MEN’S BASKETBALL
TUSC plans 105 events for next semester see FEATURES / PAGE 3
Jumbos turn focus to NESCAC after big win
Grammy’s shows disappointing lack of female nominees and winners see ARTS&LIVING / PAGE 5
SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE
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Tufts Democrats hosts Mass. gubernatorial candidate Setti Warren Ben Kaminoff, the organization’s vice president, said the event gives democrats a means to advance a progressive vision. “We thought it would be great to showcase Setti, a rising star in the Democratic party, in order to provide an alternative that highlighted a progressive vision for Massachusetts and the country,” Kaminoff, a senior, told the Daily in an email. Warren’s comments reflected Tufts Democrats’ sentiment regarding Trump. “I saw this as an opportunity to counter what President Trump has been doing,” Warren said in an interview with the Daily. He also expressed enthusiasm about engaging with students through the Q&A. “I was excited to come here and have a conversation with students with forward thinking ideas, energy [and] intellect and to really engage in how we can move our state forward,” Warren told the Daily. In his lecture, Warren said that he draws political inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1967 sermon “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?”. “[King] challenged all of us to not embrace the powers that tell us we should
Tufts Republicans livestreams President Trump’s State of the Union
to know the candidates in the Democratic primary race. “We don’t endorse,” Linnehan said, “but we want to give the candidates a platform on campus. A lot of Tufts students are going to be voting … so we want to make sure we know who the candidates are.” Jaya Khetarpal, the political director for Tufts Democrats, agreed that the event would be important for Tufts voters. “We wanted to give students who are interested in the political process the opportunity to understand how a gubernatorial primary works, what issues are facing Massachusetts residents today, and how to get more involved in state politics,” Khetarpal, a junior, told the Daily in an email. Linnehan also said that Tufts Democrats has hosted State of the Union parties in the past. “We decided not to do that this year because I don’t think people are interested in watching it,” he said. He added that the event was explicitly scheduled to counter the State of the Union. “We wanted to give people an alternative to listen to somebody who’s inspiring, someone who has the opportunity to make progressive change happen and who is going to stand up to Trump, [while] Trump is giving the State of the Union,” Linnehan said.
Asian American Center to become nonresidential, community-focused space
by Connor Dale
by Sarah Minster
primary concerns they identified was that the center’s doors were locked to non-residents. “Student leaders in the community were pretty united on the fact that something about the center needed to change to make it more accessible to students,” Chen, a junior and the TCU Historian, said. “It doesn’t really feel like a welcoming space.” Amieva-Wang, a junior and the center’s fall 2017 intern, noted that the space had immense potential, but its locked doors made building Asian American community difficult. “The inaccessibility of the center has really fragmented any sense of Asian American community on campus,” Amieva-Wang explained. “Because the center is seen as unwelcoming or maybe exclusive, it was hard to get students engaged in really being part of this process.”
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Two-term mayor of Newton and Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Setti Warren speaks at an event sponsored by the Tufts Democrats and Tisch College. by Austin Clementi Contributing Writer
The Tufts Democrats held a lecture and question-and-answer session with Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate and eighth-year Newton, Mass. mayor Setti Warren on Tuesday. The event took place as President Donald Trump gave the 2018 State of the Union Address.
Contributing Writer
On Tuesday at 9 p.m., Tufts Republicans hosted a viewing event in the Terrace Room in Paige Hall for President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union Address, according to Tufts Republicans President George Behrakis. Behrakis, a sophomore, said the group held a discussion of the progress of Trump’s administration during its weekly meeting in advance of the State of the Union address. “We’re going to talk about the good and bad of the President’s first year in office and discuss what the next year might look like,” Behrakis said before the meeting. Behrakis said that Tufts Republicans had originally planned on hosting U.S. Senate candidate Beth Lindstrom as a speaker in conjunction with the livestream, but she had to cancel due to illness. Some members of the group commended Tufts Democrats’ decision to promote its forum with Setti Warren, former Mayor of
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Tufts Democrats President Misha Linnehan, a senior, said that the Q&A with Warren was the first part of a three-part 2018 Gubernatorial Series, which will feature each Democratic candidate up for nomination in Massachusetts: Warren, Jay Gonzalez and Bob Massie. Linnehan explained that the general purpose of the Gubernatorial Series is to provide an opportunity for students to get
Newton, Mass. and a Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate, as an alternative to viewing Trump’s State of the Union Address. “I think that there’s a lot of criticism of some Democrats for saying, ‘Oh, I want to protest Trump’ but then not actually doing anything, and it’s nice to see that Democrats are gathering together and doing something that they feel is an action against Trump — not watching [the State of the Union] and supporting Democrats instead — so good for them,” sophomore Rachel Wolff, outreach coordinator for Tufts Republicans, said. Tufts Republicans Vice President Robert Whitehead, a sophomore, said that hosting Warren provided an opportunity to engage with politics beyond just the federal level. “It’s good to see the Democrats focusing on local politics, which I think both parties can do a much better job of doing,” Whitehead said. “I think there’s an old saying by [former] Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill that all politics is local at the end of the day.”
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The Asian American House and the Asian American Center will be separated next year, allowing for the Start House to be designated entirely for the Asian American Center, following a Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate resolution calling for Asian American identity-based housing to be separate from the center. As a result of the resolution, which passed Nov. 19, the Office of Residential Life and Learning (ResLife) has assigned the 110s suite in Hillside Apartments to students who desire such housing. According to Asian American Center student leaders and Tufts faculty, both students and administrators have been in favor of changing the center from residential to a nonresidential community space. Ana Sofia Amieva-Wang, Jacqueline Chen, Shannon Lee and Charlie Zhen wrote the resolution explaining the inaccessibility of the center. One of the
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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Thursday, February 1, 2018
THE TUFTS DAILY Catherine Perloff Editor-in-Chief
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Warren emphasizes economic inequality and resistance to Trump in Q&A SETTI WARREN
continued from page 1 accept the status quo,” Warren said. The mayor also emphasized economic inequality, calling it “the defining issue of this generation.” Calling for a rise in taxes for wealthy Americans, Warren said, “We know that economic inequality has risen in the
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last 40 years, because we’re not making these investments for people.” After this short speech, Linnehan and Kaminoff asked Warren questions submitted by students on topics ranging from the opioid crisis to his plans for environmental action as governor. Warren, an Iraq veteran, highlighted the importance of civic action and duty.
He cited his parents, who “threw themselves into the civil rights movement,” emphasizing the need to “get out of your comfort zone.” “That’s the way we’re going to resist Trump, and beyond Trump, that’s the way we’re going to get the Commonwealth to a better place,” Warren said.
“We want to do our best to listen to our student voices and find a reasonable solution to what they’re asking for.” ResLife made the decision to move Asian American identity-based housing to the 110s suite in Hillside Apartments as a temporary solution to the problems with the center, according to Chris Rossi, associate dean of student affairs. Referencing Rainbow House’s recent move from a suite to a stand-alone house on Sawyer Avenue, he said the long-term goal is to move Asian American identity-based housing out of Hillside Apartments as well. Chen, Lee and Amieva-Wang all expressed that their priority was opening the center to the community as quickly as possible, stressing expediency over a permanent housing solution. “A priority was getting the center opened. That meant, obviously, that we had to make compromises. We knew that, and that’s why we were very enthusiastic with the move to the Hillside suite,” Lee explained. “One day it will be relocated to a wood-frame house.” Both students and staff involved with the Asian American Center view this as a positive change for the Asian American community at Tufts. Linell Yugawa, director of the Asian American Center, elaborated on the collaborative process between the students and administration in changing the center. “Everyone has been extremely supportive to make as smooth a transition as possible,” Yugawa told the Daily in an email. “I fully support all that the
and commend them for their advocacy and leadership for the community. I thank them and the Deans for making this happen.” Sarah D’Annolfo, associate director of residential education, stressed Tufts’s dedication to representing its students. She noted that ResLife hopes to better facilitate building and supporting small-group housing communities. “[We aim to] support opportunities for collaboration [by putting] student voices at the center of all of that effort and help facilitate great ideas as they unfold,” D’Annolfo said. Students and administration envision the future of the center as an accessible, welcoming space for community-building. Zhen, a junior, expressed the significance of this change and his excitement for the future center. “We recognize that the Center is far from perfect, but this is a major step in increasing its accessibility and allowing more students to access a place that will help them form communities and call Tufts home,” Zhen wrote via email. “This change would not have gone through if it weren’t for all of the times students spoke up, expressed dissatisfaction with the co-location of the Center and the residence and sought to improve Tufts for underrepresented students. I encourage everyone to continue thinking about spaces on campus and how we can improve them.”
They’ve served as a good bridge for us in that regard,” Karla said. The redefined student staff roles, with FYAs catering to first-year students and CDAs catering to upperclassmen, have so far been an effective distinction, according to D’Annolfo. “As this year, all first-year students are housed in first-year buildings, the specificity of the FYA role has been positive for students,” D’Annolfo told the Daily in an email. Karla also views the separation of these roles as a step in the right direction. “Freshmen and upperclassmen need different types of support and having distinct CDA [and] FYA roles allows us to serve them better,” Karla said. Additionally, Austin explained how improvements in the housing lottery for rising juniors and seniors have allowed students more time to figure out their plans. “We have a better sense of how many juniors and seniors live on campus and how many beds we have. Additionally, we launched the housing waitlist in December this year, four months earlier than last year, when it was released in March. We feel these were welcome changes that provided these students more time to find housing,” Austin said. Despite these changes, some students still feel that ResLife has a long way to go to ensure that students have the support they need. Rachel Herman, a first-year, told the Daily that although she requested a single for medical reasons before arriving on campus, her request was not approved and instead she
was assigned to a triple. She said that after contacting ResLife staff, who did not get back to her, she took the situation into her own hands, switching rooms with another student and later finalizing that decision with ResLife. “I was put on a waitlist for any low-occupancy room, like a double or a single, so I decided to find someone on social media and switch rooms with them on my own,” she said. Herman further explained that she did not receive the assistance and attention she felt she needed from ResLife, and that she also has heard similar stories and sentiments from other students. “It was more of a hindrance to work with them than beneficial,” she said. Austin emphasized that ResLife and SAS have a good rapport, saying that they work in close coordination on room assignments and when putting together housing assignments. “I feel like if there’s any person at this university that I’m close with from another department, it would be someone from SAS. I talk with them at least a couple times a week … especially in June, when we come up with our housing timelines months in advance,” he said. Additionally, according to Austin, ResLife is dedicated to hearing and responding accordingly to feedback from students in order to ensure positive experiences moving forward. “Through holding information sessions of up to over 250 students, we have gotten feedback from students and we find it incredibly valuable. I see around 20–30 students in my office per week in order to have feedback across the spectrum,” Austin said.
ResLife supports Asian American Center transitions and how we can address them,” Austin said. student leaders have done for the Center ASIAN AMERICAN CENTER
continued from page 1 Lee, a sophomore, shared AmievaWang’s sentiment, saying that the center had failed to meet students’ needs. “The center has … a long way to go, but simply unlocking the door is a fundamental step to making an accessible center,” Lee, the TCU diversity and community affairs officer and Ethnicity and Community Affairs Committee chair, added. In the future, students and administrators hope to create diverse programming and classroom spaces in the center in addition to providing students with resources and opportunities, according to Lee. Chen expressed her excitement for the creation of classroom spaces, group meeting areas and larger community-building events. Zhen, the Asian American Community Senator, stated that his goal for the center is for it to become a place to hang out or study, as well as a meeting place for clubs or discussion groups. The change to the center began with a petition that gained large support from the Tufts community. Student leaders then partnered with the administration to pass the Senate resolution and put the housing change in action. Matt Austin, associate director of housing operations, spoke about ResLife’s support for student requests. “We’ve really tried to reach out to our small group houses and see how we can better serve them in residential life [by] getting a better idea of the problems in their house
Administrators, students respond to ResLife structural reforms by Daniel Weinstein Assistant News Editor
Executive Graphics Editor Graphics Editors
tuftsdaily.com
According to Associate Dean of Student Affairs Christopher Rossi, Associate Director of Housing Operations Matt Austin and Associate Director of Residential Education Sarah D’Annolfo, the structural reforms that the Office of Residential Life and Learning (ResLife) put in place last semester have yielded positive outcomes so far. The reforms include a reorganization of the dorm model, creating two groups of student-dorm staff to have a separate group to work with first years, and modifying the lottery system, D’Annolfo said. According to a September 2017 Daily article, dormitory organization was revised in the fall to create a new model of seven designated areas, with each area led by a Graduate Residence Director (GRD). D’Annolfo noted that this change has effectively provided another layer of support for student staffers and non-staffer students alike. “The GRDs have come up with creative ways to support our students [that] have really been an amazing addition,” D’Annolfo said, explaining that GRDs are constantly on call to help Community Development Assistants (CDAs) and First Year Assistants (FYAs). Sara Karla, a CDA in Lewis Hall, shared D’Annolfo’s sentiment that the GRDs have been an accessible resource for CDAs and FYAs. “GRDs have been very helpful, as they’ve allowed CDAs and FYAs to receive support without having to contact the ResLife office directly every time we have a concern.
Thursday, February 1, 2018
Features
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TUSC does more with less, becomes a major presence on campus by Ilana P. Goldberg
Assistant Features Editor
Tufts University Social Collective (TUSC) is rapidly expanding its influence on campus as its events continue to grow in number and reach a wider audience of students than before. According to Assistant Director for Campus Life John Wescott, TUSC has 105 events planned for this semester, compared to 93 events in the fall semester. Details of all these events can be found on the student organizations events calendar on the website of the Office for Campus Life (OCL). Megan Fernandez, a member of the TUSC executive board, said that TUSC will again organize favorites such as Winter Ball and Oscars Night, and will be adding new programs to their lineup. “We’ve done some brainstorming to create events like Paint Night, or we have some cool spins on our movie nights coming up with [TUSC] Film Series…” Fernandez, a senior, said. “I think we’ve [not only] done more events, but we’ve also added some creative spins on some of the events we’ve already had.” Sam Little, a member of TUSC Seniors, further explained the changes to TUSC Film Series’ lineup. “I know that Films is really trying to reinvent itself a little bit and play more exciting movies that are maybe in theaters or recently out of theaters,” Little, a senior, said. Little noted that the team behind TUSC’s numerous events currently consists of 24 students across several subgroups. “TUSC breaks down into each class, and then we have Film [Series], Concert and [Entertainment]. There’s also the exec and marketing [teams],” Little, a senior, said. “Film and Concert have a larger staff of volunteers.” TUSC has seen a number of changes over the past few years. The group was previously known as Programming Board and rebranded itself as TUSC in 2016 to increase cohesion and community between the various subgroups, according to an April 14, 2016 Daily article. Additionally, TUSC created a marketing subgroup last summer to oversee the advertising of events and manage its presence on social media, which Fenandez said allows TUSC to build on its previous momentum of change and heighten its presence on campus this year. According to Fernandez, the marketing team has been influential in making TUSC’s ticket-shaped logo instantly recognizable on campus. “We created a marketing team, and I think that has been one of the biggest reasons that TUSC has become more effective because we have people interested in marketing and advertising doing our marketing and advertising,” she said. “And [previously] we had all the people that wanted to event plan doing [marketing].” Wescott said that the attendance at TUSC events this year has been encouraging.
COURTESY TUSC MARKETING
Two students enjoy the Tuftonia’s Day Carnival on April 28, 2017. “Our average attendance at our events for the fall semester was 107 people, which is pretty great,” Wescott said. Little explained that due to greater demand, tickets for certain TUSC events have sold out much quicker than anticipated. “It’s always interesting because there are some events that we get real excited about and we think everyone’s coming [to], and then some events aren’t as strong as we expected,” he said. “And then there are other things like the Celtics game that sold out in like 11 seconds. It was absurd.” Sophomore Clair Li attended TUSC’s first Late Night FUN event of the semester, where she made DIY bamboo plants. She felt that TUSC is engaging a wider audience of students by holding these events later at night, as the event started at 9 p.m. “There’s definitely changes with TUSC — they hold more late night events [at the Campus Center], which is more convenient both in time and location,” Li told the Daily in an electronic message. Casey Zorn attended the bamboo event and said the events TUSC offers have been more interesting this year. “It’s hard for me to say whether or not I’ve noticed any real changes in TUSC programming this semester,” Zorn, a sophomore, told the Daily in an electronic message. “I’m not sure how much I was really paying attention to what they were offering my freshman year. What I can say is that I have certainly felt more excited and interested about events that have been offered by TUSC both last and this semester.”
Zorn said that while she appreciates TUSC’s offerings, she does not know if they are enough to improve the social scene at Tufts. “Generally, I feel a little unsatisfied with the options Tufts is offering on campus,” she said. Although a separate entity from OCL, TUSC is advised by two members of OCL’s professional staff, including Wescott and Caitlyn Aborn, the programming graduate intern. Little said that the appointment of Wescott in January 2017 has been critical to the positive changes in TUSC this year. “There’s an organization shift that I’ve been really impressed with,” Little said. “We got a new director, John Wescott. Ashley Austin, who is still in the [OCL], used to be in charge of what is now TUSC … and she did a great job, too. I think by getting a fresh face in, we were able to make some changes that needed to happen, and [Wescott] has been really good about making sure that we’ve been really focusing on our branding.” In addition to improvements in branding, Fernandez also attributed TUSC’s recent success to changes made to its internal organization and event planning process. “We’ve become more efficient. We started creating internal checklists for ourselves: we have this thing called an event checklist, and it basically details out what has to be done three weeks before an event, two weeks before, a week before, [and] on the day of the event,” she said. “So we’ve gotten a lot better at managing events starting off a longer way away.” Despite organizing more events and extending its outreach on campus, TUSC
is actually operating on a lower budget than it has in the past, according to Little. “We definitely saw a reduction of the budget in the last three years,” Little said. “I think we do a pretty good job of being efficient with the funds that we have.” Fernandez added that a budget increase could allow TUSC to hold even more events and offer more tickets for sale in future semesters. Regardless of the budgetary constraints, Fernandez explained that TUSC’s goal is to offer as many options for as many students, who are looking for campus events that they can go to during the weekend. “We are here to try to serve the entire Tufts community, and so we are trying to have events that people who don’t really like going out to parties and things like that can also do,” she said. “So we’ve started doing more events on that kind of line –like we have all these ‘Late Night Fun’ events planned for the semester, which run usually either Friday or Saturday night, and it’s usually like a thing you can make or create.” Little hopes that TUSC will continue to expand, reaching as many students as possible and unifying students of varying interests and backgrounds. “My dream is always that it helps bring people together that otherwise wouldn’t [come together],” he said. “You go to an event for the reason that you go to an event, and someone else goes to an event for a completely different reason or the same reason, and you meet a new person, you make a new friend, and you feel a little more connected to your campus.”
TRASHING ONE EGG WASTES 55 GALLONS OF WATER
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THE TUFTS DAILY | Comics | Thursday, February 1, 2018
Comics
LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Zach: “I’d love some of Cathy’s hand cheese.”
Comics
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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku Thu Feb 1 00:50:20 2018 GMT. Enjoy! of the Super Bowl. Difficulty Level: Pretending to on know about football ahead
Tuesday’s Solution
NON SEQUITUR BY WILEY MILLER
CROSSWORD
Tuesday’s Solution
CARROLL'S Monday- $1 Oysters & Clams Tuesday- $2 Tacos & Sliders (Bar Only) Wednesday- $7 Burgers. Add a beer for $3 (restrictions apply) Thursday- Select 1/2 Priced App's (Bar Only) Friday- $1 Oysters & Clams (Bar Only) 4-6 Saturday-$18.95 Prime Rib w Mashed
Arts & Living
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Grammys provoke new fitting hashtag: #GrammysSoMale by Christopher Panella Staff Writer
This is, unquestionably, a strange and explosive time for the entertainment industry. The #MeToo movement has upended many of the most successful and powerful men in the industry, taking down news anchor giants like Matt Lauer, formerly beloved actors like Kevin Spacey and executives like Harvey Weinstein. The movement has also opened up a dialogue that was muted for decades and is being acknowledged on some of the world’s greatest stages, like at the Golden Globes Awards. The 75th Globes this past month were, putting it lightly, powerful. TIME’S UP, a movement started by Hollywood stars to fight sexual harassment took center stage as women wore black in solidarity with the movements, and Oprah’s rousing speech in connection to the #MeToo movement had people discussing her potential in the 2020 presidential campaign. It feels like now is the time to truly acknowledge the work of women in the entertainment industry, from film to television to theater to music. However, last night at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, the acknowledgment was nearly absent. When nominations for the 60th Grammy Awards were announced, it was easy to notice the sheer male domination in the categories. This should not be surprising, as a recent USC study found that more than 90 percent of Grammy nominees between 2013 and 2018 were male. The Album of the Year category featured only one female nominee, Lorde, with her critically acclaimed “Melodrama” (2017). This was Lorde’s only nomination. Female nominees were completely missing from the Record of the Year category. Alessia Cara was the sole female nominee for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and was only featured on a song. Rihanna was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Performance but, again, only as a feature on a song. Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga and Kesha all held nominations in the Best Pop Vocal Album, and SZA led the pack of female nominations with five. There was some
COURTESY REUTERS
Alessia Cara poses with her Grammy award for Best New Artist. hope going into the awards, but as each category’s winner was announced, it became clear that these Grammys were going to be more male-dominated than ever. Out of the main awards, only one woman, Alessia Cara, won, and that was for Best New Artist. Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty” (2017), featuring Rihanna, won Best Rap/Sung Performance. SZA, the most nominated female, did not win a single Grammy. All other main categories, from Record of the Year to Song of the Year to Best Pop Solo Performance to Best Pop Vocal Album, were won by men. The awards show, however, saw strong performances from multiple women like Lady Gaga, SZA and Miley Cyrus. Kesha, Camila Cabello, Cyndi Lauper, Julia Michaels, Andra Day and Bebe Rexha dominated the night with a performance of “Praying” (2017) from Kesha’s critically acclaimed “Rainbow” (2017), the performance supporting #MeToo and becoming one of the most talked-about moments. While these women’s performances were hailed as some of the best of the night, they did not win their awards.
Why? To this writer, it truly feels like the Grammys used these women for their performances, knowing viewers wanted to see acts like SZA and Cardi B, but did not appreciate their work enough to give them the actual awards they were there for. A true snub of the night was Lorde not winning the one category she was nominated for or getting to perform. Prior to the show, sources say that Lorde was not offered a solo spot. She was, instead, offered a spot in the Tom Petty tribute. Lorde declined, considering that the four other Album of the Year nominees were offered solo spots and the ability to perform their own music. When asked about Lorde’s shutout, Recording Academy President Neil Portnow said, “We have a wealth of riches every year, and it’s hard to have a balanced show and have everybody involved … We can’t have a performance from every nominee — we have over 80 categories — so we have to realize that we have to create something that has balance.” It seems, however, the Grammys had plenty of space for performances from
the rest of the male-dominated Album of the Year nominees, plenty of performances from non-nominated acts, a James Corden Subway Karaoke segment, a reading of “Fire and Fury” (2017) and multiple performance slots for some artists such as Sting. Portnow went on to say, “I think it has to begin with women who have the creativity in their hearts and their souls — who want to be musicians, who want to be engineers, who want to be producers, who want to be part of the industry on an executive level — to step up, because I think they would be welcome.” This answer was terrible, considering women created music ranging in themes from heartbreak and independence to cancer and sexual assault. There was plenty of creativity from women across the music industry. There was plenty of critically acclaimed female talent to choose from, nominate and give the awards to. Women used creativity in their hearts and their souls and wanted to be part of this industry on all levels, so how much more can they step up?
Oscar nominations are a refreshing, necessary change of pace by Cassidy Olsen
Executive Arts Editor
While last week’s Academy Award nominations brought the usual tumult of snubs and surprises that moviegoers love to argue over year after year, something about them felt different. Perhaps because Hollywood has been doing some much needed self-reflection in the wake of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements (not forgetting #OscarsSoWhite of 2015 and 2016), or because this year’s crop of films and performances are unique in their own right, these nominations didn’t shock and anger so much as inspire faith (and genuine excitement) in the Academy and what it represents. For her work on Dee Rees’ “Mudbound” (2017), Rachel Morrison made history, becoming the first woman cinematographer to ever be nominated for an Oscar. Morrison has filmed other buzzed-about movies, including Ryan Coogler’s breakCOURTESY SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer in the Oscar-nominated film ‘Call Me by Your Name’ (2017).
see OSCARS, page 6
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THE TUFTS DAILY | ARTS & LIVING | Thursday, February 1, 2018
tuftsdaily.com
Oscar nominations feature nods to wide variety of films OSCARS
continued from page 4 out hit “Fruitvale Station” (2013) and his much-anticipated superhero picture, “Black Panther,” but had never received such a nomination from the Academy. While Dee Rees did not receive a directing nomination for “Mudbound,” the best director category did break from its typical all-male mold; first-time feature director Greta Gerwig was nominated for “Lady Bird” (2017), becoming only the fifth woman to ever receive the honor. This came as something of a pleasant surprise to most, since Gerwig wasn’t in the running for either the Golden Globe or BAFTA for directing. The same goes for Jordan Peele and “Get Out” (2017), the high-grossing and critically acclaimed horror about race in America that was largely overlooked by other award shows this season. Gerwig and Peele are both first-time directors telling fresh stories with style, and their best director and best picture nominations are more than deserved.
Additionally, Gerwig, Rees, Vanessa Taylor and Guillermo del Toro of “The Shape of Water” (2017) and Emily Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani of “The Big Sick” (2017) all received nominations for their screenplays. Seeing this kind of female and POC representation in non-acting and technical categories is incredibly refreshing, if not a too-little-too-late scenario from the Academy. Beyond their more diverse nominee pool, these Oscars are notable simply for the kinds of movies and performances that they’re recognizing as worthy of celebration. Of course, historical dramas and biopics like “The Post” (2017), “Dunkirk” (2017) and “Darkest Hour” (2017) are awards fodder and obvious picks for best picture. The Academy loves a measured WWII movie placed alongside a different, splashy WWII movie, and everyone loves Steven Spielberg and Meryl Streep. But how often have voters recognized movies that aren’t filled to the
brim with tragedy, violence and moralizing or collective nostalgia? “Lady Bird” tells the story of one regular young woman growing up in Sacramento, fighting with her mom and grappling with her dreams. “Call Me By Your Name” (2017) is an artful, intimate queer romance, free of the tragedy that usually occupies so many LGBTQ films we deem “worthy.” Even “Get Out,” while violent and allegorical, is a darkly comic, timely and scary story unlike one that’s been told before. The Academy’s recognition of these films, which is certainly influenced by the expansion of independent production companies into the mainstream, could mark a turning point for the way we talk about and celebrate movies in the future. Of course, the nominations couldn’t — and didn’t — hit every nail on its head. “The Florida Project” (2017) came up short of a best picture nomination, confusing many critics who considered it to be the best film of
the year by far, and Armie Hammer and Michael Stuhlbarg both failed to receive best supporting actor nominations for “Call Me By Your Name.” The controversial “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (2017) swept the Golden Globes, but things could go very differently in March; the Oscars snubbed director Martin McDonagh and introduced Paul Thomas Anderson and “Phantom Thread” (2017) into the mix for best director and best picture, respectively. James Franco was also notably snubbed for his role in “The Disaster Artist” (2017) following sexual misconduct accusations, indicating that Academy voters may have actually been listening to #TimesUp activists. Regardless of what happens at the ceremony, these nominations alone speak to the broadening and diversifying of Academy minds as to what truly great movies can be. Here’s hoping the trend continues. The 90th Academy Awards will air on March 4 at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Jonghyun’s ‘Poet | Artist’ is a powerful parting gift to fans by Yuan Jun Chee Sports Editor
Content warning: This article mentions suicide, suicidal thoughts and depression. On Dec. 18, the K-pop universe was shocked by the sudden passing of Kim Jong-hyun ( Jonghyun), who took his life in an apparent suicide after having battled depression for many years. Jonghyun was one of the lead singers of the popular five-member boyband SHINee, which made its debut in 2008. Jonghyun made his solo debut seven years later with an extended play titled Base (2015), which confirmed his place as one of the industry’s leading singers, songwriters and producers. Jonghyun has also worked extensively with other K-pop artists, having written songs for popular boyband EXO, Lee Hi, IU, fellow band member Taemin and more. In his final album, aptly titled “Poet | Artist” (2018), Jonghyun reminded the world of his exceptional abilities one last time. The album was released posthumously and charted at No. 1 on the iTunes Worldwide Chart and on other individual iTunes charts across the world. It also charted at No. 177 on the Billboard Hot 200, a testament to Jonghyun’s global appeal. In “Poet | Artist,” Jonghyun builds on his previous albums, namely “She Is” (2016) and “Story Op. 2” (2017). In memory of Jonghyun, who was often vocal about issues of equality, profits from the album will be given to his mother and used to found an organization to help those who are living in difficult circumstances. The 11-track album is led by the main single “빛이 나 Shinin’,” which will remind many SHINee fans of the rhythms heard in “View” (2015). The track is easy to groove to given its house-like nature and simply written yet catchy hook and chorus. The track is accompanied by a lighthearted, neon-filled music video that features many playful close-ups of the singer, adding to the overall up-tempo, feel-good nature of the song. Other songs of this nature include “사람 구경 중 Sightseeing,” a track that incorporates various sounds such as jazz, car screeches and cat sounds, evoking a nighttime stroll down the street.
Jonghyun’s incredible talent across genres and his emotionally impressive vocals are also demonstrated throughout the album. His falsetto in both the EDM-fused tracks of “환상통 Only One You Need” and “Take The Dive” is particularly impressive, especially as it mixes with his deeper, softer tones throughout the songs. In a complete 180, Jonghyun then goes into an alternative, funk, house kind of mood with “Rewind” as we hear the singer whispering repetitive lyrics in a song fit for the runway. Most of Jonghyun’s album focuses on the themes of love and relationships. “ 하루만이라도 Just For A Day” is an airy, trap-influenced track that calls out for a lost lover, and he wishes to be reacquainted with them at the end of the song, even if they have different tomorrows. In contrast, “어떤 기분이 들까 I’m So Curious” retains a softer nature, and the lyrics call out with a longing desire to get to know a lover better. “기름때 Grease” is clever in its use of powerful imagery to describe the end of a relationship, as Jonghyun cries for the memories/grease to “now go away, cuz I wanna erase you, go away.” “Sentimental,” a song about a past relationship, brings us into Jonghyun’s jazz bar and is reminiscent of some of his older songs on Story Op. 1 (2015) and Story Op. 2. One of the most impressive tracks is “와플 (#Hashtag),” which demonstrates Jonghyun’s reputation as a songwriter. The song plays on the similar-sounding terms of waffle (wa-peul in Korean) and hateful comments (ak-peul in Korean). The song is about Jonghyun’s personal distaste for malicious rumors that are often spread online in the entertainment industry, with Jonghyun himself having been targeted by such comments in light of his support for the LGBTQ community. Jonghyun discusses the issue in an almost casual nature; the song is filled with finger snaps as he asks listeners to “eat a waffle, you try it too, try eating the bad comments.” The final song on the album is “우린 봄이 오기 전에 Before Our Spring,” for which parent company SM Entertainment released a music video to look back at Jonghyun’s career. And like in the video, the last track acts as a chilling reminder of the struggles that
the singer faced prior to his death by aptly utilizing metaphor and imagery of spring. “Before Our Spring” is fundamentally a song about two lost lovers, but it also speaks volumes to the relationship that Jonghyun had with his fans. The song opens with, “Before spring comes, before it gets warm, shall we meet?” Jonghyun attempts to assure listeners to not “worry about what to do / I’m alright / Spring will come to me too.” Yet, one can only wonder how the forlorn lover/Jonghyun feels as the song ends ambiguously and painfully:
“When I forget my tears and my sadness / when spring comes to me too, then, then, then, then.” Its simplicity and poetic nature make it all the more beautiful and perhaps serve as the best justification for naming the album “Poet | Artist.” Unfortunately for K-pop fans, spring never came for Jonghyun. But as legions of K-poppers trended “You’ve done well, Jonghyun” in light of his passing, “Poet | Artist” serves as a final reminder to the devotion that fills the legacy of the talented singer-songwriter.
COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Jonghyun at the 2016 Korean Popular Culture And Arts Awards.
Arts & Living
Thursday, February 1, 2018
5 tuftsdaily.com
Grammys provoke new fitting hashtag: #GrammysSoMale by Christopher Panella Staff Writer
This is, unquestionably, a strange and explosive time for the entertainment industry. The #MeToo movement has upended many of the most successful and powerful men in the industry, taking down news anchor giants like Matt Lauer, formerly beloved actors like Kevin Spacey and executives like Harvey Weinstein. The movement has also opened up a dialogue that was muted for decades and is being acknowledged on some of the world’s greatest stages, like at the Golden Globes Awards. The 75th Globes this past month were, putting it lightly, powerful. TIME’S UP, a movement started by Hollywood stars to fight sexual harassment took center stage as women wore black in solidarity with the movements, and Oprah’s rousing speech in connection to the #MeToo movement had people discussing her potential in the 2020 presidential campaign. It feels like now is the time to truly acknowledge the work of women in the entertainment industry, from film to television to theater to music. However, last night at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, the acknowledgment was nearly absent. When nominations for the 60th Grammy Awards were announced, it was easy to notice the sheer male domination in the categories. This should not be surprising, as a recent USC study found that more than 90 percent of Grammy nominees between 2013 and 2018 were male. The Album of the Year category featured only one female nominee, Lorde, with her critically acclaimed “Melodrama” (2017). This was Lorde’s only nomination. Female nominees were completely missing from the Record of the Year category. Alessia Cara was the sole female nominee for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and was only featured on a song. Rihanna was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Performance but, again, only as a feature on a song. Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga and Kesha all held nominations in the Best Pop Vocal Album, and SZA led the pack of female nominations with five. There was some
COURTESY REUTERS
Alessia Cara poses with her Grammy award for Best New Artist. hope going into the awards, but as each category’s winner was announced, it became clear that these Grammys were going to be more male-dominated than ever. Out of the main awards, only one woman, Alessia Cara, won, and that was for Best New Artist. Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty” (2017), featuring Rihanna, won Best Rap/Sung Performance. SZA, the most nominated female, did not win a single Grammy. All other main categories, from Record of the Year to Song of the Year to Best Pop Solo Performance to Best Pop Vocal Album, were won by men. The awards show, however, saw strong performances from multiple women like Lady Gaga, SZA and Miley Cyrus. Kesha, Camila Cabello, Cyndi Lauper, Julia Michaels, Andra Day and Bebe Rexha dominated the night with a performance of “Praying” (2017) from Kesha’s critically acclaimed “Rainbow” (2017), the performance supporting #MeToo and becoming one of the most talked-about moments. While these women’s performances were hailed as some of the best of the night, they did not win their awards.
Why? To this writer, it truly feels like the Grammys used these women for their performances, knowing viewers wanted to see acts like SZA and Cardi B, but did not appreciate their work enough to give them the actual awards they were there for. A true snub of the night was Lorde not winning the one category she was nominated for or getting to perform. Prior to the show, sources say that Lorde was not offered a solo spot. She was, instead, offered a spot in the Tom Petty tribute. Lorde declined, considering that the four other Album of the Year nominees were offered solo spots and the ability to perform their own music. When asked about Lorde’s shutout, Recording Academy President Neil Portnow said, “We have a wealth of riches every year, and it’s hard to have a balanced show and have everybody involved … We can’t have a performance from every nominee — we have over 80 categories — so we have to realize that we have to create something that has balance.” It seems, however, the Grammys had plenty of space for performances from
the rest of the male-dominated Album of the Year nominees, plenty of performances from non-nominated acts, a James Corden Subway Karaoke segment, a reading of “Fire and Fury” (2017) and multiple performance slots for some artists such as Sting. Portnow went on to say, “I think it has to begin with women who have the creativity in their hearts and their souls — who want to be musicians, who want to be engineers, who want to be producers, who want to be part of the industry on an executive level — to step up, because I think they would be welcome.” This answer was terrible, considering women created music ranging in themes from heartbreak and independence to cancer and sexual assault. There was plenty of creativity from women across the music industry. There was plenty of critically acclaimed female talent to choose from, nominate and give the awards to. Women used creativity in their hearts and their souls and wanted to be part of this industry on all levels, so how much more can they step up?
Oscar nominations are a refreshing, necessary change of pace by Cassidy Olsen
Executive Arts Editor
While last week’s Academy Award nominations brought the usual tumult of snubs and surprises that moviegoers love to argue over year after year, something about them felt different. Perhaps because Hollywood has been doing some much needed self-reflection in the wake of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements (not forgetting #OscarsSoWhite of 2015 and 2016), or because this year’s crop of films and performances are unique in their own right, these nominations didn’t shock and anger so much as inspire faith (and genuine excitement) in the Academy and what it represents. For her work on Dee Rees’ “Mudbound” (2017), Rachel Morrison made history, becoming the first woman cinematographer to ever be nominated for an Oscar. Morrison has filmed other buzzed-about movies, including Ryan Coogler’s breakCOURTESY SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer in the Oscar-nominated film ‘Call Me by Your Name’ (2017).
see OSCARS, page 6
6
THE TUFTS DAILY | ARTS & LIVING | Thursday, February 1, 2018
tuftsdaily.com
Oscar nominations feature nods to wide variety of films OSCARS
continued from page 4 out hit “Fruitvale Station” (2013) and his much-anticipated superhero picture, “Black Panther,” but had never received such a nomination from the Academy. While Dee Rees did not receive a directing nomination for “Mudbound,” the best director category did break from its typical all-male mold; first-time feature director Greta Gerwig was nominated for “Lady Bird” (2017), becoming only the fifth woman to ever receive the honor. This came as something of a pleasant surprise to most, since Gerwig wasn’t in the running for either the Golden Globe or BAFTA for directing. The same goes for Jordan Peele and “Get Out” (2017), the high-grossing and critically acclaimed horror about race in America that was largely overlooked by other award shows this season. Gerwig and Peele are both first-time directors telling fresh stories with style, and their best director and best picture nominations are more than deserved.
Additionally, Gerwig, Rees, Vanessa Taylor and Guillermo del Toro of “The Shape of Water” (2017) and Emily Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani of “The Big Sick” (2017) all received nominations for their screenplays. Seeing this kind of female and POC representation in non-acting and technical categories is incredibly refreshing, if not a too-little-too-late scenario from the Academy. Beyond their more diverse nominee pool, these Oscars are notable simply for the kinds of movies and performances that they’re recognizing as worthy of celebration. Of course, historical dramas and biopics like “The Post” (2017), “Dunkirk” (2017) and “Darkest Hour” (2017) are awards fodder and obvious picks for best picture. The Academy loves a measured WWII movie placed alongside a different, splashy WWII movie, and everyone loves Steven Spielberg and Meryl Streep. But how often have voters recognized movies that aren’t filled to the
brim with tragedy, violence and moralizing or collective nostalgia? “Lady Bird” tells the story of one regular young woman growing up in Sacramento, fighting with her mom and grappling with her dreams. “Call Me By Your Name” (2017) is an artful, intimate queer romance, free of the tragedy that usually occupies so many LGBTQ films we deem “worthy.” Even “Get Out,” while violent and allegorical, is a darkly comic, timely and scary story unlike one that’s been told before. The Academy’s recognition of these films, which is certainly influenced by the expansion of independent production companies into the mainstream, could mark a turning point for the way we talk about and celebrate movies in the future. Of course, the nominations couldn’t — and didn’t — hit every nail on its head. “The Florida Project” (2017) came up short of a best picture nomination, confusing many critics who considered it to be the best film of
the year by far, and Armie Hammer and Michael Stuhlbarg both failed to receive best supporting actor nominations for “Call Me By Your Name.” The controversial “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (2017) swept the Golden Globes, but things could go very differently in March; the Oscars snubbed director Martin McDonagh and introduced Paul Thomas Anderson and “Phantom Thread” (2017) into the mix for best director and best picture, respectively. James Franco was also notably snubbed for his role in “The Disaster Artist” (2017) following sexual misconduct accusations, indicating that Academy voters may have actually been listening to #TimesUp activists. Regardless of what happens at the ceremony, these nominations alone speak to the broadening and diversifying of Academy minds as to what truly great movies can be. Here’s hoping the trend continues. The 90th Academy Awards will air on March 4 at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Jonghyun’s ‘Poet | Artist’ is a powerful parting gift to fans by Yuan Jun Chee Sports Editor
Content warning: This article mentions suicide, suicidal thoughts and depression. On Dec. 18, the K-pop universe was shocked by the sudden passing of Kim Jong-hyun ( Jonghyun), who took his life in an apparent suicide after having battled depression for many years. Jonghyun was one of the lead singers of the popular five-member boyband SHINee, which made its debut in 2008. Jonghyun made his solo debut seven years later with an extended play titled Base (2015), which confirmed his place as one of the industry’s leading singers, songwriters and producers. Jonghyun has also worked extensively with other K-pop artists, having written songs for popular boyband EXO, Lee Hi, IU, fellow band member Taemin and more. In his final album, aptly titled “Poet | Artist” (2018), Jonghyun reminded the world of his exceptional abilities one last time. The album was released posthumously and charted at No. 1 on the iTunes Worldwide Chart and on other individual iTunes charts across the world. It also charted at No. 177 on the Billboard Hot 200, a testament to Jonghyun’s global appeal. In “Poet | Artist,” Jonghyun builds on his previous albums, namely “She Is” (2016) and “Story Op. 2” (2017). In memory of Jonghyun, who was often vocal about issues of equality, profits from the album will be given to his mother and used to found an organization to help those who are living in difficult circumstances. The 11-track album is led by the main single “빛이 나 Shinin’,” which will remind many SHINee fans of the rhythms heard in “View” (2015). The track is easy to groove to given its house-like nature and simply written yet catchy hook and chorus. The track is accompanied by a lighthearted, neon-filled music video that features many playful close-ups of the singer, adding to the overall up-tempo, feel-good nature of the song. Other songs of this nature include “사람 구경 중 Sightseeing,” a track that incorporates various sounds such as jazz, car screeches and cat sounds, evoking a nighttime stroll down the street.
Jonghyun’s incredible talent across genres and his emotionally impressive vocals are also demonstrated throughout the album. His falsetto in both the EDM-fused tracks of “환상통 Only One You Need” and “Take The Dive” is particularly impressive, especially as it mixes with his deeper, softer tones throughout the songs. In a complete 180, Jonghyun then goes into an alternative, funk, house kind of mood with “Rewind” as we hear the singer whispering repetitive lyrics in a song fit for the runway. Most of Jonghyun’s album focuses on the themes of love and relationships. “ 하루만이라도 Just For A Day” is an airy, trap-influenced track that calls out for a lost lover, and he wishes to be reacquainted with them at the end of the song, even if they have different tomorrows. In contrast, “어떤 기분이 들까 I’m So Curious” retains a softer nature, and the lyrics call out with a longing desire to get to know a lover better. “기름때 Grease” is clever in its use of powerful imagery to describe the end of a relationship, as Jonghyun cries for the memories/grease to “now go away, cuz I wanna erase you, go away.” “Sentimental,” a song about a past relationship, brings us into Jonghyun’s jazz bar and is reminiscent of some of his older songs on Story Op. 1 (2015) and Story Op. 2. One of the most impressive tracks is “와플 (#Hashtag),” which demonstrates Jonghyun’s reputation as a songwriter. The song plays on the similar-sounding terms of waffle (wa-peul in Korean) and hateful comments (ak-peul in Korean). The song is about Jonghyun’s personal distaste for malicious rumors that are often spread online in the entertainment industry, with Jonghyun himself having been targeted by such comments in light of his support for the LGBTQ community. Jonghyun discusses the issue in an almost casual nature; the song is filled with finger snaps as he asks listeners to “eat a waffle, you try it too, try eating the bad comments.” The final song on the album is “우린 봄이 오기 전에 Before Our Spring,” for which parent company SM Entertainment released a music video to look back at Jonghyun’s career. And like in the video, the last track acts as a chilling reminder of the struggles that
the singer faced prior to his death by aptly utilizing metaphor and imagery of spring. “Before Our Spring” is fundamentally a song about two lost lovers, but it also speaks volumes to the relationship that Jonghyun had with his fans. The song opens with, “Before spring comes, before it gets warm, shall we meet?” Jonghyun attempts to assure listeners to not “worry about what to do / I’m alright / Spring will come to me too.” Yet, one can only wonder how the forlorn lover/Jonghyun feels as the song ends ambiguously and painfully:
“When I forget my tears and my sadness / when spring comes to me too, then, then, then, then.” Its simplicity and poetic nature make it all the more beautiful and perhaps serve as the best justification for naming the album “Poet | Artist.” Unfortunately for K-pop fans, spring never came for Jonghyun. But as legions of K-poppers trended “You’ve done well, Jonghyun” in light of his passing, “Poet | Artist” serves as a final reminder to the devotion that fills the legacy of the talented singer-songwriter.
COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Jonghyun at the 2016 Korean Popular Culture And Arts Awards.
8 tuftsdaily.com
Opinion
Thursday, February 1, 2018
EDITORIAL
Tisch College Distinguished Speaker Series presents strong roster The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life often goes under-appreciated in the Tufts community. In an effort to “prepare students for a lifetime of engagement in civic and democratic life, to study civic life and its intersections with public and private institutions and to promote practices that strengthen civic life in the United States and around the world,” Tisch College features a host of programs, internship opportunities and scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students at Tufts. Tisch College is undoubtedly a part of the Tufts identity and provides an outlet for diversity of opinion. But never before has Tisch College honored its mission like it has this semes-
ter, with a roster of speakers that are not only high-profile, but also inspiring, controversial and diverse. We commend the College for its Distinguished Speaker Series. First up is environmentalist and former vice president Al Gore, whose talk on Wednesday, Feb. 7 will follow a special screening of his climate change documentary An Inconvenient Truth (Feb. 6). Next are Maine’s Republican Senator Susan Collins (Feb. 21) and members from The Boston Globe’s investigative unit, Spotlight, widely regarded for its reporting on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church (March 15). Cecile Richards, current president of Planned Parenthood (March 28), and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer (April 4) round
out the lineup. Tisch College will also feature a lunch with Tufts alumnus Eric T. Washington (A’76), a Senior Judge of the D.C. Court of Appeals, and a two-day symposium on prison and education, among other programs. In this era of seemingly unprecedented political divisiveness, programs like these are more crucial than ever. The opportunity to hear from a variety of esteemed speakers is an essential aspect of higher education. Listening to speakers who present different opinions on a wide span of issues, some of which students may not know much about, forces them to challenge their perspectives and broaden their intellectual horizons. Students will have
the opportunity not only to listen and learn from the speakers, but to ask questions and challenge them by submitting potential questions through the Tisch College website. The Distinguished Speakers include both an environmental activist and a center-right Senator; a champion of reproductive rights and a team of tireless investigators in the pursuit of truth. When the news cycle is cluttered by scandal, it’s easy — especially for young people — to grow disillusioned with the political process and resign to the inevitability of ideological divide. The Speaker Series provides students with a welcome antidote: exemplars of activism, truth-seeking and intellectual rigor.
CORRECTION A previous version of the article “TCU Senate holds first regular meeting of the semester” mischaracterized “Presence” student engagement software as online ticketing software. The article has been updated to reflect this change. The Daily regrets this error.
CARTOON
Warm winter days
BY SHANNON GEARY 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
Thursday, February 1, 2018 | Opinion | THE TUFTS DAILY
9
OP-ED
Common Ground: a liberal perspective on Trump supporters? by Bryan Pham It has been over a year since the 2016 election, and still, liberal bastions of higher thought continue to label Trump’s voting coalition as ignorant, racist, misogynistic, Islamophobic … the list goes on. In some cases, it isn’t hard to find evidence to support such claims, and Trump himself mounts a weak defense. The months preceding his presidency were marred by missteps and scandals. Most thought that Trump would temper his coarse dialect and outlandish actions, but it seems he has ramped up his divisive behavior after winning the election. During the first 100 days of his presidency, I kept on asking myself, “How did we elect Trump as our president?” The standard explanation at Tufts was essentially that voters were either too stupid to realize Trump was dangerous, or that they were just terrible people. My friends and I found this crude view, drawn clearly from partisan lines, to be woefully unsatisfactory. So we decided to embark on a 15,000-mile long journey around the U.S. to find out exactly why people voted for Trump, speaking with over 50 supporters from a diverse set of backgrounds. After interviewing lawyers, business owners, farmers, government workers, and so many others, we noticed a few recurring themes. The first was a strong focus on the media and corruption. Additionally, we found that his supporters would often gloss over his many scandals, not attempting to defend or support his actions. Most importantly, there was a mutual distaste for Secretary Clinton; even among those that voted
for Hillary in the election, few were enthusiastic over the prospect of her presidency. Most of the Trump supporters we spoke to, ardent or apprehensive, expressed distrust in standard media outlets. Many felt that the news unfairly characterized Trump, his actions and his proponents. We’ve all heard of fake news and its unmeasurable effects on the election, but we ran into an additional, lesser-known consequence of the media when visiting Ohio. After speaking with a painter from Cleveland, a man who voted for Hillary but sympathized with Trump supporters, I could certainly see how partisan media outlets, both right and left wing, created silent Trump supporters. The painter complained that the blanket term “non-college educated whites” was thrown around endlessly about Trump supporters, without regard for nuance. He stated that the phrase implied “stupid white people,” and despite his support for Hillary, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat alienated from her platform. The effect was not strong enough to flip this particular voter, but he did state that it affected some within his community. This resident, along with many others that we spoke with, thought that the media began with a narrative they wanted to tell, and found bits of information along the way to support their already cemented positions. Before I left on the trip, I was confused how people could support some of Trump’s more outlandish statements and actions, such as bragging about sexual assault, defaming Mexican immigrants or attempting to ban Muslims from the country. In reality, the message received
by many supporters was milder when processed, and his more controversial statements were often pushed aside. Many times, supporters stated that Trump just makes bold claims to get media attention, but that they can see through all of the theatrics to get to his actual positions. For instance, many did not see Mexican immigration as an immediate threat of violence and rape, but many did support the notion of a wall for more logistical reasons, such as hoping to ease the burden on infrastructure, and their belief of a lower rate of taxpayers among undocumented immigrants. In a similar vein, many did not see a ban on Muslims as appropriate, but agreed it was a step in the right direction to ban travel from high-risk countries. This train of thought was consistent throughout the majority of supporters we spoke with; the voters were able to explain away Trump’s more extreme positions by replacing them with their own interpretation, rather than taking his statements at face value. There were some that responded to Trump’s actual message, but we found that supporters usually took milder stances on issues, adapting Trump’s speaking points to fit their views. The mental work required to reach their final position also solidified their own opinion, as they felt that most Hillary supporters could not think about Trump’s actions as critically as they could. Those that went through this thought process were usually disappointed with the Trump presidency as he intensified his controversial positions and efforts. People don’t like Hillary. This seems obvious, as evidenced by Trump being
our current president, but I cannot overstate the universal disdain for the former Secretary. To many of those that we spoke with, she represented all that was wrong with politics. Every Trump supporter we spoke to mentioned her corruption and lying during our conversation. She was often described as cold, uncaring and only focused on power. The conversations regarding Trump and Hillary were especially interesting because they were similar to ones I have heard many times at Tufts, just reversed. Instead of focusing on how they supported their candidate, they often spoke mainly about how bad the other was. During many conversations, very little was said about Trump’s positions on policies, while the majority of the interview was spent on the wrongdoings and poor character of Hillary. To many, Trump was not their candidate. He wasn’t the man they wanted representing them, and most were disappointed with his performance as president. A combination of distrust of the media, contortion of Trump’s message, and contempt for Hillary Clinton led to a choice many deemed as the “lesser of two evils.” I found that his supporters are not the awful or ignorant people that they are sometimes painted as, and even found myself constantly re-evaluating where I stood on policies. Though I feel firm about my liberal political positions, I understood and found common ground with every conservative Trump supporter I met. Bryan Pham is a sophomore majoring in quantitative economics and political science. Bryan can be reached at bryan.a.pham@gmail.com.
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THE TUFTS DAILY | ADVERTISEMENT | Thursday, February 1, 2018
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TISCH COLLEGE DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES 2018
1/4
1/8
Al Gore
Former Vice President of the United States
February 7, 2018 6:15 p.m. (Doors open at 5:45 p.m.) Cohen Auditorium Medford/Somerville Campus
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Free and open to the public. Tickets available with a Tufts ID at the Mayer Campus Center Information Booth starting today. Note: Backpacks and large bags will not be allowed inside Cohen Auditorium. For more information, visit tischcollege.tufts.edu/events.
S p o rts
Thursday, February 1, 2018 | Sports | THE TUFTS DAILY
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Patriots and Eagles to clash in Super Bowl LII by Yuan Jun Chee Sports Editor
It’s that time of the year again, when America splits itself into “New England” and “everyone else.” Yes, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are once again headed to the Super Bowl. In a rematch of Super Bowl XXXIX, even more history is at stake for the five-time world champion Patriots. The perennial AFC champs come into this one favored by 4.5 points and seek to become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls, and three Super Bowls in four years, since, well, themselves in 2004–05. Let’s also not forget the G.O.A.T. legacy: should New England win, Tom Brady will be the only quarterback to lead the league in passing yardage and win the Super Bowl in the same season, while also becoming the winningest player in Super Bowl history. A major factor for the Patriots is whether tight end Rob Gronkowski can clear concussion protocol before Sunday, which he
is expected to do. He is, of course, key to Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels being able to run his favored two-tight end sets. Gronkowski provides a matchup nightmare, especially against a defense that has been average, at best, against tight ends (the Eagles ranked 17th in yards allowed to tight ends this year). Meanwhile, Philadelphia returns to the big game for the first time since that loss to New England 13 years ago. Two former Patriots, running back LeGarrette Blount and defensive end Chris Long, will feature for the NFC champions. The Eagles will look to control the line of scrimmage against — despite what the statistics suggest — a relatively weak Patriots front seven in order to give Nick Foles time to find his receivers, many of whom have had breakout years. Philly boasts the fourth-best overall defense in the league in terms of total yardage (306.5) and points per game (18.4). It also has one of the league’s top defensive lines, which led the NFL in total
COURTESY SITONG ZHANG
Alshon Jeffery and Tom Brady will square off in Super Bowl LII on Sunday, Feb. 4. pressures per game (16.9). Like so many other teams before them, the Eagles’ best chance to beat the Patriots is not simply to rush Brady, but to limit the time that
No. 12 spends on the field with a strong rushing attack of their own. All that they face is one of the greatest coach-quarterback duos of all time.
MEN'S SQUASH
Jumbos suffer disappointing losses in Maine by Arlo Moore-Bloom Assistant Sports Editor
The Tufts men’s squash team came away from a tough road trip, 0–3 to close out its regular season. The No. 28 Jumbos (6–8) fell to NESCAC opponents Bates, Bowdoin and Colby in consecutive days. However, in a rebuilding year for the team, there were some positives to take away from an otherwise disappointing weekend. The final match of the weekend pitted No. 24 Colby (7–7) against Tufts, but the scoreline did not reflect the close proximity of the teams’ national rankings: the Mules defeated the Jumbos definitively 9–0, delivering the visitors one of their worst losses of the season. One of the few bright spots for Tufts was first-year Daniel Hutt, who came closest to winning a match against Colby. Hutt, who took on Colby senior Andrew Swapp, won the second and fourth sets of the match, before losing the fifth set 11–6. “It was a tough match. I wasn’t able to pull it out, but I was happy with the way I played,” Hutt said. “I was able to push after a long weekend. Three matches in a row is tough. I fought until the end.” A possible reason for the Jumbos’ underwhelming performance was their fitness lev-
els, as it’s not easy to compete in three matches in as many days. “By the time we played Colby we were pretty tired, and it showed,” junior co-captain Aidan Porges said. “We’re a young team, some seniors didn’t come back to play and our roster is full of first-years and sophomores. So we’re definitely on a steep learning curve.” On Saturday, the Jumbos faced No. 27 Bowdoin. This match was closer, but the hosting Polar Bears ultimately edged the Jumbos to the tune of 6–3. The visitors were disappointed not to come away with a victory because, of their three weekend opponents, Bowdoin was closest to them in the College Squash Association rankings. “We really felt like we could’ve gotten something out of the Bowdoin game,” Porges said. “They were pretty similar to us skill and fitness wise. We were definitely tired after the Bates match, but that’s the reality of the sport.” Porges won his match against Bowdoin first-year Uday Khanna in an intense fivegame battle. After Porges won a first-set tiebreak, Khanna answered with a victory in the second set. After the players traded the third and fourth sets, Porges proved to be decisive in the fifth, winning 11–9. “It was really satisfying,” Porges said. “I was the first to play on-court, and I hoped a big
win early on would make the team fight even harder.” First-year Salik Awan and junior Cameron Ewan provided the Jumbos’ other victories from the eighth and fifth positions, respectively. Awan dropped the first set, but returned with a vengeance, vanquishing his opponent, junior Cal Fullerton, in the following three sets. Ewan was able to defeat first-year Gannon Leech in four sets, as well, winning the first two, dropping the third and taking care of business by winning the fourth 11–8. Tufts kicked off the road campaign on Friday in Lewiston, Maine, where it was overwhelmed by No. 18 Bates. Only junior co-captain Brett Raskopf — playing in the third position — was able to win his match, besting first-year Omar Attia 11–9, 6–11, 11–8, 12–10. Porges was proud of his teammate for his impressive performance. “Brett had an excellent match against someone who was ranked a lot higher than him,” Porges said. “He stuck it out [and] found points where he could. It was great for him, and it gave him confidence for the rest of the weekend.” On a road trip with such a quick turnaround between matches, fitness is key for any successful squash team. Tufts coach Joe Raho has been quick to concentrate on fitness since the season’s beginning, focusing
Tufts fencing foils Dartmouth, falls to others by Patrick Wang and Sam Weitzman Staff Writer and Sports Editor
The Jumbos’ 2017-2018 season continued with the Northeast Fencing Conference Multi-Meet at Boston College on Sunday. Tufts fencers competed against opponents from six other teams: Dartmouth, Vassar, Brandeis, MIT, Boston College and Brown. After opening the day with a victory over the Big Green, the Jumbos fell short against their other opponents. Tufts began its day by beating Dartmouth, 15–12. The Jumbos dominated the Big Green in the foil, winning seven of the nine matches. After senior co-captain Julia O’Gara dropped her opening bout to Dartmouth junior Ellie Ng, Tufts won seven of its next eight foil bouts, including impressive 3–0 showings by junior Zoe Howard and first-year Georgia Kollias. Tufts also beat Dartmouth in the épée events, 5–4, despite not taking the lead until the ninth and final bout. In a tense matchup between two fighters who started the day 2–0, Tufts junior Annie Ayala eked out a win against Dartmouth junior Jennifer Wu, recording five touches to the latter’s four. Sophomore Wendi Zheng described how
her fellow épéeists — Ayala and sophomore Brie Gates — steeled themselves after Zheng’s loss in the seventh bout put the Jumbos on the brink of defeat. “Even though I lost the first match [of the third series of épée bouts], my teammates were not discouraged by the loss,” Zheng said. “Brianna came in and dominated her opponent [in] a 5–1 win with some perfect swing hits. Annie then stepped onto the court with more confidence to nail down the series.” Though the Big Green won 6–3 in the sabre, the lead the Jumbos had established in the first two weapons was too great, allowing them to claim victory in the first matchup of the day. Tufts’ following meet was against Vassar, and the outcome eerily mirrored what transpired against Dartmouth. The Brewers barreled through the Jumbos in the foil, winning 7–2. Though the Jumbos edged out another 5–4 nail biter in épée and claimed a 6–3 win in the sabre, the Brewers’ massive foil advantage allowed Vassar to claim a tight 14–13 win over Tufts. Senior Bridget Marturano shone in the sabre, winning all three of her matches.
Brandeis beat Tufts 16–11 in round three at Boston College. Eight of Tufts’ 11 victories came in the sabre, including 3–0 sweeps by Marturano and sophomore Lucy Pavlovich. Though not shocked by Tufts’ dominance in sabre, Marturano expressed her happiness for Pavlovich. “The 8–1 win against Brandeis for the sabre squad wasn’t surprising,” Marturano said. “One of Brandeis’ stronger fencers graduated last year, and their squad wasn’t as strong this year. That said, I was extremely proud of Pavlovich and her 3–0 sweep. She fenced really well on Sunday, and it was great to see one of the younger members of the squad dominating on the strip.” The Jumbos otherwise struggled against the Judges, including a 9–0 gaveling in the épée. Tufts also lost six of its first seven foil bouts against Brandeis. Against MIT, Tufts sung again in the sabre. Marturano won all three of her bouts, while Pavlovich claimed two of her own. Once more, however, the Jumbos’ shortcomings in épée doomed their efforts, as they won only a single bout against MIT’s épéeists. The Tufts foilists, meanwhile, came back from 2–0 and 4–2 deficits to even the score,
on endurance running and squash-specific workout routines. “Fitness is definitely something we’ve been working on this season,” Raho said. “Most games will last 35–40 minutes, while they can sometimes get up to an hour. For better or for worse, it’s a key part of the sport, so our athletes need to be prepared both mentally and physically for that.” With the three recent losses, the Jumbos end their regular season with a record of 6–8. Porges referred to the season as a “rebuilding year,” with many first-years and sophomores gaining a lot of experience on the court. Although it didn’t show in Maine, the Jumbos recently turned more attention to their conference rivals, who were often their strongest adversaries throughout the season. “We’ve been working on beating NESCAC opponents,” Raho said. “We got the win against Wesleyan earlier in the season, but we couldn’t find one this weekend. Hopefully we can find one against Bowdoin in the NESCAC Championships.” On Friday, the men’s squash team will travel to Clinton, N.Y., where it will again face eighth-seeded Bowdoin in the first round of the NESCAC Tournament. Should the ninth-seeded Jumbos win that match, they would take on the undefeated Trinity Bantams (11–0), the top-ranked team in Div. III.
before dropping the final bout. The losses to Boston College and Brown were both by significantly larger margins (21–6 and 23–4, respectively) than the aforementioned matches. Tufts’ épéeists struggled, in particular, winning just one of their final 18 bouts against the Eagles and Bears. Marturano kept the team’s defeats in perspective. “I’m not super disappointed with our loss[es]. We had several people graduate last year, and we didn’t recruit anyone to replace them,” she said. “Some of our épée squad is definitely less experienced than most of the schools we faced on Sunday, but they also really stepped up and put up a strong fight despite the difference in experience.” The Malvern, Pa. native also pointed out one way that the team can improve. “I think it’s important that we fence outside of practice,” Marturano said. “I go to Boston Fencing Club and sometimes take teammates with me. This way, we can practice against more than the same three [or] four people and get more experience fencing tough opponents.” The Jumbos’ next meet will be at the Smith College Multi-Meet on Feb. 10 in Northampton, Mass.
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Sports
Thursday, February 1, 2018
MENS BASKETBALL
Tufts cruises to home victory over UMass Dartmouth by Onat Tarimcilar Staff Writer
The Tufts men’s basketball team took full advantage of its break in conference play on Tuesday night with a 111–76 win over UMass Dartmouth. In a prolific display of scoring, the Jumbos shot over 55 percent from the field and passed the century mark in points for the first time this season. Tufts quickly jumped out to a 17–4 lead only five minutes into the first half, as the team recorded assists on each of its first six baskets — three of which came from senior guard and co-captain Thomas Lapham. Lapham’s night started with a layup, an and-1 layup and a three-pointer. The hot start led to a dynamic game from the Manhattan Beach, Calif. native, as Lapham recorded his most efficient offensive game of the season, finishing with 16 points and eight assists, while conducting the Jumbos’ offensive juggernaut. “I just started the game with a lot of easy points,” Lapham said. “It gives me a lot of confidence when I see the ball go through the hoop like that.” Lapham was notably efficient on Tuesday night in Cousens Gym, but the whole roster from top to bottom was clicking on the offensive end. Tufts’ balanced attack had six scorers in double figures, yet none above 20 points. Sophomore guard Eric Savage paced the offensive effort with 18 points, and firstyear guard Brennan Morris put up 11 points in just 12 minutes of play. “This week in practice was all about ball and player movement,” senior guard and co-captain Everett Dayton said. “Our offense has been looking better but in the end, it’s all
about getting and making open shots. Our shots were falling today, so we were really tough to guard. Being in our own gym obviously helps, but if we are clicking, then we are capable of doing this every game.” After senior guard KJ Garrett’s layup with over 13 minutes left in the first half made the score 21–10 lead, Tufts never led by less than 10. The hosts’ advantage increased steadily after that, and the game was all but finished from the moment Lapham and Dayton hit consecutive three-pointers with seven minutes left in the half. The victory was expected for the Jumbos, though the blowout was a good opportunity to execute things from practice and give extended minutes to their reserves. “We never overlook any opponent — actually we lost to these guys last year — but especially coming off a loss this weekend. We were looking at this game to kick start us for the final stretch of the year and perfect some things we have been working on,” Dayton said. The Jumbos’ lead was cut to 14 at halftime due to a small run by the Corsairs, who were led by 22 points from junior forward Arinze Obiora and 19 from first-year guard Jake Ashworth. Tufts quickly settled into a 20-point advantage early in the second frame, attacking quickly with an 11–0 run and forcing an early timeout from UMass Dartmouth. The Jumbos’ dominant start to the half was highlighted by three-pointers from Dayton, Savage and Lapham, as the latter still had not missed a shot to that point. “Everyone gives a lot of attention to [senior guard and co-captain] Vinny [Pace], Eric [Savage] and Everett [Dayton],” Lapham said. “So when we can get contributions from
EDDIE SAMUELS / THE TUFTS DAILY
Sophomore guard Miles Bowser puts up a contested lay-up in a loss to Bates on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018. our bench, or when I can be an efficient fourth scorer, we become almost impossible to guard.” Tufts continued to execute throughout the second half, and Garrett’s two consecutive dunks stretched the lead to 28 with over 12 minutes remaining. At that point, the team’s reserves were able to enter the game and earn valuable minutes. Another highlight for Tufts was senior guard and co-captain Ben Engvall’s scoring his first points of the year after he sat out all but six minutes of the previous 20 games while rehabbing an ACL tear. In just nine minutes of play, Engvall posted nine points on 3-of-4 shooting and fouled out.
“It was good to be out there with the guys for some extended time. There is a lot I can do better, but seeing my shot fall again is a great feeling,” Engvall said. This was Tufts’ last game against a non-conference opponent in the regular season. The Jumbos (15–6, 4–3 NESCAC) close their schedule with three NESCAC games, as they look to improve their record before February’s conference tournament. “We have three games that we need to win if we want a good seed in the NESCAC tournament or want to qualify for the national tournament,” Lapham said. “If our offense is clicking like the way it was tonight, then we are really tough to guard, and we can win all these games. We just need to keep executing.”
Women’s squash goes 2–1 against NESCAC opponents in final weekend by Delaney Tantillo
Assistant Sports Editor
Over the weekend, the Tufts women’s squash team visited conference rivals Bates, Bowdoin and Colby for its final three matches of the regular season. After falling to the Bobcats on Friday, the No. 17 Jumbos (11– 4) wrapped up the swing through Maine with two consecutive victories to provide some critical momentum for next weekend’s NESCAC Championship. On Sunday, the Jumbos defeated the No. 24 Colby Mules (7–9) in a 5–4 match that went down to the wire. With the score tied at 4–4, Tufts junior Sahana Karthik came back from a two-set deficit to beat Colby first-year Madeline Latimore in the decisive matchup. “It was so intense,” junior captain Chista Irani said. “The entire [Tufts] men’s and women’s teams were there. It was a big match to watch.” Irani believes that the support of her teammates ultimately propelled Karthik past Latimore in securing the win for Tufts. “I think what pushed [Karthik] the most was the team energy around her,” Irani said. “It was a lot of pressure, but she stepped up to it. I think that everyone cheering really pushed her.” For Karthik, a native of Singapore, the victory over Latimore was her third win in as many days, as she won her matches against both Bowdoin and Bates earlier in the weekend. The Jumbos’ thrilling victory on Sunday came just a day after they defeated the No. 26 Bowdoin Polar Bears (5–9) by a score of 6–3. As has been the case throughout the season, the depth of the Jumbos’ roster was crucial to their success, as their six wins came from the fourth through ninth spots on the ladder.
RAY BERNOFF / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES
Senior Lauren Banner swings at the ball in a match against Dickinson at Harvard’s Murr Center on Friday, Jan. 20. Irani discussed how essential Tufts’ depth has been, not only in taking the pressure off of the team’s top players, but also in making for competitive practices in which they push one another in challenge matches. “It is a good thing in matches because we don’t have to rely on the top half of the ladder,” Irani said. “The entire ladder can pull weight and get the wins. It is also very useful for practice. Anyone on the ladder can play anyone, and it will be very productive.” The team began the weekend in Lewiston, Maine with a match against then-No. 24 Bates on Friday, as the hosts defeated Tufts 7–2. Tufts knew going in that like all NESCAC matches, it would be a difficult task. While the Jumbos fought hard for every point, the Bobcats ultimately came out on top to improve their record to 5–5 (they are now 7–6).
Karthik and senior Lauren Banner earned the visiting side’s two victories in the seventh and eighth positions, respectively. Despite the 7–2 scoreline, Irani is confident that Tufts will be competitive against Bates should the teams face each other in the upcoming NESCAC Tournament. “We do have a very good shot against Bates and are probably going to see them [at] NESCACs this weekend,” she said. Irani’s optimism reflects the positive energy that characterized the Jumbos’ weekend. The team has played 10 consecutive away matches, dating back to early December, which has allowed the players to become incredibly close with one another. Such camaraderie was evident in the attitude that the Jumbos brought to this weekend’s matches.
“The team’s energy this weekend was unbelievable,” Irani said. “It was the best we have had this season. Now is the most important part of our season because we have NESCACs and nationals [coming up]. Everyone was very fired up.” The Jumbos’ recent stretch of three consecutive conference matches was a good way for them to prepare for the upcoming tournaments. Matchups against fellow NESCAC teams tend to be some of the most competitive, since most teams in the conference are of a similar caliber to one another. While all matches are important, as they count toward the team’s overall record and national ranking, there is certainly an added importance and intensified desire to win when it comes to those against NESCAC opponents. “We want to win every match, but all the NESCAC schools are very competitive with each other,” Irani said. “It is our league, and the matches are very close. We know we can beat Bates, we know we can beat Colby [and] we know we can beat Bowdoin — we are right there.” First-year Julie Yeung echoed Irani’s sentiment about the added importance in conference matches. “I think it’s safe to assume that we would like to be the best we could possibly be,” Yeung told the Daily in an email. “The teams that we played this weekend were all ranked lower than us, so it was quite crucial to get the wins, as this weekend was our team’s final battle to prove that we deserve to stay where we are before NESCAC [Championships].” As the No. 5 seed, the Jumbos have their highest ranking in the conference tournament since 2007. They open play on Feb. 3 against the fourth-seeded Amherst Mammoths (9–4), to whom they lost 7–2 in the season opener.