The Tufts Daily - Wednesday, April 13, 2022

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Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Tufts unable to divest completely from Russia due to exposure through commingled funds

NATALIE BROWNSELL / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Fletcher School sign is pictured on March 15.

by Skyler Goldberg Assistant News Editor

Tufts University Executive Vice President Mike Howard discussed divestment from Russian securities — which currently amount to $5.7 million out of the approximately $2.5 billion in Tufts’ endow-

ment — at a special session of the University Faculty Senate on March 23. Howard said that fully divesting from these securities would be “too risky for the endowment,” but that the university is working with its investment managers, who are seeking to minimize their funds’ exposure to Russian money.

The Faculty Senate convened the special session as part of its response to the Russia-Ukraine war. Other universities around the country, including the University of Michigan and the University of Colorado, have moved to limit or completely exit their investments in Russian securities in the weeks since the war began.

Howard explained the university’s financial relationship with Russia in a written statement to the Daily.

“The university endowment has no direct Russian exposure and we do not intend to have any,” Howard wrote. “As of 2/28, 0.2% of the endowment had indirect Russian exposure

through 3rd party managers of commingled funds in which multiple investors hold a share of an investment. However, we have spoken with all of the managers of the commingled investments in question and all are seeking to reduce and/or eliminate their exposure.”

During the March 23 meeting, Howard explained that commingled funds, which represent the majority of Tufts’ financial investments, are managed by third-party investment managers. This means that Tufts cannot unilaterally end investment in Russian securities without withdrawing from those funds entirely. Howard said that four of the 80–100 commingled funds in the university’s investment portfolio currently contain Russian securities.

Oxana Shevel, a professor of political science who is from Ukraine, expressed concern over the university’s continued financial ties with Russia during the meeting. see RUSSIA, page 2

Congressman Peter DeFazio talks term limits, democracy, youth activism in Solomont Speaker Series event

by Emily Thompson Deputy News Editor

U.S. Congressman and Tufts alumnus Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., spoke about his work as the chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and his time in Congress with Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science Deborah Schildkraut as part of the Tisch College Solomont Speaker Series.

DeFazio (A’69) has represented Oregon’s 4th Congressional District for 36 years and plans to retire at the end of his current term. Although originally scheduled to speak at Tufts in person, DeFazio joined the event via Zoom from his office because he recently tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

After dropping an intended math major because one of the required classes met on Saturday morning, DeFazio studied political science and economics during his time at Tufts. In an interview with the Daily prior to the event, he described how his time at Tufts, especially the activist culture during the Vietnam War, played a critical role in shaping his understanding of

public service. He added that his athletic pursuits at Tufts helped to prepare him for a career as a politician.

“I was a wrestler at Tufts,” DeFazio said. “It’s a one-on-one sport. You’re out there on the mat, and if you screw up, you screwed up. … It really prepared me in a lot of ways for politics; … a lot of stuff is debate, oneon-one. I didn’t take any debating courses, but I think wrestling kind of set me up for that, and I guess I had a natural talent.”

Considering the current, highly polarized state of American politics, DeFazio said youth activism is essential to meeting the political demands of our time.

“The key, to me, is youth activism,” DeFazio said. “You can’t just get overwhelmed by [politics], and if you can pick out targets that are achievable, get a couple of those down and then start showing a little success, it could multiply.”

After an introduction from Tisch College Dean Dayna Cunningham, Schildkraut and DeFazio had a wide-ranging discussion about civic engagement, congressional reform and the future of democracy.

Schildkraut asked DeFazio what advice he would give students who are civically engaged but may feel unsafe taking a public stance on a controversial issue.

“If you’re worried about the things that get thrown at you on social media, you’ve just got to … develop thicker skin,” DeFazio said.

He emphasized again that critical youth activism is critical to bringing about change.

“If you have a real strong cause and you get together with other people, … they’re gonna be there to support you,” he added.

Schildkraut also asked DeFazio whether he thought term limits would be a beneficial or harmful reform to Congress.

DeFazio responded that 36 years in Congress have provided him with the valuable knowledge of how to operate within dysfunctional bureaucracies and be the best public servant possible.

“Term limits would totally empower the permanent government … and then replace good civil servants with [political action committees], and COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

see DEFAZIO, page 2

U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio (A’69) is pictured in 2008.

FEATURES / page 3

ARTS / page 5

SPORTS / back

Tufts Gaming Hub cracked at esports

‘Severance’ puts a dark spin on the work-life divide

Men’s tennis crushes Wesleyan to win 8 straight matches

NEWS

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FEATURES

3

ARTS & POP CULTURE

5

FUN & GAMES

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OPINION

7

SPORTS

BACK

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

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Howard says full divestment from funds containing Russian securities would be ‘too risky’ RUSSIA

continued from page 1 “I think given what Russia is doing in Ukraine, I just don’t think there is any way to delay or kind of maybe do it [or] maybe not do it,” Shevel said. “[With] the war crimes they’re committing, I don’t think we should hold any money at all in any of the Russian securities.”

Howard explained that unilateral divestment from Russian securities would jeopardize Tufts’ endowment.

“To leave those four funds [that contain investment in Russian securities] wouldn’t just be divesting of the $5.7 million in Russian securities. It would be divesting over $200 million in investments because the Russian securities are only small parts of the four funds that we own,” he said. “Obviously, that’s a more substantial investment action to take, so we’re not doing that. That would be too risky for the endowment.”

Nevertheless, Howard said that Tufts hopes to limit its investment in Russian securities.

“It’s certainly the view of our investment office that we would like to reduce and eliminate our exposure to Russian securities at this point, and we are having active conversations with our investment managers to understand their plans in that regard,” Howard said. “[We are] encouraging them to reduce their exposures. … I suspect the numbers will go down over the next month and beyond. … We can’t guarantee that it will be 100% eliminated, … but I expect it will continue to decline beyond the $5.7 million.”

While he hopes to address the matter through private conversations with Tufts’ investment managers, Howard acknowledged that communal pressure could lead the university to reconsider its approach.

“If there was a strong feeling by some in the community that … we needed, for social justice reasons, to have a policy statement that we don’t want to invest in any Russian securities, that would trigger the Responsible Investment

Advisory Group,” Howard said.

“So that would be the process if a number of people in the community felt very strongly that we needed to somehow extricate ourselves from every tiny bit of Russian investment exposure, and then that would go through that deliberative process which takes some time.”

Jette Knudsen, Senate president and professor of policy and international business at The Fletcher School, urged university leadership to make its aspiration to eliminate the endowment’s exposure to Russian securities public.

“Given the small amount of Tufts’ endowment that’s in Russian securities, would it not be possible for Tufts leadership to come out and say that this is the case and this is sort of the goal [moving] forward?”

Knudsen said.

Howard expressed support but also hesitation in response to Knudsen’s proposal.

“We typically don’t make public statements about particular investments in our

endowment,” Howard said.

“That’s just a policy that we have. I think really all large university investment offices have that [policy]. So that would be a new type of action that we haven’t taken before, but I’m being open about it.”

Henry Wortis, a faculty senator and professor of immunology at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, acknowledged Howard’s concern but emphasized the value of taking such action.

“One point of clarity … [is] the fact that Tufts has no direct investment, and all our investments are indirect,” Wortis said.

“If that was made public, that would be very helpful.”

In an email to the Daily, Howard confirmed that the university decided not to issue a public statement.

“Due to the fact that we have no direct exposure from which to divest and that our indirect exposure is minimal and expected to decline even further, a statement on Russian divestment was unnecessary,” Howard wrote.

DeFazio reflects on 36 years in Congress DEFAZIO

continued from page 1 who’s going to know?” DeFazio said. “Term limits are every two years in the House of Representatives. You have to run for re-election. If you [do] a bad job, … you’re out.”

Instead of term limits, he called to reform the influence of PAC and corporate money in politics. He cited the Citizens United Supreme Court case, which reduced campaign finance restrictions,

as being an incredibly destructive ruling.

Schildkraut asked DeFazio what actionable advice he would give people who want to help heal our democracy.

“Be kind to somebody every day,” DeFazio said. “Just make a difference. … Stay involved. Be engaged with your family, your community, your friends, your colleagues.

There’s power in that.”

Although he acknowledged there are people whose minds

are unchangeable, he said that it is important not to “paint” one’s opponents, particularly Trump supporters, as being all the same.

“Some of them are just desperate,” DeFazio said. “They’re concerned about their livelihood, their home, their kids, their family, their future. I always refer to politics as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. You’ve got to address these things [at the bottom], which are very basic to humanity.”

Speaking with the Daily, DeFazio reflected on his time in Congress and what he will miss most about serving in public office.

“I’m never bored. [I’m] constantly stimulated,” he said. “It’s almost like being in a perpetual graduate course. … You’re always learning about things, and I try [to] work on diverse subjects,” DeFazio said. “So you know, I’ll miss some of that stimulation. I’m going to find other ways to do it.”

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Features

3 Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Students revitalize Tufts Gaming Hub

IAN LAU / THE TUFTS DAILY

Members of Tufts Gaming Hub’s executive board and administrative team are pictured on April 11.

by Delaney Clarke

Executive Features Editor

From casual play to competitive teams, the Tufts Gaming Hub offers a space for students of all gaming skill levels to play, compete, share common interests and make new friends.

Composed of a Discord server of over 700 members, the club hosts an expansive community centered around all things gaming.

Up until this academic year, however, the Gaming Hub looked a lot different than it does today.

Due to a lack of organization and engagement, the club had become relatively inactive. To reach its present, flourishing state, it underwent an extensive revitalization process under the direction of a dedicated executive board.

“My freshman year, … the club was mostly just doing [Super] Smash [Bros],” junior Aaron Hamburg, the treasurer of Tufts Gaming Hub said. “One of my friends and I wanted to play League [of Legends] competitively, … [so] we grew the League scene a lot. But the rest of the club was pretty stagnant, and we got very close … to losing our club recognition.”

The direction of the Gaming Hub shifted when the club held elections for a new executive board in spring 2021. The newly

elected executive board members were eager to see the club grow, and over the summer, they came together to restructure the club and reflect on the direction they hoped it would go in the future.

“We got everyone together, and we were like, ‘Okay, guys, what do we want to do?’” sophomore Jian Soo, the president of Tufts Gaming Hub, said. “We threw out ideas and stuff like that and we were like, ‘Okay, let’s set up some workflows,’ … because we wanted to redo the whole thing.”

This revitalization process was met with many challenges. The previous executive board hadn’t submitted a budget allocation to the TCU Senate, causing the new executive board to have to request emergency funding.

Additionally, the executive board had to develop a completely new organizational structure, which included implementing a hierarchical system of leadership and merging two separate Discord Community Hubs into one.

Samuel Maddams, a sophomore, and the community outreach coordinator for the Gaming Hub, outlined the process of creating the club’s new Discord server.

“We realized that actually we had two separate community hubs … and so we decided, as

a whole, we should bring them back together,” Maddams said.

“There was this big migration we did, and that really did bring back a lot of activity.”

This revitalization process also involved pulling in new members and fortifying the club’s two-part structure. This two-part structure is composed of the club’s casual and competitive sides. The competitive side consists of the Gaming Hub’s competitive teams, which take part in national collegiate Esports leagues. The casual side consists of casual play and social activities.

Maddams described some of the interplay between the casual and competitive sides of the club.

In a way, the casual side does not only serve as a social space for low-stakes play but can also act as a gateway into the club’s more competitive side.

“People who play in these custom games [on the casual side], if they enjoy it, they keep coming back,” Maddams said.

“They meet people, they learn about each other and they make friends, … and then they’re making friends with people who might be on the competitive team, … so interacting with the community is how you generate more players.”

The competitive side of the Gaming Hub consists of eight

competitive games, each with its own designated officer who oversees the game. Additionally, each game is broken down into individual teams, each of which have a team captain who oversees tasks such as scheduling matches and running practices.

The teams are organized by skill level, and gamers are organized into these levels through tryouts.

Matt Holsten, a sophomore, is the Rocket League officer and the captain of the varsity Rocket League team. Rocket League is a video game that mirrors soccer, though instead of players, rocket-powered cars are used to hit the ball.

Holsten created the Rocket League team himself, as he had been interested in playing the game competitively, but there was not previously a team at Tufts. After discovering the Gaming Hub, Holsten reached out to Maddams, who encouraged him to put the team into action.

Holsten described some of the key differences between playing casually and playing within a competitive team. “[The expectations are] different between casual and competitive [play]. It’s the time commitment and that you’re committed … to helping your teammates, and it’s no longer just about you playing,” Holsten said.

Holsten, along with other members of the club, noted that a challenge the club has faced is a lack of resources in comparison to other schools. The quality of Wi-Fi and internet connection can greatly impact successful gameplay. “[Internet] varies around campus; some buildings don’t have Ethernet, … whereas Wi-Fi is a lot more variable,” Holsten said. “There have been times where we have had to make substitutions during [a] game, simply because someone’s Wi-Fi is so bad.”

Additionally, not every player has access to the computers required to play certain games.

“There’s a player on the varsity team who was basically not going to play because he didn’t have a PC on campus,” Holsten said.

“Part of the deal we organized amongst us was that he’d be able to play on a friend’s computer.”

Maddams noted how this is challenging when competing with other schools who have well-funded programs.

“Most of the teams [we] play against … have millions of dollars [in funding] going into their gaming teams and gaming facilities, such as having a designated space for computers and hardware, so they don’t experience see GAMING, page 4

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Features | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Chris Duncan Talking Transit

Something the T can actually be proud of

I

often feel that this column complains too much. What can I say, there are a lot of problems with the T! But in an attempt to not get bogged down in negativity and nitpicking this week, it is worth stopping sometimes to appreciate what riders in our system have to be grateful for. Thankfully, the America’s Best Bus Stop competition over at the wonderful publication Streetsblog has given us a perfect opportunity to do just that.

If you’re not familiar, Streetsblog is an online publication writing about transportation, all sorts of urbanist news and analysis from many of America’s major metros. They are right near the end of their competition to find the best bus stop in the country, and one of Boston’s newest, nicest bus stops has an opportunity to take the crown.

The stop at Columbus Avenue and Walnut Avenue services a bunch of buses going through Roxbury, like the 22, 29 and 44. It was revitalized just last year to accompany the new bus lanes on Columbus Ave. The new Walnut Ave stop has a center lane design, which provides its own road diet, and it provides shelters, benches and at-level boarding for accessibility. Streetsblog also notes that it has audio cues for the visually impaired.

I’d encourage you to take a look at some pictures — it is a really nice looking bus stop in addition to a well-functioning one. And that dedicated right of way?

Immaculate.

It is also worth mentioning the other contender for the top spot, which currently has the most votes. This stop hails from Portland, Maine and is being recognized mostly for its mesmerizing visual design.

The stop was designed by a Portland artist named Ebenezer Akakpo and is a valuable lesson in how to make public transit infrastructure not only welcoming and accessible but also cool. Hats off to Portland and Akakpo, and hats off to New England for winning this competition, no matter which stop gets the top spot.

Speaking personally, I know I’m biased, but I think the Walnut Ave stop in Roxbury deserves the crown. It’s just too good. But should the Portland stop win, hopefully policymakers will see that providing local artists with the opportunity to use their art in this context is a valuable endeavor.

Chris Duncan is a junior studying political science. Chris can be reached at christopher.duncan@tufts.edu

AT FIRST I WAS EMBARRASSED. ME, A CAT, LIVING WITH A SINGLE GUY. BUT WHEN I WATCH HIM PICK SOMETHING UP WITH HIS HANDS AND EAT IT, I CAN’T HELP BUT LOVE HIM. — MARU adopted 01-10-10

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From Minecraft to Rocket League: Tufts Gaming Hub welcomes gamers of all skill levels GAMING

continued from page 3 any inconsistencies in their internet connection,” Maddams said.

Brent Cheung, a junior, is the vice president of the competitive side of the Gaming Hub. He expressed how, despite this comparative lack of resources, the Gaming Hub’s teams are still quite competitive.

“We’re consistently beating a lot of schools,” Cheung said. “We played against [Worcester Polytechnic Institute] — some of them are on scholarships — we’re beating [them] too. And all we’re asking for is to give us a [few] more resources [so] that we can actually start to compete with the bigger schools. … We’re not at the point where we’re beating Northeastern because we can’t; they have a full-time varsity coach.”

Going forward, the club would like to garner more funding from the university to provide players with computers. The

club also hopes to retain an on-campus room in which players can practice and play together.

This space would not only be useful to the club’s competitive side but also for the second half of the Gaming Hub — its casual side.

The casual side is a place in which gamers can mingle with one another, play games together and rejoice in common interests.

Lucy Handman, former vice president of the casual side of the club and current Minecraft officer, outlined an example of a casual event that is offered by the club.

“We’ve had Minecraft streams where … we’d [be] building the spawn together or building this industrial district together,” Handman said. “A bunch of us would get into the group chat, I would stream it over our Gaming Hub Twitch, and we would all just build and chat and have a good time together.”

She noted how the casual side is open to players of all levels of skill and all sorts of different games. “[The Gaming Hub] is a great place to find community members and just to talk about any game that you love,” Handman said. “It’s so supportive. … Even if you don’t see your game on the list of our 48-something games that we have, … it’s easy to say … ‘Can you add this [game]?’”

Similarly, Soo expressed that the Gaming Hub is open to everyone, whether you enjoy playing casually or competitively. “We’ve got something for everyone,” Soo said. “I think one thing that’s been really cool is … we’ve got a pretty good gender distribution. … Typically, you think, ‘Oh man, there’s going to be just a bunch of dudes in the game,’ … but frankly we have all sorts [of gamers], which is really, really cool. I just want to make sure that it’s a welcoming environment for everyone.”

ARTS & POP CULTURE

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Wednesday, April 13, 2022

‘Severance’ turns workplace drama into a gripping dystopian thriller

by Nate Hall Staff Writer

When you have a busy schedule, it can feel impossible to find the right balance between work and life. How do you meet all your deadlines and get everything done while still having time for friends, family and social activities? In “Severance” (2022–), a new drama series that premiered on Apple TV+ this February, the dilemma of ‘worklife balance’ is explored with a dark, dystopian twist.

Produced and directed by Ben Stiller, “Severance” tells the story of Lumon Industries, a powerful biotech corporation that develops a procedure known as ‘severance,’ which allows its employees to separate their work memories from their nonwork memories.

By doing this, they effectively create two different versions of themselves: one that only exists in the outside world and one that only exists in the workplace.

The story is told from the perspective of Mark Scout, a severed worker played by “Parks and Recreation” (2009–15) actor Adam Scott. Inside Lumon, viewers are introduced to Mark’s co-workers Dylan (Zach Cherry), Irving (John Turturro) and new hire Helly (Britt Lower), as well as his supervisor Seth Milchick (Tramell Tillman), his boss Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) and wellness counsel-

or Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman).

Throughout the season, a dark conspiracy within Lumon is revealed as both versions of Mark begin to learn more about the company and its true intentions.

Mark and his co-workers work in the macrodata refinement department, where their job is to sort coded numbers into digital bins on their computers, although none of them know why they’re doing this. The “severed floor” of Lumon is oddly generic, with drab windowless walls and long winding hallways, and interactions between workers and their superiors are strangely mechanical, with supervisors offering employees meaningless rewards for completing tasks.

Cobel and other higher-ups at Lumon take on an almost cultlike quality, constantly singing the praises of the company’s founder, Kier Eagan (Marc Geller). For the work versions of Mark and his co-workers, their only memories are of the bleak Lumon offices, and they have no knowledge of their lives in the outside world.

Although they all chose to undergo the severance procedure, it quickly becomes clear that once they start working for Lumon, it’s nearly impossible to leave.

The series’ concept is incredibly smart and original, blending elements of drama, science fiction and dystopia to tell an engaging story. Known mostly for

his comedic roles, Scott gives an impressive performance as Mark Scout, who underwent the severance process to escape the grief of losing his recently deceased wife. Cherry and Turturro bring some humor to the series as co-workers Dylan and Irving, and Tillman and Arquette stand out with their performances as creepily friendly Lumon managers Milchick and Cobel.

The series is well-written throughout, introducing many different characters and plotlines without overwhelming viewers and effortlessly jumping back and forth between Lumon and the outside world. “Severance” quickly takes on a tense, dystopian tone, which is elevated by Stiller’s — and his fellow directors’ — masterful direction, along with impressive cinematography, minimalist set design and a striking musical score. The technical elements of the series blend together seamlessly to disconcert viewers and make them constantly wonder what’s coming next. The show’s narrative has no shortage of unexpected twists and turns, and the sense of mystery is heightened by the actors’ performances, both inside and outside of Lumon. Mark in the outside world has no idea what’s going on inside Lumon (and vice versa), so the viewers are going on a journey with the characters to uncover the company’s secrets.

COURTESY IMDB

The promotional poster for “Severance” (2022–) is pictured.

The season ends with a cliffhanger that will leave you on the edge of your seat — luckily, the series has already been renewed for a second season.

Although the series takes place in a world different from our own, it’s in many ways a reflection of modern life; Lumon Industries in “Severance” is not a far cry from the big tech companies that mistreat their employees and make deals behind closed doors.

Additionally, the series forces

viewers to ponder big philosophical questions about identity and the power of memory: Would ‘severing’ your memories allow you to live a more productive and stress-free life, or would it take away the one thing that makes you you? “Severance” is inspired by countless dystopian stories that came before it, but it tells a darkly funny, mysterious story like no other that will draw you in and keep your attention until the very end.

From pop star to pop legend: Ariana Grande’s transition to icon status

by Jack Clohisy Arts Editor

There’s no doubt that Ariana Grande has become a household name across the United States.

She’s the female artist with the most No. 1 debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 and the only artist to debut her first six lead singles in the Top 10 for a reason: Grande is

a musical force within her industry. Especially in light of her three recent Grammy nominations, 28-year-old Grande is making a pivotal transition in her career as she attempts to transcend from the pop obsession she’s been for nearly the past decade into a long-lasting icon.

First arriving on the music scene in 2013, Grande surprised

COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Ariana Grande is pictured at the 2020 Grammy Awards.

audiences with her effortless transition from Nickelodeon actress to pop craze. “The Way,” Grande’s first single off her debut album “Yours Truly” (2013), paved a path forward for herself that would only continue to build throughout her career. Arriving on the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 10 in its first week, Grande impressed American audiences with her unique vocal abilities, often compared to those of Mariah Carey. With a comparison to an icon such as Carey, Grande was certain to draw attention, and her fanbase only continued to grow thereafter.

By the time Grande reached her fifth studio album, “thank u, next” (2019), she released her first two U.S. chart-toppers, “thank u, next” and “7 rings,” both debuting at the summit. From there, she’d continue releasing chart toppers up to her most recent album “Positions” (2020). Grande now holds the record for most No. 1 debuts on the Hot 100 only nine years into her career. With two Grammy awards under her belt and six RIAA-certified platinum records, Grande no longer needs to prove her success, as her audience is prevalent across the U.S. She only continues to break her own records to set new ones. With this comes a point in an artist’s career that defines their legacy status. This can be seen with musicians such as Taylor Swift, who

debuted in 2006 and is still topping the charts and earning Grammy nominations despite being in the public eye for roughly half of her lifetime. Similarly, Mariah Carey topped the Hot 100 in January of this year with her timeless classic “All I Want for Christmas is You,” her nineteenth No. 1 hit. Grande, like these stars, has evolved past the point of building herself up in the mainstream. Now, she’s cementing her status in the music industry as she embarks on the next chapter of her career.

In October 2020, Grande released her sixth studio album “Positions,” which sat atop the Billboard 200 for two weeks upon release. With the lead single title track also hitting No. 1, Grande proved she has what it takes to outlast the flash-in-the-pan artists who circulate in the mainstream for a shorter period of time. Her albums have dealt with topics of self-love, depression, breakups and reconciliation — all to highlight her versatility as a songwriter. Grande has written progressively more tracks as her career has advanced, a sign of maturation and growth within her niche. With a knack for song production, Grande has also been open about her love for vocal layering and work behind the scenes on her tracks. While other artists lack this ability due to inexperience or a controlling label,

Grande demonstrates a high level of autonomy in her craft.

With this in mind, much of the same success will encompass Grande’s next chapter. She will undoubtedly continue to grow her list of No. 1 songs and albums, and she is likely able to rack up a greater quantity of nominations and awards. Her relevancy in the mainstream has remained constant, showing that she has paid her dues to earn acclaimed status.

As Grande outgrows the hype surrounding her early career, she has the ability to reach a new level.

Awards and honors dealing with decade-long and career-long success are on the horizon for Grande.

She has the highest number of streams on Spotify for any female artist, due in part to her universal popularity and devoted fanbase.

Grande has yet to earn significant career awards, and such success less than a decade into her career goes to show how her current titles are only the tip of the iceberg for what’s to come for the superstar.

Grande said it best in “7 rings”: “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it,” because what she’s got is a career full of highlights, achievements, records and acclaim. As audiences watch Grande take that step from current star to timeless icon, she’ll inevitably execute the process flawlessly as indicated by her already superb track record in the music industry.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Fun & Games | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

F& G

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Opinion

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Daniel Chung Managing Multipolarity

Back to Bonapartism

T

he French are known to possess a bit of a superiority complex; they think their food is better, their wines are better, their cheeses are better, and they think their way of doing politics is better too. This isn’t entirely without a cause; historically, France’s sphere of influence has been formidable, extending at various times from encompassing most of Western Europe to possessing colonies in the Americas, India, France and Southeast Asia. In an age of monumental political changes with the absence of waning American influence, it almost makes instinctive sense that France would continue to be among the nations that rise above the rest.

To begin, let’s talk about France’s strategic position. As things stand, the French enjoy a comfortable role in the global and regional order at the head of

the EU. They have been a driving influence in EU security policies since the 1950s, with other regional countries following in France’s lead on many issues, including ‘strategic autonomy.’ And remember, prior to the peace afforded by Pax Americana and the U.S. occupation of Europe, those nations would have been strategic rivals to France, including Germany, which of course devastated the former during both World Wars and — in the aftermath with a defanged military — entered a complex relationship with France to serve the nations’ interests.

Outside of Europe, France has retained powerful projection capabilities. To call France a current imperialist power would be an exaggeration, since its foriegn influence has degraded significantly. There is no way it will reclaim former holdings in the Americas or Southeast Asia.

However, France’s impressive possession of an aircraft carrier still allows for significant capability to project their influence on the world stage. These capabilities have allowed France to maintain a foothold, both mili-

tarily and politically, in its former colonial possessions in Africa.

That analysis almost makes it sound like exerting a more formal sphere of influence for France would be unnecessary.

However, while France’s interventions abroad are relatively minimal compared to other nations like Russia, China or Japan, economic and security concerns remain.

On the economic front, despite nuclear power enabling more energy independence for the last few decades, France has significant dependencies on foreign imports of oil and gas.

Especially given the recent declarations of intent to sever Europe from Russian energy flows, the need to find other sources of oil and gas for individual consumption as well as industrial production will worsen.

The ‘simple’ solution is therefore clear: France must make formal efforts to amend tense relations with the Northern African nations like Algeria and ensure access to their oil deposits. It seems as if Macron recognises this; despite remaining anti-French sentiment arising from aforementioned military

7 Wednesday, April 13, 2022

policies, there has been renewed interest in resolving the Algerian question favorably to both sides.

On the security front, the problems are, for the moment, less severe. Situated all the way in the far west of Europe, France has little to fear from traditionally imperialist powers like Russia or Turkey, despite Russia’s recent engagement in a war of choice in Ukraine to secure its eastern borderlands. And France effectively will enjoy dominance of the Western Mediterranean; Spain and Italy may have been great powers in the past, but neither enjoy the capabilities to further project themselves beyond their borders. Subsuming those two nations within France’s sphere of influence in a slightly more formalized manner would allow for more strategic depth — that is, the presence of borderlands providing room for tolerable operational failures of military action — in dealing with North Africa.

The only real challenge that France faces is the potential of Germany returning to its 20th century habits, which could be a more legitimate fear after its recent rearmament pledge.

Luckily for the French, if German

assertiveness is returning, it is also clear that it would probably be directed towards Russia, the more immediate threat to German interests, leaving France free to operate in its near abroad with less concern.

All of this sounds very doom and gloom; imperialism, of course, has been rightly associated with a barbaric period of history when territorial oppression ran rampant. However, this article does not presume to ascribe value judgements to foreign policy but rather to describe what may be likely to take place.

Additionally, I am fairly hopeful that a new ‘French Empire’ would not engage with mass atrocity to a level seen in the past; France has undergone national transformations in the past, such as the French Revolution, to push away from radicalism toward liberal values.

Let us see what they do with these semi-liberal values and renewed opportunities for foreign power projection.

Daniel Chung is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Daniel can be reached at daniel.chung@tufts.edu.

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8 Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Sports

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Men’s tennis extends winning streak to 8 matches with win over Wesleyan

MINA TERZIOGLU / THE TUFTS DAILY

The South Courts near Harleston Hall are pictured on Oct. 18, after the basketball hoops were removed.

by Steven Landry

Assistant Sports Editor

With a 7–2 win at Wesleyan University on Saturday, the Tufts men’s tennis team is now undefeated in their last eight matches.

This win also snapped a fivematch losing streak against the Cardinals, dating back to the 2015–16 season.

Tufts is now tied with Middlebury for third in the NESCAC, who they beat 5–4 earlier this year. Sitting at 9–1 on the year (NESCAC 4–1), their sole blemish was a 6–3 loss against

Bharat Singh The Final Whistle

Tammy Abraham’s breakout season in Serie A

S

ince leaving Chelsea in August 2021, Tammy Abraham has found incredible goalscoring form and is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career. Despite successful loan spells at Aston Villa and Swansea, many doubted his ability to excel in a foreign league. Under José Mourinho, Abraham has established himself as the club’s starting center-for-

No. 1 Williams College earlier this year. Wesleyan is now 4–7 overall, 3–4 in conference.

Tufts finished 8–9 in their last full season in 2019.

Currently, at the midway point of this season, they have already eclipsed their 2019 win total and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association has ranked them third nationally, behind only Case Western Reserve University and the University of Chicago.

“We have our process, we’ve been sticking to it, and it’s finally paying off,” senior Isaac Gorelik, who was consistently

in the singles lineup in his 2019 freshman season, said. This year, Gorelik has owned the first position in singles and was recognized in a recent poll as the third best singles player in the Northeast region.

Although Gorelik dropped his singles match against Wesleyan’s No. 1, his teammates were able to pick up the following five matches. Right behind the senior in the No. 2 spot was junior Rishabh Sharda, who currently holds a No. 9 singles regional ranking. Sharda’s match against his Wesleyan

opponent was brief, as he won a two setter 6–1, 6–2.

First-year Vuk Vuksanovic won No. 3 singles in a tiebreak.

Senior Paris Pentousis, firstyear Derin Acaroglu and junior Josh Belandres each won in two sets for the remaining singles matches. In their debut seasons, Vuksanovic and Acaroglu have proven themselves as consistent performers and have been rewarded with frequent playing opportunities.

“The whole freshman class has just been tough, and they bought into the program right off

the bat. I think there’s just a lot of trust. … They’re already playing like veterans. They have guts,” Gorelik said.

On the doubles side, Tufts went 2 for 3. Sharda and Belandres won 8–5, Pentousis and Gorelik lost their match, and graduate student duo Niko Hereford and Acaroglu came away with an 8–2 victory.

After only playing matches away from Medford thus far, Tufts will be back on their home courts on Thursday, April 14, against Bates College and again on April 16 against Bowdoin.

ward, taking over from Edin Džeko, and has been the difference in tight games when Roma struggles to create chances.

With a $44.2 million price tag, expectations were high for the Englishman who has responded with consistency and has helped restore a winning culture at the club. With 15 goals in the league, Abraham is undoubtedly one of Serie A’s most lethal strikers. In the Roma derby against Lazio, Abraham opened the scoring with just 56 seconds on the clock and would double his tally in the 22nd minute. The 3–0 victory put Roma in fifth, now two points clear of their bitter rivals and in prime position to qualify for next year’s Europa League.

Despite slotting in game-winning goals, Abraham’s style and tactical play have equally helped

Roma become a hard team to compete against. Spearheading Roma’s press, Abraham helps win back possession and mount dangerous counter attacks from virtually anywhere on the field.

In terms of tackles, Abraham is winning more than 50% of those in his penultimate season at Chelsea.

In the attack, Abraham’s strength lies in his off-ball movement and chance creation. As a target-man, the 24-year-old often finds himself moving between opposition center-backs and often finds a way to draw them in before switching direction with his explosive acceleration. A constant threat to opposing defenders, Abraham receives 20% of his passes in the box. Within the box, however, Abraham mostly takes shots from the danger zone, the

smaller 12-yard box surrounding the goal, from where most strikers are expected to score.

Mourinho has applauded Abraham’s impressive run of form but still expects more from the player. The Portuguese manager, notorious for his brutal honesty, has said he wants the striker to carry his game-winning attitude into every game.

Roma fans often chant “Tre Punti Tammy” — which translates to “Tammy Three Points” — to pay tribute to Abraham’s game-winning performances and some call him the “Gladiator of Mourinho’s Rome.”

Upcoming fixtures against Napoli and Inter Milan are crucial in Roma’s hopes of challenging for the top four Champions League spots. Roma also has to play the second leg of its

Conference League quarterfinal against Norwegian side FK Bodø/ Glimt, which shockingly defeated the Italian side 2–1 in the first leg.

Just five points behind Juventus, Roma will expect Abraham to continue his dazzling form into the final stretch of the season alongside an experienced squad that includes the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Stephan El Shaarawy and Lorenzo Pellegrini.

With the World Cup on the horizon, Abraham’s performances could land him a ticket to Qatar to represent his nation on the biggest stage of all, and his debut season at Roma has given him the spotlight to do so.

Bharat Singh is a first-year studying International Relations. Bharat can be reached at bharat.singh@tufts.edu.

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