The Tufts Daily - Tuesday, September 4, 2018 by The Tufts Daily

“Eighth Grade” brings us back to childhood with an honest, raw look at adolescence see ARTS&LIVING / PAGE 3

MEN’S SOCCER

Tufts hosts UMass Boston tonight in season-opener

Women’s soccer looks to build on postseason experience see SPORTS / PAGE 11

SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE

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VOLUME LXXVI, ISSUE 2

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Tuesday, September 4, 2018

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Class of 2022 begins college career with Illumination Ceremony by Daniel Nelson

Executive News Editor

Over 1,600 first-years and transfer students gathered on the President’s Lawn on Saturday night to participate in Tufts’ Illumination Ceremony, according to University Chaplain Reverend Greg McGonigle. The candle lighting ceremony — an undergraduate tradition meant to symbolize university benefactor Charles Tufts’ mission to “put a light” upon Walnut Hill, according to McGonigle — was organized by the University Chaplaincy. Speakers from across the Chaplaincy spoke during the hour-long ritual, including Muslim Chaplain Celene Ibrahim, Buddhist Chaplain Priya Sraman and McGonigle. Each spoke about the tradition of light within their respective faiths, tying that theme back to the candles given to the students as part of the ceremony. Upon the speeches’ conclusion, alumni speaker Sofia Estrada (LA ’18) lit the first candle,

which was then spread from candle to candle until the entire hill was alight. The a cappella group S-Factor sang as the candles were lit. This was the third year that the University Chaplaincy was in charge of organizing the Illumination Ceremony, according to McGonigle. “The orientation committee asked us if we would look at the Illumination Ceremony again with fresh eyes and bring it back to the heart of what it’s supposed to be about,” McGonigle, for whom this was his sixth Illumination Ceremony, said. Part of that “reimagining,” as McGonigle called it, came through integrating diverse traditions — religious, philosophical and cultural, among others — within the ceremony. McGonigle pointed to the candle’s light as a universal symbol. “The idea of setting a light on the hill is really something that is present in all traditions and available to all of us as a community,” McGonigle said. “[The Chaplaincy] tries to

make sure that the ceremony is reflective of some of the diversity of Tufts.” McGonigle noted that this year’s ceremony rearranged the order of events such that the alumni speaker, Estrada, went immediately before the candle-lighting began. McGonigle said that in years past, the alumni speaker went first. “[This year], we have the alum light the first candle,” McGonigle said. “That way they’re actually passing the torch to the incoming students.” McGonigle described the Illumination Ceremony as an important way to kickstart the Class of 2022’s college career. It is one of the few class-wide rituals that Tufts students participate in, according to McGonigle, and a crucial community-building activity. “[There are] some scholars of religion who say there is no community without ritual,” McGonigle said. “In order to build community you need to have some things that you do together.” The ceremony came at the end of orientation week, days before the class of 2022 began

the 2018-2019 academic year. Incoming first-years are spread across Tufts’ undergraduate schools, according to a Tufts Now article on Aug. 29. The vast majority — 1,200 students — enter the School of Arts and Sciences, while 249 enter the School of Engineering and 95 more in the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts. This year’s class was chosen from Tufts’ largest applicant pool in history, according to the article. The university received 21,501 applications and accepted 3,143 of them. The 14.6 percent acceptance rate is Tufts’ second-lowest ever, the article noted. University President Anthony Monaco introduced the incoming students to Tufts during the Aug. 29 matriculation ceremony. “You are on the threshold of an amazing journey,” Monaco said before the matriculating students, according to the Tufts Now article. “One that will help you to develop intellectually, socially and personally, just as it has done for so many Jumbos before you.”

Events on the Hill — Weeks of Sept. 3 and 10 by Daniel Nelson

Sponsor: Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences

THURSDAY, SEPT. 6 “Fall Exhibitions Opening Reception” Details: Tufts will hold an opening reception for the fall art lineup. This semester’s exhibitions include States of Freedom: The Figure in Flux and Expressions Unbound: American Outsider Art from the Andrew and Linda Safran Collection. When and Where: 5:30–7:30 p.m., Aidekman Arts Center Sponsor: Tufts University Art Galleries

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 12 “Museum of Capitalism Opening Reception and Conversation” Details: The School of Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) at Tufts will be hosting an opening reception for the “Museum of Capitalism,” a temporary installation that explores the philosophy and history of capitalism. This traveling exhibition features art, publications and other materials representative of capitalism. The reception will feature a conversation between the Museum’s founders and Abigail Satinsky, Tufts University Art Galleries’ curator of exhibitions and programs. When and Where: 6–8 p.m., Anderson Auditorium, SMFA at Tufts Sponsor: SMFA at Tufts

Executive News Editor

FRIDAY, SEPT. 7 “Fall Gala” Details: Tufts University Student Council’s (TUSC) annual Fall Gala will be held on the Academic Quad. Featured musical acts include Nate Bash Band and all-female student group Burst into Dames. Food will be provided. When and Where: 7–11 p.m., Academic Quad Sponsor: TUSC MONDAY, SEPT. 10 “Career Workshop with Sarah Cardozo Duncan” Details: The Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences will host a career workshop with career strategist and consultant Sarah Cardozo Duncan. Duncan, winner of the 2014 Mass AWIS Mentor of Excellence Award, will assist Sackler students with a one-day workshop on pursuing careers in the biomedical and biotechnology industries. When and Where: 9 a.m.– 3 p.m., Sackler 221, Boston

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THURSDAY, SEPT. 13 “Linda Nathan Book Talk: “When Grit Isn’t Enough” Details: Author Linda Nathan will hold a book talk on her new work, “When Grit Isn’t Enough: A High School Principal Examines how Poverty and Inequality Thwart the College-for-all Promise.” The book discusses multiple assumptions that society holds about education, and how those assumptions shield inherent inequalities. When and Where: 4–6 p.m., Laminan Lounge, Olin Center Sponsor: Department of Education FRIDAY, SEPT. 14 “Protecting Civilian Institutions and

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RACHEL HARTMAN/THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

Ballou Hall is pictured on April 20. Infrastructure from Cyber Operations: Designing International Law and Organizations” Details: The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy’s Center for International Law and Governance will host a two-day conference on cyberattacks, and the prevention thereof, in peacetime. This is the center’s first conference. When and Where: 12–5 p.m., Sept. 14–15, 51 Winthrop Street Sponsor: The Fletcher School SATURDAY, SEPT. 15 French Film outdoor screening: “Les saveurs du Palais” Details: The Department of Romance Studies will host a French film night. “Les Saveurs du Palais,” or “Haute Cuisine,” is a French-language comedy-drama about a pri-

vate chef to former French President François Mitterand. The film will be projected with English subtitles. When andWhere: 7:30–9:15 p.m., Residential Quad Sponsor: Department of Romance Studies SUNDAY, SEPT. 16 “Community Block Party” Details: Tufts Housing League (THL) will host a community block party open to residents and students alike. THL will “be talking about [its] mission to provide safe, accessible, and affordable housing to the whole Tufts community, specifically through ending the tiered housing system and by building high density dorms on campus.” When and Where: 4–6 p.m., Nathan Tufts Park Sponsor: THL

NEWS............................................1 ARTS & LIVING.......................3 COMICS.......................................5

OPINION.....................................8 SPORTS............................ BACK

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Rosh Hashanah September 9–11 Yom Kippur September 18–19

H I GH HO LIDAYS ROSH HASHANAH

YOM KIPPUR

S U NDAY, SE PTE MB E R 9, 2 0 1 8

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• Pre-Fast Dinner 5:00 pm | Hillel Center $15 Online registration required

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• Reform Service 6:30 pm | 51 Winthrop Street • Conservative Egalitarian Service 6:30 pm | Hillel Center

M O NDAY, SE PTE MB E R 10, 2 0 1 8

WEDNESDAY, SE PTE MB E R 19, 2018

• Conservative Egalitarian Service 9:00 am | Hillel Center

• Reform Services 10:00 am | 51 Winthrop Street

• Reform Service 10:00 am | 51 Winthrop Street

• Alternative Program 11:15 am–12:15 pm Interfaith Center (58 Winthrop Street) Sync & Charge: a curated New Year experience to uplift and inspire

• Alternative Program 12:00–1:30 pm | Hillel Center Reinvent Yourself: a curated Yom Kippur experience around the theme of self-renewal

• Lunch 12:30–2:30 pm | Hillel Center $7 Online registration required • Tashlich–Shaping the Year to Come 3:30 pm | Meet at Hillel Center and walk together to the Mystic River

• Conservative Egalitarian Service 6:30 pm | Yizkor Interfaith Center (58 Winthrop Street) • Reform Service 6:45 pm | Yizkor and Neilah 51 Winthrop Street

• Conservative Egalitarian Service 7:45 pm | Hillel Center

• Conservative Egalitarian Service 6:45 pm | Neilah Interfaith Center (58 Winthrop Street)

• Dinner 8:30 pm | Hillel Center $15 Online registration required

• Break-the-Fast Dinner 7:30 pm | Hillel Center $15 Online registration required

TU E SDAY, SE PTE MB E R 11, 2 0 1 8 • Conservative Egalitarian Service 9:00 am | Hillel Center • Lunch Following Services 1:30 pm | Hillel Center $7 Online registration required • Alternative Service 6:00–7:30 pm | Hillel Center In Search of Lost Time: a curated New Year experience to uplift and inspire

See tuftshillel.org for more info and to register! 244387 2018 Tufts Hillel_High Holidays DailyAd_FULL.indd 1

SUKKOT BEGINS SUN D AY, SE PTE MB E R 23, 2018 • Services and Activities Please visit www.TuftsHillel.org for a complete listing of services and activities.

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Tuesday, September 4, 2018

ARTS&LIVING

3 tuftsdaily.com

‘Eighth Grade’ depicts adolescence unfiltered

VIA IMDB

A promotional poster for “Eighth Grade,” written and directed by Bo Burnham, is pictured. by Stephanie Hoechst Assistant Arts Editor

I challenge you not to squirm in your seat with familiarity as you watch Kayla, the lovable, socially awkward protagonist of “Eighth Grade” (2018), stumble through her tumultuous final week of middle school. Though it’s been out since July, I would strongly encourage

anyone who hasn’t seen stand-up comedian Bo Burnham’s directorial debut to do so, if nothing else because of how agonizingly relatable the experience is. While Kayla’s story is uniquely her own, it is nearly impossible for viewers not to conjure up their own memories of those same insecurities, hopes and frustrations that come with being a 13-yearold. As meaningful a commentary the

film is on adolescence in the digital age, what I found particularly striking about “Eighth Grade” was how effectively it taps into that universal I’ve-totallybeen-there feeling of surviving middle school and struggling to find one’s own identity. “Eighth Grade” documents 13-yearold Kayla (Elsie Fisher)’s last week of eighth grade as she navigates uncomfortable conversations with her crush, embarrassing moments with her father, valiant attempts to fit in with high schoolers and crippling insecurities about her image and social status in school. To cope with these anxieties, Kayla, like many of her generation, spends much of her time getting lost in the maze of social media. She posts videos with life advice to her YouTube channel and diligently maintains a cheery online presence in spite of (or perhaps because of ) her own self-consciousness. There is no earth-shattering narrative arc in this film. “Eighth Grade” instead depicts adolescence in snapshots of the routines we all remember from middle school, using universal imagery to help us empathize with Kayla. Fisher nails that painfully familiar prepubescent dialect so riddled with like’s, um’s, you know’s and whatever’s that it can sometimes be hard to understand what she is really trying to say. Shots of classmates doing the inane things middle schoolers do — building marker towers, sticking their fingers in their mouths to play with the rubber bands on their braces, flipping their eyelids inside out — are interspersed throughout Kayla’s narrative, making the atmosphere feel alive with the exact teenage weirdness that any present-day adult experienced in school. “Eighth Grade” draws on those shockingly familiar moments from middle school to throw us, startlingly, right back to our own youth. The film depicts that

ambiguous chunk of time right before the graduation procession; in caps and gowns, lined up and chattering against a wall of lockers. It shows us that time after the swimming portion of the pool party, when we crowd onto living room couches, half-wrapped in towels with damp hair to watch something (in this case, karaoke) on TV. It so accurately portrays that moment of trying to fit in as we sit hunched at the end of a table of older kids, listening and desperately trying to contribute to the conversation. Although some of us have never been teenage girls, and although Kayla lives in a different generation than most of us, these moments are so relatable for anyone who’s been in middle school that it would be shocking if none of her awkward slip-ups or angsty outbursts didn’t resonate on a deeply personal level. In addition, however, “Eighth Grade” amplifies those all-too-familiar teenage feelings through cinematography and sound design to help the audience feel exactly as our heroine does. Our stomach drops when the camera slowly zooms out from Kayla as she surveys the pool party she’s been dreading; music blasts as we see her crush for the first time; and the frame shakes jarringly as she stumbles home after an upsetting night. The film not only tugs on those teenage memories we keep in the back of our minds, but it pulls them, writhing, into broad daylight. In short, “Eighth Grade” is a raw, unfiltered look into the grossness, discomfort and ultimate optimism of adolescence. It so effectively communicates its angst by portraying those unbearably awkward feelings we don’t explicitly remember from middle school — the ones tucked away deep in all of our subconsciouses yet still there all the same. The result is a beautifully cringe-inducing and strangely cathartic glimpse into our pasts.

ATTENTION STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Welcome Back, Please Review the following mandatory meetings and upcoming events! REGISTER YOUR ORG. NOW! All orgs. need to register for the year at ocl.tufts.edu. Student Organizations Fair! Wednesday September 12! Once you register your org. for the year you are confirmed to attend the Fair. (5 pm – 7 pm Res Quad) Executive Seminar! September 12 or 13, 7:30 pm. At least one executive member of each group MUST attend one of the two Executive Seminars. (Pearson 104)

TCU Treasury Meetings! September 12 or 13, 8:30 pm. Both group signatories MUST attend one of the two TCU Treasury Meetings. (Pearson 104)

Financial Stewardship Training! Monday September 24, 12 noon – 1 pm, Campus Center 220 Wednesday September 26, 12 noon – 1 pm, Campus Center 220

Recommended for treasurers or financial representatives. Please RSVP to ocl@tufts.edu with name, student organization and date attending. Pizza lunch served! Further information on each of these events at ocl.tufts.edu. HAVE A GREAT YEAR!

THE TUFTS DAILY | Arts & Living | Tuesday, September 4, 2018

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MOVIE REVIEW

‘The Night is Short, Walk on Girl’ is a tender, magical triumph by Setenay Mufti Arts Editor

Overseen by visionary director Masaaki Yuasa, already known for “Kaiba” (2008) and “The Tatami Galaxy” (2010), “The Night is Short, Walk on Girl” (2017) is an adventure in absurdity, held together with unique hilarity and masterful animation. Based on Tomihiko Morimi’s novel of the same name, the film follows a Kyoto University student through the adventures of one impossibly long night and the colorful smattering of humanity she meets along the way. Released in Japan in 2017, it only recently came to the United States in limited release. The plot is hard to pinpoint and somewhat takes a backseat. In short, a student known as “The Girl with Black Hair” decides to go out drinking in the adult world of Ponto Town and encounters a crazy cast of characters throughout the course of a night that seems to last a year. Unbeknownst to her, her secret lover (an upperclassman known only as “Senpai”) has been obsessively following and approaching her in ‘random’ places under the pretense of coincidence. To Senpai’s despair, she never seems to notice him for long, and the wild goose chase continues — at least until he can learn how to be brave and fully embrace life and opportunity. You might have already guessed how the plot ends, but you definitely will not predict the journey. On her way, the Girl meets an ancient drinking master who lives on a train, an alcoholic carp/erotic prints salesman and Don Underwear, a student actor who has pledged not to change his underwear until he finds the strange woman he loves. She also runs into fantastical groups and school clubs, providing social commentary teeming with hilarity along the way. A university library committee created to seize books never returned by students has turned into a Big Brother-esque surveillance operation across all of Kyoto. A party of

sophists devolves into the most absurd and hilarious takedown of intellectualism since Aristophanes’ “The Clouds.” Although many jokes are biting, they are never cheap. “The Night is Short, Walk on Girl” is not a takedown of society; it’s a journey through life wherein characters are blissfully redeemed and lessons are learned. Aside from its romantic subplot, the story is not intended to make sense or unfold naturally. The Girl’s first distinguishable trait is her ability to drink unbelievable amounts of alcohol without ever feeling its effects, which leads her to an epic drinking contest with the old man on the train. She then wanders to an outdoor used bookstore and is struck with a desire to find her favorite childhood book. She becomes involved with a guerrilla musical theater troupe and its feud with the library surveillance club. Then, a terrible cold spreads throughout Kyoto, and the Girl — the only one who does not get sick — decides to go door to door with a homeopathic remedy and cure the city. Sequences range from improvised musicals to a stylized internal dialogue that looks like the most heated United Nations council in history. The film’s animation consistently shines. There may be a great skill in making animation look realistic (Pixar has garnered attention for this, particularly surrounding the production of “Incredibles 2”), but equally impressive is the ability to heighten reality through exaggeration. When characters eat spicy food, they spit flames and their lips become swollen and red. When they take shots or great gulps of beer, we can see it slug along down their throats. When a man sees the woman he loves, the other people in the room literally become faceless. On paper, the film’s structure seems like a drawn-out, disjointed mess. But

VIA IMDB

A promotional picture for “The Night is Short, Walk on Girl” is pictured. the animation is consistently stunning and surprising, and the humor stays strong throughout. It is a crazy journey, but you will be happy and eager to ride along with it. The success of the movie lies in its acceptance of the Girl’s philosophy: everything is connected, everything happens for a reason and everything holds beauty. And for such an abstract, absurd storyline, there are

also moments that feel almost too real. Characters blackmail each other to be drinking buddies and accompany them in their despair while wondering where their ambition and talent have gone. But here, the meaning of life in youth lies in connections and company, not in the events themselves. “The Night is Short, Walk on Girl” is funny, fantastical and real, but best of all, it is joyous.

ALBUM REVIEW

Ariana Grande’s “Sweetener”: a sugar rush headache

VIA REPUBLIC RECORDS

The album cover for Ariana Grande’s “Sweetener” is pictured. by Christopher Panella Assistant Arts Editor

At the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 20, the celebrity roster was notably missing some of pop’s biggest divas – Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Katy Perry et al. Alone stood Ariana Grande, performing her newest single “God is a woman” from her

fourth album “Sweetener” (2018). It was a Last Supper-inspired performance, rife with gorgeous visuals and backup dancers. Now, after the album’s number one debut on the U.S. Billboard 200, Grande can fully celebrate her place at the top of pop music, even if “Sweetener” itself is not her best work. Grande has a number of lovable, infectious pop hits — “Into You” from her third

album “Dangerous Woman” (2016) immediately comes to mind — but Grande made it explicitly clear on Twitter that “Sweetener” was going in a direction she’d never explored before. In that aspect, the album does not disappoint. There is a constant flow to the body of work that feels natural. “Sweetener” dons a spacey tone, each song building with different futuristic pop beats and simplistic lyrics that make listening to the album extremely easy and light. Once “Sweetener” is dissected track-by-track, however, it dissolves quickly. There are great jams, songs that are perfect for radio listeners and Spotify playlists. These include the album’s two singles “no tears left to cry” and “God is a woman,” which peaked at number three and eight on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, respectively. They’re both great singles, showcasing Grande’s new experimental style while not alienating her pop past. Other jams include “breathin,” “everytime,” “God is a woman,” “no tears left to cry” and “borderline” (feat. Missy Elliott). Inarguably, “breathin” is “Into You” 2.0 — they are both Ilya Salmanzadeh-produced — and “God is a woman” showcases the powerful vocals that Grande is famous for. However, even some of these favorites have their problems. Elliott’s verse in “borderline” is far too short to feel like a feature, even if the rest of the song is fast R&B fun. The lyrics in “no tears left to cry” are far too simplistic even if the song is catchy, a problem that continues throughout the tracklist of “Sweetener.” The title track “sweetener” is, at first listen,

a strange-sounding Christmas carol with lyrics Grande wrote while playing with a Bop It. It’s confusing, awkward and easily the weakest song offered on the album. Two songs, “blazed” (feat. Pharrell Williams) and “the light is coming” (feat. Nicki Minaj) are easily skippable; in particular, “the light is coming” is only listenable thanks to Minaj’s verse — afterwards, it’s an easy skip largely thanks to its extremely repetitive lyrics. Thankfully, it was a promotional single, considering it peaked at only 89 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and received lukewarm reviews from some critics. The album picks up in its final act, with an easy-listening vibe that puts the album to bed nicely. Some of the best writing on the album was found in “goodnight n go,” but “pete davidson” is a peculiar bump in the road, especially considering it is too short to be enjoyed and too misplaced to be a good interlude. A real highlight is “get well soon,” which is reminiscent of Grande’s first album “Yours Truly” (2013). However, even with its satisfying ending, “Sweetener” is still Grande’s weirdest album yet, and weird does not always mean good. All in all, “Sweetener” is not exactly a pop album. It didn’t save pop music, but some of its songs, mostly Max Martin and Salmanzadeh-produced, are exciting new pop anthems. Ultimately, it was an experiment with inconclusive results. It’s the first time Grande has really taken the lead on writing, but some of the best songs are written by others. “Sweetener” isn’t Grande’s best work, but it’s still an enjoyable treat.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018 | Comics | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Comics

LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Cathy: “I never have interesting content around me except my face, which is of limited value.”

Comics

Puzzle 1 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.43)

SUDOKU

DISCLAIMER

5 1

8 7

6 7

7 2

It has been brought to the Daily’s attention that parts of opinion pieces, entitled “Israeli academic treks: single narrative at the service of occupation” and “Palestinian thirst for dignity and justice,” from the Nov. 15, 2017 and the Dec. 11, 2017 issues of the Daily, respectively, were plagiarized from some of the sources referenced in the pieces. The writer has been banned from further submissions to the Daily. The Daily deeply regrets this error.

CLASSIFIED Seeking considerate, honest non-smoking roommate located in E. Arlington, MA. 1 Bedroom in a 2 bedroom apt., share living room, bathroom and kitchen. Close to T near Somerville & Cambridge rent $1,000, plus utilities.

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Opinion

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

CARTOON

by Maria Fong

The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free to the Tufts community. The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily editorial board. EDITORIALS Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily. Individual editors are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Tufts Daily. OP-EDS The Op-Ed section of The Tufts Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length and submitted to opinion@tuftsdaily.com. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, space and length. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. Authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions. ADVERTISING All advertising copy is subject to the approval of the Editor-in-Chief, Executive Board and Executive Business Director.

Opinion

Tuesday, September 4, 2018 | Opinion | THE TUFTS DAILY

EDITORIAL

Tiered housing system needs greater transparency

THE TUFTS DAILY Seohyun Shim Editor-in-Chief

EDITORIAL

Sean Ong Caleb Symons Managing Editors

The university administration recently announced that it will be implementing a tiered housing system starting in fall 2019. Aside from first-year housing and traditional doubles, triples and quads, on-campus housing prices will increase by $190 to $1,999, depending on the dormitory and housing unit variations. According to the Office of Residential Life and Learning (ResLife), the new system is a “means of responsibly managing and maintaining campus resources” by enabling the university to “sustain expansion, investment, and maintenance of the University’s residential facilities.” Tufts Housing League (THL) responded by issuing a statement and a petition against the new system, condemning it as a “classist pricing scheme.” This outrage is unsurprising, considering the hefty financial implications of the new policy. Nevertheless, the complexity of this new system and its underlying consequences make it difficult to make a categorical statement in opposition to or in support of the tiered housing structure. On one hand, the tiered housing system might be a legitimate approach to reducing housing pressures. A recent university report identified 1,488 Tufts students living off campus, Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel told the Daily last semester. Statistics show that, without an immediate approach, rent prices will continue to rise annually. If the administration delivers on its promise to make, expand and renovate housing options as a result of the tiered system, fewer people will have to go into the off-campus housing market, potentially resulting in lower prices for these students.

Current solutions such as bed optimization and CoHo, though not at all perfect, show that the administration is willing to address the housing crisis. Although bed optimization is unpleasant for people living in forced triples, it provides immediate space for many people. In January, the Medford Zoning Board of Appeals approved 13 university-owned properties for CoHo, concluding that opening homes for 145 students is reasonable. That said, the university’s relocation of university staff and faculty living in those properties is deplorable and still needs to be addressed. Although the construction of another residential building would be extremely beneficial to students, it is a costly solution that could force the administration to justify an additional hike on campus housing prices, which would likely result in more outrage. Using the revenue from the tiered housing structure to renovate and convert Tufts buildings into dorms could offer another solution to this pervasive problem. The claim that the tiered housing system is a “classist … scheme” because it leads to “economic segregation” is a reasonable objection, but the price of the unit will not be a pressing issue for students whose housing expenses are completely covered by their financial aid, if the university upholds its commitment. On a broader note, the fact remains that Tufts will feel ‘classist’ even without the new system, with students of different socioeconomic backgrounds studying and living alongside each other, regardless of the good

intentions and efforts of student organizations and university administrators. The main concern, however, is a scenario in which lower-income students not fully covered by financial aid get trapped into a high-cost unit or forced to move into the off-campus housing market because of a low lottery number. ResLife should make exceptions to the housing lottery for specific individual cases until the lottery itself is no longer needed in the future through the construction of a sustainable number of housing units. That said, the aforementioned points can be made if one assumes that the hike is proportional and necessary to the administration’s housing plans. The new prices will be a burden, even for many well-off students, especially with ever-rising tuition costs. There is nothing trivial about $1,000 for students on work study and partial financial aid. Administrators are always in a hard position to determine where resources should be prioritized. It’s good to see that ResLife has updated its off-campus resource guide this semester. However, with the tiered housing system not kicking in for another year, the university should now show concretely how the system will address the on-campus housing shortage. Transparency is needed to reassure students if the additional revenue is going to housing issues, rather than being used to supplement other initiatives. Financial resources should also be available to help less privileged students. Ultimately, the university must continue showing its commitment to both sufficient housing options and socioeconomic diversity.

OP-ED

Statement in support of CST-0094, Professor Thomas Abowd and Palestine Studies and Colonialism Studies by Students for Justice in Palestine Tufts Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) unequivocally supports Professor Thomas Abowd and all professors teaching curriculum relating to justice in and for Palestine. The hostile environment towards Palestine and Palestinians at Tufts and other schools threatens the academic freedom and inclusive community that a university strives to foster. Professor Abowd’s course offers a unique opportunity to explore a critical, often silenced study of Palestinian history at Tufts. The syllabus includes multimedia sources from esteemed Palestinian academics, artists, thinkers and filmmakers whose work is globally recognized. For those students interested, there are still spots in CST-0094 at this time, and we encourage everyone to consider enrolling. Tufts SJP looks forward to continuing our work this semester in building a Tufts campus and world committed to justice in and for Palestine. The Palestinian narrative is regularly targeted and marginalized in university courses, making Professor Abowd’s course CST-0094: Colonizing Palestine (offered through the Consortium of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora (RCD) and the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program) all the more vital. In the past few weeks, Professor Abowd has received multiple threatening emails including directed racist and Islamophobic

attacks. Smear articles and hate emails are part of a broader attack on Palestinian academics like Rabab Abdulhadi, Rashid Khalidi, Noura Erakat and Hatem Bazian, among many others. Influential Palestinian writers like the famous Edward Said, whose historic work will be featured in Abowd’s class, have been the source of many racist attacks because of their Palestinian heritage. The attacks on this class are not about free speech, dialogue or peace, but are a part of a broader effort to suppress and silence conversations that promote Palestinian freedom and self-determination, and acknowledge the erased Palestinian narrative. A statement released by the RCD recognizes the attempts to silence Professor Abowd and his course: “We know that teaching about colonialism and racism often produces backlash. We see, unfortunately, more and more that valid criticism of Israel is being portrayed as anti-Semitic as an attempt to shut down debate. We know there is an obvious difference between criticism of a state and racism against a group of people.” Looking at Palestine through the lens of colonialism is to study history and its reach today. To dismiss the factuality of the ongoing colonization of Palestine is to erase history and ignore the present situation. The ‘Nakba,’ as it’s known in Arabic (The Catastrophe), occurred in 1948, when more than 800,000 Palestinian Arabs were ethnically cleansed from their homes, and

their villages destroyed. In just one village, known today for the 1948 Deir Yassin massacre, over 100 Palestinians, including women and children, were killed by Zionist militias. Palestine is not an example of a “two-sided conflict,” but instead a case of great power imbalance for Palestinians subject to a violent military occupation, apartheid legal policies, settler colonialism and a crushing siege on Gaza. Courses at Tufts routinely ignore these foundational concepts in the study of Palestine/ Israel, creating a large bias at the beginning. When we talk about colonialism, it is absolutely critical that we highlight and center those narratives which have been erased as a result of the settler-colonial project. Erasing and appropriating indigenous stories, culture, history and art is a well-documented settler-colonial strategy, and the case of Palestine is no exception. This course has faced more backlash than any other Tufts course exploring the role of colonialism, and it’s clear that this is the result of anti-Palestinian racism. Colonialism studies does not seek to highlight or validate the perspective of the oppressor, because the narrative of the colonized is always and already being violently suppressed. If you have more specific questions about the class and why Tufts SJP stands so firmly behind it, please come to Tea with SJP on Friday, Sept. 7th in the Campus Center from 12–2 p.m.

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Tuesday, September 4, 2018 | Sports | THE TUFTS DAILY

SAILING

Tufts set to sail through the elements in fall season

RAY BERNOFF / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

Molly Pleskus (E’18) and senior Sabrina Van Mell sail in a regatta hosted by Boston University on Easter Sunday, April 16, 2017. by Jeremy Goldstein Assistant Sports Editor

The Tufts sailing team has been beating the heat so far at Mystic Lake in preparation for its fall season, slated to begin on Sept. 8. The Jumbos will race in numerous regattas over the course of its scattershot fall schedule, which is unlike those of other teams. Tufts competes in the New England Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association, home to teams competing at the Div. I, Div. III and club levels, including standout programs such as Harvard and Yale. The Jumbos will look to build on the

momentum gained at the end of their spring season. Key performances included a 12th-place finish at the co-ed New England Dinghy Championship, hosted by Brown, as well as an impressive sixth-place result (out of 14) at the Boston Dinghy Club Challenge Cup on the Charles River. Alp Rodopman (LA ’18) rode a string of impressive performances to a spot on the Turkish national team at the Sailing World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, while classmates Emily Shanley-Roberts (LA ’18) and Molly Pleskus (E ’18) competed at Nationals, hosted by Old Dominion. In total, the team graduated nine seniors, including former captains Cameron Holley (LA ’18), Lara Dienemann (E ’18)

and Julien Guiot (LA ’18). The team will once again be led by coach Ken Legler, a former member of the U.S. Sailing Team, who has been at the helm of Tufts’ program since 1980 and has since overseen 92 All-Americans and 20 national championships. Joining Legler is assistant coach Rachel Silverstein, who has worked with the team since 2015. Additionally, assistant coach Emmet Smith, who sailed at Yale University, will be joining the Jumbos full-time starting this fall. “[Coach Smith] coached me, and I can tell that he’s going to be a valuable asset to the A team, the crews and the team at-large,” senior Florian Eenkema van Dijk told the Daily in an email. “Emmet is a talented sailor himself, crewing in college for some of the best sailors in the country during his collegiate career, and we’re really excited to have him on board full-time.” The Jumbos also have four new captains, all seniors, hardened under a combination of the New England waters and savvy coaching. Skippers Jack Bitney and Chris Keller both competed in A team regattas, while crew Ian Morgan and Sabrina Van Mell also boast a bevy of experience. “The [competing] skippers and crews, a lot of them are seniors,” sophomore Jacob Whitney said. “Hopefully that translates to performance. Plus, we’ll have the 26 new [first-years who] will give us a lot to think about for years to come.” That is a record number of incoming sailors, according to Whitney. The firstyears met with coach Legler during the team’s practice session on Wednesday,

hoping to get acclimated for the flurry of upcoming regattas. “We have a huge and talented [firstyear] class who are all really excited to get out there. We’ll be making a few cuts after today’s tryouts, but we expect to have a really big team,” van Dijk said. “[This] is great for training, social gatherings and overall enthusiasm. The [firstyears] bring a lot of energy, and we really appreciate that.” Tufts’ season unofficially commenced with the exhibition Chix Only regatta at Mystic Lake on Sept. 2 — a women’s-only competition — and will continue with numerous regattas. This weekend, Tufts will travel to Yale for the Harry Anderson Trophy, in which the Jumbos placed 11th last season. The team will also compete for the women’s Toni Deutsch Trophy at MIT, the Penobscot Bay Open and the Harman Cup (both at Maine Maritime) and the Mount Hope Bay Open at Roger Williams. The Jumbos’ fall schedule is likely to feature frightening winds and a diverse range of temperatures, for which an unprepared sailor could find their plan ‘in knots.’ “Sailing is a tricky sport. The best boats are competitive in light wind, heavy wind and everything in-between,” van Dijk said. “There’s nothing we can do about the weather, so we just have to use the wind to our advantage better than the guy next to us.” With a full slate of action, the Tufts sailing team should have plenty of time to acclimate its new members, who will add to last year’s talented ranks.

WOMEN'S SOCCER

Jumbos are ready to impress in 2018

BEN KIM / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

Midfielder Emma Ranalli keeps the ball away from defenders in the women’s soccer home game against Lesley in Kraft Field on Oct 17. by Haley Rich Sports Editor

After a rebuilding season in 2016 and a year of promising improvement in 2017, 2018 looks to be a breakout season for Tufts women’s soccer. Last season, the Jumbos reached the NESCAC final for the first time in over 10 years before falling to Virginia Wesleyan University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Overall, the squad upgraded its 7–6–3 record in 2016 to a 10–6–3 record. The excitement around Tufts’ future is in part driven by the performances of its sophomore class, led by reigning NESCAC Rookie of the Year forward Sophie Lloyd who finished the season with 11 goals, good enough to be tied second best in conference. As sophomores, the pressure is

on them and their teammates to keep the program moving in the right direction. “Last year was a successful year in that we definitely improved from the 2016 season,” coach Martha Whiting said. “Making the [NESCAC] final for the first time in a long time was huge. But we do want to have better mental toughness on the field, and of course a better record this year.” The last week of summer vacation was grind time for the squad, who returned to campus early to practice as a team for the first time since spring term ended. Even with a heat wave hitting the East Coast and causing temperatures to soar into the high 90’s, the Jumbos took to the blistering turf. But the hard work started long before the players returned to campus. As always, each member received a summer training packet with a mixture of running, agility and lifting routines, with the expectation

that each player puts in six days a week of work. “Sticking to the summer training isn’t really a pat-on-the-back kind of thing; it’s the expectation,” senior co-captain and forward Alex Aronson said. “Those of us with full-time jobs over the summer often woke up at five or six in the morning to fit in the conditioning. Not only does it strengthen our fitness, but also our mental toughness.” The squad’s dedication over their vacation did not go unnoticed and helped the team get a head start on its preparations for the season. “I can tell that the girls really did train well over the summer,” Whiting said. “And when they come in fit and ready to roll, we don’t have to spend any extra time working on fitness.” Equally crucial for the team’s success is the foundation of that chemistry which is built during preseason, especially for the first-years. “Not only will the first-years make an immediate impact on the field, they’re also an awesome group off the field,” senior co-captain and midfielder Emma Ranalli said. “We’ve had a lot of fun this preseason, from spending way too much time hanging out in Dewick to a lip-sync battle.” With the team graduating five seniors, Whiting added eight promising first-years to the program to ensure a deep bench. The roster welcomes midfielders Callie Scalla, Lily Sykes, Sophia Wallach and Stephanie DiLeo, forwards Lily Keiderling and Melina McDevitt and defenders Kylie Metcalf and Katherine Wilson. The Jumbos got their first chance to test their synergy against another team during their preseason scrimmage against Azzurri, a local women’s soccer club made

up of high-level graduated collegiate players, on Thursday. Not only did Tufts walk away with a confidence-building 2–0 win, but the scrimmage served as a low-pressure environment for the first-years to get comfortable with their new teammates in a competitive game setting. “We rotated all our players in for 10 or 15 minutes before benching them so that everyone had a chance to get on the field,” Ranalli said. “We left feeling very positive, and comparing this scrimmage to previous years, I’d say it was one of our best.” With their solid preseason success under their belt, the Jumbos head into their first game of the season on Wednesday against the Emerson Lions, who the Jumbos defeated 2–1 in their 2017 opener. “The annual opener against Emerson is always a great opportunity to figure out what works best for us as a team,” Aronson said. “Of course, though, we’re looking to win. It should be the first game of what we plan on being a successful season.” Although the players have not yet discussed their goals for the season, winning the NESCAC title that just slipped from their grasp last year is certainly on the team’s radar. Beyond the results, the Jumbos’ overarching goal remains the same as usual. “We have a list of core values: to be grateful, resilient, relentless, accountable, selfless and positive,” Aronson said. “We try to embody those qualities on and off the field every day.” These values will be put to the test as the team plays its first double-header and conference match of the season this weekend. The Jumbos will head up to Waterville, Maine to face the Colby Mules on Saturday and then head back home on Sunday to take on the Keene State Owls.

12 tuftsdaily.com

Sports

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

MEN'S SOCCER

BEN KIM / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

Junior midfielder Brett Rojas brings the ball forward in the first half of the men’s soccer home game for the NCAA Sectional Finals against Brandeis at Bello Field on Nov. 19, 2017.

No. 5 Jumbos look strong ahead of season opener by Maddie Payne Sports Editor

It’s been four years since the Tufts men’s soccer team rocked Div. III in capturing their first-ever NCAA Championship. Since then, they’ve established their reputation as a powerhouse in both the NESCAC and the entire division — they repeated their NCAA championship success in 2016 and claimed their first-ever NESCAC title last season. Despite the string of recent successes, the team was disappointed with its performance last season. A 1–0 double-overtime loss to Brandeis in the Elite Eight round brought to an end a record-breaking season, during which the team only conceded two goals. This loss was preceded by two goalless draws that stretched through double-overtime and went all the way to penalties. The issue of not finishing on the attack has been a focus of the team for several seasons dating back to 2016. The team scored only 34 goals in 22 games to emerge as national champions that year. The Jumbos’ success largely resulted from the strength of their defensive unit, as they boasted 13 clean sheets the same season and often emerged victorious by close goal margins. In 2017, Tufts scored 40 goals — a clear increase on the previous year. The Jumbos even scored 10 goals in one game against the Mt. St. Vincent Dolphins.

However, upon entering nationals, the Jumbos failed to find the back of the net even once. “We’ve done a lot more finishing drills and made sure our strikers know each other well and can read each other’s body language to make sure they’re running off of each other,” senior co-captain and goalkeeper Conner Mieth said. “We’ve mixed in new formations and tried to build out a 3–5–2 to make sure we’re getting enough numbers up. We’ve brought in a lot of pieces up top and we’re very young, so we have to get that together, but as we just saw in the scrimmage, we’re getting there.” Veteran co-captain and defender Sterling Weatherbie brings experience to the four-man senior class. His classmates, including defender Jackson Najjar and midfielder Jarod Glover, will be supported by three large classes below them of eight players each. Since both the senior and junior classes were part of the NCAAwinning 2016 team, they will likely bring experience and leadership to the team that the underclassmen lack. Every year, as the team turns over, there are gaps to fill on the field. This year in particular, the focus will be on the central midfield positions. Four-year starter Tyler Kulcsar (E ’18) was instrumental to the ball movement through the central third, while his classmate Kevin Halliday (E ’18) often started in the central midfield yet shifted to the front when need-

ed. However, according to coach Josh Shapiro, the team is well-prepared to fill those roles. “It is what it is,” Shapiro said. “When you have a good team you lose good players, and our philosophy is that we try to be as well prepared as we can when that happens. You have a player like [sophomore] Calvin Aroh who didn’t play that much last year, but he was here watching and competing against Tyler Kulcsar every day, and now it’s [Aroh’s] turn to step into the role, and he’s really well prepared because he’s seen what [Kulcsar] did on a daily basis and he can apply those same habits and is prepared to take that mantle. Now, [first-year] midfielder Aidan Welsh comes along and pushes Calvin.” Junior midfielders Zach Trevorrow, Gavin Tasker and Zach Lane have been starting on the wings since their first season on the team, so it will be no surprise to see them in the starting lineup. Tasker started all 19 games that he played last season, while Lane started 20 out of 21. “Gavin Tasker has shown a lot of leadership especially in the wide attacking areas,” Shapiro said. “[Junior midfielders] Jack Delaney and Brett Rojas have both shown some good leadership in the forward half of the field. But I do like leadership coming from the middle; if you have defenders or central midfielders who can lead out, that’s the best way to project. This team still hasn’t found its on-field

general in the way that [former defender and co-captain] Connor Coleman [LA ’18] was, and I think that’s a massive loss and a big concern for us. We need to find that identity so that we can lead positively and proactively.” In a Sept. 1 scrimmage against Bowdoin, Tufts scored five goals in an utterly dominant performance. The match gave the underclassmen both playing time and an opportunity to demonstrate their skill ahead of their first conference match-up. “I think they handled it very well. It is a very young squad and it was just the first nerves,” Mieth said. “The guys were getting the chinks out of the armor and straightening out the wrinkles. It’s tough being in your first collegiate game where guys are four years older than you, but they dealt with it. It’s a very promising squad.” In the scrimmage, the Jumbos alternated between their normal 4–1–4–1 formation and a 3–5–2 to get used to having more players on the attack. The shift had a positive impact in the attacking third where the ball spent most of its time during the game. It will be interesting to see how the Jumbos develop this new formation throughout the course of the season. The Jumbos will open their fall campaign against the UMass Boston Beacons on Sept. 4 on Bello Field at 7:00 p.m.