Friday, November 4, 2016

After soul-searching, Ladies of Essence command the stage again see WEEKENDER / PAGE 4

CROSS COUNTRY

Dynamic duo takes its last laps on the XC circuit

Jumbo dreams: Football hopes to beat Colby, break records see SPORTS / BACK PAGE

SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE

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T HE T UFTS DAILY

VOLUME LXXII, NUMBER 40

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Friday, November 4, 2016

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Half of AOII Delta sisters drop in America’s Women Panel discusses protest of national organization female representation in politics

by Elie Levine Staff Writer

Nearly half of the members of the Delta chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII) left the sorority on Oct. 14, according to Kristin Reeves, the former president of the chapter.

Reeves, a junior, said she stepped down as president on Oct. 5, following continued correspondence with the AOII national organization and the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), an umbrella organization overseeing 26 national and international sororities, regarding the extension of a bid to a transgender woman.

According to Reeves, on Oct. 12, the Leaders Council (LC) of AOII Delta elected senior Amanda Wisti to serve as interim president until an election can be held in December for the next full-year term.

During recruitment period this fall, a representative from AOII’s international

headquarters visited Tufts to supervise recruitment and learned that a transgender woman was participating, according to Reeves. Reeves added that on Sept.

16, the representative asked the national organization if AOII Delta could extend a bid to a transgender woman.

“They said that they didn’t want us to extend her a bid, basically,” Reeves said.

“They were like, ‘well, we’re not saying you never could, we’re just saying right now you can’t.’ I was really mad about this, as was the rest of the chapter, so we unanimously decided to give her a bid anyway.”

Courtney West, assistant director of public relations for AOII International Fraternity, pointed out that the student in question was extended a bid by the Delta chapter.

According to Katherine Tapper (LA ‘12), the current chapter advisor for AOII Delta, see AOII, page 3

Janitors approve new contract, gain heath benefits, hourly salaries

by Joe Walsh News Editor

Four Tufts faculty members gathered in the Alumnae Lounge last night for the America’s Women Panel, where they discussed the ascension of women into the political sphere.

The event, organized by Kappa Alpha Theta and the Panhellenic Council, featured panelists History Professor Virginia Drachman, Assistant Psychology Professor Jessica Remedios, Associate Political Science Professor Natalie Masuoka and Nancy Thomas, director of Tisch College’s Institute for Democracy and Higher Education.

The panel began with a discussion on why political office in the United States is generally male-dominated, with women barely taking up 20 percent in most leadership roles, according to Thomas.

Remedios approached the question from a psychological perspective, arguing that there is a conflict between the stereotypical image of a politician and the traits with which women are typically socialized.

Drachman added that the arena of politics has historically been seen as a place exclusively for men. She noted that, through the concept of “municipal

housekeeping,” women marketed their perceived differences from men as evidence that women were well-suited for public service.

“Women have had to figure out a way to break in and become a palatable, if not the preferable, candidate,” Drachman said.

Masuoka also argued that women are as active, if not more active, than men politically. Thus, she said, the issue is not necessarily that women are not interested in politics, but that stereotypes hold back women from further involvement.

To eliminate barriers for women in politics, Drachman said that women in powerful roles should support each other.

Remedios agreed, saying that research supports the claim that strong female representation in politics encourages more women to enter the field.

Thomas added that many women in Congress make a conscious effort to support each other vocally, which allows women already in powerful positions to counteract discrimination.

When the conversation was brought to the topic of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, Masuoka noted that the conversation about gender in the presidential race has focused mainly on see PANEL, page 2

NICHOLAS PFOSI / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVE

A janitor cleans the first floor bathrooms in West Hall on Nov. 3, 2014.

by Catherine Perloff News Editor

Tufts janitors voted in support of a new contract Thursday, with 132 janitors voting in favor and three against, thereby establishing the contract as the official workplace agreement for the next four years, according to 32BJ Service Employees International Union

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(SEIU) Regional Communications Director of New England Eugenio Villasante. SEIU, the union representing Tufts janitors, and Cushman & Wakefield (C&W ) Services, their employer, came to an agreement on the contract’s terms on Monday, Oct. 31.

The vote to approve the contract took see CONTRACT, page 2

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Assistant Professor of Psychology Jessica Remedios speaks in the America’s Women Panel in the Alumnae Lounge on Nov. 3.

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Panelists discuss gender’s role in presidential race PANEL

continued from page 1 sexual harassment, which is not particularly empowering.

Remedios pointed out that women have a tradeoff between portraying confidence and portraying warmth. For that reason, she argued that when Clinton

tries to appear confident, she is often seen as cold and calculating.

Panelists also said that the intersections between gender and other characteristics cannot be neglected.

“The assumption that … the Obama coalition would just transition into the Clinton coalition was a major error

Kathleen Schmidt Executive News Editor Gil Jacobson News Editors Melissa Kain Robert Katz Liam Knox Catherine Perloff Jei-Jei Tan Hannah Uebele Joe Walsh Juliana Furgala Assistant News Editors Jesse Najarro Danny Nelson

Miranda Willson Executive Features Editor Constantinos Angelakis Features Editors Nina Joung Becca Leibowitz Justin Krakoff Executive Arts Editor John Gallagher Arts Editors Eran Sabaner Isaac Brown Assistant Arts Editors Jocelyn Contreras Alison Epstein Elliot Storey Emma Henderson Executive Op-Ed Editor Shannon Geary Cartoonists Stephen Dennison Allie Merola Miranda Chavez Editorialists Frances DeFreitas Eriko Koide Anita Ramaswamy Noah Weinflash Phillip Goldberg Executive Sports Editor Yuan Jun Chee Sports Editors Maddie Payne Eddie Samuels Maclyn Senear Josh Slavin Brad Schussel Assistant Sports Editor Noah Smith Max Lalanne Mia Lambert Caroline Ambros Ray Bernoff Scott Fitchen Jean Gonzalez Kevin Ho Thaw Htet Lilia Kang Sitara Rao Evan Sayles Zachary Sebek Alexis Serino Seohyun Shim Angelie Xiong Ezgi Yazici

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MAX LALANNE / THE TUFTS DAILY

Virginia Drachman, the Arthur and Lenore Stern Professor of American History, speaks in the America’s Women panel (organized by Kappa Alpha Theta and Panhellenic Council in conjunction with Tufts Psych Society, and sponsored by JumboVote) in the Alumnae Lounge on Nov. 3.

on the part of the Democratic Party,” Masuoka said.

Later in the event, the panelists took questions from the audience. Most audience members were interested in the panelists’ perspectives on the presidential race.

When asked whether the panelists thought Clinton has used gender to her advantage, Drachman pointed to Clinton’s work to identify herself as a mother and an advocate for children, and Remedios lauded Clinton’s discussion of abortion rights.

The event ended with a discussion of what should come next in the political sphere. Drachman and Thomas reiterated their arguments about the need for women to support each other, and Masuoka said that further research into the issue will help women to be more successful in politics.

Earlier in the panel, Remedios said that even if the nation chooses to elect its first female president on Tuesday, continued discussion on the topic is necessary.

She cited the fact that some people thought racism would end with Obama’s election.

“We need to figure out how to better have those conversations, or else the divide after the achievement of these historic milestones could widen rather than narrow,” Remedios said.

TLC to turn attention to janitor workloads CONTRACT

continued from page 1 place between Wednesday Nov. 2 and Thursday Nov. 3 with different groups of janitors voting based on when they had availability in their work schedules.

Union officials provided janitors with a summary of the contract prior to the vote, Villasante said.

“The ratification process shows that there’s a strong support for the contract,” Villasante said. “It is a strong package [that] aligns [with] what the membership and the union has been seeking, which is improvement in wages, improvement in benefits, secure in health care [and] clarifying health care.”

One janitor, Sandra Ventura, expressed this support, saying that the new contract puts workers in a stronger vis-a-vis with C&W Services.

“I think [our jobs will] change because the new contract has more language than the one we had before and now we can defend ourselves from the company for any reason; it’s clearer,” Ventura said in Spanish, as translated

by Daily staff member David Westby.

The new contract gives several victories to the janitors including lower health care costs. Janitors will now be on the same plan as many of SEIU’s East Coast members, Villasante said.

With Tufts janitors now a part of this larger pool, C&W Services will pay less for health care and workers will no longer have to pay the $100 monthly premium to include their spouses and families on their plans, according to Villasante.

Furthermore, workers will now have access to designated health clinics without having to pay a co-pay, he said.

One of the janitors’ stated demands was more opportunities for full-time employment. According to the contract summary provided to janitors, the new contract requires C&W Services to hire three full-time employees by July 1.

“It’s essential that we move in that direction [of more full-time work] [because] it provides a level of establishment that part-time doesn’t,” Villasante said.

Ventura said she appreciated that the new contract included guarantees for

more personal days. According to the summary, employees will now be entitled to two holidays per year. Janitors will also receive 1.5 times their hourly wages when working on days the university is closed for non-state declared emergency, the summary said.

The contract also guarantees a $1.80 hourly raise by Jan. 1, 2020 — rising 50 to 60 cents each year — and higher pensions, according to the summary.

Additionally, C&W Services will allot more money towards English and computing classes for its janitor employees, Villasante said.

Following the negotiation process on Monday, Patrick Collins, executive director of public relations, said the university was satisfied with the tentative agreement.

“We’re thankful that C&W and the Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ, have reached a tentative agreement on a contract that is fair for all parties,” he told the Daily in an email. “As always, we value C&W janitors’ contributions to our community, and we look forward to their continued presence on our campus.”

Tufts Labor Coalition (TLC) member Nicole Joseph said that those

involved with TLC were excited about what she described as a “great contract.” However, she said that TLC will continue to fight to ensure janitors have a fair workload, as the contract did not address this.

“There’s not a way to get concrete language around it [workload],” Joseph, a junior, said. “It’s something that maybe could be worked out outside of a contract. There’s too high of a workload and that janitors can’t clean to the standard they’re expected to.”

Joseph said that while the contract looks promising, it is too soon to tell how well it can protect workers’ rights in practice.

“We fight for new language [in contract negotiations] and over the course of the contract you see it goes. There’s nothing we know for sure will be the best thing and we think this is the best right now,” she said.

Ventura also hopes that the contract will improve the workplace, especially in terms of how workers are treated.

“That’s the hope we the workers have, that in the future they’ll respect us more, especially the managers and supervisors. That they’ll see us like people, like humans, not like animals,” she said.

NICHOLAS PFOSI / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVE

A janitor cleans the men’s bathroom on the third floor of West Hall on Nov. 10, 2014.

Friday, November 4, 2016 | News | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Debate over extending bid to trans woman sparks discussion of Greek life values AOII

continued from page 1 a conference call early in the afternoon on Sept. 17 extended the conversation to the NPC. Reeves, Tapper, an NPC delegate and other women from AOII’s international headquarters were on the call.

According to Reeves, by Oct. 14, following a meeting on Oct. 12 with a representative from AOII national headquarters, 40 to 45 women had dropped out of the sorority. AOII Delta chapter’s website states that there were 81 women in the sorority before Oct. 14.

Reeves explained that the NPC informed her during the conference call that the extension of a bid to a transgender woman could put the organization at risk of being in violation of federal law.

“A representative of the National Panhellenic Conference told me that in doing that, that was a risk to their Title IX status as a single-sex organization, and so by extending a bid to a transgender woman, that could potentially bring on the possibility of lawsuits, and I was like, ‘Okay, well, I’m calling bulls--- on that,’” Reeves said.

According to the NPC Unanimous Agreement, NPC member groups have the right to exist as women-only private social organizations, as stipulated by Title IX. Tapper said that AOII Delta ultimately decided to maintain “within our own official governing documents” that someone who identifies as female is indeed female.

While the international headquarters of AOII did eventually assure the Delta chapter that it would not be in violation of the organization’s policy by extending the bid and that they had reconsidered their initial opposition, members of the Delta chapter had already begun to reevaluate if their values aligned with those of the international organization, Reeves said.

“But then what happened was because of all these conversations about — are they really not gonna allow us to accept a transgender woman — then this like kind of veiled threat of would we get our charter pulled? What’s going on there? It kind of started a conversation about ‘do our values align with AOII international,’” Reeves said.

According to the NPC Manual of Information, all college panhellenic associations and their individual members must follow the guidelines laid out in the organization’s Unanimous Agreement, which stipulates that all member groups must be women-only.

“There [were] a lot of questions about what … a female [is], and I think that’s a conversation that we’re having nationally as a country as well,” Tapper said.

SCOTT FITCHEN / THE TUFTS DAILY

The sorority house of Alpha Omicron Pi is pictured on the evening of Nov. 2.

Reeves, who stepped down as president Oct. 5, said she left because she refused to take part in a system she believed had racist, classist, transphobic and homophobic underpinnings.

“I left because I’m not participating in a system like that,” she said. “I refuse to take part in it, and by staying, for me, it would be allowing it to happen.”

According to West, this is a mischaracterization of the sorority’s beliefs.

“Alpha Omicron Pi believes that all individuals are unique, with inherent worth and dignity, and should be treated with respect,” she told the Daily in an email.

Reeves went on to say that her decision between staying or leaving was a decision between silence and protest.

“If [an organization] doesn’t support you in the ways that it should … it’s not worth being in it,” Reeves said. “I have a ton of great memories and good times that I got out of AOII, and those won’t disappear, but good times aren’t worth ruining lives.”

Wisti noted that sorority members had discussed leaving AOII well before this particular issue came to light.

“People had already tossed around the word[s] disaffiliation and self-suspension,” she said. “It wasn’t specifically in regards to this one instance that they

decided to leave.”

Senior Tai Williams wrote a self-suspension letter to AOII headquarters documenting her decision to leave.

“I can no longer be a part of an organization that rejects — or even hesitates to welcome — inclusivity and diversity,” she wrote. “In my opinion, it is absolutely despicable that Alpha Omicron Pi would even consider the possibility of excluding an individual based on gender identity.”

Williams also commented on the permanency of the friendships she has made as a member of the chapter.

“The friendships I have formed within the chapter, and the sense of community I felt, were and are indispensable and cherished ... However, these positive experiences do not discount the culmination of incredibly negative and violent (mentally harmful) instances that Alpha Omicron Pi, as a national organization, has perpetuated. Thus, I am no longer a part of this organization,” Williams wrote in her statement.

Wisti and Tapper both stressed that no sense of antagonism exists between members of the sorority who left and those who remain.

“There’s no animosity, there’s no hate,” Tapper said. “It’s very sad that [others] left,

but ... the friendships still remain. Even though the bond of AOII is not there anymore, there’s still a friendship bond.”

Reeves said there were discussions among some women who left of creating an unaffiliated, local sorority. Sisters who have been initiated into a NPC sorority are ineligible to join new sororities. She said that creating a local sorority, similar to the recently-established local fraternities Pi Rho and Pi Delta, would enable the sisters to make decisions independently from the larger organizations.

“The benefit of local organizations is that you’re only reporting to yourselves, you’re responsible for your own actions, which means that you need to hold yourself accountable,” Reeves said. “But it also means that if something happens, you have the ability to change it and improve it.”

Tapper said that the remaining members of the Delta chapter plan on working from within the organization to influence its policies.

“We know that it’s a conversation that is ongoing ... I think that the chapter here is very proactive to make sure that all of Greek life is as inclusive as possible in breaking down stereotypes and not just on the Tufts campus, but also being a part of a national organization,” she said.

Weekender

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Friday, November 4, 2016

After comeback semester, Ladies of Essence prepare for fall show

by Eran Sabaner Arts Editor

At Sharewood Projects’ annual Spookapella show, more than half a dozen Tufts groups took the stage, but one arguably stood out the most: the all-female a cappella group the Ladies of Essence.

Performing Estelle’s 2008 single “Come Over” and Stevie Wonder’s 1976 soul masterpiece “Isn’t She Lovely,” the Ladies of Essence’s mini-show ended with loud applause from the audience.

Essence’s popularity might be related to R&B music’s popularity in mainstream culture today. With artists such as Drake, Beyoncé and Frank Ocean topping the charts and having the biggest first-week album sales of 2016, it is safe to assume R&B music is making a comeback.

The Ladies of Essence have also made a comeback recently, after taking a minor break last year to focus on reevaluating their purpose and values.

Jacqueline Chen, a sophomore who first auditioned for the group and then was invited back to audition again after their hiatus, recalls the conversations the Ladies of Essence had.

“After I got into the group we had a lot of conversations about the fact that black women were not seeing themselves as part of Essence anymore,” Chen said.

The group thought about the ways in which they could encourage black women to join. Sophomore Isis Van Putten, who serves as the current president, said that Essence focused on issues related to race and identity in their conversations.

“There was a lot of discussion about what we wanted our purpose to be, whether or not we wanted to go back to the original purpose or kind

of rework it for having a safe space for girls who are people of color,” explained Van Putten.

While the group didn’t perform last fall, they were keen on getting back on course this past spring.

“We did not end up having a show [during] fall semester,” Chen said. “Spring semester, we really came back with the mindset of putting together a show where we got up and sang nine songs.”

Last semester’s show, “Herstory” explored empowerment, especially the empowerment of black women.

“We brought back alumni and talked about what Essence means to them and things that center around black women,” Chen said. “Essence is first and foremost a black-centered group for black women to feel comfortable singing their music.”

Music from the African diaspora played an important role in the formation of the group. The Ladies of Essence was founded in the early 1990s under the name Spice when a group of black women felt the music they enjoyed singing was absent in Tufts’ music scene. Spice became Essence in 1994 but was not a fully formed a cappella group, as it performed with bands.

The Ladies of Essence decided to be all a cappella in 1999. Today, they concentrate on the music of the African diaspora,

performing songs not only by AfricanAmerican artists but by black musicians everywhere.

After their comeback, Essence has been gaining more attention than ever, especially since a lot of popular female artists explored blackness in their music in 2016, most notably Beyoncé and her sister Solange with their respective releases “Lemonade” and “A Seat at the Table.”

Both sisters were lauded by music critics and topped the Billboard 200 chart.

These releases could potentially influence Essence’s set list for their upcoming end of the term show.

“With all the amazing music coming out exploring blackness, mainstream attention is being brought to the music of the African Diaspora’s unique ability to unite and empower those struggling with systemic racial oppression,” said music director Chloe Nicole Sasson. “Through song, these artists proudly celebrate an identity that has been stigmatized in American culture since its inception.”

That said, per usual, The Ladies of Essence will continue to perform songs from other periods, geographies and genres.

“We are working on incorporating some of these pieces into our set list while also representing a range of genres within the

diaspora, both new and old,” Sasson said.

“Black women have always been innovators when it comes to music, and I think the multifacetedness of black female artists is really beautiful. As a black woman, it makes me really proud,” said senior Kristiana Jordan. “We’re always growing and developing and innovating and it’s awesome. A lot of black women released really incredible albums this year that got a lot of attention.”

Among the albums released this year by black female artists, Jordan recommended the aforementioned “A Seat at the Table” as well as Noname’s “Telefone” and Nao’s “For All We Know.”

Essence does not solely sing R&B songs; their repertoire includes a blend of gospel, soul, hip-hop and other genres, according to Jordan.

“While we do perform a variety of genres, all of them are brought together by the fact that they fall under the category of music of the African diaspora,” Jordan said. “This encompasses all of the different musical genres created by people of African descent, globally.”

Esra Gurcay, a freshman, said that the Ladies of Essence get to perform such a broad range of music because many modern genres are influenced by sounds of the African diaspora.

“As a newbie to Essence, I’ve seen that the girls here can easily mix different genres within the African diaspora into their repertoire so that we can represent music from the diaspora as a whole,” Gurcay said. “Essence draws attention to black identity as much as it does to music, and that’s how so many different music genres including gospel and pop meet each other.”

“With all the amazing music coming out exploring blackness, mainstream attention is being brought to the music of the African Diaspora’s unique ability to unite and empower those struggling with systemic racial oppression.” -Chloe Nicole Sasson

see ESSENCE, page 5

MAX LALANNE / THE TUFTS DAILY

Members of the a cappella group Ladies of Essence perform in the After Orlando show at Balch Arena Theater on Sept. 30.

Friday, November 4, 2016 | Arts & Living | THE TUFTS DAILY

Arts & Living

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ESSENCE

continued from page 4 Essence is preparing for its semester show next month while still performing regularly at other shows both at Tufts and in Boston. In fact, the group sings more than once a week.

“We probably perform in one to two small events a week, but it can fluctuate,” said Sasson. “Lately, we’ve performed at the Africana Festival, the After Orlando tribute show, Voices and Spookapella, in addition to Community Day and Parents’ Weekend.”

Auditioning for a cappella groups at Tufts is a rigorous and competitive process, and Essence is more than just an a cappella group. Because the group represents the African diaspora, and honors such a deep-rooted tradition, joining the group may require qualities other than singing skills.

“When we consider people to join the group, we take a lot of different criteria into account,” said Jordan. “The person has to be able to sing of course, but I definitely wouldn’t say that vocal talent is the end all, be all. We look for female-identifying folks who want to be in Essence, not just someone who wants to join an a cappella group. We look at passion, potential and personality, among many other things.”

This year, the group accepted four new members: Gurcay, Ashlee Simmons, Adaeze Dikko and Salwa Lautner.

“Lately, we’ve been incredibly lucky and have had some really amazing women auditioning, which makes our decision-making particularly difficult,” said Sasson.

COURTESY ISIS VAN PUTTEN

The Ladies of Essence pose for a picture at S-Factor’s 10 year anniversary reunion concert.

The Ladies of Essence’s semester show will take place on December 3rd, and, judging from their past shows, they have plenty of surprises in store.

“We want to highlight the importance of self-love and taking care of yourself when times are tough, so we’re

calling [our show] ‘Essential Love,” said Sasson in a follow-up email. “In Essence, I honestly feel that we all have each other’s backs, so we want to host a night where we can spread the good energy and love.”

In terms of actual content for the

show, Essence is sure to deliver.

“You should expect a nice diverse set – some throwbacks with some new music – and to see a group of ladies who love the music we sing and love each other, and who want to share that love with you,” added Jordan.

Late Night 2016: The Daily’s top five picks for election sketches

by Jocelyn Contreras Assistant Arts Editor

At long last, it’s almost over. The 2016 election is on Tuesday, Nov. 8, and when the last ballot is cast, a season of fulminating acrimony will have drawn to a close.

For all its drama, this election season has provided America’s premier comics with a bounty of raw material. As the election approaches, let us relive the finest sketches that the 2016 political season has given.

Donald Drumpf – John Oliver, “Last Week Tonight” (2014-present) The Daily ran an article about John Oliver’s first attempt to “dismantle The Donald” back in March, and while Oliver may have unloaded some choice Trump barbs since, his original anti-Trump tirade is still as effective now as it was in February.

Oliver mixes levity and despair with a

point-by-point rebuttal of Trump and this seminal episode literally concludes with a firework display and a mic-drop. If there is one sketch to rewatch before the election, make it this one — it’ll remind you what’s at stake.

Cruz 101 – Samantha Bee, “Full Frontal” (2016) Samantha Bee’s acid tongue and precisely-delivered put-downs have cut more than her share of political figures down to size, but her attacks on current senator, former GOP presidential candidate and paunchy Phantom of the Opera Ted Cruz land with a uniquely righteous fury.

But for all of her comedic prowess, all the jokes Bee delivered in her “Cruz 101” bit pale in comparison to the clip of a young Ted Cruz inquiring “why am I persecuted here?!” that her team unearthed.

Jon Stewart’s (all too brief ) return to late night TV, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (2015-present) Jon Stewart picked a terrible time to step away from the helm of “The Daily Show” (1996-present). Just imagine his masterful lampooning of Trump. But, for 10 shining minutes in July, Stewart stepped out of retirement and gave viewers a taste of what might have been. Stewart’s guest appearance on Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” was volcanic rage wrapped in jokes, all directed at the hypocrisy of Sean Hannity and the rest of the political right for nominating Trump.

Please come back Jon. We miss you.

The Third Debate Sketch, “Saturday Night Live” (1975-present) Alec Baldwin’s impression of Trump and Kate McKinnon’s impression of Hillary Clinton have been a constant source of joy throughout the last weeks of this election.

However, SNL’s parody of the third presidential debate soars high above any of the political comedy the show has done so far by dint of Tom Hanks’ guest appearance as debate moderator Chris Wallace. Baldwin’s contorted face and McKinnon’s almostwarm-but-just-too-mechanical delivery are glorious alone, but with Hanks asking the questions, the alchemy is just sublime.

Cartoon Donald Trump – “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (2015-present) The “Late Show” had struggled with low ratings this year, but the debut of Cartoon Donald Trump was a heartwarming bright spot. Watching Stephen Colbert threaten an uncannily accurate animated caricature of Trump with a pen is far from sharp political commentary, but it’s a bit of fun, which has been in short supply this election year.

Do it this weekend FRIDAY and SATURDAY “Gem of the Ocean” Don’t miss out on your last chance to see Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson’s play this weekend. A post-show discussion will be held after Saturday’s performance with Howard University Professor Sandra Shannon, one of the nation’s leading scholars on August Wilson. Tickets are available online at tuftsdramadancetickets.universitytickets.com.

When and Where: 8 – 11 p.m., Balch Arena Theater

FRIDAY “The Last Debate” Be primed and ready for Election Day by attending CIVIC’s final debate between Tufts Democrats and Tufts Republicans. To keep things interesting, each side has agreed to take on the other side’s positions.

When and Where: 7 – 8 p.m., ASEAN Auditorium

SATURDAY “Break the Stage” Tufts African Students Organization is hosting its 13th annual step competition, which will feature several colleges from the New England area. Tufts’ own ENVY, Blackout and African Dance Collective will also be performing. Tickets required. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $5.

When and Where: 7 – 9:30 p.m., Cohen Auditorium

SUNDAY Sunday Concert Series This week’s Sunday Concert Series features Austrian composer Franz Schubert’s “Winterreise.” The concert will feature Charles Blandy as tenor and Thomas Strumpf on piano. No tickets required.

When and Where: 3 – 5 p.m., Granoff Music Center

—by John J. Gallagher

6

THE TUFTS DAILY | Sports | Friday, November 4, 2016

tuftsdaily.com

Seniors rise from promising first-years to team leaders MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

continued from back “There are so many artifacts that still remain from my [first year] that I feel like we try to keep alive, like certain traditions or jokes,” Nichols said. “But personalities interact in so many different ways that it’s always different from year to year. I’d say we’ve become a little more weird since my [first year], which I really like.”

Although Nichols and O’Connor’s college running careers have followed very similar trajectories, their backgrounds in the sport share little resemblance.

Nichols, an Ohio native, has been running since he was in fourth grade, when he started entering local races. He joined a cross country team in seventh grade and by the time he entered South Range High School he was already very serious about running. He ran for three seasons of high school, eliminating any opportunity to play other sports. O’Connor, on the other hand, did not start running until his first year at Jones College Prep in Chicago. Here he split up his time running with swimming in the winter. Yet having each other at Tufts has pushed the two to achieve their goals.

“I think that having Tim [Nichols] as a partner for all of college has helped me to get through some tough workouts and miles,” O’Connor said. “I know that Tim will be there to help me push it when I’m feeling pretty bad. He also keeps things light before races, which is great because I get too serious.”

“Having Luke [O’Connor] as a teammate keeps things interesting, and even that could be an understatement,” Nichols said. “Starting out as a [firstyear], Luke and my other classmate Michael [Caughron] were solid friends

that made the transition into college so incredibly smooth. Since then, we’ve gained a lot of experience together on the course and on the track, and having the opportunity to talk through those experiences, whether they are racing frustrations or plans on how to execute a race, has made all the difference in my athletic career. It’s always nice to know you have a buddy going into every run, workout and race.”

Their camaraderie and competitive nature has fostered a winning environment for Tufts cross country. Coach Joel Williams attests that their influence can be found in more than just the younger runners’ times.

“The younger guys look up to them every practice, every easy run, every competition,” Williams said. “They look up to them as their leaders, both their physical and emotion[al] leaders. They are our two low sticks at every competition, so they set the tone for how we place. But I think outside of that, the emotional impact those guys have can’t be measured. It’s on and off the course.

It’s a coach’s dream to have two guys at the front that are not only phenomenal athletes but are great people, great students. We’re fortunate to be in a situation with those two at the top.”

The captains will leave the team in the hands of a young core of sophomores, including Brian Djerf, Brian Reaney, Dylan Jones and Christian Swenson, as well as first-year David Ng’etich. Nichols and O’Connor believe in this core’s potential and that the future of Tufts running is bright.

“I couldn’t be more excited for the team next year,” Nichols said. “There is so much young talent on the team that is really going to develop into a strong pack in

EVAN SAYLES / THE TUFTS DAILY

Seniors Tim Nichols and Luke O’Connor pose for a portrait in Middlesex Fells Reservation on Oct. 27. the future. I can tell they’re all going to be pushing each other to get better given their current positions. There are also so many unique personalities and leaders, even an entrepreneur, that will definitely keep the goofy vibe of the team alive all the while maintaining the success that Tufts University Cross Country has seen over the past few years.”

As far as this season goes, the duo still has Regionals on Nov. 12 and Nationals on Nov. 19. Nichols and O’Connor both received All-New England Honors after their 1-2 finish at the NESCAC Championships last week. This is Nichols’ third All-NESCAC First Team honors, having made it to the second team during his first-year season. This is O’Connor’s sec-

ond consecutive First Team honors, having made the second team in his sophomore campaign. Nichols is vying to be an AllAmerican for the second consecutive year.

As they close the door on Tufts cross country, they reach a crossroads with the sport of running. O’Connor plans to keep running four to five times a week, but would like to leave room for other activities, such as hiking. Nichols, on the other hand, has mixed feelings about running after graduation.

“As of right now, I’m really tired and the thought of running after graduating seems really daunting,” Nichols said. “But, right after college could be a perfect time to run a really fast marathon, so if I am feeling up to it, I might go for it.”

Friday, November 4, 2016 | Sports | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Jumbo defense hopes to build on success rushing passer FOOTBALL

continued from page back carried the ball 20 times for 104 yards and a score.

“Our mindset and our goal was to throw the ball to set up the run,” coach Jay Civetti said. “Because we [were] able to stretch the field vertically against [Amherst], it allowed us to have the success in the run game that we did.”

Facing off against Brady, McDonald and the rest of the Tufts offense is a Colby team that has been unable to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks. Through six games, Colby’s defense is tied with Hamilton’s for the fewest sacks in the NESCAC with eight. The Colby secondary, however, has been able to compensate for this weakness to some degree, as three Mules rank in the top ten in the conference for passes broken up. One of the key members of this position group is junior strong safety Ian Dickey, who is tied for second in the NESCAC with three interceptions. Tufts sophomore cornerback Tim Preston leads the league with four.

Meanwhile, Colby’s offensive has found it difficult to score this year, as its average of 12.5 points-per-game ranks second to last in the NESCAC. A major factor explaining the Mules’ flailing attack is an ineffective ground game. One of the two running backs named to last year’s all-conference first team, senior running back Jabari Hurdle-Price’s production has fallen off precipitously from 91 yards per game last year to 42 this season.

His teammates have not fared much better, as Colby’s running backs failed to secure a single first down for the team, with four ball carriers combining for a net total of zero rushing yards on 20 attempts in last week’s 21-19 loss to the Bates Bobcats (2-4).

Civetti said that the Jumbos defense would continue to respect the Mules’ ground game.

“Defensively, we’ll still plan to stop the run,” Civetti said. “I mean, that’ll still be part of the game plan. [Sophomore running back Jake] Schwern is still a good back. I don’t know the status of Jabari [Hurdle-Price], because he had played in five previous games [but did not play against Bates]. I don’t know if he got hurt or something like that; we’re not sure as to what happened. They can still run the ball well, and I would imagine that they would come in here and want to.”

MATTHEW SCHREIBER / THE TUFTS DAILY

Senio kicker Willie Holmquist sends the ball deep during the first half of Tufts’ 35-16 victory against Williams at a rain-soaked Ellis Oval.

The Mules’ difficulty running the ball has caused them to depend heavily on two quarterbacks — junior Christian Sparacio and first-year Jack O’Brien — to heave their way to victory. Against Bates, Colby sophomore wide receiver Sebastian Ferrell led the way with 11 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns, while three other wideouts had at least three catches. The absence of an established running game has allowed teams to send more pressure against the Mules offensive line.

As a result, Colby quarterbacks have been sacked 23 times; only Bowdoin (0-6) play callers, with 25 sacks suffered, have been brought down more. In turn, Civetti sees plenty of opportunities for his pass rushers, especially after the Jumbo defense came out of last week’s contest with four sacks against an above-average Amherst offensive line.

“I think our defensive line just really took it upon themselves to step up to the challenge [against Amherst],” Civetti said. “[Defensive line coach Kyle] Duncan was harping on that throughout the course of the week with those guys.

It’s fine to have half of a move, but you’ve got to finish it.”

Saturday’s game will also mark the last time that the senior members of the team will play in front of the Tufts faithful at the Ellis Oval. Ten starters from the Amherst game — including eight out of 11 members of the offense, senior defensive end Tucker Mathers, and senior kicker/punter Willie Holmquist — are playing their last season before they graduate. For his part, Civetti trusts his players to not be overcome by the moment.

“Those guys have been there, done that,” he said. “They’ve been through a lot of emotional experiences. That’s one of our goals weekly: to control our emotions.

I think it’s always hard and it’s always a challenge to think that that’s your last game playing at home. But, then again, it’s also a motivator to leave it all out there and to make sure that you’re giving [your all]. That’s the last game at home you’re going to have on film.”

Civetti also reflected upon his own experiences as a player on the field.

“I still remember my last game,” he said. “You don’t want to have a ‘woulda, shoulda, coulda’ moment. You need to apply yourself throughout the course of the week and stay focused, and I would

say the maturity level of our guys will allow us to do that.”

Berey said that he feels that the Class of 2017 is a special group because of the progress the group has made since their losing streak in 2013.

“I’m very proud to be with this group of seniors,” he said. “We’ve stuck with it through being 0-8 our freshman year, being the last class to go 0-8. That’s something we take a lot of pride in — not so much pride, but we hold it as sort of a chip on our shoulder. We really don’t like to bring up the past, but it’s sort of hard not to think about that as you’re going into the last game.”

The senior wide receiver also expressed his and his teammates’ awareness of the wider importance of the game.

“We’re setting ourselves up to hopefully compete for a championship next Saturday. Hopefully, we can get a big win this weekend,” Berey said. “But yeah, I’m kind of melancholy about it. I’m going to miss it. It’s the best group of guys I’ve ever been around.”

The Jumbos will host the game against the Mules on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Ellis Oval.

MacMillen defends men's singles title at blustery Head of the Fish Regatta MEN'S CREW

continued from back almost entirely on developing technique and base fitness, with the aim of putting the pieces in place for a successful spring racing season,” coach Noel Wanner told the Daily in an email. “However, our recent results at the Head of the Fish show that we have some speed, and are right where we need to be — competitive with all of our major NESCAC rivals.”

Junior tri-captain Andrew MacMillen defended his first-place title in collegiate men’s singles with a time of 14:51.6, fighting through the chilly, choppy water and windy conditions. The Jumbos also took home fish heads in the collegiate lightweight fours, the collegiate quad and the novice eights, with the men’s first and second varsity eights placing fourth and third in their respective races.

The lightweight four, crewed by sophomore coxswain James Grant, sophomore Ryan Bell, senior Tyler McCullough and juniors Thomas Hendrickson and Andrew Takasugi, outdid Tufts’ second-place performance last year and

defeated runner-up Middlebury by eight seconds.

The team’s journey to Saratoga on Saturday followed the Head of the Charles, considered one of the most prestigious regattas in the world, on Oct. 23. There, a group of Tufts upperclassmen, including MacMillen, junior Ashton Knight and senior tri-captains Doug Burt and Zach Merchant, battled their way to an 11th place finish in the collegiate fours division, securing a bid in next year’s race. On Oct. 2, the team posted a strong performance at Green Mountain Head in Putney, Vt., where it took five out of the top 22 spots overall.

“Our fall was very successful, though that success is measured more internally than externally,” Wanner said.

“The team has done a good job, learning how to move the boat effectively through steady miles in the single scull and building fitness. The team is deep, young and very motivated, so we have reason to aim high this coming spring.

We are generally ahead of last year’s pace — our fall speed is better, despite

not focusing as much on racing.”

Soon enough, however, winter will arrive and the Mystic River will freeze over. For men’s crew, that means switching oars for ergs (rowing machines) and plenty of unofficial, though critical, off-season training.

Sophomore James Miller, who rowed for the men’s second varsity eights this weekend, is prepared to embrace the challenge.

“Over the winter, we are looking to put in lots and lots of time doing aerobic fitness work on erg,” Miller said.

“There’s lots of work for us to do in the coming months so that we’ll be ready to get back on the water and go fast as soon as the spring season rolls around.”

While the New England Rowing Championships (NERCs) aren’t until May, men’s crew is wasting no time in shifting its focus towards the race that will play the largest role in defining how it views its success this school year.

“Everyone on the team, from new recruits to graduating seniors, is committed to working towards the goal of

putting out the fastest lineups we can next May,” Miller said. “That’s going to take massive individual effort and unwavering commitment to a rigid training program beginning with the first day off-season.”

It is clear that men’s crew is projecting a new confidence, a new optimism — but every rower knows that to live up to the potential that they have displayed thus far is going to take continued work. Without Wanner to push the team through the winter, it is up to each rower as an individual to put in the hours and the captains to be a voice of leadership.

“Our goal remains the same: prepare to be the fastest boats on the water in the grand final of the last race of the year,” Wanner said. “Everything we have done this fall has been aimed towards that goal. Much of that work is unglamorous.

To learn to row fast, you sometimes have to row slowly. But the Head of the Fish was encouraging: with thrown-together lineups and little race preparation, we were more than competitive.”

Sports

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Friday, November 4, 2016

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

Nichols, O’Connor race to finish illustrious careers

by Marc Weisglass Staff Writer

EVAN SAYLES / THE TUFTS DAILY

Senior Tim Nichols, named to the All-Nescac First Team for the third consecutive year, poses in Middlesex Fells on Oct. 27.

In the fall of 2013, Tim Nichols and Luke O’Connor were newcomers to the Tufts cross country program. They joined a senior-heavy team one year removed from a NESCAC championship. However, the team had graduated some of their fastest runners a year earlier, such as Matt Rand (LA ’12) and Kyle Marks (LA ’12), and it had just enough room for the two firstyears to make a mark.

At the Southern Maine Invitational, donning Tufts colors for the first time, Nichols and O’Connor finished 19th and 21st overall, respectively. They even secured spots in Tufts’ top five, as Nichols finished third for the team and O’Connor finished fourth.

The first-year duo’s successes only continued. That year, their accomplishments included top-30 finishes at NESCACs, top-50 finishes at Regional Championships and qualifying for the National Championship meet where Nichols finished second for the Jumbos and 100th overall, and O’Connor finished fifth for his team and 157th overall. Throughout the season, they consistently finished in Tufts’ top seven, a rare feat for one first-year, let alone two.

Their performances raised the eyebrows of coach Michael Schmidt.

“They came in and they definitely had an impact right away,” Schmidt said. “They scored as [firstyears] in nationals. Each year they have made large steps forward in how dedicated they take their training and as leaders. I think the team as a whole has followed. They’ve raised the expectation of what it means to work hard and find a pos-

itive balance on and off the course.”

Nichols and O’Connor, now senior co-captains for the cross country squad, are coming off a one-two finish at their last NESCAC championship on Saturday. They have solidified themselves as the top two cross country runners in Tufts’ history, according to Schmidt. But what the team has given them may trump all they have given it, providing them with a goofy outlet and valuable lessons that transcend the course.

“Running at Tufts has taught me to stay cool in stressful situations as best as I can,” Nichols said. “I’m not really that good at it, but I am pretty sure I’d be a mess without having developed that skill even slightly.”

While running is perceived as an individual sport where you can only run as fast as you push yourself, this is hardly the case. For Nichols and O’Connor, they have found that their team’s support has contributed immensely to their successes.

“I think there will always be the constant of there being a wacky group of people that care for each other,” O’Connor said. “I think that it speaks volumes to our team that we road trip half way across the country to cheer for [our] teammates at nationals. And that those numbers are usually in larger number of fans [than] for schools close to the course.”

It’s the members that make the cross country team so rich in character. It is a seemingly symbiotic relationship of wackiness, one where the unit and the individual mutually benefit from each other’s strange antics, which potentially leads to a closer team and better performances overall. see CROSS COUNTRY, page 6

FOOTBALL

EVAN SAYLES / THE TUFTS DAILY

Senior Luke O’Connor, named to the All-Nescac First Team for the second year in a row, poses in Middlesex Fells on Oct. 27.

MEN’S CREW

Seniors ready to defend home field, title hopes, against Colby

Jumbos net four fish heads in Saratoga Springs

by Sam Weitzman

by Josh Steinfink

Staff Writer

After a 27-10 road victory against the Amherst Purple and White (3-3), the Jumbos (5-1) return to their home turf this weekend for their final home game of the season against the Colby Mules (2-4).

Last year, the Jumbos bested the Mules, 28-10, when senior tri-captain running back Chance Brady scampered for 261 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and junior defensive lineman Zach Thomas earned three and a half sacks on the day.

Senior wide receiver Ben Berey said he believes that a focused mindset is the key to achieving a similar showing this year. “[Colby] has had a lot of good, close games in the past couple of weeks,” Berey said. “We’re approaching it like any other game. Each game is its own championship, so we’re just looking to be 1-0. [We’re] not really looking ahead or looking behind us; [we’re] really just focusing in on this week.”

The Jumbos had one of their most balanced offensive showings of the year against the Purple and White last week.

Fresh off of his record-breaking performance against the Williams Ephs (0-6), Brady had another superb afternoon.

Brady, who was last week’s NESCAC Offensive Player of the Week, turned 24 carries into 136 yards and two touchdowns against a stout Amherst run defense. Brady is now within striking distance of another major milestone: 2,336 career rushing yards.

Brady is just 318 yards shy of the school record set in 1988 by Tim Fanikos (LA ’88). The running back was far from the only bright spot for the Jumbos offense in Saturday’s contest, as sophomore quarterback Ryan McDonald bounced back from a couple of down weeks to produce an efficient and effective performance. In addition to completing eight of 11 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown, McDonald see FOOTBALL, page 7

Contributing Writer

With its dominant performance at the Head of the Fish Regatta on Saturday, Oct. 29, men’s crew came home with some new decorations for the Shoemaker boathouse in hand: lacquered fish heads.

The Jumbos, in their last varsity event of the fall season, claimed victory in four different races, building momentum that will surely carry them through to the spring season.

Why the fish heads? Beyond a simple play on the name of the regatta, the Head of the Fish in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. was initially founded as a counter to other regattas, a race whose stated goal was to be “one that wouldn’t take itself too seriously,” according to a Nov. 2002 article in Rowing News. Since 1986, however, much has changed.

Playing host to New England and New York teams alike, the Head of the Fish has increasingly found itself at the geo-

graphical core of the nation’s top crews, whose intense programs have encouraged the regatta to take on unprecedented levels of significance for all involved.

For Tufts, the race marked an opportunity to compete against NESCAC and other regional rivals. In the fall season, there is no set of concrete rankings due to the season’s short duration (only through the month of October) and small number of races. However, it is a critical checkpoint from which teams can guide training. This year’s Head of the Fish results encouraged the team to aspire to even more ambitious goals for the longer and more important spring season. While there always remains room for improvement, the Jumbos definitively revealed their ability to compete — and win — at a high level this weekend.

“During the fall season, our focus is see MEN'S CREW, page 7