The Tufts Daily - Wednesday April 4, 2018

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Tufts employees discuss H-1B work visas under Trump see FEATURES / PAGE 4

Jumbos pick up two conference wins

Calle x Halle shine on ‘The Kids are Alright’ see ARTS&LIVING / PAGE 5

SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE

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Yoji Watanabe, ’20, leads students in chants to support dining workers unionization on Apr 3, 2018.

Students and workers rally in support of dining workers’ unionization efforts

by Liam Knox and Ani Hopkins

Executive Investigative Editor and Staff Writer

Several hundred dining workers and Tufts students rallied Wednesday afternoon in support of dining workers’ attempts to unionize with UNITE HERE Local 26, a union that represents hospitality workers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, according to their website. UNITE HERE was also the union that represented the Harvard University dining workers who struck a successful contract negotiation in 2016.

The rally culminated in dining workers and union representatives asking administrators to voluntarily recognize the union.

If they do not within 30 days, workers will vote in an election held by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to determine whether the union will be formed, according to Edwarad Jain, student dining employee and organizer. Jain, a junior, said he was confident an election would result in unionization. He mentioned that the union had provided workers with cards on which they could indicate their desire to join.

“The overwhelming majority, over 75 percent, of workers have signed their cards,” he said. “We will win.”

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Students gathered outside the DewickMacPhie Dining Center at 1:30 p.m and traveled from there to Ballou Hall. Jain invited the crowd to turn toward Dewick to “show the workers how much we appreciate them.” This invitation was greeted by a chant which would recur throughout the protest: “We see you, we love you.”

“They want a better workplace and a better life for them and their families,” Jain said to the crowd. “Managers are trying to scare them, but we’re here to show that we have their backs.”

Shortly after 1:30 p.m, the crowd marched up Latin Way toward Professors Row and turned onto Packard Avenue toward Ballou Hall. TUPD moved cars to block traffic at intersections once the marchers reached these locations.

Chants from the marchers were led by student organizers and included “Hey hey, ho ho, intimidation has got to go” and “The students and workers will never be defeated.” Students held signs saying “Students stand with dining workers” and “Thanks for feeding us!”

Upon reaching Ballou Hall, marchers surrounded the north-facing entrance of the building. Workers unrolled a banner with the faces of dozens of dining workers in support of the union, with the phrase “Unbreakable” written across the top.

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Student organizers and workers addressed the crowd in front of Ballou, including junior Andrew Jefferies, who read from a coalition statement signed by over 40 student groups in support of the dining workers’ unionization.

“We, students of Tufts University, stand with Tufts dining workers. We know that Tufts dining workers are the heart of this campus, and have made it our home away from home. Tufts dining workers deserve a workplace with respect and dignity, free from discrimination and exploitation,” the statement read. “We are united as a community in support of the workers’ demand for a union.”

Two Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) sergeants and Chief of Police Kevin Maguire stood at the top of steps. Kramer spoke to Maguire, requesting to speak with university administrators. Kramer asked to speak to administrators, but Maguire responded that the president was not in his office. After Kramer reiterated his request, Maguire assented and entered the building, staying inside for several minutes.

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Jeka emerged from Ballou and spoke to Kramer and Lucson Aime, a Tufts Dining worker, who presented their petition for the formation of a union to the administrators.

“This is the petition, where the overwhelming majority of Tufts Dining workers have expressed their support for forming a union,” Kramer said. “We’re asking that the university voluntarily recognize the union.”

Campbell promised to be in contact with the union, but declined to respond further or set a date for a future meeting.

“We’re going to talk as a group because the president is not part of this conversation, and we’ll also talk to some of the other people involved,” Campbell said.

In a press release posted on the UNITE HERE Local 26 website, Local 26 president Brian Lang commended the decision by dining workers to join the union.

“We are proud that Tufts University dining hall workers have chosen to join Local 26, along with dining hall workers from a majority of [the] Boston area,” he said.

According to Christine Tringale, a supervisor at Hodgdon Food-on-the-Run who has worked in Tufts Dining Services for the past eight years, one of the main reasons she is supporting unionization is the see UNIONIZATION RALLY, page 2

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Wednesday, April 4, 2018

THE TUFTS DAILY Catherine Perloff

Workers, allies meet with administrators in push for unionization

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UNIONIZATION RALLY

continued from page 1 mistreatment she and her colleagues are subject to from their managers.

“The managers do not have our back. They constantly hide our complaints, they choose favoritism … and basically, the harassment.

They constantly try and push your buttons,” Tringale said. “It’s not right. It’s been going on too long. There’s people who’ve been there for over 20 years and they’ve seen some horrible things.We just want fairness.”

Tringale added that they felt management limited employees’ ability to provide quality meals for students.

“We’re chefs. We spend $40–60 thousand on culinary school, we want to show you our creativity, we want to show you nice things and we can do that but they won’t let us,” she said.

Tringale also said that managers schedule workers’ hours with little regard for their needs. Grazia DiFabio, a dining worker at Tufts for the past 13 years, said that she’s experienced this as well.

“The managers threatened me with the schedule,” she said, referring to the fact that her schedule for next week has been left blank, leaving her uncertain of future plans.

“One and a half years ago, my husband passed away. My daughter needs me. I need them, I need support from my bosses.”

“Tufts is a beautiful campus. We want to work here happily, and a union will let us do that,” DiFabio added.

According to Jain, his experiences in dining have given him ample evidence of workers’ need for a union.

“Things I’ve heard from workers … showed me that there were some serious things wrong here,” he said. “People feel stressed at work. People feel like they can’t talk to each other. People are scared at work … People feel overworked, stressed and underpaid.”

Jain added that managers have used intimidation tactics in the past two days in an attempt to prevent them from organizing.

UNITE HERE representative Mike Kramer outlined the union’s goal in organizing with dining workers.

“Our goal, and the goal of Local 26, is to support Tufts dining workers as they form a union and joining Local 26 so that they have a voice in their jobs and can take on some of the problems that you’ve heard about,” Kramer said.

Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) posted four officers inside the building in the lead up to the event.

According to TUPD Lieutenant Joseph Tilton, the officers were placed to ensure normal operations in Dewick.

“We just want to make sure business isn’t disrupted,” Tilton said. When asked whether he thought this was likely, Tilton said he didn’t know whether or not it was.

Maguire explained the police presence in an email to the Daily.

“As we do for all large gatherings on campus, we facilitate those gatherings and keep students safe as they exercise their First Amendment rights … and we balance the rights of students to exercise their First Amendment rights with the needs of occupants of university facilities to maintain the business atmosphere of those facilities,” he wrote.

Jain said he was inspired by the student turnout.

“I think that it was one of the greatest demonstrations of collective power that this campus has seen in a very long time,” he said. “Hundreds of students showing up at a time when there are a lot of classes going on, I think that’s very powerful.”

Nick Golin, a junior who participated in the rally, said that one of the reasons he wanted to show support was because of the crucial but unsung role that the dining workers play at Tufts. “[The dining workers] provide so much and so consistently, and it’s an aspect of our college experience that most people take for granted,” Golin said. “They become invisible to a lot of people, and it’s important to make them visible.”

Kramer affirmed the importance of dining workers on every campus.

“I think on every university campus where we have members in the dining halls, their most natural allies are the students who they serve every day who they

build deep relationships with and who they have real care for, and that means a lot to them in their day to day work and in a struggle like this, it means even more,” Kramer said when asked about the importance of student support for unionization.

Patrick Collins, Tufts executive director of public relations, said the university respects the right of employees to seek unionization.

“We value our dining services employees and the important work they do for Tufts and its students,” Collins wrote to the Daily in an email. “We respect the rights of employees to seek an election to decide for themselves whether unionization is in their best interests.”

When asked for comment, Director of Dining and Business Services Patti Klos deferred to Collins’ statement. Both John Beaulac, unit manager at Dewick MacPhie, and Peter Soucy, unit manager at Carmichael Dining Hall, did not respond to the Daily’s requests for comment in time for publication.

Kramer said that while UNITE HERE and the workers it hopes to represent are not satisfied with the university’s response to the petition, he believed the rally had accomplished more.

“We accomplished the goal of showing the university that the overwhelming majority of workers have made a decision, that they have decided they are forming a union and that they have the support of the student body,” he said.

Students dispersed shortly after the rally, as it was sleeting.

“They show up for us every day, in snow and rain, and we need to show up for them, through snow and rain,” Jain said.

Tringale emphasized the role that the university and its students play in dining workers’ day-to-day lives as well.

“We’re here 90 percent of the time. It’s like our second home,” she said.

When asked what the workers were fighting for by attempting to unionize, Aime had a simple answer.

“We are fighting for fairness,” he said.

Tracy Heather Strain delivers annual Voices from the Edge lecture

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The Experimental College (ExCollege) hosted its fourth Voices from the Edge annual speaker series last night in Barnum 008. This year’s speaker was Tracy Heather Strain, documentary maker and writer most known for her documentary “Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart,” which centers on the life of playwright Lorraine Hansberry.

The Voices from the Edge series began as part of a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the ExCollege, according to Madeleine Delpha, programs administrator at the ExCollege. It began in the fall of 2015, but the past three events have been in the spring. The series is funded by a financial gift from Tufts alum Sarah Janover (LA ’85) and her husband, Tom. According to Delpha, the goal of the series is to bring an innovator in their field to speak on campus.

“We want someone who fulfills the ExCollege brand,” she explained. ” We try to push boundaries and have people think outside the traditional curriculum, so we try to have speakers that think outside the traditional conventions of their respective fields.”

The event began with opening remarks by University President

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Tracy Heather Strain speaks at Voices from the Edge in Barnum Hall on April 3, 2018.

Anthony Monaco, followed ExCollege Director Howard Woolf.

Woolf introduced Strain as an iconoclast, idealist and innovator.

The presentation began with an 11-minute video clip showcasing four of Strain’s previous documentaries, including “Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart.” After, Jennifer Burton, a professor of the prac-

tice in the drama and dance department, began the conversation. Her first question to Strain addressed the universal nature of Hansberry’s most famous work, “A Raisin in the Sun,” and the personal quality of Strain’s documentaries.

“We dive into the research and we look see TRACY HEATHER STRAIN, page 3

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Strain discusses documentary filmmaking TRACY HEATHER STRAIN

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for very specific details that bring out a relatable human story,” Strain explained. “I do a lot of research. That’s my favorite part, because all the possibilities are open.”

Strain said she has been fascinated with Hansberry since she was 17 years old.

“There’s so many things you can say about Lorraine Hansberry. She was organically a part of her time,” Strain said.

Strain explained that a key aspect of making any documentary is finding the storyline to follow. She said she found this in Hansberry’s role as an artist-activist.

“Lorraine Hansberry really wanted to

change the world,” Strain added. “She was concerned how African Americans are treated, she was concerned with how gays and lesbians are treated and she was also concerned with how radicals are treated.”

The conversation shifted to a discussion on the social role of narrative media like plays and documentaries today, drawing a parallel between the lasting impact of “A Raisin in the Sun” and more recent projects like “Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart.”

Speaking about her own work, Strain explained the importance of making her work relatable to audiences through emotional appeal.

“I want the people who are talking to you [in the films],” she said. ” I want you to feel

like you identify with them and you want to be part of the journey that they are on.”

Strain also explained that it can be more difficult for people of color and women to get access to the funding and resources necessary for their projects, often because the projects they are interested in are assumed to only appeal to a certain demographic.

During time for audience questions, Strain addressed what she sees as a lack of diversity in films about the AfricanAmerican experience.

“I feel a great responsibility to have these films that I make be a part of this canon that inspires, informs and enlightens,” she explained.

Prompted by other student questions, Strain spoke on the role of her past in making her the artist that she is today, as well as what her future in documentary filmmaking could look like.

Though Strain has no other “dream project” in the works at the moment, she told the Daily in an interview that while documentary filmmaking is evolving, she still has faith that traditional films will endure.

“I’ve noticed with my students, they still like to lean back and have a good story told to them,” she said. “So the traditional ‘sit-down-and-watch an hour to two-hour movie’ format is still going to be with us in the future.”

For international staff, delays, changes to visa petitions cause stress, disrupt plans continued from page 4 travel on work for three weeks. They perhaps would have been able to make the application had I been in the country, but because of the lead-up delays, there was no longer enough time for them to make the application before I left the country.”

Since he was not able to apply for a H-1B visa, Sarkar had to leave his position at the World Peace Foundation.

“I just found the idea — both the US immigration system as well as Tufts’ bureaucracy —I found both of them deeply off-putting,” he said. “In any case, I wouldn’t have been able to stay on in that position because I no longer had work authorization, so I resigned and left.”

While this may have derailed Sarkar’s plans, he does not resent the outcome of this situation.

“I was only interested in continuing my then-research position if I was doing my Ph.D. The thing was sort of complementary; if one didn’t work out, it didn’t make sense for me to do the other. In that sense, it threw my plans into jeopardy, but it hasn’t worked out all badly, with the benefit of hindsight,” he said.

Director of the I-Center Jane EtishAndrews said that she could not comment on Sarkar’s case but noted the complexity of the H-1B petition process.

Along with the goals outlined by the executive order, the USCIS also released a policy memorandum on Oct. 23, 2017, with specific guidelines to reverse the system of H-1B visa renewal that was previously in place. In the past, a person who was in possession of an H-1B visa and wanted to renew it could do so without an overhaul of

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the fact that the renewal process may face push-backs. I don’t know what the grounds of rejection are.”

Though anxiety about visa renewal among H-1B holders has been on the rise, Chigas noted that the staff at the university’s international offices are very experienced and have been doing what they can to make sure the process does not bar anyone from remaining at Tufts.

“The importance of involving the I-Center or the Office of International Affairs as early in the hiring process as possible can’t be overstated; the earlier they are involved, the more they can help avoid any potential complications,” Chigas wrote. “So far, for the most part, [the international office staff ] have been able to guide people through the process to a successful outcome.”

Sean Ong contributed reporting to this article.

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the same process they went through to obtain it in the first place. “[This policy] means that even [if ] someone was eligible for an H-1B visa before, if the same person applies for a renewal of the H-1B for the same job, USCIS … will no longer defer to their previous decision about eligibility,” Chigas wrote. “As a result, we have seen the same level of scrutiny applied to both the initial petitions for an H-1B and to extension requests for H-1B visa applications.”

Ghosh added that the current state of flux in U.S. immigration policy has led her to speculate about obstacles that she may face in the renewal process in the future.

“It’s been so unstable, so unpredictable, that I don’t necessarily know what the current state is,” she said. “I have been speculative and anxious about

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Derek Castle R.E.A.L Talk

No regrets

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Work visas under Trump: Former, current Tufts employees discuss policy flux, application process

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here are a lot of things I regret — my long list of exes proves that — but no one can say that I don’t take the consequences with my actions. I have made a lot of difficult choices over the years, some good, some bad, but all necessary. I chose to drop out of college and take some time off. I chose not to return for an extended period. I made those decisions knowing that I was altering my life in a way that could not be undone.

I never once regretted it.

Someone recently asked me what my life would be like if I had chosen to stay in school and not leave. Different would be a major understatement.

When I was 18, I wanted to be a veterinarian. I always loved animals and that was all I talked about as long as I can remember. I never wanted to be anything else. Through all of high school, that was my ultimate goal.

I ignored everything that was in front of me that said I was going in the wrong direction. I was distracted and did not put in the effort I knew I needed to. But I kept on. I graduated high school and went on to college. I even planned on majoring in animal science.

It only took one semester and an introduction to animal science class for me to realize that my heart was not in it. I was miserable. This was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I was so focused on being a vet that I never considered other options. I did not know what my other interests were.

I have mentioned my journey to Tufts in other columns, but I always leave one thing out. What if I had stayed in college? Where would I be?

I would not be at Tufts, for one thing.

I would not be writing this column. I probably would not be writing at all. I would probably be a miserable animal science major who loves animals and hates his job. Maybe.

I will never know what would have happened. Maybe I would have been successful. Maybe I would have loved my life. Maybe I would be wondering, “What if I had dropped out of school?”

But I do not ever regret my decision to leave school. Not once. I may have made things harder for myself in the long run, but I love where I am now. I love that I am writing this column. I love that I am at Tufts. Would I suggest that other people take time off from school? That is a question I can’t answer.

Each R.E.A.L. student made a difficult choice to leave school and an even more difficult one to return. I would not wish that struggle on anyone, but for those who choose this path, we are stronger for it. For me, I will be able to say I have no regrets about my decision in the future, and I’m sure that many R.E.A.L. students will say the same.

Derek Castle is a senior majoring in English. Derek can be reached at Derek.

Castle@tufts.edu.

Quote and information: Diana Chigas

by Emma Rosenthal Features Editor

Editor’s note: This is the second part of a two-part series on how changes in H-1B work visa policy under the Trump administration are affecting Tufts. The first part was published on March 28, and is posted online.

Of the many policies that change from one presidential administration to the other, immigration is one that especially affects the lives and jobs of many members of the Tufts community.

For instance, the Buy American, Hire American executive order, which was signed by President Trump on April 18, 2017, made changes to the policy on H-1B visas. H-1B visas are awarded to foreign employees who are working in American specialty professional occupations, and many Tufts faculty and staff rely on H-1B visas to work at the university. “[This executive order] seeks to create higher wages and employment rates for U.S. workers and to protect their economic interests by rigorously enforcing and administering U.S. immigration laws,” Senior International Officer and Associate Provost Diana Chigas told the Daily in an email. “It also directs the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with other agencies, to advance policies to help ensure H-1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid beneficiaries.”

The main consequence of these changes is the effect on time; the processes now are much slower and more time-consuming than they were before, Chigas said.

“The new policy has caused the international offices at Tufts to prepare H-1B petitions in a much more detailed manner than they did before,” Chigas wrote. “[They are] getting more detailed job descriptions that give a more thorough and accurate scope of the duties the prospective employee will have, and evaluating educational credentials more thoroughly by highlight-

ing the nexus between the degree the employee has and the offered position.”

According to data provided by Chigas and the international offices, the Boston Health Sciences campus has 32 total H-1B holders so far in 2018 and five in 2017. On the Medford/ Somerville and Grafton campuses, there are a total of 53 H-1B holders, with 25 petitions filed in 2017 and only one so far in 2018.

Though H-1Bs are spread throughout the university in many different departments, Chigas said that the two schools with the highest number of H-1B holders are the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

The process for foreign workers to obtain H-1B visas has six steps, as outlined by Chigas. First, the employing department contacts the university’s international office to request an H-1B status for a prospective employee or a H-1B extension for a current employee.

Then, it must be determined whether the position in question qualifies under the specialty occupation requirements for an H-1B. Some of the requirements, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website, include a “Bachelor’s or higher degree or its equivalent” and that “the degree requirement for the job is common to the industry or the job is so complex or unique that it can be performed only by an individual with a degree.”

The next step in the process is determining the prospective employee’s wage based on Department of Labor wage database requirements, beneficiary’s position and job duties, Chigas said.

After this, the final three steps are submitting a labor certification application; collecting a letter of support, education qualifications and legal standing; and finally, petitioning USCIS for H-1B approval.

Sanjukta Ghosh, lab co-ordinator in the biology department and H-1B visa holder, said that this process, while time-consuming, was straightforward.

She was anxious about the time that USCIS took to process the petition, but benefited from the help of the Tufts International Center (I-Center).

“I never knew how long [it would] take for USCIS to process an application. When we started [my application], they [USCIS] were processing applications from last year,” Ghosh said. “USCIS was back-logged and the timeline was unclear. The staff at the I-Center has been very knowledgeable and helpful during the entire process.”

Ghosh added that she has submitted her H-1B visa petition for premium processing, which expedites the approval process.

“It definitely helps to have the expedited processing, because being an international candidate, there’s always this anxiety of stepping into that zone [of not having] work authorization. You don’t know if you will get the H-1B or not, or when you will,” she said. “Soon after … I received my H-1B, expedited processing [was terminated], within weeks from receiving the visa, even within days. It was narrow. We were discussing in our department about how lucky I was.”

Aditya Sarkar (F ’16) was formerly a research program manager at the World Peace Foundation, an independent research organization housed within The Fletcher School. He thought about applying for an H-1B as his post-graduation work authorization under the F-1 student visa was coming to an end but ended up not submitting an application after experiencing delays with the process.

“I was applying for a H-1B to stay on as a researcher and do a Ph.D. at the same time. … I then began the process, which is to say getting the materials together and asked the international office at Tufts for a response,” Sarkar said. “When I finally got a response [in March they told me that] I would no longer be able to apply before the premium processing was suspended … I had to see H-1B, page 3

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Christopher Panella A Column From a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Episode 8

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VIA IMDB

A promotional poster for ‘Unsane.’

‘Unsane’ is an eerie, effective thriller shot on iPhone

by Tommy Gillespie Arts Editor

If, as director Steven Soderbergh claims, films like “Unsane” (2018) are the future of cinema, then we can expect the movies of tomorrow to be atmospheric, seedy, chilling — and pretty good. Shot entirely on an iPhone 7 Plus, “Unsane” follows 20-something businesswoman Sawyer Valentini as she finds herself involuntarily committed to a mental hospital, where apparent encounters with a menacing stalker from her past have Sawyer doubting her own sanity. The film stars Claire Foy of “The Crown” (2016–) and features Jay Pharoah, formerly of “Saturday Night Live” (1975–), and Juno Temple.

The Bleecker Street feature had its premiere at the Berlinale in February and has attracted headlines since then for both its innovative production and its portrayal of corruption in the mental healthcare system.

For its part, the iPhone camerawork lends the film an eerie, low-rent quality, which mirrors the manic and muddled workings of Sawyer’s mind. Soderbergh, who personally directed the film’s cinematography and editing, opts for shallow angles and closeups, which give the film’s shots an interrogative feel.

Unlike a long litany of hospital-set films that opt for a shrill, strident, bright-white setting, “Unsane” has a dank, sickly atmosphere. Long hospital corridors are dimly

lit, the walls are painted in wan yellows and greens and the colors seem to be saturated with a sickly seaweed color. Fluorescent lights flicker, casting shadows of doubt and distress upon our protagonist’s face. The production design is one of the film’s best strengths; it imbues the film with a look of panic, uncertainty and rot at its heart. It helps the tension build steadily and somewhat unexpectedly toward the climax.

Without spoiling anything, “Unsane” does let itself down somewhat in the film’s climactic moments, which verge on the edge of cartoonish. However, the film more than makes up for it with a well-crafted story and copious amounts of genuine psychological tension. Foy’s performance as a woman caught dead out of her element is believable and darkly relatable. She conveys a keen combination of fear, frustration and resilience as she is subjected to institutionalized corruption, twanging the audience’s anxiety with great effect. In a film that relies so much on her performance, Foy delivers with a turn that may have seemed out of her repertoire to those familiar with her work in “The Crown.”

However, on that note, one weakness of “Unsane” is its supporting characters.

Temple’s Violet is competently portrayed but ultimately formulaic as a stereotypical “girl in a mental hospital” type. Pharoah’s recovering opiate addict Nate is believable, and the actor lends his trademark charm

to the role, but the character is not given enough to do. Polly McKie’s turn as the uncaring, rough, corrupt head nurse Boles is simply far too predictable.

Two notable exceptions to that trend are Aimee Mullins’ intriguing and far-too-short turn as Ashley, a corrupt administrator reminiscent of Natalie Figueroa from “Orange is the New Black” (2013–) Natalie Figueroa.

Joshua Leonard also shines with chilling menace as the stalker, David. Those who remember his recurring work in “Bates Motel” (2013–2017) will particularly like a sequence in which Sawyer details their meeting and his gradually evolving predation, where Leonard expertly showcases his character’s believably alternating manipulation, aggression and nice-guy act. “Unsane” also features a blink-and-you-miss-him Matt Damon as a security consultant who gives Sawyer a darkly ironic briefing on how to protect herself from David’s stalking.

Watching “Unsane” is more of an experience than simply a film. The iPhone camerawork, brilliant set design and lighting and Foy’s standout acting transport audiences down the rabbit hole into the dank nightmare world of corrupt institutions that criminalize mental illness for profit. One would hope Soderbergh’s predictions about the future of cinema are his only correct ones, as his predictions about the present state of mental healthcare hit eerily close to home in “Unsane.”

elcome, readers, to another coffee-induced ranting episode of my column, where I excitedly yell all of my opinions into space and hope someone listens. In this episode, I’ve decided to talk about something that has been keeping me awake and making me slightly nervous. Yes, that’s right, I’m talking about “Solo” (2018), the next installment in the Star Wars anthology series.

I previously assured myself that this film will be fantastic and, truth be told, I still think it will be. I’m a firm believer that Disney and Lucasfilm won’t release a “bad” or “average” Star Wars film, especially not after reactions to “The Last Jedi” (2017) polarized the fan base. After that controversial and necessary shakeup in the Skywalker saga, “Solo” should be a play-it-safe move, with plenty of nostalgic moments, funny one-liners and Star Wars references.

Now, however, as the film begins its promotional work and tours, more behind-thescenes drama is being revealed. Since the film’s co-directors, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, were fired last year by Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, “Solo” has entered the hyperspace of rumors.

Supposedly, Kennedy fired Lord and Miller over “creative differences,” which came after the co-directors presented a rumored “unworkable” script and demanded around 30 takes per scene on filming days. A “Vulture” magazine article from last week presented information gathered from an anonymous actor on the set of “Solo,” who said the actors often expressed confusion about the large number of takes and felt like Lord and Miller were unsure of what they wanted from the scenes.

The source told “Vulture” that while Lord and Miller were good directors, “they weren’t prepared for Star Wars.” The source also claimed that Ron Howard, the director hired

by Kennedy after Lord and Miller’s boot, was extremely efficient in filming, shooting around two to three takes per scene. I mean, Howard really didn’t have any choice but to be efficient, considering Lord and Miller had already shot around two-thirds of the film before Howard joined for reshoots.

Howard told Entertainment Weekly that “Phil and Chris’ fingerprints are all over the movie.” Their continued influence on the film was confirmed by the anonymous actor with “Vulture,” who said that Howard filmed from the same script Lord and Miller did. Furthermore, Howard supposedly used mostly parts from the whole sets Lord and Miller filmed with. To quote the actor, “Ron [Howard] is just using parts from those sets. I guess they’re not shooting wide angle. Maybe to save money.”

Needless to say, I am stressed. I don’t think anyone realized how deep these problems were, and after the fan hatred toward Alden Ehrenreich, who plays Han Solo in the film, I didn’t think the drama could get much worse.

Nonetheless, I do think Disney will play it safe with this film. If “Solo” were that bad, I truly believe they would’ve pulled it, accepted the loss and regrouped. In spite of my worries, you’ll find me seeing “Solo” opening night with a cautiously excited expression on my face.

As always, email me your thoughts! May the Force be with you!

Christopher Panella is a first-year majoring in film and media studies. Christopher can be reached at christopher.panella@ tufts.edu.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | PHOTO SPREAD | Wednesday, April 4, 2018

D I N N I N G STA F F P R O T E ST APRIL 4, 2018

tuftsdaily.com

A rts & L iving

Wednesday, April 4, 2018 | PHOTO SPREAD | THE TUFTS DAILY

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Arts & Living | Wednesday, April 4, 2018

On ‘The Kids Are Alright,’ Chloe x Halle are the voices of a generation

VIA FREEFORM

Chloe and Halle Bailey play first-years Jazz and Sky on Grown-ish.

by Cassidy Olsen Arts Editor

At 19 and 18, respectively, Chloe and Halle Bailey are doing more than most superstar musicians working today — and they’re doing it better. After making an appearance on Beyonce’s “Lemonade” (2016) visual album and opening for the pop legend on the European leg of her “Formation” world tour, the Atlanta natives landed roles playing twins on Freeform’s “Grown-ish” (2018), for which they also wrote, recorded and produced the theme song. Oh, and they made a

song for Ava DuVernay’s “A Wrinkle In Time” (2018). With credits this flashy, it’s hard to believe the sister act didn’t have a studio album out until now.

Released March 23, Chloe x Halle’s debut “The Kids Are Alright” is a triumphant, joyful declaration of youth and strength, wrapped up in gorgeous harmonies and infectious beats. In 18 tracks that cover stadium pop, indie R&B and everything in between, Chloe x Halle display a versatility uncommon for artists with such a unique sound.

Yet their experimentation with style and genre comes at no detriment to the out-

standing vocals and technical mastery on each track. The duo has no interest in lurking in the shadows of big names, and this album is proof that those big names should be worried.

“The Kids Are Alright” has several short interludes and “Cliffs Notes” songs, but they rarely feel superfluous.

On “Hello Friend – Intro,” the album’s opener, the a cappella conversation between the sisters pays homage to “Pray You Catch Me,” the first song on Beyonce’s “Lemonade” (2016). After honoring their mentor, however, Chloe x Halle waste no time separating themselves from the crowd and establishing their own sound, launching into lead single and title track “The Kids Are Alright.” With angelic harmonies, big drums and choir-like chanting, the song would feel at home in a Hollywood film score yet teasing lyrics like “If I’m in the mood I’ll get as ratchet as I wanna / Turn around and show you I could bless you with some culture” keep it far away from blandness and convention.

Both “Grown (From Grown-ish)” and “Warrior (from A Wrinkle In Time)” appear on the album, which are sure to bring in young fans who already know the girls from these productions. Despite the commercial accessibility and seeming one-note cheerfulness of these tracks, they both fit seamlessly into the album’s larger narrative of empowerment and confidence, particularly for young, marginalized women. “Grown” is the stronger of the two tracks, with a sticky, vervy hook that uplifts without being treacly sweet.

Although Chloe x Halle don’t rely heavily on supporting artists, their songs that do feature collaborators are some of the most sophisticated and mature on the album. “Hi Lo,” which boasts a verse from GoldLink, is the certified banger

tuftsdaily.com

of the group. It’s moody, even angry at times, but comes out in favor of being defiantly yourself, critics be damned.

“FaLaLa – Interlude” and “Fake,” which features Kari Faux, follow in this vein of danceable defiance with hip-hop beats and more of the sisters’ adept harmonies. Rapper Joey Bada$$ makes an appearance on “Happy Without Me,” a poppy, bittersweet R&B tune that could (and hopefully will) work its way onto the radio this summer.

The mellower of the album’s tracks, including the romantic, sweeping “Cool People” and piano ballad “Fall,” continue to showcase the vocal range and songwriting talents of both Chloe and Halle. “Blue likes to drop sometimes, all at once / But I don’t mind, no I don’t mind / ‘Cause luck is on my side / I’m looking at where the man upstairs might live, fall on tonight,” they croon on “Fall.” Both “Fall” and “Drop,” the last two songs on the album, are direct from the pair’s EP “Sugar Symphony” (2016), but they barely show signs of age.

Although the production is less busy on these tracks, the pair’s unique sound is just as present.

Despite its long track list, the album still clocks in under an hour, as no song is much longer than three and a half minutes. With “The Kids Are Alright,” Chloe x Halle offer up the very best their young minds and voices have to offer in beautiful snippets, creating intriguing possibilities for development and expansion—but that’s not to say the album is unfinished. It’s brave, experimental and varied, but it’s also an intimidatingly sophisticated piece of work. At a time when the voices of young people — young black women in particular — have more power than ever, Chloe x Halle might just be some of the defining artists of their generation.

try something new next semester.

Register on SIS now! More info @ tischcollege.tufts.edu/education/courses

Wednesday, April 4, 2018 | Comics | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Comics

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LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Zach: “Isn’t anilingus an Irish airline?”

Comics

SUDOKU

Ask the Daily: Am I in a junior-year slump or do I need to seriously re-evaluate my time management?

Q

ANSWER BY YUKI ZANINOVICH

: I’ve been having some academic trouble lately. My first few years at Tufts, I always felt so on top of my work and had everything done with time to spare.

Recently, I’ve been starting papers the day they’re due and asking for extensions on extensions. Am I in a junior-year slump or do I need to seriously re-evaluate my time management?

To whom it may concern,

A

: There is nothing unordinary about experiencing burnout as a junior. After all, you’ve spent over two years at the rigorous institution that is Tufts, and keeping up the work ethic that its courses and extracurriculars demand for that long is not an easy feat.

One way to overcome this obstacle would be to cut out any time sinks you have that simply aren’t worth your effort. Hopefully you’ve wrapped up a good chunk of major requirements by now, so that you can begin to take credits only from classes that pique your academic curiosity. If you notice you’re spreading yourself thin extracurriculars, consider gauging which ones actually fulfill you — there is simply no point in filling up your calendar with insignificant activities that pilfer time and morale from ones you find meaningful.

Difficulty Level: Making kosher for Passover edibles.

Tuesday’s Solution

I’ve found that blocking out time specifically for hobbies into your work schedule can paradoxically make you more productive. By introducing additional stimulating pastimes into your day, you force yourself to manage time better to accommodate them. I personally like blasting my iCal with lunches and other social obligations, since backing out of such commitments have external consequences and involve more guilt. And you might be signing yourself up for a bonus hour by making these arrangements with other busy folks — hearing about cool things they’re up to may give you just the nudge you need to rekindle that productive spirit in you!

CROSSWORD

Tuesday’s Solution

Opinion

10 tuftsdaily.com

Aneurin Canham-Clyne Red Star

Defending the indefensible

S

ome have spent the last few years attempting to make solidarity with Palestine a crime. But any time a democracy bulldozes villages, unjustly imprisons teens and plans to deport refugees, one has a right to protest its actions.

Of course, you can bomb apartments, shell civilians and violate international law, but it’s all okay so long as you agree to train American cops in your techniques. War crimes disappear the second anyone retaliates.

The defense of Israel in America relies on three rhetorical tactics: accusations of anti-Semitism, assertions of Israel’s specialness and attacks on the character of Palestinians.

I’ll respond to the first tactic when I see a Tufts Zionist standing against the alt-right, instead of waving a flag at Muslim students.

The second claims Israel is a unique democracy in the Middle East. This is an imperialist lie that ignores the role America played in destroying Iranian, Iraqi and Egyptian democracy, as well as the role Israel and the United States played in destroying progressive movements throughout the Arab world. Were it not for American bombs, Saudi oil and Israeli tanks, democratic socialism might still be a viable option. Israel murders democracies, particularly in Palestine, where it helped create the Palestinian Authority to secure control of an economically inviable statelet. Palestine has served as a laboratory for military technology and a reservoir of migrant labor. Israel’s prosperity, like America’s or Apartheid South Africa’s or French Algeria’s, is based on an unconscionable combination of displacement, slaughter, exploitation and frothing nationalism.

Those who play the card of a unique Jewish state admit they find a closed-off society ruled for the benefit of one ethnic or religious group over and above the rest preferable to integrated democracy. Or they mumble about two-states whilst allowing settlements that render two states impossible.

The other route, taken by Ben Shapiro, is to smear Palestinians living under siege. Before he was invited to speak at Tufts, Shapiro said, “Arabs like to bomb crap and live in open sewage.”

Israel has blockaded Gaza for 10 years, limiting food, fuel and medical supplies. The blockade turned Gaza into an open-air prison under constant threat of bombardment. If someone forced you to drink water contaminated with feces, or shot off a third of your cousin’s skull, you might want to slap them too.

This is justified by a comically simple vision of history, that ignores the history between the Jewish-Roman Wars and 1945, then posits that the Mediterranean littoral — the origin point of cosmopolitan society — was an empty oasis ripe for the taking in 1948.

Outrage at Students for Justice in Palestine always rings hollow to me, especially when mouthed by progressives. BDS works.

Solidarity works. If you are for Palestinian dignity you must also be against the reactionary government in control of Israel, and their neo-conservative and neo-Nazi allies in the United States. What also rings hollow are fear-mongering claims that we need to tolerate Israel’s crimes, because what if someday there’s a terror attack here?

There’s nothing anti-Semitic in demanding democratic rights and fair living conditions for the Palestinian people. Put me on the Canary Mission. It’s an honor.

Aneurin Canham-Clyne is a junior majoring in history. Aneurin can be reached at aneurin.canham_clyne@tufts.edu.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

OP-ED

A call for community engagement this April

by Jacqueline Chen Come April, Tufts students kick into high gear. There are performances every weekend, all the work we’ve been procrastinating all semester comes to a head, and of course Quidditch Nationals overshadow all other athletic endeavors. TCU Senate elections for the next academic year also take place in April, so get ready for your Facebook feeds to be inundated with campaign events and friend requests from overeager candidates!

Being a voice for your community is time intensive, and I know as a Senator, it can be intimidating to be a focal point of discord on campus. However, reflecting on all the important work that has come out of Senate in my time at Tufts, I can’t emphasize enough that Senate proves to be a vital space to advance student interests. If you are at all interested in making a change in your community and don’t know where

to begin, Senate is a great place to start. I encourage you to consider running to represent your class year or community, or at least vote for your student representatives in this April’s election.

Over the years, Senate has quietly been the catalyst for many of the services that are integral to the fabric of Tufts student life. Late Night Dining, visited by hundreds of students every weekend, was a Senate initiative. The Tufts Mobile App that allows students easy access to shuttle trackers and dining hall menus was as well. Next year, all students will have 10 weeks to elect to take a class Pass/Fail instead of just first-years.

On an institutional level, Senate has been working to address issues of Tufts’ financial accessibility through initiatives such as the Swipe it Forward Meal Bank, providing free menstrual products in high-traffic bathrooms around campus, $10 printing stipends for full-time stu-

dents and Trustee Representative Nathan Foster’s work on introducing affordability metrics for the Board of Trustees’ performance standards. In addition, as our administration is grappling with significant budget deficits, it is now more crucial than ever to have students advocating for our own best interests. It is our responsibility to demand transparency regarding tuition hikes and how the Tufts administration allocates resources around campus.

If you yourself do not have time to run, take a few minutes to think about leaders in your life who have been or have the potential to be strong advocates and leaders. TCU Senate, and our whole Tufts community, could use them right now.

Jacqueline Chen is currently serving as the TCU Senate Historian and is a junior majoring in international relations.

Jacqueline can be reached at jacqueline. chen@tufts.edu.

SPRING IS HERE!

BY JESSE CLEM The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free to the Tufts community.

The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily editorial board.

EDITORIALS Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily. Individual editors are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Tufts Daily.

OP-EDS The Op-Ed section of The Tufts Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length and submitted to opinion@tuftsdaily.com. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, space and length. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. Authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions.

ADVERTISING All advertising copy is subject to the approval of the Editor-in-Chief, Executive Board and Executive Business Director.

Sports

Wednesday, April 4, 2018 | Sports | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Jumbos drop just two games in weekend double-header WOMEN'S TENNIS

continued from back 6–0, while Keller took one more game to defeat junior Hannah Londoner 6–1, 6–1. Soon after, Wiley clinched Tufts’ victory with a 6–1, 6–0 defeat of Bates first-year Haley Washington in fifth singles. First-year Patricia Obeid (6–2, 6–2), Karamercan (6–4, 6–2) and Iwasaki (6–3, 6–2) also added wins to run up the Jumbos’ margin of victory.

Iwasaki believes the team could take much heart out of its strong performance over the weekend.

“Obviously, the double-header weekend was very challenging, not just in terms of fitness, but also in terms of mental energy,” Iwasaki said. “I think the team did an awesome job. We started off strong at Brandeis and kept that going throughout the whole day and had two very decisive wins, so I felt that was pretty awesome.”

Coach Kate Bayard had high praise for Obeid’s recent performances.

“I’ve been extremely impressed with Patricia’s work ethic and coachability,” Bayard said. “She takes in everything we say and applies it right away. She worked hard the second she set foot on the court, and she took in all the information and feedback I gave her and just came out every minute of practice working hard on that. In the offseason, she took our advice seriously and she came back in great shape, super fit [and] ready to play. Everything is continuing to come together for her.

I’ve been extremely impressed with her improvement throughout the year, and she still has a ton of potential.”

Tufts traveled the 10 miles to Waltham, Mass. for a matchup with No. 21 Brandeis on Saturday morning. The Jumbos got off

to a good start, emerging from the doubles matches with a 2–1 lead. Karamercan and Popa defeated Brandeis junior Olivia Leavitt and senior co-captain Haley Cohen 8–5 in No. 1 doubles, while Miller and Wiley saw off the challenge of firstyear Rachel Zubrinsky and junior Michele Lehat 8–2 in the third spot. Again, Keller and Iwasaki were neck-and-neck with their opponents, but ultimately fell 8–6 to junior Keren Khromchenko and first-year Lauren Bertsch.

Just as they did against Bates, the Jumbos swept through the singles matches without defeat. Obeid continued the fine start to her Tufts career, dispatching Cohen 6–1, 6–3 in first singles. In the second spot, Karamercan comfortably saw off Khromchenko, taking the first set 6–1 before recording a bagel set to win the match. The sole singles match of the day to last the full three sets came in the third position, as Louks went the distance against Brandeis’ Leavitt. After winning the first set 6–4, Louks dropped the second 4–6. However, the Malibu, Calif. native responded with a 10–3 victory in the tiebreaker.

“Lauren is one of the most mentally strong and high-energy people on the team, and it really showed on Saturday when she had that really long … match against a really tough opponent,” Iwasaki said. “Then [she] was able to bounce back right away physically to take the second match without a problem.”

Two days earlier, Tufts did not drop a single set in its home match against No. 29 Trinity, romping to a 9–0 victory over its NESCAC opponent. The Jumbos’ doubles pairs survived without so much as a scratch. Karamercan and Popa continued their fine start to the season with an

8–2 victory over sophomores Julia Brogan and Jillian Winer in first doubles. Tufts also earned 8–2 and 8–3 wins in the second and third positions, respectively.

The Jumbos’ depth was on display on Thursday with Bayard rotating her top six singles players. The team’s underclassmen posted an especially impressive showALINA STRILECKIS / THE TUFTS DAILY ing.

First-year First-year Patricia Obeid serves in Tufts’ 6–3 loss to Middlebury at the Kiara Rose defeat- Gantcher Center on March 10. ed Trinity firstyear Lily Everett been performing steadily in doubles play, 6–2, 6–1 in the fifth position, while soph- Bayard — now in her 10th year as head omore Afua Ofori-Darko emerged with a coach — noted room for improvement.

6–1, 6–2 victory in the sixth spot against “Although I see the doubles progressing first-year Morgan Wilkins. and getting better, I’m not satisfied with “It’s a jam-packed spring, and this where we are,” she said. “We’re at an okay year we have a lot of depth and many point right now for where we are in the options in our lineup, which is very season, but our doubles still has ways to helpful — especially when we have so go. As far as actual teams, I’ve settled in many back-to-back matches,” Bayard with a couple of the teams, but I’m still said. “It helps with our ability to rest experimenting one of the teams. Today in people, if we have minor injuries, and practice, I really liked what I saw with that that was the case [against Trinity]. It’s new team, and I’m really excited about nice to have that option to rest people that.” to make sure that they’re recovered. I’ve Tufts travels to No. 13 MIT on Friday, utilized that option this spring and it’s before gearing up for a critical doubleworked out nicely.” header in Waterville, Maine on Sunday.

Speaking after Tufts’ morning practice The team will face top-ranked Emory in on Tuesday, Bayard thinks the team still has the morning and NESCAC rival Colby in much to work on. While the Jumbos have the afternoon.

“WHY WE FIGHT” Join ALLIES for a screening of Part 8 of National Geographic’s “Chain of Command” This episode explores U.S. forces’ challenges in Afghanistan and the tragedy in Niger.

TONIGHT, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, BARNUM 104, 7:30PM National Geographic received unprecedented access to the U.S. military forces stationed in all corners of the world.

The screening will be followed by a discussion with Lisa Smith, a former member of the Air Force Security Forces and now a member of Team Rubicon, which unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy to national and international emergencies and disasters.

Sports

12 tuftsdaily.com

David Meyer Postgame Press

Knowing stats and the future

V

illanova crushed Michigan by 17 points in the NCAA men’s basketball title game on Monday night, finishing off an absolutely dominant tournament run. While the final game did not come down to one play, many games do. This is all to say that it seemed unnatural to write this column without mentioning the ending to March Madness, but it has nothing to do with the topic today.

The Houston Astros were playing the Texas Rangers on MLB Opening Day. Up came Joey Gallo, the Rangers’ first baseman. Backward went Alex Bregman, the Houston third baseman, and suddenly the defensive shift turned into a four-man outfield. This tactic ended up working, as Gallo hit to Bregman for the out. The Astros knew where Gallo was most likely going to hit it, and they put their men there.

The shift in baseball is back and bigger than ever. Since 2011, the use of shifts has increased by a factor of 12, according to FiveThirtyEight. With the amount of statistics that teams now use when studying their opponents and their own players, it is not surprising that the shift is being brought back. With the knowledge that a player hits it to the right side of the field, it only makes sense to put more fielders there.

Now, this all creates one big question. Is this better for baseball? There is a lot of debate about that, as shifts have caused frustration among many players and managers, with some calling to have them banned. Better shifts mean better defense, which means fewer runs scored. People tend to agree that baseball’s problem has never been that there are too many runs. However, shifts cannot do everything: The home run is unpreventable, and there have been plenty of long balls recently.

Last year, over 6,000 homers were hit.

This year, 15 percent of fly balls hit on Opening Day went yard, so maybe the shift will not continue to have as profound an effect as experts, players and managers believe.

All of this is to say that statistics are changing the way that baseball is played. Knowing the past helps us predict the future, in sports and elsewhere.

This could be for the best, or it could be for the worst. Eventually, we could have so many statistics on a player that we could predict their next swing or predict what the next pitch thrown will be. This is a drastic example, but a line will have to be drawn at some point. Shifting may not be cheating the system too much, but the line will continue to be pushed until it breaks.

One reason sports are so much fun is the unpredictability. Will the pass be a touchdown or an interception? A strikeout or a home run?

The sixteen-seed or the one-seed?

See, I did fit in March Madness. The fun is in the crazy outcomes, not in the ones that you see from a mile away.

Keep statistics controlled or they will control us.

David Meyer is a sophomore majoring in film and media studies. David can be reached at david.meyer@tufts.edu.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Tufts continues mid-season success with pair of commanding wins

by Ryan Albanesi Staff Writer

The No. 7 Tufts women’s lacrosse team continued its mid-season domination with impressive wins over Endicott College and Conn. College on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. The Jumbos are now 7–1 on the season and 4–0 against NESCAC opponents.

Fresh off its commanding victory over Endicott, Tufts visited a NESCAC opponent in Conn. College (3–6) on Saturday. After defeating the Camels 17–4 at home last season, the Jumbos put on an even stronger showing this time around, notching a 20–4 victory in New London, Conn. For the second straight game, Tufts’ cushion allowed coach Courtney Shute to give playing time to every healthy member of the team.

“For both games, every single person was able to be on the field at one point, and that’s great for our team’s morale,” senior attacker Taylor Meek said. “We started seeing girls getting a chance to go in very early on in the [Conn.] College game, and that’s just awesome for our program and our team’s energy.”

From the opening whistle, the hosts’ defense struggled to contain a communicative and adaptive Jumbos’ offense.

“Our coaches only called in one or two sets, which means our offense was flowing so well [that] we didn’t need any structure to help put the ball in the back of the net,” Meek said. “That’s super exciting. We were trusting each other and setting each other up, and we didn’t necessarily need a set play.”

Statistically, the Jumbos bested their NESCAC opponents in nearly every respect.

At the final whistle, Tufts led Conn. College in shots (39–10), draw controls (15–10) and free-position shots (12–0), while committing seven fewer turnovers. Once again, the Jumbos’ ability to play solid defense without fouling — an aspect of play they’ve been working on all year — paid off against the Camels.

“We only had one foul in the entire second half, which means we weren’t swinging randomly after their attackers but just playing solid body defense,” Meek said. “Our defense is just using their bodies to get in front and slow the ball down.”

Junior defender Megan Toner agreed, adding that the team’s defensive pressure is not limited to just its defensive end.

“We are trying out high-pressure backers, so we are going to work on playing body defense throughout the field and trying to cause some turnovers up the field,” Toner said.

“That way, we get the ball over to the offense.”

Once the Tufts offense had possession against Conn. College, the ball found the back of the net often. The Jumbos scored seven consecutive times to start the game,

conceding the Camels’ first goal at the 14:43 mark of the first half. Senior midfielder Caroline Nowak scored twice during the 7–0 run to lead a balanced Tufts attack. The hosts had a chance to crawl back into the game on the man-advantage after Tufts sophomore midfielder Maddie Norman RAY BERNOFF / THE TUFTS DAILY was called for First-year defender Emma Tomlinson picks up a ground ball during a foul with Tufts’ 26–5 win over Wellesley on March 14.

7:32 left in the half. Instead of conceding goals, howev- bined to win 13 of 25 draws, including eight er, the Jumbos only expanded their lead, of 13 in the first half. The squad has won thanks to a pair of scores from junior attack- more draws than its opponent in every game er Maria Dattolo. this season — a huge source of its success.

Tufts, led by Nowak’s four goals, closed “Lily has been an absolute force on the a dominant first half leading 13–2. With the draw … and it is so important,” Meek said. game out of reach, the Jumbos let off the “You aren’t guaranteed possession after a gas pedal in the second half, though they goal in lacrosse, so our offense really does still managed to score seven more goals start with the draw.” while only conceding two.

Tufts began the game in Beverly, Mass.

Taking on Endicott (6–3), the 2017 with a 5–0 scoring run, which included an Commonwealth Coast Conference cham- unassisted goal by sophomore attacker Emily pion, two days prior, Tufts relied on Games just 25 seconds in and two goals by early draw success and a strong defen- junior midfielder Annie Sullivan. Endicott sive performance to keep possession for finally got on the board with a goal at the much of the game. Meanwhile, the Jumbos’ 10:58 mark and added another a few minbalanced attack sliced through the Gulls’ utes later through sophomore midfielder defense for a 17–7 victory. The scoring output Jennifer Lacroix. Nonetheless, the Jumbos was par for the course for a Tufts squad that is scored four goals in the last five and a half averaging 16.5 goals per game this season. minutes to lead 10–3 at the break.

“Against Endicott especially, we absoluteTufts scored another seven goals in the ly dominated on the draw control,” Meek second half and held Endicott to just four. said. “Everyone in that circle was successful Adamec, the Jumbos’ leading scorer this in hunting down balls, and honestly, I would season with 25 goals, put two shots in the also give so much credit to our defense; they back of the net in the first five minutes of the were like a wall.” period to effectively clinch the victory.

Though Tufts has focused on improvDespite authoritative winning margins ing its offensive play in recent weeks, it was in its past two games, and its three-game the team’s stellar defensive effort that stood winning streak, Tufts continues to search for out in the convincing victory. potential improvements, especially in their “There were a couple of key stops that shot selection and shot placement. we made where we played 90 seconds of “I think moving forward, we are most defense,” Toner said. “So we were able to specifically focused on our shot and how we make a couple stops by playing good defense are shooting in games,” Meek said. “For our and just running down the 90 second shot attack and midfield, shot placement is key. clock… which is something that we’re trying In general, we never settle — we know just to carry over into our next few games.” because things went well in one game, they In the circle, sophomore midfielder Lily don’t have to be the same in the next.”

Baldwin often took the draw and hustled to Tufts will bring that mentality, along with control possession herself. The Cincinnati, its defensive prowess, into today’s home game Ohio native was supported by Norman, against NESCAC rival Williams. The Ephs sophomore midfielder Margaret Chase and enter the contest with a 4–4 overall record, junior attacker Dakota Adamec, who com- including a 1–3 mark in conference play.

Tufts improves to 6–2 with wins over Trinity, Brandeis, Bates

by Yuan Jun Chee Sports Editor

The No. 6 Tufts women’s tennis team (6–2) continues to battle its way through NESCAC opponents as it enters the business end of its regular season schedule.

The Jumbos recorded a 9–0 rout of the Trinity Bantams on Thursday in their first match following a busy West Coast swing. The team then claimed a pair of 8–1 victories on Saturday, defeating Brandeis and Bates.

Tufts drew first blood while playing host to No. 28 Bates on Saturday afternoon, as the No. 1 doubles pairing of juniors Mina Karamercan and Otilia Popa gave up just one game in their victory over Bates senior captain Maisie Silverman and junior Bella Stone. In second doubles, the Tufts pairing of junior Tomo Iwasaki and junior co-captain Julia Keller battled hard, but ultimately fell in a tiebreaker to sophomore Lauren Hernandez and first-year Hannah Sweeney. Senior co-captain Zoe Miller and sophomore Kat Wiley picked

up the slack for the Jumbos, however, winning 8–3 in the third position to spot the hosts a 2–1 lead heading into singles play.

Despite having played a full match earlier in the day, the Jumbos drew from a seemingly bottomless reservoir of energy to sweep the Bobcats in singles. Senior co-captain Lauren Louks and Keller gave Tufts a commanding lead with comfortable wins in the third and sixth positions, respectively. Louks defeated Bates sophomore Suzanne Elfman 6–1, see WOMEN'S TENNIS, page 11