The Tufts Daily - Monday, December 3, 2018 by The Tufts Daily

Active Minds at Tufts, university administrators discuss mental health training for faculty see FEATURES / PAGE 4

MENTAL HEALTH AT TUFTS

Community members advocate for mental health care

A look at art therapy as means of managing emotions, resolving mental health crises see ARTS&LIVING / PAGE 6

SEE OPINION / PAGE 10

THE

INDEPENDENT

STUDENT

N E W S PA P E R

TUFTS

UNIVERSITY

E S T. 1 9 8 0

T HE T UFTS DAILY

VOLUME LXXVI, ISSUE 55

tuftsdaily.com

Monday, December 3, 2018

MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS.

Men’s soccer captures third national championship in five years by Maddie Payne Sports Editor

Saturday marked the end of a historic season for the Jumbos, who defeated the Calvin Knights 2–1 to claim their third national title in five years — a feat achieved by only two other schools in the tournament’s 45-year history. In doing so, Tufts completed its first-ever unbeaten season since the program began keeping records in 1946 with a mark of 18–0–3. Tufts bowed out of the NESCAC tournament with a quarterfinal loss to Colby but nonetheless entered the NCAA tournament with confidence. The team benefited from the extra rest it received thanks to its first-round bye. The Jumbos proceeded to down the Stevens Ducks 1–0, the Amherst Mammoths 3–0 and the Montclair State Red Hawks 4–0 to advance to the Final Four. Calvin College progressed to the national title game after beating the University of Chicago in a 4–1 romp, while Tufts saw off the University of Rochester 3–1 to set up a rematch of the 2016 final. The Knights’ trip to the title game marked their fourth see MEN'S SOCCER, see back page

COURTESY BRIAN WESTERHOLT

The Tufts men’s soccer team celebrates its Div. III NCAA title following its 2–1 win over Calvin in Greensboro, N.C. on Dec. 1.

Kevin Love discusses mental health activism at The New York Times event by Yuan Jun Chee and Anton Shenk

Executive Sports Editor and Staff Writer

Content warning: This article discusses mental health. Five-time All-Star and NBA champion Kevin Love discussed his experience coping with mental health issues at a discussion in Cohen Auditorium on Nov. 29. Moderated by The New York Times sports columnist Juliet Macur, the talk was part of a series of Timesbacked conversations, titled “Get with the Times,” dedicated to exploring issues relevant to students. The event, focused on mental health in sports and beyond, began with a discussion of Love’s essay published on March 6 in The Players’ Tribune. In “Everybody’s Going Through Something,” Love detailed the role of mental health in his life, including a panic attack he experienced just after halftime of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Nov. 5, 2017 matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. Love told the audience that he “didn’t feel right all day” leading up to the game. He also described the pressures that existed for him at the time, which included stresses in his family life as well as in his athletic career.

Please recycle this newspaper

Partly Cloudy 54 / 32

/thetuftsdaily

ALONSO NICHOLS / TUFTS UNIVERSITY

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, a five-time NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist, discusses his activism on mental health-related issues with The New York Times columnist Juliet Macur in Cohen Auditorium on Nov. 29. “I was sticking my hand down my throat trying to grab something that wasn’t there. I was panicking, [covered in] sweat,” Love said, describing his panic attack in the Cavaliers locker room. “I’d come to a point where I felt I

For breaking news, our content archive and exclusive content, visit tuftsdaily.com @tuftsdaily

tuftsdaily

was having a heart attack and that I was going to die.” Love said that he tried to disconnect himself from his emotions, fearing his teammates would see him as “weak.”

“As young men that is what we are taught to do,” he said. “I was afraid my teammates would think I was weak, that people would think less of me.” Love, however, noted that his teammates supported his speaking out about his history of mental health struggles, explaining how senior teammates such as Kyle Korver and LeBron James offered help and thanked Love. Love also said that current and former players, including DeMar DeRozan, Channing Frye and Paul Pierce, shared their stories with him since the essay’s publication. The talk was followed by a question-and-answer session in which Love took questions from the crowd and via video from other watch parties across the country. When Ayoub Khadar, a junior, asked Love who the one person, dead or alive, with whom he’d choose to have dinner, Love — who earlier had alluded to his fascination with Anthony Bourdain’s TV series “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” (2013–18) — chose the famous chef, who had his own mental health struggles. Love said that he would have wanted to see what he could have done to provide support to the culinary personality.

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

see KEVIN LOVE, page 2

FUN & GAMES.........................8 OPINION...................................10 SPORTS............................ BACK

THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Monday, December 3, 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

Jessie Newman Executive Features Editor Constantinos Angelakis Features Editors Emma Damokosh Kenia French Ameenah Rashid Michael Shames Grace Yuh Sidharth Anand Kevin Doherty Assistant Features Editors Jacob Fried Justin Yu Tommy Gillespie Executive Arts Editor Antonio Bertolino Arts Editors John Fedak Libby Langsner Setenay Mufti Julian Blatt Assistant Arts Editors Stephanie Hoechst Christopher Panella Ruijingya Tang Deeksha Bathini Jesse Clem Maria Fong Shannon Geary Nasrin Lin Lydia Ra Rebecca Tang Emily Burke Carrie Haynes Yuan Jun Chee Ryan Eggers Liam Finnegan Savannah Mastrangelo Arlo Moore-Bloom Maddie Payne Haley Rich Brad Schussel Tim Chiang Sejal Dua Jeremy Goldstein David Meyer Josh Steinfink Ethan Zaharoni

Executive Opinion Editor Cartoonists

Editorialists

Executive Sports Editor Sports Editors

Assistant Sports Editors

David Nickerson Investigative Editor Rachel Hartman Executive Photo Editor Anika Agarwal Photo Administrator Erik Britt Staff Photographers Andrea Chavez Allison Culbert Mike Feng Kenar Haratunian Ben Kim Max Lalanne Christine Lee Julia McDowell Madeleine Oliver Evan Slack Ana Sophia Acosta Executive Video Editors Annette Key Asha Iyer Video Editor

PRODUCTION Alice Yoon

Production Director Aidan Menchaca Executive Layout Editors Daniel Montoya Amanda Covaleski Layout Editors Anna Deck Jordan Isaacs Maygen Kerner Omeir Khan Isabella Montoya Katharine Pinney Executive Graphics Editor Luke Allocco Executive Copy Editors David Levitsky Caroline Bollinger Copy Editors Mary Carroll Myshko Chumak Anna Hirshman Rachel Isralowitz Katie Martensen Ali Mintz Nihaal Shah Liora Silkes Hannah Wells Jiayu Xu Avni Ambalam Assistant Copy Editors Allie Morgenstern Yuval Wolf Ani Hopkins

Executive Online Editor Senior Online Editor

Ercan Sen Executive Social Media Editors Amy Tong Asli Akova Social Media Editor Elisabeth Blossom Assistant Social Media Editors Shaivi Herur Asha Iyer Lillian Miller

BUSINESS Joe Walsh

Executive Business Director

tuftsdaily.com

‘Get with the Times’ event discusses mental health, sports KEVIN LOVE

continued from page 1 Love added that he sees himself continuing his career in basketball, in the hopes that he could continue to use his platform to spread awareness about mental health. Love’s appearance came as Tufts received The HBC Foundation’s inaugural JED Campus grant of $300,000, according to Jacklyn Varela, communications and project administrator in the Office of the President. The JED Campus initiative helps schools “create positive, systemic change in the campus community,” according to its website.

“The HBC Foundation [awarded] its first grant to Tufts to be a [JED Campus],” Varela said. “It’s an honor that Tufts was selected to receive this grant; hosting Kevin Love on campus elevates the conversation about student mental health.” Tufts’ Executive Director of Health and Wellness Michelle Bowdler said that the nonprofit Jed Foundation focuses on mental health and suicide prevention on college campuses. “[The Jed Foundation is] very generous with the information … they have,” Bowdler said. “They have different models

on how to set up effective and comprehensive mental health education on campus, they have protocols and policies related to suicide prevention, and so they’re very generous sharing these online and we’ve been following them for years and their work and respect them very much.” Bowdler added that as the university recently completed its Mental Health Task Force assessments across its campuses, the partnership with the Jed Foundation allows it to continue expanding discussions about mental health.

Hanukkah lighting ceremony reflects on Jewish identity, antisemitism by Daniel Nelson

Executive News Editor

Around 60 students on Tufts’ Medford/ Somerville campus welcomed a rainy first night of Hanukkah at the Mayer Campus Center Sunday in a candle-lighting service that was as much about the holiday as about American Jewish identity in the wake of the recent rise in antisemitism. The ceremony, a 15-year-old outreach initiative by the Rohr Chabad House at Tufts that has become a tradition frequented by university presidents and the Tufts Pep Band alike, took place under the breezeway between the Campus Center and the bookstore because of rain. Rabbi Tzvi Backman, director of Chabad at Tufts, led the ceremony. Backman showed the crowd a 1931 photograph of an unlit menorah on a windowsill in Kiel, Germany. Beyond the menorah, through the window, a banner with a swastika can be seen, belonging to the Nazi Party’s headquarters in the town. Backman read the inscription that the photographer, Rachel Posner, wife of the town’s rabbi, wrote on the picture’s back. “‘Judea dies,’ thus says the banner,” Backman recited. “‘Judea will live forever,’ thus responds the lights.” Backman later told the Daily that he had been struck by the photograph’s prescience. He noted that even though it was taken before the Nazi Party had seized power, Posner had predicted both the antisemitic violence, and the Jewish perseverance, that would come. “It’s before anybody even knew what was going to happen [in Europe],” Backman said. Backman connected the 1931 photograph to last month’s shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue, located in the neighborhood that Backman grew up in. “I saw this [photo] and I thought, ‘This is what we’re witnessing here,’” Backman said. “There was an act of antisemitism meant to intimidate and to instill fear and to threaten.” University President Anthony Monaco attended the service to light the shamash, or attendant, candle. In short remarks before he lighted the candle, he spoke about the photo’s troubling imagery. “[The rabbi’s] photograph reminds us of the historical darkness of human nature,” Monaco said.

CHRISTINE LEE / THE TUFTS DAILY

University President Anthony Monaco helps light a menorah outside the Mayer Campus Center at the Hanukkah lighting ceremony organized by the Rohr Chabad House at Tufts on Dec. 2. He continued, saying that it was important for the community to celebrate the menorah’s light. Backman spoke about creating light in times of darkness, which was also a major theme at the campus memorial service for the Tree of Life victims, held at the Granoff Family Hillel Center. Then, Backman and Rabbi Naftali Brawer, Tufts’ Jewish Chaplain and Neubauer Executive Director of Tufts Hillel, both meditated on candlelight and memory. At Sunday’s ceremony, Backman said that the Tufts community seems “prouder of their identity, prouder of their Judaism” in the wake of the shooting. He praised attendees for coming to see the lighting. “We have to know that we can be confident in our identity that we will remain and we will stand strong,” Backman said. “And that confidence is actually displayed when we come out and celebrate in an open and public manner.” In an interview with the Daily, Chabad at Tufts Student Board President Ilana Gitlin noted the ceremony’s high attendance in spite of the rain. She said Hanukkah’s message is important with recent antisemitic attacks in mind. “I think the whole message of Hanukkah at this time is very import-

ant: to spread the light, and more than that to not let oppressors get their way even if you might be the underdog — even if you might be the little guy, the underdog can still win,” Gitlin, a senior, said. The half hour-long ceremony was not all about somber reflection: Tufts Pep Band played Hanukkah-themed music, and there were latkes and jelly doughnuts for attendees. Pep Band President Elias Marcopoulos, a senior, conducted the band. Marcopoulos explained what the Pep Band brought to the event. “What we primarily function as is a group that raises spirit, and this is a quite spirited event,” Marcopoulos said. “We’re literally lighting the lights for hope. What better way to do that then to have the Pep Band with you, who can bring pep to the occasion too?” Marcopoulos and Backman both said that this was the Pep Band’s 12th year playing at the menorah-lighting event. Senior Zachary Kaplan, who played the service as a member of the Pep Band during his first semester at Tufts and has attended every subsequent menorah lighting service, reflected on the ceremony. “It’s one of the most fond memories I have about Judaism,” he said. “I think it’s nice to continue doing it in college.”

TCU Senate votes to allocate $5,000 to ‘SLUSH Fund’ for student projects by Noah Richter

Assistant News Editor

The Tufts Community Union ( TCU) Senate met Sunday in the Sophia Gordon Multipurpose Room to discuss the Senate-led project Students Lifting Up the Spirt of the Herd (SLUSH) Fund,

hear a resolution calling for divesting from the firearms industry and consider Allocations Board (ALBO) funding appeals and requests. The Senate heard a supplementary funding request for a project from members of the Senate, who requested $5,000 to the SLUSH Fund. The

SLUSH Fund is a Senate-led project intended to set aside money to help students seeking to build community at Tufts by offering assistance in planning and funding. Members of see SENATE, page 3

News

Monday, December 3, 2018 | News | THE TUFTS DAILY

Senate passes resolution calling for university divestment from firearms industry SENATE

continued from page 3 the body have said that it is intended to build community at Tufts and give individuals not involved with a student group the ability to put on fun and creative events. According to Class of 2021 Senator Ayden Crosby, the administration has promised to match $5,000 in contribution to the fund. Several members critiqued the process by which the Senate was attempting to fund its own project during the debate. Class of 2019 Senator Jonah O’Mara Schwartz, a senior, noted the hypocrisy of the Senate voting on a Senate-backed proposal. “It’s just weird that we let ourselves break these rules but we say for other people, groups that come in, that they can’t,” he said. “It just seems objective and weird the Senate keeps feeling we can break rules but we have to hold these other groups accountable.” Class of 2021 Senator Sarah Wiener criticized the idea of the body funding its own projects. “I think we have to hold ourselves to the same standard that we hold groups to,” Wiener said. “I think it can be a really great thing to have in the student body … but we have to hold ourselves to the same standard.” Class of 2022 Senator Tim Leong, in advocating for the SLUSH Fund, highlighted the ability and need for the funding request presented. “I think there’s a clear problem in terms of morale on campus and I

think we’re just using Senate’s discretionary power to address that problem,” Leong said. The body passed the funding request by a margin of 22–0–8. Next, TCU Parliamentarian Sharif Hamidi, a sophomore, introduced a resolution to the body. Authored by TCU senators Crosby, Leong and senior Amrutha Chintalapudi, the resolution is titled “A Resolution Calling on Tufts University to Divest its Endowment from the Firearm Manufacturing Industry.” According the resolution, the Senate “urges the Tufts administration and Board of Trustees to develop a plan to divest its endowment from the firearm industry by 2020” and urges the administration and trustees to “ensure that all future investment decisions are firearm-free.” The resolution also calls for a public statement on the university’s intentions to divest entirely from the firearm manufacturing industry. The resolution cites a March faculty vote that urged university administration and the Board of Trustees to divest the university’s endowment from companies involved in the production, distribution and sale of assault weapons to the public. The faculty vote passed 50–0–4. Crosby said that the administration needs to follow up on the faculty vote. “The 50 members of the faculty voted in favor of urging the Board of Trustees from divesting from it, so it’s to push this agenda of reducing gun violence in the U.S. … and also asking

the university to follow up on this petition from the faculty to divest.” Leong believes that calling on the university to issue a public statement on its intentions to divest is integral to the resolution. “I think it would be really great if Tufts set [a] precedent for this among our peer institutions by divesting from the gun industry,” Leong said. After the discussion, the Senate voted to pass the resolution, 27–0–2. Hamidi then informed the body that all pending resolutions will be postponed to next semester. “A Resolution Calling on Tufts University to Achieve Gender Parity in University Leadership” and “A Resolution Providing a Roadmap for Future Improvements to Tufts Dining” will be heard on Jan. 21, 2019. “A Resolution Calling for Unwavering Support for Professor Thomas Abowd by the Tufts Community Union” has been shelved for an unspecified date in the spring semester, according to Hamidi. Before this, TCU Treasurer Izzy Ma, a sophomore, opened the meeting by introducing representatives from Tufts Student Action ( TSA), who appeared before the body to contest a previous ALBO recommendation. The group had requested $500 intended to cover travel and subsidize costs to send two senior members to a national conference in Chicago; ALBO had recommended funding just one. After the brief explanation period, the body funded the conference for two students with $440 by a vote of 27–0–3.

Members of Tufts Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) then appealed ALBO’s recommendation of their funding request. The group had requested $1,150 to pay for three speakers to attend a panel on Western Sahara and Palestine, but ALBO rejected that request because it felt it did not have enough information about the speakers, according to Ma, the ALBO chair. The body voted to confirm funding for the event while bookmarking a request for honorarium for the third proposed speaker despite hopes from SJP that the speaker would be compensated outright. SJP can request compensation for the third speaker once chosen. Ultimately, the body rejected the suggested $0 in funding that ALBO recommended, coming up with its own figure of $1,000 to fund two honorariums, travel and housing, and a $50 bookmark for the unknown speaker. The vote passed by a margin of 20–8–2. The body then moved to hear supplementary funding requests. A request for $908 was approved for JumboRaas to fund a budget for fiscal year 2019, which included costumes, makeup and props, as well as $4,418 to cover travel, housing and registration for a national competition in Blacksburg, Va. Senate also voted to fund $2,271 to Future Histories Literary Magazine for a new group funding request. The meeting closed with various updates from senators.

4 tuftsdaily.com

Features

Monday, December 3, 2018

Active Minds at Tufts considers training professors to support students’ mental health by Quinn Tucker

Contributing Writer

Content warning: This article discusses mental health. Active Minds at Tufts, the university’s chapter of Active Minds — an advocacy organization dedicated to prioritizing students’ mental health with representatives at over 450 colleges and high schools — is drawing support from a new demographic: professors. Active Minds at Tufts carries out its mission on two fronts, according to senior Emma Lampropoulos, the chapter’s social chair. The first is through holding events on campus to make students more aware of issues surrounding mental health, such as Mental Health Monologues, which is held annually in the spring semester. The second is the work on which Active Minds at Tufts collaborates with the university’s administration and faculty. “We’re sort of the go-between for students and [the] administration as far as mental health issues that aren’t being addressed well,” Lampropoulos said. In its collaborative work, Active Minds at Tufts recently began an initiative to improve paths of dialogue between students, professors and mental health facilitators. As academics produce much of the stress that college students are forced to handle, Active Minds at Tufts believes that faculty members can serve as critical allies in supporting students’ mental health. “[Relationships with] professors are definitely an area that can be improved,” Lampropoulos said Lampropoulos and Active Minds at Tufts co-President Bri Pastro have already met with Dean of Student Affairs Mary Pat MacMahon and Deans of the Schools of Arts and Sciences and Engineering James Glaser and Jianmin Qu, respectively, to discuss this new partnership. “We had a conversation with them about issues that we feel are going on

ERIK BRITT / THE TUFTS DAILY

Seniors Emma Lampropoulos (left) and Bri Pastro (right), members of Active Minds at Tufts, pose for a portrait on Nov. 6. with professors, and they agreed that things need to be addressed,” Pastro, a senior, said. Pastro noted her observation that professors are willing to help students with their mental health struggles but that they do not often know how to react in such situations. In response to this inconsistency, Active Minds at Tufts is trying to strengthen its relationships with professors in order to provide them with advice for how students who approach them with mental health-related questions can be better supported. “I think a lot of professors want to say something if they notice a student is struggling but don’t know what to do,” Pastro said. “They acknowledge the reality

of the situation — how it can be hard to have a conversation with a student — and say they are worried for the student. They’re required to report to Counseling and Mental Health Service. They don’t always [do so], which is an issue … but they don’t always know how to.” Lampropoulos affirmed the chapter’s intent to assist faculty in providing support for students. “We’re trying to … educate professors. If a student comes to you — what you should do and what language to do,” Lampropoulos said. According to Lampropoulos and Pastro, Active Minds at Tufts is trying to tackle the latter objective: giving professors the language they need to help students.

“We’re trying to educate them that maybe a student isn’t showing up to class, [not] because they’re lazy, but because they’re going through a really bad depressive episode,” Pastro said. Sophomore McKenzie Schuyler, who serves as outreach chair for Active Minds at Tufts, explained that faculty members should be taught to embrace a bigger-picture view of mental health. “Professors should be promoting a culture where if you need to take a step back for your well-being, that’s fine. It’s not going to have [a] detrimental effect on your future,” Schuyler said. see ACTIVE MINDS, page 5

SMFA students discuss artists’ share of proceeds at annual Art Sale by Anton Shenk Staff Writer

The School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) at Tufts hosted its annual Art Sale this November. The sale featured over 600 works from current SMFA students, alumni, faculty, staff and other affiliated artists, according to the director of the sale, Monica Manoski. Manoski, who also serves as the development officer at the SMFA, noted that the sale offers far more than a place for artists to display and sell their art. “Each year, the sale raises around $400,000 for financial aid and other creative resources at the [SMFA],” Manoski told the Daily in an email. “Artists [are encouraged] to give back through the sale of their art, [and] the [SMFA] is helping foster a culture of philanthropy.” But for some artists at the SMFA, the art sale has been off-putting, as they are worried that they are not receiving fair compensation for their work. The SMFA currently takes half of the profits from each sale to fund programming at the school, according to first-year bachelor’s

of fine arts (BFA) student Sophia Feinberg. As a result, Feinberg chose not to sell any works through the Art Sale. “I personally don’t think it serves as the best way to split profits, but I don’t feel like there’s much that can be done about that. Ultimately, the profits taken by the school will be used to provide students with materials,” Feinberg said. Feinberg said that she is not alone in her opinions, and that while the 50–50 split is typical of art institutions, artists — including many of her peers — do not believe they are being properly compensated. “My peers in the art community also find the 50–50 split sort of ridiculous. We would appreciate getting a higher percentage of the profits because we are the ones who create the artwork,” Feinberg said. However, Lily Pisano, a third-year BFA and BA/BS combined degree student who sold a $600 sculpture she made in her welding class that depicted a head of hair made out of bent steel stock, noted her satisfaction. “The piece I sold was not [enough] of a financial burden … for me to be dissatis-

fied about the idea of SMFA taking 50 percent of the profits. It was a learning piece, and even though I really like it, I am more than happy at this stage in my career to promote my art in a public platform and potentially share that work with someone else who will cherish it in their home or other institution,” Pisano told the Daily in an email. As a student who receives financial aid, Pisano appreciates being able to support the cause. Thousands of works of art are sold at the sale, raising a large amount of money for financial aid and other priorities for the SMFA. “I received various scholarships and other monetary aids from Tufts [and] SMFA when I got into the school, so from a student of this … perspective, it is nice to give back and contribute to something I am grateful for in my own college career,” Pisano said. “It is a good way to support education and the arts, as well as future generations of people who have the capability to make real change in the art world, and in society, by extension.” Even though Pisano does not take issue with the 50–50 split, she also said that she

intentionally chose to offer a piece of art that was less costly to make into the sale. “With the piece that I submitted, I definitely feel that I was compensated enough for my efforts. However, with other pieces I have created, I am not sure I would feel the same,” Pisano said. When asked how the 50–50 split affects artists’ willingness to submit artwork, both Feinberg and Pisano agreed that artists would be more likely to participate in the sale if they received a higher percentage of the profits. “We put so much effort into this artwork and only get half of what it’s worth, which is very frustrating,” Feinberg said. “Artists also feel personally connected to their artwork, so not receiving most of the profits is disappointing.” Pisano concurred, noting that revisions to the compensation system must be made thoughtfully. “I believe that [the artists’ percentage from sales] would incentivize more students to submit. However, according to see SMFA ART SALE, page 5

F e at u r e s

Monday, December 3, 2018 | Features | THE TUFTS DAILY

Student artists raise concerns about share of proceeds from SMFA Art Sale

Quinn Pham Human

Opinions

SEOHYUN SHIM / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

The statue of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts’ mascot, Bessie, is pictured on March 24, 2017.

SMFA ART SALE

continued from page 4 my other beliefs, I think that the event needs to be approached in a certain way to account for that. I do not completely believe that changing the percentages of the profit would change the type of work [or] artist registry of the sale,” Pisano said. Manoski noted that in addition to monetary compensation, artists also receive intangible benefits from public exposure at the sale.

“We encourage all students to participate. The Art Sale is a unique opportunity to have their work seen by hundreds of people. Even if their work doesn’t sell, having their art on view to the public is beneficial,” Manoski said. Student pieces are also shown alongside other works from world-renowned artists — such as Sol LeWitt and Louise Nevelson — at the Art Sale, according to Manoski.

Manoski also said that the Art Sale has an educational and professional development dimension for SMFA students. “By participating in the Sale, SMFA students learn professional development — how to talk about their work, how to price it and how to get it ready to be sold.” Manoski said. “Many artists have developed a strong career following by participating in the Sale.” Ryen Delaney contributed reporting to this article.

Active Minds at Tufts proposes mental health training programs for faculty ACTIVE MINDS

continued from page 4 Pastro reiterated this sentiment, noting her concern for the increasing culture of stress and pressure that she has observed on campus. “The ‘Struggle Olympics’ is where people compete [to see] who has slept the least, who has the most work,” Pastro said. “It can be really damaging to people.” As for the logistics of building up its relationship with professors, Active Minds at Tufts began by collecting student data through social media, according to Schuyler. “We recently collected data through a poll to gauge students’ interactions with professors regarding mental health and what they want their professors to know about the obstacles they’ve faced,” Schuyler said. The survey’s findings were widespread. In response to the question, “Do you believe professors are understanding of students’ mental health?” 30 percent of students said ‘no’ while 70 percent were a mixture of ‘yes’ and other write-in answers, accord-

ing to Schuyler. A majority of respondents answered affirmatively in response to a question asking whether they see a disconnect between professors’ understanding of, and students’ experiences with, mental health, Schuyler added. “A lot of students don’t want to talk to professors because they don’t know if they’ll be receptive,” Schuyler said. Schuyler also attended the Arts and Sciences department chairs and program directors meeting on Nov. 14, where she presented ideas for a curriculum to train professors on how to approach students’ mental health. “Tufts currently offers an optional training for mental health, but from feedback, maybe that should be mandatory,” Schuyler said. Lampropoulos added that Active Minds at Tufts presented at the Nov. 14 meeting in order to garner support for its mental health education proposals. “The goal is to … get the department chairs on board with us coming in. We [said], ‘This is who we are. This is what we want to do, and this is why it’s warranted,’” Lampropoulos said.

According to Lampropoulos, Active Minds at Tufts is considering several options for training professors, including Kognito, an interactive online training program that educates individuals in supporting students dealing with all sorts of mental health-related issues. “The deans didn’t oppose it, so we’re going to think about [pushing] that idea,” Lampropoulos said. “We might do motivational interviewing with professors, encouraging them [on] why they would want to do this. We want to make a pamphlet they can take home with them and even create videos where professors talk about their mental health struggles to support other professors.” Schuyler explained that Active Minds at Tufts’ next step is to present these ideas to each department. While the chapter is grateful for the administration’s working with them to help students, its members do not know how feasible the plan is. “It’s going to be tricky,” Schuyler said. “I appreciate them giving us the chance to improve this dynamic.”

TRASHING ONE EGG WASTES 55 GALLONS OF WATER

e are nearing the end of the semester, and I am sitting here, writing my last piece. I think it’s appropriate now to talk a bit about how we got here. I’ve always enjoyed writing, but I’ve never felt ownership of my writing. Part of it is how my past education has taught me that what I write must be in response to better literature, while original pieces had to follow clear guidelines put forth by teachers. The other part of it is that I did not believe I was capable of completing a writing project. I was afraid of running out of inspiration when I needed it the most or having an opinion that no one liked or not being able to express myself adequately. This column itself was completely unplanned. Initially, I just wanted to appear briefly on an edition of Haruka’s wonderful column, El Centro. Somehow, a slot for columns opened up, and here I am. I was chatting with a friend at brunch today about how I sometimes feel detached from most of the world and its opinions. I prefer to listen to all the details and piece together a complete picture, to which I then ask myself “Where do we go from here?” When choosing essay topics, I always go with one through which I can analyze and over ones in which I would have to give an opinion. Then, the friend asked me: “Can you really think without having an opinion?” I thought about it. To really get to the root of that loaded question, we would have to explore what it meant to “think” and what it meant to “have an opinion.” More simply, the question forced me to re-evaluate my idea of opinions — an opinion, I realized, doesn’t have to be something clear-cut. An opinion can be a simple inclination toward one direction over the other, but an inclination strong enough that it alters our cognitive processes. For example, two people writing an analytical piece on the same topic could be pulling information from different resources and, from that different information, end up with different conclusions. I wouldn’t normally think of this as an opinion. But then, what part of their brain is pushing them to prioritize certain information over other information? Is it ever possible to go through life and still think completely objectively, without biases or inclinations? So I guess I do have opinions. I have a lot of opinions, actually, or at least predispositions. I am predisposed to enjoy subject matters involving human nature rather than those involving plants. I am inclined to pick outfits that are light on the top and dark on the bottom. I prefer ham over bacon. I enjoy college more than high school. Some opinions others couldn’t care less about — like the way I brush my teeth. Some opinions, like these columns, seem quite well-received. Some opinions are more outrageous, like my belief that we most likely live in a simulation. Regardless, I am glad that I decided to take on this column and share my opinions, however jumbled, incoherent and unplanned they are. Here’s to another semester full of introspection.

Quinn Pham is a sophomore studying international relations. Quinn can be reached at quinn.pham@tufts.edu.

6 tuftsdaily.com

ARTS&LIVING

Evan Zigmond Out on the Town

Walks

ith finals season on the horizon, many of us here at Tufts may feel overwhelmed by our workloads. I, for one, am a ball of stress this time of year, and so I’m always looking for ways to decompress between work sessions. Over the course of the semester, I’ve walked in a few different directions from campus to blow off steam, and I’ve been pretty happy with some of the sights just a mile or two away from my dorm. I’m sharing these with all of you in the hopes that you might try one if you need a little break. The first walk is about two hours and features a breathtaking view of the Assembly Square skyline in Somerville, as well as the Mystic River that characterizes Medford. To get there, I walked southeast down Boston Avenue until I hit Harvard Street, at which point I hung a left. From there, I walked a fair bit, observing the quaint cookie-cutter homes and the shops along Main Street, which runs perpendicular to the route. Eventually, I arrived at an overpass, with cars gunning it down Interstate 93 into Boston. Walking under the overpass led me to a bridge over the Mystic River, where I saw a short footpath. The path took me alongside the river, where I was free to sit and observe. This particular section of the Mystic was wide and powerful, and I loved sitting and listening to the rushing water. I also got an impeccable view of Assembly Square. The skyline tastefully contrasted the rushing water at my feet. This is a walk worth taking. The second walk also involves water, although this one takes you west to the Mystic Lakes, which are calm for their size. It is 1.9 miles away from Tufts. To get there, I walked down Capen Street near Carmichael Hall, eventually entering a small gate and passing an assisted living center. I popped out at the Mystic Valley Parkway, where I saw another scenic walking path across the street. This one took me along the Mystic River to the west, until I reached a bridge on my right separating the towns of Arlington and Medford. It isn’t the first bridge on the path, so to make sure you’re at the correct one, look for the signs with “Welcome to Arlington” and “Welcome to Medford” on either side of the bridge. Crossing the bridge headed east, I saw yet another walking path on my left. I took it, heading through a large field until I reached a meadow. From here, the lake is visible in all its stunning glory. I cannot stress the size of it, with foliage blocking one’s view of the road in all directions. It is also strikingly quiet, so it is a great place to clear one’s head of work woes. Both walks are great, but this is my personal favorite of the two. Overall, it is important to remember that there are great destinations a short walk from Tufts, and these walks are convenient ways to balance one’s workload with healthy outdoor time.

Evan Zigmond is a sophomore studying music. Evan can be reached at Evan.Zigmond@tufts.edu.

Monday, December 3, 2018

MENTAL HEALTH SPOTLIGHT

Art therapy relieves stress, provides creative outlet for expressing emotions by Ruijingya Tang

Assistant Arts Editor

Content warning: This article discusses mental health. Art, commonly known for its poignancy and sentimentality, is often said to be healing when used to reflect trauma or melancholy. However, art in this traditional sense should not be confused with its related derivative: art therapy. The term “art therapy” was first introduced in 1942 by Adrian Hill, a British artist who had personally benefited from painting and drawing in his recovery from tuberculosis. Throughout later decades of the 20th century, art therapy has gradually become more professional and defined. Nowadays, art therapy is considered to be a formal, standardized practice of clinical psychology that uses creative processes, such as painting, sculpting, making pottery and weaving textiles, as the means to help its clients reflect and manage their emotions and anxiety. Art therapists are licensed professionals in subfields of psychology, such as human development and psychological and behavioral disorders. To become an art therapist in the United States, one must meet the criteria of the Art Therapy Credentials Board, which includes a master’s degree from a program approved by the American

Art Therapy Association. Art therapists must also be familiar with the processes of creating art. Besides, these therapists usually work under clinical settings, such as hospitals, although some might also work in private practice, including workshops. That being said, despite the word “therapy” in its name, art therapy is not exclusively designated for people with diagnosed mental illnesses. Rather, it is intended for relieving stress of varying intensities, ranging from emotional conflicts in daily life to serious medical conditions, both mental and physical. Art therapy does so in several ways. It helps clients access and reflect on heavy, complex emotions or thoughts otherwise difficult to access just through words. Since art may allow for more ambiguity and expressiveness than language, it can be helpful in characterizing overwhelming, suppressed or even unconscious experiences. The meditative and physically engaging act of art making itself may also be stress-relieving. Furthermore, the physical artistic products yielded from art therapy can bridge communication gaps between caregivers and art therapy participants, thus allowing caregivers to better empathize with the experiences and needs of their clients. Rob Gray, the founder and director of the College for Educational and Clinical Art Therapy in Australia, explained the power of art therapy to help patients make sense of their unconscious think-

ing in a 2015 article. “Art therapy taps into the unconscious, where there is no concept of time … Art therapy attempts to make the unconscious conscious and thus enable a fundamental change in the client’s thinking,” he wrote. However, art therapy faces two main professional and logistical challenges. First of all, there is insufficient convincing empirical evidence that testifies to the efficacy of art therapy. Second, the interdisciplinary nature of art therapy might deter some clients, especially adults, from receiving it, due to their lack of confidence in their artistic ability, despite its ultimate purpose of processing emotions rather than creating art. Perceived as an constructive way for hospitalized patients to destress, art therapy is offered in several medical institutions in Boston. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center both organize art therapy programs to attenuate cancer patients’ stress and sense of isolation. Meanwhile, the Boston Children’s Hospital hosts the Creative Arts Program, which features an artist-in-residence program and also offers music therapy. A recent evaluation shows that the Boston Children’s Hospital’s arts program has alleviated the anxiety of both the patients and their families. In general, art therapy is a novel and engaging therapeutic method for mental stress; however, its efficacy has yet to be verified by additional clinical data.

SHELTER PET & FASHION ICON Amazing stories start in shelters and rescues. Adopt today to start yours. TOAST 325K+ Instagram Followers

Monday, December 3, 2018 | ADVERTISEMENT | THE TUFTS DAILY

tuftsdaily.com

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Jumbo Award Legacy Award Mout Olympus Award Herald Award Campus Connection Award Imagination Award Program of the Year Award Collaboration Award New Organization of the Year Award Student Org of the Year Award ocl.tufts.edu/events/awards-ceremony/

Submit by March 29, 2018 at bit.ly/orgawards19 STUDENT ORGANIZATION AWARDS CEREMONY APRIL 24, 2019 | 7PM | ALUMNAE LOUNGE

before anything else, we’re all human rethink your bias at lovehasnolabels.com

Monday, December 3, 2018 | FUN & GAMES | THE TUFTS DAILY

tuftsdaily.com

F& G

LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Luke: “I’m not in charge of the tea.”

FUN & GAMES

SUDOKU

Monday – Friday

With your Tufts ID

Difficulty Level: Going home and not doing any work there

Friday’s Solutions

We Accept

373 Main St, Medford

(781) 396-8337

CROSSWORD

Recipe for a Perfect Summer

Tufts in Talloires

Take two Tufts courses Add Tufts credits Mix in distinguished Tufts faculty Sprinkle with scholarship opportunities Whisk in mountain hikes Sweeten with host families Bake in the Alpine sun Serve in the most beautiful place imaginable !

Tufts in Talloires 2019

Course Registration Opens Wed., Dec. 5th at 9:00am 108 Packard Ave., 3rd Floor

Apply online. Register in person! For information and application, visit

ase.tufts.edu/EuropeanCenter

Questions? Contact us! (617) 627-3290 | france@tufts.edu

Monday, December 3, 2018 | ADVERTISEMENT | THE TUFTS DAILY

tuftsdaily.com

Annual Holiday Concert

1/4 AD

Wednesday, December 5, 2018 4:30 p.m., Goddard Chapel

1/8 AD

Join us for warm cider, tea and cookies, and a carol singalong. All are welcome. No tickets necessary.

Featuring:

1/2 AD

· Tufts Concert Choir

directed by Jamie Kirsch · Music Director and Organist Thomas B. Dawkins · Student, faculty, and staff musicians

For more information, please contact chaplaincy@tufts.edu.

Opinion

10 tuftsdaily.com

Monday, December 3, 2018

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Daily readers, With the busy lives we lead on this campus, it is all too easy to forgo our mental health. Approaching deadlines, exams and adulthood force us to put aside our feelings, our pain and our sorrow for later. We learn to ignore it. We learn to tell ourselves it’s not a big deal. Sometimes, we share our stories and they are met with apathy, condescension or even systemic punishment that only further silences those of us affected by mental health issues and their loved ones. Growing up, I was ashamed of my own stories. Stories of seeing someone so important to me struggle with mental health issues all her life. Stories of losing a friend to depression and feeling I could have done something before

it happened. Stories of making tough decisions for my loved ones and of dealing with my own pain and sorrow. All of them seemed too personal and too daunting to talk about. The reactions I have received further discouraged me from sharing my stories, despite their being a very real part of my life. These not-uncommon stories take different forms for everyone. They can go untold if you wish, but they cannot be silenced by others. Today, the Daily has dedicated much of its coverage to the topic of mental health, with the hopes of sharing these important discussions and resources with you, our readers. We are featuring stories from members of various mental health support networks on campus, coverage of basketball star and mental health advocate Kevin Love’s recent discussion about his struggle with

anxiety and depression, as well as a new initiative by Active Minds at Tufts to better support students. Today, we are also publishing the first episode of “A Blight on the Hill,” a Daily podcast that will explore structural issues at private universities, including Tufts. The first episode will focus on the ways in which the Tufts administration responds to students dealing with mental health issues and can be accessed on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If you have questions about our coverage, please reach out to us at daily@ tuftsdaily.com. In addition, here are several campus, local and national organizations that provide counseling and other resources for those in need of support: Tufts Counseling and Mental Health Service 617-627-3360

Tufts Health Service 617-627-3350 Tufts Ears for Peers 617-627-3888 (for calls); 617-394-1954 (for texts) Tufts University Police Department (on-call counselor) 617-627-3030 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255 Psych Central psychcentral.com/resources/ U.S. Government usa.gov/mental-health-substanceabuse ULifeline ulifeline.org Sincerely, Seohyun Shim Editor-in-Chief

OP-ED

Take care, everyone by Julie Jampel Content warning: This article discusses mental health. Let’s just acknowledge it: College can be a very stressful time of life. Academic work requires time and attention; friendships and relationships need to be cultivated and maintained; summer jobs or internships require planning; and maintaining contact with family and friends from home is no small task. As if this weren’t enough, local, national and world events also take their toll. Finances or a family member’s health might be a concern, as could any number of additional factors. In any of these combined circumstances, most people would feel stressed to varying degrees. There is so much to attend to and only so many hours in a day — and all of it feels important. The key to managing stress is to accept stress during college as a given and to cope with it as well as possible.

Many forms of coping are captured by the phrase “self-care.” To imagine how selfcare makes a difference, think of young children for a moment. Toddlers are wellknown for being especially crabby when they are tired or hungry. Although it is not as obvious, the same is true for people of all ages. When you are tired, hungry or not feeling well — with a headache or a cold, for example — you simply won’t be able to cope as well with the stresses of daily life as you could otherwise. That is why part of self-care requires getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals, exercising and taking care to stay well. There are other ways of taking care of yourself that are tailored more specifically to individual preferences. They can be informal, yet enjoyable and relaxing, activities such as taking a walk on a nice day, listening to music, watching amusing dog or cat videos on YouTube or talking to a friend or family member. Self-care is recognizing that you need a break from the day’s responsibilities

and taking some time for any of the above. It is prioritizing responsibilities and — for a little while at least — putting you in the present moment rather than focusing on the future. That you feel harried and stressed out right now takes priority over the paper that is due soon or the job you need lined up following graduation, even if graduation is in sight. Those tasks will still be there after you’ve taken a walk or relaxed with a few favorite songs, of course, but you’ll likely then be able to approach them more productively. There are also many resources at Tufts for helping you take care of yourself. To name just a few, you can find relaxation exercises on the Counseling and Mental Health Service website. The Academic Resource Center offers time management and study strategies. There are sacred spaces on campus for taking a little time out or pausing to reflect on what feels meaningful. Utilizing the resources on campus can help you move past hurdles that feel too high or lighten loads that feel too heavy. Self-care, in addi-

tion to everything already mentioned, is reaching out for support or assistance when needed. Among other offices, Counseling and Mental Health Service is here to help students take care of themselves so that they can make the most of their college years. While acknowledging stress, recognize also that the college years are a time of personal growth. Finding meaningful ways to engage in life inside or outside the university can go a long way towards balancing stress with a sense of purpose, vitality and engagement. When possible, consider deepening relationships, building community, contributing to a worthwhile cause or participating in a satisfying activity or event. Do whatever feels right and meaningful. The reward is a sense of belonging and the opportunity to make an impact. Take care, everyone. Julie Jampel is a staff psychologist and director of training at Tufts' Counseling and Mental Health Service. Julie can be reached at julie.jampel@tufts.edu.

__________________________________

BE AN OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR FOR THE TUFTS DAILY ALL ARE WELCOME Submit a Tufts-related piece of 600 words to:

N O NI

I P O

tuftsdailyoped@gmail.com

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _L_ _ _ _

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

Opinion

Monday, December 3, 2018 | Opinion | THE TUFTS DAILY

OP-ED

‘Hi, this is Ears for Peers, how can I help?’ by Anonymous Content warning: This article discusses mental health, self-harm and assault. “Hi, this is Ears for Peers, how can I help?” That’s how I start most of my calls as an Ear. Then, my main job is just to listen. With mental health crises sweeping the nation and hitting many universities especially hard, many people might be looking for support or resources in their communities. Here at Tufts, the mental health problem is as relevant as anywhere. While Ears for Peers is in no way a replacement for seeing a therapist or receiving professional help, it can be a great resource for students dealing with a myriad of hardships. So far this year, I’ve gotten calls and texts ranging from topics like self-harm, mental illness and assault to topics about schoolwork or scheduling stress. I’ve had people break down in tears on the phone, and I’ve had people vent about situations they were frustrated — but didn’t necessarily feel that emotional — about. The main things I do in conversations with people contacting Ears is listen to their story, try to understand how they must be feeling and then actively express that I hear them, that I understand how that must be difficult and that I’m very sorry they are dealing with that. Sometimes people do want advice or help, sometimes

they want someone to just listen to them vent and sometimes they want someone to listen to and validate their emotions. Any of these are totally fine and exactly what I’m there for. More than anything else, the most common calls and texts we get are people feeling lonely. I think this might be the biggest issue we can help respond to. If you’re feeling lonely, isolated or without someone to turn to, we can be that person. No matter where on the scale your issue falls, Ears is here to try and help. I think a lot of people at Tufts — people that contact Ears and many that don’t — are often just looking for someone to talk to, someone who will actually listen. For me, personally, I sometimes have issues I’ve been struggling with that I want support on, but I end up not talking to any of my friends. I might not want to share because I feel like it’s too personal or I get self-conscious that I might be burdening them. Times that I do share, it’s not always helpful. For many different reasons, we might sometimes look around for support and not find anyone to lean on. Ears try to be there in that situation. We get trained on how to listen and respond in ways that will actually be productive. We’re there for anyone, and once you’re done talking to us and hopefully feeling a little better, you don’t have to think about us again if you don’t want to. We’re in no way

CARTOON

Mental health

BY NASRIN LIN

therapists; we’re just no-strings-attached friends that are there to listen and help in any way we can. While calls to helplines and crisis centers across the country have increased in recent years and even recent months, calls and texts to Ears have not seen a significant increase. I don’t think the reason for this is that there aren’t a lot of people on campus who want to talk. I’ve talked to a lot of friends who don’t know I’m an Ear that didn’t really know what Ears for Peers was or mentioned thinking the service was good but never feeling comfortable calling or texting. I hope we can be better at spreading awareness about our availability and making people feel more comfortable calling. The most common feedback I get at the end of calls is people thanking me for validating their emotion, concern or frustration. Ears aren’t professionals, so I can’t always promise you we will know what to say or be perfectly helpful. I can promise you that we will always try our best to offer whatever kind of support you need, will never judge you and will always be glad you called. The author is a volunteer for Ears for Peers. Ears for Peers is an anonymous, student-run support hotline and is open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. every night. Tufts students can contact Ears for Peers via phone call (617-627-3888), text (617-3941954) or email (ears4peers@gmail.com).

Anita Ramaswamy Anita’s Angle

If I say ‘blockchain,’ will you read this?

he 2018 midterm elections exposed a number of flaws in the U.S. voting process. In Palm Beach County, Fla., voting machines older than the very first MacBook overheated, setting back election officials by a full day in the race to recount ballots in the state’s disputed U.S. Senate race. We may have surmounted the hurdle of hanging chads, but today’s election infrastructure still seems like a relic of a bygone era. Outdated technology is just one half of the problem, as it only affects those who actually turn out to vote. The other half of the country did not even make it to the polls. Our voting system faces two main challenges when it comes to implementation: security and access. In terms of security, we are not even necessarily aware of the scope of the threat. As we saw in 2016’s presidential race, foreign actors pose a significant threat to the integrity of the election process. The Senate Intelligence Committee released a report in May showing that in 2016, 21 states had their voter registration systems probed by hackers who, in some cases, were successful in gleaning information about voters and even altering their registration. Whether or not this happened in 2016 or 2018 matters far less than the possibility that it could happen on a much larger scale in our next election as hackers become more sophisticated. Election cybersecurity experts are generally pessimistic about our ability to respond, pointing out the numerous vulnerabilities in our election system that has been largely developed privately. Three electoral system vendors alone reach 92 percent of the country’s registered voters. Vox points out that “perhaps nowhere in American life is a private industry’s role so critical, charged with defending a core national security objective, yet so dimly understood by its own government.” Although outdated technology remains a pressing issue today, these companies can respond to the imminent threats with flexibility and resources that the government may not have. And if private industry outpaces the government’s ability to innovate and improve election security, they can also improve access to voting through technological improvement. Perhaps it’s time to get Silicon Valley involved. Bradley Tusk, venture capitalist and former political consultant for Uber, thinks he has an answer — blockchain-based mobile voting. He funded a pilot program in West Virginia, where approximately 150 military and overseas individuals voted via a mobile app using blockchain. The trial was largely successful, with only two voters reporting complications in using the app. The company behind the trial is the Boston-based startup Voatz, founded in 2014. Proponents of the idea say that with enough investment in security, startups like Voatz will eventually allow us to vote remotely (and securely) from bed, prevent voter fraud and cut costs for the government. Skeptics fear that no electronic voting system could be as secure as the paper ballot. While election security experts have much more nuanced views on how to implement an electronic voting system than I do, the idea seems at least worth a serious shot, if we are able to tackle the two major issues of access and security. But until that investment occurs, blockchain will remain a buzzword used to boost a company’s stock price rather than a viable solution for our electoral system.

Anita Ramaswamy is a senior studying political science. Anita can be reached at anita.ramaswamy@tufts.edu.

12 tuftsdaily.com

Sam Weidner Weidner's Words

Changing perceptions

uka Dončcic has had a breakout rookie year thus far, revitalizing a Dallas Mavericks fan base that hasn’t had this level of excitement since Dirk Nowitzki willed his team to the 2011 NBA championship with a performance for the ages. Donč c icć has created a highlight reel full of lobs to DeAndre Jordan and stepback threes that make Atlanta Hawks fans cry. His fast start has left many confused as to why the Hawks traded away the rights to Dončcicć to get Trae Young, or even why the Suns passed on him for Deandre Ayton. Doncč i cć was coming into the draft as one of the most highly accomplished and highly rated players in recent memory. He was the youngest player to ever win EuroLeague MVP, playing in a professional league that has more athletic and experienced players than any college conference. Yet, despite all of these accomplishments, he still faced the same classic criticisms that all European players entering the league face. People claimed that he wasn’t athletic enough, that he wouldn’t be able to keep up with the pace of NBA play. It has become a tired old comparison, as literally every European player runs into it. For some reason the Atlanta Hawks’ general manager, Travis Schlenk, felt more comfortable going away from the recommendations of most scouts and choosing a player fresh off a second half of his first season at Oklahoma filled with shooting struggles. It’s interesting to look at why scouts and general managers still hold so many of these biases. Some people might think that because basketball isn’t as big of a sport in Europe, then the best athletes might be more likely to play a more popular sport like soccer. Others might try to claim that the European leagues don’t offer as much development or competition as in the United States. Lastly, there are the vast number of comparisons to European busts that happen every year. Recent examples like Dragan Bender get talked about, as do older players like Darko Milič c icć , and fans get terrified every year about repeating the same mistake. It often feels as if general managers make their decisions more for the sake of appealing to their fans than making decisions based on what they actually think. A few cherrypicked examples have created an entire perception of players from Europe, even though busts seem to come just as frequently out of America and the NCAA university system. Donč i ć has come out strong this year, and players like the Chicago Bulls’ Lauri Markkanen and New York Knicks’ Frank Ntilikina from past drafts are making a name for themselves, as well. More and more players from European leagues are proving their doubters wrong, and it makes you wonder how much longer those critics will remain.

Sam Weidner is a junior studying mathematics. Sam can be reached at samuel. weidner@tufts.edu.

SPORTS Depth, leadership, offensive prowess propel Jumbos to third national title MEN'S SOCCER

continued from page 1 such appearance in program history. However, the team has lost all four games — a stark contrast to Tufts’ 3-for-3 mark in championship games. Unlike in 2016, when the first goal of the game wasn’t scored until the second overtime period, the Jumbos struck inside two minutes on Saturday in Greensboro, N.C. A Calvin turnover in the middle third allowed Tasker to take the ball up the left wing and send a cross into the box. Junior forward Joe Braun, who was heavily marked, was unable to convert, but the ball fell kindly to sophomore midfielder/defender Calvin Aroh who was on the edge of the box. The Glastonbury, Conn. native hit the ball on the volley, which was deflected into the left side of the net to give Tufts an early advantage. Just before the half-hour mark, first-year defender Ian Daly’s long throw bounced in the box and was not cleared by the Calvin defense. The ball found its way to junior midfielder Zach Lane, who dove to head the ball into the back of the net, putting Tufts up 2–0. While the play highlighted the Jumbos’ aerial strength, it also exposed the Knights in a defensive breakdown, as sophomore goalkeeper Chris Morrish failed to secure the ball when it bounced in front of him. Instead, Morrish expected support from his defenders that did not come, allowing Lane to exploit the mistake to double Tufts’ lead. “We set the tone in the first 15 minutes where we were super physical, and they couldn’t really hang with us,” senior goalkeeper and co-captain Conner Mieth said. “This allowed us to have some leeway to work with in the first half because they were a little bit shell-shocked, and we used it to our advantage to get two goals in.” Calvin was awarded a penalty in the 50th minute after sophomore defender Biagio Paoletta pulled down an attacker in the box. Junior midfielder Hunter Olson stepped up to the spot and buried a shot past Mieth. Down just a goal with 40 minutes to play, the Knights pushed increasingly hard for the equalizer. “Calvin is a great side, really wellcoached and with a lot of great individual players,” Mieth said. “Every time they came down it was super dangerous. For the 40 minutes after they scored, it was definitely a battle. Guys were flying all over the place, getting stuck in, putting their bodies on the line, making tackles and winning aerial balls.” Calvin mustered seven shots in the remainder of the second half, forcing three saves from Mieth, while Tufts managed just two shots in the same stretch. Nonetheless, the Jumbos withstood the Knights’ pressure before storming the field when the clock hit triple zeros. “The [matchup] was the same, but both teams evolve and change,” Tufts coach Josh

Shapiro told the Daily in an email. “Calvin continues to be an excellent offensive team with great possession qualities. This Tufts team is a much stronger attacking team … with more offensive weapons. I think both teams were actually stronger than the 2016 versions of themselves. This Tufts team has not had to grind out results under pressure, that was the staple of the 2016 group. But the 2016 group would have been proud of the defensive performance required of the 2018 team in the final.” On Friday, Tufts defeated the University of Rochester Yellowjackets (16–3–2) in a resounding 3–1 result. The Jumbos swarmed the Yellowjackets from the opening whistle, applying constant attacking pressure and snuffing out any counterattacks. In the 21st minute, Braun’s bouncing shot forced senior goalkeeper Patrick Conway into a diving save. Sophomore midfielder Travis Van Brewer took the resulting corner, which was the Jumbos’ second of the game. His wellplaced corner kick fell in the middle of the box, where Braun used his 6-foot-5 frame to his advantage and headed the ball into the goal. The Yellowjackets responded by pulling out all the stops to find an equalizer. AllAmerican senior midfielder Bryce Ikeda used his trademark long throw to put the ball into the Tufts box several times, testing the defense and forcing frantic clearances. The Jumbos did well to defend the play, however, after preparing for it after their quarterfinal victory. The Jumbos doubled their advantage early in the second half on a quick counterattack, orchestrated by a long ball played to Braun. Braun found First Team All-New England junior midfielder Gavin Tasker streaking down the center of the pitch, as Tasker received the pass and fired a left-footed shot into the goal. Tufts sealed the win 11 minutes later with a third goal to put the game out of reach. Despite having numbers in their defensive end, the Yellowjackets were unable to convincingly clear, and the ball ricocheted into Braun’s path. The First Team All-American assisted junior midfielder Zach Lane, who placed his shot past a hapless Conway. In the 72nd minute, Ikeda’s corner allowed junior forward Aidan Miller to head home, narrowing the deficit to two goals. However, the Jumbos were well ahead by then, as the clock ran out on the Yellowjackets’ title ambitions. Senior defender and co-captain Sterling Weatherbie highlighted Tufts’ depth as one of its greatest assets. The Jumbos had 21 different players see playing time in the championship game, compared the the Knights’ 13. Meanwhile, the Jumbos had nine different goal scorers during the course of the NCAA tournament after failing to score any goals in its 2017 tournament appearance. “I think we were able to score because we stuck to the game plan that we’ve had

Monday, December 3, 2018

WEEKEND SCORES MEN’S SOCCER (18–0–3) Div. III NCAA tournament Rochester (semifinal) Calvin (final)

3–1 2–1

MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING 2nd of 6 MIT Invitational WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING 1st of 8 MIT Invitational WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (6–0) vs. New England College at Williams 90–34 at Williams 67–41 MEN’S BASKETBALL (2–4) at Babson vs. Salem St. at Babson

73–94 84–90

ICE HOCKEY (3–4) at Williams at MIddlebury

6–2 2–6

MEN’S SQUASH (2–3) at Middlebury at Williams

1–8 2–7

WOMEN’S SQUASH (2–2) at Middlebury at Williams

0–9 1–8

throughout this season,” Braun said. “We’ve had a lot more success with imposing our tactics on the opposing teams’ defenses as far as spreading the ball out wide or getting it to my feet. But another difference is our strength on set pieces, and it showed this weekend. When you get a set piece, a lot of it is just the hunger, will and belief that you can get your head on the ball.” The team will graduate four seniors in Weatherbie, Mieth, defender Jackson Najjar and midfielder/forward Jarod Glover, who committed to Tufts before it won its first NCAA title in 2014. “When the seniors got recruited, we thought we’d be coming to a middle-ofthe-pack NESCAC school,” Weatherbie said. “Four years later, we have two national championships. I think it’s a testament to all the guys who graduated before us who built up the program. We’re just really happy to continue it, and there’s just no better way to go out.” According to Shapiro, the seniors played pivotal leadership roles throughout the Jumbos’ record-breaking campaign. “It was a magical season,” Shapiro said. “To go undefeated against our schedule is pretty remarkable. It is a great group who committed to working as hard as possible to achieve success for Tufts soccer. It is a relatively young group with 16 [firstyears] and sophomores and those young guys grew up quickly, assumed big roles, took on real responsibility and played a huge part … their urgency and drive really pushed the group forward for the last [six] weeks of the season. It was a fantastic group to coach; they wanted to work, they loved training and competing and they love each other.”

When life throws you a financial challenge, you’ve proven you have what it takes to ace it. Now it’s time to tackle your retirement savings at AceYourRetirement.org