The Tufts Daily - Monday, September 24, 2018 by The Tufts Daily

Q&A: New computer science professor Jeffrey Foster aims to equip students with practical research skills see FEATURES / PAGE 2

FOOTBALL

Tufts defeats Wesleyan in battle under the lights

Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick bring life into ‘A Simple Favor,’ despite its ordinary plot see ARTS&LIVING / PAGE 7

SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE

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VOLUME LXXVI, ISSUE 12

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Monday, September 24, 2018

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Faculty departure highlights Earth and Ocean Sciences’ concerns by Kat Grellman News Editor

Jacob Benner, a senior lecturer in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences (EOS), left Tufts this summer after accepting a position at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, according to EOS Professor Jack Ridge. Benner’s departure has left Tufts’ relatively small EOS department shortstaffed. Benner’s scheduled fall semester course, “Historical Geology and Paleontology,” was canceled, and his spring semester course, titled “Geological Applications of GIS,” will likely be canceled as well, according to Ridge. In over 16 years of teaching at Tufts, Benner came to hold a significant role in EOS, according to Associate Professor and Department Chair Anne Gardulski. “He was not only teaching some of our very important courses and helping to teach the intro labs, but he was our tech person, our computer person and our equipment manager,” Gardulski said. “Anytime you needed something, you could ask [Benner] to help you with it. We don’t have that now, and we’re already feeling the effects of that.” Gardulski said that in addition to her regular courses, she is now teaching abbreviated versions of Benner’s introductory lab sections. Benner filled critical behind-the-scenes roles, as well. Ridge said that Benner was in charge of coordinating the department’s annual extended field trips, which Ridge hopes will still run this year. Tufts senior Nicholas Cunetta, who is majoring in geological sciences, met Benner during Cunetta’s first year at Tufts. Cunetta thought Benner was an exceptional teacher who created meaningful lessons in labs and on field trips. “He had this real knack of bringing in demonstrations and interactive content that made science a little more tangible and a little more relatable to students — especially introductory students who maybe didn’t see themselves as future geologists, but rather students interested in the science,” Cunetta said. According to Ridge, Benner was not satisfied with his job security at Tufts due to what Ridge indicated was a lack of support for EOS from the university administration. Gardulski explained that Benner began looking for other jobs after the administration declined to replace former EOS Assistant Professor Molly McCanta in the mineralogy and petrology tenure track in 2016. EOS petitioned for the university to reinstate the tenure track in both 2017 and 2018, Gardulski noted. The requests were denied, however, and Jennifer Axler was hired as a

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part-time lecturer. Gardulski stressed that it is difficult to offer a high-quality geology program without that tenure track position, as it is a fundamental part of the science. “We need to have the scholarly perspective that a full-time, tenure-stream person can provide for the intellectual growth of our students and for interacting with other faculty members in our department and elsewhere in the university,” she said. “And when our request for replacement was denied, [Benner] was concerned about that.” In an email to the Daily, Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences James Glaser said that the university is unable to fulfill most tenure-stream line requests due to limitations in its budget. “We are very sorry to lose Dr. Benner,” he said. “He’s an outstanding, dedicated, and popular instructor. The School of Arts & Sciences is working closely with the department to replace him. Unfortunately, there are many more requests for tenure-stream lines from our 25 departments every year than we can accommodate. In most years, we can only authorize one out of every three requests. In this cycle, tenure-stream hiring is even more limited than usual due to budget constraints. We have encouraged the department to continue to make its request to hire a faculty member in petrology/mineralogy.” According to Gardulski, the university recognized the importance of Benner’s position and has agreed to hire another fulltime lecturer as a replacement. The search committee, which consists of four faculty members in EOS, hopes to find a new lecturer to start Sept. 1, 2019, Gardulski noted. But Benner’s departure is one of multiple issues EOS currently faces, according to interviews with department faculty. EOS professors indicated a general lack of support from the administration for the department, its facilities and its students. “I think there’s a disconnect between what faculty think they need to succeed and what the administration thinks is important for the school,” Ridge said. Some of the department’s concerns trace back to Lane Hall, the department’s main building. Ridge explained that the building — and especially Room 001, a lab classroom — is in poor condition and needs immediate attention, noting that Room 001’s state has caused health issues. “We basically can’t use the lab … because it’s leaking so bad and it smells of mold,” Ridge said. “In ‘Geomorphology,’ there was a student who had an allergy attack from the mold spores. That shouldn’t happen.” In a follow-up email with the Daily, Ridge added that the student’s allergy attack was not the first time such an incident has

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Associate Professor Anne Gardulski, chair of the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, poses for a portrait in her office on Sept. 18. occurred, while acknowledging that he was unsure if it was a result of the conditions in Room 001. Ridge also elaborated on the health concerns associated with these conditions. According to Ridge, an air conditioner runs constantly in Room 001 to keep the air clean, but the ceiling leaks so severely during heavy rainstorms that there is a lingering musty smell. In addition, he noted that the floor in the steam utility closet often gets wet with condensation from the steam system. Despite keeping the closet door closed and locked at all times, the smell from the wet floor spreads to the lab. Ridge said that if he works in the lab for too long, his sinuses get congested. Ridge noted that the infrastructure available to professors directly influences their career, including the research they can do and the grants they can apply for, as well as the opportunities available to them and to students. He said that although an external review of EOS in 2014 revealed a number of ways to help the department, nothing has been accomplished since then and EOS faculty have not been informed of any upcoming changes. According to Ridge, one of the reviewers had a severe allergy attack while in Lane Hall and had to leave. Ridge said that this incident was included in the review and that the administration has been aware of the situation for a while. “Lane Hall poses challenges, and our facilities department and campus planning group are aware of them,” Glaser said. “Next summer, the art studios, which currently are housed at Lane Hall, are expected to relocate to Barnum [Hall]. Long-term plans for the building are under discussion, but are not yet clear.” Gardulski said that the lack of financial support for EOS from the administration is discouraging.

“Much of what we have here in the department for our students and, quite frankly, for the faculty to work with is from donations from alumni,” Gardulski said. “We have not tapped into a lot of Arts & Sciences funding for room renovations, for equipment — things like that. And that, I hate to say it, has been frustrating.” Gardulski believes that better facilities and more faculty members would also help attract students to EOS. “I know the university is in difficult financial straits, and I don’t mean to minimize that,” Gardulski said. “But I think we have always been good citizens of the university and we’ve served our students, I think, extremely well, so I would like to see a little give-back on that.” Declan Devine, a senior double majoring in civil engineering and environmental geology, thinks more faculty would improve the department and would like to see EOS offer more classes each semester. “There are definitely certain classes that I wanted to take, but they didn’t have enough professors to teach them,” Devine said. “So I would say, in that realm, that’s definitely frustrating. But in terms of the attitude of the faculty, I’ve found them very supportive, and … they’re very invested in you as a student and happy to support you in whatever way.” Despite the setbacks, Ridge remains hopeful for the department’s future. “We have bright and enthusiastic students and talented faculty, which has driven successful teaching and student-aided research in the past,” he said. “A little help from the administration could allow us to build on this. I’m optimistic that our department can succeed and do very well, but it’s going to take some help.” Benner declined to comment on the details of his departure.

NEWS............................................1 FEATURES.................................2 ARTS & LIVING.......................3

FUN & GAMES.........................6 OPINION..................................... 7 SPORTS............................ BACK

2 tuftsdaily.com

Features

Monday, September 24, 2018

Q&A: Jeffrey Foster, newly-hired professor of computer science by Jenna Fleischer Features Editor

This fall, Tufts welcomed a group of new professors spanning a wide range of departments, experiences and backgrounds including 27 new professors in 14 different departments within the School of Arts and Sciences and eight professors across five departments within the School of Engineering. Jeffrey Foster is a new professor of computer science in the School of Engineering with over 15 years of teaching experience under his belt. The Daily sat down with Foster in order to learn more about his experiences as a professor and researcher. Tufts Daily (TD): How did you get your start in computer science? Jeffrey Foster (JF): I’ve always been interested in computing. I took a very straight path; I thought when I entered college I might be interested in computer science, and I majored in it [at Cornell University], and indeed I was interested in it. I went straight from college to grad school where I got my Ph.D. in computer science [at University of California Berkeley] and then became a faculty member in the department of computer science at University of Maryland, College Park for the last 15 and a half years. Now I’ve joined the Tufts CS department. TD: What are your research interests? JF: I’m interested in programming languages, software engineering and security. Mainly, anything that has to do with helping people write software more easily, make software better, find bugs [and] show that software is correct, as well as secure and safe to use. Advances in computer hardware

have been revolutionary in many ways, we rely on computers everyday, and part of the reason we can rely on them is because there’s hardware out there that gives us fast computing. But an equal part is the software that goes with computers, the instructions that tell computers what to do. It’s amazing because you can change what a computer does by changing its software. TD: You have been a professor your entire career. Is there a reason you prefer academia to industry? JF: Computing is a field where I think you can do amazing things both in academia and in industry. I like being in academia because I love teaching, interacting with students and helping students improve their understanding of computing or whatever they’re trying to learn. I spend a lot of time in research as well; research is very exciting because I think of research as trying to invent the future, lay the groundwork, so that people in industry, who have a lot of other pressures, when they find a problem, there is some level of intellectual understanding that’s already been discovered about it and they then have something to build on to do even better. We [in academia] have a privilege of inventing the future and trying to do things that people in industry can’t do or can’t think about: think big, think long-term, think foundational, think more abstractly. TD: What drew you to Tufts? JF: I decided about a year ago that I wanted to move back to the Boston area, being from the area myself and I still have family here. I was looking around for possibilities; Tufts is fantastic, and Tufts made me an offer so I accepted it. I felt at home in the

computer science department at Maryland, and I’ve felt at home here very quickly. The things that I like about Tufts in particular are that it’s a very friendly place, people put a lot of care and thought into their work, both research and teaching, which I think is great. Also, the students are great too, they’re exceptional. TD: You touched on the balance between research and teaching at Tufts. What are you teaching this semester? JF: This semester I’m teaching a graduate level special topics class called “Program Analysis, Verification, and Synthesis,” which covers part of the kinds of research that I do. I’m trying to decide what will be most useful for me to teach in the spring. Right now, I’m leaning towards teaching a software engineering class. TD: Do you have any specific goals or things you hope to accomplish within your first year at Tufts? What are you most looking forward to? JF: My major goal is to establish a research program with students here, and collaborators either here or possibly in the Boston area. As a faculty member, I have Ph.D. students and there’s a certain pipeline of students coming in, staying for several years, and then graduating, so I need to get new students to join my group as the senior students graduate. One thing that I care a lot about, and did a lot of work on at Maryland, was graduate education, so I’m on the lookout for opportunities to help improve the graduate program here. One experiment I’m trying this fall is an informal weekly seminar, in which I have faculty members come in and talk about various research skills that students learn in their graduate education and give a broad perspective on them. So

far we’ve had sessions on ‘why research,’ which really means ‘why get a Ph.D.’; how to read research papers; how to generate good ideas. In the future we’re going to have people talk about writing research papers, doing interdisciplinary research with computer science, how to network and collaborate with people and various other topics. TD: Computer science is obviously a huge part of your life, but what are your interests and passions outside of your field? JF: Maybe the most surprising thing is that one of my hobbies is making chocolates. I buy large quantities of chocolate and then turn it into the finished product. I bought about 81 pounds of chocolate a month or two ago. It comes in either boxes or bags of small maybe 1 inch discs, then I melt that down and have to temper it so that it forms the right consistency, has the right snap or texture in your mouth. Then I can either make hand dipped chocolates, where I make a ganache, which is chocolate plus butter plus cream plus flavorings, or make molded chocolates. I wouldn’t consider [making chocolates] a side hustle, I give them away to friends. I suppose one advantage of Boston is that it’s a little colder here and it needs to be cool to make chocolates. I make the chocolates in my home kitchen and the one crazy thing I have, in addition to 81 pounds of chocolate, is a machine that only does one thing, which is let you melt chocolate and bring it to temper. [This machine] is fabulous because then you just have this bowl filled with liquid chocolate that you can do whatever you want with, and it turns out that even if you mess up, the results still taste really good. Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

ARTS&LIVING

Monday, September 24, 2018

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MOVIE REVIEW

Kendrick, Lively shine in ‘A Simple Favor’ by Yas Salon

Contributing Writer

At first glance, Paul Feig’s “A Simple Favor” (2018) presents itself as a Gillian Flynn-esque tale of scandal, temptation and betrayal. The poster, which displays the film’s stars Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively poised in elegant, provocative poses, reinforces this noir theme: Lively stands towering over Kendrick, one hand perched on her hip, the other delicately clutching a martini glass, while Kendrick sleekly sits below her, the utter image of elegance. But while the film appears to be a run-of-the-mill seductive thriller, it is far more than initially meets the eye. The film, centered around “mommy vlogger” Stephanie Smothers’ (Kendrick) obsession with her refined, wealthy enigma of a best friend Emily Nelson (Lively), boldly pushes the boundaries of what the film world considers a thriller by peppering in its own unique form of comedy. The movie begins by introducing the audience to two best friends who are polar opposites. Stephanie is a single mom who can best be described as a 21st century Martha Stewart-wannabe. She is the perfect PTA mom that other parents love to hate, and she runs her own website where she posts parenting vlogs about everything from kid-friendly smoothies to DIY friendship bracelets. Enter her best friend Emily, a public relations director at an upscale fashion brand. She is a sleek, detached woman whose idea of cooking is making a martini in the early hours of the afternoon. Stephanie revels in Emily’s glamorous lifestyle, despite the obvious cracks in Emily’s picture-perfect life. Stephanie’s obsession with Emily only amplifies when one day, after asking Stephanie to do a “simple favor” and pick up her son from school, Emily up and vanishes, her location unbeknownst to anyone including her husband, Sean. From there, as Stephanie begins the search for Emily, she stumbles into a web of twists and turns that only grow larger and larger. The film’s story has all the trappings of a standard mystery thriller, but Feig, best known for his films “Bridesmaids” (2011) and “Ghostbusters” (2016), as well

as his work on “The Office” (2005–2013) and “Freaks and Geeks” (1999–2000), applies his own comedic twist to the film. Interspersed amongst dramatic twists are witty one-liners and dashes of physical comedy that are reminiscent of his prior work. So what exactly does this mix of humor and drama do for “A Simple Favor?” For most of the film, it’s nearly impossible to discern what exactly “A Simple Favor” is and what it is trying to achieve. The film swings on a pendulum between thriller and comedy, and one of its pitfalls is that these genre swings are done with little finesse. Many jokes feel incredibly out of place, relying heavily on classic stylistic aspects of the thriller genre. It’s difficult to appreciate the humor of Kendrick quirkily throwing out a witty one-liner over eerie music straight out of a Wes Craven movie. The story itself is also a shallow one. Most of the movie’s plot twists are fairly predictable and not incredibly original, something one may expect in an episode of “Pretty Little Liars” (2010–2017). In fact, most of the twists are tired-out staples of the mystery thriller genre. Had Feig used his comedic skills to satirize the tropes and make fun of their predictability, the plot twists would probably feel more palatable. However, the film firmly stands by the shallowness of its own plot. Yet despite the plot being about as deep as a puddle and the awkwardness of some of the jokes, the film still engages the audience in an amusing, intriguing tale, thanks to knockout performances by Kendrick and Lively. Kendrick embodies every version of Stephanie that the film develops throughout, ranging from the quirky, somewhat socially-inept Stephanie that appears at the start of the film, all the way to the cunning and deceptive version of Stephanie that she morphs into by the end of the film. Meanwhile, only through Lively’s snarky and nuanced portrayal of Emily do all of the complicated layers of the character come together believably. Both women carry the movie, and without their commendable performances, the entire movie would fall apart. The second savior of this film is the over-the-top third act. Only by the last 25 minutes of the film does the genre pendulum stop swinging, and the film finally

VIA IMDB

A promotional poster for ‘A Simple Favor’ (2018), starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, is shown. settles into true dark comedy territory. It is here that the humor and drama of the film truly comes together and establishes the movie for what it is: a rowdy, twisted tale that allows the audience to not only laugh at the subtle hilarity of the two women and their schemes, but also be pulled in to the ever-winding melodrama of Emily’s troubled life.

While this film may not be on the caliber of the works of David Fincher or Darren Aronofsky, it is still a gripping, seductive and, most importantly, entertaining film that features exemplary performances by its cast. If you’re looking for a fun, engrossing way to spend a couple hours, look no further than “A Simple Favor.”

ALBUM REVIEW

Noname comes back with crunchy, textured raps on ‘Room 25’ by Jeremiah Sears Contributing Writer

Noname is a Chicago-born poet and R&B-influenced rapper, appearing frequently alongside other popular Chicagobased rappers such as Chance the Rapper and Saba. She features prominently in both Saba’s “Bucket List Project” (2016) and Chance the Rapper’s “Coloring Book” (2016). Noname also sports a critically-acclaimed debut album of her own entitled “Telefone” (2016). Now, Noname’s newest album “Room 25” (2018), released Sept. 14 on Spotify, Apple Music and SoundCloud, maintains her snazzy, jazzy hop-skip vibes. She speaks to looming race issues, to her imperfect self and to happiness. Noname comes out hard — the first song

“Self” makes it clear that she deserves attention. Clearly, she is a poet. Clearly, she is also a rapper. By the second song “Blaxploitation,” the album is laid out. “Room 25” is a dancing disc; you feel it. Her voice is soft, melodious and powerful — one of those slow head-nodders. You need to move to it — and then she lets go of something smarting and raw. On “Prayer Song,” featuring Adam Ness, Noname raps, “A free man in the land of the noose.” On “Regal,” among spacey beats, she delivers “I’m warmer in the casket, basket atop my head. Africa’s never dead, Africa’s always dying.” Mid-song, “Room 25”″ will cause one to think, “Whoa! I’m not sure if I should keep on dancing, or just sit very, very still and try to absorb all these ideas that emerge

and unfold like vivid flowers from the song.” In this quality, Noname demonstrates a real faculty with music. She coheres articulate and genuine thoughts with a foundation of easy rhythm and creates something beautiful that transcends the sum of its parts. After the initial jump, “Room 25” slows, introducing neo-soul and jazz elements reminiscent of Erykah Badu and Thundercat. It’s almost hymnal in pace — think the latter half of “Coloring Book” (2016). The antepenultimate song “Part of Me” opens akin to “Disciples,” from Tame Impala’s “Currents” (2015). The precise sampling echoes Wu-Tang Clan’s “Enter the Wu-Tang” (1993), MF Doom’s “Operation: Doomsday” (1999) and also Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly”

(2015). At once, the combination of stylistic variety and consistent cohesion showcases the lofty quality of production. In terms of credits, “Room 25” shows off Adam Ness, Saba, Smino, Pheolix, Ravyn Lenae, Yaw and Benjamin Earl Turner. By the conclusion track “No Name,” featuring Yaw and Adam Ness, the sound is fully soulful, whimsical R&B, with lyrics like, “I’m just writing my darkest secrets … saying vegan food is delicious, like wait and just hear me out.” Like a day-old banana-nut muffin at the Rez, Noname’s album is a dense, fluffy delight. Although the crusty crown of the muffin at first discourages the novice, these initially less accessible bits are see NONAME, page 4

THE TUFTS DAILY | Arts & Living | Monday, September 24, 2018

Evan Zigmond Out on the Town

Boston Freedom Rally

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Noname's sophomore album ventures into history of rap, R&B, jazz

he weekend of Sept. 14–16 marked a very special event for cannabis enthusiasts around the country. The annual Boston Freedom Rally, colloquially known as “Hempfest,” took place on Boston Common. Being relatively new to Massachusetts, I wanted to witness weed culture here, so on a warm Friday morning, I boarded the Red Line to Park Street to learn more about local perception of the divisive drug. This year marked the 29th edition of Hempfest in Boston. The first festival was held in 1989, acting as a public cry for legalization and de-stigmatization of cannabis. Since then, the spirit of loud activism and civil disobedience has continued, growing in size to become the largest cannabis carnival in Massachusetts. For a young traveler looking to attend Hempfest in the future, it is very hard to miss. Much of the Common is reserved for the yearly event, with the vendor tents clearly visible from the subway station. I arrived early, so I had the pleasure of watching vendors of all kinds set up their wares in small booths lining the paved walkways. Many of them dealt almost exclusively in paraphernalia, with an assortment of beautiful glasswork presented on table after table. Everywhere I turned there were pipes, bongs, bubblers and grinders. There were other assorted businesses and causes present, including a booth for a lab that tests the molecular makeup of medical-grade cannabis to ensure it meets state-imposed standards. Completely steeped in weed enthusiasm at the festival, I truthfully felt out of my element, but all the vendors and business owners whom I spoke to were extremely warm and friendly. More than simply a farmer’s market for weed, Hempfest was a unifying experience. Many attendees were fraternizing on the sidewalks with one another, a heartwarming display of solidarity and kinship under the banner of cannabis. Although positive energy radiated through the Common that Friday morning, there were certainly aspects of the Freedom Rally that I could have done without. On either end of the reserved space sat a stage where musicians came to play throughout the day. Every group that appeared onstage had one and only one motif in all of their songs (weed), and it grew tiresome very quickly. The sheer volume of these performances made the gimmicky music feel almost unavoidable, which certainly put a damper on my experience. There was also a questionable amount of surface-level change at Hempfest. I could’ve sworn that dreadlocks on white people had been rightfully eliminated this decade, but I was sadly mistaken. Overall, my experience at Hempfest was positive. I derived my enjoyment from the vendors and business owners, rather than the musicians and appropriators of culture. For those who would like to dip their toes into the world of cannabis, I highly recommend checking out the Freedom Rally. For those already familiar, the rally is probably the most convenient place to buy paraphernalia, or actual cannabis if you’re over 21. Despite the negative aspects of the Freedom Rally, I plan on returning next September to soak in — or breathe in, if you will — all the good things Hempfest has to offer. Evan Zigmond is a sophomore who is majoring in music. Evan can be reached at Evan.Zigmond@tufts.edu.

VIA FLICKR

Noname performs at Electric Forest in June.

NONAME

continued from page 3 certainly the most explosively flavorful, and the most satisfying, into which one might chomp and taste rigorously. Just as the sweet doughiness cloys on your tongue with undertones of a pummeled

yellow-guy, so the album croons, and slides through the noggin like the warmth of a holiday fire. And then, a walnut. The kind of crunchy, textured surprise into which your mind can dig (with those shiny cerebral grinders) and explore a radically different perspective. Each little bit of pastry which crumbles off, out of your intellectual grasp, must be attended

to with care lest you shirk a full appreciation of the artist’s experience. Those muffin seeds that fall to the floor, those farthest ones, are the most rewarding. As the muffin is consumed, don’t be afraid to slow down, stop licking your fingers and savor Noname’s resounding lyrics, “I pray my Momma don’t forget about me, I pray my Daddy don’t forget about me.”

A rts & L iving

Monday, September 24, 2018 | Arts & Living | THE TUFTS DAILY

THE TUFTS DAILY Seohyun Shim Editor-in-Chief

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THE TUFTS DAILY | FUN & GAMES | Monday, September 24, 2018

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mmanuel Faber is the CEO of a multinational corporation with clients in 130 countries and annual revenues of $28 billion as of last year. He also believes that a “revolution” is near and that we are getting close to the end of capitalism as we know it. Upon first glance, Mr. Faber might seem foolish for his frankness about the future of his own enterprise. But Danone, the French food company he runs, has held such views for decades while maintaining profitability. Its former boss, Antoine Riboud, gave a speech in 1972, describing his conception of a firm as an entity that should provide both economic and social benefits. To millennials and their younger counterparts, who have grown up watching the world descend into the throes of climate change, such an idea does not sound so foolish. After all, can economic models that call for infinite growth really be sustainable on a planet with finite resources? Ecological concerns are just the tip of the (melting) iceberg. Corporations, legally and socially, are treated like people. At least in the United States, robust legal precedent exists for corporate personhood, from the ability to enter into contracts, freely exercise religion and donate to political candidates anonymously. Yet while corporations are afforded many of the privileges of personhood, they are rarely held up to the same standards in terms of responsibility. Elizabeth Warren’s new bill, the Accountable Capitalism Act, seeks to change the current lack of corporate accountability. But she does not directly call for a mass overhaul of current institutions. She believes that capitalism in its current form is designed to benefit only one party — shareholders. Thus, with corporate governance reforms, we can begin to distribute the gains from capitalism more equitably and ensure that employees, customers and communities benefit — not just managers and executives. The bill offers a number of proposals for reform, but one major point is the creation of a federal corporate citizenship charter for any company with revenue over $1 billion that would expand the obligations of company directors from merely serving shareholders to serving all stakeholders in the decision-making process. The bill would also require companies to allow workers to elect 40 percent of their corporate boards, limit executives’ ability to sell shares of stock they receive as compensation (thus disincentivizing buybacks as a money-making tactic) and ensure that any corporate political activity be authorized by both 75 percent of board members and shareholders. Traditional economists have long held that the primary aim of capitalism should be to maximize profit on behalf of shareholders, within the framework of the law. Complications in this theory arise, though, when one considers the outsize influence of corporations in making those laws in the first place, as well as the fact that 80 percent of the value of the American stock market is owned by around 10 percent of the population. Whether the general public is ready to accept a model that deviates from the accepted norm of shareholder-focused capitalism is yet to be determined. But companies like Danone, Patagonia and even Nike will continue to bet on strategies that seek to maximize overall welfare as long as consumers keep rewarding them for doing so. As stakeholders in society, I believe it’s our job. Anita Ramaswamy is a former executive opinion editor at the Daily. Anita is a senior studying political science. She can be reached at anita.ramaswamy@tufts.edu.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Sports | Monday, September 24, 2018

Sam Weidner Weidner’s Words

Player vs. team loyalty

n an article published on Sept. 19 on Sporting News, the former NFL 1999 Executive of the Year Jeff Diamond ripped into Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell and his decision to not yet sign the franchise tag placed on him by the Steelers. Diamond referred to Bell’s actions as “illogical” and “ludicrous,” even going so far as to ask the question, “How much does this guy love the game?” It’s some of the strongest criticism yet against Bell, save his own teammates referring to him as “selfish” and the general manager of the Steelers calling the situation “disappointing,” and it continues the pattern of people attempting to vilify Bell for simply trying to protect his own financial and health interests. Consider the situation that Bell has been put in as a player: He came in to the league in 2013 after being drafted by the Steelers in the second round. He signed a four-year rookie deal worth $4.12 million. He was successful during his rookie campaign, but really elevated his play during his second year when he reached the All-Pro team while recording over 1,300 yards of total rushing. Since then, despite missing some games for injuries and off-the-field issues, he has remained one of the best running backs in his generation and has been a vital part of a highly-ranked Steelers offense. In return for that production, he has been franchise-tagged in each of the past two seasons coming off his rookie deal. The Steelers have done so for reasons that could be nothing other than attempting to avoid committing a long-term contract and a big chunk of their cap space to the running back. In their defense, as Bell is 26 this season, the Steelers and other teams in the league are rightfully concerned that his performance will remain at a high level for only a few more seasons. From Bell’s perspective, however, he is entering the second half of a career in a league where skilled players typically don’t last very long, with no long-term security to protect himself or his family. The Steelers have refused to reward him for what he has done for the franchise, and instead have held him on short-term contracts and put him at a higher risk of injuries with huge amounts of touches each year (406 runs and receptions in 2017). He is only getting older, and the Steelers have forced him into a position where his free agency leverage is declining, meaning he may never get the longterm deal and guaranteed money he desires. The five-year deal offered to Bell by the Steelers may have seemed large at $70 million, but it also offered him little guaranteed money after the second year. Before rushing to criticize Bell, his teammates and fans should realize the position he’s in. The Steelers have treated Bell like a replaceable cog that they only value as long as it is cheap. How can they demand loyalty and sacrifice, when they have shown none of the same to him?

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

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Key defensive stops in red zone push Jumbos to victory FOOTBALL

continued from back The Cardinals had two more opportunities with the football, the first of which resulted in a three-and-out. Down 16–13, Wesleyan got the ball back with 2:13 remaining. After a couple of completions and a penalty, the Cardinals found themselves with a first down at the Tufts 27-yard line, needing only a field goal to tie the game. The Jumbos’ secondary applied tight coverage, which allowed Mughetto to bring down Piccirillo for a loss of nine yards. The Cardinals gained seven yards on their next two plays to set up a 46-yard field goal attempt for Wolff with 46 seconds remaining. The Tarrytown, N.Y. native’s effort missed, and Tufts took over to seal the victory. Coach Jay Civetti was pleased with the way his defense executed throughout the game. “It just took a couple of guys just really sticking to the game plan, doing their job and forcing things back to the support part of the defense,” he said. “I think, overall, our defense just was well-prepared. I think [assistant] coach [Kevin] Farr and the staff, [assistant] coach [Randy] Wright, [assistant] coach [Kenn] Jones and [assistant] coach [Matt] Leotti just really put our guys in a good position to succeed.” The Jumbos will return to Ellis Oval on Sept. 29 for their Homecoming game against the winless Bates Bobcats (0–2), as they look to improve their record to 3–0.

MAX LALANNE / THE TUFTS DAILY

Senior wide receiver Dan De Leon fends off a defender in Tufts’ 16‑13 victory over Wesleyan on Sept. 22.

COURTESY ANGELIE XIONG

Tufts players stand on the sidelines during the team’s 16–13 win over Wesleyan on Sept. 22

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Monday, September 24, 2018 | Sports | THE TUFTS DAILY

Field hockey continues perfect streak against MIT, Kean

WEEKEND SCORES FOOTBALL (2–0) Wesleyan

16–13

MEN’S SOCCER (6–0) at Brandeis

2–1

FIELD HOCKEY (5–0) at Kean

1–0

WOMEN’S SOCCER (5–1) Brandeis

1–2 OT

VOLLEYBALL (7–5) Bowdoin at Johnson and Wales vs. Roger Williams at JWU MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY at Purple Valley Classic

2–3 1–3 3–0 7th of 16

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY at Purple Valley Classic GOLF at Williams Fall Invite

3rd of 13 T8th of 20

CO-ED SAILING Salt Pond Invite at Rhode 6th of 18 Island Harvard Invite at Harvard 2nd of 9 Hood Trophy 1st, 3rd of 11 Norman Reid Trophy at 4th of 17 Boston College Sherman Hoyt Trophy at 14th of 18 Brown WOMEN’S SAILING Mrs. Hurst Bowl at Dartmouth

7th, 12th of 16

BEN KIM / THE TUFTS DAILY

Senior midfielder and co-captain Fallon Shaughnessy battles two defenders in Tufts’ 4–2 win over Bates at Ounjian Field on Sept. 15. by Ryan Eggers Sports Editor

No. 3 Tufts picked up right where it left off last week to continue a promising 2018 campaign with a pair of 1–0 wins against MIT (6–3) and Kean University (4–6). While the box scores reveal tight games for the Jumbos, a stout defensive effort prevented either of their opponents from issuing much of a threat in the attacking third of the field. The wins keep Tufts’ undefeated season alive — a marked improvement over the team’s 3–2 start last year. The Jumbos traveled to Union, N.J., where they met the Kean Cougars for their third road match of the young season on Saturday. Kean was a new addition to Tufts’ schedule this year, so the teams were forced to adjust to an unfamiliar foe in the afternoon bout. Nonetheless, the Jumbos were back to their usual tricks, attacking fast and often. It paid off early in the match when senior forward Hanaa Malik fired a shot past the Cougars’ defense and into the back of the net inside seven minutes. The goal, Malik’s second of the season, was assisted by first-year defender/midfielder Sophie Schoeni. Schoeni’s assist was her fourth point in the first five games of her collegiate career. Tufts locked down Kean on the defensive end, with the hosts unable to get off a single shot. However, the Jumbos struggled to create offensive chances. They got off four more shots in the first half, all of which were saved by the Cougars’ sophomore goalkeeper Megan Houser.

While the Jumbos put eight shots on frame in the second half, they again came up empty. Malik’s early goal proved to be enough, though, as Tufts’ defense stayed strong. Kean generated two solid chances late with their only shots of the contest, but senior goalkeeper Emily Polinski turned both of them away to secure the shutout victory in the Garden State. “Our defense has been improving a lot [and] working together really well,” Polinski said. “I don’t have to face many shots, and when I do, our defense makes [them] shots I can handle very easily. Our communication as a unit has definitely improved throughout the last few games.” Earlier in the week, Tufts hosted MIT for a rematch of the latter’s 1–0 home win last season. The Jumbos flipped the script on Tuesday, securing a victory by the same scoreline at Ounjian Field in Medford. Tufts once again put on a defensive clinic, allowing only two MIT shots in the entire contest. Polinski rejected the only shot on target at the 44:22 mark. The Jumbos’ offense cooked up a high-volume attack, peppering the Engineers’ sophomore goalkeeper Grace Moore with 48 total shots — 22 of which were on target. Moore fared very well, saving an eye-popping 21 shots. Early in the second half, however, one slipped by the Boston native to give Tufts just enough for a victory. In the 48th minute, a penalty corner found its way to Schoeni, who connected with sophomore midfielder Beth Krikorian for the game-winning goal. It was Krikorian’s second strike of the year.

“We focused on putting as much pressure [on MIT] as we could and finding ways to pop off our defenders to receive the ball and take quick shots,” Malik said. “All of our players were working effectively and we were able to capitalize on one of those shots.” While the Jumbos remained on the front foot throughout the remaining 20 minutes, none of their chances found the net. Tufts held onto its 1–0 lead until the final whistle to secure a satisfying victory. “It was a big game on our revenge tour,” Malik said. With the win, Tufts has now already beaten three opponents that it lost to last season in Babson, Bates and MIT. The team’s undefeated record will be tested during a three-game homestand this week against NESCAC rivals Wesleyan, Amherst and Hamilton. The Jumbos swept the exact same stretch of opponents on the road last season, eking out a 2–1 victory over Hamilton on Oct. 1, 2017. “Every NESCAC game is really important in terms of what happens in the postseason,” Polinski said. “We’re preparing for each one individually — one game at a time — and we’re hoping to make a statement.” The games against Amherst and Hamilton will take place during Tufts’ Homecoming weekend, which is sure to add an extra of energy to the matchups. “Getting a good fan turnout will be great,” Malik said. “Everyone’s going to be really excited, and it’s just going to motivate us more to win since it’s such an important day to Tufts.”

Jacob Sanchez Diagnosed with autism

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Sports

Monday, September 24, 2018

Football wins defensive battle against Wesleyan

MAX LALANNE / THE TUFTS DAILY

Senior running back Dom Borelli evades defenders en route to a 28-yard touchdown reception in Tufts’ 16–13 victory over Wesleyan on Sept. 22. by Noah Stancroff Contributing Writer

In just the second night game in Ellis Oval’s existence, Tufts came out on top, 16–13, in a defensive battle with Wesleyan (1–1). The Jumbos’ victory in their 2018 home opener gives them a 2–0 record, as they join just three other NESCAC teams with an undefeated record. Tufts only put points on the board in a strong second quarter, but that was all it would need as the defense kept Wesleyan out of the end zone for most of the second half. The Cardinals amassed a total of 334 yards of offense in over 36 minutes of possession compared to the Jumbos’ 217 yards in less than 24 minutes with the football. Both teams were led by their senior quarterbacks in the air and on the ground. Wesleyan co-captain Mark Piccirillo completed 18 passes for 189 yards, while running for 78 of the visitors’ 145 rushing yards on 14 carries. Meanwhile, co-captain Ryan McDonald led the Jumbos’ offense for a second straight week, throwing for 167 yards (15-for-28) and running for 23 more on 16 carries. On the other side of the ball, the Jumbos were dominant when the Cardinals were within striking distance of the end zone, allowing just one touchdown and forc-

ing four field goal attempts. Junior linebacker and co-captain Greg Holt led the team in tackles for the second straight week, as he recorded 12 tackles against the Cardinals. Sophomore defensive back Michael Mughetto totaled seven tackles himself, two of which went for a loss. It looked as if the Jumbos were off to a hot start after junior running back Andrew Sanders returned the opening kickoff 40 yards. However, the offense managed just two yards on the ensuing drive, and Tufts was forced to punt. Both offenses struggled to find a rhythm throughout the first quarter. Wesleyan looked as if it would find the end zone first early in the second quarter, but Tufts’ defense was relentless. The Cardinals had a first-and-goal opportunity at the Jumbos’ 7-yard line thanks to a holding penalty, but they lost seven yards on the following three plays. Sophomore kicker Patrick Wolff converted from 31 yards out to open the scoring just five seconds into the second quarter. Tufts got on the board a short while later when it was gifted great field position. Sophomore wide receiver Bryce Adam returned a punt 20 yards to Wesleyan’s 26-yard line with 11:12 left in the half. Despite a three-and-out for the Jumbos, sophomore kicker Matt Alswanger drilled a 41-yard field goal to tie the game at three.

The momentum shifted in Tufts’ favor on the very next play, when Wesleyan first-year wide receiver Connor Gregoire fumbled the kickoff, with the recovery by Tufts sophomore linebacker John DeLuca at the Wesleyan 11-yard line. One play later, McDonald found junior tight end Jack Donohue in the back of the end zone for his first passing touchdown of the season, giving Tufts a 10–3 lead. After a quick three-and-out for Wesleyan, Tufts got the ball back with 8:45 remaining in the second quarter. It took McDonald just under three minutes to lead the offense 66 yards down the field for a touchdown that gave the Jumbos a 16–3 lead (Alswanger’s extra point attempt was unsuccessful). Wolff converted a 39-yard field goal with 3:30 to go in the first half to cut the hosts’ lead to 10 points. Wesleyan opened the second half with newfound energy, taking just over four minutes to go 73 yards for a touchdown that closed the score to 16–13. On the first play of the following drive, McDonald’s pass was intercepted, giving Wesleyan the ball on Tufts’ 45-yard line. The Jumbos’ defense then took over to preserve the victory. On the ensuing drive, Wesleyan managed just two yards and was forced to punt. McDonald was

thrilled with the way the defense performed against a tough Wesleyan offense. “Our defense is legit,” he said. “They kept us in that game the entire night. They played out of their minds. It’s really a testament to how hard our coaches have worked and how hard our defensive guys have worked all offseason [and] all preseason to get to where they’ve become very good.” The Cardinals got the ball back with 7:27 left in the third quarter and quickly marched into the red zone. Facing fourth-and-1 on Tufts’ 6-yard line, the visitors elected to go for it. However, the Jumbos’ defense swarmed to sophomore running back Sean Penney and stopped the Simsbury, Conn. native short of the line, as the Cardinals came away empty-handed. Wesleyan’s next drive ended on a similar note. The Cardinals drove down to the Jumbos’ 5-yard line, where the hosts showed their strength again. After consecutive rushing attempts advanced the Cardinals just two yards, they stuck to the ground game on the third down. However, a bobbled snap allowed the defense to wrap up Wesleyan first-year wide receiver David Estevez for a 6-yard loss. Wolff’s 27-yard field goal attempt missed wide left, giving the ball back to the Jumbos. see FOOTBALL, page 10