The Tufts Daily - Wednesday, November 28, 2018 by The Tufts Daily

Students call for renewed activism at Tufts amid attempts to curtail civil rights of transgender, non-binary individuals see FEATURES / PAGE 4

JUMBOS GIVE BACK

Teams initiate clothing donation drives, charity games

Men’s cross country overcomes falls to finish 25th in return to NCAA Championship see SPORTS / BACK PAGE

SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE

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T HE T UFTS DAILY

VOLUME LXXVI, ISSUE 52

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Wednesday, November 28, 2018

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Dark Money at Tufts, Part 3: Tufts policies fail to assess donors’ controversial histories, motives by David Nickerson

Executive Investigative Editor

Editor’s note: This is the third part in a fourpart series from the Daily’s Investigative Team. Part 1 was published Monday, and Part 2 was published Tuesday. Both can be found online. Part 4 will be published in print and online Thursday. Tufts has received over $22 million in donations from the seven foundations examined in this investigation, with a portion of the funds earmarked for specific university programs and institutes, including some at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Some of these donations were accepted without full knowledge of the donors’ histories of funding controversial scholarship elsewhere in the United States despite a donation review process that involves several university offices, according to interviews with Tufts administrators and faculty.

ALEXIS SERINO / THE TUFTS DAILY

Tufts’ Executive Director of Public Relations Patrick Collins told the Daily in an email that the university evaluates charitable contributions for research on “a case by case basis.” “The decision to apply for and/or accept sponsored research funding is made on a case by case basis,” Collins said. “All grant applications and awards are reviewed by the researchers involved, the Office of the Vice Provost of Research, and other offices, such as Corporate and Foundation Relations and Legal, as necessary.” These offices accept donations on the basis that they help students by providing learning experiences and research opportunities, they are vital to the researchers’ scholarship and they “contribute to the university maintaining and enhancing its reputation as an elite research institution,” according to Collins. Collins did not respond when asked if Tufts assesses the credibility and funding histo-

The International Security Studies Program office in the Cabot Intercultural Center is pictured on Nov. 27.

see DARK MONEY, page 2

Tisch College board member discusses Indian microfinance industry by Robert Kaplan Staff Writer

Tufts alumnus and Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd. founder Vikram Akula (LA ’90) discussed the history and legacy of his company, formerly known as SKS Microfinance, an Indian microfinancial firm founded in 1998, on Tuesday night in the Cabot Intercultural Center. Hosted by the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, the Tufts Entrepreneurship Society and The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy’s Institute for Business in the Global Context, Akula was introduced by Alan Solomont, dean of Tisch College. Solomont explained the continuing connection Akula, a member of Tisch College’s board of advisors, shares with the university. Akula began the talk by tracing the story of Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd. and his own. “I was born in India and grew up in upstate New York,” Akula said. “I used to go back to India and witness this tremendous poverty and come back to the wealth of the American suburb. It was a jarring experience.” see MICROFINANCE, page 3

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MIKE FANG / THE TUFTS DAILY

Vikram Akula (LA ‘90), founder of SKS Microfinancing, now known as Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd., speaks about microfinance in India at the Micro-Meltdown talk in the Cabot Intercultural Center on Nov. 27.

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NEWS............................................1 FEATURES.................................4 ARTS & LIVING.......................6

FUN & GAMES......................... 7 OPINION.....................................8 SPORTS............................ BACK

THE TUFTS DAILY | INVESTIGATIVE | Wednesday, November 28, 2018

THE TUFTS DAILY Seohyun Shim Editor-in-Chief

EDITORIAL

Sean Ong Caleb Symons Managing Editors Alexis Serino Associate Editor Daniel Nelson Executive News Editor Jessica Blough News Editors Connor Dale Charlie Driver Jenna Fleischer Juliana Furgala Kat Grellman Liza Harris Zachary Hertz Gil Jacobson Anar Kansara Liam Knox Natasha Mayor Cathy Perloff Minna Trinh Hannah Uebele Shantel Bartolome Assistant News Editors Austin Clementi Conor Friedmann Abbie Gruskin Noah Richter

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Tufts administrators, faculty unaware of donors’ past funding efforts, personal interests DARK MONEY

continued from page 1 ries of potential donors before accepting their donations. He also did not respond when asked if Tufts reviews potential donors based on their stated political intentions or their past funding of controversial or discredited research. Collins, however, said that Tufts evaluates the quality of the grant awards based on the university’s values and programs. “The university will not accept grant awards that conflict with the university’s mission, academic programs, or services, or that compromise academic freedom and the rigorous and independent pursuit of truth,” he said. Tufts’ analysis of the merits of a potential donation based on its on-campus effects, rather than the donor’s past funding efforts and personal interests, is reflected in interviews the Daily conducted with faculty members who oversaw programs that received contributions from the seven charitable foundations covered in this investigation. Monica Toft, director of the Center for Strategic Studies (CSS) at the Fletcher School, which was founded in 2017 through a $3 million grant from the Charles Koch Foundation, was unaware that the foundation in 2010 requested students’ personal email addresses from the director of a program it funded at the College of Charleston. Toft noted that she has never given student data to the Charles Koch Foundation. However, Collins told the Daily that Tufts donors occasionally ask for students’ personal information as a condition of the students’ participation in the programs supported by the donors.

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The office of the Center for Strategic Studies, located at 114 Curtis St., is pictured on Nov. 27. “Some organizations that support fellowships and scholarships request student contact and email information as part of the application process,” Collins said. “Students who apply for these opportunities would provide their personal contact information at that time.” Toft was also unaware that in 2013, the Koch brothers acquired an electronics company that manufactures military technology relevant to the CSS’ scholarship and that, in the last four years, two key Charles Koch Foundation officials told donors and professors in secretly recorded speeches that the foundation invests in higher education to support politically motivated scholarship. Nonetheless, Toft concluded that the Charles Koch Foundation’s history of promoting its political agenda at various universities, as well as its potential conflict of interest, is

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COURTESY ANNA MILLER FOR TUFTS UNIVERSITY

Monica Toft, director of the Center for Strategic Studies at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, poses for a portrait on Nov. 7, 2017.

irrelevant to her work because the foundation gave the CSS complete academic freedom. “From my perspective, I am a scholar who does research to save lives,” she said. “It’s really about training the next generation of scholars … they’re already coming in with dissertations and, from my perspective, that’s the full story.” Richard Lerner, director of Tufts’ Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development, which received funding from the John Templeton Foundation, was unaware that the Templeton Foundation has also supported organizations that pulled scientific findings out of context to downplay the effects of climate change. Lerner was also unaware that the Templeton Foundation supported former Fletcher adjunct professor and senior research fellow Lawrence Harrison’s 2013 book, in which he argued that “black subculture, not racism and discrimination, was the principal cause of black underachievement,” and that the foundation funded research investigating whether prayers can heal the sick without the knowledge of those receiving them. Lerner called some of the Templeton Foundation’s past funding recipients’ views “abhorrent” and “totally inappropriate” but defended Jack Templeton, who served as the foundation’s president and chairman from 1995 to 2015. “Knowing the late Jack Templeton, knowing the staff that still is there and knowing the Templeton family, they have not a bone of racial animosity or prejudice in them, and I’ve seen them in numerous contexts defending racial diversity,” Lerner said. Richard Shultz serves as director of Fletcher’s International Security Studies Program, which has accepted funds from the Sarah Scaife Foundation, The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and the Earhart Foundation, according to Fletcher’s current and archived websites. Shultz repeatedly declined to comment on the program’s acceptance of these donations. Miguel Basáñez, former director of Fletcher’s now-closed Cultural Change Institute, which also received donations from the Templeton Foundation, referred all grant-related questions to the institute’s former program officer, Kate Taylor. Taylor, who now serves as associate director of the Global Master of Arts Program, had not responded as of press time. Conversations with Tufts administrators and faculty responsible for managing donations from the seven organizations examined in this investigation reveal that they are often unaware of, or uninterested in, donors’ philanthropic record and relevant interests. Tufts’ disregard could allow these foundations and others to engage in the same self-promotion and recruiting tactics that they have used at other universities. Liam Knox contributed reporting to this article.

News

Wednesday, November 28, 2018 | News | THE TUFTS DAILY

Tufts alum discusses collapse of Indian microfinance industry MICROFINANCE

continued from page 1 Akula said that he saw the need for micofinancing in India while working as a community organizer following his graduation from Tufts. “I had a chance to work with a number of different programs,” Akula said. “But when I did, all the women we were working with said, ‘This is great, but if you can give us money, we can start small businesses.’” Akula said that he retained the field approach to micro-lending from other initiatives, that he called the “Grameen model.” “It’s a brilliant model of taking groups of women and having them serve as guarantors for each other, solving the problem of ‘How do you lend to poor women with no collateral?’” Akula said. Group training was the critical component which led SKS Microfinance to its unparalleled growth, Akula claimed. “There’s a whole series of dynamic incentives built into the group model,” Akula said. “Loans are issued to only a

few women in the group at a time, and payments are small in order to follow their cashflow.” Akula added that this method led to a trend of “right-size borrowing” over time, in which individuals borrow the amount that will be most productive for their goals instead of their maximum eligibility. “The groups of women don’t take out the maximum amount,” Akula said. “They look at their capacity, they look at their activity, they look at their income and borrow the amount that they need.” “We found that when the group system is done well, you see this beautiful right-sizing of loans,” Akula said. “And you see impact.” Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd. made its Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the summer of 2010, at which time Akula felt prepared to leave the company. “I felt I had accomplished my goal and could leave the company in good hands,” Akula said. Akula then described the events that contributed to a collapse of the Indian

microfinance industry, following the company’s IPO. “There were tragic incidents of indebtedness and suicides,” Akula said. “Loan officers were beat up, and politicians were telling borrowers not to repay their loans.” Akula then outlined what he believes to be the primary causes of the collapse in 2010. “In 2007, when [SKS Microfinance] started to take money from venture capitalists, the world took notice,” Akula said. New firms that entered microfinance cut costs by decreasing the length and quality of group training, and borrowers increasingly turned to hostility and shame to hold their peers accountable, according to Akula. Lucy Liu, a second-year master’s candidate at the Fletcher School, said that Akula avoided discussing his personal involvement in the crisis while appreciating his approach to the discussion. “I came because I know that he’s a controversial figure because of all of the suicides,” Liu said. “But he did seem sincere about what he did discuss.”

Answering questions from the audience, Akula said that the collapse of the microfinance industry taught him the importance of responsibility in social entrepreneurship. “This taught us that social entrepreneurs, usually in fields with no regulation and vulnerable populations, have a responsibility to act responsibly,” Akula said. According to Akula, regulation was introduced by the Indian government in 2012 after the collapse of most microfinance lenders. “The [Indian] government created regulations that were badly needed,” Akula said. “Now, there’s one universal bank and ten microlenders.” Marcia Mendes, a first-year master’s candidate at the Fletcher School, said that Akula’s discussions and responses to questions from the audience were valuable. “I was impressed that someone so high-profile would come here and be honest about his exposure to the events that happened, and what went wrong and what went right,” Mendes said.

SURE, AT FIRST I WAS A LITTLE TAKEN ABACK BY THE WHOLE PEEING STANDING UP THING. BUT I TAUGHT HIM TO THROW A STICK AND NOW HANGING OUT WITH HIM IS THE BEST PART OF MY DAY. — EINSTEIN adopted 12-09-10

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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Features

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Students, administrators respond to Trump administration’s proposed definition of gender by Mark Choi Staff Writer

Editor’s note: This is the continuation of a story on members of the Tufts community responding to the Trump administration’s proposed re-definition of gender. Part 1, which focused on students calling on the university to improve its support of transgender and non-binary students, was published Tuesday and can be found online. Transgender and non-binary students whom the Daily interviewed all said Tufts could extend greater support for their community, amid the debate over Question 3 on the 2018 Massachusetts ballot and more recently, the Trump administration’s proposal to re-define gender as determined at birth. Hayden Wolff, a sophomore who identifies as trans masculine, said that the university needs to address its own bureaucratic red tape that impact the activism of transgender and non-binary students. “The installation of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus took years of student activism and demands, even though it was clear that it was what the student body needed,” Wolff said. “Personally, even changing my names on the system was difficult. I got emails after emails directing me to another person in charge. Tufts University should spend more time and resources to make the system more fluid.” Thomas Chan, who identifies as genderqueer, agreed with Wolff. “It takes long for these issues to be addressed due to bureaucracy, and I understand why,” Chan, a junior, said. “The main issue, however, is that these issues impact trans and queer students’ everyday experiences. And putting their needs in a queue that will be addressed months or years later is unacceptable.” Associate Provost and Chief Diversity Officer Robert Mack said that his office is working with the LGBT Center to resolve some of those difficulties to better support transgender and non-binary Tufts students, including improving faculty training. “[The LGBT Center and other university offices are] looking into ways to better streamline the updating of common use names across electronic systems where students may interface with the university,” Mack told the Daily in an email. “[The university hopes to provide] support for faculty concerning professional development with [the] Office of Equal Opportunity and the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer on better supporting trans and non-binary students in their classrooms.” Sean Murphy, who volunteered for and organized the Yes on 3 campaign on campus, said that the university’s leadership should also better reflect the identities of the student body. “[A] recent Daily article revealed that Tufts ranks 87th in gender parity among leadership just in Massachusetts [out of 93 universities and colleges]. The article goes to show the lack of representation of marginalized groups in the university’s leadership,” Murphy, a junior, said. “I trust queer administrators to better understand and advocate for queer stu-

COURTESY THOMAS CHAN

Junior Thomas Chan poses for a portrait on the Academic Quad. dents’ rights much more than non-queer administrators, even though [non-queer administrators] can be great allies.” Despite these criticisms, Sidney Hillwig, who identifies as trans masculine, said that the university’s assurances of quality trans health care was crucial in his decision to apply and ultimately attend Tufts. “I came to Tufts because the Tufts insurance promised to cover all aspects I felt necessary to my transition … These were all I needed to know that Tufts was the best institution for me to go,” Hillwig, a sophomore, said. Hope Freeman, director of the LGBT Center, said that the persistence of student activism in spite of institutional red tape, particularly for the transgender and non-binary communities, gives her a sense of hope for the future at Tufts and beyond. “Students on this campus recognized that they were not getting the service and support they needed, so they rallied and protested to get these resources. It was a long process, but they ended up getting [recognition] and [the Group of Six centers] have been here on campus ever since,” Freeman said. “Last year, I was struck by how student activism pushed for gender-neutral bathrooms on campus. Students’ activism and engagement on campus gives me hope that the future can be brighter at Tufts.” Caitlin Colino, a first-year student who volunteered for the Yes on 3 campaign as an ally, said that people, and especially allies, need to unite on behalf of transgender and non-binary individuals. “When there are threats from the government to take away a group of people’s rights, we have to stand against it. It’s not a choice … I know that it is easy for us [as college students] to say ‘But I don’t have time because I have an essay to write.’ If the decision boils down to getting a few points less on your essay and advocating for a cause

you stand by, I’d say it is worth fighting for what you believe in,” Colino said. “I believe that showing up to support the community on campus has meaning in itself.” Hillwig said that progress in trans and queer civil rights and liberties will only be achieved through the tireless work of activists both at Tufts and across the United States, with much of the burden falling upon transgender and non-binary individuals themselves.

“As an optimist, I see the issue moving ever forward, because I believe in Dr. [Martin Luther] King’s judgment of the arc of the moral universe. I know there will come a time where all people can move through their lives without fear of their gender being used against them, where they are not painted as potential criminals for going to the bathroom, where they are supported see TRANSGENDER, page 5

COURTESY MARK CHOI

Junior Sean Murphy and sophomore Hayden Wolff pose for a photo in Tisch Library on Nov. 10.

F e at u r e s

Wednesday, November 28, 2018 | Features | THE TUFTS DAILY

Students, administrators voice support for transgender, non-binary communities at Tufts in face of adversity

Matt Rice The Tide

Jahana Hayes

RACHEL HARTMAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

Hope Freeman, director of the LGBT Center, sits for a portrait at the center in Bolles House on Nov. 26.

TRANSGENDER

continued from page 4 by the infrastructure of the country with their healthcare needs whatever those may be,” Hillwig said. “I don’t think this world will simply come. It will come on the tired backs of those giving all they can to its progress, who are already tired from the state of the world.” Freeman encouraged members of the Tufts community to empower and support each other in activism for transgender and non-binary individuals, amid such challenging times. “If you are tired of not getting what you need, being forgotten and not considered, mobilize and demand what you need … I am always here to support and

lift up the voices that need to be heard at Tufts. Listen carefully others, educate yourself and put yourself into others’ shoes,” Freeman said. Echoing Freeman’s sentiment, Hillwig said that the community should not lose hope in these times. “Remember that your very existence is an act of revolution and a show of your strength. As difficult as it may be, don’t lose hope. Use your resources and connect your fellow family to them. Nobody has to be alone through this,” Hillwig said. “Remember that in the daylight and in the shadows there are forces working to bring all of us peace and justice. Be a part of those forces if it is feasible and safe for you. Use your voice if it is feasible and safe

for you. We will fight this until there is nothing left to fight.” Freeman called on the entire Tufts community to become leaders in supporting the transgender and non-binary communities, in spite of the Trump administration’s new proposal. “This can be an opportunity for Tufts University to make a stronger commitment to support trans and non-binary community members and lead other institutions in the movement,” Freeman said. “Tufts should be able to say that we recognize that this is a new federal guidance, but we will continue our current practices [of supporting trans and queer students] because the university is committed to supporting our trans and queer students, faculty and staff.”

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very year, the White House hosts the country’s greatest public school teachers, with at least one coming from every state. In 2016, during the last year of his presidency, Barack Obama stood next to former United States Secretary of Education John King Jr. and awarded the nation’s highest teaching distinction to Jahana Hayes. Hayes, a history and government teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in Waterbury, Conn., beamed with pride and joy as the president applauded her service and named her America’s Teacher of the Year. “We are at a critical juncture,” Hayes said from the East Room of the White House. “Many states are facing challenges attracting and retaining teachers, especially minority teachers.” Many, including Hayes, thought that would be her first and only foray into anything political. However, her recognition as Teacher of the Year would prove to be just the beginning of a new leg of her career as an advocate for progress in the United States’ education system. In April of this year, Democratic Rep. Elizabeth Esty from Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District announced she would not seek re-election when it was reported she had neglected to fire her chief of staff after he was credibly accused of sexual harassment. The 5th District is Connecticut’s most conservative, so the national Democratic Party immediately stepped in to find a viable replacement for Esty. Party leaders immediately settled on Mary Glassman, an upper-middle class local selectwoman who was seen as moderate enough to win the district. However, liberal activists in the district were enthralled when Hayes entered the race. “I know what it’s like to go to bed to gunshots outside,” Hayes said at a candidate forum. “I know what it’s like in the morning to a dead body in the hallway.” Hayes was born in Waterbury and lived in housing projects throughout the city when she was growing up. At one point, she and her family were homeless. She attended community college and eventually worked her way to a master’s degree, after which she found a job as a teacher in her hometown’s public high school. Hayes was ignored by many party insiders during her run for the Democratic nomination earlier this year, but her compelling story and the support of U.S. Senator Chris Murphy who formerly represented the 5th District, himself, allowed her to capture nearly 60 percent of the vote on election night. Hayes will be the first African American woman to represent Connecticut in Congress, and along with Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, will be one of two African American women representing New England. Her life story and background moved many voters during the election, but Hayes’ proven determination, dedication and commitment are likely to serve the Connecticut’s 5th District well for at least the next two years.

Matt Rice is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Matt can be reached at matthew.rice@tufts.edu.

ARTS&LIVING

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Zachary Hertz and Brady Shea Cheeses of Suburbia

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Do it before finals: Nov. 30–Dec. 9

I Eat Sticks Not Tragedies

achary Hertz (ZH): Because our penultimate guest is Chris Aragon, who went vegan to see if people could eat delicious food on a restrictive diet, I procured vegan mozzarella sticks from Veggie Galaxy in Central Square. Thoughts? Chris Aragon (CA): As a disclaimer, vegan cheese is pretty unsatisfactory. It’s not bad, but they’re still working out the bugs. Brady Shea (BS): I wouldn’t eat it normally, but if I were vegan, I’d live for this. Compared to an actual mozzarella stick, though, I’d have to give it a 4/10. CA: There’s detail in the crisp. You can tell from the texture that there are spices and herbs in the breading, and they put effort into it. They’re a cute novelty and good to get once, so overall I’d say 7/10. ZH: It tastes like a lab-grown mozzarella stick, which it kind of is. 5/10 at best. Brady, tell us about the album: Panic! At The Disco’s “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” (2005). BS: Pete Wentz heard Panic!’s demo on Myspace, drove to Las Vegas and signed them to his label, and within a year, this album came out and they were doing arena tours. CA: I don’t like “Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks” much because of the autotune — it’s like Cher made a metal album. Also, what even is “Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off” about? ZH: I mean, I think it’s their most straightforward. The narrator can’t stop thinking about an ex that cheated, and the chorus is the toxic incel-like mindset that followed. BS: That song versus “But It’s Better If You Do” showcases the contrast between the halves of this album. The first is very much in the style of Fall Out Boy, but at “Intermission,” they transition to a more experimental sound where the instrumentation expands. ZH: They really establish themselves as Panic! in the second half. Two songs draw their titles from a movie quote — “Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking off her clothes, but it’s better if you do” — which brings the themes from the first half into the new sound by the second and transitions perfectly into “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.” BS: “Build God, Then We’ll Talk” paints a picture of a run-down motel and the guests. There’s a virgin staying with a lawyer to get a job, and the lyric “What a wonderful caricature of intimacy” is dripping with irony. A lot of songs use lyrics to describe emotion, but this song conveys a story through exceptional lyricism for a debut. ZH: I love the middle of this album but the rest is forgettable to me. Still, a solid 7/10. CA: That was spectacular for a first album. Sometimes it felt like they couldn’t decide between being pop or metal, but their later discography does. I like that they took risks to develop their own style, though, so I’d say a 9/10. BS: I can’t think of a stronger debut from any band. 9/10.

Zachary Hertz is a senior studying political science. Zachary can be reached at zachary.hertz@tufts.edu. Brady Shea is a senior studying computer science. Brady can be reached at Brady.Shea@tufts.edu.

RACHAEL MEYER / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

Davis Square is pictured on Oct. 19, 2017. by Ruijingya Tang

Assistant Arts Editor

Ready to cross off some items on your holiday shopping list? Desperately need to storm out of Tisch Library to take a break from battling finals? Wish that you got more of a chance to dress up after Halloween? Check out these opportunities to destress and enjoy the holiday vibe both on campus and in the Boston area, in the final week of the fall semester. FRIDAY, NOV. 30 “Free Art Events” hosted by Incredible Art Gallery The fall semester is ending soon, but it’s never too late to decorate your room. Starting Friday, the Incredible Art Gallery is hosting free art events all weekend selling artworks from Marvel Comics, DC Comics, “Game of Thrones,” “Harry Potter,” “Star Wars,” “The Lord of the Rings” and “Alice in Wonderland.” All attendees will receive a free print from one of these franchises and can purchase signed artworks from featured artists. Attendees are also encouraged to dress up as their favorite characters from those shows or movies. Admission is free; RSVP on Facebook. When and where: 6–10 p.m. Friday; 12–7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Hilton Boston Back Bay SATURDAY, DEC. 1 “Anime Boston Day” If you are excited for the upcoming live-action Pokémon movie, you may want to treat your anime-loving spirit to this celebration of Japanese animation, hosted by Anime Boston and the Museum of Science, while you wait for the movie’s release. The event features an anime screening of “Mary and the Witch’s Flower” (2017), a cosplay show, panel discussions

and more. People are welcome to attend in costumes. When and where: 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Museum of Science “Make Your Own Snowglobe” Homemade gifts can always melt hearts — especially DIY snowglobes. Make your own mini-Narnia at the snowglobe making workshop hosted by Somerville bookstore Comicazi, before stepping into a real one when Boston’s next snowstorm hits. Tickets required; they are available online. When and where: 4–6 p.m. in Comicazi, Davis Square SUNDAY, DEC. 2 “Palestinian Embroidery Workshop” Never touched a ball of yarn before? No worries — this embroidery workshop welcomes both expert and amateur stitchers alike. The workshop, conducted by Tatreez & Tea and hosted by Tufts Students for Justice in Palestine and Crafts Center, will give participants a vivid glance into the wonders of Palestinian embroidery through practice. Participants will be able to take away their own products. The workshop can only host 20 participants and requires advance reservations online. The event is only open to Tufts students. When and where: 1–4 p.m. in Crafts Center “Escape Tisch” Isn’t everyone dying to spend more time at this favorite campus building of theirs? Can’t relate? Then this event is for you. Spare some of your mental power from studying for finals to solve puzzles at this Tufts version of an escape room, presented by Tufts University Social Collective. Free snacks and other stress-relieving activities, such as wax hands, will be presented. Admission is free; no tickets required.

When and where: 10 p.m. – 1 a.m. in Tisch Library “Holiday Lights of Boston” Festivity lies in the nature of the energetic city of Boston. However, Boston can always take on some extra holiday vibes this time of year. BlueHour Photo Ventures is hosting multiple photography workshops starting Sunday, where attendees will capture the holiday lights in the heart of Boston. Bring your devices to transform the warm and cozy lights in the Public Garden, Beacon Hill, Quincy Market and Columbus Park into your own artworks. Tickets available online at $80 apiece or $140 for a pair — so bring a friend along. When and where: 3:30–8:30 p.m. on Dec. 2, 3, 5, 6 and 9 in the Public Garden THURSDAY, DEC. 6 “Holiday Madness in Davis Square” Somerville’s very own Davis Square is having a holiday sale. Participating stores include Comicazi, Davis Squared, Magpie and The Boston Shaker. Take the shuttle to Davis Square next week, and participate in free raffles, giveaways and local shopping deals. When and where: 6–10 p.m. in participating Davis Square businesses SUNDAY, DEC. 9 “Unique Markets Holiday Pop-Up Boston” This vibrant artist market offers no ordinary holiday shopping experience. The market, organized by Unique Markets, features various festive elements such as designer product sales, DIY gift stations, a photo booth, music and free drinks. Admission requires purchasing a $5 ticket on Eventbrite. When and where: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Cyclorama, Boston Center for the Arts

CORRECTION A previous version of the Nov. 19 article “Dining workers, students rally to support union contract negotiations” inaccurately represented the number of people at a Nov. 16 rally to support dining workers’ unionization efforts as over 100. More than 200 people were present at the rally. The article has been updated to reflect this change. The Daily regrets this error.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018 | FUN & GAMES | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Opinion

8 tuftsdaily.com

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

EDITORIAL

Tufts should offer separate introductory courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics Economics is a staple at Tufts, a common major at a highly-ranked liberal arts school. In fact, it is one of the top five majors in the School of Arts and Sciences. Undoubtedly, foundational knowledge of the subject is important and transferrable to a variety of career paths. However, the introductory economics course sequence at Tufts does not provide the best possible path to future success for potential economics majors. Tufts students who choose to major or minor in economics are required to take an introductory course — either EC 5 or EC 8. Many students choose to take EC 5, Principles of Economics. The course description states that EC 5 is an “introduction to the fundamentals of microeconomic and macroeconomic analysis.” Though students must have a grasp on such fundamentals in order to continue onto more advanced courses, EC 5 does not do enough to prepare students for success in this realm. Covering both microeconomic and macroeconomic principles in a one-semester course is inherently risky, as it does not budget adequate time to each broad subfield. It is challenging to develop a high enough competency in both microeconomics and macroeconomics to match EC 5’s course description. One half of the course is dedicated

to microeconomics and the other half to macroeconomics, but achieving the same level of mastery in both domains does not necessarily take the same amount of time, nor can it easily be achieved within a single semester. The backgrounds of EC 5 students are also typically diverse. Students who scored a 5 on either the Advanced Placement Microeconomics or Macroeconomics exam in high school are required to enroll in EC 5. Only students who took both of these exams and scored a 5 on each can place out of EC 5. Thus, the students enrolled in EC 5 can either have no prior economic experience or be familiar with either macroeconomic or microeconomic theory, but not both. Needless to say, it is difficult to implement a single standard for all students in the class, and many students are ultimately left struggling as their classmates move ahead. In addition, the sheer number of students in the class (over 150 students enrolled for the spring and nearly 300 students in the course this semester) makes it difficult for individualized instruction to take place. As students with differing levels of experience with economics are in the same classroom, the instructor is forced to cater to one generic level of knowledge. As a result,

the instructor’s pace is rendered ineffective for the entire class; students with a strong background are unchallenged, and students who lack experience are overwhelmed. Students in EC 5 are required to enroll in recitation sections of up to 25 people each, but similar issues may arise when students do not regularly attend their recitation or if teaching assistants leading the recitations cannot cater to the diverse academic backgrounds of their students. Many of Tufts’ peer schools with economics programs have two separate introductory courses. Schools such as Colby College, Bates College, Middlebury College, Harvard University and Northwestern University all separate their introductory economics coursework into two separate courses, each focused on either microeconomics or macroeconomics. This course structure will be viable at Tufts. With two separate courses, students will be much better prepared for their future coursework in Intermediate Microeconomic and Macroeconomic Theory. This addition will not extend the economics major requirements unreasonably. The major currently requires 11 courses, and expanding it to 12 would still be within the standard range of major coursework at Tufts.

An argument can be made to continue offering EC 5 at Tufts. Many students who enroll in the course are not necessarily looking to pursue a major, minor or career of any sort in economics, but instead wish to gain fundamental knowledge on the topic for self-enrichment. EC 5 could also cater to international relations majors, for whom a broad understanding of economic principles would be necessary. Such students should be encouraged to take EC 5 and gain background knowledge on an area of study highly applicable to many aspects of life. Separating economics majors from students in EC 5 would also allow for the course to proceed at a more standardized pace. By requiring economics majors to take introductory microeconomics and macroeconomics as two separate courses, Tufts will ensure success in multiple ways. Economics majors will be more prepared for future coursework in the major. Students who wish to learn the foundations of economics without necessarily pursuing further study in the subject will be able to do so in a more focused environment. Overall, students will be distributed among introductory economics courses in a way that will allow them to learn alongside students comparable to themselves.

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Opinion

Wednesday, November 28, 2018 | Opinion | THE TUFTS DAILY

CARTOON

Food coma

Nesi Altaras Takeaways

American Jews reconsider American exceptionalism

W BY NASRIN LIN

hile the news cycle has flipped many times over since the Oct. 27 mass shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue, many American Jews are still reeling from the aftermath. According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents and reports of online harassment have increased in frequency in recent years. In 2016, American Jews were reported as being victims of hate crimes more than any other religious minority, according to CNN. The attack that left 11 dead was perpetrated by a neo-Nazi who said, without reservation, that he believes “all Jews must die.” It was the deadliest antisemitic incident in U.S. history. The horrific act led many American Jews to ask questions that they simply did not have to consider for a few generations. Questions that seem natural to Jews elsewhere in the diaspora in France, Iran, Britain or Turkey. Much like the wide American exceptionalism of the general population, American Jews, having become “white” from the 1940s to the 1990s, saw the U.S. as exceptional in the realm of antisemitism; A breath of fresh air from the entrenched antisemitism of Europe or the Middle East; A safe haven after the Holocaust. The disconnect was clear in the different reactions between me, another diasporic Jew, and American Jews. While we were all distraught and disgusted, I unfortunately was not shocked. I wish I were, but this attack happened only a week before the commemoration of the 2003 attack that happened on my community’s central synagogue — the third deadly attack in less than 60 years. With Pittsburgh, this edifice is crumbling. Much like many other countries, antisemitism exists in all corners of the U.S., and American Jews are increasingly taking notice. The Forward, one of the most prominent and longest-running Jewish publications in the U.S., recently published a series of opinions by young American Jewish leaders answering the question “Is America still safe for Jews?” The sheer fact that The Forward asked this question is a major departure from the norm. This is not a usual question that third or fourth generation American Jews have to ask themselves. While there were different perspectives, a strong faction of the leaders had given up on American exceptionalism in antisemitism. The major event shifting the communal view was undoubtedly the Charlottesville rally. The chant “Jews will not replace us” was clearly heard by Jews. Security in synagogues was heightened. Charlottesville’s white supremacist gathering was one point in the rise of antisemitic incidents in the U.S. This trend has continued and culminated in the deadliest attack on American Jews. David Shraub is correct when he says “there is no reason to believe America will eternally be immune to global anti-Semitic currents.” Like in every country, this will ebb and flow. Right now, with the president’s rather thinly-veiled tacit approval, antisemitism is on the rise. All we can do is fight it continuously and hope we have weathered the peak. Nesi Altaras is a senior studying international relations and economics. Nesi can be reached at nesi.altaras@tufts.edu.

THE TUFTS DAILY | Sports | Wednesday, November 28, 2018

tuftsdaily.com

Football, men’s soccer teams partner with local, international charities JUMBOS GIVE BACK

continued from back about our neighbors and our community and what’s going in and how we all can help. When our students are at lunch or trying to get people’s awareness up, I think that’s as effective and as important as the bags of stuff too.” A third community service effort that the football team is involved in is volunteering at the nearby Brooks Elementary School. According to Rynne, the team’s partnership with Brooks Elementary School started last year and grew out of attempts to make a greater impact in neighboring communities. Rynne said that at the elementary school the team conducts reading sessions and helps students with homework, in addition to supporting them through the highs and lows of life. “Brooks was something that we kind of saw as a need — how can we get our students to be able to work with the community, have an impact with kids?” Rynne said. “That’s something that through some great help from some people in the department here who have kids at that age — our women’s tennis coach [Kate Bayard] being one of them — just really helping us [make] some great connections so that we’re able to talk to the right people who are excited about having us over there.” Senior quarterback and co-captain Ryan McDonald spoke to the joy he got from interacting with the students at Brooks Elementary School. “It was a pretty great opportunity for myself and a couple of other players,” McDonald said. “We went there with intentions to read to them and help them find positive male role models, and we ended up playing tag at recess every Friday — one of

the best experiences getting to enjoy the time with those guys and girls.” Rynne said that many of the junior and senior members of the team who believed in the importance of the program helped it succeed early on. Rynne noted that sophomore running back Mike Pedrini even took time out before an exam last year to mentor at Brooks. “I think we’ve incredibly talented people at Tufts and our student athletes are some impressive kids; you see some great growth,” Rynne said. “Our Tufts guys do so many things and they take their time out of the things they’re doing to give back to the community.” Men’s soccer Every year, the Tufts-Brandeis men’s soccer game is marked on both teams’ calendars as a contest for supremacy in suburban Boston. The top two Div. III teams — Tufts from the NESCAC and Brandeis from the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), respectively — compete once a year in a decisive game for postseason rank. A year ago, the Judges beat the Jumbos in a last-gasp golden goal winner in double overtime in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Div. III tournament, sending Brandeis to its second Final Four in as many years. Since 2015, matches between the two sides have been decided by a single goal. But the high-octane affair is also marked for a different reason altogether: It’s Tufts’ annual charity match, in support of international health organization Grassroot Soccer. According to its website, Grassroot Soccer “leverages the power of soccer to educate, inspire and mobilize youth in developing countries to overcome their greatest health challenges, live healthier, more productive

lives, and be agents for change in their communities.” The non-profit was imagined when founder Tommy Clark, while playing professionally for Highlanders F.C. in Zimbabwe, saw many of his teammates affected directly by AIDS. Incredulous with the situation’s seeming hopelessness, Clark sought to make a difference, and Grassroots Soccer was born. Today, the organization uses soccer as its foundation and curriculum to guide adolescents to a healthy lifestyle. Tufts’ partnership with Grassroot Soccer began in 2015, according to assistant coach and men’s soccer team alum Matt Zinner (LA ’18). “We’re all really fortunate to play soccer at this level, especially at a place like this,” Zinner said. “It’s such a privilege, and helping out in any way we can is something every player here wants to do.” The two teams encourage family, friends and classmates to contribute to Grassroot Soccer in the annual fundraiser. The Jumbos also team up with Positive Tracks, a nonprofit that aims to stimulate youth activism through sports, and matches every donation by someone under the age of 23 to the Grassroot Soccer fundraiser. According to Zinner, the teams rake in anywhere between $5,000 and $7,000 each year. It’s a funny picture to imagine — rivals both on and off the field teaming up for a fundraiser, wearing identical Grassroot Soccer T-shirts, just before a fierce battle for Boston bragging rights. Tufts senior goalkeeper and co-captain Conner Mieth commented on the dichotomy. “We’re both warming up in the same T-shirts before games but … we have to take a picture beforehand and they try to mix us in but it’s like ‘no, no, I don’t really want to touch him,’” Mieth said.

For Mieth, it also highlights Grassroot Soccer’s importance to the Tufts squad. “[Soccer’s] not only a sport we’ve been playing for countless years … it’s a learning function,” Mieth said. “We learn from role models. Being able to provide that for underprivileged kids living in impoverished places in the world is a great way to help them escape. Every time we step on Bello [Field] it’s an escape … Once you step on the field, everything is in the back of your mind. Helping to provide that is invaluable for those kids.” Unsure of what he wanted to do after graduating from Tufts but always having the desire to do more for the community than just an annual charity game, Zinner considered joining a Grassroot Soccer program in South America. Learning more and more about Grassroot Soccer’s mission led Zinner to initiate another fundraising event in the spring: a 3-on-3 coed tournament. “While [the Brandeis fundraisers] have been successful, they haven’t been too time intensive or required too much. We would put out a Facebook post and hopefully the dollars came in,” Zinner said. “I wanted to do something a little more involved that would spread the word a little bit more.” Zinner said that 49 people participated in the charity tournament in April, drawing students from both men’s and women’s soccer teams as well as friends of the Tufts soccer community. Like the Brandeis fundraiser, Zinner partnered with Positive Tracks to match donations, yielding over $1,000 in total. Zinner hopes that the 3-on-3 charity tournament continues into the future. “Last year, I wanted to do something a little bit more than just having the game,” Zinner said. “It’s frankly pretty fun, so I think it can become an annual thing.”

MUSIC, PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND BEETHOVEN FOR THE ROHINGYA

TODAY, November 28 12 Noon, Distler Hall Granoff Music Center An exploration of identity and transformative social action through music, for healing in our troubled times

Conductor, Humanitarian and Founder, Music for Life International Presented by The Institute for Global Leadership & The Department of Music, Tufts University

Sports

Wednesday, November 28, 2018 | Sports | THE TUFTS DAILY

Jumbos finish 25th at NCAA Championship despite costly falls

Jeremy Goldstein The Anti-Bostonian

The case against the Celtics’ progress

MADELEINE OLIVER / TUFTS CROSS COUNTRY

Senior co-captain Brian Reaney runs at the Div. III NCAA Championship on Nov. 17.

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

continued from back Reaney and Raposo both emphasized the effect of the fall, which Reaney said included dozens of people, on the team’s performance. “That was pretty tough for our team. Falling in a race is obviously not ideal — it can be pretty detrimental to somebody’s race,” Reaney. “It’s one of those things where you fall, and once you get up, it can be really demoralizing [to feel] like you’ve lost a lot of ground. It’s really difficult to try to make that ground back up and adjust your mindset quickly enough to be able to keep going.” After failing to qualify for Nationals in each of the last two years, the team was excited for its opportunity to compete against the top competition in Div. III.

“We focus our season on Regionals so we can get to Nationals, so it is the goal of the season,” Reaney said. “And then from there, you have to be like ‘Ok, now that we’ve made it, our work’s not done.’ We have to put [ourselves] in a mindset where we’re going to still be aggressive in a meet we weren’t sure we were going to qualify for.” Raposo added that the team was pleased with its top-25 finish, as it felt it was able to prove itself after not being ranked in the top 30 teams for much of the season. The Jumbos also enjoyed traveling to Wisconsin together, as team members who did not compete rented vans to cheer on their teammates. “It’s an incredible atmosphere to be halfway across the country and have all these people there supporting you,” Raposo said. “It’s something really special about cross country and the sport in general.”

Reflecting on the season, Reaney and Raposo both commented on how the team’s lack of a clear top runner bolstered its ability to compete collectively. “We had this goal [to qualify for Nationals], and we achieved it and it was really great, especially after not making Nationals for a couple years,” Reaney said. “We’re also not a team that has a really strong front runner. We have a pack of guys who are good, but no one who’s really a stud … it felt like more of a group effort in that way.” Raposo said that he was proud of the team’s ability to work together. “It’s really fun to go out there and race next to everyone that you’re training with every day,” Raposo said. “I think that was the big takeaway for most of us. We really went out there and did it for each other.”

t’s almost as if the Celtics’ roster is too strong for its own good. When you literally pillage another NBA franchise, it makes sense that you’d have more talent than you’d know what to do with. But Brad Stevens didn’t build his current coaching acumen on the backs of talented rosters. He built it on backs with sizes ranging from Amir Johnson to Isaiah Thomas, with players who could only shoot to guys who couldn’t shoot a lick. Despite being deprived of Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, Stevens’ crew thrived in the playoffs last season. It’s almost as if he makes more with less. Considering their arsenal of talent, the Celtics’ recent offensive struggles are perplexing. The opening-day starting lineup featured three players who made the All-Star team in the last two seasons (Hayward, Irving and Al Horford) and two more players who are widely considered to be among the best young players in the association ( Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown). The lineup looked great on paper but, my god, do these players complement each other poorly. Brown and Tatum are too good to be relegated to shooting alternatives on the wing. Other players of similar prestige and draft capital — think Luka Doncic — have inherited playmaking roles and usage rates that trounce those of the young Celtics who both rank deep in the 100s of player usage overall. Put either of them on the Bulls instead of Zach LaVine and watch them grow like Chia Pets. The “instant offense” label falls to Irving, and his efficiency numbers this season are on track with his career average, with a true field goal percentage of .568. For Hayward, the same can’t be said. There is a universal chalking it up to his absolutely gruesome injury from last season, but Hayward is at his best when handed the keys to the offense. Attempting only 9.2 shots per game, Hayward isn’t even hitting his wide open ones, and it got so bad that Hayward was removed from the starting lineup in favor of Tommy Heinsohn’s favorite, Aron Baynes. Playing with two centers is fine, until you realize it isn’t 1985. Speaking of centers, Horford is perhaps unfairly not holding up his jack-ofall-trades reputation. But when you’re getting paid $28.9 million, you can get criticized. He has to stretch the floor, rebound, defend the rim, run the offense through the high post and finish at the basket all at once in a Draymond Greenesque fashion. Al’s win shares per 48 minutes is his lowest since the 2011–12 season. The pre-Durant Warriors, with arguably less talent than this crop of Celtics, could cover for each other’s deficiencies. The Celtics have four similarly cast players, leaving one big man in the middle gasping for air. You may not think it’s a problem until you realize the Celtics are 11–10 and just lost at home to the Knicks. Jeremy Goldstein is an assistant sports editor on the Daily. He is a sophomore studying political science and film and media studies. Jeremy can be reached at Jeremy.Goldstein@tufts.edu.

12 tuftsdaily.com

Sports

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Jumbos Give Back, Part 2: Athletic teams find meaning in community involvement

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The Brandeis and Tufts men’s soccer teams pose for a photo before their annual fundraising match in support of international health organization Grassroot Soccer on Sept. 21. by Yuan Jun Chee and Arlo Moore-Bloom Executive Sports Editor and Sports Editor

Editor’s note: This is the second part of a threepart story highlighting Tufts Athletics’ contributions to the community. Part 1 was published Nov. 19 and can be found online. Part 3 will be published in print and online Thursday. Several of Tufts’ sports teams organize specific community involvement efforts of their own, in addition to Athletics’ involvement with Team IMPACT and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay. Football team The Tufts football team, for example, has volunteered with Cradles to Crayons and

Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC). Such efforts are headed by offensive line coach Scott Rynne. While Rynne is the point person for the football team’s community initiatives, he said that a lot of the efforts were driven by what the athletes were interested in. According to senior offensive lineman Dan Dewing, the team got involved with sorting out children’s clothing, sneakers and books donations they received for Cradles to Crayons last year. This year, the team collected donations at the Wesleyan and Bates home games in September. Its efforts to collect clothes for children was successful, as the team filled four big baskets after just one day. “We had guys there helping and working; it’s just an easy thing for us,” Dewing said. “We have such large numbers and

our families are coming every week, so we say, ‘Hey, bring some used clothes that are stored away,’ so it’s just the little things that add up. And once you kind of look at the big picture … it’s really just the intent of being involved and continuously giving back.” These efforts were then repeated for the winter, as the football team resumed its annual collaboration with SHC to collect winter coats during its Nov. 11 game against Middlebury. Rynne said that the team successfully collected about five bags worth of coats in this year’s coat drive. Other Tufts teams involved with SHC include the men’s lacrosse team, which conducts an annual food and supplies drive.

Dewing explained the importance of the team’s involvement in local community service. “Football’s so big, and we all believe in giving back and what it means to be part of a community,” Dewing said. “We can help a huge national organization, but it’s nice to do local stuff as well.” Yet for all the success the programs have had, Rynne said raising awareness about the community’s needs was far more important. “One of the goals of [the coat drive was that] we wanted to do a lot of good work in that,” Rynne said. “We also wanted to bring exposure to the need and let people know see JUMBOS GIVE BACK, page 10

Men’s cross country places 25th at NCAA Championship after two-year absence by Tom Burnham Staff Writer

Tufts placed 25th out of 32 teams at the Div. III NCAA Championship in Winneconne, Wis. on Nov. 17, as the team returned to the national competition for the first time in three years. The 25th-place finish in the 8K event saw Tufts accrue a total score of 601, finishing just ahead of NESCAC foe Bates (604), one of four other NESCAC teams in the national championship. North Central College, which had the top two finishers in the entire field, seniors Dhruvil Patel (24:24.5) and Al Baldonado (24:29.7), came out on top with a score of 43. Senior co-captain Brian Reaney finished first for the Jumbos, as the

Portsmouth, N.H. native overcame an early fall to finish 95th out of 280 runners with a time of 25:34.5. “The race packed up really tightly for the first mile,” Reaney said. “It got out fast, and because it’s Nationals, the range of times that people run is pretty narrow, so everyone’s sort of in the same place and everyone’s fighting for a position. I actually fell a half-mile in. A couple people in front of me fell, and it basically just created this domino effect … it was unavoidable. So from there, I was trying to make up ground throughout the race.” Reaney finished less than half a second ahead of fellow senior co-captain Colin Raposo, who placed 97th overall with a time of 25:34.9.

“For the last couple miles, I was focusing more on moving up on people,” Reaney said. “I ended up catching Colin right at the line. I saw him probably five meters before the line and happened to have the momentum to pass him.” Raposo explained that, unlike many of his teammates, he was able to avoid a fall at Lake Breeze Golf Course. “I was actually lucky in that my race strategy was to get out hard,” Raposo said. “I was up further towards the front when the fall happened, unlike a bunch of my teammates. So they went out a bit more conservatively, and unfortunately, it was [seniors] Rory [Buckman], Andrew [Doherty Munro], Hiroto [Watanabe] and Brian [Reaney] who all got caught up in that fall, which definitely

set them back. I got out really well but faded a lot. So I had the opposite problem as the people who were fighting their way up through the race.” The Jumbos were scattered throughout the pack after the big fall. Senior co-captain Dylan Jones clocked in at 25:53.9 for 150th overall, while sophomore Peter Horvath finished in 26:28.1 to place fourth for Tufts and 233rd overall. Watanabe finished close behind Horvath, clocking a time of 26:29.2 for 235th. Doherty Munro (26:48.7) and Buckman (26:57.3) rounded out the Jumbos’ top seven, finishing 251st and 259th, respectively. see MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY, page 11