Alum Amy Spitalnick shares her academic experiences at Tufts see FEATURES / PAGE 3
MEN’S LACROSSE
Tufts falls to Wesleyan in season’s 1st loss
Tufts students should be better neighbors see OPINION / PAGE 6
SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE
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$100k New Venture Competition rewards entrepreneurship in business, science, social impact by Abbie Gruskin News Editor
The Tufts Entrepreneurship Center (TEC) hosted its 15th annual $100k New Venture Competition on Friday to celebrate and reward the entrepreneurial accomplishments of Tufts students, alumni and faculty. The daylong event took place at 51 Winthrop Street and was months in the making, according to TEC Director Jack Derby. The competition commenced three months ago with hundreds of initial applications from across all 10 schools of the university, according to Derby. The applications then underwent three rounds of screening and judging before advancing to compete in the final round on Friday. “This process of providing guidance, coaching and development to the applicants and the process of managing the actual events comes from the center,” Derby told the Daily in an email. The event began with introductions from Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs Raymond Ou and Dean of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life Alan Solomont. Competitors then pitched their business plans to a panel of five entrepreneur judges in three different tracks: the Social Impact Track, the General Business & Technology Track and the Medical Devices
& Life Science Track. The judging concluded at 5:30 p.m. and was followed by a reception and networking opportunities. Before prizes were awarded, University President Anthony Monaco delivered a welcome speech and Felice Shapiro interviewed Diane Hessan, both Tufts alumnae and entrepreneurs. Hessan was honored as the 2019 recipient of the Tufts Legends of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award. She is the founder of C Space, which began in 2000 as a platform for online communities to aid in market research. Now, Hessan’s company Salient Ventures invests in the next crop of tech companies. After Shapiro and Hessan’s conversation, the TEC awarded competitors a total of $75,000 in cash from sponsors and donors and $75,000 in rent credits from Cummings Properties. According to the Gordon Institute website, first place awards were given to The Now Exchange in the Social Impact Track, both Dyne and Kandula Hard Kombucha in the General Business & Technology Track, and Sterilyse in the Medical Devices & Life Science Track. Second place prizes were awarded to Kisaan in the Social Impact Track, NeverClog in the General Business & see 100K, page 2
VIA THE GORDON INSTITUTE FACEBOOK
Giulia Bova, Chief of Health Access and Co-Founder of The Now Exchange, and Farah Momen, CEO and Co-Founder of The Now Exchange, are pictured in this advertisement for the $100k New Ventures Competition 2019.
Transportation details plan to increase SMFA busing capacity by Bella Maharaj
Contributing Writer
Plans for a comprehensive shuttle service between the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) and Medford campuses have been developed to deal with the housing shift of SMFA sophomores to the Medford campus for the 2019–2020 school year. The SMFA/Medford shuttle service will run according to the schedule it currently works under, according to Charles Grab, transportation and fleet manager. The current schedule runs four shuttles with hours ranging from 8:15 a.m. to 12 a.m. outbound from the SMFA and 7:45 a.m. to 1 a.m. inbound from the Medford campus, according to the Shuttle Services page on the Tufts University website. Grab said capacity, rather than scheduling, is key to the plan of dealing with the SMFA housing situation. To increase capacity, Grab said a city-style bus, which could hold up to 80 people, will be used. The Please recycle this newspaper
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current buses can transport approximately 30 people, according to Grab. Grab explained that transportation services work with an outside contractor, A&A Metro, and they provide the buses and drivers for the shuttle service. To accommodate the larger numbers of students commuting between the SMFA and Medford campuses, transportation services will request larger buses to run during peak hours of operation. This plan will be implemented for the upcoming 2019–2020 school year. According to Grab, these larger city buses are $10–$20 more expensive per hour than the shuttles currently used. The current SMFA/Medford shuttle schedule was changed this semester, according to Grab. “The current schedule wasn’t really conducive to staying on time. We were having capacity issues, things like that,” Grab explained. The new schedule was built to run on a bus leaving every 30 minutes. The shuttle For breaking news, our content archive and exclusive content, visit tuftsdaily.com @tuftsdaily
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service has four buses running, allowing an hour for travel time. “That schedule works really well. The buses are on time, but we are going to have capacity issues more than scheduling issues,” Grab stated. According to Grab, after the new plan was instituted, ridership and efficiency increased. “Complaints dropped like a rock. I maybe hear from one person a month. Whereas before I was hearing from eight to 10 people a day if the bus was really not cutting it,” Grab said. “So since that is so stable, I mean truly a good foundation, I am focused on capacity for now.” The adoption of larger buses alleviates concerns over capacity, but leaves other issues unsolved. For example, it does not ameliorate the concerns SMFA students have with being so far from their school, according to Alessia Petricca Lindorf, a first-year student at the SMFA. “Let’s say I’m in Medford, and I have to catch a shuttle at 8 a.m. to get to SMFA at 9 Contact Us P.O. Box 53018, Medford, MA 02155 daily@tuftsdaily.com
a.m. If I miss that 8 a.m., I’m screwed basically,” she said. “I have to [take] the T, and it’s going to take me an hour, and I’m going to be late to class.” Lindorf said that having another shuttle that departed shortly after the 8 a.m. one would aid her ability to make it to class on time. Dual-degree student Sam OomenLochtefeld explained additional difficulties that the distance between the SMFA and the Medford campuses creates. “It can be really difficult to have such a separation between where you live and where your classes are,” OomenLochtefeld, a first-year, said. “Having to take a 45 minute shuttle to the SMFA and back not only is very draining, but [it] also makes it really hard to feel at home in the museum school.” Grab acknowledged the difficulty the distance poses for SMFA students. “They need to manage their day completely differently from anyone else. They
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TEC competition spotlights Tufts community's entrepreneurial achievements 100K
their formation,” Derby said. “Just extraordinary!” In her interview with Shapiro, Hessan outlined the three characteristics investors admire most in a new company: aspiration to solve a big problem, a solution that addresses the problem well and a team that is passionate and dedicated. Hessan also encouraged entrepreneurs to forge lasting connections with their communities. “I really think that my biggest asset is my network,” Hessan said. “Get your head out of your spreadsheets, especially for those of you who are graduating, get your head out of all of your plans and go out and meet people, learn, go to conferences, go to seminars.” Hessan also addressed a question from the audience about her experience as a female entrepreneur and the potential for minorities to succeed in the industry.
“Right now, in 2019, I think investors are dying to invest in people who are different,” Hessan said. “They want to hire women, they want to hire people of color. If you’re a double [minority] woman, I think there’s a big opportunity in 2019, so go for it.” Hessan urged entrepreneurs to continue their work outside of the competition, citing her own experiences with failure in the initial phases of her business. “Some of the greatest entrepreneurs I know lost every business plan competition they went to,” Hessan said. “There’s not always a relationship between who wins a business plan competition and who ends up being successful because there are so many other factors and your business ends up changing all the time.”
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Student forums will be held early next year to discuss any adjustments or problems needing to be resolved with the shuttle service, according to Grab. “If we find [out] one person can’t do something because the way classes line up is terrible — true single-occupancy … situations — I then pass that up to the dean’s office and see if there is a special accommodation we can make. And we’ve done it,” Grab said.
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to leave one campus to another, there’s timing where you take the wrong blend of classes, and you’ll never make it to class on time,” he said. Grab explained that there will still be a learning curve with the shuttle system for students next year. “We honestly won’t have a sense of how this new blend of circumstances is going to affect the daily rhythm for people until their schedules are set and they get used to the commute,” he said.
continued from page 1 Technology Track, and Hero Patch in the Medical Devices & Life Science Track. Third place awards went to SustAg4all in the Social Impact Track, Estateably in the General Business & Technology Track and Vivo Sango in the Medical Devices & Life Science Track. All the business pitches demonstrated exciting innovation, both TEC Program Administrator Carol Denning and Derby said. “The pitches are very diverse but many share a common theme of making the world a better place through improving education, the environment, agriculture and health,” Denning told the Daily in an email. “The projects that I have seen this year all through this process are just extraordinary in their depth, their research and
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continued from page 1 don’t have the luxury of just walking to class, or skipping breakfast and going to class,” he said. According to Grab, the scheduling of classes is another important factor that will make student life between both campuses easier. “The SMFA is on one schedule. Medford’s on a different [one]. And even if you had your own car at the door ready
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MONDAY Black Solidarity with Palestine: Futures of Freedom Details: As the final installment of Tufts Students for Justice in Palestine’s (SJP) Israeli Apartheid Week, SJP will host an event on black and Palestinian solidarity, featuring speakers Noura Erakat and Khury Petersen-Smith. Where and when: Braker Hall 001; 4:30– 6:30 p.m. TUESDAY Data for Progress: Numbers & the New Left
Details: Writer and activist Sean McElwee, famous for popularizing the phrase “Abolish ICE,” will speak on progressivism and the role of data in leftist politics. Where and when: Rabb Room, Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life; 12–1 p.m. WEDNESDAY Angela Stent: Putin’s World: Russia Against the West and with the Rest Details: The Russia and Eurasia Program at The Fletcher School will host Angela Stent, a professor at Georgetown University who will receive their first annual U.S.Russia Relations Book Prize. Where and when: Alumnae Lounge, Aidekman Arts Center; all day.
THURSDAY It Happens Here 2019 Details: Action for Sexual Assault Prevention will host its annual narrative sharing event, where sexual violence survivors and volunteers will read stories of sexual assault. Where and when: Cohen Auditorium, Aidekman Arts Center; 7–9 p.m. FRIDAY Cheese Fair 2019 Details: The European Students’ Association will provide a breadth of cheese options for event attendees to consume. Where and when: Sophia Gordon Hall; 5–6 p.m.
Monday, April 8, 2019
Features
Alumni Q&A: Amy Spitalnick, Part I
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Megan Szostak Lisztomania
by Grace Yuh
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The Alumni Series aims to create a diverse collection of experiences at Tufts through highlighting notable alumni. Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
VIA TWITTER
Amy Spitalnick is pictured. deeply engaged in American political life. Not only did these people speak to the class each week — we also had to present. I ended up presenting on political communications in front of [former Vermont governor] Howard Dean, which was terrifying as a college student. It certainly helped prepare me for my career. Dean Solomont is still a fantastic mentor, and I’m so thrilled to see how public service is becoming even more pervasive at Tufts. There are also a few people in the [political science] department: Jeff Berry, Debbie Schildkraut, Ronnie Olesker. There are likely others who I’ll regret not mentioning. TD: Were you involved in any extracurricular activities while at Tufts? AS: I think the two most formative organizations I was involved with were Tufts Hillel — I was president of Hillel [student board] my senior year — and the Admissions office — I was a tour guide and a senior intern. Those two were the biggest outside-of-classroom things I did. I was also involved in Tufts Democrats and a member of other social justice orientation clubs. Hillel here, I think is so fantastic … it was not a place where only religious students could go. It was a place where I really learned a lot about social justice and political work that has been a big part of my career. One of the biggest things that I did was in 2006. There was a major rally for Darfur [in Washington, D.C.], and for whatever reason, we decided to organize a trip where we all got on a bus down to D.C. to attend the rally and come back. It was very Tufts. I think it was Hillel and several other socially conscious organizations. At
this point in my life, it seems insane, but I was a 19-year-old college kid, and I could take two overnight buses and still take a final the next day. TD: What is one piece of advice you have for incoming first-years? AS: It can be very overwhelming being a [first-year] at any college. You have to give it a little time to really find your people. So try out different organizations, get dinner in different dining halls, take the class that scares you. That’s how you’ll eventually find the people that become your safety network during your entire time in college. Those people are still my best friends today. It was January of my [first] year that I met a few of them. It takes a little bit of trying out different opportunities to see what clicks. It’s worth giving it a try. TD: What is one piece of advice you have for outgoing seniors? AS: There’s the technical thing, which is that if there’s an opportunity to work at a campaign or startup, take it if it’s of interest to you. You’ll learn so much working at a small place and be given responsibilities and opportunities you might not otherwise have. And then relationships — they’ve played such a large role in my work. Every job has been because someone knew an organization or someone was looking to fill a role. In some cases, it’s relationships that I’ve made at Tufts; in other cases, relationships I’ve made at internships or jobs in my early career. But it’s been those relationships that has lead to every next step I’ve had, and staying in touch with those people and being interested in what they do. People are willing to be helpful.
DSCH
utobiography in music first became popular during the Romantic era but can be seen in instrumental music from the Modern and Contemporary eras as well. Writing music about one’s own life gave composers an outlet to process emotions and also acted as a source of powerful emotions that could be written into melodies. One of the most notable works of autobiographical music is Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8 (1960). It is dedicated to the “victims of fascism and war,” and, being that Shostakovich lived in the USSR under the communist regime, it makes sense that he would have felt inclined to dedicate a piece to the victims of Soviet oppression. Upon closer analysis, it is clear that this work is dedicated to a specific victim of fascism and war: Dmitri himself. In 1960, Shostakovich reluctantly joined the Communist Party and, in trying to cope with his decision, decided to compose an autobiographical quartet. Having lived under the rule of leaders such as Lenin, Stalin and Khrushchev, Shostakovich was certainly a victim of repressive regimes. Stalin even appointed Shostakovich to work as a composer of the Soviet Union, where he was practically enslaved to write nationalist music lacking personal expression. The main theme of the quartet is a series of four notes first played by the cello and then canonically repeated by all four instruments. The notes — D, E-flat, C B — correspond to the German note names D, S, C and H. In German, Shostakovich’s name is spelled “Schostakowitsch,” thus making the DSCH pattern his initials (sometimes described as his ‘musical signature’). The second movement erupts out of the first in a complete frenzy. The DSCH motif is heard throughout this movement, which is representative the of conflict in Shostakovich’s mind. The third movement is more tame, and is written as a waltz. About halfway through this movement, the cello has a lyrical solo passage very high in its register while the two violinists mimic the haunting sound of an air-raid siren in the background, which is an homage to the fear that war instilled in Shostakovich. The fourth movement begins with the first violinist holding a single tone while the other three instruments play a series of three accented notes over and over again, which is meant to represent Soviet officials or Nazi soldiers banging on Shostakovich’s door. This movement eventually progresses into a series of chilling and beautiful harmonies that seem uncharacteristic of the work, which, up until that point, had been largely dissonant. The final movement is a reprise of the first movement, potentially representing the mournful conclusion of his life. The autobiographical references certainly do not end there. This work transmits a depth that is rarely found in instrumental music. Many scholars have done extensive analysis of this work; some of whom have concluded that it may have been written with the intent of being a suicide note, despite Shostakovich’s not actually having committed suicide. Suggested Listening: Shostakovich String Quartet No. 8 (1960)
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Since graduating from Tufts, Amy Spitalnick (LA ’08) has worked as press secretary for lobbying group J Street and communications director for the Office of the New York State Attorney General. She is currently executive director at Integrity First for America, the nonprofit that is behind a lawsuit against the organizers of the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, N.C. The Daily sat down with Spitalnick to hear about her time at Tufts and her career path after graduation. The Daily (TD): How did you decide to attend Tufts? Amy Spitalnick (AS): I grew up on Long Island and Tufts had always been out there as an option. It’s not a surprise that a lot of New Yorkers end up at Tufts. What really did it for me was that I came to [the] April open house, which was coincidentally a program I ended up working a lot on as a student working at Admissions. I attended classes, stayed overnight in Houston [Hall] — which is where I ended up living [in my first] year — and did all the things you’re supposed to do. I just fell in love with the campus. Everyone I met was smart and passionate. It just seemed like the right place to be for someone who wanted to do something in the broader world of public service. I wasn’t sure what that was going to be … but I knew that public service was, writ large, what I wanted to do and it was so clearly a … value here. That helped me make the decision. TD: What did you study at Tufts? AS: I ended up studying political science and Middle Eastern studies, and I minored in what was called CMS — communications and media studies — back then … I decided [in my first] year I was going to major in political science, and [during] my junior year, I studied abroad at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. By the time I was done with that, it was clear that I would also have enough credits to double major in Middle Eastern studies. It was a fascinating cross-section of classes. I think particularly for careers in communications, that’s often times not something you can really learn in the classroom. But you do learn the underlying history and ideas that shape communications. So it ended up very much aligning with what I did professionally. TD: Did you take any particularly memorable classes or have any memorable professors? AS: There’s a few. Dean Alan Solomont, who runs [the Jonathan M.] Tisch College [of Civic Life] now, taught a senior seminar on American presidency, and every week we had a different guest speaker who was
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Megan Szostak is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Megan can be reached at megan.szostak@tufts.edu.
4 Monday, April 8, 2019
ARTS&LIVING
Colette Smith and Madison Lehan Love it or Haute it
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CONCERT REVIEW
Gustavo Dudamel leads BSO in thrilling Schumann Chunky sneakers Symphony No. 1, Rite of Spring performance
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hunky shoes are the rage these days. They come in all different sizes and variations: chunky sneakers, boots, heels and sandals. But the sneakers seem to have risen above the rest and asserted themselves as an essential item for celebrity and hypebeast street style. So today we, Coco (Colette) and Beans (Madison), decide: Do we love it or haute it? BEANS: Honestly, I’m not sure I will ever truly see how the chunky sneaker is fashionable. If the chunky sneaker is high fashion, call my dad Yves Saint Laurent. He’s been rocking those Walmart kicks since before the hypebeasts knew their ABCs. So my question is, why? Why spend so much money in order to look like my dad, Dan the man, circa 2002? I’d like to see these hypebeasts’ budgets because these shoes are in no way practical or economical. Think about a classic sneaker. What can’t you wear with it? Jeans, leggings, suits, dresses, all looks are complemented with any kind of sneaker, except those of the chunky variety. With a chunky shoe, you’re basically limited to wearing vintage Dickies pants or ripped flare jeans. This is simply an impractical choice. I guess if your goal is to continually flex on your peers, go crazy and get a chunky sneaker. For me though, when I see chunky shoe, I am honestly confused and concerned. They simultaneously show how much money people are willing to waste, while also looking as cool as my dad. So go off I guess? COCO: Initially, I did not love the chunky-sneakers look. I have always been a big fan of chunky: chunky boots, heels, earrings and sandals. However, I just thought that these sneakers, affectionately called “dad” sneakers, ruined otherwise cute outfits. I am happy to say that my opinion on these sneakers has since changed. Numerous celebrities, namely Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner, have been spotted stomping the streets in these kicks and I think I speak for many when I say that they truly sold the look. I am especially a fan of sneakers with thick platforms and think they can complete an outfit and give it a sporty, casual vibe. I think that my vertically challenged friends would really enjoy an chunky shoes because they could give them a few more inches. For example, my friend Beans, my column co-writer, has somewhat of a short frame, although she will tell you that she is average (5’4” on a good day, but realistically 5’3”). The extra few inches she would gain wearing a chunky sneaker may be just enough for her height to match her big personality. Finally, a chunky sneaker is in fact a sneaker. So, all the comfort and support you find in your cozy pair of Asics, you could also find in your chunky pair of sneakers, while also making a fashion statement.
Colette Smith is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Colette can be reached at colette.smith@tufts.edu. Madison Lehan is a first-year who has not yet declared major. Madison can be reached at madison. lehan@tufts.edu.
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Gustavo Dudamel is pictured conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra on April 5. by Megan Szostak Contributing Writer
Gustavo Dudamel, resident director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, guest-conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) on April 5 in a captivating performance of Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 1 and Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring.” Schumann’s Symphony No. 1, nicknamed the “spring” symphony, was composed in under a month in 1841, and is a prime example of a Romantic period symphony. The dense orchestration, though criticized by some, provides a full sound that, in this performance, filled the entire hall. The work began with a triumphant brass fanfare, and although Schumann’s orchestration in this section lends itself to a heavy sound, the brass section of the BSO produced a light yet strong and extremely coherent opening to the work. This symphony was inspired by a line from a poem by Adolf Böttger, “Im Tale blüht der Frühling auf,” which means “in the valley spring is blossoming,” whose rhythmic
structure was the source of the principle motif of the first movement of the symphony. The quick and syncopated melody traveled seamlessly between the instruments in this performance, something that demonstrated the incredible consonance between each member of this orchestra. The second movement of the symphony began and, although the sound was initially thin, the musicians settled into the harmonies and quickly began producing a warm and luscious sound. This movement is known for its fine details of ornamentation, which appeared as subtle interjections from different sections of the orchestra; Dudamel made it a visual performance through the cuing of these interjections, which arose seemingly at random from different parts of the stage. The third movement, as typical of a Romantic symphony, is written as a scherzo, and was very dancelike. Dudamel’s conducting also became much like a dance in this movement, and rather than being a dancer that followed the music, the music followed him; he had complete control over the music. A new
rhythmic motif is heard in the fourth and final movement, and at many times during the movement, at least one section of the orchestra was playing that rhythm or a variation of it. As in the other movements of this work, the finale is often very densely orchestrated, but this provides a stark contrast to the light melodic lines of the upper strings and winds that are apparent at several points during the movement, which came through the heavy sound of the lower-register instruments like rays of light peeking through clouds. Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring,” composed as a ballet in 1913, made up the next piece on the program. Stravinsky, a Russian composer working in Paris, had recently finished the publication of two other ballets, “The Firebird” and “Petrushka,” and wrote “The Rite of Spring” for Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballet Russe of Paris. This work is notable for its avant-garde style, which is full of harmonic dissonance, complex rhythmic structures and unique instrumentation, and was
see BSO, page 5
SERIES REVIEW
‘Our Planet’ is full of tragic beauty by John Fedak Arts Editor
Sir David Attenborough is himself a force of nature. For decades, the producer and narrator has devoted his life to exploring the mysteries of the natural world, allowing viewers across the world a glimpse into the wonders of the planet. “Blue Planet” (2001) and “Planet Earth” (2007) are just two of Attenborough’s most famous narrated projects, and “Our Planet” (2019) continues this legacy. The Netflix Original, produced in collaboration with Silverback Films and the World Wildlife Fund, presents a stunning, horrific and honest look at the state of our
planet in the face of ongoing human activity and offers hope through education. “Our Planet” is comprised of eight episodes, with each title providing an overview of that episode’s focus; episode two is titled “Frozen Worlds,” while episode three is called “Jungles,” for example. Viewers of previous Attenborough documentaries will easily spot similarities to his past work, as each episode spends time following specific animals and groups of animals as they attempt to survive in the wild. However, from the beginning of episode one, it becomes clear that the series is more than another simple exploration of the natural world — this is a deep look at the irrevers-
ible ways humanity has altered the planet, usually for worse. While not politically partisan in nature, the show does not shy away from its intense criticism on unchecked human expansion. The documentary focuses on incredible natural spectacles before making abundantly clear that humans threaten much of what has just been portrayed onscreen. Attenborough’s voice provides a somber message for those watching: “The stability that we and all life rely upon is being lost. What we do in the next 20 years will determine the future for all life on Earth.”
see OUR PLANET, page 5
A rtuftsdaily.com ts & Living
Monday, April 8, 2019 | Arts & Living | THE TUFTS DAILY
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Attenborough’s ‘Our Planet’ is a masterpiece OUR PLANET
continued from page 4 The famed narrator is, of course, an excellent addition to the program. His years of experience in narration lend a sincere and deft voice to the documentary, which makes it easy to get lost in the drama unfolding on screen. He is a master, and the narration is close to flawless, a prime example of how to direct a viewer without dragging them along artificially. To compliment the stellar narration, “Our Planet” is also a visual treat. When it was first announced in 2015, Netflix noted that the series would be shot in an Ultra HD 4K format, and, while this might seem like excessive jargon at first glance, the documentary’s visuals more than speak for themselves. From crashing waves which evaporate into flecks of sea foam to early morning mist drifting above a lush jungle, the visual appeal is something which must be experienced to be understood. Every detail comes to life, which gives the film’s message an emotional reach that it would otherwise lack. Hearing about starving animals is one thing, but when a baby flamingo chick falls behind its group, legs encrusted in solidified salt as it utters an anxious chirp and trips
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The promotional poster for ‘Our Planet’ (2019) over itself, the series connects with viewers on a deep and visceral level. Attenborough’s voice does not always need to remind those watching that humans are to blame for the tragedy of the wild’s deterioration, because the cinematography can help do it for him. Speaking of cinematography, it’s clear that this is a high-budget production. The sweeping aerial shots, flawless transitions and intimate camera angles truly invite the viewer into each scene. Some of the
is pictured. shots become repetitive towards the latter episodes, but the shift between different ecosystems counteracts this problem, introducing different environments that in turn lead to different filming strategies. The music is yet another area of success for “Our Planet,” as it fades into the background without ever leaving the ear. Keening violin solos and delicate wind ensembles punctuate already emotional moments, while soaring crescendos and tempo changes
help seamlessly transition between often vastly different scenes. Everything works together, reflecting the film’s message that both the planet and humanity’s survivals are forever interwoven. The documentary ends its final episode with a look at Chernobyl, highlighting the miraculous ability of the natural world to recover — in the absence of humans, at least. The series tells viewers that, against all odds, nature flourished at the site of a terrible disaster, reclaiming land previously thought lost for millennia. Of course, this begs the question: Can humans and nature truly co-exist, or does the destruction of one guarantee the other’s survival? Only time, the series suggests, can answer that. As with most of Attenborough’s works, “Our Planet” is a masterpiece. It will entice both die-hard documentary enthusiasts and indifferent Netflix browsers alike, and the message behind this series is even more powerful in light of everything the documentary does right. With our impact on the planet only slated to increase in the near future, the series offers a beacon of hope to those frustrated by a lack of meaningful change: Wild places still exist on Earth, and it’s not yet too late to save them.
BSO's latest performance features famous Stravinsky ballet ‘The Rite of Spring’ BSO
continued from page 4 accompanied by non-traditional ballet dancing. The story of the work follows a pagan sacrificial ritual in which the tribe strives to become one with the earth. A young girl is chosen to dance herself to death as a sacrifice to the earth, and the choreography that accompanies the music reflects this story. The original performance of the work in 1913 actually incited a riot in reaction to the dis-
sonant and experimental music and dance. This combination of unconventional music and dancing came as a shock to the audience members at the premiere, many of whom thought they were being mocked. “The Rite of Spring” begins with a beautiful bassoon solo, but the orchestra soon falls into pandemonium. Dudamel kept his movements ironically calm and subtle even when the chaos began to unfold. He also led the orchestra without using a score,
proving to the audience how he had internalized this music. The intricate rhythms and meter changes make this work incredibly difficult to execute, but the coherence of the orchestra allowed these complicated sections to be woven into as much of an organized structure as the cacophony permits. The orchestra flawlessly captured the wild spirit of this piece and created an exorbitant amount of tension and excitement in the hall. The instrumentation and atypical
means of sound production, such as the use of mutes for the brass and harmonics in the strings, were emblematic of the experimental nature of “The Rite of Spring.” The percussion section flourished in this piece, driving the rest of the orchestra in perfect synchronization with Dudamel. The closest thing to a riot that came out of this performance was the roaring applause and well-deserved standing ovation at the end of the work.
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Tys Sweeney Repeal and Replace
Campus Accessibility Policies
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ufts lacks a formal transport system specifically for disabled and temporarily disabled people on campus. This week I won’t be writing to repeal anything because we can’t repeal and replace what we lack in the first place. Instead, this is a call to action: Implement a formal system for getting injured and handicapped people around campus and up and down our massive hill. Late in November 2018, Tufts sophomore Amelia Parish tore her ACL while playing quidditch, and several weeks later. due to stress from the original injury, tore her meniscus as well, according to a conversation I had with her. Her story is not unique, but it provides a window into accessibility on our campus, and maybe her experience can show us how to accommodate injured and disabled members of our community. Parish became acquainted with Tufts Student Accessibility Services (SAS) soon after her injury, and they offered two services to make her life easier. First, SAS offered to move her to more accessible living accommodations. She lives on the fourth floor of Lewis Hall, a notably inaccessible dorm, but, she said, “I was living with people who were going to help me.” Moving would have made accessing her room easier but life overall harder. “Who would be there if I fell?” Parish asked. The other service SAS offered was to move her class locations. At the time, Parish had four classes in Eaton Hall, and one in the Anderson Wing of the Science and Engineering Complex (SEC). Parish requested her class in Anderson be moved. “They said ‘No, no, that’s our most accessible building,’ but my class is on the third floor, and the SEC has the elevator … Without some weird keycard access you can’t get into the third floor of Anderson from the elevator,” Parish said. While well-intentioned, neither of the services offered by SAS made Parish’s life at Tufts better. “It was winter, and snowing, and icy, and we’re on a hill,” she recalled. What was really lacking was any support navigating campus on crutches in the Boston winter. Tufts Police provided significant assistance, driving Parish to physical therapy at the gym, but these rides are not a formal system. Since it’s not their primary job, Parish said, “for campus security it could take them anywhere up to 30 minutes to get there … If I had a number to call for transport immediately, that would have been so helpful.” Systems currently in place at Tufts for assisting injured or disabled students are well-meaning but ultimately inadequate. The unique geography of Tufts’ campus demands a formalized system for transportation, and it wouldn’t be difficult to implement. Adding a car and a driver to the SAS arsenal would improve the lives of many people in our community. It’s dangerous enough to walk our winter campus in perfect health and with good boots. With crutches, it’s terrifying. Tys Sweeney is a sophomore studying political science. Tys can be reached at tys. sweeney@tufts.edu.
Opinion
Monday, April 8, 2019
EDITORIAL
Students should be polite, conscientious toward neighbors The majority of Tufts upperclassmen live off-campus in Medford and Somerville, due to the limited amount of on-campus housing. While Tufts students make a serious effort to get involved in community events and issues, the growing number of students being pushed off campus is increasing town-gown tensions. Somerville residents interviewed by the Daily expressed common concerns stemming from student house parties, failure to clean up sidewalks and properties and a general lack of communication with neighbors. Jim Monagle, a lifelong Somerville resident, spoke with the Daily by email. According to Monagle, noise and disruption caused by late-night house parties are a significant problem for residents. Since Tufts students often live next to families with young children, senior citizens and working people we should pay attention to the daily concerns of our neighbors. “Parties need to end at a reasonable hour … If people are loud, take it inside; when guests leave the party, remind them to dial it back when they go outside and not wake up the neighborhood,” Monagle wrote.
Speaking for himself and his neighbors, Monagle requested that students clean up their porches and stop parking on front lawns. Edward Beuchert, a member of the Board of Directors of the West Somerville Neighborhood Association, told the Daily in an email that the root of student disruption in the community is a “lack of friendly channels of communication.” Beuchert explained that some students don’t share names or contact information with neighbors. This has led to a breakdown of connection between students and their neighbors and can pose a problem to both parties, as neighbors resort to calling the police or community officials if they do not have students’ contact information. If students want to have parties, it is essential that they contact their neighbors to let them know beforehand and to offer their contact information in the case that they have questions or concerns. In addition to giving the public more information about parties, maintaining a connection with our neighbors can help facilitate dialogue about community issues, interests and events. In his email to
the Daily, Beuchert talked about his own positive past experiences with connecting with Tufts students, including a time when he discovered he shared a passion for music with a student neighbor, who hosted a WMFO radio show that he regularly listened to. “He invited me to be a guest on his show, which ultimately led to me becoming a community member of the station, and tremendously enriched my life through many friendships with other student and community DJs,” Beuchert wrote. These sorts of neighborly relationships help bridge the town-gown divide, greatly enriching all our lives. It’s not hard to be a good neighbor, it often just requires that we be good people to those around us. The concerns expressed by Beuchert and Monagle demonstrate the community-wide need for Tufts students to be involved in neighborhood conversations and issues, as well as to be accountable for our actions in the community. As students living in Medford and Somerville we should value positive, open relationships with our neighbors. The Tufts bubble shouldn’t envelop off-campus houses too.
CARTOON
Hard Sciences
BY NASRIN LIN
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.
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Monday, April 8, 2019 | FUN & GAMES | THE TUFTS DAILY
F &G FUN & GAMES
LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Justin: “Am I being a little bitch if I don’t want E. coli?”
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Difficulty Level: Fitting Fun&Games in this space to avoid angry messages.
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Sports
Men’s lacrosse suffers season’s 1st loss to Wesleyan by Alex Viveros
Assistant Sports Editor
On Saturday, the No. 4 Men’s Lacrosse team (10–1) was met with its first heartbreak of the season, losing a tightly contested 10–9 battle against their NESCAC rivals, the No. 6 Wesleyan College Cardinals (8–2). The defeat marks the Jumbos’ first loss since May 16, 2018, when the Jumbos were defeated by the Cardinals in another one-score, 12–11 loss in the NCAA Quarterfinal. The Cardinals went on to win the NCAA Championship. It was an electric start in Middletown, Conn., with both teams fully understanding the game’s playoff implications. The Cardinals were first to get on the board when senior midfielder Scott Irwin scored early in the first quarter from an assist by junior attacker Tom Martello. In characteristic Jumbo fashion, senior attacker and co-captain Danny Murphy, who was named a NESCAC co-player of the week on March 25, scored back-to-back goals to put Tufts up 2–1 with just over nine minutes remaining in the first quarter. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Cardinals went on to score three straight goals to close out the first quarter with a 4–2 lead. Tufts’ defense stepped up big time in the second quarter, limiting Wesleyan to only one goal. With just under five minutes remaining in the quarter, Jumbo sophomore attacker Max Waldbaum scored from an assist by Cardinal junior attacker Matt Treiber to cut the deficit to one. Waldbaum’s goal proved to be instrumental in catalyzing the electric offensive quartet of the Jumbos which pillaged the Cardinals’ nest for the remainder of the half. Waldbaum, Murphy, Treiber and senior attacker and co-captain Ben Connelly, who sits atop the team in goals scored with a combined 115 out of the Jumbos’ 195 goals of the season, went on a four-goal drive to give the Jumbos a 6–5 halftime lead. Tufts head coach Casey D’Annolfo commented on what he believed led to the team’s success toward the end of the first half of the game. “We were just hitting our shots,” D’Annolfo said. “We had all those opportunities in the first half, and we just didn’t capitalize. Then toward the end of the first half, [the shots] were just falling. We were shooting a little bit more, and they were going in.” The second half consisted of backand-forth scoring which resulted in four game-tying goals for Wesleyan. Tufts took an inch, and Wesleyan took it right back. Neither team ever led by more than a goal after this point, making for Tufts’ toughest game of the year thus far. It was in the last minutes of the game that the tide finally changed for the Jumbos. After an unassisted goal for Wesleyan by senior midfielder Zander Kotsen to tie the game at 9–9, the game was held scoreless for over seven minutes as both teams struggled to find a goal. With just over two minutes remaining in the game, Wesleyan senior midfielder and co-captain Christian Barker proved himself a hero for
Monday, April 8, 2019
Nate Hartnick Stat Talk
A Disenchanted NBA Fan’s Playoff Preview
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EVAN SAYLES / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES
Senior attacker Danny Murphy runs around a defensive midfielder in the NESCAC championship game against Wesleyan University on May 6, 2018. the Cardinals, scoring the final goal of the match to put Wesleyan ahead 10–9. The Jumbos, whose last score came with over 12 minutes remaining in the game, were unable to find the back of the net in the final two minutes and were sent packing home with their first loss of the season. D’Annolfo praised Wesleyan’s performance as top NESCAC contender. “I think Wesleyan is a pretty good team,” D’Annolfo said. “They’re probably the best team that we’ve played this year, and, at the end of the day, we just didn’t play well enough to win.” Saturday’s game came fresh off the cusp of another one-point game for the Jumbos. On Wednesday, the Jumbos faced off against another one of their NESCAC rivals in the Williams Ephs (8–2), where the Jumbos came out on top in a close 15–14 battle. The Williams game served as a good indicator of areas where the Jumbos, who base a large portion of their play-style in lacrosse’s fundamentals, stand to improve. Murphy spoke about one of the fundamentals that the Jumbos pride themselves in: ground balls.
“I think [Williams] really beat us up on the ground balls for a little bit,” Murphy said. “[That’s] something we really pride ourselves on, and we’ve got to get back to work on that.” Echoing the words of one of his star players, D’Annolfo also stressed how important focusing on the fundamentals will be for the Jumbos moving forward. “I think when you play really good teams, you have to take care of your fundamentals,” D’Annolfo said. “That’s basic stick skills and ground balls, and Wesleyan was better with their fundamentals yesterday than we were.” Following the results of this week’s NESCAC play, the Jumbos move on with a record of 10–1, currently tied with the No. 2 Amherst College Mammoths (10–1, 5–1) for the second seed in the NESCAC conference. No. 12 Bates (9–2, 6–1) leads the NESCAC pack. As if its last week wasn’t hard enough, Tufts faces two of Div. III’s most talented teams. On Saturday, they face off against Amherst, and, on Tuesday, April 16, they’ll battle the top team in the NESCAC, Bates.
TRASHING ONE EGG WASTES 55 GALLONS OF WATER
s a die-hard basketball fan, I want to be excited for the NBA playoffs. But a fatalistic dread is creeping in, a feeling that has become familiar since the summer of 2016. Beyond watching our hometown teams lift the Larry O’Brien trophy, all that fans really want to see is legitimate competition: the thrill of a tightly contested postseason. We want to watch a player experience the unbridled joy of finally climbing the mountaintop and conquering his demons. I always picture Kobe Bryant leaping onto the Staples Center scorers’ table in 2010 as confetti rained down. Even in this excruciatingly painful moment in my formative years as a Celtics fan, I couldn’t help but respect Kobe’s accomplishment. His career had come full circle: from the out-of-his-element teenager who shot three straight airballs in the final minute of a 1997 playoff game, to the growing superstar who launched a dynasty alongside Shaq, to the inveterate gunner who nearly forced his way out of Los Angeles, Calif., and finally to the battle-tested champion who stood roaring above the delirious crowd. This desire to see adversity rewarded with glory is what universally infuriated fans about Kevin Durant’s move to Golden State. It cheapened the accomplishments that we all knew would follow. The season had not even begun, and no mountains remained for this Warriors team to summit. In one fell swoop, they destroyed their greatest in-conference rival and bolstered their own ranks to an almost absurd extent. A 73-win team had added the second-best player in the league. I swore I’d never watch basketball again. Of course, I was back by opening night, watching the Warriors get walloped by the Kawhi-era Spurs. Perhaps the addition of a ball-dominant offensive piece to a well-oiled machine would backfire? This type of false hope has flickered throughout the past few years, as Golden State has piled up two titles with relative ease. The Rockets challenged them last spring prior to Chris Paul’s hamstring injury, but I can’t help but think that Golden State would have won the series regardless. They outscored Houston by a combined 59 points over the second halves of Game 6 and 7. The Warriors grow complacent and toy with opponents — they possess an entirely different gear, and they know it. I’m trying to maintain some optimism for this year’s playoffs, as the Dubs appear less dominant and face some intriguing challengers. The Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors both fit the statistical profile of true championship contenders, boasting top-five offensive and defensive ratings. FiveThirtyEight provides a calculation of each team’s chances of bringing home the championship, based on regular season performance and “playoff adjustment.” The Bucks and Raptors own 13% and 16% chances, respectively. The Warriors’ chances? They stand at 60%. I think I’ve reached the end of my capacity for hope. I’ve stopped buying into the Warriors’ regular season struggles and internal squabbles. Maybe Durant or Klay Thompson will depart this offseason. Maybe a new superteam will form. Maybe Steph Curry’s new contacts will magically turn him into Ben Simmons from the 3-point line. At this point, I’m still waiting on hypotheticals to restore order and excitement to the game I love. Nate Hartnick is a junior studying English and political science. Nate can be reached at nathaniel.hartnick@tufts.edu.