruption, with helping her find the courage to take time off from school. Even be-
In the case of nuclear fusion energy, the risk of environmental racism occurs when large reactors are placed in marginalized communities. All too often, physicists (and others in STEM fields) are seen as faceless figures secluded blankly behind lab coats, running numbers that generate incomprehensible answers to even more incomprehensible questions. Denisse challenges this assumption from practically every angle possible. Her colorful creativity leads her to tackle vibrant problems with sweeping real-world consequences. As a scientist living in an age of climate crisis, Denisse understands how vital it is to implement clean sources of energy. However, she also understands how new energy sources can manifest in environmental racism: the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on people of color. In the case of nuclear fusion energy, the risk of environmental racism occurs when large reactors are placed in marginalized communities. Or, the lack of access to energy in some communities versus others.
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Expanding access to clean energy is widely agreed to be a positive thing. At the same time, Denisse points out that providing power sources to “where they are needed most” needs to avoid paternalism. During her gap year, she tackled one key factor in preventing environmental racism: community education. Denisse saw how little education was provided to communities in being made home to reactors or other potential environmental hazards. Denisse knew firsthand how education on physics, let alone nuclear fusion reactors, was not widely available in impacted communities. This fueled her inspiration to one day begin to create an educational film on nuclear energy that is accessible and engaging — without any animation experience. After drawing out the frames in her Notes app, Denisse learned enough animation to create the film’s core content. She released the film first in Spanish, then in English, her bilingual background broadening its reach. She eventually attracted the attention of people who could help animate the film at a higher level. The result? A vibrantly educational animated short. One that allows access to clean energy to go hand in hand with access to education about it. Just as all existing matter is forged into something new again and again, Denisse’s creativity lets her rediscover her love of studying physics by stepping away from it. Her time away from Harvard helped her remember what led her there in the first place. From learning about it to taking it and creating it, space helped Denisse discover and then re-discover what matters.
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.
The Crimson
fore the pandemic, Denisse had a desire to take time away. But online school allowed Denisse herself permission to go through with it. She knew she wanted to learn more about industry instead of the more familiar world of academics. So during her gap year, she joined the team of Commonwealth Fusion Systems on a mission to “deliver clean, limitless fusion power to the world.”
By JOSEPH G. LEONE
s graduation for the Class of 2022 rapidly approaches, Commencement speakers, deans, professors, and parents alike are all preparing their grand speeches encouraging us to go forth and change the world. Last year, University President Lawrence S. Bacow conveyed his hope that the Class of 2021 would “hasten the world to better days.” Similar calls for new graduates to make an impact and improve our world will reverberate across Harvard Yard this month as students complete their coursework, collect their diplomas, and pack up their things for the next chapter in their lives. But as the heady excitement of graduation wanes and we all settle into our new careers, will we really be changing the world? Some of us may do work creating a positive impact; some of us may not. Some of us may love our next job; some may just need it to pay the bills. There is one surefire way, however, in which every new graduate can make a huge impact and change the world for the better: by unionizing your new workplace. Unions are for everyone. Despite popular imagination that only industrial workers need and deserve unions, every workplace can benefit from unionization, and every worker deserves a union — even Harvard alumni. After decades of right-wing attacks on workers’ rights, union density in the United States sits at historically low levels. In all likelihood, you will be entering a non-union workplace upon graduation — but you can fix that! Despite the lost ground of the labor movement, we are living through a historic moment of renewed labor organizing and victories. Workers across all sectors are fighting for their rights, and they are winning. From nurses to teachers, Kellogg’s to Google, Hollywood to John Deere, workers are organizing and demanding more from their employers. In the last year, workers at Starbucks and Amazon successfully formed the first unions within these behemoth corporations, with more soon to come. Public support for unions is soaring, now at its highest point in the United States since 1965. Unionization is also surging in white-collar professional work, such as nonprofit organizations, journalism, architecture, tech, media, and academia — the type of work that many Harvard graduates will pursue. By organizing in our new workplaces after graduation, we can achieve a meaningful material impact on our lives and the lives of others — and not just those of immediate coworkers. Unionization has ripple effects across the economy at large, raising wages and standards for both union and non-union workers. Additionally, organizing your workplace can help others organize theirs. As Alex Press writes for The Nation, “[n]ewly unionized white-collar workers provide dues to increasingly cashstrapped unions,” supplying critical support to other workplace struggles across various sectors. The change you can achieve through a union is not limited to pay and benefits. In July 2020, tens of thousands of workers walked off the job as part of the union-led Strike for Black Lives, committing to “withhold our most valuable asset — our labor — in support of dismantling racism and white supremacy to bring about fundamental changes in our society, economy and workplaces.” The Writers Guild of America, which represents TV and film writers, has flexed its muscles in opposition to Georgia’s 2021 racist voter-suppression bill and its 2019 anti-abortion legislation, threatening the withdrawal of Hollywood crews from the state, a popular filming location. Our very own Harvard Graduate Students Union, of which I am a proud member, fought and won new protections against caste-based discrimination and sexual harassment in our new contract. Although the Harvard administration remains recalcitrant on providing real recourse for survivors of sex- and gender-based harassment, discrimination, and violence, the union has been a powerful voice in continuing to demand justice. Unions also meaningfully strengthen democracy and give people more immediate democratic control over their lives. With democracy under siege worldwide, and American institutions and politicians increasingly unresponsive to the needs and desires of their constituents, the grassroots democracy that unions provide is essential. In addition, unions foster broader political participation. The labor movement was essential to the passage of some of the most important legislation of the 20th century, including the Social Security Act. Today, a revived labor movement can strengthen our collective power to dismantle white supremacy, combat climate change, and defeat right-wing authoritarianism. These are massive undertakings that would undoubtedly “hasten the world to better days.” They are also too big for any of us to tackle alone. In mere months, however, we can take action to begin this process of truly changing the world. To start, simply talk with your coworkers to understand the issues they care about and imagine how your workplace could be better. With a few colleagues on board, identify some unions that might be a good fit and reach out to a representative. With their help, you and your colleagues will be well on your way to a democratic workplace. Wherever we go after graduation, we can take these steps to change the world. All it takes is talking to your coworkers and bravely demanding more together.
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Unionize Your Job, Change the World
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THE HARVARD CRIMSON |
NLRB Rejects Petition, Prompting Appeal By SOPHIA C. SCOTT and CLAIRE YUAN CRIMSON STAFF WRITERS
The National Labor Relations Board denied a petition seeking to decertify 32BJ Service Employees International Union, the union representing around 300 contracted security workers at Harvard. The petition, filed by longtime Harvard security guard Walter J. Terzano, charged that 32BJ failed to adequately represent its workers in contract negotiations. In a dismissal letter sent to Terzano last week, the NLRB cited the National Labor Relations Act, which prohibits it from certifying any security guards’ union that admits nonguards as members. 32BJ is affiliated with SEIU, the second-largest labor union in the country, which admits non-guards as members. In the dismissal letter, NLRB Regional Director Laura A. Sacks wrote that “mixed guard/nonguard unions are disqualified from taking advantage of” the NLRB’s union certification election process.
On Wednesday, Terzano filed an appeal asking for the case to be reviewed by the NLRB. “The intent here is not to certify, but decertify, which is not addressed by the statute which was cited as cause for dismissal,” the appeal letter reads. In an interview Monday, Terzano took aim at 32BJ, saying that more than one-third of union members signed onto the decertification effort. “There’s nobody there for them,” he said of union members. “It’s a diseased organism that they cannot rely on for help because the union is there for the company, not for us,” Terzano added. Bargaining committee member Arun K. Malik said most guards supported the decertification effort, but “all of those signatures are moot” because the petition sought to decertify a union that was not recognized by the NLRB as a bargaining unit for guards to begin with. nec pede justo. 450 words “You can’t decertify a union that has never been certified,” he said.
“So the appeal would be: How can the union membership, if they don’t want that union, get rid of them?” Malik added. Terzano wrote in his appeal that Securitas “did not comply in good faith” in posting a notice of the petition, which is required by the NLRB. The appeal states that the notices were often “disguised” or “handed out on a single sheet of paper, double sided print, which by definition prevented them from being posted and the ability to be ‘viewed simultaneously’ as required.” “There’s a clear problem here,” Malik said. “A majority of guards signed the petition.” “They don’t want this union, and the company’s insisting that we have to have this union,” Malik continued. Union spokesperson Amanda Torres-Price and Harvard University spokesperson Jason A. Newton declined to comment. Securitas did not respond to multiple requests for comment. sophia.scott@thecrimson.com claire.yuan@thecrimson.com
SEE ELMENDORF PAGE 1
Elmendorf Sorry for Aid Delays items along the way,” he said. “There have been, and that’s what we feel bad about.” Elmendorf said the employees hired to staff the newly-merged office are “working very hard to try to minimize the number of calls that aren’t returned or paperwork that isn’t finished at the right time, and so on.”
We’re very sorry for the disruptions that have affected students. Douglas W. Elmendorf HKS Dean
“I think this team will do a terrific job,” Elmendorf said. “But it is taking them some time to settle in and to learn more of the system here.” Nine current and former HKS staff members said Oliver Street — the assistant dean of enrollment services who oversaw the transition to the new-
SEE ABORTION PAGE 1
Students Demonstrate For and Against Abortion in Yard was the reason behind it, just hoping that people would want to get out and support, and the community response has been incredible.” Protesters in the counterrally sang songs, including “America the Beautiful” and Justin Bieber’s “Baby” in an effort to drown out the pro-abortion rights speeches, while holding posters that read “Pro Life, Pro Peace” and “The Future is Anti-Abortion.” Olivia L. Glunz ’25, a co-president of Harvard Right to Life, said in an interview during Thursday’s protest that her organization’s goal was to share a “message of joy and hope.” Ava Swanson ’24, the other co-president of Harvard Right to Life, said in an interview during Thursday’s protest that she was “really proud” that the
protest was civil. “A lot of people have never really encountered other prolife students or students who are willing to say that they’re pro-life on this campus,” Swanson said. “It’s really important to say that we have a reason for what we believe, that this is a really beautiful message that we want to create a world in which every single human life is valued,” Swanson added. Organizers from both sides expressed a desire to keep the protests civil and peaceful, even as tensions rose and protesters shouted chants at each other. “My goal always is to make people feel safe and make sure no one gets hurt. So hopefully, everything remains peaceful,” said Pallotta, the abortion rights rally organizer. “Just as
they have the right to organize, so do we.” Though the Wednesday rally occurred during a downpour of rain, A.J. Yi ’25 said they thought the rally was “phenomenal.” “This message can ripple out to a lot of people who look at Harvard students as a model of what advocacy should look like,” Yi said. Katarzyna A. “Kasia” Zarzycka ’22-’23, who attended the abortion rights rally Wednesday, said she wished more students at the College realized the “gravity” of the situation. “Students in this school have power — they will be the people who will be deciding about our life soon,” Zarzycka said. “It all starts here.” vivi.lu@thecrimson.com leah.teichholtz@thecrimson.com
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MAY 6, 2022
ly-merged offices — fostered a toxic work environment, The Crimson reported last month. Four employees said the concerns about Street were reported to HKS’ HR department. “Oliver made a lot of important contributions to the school,” Elmendorf said. “But I’m not going to comment on his individual performance beyond that.” Asked whether he knew of employees’ concerns about Street, Elmendorf declined to comment. Street left the Kennedy School on Thursday after less than three years. Elmendorf credited him with helping to improve the racial diversity of HKS’ student body. The search for a new assistant dean for enrollment services has not concluded, Elmendorf said. “Our commitment to recruiting a diverse class is lasting,” Elmendorf said. “And [we’ll] be looking for the next assistant dean who can lead this effort most effectively.” miles.herszenhorn@thecrimson.com
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IN PHOTOS Students Rally Over Roe
After a draft opinion striking down Roe v. Wade leaked from the U.S. Supreme Court, students on both sides of the fight over abortion rights took to Harvard Yard with posters in hand to demonstrate on Wednesday and Thursday.
ABORTION ACTIVISM Around 100 students demonstrated in support of abortion rights outside Memorial Church on Wednesday, where they held posters and delivered speeches JOEY HUANG—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
SIGNS AND SONGS A cluster of demonstrators who oppose abortion gathered nearby, sporadically singing songs like “America the Beautiful” and Justin Bieber’s “Baby.” JULIAN J. GIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
DUELING DEMONSTRATIONS The crowds of demonstrators faced off at times, waving posters and heckling each other. Organizers from both sides expressed a desire to keep the protests civil and peaceful. JULIAN J. GIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
“AUTONOMY” AND “ACCESS” Organizer Elizabeth M. Benecchi ’25 shared her beliefs on the importance of autonomy and abortion access. JULIAN J. GIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
SPEAKING TO SCOTUS Ava K. Pallotta ’25 organized and spoke at the rally in support of abortion rights. JULIAN J. GIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
A SECOND STANCE Students who support and oppose abortion returned to Harvard Yard on Thursday for a second round of demonstrations, this time on the steps of Widener Library. JULIAN J. GIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
“RIGHT TO LIFE” Olivia L. Glunz ’25, co-president of Harvard Right to Life, said in an interview that her club’s goal on Thursday was to share a “message of joy and hope.” JULIAN J. GIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER
WIDENER WALKOUT More than 50 students congregated on the steps on Thursdsay were part of a national walkout in support of abortion rights. JULIAN J. GIORDANO—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER