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VOLUME LXXXI, ISSUE 12
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Tufts University School of Medicine opens new doctor of physical therapy program in Phoenix
NICHOLAS PFOSI / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES
Tufts Medical Center is pictured. by Fernando Cervantes Jr. Staff Writer
Tufts University School of Medicine announced on Sept. 15 the opening of the new Tufts doctor of physical therapy program based in Phoenix, Ariz., with plans to enroll an inaugural class in the summer of 2022. This is the second doctor of physical therapy program
launched by Tufts School of Medicine in the past year with the first having started in May 2020, located locally in Boston. Dr. Tawna Wilkinson, director of curriculum and assessment, also commented on what the program seeks to achieve. “Our purpose is to prepare doctor of physical therapy students for professional licen-
sure and ultimately, culturally conscious licensed clinicians contributing to the healthcare team and positively impacting patient well-being,” Wilkinson wrote in an email to the Daily. The program will help to address the country’s growing need for physical therapists. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for physical therapists is expected to grow in the next 10 years. “Employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 21 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations,” according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “About 15,600 openings for physical therapists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.” The same sentiment is shared by Dr. Eric Hegedus, director of the Phoenix program, who also spoke on why Arizona was chosen specifically. see PHOENIX, page 2
Kyongbum Lee named dean of School of Engineering by Ria Agarwal
Assistant News Editor
Professor Kyongbum Lee was named Karol Family professor and dean ad interim of the School of Engineering on Aug. 3. He replaced Jianmin Qu, who left Tufts to become provost and vice president for academic affairs at Stevens Institute of Technology at the end of the same month. Lee previously served as chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Tufts for 11 years. He joined Tufts as an assistant professor in 2002 before being promoted to associate professor in 2008 and a full professor in 2014. He earned his B.S. at Stanford and his Ph.D. at MIT. Lee’s research focuses on metabolic engineering, systems biology and cellular metabolism. In 2015, Lee was named a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering for his contributions to biomedical engineering through experimental studies in cellular metabolism. He has received the Jay Bailey Young
Investigator Best Paper Award in Metabolic Engineering 2006 and the Graduate Teaching and Mentoring Award in 2010. One of Lee’s priorities within the School of Engineering is to foster diversity and inclusion within the student body, faculty and administration, an effort in which the school has invested heavily over the past five years under Qu. “[The School of Engineering] created a Division of Student Diversity and Inclusion jointly with the School of Arts and Sciences and raised more than one million dollars for the Center for STEM Diversity,” Lee wrote in an email to the Daily. Other initiatives include a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to increase underrepresented and LGBTQ students’ accessibility to programs and an added requirement for tenure-line faculty candidates to include a diversity and inclusion statement in their applications. Moreover, Lee has also observed an increase in the percentage of women in the engineering undergraduate student population.
FEATURES / page 3
Boston will elect second woman of color as mayor this November
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“The incoming Class of 2025 engineering undergraduate class is near gender parity, with more than 49% women,” Lee said. Despite this progress, Lee emphasized the necessity for continuing to improve diversity and inclusion in the School of Engineering. “We recognize that SOE needs to continue improving its student body diversity with respect to underrepresented students of color,” Lee said. “We also recognize that systemic barriers still exist that can hinder these students’ success in the SOE. The vital work of improving diversity and lowering barriers will continue under my leadership.” Nadine Aubry, provost and senior vice president, voiced a similar concern about the lack of diversity in engineering spaces. “As someone with an engineering background myself, I am well versed in the lack of diversity in the STEM workforce and understand how it negatively impacts our society and ability to grow technologisee DEAN, page 2
Tufts rises 2 spots on U.S. News & World Report rankings
AVA IANNUCCILLO / THE TUFTS DAILY
Jumbo is pictured on Sept. 12. by Ella Kamm
Assistant News Editor
Disclaimer: Hana Tzou is an assistant copy editor at The Tufts Daily. She was not involved in the writing or editing of this article. Tufts ranked 28th on the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best National University ranking, rising two positions from the 2021 list. The annual rankings, which were released on Sept. 13, assess 1,466 U.S. bachelor’s degree-granting institutions and factor in 17 different academic measurements. These include graduation and retention rates, social mobility, undergraduate academic reputation and student selectivity. Factors such as student life and sports are not considered. At 28th place in the ranking, Tufts is tied with New York University, University of California Santa Barbara, University of Florida, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Wake Forest University. “Overall, Tufts University’s place in the U.S. News rankings has remained stable for nearly two decades, with small positive and negative annual fluctuations, placing us consistently in the top tier of national universities,” Dean of Admissions J.T. Duck wrote in an email to the Daily. “Due to ties at certain spots on the rankings, our place has effectively remained unchanged over the years.” The impact of the pandemic on Tufts and higher education institutions in general is not yet
ARTS / page 4
OPINION / page 6
Spooky season is upon us
Lebanon’s history and politics warrant greater focus in academic environments
fully apparent in the rankings. Though they are published for the 2022 admissions cycle, and include information from 2021 on factors such as tuition and fees, the standardized test score ranges reflect admissions data from 2019 and 2020. “Notably, SAT/ACT scores mostly reflect a test-taking period from 2019 to early 2020, before the effects of the coronavirus were felt in the United States,” U.S. News said on its website. “Nonetheless, to account for the disruption to higher education due to the ongoing pandemic, we slightly adjusted how we assessed SAT/ACT scores and made greater use of historic data for a few of the other ranking indicators.” It is typical for U.S. News to make slight adjustments to its scoring system year to year. These adjustments, Duck said, may have contributed to Tufts’ slight rise in the rankings. “It’s hard to say what causes a fluctuation in any given year because U.S. News makes changes to the underlying algorithm from year to year,” Duck said. “Because of the stability of our rankings, these minor fluctuations don’t have an impact on our ability to recruit talented and compelling students. For example, last year our ranking fell slightly but our applications rose 35 percent.” Hana Tzou, a tour guide for Tufts Admissions, said that prospective students typically don’t ask questions about or mention U.S. News rankings on tours. see ADMISSIONS, page 2 NEWS
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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Friday, October 1, 2021
THE TUFTS DAILY Madeleine Aitken Editor in Chief
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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 Business Director.
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Phoenix physical therapy program to expand impact of Tufts education PHOENIX
continued from page 1 “We took a good look around the nation, at where the need for physical therapists was the greatest, and that region of Arizona and the surrounding states was an area of great need,” Hegedus said. According to Dr. Tara Dickson, director of clinical education at the program in Phoenix, there are also expansionar y motivations that were in play in the decision to open the new doctor of physical therapy program in Phoenix. “To my knowledge, this will be Tufts’ first program that is based entirely outside the state of Massachusetts. I think it provides an exciting opportunity for Tufts to extend its reach and its great reputation outside of the northeastern U.S.,” Dickson wrote in an email to the Daily. The program is one of about 283 programs in the United States, according to the American Physical Therapy Association.
According to Hegedus, the program is planning to accept 100 students each year. “I expect that they will have an amazing educational experience and that they will graduate and pass the national board exam and become doctors of physical therapy,” Hegedus said. When asked if the doctor of physical therapy program will collaborate with the same Tufts program in Boston, Hegedus explained that collaboration could come naturally as research is conducted. “I think a very natural collaboration is that when we do research, we collaborate with people from all over the world,” Hegedus said. “So the research collaborations are not confined to the Tufts walls.” Dr. Mark Wilhelm, assistant professor and director of admission of the doctor of physical therapy program in Boston, spoke on how the school plans to collaborate with the program in Phoenix. “Collaboration between faculty within the two programs
will take many forms, some of which may develop more fully as our programs progress. Some specific areas where collaboration will occur will be in the areas of curriculum, clinical education, and research,” Wilhelm wrote in an email to the Daily. Wilhelm also touched on the opening of the new program in Phoenix. “As part of the Tufts DPT Program in Boston, we [are] excited about the Tufts DPT Program in Phoenix as it helps us to grow our single vision of the one Tufts DPT brand identity,” Wilhelm said. “Having a second DPT program will allow us to expand our impact on student learning, societal health, and access to a Tufts education.” Wilkinson elaborated on why prospective students should apply to the new doctor of physical therapy program. “Our model provides students the ability to complete the majority of their learning from their own communities,” Wilkinson said. “The virtual and
in-person curriculum is provided by strong, collaborative faculty dedicated to fostering student development.” Hegedus expanded on reasons to apply, emphasizing the affordability of the program compared to others in the United States. “It is a program that is really more affordable, because you get to live at home but you also get to travel to Phoenix, Arizona, which is beautiful, to do your on-site work,” Hegedus said. Although affiliated with just the Boston program, Wilhelm praised the doctor of physical therapy program as a whole. “I believe these will be two of the main factors that will eventually lead students to find a fit at one of our DPT programs,” Wilhelm said. “Regardless of which program a prospective student chooses, they will receive an excellent, student-centered education preparing them to make a positive impact on the physical therapy profession and societal health.”
Tufts ranks 28th, tied with NYU, UC Santa Barbara and others ADMISSIONS
continued from page 1 “The rankings are probably low on the list of reasons to apply to or choose a college,” Tzou, a junior, wrote in an email to the Daily. “I personally didn’t care one bit about the rankings when I was applying, and I certainly don’t care now.” For some, however, ranking does play a role in their college decision process. Callum McRavey, a sophomore, used the list to compare schools and gauge factors such as selectivity as they applied to colleges.
“I specifically looked at U.S. News and it did end up mattering a decent amount when I was applying,” McRavey said. “I placed a lot of value in them — probably more than I should have.” Now, as a student, McRavey doesn’t consider the ranking to be a reflection of their experience at Tufts. “I really don’t think about rankings at all anymore,” they said. “There’s nothing about the ranking that inherently gives value to a school, so I don’t check anymore.” Duck said that the admissions office tries to foster this attitude
among prospective students. “Rather than focus on rankings, our Admissions team actively encourages prospective students and their families to consider ‘fit’ as the most important criterion in their college search,” he said. “The most important thing is for a student to pick the best college for them, not the college deemed to be best by a rating organization.” Tzou said that rankings are too broad to indicate whether a particular school will be a good fit for an individual student. She
suggested that factors such as student life, financial aid and academic and study abroad programs likely matter far more to applicants. “Where Tufts, or any university, is on the list has no relevance to a student’s individual experience at that school,” she said. “The issue with these rankings is that they are completely statistical and probably won’t give you any indication as to whether or not you’ll be happy at that school. I think prospective students understand this.”
Lee to continue diversity and inclusion efforts jumpstarted by Dean Qu DEAN
continued from page 1 cally,” Aubry wrote in an email. “The Engineering school has dedicated itself to building a more just, equitable, inclusive and diverse culture that impacts not only the school but also extends outside its boundaries.” Chris Swan, dean of undergraduate education in the School of Engineering and an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, explained the various diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) initiatives that were recently implemented or are in the process of implementation. “Specific items that are in place include the development of a 15-person, standing committee on DEIJ in the School that includes membership from SOE faculty, student, staff, and alumni,” Swan wrote in an email to the Daily. “The School has also devel-
SOPHIA ELIA / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES
The Science and Engineering Complex is pictured on Sept. 18, 2019. oped different means of engaging with its community on DEIJ topics, namely the DEI Colloquium Series (2 presentations planned per year) and the DEIJ Forums (4 forums planned per year).” According to Swan, the School of Engineering will be imple-
menting a new effort called the DEIJ Conversations, consisting of 6–10 events per year, which will encourage conversations about current topics. Lee will also be expanding course offerings within the School of Engineering to include diversi-
ty and inclusion as one of the course’s core elements. More broadly, Lee hopes to continue Qu’s strategic vision for the School of Engineering with “An Engine for Good: The School of Engineering Strategic Plan 2019–2029.” The plan divides objectives into three categories based on how soon they can be completed. The first category can be completed within a year, the second can be completed within four years and the third will take more than four years to complete. “[The School of Engineering] is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive learning and working environment, building community, innovating undergraduate education and transforming graduate education, connecting people and ideas for innovation, enhancing financial resources to support our mission, and empowering scholarship, discovery, and invention,” Lee said.
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Features
3 Friday, October 1, 2021
Women of color take center stage in Boston mayoral race
to be secretary of labor under the Biden administration and left a vacancy in his seat. As president of the city council, Janey became the acting mayor of Boston, pioneering two very monumental “firsts” for the City of Boston, as a traditional election to determine the next mayor began. Standing on the shoulders of trailblazers like Deahdra ButlerHenderson, a single mother from Jamaica Plain who ran for mayor in Boston 46 years ago, Janey finally realized her dream by serving as the first woman and first Black mayor of Boston. Though Janey was unable to move beyond the primaries after
the Sept. 14 election, she ended her campaign strong. “We not only made history, but we made a difference,” she said during her concession speech. “Crime is down, people are staying in their homes due to work we’ve done with rental assistance and an eviction moratorium, our children are safely back in school and Boston is one of the most vaccinated big cities in America.” Many Boston residents were disappointed to see that, despite the historic shift in Boston politics, no Black candidates progressed past the primary. “The fact that the two lightest-skinned candidates advanced, leaving behind all three Black candidates [Kim Janey, Andrea Campbell and John Barros] at a time when racial justice and reparations for the Black community are at the forefront of the progressive world’s mind and agenda, is something historic in and of itself,” Sofía Friedman, a senior working on Andrea Campbell’s mayoral campaign, wrote in an email to the Daily. While Janey and Campbell are no longer in the running for mayor, the other runners have similar goals for the city of Boston. “This is the moment on our shoulders,” Wu said during a post-election rally. “When we get to push for that vision, for that city that we dream of, for us to use every possible tool, every lever of power in city government to fight for housing stability, affordable housing [and] home ownership for our residents.”
Boston is one of the most segregated cities in the country. The city is struggling to desegregate schools and create a means for the disproportionately high population of Black and Latinx residents in public housing to reach home ownership. Nevertheless, it seems as though a new dawn may be approaching with the mayoral race — the majority of candidates running for mayor are women of color hoping to address inequality and the Boston housing crisis. Although Friedman is not originally a resident of Boston, she believes that students are responsible for being informed and involved in local politics even if their permanent address is not in Boston. “Boston is a growing first-class city that will continue to lead on the national stage,” she wrote. “As Tufts students, we do not live in Boston, we are nonetheless impacted by and impactful on Boston as a city.” Friedman continued to explain the importance of students being educated on the current political scene. “We ought to be educated on the social, cultural, political, and racial circumstances that led Boston to where it is, that led Boston to having its most historic field of candidates for Mayor, and that led Boston to exclude all three Black candidates from making it into the general election,” she wrote. Friedman believes that the best thing young people can do is
to stay informed and get involved with local politics. “It was never a question for me what campaign to work on. Andrea makes me proud to be a woman, a person of color, a resident of the Greater Boston area, and a change maker,” she said. “Despite the outcome of the September 14th election, I could think of no one better to be my role model as I start my senior year of college.” With the general election lying ahead on Nov. 2, Boston will face its final choice to determine the next mayor. Some top issues on voters’ minds are housing, inequality and racism. While Wu had a strong lead with 33.4% of the vote in comparison to Essaibi George with 22.5%, the heated race for mayor continues. Friedman recommends that students stay informed about the mayoral election by reading local papers such as the Boston Herald and the Boston Globe, following local reporters on Twitter to get real time notifications on new developments in the race or even volunteering for a campaign they believe in and support. “I think the mayoral race is important for students to pay attention to because of how historic this race is and continues to be. The fact that there was only one man in the running, and that every single candidate was a person of color, was truly incredible,” she added. “If it cannot be Andrea, I believe our city will be in the best hands with Michelle Wu as our next Mayor.”
reputation to keep business flowing, are undoubtedly hit the hardest by such notoriously unprecedented times. It’s easy enough to encourage eating out locally, but the sad truth is that greater Boston is expensive. This is where Spoonfuls comes in. I’m on a mission to find the hidden gems of the Tufts area: affordable, kitschy spots with unexpectedly great food and drink. Every year, Tufts students arrive on campus and change the entire dynamic of a Boston subset. Let’s not pretend to be angelic saviors of the local restaurant industry when we can simply put some fantastic and overlooked joints on the map. I’ll be practically doing it for you. All I ask is that you read along. There’s nowhere I’d rather start this column than Guru the Caterer, a takeout Indian spot just outside of Teele Square housed between a gas station and a convenience store. My first-year neighbor and I have been frequenting the location since our first homesick crises. It’s far enough off campus for
it to feel like a small adventure and close enough to avoid hunger pains, the tangerine walls more an omen of masala and coconut milk than a design choice. They’re takeout only, yes, but grab a fork and ask for a plate and you’ll likely snag the only metal table on their small patio. The cook will even come out and ask how things are if you’re nice about it. This week, I ordered the chicken curry special, which consisted of a hefty paper bag of classic chicken tikka masala, methi malai matar, a coconut-based curry with fenugreek and peas, perfectly cooked rice and two pieces of roti. I am no small eater, and the special lasts me two if not three meals for a mere $13. The masala is creamy yet light, slicked with ghee enhanced by spices unknown and time inconceivable. Both curries have the ideal amount of spice for the Indian-food fanatic who values a bit of feeling in their tongue. The vegetarian curry I picked was a nice, light compliment to the masala, harnessing the satisfying sweetness of korma without
the dessert-like quality. I usually opt for this or the saag paneer, a spinach-based curry with cubes of Indian cheese. It’s almost easier to eat vegetarian here — Indian food is so much more than its protein. A tighter budget than usual meant I had to skip out on the samosas and mango lassi this time, but the meal was equally decadent without the additions. Still, if you can swing it, the rice pudding is a great finisher, with delicate flavors of cardamom, pistachio and rose water. Around 8 p.m. on the first day of classes, two of my friends and I sat below a prematurely darkening sky, enjoying our quality meal straight out of Tupperware and caving paper plates. After my year abroad and their COVID-mottled years on and off campus, it is strangely easy to find ourselves back here, discussing new relationships and old mistakes under the backlight of the restaurant. One friend asks about my approach to senior year, and I ramble on about finding jobs and networking. It dawns on me now:
I should’ve talked about picking each friend up along the way. Now, I stop at wood frame houses around Somerville rather than knocking on chipping Houston dorm doors. I don’t hear everyone gathering for dinner in the hallway, nor do I run into those I used to see daily. I write about food for moments like these: when dinners go longer and our little world behind Carm grows larger. Tonight, this concrete patio is our banquet table and bottled water tastes oddly of wine. We toast to freshman year instincts in ethics class and shared dorm walls. The end of summer breeze blows laughs and advice back to Tufts, just far enough to spare us of class recaps and just close enough to allow for reminiscing on four years of Guru the Caterer and each other. We walk slowly back to our separate homes, savoring the heavy feeling of time and too much curry.
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The final frontrunners of the Boston mayoral race, Annissa Essaibi George and Michelle Wu, are pictured. by Saya Ameli Hajebi Staff Writer
After a long line of uncontested white male mayors for the city of Boston, the first Black mayor and first woman, Kim Janey, was sworn in as mayor of Boston in March 2021. Though Janey will not be mayor next year, the final frontrunners competing for the Nov. 2 seat are two women of color, Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George, ready to continue carrying their torch and lead Boston out of the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh was selected
Sonia Richter Spoonfuls
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Guru the Caterer
grew up eating Rhode Island fried seafood dipped in white chowder, my mother’s hearty Russian borscht and my French-Canadian mémère’s meat pie — homey, no-frills food made from unwritten recipes with no want of potatoes. When COVID19 began, I knew places like our favorite clam shop were just inching by. It was shocking to see more and more windows boarded up with ghosts of help wanted signs scrambling for staff overdue. In Medford and Somerville, places like Hulun Beir in Davis and The Dark Horse Public House in Magoun Square have since closed their doors, shocked by an epidemic which made eating out a newly daunting experience. Spots like these, which lack the campus
Sonia Richter is a senior studying English. Sonia can be reached at sophia.richter@tufts.edu.
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Friday, October 1, 2021
What to watch this spooky season
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A collage of "The Silence of the Lambs," "Parasite," "The Haunting of Hill House," "Get Out," "The Shining" and "Midsommar" is pictured. by Emmy Wenstrup Assistant Arts Editor
With spooky season fast approaching, many viewers may soon be tempted by the ever-popular horror genre. Filmmakers often use horror as a critical lens to examine what society itself may be afraid of, as Jordan
Peele does with “Get Out” (2017) and Bong Joon-ho with “Parasite” (2019). In other cases, filmmakers take traditionally “scary” motifs and turn them into comedy, as Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement do with the series “What We Do In The Shadows” (2019–). As the month of October draws near, it’s time to look at appropriately themed content.
There are far too many great horror movies to count, and the aforementioned two are particularly excellent recent masterpieces (though “Parasite” teeters the line between horror and drama a bit too much to be considered a true horror film). For those looking for classics, it might be time to watch M. Night Shyamalan’s classic thriller “The Sixth Sense” (1999), Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” (1980) and Oscar-winner “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991). More recently, production company A24 has put out some hefty horrors worthy of attention, especially from Ari Aster and Robert Eggers. From the creatively twisted mind of Aster came “Hereditary” (2018) and “Midsommar” (2019),which both contain fairly graphic violence layered with nuanced and abstract social commentary. Eggers’ “The Lighthouse” (2019) is one of the quirkier horror movies of late, but certainly watching Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe sing sea shanties in black and white film is worthwhile. Television has also seen its fair share of horror. Filmmaker Mike Flanagan is responsible for part of that; his “The Haunting of Hill House” (2018) was dubbed “close to a work of genius” by Stephen King, and his recent “Midnight Mass” (2021) has received mostly positive
reviews. As many horror fans may enjoy, these series alongside his “The Haunting of Bly Manor” (2020) feature supernatural elements that work to reveal something more philosophical. For those looking for something a bit lighter than a critical examination of the flaws with human society, turn to shows that take traditionally scary motifs and make them funny — “What We Do In The Shadows” and “Wynonna Earp” (2016–2021), for example. The former chronicles the lives of four vampires making their way through life in a mockumentary reminiscent of “The Office” (2005–2013). It’s light, it’s laugh-out-loud funny and it guest stars Tilda Swinton as herself as the head of the Volturi-esque “Vampiric Council.” The latter follows a motley crew of demon hunters in the fictional town of Purgatory and plays with horror and Western tropes as it gradually embraces the absurdity of its premise. There is certainly no shortage of spooky content to watch, whether it be classic horror, social commentary, art house horror, supernatural miniseries or campy horror comedies. Of course, “Stranger Things” (2016–) and “Insidious” (2010) are great too, but with so much unique horror or faux-horror out there, it may be time to raise the bar.
‘I Am Batman’ #1 only partially fulfills its promise by Carl Svahn Staff Writer
A Black Batman was inevitable. The idea of a man so wronged by a city and a system resonates with the Black experience in America. There are of course grounded Black superheroes at the Big Two (also see the Milestone heroes), but none of them have the inherent appeal or cultural power that Batman does. With a new Black Captain America in the MCU and a Black Superman project in the works at DC (alongside last year’s surge in race-based violence and national racial reckoning), there has never been a better time to let this idea spread its wings. John Ridley and Olivier Coipel’s “I Am Batman” #1 has all the hallmarks of something great, but its strange relationship with continuity and backstory holds it back. This is not actually the first issue of “I Am Batman.” The series was soft launched
Paul Osmond For the Culture
Why does hiphop love Takashi Murakami?
U
biquitous in pop culture since the early 2000s, Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami is familiar with co-relating high and low culture. Among other achievements, he founded the “superflat” theory, which draws on traditional “flattened” Japanese printing with anime and pop culture imagery. He is also famed for his strong collaborative relationship with high fashion label Louis Vuitton, with whom he produced several legendary pieces, and he frequently teams up with fellow fashion icon Virgil Abloh. Perhaps most incredibly, he has had his work exhibited at the Palace of Versailles in
in August with “I Am Batman” #0, and the story of Timothy “Jace” Fox (the new resident of the bat suit) goes back to a previous series (“The Next Batman: Second Son”) and an alternate future story (“Future State: The Next Batman”) that surprisingly holds key details for Jace’s backstory and perspective on being Batman. None of these stories are exactly required to read this #1 issue, but many references are made to them in the issue and a new reader could easily be confused. However, if one can get around these backstory hurdles, they’ll find the seeds of a compelling and well-written story here. Ridley has been working in film and TV for decades (“12 Years a Slave” (2013), “American Crime” (2015–2017)). He has the writing chops to make memorable and affecting stories, especially when it comes to race in America. I’m happy to say he has clearly grown as a comic writer in the time since he made the jump to comics with
“Future State: The Next Batman.” There are entire scenes where he lets the wonderful Olivier Coipel do what he was put on this earth to do and doesn’t interrupt it with walls of exposition. Coipel’s presence is fully formed, and Ridley’s prose is sharper and drags less, though sometimes it can be a little less than subtle (see the scene between two Gotham City Police Department officers). Ridley clearly has a point to make about Batman and how he connects to the Black experience, but this has yet to coalesce into a fully formed story and character. It’s hard to create a new and memorable character in superhero comics today, especially a brand-new legacy character taking on a legendary mantle. Bruce Wayne’s origin is famous to the point of parody now and the vows he takes are embedded into the concept of the Batman. “I Am Batman” is making its own set of vows, and while this “debut” is a promising beginning, it feels like it’s trying to justify its own existence. The
France. However, Murakami remains legendary in my mind for the special relationship he has formed with modern hip-hop. Although Murakami had already been developing in American pop culture for years, his status blossomed following Kanye West’s 2007 album “Graduation,” for which Murakami designed the cover. It features Kanye’s iconic Dropout Bear being fired from a cannon under a university, marbled with bright colors and Murakami’s iconic motifs. This marked Murakami’s first high-profile hip-hop collaboration and cultivated his creative relationship with Kanye (he later designed Kid Cudi and Kanye’s “Kids See Ghosts” (2018) album cover). Since then, Murakami has collaborated with countless others, including brands like Supreme and Off-White and rappers like Kid Cudi, Kanye West, Drake and Pharrell Williams. But Murakami’s influence on hiphop has not been limited to official collaborations. Travis Scott gifted his entourage Iced-Out Eliantte & Co chains designed
by Murakami, Justin Bieber has Murakami cushions on his couches, The Weeknd has adorned Murakami apparel and Murakami’s smiling flower is seen frequently among modern hip-hop imagery. Although it seems rather confounding how Murakami can traverse the high art community and hip-hop, I have surmised a rather simple explanation for his prominence: He never fails to recognize his inspiration and/or collaborator while also giving his own unique flair. His very art movement, superflat, ostensibly disrupts traditional Japanese art forms, yet it subtly maintains fundamental elements (primarily the presentation and composition of the work). Like his inspiration Andy Warhol, Murakami’s work has been criticized for being kitsch or shallow. Yet I find that he adapts his work to whomever he is producing for, without abandoning his modus operandi: His installations at the Palace of Versailles reflect the massive frescos that adorn the castle, his work with Kanye West shows both the macabre
VIA AMAZON
John Ridley and Oliver Coipel’s “I Am Batman” #1 was published on Aug. 10. next Batman was always coming, it’s just taking him a little longer for him to get here. and vicarious sides of the musician and his collaborations with streetwear brands like Uniqlo and Supreme add his inimitable style without extinguishing the brands’ creative control. Hip-hop is an incredible collaborative culture — rappers frequently work with visual artists, and musicians regularly dabble in fashion. And although Murakami has yet to release any songs of his own, he has certainly engrained himself as an icon within the hip-hop community. Yes, his work is highly accessible, eye-catching and contains themes relevant to modern culture, but hiphop loves him because he is Murakami. His work reflects his self-awareness of his position as an artist. Hip-hop artists love him and his work because he reflects who they are and what they do: break boundaries while respecting the craft. Paul Osmond is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Paul can be reached at paul.osmond@tufts.edu.
Friday, October 1, 2021 | Fun & Games | THE TUFTS DAILY
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F& G
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LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Alex J: “What are you doing here?”
Fun & Games
SUDOKU
LINDA C. BLACK ASTROLOGY
Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Take the lead with a professional challenge. Let go of a preconception. Talk is cheap... don’t believe everything you hear. Strengthen basic support structures.
SEARCHING FOR HEADLINES...
Difficulty Level: Doing layout with a broken wrist.
Thursday’s Solutions
CROSSWORD
6 Friday, October 1, 2021
Opinion
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VIEWPOINT
by Makram Bekdache
Coup de théâtre in Beirut
Contributng Writer
Joy, disbelief, indifference or skepticism. These were the reactions of many Lebanese individuals to their home country’s recent news. After thirteen months of an inactive caretaker government, Lebanon finally has a new government. Following a year of depressing news headlines and worsening domestic issues, it may be the last chance for my country to set things right. Once dubbed the “Switzerland of the Middle East,” Lebanon now faces an unprecedented economic crisis that has left over 70% of the population living under the poverty threshold. After years of massive public indebtedness, Lebanon defaulted on its debt for the first time in March 2020. Soon, dramatic inflation destroyed the value of the national currency against the U.S. dollar. While the official rate remains at its pre-crisis level, an entire black market has developed, sending the price of goods to astronomical levels and threatening the lives of millions. The tragic Beirut port explosion in August 2020 wiped out a sizable portion of the capital city, exacerbating the economic crisis. The government resigned and took up a caretaker role, refraining from enacting any reform to salvage the situation until a new government was put into place. Aid and debt restructuring talks with the International Monetary Fund collapsed. Inflation accelerated, sustaining a swift decrease in purchasing power. Essentials including medicine and gasoline were now in short supply, fueling a vicious cycle of economic degradation. People were waiting hours in line to fill up their tanks, unable to reach their schools and workplaces. Lebanon is prey to a myriad of foreign influences. Several global powers maintain assets on the Lebanese political scene, making my country fertile ground for proxy wars. Iran-backed Shiite Muslim political party and militant group Hezbollah is the kingmaker: nothing happens without their approval. Officially allies with the president, they have supported his quest for more power and in return have expected greater influence. The West has staunchly opposed Iranian hegemony in the strategically situated country. Both sides are locked in a permanent war of words and influence, with Hezbollah accusing its opponents of being sponsored by the “embassy,” a
BY CECILIA OROZCO euphemism for the American embassy in Awkar. Indeed, French President Emmanuel Macron has made Lebanon one of his foreign policy priorities. He was the first leader to visit after the port blast and earned widespread praise from the Lebanese. That praise gave France, and by extension its American ally, a great deal of leverage, establishing a counterweight of sorts to Hezbollah. Macron organized a meeting in the French embassy to agree on a unified list of priorities for the next government to tackle,as well as the format of said government. But deadlock persisted, all while the economic situation unraveled at break-neck speed. A sectarian rivalry exists among Lebanon’s leaders. Eighteen sects vie for influence in the country; they’re constantly at each other’s throats, trying to accumulate as much power as possible. The caretaker government had been chosen, in large part, by President Michel Aoun’s party. The public would not tolerate such Aoun’s continued leadership after the explosion. Two prime ministers
were successively designated to form the next government. Both failed. President Aoun played an unusually hands-on role in choosing the government, loosely interpreting the constitution to claim new executive powers. After the second prime minister-designate, veteran politician Saad Hariri resigned, the Lebanese pound plummeted. People predicted the deadlock would last well into 2022, at least until the parliamentary elections. And then, a coup de théâtre. Two months after his designation, unusual swiftness by Lebanese standards, another veteran politician, Najib Mikati, successfully got the president to sign off on his cabinet. Parliament promptly gave him a vote of confidence, arming Lebanon with its first fully operational government in more than a year. In the States, Lebanon is no mainstream discussion topic. The Starbucks barista preparing my coffee in Davis Square had no idea where the country lies. I had to describe our geographical location in relation to better-known countries, like Turkey. There is duality in the way the
outside interacts with Lebanon. While external governments may care about this tiny nation, many people in the West do not. Here at Tufts, a quick search for Lebanon in the courses offered yields multiple courses on the broader Middle East. Most of them are culture courses and one is a history course with a focus on Lebanon that unfortunately ends at WWI. “U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East” is a promising title, but the United States’ definition of the Middle East includes more than 20 countries. In a school renowned for its international relations and political science programs that feed the State Department’s diplomatic ranks (the vice-consul that processed my visa application was a Tufts alumnus himself), it is only normal to expect more attention toward Lebanon. Lebanon’s history and political system are complex enough to warrant a much deeper focus on the academic front. It could be an example in the management of delicate foreign policy matters and act as a very potent case study for future diplomats. The university should
offer a course specifically centered on the modern politics of the Levant — a geographic area much narrower than the Middle East nomenclature — which would help to increase interest in the region and raise awareness regarding the country’s turmoil. Offering country-specific courses in relation to the Middle East could also enable students to pursue personal interests more thoroughly and perhaps orient their future diplomatic postings. My country’s politics are some of the most porous in the world and, Western countries have a responsibility to act responsibly and effectively if they want to continue interfering and supporting their local allies. Tufts can do its part to raise awareness of the situation in my country. We must make certain that former administrations’ mistakes in my region of the world are not repeated, while also ensuring that the cultures and backgrounds of Middle Eastern students earn well-deserved recognition and appreciation. Lebanon, like many other nations in the Middle East, merits greater attention and exposure.
Spo r t s
Friday, October 1, 2021 | Sports | THE TUFTS DAILY
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No. 3 Tufts field hockey team faces off against No. 13 Babson FIELD HOCKEY
continued from page 8 forth, as reflected by the 0–0 score that remained throughout the entirety of all four quarters. In the first three quarters of the game, the Jumbos were able to keep the Beavers to zero shots. Additionally, Tufts had more shots and corner opportunities than Babson, with shots at 20–8 and corners 14–6, both in the Jumbos’ favor. Despite this, no team was able to get the ball past the goalies, forcing the game into overtime. This was the Jumbos’ first overtime battle so far in their 2021 season.
Michael Wallace-Bruce Over-the-Top Football
The new reality on transfers
T
here’s something I need to get off my chest. Players’ transfer fees should not be used to assess the quality of a soccer player in modern soccer. Here’s why. As a Manchester United fan, I am happy to say that we are always rumored to sign big players like Lionel Messi, Neymar, Sergio Ramos, etc. I will sadly admit that these rumors remained rumors as they never signed the big players that they were linked to. However, in the summer of 2016, they signed a top player in Paul Pogba from Juventus with a record high transfer fee of 105 million euros. I was quite happy with the signing even though
Junior goalkeeper Sam Gibby had an impressive stop against Babson’s senior midfielder Millie Brady. Gibby had two key saves for the match overall. The game-winning goal came from Babson senior forward Lauren Curley, who scored off a corner with 1:40 remaining on the overtime clock, ending the game in the Beavers’ favor. This non-conference matchup was certainly a battle test for the Jumbos. “I think the biggest takeaway for our team was that we need to execute,” Gibby said. “We played a great game with lots of grit, but we just had trouble finishing.
Obviously, it was not the result we wanted, but everyone on the team is already using this as fuel to motivate us for our upcoming NESCAC match-ups.” Tufts is now 4–1 on the season, while Babson is 7–1. Since 2015, the TuftsBabson matchup has been 22–5 in favor of the Jumbos. This matchup has gone into overtime on multiple occasions, with most games being won by a small margin. Tufts will play its next game at home on Saturday against NESCAC rival Bates College. “I think one of our goals moving forward is to take our season game by
game,” Gibby said. “We always say the biggest matchup of the season is our next game, so I think everyone is fired up to play Bates this weekend at home. We are a great team with a lot of potential, so we know if we stay focused and continue to work hard, we will be successful in the short and long term.” The Bobcats are currently 4–3, their losses coming from NESCAC teams Hamilton and Bowdoin, as well as Babson, to whom they lost 3–1. Tufts will then play Hamilton on Sunday in a NESCAC doubleheader that will put its training to the test.
I was taken aback by the size of the price tag. Pogba had won four consecutive Serie A titles with Juventus; however, he was not the main reason for Juventus’ dominance. Regardless, Pogba did possess enormous skill sets that could benefit United, subsiding any of my apprehension towards the signing. The same could not be said of fans on Twitter, YouTube or pundits on televised stations. If you are an avid soccer fan, you have probably come across a Sky Sports football debate show where pundits give analysis on how teams and players are performing. Unlike some other punditry shows, Sky Sports features former players who give fun and engaging discussion on soccer, so I always tune in to watch recaps on YouTube. Following the Pogba announcement and debut, United and Pogba underperformed. The club had recently signed a new manager, José Mourinho, who needed some time to change the team around. To compensate for the lack of a deep-lying
midfielder, he placed Pogba in that position, although that was not his best position. So, like Tim Tebow playing tight-end, Pogba was lost in his position and made some positional errors, which were scrutinized ridiculously. All punditry following United’s game featured someone blaming Pogba for all United’s problems due to his price tag. If United failed to score, it was Pogba and his price tag’s fault. If United conceded a goal, it was Pogba’s fault. Pundits simply failed to internalize the conditions embedded within United, and they focused solely on transfer fees when evaluating Pogba’s performances. They forgot to add that Pogba was playing out of position. On top of this, he was also playing for a defensive-minded coach. Thus, the tricks and offensive capabilities of Pogba were diluted since he was put in a system that required him to play differently. Following Pogba’s arrival to United, there have been numerous players who have moved to another club under hefty
transfer fees. Especially in the Premier League, every transfer window features a huge signing for any of the Big Six clubs (sadly, Arsenal is included). Should fans and pundits want these players to play well due to their transfer fees? Yes, absolutely. The expectations for an $80 million or above transfer player to perform well should be massive because they were sought and bought to change an issue on the pitch. However, players do not control the market or how much they were bought for. In addition, they do not decide on what tactics to utilize in games. They also do not control the performances of their teammates. Therefore, it is not fair to utilize transfer fees to assess the quality of a player, especially if they were brought in for a rebuilding project or to add more depth to a team.
Michael Wallace-Bruce is a junior studying international relations. Michael can be reached at michael.wallace_bruce@tufts.edu.
8 Friday, October 1, 2021
Sports
tuftsdaily.com
Women’s soccer suffers first in-conference loss to Wesleyan
ZOE GARDERET / THE TUFTS DAILY
The Tufts women's soccer team lost 3–1 to Wesleyan on Tuesday. by Brooke Kraftson Contributing Writer
Tufts women’s soccer braved the rain on Tuesday night for an under-the-lights game against Wesleyan, which ultimately resulted in the Jumbos’ first NESCAC loss of the season. Both the Jumbos and the Cardinals had been undefeated in the league going into the game, generating a highly anticipated and hard-fought game for both teams. While Tufts was able to tie it up 1–1 in the 23rd minute, the team ceded to Wesleyan with a final score of 3–1. The Jumbos dropped to 4–2 on the season and 2–1 in NESCAC play.
The competitive energy arrived right from the first whistle, with junior midfielders Margaux Ameer and Maddie Pero both having shots on goal in the first 12 minutes, only to be saved by the Wesleyan goalie. The scoring began shortly after, when Wesleyan’s Emily Ribatt passed the ball to Audrey Lavey, who scored on Tufts junior goalie Haley Bernstein 16 minutes into the game. In the 23rd minute, fired up, graduate student forward Liz Reed was able to outplay two Wesleyan defenders and send a left-footed shot flying into the right side of the net to tie the game up at one
goal apiece. Unfortunately for Tufts, Wesleyan scored toward the end of the half, pushing the score to 2–1 in favor of the Cardinals going into halftime. Even though the Cardinals were leading, the Jumbos led in the shots column 7–3 at halftime as they looked to put more in the back of the net coming out of the half. However, despite five more shots in the second half, the Jumbos were still unable to outscore the Cardinals. Bernstein saved two shots in the second half, but Wesleyan was able to put its third goal of the night on the scoreboard in the 64th minute. While Wesleyan took
the win and is now one of two undefeated teams in the NESCAC, Tufts still played hard. “I thought as a team we played very well last night even though the outcome was not what we wanted at all,” Ameer said. “We outplayed Wesleyan, possessing more as well as having more opportunities on goal.” Reed, who had the only Jumbo goal of the night, said, “I think [Tuesday] was a pretty disappointing loss for all of us, since we felt that we outplayed the team most of the game. Wesleyan was scared the whole game but finished the chances they got, so that made the difference.”
Tufts is looking forward to making a comeback in its home games this weekend against NESCAC competitors Bates and Hamilton. “We’re going to focus on scoring on those major chances, taking advantage of numbers quickly, and locking down defensively all over the field between 50/50s and recovering on numbers down,” Reed said. “Bates will be a great game to get after it again and bounce back.” The Jumbos will play with the home field advantage on both Saturday and Sunday in hopes of improving their conference record.
Field hockey falls to Babson in first away game of the season by Sophia Antezana
Assistant Sports Editor
Tufts field hockey traveled to nearby Babson College for its first away game of the season on Tuesday. This non-conference matchup featured two top-20 opponents: The Jumbos were ranked No. 3 and the Beavers No. 13 nationally. The Jumbos entered the match undefeated with a 4–0 record and the Beavers 6–1, with their only loss against Middlebury College. However, after 68 minutes of play, the Jumbos ultimately fell to the Beavers 1–0 in overtime. Tufts on Saturday anticipated facing off against NESCAC opponent Colby College in what would have been the team’s first away game of the 2021 season. However, due to COVID-19 precautions, the game was rescheduled as a home game for Oct. 19. Against Babson, the Jumbos and Beavers fought back and see FIELD HOCKEY, page 7
COURTESY PATRICIA CORDEIRO
The Tufts field hockey team lost 1–0 to Babson on Sept. 28.